A model of in vivo cell proliferation of adult T-cell leukemia

We have made a model of in vivo cell proliferation of leukemic cells from adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) patients using severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) or lymph node cells (LNC) depleted of B cells and monocytes were intraperitoneally injected into SCID mice treated with antimurine interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2+) beta chain monoclonal antibody (MoAb)(TM-beta 1), followed by daily injection of human recombinant IL-2 until 60 days after cell injection. SCID mice injected with ATL cells from 6 of 8 ATL patients were found to have the tumor or leukemia 5 to 7 weeks after the inoculation of cells. Serum levels of soluble form of human IL-2R alpha chain (Tac) were markedly elevated in such mice. The cells recovered from the mice injected with leukemic cells from four different ATL patients had the same cell surface phenotype as that of original leukemic cells which were CD4+Tac+. Furthermore, we detected the same integration site of human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) provirus and the same rearrangement pattern of human T-cell receptor (TCR) beta chain gene as those of ATL cells by Southern blot hybridization, indicating that the cells proliferating in SCID mice were derived from the original ATL cell clone. Histologic examination showed that the pattern of the infiltration of ATL cells into various organs in SCID mice was similar to that of an ATL patient. Such a model of in vivo cell proliferation of ATL cells will be useful for the study of the mechanism of neoplastic cell proliferation and for the development of a new and effective treatment of ATL.

Lower urinary tract dysfunction in the anterior spinal artery syndrome

Lower urinary tract function was studied in 10 patients with the anterior spinal artery syndrome. In the acute stage all patients had complete urinary retention. Cystometry in 3 patients showed detrusor areflexia. At a neurologically stable stage 9 patients could void and 1 had urinary retention during the preceding 7 years. Cystometric bladder capacities at first and maximum desire to void were decreased in 8 patients and normal in 2. Detrusor hyperreflexia was noted in 8 patients, a normal bladder in 1 and detrusor areflexia in 1. External urethral sphincter electromyography revealed detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia in 4 patients and normal findings in 6. We conclude that the vesicomotor dysfunction in this syndrome is similar to that of traumatic spinal cord injury except that bladder sensation is preserved. The latter finding indicates that at least some of the bladder sensation travels via the posterior columns of the spinal cord.

Micturitional disturbance in radiation myelopathy

Detailed micturitional histories and urodynamic studies were performed in five patients with radiation myelopathy. All patients had micturitional symptoms that were irritative in five and obstructive in four, and four had urinary incontinence. Urodynamic studies showed that three patients had residual urine of 158 ml on average. Cystometry showed that four patients had detrusor hyperreflexia and one had low compliance cystometrogram. External sphincter electromyography showed that four patients had detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia. These results indicated that micturitional disturbance seemed to be common and severe in storage as well as evacuation function. The main responsible sites of lesions seemed to be supranuclear parasympathetic and somatic nervous systems regulating the lower urinary tract. Two of three patients who underwent combination of steroid pulse therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy experienced improvement of micturitional disturbance and other neurological deficits.

Facilitation of transmitter release from mouse motor nerve terminals by stannous chloride

Although a mixture composed of 30 microM stannous chloride (SnCl2) and 75 microM tartaric acid (TA) facilitates neuromuscular transmission in the frog, the mixture had no effect on the endplate potential (e.p.p.) in the rat. The present study has been undertaken to determine whether the responses of the mouse (mammalian) to SnCl2 are different from those of the frog (amphibian). The mixture had no effect on the resting potential or the membrane resistance of the muscle fiber. The mixture did not change the e.p.p. amplitude, but TA (75 microM) significantly decreased it. The mixture increased the quantal content of the e.p.p., but TA decreased it. The mixture raised the frequency of the miniature endplate potential (m.e.p.p.) in the high potassium-medium. In normal saline, both the mixture and TA decreased both the m.e.p.p. frequency and its amplitude. These results suggest that SnCl2 itself facilitates the transmitter release from nerve terminals in the mammalian as well as in the amphibian species.

