P-346 First comparison of the egg freezing and storage cost between medical adaptation and social adaptation of Japan fertility hospitals and clinics based on institution's websites

Study question

In Japan, how much of freezing cost and the yearly storage cost of medical and social egg freezing for fertility preservation is clearly disclosed on the institution's website?

Summary answer

Of the 621 infertility treatment institutions, 146 listed egg freezing on their websites, 46 specified the freezing cost, and 71 specified the yearly storage cost.

What is known already

In Japan, from April 2022, standard assisted reproductive technology will be covered by insurance, but medical and social egg freezing will continue to be privately funded. Therefore, it is unclear how many facilities in Japan perform egg freezing. Furthermore, while the cost of freezing and yearly storage varies significantly from facility to facility, there has been no data comparing egg freezing among facilities in Japan or other countries. Therefore, we extracted data about freezing and storage cost from each institution's website and compared them for the first time.

Study design, size, duration

This study is a web-based survey in which a single board-certified specialist by Japan Society for Reproductive Medicine exhaustively browsed the websites of all 621 fertility treatment institutions in Japan in October 2021 and analyzed the implementation of egg freezing, freezing costs, and yearly storage costs of egg are clearly stated on the websites. The costs of drugs used for egg retrieval and ovarian stimulation were excluded.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

Of the 621 institutions, 88 institutions that clearly stated on their websites that they offer egg freezing for medical reasons were divided into a medical group, and 58 institutions that clearly stated that they offer egg freezing for only social reasons were divided into social group for statistical analysis. We compared the freezing and the yearly storage cost, respectively, whether it varies depending on the number of eggs or whether it is a fixed cost.

Main results and the role of chance

Of the 621 institutions, 146 (23.5%), 88 in the medical group and 58 in the social group, specified that they offer egg freezing. The percentages of clarification for freezing cost and yearly storage cost on the website were 27.3% and 30.7% in the medical group, 72.4%, and 75.9% in the social group, so the social group was higher in both cases (p < 0.01). The percentage of fixed costs for egg freezing was significantly lower in the social group (6/42, 14.3%) than in the medical group (9/24, 37.5%) (p < 0.05). The percentage of fixed costs for yearly storage cost was samely significantly lower in the social group (30/44, 68.2%) than in the medical group (25/27, 92.6%) (p < 0.05). The mean freezing cost/yearly storage cost was as follows for 1, 5, and 10 eggs. The medical group was (JPY45,527/JPY22,327, JPY65,179/JPY22,530, JPY90,311/JPY22,770), and the social group was (JPY56,822/JPY40,178, JPY88,429/JPY56,502, JPY136,550/JPY79,090), so the social group had the significantly highest amount of costs in each case. Note that JPY 10,000 is about EUR77.7. The most expensive clinic to store ten eggs was JPY500,000 (EUR3,883) per year, and the least university hospital was JPY 4,600 (EUR35.7) per year.

Limitations, reasons for caution

This survey was conducted by carefully browsing the facility's website, but since we did not confirm the information through questionnaires or e-mail, there is the possibility that the information may have been updated. Another limitation is that less than half of the medical groups list cost details on their websites.

Wider implications of the findings

This is the first report to analyze the cost of egg freezing in Japan using the institution's website. The rate of cost disclosure on the website is still low. Moreover, the costs of social freezing are significantly higher than medical reasons, but this may change with the insurance of ART.

Trial registration number

not applicable

Na+/K+ ATPase α1 and β3 subunits are localized to the basolateral membrane of trophectoderm cells in human blastocysts

STUDY QUESTION

Is there a relation between specific Na+/K+ ATPase isoform expression and localization in human blastocysts and the developmental behavior of the embryo?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Na+/K+ ATPase α1, β1 and β3 are the main isoforms expressed in human blastocysts and no association was found between the expression level of their respective mRNAs and the rate of blastocyst expansion.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

In mouse embryos, Na+/K+ ATPase α1 and β1 are expressed in the basolateral membrane of trophectoderm (TE) cells and are believed to be involved in blastocoel formation (cavitation).

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

A total of 20 surplus embryos from 11 patients who underwent IVF and embryo transfer at a university hospital between 2009 and 2018 were analyzed.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

After freezing and thawing Day 5 human blastocysts, their developmental behavior was observed for 24 h using time-lapse imaging, and the expression of Na+/K+ ATPase isoforms was examined using quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR). The expressed isoforms were then localized in blastocysts using fluorescent immunostaining.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

RT-qPCR results demonstrated the expression of Na+/K+ ATPase α1, β1 and β3 isoforms in human blastocysts. Isoforms α1 and β3 were localized to the basolateral membrane of TE cells, and β1 was localized between TE cells. A high level of β3 mRNA expression correlated with easier hatching (P = 0.0261).

LARGE SCALE DATA

N/A.

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

The expression of mRNA and the localization of proteins of interest were verified, but we have not been able to perform functional analysis.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

Of the various Na+/K+ ATPase isoforms, expression levels of the α1, β1 and β3 mRNAs were clearly higher than other isoforms in human blastocysts. Since α1 and β3 were localized to the basolateral membrane via fluorescent immunostaining, we believe that these subunits contribute to the dilation of the blastocoel. The β1 isoform is localized between TE cells and may be involved in tight junction formation, as previously reported in mouse embryos.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)

This work was supported by the JSPS KAKENHI (https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/index.html), grant number 17K11215. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The authors have no conflicts of interest.

