Down-regulation of interleukin-8 gene expression in HL60 cell line by human Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor

Urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI) is one of the Kunitz-type protease inhibitors in human. Little is known about its anti-inflammatory functions other than protease inhibition. We studied the effect of UTI on gene expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8), an inflammatory cytokine. UTI inhibited IL-8 gene expression induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in HL60 cells. The IL-8 concentrations in the cells and medium after LPS stimulation increased time-dependently in the absence of UTI, but did not increase in the presence of UTI. On the other hand, UTI did not inhibit either the synthesis or the release of IL-8 induced by the calcium ionophore A23187. UTI inhibited increase of cytosolic Ca2+ stimulated by LPS but not by A23187. Our results suggest that the inhibition by UTI is due to its effect on the cell membrane involved in regulating Ca2+ influx.

Cerebral magnetic resonance angiographic findings in severe preeclampsia

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of our study was to investigate the cerebral pathophysiology of severe preeclampsia using the noninvasive method of magnetic resonance angiography.

STUDY DESIGN

We studied cerebral magnetic resonance angiography findings in 9 severely preeclamptic patients.

RESULTS

Magnetic resonance angiographies were abnormal on first scanning within 48 h postpartum, followed by normal findings on repeat scanning during the 1st postpartum month in 6 patients. The most common abnormality was vascular narrowing of anterior cerebral artery and basilar artery. Three of these 6 patients complained of headaches and/or visual disturbances.

CONCLUSION

This study shows that cerebral artery vasospasm is seen in some severe preeclamptic patients.

Eclampsia-like seizures and electroencephalographic changes in pregnant rabbits with endothelin-1 injections

To examine the possible role of endothelin and vasospasm in eclamptic seizures, we studied and analyzed the electroencephalograms (EEG) of endothelin-1 (ET-1)-treated pregnant, nonpregnant and sham control (dextrose-treated) rabbits. After multiple intravenous bolus injections of ET-1 (500 pmol/kg) or 5% dextrose in the rabbits, we recorded EEG directly from the brain cortex and analyzed by Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). Water content was measured in the brain of all groups (n = 7). Repeated seizures occurred in all of the pregnant and 2 of the nonpregnant rabbits by variable doses of ET-1. FFT analysis showed remarkable changes in frequency and power arrays characterized by mild to severe form of dysrhythmia, high-voltage spikes, high-voltage fast and slow waves after ET-1 injections. Water content was increased in brain mass in ET-1-treated rabbits (p = 0.001) suggesting an ET-1-induced edema. Histologically we confirmed that ET-1 caused ischemic changes in brain tissues. However, ET-1 induced more pronounced changes in behavior, EEG, brain edema or ischemia in pregnant than in nonpregnant groups. The injections of exogenous ET-1 into the brain substances were strongly suggested by immunohistochemical study with polyclonal antiendothelin antibody in brain tissue sections. Therefore, we assume that endothelin along with other vasoactive substances causes acute cerebral vasospasm and ischemia inducing EEG changes leading to ultimate clinical convulsions in eclampsia.

Inactivation of interleukin-8 by aminopeptidase N (CD13)

Aminopeptidase (APN) was found to degrade interleukin-8 (IL-8) and inactivate its chemotactic activity. The chemotactic activity of IL-8 was decreased by APN or neutrophil plasma membranes dose- and time-dependently. The chemotactic activity was not inactivated in the presence of bestatin or WM15 monoclonal antibody. The expression of IL-8 was measured by flow cytometry. On lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, IL-8 expression increased for 60 min and then decreased markedly. In contrast, on treatment with LPS and bestatin, the expression of IL-8 increased continuously for at least 120 min. These results suggest that the expression and release of IL-8 from phagocytic cells are regulated by the proteolytic effect of APN on IL-8.

Endothelin has a role in early pathogenesis of amniotic fluid embolism

The early pathogenesis of amniotic fluid embolism is not completely understood. The entrance of amniotic fluid (AF) into the systemic circulation leads to an initial phase of pulmonary vasospasm, pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale. We studied the effect of AF on endothelin (ET) production in vivo and in vitro. Injection of rabbits (pregnant and nonpregnant) with meconium-stained AF, raw AF and supernatant AF led to a significant increase in serum ET. This result was confirmed by using human umbilical vein endothelial cell cultures incubated with the same types of AFs. After infusion of rabbits with AFs, we observed that the lung, heart and kidney were positively stained for ET and von Willebrand factor. AF was found to have an injurious effect on endothelial cells measured by using fura-2. The maximal injurious effect of AFs was observed for the meconium-stained AF. We hypothesized that the early pathological changes in AF embolism may be mediated by ET.

