[A case of LGMD2A identified with both western blot analysis and immunostaining of calpain 3 in biopsied muscle]

A 45-year-old housewife had proximal dominant limb muscle weakness from around 25 years of age. Her parents were cousins. None of family members was affected. Progressive muscle weakness and atrophy were prominent at the posterior compartments of legs and trunk. Serum CK was moderately elevated. Muscle pathology revealed variation in fiber size, moderate increase in numbers of internal nuclei and abundant lobulated fibers. On immunostaining using by monoclonal antibody against human calpain 3 (NCL-CALP-2 C4; Novocastra) to the biopsied muscle, calpain 3 was completely absent in the sarcoplasm, while granular debris and in part positive striation were noted in control muscle. By Western blot analysis, a band corresponding to 94 kDa of calpain 3 was not detected. A genetic analysis of calpain 3 revealed homozygous C-565-G mutation (Leu189Val). From the present study. Western blot analysis and immunostaining by using calpain 3 antibody were suggested to be useful to diagnose LGMD2A in LGMD patients.

Cardiac vagal responsiveness during development in spontaneously hypertensive rats

In the present study we sought to determine the effect of age, hypertension and endogenous angiotensin on the chronotropic responses to vagal stimulation in urethane anesthetized-normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). After beta-adrenoceptor blockade with atenolol, the right and left vagal nerves were stimulated with graded frequencies between 1 and 32 Hz in 5-, 8- and 22-week-old animals. At all ages and in both strains, there was a strong linear relationship between the degree of bradycardia and the log of the stimulation frequency. At the age of 5 weeks, the bradycardia to stimulation of the right vagus was greater in SHR than that observed in WKY (P<0.05). However, in 8- and 22 week-old animals, no differences were observed between the response to vagal stimulation in WKY and SHR. Thus, there was an age-dependent increase in the response to right vagal stimulation in WKY, but no such trend in SHR. No significant age-dependent changes in left vagal responses were observed in either strain. Left vagal responses were approximately half of the response to right vagal stimulation at all ages in SHR and in 8-22 week WKY, but similar to right vagal responses in 5 week WKY. Administration of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor perindopril, which effectively blocked the formation of endogenous angiotensin, did not affect responses to vagal stimulation at any age, in either strain. These results suggest that the baroreflex vagal deficit observed in adult SHR compared to WKY is not due to a difference in the responsiveness of the cardiac vagal neuroeffector mechanism nor due to an effect of circulating angiotensin II. Furthermore, the enhanced vagal bradycardia observed in very young SHR which was due primarily to the earlier establishment of the adult vagal response pattern may indicate accelerated vagal development in this strain compared to WKY.

Excessive concentration of glucose during in vitro maturation impairs the developmental competence of bovine oocytes after in vitro fertilization: relevance to intracellular reactive oxygen species and glutathione contents

The effect of glucose (0, 1.5, 5.6 or 20.0 mM) in synthetic oviduct fluid supplemented with 20 amino acids (SOFaa) on the developmental competence of bovine oocytes after in vitro fertilization was investigated. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the glutathione content of bovine oocytes matured in SOFaa containing 0-20.0 mM glucose were also examined. When oocytes were matured in SOFaa without glucose, the nuclear maturation rate was lower than that in oocytes matured in glucose-containing medium. The developmental competence to the blastocyst stage of oocytes matured in 1.5 mM glucose was higher than that of oocytes matured in 20.0 mM glucose. In addition, the intracellular ROS content of oocytes matured in 0, 1.5 or 5.6 mM glucose was lower than that of oocytes matured in 20.0 mM glucose. Furthermore, the intracellular glutathione content of oocytes matured in 0, 1.5 or 5.6 mM glucose was higher than that of oocytes matured in 20.0 mM glucose. These results show that excessive glucose in the medium for oocyte maturation impairs the development of bovine oocytes to the blastocyst stage, possibly due to the increase of ROS and the decrease in the intracellular glutathione content of bovine oocytes.

