Comparison of vectorcardiographic and 12-lead electrocardiographic detections of abnormalities in repolarization properties due to preexcitation in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome: proposal of a novel concept of a "remodeling gradient"

Repolarization abnormalities after radiofrequency ablation in patients with manifest Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) have been attributed to cardiac memory of pre-existing changes in repolarization properties. We compared spatial ventricular gradient (VG) from vectorcardiograms with QRST values of 12-lead ECG in 41 patients with WPW (group A, manifest WPW due to left-sided accessory pathway (n = 20); group B, manifest WPW due to right-sided accessory pathway (n = 12); group C, concealed WPW (n = 9)) before and after ablation. Group N (n = 607) served as control. In groups A and B, the abnormalities of spatial VG and QRST values of 12-lead ECG that existed before and 1 day after ablation significantly decreased 1 week after ablation. In group C, spatial VG and QRST values of 12-lead ECG showed no significant changes. The diagnostic ability of spatial VG is almost equivalent to that of the QRST value of ECG in detecting repolarization abnormalities in patients with WPW before and after ablation. We propose a new concept of a "remodeling gradient" directing from the preexcited area to the opposite side of the ventricle as a result of preexcitation-induced electrical remodeling.

A juvenile hormone-repressible transferrin-like protein from the bean bug, Riptortus clavatus: cDNA sequence analysis and protein identification during diapause and vitellogenesis

We found several juvenile hormone-responsive cDNAs in the bean bug, Riptortus clavatus, by using mRNA differential display (Hirai et al., 1998). One of them, a juvenile hormone-repressible cDNA, JR-3, was cloned, sequenced, characterized and identified as a transferrin (RcTf). RcTf cDNA encoded 652 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 71,453 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence showed significant homology with the transferin genes of several insects, Manduca sexta (43% identity), Blaberus discoidalis (43%), Aedes aegypti (43%), Drosophila melanogaster (36%), Sarcophaga peregrina (36%) and the human (25%). Antiserum was prepared by using recombinant RcTf protein expressed in Escherichia coli as an antigen. The antiserum reacted specifically with both the recombinant protein and the native protein from the bugs, with sizes of 70 and 75 kDa, respectively. The 75 kDa protein was partially purified from hemolymph of diapausing female bugs and the first ten amino acids were found to be identical to that of RcTf cDNA, indicating that the 75 kDa protein is RcTf. The tissue distribution of RcTf in the bug was examined by Western blot analysis. In diapausing animals, RcTf was detected in the fat body, hemolymph and ovary but not in the gut. In the post-diapause stage, RcTf was also detected in eggs, in addition to the fat body and ovary. These results indicate that RcTf is incorporated into the oocytes during vitellogenesis, and suggest that it may provide iron for the developing embryos.

Variations in vitamin D-binding protein (group-specific component protein) are associated with fasting plasma insulin levels in Japanese with normal glucose tolerance

The locus of the vitamin D-binding protein (DBP; also known as group-specific component protein or Gc) gene, chromosome 4q12, has been reported to be associated with glucose metabolism in several ethnic groups, including Pima Indians. We have recently reported the association of the DBP genotype with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Japan. The aim of this study was to investigate whether genetic variations of DBP have any influence on glucose metabolism without secondary effects of hyperglycemia or diabetes mellitus using 82 Japanese with normal glucose tolerance. The variations of the DBP gene (Gc 1F, 1S, and 2) were determined by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Fasting plasma insulin concentration and homeostasis model assessment, an index of insulin resistance, were significantly different based on the DBP genotype (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). The people with Gc 1S-2 (5.73 +/- 2.57 microU/mL) and 1S-1S (5.30 +/- 3.46 microU/mL) had significantly higher fasting plasma concentrations than those with 1F-1F (2.84 +/- 1.67 microU/mL) (P < 0.01 and P < 0.03, respectively). There was no significant difference in plasma glucose concentration, body mass index, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood pressure. In conclusion, genetic variations of DBP are associated with insulin resistance in Japanese with normal glucose tolerance, which might contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.

Molecular cloning and genomic structure of human frizzled-3 at chromosome 8p21

WNT receptors encoded by the Frizzled genes are implicated in carcinogenesis as well as in embryonic development. Human Frizzled-3 (FZD3) gene, encoding seven-transmembrane receptor with the N-terminal cysteine-rich domain, has been cloned and characterized. Expression of the FZD3 mRNAs was investigated by using three FZD3 specific probes: HF3S1, corresponding to the 5'-UTR and a part of the coding region; HF3S2, corresponding to a part of the coding region; HF3S3, corresponding to the 3'-UTR. HF3S1 and HF3S2 hybridized to the 14.0-, 9.0-, 4.0- and 1.8-kb FZD3 mRNA, while HF3S3 hybridized to the 14.0-, 9.0-, and 4.0-kb FZD3 mRNA. The 14. 0-kb FZD3 mRNA was the major transcript in fetal brain and adult cerebellum, while the 1.8-kb FZD3 mRNA was the major transcript in adult pancreas, and many cancer cell lines examined. The 1.8-kb FZD3 mRNA, alternatively polyadenylated by the internal AATAAA signal in the coding region, is predicted to encode the truncated FZD3 protein lacking the region through the second extracellular loop to the C-terminal tail, and might function as the transmembrane-type antagonist for WNTs. The FZD3 gene consists of 8 exons, and has been mapped to human chromosome 8p21.

Molecular cloning and genomic structure of the betaTRCP2 gene on chromosome 5q35.1

Beta-catenin, IkappaBalpha, and HIV Vpu are recruited to the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation pathway by betaTRCP, one of the components of the ubiquitin ligase complex. betaTRCP2, a related gene of betaTRCP, was cloned and characterized. Three isoforms, betaTRCP2A, betaTRCP2B, and betaTRCP2C, were identified. All of these betaTRCP2 isoforms consist of an F-box and seven WD repeats. Human betaTRCP2A shows 86% total amino acid identity with human betaTRCP. betaTRCP2 mRNA of 4.5 kb in size was detected almost ubiquitously. Sequence analyses on betaTRCP2 genomic clones revealed that the betaTRCP2 gene consists of at least 14 exons. Exons 1 and 4-14 are shared among all betaTRCP2 isoforms. betaTRCP2A of 508 amino acids lacks exons 2 and 3, betaTRCP2B of 529 amino acids contains exon 3, and betaTRCP2C of 542 amino acids contains exon 2. These results indicate that three betaTRCP2 isoforms are transcribed due to alternative splicing. The betaTRCP2 gene has been mapped to human chromosome 5q35.1 by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

[RAPD-markers linked to the locus for resistance to the race 4 pathogen for black rot, Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Pamm.) Dow., in Brassica rapa L]

Association between the RAPD markers and the resistance to race 4 of the black rot causative agent was studied in Brassica rapa L. Experiments were carried out using doubled haploid lines, obtained via crosses between the race 4-susceptible fodder turnip and resistant pak-choi, and the F2 progeny of the crosses between the doubled haploid lines with contrasting resistance. The WE(22)980 RAPD marker inherited from the pak-choi and associated with the clubroot susceptibility was also linked to the locus responsible for the resistance to race 4 of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris. The two other RAPD markers were linked to susceptibility to black rot. Simultaneous association of the same DNA markers with the resistance/susceptibility to two different obligate pathogens favored the hypothesis on cluster organization of the resistance genes in plants. The markers described can be used in plant breeding and in further investigation of the genetic bases of resistance in plants.

