Involvement of N-acetyl-lactosamine-containing sugar structures in the liver metastasis of mouse colon carcinoma (colon 26) cells

Histochemical aspects of the process of experimentally induced metastasis were examined by light and electron microscopy with labelled lectins employed as a probe. Mouse colon carcinoma cells (colon 26) were injected into the spleen of Balb/c mice and liver metastasis was induced. Among the lectins tested, Erythrina cristagalli agglutinin (ECA) stained the metastasized colon 26 cells strongly compared with the heterogeneous and faint staining in non-metastasized tumour foci in the spleen or in the subcutaneous space. Other lectins, such as Phaseolus vulgaris ieucoagglutinin (PHA-L), Phaseolus vulgaris erythroagglutinin (PHA-E) and Datura stramonium agglutinin (DSA), having specificity for branched complex type sugar chains, did not show any differences between metastasized cells and non-metastasized tumour foci. In addition, N-acetyl-lactosamine, a specific inhibitor of ECA binding, significantly inhibited the attachment of suspended colon 26 cells to sectioned unfixed normal liver tissue. These results indicate that the expression of galactose (Gal) β 1–4 N-acetyl-glucosamine (GlcNAc) residues of branched complex type sugar chains having specificity for ECA are important for the interaction process of carcinoma cells with hepatic cells in the process of liver metastasis.     

MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGIC ANALYSIS OF JAPANESE PATIENTS WITH MOLLUSCUM CONTAGIOSUM

Background. Molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV) causes molluscum contagiosum (MC) in both children and adults. Recent studies have revealed that the DNA of MCV can be classified into two major types by restriction enzyme cleavage patterns; however, the relationship between MCV types and the clinical features has not been fully understood. Our study was conducted to examine whether there are geographic differences in the incidence of MCV types and whether a correlation exists between MCV types and the age, sex, and clinical status of the patients. Methods. Specimens were obtained from 171 Japanese patients. The total DNA was extracted and digested with the restriction enzymes, BamH I, Hind III, and Cla I, respectively. Specimens were then electrophoresed in agarose gels. The gels were stained with ethidium bromide and photographs were taken under transillumination. Results. Six different cleavage patterns were observed; they were classified into two major types, MCV 1 and MCV 2, consisting of two MCV 1-variants, and MCV 2 prototype, and three MCV 2-variants. The ratio of MCV 1 to MCV 2 was 13:1. Mcv 1 was commonly detected in children (98%) and adult Women (92%). MCV 2 was more frequently isolated from adult men (44%) and from patients with human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (75%). Conclusion. MCV types found in Japanese children and adult women were predominantly MCV 1 and less frequently MCV 2. This pattern is similar to that observed in European countries and Australia, suggesting a high frequency and World-wide distribution of MCV 1. The higher incidence of MCV 2 among adult men and HIV-positive patients may indicate that transmission routes of MCV 1 and MCV 2 is somewhat different of which the latter may be in part by sexual contact.     

Endoscopic Biliary Drainage without Endoscopic Sphincterotomy

Endoscopic biliary drainage (EBD) is usually performed after endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST). In some patients, however, EBD without EST, so-called nonEST-EBD, is also effective. Thirty-four patients treated from 1983 to the present, were investigated to estimate the usefulness, safety, and drawbacks of nonEST-EBD. First, the reasons for adopting nonEST-EBD were reviewed in each patient. The most common reason was to reduce jaundice so as to preserve the function of the papilla of Vater in patients with choledocholithiasis who were to undergo surgery. However, such patients were treated in the early period of the investigation, and most would have undergone EST just after endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC), had they been treated more recently. The most important reason, at present, was, thus, to avoid bleeding in patients with general or local hemorrhagic diathesis, who accounted for 20.6% (7/34 of our subjects). Next, the effect of drainage was examined. Drainage in seven patients was judged to be excellent, while that in 15 patients was determined to be effective. In 10 patients without jaundice, nonEST-EBD was performed to prevent jaundice. Therefore, in 91.7% of patients (22/24), nonEST-EBD was considered to be useful. Changes in the serum amylase level were investigated to estimate the safety of nonEST-EBD. Twenty-seven patients with nonEST-EBD, in whom the serum amylase level was within normal limits before treatment, and 57 patients with EBD after EST were evaluated. No statistically significant difference was recognized between these two groups in the degree of serum amylase elevation after drainage. NonEST-EBD is concluded to be an effective and safe method of reducing jaundice, if appropriate patients are selected.     

小鼠骨髓基质细胞Kusa-Al体外成骨活性评价

目的：检测骨髓基质细胞系Kusa-Al体外成骨活性，分析其用于成骨细胞功能和分化机制研究的价值。方法：培养Kusa-Al细胞，在常规培养和成骨诱导培养条件下，分别检测细胞的体外成骨活性，包括碱性磷酸酶(ALP)活性、细胞钙沉积能力、体外矿化结节(CN)形成能力、骨桥蛋白(OPN)和骨钙素(0c)表达水平、NF-κB受体激活因子(RANKL)水平。结果：常规培养下，Kusa-Al细胞表现出较高碱性的ALP活性(约为0．75IU／mg)、一定的钙沉积能力，并可检测到OPN和OC表达，但无CN形成，RANKL蛋白低于可检测水平。诱导培养条件下，细胞ALP活性先升高后降低、钙沉积量持续升高、OPN和OC表达水平后期显著提高，汇片后3～7d检测到大量CN形成，汇片后24h可检测到RANKL蛋白。结论：Kusa-Al可能是一种成骨前体细胞，经诱导可以向成骨细胞分化，在体外表现出良好的成骨细胞活性。Kusa-Al细胞可作为成骨细胞功能及其分化机制研究的模型细胞。     

Challenges in the Treatment of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Based on Data in the Japan Neurotrauma Data Bank

The Japan Neurotrauma Data Bank is a source of epidemiological data for patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and is sponsored by the Japan Society of Neurotraumatology. In this report, we examined the changes in the treatment of severe TBI in Japan based on data of the Japan Neurotrauma Data Bank. Controlling and decreasing intracranial pressure (ICP) are the primary objective of severe TBI treatment. Brain-oriented whole-body control or neurocritical care, including control of cerebral perfusion pressure, respiration, and infusion, are also increasingly considered important because cerebral tissues require oxygenation to improve the outcomes of patients with severe TBI. The introduction of neurocritical care in Japan was delayed compared with that in Western countries. However, the rate of ICP monitoring increased from 28.0% in 2009 to 36.7% in 2015 and is currently likely to be higher. Neurocritical care has also become more common, but the functional prognosis of patients has not significantly improved in Japan. Changes in the background of patients with severe TBI suggest the need for improvement of acute-phase treatment for elderly patients. Appropriate social rehabilitation from the subacute to chronic phases and introduction of cellular therapeutics are also needed for patients with TBI.