Loss of imprinting of the insulin-like growth factor II gene in mouse hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines

We investigated expression of insulin-like growth factor II (Igf2) in primary cultured hepatocytes, liver epithelial (LE) cell lines derived from normal hepatocytes, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines from crosses between C3H/HeJ (C3H) and Mus musculus molossinus mice (MSM). Igf2 mRNA was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in primary cultured hepatocytes from 5 d after the start of cultivation and in all 12 LE and 16 HCC cell lines. Analysis of the untranslated region of Igf2 exon 6, which contains polymorphic CA repeats, revealed that 13 of the 16 HCC cell lines had biallelic expression, whereas monoallelic expression was retained in the primary cultured hepatocytes and all 12 LE cell lines. The Igf2 transcripts contained exons 1-3 in all the HCC cell lines but only exons 2 and 3 in cultures of hepatocytes and LE cell lines, indicating difference in promoter use. However, the biallelic HCC cell lines did not have larger amounts of Igf2 mRNA and protein than did the monoallelic lines, suggesting that loss of imprinting may not be directly related to the level of Igf2 expression.

[Endopyelotomy with Acucise for secondary ureteropelvic junction obstruction: report of a case]

We report a case of successful endopyelotomy using the Acucise cutting balloon device for secondary ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). A 23-year-old man was hospitalized with the chief complaint of left lumbago and left hydronephrosis due to left UPJO. He underwent antegrade endopyelotomy with a nephroscope and open pyeloplasty. However, left lumbago and hydronephrosis did not show improvement. Acucise endopyelotomy was performed under epidural anesthesia. The operative time was 55 minutes and the hospital stay after the operation was 4 days. There were no operative complications and 3 months later, the operative results were satisfactory as determined by drip infusion pyelography and the disappearance of the lumbago.

Antibody-dependent difference in biodistribution of monoclonal antibodies in animal models and humans

The study was designed to clarify the difference in pharmacokinetics of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) in animal models and humans, and to elucidate the applicability of animal models. 99mTc-labeled murine mAb -- against carcinoembryonic antigen (designated BW431/26), and neural cell adhesion molecule (NE150) -- and one chimeric mouse/human mAb against nonspecific cross-reacting antigen (chNCA) were administered i.v. to normal mice and athymic mice (370 kBq, 400 ng) xenografted with human cancer cells expressing antigens, and into patients with tumor (925 MBq, 1 mg). The biodistribution of two of the three mAb (not 99mTc-BW431/26) differed clearly in mice and patients. 99mTc-NE150 showed specific uptake in xenografted tumor and otherwise a normal biodistribution; however, clinical examination showed increased uptake in the liver with rapid blood clearance (mean alpha half-life = 31.1 min) compared with 99mTc-BW431/26 (28.4 h). 99mTc-chNCA demonstrated increased blood clearance and renal excretion in both normal and athymic mice, with accumulation in tumors. Clinical examination showed rapid blood clearance (mean alpha half-life = 6.4 min) and increased uptake in the liver. High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of 99mTc-chNCA revealed the immune complex in blood, suggesting uptake of the complex by the reticuloendothelial cells. The biodistribution of radiolabeled mAb in animal and human models was variable and specific for each of the three mAb. The results of animal studies with mAb should be evaluated carefully before being extrapolated to humans, on the basis of the nature of the mAb and interacting substances.

The characterization of cell death induced by 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl) cytosine (ECyd) in FM3A cells

The characterization of cell death induced by 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D- ribopentofuranosyl) cytosine (ECyd), a potent inhibitor of RNA synthesis, was performed using mouse mammary tumor FM3A cells in vitro. Accompanied with the cell death induced by ECyd (3.0 muM) -treatment, about 100-200 kbp-sized and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation were observed by orthogonal-field-alternation gel electrophoresis (OFAGE) and conventional gel electrophoresis, respectively. Protease inhibitors, carbobenzoxy-L-aspart-1-yl[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]methane (Z-Asp-CH2-DCB), N alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) and N-p-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), effectively blocked the cell death, suggesting that the proteases inhibited by Z-Asp-CH2-DCB, TLCK or TPCK were involved in the process of cell death.