Propylene glycol-induced skeletal muscle excitation

The effects of propylene glycol (PG) on frog nerve-muscle preparations were examined to determine whether it has an effect on neuromuscular transmission and, if so, to elucidate the mode of the action. PG (5%, v/v) increased the twitch tension to over twice the control value. PG at concentrations above 0.2% significantly increased the amplitude of the endplate potential. PG (1%) raised the frequency of the miniature endplate potentials and increased their amplitude. These results show that PG both facilitates transmitter release from the nerve terminals and raises the acetylcholine sensitivity of the muscle endplate.

Opsoclonus showing only during eye closure in hereditary cerebellar ataxia

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[Mitral valve re-replacement for a patient with multiple myeloma]

Mitral valve re-replacement was successfully undertaken in a 70-year-old female patient with primary tissue failure of mitral bioprosthesis and multiple myeloma (MM) through right lateral thoracotomy with minimum dissection. Considering the post-operative anti-coagulant therapy, bioprosthesis was chosen in this complicated case. Patients with MM usually show a bleeding tendency associated with abnormally elevated IgG which covers the surface of coagulation factors. Safety range of serum IgG concentration in the patients with MM who require open heart surgery, have not defined yet. Excessive serum IgG leads the coagulation disorder and organ perfusion problem because of increase of blood viscosity. Those problems become serious when the serum IgG concentration exceed 2,500 mg/dl. (1) Only if serum IgG level below 2,5000 mg/dl, valve replacement will be able to perform safely with minimum dissection through the thoracotomy for patients with MM. (2) Bioprosthesis might be optionally chosen in such case (3). In case of serum IgG level over 2,500 mg/dl, preoperative plasma ex-change should be recommended.

Acetabular development after closed reduction of congenital dislocation of the hip

We reviewed the serial radiographs of 54 hips in 47 children treated by closed reduction for congenital dislocation of the hip and followed to at least 14 years of age, to determine the causes of acetabular dysplasia. We excluded hips with femoral head deformity or residual subluxation and compared the results with those from a control series of unaffected hips of patients with unilateral CDH. Acetabular development after the age of 11 or 12 years was significantly worse in Severin group III than in Severin group I hips on the affected side or Severin group III in unaffected control hips. One of the causes of acetabular dysplasia at maturity was found to be impairment of acetabular development after 11 or 12 years of age. This may be attributable to impaired secondary ossification in the acetabular rim. Our findings emphasise the importance of continuing the follow-up of patients treated for congenital dislocation of the hip until full skeletal maturity.

Studies on phosphorylated transcriptional regulator (NarL) for E. coli nar operon by 31P-NMR spectroscopy

The sequential transphosphorylation from autophosphorylated nitrate-sensing protein (NarX) to the transcriptional regulator protein (NarL), both operating in signal transduction to control the expression of the respiratory nitrate reductase (nar) operon in E. coli, was demonstrated with an in vitro reconstructed system to function similarly to other bacterial two-component regulatory systems. Over-expression system established by means of the pT7 promoter/polymerase provided both NarX and NarL proteins to reconstruct the in vitro transphosphorylation system. The phosphorylated NarL was detected, and the unstable phosphorylated group was directly assigned to acyl phosphate in the in vitro system by 31P-NMR spectroscopy.

Micturitional disturbance in multiple system atrophy

Detailed micturitional histories and urodynamic studies were conducted to investigate the micturitional disturbance in multiple system atrophy (MSA). Eighty-six patients with MSA comprised of 14 with striatonigral degeneration (SND), 42 with olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA) and 30 with Shy-Drager syndrome (SDS). The results were as follows. Micturitional symptoms were noted in over 90% of patients with each type of MSA. Dominant symptoms were irritative ones in SND and OPCA, and a combination of irritative and obstructive ones in SDS. Micturitional symptoms in SDS appeared earlier than those in SND or OPCA. The degree of micturitional disturbance was severer in SDS than in SND or OPCA. Micturitional disturbance tended to become worse as the disease progressed. The responsible sites of lesions of micturitional disturbance seemed to be supra- as well as infranuclear lesions of the pelvic and pudendal nerves in MSA. Infranuclear lesions were more prominent in SDS than in SND or OPCA. Follow-up studies of some of the patients with SDS and OPCA suggested that the responsible sites of pelvic nerve lesions changed from supra- to infranuclear lesions during the course of disease.