Suppression of cellular immunity by surgical stress

BACKGROUND

Suppression of cellular immunity is one of the host responses to surgical stress. In cancer patients this immunosuppression may accelerate the growth and metastasis of residual cancer cells, so it is desirable to restrict immunosuppression by surgical stress to a minimum. However, the extent and duration of immunosuppression caused by operations on gastrointestinal cancer, as well as the mechanisms involved, have not been determined.

METHODS

To clarify these points, we investigated immunocyte function and measured the blood levels of hormones, cytokines, and acute phase reactants from before to after operation in 20 patients with stage I gastrointestinal cancer.

RESULTS

In patients exposed to surgical stress, peripheral blood lymphocyte numbers and function were suppressed until at least 2 weeks postoperatively. This immunosuppression was mainly due to a decrease of helper-inducer T cells, cytotoxic T cells, natural killer cells, and interleukin-2 receptor-positive cells, as well as an increase of suppressor T cells. In addition, hypersecretion of cortisol and overproduction of immunosuppressive acidic protein were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Cellular immunosuppression by surgical stress was mainly due to an increase of lymphocyte subsets that depress cellular immunity coupled with a decrease of the subsets that promote it. Overproduction of cortisol and immunosuppressive acidic protein in response to surgical stress may play an important role in the development of immunosuppression.

Antiarrhythmic efficacy of dipyridamole in treatment of reperfusion arrhythmias : evidence for cAMP-mediated triggered activity as a mechanism responsible for reperfusion arrhythmias

BACKGROUND

Intracellular calcium overload is believed to play an important role in development of reperfusion arrhythmias. Dipyridamole, an inhibitor of cellular uptake of adenosine, may prevent or terminate reperfusion arrhythmias by reducing intracellular calcium overload.

METHODS AND RESULTS

First, we tested for a preventive effect of dipyridamole. Sixty-one patients who underwent primary PTCA for treatment of acute anterior wall myocardial infarction were enrolled in this prospective study. Patients were divided into dipyridamole (DP) and nondipyridamole (non-DP) groups. The 2 groups had similar baseline characteristics. In the DP group, dipyridamole 0.5 mg/kg was infused intravenously for 3 minutes immediately before reperfusion during primary PTCA. Arrhythmias after reperfusion were analyzed from continuous ECG recordings. None of the patients in the DP group (n=23) had accelerated idioventricular rhythms (AIVR) or ventricular tachycardia (VT). In contrast, 7 (18.4%) had AIVR and 3 (7.9%) had VT in the non-DP group (n=38; P<0.01). Second, we tested for a termination effect of dipyridamole. Dipyridamole 0.5 mg/kg was infused intravenously while continuous ECG recordings were obtained in 9 patients who had either sustained AIVR (n=7) or sustained VT (n=2) after reperfusion of occluded coronary artery. Arrhythmias were terminated in all patients.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that administration of dipyridamole can prevent and terminate reperfusion arrhythmias such as AIVR and VT. cAMP-mediated triggered activity may, at least in part, be responsible for reperfusion-induced AIVR and VT.

Neointima formation in a restenosis model is suppressed in midkine-deficient mice

Neointima formation is a common feature of atherosclerosis and restenosis after balloon angioplasty. To find a new target to suppress neointima formation, we investigated the possible role of midkine (MK), a heparin-binding growth factor with neurotrophic and chemotactic activities, in neointima formation. MK expression increased during neointima formation caused by intraluminal balloon injury of the rat carotid artery. Neointima formation in a restenosis model was strongly suppressed in MK-deficient mice. Continuous administration of MK protein to MK-deficient mice restored neointima formation. Leukocyte recruitment to the vascular walls after injury was markedly decreased in MK-deficient mice. Soluble MK as well as that bound to the substratum induced migration of macrophages in vitro. These results indicate that MK plays a critical role in neointima formation at least in part owing to its ability to mediate leukocyte recruitment.

Comparison of organic and inorganic packing materials in the removal of ammonia gas in biofilters

Two organic and two inorganic packing materials were compared with regard to the removal of ammonia gas in a biofilter inoculated with night-soil sludge. By gradually increasing the inlet load of ammonia, the complete removal capacity, which was defined as the inlet load of ammonia that was completely removed, and the maximum removal capacity of ammonia, which was the value when the removal capacity leveled off for each packing material, were estimated. Both values which were based on a unit volume of packing material, were higher for organic packing materials than inorganic ones. By using kinetic analysis, the maximum removal rate of ammonia, V(m), and the saturation constant, K(s), were determined for all packing materials and the values of V(m) for organic packing materials were found to be larger. By using the kinetic parameters, the removal rates for ammonia were compared among the four packing materials, and the organic packing materials showed superior performance for the removal of ammonia in the concentration range of 0-300 ppm as compared to inorganic packing materials.

Purging of human breast cancer cells from stem cell products with an adenovirus containing p53

Tumor cell contamination of stem cell products can contribute to tumor relapse following high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell rescue. Numerous techniques have been used to remove the tumor cells from stem cell products with the objective of prolonging relapse-free survival. However, to date these techniques have been relatively ineffectual and/or toxic to hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. The differential infectivity of adenovirus (Adv) vectors for breast cancer cells, compared with hematopoietic cells, has suggested that Adv-p53 might provide an effective purging strategy. To facilitate the use of Adv-p53 as a clinical strategy, we undertook studies to determine the parameters necessary for optimal stem cell product purging. The parameters studied were the particle number to nucleated cell ratio, the duration of coincubation, the incubation volume, and the presence or absence of hematopoietic progenitor cells. We have found that these parameters are interdependent and conclude that a 4-hour coincubation with an Adv-p53 particle to nucleated cell ratio of 2000:1 with 2 x 10(8) nucleated cells/mL is optimal for tumor cell purging. Furthermore, this appeared to be a safe procedure, with total loss of clonogenic growth of breast cancer cells as well as no significant effect on progenitor cell function as determined by granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming unit assays.

Identification of a novel human voltage-gated sodium channel alpha subunit gene, SCN12A

We have cloned a cDNA encoding a novel human voltage-gated sodium channel alpha subunit gene, SCN12A, from human brain. Two alternative splicing variants for SCN12A have been identified. The longest open reading frame of SCN12A encodes 1791 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence of SCN12A shows 37-73% similarity with various other mammalian sodium channels. The presence of a serine residue (S360) in the SS2 segment of domain I suggests that SCN12A is resistant to tetrodotoxin (TTX), as in the cases of rat Scn10a (rPN3/SNS) and rat Scn11a (NaN/SNS2). SCN12A is expressed predominantly in olfactory bulb, hippocampus, cerebellar cortex, spinal cord, spleen, small intestine, and placenta. Although expression level could not be determined, SCN12A is also expressed in dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Both neurons and glial cells express SCN12A. SCN12A maps to human chromosome 3p23-p21.3. These results suggest that SCN12A is a tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) sodium channel expressed in the central nervous system and nonneural tissues.

