Glioma stem cell (GSC)-derived autoschizis-like products confer GSC niche properties involving M1-like tumor-associated macrophages

Spontaneous necrosis is a defining feature of glioblastomas (GBMs), the most malignant glioma. Despite its strong correlations with poor prognosis, it remains unclear whether necrosis could be a possible cause or mere consequence of glioma progression. Here we isolated a particular fraction of necrotic products spontaneously arising from glioma cells, morphologically and biochemically defined as autoschizis-like products (ALPs). When administered to granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-primed bone marrow-derived macrophage/dendritic cells (Mφ/DCs), ALPs were found to be specifically engulfed by Mφs expressing a tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) marker CD204. ALPs from glioma stem cells (GSCs) had higher activity for the TAM development than those from non-GSCs. Of note, expression of the Il12b gene encoding a common subunit of IL-12/23 was upregulated in ALPs-educated Mφs. Furthermore, IL-12 protein evidently enhanced the sphere-forming activity of GBM patient-derived cells, although interestingly IL-12 is generally recognized as an antitumoral M1-Mφ marker. Finally, in silico analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) transcriptome data of primary and recurrent GBMs revealed that higher expression of these IL-12 family genes was well correlated with more infiltration of M1-type TAMs and closely associated with poorer prognosis in recurrent GBMs. Our results highlight a role of necrosis in GSC-driven self-beneficial niche construction and glioma progression, providing important clues for developing new therapeutic strategies against gliomas.

Effects of total parenteral nutrition on rat bile canaliculi: a stereologic analysis

OBJECTIVE

To quantitate, in a stereologic manner, changes in bile canalicular morphology before and after choleretic infusion of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and to determine whether TPN produces changes in localized regions within the hepatic lobule.

STUDY DESIGN

Livers were obtained from sham-operated on normal adult male rats (control) and from rats that received intravenous TPN solution containing 20% glucose and 3.5% Molipron F. The tissues, obtained by a rigorous sampling procedure, were systematically subjected to stereologic analysis. Measurements were made on electron micrographs at two levels of magnification by point, intersection and profile counts, and then volume, surface area and length were estimated per unit parenchymal volume.

RESULTS

The surface area of the canalicular wall per parenchymal volume increased significantly (from 5.33 x 10(-2) to 6.73 x 10(-2) microns 2/micron 3) after TPN treatment, as did the length of microvilli (from 0.241 to 0.267 microns/micron 3). However, the volume of bile canalicular lumina per parenchymal volume (0.306% and 0.320%), total length of bile canaliculi (1.05 x 10(-2) and 1.06 x 10(-2) microns/micron 3) and diameter of microvilli (8.73 x 10(-2) and 8.94 x 10(-2) microns) remained constant.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that changes in canalicular shape and microvillus hypertrophy may cause lowering efficiency of the bile flow rate.

Eosinophil apoptosis caused by theophylline, glucocorticoids, and macrolides after stimulation with IL-5

BACKGROUND

Glucocorticoids have long been used as the most potent drugs in the treatment of bronchial asthma. Data reported recently have led to the proposal that theophylline and macrolides have antiinflammatory effects.

OBJECTIVE

We examined the abilities of theophylline, glucocorticoids, and macrolides to counteract the prolongation of eosinophil survival caused by IL-5.

METHODS

Purified guinea pig eosinophils were cultured in the presence or absence of human IL-5 and with or without the aforementioned drugs at various concentrations. The percentage of cells alive after 3 days in culture was determined.

RESULTS

Aminophylline (AM), methylprednisolone (MP), erythromycin (EM), and clarithromycin (CAM) suppressed the IL-5 induced prolongation of eosinophil survival in a dose-dependent manner. The effects of these drugs on eosinophil survival were significantly greater at low concentrations of IL-5 than at high concentrations of IL-5. When eosinophils were cultured in the presence of IL-5 (1 ng/ml) with physiologic concentrations of MP (10(-6) mol/L), AM (10(-4) mol/L), and either EM or CAM (both 10 micrograms/ml), the effect of IL-5 was almost completely abolished, and the morphologic changes in eosinophils observed by electron microscopy were consistent with apoptosis. DNA extracted from eosinophils cultured with IL-5 and each of the drugs was definitely fragmented.

CONCLUSIONS

One mechanism of the effectiveness of these drugs is induction of eosinophil apoptosis. Some combination of these drugs may be useful in the treatment of bronchial asthma.

Ultrastructural localization of DNA in leukemic cells using osmium ammine B

In order to determine whether there were any differences in distribution of nuclear DNA between acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), the localization of DNA in blasts from the bone marrow or buffy coat of 30 patients with ALL and 30 patients with AML was examined ultrastructurally by staining with osmium ammine B. By the ultrastructural cytochemistry, DNA in ALL cells was clumped in the nuclei, while in AML cells, it was dispersed. DNA had accumulated around the nucleoli of some blasts, and flecks of DNA were observed in nucleoli of a majority of blasts. The perinucleolar and intranucleolar DNA distribution could be classified into four types. The types with abundant perinucleolar DNA were frequently observed in ALL blasts, while the majority of AML blasts showed scant perinucleolar DNA. The types with intranucleolar flecks of DNA were more prominent in leukemic cells than in normal immature leukocytes. In conclusion, the pattern of distribution of DNA in the nuclei of leukemic cells differs between ALL and AML.