Matrix metalloproteinase production by COOH-terminal heparin-binding fibronectin fragment in rheumatoid synovial cells

Fibronectin with IIICS region is present in rheumatoid synovium, and fibronectin fragments are increased in rheumatoid joints. We investigated the ability of COOH-terminal heparin-binding fibronectin fragment (COOH-HBFN-f) containing IIICS to induce matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) production and the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and CS-1 sequence that can bind alpha4beta1 integrin in MMP induction by COOH-HBFN-f in rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts (RSF). When RSF in monolayer culture were incubated with COOH-HBFN-f, COOH-HBFN-f stimulated the production of MMP-1, MMP-3, and MMP-13 by RSF in association with activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38 MAPK, and c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase. Immunoprecipitation of cell lysates demonstrated the presence of alpha4 integrin in cultured RSF. Similar to COOH-HBFN-f, treatment with CS-1 synthetic peptide derived from IIICS resulted in increased MMP production and activation of the kinases, although the MMP levels were low. Preincubation of RSF with anti-alpha4 integrin antibody resulted in partial suppression of the COOH-HBFN-f-stimulated MMP production. Inhibition studies using protein kinase inhibitors (PD98059 and SB203580) showed that those MAPK pathways contributed to MMP up-regulation by COOH-HBFN-f and CS-1. Thus, the present results have clearly shown that COOH-HBFN-f and CS-1 stimulate MMP production in association with activation of MAPK pathways in RSF. Integrin alpha4beta1 may be partially involved in the MMP induction by COOH-HBFN-f.     

The Role of Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes in Rat Chronic Serum Sickness-type Nephritis

In order to investigate the role of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in the distribution of antigen in various organs and in the development of nephritis, chronic serum sickness type nephritis was induced in both anti rat PMN rabbit serum (APS) treated and normal rabbit serum (NRS) treated rats by preimmunization with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and subsequent daily intravenous administration of BSA for 4 weeks. Kinetic studies using radiolabeled BSA showed that accumulation of BSA after the first intravenous administration was reduced by APS treatment in the liver, lungs and spleen and increased in the circulation, but was not affected in the kidneys and glomeruli. Histological studies supported the above findings. After 4 weeks of BSA administration, the BSA accumulation in the kidneys and glomeruli was significantly less in APS treated rats than in NRS treated ones, while amounts of BSA in the circulation and other organs were not different between the two groups. Furthermore, APS treatment reduced proteinuria, PMN infiltration and IC deposition in the glomeruli. These observations indicate that PMN play a partial role in IC deposition in the glomerular capillary walls and subsequent destruction of glomerular permeability in chronic serum sickness-type nephritis. Acta Pathol Jpn 39 : 619-629, 1989.     

Translocation chromosome 7 of A431 cells contains amplification and rearrangement of EGF receptor gene responsible for production of variant mRNA

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor, along with several oncogene protein products, possesses tyrosine-specific protein kinase activity. Furthermore, the EGF receptor has structural similarity to the putitive v-erb-B transforming protein. Because of these closely shared characteristics, it is important to elucidate the possible involvement of the EGF receptor in malignant transformation. The epidermal carcinoma cell line A431 exhibits an abnormally high number of EGF receptors, which is associated with the presence of translocation chromosome M4. Recently, A431 cells have been shown to contain amplified sequences for the EGF receptor gene(s) and also to produce a variant mRNA which diverges from the normal EGF receptor mRNA at the 3 end. Here we report, using the human EGF receptor cDNA probe pE7, that the chromosome M4 has a six-to sevenfold amplification of the EGF receptor gene. Furthermore, the presence of M4 in somatic cell hybrids correlates with the production of the variant 2.9-kb mRNA. This aberrant mRNA is apparently generated by an intrachromosomal rearrangement which was detected using as a probe a fragment of the pE15cDNA encoding the variant mRNA.     

