Aberrant sparganosis in cat caused by Spirometra mansoni (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidae): a case report

BACKGROUND

Sparganosis is a rare zoonotic disease caused by plerocercoid larvae of the genera Spirometra or Sparganum (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidae). The larvae of Spirometra generally do not undergo asexual reproduction, whereas those of Sparganum can induce proliferative lesions in infected tissues. This paper presents an unusual case of proliferative sparganosis due to infection with Spirometra mansoni in a cat, normally considered a definitive host of the species.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 9-year-old male domestic cat was presented with a mass on the right side of the face that underwent progressive enlargement for 1 month. The morphological and histopathological examinations revealed multiple asexual proliferative cestode larvae in the lesions, suggestive of proliferative sparganosis. Next-generation sequencing analysis of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens of surgically excised tissue indicated that the worm was Spirometra mansoni.

CONCLUSION

Although S. mansoni a common tapeworm species found in the small intestine of domestic cats and dogs in Japan, proliferative sparganosis is extremely rare. This is the first confirmed case of proliferative sparganosis due to infection with S. mansoni in cat.

Development and validation of the Japanese version of the Bedtime Procrastination Scale (BPS-J)

BACKGROUND

The average sleep duration of Japanese people is shorter than that of people from other countries, and bedtime procrastination is suspected to be one of the factors contributing to this issue. This study aimed to develop and validate the Japanese version of the Bedtime Procrastination Scale (BPS-J).

METHODS

The BPS-J was developed through procedures including the translation and back-translation of the scale, cognitive interviews with 100 participants who reported having experiences of being diagnosed with insufficient sleep syndrome (ISS) or receiving treatment for ISS using open-ended online questionnaires, and expert checking. To investigate the scale's validity and reliability, an online survey was conducted with daytime workers aged 20 - 65 years without a history of sleep disorders other than ISS. Half the participants were retested using the same survey after 14 days. Participants' responses to the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS), General Procrastination Scale (GPS), and Munich ChronoType Questionnaire (MCTQ), and data on sleep-related variables such as sleep duration on workdays and the days per week of fatigue or sleep loss, sex, and age, were collected.

RESULTS

We analyzed data from 574 participants to assess scale validity. We then analyzed data from 280 participants to determine test-retest reliability. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the two-factor model without Item 2 was most suitable for the BPS-J, unlike other language versions. Regardless of the full-item model or the model with Item 2 eliminated, sufficient reliability and significant correlations with the BSCS, GPS, MCTQ, and sleep-related variables such as sleep duration per night on work days, days per week of feeling fatigued, and days per week of sleep loss were observed. Logistic and linear regressions showed that the relationships between the BPS-J, sleep-related variables, and MCTQ were maintained after adjusting for sex and age.

CONCLUSION

The BPS-J had sufficient validity and reliability. Further, eliminating Item 2 from the original version of the BPS strengthened the ability to survey Japanese daytime workers.

Subjective sleep onset latency is influenced by sleep structure and body heat loss in human subjects

The present study examined the relationship between subjective sleep onset latency (SOL), sleep structure, changes in skin and body temperature, and subjective evaluation of sleep in healthy young adults to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms of insomnia. A total of 28 participants (age 21.54 [0.50] years) with no sleep problems participated in a 1-h polysomnographic recording that obtained objective sleep parameters during the daytime while skin and body temperatures were recorded. The distal-proximal skin temperature gradient (DPG) was calculated. Subjective parameters, such as subjective SOL, sleep time, and restorative sleepiness, were evaluated before and after sleep. Most participants estimated their sleep latency as being longer than their actual SOL (13.7 versus 7.6 min). Objective SOL was significantly correlated with each sleep stage parameter whereas subjective SOL was negatively correlated with Stage N2 sleep duration (Rho = -0.454, p = 0.020), slow-wave activity and delta power (Rho = -0.500, p = 0.011 and Rho = -0.432, p = 0.031, respectively), and ΔDPG (the degree of reduction of heat loss before and after lights-off). Stepwise regression analysis showed that ΔDPG was the strongest predictive factor in explaining the length of subjective SOL. The degree of heat dissipation before and after lights-off contributed most to the sensation of falling asleep in healthy young adults. This finding may be helpful for elucidating the physiological mechanisms of insomnia and its treatment.

