Immunolocalization of glucose transporter 1 and 3 in the placenta: application to cytodiagnosis of Papanicolaou smear

A positive immunostaining for glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) was exclusively localized in microvilli on the free surface of syncytiotrophoblasts in the placenta. An enhanced immunoreaction for glucose transporter 3 (GLUT3) was elicited in the cell membrane of intermediate trophoblasts and cytotrophoblasts. Neither GLUT1 nor GLUT3 was positive in decidual cells and epithelial components from cervical dysplasia and carcinoma in situ. Cervicovaginal smears from six pregnant women containing atypical cells of unknown origin were subjected to immunocytochemical testing with antibodies against GLUT1 and GLUT3. Atypical cells in smears from two pregnant women were found to be positive for GLUT3 while no specific immunoreaction for GLUT1 was elicited, indicating their origin from either intermediate trophoblasts or cytotrophoblasts. Through the use of antibodies against vimentin and cytokeratin 17, GLUT3-negative atypical cells were further sorted into decidual cells and epithelial components from cervical dysplasia, respectively.     

Phenotypic discordance in monozygotic twins with 22q11.2 deletion

We report on male monozygotic twins with 22q11.2 deletion and discordant phenotypes. The twins had twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. Twin 1, the smaller of the pair, had Tetralogy of Fallot, a characteristic facial appearance, swallowing dysfunction, anal atresia, short stature, and mental retardation, whereas twin 2 had a characteristic facial appearance but no other signs of the 22q11 deletion syndrome. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis showed a microdeletion on chromosome 22q11.2 in both twins. Zygosity analysis gave a probability of monozygosity greater than 99.999%. These observations indicate that environmental factors or postzygotic events play a role in the phenotypic variability in the twins. Am. J. Med. Genet. 78:319–321, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Flexivirga alba gen. nov., sp. nov., an actinobacterial taxon in the family Dermacoccaceae

A novel actinobacterial strain ST13(T) isolated from soil near wastewater treatment facilities of an electroplating plant was subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Cells of this organism were non-sporulating, and were irregular coccoid to comma shaped. The peptidoglycan of strain ST13(T) contained glutamic acid, serine, alanine, glycine and lysine, and represented the peptidoglycan type A4α. The whole-cell sugars contained ribose, glucose, galactose, rhamnose and mannose. The predominant menaquinone was MK-8(H(4)). The major fatty acid was iso-C(16:0). The polar lipid contained phosphatidylglycerol. The DNA G+C content was 67.4 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain ST13(T) fell within the radius of the family Dermacoccaceae, and its closest neighbor was Luteipulveratus mongoliensis MN07-A0370(T) (95.1%). However, strain ST13(T) did not make a coherent clade with members of the recognized organisms. On the basis of the phylogenetic and phenotypic characteristics of this actinobacterium, a novel genus and species, Flexivirga alba gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain of F. alba is ST13(T) (= NBRC 107580(T) = DSM 24460(T)).     

HLA-associated hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome disease progression in slovenian patients

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II genes regulate the balance between appropriate aggressive responses and invading pathogens while minimizing the destruction of host tissue. Several studies have shown that in hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) patients, the disease outcome is determined by a complex interaction between the virus and immunopathologic and human genetic factors. In Slovenia, the severity of the disease caused by Puumala virus (PUUV) is significantly lower than that of HFRS due to Dobrava virus (DOBV). We have determined 23 different HLA-B and 12 different HLA-DRB1 types in Slovenian HFRS patients. Comparison of HLA frequencies between healthy individuals and HFRS patients showed no strong association with the susceptibility for hantaviral infection. Significant associations were recognized when the patient group was separated according to the virus responsible for the infection. DOBV-infected patients have a significantly higher frequency of HLA-B*35 than PUUV-infected patients. For HLA class II genes, the biggest difference between the PUUV- and DOBV-infected groups of patients was in HLA-DRB1*13, where this phenotype was more frequent in PUUV-infected patients, especially in the severe form of the disease. HLA-B*07 could play a protective role in PUUV-caused HFRS in the Slovenian population. Our study shows diverse associations of HLA molecules with DOBV- and PUUV-induced HFRS, and therefore, we presume that different hantaviruses are presented differently through the same HLA molecules and that this might lead to either a more severe or a milder form of the disease. In line with this idea, we have noticed that HLA-B*35 might be a genetic risk factor for DOBV infection in the Slovenian population.     

Hepatocellular carcinoma in a case of Wilson's disease treated with radiofrequency ablation therapy

A 37-year-old Japanese man was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis due to Wilson's disease in 2001 and treated with D-penicillamine. Thereafter, he was admitted to our hospital for further examination of a space occupying lesion in the liver. The patient was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (7th segment, 2.5 cm in diameter) in May 2010 and treated with radiofrequency ablation therapy. Biopsy findings from a non-cancerous area revealed a fatty liver, though cirrhotic nodules were not found. Long-term treatment for Wilson's disease may improve hepatic fibrosis, and careful screening for HCC by abdominal imaging is needed in such cases.     

JBIR-94 and JBIR-125, antioxidative phenolic compounds from Streptomyces sp. R56-07

Two phenolic compounds, JBIR-94 (1) and JBIR-125 (2), were isolated from the fermentation broth of strain R56-07, which was identified by phylogenetic methods as a novel species of Streptomyces. The structures of 1 and 2 were assigned on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and MS analyses. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity with an IC(50) value of 11.4 and 35.1 μM, respectively. These compounds are the first examples of hydroxycinnamic acid amides containing putrescine or spermidine produced by actinomycetes.