Immunological studies of a 21 kDa cellular component efficiently incorporated into rabies virion grown in a BHK-21 cell culture

To investigate cellular components incorporated into the rabies virion, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were screened based on their reactivity with additional virion components. Two of the MAbs we prepared recognized a virion-associated 21 kDa polypeptide (referred to as VAP21) from a BHK-21 cell. Since the MAbs precipitated the rabies virion and trypsin digestion eliminated the VAP21 antigen from the virion but alkaline treatment (pH 11) did not, VAP21 seems to be anchored into the viral envelope and exposed on the virion surface. Although quantitative immunoblot analyses indicated an apparently increased concentration of VAP21 in the virion, the ratio of the content of VAP21 to that of viral glycoprotein (G) was several times decreased as compared to the ratio of those in the cell. These data suggest that sorting of VAP21 occurs during the viral budding process on the cell but that it might be inefficient, probably due to a more intimate association of VAP21 with the viral envelope proteins. This assumption seems to be consistent with the results of immunofluorescence studies; that is, VAP21 displayed colocalized distribution with viral envelope antigens in the cell. From these results, it is suggested that VAP21 closely associates with the viral envelope proteins in the cell, and this association might cause passive but relatively efficient incorporation of VAP21 into the virion.

Hyperparathyroid crisis in a patient with a giant brown tumor of the iliac bone: a case report

We observed a patient with a giant brown tumor of the iliac bone due to hyperparathyroidism. There was a risk of pathologic fracture due to huge cysts produced by bone absorption. In hyperparathyroid crisis, control of severe hypercalcemia is difficult without resection of the parathyroid gland.

Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors in adults: documentation by molecular analysis

PURPOSE

The Ewing tumor (ET) family of peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors (pPNETs) are primitive small round-cell tumors (SRCTs) of the bone and soft tissue that occur predominantly in children and adolescents. However, pPNETs only rarely enter the differential diagnosis of bone and soft tissue SRCTs in adults. Recently, gene fusions between the EWS gene and different members of the ETS transcription factor family have been shown to occur in virtually all pPNETs and thus constitute a pathognomonic marker for this tumor subclass. The aim of the present study was to document EWS/ETS fusion gene expression in suspected pPNETs of adults as objective evidence for the existence of this tumor family in older patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The three contributing molecular diagnostic laboratories retrospectively compiled a cohort of all SRCT cases in which EWS/ETS gene fusions had been shown by molecular analysis. This cohort was surveyed for cases that occurred in patients aged 40 years or older, which were then analyzed for their clinical and pathologic features.

RESULTS

Nine patients between 40 and 65 years of age were found to have tumors positive for EWS/ETS gene fusions. Standard histopathologic and clinical features of these cases, other than age, were similar to those of childhood pPNETs. Patients were initiated on appropriate therapy after molecular analysis confirmed the diagnosis of pPNET.

CONCLUSION

Identification of an EWS/ETS gene fusion is useful in providing objective evidence of the diagnosis of pPNET in patients over the age of 40 years. This diagnosis should be considered in adults who present with bone and soft tissue SRCTs and appropriate biopsy specimens should be collected for molecular analysis at the time of diagnosis.

Osteosarcoma of the pelvis. Oncologic results of 40 patients

The cases of 40 patients with osteosarcoma of the pelvis treated between 1977 and 1994 were reviewed. The location of the tumor was ilium in 30 patients, ischium in four, pubis in one, and sacrum in five. Most (58%) of the tumors were of the chondroblastic subtype. Thirty patients had surgical excision of the tumors: 10 with hemipelvectomies and 20 with limb sparing procedures. A wide margin was achieved in 16 of 30 (53%) patients, including 12 of 14 who had no sacral tumor involvement. Positive margins occurred at the sacrum in 11 patients, lumbar vertebra in one, perirectal space in one, and contralateral pubic body in one. Macroscopic tumor emboli within the regional large vessels were found in seven patients. The incidence of local recurrence was 32%: 13% in wide excisions, 38% in marginal excisions, and 80% in intralesional excisions. The 1- and 5-year overall patient survivals were 73% and 34%, respectively. Patients who had a surgical excision of the primary tumor had a significantly better survival than did those treated without surgery (5-year survival; 41% and 10%, respectively). Tumor size, surgical excision of the primary tumor, surgical margin, and type of surgical procedure were the prognostic factors for patients with Stage IIB tumors.