Stiffness indexes beta of the common carotid and femoral arteries are associated with insulin resistance in NIDDM

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between arterial wall stiffness indexes beta of the common carotid artery (CCA) and the femoral artery (FA) and insulin resistance in NIDDM subjects in a cross-sectional study.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We evaluated the arterial stiffness indexes beta of CCA and FA using an ultrasonic phase-locked echo-tracking system in 60 NIDDM subjects attending the diabetes center in Osaka City University Hospital, compared with 120 age- and sex-matched control subjects. Insulin sensitivity indexes were evaluated using a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp.

RESULTS

Stiffness indexes beta of both CCA and FA were significantly higher in NIDDM subjects than in control subjects (CCA 18.1 +/- 0.9 vs. 11.7 +/- 0.3, respectively, P < 0.001; FA 35.7 +/- 2.3 vs. 23.7 +/- 0.8, respectively, P < 0.001). The mean insulin sensitivity index in NIDDM subjects was 4.69 +/- 0.29 mg.kg-1.min-1.mU-1.l. The stiffness indexes beta of both CCA and FA were inversely correlated with insulin sensitivity indexes (CCA r = -0.393, P = 0.002; FA r = -0.329, P = 0.010), as well as with age, duration of diabetes, and mean blood pressure. In stepwise multiple regression analyses, insulin sensitivity index and duration of diabetes were identified as significant independent variables for stiffness indexes beta in both CCA and FA (CCA R2 = 0.249, P = 0.0003; FA R2 = 0.336, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Arterial stiffness indexes beta of CCA and FA were associated with insulin resistance in NIDDM subjects.

Cytotoxic mechanisms of new antitumor nucleoside analogues, 3'-ethynylcytidine (ECyd) and 3'-ethynyluridine (EUrd)

The cytotoxic mechanisms of 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl)cytosine (ECyd) and 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl)uracil (EUrd) were studied with mouse mammary tumor FM3A cells and human fibrosarcoma HT1080 cells. ECyd and EUrd are converted to ECyd 5'-triphosphate (ECTP) in the cells. ECTP has also outstanding stability in the cells; the half life of ECTP in FM3A cells was more than 3 days. The metabolisms and mechanisms of these analogues may play a key role in a potent antitumor activities against slow-growing solid tumors.

Rainbow trout Sox24, a novel member of the Sox family, is a transcriptional regulator during oogenesis

We isolated a cDNA clone encoding a novel SRY-type HMG box (Sox) protein, designated Sox24, from a rainbow trout ovary cDNA library. On the basis of the HMG box amino acid sequence, Sox24 can be categorized into the same subgroup of Sox proteins as SOX4, SOX11, and SOX22. The proteins in this group also share a highly conserved sequence at the C-terminus. The Sox24 mRNA is expressed at high levels in the ovary, and in-situ hybridization localized its expression to oocytes. The recombinant protein containing the Sox24 HMG box region bound to an AACAAT sequence strongly in a gel retardation assay. Upon co-transfection into CHO cells, the full-length Sox24 transactivated transcription from a reporter plasmid through the AACAAT binding motif. We used GAL4/Sox24 chimeras with the DNA binding domain of yeast GAL4 at the N-terminus to map the transactivation function to the C-terminal region, which included the conserved sequence. These results suggest that Sox24 plays a role as a transcriptional regulator during oogenesis.

