Comparative, immunological studies on lymphangiectasia of the small intestine revealed in protein losing gastroenteropathy and Behçet's disease

Lymphangiectasia of the small intestine was demonstrated in 9 to 18 cases with protein losing gastroenteropathy and in 10 of 26 cases with Behçhet's disease. Protein losing gastroenteropathy was compared to Behçet's disease in view of immunological aspects. Immunoglobulin containing cells in the jejunal mucosa of protein losing gastroenteropathy were decreased, whereas Behçet's disease had normal or increased distribution. This suggested that suggested that immunoglobulin may be lost into the intestinal lumen or that production of those cells may be inhibited in protein losing gastroenteropathy. Decreased DNCB skin reaction and impaired blastoid transformation of peripheral lymphocytes in both of two diseases suggested that there should be immunological defect in those diseases. However, in Behçet's disease, investigation of the thymus disclosed hyperplasia and the presence of lymphoid follicle which does not appear in normal state. In conclusion, protein losing gastroenteropathy is in immunological deficiency state due to the congenital or acquired disorders of lymphatics which implies abnormal protein loss, decreased immunoglobulin containing cells in the jejunal mucosa and decreased sensitivity. On the contrary, in Behçet's disease hyperimmune state is present based on thymic hyperplasia.

Structure of wye (Yt base) and wyosine (Yt) from Torulopsis utilis phenylalanine transfer ribonucleic acid

A fluorescent base wye (Yt base) was isolated from Torulopsis utilis tRNAPhe. The structure was established as 4,9-dihydro-4,6-dimethyl-9-oxo-1H-imidazo[1,2-alpha]purine based on ultraviolet (uv), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and mass spectra, and by direct comparison with synthetic material. The nucleoside, wyosine (Yt), was isolated from purified tRNAPhe by enzymatic degradations followed by column and thin-layer chromatographies. The structure of wyosine is proposed as 3-ribofuranosyl-4,9-dihydro-4,6-dimethyl-9-oxo-1H-imidazol[1,2-alpha]purine (the ribosyl group is attached to the N-9 position of guanine nucleus) on the basis of comparison with model compounds.

Nucleotides. VI. Syntheses and spectral properties of some deazaadenylyl-deazaadenosines (dinucleoside monophosphates with unusual CD-spectrum) and closely related dinucleoside monophosphates

Nine dinucleoside phosphates containing 1-deaza-(1A) and 3-deazaadenosine (3A) were prepared. Hypochromicity and CD spectra of these dimers were determined. It was found that varying degrees of base-stacking are operative with these oligonucleotides and their CD spectra fall into three classes. The first class CD spectra which are more or less similar in profile to those of adenylyl-(3'-5')-adenosine includes the CD spectra of 1A2'p5'A, 1A3'p5A, 3A2'p5'A and 3A3'p5'A. The second class includes the CD spectra of A2'p5'1A and A3'p5'1A whose characteristic is that the positive Cotton band appears in the range of 280-310 nm. The third type CD spectra has the characteristics that the negative Cotton band appears in the longer wavelength region and th CD spectra are similar in profile to those of L-adenylyl-(3'-5')-L-adenosine which has the "left-handed helical" conformation. The CD spectra of A2'p5'3A, A3'p5'3A and 3A3'p5'A belong to this class. Another salient observation emerging from the CD-determination is that 3A3'p5'3A has the spectrum quite different from that of poly 3-deazaadenylic acid.

The effect of malignant neoplasms on the heart. A study on the electrocardiographic abnormalities and the anatomical findings in cases with and without cardiac involvement

Six hundred and twenty-two autopsies of patients with malignant neoplasm were used for this study. The incidence of cardiac involvement in relation to the sites of the primary tumor, the anatomical distribution within the heart, and the ECG findings in the patients with and without cardiac involvement were analysed. The incidence of cardiac involvement by malignant tumor was 12.7% (79 out of 622 cases). Involvement by breast and pulmonary cancer was found to be very common, while intestinal and gastric cancer uncommonly metastasised to the heart. The incidence of epicardial involvement was higher than that of the pericardium, myocardium, or endocardium. A significant difference was observed in the ECG findings recorded within 3 months before death between the groups with and without cardiac involvement. Cases of myocardial metastasis were always associated with the pattern of myocardial damage in the ECG. The findings in this study are discussed in the light of previous reports.