Co-expression of the proprotein-processing endoprotease furin and its substrate transforming growth factor beta1 and the differentiation of rat hepatocytes

Furin, a member of the yeast Kex2 endoprotease family, converts a number of proproteins to their active forms. The liver produces a number of proproteins having a furin-cleavable site; thus, furin may be involved in growth and differentiation both in the partially hepatectomized liver and in primary cultured hepatocytes. Furin mRNA levels are elevated in tissues regenerated from partially hepatectomized rat liver. In primary culture of rat hepatocytes, furin expression increases gradually with time, and its expression is greatly enhanced by transforming growth factor beta1, whose processing from the precursor requires cleavage by furin. Thus, we suggest that the regeneration and differentiation of hepatocytes is dependent upon the co-elevation of furin and transforming growth factor beta1 mRNAs.

Extrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt without portal hypertension

A 72-year-old woman was admitted for recurrent episodes of encephalopathy. Laboratory data showed mild liver dysfunction and hyperammonemia, while she had neither anemia nor splenomegaly. The dilated inferior mesenteric vein (IMV) was opacified retrogradely from the superior mesenteric vein by superior mesenteric arteriography, and IMV was found to connect with the inferior vena cava (IVC) through a torturous shunt. No obstruction of the extrahepatic portal vein or hepatic vein was observed by arteriography. Histological evaluation of the liver biopsy indicated remarkable fatty change without cirrhosis. Finally, we diagnosed this case as extrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt without portal hypertension.

Fluorometric determination of serum and urinary aluminium with 8-quinolinol by kinetic-differentiation-mode micellar chromatography

A new fluorometric method has been developed for the determination of aluminium with 8-quinolinol by kinetic-differentiation-mode micellar chromatography. The proposed method enabled the determination of aluminium down to 1 microgram/l in human serum and urine without preliminary deproteinization. The most remarkable point of this method is that only aluminium ion selectively responds among metal ions. The complex formation of aluminium in serum with 8-quinolinol was completed within a few minutes at room temperature. The serum matrix and aluminium chelate were separated on a reversed-phase column with an eluent containing acetonitrile, sodium dodecylsulfate, and Triton X-100, and aluminium chelate was detected at Ex 370 nm, Em 504 nm. The values obtained by this method were in good agreement with those of Zeeman graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The proposed method will provide a simple and rapid technique for the determination aluminium in medical fields.

Inhibition of plating of human T cell leukemia virus type I and syncytium-inducing types of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 by polycations

We examined the effects of polycations, namely, diethylaminoethyl-dextran (DEAE-dextran) and hexadimethrine bromide (Polybrene), on infection with the retroviruses human T cell leukemia virus types I and II (HTLV-I and HTLV-II) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The plating of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) pseudotype bearing envelope antigens of HTLV-I [VSV(HTLV-I)] was inhibited about 2- and 10-fold by treatment with DEAE-dextran and Polybrene, respectively. The formation of HTLV-I viral DNA detected 1 day after infection was also inhibited by these polycations. In contrast, polycations enhanced the plating of the VSV (HTLV-II) pseudotype two- to threefold. The polycations did not affect the plating efficiency of HTLV-I or HTLV-II when added after virus adsorption. Infection of human T cell lines, peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs), or brain-derived cells with syncytium-inducing (SI) types of HIV-1 strains (GUN1 and IIIB) was inhibited 3- to 20-fold by polycations. However, infection of PBLs or monocyte-derived macrophages with the macrophage-tropic Ba-L or SF162 strain was enhanced 1.5- to twofold by polycations. On the other hand, syncytium formation in coculture induced by HTLV-I, HTLV-II, or HIV-1 was enhanced two- to threefold unanimously by DEAE-dextran or Polybrene. Although polycations have been used to potentiate human retrovirus adsorption, they inhibited infection of cell-free HTLV-I or SI-type HIV-1 strains.