Association of loss of heterozygosity at the p53 locus with chemoresistance in osteosarcomas

Although the osteosarcoma is considered to be among the most chemosensitive malignancies and preoperative chemotherapy is commonly applied, an appreciable proportion of cases are in fact quite sensitive. Predictive markers for chemosensitivity are therefore desirable in order to develop effective treatment strategies. Thirty-two cases of conventional osteosarcomas treated at the Cancer Institute Hospital, Tokyo, were analyzed. The sensitivity to preoperative chemotherapy was investigated with reference to loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the 17p13 (p53) and 13q14 (Rb) loci and expression of the cell-cycle associated proteins, p53, Rb, p21/Waf-1, mdm-2 and Ki-67, as detected immunohistochemically. LOH was detected by analyzing polymerase chain reaction products at marker microsatellite loci. The efficacy of chemotherapy was evaluated both radiologically and histologically. LOH at p53 or Rb loci was seen in 54% (13/24) and 58% (14/24) of cases, respectively. Only 15% of osteosarcomas with LOH at the p53 locus were sensitive to preoperative chemotherapy, as compared to 64% of tumors without such loss (P < 0.05). A similar but much less distinct tendency was observed with LOH at the Rb locus. No relationship was evident between chemosensitivity and immunohistochemical staining patterns for p53, Rb, p21/Waf-1, mdm-2 or Ki-67. The results suggest that p53 gene deletion, but not the other parameters investigated, may be useful for predicting chemoresistance of osteosarcomas.

cDNA cloning of a novel rainbow trout SRY-type HMG box protein, rtSox23, and its functional analysis

We have isolated a cDNA clone for a new member of Sox genes, termed rtSox23, from a rainbow trout ovary cDNA library. rtSox23 mRNA was notably expressed in ovary and brain. rtSox23 contains a leucine zipper in addition to an SRY-type HMG box. Although the recombinant HMG box region protein of rtSox23 could bind to an AACAAT sequence, the full-length rtSox23 could form a homodimer and did not bind to the sequence. Furthermore, using a two-hybrid system, we have isolated a cDNA clone encoding a protein that bound to the leucine zipper region of rtSox23. This protein was the rainbow trout homologue of mouse nucleoporin p62, which is a component of the nuclear pore complex in nuclear envelope. The rainbow trout p62 mRNA was also prominent in ovary and brain. Taken together, these results suggest that the rainbow trout p62 associates with rtSox23 in vivo and modulates the function of rtSox23.

Depressed mechanoenergetics and compensatory responses in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

The aim of this study was to clarify that the depressed mechanoenergetics in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) resulted from compensation for the decreased contractility. The study population consisted of eight control subjects, with normal left ventricular size and ejection fraction and 31 patients with DCM. Left ventricular end-systolic elastance (Ees), effective arterial elastance (Ea), external work (EW), and the pressure-volume area (PVA) were measured, using a dual-field volume conductance catheter equipped with a micromanometer-tipped catheter. Ea/Ees was evaluated as ventriculoarterial coupling. Normal hearts worked at almost optimal condition (defined as Ea/Ees = 1/2), while ventriculoarterial coupling was far from the optimum (Ea > Ees) in patients with DCM. Ees in patients with DCM was less than that in control subjects; however, Ea was similar in the two groups. The mismatch of Ea/Ees observed in DCM leads to depressed mechanoenergetics as a result of the compensatory response to maintain adequate blood pressure. Volume enlargement plays an important role in maintaining adequate blood pressure and cardiac output in the course of chronic deterioration of contractility.

cDNA cloning of a new member of the FTZ-F1 subfamily from a rainbow trout

We describe here cDNA cloning of an orphan nuclear receptor family member, tFZR1, which has a FTZ-F1 box. The amino acid sequences of the zinc finger domain and the FTZ-F1 box has 92.8% and 100% identity, respectively, with those of zebrafish FTZ-F1. On the other hand, the overall homology between tFZR1 and zebrafish FTZ-F1 is low (33.0%). The results indicate that tFZR1 is a new member of fushitarazu factor 1 (FTZ-F1) subfamily.

