Signals transducers and activators of transcription (STAT)-induced STAT inhibitor-1 (SSI-1)/suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 (SOCS-1) suppresses tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced cell death in fibroblasts

Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT)-induced STAT inhibitor-1 [SSI-1; also known as suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 (SOCS-1)] was identified as a negative feedback regulator of Janus kinase-STAT signaling. We previously generated mice lacking the SSI-1 gene (SSI-1 -/-) and showed that thymocytes and splenocytes in SSI-1 -/- mice underwent accelerated apoptosis. In this paper, we show that murine embryonic fibroblasts lacking the SSI-1 gene are more sensitive than their littermate controls to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced cell death. In addition, L929 cells forced to express SSI-1 (L929/SSI-1), but not SSI-3 or SOCS-5, are resistant to TNF-alpha-induced cell death. Furthermore L929/SSI-1 cells treated with TNF-alpha sustain the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase. In contrast, SSI-1 -/- murine embryonic fibroblasts treated with TNF-alpha show hardly any activation of p38 MAP kinase. These findings suggest that SSI-1 suppresses TNF-alpha-induced cell death, which is mediated by p38 MAP kinase signaling.

Inhibition of DNA topoisomerases by nidulalin A derivatives

Three cytotoxic dihydroxanthone derivatives, nidulalin A(1), F390B(2), and F390C(3) were evaluated for inhibitory activity against DNA topoisomerases. Compounds 1 and 2 inhibited DNA topoisomerase II with IC50 values of 2.2 microM and 16 microM, and 3 inhibited DNA topoisomerase I with an IC50 value of 5.9 microM.

HLA-mismatched CD34-selected stem cell transplant complicated by HHV-6 reactivation in the central nervous system

We report here a patient who suffered from PCR- confirmed human herpesvirus type 6 (HHV-6) meningoencephalitis after allogeneic purified CD34+ cell transplantation from his HLA-mismatched sibling donor, even though he had been on intense prophylaxis with i.v. ganciclovir (GCV), acyclovir (ACV) and gamma-globulin containing a specific antibody against HHV-6. Serological evaluation disclosed that both the donor and recipient had IgG antibody against HHV-6 before transplantation. His blood WBC count started to transiently increase on day 10, and all blood components had decreased by day 20. He then developed a severe headache and high blood pressure, and sporadic abnormal neurological findings including nystagmus and delirium. An analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) revealed 8 cells/microl, a glucose level of 130 mg/dl and a protein level of 201 mg/dl (normal, 50 mg/dl) on day 26. At the time, HHV-6 was detected only in CSF by a PCR-based method and he was diagnosed as having meningoencephalitis due to the local reactivation of HHV-6. Although he failed to respond to high-dose therapy with ACV (60 mg/kg/day) and gamma-globulin, the DNA of this virus disappeared from the CNS upon treatment with GCV (30 mg/kg/day) combined with the intraventricular infusion of alpha-interferon. His clinical course was further complicated with meningoencephalitis due to staphylococcus epidermidis, and he died of tentorial herniation on day 79 without the recovery of blood components. This experience may indicate that intense prophylaxis to prevent reactivation of HHV-6 in the CNS is essential for the management of such profoundly immunosuppressed patients.

Synthesis and antiviral activity of novel anti-VZV 5-substituted uracil nucleosides with a cyclopropane sugar moiety

A series of 5-substituted uracil nucleoside derivatives with a 1(1'S, 2'R)-[1',2'-bis(hydroxymethyl)cyclopropyl]methyl group as an acyclosugar moiety were synthesized and evaluated for their anti-herpetic activities. Among the compounds synthesized, (E)-5-halovinyluracil derivatives showed superior anti-varicella zoster virus (VZV) activity over acyclovir (ACV) but were less potent than ACV against herpes symplex virus type-1 (HSV-1). IC(50) values for the VZV Kawaguchi strain were 0.027 for Br, 0.070 for Cl, and 0.054 microg/mL for I derivatives and 3.4 microg/mL for ACV. The most potent compound, (1'S,2'R)-5-[(E)-2-bromoethenyl]-1-[[1', 2'-bis(hydroxymethyl)cycloprop-1'-yl]methyl]-2,4-(1H, 3H)-pyrimidinedione (3a), was 40-60-fold more potent than ACV against clinical isolates of VZV. It showed good oral bioavailability in rats (68.5%) and, unlike (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyluracil (BVaraU), did not result in the release of (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)uracil (BVU), a potent dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase inhibitor, in plasma after oral administration.

