Functional analyses of the skin surface of the areola mammae: comparison between healthy adult male and female subjects and between healthy individuals and patients with atopic dermatitis

BACKGROUND

Although the nipple and areola of the breast constitute a unique and prominent area on the chest, so far no study has been done on the functional properties of their skin surfaces.

OBJECTIVE

To study the stratum corneum (SC) covering the areola using noninvasive methods.

METHODS

Eighteen adult healthy subjects comprising nine men and nine women and 18 age- and sex-matched patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), none of whom had visible skin lesions, participated in the study. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin surface hydration and skin surface lipid levels were measured on the areola and adjacent breast skin. The size of the skin surface corneocytes of these skin regions was assessed.

RESULTS

All the healthy subjects showed significantly higher TEWL accompanied by smaller sized corneocytes on the areola than on the adjacent breast skin. Only female subjects revealed a significantly higher skin surface hydration state together with significantly increased skin surface lipid levels on the areola than on the adjacent breast skin. These sex differences were observed even in patients with AD. Comparison between healthy individuals and the patients with AD demonstrated higher TEWL, decreased skin surface hydration state and lower skin surface lipid levels associated with smaller sized corneocytes in the areola in the patients with AD, especially in male patients.

CONCLUSIONS

In adults, the SC barrier function and SC water-binding capacity of the areola were functionally poorer than in the adjacent skin, being covered by smaller sized corneocytes and lower amounts of skin surface lipids, especially in men and in patients with AD.

Replicated association of 17q12-21 with susceptibility of primary biliary cirrhosis in a Japanese cohort

To examine the genetics of susceptibility to primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), genome-wide association studies GWAS have been performed in patients of European ancestry and have shown the significant associations of IL12-related pathways, SPIB, IRF5-TNPO3, and 17q12-21. We tested whether these findings could be extended to a Japanese cohort, 303 Japanese PBC and 298 controls. We failed to detect significant associations at IL12A (rs574808, rs1075498) and IL12RB2 (rs3790567). There was no genetic variance at IRF5-TNPO3 (rs10488631) in Japanese. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at SPIB (rs3745516) reached nominal significance, but the corrected P value did not reach significance. For the 17q12-21 region, two SNPs had nominally significant associations [GSDMB (rs2305480, P = 0.022) and ZPBP2 (rs11557467, P = 0.021)] and we noted a significant P value at a SNP in IKZF3 (rs939327, P = 0.0024, P(c) = 0.017) after correction for multiple comparisons. Thus, these results indicate a haplotype on 17q12-21 with a similar association in Japanese and European PBC.

Crystal Structure of Endohedral Metallofullerene La@C82

Since the success of synthesis the molecular structure of the endohedral metallofullerene is a most interesting subject in relation to the electronic state of metal and carbon cage. Highquality crystals of endohedral metallofullerene La@C82 have been synthesized by the arc discharge and HPLC method. The x-ray powder diffraction and the precession photograph of a tiny single crystal have revealed the cubic structure with the space group I43d and the lattice constant ao = 25.72 ± 0.007 Å at room temperature. The structure is characterized by the molecular arrangement in which the molecules align in the [111] direction with the molecular axis orienting in the same [111] direction; this structure suggests the existence of a dipole interaction between the molecules. The metal position in the cage is also discussed on the basis of an ellipsoidal model of molecule.

Sialadenoma papilliferum with potentially malignant features

Sialadenoma papilliferum (SP) is a benign non-invasive lesion with slow and limited growth. This report describes an unusual SP that enlarged rapidly and presented as an extensive intraoral tumour highly suspicious for verrucous carcinoma. Radiographic resorption of the underlying bone was evident in the mandible. This type of destructive growth does not conform to any previously reported SP. Histological features were also atypical: surface verrucous hyperplasia and deeper florid cystic-duct adenoma. Overall, the SP is likely to be considered a borderline lesion with malignant potential. Four published cases of malignancy associated with SP showed completely different clinical and pathological settings, further obfuscating the concept of malignant SP.

