Lectin binding patterns in salivary glands treated with amylase

Lectin binding patterns of ConA (Glc, Man), PNA and SBA (Gal, GalNAc), RCA-I (Gal) DBA (GalNAc), WGA (GlcNAc), and UEA-I (Fuc) in the major salivary glands of mice, rats, hamsters, and guinea pigs were reported using paraffin sections subjected to alpha-amylase treatment at 1, 3, and 6 h digestions. Lectin staining following treatment with amylase was generally enhanced in acinar, duct, and GCT cells. However, increasingly different reactions were obtained depending upon the lectins used, the various salivary glands from different specimens treated, and the different properties of the serous, mucous, and sero-mucous cells in the histologic sections. The lectins that demonstrated rather markedly increased staining were ConA, PNA, SBA, WGA, and UEA-I, whereas RCA-I and DBA increased little in comparison, or actually decreased. It appears from these findings that complex carbohydrates within murine salivary glands contained large amount of glucose, mannose, galactose, and N-acetyl galactosamine residues. The basement membranes of glandular cells in salivary glands demonstrated markedly positive ConA staining following alpha-amylase digestion.     

Analysis of tolerance induction using triple chimeric mice: major histocompatibility complex-disparate thymus, hemopoietic cells, and microenvironment

BACKGROUND: Although bone marrow transplantation (BMT) has become a valuable strategy for the treatment of various intractable diseases in recent years, success rates remain low in elderly patients because of low thymic function. We have previously shown that fetal thymus transplantation (TT) with BMT is effective for elderly recipients in mice. METHODS: We performed fully major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-mismatched fetal TT from B6 (H-2) mice plus allogeneic BMT from C3H/HeN (H-2) mice by intra-bone marrow-BMT (IBM-BMT) using congenitally athymic nude (nu/nu) BALB/c (H-2), or BALB/c adult-thymectomized recipients to obtain triple chimeras. We next carried out the IBM-BMT+TT using senescence-accelerated mouse P1 strain (SAMP1) to examine whether this method would be applicable to aging mice. RESULTS: Triple chimeric mice survived for a long period with sufficient T-cell functions comparable to the mice treated with BMT plus MHC-matched TT, whereas those without TT survived for a short period with insufficient T-cell reconstitution. Almost all the hematolymphoid cells were derived from donor bone marrow cells. Interestingly, they showed tolerance to all three types of MHC determinants with donor-derived thymic dendritic cells in TT. Triple chimeric SAMP1 also survived for long periods with T-cell functions restored in contrast to non-TT SAMP1 recipients. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that third party combined TT with allogeneic IBM-BMT may be more advantageous for elderly recipients with low thymic function, than IBM-BMT alone (without TT).     

Carcinoma of the urinary bladder in a patient receiving cyclophosphamide for Wegener's granuloma: a case report

We present a case report of cyclophosphamide-induced bladder tumor. The patient is a 31-year old male who had received 240 g of cyclophosphamide for 8 years because of the therapy for Wegener's granuloma. Transurethral resection of bladder tumor was performed and transitional cell carcinoma pT1G2 ascertained by histological examination. Forty-three foreign cases and nine Japanese cases including our case are herein reviewed.     

Study of satellite tumor nodules in renal cell carcinoma

Topography and histological types of main tumor and satellite tumor nodules (STN) were investigated on 60 cases of renal cell carcinoma by gross and microscopic study by making whole area histological sections. 30-100 histological slides were made from the median sagittal section and multiple horizontal sections of renal cell carcinoma. STN were observed in 28 cases of the 60 cases (46.7%) and could be classified into 3 types according to their location relative to the main tumor. STN could not be observed in some cases despite the large main tumor of 10 cm or more, while STN were observed in some cases with the main tumor of only 2.5 cm or less. High grade and high stage cases showed a high incidence of STN. It is considered that, only in cases, with the tumors of low grade, low stage and has only 1 STN or less, conservative surgery on renal parenchyma is possible. When the case is of low grade and low stage and has a possibility of preserving normal renal parenchyma, conservative surgery on renal parenchyma may be justified even if the tumor is large.     

