Role of mesenchymal cells in the neovascularization of the rabbit phallus

The neovascularization of the rabbit phallus at ages between prenatal days 15 and 21 was investigated by light- and electron microscopy, computer-aided light microscopic reconstruction, and immunocytochemistry. The phalli are embedded by an abundance of mesenchymal cells, which are in contact with the neighboring ones or with the endothelial lining of growing capillaries. They often form solid cell cords that eventually make contact with the growing capillaries. The computer-aided reconstruction of the serial light micrographs reveals that these cell cords are involved in connecting the adjacent capillaries. The incorporation of such mesenchymal cell projections into the endothelial lining, occasionally conjugated with simple attachment devices, is frequently observed by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The contact areas between the mesenchymal and endothelial cells show immunoreactions of fibronectin. These results indicate the successive transformation of mesenchymal cells to endothelial cells of the growing capillaries. As endothelial cells of the growing capillaries show mitotic proliferation, such vasoformative mesenchymal cells seem to be involved in the acceleration of the neocapillarization of the rabbit phallus. Fibronectin actively produced in the mesenchymal cells may participate in their migration and the mechanical linkage with the endothelial cells.

The differentiation of entero-endocrine cells of pre- and postnatal rats: light and electron microscopy and immunocytochemistry

The differentiation of cholecystokinin/gastrin (CCK/GA)-, glucagon (GLU)- and somatostatin (SOM)-positive cells in the pre- and postnatal rat duodenum was investigated with a special emphasis on the relationship to that of the fibromuscular intestinal wall by light and electron microscopy and immunocytochemistry. Between prenatal days 16 and 21, contacts of mesenchymal cells with the epithelium are frequent, and the differentiation of the entero-endocrine cells which occasionally display a secretory function becomes advanced in close proximity to an extensive capillary network in the underlying connective tissue. CCK/GA-positive cells can be detected by immunocytochemistry in the intestinal epithelium at prenatal day 18. Other types of entero-endocrine cells are not detected until prenatal day 19. Quantitative analysis demonstrates that the volume density of CCK/GA-positive cells per 100 microns2 cytoplasmic area increases sharply at postnatal day 5 relative to earlier stages. This may be mainly due to suckling of the neonatal rat.

Immunoelectron microscopy on the localization of endothelin in the umbilical vein of perinatal rabbits

Immunoelectron microscopic localization of endothelin (ET) using the mouse monoclonal anti-ET sera was performed on the pre- and postnatal rabbit umbilical vein during stages when Weibel-Palade (WP) bodies increase in number in the endothelial cells. The immunoreactions are localized in the rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi cisterns, and WP bodies that are actively segregated from the Golgi apparatus. After degranulation and extracellular release of WP bodies was induced by compound 48/80, heavy immunoreactions were seen in both vascular lumen and cytoplasm near the degranulated WP bodies. These results indicate that ET is stored in WP bodies after segregation from the Golgi apparatus and released from the endothelial cells concomitantly with other components of these granules by exocytosis. Because the immunoreactions are also seen in pinocytotic vesicles that are occasionally in contact with WP bodies, it seems likely that WP bodies are also involved in the uptake and storage of ET from blood plasma.

Morphological characterization of a new human epithelioid sarcoma cell line, ES020488, in vitro and in vivo

A new human epithelioid sarcoma cell line (ES020488) was established from a cutaneous metastasis in 26-year-old man, and was morphologically characterized in vitro and in vivo by comparison with the original tumor. The ES020488 cells showed a male karyotype ranging from 39 to 83 chromosomes, with various abnormalities but no specific pattern. The cells were round, polygonal or spindle-shaped with abundant cytoplasm and round nuclei containing prominent nucleoli; they proliferated in a sheet-like pattern. Tumors transplanted into nude mice revealed essentially the same features as the original tumor. Both in vitro and in vivo, the cells immunohistochemically expressed vimentin, cytokeratin, and EMA, but not desmin and S-100 protein. Ultrastructural study revealed irregular or round nuclei containing abundant euchromatin and prominent nucleoli, many intermediate filaments running irregularly or around the nucleus, and a number of filopodia-like processes. ES020488 cells were thus proven to retain and exhibit the unique morphological characteristics of an epithelioid sarcoma both in vitro and in vivo. These cells are possibly derived from synovioblastic mesenchyme.