Augmentation of in vitro cytolytic activity of LAK cells with heated ATL-derived cell lines

Three adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma-derived cell lines, MT-2, MJ, and HUT102, were investigated to determine how they responded to hyperthermia, lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells, or a combination of both in vitro. All three cell lines showed a similar sensitivity to LAK cells, but revealed varying degrees of sensitivity to hyperthermia (MT-2 < MJ < HUT102) by 51Cr release assay. Hyperthermia did not cause immediate cell death as determined by the trypan blue exclusion test, but did cause substantial decreases in the numbers of heated cells within 2 days. The density of the cells began to increase thereafter, which was consistent with the results of the experiments labeling the cells with 3H-TdR after hyperthermia. When the cells were heated at 39-43 degrees C for 1-3 hr and then interacted with various LAK cell/ATL cell (E/T) ratios at 37 degrees C for 4 hr, total cytolysis of the cells increased in a synergistic and/or additive manner over that of the cells without hyperthermia. Prolonged incubation of the cells at high temperature did not necessarily cause a large increase in the interaction of LAK cells after hyperthermia. This augmentation of cytolysis by LAK cells after hyperthermia was not seen in normal peripheral lymphocytes. These results suggest that the combination therapy of hyperthermia and LAK cells may be more specific, useful, and effective for treating malignant lymphoma.

Immunohistochemical, quantitative immunoelectron microscopic, and DNA cytofluorometric characterization of chemically induced rat malignant fibrous histiocytoma

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) was induced in rats by injection of 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene. Using cell suspensions prepared from the heterotransplanted nude mouse tumor as immunogen, a monoclonal antibody, (MAb), MEP-1, against fibroblastlike MFH tumor cells was generated. In the primary rat tumors and transplanted rat or nude mouse tumors, MEP-1 reacted specifically with the fibroblastlike cells but not with the histiocytelike cells or xanthoma cells. Anti-rat macrophage MAbs RM-1 and TRPM-3 did not stain the fibroblastlike cells, but both were reactive with the histiocytelike cells. Double stainings with both MEP-1 and RM-1 or TRPM-3 did not detect any double positive cells. Immunoelectron microscopy using these MAbs showed that the fibroblastlike cells were the major cell component of the primary and transplanted rat tumors and that their cell membrane was stained positively with MEP-1, but not for RM-1 or TRPM-3. By the double staining method using a MAb against prolyl 4-hydroxylase beta and MEP-1 or TRPM-3, this enzyme was demonstrated in MEP-1-positive cells but not in TRPM-3-positive cells. Results obtained by DNA cytofluorometry with 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride staining or by the combined method of DNA cytofluorometry and indirect immunofluorescence, using MEP-1, RM-1, and TRPM-3, indicate that MEP-1-positive cells are neoplastic cells of rat MFH having proliferation activity. In the transplanted nude mouse tumors, no differentiation of MEP-1-positive rat tumor cells into histiocytelike cells was detected, and all histiocytelike cells were immunostained by F4/80 and most of them were positive for M5/114. These results suggest that fibroblastlike cells and intermediate cells are tumor cells of 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene-induced rat MFH showing differentiation toward fibroblasts and that histiocytelike cells are infiltrated macrophages.