Biochemical and pharmacological profiles of loxiglumide, a novel cholecystokinin-A receptor antagonist

Loxiglumide ((+/-)-4-(3,4-dichlorobenzamido)-N-(3-methoxypropyl)-N- pentylglutaramic acid, CAS 107097-80-3, CR1505) is a new derivative of glutaramic acid. Radioligand displacement assay was performed to characterize the selectivity of loxiglumide to CCK-A (cholecystokinin-A) receptor (rat pancreas and bovine gallbladder) and CCK-B/gastrin receptors (guinea pig cerebral cortex and guinea pig gastric parietal cell). And tissue bioassay was performed to investigate the effect of the compound on contractions of the guinea pig gallbladder and ileum. Loxiglumide inhibited 125I-CCK-8 binding to rat pancreatic and bovine gallbladder membranes with IC50 values of 195 and 77.1 nmol/l, respectively. Loxiglumide also inhibited 125I-CCK-8 binding to guinea pig cerebral cortex membranes and parietal cells with IC50 values of 12363 and 15455 nmol/l, respectively. In addition, loxiglumide inhibited 125I-gastrin binding to guinea pig parietal cells with IC50 values of 6134 nmol/l. These results indicate that the affinity of loxiglumide to CCK-A receptor is at least 63 times greater than that to CCK-B/gastrin receptors. In vitro functional studies utilizing CCK-induced contractions of the isolated guinea pig gallbladder and ileum further demonstrate that loxiglumide acts as a competitive CCK antagonist with a high affinity to these tissues (gallbladder, pA2:6.71).

Development of systemic lupus erythematosus in a rheumatoid arthritis patient with anti-ribosomal P protein antibody

We describe a patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) whose sera contained a high titre of an antibody targeting cytoplasmic ribosomal P proteins (anti-P). This association preceded by 6 years the development of serological and clinical manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The clinical significance of anti-P for the diagnosis of SLE is discussed.

Cardiotoxicity of a new anthracycline derivative (SM-5887) following intravenous administration to rabbits: comparative study with doxorubicin

The degree of cardiotoxicity of SM-5887 compared with that of doxorubicin was investigated in rabbits. Two experimental groups were administered high and low doses of SM-5887, respectively. One group was administered doxorubicin and another group was administered the vehicle only were prepared as positive and negative controls, respectively. Drugs were intravenously administered 3 times a week for 8 weeks. At terminus, electrocardiograms were recorded under anesthesia. The blood was collected for haematology and blood biochemistry analyses. Myocardial tissue damage was evaluated using light and electron microscopy. In the electrocardiogram study, prolongation of QTc interval and ST-T change were observed in rabbits administered SM-5887 and doxorubicin. Morphological studies showed that myocardial tissue damage in animals administered SM-5887 was comparable to that in the negative controls, and less than that observed in the positive controls. The general toxicological investigations uniformly indicated lower toxicity in the SM-5887 group than in the doxorubicin group at equivalent dosages. In total, considering the results of antitumor efficacy studies comparing SM-5887 with doxorubicin, these results indicate that the cardiotoxicity of SM-5887 is very slight, and that the general toxicity of SM-5887 is lower than that of doxorubicin.

Rainbow trout SOX9: cDNA cloning, gene structure and expression

We have isolated and characterized rainbow trout SOX9 cDNA and genomic clones. The cDNA encodes a protein of 488 amino acids (aa) with an HMG box and has 70% aa sequence identity with human SOX9. The rainbow trout and human SOX9 genes show a similar gene structure, and the two introns in the coding region are located at conserved positions. In rainbow trout, the SOX9 mRNA was prominent in testis and brain.

