Primary changes in liver damage by aspirin in rats

BACKGROUND

It has been known that acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) causes liver cell damage, however, its mechanisms remain obscure.

METHODS AND RESULTS

To clarify the earliest change in the course of liver cell damage induced by oral administration of ASA, rats that had received ASA at 50 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg bodyweight orally for 7 days were investigated. Mitochondria were isolated for measurements of mitochondrial respiration, and for electron microscopic observations, small pieces of liver were excised and fixed. Uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation was observed in mitochondria isolated from ASA-treated rats. Although no histological changes were evident, lamellar structures in bile canaliculi were ultrastructurally observed in all rats treated with ASA.

CONCLUSIONS

This laminar structure, which is negative for bilirubin staining, seems to be one of the most sensitive indicators of ASA-induced liver damage.

[The efficacy of re-TUR after 3 weeks of initial TUR treatment for locally advanced bladder cancer]

BACKGROUND

Radical cystectomy was usually performed for the patient with advanced bladder cancer. The choice of surgical procedure whether bladder preserved therapy or radical cystectomy has sometime plagued us in bladder cancer treatment. Because we don't have clear guideline for the treatment of locally advanced bladder cancer (T2-T3a N0M0). We devised a radical treatment for the patients with locally advanced bladder cancer without radical cystectomy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We performed re-TUR treatment after 3 weeks of initial TUR for 13 patients with grade 2 and locally advanced bladder cancer diagnosed with pelvic CT scan, transurethral ultrasonography or bimanual examination under the anesthesia.

RESULTS

We could successfully preserve all cases of bladder with the use of this devised TUR (periods 9-45 months median 22 months). This method has significantly reduced the cystectomy rate in such locally advanced cases compared with the cystectomy rate prior to 1993 (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

This method has significance on treatment for locally advanced papillary bladder cancer as bladder preserving therapy with careful observation.

Identification of mouse ULK1, a novel protein kinase structurally related to C. elegans UNC-51

A novel protein kinase related to the C. elegans serine/threonine kinase UNC-51 was cloned from mouse. The UNC-51-Like Kinase (ULK)1 is encoded by a cDNA of 1051 amino acids with calculated MW of 113 kDa. Comparison of the ULK1 and UNC-51 shows the highest conservation in the amino-terminal kinase domain, which is followed by a proline/serine-rich (PS) domain and a conserved carboxyl-terminal (C) domain. ULK1 mRNA is expressed in various tissues, and is mapped to mouse chromosome 5F and rat chromosome 12q16.3, by fluorescent in situ hybridization. HA-tagged ULK1 is expressed as a protein of approximately 150 kDa in COS7 cells and is auto-phosphorylated in vitro in its PS domain. We propose that ULK1, UNC-51 and a yeast protein kinase Apg1p comprise a novel subfamily of protein kinase, which is structurally conserved among eukaryotes.

Focal pachypolymicrogyria in three siblings

The malformation of focal pachypolymicrogyria might be the manifestation of an X-linked recessive disorder according to the results of this study. Three siblings revealed focal pachypolymicrogyria on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and had a strong family history of epilepsy and mental retardation. All three siblings had the same mother; the father of Patient 1 was not related to the mother, but the father of Patients 2 and 3 was related to her. The MRI of the father of Patients 2 and 3 demonstrated focal pachypolymicrogyria. The mother's MRI was normal. In this family, epilepsy or mental retardation was found mainly in the males (Patient 3 was an exception), and they were all born to female members of this family, not male. Patient 3 was probably a homozygote with an X-linked recessive inheritance, and therefore, she demonstrated the most severe clinical findings.

[A case of multiple organ failure with massive intestinal bleeding caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a postcystectomy patient--efficacy of mask continuous positive airway pressure training and intraarterial embolization]

A 51-year-old man underwent radical cystectomy with tubeless cutaneous ureterostomy. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) enteritis developed postoperatively. MRSA caused critical infections such as pneumonia and sepsis, which subsequently progressed to adult respiratory distress syndrome, massive melena and multiple organ failure. The patient was rescued by intensive management including mask continuous positive airway pressure, systemic vancomycin administration and intraarterial embolization to stop jejunal bleeding.

