Clinicopathological implications of parathyroid hormone-related protein in human colorectal tumours

The purpose of the present study was to clarify the relationship of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) to the oncogenesis and progression of colorectal adenocarcinoma. A total of 108 colorectal tumours, including 12 adenomas, six adenocarcinomas in adenomas, and 90 adenocarcinomas, were studied. Immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques were used to evaluate the expression of PTHrP. Positivity of immunostaining for PTHrP was defined as highly positive (++), slightly positive (+), and negative (-). None of the adenomas of background non-neoplastic mucosal epithelia showed immunostaining of PTHrP. In contrast, PTHrP was expressed in 85 (94.4 per cent) of 90 colorectal adenocarcinomas. Immunoreactivity of PTHrP was greater in poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas than in well-differentiated ones. Furthermore, advancing margins of primary tumours stained more intensely than other sites. Highly positive immunoreactivity of PTHrP, classified by histological invasiveness, was 22.6 per cent within the muscularis propria and 69.5 per cent beyond the muscularis propria. PTHrP expression was significantly correlated with differentiation, depth of invasion, lymphatic invasion, lymph node metastasis, hepatic metastases, and Dukes' classification. In carcinoma, PTHrP mRNA expression was evident in tumour cells by in situ hybridization. PTHrP transcripts were also detected in two resected human colorectal adenocarcinomas by RT-PCR. These findings suggest that PTHrP is related to carcinogenesis, differentiation, progression, and prognosis of colorectal adenocarcinomas.

Clinicopathological implications of parathyroid hormone-related protein in human colorectal tumours

The purpose of the present study was to clarify the relationship of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) to the oncogenesis and progression of colorectal adenocarcinoma. A total of 108 colorectal tumours, including 12 adenomas, six adenocarcinomas in adenomas, and 90 adenocarcinomas, were studied. Immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques were used to evaluate the expression of PTHrP. Positivity of immunostaining for PTHrP was defined as highly positive (++), slightly positive (+), and negative (-). None of the adenomas of background non-neoplastic mucosal epithelia showed immunostaining of PTHrP. In contrast, PTHrP was expressed in 85 (94.4 per cent) of 90 colorectal adenocarcinomas. Immunoreactivity of PTHrP was greater in poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas than in well-differentiated ones. Furthermore, advancing margins of primary tumours stained more intensely than other sites. Highly positive immunoreactivity of PTHrP, classified by histological invasiveness, was 22.6 per cent within the muscularis propria and 69.5 per cent beyond the muscularis propria. PTHrP expression was significantly correlated with differentiation, depth of invasion, lymphatic invasion, lymph node metastasis, hepatic metastases, and Dukes' classification. In carcinoma, PTHrP mRNA expression was evident in tumour cells by in situ hybridization. PTHrP transcripts were also detected in two resected human colorectal adenocarcinomas by RT-PCR. These findings suggest that PTHrP is related to carcinogenesis, differentiation, progression, and prognosis of colorectal adenocarcinomas.

Increased expression of rat ribosomal protein L4 mRNA in 5-azacytidine-treated PC12 cells prior to apoptosis

5-Azacytidine (5AzC), a cytidine analogue, is thought to induce apoptosis in fetal neuronal cells and PC12 cells through DNA hypomethylation. However, apoptosis can be inhibited by adding protein synthesis inhibitors, indicating de novo protein synthesis may be partially responsible for apoptosis. Therefore, genes expressed just before apoptosis from 5AzC-treated PC12 cells were cloned. cDNA libraries were prepared from both 5AzC-treated and untreated PC12 cells and these libraries were subtracted. One clone overexpressed in 5AzC-treated PC12 cells was obtained, and was identified as the nearly full length (9 nt at 5' end and 1 nt at 3' end missing) rat ribosomal protein L4 (rpL4) gene. Time course study of Northern blot analysis in 5AzC-treated PC12 cells revealed that the peak of rat rpL4 gene expression preceded DNA fragmentation. COS-7 cells transfected with different amounts of cDNA from the subtracted clone expressed rat rpL4 dose-dependently. DNA fragmentation in the transfected COS-7 cells occurred proportional to the amount of the cDNA used for transfection. The present study indicates that rat rpL4 gene expression selectively increases in PC12 cells prior to 5AzC-induced apoptosis and that COS-7 cells transfected with and expressing the rat rpL4 gene also undergo apoptosis.

