The anti-apoptotic function of human αA-crystallin is directly related to its chaperone activity

αA-crystallin is a molecular chaperone and an antiapoptotic protein. This study investigated the mechanism of inhibition of apoptosis by human αA-crystallin and determined if the chaperone activity of αA-crystallin is required for the antiapoptotic function. αA-crystallin inhibited chemical-induced apoptosis in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and HeLa cells by inhibiting activation of caspase-3 and -9. In CHO cells, it inhibited apoptosis induced by the overexpression of human proapoptotic proteins, Bim and Bax. αA-crystallin inhibited doxorubicin-mediated activation of human procaspase-3 in CHO cells and it activated the PI3K/Akt cell survival pathway by promoting the phosphorylation of PDK1, Akt and phosphatase tensin homologue in HeLa cells. The phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K) activity was increased by αA-crystallin overexpression but the protein content was unaltered. Downregulation of PI3K by the expression of a dominant-negative mutant or inhibition by LY294002 abrogated the ability of αA-crystallin to phosphorylate Akt. These antiapoptotic functions of αA-crystallin were enhanced in a mutant protein (R21A) that shows increased chaperone activity than the wild-type (Wt) protein. Interestingly, a mutant protein (R49A) that shows decreased chaperone activity was far weaker than the Wt protein in its antiapoptotic functions. Together, our study results show that αA-crystallin inhibits apoptosis by enhancing PI3K activity and inactivating phosphatase tensin homologue and that the antiapoptotic function is directly related to its chaperone activity.

Sequencing of Lp-PLA2-encoding PLA2G7 gene in 2000 Europeans reveals several rare loss-of-function mutations

Elevated plasma levels of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A₂ (Lp-PLA2) activity have been shown to be associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease and an inhibitor of this enzyme is under development for the treatment of that condition. A Val279Phe null allele in this gene, that may influence patient eligibility for treatment, is relatively common in East Asians but has not been observed in Europeans. We investigated the existence and functional effects of low frequency alleles in a Western European population by re-sequencing the exons of PLA2G7 in 2000 samples. In all, 19 non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) were found, 14 in fewer than four subjects (minor allele frequency <0.1%). Lp-PLA2 activity was significantly lower in rare nsSNP carriers compared with non-carriers (167.8±63.2 vs 204.6±41.8, P=0.01) and seven variants had enzyme activities consistent with a null allele. The cumulative frequency of these null alleles was 0.25%, so <1 in 10 000 Europeans would be expected to be homozygous, and thus not potentially benefit from treatment with an Lp-PLA2 inhibitor.

Efficacy of immediate post-TUR mitomycin-C (MMC) instillation in high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer treated with bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)

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Background: To evaluate the efficacy of immediate post-TUR MMC instillation in high risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer treated with BCG.

Methods: From January 2000 to December 2007, 162 high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients underwent TUR and BCG instillation at our institution. Among them 76 patients received additional immediate post-TUR MMC instillation (Group A), and remaining 86 patients underwent TUR and BCG instillation only (Group B). 60mg of MMC was mixed with 50ml of normal saline and was instilled in bladder within 2 hours after TUR. Tice strain BCG 12.5mg was used with 6-week induction course followed by 3-week maintenance every 3 months. The recurrence rate, time to recurrence, and stage and grade at recurrence were investigated. The mean follow-up was 33.4 months.

Results: There were no significant differences in the characteristics of both groups, including age, sex, stage, and grade. Group A showed significantly lower recurrence rate than Group B (26.3% vs 48.8%, p=0.003). Group A showed somewhat longer time to recurrence but it was not statistically different (24.9 months vs 21.8 months, p=0.293). The change in stage and grade at recurrence were not different between 2 groups ( Table ). The 5-year recurrence free survival rate was significantly higher in Group A (72% vs 42%, p=0.003).

Conclusions: The immediate post-TUR MMC instillation significantly reduced recurrence in high risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients treated by BCG. But it did not influenced the stage and grade at recurrence.