Combined treatment of pelvic exenterative surgery and intra-operative pelvic hyperthermochemotherapy for locally advanced rectosigmoid cancer: report of a case

A huge rectosigmoidal cancer which extended into the urinary bladder in a 64-year-old man is herein described. The tumor occupied the pelvic and lower abdominal cavities, while the rectosigmoid was totally obstructed. No hepatic or pulmonary metastasis was evident. The ventral and flank sides of the peritoneum in the right lower abdomen, right common iliac vessels, bilateral ureters, terminal ileum, cecum, ascending colon, and urinary bladder were all directly invaded by the tumor, but the aorta, sacrum, and lower rectum were free of cancer. Consequently, an anterior pelvic exenteration was carried out along with an ileal conduit and a right hemicolectomy. Immediately after the exenteration, intra-pelvic hyperthermochemotherapy was performed using a 46-47 degrees C perfusate containing 40 micrograms/ml of mitomycin C (MMC) and 200 micrograms/ml of cisplatin (CDDP), for 90 min, in an attempt to prevent any further local recurrence. A right hemicolectomy and a permanent colostomy were done simultaneously with the hyperthermia treatment. After an uneventful postoperative course, the patient was prescribed adjuvant chemotherapy, i.e., two administrations of 17 mg/m2 and 21 mg/m2 of MMC, and ten doses of 710 mg/m2 of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) followed by five doses of 535 mg/m2 of 5-FU. At the time of this writing, the patient is still alive without recurrence at 21 months after surgery.

Steroid sulfatase deficiency in Japanese patients: characterization of X-linked ichthyosis by using polymerase chain reaction

X-Linked ichthyosis (XLI) due to deficiency of steroid sulfatase (STS) of which gene consists of 10 exons is an inherited skin disorder. The gene, mRNA and protein of STS were examined in six Japanese patients with XLI. Neither the mRNA nor the enzyme protein was detected in a patient. The results of Southern analysis using STS cDNA as a probe indicated that all the patients examined exhibited large deletions of the STS gene. When exon 1 and the exon 10 of the STS gene were amplified by polymerase chain reaction using patients' genomic DNA as templates, no product was detected in all the patients examined. These observations suggest that most XLI in Japanese patients is caused by an extensive deletion of the STS gene as was demonstrated in Caucasian patients. The PCR method in the present study is useful for the diagnosis of XLI in prenatal and postnatal subjects.

Relationship between exercise capacity and the severity of emphysema as determined by high resolution CT

We investigated the relationship between exercise capacity or exercise-induced hypoxaemia and the severity of pulmonary emphysema in 20 patients with pulmonary emphysema. The patients underwent pulmonary function tests, high resolution computed tomography and incremental treadmill exercise testing. Computed tomography scans were obtained at four levels in the lungs, and emphysema scores were determined by the visual assessment of low attenuation areas as a measure of the severity of parenchymal destruction. The emphysema score correlated significantly with diffusing capacity (r = -0.69) in the pulmonary function tests. Among the exercise test parameters, the emphysema score correlated significantly with the total distance walked (r = -0.74), with maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) (r = -0.77), with arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) at rest (r = -0.50) and at the maximum workload (r = -0.58), and with the decrement of arterial oxygen tension per litre of oxygen consumed (r = -0.64). These results suggest that exercise capacity and exercise-induced hypoxaemia are related to the extent of destruction of lung parenchyma in patients with pulmonary emphysema.

