A dendritic cell targeted vaccine induces long-term HIV-specific immunity within the gastrointestinal tract

Despite significant therapeutic advances for HIV-1 infected individuals, a preventative HIV-1 vaccine remains elusive. Studies focusing on early transmission events, including the observation that there is a profound loss of gastrointestinal (GI) CD4(+) T cells during acute HIV-1 infection, highlight the importance of inducing HIV-specific immunity within the gut. Here we report on the generation of cellular and humoral immune responses in the intestines by a mucosally administered, dendritic cell (DC) targeted vaccine. Our results show that nasally delivered α-CD205-p24 vaccine in combination with polyICLC, induced polyfunctional immune responses within naso-pulmonary lymphoid sites that disseminated widely to systemic and mucosal (GI tract and the vaginal epithelium) sites. Qualitatively, while α-CD205-p24 prime-boost immunization generated CD4(+) T-cell responses, heterologous prime-boost immunization with α-CD205-p24 and NYVAC gag-p24 generated high levels of HIV-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells within the GI tract. Finally, DC-targeting enhanced the amplitude and longevity of vaccine-induced immune responses in the GI tract. This is the first report of a nasally delivered, DC-targeted vaccine to generate HIV-specific immune responses in the GI tract and will potentially inform the design of preventative approaches against HIV-1 and other mucosal infections.

Human periodontal ligament stem cells suppress T-cell proliferation via down-regulation of non-classical major histocompatibility complex-like glycoprotein CD1b on dendritic cells

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) from the periodontal ligament tissue were recently identified as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The capabilities of PDLSCs in periodontal tissue or bone regeneration have been reported, but their immunomodulatory role in T-cell immune responses via dendritic cells (DCs), known as the most potent antigen-presenting cell, has not been studied. The aim of this study is to understand the immunological function of homogeneous human STRO-1⁺ CD146⁺ PDLSCs in DC-mediated T-cell immune responses to modulate the periodontal disease process.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We utilized highly purified (> 95%) human STRO-1⁺ CD146⁺ PDLSCs and human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Each stem cell was co-cultured with human monocyte-derived DCs in the presence of lipopolysaccharide isolated from Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major pathogenic bacterium responsible for periodontal disease, in vitro to examine the immunological effect of each stem cell on DCs and DC-mediated T-cell proliferation.

RESULTS

We discovered that STRO-1⁺ CD146⁺ PDLSCs, as well as BMSCs, significantly decreased the level of non-classical major histocompatibility complex glycoprotein CD1b on DCs, resulting in defective T-cell proliferation, whereas most human leukocyte antigens and the co-stimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 in/on DCs were not significantly affected by the presence of BMSCs or STRO-1⁺ CD146⁺ PDLSCs.

CONCLUSIONS

This study unveiled an immunomodulatory role of STRO-1⁺ CD146⁺ PDLSCs in negatively regulating DC-mediated T-cell immune responses, demonstrating their potential to be utilized in promising new stem cell therapies.

Symmetry-breaking Hopf bifurcations to 1-, 2-, and 3-tori in small-aspect-ratio counterrotating Taylor-Couette flow

The nonlinear dynamics of Taylor-Couette flow in a small-aspect-ratio wide-gap annulus in the counterrotating regime is investigated by solving the full three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations. The system is invariant under arbitrary rotations about the axis, reflection about the annulus midplane, and time translations. A systematic investigation is presented both in terms of the flow physics elucidated from the numerical simulations and from a dynamical system perspective provided by equivariant normal form theory. The dynamics are primarily associated with the behavior of the jet of angular momentum that emerges from the inner cylinder boundary layer at about the midplane. The sequence of bifurcations as the differential rotation is increased consists of an axisymmetric Hopf bifurcation breaking the reflection symmetry of the basic state leading to an axisymmetric limit cycle with a half-period-flip spatiotemporal symmetry. This undergoes a Hopf bifurcation breaking axisymmetry, leading to quasiperiodic solutions evolving on a 2-torus that is setwise symmetric. These undergo a further Hopf bifurcation, introducing a third incommensurate frequency leading to a 3-torus that is also setwise symmetric. On the 3-torus, as the differential rotation is further increased, a saddle-node-invariant-circle bifurcation takes place, destroying the 3-torus and leaving a pair of symmetrically related 2-tori states on which all symmetries of the system have been broken.

