Gastric tumor from metastasis of breast cancer

Metastatic tumours of the stomach have been reported to result from various types of cancer. Among them, gastric metastasis from breast cancer has been recognised in 0.3-18% patients (1-4). Here, a rare case of metastatic gastric tumour derived from breast carcinoma is reported. Gastric endoscopy confirmed a large, friable mass (approximately 5 cm in diameter) in the upper part of the gastric body. The mass within the stomach was difficult to distinguish from primary gastric cancer, although biopsies of this lesion revealed the characteristics of adenocarcinoma. In addition, immunohistochemistry showed the positive expression of mammaglobin. Taken together, the evidence pointed to metastasis of breast cancer to the stomach. The patient was treated with hormonal therapy (letrozole), and the size of the metastasis in the stomach was markedly reduced. Therefore, a gastric metastasis from breast cancer was diagnosed successfully using immunohistochemistry and unnecessary surgery was avoided. In conclusion, although gastric metastatic tumours derived from breast carcinoma are rare, their accurate pre-operative diagnosis and appropriate systemic treatment is essential.

Isolation and activity of proteolytic fragment of laminin-5 alpha3 chain

Laminin-5 (alpha3beta3gamma2) is an important component of epithelial basement membranes. The 190-kDa alpha3 chain undergoes extracellular cleavage within the carboxyl (C) terminus consisting of five globular domains (G1 to G5), producing the mature laminin-5 with the 160-kDa alpha3 chain. To understand the physiological meaning of this processing, we isolated the C-terminal fragments of the alpha3 chain from the conditioned media of two kinds of human cell lines. The amino-terminal sequence of the fragments suggested that the cleavage occurs at Gln(1337)-Asp(1338) in the spacer region between the G3 and G4 domains. The G4-G5 fragment itself did not show significant activity, but it stimulated cell migration in the presence of a low concentration of the mature laminin-5, suggesting its regulatory role in cell migration.

Structural requirement of carboxyl-terminal globular domains of laminin alpha 3 chain for promotion of rapid cell adhesion and migration by laminin-5

The basement membrane protein laminin-5, a heterotrimer of laminin alpha3, beta3, and gamma2 chains, potently promotes cellular adhesion and motility. It has been supposed that the carboxyl-terminal globular region of the alpha3 chain consisting of five distinct domains (G1 to G5) is important for its interaction with integrins. To clarify the function of each G domain, we transfected cDNAs for the full-length (wild type (WT)) and five deletion derivatives (DeltaGs) of the alpha3 chain into human fibrosarcoma cell line HT1080, which expressed and secreted the laminin beta3 and gamma2 chains but not the alpha3 chain. The transfectants with the alpha3 chain cDNAs lacking G5 (DeltaG(5)), G4-5 (DeltaG(4-5)), G3-5 (DeltaG(3-5)), and G2-5 (DeltaG(2-5)) secreted laminin-5 variants at levels comparable to that with WT cDNA. However, the transfectant with the cDNA without any G domains (DeltaG(1-5)) secreted little laminin-5, suggesting that the G domains are essential for the efficient assembly and secretion of the heterotrimer alpha3beta3gamma2. The transfectants with WT, DeltaG(5), and DeltaG(4-5) cDNAs survived in serum-free medium longer than those with DeltaG(3-5), DeltaG(2-5), and DeltaG(1-5) cDNAs. The transfectants with WT, DeltaG(5), and DeltaG(4-5) cDNAs secreted apparently the same size of laminin-5, which lacked G4 and G5 due to proteolytic cleavage between G3 and G4, and these laminin-5 forms potently promoted integrin alpha(3)beta(1)-dependent cell adhesion and migration. However, the laminin-5 forms of DeltaG(3-5) and DeltaG(2-5) hardly promoted the cell adhesion and motility. These findings demonstrate that the G3 domain, but not the G4 and G5 domains, of the alpha3 chain is essential for the potent promotion of cell adhesion and motility by laminin-5.

