The low prevalence of high levels of expressed emotion in Bali

The present study contrasts the expressed emotion (EE) status in family members of schizophrenic patients between Bali (Indonesia) and Tokyo (Japan), the former being a non-industrialized society and the latter an industrialized society in Asia. The EE ratings of each key relative for 62 consecutively hospitalized schizophrenic patients at the Bangli State Mental Hospital (Bali) and 33 consecutively admitted schizophrenics at Komagino Hospital (Tokyo) were obtained using the Five Minute Speech Sample (FMSS) method. A significantly lower prevalence of high EE (12.9%) was observed in Bali compared with Tokyo (36.4%) (P<0.01). This result may explain the better social adjustment of schizophrenics in Bali. In addition, in Bali, to clarify the EE effect in this non-industrialized society, we examined the relationship between each key relative's EE and the patient's psychotic symptoms at admission, as assessed by the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Scales for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS). Moreover, the association between each family member's EE and a patient's rate of re-admission over the 1-year period following discharge was evaluated. The EE value was significantly related to the anxious-depression factor score in the BPRS, but not to either of the other factor scores in the BPRS or SANS subscales. Furthermore, EE status was not a reliable predictor of patient re-admission over the 1-year period following discharge in Bali.

[Successive myocardial fatty acid metabolic imaging in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: usefulness as a prognostic indicator]

To evaluate the prognostic value of fatty acid metabolic imaging in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), we performed myocardial imaging with 123I-BMIPP (BMIPP). We studied 23 patients with DCM who were admitted because of congestive heart failure (CHF) and after discharge the stable condition persisted for more than one year. BMIPP imaging was obtained when CHF recovered (first study) and the second study was performed one year after the first study. From BMIPP imaging we calculated % Uptake (percentage of cardiac uptake of isotope to total injected dose) and Defect Score (degree and extent of regional abnormality in BMIPP uptake, DS). In the first study, we performed myocardial imaging with 201T1 to calculate Uptake Ratio of BMIPP (% Uptake of BMIPP divided by % Uptake of 201T1, UR). During the follow up period of 18.2 +/- 9.5 months (4.5-39.6 months) after the second study, cardiac event developed in 8 patients (cardiac death; 4, deterioration of CHF; 4). On univariate analysis, the following indices differed significantly between the event and event-free groups; left ventricular end-systolic dimension, graded DS, UR and % Uptake of 201T1 at the first study, % Uptake of BMIPP and DS at the second study, difference of % Uptake of BMIPP and DS between the first and second study, and newly designed index from graded DS of the first study and its change in the second study (Defect Index, DI). Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that DI (p = 0.0026) and age (p = 0.0262) were independent predictors of cardiac events. In patients with DI > or = 3, the relative risk of cardiac event was 25.0 times greater than that in patients with DI < or = 2. These data suggested that the extent and degree of regional abnormality of BMIPP uptake (DS) and its changes with time were useful for evaluating the prognosis in patients with DCM even though a clinically stable condition is persisting.

[Early and late results of combined valvular and coronary artery operations]

A total of 122 patients with ischemic heart disease underwent valvular surgery. Thirty-nine had combined CABG and aortic valve surgery (included Bentall method), 72 had CABG and mitral valve operations, and 8 patients had CABG and double or triple valve operations. Only 3 patients for ruptured papillary muscle due to acute myocardial infarction had isolated mitral valve replacement. Early mortality was 5.1% AV, 2.8% MV and 12.5% DTV in the combined groups and 0% in the valve only group. The grafts patency rate was 93.5%. Univariate analysis of risk factors selected in the dialysis patients and the patients age older than 65 years as the strongest predictors for early death. At the mean follow up period of 5.4 +/- 4.8 year after surgery, the 5-year all death free rates were 57.9 +/- 9.6% AV, 69.6 +/- 5.8% MV and 75.0 +/- 15.3% DTV. The 5-year cardiac death free rates were 73.8 +/- 9.0% AV, 77.5 +/- 5.4% MD and 75.0 +/- 15.3% DTV.