Effects of 6 months of walking training on lower limb muscle and tendon in elderly

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 6 months of walking training on muscle strength, muscle thickness and tendon stiffness on various parts of the lower limbs in the elderly. Subjects were assigned to training (n=35) and control (n=10) groups. Maximal isometric torque (MVC) and muscle thickness for knee extensors (KE), knee flexors (KF), dorsi flexors (DF) and plantar flexors (PF) were measured. Tendon stiffness for KE and PF was measured using ultrasonography while subjects performed isometric contraction. No significant changes occurred in any measured variables in the control group. In the training group, muscle thickness increased significantly for KF and DF, but not for PF. For KE, significant increases of muscle thickness at the proximal and medial sides were observed, although mean relative increase of the eight measured sites for KE was not significant. MVC increased significantly for KF, DF, and PF, but not for KE. In addition, tendon stiffness for KE and PF did not change after training. These results indicated that walking training brought about increments of muscle thickness and strength in most of the lower limbs in the elderly, but it did not result in any changes in tendon stiffness.

Effects of 20-day bed rest with and without strength training on postural sway during quiet standing

AIM

To examine the effect of unweighting as a possible contributory factor to a reduced calf muscle volume on postural sway during quiet standing, changes in postural sway following bed rest with or without strength training were investigated.

METHODS

Twelve young men participated in a 20-day bed-rest study. Subjects were divided into a non-training group (BR-Con) and a strength training group (BR-Tr). For the BR-Tr group, training was comprised of dynamic calf-raise and leg-press exercises to maintain the muscle volume of the plantar flexors. Before and after bed rest, subjects maintained quiet standing in a barefoot position on a force platform with their eyes open or closed. During the quiet stance, foot centre-of-pressure (CoP) and the mean velocity of CoP was calculated. Muscle volume of the plantar flexors was computed using axial magnetic resonance images of the leg.

RESULTS

After the bed-rest period, the muscle volume decreased in the BR-Con group but not in the BR-Tr group. The mean velocity of CoP as an assessment of postural sway, however, increased in both groups. These results indicate that the strength training during bed rest cannot counteract the increase in postural sway.

CONCLUSION

We concluded that postural sway increases following 20 days of bed rest despite maintenance of the muscle volume of plantar flexors as the main working muscles for the human postural standing.

Papillomatosis in a European Bison

Five European bison (Bison bonasus) from three European zoos were shipped to the Bukovské Vrchy Hills (Slovakia) in June 2004 and kept together in an acclimatization enclosure. The European bison were released into the wild in December 2004. At that time, papillomas were found at the medial canthus of the left eye of a 12-yr-old female bison. Cutaneous papillomatosis was confirmed histologically. Negative stain transmission electron microscopic examination revealed papillomavirus in the papillomas, and papillomavirus DNA also was detected using the polymerase chain reaction with FAP59 and FAP64 primers. The amplified 413 bp DNA sequence was identical to that of BAPV2 bovine papillomavirus. This paper is the first report of papillomatosis in European bison.

Dynamic changes in AP-1 transcription factor DNA binding activity in rat brain following administration of antidepressant amitriptyline and brain-derived neurotrophic factor

The present study was undertaken to examine the effects of the antidepressant, amitriptyline, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on activator protein-1 (AP-1) DNA binding activity in the rat brain. Acute administration of amitriptyline (5 or 10 mg/kg) initially increased but then decreased AP-1 DNA binding activity in the rat frontal cortex and hippocampus. Chronic administration of amitriptyline (5 or 10 mg/kg, once daily for 3 weeks) initially decreased AP-1 DNA binding activity but ultimately resulted in its persistent elevation in the rat frontal cortex. In contrast, the chronic administration of amitriptyline did not affect the low activity of AP-1 DNA binding in the hippocampus. However, chronic administration of amitriptyline (10 mg/kg, once daily for 3 weeks) significantly increased BDNF protein levels in the hippocampus (by 26.9%) and frontal cortex (by 24.6%). Direct infusion of BDNF (1 microg) into the hippocampal dentate gyrus significantly increased hippocampal AP-1 DNA binding activity. These results suggest that AP-1 transcription factor may be modulated by BDNF and that it may be an important target for the action of antidepressants.

Immortalization of human esophageal keratinocytes by E6 and E7 of human papillomavirus type 16

Transduction of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) E6/E7 into primary culture of human esophageal keratinocytes using a recombinant adenovirus prolonged the life-span, while untreated cells senesced within 14-16 population doublings (PDLs). Up-regulation of telomerase activity and acquisition of serum-resistant growth were observed in the esophageal keratinocytes with extended life-span between 50 and 100 PDLs, and drastically increased after 100 PDLs. A keratinocyte sample with a polymorphism of Pro/Pro at codon 72 of p53 showed resistance to HPV16 E6/E7-induced life-span-extension and immortalization, in contrast to others with p53 polymorphisms of Arg/Arg or Arg/Pro, which did not. The high efficiency of E6/E7-induction by adenovirus vector also revealed the M1 and M2 stages of keratinocyte immortalization first described in this report.

Detection of human papillomaviruses in cervical neoplasias using multiple sets of generic polymerase chain reaction primers

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate precisely the differences in the spectra of human papillomavirus (HPV) types detected by different generic primer pairs commonly used for detection of this extraordinarily heterogeneous virus.

METHODS

Three sets of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers for the L1 open reading frame (ORF) and two sets for E6/E7 ORFs were used to detect HPVs in DNAs from 107 cervical tissues, including 77 cervical neoplasias. HPV types were determined by analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) and nucleotide sequencing.

RESULTS

A high overall detection rate of HPV in cervical neoplasias (76/77, 98.7%) was achieved by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification with multiple sets of generic primers, while the detection rate for each individual primer pair varied from 48/77 (62%) to 70/77 (91%). Only in 34 of 77 cases (44%) were HPV DNAs positive for all sets of primer pairs. Further determination of HPV types by RFLPs and nucleotide sequencing showed inconsistencies between the PCR primer pairs used.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed that the HPV detection rate is critically affected by the choice of PCR primers, and that appropriate use of combinations of generic PCR primer sets followed by RFLP analyses is both necessary and sufficient for typing most HPVs in cervical lesions. More precise methods such as sequencing would be necessary in only a few cases.

