Targeting of endopeptidase 24.16 to different subcellular compartments by alternative promoter usage

Endopeptidase 24.16 or mitochondrial oligopeptidase, abbreviated here as EP 24.16 (MOP), is a thiol- and metal-dependent oligopeptidase that is found in multiple intracellular compartments in mammalian cells. From an analysis of the corresponding gene, we found that the distribution of the enzyme to appropriate subcellular locations is achieved by the use of alternative sites for the initiation of transcription. The pig EP 24.16 (MOP) gene spans over 100 kilobases and is organized into 16 exons. The core protein sequence is encoded by exons 5-16 which match perfectly with exons 2-13 of the gene for endopeptidase 24.15, another member of the thimet oligopeptidase family. These two sets of 11 exons share the same splice sites, suggesting a common ancestor. Multiple species of mRNA for EP 24.16 (MOP) were detected by the 5'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends and they were shown to have been generated from a single gene by alternative choices of sites for the initiation of transcription and splicing. Two types of transcript were prepared, corresponding to transcription from distal and proximal sites. Their expression in vitro in COS-1 cells indicated that they encoded two isoforms (long and short) which differed only at their amino termini: the long form contained a cleavable mitochondrial targeting sequence and was directed to mitochondria; the short form, lacking such a signal sequence, remained in the cytosol. The complex structure of the EP 24.16 (MOP) gene thus allows, by alternative promoter usage, a fine transcriptional regulation of coordinate expression, in the different subcellular compartments, of the two isoforms arising from a single gene.

Hypoglycemic activity of some triterpenoid glycosides

Four triterpenoid glycosides isolated from the rhizomes of Polygala senega var. latifolia, senegins II-IV (1-3) and desmethoxysenegin II (4), were tested for hypoglycemic activity in normal and KK-Ay mice. Compounds 1 and 2 reduced the blood glucose of normal mice 4 h after intraperitoneal administration and also significantly lowered the glucose level of KK-Ay mice under similar conditions. Compounds 3 and 4, as well as senegose A (5), an oligosaccharide ester, were inactive when tested against normal mice.

Computed radiography angiography using storage phosphor imaging plates: eight year's experience

We reviewed the indications, modalities, and quality of angiographic examinations performed in our department from 1987 to 1994 and compared the image characteristics and technical convenience of three modalities: conventional film-screen angiography, fluorographic digital subtraction angiography (F-DSA), and computed radiography angiography using biplane rapid changers of storage phosphor imaging plates (IP-CRA). IP-CRA has practically eclipsed conventional film-screen angiography in our radiology department. Sixty-percent of the total 700 examinations carried out in 1994 were performed using a combination of IP-CRA and fluorographic digital subtraction angiography (F-DSA). The remainder were performed with F-DSA alone. The post-processing functions of IP-CRA like subtraction and change of contrast or density were useful especially in such regions as pulmonary, bronchial, or external carotid arterial territories, where high natural contrast made image processing difficult with both F-DSA and film-screen angiography. The spatial resolution of IP-CRA was superior to that of F-DSA and comparable to the film-screen method. It was concluded that angiography using imaging plates was a useful part of the digital radiography system.

Persistent JC virus (JCV) infection is demonstrated by continuous shedding of the same JCV strains

The polyomavirus JC virus (JCV), the causative agent of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, is ubiquitous in the human population, infecting children asymptomatically. JCV is often detected in normal renal tissue and in the urine of healthy individuals. We demonstrate that renal JCV represents that which persists after primary infection.

Dural ectasia of the optic nerve sheath in neurofibromatosis type 1: MRI manifestations

Patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) have an increased incidence of optic glioma. Although spinal dural ectasia or meningocele is well represented in the NF-1 literature, radiologists are not as familiar with dural ectasia of the optic nerve sheath as spinal dural ectasia. This is a report of a pediatric patient with NF-1 with dural ectasia of the optic nerve sheath. This is the second reported case of dural ectasia of the optic nerve sheath demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging.