Activity of interleukin 6 in the differentiation of monocytes to macrophages and dendritic cells

Peripheral blood monocytes are common precursor cells of dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages. We have searched for factors with the potential to regulate the differentiation of monocytes to DCs and macrophages. When CD14+ monocytes are cultured with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin (IL) 4, the CD14+CD1a- population, which consists of macrophages, was found in the serum-containing cultures but not in the serum-free cultures. Addition of IL-6 receptor-neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) or gp130-neutralizing mAb to the serum-containing cultures resulted in a decreased population of CD14+CD1a- cells. An increase in the CD14+CD1a- population with reduction in CD14-CD1a+ DCs was observed with the addition of IL-6 to cultures, whereas IL-11, leukaemia inhibitory factor, oncostatin M or macrophage colony-stimulating factor did not affect the differentiation of monocytes in the presence of GM-CSF plus IL-4. This effect of IL-6 was blocked by tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), IL-1beta, CD40 ligand (CD40L) and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1). Among these factors, TNF-alpha was most potent in interfering with the action of IL-6. These results suggest that IL-6 inhibits the differentiation of monocytes to DCs by promoting their differentiation toward macrophages, which is modulated by factors such as TNF-alpha, LPS, IL-1beta, CD40L and TGF-beta1.

A novel congenital myopathy with apoptotic changes

We report on a female child with congenital myopathy with delayed developmental milestones and mental retardation. The most striking pathological finding was the presence of many condensed to fragmented myonuclei. DNA fragmentation was confirmed by the TUNEL method and supported by the ultrastructural characteristics of apoptotic nuclear changes. We also demonstrated immunohistochemically the activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9. This appears to be the first reported case of congenital myopathy with apoptotic process.

Effects of ultrasound on both electrolytic and electroless nickel depositions

The effects of ultrasound on both electrolytic and electroless nickel depositions were investigated by polarization and a.c. impedance methods. The ultrasound accelerated the charge transfer process at the metal-electrolyte interface in the electrodeposition and the mass transport process in the electroless deposition. In the electrodeposition with Watts bath, the crystal orientations of deposited film largely changed in the presence of ultrasound. The imposition of ultrasound gave rise to decreasing cathodic overpotential and increasing exchange current density, and these effects depended upon the ultrasonic frequency. The values of exchange current density estimated from a.c. impedance were dependent upon the measured electrode potentials. In the electroless deposition with citrate bath, the deposition rates increased in the presence of ultrasound. There were two kinds of Ni(2+)-citrate complex which were reduced at -0.7 V and -1.1 V. The electroless deposition process was controlled by the Ni(2+)-citrate complex that was reduced at -0.7 V. This reduction rate was diffusion controlled and largely increased in the presence of ultrasound. The effects of ultrasonic frequency on both electrodeposition and electroless deposition increased in order of no irradiation < 100 kHz < 28 kHz < or = 45 kHz.

Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy in a Japanese family with a short GCG expansion (GCG)(11) in PABP2 gene

Clinicopathological and molecular genetic findings on a new Japanese family with oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy are reported. The family has 54 members, ten of whom are affected (seven male and three female), in 3 generations. Three affected males, one affected female and one unaffected female of seven living siblings in the third generation were examined. Bilateral ptosis developed in the 4th and 5th decades in the three male cases, and in the 7th decade in the female, and this was followed by diplopia, nasal voice, dysphagia and muscle weakness. In addition, severe external ophthalmoplegia, dysphonia, and proximal amyotrophy were prominent in this family. Electromyographs revealed myogenic/neurogenic changes, and computed tomography disclosed selective muscle wasting with fatty replacement, predominantly in the lower extremities. Muscle biopsy in the four affected patients showed variation in fiber size, and the presence of small angulated fibers and occasional rimmed vacuoles. Electron microscopic examination revealed an accumulation of filamentous inclusions in muscle fiber nuclei. DNA analysis identified that (GCG)(6) in the PABP2 gene was expanded to (GCG)(11) in the four affected cases examined. All studies were negative in the one unaffected. These results confirm that OPMD is caused by GCG short expansion and provides insights into the genetic mechanisms which may contribute to adult onset myopathy, confined to oculopharyngeal muscles.