Breast tomosynthesis and digital mammography: a comparison of diagnostic accuracy

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to compare the ability of radiologists to detect breast cancers using one-view breast tomosynthesis (BT) and two-view digital mammography (DM) in an enriched population of diseased patients and benign and/or healthy patients.

METHODS

All participants gave informed consent. The BT and DM examinations were performed with about the same average glandular dose to the breast. The study population comprised patients with subtle signs of malignancy seen on DM and/or ultrasonography. Ground truth was established by pathology, needle biopsy and/or by 1-year follow-up by mammography, which retrospectively resulted in 89 diseased breasts (1 breast per patient) with 95 malignant lesions and 96 healthy or benign breasts. Two experienced radiologists, who were not participants in the study, determined the locations of the malignant lesions. Five radiologists, experienced in mammography, interpreted the cases independently in a free-response study. The data were analysed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and jackknife alternative free-response ROC (JAFROC) methods, regarding both readers and cases as random effects.

RESULTS

The diagnostic accuracy of BT was significantly better than that of DM (JAFROC: p=0.0031, ROC: p=0.0415). The average sensitivity of BT was higher than that of DM (∼90% vs ∼79%; 95% confidence interval of difference: 0.036, 0.108) while the average false-positive fraction was not significantly different (95% confidence interval of difference: -0.117, 0.010).

CONCLUSION

The diagnostic accuracy of BT was superior to DM in an enriched population.

Employment status and work-related difficulties in family caregivers of terminal cancer patients compared with the general population

9580

Background: This study was aimed to investigate the employment status and work-related difficulties among family caregiver of terminal cancer patients compared with the general population. Methods: A survey was administered to 381 family caregivers of terminal cancer patients at 11hospitals and 994 general populations aged more than 18 years. Results: Family caregivers of terminal cancer patients were female (66.7%) and the patient's spouse (50.9%), with mean age of 46.8years (SD, 13.5). 212(56.1%) were working before cancer diagnosis, however, only 133(36.3%) continued working currently. Compared with the general population, 233(63.7%)family caregivers of terminal cancer patients were more likely to be not working (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] =2.39; 95% confidence interval [95%CI] = 1.73 to 3.29).Those who continued working reported more easy fatigability (40.6% vs 22.4%) and reduced working hours (20.3% vs 2.1%) than general population. For those doing housework, caregiving itself (56.4%) were identified to be the most common difficulties, followed by easy fatigability (32.3%). Major reasons for not working were providing care to the terminal cancer patients (24.0%). Older age (aOR=10.37; 95%CI=2.80 to 38.41), female sex (aOR=4.28; 95%CI=2.25 to 8.13), lower household income (aOR=2.19; 95%CI=1.19 to 4.06), bearing medical cost by other than spouse (aOR=2.10; 95%CI=1.05 to 4.19), and low performance status of the patients (aOR=2.00; 95%CI=1.01 to 3.95) were significantly associated with not working. Conclusions: When compared to the general population, family caregivers of terminal cancer patients were at risk job loss from their caregiving burden, and caregiving and easy fatigability were the major work-related difficulties. Our study might help make a strategy to reduce job loss for family caregivers' caregiving burden.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

The clinical significance of oophorectomy in gastric patients

e15646

Background: The oophorectomy in isolated metastasis of ovary can lead to long term survival in patients with gastric cancer, but the clinical significance of oophorectomy in stage IV gastric cancer patients is not known well in this time. Methods: We reviewed the medical record of the 55 gastric cancer patients who were metastasis or recurrent in ovary at Dongsan Medical Center, Kimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea from 1985 to 2008. Results: Twenty-one patients were metastasis to ovary at the time of diagnosis of gastric cancer, and 34 patients were recurrent in ovary after the gastric resection. The mean age was 45.3 ± 11.6 years in metastatic cancer and 46.8 ±12.6 years in recurrent cancer patients. The stage at the time of gastric resection in 34 recurrent patients were I in 3, II in 1, III in 18, and IV in 10. Adjuvant chemotherapy were performed in 26 (76.5%) patients. Oophorectomy were performed in 33 (97.1%) of recurrent cancer, and 17 (81.0%) of metastatic cancer. The 1-year and 2-year survival rate of metastatic cancer were 14.7%, and 0%, and 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rate of recurrent cancer were 47.2%, 18.1%, and 0%, respectively. The median survival duration of metastatic cancer were 8.9 ±1.0 months, and recurrent cancer were 11.4 ±2.3 months. Recurrent cancer were better survival than metastatic cancer patients (p=0.014). The long-term survival (over 2 years) was noted in 5 patients of recurrent cancer patients. The stage of gastric cancer was correlated to overall survival time in total patients (p=0.028). But, the relapse-free survival time after gastrectomy is the only factor to predict survival duration after oophorectomy in recurrent cancer patients (p=0.029). Age, stage of gastric cancer, extent of involvement of ovary, and systemic chemotherapy were not related to survival time of recurrent cancer patients. Conclusions: The survival time in patients with oophorectomy in recurrent gastric cancer was correlated to relapse-free survival time after gastric resection.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Multicenter phase II study of docetaxel plus oxaliplatin combination chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer

15026

Background: The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combination regimen of docetaxel plus oxaliplatin in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Methods: Patients with previously untreated metastatic or recurrent, measurable gastric cancer received intravenous docetaxel 65 mg/m2 plus oxaliplatin (Oxalpla®, Yuhan.Co. Seoul, Korea) 120 mg/m2 on days 1 in a 3-week cycle. Treatment was continued until disease progression, patient refusal, or an unacceptable toxicity up to 9 cycles. Results: Forty-two patients were enrolled in the current study. Of these, 39 were assessable for efficacy and 41 assessable for toxicity. Seventeen partial responses were confirmed, giving an overall response rate of 40.5% (95% CI: 26.0% to 54.1%, intention-to-treat analysis). At a median follow-up of 160.5 days, the median time to progression was 6.1 months, whereas median overall survival was not reached yet. Grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in 10 patients, plus febrile neutropenia was observed in 3 patients. Most common non-hamatologic toxicity was nausea (grade 1/2 56.9%). There were two treatment-related deaths. Conclusions: Docetaxel and oxaliplatin combination was found to be well-tolerated and effective in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Accordingly, this regimen can be regarded as an important first-line treatment option for advanced gastric cancer.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Use of absolute lymphocyte counts to predict response to chemotherapy and survival in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

8082

Background: Absolute lymphocyte counts (ALCs) at diagnosis has been shown to be an independent prognostic factor in patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) although the precise mechanism was not fully elucidated. The current study evaluated the impact of Absolute lymphocyte counts (ALCs) at diagnosis in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) on the response to chemotherapy and survival. Methods: The treatment outcomes of the patients receiving CHOP (n=101) or R-CHOP chemotherapy (n=122) were compared according to ALCs at diagnosis (<1.0 vs. = 1.0×109/L). Results: Forty-two patients (19%) had a lower ALC count at diagnosis (CHOP, 23 [23%]; R-CHOP, 19 [16%]). The lower ALCs showed a good correlation with IPI (p<0.001), performance (p<0.001), LDH (p<0.001), stage (p=0.004), extranodal involvement (p=0.011), but not with age or sex. A significant difference of response rate was noted according to ALCs in favor of a higher ALCs (CR: 80% vs. 60%, p=0.005; ORR: 93% vs. 78%, p=0.003). In addition, event-free survival (EFS) was worse in a lower ALC group than higher ALC group: median duration of EFS, 1,773 days vs. 326 days (p<0.001). The OS was also in favor of a higher ALC group: median duration of OS, 3,000 days vs. 695 days (p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, ALC at diagnosis was an independent predictive factor for CR (HR 2.717, p=0.009) and prognostic factor for EFS (HR 2.148, p=0.004) or OS (HR 2.863, p=0.002). Conclusion: The ALCs at diagnosis appears to predict the survival of DLBCL patients. Our findings suggested that the ALCs at diagnosis may reflect host's immune status against DLBCL, implying that immune system of host will play a critical role on survival of DLBCL patients.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Prognostic significance of immunohistochemical expression of Rb gene product in operable breast cancer

21121

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of the expression of Rb gene product in operable invasive breast cancer by performing immunohistochemical analysis. Methods: Between January 1993 and December 2001, 212 operable invasive breast cancer patients underwent immunohistochemical staining for Rb, and we retrospectively analyzed these results together with the clinical outcomes. Results: The overexpression of p53 was detected in 72.7% of the cases. The overexpression of Rb was correlated with positive hormonal receptor (p=0.000), and inversely correlated with lymph node metastasis (p=0.017) and vascular invasion (p=0.004). The tumor size, tumor histology, histologic grade, and tumor stage were not related to the overexpression of p53. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicate that lymph node metastasis and tumor size were the significant prognostic factors for overall survival; lymph node metastasis was the significant prognostic factor for relapse free survival. On the subgroup analysis, the Rb expressors showed better 7-year overall survival (98.5% vs. 81.5%, respectively, p=0.005) and relapse free survival (94.1% vs. 77.4%, respectively, p=0.021) than did the p53 non-overexpressors for the patients without lymph node metastasis. However, for the patients with lymph node metastasis, the survival rates were not different for both the Rb expressors and the Rb non-expressors. Conclusions: Immunohistochemical staining of the Rb gene product was an independent prognostic factor for predicting survival of the lymph node negative operable breast cancer patients.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Overexpression of the osteopontin correlates with the aggressiveness of endometrial cancer

