Chymase participates in chronic dermatitis by inducing eosinophil infiltration

An epicutaneous application of 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) to a mouse ear caused a transient skin swelling, and the repetition of the challenge enlarged the contact dermatitis. The repeated challenge with DNFB also induced eosinophil infiltration on the application site. Administration of a chymase inhibitor significantly inhibited the ear swelling as well as eosinophil accumulation. An intradermal injection of human chymase to the mouse ear also elicited transient skin swelling and eosinophil infiltration, both of which were augmented in proportion to the number of injections. Human serum albumin and heat-inactivated chymase failed to induce such skin reactions, suggesting the participation of proteolytic activity of the enzyme. In addition, chymase stimulated eosinophil migration in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner. Taken together, these observations suggest that mast cell chymase may contribute to development of the DNFB-induced dermatitis, probably by promoting eosinophil infiltration. It is therefore possible that chymase plays a role in pathogenesis of chronic dermatitis such as atopic dermatitis.     

Development of the articular cavity in the rat temporomandibular joint with special reference to the behavior of endothelial cells and macrophages

Previous developmental studies on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) have proposed several hypotheses on the formation of its articular cavity. However, detailed information is meager. The present study examined the formation process of the articular cavity in the rat TMJ by immunocytochemistry for CD31, RECA-1, and ED1, which are useful cellular markers for endothelial cells and monocyte/macrophage lineages, respectively. The upper articular cavity formation had begun by embryonic day 21 (E21) and was completed at postnatal day 1 (P1) in advance of the lower cavitation; the latter took place from P1 to P3. The occurrence and distribution pattern of the CD31-, RECA-1-, and ED1-positive cells differed between the upper and lower articular cavity-forming areas: the ED1-positive cells exclusively occurred in the area of the prospective upper articular cavity prior to its formation, while no ED1-positive cell appeared in the lower cavity-forming area. In contrast, the CD31- and RECA-1-positive endothelial cells were restricted to the lower cavity-forming area (never the prospective upper cavity) at E19 and diminished thereafter. Throughout the cavity formation, we failed to find any apoptotic cells in the cavity formation area, indicating no involvement of apoptosis in the cavity formation in TMJ. The present findings on the behaviors of endothelial cells and ED1-positive cells show a possibility of different mechanism in the cavity formation between the upper and lower articular cavities in the rat TMJ. The appearance of ED1-reactive cells and temporal vascularization may play crucial roles in the upper and lower articular cavity formation, respectively.     

Characterization of a G14 equine rotavirus (strain CH3) isolated in Japan

Summary Antigenic and genomic properties of equine rotavirus strain CH3 isolated in Japan were studied by cross-neutralization tests and nucleotide sequence determination of the VP4 and VP7 genes. It was shown that the strain CH3 belongs to G14 and shares VP4 genotype with strain H2.The nucleotide sequence data reported in this paper appear in the DDBJ, EMBL and GeneBank nucleotide sequence detabases under the accession numbers D25228 (VP4 of strain CH3) and D25229 (VP7 of strain CH3).     

Immunocytochemical demonstration of heat shock protein 25 in the rat temporomandibular joint

The expression of heat shock protein 25 (Hsp 25) was investigated in the rat temporomandibular joint by immunocytochemistry combined with confocal and electron microscopy. Immunostaining with an antibody to Hsp25 was able to demonstrate various cellular elements in the synovial membrane of the joint. Intense immunoreaction for Hsp25 was recognized in certain cells comprising the synovial lining layer. Confocal microscopic observation revealed two characteristic profiles of the Hsp25-positive cells with cytoplasmic processes: one extended thick and long processes towards the articular cavity, and the other prejected horizontally slender processes which covered the synovial membrane. Under the electron microscope, the immunoreactive synovial lining cells were characterized by a well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum and secretory granules, suggesting that they can be categorized as fibroblastic type B cells. The covering by the cytoplasmic extensions was confirmed by immuno-electron microscopic observations. This cytoplasmic covering presumably performs a barrier function and expedites the effective secretion/resorption of synovial fluids. Since it has been proposed that Hsp 25 is associated with an estrogen receptor, the immunopositive synovial lining cells were considered estrogen-target cells. Immunoreactivity for Hsp25 was also observed in the chondrocytes of the maturative and hypertrophic cell layers as well as in the cells of the articular disk. A suggestion was made that Hsp25 might be involved in the inhibition of apoptosis of those cells.     