Cloning, expression and mapping of a novel human zinc-finger gene TCF17 homologous to rodent Kid1

We isolated a novel human zinc-finger gene TCF17 homologous to rat Kid1, a zinc-finger gene of the Krüppel type expressed predominantly in kidney. In the rat this gene seems to be a transcription factor expressed in response to renal injury and ischemia. The 2435-bp human cDNA contained an open reading frame encoding 605 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 86.0% and 87.2% identity (91.6% and 92.8% similarity) with the rat Kid1 and mouse Tcf17 respectively. In contrast with rat Kid1, human TCF17 was expressed in all human tissues examined, including kidney. This gene was mapped by FISH to chromosome 5q35.3, where cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities have been reported often in renal cell carcinomas.

Carotid body paraganglioma metastatic to bone: report of two cases

Two patients with carotid body paraganglioma developed bone metastases 3 and 6 years respectively after surgical excision of the primary tumors. Plain radiographs showed ill-defined metastatic lesions. Scintigram using radiolabeled metaiodobenzylguanidine, an analogue of noradrenaline that is taken up by neurosecretary granules, showed an abnormal accumulation in the corresponding metastatic lesion. Histologically, nests of epithelioid cells with clear cytoplasm and pyknotic nuclei and abundant collagen fibers were observed within destroyed trabeculae. Treatment including external radiation and surgery provided pain relief and early local disease control.

Reconstruction of bone defect using the bone transport technique for a case of osteosarcoma of the femur

There are few reports on skeletal reconstruction using the bone transport technique to repair bone defects caused by resections of tumors associated with osteosarcoma. We attempted to reconstruct a 23 cm bone defect after resection of an osteosarcoma of the left femur, and succeeded in gaining 17 cm by bone transport. Five years after surgery, this patient remains alive without metastasis or local recurrence.

SYT-SSX gene fusion as a determinant of morphology and prognosis in synovial sarcoma

BACKGROUND

Synovial sarcomas account for up to 10 percent of soft-tissue sarcomas and include two major histologic subtypes, biphasic and monophasic, defined respectively by the presence and absence of glandular epithelial differentiation in a background of spindle tumor cells. A characteristic SYT-SSX fusion gene resulting from the chromosomal translocation t(X;18)(p11;q11) is detectable in almost all synovial sarcomas. The translocation fuses the SYT gene from chromosome 18 to either of two highly homologous genes at Xp11, SSX1 or SSX2. SYT-SSX1 and SYT-SSX2 are thought to tunction as aberrant transcriptional regulators. We attempted to determine the influence of the two alternative forms of the SYT-SSX fusion gene on tumor morphology and clinical outcome in patients with this sarcoma.

METHODS

We analyzed SYT-SSX fusion transcripts in 45 synovial sarcomas (33 monophasic and 12 biphasic) by the reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and compared the results with relevant clinical and pathological data.

RESULTS

The SYT-SSX1 and SYT-SSX2 fusion transcripts were detected in 29 (64 percent) and 16 (36 percent) of the tumors, respectively. There was a significant relation (P=0.003) between histologic subtype (monophasic vs. biphasic) and SSX1 or SSX2 involvement in the fusion transcript: all 12 biphasic synovial sarcomas had a SYT-SSX1 fusion transcript, and all 16 tumors that were positive for SYT-SSX2 were monophasic. Kaplan-Meier analysis of 39 patients with localized tumors showed that the 15 patients with SYT-SSX2 had significantly better metastasis-free survival than the 24 patients with SYT-SSX1 (P=0.03 by multivariate analysis; relative risk, 3.0). There were no significant correlations between the type of SYT-SSX transcript and age, sex, tumor location and size, whether there were metastases at diagnosis, or whether patients underwent chemotherapy. Histologic subtype alone was not prognostically important.

