Functional relationship between muscles of mastication and the skull with enlarged orbit in the Baikal seal (Phoca sibirica)

We expected that the enlarged area of zygomatic arch, one of some skull characters adapted for enlarged eye, has an influence on form and function of muscles of mastication in the Baikal seal (Phoca sibirica). So, in this species, the Mm, masseter, temporalis, pterygoidei, digastricus were observed in the macroscopic level. The skull characters related to these muscles were also compared between the Baikal seal and a close-related species, the ringed seal (Phoca hispida). The Mm, masseter and temporalis were well-developed using the enlarged attachment area of zygomatic arch. In contrast, the M. digastricus is suggested to be not so important in the Baikal seal, because the temporal bone is not so developed as in the ringed seal. It is suggested that the Baikal seal has especially developed the Mm. temporalis and masseter using an enlarged area of zygomatic arch among Pusa species. We also suggest that the robust temporal bone is equipped to have the M. digastricus developed as a main retractor of mandibular body in the ringed seal.

Phosphorylation of vimentin by Rho-associated kinase at a unique amino-terminal site that is specifically phosphorylated during cytokinesis

We found that vimentin, the most widely expressed intermediate filament protein, served as an excellent substrate for Rho-associated kinase (Rho-kinase) and that vimentin phosphorylated by Rho-kinase lost its ability to form filaments in vitro. Two amino-terminal sites on vimentin, Ser38 and Ser71, were identified as the major phosphorylation sites for Rho-kinase, and Ser71 was the most favored and unique phosphorylation site for Rho-kinase in vitro. To analyze the vimentin phosphorylation by Rho-kinase in vivo, we prepared an antibody GK71 that specifically recognizes the phosphorylation of vimentin-Ser71. Ectopic expression of constitutively active Rho-kinase in COS-7 cells induced phosphorylation of vimentin at Ser71, followed by the reorganization of vimentin filament networks. During the cell cycle, the phosphorylation of vimentin-Ser71 occurred only at the cleavage furrow in late mitotic cells but not in interphase or early mitotic cells. This cleavage furrow-specific phosphorylation of vimentin-Ser71 was observed in the various types of cells we examined. All these accumulating observations increase the possibility that Rho-kinase may have a definite role in governing regulatory processes in assembly-disassembly and turnover of vimentin filaments at the cleavage furrow during cytokinesis.

Two differing salmon GnRH precursor mRNAs are co-expressed in the brain of sockeye salmon

The localization of two salmon-type gonadotropin-releasing hormone (sGnRH) precursors, pro-sGnRH-I (short type) and pro-sGnRH-II (long type), was investigated by using in situ hybridization techniques in the brain of the landlocked sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka. We used 30-mer oligonucleotide probes complementary to pro-sGnRH-I and pro-sGnRH-II cDNA. No significant differences were observed in the localization of sGnRH neurons expressing pro-sGnRH-I and pro-sGnRH-II mRNAs; both were expressed in the olfactory nerve, the olfactory bulbs, the regions between the olfactory bulb and telencephalon, the ventral telencephalon, the preoptic area, and the hypothalamus. Almost all sGnRH neurons examined co-expressed both precursors. The expression of two sGnRH precursors in the same neuron and the wide distribution of such neurons in the brain suggest that there are no functional differences between the two precursors.

The epidemiology of pancreatic diseases in Japan

We reviewed the trends and death rates of pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis in Japan over the past four decades. It is a disturbing fact that the death rate due to pancreatic cancer is rising, parallel to that of lung cancer and colon cancer and that it is affecting primarily the elderly 65 years and older in both sexes. The cause of this increase is partially attributable to improvements in the diagnosis, changes in life-style, and smoking. The death rate due to chronic and acute pancreatitis has remained constant during the past four decades.

Identification of the major allergens in wheat flour responsible for baker's asthma

Baker's asthma, a typical occupational allergic disease, is a serious problem in the food industries. In this study, purification and identification of major allergens recognized by IgEs in sera of allergic patients were performed. Major immunoreactive proteins were purified from the albumin fraction by gel filtration on a Toyopearl HW-50 column followed by reverse-phase HPLC. The N-terminal amino acid sequences and molecular masses measured by MS indicated that the major immunoreactive proteins are members of the alpha-amylase inhibitor family, 0.19 and 0.28. Significant leukotriene release by each purified protein was observed in cell-associated stimulation tests, suggesting in vivo activity of these antigens. Carbohydrate analyses of major allergens indicated that they are monoglycosylated but not N-glycosylated in spite of the presence of a potential N-glycosylation site. Recombinant 0.19 expressed in Escherichia coli showed the same reactivity with IgE as native wheat 0.19 in Western blotting and ELISA using methyl vinyl ether maleic anhydride co-polymer as an immobilizing reagent, suggesting that the allergenic epitopes are located in the peptide portions.