Association of tumor necrosis factor alpha gene promoter polymorphism with the presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), a potent proinflammatory cytokine, may be involved in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The production of TNF-alpha is elevated in the airways of these patients. A polymorphism at position -308 of the TNF-alpha gene promoter (TNF-alpha-308*1/2) is known to be associated with alteration of TNF-alpha secretion in vitro. In this study we examined the differences in TNF-alpha-308*1/2 allele frequency to investigate the association of this polymorphism with the presence of smoking-related COPD. TNF-alpha-308*1/2 allele frequency in 106 patients (73 men and 33 women) was compared with 110 asymptomatic smoker/ex-smoker control subjects matched for sex and age and population control subjects consisting of 129 blood donors. Genotype was analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique on genomic DNA isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes. TNF-alpha-308*1/2 allele frequencies were significantly different among the groups: 0.835/0.165 in patients with COPD, 0.918/0.082 in smoker/ex-smoker control subjects, and 0.922/0.078 in population control subjects. These results indicate that TNF-alpha-308*1/2 alleles are significantly associated with the presence of smoking-related COPD.

[Hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombus in the portal and hepatic veins treated successfully with hepatectomy and chemotherapy--a case report]

A 39-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. She had good liver function with clinical Stage I. Abdominal ultrasonographic study and CT scan revealed a huge tumor of 12 cm in diameter in the left lobe of the liver, with tumor thrombi in the portal and hepatic veins. A chest CT scan demonstrated multiple bilateral lung metastases from 5 to 10 mm in size. An extended left hemihepatectomy with extirpation of the portal and hepatic venous tumor thrombi was performed. On postoperative day 7, low-dose cisplatin (10 mg/day-5 days/week) and 5-fluorouracil (250 mg/day-continuous for 7 days/week) were administered intravenously. Four weeks after chemotherapy, CT scan revealed no recurrence in the liver and no change in the lung metastases. The patient is now being treated on an outpatient basis with no change in the metastatic tumors.

Alveolar soft part sarcoma of the tongue. Report of a case

The clinicopathologic, immunohistological, and ultrastructural features of an alveolar soft part sarcoma of the tongue occurring in a 2-year-old girl are described. A primary alveolar soft part sarcoma arising in the dorsum part of the tongue is quite rare. There has been no recurrence or metastasis as of 7 years postoperatively.

Enhanced expression of N-myc messenger RNA in neuroblastomas found by mass screening

A substantial fraction of neuroblastomas found by mass screening have been suggested to regress spontaneously because of the high incidence of infantile neuroblastomas in the screening population. In this study, 70 neuroblastomas were analyzed for expression of proto-oncogenes related to neuronal differentiation to clarify the biological significance of proto-oncogene expression in the screening-positive and -negative tumors. The tumors consisted of 39 neuroblastomas found by screening (group 1), 16 non-N-myc-amplified neuroblastomas found by clinical symptom(s) (group 2), and 15 N-myc-amplified neuroblastomas found by clinical symptom(s) (group 3). The expression of c-src, trk A, and N-myc in tumor tissues was analyzed by quantitative RNA PCR. Neuronal c-srcN2 expression varied significantly in the following order: group 1 > group 2 > group 3. The level of expression of trk A was markedly reduced in group 3 but did not differ in groups 1 and 2. Most tumors in group 3 overexpressed N-myc. However, N-myc expression in group 1 was significantly higher than that in group 2. Thus, the characteristics of proto-oncogene expression in screening-positive tumors included enhanced expression of c-srcN2 and N-myc mRNA, regardless of nonamplification of N-myc. Our results suggest that the role of N-myc differs in neuroblastomas detected by screening and in N-myc-amplified tumors.

Human papillomavirus-positive well-differentiated villoglandular adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix: A case report and review of the literature

OBJECTIVE

A case of well-differentiated villoglandular adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix, which was positive for human papillomavirus type 18, was reported.

METHODS

The patient was a 52-year-old multipara who was referred to our department because of an abnormal Papanicolaou smear. A 4.0-cm exophytic lesion involving the cervix was detected. She was staged as FIGO IIa and radical hysterectomy combined with bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy was performed. In addition to histopathological examination of the resected tumor, immunohistochemical studies of estrogen and progesterone receptors were performed using monoclonal antibodies. Detection of human papillomavirus DNA was attempted by polymerase chain reaction using consensus primers.

RESULTS

The tumor was a typical well-differentiated villoglandular adenocarcinoma involving the vaginal wall. Both estrogen and progesterone receptors were negative. Human papillomavirus type 18 DNA was detected in the resected tumor.

CONCLUSION

'This is the first report of a case of typical well-differentiated villoglandular adenocarcinoma which was positive for human papillomavirus.

P16INK4a expression adenovirus vector to suppress pancreas cancer cell proliferation

The prognoses of pancreatic cancer patients have been miserable even after radical surgery, and adjuvant therapy is necessary to improve the surgical results. p16(INK4a) (p16) is tight-binding and inhibitory protein for cyclin-dependent kinase 4 to induce G1 arrest of the cell cycle. p16 gene deletion is frequently identified in human pancreas cancer. The impaired gene function of p16 might be a major factor of the uncontrolled proliferation and malignancy of pancreas cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of adenovirus p16 expression vector for pancreas cancer cell proliferation to clarify whether the vector might be a promising mode to assist the surgical therapy for pancreas cancer. We constructed the adenovirus p16 expression vector AdexCACSp16 by inserting p16 cDNA to a cassette cosmid containing a nearly full-length adenovirus type 5 genome with E1 and E3 deletions. Thereafter, we assessed the activity of AdexCACSp16 to induce p16 gene mRNA expression in pancreas cancer cell line MIAPaCa-2 and to control cell proliferation. AdexCACSp16 induced a high level of p16 gene mRNA expression in MIAPaCa-2 cells with 1 h contact to the cells. The cell proliferation was significantly suppressed by AdexCACSp16 compared with the control adenovirus group. These data indicate that AdexCACSp16 has the potential to induce p16 gene expression and control pancreas cancer cell proliferation and that the adenovirus p16 expression vector AdexCACSp16 might be a possible method of gene therapy to improve the surgical therapeutic results for pancreas cancer.

