Type IV collagen-binding proteins of neutrophils: possible involvement of L-selectin in the neutrophil binding to type IV collagen

To isolate type IV collagen-binding proteins, 125I-labeled human-neutrophil extracts were chromatographed on a type IV collagen-Sepharose column. The affinity chromatography-separated fraction contained the four radioactive proteins with apparent molecular masses of 28, 49, 67, and 95 kD on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Western blot analysis indicated that the 95-kD proteins contained both L-selectin and nonspecific cross-reacting antigen 90 (NCA90), and that the 67-kD protein was the 67-kD elastin/laminin-binding protein (67BP). The data obtained with the type IV collagen-affinity chromatography and the immunoaffinity chromatographies using anti-L-selectin and anti-NCA90 monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) have shown that L-selectin is closely associated with 67BP and the 49-kD protein, and that NCA90 is associated with 67BP, the 28-kD and 49-kD proteins. Among these binding proteins, sialic acid residues were contained in 67BP, L-selectin, and NCA90, but not in the 28-kD and 49-kD proteins. Sialidase treatment completely abolished both the binding affinity of the type IV collagen-binding proteins to type IV collagen and the neutrophil adherence to type IV collagen-coated plastic. Thus, the sialic acid residues of 67BP, L-selectin, and NCA90 seem to be important for the binding of neutrophils to type IV collagen. Furthermore, L-selectin IgG chimeric protein directly bound to type IV collagen-Sepharose column, and anti-L-selectin MoAb DREG56 inhibited the neutrophil adherence to type IV collagen-coated plastic by 51%. These observations suggest that L-selectin likely plays a role in the neutrophil binding to type IV collagen, although neutrophils have several kinds of adhesion molecules for type IV collagen such as L-selectin, NCA90, 67BP, and the 28-kD and 49-kD proteins.

Transgenic rice established to express corn cystatin exhibits strong inhibitory activity against insect gut proteinases

Corn cystatin (CC), a phytocystatin, shows a wide inhibitory spectrum against various cysteine proteinases. We produced transgenic rice plants by introducing CC cDNA under CaMV 35S promoter as a first step to obtain a rice plant with insecticidal activity. This attempt was based on the observation that many insect pests, especially Coleoptera, have cysteine proteinases, probably digestive enzymes, and also that oryzacystatin, an intrinsic rice cystatin, shows a narrow inhibition spectrum and is present in ordinary rice seeds in insufficient amounts to inhibit the cysteine proteinases of rice insect pests. The transgenic rice plants generated contained high levels of CC mRNA and CC protein in both seeds and leaves, the CC protein content of the seed reaching ca. 2% of the total heat soluble protein. We also recovered CC activity from seeds and found that the CC fraction efficiently inhibited both papain and cathepsin H, whereas the corresponding fraction from non-transformed rice seeds showed much lower or undetectable inhibitory activities against these cysteine proteinases. Furthermore, CC prepared from transgenic rice plants showed potent inhibitory activity against proteinases that occur in the gut of the insect pest, Sitophilus zeamais.

[Some problems on neuropathology of Huntington disease]

The most striking neuronal loss in the brains of Huntington disease (HD) occurs in the striatum, predominant in the caudate nucleus. However, pathogenesis of this disease is supposed to be mainly based on the process of "simple atrophy" in the whole brain neurons and their axons. Therefore, although the autopsied brains of HD are atrophic and their weight are light, histopathology based on the classical method shows few abnormal findings in the cerebrum. Against this fact, "numeric atrophy" of the neurons occurs in the striatum of chorea acanthocytosis.

CAG repeat expansion of Machado-Joseph disease in the Japanese: analysis of the repeat instability for parental transmission, and correlation with disease phenotype

Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) is caused by abnormal expansion of an unstable CAG repeat in a novel gene locating on chromosome 14q32.1. We analysed this CAG repeat polymorphism with 66 Japanese MJD patients. All the patients were selectively associated with abnormal expansion of the CAG repeat. Repeat length of the mutant allele did not overlap that of normal allele and closely correlated with not only age at onset but also with clinical phenotypes. CAG repeat size is apparently related to a wide variety of phenotypic presentations in MJD.

Effect of juvenile hormone on the embryogenesis of a polyembryonic wasp, Copidosoma floridanum, in vitro

Single two-cell-stage embryos of a polyembryonic wasp Copidosoma floridanum cultured in 20 microliters droplets of culture medium developed to morulae at the same developmental rate as those in host eggs, but the subsequent development into polymorulae was inferior. This inferior development was markedly improved by addition of juvenile hormone (I, II, or III) or its analogues to the culture medium in a concentration-dependent manner.

Transcriptional activation domains of the Ah receptor and Ah receptor nuclear translocator

The Ah receptor (AhR) and Ah receptor nuclear translocator (Arnt) heterodimer bind the xenobiotic-responsive element (XRE) sequence in the upstream region of the genes for some drug-metabolizing enzymes, such as P4501A1 and glutathione S-transferase Ya, to activate their transcription. This paper describes transcriptional activation domains of the AhR and Arnt as examined in vivo by DNA transfection experiments using GAL4-AhR or GAL4-Arnt chimeric plasmids and a reporter plasmid containing five GAL4 DNA binding sites. The major activation domain of Arnt was localized in a short segment of the C-terminal 34 amino acids, while the glutamine-rich domain of Arnt showed no transcriptional activity. This activation domain of Arnt could be further divided into two subdomains with some sequence similarity. Point mutation analysis of one of the subdomains revealed that bulky hydrophobic amino acids and neighboring acidic amino acids were necessary for the transcription-enhancing activity of Arnt. The C-terminal half of the AhR showed a strong transcription-stimulating activity, apparently five times as strong as that of Arnt. Further analysis of the activity revealed that the C-terminal transcriptional activity was distributed in several activation domains, one of which is rich in glutamine residues. These results indicate that the glutamine-rich domains of the AhR and Arnt function differently in the heterodimer regulatory complex. Previously, we showed that the enhancer activity of XRE was repressed by E1A proteins, especially the 12S form of E1A. Cotransfection experiments using an E1A12S expression plasmid and a GAL4-AhR or GAL4-Arnt expression plasmid demonstrated that E1A protein rather predominantly inhibited the transcriptional activity of Arnt.

Spinocerebellar ataxia 1 (SCA1) in the Japanese in Hokkaido may derive from a single common ancestry

Spinocerebellar ataxia 1 (SCA1) is caused by expansion of an unstable CAG triplet repeat located on the short arm of chromosome 6. Precise mapping has shown a positional relationship to closely linked markers in the order of D6S109-D6S274-D6S288-SCA1-AM10GA-D6S89+ ++-EDN1 from centromere to telomere. The haplotype which cosegregated with the disease was determined in 12 Japanese pedigrees with SCA1. Although the alleles of the SCA1 haplotype varied from pedigree to pedigree, depending on the distance from the SCA1 locus, the affected and presymptomatic subjects carried the same alleles at D6S288 and D6S274. All the families with SCA1 had migrated from either Miyagi or Yamagata Prefectures, neighbouring areas in the Tohoku District, the northern part of Honshu which is the main island of Japan. It seems highly likely that SCA1 in the Japanese, at least those residing in Hokkaido, derives from a single common ancestry.