CONCLUSIONS

The type of SYT-SSX fusion transcript correlates with both the histologic subtype and the clinical behavior of synovial sarcoma. SYT-SSX fusion transcripts are a defining diagnostic marker of synovial sarcomas and may also yield important independent prognostic information.

Role of the pons in hypoxic respiratory depression in the neonatal rat

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of the pons in hypoxic respiratory depression (HRD) of the neonatal rat. Experiments were conducted using the isolated brainstem-spinal cord preparation of the neonatal rat (1-3 days old). The brainstem was transected at various levels. We found that ablation of the diencephalon decreased respiratory frequency (fR), and conversely, that ablation of the midbrain or pons increased fR. In the preparation with the pons intact (without the midbrain), hypoxia (superfusate PO2 = 56 mmHg) caused strong depression of respiratory activity, which was characterized by a steady decrease in fR and in integrated inspiratory burst amplitude (integral of Phr). In the preparation with the intact ventral pons (without midbrain and dorsal pons) we observed similar, though weaker, HRD. When the entire pons was ablated, integral of Phr was little depressed by hypoxia and thus, HRD was further attenuated. We conclude that the pons contributes importantly to the induction of hypoxic respiratory depression in the neonatal rat. Both the ventral and dorsal portions of the pons are involved in the control of hypoxic respiratory depression. In addition, we show that the respiratory modulatory functions of the diencephalon (facilitating) and midbrain (inhibitory) are already expressed at the time of birth.

Bone changes and carotid atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Because of increased life expectancy, most postmenopausal women today suffer from osteoporosis and atherosclerotic diseases, which are currently considered unrelated diseases. Our study was aimed at analyzing relations between bone mineral density (BMD) and ultrasonographic assessment of carotid wall characteristics.

METHODS

The relation of carotid atherosclerosis to BMD was examined in 30 postmenopausal women aged 67 to 85 years. High-resolution B-mode ultrasonography was performed, and the severity of carotid atherosclerosis was determined by plaque score. BMD was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.

RESULTS

The correlation of plaque score with low total BMD was r = .549 (P < .002). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated significant correlation of plaque score with total cholesterol level and low total BMD.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest a relation between carotid atherosclerosis, one of the major causes of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases, and osteoporosis.

Brain metastasis in malignant pleural mesothelioma

A 55-year-old male who had a remote history of occupational asbestos exposure consulted us because of chest pain. Chest X-ray revealed diffuse pleural thickening and pleural effusion on the right. A diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma, biphasic type was made by needle pleural biopsy. Fourteen months later, the patient died of brain metastasis. At autopsy, malignant mesothelioma of the pleura with metastasis to the brain and bilateral adrenal glands was observed. Brain metastases proven by autopsy are rare in cases of malignant mesothelioma. The ferruginous body count in the lung tissue was 16 per gram of wet weight.

Adult heart transplantation under tacrolimus (FK506) immunosuppression: histopathologic observations and comparison to a cyclosporine-based regimen with lympholytic (ATG) induction

BACKGROUND

Tacrolimus (FK506) is an effective immunosuppressant for human heart transplantation, but information about its effects on cardiac allograft and nonallograft kidney and liver histopathologic study is limited.