Effect of phospholipids on adsorption and penetration of human T-cell leukemia virus type I

We have studied the ability of some phospholipids (PLs) and phospholipases (PLases) to interfere with infection of human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I). Plating of pseudotype of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) bearing envelope antigens of HTLV-I, VSV(HTLV-I), was markedly inhibited by treatment of the cells with cardiolipin (CL) after, but not before, infection. Treatment of the cells with CL after infection also inhibited the plating of VSV pseudotype of bovine leukemia virus (BLV), but scarcely affected VSV infection. Furthermore, the plating of VSV(HTLV-I) was markedly enhanced by treatment with PLCase after infection. Treatment with PLCase, however, did not affect the plating of VSV. These results were also confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR): Formation of proviral DNA was inhibited when indicator cells were treated with CL after cell-free infection of HTLV-I, but not before, and enhanced when indicator cells were treated with PLCase after HTLV-I infection. These findings suggested that PLs might play a role at the early stage of HTLV-I infection.

Effect of extracranial carotid artery stenosis and other risk factors for stroke on periventricular hyperintensity

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The pathogenesis of periventricular hyperintensity (PVH) is still uncertain. We investigated the relationship between PVH and risk factors for cerebrovascular diseases, especially extracranial carotid artery stenosis (ECAS).

METHODS

We studied PVH and ECAS in 323 subjects between 1991 and 1994. Using 1.5-T MRI scan images, we measured PVH quantitatively at eight points and evaluated cerebral infarction. Duplex carotid sonography was performed on the carotid arteries bilaterally and used to divide the severity of ECAS into five grades. Risk factors for cerebrovascular diseases and atherosclerotic complications were assessed from the clinical history.

RESULTS

Age was significantly correlated with the size of frontal and whole PVH (P < .01). Frontal PVH was significantly more severe in subjects with hypertension (P < .05). Frontal, occipital, and whole PVH were significantly more severe in subjects with a history of cerebrovascular accident (P < .01). Other risk factors and atherosclerotic complications were not correlated with PVH. There were no significant differences in the severity of PVH among the five groups of ECAS. The severity of PVH in each region was not related to ECAS. There was no significant difference in the age of patients in relation to the five grades of ECAS. However, PVH was significantly more severe in subjects with lacunar infarction or infarction of the deep border zone (P < .05). There was no relationship between PVH and cortical infarction or infarction of the cortical border zone.

CONCLUSIONS

PVH correlated with age, hypertension, and past history of cerebrovascular disease but not with ECAS. PVH was significantly more severe in lacunar infarction and infarction of the deep border zone. These results suggest that small-vessel disease may underlie the pathogenesis and development of PVH.

The cDNA cloning and transient expression of a chicken gene encoding a follicle-stimulating hormone receptor

A clone, pcFSHR, containing a 3.1-kb insert was isolated from a cDNA library of chicken ovarian follicles by screening with an RT-PCR-generated cDNA probe for a putative N-terminal half-region of chicken FSH-R. The deduced amino acid sequence of pcFSHR exhibits about 84% identity to those of mammalian FSH-R and about 70% to those of mammalian LH-CG-R. Northern blot analysis for total RNA preparations from several chicken tissues revealed that transcripts detected with pcFSHR were present exclusively in ovary and testis. In a chicken ovary, the transcripts were detected in granulosa but not in theca cells. A radioligand receptor assay for the human 293 cells transfected with an expression vector containing the insert of pcFSHR demonstrated the production of a receptor which showed about 10-fold higher affinity for chicken FSH than for chicken LH. The affinity for chicken FSH was significantly higher than for human FSH. In consistency with the ligand specificity of the receptor, a significantly higher level of intracellular accumulation of cAMP was detected when the transfected cells were treated with chicken FSH than with chicken LH. From these results, we conclude that pcFSHR is a cDNA clone for the chicken FSH-R.