Production of minor lymphocyte stimulatory-1a antigens from T cell subsets

T cell subsets that produce minor lymphocyte stimulatory (Mls) antigens were analyzed using mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) in vitro or clonal elimination assay in vivo. When lymph node T cells from B10.BR(Mls-1b) mice were stimulated with various T cell subsets from AKR (Mls-1a) mice in the presence of B10.BR antigen presenting cells (APC), proportions of Mls-1a reactive T cell blasts (V beta 6+, V beta 8.1+) increased. The stimulatory potency of CD8+ T cells was higher than that of CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, among either CD8+ or CD4+ T cell subset, CD44+ T cells appeared to produce larger amounts of Mls-1a antigens than CD44- T cells. More marked difference was demonstrated, when stimulator AKR T cells were being activated by immobilized anti-T cell antigen receptor (TCR) antibody during MLR. Thus, AKR T cells appeared to produce large amounts of Mls-1a antigens on appropriate stimulations. These findings were confirmed by the semiquantitative analysis of mRNA levels of MTV-7 in the AKR T cell subsets. When CD8+CD44+ T cells from (AKR x B10.BR)F1 mice were injected intravenously into [B10.BR-->B10.BR] syngeneic bone marrow (BM) chimeras 1 week after BM reconstitution and proportions of V beta 6+ T cells were quantitated 7 weeks later, significant clonal elimination of V beta 6+ T cells was induced among both thymocyte population and lymph node T cell population in a dose-dependent manner of the inoculated F1 T cells. Inoculation of CD8+CD44-F1 T cells eliminated V beta 6+ T cells less efficiently from lymph node T cells and inoculation of CD4+F1 T cells induced no significant clonal elimination of the V beta 6+ T cells. The present findings demonstrate clearly that CD8+CD44+ T cells represent the cells producing large amounts of Mls-1a antigens and inducing clonal elimination of V beta 6+ T cells in vivo.

Prion disease with 144 base pair insertion in a Japanese family line

We describe an insert mutation in the prion protein (PrP) gene in a Japanese family line that encodes six octapeptide repeats. This is the second report to date of an inherited prion disease with a 144-base pair insertion, although the order of the repeat sequences differ from that reported for the disease in an English family line. The clinical features, like those of the English patients, were characterized by a slowly progressive generalized dementia with some neurological signs and cortical focal symptoms. Postmortem examination disclosed diffuse atrophy of cerebral gray matter and the cerebellar cortex; histologically, there were marked patchy and regional neuronal loss with astrocytosis in the frontal cortex, amygdala and hippocampus and PrP-immunoreactive plaques in the molecular layer of the cerebellum. These plaques were different from typical kuru plaques. The prion disease in the present Japanese family line is compared with that in the English family line.

Effect of cigarette smoke on the mRNA and protein expression of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a possible chemoattractant for neutrophils in human bronchioloalveolar tissues

BACKGROUND

The concentration of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), known as a marker of malignant transformation and chronic inflammation, is increased in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid obtained from smokers compared with fluid from non-smokers. This study investigated the mechanism and biological significance of CEA production in the lungs of smokers by evaluating protein and mRNA expression in non-carcinomatous lung parenchymal tissues and in cell lines derived from human fetal lung.

METHODS

Lung parenchymal tissue free from cancer or an inflammatory lesion was obtained from five non-smokers (four with lung cancer, one with pulmonary mycetoma), five ex-smokers (all with lung cancer except for one with mesothelioma), and 14 smokers (nine with lung cancer, five with emphysema) at surgery or necropsy. Cancer tissue was also collected simultaneously from the subjects with lung cancer. CEA protein in the tissue homogenates was measured by enzyme linked immunoassay. CEA mRNA expression in the non-carcinomatous parenchymal tissue and cancer tissue was evaluated by in situ hybridisation using CEA specific riboprobe and was semiquantitated by counting the number of silver grains per cell. CEA mRNA expression was also compared in three cell lines derived from human fetal lung (IMR-90, MRC-9, and CCD-14Br) after in vitro stimulation with medium exposed to cigarette smoke or air. Chemoattractant activity of purified CEA for neutrophils and monocytes was also studied in vitro.

RESULTS

CEA content in non-carcinomatous lung tissue was increased in smokers with emphysema (mean (SD) 38.0 (9.2) ng/mg protein) or with lung cancer (38.2 (21.6)) compared with non-smokers (11.0 (5.4)) or ex-smokers (5.9 (2.2)). CEA mRNA expression in non-carcinomatous tissue, expressed by average number of grains per cell, was also increased in smokers with emphysema (mean (SD) 11.2 (4.1)) or with lung cancer (14.0 (8.4)) compared with non-smokers (3.1 (0.6)) or ex-smokers (4.0 (1.7)). CEA content in carcinomatous tissues was 42.8 (37.3) for non-smokers, 38.2 (42.4)) for ex-smokers, and 59.0 (22.5) for smokers. The CEA content in carcinomatous tissue was higher than in non-carcinomatous tissue, but there was no difference between non-smokers, ex-smokers, and smokers. The numbers of grains per cell in carcinomatous tissue were higher than in non-carcinomatous tissues, but not different among non-smokers (30.3 (3.9)), ex-smokers (38.3 (13.8)), and smokers (44.3 (5.2)). CEA mRNA expression in the cell lines was upregulated after the incubation with smoke-treated medium. Purified CEA was chemoattractant for neutrophils but not for monocytes in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

mRNA and protein expression of CEA were increased in the normal lung tissue from smokers compared with non-smokers or ex-smokers. Since CEA content and mRNA expression were no different between smokers with non-small cell lung cancer and those with non-carcinomatous disease, it is unlikely that CEA expression in non-carcinomatous lung parenchymal tissue was influenced by the presence of the tumour and is consistent with the effect of smoking. This is supported by in vitro studies which show that cigarette smoke could induce CEA mRNA expression in fetal lung derived cells. In addition, CEA might play a part in recruitment of neutrophils into the lower respiratory tract.

Simultaneous measurement of pulmonary diffusing capacity for CO and cardiac output by a rebreathing method in patients with pulmonary diseases

Pulmonary diffusing capacity for CO (DLCO) and cardiac output (Q) were simultaneously measured by a noninvasive rebreathing method (RB) in 15 normal subjects and in 60 patients, including cardiac diseases (CD), bronchial asthma (BA), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (PF). DLCO and Q were tested by the single breath method (SB) and the dye-dilution method (Dye), respectively. DLCO (RB) correlated well with DLCO (SB) (r = 0.890, p < 0.001). Q(RB) also correlated well with Q(Dye) (r = 0.909, p < 0.001). Factors affecting DLCO (RB) were age, height, body surface area, O2 consumption, Q, hematocrit (Het) and Q.Hct, among which Q.Hct was the prominent influential determinant. DLCO per lung volume was smaller in COPD and PF than in BA or healthy subjects, while, the ratio of DLCO/(Q.Hct) was significantly higher in COPD than in PF. Simultaneous measurements of DLCO and Q offer comprehensive characterization for functional changes in lung parenchyma.