Altered pain responses in mice lacking alpha 1E subunit of the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel

alpha(1) subunit of the voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channel is essential for channel function and determines the functional specificity of various channel types. alpha(1E) subunit was originally identified as a neuron-specific one, but the physiological function of the Ca(2+) channel containing this subunit (alpha(1E) Ca(2+) channel) was not clear compared with other types of Ca(2+) channels because of the limited availability of specific blockers. To clarify the physiological roles of the alpha(1E) Ca(2+) channel, we have generated alpha(1E) mutant (alpha(1E)-/-) mice by gene targeting. The lacZ gene was inserted in-frame and used as a marker for alpha(1E) subunit expression. alpha(1E)-/- mice showed reduced spontaneous locomotor activities and signs of timidness, but other general behaviors were apparently normal. As involvement of alpha(1E) in pain transmission was suggested by localization analyses with 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl beta-d-galactopyranoside staining, we conducted several pain-related behavioral tests using the mutant mice. Although alpha(1E)+/- and alpha(1E)-/- mice exhibited normal pain behaviors against acute mechanical, thermal, and chemical stimuli, they both showed reduced responses to somatic inflammatory pain. alpha(1E)+/- mice showed reduced response to visceral inflammatory pain, whereas alpha(1E)-/- mice showed apparently normal response compared with that of wild-type mice. Furthermore, alpha(1E)-/- mice that had been presensitized with a visceral noxious conditioning stimulus showed increased responses to a somatic inflammatory pain, in marked contrast with the wild-type mice in which long-lasting effects of descending antinociceptive pathway were predominant. These results suggest that the alpha(1E) Ca(2 +) channel controls pain behaviors by both spinal and supraspinal mechanisms.

Lung deflation impairs alveolar epithelial fluid transport in ischemic rabbit and rat lungs

BACKGROUND

Because the fluid transport capacity of the alveolar epithelium after lung ischemia with and without lung deflation has not been well studied, we carried out experimental studies to determine the effect of lung deflation on alveolar fluid clearance.

METHODS

After 1 or 2 hr of ischemia, we measured alveolar fluid clearance using 125I-albumin and Evans blue-labeled albumin concentrations in in vivo rabbit lungs in the presence of pulmonary blood flow and in ex vivo rat lungs in the absence of any pulmonary perfusion, respectively.

RESULTS

The principal results were: (1) lung deflation decreased alveolar fluid clearance while inflation of the lungs during ischemia preserved alveolar fluid clearance in both in vivo and ex vivo studies; (2) alveolar fluid clearance was normal in the rat lungs inflated with nitrogen (thus, alveolar gas composition did not affect alveolar fluid clearance); (3) amiloride-dependent alveolar fluid clearance was preserved when the lungs were inflated during ischemia; (4) terbutaline-simulated alveolar fluid clearance was preserved in the hypoxic rat lungs inflated with nitrogen; (5) lecithinized superoxide dismutase, a scavenger of superoxide anion, and N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, an inhibitor of nitric oxide, preserved normal alveolar fluid clearance in the deflated rat lungs.

CONCLUSION

Lung deflation decreases alveolar fluid clearance by superoxide anion- and nitric oxide-dependent mechanisms.

