Cellular degeneration and synaptogenesis in the developing retina of the rat

We have investigated the time course and magnitude of cellular degeneration in the ganglion cell layer and the presumptive amacrine and bipolar regions of the inner nuclear layer during the development of the retina in the rat. Pyknotic profiles are present in the ganglion cell layer during the first 2 postnatal weeks, reaching peak numbers during the first 4 postnatal days (corresponding to the time of greatest loss of ganglion cells and their axons: Potts et al., '82; Lam et al., '82; Perry et al., '83). Two observations suggest that the majority of pyknotic profiles present in the ganglion cell layer during the second postnatal week are not ganglion cells. First, following injection of kainic acid into one superior colliculus, degenerating ganglion cells in the contralateral retina are cleared within 24-48 hours. Therefore, since most ganglion cell and axon loss occurs within the first postnatal week, few of the pyknotic profiles present in the second week are likely to be ganglion cells. Second, the time course of cellular degeneration in the ganglion cell layer during the second postnatal week follows a very similar pattern to that seen in the presumptive amacrine sublayer of the inner nuclear layer. Such a correspondence suggests that two phases of cell death occur in the ganglion cell layer: during the first postnatal week the majority of dying cells are ganglion cells, and in the second, most cell death is due to a loss of displaced amacrine cells. In the inner nuclear layer pyknotic profiles are most numerous in the presumptive amacrine region on postnatal days 6 and 7, and in the presumptive bipolar region on day 10. Synaptogenesis in the inner plexiform layer occurs later but reflects the order of cell death. Thus, conventional (presumed amacrine) synapses were first observed on day 11 and synaptic ribbons (indicative of bipolar synapses) on day 13. These observations suggest that amacrine and bipolar cells initiate synapses only after their numbers have stabilized.     

Neurotized nevi of the oral mucosa: an immunohistochemical and ultrastructural analysis of nevic corpuscles

BACKGROUND: Nevic corpuscle (NC), a stacked lamellar structure reminiscent of Meissner corpuscle, is frequently observed in dermal melanocytic nevi. Although the heading 'neurotized' is classically used for these nevi, the exact neural nature of NC has been a topic of considerable debate. Neurotized nevi have received little attention in the dental literature, and there was no information on NC in oral melanocytic nevi. METHODS: Six cases of oral intramucosal nevi with a significant number of NC (two completely and four partially neurotized nevi) were examined immunohistochemically and ultrastructurally. RESULTS: NC was composed of closely piled laminar cells devoid of visible melanin. NC and associated spindle nevus cells were immunopositive for S-100 protein but negative for HMB-45, myelin basic protein and epithelial membrane antigen. Within NC, no reactivity for neurofilament protein, protein gene product 9.5 or peripherin was evident. Numerous CD34-positive dendritic cells were located between nevus cells and often encircled NC. Ultrastructurally, NC consisted of concentrically layered elongated cells with a slender lamellated cytoplasm rich in thin filaments and pinocytotic vesicles. Their cytoplasmic processes were focally covered by external basal lamina and continuous to spindle nevus cells. Occasional NC cells contained a few melanosomes. There was no interposed axon in NC. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the close resemblance to Meissner corpuscle, NC showed no axonal supply. NC cells lacked terminal Schwannian differentiation and appeared to be modified melanocytes with some perineurial ultrastructural characteristics. The presence of CD34-positive cells, presumably corresponding to endoneurial fibroblasts, further supports an organizational relationship of NC and peripheral nerve sheath elements.     