Spinocerebellar ataxia 1 (SCA1) in the Japanese: analysis of CAG trinucleitide repeat expansion and instability of the repeat for paternal transmission

SCA1 is caused by expansion of an unstable CAG triplet repeat in a novel gene located on the short arm of chromosome 6. In 126 Japanese individuals from 12 pedigrees with SCA1, studies were done to determine if they carried this mutant gene. All the affected and pre-symptomatic individuals, determined by haplotype segregation analyses, carried an abnormally expanded allele with the range of 39-63 repeat units. This repeat size inversely correlated with the age at onset. However, contrary to reported results, size of the repeat did not correlate with gender of the transmitting parent. Therefore, the CAG triplet repeat instability on paternal transmission is not likely to be fundamental to SCA1.

[Familial early onset cerebellar ataxia with hypoalbuminemia]

We describe two brothers with early onset cerebellar ataxia associated with hypoalbuminemia (EOCAH). Choreo-athetoid movements preceded the cerebellar ataxia, and serum pseudocholinesterase elevation preceded the hypoalbuminemia. The parents are first cousins. Patient 1, the 22-year-old elder brother, developed choreoathetoid movements of the neck and extremities at the age of eighteen months. He later developed slowly progressive cerebellar ataxia with decreased tendon reflexes. The choreoathetoid movements ceased at about 16 years of age. A recent examination revealed cerebellar ataxia, action myoclonus of the neck and upper limbs, diminished tendon reflexes, mild sensory disturbance in the lower extremities, and very slight amyotrophy of the feet. Patient 2, the 18-year-old younger brother, developed choreo-athetoid movements at the age of 6 years, followed by slowly progressive cerebellar ataxia with disminished tendon reflexes. No scoliosis, ECG abnormalities, or edema was detected. Serum biochemistry studies revealed elevated pseudocholinesterase (6,226 to 2,390 IU) in the patient's early teens. Serum albumin levels tended to be low (3.7 to 4.1 g/dl). Serum triglyceride and beta-lipoprotein levels were elevated in the patients' late teens. Genetic studies showed slight linkage of D9S15. The maximum lod score was 0.289 (recombination fraction rate was 0.14).

Mapping of the gene for Machado-Joseph disease within a 3.6-cM interval flanked by D14S291/D14S280 and D14S81, on the basis of studies of linkage and linkage disequilibrium in 24 Japanese families

The gene locus of Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) has recently been mapped within a 29-cM subregion of 14q chromosome. We did a linkage study of 24 multigenerational MJD Japanese pedigrees, in an attempt to narrow the candidate region of this gene. Pairwise and multipoint linkage analysis, together with haplotype segregation analysis, led to the conclusion that the MJD gene is located at the 6.8-cM interval between D14S256 and D14S81 (Zmax = 24.78, multipoint linkage analysis). D14S291 and D14S280, located at the center of this interval, showed no obligate recombination with the MJD gene (Zmax = 5.93 for D14S291 and 9.99 for D14S280). A weak, but significant, linkage disequilibrium of MJD gene was noted with D14S81 (P < .05) but not with D14S291 or D14S280. These results suggest that a 3.6-cM interval flanked by D14S291/D14S280 and D14S81 is the most likely location of the MJD gene and that it is closest to D14S81.

[Siblings of early onset cerebellar ataxia with hypoalbuminemia]

Recently, a new syndrome of early onset cerebellar ataxia with hypoalbuminemia (EOCA-HA) was reported in Japan. The clinical features of EOCA-HA overlap with those of Friedreich's ataxia (FA), and primary hypoalbuminemia is a characteristic laboratory finding of this syndrome. Genetic linkage analysis of EOCA-HA including this newly reported family revealed that the gene for EOCA-HA is located on the long arm of chromosome 9 as FA. However, several recombination events were observed between D9S15 in EOCA-HA, whereas no recombination events were seen in FA. We report on two siblings with EOCA-HA and discuss the clinical and laboratory features. The patients were a 25-year-old man (patient 1) and a 23-year-old man (patient 2). Their parents marriage was non-consanguineous. The mode of inheritance is compatible with autosomal recessive mode. Clinically, they showed cerebellar ataxia as the initial symptom in the late infantile period and subsequently showed choreoathetosis and ocular motor apraxia at the age of approximately fifteen years. Deep tendon reflexes were reduced in late infancy and finally disappeared. Amyotrophy and sensory impairment of the legs developed at approximately twenty. Abnormal electrocardiogram and diabetes mellitus were not observed. On X-ray CT scan or MRI, the cerebella of both patients were mildly atrophic. Clinical features in these siblings were indistinguishable from those of ataxia telangiectasia, but immunodeficiency syndrome was absent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Comparative analyses of thymocyte and thymic low-density adherent cell functions

Thymocytes which have developed in the C3H thymus showed depressed proliferative responses to stimulation with anti-CD3 antibody as compared with those which have developed in the thymus of other strains of mice (i.e. AKR). The present study was conducted to analyze immunological functions of the thymic stromal cell population (low-density adherent cells, LDAC) in the C3H mice using allogeneic bone marrow (BM) chimeras established by BM transplantation in the reciprocal combination of AKR and C3H mice as donor or recipient. The thymic LDAC from C3H mice or the [AKR(donor)-->C3H(recipient)] chimeras contained a high proportion of Mac-1+ cells as compared to AKR mice or the [C3H-->AKR] chimeras. The proportion of Mac-1+ cells paralleled the IL-1- and PGE2-secreting ability of the LDAC cultured either in the presence or absence of LPS and also paralleled the antigen-presenting cell functions of the LDAC. Furthermore, after anti-CD3 stimulation the PGE2 inhibited more profoundly proliferative responses of [AKR-->C3H] or normal C3H thymocytes than those of the [C3H-->AKR] chimera or normal AKR thymocytes. A PGE2 inhibitor, indomethacin, reversed the depressed responses of the thymocytes which had developed in the C3H thymus. These findings suggest that the lower responsiveness of thymocytes from [AKR-->C3H] chimeras to anti-CD3 stimulation may be attributable to large amounts of PGE2 secreted by LDAC and/or to increased sensitivity of thymocytes themselves to PGE2.