Prophylaxis of experimental HTLV-I infection in cynomolgus monkeys by passive immunization

The protective effect of purified human immunoglobulin against human T-cell leukaemia virus type I (HTLV-I), designated ATLIG on HTLV-I infection was examined in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) as a preclinical study. Passive immunization of ATLIG 24 h before challenging HTLV-I protected the monkeys from HTLV-I infection. The result suggests that passive immunization of ATLIG could provide safe and sufficient protection against HTLV-I infection in humans.

Comparison of bone and total alkaline phosphatase activity on bone turnover during menopause and in patients with established osteoporosis

OBJECTIVE

Recently, a bone alkaline phosphatase (AP) enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was developed for measurement of bone AP activity with a monoclonal antibody. We compared the clinical performance of bone AP (bAP) measured by EIA and total AP (tAP) to examine if bAP is preferable to tAP as a bone formation marker in the post-menopause and established osteoporosis.

DESIGN AND PATIENTS

Serum was obtained from 50 pre- and 93 post-menopausal healthy women, and 54 osteoporotic patients with vertebral fractures and 57 patients with hip fracture.

MEASUREMENTS

Total AP was measured spectrophotometrically with p-nitrophenyl phosphate as substrate. The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 0.7-1.8% and 0.6-1.1%, respectively. Bone AP activity (bAP) was measured by EIA kit, ALKPHASE-B (Metra Biosystems, Inc.) using a monoclonal antibody against human bone AP. The intra- and inter-assay CVs were 4.0-8.3% and 6.2-7.9%, respectively.

RESULTS

The percentage mean increase of bAP (54.9%) in post-menopausal subjects over premenopausal subjects was higher than that of tAP (40.1%). In age-matched comparison, % mean increases were 57.5% for bAP and 35.3% for tAP. Z-score for bAP in post-menopausal subjects was significantly higher than that for tAP. However, there was no significant difference in Z-scores between tAP and bAP in osteoporotic patients with vertebral fractures or with hip fracture. The correlation coefficient of bAP with age (r = 0.316) was similar to that of tAP with age (r = 0.319). In post-menopausal subjects, there was no difference in the concentrations of tAP nor bAP among the groups in whom times since the menopause was 0-9 years, 10-19 years and more than 20 years. Bone AP was highly correlated to tAP in the normal subjects, the patients and the total study group.

CONCLUSION

Preference can be given to bone AP by enzymatic immunoassay over total AP based on their clinical utility during the menopause; however, no preference can be given to bone AP over total AP in established osteoporosis.

Studies on the site of renal tubular defect in Bartter's syndrome

Renal tubular function was studied in an 8-month-old male infant with Bartter's syndrome, which is characterized by hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis, normotensive hyperreninemic hyperaldosteronism, and reduced pressor response to angiotensin II. Chloride transport along the diluting segment (CH2O/CH2O + CCl) was impaired. Furthermore, furosemide did not elicit normal natriuresis, which suggested impaired chloride reabsorptive capacity at the furosemide-sensitive ascending limb of Henle's loop. Loss of antidiuretic hormone-mediated urinary concentration was in support of this. These findings pointed to the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop as the site of the primary defect in this child.

Process of dispersion and fragmentation of Golgi complex by microtubule bundles formed in taxol treated HeLa cells

By means of a monoclonal antibody (mAbG3A5) against Golgi membrane glycoprotein, we have visualized the relative position of cytoplasmic polymerized microtubule bundles to Golgi stack cisternae in taxol treated HeLa cells, and found extensive fragmentation of the Golgi stack cisternae brought about by microtubule bundles. Within a 1 h period of taxol treatment, polymerization of cytoplasmic microtubules increased rapidly to form microtubule bundles, while the Golgi complex dispersed slightly along with the polymerized microtubule bundles. After 2 to 3 h taxol treatment the dispersal of the Golgi complex from the microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) to cytoplasmic periphery rapidly progressed in the direction which the microtubules ran. At early dispersal, the microtubule bundles were oriented apart from the stretched end of the Golgi stack cisternae and exhibited little direct contact with the Golgi stack cisternae membrane. The Golgi stack cisternae then began to wind around the microtubule bundles, followed by the beginning of fragmentation of the Golgi stack cisternae. At this step, some of the microtubules seemed to attach to a part of the Golgi stack cisternae. After prolonged exposure of cells to taxol (25 h) the microtubule bundles were highly developed throughout the cells and most of the Golgi fragments were trapped at their termini. In these cells, extensive fragmentation of Golgi stack cisternae occurred, resulting in small Golgi vesicles bound to the microtubule bundle.