Enantioselective Reactions of Configurationally Unstable alpha-Thiobenzyllithium Compounds

Too unstable for asymmetric deprotonation, alpha-sulfenyl carbanions can undergo asymmetric substitution reactions with high stereoselectivity [Eq. (1)]. The key to the asymmetric induction is the dynamic kinetic resolution of the complex formed between the organolithium compound and a chiral ligand, the most effective of which were bisoxazoline derivatives.

Synthesis and antitumor activities of amino acid prodrugs of amino-combretastatins

The synthesis and antitumor activity of water-soluble amino acid prodrugs of amino-combretastatins were reported. Among the synthesized compounds, 7e (CS-39-L-Ser HCI, AC-7700) showed enhanced antitumor activity and decreased toxicity in a Colon 26 murine adenocarcinoma model. Compound 7e showed improved solubility and was easily formulated for in vivo administration. Compound 7e was cleaved to generate the parent compound, CS-39, in the whole blood of mice as well as man, possibly by the action of amino peptidase on the erythrocyte membrane.

Syntheses of novel antitumor dihydroxanthone derivatives with inhibitory activity against DNA topoisomerase II

A series of methoxycarbonyl group modified nidulalin A analogs were synthesized to improve stability against esterases. The amide derivatives showed cytotoxic activity along with inhibitory activity against DNA topoisomerase II. Among the analogs, amide 9a exhibited antitumor activity in Colon 26 murine tumor model.

A novel combretastatin A-4 derivative, AC-7700, shows marked antitumor activity against advanced solid tumors and orthotopically transplanted tumors

AC-7700, a novel combretastatin A-4 derivative, suppresses the growth of solid tumors by inhibiting tumor perfusion. We evaluated the antitumor activity of AC-7700 on solid tumors in two experimental models, an advanced tumor model (murine colon 26 (c26) adenocarcinoma, colon 38 (c38) adenocarcinoma, MethA fibrosarcoma, Sarcoma 180 (S180), Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL), human LS180 adenocarcinoma) and an orthotopically transplanted tumor model (c26), compared with that of cisplatin (CDDP). The maximum tolerable dose (MTD) of CDDP suppressed early-stage c26 and c38 tumor growth when treatment was started after the tumor volume (TV) reached 0.2-0.5 cm3, but it showed reduced activity against the same tumors at an advanced growth stage when TV exceeded 2 cm3. At its MTD, AC-7700 was active against all tumors tested except 3LL in both early and advanced growth stages, reducing the tumor mass and having a curative effect in advanced c38 tumors. AC-7700 was also effective on orthotopically transplanted c26 tumors, showing a comparable activity to that on subcutaneous tumors. Unlike flavon acetic acid, which damages tumor vasculature by inducing endogenous tumor necrosis factor-alpha production, AC-7700 potently suppressed the growth of advanced c26 tumors in athymic as well as euthymic mice. These results suggest that AC-7700 is a novel antivascular agent that may have potent activity against advanced-stage cancer in the clinical setting.

Efficacy of the mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in pediatric donors

The advantages/disadvantages of the use of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) for allogeneic transplantation still need to be clarified, particularly in children. We compared the kinetics, efficacy, and safety of PBSC mobilization by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and collection by apheresis between healthy pediatric and adult donors. A total of 19 pediatric (median age, 6 years) and 25 adult healthy donors (median age, 37 years) were given 10 micro/kg/day of G-CSF for 5 consecutive days for PBSC mobilization, which were harvested by apheresis on days 5 and/or 6. All of the donors tolerated the whole procedures. Serum trough levels of G-CSF determined by ELISA were significantly lower in the 16 pediatric donors evaluated than in adults (n = 16) on days 3 and 4 (P < 0.05). Although the WBC counts on days 4 and 5 were significantly higher in adults than in children (P = 0.006 and 0.004, respectively), the numbers of circulating CD34+ cells/unit of blood were identical. The number of blood CD34+ cells collected per unit of blood processed was identical in both donor populations. We propose that PBSCs could be effectively mobilized and collected in small children so that they could be donors for adult patients.

