Effect of coronary risk factors on coronary angiographic morphology in patients with ischemic heart disease

We investigated the effects of hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, which are major coronary risk factors, on the angiographic morphology of coronary artery lesions in 204 patients with previous myocardial infarction or stable-effort angina: 39 patients with hypercholesterolemia (serum total cholesterol > 240 mg/dl) without hypertension and diabetes, 51 patients with hypertension without diabetes and hypercholesterolemia, 24 patients with diabetes without hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, and 90 patients without any of these 3 risk factors (control). Patients without coronary artery lesions were excluded. The severity of coronary artery lesions is expressed as the Gensini score and the morphology is classified according to Rosch's classification. The distribution of coronary artery lesions did not differ significantly between the 4 groups. The Gensini score was significantly higher in the hypercholesterolemia group than in the other groups (p < 0.05). Short concentric lesions were more frequent in the hypercholesterolemia group than in the control group (p < 0.01), and tubular regular lesions were more frequent in the hypertension and diabetes groups than in the control group (p < 0.01). These results suggest that hypercholesterolemia has a greater influence on the severity of coronary artery lesions than does hypertension or diabetes, and that the progression of coronary atherosclerosis may differ among patients with these risk factors.

Transgenic copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase ameliorates caerulein-induced pancreatitis in mice

The role of oxidative stress in acute pancreatitis was investigated by comparing the pathological features of caerulein pancreatitis between transgenic mice that overexpress human Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) and nontransgenic littermates. Both the elevation of serum amylase and the formation of pancreatic edema during the pancreatitis were significantly reduced in the transgenic mice compared with the nontransgenic littermates. In the transgenic mice, the pancreatitis-associated reduction of Cu/Zn-SOD activity in the pancreatic tissues was significantly smaller than that in the nontransgenic mice. These results provide direct evidence that the elevation of intracellular oxygen radicals is an important factor for the progress of acute edematous pancreatitis.

Effects of cabbage leaf protein concentrate on the serum and liver lipid concentrations in rats

The effects of cabbage leaf protein concentrate (CLPC) on serum and liver lipid concentrations were determined in rats fed cholesterol-enriched and cholesterol-free diets. In rats fed the cholesterol-enriched diet with CLPC, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol and phospholipid concentrations in both the serum and liver, as well as the atherogenic index diet were significantly lower than those of the rats fed a casein diet. A supplement of methionine to the CLPC diet raised serum HDL-cholesterol and body weight gain, indicating that the addition of methionine to the CLPC diet is not only available to improve the nutritive value of CLPC but also to lower the atherogenic index. In rats fed the cholesterol-free diet, the liver total cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations of the CLPC-fed rats also showed lower values than those of the casein-fed rats, however, the serum total cholesterol concentration of the CLPC-fed rats did not differ from that of the casein-fed rats.

Extrapontine myelinolysis presenting with parkinsonism as a sequel of rapid correction of hyponatraemia

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Modulation of cell surface lectin receptors on K562 human erythroleukemia cells induced by transfection with annexin IV cDNA

Annexin IV was found to be highly expressed in various human adenocarcinoma cell lines, but not in an erythroleukemia cell line, K562. We investigated the effects of transfection of human annexin IV cDNA into K562 cells on cell surface lectin receptors. cDNA transfectants were found to be more sensitive to cytotoxic lectins such as Ricinus communis agglutinin and wheat germ agglutinin than mock transfectants. The results of flow cytometric analyses with various lectins showed that the transfectants expressed more sugar chains which bind to Ulex europaeus agglutinin I and Maackia amurensis mitogen than mock transfectants. These results suggest that transfection of annexin IV cDNA increases the expression of alpha-2,3-sialylated and/or fucosylated sugar chains on the surface.