Ultrastructural study of intranuclear inclusion bodies of pulmonary adenocarcinoma

Intranuclear inclusion bodies are sometimes observed in pulmonary adenocarcinoma by light microscopy. Electron microscopic characteristics of lung cancer cells with intranuclear inclusion bodies were studied. In addition, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed using primers coding for human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16, 18, and 33. Eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies were observed in 22 out of 285 cases by light microscopy. Immunohistochemically, cancer cell nuclei stained with PE-10. Three types of intranuclear inclusion bodies were classified electron microscopically. Type A showed aggregation of electron dense particles (30-40 nm) with an electron-dense core and was most frequently observed. Type B consisted of a mass of branching and whirling tubular structures. Type B intranuclear inclusions had a relationship with inner nuclear membrane. In type C, several spherical inclusions were observed in one nucleus. HPV DNA was detected using PCR and type-specific probes in a case with type A inclusion bodies. This study suggests that intranuclear inclusion bodies in pulmonary adenocarcinoma are formed by several different mechanisms.

Study of the association between the serotonin transporter gene regulatory region polymorphism and personality traits in a Japanese population

Recently a relationship between serotonin transporter transcriptional control region (5-HTTLPR) polymorphism and anxiety related personality traits in Caucasians was reported. We performed PCR of DNAs from the blood for determining the 5-HTTLPR genotypes of 191 Japanese subjects, which were medical staff and students, and obtained Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) in 144 subjects. The association was analyzed by one-way ANOVA. The present study demonstrated that allelic frequency of 5-HTTLPR (s allele frequency was 0.785) in our subjects was considerably different from that in Caucasians. No significant differences were found in the anxiety-related personality traits among genotypes, while cooperativeness in TCI showed a significant difference among genotypes. The property of 5-HTTLPR may not be reflected directory on the personality inventories.

Expression of MRP and cMOAT in childhood neuroblastomas and malignant liver tumors and its relevance to clinical behavior

Advanced neuroblastoma and malignant liver tumor are representative childhood cancers for which combined chemotherapy including cisplatin and doxorubicin is routinely performed. The prognosis of patients with tumors which develop multiple drug resistance (MDR) is unfavorable. To elucidate the role of multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) and canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter (cMOAT) in the clinical behavior of the tumors, we examined 42 neuroblastomas and 10 malignant liver tumors for the expressions of MRP and cMOAT by quantitative RNA-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The amplification and expression of N-myc oncogene in the neuroblastomas were also investigated. We found a close association between MRP and N-myc expression in each neuroblastoma sample but no significant relationship between MRP expression and the patients' outcome. The forced expression of N-myc failed to enhance the expression of MRP in N-myc transfected neuroblastoma cell lines. cMOAT was rarely expressed in the neuroblastomas, but was frequently expressed in the malignant liver tumors. The expression of MRP and cMOAT in the childhood liver tumors was more common and higher, especially in advanced cases with a poor outcome, than that observed in normal liver or in 9 hepatocellular carcinomas from adult patients. The enhanced expression of these genes might be characteristic of childhood malignant liver tumors and related to their clinical chemoresistance.

Trans-activating activity of the E6 proteins of the human papillomavirus (HPV) type-11 and -16 on the PE1E4 promoter of HPV-11 in C33A cells

We investigated trans-activating effects of the full-length E6 protein of HPV-16 (16E6) and the E6 protein of HPV-11 (11E6) on the PE1E4 promoter of HPV-11 in C33A cells which lack normal function of p53. 16E6 showed no significant activation of the reporter plasmid containing PE1E4 and the upstream sequence, including the long control region (LCR). In contrast, 11E6 activated the promoter in a dose dependent manner, while relatively high doses of 11E6 were required to activate the promoter. When a reporter plasmid, which lacked LCR was used, however, both 16E6 and 11E6 activated the promoter, though high doses of 16E6 suppressed activity. Using deletion plasmids we further showed that 11E6 activated transcriptions from any mutant reporter plasmids as far as the constructs have promoter activities. Finally, we showed that 11E6 enhanced the expression levels of c-fos protein by infection of C33A cells with 11E6-expressing recombinant adenovirus. These findings suggested that E6 proteins of both <high and low risk> HPVs would induce similar protein(s) which is required for an efficient transcription of minimum promoter of viral and cellular genes, and that the 16E6 induce additional protein(s) which suppress PE1E4 in the presence or absence of LCR.

Establishment and characterization of a new HPV-negative squamous cell carcinoma cell line (Yumoto) from the human uterine cervix

A new cell line, Yumoto, derived from a squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix, was established from serially transplanted tumor tissues in nude mice. Monolayer cultured cells were polygonal and formed pavement-like sheet. They showed a piling-up tendency and were devoid of contact inhibition. Electron micrographs demonstrated the presence of microvilli on the cell surface, abundant tonofilaments in the cytoplasm, and the connection with desmosomes. These electron micrographical characteristics of Yumoto cells were consistent with those of squamous cell origin. Yumoto cells were highly tumorigenic in BALB/c nude mice and produced a well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of keratinizing type which closely resembled to the original tumor tissues in nude mice. The presence of HPV DNA was examined using polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot analysis, but no known types of HPV DNA could be detected. Exons 2 through 11 of the p53 gene were analyzed by direct DNA sequencing, revealing a homozygous mutation at codon 281 in exon 8, GAC to CAC (Asp-->His). Furthermore, physical p53-gene deletion was demonstrated by dual-color fluorescence in situ hybridization. This cell line is useful for studying the carcinogenesis of cervical carcinoma and for investigating the biological characteristics of a HPV-negative and mutated p53 squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

