Effects of nefiracetam on deficits in active avoidance response and hippocampal cholinergic and monoaminergic dysfunctions induced by AF64A in mice

The effects of nefiracetam [DM-9384; N-(2,6-dimethyl-phenyl)-2-(2-oxo-pyrrolidinyl)acetamide] and of phosphatidylcholine on a step-up active avoidance response, locomotor activities and regional brain cholinergic and monoaminergic neurotransmitters in AF64A-treated mice were investigated. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of AF64A (ethylcholine mustard aziridinium ion; 8 nmol/ventricle) impaired acquisition and retention of the avoidance task, and increased vertical and horizontal locomotor activities. Regional levels of acetylcholine, noradrenaline, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were significantly decreased and homovanillic acid (HVA) levels were increased in the hippocampus but not in the septum, cerebral cortex or striatum of AF64A-treated animals. Administration of nefiracetam (3 mg/kg, p.o.) twice daily for 9 days to AF64A-treated animals ameliorated the deficit in active avoidance response in addition to attenuating the increase in locomotor activities. In parallel with these behavioural effects, nefiracetam reversed AF64A-induced alterations in the hippocampal profiles of cholinergic and monoaminergic neurotransmitters and their metabolites. In contrast, administration of phosphatidylcholine (30 mg/kg, p.o.) twice daily for 9 days had no significant effect on the deficit in active avoidance response, despite significantly reversing the decrease in acetylcholine levels in the hippocampus. These results indicate that the effects of nefiracetam on AF64A-induced behavioural deficits are probably due to its ability to facilitate both cholinergic and monoaminergic neurotransmitter systems.

A potential peptide vaccine against two different strains of influenza virus isolated at intervals of about 10 years

We have developed a strategy for making synthetic peptide vaccines, in which a peptide, HA127-133, derived from the hemagglutinin (HA) of A/Aichi/2/68(H3N2) influenza virus (Aichi/68) is introduced into the Ab binding component consisting of 43-46 and 54-58 residues of a pigeon cytochrome c analogue peptide, 46F50V54A. Indeed, this hybrid peptide, 46F/HA127-133/54A, induced impressive T-cell responses and antibody production neutralizing infectivity of Aichi/68 in vitro. In a subsequent study we found that 46F/HA127-133/54A(18mer) peptide antigen, which had been prepared by substitution at the central five residues of 46F50V54A with HA127-133, generated T-cell responses and neutralizing antibody responses as well. On the basis of these prior findings, in the present study we analyzed immunopotency of 46F/HA127-133/54A(18mer) in vivo administered in several ways to I-Ab mice. We show herein that this peptide vaccine loaded in multilamellar liposomes without adjuvant protects the mice against infection with Aichi/68 within 2 weeks after final immunization. Further, this peptide vaccine was shown to be effective in preventing infection with a naturally occurring antigenic variant, A/Texas/1/77(H3N2), carrying the same sequence at 127-133 of the HA as Aichi/68 virus. Since this part of the HA is relatively conserved among H3 subtype influenza viruses, our peptide vaccine may become the basis for a new strategy to prepare effective vaccines that will overcome the ineffectiveness of classical vaccines attributable to antigenic drift of influenza viruses.

[Traumatic transection of the descending thoracic aorta--2 successful case reports]

We report two cases of acute traumatic transection of the descending thoracic aorta that were successfully treated. Case 1 (a 24-year-old male) was admitted to our hospital because of unconsciousness with multiple severe injuries including pelvic fracture, hepatic laceration, brain contusion, and multiple fractures in the extremities. An emergency operation was performed to control the active bleeding from the hepatic laceration and the transluminal arterial embolisation of the internal iliac arteries for the pelvic fractures. Since the condition of the patient was very serious, we had to wait the repairment of the thoracic aorta for 3 weeks. The operation was successful using extracorporeal circulation. Case 2 (a 22-year-old female) suffered traumatic transection of the descending thoracic aorta without other injuries and received an emergency operation, which was successful. The strategy for the treatment of an aortic transection is difficult, especially when involving multiple injuries. However provided the decision to operate takes careful account of the general condition of the patient, then a successful result might be obtained even in a very severe case.