METHODS

We therefore reviewed 1145 endomyocardial biopsy specimens and eight autopsy results from 80 heart transplant recipients who received tacrolimus as baseline immunosuppression. These were compared with 619 endomyocardial biopsy specimens and four autopsy results from 51 patients treated with cyclosporine-based immunosuppression with lympholytic induction (CLI) by use of rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin. Twenty-one histologic features including the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation histopathologic grade were retrospectively assessed without knowledge of the treatment regimen. The lymphocyte growth index on biopsy specimens obtained from these patients was also compared.

RESULTS

In general, there were no qualitative differences in the histopathologic appearance of various allograft syndromes between tacrolimus- and CLI-treated patients. Thus histopathologic criteria used to diagnose various graft syndromes are applicable under tacrolimus immunosuppression. However, early (between 10 and 30 days) after transplantation, biopsy specimens from patients treated with tacrolimus showed a significantly higher percentage of inflamed fragments (p = 0.02), the inflammation tended to be more severe (p = 0.09), and the rejection grade tended to be slightly higher (p = 0.08). In contrast, during the late transplantation period (275 to 548 days), biopsy specimens from patients treated with CLI showed a significantly higher percentage of inflamed fragments (p = 0.03), more severe inflammation (p = 0.03), higher rejection grades (p = 0.01), and a higher frequency of Quilty lesions (p = 0.05). Although overall freedom from any grade 3A or higher rejection was greater in the CLI-treated arm, tacrolimus was successfully used to treat refractory rejection in three patients from the CLI-treated arm. Concern has been raised in the literature about the possibility of tacrolimus being a direct hepatotoxin and an accelerant of allograft obliterative arteriopathy. However, no evidence to support either of these contentions was detected in this patient population. In contrast, tacrolimus is clearly nephrotoxic, although similar to cyclosporine in this regard.

CONCLUSIONS

Tacrolimus is an effective immunosuppressive drug for heart transplantation. The cardiac allograft histopathologic study of patients treated with tacrolimus immunosuppression does not significantly differ from those given conventional, cyclosporine-based triple therapy with lympholytic induction.

Inhomogeneities of ventilation and the diffusing capacity to perfusion in various chronic lung diseases

Although impairment of gas exchange caused by ventilation-perfusion (VA/Q) mismatch has been extensively analyzed, there have been no systematic studies focused on determining the distributions of diffusion properties in dose connection with those of VA/Q. We attempted to clarify the simultaneous distributions of VA/Q and diffusion capacity to perfusion (D/Q) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To assess pathologic determinants causing functional abnormalities, we compared VA/Q and D/Q distributions with the findings on high-resolution computed tomography. O2, CO2, and CO together with six foreign inert gases were used as indicator gases. We transformed the measured data on indicator gases in arterial blood into a continuous distribution of Q in the VA/Q-D/Q field. In IPF, active alveolitis or acinitis played a major role in producing low D/Q regions impeding gas exchange via a diffusion limitation, whereas extensive fibrosis with minimal inflammation accounted for low D/Q as well as low VA/Q regions. In COPD, no regions with low D/Q ratios were observed, but an abnormality in the VA/Q distribution with low or high VA/Q ratios was identified. Emphysematous lesions produced high VA/Q regions, whereas peripheral airway involvement yielded low VA/Q regions. These findings suggest that hypoxemia in patients with IPF is caused by inhomogeneous distributions of D/Q in combination with those of VA/Q. Hypoxemia in patients with COPD is attributable primarily to inhomogeneities in VA/Q rather than in D/Q distributions.

