Nutritional factors on longevity and quality of life in Japan

The relationship of nutrient intakes to life expectancies in Japan since the Second World War has demonstrated that sufficient intakes of animal protein and fat are crucial for attaining longevity. In the community dwelling elderly, the higher the serum albumin was, the longer the further life expectancy in the elderly. Serum total cholesterol showed a U-shape relationship to further life expectancies in the elderly. Low serum cholesterol was deleterious for higher levels of functional capacity. Low serum cholesterol and low serum alpha-tochopherol accelerated depressive status in the community dwelling elderly. For reducing malnutrition and for improving nutritional status in undernourished elders, we carried out intervention trials. Instructions on how to prepare ideal daily meals were useful in functionally independent elders because a certain group of Japanese elderly has been stigmatized for eating meat. In frail elders provided with daily meals in a nursing home, a digestive enzyme drug was helpful for enhancing serum albumin levels.

Identification and expression of a mouse ortholog of A2BP1

Human ataxin-2 contains a polyglutamine repeat that is expanded in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2). Ataxin-2 is highly conserved in evolution with orthologs in mouse, Caenorhabditis elegans, and Drosophila melanogaster. It interacts at its C-terminus with ataxin-2 binding protein 1, A2BP1. This study presents a highly conserved mouse ortholog of A2BP1, designated A2bp1. The amino acid sequence of the human and mouse protein is 97.6% identical. This remarkable degree of conservation supports the fact that these proteins have an important basic function in development and differentiation. Sequence analysis reveals the existence of RNA binding motifs. The A2bp1 transcript was found in various regions of the CNS including cerebellum, cerebral cortex, brain stem, and thalamus/hypothalamus. The A2bp1 protein was detected by immunocytochemistry in the CNS and connective tissue of the mouse embryo starting at stage E11, as well as in the heart at all stages. Mouse embryos showed varying expression of A2bp1 at all stages. Previous studies in other model systems had implicated the orthologs of ataxin-2 and A2BP1 in development. This study suggests a role for A2bp1 in embryogenesis as well as in the adult nervous system, possibly mediated by a function in RNA distribution or processing.

Cytomorphometric parameters and the metastatic potential of cutaneous and uveal melanoma: a comparison with prognostic factors

The Mean of the Ten Largest Nuclei (MTLN1) is one of the most important prognostic factors in uveal malignant melanoma. This study was performed to investigate the applicability of nuclear and nucleolar measurements as a prognostic factor for cutaneous melanoma. A routine light microscope (Carl Zeiss: Axiophot EL-Einnsatz; #451888) at 640 times magnification with a Micrometer Eye Piece (Carl Zeiss: #444034) was used to evaluate the correlation of MTLN1 and Mean of Ten Largest Nuclei (MTLN) with the occurrence of metastasis in 58 primary cutaneous melanoma. For uveal melanoma, cytologic classification was used for comparison. Prognostic value was determined by univariate and multivariate linear regression analysis. MTLN1 was the only significant factor for uveal melanoma (p = 0.05). For cutaneous melanoma, all factors were significantly associated with disease progression. MTLN1 was the only one to remain significant (p + 0.027) in multivariate linear regression analysis. Nuclear and nucleolar morphometry are significant prognostic factors for uveal and cutaneous melanoma.

Marked reduction of Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis by urease inhibitors, acetohydroxamic acid and flurofamide, in Mongolian gerbils

Urease has been suggested to be essential for colonization and pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori infection. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of urease inhibitors [acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) and flurofamide (FFA)] on H. pylori-induced gastritis in Mongolian gerbils. Animals were orally inoculated with H. pylori, and given urease inhibitors in their diet throughout the experimental period of six weeks or four weeks, starting from two weeks after H. pylori inoculation. With the administration of AHA at doses of 100, 500, and 2500 ppm throughout the experimental period, H. pylori-induced gastritis in animals was decreased in a dose-dependent manner, significantly so at 2500 ppm. Suppression of gastric lesions was also evident in animals administered 2500 ppm AHA after the H. pylori infection. Bacterial infection rates were reduced to 40-50% of the control value of 100%, by the highest dose of AHA. The potent urease inhibitor, FFA, also caused marked amelioration of H. pylori-associated gastritis on administration at 100 ppm throughout the six-week experimental period or for four weeks after H. pylori infection. Animals treated with FFA had few visible gastric lesions, and the proportion infected with H. pylori was reduced to less than 10%. Since antibiotic-resistant strains of H. pylori have become a serious problem, nonantibiotic urease inhibitors may be very useful to control H. pylori-associated gastroduodenal disease.

