Proliferative vitreoretinopathy in Coats' disease. Clinicohistopathological case report

We report the clinicohistopathological findings of the proliferative vitreoretinopathy in an eye with Coats' disease using the tissue obtained during surgery. A 28-year-old man, who had experienced poor vision in his right eye for a period of 4 years, was referred to our hospital. Examination revealed an extensive yellow exudate in the subretinal space and a tractional retinal detachment. Prominent teleangiectatic retinal vessels were also temporally present. Evident epiretinal membranes were present in the postequatorial area. We performed a scleral buckling, vitrectomy, membrane peeling, endophotocoagulation and silicone oil tamponade. A histological examination revealed that the epiretinal membrane consisted of collagen fibers, glial proliferation, foam cells and lymphocytes. The foam cell in the epiretinal membrane is a characteristic finding in an eye with Coats' disease.

High sensitivity of the turtle olfactory system to nonvolatile substances: comparison of response properties with those in gustatory systems

The olfactory responses of the aquatic turtles, Geocylemys reevesii whose nostrils are closed underwater to nonvolatile substances were measured by recording the olfactory bulbar responses. Various salts, acids and bitter substances elicited large responses, while sugars and amino acids did not elicit the responses. The thresholds for the salts were much lower than those of corresponding salts in the rat gustatory system. The responses to the salts were partially suppressed by amiloride. Various acids induced large responses and the magnitudes greatly depended on the anion species. The thresholds for the bitter substances were much lower than those of corresponding substances in the taste systems. Similar to the responses in taste systems, both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions contribute to the binding of the substances to the receptor membranes. Similar to the taste systems, the response to quinine hydrochloride showed a sharp temperature dependence having a peak around 25 degrees C, while the responses to odorants did not show such peak. The present results suggest that the olfactory system has similar abilities to respond to salts, acids and bitter substances to those in gustatory systems and that the high sensitivity of the olfactory system to chemical stimuli is not only attributable to the second messenger amplification system, but also to the basic property of the receptor membrane independent of the amplification system.

Retinoic acid induces BDNF responsiveness of sympathetic neurons by alteration of Trk neurotrophin receptor expression

The expression of high affinity neurotrophin receptors (TrkA, TrkB, and TrkC) determines the survival response of different populations of neurons to specific members of the neurotrophin family, including nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3). However, the mechanism which controls the expression of neurotrophin receptors during neuronal development is largely unknown. Here we show that the treatment of the cultured sympathetic neurons from newborn rat superior cervical ganglia (SCG) with retinoic acid (RA), a derivative of vitamin A, suppressed the expression of trkA mRNA and induced the expression of trkB mRNA. Expression of the functional TrkB receptor was confirmed by the emergence of trophic dependence of these neurons on BDNF in the absence of NGF. Differential regulation of trk mRNAs by RA provides a possible model for the establishment of neurotrophin dependence of peripheral neurons.

Receptor mechanisms of bitter substances

The receptor mechanism of bitter substances was discussed from the following points of views. (a) Both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions of bitter substances with taste receptor membranes contribute to reception of bitter substances having a positive charge. (b) In the frog, the responses to bitter substances are easily adapted. The presence of Ca ion in the medium prolongs the responses. (c) Bitter substances elicit electrical responses in nongustatory cells such as neuroblastoma cells and olfactory cells, suggesting that bitter substances induce the response by nonreceptor-mediated mechanism. (d) There is also a possibility that receptors for some bitter substances are G-protein coupled. We cloned G-protein coupled receptors from bovine taste tissues. (e) A specific inhibitor of bitter taste has been desired in pharmaceutical and food sciences, but it has not been available. We found that a lipoprotein made of phosphatidic acid and beta-lactoglobulin selectively inhibits the responses to bitter substances in the frog and humans. Binding of the lipoprotein to the receptor sites for bitter substances leads to suppression of the response.

Olfactory responses of chum salmon to amino acids are independent of large differences in salt concentrations between fresh and sea water

In chum salmon captured at the coastal sea and the natal river, the magnitudes of the olfactory nerve responses to the amino acids after perfusion of the olfactory epithelium with artificial pond water (APW) were similar to those after perfusion with artificial sea water (ASW), although the concentrations of Na+, Cl- and Ca2+ in ASW were 986, 430 and 27 times higher than those in APW, respectively. The findings suggest that the permeability of these ions across the apical membranes of olfactory cells do not essentially contribute to the transduction mechanism in the salmon.