Inhibition of syncytium formation by antisense oligonucleotide phosphorothioates complementary to tax mRNA of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)

HTLV-1 infection is known as the factor to cause adult T-cell leukemia (ATL). Antisense oligonucleotide phosphorothioates against tax gene and control oligonucleotide phosphorothioates were synthesized. Antisense oligonucleotide was complementary to the region of initiation codon of tax gene. Two control oligonucleotides were tax sense and random. HTLV-1-positive human T-cell line, C91/PL and HTLV-1 non-infected human glioma cell line, U251-MG were co-cultured in the presence of antisense or control oligonucleotides for 24 hours. Oligonucleotides used in this study were not toxic at 10 microM concentration. Antisense oligonucleotide against tax gene inhibited 59% the syncytium formation assay at 10 microM concentration.

Evaluation of bone turnover in postmenopause, vertebral fracture, and hip fracture using biochemical markers for bone formation and resorption

The purpose of this study is to evaluate bone turnover in postmenopausal status and established osteoporosis with vertebral fracture and hip fracture by assessing bone biochemical markers. Subjects were 50 healthy premenopausal subjects, 44 healthy postmenopausal subjects, 30 osteoporotic patients with vertebral fracture, and 31 osteoporotic patients with hip fracture. Alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, PICP, ICTP, NTx, free deoxypyridinoline, total pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline were measured. In postmenopause, both Z-scores of bone formation markers and resorption markers were around 1-2. In osteoporosis, although Z-scores of bone formation markers were 0.4-2.8, resorption markers were 2.3-9.5. Moreover, Z-scores of resorption markers were higher in hip fracture than in vertebral fracture. These results indicate that bone formation and resorption increased and balanced in postmenopausal status. However, bone resorption increased more than bone formation and did not balance at all in osteoporosis. This imbalance is greater in hip fractures than in vertebral fractures.

Real-time pickup method for a three-dimensional image based on integral photography

We studied integral photography (IP), which creates three-dimensional autostereoscopic images. In particular we studied the possibility of a new method that uses a television camera to shoot directly numerous real images produced by a lens array. Unlike the conventional IP method in which the film is placed immediately behind a lens array, this method employs a television camera, which enables us to shoot moving pictures. Of a number of factors affecting the process of image pickup, we examined some optical factors and compared them with those obtained by the conventional IP method. The results show that with this new direct pickup method that uses a television camera, we can obtain an IP image like those obtained by using the conventional IP method. Further, we conducted an experiment with an high-definition TV camera, confirming the production of an autostereoscopic image by using a display device that combines a liquid-crystal panel and pinholes.

Synthesis of N-acetylglucosaminyl- and N-acetylgalactosaminylceramides as cerebroside analogs and their anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 activities

Monoglycosylceramide derivatives containing mimicks of ceramide were synthesized as cerebroside analogs from D-glucosamine or D-galactosamine derivatives and N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-serine myristylamide by using trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf) as a promoter. The synthesized sulfate glycolipids show moderate anti-HIV-1 activities.