[Three patients of complicated form of autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraplegia associated with hypoplasia of the corpus callosum]

We report three patients with slowly progressive spastic paraplegia and dementia; MRI on these patients revealed hypoplasia of the corpus callosum. The mode of inheritance was supposed to be autosomal recessive. Patient 1 (26-year-old man) is an elder brother of patient 2 (21-year-old man). Their parents are first cousins. Patient 3 (woman), a sporadic case, died of pneumonia at the age of 44. Their motor development after the birth was normal, but patient 3 was mildly mentally retarded. Gait disturbance due to spastic paraplegia developed at the age of nine (patient 2), fifteen (patient 1) and nineteen (patient 3), respectively. They also showed slowly progressive mental deterioration. Patient 1 has also suffered from mild amyotrophy and sensory disturbance in the distal part of the extremities since the age of 25. Patient 3 was bed-ridden at the middle of her thirty's because of generalized amyotrophy and sensory disturbance in addition to spastic quadriplegia and profound dementia. Their MRI reveal the thinning of the corpus callosum. We think the thinning must be hypoplasia of the corpus callosum, because the cerebrum showed normal appearance on MRI in patient 1 and patient 2. These clinical findings and imaging studies are essentially similar to those of the cases reported by Iwabuchi et al (1991). We propose autosomal recessive HSP associated hypoplasia of the corpus callosum as a new type of HSP.

Corn cystatin I expressed in Escherichia coli: investigation of its inhibitory profile and occurrence in corn kernels

Corn cystatin I was expressed in Escherichia coli as a mature protein. It was purified by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50, ion-exchange HPLC, and reversed-phase HPLC. The purified protein showed strong inhibitory activities against papain (Ki: 3.7 x 10(-8) M), and cathepsins H (Ki: 5.7 x 10(-9) M) and L (Ki: 1.7 x 10(-8) M), whereas it inhibited cathepsin B to a lesser extent (Ki: 2.9 x 10(-7) M). Western blot analysis using antibody raised against corn cystatin I revealed that in the corn kernel, the protein occurs with a molecular mass of approximately 13 kDa. Localization in the aleurone layer and embryo of the corn kernel was shown by immunostaining microscopy.

Methenamine-silver staining: a simple and sensitive staining method for senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles

An improved methenamine-silver impregnation method is presented which exhibits sensitivity for amyloid substances comparable to that of anti-beta protein immunostaining. In optimally treated sections, this technique stained both beta-amyloid deposits and neurofibrillary tangles, which are known to have a beta-pleated structure. This simple procedure allows a large number of sections to be stained for routine examination.

[Successful treatment of refractory extensive small cell lung cancer by oral etoposide]

A 62-year-old male was admitted with chest pain and lymphadenopathy at neck for 2 weeks. His admission chest radiograph revealed a large tumor shadow, intrapulmonary metastasis and apical involvement. The patient was diagnosed as having small cell lung cancer from sputum cytology. Clinical staging was extensive disease and performance status was 1. The patient was treated by combination chemotherapy with cisplatin, adriamycin and etoposide. After 4 cycles, his chest radiograph was unchanged and he showed remarkable bone marrow suppression and superior vena cava syndrome. Thus, the initial combination chemotherapy was thought to be ineffective. Then, administration of oral etoposide (50 mg/body) was started and continued until the appearance of leukopenia (< 3,000/mm3). One month's administration of oral etoposide made the tumor shadow on his chest radiograph disappear. This disappearance was reserved for more than 4 months with oral etoposide. The average administration of oral etoposide was 2.7 day/week.

Two cellular proteins that bind to wild-type but not mutant p53

p53 is a tumor-suppressor protein that can activate and repress transcription. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we identified two previously uncharacterized human proteins, designated 53BP1 and 53BP2, that bind to p53. 53BP1 shows no significant homology to proteins in available databases, whereas 53BP2 contains two adjacent ankyrin repeats and a Src homology 3 domain. In vitro binding analyses indicate that both of these proteins bind to the central domain of p53 (residues 80-320) required for site-specific DNA binding. Consistent with this finding, p53 cannot bind simultaneously to 53BP1 or 53BP2 and to a DNA fragment containing a consensus p53 binding site. Unlike other cellular proteins whose binding to p53 has been characterized, both 53BP1 and 53BP2 bind to the wild-type but not to two mutant p53 proteins identified in human tumors, suggesting that binding is dependent on p53 conformation. The characteristics of these interactions argue that 53BP1 and 53BP2 are involved in some aspect of p53-mediated tumor suppression.

[Dementia and amyotrophy in Kufs disease. The adult type of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis]

A 26-year-old housewife, born of consanguineous parentage, began to have gait and speech disturbance. Her brother had died from suffocation because of dysphagia. At thirty-two, she developed difficulty in swallowing, clumsiness and incontinence. When she was thirty-six she had pseudobulbar palsy, vertical gaze paresis, hyperreflexia and muscular atrophy of the upper half of the body. CT scan showed cerebral atrophy. Her mental function progressively deteriorated and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis associated with dementia was suspected. She died at the age of thirty-seven. Diagnosis was made only by autopsy. There was no particular general pathologic finding excepting aspiration pneumonia. Microscopical examination revealed numerous distended neurons with accumulation of light brown pigments by Luxol fast blue/H & E stains, especially in hypothalamus, substantia nigra and nuclei of oculomotor nerves. To a lesser extent such neurons were noted ubiquitously. The stored material was mainly composed of lipofuscin and ceroid. Ultrastructurally they presented the various structures which have previously been reported, except for finger print profiles. The pigmentary deposits were shown to be immunoreactive with polyclonal antibody directed against amyloid beta-protein.

[Autosomal recessive hereditary cortical cerebellar atrophy with striatal degeneration--two siblings showing choreoathetoid movement, ataxia, dementia, and amenorrhea]

We present two siblings with hereditary cortical cerebellar atrophy (CCA), who showed peculiar clinical features. Their unaffected parents are cousins. The mode of inheritance in this family was autosomal recessive. Both patients developed involuntary movement and ataxia during the fourth decade. The proband (patient 1) was the elder sister. She developed choreoathetoid involuntary movement and cerebellar ataxia at the age of 32. At the age of 39, she showed mental deterioration and marked gait disturbance due to severe ataxia and amyotrophy. At the age of 40, she took medication for hypertension. At the age of 42, she was bedridden and had generalized convulsions and dysautonomia. Involuntary movement continued until her death at age 44. She had amenorrhea since the age of 25 years. Neuropathological findings. The brain weighed 1,010 g. We found marked degeneration in the cerebellar cortex including the molecular, Purkinje cells, and granular cell layers, and in the inferior olivary nuclei. In the basal ganglia, the putamen and caudate nuclei were moderately affected, but the substantia nigra and globus pallidus were spared. The cerebral cortex was spared, but the cerebral white matter showed diffuse myelin pallor without fibrillary gliosis. In the pons, the volume of the tegmentum was moderately decreased, but the base was spared. The spinal cord was normal. The findings of the patient differed from those of the case originally reported by Gordon Holmes in 1907. Holmes autopsied a case showing severe degeneration in both the cerebellar cortex including all three layers and the inferior olivary nucleus as in our patient. However, the striatum of his case spared and the patient did not develop involuntary movement as did other patients. The patients presented here should be distinguished from Holmes' original case clinicopathologically.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Siblings with spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA 1)--diagnosis by detecting the expansion of CAG repeat on chromosome 6p]