Protective effect of bisoprolol on beta-1 adrenoceptor peptide-induced autoimmune myocardial damage in rabbits

Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy is a severe disease of unknown etiology. Accumulating evidence suggests that agonist-like autoantibodies against the beta 1 adrenoceptor in the circulation of dilated cardiomyopathy may play an important role. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the selective beta 1-adrenoceptor blocker, bisoprolol, on beta 1-adrenoceptor peptide induced autoimmune myocardial damage. In the animal model of autoimmune cardiomyopathy induced by active immunization of rabbits with beta 1-adrenoceptor peptide, bisoprolol was given at a dose of 3 mg/day throughout the study period. Our results showed high titer of anti-beta 1-adrenoceptor antibody in the immunized group throughout the study but not in the group receiving only bisoprolol. Cross-reactivity to beta 2 adrenoceptors was observed in some of the immunized rabbits, but disappeared almost entirely after 6 months. As compared to the beta 1-adrenoceptor peptide immunized group without bisoprolol treatment, bisoprolol treated beta 1-receptor peptide immunized group showed increase in the wall thickness and decreases in cavity dimension in anatomical measurements and only mild alterations in macro- and microscopic examinations. Thus, our study clearly demonstrated a beneficial effect of bisoprolol in rabbits who have developed autoimmune myocardial damage.

Kinetic and mutational studies of three NifS homologs from Escherichia coli: mechanistic difference between L-cysteine desulfurase and L-selenocysteine lyase reactions

We have purified three NifS homologs from Escherichia coli, CSD, CsdB, and IscS, that appear to be involved in iron-sulfur cluster formation and/or the biosynthesis of selenophosphate. All three homologs catalyze the elimination of Se and S from L-selenocysteine and L-cysteine, respectively, to form L-alanine. These pyridoxal 5'-phosphate enzymes were inactivated by abortive transamination, yielding pyruvate and a pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate form of the enzyme. The enzymes showed non-Michaelis-Menten behavior for L-selenocysteine and L-cysteine. When pyruvate was added, they showed Michaelis-Menten behavior for L-selenocysteine but not for L-cysteine. Pyruvate significantly enhanced the activity of CSD toward L-selenocysteine. Surprisingly, the enzyme activity toward L-cysteine was not increased as much by pyruvate, suggesting the presence of different rate-limiting steps or reaction mechanisms for L-cysteine desulfurization and the degradation of L-selenocysteine. We substituted Ala for each of Cys358 in CSD, Cys364 in CsdB, and Cys328 in IscS, residues that correspond to the catalytically essential Cys325 of Azotobacter vinelandii NifS. The enzyme activity toward L-cysteine was almost completely abolished by the mutations, whereas the activity toward L-selenocysteine was much less affected. This indicates that the reaction mechanism of L-cysteine desulfurization is different from that of L-selenocysteine decomposition, and that the conserved cysteine residues play a critical role only in L-cysteine desulfurization.

Guanine-cytosine rich regions of plasmid DNA can be the target in anti-plasmid effect of phenothiazines

The antiplasmid effects of promethazine on E. coli is the consequence of special complex formed with a covalently closed circular (ccc) form of plasmid DNA. The exact target in this macromolecule, however, was not clarified until recently. Caffeine and the chemically similar guanosine-5'- monophosphate (GMP) could compete with the antiplasmid effect of promethazine, showing that promethazine or other phenothiazines preferentially bind to xanthine type molecules. Among the xanthines, GMP was more effective at complex-forming than adenosine-5'-monophosphate (AMP). In addition, the Z-DNA was more susceptible than B-DNA. Therefore, one could suppose that guanine-cytosine (G-C) rich regions have higher affinity than adenine-thymine (A-T) rich region on phenothiazines. Because the G-C rich regions have a special role in the DNA stability via three hydrogen bonds, we suppose that these regions could have a key role in some biological effects such as antiplasmid and anticancer activity.