Characterization of human p33/41 (annexin IV), a Ca2+ dependent carbohydrate-binding protein with monoclonal anti-annexin IV antibodies, AS11 and AS17

p33/41 (annexin IV) is a member of the family of Ca(2+)-dependent phospholipid binding proteins known as annexins. We previously described that bovine kidney p33/41 (annexin IV) has Ca(2+)-dependent carbohydrate binding activity. In this study, we purified human p33/41 (annexin IV) from the HT29, human colon adenocarcinoma cell line, as well as the bovine kidney annexin by affinity chromatography. Then, we prepared recombinant human p33/41 (annexin IV) expressed in Escherichia coli. The apparent size and the Ca(2+)-dependent carbohydrate binding properties of purified recombinant p33/41 (annexin IV) were indistinguishable from those of the bovine kidney protein. We also performed inhibition assays of carbohydrate binding and of phosphatidylserine/phosphatidylcholine liposome binding of recombinant p33/41 (annexin IV) with anti-p33/41 monoclonal antibodies (AS11 and AS17). We determined the epitopes recognized by the monoclonal antibodies by Western blot analysis using deleted-recombinant p33/41 (annexin IV). The monoclonal antibodies recognized domain 1 and/or 2 of p33/41 (annexin IV). The results of the inhibition assays and the determination of the epitope showed that a carbohydrate binding site is located at domains 3 and 4 of p33/41 (annexin IV) and on the cell surface.

Isolation and characterization of a GDP/GTP exchange protein specific for the Rab3 subfamily small G proteins

The Rab small G protein family, consisting of nearly 30 members, is implicated in intracellular vesicle trafficking. They cycle between the GDP-bound inactive and GTP-bound active forms, and the former is converted to the latter by the action of a GDP/GTP exchange protein (GEP). No GEP specific for each Rab family member or Rab subfamily has been isolated. Here we purified a GEP from rat brain with lipid-modified Rab3A as a substrate. The purified protein was specifically active on Rab3A, Rab3C, and Rab3D of the Rab3 subfamily. Of these subfamily members, Rab3A and Rab3C are implicated in Ca2+-dependent exocytosis, particularly in neurotransmitter release. This GEP (Rab3 GEP) was active on the lipid-modified form, but not on the lipid-unmodified form. Rab3 GEP showed a minimum molecular mass of about 200 kDa on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. We cloned its cDNA from a rat brain cDNA library and determined its primary structure. The isolated cDNA encoded a protein with a Mr of 177,982 and 1,602 amino acids, which showed no homology to any known protein. The recombinant protein exhibited GEP activity toward Rab3A, Rab3C, and Rab3D. Northern blot and Western blot analyses indicated that Rab3 GEP was expressed in all the rat tissues examined with the highest expression in brain.

[Total defect of metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) imaging on heart in Parkinson's disease: assessment of cardiac sympathetic denervation]

This study was conducted to evaluate sympathetic cardiac innervation using MIBG imaging in PD. Uptake of MIBG was measured in 35 PD patients. Although normal MIBG uptake was observed in PD patients with HY stage l, PD with stage 3-5 revealed a total defect of visual MIBG imaging on heart area. Quantitative measurements of MIBG uptake assessed by the radioactivity ratio of cardiac to mediastinal tissue(H/ M) in early imaging was associated with the clinical severity of PD(control; 2.0 +/- 0.3, stage l; 2.0 +/- 0.1, stage 2; 1.6 +/- 0.4, stage 3-5; 1.3 +/- 0.1). In conclusion, homogeneous impairment of sympathetic cardiac innervation was observed in PD patients and this abnormality was associated with the clinical severity of PD, indicating that MIBG imaging of heart is useful not only for the evaluation of cardiac sympathetic impairment of PD but also for the diagnosis of PD.