Thrombocytopenia associated with platelet-associated immunoglobulin G in alcoholic hepatitis

A 45 year old Japanese man with alcoholic hepatitis developed thrombocytopenia together with an increase in the level of platelet-associated immunoglobulin G (PAIgG). Bone marrow aspiration revealed a normal nucleated cell count and a slight increase of megakaryocytes. After abstinence from alcohol, laboratory and symptomatic improvement occurred in association with a prompt increase in the platelet count and a corresponding decrease of PAIgG. These findings suggest that PAIgG may have been involved in the development of thrombocytopenia in this patient.

Neurofibromatosis type 1: the evolution of deep gray and white matter MR abnormalities

PURPOSE

To investigate the evolution of deeply located high-signal-intensity abnormalities of the brain on T2-weighted MR images of patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1).

METHODS

The study consists of two patient groups: 1) retrospective evaluation of MR scans of 24 symptomatic NF-1 patients, 10 of whom were sequentially studied, and 2) prospective MR evaluations of 20 asymptomatic NF-1 subjects from 14 families; 2 of these families were sequentially studied.

RESULTS

Deeply located, high-signal-intensity abnormalities on T2-weighted images were noted in 34 of 44 NF-1 subjects (77%). If NF-1 patients are grouped according to age, 28 of 30 subjects (93%) younger than 15 years had the lesions, whereas 4 of 7 subjects (57%) between 16 and 30 years, and 2 of 7 subjects (29%) older than 31 years had lesions. High-signal lesions in basal ganglia and brain stem were demonstrated in all decades with relatively high frequency. Lesions in the cerebellar white matter and dentate nuclei were mainly found in the patients younger than 10 years, and never found after the third decade. In 13 sequential studies (mean interval, 24 months), lesions appeared to increase in size in 3, remain unchanged in size in 2, and decrease in size in 7. One subject showed a mixed pattern of lesion size change.

CONCLUSIONS

Deeply located high-signal-intensity lesions on T2-weighted MR images are more evident in young NF-1 patients. The underlying brain abnormality, while pathologically unproved, is probably transient.

Vasculopathy of the anterior choroidal artery following intra-arterial chemotherapy--case report

A 40-year-old male, treated with radiotherapy and supraophthalmic intracarotid artery (ICA) ACNU infusion for glioblastoma in the right occipital lobe, developed cerebral infarction secondary to vasculopathy manifesting as hemiparesis 3 months after a second ICA injection. The initial diagnosis was focal neurotoxicity, but angiography revealed severe vasospasm of the anterior choroidal artery. The symptoms improved gradually with therapy for the vasospasm. Angiography is required to discriminate vasospasm and focal neurotoxicity as a complication of ICA injection of antineoplastic agents.

Laboratory evaluation of fenitrothion microcapsules as a new residual spraying formulation for mosquito control

Physicochemical and insecticidal properties of fenitrothion microcapsule (MC) as a new residual spraying formulation for mosquito control were studied. The wall staining after treatment with MC at the rate of 1-2 g AI/m2 was not noticeable as compared with that of wettable powder (WP). Covering rate with MC on a vertical wall was almost the same as WP and emulsifiable concentrate (EC) when the wall material was absorptive plywood and mud, and was relatively higher than WP and EC when the wall material was nonabsorptive overlaid plywood. Residual efficacy of MC at the rate of 1 g/m2 was almost equivalent or superior to that of WP at the rate of 2 g/m2. Fenitrothion MC also has had an "airborne" effect, which is sort of a vapor killing effect of insecticides under high vapor pressure. This suggested a difference in mode of action in mosquitoes from that for cockroach control.

