Morphological changes in mouse sublingual gland parenchyma subjected to chorda tympani resection

Morphological changes in the mouse sublingual gland parenchyma subjected to parasympathetic nerve block were investigated. Mice were subjected to unilateral resection of the chorda tympani, near its point of joining with the lingual nerve. After 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 or 20 weeks, the mice were killed and their sublingual glands were removed and processed for light and electron microscopy. Two weeks after resection, the space between the adjoining lobules of the glands on the treated side began to be expanded, and by 10 weeks were 10 times the size of the spaces in the glands of the untreated mice. Three weeks after resection, the lobule area decreased to about 72% of the area of glands in the untreated mice and the acinus area to about 52%. However, no significant difference was seen between the numbers of acini in each group. Electron microscopy showed that the glands on the treated side contained fewer secretory granules than the glands in the untreated mice, though there was no difference in size. Neither the lobules of the glands on the treated side nor those of the glands of the untreated mice contained many TUNEL-positive cells. These findings suggest that following parasympathetic nerve resection, mouse sublingual gland acinar cells undergo atrophy with a reduction size rather than cell death.     

Gain-of-function polymorphism in mouse and human Ltk: implications for the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a complex multigenic disease, is a typical antibody-mediated autoimmune disease characterized by production of autoantibodies against a variety of autoantigens and immune complex-type tissue inflammation, most prominently in the kidney. Evidence suggests that genetic factors predisposing to aberrant proliferation/maturation of self-reactive B cells initiate and propagate the disease. In SLE-prone New Zealand Black (NZB) mice and their F1 cross with New Zealand White (NZW) mice, B cell abnormalities can be ascribed mainly to self-reactive CD5+ B1 cells. Our genome-wide scans to search for susceptibility genes for aberrant activation of B1 cells in these mice showed evidence that the gene, Ltk, encoding leukocyte tyrosine kinase (LTK), is a possible candidate. LTK is a receptor-type protein tyrosine kinase, belonging to the insulin receptor superfamily, and is mainly expressed in B lymphocyte precursors and neuronal tissues. Sequence and functional analyses of the gene revealed that NZB has a gain-of-function polymorphism in the LTK kinase domain near YXXM, a binding motif of the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). SLE patients also had this type of Ltk polymorphism with a significantly higher frequency compared with the healthy controls. Our findings suggest that these polymorphic LTKs cause up-regulation of the PI3K pathway and possibly form one genetic component of susceptibility to abnormal proliferation of self-reactive B cells in SLE.     

Immunohistochemical analysis of thymidylate synthase, p16(INK4a), cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and cyclin D1 in colorectal cancers receiving preoperative chemotherapy: significance of p16(INK4a)-mediated cellular arrest as an indicator of chemosensitivity to 5-fluorouracil

High expression of thymidylate synthase (TS) is allegedly associated with the chemoresistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in colorectal cancers. However, low TS expression does not necessarily imply chemosensitivity. Inactivation of p16(INK4a) correlates with poor prognosis in various cancers. We immunohistochemically evaluated the relationship between the expression of TS, p16(INK4a), CDK4 and cyclin D1 and the effect of 5-FU-based chemotherapy in colorectal cancers. After antigen retrieval, immunoperoxidase staining was performed on the paraffin-embedded, biopsy and surgical specimens of 37 advanced colorectal cancers preoperatively treated with peroral administration of 5-FU derivatives. As a control group, 31 colorectal cancers without preoperative treatment were analyzed. High TS expression was found in 23 (74%) of 31 tumors resected from histological non-responders and in 19 (61%) of 31 controls but in none of six responders. High p16(INK4a) expression was seen in 83% of the responders, 52% of the non-responders and 32% of the controls. The TS-low/p16(INK4a)-high phenotype was noted in 83% of the responders, but only in 3% of the non-responders (P = 0.0001). Induction of p16(INK4a) expression after chemotherapy was predominantly seen in the responders. Neither CDK4 nor cyclin D1 expression was related to the chemotherapeutic effects. In conclusion, the combination of low expression of TS and induction of p16(INK4a) after chemotherapy can be important indicators of the sensitivity to 5-FU-based chemotherapy in colorectal cancers.     

Three dinucleotide repeat polymorphisms at the D8S1217, D8S1220, and D8S1221 loci

Three polymorphic dinucleotide (CA) repeat clones were isolated from a CEPH mega-YAC clone (936F7), and were localized to chromosome 8 using a panel of 13 mouse/human somatic cell hybrids.     

