Molecular cloning and characterization of MACIF, an inhibitor of membrane channel formation of complement

Human erythrocytes contain a membrane protein, MACIF, which inhibits the formation of a membrane attack complex (MAC) of complement. We have cloned and sequenced the complementary DNA of MACIF messenger RNA. The amino acid sequence predicted from its nucleotide sequence consists of 128 amino acids. The amino-terminal 25 residues may correspond to a signal peptide. The carboxy-terminal sequence confirmed that MACIF is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein. The amino acid sequence of MACIF was partially determined by established techniques for protein chemistry and the resultant sequence was consistent with that predicted from the nucleotide sequence. The results of sequence analyses also suggested that asparagine at the 18th position was N-glycosylated. When mRNA obtained from the MACIF cDNA clone with SP6 RNA polymerase was microinjected into Xenopus oocytes, the oocytes synthesized a product which exhibited MACIF activity and reacted with anti-MACIF antibody. Comparison of the predicted sequence revealed significant homology with mouse Ly-6 antigens.

Sequence and exon-intron organization of the DNA encoding the alpha I domain of human spectrin. Application to the study of mutations causing hereditary elliptocytosis

We have determined the exon-intron organization and the nucleotide sequence of the exons and their flanking intronic DNA in cloned genomic DNA that encodes the first 526 amino acids of the alpha I domain of the human red cell spectrin polypeptide chain. From the gene sequence we designed oligonucleotide primers to use in the polymerase chain reaction technique to amplify the appropriate exons in DNA from individuals with three variants of hereditary elliptocytosis characterized by the presence of abnormal alpha I spectrin peptides, 46-50 and 65-68 kD in size, in partial tryptic digests of spectrin. The alpha I/68-kD abnormality resulted from a duplication of leucine codon 148 in exon 4: TTG-CTG to TTG-TTG-CTG. The alpha I/50a defect was associated in different individuals with two separate single base changes in exon 6: CTG to CCG (leucine to proline) encoding residue 254, and TCC to CCC (serine to proline) encoding residue 255. In another individual with the alpha I/50a polypeptide defect, the nucleotide sequence encoding amino acid residues 221 through 264 was normal. The alpha I/50b abnormality resulted from a single base change of CAG (glutamine) to CCG (proline) encoding residue 465 in exon 11 in two unrelated individuals. In a third individual with alpha I/50b-kD hereditary elliptocytosis, the entire exon encoding residues 445 through 490 was normal. The relationship of the alpha I domain polypeptide structure to these mutations and the organization of the gene is discussed.

Radical pancreatectomy for ductal cell carcinoma of the head of the pancreas

Seventy-four patients were treated with a radical or a nonradical pancreatectomy for ductal cell carcinoma of the head of the pancreas. Their survival rates and the selection of the operative procedure were evaluated. In 32 patients, a radical pancreatectomy was attempted where there was sufficient clearance of regional or juxta-regional lymph nodes beyond the group of suspected metastatic nodes, as well as a resection of a greater margin of soft tissue around the pancreas. These patients' cumulative 5-year survival rate was 33.4%. In 14 Stage I or Stage II patients, the cumulative 5-year survival rate was 46.4%. In 18 Stage III or Stage IV patients, the cumulative 5-year survival rate was 20.7%. For 42 patients treated with a nonradical pancreatectomy with the dissection of lymph nodes adjacent to the pancreas or of regional lymph nodes but with insufficient clearance of the soft tissue around the pancreas, the cumulative 2-year and 3-year survival rates were 5.4% and 0%, respectively. In seven patients with Stage II carcinoma, the survival rate was 16.7% after 2 years and 0% after three years. In 35 Stage III or Stage IV patients, the survival rate was 3.2% after 2 years and 0% after 3 years. Thus, the survival rates were significantly higher in patients treated with radical operation than in patients who had nonradical operation. These results indicate that a radical pancreatectomy with sufficient lymph node clearance with the surrounding connective tissue around the pancreas is indispensable to cure patients with ductal cell carcinoma of the pancreas.

