SF20/IL-25, a novel bone marrow stroma-derived growth factor that binds to mouse thymic shared antigen-1 and supports lymphoid cell proliferation

Using a forward genetic approach and phenotype-based complementation screening to search for factors that stimulate cell proliferation, we have isolated a novel secreted bone marrow stroma-derived growth factor, which we termed SF20/IL-25. This protein signals cells to proliferate via its receptor, which we have identified as mouse thymic shared Ag-1 (TSA-1). Enforced expression of TSA-1 in IL-3-dependent Ba/F3 cells that do not express endogenous TSA-1 rendered cells to proliferate in a dose-dependent manner when stimulated with SF20/IL-25. FDCP2, a factor-dependent hemopoietic cell line that expresses endogenous TSA-1, could also be stimulated to proliferate with SF20/IL-25. Binding of SF20 to TSA-1 was blocked by anti-TSA-1 Ab and SF20-induced proliferation of TSA-1-expressing cells was inhibited by anti-TSA-1. In vitro assay revealed that SF20/IL-25 has no detectable myelopoietic activity but supports proliferation of cells in the lymphoid lineage.

Anoplin, a novel antimicrobial peptide from the venom of the solitary wasp Anoplius samariensis

A novel antimicrobial peptide, anoplin, was purified from the venom of the solitary wasp Anoplius samariensis. The sequence was mostly analyzed by mass spectrometry, which was corroborated by solid-phase synthesis. Anoplin, composed of 10 amino acid residues, Gly-Leu-Leu-Lys-Arg-Ile-Lys-Thr-Leu-Leu-NH2, has a high homology to crabrolin and mastoparan-X, the mast cell degranulating peptides from social wasp venoms, and, therefore, can be predicted to adopt an amphipathic alpha-helix secondary structure. In fact, the circular dichroism (CD) spectra of anoplin in the presence of trifluoroethanol or sodium dodecyl sulfate showed a high content, up to 55%, of the alpha-helical conformation. A modeling study of anoplin based on its homology to mastoparan-X supported the CD results. Biological evaluation using the synthetic peptide revealed that this peptide exhibited potent activity in stimulating degranulation from rat peritoneal mast cells and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, this is the first antimicrobial component to be found in the solitary wasp venom and it may play a key role in preventing potential infection by microorganisms during prey consumption by their larvae. Moreover, this peptide is the smallest among the linear alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides hitherto found in nature, which is advantageous for chemical manipulation and medical application.

Developmentally regulated expression of brain-specific chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, neurocan and phosphacan, in the postnatal rat hippocampus

Developmental changes in the distribution of brain-specific chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, neurocan and phosphacan/RPTPzeta/beta, in the hippocampus of the Sprague-Dawley rat were examined using monoclonal antibodies 1G2 and 6B4. The 1G2 immunoreactivity was predominant in the neonatal hippocampus while the 6B4 immunoreactivity was predominant in the mature hippocampus. Moderate 1G2 immunoreactivity was detected in the dentate gyrus and subiculum immediately after birth. Immunoreactivity reached a peak on postnatal days 7-10 (P7-P10) when intense 1G2 labeling was present throughout the neuropil layers of the hippocampus except the mossy fiber tract. 6B4 immunoreactivity was limited in the stratum lacunosum moleculare of CA1 in the neonatal hippocampus. It gradually increased by P21 when diffuse 6B4 immunoreactivity was detected in the stratum oriens and radiatum of Ammon's horn, and in the hilus and inner one-third molecular layer of the dentate gyrus, while 1G2 immunoreactivity decreased after P21. In the adult hippocampus, moderate 6B4 immunoreactivity was present in the stratum oriens and radiatum of Ammon's horn, and in the hilus and inner one-third molecular layer of the dentate gyrus, but not in the mossy fiber tract. In addition, strong 6B4 labeling appeared around a subset of neurons after P21. The results suggest that neurocan may have a role in the development of neuronal organization, while phosphacan/RPTPzeta/beta may contribute to the maintenance and plasticity of synaptic structure and function. Furthermore, the absence of 1G2 and 6B4 immunoreactivities in the stratum lucidum suggests that neurocan and phosphacan/RPTPzeta/beta may function as a barrier for the extension of mossy fibers and provide an environment permissive for fasciculation of the mossy fibers.