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy in childhood: a case report

A case report is presented of a 15-year-old girl with reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD). She was referred to hospital because of left upper limb pain. Her left upper limb was cold, edematous and blue with a limited active range of movement. The serum concentration of noradrenaline was lower on the painful side than on the healthy side, and neurotropin, which has an antinociceptive effect to hyperalgesia, was clearly effective. Early diagnosis and management is essential in the treatment of RSD and administration of neurotropin is a useful and non-invasive treatment without severe adverse effects.

Two primary doses of diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis vaccine induce immunological responses to Bordetella pertussis as strong as those induced by three primary doses

Pertussis vaccinations are administered worldwide under various conditions and schedules with diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP). In Japan, a general vaccination with three primary doses of diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTaP) at 4-week intervals and one booster dose 12 months after the primary series have been used since 1981. Decreasing the number of doses of the vaccination would lessen the physical and economic costs. To compare the immunological response to two versus three primary doses, we assessed antibody and cellular immune responses in health children. The anti-filamentous hemagglutinin (anti-FHA) and anti-pertussis toxin (anti-PT) antibody responses to two primary doses of DTaP before a booster were significantly lower than the responses to three primary doses. Although these antibody levels were low in children who received two primary doses, the FHA-induced DNA synthesis was equal to that of the children who received three doses. The anti-FHA and anti-PT antibody levels 4 weeks after the booster following two doses were similar to the levels following three doses, and high antibody titers were maintained over a long period. In areas where contact with bacteria is expected, two primary doses of DTaP may be adequate to induce the necessary level of immunological responses.

Induction of protein tyrosine phosphatase epsilon transcripts during NGF-induced neuronal differentiation of PC12D cells and during the development of the cerebellum

We have investigated a possible role played by protein tyrosine phosphatase epsilon (PTPepsilon), which was recently cloned and predominantly expressed in brain, in neural differentiation and function. During neuronal cell differentiation of PC12D cells triggered by NGF or FGF, PTPepsilon transcripts were transiently induced at a time between the appearance of transcripts for immediate-early genes and for neuronal cell-specific markers. PTPepsilon was the only PTPase whose transcripts were induced during PC12D cell differentiation among over two dozen PTPase transcripts so far examined. Moreover, in situ hybridization revealed that PTPepsilon transcripts were detected in the neural tube of day 12 postcoitum embryo, and in the nervous system including brain, spinal cord, and ganglions in a ubiquitous manner in late gestational stages. In 4-day-old neonatal mice, the transcripts were widely distributed in the central nervous system where the strongest expression was detected in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and olfactory bulb. Interestingly, in day 7 and 16 neonatal brains, the strongest PTPepsilon gene expression was localized in the granular cells of cerebellum, which might indicate that PTPepsilon is involved in the differentiation of the granular cells. The biological significance of PTPepsilon in neuronal differentiation and brain functions is discussed.

A chimeric serine/threonine kinase receptor system reveals the potential of multiple type II receptors to cooperate with transforming growth factor-beta type I receptor

Receptor-type serine/threonine kinases (RSKs) have been organized into two distinct classes known as types I and II on the basis of sequence similarity. However, experiments have shown ligand specificities in the two classes and as a result type I and type II receptors can often bind to a common ligand. The transforming growth factor-beta- (TGF-beta) specific receptors represent such a case, where both type I and II receptors (T beta RI and T beta RII) are observed. Of additional interest is the observation that heteromeric associations of type I and II receptors can also enable signaling. To further elucidate the function of various RSKs, the extracellular domains of both alpha and beta chains from human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptors were linked to transmembrane cytoplasmic domains of RSKs. Chimeric receptors of human granulocyte-macrophage receptor (hGMR) alpha with T beta RI and hGMR beta with T beta RII were expressed in murine pre-B cell-derived Ba/F3 cells. These chimeras formed heteromeric complexes, transmitted TGF-beta signals, and were down-modulated in response to human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. However, experiments utilizing these chimeric receptors in different combinations revealed that only heteromeric associations of transmembrane cytoplasmic domains mediated signaling and down-modulation. Chimeric receptors with transmembrane cytoplasmic domains of activin receptor type II and bone morphogenetic protein receptor type II also provided signals in conjunction with chimeric T beta RI. As a result, these type II receptors may share a common potential to signal via T beta RI. hGMR-RSK chimeric receptors may be useful tools for the identification and characterization of the divergent signals mediated by individual RSKs.