Synthesis and biological activity of N-acylphenothiazines

Previous studies have demonstrated the relationship between radical intensity and cytotoxic activity in water-soluble compounds. This relationship was investigated in lipophilic compounds. Several N-acylphenothiazines showed higher cytotoxic activity against human leukemic and squamous carcinoma cell lines than phenothiazine, the parent compound. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy showed that these active compounds produced much lower amounts of radicals than phenothiazine. Several compounds failed to inhibit the cytopathic effects of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in MT-4 cells. It suggested that the radical-mediated-mechanisms has not involved in the induction of cytotoxic activity by lipophilic compounds, such as N-acylphenothiazines.

cDNA cloning, purification, and characterization of mouse liver selenocysteine lyase. Candidate for selenium delivery protein in selenoprotein synthesis

Selenocysteine lyase (SCL) (EC 4.4.1.16) is a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme that specifically catalyzes the decomposition of L-selenocysteine to L-alanine and elemental selenium. The enzyme was proposed to function as a selenium delivery protein to selenophosphate synthetase in selenoprotein biosynthesis (Lacourciere, G. M., and Stadtman, T. C. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 30921-30926). We purified SCL from pig liver and determined its partial amino acid sequences. Mouse cDNA clones encoding peptides resembling pig SCL were found in the expressed sequence tag data base, and their sequences were used as probes to isolate full-length mouse liver cDNA. The cDNA for mouse SCL (mSCL) was determined to be 2,172 base pairs in length, containing an open reading frame encoding a polypeptide chain of 432 amino acid residues (M(r) 47, 201). We also determined the sequence of the N-terminal region of putative human SCL. These enzymes were shown to be distantly related in primary structure to NifS, which catalyzes the desulfurization of L-cysteine to provide sulfur for iron-sulfur clusters. The recombinant mSCL overproduced in Escherichia coli was a homodimer with the subunit M(r) of 47,000. The enzyme was pyridoxal phosphate-dependent and highly specific to L-selenocysteine (the k(cat)/K(m) value for L-selenocysteine was about 4,200 times higher than that for L-cysteine). Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses revealed that mSCL is cytosolic and predominantly exists in the liver, kidney, and testis, where mouse selenophosphate synthetase is also abundant, supporting the view that mSCL functions in cooperation with selenophosphate synthetase in selenoprotein synthesis. This is the first report of the primary structure of mammalian SCL.

Sec24p and Iss1p function interchangeably in transport vesicle formation from the endoplasmic reticulum in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Sec23p/Sec24p complex functions as a component of the COPII coat in vesicle transport from the endoplasmic reticulum. Here we characterize Saccharomyces cerevisiae SEC24, which encodes a protein of 926 amino acids (YIL109C), and a close homologue, ISS1 (YNL049C), which is 55% identical to SEC24. SEC24 is essential for vesicular transport in vivo because depletion of Sec24p is lethal, causing exaggeration of the endoplasmic reticulum and a block in the maturation of carboxypeptidase Y. Overproduction of Sec24p suppressed the temperature sensitivity of sec23-2, and overproduction of both Sec24p and Sec23p suppressed the temperature sensitivity of sec16-2. SEC24 gene disruption could be complemented by overexpression of ISS1, indicating functional redundancy between the two homologous proteins. Deletion of ISS1 had no significant effect on growth or secretion; however, iss1Delta mutants were found to be synthetically lethal with mutations in the v-SNARE genes SEC22 and BET1. Moreover, overexpression of ISS1 could suppress mutations in SEC22. These genetic interactions suggest that Iss1p may be specialized for the packaging or the function of COPII v-SNAREs. Iss1p tagged with His(6) at its C terminus copurified with Sec23p. Pure Sec23p/Iss1p could replace Sec23p/Sec24p in the packaging of a soluble cargo molecule (alpha-factor) and v-SNAREs (Sec22p and Bet1p) into COPII vesicles. Abundant proteins in the purified vesicles produced with Sec23p/Iss1p were indistinguishable from those in the regular COPII vesicles produced with Sec23p/Sec24p.

Characterization of the nuclear transport of a novel leucine-rich acidic nuclear protein-like protein

We previously reported that the nuclear localization signal (NLS) peptides stimulate the in vitro phosphorylation of several proteins, including a 34 kDa protein. In this study, we show that this specific 34 kDa protein is a novel murine leucine-rich acidic nuclear protein (LANP)-like large protein (mLANP-L). mLANP-L was found to have a basic type NLS. The co-injection of Q69LRan-GTP or SV40 T-antigen NLS peptides prevented the nuclear import of mLANP-L. mLANP-L NLS bound preferentially to Rch1 and NPI-1, but not to the Qip1 subfamily of importin alpha. These findings suggest that mLANP-L is transported into the nucleus by Rch1 and/or NPI-1.

