Plasminogen activator secreted by cultured human melanocytes

A plasminogen activator (PA), Mr 72,000, was detected in conditioned medium from human melanocyte cultures by fibrin autography. The electrophoretic mobility was identical to that of tissue PA produced by Bowes melanoma cells. PA activity in human melanocyte culture medium was inhibited by anti-tissue PA IgG, but not by anti-urokinase IgG. Our results are the first to show that normal human melanocytes in culture secrete tissue plasminogen activator.

[Effects of cisapride on lower esophageal sphincter pressure and gastroduodenal motor activity in man]

Manometric study was performed to investigate the effects of cisapride, a new non-antidopaminergic gastrointestinal prokinetic compound, on interdigestive lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP) and gastroduodenal motility using infused catheter technique. The subjects consisted of 9 healthy volunteers and 29 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (19), reflux esophagitis (8) and others (2). 4 mg of cisapride was given by bolus injection, continuous infusion or oral administration. The following results were obtained: Intravenous and oral cisapride increased LESP compared with basal pressure. Especially, bolus injection of cisapride caused a significant elevation of LESP during 30 minutes after administration. After administration of cisapride, gastroduodenal motility was accelerated gradually, then inducing IMC-like contractions. By bolus injection, IMC-like contractions were induced in healthy subjects more frequently than in patients group. On the other hand, motility index of stomach and duodenum showed persistent increase in patients group compared with healthy subjects. Cisapride-induced IMC-like contractions initiated from LES and upper part of stomach and mediated to duodenum, though aborad migration was not confirmed in the present study.

A sensitive assay of GTP cyclohydrolase I activity in rat and human tissues using radioimmunoassay of neopterin

A highly sensitive and simple assay for the activity of GTP cyclohydrolase I (EC 3.5.4.16) was established using a newly developed radioimmunoassay. D-erythro-7,8-Dihydroneopterin triphosphate formed from GTP by GTP cyclohydrolase I was oxidized by iodine and dephosphorylated by alkaline phosphatase to D-erythro-neopterin, and quantified by a radioimmunoassay for D-erythro-neopterin. This method was highly sensitive and required only 0.2 mg of rat liver tissues for the measurement of the activity. It was reproducible and can be applied for the simultaneous assay of many samples. The activity of GTP cyclohydrolase I was measured in several rat tissues. For example, the enzyme activity in rat striatum (n = 5) was 13.7 +/- 1.5 pmol/mg protein per hour (mean +/- SE), and agreed well with those obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The activity in the autopsy human brains (caudate nucleus) was measured by this new method for the first time. The activity in the caudate nucleus from parkinsonian patients (n = 6) was 0.82 +/- 0.56 pmol/mg protein per hour which was significantly lower than the control value, 4.22 +/- 0.43 pmol/mg protein per hour (n = 10).

Effect of oxygen on the growth of human epidermal keratinocytes

We studied the growth of secondary cultures of neonatal human keratinocytes at oxygen concentrations between 1 and 89%. Keratinocytes were grown in MCDB medium with 5% fetal bovine serum, 10 ng/ml epidermal growth factor, 5 micrograms/ml insulin, 0.5 microgram/ml hydrocortisone, and 0.1 mM ethanolamine and phosphorylethanolamine. Medium in the flasks was equilibrated with gas mixtures containing 5% CO2, various percentages of oxygen from 0-95% and nitrogen to balance. Cells were seeded at 10(4) cells/cm2 in sealed flasks (25 cm2). These were incubated at 37 degrees C in incubators maintained at the experimental oxygen tensions. Cells grew best at PO2 (partial pressure of oxygen) 133 mm Hg (18% O2), with a mean population doubling time of 2.8 days. Growth was retarded by 60% at PO2 38 mm Hg (5% O2) and by 98% at PO2 7 mm Hg (1% O2). However, the oxygen tension that resulted in the best plating efficiency was at PO2 12 mm Hg (2% O2). When oxygen tensions were shifted to 78-133 mm Hg, cells seeded under low oxygen tensions began to proliferate. These data suggest that a better harvest of keratinocytes is obtained when cells are seeded under low oxygen tension and then shifted to ambient oxygen tensions. At high oxygen tensions, above 20%, growth was inhibited by 75% at PO2 241 mm Hg (34% O2) and 98% at PO2 374 mm Hg (52% O2). At PO2 637 mm Hg (89% O2) no cell growth occurred. These findings showed that high oxygen tensions, above 20%, have no beneficial effect on the growth of keratinocytes.