Intra-operative detection of lymph node involvement in carcinoma of the colon

BACKGROUND/AIMS

We studied the accuracy rate of intra-operative lymph node assessment compared with pathological examination to determine whether surgeons could modify the extent of lymphadenectomy during the operation.

METHODOLOGY

Intra-operative and pathological lymph node assessments were compared in 360 patients with carcinoma of the colon.

RESULTS

A total of 6,431 lymph nodes were examined, mean number per patient was 17.9. The overall accuracy rate of intra-operative diagnosis was 56.1%, sensitivity was 93.2%, and specificity was 41.7%. The accuracy rate of the diagnosis of N1 and N2 was 43.7% and that of N3 and N4 was 78.3% (p=0.001). There was no significant difference in the diagnosis rates in the colonic region. These results indicated that diagnosis in < or = N3 was more accurate than that in > or = N2. There were 5 false-negative cases. All of the false-negative lymph nodes were located adjacent to the colonic wall.

CONCLUSIONS

Intra-operative diagnosis of the positivity of < or = N2 lymph nodes was too poor to decide the extent of lymph node dissection of < D2. It is adequate to dissect according to at least the D2 criteria in all cases. If the surgeon observes N3 involvement, he should add the D3 dissection.

Vasculitis-susceptible genes in mice with a deficit in Fas-mediated apoptosis

Autoimmune diseases show complex pathological manifestations, which frequently involve systemic vasculitis. This complication is understood to be a manifestation of advanced disease, or to represent distinct entities, restricted by genetic and/or environmental factors. An MRL/Mp strain of mice bearing the Fas deletion mutant gene, lpr (MRL/lpr), spontaneously develop systemic vasculitis coincidentally with glomerulonephritis, arthritis and sialoadenitis, but a C3H/HeJ-lpr/lpr (C3H/lpr) strain does not. Thus, this is a suitable model for analyzing the genetic basis of vasculitis in autoimmune diseases. To genetically dissect these complex pathological manifestations, a linkage analysis of each lesion with polymorphic microsatellite markers was performed by using MRL/lpr x (MRL/lpr x C3H/lpr)F1 backcross mice. Vasculitis-susceptible gene loci were mapped on chromosomes 3 and 4, which were not associated with glomerulonephritis, arthritis and sialoadenitis. These results indicate that systemic vasculitis in MRL/lpr mice may be under the control of host genes which are different from those for other autoimmune diseases.

Water-absorbent polymer as a carrier for a discrete deposit of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides in the central nervous system

One of the problems of introducing antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) into the central nervous system (CNS) is their rapid disappearance from the target site due to their dispersion and diffusion, which results in poor uptake and/or retention in cells (M. Morris, A.B. Lucion, Antisense oligonucleotides in the study of neuroendocrine systems, J. Neuroendocrinol. 7 (1995) 493-500; S. Ogawa, H.E. Brown, H.J. Okano, D.W. Pfaff, Cellular uptake of intracerebrally administrated oligodeoxynucleotides in mouse brain, Regul. Pept. 59 (1995) 143-149) [2,5]. Recently, we adapted a new method using water-absorbent polymer (WAP; internally cross-linked starch-grafted-polyacrylates) as a carrier for antisense ODN. The polymer forms a hydro-gel after absorbing water which is chemically and biologically inert. In these studies, the polymer (powder-form) is fully swollen by physiological saline containing antisense ODN (0.2 micromol/ml) to make 80-fold volume gel. Hydro-gel (1 microliter) is injected into the target site, and water solutes are assumed to be diffused stoichiometrically into CNS from the surface of the gel. Histological studies indicate that 24 h after the injection, antisense ODN (5'biotinylated-S-oligos of 15 mer) are distributed to within 800 micrometer from the edge of the area where the gel is located and then gradually disappear from this area within days, but still remain within 300-micrometer distance 7 days later. Antisense ODN are effectively incorporated by all the cell types examined, i.e., neurons, astrocytes and microglias, and suppress the synthesis of the target protein. This method can be adapted to slow delivery of antisense ODN and other water soluble substances into the CNS.