5038

Background: To test the hypothesis that expression of osteopontin (OPN), an integrin-binding glycoprotein, can independently predict the potential aggressiveness of endometrial cancer. We studied OPN expression in endometrial cell carcinomas and correlated OPN expression levels with clinicopathologic tumor features. Methods: The status of OPN expression in benign and malignant endometrial cancer cell lines and tissues was analyzed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Nonparametric Spearman’s correlation coefficient method was used to assess the statistical significance of the correlation between clinicopathologic characteristics of tumor and OPN expression. Results: An increased expression of OPN was observed in the endometrial cancer compared to normal endometrial tissue samples. When the level of OPN in normal tissue was set at 1, its level in benign endometrial hyperplasia was slightly increased at 1.2, whereas the OPN level in the highly malignant endometrial carcinoma tissue was greatly increased by nearly 3- 5 folds. Amongst the 70 cases examined immunocytochemically, of the 23 grade 1 endometrial carcinomas, 6 were unstained and 12 stained weakly positive (+). For the 20 grade 3 or serous type endometrial carcinomas analyzed, 8 (40%) stained strongly positive (+++), 8 (40%) stained moderately positive (++) and 1 stained weakly positive (+). These results showed that the level of OPN expressed between grade 1 and grde 3 or more was significantly different (Spearman’s correlation coefficient method, p = 0.001). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the increased level of OPN expression was significantly associated with reduced survival time of the patients. Conclusions: The results suggest that the increased OPN level may be involved in the malignant transformation of endometrial adenocarcinoma cells and OPN expression level is an important determinant for patient survival.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Multiple primary cancers in patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

17562

Background: Multiple primary malignant tumors have been documented with increased frequency over the last two decades. An analysis of other primary cancers in individuals with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) can help to elucidate this cancer epidemics and etiology. Methods: The occurrence of multiple malignancy was studied in patients with NHL from 1985 to 2005. Results: One or more additional cancers were observed in 19 patients. Seven were diagnosed prior to, 5 concomitantly with, and 7 after the diagnosis of NHL. The diagnosis of 5 synchronous primary cancer were rectal cancer, squamous cell esophageal cancer, prostatic cancer, transitional cell bladder cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer. Each cases of colon cancer, breast cancer, hepatoma, small cell lung cancer, stomach cancer, cervical cancer, and rhabdomyosarcoma were diagnosed prior to NHL, and the second primary cancers were two squamous skin cancer and each cases of melanoma, colon cancer, thyroid cancer, adenocarcinoma of the salivary gland, and cholangiocarcinoma. The mean age of synchronous cases was 68.2 ± 4.8 years-old, and all 5 cases were primary extranodal NHL (2 gastric, 1 nasopharynx, 1 nasal, 1 rectal) and pathologic diagnosis were diffuse large cell in 4 cases and extranasal NK/T cell type in one case. The mean age of the second primary NHL was 57.6 ± 11.4 years-old, and 5 of 7 cases were extranodal origin (each one case of colon, tonsil, tongue, stomach, and CNS), and were diagnosed 11, 19, 24, 72, 73, 101, 168 months after the diagnosis of variable cancers. The mean age of the second primary cancer was 46.9 ± 15.9 years-old, and 3 of 7 cases were extranodal origin (2 gastric and 1 tonsil), and were diagnosed 55, 73, 75, 99, 144, 156, 161 months after the diagnosis of NHL. Conclusions: The synchronous cases of NHL were more older and more frequent extranodal manifestations than metachronous cases.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Palliative chemotherapy preferences and factors that influence patient choice in advanced cancer