BUB3 that dissociates from BUB1 activates caspase-independent mitotic death (CIMD)

The cell death mechanism that prevents aneuploidy caused by a failure of the spindle checkpoint has recently emerged as an important regulatory paradigm. We previously identified a new type of mitotic cell death, termed caspase-independent mitotic death (CIMD), which is induced during early mitosis by partial BUB1 (a spindle checkpoint protein) depletion and defects in kinetochore-microtubule attachment. In this study, we have shown that survived cells that escape CIMD have abnormal nuclei, and we have determined the molecular mechanism by which BUB1 depletion activates CIMD. The BUB3 protein (a BUB1 interactor and a spindle checkpoint protein) interacts with p73 (a homolog of p53), specifically in cells wherein CIMD occurs. The BUB3 protein that is freed from BUB1 associates with p73 on which Y99 is phosphorylated by c-Abl tyrosine kinase, resulting in the activation of CIMD. These results strongly support the hypothesis that CIMD is the cell death mechanism protecting cells from aneuploidy by inducing the death of cells prone to substantial chromosome missegregation.

95 IN VITRO MATURATION AND FERTILIZATION OF OOCYTES FROM OVARIAN TISSUES CRYOPRESERVED AND XENOGRAFTED INTO NUDE MICE

Primordial follicles act as stores of ovarian follicles and are potential sources of oocytes for medical, agricultural, and zoological purposes. Ovarian xenografting seems to be advantageous for maturing the oocytes in primordial follicles (primordial oocytes) and useful for the conservation and reproduction of domestic or endangered animals. We have generated viable embryos from porcine primordial oocytes xenografted into nude mice (Kaneko et al. 2006 Reproduction). Xenografting of ovarian tissues after cryopreservation would be a very powerful tool for this purpose. Recently, Moniruzzaman et al. 2009 Theriogenology) reported that follicles were able to develop to the pre-antral stage in ovarian tissues after cryopreservation and xenografting, but that oocytes were not obtainable from them. In the present study, we vitrified the tissue after different immersion periods in a cryoprotectant, ethylene glycol (EG), and evaluated the possibility of oocyte collection, and also their maturation and fertilization abilities. Ovarian tissue from piglets approximately 20 days old was minced into cubes of about 1.0 to 2.0 mm. After equilibration in 4% EG in IVC-PyrLac (Kikuchi et al. 2002 Biol. Reprod.) as a base solution (BS) for 15 min, they were immersed in vitrification solution (35% EG, 5% polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and 0.3 M trehalose in BS) for 45 s or 7 min (45-s and 7-min immersion groups, respectively), then dropped with about 4 μL of vitrification solution into liquid nitrogen (LN2). After storage in LN2, microdroplets were transferred in warming solution (0.4 M trehalose in BS) at 37°C for 2 min, then consecutively transferred for 2-min periods into 0.2 M, 0.1 M, or 0.05 M trehalose in BS.As described previously (Kaneko et al. 2006 Reproduction), 20 to 30 pieces of tissue were grafted into kidney capsules of ovariectomized nude mice. The host mice were treated with porcine FSH (62.5 U mL-1 in osmotic pomp) for 12 days before assessment of the survival of the ovarian grafts. When antral follicles were evident in the grafts, oocytes were collected using a surgical blade. They were then matured and fertilized in vitro (Kikuchi et al. 2002 Biol. Reprod.). Ovaries containing antral follicles were obtained between 62 and 125 days after grafting from 6 out of 12 mice in the both 45-s and 7-min groups. When a total of 39 and 49 fully grown oocytes, respectively, had been collected from these groups and cultured, the maturation rates calculated on the basis of 1st polar body extrusion were 18% (7/39) and 33% (16/49), respectively. The corresponding rates for sperm-penetrated oocytes were 83% (5/6) and 88% (14/16), respectively. All the oocytes formed male and female pronuclei at 10 h after insemination. The rates in the 2 immersion groups did not differ significantly by chi-square test, with or without Yates’ correction. In conclusion, fully grown porcine oocytes can be collected from primordial follicles that have been cryopreserved and xenografted into nude mice. The period of immersion before vitrification may not affect oocyte maturation or fertilization ability.