Human lymphotoxin mutein lacks hypotensive activity but has higher in vivo antitumor activity than lymphotoxin or tumor necrosis factor

A serious drawback of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) as a clinical antitumor agent is that it also has hypotensive activity. To overcome this problem, derivatives of its sister cytokine lymphotoxin (TNF-beta or LT) were prepared. One of them, mutein 2 (Mut2) has a deletion of amino acids 1-7 but contains substituted amino acids, Met-Phe-Pro at positions 8-10 of the mature human LT. This mutein has no hypotensive activity at the maximum dose (10 mg/kg) tested on rats. In contrast, a much lower dose (1 mg/kg) of TNF and LT caused a significant blood pressure drop. In vivo studies revealed that Mut2 was more effective than TNF or LT against MethA (a mouse tumor line) as judged by the therapeutic ratio [calculated as LD50 (dose that kills 50% of the animals)/ED50 (dose that reduces the tumor size by 50%)]. With five other different mouse tumors and two different human tumors, Mut2 was also effective and the effectiveness was comparable or superior to that of TNF or LT. These results suggest the possibility that this derivative may be usable as a clinical antitumor agent without the serious side effects associated with TNF.

The effect of immunotherapy on the serum levels of eosinophil cationic protein in seasonal allergic rhinitis

The role of serum eosinophil cationic protein levels in allergic rhinitis is controversial. It is also unclear whether with immunotherapy it is possible to reduce these serum levels in allergic diseases. We studied serum eosinophil cationic protein levels in patients with cedar-induced allergic rhinitis and compared them with non-atopic controls. The second aim of this study was to elucidate whether immunotherapy is capable of decreasing the seasonal elevation in serum eosinophil cationic protein levels in seasonal allergic rhinitis. The serum eosinophil cationic protein levels of the untreated patient group were significantly higher than those of the non-atopic controls. The levels in patients who received immunotherapy for 2 yr were also significantly higher than those of the non-atopic controls. However, the levels were not different between the patients undergoing immunotherapy for over 3 yr and the non-atopic controls. The serum levels of the 31 patients treated with immunotherapy correlated with the duration of immunotherapy. In conclusion, the serum eosinophil cationic protein levels are higher in untreated patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis and this seasonal activation in circulating eosiohophils decreases gradually during immunotherapy, but this inhibitory effect becomes apparent only after a number of years of immunotherapy. This prevention of seasonal eosinophil activation is one of the mechanisms responsible for the clinical effect of immunotherapy.

Contact inhibition-induced inactivation of the cyclin D-dependent kinase in rat fibroblast cell line, 3Y1

Inhibitory proteins for Cdks (CKIs) are involved in cell cycle arrest induced by anti-mitotic factors, chemicals, or DNA damage in mammalian cells. High cell density also induces cell cycle arrest with unreplicated genomic DNA even in the presence of mitotic dose of the growth factors, termed contact inhibition. Although rat fibroblast cell line, 3Y1, arrested in quiescence by contact inhibition, Cdk4 bound its regulatory subunit, cyclin D1 or D3. However, these complexes were enzymatically inactive. Phosphorylation of the cyclin D1-bound Cdk4 by Cdk4-activating kinase, composed of cyclin H and MO15 (alias Cdk7), which was reconstituted in Spodoptera frugiperda cells (Sf9) could convert inactive cyclin D1-Cdk4 complex into active form in vitro, suggesting that threonine 172 in the Cdk4, whose phosphorylation is required for its activation, was in part unphosphorylated in the contact-inhibited 3Y1. Although MO15 was active in cell extracts prepared from the contact-inhibited 3Y1, activation of bacterially produced Cdk4 in the cell extracts was inhibited. Removing p27kip1 from the cell extracts allowed MO15 holoenzyme to phosphorylate the Cdk4 and to activate it, indicating that an access of MO15 to Cdk4 was inhibited by p27kip1 in the contact-inhibited 3Y1.