Blood coagulation and fibrinolysis in eclamptic patients and their correlation with the clinical signs

We studied the impact of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis on the clinical features of eclamptic patients (n = 20) in Bangladesh. The variables used were edema, proteinuria, blood pressure, number of convulsions, level of consciousness at the time of admission, thrombin antithrombin complexes (TAT), antithrombin (AT) III (%) activity and antigen, D dimer fibrin degradation product and alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor-plasmin complex (PIC) in plasma. Canonical correlation analysis was made to obtain clinical index, eclampsia index and two coagulation indices. On admission, the mean values of coagulation parameters were AT III activity: 83.2% (range 57-108), TAT complex: 47.6 ng/ml (range 11.5-60), D dimer: 1,693 ng/ml (range 417-8,276) and PIC 1.4 mg/ml (range 0.4-3.3). We found a significant correlation between the eclampsia index and clinical index (r = 0.601; p = 0.01). Gestosis index, clinical index, and eclampsia index have also a strong correlation with the coagulation index (r = 0.695, p < 0.005; r = 0.871, p < 0.0001 and r = 0.805, p < 0.0001, respectively). Coagulation and fibrinolysis were markedly activated in eclampsia. The correlation between the clinical status and coagulation status in this study suggested a close relation between the coagulation and the development and progression of the disease.

Impact of urokinase-type plasminogen activator and its inhibitor type 1 on prognosis in cervical cancer of the uterus

The present study was undertaken to assess the role of tumor-associated urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and its inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) as a predictor for early relapse and poor prognosis in patients with stage II cervical cancer of the uterus. We have investigated the localization of uPA and PAI-1 immunohistochemically in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections. uPA and PAI-1 were analyzed antigenically, enzymologically, and zymographically in 28 patients with pelvic lymph node involvement and in 34 cases without nodal spread, as well as in 10 cases with normal cervix. In cancer tissues, strong staining for uPA was found in areas with invasive growth and degradation of surrounding normal tissue, while most tumor nests showed a mild or a moderate, evenly distributed PAI-1 staining. A significantly higher lymph node-positive rate was observed in patients having tumors with strong uPA and/or PAI-1 stainings than in those with tumors with weak stainings. In spite of significantly higher PAI-1 levels in the primary neoplastic tissues, uPA was found to be increased as well, both in antigen level and in activity. Most of PAI-1 obtained from cancer extracts is the latent form. These results suggest that cancer-associated increase in uPA seems not to be affected (or inhibited) by PAI-1 in areas where tumor cells are invading normal tissue. The overall survival and progression-free survival rate was worst in patients with the strong uPA staining confined to the tumor stromas and also with the strong PAI-1 staining at tumor nests, indicating that the greater localization of uPA in stromal cells than in malignant cells is a predictor of early relapse and poor prognosis in patients with cervical cancer of the uterus. Thus, the staining intensities and the localization of uPA and PAI-1 in tissue specimens appear to be predictors of increasing risk for lymph node metastasis, suggesting that some tumor cells recruit stromal cells to produce uPA and that PAI-1 may not act as a defense mechanism for tumor cell invasion and metastasis in the leading edge of tumor growth.

Effect of time of carbohydrate ingestion on muscle glycogen resynthesis after exhaustive exercise in rats

We studied the optimal time of carbohydrate ingestion required to restore muscle glycogen storage after exhaustive exercise in rats. The animals were divided into 4 groups (IN0, IN30, IN60 and IN120), each receiving 30% glucose solution (30 g/kg body weight) through a stomach tube 0, 30, 60 or 120 minutes after exercise. Six hours after administration of glucose, the glycogen concentration in the m. extensor digitorum longus returned to the baseline in the IN0 group, while reaching only 77%, 80% and 73% of the baseline in the IN30, IN60 and IN120 groups, respectively. There was a significant difference in this variable between the IN0 group and any of the three other groups. On the other hand, the glycogen concentration in the m. soleus returned to the baseline in all groups with no difference. These findings suggest that muscle glycogen may be most efficiently resynthesized if carbohydrate is given immediately after exercise, and that muscle glycogen resynthesis may vary with the type of muscle.