0151 Subjective sleep onset latency is influenced by the sleep structure and body heat loss in human subjects

Introduction

Humans can estimate the time that has elapsed during sleep (time estimation ability; TEA). Although research on the TEA during sleep has advanced in the field of sleep research, few studies have focused on the relationship between the subjective sleep onset latency (SOL), which is an indicator of TEA, and objective sleep structures, body heat loss, and body temperature. This paper investigates the association of the subjective SOL with sleep structures such as the objective SOL, duration of each sleep stage, subjective sleep parameters, and body heat loss in healthy young participants.

Methods

Twenty six participants (7 men and 19 women, mean age of 21.5 ± 0.5 years) having no sleep problems participated in a 1-hour polysomnographic recording that obtained objective sleep parameters during the daytime while temperatures of the skin (i.e., dorsum of the hand and foot, forehead, and subclavian) and eardrum were recorded at intervals of 1 min. The distal–proximal skin temperature gradient (DPG), which is a good predictor of body heat loss and sleepiness, was calculated. Subjective parameters, such as the subjective SOL, sleep time, sleep depth, sleepiness, and mood, were evaluated before and after sleep. We examined the association of the subjective SOL with objective sleep parameters, DPG, and other subjective parameters.

Results

Most participants estimated their sleep latency to be longer than their actual SOL (mean objective SOL of 7.6 min vs. subjective SOL of 13.7 min). The objective SOL was significantly correlated with each sleep stage parameter whereas the subjective SOL was negatively correlated with the stage N2 sleep duration (Rho = −0.454, p = 0.020) and correlated with the stage N2 sleep latency (Rho = 0.402, p = 0.051). Participants who estimated a shorter subjective SOL had a higher DPG before sleep periods than that after sleep onset (Rho = −0.692, p < 0.001). Additionally, the subjective SOL was correlated with the subjective sleep depth, subjective wake after sleep onset, and restorative sleep.

Conclusion

The subjective sleep onset latency in the healthy young participants was affected by the degree of body heat loss before sleep onset and stable shallow nonrapid-eye-movement sleep.

Support (If Any)

 

Benign bilateral independent periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges

Bilateral independent periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges (BIPLEDs) usually appear transiently in patients with severe disturbances of consciousness and are indicative of a poor prognosis. Recurrent BIPLEDs have not previously been reported in the literature. We report a 64-year-old patient with bilateral hippocampal lesions (cerebral infarction) who exhibited persistent periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges (PLEDs) (chronic PLEDs) associated with recurrent BIPLEDs. Electroencephalography was recorded for more than 6 months. Left hemispheric PLEDs appeared first. Next, PLEDs shifted to the right hemisphere and BIPLEDs occasionally developed. Brain magnetic resonance imaging and single-photon emission computed tomography with technetium-99-hexamethyl-propyleneamine oxime was performed before and after the appearance of BIPLEDs. The patient had no remarkable clinical symptoms aside from mild memory impairment for this period of time. This is the first case of recurrent 'benign' BIPLEDs, that is, BIPLEDs with a positive prognosis.

Insulin-like growth factor-I enhances choleretic action of FK506 in rats

FK506 is an immunosuppressant for organ transplantation in the same clinical settings as cyclosporine (CsA). In the management of liver transplantation, FK506 has advantages over CsA, in terms of rejection and corticosteroid requirements. Recent clinical findings in liver transplant patients indicate that FK506, but not CsA, stimulates choleresis, suggesting that FK506 treatment may accelerate recovery from cholestatic dysfunction through its choleretic action. Recently, we demonstrated in rats that exogenous treatment with insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) results in an increase in bile flow and also that FK506 has the potential to increase hepatic production of IGF-I. However, circulating levels of IGF-I in FK506-treated rats were only 30% higher than in nontreated rats. In this study, we evaluated the combined effect of treatment with both IGF-I and FK506 on bile flow in rats to explore the possibility that combination treatment in liver transplant patients could enhance the choleretic action of FK506, benefiting the transplanted liver. Combination treatment of IGF-I with FK506 resulted in a potent and long-lasting increase in bile flow. Overall, this study demonstrated that IGF-I treatment enhanced the choleretic action of FK506, providing potential clinical utility for combination therapy using these two drugs, in treatment after liver transplantation.