Characterization of new inbred strains of Dahl-Iwai salt-sensitive and salt-resistant rats

Dahl-Iwai salt-sensitive (S) and salt-resistant (R) rat strains were newly established as inbred strains. To characterize the strains, the Dahl-Iwai S and R rats were fed low-salt (0.3% NaCl) and high-salt (8.0% NaCl) diets from 5 weeks after birth, and systolic blood pressure and pathologic findings were examined at intervals. The distributions of alleles at 19 biochemical and immunologic loci also were examined in the aforementioned strains, together with those for the inbred SS/Sea and SR/Sea strains, which were derived from inbred SS/Jr and SR/Jr strains, respectively. The Dahl-Iwai S rats were hypertensive after 3 weeks of consuming the 8.0% NaCl diet and died from 6 to 10 weeks after the diet was initiated. Renal lesions developed after 4 weeks' consumption of the high-salt diet. The Dahl-Iwai S rats were not hypertensive until at least the age of 21 weeks while they consumed the 0.3% NaCl diet, whereas it was reported that the SS/Jr rats became hypertensive at about 20 weeks of age when they consumed the low-salt diet. The Dahl-Iwai R rats were normotensive whether fed the 0.3 or 8.0% NaCl diet. Hydronephrosis was not observed in the Dahl-Iwai R rats, though it develops in SR/Jr rats with high frequency. Different distributions were detected for kidney alkaline phosphatase-1 (Akp-1) and amylase-1 (Amy-1) alleles between the Dahl-Iwai S and SS/Sea strains, and for esterase-14 (Es-14) and seminal vesicle protein-1 (Svp-1) alleles between the Dahl-Iwai R and SR/Sea strains. The phenotypic differences between the substrains of inbred Dahl rats could be ascribed to different genetic backgrounds.

Malignant lymphoma of the esophagus associated with macroglobulinemia: report of a case

A case of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the esophagus in a 74 year old man is presented. Grossly, the surgically removed esophagus had a fusiform submucosal mass covered with smooth surfaced mucosa. Microscopic examination revealed that the mass consisted of a dense infiltrate of small to medium-sized lymphoid cells with plasmacytoid differentiation, leading to a diagnosis of diffuse small cell lymphoma with lymphoplasmacytic subtype. Laboratory data as well as immunohistochemical studies proved that the lymphoma produced monoclonal immunoglobulin M, giving rise to macroglobulinemia.

Discrimination of odorants in the non-olfactory system: analysis of responses of the frog gustatory system to odorants by multidimensional scaling

The ability of the bullfrog gustatory system to discriminate odorants was examined by the cross-adaptation technique. Application of various odorants to the tongue increased the frequency of impulses of the gustatory nerve. The magnitude of the response to the second odorant, after the response to the first odorant was adapted, varied greatly with combination of odorants. Analysis of data obtained by a multidimensional scaling suggests that the ability of the frog gustatory system to discriminate odorants is similar to that of the human olfactory system.

A large contribution of a cyclic AMP-independent pathway to turtle olfactory transduction

Although multiple pathways are involved in the olfactory transduction mechanism, cAMP-dependent pathway has been considered to contribute mainly to the transduction. We examined the degree of contribution of cAMP-independent pathway to the turtle olfactory response by recording inward currents from isolated cells, nerve impulses from cilia and olfactory bulbar responses. The results obtained by the three recordings were essentially consistent with each other, but detail studies were carried out by recording the bulbar response to obtain quantitative data. Application of an odorant cocktail to the isolated olfactory neuron after injection of 1 mM cAMP from the patch pipette elicited a large inward current. Mean amplitude of inward currents evoked by the cocktail with 1 mM cAMP in the patch pipette was similar to that without cAMP in the pipette. Application of the cocktail after the response to 50 microM forskolin was adapted also induced a large inward current. Application of the odorant cocktail to the olfactory epithelium, after the response to 50 microM forskolin was adapted, brought about an appreciable increase in the impulse frequency. The bulbar response to forskolin alone reached a saturation level around 10 microM. After the response to 50 microM forskolin was adapted, 11 species of odorants were applied to the olfactory epithelium. The magnitudes of responses to the odorants after forskolin were 45-80% of those of the control responses. There was no essential difference in the degree of the suppression by forskolin between cAMP- and IP3-producing odorants classified in the rat, suggesting that certain part of the forskolin-suppressive component was brought about by nonspecific action of forskolin. Application of a membrane permeant cAMP analogue, cpt-cAMP elicited a large response, and 0.1 mM citralva after 3 mM cpt-cAMP elicited 51% of the control response which was close to the response to citralva after 50 microM forskolin. A membrane permeant cGMP analogue, db-cGMP elicited a small response and the response to 0.1 mM citralva was unaffected by db-cGMP. It was concluded that cAMP-independent (probably IP3-independent) pathway greatly contributes to the turtle olfactory transduction.

