Three genes in the human MHC class III region near the junction with the class II: gene for receptor of advanced glycosylation end products, PBX2 homeobox gene and a notch homolog, human counterpart of mouse mammary tumor gene int-3

Cosmid walking of about 250 kb from MHC class III gene CYP21 to class II was conducted. The gene for receptor of advanced glycosylation end products of proteins (RAGE, a member of immunoglobulin superfamily molecules), the PBX2 homeobox gene designated HOX12, and the human counterpart of the mouse mammary tumor gene int-3 were found. The contiguous RAGE and HOX12 genes were completely sequenced, and the human int-3 counterpart was partially sequenced and assigned to a Notch homolog. This human Notch homolog, designated NOTCH3, showed both the intracellular portion present in the mouse int-3 sequence and the extracellular portion absent in the int-3. It thus corresponds to the intact form of a Notch-type transmembrane protein. About 20 kb of dense Alu clustering was found just centromeric to the NOTCH3.

Descending projections from the superior colliculus to the reticular formation around the motor trigeminal nucleus and the parvicellular reticular formation of the medulla oblongata in the rat

We observed by the anterograde and retrograde tracing techniques in the rat that the lateral part of the superior colliculus (SC), where the nigrotectal fibers from the dorsolateral part of the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) terminated, sent projection fibers to the reticular region around the motor trigeminal nucleus (RFmt) and parvicellular reticular formation (RFp) of the medulla oblongata, where many premotor neurons for the orofacial motor nuclei were known to be distributed. The SC neurons sending their axons to the RFmt and RFp were mainly located in the stratum griseum intermedium, and additionally in the stratum griseum profundum. Our results suggest that neuronal signals conveyed through the nigro-tecto-bulbar pathway to the RFmt and RFp may exert control influences upon oral behavior.

1-Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity is required for insulin-stimulated glucose transport but not for RAS activation in CHO cells

Insulin stimulation drives the formation of a complex between tyrosine-phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) and 1-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase; ATP:1-phosphatidyl-1D-myo-inositol 3-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.137), a heterodimer consisting of regulatory 85-kDa (p85) and catalytic 110-kDa (p110) subunits. This interaction takes place via the phosphorylated YMXM motifs of IRS-1 and the Src homology region 2 (SH2) domains of p85. In this study, the stable overexpression in a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line of a mutant p85 alpha (delta p85) protein, which lacks a binding site for p110, disrupted the complex formation between IRS-1 and the catalytic subunit of PI 3-kinase in intact cells during insulin stimulation. Activation of insulin receptor kinase and the tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 remained unaffected. In this cell line, both insulin-stimulated accumulation of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate and the insulin-stimulated glucose uptake due to the translocation of GLUT1 glucose transporters were markedly impaired, whereas neither phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-stimulated glucose uptake nor the insulin-stimulated activation of RAS was impaired. These results suggest that PI 3-kinase is required for glucose transport in insulin signaling in CHO cells.

Long-term efficacy of acute thrombolytic therapy for myocardial infarction

We conducted a retrospective study (1981-1990) to determine whether the efficacy of intracoronary thrombolysis (ICT) could be evaluated from data obtained solely after recanalization. We investigated 55 successful ICT patients (38 with anterior and 17 with inferior myocardial infarction (MI)), and 31 control infarct patients without recanalization. The total serum creatine phosphokinase release (sigma CPK), the extent of infarction measured by T1-201 single photon emission computed tomography (total DS) and the disturbance of regional wall motion (asyn.%) were investigated as parameters for distinguishing the successful ICT and control groups. Discriminatory ability for the two groups was highest with the total DS in all patients. Only the total DS differed significantly between the two groups in patients with inferior infarction. Misidentification of control patients as successful patients was least frequent (25.5%) when using the total DS. These findings suggest that the effectiveness of ICT for acute MI may be assessed on the basis of data obtained solely after recanalization, with the total DS being particularly useful.