Induction of choleresis by immunosuppressant FK506 through stimulation of insulin-like growth factor-I production in the liver of rats

FK506 (Tacrolimus) is an effective immunosuppressant currently used worldwide in organ transplantation. Based on our recent findings that insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is important for the stimulation of choleresis in vivo, in this study we investigated the effect of FK506 on bile flow and the plasma and hepatic levels of IGF-I in rats. Intravenous treatment of rats with FK506 resulted in a significant increase in bile flow, whereas cyclosporin A induced a significant decrease. A significant increase in plasma levels of IGF-I was observed in rats 30 min after a single intravenous administration of FK506. Oral treatment of rats with FK506 for 1 week also resulted in an increase in both plasma and hepatic levels of IGF-I. Overall, this study showed that FK506 treatment increased bile flow and also induced an increase in the plasma and hepatic levels of IGF-I in rats, suggesting that a stimulation of hepatic IGF-I production by FK506 may contribute to its choleretic profile.

Induction of bone loss by bile duct ligation in rats

Metabolic bone loss is the most common complication of chronic liver disease. However, there is little information available about bone loss in rats with a ligated bile duct, a biliary-type of experimental cirrhosis model. Therefore, in this study, the effect of bile duct ligation (BDL) on bone mineral density (BMD) and plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels was examined in rats. Two weeks after BDL operation, the rats with a ligated bile duct showed a pronounced and significant decrease in both trabecular and cortical BMD of the femur. In these rats, decreases in food intake and plasma IGF-I levels plus elevated levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin were also observed. When the effect of dietary restriction (30% or 50%) over 2 weeks was then investigated in normal rats, 50% food restriction resulted in a significant decrease in femoral trabecular bone density although BMD was unchanged by 30% dietary restriction. The plasma levels of IGF-I were also decreased in food-restricted rats. Thus, the decrease in femoral bone density in 50% food-restricted rats was less potent compared with BDL rats; nevertheless, the decrease in plasma levels of IGF-I was almost equally potent in both BDL and food-restricted rats. Overall, this study showed that BDL operation resulted in a pronounced bone loss in rats, but also that this bone loss might not be merely due to the decreases in food intake and plasma IGF-I levels. These results suggest that BDL in rats is a useful experimental cirrhosis model for evaluating the bone loss associated with chronic liver disease.

Stimulation of choleresis by insulin-like growth factor-I in rats

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is an endogenous growth factor which is mainly produced in the liver. The functions of IGF-I can be summarized as growth-promoting and insulin-like metabolic actions. In the present study, the effect of IGF-I on bile flow and bile acid secretion was investigated in rats. In normal rats bile flow was significantly increased by single exogenous administration of IGF-I, and by 1 week treatment of IGF-I, both bile flow and bile acid secretion were significantly increased. Moreover, to further understand the relationship between IGF-I and bile acid secretion, hypophysectomized rats were next used. We found that the decreases in bile flow and bile acid secretion observed in rats after hypophysectomy, as well as the decrease in the endogenous level of IGF-I in the blood, were partially reversed by 1 week exogenous IGF-I treatment. Overall, this study showed that IGF-I stimulates choleresis associated with an elevation of bile acid secretion in both normal and hypophysectomized rats when exogenously administered, suggesting the importance of IGF-I in the stimulation of choleresis in vivo.

Membranous and soluble forms of Fas antigen in cutaneous lupus erythematosus

The role of Fas-mediated apoptosis in cutaneous lupus erythematosus (LE) is still unclear, although the Fas/FasL system has been investigated in autoimmune diseases in relation to impaired apoptosis. In order to elucidate the connections between acute cutaneous LE (ACLE) and chronic cutaneous LE (CCLE), we determined the expression of membranous Fas antigen (mFas) on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by flow cytometry and the levels of the soluble form of the Fas antigen (sFas) in sera. The ratio and the mean fluorescence intensity of mFas were much higher in ACLE patients than in others, including patients with CCLE and atopic dermatitis and normal healthy controls. The levels of sFas in ACLE and CCLE patients were also elevated, and there was a significant increase in sFas levels in ACLE patients over that in CCLE patients. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that Fas antigen was predominantly expressed on infiltrating cells around blood vessels and appendages in ACLE and CCLE patients. Based on these findings, it is suggested that the expression of Fas antigen is closely associated with the activation of circulating lymphocytes, especially in ACLE patients, but is not directly associated with keratinocyte damage.