Antitumor activity of alpha-galactosylceramide, KRN7000, in mice with EL-4 hepatic metastasis and its cytokine production

Liver metastasis of primary tumor is a clinically major problem. KRN7000, an alpha-galactosylceramide, significantly augments natural killer (NK) activity of spleen cells and shows strong antitumor activity in mice with lung metastasis of melanoma B16 cells. To test whether KRN7000 has an antitumor activity in mice with hepatic metastasis of tumors, we examined the effect of KRN7000 on NK activity of hepatic mononuclear cells (MNC) and the antitumor activity in mice with liver metastasis of EL-4 cells. The in vivo administration of KRN7000 significantly augmented NK activity of hepatic MNC and inhibited tumor growth of EL-4 cells in the liver more markedly than chemotherapeutic agents, leading to a relatively high rate of cured mice. In addition, it appeared that the KRN7000 treatment is effective in mice with established EL-4 tumors. Moreover, we found that KRN7000 can produce significant amounts of interleukin 2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-12, and interferon-gamma in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that KRN7000 will be useful for the treatment of cancer liver metastasis.

Comparative evaluation of procedures with a Baxter CS-3000 cell separator for collecting peripheral blood cells from children

The safety and efficacy of apheresis using a newly developed procedure with a small volume separation container holder (SVSCH, Baxter) for the collection of PBSC from children with cancer were retrospectively compared with our historical experience with other procedures using different equipment and the CS-3000 plus cell separator. The procedures tested included the application of (a) specialized collection protocol 4 using the combination of an SVSCH and a small volume collection chamber (SVCC) (group A: 6 collections in 4 patients), (b) standard lymphocyte collection protocol 3 with GRANULO separation (G) and A-35 collection chambers (group B: 9 collections in 5 patients), and (c) modified collection procedure 1-120 with G and SVCC (group C: 7 collections in 3 patients). Although the retrospective nature of this study and the differences in the cohorts tested prevent a reliable analysis, the percent decrease in the peripheral platelet count after collection tended to be minimum in group A (11% +/- 5% versus 23% +/- 4% [B] or 17% +/- 4% [C]). Moreover, the largest number of CD34+ cells was collected in group A (8.7 +/- 9.4 x 10(5)/100 ml processed blood) compared with groups B (5.5 +/- 7.5 x 10(5)/100 ml processed blood) and C (4.0 +/- 2.8 x 10(5)/100 ml processed blood). These data suggest that a procedure incorporating SVSCH can be safely and effectively applied to small children and enables the selective collection of PBSC with less contamination by platelets, which is useful for subsequent cell processing.