Antitumor activity of orally administered streptococcal preparation, OK-432 on murine solid tumors and its absorption from the gut

OK-432 is an immunopotentiator which is normally administered by injection. In the present study, the antitumor activity of orally administered OK-432 on various solid tumors and the absorption of OK-432 from the gut were studied. Orally administered OK-432 inhibited the growth of Meth-A and BAMC-1 fibrosarcomas which had been subcutaneously transplanted in BALB/c mice. Autoradiograms of mice which had been administered 14C-labelled OK-432 orally demonstrated the absorption of OK-432 from the gut, and about 6% of orally administered OK-432 was absorbed 24 hrs after its administration. Moreover, an immunofluorescent study using an anti-OK-432 antibody revealed specific fluorescence in the mesenteric lymph node of mice which had been orally administered with OK-432. These results suggest that oral administration of OK-432 may be a beneficial immunotherapy.

Direct ESR measurement of free radicals in mouse pancreatic lesions

In this experiment, free radicals in the pancreas of endotoxemia and ethionine induced acute pancreatitis in mice were attempted to be detected directly by ESR spectroscopy, using 77 K freeze-trapping and 25 degrees C DMPO spin trapping techniques. In the 77 K freeze-trapping method, Mn (II) ion and R-00. radical were detected in endotoxemia and ethionine induced pancreatic lesions. The heme-NO radical was observed at 6 and 24 h after isolation of the normal pancreas, and signal intensity was increased with time. This finding supports that ESR spectroscopy is a useful method for detecting the tissue degeneration process from ischemia to necrosis. Using the DMPO spin trapping technique (25 degrees C), 6-line was detected at 6 h after intraperitoneal administration of E. coli in the model of endotoxemia, and 3- and 6-lines and a signal suggestive of DMPO-OH adduct were noted at 12 and 24 h in ethionine pancreatitis. These findings suggest that impaired pancreatic tissues exist in a considerably oxidative environment and oxygen derived free radicals may be considered to play an important role in the development of pancreatic lesions.

Radical pancreatectomy for ductal cell carcinoma of the head of the pancreas

Seventy-four patients were treated with a radical or a nonradical pancreatectomy for ductal cell carcinoma of the head of the pancreas. Their survival rates and the selection of the operative procedure were evaluated. In 32 patients, a radical pancreatectomy was attempted where there was sufficient clearance of regional or juxta-regional lymph nodes beyond the group of suspected metastatic nodes, as well as a resection of a greater margin of soft tissue around the pancreas. These patients' cumulative 5-year survival rate was 33.4%. In 14 Stage I or Stage II patients, the cumulative 5-year survival rate was 46.4%. In 18 Stage III or Stage IV patients, the cumulative 5-year survival rate was 20.7%. For 42 patients treated with a nonradical pancreatectomy with the dissection of lymph nodes adjacent to the pancreas or of regional lymph nodes but with insufficient clearance of the soft tissue around the pancreas, the cumulative 2-year and 3-year survival rates were 5.4% and 0%, respectively. In seven patients with Stage II carcinoma, the survival rate was 16.7% after 2 years and 0% after three years. In 35 Stage III or Stage IV patients, the survival rate was 3.2% after 2 years and 0% after 3 years. Thus, the survival rates were significantly higher in patients treated with radical operation than in patients who had nonradical operation. These results indicate that a radical pancreatectomy with sufficient lymph node clearance with the surrounding connective tissue around the pancreas is indispensable to cure patients with ductal cell carcinoma of the pancreas.

Functional organization and nucleotide sequence of virulence Region-2 on the large virulence plasmid in Shigella flexneri 2a

The 7 kb virulence Region-2 of the large (virulence) plasmid in Shigella flexneri 2a encodes several proteins required for invasion of intestinal epithelial cells. Insertion and deletion mutagenesis, DNA subcloning and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of proteins synthesized in minicells demonstrated five genes in this region. They encode 24, 18, 62 (IpaB), 41 (IpaC) and 37 (IpaD)-kiloDalton (kD) proteins. Complementation of Tn5-induced mutations in Region-2 with the above plasmid constructs indicated that Region-2 consists of two operons and that the three Ipa proteins are essential for the virulence phenotype. The transcriptional organization determined by Northern blotting, S1 nuclease protection and the effect of Tn5 insertions on expression of the Ipa proteins revealed that Region-2 has three promoters that transcribe RNAs of 4.0, 4.5 and 7.5 kb. The 4.0 kb RNA was the transcript for the operon encoding the 24, 18 kD, IpaB and C proteins and the 4.5 kb RNA for the ipaD gene. In addition, the full-length RNA of 7.5 kb which covers Region-2 supplemented full expression of the Ipa proteins. The 7663 nucleotides of Region-2 were determined to confirm the five open reading frames encoding 23,655, 17,755, 62,168, 41,077 and 36,660 Dalton proteins, respectively, and their regulatory sequences.