Purification and in vitro growth of human epidermal basal keratinocytes using a monoclonal antibody

We have made a new monoclonal antibody, EL-2, and used it with an immunorosetting procedure combined with Ficoll-Hypaque gradient centrifugation to purify and culture basal keratinocytes. Immunofluorescence of cell suspensions and immunoperoxidase staining of tissue sections demonstrate that EL-2 reacts with malignant cell lines, activated lymphocytes and monocytes, and basal keratinocytes. Sequential immunoprecipitation studies demonstrate that monoclonal antibodies EL-2 and 4F2 detect the same membrane protein. However, we have extended previous studies by making the new observation that both EL-2 and 4F2 react with cultured melanocytes. Basal keratinocytes were purified from single-cell epidermal suspensions by incubation with EL-2 followed by rosetting with rabbit antimouse IgG antibodies covalently linked to bovine red blood cells. Rosetting (basal) keratinocytes were separated from EL-2 negative cells by Ficoll gradient centrifugation. We obtained basal keratinocyte populations of greater than 90% purity as assessed by reactivity with EL-2 and another basal keratinocyte-specific monoclonal antibody, HCl. Langerhans cell, fibroblast, and melanocyte contamination was negligible. Cultures of basal keratinocytes were enriched in EL-2-reactive cells throughout the entire 19 days of culture studied. EL-2 is being used to characterize disorders of keratinocyte proliferation; EL-2 reacted with both squamous and basal cell carcinomas. EL-2 stained only the basal layer of lesional skin from patients with psoriasis, pityriasis rubra pilaris, and Darier's disease. Purification of basal keratinocytes will be important in biochemical and functional studies of normal skin and in establishing long-term keratinocyte lines from normal cells.

Fine structural characterization of melanosomes in dysplastic nevi

This study characterized the fine structure of melanosomes in melanocytes of the dysplastic nevi in six cases with lentiginous melanocytic dysplasia and one case with epithelioid-cell melanocytic dysplasia, and compared that structure with those of common melanocytic nevi and malignant melanoma. It was found that: fine structural features of melanosomes in dysplastic melanocytes were similar in these two histologic variants, and they were markedly aberrant and quite different from those of common melanocytic nevi; the aberrant melanosomes could be grouped into four subtypes, type 1 melanosomes corresponding to ellipsoidal-lamellar melanosomes, type 2 to spherical-incompletely lamellar melanosomes, type 3 to spherical-granular melanosomes, and type 4 to spherical-vacuolated melanosomes; type 2, 3, and 4 melanosomes were seen in all seven cases although their substructures and numbers varied in individual cases; and these type 2, 3, and 4 melanosomes were not seen in epidermal melanocytes of common melanocytic nevi, but were characteristically seen in superficial spreading melanoma and nodular melanoma. The findings indicated that the fine structural changes in synthesis and melanization of melanosomes are unique to the dysplastic nevi and that they may be helpful in diagnosis of the nevi and may fill the gap of abnormal melanogenesis that exists between common melanocytic nevi and malignant melanoma.