Thymidine phosphorylase expression in tumor stroma of uterine cervical carcinomas: histological features and microvessel density

Immunohistochemical staining was performed on 91 cases of uterine neoplasm in order to determine if expression of platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor/thymidine phosphorylase (TP) correlates with tumor microvessel density (MVD) and histological parameters of uterine carcinomas in tumor cells and in tumor stroma. The sample group consisted of 72 primary invasive squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix (ISC) and 19 cervical intraepithelial neoplasms (CIN) of the uterus. In ISC of the cervix, TP expression in tumor stroma showed a significant correlation with a non-keratinizing histological subtype (P < 0.001) and with an infiltrating invasive pattern (P < 0.001). However, in tumor cells the TP expression showed a higher correlation with a keratinizing histological subtypes (P = 0.009). MVD was significantly higher (P = 0.002) in tumors showing high TP expression in stroma than in tumors with low expression. These findings suggest that the TP expression in stromal cells, rather than in tumor cells, may play a role in promoting microvessel growth in cervical squamous cell carcinoma, and angiogenesis may also have an association with tumor cell invasion.

Effects of interferon on circadian changes in blood pressure and heart rate variability in patients with chronic hepatitis

We have determined the effects of interferon therapy on circadian changes in blood pressure and heart rate variability in normotensive hospitalized patients with chronic active hepatitis. Body temperature and pulse rate increased for the initial few days of interferon therapy without significant change in casual or ambulatory blood pressure. Interferon therapy failed to elicit any significant changes in the power spectrum of R-R intervals. In addition, urinary excretion of norepinephrine did not differ between before and during the therapy. These results suggest that interferon therapy caused transient increases in body temperature and pulse rate, but that it did not change either sympathetic or parasympathetic outflow, or the circadian rhythm of blood pressure and heart rate variability, in normotensive subjects.

Expression of trypsin by epithelial cells of various tissues, leukocytes, and neurons in human and mouse

It has long been believed that trypsin is normally synthesized only in the pancreas. In the present study, expression of trypsin in human and mouse nonpancreatic tissues was examined. Northern blot analysis of normal human tissues indicated that the trypsin gene is expressed at high levels in the pancreas and spleen and considerably in the small intestine. However, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry demonstrated that trypsin is widely expressed in epithelial cells of the skin, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, lung, kidney, liver, and extrahepatic bile duct, as well as splenic and neuronal cells. In the spleen, trypsin message was detected in macrophages, monocytes, and lymphocytes in the white pulp. In the brain, it was detected in the nerve cells of the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Analysis by gelatin zymography confirmed the presence of a latent or an active form of trypsin in various normal mouse tissues. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis also confirmed the expression of trypsin genes in the spleen, liver, kidney, and brain of normal mice. Such a broad distribution of trypsin suggests its general roles in the maintenance of normal epithelial cell functions, the immune defense system, and the central nervous system.

Negative regulation of the rat cdc2 promoter in G1 by the silencer element

Expression of the cdc2 gene is induced steeply at the G1-S-phase boundary. The previous analysis of promoter elements that confer inducibility revealed the enhancer at positions -276 to -265. Enhancer activity is suppressed by the upstream sequence that seems to contain the silencer. The silencer element was analyzed by fusing several oligonucleotides covering the silencer region upstream of the enhancer in the cdc2 promoter-luciferase construct. Oligonucleotide IV, which suppressed enhancer activity, was further dissected by the introduction of base substitutions and by forming the DNA-protein complexes with quiescent rat cell extract. The silencer element, AAGTAGTAAAAATA, was finally identified at positions -374 to -360, which resembles the enhancer sequencer but contains extra internal AG residues. Silencer complexes were formed with the quiescent cell extract, whereas the amounts of the complexes decreased with the progression of the cell cycle, and nearly no complexes were formed with the late G1 cell extracts. Conversely, the enhancer complex begins to be formed after late G1. Among the three silencer complexes, the formation of the slowest-migrating complex (complex III) was inhibited by the enhancer sequence, suggesting that a common factor interacts with both the silencer and enhancer. These results suggest that the conversion of complex formation from the silencer to the enhancer site regulates the induction of cdc2 promoter activity at the G1-S-phase boundary.