Apoptosis as an independent prognostic indicator in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus

Apoptosis plays a crucial role in determining net cell proliferation and cell turnover in various tumors. The rate of apoptosis in tumor cells has been reported to be a useful prognostic indicator in colorectal carcinoma. We examined apoptosis in 72 specimens of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) digoxigenin-nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. We examined correlation of apoptosis with outcome, clinicopathological features, and expression of the apoptosis-related proteins p53 and Bcl-2. The percentage of apoptotic cells, or apoptotic index (AI), ranged from 0.8 to 9.4 (mean: 3.47; SD: 2.02). Overall, 5-year survival of patients with high AI (AI > or = 5.0; n = 18) tumors was significantly higher than that of patients with low AI tumors (AI < 5.0; n = 58; 76.9% versus 44.9%; P = 0.042). AI did not correlate significantly with the clinicopathological features of patient age and sex, depth of tumor and histological differentiation, lymph node metastasis, lymphatic invasion, or venous invasion. In p53-negative tumors, the AI was significantly higher than in p53-positive tumors. We concluded that AI may be a useful prognostic indicator in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma following curative surgery, and that apoptosis in this tumor is related to relative underexpression of p53 protein.

PKNbeta interacts with the SH3 domains of Graf and a novel Graf related protein, Graf2, which are GTPase activating proteins for Rho family

PKNbeta is a novel isoform of PKNalpha, which is one of the target protein kinases for the small GTPase Rho. By yeast two-hybrid screening of a human embryonic kidney 293 cell cDNA library with the PKNbeta linker region containing proline-rich motifs as a bait, clones encoding Graf (GAP for Rho Associated with Focal adhesion kinase) and a novel Graf-related protein, termed Graf2, were isolated. The full length of Graf2 contains a putative PH domain, a RhoGAP domain, and an SH3 domain as well as Graf. Northern and Western blot analyses demonstrated that Graf2 is expressed in several tissues, with the highest expression in skeletal muscle. Recombinant Graf2 exhibited GTPase-activating activity toward the small GTPase RhoA and Cdc42Hs, but not toward Rac1, in vitro. The SH3 domains of Graf and Graf2 purified from Escherichia coli bound directly to PKNbeta. Graf or Graf2 was co-immunoprecipitated with PKNbeta in COS-7 cells transiently transfected with Graf or Graf2 and PKNbeta expression constructs. The catalytically active form of PKNbeta phosphorylated Graf and Graf2 in vitro. The interplay of PKNbeta and the GTPase-activating proteins, Graf and Graf2, may offer a novel mechanism regulating the Rho-mediated signaling.

Effect of oligofucose derivatives on acetic acid-induced gastric ulcer in rats

This study attempted to enhance the anti-ulcer activity of fucoidan from Cladosiphon okamuranus TOKIDA by chemical modification with a hydrophobic group. The suitable number of fucose residues in the effective compound was also clarified to obtain a compound of constant quality. Degraded fucoidans were coupled with several hydrophobic groups via Schiff bases, and their anti-ulcer activities were determined by acetic acid-induced ulcer models in rats. Size-fractionated oligofucose was also modified and assayed for anti-ulcer activity. Among the modified oligofucoses, only the oligofucose-dodecylaniline combination (OFDA) significantly promoted ulcer healing. The effective dose was 0.2 mg/kg/d. The most suitable number of fucose residues in the compound for the anti-ulcer activity was determined to be around 12. We succeeded in enhancing the anti-ulcer activity of Cladosiphon fucoidan by modification with dodecylaniline. The activity of this compound was comparable or greater than that of typical anti-ulcer agents. By determination of the optimal OF chain length for the anti-ulcer activity of OFDA, it became possible to obtain OFDA of constant quality.

