The histopathological features of the surgical endometriosis model using systemic autoimmune disease-prone mice

Endometriosis is a common gynecological disease that affects women of reproductive age in which the uterine endometrium grows outside the uterus. Origin of the ectopic endometrium is thought to be the retrograde endometrium through the oviducts. However, factors that determine the adherence and proliferation of the ectopic endometrium have not been revealed. Importantly, systemic autoimmune diseases are considered a key factor in the endometriosis onset. Herein, we established a surgical endometriosis rodent model using autoimmune disease-prone MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/lpr (MRL/lpr) and MRL/+ mice to provide basic evidence of the relationship between autoimmune disease and endometriosis. Endometriosis lesions were successfully induced in two regions after transplanting uterine tissues from donor mice into the peritoneal cavity of recipient mice: the peritoneum or adipose tissue around the transplantation point (proximal lesions) and the gastrosplenic ligament or intestinal mesentery far from the transplantation site (distal lesions). Distal lesions were observed only in MRL/lpr mice, whereas endometriosis lesions showed no genotype- or region-related differences in the histology and distribution of sex hormone receptors and T cells. In contrast, transplanted uterine tissues in donor MRL/lpr mice exhibited a large infiltration of T cells in the lamina propria. Splenomegaly was more common in recipient than that in donor MRL/lpr mice. These results suggest that the infiltration of endogenous T cells in the endometrium alters the growth features of ectopic endometrium, possibly affecting the severity of endometriosis in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases.

Morphological analysis of cell distribution and network structure via gap junctions in swine corneal stroma

Because of corneal transplantation limitations, there is a need for cornea-specific regenerative medicine. The development of such regenerative medicine has been delayed because of the complex and unique structure of the corneal stroma. Few studies have explored the corneal stroma cell distribution and cell types in vivo. This study investigated regional differences in morphological characteristics and distributions of corneal keratocytes and immunocompetent cells in the corneal stroma to clarify their functions and structural characteristics. The porcine eyeballs were subjected to light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and immunofluorescence staining analyses. Corneal cells were primarily located in the limbus, rather than the center of the cornea; the long keratocyte diameter was largest on the epithelial side of the corneal limbus, while the short diameter was largest on the endothelial side of the central cornea. Moreover, there were significantly more corneal cells on the epithelial side than on the endothelial side in both the central and limbus areas. Gap junctions between cells in the corneal stroma were present on the surfaces of cytoplasmic processes. Many cytoplasmic processes were scattered throughout the corneal stroma; they were connected both vertically and horizontally, forming an intercellular network. Additionally, immunocompetent cells on the epithelial side suggested to participate in this network via gap junctions. The morphology of keratocytes and immunocompetent cells on the epithelial side suggests that they play important roles in corneal homeostasis.

Episome-mediated transfer of drug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae. III. Transduotion of resistance factors

Watanabe, Tsutomu (Keio University, Tokyo, Japan), and Toshio Fukasawa. Episome-mediated transfer of drug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae. III. Transduction of resistance factors. J. Bacteriol. 82:202-209. 1961.-Transmissible multiple drug resistance of Enterobacteriaceae, which includes resistance to streptomycin (SM), chloramphenicol (CM), tetracycline (TC), and sulfonamide (Su), was found to be transduced in the systems of Salmonella typhimurium strain LT-2 with phage P-22 and Escherichia coli strain K-12 with phage P1kc. No linked chromosomal markers to the resistance factors have so far been found in the substrains of K-12. The transductants of K-12 were all found to be able to transfer their resistance factors by conjugation, whereas a majority of those of LT-2 could not transfer their resistance factors by conjugation. The resistance factors were segregated rarely in K-12 and consistently in LT-2. Defective resistance factors could be transferred by conjugation to the transductants of LT-2. The transductants thus made resistant to the four drugs were able to transfer only the resistance factors which had been introduced by conjugation and none of those which had been transduced. The patterns of segregation of the resistance factors by transduction suggested that they are located in the following sequence; Su-----Sm-----Cm-----Tc, and they were assumed to be carried by an episome "resistance transfer factor" which is considered to be located at the distal end of Tc.