Urinary trypsin inhibitor may have a protective effect on endothelial cells in preeclampsia

Urinary trypsin inhibitor is a glycoprotein which has an inhibitory effect on many enzymes, especially neutrophil elastase. The concentration of urinary trypsin inhibitor in serum (maternal and fetal), urine and amniotic fluid was measured in 20 cases of preeclampsia and compared with levels in normal pregnancy. Urinary trypsin inhibitor levels were significantly increased in the maternal and fetal serum of preeclamptic patients compared to normal pregnancy (p < 0.0001), as well as in urine and amniotic fluid of the same patients. Relative fluorescence release of a calcium chelating agent (fura-2) from human umbilical vein endothelial cell cultures was significantly increased by preeclamptic serum compared to serum of normal pregnant women (p < 0.03). After incubation of urinary trypsin inhibitor with the cultures, significant decrease of fura-2 release was observed (p < 0.03). Urinary trypsin inhibitor has an effect on suppression of activated neutrophils, elastase production and may have a protective effect on endothelial cells.

Endothelin-1 increased immunoreactive von Willebrand factor in endothelial cells and induced micro thrombosis in rats

This study was performed (i) to investigate the interaction between ET-1 and endothelial cells and (ii) to study the role of ET-1 in in vivo thrombosis. Fura-2AM loaded human umbilical endothelial cell cultures were incubated with 0, 25, 50 and 100 pmol of ET-1 for 24 hours (n = 6) at 37 degrees C. Fura-2 released in the media was measured by spectroflurophotometer at wavelength of 350 nm excitation and 500 nm emission. We found significant (p < 0.01) and dose dependent decrease in Fura-2 release by the cells indicating increased intracellular calcium in HUVEC. Increased calcium by ET-1 was also confirmed at single cell level by fluorescence digital image analysis using Fura-2AM. 5 ml solution of ET-1 (100 pmol/ml) was injected within the venous lumen of umbilical cords (of normal pregnancy) clumped at both ends and incubated at a temperature 37 degrees C for 3 hours (n = 7). We found intensely stained immunoreactive von Willebrand factor (vWF) on the endothelial cells of ET treated umbilical cords when compared with sham control (Umbilical cords incubated with phosphate buffer saline; n = 7). Intravenous ET-1 infusions at a rate of 1 nmol/kg/hour for 2 hours (cases, n = 7) and 5% dextrose infusions (sham control, n = 7) were performed in rats. Aorta, kidney and liver tissues were obtained to perform immunostaining with polyclonal antibody to vWF and fibrinogen. ET-1 treated rat tissues showed intense staining for vWF and fibrinogen intravascularly at hte same site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Pregnancy complicated by liver dysfunction: possible pathogenesis of vasospasm

BACKGROUND

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy, the syndrome of hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count (HELLP), and severe preeclampsia form a disease spectrum. We report a case that showed a vasospastic phenomenon supported angiographically and hematologically.

CASE

A 31-year-old Japanese woman presented at 37 weeks gestation with a 1-week history of nausea, vomiting and general fatigue. She underwent cesarean delivery for fetal distress. Liver dysfunction and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy were detected. The celiac angiogram showed vascular narrowing and irregularity of the vascular wall. Serum endothelin and the ratio of thromboxane B2 to 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha were increased at the same time. The patient experienced rapid resolution of symptoms and laboratory abnormalities in the immediate postoperative period.

CONCLUSION

A pregnancy complicated by liver dysfunction showed a vasospastic phenomenon, which may suggest the presence of a vasospastic syndrome.

[A case of malignant pheochromocytoma with high levels of serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and calcitonin]

A 71-year-old woman was admitted with the chief complaint of headache, lumbago and slight fever. Computerized tomographic (CT) scan demonstrated a large soft tissue mass with multiple cystic necrosis in the right adrenal region. The plasma norepinephrine concentration was excessive and serum levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE), calcitonin and parathormone were elevated. MIBG scintigraphy showed a high uptake in the same region. Under the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma without distant metastasis, right adrenalectomy was performed. The tumor was removed en bloc with right kidney and a part of the liver because of inflammatory adhesion. The histological examination revealed benign pheochromocytoma. After the operation, norepinephrine and calcitonin decreased to normal but the levels of NSE and PTH remained high. One year after operation, chest X-ray revealed multiple lung metastases and after 1.5 years she died of respiratory failure. Autopsy revealed multiple lung and bone metastases and a liver metastasis, parathyroid glands showed hyperplasia but the thyroid gland showed no abnormal change. This clinical course suggests that serum NSE might be a useful tumor marker for differentiating malignant pheochromocytoma from benign one, and this tumor producing calcitonin caused secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Characterization of the cellular binding site for the urinary trypsin inhibitor