Mutations of calpain 3 gene in patients with sporadic limb-girdle muscular dystrophy in Japan

Mutations of the calpain 3 gene, an intracellular calcium-activated neutral protease, is one of the causes of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD). We examined 14 Japanese patients with sporadic LGMD for calpain 3 mutations, and found four mutations in five patients. Three (R461C, D707G and R147P) were novel missense mutations, and one was a splice-site mutation (801+1g-->a) resulting in skipping of exons 4 and 5. Of the five patients, three patients with homozygous missense mutations showed later onset and slower progression than the other two patients with an exon skipping or mRNA loss of unknown cause. It would appear that the occurrence of calpain 3 gene mutations in sporadic LGMD in Japan may be quite high since all five patients with mutations in this gene were among the 14 patients without apparent family history, an incidence of 36%. These findings also suggest that calpain 3 deficiency occurs in both sporadic and familial LGMD and that direct analysis of the calpain 3 gene may be useful in the definitive diagnosis not only of the 15q-linked familial but also of sporadic cases of LGMD.

Differences in evoked potential characteristics between DRPLA patients and patients with progressive myoclonic epilepsy: preliminary findings indicating usefulness for differential diagnosis

The characteristics of evoked potentials in patients with dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA) were investigated. Twelve patients with DRPLA and three patients with progressive myoclonic epilepsy (PME) attributable to other causes participated in the study. In 11 out of the 12 patients, the diagnosis of DRPLA was genetically confirmed, based on a 56-75 CAG triplet repeat expansion on chromosome 12p; in the remaining patient, the diagnosis was not genetically confirmed but the patient was clinically diagnosed as having DRPLA and was within the same pedigree as one of the 11 genetically confirmed patients. Two out of the three patients with PME, who had been tested for dodecamer repeat expansion in the cystatin B gene, were genetically confirmed as having Unverricht-Lundborg disease (UL); the remaining patient was also clinically diagnosed as having UL, but the patient did not have the aforementioned genetic abnormality. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAERs) were recorded. The amplitudes of the SEPs were determined as the peak-to-peak amplitudes between P2 and N2 deflections. The results revealed that high-amplitude SEPs were not evoked in any of the DRPLA patients; on the other hand, high-amplitude SEPs were evoked in all the patients with UL. Moreover, BAERs were absent in seven out of the 12 patients with DRPLA; on the other hand, all UL patients showed BAERs in which all peaks, from I to V, were distinguishable. These results suggest differences in pathophysiology between DRPLA, which predominantly affects the brainstem and subcortical regions, and PME, characterized by cortical hyperexcitability. Thus, evoked potential measurements may be useful to differentiate DRPLA patients from those with progressive myoclonic epilepsy.

Ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration: effect of the frequency of a linear transvaginal probe on the collection of bovine oocytes

The effect of the frequency of an ultrasonic linear transvaginal probe on the collection of bovine oocytes by transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration was investigated. Probes with different frequencies (7.5 or 5.0 MHz) were applied to examine the clarity of follicles on the monitor using ovaries of slaughtered cows in Experiment 1. The follicles were visualized on the monitor and divided into small (3- to 5-mm diameter) and large (6- to 10-mm) groups. They were also divided into 2 groups according to the clarity of their outline (clear or obscure). The number of small follicles visualized with a clear outline was greater (P < 0.01) with the 7.5 MHz probe than with the 5.0 MHz probe (9.0 vs 3.2). Oocyte aspiration from live cows was performed using the 7.5 or 5.0 MHz probe in Experiments 2 and 3. The recovered oocytes were divided into 3 categories: cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs), denuded oocytes and all others. In Experiment 2, the number of oocytes collected per donor cow was assessed, and in Experiment 3 the number of oocytes per aspirated follicle was examined by aspirating a constant number of follicles per aspiration session. The numbers of oocytes and COCs per donor cow obtained with the 7.5 MHz probe (11.2 and 9.0, respectively) were greater (P < 0.01) than those obtained with the 5.0 MHz probe (4.3 and 3.5). This difference between probes was due to the greater clarity of the follicle images obtained with the 7.5 MHz probe.