A negative component on event related potential recorded in the drowsy state

Behavior of event related potential (ERP) components in the drowsy state was examined in nine subjects using oddball paradigm. A component with peak latency of 300 msec, N300, was superimposed on ERP in the drowsy state. N300 appeared also in stage 1 of NREM sleep and closely resembled vertex sharp wave evoked by sound stimulation in both scalp distribution and peak latency. It was suggested that N300 recorded in the drowsy state and vertex sharp wave recorded in stage 1 of NREM sleep are generated by the identical synchronizing mechanism in the brain.

Some sensory stimuli generate spontaneous K-complexes

The present study was performed in order to determine whether spontaneous K-complex are induced by sensory stimuli. Electroencephalogram (EEG) segments in stage 2 sleep containing an evoked K-complex or spontaneous K-complex were separately averaged with respect to the peak of N300, one of the main components constituting the K-complex. Small negative and positive components were found immediately before the main components of spontaneous K-complex in averaged EEG. These two components were judged to correspond to N100 and P200 induced by the sound stimulus. The present findings suggest that the spontaneous K-complex is not a spontaneous phenomenon but that it is induced by sensory stimuli.

Cortical activity of REM sleep often occurs earlier than other physiological phenomena

N300 appearing in response to sound stimulus was used as an index to determine the occurrence of cortical activity characterizing REM sleep. In 5/10 subjects, marked reduction of N300 amplitude occurred even in the period of 0.5-2.5 min immediately preceding the appearance of muscle atonia characterizing REM sleep. Neither muscle atonia nor rapid eye movements appeared prior to the marked reduction of N300 amplitude in any subject. This suggests that the cortical activity characterizing REM sleep sometimes occurs a few minutes (or less) earlier than other physiological phenomena.

Marked suppression of cortical auditory evoked response shortly before the onset of REM sleep

In 10 of 12 subjects examined, the amplitude of N300, a component of the cortical auditory evoked potential, was evidently smaller in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep than in non-REM sleep. The start of the reduction associated with the onset of the first episode of REM sleep was examined in these 10 subjects. In five of these, a marked reduction of N300 amplitude occurred 0.5-2.5 min before the appearance of muscle atonia of REM sleep. In two subjects, a similarly marked reduction of the N300 amplitude occurred 0.5-1.0 min before the disappearance of sleep spindles or K-complexes. This suggests that a suppression of the synchronizing mechanism in the cerebrum sometimes occurs briefly prior to the occurrence of other physiological phenomena associated with REM sleep.

Evaluation of angiogenic inhibitors with an in vivo quantitative angiogenesis method using agarose microencapsulation and mouse hemoglobin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

In the present work, using a previously reported in vivo quantitative tumor-angiogenesis model, we attempted to ascertain whether this animal model is suitable for practical use in monitoring inhibitors of tumor angiogenesis. Mouse sarcoma-180 cells, human A431 cells or rat C6 cells microencapsulated in agarose beads were implanted s.c. into C57BL/6 mice. The level of blood vessel induction at the agarose pellet site was evaluated using mouse hemoglobin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay on day 10 after implantation. Hydrocortisone, tetrahydro-S, medroxyprogesterone acetate, pentosan polysulfate and suramin inhibited blood vessel growth in our in vivo tumor-angiogenesis assay system, and heparin enhanced the antiangiogenic effects of hydrocortisone and tetrahydro-S. These results are almost entirely consistent with those observed in common assay systems, and suggest that this method may be useful for the identification and quantitative evaluation of inhibitors of tumor angiogenesis.

Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis effectively treated with recombinant interferon-gamma: suppression of mRNA expression of interleukin 5 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis (EPF) is characterized clinically by pruritic grouped follicular papules and pustules on the trunk, limbs, and face, and, histologically, by follicular infiltration with eosinophils. The blood eosinophil count is elevated in most patients. Oral minocycline, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, diaminodiphenylsulphone, and corticosteroids may induce remission. We report two Japanese men with EPF who responded poorly to the usual therapy. Intravenous injections of recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma), 5 x 10(5) to 2 x 10(6) Japan Reference Unit (JRU) (1 JRU roughly corresponds to 4 NIH units) daily for 7 days, cleared the skin lesions and returned the peripheral eosinophil counts to normal in both patients. However, the lesions recurred 2-3 days after rIFN-gamma was stopped. Both patients have received intravenous rIFN-gamma once or twice a week for nearly 1 year without systemic side-effects. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction revealed a decreased expression of interleukin 5 (IL-5) mRNA in peripheral mononuclear cells after the rIFN-gamma therapy. rIFN-gamma may become the treatment of choice in recalcitrant EPF, although further studies are needed. It may work by interfering with the immunological function of type 2 T-helper cells, including IL-5 production responsible for the growth and differentiation of eosinophils.

Varicella pneumonia in a healthy adult presenting with severe respiratory failure

We describe a case of varicella pneumonia in a 24-year-old healthy man presenting with severe respiratory failure. A chest radiograph showed diffuse, bilateral airspace consolidation; additional complications included liver dysfunction and thrombocytopenia. However, treatment with intravenous acyclovir and gamma-globulin improved his clinical symptoms and signs. A greater than four-fold change in paired titers of the varicella-zoster virus antibody was observed. Bronchoalveolar lavage performed during the recovery phase revealed increased total cell and lymphocyte counts and a decreased CD4:CD8 ratio of T lymphocytes. Transbronchial lung biopsy findings were compatible with a diagnosis of interstitial pneumonia.

A quantative in vivo method of analyzing human tumor-induced angiogenesis in mice using agarose microencapsulation and hemoglobin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

This study was conducted to develop a quantitative assay system for use in the in vivo evaluation in mice of angiogenesis induced by human tumor cells. The human epidermoid carcinoma cells, A431 cells, were cultured on microcarriers. Microcarrier-attached A431 cells (A431-MC) were microencapsulated with agarose hydrogel to isolate them from the immune system of the C57BL/6 mice after subcutaneous dorsal midline implantation. The agarose hydrogel-microencapsulated A431 cells (Aga-A431 cells; diameter=300 micron) survived for at least 10 days in vitro, and the proliferation profile of the Aga-A431 cells was indistinguishable from that of non-microencapsulated A431 cells. The Aga-A431 cells were subcutaneously injected into mice with an 18-gauge needle. Ten days later, few vessels had formed at the site implanted with cell-free agarose beads, whereas notable angiogenesis was observed at the site implanted with Aga-A431 cells. The degree of angiogenesis was evaluated by measurement of the hemoglobin content in the implanted site using a mouse hemoglobin (mHb) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system. This mHb-ELISA system has the advantages of great simplicity and reproducibility. The measured mHb-content of new blood vessels at the site implanted with agarose beads was in good agreement with the amount of angiogenesis observed under a stereoscopic microscope. This assay system enabled us to evaluate the angiogenesis induced by xenogeneic cells, such as human tumor cells. Thus, our novel method may be useful for the study of the angiogenic potential of various human tumor cells and in research on the anti-angiogenic properties of various agents.

Malignant hemangioendothelioma

BACKGROUND

The administration of interleukin-2 (IL-2) has recently been reported to be favorable for treating malignant hemangioendothelioma (MHE).

METHODS

Two patients with MHE responded well to intralesional injections of recombinant IL-2 (rIL-2) without major side effects. The purpose of this study was to characterize cells infiltrating the regressing tumor following rIL-2 treatment. Immunohistochemical studies were performed on biopsy specimens taken from rIL-2-injected lesional skin.

RESULTS

It was shown that CD8+ lymphocytes and CD56+ natural killer (NK) cells infiltrated at the rIL-2-injection sites, suggesting that these cells contributed to the tumor regression. In addition, MHE cells bore intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) whose expression was augmented by rIL-2 injections.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggested, that rIL-2 not only induces lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells and NK cells, but also facilitates these cytotoxic cells to adhere to MHE cells by enhancing ICAM-1 expression of tumor cells.