Structure of a NifS homologue: X-ray structure analysis of CsdB, an Escherichia coli counterpart of mammalian selenocysteine lyase

Escherichia coli CsdB, a NifS homologue with a high specificity for L-selenocysteine, is a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent dimeric enzyme that belongs to aminotransferases class V in fold-type I of PLP enzymes and catalyzes the decomposition of L-selenocysteine into selenium and L-alanine. The crystal structure of the enzyme has been determined by the X-ray crystallographic method of multiple isomorphous replacement and refined to an R-factor of 18.7% at 2.8 A resolution. The subunit structure consists of three parts: a large domain of an alpha/beta-fold containing a seven-stranded beta-sheet flanked by seven helices, a small domain containing a four-stranded antiparallel beta-sheet flanked by three alpha-helices, and an N-terminal segment containing two alpha-helices. The overall fold of the subunit is similar to those of the enzymes belonging to the fold-type I family represented by aspartate aminotransferase. However, CsdB has several structural features that are not observed in other families of the enzymes. A remarkable feature is that an alpha-helix in the lobe extending from the small domain to the large domain in one subunit of the dimer interacts with a beta-hairpin loop protruding from the large domain of the other subunit. The extended lobe and the protruded beta-hairpin loop form one side of a limb of each active site in the enzyme. The most striking structural feature of CsdB lies in the location of a putative catalytic residue; the side chain of Cys364 on the extended lobe of one subunit is close enough to interact with the gamma-atom of a modeled substrate in the active site of the subunit. Moreover, His55 from the other subunit is positioned so that it interacts with the gamma- or beta-atom of the substrate and may be involved in the catalytic reaction. This is the first report on three-dimensional structures of NifS homologues.

Outcome of schizophrenia in a non-industrialized society: comparative study between Bali and Tokyo

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to contrast the outcome of schizophrenic patients between Bali and Tokyo, the former being a non-industrialized society and the latter an industrialized society in Asia.

METHOD

A total of 51 Balinese schizophrenics and 40 schizophrenics in Tokyo were evaluated by five outcome measures at a 5-year follow-up.

RESULTS

No significant difference was found in the mean scores of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Eguma's Social Adjustment Scale and the re-admission rates between the subjects in the two sites. The cumulative length of stay in hospital during the 5-year period was significantly shorter in Bali. The percentage of subjects on psychiatric medication at the follow-up was significantly lower in Bali than that in Tokyo.

CONCLUSION

Although the clinical outcome of schizophrenics in Bali was not superior to that in Tokyo, the subjects in Bali tended to be able to live in society without neuroleptic medication.

Pressor responses to serotonin injected into the nucleus tractus solitarius of Sprague-Dawley rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats

Previous studies in rats have shown that injection of nanomoles of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5HT) into the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) acts on 5HT3 receptors to increase arterial pressure (AP). We investigated the effect of 5HT in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Injection of nanomoles of 5HT into the NTS of chloralose-anesthetized SD rats increased AP. This effect was inhibited by prior injection of 5HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron. The GABA(A) receptor antagonist bicuculline did not inhibit the effect of 5HT. Bilateral injection of 5HT or ondansetron did not affect the baroreflex sensitivity. Bilateral injection of ondansetron did not alter AP. The pressor effect of 5HT was exaggerated in SHR. These results suggest that stimulation of 5HT3 receptors in the NTS increases AP independently of activation of GABAA receptors and the baroreflex sensitivity. Furthermore, this serotonergic system is supersensitive in the NTS of SHR.

