[Pneumoperitoneum without perforation of the gastrointestinal tract in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus]

Pneumoperitoneum often occurs after the perforation of the gastrointestinal tract. However, pneumoperitoneum without the perforation has been reported as one of the complications of collagen diseases, the cause of which is usually the rupture of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI). PCI is sometimes observed in the patients with scleroderma and mixed connective tissue disease but rarely in the patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. We reported here a case of systemic lupus erythematosus developed the pneumoperitoneum without the perforation of gastrointestinal tract. A 51-year-old female who had been diagnosed as systemic lupus erythematosus and taken steroid for 12 years, visited our hospital because of general malaise. She had no abdominal symptoms but the roentgenographic examinations revealed the pneumoperitoneum. The laparotomy was performed and there were no findings of the perforation of the gastrointestinal tract. Because PCI is hardly recognized macroscopically after the rupture and the pneumoperitoneum due to PCI is often asymptomatic, we considered the cause of the pneumoperitoneum in this case was the rupture of PCI. The mechanisms of the formation of PCI in patients with collagen diseases were also discussed in this paper.

[Thermography of collagen diseases with Raynaud's phenomenon]

In forty-four patients with collagen diseases accompanied with Raynaud's phenomenon(systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE)10, progressive systemic sclerosis(PSS)15, primary Sjögren's syndrome(PSJS)18 and mixed connective tissue disease(MCTD)1), we analyzed the thermography of fingers after thermal stimulation with cold water(15 degrees C, 30 seconds). In normal controls, the temperature of the distal points of fingers was higher and recovered more quickly than that of the proximal points(proximal interphalangeal joint; PIP). But in the patients with Raynaud's phenomenon, the temperature of distal point of fingers was lower and recovered more slowly than that of proximal points. Because the difference of the temperature between the distal and the proximal points (DP)is a good parameter to distinguish these two thermographic patterns, we analysed DP. DP is less influenced by room temperature than the temperature of fingers and the recovery temperature after thermal stimulation which have been used as indicators of Raynaud's phenomenon. DP in the normal controls was significantly higher than that in the patients. DP in PSS was lower than that in SLE and PSJS, and statistically associated with the markers of disease activities, such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate, titers of anti-RNP antibody and diffusing capacity of lung. These results show that thermographic pattern and the value of DP are the useful indicator of severity of Raynaud's phenomenon.

Primitive erythropoiesis of mouse teratocarcinoma stem cells PCC3/A/1 in serum-free medium

Mouse teratocarcinoma stem cells PCC3/A/1 differentiated into various types of cells, such as red cells, when they were grown in serum-free medium containing transferrin and bovine serum albumin on a KCF cell feeder layer. These red cells were stained well with 2,7-diaminofluorene (DAF), and therefore were erythroid cells. They were nucleated and contained embryonic globin chains, immunologically identified with antiembryonic hemoglobin antisera after acid urea Triton X-100 polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (UT-PAGE). The addition of erythropoietin to the culture medium enhanced the production of both embryonic and adult globin chains. The addition of interleukin-3 also enhanced the production of embryonic globin chains, but not the production of adult globin chains. These results indicated that primitive erythropoiesis of PCC3/A/1 teratocarcinoma cells did not require exogenous addition of any hematopoietic factor such as erythropoietin or interleukin-3. This culture system will be a new model system for investigating the factors regulating the primitive erythropoiesis in yolk sac blood islands.

[A case of rigid spine syndrome with rimmed vacuole]

A case of rigid spine syndrome associated with rimmed vacuoles in muscle biopsy is reported. A 36-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of gait disturbance and limited mortality of the spine. His family was free from any neuromuscular disorders. He was born in normal pregnancy and delivery. His physical development was normal. At age 7, he was unable to run fast. At age 36, he had right hemiparesis and dysarthria. He was diagnosed as cerebral infarction of the left basal ganglia by brain CT. Neurological examination revealed moderate proximal dominant muscular atrophy and weakness. His spine was straight, showing loss of physiological cervical and lumbar lordosis. The neck flexion was limited but the extension was full. And he had contracture of bilateral ankle joint. Laboratory findings were all normal. The electrocardiogram showed negative T wave in V4, V5 and QT interval elongation. The echocardiogram showed diffuse decrease of ventricular wall motion. Respiratory function test revealed decrease of vital capacity. Arterial blood gases on room air showed that the PaO2 and PaCO2 were 70 mmHg and 49 mmHg, respectively. The findings of electromyogram were compatible with myopathic change. Biopsy specimen of the biceps brachii muscle showed marked variation in fiber size, type 1 fiber predominancy and atrophy, and type 2B fiber deficiency. Numerous rimmed vaculoes were found in the same muscle. Four cases of the rigid spine syndrome with rimmed vacuoles have been described. Among them, three patients died in young ages and two suffered from constrictive respiratory failure. In rigid spine syndrome with rimmed vacuole formation, the cardiac and respiratory problems must be taken account intensively.