[Comparative study on the inhibitory effect of glucagon and secretin on the gastroduodenal motility in man]

Manometric study was performed to compare the inhibitory effect of glucagon and secretin on the gastroduodenal motor activity by infused catheter method. The subjects consisted of 3 healthy volunteers and 7 patients with peptic ulcer and other diseases. The following results were obtained. After the intravenous administration of glucagon (1 mg), the motor activity of the stomach and duodenum was inhibited promptly. According to statistic evaluation, the contraction numbers and motility index decreased significantly during 25 minutes compared with the basal values in both stomach and duodenum. After the administration of secretin (100 units), gastric motor activity was markedly inhibited, although duodenal motility increased during 10 minutes due to the initiation of secretin-induced migrating motor complex. The contraction numbers and motility index in stomach decreased significantly during 20 minutes after the administration. The inhibitory effect of glucagon was more remarkable in duodenum than in stomach. On the other hand, secretin was more effective in stomach than in duodenum.

Simulated Reye's syndrome and salicylate therapy

A 4-year-old girl with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis developed fever, protracted vomiting, disturbance of consciousness and decorticate posture following the administration of salicylate. There were elevated levels of transaminases in serum, hyperammonemia and a fatty liver. However, the fatty droplets were different electronmicroscopically from that of Reye's syndrome. This observation emphasizes the importance of electronmicroscopic observation of the liver in the differential diagnosis between Reye's syndrome and aspirin-induced encephalopathy, because the clinico-pathological findings of intoxication are so similar.

Effects of Ba2+ on the mechanical properties of glycerinated heart muscle

At a muscle length, L0 (just taut), isometric tension and tension transients in response to rapid step stretches in length (mostly less than 1.2% of L0 within 2 ms) were measured at constant levels of Ba2+ activation of varying magnitude in glycerinated cat right-ventricular papillary muscles (2-3 mm long, 130-200 micron in diameter). The majority of the experiments were carried out at room temperature (26-27 degrees C) and at a pH of 6.8. The steady isometric tension increased as Ba2+ was varied from slightly below pBa 6 to about pBa 4. The concentration range of Ba2+-activated muscle was roughly 10 times higher than that of Ca2+-activated muscle. Maximum Ba2+-activated isometric tension was 79.0 +/- 4.2% (mean +/- SD, n = 8) of that activated with Ca2+. The tension transients in Ba2+-activated muscle were characterized by at least three distinct phases; an immediate tension increase coincident with the stretch, a rapid exponential tension decrease (time constant, tau 1 = 7.3 +/- 1.0 ms, n = 5) and a delayed exponential tension rise (tau 2 = 104 +/- 5.7 ms, n = 5). The profile of tension response was quite similar to that of Ca2+-activated muscle. These results suggest that in Ba2+-activated glycerinated heart muscle the cross-bridge turnover is taking place as in the Ca2+-activated muscle, but the number of active cross-bridges at maximally activated state is smaller than that of Ca2+-activated muscle.

Mechanical properties of glycerinated guinea-pig temporal and masseter muscles

At a muscle length, L0 (just taut), isometric tension and tension transients in response to rapid step stretches in length (less than 1 per cent of L0 within 2 ms) were measured at constant levels of Ca2+ activation of various magnitudes in glycerinated temporal and masseter muscles (1.7-2.5 mm long, 48-96 micron in diameter) from guinea pigs. The experiments were at 20 and 30 degrees C, and pH 6.8. Steady isometric tension increased in a sigmoid fashion as Ca2+ varied from about pCa 6.6 to 4.4 in both muscles. However, the maximum tension of temporal muscle was about 4.4 times greater than that of masseter muscle at 20 degrees C. The tension transients showed an immediate tension increase coincident with the stretch (the first phase) and an exponential-like tension decrease (the second phase). The time constant of the second phase was about 87.5 ms in temporalis and 3.7 ms in masseter at 30 degrees C. Decreasing temperature from 30 to 20 degrees C markedly increased the time constant of the tension response in the second phase (Q10 of about 3.4 in temporalis and 2.2 in masseter). Although there was a difference in the sarcomere length between the two muscles at L0 (2.14 micron in temporalis and 1.84 micron in masseter), the mechanical characteristics were almost independent of the muscle length. Thus the cross-bridges in temporalis appear to cycle more slowly and produce more isometric tension than those in masseter muscle.