[Preparation of a gel-forming ointment base applicable to the recovery stage of bedsore and clinical evaluation of a treatment method with different ointment bases suitable to each stage of bedsore]

A novel ointment base suitable for the treatment of bedsore at the recovery stage was developed by the use of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HM-HPMC) modified on the basis of the hydrophobicity. A considerable sustained release of drug (minocycline hydrochloride) formulated to the ointment (T50 of 170 min) was attained with a macrogol ointment (MO) mixed with the HM-HPMC and Carbopol (CP) of the formulating ratio of 3:7. It was also found that a change in the formulating ratio of HM-HPMC and CP lead to a change in the drug release rate. The water absorption property of the ointment base, required to absorb on exudative solution in applying to the bedsore treatment, was as high as that of an ointment base containing hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and CP reported in our previous paper. We clinically evaluated the effectiveness of the bedsore treatment, in which different ointment bases were applied to patients at different stages of the bedsore. A total of 22 cases were divided into two categories for applying to the different treatments. One category comprised of 11 subjects was treated with a povidone-iodine sugargel, which was the conventional method in our hospital, while the other 11 subjects were treated by the use of the newly developed ointment bases in consideration for the different stages of the bedsore. In comparison of the clinical results with the healing index, we ascertained that the latter method was significantly more efficacious (p < 0.01-0.05) than the conventional one. The effectiveness was emphasized in treating the intractable bedsore classified into the grades IV and V. Therefore, we confirmed that the newly developed ointment base formulation is useful in treating bedsore at each stage.

Relationship among gastric motility, autonomic activity, and portal hemodynamics in patients with liver cirrhosis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

We examined the effects of the autonomic nervous function and the volume of portal blood flow to clarify the mechanism of the abnormal gastric motility in patients with liver cirrhosis.

METHODS

Heart rate variability, electrogastrogram (EGG), and volume of portal blood flow were measured before and after a meal in 27 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC group) and in 20 normal subjects (N group). Autonomic nervous function was evaluated by using spectral analysis of heart rate variability. We used the cine phase-contrast (PC) method, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure the portal flow, while the peak frequency and spectral power of the EGG were measured at pre- and postprandial change.

RESULTS

The ratio of low frequency power to high frequency power (LF/HF) was significantly higher, and the HF power was significantly lower in the LC group than in the N group both before and after a meal. In both groups, the electrogastrographic peak power ratio before and after a meal showed a positive correlation with the HF ratio, and an inverse correlation with the LF/HF ratio. In addition, portal blood flow volume was significantly decreased in the LC group than in the N group. However, the increased rate of portal blood flow after a meal correlated positively with the increased rate of electrogastrographic peak power. Moreover, gastric motility was positively correlated with esophageal varices and coma scale with the use of multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Parasympathetic hypofunction, sympathetic hyperfunction and portal hemodynamics were closely related with gastric motility in cirrhotic patients. In addition, gastric motility was decreased, at least in part, by the ingestion of food in cirrhotic patients because of abnormalities in autonomic functions and portal blood flow following a meal.

Phenylnaphthalene compounds from the subterranean part of Vitex rotundifolia and their antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

A careful investigation of the subterranean part of Vitex rotundifolia has shown that this plant contains five novel lignans having a 1-phenylnaphthalene-type skeleton together with four known lignans. These structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data. Furthermore, some of the isolated compounds showed antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Specific gravity of whole blood in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus), and tamarins (Saguinus labiatus) and total blood volume in cynomolgus monkeys

Blood collection is a common laboratory procedure in animal experiments. The purpose of this study is to establish baseline data for two essential hematologic parameters, total blood volume (TBV) and specific gravity of blood (SGB), of nonhuman primates. The SGB was determined by dropping samples of whole blood into cupric sulfate solution. The values for the mean SGB +/- 1 standard deviation are: cynomolgus monkeys, 1.0526 +/- 0.0019 [males (n = 39), 1.0531 +/- 0.0017; females (n = 48), 1.0522 +/- 0.001]; squirrel monkeys, 1.0555 +/- 0.0037 [males (n = 56), 1.0581 +/- 0.0027; females (n = 76), 1.0536 +/- 0.0032]; and tamarins, 1.0582 +/- 0.0020 [males (n = 13), 1.0582 +/- 0.0023; females (n = 17), 1.0581 +/- 0.0018]. To determine the TBV, blood was collected in tubes containing 1.5 mg EDTA after intravenous injection of Evans Blue solution. The TBV was obtained after correcting for the hematocrit and the dilution factor of the Evans Blue solution. The formulae were established to estimate TBV by referring to body weight (BW). There was no significance between TBV and BW in male monkeys weighing more than 6 kg.

