Both G3BP1 and G3BP2 contribute to stress granule formation

Upon exposure to various environmental stresses such as arsenite, hypoxia, and heat shock, cells inhibit their translation and apoptosis and then repair stress‐induced alterations, such as DNA damage and the accumulation of misfolded proteins. These types of stresses induce the formation of cytoplasmic RNA granules called stress granules (SGs). SGs are storage sites for the many mRNAs released from disassembled polysomes under these stress conditions and are essential for the selective translation of stress‐inducible genes. Ras‐GTPase‐activating protein SH3 domain‐binding protein 1 (G3BP1) is a component of SGs that initiates the assembly of SGs by forming a multimer. In this study, we examined the role of G3BP2, a close relative of G3BP1, in SG formation. Although single knockdown of either G3BP1 or G3BP2 in 293T cells partially reduced the number of SG‐positive cells induced by arsenite, the knockdowns of both genes significantly reduced the number. G3BP2 formed a homo‐multimer and a hetero‐multimer with G3BP1. Moreover, like G3BP1, the overexpression of G3BP2 induced SGs even without stress stimuli. Collectively, these results suggest that both G3BP1 and G3BP2 play a role in the formation of SGs in various human cells and thereby recovery from these cellular stresses.     

Development of invasive adenocarcinoma in a long-standing diverted ileal J-pouch for ulcerative colitis

We report a case of a 50-year-old male with ulcerative colitis who developed well-differentiated adenocarcinoma in the ileal J-pouch, which had been defunctioning for 18 years. The extension of the carcinoma in the pouch suggested that it had recently appeared in the pouch. Monitoring by endoscopic examination and biopsy or pouch excision seems to be an appropriate action if a pouch is out of the fecal stream.     

Long-term efficacy and safety of rabeprazole in patients taking low-dose aspirin with a history of peptic ulcers: a phase 2/3, randomized,parallel-group, multicenter,extension clinical trial

A 24-week, double-blind, clinical trial of rabeprazole for the prevention of recurrent peptic ulcers caused by low-dose aspirin (LDA) has been reported, but trials for longer than 24 weeks have not been reported. The aim of this study is to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of rabeprazole for preventing peptic ulcer recurrence on LDA therapy. Eligible patients had a history of peptic ulcers on long-term LDA (81 or 100 mg/day) therapy. Patients with no recurrence of peptic ulcers at the end of the 24-week double-blind phase with rabeprazole (10- or 5-mg once daily) or teprenone (50 mg three times daily) entered the extension phase. Rabeprazole doses were maintained for a maximum of 76 weeks, including the double-blind 24-week period and the extension phase period (long-term rabeprazole 10- and 5-mg groups). Teprenone was randomly switched to rabeprazole 10 or 5 mg for a maximum of 52 weeks in the extension phase (newly-initiated rabeprazole 10- and 5-mg groups). The full analysis set consisted of 151 and 150 subjects in the long-term rabeprazole 10- and 5-mg groups, respectively, and the cumulative recurrence rates of peptic ulcers were 2.2 and 3.7%, respectively. Recurrent peptic ulcers were not observed in the newly-initiated rabeprazole 10- and 5-mg groups. No bleeding ulcers were reported. No clinically significant safety findings, including cardiovascular events, emerged. The use of long-term rabeprazole 10- and 5-mg once daily prevents the recurrence of peptic ulcers in subjects on low-dose aspirin therapy, and both were well-tolerated.     

Combined pure red cell aplasia and autoimmune hemolytic anemia in systemic lupus erythematosus with anti-erythropoietin autoantibodies

A 42-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus was admitted to our hospital because of severe anemia. Her bone marrow was almost normocellular and erythroblasts were nearly absent. Laboratory data showed elevated levels of lactate dehydrogenase and positive findings on Coombs' tests. On the basis of these findings, her anemia was diagnosed as the overlap of pure red cell aplasia with autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Radioimmunoprecipitation assay revealed that her serum was positive for anti-erythropoietin antibodies before therapy. Furthermore, the autoantibodies inhibited proliferation of an erythropoietin-dependent cell line in a dose-dependent manner. Immunosuppressive treatment improved the anemia accompanied with disappearance of the autoantibodies.     

Pathological fractures due to intraosseous fat necrosis associated with pancreatitis

SIR, Necrosis of fatty bone marrow is an unusual complicationof severe pancreatic disorders. We describe a patient presentingwith multiple pathological fractures associated with alcoholicpancreatitis. A 76-yr-old man was admitted to our hospital in May 2000 forpain and swelling of the right hand, both feet and     

Difference in CD22 molecules in human B cells and basophils

OBJECTIVE: CD22 is believed to be restricted to normal and neoplastic B cells. Human basophils were found to express CD22 molecules. Among the antibodies against CD22, Leu14, which recognized the ligand binding domain, reacted to basophils, and B3 and 4KB128, which recognized the amino terminus side and carboxy terminus side of the ligand binding epitope, respectively, did not. To clarify the difference of CD22 antigenicity in human B cells and basophils, we investigated RNA sequence and structures of CD22 molecules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Purified B cells and basophils were obtained from normal human volunteers by using a MACS magnetic cell sorting system and anti-CD19 and anti-Fc epsilon R1 antibodies, respectively. RT-PCR and sequencing of CD22 mRNA were performed in the exons 3 to 8. Western blotting analysis of CD22 was also performed. RESULTS: The sequence of CD22 mRNA extracted from the basophils was the same as that of B cells in exons 3 to 8 (epitopes recognized by Leu14, B3, and 4KB128 were translated from exons 4 and 5). Reduced CD22 peptide extracted from the basophils reacted to Leu14 as well as B3 and 4KB128, and the molecular size of the reduced and nonreduced products was 130 kDa as expected. CONCLUSION: Disulfide bonds and the resulting 3D conformation of the CD22 molecules may have important roles in the difference of antigenicity of CD22 beta in B cells (CD22 beta 1) and basophils (CD22 beta 2). The difference in molecular structure surrounding the ligand-binding domain of CD22 may imply a specialization of the conformational forms of CD22 according to the ligand isoforms.     

Can perception of aperture passability be improved immediately after practice in actual passage? Dissociation between walking and wheelchair use

Perception of the fit between a person’s action capabilities and relevant environmental properties (i.e., affordances) is often fine tuned gradually through experience performing a behavior. However, the immediate effect of such practice on the improvement of affordance perception is unclear. The present study was designed to examine whether a critical factor in the immediate effect of such practice is the opportunity to detect very fine differences between possible and impossible behaviors [i.e., high-resolution (HR) practice]. Participants reported whether apertures of various widths were passable when walking while holding a 69-cm horizontal bar (Experiment 1) or when using a wheelchair (Experiment 2). When practicing passing through apertures, seven different aperture widths, including their minimum passable width (70 cm for both experiments) were presented around the affordance boundary with 1- or 5-cm increments for the HR or low-resolution (LR) conditions, respectively. Accuracy of perception of passability improved following both HR and LR practice when walking. In contrast, no improvement was observed in any condition when using a wheelchair. These findings suggest that the immediate effect of practice was mediated by the form of locomotion but not the resolution of the practice.