A chondrogenic cell line derived from a differentiating culture of AT805 teratocarcinoma cells

A cell line, ATDC5, isolated from a differentiating culture of AT805 teratocarcinoma expressed a fibroblastic cell phenotype in a growing phase. With the addition of 10 micrograms/ml insulin to the medium, cells continued to grow even in a postconfluent phase, formed cartilage nodule-like cell aggregates, were stained with Alcian blue and produced cartilage-specific proteoglycan and type II collagen, typical marker molecules for chondrogenesis. Since ATDC5 cells also differentiated into unidentifiable pigmented cells, they are apparently composed of undetermined cells. ATDC5, therefore, provides a good model system with which to understand chondrogenic differentiation.

Specific inhibition of the Na(+)-driven flagellar motors of alkalophilic Bacillus strains by the amiloride analog phenamil

Amiloride, a specific inhibitor for the Na(+)-driven flagellar motors of alkalophilic Bacillus strains, was found to cause growth inhibition; therefore, the use of amiloride for the isolation of motility mutants was difficult. On the other hand, phenamil, an amiloride analog, inhibited motor rotation without affecting cell growth. A concentration of 50 microM phenamil completely inhibited the motility of strain RA-1 but showed no effect on the membrane potential, the intracellular pH, or Na(+)-coupled amino acid transport, which was consistent with the fact that there was no effect on cell growth. Kinetic analysis of the inhibition of motility by phenamil indicated that the inhibition was noncompetitive with Na+ in the medium. A motility mutant was isolated as a swarmer on a swarm agar plate containing 50 microM phenamil. The motility of the mutant showed an increased resistance to phenamil but normal sensitivity to amiloride. These results suggest that phenamil and amiloride interact at different sites on the motor. By examining various bacterial species, phenamil was found to be a specific and potent inhibitor for the Na(+)-driven flaggellar motors not only in various strains of alkalophilic Bacillus spp. but also in a marine Vibrio sp.

A human-mouse hybrid cell line expressing both human leukocyte and histocompatibility-2 antigens

Clone-1d, a sub-line of mouse L cells, was transfected with E. coli neo gene cloned in pSV2 vector (pSV2 neo) to obtain C1-1d neo cells. These cells are able to survive in the presence of geneticin (G418) but are killed by the medium containing hypoxanthine, aminopterin, and thymidine (HAT) because of the deficiency of thymidine kinase (TK) gene. By using these cells, it became possible to produce stable hybrid cells between these neo cells and any other cells since the hybrid cells are selected in the culture medium containing both G418 and HAT. We produced such hybrid cells by fusing C1-1d neo and A431 human epidermoidal carcinoma cells and studied the expression of human leucocyte antigens (HLA) and histocompatibility-2 antigens (H-2) in three hybrid cell lines. We found that one out of three hybrid cell lines expresses both HLA and human beta 2 microglobulin besides H-2 antigens, whereas the other two express only H-2 antigens; this indicated better stability of mouse genes than of human genes.

Na+-driven bacterial flagellar motors

Bacterial flagellar motors are the reversible rotary engine which propels the cell by rotating a helical flagellar filament as a screw propeller. The motors are embedded in the cytoplasmic membrane, and the energy for rotation is supplied by the electrochemical potential of specific ions across the membrane. Thus, the analysis of motor rotation at the molecular level is linked to an understanding of how the living system converts chemical energy into mechanical work. Based on the coupling ions, the motors are divided into two types; one is the H+-driven type found in neutrophiles such as Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli and the other is the Na+-driven type found in alkalophilic Bacillus and marine Vibrio. In this review, we summarize the current status of research on the rotation mechanism of the Na+-driven flagellar motors, which introduces several new aspects in the analysis.