Correlation between HLA-DR expression and level of poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase in human thyroid carcinoma cells

The expression of MHC class II molecules is normally restricted to antigen presenting cells. Aberrant expression of class II molecules, however, was detected in the thyrocytes of autoimmune thyroid diseases. We attempted to regulate the expression of HLA-DR molecules in thyroid carcinoma cells by expressing the exogenous poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase gene. We transfected a metal inducible expression plasmid capable of expressing poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase gene into thyroid carcinoma 8505C cells and the transformants, treated with metal and IFN-gamma, were separated by Magnetic Cell Separation. The activity of the synthetase was increased in the HLA-DR-enriched transformants as compared with that in control or the HLA-DR+ transformants. RNA blot analysis and flow cytometric analysis revealed that the IFN-gamma-inducible expression of HLA-DR molecules was depressed by the induction of exogenous poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase gene. This result indicates that HLA-DR expression was correlated with the level of poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase in human thyroid carcinoma cells. Furthermore we examined the level of poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases. We observed a significant decrease in poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase in the patients. Taken together with the previous observation, the decrease in poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase is closely linked to the aberrant expression of HLA-DR molecules in some autoimmune thyroid diseases.

Identification of a receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatase expressed in postmitotic maturing neurons: its structure and expression in the central nervous system

We have isolated a rat cDNA encoding a receptor-type protein-tyrosine-phosphatase (RTP) expressed in brain and kidney (RPTP-BK) and characterized its expression in the developing central nervous system. RPTP-BK has seven fibronectin type III-like repeats in the extracellular region and a unique catalytic phosphatase domain in the cytoplasmic region. Bacterial expression of its phosphatase domain showed that the dephosphorylation of phosphotyrosine residues was mediated by the cytoplasmic catalytic domain. Sequence comparison revealed that RPTP-BK is homologous with GLEPP1, a rabbit PTP expressed in renal glomerular epithelia, and has the same phosphatase domain as murine PTPphi expressed in macrophages. RPTP-BK has also significant homology with Drosophila DPTP10D in the phosphatase domain, whose expression is localized exclusively in growth cones of the embryonal brains. The gene for RPTP-BK is well conserved among other species, and the expression in the brain but not in the kidney is developmentally regulated during the neonatal stage. Hybridization in situ showed that RPTP-BK is highly expressed in the postmitotic maturing neurons of the olfactory bulb, developing neocortex, hippocampus and thalamus. Because the expression of RPTP-BK in the developing neocortex is correlated with the stage of axonogenesis in cortical neurons, RPTP-BK might be crucial in neural cell development of the mammalian central nervous system.

Transforming growth factor-beta is a survival factor for neonate cortical neurons: coincident expression of type I receptors in developing cerebral cortices

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is a multifunctional polypeptide which plays a crucial role in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, and organogenesis. In the present study, we investigated the expression of signaling receptors for TGF-beta in developing mice by in situ hybridization, revealing a significant difference in the expression of TGF-beta type I and type II receptors. Unexpectedly, the TGF-beta type I receptors were exclusively expressed without any detectable expression of the TGF-beta type II receptors in developing cerebral cortices. In primary cortical neurons, a neutralizing antibody for TGF-beta significantly reduced the expression of bcl-2 and subsequently induced neuronal cell death, indicating that TGF-beta functions as a survival factor for cortical neurons in vitro. Consistent with the result of in situ hybridization, the TGF-beta, type I but not type II receptors were detected in primary cortical neurons by affinity crosslink and RT-PCR analyses. The concomitant expression of TGF-beta2 and the TGF-beta type I receptors in developing cerebral cortices suggests that the TGF-beta signaling system plays a pivotal role in neuronal differentiation and that unidentified components may be involved in TGF-beta signaling in the development of the central nervous system.