16010

Background: We conducted this prospective study to determine the treatment preference of patients receiving chemotherapy in a palliative setting. We investigated the survival threshold for justifying toxicity, the factors influencing individual preference for chemotherapy, and the attitude of patients towards randomized trials. Methods: 138 patients (median age, 58 years; 73% male) with advanced cancer who had received at least one cycle of palliative chemotherapy were recruited. General demographic information, patient preferences for palliative chemotherapy, and randomized trials were determined using structured patient interviews. Results: The median age was 58 years (range, 25–77 years), and the majority of the study population were male (73%). 73 patients (60.1%) answered that they had some support by dependents. Fewer than half were given information about the impact of their chemotherapy on survival (n = 64, 48.1%), and just over one third of patients (n = 53, 40.5%) were presented with an alternative to anticancer therapy, such as supportive care (p < 0.001). While 75.7% of patients agreed to receive chemotherapy with mild toxicity, only 57.9% of patients agreed to chemotherapy with severe toxicity (p = 0.002). The median survival threshold was 12 months for mild toxicity, and 21 months for severe toxicity. Patients who experienced improvement of symptoms or quality of life were more likely to judge the treatment as acceptable. 105 patients (78.4%) refused a clinical trial with randomization between a conventional chemotherapy and supportive care. There were 85 patients (62.6%) that would refuse randomization between conventional chemotherapy and investigational chemotherapy. Finally, 58.6% of patients agreed to participate in trials with investigational agents. Conclusions: In the palliative setting, a discussion of prognosis and the merits of chemotherapy is a necessary part of the treatment decision-making processes, and choosing the proper treatment for cancer patients. Individual preferences assume greater importance in this setting. Randomized trials must be carefully designed with a priori equipoise.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Unusual ferromagnetic couplings in single end-to-end azide-bridged cobalt(II) and nickel(II) chain systems

Two new one-dimensional single azide-bridged metal(II) compounds [[M(5-methylpyrazole)4(N3)]n](ClO4)n(H2O)n [M = Co (1a), Ni (2a)] were prepared by treating an M(II) ion with stoichiometric amount of sodium azide in the presence of four equivalents of the 3(5)-methylpyrazole ligand. The isostructural compounds 1a and 2a crystallize in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n. The azide bridging ligands have a unique end-to-end coordination mode that brings two neighboring metal centers into a cis-position with respect to the azide unit to form single end-to-end azide-bridged cobalt(II) and nickel(II) chains. The two neighboring metal atoms at inversion centers adopt octahedral environments with four equatorial 3(5)-methylpyrazole ligands and two axial azide bridges. Two adjacent equatorial least-squares planes form dihedral angles of 60.5 degrees and 60.6 degrees for Co and Ni, respectively. In addition, the metal-azide-metal units form large M-N3-M torsion angles, which are magnetically important geometrical parameters, of 71.6 degrees for M=Co and 75.7 degrees for M=Ni. It should also be noted that the M-N-N angles associated with end-to-end azide group, another magnetically important structural parameter, fall into the experimentally observed range of 120-140 degrees as 128.3(3) and 147.8(3) degrees for cobalt species and 128.4(2) and 146.1(3) degrees for nickel species; these values deviate from the theoretical value of around 164 degrees at which the incidental orthogonality is achieved under the torsion angle of 0 degrees. The compounds 1a and 2a have unique magnetic properties of ferromagnetism, zero-field splitting, and spin canting. The MO calculations indicate that the quasiorthogonality between the magnetic orbitals of metal ions and the p atomic orbitals of the bridging azide is possible in the observed structures and leads to the ferromagnetism. The spin canting related to the perturbation of ferromagnetism arises from the magnetic anisotropy and antisymmetric interactions judged by the structural parameters of the zero-field splitting and the tilted MN4 planes in a chain. The enhancement of magnetic interactions was accomplished by dehydrating the chain compounds to afford two soft magnets with critical temperature T(C) and coercive field of 2 K and 35 G for 1b and 2.3 K and 20 G for 2b, respectively.

Novel families of three-component reversible redox cycles involving cage deformation via intramolecular redox reaction: tetrathiolate-bridged dinuclear molybda- and tungstacarboranes

The synthesis and structural analysis of two novel families of three-component reversible redox cycles [(C(2)B(9)H(11))M(mu-SPh)(2)](2)(n)PPN(n) (M = Mo, n = 2-, 2; 1-, 3; 0, 4; and M = W, n = 2-, 6; 1-, 7; 0, 8), where the cleavage and re-formation of the carborane cage C-C bond is observed during the redox reaction, are reported. Electronic saturation of the metal center (18e center) and the lack of bulky substituents on the carborane cage suggest that the deformed carborane cages in 2.PPN(2), 6.PPN(2), and 7.PPN invoke a new kind of deformed cage ("semicloso" framework). The XPS results show that the unprecedented competition for electron density between the metal center and the carborane cage is involved in the cleavage and formation of the carborane C-C bond.