Effects of simulated microgravity on human osteoblast-like cells in culture

Physiological strain plays an important role in maintaining the normal function and metabolism of bone cells. It is well know that the mineral content of astronauts' bones decreases during spaceflight. Thus, gravity is one of the important factors in the musculoskeletal system. The vector-free horizontal clinostat has been used to simulate conditions of microgravity for examining such effects on cells in culture. We analyzed the effects of simulated microgravity using a horizontal clinostat on cultured osteoblast-like cells (HuO9 cell line). Total cellular protein, which was measured as an indication of cell proliferation, was not significantly inhibited under simulated microgravity conditions. No morphological changes were detected under microgravity conditions by phase-contrast microscopy. However, the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and osteocalcin production of the HuO9 cells decreased significantly under microgravity conditions. Our data indicate that simulated microgravity directly inhibits some differentiation phenotypes and some functions of osteoblasts. On the other hand, the addition of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2-D3) increased ALP activity under simulated microgravity conditions, although the total activity of ALP in the cells treated with 1,25-(OH)2-D3 was still lower under simulated microgravity conditions than that in the control cells. However, the cells under simulated microgravity conditions showed a greater enhancement of ALP activity by treatment with 1,25-(OH)2-D3.

Vibrational Assignment and Anharmonic Resonance Analysis of the Dispersed Fluorescence and Stimulated Emission Pumping Spectra of DFCO (S 0 ) up to 9000 cm-1

Dispersed fluorescence and stimulated emission pumping spectra of jet-cooled DFCO from the 2(1) 6(2) , 5(1) 6(4) , 2(1) 5(1) 6(2) , and 5(1) 6(6) vibrational states of S 1 are presented up to 9000 cm-1 . Progressions are assigned primarily to vibrational states with excitation in the Franck-Condon active modes nu2 , nu5 , and nu6 . The spectrum is perturbed by a 266 (nu2 approximately 2nu6 ), a 233 (nu2 approximately 2nu3 ), and a 3566 (nu3 + nu5 approximately 2nu6 ) anharmonic resonance. These three resonances are increasingly important at high vibrational energies, thus explaining the complexity of the DFCO spectrum compared to that of HFCO. Seventy-five vibrational states are assigned as eigenstates of a 266, 233, and 3566 anharmonic resonance Hamiltonian. The rms deviation in the calculated energies is 1.2 cm-1 . Harmonic frequencies and anharmonic constants are reported. These are compared to constants derived from ab initio potential energy surfaces.

Influence of panel-reactive antibody on survival and rejection after lung transplantation

BACKGROUND

Panel-reactive antibody (PRA) is commonly used before thoracic organ transplantation to estimate a potential recipient's degree of humoral sensitization.

METHODS

To assess the influence of an elevated PRA on survival and the incidence of rejection in pulmonary transplantation, the records of 247 patients that underwent single or double lung transplantation were reviewed.

RESULTS

Twenty-one of 247 patients (8.5%) had PRA values greater than 10%. Survival of this population was not significantly different from that of patients with low PRA levels: 74% (low PRA) vs 65% (elevated PRA) at 1 year and 58% in both groups at 3 years. The acute rejection rates (episodes/first 100 days) for the elevated and low PRA groups were 2.1 and 1.9, respectively (p = NS). Obliterative bronchiolitis developed in 38.9% of the high and 31.2% of the low PRA groups (p = NS). Six of 247 patients had a retrospective positive lymphocytotoxic cross-match result; three had PRA values greater than 10%. Patients with a positive cross-match result experienced similar survival and incidence of rejection as the remainder of the population. Among 957 patients evaluated for lung transplantation, 16 (1.7%) had a PRA (with dithiothreitol) greater than 15%. All had a history of pregnancy, blood transfusion, connective tissue disease, or previous transplantation.

CONCLUSIONS

Humoral sensitization is uncommon in the lung transplantation population. A modestly elevated PRA does not predict survival or the development of acute rejection or bronchiolitis obliterans. PRA testing before lung transplantation should be reserved for those patients with specific risk factors for humoral sensitization.

