The induction of cell differentiation and polarity of tracheal epithelium cultured on the amniotic membrane

We have developed a culture system of guinea pig tracheal epithelial cells using the epithelium-denuded human amnion as a source of basement membrane. Culture medium fluid over the epithelial cells was replaced by air after 7-day immersion culture and thereafter maintained for 2 weeks. Electron microscopical observations revealed that the height of epithelial cells and the ratio of ciliated epithelial cells looked like that of normal guinea pigs epithelium growth in 2 weeks after the air interface, but that no goblet cells could be found. In order to study cell polarity, we measured endothelin-1 levels in the media of apical and basal sides of the epithelial cell monolayer by means of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The endothelin-1 content of the submucosal side was over 30 times higher than that of the apical side. These findings suggest that ET-1 would be mainly released from airway epithelial cells toward the submucosal side.

Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein concentration and the protein binding of disopyramide in healthy subjects

Age- and gender-related changes in serum alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) concentration and the serum protein binding of disopyramide were examined after intensive medical examination. Based on the clinical chemistry tests over 51 points, 245 subjects were diagnosed as healthy and 71 subjects (22.5%) revealed an abnormal value for at least one item. In the healthy subjects, serum AAG concentration in men was significantly higher than in women (men, 0.78 +/- 0.18 mg/mL, mean +/- SD; women, 0.67 +/- 0.16 mg/mL). In contrast, there were no significant differences in the AAG concentration between age groups for men and women and in the unbound fraction of disopyramide. Gender changes AAG concentration. Age, however, does not change AAG concentration and the protein binding of the basic drug.

Elevated antibody titers to Epstein-Barr virus prior to the diagnosis of Epstein-Barr-virus-associated gastric adenocarcinoma

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has recently been identified in the tumor cells of patients with gastric carcinoma. We tested pre-morbid serum samples from a carefully monitored cohort of Japanese men in order to investigate the possibility that patients with EBV-associated gastric cancer represent a sub-set of individuals with long-standing difficulties in appropriately managing EBV infection. From a serum bank, we obtained 108 samples derived from 54 patients destined to develop gastric adenocarcinoma and 54 controls. Samples were tested under code for antibodies to EBV-capsid antigen, early antigen and nuclear antigen. Individuals who were positive for IgA antibodies against EBV viral-capsid antigen (VCA) and IgG antibodies against the R component of EBV early antigen were at a 3.9-fold and 1.9-fold excess risk of disease, respectively. Antibody titers to EBV VCA were significantly higher in those destined to get EBV-associated gastric cancer than those subsequently developing non-EBV-associated gastric cancer or age-and-gender-matched controls. These findings suggest that the inability to control EBV infection on a long-term basis exists many years prior to the development of EBV-associated gastric cancer, and that EBV may play an etiologic role in this sub-set of malignancies.

Age at establishment of Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric carcinoma, gastric ulcer, and duodenal ulcer risk

Helicobacter pylori is an important risk factor for gastric cancer, gastric ulcer, and duodenal ulcer, yet most infected persons do not develop disease. We examined two correlates of acquisition age, sibship size and birth order, to evaluate the hypothesis that early life acquisition of H. pylori is a risk factor for the development of these illnesses. In earlier nested case-control studies of a cohort of Japanese American men in Hawaii, evidence of H. pylori infection was associated with the development of gastric cancer or gastric or duodenal ulceration during the subsequent period, 1968-1989. The present analysis included 102, 147, and 64 men who developed adenocarcinoma of the distal stomach, gastric ulcer, and duodenal ulcer, respectively, and a matched control for each. Sibship size and birth order data were analyzed as risk factors for development of these diseases. H. pylori-infected but not H. pylori-uninfected men from larger sibships (odds ratio, 2.06) and of higher birth order (odds ratio, 1.67) were at increased risk for developing gastric cancer. H. pylori- infected men but not uninfected men at higher birth order had increased risk of gastric (odds ratio, 1.64) but not duodenal ulcers. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that early life acquisition of H. pylori increases the risk of developing both gastric cancer and gastric ulcer but not duodenal ulcer.