Immunohistochemical analysis of centromere protein F expression in buccal and gingival squamous cell carcinoma

Centromere protein F (CENP-F) expression (localization and characteristics) in relation to tumor clinicopathological parameters was immunohistochemically examined and evaluated in 47 archival biopsy specimens of buccal and gingival squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). Centromere protein F expression was detected in 79% of the samples. An increase in the labeling index (LI) with WHO grading was obtained ( P  < 0.05). Correlations were obtained between the CENP-F LI and tumor size ( P  < 0.05). Immunoelectron microscopy showed CENP-F nuclear staining as punctate or fine dots. The present study shows that CENP-F expression and detection of a more specific cell subpopulation presents a theoretical advantage for the analysis of the precise cell cycle of G₂ to M cells, compared to Ki-67.     

The effect of vitamin A depletion on antigen-stimulated trapping of peripheral lymphocytes in local lymph nodes of rats

The effect of vitamin A depletion on antigen-stimulated trapping of peripheral lymphocytes in lymphatic organs was studied in rats. Distribution of [3H]-uridine-labelled syngenic peripheral lymphocytes was quantified by assaying radioactive content of brachial and axillary lymph nodes, spleen and liver of normal and vitamin A-depleted F344/Ducrj rats immunized with sheep red blood cells. Localization of labelled cells in the ipsilateral brachial lymph nodes of the normal rats was stimulated by three times upon immunization with sheep erythrocytes as compared with the contralateral nodes. Recruitment of cells in axillary lymph nodes, spleen and liver was not significantly different from non-immunized values. The vitamin A-depleted rats exhibited marked deterioration in antigen-stimulated trapping of labelled cells in the draining brachial lymph nodes. These results suggest that this effect of vitamin A depletion is due to derangement of integrity of lymphocyte-trapping mechanism in the draining lymph nodes and not to any change in nature of lymphocytes per se.     

Bone bonding behavior of three kinds of apatite containing glass ceramics

We have produced three kinds of apatite-containing glass ceramics of the same chemical composition: MgO (4.6), CaO (44.9), SiO2 (34.2), P2O5 (16.3), CaF2 (0.5) (in weight ratio). They contain different crystal combinations and have different mechanical properties. The first glass ceramic (A-GC) was prepared by heating a glass plate to 870 degrees C. It contains only oxy- and fluoroapatite (35 wt%). The second glass ceramic (A-W-GC), and the third (A-W-CP-GC), were prepared by heating glass powder compacts to 1050 degrees C and 1200 degrees C, respectively. A-W-GC contains oxyapatite and fluoroapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(O,F2] (35 wt%) and beta-wollastonite (40 wt%). A-W-CP-GC contains oxyapatite and fluoroapatite (20 wt%), beta-wollastonite (CaO X SiO2) (55 wt%), and beta-whitlockite (3CaO X P2O5) (15 wt%). The bending strengths of A-GC, A-W-GC, and A-W-CP-GC were 88MPa, 178MPa, and 213MPa, respectively, in air. Rectangular ceramic plates (15mm X 10mm X 2mm) were implanted into a rabbit tibia. Ten and 25 weeks after implantation, the segment of tibia with implant was excised for examination. The segment was held by a special jig and the traction breaking load (failure load) was measured by an autograph. A-GC showed a lower load than A-W-GC and A-W-CP-GC. The loads for A-W-GC and A-W-CP-GC were almost equal. The failure loads did not change significantly between 10 and 25 weeks for any of the materials. The interface was examined by Giemsa surface staining, contact micro-radiography, and SEM-EPMA. Giemsa surface staining and CMR revealed direct bonding between the materials and the bone for all the three materials. SEM-EPMA showed that Si and Mg content decreased, Ca content did not change, and P content increased at the reaction zone between all three glass ceramics and bone. This was observed at 10 weeks, as well as at 25 weeks, after implantation. The reaction zone was narrowest with A-GC, wider with A-W-GC, and widest with A-W-CP-GC.     

Cold-adaptation of human rotavirus

A human rotavirus strain was cold-adapted for possible future use as a live vaccine. The original strain was isolated in 1980 in primary cynomolgus monkey kidney cells and has a serotype I and subgroup II antigenicity. The virus was serially passaged in African green monkey kidney cells; it was cultivated at 37 degrees C at the first stage of passages, and the cultivation temperature was then shifted down stepwise by 3 degrees C per each 10 passages. Finally the virus was passaged 10 times at 25 degrees C (total passage number of 55). The virus formed small-size plaques with irregular shaped borders at 31 degrees C. Growth at 25 degrees C of the cold-adapted virus was higher than that of the original virus. There was no difference between the migration patterns of 11 dsRNA segments in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the original and the cold-adapted viruses.