Preoperative multidisciplinary treatment with hyperthermia for soft tissue sarcoma

We report the results of phase I/II studies of preoperative multidisciplinary treatment of 14 patients with soft tissue sarcoma using hyperthermia from November 1990 to April 1995. The preoperative treatment was conducted with thermo-radio-chemotherapy in 11 cases of stage III, and with thermo-radiotherapy as well as thermo-chemotherapy in three cases of stages I and II. Hyperthermia was carried out twice a week with totals ranging from 4 to 14 times (average: 8.4 times); each session lasted 60 min. Radiotherapy was administered four or five times per week, and the dose was 1.8 2Gy/fraction, with a total of 30-40 Gy in a four week period. Chemotherapy was mainly in the form of MAID regimen (2-mercaptoethanesulphonic acid (mesna), adriamycin, ifosfamide and dacarbazine). The tumors were surgically resected in all patients after completing the preoperative treatment. The efficacy rate, as expressed by the percentage of either tumors in which reduction rate was 50% or more, or tumors for which post-treatment contrast enhanced CT image revealed low density volumes occupying 50% or more of the total mass, was 71% (ten of the 14 tumors). The mean tumor necrosis rate in the resected specimens was 78%. The tumor necrosis rate was significantly high (P < 0.05) in patients whose Time > or = 42 degrees C was of long duration. Postoperative complications were observed in six patients; among these, two patients developed wound infection that required surgical treatment as a complication of surgery performed in the early stage following the preoperative treatment. After a mean postoperative follow-up of 27 months, distant metastasis occurred in four patients resulting in three fatalities. The three-year cumulative survival rate was 64.3%. No local recurrence was observed in any patient during the follow-up, thus confirming our hypothesis that preoperative multidisciplinary treatment has an excellent local efficacy. We think that it would be valuable to conduct, at many facilities, phase III studies on the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma by a combination of surgery and preoperative multidisciplinary treatment using hyperthermia, paying close attention to the interval between these two modalities.

Imaging assessment of the response of bone tumors to preoperative chemotherapy

Assessment of the response of bone tumors to preoperative chemotherapy is of clinical importance. The authors determined the value of 3 imaging techniques (digital subtraction angiography, thallium scintigraphy, and dynamic magnetic resonance imaging) in guiding patient management by assessing the response of 17 bone sarcomas to preoperative chemotherapy compared with histologic evaluation of the resected specimens. Digital subtraction angiography showed a sensitivity of 87.5%, specificity of 57.1%, and accuracy of 73.3%. Thallium scintigraphy (sensitivity, 85.7%; specificity, 85.7%; accuracy, 85.7%) was superior to angiography in predicting tumor responses. The results of dynamic magnetic resonance imaging were analyzed on the basis of the value of slopes, which represents the percent increase in signal intensity per minute. The differences in slope before and after chemotherapy and the postchemotherapy slope values correlated with the histologic responses. The assessment by dynamic magnetic resonance imaging showed a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 85.7%, and accuracy of 90.9%. Thallium scintigraphy and dynamic magnetic resonance imaging were considered noninvasive, reliable techniques that had about equal ability to assess the response of bone sarcomas to preoperative chemotherapy. Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging offers major advantages in the spatial resolution and can be more readily quantitated when compared with thallium scintigraphy.

A clinical analysis of malignant schwannoma

In this study, we reviewed the clinical features of 11 patients with malignant schwannoma who were treated in our institute. Five patients had coexistent von Recklinghausen's disease and one of them showed multifocal occurrence. Patients with the centrally located tumors had a poorer prognosis than those with the others. The overall 3-year survival rate was 36%; 40% in patients with von Recklinghausen's disease and 33% in the others. At the time of the last follow-up, 9 patients had died of the tumor, one continued to be tumor free, and one was alive with tumor. Postoperative local recurrence developed in 5 patients (45%); 4 out of 6 patients (67%) who underwent a marginal excision and one out of 3 (33%) who underwent primary amputation. There was no local recurrence in patients after a wide excision with at least 3 cm of normal tissue removed surrounding the tumor in all directions. Nine patients (82%) developed pulmonary metastasis. The effect of adjuvant chemotherapy was not clear in this study. The high risk of pulmonary metastasis in this disease indicates the necessity of more effective adjuvant chemotherapy.