Ethics of organ transplantation in Japan: an example of cultural transplantation in medicine

Since the passage of the Organ Transplant Law in October 1997, only nine persons declared dead by neurological criteria have donated their organs in Japan. This article is an attempt by Japanese anesthesiologists to introduce the cultural and moral justification of Japanese transplant practice to the international community.

Electrochemical oxidation of bisphenol A. Application to the removal of bisphenol A using a carbon fiber electrode

The electrochemical behavior of bisphenol A was investigated by voltammetric techniques. The electrochemical oxidation of bisphenol A led to the inactivation of the glassy carbon electrode as the result of the deposition of the electropolymerized films. Although phenolate is oxidized more easily than the neutral phenol, an electropolymerized film of bisphenol A was formed in neutral media rather than in alkaline media. The fouling of the electrode surface by the electropolymerized film was evaluated by monitoring the electrode response of ferrocyanide ion as the redox marker. The electrochemical removal of bisphenol A based on the formation of the electropolymerized film on an anode surface was also attempted using a carbon fiber electrode with a very large surface area. The high removal efficiency for bisphenol A was obtained in a dilute solution of bisphenol A. The maximum surface coverage (gamma) of electropolymerized bisphenol A on the carbon fiber was about 2 x 10(-9) mol/cm2.

Induction of urokinase-type plasminogen activator by the anthracycline antibiotic in human RC-K8 lymphoma and H69 lung-carcinoma cells

Current evidence has suggested the possible involvement of ROS as signaling messengers in IL-1beta- or LPS-induced gene expression. We previously reported that both IL-1beta and LPS induce uPA in RC-K8 human lymphoma cells. Here, we provide evidence that ROS-generating anthracycline antibiotics, including doxorubicin and aclarubicin, upregulate uPA expression in 2 human malignant cell lines, RC-K8 and H69 small-cell lung-carcinoma cells. Both doxorubicin and aclarubicin markedly increased uPA accumulation in RC-K8- and H69-conditioned medium in a dose-dependent manner. In each case, maximal induction was observed at a sublethal concentration, i.e., at a concentration where cell growth was slightly inhibited. Both doxorubicin and aclarubicin increased uPA mRNA levels, and induction in each case reached the maximal level 9 hr after stimulation. Doxorubicin barely changed the half-life of uPA mRNA and activated uPA gene transcription. Antioxidants such as NAC and PDTC inhibited doxorubicin-induced uPA mRNA accumulation. Microarray analysis, using Human Cancer CHIP version 2 (Takara Shuzo, Kyoto, Japan), in which 425 human cancer-related genes were spotted on glass plates, revealed that uPA is 1 of 3 genes that were clearly upregulated in H69 cells by doxorubicin stimulation. These findings suggest that the anthracycline induces uPA in human malignant cells by activating gene transcription in which ROS may be involved. Therefore, by upregulating uPA expression, the anthracycline may influence many biologic cell functions mediated by the uPA/plasmin system.

Strategy for modulation of central dopamine transmission based on the partial agonist concept in schizophrenia therapy

The dopamine system is known to be closely involved in brain neuronal dysfunction and in diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Tourette's syndrome, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, generation of pituitary tumors and schizophrenia. According to the classical dopamine hypothesis on the pathology of schizophrenia, conventional antipsychotics has D2 dopamine receptor antagonistic profiles. However, the use of typical antipsychotics has several limitations; that is, some patients do not respond to them, they can even worsen negative symptoms, and they can provoke unacceptable extrapyramidal and endocrine side effects. To produce effective antipsychotics with reduced side effects, partial agonists to D2 dopamine receptors (D2 receptors) have been developed. Despite the effectiveness of partial agonists for pre- and postsynaptic D2 receptors, administration of such drugs results in inconsistent clinical effects to ameliorate the symptoms of schizophrenia. Thus, strategies for obtaining ideal effective antipsychotics with reduced side effects are considered in this short review with respect to the intrinsic efficacies and affinities of the partial agonists, based on the partial agonist concept.