Plasma sFas and sFas ligand levels in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and in those with disseminated intravascular coagulation

Fas, a member of the tumor necrosis receptor superfamily, is 36 kD surface protein containing a single transmembrane region and induces apoptosis by Fas-Fas ligand binding. Soluble Fas (sFas) is produced as the form lacking 21 amino acid residues containing the transmembrane domain by alternative splicing. We found that the plasma sFas levels of 33 patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura/hemolytic uremic syndrome (TTP/HUS), 19 patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), and 10 non-DIC patients with multiple organ failure (MOF) were significantly higher than those of 21 non-DIC patients without organ failure and those of 25 healthy volunteers. The plasma sFas ligand levels of the TTP/HUS patients, the DIC patients, and the non-DIC patients with MOF were significantly higher than those of the non-DIC patients without organ failure and those of the healthy volunteers. The plasma sFas levels were significantly correlated with the plasma sFas ligand levels in all subjects. The plasma thrombomodulin (TM) levels were increased significantly in the TTP/HUS patients, the DIC patients, and the non-DIC patients with MOF compared with the levels of the non-DIC patients without organ failure and the healthy volunteers. The plasma sFas antigen levels were correlated significantly with the plasma TM levels in all subjects. These findings suggest that the increases of sFas and sFas ligand that cause apoptosis might be related to the vascular endothelial cell injuries in TTP and DIC with organ failure.

Possible involvement of bcl-2 in regulation of cell-cycle progression of haemopoietic cells by transforming growth factor-beta1

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) acts directly on haemopoietic progenitor cells to regulate their growth. To investigate a possible link between the action of TGF-beta1 and cell death regulators such as bcl-2, we utilized Ba/F3 cells, the interleukin-3 (IL-3)-dependent growth of which could be modulated by TGF-beta1, as well as haemopoietic progenitor cells. We demonstrate here that up-regulation of bcl-2 protein (Bcl-2) as well as that of an inhibitor of cyclin/cyclin-dependent kinase complex, p27, was associated with TGF-beta1-induced deceleration of the cell-cycling of haemopoietic progenitor cells and Ba/F3 cells. The data from cell-cycle analysis of Ba/F3 cells showed that TGF-beta1 retarded the G1 to S phase transition. Analysis of cells with the potential to express Bcl-2 in an inducible manner indicated that up-regulation of Bcl-2 was sufficient for not only an increase in the level of p27 but also to inhibit the cell growth. Using c-kit-overexpressing cells, we observed that the potential of TGF-beta1 to up-regulate the expression of Bcl-2 and p27 could be counteracted by the c-kit ligand, stem cell factor. These results demonstrate that Bcl-2 exerts an essential function in the regulation of G1 to S phase transition of haemopoietic cells by TGF-beta1.

Outcome of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and hemolytic uremic syndrome in Japan

We examined 159 patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and hemolytic uremic syndrome in Japan. The subjects were divided in three groups; 90 patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, 51 patients with verotoxin-induced hemolytic uremic syndrome, and 18 patients with drug-induced hemolytic uremic syndrome. Eighty-two percent of the patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura had associated neurological disorders and 78% of drug-induced hemolytic uremic syndrome associated with pulmonary edema. Renal insufficiency was noted in the 69% cases with both hemolytic uremic syndrome groups. Seventeen patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura had systemic lupus erythematosus and 6 were pregnant. Autoantibody were positive in 53% of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Seventy-seven percent of patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura received plasma exchange at 4,000 mL/day three times a week, 71% antithrombotic agents, and 78% steroid administration, respectively. However, 27% of the patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome were treated by hemodialysis in addition to antithrombotic agents. When drug-induced hemolytic uremic syndrome was diagnosed, the drug was immediately discontinued and the patients were treated with antiplatelet agents. Seventy-four percent of the patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura were alive at 26 weeks compared with 95% of those with hemolytic uremic syndrome. As thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura had a high mortality rate in Japan, we should carry out early diagnosis and early treatment.