Pre- and postnatal development of rabbit foliate papillae with special reference to foliate gutter formation and taste bud and serous gland differentiation

The epithelial downgrowth arises in the presumptive foliate papilla region of the tongue approximately at prenatal day 22, and the distal portion of the primary epithelial cell cords transforms to the bifurcated serous gland and excretory duct between prenatal day 30 and postnatal day 2. The excretory ducts extend upward through the primary epithelial cell cords at rather random intervals and are open to the tongue surface between postnatal days 1 and 2. In this process, successive connections between the adjacent ascending excretory ducts occur mainly due to desquamation of the keratinized lining cells of the ducts, resulting in the formation of the foliate gutter. Taste bud primordia appear in the primary epithelial cell cords by nerve penetration through the basal lamina from prenatal day 30 and nearly fully formed taste buds facing the ascending excretory ducts have been already observed before the foliate gutter formation is completed. In the differentiation process of chemoreceptor (type III) cells from less-differentiated basal (type IV) cells, subsurface cisterns of endoplasmic reticulum are occasionally present where nerve endings make contact. Since subsurface cisterns have been considered to be involved in reciprocal or efferent synaptic transmission, it is reasonable to consider that these morphological specializations may take a role in neurotrophic signals for differentiation of the chemoreceptor cells.

Relationship between exercise capacity and the severity of emphysema as determined by high resolution CT

We investigated the relationship between exercise capacity or exercise-induced hypoxaemia and the severity of pulmonary emphysema in 20 patients with pulmonary emphysema. The patients underwent pulmonary function tests, high resolution computed tomography and incremental treadmill exercise testing. Computed tomography scans were obtained at four levels in the lungs, and emphysema scores were determined by the visual assessment of low attenuation areas as a measure of the severity of parenchymal destruction. The emphysema score correlated significantly with diffusing capacity (r = -0.69) in the pulmonary function tests. Among the exercise test parameters, the emphysema score correlated significantly with the total distance walked (r = -0.74), with maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) (r = -0.77), with arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) at rest (r = -0.50) and at the maximum workload (r = -0.58), and with the decrement of arterial oxygen tension per litre of oxygen consumed (r = -0.64). These results suggest that exercise capacity and exercise-induced hypoxaemia are related to the extent of destruction of lung parenchyma in patients with pulmonary emphysema.

Aberrant phosphoinositide metabolism in Alzheimer's disease

Since phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) is one of the key molecules in signal transduction, its involvement was assessed in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The phosphatidyl-inositol (PI)-specific PLC activity in the Alzheimer cytosolic and particulate fractions was not significantly different from that in the control fractions. The PI-specific PLC activity as a function of the free Ca2+ concentration was also similar between control and Alzheimer brains. These results suggest that the PI-specific PLC activity is not altered in AD. Immunostaining of a specific antibody against the PLC isozyme, PLC-delta, demonstrated that this enzyme was abnormally accumulated in neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), the neurites surrounding senile plaque (SP) cores, and neuropil threads in AD brains. Western blot analysis confirmed that PLC-delta was concentrated in the paired helical filament (PHF)-rich fraction of AD brains. PLC-delta marked the same neurons containing tau immunoreactivity and yet tau and PLC-delta often marked different structures within the same neuron, with tau more clearly on NFT and PLC-delta covering it superficially. The double stain with PLC-delta and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) binding suggest that PLC-delta is an intracellular marker, showing little overlap with bFGF binding, an extracellular marker. All of this was consistent with the electron microscopy, with PLC-delta being NFT associated. Antibodies to other PLC isozymes did not produce positive immunostaining of these pathologic structures. Moreover, diffuse and amorphous deposits of PLC-delta were found to precede the accumulation of fibrillary deposits. These results suggest that PLC-delta accumulation plays a possible role in the formation of intraneuronal inclusions in AD.