TNF-alpha and heat-shock protein gene expression in ischemic-injured liver from fasted and non-fasted rats. Role of donor fasting in the prevention of reperfusion injury following liver transplantation

We have previously shown that livers from long-term-fasted rats acquire tolerance to warm ischemic injury following transplantation, despite the fact that fasting depletes glycogen and ATP from the liver. The precise mechanism of the protective effect induced by donor fasting, however, is still a matter of controversy. In this experiment we determined heat-shock protein (GRP78) mRNA expression in livers during long-term fasting and TNF-alpha mRNA expression in transplanted livers exposed to warm ischemia. We also measured the concentration of TNF-alpha by ELISA in the ascitic fluid of fed and fasted rats injected intraperitoneally with zymosan to investigate why livers from fasted rats tolerate ischemic injury better. There seemed to be a positive correlation between GRP78 mRNA expression and survival. TNF-alpha secretion into the ascitic fluid of fasted rats was markedly suppressed, and fasting donor animals induced cytoprotective substances, such as GRP78, in the liver. These factors may contribute to the tolerance to ischemic injury produced by donor fasting.

Establishment of chimerism in donor liver with recipient-type bone marrow cells prior to liver transplantation produces marked suppression of allograft rejection in rats

In this study, we investigated whether establishment of chimerism in donor liver with recipient-type bone marrow cells (BMCs) prior to liver transplantation could prolong the liver allograft survival. Donor female ACI rats were inoculated with recipient-type BMCs of male LEW rats via the portal vein, with or without irradiation as cytoablation, followed by intramuscular administration of FK506 for 5 days. At 1-2 months later, livers were harvested and transplanted into naive female LEW rats. No immunosuppressants were used. Chimerism in donor rats was confirmed by primers specific for the sex determinant Y chromosome of rats. With livers from rats pretreated with recipient-type BMCs, survival of liver allografts was significantly extended, irrespective of irradiation. These results showed that modification of the donor liver by intraportal injection of recipient-type BMCs and concomitant administration of FK506 prior to liver transplantation prolonged liver allograft survival in rats.

Obesity and insulin resistance in human growth hormone transgenic rats

A line of transgenic rats (heterozygotes) carrying a chimeric gene comprising a regulatory portion of murine whey acidic protein and a structural portion of human GH (hGH) genes developed severe obesity with age. To characterize physiological mechanisms that lead to fat accumulation, an array of parameters related to obesity were studied. Blood hGH levels were continuously low, endogenous rat GH secretion was suppressed, and the pulsatility in peripheral GH levels was absent. Plasma glucose, insulin, triglyceride, and FFA levels in the male transgenic rats significantly exceeded those in nontransgenic littermates at 12 and 17 weeks, but not at 7 weeks, of age. All symptoms except hyperlipidemia were restored to normal by treatment with an antidiabetic agent, thiazolidinedione (troglitazone), for 1 week from 17 weeks of age. As phenotypic expression of obesity was already evident before aberration of physiological parameters, it was assumed that animals had a condition in which obesity or hyperlipidemia caused hyperinsulinemia. Gene expression and enzymatic activity of lipoprotein lipase in the adipose tissue in the transgenic rats were not different from those in normal rats. In contrast, the gene expression level of glycerol-3-phosphodehydrogenase was markedly elevated, suggesting that glycerol synthesis was much enhanced in the adipocytes of the transgenic rats. In an i.p. glucose tolerance test, the transgenic rats were not hyperglycemic at 7 weeks of age; however, the animal became hyperglycemic at 15-17 weeks of age. Finally, treatment with recombinant hGH for 1 week to produce pulsatile secretion reduced the size of epididymal and kidney fat pads and restored normal weight gain. These observations suggest that continuously low peripheral GH levels with the lack of pulsatile secretion resulted in obesity and noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Pretreatment of crude pancreatic islets with mitomycin C (MMC) prolongs islet graft survival in a xenogeneic rat-to-mouse model