A highly purified urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI) inhibits not only tumor cell invasion in an in vitro assay but also production of experimental and spontaneous lung metastasis in an in vivo mouse model. UTI is present both in the lysate of tumor cells (human choriocarcinoma SMT-cc1 cells, human promyeloid leukemia U937 cells, and murine Lewis lung carcinoma 3LL cells) and human neutrophils. In each medium from tumor cells, most of the cell-associated UTI is on the cell surface. Cell-binding experiments employing cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry indicated that tumor cells (SMT-cc1 and 3LL cells) have specific binding sites for UTI on their cell surface. UTI binds rapidly and with relatively high affinity to SMT-cc1 and 3LL cells. UTI is bound to a specific surface receptor that is incompletely saturated. U937 cells and neutrophils did not show any specific binding to UTI, since UTI receptors on the cell surface of U937 cells and neutrophils were completely saturated with endogenous UTI. UTI forms yielded cross-linked 150- and 80-kDa ligand receptor complexes with cultured SMT-cc1 cells, suggesting molecular masses of 110 and 40 kDa for the UTI receptors. Purification of the two UTI receptor proteins by ligand affinity chromatography (ligand-blotting analysis) yielded two bands when analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, corresponding in electrophoretic mobility to those calculated by cross-linking analysis. The results reported here showing that some tumor cells carry UTI receptors are in line with a possible role of surface-bound UTI in modulating plasmin activity to the close environment of the cell surface and in processes like prevention of tumor cell invasion and metastasis.

Preparation of monoclonal antibodies for immunoblotting human growth hormone receptor and growth hormone-binding protein

Monoclonal anti-peptide antibodies against the extracellular domain of human growth hormone receptor (hGHR) were prepared. Four monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) reacted with an extracellular domain protein produced by genetic engineering. Among them, GHRP2-88 was the most reactive against hGHRs from human IM-9 cells. The lower limit of detection for immunoblotting using this mAb was about 200 pg hGHR. The GHRP2-88 antibody also reacted with deglycosylated hGHRs from tunicamycin-treated IM-9 cells and with the growth hormone-binding protein (GH-BP) in human plasma.

Interleukin-8 induces cervical ripening in rabbits

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine whether cervical ripening can be induced in rabbits by interleukin-8.

STUDY DESIGN

Nonpregnant and pregnant rabbits were treated for 5 days with vaginal suppositories containing 100 ng of interleukin-8. Collagen and glycosaminoglycan concentration in the cervices were assessed histologically by picrosirius red and alcian blue, and the mean optical density was calculated. The mean neutrophil count in five random fields was calculated from each biopsy specimen.

RESULTS

Interleukin-8 induced softening and dilatation of the rabbit cervices. Water content was significantly increased (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Cervical collagen concentration was found to be significantly decreased (p < 0.0004 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Glycosaminoglycan concentration was significantly increased in nonpregnant and pregnant cervices (p < 0.0009 and p < 0.1, respectively). The mean number of neutrophils was significantly increased (p < 0.0005 and p < 0.006, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Interleukin-8 can induce cervical ripening in nonpregnant and pregnant rabbits.

Inhibition of metastasis of Lewis lung carcinoma by a synthetic peptide within growth factor-like domain of urokinase in the experimental and spontaneous metastasis model

Four synthetic peptides (residues 20-30 and 17-34) within the growth factor-like domain (GFD) of murine and human urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) were examined to determine whether they inhibit production of experimental and spontaneous lung metastasis by murine Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL) cells. In an in vivo experimental metastasis assay, which determines mainly the later steps of the metastatic migration process (extravasation from the bloodstream and then growth into pulmonary tumor), none of the peptides introduced by i.v. single co-injection into syngeneic C57B1/6 mice inhibited pulmonary metastasis, when 3LL cells were pre-incubated with the peptides followed by i.v. co-injection of the peptide and cells. In addition, none of the peptides, when injected i.p. daily for 7 days after i.v. tumor cell inoculation, reduced the number of lung tumor colonies. In a second in vivo assay that measures metastasis from a primary tumor (spontaneous metastasis model), multiple i.p. injections of the mouse peptide 17-34 for 7 days after s.c. tumor cell inoculation significantly inhibited metastatic lung tumor colonization in a dose-dependent manner, whereas human peptide 17-34 had no effect. Mouse and human peptide 20-30 had no effect either. The inhibition of lung metastasis was not due to direct antitumor effects of mouse peptide 17-34. Our results indicate that occupation of uPA receptors on 3LL cells by the enzymatically inactive mouse peptide 17-34 or prevention of rebinding of uPA synthesized by tumor cells to their receptor specifically reduced tumor cell invasion and formation of metastasis and that uPA may regulate more efficiently the mechanism involved in the entry of tumor cells into vascular circulation than extravasation during the metastatic process.

