Effect of basic fibroblast growth factor on reinnervation of gastric microvessels. Possible relevance to ulcer recurrence

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has well-established angiogenic and ulcer healing actions. bFGF has also been found to induce neural regeneration in the central nervous system. Thus, the present study was undertaken to clarify the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor on the regeneration of autonomic nerves in the granulation tissues following the induction of experimental gastric ulcer induced by acetic acid in rats. Rats were divided into control, acetic acid alone, and acetic acid plus acid-stable human recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor (CS23, 1 microgram/100 g body wt., every 12 hr for three days, or one or two weeks, through oral gastric intubation) groups. As a result, few autonomic nerves were recognized surrounding the newly formed arterioles and venules in the acetic acid alone group. In the CS23-treated group, the cholinergic, calcitonin gene-related peptide and vasoactive intestinal peptide-immunoreactive nerves were clearly recognized near the microvessels, but few adrenergic nerves were seen even after CS23 treatment. From these observations, basic fibroblast growth factor was suggested to promote the reinnervation of the newly formed microvessels.

An automated ELISA system using a pipette tip as a solid phase and a pH-sensitive field effect transistor as a detector

A fully automated ELISA system was constructed using a pipette tip as a solid phase, urease as a detecting enzyme, and a pH-FET as a detector of urease activity. The inner wall of the end part of a pipette tip was used as a solid phase, and the urease activity of the conjugate, captured after a two-step immunoreaction, was measured by coupling the pipette tip with the pH-FET in a pH-measuring cell. Full automation of the ELISA system was achieved by using a disposable reagent cartridge and three pipetters for all mechanical operations, including sample dilution and B/F separation. This system can treat 60 samples per hour with an assay time of 21 min for all assay configurations. The system was applied to two-step sandwich assays for AFP, CEA, HBsAg, and HBsAb, a two-step competition assay for HBcAb, and a second antibody assay for HTLV-I Ab.

Localization of oncofetal and normal fibronectin in colorectal cancer. Correlation with histologic grade, liver metastasis, and prognosis

BACKGROUND

Expression of oncofetal fibronectin (oncFN) and normal fibronectin (norFN) in colorectal cancer specimens was examined to investigate the correlation between fibronectin localization and histologic grade, liver metastasis, and prognosis.

METHODS

Immunohistochemical staining of oncFN and norFN was performed on 99 primary lesions and 12 liver metastases of colorectal cancer. The expression of norFN and oncFN was evaluated by grading the intensity of staining as negative, positive, or strongly positive.

RESULTS

Positive staining for oncFN correlated positively with increasing stage. The rate of strongly positive staining for oncFN was 53% for primary lesions with liver metastasis, significantly higher than the oncFN-positive rate of 13% for metastasis free cases (P < 0.05). Liver lesions had an oncFN-positive rate of 92%. The postoperative 5-year survival rate for 51 cases classified as Dukes Stage C was 77.8% for oncFN-negative cases, 36.5% for oncFN-positive cases, and 22.2% for oncFN-strongly positive cases; these rates were significantly different (P < 0.01). Conversely, there was no correlation between norFN and any clinical variable.

CONCLUSION

Expression of oncFN is correlated with a poor prognosis of Dukes C colorectal cancer and may serve as a useful postoperative prognostic sign.

The blood-brain barrier disruption to circulating proteins in the early period after fluid percussion brain injury in rats

Breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) immediately after traumatic brain injury is not clearly understood. In the present study we focused on the integrity of the BBB to circulating proteins within the first hour after injury. For this purpose, vascular permeability to endogenous albumin and to the exogenous protein tracer horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was examined after a lateral fluid percussion brain injury in rats. Albumin was immunolocalized in brain sections at 3 and 60 min after impact. This distribution was compared with the histochemical localization of HRP given before impact at the same time points. In a separate experiment HRP was given prior to sacrifice to determine the time course for the barrier disruption. Permeability to this protein was assessed at 13, 30, and 60 min after impact. Prominent extravasation of albumin occurred within 3 min of injury and was present in multiple foci within the injured hemisphere. At 60 min the extravasated albumin was present in the same sites, where it was widely distributed. Throughout the related brain parenchyma, little difference was found between the extravascular distribution of albumin and HRP. In the delayed administration paradigm breakdown of the BBB was noted in the impact site, hemorrhagic site in the deep cortical layer, hippocampus, thalamus, and midbrain at 13 min after injury. This injured barrier was restored in most regions by 30 min. However, the impact site and hemorrhagic site remained permeable up to 60 min postinjury. In addition, newly developed barrier disruption to HRP occurred in the parasagittal cortex at 30 and 60 min. In conclusion, widespread breakdown of the BBB to circulating proteins occurred within a few minutes after traumatic brain injury. The time course for this barrier disruption is characterized by three different patterns: (1) transient, (2) prolonged, and (3) delayed opening. This variation in the development of barrier disruption may be related to the secondary barrier failure as well as the primary opening after injury.

Oral calcium carbonate administration ameliorates the progression of renal failure in rats with hypertension

Oral calcium supplementation is reported to have phosphate-binding and antihypertensive effects. Since both phosphate binders and antihypertensive agents are reported to attenuate renal injury, we studied the effect of oral calcium carbonate (CaCO3) administration on the course of renal deterioration using doxorubicin-induced renal failure in rats treated with deoxycorticosterone acetate and salt for 10 weeks. Rats were divided into four groups: the CaCO3 (6.0 g/kg/d) group (n = 12), the aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3; 6.0 g/kg/d) group (n = 11, as a phosphate-binder control), the hydralazine (10 mg/kg/d) group (n = 11, as an antihypertensive control), and the control group (n = 12). All agents were given as a mixed chow diet. Blood pressure and urinary protein excretion progressively increased in the control rats. CaCO3 and hydralazine lowered blood pressure, but Al(OH)3 did not (185 +/- 4 mm Hg, control; 160 +/- 5 mm Hg, CaCO3; 171 +/- 8 mm Hg, Al(OH)3; 156 +/- 5 mm Hg, hydralazine at week 10). Proteinuria was reduced in the rats treated with CaCO3 and Al(OH)3 compared with those without the treatment (986 +/- 86 mg/d, control; 551 +/- 54 mg/d, CaCO3; 527 +/- 31 mg/d, Al(OH)3; and 955 +/- 68 mg/d, hydralazine at week 10). Serum phosphate concentration and calcium phosphate products also were significantly lower in both the CaCO3 and Al(OH)3 groups than in the control group. At week 10, increased serum urea nitrogen, impaired renal function, and glomerular sclerosis present in the control group were significantly attenuated in both in the CaCO3 and Al(OH)3 groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Wound healing of acetic acid-induced gastric ulcer in rats and the effects of cimetidine and calcitonin, with special reference to prolylhydroxylase and collagenase enzyme activity

The healing of acetic acid-induced gastric ulcer in rats and the effects of cimetidine and calcitonin were investigated with reference to the enzyme activity of both prolylhydroxylase and collagenase as related to histological findings. The rats were observed by endoscopy on the 3rd day after the subserosal injection of acetic acid; rats with ulcers were divided into three groups: non-treated, and cimetidine- and calcitonin-treated. The latter two groups were treated for 7 days. Prolylhydroxylase activity in active ulcers in the non-treated group was slightly higher on the 3rd day and significantly higher on the 10th day than the activity in control rats that had received subserosal injections of physiological saline solution on the respective days. In non-treated rats, the healed ulcer on the 10th day showed lower prolylhydroxylase activity than that in the active ulcer on the same day. Cimetidine did not affect prolylhydroxylase activity, but, with calcitonin, there was higher prolylhydroxylase activity in the healed than in the active ulcer, although the difference was not significant. Interstitial collagenase showed the highest activity on the 3rd day and decreased on the 10th day in non-treated rats. Collagenase activity was higher in the cimetidine-treated group, than that in the non-treated group, and numerous peroxidase-positive granulocytes were seen in the mucosa and submucosa. Calcitonin did not affect collagenase activity. The participation of both enzymes is indispensable in the healing process and the effects of anti-ulcer agents on these enzymes must be considered.