Polymorphic sparteine metabolism and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

The activity of detoxication with the cytochrome P450 family of enzymes was studied in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The metabolic ratio (MR) of sparteine sulphate was measured, and the population of phenotypes for sparteine nitro (N)-oxidation was determined in 30 patients with ALS and 41 controls for the assay of the sparteine N-oxidation by the cytochrome P450 enzymes. A lower MR and higher frequency of efficient metabolizers were observed in the ALS group, suggesting that there is efficient sparteine N-oxidation by cytochrome P450 pathways in ALS. This tendency was more marked in 15 patients with ALS aged under 60 years.

[Acute autonomic and sensory neuropathy associated with galactorrhea-amenorrhea syndrome and intractable anorexia]

Acute autonomic and sensory neuropathy (AASN), one subtype of acute pandysautonomia, in which dorsal root ganglia and autonomic ganglia are involved is uncommon. Little is so far known on central nervous system involvement in AASN. In the present paper we described a rare case of AASN associated with the central nervous system manifestations such as galactorrhea-amenorrhea syndrome and intractable anorexia. A 30-year-old woman rapidly developed burning pain and numbness in her arms and legs as well as orthostatic syncope. She had severe anorexia and no no menstruation from onset. On physical examination, she was emaciated. There was marked orthostatic hypotension with tachycardia. Skin was dry. Moderate galactorrhea was detected. Neurological examination showed prominent paresthesia and dullness of superficial sensation, predominantly to pinprick and thermal stimuli, segmentally over the neck, occipital scalp, and extremities. Deep sensation was intact. She had no weakness or ataxia. Deep tendon reflexes were almost normal. NCV and SEP were normal, while EEG was abnormal. Sural nerve biopsy demonstrated axonal degeneration with the loss of myelinated, predominantly in small-caliber fibers, and unmyelinated fibers. The levels of HVA and MHPG in CSF were decreased. The autonomic nervous function tests revealed postganglionic dysfunction. alpha-adrenergic system was predominantly impaired, while beta-adrenergic system was relatively preserved. The endocrinological studies demonstrated mild or moderate elevation of PRL basal value and hyper-response of PRL and LH for TRH and LH-RH loading test, which suggested disorder of the hypothalamo-hypophysial system. Cranial MRI showed moderate dilatation of the 3rd ventricle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[The excessive activity of cytochrome P450 system in ALS--the metabolic ratio of sparteine]

The activity of cytochrome P450 family was studied in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in an attempt to evaluate the susceptibility to environmental substances including possible some neurotoxin. The metabolic ratio (MR) of sparteine sulfate was measured in 30 patients with ALS and 41 controls for the evaluation of the sparteine nitro (N)-oxidation with cytochrome P450 system. The population of phenotypes designed as extensive metabolisers (EMs), intermediate metabolisers (IMs), and poor metabolisers (PMs) for sparteine nitro (N)-oxidation was determined in each group. The lower MR (p less than 0.02) and higher frequency of EMs (p less than 0.05) were observed in ALS group, suggesting the excessive activity of N-oxidation with cytochrome P450 pathway in the ALS group. Especially in 15 patients with ALS age before 60, these tendencies were more remarkable with a significant lower MR (p less than 0.01) and extremely high frequency of EMs (p less than 0.005). The present study might suggest the possible participation of cytochrome P450 pathway in the development of ALS.

A microangiographic study of idiopathic osteonecrosis of the femoral head

Microangiography was performed on 31 femoral heads with idiopathic osteonecrosis to investigate the pathogenesis of this disease from the aspect of circulation disturbance. Microangiography showed the following: (1) the interruption of the superior retinacular arteries in the extraosseous area; (2) the presence of numerous newly formed vessels of varying diameter arising from the stumps of the interrupted superior retinacular arteries; (3) compensatory hypertrophy and large-area invasion of the inferior retinacular arteries and the ligamentum teres arteries, both of which medially enter the affected head; and (4) the blockage of revascularization, which occurred along the area of subchondral fracture and collapse at the weight-bearing region. These findings strongly suggest that revascularization is aborted by the subchondral fracture and collapse caused by weight bearing. It was assumed that interference with revascularization occurred repeatedly in the repair process of affected heads due to the influence of subchondral fracture and collapse caused by weight bearing.