Interactions of Treponema pallidum with endothelial cell monolayers

Syphilis is a chronic disease characterized by hematogenous dissemination of Treponema pallidum into tissues such as the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. In order to test whether these aspects of the pathogenesis of syphilis reflect an ability of T. pallidum to invade vascular entothelial surfaces, we explored the association of T. pallidum with human and rabbit endothelial cells in vitro. Using radiolabeled motile organisms, we found that treponemal attachment was two times greater to rabbit aortic endothelial cells and human umbilical endothelial cells than to HeLa cells. Mild trypsinization of attached treponemes resulted in release from cells of all organisms detectable by darkfield microscopy without visible damage to the monolayer. Nevertheless, 25% of the counts representing T. pallidum remained associated with the cell monolayers. Further trypsin treatment to release the monolayer and differential centrifugation showed that 80% of the remaining cell-associated counts were not within the cells. These results suggest that some treponemes had associated with the monolayer in a trypsin resistant niche. Additionally, motile T. pallidum passed through tight functioned endothelial cell monolayers on membrane filters under conditions were heat-killed T. pallidum and the host indigenous nonpathogen. T. phagedenis biotype Reiter failed to do so. Electron micrographs of transverse sections through the monolayers showed many T. pallidum in junctions between endothelial cells. These studies suggest that T. pallidum may leave the circulation by passing between endothelial cells.     

Neurogenous hyperplasia leading to appendiceal obliteration: an immunohistochemical study of 237 cases

A series of 237 appendices was studied immunohistochemically for neurogenous hyperplasia. This was observed in 195 cases. It was possible to trace a continuum from appendices with intact lumens, featuring intramucosal neurogenous hyperplasia often with co-existent submucosal and muscular nerve growth, to obliterated specimens whose axial portions were composed of varying proportions of nerve tangles and fibrous tissue. Predominantly fibrotic specimens were considered as end-stages of this process. Stromal, argyrophilic cells lying amidst the nerve elements were prominent in the early, non-obliterated cases; their number decreased in the obliterated nerve rich specimens and such cells became inapparent in the late fibrotic stage. Repeated minimal subclinical attacks of inflammation are thought to trigger this lesion.     

过氧化氢对不同时相HepG2细胞氧化作用的研究

背景与目的:研究过氧化氢(H2O2)对不同时相HepG2细胞作用的选择性,以进一步探讨H2O2:诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡的机制.材料与方法:以胸腺嘧啶核苷(TdR)阻断法获得不同细胞周期时相的同步化细胞,分别加入800 μmol/L的H2O2作用3 h,并检测各组细胞的丙二醛(MDA)含量、黄嘌呤氧化酶(XOD)和5'核苷酸酶(5'NT)的活性及抗羟自由基(抗·OH)和抗超氧阴离子自由基(抗O2)的活性.结果:经H2O2处理的各组MDA含量和XOD、抗·OH、抗O2活性显著高于对照组,其差异均具有统计学意义(P均＜0.01),5'NT活性低于对照组(P＜0.01).与未同步化组比较,同步化于S期和G2/M期的细胞MDA含量和XOD、5'NT、抗·OH和抗O2活性显著升高,其差异均具有统计学意义(P均＜0.01),而同步化于G1期的细胞MDA含量、XOD、5'NT和抗O2-活性显著降低,差异均具有统计学意义(P均＜0.01).结论:H2O2作用同步化HepG2细胞后,代谢产生自由基的酶活性,脂质过氧化产物含量以及抗氧化水平均表现出细胞周期特异性,这可能是过氧化氢对不同时相HepG2细胞损伤作用不同的原因.     

Probiotic-induced suppression of allergic sensitization and airway inflammation is associated with an increase of T regulatory-dependent mechanisms in a murine model of asthma

BACKGROUND: Microbial intestinal colonization in early in life is regarded to play a major role for the maturation of the immune system. Application of non-pathogenic probiotic bacteria during early infancy might protect from allergic disorders but underlying mechanisms have not been analysed so far. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study was to investigate the immune effects of oral application of probiotic bacteria on allergen-induced sensitization and development of airway inflammation and airway hyper-reactivity, cardinal features of bronchial asthma. METHODS: Newborn Balb/c mice received orally 10(9) CFU every second day either Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG or Bifidobacterium lactis (Bb-12) starting from birth for consecutive 8 weeks, during systemic sensitization (six intraperitoneal injections, days 29-40) and airway challenge (days 54-56) with ovalbumin. RESULTS: The administration of either Bb-12 or LGG suppressed all aspects of the asthmatic phenotype: airway reactivity, antigen-specific immunoglobulin E production and pulmonary eosinophilia (mean: 137 vs. 17 and 13 cellsx10(3)/mL, respectively). Antigen-specific recall proliferation by spleen cells and T-helper type 2 cytokine production (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10) by mesenteric lymph node cells also showed significant reduction, while TGF production remained unchanged. Oral LGG administration particularly suppressed allergen-induced proliferative responses and was associated with an increase in numbers of TGF-beta-secreting CD4+/CD3+ T cells in mesenteric lymph nodes (6.5, 16.7%) as well as nearly 2-fold up-regulation of Foxp3-expressing cells in peribronchial lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal application of probiotic bacteria inhibits subsequent allergic sensitization and airway disease in a murine model of asthma by induction of T regulatory cells associated with increased TGF-beta production.     