Therapeutic efficacy of sequential therapy with OK-432, cyclophosphamide, IL2-cultured lymphocytes and in vivo IL2 against advanced murine plasmacytoma

BALB/c mice inoculated IP with a syngeneic plasmacytoma MOPC104E were treated with a combination of a streptococcal preparation, OK-432 (1 KE, 0.1 mg/mouse), low-dose of cyclophosphamide (CPA, 1 mg/kg) and adoptive transfer of tumor-bearer-spleen cells (2 x 10(7) cells) cultured with IL2 and sonicated tumor extract (adoptive immunotherapy; AIT). The consecutive protocol of OK-432 (day 8, 9 post inoculation) - CPA (day 10) - AIT (day 11) was the most effective. Rate of complete remission was highest when recombinant (r-) IL2 was injected to the mice after AIT. Moreover, another bacterial preparation, Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton and another low-dose chemotherapy, Mitomycin C could be used successfully instead of OK-432 or CPA. Transfer test of intraperitoneal cells (tumor cells plus host cells) of mice on day 11 post inoculation (on the day of AIT) revealed that OK-432 augmented the susceptibility of peritoneal cells to cultured lymphocytes in inhibition of transplantability, and that CPA after OK-432 augmented the anti-tumor effect of tumor-bearer-spleen cells which act synergistically with cultured lymphocytes. This therapy schedule seems to be the best model to augment the effect of AIT with minimal side effect.

[Oral administration of OK-432 (picibanil). (8th report) clinical application: its immunomodulatory effects on the patients with gastrointestinal cancers]

A streptococcal preparation, OK-432 at a dose of 5 KE was orally administered to the patients with gastric or colorectal cancer for 7 approximately 14 days before operation, and its immunomodulatory effects on peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), regional lymph node lymphocytes (RLNL) and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) were assessed. OK-432 treated group included 5 gastric and 6 colorectal cancers, and control group included 6 gastric and 8 colorectal cancers. After oral administration of OK-432 the proportion of Leu 7+ and Leu 11+ cells in PBL increased, and NK cell activity of PBL also was augmented. The proportion of OKT8+ cells increased in PBL and those of OKT3+ cells and OKT8+ cells decreased in RLNL after oral administration of OK-432. The responsiveness of TIL to autologous tumor extracts in the presence of interleukin-2 was enhanced in oral OK-432 group. These results indicate that oral OK-432 affects on NK and T cells and augments the antitumor immunity of the patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

Solution synthesis of human neuropeptide Y (hNPY)

Human neuropeptide Y (hNPY) was synthesized in a conventional manner by assembling seven peptide fragments followed by reduction of the Met(O) residue with phenylthiotrimethylsilane and subsequent deprotection with 1 M trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf)-thioanisole in trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). Alternatively, deprotection was performed in a two-step manner; first, treatment with 1 M trimethylsilyl bromide-thioanisole in TFA, and then with 1 M TMSOTf-thioanisole in TFA. After purification by gel-filtration on Sephadex G-25, followed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, a highly purified sample of synthetic hNPY was obtained in both cases. When administered in dogs, synthetic hNPY was as active as porcine NPY in terms of the effects on systemic arterial blood pressure, pancreatic blood flow, and superior mesentric artery (SMA) blood flow. Met(O)17-hNPY was found to be as active as the parent sample in these bioassays.

Lymphocytes anticancer chemosensitivity testing in vitro--an approach to predict immunosuppressive effect of anticancer agents

In an attempt to predict immunosuppression by chemotherapy, an in vitro lymphocytes chemosensitivity assay was developed. The effect of mitomycin C (MMC), carboquone (CQ), adriamycin (ADR) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on spleen cells of BALB/c mice were assessed by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) response inhibition assay. ADR and 5-FU highly suppressed PHA response, whereas MMC or CQ had only a slight influence. The administration of ADR or 5-FU to mice resulted in a significant decrease of peripheral blood lymphocytes and cortical thymocytes in number, and pretreatment with ADR or 5-FU prior to tumor inoculation shortened the survival time of the mice. All these four agents highly suppressed in vitro DNA synthesis of MOPC-104E plasmacytoma, but ADR or 5-FU did not induce complete regression of the tumor. MMC or CQ induced complete regression of MOPC-104E, but they did not induce complete regression of the tumor transplanted in athymic nude mice. These results suggest that T cells participate in tumor regression and immunosuppression reduces antitumor activity of the host and that PHA response inhibition assay may be useful to predict immunosuppressive effect of anticancer agents.