Haptoglobin therapy for acute favism: a Japanese boy with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase Guadalajara

We report the case of a 2-year-old Japanese boy with acute favism who was treated with human haptoglobin products. He had been exhibiting chronic nonspherocytic haemolytic anaemia until the diagnosis of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency when 14 months old. He suffered a favic crisis at 24 months of age, when the administration of haptoglobin was effective for relieving bilirubinaemia and haemoglobinuria. Serum-free Hb rapidly decreased to normal levels despite the sustained level of serum lactate dehydrogenase. His G6PD gene was G6PD Guadalajara. This is the first application of haptoglobin therapy for acute favism and the first reported case of Japanese G6PD deficiency with typical favic crisis. Haptoglobin treatment might be helpful for managing the haemolytic crisis in the disease.

Dye-mixture laser tunable in three primary color regions with a linear variable filter

The tuning characteristics of a Coumarine 460-Disodium Fluorescein-Rhodamine 640 dye-mixture laser in the blue, green, and yellow-orange regions are reported. A linear variable filter was inserted into the laser cavity as a tuning element. The tunable range was 439-485 nm in the blue region, 509-531 nm in the green region, and 592-601 nm in the yellow-orange region. Comparison of the characteristics of the one-wavelength tuning output with those of simultaneous broadband outputs in the three color regions showed that energy transfer was an important mechanism for the oscillations, especially in the longer-wavelength region, which was farthest away from a pumping wavelength.

Nuclear distribution of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in fertilized eggs of the starfish Asterina pectinifera

Previous studies (Nomura et al. (1991) Dev. Biol. 143, 289–296 (1993) Dev. Biol. 159, 288–297) determined the time of DNA replication period (S phase) in starfish eggs fertilized either during or after oocyte maturation. Here proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) localized within nuclei of starfish eggs was detected with an anti-PCNA human antiserum. Using a confocal laser scanning microscope, a three-dimensional structure of the PCNA region was analyzed. In eggs fertilized during maturation, PCNA started to localize within the nuclei at the same time as the initiation of the first S phase. During the S phase, the distribution of localized PCNA in a three-dimensional view coincided with the chromatin distribution. After the S phase, PCNA remained localized within the nuclei, but its distribution no longer coincided with the chromatin distribution. In eggs fertilized after maturation, however, PCNA started to localize within the female pronuclei about 10 minutes ahead of the first S phase. Localized PCNA occupied only a limited region of the nuclei without diffusing over the whole nuclear area. Chromatin distributed around the peripheral region of the nuclei mostly outside the PCNA region. When the first S phase was initiated, the chromatin distribution became coincident with the PCNA region. Later behavior of PCNA was the same as that of the eggs fertilized during maturation. The precocious localization of PCNA in those eggs fertilized after maturation simply demonstrates that the ‘postactivation process’ for preparing DNA replication is triggered by fertilization and PCNA localization and S phase are sequentially initiated with a time-lapse. On the other hand, the simultaneous occurrence of them seen in those eggs fertilized during maturation indicates that the postactivation process must be going on in parallel with the maturation process.

IL-1 beta regulates the expression of the Gi2 alpha gene via lipid mediators in guinea pig tracheal muscle

When isolated guinea pig muscle preparations were incubated with human recombinant IL-1 beta, mRNA level of Gi2 alpha but not of Gs alpha increased in a time and dose dependent manner. The increase was partially blocked by inhibitors of lipoxygenase (NDGA) and cyclooxygenase (indomethacin) and PAF antagonist (SC47014A), while U46619 (thromboxane A2 mimetic), LTD4, 15-HETE and PAF partially mimicked it. The IL-1 beta induced Gi2 alpha expression was almost completely inhibited by anti-phospholipase A2 antiserum, whereas preimmune serum had no apparent effects. From these observations, we suggest that IL-1 beta first induces the synthesis and release of Type II inflammatory phospholipase A2, which in turn stimulates the expression of Gi2 alpha gene via production of various lipid mediators.

Liposteroid against refractory pulmonary haemorrhage in idiopathic pulmonary haemosiderosis

We describe two Japanese children with idiopathic pulmonary haemosiderosis (IPH), whose refractory haemorrhages were treated with an intravenous lipid emulsion containing dexamethasone (liposteroid). A 22-month-old boy and a 14-month-old girl have been observed with similar symptoms; periodic bouts of anaemia, reticulocytosis, diffuse infiltrates on chest X-ray and the finding of siderophages in sputum or gastric lavage fluid. The MRI of the lung was useful for the diagnosis. Methylprednisolone pulse therapy was successful in treating acute massive bleeding. Subsequent oral prednisolone could not prevent chronic recurrent haemorrhages. However, the intermittent administration of liposteroid (0.05 mg/kg/dose IV) led to a cessation of bleeding; the haemoglobin concentration rose to normal levels. This observation emphasizes the usefulness of liposteroid in the management of refractory IPH.