In this study, we examined the effect of mitomycin C (MMC) treatment on graft survival and evaluated its efficacy in immunomodulation of islet graft for transplantation. Male WS rats were used as islet donors and streptozotocin-induced diabetic C57BL/6 mice as recipients. The isolated islets were treated with MMC at concentrations of 0, 0.1, 1, 3.2, 10, 32, 100, 320, and 1000 microg/mL for 30 min, and were cultured for 20 h. Then, 300-400 islets were transplanted into the renal subcapsular space of diabetic mice. Significant prolongation of graft survival was obtained when the islets were treated with MMC at a concentration of 10, 32, or 100 microg/mL (MST 23 +/- 7.4, 17.5 +/- 5.4, 29.6 +/- 9.7 days: p < 0.003, p < 0.012, p < 0.001, respectively, vs. 12.3 +/- 2.7 days for culturing alone). Islets treated with MMC at a concentration of 320 microg/mL or more failed to restore normoglycemia in the diabetic recipient mice after transplantation. Viability of islets incubated with doses up to 100 microg/mL, assessed under the confocal microscope after propidium iodide and Hoechst 33342 staining, was maintained well comparable to that of freshly isolated islets, while those treated at 320 microg/mL was significantly decreased. Thus, a therapeutic window for MMC efficacy was found at concentrations from 10 microg/mL to 100 microg/mL. This modality is simple and effective and underlying molecular mechanisms need to be determined in the future.

Activity of ventromedial hypothalamic neurons suppressing heart rate is associated with paradoxical sleep in the rat

Cardiovascular change is one of the common features of paradoxical sleep. Our study offers evidence that one of the central areas regulating the circulation during sleep is the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH). We found a group of neurons in this hypothalamic nucleus of rats whose electrical activity was exclusively increased during paradoxical sleep, and was associated with a reduction in heart rate. The onset of this neural activity usually followed that of paradoxical sleep. The incidence and duration of paradoxical sleep was increased by means of microinjection of carbachol, a cholinergic agonist, into the pontine reticular formation, and the neural activity of the VMH still appeared in synchrony with carbachol-induced paradoxical sleep. These results suggest that the cholinergic paradoxical sleep-inducing mechanism in the pons facilitate the excitability of these neurons. We have previously shown that these VMH neurons suppress blood pressure and heart rate via inhibition of the vasomotor neurons in the medulla oblongata. Taken together, our findings suggest that a group of neurons in the VMH suppresses the circulatory system during paradoxical sleep.

Crystal structures of reaction intermediates of L-2-haloacid dehalogenase and implications for the reaction mechanism

Crystal structures of L-2-haloacid dehalogenase from Pseudomonas sp. YL complexed with monochloroacetate, L-2-chlorobutyrate, L-2-chloro-3-methylbutyrate, or L-2-chloro-4-methylvalerate were determined at 1.83-, 2.0-, 2.2-, and 2.2-A resolutions, respectively, using the complex crystals prepared with the S175A mutant, which are isomorphous with those of the wild-type enzyme. These structures exhibit unique structural features that correspond to those of the reaction intermediates. In each case, the nucleophile Asp-10 is esterified with the dechlorinated moiety of the substrate. The substrate moieties in all but the monochloroacetate intermediate have a D-configuration at the C2 atom. The overall polypeptide fold of each of the intermediates is similar to that of the wild-type enzyme. However, it is clear that the Asp-10-Ser-20 region moves to the active site in all of the intermediates, and the Tyr-91-Asp-102 and Leu-117-Arg-135 regions make conformational changes in all but the monochloroacetate intermediates. Ser-118 is located near the carboxyl group of the substrate moiety; this residue probably serves as a binding residue for the substrate carboxyl group. The hydrophobic pocket, which is primarily composed of the Tyr-12, Gln-42, Leu-45, Phe-60, Lys-151, Asn-177, and Trp-179 side chains, exists around the alkyl group of the substrate moiety. This pocket may play an important role in stabilizing the alkyl group of the substrate moiety through hydrophobic interactions, and may also play a role in determining the stereospecificity of the enzyme. Moreover, a water molecule, which is absent in the substrate-free enzyme, is present in the vicinities of the carboxyl carbon of Asp-10 and the side chains of Asp-180, Asn-177, and Ala-175 in each intermediate. This water molecule may hydrolyze the ester intermediate and its substrate. These findings crystallographically demonstrate that the enzyme reaction proceeds through the formation of an ester intermediate with the enzyme's nucleophile Asp-10.