Treatment of refractory acute allograft rejection with aerosolized cyclosporine in lung transplant recipients

Lung transplant recipients who have persistent acute cellular rejection are at increased risk for the development of chronic rejection, the leading cause of reduced long-term survival. This study evaluated the use of aerosolized cyclosporine as rescue therapy for unremitting acute rejection. Between June 1993 and March 1996, 18 patients with rejection that failed to resolve after therapy with pulse steroids and antilymphocyte globulin were enrolled in the study. Aerosolized cyclosporine A (300 mg) treatment was initiated for 10 consecutive days followed by a maintenance regimen of 3 days per week. Efficacy was assessed by graft histologic and pulmonary function testing. With the use of linear regression, results in these patients were compared with those in 23 control patients, matched for histologic acute rejection, who had continued to receive conventional rescue therapy. Two patients were unable to tolerate the treatments and were withdrawn from the study. Significant improvement in histologic rejection occurred in 14 of the remaining 16 patients after a mean of 37 days of aerosolized cyclosporine therapy. Measures of forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (change in percent predicted/100 days plus or minus the standard error) increased over time in the treated patients whereas the condition of control patients declined despite repeated attempts at conventional rescue (forced vital capacity, aerosolized cyclosporine group, 4.6 +/- 2.9 vs control group -8.1 +/- 1.9, p = 0.001; forced expiratory volume in 1 second, aerosolized cyclosporine group, 2.1 +/- 4.4 vs control group -9.8 +/- 2.6, p = 0.043). Renal and hepatic toxicity during cyclosporine therapy was not observed. The incidence of acute histologic rejection (> or = A2) decreased from 2.49 +/- 0.68 episodes/100 days before aerosolized cyclosporine therapy to 0.72 +/- 0.3 episodes/100 days (p < 0.05). In summary, aerosolized cyclosporine is a safe and effective therapy for acute rejection that has failed to improve with conventional treatment.

Isolation and mapping of karyopherin alpha 3 (KPNA3), a human gene that is highly homologous to genes encoding Xenopus importin, yeast SRP1 and human RCH1

From a human fetal-brain cDNA library, we isolated and characterized a novel gene (KPNA3) encoding a protein highly homologous to certain nuclear transport proteins of Xenopus and human. The complete cDNA clone, designated karyopherin alpha 3, contained an open reading frame of 1,563 nucleotides encoding 521 amino acids. The predicted amino acid sequence showed 48%, 45% and 48% identity with Xenopus importin, yeast SRP1 and human RCH1, respectively. The similarities among these proteins suggest that karyopherin alpha 3 may be involved in the nuclear transport system. Eight repeats of the arm motif were well conserved among these proteins. The N-terminal region of the predicted karyopherin alpha 3 product was highly basic and the C-terminal region was strongly acidic. A 4.3-kb transcript was expressed in all adult human tissues examined by Northern blotting. The cDNA clone was assigned to chromosome band 13q14.3 by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Monoclonal antibody #5-2-26 recognizes the phosphatase-sensitive epitope of rabies virus nucleoprotein

We prepared monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the rabies virus N protein, among which one antibody (MAb 5-2-26) was shown to lack reactivity with the phosphatase-treated N protein. The MAb was able to recognize the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-denatured N protein. The MAb did not recognize the N-protein analogues produced in Escherichia coli (E. coli), indicating that the N-gene products were not normally processed in E. coli after translation. On the other hand, the MAb reacted normally with N-gene products produced in COS-7 cells, but not with those produced in the presence of K-252a (a protein kinase inhibitor of a broad spectrum). The MAb displayed weak cross-reactivity with the Triton-insoluble network structures composed of several components, while another phosphoprotein (M1) of the virus was not recognized at all. These results suggest that MAb 5-2-26 preferentially recognizes a phosphatase-sensitive linear epitope of N protein, which may enable further investigations to be conducted on the mechanism of N-protein phosphorylation and its role(s) in virus replication.