Different patterns of [18F]dopa uptake in siblings with hereditary dentato-rubro-pallido-luysian atrophy

Striatal glucose metabolism and [18F]dopa uptake were studied by positron emission tomography (PET) in two siblings with hereditary dentato-rubro-pallido-luysian atrophy (HDRPLA). The regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose showed marked decreases in the cerebellum and brainstem in both cases. The elder brother, who had trunk titubation and intention tremor of extremities, showed decreased [18F]dopa uptake in the striatum. On the other hand, the younger brother, who had spontaneous myoclonus of the right shoulder and flank, showed increased [18F]dopa uptake in the striatum. These findings suggested that the wide variety of clinical symptoms of HDRPLA observed within a single family is closely related to the various neuronal dysfunctions at the neurotransmitter level.

Role of CD59 in experimental glomerulonephritis in rats

CD59 is a molecule which is present on the host cell membranes and inhibits formation of membrane attack complex. A monoclonal antibody, 6D1, recognizes a rat analogue of human CD59. 6D1 inhibits function of rat CD59 and can enhance complement-mediated hemolysis in vitro. To assess the role of CD59 in complement-mediated glomerular injury, 6D1 was tested in a model of experimental glomerulonephritis induced by a lectin and its antibodies. The left kidney of a rat was perfused either with 200 micrograms of Lens culinaris hemagglutinin (LCH) plus 1 mg of 6D1 (IgG1 fraction) (Group I and III) or with LCH only (Group II) through a cannula placed in the left renal artery. All the perfusate was discarded from a cannula in the renal vein. The holes in the artery and vein were repaired by microsurgery and the blood circulation was re-established. Rats were injected either with 0.125 ml of rabbit anti-LCH serum (Group I and II), or with normal rabbit serum (Group III) via tail vein one minute after the recirculation. Fifteen minutes after injection, significant C9 deposition in the glomeruli was observed only in Group I, whereas C3 deposition in Group I and II were comparable. At Day 4, total glomerular cells, proliferating cells, glomerular expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and fibrin deposition in Group I were all significantly increased when compared with Group II. At Day 7, number of total glomerular cells and leukocytes in the glomeruli of Group I were significantly higher than in Group II. The glomeruli in Group III appeared normal throughout experiments. These data indicate that the functional inhibition of a rat analogue of human CD59 worsens complement-mediated glomerular injury in vivo.

Helicobacter pylori infection and the risk for duodenal and gastric ulceration

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether a preexisting Helicobacter pylori infection increases the risk for developing duodenal or gastric ulcer.

DESIGN

A nested case-control study based on a cohort of 5443 Japanese-American men who had a physical examination and a phlebotomy from 1967 to 1970.

SETTING

All 10 general hospitals on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

PATIENTS

150 patients with gastric ulcer and 65 patients with duodenal ulcer identified in the cohort of study participants after a hospital surveillance period of more than 20 years.

MEASUREMENTS

Stored serum specimens from patients and from matched controls were tested for the presence of serum IgG antibody to H. pylori using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

93% of the 150 patients with gastric ulcer and 78% of the matched controls had a positive antibody level for H. pylori-specific IgG, yielding an odds ratio of 3.2 (95% CI, 1.6 to 6.5). For duodenal ulcer, 92% of the 65 patients and 78% of the matched controls had a positive test result, yielding an odds ratio of 4.0 (CI, 1.1 to 14.2). As the level of antibody to H. pylori increased, a statistically significant increase was noted in the risk for gastric and duodenal ulcer. The association with H. pylori infection was statistically significant for both types of ulcer, even when the diagnosis was made 10 or more years after the serum sample had been obtained.

CONCLUSION

Preexisting H. pylori infection increases the risk for subsequent development of either duodenal or gastric ulcer disease.