Maternal body burden of organochlorine pesticides and dioxins

To investigate the body burden of organochlorine pesticides and dioxins in Japanese women, 125 milk samples were collected from 41 mothers in 1994, 42 in 1995, and 42 in 1996. Of the 125 samples, 82 were from primipara mothers (first delivery) and 43 were from multipara mothers (second or later delivery). By using capillary gas chromatography with electron capture detection, beta-HCH and p,p'-DDE were detected as the major chlorine pesticides in human milk. Average levels of beta-HCH and p,p'-DDE were 475 and 368 ng/g lipid, respectively, in primipara breast milk, 314 and 259 ng/g lipid in multipara breast milk, and 420 and 330 ng/g lipid in total breast milk. Dieldrin, heptachor epoxide, oxychlordane, trans-chlordane, and cis-chlordane were detected at lower average levels of 3, 4, 34, 41, and 5 ng/g lipid, respectively. By using high-resolution gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection, dioxins were detected in all samples. Average levels of total polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD), total polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF), total PCDD + PCDF, total coplanar polychlorinatedbiphenyl (CoPCB), and total dioxin were 10.0, 7.8, 17.7, 9.9, and 27.5 TEQ (toxic equivalent) pg/g lipid, respectively, in primipara breast milk; 7.0, 5.8, 12.8, 7.3, and 20.1 TEQ pg/g lipid in multipara breast milk; and 8.9, 7.1, 16.1, 8.9, and 25.0 TEQ pg/g lipid in total breast milk. In primipara breast milk, significant correlations were found among levels of beta-HCH, p,p'-DDE, total PCDD-TEQ, total PCDF-TEQ, total CoPCB-TEQ, and total TEQ except for less correlation between p,p'-DDE and total PCDF-TEQ. Levels of these analytes also significantly increased depending on mother's age, except for total Co-PCB-TEQ. For the correlation with food habit, the only positive correlation was between total PCDF-TEQs and fish intake.

[Blood PCB analysis by capillary column-gas chromatograph/quadruple mass spectrometer--comparison with packed column-electron capture detector/gas chromatograph]

The contents of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the blood of Yusho patients (Y) and normal subjects (N) were analyzed, using a gas-chromatograph equipped with a capillary column/quadruple mass spectrometer (capillary column GC/MS). While the average of the content of blood PCBs was 679 ppt in N, those were 2960, 1480 and 1090 ppt in Y diagnosed previously as A, B and C patterns, respectively. The contents of non-ortho coplanar PCBs (3,3',4,4' Tetra-, 3,3',4,4',5-Penta- plus 3,3',4,4',5,5'-Hexa-CB) were 0.9-2.1 ppt in Y, and 0.8 ppt in N. The contents of eight mono-ortho coplanar PCBs having the toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) were 118-424 (Y) and 78 ppt (N), respectively. The differences between Y and N in the species of mono-ortho coplanar PCBs contained were observed as follows: 2,3,3',4,4',5- and 2,3,3',4,4',5'-Hexa-CB were predominant in Y, whereas 2,3,4,4',5-Penta-CB was a major congener in N. The levels of di-ortho coplanar PCBs (2,2',3,4,4',5,5' plus 2,2',3,3',4,4'5-Hepta-CB) were determined to be 195-608 and 98 ppt in Y and N, respectively. In both groups, the content of the former isomer was greater than the latter. Total TEQ values were 0.214-1.226 ppt in Y, and 0.148 ppt in N. The analyses were also performed by a conventional method in which a GC equipped with a packed column/electron capture detector (packed column GC/ECD) was used, and the results obtained were compared with those by capillary column GC/MS method. The results showed that the total PCB levels obtained by capillary column GC/MS method were 56-61% in Y and 67% in N of those obtained by packed column GC/ECD method.

Endogenous interleukin-8 (IL-8) surge in granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-induced peripheral blood stem cell mobilization

The relationship between stem cell mobilization with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and the endogenous production of interleukin-8 (IL-8), macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) was studied in normal donors for allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation. G-CSF was administered to 20 normal donors at a dose of 10 microg/kg/d for 5 days with aphereses on days 5 and 6 of G-CSF treatment. Cytokine serum levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and during G-CSF treatment. Before treatment, the average level of IL-8 was 7.1 pg/mL, increasing to 207.0 pg/mL on day 5 and 189.1 pg/mL on day 6. Serum IL-8 levels correlated CD34(+) cell numbers (P =.0151 and P =.0005 on days 5 and 6, respectively) and colony-forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) numbers (P =.0019 and P =.0010 on days 5 and 6, respectively). Furthermore, preapheresis serum IL-8 levels correlated with the yield of CD34(+) cells (P =.0027). In contrast, before treatment, the average levels of MIP-1alpha, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma were 70.1, 4.03, and 3.84 pg/mL, respectively, and no significant changes in the levels of these cytokines were observed during G-CSF treatment. These studies suggest that IL-8 production may be critical to G-CSF-induced stem cell mobilization, although the underlying mechanism could not be clarified.

