Reticulocyte maturity index reflects erythropoietin effects in hemodialysis patients

Flow cytometric reticulocyte analysis is widely utilized because of its sensitivity, precision, and high throughput of analysis as compared to manual reticulocyte counting. With this automated method reticulocytes can be classified into three groups according to the fluorescence intensity that reflects maturity of reticulocytes. In this study, changes in red cell parameters, reticulocyte percentage, absolute reticulocyte count, and reticulocyte maturity index were evaluated 13 hemodialysis patients with renal anemia after single administration of recombinant human erythropoietin. The reticulocyte count and reticulocyte maturity index were elevated significantly (P < .01) 2 days after the single bolus of erythropoietin, and they reached the maximum value vn the fourth day, but other red cell indices could not detect the effects of erythropoietin during this early period. These results suggested that the reticulocyte maturity index could be an early indicator of the effect of erythropoietin in hemodialysis patients.

Cloning and expression of superoxide dismutase from Aquifex pyrophilus, a hyperthermophilic bacterium

A superoxide dismutase (SOD) gene of Aquifex pyrophilus, a marine hyperthermophilic bacterium, was cloned, sequenced, expressed in Escherichia coli, and its gene product characterized. This is the first SOD from a hyperthermophilic bacterium that has been cloned. It is an iron-containing homo-oligomeric protein with a monomeric molecular mass of 24.2 kDa. The DNA-derived amino acid sequence is more similar to those of known Mn- and Fe-SODs from thermophilic archaea than of Cu, Zn-SODs. The metal binding residues found in all SOD sequences from different species are also conserved in A. pyrophilus SOD. The protein is biochemically active only as an oligomer and is resistant to thermal denaturation.

Increased tenascin expression is an early feature of the development of transplant renal arteriopathy in humans

Transplant renal arteriopathy (TRA) is a major obstacle to the long-term survival of human renal allografts. Tenascin (TN) is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein associated with cell growth and differentiation. We investigated TN expression in intrarenal arteries with TRA, in association with cellular components, with phenotypic expression of smooth muscle cells (SMC) and with fibronectin expression. Ten renal allografts that had been removed due to rejection were available. Monoclonal antibodies against SMC, macrophages, T cells, B cells, fibronectin, and TN were used. In the early stages, medial SMC showed a de-differentiated phenotype and the neointima consisted largely of T cells and macrophages. At these stages, increased expression of TN was observed in the media. In later stages, the neointima consisted almost entirely of SMC of a differentiated phenotype and no TN expression was found. Up-regulation of TN may play a role in the migration and phenotypic modulation of SMC at an early stage of TRA in humans.

[Obliterative arteriopathy in renal transplantation: an immunocytochemical analysis]

Obliterative arteriopathy is one of the major obstacles to long-term survival of human renal allografts. However, the cellular composition of obliterative arteriopathy has been incompletely characterized. We have performed immunocytochemical investigations of cellular components of obliterative arteriopathy and also investigated immunophenotypic features of proliferating smooth muscle cells in these lesions. Three renal allografts that had been removed due to rejection were available for this study. Time lapse between transplantation and removal of the renal allograft in these patients was 2 months, 5 months, and 4 years and 9 months, respectively. Tissue blocks cut from these renal allografts were fixed in methanol-Carnoy's fixative, and embedded in paraffin. Serial sections from each block were cut and used for histopathological and immunocytochemical studies. Monoclonal antibodies used for this study were as follows: anti-muscle actin antibody, HHF35; anti-smooth muscle actin antibody, CGA7; anti-vimentin antibody; anti-desmin antibody; anti-macrophage antibody, HAM56; and anti-Factor VIII-related antigen antibody. In all the allografts, obliterative arteriopathy was observed in the interlobular and arcuate arteries. In an early stage of proliferative lesions (2 months), the hyperplastic intima consisted largely of macrophages, intermixed with smooth muscle cells. At this stage, smooth muscle cells at the luminal site stained positive with HHF35, but negative with CGA7. In older lesions (5 months, 4 years and 9 months), however, the thickened intima consisted almost entirely of smooth muscle cells. At this stage, smooth muscle cells stained positive with both HHF35 and CGA7.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Patent urachus associated with abdominal abscess: report of a case]

A case of the patent urachus associated with abdominal abscess was reported. A 44-year-old woman was consulted to our clinic with the complaints of bladder irritability and discharge from the navel on October 27, 1987. A fist-sized tumor around the umbilicus was pointed out and the cystography from the umbilicus demonstrated that the contrast medium reached to the urinary bladder. The cystoscopy showed the protruded lesion on the dome of the bladder. The pre-operative diagnosis was patent urachus. She received resection of the urachus on November 11, 1987. The pathological finding was pyogenic granuloma of the urachus due to chronic inflammation.

Purification and characterization of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase from Ascaris lumbricoides

Methylmalonyl CoA mutase from Ascaris lumbricoides has been purified to homogeneity. The mutase is homogeneous as judged by equilibrium sedimentation and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The worm mutase is a glycoprotein with a mol. wt of 147,000 +/- 3500 composed of two identical or very similar subunits. One molecule of adenosylcobalamin is tightly bound to each subunit. The mutase from Ascaris is not affected by exposure to light, cyanide ion or intrinsic factor and is not inhibited by iodoacetate and rho-hydroxymercuribenzoate. The kinetic constants of this mutase for (R,S)methylmalonyl CoA are Km = 4.2 X 10(-5) M and Vmax = 4.73 mumol/mg/min.