The reappraisal of prognostic classifications for colorectal cancer

The prognostic usefulness of four variables and four staging systems were evaluated by the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and conventional statistical tests for survival time analysis (log rank test, generalized Kruskal-Wallis test, and linear trend test), based on the data of 394 colorectal cancer patients who had been followed for more than 5 years after surgery. The four variables were the histopathologic findings of cancer penetration through the bowel wall (w), lymphnode metastasis (n), intraoperative observations of liver metastasis (H), and peritoneal dissemination (P). They were graded according to the general rules proposed by the Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum (JRSCCR). The staging systems were Turnbull's modification of Dukes' classification, UICC's TNM system, the Japanese classification proposed by JRSCCR, and the authors' modification of the latter. AIC calculated changing the cutoff points of survival time, as well as by reclassifying predictor variables into two categories by different levels. The results of the standard tests differed from those of AIC in the evaluation of the four variables. The former statistics showed that the intraoperative observations were of more prognostic importance than the histopathologic findings, whereas AIC revealed that the histopathologic variables have more prognostic information except for prediction of early outcome. Further analysis of the w-factor showed that survival is more drastically changed by serosal involvement or extensive extramuscular invasion than by penetration of the muscularis propria. Analysis of the n-factor indicated that a major change in survival time occurs twice, i.e., when lymphnode metastasis occurs and when it extends beyond the paracolic level. Compared with single variables, the staging system using multiple factors gives more information on both early and long-term outcomes. The authors conclude that AIC analysis provides prognostic information that cannot be obtained with conventional tests.

Amino acid sequences of 60B8 antigens induced in HL-60 cells by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. The antigens are identical with macrophage-related protein-14 and -8

A differentiation antigen 60B8 appeared in human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells which had been induced to differentiate into macrophage-like cells by treatment with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. The antigen was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography and separated into two proteins, 60B8-A and -B antigens, by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Both proteins were digested with proteases, and the resulting peptides were subjected to amino acid sequence analysis after purification by reverse-phase HPLC. The amino acid sequences of 60B8-A and -B antigens were identical with those of the proteins MRP-14 and -8, respectively, which were recently predicted from the nucleotide sequences of their complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) clones by Odink et al. (Nature (London), 330, 80 (1987)). Although they did not characterize the chemical properties of the two proteins, our results clearly indicate that macrophage-related protein (MRP)-14 and -8 are expressed without post-translational modification, except that the amino-terminus of MRP-14 is blocked, in differentiated HL-60 cells.

[The effect of gastrectomy on cholecystokinin (CCK) release and gallbladder contraction in patients with early gastric cancer--preliminary report]

Gastrectomy has been implicated in cholelithiasis. Impaired gallbladder motor function after the operation has been thought to be one of the major mechanisms. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of gastrectomy on release of cholecystokinin and contractile motility of gallbladder in five patients with early gastric cancer. After 14 hours fast, the gallbladder area was estimated by ultrasonography every 10 minutes for 120 minutes both before and after oral administration of 200 ml of Clinimeal. Blood samples were collected simultaneously via a peripheral vessel for measurement of plasma CCK levels by radioimmunoassay. Gallbladder contraction correlated well with the elevation of plasma CCK levels indicating that CCK might be one of the major factors governing gallbladder contraction both in pre- and post-gastrectomized conditions. Compared with preoperative cases, the postgastrectomized patients showed a significantly exaggerated postprandial response of CCK release in the initial 60 minutes, however, their gallbladder, responding to rapid reduction of plasma CCK levels, refilled significantly earlier. Postprandial rapid gastric emptying was thought to be related to the exaggerated postprandial CCK release, and the early refilling of the gallbladder might be attributed to the indefinite vagal or sympathetic denervation that might occurs during the necessarily wide lymph node dissections for gastric cancer operations.

Multicentric giant lymph node hyperplasia with ascites and double cancers, an autopsy case

A 70-year-old man, diagnosed to have multicentric giant lymph node hyperplasia (MGLNH) of the plasma cell type by postmortem examination, had double cancers of the thyroid and kidney, as well as a large amount of ascites and persistent serositis. Serum immunoelectrophoresis showed monoclonal IgG (lambda). Using the paired immunofluorescent technique, monoclonal plasma cell proliferation was observed on the section of a lymph node. The cause of the ascites was speculated to be the combined influence of peritonitis, renal dysfunction and obstruction of abdominal lymphatic ducts. Occurrence of double cancers and persistent peritonitis suggest the long-standing faulty immune regulation in MGLNH.