Surgical management of infants with mitral valve stenosis or atresia without diminutive ascending aorta

The surgical strategy in infants with mitral valve stenosis or atresia without diminutive ascending aorta remains to be established, including the potential for biventricular repair as a definitive operation. Our surgical experience of six infants with mitral valve stenosis (4 patients) or atresia (2 patients) without diminutive ascending aorta was evaluated based on three important factors: left ventricular volume; the nature of the systemic outflow obstruction; and the type of mitral valve anomaly. Two patients with systemic outflow tract diameter less than 65% of normal underwent systemic outflow tract reconstruction, and the other patients with outflow tract diameter more than 68% of normal were able to maintain systemic circulation without repair. Only one patient with mitral valve stenosis without left ventricular outflow tract obstruction underwent a successful open mitral valvotomy as a biventricular repair after first-stage palliation. The left ventricle of the other patients did not grow after first-stage palliation. Due to progressive subaortic narrowing, pulmonary artery banding should be avoided in patients with mitral atresia due to absent atrioventricular connection who are future Fontan candidates. Most patients with this lesion can be expected to become candidates for safe Fontan-type repair.

Prevalence of specific allergic diseases in school children as related to parental atopy

BACKGROUND

Our objective was to investigate the influence of parental allergy on the manifestations and course of allergic disease in children.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 15,234 school children aged 6 and 9 years were evaluated by means of questionnaires completed by their parents in a cross-sectional survey conducted in Tokushima, Japan. The prevalence and relative risk ratio (RRR) for parental allergy in children with atopic dermatitis, asthma and allergic rhinitis were 6.4% (RRR 2.5), 3.2% (RRR 2.4) and 15% (RRR 2.4), respectively. The risk of atopic dermatitis was particularly high in children whose parent had atopic dermatitis, with an RRR of 2.8 (father) and 3.7 (mother). Children with a parental history of asthma also had a high risk of that disorder (RRR of father 5.3, mother 6.2). However, the risk of allergic rhinitis was no different in children with a parental history of allergic rhinitis or from children with a parental history of asthma and atopic dermatitis. A history of allergic disease in both parents, especially of asthma and atopic dermatitis, increased the risk of allergic disease in the child. Milder symptoms, such as wheezy bronchitis, in schoolchildren were similarly related with the same hereditary tendency as the identical allergic disease. The disappearance of allergic symptoms with age also related to a hereditary component, being less likely in children with a history of parental allergy than in those without such an atopic history.

CONCLUSIONS

The manifestations and course of allergic disease in school children relate to parental allergic disease.

Novel B-ring modified combretastatin analogues: syntheses and antineoplastic activity

A series of B-ring modified combretastatin analogues were synthesized and their inhibitory activity against microtubule assembly, cytotoxic activity against Colon 26 adenocarcinoma cancer cell line were evaluated. Among these, pyridone derivative (19) showed strong antimitotic activity and cytotoxicity, along with excellent water-solubility.

Syntheses and antitumor activity of cis-restricted combretastatins: 5-membered heterocyclic analogues

A series of cis-restricted combretastatin analogues with 5-membered heterocycles were synthesized and their inhibitory activity against microtubule assembly and cytotoxic activity against the colon 26 adenocarcinoma cancer cell line were evaluated. Some of the heterocyclic analogues showed potent antitubulin activity and cytotoxicity. Compounds 16 and 35 showed marked tumor growth suppression in the colon 26 murine tumor model.

Clinically applicable bulk isolation of blood CD34+ cells for autografting in children