Utilization of bloodfed females of Aedes aegypti as a vehicle for the transfer of the insect growth regulator pyriproxyfen to larval habitats

Bloodfed female Aedes aegypti were exposed to a surface treated with pyriproxyfen at 1.0 g m2 for 30 min and then allowed to lay eggs in cups of water containing 4th-instar larvae. Adult emergence from the immatures was highly inhibited, and transmission of pyriproxyfen from the females to the water was revealed. The transfer of the chemical to the water decreased with time before the blood meal. Chemical analysis for pyriproxyfen on the exoskeleton of treated females demonstrated the rapid disappearance of the compound. Pyriproxyfen obviously affected egg maturation of females treated before blood meals, as the number of eggs deposited decreased concurrently with the number of days before the blood meals.

Stimulation of in vitro hematopoiesis by a murine fetal hepatocyte clone through cell-cell contact

We have previously shown that a fetal liver-derived epithelial cell clone, FHC-4D2, could support hematopoiesis in vitro through its colony-stimulating factor (CSF) activities in a short-term culture. In this study, since FHC-4D2 cells were found capable of maintaining hematopoietic progenitors in the coculture for a long time, we examined how FHC-4D2 could exert hematopoietic supporting activity in a long-term culture by coculturing adult bone marrow (BM) cells or fetal liver (FL) cells on a monolayer of FHC-4D2 cells. This clone could maintain the colony-forming unit of granulocytes and macrophages (CFU-GM) of BM for > or = 12 weeks under the coculture condition, but the fibroblastic cell clone from the fetal liver, FHC-4A3, could not support the survival of CFU-GM, even for 1 week. In addition to BM CFU-GM, the FHC-4D2 clone also supported the survival of FL CFU-GM, burst-forming unit of erythroid cells (BFUe), and colony-forming unit of mixed progenitors (CFU-Mix) for longer than 4 weeks. When BM cells were separated by a membrane filter from the FHC-4D2 cells in the coculture, the comparable number of CFU-GM was maintained at day 3, but virtually no hematopoietic progenitors were detected at the end of the first week. CFU-GM were present in both nonadherent and adherent cells to the FHC-4D2 cells at day 3 of the coculture, but at day 7, the adherent population contained greater number of CFU-GM. CFU-GM derived from the adherent cells formed larger colonies and contained more bipotential CFU-GM than the nonadherent population. When BM cells from mice given 5-fluorouracil were cocultured with FHC-4D2 cells under the limiting dilution condition, interleukin-3 (IL-3)-responsive CFU-GM were induced from immature hematopoietic progenitor cells that were otherwise unresponsive to IL-3. From these data we conclude that the FHC-4D2 clone could generate and maintain IL-3-responsive hematopoietic progenitors via close contact and that, in the fetal liver, the contact between hepatocytes and hematopoietic cells may be critically important in inducing the differentiation of resting, IL-3-unresponsive immature hematopoietic cells into CFU-GM (progenitors responsive to IL-3) and in triggering the self-renewal of CFU-GM.

The effect of estrogen and androgen on androgen receptors and mRNA levels in uterine leiomyoma, myometrium and endometrium of human subjects

This study was designed to show the effect of estrogen and androgen on the level of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone specific binding sites (TBS and DHTBS, respectively) and to clarify the implication of androgen receptor mRNA expression to TBS and DHTBS in human uterine tissues. Estrogen mainly induces the increase of TBS and androgen receptor mRNA in uterine endometrium and leiomyoma. TBS increased by estrogen are downregulated when testosterone is given along with estrogen, while androgen receptor mRNA increased by estrogen was not significantly altered by testosterone with estrogen in endometrium and leiomyoma. These results suggest that the androgen receptor mRNA determined might encode TBS and that testosterone may stimulate the metabolic rate of TBS, or inhibit the translation rate of androgen receptor mRNA to TBS. Furthermore, the biological character of leiomyoma is considered to be an endometrial type.