Effect of right ventricular volume overload on left ventricular diastolic function in patients with atrial septal defect

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of chronic right ventricular (RV) volume overload on left ventricular (LV) diastolic function. Twelve patients with atrial septal defect and 7 age-matched normal controls were examined. Patients with atrial septal defect were divided into 2 groups based on their Qp/Qs values (ASD1:Qp/Qs < or = 3, n = 7; ASD2:Qp/Qs > 3, n = 5). The LV volume curve and its first derivative were derived by a frame-by-frame analysis of the left ventriculogram. The peak filling rate was defined by the peak positive first derivative of the LV volume curve. We measured the time constant, isovolumetric relaxation time, stiffness constant and compliance at LV end-diastole. The time constant was significantly prolonged in the ASD2 group compared with the controls, and the isovolumetric relaxation time in both atrial septal defect groups was also prolonged compared with the controls. The peak filling rate, which was normalized by end-diastolic volume, was lower in the ASD2 group than in the controls. Although the stiffness constant and the compliance at LV end-diastole in the controls were not significantly different from those in the atrial septal defect group, an upward and leftward displacement of the left ventricular pressure-volume curve was observed in patients with atrial septal defect. Moreover, a significant correlation (r = 0.78, p < 0.01) was observed between the time constant and RV end-diastolic pressure. Thus, these results suggest that chronic RV volume overload affects left ventricular diastolic function.

[Transient heterogeneous enhancement on dual-phase helical CT of liver]

Transient heterogeneous enhancement was seen on the arterial phase of dual phase helical CT of the liver. The shape of the enhancement was appeared wedged or patchy. These phenomena without liver tumor were observed in 23 (2.3%) of 1012 patients with suspected hepatobiliary disease. Plain CT showed no attenuation difference in the liver. Twenty-two of these 23 cases were diagnosed as scarred liver, A-P shunt caused by liver biopsy, acute cholecystitis, liver abscess, liver cirrhosis, or advanced pancreas head cancer. The diagnosis of one case was uncertain. These phenomena were thought to be caused by 1) a regional direct increase in hepatic arterial flow due to arterial-portal (A-P) shunt, or hypervascular tumor ; or 2) a compensatory increase in hepatic arterial flow as a result of decreased portal venous flow caused by tumor invasion or severe liver cirrhosis.

Immunohistochemical study of utrophin and dystrophin at the motor end-plate in myasthenia gravis

We studied the densities of utrophin and dystrophin at the motor end-plates of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) using immunohistochemical analysis. The densities were compared with those found in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome and normal controls. Utrophin was reduced at the motor end-plates of MG patients, in association with a reduction of alpha-bungarotoxin binding sites. In contrast, the density of dystrophin at the motor end-plate of MG patients was not significantly different from that found in the controls. We conclude that, at the motor end-plate, utrophin may be more closely associated than dystrophin with the acetylcholine receptor, and that it plays a different role.

Antimicrobial benzopyrans from the receptacle of sunflower

The antimicrobial substances in sunflower (Helianthus annuus) were investigated. Two antifungal benzopyran derivatives, 6-acetyl-2,2-dimethyl-1,2-benzopyran (1) and 6-acetyl-7-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-1,2-benzopyran (2), were isolated from the ethanol extract of sunflower receptacles. The antimicrobial activities of isolated compounds 1 and 2 and their related compounds (precocenes) were evaluated by the paper disk method, using Pyricularia oryzae as the test fungus.