Developmentally regulated postsynaptic localization of a metabotropic glutamate receptor in rat rod bipolar cells

The retinal bipolar cell receiving glutamate transmission from photoreceptors mediates a key process in segregating visual signals into ON center and OFF center pathways. This transmission involves a G protein-coupled metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR). Immunocytochemical and immunoelectron microscopic studies indicate that restricted localization of a specific mGluR subtype, mGluR6, at the postsynaptic site of the rat rod bipolar cell. This specialization is developmentally regulated: mGluR6 is initially distributed in both the soma and dendrites and is finally concentrated on the postsynaptic site. The mGluR6 localization is reversed when photoreceptors degenerate in the mutant rat with retinal dystrophy. Evidence is thus presented indicating specialized, developmentally regulated receptor distribution in the central nervous system and the crucial role of mGluR6 in photoreceptor-bipolar cell synaptic transmission.

Effect of high pressure on EcoRI reactions

The effect of pressure on reactions of restriction endonucleases was investigated. No obvious irreversible (after) effect was observed for EcoRI, while a considerable irreversible inactivation was found for BamHI. Thus the EcoRI reactions against lambda DNA, pBR322 and pBluescript were studied under high pressure and little effect was observed on the overall reactions. The DNA concentration dependence of the kinetic data apparently fits the Michaelis-Menten type equation and the evaluated rate parameters were: Vmax = 6.2 +/- 0.24 and 7.0 +/- 0.22 (x 10(-2) nM/min) at 0.1 and 200 MPa, respectively; Km = 19 +/- 1.8 and 28 +/- 1.7 nM at 0.1 and 200 MPa, respectively. The apparent activation volume corresponding to kcat/Km was ca +1 mL/mol. A characteristic effect of pressure on the sequence specificity of these enzymes was seen in their star activity. Relaxed specificity was tightened by increasing pressure (200 MPa) with respect to that induced by low salt concentration or by the presence of organic solvent.

A gradient method for the quantitative analysis of cell movement and tissue flow and its application to the analysis of multicellular Dictyostelium development

We describe the application of a novel image processing method, which allows quantitative analysis of cell and tissue movement in a series of digitized video images. The result is a vector velocity field showing average direction and velocity of movement for every pixel in the frame. We apply this method to the analysis of cell movement during different stages of the Dictyostelium developmental cycle. We analysed time-lapse video recordings of cell movement in single cells, mounds and slugs. The program can correctly assess the speed and direction of movement of either unlabelled or labelled cells in a time series of video images depending on the illumination conditions. Our analysis of cell movement during multicellular development shows that the entire morphogenesis of Dictyostelium is characterized by rotational cell movement. The analysis of cell and tissue movement by the velocity field method should be applicable to the analysis of morphogenetic processes in other systems such as gastrulation and neurulation in vertebrate embryos.

[Effect of enalapril on left ventricular hypertrophy and left ventricular function in patients with hypertension]

The aim of this study was to study the effect of enalapril (E) on left ventricular (LV) mass, LV function and blood renin-angiotensin (RA) in patients with hypertension. Sixteen hypertensives were included in this study (WHO I 8, WHO II 8, 49.5 +/- 10.5 yrs). They were examined for blood pressure and heart rate. Chest X-ray film, echocardiography (echo), X-ray computed tomography (CT) and RA before and after about 6 months of E administration were studied. The LV mass was calculated by CT. The LV function was measured by echo. RAS was unchanged during this study. LV mass was significantly reduced after E (121.4 +/- 25.6 vs 104.6 +/- 13.7 g/cm2). The LV systolic function was unchanged after E, but LV diastolic function improved. It was shown that the long-term administration of E improves LV hypertrophy and LV diastolic function without any change of RAS.

[Antigen-induced dynamic alterations of endothelin receptors--guinea pig lung tissues]

Endothelins (ETs) are a family of peptides with potent constrictive activity in vascular and treacheal smooth muscle. The lung tissues are abundant in these peptides and their receptors; the peptides are produced by endothelial cells and airway epithelial cells, while its receptor is mainly located on smooth muscle. Therefore, it has been proposed that endothelins act in a paracrine fashion on nearby smooth muscle, thus regulating its tone. However, little is known about its physiological and pathological roles in pulmonary functions. We hypothesized that ET plays an important role in bronchoconstriction elicited by antigen challenge. In order to test this hypothesis, we investigated tracheal contractile activities and ET-receptors by employing an animal model in guinea pigs. Here, we report that guinea pigs who were sensitized followed by multiple challenges with the antigens had alterations of ET receptor(s) with respect to number and affinity.