Pleiotropic molecular defects in energy-transducing complexes in mitochondrial encephalomyopathy (MELAS)

The extent of molecular defects in the mitochondrial energy-transducing system was examined in autopsied tissues of a 14-year-old male with mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) in order to elucidate the underlying molecular and genetic abnormalities. The patient also had other multiorganic disorders: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, nephrotic syndrome, and pseudohypoparathyroidism. Enzymic activities of complex I and IV were severely decreased, and those of complex III and V were mildly decreased in the mitochondria isolated from various tissues, but the severity of the deficiencies varied from tissue to tissue. In contrast, complex II and citrate synthase activities were normal or were decreased to a lesser extent than the enzymic activities of other complexes in all the tissues examined. These results suggest that the energy-transducing complexes, namely complexes, I, III, IV, and V, that contain mitochondrially synthesized subunits, were selectively affected. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated that the decreased enzymic activities were based on decreased contents of subunits in these complexes. The multiorganic manifestation of the disorder may result from wide and uneven distribution of abnormal mitochondria that have pleiotropic molecular defects in the energy-transducing complexes among the organs of the patient.

A simple and rapid purification procedure for the preparation of tetramethylrhodamine-labeled antibodies

A conjugate preparation of antibody (Fab) and tetramethylrhodamine (TMR) generally adsorbs free TMR which is very difficult to remove because of its strong hydrophobic binding. On the basis of criteria such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel electrophoresis and staining of the plasma membrane of live cells, we found that simple extraction with n-butyl alcohol or iso-amyl alcohol could remove the contaminating free dye. The procedure is especially useful when one needs to prepare conjugates with low nonspecific binding for the study of lateral diffusion of cell membrane-associated antigens.

Serum antibodies to brain proteins in a patient with parkinsonism associated with IgM paraproteinemia

We report a 58 year-old man with various neurological symptoms as parkinsonism, autonomic dysfunction, mental deterioration and lower motor neuron involvement associated with IgM gammopathy whose serum showed antibody activities to human brain proteins. His serum reacted with 156kDa protein from substantia nigra and 130kDa of cerebral cortical grey matter, cerebellar cortex, putamen, thalamus or pallidum by immunoblotting method. The serum of this patient reacted with proteins widely distributed in the central nervous system, and this antibody in his serum might be the cause of his various neurological symptoms.

A mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with cardiomyopathy. A case revealing a defect of complex I in the respiratory chain

We describe a 16-year-old Japanese girl with a mitochondrial encephalomyopathy who presented with progressive dementia, limb weakness and atrophy, episodic vomiting, generalized convulsions, myoclonic seizures, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. CT scan revealed transient focal low density areas in her occipital and parietal lobes, and cerebellar atrophy. The clinical features were consistent with mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and strokelike episodes (MELAS). Microscopically, most of muscle fibers in the skeletal muscles and heart were occupied by markedly increased mitochondria. Polarographic studies on mitochondria isolated from postmortem heart muscle showed severe impairment of oxidation of NADH-linked substrates in contrast to normal succinate oxidation. The rotenone-sensitive NADH-coenzyme Q reductase activity was markedly decreased in heart, skeletal muscle and liver mitochondria. The biochemical investigations have led to the identification of a defect of complex I in the respiratory chain. Reported cases of a defect of complex I have revealed pure myopathy, encephalopathy or encephalomyopathy. The reason for a varied clinical expression of a single defect remains to be clarified.

Morphometry of the degenerative process in the hypoglossal nerves in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

The peripheral hypoglossal nerves in 13 cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and five control cases were examined using morphometrical methods to demonstrate the degenerative process of motor nerve degeneration. The total number of myelinated fibers and their histograms were analyzed according to the degree of severity of the degeneration. Reduction of the total number of myelinated fibers in ALS hypoglossal nerves were graded in three groups: mild 65%-75%, moderate 50%-65% and severe 30%-50% of the myelinated fibers in controls. Each histogram of the remaining myelinated fibers showed different patterns corresponding to the degree of the degeneration and disclosed that the progressive reduction of large myelinated fibers was the fundamental change. Small myelinated fibers were not reduced, but increased, especially in the group with a moderate grade of degeneration. In plastic section, there were clusters of regenerated myelinated fibers. The transient increase of small myelinated fibers may be a reflexion of myelinated fiber regeneration during the progressive degenerative process of the motor neurons. The correlation between the degree of severity of the hypoglossal nerve degeneration and the atrophy of the tongue muscle and the duration of bulbar symptoms was examined and discussed.