Effects of recombinant human macrophage colony-stimulating factor on atherosclerotic lesions established in the aorta of high cholesterol-fed rabbits

Anti-atherosclerotic effects of human macrophage colony-stimulating factor were investigated using rabbits fed a high cholesterol diet. Rabbits fed a diet containing 2% cholesterol for 59 days developed hyperlipidemia and atheromatous aortic plaques. They were then administered 80 microg/kg/day of either macrophage colony-stimulating factor or human serum albumin, as a control, for the next 12 weeks. Compared with the control group, rabbits treated with macrophage colony-stimulating factor had significantly fewer plaques on the inner surface of the thoracic and abdominal aortae, and half the sectional area of thickened intima in the aortic arch, as well as in the thoracic and abdominal aortae. Macrophage colony-stimulating factor also decreased the cholesterol content of the atherosclerotic lesions. Serobiochemical analyses revealed that macrophage colony-stimulating factor increased the levels of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol significantly, without influencing other lipid parameters such as the level of low density lipoproteins. The effects of macrophage colony-stimulating factor were evident until the fourth week of drug injection, at which time anti-human macrophage colony-stimulating factor antibodies were clearly induced in the serum. These results indicate that exogenously administered macrophage colony-stimulating factor suppresses atherosclerotic lesions induced by a high cholesterol diet by activating lipid metabolism in vivo.

Association analysis of polymorphisms in the upstream region of the human dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4) with schizophrenia and personality traits

The human dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) is of major interest in molccular studies of schizophrenia and personality traits. We examined the association of schizophrenia and polymorphisms in the upstream region of the DRD4 gene (-768G>A in the negative modulator region; -521C>T, -376C >T, and -291C>T in the cell type-specific promoter region; and -616C>G between the two regions) in 208 schizophrenic patients and 210 normal controls. No significant difference in genotype and allele frequencies was observed between the two groups, indicating that these polymorphisms do not make a major contribution to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. We also studied the association of polymorphisms in the upstream region and a 48-bp repeat polymorphism in exon III of the DRD4 gene with personality traits in 173 Japanese individuals who completed the temperament and character inventory (TCI). The -768G>A polymorphism was significantly associated with reward dependence (P= 0.044), while no significant association was observed between novelty seeking and polymorphisms in the upstream region or the exon III repeat polymorphism of the DRD4 gene.

Stoichiometry of subunit e in rat liver mitochondrial H(+)-ATP synthase and membrane topology of its putative Ca(2+)-dependent regulatory region

Previous studies have revealed that residues 34-65 of subunit e of mitochondrial H(+)-ATP synthase are homologous with the Ca(2+)-dependent tropomysin-binding region for troponin T and have suggested that subunit e could be involved in the Ca(2+)-dependent regulation of H(+)-ATP synthase activity. In this study, we determined the content of subunit e in H(+)-ATP synthase purified from rat liver mitochondria, and we also investigated the membrane topology of a putative Ca(2+)-dependent regulatory region of subunit e using an antibody against peptide corresponding to residues 34-65 of subunit e. Quantitative immunoblot analysis of subunit e in the purified H(+)-ATP synthase revealed that 1 mol of H(+)-ATP synthase contained 2 mol of subunit e. The ATPase activity of mitoplasts, in which the C-side of F(0) is present on the outer surface of the inner membrane, was significantly stimulated by the addition of the antibody, while the ATPase activity of submitochondrial particles and purified H(+)-ATP synthase was not stimulated. The antibody bound to mitoplasts but not to submitochondrial particles. These results suggest that the putative Ca(2+)-dependent regulatory region of subunit e is exposed on the surface of the C-side of F(0) and that subunit e is involved in the regulation of mitochondrial H(+)-ATP synthase activity probably via its putative Ca(2+)-dependent regulatory region.