Neuronal src and trk a protooncogene expression in neuroblastomas and patient prognosis

Neuroblastomas present a wide variety of clinical and biological behaviors, which are reflected by the heterogeneous expressions of protooncogenes related to the neuronal differentiation and amplification of the N-myc gene. High expression of trk A and Ha-ras in neuroblastomas has been shown to be associated with an excellent patient outcome. We have previously reported that neuron-specific src mRNA was increased in chemically differentiated neuroblastoma cell lines and in clinically observed neuroblastomas without N-myc amplification. In the present study, to clarify both the value of neuronal c-srcN2 expression as a prognostic indicator and the significance of the coexpression of these protooncogenes, we examined the expression of 3 alternatively spliced src, trk A and Ha-ras in neuroblastoma tissues from 60 patients by competitive RNA-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results indicate that protooncogene expression in neuroblastomas correlated with a favorable outcome for c-srcN2 and trk A. N-myc gene was amplified exclusively in tumors with low levels of trk A. Low expression of c-srcN2 and trk A might thus characterize different aggressive phenotypes due to different signal transduction pathways of neural differentiation in neuroblastoma. The combined analyses for c-srcN2 and trk A expression by RNA-PCR should provide information about the biological phenotype of a neuroblastoma within a short period of time after obtaining tumor material.

Correlation of the mutation of p53 gene and the polymorphism at codon 72 in smoking-related non-small cell lung cancer patients

The polymorphism of p53 gene at codon 72 consisting of either arginine (Arg)- or proline (Pro)-encoded allele is suggested to be associated with the susceptibility of tobacco-related lung cancer. In this study we examined the polymorphism of 224 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and that of 303 control persons with a polymerase chain reaction method and found that Pro-allele carriers were significantly more frequent in those patients who smoked and were affected at a younger age (<65) (P<0.05). We also investigated whether the mutational alterations of this gene could be influenced by the genotype. The overall mutation rate of 114 NSCLC patients examined with a single-strand conformation polymorphism method was 31%, which agreed with previous reports. However, the mutation rate was significantly increased in those patients who smoked and were affected at a younger age (<65) (P<0.05). Although the Pro-allele carriers among the smoker patients showed higher mutation rate than the Arg/Arg homozygotes, the difference between the genotypes had marginal significance (0.1<P<0.05) and was statistically insignificant, if the study was confined to younger patients. Thus, the present data cannot confirm a possible association of the p53 polymorphism with its mutation rate regarding smoking-related lung cancer.

Detection of canine oral papillomavirus-DNA in canine oral squamous cell carcinomas and p53 overexpressing skin papillomas of the dog using the polymerase chain reaction and non-radioactive in situ hybridization

Nineteen cutaneous and mucocutaneous papillomas, as well as 29 oral and 25 non-oral squamous cell carcinomas of dogs were analyzed immunohistologically for the presence of papillomavirus (PV)-antigens. Canine oral papillomavirus (COPV)-DNA was detected in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and non-radioactive in situ hybridization (ISH). Furthermore, the expression of the tumor suppressor protein p53 was investigated. PV-antigens were detectable in more than 50% of the oral and cutaneous papillomas, while no PV-antigens could be demonstrated in venereal papillomas. One squamous cell carcinoma was PV-antigen positive. Only two cutaneous papillomas of the head showed a strong p53-specific immunostaining, while overexpressed p53 was detectable in approximately 35% of all squamous cell carcinomas. It was possible to amplify fragments of the E6, E7 and L1 gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from five of eight oral and from five of eight cutaneous papillomas as well as from three oral squamous cell carcinomas. Nine of 10 papillomas showed a strong nucleus-associated hybridization signal typical for COPV-DNA. In three squamous cell carcinomas COPV-DNA was located in nests of the epithelial tumor cells surrounding 'horn pearls' or disseminated in the carcinoma tissue. These observations support the view that COPV may also induce non-oral papillomas in the dog and confirm the opinion that a progression of viral papillomas into carcinomas in dogs may occur.

Glutamate dehydrogenase mRNA is immediately induced after phencyclidine treatment in the rat brain

To clarify the molecular mechanism of phencyclidine (PCP)-induced schizophreniform psychosis in humans and of behavioral abnormalities in experimental animals, we used differential screening of a cDNA library from the cerebral cortex of rats treated with PCP. We identified a PCP-induced cDNA clone as the gene encoding glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), an enzyme central to glutamate metabolism. GDH mRNA levels significantly increased as early as 15 min following PCP administration in both the cerebral cortex and the cerebellum. This effect was observed even in the presence of a protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide. In contrast to a transient increase in c-fos expression, the elevation of GDH mRNA levels lasted up to 8 days after a single PCP injection. These results suggest that GDH mRNA induction may be involved in the pathology of PCP-induced psychosis, and that GDH may be one of the candidate genes that are vulnerable in subjects with schizophrenia.

Human papillomavirus type 16 E6 protein transcriptionally modulates fibronectin gene expression by induction of protein complexes binding to the cyclic AMP response element

Although human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) E6 protein has a transcription-modulatory activity for a wide variety of viral promoters, a cellular target for this activity of E6 has not yet been identified. In this study, using differential hybridization, we identified a mouse fibronectin (FN) gene as a putative cellular target whose expression is up-regulated by E6. Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) assays with mouse and rat FN promoter-CAT fusion constructs indicated that HPV16 E6 transactivates the FN promoters in a p53-independent manner. Deletion and site-specific mutation analyses revealed that transactivation by HPV16 E6 depends upon a cyclic AMP response element (CRE) located at -160 relative to the start site of transcription. Gel retardation assays demonstrated that nuclear extracts from the HPV16 E6-expressing cells, compared to those from parental 10T1/2 cells, have increased binding activity to the CRE. Antibodies against c-Jun and ATF-2 disrupted this binding activity. These data indicate that HPV16 E6 transcriptionally modulates FN gene expression via the CRE by inducing the binding of the protein complexes, probably including c-Jun and ATF-2, to the CRE.