[Table: see text]

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

61 EFFECT OF ROOM TEMPERATURE HOLDING PROCEDURE ON ABILITY OF OOCYTES TO MATURE AND DEVELOP IN VITRO AFTER EQUINE SOMATIC CELL NUCLEAR TRANSFER

In Korea, it takes time to transport the ovaries of mares to the laboratory because horses are slaughtered only on Jeju island. Also, initiation of in vitro maturation (IVM) may be a little more delayed because of the oocyte collection by scraping of the follicular wall. It was reported that holding procedure of equine oocytes before IVM did not affect the developmental competence after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (Choi et al. 2006 Theriogenology 66, 955–963). The aims of present study were 1) to investigate the meiotic competence of equine oocytes held before IVM according to the type of oocytes, and 2) to examine the in vitro development after somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) were recovered by scraping and washing of the follicular wall with Dulbecco’s modified Eagle medium (D-MEM) supplemented with 0.05% PVA, and classified as compact (Cp) or expended (Ex) depending on the expansion of cumulus or granulosa cells. 2 types of IVM procedures were compared: 1) COCs were matured immediately in IVM medium (TCM-199 supplemented with 5 mU mL–1 FSH, 50 ng mL–1 EGF, and 10% FBS) at 38.5°C under 5% CO2 in air for 24 to 27 h, and then held in holding medium (40% TCM-199 with Earle’s salts, 40% TCM-199 with Hanks’ salts, and 20% FBS) at room temperature for 6 to 7 h (control); or 2) COCs were initially held in holding medium for 6 to 7 h, and then matured in IVM medium for 24 to 27 h (holding). For SCNT, matured oocytes (pooled) were enucleated and electrically fused with equine skin fibroblasts (2.25 kV cm–1, 20 μs, 2 pulses). Fused couplets were activated with 5 μM ionomycin for 4 min followed by 5 h culture in 2 mM 6-DMAP, and cultured in D-MEM supplemented with 10% FBS and 50 ng mL–1 EGF at 38.5°C under 5% CO2, 5% O2, and 90% N2 for 7 to 9 days. Cleavage and blastocyst formation were evaluated on Days 2 and 8, respectively. All analyses were performed using SAS (version 9.1; SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). 4 replicates were conducted from May to June 2010. In Ex oocytes, the maturation rate of the holding group (71.4%; 10/16) was not different from that of the control (65.6%; 44/73), and the rate of degenerated oocytes (4.8%; 1/16) in the holding group was not different from that in the control (5.6%; 5/73). However, in Cp oocytes, the degeneration rate of the holding group (65.0%; 31/49) was higher (P < 0.001) than that of the control (28.4%; 23/83), and the maturation rate of the holding group (20.6%; 12/49) was slightly lower (P = 0.07) than that of the control (46.0%; 38/83). After SCNT, the cleavage rate of the holding group (66.7%; 8/9) was not different from that of the control (60.8%; 14/25), and the rates of blastocyst formation of the control and the holding group were 8.1% (2/25) and 16.7% (2/9), respectively. Although the holding procedure may influence to the degeneration of Cp oocytes, it is considered that the developmental competence of equine oocytes held before IVM is not affected after SCNT.

44 IN VITRO DEVELOPMENT OF INTERSPECIES NUCLEAR TRANSFER EMBRYOS GENERATED WITH BOVINE OOCYTES AND EQUINE SKIN FIBROBLASTS

Study for equine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is an attractive field for research, but it has not been a major field of study because it is hard to obtain a sufficient number of ovaries and it takes a lot of time and effort for the recovery of oocytes matured in vivo by ovum pickup. It was reported that the bovine cytoplast could support the remodelling of equine donor cells (Zhou et al. 2007 Reprod. Domest. Anim. 42, 243–247). The objectives of this study are 1) to monitor the early events of equine SCNT by interspecies SCNT (isSCNT) between bovine cytoplast and equine donor cell, and 2) to investigate the developmental competence of isSCNT embryos. Bovine oocytes were recovered from the follicles of slaughtered ovaries, and matured in TCM-199 supplemented with 10 mU mL–1 FSH, 50 ng mL–1 EGF, and 10% FBS at 39°C under 5% CO2 in air for 22 h. Fibroblasts derived from bovine or equine skin tissues were synchronized at G0/G1 stage by contact inhibition for 72 h. After IVM, oocytes with polar body were enucleated and electrically fused with equine or bovine skin fibroblasts (1.0 kV cm–1, 20 μs, 2 pulses). Fused couplets were activated with 5 μM ionomycin for 4 min followed by 5 h culture in 10 μg mL–1 cycloheximide (CHX) and/or 2 mM 6-DMAP, and cultured in modified synthetic oviduct fluid (mSOF) at 39°C under 5% CO2, 5% O2, and 90% N2 for 7 days. All analyses were performed using SAS (version 9.1; SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). The cleavage rate of isSCNT embryos derived from equine cell was not different (252/323, 78.7%; P = 0.94) from that of SCNT embryos derived from bovine cell (230/297, 79.2%). However, the rate of isSCNT embryos developed to over 8-cell stage was lower (3.3%; P < 0.0001) than that of bovine SCNT embryos (39.4%), and total cell number of isSCNT embryos developed to over 8-cell stage was lower (17.5, n = 12; P < 0.0001) than that (80.8, n = 110) of bovine SCNT embryos. Also, the rate of blastocyst formation of isSCNT embryos (0/323; 0.0%) was lower (P < 0.0001) than that of bovine SCNT embryos (83/297; 29.3%). Meanwhile, reconstructed oocytes for isSCNT were fixed at 8 h after activation to investigate the formation of pseudo-pronucleus (PPN) after post-activation treatment with CHX or CHX+6-DMAP. The ratio of oocytes with single PPN after treatment with CHX+6-DMAP (26/35; 74.3%) was not different (P = 0.63) from that of oocytes treated with CHX (24/36; 68.1%). Although isSCNT embryos derived from bovine cytoplast and equine donor cell could not develop to more than the 16-cell stage, it is believed that the results of this isSCNT study could be used for the preliminary data regarding the reprogramming of donor cell in equine SCNT.

