Neoplastic alterations in subcellular distribution of type 1 alpha protein phosphatase in rat ascites hepatoma cells

Neoplastic alterations of type 1 alpha protein phosphatase (PP1 alpha) have been studied in rat ascites hepatoma cells, using regenerating liver after partial hepatectomy and normal rat liver as controls. In the particulate fraction of hepatomas, potential PP1 activity and the amount of PP1 alpha were remarkably increased compared with either regenerating or normal livers. In the nuclear fraction, PP1 activity and the amount of PP1 alpha were increased in hepatoma compared with the controls. The nuclear PP1 activity in hepatomas was activated by treatment with CO2+/trypsin, whereas that of normal or regenerating liver was not activated. These characteristic alterations of PP1 alpha in its amount and subcellular distribution may be implicated in malignant phenotype(s) such as uncontrolled cell growth.

Chromosomal localization of human, rat, and mouse protein phosphatase type 1 beta catalytic subunit genes (PPP1CB) by fluorescence in situ hybridization

Using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) method, gene encoding the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase type 1 beta (PPP1CB) in human and its corresponding gene in rat (PP1 delta) and mouse (dis2m2) were mapped to human 2p23, rat 6q21-q23, and mouse 12D, respectively. These results indicate that PPP1CB is a member of conserved syntenic group. It is shown that the genes encoding catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase type 1 family (PP1 alpha, PP1 beta, and PP1 gamma in human and those corresponding genes in rat and mouse), in spite of their high identity, are located to different chromosomes in these three species.

TGF beta 1 suppresses EGF-induced increase in nuclear type 1 protein phosphatase activity at the G1/S transition of hepatocyte proliferation

Nuclear type 1 protein phosphatase (PP1) activity in primary culture of EGF-stimulated hepatocytes was significantly and transiently increased at the G1/S transition, being about 2.5-fold, while that in non-stimulated hepatocytes showed almost no change. On the other hand, non-nuclear PP1 activity was gradually increased until the G1/S transition, but the activity showed no difference between EGF-stimulated and non-stimulated hepatocytes. Under growth-inhibited conditions in the presence of TGF beta 1, the increase in nuclear PP1 activity was completely suppressed, whereas non-nuclear PP1 activity was little affected. Such close correlation between nuclear PP1 activity and growth factor-induced positive or negative growth signaling strongly suggests an involvement of PP1 in progression from G1 to S phase of hepatocytes. On Western immunoblotting using antisera for PP1 alpha, PP1 gamma 1, and PP1 delta, no isoform showed any change in amount under these conditions. Mechanism(s) of growth-associated alterations in nuclear PP1 activity is discussed.

Nitrogen dioxide-induced eosinophilia and mucosal injury in the nose of the guinea pig

Nitrogen dioxide exposure-induced mucosal pathology of the guinea pig nose was studied. Guinea pigs were exposed to 3 ppm or 9 ppm of nitrogen dioxide for 6 h a day, 6 times weekly for 2 weeks, and sacrificed 24 h after the final exposure. Exposure to 3 ppm of nitrogen dioxide resulted in decreased ciliary activity and slight eosinophil accumulation on the epithelium and submucosal layer. More serious pathologies were observed in the nose of guinea pigs exposed to 9 ppm of nitrogen dioxide, including a more prominent eosinophil influx to the epithelium and epithelial injury due to activation of eosinophils. Epithelial damage induced by nitrogen dioxide could lead to hyperresponsiveness and may result in a prolonged allergic inflammation. Our study suggests that environmental nitrogen dioxide may contribute to hyperresponsiveness and thus be involved in the increased morbidity of allergic rhinitis.

Reversibility of cerebral ischaemia. Dynamic and xenon computed tomography study on ischaemic cerebrovascular disease

Flow studies using dynamic CT and xenon (Xe) CT were carried out in 25 patients with ischaemic stroke in the territory of the middle cerebral artery to define the clinical characteristics of cerebral ischaemia at a chronic stage. The parameter of peak height/mean transit time (PH/MTT) obtained from dynamic CT can provide an accurate index for blood circulation in the cerebral vascular bed. Xe CT measurements revealed various kinds of ischaemia around the infarction even in the chronic stages. In mild ischaemia of more than 30 ml/100 g/min, reduction of cerebral blood flow (CBF) was well correlated to the PH/MTT. However, in severe ischaemia between 20 and 30 ml/100 g/min, changes of CBF were no longer correlated with the PH/MTT. There were cases showing severe reduction of CBF but which showed sufficient blood circulation (moderate value of PH/MTT). Mild reductions of CBF in parallel with decreased blood supply were often found in the peri-infarct area of infarctions in the centrum semiovale. On the other hand, infarctions in the cortico-subcortical region showed severe ischaemia, in even where blood circulation was relatively well sustained.