Myosin II activation promotes neurite retraction during the action of Rho and Rho-kinase

BACKGROUND

The Rho small GTPase regulates myosin II activity through the phosphorylation of the myosin light chain (MLC) by activating Rho-kinase, which is a target of Rho. Several lines of evidence point to an important role of Rho in the action of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and thrombin in provoking neurite retraction in N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells.

RESULTS

Here we examined whether Rho-kinase and myosin II are involved in neurite retraction in N1E-115 cells. We showed that the expression of constitutively active forms of Rho-kinase induced neurite retraction in NIE-115 cells and MLC phosphorylation in NIH 3T3 cells, whereas the expression of dominant negative forms of Rho-kinase inhibited the LPA-induced neurite retraction in N1E-115 cells and the serum-induced MLC phosphorylation in NIH 3T3 cells. The expression of mutant MLCT18D,S19D (substitution of Thr and Ser by Asp), which is known to lead to the activation of myosin ATPase and a conformational change of myosin II when reconstituted with myosin heavy chains in vitro, also promoted neurite retraction.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that Rho-kinase is involved in the LPA-induced neurite retraction downstream of Rho, and that myosin II activation promotes neurite retraction downstream of Rho and Rho-kinase.

Dissociation of impairment between spatial memory, and motor function and emotional behavior in aged rats

We investigated changes in learning and memory in aged rats, in relation to motor function and emotional behavior. Male Kbl Wistar aged rats (108-weeks-old) were divided into two groups, memory impaired and non-impaired, based on performance during six training trials in the Morris water maze task. Aged rats with a goal latency longer than the mean plus the 99% confidence limit of young rats, were regarded as memory impaired, whereas those with a goal latency within the range of the 99% confidence limit of the mean of young rats, were considered as memory non-impaired. Although the performance of the memory impaired aged rats in the standard test of the Morris water maze improved after six re-training trials to the level of the non-impaired aged rats and young rats, working memory impairment was evident. There were no differences in motor function and emotional behavior between the impaired and non-impaired aged rats. These results suggest that deficits of learning and memory in memory impaired aged rats can be dissociated from changes in motor function and emotional behavior.

Subsets of transgenic T cells that recognize CD1 induce or prevent murine lupus: role of cytokines

T cells with T cell receptor (TCR) transgenes that recognized CD1 on syngeneic B cells stimulated B cells to secrete immunoglobulins in vitro. The CD4+, CD8+, or CD4-CD8- T cells from the spleen of the TCR transgenic BALB/c donors induced lupus with anti-double stranded DNA antibodies, proteinuria, and immune complex glomerulonephritis in irradiated BALB/c nude mice reconstituted with nude bone marrow. Injection of purified CD4-CD8- T cells from the marrow of transgenic donors prevented the induction of lupus by the transgenic T cells. Transgenic T cells that induced lupus secreted large amounts of interferon (IFN)-gamma and little interleukin (IL)-4, and those that prevented lupus secreted large amounts of IL-4 and little IFN-gamma or IL-10.

Rho-kinase phosphorylates COOH-terminal threonines of ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM) proteins and regulates their head-to-tail association

The ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM) proteins are involved in actin filament/plasma membrane interaction that is regulated by Rho. We examined whether ERM proteins are directly phosphorylated by Rho-associated kinase (Rho-kinase), a direct target of Rho. Recombinant full-length and COOH-terminal half radixin were incubated with constitutively active catalytic domain of Rho-kinase, and approximately 30 and approximately 100% of these molecules, respectively, were phosphorylated mainly at the COOH-terminal threonine (T564). Next, to detect Rho-kinase-dependent phosphorylation of ERM proteins in vivo, we raised a mAb that recognized the T564-phosphorylated radixin as well as ezrin and moesin phosphorylated at the corresponding threonine residue (T567 and T558, respectively). Immunoblotting of serum-starved Swiss 3T3 cells with this mAb revealed that after LPA stimulation ERM proteins were rapidly phosphorylated at T567 (ezrin), T564 (radixin), and T558 (moesin) in a Rho-dependent manner and then dephosphorylated within 2 min. Furthermore, the T564 phosphorylation of recombinant COOH-terminal half radixin did not affect its ability to bind to actin filaments in vitro but significantly suppressed its direct interaction with the NH2-terminal half of radixin. These observations indicate that the Rho-kinase-dependent phosphorylation interferes with the intramolecular and/ or intermolecular head-to-tail association of ERM proteins, which is an important mechanism of regulation of their activity as actin filament/plasma membrane cross-linkers.