Kinetic changes and experimental carcinogenesis after Billroth I and II gastrectomy

To determine the risk of gastric remnant cancer according to the type of surgical reconstruction, the distal two-thirds of the glandular stomach was resected in male Wistar rats, followed by gastroduodenostomy (Billroth I anastomosis) or gastrojejunostomy (Billroth II anastomosis). No carcinogens were given and the animals were killed 50 weeks after operation. No cancers developed in 22 rats undergoing Billroth I gastrectomy, but five of 24 with Billroth II anastomosis had adenocarcinoma (P < 0.05). All carcinomas were confined to the stoma. Animals with Billroth II anastomosis had a more advanced grade of mucosal atrophy at the stoma, with a higher incidence of cystic dilatation, submucosal adenocystic proliferation and pseudopyloric metaplasia (P < 0.05). Cell kinetics in the stomal mucosa after Billroth II gastrectomy showed an increased cell count in the proliferative zone, longer duration of S phase and increased cell cycle time (P < 0.05). These results suggest that Billroth II gastrectomy carries a greater risk of cancer than the Billroth I procedure.

[A case of brain abscess due to Streptococcus sanguis in association with multiple pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas]

A case is reported here of brain abscess due to Streptococcus sanguis in association with multiple pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas. A 19-year-old male who had been diagnosed in 1988 as pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas was admitted to our hospital for repeated epistaxis, headache, and vomiting. A brain abscess which was diagnosed using various roentogenologic examinations, worsened despite conservative therapy. Additional surgical drainage was performed; S. sanguis was isolated from the drainage fluid. After drainage, clinical symptoms gradually improved with no subsequent neurological deficits. We have formulated the following hypothesis regarding the mechanism of abscess formation in this case: S. sanguis invaded from a ruptured nasomucosal vein, forming a septic emboli in the blood flow, which passed through a pulmonary arteriovenous shunt and led to the formation of a brain abscess which established a metastatic presence in the cerebral tissue.

Inhibition of peritoneal tumor-cell implantation: model for laparoscopic cancer surgery

A serious concern in applying laparoscopic surgery to malignancies is the possibility of tumor spillage and seeding. We developed a model of peritoneal tumor implantation using a murine bladder tumor cell line, MBT-2. Anesthetized C3H male mice underwent mock laparoscopy with or without peritoneal disruption and instillation of tumor cells via a 16-gauge angiocatheter, and the effect of heparin and the pentapeptide Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (GRGDS) on tumor cell adherence and growth was evaluated. Animals were divided into six groups: Group 1 = tumor cells only; Group 2 = peritoneal disruption + tumor cells; Group 3 = heparin + tumor cells; Group 4 = peritoneal disruption + heparin + tumor cells; Group 5 = GRGDS + tumor cells; and Group 6 = peritoneal disruption + GRGDS + tumor cells. In all animals, a greater tumor burden was noted at the sites of peritoneal disruption. Moreover, 50% and 63% of animals in Groups 1 and 2 developed tumors compared with 17% and 31% of those in Groups 3 and 4, respectively. There was significantly more tumor at the sites of peritoneal disruption in the "tumor only" groups than in those that received heparin (mean tumor volume 32.32 mm3 in Group 2 v 2.77 mm3 in Group 4; p < 0.05). The GRGDS-treated groups showed a trend toward decreased number and size of tumors compared with the tumor only groups, although the differences were not statistically significant. These findings imply that prophylactic irrigation with substances that decrease cell adherence may prevent tumor implantation after accidental intraoperative tumor spillage.

[Slow eye movements (slow saccades) in Wilson's disease]

Slow eye movements or slow saccades are relatively rare conditions in Wilson's disease where selective impairments of saccades are observed. The authors have a case of Wilson's disease showing a defect of saccades in all directions, with the complete preservation of smooth pursuit eye movements. T2-weighted images revealed abnormalities of signal intensity in bilateral pontine tegmentum, besides putaminal and thalamic lesions commonly seen in the previous reports. A rather selective disturbance of saccade eye movements due to the pontine tegmentum is consistent with the concept, as yet mainly based on experimental work on animals, of an anatomical segregation of the brainstem pathways for smooth pursuit eye movements, saccades, and vestibular and optokinetic patterns. Whereas the basal brainstem, especially basal pons, subserves smooth pursuit eye movements, saccades and reflex-like eye movements are mediated by the pontine tegmentum. The authors' case offers a support that dissociating eye movement disorders are due to the restricted lesions mentioned above.