Transactivation of prothymosin alpha and c-myc promoters by human papillomavirus type 16 E6 protein

The human papillomavirus type 16 E6 protein exerts a transforming activity through inactivation of tumor suppressor p53. Recently E6 has been shown to have additional transforming activities independent of p53. E6 is able to transactivate or repress several specific viral promoters. However, underlying molecular mechanisms and cellular target genes for the activity are not well understood. Using a differential hybridization technique, we identified the prothymosin alpha gene as a cellular target of E6 transactivation. E6 was able to transactivate the prothymosin alpha promoter in H358 cells lacking p53 and in C33A cells harboring a mutant p53 allele. Disruption of the E-box in intron 1 of the prothymosin alpha promoter abolished the responsiveness to E6. Then we determined if E6 up-regulates the expression of Myc, by which the prothymosin alpha promoter is transactivated through the E-box. We found that E6 is also able to transactivate the c-myc promoter in H358 cells and in C33A cells. These results suggest that E6 is able to transactivate the c-myc promoter independently of p53, and that the prothymosin alpha promoter is subsequently transactivated by Myc.

Normal human fibroblasts immortalized by introduction of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) E6-E7 genes

This report demonstrates that normal human fibroblasts can be immortalized by the introduction of HPV-16 E6-E7 genes. We designed zinc-inducible expression plasmids with HPV-16 E6, E7 or both. Each plasmid was introduced into normal human fibroblasts (TIG-3 cells) using lipofection methods. Only transfectants with the HPV-16 E6-E7 zinc-inducible expression plasmid, which were cultured in medium supplemented with 100 microM ZnSO4, overcame crisis and could be cultured over 200 population doubling levels (PDLs). These cell lines showed the reactivation of telomerase after crisis, and morphological alterations were also observed.

Expression, regulation and polymorphism of the mxi1 genes

The myc proto-oncogene family plays an important role in the control of cellular growth and differentiation. Mxi1, one of the Max-associated proteins, has been known to have an antagonistic action on Myc activity. The mxi1 mRNA increased during growth inhibition and differentiation, and decreased with serum stimulation in mammal cell lines. We have also found an AAAAC polymorphic repeat in the 3' non-coding region of the human mxi1 cDNAs and a difference between the mxi1 mRNA half-lives in some different cell lines.

Human papillomavirus type 16 E6 protein up-regulates the expression of the high mobility group protein HMG-I(Y) gene in mouse 10T1/2 cells

Using a differential hybridization technique, we have identified a mouse cellular gene, high mobility group protein HMG-I(Y), whose expression is up-regulated by the E6 protein of human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16. This gene was overexpressed in E6-expressing mouse 10T1/2 cells, but not in G418-resistant 10T1/2 cells. The expression of the HMG-I(Y) gene was up-regulated by the transient expression of E6 from a zinc-inducible human metallothionein-IIA gene promoter. Expression was found to be more efficient at a confluent cell density than at a subconfluent cell density. The up-regulation of HMG-I(Y) gene expression by E6, in particular at a confluent cell density, may be part of an altered genetic program in host cells infected with HPV-16.

Therapeutic effect of secretin in patients with jaundice; double-blind placebo-controlled multicentric trial

Secretin, a gastrointestinal hormone, has been shown to have a potent choleretic effect. Having already obtained some beneficial effects with secretin in patients with intrahepatic cholestasis, we sought to confirm its effects in a double-blind placebo-controlled study in patients with mild jaundice after acute or during chronic hepatitis, where total bilirubin level was in excess of 4.0 mg/dl for 3 days or more. Patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and familiar hyperbilirubinemia were excluded from the study. Ninety-three patients were included in this analysis, but the final evaluation covered 69 of them. No statistically significant differences were found in the reduction of serum bilirubin levels between secretin and placebo groups. As a number of patients with liver cirrhosis had been included, the subjects were subdivided into one group with cholestasis in hepatitis and one with liver cirrhosis. In the subgroup of cirrhotic patients who received secretin, serum levels of AST were significantly increased compared with the placebo group. However, since the choleretic effect of secretin is unique, further studies seem to be warranted.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) production in carcinoma of the cervix

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine that is not only a mediator in major immunologic reactions but also a growth factor of keratinocytes. We studied the IL-6 secretion in vitro of 15 human cell lines derived from both squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix. Four of the eight well differentiated SCC secreted a large amount (> 1500 pg/48 h/10(6) cells) of IL-6 in nude mice. In contrast, poorly differentiated SCC cell lines and all of the 7 adenocarcinoma cell lines secreted a small amount (< 500 pg/48 h/10(6) cells of IL-6). The expression of IL-6 mRNA of the cell lines correlated well with their IL-6 secretion potential. However, the expression of IL-6 receptor did not correlate with the IL-6 secretory potential. We also studied the IL-6 secretion of freshly isolated normal squamous epithelium and of dysplastic epithelium. In culture, two normal squamous epithelia secreted a large amount (> 2000 pg/48 h/10(6) cells), whereas 8 dysplasia epithelia secreted an extremely small amount (< 10 pg/48 h/10(6) cells). About one-third of patients with SCC had a raised serum IL-6 value. IL-6 production may help to differentiate between SCC and adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix. IL-6 regulation seems to change in the course of SCC carcinogenesis.

p53-Dependent and -independent transactivation by the E6 protein of human papillomavirus type 16

The mechanism by which the E6 protein of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) transactivates heterologous virus promoters has not been established. In this study, the involvement of p53-mediated transcriptional repression in transactivation by the HPV-16 E6 protein was examined using several virus promoters. HPV-16 E6 transactivated the TATA box-containing simian virus 40 early promoter and the Rous sarcoma virus long terminal repeat in p53-containing cells but not in p53-deficient cells. In contrast, the adenovirus E2 promoter was transactivated both in p53-containing and p53-deficient cells. These results indicate that the transactivation activity of the HPV-16 E6 protein is mediated by p53-dependent and promoter-specific p53-independent pathways.