PyNPase expression in human colon cancer

Although colorectal cancer tissue is rich in pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylase (PyNPase), there is no consensus as to whether cancer cells or stromal cells predominately express PyNPase. We micro-dissected OCT compound embedded frozen tissue sections into epithelial and stromal components and then analyzed the extracted samples separately. The PyNPase expression level was higher in stromal cells than in cancer cells and the difference increased with inflammation induced by the immunostimulator OK432. These results suggest that stromal cells are the major PyNPase source in colorectal cancer.

Effects of changing the type of H2-blocker in the treatment of H2-blocker-resistant ulcers: comparison of roxatidine acetate hydrochloride and other H2-blockers

The efficacy of switching from one type of H2-receptor antagonist (H2-blocker) to another, in the treatment of H2-blocker-resistant ulcers was investigated using H2-blockers with five-membered rings (five-membered-ring agents)--such as cimetidine, ranitidine and famotidine--and an H2-blocker with a six-membered ring, roxatidine. By switching from a five-membered-ring agent to roxatidine in the treatment of five-membered-ring resistant ulcers (study I), gastric ulcers were healed in nine of 19 patients (47%) and duodenal ulcers were healed in eight of nine patients (89%). By switching from roxatidine to one of the five-membered-ring agents in the treatment of roxatidine-resistant ulcers (study II), gastric ulcer was healed in six of 15 patients (40%), and duodenal ulcer was healed in 4 of 10 patients (40%). Particularly in the case of duodenal ulcers, the switch to treatment with roxatidine, which has a different chemical structure from the five-membered-ring agents, may be useful in the treatment of five-membered-ring-resistant ulcers.

Inhibition of leukotriene B4-induced increase in intracellular calcium ion level of human peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes by Y-24180, an antagonist of platelet-activating factor receptor

Y-24180 ((+/-)-4-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-[2-(4-isobutylphenyl)ethyl]-6,9-dim eth yl-6H-thieno[3,2-f] [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a] [1,4] diazepine), an antagonist of platelet-activating factor (PAF) receptor, has already been reported to inhibit leukotriene B4 (LTB4)-induced activation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. In this article, to clarify the mechanism of inhibition of LTB4-induced activation by Y-24180, we examined the effect of Y-24180 on LTB4-induced increase in intracellular calcium ion ([Ca2+]i) level of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes at a single cell level using a laser scanning confocal microscope. Preincubation with Y-24180 significantly inhibited the increase in [Ca2+]i level at 0.3-3 microM, while WEB 2086 (4-[3-[4-(2-chlorophenyl)-9-methyl-6H-thieno[3,2-f][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a ][1,4]diazepin-2-yl]propionyl]morpholine), another PAF receptor antagonist, did not show the inhibitory effect at 3-30 microM, indicating that the difference in potency between these compounds was more than 100-fold. The LTB4-induced increase in [Ca2+]i level was suppressed by microinjection of anti-PAF antibody, but not control antibody, into leukocytes. Microinjection of Y-24180 at 0.003-0.03 microM or WEB 2086 at 0.03-0.3 microM into leukocytes also inhibited the LTB4-induced increase. The microinjection of WEB 2086 at the 10-fold greater concentrations than those of Y-24180 inhibited to the almost equal level to that obtained by Y-24180. In addition, microinjection of PAF into leukocytes induced the increase in [Ca2+]i level. Preincubation with Y-24180 at 1 or 3 microM significantly attenuated the PAF microinjection-induced increase, but WEB 2086 showed little effect at 3-30 microM. These results indicate that Y-24180 inhibits LTB4-induced activation of leukocytes by suppressing the increase in [Ca2+]i level and the inhibitory effect is mediated by antagonistic action against intracellular PAF-induced up-regulation of [Ca2+]i level. The difference in inhibitory activity for the increase in [Ca2+]i level between Y-24180 and WEB 2086 when these are added in the culture medium may depend upon their aptitude for the transmembrane influx.