130 EXPRESSION AND LOCALIZATION OF µ OPIOID RECEPTOR IN PORCINE PRE-IMPLANTATION EMBRYOS

Embryonic stem cells can become any tissue in the body, excluding a placenta. Growth factors, hormones, and neurotransmitters have been implicated in the regulation of their fate. Because various neural precursors express functional neurotransmitter receptors, as G-protein-coupled receptors, it is anticipated that they are involved in cell fate decisions. Moreover, a high level of endogenous opioids linked to G-protein-coupled receptor above all μ opioid receptors (MOR) has been shown to interfere with normal calcium metabolism and with the activity of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Thus it is very important to understand the possible influence of opioid activities in the regulation of stem cell fate. In this study we investigated the presence of MOR on porcine in vitro-produced embryos at one-cell, 4-cell, morula, and blastocyst stages by immunostaining. The COC were collected by aspiration, cultured in NCSU-37 medium supplemented with hormones for 20 to 22 h, and then in maturation medium without hormones for 24 h. After this time, COC were inseminated with frozen-thawed epididymal spermatozoa at the concentration of 10 × 5 sperm cells mL-1 for 3 h. After removal of cumulus cells, putative zygotes were cultured in IVC Pyr-Lac medium for the first 2 days and in IVC Glu medium until Day 6 (the day of IVF was defined as Day 0). Embryos at different stages were collected at 12, 36, 120, and 144 h post fertilization, and kept in 4% (v/v) paraformaldehyde until examination. All samples were washed and incubated for 30 min in PBS-1%BSA. Controls were incubated in PBS-1% BSA for 90 min, whereas embryos were incubated with a 1 : 2500 dilution of the primary rabbit antibody against the third extracellular loop of MOR. Prior to examination, all samples were washed in PBS and incubated with a FITC-conjugated anti rabbit IgG-secondary antibody diluted 1:200 in Evans Blue/PBS1x. Samples were visualized by laser scanning confocal microscope (Nikon). The immunofluorescence localize, by intense brilliant green, the presence of MOR on blastomers of all stage embryos examined, whereas the embryos of negative control did not show any fluorescent region or spotted coloring. Our results support specific implication of the opioid receptors in developmental process of porcine embryos. Their presence suggests a possible role of MOR in embryonic development. Thus it can be speculated that there is a role for MOR in controlling key events of the stem cell life. However, these primary results must be confirmed by the demonstration of protein expression (by Western blot) of MOR in the embryos and deeply studied to understand the exact functional role of MOR in them at this level. JSPS short-term scholarship.

126 DEVELOPMENT OF SINGLE BLASTOMERES DERIVED FROM PORCINE TWO-CELL EMBRYOS

Monozygotic mice and calves have been produced from demi-2-cell embryos (Wang K et al. 1997 J. Reprod. Dev. 43, 91-95; Tagawa M et al. 2008 Theriogenology 69, 574-82). These studies proved that single blastomeres of 2-cell embryos could still develop properly after being separated. However, such studies are very difficult to perform in pigs due to multiple pregnancies and relatively low success of embryo transfer. The production of genetically identical animals is very useful for animal husbandry, particularly to increase the number of progeny derived from genetically valuable parents. In the present study, we compared the developmental ability to the blastocysts and their quality in terms of total cell number and gene expression of blastomere pairs derived from 2-cell embryos (pair of blastomere for short). Evenly cleaved 2-cell embryos were collected during 24 to 30 h after IVF and IVM of follicular oocytes. They were split into pairs of single blastomeres by gentle pipetting after Pronase treatment for removal of zona pellucida. Blastomeres were then cultured separately in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) micro-wells. Embryos were cultured in IVC-PyrLac from Days 0 to 2 (Day 0 was defined as the day of IVF) and in IVC-Glu for next 4 days (Kikuchi K et al. 2002 Biol. Reprod. 66, 1033-1041). At Day 6, single blastocysts were collected for total cell number or gene expression analysis. Eight replications were performed for each analysis. Three genes chosen for real-time PCR were high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1); ATP synthase, H1 transporting, mitochondrial F1 (ATP5A1); and the small nuclear ribonuclear proteins (LSM2). These genes are considered as markers to identify embryos with high development competence (Withworth KM et al. 2005 Biol. Reprod. 72, 1437-1451). The expression levels were normalized to the housekeeping gene Tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein (YWHAG) using standard curve method. Assessment of 42 blastomere pairs at Day 6 showed that the percentages of the pairs developed to blastocysts (36.6 ± 5.3%) or degenerated (46.3 ± 10.3%) were significantly higher than those of the pairs in which one developed to blastocyst and the other degenerated (17.1 ± 7.8%, P < 0.05, 1-way ANOVA followed by Tukey test). Assessment of two blastocysts derived from one pair of blastomeres showed that one blastocyst (B#1) had better morphology than the other (B#2) in term of expansion and B#1s had significantly higher cell number (31.6 ± 2.9) than that of B#2s (19.1 ± 1.9; P < 0.05; 1-way ANOVA). Although the expression levels of ATP5A1, HMBG1, and LSM2 in B#1s (1.08 ± 0.37, 3.51 ± 1.01, and 2.63 ± 1.17, respectively) did not differ from those in B#2s (0.39 ± 0.13, 1.18 ± 0.38, and 1.68 ± 0.83, respectively), they tended to be higher in B#1s compared to B#2s (P < 0.1). In conclusion, blastomere pairs from the same origin had the same potential to develop to the blastocyst stage. However, the qualities of blastocysts in pairs were different.