Discrimination ability of pyridinoline crosslinks related markers for bone resorption in postmenopause and osteoporosis

We investigated the discrimination ability of pyridinolines crosslinks related bone resorption markers. Amino-terminal pyridinolines crosslinked telopeptides (NTx) and carboxy-terminal pyridinolines crosslinked telopeptides (ICTP), pyridinoline (Pyr) and deoxypyridinoline (Dpyr) were measured in 62 premenopausal (PRE), 30 early postmenopausal healthy subjects (POST) and 24 vertebral osteoporosis patients (VX). NTx, Pyr and Dpyr was significantly higher in POST than in PRE. ICTP was not changed in POST compared with PRE. NTx, ICTP, Pyr and Dpyr were significantly higher in VX than in PRE and POST. To evaluate discriminatory ability of four markers, we calculated t-scores, and generated receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. In POST, NTx, Pyr and Dpyr had a moderate t-score, 1.8, 1.4 and 1.3, respectively. In ICTP t-score was only -0.2. In VX compared with POST, ICTP, Pyr and Dpyr had a high t-score, 5.9, 7.9 and 7.5, respectively, but t-score of NTx was moderate, 3.6. The areas under ROC curves for NTx, ICTP, Pyr and Dpyr in POST were 75.8%, 33.8%, 78.1% and 79.5%, respectively. In VX, compared with POST, those for NTx, ICTP, Pyr and Dpyr were 94.0%, 86.0%, 97.4% and 95.1%, respectively. In conclusion, NTx performed well in early postmenopausal status, but did not in osteoporosis. ICTP did not have discrimination power in postmenopause but performed well in osteoporosis. Pyr, Dpyr performed moderately well in postmenopause and performed well in osteoporosis.

CYFRA 21-1: an indicator of survival and therapeutic effect in lung cancer

CYFRA 21-1 is a new tumor marker using two different monoclonal antibodies which recognize the divergent epitope on the N- or C-terminal region of domain 2 of cytokeratin 19 fragment, respectively. In this study, we investigated the relationship between levels of CYFRA 21-1 and survival duration, as well as the efficacy of chemotherapy associated with changes in CYFRA 21-1. Serum samples were obtained from 87 patients with nonoperable lung cancer (35 cases with squamous-cell carcinoma, 33 with adenocarcinoma, 3 with large-cell carcinoma, and 16 with small-cell carcinoma). The cutoff point was set at 3.5 ng/ml. In a CYFRA 21-1 assay, significantly more patients with squamous-cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma were positive compared to patients with small-cell and large-cell carcinomas (p = 0.0017). Following chemotherapy, blood levels of CYFRA 21-1 decreased significantly in responders versus nonresponders (p = 0.0246). A significant correlation was noted between survival periods and pretreatment levels of CYFRA 21-1 (p = 0.0036). The present study suggests that CYFRA 21-1 might be useful as a possible indicator of survival and therapeutic effect for lung cancer.

Short-term effect of parathyroidectomy on biochemical markers in primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism

This study has been carried out in order to evaluate several bone metabolic markers after parathyroidectomy in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP) and secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHP). The subjects studied were 6 patients with PHP (5 females, 1 male, aged 64-83 years) and 5 patients with SHP on chronic maintenance hemodialysis with skeletal symptoms (2 females, 3 males, aged 57-67 years). In PHP, serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and procollagen type I carboxy-terminal propeptides (PICP) levels showed a trend to increase gradually after parathyroidectomy, changes which were statistically significant (ALP, p = 0.0375; PICP, p = 0.0006). The serum bone Gla protein (BGP) level showed no significant change throughout the pre- and postoperative periods (p = 0.7512). Urinary pyridinoline (Pyr.) and deoxypyridinoline (DPyr.) levels showed rapid decreases after parathyroidectomy (Pyr.; p = 0.0014, DPyr., p = 0.0087). In SHP, individual values of serum ALP in 3 patients with complete parathyroid resection and 1 patient with incomplete parathyroid resection showed a tendency to increase. Individual values of serum BGP and PICP increased after parathyroidectomy in 3 patients with complete parathyroid resection but not in the 2 patients with incomplete parathyroid resection. Individual values of the serum carboxy-terminal pyridinoline cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) level showed no certain trend. The results obtained after surgery indicate that there is a positive uncoupling of the two processes of bone remodeling, and serum PICP and urinary pyridinium cross-links are good specific markers for the evaluation of potential recovery of bone damage after parathyroidectomy.