Cytotoxic effect of extracellular ATP on L1210 leukemic cells and normal hemopoietic stem cells

The cytotoxic effect of extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was examined on normal murine hemopoietic stem cells and a representative leukemic cell line (L1210). After L1210 cells were incubated with 4 mM ATP for 3 h, 3H-thymidine incorporation was almost completely inhibited. The number of viable L1210 cells was also significantly decreased and L1210 colony formation was suppressed to approximately 30% of the control level after treatment. The CFU-GM survival rate was reduced to 70%, however, CFU-S and marrow nucleated cell numbers were not changed after the same treatment with ATP. All mice that were injected with the untreated mixture of normal marrow cells (3.3 x 10(4)) and L1210 cells (3.3 x 10(3)) died of leukemia within 18 days. On the contrary, 85% of the recipients given ATP-treated grafts survived more than 70 days. These findings indicate that ATP extra vivo treatment is useful for purging the residual leukemic cells in autologous bone marrow transplantation.

Isolated iliac artery aneurysm and its management

The records of 16 patients with 44 aneurysms of the iliac artery during a 12-year period (1981 to 1992) were retrospectively reviewed. The mean age was 71.2 (range 53-81) years; the male/female ratio was 7:1. An extremely high incidence of isolated iliac artery aneurysm was noted relative to abdominal aortic aneurysm (11.7%) during the same period. Aneurysms ranged in size from 2 to 12 cm. Rupture occurred in four patients (25%). Six patients presented urologic complications of ureteral stenosis, with hydronephrosis caused by perianeurysmal fibrosis in five. Thirteen patients underwent surgical treatment with emergency operation performed in four with rupture and one with impending rupture. The mortality rate for ruptured aneurysm was high (50%). The operative procedures for common iliac aneurysms were open resection in 18, aneurysmectomy in two, and thromboexclusion in three. For internal iliac aneurysms, the procedures were aneurysmorrhaphy (partial resection) in five, obliterative endoaneurysmorrhaphy in seven, aneurysmectomy in two, and thromboexclusion in two, with appropriate graft replacement. Endarterectomy and reimplantation of the inferior mesenteric artery, and internal iliac artery graft interposition were performed to prevent colon ischaemia in three and two patients, respectively. Ureterolysis was performed in three patients with ureteral stenosis caused by perianeurysmal fibrosis, which improved hydronephrosis and renal function in two. Early diagnosis and elective surgery before rupture is the treatment of choice for saving the patient's life. The importance of preventing colon ischaemia for bilateral internal iliac aneurysms and ureterolysis for ureter entrapped within perianeurysmal fibrosis is emphasized.

Partial purification of murine tumor-associated peptide epitopes common to histologically distinct tumors, melanoma and sarcoma, that are presented by H-2Kb molecules and recognized by CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes

The B16/BL6 melanoma is a relatively nonimmunogenic tumor expressing low levels of MHC class I molecules. BL6 clones expressing transfected H-2Kb class I molecules were, by contrast, highly immunogenic in immunocompetent mice. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) generated from the H-2Kb+ BL6 lesions (Thy 1.2+, CD8+, CD4-) efficiently lysed H-2Kb+ melanoma (CL8-1 and 2Kb38) and the H-2Kb+ nonrelated 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA)-105 sarcoma, but not the H-2Kb- parental melanoma BL6-8. This strongly suggests that CL8-1, 2Kb38, and MCA-105 express identical or cross-reactive T cell epitopes recognized by CL8-1 TILs in the context of the H-2Kb class I allele. To identify the T cell epitopes, peptides were acid-eluted from various cells, and fractionated by HPLC. Five HPLC fractions (F1mel-F5mel) of 70 tested contained peptides derived from H-2Kb+ CL8-1 melanoma (but not H-2Kb- melanomas) that were capable of conferring susceptibility to CL8-1 TIL lysis on H-2b-expressing target cells (EL4, C1R.Kb), but not on H-2d-expressing P815 target cells. CL8-1 TILs failed to recognize peptides derived from H-2Kb+ nonmelanoma targets such as EL4 or normal B6 splenocytes. Interestingly, CL8-1 TILs appeared to recognize peptide species contained in two HPLC fractions derived from the MCA-105 sarcoma (F1sar and F5sar). Conversely, TILs derived from MCA-105 lesions recognized MCA-105 and CL8-1 tumor cells, as well as F5mel and F5sar peptides presented by EL4 targets. These data support common murine tumor-associated peptide epitopes presented by H-2Kb and recognized by CD8+ CTLs derived from histologically distinct tumors, melanoma and sarcoma.

