Molecular cloning of groESL locus, and purification and characterization of chaperonins, GroEL and GroES, from Bacillus brevis

The groESL locus of a protein-hypersecreting bacterium, Bacillus brevis, was cloned by PCR using primers designed based on the DNA sequence of a B. subtilis homolog. GroEL protein was purified to apparent homogeneity and its ATPase activity was characterized: it hydrolyzed ATP, CTP, and TTP in this order of reaction rate, and its specific activity for ATP was 0.1 micromole/min/mg protein. Purified GroEL forms a tetradecamer. GroEL was estimated to contain 22% alpha-helix, 24% beta-sheet, and 19% turn structures, by CD measurement. GroES protein was also highly purified to examine its chaperonin activity. GroEL protected from thermal inactivation of and showed refolding-promoting activity for malate dehydrogenase, strictly depending on the presence of ATP and GroES.

Isovolumetric relaxation flow in patients with ischemic heart disease

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristics of flow during the isovolumetric relaxation period and to analyze the relation between these flow patterns and standard hemodynamic indexes.

BACKGROUND

Outward motion of the left ventricle during the isovolumetric relaxation period has been observed by cineangiography. However, there is little information about blood flow during this period.

METHODS

Seventy-nine patients with ischemic heart disease were examined by pulsed Doppler echocardiography and cardiac catheterization. All patients were classified into three groups according to the observed patterns of isovolumetric relaxation flow: group I (n = 41), flow directed toward the apex; group II (n = 21), flow directed toward the base, and group III (n = 17), low velocity flow (< 12 cm/s) without a dominant direction. Patients in group I were further classified into group Ia (n = 19) with normal ventriculograms and group Ib (n = 22) with asynergy.

RESULTS

Left ventricular ejection fraction and negative first derivative of left ventricular pressure were significantly lower in group II (49 +/- 9% and 1,274 +/- 212 mm Hg/s, respectively) and group III (38 +/- 8% and 1,147 +/- 280 mm Hg/s, respectively) than in group Ia (68 +/- 7% and 1,727 +/- 358 mm Hg/s), each p < 0.01. Time constant was significantly prolonged in group II (49 +/- 6 ms) and group III (48 +/- 6 ms) compared with that in group Ia (41 +/- 6 ms), p < 0.05. On left ventriculography, patterns of outward wall motion during the isovolumetric relaxation period were associated with the patterns of isovolumetric relaxation flow.

CONCLUSIONS

Changes in left ventricular relaxation are accompanied by alterations in isovolumetric relaxation flow. It is therefore useful to evaluate isovolumetric relaxation flow when investigating early diastolic ventricular function.

[Metastatic tumor of the spermatic cord from gastric cancer]

A 70-year-old male who had undergone gastrectomy due to gastric cancer 6 years previously visited our department complaining of perineal and bilateral scrotal mass. Biopsy specimen of the perineal mass showed well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. The spermatic cords were resected en bloc with the entire scrotal content, penis and perineal skin. Histological examination of the spermatic cord, epididymis and perineal subcutaneous tissue revealed well differentiated adenocarcinoma similar to that of the lesion resected from the stomach 6 years earlier. The patient was followed for 2 years with no evidence of recurrence. Metastatic tumors of the spermatic cord and epididymis resulting from gastric cancer are rare and 31 cases previously reported in the Japanese literature are reviewed.

[Malignant lymphoma of the testis]

Two cases of malignant lymphoma arising from the testis are presented. High inguinal orchiectomy was performed on a 72-year-old and a 79-year-old man. Histological findings were malignant lymphoma of the testis. One was large cell type and the other was mixed cell type in diffuse lymphoma according to the LSG classification. We reviewed 22 malignant lymphomas of the testis reported in Japan along with LSG classification.

[Complete remission of bladder cancer with multiple pulmonary metastases obtained by combined chemotherapy with cis-platinum, adriamycin and cyclophosphamide]

A 54-year old man with metastatic transitional cell carcinoma (grade 3) of the bladder has achieved complete remission as a result of combination chemotherapy. Plain chest X-P demonstrated multiple pulmonary metastases and computed tomography demonstrated a 35 X 40 mm-sized bladder tumor. The patient was treated with four courses of combination chemotherapy consisting of cis-platinum, adriamycin and cyclophosphamide, after which complete disappearance of the pulmonary metastases and bladder tumor was observed. The patient has been followed up, with no evidence of tumor nine months after the treatment.