Isolation and serial propagation of human group C rotaviruses in a cell line (CaCo-2)

Rotaviruses were detected via electron microscopy in fecal specimens collected from school children during an outbreak of diarrhea and from a sporadic case in 1993 in Japan. All of the viruses were found to belong to human group C rotavirus by reverse passive hemagglutination assay (RPHA). These viruses replicated well in a human colon carcinoma (CaCo-2) cell line cultured in the presence of trypsin (4 micrograms/ml). This report demonstrates that human group C rotaviruses can be propagated efficiently in a cell line cultured in the presence of trypsin. The infected cells did not show any apparent cytopathic changes. However, virus was detected in the cell cytoplasm by immunofluorescence (IF) staining and in the culture supernatant by RPHA. On the basis of immune electron microscopy (IEM), virus particles collected from infected CaCo-2 cell cultures were confirmed to aggregate specifically with anti-human group C rotavirus antibody. The electrophoretic patterns of RNA segments extracted from viral particles found in the fecal specimens or infected cells were identical to those of human group C rotavirus. These results indicated that human group C rotaviruses were the causal agent of the diarrhea outbreak.

Deletion in the L1 open reading frame of human papillomavirus type 6a genomes associated with recurrent laryngeal papilloma

Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 6a genomes with a large deletion in their L1 open reading frames (ORF) were found in two of five recurrent cases of laryngeal papilloma. One of these mutant HPVs had a 186 base pair (bp) deletion near the N-terminus end of the L1 ORF, which encodes a major capsid protein. The other had a 454 bp deletion at the C-terminus end of L1 at which is located a nuclear localising signal (NLS). No other large deletion or insertion was found in the remaining regions of all five HPV6a genomes. The laryngeal papillomas which harboured the mutant viruses showed typical hyperplasia and pathological changes as observed in tumours induced by the wild-type virus. The biological significance of the two large deletions in the late region of HPV6a associated with laryngeal papilloma is discussed.

Cloning and sequencing of the murine farnesyltransferase alpha-encoding cDNA from a cell line which expresses the human papillomavirus type-16 E6 gene

Using a differential hybridization technique, the murine farnesyltransferase alpha (FTA)-encoding cDNA was cloned from a mouse 10T1/2 cell line which expresses the human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) E6 gene. Sequence analysis revealed that the murine 1647-bp FTA cDNA encoded 377 amino acid (aa). The murine and human sequences showed 83.2% nucleotide and 92.6% aa sequence identity.

Intrasellar neuronal choristoma associated with growth hormone-producing pituitary adenoma containing amyloid deposits

The histological, immunocytochemical, and ultrastructural features of an intrasellar neuronal choristoma associated with pituitary growth hormone (GH)-producing adenoma are reported. Immunohistochemistry studies and electron microscopy examination showed the adenoma cells to be positive for GH but negative for prolactin, and the neurons of the choristoma to have GH-releasing factor (GRF) neurosecretory activity. The adenoma also had many amyloid deposits in its extracellular space immunoreactive to GRF. This is the first report of the tumor containing amyloid deposits.

Nucleotide-sequence of a canine oral papillomavirus containing a long noncoding region

The DNA genome of a canine oral papillomavirus (COPV) was completely sequenced and found to consist of 8607 base pairs, which were the longest of all known papillomaviruses (PVs). Its organization was similar to that of other PVs except that it lacked early gene 5 (E5) and possessed a unique long noncoding region (L-NCR) between the end of the early genes and the beginning of the late genes. COPV also possessed a short noncoding region (S-NCR) which contained a putative upper regulatory region (URR), which is commonly found in PVs. The L-NCR did not show any similarity to known PV DNAs nor other DNA sequences in the GenBank database. Nucleotide sequence analysis of COPV showed that it was closely related to human papillomavirus type 1 (HPV 1) and animal PVs associated with cutaneous lesions in rabbit, European elk, deer and cow as we reported previously.

Fc receptors in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in NZB/W F1 lupus mice: a histological analysis using soluble immunoglobulin G-immune complexes and a monoclonal antibody (2.4G2)

In systemic lupus erythematosus accompanied by the abnormal appearance of circulating immune complexes (ICs), Fc gamma receptor (FcR)-mediated IC handling in macrophages including Kupffer cells has been shown previously. However, sinusoidal endothelial cells (SECs) largely ingest soluble immunoglobulin (Ig) G-ICs through FcRs. In this study, the character, antigenic expression, and activity (i.e., ligand-binding capacity of SEC FcRs in NZB/NZW F1 lupus and NZW nonautoimmune mice) were immunohistochemically analyzed using monoclonal antibody (MAb) 2.4G2 to FcRs and peroxidase-antiperoxidase IgG as a ligand on cryosections. MAb 2.4G2 stained SECs and blocked the ligand binding of SEC FcRs in both mice strains. The staining intensities with MAb 2.4G2 in SECs and the FcR activities in SECs alone and all sinusoidal cells in both mice strains reached their maximum values at the age of 5 months. Staining intensities in NZB/W F1 were significantly higher at 1 and 2 months and lower at 9 months than those in NZW. The number of Kupffer cells detected by MAb F4/80 to macrophages in both mice strains gradually increased until 5 months, but their number in NZB/W F1 at 9 months was twice as large as that in NZW. In conclusion, SEC FcRs in mice are low-affinity FcRs that react with MAb 2.4G2. The data of FcR activity suggest no impairment of the FcR-mediated IgG-IC binding on SECs in NZB/W F1 in early life.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A novel allelic variant of serum amyloid A, SAA1 gamma: genomic evidence, evolution, frequency, and implication as a risk factor for reactive systemic AA-amyloidosis

