Hyaluronan Facilitates Corneal Epithelial Wound Healing in Diabetic Rats

We investigated the effect of hyaluronan on corneal epithelial wound healing in rats affected by diabetes. Furthermore, because hyaluronan is thought to affect corneal epithelial wound healing through the mechanism of binding of hyaluronan to provisional fibronectin in the wounded area, we compared the localization of fibronectin immunohistochemically during corneal epithelial wound healing in diabetic and non-diabetic rats. Streptozotocin was used to induce diabetes in half the rats. Two weeks after treatment, the whole corneal epithelium of diabetic and untreated rats was debrided. The rats were divided into groups (seven or eight rats per group), and hyaluronan eye drops at concentrations of 0.03, 0.1, or 0.3%, chondroitin sulfate (3%), or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) was given in eye drops 6 times a day for 4 days, starting immediately after debridement. The area of the corneal epithelial wound was measured immediately after debridement and at 12, 18, 24, 30, 48, 72, and 96 hours afterwards. Although the healing process was similar in non-diabetic and diabetic rats, the healing rate in diabetic rats was slower than that in normal controls. In both diabetic and non-diabetic rats, hyaluronan increased the healing rate in a dose-dependent manner; the difference was significant compared with the PBS-treated group, at hyaluronan doses of 0.1% and 0.3%. However, chondroitin sulfate did not affect corneal epithelial wound closure, regardless of whether the rats were diabetic or not; the healing rates were identical to those of PBS-treated diabetic and non-diabetic controls. In both diabetic and non-diabetic corneas, fibronectin was localized in the corneal subepithelial region, and in streaks between collagen fibers of the stroma. One day after debridement, a layer of fibronectin immunofluorescence was clearly visible on the surface of the denuded stroma. As healing progressed staining of fibronectin diminished at the interface between the new epithelium and the stroma. These changes in localization of fibronectin during corneal epithelial wound healing were similar in both diabetic and non-diabetic rats. Our results demonstrate that hyaluronan facilitates corneal epithelial wound healing in diabetic rats, and suggest that one possible mechanism of its stimulatory effect lies in its binding to a provisional fibronectin matrix, in both diabetic and non-diabetic rats.     

Homology Between the MPB70 and MPB83 Proteins of Mycobacterium bovis BCG

Isolation of MPB83 from Mycobacterium bovis BCG Tokyo culture fluid is described. MPB70 and MPB83 have similar molecular mass as judged by SDS-PAGE but differ in isoelectric points. Peptides isolated after CNBr cleavage of MPB83 revealed extensive homology as well as distinct differences from corresponding parts of the amino acid sequence deduced from the mpb70 gene cloned by Terasaka et al. Antibodies produced by immunization with MPB70 and MPB83 had distinctly different fine specificity revealing cross-reactivity between the proteins. These findings indicate that two distinct, homologous genes code for these proteins. Sensitization with live BCG Tokyo also induced T cell responses to MPB83 with development of delayed type hypersensitivity in guinea pigs.     

Deep venous thrombosis of the leg due to psychiatric stupor

Abstract  We report the cases of two patients with psychiatric stupor who developed venous thrombosis. A 29-year-old schizophrenic woman had been hospitalized in psychiatric institutions three times because of stupor associated with auditory hallucinations and thought blocking. These symptoms recurred and she was admitted to our hospital with deep venous thrombosis of her left leg. The other patient was a 67-year-old woman with depression. She had also suffered from insomnia. Following admission to our hospital, she developed a depressive stupor complicated by deep venous thrombosis of her left leg. Both cases were treated with sodium heparin and urokinase, and completely resolved. It is well known that dehydration, infection and decubitus ulcers are important physical complications of psychiatric stupor, but there have been few reports of deep venous thrombosis as a physical complication of stupor.     

In Vitro Biological Activity of an Insulin-like Active Substance Extracted from the Tumor Tissue of a Patient with Primary Liver Cell Carcinoma Associated with Severe Spontaneous Hypoglycemia

Biological activity of an insulin-like active substance, extractedfrom the tissue of a tumor tissue of a patient with primaryliver cell carcinoma associated with severe spontaneous hypoglycemia,was studied in vitro. The substance was acid insoluble. It stimulatedglucose uptake and glucose oxidation by rat muscle and adiposetissue, and these effects were not suppressed by anti-insulinantibody. It stimulated glycogen synthesis in rat muscle tissuebut not in adipose tissue. Oxidation of glucose C-1 by adiposetissue was enhanced strongly by the substance, but it had noeffect on glucose C-6 oxidation. The biological activity ofthe substance resembled that of non-suppressible insulin-likeactivity-precipitated (NSILA-P) rather than that of pancreaticinsulin or nonsuppressible insulin-like activity-soluble (NSILA-S).     

Actin Like Filaments in the Peritubular Cells of Human Testis Chemical Extraction and Binding with Heavy Meromyosin

In den peritubulären Zellen des Hodens sind zwei Typen von cytoplasmatischen Filamenten nachgewiesen: dünne Filamente (50–80 Å) und 100 Å Filamente. Die dünnen Filamente sind zahlreich und dicht gepackt im Cytoplasma der peripheren Zellprozesse und bilden Bündel. Diese Bündel sind parallel mit der Längsachse der Zellen angeordnet. Dichte Areale werden gelegentlich zwischen den Filamenten oder unterhalb der Zellmembran gesehen, an welche die dünnen Filamente verankert sind. Die 100 Å Filamente sind grundsätzlich um die perinukleäre Region oder in der Mittelpartie des Cytoplasmas lokalisiert. Die dünnen Filamente sind nach Inkubation mit Hasselbach-Schneider-Lösung unverändert. Diese Filamente verschwinden dagegen im Cytoplasma, wenn mit einer 0, 6 M KI-Lösung extrahiert wurde. Außerdem bilden die dünnen Filamente charakteristische Pfeilspitzkomplexe, wenn mit HMM inkubiert wird, während diese Komplexe nicht nachweisbar waren, wenn mit HMM plus ATP inkubiert wurde. Die 100 Å Filamente zeigen keine Reaktion gegenüber HMM. Infolgedessen wird behauptet, daß die dünnen Filamente Aktin oder Aktin-ähnlich sind und daß ein kontraktiles System in den peritubulären Zellen vorhanden ist, welches bei dem Transport der unbeweglichen Spermatozoen und bei der Durchdringung der Samenkanälchen-Wände beteiligt sind.