Genetic analysis of a variant luteinizing hormone in an infertile woman

In a woman with infertility and an endometrial polyp, we analyzed the nucleotide sequence of the beta-subunit of her luteinizing hormone which showed anomalous immunogenecity in that it was recognized by time resolved-fluoroimmunoassay but not by immunoradiometric assay. The sequence analysis showed two substitutional mutations of beta-subunit Trp (TGG) to Arg (CGG) and Ile (ATC) to Thr (ACC). The variant luteinizing hormone might have had some relation to the infertility and the endometrial polyp. been described [2, 4, 13-15]. Although the role of the variant LH is still unclear, it has different biologicl activity as compared to normal LH and may play a role in causing infertility, menstrual disorder, endometriosis and spontaneous miscarriage [1, 3, 4, 9, 10, 17]. We now report a study of the DNA sequence of beta-subunit of anomalous LH in an infertile patient with an endometrial polyp.

Platelet adhesion to heparin coated oxygenator fibers under in vitro static conditions: impact of temperature

Heparin coating of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuitry may attenuate the platelet consumption associated with CPB. We investigated the effect of temperature on the interaction between platelet and heparin coated surfaces under in vitro static conditions. Heparin coated and non coated oxygenator fibers were incubated with heparinized whole blood at 37 degrees C and 22 degrees C. The incubation time was set at 30, 60, 180, and 300 minutes. The number of platelets adhering to each fiber was assessed with enzyme immunoassay using monoclonal antibody against platelet receptor protein CD 61(GPIIbIIIa). As an index of platelet activation, plasma soluble(s) P-selectin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Under normothermia, the number of adherent platelets on the non coated surface increased significantly after 300 min of incubation. Platelet adhesion was reduced significantly by heparin coating of the surface and was kept constant after 300 min. Under hypothermia, heparin coating was also associated with significant reduction of platelet adhesion. The levels of sP-selectin did not correlate with the extent of platelet adhesion. Our results suggest that heparin coating is effective in decreasing platelet adhesion to the synthetic surface tested regardless of the temperature under static conditions. Inhibition of platelet activation on the heparin coated surface may be masked by standard dose heparinization.

Prediction of difficult airway in school-aged patients with microtia

BACKGROUND

Because the ear and mandible develop from the first and second branchial arches and first branchial cleft, abnormalities of the ear may be a sign that intubation will be difficult. We hypothesized that children with microtia would have a greater incidence of difficult laryngeal visualization with conventional rigid laryngoscopy compared to those with normal facial anatomy.

METHODS

We enrolled 93 consecutive school-aged patients with microtia undergoing the first stage of total reconstruction of the auricle. Age-matched patients with normal facial anatomy served as controls. Each patient was examined for the presence or absence of the five dysmorphic features of hemifacial microsomia: orbital asymmetry, mandibular hypoplasia, ear deformity, nerve involvement, soft tissue deficiency (OMENS classification). After a standardized induction of anaesthesia, the laryngeal view during rigid laryngoscopy was graded.

RESULTS

The incidence of difficult laryngeal view was 42% in the patients with bilateral microtia, 2% in those with unilateral microtia and 0% in the controls.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a strong positive correlation between the number of involved abnormal anatomical components according to the OMENS classification and the degree of difficult visualization of the larynx in patients with both bilateral and unilateral microtia (Spearman rank order correlation coefficient=0.85 and 0.88, respectively).

Nasal septal hemangiopericytoma-like tumor: a case report with an immunohistochemical study

Nasal hemangiopericytoma-like (HPCL) tumor is a rare vascular tumor and should be differentiated from typical hemangiopericytomas (HPCs). This study reports the case of an HPCL tumor in a 77-year-old man with histological and immunohistochemical features. After preoperative evaluation of the blood supply, the dark-red right intranasal tumor was resected completely via the right maxillary sinus. The final histopathological diagnosis was HPCL tumor based on several stains: vimentin (+), alpha-SMA (+), etc. Moreover, there were few p53 (+) cells and the Ki-67 and topoisomerase IIalpha labeling indices were both under 5%. These findings indicated that this tumor was a low-grade malignancy. The immunohistochemical investigations used are useful for making the diagnosis of HPCL tumor and determining the treatment, malignancy, and prognosis.

