Anti-myeloperoxidase and anti-lactoferrin antibodies in patients with IgA nephropathy and Henoch-Schönlein purpura

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) for two antigens, i.e. myeloperoxidase (MPO) and lactoferrin (LF) in sera from 19 IgA nephropathy (IgAN), 3 adult Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura (HSP) and 8 child HSP patients were examined by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) for immunoglobulin isotypes. All of child HSP patients showed negative ANCA. On the other hand, one IgAN patient and two adult HSP patients showed weak positivity for IgA class anti-MPO antibody. There was no patients who showed positivity for IgG and IgM class anti-MPO antibody. In anti-LF antibody, one IgAN and one adult HSP showed positivity in IgG class; 2 IgAN and 2 HSP in IgA class and 2 IgAN and one HSP in IgM class. These results indicate that adult HSP patients have higher prevalence of IgA class anti-MPO antibody and anti-LF antibody than IgAN or child HSP.     

Diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with liver cirrhosis using liver function assays

Sex, age and 21 routine liver function assays were analyzed by stepwise selection and the best-of-all-possible-combinations method to identify a small group of assays valuable in establishing which liver cirrhosis (LC) patients have a high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), when alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is not elevated. Data was obtained from 115 HCC and 122 LC patients on admission. Tumor size correlated with AFP (0.73), alkaline phosphatase (ALP, 0.47), leucine aminopeptidase (LAP, 0.42), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH, 0.42), and the glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT)/glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) ratio (GOT/GPT, 0.41). The mean of the correct diagnosis rates (CDR) of HCC and LC utilizing AFP as the sole parameter (89%) was markedly higher than those of the other parameters. The best-of-all-possible-combinations method presented a more powerful combination than stepwise selection. The best combination of 7 parameters (LAP, GOT/GPT, choline esterase, one-hour erythrocyte sedimentation rate, age, albumin/globulin ratio, and total bilirubin) presented a mean CDR of 80%, HCC CDR of 77%, and false positive rate of 18%. LC patients statistically diagnosed as having HCC by these 7 parameters are proposed as high risk patients. Fourteen (78%) of 18 HCC patients who were AFP-negative were statistically diagnosed. This analysis can be applied to LC patients to distinguish those that should be followed closely by imaging diagnostic techniques.     

Long-term potentiation in the optic tectum of rainbow trout

We examined synaptic plasticity in the optic tectum of rainbow trout by extracellular recordings. We found that the field-excitatory postsynaptic potential in the retinotectal synapses was potentiated by repetitive stimuli of 1.0 Hz for 20 s to the retinotectal afferents. The long-term potentiation (LTP) developed slowly, and was maintained for at least 2 h. Applications of an antagonist for N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors or Mg²⁺-free saline showed that activation of NMDA receptors was required to form the LTP beyond the induction period. The present findings indicate that presynaptic stimulation in the retinotectal synapses causes LTP mediated by NMDA receptors in the optic tectum of rainbow trout.     

FINE STRUCTURE OF NEUROBLASTOMA—A CASE REPORT—

Ultrastructural observation was carried out on neuroblastoma cells in a 4-year-old girl. The nuclei of these neoplastic cells were irregular with occasional cytoplasmic invaginations, and proportionally large with diffusely dispersed chromatin substance. Rare mitotic figures were also present. The cell-to-cell interfaces were relatively simple with only finely wavy membranes but without interdigitations. A few desmosomes were, however, apparent. The cytoplasmic pseudopodes were frequently observed in a limited area of the cell surface and nearly free of organelles. The main findings of the intracytoplasmic organelles consisted of some mitochondrial changes, poor development of Golgi bodies, occasional formation of focal cytoplasmic degradation, and intracytoplasmic Abrillar aggregates. Numerous large round to oval dense bodies encircled by a double membrane were highly suggestive of lipid bodies. The central area of rosette-like cell aggregates was noted to be composed of cytoplasmic processes of neoplastic cells.     