[Double negative adult T-cell leukemia with hemophagocytic syndrome]

A 79-year-old woman was admitted with general fatigue, jaundice and hepatosplenomegaly. Perpheral blood examination showed 8.0 g/dl Hb, 15 x 10(3)/microliter platelet and 10,490/microliter leukocytes with 86% abnormal lymphocytes. Immunophenotypic analysis of abnormal lymphocytes demonstrated CD2(+), CD3(+/-), CD4(-), and CD8(-). Serum antibody for HTLV-1 was positive. In addition, the monoclonal integration of HTLV-1 proviral DNA into the genome of leukemic cells was demonstrated on Southern blot hybridization. Bone marrow revealed ATL cell in vasion with myelofibrosis and hemophagocytic cell proliferation. Therefore, adult T-cell leukemia with hemophagocytic syndrome was diagnosed. She was treated with methyl prednisolone pulse therapy and gammaglobulin. But she died of hepatic failure 14 days after hospitalization. On autopsy, EB virus LMP-1 was detected in ATL cells in bone marrow. ATL with hemophagocytosis is relatively rare. The association of both pathological states was discussed.

Synthesis and biological activity of four kinds of reversed peptides

We have synthesized four kinds of reversed peptides of various physiologically active peptides, which inhibit TNF (tumor necrosis factor) cytotoxicity, produce NGF (nerve growth factor), exert antimicrobial activity and inhibit cell attachment, respectively. They were examined for their biological activity in comparison with that of normal peptides, that is, naturally occurring peptides. The reversed peptides induce similar activities, but to a lesser extent than those of the normal peptides, respectively. These results indicate that there may be conformationally ambiguous binding in some of the naturally occurring ligand-protein interactions. This method may be useful as a tool to rapidly generate a novel lead peptide with the desired biological function from a naturally occurring active peptide.

[A case of intravascular lymphomatosis (IL) with diffuse cerebral hypoperfusion detected by SPECT]

A 66-year-old male experienced the sudden onset of amnesia and generalized convulsions, and during the subsequent month developed consciousness disturbance, disorientation, memory disturbance, abnormal speech and behavior, pseudobulbar palsy, unsteadiness and urinary/fecal incontinence. The initial brain CT scan was unremarkable, and the MRI findings were also unremarkable, except for evidence of several scattered lacunar strokes in the cerebral white matter. 99mTc-HM-PAO-SPECT, however, revealed multifocal large hypoperfused lesions in the cerebrum. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate and serum CRP, LDH and gamma-globulin levels were elevated. CSF studies showed mild pleocytosis and increased protein levels. The patient's subsequent course was marked by fever, SIADH, adrenal enlargement, splenomegaly, pulmonary infiltration and pancytopenia. The neurological signs progressively worsened, until the patient lapsed into an apallic state and died 3 months after the onset of symptoms. Autopsy disclosed diffuse intravascular B lymphomatous proliferation in the brain, lungs, kidneys, adrenals, spleen and pancreas. Until now, the brain SPECT findings of IL were not very well known, but in our patient, SPECT was capable of demonstrating the pathophysiologic changes very precisely. SPECT was able to provide valuable information on the pathophysiology of IL and may therefore become another powerful tool in the diagnosis of IL.

Factors related to QT interval prolongation during probucol treatment

To clarify factors related to the QT interval prolongation produced by probucol, multivariate analysis was applied to clinical and laboratory data retrospectively obtained from 89 patients with hypercholesterolaemia, who had taken probucol for more than 3 months. The corrected QT interval (QTc) increased from 0.410s before treatment to 0.431 s after the administration of probucol; the total cholesterol level decreased from 267 mg.dl-1 to 212 mg.dl-1. None of the patients demonstrated new arrhythmia. The QTc after probucol was independently correlated with sex, serum albumin level and baseline QTc. Changes in QTc after probucol were independently correlated with the presence of ischaemic heart disease, baseline QTc, and a change in the total cholesterol level. The results suggest that a prolonged QTc is likely to appear in female patients, and in patients with a long baseline QTc or with a low serum albumin. It is also suggested that marked lengthening of the QTc is likely to occur in patients with ischaemic heart disease or with a short baseline QTc. Probucol can be used safely in patients with hypercholesterolaemia, but ECG monitoring may be necessary, especially in female patients, as well as in those with hypoalbuminaemia or with ischaemic heart disease.