Cloning and expression study of the mouse tetrodotoxin-resistant voltage-gated sodium channel alpha subunit NaT/Scn11a

We have cloned a tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) voltage-gated sodium channel alpha subunit from a mouse cDNA library and designated it as NaT. It encodes 1765 amino acid residues and is virtually identical to that of Scn11a, which has been reported recently, except for 40 nt and 14 aa substitutions. The amino acid identity of NaT/Scn11a with rat NaN/SNS2 is 88%. NaT/Scn11a was mapped to mouse chromosome 9F3-F4 by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). While rat NaN/SNS2 has been reported to be expressed specifically in the peripheral sensory neurons, NaT/Scn11a is expressed not only in the peripheral sensory neurons but also in the spinal cord, uterus, testis, ovary, placenta, and small intestine. NaT is detectable in mouse embryos 15 days postcoitus (p.c.), around the phase of organogenesis and gonadal differentiation. These findings demonstrate a unique distribution of NaT/Scn11a and suggest some of its roles in the above-mentioned processes.

Efficient production of artificially designed gelatins with a Bacillus brevis system

Artificially designed gelatins comprising tandemly repeated 30-amino-acid peptide units derived from human alphaI collagen were successfully produced with a Bacillus brevis system. The DNA encoding the peptide unit was synthesized by taking into consideration the codon usage of the host cells, but no clones having a tandemly repeated gene were obtained through the above-mentioned strategy. Minirepeat genes could be selected in vivo from a mixture of every possible sequence encoding an artificial gelatin by randomly ligating the mixed sequence unit and transforming it into Escherichia coli. Larger repeat genes constructed by connecting minirepeat genes obtained by in vivo selection were also stable in the expression host cells. Gelatins derived from the eight-unit and six-unit repeat genes were extracellularly produced at the level of 0.5 g/liter and easily purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation and anion-exchange chromatography. The purified artificial gelatins had the predicted N-terminal sequences and amino acid compositions and a solgel property similar to that of the native gelatin. These results suggest that the selection of a repeat unit sequence stable in an expression host is a shortcut for the efficient production of repetitive proteins and that it can conveniently be achieved by the in vivo selection method. This study revealed the possible industrial application of artificially designed repetitive proteins.

Removal of a high load of ammonia gas by a marine bacterium, Vibrio alginolyticus

A newly isolated marine bacterium, Vibrio alginolyticus was used to remove a high load of ammonia gas. By a stepwise increase in ammonia supply over the concentration range of 120-2000 ppm (v/v), complete removal of ammonia was observed from the start of the experiment in a suspended culture of the bacterium in basal medium containing 3% NaCl. When cells were inoculated onto an inorganic packing material in a biofilter, and a high load of ammonia was introduced continuously under nonsterile conditions, the average percentage of gas removed exceeded 85% for a 61-d operation. The maximum removal capacity and the complete removal capacity were 22.8 g-N/kg-dry packing material/d and 18.6 g-N/kg-dry packing material/d, respectively, which were about four times larger than those obtained in nitrifying sludge inoculated onto the same packing material. During this operation, the nonsterile air supply had no adverse effect on the removability of ammonia by V. alginolyticus.

Tob2, a novel anti-proliferative Tob/BTG1 family member, associates with a component of the CCR4 transcriptional regulatory complex capable of binding cyclin-dependent kinases

Human cDNAs encoding a novel member of Tob/BTG1 anti-proliferative family proteins were cloned. The putative protein product termed Tob2 consisted of 344 amino acids with high similarity to the Tob protein. The tob2 mRNA was 4.1 kb long and was ubiquitously expressed in human adult tissues, as was revealed by Northern blot hybridization. However, further in situ hybridization analysis showed a characteristic expression of the tob2 mRNA in oocytes, suggesting a unique role of Tob2 in oogenesis. Like the Tob protein, Tob2 inhibited cell cycle progression from the G0/G1 to S phases. Intriguingly, the amino-terminal half of Tob2 as well as that of Tob was associated with a human homologue of yeast Caf1, a component of the CCR4 transcription factor complex. Moreover, Caf1 was associated with cyclin dependent kinases. These data suggested that both Tob and Tob2 were involved in cell cycle regulation through their interaction with Caf1. Finally, the tob2 gene was mapped to human chromosome 22q13.1-q13.31.

Localization of precise origin of idiopathic ventricular tachycardia from the right ventricular outflow tract by a 12-lead ECG: a study of pace mapping using a multielectrode "basket" catheter

Radiofrequency catheter ablation guided by pace-mapping techniques has proven effective in eliminating idiopathic ventricular tachycardia (VT) originating from the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). A method for rapidly identifying the origin of VT from 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) findings would be helpful for the catheter ablation procedure. The purpose of this study is to precisely localize the origin of idiopathic VT from the RVOT by a 12-lead ECG from a study of multipoint pace mapping. In one patient with premature ventricular complex (PVC) and 3 with VT, a "basket" catheter was deployed in the RVOT for bipolar pacing from 56 sites in the endocardium of RVOT. Under fluoroscopy the pacing sites were classified into the septum and free wall. We investigated the QRS morphology in leads, I, II, and III; the depth of the QS wave in leads aVR and aVL; and the height of the initial r wave in leads V1 and V2. Pacing was captured in 30-47 of 56 sites (54%-84%). As the pacing sites changed from the anterior to posterior of the septum, the QS notch (-) type in lead I shifted through rs to R, while a shift from R type to rR' or Rr' was noted in leads II and III. As the pacing sites changed from the anterior to posterior of the free wall, lead I showed a shift from the QS notch (+) type to R, while a shift from rR' to Rr' (or rR' unchanged) was found in leads II and III. The depth of the QS wave in leads aVR and aVL showed a tendency for aVR to be deeper than aVL toward the posterolateral attachment of both the septum and free wall, whereas aVL tended to be deeper than aVR toward the anterior attachment. The initial r waves in V1 and V2 became greater as the pacing site was positioned at a higher or more posterior location. These findings may provide more precise and clinically useful diagnostic information on the site of the origin of idiopathic VT originating from the RVOT by a 12-lead ECG.

Molecular cloning and characterization of human Frizzled-4 on chromosome 11q14-q21

The WNT receptors, encoded by the Frizzled genes, are implicated in a variety of cellular processes such as cell fate determination, cell polarity control, and malignant transformation. Human Frizzled-4 (FZD4) cDNAs have been cloned and characterized. FZD4 spans a total of 7392 nucleotides and encodes a 537-amino-acid protein with the N-terminal cysteine-rich domain, seven transmembrane domains, and the C-terminal S/T-X-V motif. The FZD4 mRNA of 7.7 kb in size were detected almost ubiquitously in normal human tissues and larger amounts in fetal kidney, adult heart, skeletal muscle, and ovary. Among cancer cell lines, the FZD4 mRNA level was higher in HeLa S3. The FZD4 gene has been mapped to human chromosome 11q14-q21. FZD4 is homologous to FZD9 and FZD10, and overall amino acid identity is as follows: FZD4 vs FZD9, 51.6%; FZD4 vs FZD10, 51.2%; FZD9 vs FZD10, 65.7%. FZD4 consists of two exons, while FZD9 and FZD10 consist of a single exon. FZD4 might belong to rather the independent FZD subfamily than the FZD9-FZD10 subfamily.

