Density dependent growth of corneal endothelial cells cultured in vitro

Using the cornea of macaque monkey, we demonstrated the relationship between cell density and growth of endothelial cells in vitro. Corneal endothelial cells in a cell sheet grow most actively in regions with cell density of 1000 to 1800 cells/mm2, in explant cultures and cell sheets and in concentrated inocula dissociated cells. Cell morphology was well sustained in these cultures. Cells cultured at a higher cell density retained their potential to proliferate actively, showing clear contrast to cells cultured at a density lower than 200 cells/mm2. When dissociated cells were cultured at a low density and maintained for more than 4 weeks, they gradually lost their growth potential, altered into polymorphonuclear giant cells and eventually dedifferentiated. In addition, cells with no contact with each other did not express growth potential. Density dependent growth was confirmed by measuring the mitotic index against the cell density per square mm from the center to the peripheral regions in cultured explants. It is concluded that the growth pattern of corneal endothelial cells is closely related to cell density, and that growth of these cells might be regulated through intercellular communications.

Pathogenic capacity of proteases from Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and their suppression by chicken egg white ovomacroglobulin

The pathogenicities of three proteases from Serratia marcescens, two proteases from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and one thermolysin from Bacillus stearothermophilus were examined. All proteases tested caused acute liquefactive necrosis of the cornea and descemetocele formation in guinea pig eyes after intrastromal injection, with the exception of the 60-kilodalton protease from S. marcescens, which produced only an opaque lesion. When injected into guinea pig skin, the protease also enhanced vascular permeability, which was followed by edema formation. The permeability-enhancing activity of the proteases increased in parallel with the concentration of the enzymes. When tested in vitro for its effect on these bacterial proteases, chicken egg white ovomacroglobulin (ovoM) inhibited the enzymatic activity of all the proteases after a short incubation period at an enzyme/inhibitor ratio (molar) of 1:1 to 1:4 or at a lower concentration after a longer incubation period. Such treatment of the proteases with chicken egg white ovoM before injection intrastromally into the eyes or intradermally into the clipped flanks of guinea pigs protected the cornea from destruction or completely prevented the permeability reaction and edema formation. No inhibitory effects of plasma protease inhibitors against these bacterial proteases were noted. Since the proteases are critical in the pathogenic processes caused by the bacteria, these results suggest a beneficial effect of ovoM against bacterial infections.

The serratial 56K protease as a major pathogenic factor in serratial keratitis. Clinical and experimental study

A possible cause and the difference in clinical severity of serratial keratitis were investigated. Two strains of Serratia marcescens were isolated: one from a patient with severe liquefactive keratitis, who had diabetes mellitus, and one from a patient with mild superficial keratitis, but who had no underlying disease. When the same numbers of bacteria were injected separately into corneas of the same rabbits or guinea pigs, the strain from the first patient elicited severe corneal destruction, remarkable intracorneal edema; and liquefactive necrosis, but the strain from the second caused mild keratitis with erosion or intracorneal abscess. The keratitis induced by the former strain required a longer time to heal, and the prognosis was poorer than that for the other keratitis. Therefore, the difference in severity between the two cases of experimentally induced keratitis paralleled that of the clinical cases. Thus, the severity of the serratial keratitis might be attributed more to the virulence of the bacteria than the condition of the host. The virulence factor seemed to be a heat-labile metabolic product (or products) of the bacteria. To clarify this virulence factor, the major secretory protease (56K protease) produced by these two strains of bacteria was compared by using in vitro and in vivo systems. The virulent strain produced about ten times more protease during culture than the less virulent strain. When injected into the corneas of experimental animals, the 56K protease from the virulent strain induced severe lesions similar to those caused by the living virulent strain of bacteria. These results indicated that one of the major factors causing the virulence was correlated with the tissue destructive 56K protease produced by S. marcescens.

A report of the first case of Dirofilaria infection in the eyelid region in Japan

Dirofilaria worms were recovered from a painless hard tumor in the right eyelid of a 19-year-old Japanese male who had lived in Kagoshima and Kumamoto Prefectures, Japan. In the worms, the cuticle had a smooth surface, the inner cuticular layer had internal lateral longitudinal ridges, and the musculature of the body wall was the polymyarian type. On the basis of all morphological characteristics observed, this worm was identified as an immature female Dirofilaria immitis. This is the first human case of nematode infection in the eyelid in Japan. Surgical removal of the mass with worms resulted in complete recovery from swelling of his right eyelid.

