ALPHA FETOPROTEIN and GARGINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN PRODUCING HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) showing marked elevation of serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP) (maximum; 70942.0 ng/ml at the end stage) and serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)(maximum; 7368.4 ng/ml at the end stage) was surgically resected. In the resected liver, there were two different tumor nodules which were adjacent to each other but clearly separated by a thin connective tissue. One of the nodules was a well differentiated and the other was poorly differentiated HCC. Immunoperoxidase study revealed that both CEA and AFP were localized in the tumor cells of the poorly differentiated HCC. This is the first report which clearly proved CEA synthesis in the cells of HCC. Serial staining showed that there was simultaneous synthesis of CEA and AFP in some of the tumor cells. ACTA PATHOL. JPN. 35: 969–974, 1985.     

Tissue-type plasminogen activator and its inhibitor in human glomerulonephritis.

We carried out an immunohistochemical study of tissue-type plasminogen activator (PA) and urokinase-type PA, and their inhibitors, PA inhibitor-1 and PA inhibitor-2, using renal biopsy specimens obtained from 86 patients with various forms of glomerulonephritis. The controls were four normal renal tissue specimens. On immunofluorescent observation, granular staining for tissue-type PA was found to be distributed along the glomerular capillary walls. The fluorescence was weak in the normal renal tissue and occasionally intense in the tissues of patients with IgA nephritis, minimal change nephrotic syndrome, and lupus nephritis. PA inhibitor-1 was abundant in the glomerular epithelial cells and scarce in the mesangial area and glomerular capillary lumens of the normal renal tissues. This was confirmed by immunoelectron microscopy using gold staining. The fluorescence of PA inhibitor-1 was weaker in some specimens of nephritic tissues than in the normal renal tissues. Urokinase-type PA and PA inhibitor-2 were negative within the glomeruli in all the specimens. In the glomerulonephritic tissues which were fibrin deposition-positive, tissue-type PA expression in the glomeruli tended to be strong. An association between fibrin deposition and PA inhibitor-1 staining was not clear. These data suggest that expression of tissue-type PA in the glomeruli increases in association with fibrin deposition.     

The antiallergic agent amoxanox suppresses SRS-A generation by inhibiting lipoxygenase

Amoxanox has potent antiallergic activity because it inhibits the release of chemical mediators such as histamine and leukotrienes. We studied the in vitro effect of amoxanox on arachidonic acid metabolism, including the lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase pathways. Amoxanox inhibited calcium ionophore A23187-induced formation of 5-HETE, LTB4, SRS-A (LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4), and 12-HETE in rat peritoneal resident monocytes. These results indicate that amoxanox inhibits 5- and 12-lipoxygenases. The compound, however, did not affect the formation of TXB2 or 6-keto-PGF1 alpha in guinea pig lung fragments and PGE2 or PGF2 alpha in bovine seminal vesicles, suggesting that it did not inhibit cyclooxygenase. These results show that the antiallergic action of amoxanox is associated, at least in part, with the reduction of leukotrienes due to the inhibition of lipoxygenases.     

Effects of Fucoxanthin on the Inhibition of Dexamethasone-Induced Skeletal Muscle Loss in Mice

Fucoxanthin (Fx) has preventive effect against muscle atrophy and myotube loss in vitro, but it has not yet been examined in vivo. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of Fx on dexamethasone (Dex)-induced muscle atrophy and fat mass in mice. ICR mice were fed with Fx diets from 2 weeks before Dex treatment to the end of the study. Muscle atrophy was induced in the mice by oral administration of Dex. Body weight was significantly lower by Dex treatment. Visceral fat mass in the Fx-treated group were significantly lower than those in the control group. The Dex-induced decrease in tibialis anterior muscle mass was ameliorated by Fx treatment. Fx treatment significantly attenuated muscle lipid peroxidation compared with the control and Dex-treated groups. The phosphorylation of AMPK was significantly higher in the Dex-treated group than in the control group. The expression of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) IV was significantly higher in the Fx-treated group than in the control group. These results suggest that Fx may be a beneficial material to prevent muscle atrophy in vivo, in addition to the effect of fat loss.     

Association between Preoperative Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Oxidative Stress Immediately after Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Pilot Study

Quadriceps muscle atrophy following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can be caused by tourniquet-induced ischemia–reperfusion (IR) injury, which is often accompanied by oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects against IR injury, whereas n-6 LCPUFAs, particularly arachidonic acid (AA), exhibit pro-inflammatory effects and promote IR injury. This study aimed to examine whether preoperative serum EPA + DHA levels and the (EPA + DHA)/AA ratio are associated with oxidative stress immediately after TKA. Fourteen eligible patients with knee osteoarthritis scheduled for unilateral TKA participated in this study. The levels of serum EPA, DHA, and AA were measured immediately before surgery. Derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) were used as biomarkers for oxidative stress. The preoperative serum EPA + DHA levels and the (EPA + DHA)/AA ratio were found to be significantly negatively correlated with the serum d-ROM levels at 96 h after surgery, and the rate of increase in serum d-ROM levels between baseline and 96 h postoperatively. This study suggested the preoperative serum EPA + DHA levels and the (EPA + DHA)/AA ratio can be negatively associated with oxidative stress immediately after TKA.     

Diffuse lymphangiomatosis of bone

Two cases of lymphangiomatosis of bone, a very rare systemic condition characterized by both skeletal and parenchymal lesions, are presented. The skeletal changes have an appearance similar to haemangiomas in the spine, and soap-bubbly lesions in the flat bones. One case carried the diagnosis of eosinophilic granuloma for 18 years. The findings on MRI, which have not been previously well-established, are discussed.     

Micro-mainframe-link Personal Clinical Research System

We constructed a micro-mainframe-link clinical research system for personal use (Personal Clinical Research System). This system was developed with both a mainframe computer and a personal computer (PC). The prepared programs included a database manager (on the mainframe computer), a user interface program (on the PC), and a communication control program that connected the mainframe computer with the PC. The database on the mainframe computer was constructed by two methods. The first method was to transmit data from the PC to the mainframe computer. The second method was to extract data from the patient information database. Using this system, a physician is able to construct a personal research database that contains interesting data for the physician. In addition, the physician is able to accumulate data on a special field using this system. A discharge summary system is now in operation as an example of this system.