Pheochromocytoma: nuclear deoxyribonucleic acid patterns studied by flow cytometry

Nuclear deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) ploidy studies with paraffin-embedded archival tumor specimen blocks were performed by flow cytometry on extracted nuclei from 75 pheochromocytomas. Clinical details, specifically including histologic findings, biochemical studies, and ultimate fate, were investigated. Preparation of paraffin-embedded tissue specimens was carried out by the technique of Hedley et al. and stained with propidium iodide according to the method of Vindel?v et al. Twenty-three tumors showed a normal DNA histogram, 31 showed significant increase in the 4C (DNA tetraploid) peak, and 21 exhibited a DNA aneuploid peak. To define a subset of patients who had either died as a result of pheochromocytoma or had been followed for a minimum of 10 years, 13 patients were excluded. Of the remaining 62 patients, all of the 18 patients with a normal DNA histogram followed a benign clinical course, including normal fractionated urinary catecholamines. However, eight (31%) of the 26 patients classified DNA tetraploid/polyploid and seven (39%) of the 18 patients exhibiting a DNA aneuploid peak had evidence of malignancy; these two groups had significantly more malignant tumors (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.02, respectively) than the normal DNA group. Flow cytometric DNA ploidy measurements of isolated nuclei seem to provide useful prognostic information for patients with pheochromocytoma.     

A novel type of EWS-CHOP fusion gene in two cases of myxoid liposarcoma

Fusion genes consisting of TLS/FUS and CHOP or EWS and CHOP are characteristic markers for myxoid/round cell liposarcomas (MLS/RCLS). Several different structures of the fusion genes were reported in the case of the TLS/FUS-CHOP form, whereas only one type of structure has so far been found for the EWS-CHOP form, which consisted of exons 1 to 7 of the EWS and exons 2 to 4 of the CHOP gene. Here we describe a novel type of EWS-CHOP fusion gene in two cases of MLS/RCLS, which were found in a consecutive analysis of 21 cases. This fusion gene consisted of exons 1 to 10 of the EWS and exons 2 to 4 of the CHOP gene. The two cases with this fusion gene shared several clinical features, such as a large tumor mass, rapid and invasive growth, and local recurrence within 12 months after surgical resection. Histopathological findings also showed common features characterized by the diffuse proliferation of small spindle cells with a primitive mesenchymal appearance. The association of these clinical and histopathological features suggests a distinct biological property for this rare type of fusion product.     

Bactericidal activity of gatifloxacin (AM-1155) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis in an in vitro bladder model simulating human urinary concentrations after oral administration

The bactericidal activity of gatifloxacin, a new 6-fluoro-8-methoxy quinolone, was determined in a dynamic in vitro model mimicking complicated lower urinary tract infection. Strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis with different susceptibility were exposed to changing gatifloxacin concentrations, simulating human urinary concentrations afer oral treatment with 200 mg twice daily for 3 consecutive days. Bacterial numbers of P. aeruginosa (minimal inhibitory concentrations, MIC: < or =32 microg/ml) and of E. faecalis (MIC: 16 microg/ml) were reduced to undetectable levels during exposure. For the strains with lower susceptibility, gatifloxacin showed bactericidal activity, but eradication was not complete. Thus, in a complicated urinary tract infection model, breakpoint MICs of gatifloxacin for uropathogenic organisms were presumed to range from 16 to 32 microg/ml. At least 86% of recent clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa and E. faecalis were inhibited at its breakpoint MIC. These results suggest that gatifloxacin may be useful in the treatment of urinary tract infections.     

Validation study of the Japanese version of the brief fatigue inventory

Fatigue has been recognized as one of the most distressing symptoms in cancer patients. Concise assessment is essential to managing this symptom. To that end, the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), a 9-item questionnaire, was designed to assess fatigue in cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of this scale (BFI-J), when compared with previously validated fatigue instruments. We randomly selected 252 cancer patients and presented them with the BFI-J, along with the Cancer Fatigue Scale; Profile of Mood States fatigue, vigor, and depression subscales; and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30. Specifically, the reliability and construct, criterion, convergent, and discriminant validity of each instrument were evaluated. Additionally, fatigue severity classification was explored using the BFI-J. The results indicated that the BFI-J is a brief, valid, and feasible measure of fatigue for use with Japanese cancer patients.