Comparison of macromelanosomes and autophagic giant melanosome complexes in nevocellular nevi, lentigo simplex and malignant melanoma

This study compared the fine structure of macromelanosomes with that of giant melanosome complexes formed through melanosomal autophagocytosis in nevocytes and melanocytes of nevocellular nevi, lentigo simplex and malignant melanoma. While macromelanosomes were found only on rare occasions in these pigmentary disorders [2 of 79 nevocellular nevi (2 junctional nevi), 3 of 12 lentigo simplex and 2 of 93 malignant melanoma], the giant autophagic melanosome complexes were always present, indicating the macromelanosomes are not synthesized simply through melanosomal autophagocytosis. Although both macromelanosomes and giant melanosome complexes exhibited acid phosphatase activity similar to melanosomes, they showed many different ultrastructural features. Characteristically, macromelanosomes contained numerous vesiculoglobular bodies, whereas these bodies were absent in giant melanosome complexes. In those tissues where the presence of macromelanosomes had been ruled out by light microscopy, none of the giant melanosome complexes revealed ultrastructural features indicative of macromelanosomes. Various phases of melanosomal degradation were seen, indicating that they were not simply end-products of lysosomal degradation of melanosomes. It was thought that the key process in the development of macromelanosomes was the accumulation of vesiculoglobular bodies.

The nature and significance of macromelanosomes in pigmented skin lesions: their morphological characteristics, specificity for their occurrence, and possible mechanisms for their formation

The nature and significance of macromelanosomes, or giant melanosomes, in various pigmented skin lesions are characterized in this paper in terms of a) their morphological features, b) the specificity for their occurrence, and c) the possible mechanisms responsible for their formation. These granules occur most frequently in the skin and eyes of persons with x-linked ocular albinism of the Nettleship-Fall type, in the café-au-lait macules of neurofibromatosis, and in the pigmented macules of xeroderma pigmentosa. In these genetic disorders, skin biopsy for detection of the macromelanosomes could be valuable for confirming the diagnosis and for establishing who in asymptomatic families are carriers of the disorders. The macromelanosomes seem not to be formed solely by autophagic degradation of melanosomes, as has been proposed recently in studies of melanocytic nevi and lentigo simplex where aggregation of the macromelanosomes and melanosomes often do occur through autophagocytosis. The macromelanosomes in these genetic disorders may be formed by a more complex process in which the melanocytes are coded for aberrant melanogenesis with formation of precursor vacuoles similar to those of pheomelanosomes and with continuous accumulation of vesiculoglobular bodies. We suggest that vesiculoglobular bodies are crucial to the formation of macromelanosomes.

[Topical application of ACNU for the treatment of mycosis fungoides]

The effects of topical chemotherapy of 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl) methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea hydrochloride (ACNU) on the lesions of mycosis fungoides were evaluated in 7 patients, ranging in age from 44 to 79 years old. Either 0.2% or 0.4% concentration of ACNU, in ointment and ethanol was used. 0.4% ACNU ethanol solution was effective in bringing the plaque lesions under satisfactory control with a complete clearance. ACNU was painted two to three times a week with a maximum dose of 50mg. Irritation and erosion of the applied areas were the major side effects, which were however, controlled by topical steroid ointment. No serious side effects of marrow and liver function were found even when ACNU was applied as long as 40 months (total ACNU dose: 16 gm). Histologically the cleared lesions revealed the thinning of epidermis, almost complete loss of lymphocytic infiltrates and fibrosis of dermis which was density infiltrated by lymphocytes prior to the ACNU therapy. Thus, topical chemotherapy of ACNU appears to be encouraged for modifying the plaque lesions of mycosis fungoides.