We reported siblings with spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA 1), diagnosed by detection of the expansion of CAG repeat in SCA 1 gene on chromosome 6. They were a 55-year-old woman (patient 1) and a 51-year-old woman (patient 2). There were eleven patients among the four generations in their family. They were from Obanazawa City in Yamagata Prefecture, located in the north-west region of Japan. The mode of inheritance was autosomal dominant. We confirmed the expansions of CAG repeat in SCA 1 gene in both patients. Clinically, they showed cerebellar ataxia and pyramidal signs especially in the lower extremities. The Patient 1 showed progressive external ophthalmoplegia without nystagmus, generalized amyotrophy and choreic movement of the fingers in advanced stage. On X-ray CT scan or MRI, the brainstem and cerebellum of the patient 1 were mildly atrophic, while those of the patient 2 showed normal appearances. Olivopontocerebellar atrophy is essential histopathological feature of SCA 1. However, some cases exhibit normal appearances of the brainstem on radiological imagings, because the brainstem involvement is often mild in SCA 1 patients.

The murine c-fgr gene product associated with Ly6C and p70 integral membrane protein is expressed in cells of a monocyte/macrophage lineage

The c-fgr gene is a member of the Src family of protooncogene tyrosine kinases. A monoclonal antibody (2H2) that recognizes the specific region of the N-terminal domain of the murine c-fgr gene product (Fgr) has been established. With an immune complex kinase assay in a monocytic leukemia cell line, 2H2 monoclonal antibody was shown to precipitate a 59-kDa protein that corresponds in molecular mass to murine Fgr. Fgr was expressed highly in lymph nodes, slightly in spleen and peripheral blood leukocytes, and barely in the thymus and was not detected in bone marrow. In the presence of a mild detergent, Fgr was coimmunoprecipitated with a 70-kDa protein (p70) or with p70 plus several other molecules that were expressed on the cell-surface membrane of macrophage tumor cell lines PU5-1.8 and J774.1, respectively. By contrast, Fgr was not coimmunoprecipitated with a low-affinity receptor for the Fc portion of IgG that is associated with human Fgr. The molecule was also coimmunoprecipitated with the Ly6C molecule from a macrophage cell line (J774.1) that showed protein-tyrosine kinase activity. Peptide mapping revealed that this kinase activity was derived from Fgr. The similarity of relationship between this intramembrane p70 and/or Ly6C and cytoplasmic Fgr to relationships previously reported between T-cell antigen receptor complex, including CD4 and CD8 coreceptors, and Lck or Fyn in T cells and between surface IgM and Lyn or Blk in B cells, suggests that the Fgr and p70 or Ly6C are, indeed, associated with each other and in the murine system may be responsible for recognition of extracellular substances (either cellular or noncellular) and for signal transduction in cells of monocyte/macrophage lineage.

Functional studies on MEL-14+ and MEL-14- T cells in peripheral lymphoid tissues

Functions of MEL-14+ T cells and MEL-14- T cells in peripheral lymphoid tissues were analyzed and compared. The MEL-14- T cells, representing a minor subpopulation of spleen and lymph node T cells, generated considerably higher mixed lymphocyte reaction and mitogen responses than the MEL-14+ T cells in any lymphoid tissues studied. Furthermore, upon stimulation with ConA the MEL-14- CD8+ T cells produced significantly larger amounts of IL-2 and IFN-gamma than MEL-14+ CD8+ T cells did. A similar but less marked observation was obtained with the CD4+ T cell population. Furthermore, when B10.BR mice were immunized with AKR (Mls-1a) spleen cells, the proportion of the Mls-1a reactive V beta 6+ T cells from draining lymph nodes increased and a substantial proportion of the increasing V beta 6+ T cells was shown to be MEL-14-. The present findings on the whole indicate that MEL-14- T cells in the peripheral lymphoid tissues are at functionally high levels and may represent memory cells which have been previously stimulated in vivo.

[Three patients from two families with familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease having a point mutation in the prion protein gene at codon 200 (Glu-->Lys)]

We present three patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). They lived in Fuji city and its neighboring towns in the eastern part of Shizuoka prefecture. Patient 1 and patient 2 were cousins. Patient 1 developed the illness at the age of 50 in 1987 and died 13 months later. Patient 2 became ill at the age of 73 in 1989 and died seven months later. Patient 3 was related to a familial CJD cases in Yamanashi prefecture, known as Akai's "H" family (Akai et al in 1979, Yamamoto et al in 1986). She became ill at the age of 78 in 1990 and died four months later. Their clinical features were common; rapidly progressive dementia, generalized myoclonus, and periodic synchronous discharges on electroencephalographies. They were autopsied and neuropathologically diagnosed as typical CJD. Molecular genetic analysis of the prion protein (PrP) gene was performed on patient 2 and patient 3 using their frozen brain sections. The results showed a point mutation in the PrP gene at codon 200; GAG to AAG (Glu-->Lys). The eastern part of Shizuoka prefecture is adjacent to Yamanashi prefecture where a large number of patients with CJD including familial cases has been found during the recent 15 years. This study suggests that the patients with CJD in both Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefecture should be re-evaluated by analysis of the PrP gene.

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the bladder with focal rhabdoid tumor differentiation

A case of primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the bladder is presented. This tumor involving the bladder is rare and the unusual histological features in the present case caused significant delay in accurate diagnosis. Since early diagnosis and aggressive surgical resection are essential to the effective treatment of this neoplasm, physicians should continually bear in mind the possibility of this malignant tumor whenever the pathological diagnosis is inconclusive.

Reconstitution of lymphoid tissues under the influence of a subclinical level of graft versus host reaction induced by bone marrow T cells or splenic T cell subsets

Reconstitution of lymphoid tissues under the influence of subclinical graft versus host reaction (GVHR) has been investigated. Lethally irradiated AKR mice were reconstituted with B10 bone marrow (BM) cells which had been treated with anti-Thy-1 antibody alone without complement (GVHR chimera). Their immunological reconstitution was analyzed and compared with that of AKR recipients which had been reconstituted with B10 BM cells treated with anti-Thy-1 antibody plus complement (control chimera). One hundred percent of both chimeras survived more than 100 days without showing clinical signs of GVHR. However, full donor chimerism was accomplished at an early stage after reconstitution in the former GVHR chimeras, whereas a substantial number of recipient T cells persisted in control chimeras for the entire observation period. When reconstitution of various lymphoid tissues was compared between control and GVHR chimeras, no difference in the reconstitution of the thymus and spleen was noted. By contrast, the cellularity of peripheral lymph nodes in GVHR chimeras was regularly considerably lower than that of the control chimeras. The apparent insufficiency of lymph node reconstitution appeared to be attributable to the impairment of lymph node structure itself which may be involved in lymphocyte homing. Furthermore, clonal deletion of V beta 6+ T cells which are reactive to recipient (Mls-1a) antigens was abrogated in the GVHR chimeras but was normally induced in the more completely T cell-depleted control chimeras. This abrogation of clonal deletion of V beta 6+ T cells appeared to result from the early disappearance of recipient T cells in these chimeras. Thus, it appeared that donor T cells in the BM that survive anti-Thy-1 treatment in vitro plus subsequent BM transplantation induced a subclinical level GVHR which contributed to the full donor chimerism as well as abrogation of clonal elimination of V beta 6+ donor T cells. Indeed, inoculation of CD8+ T cells along with the transplantation of the T cell-depleted BM cells (anti-Thy-1 plus C-treated cells) from donor mice into the AKR recipients was also shown to induce a similar state in the recipients.