First-pass metabolism of ONO-5046 (N-[2-[4-(2,2-dimethylpropionyloxy) phenylsulfonylamino]benzoyl]aminoacetic acid), a novel elastase inhibitor, in rats

The first-pass metabolism in the intestine and liver of ONO-5046 (N-[2-[4-(2,2-dimethylpropionyloxy)-phenylsulfonylamino]benz oyl]aminoacetic acid), a newly synthesized elastase inhibitor, was separately estimated in rats. When ONO-5046 solution was administered into the whole intestine via the bile duct at a dose of 5 mumol/rat, the extent of bioavailability was only 1.5%. A small but significant increase in the bioavailability with an increase in the dose suggested marked first-pass metabolism with a saturable process. Hepatic first-pass metabolism was estimated by determining the hepatic extraction ratio of ONO-5046 after administration into the portal vein at two different infusion rates (5 mumol/kg/9 min or 5 mumol/kg/20s). The extraction ratio was relatively small and constant (about 20%) under 2 different infusion rates of the drug. Intestinal first-pass metabolism was estimated by determining the drug recovery in the mesenteric plasma after administering the drug into the intestinal loop in situ (mesenteric blood collecting method in situ). The recovery percentage of ONO-5046 in the mesenteric plasma was small (2.58 +/- 0.04% at a dose of 1 mumol/rat), and the remaining ONO-5046 recovered in the mesenteric plasma and in the intestinal loop was a metabolite of ONO-5046 (El-601, N-[2-[(4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfonylamino]benzoyl]amino-acetic acid). Recovery percentage of ONO-5046 in the mesenteric plasma increased significantly with an increase in the dose, although the recovery percentage was still low, even at a higher dose (9.55 +/- 1.17% of dose at a dose of 5 mumol/rat). These results indicate that the low oral bioavailability of ONO-5046 in vivo is mainly due to the marked intestinal first-pass metabolism, including the metabolism in the intestinal fluid, and the dose-dependent oral bioavailability was derived from the saturable intestinal first-pass metabolism.

Inactivation of the cyclin D-dependent kinase in the rat fibroblast cell line, 3Y1, induced by contact inhibition

Cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitory proteins are involved in cell cycle arrest induced by antiproliferating factors or chemicals. High cell density also induces cell cycle arrest in which the genomic DNA is unreplicated, even in the presence of a mitotic dose of growth factors; this is termed contact inhibition. Although the cell cycle of the rat fibroblast cell line, 3Y1, was arrested in quiescence by contact inhibition, the Cdk4 bound to its regulatory subunit, cyclin D1 or D3. However, these complexes were enzymatically inactive. Phosphorylation of the cyclin D1-bound Cdk4 by the Cdk-activating kinase could convert the inactive cyclin D1-Cdk4 complex into its active form in vitro, suggesting that threonine 172 of the Cdk4, of which phosphorylation is required for its activation, was in part unphosphorylated in contact-inhibited 3Y1 cells. Although MO15 was active in cell extracts prepared from the arrested 3Y1 cells, activation of bacterially produced Cdk4 in the cell extracts was inhibited. Removal of p27(kip1) from the cell extracts allowed the MO15 holoenzyme to phosphorylate the Cdk4 and in turn activate it, indicating that p27(kip1) plays a role in inhibiting the phosphorylation of Cdk4 by MO15 in the contact-inhibited 3Y1 cells.