Biochemical markers as a predictor for lymph-node involvement in patients with cervical-cancer of the uterus

The present study was undertaken to assess the role of tumor associated urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and tumor infiltrating granulocyte-derived elastase as a positive and a negative predictor for lymph node involvement in patients with stage II cervical cancer of the uterus. uPA and uPA binding proteins (uPA receptors) were quantitated enzymologically and/or immunologically in cell membrane preparations obtained from cancer tissues. The cell membrane preparations express pro-uPA/uPA, uPA is bound to a specific type of surface receptors, of which more than 50% are saturated. Most of the receptor-bound uPA is enzymologically inactive pro-uPA. We have investigated the localization of pro-uPA/uPA and granulocyte elastase immunohistochemically and semiquantitated in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections in 13 patients with pelvic lymph node involvement and in 16 cases without lymph node involvement. Strong uPA staining was found in areas with invasive growth and degradation of surrounding normal tissue. A significant higher lymph node positive rate was observed in patients who had tumors with strong uPA staining than in those with weak staining (p<0.05). In contrast, phagocytic cells were found close to the tumor cells, and were located in aggregates or diffusely spread within tumor stroma surrounding the tumor nests. The inflammatory reaction seems to be most intense at the border between surrounding normal stromal cells and malignant epithelial cells. These cells produced and secreted granulocyte elastase.

Effects of urinary trypsin inhibitor on the invasion of reconstituted basement membranes by ovarian cancer cells

Using the human ovarian cancer cell line HOC-1, we investigated the effects of urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI) purified from human urine and its related synthetic peptides on the invasive potential of cancer cells in an in vitro assay. Invasiveness of tumor cells was determined using a modified Boyden chamber and a reconstituted basement membrane Matrigel. Three peptides (peptide 1, peptide 2, and peptide 3), representing sequences within UTI, were synthesized. HOC-1 cells showed detectable and reproducible levels of expression of surface urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen/plasmin by cell ELISAs and enzyme assays. UTI was found to strongly inhibit plasmin and human leukocyte elastase (HLE). Peptide 2 and peptide 3 specifically inhibit HLE and plasmin activity respectively. Peptide 1 has essentially no inhibitory activity. Treatment with UTI and peptide 3 reduces the incidence of invasion, whereas peptide 1 and peptide 2 do not affect invasion. The inhibitory effect on cell invasion is dose-dependent. The proteolytic enzyme plasmin may be involved in human ovarian cancer invasion in extracellular matrix degradation, and the use of UTI and peptide 3 that inhibits plasmin specifically reduces invasion by tumor cells.

Inhibition of the metastasis of Lewis lung carcinoma by antibody against urokinase-type plasminogen activator in the experimental and spontaneous metastasis model

A selective inhibitory antibody, raised against human high molecular weight urokinase-type plasminogen activator (HMW-uPA), was examined to determine whether it would inhibit production of experimental and spontaneous lung metastasis by murine Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL) cells. Polyclonal antibody to human uPA cross-reacts with the murine uPA and inhibits murine uPA activity. When examined with an in vitro assay system using a modified Boyden chamber, the anti-catalytic IgG to uPA suppressed the invasion of tumor cells through Matrigel. Anti-uPA IgG inhibited neither the cell proliferation nor the binding of tumor cells to Matrigel, and showed no significant suppression of chemotactic migration of tumor cells to fibronectin. In an in vivo spontaneous metastasis assay, multiple subcutaneous (s.c.) injections of anti-uPA IgG (up to a concentration of 200 micrograms [= 500 inhibitory unit/mouse/day] for 7 days immediately after s. c. tumor cell inoculation significantly inhibited the formation of lung metastasis in C57BL/6 mice in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition of lung metastasis was not due to direct antitumor effects of anti-uPA IgG. In an in vivo experimental metastasis assay, multiple s. c. injections of anti-uPA IgG for 7 days after intravenous (i. v.) tumor cell inoculation did not reduce the number of lung tumor colonies. These results suggest that uPA more efficiently regulates the mechanism involved in the entry into vascular circulation of tumor cells (intravasation) than in extravasation, during the metastatic process.