Spectroscopic study on the mononuclear hydrolysis species of Pu(VI) under oxidation conditions

The formation constants of mononuclear hydrolysis species of Pu(VI) were determined by absorption spectroscopy under carefully designed experimental conditions. In order to exclude the formation of polynuclear hydrolysis species, the concentration of plutonium was diluted below 50 μM. To maintain the oxidation state of Pu(VI), NaOCl was applied as an oxidant. The trace amount of Pu(V) was monitored by the measurement of redox potential and absorption spectroscopy by using a liquid waveguide capillary cell with the optical path length of 100 cm. The determined molar absorption coefficients (ε, M−1 cm−1) were 272±26 and 436±33 for PuO2(OH)+ and PuO2(OH)2(aq) species, respectively. The formation constants of mononuclear hydrolysis species of Pu(VI) at ionic strength of 0.01 M NaClO4 were determined as follows:

logߙ*β′ 1 ߙ(for PuO2(OH)+) = −5.8±0.3,

logߙ*β′ 2 ߙ(for PuO2(OH)2(aq)) = −13.4±0.2

and

logߙ*β′ 3ߙ(for PuO2(OH)3 −) = −24.3±0.8.

A rare case of circumferential intramural dissection of the thoracic esophagus

Esophageal intramural dissection is a rare disease, and whole thoracic esophageal intramural dissection is extremely rare. We report a case of circumferential intramural dissection of the thoracic esophagus, which occurred between the submucosal layer and the muscularis propria layer, with inflammation in the false lumen mimicking esophageal mediastinal fistula in the endoscopic view. The diagnosis was finally confirmed at operation and cured by thoracic esophagectomy.

Effect of reduction on the stability of Pu(VI) hydrolysis species

The chemical speciation of aqueous plutonium species has been performed by spectrophotometry. The main focus was concentrated on the effect of Pu(V) produced by the reduction of Pu(VI) on the stability of the Pu(VI) hydrolysis species. In order to detect the trace amounts of PuO2 + ions, a liquid waveguide capillary cell with an optical path length of 100 cm was connected to a spectrophotometer. As a consequence of the improved detection sensitivity, an absorption band at 569 nm being indicative of Pu(V) was observed within one day after the sample preparation from the pure Pu(VI) solution. The first hydrolysis species was (PuO2)2(OH)2 2+, at plutonium concentrations of 0.1–0.12 mM and at weak acidic conditions (pH 5–6). The formation constant of (PuO2)2(OH)2 2+ was determined to be log*β′22=−7.34±0.22 at 0.01 M NaClO4. This dinuclear hydroxide species was unstable and disappeared within one month after the sample preparation at the present experimental condition. In the neutral pH range, the second hydrolysis species was formed and remained for over one year. The samples showed different behavior for the reduction of Pu(VI). The time dependent distribution of plutonium species and their characteristic features in the absorption spectra are reported.