Transverse Josephson plasma mode in T* phase SmLa(1-x)Sr(x)CuO(4-delta) single crystals

Far-infrared reflectivity along the c axis in T* phase SmLa(1-x)Sr(x)CuO(4-delta) single crystals is measured down to 8 cm(-1). Below T(c), the conductivity peak is observed at 25 cm(-1) for x = 0.15 ( T(c) = 30 K) along with two reflectivity edges at 13 and 27 cm(-1). The conductivity peak is attributed to the transverse Josephson plasma mode between two longitudinal Josephson plasma modes, while the oscillator strength of the peak is found to be smaller than that calculated using the Josephson-coupled multilayer model. The difference is explained by assuming that only a few junctions at the disordered (La,Sr)(2)O(2-delta) block layer take part in the plasma oscillation with omega(pI(')) = 27 cm(-1).

Structure and polymorphisms of the human metabotropic glutamate receptor type 2 gene (GRM2): analysis of association with schizophrenia

Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) belong to the class of GTP-binding protein coupled receptors and consist of eight different subtypes. The subtype 2 metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR2) gene (GRM2) is one of the possible candidate genes for schizophrenia. Phencyclidine (PCP)-induced increase in glutamate efflux and schizophrenia-like behavioral abnormalities were reduced by pretreatment of the mGluRII agonist LY354740 in rats and its effects are mediated via mGluR2. To evaluate involvement of the mGluR2 gene in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, we isolated the human mGluR2 gene and determined the transcription initiation site, the entire nucleotide sequence and the chromosomal localization. The hmGluR2 gene spans 13 kb with six exons, including one non-coding exon. The gene was mapped to chromosome 3 p12-p11 by Radiation Hybrid Panel analysis. We screened polymorphisms in the coding exons of the mGluR2 gene, using the SSCP procedure. The thirteen polymorphisms identified included ten missense, one silent mutation and two one-base substitutions in the 5'-untranslated region. We genotyped 213 Japanese schizophrenics and 220 controls to study the association of polymorphisms in the mGluR2 gene with schizophrenia. As we found no statistically significant differences in allele frequencies of each polymorphism, these polymorphisms apparently do not play a major role in schizophrenia.

Effects of functional decline on quality of life among the Japanese elderly

The effects of functional decline upon social networks, life satisfaction, and depression were observed and statistically tested in a longitudinal prospective design. Subjects were 692 Japanese elderly, aged sixty-five years or older, with high functional capacity at baseline. During a two-year period of follow-up, 12.3 percent of the subjects experienced functional decline. Repeated-measure analyses of covariance with statistical tests for simple main effects revealed that changes in the criterion variables significantly differed along with changes in functional health status when the effects of age, gender, and socioeconomic status were controlled. The subjects who experienced functional decline showed a larger decrease in the number of relatives, friends, and neighbors having frequent contacts, a larger decline in life satisfaction, and a larger increase in depression than those without functional decline. The results seem to confirm further the importance of functional health status as a prerequisite for higher quality of life in old age.

Substituted 3-phenylsulfonylquinazoline-2,4-dione derivatives as novel nonpeptide inhibitors of human heart chymase

A series of 3-phenylsulfonylquinazoline-2,4-dione derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated for their ability to inhibit human heart chymase. The structure-activity relationship studies on these compounds gave the following results. The phenyl moiety of quinazoline participates in a hydrophobic interaction where an optimum size is required. In this moiety, 7-chloroquinazoline is the best moiety for inhibiting chymase, chymotrypsin and cathepsin G. A 3-phenylsulfonyl moiety substituted with hydrophobic electron-withdrawing groups at the 4-position potentiated the activity. Anthranil moiety also enhanced the activity. Pyridylmethyl and N-pyridylacetamide at the 1-position gave an IC50 in the order of 10(-8)M. Molecular modeling studies on the interaction of 7-chloro-3-(4-chlorophenylsulfonyl) quinazoline-2,4(1H, 3H)-dione (4) with the active site of human heart chymase suggested that the phenyl moiety of quinazoline interacts with the hydrophobic P1 pocket, the 3-phenylsulfonyl moiety resides in the S1'-S2' subsites, the moiety at the 1-position locates in the S2-S3 subsites and the 4-carbonyl and 3-sulfonyl group interact with the oxyanion hole and the His57 side-chain of chymase, respectively.