Reactive systemic amyloidosis, also called AA-amyloidosis is a rare fatal complication of common chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. It has been proposed that as yet undefined factors other than persistent elevation of serum level of the precursor protein, serum amyloid A (SAA), are also important for the development of AA-amyloidosis. In this work we show genomic evidence for a novel allelic variant of human SAA, SAA1 gamma, which we have recently identified at the protein level. The SAA1 gamma [Ala52(GCC), Ala57(GCG)] differed from SAA1 alpha [Val52(GTC), Ala57(GCG)] only at one base, indicating a single point mutation. On the other hand, SAA1 beta [Ala52(GCC), Val57(GTG)] had not only one, but additional differences in a nearby intron and this portion was identical to the SAA2 gene, suggesting a crossing-over between the SAA1 and SAA2 genes. Furthermore, we report that there was a significant difference in the observed numbers of SAA1 alleles between rheumatoid arthritis patients with AA-amyloidosis and the control population (chi 2(2) = 11.59, p = 0.003) with a higher frequency of gamma-allele in the AA-amyloid group (0.70 vs. 0.37). There was also a notable difference in the distribution of SAA1 genotypes (chi 5(2) = 14.63, p = 0.012) with an increased frequency of gamma/gamma-homozygotes in the AA-amyloid group (0.60 vs. 0.18). Thus our findings indicate that this novel allelic variant may be an important risk factor for the development of AA-amyloidosis.

Isolation of influenza A and B viruses in HeLa cells

The HeLa cell line which is one of the most popular cell lines was shown to be suitable for isolation of types A (H3N2) and B influenza viruses from throat washings of patients. Sixty-nine and 67 out of 147 throat washings taken from patients during the period from January to April 1994, were positive for influenza A virus in HeLa cells and MDCK cells respectively. Seven out of 10 throat washings taken between January and March, 1993, were positive for influenza B virus in MDCK. Of these 7, 4 were also positive for HeLa cells.

Rare association of human papillomavirus DNA with esophageal cancer in Japan

To examine whether human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA is associated with esophageal cancer, frozen and paraffin-embedded neoplasms of the upper aerodigestive tract, including esophageal cancer, were investigated. DNA obtained from frozen specimens and cell lines were analyzed by both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern blot hybridization. DNA from paraffin-embedded samples were analyzed strictly by PCR. DNA of HPV types 6 and 11 was detected in papillomas of the upper respiratory tract at > 50%. However, HPV DNA was infrequently detected in specimens from the upper digestive tract (31 esophageal cancers and 2 esophageal carcinoma--derived cell lines), even by PCR at a sensitivity of 0.1 copy number per cell. These results suggest that the etiologic significance of HPV infection in esophageal cancer is negligible.

Cloning and sequencing of the murine Mxi1 cDNA

The cloning and sequencing of the murine Mxi1 gene encoding Mxi1, one of Max-associated proteins, is described. Murine and human sequences showed 87.9% nucleotide (nt) and 90.3% amino acid (aa) sequence homology, whereas murine and zebra fish sequences showed 67.2% nt and 67.8% aa sequence homology.

Expression of neuronal src mRNA as a favorable marker and inverse correlation to N-myc gene amplification in human neuroblastomas

Neuron-specific src mRNA, which is expressed in human brain tissue by alternative splicing, is associated with neural differentiation. Neuronal c-srcNI expression may be associated with the ability of neuroblastomas to mature; furthermore, c-srcN2 mRNA is induced in chemically differentiated neuroblastoma cells in vitro. The prognosis of a patient with a neuroblastoma is strongly affected by the ability of the tumor to differentiate in vivo. In order to clarify the relationship between neuronal src mRNA expression and the clinical outcome of a neuroblastoma, we analyzed the expression of src mRNA in neuroblastoma tissues from 28 patients by SI-nuclease-protection assay. N-myc gene amplification was also examined by Southern blot hybridization. The clinical significance of neuronal src mRNA expression and its relevance to N-myc gene amplification was also investigated. A high ratio (more than 10%) of c-srcN2 mRNA expression was observed in all early-stage tumors and in advanced neuroblastomas with a favorable prognosis. In contrast, in advanced neuroblastomas with an aggressive clinical phenotype, c-srcN2 mRNA expression was found at a low ratio (below 10%). Genomic amplification of the N-myc gene and expression of c-srcN2 mRNAs were inversely correlated. When combined with other prognostic markers such as N-myc gene amplification, the expression of c-srcN2 mRNA may be a new biological marker to predict the prognosis of patients with neuroblastomas.

Cloning and sequencing of the L1 gene of canine oral papillomavirus

Canine oral papillomavirus (COPV) DNA was isolated from two different sources. One of these DNAs was molecularly cloned and its physical map was determined. Hybridization analyses using subgenomic fragments of bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1) and human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) as probes revealed that the cloned COPV shared moderate homology within the E1 and L1 regions of BPV-1 and HPV16, whereas homology in other regions of BPV-1 and HPV16 was low. The putative L1 gene of COPV was sequenced and several conserved regions, including antigenic epitopes which are common in other known papillomaviruses, were analyzed.

Transcription-modulatory activity of full-length E6 and E6*I proteins of human papillomavirus type 16

The E6 gene of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) has the potential to encode full-length as well as truncated E6 proteins (E6*I and E6*II) by alternative splicings. Spliced ORF E6*I is considered to facilitate the translation of the neighboring E7 ORF; however, the putative E6*I protein is suspected to be functionless. In this study, the transcription-modulatory functions of full-length E6 and E6*I proteins were examined using cDNAs from a cervical carcinoma cell line. E6*I cDNA was able to trans-activate the autologous P97 promoter and the heterologous adenovirus E2 promoter. Full-length E6 was found to trans-activate the heterologous promoter, but repress transcription from the autologous P97 promoter. The transcription-modulatory functions of full-length E6 and E6*I proteins suggested that transcriptional regulation of HPVs associated with mucosal malignant lesions is complex.