A complex of GRB2-dynamin binds to tyrosine-phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate-1 after insulin treatment

Insulin drives the formation of a complex between tyrosine-phosphorylated IRS-1 and SH2-containing proteins. The SH2-containing protein Grb2 also possesses adjacent SH3 domains, which bind the Ras guanine nucleotide exchange factor Sos. In this report, we examined the involvement of another SH3 binding protein, dynamin, in insulin signal transduction. SH3 domains of Grb2 as GST fusion proteins bound dynamin from lysates of CHO cells expressing wild-type insulin receptor (IR) (CHO-IR cells) in a cell-free system (in vitro). Immunoprecipitation studies using specific antibodies against Grb2 revealed that Grb2 was co-immunoprecipitated with dynamin from unstimulated CHO-IR cells. After insulin treatment of CHO-IR cells, anti-dynamin antibodies co-immunoprecipitated the IR beta-subunit and IRS-1, as tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins and PI 3-kinase activity. However, purified rat brain dynamin did not bind directly to either the IR, IRS-1 or the p85 subunit of PI 3-kinase in vitro. Together, these results suggest that in CHO-IR cells, insulin stimulates the binding of dynamin to tyrosine-phosphorylated IRS-1 via Grb2 and that IRS-1 also associates with PI 3-kinase in response to insulin. This complex formation was reconstituted in vitro using recombinant baculovirus-expressed IRS-1, GST-Grb2 fusion proteins and dynamin peptides containing proline-rich sequences. Furthermore, dynamin GTPase activity was found to be stimulated when an IRS-1-derived phosphopeptide, containing the Grb2 binding site, was added to the dynamin-Grb2 complex in vitro.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Involvement of phosphoinositide 3-kinase in insulin- or IGF-1-induced membrane ruffling

Insulin, IGF-1 or EGF induce membrane ruffling through their respective tyrosine kinase receptors. To elucidate the molecular link between receptor activation and membrane ruffling, we microinjected phosphorylated peptides containing YMXM motifs or a mutant 85 kDa subunit of phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase (delta p85) which lacks a binding site for the catalytic 110 kDa subunit of PI 3-kinase into the cytoplasm of human epidermoid carcinoma KB cells. Both inhibited the association of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) with PI 3-kinase in a cell-free system and also inhibited insulin- or IGF-1-induced, but not EGF-induced, membrane ruffling in KB cells. Microinjection of nonphosphorylated analogues, phosphorylated peptides containing the EYYE motif or wild-type 85 kDa subunit (Wp85), all of which did not inhibit the association of IRS-1 with PI 3-kinase in a cell-free system, did not inhibit membrane ruffling in KB cells. In addition, wortmannin, an inhibitor of PI 3-kinase activity, inhibited insulin- or IGF-1-induced membrane ruffling. These results suggest that the association of IRS-1 with PI 3-kinase followed by the activation of PI 3-kinase are required for insulin- or IGF-1-induced, but not for EGF-induced, membrane ruffling.

Biodistributions of radioactive bipositive metal ions in tumor-bearing animals

Distributions of the nuclides 65ZnCl2, 85SrCl2, 58CoCl2 and 103PdCl2 in tumor-bearing animals were determined, and, in addition, the distributions of these nuclides in tumor tissues were observed. Their subcellular distribution in tumor and liver was also examined. Generally speaking, retention values of these bipositive metal ions in tumor were smaller than those of tri-, quadri- and pentavalent metal ions. In the case of 85SrCl2, a large amount of this nuclide was taken up by the bone and remained there for a long time. In the case of 103PdCl2, 103Pd was avidly taken up by the kidney and liver. Very little of the 103Pd taken up into the kidney and liver was excreted. 65Zn and 103Pd were concentrated in the viable tumor tissue and were not seen in necrotic tumor tissue. In the case of 58Co, lysosome played an important role in liver accumulation and played a minor role in tumor accumulation. The distribution of 58Co in tumor and liver was fairly similar to that of 67Ga, 111In, 169Yb, 46Sc, 51Cr, 95Zr, 181Hf, 95Nb and 182Ta which were reported previously. Lysosome did not play an important role in the accumulation of 65Zn, 85Sr and 103Pd into tumor and liver.

Signal transduction pathways from insulin receptors to Ras. Analysis by mutant insulin receptors