The axial distribution of nicotine content along hair shaft as an indicator of changes in smoking behaviour: evaluation in a smoking-cessation programme with or without the aid of nicotine chewing gum

1. Hair samples were obtained from subjects at the end of a 6 month smoking-cessation programme carried out with (n = 16) or without (n = 10) the aid of nicotine chewing gum. The axial distribution of nicotine along the hair shaft was determined and compared both with the self-report of smoking behavior and with the concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) in expired air measured at 1 month intervals. 2. A gradual decrease in nicotine content along the hair shaft corresponded to the decrease in self-reported number of cigarettes smoked daily in both the nicotine chewing-gum treated and untreated subjects and with the clinical assessment of abstinence. 3. There was reasonable agreement between the CO content of expired air, the self-reported number of cigarettes smoked daily and the axial distribution of nicotine in 22 of 26 subjects. In the other four subjects there was an apparent disagreement between the CO content of expired air and the other parameters. 4. This study showed that, as a routine marker of smoking status, hair analysis may be preferable to repeated CO measurements since only a single sample at the end of an abstinence programme might be sufficient. However, one problem is that nicotine may dissociate slowly from melanin to limit the ability to mark a sudden cessation of smoking. Also, some nicotine in hair might be attributable to nicotine adsorbed to the outside of hair.

Most thymocytes die in the absence of DNA fragmentation

Most thymocytes are known to be depleted from the thymus during T cell development, with the process of thymocyte death considered to be apoptosis. In this study we examined the mechanism of thymocyte death in the thymus of 6-week-old mice by using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase to detect DNA fragmentation or double strand breaks (TUNEL method). The TUNEL positive thymocytes were scattered throughout the cortex. Double staining of the section with the TUNEL method and acid phosphatase (ACP) activity showed that all the TUNEL positive cells were phagocytosed by ACP positive macrophages. An ultra-structural study revealed the presence of a substantial number of extremely small, unphagocytosed thymocytes throughout the cortex. These small unphagocytosed thymocytes were apparently dead cells, as based on several morphological features: 1) The majority were much smaller than red blood cells; 2) the nuclei were also considerably small; and 3) the extent of chromatin condensation was enormous. Importantly, these unphagocytosed dead thymocytes were TUNEL negative. These results indicate that: 1) DNA fragmentation, which is detected by the TUNEL method, is not involved in the cell death process of small unphagocytosed dead thymocytes shown in the present study; and that 2) typical apoptosis, which is characterized by DNA fragmentation, is not the dominant type of cell death in the normal murine thymus. Processes of cell death other than typical apoptosis taking place in most thymocytes require further investigation.

Autosomal dominant inheritance in Setleis syndrome

Setleis syndrome is characterized by bitemporal skin depressions resembling forceps marks, abnormalities of the eyelashes, and "leonine" facial appearance. The cause is unknown, although autosomal recessive inheritance has been proposed. Recently, two families were reported in which one of the parents of a patient with Setleis syndrome showed mild manifestations, suggesting autosomal dominant inheritance. We describe a 9-month-old Japanese boy with typical Setleis syndrome. His father, who has normal intelligence, has bitemporal focal dermal dysplasia but a normal face. His paternal second cousin also has Setleis syndrome. This family shows autosomal dominant inheritance including father-to-son transmission of Setleis syndrome with variable expressivity and reduced penetrance. Careful examination of the relatives of patients with Setleis syndrome is recommended.