Expression of carbohydrate-binding protein p33/41 in human tumor cell lines

We previously reported a new type of lectin, p33/41 (annexin IV), which was isolated from a bovine tissue extract [Kojima, K. et al. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 20536-20539]. When the expression of p33/41 (annexin IV) was surveyed in the lysates of 39 human tumor cell lines by SDS-PAGE, followed by Western blot analysis with polyclonal anti-bovine p33/41 and monoclonal anti-annexin IV (Z016, Zymed) antibodies, 21 cell lines were found to be reactive with the polyclonal antibody, whereas all 39 cell lines were stained with Z016. These results together with those obtained with standard proteins, annexins IV and V, suggested that the monoclonal antibody, Z016, recognizes annexin V, but not p33/41 (annexin IV). Therefore, we performed cDNA cloning of human p33/41 (annexin IV) to prepare a recombinant protein and raised monoclonal antibodies against the protein. Northern blot analysis with the cDNA as a probe showed that a human colon cancer cell line, HT29, contains p33/41 (annexin IV) mRNA of two sizes, 2.0 and 3.0 kb. The two monoclonal antibodies, AS11 and AS17, against the recombinant protein generated were useful for flow cytometric analysis, ELISA, Western blot analysis and immunoprecipitation. Flow cytometric analysis with AS17 showed that p33/41 (annexin IV) is located in the cytoplasm of HT29 cells, but not on the cell surface. However, one of the cell surface proteins first labeled with biotin and then solubilized with a detergent was immunoprecipitated with AS17. The results suggest the existence of a membrane spanning form of p33/41 (annexin IV).

The role of nitric oxide in mouse cerulein-induced pancreatitis with and without lipopolysaccharide pretreatment

Nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to play a significant role in inflammation. To clarify the role of NO in acute pancreatitis, we investigated the serum concentrations of NO chi (NO2- plus NO3-) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and the grade of pancreatitis in cerulein-induced pancreatitis in mice pretreated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or not. LPS pretreatment aggravated the cerulein pancreatitis in association with a transient increase in serum TNF-alpha, which was followed by a gradual elevation of serum NO chi. This elevation of serum NO chi concentration was inhibited by the NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA). In addition, the activity of NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d), a marker for NO synthase, appeared in the peritoneal macrophages of LPS-pretreated mice after the induction of pancreatitis. No elevation of serum NO chi or appearance of NADPH-d activity in peritoneal cells was found in mice without LPS pretreatment. Administration of L-NNA enhanced the elevation of pancreatitis-induced serum amylase in mice untreated with LPS, while L-NNA inhibited the elevation in LPS-pretreated mice. The effects of L-NNA were reversed by the administration of L-arginine but were not affected by D-arginine. These results suggested that (a) inflammatory cells may not be fully activated to produce excessive NO in uncomplicated edematous pancreatitis, and (b) edematous pancreatitis may be aggravated by excessively produced NO if bacterial infection is complicated and inflammatory cells are activated to express inducible NO synthase.

Potent allelochemical falcalindiol from Glehnia littoralis F. Schm

A potent allelochemical in Glehnia littoralis F. Schm. was investigated. Falcalindiol was isolated from G. littoralis; 859.9 mg/kg of fresh root and 62.5 mg/kg of fresh aerial parts. Its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic methods, and the antimicrobial activities of falcalindiol were evaluated by the paper disk method against several microorganisms. The plant growth inhibition of falcalindiol was also investigated.

Hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis after acoustic neuroma resection: influence of the time anastomosis on recovery of facial movement

Facial movement following hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis was investigated in 29 acoustic neuroma patients. The amount of facial movement was assessed using both the grading system of House and Brackmann and the revised grading scale of Yanagihara. The data were analyzed to determine the influence of the time elapsed between tumor resection and anastomosis upon recovery of facial movement. A slightly larger number of patients with delayed anastomosis (7-23 months) showed minimally poorer results than those with early anastomosis (within 3 months). However, these differences were not statistically significant. Moreover, there was no apparent relationship between the duration of facial nerve paralysis and the recovery of facial movement within either of these two groups. These results showed that hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis can be delayed up to 2 years following tumor resection with only minimal effect on the recovery of facial movement.

Lipopolysaccharide induces manganese superoxide dismutase in the rat pancreas: its role in caerulein pancreatitis

Intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at a dose of 50 micrograms/kg increased the activity and the mRNA level of manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) but did not change those of copper/zinc-SOD (Cu/Zn-SOD) in the rat pancreas. Both the formation of pancreatic edema and the elevation of serum amylase during caerulein pancreatitis were significantly relieved in the rats pretreated with LPS (50 micrograms/kg) compared with the rats without the pretreatment. These results support the view that superoxides play a key role in the pathogenesis of caerulein pancreatitis, and that Mn-SOD in the pancreas may work as a defense against the development of this disease.