Role of human Cds1 (Chk2) kinase in DNA damage checkpoint and its regulation by p53

In response to DNA damage, mammalian cells adopt checkpoint regulation, by phosphorylation and stabilization of p53, to delay cell cycle progression. However, most cancer cells that lack functional p53 retain an unknown checkpoint mechanism(s) by which cells are arrested at the G(2)/M phase. Here we demonstrate that a human homolog of Cds1/Rad53 kinase (hCds1) is rapidly phosphorylated and activated in response to DNA damage not only in normal cells but in cancer cells lacking functional p53. A survey of various cancer cell lines revealed that the expression level of hCds1 mRNA is inversely related to the presence of functional p53. In addition, transfection of normal human fibroblasts with SV40 T antigen or human papilloma viruses E6 or E7 causes a marked induction of hCds1 mRNA, and the introduction of functional p53 into SV40 T antigen- and E6-, but not E7-, transfected cells decreases the hCds1 level, suggesting that p53 negatively regulates the expression of hCds1. In cells without functional ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) protein, phosphorylation and activation of hCds1 were observed in response to DNA damage induced by UV but not by ionizing irradiation. These results suggest that hCds1 is activated through an ATM-dependent as well as -independent pathway and that it may complement the function of p53 in DNA damage checkpoints in mammalian cells.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel cbl-family gene, cbl-c

We have cloned a novel gene, cbl-c, of mammalian cbl-family. The cbl-c gene is predicted to encode a protein of 52 kDa that has a phosphotyrosine-binding domain, a RING finger and a proline-rich region. Cbl-c shows 50% homology to the amino-terminal sequences of Cbl and Cbl-b, but a sequence corresponding to the carboxy-terminal half of Cbl and Cbl-b is largely missing in Cbl-c. The expression of cbl-c mRNA is distinct from that of cbl and cbl-b mRNAs, being high in the colon and small intestine, but undetectable in brain and lymphoid tissues. The cbl-c gene is mapped in 19q13.2-13.3. Finally, the 52 kDa Cbl-c protein binds to the EGF receptor and Fyn tyrosine kinase. We conclude that Cbl-c is a novel Cbl-family adaptor protein that would regulate intracellular signaling mediated by various tyrosine kinases.

Developmentally-regulated expression of mNapor encoding an apoptosis-induced ELAV-type RNA binding protein

Proteins with RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) participate in many aspects of RNA metabolism, and some of them are required for the accomplishment of normal development. The neuroblastoma apoptosis-related RNA binding protein (NAPOR) is an ELAV-type RNA-binding protein with three characteristic RNP2/RNP1-type RRMs, which we identified as a gene induced during apoptosis of neuroblastoma cells. Here we isolated and characterized the cDNA for mNapor, the mouse homolog of NAPOR. The mNapor encodes mRNA sharing striking homology with that of NAPOR, not only in its open reading frame (98.5%) but also in the 3'-untranslated region (80.1%), and is mapped to chromosome 2 A2-A3, a region syntenic to the human NAPOR locus. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that the expression pattern of mNapor is spatially and temporally coincident with the occurrence of programmed cell death, suggesting its involvement in the development of the central nervous system in which apoptosis plays a crucial role.

Oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA and its relationship to diabetic complications

Increased oxidative stress induced by hyperglycemia may contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. Oxidative stress is known to increase the conversion of deoxyguanosine (dG) to 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in DNA, which is linked to increased mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletions. We investigated mtDNA deletions and 8-OHdG in the muscle DNA of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients. mtDNA deletion of 4977 bp (delta mtDNA4977) and the content of 8-OHdG in the muscle DNA of the NIDDM patients were much higher than those of the control subjects. There was a significant correlation between delta mtDNA4977 and the 8-OHdG content (P < 0.0001). Both delta mtDNA4977 and the 8-OHdG content were also correlated with the duration of diabetes. Delta mtDNA4977 and the 8-OHdG content in muscle DNA increased in proportion to the severity of diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy. This is the first report that an increase in delta mtDNA4977 and 8-OHdG is proportional to the severity of diabetic complications. Oxidative mtDNA damage is speculated to contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic complications though a defect in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation or other mechanisms. 8-OHdG and delta mtDNA4977 are useful markers to evaluate oxidative mtDNA damage in the diabetic patients.

[Clinical outcome of an anticancer agent screening test with primary culture cells]

Cancer cells are tested for sensitivity to anticancer agents before the drugs are used for treatment in clinical settings, but the results of these tests have not always been reported fully. Since 1973, one of the authors (Hirono) has been performing sensitivity tests of anticancer drugs by using primary culture cells derived from human cancer tissue, taking into account in vivo status and taking great care to reduce the number of procedural errors. From 1991, flow cytometry has also been adopted for use in anticancer drug sensitivity tests. In the present study, the outcomes of cancer patients were compared by dividing them into a group treated only with anticancer agents to which cancer cells had responded in sensitivity tests, and a group treated with other drugs. The subjects consisted of 132 patients with endometrial cancer stage III (n = 26) and IV (n = 10), ovarian cancer stage III (n = 26) and IV (n = 7), peritonitis carcinomatosa (n = 18), and suspected advanced ovarian cancer (n = 45). There was a significant prolongation in median survival time and survival time among the non-survivors according to the results of a Kaplan-Meier analysis. These findings suggest that sensitivity testing of cancer cells to anticancer drugs should be performed before the start of cancer chemotherapy in the clinical setting.

Gains of 1q21-q22 and 13q12-q14 are potential indicators for resistance to cisplatin-based chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients

The mechanism of drug resistance in ovarian cancer is multifactorial, and accumulation of multiple genetic changes may lead to the drug-resistant phenotype. In our attempt to find characteristic genetic changes in drug-resistant tumors, we screened the whole genome for gene aberrations in 28 primary ovarian cancers using the comparative genomic hybridization method. These cancers included 14 tumors from patients who did not respond to cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy and 14 tumors from patients who had complete response to the chemotherapy. We found gains in chromosomal regions 1q21-q22 and 13q12-q14 to be related to the drug-resistant phenotype in ovarian cancer patients. Several genes encoding transcription factors, oncogenes, cell cycle regulators, and regulators of the apoptotic pathway are located on these regions of the chromosomes, and these genes are potential modulators for toxic insults in cancer cells. This is the first report that shows the relationship between certain genomic aberrations and clinical resistance to cisplatin-based chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients based on the comparative genomic hybridization analysis. Present findings suggest that these chromosomal gains may be potential indicators for prediction of resistance in ovarian cancer patients before cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

The genes degQ, pps, and lpa-8 (sfp) are responsible for conversion of Bacillus subtilis 168 to plipastatin production