Production of mice deficient in genes for interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-1alpha/beta, and IL-1 receptor antagonist shows that IL-1beta is crucial in turpentine-induced fever development and glucocorticoid secretion

Interleukin (IL)-1 is a major mediator of inflammation and exerts pleiotropic effects on the neuro-immuno-endocrine system. To elucidate pathophysiological roles of IL-1, we have first produced IL-1alpha/beta doubly deficient (KO) mice together with mice deficient in either the IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, or IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) genes. These mice were born healthy, and their growth was normal except for IL-1ra KO mice, which showed growth retardation after weaning. Fever development upon injection with turpentine was suppressed in IL-1beta as well as IL-1alpha/beta KO mice, but not in IL-1alpha KO mice, whereas IL-1ra KO mice showed an elevated response. At this time, expression of IL-1beta mRNA in the diencephalon decreased 1.5-fold in IL-1alpha KO mice, whereas expression of IL-1alpha mRNA decreased >30-fold in IL-1beta KO mice, suggesting mutual induction between IL-1alpha and IL-1beta. This mutual induction was also suggested in peritoneal macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide in vitro. In IL-1beta KO mice treated with turpentine, the induction of cyclooxygenase-2 (EC 1.14.99.1) in the diencephalon was suppressed, whereas it was enhanced in IL-1ra KO mice. We also found that glucocorticoid induction 8 h after turpentine treatment was suppressed in IL-1beta but not IL-1alpha KO mice. These observations suggest that IL-1beta but not IL-1alpha is crucial in febrile and neuro-immuno-endocrine responses, and that this is because IL-1alpha expression in the brain is dependent on IL-1beta. The importance of IL-1ra both in normal physiology and under stress is also suggested.

Direct antigen presentation through binding of donor intercellular adhesion molecule-1 to recipient lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 molecules in xenograft rejection

Cellular interactions that lead to graft rejection were examined in a rat-to-mouse xenogeneic combination using species-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against donor and recipient intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) molecules, respectively. Although both mAbs displayed moderate blocking activity in an in vitro mixed lymphocyte response assay, strong suppression was observed when anti-donor (rat) ICAM-1 mAb was combined with anti-recipient (mouse) LFA-1 mAb. Likewise, significant prolongation of islet xenograft survival was observed with these mAbs. Thus, 0.05 mg of anti-mouse LFA-1 mAb and anti-rat ICAM-1 mAb given on days 0 and 1 produced significant prolongation of graft survival over the control (51+/-20 days vs. 10+/-3 days, P<0.0001), but not when anti-mouse ICAM-1 mAb was combined with anti-mouse LFA-1 mAb (13+/-3 days). In this species combination, mouse T cells were able to proliferate in the presence of rat antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in a cell number-dependent manner, but not in the presence of mouse APCs. The binding assay showed that LFA-1 molecules on mouse T cells can bind immobilized rat ICAM-1 molecules. These results suggest that rat ICAM-1 molecules on APCs can interact with mouse LFA-1 molecules on T cells across a species barrier and that this binding generates the consequent immune responses leading to rejection. mAb treatment against these adhesion molecules of recipient as well as donor is crucial for preventing rejection in a xenogeneic transplantation model.