Cytoskeletal rearrangements and transcriptional activation of c-fos serum response element by Rho-kinase

The small GTPase Rho is implicated in cytoskeletal rearrangements including stress fiber and focal adhesion formation and in the transcriptional activation of c-fos serum response element. In vitro, Rho-kinase, which is activated by Rho, phosphorylates not only myosin light chain (MLC) (thereby activating myosin ATPase) but also myosin phosphatase, thus inactivating myosin phosphatase. Rho-kinase is involved in the formation of stress fibers and focal adhesions in fibroblasts. Here we show that the expression of constitutively active Rho-kinase increased the level of MLC phosphorylation. The activity of Rho-kinase was necessary for maintaining the vinculin-containing focal adhesions, whereas organized actin stress fibers were not necessary for this. The microinjection of constitutively active Rho-kinase into fibroblasts induced the formation of focal adhesions to some extent under the conditions where organized actin stress fibers were disrupted. The expression of constitutively active Rho-kinase also stimulated the transcriptional activity of c-fos serum response element. These results suggest that Rho-kinase has distinct roles in divergent pathways downstream of Rho, which include MLC phosphorylation leading to stress fiber formation, focal adhesion formation, and gene expression.

[A case of local recurrence of rectal cancer that achieved a complete response with high-dose interstitial brachytherapy]

We report a case of local recurrence of rectal cancer that achieved complete response with high-dose interstitial brachytherapy. The patient was a forty-nine-year-old woman. In September 1995, she underwent abdominoperineal resection of rectum for rectal cancer (T4 N2 M0, moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma). In February 1996, she complained of genital bleeding. MRI examination revealed a mass of 70 x 22 x 20 mm in the pelvis, which was diagnosed to be recurrent rectal cancer with needle biopsy. Interstitial brachytherapy (60 Gy/twelve fractions/six days) was performed, and a complete response was achieved. One year after the treatment, no tumor was detected in the pelvis. No skin erosion, skin ulcer, urinary cystitis, nor ileitis occurred. High-dose interstitial brachytherapy delivers high-dose irradiation to a tumor while keeping the dose to the surrounding normal organs at a low level. This procedure may be an effective modality for local recurrence of rectal cancer.

Evidence for the involvement of endogenous aspartate in the mediation of carotid chemoreceptor reflexes in the rostral ventrolateral medulla of the rat

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate (AP5; 153 pmol) injected into the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) inhibited pressor responses induced by carotid chemoreceptor stimulation. AP5 also inhibited pressor responses to aspartate (0.75 nmol) but not to glutamate (0.53 nmol) similarly injected. High K+ (50 mM) released endogenous aspartate and glutamate in a Ca2+-dependent manner from the RVLM. Chemoreceptor stimulation caused a release of aspartate but not of glutamate in the RVLM, and sinus nerve denervation abolished the release of aspartate. Increases in blood pressure induced by intravenous phenylephrine did not release aspartate. These results support the hypothesis that endogenous aspartate in the rat RVLM is involved in the mediation of chemoreceptor reflexes.

Magnetic resonance imaging of myelofibrosis. STIR and gadolinium-enhanced MR images

MR images of myelofibrosis were assessed in twelve patients. Myelofibrosis showed low intensity in T1-weighted images, high intensity in STIR images, and enhancement after gadolinium injection. MR spectroscopy detected a large water resonance. MR imaging was consistent with histological findings and useful in evaluating the extracellular space in bone marrow of myelofibrosis, but it was of no value in differentiating between primary and secondary myelofibrosis.

Association between ion fluxes and defense responses in pea and cowpea tissues

The glycopeptide elicitor from a pea pathogen, Mycosphaerella pinodes, induced rapid alkalinization and increases in levels of Na+ and K+ ions in the extracellular solution upon contact with pea and cowpea tissues. The presence of monensin, nigericin, lidocaine, quinidine or phenytoin together with the elicitor markedly inhibited these changes, whereas the presence of valinomycin, gramicidin D, tetraethylammonium, CsCl and aminopyridine did not. The production of phytoalexins in pea and cowpea tissues was also strongly inhibited by the simultaneous presence of the former reagents but not of the latter reagents. Inhibitory effects on the production of phytoalexins were diminished when monensin, nigericin or a Na(+)-channel blocker was applied 3 h after the start of treatment with elicitor. Furthermore, orthovanadate and neomycin, which suppress defense responses in both tissues, also inhibited the above mentioned changes. By contrast, the species-specific suppressor from M. pinodes inhibited the elicitor-induced release of Na+ and K+ ions from pea tissues, but, conversely, by itself it elicited either the defense response or the release of Na+ and K+ ions from cowpea tissues. The results indicate that these ion-related changes, in particular the efflux of Na+ and K+ ions, might be closely associated with the signal transduction system for defense responses at the tissue level.