Bacillus subtilis YB8 produces the lipopeptide antibiotic plipastatin. B. subtilis MI113, which is a derivative of strain 168, was converted into a new plipastatin producer, strain 406, by competence transformation with the chromosomal DNA of YB8. Transposon mini-Tn10 insertional mutagenesis was applied to strain 406, which revealed that lpa-8 (sfp) (encoding 4'-phosphopantetheinyl transferase) and the pps operon (located between 167 and 171 degrees ) are essential for plipastatin production. The pps operon was previously suggested to encode putative peptide synthetases (A. Tognoni, E. Franchi, C. Magistrelli, E. Colombo, P. Cosmina, and G. Grandi, Microbiology 141:645-648, 1995) and was thought to be the fengycin operon (V. Tosato, A. M. Albertini, M. Zotti, S. Sonda, and C. V. Bruschi, Microbiology 143:3443-3450, 1997). We claim that the pps operon is the pli operon, encoding plipastatin synthetase. By using a new high-performance liquid chromatography system, we revealed that strain 168 expressing only lpa-8 can also produce plipastatin, although the yield is very low. However, the introduction of the pleiotropic regulator degQ of strain YB8 into strain 168 expressing lpa-8 resulted in a 10-fold increase in the production of plipastatin.

Molecular cloning of Frizzled-10, a novel member of the Frizzled gene family

The Frizzled genes encode WNT receptors. Frizzled-10 (FZD10), a novel member of the Frizzled gene family, has been cloned and characterized. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that human FZD10 gene encodes a seven-transmembrane-receptor of 581 amino acids, with the N-terminal cysteine-rich domain and the C-terminal Ser/Thr-Xxx-Val motif. Larger amounts of FZD10 mRNA, 4.0 kb in size, were detected in the placenta and fetal kidney, followed by fetal lung and brain. In adult brain, FZD10 mRNA was abundant in the cerebellum. Among cancer cell lines, FZD10 was highly expressed in a cervical cancer cell line, HeLa S3, and moderately in a colon cancer cell line, SW480. The FZD10 gene was mapped to human chromosome 12q24.33. FZD10 shares 65.7% amino-acid identity with Frizzled-9 (FZD9). FZD10 and FZD9 constitute a subfamily among the Frizzled genes.

Genomic structure and chromosome location of RPL27A/Rpl27a, the genes encoding human and mouse ribosomal protein L27A

The intron-containing genes encoding human and mouse ribosomal protein (r-protein) L27A were cloned and sequenced. The human r-protein L27A gene (RPL27A) shared an identical exon/intron structure with the mouse r-protein 27A gene (Rpl27a). The translational start codon ATG was separated from the main reading frame by the first intron sequence in both genes. An approximately 200-bp sequence upstream of the translational start site of both genes displayed remarkable similarity, and contained the putative promoters lacking canonical TATA, but harbored Sp1 binding sites and a short stretch of pyrimidine cluster, similar to other r-protein genes. Transcriptional regulatory elements, Box-A and GABP, found in the promoters of some other r-protein genes were also conserved in both genes. These structural features were included in the typical CpG island identified in the 5'-end sequences, suggesting that RPL27A/Rpl27a cloned here are authentic and transcriptionally active. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis localized the mouse intron-containing Rpl27a to chromosome 7E2-F1 syntenic to human chromosome 11p15, where human RPL27A was located.

[A case report of concomitant operation of minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass and left lower lobectomy]

A 72-year-old man was admitted complaining of laryngeal discomfort. A coronary angiogram showed a total occlusion of the LAD, a 90% stenosis of the 1st diagonal branch and well-developed collaterals from the LCX to the LAD. A chest X-ray showed a consolidation with unclear border at the left hilus of the lung. A lung biopsy through the bronchus revealed an adenocarcinoma of the left lower lung. He underwent a concomitant CABG operation without a cardiopulmonary bypass and a left lower lobectomy with lymph node dissection. The CABG was performed by left anterior small thoracotomy in the supine position and the lobectomy was performed by left posterolateral thoracotomy in the right lateral position. An intraoperative postural conversion was useful to obtain a good field in each operation and to prevent hemodynamic deterioration due to heart compression.

The effect of posture and exercise on elastic stocking compression at different sites of the leg

BACKGROUND

In compression therapy, the importance of the degree of pressure has been emphasized. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of posture and exercise on the compression at different sites of the leg.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In 16 normal volunteers, the pressure was determined simultaneously at 5 sites on the leg during lying, sitting, standing, walking, running, knee-bending exercise and squatting using an air pack type analyzer. Pressure was measured under 3 experimental conditions: with a thigh-length gradient stocking, with foam rubber pads included under the elastic stocking, and after removal of both elastic stocking and compression pads.

RESULTS

When the stocking was worn, a pressure gradient was observed in the proximal direction during the sequence from the supine position to running. When the pads were included, the pressure in the supine position was significantly elevated at all sites examined, and the graduated pressure drop was also maintained from supine position to running. However, the pressure at the tibia was significantly higher than that at the gastrocnemius in both supine and sitting positions when the pads were used, while no significant difference was observed between both sites in the standing position. A marked increase in pressure at the ankle, gastrocnemius, and hollow of the knee was observed during squatting when the stocking was worn either with or without pads, while a significant decrease in pressure was observed at the tibia.

CONCLUSION

The pressure exerted by elastic stockings varies with the posture and exercise. Furthermore, the changes in pressure vary from site to site.

Prognostic factors relating to survival in uterine endometrioid carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Epidemiologic and clinicohistopathologic prognostic factors of uterine endometrioid carcinomas were analyzed. The association of estrogen related factors, focused on adenomyosis in the prognosis of endometrioid carcinomas was also examined.

METHODS

Risk factors of surgically treated 286 patients with endometrioid carcinoma (Stage I-III) were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

Overall a recurrence-free 5-year survival rate was 81% (Stage I, 94%, Stage II, 71% and Stage III, 40%). Significant prognostic factors were lymph node metastases (P = 0.0035) and serosal/parametrial invasion (P = 0.014) by multivariate analysis. Endometrioid carcinomas with co-existing adenomyosis tend to be associated with endometrial hyperplasia (P = 0.04, Fisher's exact test), diagnosed in less invasive status (myometrial invasion, P = 0.004 and serosal/parametrial invasion, P = 0.006) and therefore have a favorable prognosis (P = 0.01, log rank test).

CONCLUSIONS

A favorable prognosis of endometrioid carcinomas with co-existing estrogen related factors (adenomyosis and endometrial hyperplasia) was suggested.

Oxidative DNA damage in diabetes mellitus: its association with diabetic complications

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

Augmented oxidative stress induced by hyperglycaemia possibly contributes to the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. Oxidative stress is known to increase the conversion of deoxyguanosine to 8-oxo, 2'-deoxyguanosine in DNA. To investigate the possible contribution of oxidative DNA damage to the pathogenesis of diabetic complications, we measured the content of 8-oxo, 2'-deoxyguanosine in the urine and the blood mononuclear cells of Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients.

METHODS

We studied 53 Type II diabetic patients and 39 age-matched healthy control subjects. We assayed 8-oxo, 2'-deoxyguanosine by HPLC-electrochemical detection method.