Isolation and characterization of the neutrophil-binding proteins for platelet-derived adherence-inhibiting factor

Guinea pig neutrophils adhered to adherence-inhibiting factor (AIF)-coated plastic; the adherence was completely inhibited by the addition of AIF, but partly inhibited by type IV collagen. Binding of 125I-labeled AIF to neutrophils was inhibited by unlabeled AIF, but partly inhibited by type IV collagen. Scatchard analysis showed that neutrophils have two classes of binding sites for AIF, high-affinity binding sites (kd = 5.0 pmol/L) numbering 500 per cell and low-affinity binding sites (kd = 860 pmol/L) numbering 6,400 per cell. Type IV collagen increased the kd of low-affinity binding sites. We have isolated and characterized the AIF-binding sites. We have isolated and characterized the AIF-binding proteins. Using AIF affinity chromatography, the radioactive fraction containing six proteins of molecular mass 45, 63, 87, 90 to 105, 145, and 195 Kd was isolated from 125I surface-labeled neutrophil extracts. This radioactive fraction was further separated into two fractions using type IV collagen affinity chromatography, ie, one fraction was adsorbed on the type IV collagen column and contained the 45-, 63-, and 87-Kd proteins, whereas another fraction was not adsorbed on the column and contained the 45-, 63-, 90- to 105-, 145-, and 195-Kd proteins. To isolate the type IV collagen-binding proteins, 125I surface-labeled neutrophil extracts were applied to a type IV collagen-Sepharose column; the isolated radioactive fraction contained the 45-, 63-, and 87-Kd proteins and bound to an AIF-Sepharose column. Taken together, these results suggest that the AIF-binding proteins, which bind to type IV collagen, are the type IV collagen-binding proteins of neutrophils.

[A family with Menzel's disease showing dementia and various extrapyramidal symptoms]

Recent progress in neurology has revealed that hereditary olivo-ponto-cerebellar atrophy (OPCA) is in fact three different diseases. These are Menzel's disease, in which degeneration in the olivopontocerebellar (OPC) system is quite severe and similar to that of the patient described by Menzel in 1891, spinocerebellar ataxia 1 (SCA 1), in which the gene locus exists in the short arm of chromosome 6, and hereditary OPCA with retinal degeneration. We present a family with Menzel's disease, some of whom showed dementia and various extrapyramidal symptoms including tremor, myoclonus, and choreoathetoid involuntary movement.

MATERIALS

This dominant hereditary cerebellar ataxia family had five affected members in four generations. Neuropathological examination of one member (Case 3) revealed Menzel's disease. There was severe degeneration in the OPC system, the substantia nigra, Clarke's column, the posterior column, and the anterior horn of the spinal cord, and slight-to-moderate degeneration in the globus pallidus and subthalamic nucleus. However, the dentate nucleus, spinocerebellar tracts, and oculomotor nucleus including the medial longitudinal fasciculus were spared. The brain weight was 990 g. Case 1 (Case 3's grandmother) developed slowly progressive ataxia at the age of 55. She showed no involuntary movement or dementia. She died at 63 years of age. Case 2 (Case 3's mother) developed ataxia at 42 years of age, followed by tremor of the hands and head, and died at age 57. She did not show dementia. Case 3 (the autopsied case) developed progressive ataxia at 27 years of age, followed by mental deterioration, tremor, myoclonus, and generalized amyotrophy and sensory disturbance during her fifth decade.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[An autopsied case of type 2 Machado-Joseph's disease or spino-pontine degeneration]

The authors present the clinico-pathological findings in a member of a family residing in Akita Prefecture located in the north-eastern region of Japan. Four members in three generations of the family developed ataxia. The autopsied patient was a 42-year-old woman, who, at the age of 25, had developed progressive cerebellar ataxia with pyramidal spasticity and increased deep tendon reflexes predominant in the lower extremities. However, she retained fine movement of the hands and fingers and showed no dysarthria until the age of 35. She could no longer walk unassisted at 38 years old. She showed cerebellar ataxia in both hands and legs, dysarthria, bulging eyes, progressive extraoculomotor palsy with nystagmus, bradykinesia, sensory disturbance, and dystonia in the face, upper extremities, and fingers. Deep tendon reflexes were decreased, especially in the lower extremities. Subacute generalized muscular atrophy developed at the age of 39. She became bedridden and died of pneumonia. The clinical diagnosis was Type-2 of the entity known in Japan as Machado-Joseph disease. At neuropathological examination, the brain weight was 1,250 g. The spinocerebellar system including Clarke's column and the spinocerebellar tracts were degenerated, but the cerebellar cortex and inferior olivary nucleus were spared. Slight-to-moderate degeneration was observed in the pontocerebellar system. In the dentate nucleus, most of the neurons showed what is known in Japan as "grumose degeneration", but there was no neuronal loss or gliosis. The hilus of the dentate nucleus and the superior cerebellar peduncle were intact.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Use of the two-hybrid system to identify the domain of p53 involved in oligomerization

We used a yeast-based genetic assay, the two-hybrid system, to characterize the domain of the tumor-suppressor p53 involved in oligomerization. This assay relies on the reconstitution of the function of a transcriptional activator, the yeast GAL4 protein, via the interaction of a protein fused to the DNA-binding domain of GAL4 with a protein fused to the transcriptional activation domain of GAL4. We show by a reconstruction experiment that this approach could detect the interaction of p53 deleted for its N-terminal activation domain with SV40 large T antigen. We then searched a library of human proteins present as activation domain hybrids for proteins that can interact with the hybrid of p53 with the DNA-binding domain. This search identified 36 plasmids containing the p53 gene, representing 10 different classes. These results provide an additional in vivo demonstration of p53 oligomerization. The smallest p53 fragment identified from screening the library contained only amino acids 331-393, indicating that this small C-terminal fragment is sufficient to mediate oligomerization. In addition, a mutant p53 protein could bind to the wild-type protein in this assay, providing support for the idea that mutant forms of p53 act in a dominant-negative manner through C-terminal oligomerization with the wild type.