Direct interaction of Rab4 with syntaxin 4

In the present study, we examined the possible interaction between Rab4 and syntaxin 4, both having been implicated in insulin-induced GLUT4 translocation. Rab4 and syntaxin 4 were coimmunoprecipitated from the lysates of electrically permeabilized rat adipocytes. The interaction between the two proteins was reduced by insulin treatment and increased by the addition of guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTPgammaS). An in vitro binding assay revealed that the bacterially expressed Rab4 was bound to a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein containing the cytoplasmic domain of syntaxin 4 (GST-syntaxin 4-(1-273)) but not to syntaxin 1A or vesicle-associated membrane protein-2. The interaction between Rab4 and syntaxin 4 seemed to be regulated by the guanine nucleotide status of Rab4, because 1) GTPgammaS treatment of the cells significantly increased, but guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (GDPbetaS) treatment decreased the amount of Rab4 pulled down with GST-syntaxin 4-(1-273) from the cell lysates; 2) GTPgammaS loading on Rab4 caused a marked increase in the affinity of Rab4 to syntaxin 4 whereas GDPbetaS loading had little effect; and 3) a GTPase-deficient mutant of Rab4 (Rab4(Q67L)), but not a GTP-binding-defective mutant (Rab4(S22N)), was bound to GST-syntaxin 4-(1-273). Although insulin stimulated [gamma-(32)P]GTP binding to Rab4 in a time-dependent fashion, its effect on the Rab4 interaction with syntaxin 4 was apparently biphasic; an initial increase in Rab4 associated with syntaxin 4 was followed by a gradual dissociation of the GTPase from syntaxin 4. Finally, the binding of Rab4(Q67L) to GST-syntaxin 4-(1-273) was inhibited by munc-18c in a dose-dependent manner, indicating that GTP-loaded Rab4 binds to syntaxin 4 in the open conformation. These results suggest that 1) Rab4 interacts with syntaxin 4 in a direct and specific manner, and 2) the interaction is regulated by the guanine nucleotide status of Rab4 as well as by the conformational status of syntaxin 4.

Dynamin is involved in human epithelial cell vacuolation caused by the Helicobacter pylori-produced cytotoxin VacA

The Helicobacter pylori-produced cytotoxin VacA induces intracellular vacuolation. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of vacuole formation by VacA, we examined the participation of dynamin, a GTPase functioning in intracellular vesicle formation, in human HeLa cells. Immunocytochemistry revealed that endogenous dynamin was localized to vacuoles induced by VacA. In cells transiently transfected with a GTPase-defective (dominant-negative) dynamin mutant, VacA failed to induce vacuolation. In contrast, VacA did induce vacuolation in cells transiently transfected with wild-type dynamin. Furthermore, under VacA treatment, neutral red dye uptake, a parameter of VacA-induced vacuolation, was inhibited in cells stably transfected with the dominant-negative dynamin mutant. In contrast, uptake was markedly enhanced in cells stably transfected with wild-type dynamin. Moreover, VacA cytopathic effects on the viability of HeLa cells were inhibited in cells stably transfected with dominant-negative dynamin-1. Sequential immunocytochemical observation confirmed that expression of dominant-negative dynamin did not affect VacA attachment to or internalization into HeLa cells. We suggest that dynamin is involved in the intracellular vacuolation induced by VacA.