Nucleotide sequence of a cDNA encoding an alternative form of LEF-1

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Relation between clinical and histologic outcome of intraperitoneal hyperthermic perfusion for patients with gastric cancer and peritoneal metastasis

In 15 patients with refractory gastric cancer and peritoneal metastasis, the relationship among histologic outcome of intraperitoneal hyperthermic perfusion (IPHP), extent of peritoneal metastasis, and cause of death was studied. The IPHP treatment did not kill all the gastric cancer cells which had penetrated deeply into subperitoneal layers. In contrast, gastric cancer cells in the abdominal effusion and/or lavage vanished. Three patients with peritoneal metastasis, deeply invaded and spread all over the peritoneum, died of peritoneal recurrence and 1 died of pericardial metastasis. In the remaining 11 patients with a lesser extent of peritoneal metastasis, 5 are living without recurrence and among the other 6, 4 died of recurrence of the disease and 1 died of other causes.

Hereditary nodular heterotopia accompanied by mega cisterna magna

This is the first report of hereditary nodular heterotopia accompanied by mega cisterna magna. Magnetic resonance imaging documented multiple bilateral subependymal nodules, which were isointense to gray matter. This disease entity is considered a dominant trait, since the mother and two daughters, half-sisters, were affected.

Purification and characterization of zinc-dependent acid phosphatase from bovine brain

Zn(2+)-Dependent acid phosphatase (Zn(2+)-APase) was purified to homogeneity from bovine brain. The apparent molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be about 62000 by gel filtration and 31000 by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The enzyme exhibited an isoelectric point of approximately 4.8. The enzyme required Zn2+ ions for catalytic activity, but other cations had little or no effect. The maximum enzyme activity was obtained in the presence of about 5 mM of Zn2+ at pH 5.5 in 50 mM 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid-NaOH buffer. The enzyme significantly catalyzed the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl phosphate, phenyl phosphate, and phosphotyrosine. The enzyme was also active for myo-inositol-2-monophosphate and adenosine 2'-monophosphate of the other common phosphate esters tested, though significantly less active than for p-nitrophenyl phosphate. The optimum activity pH of the enzyme was around 5.5 with p-nitrophenyl phosphate and myo-inositol-2-monophosphate. The enzyme was resistant to fluoride ions. Two types of Zn(2+)-APases, a high molecular weight (molecular weight, M(r)., about 110,000) and a low molecular weight (M(r), about 62,000) type, were found to exist in various tissues of rat. Brain, lung, spleen, stomach, heart, skeletal muscle, and erythrocytes contained only the lower molecular weight type. On the other hand, liver and kidney contained mainly the higher molecular weight type, and the small intestine contained significant quantities of the both types.

Quantitative analysis of smooth endoplasmic reticulum proliferation in periportal, midzonal and perivenular hepatocytes of mice after administration of phenobarbital

Smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) proliferation after phenobarbital (PB) administration has been described to occur predominantly in perivenular hepatocytes. We analyzed by quantitative electron microscopy changes in ER amounts in periportal, midzonal and perivenular hepatocytes from mice injected with 35, 50, 100 or 150 mg/kg of PB once a day for 3 days. The SER proliferated in midzonal hepatocytes in addition to perivenular hepatocytes even when low doses (35 or 50 mg/kg) were administered, and in hepatocytes of all three zones in case of high doses (100 or 150 mg/kg). Moreover, net proliferation of SER after administration of an amount of PB was not different in hepatocytes of any zones where the proliferation occurred, except animals injected with 100 mg/kg. The results suggest that there is no difference in SER producing capacity in hepatocytes of three zones when the cells have recognized the stimulation of PB.

Effects of coenzyme Q10 administration on pulmonary function and exercise performance in patients with chronic lung diseases

Serum coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) levels were measured at rest and during incremental exercise in 21 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 9 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The mean serum CoQ10 levels at rest in patients with COPD and IPF were 0.56 +/- 0.20 and 0.45 +/- 0.16 microgram/ml, respectively. In both groups these levels were decreased compared with those of healthy subjects. In the patients with COPD, CoQ10 levels were significantly correlated with body weight, however, there was no correlation between CoQ10 levels and ventilatory function, PaO2, VO2/kg at rest, or maximal VO2. In eight of nine patients whose PaO2 at rest was lower than 75 torr, serum CoQ10 levels were lower than 0.5 microgram/ml. We studied the effects of the oral administration of CoQ10 at 90 mg/day for 8 weeks on pulmonary function and exercise performance in eight patients with COPD. Serum CoQ10 levels were significantly elevated in association with an improvement in hypoxemia at rest, whereas pulmonary function was unaltered. Oxygen consumption during exercise was not changed, whereas PaO2 was significantly improved, and heart rate was significantly decreased compared with the results obtained at an identical workload at baseline. Furthermore, lactate production was suppressed during the anaerobic exercise stage after CoQ10 administration, and exercise performance tended to increase. These data suggested that CoQ10 has favorable effects on muscular energy metabolism in patients with chronic lung diseases who have hypoxemia at rest and/or during exercise.