378 INVOLVEMENT OF THE SPERM TAIL IN TRIGGERING OOCYTE ACTIVATION IN PIGS

In mammals, repetitive increases of the intracellular Ca2+ level, known as Ca2+ oscillations, are observed in oocytes immediately after sperm-oocyte fusion, which is a prerequisite event for oocyte activation. Previous studies indicate that phospholipase C zeta (PLCζ), a strong candidate sperm factor for triggering Ca2+ oscillations, is localized in the sperm head of several mammalian species. We have reported that the rate of pronucleus formation in oocytes injected with a sperm head is lower than that for oocytes injected with a whole spermatozoon (Nakai et al. 2009 IETS). This has given rise to a hypothesis that not only the sperm head but also the tail play a role in inducing oocyte activation in pigs. In this study, we attempted to detect the localization of PLCζ in the pig sperm tail and also its ability to activate porcine oocytes after injection. To clarify the localization of PLCζ in pig sperm, frozen-thawed ejaculated pig sperm were immunostained using an anti-PLCζ antibody that has been reported previously (Kurokawa et al. 2005). Western blotting was also carried out to examine whether PLCζ (72 kDa) was present in the sperm tail. Sperm tails were detached from the head by sonication and then collected after centrifugation in a Percoll density gradient. We also confirmed whether the sperm tail itself had the ability to trigger oocyte activation using the following 4 injection groups: (1)1 sperm head (Head), (2) 1 sperm tail (Tail), (3) 1 sperm head and 1 tail (Head + Tail), and (4) Sham. The nuclear status of the injected oocyte was evaluated at 10 h after injection. In the present study, we used 3 sperm samples that were prepared from different boars. In pig sperm, the acrosome, tail, and post-acrosomal regions were stained by the PLCζ antibody. The signals in both the post-acrosomal and tail regions disappeared after pretreatment with antigenic peptide, but that in the acrosome region was retained. Furthermore, we confirmed the presence of a band of approximately 72 kDa from the sperm tail and also confirmed its disappearance upon pretreatment with antigenic peptide. The rates of oocytes released from metaphase-II arrest in the Head, Tail, and Head+Tail groups were significantly higher than that in the Sham group (P < 0.05 by ANOVA andTukey test). However, most of the oocytes in the Tail group failed to form pronuclei and showed other meiotic stages (anaphase-II, telophase-II, or metaphase-III). In conclusion, we have shown that PLCζ is expressed in the post-acrosomal and tail region of pig sperm. It is suggested that, in the pig, the sperm tail participates in the triggering of oocyte activation. The authors thankRafaelA. Fissore (Department ofVeterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst) for providing the antigenic peptide for PLCζ. This study was supported in part by JSPS Fellowship (71310042 to M.N.) from the Japanese Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS).

[Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting for angina pectoris with coronary artery aneurysm due to kawasaki disease: report of a case]

We report a 27-year-old woman who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) for angina pectoris with coronary artery aneurysm due to Kawasaki disease. At the age of 3, she was diagnosed as Kawasaki disease with coronary artery aneurysms in the right coronary artery and the left anterior descending artery. She was medically followed-up since then Because an enlarged aneurysm and a stenotic lesion were recognized in the right coronary artery, operation was indicated. In operation, the right coronary artery was ligated at the inflow and the outflow of the aneurysm. OPCAB was also conducted with the right internal thoracic artery anastomosed to the right coronary artery. Postoperative course was uneventful, and she was discharged at the day 5 after operation. Revascularization using arterial grafts, especially the internal thoracic arteries, may be the choice for young patients to expect a good patency rate in the long-term.

[Rapidly growing progressive massive fibrosis that was difficult to differentiate from lung cancer: report of a case]

The subject was a 79-year-old male. When he was 50-years-old, he was diagnosed to have pneumoconiosis, and his clinical course was monitored periodically during his stay at our hospital. In October 2007, chest computed tomography (CT) revealed a new shadow of a tumor mass in the right lower lobe. Lung cancer could not be ruled out by either CT or fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), and a definite diagnosis could not be established. Therefore, to make a diagnosis, we performed a partial resection of the lung and a diagnosed of progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) was obtained pathologically. Patients with pneumoconiosis have a possibility of developing new manifestations of PMF as a rapidly growing mass like a case presented in this report