[Effect of erythromycin and clarithromycin on ion transport across dissected canine tracheal epithelium]

Since erythromycin was shown to be effective in the treatment of patients with diffuse panbronchiolitits, newly discovered effects of macrolide antibiotics have attracted much attention. It was reported that erythromycin inhibits Cl secretion across cultured canine tracheal epithelial cells. Erythromycin may decrease the movement of water toward the lumen, thus reducing sputum volume. We tested the hypothesis that erythromycin and clarithromycin have a similar effect on the dissected canine tracheal epithelium, by measuring the short circuit current using Ussing chambers. Addition of erythromycin or clarithromycin did not change the short circuit current within 20 minutes when applied on either the mucosal side or the submucosal side. No changes in the short circuit current were observed after pretreatment of the epithelium with amiloride, an Na channel blocker, or bumetanide, a Cl transport inhibitor, and subsequent addition of the macrolide antibiotics. These data indicate that neither erythromycin nor clarithromycin has any short term effect on ion transport in the dissected canine tracheal epithelium.

Intraorbital wooden and bamboo foreign bodies: CT

We describe the CT findings of intraorbital wooden and bamboo foreign bodies in the acute, subacute, and chronic stages. We examined four patients using CT a total of seven times. The CT findings were reviewed. There were three dry wooden foreign bodies. CT within a day of the accident demonstrated wooden foreign bodies as low density relative to surrounding orbital fat, while CT 8-29 days after the accident showed them as denser than the extraocular muscles. In the acute stage, dry wooden foreign bodies mimic air bubbles. Wooden foreign bodies in the subacute and chronic stages should be included in the differential diagnosis of intraorbital lesions of soft tissue density or above on CT of traumatised orbits. There was one dry bamboo foreign body. Within a day of the accident it was recognised as linear lesion isodense with fat. Therefore, such foreign bodies may be missed on CT when located in the orbital fat.

Serum level of soluble interleukin-2 receptor in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis

The rate of release of the soluble form of interleukin-2 receptor (soluble IL-2R) reflects T cell activation in vivo. Since T lymphocytes play a central role in respiratory allergic disorders, the measurement of serum levels of soluble IL-2R may be useful in analysing the disease state of allergic disorders. The study has aimed at investigating the seasonal changes in serum soluble IL-2R in 81 patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis due to Japanese cedar pollens, with special reference to the effect of anti-allergic pharmacotherapy and immunotherapy. Serum samples were obtained twice from each patient, before and during the pollen season, and all the serum samples were simultaneously used for determination of soluble IL-2R and cedar pollen-specific immunoglobin E (IgE). Seasonal elevation in soluble IL-2R was not associated with the good clinical outcome but was associated with the poor clinical outcome, irrespective of pharmacotherapy or immunotherapy. Additionally, successful immunotherapy suppressed seasonal elevation of serum soluble IL-2R more strongly than successful pharmacotherapy, and seasonal increase rates in soluble IL-2R were inversely correlated with the duration of immunotherapy. Seasonal increase rates in soluble IL-2R were significantly correlated with seasonal increase rates in specific IgE in both the medication group and the immunotherapy patients. These results may suggest that seasonal changes in serum soluble IL-2R may serve as an indicator for clinical outcome of seasonal allergic rhinitis, that the magnitude of T cell activation could affect specific IgE production, and that T cell activation could be gradually modulated as immunotherapy proceeds. In conclusion, seasonal changes in serum soluble IL-2R may serve as an objective indicator for clinical outcome of seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Keishi-ka-kei-to, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, inhibits pulmonary metastasis of B16 melanoma

Keishi-ka-kei-to, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine composed of a mixture of crude extracts from five medicinal plants (Cinnamomi cortex, Paeoniae radix, Zizyphi fructus, Zingiberis rhizoma and Glycyrrhizae radix), inhibited experimental pulmonary metastasis in mice implanted with B16F10 melanoma cells. When 136 to 145 metastatic colonies were produced in lungs of mice inoculated with 1 x 10(5) cells/mouse of melanoma cells, less than 15 metastatic colonies were demonstrated when these tumor-inoculated mice were treated orally with 80 to 320 mg/kg doses of Keishi-ka-kei-to. The most active component in the mixture was shown to be 6-gingerol, derived from the Zingiberis rhizoma extract. The antimetastatic activity of 6-gingerol was expressed through the host's antitumor immune functions, as the growth of B16F10 melanoma cells was not affected by this substance in vitro. The splenic CD8+ T cells from mice treated with the compound showed inhibitory activities on pulmonary metastasis when these T cells were adoptively transferred to mice bearing B16F10 melanoma cells. These results may suggest that Keishi-ka-kei-to inhibits pulmonary metastasis in mice bearing B16F10 melanoma cells through the stimulation of CD8+ T cells.