We have examined the involvement of insulin receptor (IR) substrate-1 (IRS-1) and/or Shc in the upstream of Ras activation in insulin signaling using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines overexpressing wild-type (CHO-IR) cells) or mutant insulin receptors. In CHO-IR cells, insulin rapidly phosphorylated IRS-1 and Shc at tyrosine residues and stimulated the formation of the active GTP-bound Ras (Ras.GTP). In contrast, a CHO cell line overexpressing the kinase-negative mutant insulin receptor substituting Arg1018 for Lys1018 was unable to tyrosine-phosphorylate IRS-1 and Shc and failed to activate Ras in response to insulin. A CHO cell line overexpressing the mutant insulin receptor, substituting Ala960 for Tyr960 and which was known to exhibit impaired tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 and biological effects evoked by insulin, showed severely impaired insulin-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc and moderately impaired activation of Ras. Another cell line overexpressing the mutant insulin receptor, lacking 82 amino acids of the C terminus of beta-subunit and which was recently reported to retain normal insulin-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1, showed slightly impaired Ras activation at 10(-7) M insulin with severely reduced tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc protein. Furthermore, insulin did not induce the association of tyrosine-phosphorylated IRS-1 and Shc in CHO-IR cells. These results suggest that Shc and IRS-1 lie in the separate signaling pathways and that the tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 with or without some low level of Shc phosphorylation may be enough to stimulate the submaximal accumulation of Ras.GTP complex and may need synergistically the higher level of tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc to induce the full activation of Ras in insulin signaling.

The c-kit ligand, stem cell factor, promotes mast cell survival by suppressing apoptosis

Stem cell factor (SCF) and its receptor (SCFR), a member of the receptor tyrosine kinase III family that is encoded by the c-kit gene, critically regulate several complex biological programs including hematopoiesis, mast cell development, cutaneous pigmentation, and gametogenesis. We show herein that mouse mast cells die rapidly after the withdrawal of SCF in vivo or in vitro, and provide morphological evidence that such mast cells undergo programmed cell death or apoptosis. We also show that when in vitro-derived mouse mast cells maintained in SCF are removed from SCF-containing medium for only 5 or 6 hours, the cells' genomic DNA exhibits the ladder-like pattern of oligonucleosome-sized fragments typical of apoptosis. These findings demonstrate that SCF can regulate the survival of a cellular lineage which expresses the SCFR by suppressing apoptosis. They also identify a mechanism that can result in striking and rapid reductions in the size of tissue mast cell populations without histological evidence of the concomitant induction of a significant inflammatory response.

Coexistence of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and neuropeptide Y immunoreactivity within axon terminals in the canine and human lower esophageal sphincter: electron microscopy by a double immunogold labeling procedure

Subcellular localization of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) immunoreactivity within nerves was investigated in the lower esophageal sphincter of dogs and humans by double immunogold staining of sections prepared for electron microscopy. Coexistence of VIP and NPY immunoreactivity was clearly demonstrated in the large granular vesicles (LGVs) in axon terminals that were closely associated with the smooth muscle cells, as well as in the LGVs within the perikarya of neurons located in the myenteric plexus. Some LGVs appeared immunopositive only for VIP or NPY. This phenomenon might have been partly due to the fact that the double-labeling procedure with immunogold particles of different sizes was performed on both faces of each section. The results obtained in this study suggest that VIP and NPY are synthesized in the same neuron, stored in the same axon terminal, and released together to act on sphincter muscle cells.

Cloning of a new kinesin-related gene located at the centromeric end of the human MHC region

We previously reported the presence of a new gene (HSET) with an unknown function, in the centromeric side of the class II gene region of the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC). cDNA clones corresponding to the HSET gene were isolated from a human testis cDNA library. A 2.4 kilobase transcript from the HSET gene was abundantly expressed in testis, B-cell, T-cell, and ovary cell lines but was not detected in lung or stomach. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the HSET cDNA clones revealed significant similarity to kinesin-related proteins in yeast, Drosophila, and human. Its predicted amino acid sequence contains a domain with strong sequence similarity to the ATP-binding and motor domains of a plus end-directed microtubule motor protein, kinesin, which might be involved in mitotic chromosome segregation, suggesting that the HSET gene encodes a novel kinesin-related protein.

Tumour affinity of 203Pb-chloride: comparison with 67Ga-citrate and 201Tl-chloride

The radionuclide 203Pb decays completely by electron capture to stable 203Tl with a half-life of 52 h. The primary radiation from the decay is gamma-ray radiation 280 keV (80%). 203Pb is produced easily from the natural metal thallium by the method described below. 203Pb-chloride is a promising imaging agent for tumour scanning because of the large retention value for tumour tissue and the small value for normal organs, but the large value for the kidney and bone is a shortcoming when considering it as an imaging agent. The retention value of 203Pb in tumour tissue is larger than that of 201Tl and smaller than that of 67Ga. The tumour/inflammatory lesion retention ratio for 203Pb is very large in comparison with those for 67Ga and 201Tl. 203Pb accumulates to a large extent in viable tumour tissue, and less in necrotic tumour tissue and in inflammatory lesion. Therefore, 203Pb-chloride is far better for visualization of viable tumour tissue than 67Ga and 201Tl if the large retention values for the kidney and bone were reduced.