[By-pass surgery with infusion therapy for non-resectable esophageal cancer]

In principle, the following three steps are considered for by-pass surgery; I. A gastric tube is moved up to the retro-sternal or to the ante-thoracic position. A T-tube is the inserted in the mid position of the gastric tube for decompression and drainage. 2. A retention vinyl tube is inserted in to the excluded esophagus for the purpose of post infusion therapy and for evaluation of the therapy. 3. A Roux-Y anastomotic internal fistula is placed at the distal site of the excluded esophagus. As a plan for combined therapy, PANa-Oil bleomycin (oil bleomycin 30 mg, PANa 0.5 g) is the infused into the isolated esophagus after the by-pass operation and the clinical effect is evaluated by introducing a radiopaque medium into the excluded esophagus via an inserted vinyl tube. Such infusion therapy after by-pass surgery was given to 3 patients and in 1 patient it was very effective. This suggested a positive effect on survival in cases of non-resectable esophageal cancer without side effects.

Role of the zinc atom in the activity and conformational stability of serratial 56K protease. A fluorometric study

We found a zinc content of 1 atom per mol in 56K protease (produced by the gram-negative bacterium Serratia marcescens kums 3958) by the neutron activation method. Selective removal of the functional zinc ion from 56K protease with 10 mM tetraethylenepentamine (TEP) in the presence of 10 mM CaCl2 at room temperature at pH 8.0 resulted in complete loss of the enzyme activity without affecting the lambda max of the enzyme, but with a 10% decrease in fluorescence intensity. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) at 10 mM gave similar results at pH 5.0, but produced a 30% decrease in fluorescence intensity. Melting profile experiments carried out by monitoring the fluorescence intensity at 333 nm showed a melting temperature (Tm) of about 61.0, 62.5, and 60.0 degrees C at pH 5.0, 7.0, and 8.0, respectively. Tm became much lower upon removal of the zinc ion, falling to 42.5 degrees C with 10 mM TEP or to 47.5 degrees C with 10 mM EDTA in the presence of 10 mM CaCl2. The CD data showed very little change in conformation upon removal of the zinc ion under physiological conditions, but the conformation appears to be readily disrupted to a denatured form by changing either temperature or pH or by exposure to denaturants. These results suggest that a single zinc ion is essential for the enzyme function and contributes to the conformational integrity of the enzyme, but tryptophan residues appear to be not directly related to the enzyme activity.

Purification and characterization of four proteases from a clinical isolate of Serratia marcescens kums 3958

Four distinct proteases were purified to homogeneity from culture filtrates of Serratia marcescens kums 3958, a fresh isolate from a patient with a severe corneal ulcer. Purification was achieved by ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-cellulose ion-exchange chromatography, and Sephadex gel filtration chromatography. The proteases were differentiated from each other by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with or without sodium dodecyl sulfate and by immunodiffusion in agarose gels. The molecular weights of these purified proteases were estimated to be 56 X 10(3), 60 X 10(3), and 73 X 10(3) (hereafter designated 56K, 60K, and 73K proteases, respectively). The 73K protease was separated into 73Ka and 73Kb upon isoelectricfocusing. The isoelectric points of the 56K (major) and 60K, 73Ka, and 73Kb proteases (minors) were approximately 5.3, 4.4, 5.8, and 7.3, respectively. Both 56K and 60K enzymes were completely inactivated by EDTA at pH 5.0 and were reactivated by zinc ion; thus, they are metalloenzymes, whereas 73K (73Ka and 73Kb) enzymes appear to be thiol proteases. Carbohydrate, cysteine, and cystine were not detected in the 56K and 60K proteases. Amino acid compositions, partial amino acid sequence, and enzymological and immunological properties revealed that these four enzymes are distinct from each other.

Grating test of contrast sensitivity in patients with Minamata disease

Thirty cases of Minamata disease caused by methyl mercury poisoning with the lesion mainly at the occipital cortex were selected and their spatial contrast sensitivity of vision was examined by the Arden grating chart. At the same time their visual acuity, visual field, and visual evoked cortical potential (VECP) were also investigated. In all cases the results of the Arden test indicated abnormality. Poor results were obtained at higher frequencies of the gratings. VECP elicited by grating pattern reversal stimulus was undertaken in 12 cases out of the 30. The results revealed abnormality almost equal to that shown by the Arden test. Seven out of the 12 cases showed no VECP response. The other 5, giving a response, showed abnormality: when the size of the grating became smaller at higher frequencies, the VECP paused or was not recorded, whereas at low frequencies it was recorded. This finding was in good agreement or was not recorded, whereas at low frequencies it was recorded. This finding was in good agreement with the results of the Arden test. Visual acuity and visual field tests were less sensitive in detecting abnormality. The Arden chart is a sensitive clinical tool for patients with lesions at the cerebral cortex. Furthermore, the test can be used for screening patients who may have come in contrast with organic mercury.