RESULTS

The content of 8-oxo, 2'-deoxyguanosine in the urine and the mononuclear cells of the Type II diabetic patients was much higher than that of the control subjects. Urinary 8-oxo, 2'-deoxyguanosine excretion and the 8-oxo, 2'-deoxyguanosine content in the mononuclear cells from the diabetic patients with complications were higher than those from the diabetic patients without complications. Urinary excretion of 8-oxo, 2'-deoxyguanosine was significantly correlated with the 8-oxo, 2'-deoxyguanosine content in the mononuclear cells. The 8-oxo, 2'-deoxyguanosine content in the urine and mononuclear cells was correlated with the haemoglobin A1c value.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

This is the first report of a direct association between oxidative DNA damage and the complications of diabetes. The augmented oxidative DNA damage in diabetes is speculated to contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic complications.

1q23 gain is associated with progressive neuroblastoma resistant to aggressive treatment

Neuroblastoma is one of the most common malignant tumors of childhood and is characterized by regressive and progressive disease. Genetic factors that define progression of neuroblastomas are still unknown. We performed comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) on 27 neuroblastomas and dual-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to identify genetic aberrations associated with progressive neuroblastoma showing resistance to aggressive treatment. 17q21-q25 gains and MYCN amplification were associated with stage 4 neuroblastomas; however, these genetic aberrations had no significant relation to the progression of stage 4 neuroblastomas. A novel chromosomal gain at 1q21-q25 was found in 8 of 16 cases (50%) of stage 4 neuroblastoma. Gain of 1q21-q25 was observed in all of the progressive cases (8/8), which showed resistance to chemotherapy, including 5 fatal neuroblastomas in stage 4, whereas 1q21-q25 gain was not found in any of the 8 remission cases in stage 4. Survival analysis also showed that 1q21-q25 gain was associated with a poor outcome. High xenotransplantability in nude mice was observed for the tumors with 1q21-q25 gain (4/5; 80%). These data show that 1q21-q25 gain is strongly associated with progression of stage 4 neuroblastoma. Furthermore, by dual-color FISH analysis using cosmid clones, the 1q21-q25 gain was narrowed to increase in DNA copy number on 1q23 in the fatal type of stage 4 neuroblastoma showing this gain. These results suggest that DNA amplification at 1q23 may play a role in the development of progressive neuroblastoma in an advanced stage.

A neuropathological study of dementia in nursing homes in Shimane prefecture, Japan: evaluation of the age and gender effect

BACKGROUND

Vascular dementia (VD) has been held responsible for the majority of all dementia cases in both epidemiological and neuropathological studies in Japan. The aim of this study was to clarify relative frequencies of dementia neuropathologically in Japanese nursing home residents over a 17-year period and to clarify the gender and age effect on the relative frequencies.

METHODS

Three hundred ten aged nursing home residents (146 men and 164 women), including dementia cases in Shimane prefecture, Japan, were evaluated clinically and neuropathologically over a period of 17 years.

RESULTS

One hundred twenty-two (48 men and 74 women) of the 310 autopsied (39%) had shown signs of dementia during their lives. In classifying dementia type, Alzheimer's disease (AD) accounted for 34% (41); VD 35% (42); mixed dementia 11% (14); and "other" dementia 20% (25) of all samples. As to the gender and age effect, the most characteristic findings were as follows: (a) There were only VD cases in the 57-69-year-old group; (b) the 70-79 male age group lacked any cases with only AD; (c) more AD than VD was found in elderly men; and (d) in women, AD was the major cause of dementia in total.

CONCLUSIONS

VD is responsible for the major cause of dementia in the younger women and the men under 90 years of age; AD is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly men and the women over 79 years of age in nursing homes, Shimane prefecture, Japan.

Inverse relation of body-surface activation-recovery interval and recovery time to activation time in normal subjects: stronger correlation and more heterogeneous distribution in activation-recovery interval than in recovery time

The activation-recovery interval (ARI), measured directly from the myocardium, has shown a good correlation with the action potential duration (APD) in experiments. APD has been reported to be inversely related to the activation time (AT). However, no studies have examined the correlation between the body-surface ARI and AT in normal subjects. Fifty normal subjects (25 men and 25 women) were studied to elucidate the relationship between the body-surface ARI and AT. The body-surface AT was defined as the duration between the QRS onset and the minimum dV/dt of the QRS wave, and ARI as the interval between the minimum dV/dt of the QRS wave and the maximum dV/dt of the T wave in each lead of an 87 unipolar lead system. We also measured the recovery time (RT) defined as the duration between the QRS onset and the maximum dV/dt of the T wave. ARI was inversely correlated with AT (r = -0.73). RT was also inversely correlated with AT (r = -0.61), however, RT had a less heterogeneous distribution than ARI (148 ms vs 159 ms). There were no differences between male and female subjects in the relation between ARI and RT or in the body-surface distribution of ARI and RT. These findings suggest that the body-surface ARI may reflect recovery properties over the cardiac surface and that APD may distribute inhomogeneously over the human cardiac surface with a longer RT over an area with a shorter AT. ARI calculated from body-surface ECG may be a useful noninvasive and repeatedly measurable estimate of APD.

Reversibility and hierarchy of thermal transition of hen egg-white lysozyme studied by small-angle x-ray scattering

To clarify mechanisms of folding and unfolding of proteins, many studies of thermal denaturation of proteins have been carried out at low protein concentrations because in many cases thermal denaturation accompanies a great tendency of aggregation. As small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements are liable to use low-concentration solutions of proteins to avoid aggregation, SAXS has been regarded as very difficult to observe detailed features of thermal structural transitions such as intramolecular structural changes. By using synchrotron radiation SAXS, we have found that the presence of repulsive interparticle interaction between proteins can maintain solute particles separately to prevent further aggregation in thermal denaturation processes and that under such conditions the thermal structural transition of hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL) holds high reversibility even at 5% w/v HEWL below pH approximately 5. Because of the use of the high concentration of the solutions, the scattering data has enough high-statistical accuracy to discuss the thermal structural transition depending on the structural hierarchy. Thus, the tertiary structural change of HEWL starts from mostly the onset temperature determined by the differential scanning calorimetry measurement, which accompanies a large heat absorption, whereas the intramolecular structural change, corresponding to the interdomain correlation and polypeptide chain arrangement, starts much prior to the above main transition. The present finding of the reversible thermal structural transitions at the high protein concentration is expected to enable us to analyze multiplicity of folding and unfolding processes of proteins in thermal structural transitions.

[A case of esophageal cancer with excellent response to oral UFT treatment]

The patient was an 83-year-old Japanese male with the chief complaint of difficulty in swallowing. On Feb. 24, 1997, he was referred to our hospital under suspicion of esophageal cancer. X-P revealed an image of a protrusion at Im-Iu having a long diameter of 6 cm. Endoscopy revealed that the esophageal lumen was nearly completely obstructed due to the presence of an irregularly-shaped tumor. The pathological finding of biopsized specimen was a squamous cell carcinoma. Thus, this case was diagnosed as esophageal cancer, but surgery was deemed inappropriate due to the patient's advanced age. Accordingly, on March 12, treatment was started with oral administration of UFT-E granules (Tegafur, 450 mg/day). Initially, the patient was unable to ingest even liquids, but beginning around May the blockage of the esophagus disappeared. Endoscopic examination performed in June revealed that the tumor had shrunk to a about 1 cm in diameter. Although tumor tissue remained, the tumor was observed to have undergone further reduction in size at 6 months after the start of chemotherapy. Moreover, the patient gained weight. This is considered to be a very rare case of an excellent response of esophageal cancer to oral administration of only UFT agents.

