A peculiar immunoglobulin M (IgM) identified in eggs of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta).

A protein reacting with antibody against chum salmon serum IgM was found in salmon egg yolk. The protein tentatively named IgM-like protein was partially purified from egg yolk extract by removal of euglobulin from the extract by dialysis against a low ionic strength buffer following DEAE ion-exchange chromatography. The IgM-like protein was antigenically identical with serum IgM, showing a complete fusion of precipitin line of the IgM-like protein with that of serum IgM on double immunodiffusion with antiserum IgM. The molecular weight of intact IgM-like protein was assessed by 3% SDS-PAGE to be 495 kDa, smaller than that of serum IgM (750 kDa). Upon 10% SDS-PAGE with mercaptane and subsequent Western blotting with antiserum IgM, the IgM-like protein separated into three components with molecular weights of 68 kDa, 51.5 kDa, and 23 kDa. The 68 kDa, the most minor component, and the 23 kDa, the smallest molecular weight component, were identified, respectively, as H and L chain in view of their molecular weights identical to those of serum IgM. The 51.5 kDa, the main component, was also identified as H chain, since it reacted with antiserum IgM absorbed with purified L chain. From these results, it was concluded that the IgM-like protein in egg yolk, having a lower molecular weight than that of serum IgM, consists of H chain of smaller molecular weight as well as H and L chain of ordinary molecular weight.     

An immunohistochemical study of bone morphogenetic protein in pleomorphic adenoma of the salivary gland

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) is a potent induction factor for new bone formation including heterotopic chondro-ossification in soft tissues. The immunohistochemical reaction for BMP was studied in 23 cases of pleomorphic adenoma of salivary gland by using a monoclonal antibody produced by hybridoma technique. Positive BMP immunoreactivity was seen in 87% of tumours. Immunohistochemical expression of BMP was observed in modified myoepithelial cells (88% cases), luminal tumour cells of tubulo-ductal structures (78% cases) and chondroid cells in hyaline tissue (22% cases). The authors concluded that the simultaneous presence of glycosaminoglycans as matrix substance and S-100 protein for calcium signalling are associated with BMP-mediated cellular activity of modified myoepithelial cells in the formation of chondroid structures in pleomorphic adenomas of the salivary glands.     

Hepatoblastoma in an 82-year-old man. An autopsy case report

An autopsy case of adult hepatoblastoma is presented. The patient was an 82-year-old male with chronic hepatitis of 7 years' duration. The liver tumor was detected 6 months before death. Autopsy revealed a large hepatic tumor occupying about 80% of the entire liver. Histologically, the tumor showed typical features of mixed epithelial- and mesenchymal-type hepatoblastoma. The epithelial component consisted of fetal and embryonal cell types. The mesenchymal component showed primitive spindle-shaped cells with various degrees of cellularity. Chondroid areas and a few foci of osteoid formation were also present.     

Tumour-to-tumour metastasis

Summary Two further two cases of the previously undescribed combination of tumour-to-tumour metastasis — gastric carcinoma metastatic to meningioma and pancreatic carcinoma to thymoma, are presented. The clinico-pathological characteristics of these cases are briefly discussed with a review of the literature.     

Gastric motility in patients with recurrent gastric ulcers.

The existence of abnormal gastric motility in gastric ulcer disease remains controversial. The aim of this study was to characterize gastric motility in patients with recurrent gastric ulcers. Studies were performed in 10 control subjects and in 24 patients with recurrent active gastric ulcer disease as diagnosed by gastrointestinal endoscopy. Gastric motility was evaluated by cutaneous electrogastrography (EGG) and by gastric semi-liquid meal emptying. The EGG was recorded before and after ingestion of a test meal containing 20 mg/kg of acetaminophen. Patients with a dominant EGG frequency of greater than 0.06 Hz were defined as tachygastria, while those with a frequency of less than 0.04 Hz were defined as bradygastria. A transient frequency decrease, called postprandial dip (PD), was identified visually. The degree of gastric emptying was determined from the serum acetaminophen concentration 45 minutes after the meal. Control subjects showed no irregularity in their dominant EGG frequency in tither fasting or postprandial states. PD was observed in 8 control subjects. In patients presenting with active gastric ulcers, abnormal patterns in the dominant EGG frequency (either as tachygastria or bradygastria) were observed in 14 of the 24 patients when fasting and in 15 of them in the postprandial state. After successful treatment, the number of patients with abnormal patterns in their dominant EGG frequency remained unchanged, while PD was observed in 11 patients. No significant difference was observed in the EGG power ratio as a result of successful treatment. Gastric emptying was significantly delayed compared with controls in both the active and healed stages. These findings suggest that abnormal gastric motility, including gastric electrical abnormalities and delayed gastric emptying, plays an important role in the pathophysiology of recurrent gastric ulcers.     

Morphologic and radiological observations on the earliest bone marrow formation in human embryos and fetuses

Morphologic and radiologic studies were undertaken on 26 human embryos and fetuses to determine the stage and site of the earliest bone marrow formation. Up to the 10th week of gestation, primary bone marrow is not present anywhere although the intramembranous ossification occurs in the maxilla and mandible and also in the middle portion of the clavicle. At the 11th week of gestation, X-ray examination showed in two fetuses the bone formation in the clavicle, scapula, maxilla, mandible, and the diaphysis of the long bones. Serial sections of these fetuses revealed that the primary bone marrow occurs first in the middle portion of the clavicle. From a series of our embryological studies, the concept of the mononuclear phagocyte system which involves the bone-marrow-derived monocytic origin of tissue macrophages, is not accepted, at least, on the origin of Kupffer cells in human fetal livers.     

Virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome: the diagnostic usefulness of immature histiocytes with benign features in the bone marrow

A 2-year-old girl developed fever, hepatosplenomegaly, jaundice, lymphadenopathy and pancytopenia. Bone marrow examination revealed increased immature histiocytes (5.5%) and mature histiocytes with hemophagocytosis. All the abnormalities were normalized in one month without any chemotherapy. It was suggested that the presence of immature histiocytes with benign features, even if their number exceeds that of mature histiocytes, does not favor the diagnosis of malignant histiocytosis.