Pancreatic secretion and the release of cholecystokinin after a meal in dogs with and without exclusion of pancreatic juice

Pancreatic secretion and plasma levels of cholecystokinin-33/39 (CCK) were measured for 5 h after a meal in dogs with and without exclusion of pancreatic juice. Significant and prolonged increases in pancreatic secretion and plasma CCK levels were observed irrespective of pancreatic juice exclusion. The integrated responses of pancreatic protein output (2.6 +/- 0.6 g/300 min), plasma CCK (1.3 +/- 0.5 nmol.l-1 .300 min) with exclusion of pancreatic juice showed no significant differences from those without exclusion (2.8 +/- 0.3 g/300 min and 1.3 +/- 0.3 nmol.l-1.300 min for protein output and CCK, respectively). These results suggest that the CCK-mediated feedback mechanism of pancreatic enzyme secretion does not work, at least not in the postprandial state in dogs.

A dual transcriptional activation system for the 230 kb plasmid genes coding for virulence-associated antigens of Shigella flexneri

The expression of plasmid-encoded, invasion-related antigens lpa b, c and d of Shigella flexneri was found to be positively regulated at transcriptional level by a 33kD protein produced by the previously defined, virulence-associated Region 1 on the SalI fragment B of the 230 kb invasion plasmid. The gene (designated virB) was identified and its nucleotide sequence determined. No Ipa b or c was produced in the absence of an intact virB gene although lower levels of d were produced. The previously reported regulatory activity of the virF gene some 30 kb distance away was shown to act exclusively through virB. In contrast, the activation of the virG gene necessary for intercellular spread occurred directly by virF without the requirement for virB. This study thus ascribes a critical function to a previously recognized, but functionally undefined, virulence locus on the large invasion plasmid of S. flexneri. The virF gene appears to have a central role in activation of the 230 kb plasmid-encoded virulence genes.

The inhibitory effect of a conjugate of human immunoglobulin G and melphalan, K18, on DNA synthesis of human tumor cells

K18 is a conjugate of human immunoglobulin G and melphalan and has been reported to accumulate selectively in the tumor. In the present study, the in vitro antitumor effect of K18 was assessed in a total of 107 fresh human tumors by DNA synthesis (3H-thymidine incorporation) inhibition assay, and compared with that of other drugs. Human tumor cells showed a variety of sensitivities to K18: gastric, breast, pancreatic, liver or ovarian cancer cells were comparatively sensitive to K18, while esophageal or colorectal cancers were insensitive. These results suggest that the conjugation of melphalan with IgG did not reduce the antitumor activity of melphalaln and that K18 may be applied in cancer chemotherapy instead of melphalan.

Induction by cyclophosphamide administration of two distinct anti-tumor effector cells at tumor site and spleen of mice transplanted with MOPC-104E plasmacytoma

BALB/c mice were inoculated intraperitoneally (i.p.) with MOPC-104E syngeneic plasmacytoma cells and seven days later the mice were treated with i.p. cyclophosphamide (CY). All mice exhibited a complete regression of MOPC-104E, and in addition acquired the resistance to second challenge of MOPC-104E, but not to syngeneic Meth-A fibrosarcoma. Following CY treatment, a large number of viable MOPC-104E cells were seen in the peritoneal cavity of the mice on day 7, and then they decreased and disappeared on day 14. By contrast, athymic BALB/c nude mice with MOPC-104E did not respond to CY and died. Only a transient decrease in the number of tumor cells was observed in the peritoneal cavity of nude mice. Following CY treatment, whole peritoneal cells (tumor cells and peritoneal exudate cells) was not transplanted to conventional mice, while transplantation was possible following treatment of whole peritoneal cells with anti-Thy1, anti-Lyt 1 or anti-Lyt 2 plus complement (C). The in vivo anti-tumor activity of spleen cells of mice in regression was nullified by treatment with anti-Thy 1 and anti-Lyt 1 plus C, but not anti-Lyt 2 plus C. These results indicate that CY administration results in only a transient decrease of tumor cell number and that an induction of Lyt 1 +, Lyt 2 + T cells in the peritoneal cavity and Lyt 1 + T cells in spleen may be responsible for a complete disappearance of tumor cells.