Joseph's disease: clinical and pathological studies in a Japanese family

Joseph's disease is a hereditary ataxia found among descendants of Portuguese from the Azores Islands. We describe the clinical and pathological features of 4 members of a Japanese family who were diagnosed as having Joseph's disease. The illness began with cerebellar ataxia between the ages of 18 and 45 years. Nystagmus, dysarthria, and pyramidal signs were early manifestations. External ophthalmoplegia, dystonia and/or athetotic movements, and muscular atrophy appeared in the late stages. Neuropathological findings in one patient revealed degeneration of the dentatorubral and pallidoluysian systems, substantia nigra, pontocerebellar system, Clarke's column and spinocerebellar tracts, and anterior horn cells, as well as the cranial nuclei in the brainstem. Neurons in the inferior olivary nuclei, Purkinje's and granule cells, the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and striatum were spared. Involvement of the dentatorubral and pallidoluysian systems seems to be a characteristic feature of this disease in Japan.

Hypokalemic myopathy associated with primary aldosteronism and glycyrrhizine-induced pseudoaldosteronism

Enzymatic and histological features of muscular disorders associated with primary aldosteronism and glycyrrhizine-induced pseudoaldosteronism were studied. Among 10 patients with primary aldosteronism and 3 patients with pseudoaldosteronism, 5 patients were admitted to our hospital because of muscular weakness. The serum potassium (K) level was 1.86 +/- 0.21 mEq/l in a myopathy group on admission, a value significantly less than that of the 2.74 +/- 0.10 mEq/l in a non-myopathy group (p less than 0.01). Serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK), glutamate-oxyloacetate transaminase (GOT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were increased in the myopathy group compared to the non-myopathy group; serum CPK was 1412.6 +/- 902.6 vs. 22.8 +/- 5.0 mU/ml, serum GOT was 186.4 +/- 75.3 vs. 24.2 +/- 5.4 mU/ml (p less than 0.05), and serum LDH was 1133.4 +/- 377.3 vs. 387.6 +/- 42.5 mU/ml (p less than 0.05) in the groups with and without myopathy. Analysis of CPK isozymes revealed that the MM type exceeded 95%. The elevated serum CPK, GOT and LDH rapidly decreased to the normal range and muscular strength completely improved within 6 to 13 days after hospitalization, when the serum K level remained below than normal. Light microscopic finding of damaged muscle showed the diffuse necrosis and vacuolization of muscle fibers. Electron microscopic study clearly demonstrated complete dissolution of myofilaments with disappearance of sarcoplasmic reticulum and T-tubules in the necrotic muscle fibers. These results indicate that muscular lesions may occur in primary aldosteronism and pseudoaldosteronism when the serum K level is decreased to below 2.0 mEq/l. This myopathy is not periodic paralysis but hypokalemic myopathy. The mechanism by which K deficiency causes muscular damage remains unknown.

Type 3 (adult) GM1 gangliosidosis: case report

GM1 gangliosidosis is usually a pediatric disease caused by hereditary acid beta-galactosidase deficiency. There have been a few cases in adults. We saw a 51-year-old Japanese man with type 3 GM1 gangliosidosis who was manifesting dementia, dysarthria, gait disturbance, and limb rigidity. Radiologic studies showed platyspondylia, acetabular hypoplasia, and flattened femoral heads. Biochemical analysis revealed generalized acid beta-galactosidase deficiency.

Adrenomyeloneuropathy: report of a family and electron microscopical findings in peripheral nerve

A family with adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) is reported, whose female carriers showed severe neurological and biochemical abnormalities. Cytoplasmic lamellar inclusions were found in endoneurial cells of the biopsied sural nerve of a male patient. In spite of the peripheral nervous system involvement in patients with AMN, there have been few reports of these inclusions in the peripheral nerves of such cases.