Presence of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid necessary for platelet activating factor-induced ciliary depression

Many different mediators have been implicated in allergic responses and allergic diseases of the respiratory tract. The influence of several allergic inflammatory mediators on the ciliary activity has been well studied. However, ciliary responsiveness to platelet-activating factor (PAF) is yet to be established conclusively. Our study concerns the response of normal tracheal cilia from the guinea pig during an in vitro contact with PAF. PAF at concentrations between 10(-10) and 10(-8) M never affected the ciliary activity. On the other hand, such concentrations of PAF inhibited the ciliary activity in a dose-response fashion within 5 min in the presence of alveolar macrophages. Such a ciliary dysfunction should allow allergens and other molecules to easily invade epithelium and submucosa of the airway, resulting in an increased epithelial permeability which might be a mild manifestation of airway hyperresponsiveness and make a significant contribution to further airway hyperresponsiveness.

Gene expressions and activities of protein phosphatases PP1 and PP2A in rat liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy

We have examined the levels of gene expressions and activities of protein phosphatases, PP1 and PP2A, in rat regenerating livers. PP1 alpha mRNA started to increase from 6 h after partial hepatectomy (PH) and showed two peaks at 12 and 48 h. PP2A mRNA level showed two peaks at 6 and 10-12 h. Protein phosphatase activities were determined both in non-nuclear fraction and in nuclei. While spontaneous PP1 activity in non-nuclear fraction was nearly constant, potential PP1 activity revealed by Co(2+)-trypsin treatment showed a small peak between 7 and 12 h. In nuclei, both spontaneous and potential PP1 activity began to increase from 4-7 h after PH, reached a maximum (about 2.5-fold over control levels) at 12 h, the time which corresponds to the G1 to S transition in the cell cycle, and then declined back to control levels by 7 days. PP2A activity in non-nuclear fraction was nearly constant in both spontaneous and potential forms. PP2A activity in both forms in nuclei was very low throughout. These results suggest the possibility that PP1 in nuclei plays some role in the G1 to S transition in the cell cycle of hepatocyte proliferation.

[Torsade de pointes ventricular tachycardia in a patient with acute myelocytic leukemia]

The anti-leukemic antibiotics, anthracyclines, are most effective agents in the treatment of acute leukemia. However, they have severe cardiac toxicities, which ordinarily shows dose-dependency, but sometimes produce acute cardiomyopathy. We experienced Torsade-de-pointes arrhythmia during the treatment of acute myelocytic leukemia (AML); The patient was a 28 year old woman and had an AML-M1. After the short course administration of daunorubicin (total 90 mg/m2) and aclarubicin (total 219 mg/m2), she suffered from an attack of Torsade-de-pointes ventricular tachycardia and passed away, since any treatment against ventricular arrhythmia was not effective. Autopsy studies revealed degeneration and atrophy of cardiac muscle in the area around His's bundle, which suggested an anthracycline-induced cardiac toxicity.

Clivus epidural hematoma. Case report

A rare case of epidural hematoma of the clivus is reported in an 11-year-old girl involved in a traffic accident which caused a severe hyperextension injury. Only one similar case has been reported in the literature. The mechanism for the formation of the hematoma of this region is discussed.

[Wide-spread spontaneous spinal subarachnoid hematoma. Case report]

A 56-year-old female experienced sudden excruciating pain extending from the upper neck to the lower back. She had mild disturbance of consciousness, and a lumbar puncture revealed bloody cerebrospinal fluid. The positive neurological findings were meningitis, spastic paraparesis, hyperesthesia of the left L3 dermatome, bilateral Babinski, disappearance of anal reflex, and urinary retention. Computed tomography scans, myelography, and magnetic resonance images revealed diffuse subarachnoid hematoma and hematomyelia from Th12 to L3. Spinal angiography was tried twice before surgery but no origin of this diffuse hematoma could be found. Laminectomy was performed from Th12 to L1 and organized hematoma was found in the subarachnoid space. After the hematoma removal, non-pulsating tortuous vessels were observed on the surface of the spinal cord at the L1 level which ran into the intramedullary region. However, there was no further abnormality to define spinal arteriovenous malformation or fistula within the limits of exposure. The postoperative course was uneventful and about 2 months later she was able to walk by herself.

[Clinical analysis of 82 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma--mainly on the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy]

A retrospective study of eighty-two patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma whom we had treated for the past ten years was performed to discuss the prognosis (50% survival duration (50%s) and 5-year survival rate (5ys)) of the histopathological types, clinical stages and therapeutic regimens respectively. Patients were staged according to the Ann Arbor criteria and classified histopathologically according to the Lymphoma Study Group (LSG) and new Working Formulation. The treatment programs consisted of radiotherapy alone (Co alone), VEP regimen (vincristine, cyclophosphamdde and prednisolone), VEPA regimen (VEF + adriamycin) and radiotherapy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy (co + chemotherapy). Survival curve was calculated by the method of Kaplan and Meier. Camparisons in remission duration and survival were analyzed by the Logrank test.