Correlation between the number of apoptotic cells and expression of the apoptosis-related antigens Fas, Ley and bcl-2 protein in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas

The relationship between the number of apoptotic cells and the expression of apoptosis-related antigens was examined In 56 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and in 10 cases of reactive hyperplastic lymph nodes (RHL). Apoptosis was visually quantified by the in situ end-labeling (ISEL) method, and the expression of Fas, Le^y antigens and bcl-2 protein was examined by Immunohistochemistry. The expression of Le^y antigen was observed in germinal centers of RHL and 45% of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. The apoptotic cell count (AC) in follicular lymphomas was significantly less than that in diffuse lymphomas. The distribution pattern of apoptotic cells In follicular lymphomas was inverse to that in RHL. In follicular lymphomas, AC was lower in follicles than in inter-follicular areas. In contrast, AC was higher in follicles than in Interfollicular areas in RHL. Le^y antigen-positive lymphomas showed a significantly higher AC than the negative cases. The Fas antigen-positive lymphomas showed a higher AC than the negative cases. However, AC in bcl-2 protein-positive and negative cases was not significantly different. These results suggest that Le^y and Fas antigens appear to be involved in the apoptotic tendency of tumor cells in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, whereas bcl-2 does not necessarily.     

QT interval and QT dispersion in eating disorders

BACKGROUND: Eating disorders are thought to be risk factors for cardiac sudden death secondary to arrhythmia. Results in previous studies on QT interval and QT dispersion, markers of fatal arrhythmia, have been inconsistent. METHODS: We prospectively examined 179 female eating disorder patients, being over 18 years old and diagnosed according to the DSM-IV criteria between January 1995 and December 2002, and 52 healthy women. Patients with abnormal plasma electrolytes or taking medications that might influence the electrocardiogram (ECG) were excluded from the study. QT intervals were corrected for heart rate using Bazett's formula and the nomogram method, which is more reliable at extremely low heart rates than Bazett's formula. QT dispersion was measured as the difference between the longest and shortest QT intervals. QT intervals and QT dispersion in each patient group were compared with those in the control group. RESULTS: The 164 eligible patients consisted of 43 patients with anorexia nervosa restricting type, 35 with anorexia nervosa binge eating/purging type, 63 with bulimia nervosa purging type, and 23 with bulimia nervosa non-purging type. There was no significant difference in age between eating disorder patients and controls. QT interval and QT dispersion were significantly longer in all eating disorder subtypes than in the control group. QT interval and QT dispersion were significantly correlated with the rate of body weight loss in bulimia nervosa. CONCLUSIONS: QT interval and QT dispersion were prolonged in both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Examination of ECG in eating disorder patients without extremely low body weight also appears to be clinically important.     

Lithium alkylamide catalyzed addition reactions of alkylamines to vinyl monomers, 1. Selective formation of N-α-methylbenzyl-4-vinylphenethylamine

The lithium alkylamide catalyzed addition reaction of α-methylbenzylamine ( 1 ) with styrene was found to produce selectively N-phenethyl-α-methylbenzylamine ( 3 ). Under the same reaction conditions, addition of (S)-α-methylbenzylamine ( 1 ′) to 1,4-divinylbenzene ( 5 ) takes place selectively leading to the optically active novel styrene derivative, (S)-N-α-methylbenzyl-4-vinylphenethylamine ( 6 ), in a one-step reaction. The specific rotation was found to be [α]⁴_D = ?70,1° (c = 1,61 g/dl, in methanol). The following Q, e-values and the monomer reactivity rations of 6 (M₁) and styrene ( M ₂) were obtained: Q₁ = 1,59, e₁ = ?1,28; r₁ = 0,86, r₂ = 0,92.     