[Successful mitral valve replacement in multiple organ failure due to mechanical hemolytic anemia after mitral valve repair: a case report]

An 18-year-old man suffered multiple organ failure due to hemolytic anemia after mitral valve repair. He was admitted with mitral regurgitation (MR) and mitral valve repair was performed. However, after 3 days of the operation, he developed hemolytic anemia and heart murmur. A reoperation of mitral valve replacement was performed because of progressing heart failure with renal and liver dysfunction. The operative findings revealed a rupture in the choldae with dislocation of the C-E ring. The MR flow and dislocated ring are suspected to be the cause of the hemolysis. After the reoperation, the hemolysis and general condition were immediately improved. The indication of this reoperation should be carefully decided. In this case of multiple organ failure following mitral valve repair, reoperation of mitral valve replacement was successful.

Partial purification of murine tumor-associated peptide epitopes common to histologically distinct tumors, melanoma and sarcoma, that are presented by H-2Kb molecules and recognized by CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes

The B16/BL6 melanoma is a relatively nonimmunogenic tumor expressing low levels of MHC class I molecules. BL6 clones expressing transfected H-2Kb class I molecules were, by contrast, highly immunogenic in immunocompetent mice. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) generated from the H-2Kb+ BL6 lesions (Thy 1.2+, CD8+, CD4-) efficiently lysed H-2Kb+ melanoma (CL8-1 and 2Kb38) and the H-2Kb+ nonrelated 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA)-105 sarcoma, but not the H-2Kb- parental melanoma BL6-8. This strongly suggests that CL8-1, 2Kb38, and MCA-105 express identical or cross-reactive T cell epitopes recognized by CL8-1 TILs in the context of the H-2Kb class I allele. To identify the T cell epitopes, peptides were acid-eluted from various cells, and fractionated by HPLC. Five HPLC fractions (F1mel-F5mel) of 70 tested contained peptides derived from H-2Kb+ CL8-1 melanoma (but not H-2Kb- melanomas) that were capable of conferring susceptibility to CL8-1 TIL lysis on H-2b-expressing target cells (EL4, C1R.Kb), but not on H-2d-expressing P815 target cells. CL8-1 TILs failed to recognize peptides derived from H-2Kb+ nonmelanoma targets such as EL4 or normal B6 splenocytes. Interestingly, CL8-1 TILs appeared to recognize peptide species contained in two HPLC fractions derived from the MCA-105 sarcoma (F1sar and F5sar). Conversely, TILs derived from MCA-105 lesions recognized MCA-105 and CL8-1 tumor cells, as well as F5mel and F5sar peptides presented by EL4 targets. These data support common murine tumor-associated peptide epitopes presented by H-2Kb and recognized by CD8+ CTLs derived from histologically distinct tumors, melanoma and sarcoma.

Autoreactive T cell-dependent polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia in mantle cell lymphoma

We investigated the mechanism of polyclonal B cell differentiation in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from a patient with MCL in leukemic stage presenting polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia. Patient T cells not only responded to autologous non-T cells but induced polyclonal production of IgG in vitro. Flow cytometric analysis of PBMC showed the increased conversion of CD4+ T cells from the naive to the memory state. We propose the possible mechanism that autoreactive T cells may be involved in polyclonal B cell differentiation in this monoclonal B cell disorder.

Expression of mRNA encoding IFN alpha in macrophages stimulated with Lactobacillus gasseri

The ability of Lactobacillus gasseri, a dairy lactic acid bacterium, to induce interferon (IFN) was investigated in murine macrophage cultures. IFN alpha was substantially induced by some strains of L. gasseri and the titers were the highest at a concentration of 100 micrograms ml-1 of L. gasseri DSM20243T. The expression of mRNA encoding IFN alpha was detected in spleen-macrophages (SP-M phi) and Peyer's patch-adherent cells stimulated with L. gasseri DSM20243T. Actinomycin D and cycloheximide added to SP-M phi cultures showed that the mRNA was synthesized by 0.5 h, and that IFN alpha was produced within 3 to 6 h after the stimulation with L. gasseri DSM20243T. The results support the notion that dairy products containing L. gasseri can be 'physiologically functional foods'.