Binary expression of olfactory bulb-protein tyrosine phosphatase in rat central nervous system: developmental gene regulation in neonate cerebral cortex and constitutive expression in olfactory-rhinencephalon

Olfactory bulb-protein tyrosine phosphatase (OB-PTP) is a receptor type PTPase dominantly expressed in olfactory bulb. Previously, we isolated and molecularly cloned a rat OB-PTP cDNA from an embryonal brain cDNA library. In the present study, we investigated its temporal and spatial gene expression by Northern blot and in situ hybridization analysis. The expression of OB-PTP gene was firstly detected in day 16 post coitum embryo and significantly increased during the late-gestational stage, attaining the highest level in the first week of neonate. The OB-PTP transcript was then down-regulated postnatally and was detected barely in an adult brain. In situ hybridization analysis showed that the transcript was characteristically localized in the postmitotic neurons of cerebral cortex and subcortical structures, and was down-regulated by day 28 when the cortical and subcortical structures have been organized. In the olfactory-rhinencephalon system including olfactory bulb and piriform cortex, the OB-PTP was preferentially expressed in the postmitotic neurons, and in contrast continuously expressed in the matured brain. Based on the evidence that DPTP10D, the Drosophila homolog of OB-PTP, is localized in the axons of specific pioneer neurons in Drosophila embryo, the OB-PTP is presumably involved in the axonogenesis of cortical and subcortical neurons as well as olfactory neurons in mammalian central nervous system. The biological significance of transcriptional regulation in olfactory system is discussed in terms of continuous axonal connections by regenerating olfactory neurons.

[Continuous infusion therapy with low dose cytosine arabinoside and etoposide in acute myelogenous leukemia patients hardly tolerable for intensive combination chemotherapy]

We evaluated the efficacy of continuous drip infusion therapy with low dose cytosine arabinoside (AraC) and etoposide (VP16) in poor-condition patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Patients' age ranged from 19 to 85 years with a median of 63 years. Principally they received continuous drip infusion for 14 days with AraC (20 mg/day) and VP16 (50 mg/day). Complete remission (CR) rate was 58.3% (7/12) in untreated cases, 33.3% (2/6) in refractory cases to the standard chemotherapy, and 28.6% (2/7) in relapsed cases. The duration of CR ranged from 1.5 to 20 (+) months (median 8) in untreated group and from 2 to 22 months (median 10) in refractory and relapsed groups. Adverse effects such as gastroenterological symptoms appeared but were tolerable. Although infections due to myelosuppression appeared in 22 of 25 cases, they were well controlled by antibiotics. Chemotherapy-related death was not observed. Although CR rate and CR duration of this therapy were not sufficiently high, the regimen was effective in some patients with refractory or relapsed AML. Further studies are required to establish the efficacy, indication and safety of this treatment.

Interferon-alpha potentiates priming-dependent FMLP-induced neutrophil superoxide generation in a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia

A 13 year old girl diagnosed as having chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) was treated with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) alone and 4 months later hematological remission was obtained. In the course of the IFN-alpha treatment there was neither infectious sign nor side effects. In this study we have examined the effect of IFN-alpha on superoxide O2- generation by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN). The PMN of the patient generated less O2- than PMN from normal controls. When patient PMN were cultured in the presence of 1000 U/mL IFN-alpha, enhancement of the formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine induced O2- generation following priming with tissue necrosis factor-alpha was observed. Over the course of the IFN-alpha therapy, such O2- generation was gradually restored. It is suggested that CML PMN are in the resting condition in terms of their ability to generate O2- and that IFN-alpha is effective in inducing O2- generation by CML PMN.

Beta-thalassemia with the IVS-I-1 (G-->T) mutation in a Japanese girl

We analyzed the hemoglobins of a Japanese girl with beta-thalassemia and those of her immediate family. DNA sequencing of the cloned beta-globin gene from this patient revealed a point mutation at the IVS-I position 1 (G-->T). This rare point mutation has been found in Asian Indians, but this is the first reported Japanese case.