Evidence for estradiol-induced apoptosis and dysregulated T cell maturation in the thymus

In an attempt to delineate the immunological alterations that may occur following treatment with estrogen, groups of C57BL/6 mice were treated with 75mg/kg body weight of beta-estradiol-17-valerate (E2) or the vehicle. The thymus from these mice were harvested on days 1, 4 and 7 following treatment. The thymocytes from E2-treated mice when cultured in vitro for 24h, showed increased levels of apoptosis when compared to controls. The apoptosis was demonstrable by both TUNEL assay and AnnexinV/propidium iodide (PI) staining. Also, thymic atrophy and increased apoptosis of thymocytes when cultured in vitro were seen when lower doses of E2 (5mg/kg) were administered. The thymus from E2-treated mice on days 4 and 7 also showed a decrease in the percentage of CD4(+)CD8(+) (DP) T cells and an increase in the percentage of CD4(-)CD8(-) (DN), CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells. However, the total cellularity of all T cell subsets in the thymus was decreased following E2 treatment. Earlier studies from our laboratory and elsewhere have demonstrated that in thymocytes undergoing apoptosis, there is increased expression of surface markers including CD3, alphabetaTCR and CD44 with a simultaneous decrease in the expression of J11d. Similar changes were observed in thymocytes from mice on days 4 and 7 following E2 treatment. These data therefore confirmed that the thymocytes were indeed undergoing apoptosis following E2 treatment. Together, our studies suggest for the first time that estrogen may induce thymic atrophy by triggering apoptosis.

CD44-deficient mice exhibit enhanced hepatitis after concanavalin A injection: evidence for involvement of CD44 in activation-induced cell death

Administration of Con A induces severe injury to hepatocytes in mice and is considered to be a model for human hepatitis. In the current study, we investigated the role of CD44 in Con A-induced hepatitis. Intravenous administration of Con A (20 mg/kg) caused 100% mortality in C57BL/6 CD44-knockout (KO) mice, although it was not lethal in C57BL/6 CD44 wild-type (WT) mice. Administration of lower doses of Con A (12 mg/kg body weight) into CD44 WT mice induced hepatitis as evident from increased plasma aspartate aminotransferase levels accompanied by active infiltration of mononuclear cells and neutrophils, and significant induction of apoptosis in the liver. Interestingly, CD44 KO mice injected with similar doses of Con A exhibited more severe acute suppurative hepatitis. Transfer of spleen cells from Con A-injected CD44 KO mice into CD44 WT mice induced higher levels of hepatitis when compared with transfer of similar cells from CD44 WT mice into CD44 WT mice. The increased hepatitis seen in CD44 KO mice was accompanied by increased production of cytokines such as TNF-alpha, IL-2 and IFN-gamma, but not Fas or Fas ligand. The increased susceptibility of CD44 KO mice to hepatitis correlated with the observation that T cells from CD44 KO mice were more resistant to activation-induced cell death when compared with the CD44 WT mice. Together, these data demonstrate that activated T cells use CD44 to undergo apoptosis, and dysregulation in this pathway could lead to increased pathogenesis in a number of diseases, including hepatitis.

Synthesis, structures and antitumor activity of the first crown ester-linked bipyridyl platinum complexes

Three new crown ester-linked bipyridine homologs with three, four or five ethylene glycol units, which are bulky and soluble in both hydrophilic and lipophilic media, were synthesized. The reaction of the appropriate macrocycles with K2PtCl4 in water gave yellow cisplatin analogs in good yield. These complexes were converted to carboplatin analogs by exchange of the leaving group. All the compounds were characterized by elemental analysis and various spectroscopic methods. Carboplatin analogs showed good solubility in both hydrophilic and lipophilic media. The crystal structure of 2c, the carboplatin analog with macrocycles containing five ethylene glycol units, was determined by X-ray diffraction: space group P1, a = 9.798(1), b = 12.580(3), c = 13.945(2) A, alpha = 108.61(2), beta = 94.59(1), gamma = 97.42(2) degrees, Z = 2, R = 0.0618. Some of platinum complexes showed a moderate cytotoxic effect on both murine leukemia L1210 and P388 even though they do not have any NH proton.