Control of ColE2 plasmid replication: negative regulation of the expression of the plasmid-specified initiator protein, Rep, at a posttranscriptional step

The incA gene of ColE2 is involved in the copy number control and incompatibility. Two promoters were identified around the incA gene. Transcription of the mRNA for the essential plasmid-coded initiator protein (Rep) mainly starts at a site about 140 bp upstream of the initiation codon of the Rep protein. The second transcript (RNA I) of about 115 nucleotides with two stem-and-loop structures is entirely complementary to the 5' untranslated region of the Rep mRNA. By using translational and transcriptional fusions of the rep gene of ColE2 and the lacZ gene of Escherichia coli, the incA gene product was shown to regulate expression of the rep gene at a posttranscriptional step. The results also suggest that the target of the incA gene product is the 5' untranslated region of the Rep mRNA. Deletion analyses reported here show that a region(s) about 17 to 70 bp upstream of the initiation codon of the Rep protein and another region inside the coding frame are important for efficient production of the Rep protein. This suggests that some additional sequence elements other than the initiation codon and the Shine-Dalgarno region and/or a secondary structure of the Rep mRNA are required for efficient production of the Rep protein. These results show that RNA I is an antisense RNA for the Rep mRNA and imply that it might regulate expression of the rep gene at the initiation step of translation by sequestering such additional sequence elements and/or by disrupting RNA secondary structure. We propose that RNA I represents the incA gene product.

Control of ColE2 plasmid replication: regulation of Rep expression by a plasmid-coded antisense RNA

We isolated and characterized mutants of ColE2 with increased copy number (cop) and those with reduced sensitivity to the wild-type incA gene (inc). Both types of mutations were single-base substitutions in the incA region and simultaneously increased the plasmid copy number and reduced the inhibitory activity of the incA gene on ColE2 DNA replication. Most of the cop mutations also reduced sensitivity to the wild-type incA gene. These mutations were located in the region specifying the large stem-and-loop structures of RNA I and the 5' portion of the Rep mRNA. All these results indicate that RNA I interacts with the Rep mRNA and thereby inhibits expression of the Rep protein at a post-transcriptional step and that this is probably the only mechanism that controls the ColE2 Rep protein expression. It is suggested that only portions of the nucleotides in the loop region are involved in initial (kissing) interaction of these RNAs. The total level of rep gene expression in the host cells appears to be kept constant (at a level characteristic for each cop allele) irrespective of the actual plasmid copy number above a certain level, when rep gene expression is regulated by the incA gene on the same plasmid. These seem to be the basic mechanisms for the replication control of ColE2.

Comparison of polymerase chain reaction and culture methods for detection of Mycoplasma pulmonis from nasal, tracheal and oral swab samples of rats

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and culture methods were used to detect Mycoplasma pulmonis in nasal, tracheal and oral swab samples of rats derived from 5 mycoplasma-contaminated and 2 mycoplasma-free facilities, and the results of both methods were compared. Thirty-four/54 and 30/54 in nasal samples, 31/54 and 28/54 in tracheal samples, and 12/39 and 30/39 in oral samples were positive in PCR and cultures, respectively. Agreements in the results of both tests were 48/54 (88.9%) in nasal samples and 49/54 (90.7%) in tracheal samples. This indicates that nasal and tracheal samples are useful for detecting M. pulmonis by PCR. The detection number for M. pulmonis from the oral cavity by PCR was remarkably lower than those of nasal and tracheal sites. These results show that the PCR method has significant potential as a rapid and sensitive method for detecting M. pulmonis in clinical samples collected from the nasal cavity and trachea.