Episome-mediated transfer of drug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae. V. Spontaneous segregation and recombination of resistance factors in Salmonella typhimurium

Watanabe, Tsutomu (Keio University, Tokyo, Japan) and Keong W. Lyang. Episomemediated transfer of drug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae. V. Spontaneous segregation and recombination of resistance factors in Salmonella typhimurium. J. Bacteriol. 84:422-430. 1962.-It was found that spontaneous segregation of the transmissible multiple drug resistance [resistance to streptomycin (Sm), chloramphenicol (Cm), tetracycline (TC), and sulfonamide (Su)] takes place so frequently in Salmonella typhimurium strain LT-2 (Su, Sm, Cm, Tc) as to allow a clone analysis of the segregation of resistance factors with replica plating. Su-, Sm-, and Cm- resistance factors together were spotaneously lost most frequently, whereas the spontaneous loss of Tc-resistance factor alone was rather infrequent. The complete loss of the resistance factors was also noted with low frequencies. The mechanism of the spontaneous segregation of the resistance factors was assumed to be due to either genetic exchange between the resistance factors and host genome or incomplete replication of the transmissible resistance factors (composed of resistance factors and resistance-transfer factor). In relation to the mechanism of spontaneous segregation of the transmissible resistance factors, circular models of the transmissible resistance factors are presented. Four-drug-resistant strains were produced by transferring segregant types of transmissible resistance factors (Su, Sm, Cm) and (Tc) to the strains with (Tc) and (Su, Sm, Cm), respectively. In these four-drug-resistant strains, the two types of transmissible resistance factors were found to be in two different states; in one state the two types of transmissible resistance factors exist in the same cells independently of each other, and in the other state a transmissible resistance factor, which was produced as a result of recombination of the two types of transmissible resistance factors, is present. Two unusual strains of LT-2 with Su-, Sm-, and Cm-resistance factors and with four resistance factors were found. These strains could not transfer their resistance factors to Escherichia coli K-12 by conjugation. Their resistance factors were spontaneously segregated as frequently as those of LT-2 (Su, Sm, Cm) and LT-2 (Su, Sm, Cm, Tc), and the transfer of (Tc) to strain LT-2 with nontransmissible Su-, Sm-, and Cm-resistance factors gave rise to two types of clones; one could transfer the four resistance factors as a unit to K-12 by conjugation, and another could transfer only (Tc) and frequently segregated two types of clones; one had (Tc) and another had nontransmissible Su, Sm-, and Cm-resistance factors. From these findings, the unusual strains with nontransmissible resistance factors are assumed to have a "defective" resistance-transfer factor.

Episome-mediated transfer of drug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae IV. Interactions between resistance transfer factor and F-factor in Escherichia coli K-12

Watanabe, T. (Keio University, Tokyo, Japan) and T. Fukasawa. Episome-mediated transfer of drug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae. IV. Interactions between resistance transfer factor and F-factor in Escherichia coli K-12. J. Bacteriol. 83:727-735. 1962. - Resistance transfer factor (RTF) present in F(+) and F'(+) strains was found to suppress completely the transfer of F-factor, F', and host chromosomes. On the other hand, the presence of RTF in Hfr strains was found to reduce the frequencies of recombination to about 10(-2) of those in Hfr strains, regardless of the types of Hfr. RTF present in an F(+) strain with colicinogenic factor E(1) inhibited the transfer of the colicinogenic factor, whereas the transfer of colicinogenic factor I was not suppressed by RTF. A hypothesis that the genetic determinant of RTF controlling its "transfer system" is epistatic to that of F-factor is presented. It was also shown that F-factor present in recipients slightly suppresses the acceptance of RTF and that RTF present in recipients slightly reduces the acceptance of F-factor, F', and host chromosomes. On the other hand, the acceptance of RTF by recipients in which RTF is present was found to be about 1% of that in recipients without RTF.