Heterogeneity of HLA-G genes identified by polymerase chain reaction/single strand conformational polymorphism (PCR/SSCP)

A genomic HLA-G clone named 7.0E was isolated from a Japanese placenta. The deduced amino acid sequence of the 7.0E was identical to two HLA-G genomic clones and two cDNA clones previously described. The DNA sequences of alpha 1 and alpha 2 domains of the HLA-G gene from 5 cell lines also encoded the same amino acids. However, a 14 bp insertion, ATTTGTTCATGCCT, was present in the 3' untranslated region of 7.0E compared with the originally described HLA-G clone (HLA 6.0). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)/single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of exon 8 allowed the HLA-G gene to be classified into two alternative types, G6.0 and 7.0 E, those correlated to the absence or the presence of the 14 bp stretch. Each group had minor sequence variant(s), and the alleles of the 7.0E-type were more heterogeneous than those of the G6.0-type. The 14 bp deletion is present only in the G6.0-type of HLA-G alleles among HLA class I genes. Thus it was suggested that G6.0 alleles were generated after diversification of the HLA-G.

Specific immunosuppression of human anti-murine antibody responses in hu-PBL-SCID mice

Severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice were reconstituted with normal human peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) and were shown to produce a human anti-mouse immunoglobulin antibody response on immunization with heat-treated murine monoclonal IgG1 antibody to ovalbumin, referred to as ha-Mab-2. The human anti-mouse antibody response was proportional tot the number of B cells and mononuclear cells transferred from a given batch of PBL. However, pretreatment of hu-PBL-SCID mice with a tolerogenic covalent conjugate of monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG) and Mab-2 suppressed this response on subsequent injections of ha-Mab-2, and this suppression was shown to be antigen-specific, i.e., it did not suppress the antibody response to ovalbumin and did not affect the level of production of human immunoglobulin of hu-PBL-SCID mice. The suppression was due to the generation of human suppressor CD8+ T (Ts) cells, which down regulated CD4+ helper T cells in an antigen and HLA class I specific manner, i.e., these findings were in accord with the previously shown immunosuppressive effect of tolerogenic mPEG conjugates in normal mice.

Membrane currents of porcine granulosa cells in primary culture: characterization and effects of luteinizing hormone

In ovarian granulosa cells, LH depolarizes the membrane potential and induces steroid production. The membrane currents of porcine granulosa cells in primary culture were studied by means of the whole cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique to investigate whether the ionic channels are involved in the effects of LH. We identified and characterized two types of K+ currents--a transient outward current (Ito) and a delayed rectifier K+ current (IK)--and one Ca2+ current (ICa). Ito and IK were voltage- and calcium-dependent. Both currents were blocked by 4-aminopyridine, a K+ channel blocker, but only IK was sensitive to tetraethylammonium, another K+ channel blocker. ICa was inactivated within 50 ms of the test pulse. Nifedipine and verapamil, L-type CA2+ channel blockers, did not suppress ICa even at a concentration of 10 microM. Tetramethrin (1 microM), a T-type Ca2+ channel blocker, decreased ICa by 38.4 +/- 5.6% (n = 3). These findings suggest that the current may be a T-type Ca2+ current. LH and dibutyryl cAMP, potent stimulants of steroid production, attenuated Ito only by 13.9 +/- 1.8% (n = 7) and 21.0 +/- 1.5% (n = 4), respectively. However, they did not affect IK and ICa. These results indicated that LH does not modulate CA2+ current directly, but it slightly decreased Ito through cAMP elevation. The LH-induced inhibition of Ito may be involved in the depolarizing effect of LH and may play some role in steroid secretion or other functions in granulosa cells.