K-complex evoked in NREM sleep is accompanied by a slow negative potential related to cognitive process

Evoked cortical responses to two kinds of auditory stimuli (rare and frequent) were analyzed to determine whether or not a K-complex evoked in stage 2 of NREM sleep is accompanied by some endogenous cognitive components of the event-related potential. All the 7 subjects examined in this sleep state failed to provide the correct behavioral response to auditory stimuli, but a K-complex was evoked more frequently by rare stimuli than by frequent stimuli. EEG segments in stage 2 were averaged separately according to the presence or absence of K-complexes emerging just after the stimulation. In cases where K-complexes did not emerge, a long-lasting negative potential of relatively low voltage appeared in the difference wave, which was obtained by subtracting the averaged EEG for frequent stimuli from that for rare stimuli. In cases where K-complexes emerged, a similar long-lasting negative potential of large amplitude appeared in the difference wave. These data may indicate that a K-complex evoked by an external stimulus is accompanied by a potential related to a cognitive process, which appears with greater amplitude in cases where a K-complex is evoked.

Essential region for transforming activity of human c-Ha-ras-1

An SstI fragment of 2.9 kb carrying all four coding exons of the human melanoma c-Ha-ras-1 oncogene could not transform mouse NIH 3T3 cells. Preparation of plasmid clones carrying the 2.9 kb SstI DNA and adjacent regions and analyses of the biological activities of the clones revealed that, for transforming activity of c-Ha-ras-1, a nucleotide sequence of 0.85 kb adjacent to the 2.9 kb DNA in the upstream region was required.

Transforming activity of the c-Ha-ras oncogene having two point mutations in codons 12 and 61

A recombinant plasmid carrying the human c-Ha-ras gene with two point mutations in codons 12 and 61 was constructed and its transforming activity on mouse NIH 3T3 cells was compared with those of genes with a single mutation in either codon 12 or 61. Quantitative analyses revealed that the gene with two mutations had essentially the same transforming activity as the genes with single mutations. These results indicate that a single mutation of the c-Ha-ras gene in either codon 12 or 61 is sufficient to activate the gene and that neither of the two mutation sites involved in activation of the gene needs to be intact for transforming activity.

Amplification of activated c-Ha-ras-1 in human melanoma

Two alleles of c-Ha-ras-1 in a human melanoma could be distinguished by restriction fragment length polymorphism, and one of them was demonstrated to be amplified 10-20 times by hybridization to a specific probe. Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that the amplified allele contained the activated c-Ha-ras-1. In the ras family, amplification of c-Ki-ras-2 and c-Ha-ras-1 has been demonstrated in several human tumors. However, the present result provides the first direct evidence that gene amplification occurs in the activated allele.

A novel combination of K-ras and myc amplification accompanied by point mutational activation of K-ras in a human lung cancer

Amplifications of two oncogenes, c-K-ras-2 and c-myc, were found in a human lung giant cell carcinoma (LGCC) Lu-65, which is maintained in nude mice. The extent of c-K-ras-2 and myc amplifications were estimated to be 10- and 8-fold, respectively, by means of the Southern hybridization procedure. In addition, NIH3T3 cells were transformed by transfection of Lu-65 DNA and the transforming gene was identified as c-K-ras-2. c-K-ras-2 genes were cloned from a gene library of Lu-65 and a single point mutation causing a substitution of cysteine for glycine in codon 12 was found by DNA sequencing. It was concluded that the amplification of the c-myc and c-K-ras-2 genes are accompanied by point mutational activation of c-K-ras-2 in the human LGCC Lu-65. This is the first report of multiple gene amplification accompanied by a point mutation of oncogenes in human cancer cells, providing further support for the idea that co-operation of at least two activated cellular oncogenes is required for carcinogenesis.

Rapid measurement of oestradiol and oestriol by high-performance liquid chromatography after automatic pretreatment

A fluorometric liquid chromatographic method was developed for measurements of unconjugated oestradiol and oestriol in the serum of pregnant women. The serum samples are injected directly into the apparatus and pass to a pretreatment column, where oestrogens are adsorbed while hydrophilic components such as proteins and carbohydrates are not. The oestrogens then pass into a separation column containing a new type of polymer gel. The mobile phase consists of an acetonitrile-water mixture, and separation is achieved by a reversed-phase mechanism. The eluent is monitored for fluorescence. Data on the reproducibility and recovery by this method and the correlation of values with those obtained by radioimmunoassay are reported. Results on the increases of oestradiol and oestriol in the serum during pregnancy are also reported.