Investigation of Coordinational Properties of Europium(III) Complexes with Picolinic Acid Using Eu(III) Excitation Spectroscopy

The 7F0 --> 5D0 excitation spectra of Eu(III) complexed with picolinic acid were investigated using Eu(III) excitation spectroscopy. Six overlapping peaks are seen in the excitation spectra, indicating the formation of six species. The structures of the six species are proposed here and described in terms of both coordination by carboxylate and N-chelation. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

An investigation of possible effects of high-frequency ultrasound on cellular integrity of cultured fibroblasts

Several investigators have demonstrated the feasibility of imaging at the cellular level using acoustical microscopy. It has also been proposed that acoustical microscopy technology might be adopted for in vivo applications. Before such applications are implemented, it is important to demonstrate that any major deleterious effects are highly unlikely. To this end, we have repeatedly scanned NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblasts in culture using an Olympus UH3 acoustical microscope operating at 600 MHz. No adverse effects were observed even after exposures for 1 h. Spatial peak temporal averaged intensities were estimated to be below 300 mW/cm2.

[A case report of an operation for graft stenosis with complete obstruction of the coronary artery]

A case report of an operation after CABG and AVR was presented. The patient was a 52-year-old female. She underwent CABG with saphenous veins at 43 years old and AVR at 45 years old. She was admitted to our hospital due to acute myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography revealed that all the native coronary arteries were occluded at the proximal side, two grafts to RCA and CX were occluded, and LAD graft had a 99% stenosis. She became critically ill due to low cardiac output and acute renal failure. Endoartrectomy of the LAD graft was performed under CPB. Early postoperative course was uneventful. Severe ST depression in the pre-operative ECG normalized in the postoperative ECG. But she had a chest pain again in the 4th postoperative week. She became critically ill and died on the 43rd postoperative day. It was thought that redo CABG should have been performed after her condition improved.

Effects of sustained lymph drainage on cardiovascular function and thoracic duct lymph in sheep

We studied the effect of lowering the plasma protein concentration on the cardiovascular function and thoracic duct lymph in awake adult sheep. Hypoproteinemia was induced in seven nonpregnant, splenectomized sheep by drainage of the thoracic duct lymph over a 5-day period. The plasma protein went from a mean of 6.4 +/- 0.2 (SE) to 4.9 +/- 0.2 g/dl on day 5, and the lymph-to-plasma protein concentration ratio decreased from 0.74 +/- 0.01 on day 1 to 0.48 +/- 0.04 on day 5. The percentage composition of the protein fractions in plasma and lymph remained unchanged. Lymph flow was 1.79 +/- 0.37 and 1.28 +/- 0.10 ml/min for days 1 and 5, respectively. Renin concentration in plasma increased 50-fold by day 5. Arterial pressure fell from 102.9 +/- 5.4 to 72.7 +/- 4.4 mmHg by day 5. Mean hematocrit was 28.9 +/- 1.7 at day 1, which was not significantly different than 24.6 +/- 2.9 at day 5 and indicated that the plasma volume did not decrease. Body weight also did not change significantly. There was a decrease in the transcapillary protein escape rate, determined as the thoracic lymph flow rate multiplied the lymph protein concentration, that suggests adaptations in the microcirculation to decrease vascular-to-interstitial protein transfer during hypoproteinemia. Hypoproteinemic animals also demonstrated greater vascular retention of a fluid volume challenge. In conclusion, the sheep adaptations to sustained hypoproteinemia produced by lymph drainage were a significant decrease in arterial pressure, large increases in vascular compliance and renin concentration, and reduced transcapillary escape rate of protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Role of the lipoxygenase pathway in angiotensin II-mediated aldosterone biosynthesis in human adrenal glomerulosa cells