Accumulated photon echoes by using a nonlaser light source

Accumulated photon echoes have been observed by use of a light-emitting diode. This is to our knowledge the first observation of photon echoes that are excited by a nonlaser light source. In the incoherent-light photon echo, the time resolution is equal to the inverse of the overall spectral width of the excitation light. Therefore we can easily get a high time resolution by using nonlaser light with a broad spectrum. Moreover the use of nonlaser light in the photon-echo experiment will extend the technique into wavelength regions where lasers are not currently available.

[Magnetic resonance imaging in chronic toluene abuse, and volitional hyperkinesia]

We described the central nervous system impairments and findings of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain in three chronic toluene abusers. Patient 1 and 2 had a history of chronic toluene inhalation for 1 or 2 years and patient 3 has a history of it for 16 years. The patients were evaluated after an abstinence period of at least 4 weeks, to avoid neurologic effects of acute intoxication. Neurologic signs included cerebellar, cognitive and pyramidal dysfunctions in all 3 patients and hyperkinésie volitionnelle (HV; volitional hyperkinesia) in patient 3 who had a long history of toluene inhalation. This HV was found to be tremulous by surface electromyography. Appearance of HV in chronic toluene abuse seems to be related to a period or quantity of inhalation of toluene. T2-weighted MRI in the 3 patients revealed the following abnormalities: (1) increased signal intensity of middle cerebellar peduncle and cerebellar white matter, deep cerebral white matter, and posterior limb of internal capsule; and (2) decreased signal intensity of thalamus and basal ganglia. Proton-weighted MRI in patient 3 with HV showed decreased signal intensity of lateral portion of the thalamus and tegmentum of the brainstem. These MRI findings correlate remarkably well with the neurologic signs seen in the 3 patients. Cerebellar, cognitive, and pyramidal dysfunctions appear to be related to involvement of middle cerebellar peduncle (cerebellar white matter), deep cerebral white matter, and internal capsule, respectively, and HV seems to correlate with involvement of the thalamus or tegmentum of the brainstem, especially the latter.

Conceptual history of the nigrostriatal dopamine system

The history of the nigrostriatal dopamine system may provide a prime example of the two faces of scientific development. First, a given concept is replaced by another simply as a result of methodologies being improved, and second, successive technical improvements make seemingly settled controversies even more complicated and disputable. The nigrostriatal pathway, which had been unrecognizable with Nauta's silver impregnation method, became apparent by use of the more sensitive silver impregnation method of Fink-Heimer. The sensitivity of the latter method, however, was still insufficient to reveal the whole extent of another ascending dopamine system, the mesocortical dopamine system, until its existence was established through the application of glyoxylic acid fluorescent histochemistry. Electron microscopic analysis of nigrostriatal dopamine synapses in properly fixed tissue was initiated by the demonstration of dark type terminal degeneration, which was induced by either electrolytic lesions or chemical destruction with a specific toxin (6-hydroxydopamine) of the substantia nigra and medial forebrain bundle. The degenerating terminal boutons, thus produced, invariably formed postsynaptic membrane specializations of asymmetric type. However, the asymmetric nature of the synaptic morphology, although later confirmed by the combined study of chemical lesions and autoradiographic anterograde tracing, was seriously challenged with the introduction of electron microscopic immunohistochemistry. The latter method has consistently revealed that symmetric en passant synapses or axonal varicosities with no synaptic membrane specializations are the only tissue compartments immunoreactive to antibodies against dopamine and its synthetic enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase. In view of the fact that more than 95% of the nigrostriatal projection neurons are dopaminergic, it is difficult to satisfactorily interpret all the available and seemingly paradoxical fine structural data. In this context, a novel concept has emerged in the process of eliminating all the possible alternative interpretations. The concept is that single nigrostriatal neurons form two chemically distinct types of synapses, one dopaminergic symmetric en passant bouton and another non-dopaminergic (still chemically unclassified) asymmetric terminal bouton. If the concept is a valid one, it contradicts Dale's long standing principle, as defined by Eccles: at all the axonal branches of a neuron there is liberation of the same transmitter substance or substances. Furthermore, a certain population of substantia nigra pars reticulata neurons has recently been recognized to be immunoreactive to both dopamine synthetic tyrosine hydroxylase and GABA synthetic glutamate decarboxylase. These single neurons send projections to both the striatum and superior colliculus by way of axon collaterals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Characterization of cytokine LD78 gene promoters: positive and negative transcriptional factors bind to a negative regulatory element common to LD78, interleukin-3, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor gene promoters