Stable transformation of Eustoma grandiflorum by particle bombardment

Explants (7.5±2.5 mm) cut from stems and roots of 3-week-old Eustoma grandiflorum Grise, (lisianthus) cv. Glory White seedlings were bombarded with plasmid pBI221, which harbors the uidA gene encoding β-glucuronidase (GUS) driven by the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter. More than 800 blue spots of GUS-expressing cells were observed per 90 explants. Explants bombarded with pARK22 harboring the bar gene encoding phosphinothricin acetyltransferase driven by the CaMV 35S promoter were selected for bialaphos resistance. Putative transgenic plants were obtained about 3 months after bombardment. Southern blot analysis of putative transgenic plants revealed the presence of the bar gene in their genome.

Protection of islet allografts transplanted together with Fas ligand expressing testicular allografts

Fas ligand (FasL) is highly expressed in testicular tissues and thought to be responsible for protection from allograft rejection by inducing apoptosis of anti-graft activated T cells. FasL-expressing islets have been shown to induce a granulocyte-mediated inflammatory reaction. We investigated whether a graft can be protected from alloimmune responses by manipulating the Fas/FasL-system. We transplanted allogeneic islets under the kidney capsule of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice together with testicular tissue. Significant prolongation of survival of C3H islet allograft was observed in C57BL/6 (B6) recipients transplanted with C3H testicular tissue, but not in those transplanted with C3H-gld testicular tissue expressing non-functional FasL. No significant prolongation was observed in B6-lpr recipients expressing non-functional Fas. Immunohistochemical staining of C3H testicular tissue in the composite graft showed a high expression of FasL, but not that of the C3H-gld testicular tissue. In situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUDP-biotin catalysed DNA nick-end labelling (TUNEL) staining of a composite graft of C3H islet and testicular tissue in B6 recipients demonstrated extensive apoptosis of infiltrating mononuclear cells around the graft. The protective effect of C3H testicular tissue was abrogated when anti-FasL monoclonal antibody was administered i.p. postoperatively. Our results suggest that FasL-positive testicular allografts protect composite islet allografts and indicate that manipulation of Fas/FasL mediated apoptosis is a suitable strategy for controlling rejection of islet allografts.

A combination of stem cell factor and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor enhances the growth of human progenitor B cells supported by murine stromal cell line MS-5

We have developed a long-term culture system using the murine bone marrow stromal cells MS-5 to support the growth of progenitor B cells with CD34-, CD10+, CD19+, and cytoplasmic mu chain (C mu)-negative surface phenotype from human CD34+ cells purified from umbilical cord blood (CB). When 10(3) CD34+ cells/well were seeded on MS-5 stromal cells at the beginning of culture in the absence of exogenously added cytokines, progenitor B cells first appeared after 14 days, and the maximal cell production was achieved during the 6th week of culture. Intriguingly, the addition of recombinant human stem cell factor (rhSCF) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF), but not rhIL-7, strikingly enhanced the growth of progenitor B cells from CB CD34+ population cultured on MS-5 stromal cells. The culture of progenitor B cells could be maintained until the 6th week of culture when some cells were revealed to have a C mu phenotype, and a small number of cells had immunoglobulin mu chain on their cell surface in the presence of both rhSCF and rhG-CSF. When CD34+ cells were cultured physically separated from the stromal layer by membrane, supportive effects of MS-5 stromal cells for the growth of progenitor B cells were not observed. These results suggest that the present culture system could generate progenitor B cells to proliferate from CB CD34+ cells, that some of these progenitor B cells could differentiate into immature B cells in conjunction with rhSCF and rhG-CSF, and that a species-cross-reactive membrane-bound factor(s), which stimulates early human B lymphopoiesis, may exist in MS-5 stromal cells. Further studies are required to investigate the mechanism how rhG-CSF acts on progenitor B cells to allow their proliferation and differentiation.