Domain-specific phosphorylation of vimentin and glial fibrillary acidic protein by PKN

PKN is a serine/threonine protein kinase with a catalytic domain homologous to the protein kinase C family and unique N-terminal leucine zipper-like sequences. Using analyses with the yeast two-hybrid system and in vitro binding assay, we found that the regulatory domain of PKN interacted with vimentin. We then examined whether PKN would phosphorylate vimentin in vitro. Vimentin proved to be an excellent substrate for PKN, and the phosphorylation of vimentin by PKN occurred in the head domain with the result of a nearly complete inhibition of its filament formation in vitro. Similar results were also obtained with another type III intermediate filament protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). These results raise the possibility that PKN may regulate filament structures of vimentin and GFAP by domain-specific phosphorylation.

Rho-associated kinase directly induces smooth muscle contraction through myosin light chain phosphorylation

Small GTPase Rho plays pivotal roles in the Ca2+ sensitization of smooth muscle. However, the GTP-bound active form of Rho failed to exert Ca2+-sensitizing effects in extensively Triton X-100-permeabilized smooth muscle preparations, due to the loss of the important diffusible cofactor (Gong, M. C., Iizuka, K., Nixon, G. , Browne, J. P., Hall, A., Eccleston, J. F., Sugai, M., Kobayashi, S. , Somlyo, A. V., and Somlyo, A. P. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 93, 1340-1345). Here we demonstrate the contractile effects of Rho-associated kinase (Rho-kinase), recently identified as a putative target of Rho, on the Triton X-100-permeabilized smooth muscle of rabbit portal vein. Introduction of the constitutively active form of Rho-kinase into the cytosol of Triton X-100-permeabilized smooth muscle provoked a contraction and a proportional increase in levels of monophosphorylation of myosin light chain in both the presence and the absence of cytosolic Ca2+. These effects of constitutively active Rho-kinase were wortmannin (a potent myosin light chain kinase inhibitor)-insensitive. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the amount of native Rho-kinase was markedly lower in Triton X-100-permeabilized tissue than in intact tissue. Our results demonstrate that Rho-kinase directly modulates smooth muscle contraction through myosin light chain phosphorylation, independently of the Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain kinase pathway.

Phosphorylation of glial fibrillary acidic protein at the same sites by cleavage furrow kinase and Rho-associated kinase

Site- and phosphorylation state-specific antibodies are useful to analyze spatiotemporal distribution of site-specific phosphorylation of target proteins in vivo. Using several polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies that can specifically recognize four phosphorylated sites on glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), we have previously reported that Thr-7, Ser-13, and Ser-34 on this intermediate filament protein are phosphorylated at the cleavage furrow during cytokinesis. This observation suggests that there exists a protein kinase named cleavage furrow kinase specifically activated at metaphase-anaphase transition (Matsuoka, Y., Nishizawa, K., Yano, T., Shibata, M., Ando, S., Takahashi, T., and Inagaki, M. (1992) EMBO J. 11, 2895-2902; Sekimata, M., Tsujimura, K., Tanaka, J., Takeuchi, Y., Inagaki, N., and Inagaki, M. (1996) J. Cell Biol. 132, 635-641). Here we report that GFAP is phosphorylated specifically at Thr-7, Ser-13, and Ser-34 by Rho-associated kinase (Rho-kinase), which binds to the small GTPase Rho in its GTP-bound active form. The kinase activity of Rho-kinase toward GFAP is dramatically stimulated by guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)-triphosphate-bound RhoA. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of GFAP by Rho-kinase results in a nearly complete inhibition of its filament formation in vitro. The possibility that Rho-kinase is a candidate for cleavage furrow kinase is discussed.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-induced comobilization of CD4- CD8- T cells and hematopoietic progenitor cells (CD34+) in the blood of normal donors