Estrogen therapy in a male patient with chronic hepatitis C and irradiation-induced testicular dysfunction

We report an 18-year-old male patient who developed chronic hepatitis C after blood transfusion and had testicular dysfunction after irradiation for a testicular relapse of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia after cessation of maintenance therapy, and the initiation of testosterone replacement therapy at puberty. Concomitant administration of estradiol resulted in a reduction in serum alanine aminotransferase and ferritin levels and hepatic iron concentration and staining after 2 years of estrogen therapy, although interferon therapy was withdrawn because of adverse effects. This observation suggests that endogenous estradiol may play a beneficial role in male patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Differential inhibitory mechanism of Fe2+ and Fe3+ on contraction of ileal longitudinal smooth muscle

The mechanism of the inhibition of K(+)-induced contraction caused by ferrous (Fe(2+)) and ferric (Fe(3+)) ions were analysed in guinea-pig ileal longitudinal muscle and taenia coli. Fe(2+)increased the threshold for Ca(2+)-induced contraction in Ca(2+)-free, K(+)-depolarized taenia coli. However, Fe(3+)reduced the size of the maximal response to Ca(2+)without shifting the dose-response curves in taenia coli. Both 10 mM Fe(2+)and 2 mM Fe(3+)caused significant decreases in Ca uptake, as determined by the La method, during K(+)-induced ileal contraction. After treatment with 10 mM Fe(2+)in a state of cell membrane depolarization with K(+)for 30 min, the ileal K(+)-induced tonic contraction was completely restored by washing with medium containing EDTA, a chelator of divalent cations, and Fe(2+)remaining in muscle was almost eliminated by washing. In contrast, after treatment with 2 mM Fe(3+)in K(+)medium, K(+)-induced contraction was reversed only to a slight degree by washing with medium containing deferoxamine, a chelator of trivalent cations, and Fe(3+)in muscle largely remained despite the washing. These results suggest that Fe(2+)binds to the ileal surface membrane and reduces the contraction in response to K(+)mainly by inhibiting Ca(2+)influx. Fe(3+)may exert an inhibitory action on intracellular sites, in addition to the interference of Ca(2+)influx at the cell membrane.

Factors relating to place of death of Japanese people from a small town in a rural area

The objective of our retrospective study was to clarify factors relating to place of death of Japanese people from a small town in a rural area who had been bedridden for at least one week before dying. The caregivers of subjects aged 40 and above who died during a three-year period were surveyed by trained interviewers. Of 352 subjects who died, 312 caregivers responded and agreed to a face-to-face interview. A total of 213 subjects were considered as an eligible sample. The main outcome measures were odds ratios for death at home in relation to age, pain, cause of death, and home visit service. One hundred and two people died at home, while 112 people died in a hospital. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the probability of home death increased with age of the bedridden, lack of pain during the bedridden period, not having cancer as a cause of death, having senility as a cause of death, and receiving regular home visits by a Public Health Nurse. In conclusion, expansion of the home visit programs by Public Health Nurses may enable people to die at home as they so desire. Further prospective research is needed to explore the association between the attitude toward terminal care and the place of death.

The ortholog of human ataxin-2 is essential for early embryonic patterning in C. elegans

Ataxin-2, the gene product of the human spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) gene, is a protein of unknown function. Ataxin-2 interacts with ataxin-2-binding-protein 1 (A2BP1), a member of a novel family of putative RNA-binding proteins. Because the sequences of ataxin-2 and A2BP1 are evolutionarily conserved, we investigated functional aspects and expression pattern in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Human ataxin-2 has 20.1% amino acid identity and 43.9% similarity to its C. elegans ortholog, designated ATX-2, that encodes a predicted 1026 aa protein. One of the worm orthologs of human A2BP1 is the numerator element FOX-1, with an overall 29.8% aa identity. We studied the expression pattern of atx-2 using the endogenous promotor coupled with a GFP expression vector. Atx-2 was widely expressed in the adult worm with strong expression in muscle and nervous tissue. It was also heavily expressed in the embryo. In order to elucidate the function of atx-2 and fox-1, we conducted RNA interference (RNAi) studies. The interfering dsRNA was introduced into larval L4 stage worms of the N2 strain by microinjection or soaking. DsRNA representing the full-length atx-2 gene resulted in arrested embryonic development in the offspring of all 58 microinjected worms. Nomarski imaging showed embryos in different stages of developmental arrest, indicating an essential role of atx-2 for early embryonic development. When fox-1 was targeted by RNAi, there was a marked reduction in the number of eggs per worm. The results presented here underline previous findings about the interaction of human ataxin-2 and A2BP1.