Fagomine isomers and glycosides from Xanthocercis zambesiaca

50% aqueous MeOH extracts from the leaves and roots of Xanthocercis zambesiaca (Leguminosae) were subjected to various ion-exchange column chromatographic steps to give fagomine (1), 3-epi-fagomine (2), 3,4-di-epi-fagomine (3), 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosylfagomine (4), and 4-O-beta-D-glucopyranosylfagomine (5). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analyses, particularly by extensive 1D and 2D NMR studies. Compounds 3 and 4 are new natural products. Compound 1 is a good inhibitor of isomaltase and certain alpha- and beta-galactosidases. Whereas 2 is a more potent inhibitor of isomaltase and beta-galactosidases than 1, it does not inhibit alpha-galactosidase. Compounds 3-5 exhibited no significant inhibition against the glycosidases used.

The paramyxovirus, Sendai virus, V protein encodes a luxury function required for viral pathogenesis

The Sendai virus (SeV) V protein is characterized by the unique cysteine-rich domain in its carboxy-terminal half which is fused to the amino-terminal half of the P protein, but its function has remained enigmatic. The V protein-directing mRNA is generated by a remarkable process known as mRNA editing involving the pseudotemplated addition of a single G residue at a specific septinucleotide locus in the P gene, whereas the unedited exact copy encodes the P protein. Here, we introduced two nucleotide changes in the septinucleotide motif (UUUUCCC to UUCUUCC) in a full-length SeV cDNA and were able to recover a virus from the cDNA, which was devoid of mRNA editing and hence unable to synthesize the V protein. Compared with the parental wild-type virus with regard to gene expression, replication and cytopathogenicity in various cell lines in vitro, the V(-) virus was found to be either potentiated or comparable but never attenuated. The V(-) virus, however, showed markedly attenuated in vivo replication capacity in and pathogenicity for mice. Thus, though categorized as a nonessential gene product, SeV V protein encodes a luxury function required for in vivo pathogenicity.

Comparison of the nucleotide sequence of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin 1 genes among diarrhea-associated Escherichia coli

The presence of the enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAggEC) heat-stable enterotoxin 1 (EAST1) gene was investigated in 15 strains each of EAggEC, enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), EPEC-related strains of non-EPEC serotypes, diffusely adhering E. coli (type 1 DAEC) that carries F1845 adhesive pili (or a related adhesin), and enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) by PCR and colony hybridization. The EAST1 gene or its homologue was present in 53.3% of EAggEC, 20% of EPEC, 13.3% of the EPEC-related strains, and 6.7% of type 1 DAEC, EIEC and E. coli unrelated with diarrhea had no gene with sequence similarity to the EAST1 gene. Comparison of the EAST1 gene sequences analyzed in this study as well as those reported previously showed that EAggEC (including strain O42, which was shown to be pathogenic in volunteer experiments), EPEC, type 1 DAEC, type 2 DAEC (which carries the 57-kDa outer membrane protein as an adhesin), and enterotoxigenic E. coli shared a common sequence. A variant type of the EAST1 gene sequence was present in the EAggEC strain 17-2 (initially characterized for the EAST1 gene) and in an EPEC-related strain of a non-EPEC serotype. These data suggest that the EAST1 gene or its variant is a virulence gene widely distributed among diarrhea-associated E. coli.