Novel compound heterozygous mutations for lipoprotein lipase deficiency. A G-to-T transversion at the first position of exon 5 causing G154V missense mutation and a 5' splice site mutation of intron 8

We systematically investigated the molecular defects causing a primary LPL deficiency in a Japanese male infant (patient DI) with fasting hyperchylomicronemia (type I hyperlipoproteinemia) and in his parents. Patient DI had neither LPL activity nor immunoreactive LPL mass in the pre- and post-heparin plasma. The patient was a compound heterozygote for novel mutations consisting of a G-to-T transversion at the first nucleotide of exon 5 [+1 position of 3' acceptor splice site (3'-ass) of intron 4] and a T-to-C transition in the invariant GT at position +2 of the 5' donor splice site (5'-dss) of intron 8 (Int8/5'-dss/t(+2)c). The G-to-T transversion, although affecting the 11 nucleotide of the 3'-consensus acceptor splice site, resulted in a substitution of Gly(154) to Val (G154V; GG(716)C(-->)GTC). The mutant G154V LPL expressed in COS-1 cells was catalytically inactive and hardly released from the cells by heparin. The Int8/5'-dss/t(+2)c mutation inactivated the authentic 5' splice site of intron 8 and led to the utilization of a cryptic 5'-dss in exon 8 as an alternative splice site 133 basepairs upstream from the authentic splice site, thereby causing joining of a part of exon 8 to exon 9 with skipping of a 134-bp fragment of exon 8 and intron 8. These additional mutations in the consensus sequences of the 3' and 5' splice sites might be useful for better understanding the factors that are involved in splice site selection in vivo.

Screening for deletions in interval D16-22 of the Y chromosome in azoospermic and oligozoospermic Japanese men

The genetic basis of infertility remains unclear in a majority of infertile men. In this study, the Y chromosome long arm involving the DAZ (deleted in azoospermia) gene was screened in order to evaluate the occurrence of microdeletion in Japanese infertile men. One hundred and fifty-seven infertile Japanese men with azoospermia and oligozoospermia were analyzed for microdeletions in interval D16-22 of the Y chromosome, using polymerase chain reaction with sequence-tagged site markers. Sixteen sets of oligonucleotide primers were synthesized for the polymerase chain reaction, and Southern blot analysis was also performed. The men were divided into five categories on the basis of sperm concentration: functional azoospermia (A; n = 24), azoospermia caused by obstruction (AO; n = 20), oligozoospermia I (OI, sperm concentration less than I x 10(5)/ml; n = 33), oligozoospermia II (OII, sperm concentration less than 1 x 10(6)/ml; n = 30), and oligozoospermia III (OIII, sperm concentration less than 1 x 10(7)/ml; n = 50). Thirty fertile men with a sperm concentration of more than 2 x 10(7)/ml were also analyzed as controls. Microdeletions were identified, in 12 (7.6%) of the 157 infertile men, as follows: 1 man in category A, 1 in category AO, 5 in category OI, 4 in category OII, and 1 in category OIII. No deletion was identified in the fertile men. One common region around sY240 was identified in 11 of the infertile men with microdeletions. This locus may contain specific genes for spermatogenesis. The sperm concentration in the ten oligozoospermic men with microdeletions was below 1 x 10(6)/ml. There were no correlations between the severity of spermatogenic defects and the extent of the microdeletions. These results suggested that genes in the interval D16-22 of the Y chromosome might have important roles in spermatogenesis.

The midlatency auditory evoked potentials predict responsiveness to verbal commands in patients emerging from anesthesia with xenon, isoflurane, and sevoflurane but not with nitrous oxide

BACKGROUND

It has recently been demonstrated that the approximately 40-Hz spectral power of the midlatency auditory evoked potential (MLAEP) correlates well with wakefulness during desflurane or propofol anesthesia. The aim of this study was to characterize how other inhalational anesthetics affects the MLAEP as the patients regain responsiveness to simple verbal command during emergence from anesthesia.

