Dysfunction of Arabidopsis MACPF domain protein activates programmed cell death via tryptophan metabolism in MAMP-triggered immunity

Plant immune responses triggered upon recognition of microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) typically restrict pathogen growth without a host cell death response. We isolated two Arabidopsis mutants, derived from accession Col-0, that activated cell death upon inoculation with nonadapted fungal pathogens. Notably, the mutants triggered cell death also when treated with bacterial MAMPs such as flg22. Positional cloning identified NSL1 (Necrotic Spotted Lesion 1) as a responsible gene for the phenotype of the two mutants, whereas nsl1 mutations of the accession No-0 resulted in necrotic lesion formation without pathogen inoculation. NSL1 encodes a protein of unknown function containing a putative membrane-attack complex/perforin (MACPF) domain. The application of flg22 increased salicylic acid (SA) accumulation in the nsl1 plants derived from Col-0, while depletion of isochorismate synthase 1 repressed flg22-inducible lesion formation, indicating that elevated SA is needed for the cell death response. nsl1 plants of Col-0 responded to flg22 treatment with an RBOHD-dependent oxidative burst, but this response was dispensable for the nsl1-dependent cell death. Surprisingly, loss-of-function mutations in PEN2, involved in the metabolism of tryptophan (Trp)-derived indole glucosinolates, suppressed the flg22-induced and nsl1-dependent cell death. Moreover, the increased accumulation of SA in the nsl1 plants was abrogated by blocking Trp-derived secondary metabolite biosynthesis, whereas the nsl1-dependent hyperaccumulation of PEN2-dependent compounds was unaffected when the SA biosynthesis pathway was blocked. Collectively, these findings suggest that MAMP-triggered immunity activates a genetically programmed cell death in the absence of the functional MACPF domain protein NSL1 via Trp-derived secondary metabolite-mediated activation of the SA pathway.

Malignant Brenner tumors of the ovary and tumor markers: case reports

We investigated the tumor marker for malignant Brenner tumors, which had not been established because of the rarity and variable histological criteria. Representative areas of two cases of malignant Brenner tumor were investigated by means of the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method using monoclonal antibody to CA125 and CA72-4 antigen and the streptavidin-biotin immunoperoxidase complex method using monoclonal antibody to SCC antigen. Based on clinical course and immunohistochemical studies, serum CA125 and CA72-4 for Case 1 and SCC and CA72-4 for Case 2 were appropriate tumor markers for the establishment of the extent of tumor burden before treatment and to monitor the response to therapy. The discrepancy of the tumor markers of the two present cases is considered to be a reflection of the difference in the malignant component of these cases. However, serum CA72-4 was an appropriate tumor marker for both malignant Brenner tumors.

Peritoneal cytology and its prognostic value in endometrial carcinoma

BACKGROUND

There has been a controversy about the prognostic significance of positive peritoneal cytology in endometrial carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Peritoneal cytology was obtained at the time of surgery, including systematic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, in 114 patients.

RESULTS

The incidence of positive peritoneal cytology was 35.1%. The 5-year survival rates of the stage IIIA and IIIC (FIGO, 1988) cases were 82.8% and 58.3%, respectively. In pathological stage I (the disease was histologically confined to the uterine corpus), there was no significant difference in 5-year survival rates between patients with and without positive peritoneal cytology. Though the patients in stage IIIA who had only positive peritoneal cytology were given no postoperative therapy unless they had extrauterine disease, no patients developed recurrence. In stages IIIC and IV, the prognosis was significantly poorer for patients with positive peritoneal cytology than for those with negative cytology.

CONCLUSION

Positive peritoneal cytology is not an adverse prognostic factor endometrial carcinoma if disease is limited to the uterus.