A reconstruction method of cerebral surface anatomical images for image guided localization

We have developed a simple and practical method to reconstruct cerebral surface anatomical images for better presurgical planning and surgical orientation with the aid of a personal computer. The area representing the cortical surface was selected from the most superficial slice of the T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images. The selected area was then overlaid upon the next superficial slice and the alignment adjusted. By repeating this procedure four to seven times we obtained a brain surface image which clearly displayed gyri and sulci. With the same method images of the vascular components of the cerebral surface were obtained from the T2-weighted images or MR angiograms. The brain surface and the vascular images were then combined to reconstruct a surface anatomical image (SAI). In addition, the outline of the lesion and natural landmarks, such as ventricles, were added if necessary. Compared to conventional surface anatomy scanning (SAS) or three-dimensional image reconstruction procedures, our method has the advantage of displaying, within a reasonable time, the manifest cortical surface from the direction of the planned surgical approach. The SAIs obtained for individual patients have proven to be useful for presurgical planning and minimizing surgical damage to the eloquent cortex in approaching both surface and subcortical lesions.

Lack of evidence for the transmission of JC polyomavirus between human populations

Human polyomavirus JC virus (JCV), the causative agent of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, is ubiquitous in humans, infecting children asymptomatically then persisting in renal tissue. Since JCV DNA can readily be detected from urine, it should be a useful tool with which to study the mode of virus transmission in humans. Based on this notion, we examined the extent to which JCV was transmitted from the American to Japanese populations in Okinawa Island, Japan. (A population of about 50 000 American soldiers and families have been stationed in Okinawa since 1945.) Four JCV types (A to D) were identified in American populations in U.S.A., whereas only type B was prevalent in elder Japanese in Okinawa who had reached adulthood by 1945. Thus, types A, C, and D served as indicators of the transmission of JCV from American to Japanese populations. We then examined whether types A, C, and D were detectable in Japanese in Okinawa aged 30-50 years who may have been in contact with Americans during childhood. However, all the 125 isolates from the younger Japanese population were type B without exception. From this finding, we concluded that JCV is rarely transmitted between human populations.

Spinal cord herniation: report of two cases and review of the literature

Idiopathic herniation of the spinal cord is an extremely rare disorder which may cause progressive myelopathy. Two cases of this entity reported herein were both examined using MRI and CT myelography. The typical appearance of this disease with or without a dorsal intradural arachnoid cyst is focal ventral displacement of the mid-thoracic spinal cord, mimicking an isolated intradural spinal arachnoid cyst on MRI. CT myelography using thin slice sections is useful in the diagnosis of this disease.

[Localization of epileptogenic foci and visualization of propagating process in the seizure discharges using crosscorrelation analysis]

Electrocorticogram (ECoG) of intractable focal epilepsy was analyzed using AR model, wavelet analysis and crosscorrelation analysis. The sequential 3-dimensional visualization technique of phase shift maps was developed to localize the epileptic foci and to study their propagation process. The crosscorrelation of the epileptic discharges was calculated between the electrodes in every unit of time, to get the phase shift. More than two epileptogenic foci were localized and two kinds of propagating process were shown. These findings suggest that two kinds of mechanism might work in development of epileptic discharges, and our newly developed visualization technique is useful to investigate the epileptogenesis etiology.

Hypoglycemic action of embelia madagascariensis in normal and diabetic mice

The hypoglycemic effect of Embelia madagascariensis (Myrsinaceae) was investigated in both normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. The methanol extract of leaves of Embelia madagascariensis (EL)(500 mg/kg) reduced the blood glucose of normal mice from 206 +/- 9 to 137 +/- 10 mg/100 ml 4 hours after intraperitoneal administration (P < 0.001), and also significantly lowered the blood glucose of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice from 570 +/- 29 to 401 +/- 59 mg/100 ml under similar conditions (P < 0.05). EL also suppressed epinephrine-induced hyperglycemia in mice (control vs EL, P < 0.01).