Clonal growth and mesenchymal differentiation of PCC3/A/1 teratocarcinoma cells in serum-free medium

Clonal culture of PCC3/A/1 teratocarcinoma stem cells in serum-free medium has been achieved with feeder layers. Under this culture condition, stem cells effectively differentiated into various types of somatic cells, in particular chondrocytes and adipocytes. Myotubes and neuron-like cells also appeared, but infrequently. Embryonic endoderm cells were rarely observed. There appeared to be two stages in the differentiation process; In the early stage, only fibroblastic cells were found with the undifferentiated stem cells. In the later stage, chondrocytes and adipocytes predominated. Chondro-adipocyte differentiation occurred only after fibroblastic cell differentiation, an indication that fibroblastic cells may have an important function in chondro-adipocyte differentiation. Thus, the serum-free culture of PCC3/A/1 cells provides a suitable system with which to study the cell lineages and regulatory mechanisms of chondro-adipocyte differentiation.

Gangliosides of hog skeletal muscle

The ganglioside content of hog skeletal muscle was 27 nmol/g wet weight when calculated as lipid-bound sialic acid. The elution profile on DEAE-Sephadex A-25 column chromatography showed that the monosialoganglioside fraction (61% of total lipid-bound sialic acid) contained at least seven major gangliosides and that the disialoganglioside fraction (25%) contained four major ones. These gangliosides were purified by latrobeads column chromatography, and from the results of sugar analysis, specific enzymatic hydrolysis, a permethylation study and CrO3 oxidation, the structures of these gangliosides were determined to be as follows: A, GM3(NeuAc); B, GM3(NeuGc); C, sialosylparagloboside(NeuAc); D sialosylparagloboside (NeuGc); E, GM1(NeuAc); F, GM1(NeuGc); G, sialosyllactosaminylparagloboside(NeuAc) (monosialogangliosides) and H, GD1a(NeuAc, NeuAc); I, GD1a(NeuAc, NeuGc); J, GD1a(NeuGc, NeuGc); K, GD1b(NeuAc, NeuAc) (disialogangliosides), where NeuAc is N-acetylneuraminic acid and NeuGc is N-glycolylneuraminic acid as sialyl groups. The major fatty acids of gangliosides A, D and G were mainly C16:0, but those of the others, E, F, H, J and K, were C16:0, C18:0, C22:0 and C24:0. The long-chain bases were predominantly C18:1 sphingosine in all gangliosides.

Selective expression of cell type specific cell-cell adhesion molecules in mouse hybrid cells

Ca2+-dependent cell-cell adhesion systems (CDS) are present in a variety of cells which can be grouped into at least two qualitatively different types, the teratocarcinoma type (t-CDS) and the fibroblast type (f-CDS), where different classes of adhesion molecules operate, respectively. In order to study the regulatory mechanisms of expression of different CDS types, we made cell hybrids between teratocarcinoma OTF9 cells (t-CDS) and fibroblast L cells (f-CDS), and between OTF9 cells (t-CDS) and hepatoma MH cells (no CDS). We thus examined which type of CDS is expressed in hybrid clones using a probe, an antibody that recognizes t-CDS selectively. We isolated many hybrid clones with different phenotypes, all displaying CDS activity, and found that CDS functioning in each clone was either t-CDS or another type(s) of CDS. There were no clones in which both t-CDS and another type(s) of CDS are active. We therefore suggested that the expression or function of t-CDS and other types of CDS is mutually exclusive within a single cell.

[Hemodynamic study of the idiopathic necrosis of femoral head--using super-selective angiography]

The aim of this study was to investigate the hemodynamic change in the idiopathic necrosis of femoral head. Super-selective angiography was performed on 56 affected hips. The changes of blood supply from its initial stage to the final stage were carefully studied and the results were compared with pathological findings. The super-selective angiography was performed also on 13 normal hips and 23 hips with osteoarthritis for comparison. The impairment of the hemodynamics was observed in the retinaculum of superior retinacular arteries by the super-selective angiography. When the numerous superior retinacular arteries branched off from the posterior collum branch and some of them remaining intact, the latter arteries grew in their diameter with consequent increase of the blood supply through them. When the single superior retinacular artery branched off from the posterior collum branch, the blood supply did not increase. It was assumed that the factors affecting idiopathic necrosis of the femoral head include the time of occurrence of revascularization, the degree of revascularization and the decrease of blood supply at the time of the hip movement.