Molecular cloning and the total nucleotide sequence of the human c-Ha-ras-1 gene activated in a melanoma from a Japanese patient

The transforming gene of malignant melanoma tissue obtained from a Japanese patient and maintained in nude mice has been cloned in its biologically active form and identified as the c-Ha-ras-1 gene, a homologue of the viral Ha-ras gene. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that the genetic alteration responsible for the transforming activity of the melanoma oncogene was localized to a single point mutation in the second exon. The transversion of adenine to thymine results in the substitution of leucine for glutamine as amino acid residue 61 of the predicted p21 protein. Other nucleotide sequences spanning a 2.9-kilobase segment including the entire exons and introns were found to be exactly the same as those in a proto-oncogene from a normal Caucasian reported previously, except for base alterations explained as polymorphic differences.

A highly sensitive determination of individual serum bile acids using high-performance liquid chromatography with immobilized enzyme

We have developed a highly sensitive method for the simultaneous determination of individual bile acids in serum using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) combined with immobilized 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Both the HPLC column and the immobilized-enzyme column are suitable for use with alkaline solutions necessary in working with this enzyme system. With this method we were able to determine simultaneously fifteen different serum bile acids.

Pluripotent, erythrocytic and granulocytic hemopoietic precursors in chronic granulocytic leukemia

Using methylcellulose culture techniques, we investigated the behavior of committed and pluripotent hemopoietic precursors (CFUMIX) in marrow cells and blood from patients with chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGL) in the chronic phase whose marrow cells showed the presence of Ph1 chromosomes. The relative concentrations of the marrow precursors in CGL were nearly equal to those in control patients. The mean nucleated cell count in marrow fluid from the patients, however, was 6.3 times that of control values. As a result, the mean concentrations per unit volume of the hemopoietic precursors in CGL were significantly higher than those in control patients. Furthermore, the presence of erythropoietin (Ep) independent BFUE giving rise to erythropoietic bursts in the medium without the addition of Ep was demonstrable in marrow cells and blood. In the peripheral blood, the increment in numbers of CFUC, CFUE, BFUE, and CFUMIX in accordance with the leucocyte count was observed. The present results are consistent with the theory that the clonal expansion in CGL occurs at the level of pluripotent hemopoietic precursors and suggest that CFUMIX in CGL can differentiate into CFUE along the erythropoietic pathway and that a regulatory defect in CGL in present in both granulocytic cells and erythrocytic cells.

Pluripotent hemopoietic precursors in vitro (CFUMIX) in aplastic anemia

When human marrow cells were cultured in a medium containing alpha-medium, methylcellulose, fetal calf serum, bovine serum albumin, erythropoietin, and leucocyte-conditioned medium, mixed colonies composed of erythrocytic cells and granulocytes were formed. The clonal nature of the mixed colonies was confirmed by the linear relationship between the numbers of cells plated and the number of colonies, and the absence or presence of Y-chromatin in the mixed colonies in a co-culture experiment with male and female cells. Using the methylcellulose cell culture techniques, the pluripotent hemopoietic precursors (CFUMIX) in marrow cells from 15 patients with aplastic anemia were assayed. In the control subjects of patients with iron-deficiency anemia, lymphoadenitis, reactive leucocytosis or Hodgkin's disease, 8 X 10(5) marrow cells in 4 dishes produced 12.7 +/- 6.9 (mean +/- SD) mixed colonies. On the other hand, 8 X 10(5) marrow cells from patients with aplastic anemia formed only 2.1 +/- 5.5 (mean +/- SD) mixed colonies. Furthermore, the marrow cells from 5 patients who were repeatedly receiving transfusions contained no CFUMIX which give rise to mixed colonies. The present results provided the first direct evidence that pancytopenia in most patients with aplastic anemia results from a reduced influx into the compartment of maturing hemopoietic cells from the compartment of pluripotent hemopoietic precursors.