[A case of alcoholic cirrhosis demonstrating long-term poor-visualization of the hepatic image on 99mTc-phytate scintigraphy]

A 27-year-old female patient with alcoholic cirrhosis was reported. She was admitted to the hospital because of jaundice and ascites after heavy drinking. She had a history of drinking Japanese Sake in quantities of more than 5 go/day (900 ml/day) for 7 years. On admission, she was icteric, and had both hepatosplenomegaly and ascites. Laboratory data showed an elevation of serum transaminase and bilirubin, and a decrease in the albumin and prothrombin values. A biopsy specimen of the liver showed pericellular fibrosis, fatty change, Mallory bodies and regenerative nodules, and revealed findings compatible with alcoholic cirrhosis. A 99mTc-N-pyridoxyl-5-methyltryptophan scintigram showed hepatomegaly. On the 99mTc-phytate scintigram, the uptake of radioisotope to the liver was markedly decreased with the increased uptake to the spleen and bone marrow. Even 6 months after the onset, poor visualization of the hepatic image on 99mTc-phytate scintigram continued. This is the first report of alcoholic cirrhosis demonstrating a long-term poor visualization of the hepatic image on 99mTc-phytate scintigraphy.

Alleles at plasma alpha-amylase locus(Amy-1) of the house musk shrew(Suncus murinus): frequency distribution and new variants in laboratory lines and local Asian populations

Among nine laboratory shrew lines originating from the Japanese islands (Nag, Tok, TKU, Ize, Tr and OKI lines), West Java (Bog), Bangladesh (BAN) and Sri Lanka (SRI), Nag, Tr and Bog were fixed with Amy-1b and SRI with Amy-1a. The remaining lines were still highly polymorphic with the two alleles. A new electrophoretic band C was found in the BAN line and concluded to be expressed by a codominant allele, Amy-1c, which was carried by a single heterozygous female from among eleven wild shrews of the original breeding stock. In most local populations of the Asian shrews surveyed, Amy-1b was more common than Amy-1a. The Sri Lanka population was clearly distinguishable from the others, being nearly fixed with Amy-1a. The C band was found in eleven (one homozygous) of 86 wild shrews caught in Bangladesh. Of a total of 234 wild shrews collected from four Japanese and two Indonesian islands, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, only two showed different AMY-bands from AMY-A, -B and -C, and such bands were not found in the laboratory-bred shrews examined.

Morphological and reproductive characteristics of musk shrews (Suncus murinus) collected in Bangladesh, and development of the laboratory line (BAN line) derived from them

To establish a unique laboratory line of the musk shrew with different genetic properties from previously developed laboratory lines, 49 male and 49 female shrews were captured in the campus of Bangladesh Agricultural University from October through November in 1983 and from December in 1985 to January in 1986. The shrews collected were of various ages. They had light gray coats, with slight variations in color. Except for the 12 shrews introduced into our laboratory, the total length and body weight of the shrews ranged from 17.2 to 31.9 cm and 32.5 to 147.0 g in males, and 21.1 to 26.6 cm and 40.8 to 110.0 g in females, respectively. Pregnant females were found throughout the trapping period, and the average fetal litter size was 3.54 (11 cases). Five males and 7 females of the shrews captured in 1983 were transported to our laboratory. After more than 100 days of laboratory rearing, their total length and body weight averaged 27.6 cm and 147.3 g in males, and 24.6 cm and 81.7 g in females. Their body weight was more than double that of Japanese shrews. The shrews introduced (except for one male) produced a total of 59 offspring, which were regarded as the first generation of the laboratory line (BAN Line). Gestation period and average litter size were between 28 and 30 days (10 cases) and 3.47 (17 cases), respectively. The BAN line has consisted of about 60 individuals at each generation and has been maintained as a closed breeding colony.

Genetic differentiation between laboratory lines of the musk shrew (Suncus murinus, Insectivora) based on restriction endonuclease cleavage patterns of mitochondrial DNA

The cleavage patterns of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) by 17 restriction endonucleases were compared between eight lines of musk shrews derived from different wild-caught stocks. Enzymatic digestion by BamHI, PvuII, XbaI, and XhoI showed a cleavage pattern common to all lines that were from five Japanese islands (Nag, Ize, OKI, TKU, and Tr), Bangladesh (BAN), Sri Lanka (SRI), and Java (Bog), and every line lacked cleavage sites for SalI and SmaI. Different cleavage patterns were detected by the remaining 11 enzymes. Within the BAN line, the presence of at least two types of mtDNAs was proved by six enzymes and was not contradictory to the maternal pedigrees going up to the wild ancestors of the stock. More than 30 cleavage sites of the shrew mtDNA were mapped by double-digestion methods. Nucleotide diversities of mtDNA were calculated from these maps and were estimated to be less than 0.5% among Japanese and Bog lines but to be 3.8% between BAN and the other seven lines and 2.3% within the BAN line. These results indicate that BAN shrews differentiate from the other lines to the intersubspecific extent reported in mice previously.