Prevention of influenza by the intranasal administration of cold-recombinant, live-attenuated influenza virus vaccine: importance of interferon-gamma production and local IgA response

To clarify which immunological factors were more effective in preventing influenza virus infection, we measured immunological parameters induced by vaccination and infection in vivo and in vitro. Healthy adult subjects (n = 128) were divided into vaccinated (n = 85) and untreated (n = 43) groups. Eighty-five were vaccinated intranasally with a trivalent cold-adapted recombinant influenza virus vaccine containing type A (H1N1 and H3N2) and B viruses. Subjects were mostly seropositive before vaccination. In 29 (80.6%) of the 36 examinees showing a prevaccination HI antibody titre of less than 1:128, the titre increased more than four times after vaccination. On the other hand, an increase of more than four times was found in four (8.2%) of the 49 individuals who had shown a prevaccination titre of more than 1:128. The IgA antibody was negligibly detected in the nasal wash specimens before vaccination, and was induced by vaccination in some cases. Lymphocyte proliferation and interleukin 2 (IL-2) production in cultured lymphocytes of the same subjects stimulated by H1N1 virus in vitro were correlated with the HI antibody titre. However, the interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) production was low before vaccination, regardless of the HI antibody titre, and showed a significant increase after vaccination. It was suggested that local IgA response and IFN-gamma production play important roles in the prevention of influenza. Since there was the outbreak of influenza A (H1N1) in Kochi Prefecture after completion of blood samples 6-8 weeks after the second vaccination, we examined the above hypothesis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Fetal valproate syndrome with reduction deformity of limb

A case is reported of a female infant having multiple anomalies, including epicanthic folds, hypertelorism, bifid nasal bridge, shallow philtrum, low-set ears, brain atrophy, cleft palate, hemangioma on the chest, and reduction deformity of the left upper limb. This is the first case where an infant who was exposed to sodium valproate intra-uterine has a reduction deformity of the upper limb.

Marked increase of peripheral blood myeloblasts following G-CSF therapy in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

A 9 year old boy with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) received recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) and showed a marked increment of myeloblasts in the peripheral blood. He was administered repeated courses of intermediate-dose cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) therapy (1500 mg/m2, days 1-5) for frequent central nervous system (CNS) relapse of ALL. The peripheral white blood cell nadir was less than 1000/microL, so he was treated with rhG-CSF. A marked increment of peripheral blood blasts was noted 3-5 days after rhG-CSF treatment. These cells decreased with the appearance of mature myeloid cells and disappeared about 2 weeks after the start of treatment. These findings suggested that the blasts might have the ability to differentiate into mature myeloid cells. A control patient with repeated CNS relapse of ALL showed no increment of peripheral blood blasts after similar repeated courses of Ara-C without rhG-CSF treatment. Cultured peripheral blood blasts obtained from the present patient showed differentiation into mature myeloid cells by morphological studies and surface marker analysis. These findings indicate that the peripheral blood blasts drawn by G-CSF were not leukemic blasts but normal myeloblasts.

[Tubercle bacilli and the defence factors for infection in sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid]

The defence factors against infection in sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were measured. As the defence factors, lactoferrin, lysozyme and secretory IgA (sIgA) in sputum or BALF of patients with bacilli (+) or (-) tuberculosis were measured and compared. Lactoferrin in sputum was significantly higher in patients with sputum smear positive tuberculosis compared with patients with smear and culture negative tuberculosis. SIgA in sputum was significantly higher in smear negative and culture positive cases compared with culture negative cases. As to the lysozyme in sputum, significant difference was not proved between each group. The level of these factors in BALF did not show significant difference between bacilli (+) and (-) cases. Neither significant correlation was observed among the level of three defence factors in sputum or BALF, nor between the number of leucocyte and tubercle bacilli in sputum. In tubercle bacilli positive group, however, significant positive correlation between the number of leucocyte and lactoferrin in sputum was found. In vitro experiments, high concentration of lactoferrin or lysozyme inhibited the growth of standard strain of tubercle bacilli (H37Rv) and BCG. The results suggest that the measurement of lactoferrin, lysozyme and sIgA in sputum or BALF is useful to determine the clinical activity of tuberculosis.