Effects of chronic treatment with the c-kit ligand, stem cell factor, on immunoglobulin E-dependent anaphylaxis in mice. Genetically mast cell-deficient Sl/Sld mice acquire anaphylactic responsiveness, but the congenic normal mice do not exhibit augmented responses

We treated genetically mast cell-deficient WCB6F1-Sl/Sld mice and the congenic normal (WCB6F1(-)+/+) mice with the c-kit ligand recombinant rat stem cell factor164 (rrSCF164; 100 micrograms/kg per d, subcutaneously) or with vehicle for 21 d, then passively sensitized the mice with anti-dinitrophenol30-40 immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies, and 1 d later measured the changes in heart rate, pulmonary dynamic compliance, and pulmonary conductance, and assessed the death rates associated with intravenous challenge of these animals with specific antigen. rrSCF164 treatment induced the development of mast cells in Sl/Sld mice, and these mice exhibited tachycardia, but not death, after challenge with IgE and antigen. rrSCF164 treatment induced mast cell hyperplasia in +/+ mice, but the cardiopulmonary changes associated with passive anaphylaxis in these mice were virtually indistinguishable from those observed in control +/+ mice treated with vehicle instead of rrSCF164. Moreover, the highest dose of antigen challenge produced significantly fewer fatalities in rrSCF164-treated than in vehicle-treated +/+ mice (1/11 vs. 8/11, respectively, P < 0.01). Thus, in normal mice, chronic treatment with rrSCF164 induces mast cell hyperplasia but does not increase, and in certain respects diminishes, the severity of IgE-dependent anaphylactic reactions.

Myocardial SPECT and left ventricular performance study using a single Tc-99m teboroxime injection. Comparison with thallium-201 myocardial SPECT

Myocardial SPECT using teboroxime was compared to thallium SPECT in 26 patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. Agreement between thallium SPECT and teboroxime SPECT for the identification of myocardial segments was 209/235 (89%). A significant correlation was found in 15 patients between the left ventricular ejection fraction by teboroxime first-pass study and the ejection fraction by contrast ventriculography. In nine patients with myocardial infarction and/or multivessel coronary artery disease, the ejection fraction revealed a mean decrease from 0.52 at rest to 0.46 at exercise. Teboroxime makes it possible to perform an exercise first-pass study of left ventricular ejection fraction followed by myocardial perfusion imaging.

Mast cells contribute to the changes in heart rate, but not hypotension or death, associated with active anaphylaxis in mice

The mast cell is widely thought to contribute importantly to the cardiopulmonary changes associated with anaphylaxis, but much of the evidence for this is indirect. We, therefore, performed a detailed assessment of heart rate and pulmonary function during active anaphylaxis in genetically mast cell-deficient W/Wv or S1/S1d mice, the congenic normal (+/+) mice, and W/Wv mice repaired of their mast cell deficiency by transplantation of bone marrow from the congenic +/+ mice (+/+ BM-->W/Wv mice). For all five groups of mice, Ag challenge resulted in the death of more than two-thirds of the sensitized animals, whereas none of the nonsensitized control mice died as a result of Ag infusion. Sensitized normal (WBB6F1(-)+/+ or WCB6F1(-)+/+) mice and +/+BM-->W/Wv mice developed increases in heart rate that were significantly greater than those of nonsensitized +/+ mice or those of sensitized mast cell-deficient mice, indicating that mast cells contribute to the tachycardia observed in this form of active anaphylaxis. By contrast, even though some of the pulmonary changes associated with active anaphylaxis were more severe in +/+ than in mast cell-deficient mice, it was not clear to what extent this difference was mast cell dependent. W/Wv mice undergoing active anaphylaxis developed decreases in systemic arterial blood pressure that occurred more rapidly and were more severe than those observed in the congenic +/+ mice, indicating that the hypotension associated with this model of anaphylaxis also can occur by mast cell-independent mechanisms. We conclude that in this model of anaphylaxis mast cells: 1) are required for the development of the tachycardia response; 2) may contribute to, but are not essential for, production of decreases in lung function; and 3) are not necessary for the development of hypotension or death.