Ascidian embryonic development: An emerging model system for the study of cell fate specification in chordates

The ascidian tadpole larva represents the basic body plan of all chordates in a relatively small number of cells and tissue types. Although it had been considered that ascidians develop largely in a determinative way, whereas vertebrates develop in an inductive way, recent studies at the molecular and cellular levels have uncovered several similarities in the way developmental fates are specified. In this review, we describe ascidian embryogenesis and its cell lineages, introduce several characteristics of ascidian embryos, describe recent advances in understanding of the mechanisms of cell fate specification, and discuss them in the context of what is known in vertebrates and other organisms. Developmental Dynamics 236:1748–1757, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

胃粘膜癌变初发点及其组织背景的病理学：癌变初发点的一般组织病理学

本文通过对228例各种类型胃粘膜上皮异型增生的病理切片的复查,发现并详细地描述了不同类型异型增生腺管和上皮细胞癌变的初发点(Start point)。其形态有的是从再生腺管的腺颈部或底部以“发芽”形式,向质内浸润并分枝生长;有的是从再生腺管基底膜向侧方的间质浸润。从再生的胃上皮型异型腺管所出现的癌变多为低分化型腺癌;从肠上皮型异型腺管所发生的癌变则为高分化型腺癌。强调了胃粘膜再生性异型增生有些具有癌前性质。     

沙棘汁对致癌物N-二甲基亚硝胺(NDMA)在大鼠体内合成及诱癌的阻断与防护作用

在饲料中加入氨基比林和NaNO_2各2g/kg饲与Wistar大鼠38周后诱发出肝、肺及肾脏肿瘤,其中以肝肿瘤的发生率为100％(17/17),大鼠平均寿命195天。而同时给予沙棘汁饮用的大鼠其肿瘤发生较晚,发癌率较低(88％,15/17),平均寿命270天,显著长于对照组和单纯抗坏血酸组(P<0.01),且肝脏癌变范围较小,病变较轻。结果表明,沙棘汁能有效地阻断N-亚硝基化合物在大鼠体内合成及诱癌,其防癌效果优于等量的抗坏血酸。     

Nucleolus-associated J chains in myeloma cells: clinical significance

Bone marrow aspirates from 20 patients with multiple myeloma (MM), 4 with smoldering multiple myeloma (S-MM), 1 with idiopathic Bence Jones proteinuria (I-BJP), and 6 with primary macroglobulinemia (PMG) were examined for nucleolus-associated J chain. The incidence of nucleolar J chain-positive (J+) cells among nucleolated cells producing M-component was measured. This incidence (94.0-100%) in terminal MM was significantly higher than that (0-58.0%) in non-terminal MM. Judging from a low incidence in the remission phase, chemotherapy might cause a selective elimination of less differentiated myeloma cells with J+ nucleoli and might have some effect on J chain synthesis. The incidence of nucleolar J+ cells was very low in S-MM. The IgM cells in PMG, where J chain is present in a disulfide-linked form, had no or few J+ nucleoli. No correlation between the incidence of nucleolar J+ cells among nucleolated plasma cells and the percentage of nucleolated cells or that of J+ cells was found. Large J+ nucleoli seemed to be another morphological feature indicating anaplastic myeloma cells. A high incidence of nucleolar J+ cells may be one of the indicators for progressive disease.