Interaction of theta-toxin (perfringolysin O), a cholesterol-binding cytolysin, with liposomal membranes: change in the aromatic side chains upon binding and insertion

To understand the mechanism of membrane lysis by theta-toxin (perfringolysin O) from Clostridium perfringens, a cholesterol-binding, pore-forming cytolysin, we undertook a spectroscopic analysis of the structural changes that occur during the lytic process using lipid vesicles. In particular, the spectra were compared with those obtained using a modified theta-toxin, MC theta, that binds membrane cholesterol without forming oligomeric pores, thus bypassing the oligomerization step. The interaction of theta-toxin with liposomes composed of cholesterol and phosphatidylcholine but not with cholesterol-free liposomes caused a remarkable increase in the intensity of the tryptophan fluorescence emission spectra and ellipticity changes in the near- and far-UV CD peaks. A CD peak shift from 292 to 300 nm was specific for theta-toxin, suggesting oligomerization-specific changes occurring around tryptophan residues. Structural changes in the aromatic side chains were detected in the near-UV CD and fluorescence spectra upon MC theta-liposome interaction, although the far-UV CD spectra indicate that the beta-rich secondary structure of MC theta is well-conserved after membrane binding. Quenching of the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence of MC theta by brominated lecithin/cholesterol liposomes suggests that theta-toxin inserts at least partly into membranes in the absence of oligomerization. These results indicate that regardless of oligomerization, the binding of theta-toxin to cholesterol induces partial membrane insertion and triggers conformational changes accompanied by aromatic side chain rearrangement with retention of secondary structure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A novel cDNA sequence encoding the precursor of the D-amino acid-containing neuropeptide fulicin and multiple alpha-amidated neuropeptides from Achatina fulica

Fulicin (Phe-D-Asn-Glu-Phe-Val-NH2) is an endogenous neuropeptide containing a D-amino acid from ganglia of the African giant snail Achatina fulica. We have cloned a novel cDNA (1,995 nucleotides) encoding a fulicin precursor from the snail cerebral and subesophageal ganglia. The fulicin precursor protein (357 amino acids) contains one copy of fulicin and at least nine other putative alpha-amidated neuropeptides composed of four to six amino acid residues. Seven of the nine neuropeptides were novel, and the other two had the same structures as Mytilus inhibitory peptide-related peptides previously isolated from the ganglia of Helix pomatia. All sequences of 10 peptides are flanked by Lys-Arg(Lys) at the N-terminus and by Gly-Lys-Arg(Lys) at the C-terminus. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that D-Asn present in fulicin is encoded by the usual L-Asn codon (AAT). Although fulicin has as yet only been isolated from the central ganglia. RNA blot analysis revealed that single transcripts of approximately 2.0 kb in size also exist in the ventricles and atria. These results suggest that fulicin and related peptides are produced in neurons and the heart by the processing of a ribosomally made precursor, although the mechanism of in-chain epimerization remains unclear.

Event-related changes of background electroencephalogram during contingent negative variation paradigm

The autoregressive model was applied to the background electroencephalogram during the tone(S1)-tone(S2)-respond contingent negative variation paradigm under eyes-open condition. The EEG data were obtained at the scalp sites of Fz, Cz, and Pz in seven normal males. During the first half of the interstimulus interval (ISI) of 2.5 s, Fz-dominant excitatory process was suggested in concordance with an orienting response to stimulus 1. In the second half of the ISI, Pz-dominant inhibitory process was considered. The stimulus 2 presentation and the required motor response promoted the Pz-dominant process.

[The effects of mild hypothermia on expression of stress protein (HSP72) after experimental brain injury]

Recent studies have demonstrated that mild hypothermia protects brain from ischemic insults. In the present study, we investigated the effects of mild hypothermia on stress responses of the neurons and glia after experimental brain injury. We evaluated the immunocytochemical expression of 72kDa molecular weight heat shock protein (HSP72) as a marker of cellular injury. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a lateral fluid percussive injury. After injury the animals were divided into two groups (normothermic and hypothermic groups). Body temperature of the normothermic groups was maintained at 37.0-37.5 degrees C throughout the experiment. In the latter groups, the rats were exposed to hypothermia of 30.0-31.5 degrees C by surface cooling for 150 minutes beginning at 15 minutes after injury. Animals in each groups were sacrificed at 24, 48, and 72 hours after injury. Vibratomed brain sections were provided for immunocytochemical staining of HSP72 and hematoxyline-eosin staining. The induction of HSP72 was evaluated under the light microscopic level. Results 1) The rats that produced HSP72 in the hypothermic group were significantly less than those in the normothermic group. 2) HSP72 was expressed in the neurons and glia in the various brain regions including the impact site, parasagittal cortex, deep cortical layer, hippocampus, caudate-putamen and midbrain in both groups. However HSP72 positive cells in each brain region of the hypothermic group were significantly less than those in the corresponding regions of the normothermic group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Iliopsoas bursa of the rheumatoid hip joint. A case report and review of the literature