Polo-like kinase 1 expression in medullary carcinoma of the thyroid: its relationship with clinicopathological features.

OBJECTIVE: Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is one of the serine-threonine kinases that contributes to cell mitosis and is regarded as a marker of cellular proliferation. However, its protein expression in human carcinoma has not been studied in depth. In this study, we investigated PLK1 expression in medullary thyroid carcinoma by means of immunohistochemistry. METHODS: We immunohistochemically investigated PLK1 expression in 67 cases of medullary thyroid carcinoma. RESULTS: The PLK1 expression level was elevated in 43 of the 67 cases (64.1%). Furthermore, the expression level was directly linked to lymph node metastasis, advanced stage and male sex. All patients who were negative for PLK1 expression are currently alive without tumor recurrence, while 6 of the 43 PLK1-positive patients showed recurrence and 3 have already died of this disease. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that PLK1 expression significantly reflects aggressive characteristics of medullary thyroid carcinoma.     

Undifferentiated Carcinoma of the Parotid Gland in a 10-Month-old Child

Malignant salivary gland tumors in children are very rare. This report describes the autopsy of a child with parotid gland cancer. The patient, a 10 month old girl, was admitted to the Nagoya First Red Cross Hospital with facial nerve palsy. lncisional biopsy of a post-auricular tumor was performed, and undifferentiated carcinoma was diagnosed. The patient died 6 months later of respiratory failure due to pulmonary lymphangitis carcinomatosis. Light and electron microscopic and immunohistochemical examinations of the tumor tissue were performed. The tumor cells were arranged in a medullary, sheet-like manner. Keratinization or mucus lakes were not observed. PAS-alcian blue staining demonstrated intracytoplasmic mucus as granules, and also small intercellular droplets of mucus that might otherwise have been unnoticed. Ultrastructurally, some of the tumor cells had tonofilament-like keratin filaments, and also small hollow spaces bounded by microvilli and containing secretory particles. These were stained by antisera against CEA and keratin. These findings are suggestive of differentiation to mucoepider-moid carcinoma. We also review and discuss malignant salivary tumors of epithelial origin in children. Acta Pathol Jpn 40: 149–152, 1990.     

Open food challenge with milk, egg white and wheat

Background: A method for open food challenge test to determine food allergy has not been established in an evidence-based manner. Methods: We conducted an analysis of 438 open food challenges of raw milk (n=133, mean age 2.7+/-1.9 years), boiled egg white (n=216, 2.8+/-2.1 years) or udon noodles (n=89, 2.7+/-1.7 years) for the patients aged 1 year or more. Doses were increased (trace amounts, 1 g, 2 g, 5 g, 10 g, 20-30 g) every 20 minutes. Results: In total, 151 (38.5%) of food challenges were positive. The positive rates of milk, egg and wheat challenges were 35.8%, 42.4% and 33.3%, respectively. Of these, 76.2%, 32.5%, 27.8% and 0.7% had, respectively, skin, respiratory, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular symptoms. Although the prevalence of positive challenge increased with level of specific IgE, it did not correlate with the threshold amount of positive food challenge or the severity of symptoms. Among the challnege positive patients, 10.6% required injection of antihistamines, corticosteroids or adrenalines for the treatment of the symptoms. Conclusions: This challenge protocol seemed to be appropriate and safe.     

N-Glycosylation contributes to the limited cross-reactivity between hemagglutinin neuraminidase proteins of human parainfluenza virus type 4A and 4B