DNA replication in fertilized eggs of the starfish Asterina pectinifera

Early starfish embryos were labeled with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU; the thymidine analogue) for 3-4 min of pulse, and the BrdU incorporated into newly replicated DNA was immunocytochemically detected with anti-BrdU antibody. Series of optical sections of the stained embryos observed with a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) were collected, and three-dimensional images of the chromatin and the incorporated BrdU were reconstructed on a computer display. The distribution of the DNA replication sites and the chromatin structure were investigated from a three-dimensional point of view. The oocytes fertilized during maturation and the eggs fertilized after maturation were examined for the timing of S phase, DNA replication pattern, and chromatin distribution in the nucleus. Duration of the first S phase between the two types of embryos differed in the first S phase, but was the same in the second and third S phases. We observed a successive change in the distribution of DNA replication sites from a "uniform" to a "condensing" pattern during a single S phase traverse, except in the first S phase of the eggs fertilized after maturation. These two patterns of DNA replication almost coincided with chromatin visualized by anti-single-stranded DNA antiserum. The apparent change in the pattern of DNA replication sites thus simply reflects the change in the spatial distribution of chromatin. The spatial pattern of DNA replication at the first S phase of the eggs fertilized after maturation was unique in that the whole nucleus was a mosaic of two distinct regions, each supposedly derived from the female and male pronuclei. The putative female region had a fibrillar pattern of DNA replication sites confined to the periphery of the nucleus, while the male region showed condensed sites of DNA replication, which persisted longer than the sites in the female pronuclear region. We discuss such a singularity of the first S phase in starfish eggs on the basis of the temporal relation between the progress of maturation and the time of activation.

Supercritical fluid chromatographic determination of cholesterol and cholesteryl esters in serum on ODS-silica gel column

Cholesterol and cholesteryl esters in human serum were determined by supercritical fluid chromatography on an inert ODS-silica gel column using supercritical carbon dioxide as a mobile phase without a modifier. Chromatograms were obtained by monitoring the eluent simultaneously with an FID and UV detector at the wavelength of 190 nm. The retention behavior of cholesterol and cholesteryl esters was investigated in terms of the density of CO2 mobile phase. The separation mode was found to be reversed phase, as in liquid chromatography. The amounts of cholesterol and cholesteryl esters extracted from human serum reference material (NIST SRM 909) were determined individually using cholesteryl laurate as an internal standard to give good agreement of total cholesterol with the value certified by NIST.

Helicobacter pylori and gastric cancer

This review focuses on the similarities between the epidemiology of gastric cancer and the epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori. Their demographic patterns and the results of studies regarding familial and environmental risk factors are described. The association of gastric cancer and H. pylori infection with both gastric ulcer and chronic atrophic gastritis is also characterized and the possibility that a H. pylori infection could lead to gastric cancer is discussed.

Signal transduction, pharmacological properties, and expression patterns of two rat metabotropic glutamate receptors, mGluR3 and mGluR4

The metabotropic glutamate receptors are coupled to intracellular signal transduction via G-proteins and consist of a family of at least five different subtypes, termed mGluR1-mGluR5. We studied the signal transduction mechanism and pharmacological characteristics of the rat mGluR3 and mGluR4 subtypes in Chinese hamster ovary cells permanently expressing the cloned receptors. Both mGluR3 and mGluR4 inhibit the forskolin-stimulated accumulation of intracellular cAMP formation in response to agonist interaction. Consistent with the high degree of sequence similarity to mGluR2, mGluR3 closely resembles mGluR2 in its agonist selectivity; the potency rank order of agonists is L-glutamate > trans-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylate > ibotenate > quisqualate. mGluR4 is totally different in its agonist specificity from any other member of the metabotropic receptors. This receptor potently reacts with L-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate (L-AP4) in a stereo-selective manner and moderately responds to L-serine-O-phosphate. mGluR4 thus corresponds well to the putative L-AP4 receptor characterized from brain preparations. Blot and in situ hybridization analyses indicated that both mRNAs are widely distributed in the rat brain. mGluR3 mRNA is highly expressed in neuronal cells of the cerebral cortex and the caudate-putamen, and in granule cells of the hippocampal dentate gyrus. The expression pattern of mGluR4 mRNA is more restricted, and this expression is prominent in the cerebellum, olfactory bulb, and thalamus. Furthermore, the mGluR3 mRNA, unlike the other mRNAs for the metabotropic receptors, is highly expressed in glial cells throughout the brain regions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)