The feasibility of transplantation of HLA-matched hematopoietic progenitor cells from the blood of normal donors given granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been reported recently. In the current study, the changes in T-cell subsets as well as CD34+ cells were determined in one blood volume leukapheresis products of six normal individuals given G-CSF. Examination of the T-cell subsets in the leukapheresis products showed three different patterns: one in which a discrete population of CD4- CD8- alphabeta T cells was found in addition to the typical CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the unfractionated as well as in high- and low-density cells; a second in which the discrete population of CD4- CD8- alphabeta T cells was predominant only in the low-density fractions; and a third in which a discrete population of CD4- CD8- T cells was not observed. The median yield of CD4- CD8- T cells was about fourfold to fivefold higher than the calculated number present in one blood volume (5L) from normal individuals. The ratios of CD34+ cells to CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and of CD4- CD8- T cells to CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, were highest in the low-density fractions. These fractions suppressed the mixed leukocyte, and may ameliorate graft-versus-host disease as compared with unfractionated cells.

Phenotypes and invariant alpha beta TCR expression of peripheral V alpha 14+ NK T cells

A novel subset of peripheral T cells, peripheral NK T cells, is found to be a major population comprising 5% of splenic T and 40% of bone marrow T cells. The majority of peripheral NK T cells are characterized by the expression of an invariant TCR-alpha encoded by V alpha 14/J alpha 281 with a one nucleotide N region. Moreover, a specific reduction of V alpha 14+ NK T cells has been demonstrated to be tightly associated with various autoimmune diseases, indicating their decisive role in autoimmune disease development. In this study, we investigated the phenotypes of peripheral V alpha 14+ NK T cells and their TCR-beta repertoire. Peripheral V alpha 14+ NK T cells, comprise two populations, i.e., small and large sized cells, at an equal frequency, belonged to the CD4- CD8- fraction, and are heat stable antigen(bright), macrophage-1bright, B220bright, CD45RBdim, and Mel-14dim, but CD5-, distinct from thymic NK T cells. TCR-beta analysis clearly showed that peripheral V alpha 14+ NK T cells utilized two to three dominant invariant TCR-beta, such as V beta 8.2 D beta J beta 2.5/V beta 7 D beta J beta 2.1 in the spleen and liver, V beta 8.2 D beta J beta 2.5/V beta 8.3 D beta J beta 2.2/V beta 7 D beta J beta 2.6 in the bone marrow, and V beta 7 D beta J beta 2.1/V beta 3 D beta J beta 1.2 in intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes. Judging from the unusual surface phenotypes, such as heat stable antigen, macrophage-1, B220, CD45RBdim, and Mel-14dim, which are known to be T cell activation markers, peripheral V alpha 14+ NK T cells may always be activated under physiologic conditions, resulting in the oligoclonal expansion of V alpha 14+ NK T cells with different invariant TCR-beta in different peripheral organs. The unique features of V alpha 14+ NK T cells are discussed.

[Usefulness of MR imaging in evaluating and predicting effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on uterine cervical carcinoma]

The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of MR imaging (MRI) in evaluating and predicting the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on uterine cervical carcinoma. MRI was performed before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NA-C) of systemic BOMP in 32 patients with cervical carcinoma. (1) In 8 patients who suffered from hysterectomy after NA-C, MR estimates of tumor diameter were within 5 mm of the surgical sample in all cases. In addition, MRI accurately evaluated parametrial state. (2) In 10 patients, the reduction rates after 2 courses of NA-C were compared with those after 3 courses, and no significant difference was found between them (p = 0.628). (3) Statistical analysis was performed to assess the correlation between the response to NA-C and MR findings before NA-C such as MR staging, tumor volume, signal intensity and contrast enhancement of tumor, body invasion, total cervical replacement, hydrometra, and ascites. Analysis of variance and multiregression analysis revealed that tumor volume (p = 0.012) and body invasion (p = 0.079) were important factors in predicting the effect of NA-C on cervical carcinoma. In conclusion, MRI is useful in evaluating and predicting the effect of NA-C on uterine cervical carcinoma.

The T cell activation factor NF-ATc positively regulates HIV-1 replication and gene expression in T cells

Clinical deterioration in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is associated with increased levels of viral replication and burden in the peripheral blood and lymphoid organs. T cell activation and ensuing cellular gene activation can be critical for HIV-1 replication. The hypothesis that the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NF-AT) may influence HIV-1 replication is therefore compelling given the tight correlation of HIV-1 transcriptional induction to T cell activation. We report that certain NF-AT(Rel) family members productively bind the kappaB regulatory elements, synergize with NF-kappaB and Tat in transcriptional activation of HIV-1, and enhance HIV-1 replication in T cells. These results link regulatory factors critical to T cell commitment directly to HIV-1 replication.