Increased severity of glomerulonephritis in C-C chemokine receptor 2 knockout mice

Increased severity of glomerulonephritis in C-C chemokine receptor 2 knockout mice.

BACKGROUND

The C-C chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) is expressed on monocytes and facilitates monocyte migration. CCR2 is a prominent receptor for monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). This chemokine recruits monocytes to sites of inflammation. It has been suggested that CCR2 and its ligand, MCP-1, play a role in the pathogenesis of glomerulonephritis. The goal of this study was to determine the contribution of CCR2 in a murine model of accelerated nephrotoxic nephritis. We measured the extent of development of renal disease in CCR2 wild-type and knockout mice after the administration of antiglomerular basement membrane antibody.

METHODS

Eight groups of animals were treated (N = 10 per group). Four days after IgG immunization, CCR2 wild-type and knockout mice received control serum or nephrotoxic serum. The urinary protein/creatinine ratio was measured on days 1 and 3; plasma and kidneys were collected on days 4 and 7. Kidneys were evaluated by light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence. The genotype of mice was confirmed by tissue analysis.

RESULTS

Protective effects of CCR2 knockout on the urinary protein/creatinine ratio were observed on day 1, as values for this parameter were significantly lower (35 +/- 3.6) than in nephritic wild-type mice (50 +/- 6.8). There was a marked increase in proteinuria in nephritic wild-type mice on day 1 compared with vehicle-treated, wild-type animals (5 +/- 1.0). On day 3, the ameliorative effects of CCR2 knockout were not observed; the increase in the urinary protein/creatinine ratio was similar in nephritic CCR2 wild-type (92 +/- 11.2) and knockout mice (102 +/- 9. 2). Plasma markers of disease were evaluated on days 4 and 7. At these time points, there were no beneficial effects of CCR2 receptor knockout on plasma levels of urea nitrogen, creatinine, albumin, or cholesterol. On day 7, blood urea nitrogen (248 +/- 19.9 mg/dL) and plasma cholesterol were higher in nephritic CCR2 knockout mice than in wild-type mice (142 +/- 41.7 mg/dL) that received nephrotoxic serum. Histopathologic injury was more severe in nephritic CCR2 knockout mice than nephritic wild-type mice on day 4 (3.1 +/- 0.3 vs. 2.0 +/- 0.3) and day 7 (3.6 +/- 0.2 vs. 2.9 +/- 0.3). By immunohistochemical analysis at day 4, there were significantly fewer mac-2-positive cells, representative of macrophages in the glomeruli of nephritic CCR2 knockout (2.1 +/- 0.6) mice than nephritic wild-type (3.9 +/- 0.5) animals. By indirect immunofluorescence, there was a moderate, diffuse linear IgG deposition of equivalent severity present in glomeruli of both wild-type and CCR2 knockout nephritic mice.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that our strategy was successful in reducing macrophage infiltration, but this model of glomerulonephritis is not solely dependent on the presence of CCR2 for progression of disease. After a transient ameliorative effect on proteinuria, CCR2 knockout led to more severe injury in nephritic mice. This raises the intriguing possibility that a CCR2 gene product ameliorates glomerulonephritis in this murine model. Although effects that occur in chemokine knockout mice are not equivalent to those expected with prolonged use of a chemokine antagonist, this study may nevertheless have implications for consideration of long-term use of chemokine antagonists in renal disease.

Behavior of Mono-, Di-, and trihydroxyoctadecenoic acids during mashing and methods of controlling their production

The behavior of mono-, di-, and trihydroxyoctadecenoic acids was investigated during laboratory-scale mashing under various conditions with a view to controlling their production. Using a malt in which the lipoxygenase activity was at only a trace level (less than 0.01 U/g) or starting the mashing at a higher temperature than that conventionally used (65 degrees C instead of 48 degrees C) significantly decreased the production of these hydroxy fatty acids. Lowering the pH of the mash to inhibit lipoxygenase activity and preventing O2 uptake by the mash using carbon dioxide were also effective in reducing the amounts of these acids produced during mashing. From the viewpoint of industrial-scale beer production, the prevention of O2 uptake by the mash was selected as an appropriate method for reducing oxidation during wort production without affecting the subsequent brewing process or the taste of the finished beer. After introducing oxidation prevention procedures, the content of trihydroxyoctadecenoic acids decreased by about 30% and the foam stability and taste were improved in commercial products brewed using less than 25% malts.

[Electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy without echocardiographic abnormalities evaluated by myocardial perfusion and fatty acid metabolic imaging]

The pathophysiologic process in patients with electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy with ST, T changes but without echocardiographic abnormalities was investigated by myocardial perfusion imaging and fatty acid metabolic imaging. Exercise stress 99mTc-methoxy-isobutyl isonitrile (MIBI) imaging and rest 123I-beta-methyl-p-iodophenyl pentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) imaging were performed in 59 patients with electrocardiographic hypertrophy including 29 without apparent cause including hypertension and echocardiographic hypertrophy, and 30 with essential hypertension. Coronary angiography was performed in 6 patients without hypertension and 4 with hypertension and biopsy specimens were obtained from the left ventricular apex from 6 patients without hypertension. Myocardial perfusion and 123I-BMIPP images were classified into 3 types: normal, increased accumulation of the isotope at the left ventricular apex (high uptake) and defect. Transient perfusion abnormality and apical defect observed by 123I-BMIPP imaging were more frequent in patients without hypertension than in patients with hypertension (32% vs 17%, p = 0.04671 in perfusion; 62% vs 30%, p = 0.0236 in 123I-BMIPP). Eighteen normotensive patients with apical defect by 123I-BMIPP imaging included 3 of 10 patients with normal perfusion at exercise, 6 of 10 patients with high uptake and 9 of 9 patients with perfusion defect. The defect size revealed by 123I-BMIPP imaging was greater than that of the perfusion abnormality. Coronary stenoses were not observed and myocardial specimens showed myocardial disarray with hypertrophy. Moreover, 9 patients with hypertension and apical defects by 123I-BMIPP showed 3 different types of perfusion. Many patients without hypertension show a pathologic process similar to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Perfusion and 123I-BMIPP imaging are useful for the identification of these patients.

Selective cytotoxic activity of grape peel and seed extracts against oral tumor cell lines

Grape seed extracts were more cytotoxic than grape peel extracts. Methanol and 70% methanol extracts of grape seed selectively killed two human oral tumor cell lines, more efficiently than human gingival fibroblasts. ESR spectroscopy revealed that these extracts produced radicals under alkaline conditions and enhanced the radical intensity of sodium ascorbate at higher concentrations. On the other hand, lower concentration of these extracts slightly reduced the radical intensity of sodium ascorbate, and scavenged superoxide anion, generated by hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase reaction. These properties of grape seed extracts suggest their possible application for cancer prevention.

[Myotonia and channelopathy]

Myotonia occurs with abnormalities of the muscle membrane, and there have been reports of various channel abnormalities including Cl, Na, and Ca channels. Historically in 1966, Lipicky and Bryant found the abnormality of the muscle Cl channel in Thomsen's disease and hereditary myotonia of goat. Thereafter, Na channel abnormality was found in myotonia associated with familial hyperkalemic periodic paralysis and paramyotonia congenita by using patch clamp technique. Myotonic dystrophy is the most common myotonic disorder and genetic studies disclosed the presence of abnormal triplet repeat in the chromosome 19q13.1 and the gene product is known as myotonin protein kinase. However, pathophysiological mechanism of myotonia in myotonic dystrophy is not yet clear except that there are mild decrease of Cl conductance in 5 out of 8 muscle fibers and late opening of Na channels also occurs. As for the treatment of myotonia, medications which work as Na channel blockers have been used and they are effective to reduce myotonia, but they do not improve muscle weakness. Recently dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate which is a male hormone secreted from the adrenal cortex has been used for myotonic dystrophy and the drug reduces myotonia and improves activities of daily living. The author confirmed that myotonia can be induced in the muscle preparations of mice by either anthracene-9-carboxylic acid (Cl channel blocker), or by anemone toxin (blocker of inactivation of Na channel), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate can reduce myotonic bursts in both of these muscle preparations by intracellular recordings.