Sudden death in the working population: a collaborative study in central Japan

AIM

Few epidemiological data are available describing the sudden death of persons in their prime. This study aims to elucidate when and how sudden death occurs among employees.

METHODS

A total of 196775 employees from 10 workplaces in Central Japan were surveyed for non-traumatic sudden death during 1989-1995. Demographic data and information regarding onset were collected by their workplace healthcare professionals.

RESULTS

We identified 251 male and 13 female cases of sudden death. The annual incidence was 21.9 (for men) and 5.7 (for women) per 100000 population. Sudden death occurred more frequently in April when the new business year starts (risk ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.62 [0.94-2.79]) than in other months, without seasonality. Sudden death peaked on Sundays (risk ratio, 1.90 [1.20-2.99]) and Saturdays (risk ratio, 1.36 [0.83-2.21]) as compared with weekdays, and was likely to occur in the small hours (risk ratio, 1.71 [0.94-3.10] at 00-0300 h and 1.47 [0.79-2.72] at 0300-0600 h vs at 0900-1200 h. Only 17% of employees died at work, which was significantly less than expected (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

These findings differed from those of elderly people and suggest that sudden death of persons in their prime is related to occupational stress and its relief.

Effect of age on urinary excretion of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase

To examine the relationship between the concentrations of urinary NAG and age, we measured ratios of urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) to urinary creatinine (NAG index) in 137 healthy subjects, aged from 19 to 88 years. The study is also designed to evaluate the relationship between urinary NAG and blood pressure. The subjects were divided into 7 subgroups, according to their age (< 30, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80 or more years). There was a positive correlation between NAG index and age (r = 0.36; P < 0.001). The regression equation relating NAG index (y) to age (x) was y = 0.065x + 0.97. The mean NAG indexes for the 7 subgroups divided by age were significantly different (P < 0.01). There was a positive correlation between NAG index and systolic blood pressure (r = 0.18; P < 0.05), but was not between diastolic blood pressure and NAG index. In multiple regression analysis, age and BUN significantly correlated with NAG index (r = 0.32; P < 0.01, r = 3.3; P = 0.07, respectively), although there was no correlation between systolic blood pressure and NAG index. This cross-sectional study showed a clear elevation in NAG index with age. The rate of elevation was 0.65 per decade. Urinary excretion of NAG may be unrelated to blood pressure.

The prevalence of mitochondrial gene mutations in childhood diabetes in Japan

To investigate the prevalence of mitochondrial DNA mutations among Japanese children with IDDM as well as in those with NIDDM, a total of 155 patients with IDDM and 30 patients with NIDDM who were younger than 15 years of age at onset were studied for the following mtDNA mutations: 1) the A-->G mutation at position 3243 of mitochondrial leucine transfer RNA (3243 mutation); 2) the G-->A mutation at position 3316 of mitochondrial leucine transfer RNA (3316 mutation), and 3) The T-->C mutation at position 3394 of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit (3394 mutation). None of the 155 IDDM patients had the 3243 mutation. Although two of the 155 IDDM patients had homoplasmy of 3316 and five had 3394 mutations, these frequencies were not significant compared with healthy controls. None of the 30 NIDDM patients had the 3243, 3316 or 3394 mutation. The presence of these mutations even in control subjects suggests that the effect of the 3316 or 3394 mutation on mitochondrial function is relatively mild. It seems that 3316 and 3394 mutations contribute to the manifestation of diabetes together with other genetic and/or environmental factors.

L-galactono-gamma-lactone dehydrogenase from sweet potato: purification and cDNA sequence analysis

L-Galactono-gamma-lactone dehydrogenase (EC 1.3.2.3, GLDHase) was partially purified from mitochondria of sweet potato tuberous roots over 600-fold on a specific activity basis, followed by purification of the enzyme protein of 56 kDa by a preparative SDS-PAGE. The absorption spectrum of the hydroxylapatite column-purified GLDH-ase showed peaks at 448 and 373 nm, suggesting the presence of flavin as a prosthetic group. The activity of GLDH-ase was inhibited by lycorine, an alkaloid which inhibits ascorbic acid biosynthesis in vivo. N-terminal partial sequences of four internal polypeptides generated by partial digestion of GLDHase with V8 protease were determined. The deduced nucleotide sequences were used to amplify a cDNA fragment of the GLDHase gene. The clone encoded a polypeptide of 581 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 66 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 77% identity with that of cauliflower GLDHase, and significant homology to those of L-gulono-gamma-lactone oxidase (22% identity) from rat and L-galactono-gamma-lactone oxidase from yeast (17% identity), which are enzymes involved in L-ascorbic acid biosynthesis in these organisms. The absorption spectrum and cDNA sequence suggested that the flavin group bound noncovalently. We conclude that GLDHase, L-gulono-gamma-lactone oxidase and L-galactono-gamma-lactone oxidase are homologous in spite of the difference in substrates and electron acceptors. Genomic Southern analysis suggested that GLDHase gene exists as a single copy in the genome of sweet potato.

Staged reperfusion preserves the coronary flow reserve, especially in the regions not severely damaged by ischemic injury in the canine heart

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of staged reperfusion on the progressive reduction in coronary blood flow (CBF) and coronary flow reserve during reperfusion and on the infarct size in the canine heart. Fifteen dogs underwent 90 min of left circumflex coronary artery occlusion and 3 hr of reperfusion. In the abrupt reperfusion group, the occluder was released completely at the initiation of reperfusion. In the staged reperfusion group, CBF was maintained at 20% of preocclusion values for 10 min after initiation of reperfusion, then gradually released, and completely released 20 min after initiation of reperfusion. There was no significant difference in CBF between the staged (n = seven) and abrupt (n = eight) groups after 3 hr of reperfusion. The repayment of flow debt in the staged reperfusion group was significantly greater than in the abrupt reperfusion group after 3 hr of reperfusion (260+/-120% vs 100+/-60%, staged vs abrupt at 3 hr, p < 0.03). The ratio of peak reactive hyperemic flow to resting flow in the staged reperfusion group was significantly greater than in the abrupt reperfusion group throughout the reperfusion phase (4.4+/-1.0 vs 2.6+/-0.6 at 3 hr, p < 0.001), and had returned to the preocclusion values after 3 hr of reperfusion. This preservation of the coronary flow reserve in the staged reperfusion group was observed in the epicardium (4.1+/-0.6 vs 2.8+/-0.7, staged vs abrupt at 3 hr, p < 0.01), but not in the endocardium or midmyocardium. Infarct size did not differ significantly between the two groups. Staged reperfusion in this study did not appear to attenuate the reduction of CBF, or to reduce infarct size, however preserved the coronary flow reserve, especially in the regions not severely damaged by ischemic injury.