BOVINE SERUM ALBUMIN (BSA) NEPHRITIS IN RATS IV. A SEQUENTIAL EVALUATION OF MONONUCLEAR PHAGOCYTE SYSTEM (MPS) FUNCTION

A clearance kinetic study of intravenously administered ¹²⁵I-labeled aggregated human IgG (¹²⁵I-AHIgG) from the circulation and its distribution in various organs was performed weekly during the course in a model of experimental immune complex glomerulonephritis which was induced in rats immunized 8 weeks previously with 6 times a week administration of 2 mg of bovine serum albumin (BSA) for 4 weeks from week 8 to 12. The removal rates of the injected ¹²⁵I-AHIgG from the circulation were retarded in nonproteinuric rats of week 9 and 10, at almost every checked point (p-value was <0.01). The clearance in those rats with severe proteinuria returned to the level of the control and of rats in week 8. The distribution of ¹²⁵I-AHIgG in the liver 4 hours after the administration revealed a considerable decrease in non-overt proteinuric rats of weeks 9, 10, and 11. A similar tendency of decreasing depositions of the radioactivity was shown in the spleen at each 4 hours. In contrast, the uptakes in the kidney and lung at the final week of 12 were larger. Delayed clearance from the circulation and a decreasing handle of the injected macromolecule in the liver and possibly in the spleen may suggest the presence of some impairment of the MPS function in the course of this experimental glomerulonephritis.     

Phase I clinical and pharmacokinetic study ofN 4-behenoyl-1-β-d-arabinofuranosylcytosine

A phase I study ofN ⁴-behenoyl-1-β-d-arabinofuranosylcytosine (BHAC) was conducted in 66 patients, 41 with solid tumors and 25 with hematological malignancies. The patients received either a 2-h single intravenous (i.v.) drip infusion (Schedule 1) or consecutive daily 2-h i.v. infusions (Schedule 2). In Schedule 1 the daily dose was initiated with 1.5 mg kg^?1 which was escalated up to 7 mg kg^?1. Side-effects were mild, and included nausea, vomiting, epilation, and hot flushes. Because of the presence of the solvent vehicle, HCO-60 and in consideration of the mechanism of action of BHAC, the dose escalation was stopped at 7 mg kg^?1. In Schedule 2, the daily dose was started with 1.5 mg kg^?1 which was escalated up to 8 mg kg^?1 and given for 2–16 days. Myelosuppression was found to be dose-limiting toxicity. The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) in patients with non-hematological solid tumors was assumed to be 5 mg kg^?1 daily × 5 days. The plasma disappearance curve of BHAC looked biphasic, and when 4 mg kg^?1 of BHAC were administered the half-lives of the initial phase (t _1/2α) and the second phase (t _1/2β) were calculated as 0.798 and 5.76 h respectively. In Schedule 2 complete remission was observed in 5 out of 21 patients with acute leukemia, one partial remission in Hodgkin’s disease, and one 1-B response (Karnofsky) in thyroid papillary adenocarcinoma.     

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Adults after Mild SARS-CoV-2 Infection,Japan

In Japan, a 51-year-old man had minimally symptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Multisystem inflammatory syndrome was diagnosed ≈5 weeks later; characteristics included severe inflammation, cardiac dysfunction, and IgG positivity. Clinicians should obtain detailed history and examine IgG levels for cases of inflammatory disease with unexplained cardiac decompensation.     

Bullous pemphigoid in patients receiving peritoneal dialysis: a case series and a literature survey

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune subepidermal blistering disease. Although several cases of BP in end-stage renal disease patients receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD) or hemodialysis have been reported, the incidence of BP in these patients remains unknown. We recently experienced three PD patients diagnosed with BP. The skin injury was likely to be a trigger of BP in all the three PD patients. Nifedipine and icodextrin exposures were possible factors directly or indirectly affecting the onset of BP, because they were common in the three cases. We also report that the incidence of BP in PD patients was 3/478.3 person-years in a single-center 10-year study. This case series with a literature survey describes that the skin and tissue injuries are potential triggers responsible for the onset of BP in dialysis patients and that the incidence of BP in these patients seems to be much higher than that in the general population.