[Characteristics of myocardial ischemia in patients with chronic renal failure and its relation to cardiac sympathetic activity]

In order to clarify the characteristics of myocardial ischemia in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF), we performed exercise stress myocardial perfusion imaging with 99mTc-MIBI in 36 patients with CRF. In 18 patients myocardial imaging with 123I-MIBG (MIBG) and 201Tl was performed at rest to evaluate myocardial sympathetic activities: cardiac uptake of MIBG normalized by myocardial perfusion (Uptake Ratio, UR) and myocardial washout rate of MIBG (WO). Exercise-induced perfusion abnormality was observed in 25 patients, and coronary angiography was performed in 19 of them. Among 25 diseased coronary arteries, 18 developed perfusion abnormalities in the myocardial segments which were supplied by each coronary artery. However in 5 patients without coronary artery stenosis and 2 patients with left anterior descending coronary artery disease, transient perfusion abnormalities were observed in the inferior segments. In 6 of them, MIBG imaging was obtained (Group A). MIBG imaging was also performed in 5 patients with transient inferior perfusion abnormality with coronary artery stenosis which supplied the inferior wall (Group B), and 7 patients without perfusion abnormality (Group C). In the patients of Group B, inferior UR was significantly lower than in Group C (0.58 +/- 0.07 vs. 0.68 +/- 0.08, p = 0.0485) and inferior WO was more accelerated than in Group C (18.6 +/- 7.7 vs. 12.1 +/- 6.0%, NS). However anterior UR and Wo levels were identical with those in Group C. In Group A, inferior UR (0.43 +/- 0.05) was significantly lower than in Group B and C, and WO in Group A (27.2 +/- 8.3%) was accelerated significantly compared to that in Group C. Besides in Group A, anterior UR was significantly smaller and WO was greater than in Group B and C. These findings suggested that in some patients with CRF, myocardial ischemia could arise without coronary artery stenosis, and this phenomenon might be related to abnormalities of cardiac sympathetic activity.

Basaloid carcinoma of the thymus

A 58-year-old man was found to have a basaloid carcinoma of the thymus, initially detected as an abnormal shadow on chest radiograph. The patient underwent resection followed by radiotherapy, and has survived 25 months without recurrence. Although this rare tumor may be related to multilocular thymic cyst, its pathogenesis is obscure. We discuss clinicopathologic features of our case and others.

Novel related cDNAs (C184L, C184M, and C184S) from developing mouse brain encoding two apparently unrelated proteins

Three related cDNAs (C184L, C184M, and C184S) were isolated from a developing mouse brain cDNA library. C184S is the 5'-end portion and C184M is the 3'-end portion, respectively, of C184L. C184S and C184M have open reading frames of 199 amino acids (ORF1) and 189 amino acids (ORF2), respectively; C184L has both ORF1 and ORF2 (dicistronic structure), but seems to translate only ORF1. Southern blot analysis suggests that all of the three related mRNAs are transcribed from the same single gene. The intervening region of C184L cDNA between ORF1 and ORF2 contained a promoter sequence for C184M mRNA, which is transcribed from the corresponding genomic sequence. Very recently, a cDNA encoding human homologue of ORF1 (human autoantigen p27) and a cDNA encoding a different mouse isoform of ORF2 (mammary tumor virus receptor) were reported. Our results indicate that the mRNAs encoding these apparently unrelated proteins are transcribed within an adjacent or overlapping area on the genome, suggesting the same origin of the two transcription units.