Ligation of the T cell antigen receptor induces tyrosine phosphorylation of p105CasL, a member of the p130Cas-related docking protein family, and its subsequent binding to the Src homology 2 domain of c-Crk

p105CasL (CasL) is a recently identified signaling molecule closely related to the p130Cas (Crk-associated substrate) docking protein. CasL has a single Src homology (SH) 3 domain in its N-terminal portion followed by multiple consensus motifs for binding to SH2 domains. Like original p130Cas, CasL undergoes tyrosine phosphorylation upon integrin-mediated cell adhesion. In the present report, we provide direct evidence that CasL is also involved in T cell antigen receptor (TcR)-mediated signal transduction. In binding studies in vitro using glutathione-S-transferase fusion proteins, we have identified 105- and 120-kDa phosphotyrosyl proteins (pp105 and pp120, respectively) tightly bound to the SH2 domain of the Crk adapter protein in the H9 human T cell line after stimulation through the CD3/TcR complex. pp120, but not pp105, also bound to the SH3 of another adapter protein, Ash/Grb2. Immunoblotting with specific antibodies revealed that pp120 and pp105 were identical to the c-cbl proto-oncogene product (p120cbl) and CasL, respectively. Association between Crk and tyrosine-phosphorylated CasL after TcR stimulation was also confirmed in vivo. CasL phosphorylation induced by TcR ligation reached maximal levels within 2 min and rapidly declined thereafter, whereas the integrin-dependent response occurred slowly and was more prolonged. Finally, we demonstrated that Crk/CasL association occurred in peripheral blood T lymphocytes in response to TcR engagement. Our findings suggest that CasL is involved in T cell activation signals and resides at a point where two distinct receptor-mediated signaling pathways converge. This provides one mechanism by which integrins may mediate T cell co-stimulation.

Headache and stress in a group of nurses and government administrators in Japan

We surveyed a group of 311 nurses and 283 mid-level government administrators in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, to determine the prevalence and character of their headaches. We investigated the relationship of headaches to the subjects' stress, and their behavior and coping patterns. The questionnaire we administered explored background factors, as well as the state of the respondents' mental health, life events, work motivation, support system, and interpersonal relationships. The questionnaire was completed by 76.8% of nurses and 100% of administrators. Of these, 40.6% of nurses and 19.1% of the administrators reported recurrent headaches. Furthermore, the number of headache sufferers among the women administrators was significantly higher than in the men. The nurses and the administrators who reported headache scored significantly higher than the nonheadache groups on the questions measuring symptoms of burnout, General Health Questionnaire, and learned helplessness. The group of nurses with headache had higher scores for life events, decreased work motivation, and nervous behavior than the nonheadache group; the administrators with headache scored higher for daily hassles than those of the nonheadache groups. In this study of a Japanese sample, the character of the subjects' headache and the possible inducing factors are consistent with those reported in studies of Europeans and Americans using similar testing methods. However, the high prevalence of headache among nurses and women administrators seems to be related to psychological stress, particularly work stress, which may be characteristic in Japan.

Loss of heterozygosity at loci on chromosome 4, a common genetic event during the spontaneous immortalization of mouse embryonic fibroblasts

Spontaneously immortalized fibroblast cell lines derived from embryonic tissues of C3D2F1, mice were analyzed for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at multiple chromosomal loci to identify candidate suppressor loci for immortalization. Among 47 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci selected for screening, those on chromosome 4 exhibited an exceptionally high LDH incidence of up to 89%. Only four other chromosomes (8, 11, 12, and 18) showed LOH, with the highest incidence being 33%. To further localize candidate suppressor genes on mouse chromosome 4, detailed deletion mapping was performed with 18 cell lines and 14 SSR markers. The greatest LOH incidence (94%) was observed at the D4Mit14 locus located on distal chromosome 4, indicating that a major suppressor gene resides in this region. On the other hand, at the D4Mit77 locus, 30 cM proximal to the D4Mit14 locus, we found the SSR to be homozygously lost in 39% of the cell lines. Because the D4Mit77 is tightly linked to the tumor suppressor gene p16, for which homozygous deletion has been reported in various human tumor cell lines, we also examined our fibroblast cell lines for gross aberrations of the p16 gene by using the Southern blot method. The p16 gene was found to be homozygously deleted in 56% of the cell lines. Although this result implies that the p16 gene plays a role as a suppressor gene for immortalization, the combined incidence of LOH and homozygous deletion at the D4Mit77 locus was 72%, which is significantly lower than the observed incidence at the D4Mit14 locus. Consequently, we concluded that immortalization of mouse embryonic fibroblasts may involve more than one suppressor gene on chromosome 4.