Temperature increase abolishes ability of turtle olfactory receptors to discriminate similar odorant

We examined the effects of temperature changes on odor-discriminating ability of turtle olfactory receptors in vivo by applying the cross-adaptation method to the olfactory bulbar responses. The olfactory system discriminated well all eight pairs of odorants examined at 5 and 18 degrees C. The ability of the olfactory receptors to discriminate pairs of odorants having similar structures (e.g., trans-3-hexenol and cis-3-hexenol; d-carvone and l-carvone) was reversibly abolished by increasing the temperature up to 40 degrees C, whereas discrimination of odorants having quite different structures was much less affected. The membrane fluidity of cells isolated from turtle olfactory epithelia and liposomes made of lipids extracted from the epithelia changed in a similar temperature range as for the decrease of the odor-discriminating ability, suggesting that an increase in membrane fluidity is correlated with the abolishment of the odor-discriminating ability. The present results also suggest that in vivo desensitization (adaptation) occurs not at the cellular level but at the receptor level. This mechanism was supported by the data recorded from a single olfactory cilium, showing that a single cell has both receptors for l-carvone and d-carvone and that the response to d-carvone appeared after the response to l-carvone was adapted.

Enhancement of the turtle olfactory responses to fatty acids by treatment of olfactory epithelium with phosphatidylserine

The turtle olfactory epithelium was treated with suspensions of various lipids and their effects on the olfactory responses were examined by measuring the olfactory bulbar responses. The phosphatidylserine (PS)-treatment greatly lowered the threshold for n-valeric acid and enhanced its responses at all concentrations examined. The responses to isovaleric acid and n-butyric acid were also greatly enhanced by the PS-treatment. The responses to ten other odorants examined were a little enhanced or unchanged by the PS-treatment. The enhanced responses to the fatty acids returned to the original level about 10 h after the treatment. It was confirmed that PS was incorporated into olfactory epithelium by incubating the epithelium with PS-suspension containing [14C]PS. The treatment of the epithelium with phosphatidic acid or cardiolipin unchanged or suppressed the responses to odorants including the fatty acids. The present results suggest that lipids as well as proteins in the receptor membranes play an important role in odor reception.

Taste receptor proteins directly extracted by liposome from intact epithelium of bullfrog tongue

This work first provides that epithelial membrane proteins can be directly transferred from animal intact tissue to liposome. Bullfrog tongue was treated with a specially modified liposome that contains an artificial boundary lipid. Glossopharyngeal nerve responses of the treated tongue were then measured to five taste stimuli (NH4Cl, L-Ala, sucrose, L-Leu, and quinine hydrochloride). The liposomal treatment caused remarkable changes of the taste nerve responses. Gel electrophoretic analysis of the treated liposome revealed that the direct transfer of proteins, likely taste receptor, certainly occurred from the tongue epithelium to the liposome.

Odor discrimination in single turtle olfactory receptor neuron

To explore the ability of odor discrimination of olfactory receptor neurons, current responses to odorant cocktails were recorded from an isolated olfactory neuron of the turtle. Twenty-five percent of the neurons tested responded to both cAMP-dependent and the IP3-dependent odorant cocktails. Application of the cAMP-dependent (or the IP3-dependent) odorant cocktail to the neuron after an inward current induced by the IP3-dependent (or the cAMP-dependent) odorant cocktail was adapted induced a large inward current in the neuron. The results suggest that at least two different receptors exist in a single olfactory neuron.

Enhancement of canine taste responses to umami substances by salts

The effects of salts on canine taste responses to umami substances were examined by recording the activity of the chorda tympani nerve. 1) The responses to monosodium glutamate (MSG), disodium 5'-guanylate (GMP), and that induced by the synergism between MSG and GMP were enhanced by the presence of various salts. 2) The effective salts were those carrying inorganic cations such as Na, K, and Mg, while CaCl2 had no enhancing effect. Salts carrying organic cations such as tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris), choline, N-methyl-D-glucamine, and 1,3-bis[tris(hydroxymethyl)-methylamino]propane also produced positive results. 3) The dependence of the umami responses on NaCl and MgCl2 concentrations showed a bell-shaped response curve with the maximal enhancing effect being seen at 100 mM NaCl and 3-10 mM MgCl2. 4) The degree of the enhancement depended not only on the species of the cation, but also on that of anion. For example, 100 mM NaCl showed a much larger enhancing effect than Na phosphate, Na2SO4, and Na4Fe(CN)6 at equimolar Na+. 5) The enhancing effects of salts on the responses to the umami substances could not be simply explained in terms of the permeability of cation and anion of salts. It was speculated that the binding of both cations and anions to the receptor membranes leads to changes in the interaction of the umami substances with the receptor proteins.