Electron microscopic identification of Langerhans cells in the dermal infiltrates of mycosis fungoides

The importance of the physical interaction between epidermal Langerhans cells and malignant cells in mycosis fungoides (MF) has been stressed recently. To further evaluate this concept, electron microscopic study was carried out to identify whether or not Langerhans cells are also present in the dermal infiltrates of MF. The cells with characteristic Langerhans cell-granules were found in the dermal infiltrates, from early patch to tumor lesions of MF. No vacuolous change suggestive of cell degeneration was found in these cells. These Langerhans cells revealed only a small number of specific granules, and nuclear cleavage and chromatin pattern similar to those of malignant lymphoid cells, thus hardly differentiating 2 cell types in a low power view. Similar to epidermal MF lesions, however, a close apposition of dermal Langerhans cells with malignant lymphoid cells was seen. In one occasion, one Langerhans cell was present at the epidermodermal junction, appearing as being in the process of crossing over the basal lamina. Inasmuch as malignant cells in MF have been shown to possess the functional properties of helper T cells and receptors for Ia (immune associated antigen), expressed in the epidermis solely on Langerhans cells, our findings may further suggest that these malignant T cells bind to Langerhans cells through a "lock and key" mechanism involving membrane-bound Ia.

Uptake of uranium by various cell fractions of Chlorella regularis

To know what kinds of the cell components of Chlorella regularis are concerned with uranium binding, uptake of uranium by various cell fractions was examined. The uptake value (microgramU/mg starting dry cells) of the hot water-treated cells was almost the same as that of the starting dry Chlorella cells, showing that the cell components extracted with hot water were not so concerned with uranium binding. The cell components extracted with dilute alkali seemed to play an important role in uranium binding, and those extracted with chloroform-methanol seemed to be partly concerned with uranium binding. The cellulose fraction of the cells was scarcely concerned with uranium binding. In the dry cells, 34% of uranium taken up existed in the cell walls. However, in the living cells, 85% existed in the cell walls. The above results showed that the dry or the hot water-treated cells are the most convenient for uranium recovery from the aqueous systems.

Difference in the induction of osteosarcoma in rabbit bone with single administration of three kinds of chemical carcinogens

A single intramedullary administration of each dose (15 approximately 20 mg) of 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide, 3-methylcholanthrene, or 7,12-dimethylbenz[alpha]anthracene was applied to the mandible, diaphysis, or distal metaphysis of the femur of rabbits. The highest incidence in production of osteosarcoma was obtained from the group in which 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide was applied to the distal metaphysis (75%, including one case of chondrosarcoma). Tumors hardly appeared in any of the groups when given 3-methylcholanthrene or 7,12-dimethylbenz[alpha]anthracene. Histologically, three kinds of entities were recognized from the quantitative difference of the reactive tissues which appeared around carcinogens. It is estimated that the condition of entity III induces the highest incidence of osteosarcoma if chemical carcinogens are given into the bone marrow of experimental animals.

Chondrosarcoma of the jaws and facial skeleton: a review of the Japanese literature

From the 35 cases of chondrosarcoma, the maxilla was the most frequently affected site (35.5%) and the mandible was the next (29.4%). Painless swelling is the conspicuous symptom for chondrosarcoma of the lower jaw and nasal complications are often recorded with the lesions of the upper jaw. Several kinds of histologically malignant featurs coexisted which made diagnosis complicated. The three-year survival rate was about 50% for chondrosarcoma of the lower jaw and much lower for the upper jaw.

An action spectrum for photoinduction of pileus formation in a basidiomycete, Favolus arcularius

The action spectrum for photoinduction of pileus formation in Favolus arcularius (Fr.) Ames. shows four maxima, at ca. 375-385, 420, 446, and 480 nm, and minima near 365, 400, 435, and 470 nm. Wavelengths above 510 nm were ineffective. The maxima coincided with four of the six maxima for primordium formation of this fungus, but the two maxima for the latter around 398 and 514 nm could not be detected. The photosensitive region for the initiation of pileus formation was localized in the apical region of the stipes.