Recovery of portal blood flow after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage in patients with obstructive jaundice

Using an ultrasonic Doppler system, we prospectively studied the changes in portal venous flow (PVF) following percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) and evaluated the correlation between PVF and liver function in 10 patients with obstructive jaundice. The patients were divided into two groups according to their rate of decrease in serum bilirubin ("b"). Group A comprised 5 patients with a "b" of less than -0.1, while group B consisted of 5 patients who did not meet this criterion. The mean PVF increased following PTBD (P < 0.01). The increase in PVF was due to an increase in the maximum velocity of the portal vein (Vmax). The rate of increase in the Vmax in group A was significantly higher than that in group B on both the 7th and 14th postdrainage days (P < 0.05). The rate of increase in the Vmax correlated significantly with the rate of decrease in the serum bilirubin concentration (P < 0.01). Based on the above findings, we conclude that measuring the Vmax by Doppler ultrasonography is useful in evaluating the liver function in patients with obstructive jaundice.

Molecular analysis of stimulatory anti-thyrotropin receptor antibodies (TSAbs) involved in Graves' disease. Isolation and reconstruction of antibody genes, and production of monoclonal TSAbs

Anti-thyrotropin (TSH) receptor autoantibodies (TRAbs) have been known to be involved in Graves' disease. To understand the molecular mechanism for pathogenesis of TSAbs in Graves' disease, we isolated and reconstituted the Ig genes of EBV-transformed B cell clones producing monoclonal thyroid stimulating Ab (TSAb) obtained from patients with Graves' disease. The V region genes of Ig heavy (H) and light (L) chains of two TSAb clones, IgG clone B6B7 and IgM clone 101-2, were isolated by the PCR. Nucleotide sequencing analysis revealed that germ-line VH and VK segments widely used for autoantibodies including the previously isolated TRAbs were utilized in the two clones. A significant number of somatic mutations were found in V regions of both clones, indicating the involvement of somatic mutations for the TSAb specificity. Reconstituted Ig H and L chain genes of the two clones were stably introduced into myeloma cells for IgG1 production. IgGs purified from cultured supernatants of both transfectants exhibited significant TSAb activities, while they did not inhibit TSH binding to the receptor. The successful expression of recombinant TSAbs in eukaryotic cells will provide opportunities to apply them to various pathophysiologic, diagnostic and therapeutic investigations in autoimmune thyroid diseases.

Molecular analysis of stimulatory anti-thyrotropin receptor antibodies (TSAbs) involved in Graves' disease. Isolation and reconstruction of antibody genes, and production of monoclonal TSAbs

Anti-thyrotropin (TSH) receptor autoantibodies (TRAbs) have been known to be involved in Graves' disease. To understand the molecular mechanism for pathogenesis of TSAbs in Graves' disease, we isolated and reconstituted the Ig genes of EBV-transformed B cell clones producing monoclonal thyroid stimulating Ab (TSAb) obtained from patients with Graves' disease. The V region genes of Ig heavy (H) and light (L) chains of two TSAb clones, IgG clone B6B7 and IgM clone 101-2, were isolated by the PCR. Nucleotide sequencing analysis revealed that germ-line VH and VK segments widely used for autoantibodies including the previously isolated TRAbs were utilized in the two clones. A significant number of somatic mutations were found in V regions of both clones, indicating the involvement of somatic mutations for the TSAb specificity. Reconstituted Ig H and L chain genes of the two clones were stably introduced into myeloma cells for IgG1 production. IgGs purified from cultured supernatants of both transfectants exhibited significant TSAb activities, while they did not inhibit TSH binding to the receptor. The successful expression of recombinant TSAbs in eukaryotic cells will provide opportunities to apply them to various pathophysiologic, diagnostic and therapeutic investigations in autoimmune thyroid diseases.