[Electromyographic study on the external urethral sphincter of the male--power spectrum analysis with fast Fourier transformation]

In 23 male patients, the electrical activity of external urethral sphincter muscle was sampled before examination of cystometry (Rest), at first desire to void (FDV), maximum desire to void (MDV) and during urination (Void) by means of electromyography (EMG). Sampling time of each event was 2400 msec. The electrical activity was amplified with a lower limiting frequency of 20 Hz and an upper limiting frequency of 10000 Hz, and recorded on magneto-optical desk. Spectra were obtained using a Hamming window. The action potential of the muscle was quantitatively analyzed and power spectrum of the needle EMGs were analyzed from the magneto-optical disk by a spectrum analyzer using fast Fourier transformation (FFT, Sande-Tukey method). From each power spectrum, mean power frequency (MPF) was obtained from a calculator connected to the spectrum analyzer. Twenty three patients were divided into three groups as follows: 8 patients without any neurological abnormality (normal group), 7 patients with neurogenic bladder showing detrusor-sphincter-dyssynergia (DSD+ group) and 8 patients with neurogenic bladder without detrusor-sphincter-dyssynergia (DSD- group). The results obtained were as follows: 1) The motor unit potentials at Rest had the mean amplitude of 210 +/- 59.4 microV, 329.3 +/- 157.1 microV and 177.6 +/- 132.8 microV in normal group, DSD+ group and DSD- group, respectively. The mean duration were 4.3 +/- 0.2 msec, 5.9 +/- 1.9 msec, and 7.3 +/- 4.5 msec., respectively. The mean phases were 2.8 +/- 0.6, 2.8 +/- 0.5 and 2.5 +/- 0.3, respectively. Statistically there was no difference in amplitude, duration and phase among three groups. 2) In normal group, the power over than -20 dB was distributed from 150 to 220 Hz windows at Rest and FDV. The needle EMGs at MDV showed interference pattern and the power increased over -20 dB in all windows. The power of high frequency area relatively increased. The action potential of the muscle disappeared during urination and the power also disappeared. The average MPF was 103 Hz, 102 Hz, 150 Hz and 98 Hz at Rest, FDV, MDV and Void, respectively. 3) In DSD+ group, the needle EMGs showed interference pattern in MDV and Void, and the power increased only in low frequency area. The average MPF was 104 Hz, 105 Hz, 114 Hz and 120 Hz at Rest, FDV, MDV and Void, respectively. 4) Because of damage to nerves, the action potential of the muscle was difficult to obtain from 3 patients of DSD- group, and the power was not demonstrated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Effects of herbimycin A and ST638 on Fc epsilon receptor-mediated histamine release and Ca2+ signals in rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells

We examined the effect of the two protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors, alpha-cyano-3-ethoxy-4-hydroxy-5-phenylthiomethylcinnamide (ST638) and herbimycin A, on the activation processes of rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells by cross-linking of IgE receptors. RBL-2H3 cells sensitized with DNP-specific monoclonal IgE antibody were stimulated with multivalent antigen (DNP conjugate of bovine serum albumin). Analysis of phosphotyrosine-containing proteins in their lysates by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting revealed that these two inhibitors efficiently inhibited the tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins (32, 42, 56, 66, 72, 92, 150 kDa) including phospholipase C-gamma 1. The inhibitors also caused parallel inhibitions of the histamine release, the formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, and the increase in cytosolic calcium ion concentration at the late sustained phase. A digital imaging fluorescence microscopic analysis of antigen-dependent calcium signals in individual cells showed that these two tyrosine kinase inhibitors inhibited the calcium influx from the external medium more powerfully than the mobilization of calcium ion from internal stores. In contrast, the inhibitors did not affect the increase in the cytosolic calcium ion concentration or the histamine release induced by the calcium ionophore A23187. Taken together, our results suggest that tyrosine phosphorylation following antigen stimulation regulates phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis and the influx of extracellular calcium.