Long-term follow-up of patients undergoing auto-SCT for advanced germ cell tumour: a multicentre cohort study

Failure of cisplatin-based chemotherapy in advanced germ cell tumour (GCT) is associated with a poor outcome. High-dose chemotherapy and auto-SCT is one therapeutic option, although the long-term outcome after this procedure is unclear. We conducted a multicentre cohort study of consecutive patients undergoing a single auto-SCT for GCT between January 1986 and December 2004. Of 71 subjects, median follow-up is 10.1 years. OS at 5 years is 44.7% (95% confidence interval (CI) 32.9-56.5%) and EFS is 43.5% (95% CI 31.4-55.1%). There were seven (10%) treatment-related deaths within 100 days of auto-SCT. Three (4.2%) patients developed secondary malignancies. Of 33 relapses, 31 occurred within 2 years of auto-SCT. Two very late relapses were noted 13 and 11 years after auto-SCT. In multivariate analysis, favourable outcome was associated with IGCCC (International Germ Cell Consensus Classification) good prognosis disease at diagnosis, primary gonadal disease and response to salvage chemotherapy. We conclude that auto-SCT results in successful outcome for a relatively large subgroup of patients with high-risk GCT. Late relapses may occur, a finding not previously reported.

Pulmonary sequestration: angioarchitecture evaluated by three-dimensional computed tomography angiography

Pulmonary sequestration represents an anomaly of nonfunctioning tracheobronchial branching with retention of the embryonic systemic arterial supply. We report a case of intralobar pulmonary sequestration, in which the abnormal supplying artery and especially the abnormal draining vein were demonstrated by three-dimensional computed tomography angiography and were confirmed and treated using a video-assisted thoracoscopic procedure.

80 USE OF THE SHORT DISPOSABLE NEEDLE SYSTEM FOR FOLLICLE ASPIRATION IN MARES

To achieve success in equine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), it is important to obtain recipient oocytes of good quality. Transvaginal ultrasoundguided follicle aspiration (TVUFA) is one of the methods to obtain recipient oocytes in equine SCNT, but the commercial long double-lumen needle for TVUFA in large animals is not currently purchasable. The aims of the present study were (1) to compare the recovery rate of short disposable needle system (14G) with that of the long double-lumen needle (12G) and (2) to investigate the developmental competency of recovered oocytes after SCNT and embryo transfer (ET). A real-time ultrasound scanner (Mylab30 vet, Esaote, Italy) equipped with a 7.5-MHz convex array transducer (model EC123) housed in a plastic vaginal device with stainless steel needle guidance was used for TVUFA from pre-ovulatory follicles 25 to 40 mm in diameter on synchronized thoroughbred mares between 6 and 9 years of age. Two types of needles were used: (1) a 12G double-lumen long needle (V-EOAD-1260L; Cook, Brisbane, Australia); (2) a 14G single-lumen disposable needle (2.1 × 80mm; Bovi-vet, Kruuse, Denmark) inserted with 18G inner needle (0.8 × 600 mm) using stainless steel connector and tube. Recovered oocytes were matured in vitro in TCM-199 with 5 mU mL-1 FSH (Folltropin-V, Bioniche, Belleville, ON, Canada) and 10% fetal bovine serum (Sigma, St. Louis, MO, USA) for 12 to 16 h. Matured oocytes were enucleated and electrically fused with equine skin fibroblasts (2.25 kV cm-1, 20μs, 2 pulses). Fused couplets were activated with 5 μM ionomycin for 4 min followed by 5 h culture in 1 mM 6-DMAP. Immediately following SCNT procedures, cloned embryos were surgically transferred to the oviducts of recipient mares (n = 2 to 5 embryos per recipient) that had ovulated within 24 hours before the transfer. An initial pregnancy examination was performed using transrectal ultrasonography between Days 14 and 16 (Day 0 = surgery). The recovery rate of the short disposable needle (n = 89, 44.1%) was slightly increased compared with that of the long needle (n = 34, 29.8%), but the difference was not significant. Nineteen SCNT embryos were transferred to 8 mares, and 1 mare is maintaining pregnancy for 60 days. The results of this study demonstrated that our short disposable needle system could be used instead of the commercial long needle and in vivo development of oocyte recovered with the 14G needle could be maintained after nuclear transfer and embryo transfer.

Leukocyte count as a predictor of death during remission induction in acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) presenting with a high leukocyte count has been associated with an increase in induction mortality and poor results in a number of other survival measures. However, the level at which an elevated leukocyte count has prognostic significance in AML remains unclear. In this report on a series of 375 adult (non-M3) AML patients undergoing induction chemotherapy at a single institution, leukocyte count analyzed as a continuous variable is shown to be a better predictor of induction death (ID) and overall survival (OS) than a leukocyte count of > or = 100 x 10(9)/L, a value characteristically associated with "hyperleukocytosis" (HL). In this patient cohort, a presenting leukocyte count of > or = 30 x 10(9)/L had high sensitivity and specificity for predicting ID, and both performance status (PS) and leukocyte count more accurately predicted for ID than age. Considering these parameters in newly-diagnosed AML patients may facilitate the development of strategies for reducing induction mortality.