[Three cases of typical cryptomeria pollen asthma]

We treated three asthmatic children diagnosed as typical cryptomeria pollen asthma (Cryptomeria japonica). Wheezing started from one to four years after onset of pollinosis. Asthmatic attacks occurred one or several days after pollen counts increased. We could find asthmatic attacks in the years when the pollen counts were higher than in average years. In the laboratory findings, only specific IgE antibody to cryptomeria with its high titer of over 17.5 PRU/ml was detected in these three cases. Allergen inhalation tests were performed with positive results in the two cases, suggesting that these three cases were typical child cryptomeria pollen asthma.

Cholinergic differentiation of cultured sympathetic neurons induced by retinoic acid. Induction of choline acetyltransferase-mRNA and suppression of tyrosine hydroxylase-mRNA levels

Here we show that retinoic acid (RA) has the ability to alter the transmitter phenotype of cultured sympathetic neurons from newborn rats superior cervical ganglia (SCG). In the presence of RA, the level of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) mRNA was increased, while the level of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNA was reduced in the cultured SCG neurons. Selective PCR amplification of different upstream regions of the ChAT-mRNA indicates that RA promotes the transcription of ChAT gene from R and M exons. The RA-induced upregulation of ChAT-mRNA level was significantly diminished by the chronic treatment with phorbol ester, suggesting that PKC has an important role in the induction of ChAT-mRNA in this system.

Effects of nerve growth factor and dexamethasone on Na+,K(+)-ATPase of cultured PC12h cells

When PC12h cells were cultured for 4 days in the presence of 50 ng/ml of nerve growth factor (NGF), they showed elongated dendrites and specifically increased Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity. Either singly or in combination with NGF, dexamethasone also increased the specific activity of this enzyme. Western blot analysis using anti-alpha 1 and anti-alpha 2 antisera showed that PC12h cells, either before or after hormone treatment, contained the alpha 1 isoform but not the alpha 2 one. We conclude, therefore, that NGF induces Na+,K(+)-ATPase concomitantly with neuronal differentiation in PC12h cells but that the growth factor does not induce formation of the myelin sheath, which normally expresses the alpha 2 isoform of Na+,K(+)-ATPase.

Effects of pertussis toxin on signal transductions via P2-purinergic receptors in A-431 human epidermoidal carcinoma cells

In A-431 cells, stimulation of P2-purinergic receptors with extracellular ATP caused production of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3), followed by mobilization of Ca2+ from intracellular stores; Ca2+ influx from the extracellular fluid and breakdown of phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) also accompanied this InsP3/Ca2+ signalling. When A-431 cells were pretreated with pertussis toxin (PTX), production of InsP3 and elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ were strongly inhibited. PTX also inhibited the Ca2+ influx, but the effect was much weaker than that for InsP3/Ca2+ elevation. No inhibitory effect was observed in ATP-stimulated PtdCho breakdown. These results suggest that there is a system(s) which mediates the functions of P2-purinergic receptors in addition to PTX-sensitive G-proteins.

Forskolin enhanced off-response in the turtle olfactory system

Olfactory responses appear not only at the onset of odor stimulation, but also at the termination of the stimulation. It is widely considered that the cAMP-pathway is involved in the generation of odor responses. We examined how cAMP affects the generation of off-responses. To explore the role of the cAMP-pathway, odorants were applied to the turtle olfactory epithelium after forskolin at high concentrations which saturated the olfactory response to forskolin. Various odorants induced off-responses after 50 microM forskolin, indicating that off-responses are not induced via the cAMP-dependent pathway. However, the magnitude of the off-response after forskolin varied from 100 to 1400% of those of off-responses in its absence, indicating that forskolin greatly enhanced the off-responses to some odorants. The off-response after 0.1 mM citralva was also enhanced by 3 mM 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cpt-cAMP). These results suggested that cAMP modulates off-responses in the turtle olfactory system.