NEW TYPE OF SEX FACTOR-SPECIFIC BACTERIOPHAGE OF ESCHERICHIA COLI

Watanabe, Tsutomu (Keio University, Tokyo, Japan), and Motoyuki Okada. New type of sex factor-specific bacteriophage of Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 87:727-736. 1964.-A virulent phage, W-31, isolated from sewage water, was found to have a specific relationship to the sex factor of Escherichia coli K-12; this phage formed large, clear plaques on F(-) and stable Hfr strains but small, turbid plaques on F(+) strains. Unstable Hfr strains gave intermediate-type responses to phage W-31. Further, adsorption and nucleic acid injection of phage W-31 occurred equally in F(-) and F(+) strains. In addition, a majority of F(+) cells were killed by infection with phage W-31 without producing progeny phage. These results suggest that some step(s) after nucleic acid injection is suppressed by an autonomous F but not by an integrated F. Colicinogenic factor B was also found to suppress the production of progeny of phage W-31, although colicinogenic factor E(2), prophage lambda, and R factors did not show such inhibitory effects against this phage. Colicinogenic factor B in an F(-) strain derived from an Hfr strain did not suppress the multiplication of phage W-31; this strain was further found to carry out chromosome transfer in the same order as the original Hfr strain.

EPISOME-MEDIATED TRANSFER OF DRUG RESISTANCE IN ENTEROBACTERIACEAE. VII. TWO TYPES OF NATURALLY OCCURRING R FACTORS

Watanabe, Tsutomu (Keio University, Tokyo, Japan), Hiroshi Nishida, Chizuko Ogata, Toshihiko Arai, and Sachiko Sato. Episome-mediated transfer of drug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae. VII. Two types of naturally occurring R factors. J. Bacteriol. 88:716-726. 1964.-Naturally occurring R factors are classified into two types, fi(+) and fi(-), depending on their fi characters. The term fi is an abbreviation of fertility inhibition and fi(-) and fi(-) mean, respectively, the presence and absence of suppression of the functions of the sex factor F of Escherichia coli K-12. It was found that fi(-) R factors reduce the efficiency of plating of phages lambda and T(1) in K-12; fi(+) R factors did not have this inhibitory action. One of the fi(-) R factors reduced the efficiency of plating of phage T(7) as well. Phages lambda and T(1) underwent host-induced modifications in the host carrying some fi(-) R factors. At least two types of fi(-) R factors were recognized by the types of their restriction and host-induced modification of these phages. CaCl(2) exhibited antagonistic actions against the restrictions of phages lambda and T(1) by fi(-) R factors. Transduction of the ability to ferment galactose with HFT lysates of lambda was reduced by fi(-) R factors. Ultraviolet induction of lambda was not affected by any R factors. Furthermore, adsorption of phages lambda and T(1) was not altered by the presence of any R factors. From these results, we concluded that the suppression of progeny formation of these phages by fi(-) R factors is due to some step(s) after adsorption of the phages to the bacteria. Superinfection immunity and mutual exclusion were found between two different fi(+) R factors but not between fi(+) and fi(-) R factors. The two different fi(-) R factors were frequently genetically recombined. but fi(+) and fi(-) R factors were not genetically recombined, as indicated by findings of independent transfer of these R factors by conjugation and by transduction from the donors having these two R factors. It was assumed from these findings that fi(+) and fi(-) R factors are considerably different episomes having different resistance-transfer factors.

EPISOME-MEDIATED TRANSFER OF DRUG RESISTANCE IN ENTEROBACTERIACEAE. 8. SIX-DRUG-RESISTANCE R FACTOR

Watanabe, Tsutomu (Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan), Chizuko Ogata, and Sachiko Sato. Episome-mediated transfer of drug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae. VIII. Six-drug-resistance R factor. J. Bacteriol. 88:922-928. 1964.-The multiple-drug-resistant Escherichia coli strain isolated by Lebek in 1963 was found to transfer resistance to sulfonamide, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, kanamycin, and neomycin together by conjugation, as well as by transduction with phage P1kc, suggesting that these drug-resistance markers are carried by a single R factor (R(6)). The results of transductional and spontaneous segregations of the drug-resistance markers of R(6) have shown that R(6) has independent genetic determinants for sulfonamide, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, and kanamycin-neomycin resistance. Resistance to kanamycin and neomycin is probably controlled by a single gene, because no segregation was observed between these two. The resistance transfer factor of R(6) was found to be of the fi(+) type.