A novel Sac I RFLP in the 3' untranslated region of the myotonin protein kinase gene

We found a novel Sac I polymorphism downstream of CTG repeats in the 3' untranslated region of the myotonin protein kinase (MT-PK) gene. A C to G transition at nucleotide 13,590 in the gene was revealed by Southern blotting and confirmed by sequencing analyses. The allelic frequency of the C:G polymorphism in 63 unrelated Japanese individuals was estimated to be 0.98:0.02. When Southern blotting is employed in the analysis of the CTG repeat length in the MT-PK gene, this Sac I polymorphism should be taken into consideration.

Ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration: the collection of bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes from ovaries of slaughtered or live cows

To increase the collection efficiency of bovine cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) by transvaginal aspiration, the effects of aspiration pressure and needle diameter on bovine follicular oocyte collection were assessed. Oocytes were aspirated from ovaries of slaughtered cows using 2 different diameter needles (18- or 21-gauge) with 4 different aspiration pressures (40, 80, 120 or 160 mmHg) and of live cows using 18-gauge needles with 40 or 80 mmHg, or using 21-gauge needles with 80 or 120 mmHg. The recovered oocytes were divided into 4 categories according to the surrounding cumulus cells and quality of oocytes: 1) 4 or more layers, 2) between 1 and 3 layers, 3) completely or partially denuded and 4) all others, including expanded cumulus cells and degenerated oocytes. The highest oocyte recovery rates from Categories 1 and 2 were obtained using 18-gauge needles with 40 mmHg pressure and 21-gauge needles with 120 mmHg pressure, respectively, from the ovaries of slaughtered cows. When oocytes were collected from live cows, the highest recovery rates for Categories 1 and 2 were obtained using an 18-gauge needle and 40 mmHg pressure, and 21-gauge needle and 80 mmHg, respectively. In addition, the proportion of oocytes in each category were compared between ovaries from slaughtered and live cows. The proportion of Category 1 oocytes collected from live cows was lower than from slaughtered cows when 18-gauge needles at 80 mmHg (P<0.05). The results show that the combination of aspiration pressure and needle diameter is crucial for COC collection, and they suggest that optimal aspiration conditions for ovaries of slaughtered cows are not necessarily applicable to live cows.

Distinctive actions of interleukin-13 and interleukin-4 on growth of hematopoietic progenitors

We examined the effects of interleukin (IL)-13 and IL-4 on growth of hematopoietic progenitors from 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-treated mice, using an in vitro culture system. IL-13 or IL-4 alone failed to support colony formation by enriched marrow cells. IL-4 but not IL-13 in combination with IL-11 yielded a significant number of colonies. Neither IL-4 nor IL-13 affected colony formation supported by IL-3. When tested with two-factor combinations, IL-4 but not IL-13 suppressed the formation of colonies including multilineage colonies in the absence of IL-11. The inhibitory effects of IL-4 were not lineage-specific. Delayed addition experiments demonstrated that IL-4 is inhibitory in the early stage of colony formation. Effects of IL-4 on colony formation by pooled blast cells derived from 5-day culture of post-5-FU marrow cells was not evident. These findings indicate that IL-4 but not IL-13 is a negative regulator of hematopoietic progenitors, suggesting distinctive roles for IL-4 and IL-13 in early hematopoiesis.

Allopurinol, an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, improves the development of IVM/IVF bovine embryos (>4 cell) in vitro under certain culture conditions