RESULTS

1. In 82 evaluable patients, 50%s was 27 months and 5ys was 31%. For patients with complete remission (CR), partial remission (PR) and no response (NR) 50%s was 49, 6 and 4 months respectively (CR vs. PR: p less than 0.01). 2. For the several histopathological types 50%s was the following: d-medium (6 months) less than lymphoblastic (17 months) less than d-large (27 months) less than d-small (32 months) less than pleomorphic (43 months). There was difference in 50%s and 5ys for three grade malignancies classified by new Working Formulation (p greater than 0.10). 3. For clinical stages (Cs) 50%s was the following: Cs I; 40 months, Cs II: 49 months, Cs III: 43 months and Cs IV: 6 months respectively. There was no difference in its duration in Cs I, II and III (p less than 0.10). However, in 5ys Cs I was superior to Cs II, III and IV in order (Cs III vs. Cs IV: p less than 0.01). 4. For initial therapy the prognosis was better with VEPA regimen (50%s: 49 months, 5ys: 39%) than with VEP regimen (50%s: 24 months, 5ys: 24%) (p greater than 0.10), and with Co + chemotherapy (50%s: 54 months, 5ys: 30%) than with Co alone (50%s: 18 months, 5ys: 25%) (p greater than 0.10). 5. For localized lymphoma (Cs I, II) the prognosis was better with VEP regimen (50%s) 80 motnths, 5ys: 62%) than with Co alone (50%s: 32 months, 5ys: 27%) (p greater than 0.10), and the remission duration was significantly longer with VEP regimen than with Co alone (p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[Arteriovenous malformation. 3. Dynamic CT of arteriovenous malformation]

Various methods have been reported for the purpose of measurement of hemodynamics of the cerebral arteriovenous malformations. In this paper, using a TCT-60A-30 scanner, dynamic computed tomography was performed on 18 cases with arteriovenous malformations. The initial scan of the dynamic CT was started simultaneously with the start of an intravenous injection of uniodinated contrast medium (8 ml/sec.), serial 4.5 sec. scan repeated 8 times. The data for each scan were segmented into three, and a series of 24 rapid-sequence scan images (CT-angiography) was generated. The time-density curve by use of Thompson's methods was analyzed with multiple ROIs which were bilaterally set up for the nidus and its surrounding areas considering each arterial supply. And the flow parameters, such as the peak concentration (PC), the mean transit time (MTT) and the PC/MTT were calculated. We thought that under the condition of normal state of blood-brain-barrier and fixed standards of multiple factors such as the cardio-pulmonary function, systemic blood volume, viscosity of the blood and many others, PC manifested vascular beds of ROIs, MTT brain circulating time, PC/MTT blood flow respectively. In the ROIs of the nidus, high values of PC (115.7 +/- 51.9 CT number) and PC/MTT (14.8 +/- 6.28 CT number/sec.), and reduction of MTT (8.47 +/- 2.28 sec.) were revealed in comparison with surrounding areas. The ROIs of the nidus showed enlargement of vascular beds and blood flow and reduction of brain circulating time. On the other hand, in the ROIs surrounding the nidus, MTT of affected areas (10.33 +/- 2.78 sec.) was slow compared with it nonaffected areas (9.33 +/- 2.09 sec.), however PC and PC/MTT were equal in both areas.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[The incidence of postoperative epilepsy and prophylactic anticonvulsants in patients with intracranial aneurysm]

The occurrence of epileptic seizures is not rare after craniotomy. The authors examined the incidence of postoperative epilepsy in 150 patients of intracranial aneurysm. Anticonvulsants were given to all patients after operation, but in 12 cases anticonvulsants were discontinued because of liver dysfunction. One hundred and eight out of 138 cases (78%) were prescribed polypharmaceutically, and 30 of 138 cases (22%) were monopharmaceutically. The daily dose of anticonvulsants was as follows; diphenylhydantoin (DPH) was 150-300 mg, phenobarbital (PB) was 50-100 mg, valproic acid (VPA) was 600-1200 mg, and carbamazepin (CBZ) was 200-600 mg. Postoperative epilepsy occurred in 14 of 150 cases (9.3%); 13 cases with anticonvulsants, and 1 case without anticonvulsants. The site of aneurysm was as follows; 6 cases (10.3%) of AC aneurysm, 3 cases (9.7%) of MC aneurysm, 1 case (2.4%) of IC aneurysm, and 4 cases (21.1%) of multiple aneurysm. The interval between operation and epileptic seizure was ranged 2 to 57 months (mean 19.8 months); in 7 cases (50%) within 1 year, and in 13 cases (93%) within 3 years. The authors emphasize that prophylactic use of anticonvulsants is effective to control subclinical epileptic seizures, prescribing anticonvulsants to all patients after craniotomy in general. The medication of anticonvulsants for 3 years would be necessary for avoiding postoperative epileptic seizure.

Cysts of the oral mucosa in newborns: a clinical observation

Nodules or cysts of the oral mucosa occurred with an incidence of 88.7 per cent in 541 Japanese newborn infants. No infant was over 8 days old. This incidence is higher than that reported in Caucasian and Negro newborns. It may be suggested that the frequency of visible nodules have a close relation to growth and development in the fetal life, because the cysts seen in newborns can be recognized histologically in most fetuses, as demonstrated in other papers. Although a variety of terminology for these nodules have been used, these oral cysts can be classified as follows: gingival cyst in the newborn (dental lamina cyst) and median palatal mucosal cyst (Epstein's pearl).