Effects of 6-Hydroxydopamine on the antibody response to the hapten dinitrophenyl in the chicken

Antibody responses to the hapten dinitrophenyl (DNP) and the concentration of catecholamine in chickens received a single injection of 6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the chorioallantoic cavity at the embryonal stage were evaluated. A significantly enhanced anti-DNP IgA response and a markedly decreased level of noradrenaline in the peripheral blood were observed in chickens treated with 400 micrograms of 6-OHDA at 14 days of incubation. These results suggested the immunomodulatory influence of the sympathetic nervous system.

[Expression of bc1-2 protein in collagen vascular diseases with pulmonary interstitial involvement]

Expression of bc1-2 protein was studied immunohistochemically in 25 patients with collagen vascular diseases and in 10 patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. The collagen vascular diseases included rheumatoid arthritis (n = 9), progressive systemic sclerosis (n = 9), polymyositis/dermatomyositis (n = 4), Sjögren's syndrome (n = 2), and systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 1). All 35 patients underwent open lung biopsy; cellular infiltration, fibrosis, and lymphoid aggregation were scored according to Cherniack's classification. T lymphocytes (CD43: DFT-1) and B lymphocytes (CD20:L-26) were also evaluated. Expression of bc1-2 protein was dominant in T lymphocytes infiltrating the alveolar interstitium and in B lymphocytes in the mantle zone of lymphoid follicles. In collagen vascular diseases, the degree of expression of bc1-2 protein in those T lymphocytes was closely related to the alveolar lymphocyte infiltration score. However, these findings were not marked in the patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, and were not related to the underlying disease in the patients with collagen vascular diseases. The expression of bc1-2 protein in T lymphocytes was not related to fibrosis or to lymphoid aggregation. Expression of bc1-2 protein in B lymphocytes did not correlate with pathological scores or with underlying disease. Bc1-2 protein has been recognized as an oncogene that suppresses apoptosis. Marked expression of bc1-2 protein in T lymphocytes from patients with collagen vascular diseases indicates that oversuppression of apoptosis may be related to the pathogenesis of pulmonary interstitial involvement in these conditions. Further clinicopathological studies focusing on apoptosis in collagen vascular diseases and in idiopathic interstitial pneumonia are needed.

[Systemic sclerosis with various gastrointestinal problems including pneumoperitoneum, pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis and malabsorption syndrome]

We describe here an experience of successful treatment of systemic sclerosis (SSc) complicated with various gastrointestinal (GI) problems including pneumoperitoneum, pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis and malabsorption syndrome. A 35-year-old female had developed selerodactyly since February, 1990. She had been treated under the diagnosis of SSc at other hospital. She had required several hospitalizations because of nausea, vomitting and abdominal distension, but her GI symptoms had gradually deteriorated. In April 1993, she was referred to our hospital and admitted for the treatment of her GI problems. On admission, she had systemic cutaneous sclerosis and marked abdominal distension without peritoneal signs was recognized. Chest and abdominal roentgenograms demonstrated massive free air under the diaphragm, marked dilation of small and large bowels, and multiple intestinal cysts (pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis ; PCI). We treated her GI problems with various modalities combined with medications, oxygen breathing, intravenous hyperalimentation and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Pneumoperitoneum and PCI had disappeared after 8 courses of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and her GI symptoms had been well controled by intravenous hyper alimentation. Thereafter, she has been on intermittent parenteral nutrition through subcutaneous port inplantation. During the courses of this treatment, she developed an episode of Wernicke-Kolsakoff (W-K) syndrome which was considered to associate with malabsorption syndrome. The W-K syndrome had recovered by intravenous administration of vitamin B1.