Identification of a phosphatase-sensitive epitope of rabies virus nucleoprotein which is recognized by a monoclonal antibody 5-2-26

We have investigated a phosphatase-sensitive sequential epitope of the nucleoprotein (N), one of the phosphoproteins of rabies virus, which is recognized by the monoclonal antibody (MAb) #5-2-26. The epitope was shared in common by all of the rabies virus strains we tested, including the HEP, ERA, CVS and Japanese strains (Nishigahara and Komatsukawa). Thin layer chromatography of the acid hydrolyzates of 32P-labeled N protein showed that the protein contained phosphoserine and phosphothreonine at a molar ratio of about 4 to 1, while no phosphotyrosine was detected. Immunoprecipitation studies with several deletion mutants of the N protein showed that the epitope is located in a region spanning from amino acid 344 to 415. If the phosphatase-sensitive epitope is located at or near the phosphoamino acid, the location of the latter could be narrowed further to a region from amino acid 354 to 389 by comparing the amino-acid sequences among the viral strains. To examine this assumption, point mutation was introduced by amino-acid substitution with alanine at either of five potential phosphorylation sites (i.e., positions 354, 375, 377, 386 and 389) in the 354-389 region. Among those, only one substitution, at position 389, greatly affected the antigenicity. Substitution of serine-389 by threonine also reduced the antigenicity. These results strongly suggest that serine-389 is a phosphorylation site and essential for constructing or stabilizing the antigenic structure for MAb 5-2-26.

Vascular reconstruction in limb salvage operations for soft tissue tumors of the extremities

Eight patients with vascular threatening soft tissue tumors underwent wide excision of the tumors followed by vascular reconstruction. Superficial femoral vessels were resected in 6 patients and popliteal vessels in 2 patients. Arterial reconstruction was performed with a synthetic graft in 4 and a reversed saphenous vein graft in 4. Venous reconstruction was performed with a synthetic graft in 5 and a saphenous vein graft in 2. Adjuvant multimodality treatment was used in 6 patients. After an average of 30 months, the revascularized vessels were found to be patent in 5 patients with arterial reconstruction and in 1 patient with venous reconstruction. Six patients maintained functional extremities. Two other patients had to have amputations, 1 because of a deep infection that involved the grafts and the other because of an acute occlusion of the reconstructed artery. Edema of the leg, which was treated successfully with an elastic support and elevation of the leg, has been observed in all patients after operation. No local recurrence has been observed with an average followup period of 42.5 months. Pulmonary metastasis developed in 2 patients, and 1 of them underwent a pulmonary metastasectomy. Limb salvage in vascular threatening soft tissue tumors using vascular reconstruction techniques is useful and preferable in some patients.

The ipsilateral and contralateral connections of the fifth somatosensory area (SV) in the cat cerebral cortex

THE ipsilateral and contralateral corticocortical connections to the fifth somatosensory area (SV) in the feline cortex were determined from the location of retrogradely labelled cells following a single injection of HRP into SV. The injection was made into physiologically defined components of the body representation in SV. After injection of HRP into the face regions of SV, HRP-labelled cells were located ipsilaterally in areas 6 beta, 3b and 1-2 of the primary somatosensory (SI), in the second somatosensory (SII), third somatosensory (SIII), and fourth somatosensory (SIV) areas, along the ansate sulcus, and in areas 5a and 6a beta of the ipsilateral cortex, as well as in area 1-2 of SI and in SV of the contralateral cortex. On the other hand, after HRP had been injected into the trunk/hindlimb area, HRP-labelled cells were located in areas 3a, 1-2 of SI, in area 5, in SII, in SIII and in SIV of the ipsilateral cortex, as well as in area 1-2 of SI, and in SV of the contralateral cortex. The extent of these interconnections suggests that SV receives multiple sensory inputs and may function to integrate this information.