To determine the origin of free oxygen radicals in the culture medium of bovine embryos, the effect of allopurinol, an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, on the development of embryos (>4 cell) in modified synthetic oviduct fluid (m-SOF) medium was examined. When embryos were cultured in the presence of 0.2 mM allopurinol under high oxygen tension (5% CO2 in air), the blastocyst rate significantly (P<0.05) increased compared with the absence of allopurinol (allopurinol (+) 42 vs. (-) 25%; Day 6, 63 vs. 51%; Day 7, 69 vs. 58%; Day 8). However, allopurinol had no effect on embryo development under low oxygen tension (5% CO2, 5% O2, 90% N2). Moreover, it was found that the developmental rate and the total cell number of blastocysts decreased (development rate: 60 vs. 28%, cell number: 132 vs. 74) when the embryos were cultured in medium containing 0.01 U/mL xanthine oxidase (XOD) and 0.1 mM hypoxanthine (HXT), and the damaging effect of XOD and HXT was removed by the addition of 0.2 mM allopurinol. The beneficial effect of allopurinol was also observed when the glucose concentration was increased to 4.5 mM from 1.5 mM (control: 22% vs. allopurinol: 34%; Day 8), but no beneficial effects were observed in the media without glucose (control: 55% vs. allopurinol: 59%). Taken together, these results suggested that a portion of the free oxygen radicals are generated from the XOD and HXT reactions under culture conditions, and this generation is enhanced by high oxygen tension in the gas atmosphere or by high glucose concentrations in the medium.

Potentiation of transmitter release by protein kinase C in goldfish retinal bipolar cells

1. We examined whether transmitter release could be modified by the activation of protein kinase C (PKC) of retinal bipolar cells. A bipolar cell with a large axon terminal was isolated from the goldfish retina. The presynaptic Ca2+ current was measured under whole-cell voltage clamp, and the released transmitter (probably glutamate) was detected electrophysiologically by using the response of NMDA receptors of catfish horizontal cells as a reporter. 2. Transmitter release was potentiated by a PKC activator, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), but not by an ineffective phorbol ester, 4alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate. A PKC inhibitor, bisindolylmaleimide I, did not affect the transmitter release by itself but blocked the PMA-induced potentiation of transmitter release. These results suggest that the actions of PMA were mediated via the activation of PKC. 3. Introduction of 5 mM EGTA into the presynaptic terminals of bipolar cells revealed two separate components of transmitter release. A rapid component was triggered immediately after depolarization while a slow component appeared with a delay. Application of PMA selectively potentiated the slow component without affecting the Ca2+ dependence of exocytosis. 4. We suggest that the activation of PKC may modify the recruitment process of synaptic vesicles in retinal bipolar cells.

MTM1 gene mutations in Japanese patients with the severe infantile form of myotubular myopathy

The severe infantile form of myotubular myopathy is a fatal muscle disease that predominantly affects male infants and is characterized by severe weakness and hypotonia from birth. X-linked myotubular myopathy was found to be associated with mutations in the MTM1 gene in Xq28 encoding the putative tyrosine phosphatase, myotubularin. We screened the MTM1 gene for mutations in seven Japanese patients (six males and one female) who had the diagnosis of severe infantile form of myotubular myopathy. We found five mutations, including three novel mutations based on sequence analysis of RT-PCR fragments covering the entire open reading frame. Two patients (one male and one female), who had similar clinicopathologic features, did not have any mutation in the MTM1 gene open reading frame, suggesting that they may have had an autosomal recessive disease.

Follicular cells affect the fertilizability and developmental competency of bovine oocytes in vitro

The present study examined the time-dependent effects of follicular cells on the fertilizability of oocytes and their subsequent development to blastocysts. The percentages of oocytes reaching the metaphase-II stage of maturation rose from 51.3% after 16 h of culture to 86.2% at 28 h (cumulus-intact oocytes; CIO) and, for the same time points, from 65.4% to 83.3% (corona-enclosed oocytes; CO) and 54.3% to 88.9% (denuded oocytes; DO), respectively. When DO were cultured for more than 24 h before insemination, fertilization rates were significantly lower compared with CIO and CO. The maximum rates of development to blastocysts were observed when the oocytes were cultured for 24 h in the CIO group (22.1%), 20 h in the CO group (19.7%) and 18 h in the DO group (9.2%), respectively. These results suggest that (i) the presence of cumulus cells or corona cells during maturation is not necessary for nuclear maturation of oocytes; (ii) the attachment of corona cells to the oocytes during maturation is important for the further development to the blastocyst stage, and (iii) the presence of attached cumulus and/or corona cells during maturation in vitro extends the maturation period required for further development to the blastocyst stage.