Presented is the case of a 63-year-old woman, with a 30-year history of rheumatoid arthritis, whose hip was completely destroyed and accompanied with enlargement of the iliopsoas bursa. Preoperative diagnosis was confirmed by computed tomography, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and arthrography. She was treated by resection of the iliopsoas bursa and total prosthetic replacement of the hip joint. The pathogenesis is uncertain. In the literature, enlargement of the iliopsoas bursa with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, pigmented villonodular synovitis, and synovial chondromatosis had been reported. Nevertheless, a correct preoperative diagnosis of the enlargement of the iliopsoas bursa is very difficult. MR imaging with enhanced Gadolinium-DTPA (Gd-DTPA) is proposed as the most useful examination for preoperative diagnosis.

Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale

The reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (JY-BOCS) were determined by 20 raters for 12 Japanese patients with obsessive compulsive disorder at four institutions. Interrater reliability for the total JY-BOCS score was excellent, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was high (ICC = 0.960). Internal consistency was also excellent (Cronbach's alpha = 0.889). Concurrent and discriminant validity of the JY-BOCS was examined by comparing the scores on the JY-BOCS with those on the Maudsley Obsessional Compulsive Inventory (MOCI) and scales for depression and anxiety. A slight correlation was found between scores on the JY-BOCS and MOCI, but no significant correlations were found between scores on the JY-BOCS and those on scales for depression or anxiety.

Effects of chronic treatments with SM-9018, a potential atypical neuroleptic, on behavioral dopaminergic and serotonergic sensitivities in rats

1. Changes in behavioral dopaminergic and serotonergic sensitivities were studied in rats after withdrawal of the chronic treatments with SM-9018 (0.1 mg/kg/day), a potential atypical neuroleptic, and with haloperidol (0.3 mg/kg/day) using continuous infusion pumps. 2. Administration of SM-9018 inhibited the rat locomotor activities to an extent similar to that of haloperidol during the course of the 2 weeks treatment. 3. The incidence of the apomorphine-induced stereotyped behaviors (e.g., sniffing, chewing, licking and biting) was negligibly affected by SM-9018 treatment, but was markedly enhanced by haloperidol treatment. 4. The incidence of the 5-hydroxytryptophan-induced wet dog shakes and 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propyl-amino)tetralin-induced flat body posture was unaffected by either treatment with SM-9018 or haloperidol. 5. These findings suggest that SM-9018 is weaker than haloperidol in inducing the behavioral dopaminergic hypersensitivity after its chronic treatment and has a lower propensity to cause tardive dyskinesia.

Subperiosteal implantation of octacalcium phosphate (OCP) stimulates both chondrogenesis and osteogenesis in the tibia, but only osteogenesis in the parietal bone of a rat

BACKGROUND

It is not known whether long bones and calvaria have distinct biological characteristics. Octacalcium phosphate (OCP), which is a precursor phase of the hydroxyapatite, has been reported to stimulate bone formation if implanted in the subperiosteal region of mouse calvaria. The present study was designed to investigate how the long bone and the calvarium respond to OCP implantation and to compare their biological characteristics.

METHODS

The synthetic OCP was implanted into the subperiosteal region of rat tibiae and parietal bones being mixed with bovine type I collagen treated by pepsin (Atelocollagen). The biological response was examined histologically and immunohistochemically for collagen matrix phenotypes of types I and II to identify bone and cartilage formation.