[Combined use of chest X-rays and body mass index to predict pulmonary hemodynamics in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]

A study was undertaken to determine whether measurements of radiological indices from chest X-rays and body mass index (BMI) were useful in predicting pulmonary artery hypertension. Measurements of the cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) as well as right descending pulmonary artery diameter (RDPA) and BMI were made in 27 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPA) correlated with CTR, RDPA and BMI. Multiple regression analysis gave the useful equation: predicted mPA = -3.523 + 0.196xBMI + 0.110xCTR + 0.786xRDPA (r = 0.704, p < 0.002). Fifteen patients were found to have pulmonary hypertension, defined as mPA > or = 20 mmHg. The sensitivity of CTR and BMI were 86.7%. The specificity of BMI was 83.3%. These results suggest that the measurements CTR, RDPA and BMI may be useful in screening for pulmonary hypertension in patients with COPD.

[An autopsied Japanese case of hereditary olivo-ponto-cerebellar atrophy compatible with the original one of Menzel's report (1891)]

We report a patient whose clinicopathological findings are compatible with those of the case reported by Menzel in 1891. This case was briefly reported by Kinoshita et al in 1967 as hereditary ataxia of Menzel type. But the concept of this disease has been confused, especially in the early investigations for the hereditary olivo-ponto-cerebellar atrophy (OPCA) in Japan. The Kinoshita's patient should be considered as the first Japanese case whose findings are identical with Menzel's report. This report represents a precise study of the case reported by Kinoshita et al. The patient was a 42-year-old Japanese woman. Her mother and one of her brothers suffered from the same disease. She began to experience progressive ataxia at the age of 30. At age 42, she was admitted to another hospital because of inability to walk and mental deterioration. Neurological examination revealed cerebellar ataxia in the extremities and trunk, childish personality change, dementia, diminished deep tendon reflexes with extensor plantar response bilaterally, slowness and hypokinesia in the movement, generalized muscular atrophy, and sensory disturbance prominent in deep sensory. She had no involuntary movement and dysautonomia. She had no retinal degeneration, nystagmus, nor progressive nuclear oculomotor palsy. She died of pneumonia. Neuropathological findings revealed brain weight of 850g.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Some problems on the clinical phenotype of Machado-Joseph disease in relation between their ages at onset]

This study proposed that three phenotypes of Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) are closely related to the patients' ages at onset.

MATERIALS

Six patients from two families. Autopsy performed in three of them (case 2, 4, 5). Two patients are a father (case 4) and his son (case 5).

RESULTS

1. Clinical features. All cases showed cerebellar ataxia and nystagmus. Progressive nuclear oculomotor palsy was common except for one case who killed himself in the early clinical stage. Pyramidal symptom which is increased deep tendon reflexes, spasticity, and extesor plantar response was common for three patients (case 3, 5, 6) whose ages of onset are under 40 years. One case (case 5) developed dystonia of foot at the age of ten and he developed the symptom of type 1 of MJD. However, the other three patients (case 1, 2, 4) who developed ataxia after the middle of the fifth decade showed hypotonia and decreased or absence of deep tendon reflexes from the beginning. The latter did not revealed spasticity or dystonia. Their clinical symptoms were identical with the type 3 of MJD. In spite of ages at onset, they showed general muscular atrophy and sensory disturbance in the advanced clinical course. 2. Neuropathological findings. 1) cerebellar system: Severe degeneration in the spinocerebellar system and mild to moderate one in the pontocerebellar system and dentate nuclei. The inferior olivary nucleus and the cerebellar cortex were almost preserved. 2) extrapyramidal system: Moderate to severe degeneration in the substantia nigra, globus pallidus (prominent in the internal segment) and subthalamic nucleus. 3) Degeneration in the oculomotor nuclei, motor neurons in the anterior horn and dorsal column of the spinal cord.

CONCLUSION

These clinico-pathological findings indicate the difference of clinical phenotype is not always reflected those of neuropathological findings. The review of our experience and the literature suggests that the clinical features of MJD symptoms are related to the patients' ages at onset and clinical progression of the disease. When the disease begins before the age of ten, dystonia is an initial symptom, followed by pyramidal symptoms and cerebellar ataxia (type 1). In the early adult cases, the onset in which is earlier than forty, cerebellar ataxia and pyramidal symptoms are the initial symptoms, followed by extrapyramidal symptoms such as dystonia or choreoathetoid movements or both (type 2). In both instances however, decreased DTRs, muscular atrophy and sensory disturbance are common clinical manifestations at the advanced clinical stage. In late adult MJD cases with the age at onset after forty, the initial symptom is progressive cerebellar ataxia with hypotonia, followed by muscular atrophy and sensory disturbance (type 3). In spite of a marked degeneration in the extrapyramidal system, few or no extrapyramidal symptoms are detected in the last cases.

Malignant tumors of the head and neck in young patients

Ten patients under 20 years of age, with malignant tumors of the head and neck was treated at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of Kitasato University Hospital from August 1971 to December 1989. The primary lesions were situated in the nose and paranasal sinuses in 3, middle ear in 2, epipharynx in 2, and parapharynx, esophagus, and neck in 1 patient. Histological examination indicated 3 rhabdomyosarcomas, 2 malignant lymphomas, and 1 each of neuroblastoma, malignant neuroendocrine tumor, transitional cell carcinoma, lymphepithelioma, and squamous cell carcinoma. The sites of origin and histopathology of malignant tumors in such patients usually differ from those in adults. Well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck is common in adults but not in children, in whom non-epithelial malignant tumors or sarcomas are not rare. Radiotherapy is more effective for treating malignant tumors of the head and neck in young than in adults. Eight of 10 patients are still alive, 7 of whom for 5 years or more. Two with rhabdomyosarcoma died.

[Retroperitoneal malignant lymphoma showing follicular type: report of a case]

We report a case of retroperitoneal follicular malignant lymphoma. A 59-year-old man visited the hospital with the chief complaint of a loss of body weight and left epigastric tumor. CT revealed a tumor, 9 x 6 cm, with non-homogeneous density in the left retroperitoneum. Since no clinical metastasis was identified, the tumor and the left kidney were resected en bloc with para-aortic lymph node dissection. Pathological diagnosis was non-Hodgkin follicular lymphoma of mixed small cleaved and large cell type with lymph node metastasis (2/23). The CHOP adjuvant chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, adriamycin vincristine, Prednisolone) and the radiation therapy were performed after the operation. Recurrence in the mediastinal lymph node occurred 7 months after operation and radiation and the same adjuvant chemotherapy were performed and resulted in complete remission. The patient remained free of the tumor for 27 months at present.