METHODS

Sixty patients were randomly assigned to receive xenon, isoflurane, sevoflurane, or nitrous oxide (N2O) supplemented with epidural anesthesia. During emergence, the concentration of an anesthetic was decreased in 0.1-minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) decrements from 0.8 MAC or from 70% in the case of N2O, and each new concentration was maintained for 15 min. Every 5 min during each equilibration period, the MLAEP was recorded and the patients were asked to open their eyes and squeeze and release the investigator's hand. This process was repeated until the first response to either of these commands was observed.

RESULTS

Thirteen patients were excluded because of technical reasons. The preanesthetic MLAEP showed a periodic waveform, where the Na-Pa-Nb complex was the most prominent component contributing to the high energy around 29-39 Hz in the power spectrum. Emergence from xenon, isoflurane, and sevoflurane anesthesia produced similar changes in the MLAEP. The spectral power for the frequency 29 Hz or greater was severely suppressed at 0.8 MAC but significantly recovered between the concentration only 0.1 MAC higher that permitting the first response to command and that associated with the first response. In contrast, N2O hardly affected the MLAEPs, even at the concentrations producing unresponsiveness. Two patients did not lose responsiveness even at the highest concentration tested (70%).

CONCLUSIONS

The MLAEP is closely associated with responsiveness to verbal command during emergence from anesthesia with xenon, isoflurane, and sevoflurane but not with N2O.

An autopsy case of pancreatic and ectopic nesidioblastosis

We report an autopsy case of pancreatic and ectopic nesidioblastosis. A five-month-old Japanese girl was born at 35 weeks gestation, and showed clinical symptoms of hyper-insulinemic hypoglycemia before death. At autopsy a tumorous nodule was observed at the portion of the jejunum, 90 cm from Treitz's ligament. The nodule measured 30 x 20 x 20 mm. The ectopic pancreas, also revealed nesidioblastosis histologically. Immunohistologically, both nesidioblastoses were stained positive for chromogranin A, insulin, glucagon and somatostatin. The proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki-67 indices were less than 4% in the nesidioblastosis. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of nesidioblastosis demonstrating proliferating activity with PCNA and Ki-67, and is the third reported case of nesidioblastosis arising in the pancreas and ectopic pancreas.

Analysis for microdeletions of Y chromosome in a single spermatozoon from a man with severe oligozoospermia

Since the association between Y chromosome deletions and spermatogenic failure was demonstrated in 1976, there have been many reports of Y chromosome microdeletions. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) have been used for the analysis because the method is convenient, materials are easy to obtain, and PBL genomic DNA is similar to that of germ cells such as spermatozoa. However, PBLs originate from somatic tissue, not from germ cells. In this study, we analyzed 30 spermatozoa in semen ejaculated by an infertile male with Y chromosome microdeletions, while 50 spermatozoa from a normal fertile male were used as a control. The same Y chromosome microdeletion as that found in PBL was identified in each of the 12 spermatozoa which contained the Y chromosome in the infertile patient. These results indicated that spermatozoa (germ cells) had the same Y chromosome microdeletion as PBL (somatic cells). This supports the conjecture that microdeletions are transmitted to the next generation via the treatment of infertility by intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Expression of brain specific chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, neurocan and phosphacan, in the developing and adult hippocampus of Ihara's epileptic rats