RESULTS

Both chondrogenesis and osteogenesis were initiated in the tibia 1 week after implantation of OCP and most of the cartilage was replaced by bone at week 2. However, the parietal bone did not show osteogenesis responding to OCP implantation until week 3, and no cartilage formation was associated with the osteogenesis.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study demonstrated the distinct characteristics of biological response to OCP implantation between the long bone and the calvarium in terms of whether or not cartilage formation is involved in the stimulated osteogenesis by OCP, and in terms of timing of the stimulated chondrogenesis and/or osteogenesis, i.e., the parietal bone takes more time to respond to OCP implantation than the tibia.

HLA DRB4 0101-restricted immunodominant T cell autoepitope of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in primary biliary cirrhosis: evidence of molecular mimicry in human autoimmune diseases

We established six T cell clones specific for pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC)-E2 peptides from four different patients with primary biliary cirrhosis using 33 different peptides of 17-20 amino acid residues corresponding to human PDC-E2 as stimulating antigens. The minimal T cell epitopes of these six T cell clones were all mapped to the same region of the PDC-E2 peptide 163-176 (GDLLAEIETDKATI), which corresponds to the inner lipoyl domain of PDC-E2. The HLA restriction molecules for this epitope were all identified as HLA DRB4 0101. The common essential amino acids of this epitope for these T cell clones were E, D, and K at positions 170, 172, and 173, respectively; other crucial amino acids for this epitope differed in each T cell clone. In addition, the alanine-substituted peptides at positions 170 and 173, but not 172, inhibited the proliferation of all T cell clones induced by the original peptide of human PDC-E2 163-176, indicating that amino acid D at position 172 is a critical MHC-binding site for all T cell clones tested. Interestingly, all T cell clones reacted to PDC-E2 peptide 36-49 (GDLIAEVETDKATV), which corresponds to the outer lipoyl domain of human PDC-E2. Furthermore, one T cell clone cross-reacted with exogenous antigens such as Escherichia coli PDC-E2 peptide 31-44/134-147/235-248 (EQSLITVEGDKASM), which has an EXDK sequence. This is a definite demonstration of the presence of molecular mimicry at the T cell clonal level in human autoimmune diseases. It is also considered possible to design peptide-specific immunotherapy based on the findings of T cell autoepitopes in primary biliary cirrhosis.

A new type of human calcitonin receptor isoform generated by alternative splicing

There are three isoforms of calcitonin receptors (CTRs). The first type (type 1) has 479 amino acids in rat and 482 amino acids in porcine. The second type (type 2) has a 39 amino acid insertion in the second extracellular domain. The third type (type 3) has a 16 amino acid insertion in the first intracellular domain. The CTR which has been isolated from a human ovarian carcinoma cell line belongs to type 3. Using RT-PCR with primers whose sequences correspond to the human CTR cDNA, we analyzed the expression of the CTR transcripts in seven human tumor cell lines and surgical specimens. The CTR m-RNA were found in all samples. Transcripts which were 48bp shorter than that of the type 3 human CTR were detected, but not transcripts of type 2 and type 3. Since the structure of this CTR is same as that of the type 1 rat and porcine CTRs, we termed it the human type 1 CTR. PCR studies using human genomic DNA as a template revealed that the 48bp sequence constitutes an exon. These results indicate that the type 1 and the type 3 human CTRs are generated by alternative splicing and a majority of human CTR transcripts is type 1.

The transcriptional regulation of human arachidonate 12-lipoxygenase gene by NF kappa B/Rel

As examined by the luciferase assay, a negative regulatory region including the NF kappa B motif was found in the 5'-flanking region of the 12-lipoxygenase gene in human erythroleukemia cells. The negative control was abolished by a site-specific mutation of the NF kappa B motif. Probes including the NF kappa B region gave positive bands upon a gel-shift assay. The bands were super-shifted by antibodies for NF kappa B p50, NF kappa B p65 and c-Rel, and were lost by a NF kappa B competitor DNA. Furthermore, the NF kappa B sequence was protected in DNase I footprinting. Thus, two kinds of heterodimer (p50 and p65; p50 and c-Rel) seemed to control the over-expression of the human 12-lipoxygenase gene.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding monoclonal nonspecific suppressor factor