Differential expression of the platelet-derived growth factor-A and -B genes during maturation of monocytes to macrophages

1. Regulation of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-A and -B gene expression was studied using resting monocytes, in vitro matured monocytes and alveolar macrophages. 2. Resting monocytes constitutively transcribed both PDGF-A and -B genes. When monocytes matured to macrophages in vitro, the transcription rates of both genes increased markedly. 3. Consistent with the transcription rates, resting monocytes constitutively expressed both PDGF-A and -B mRNAs. Interestingly, the PDGF-B mRNA levels increased markedly after the maturation, whereas the PDGF-A mRNA did not change. 4. Alveolar macrophages constitutively transcribed both PDGF-A and -B genes at almost the same rates. However, these cells contained 5-fold more PDGF-B mRNA than PDGF-A mRNA. 5. Immunohistochemical study using anti-PDGF-AA and anti-PDGF-BB antibodies suggested that PDGF-BB homodimers were more abundant than -AA homodimers or -AB heterodimers in alveolar macrophages and in vitro matured monocytes. 6. Together these observations indicate that in vitro matured monocytes and alveolar macrophages preferentially express PDGF-B mRNA and produce PDGF-BB homodimers, despite the equal transcription rates for both PDGF-A and -B genes.

A case report of inflammatory pseudosarcoma of the urinary bladder

A case of inflammatory pseudosarcoma of the urinary bladder in a 35-year-old Japanese male is presented. This benign lesion can easily be mistaken for spindle cell sarcoma since it consists of rhabdomyoblast-like elongated strap cells showing infiltrative growth, and whether it is benign or malignant is difficult to determine by microscopic examination. In this case, spindle cell proliferation extended among bundles of the superficial muscle layer. However, no abnormal mitoses, severe nuclear atypia or cellular pleomorphism could be seen, thus indicating inflammatory pseudosarcoma. Although the lesion was not completely resected, no recurrent disease has been clinically observed for two years following transurethral resection. Urologists and surgical pathologists must be able to detect this lesion in order to avoid unnecessary surgical procedures.

Cellular and peptide requirements for in vitro clonal deletion of immature thymocytes

Thymocytes from DO10 T-cell-receptor transgenic mice undergo apoptosis, or programmed cell death, when chicken ovalbumin-(323-339) peptide is administered in vivo. Using DO10 mice thymocytes, we have now developed a simple in vitro model system that recapitulates the in vivo clonal-deletion process. When transgenic thymocytes were cocultured with fibroblasts, B cells, or thymic nurse cell lines (all bearing I-Ad) in the presence of chicken ovalbumin-(323-339), deletion of the transgenic TCR+CD4+CD8+ thymocytes was seen within 8-20 hr. Thymocytes designed to bear I-Ad on their surface could mediate the deletion themselves. Thus, thymocyte clonal deletion entirely depends on the stage at which the thymocytes are vulnerable to the onset of apoptosis, rather than on the nature of the peptide antigen-presenting cells. Furthermore, thymic nurse cell line TNC-R3.1 could cause deletion, strongly suggesting that some thymic epithelial/stromal components are potentially capable of participating in negative selection. In all cases examined, little deletion could be induced at a peptide concentration less than 10 nM, thus defining the minimum amount of peptide antigen required for negative selection. The peptide-dependent in vitro negative-selection system will allow further dissection of the molecular and cellular processes involved in clonal deletion due to apoptosis in the thymus.

[Reticular degeneration of retinal pigment epithelium]

Reticular degeneration of the retinal pigment epithelium (RDRPE) was found in 33 out of 3114 files (1.06%) of fluorescein angiography. The age distribution of the cases with RDRPE showed a peak in the 8th decade, and the average age was 73 years. No statistically significant sexual tendency was observed. Eighty five percent of cases had bilateral RDRPE. The linear, incomplete polygon type was found on the nasal quadrants in patients aged 50-70 years old. The complete polygon type was found in both nasal and temporal quadrants in patients over 70 years old. RDRPE and pigment epithelium degeneration at the posterior pole were found to be concomitant manifestations. It was concluded that RDRPE initially appears on nasal quadrants as a lineal, incomplete polygon pattern and in advanced cases complete polygon pattern appears on all quadrants of the peripheral retina.

Argyrophilic glial intracytoplasmic inclusions in multiple system atrophy: immunocytochemical and ultrastructural study

Argyrophilic intracytoplasmic inclusions in oligodendrocytes (AGCIs) were seen in all of 15 cases of multiple system atrophy (MSA), and none in other neurodegenerative diseases, including 9 cases of Menzel-type olivopontocerebellar atrophy and 4 cases of Joseph's disease. The inclusions were widespread, not only in the olivopontocerebellar and striatonigral systems but also among fibers connecting their affecting lesions of MSA. Immunohistochemically, they were closely associated with tau, tubulins and microtubule-associated protein 5. Ultrastructurally, they consisted of 30- to 50-nm filaments (not tubules) and electron-dense granules, in varying proportions, and their formation is discussed. The specific occurrence of AGCIs could be a key to approach the pathogenesis of MSA.

Structure of the guinea pig neutrophil cationic peptide gene

Guinea pig neutrophils contain the antimicrobial cationic peptides GNCP-1 and GNCP-2 in the granules. In this study, the GNCP gene was isolated, and the structure was characterized. Using cDNA probes, one phage clone was isolated from a guinea pig genomic library. The gene spanned greater than 3 kb, and comprised three exons and two introns. Sequence analysis revealed that the gene encoded GNCP-2. Exon 1 mainly coded for the 5' untranslated region, exon 2 coded for the prepro-peptide region of GNCP-2, and exon 3 coded for the mature peptide region of GNCP-2 and the 3' untranslated region. Primer extension analysis indicated that the transcription initiation site was located to a thymidine residue, 93 bp upstream of the ATG initiation codon of GNCP-2 mRNA. A possible TATA box was located 24 bp upstream of the transcription start site. Interestingly, the pyrimidine-rich sequences identified in the promoter regions of the human neutrophil elastase and myeloperoxidase genes were also found in the 5' flanking region of the GNCP-2 gene.

Evaluation of the expression of the cationic peptide gene in various types of leukocytes

To understand the regulation of the production of antimicrobial cationic peptide (CP) in leukocytes, expression of the CP gene was evaluated in various types of leukocytes using guinea pig neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages, eosinophils, lymphocytes and bone marrow cells. Acid-urea PAGE and SDS-PAGE/immunoblot analyses showed that CP was present in neutrophils and bone marrow cells, but not in other leukocytes. Northern blot and transcription run-off analyses revealed that only bone marrow cells expressed CP mRNA and transcribed the CP gene. Interestingly, in situ hybridization analysis using bone marrow cells demonstrated that CP mRNA was expressed in the neutrophil precursor cells, such as promyelocytes and myelocytes, but was not detected in the mature neutrophils and other bone marrow cells. Moreover, immunocytochemical study indicated that CP was present in the neutrophil precursor cells and the mature neutrophils in the bone marrow. Thus, the CP gene appears to be expressed during a limited period of neutrophil maturation, and CP is likely synthesized by the neutrophil precursor cells in the bone marrow.