Mast cells contribute to the changes in heart rate, but not hypotension or death, associated with active anaphylaxis in mice

The mast cell is widely thought to contribute importantly to the cardiopulmonary changes associated with anaphylaxis, but much of the evidence for this is indirect. We, therefore, performed a detailed assessment of heart rate and pulmonary function during active anaphylaxis in genetically mast cell-deficient W/Wv or S1/S1d mice, the congenic normal (+/+) mice, and W/Wv mice repaired of their mast cell deficiency by transplantation of bone marrow from the congenic +/+ mice (+/+ BM--&gt;W/Wv mice). For all five groups of mice, Ag challenge resulted in the death of more than two-thirds of the sensitized animals, whereas none of the nonsensitized control mice died as a result of Ag infusion. Sensitized normal (WBB6F1(-)+/+ or WCB6F1(-)+/+) mice and +/+BM--&gt;W/Wv mice developed increases in heart rate that were significantly greater than those of nonsensitized +/+ mice or those of sensitized mast cell-deficient mice, indicating that mast cells contribute to the tachycardia observed in this form of active anaphylaxis. By contrast, even though some of the pulmonary changes associated with active anaphylaxis were more severe in +/+ than in mast cell-deficient mice, it was not clear to what extent this difference was mast cell dependent. W/Wv mice undergoing active anaphylaxis developed decreases in systemic arterial blood pressure that occurred more rapidly and were more severe than those observed in the congenic +/+ mice, indicating that the hypotension associated with this model of anaphylaxis also can occur by mast cell-independent mechanisms. We conclude that in this model of anaphylaxis mast cells: 1) are required for the development of the tachycardia response; 2) may contribute to, but are not essential for, production of decreases in lung function; and 3) are not necessary for the development of hypotension or death.

Prognosis of undetected intrapulmonary metastases in resected lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Between 1975 and 1989, 839 patients with lung cancer underwent pulmonary resection at Okayama University Medical School; for this study data of the 42 (5.0%) who had intrapulmonary metastasis were analyzed.

RESULTS

The 5-year survival rate for the 42 patients was 25.7%, which was significantly better than that of patients with Stage IV disease and extrapulmonary metastasis, none of whom survived for 3 years. The 2-year survival rate was found to be significantly better in patients with one-lobe metastasis (n = 37; 41.5%) than in those with two-lobe metastasis (n = 5; 20.0%). Adenocarcinoma was the most common tumor (66.8%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (28.6%), but the prognosis differed little between these two histologic types. Intrapulmonary metastasis did not unfavorably affect the prognosis when the primary tumor was 3 cm or less in greatest dimension and there were no lymph node metastases (T1N0).

CONCLUSION

In patients with lung cancer and one-lobe intrapulmonary metastasis, particularly in those with T1N0, a favorable prognosis can be expected after surgery.

[Thoracoscopic treatment of bronchogenic cyst]

A central bronchogenic cyst was excised thoracoscopically from a 44-year-old woman in whom a tumor had been pointed out in the left upper posterior mediastinum at a screening examination. Since the tumor was diagnosed to be benign, only conservative follow-up was undertaken, but the patient consulted our department desiring active therapy. On the basis of the chest CT and MRI findings a bronchogenic cyst was diagnosed. Under general anesthesia and mechanical ventilation of one lung, the thoracoscope was inserted into the thoracic cavity revealing in the left upper posterior mediastinum a cyst which was excised thoracoscopically. While coagulation was performed gingerly with an electric scalpel, the tumor was detached sharply and bluntly with a pair of scissors. The postoperative course was uneventful with little wound pain or scar formation. Hitherto bronchogenic cysts have been treated by resection after thoracotomy. Although this is an easy procedure, a relatively large operative scar is left and considerable wound pain may develop. In contrast, thoracoscopic treatment is characterized by minimal surgical invasiveness, little postoperative wound pain, and small scars. These advantages suggest that this technique may be indicated for benign mediastinal tumors, particularly cysts.

An autopsied case of Williams syndrome complicated by moyamoya disease

An 18 year old girl with typical clinical features of Williams syndrome suddenly died of intracerebral hemorrhage due to moyamoya disease. Autopsy revealed vascular abnormalities, such as supravalvular aortic stenosis (SAS) and an abnormal complicated cerebrovascular network in the cerebral arteries. The arterial wall of the SAS lesion consisted of thickened medial tissue showing elastic disorganization with prominence of the smooth muscle cells. The narrowed vessels of the circle of Willis showed intimal thickening with an extremely wavy internal elastic lamina and marked thinning of the media. To our knowledge, this is the first report of moyamoya disease associated with Williams syndrome.