In vitro DNA synthesis by an alpha-like DNA polymerase bound to replicating simian virus 40 chromosomes

Simian virus 40 chromosomes carry out replicative DNA synthesis in vitro which is sensitive to aphidicolin and to N-ethylmaleimide, resistant to 2',3'-dideoxythymidine-5'-triphosphate, and proportional to the amount of chromosome-associated alpha-like polymerase. Thus, an alpha-like DNA polymerase (alpha polymerase or delta polymerase) is responsible for in vitro DNA synthesis.

Both parental deoxyribonucleic acid strands at each replication fork of replicating simian virus 40 chromosomes are cut by a single-strand-specific endonuclease

We have measured the relative accessibility to a single-strand-specific endonuclease of the single-stranded DNA on the leading and lagging sides of replication forks in replicating simian virus 40 (SV40) chromosomes. To do this we have digested replicating SV40 chromosomes with a single-strand-specific endonuclease (P1 nuclease) and then characterized the intermediate and final products of digestion by sucrose gradient sedimentation and agarose gel electrophoresis. P1 nuclease rapidly and specifically cleaves parental DNA strands at replication forks, yielding intermediate and final cleavage products which are consistent with an approximately equal rate of nuclease cleavage on both sides of the fork. Thus, single-stranded DNA is approximately as accessible to P1 nuclease on the leading side of the fork as on the lagging side; the simplest interpretation of this observation is that the stretch of single-stranded DNA on the leading side is as long as that on the lagging side.

Simple purification and properties of bovine pancreatic deoxyribonuclease I

A simple purification method for pancreatic deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) [EC 3.1.4.3] was developed by utilizing the technique of isoelectric focusing. The active protein was resolved in to at least four forms with different isoelectric points; the major components a, b, and c had isoelectric points at pH 5.2, 4.9, and 4.8, respectively, and that of the minor component d was at 4.7. The four components (a, b, c, and d) exhibited peaks similar to those observed by Salnikow et al. after phosphocellulose chromatography (A, B, C, and D). The four components were all free from RNase and protease activities and were very stable at 0-2 degrees C for at least four weeks. Further, each of the four peaks exhibited a single protein band after polyacrylamide electrophoresis. DNase I-a antibody was prepared; it was very specific for DNase I and precipitated with the other components (b, c, and d). The mode of endonucleolytic action of pancreatic DNase I-a purified from Worthington DP grade DNase I was investigated. The sedimentation patterns in neutral sucrose gradients of digest of circular duplex DNA in an early stage of hydrolysis suggested that DNase I produces single strand scissions in the initial attack in the presence of divalent metal ions.

A genetic aspect of chromatin proteins of human brain tumors

Electrophoretic analysis of chromatin proteins was performed on rat and human tissues. Species and organ specific patterns were demonstrated in them. Twenty cases of human brain tumours were also analyzed and each tumor had typical phoretic patterns of chromatin. Proteins obtained from histologically similar tumors display similar electrophoretic patterns. As to the ratio of chromatin protein to DNA, no apparent differences between benign and malignant human brain tumors were observed.

Purification and properties of human pancreatic deoxyribonuclease I

Human pancreatic DNase I was purified extensively from duodenal juice of healthy subjects by a procedure including ammonium sulfate fractionation, ethanol fractionation, phosphocellulose fractionation, isoelectric focusing, and gel filtration. The final preparation was free of DNase II, pancreatic RNase, alkaline phosphatase, and protease. The enzyme had a molecular weight of approximately 30,000, as determined by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, and showed maximum activity at pH 7.2-7.6. It required divalent cations for activity, and caused single-strand breaks by endonucleolytic attack on double- as well as single-stranded DNA molecules. The enzyme was inhibited by actin and bovine pancreatic DNase I antibody.