Identification of mK1, a true tissue (glandular) kallikrein of mouse submandibular gland: tissue distribution and a comparison of kinin-releasing activity with other submandibular kallikreins

The protein structure, kinin-releasing activity, and tissue distribution of four major proteinases of mouse submandibular gland (mK22, mK9, proteinase F, proteinase P) were studied. When compared with the deduced amino acid sequence of each member of the tissue (glandular) kallikrein gene family, the amino acid sequence of proteinase F determined (approximately 40% of the total) was found to agree completely with the deduced amino acid sequence of mKlk-1. The proteinase P sequence, on the other hand, agreed with that of the product of mKlk-13, mK13 (prorenin-converting enzyme). Proteinase F had the strongest kininogenase activity for both low-molecular-weight and high-molecular-weight kininogen, while mK22 had 1/6 and 1/50 the activity of proteinase F for the respective kininogen substrate. Kininogenase activities of mK9 and proteinase P were less than 1/100 of the activity of proteinase F for both substrates. Acting on the two kininogen substrates, kallikreins mK22, mK9, and proteinase F, but not proteinase P, specifically released bradykinin, suggesting that the former three kallikreins strictly recognized peptide sequences around bradykinin in these substrate molecules but proteinase P recognized several sites in these molecules. Significant amounts of proteinase F, but not mK22 and others, were present in the urine, pancreas and digestive organs, as well as in the salivary glands. The present results revealed that the former proteinase F is identical to mK1, tissue/renal kallikrein, and confirmed its characteristics as a true kallikrein on the basis of its kinin-releasing activity and tissue distribution.

Distribution of laminin, type IV collagen and fibronectin in the invasive component of breast carcinoma

Laminin, type IV collagen and fibronectin were examined immunohistochemically in the invasive component of breast carcinomas. Laminin was expressed around the invasive carcinoma cell nests in 38 (54%) of 71 cases. Immunoreactivity for type IV collagen was observed around the invasive carcinoma cell nests or the stroma apart from carcinoma cells in 44 (80%) of 55 cases. Fibronectin was strongly expressed in the stroma only in 75 (99%) of 76 cases. The expression of laminin significantly correlated with tubular formation in the invasive carcinoma cell nests and showed a tendency to be correlative to estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR) of carcinoma tissue, but no correlation among laminin expression, histological type, the age of patients, tumor size and lymph node metastasis was noted. Type IV collagen and fibronectin did not correlate to any clinicopathological factors such as histological type, grade of differentiation, the age of patients, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, ER and PgR status. No concordant expression of these extracellular matrices was seen.

Large-area, high-resolution pattern replication by the use of a two-aspherical-mirror system

A soft-x-ray projection lithography system is developed by the use of multilayer mirrors. To determine the feasibility of a high throughput and a large exposure area, we developed a reduction system that consists of two-aspherical-mirror optics. The figure errors of aspherical mirrors are evaluated by a laser interferometer. The rms aspherical figure errors of concave and convex mirrors are 8.8 and 2.0 nm, respectively, which are not enough to yield a resolution of 0.1 µm. The reduction optics is constructed by adjusting the mirror position to compensate for aberrations, and some trial replications are performed. An exposure area of larger than 10 mm × 0.6 mm with a fine pattern of less than a quarter micrometer is achieved.

Weak N activity of En(a-) human erythrocyte membranes

The propositus's erythrocytes with phenotype En(a-), which was found for the first time in a Japanese family, reacted more weakly with anti-N serum than the ordinary phenotype N erythrocytes. The En(a-) erythrocytes lack the major membrane sialoglycoprotein (glycophorin A) as demonstrated by Bio-Gel 1.5m gel filtration from active sialoglycoproteins, which were isolated from En(a-) erythrocyte membranes by the method of lithium diiodosalicylate (LIS)-phenol extraction. It is suggested from observation via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that N activity is derived from the glycophorin B molecule on En(a-) erythrocyte membranes.

A role of VLA-6 laminin receptor in invasion of breast carcinoma

The integrin VLA-6 as a laminin receptor and laminin as a ligand for laminin receptor were detected immunohistochemically in normal, benign tumor and carcinoma tissues of the breast. Epithelial cells of both normal breast and benign tumor were in almost all cases strongly immunoreactive for VLA-6 in the plasma membrane. Carcinoma cells in 34 of 70 cases (49%) with an invasive component were not immunoreactive for VLA-6, and no carcinoma cells showed strong positivity. Although carcinoma cells in only four of 51 cases (8%) with intraductal components were negative for VLA-6, 37 cases (72%) showed weak expression of VLA-6 and 10 cases (20%) showed strong expression of VLA-6. A concordant expression of VLA-6 on carcinoma cells and laminin around carcinoma cell nests with an invasive component was observed, and VLA-6 expression in carcinoma cells was correlated to tubular formation in carcinoma cell nests as an indicator of differentiation. These findings suggest that loss of VLA-6 plays a role in the invasion of breast carcinoma, and that VLA-6 laminin receptor and laminin may contribute to tubular differentiation of breast carcinoma cells.