Imbalance of the interleukin 2 system in children with IDDM

The IL-2 system which involves IL-2 production, IL-2 receptor expression, and response to IL-2, is associated with autoimmune phenomena. Immunological abnormalities including autoimmune phenomena are believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of IDDM. In this study, the production of IL-2, the responses to IL-2 and IL-2 receptor expression by peripheral blood T lymphocytes were compared in IDDM and normal non-diabetic children. The percentage of IL-2 receptor-positive circulating T cells was significantly increased in diabetic children, although IL-2 receptor expression induced by con A stimulation did not differ in the diabetic and control children. IL-2 production was significantly decreased in diabetic children compared with the control children. The response of stimulated T cells to IL-2 did not differ in IDDM and control children. In IDDM, IL-2 production by CD4-positive T lymphocytes within the IL-2 system is thought to be selectively defective. On the other hand, IL-4, which is also produced by CD4-positive T lymphocytes, was increased. Since IL-4 did not suppress IL-2 production, it would seem that the IL-2 producing subset in CD4+HLA-DR+ T cells is decreased in IDDM. These results suggest that in recent onset IDDM, IL-2 receptor-positive circulating T cells require an IL-2 supply.

Acetylsalicylate (ASA)-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and its potentiation by Ca2+

Although it has been suggested that acetylsalicylate (ASA)-induced mitochondrial dysfunction plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Reye's syndrome, administration of ASA alone does not cause this syndrome in therapeutic doses. We noted, however, that Ca2+ plays important roles in the regulation of cellular functions. ASA at concentrations of 250 microM or less, which had little effect on succinate-linked respiration, impaired Ca2+ accumulation in liver mitochondria by causing an increase in Ca2+ release. ASA plus Ca2+, which in concentrations of 150 microM or less alone had little effect on mitochondrial respiration, inhibited state 3 respiration and dinitrophenol-induced uncoupling of respiration. In addition, ASA plus Ca2+ increased state 4 respiration and ATPase activity. These results indicate that ASA plus Ca2+ impaired mitochondrial ATP synthesis, and suggest that ASA and ASA-induced Ca2+ increases in cytosol form a vicious circle of effects. Furthermore, oral administration of ASA (150 mg/kg for 5 days running) to rats did not affect mitochondrial structure or liver function, but resulted in aberrations of mitochondrial respiration. These results suggest that even therapeutic doses of ASA may induce alteration in mitochondrial function.

[Fluconazole therapy for pediatric patients with severe candidal infections]

Three children with severe candidal infections were treated with fluconazole (FLCZ). An excellent effect or a partial effect was obtained in each case. Case 1 was a boy with candida esophagitis. He had been treated for relapsed ALL and became febrile with severe swallowing pain. FLCZ was administered intravenously and he became afebrile after 10 days of the therapy. Case 2 was a boy with candida pneumonitis. He had been treated for relapsed ALL and became febrile with diffuse infiltration in chest X-ray. FLCZ was administered intravenously and he became afebrile transiently, though fever and abnormal X-ray shadows reappeared soon and died of pneumonia and leukemic infiltrations. Case 3 was a girl with candida pneumonitis. She had been treated for relapsed neuroblastoma and became febrile and dyspneic. She was treated with intravenous FLCZ with no effects and died of pneumonia. All three patients showed positive results in 2 of 3 markers for candida infection, including, Cand-Tec, D-arabinitol and fungal index. FLCZ was well tolerated and no adverse effects or abnormal laboratory test results were observed. FLCZ was considered as an effective and safe antifungal agent in the treatment for fungal infections in children.

Molecular cloning of a mouse counterpart for human TGF-beta type I receptor

TGF-beta is a multifunctional polypeptide which is involved in the regulation of cell growth, differentiation, and immunomodulation. Its signaling receptors on the cell surface are postulated to be the type I (TGF beta RI) and type II receptors (TGF beta RII). Previously, TGF beta RII has been cloned and was found to be a receptor type serine/threonine kinase (RSK). In an attempt to isolate novel RSKs expressed in mouse ES cells, we obtained a clone designated as ESK2, which was very closely related to human TGF beta RI. The amino acid sequence of the intracellular domain is completely identical and the transmembrane domain is identical except for one residue. The extracellular domain is 90% homologous with a deletion and an insertion of four amino acid residues. ESK2 also binds to TGF-beta in the presence of TGF beta RII, indicating that ESK2 is the mouse counterpart for human TGF beta RI.