CD34+ cells were purified in bulk from apheresis-collected cells of children with cancer using monoclonal antibody (MoAb) and magnetic beads (Baxter ISOLEX system). To improve the purity of the final product for possibly better tumor cell purging and to make the manufacturer's original procedure more cost-effective, we incubated the cells for 30 min with l-phenylalanine methylester hydrochloride (PME) to reduce the cell number by removing contaminating granulocytes and monocytes in the initial step before incubation with MoAb. Our modification prevented nonspecific interactions between MoAb and magnetic beads, and thereby saved expensive materials for purification. A total of 40 purifications were performed with samples containing a mean of 3.1 x 10(9) blood cells mobilized from 15 children by chemotherapy plus granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). The entire purification procedure, from the end of apheresis to storage, was completed within 5h. After incubation with PME and double-layered (40/60%) Percoll separation, the number of CD34+ cells was reduced to 48+/-29%, which suggests the possibility that half of the CD34+ cells in the inoculum were nonclonogenic in the hematopoietic progenitor assay. PME/Percoll-treated cells were then subjected to a final isolation procedure with MoAb according to the manufacturer's suggestions, and 52+/-42% and 32+/-22%, respectively, of the CFU-GM and CD34+ cells present in the initial bag inoculums were recovered. The recovery rates were, respectively, 54% and 67%, when the calculation was limited to the isolation procedure with MNoAb. The purity of isolated CD34+ cells and the plating efficiency in methylcellulose culture were, respectively, 77+/-24% and 33+/-13%. Fourteen children were subsequently autografted with purified CD34+ cells after marrow ablative chemotherapy. The median number of days to achieve an ANC of 0.5 x 10(9)/l was 12 and that to achieve a platelet count of 50 x 10(9)/l was 22.5, which were comparable to those in our historical group of 55 patients who underwent transplant with unmanipulated blood cells (13 and 16 days). These results suggest that our modified purification procedure with PME is useful for the initial reduction of cell numbers to save costly materials, and that cells isolated by this procedure can be directly used in clinical transplantation procedures.

Intra-apheresis recruitment of blood progenitor cells in children

BACKGROUND

Determination of the optimal duration of apheresis requires a careful examination of blood progenitor cell (BPC) kinetics during apheresis. Intra-apheresis recruitment of BPCs should be evaluated.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Twenty-six apheresis procedures were performed in 13 children with various malignant disorders (ages, 10 months to 17 years; median, 7 years) to collect BPCs for autologous transplant, using a blood cell separator with 2 to 5.2 blood volumes processed. The subjects were divided into three groups according to age: below 1 year (n = 4), 2 to 10 years (n = 5), and 11 to 20 years (n = 4). BPCs were mobilized by a combination of chemotherapy and granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF; 2-7.5 micrograms/kg/day intravenous drip). The levels of circulating CD34+ cells and colony-forming units-granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) were monitored to examine intra-apheresis recruitment. For every 50 mL per kg or 2 L of processed blood, 5-mL blood samples were collected via a central line.

RESULTS

In the first apheresis procedure, more CD34+ cells were mobilized by the procedure itself in the infant group than in the older groups, and the number of cells decreased with the subject's age. When the same analysis was made during the second apheresis procedure, performed 1 day later, the levels of both CD34+ cells and CFU-GM had decreased to below the preapheresis values in all of the populations. Cell yields in the second apheresis procedure were significantly lower than those in the first.

CONCLUSION

Although several factors prevent a reliable analysis, the data suggest that the intra-apheresis recruitment of BPCs may be age-specific; the continuous and prolonged supply of cells from the bone marrow to peripheral blood that occurs during apheresis is more predominant in infants, which leads to the collection of proportionately more BPCs in younger children than in their older counterparts.

Change and behavior of residual mercury in paddy soils and rice of Japan

Paddy soils collected near Agano River, Niigata Prefecture in Japan. Agano River is located on an attack area of Niigata-Minamata disease. Soil samples were collected from 122 sites in 1989 and 120 sites in 1997. As a result, the total mercury concentrations were ranged from 0.019 to 0.62ppm based on dry weight with a mean 0.155ppm in 1989, and from 0.015 to 0.34 with a mean 0.146ppm in 1997. The decrease of residual mercury concentrations in paddy soils was only 0.009ppm in the interval of eight years. However, the mercury concentrations in paddy soils were about 3 times as large as that of uncultivated soils in its surroundings. It is suggested that the soils in paddy fields still contain the mercury residues to be influenced by some agricultural fungicide. Mercury concentrations in rice were natural background level. A comprehensive evaluation shows that the concentrations in boil rice with an average content of under 0.001ppm total mercury pose no health risk to Japanese people consuming rice of 200g/day.