Erythropoietin, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6 during the normal menstrual cycle

OBJECTIVE

Menstruation and ovulation are the main events during the menstrual cycle. Menstruation may influence the complete blood count because of its blood loss. Since ovulation is an inflammatory-like phenomenon, white blood cell count may change during ovulation. For these reasons, we have investigated the complete blood count and peripheral serum concentrations of associated cytokines during the normal menstrual cycle.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Normal healthy female volunteers (N = 9; age, 21-33 years) with menstrual cycles of 25-33 days recorded basal body temperature every day and venous blood samples were collected three times per week. Complete blood count was performed and erythropoietin, granulocyte-colony, stimulating factor, interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6 and hormones (FSH, LH, estradiol and progesterone) were measured.

RESULTS

The red blood cell, total white blood cell, granulocyte and platelet counts showed no statistically significant changes during the menstrual cycle when using analysis of variance with the Scheffe F-test. No changes in erythropoietin, interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6 were seen throughout the menstrual cycle. In contrast, serum granulocyte-colony stimulating factor concentrations increased significantly to 28.0 +/- 3.1 pg/ml (mean +/- S.E.M.) during the ovulatory phase, compared to 10.7 +/- 0.6 pg/ml in other phases.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that menstrual blood loss does not affect the complete blood count and suggest that granulocyte-colony stimulating factor plays and important role in the mechanism of ovulation.

Non-grafting method of vaginal construction for patients of vaginal agenesis without functioning uterus (Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster syndrome)

We have treated 18 patients with vaginal agenesis without functioning uterus (MRK syndrome) during the period between January 1984 and December 1995 by Frank's dilatation method followed by the surgical method without grafting. Clinical records were retrospectively examined in regard to the size and functions of the constructed vagina and problems of the treatment procedure. The treatment by non-invasive dilatation was first carried out starting at the age of 21 years 2 months +/- 2 years 9 months (Mean +/- SD) for the duration of 10.9 +/- 9.8 months. It was successful (constructed vaginal length by pressure: 60 mm or more) in 6 patients (35.3%). The non-grafting surgical method was then performed. The operation time was 2:11 +/- 0:37 hours and no complications were observed. The vaginal lengths 1 month after operation and at the latest follow-up were enough to have coitus and no severe complications including shrinkage were observed. Our method to construct a new vagina is simple and useful, since it left no operation scar in contrast to McIndoe's method and other methods with grafting.

[A case of umbilical polyp with aberrant pancreas and small intestinal mucosa--analysis of cases of umbilical polyp reported in Japan]

We report a case of a 60 year-old man with an umbilical polyp composed of the aberrant pancreas and small intestinal mucosa. This is an extremely rare lesion which originates in remnants of omphalomesenteric duct and is usually diagnosed in the infant period. Microscopic examination disclosed the aberrant pancreas with exocrine glands and ducts, but no islets of Langerhans. The above findings suggested that the pancreas might have been HEINRICH II in type.

[The importance of uterine vascular systems in the maintenance of pregnancy]

The mesometrial artery (MA), which is the final part of the uterine artery in guinea pig, supplies nutrients and oxygen to the fetus and placenta during pregnancy. Accompanying fetal growth, MA increases 8-fold in diameter, and 30- to 50-fold in weight, protein content and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) content. The importance of MA in the maintenance of pregnancy was examined by comparing the proliferative rate of MA during pregnancy and abortion induced by antiprogesterone RU38486 30 mg/kg. MA was incubated in Medium 199 with 185kBq/ml 3H-thymidine for 4h and the rate of 3H-incorporation into MA was used as the proliferative rate. The proliferative rate of MA during the first trimester (day less than 20) was 2,825 +/- 1,036 Bq/mg.h, which is almost 100 times higher than the rate in diestrus animals. During the later course of pregnancy, the proliferative rate decreased logarithmically, being 352 +/- 58 (40 less than or equal to d less than 50), 158 +/- 23 (50 less than or equal to d less than 60) and 75 +/- 10 (60 less than or equal to d). The proliferative rate of MA was measured also in animals which received RU38486 30 mg/kg at 24-48 h prior to the measurement and whose fetuses were still alive. The proliferative rates of MA in such animals decreased markedly to 141 +/- 21 (40 less than or equal to d less than 50) and 37 +/- 8 (50 less than or equal to d less than 60) (p less than 0.01), which means that the proliferation of MA is reduced even before the death of the fetus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)