cDNAs encoding human parainfluenza virus type 4B (hPIV-4B) hemagglutinin neuraminidase (HN) protein were cloned and the nucleotide sequences were determined. A high degree of identity (81.4%) was observed between the nucleotide sequences of hPIV-4A and -4B HN proteins, and an 87.3% identity was found between the deduced amino acid sequences. This degree of identity is considered to be greater than immunological similarity between hPIV-4A and -4B HN proteins determined using monoclonal antibodies. To elucidate the causes of the antigenic difference between HN proteins of hPIV-4A and -4B, we constructed three cDNAs of hPIV-4B HN whose potential N-glycosylation sites were partially or completely the same as in hPIV-4A HN cDNA. We compared the antigenicity of the expressed wild-type and mutant proteins, and found that the antigenicities of the mutant hPIV-4B HN proteins were more similar to the hPIV-4A HN protein than to the non-mutant hPIV-4B HN protein. This study indicated that the antigenic diversity between hPIV-4A and -4B was partly caused by deletion or creation of glycosylation sites, showing that the point mutations resulting in deletion or creation of glycosylation sites is one of the initial steps leading to the division of virus into subtypes. Received: 21 January 2000     

Sulfidopeptide-leukotriene peptidases in pulmonary edema fluid from patients with the adult respiratory distress syndrome

The human pulmonary edema fluid concentrations of LTC₄ and of LTD₄ and LTE₄, derived peptidolytically from LTC₄, were assessed by radioimmunoassays of the mediators resolved by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The mean pulmonary edema fluid concentration (± SD) of LTD₄ of 19.2±25.6 nM for 12 patients with the adult respiratory distress syndrome and of LTE₄ of 192±309 nM for 10 of the patients were significantly higher (P<0.005 andP<0.05) than those of 2.2±2.4 and 11.0±18.2 nM, respectively, for 10 patients with cardiogenic pulmonary edema, whereas the lower mean concentrations of LTC₄ were not significantly different for the two groups. Pulmonary edema fluid from five patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome, one with cardiogenic pulmonary edema, and one with an indeterminate syndrome contained similar concentrations of peptidoleukotriene peptidases. The LTC₄ and LTD₄ peptidolytic activities in ARDS fluids were 81 and 142 kD, respectively, by gel filtration. The extents of peptidolysis of [³]LTC₄ and [³]LTD₄ by 100 µl of pulmonary edema fluid attained respective mean maximum levels of 74.5±2.9% (N=5) and 37.7±10.2% (N=4) after 30 min at 37°C and were inhibited by serine-borate and by cysteine, respectively. The predominance of LTD₄ and LTE₄ over LTC₄ in states of altered pulmonary vascular pressure and permeability thus is attributable to two distinct peptidases.     

Morphological and functional differences in the elbow extensor muscle between highly trained male and female athletes

The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in the morphological and functional aspects of the triceps brachii muscle between highly trained male and female athletes who were members of the 1996 Japanese Olympic teams in each of three different events: soccer, gymnastics and judo. The thickness (TB_mt) and fibre pennation angle (TB_pen) of the triceps brachii muscle and force output during elbow extensions were determined using a B-mode ultrasound apparatus and an isokinetic dynamometer, respectively. The TB_mt and its value relative to upper arm length (TB_mt/l _ua) were significantly larger in the men than in the women in all the events except judo. In all the subjects, a significant correlation was found between TB_mt/l _ua) and TB_pen (r= 0.721, P < 0.05). The existence of the sex difference in TB_pen within the same event was in agreement with that observed in TB_mt/l _ua except for the soccer players. The TB_pen of the soccer players were similar in both sexes although a significant sex differences was found in TB_mt/l _ua. The isokinetic forces measured using the two velocities 60°· s^?1 (F ₆₀) and 180°· s^?1 (F ₁₈₀) were significantly correlated to the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the triceps brachii muscle estimated from TB_mt (r= 0.702, P < 0.05 for F ₆₀, and r= 0.776, P < 0.05 for F ₁₈₀). No significant sex differences were found in either F ₆₀/CSA or F ₁₈₀/CSA in any of the events. From these results, it could be assumed, at least in the Olympic athletes tested in this study, that the fibre angulation of the triceps brachii muscle was almost the same in the two sexes if allowance was made for the difference in the muscle size, and the sex difference in force generation capability of the triceps brachii muscle could in the main be attributed to the difference in CSA rather than in the architectural characteristics.