The monoclonal nonspecific suppressor factor (MNSF) is a lymphokine product of a murine T-cell hybridoma that inhibits the generation of lipopolysaccharide-induced immunoglobulin-secreting cells in an antigen-nonspecific manner. A cDNA clone encoding MNSF beta (an isoform of MNSF) was isolated and expressed in bacteria. The sequence obtained is virtually identical to the Fau protein, a product of the ubiquitously expressed fau gene with unknown function. Northern blot analysis demonstrated a single, 0.6-kb transcript. Specific polyclonal antibodies against synthetic peptides corresponding to the deduced amino acid sequences were elicited in rabbits. Immunoprecipitation experiments with these antibodies showed that MNSF beta is released extracellularly in an aggregate form, albeit it lacks a signal peptide sequence. The anti-MNSF beta affinity eluate from the MNSF-producing murine hybridoma (E17) and concanavalin A-activated splenocyte culture supernatants inhibited the immunoglobulin production by lipopolysaccharide-activated splenocytes. Recombinant MNSF beta also showed a similar biologic activity. Thus, ubiquitin-like protein(s) may be involved in the regulation of the immune responses.

Human peripheral eosinophils have a specific mechanism to express gp91-phox, the large subunit of cytochrome b558

Eosinophils as well as neutrophils, monocytes and B lymphocytes are noted for lacking normal cytochrome b558 in patients with X-linked chronic granulomatous disease. The eosinophils of an X-linked male patient, however, fully expressed surface cytochrome b558, generated superoxide anion to a normal extent and definitely expressed the large subunit of cytochrome b558 (gp91-phox). His mononuclear leukocytes contained a diminished amount of gp91-phox mRNA with normal coding sequences. All the coding sequences and a putative poly (A) signal of his gp91-phox gene were normal. These results indicate that eosinophils have a specific mechanism to express gp91-phox and suggest that the mechanism lies at the transcriptional step of the gene.

Effect of angiotensin II receptor blocker on angiotensin II stimulated DNA synthesis of cultured human aortic smooth muscle cells

To examine the role of the renin-angiotensin system on human vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) replication, we studied the effect of DUP 753, an angiotensin II (ANG II) type 1 receptor antagonist, on ANG II stimulated tritiated-thymidine (3H-Tdr) incorporation into cultured human aortic VSMC. ANG II stimulated DNA synthesis of VSMC in a dose-dependent manner as estimated by 3H-Tdr incorporation (control; 2993 +/- 486 cpm, 10(-8)M; 3360 +/- 350 cpm, 10(-7)M; 3474 +/- 516 cpm, 10(-6)M; 4889 +/- 320 cpm, P < 0.01). The effects of ANG II were clearly inhibited by 10(-7) M DUP 753 (ANG II 10(-8) M; 3360 +/- 350 vs 509 +/- 39 cpm, 10(-7) M; 3474 +/- 516 vs 661 +/- 36 cpm, 10(-6) M; 4889 +/- 320 vs 806 +/- 76 cpm, each P < 0.01). This receptor antagonist decreased the basal 3H-Tdr incorporation of VSMC from 2933 +/- 486 to 411 +/- 78 cpm (P < 0.01). Furthermore, DUP 753 decreased 10(-7) M ANG II-stimulated 3H-Tdr incorporation of VSMC in a dose-dependent manner (control; 2627 +/- 256 cpm, 10(-9) M; 2145 +/- 143 cpm, 10(-8) M; 1047 +/- 543 cpm, 10(-7) M; 639 +/- 169 cpm, 10(-6) M; 642 +/- 59 cpm, P < 0.01). These observations suggest that, in human VSMC, ANG II type 1 receptors are important for the regulation of both stimulated and basal cell proliferation. It may therefore be worth while to examine the clinical usefulness of DUP 753 for preventing abnormal VSMC growth.