We studied the role of the lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism in angiotensin II (AII)-stimulated aldosterone secretion in normal and adenomatous human adrenal glomerulosa tissue. In freshly isolated normal adrenal glomerulosa cells, the AII-mediated stimulation of aldosterone secretion was not altered by cyclooxygenase blockade with ibuprofen. In contrast, BW755c (10(-5) mol/L), a nonselective lipoxygenase inhibitor, and baicalein (10(-6) mol/L), a more selective 12-lipoxygenase blocker, inhibited AII-mediated aldosterone secretion, but did not alter basal aldosterone secretion. The glomerulosa cells produced the lipoxygenase products 12- and 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HETE) in the basal state, as measured by high pressure liquid chromatography and RIA. However, AII selectively stimulated only 12-HETE production [basal, 1329 +/- 207 (+/- SE) pg (3.99 +/- 0.62 pmol)/10(5) cells.h; AII, 2365 +/- 333 (7.09 +/- 1.0); n = 9; P less than 0.02], suggesting that 12-lipoxygenase activation may be involved in AII-mediated aldosterone secretion by normal cells. In addition, the lipoxygenase inhibitors that blocked AII-mediated aldosterone secretion also prevented AII-mediated 12-HETE formation. In contrast, neither ACTH nor K+ stimulated 12-HETE formation, suggesting that 12-lipoxygenase activation is primarily involved in AII action in normal glomerulosa cells. BW755c caused a marked dose-dependent inhibition of basal aldosterone secretion in freshly isolated cells from aldosterone-producing adenomas [APA; basal, 66 +/- 3 ng (182 +/- 8 pmol)/10(6) cells.h; 10(-5) mol/L BW755c, 49 +/- 2 (136 +/- 6); 10(-4) mol/L BW755c, 30 +/- 2 (83 +/- 6)]. In contrast, the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin and the selective 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor U60257 did not alter basal aldosterone secretion by these cells. The APA cells produced 12- and 15-HETE, and BW755c at the same dose that inhibited aldosterone secretion also inhibited the production of both 12- and 15-HETE. In the cultured APA cells, AII-stimulated aldosterone secretion was inhibited by BW755c [basal, 26 +/- 8 pg/mL (72.0 +/- 22.1 pmol/L); AII, 336 +/- 79 (930 +/- 218); AII plus BW755c, 92 +/- 38 (255 +/- 105) n = 13; P less than 0.01]. The lipoxygenase products 12- and 15-HETE restored the stimulatory effect of AII during inhibition by BW755c, indicating a role for these lipoxygenase pathways in AII-mediated aldosterone secretion in APA cells. These results suggest that the stimulatory effects of AII on aldosterone secretion are mediated by stimulation of the lipoxygenase pathway in human zona glomerulosa cells.

Characterization of an estrogen-binding protein in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

This paper further characterizes the estrogen-binding protein we have described in the cytosol of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. [3H]Estradiol was used as the radioprobe, and specific binding of cytosol fractions was measured by chromatography on Sephadex minicolumns. Other 3H-steroids did not exhibit specific binding. [3H]Estradiol binding was destroyed by treatment with trypsin, but not RNase, DNase, or phospholipase; N-ethylmaleimide substantially decreased the binding. The yeast did not metabolize estradiol added to the medium, and extraction and chromatography of the bound moiety showed it to be unmetabolized estradiol. Scatchard analysis of cytosol from both a and alpha mating types as well as the a/alpha diploid cell revealed similar binding properties: an apparent dissociation constant or Kd(25 degrees) for [3H]estradiol of 1.6-1.8 nM and a maximal binding capacity or Nmax of approximately 2000-2800 fmol/mg of cytosol protein. Gel exclusion chromatography on Sephacryl S-200 and high performance liquid chromatography suggested a Stokes radius of approximately 30 A. Sucrose gradient centrifugation showed a sedimentation coefficient of approximately 5 S, and the complex did not exhibit ionic dependent aggregation. The estrogen binder in S. cerevisiae differed in its steroidal specificities from classical mammalian estrogen receptors in rat uterus. 17 beta-Estradiol was the best competitor, 17 alpha-estradiol had about 5% the activity, and diethylstilbestrol exhibited negligible binding affinity as did tamoxifen, nafoxidine, and the zearalenones. In summary, a high affinity, stereospecific, steroid-selective binding protein has been demonstrated in the cytosol of the simple yeast S. cerevisiae. We speculate that this molecule may represent a primitive hormone receptor system, possibly for an estrogen-like message molecule.

An estrogen-binding protein and endogenous ligand in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: possible hormone receptor system

A protein macromolecule in the cytosol of the unicellular eukaryotic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae selectively binds the vertebrate estrogen hormone 17 beta-estradiol with high affinity. Lipid extracts of the yeast cells or the conditioned growth medium yield a substance that can bind competitively to the tritiated estradiol-binding sites in the yeast and to mammalian estrogen receptors. These findings suggest that the binding protein may be a primitive hormone receptor and that the lipid-extractable substance represents the endogenous ligand.