Cytokine LD78 is a human counterpart of the mouse macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha/hematopoietic stem cell inhibitor. Promoters of the LD78 alpha and LD78 beta genes showed similar inducible activities in two leukemic cell lines, K562 and Jurkat, but the induction mechanisms differed between the two cell lines. Further characterization of the LD78 alpha promoter indicated that multiple positive and negative regulatory elements are present, some of which are differentially required for induction and repression of the promoter activity in different cells. One of the negative regulatory elements, ICK-1, functioned in both cell lines in the absence and presence of stimulation and was shown to be a recognition site for positive and negative transcriptional factors. This ICK-1 element contained a direct repeat, and similar repeats were also found in the negative regulatory elements of hematopoietic growth factor interleukin-3 (IL-3) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) gene promoters. Nuclear extracts from K562 and Jurkat cells formed several protein-DNA complexes with the LD78 alpha ICK-1 element, one of which was also observed with the IL-3 and GM-CSF ICK-1 elements. Results from in vivo and in vitro analyses suggested that the protein forming this complex functions as a negative factor. The binding affinity of this protein, ICK-1A, to the LD78 alpha ICK-1 element was low and was significantly affected by the incubation temperature and the salt concentration in the binding buffer. ICK-1B, another protein bound specifically by the LD78 alpha ICK-1 element, was shown to be a positive factor important for induction of the promoter. These results suggested that ICK-1A plays an important role in balanced expression of LD78, IL-3, and GM-CSF during hematopoietic cell growth and differentiation.

A standardized method of using nude mice for the in vivo screening of antitumor drugs for human tumors

Human tumors transplanted into nude mice have long been used to assess the effectiveness of antitumor drugs and yet there is still no established standard method in preclinical practice for screening new antitumor drugs in vivo using nude mice. Thus, a cooperative study on the feasibility of a human tumor/nude mouse system for the in vivo screening of drugs was conducted by the Japanese Research Society for Chemosensitivity of Cancer. Two human stomach cancers, H-111 and SC-6-JCK, and one human colon cancer, Co-4, were transplanted serially into nude mice and used as gastrointestinal tract tumors with stable tumor growth. The appropriate dosage of six well-known antitumor drugs [mitomycin C (MMC), cyclophosphamide (CPA), nimustine hydrochloride 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl) methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea hydrochloride (ACNU), cis-platinum (II) diaminodichloride (CDDP), adriamycin (ADM) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)] in human tumor-bearing nude mice was determined based on the maximum tolerance dose of the drug. The respective dosages were 6 mg/kg of MMC x 1 (i.p.), 120 mg/kg of CPA x 1 (i.p.), 30 mg/kg of ACNU x 1 (i.p.), 8 mg/kg of CDDP x 1 (i.p.), 8 mg/kg of ADM x 1 (i.v.), and 50 mg/kg of 5-FU q4d x 3 (i.p.). Three weeks after treatment, drug effectiveness was judged by the tumor growth inhibition rate. Treatment with these appropriate doses appeared to show the maximum effect of the respective drugs on the tumor-bearing nude mice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Applications of biotinylated V3 loop peptides of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 to flow cytometric analyses and affinity chromatographic techniques