Characterization of two esteroproteases from the male mouse submandibular gland

Three major esteroproteases, proteases A and D and P-esterase, obtained from the glands were studied kinetically and chemically; two (proteases A and D) were identified. Protease A is composed of a single subunit, molecular weight (27,600) similar to the native molecule (27,000); protease D consists of three subunits, approximate molecular weights of 9200, 7600 and 4600. P-esterase contains two subunits, approximate molecular weights of 7100 and 14,000. Protease A exhibits a strong kinin-releasing activity; the other two enzymes have low activity. Protease D binds to low molecular weight-epidermal growth factor, forming a complex which has an electrophoretic mobility similar to that of high molecular weight-epidermal growth factors. When beta-nerve growth factor was incubated with protease A, the amino-terminal amino acid, serine, was lost from the growth factor and a new amino-terminal amino acid, methionine, appeared. These data indicate that proteases D and A are the same proteins as epidermal growth factor-binding protein and beta-nerve growth factor endopeptidase, respectively. From a comparison of the peptide maps of trypsin-digests of the enzymes, the proteases A and D were inferred to have a similar primary structure.

Nullipotent teratocarcinoma cells acquire the pluripotency for differentiation by fusion with somatic cells

By fusion of nullipotent embryonal carcinoma F9 cells with certain somatic cells freshly collected from differentiated tissues such as thymus and lens, pluripotent hybrid cell lines were obtained. They exhibited a wide spectrum of differentiation, including neural tubes, cartilages, skeletal muscles, ciliated epithelia and others, in solid tumors formed after injection into syngeneic mice. Cells from these tumors differentiated into several cell types when cultured in vitro. A possibility of the introduction of genes to code the factors for regulating differentiation into F9 cells by fusion is suggested.

The ultrastructure of intramuscular nerves in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Muscle biopsies of 11 patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) were examined and the i.m. nerves found in seven of them were examined by electron microscopy. In atrophied muscles there was a marked decrease of myelinated fibers. The ultrastructure of the remaining myelinated axons showed changes in the neurofilaments, mitochondria, and vesicles. There was a decrease in the number of unmyelinated fibers as well as the myelinated fibers. Occasionally, there was an increase of unmyelinated fibers containing small fine axons. There were corpora amylacea in unmyelinated axons and banded structures in the extracellular area of the Schwann cells of the unmyelinated fibers. Some of these findings were considered as the ultrastructural features of degeneration and regeneration in i.m. nerves of motoneurons in ALS.

Antitumor activities of newly synthesized 5-carbamoyl-1 H-imidazol-4yl 1-adamantanecarboxylate and 5-carbamoyl-1H-imidazol-4yl piperonylate

In synthetic studies on the chemical modification of the nucleoside antibiotic bredinin, two new derivatives, 5-carbamoyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl 1-adamantanecarboxylate and 5-carbamoyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl piperonylate, were found to possess a potent antitumor activity in several experimental tumor systems, even though bredinin itself shows only in vitro cytotoxicity and thus lacks therapeutic effectiveness. These two derivatives of bredinin exhibited antitumor activity against a wide variety of tumors, including leukemias L1210 and P388, Lewis lung carcinoma, B16 melanoma, Colon 26 and 38 adenocarcinomas. Ehrlich carcinoma, and Sarcoma 180. It is noteworthy that these agents showed good therapeutic effects not only against ascitic types of tumors but also against a number of slow-growing solid tumor lines, particularly the ascitic and solid forms of Ehrlich carcinoma. At their optimal doses, both compounds effected a complete cure of all or most of the mice treated. Although the mechanisms of action of these compounds remain unknown, they are able to suppress in vivo tumor growth, presumably by being slowly anabolized in vivo to an active form and inhibiting purine de novo synthesis as bredinin does.

Hirano bodies in the axon of peripheral nerves in a case with progressive external ophthalmoplegia with multisystemic involvements

Inclusions, ultrastructurally identical with Hirano bodies which were previously believed to be limited to the central nervous system (CNS), were found both within peripheral myelinated nerve axons and within terminal axons of neuromuscular junctions in the ocular muscles of an autopsied woman who had suffered from progressive external ophthalmoplegia with multisystemic involvements. Electron micrographs showed the inclusions to consist of beaded filaments or lattice-like structures with filamentous elements continuing onto neurofilaments in the axon. The corelation of these new pathological findings in peripheral nerve axons and ophthalmoplegia is discussed.