Selection of DNA binding sites for human transcriptional regulator GATA-6

The DNA-binding sites for transcriptional regulator GATA-6 were selected and amplified by means of a PCR-mediated random-site selection method involving filter binding and gel-mobility shift analysis using the zinc finger region of human GATA-6 fused with GST. Sequencing and comparison of the selected clones suggested that (A/T/C)GAT(A/T)(A) is the consensus binding sequence, which is similar to the GATA motif (A/T)GATA(A/G) and the gastric motif (G/C)PuPu(G/C)NGAT(A/T)PuPy. GATA-6 also binds to a similar sequence containing the GATC but not the GATG sequence. These results indicated that GATA-6 shows broader sequence specificity as to DNA binding. However, adenine is favored on both sides of the core for strong binding [AGAT(A/T)A], and the order of binding is GATA > GATT > GATC. Full-length human GATA-6 expressed in COS-1 cells showed essentially the same binding specificity, suggesting that the zinc finger region of GATA-6 mainly contributes to the selection of the binding sequence. Furthermore, the non-RI method presented in this paper is convenient for determination of the binding sites of other DNA-binding proteins.

Novel combretastatin analogues effective against murine solid tumors: design and structure-activity relationships

A series of combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) analogues were synthesized, and their cytotoxic effects against murine Colon 26 adenocarcinoma and inhibitory activity on tubulin polymerization were evaluated. Since CA-4 has limited aqueous solubility, the target compounds were designed to improve solubility by introduction of a nitrogen-containing group. Among the compounds synthesized, those with an amino moiety in place of the phenolic OH of CA-4 showed potent antitubulin activity and cytotoxicity against murine Colon 26 adenocarcinoma in vitro. Some of the compounds which were potent in vitro were evaluated in the murine tumor model Colon 26 in vivo. Among these, 13bHCl, 21aHCl, and 21bHCl showed significant antitumor activity in the animal model, while CA-4 was ineffective. 13bHCl and 21aHCl were further evaluated in two murine tumor models (Colon 38 and 3LL) and human xenografts HCT-15. These compounds showed potent antitumor activity comparable or superior to that of CDDP. The structure-activity relationships of this series of compounds are also discussed.

[Postoperative analgesic effects of epidural bolus administration of bupivacaine and morphine in patients after vaginal hysterectomy and vaginoplasty]

This study was conducted to evaluate the postoperative analgesic effects of epidural bolus administration of bupivacaine and morphine in patients after vaginal hysterectomy and vaginoplasty. A total of 100 patients who had received the elective vaginal hysterectomy and vaginoplasty were investigated retrospectively by separating them into two groups. Fifty patients who had received epidural analgesics (E group) showed significantly lower pain scores for 12 hrs after the surgery compared with 50 patients who had received intramuscular buprenorphine hydrochloride (C group). The patients in E group needed significantly less supplemental analgesics than those in C group for 2 hrs after the operation. The incidence of side effects was not significantly different between the two groups. But the incidence of postoperative complications was significantly lower in the patients in E group than those in C group. These results show that epidural bolus administration of bupivacaine and morphine is effective for postoperative pain relief and decreases the incidence of postoperative complications after vaginal hysterectomy and vaginoplasty.

Variable gene segment-specific N-insertions at the signal joint of T-cell receptor Vbeta-Dbeta recombinations

The V(D)J recombination of immunoglobulin and a T-cell receptor generates two species of DNA junctions, a coding joint and a signal joint. Non-templated nucleotides (N-nucleotides) are inserted in these DNA junctions. We analyzed the N-insertion at signal joints generated by the Vbeta-Dbeta recombinations. N-insertions were detected at signal joints of Vbeta2, Vbeta3, Vbeta10, Vbeta18 and Vbeta14 but not in Vbeta8 and Vbeta7. These data show that the N-insertion at signal joints is dependent on the Vbeta locus used for the recombination. We suggest that the regional chromosomal configuration may differ in recombinase accessibility.