Increased susceptibility to silicosis and TNF-alpha production in C57BL/6J mice

Toxic oxygen species and several proinflammatory cytokines are involved in the pathogenesis of silicosis. In order to understand whether factors that lead to susceptibility to ozone are also important in silicosis or not, we examined ozone-sensitive C57BL/6J mice and ozone-resistant C3H/HeJ mice as models of silicosis. We also analyzed the production of proinflammatory cytokines in both the acute and the chronic phases. On Day 2 after silica injection, the ozone-resistant C3H/HeJ mice showed significantly higher cellular responses as recognized by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cell counts than did the C57BL/6J mice. In the chronic phase (Day 28 after silica injection), the ozone-sensitive C57BL/6J mice showed significantly greater responses to instilled silica judged by total protein and cell number in BAL fluid, hydroxyproline content, and histology than the ozone-resistant C3H/HeJ mice. TNF-alpha production by BAL cells after silica exposure was significantly higher in C57BL/6J mice than in C3H/HeJ mice in the chronic phase, whereas there was no significant difference in IL-1 alpha production between both strains of silica-injected mice. Also, the control C57BL/6J mice had significantly higher secretions of TNF-alpha than did the control C3H/HeJ mice in the acute phase. These results suggest that ozone-sensitive C57BL/6J mice are also more susceptible to silicosis than are ozone-resistant C3H/HeJ mice, and that the initial lower cellular responses and increase in TNF-alpha production may be related to the higher level of inflammatory and fibrotic response in the C57BL/6J mice.

[Auditory comprehension in transcortical motor aphasia due to a medial lesions of the left frontal lobe]

We assessed the anatomical findings and auditory comprehension of six patients with transcortical motor aphasia due to medical lesions of the left frontal lobe. All patients were right-handed and were initially mute for several hours after the onset, and they exhibited mild paresis of the right lower extremity. Their spontaneous speech was sparse and not fluent, and sometimes accompanied by echolalia, but their articulation was normal and repetition was excellent. They had difficulty in recalling words. A diagnosis of transcortical motor aphasia was made on the basis of their clinical symptoms. All patients were found to have an infarct in the left medial frontal region by MRI and/or CT. We administered the Western Aphasia Battery and 50 line drawing pointing task in order to evaluate auditory comprehension. Based on the results we concluded that there is no impairment of auditory comprehension of single words when lesions are limited to the superior frontal gyrus, but that lesions extending to the middle frontal gyrus interfere with auditory comprehension of single words. Our observations indicate that the middle frontal gyrus plays an important role in auditory comprehension of single words. All of the patients displayed impaired auditory comprehension of sentences even when their lesions were strictly limited to the medial frontal lobe. This suggests that the medial frontal lobe plays some role in the auditory comprehension of sentences.

Effects of spinach leaf protein concentrate on the serum cholesterol and amino acid concentrations in rats fed a cholesterol-free diet

The effects of spinach leaf protein concentrate (SPPC) on serum and liver lipid concentrations and on serum free amino acid concentrations were examined in rats fed a cholesterol-free diet containing 2 and 10% fats. The serum total cholesterol, triacylglycerol and phospholipid concentrations in the rats fed an SPPC diet containing 2% corn oil were significantly lower than those of the rats fed a corresponding casein diet. When 10% corn oil or lard was used, the serum cholesterol-lowering effect of the SPPC became insignificant, but the serum and liver triacylglycerol concentrations were kept at significantly lower levels. Both the amounts of fecal neutral steroids and bile acids were significantly higher in the rats fed the SPPC than those of the casein-fed rats. The concentrations of serum threonine, serine, glutamine, glycine, cystine, and isoleucine were significantly higher in the rats fed the SPPC diet containing 2% corn oil compared with those of the control rats, but when the dietary fat was raised to 10%, only glycine showed a higher serum concentration. These results indicate that the SPPC has a stronger cholesterol-lowering effect at a lower dietary fat level, 2%, and the activity is partly due to the inhibition of intestinal absorption of cholesterol and bile acid, and partly due to an increase in the concentration of some of the serum amino acids.