Cytochemical and immunocytochemical demonstration of acetylcholinesterase of the prenatal rat lower limb

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in the prenatal rat lower limb were investigated by both cytochemistry and immunocytochemistry. Results indicate that the epidermal cells show immunoreactions of AChE at a limited stage at prenatal day 15, and mesenchymal cells which are occasionally in contact with the basal lamina or with the adjacent myotubes begin to show AChE activities at prenatal day 17. Such AChE-positive mesenchymal cells, involved in the formation of the muscular tissues, have almost disappeared in the subepidermis by prenatal day 19. This suggests that AChE independent of the neuromuscular system may be involved in the mesenchymal cell differentiation especially in the inductive process during myogenesis.

[Immunoelectron microscopic localization of human chorionic gonadotropin in the syncytiotrophoblast of hydatidiform moles]

The immunocytochemical localization of hCG in the syncytiotrophoblast of hydatidiform moles was observed by means of the immunoglobulin gold technique with rabbit anti-human hCG serum. Immunoreactive gold particles of hCG are preferentially localized in the distal portion of the Golgi complexes, Golgi-derived secretory granules 200-300 nm in diameter, and large electron dense bodies 500-1,000 nm in diameter. The secretory granules exist throughout the cytoplasm above the nuclear region and are occasionally released by exocytosis from the syncytiotrophoblast. On the other hand, the large electron dense granules seem to be cytolysosomes in nature and are involved in uptake and storage of hCG.

Formation of a hydroxyl radical by the myeloperoxidase-NADH-oxygen system

When phenylalanine was incubated with myeloperoxidase (MPO) and NADH in citrate buffer (pH 4.5), o-, m-, and p-tyrosines were identified as hydroxylated products. Tyrosine formation was dependent on the reaction time and MPO concentration. No significant quantities of tyrosines were formed on if MPO was omitted and inactivated MPO was added instead of active MPO. The tyrosine formation by the MPO-NADH system was greatly reduced under anaerobic conditions, and significantly inhibited by hydroxyl radical scavengers. Superoxide dismutase was a potent inhibitor, but catalase was less effective. Even though the superoxide radical (O2-)-producing ability of the MPO-NADH system was about 29% of that of the hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase system, under the experimental conditions employed, the rate of tyrosine formation from phenylalanine by two systems was found to be a similar. The above results suggest that the formation of a hydroxyl radical (OH.) may occur in the MPO-NADH system under aerobic conditions and a superoxide radical may be involved in the OH. formation, with MPO promoting the OH. formation from O2-.

Reduction of low-molecular-weight acid phosphatase activity in Alzheimer brains

Recent studies in Alzheimer brains have shown aberrant protein phosphorylation, suggesting an alteration in protein kinases and/or phosphoprotein phosphatases. In the present study, the activity of acid phosphatase was investigated in samples prepared from postmortem normal human and Alzheimer brains. p-Nitrophenyl phosphate, a nonprotein phosphoester, was used as a substrate for acid phosphatase. The separation profile on Sephadex G-100 gel filtration chromatography revealed that two major forms of high-molecular-weight and low-molecular-weight acid phosphatase were present in the crude extracts of both rat and human brains. Another class of zinc ion (Zn2+)-dependent acid p-nitrophenyl phosphatase was also detected in rat and human brains. In Alzheimer brains, the low-molecular-weight acid phosphatase activity was significantly decreased compared to that in control brains; however, the high-molecular-weight and Zn(2+)-dependent acid phosphatase activity in control and Alzheimer brains was not different. These results suggest that reduced activity of the low-molecular-weight acid phosphatase, which possesses phosphotyrosine protein phosphatase activity, might be linked to aberrant protein tyrosine phosphorylation found in Alzheimer brains.