Effects of antioxidants on the development of bovine IVM/IVF embryos in various concentrations of glucose

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of glucose, antioxidants and different oxygen tensions on the development of bovine embryos cultured in modified synthetic oviduct fluid (m-SOF) medium. In vitro matured (IVM) and fertilized (IVF) oocytes were incubated for 48 h. Embryos reaching at least the 4-cell stage were selected for further culture under various conditions for 6 d. Supplementing the m-SOF media with 4.5 mM glucose resulted in a significantly lower (P < 0.01) embryo developmental rate (21%; Day 8) than was obtained with 1.5 mM glucose (58%; Day 8) or no glucose (53%; Day 8). Antioxidants such as SOD, catalase and mannitol had no positive effect on embryo development in m-SOF medium supplemented with 1.5 mM glucose. However, in m-SOF medium supplemented with 4.5 mM glucose, SOD and mannitol significantly (P < 0.05) improved embryo development: SOD increased the developmental rate from 19 to 35% (Day 8), while mannitol increased it from 13 to 30% (Day 8). Low oxygen concentration improved embryo development significantly (P < 0.05) in m-SOF medium supplemented with 4.5 mM glucose (low O2: 31% vs high O2: 14%; Day 8) but not 0 mM glucose (low O2: 58% vs high O2: 55%; Day 8). Our data suggest that low concentration of glucose during culture of bovine embryos is beneficial, and that generation of free oxygen radicals is partly caused by a high concentration of glucose in the medium.

Effects of cumulus cell density during in vitro maturation of the developmental competence of bovine oocytes

To determine the role of cumulus cells in oocyte maturation, we carried out an investigation on the effects of addition of cumulus cells to the maturation medium on the developmental competence of corona-enclosed oocytes and oocytes denuded from their somatic cells. The addition of cumulus cell (1.6 x 10(6) cells/mL) improved the development of bovine corona-enclosed oocytes, however, addition of a similar number of cumulus cells as cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs, cumulus cell density: 4.2 x 10(6) cells/mL) had no effect on the development of oocytes denuded from their somatic cells. To determine if corona-enclosed oocytes can obtain developmental competence without the addition of extra cumulus cells, the effects of cell density during in vitro maturation on the developmental competence were studied. A density of 1.6 to 3.2 x 10(6) cumulus cells/mL was the most effective for in vitro maturation of oocytes with intact gap junctions. The effects of the medium conditioned by COCs on the developmental competence of oocytes was also examined. It was demonstrated that COC-conditioned medium improved the development of bovine oocytes to the blastocyst stage. These data suggest that the developmental competence of bovine oocytes surrounded with corona cells is supported in a cell density-dependent manner in the maturation medium. In addition, the data indicate that cumulus cells benefit bovine oocyte development either by secreting soluble factors which induce developmental competence or by removing an embryo development-suppressive component from the medium.

Successful treatment of aplastic anemia with G-CSF and high dose erythropoietin

We report the successful treatment of pancytopenia with G-CSF and high dose erythropoietin (Epo) in an elderly patient diagnosed with aplastic anemia (AA). Furthermore this effect is dose dependent for Epo in vivo. Detection of apoptosis by gel electrophoresis shows that high dose Epo protects bone marrow mononuclear cells from spontaneous apoptosis in vitro. These findings may explain some of the mechanisms of aplastic anemia.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and its receptor in acute promyelocytic leukemia

Expression of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) receptor (G-CSFR) and in vitro proliferative response to G-CSF were investigated by quantitative immunofluorescence and [3H] thymidine uptake, respectively, in a series of acute myeloid leukemias (AML). The results indicated that G-CSFR was detected at high levels in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cells, in comparison with other types of AML. Moreover, APL cells were also seen to predominantly proliferate in response to G-CSF. Based on these observations, we administered recombinant human G-CSF to a patient with APL in the third relapse that was resistant to both cytotoxic agents and all trans retinoic acid, in an attempt to sensitize the leukemic cells to cell-cycle-dependent agents. Complete remission was achieved. The finding that APL cells are exquisitely responsive to G-CSF supports the view that G-CSF is useful for augmentation of their vulnerability to cell-cycle specific agents.