Expression of alpha-fetoprotein and prostate-specific antigen genes in several tissues and detection of mRNAs in normal circulating blood by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction

BACKGROUND

alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in serum are widely used as tumor markers in the evaluation of prognosis and management of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and prostate cancer, respectively. To establish the molecular diagnosis of cancer, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for AFP and PSA was used to identify circulating cancer cells in the blood of cancer patients. Here, we examined the tissue-specificity of AFP and PSA and tested whether AFP and PSA are suitable targets in the detection of certain cancer cells by RT-PCR using peripheral blood samples.

METHODS

Tissue specificity of AFP and PSA was analyzed by Northern blotting and RT-PCR. Probes for AFP and PSA were hybridized with poly A+ RNAs from 50 human tissues. RT-PCR for AFP and PSA mRNA was performed using several cancerous tissues and normal tissues and peripheral blood cells from seven healthy volunteers.

RESULTS

Broad expression of AFP was observed in several tissues and a large amount of AFP mRNA was found in fetal liver. PSA was expressed in prostate, salivary gland, pancreas and uterus. By RT-PCR, AFP and PSA mRNA were detected in several tumors, including salivary pleomorphic adenoma, hilar bile duct carcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma, transitional cell carcinoma of urinary bladder and thyroid papillary carcinoma. Furthermore, AFP and PSA mRNAs were frequently detected by RT-PCR, even in peripheral blood cells from healthy volunteers.

CONCLUSIONS

Neither AFP nor PSA showed tissue-specific expression. AFP and PSA mRNA were detected in several diseased and non-diseased tissues and normal circulating blood by RT-PCR.

Cloning and mapping of ZNF231, a novel brain-specific gene encoding neuronal double zinc finger protein whose expression is enhanced in a neurodegenerative disorder, multiple system atrophy (MSA)

A novel brain-specific gene, neuronal double zinc finger protein (ZNF231), was cloned and mapped. We used the high-density cDNA filter method to analyze the gene-expression profile in brains with multiple system atrophy (MSA). MSA is a sporadic progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized clinically by cerebellar symptoms, parkinsonism, autonomic dysfunction, or their various combinations, but its pathogenesis has yet to be clarified. In total, 8300 cDNA clones were screened, and a novel gene, ZNF231, was identified, whose expression was elevated in cerebella of patients with MSA. Its transcript is approximately 16 kb long and encodes an open reading frame of 3926 amino acid residues that has several interesting motifs; two glycine-proline dipeptide repeats (aa 22-32 and aa 61-74), a pair of homologous C8 double zinc finger motifs (aa 169-226 and aa 465-521), a leucine zipper motif (aa 561-582), a SH3 domain-binding motif (aa 825-831), two nuclear targeting signals (aa 1011-1028 and aa 1071-1091), two glutamine-rich domains (aa 2428-2473 and aa 3775-3804), and a histidine-rich domain (aa 3597-3682). These features suggest that the new gene encodes a nuclear protein or transcription regulator. Northern blot and RT-PCR analyses showed that its expression is specific to the brain and apparently restricted to the neurons. Elevation of ZNF231 expression may be involved in the pathogenesis of multiple system atrophy. The gene for ZNF231 is located on chromosome 3p21.

Molecular cloning, differential expression, and chromosomal localization of human frizzled-1, frizzled-2, and frizzled-7

cDNAs for three human Wnt receptors, Frizzled-1 (FZD1), Frizzled-2 (FZD2), and Frizzled-7 (FZD7), have now been cloned and characterized. The FZD1, FZD2, and FZD7 genes encode the 647-, 565-, and 574-amino-acid proteins, respectively. FZD1, FZD2, and FZD7 share a common structure consisting of seven transmembrane domains, a cysteine-rich domain in the N-terminal extracellular region, and the C-terminal Ser/Thr-Xxx-Val motif. Relatively large amounts of FZD 1 mRNA, 4.5 kb in size, were detected in adult heart, placenta, lung, kidney, pancreas, prostate, and ovary and in fetal lung and kidney. FZD2 mRNAs 4.0 and 2.4 kb in size were detected in adult heart, fetal brain, lung, and kidney. The level of FZD7 mRNAs 5.0 and 4.0 kb in size was high in adult skeletal muscle and fetal kidney, followed by fetal lung, adult heart, brain, and placenta. The FZD1 and FZD7 genes have been mapped to human chromosome 7q21 and 2q33, respectively.

Change in erythrocyte shape induced by cyclosporine administration

In order to estimate the effect of the long term administration of cyclosporine (CsA) on the shape change of erythrocytes, erythrocyte shapes which are observed with a scanning electron microscope were classified according to the nomenclature of Bessis for stomatocyte-echinocyte shape transformation. As a result of observing the erythrocyte shape of fifty-six patients with kidney transplantation treated with CsA, the morphological index of the erythrocytes of patients significantly increased to 0.0835+/-0.0085*** in comparison with 0.0004+/-0.0051 of those from healthy volunteers (control) (***: p<0.001, ANOVA). Such transformations had no relation to the subjects' sex or age. On the other hand, the erythrocytes of patients administered more than 100 ng/ml of CsA and posttransplanted within less than two years were transformed by CsA from the state of discocyte to echinocyte. In rats, the morphological index of erythrocytes of rats treated with 3 mg/kg/d or 5 mg/kg/d of CsA significantly increased in comparison with rats treated with saline (control). Furthermore, the erythrocytes of two patients were observed in terms of shape before the treatment with CsA. In both patients, the echinocyte type of erythrocyte increased by treatment with CsA. In vitro, the morphological index of the erythrocytes incubated with plasma containing CsA significantly increased, to 0.459+/-0.066*** in comparison with 0.064+/-0.029 of the control. It is suggested from these results that CsA treatment induces the echinocyte type of erythrocyte.

Comparison in the interface pressure under self-adherent and non-self-adherent bandages during standing and exercise

BACKGROUND

Self-adherent bandages are useful to prevent the bandage from becoming loose. However, the material binds tightly to itself to form a tight band, which may result in changes in interface pressure under the bandages during changes in posture and exercise, because the pressure depends on the elasticity of the bandages. The aim of this study was to compare the interface pressures under self-adherent and non-self adherent bandages while standing and during exercise.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In 20 normal volunteers the pressure was determined at the posteromedial area of the midcalf during lying, standing, tip-toe exercise and walking, using an Air Pack Type Analyzer. We examined two kinds of bandages with a maximal tension of 70%, self-adherent and non-self-adherent bandages.

RESULTS

There was no significant increase in pressure observed during standing in comparison with pressure in the supine position immediately after application. A significant increase in pressure under both bandages was observed during tip-toe exercise and walking. However, there was no significant difference in pressure during standing or exercise between self-adherent and non-self-adherent bandages. Furthermore, there was no significant pressure difference between muscle contraction and relaxation between the two bandages.

CONCLUSION

Self-adherent bandages can maintain their own elasticity, even when the material binds tightly to itself.