FAMILIAL AMYLOID POLYNEUROPATHY WITH MARKED HYPERTROPHY OF THE PERIPHERAL NERVES

Autopsy findings in a 40-year-old male with heredofamilial amyloidosis and polyneuropathy are reported. He had been suffering from progressive autonomic as well as sensorimotor dysfunctions. Prominent amyloid deposit was found in the kidney, heart, thyroid, and testis, and less in the interstitium and small vessels of almost all organs. The peripheral nerves, some showing prominent hypertrophy, were most severely involved by amyloid deposit in a form of stellate mass, which ultrastructurally consisted of radially arranged amyloid filaments. In the hypertrophied nerves and ganglia, in addition to amyloid, massive accumulation of acid mucopolysaccharide (AMPS) was seen filling up the interstitial space, which was the cause of hypertrophy. Ultrastructurally, AMPS was seen as finely granular substance. An extracted amyloid from the kidney showed 8 nm filament on negative staining and was estimated of having a molecular weight of 14,000.     

Possible role of hepatocyte growth factor in regeneration of human peritoneal mesothelial cells

Human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs) play an important role in peritoneal functions. During long term peritoneal dialysis, it has been reported that HPMCs are damaged by high glucose solution via the signal of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 produced by HPMCs. In this study, we focused on the effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), known as an anti-fibrotic and anti-TGF-beta1 agent, on HPMCs damaged by high glucose solution. HPMCs were isolated from specimens of the omentum from nonuremic patients after informed consent had been obtained. After confirming adhesion for 6 hours, 100 microL of DMEM with 0.5%FCS were added at different concentrations (D-glucose; 6, 30 mM) with or without HGF (10, 30, 100 ng/mL) for 48 hours. We examined the effects of a high concentration of glucose and then focused on following four critical points: 1) the production of HGF from HPMCs exposed to a high concentration of glucose, 2) the expression of c-Met on HPMCs, 3) the viability of those cells, and 4) matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2). The following significant changes are described herein: high glucose solution and TGF-beta1 i) decreased HGF production from HPMCs and ii) up-regulated expression of c-Met on HPMCs, and addition of HGF iii) restored viability of HPMCs damaged by glucose, iv) suppressed TGF-beta1 production by HGF, and v) induced up-regulation of MMP-2 and decreased TIMP-2 production by HPMCs. Levels of HGF decreased by high concentrations of glucose in the peritoneal cavity may induce the loss of HPMCs and thereby result in peritoneal fibrosis. These results suggest that HGF is an effective agent in the regeneration of peritoneal membrane damaged by high glucose solution.     

Modulation of myocardial reactive hyperemia

Pflügers Archiv - European Journal of Physiology -     

Distinct hemagglutinin and neuraminidase epitopes involved in antigenic variation of recent human parainfluenza virus type 2 isolates.

A panel of fourteen neutralizing anti-HN monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to the prototype Greer strain of human parainfluenza virus type 2 (PI2) was used to determine the extent of antigenic variation in recent virus isolates. Competitive binding analysis with the mAbs indicated the presence of at least five distinct antigenic sites (I to V) on the HN glycoprotein molecule. MAbs recognizing different antigenic sites were found to be associated with the hemagglutinin (sites I, IV and V), hemagglutinin and neuraminidase (site II), or neuraminidase (site III) activities. The location of two distinct epitopes identifying the neuraminidase sites (II and III) was further verified from the generation of escape mutants. Antibodies directed to sites I and III failed to show any detectable binding or neutralizing activity against a number of natural PI2 virus isolates collected in Texas between 1986 and 1987. Interestingly, these natural variants, unlike the prototype virus, did not show any detectable neuraminidase activity with fetuin as a substrate and the enzyme activity was only detected with N-acetylneuramin-lactose as an alternative substrate. Despite the observed variation in the antigenic sites, primary infection with the prototype virus or the natural variants generated a protective immune response against challenge infection with the other virus strains.     

Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of the fusion glycoprotein gene of human parainfluenza virus type 2

A cDNA clone containing a 2.0-kb insert was identified as the human parainfluenza virus type 2 (PI2) fusion glycoprotein gene by hybridizing with a viral RNA probe and a synthetic oligonucleotide derived from a conserved sequence found in other paramyxovirus fusion protein genes. The complete nucleotide sequence of the glycoprotein gene was determined by the dideoxynucleotide sequencing procedure and found to contain a single, large open reading frame encoding a protein of 551 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 59,664. Comparison of the P12 fusion protein with those of other paramyxoviruses indicated similarities in overall length, N-terminal signal peptide sequence (amino acids 7 to 25), C-terminal membrane-spanning region (amino acids 486 to 513), and a highly conserved fusion sequence region at the N-terminus of the F1 subunit (amino acids 107 to 132).