[Anti-tumor effect of fluoropyrimidines on human tumor cell lines transplanted in nude mice with CCl4-induced liver dysfunction]

Tegafur (FT) is a masked compound of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and supposed to be activated in the liver. The present study was designed to estimate anti-tumor effect of FT on human tumors transplanted in nude mice with liver dysfunction induced by CCl4. Histologically, cirrhotic changes of liver were observed after injection with 1ml/kg 10% CCl4 twice a week for 8 weeks. Mice were transplanted with human gastric (GC-SF) or colonic cancer (CC-ZK) lines, and daily administered intragastrically with 5-FU (15mg/kg), FT (100mg/kg) or UFT (FT 20mg/kg + Uracil 44.8mg/kg) for 4 weeks. The growth of GC-SF was enhanced by liver dysfunction, but that of CC-ZK was not affected. The mean growth inhibition rates (MGIR) of CC-ZK by 5-FU, FT or UFT were 18.3, 33.1 and 54.2%, respectively, in mice without liver dysfunction, and 14.0, 50.0 and 59.5%, respectively, in mice with liver dysfunction. The MGIRs of GC-SF were 39.0, 63.8 and 48.0%, respectively, in mice without liver dysfunction, and 12.6, 53.6 and 50.0%, respectively, in mice with liver dysfunction. In both lines effect of 5-FU was reduced in liver dysfunction, but those of FT and UFT was not. These results suggest that FT and UFT can be used for cancer patients with liver dysfunction.

[Experimental and clinical study of adoptive immunotherapy combined with preadministration of OK-432: a method to augment the therapeutic effect]

Our previous method of adoptive immunotherapy using IL2-cultured autologous lymphocytes consists of (1) in vitro sensitization by sonicated autologous tumor extract, (2) the induction and proliferation of active CTL by crude IL2, and (3) the preadministration of OK-432 for the augmentation of the therapeutic effect. Here we describe a new method to augment the therapeutic effect of OK432-combined AIT. In BALB/c mice with advanced malignant ascites (MOPC 104E), serial therapy with OK-432, cyclophosphamide and AIT significantly prolonged the survival compared with other therapeutic schedules through synergism between host's effector cells induced by immuno-chemotherapy and transferred killer cells. Many patients with advanced malignancies, for example, unresectable gastrointestinal cancer, locally advanced breast cancer or lung metastases of breast cancer, respond to such immuno-chemo-lymphocytotherapy, while previous OK432-combined AIT was effective only in malignant pleural effusion or metastatic liver tumor from breast cancer or peritoneal dissemination of gastric cancer.

Changes in microvascular structure of the fibrotic pancreas and their influence on pancreatic endocrine function

The objectives of this study were to clarify the microvascular structure in and around the Langerhans' islands of the normal pancreas, elucidate how the structure changes with advance of pancreatic fibrosis owing to stagnation of pancreatic juice, and how these changes influence the endocrine function of the pancreas. For these purposes, the changes in microvascular structure of the fibrotic pancreas, produced by ligation of the pancreatic duct in mongrel adult dogs, were investigated by microangiography and injection replica scanning electron microscopic methods. In addition, the endocrine function of the pancreas was studied by the intravenous (iv) glucose tolerance test. The results revealed that the basic blood vessel structure of the Langerhans' islands, and its insulin secretory function, were maintained relatively well in the long-term, duct-ligated pancreas though the capillary network spreading in the pancreatic exocrine part could hardly be observed.

[The influence of truncal vagotomy or surgical sympathectomy on the pancreatic trophic effect of trypsin inhibitor upon normal rats and major pancreatectomized rats]

The influences of truncal vagotomy or surgical sympathectomy on the pancreatic trophic effect of oral administration of synthetic trypsin inhibitor (FOY-305) were examined upon normal rats and 85% major pancreatectomized rats. On normal rats, oral administration of trypsin inhibitor increased pancreatic weight, DNA content RNA content, protein content, pancreatic weight/DNA, RNA/DNA and protein/DNA. This pancreatic trophic effect seemed to be consisted of hyperplasia and hypertrophy of pancreatic acinar cell. Under truncal vagotomy or surgical sympathectomy, this trophic effect was not diminished. On major pancreatectomized rats, oral administration of trypsin inhibitor also caused pancreatic trophic action, consisted of hyperplasia mainly. And truncal vagotomy or surgical sympathectomy did not decrease this action. These results suggested that oral administration of trypsin inhibitor might be a beneficial method for functional recovery of remnant pancreas after major pancreatectomy even under the denervated state.