A principal neutralizing determinant of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) lies within the V3 loop of gp120, the external major envelope glycoprotein. V3 loop peptides derived from two HIV-1 strains, HTLV-III BH-10 (V3-BH10) and LAVELI (V3-ELI), were synthesized and biotinylated. The binding of both biotinylated V3-BH10 and V3-ELI to the surfaces of MOLT-4 clone 8 cells was demonstrated by flow cytometric analyses. Both the peptides (more than 2 microM) bound to the cells (2 x 10(5) in a dose-dependent manner. The binding of biotinylated V3-BH10 was specifically inhibited by a neutralizing monoclonal antibody (0.5 beta). The binding of both of the biotinylated V3 loop peptides was enhanced by the addition of unlabeled V3-BH10. In addition, the peptides were employed as ligands on affinity columns. A major V3 loop binding protein (V3BP) was purified from the membrane soluble fraction of MOLT-4 cells by successive application to two different V3 loop columns. V3BP consisted of two major polypeptides (32 and 33 kDa). The SDS-PAGE profile of V3BP did not change under non-reducing conditions, but only a single band was observed after analysis on native PAGE. The major peak of the eluate as determined by size exclusion chromatography was broad and the estimated relative molecular mass was much larger than 33 kDa, suggesting that V3BP comprises several subunits. Taken together, we confirmed that the V3 loop peptides are useful in the characterization of V3BP(s) of which they are conformational ligands.

[Characterization of primary and metastatic cell lines established from a patient with renal cell carcinoma]

We established four renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell lines (HANKS), namely the primary tumor (HANKS-Pr), metastasized to the lung (HANKS-Lu), liver (HANKS-Li) and lymph node (HANKS-LN) derived from a patient with advanced RCC, and analyzed their characters. Each had an epithelial morphology and exhibited multilayering. These cell lines have been maintained for more than 36 months and over 100 in vitro passages. In karyotype analysis, the common aberration in the four cell lines was marker chromosome t (3;18) (p13;q21). In soft agar culture, HANKS-Pr showed the lowest growth. Furthermore, we found high level expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigen on HANKS-Pr and HANKS-Lu, and low expression of MHC class II antigen on four cell lines. HANKS-LN had transplantability in nude mice. We determined the different biological properties among HANKS cell lines stemming from the same origin.

Progression of signet ring cell carcinomas in the human stomach

BACKGROUND

Stomach cancers show various growth patterns. It remains to be clarified how this variability is related to the genetic changes that occur during tumor progression.

METHODS

To estimate the genetic changes from tumor ploidy, maps were made (using DNA cytofluorometry of metaphase cells in histologic sections) of 39 advanced signet ring cell carcinomas of the human stomach and correlated with tumor stage and the size of the primary mucosal lesion.

RESULTS

Aneuploid area and multipattern aneuploidy were particularly common in advanced cancers with primary mucosal lesions smaller than 2 cm in diameter, of which a large portion were predominantly aneuploid and already diffusely infiltrating. As the tumor stage advanced, the incidence of aneuploidy in the mucosal lesion increased, whereas predominantly aneuploid tumors were less common as primary mucosal lesions became larger. Purely diploid areas with an incidence of polyploidy as low as in early cancers were common in advanced cancers. In addition, there were diploid-appearing cancer cells that infiltrated diffusely and were accompanied by polyploid as often as aneuploid cells. Some of these were aneuploid at the chromosomal level.

CONCLUSIONS

In signet ring cell carcinoma, aneuploid cells show higher invasive activity toward the extramucosal part and may occur incidentally in originally diploid tumors, depending on the degree of genetic instability. An analysis of polyploidy is useful for differentiating cytometrically diploid (but actually, aneuploid) cells from diploid cells with minor genetic abnormalities.