Ihara's epileptic rats (IER) is an animal model of temporal lobe epilepsy with mycrodysgenesis, that exhibit abnormal migration of hippocampal neurons and recurrent spontaneous seizures. As an attempt to elucidate the roles of extracellular matrix molecules in the epileptogenecity and mossy fiber sprouting, immunohistochemical localization of brain specific chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs), neurocan and phosphacan, was examined in the hippocampus of postnatal IER and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats using monoclonal antibodies 1G2 against neurocan and 6B4 against phosphacan. There was no difference in the expression of these two CSPGs between IER and SD rats in the 1st postnatal week. However, the expression of neurocan was poor in the hippocampus of IER in the 2nd and 3rd weeks whereas intense labeling of neurocan was present throughout the hippocampus of SD rats. Labeling of neurocan was almost absent in the hippocampus, while phosphacan was diffusely expressed in the stratum oriens and radiatum of Ammon's horn, and in the hilus and inner one-third molecular layer of the dentate gyrus at the 2nd month after birth. There was no difference in the expression of neurocan and phosphacan between IER and SD rats at the 2nd month after birth. By contrast, phosphacan was reduced in the inner molecular layer of the dentate gyrus in 8-month-old IER, while neurocan was reexpressed in the outer molecular layer and hilus in 3- and 8-month-old IER. It was suggested that the insufficient expression of neurocan may affect the development of neuronal organization in the hippocampus, and that the remodeling of extracellular matrix in the dentate gyrus may contribute to the mossy fiber sprouting into the inner molecular layer.

Natural history of scoliosis in children with syringomyelia

We performed a retrospective review of 27 scoliotic patients with syringomyelia using MRI. Their mean age at the first MRI examination was 10.9 years, and at the final review 15.8 years. The mean ratio of the diameter of the syrinx to the cord on the midsagittal MRI (S/C ratio) decreased from 0.49 to 0.24; 14 patients showed a decrease of 50% or more (reduction group). In this reduction group, the cerebellar tonsillar herniation decreased from a mean of 11.3 mm to 6.0 mm, and some improvement in dissociated sensory disturbance was seen in nine of 13 patients. The scoliosis improved by 5° or more in six patients in the reduction group. Our results indicate that spontaneous shrinkage of syringomyelia in children is not unusual and is associated with improvement in the tonsillar herniation, the scoliosis and the neurological deficit.

Natural history of scoliosis in children with syringomyelia

We performed a retrospective review of 27 scoliotic patients with syringomyelia using MRI. Their mean age at the first MRI examination was 10.9 years, and at the final review 15.8 years. The mean ratio of the diameter of the syrinx to the cord on the midsagittal MRI (S/C ratio) decreased from 0.49 to 0.24; 14 patients showed a decrease of 50% or more (reduction group). In this reduction group, the cerebellar tonsillar herniation decreased from a mean of 11.3 mm to 6.0 mm, and some improvement in dissociated sensory disturbance was seen in nine of 13 patients. The scoliosis improved by 5 degrees or more in six patients in the reduction group. Our results indicate that spontaneous shrinkage of syringomyelia in children is not unusual and is associated with improvement in the tonsillar herniation, the scoliosis and the neurological deficit.

Characteristic association between K-ras gene mutation with loss of heterozygosity in X-ray-induced thymic lymphomas of the B6C3F1 mouse

PURPOSE

To elucidate the characteristics of radiation carcinogenesis, the spectra of K- and N-ras oncogene mutations, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and their association in X-ray-induced thymic lymphomas (TL) were determined by comparing with those of N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU)-induced and spontaneously occurring TL.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

TL that arose in untreated, X-ray-irradiated and ENU-treated B6C3F1 mice were examined both for K- and N-ras mutations by PCR-SSCP and DNA sequencing and for LOH by PCR with polymorphic microsatellite markers.

RESULTS

(1) ras gene mutations were found in a proportion of TL from X-ray-exposed (approximately 20%) and ENU-treated (30-40%) mice while no ras gene mutations were found in spontaneous TL. N-ras mutations were rare. (2) The spectrum of ras gene mutations was diverse and seemed to differ little between X-ray-induced and ENU-induced TL, even though there was a higher frequency of ras mutations in ENU-induced TL that clustered to K-ras codon 12. (3) The X-ray-induced TL showing K-ras mutation were associated with LOH on chromosome 6, while those showing no K-ras mutation were associated with high frequency of LOH on chromosomes 4, 11 and 12.

CONCLUSION

These results demonstrate that, in the B6C3F1 mouse TL, X-ray-induced lymphomagenesis showed both the co-expression, yet low occurrence of allelic imbalance on chromosome 6 and K-ras mutation, and exclusive expression of frequent allelic imbalance on chromosomes 4, 11 and 12 and K-ras mutation.