Complex regulation of CDKs and G1 arrest during the granulocytic differentiation of human myeloblastic leukemia ML-1 cells

We previously reported that all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) synergistically induced granulocytic differentiation in human myeloblastic leukemia ML-1 cells. The combination of these agents also suppressed DNA-synthesis. In the present study, we investigated the suppression of cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) activities resulting in G1 arrest in differentiated ML-1 cells. We show that treatment of ML-1 cells with ATRA plus GMCSF results in G1 arrest and suppression of CDK activities. Protein levels of the G1 CDKs were essentially unchanged during this time. However, we observed an increase in CDK2-bound p27 and CDK4-bound p18, and a decrease in CDK6-bound cyclin D3. These results suggest that complex regulation of CDKs play a key role in G1 arrest of ML-1 after treatment with ATRA and GM-CSF. We also showed that an increase in CDK2-bound p27 and CDK4-bound p18 are caused by treatment with ATRA and a decrease in CDK6-bound cyclin D3 is induced synergistically by treatment with both reagents. Furthermore, we propose that the changes in binding of p18 and cyclin D3 to CDKs are due to changes at the protein expression level and that the increase in p27 binding to CDK2 is due to a novel mechanism.     

Aneuploidy of sex chromosomes in basal cell carcinoma: its clonality and involvement in the development of carcinogenesis

Although basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a major skin cancer, the mechanism of carcinogenesis with regard to cytogenetic abnormalities has not been fully investigated. In the present study, we carried out cytogenetic analyses of 18 patients (9 male and 9 female) with BCC. Aneuploidy was seen by Q-banding method in more than half of the cases and was mostly loss of the sex chromosome. We also performed FISH to the interphase nuclei of various tissues and short-term cultured BCC cells. The frequency of sex chromosomal aneuploidy was significantly higher in all samples from BCC patients (peripheral blood lymphocytes, non-lesional tissues, BCC tumor tissues and cultured BCC cells) than in age-matched normal controls. In addition, we analyzed clonality of BCC tissues using a human androgen receptor gene assay and found uniparental pattern of inactive X-chromosomes. This indicates that BCC cells were monoclonal in origin and the development of BCC might be correlated with sex chromosomal aneuploidy, which acquired accumulation of genetic mutations.     

Breast-conservation treatment for patients with ductal carcinoma in situ

Fourteen cases with symptomatic ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) were treated with breast-conservation treatment intensified with endocrine therapy. Nine of 14 patients with palpable mass had tumor detected on mammography. CT, ultrasonography, and MRI were able to detect linear and/or spotty lesion or enhancement suggesting DCIS. Whereas these findings were not particular to DCIS, the combination of these modalities would be useful in deciding the extent of resection for DCIS. There was no patient selection for breast-conservation treatment in our department. All patients received tangential and boost radiation, and were treated with endocrine therapy using anti-estrogen drugs. The reason that nine cases had close margins (<5 mm) might be on account of the treatment including lumpectomy with 1 cm of surgical margin. In spite of their margin status, no local or systemic failure was experienced, and the cosmetic results of most patients were rated as excellent or good. Therefore, our breast-conservation treatment intensified with systemic therapy is thought to be adequate for patients with symptomatic DCIS. Six of eight cases who received preoperative treatment containing endocrine therapy with or without CAF chemotherapy showed a decrease in tumor size. Preoperative treatment may effect the microinvasion and/or breast tissue surrounding a DCIS tumor.     

The effects of radical scavengers and leukocyte-depleted blood on reperfusion injury of extirpated rabbit lung.

Oxygen radicals produced by polymorphonuclear leukocytes were considered primarily responsible for reperfusion injury in lung transplantation. Using the extirpated rabbit lungs as a transplant model, we measured lung water volume, the oxygen radicals of lung tissue using a direct method (electron spin resonance) and an indirect method (measurement of peroxide lipids). The effects of free radical scavengers, human superoxide dismutase (h-SOD) and catalase (CAT), and leukocyte-depleted blood on reperfusion injury were evaluated in three experimental groups. Group I (n = 8, control): Lung reperfusion was performed with blood from other rabbits. Group II (n = 7): Immediately before reperfusion, h-SOD (1,500 u/ml) and CAT (3,000 u/ml) were added to the blood. Group III (n = 7): Reperfusion was performed with the leukocyte-depleted blood. Severe pulmonary edema and an elevation of malondialdehyde (MDA) occurred in Group I. In Group II, addition of radical scavengers to the reperfusion blood produced only mild pulmonary edema, but an elevation of MDA occurred as in Group I. In Group III, pulmonary edema and MDA elevation were almost completely suppressed.     

巢—聚合酶链反应技术的改进

作者改进了巢-聚合酶链反应技术.在第一轮聚合酶链反应(PCR)之后,进行低融点琼脂糖凝电泳.切下靶序列带或相应位置的凝胶,加热融化后稀释,再进行第二轮PCR.由于对第一轮反应的产物进行了电泳纯化,所以可进一步提高这种方法的特异性.用这种方法研究了转基因小鼠中抗体基因的表达.     

Effects of epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, and transforming growth factor-beta on corneal cell chemotaxis.

The effects of recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) on migration of human and bovine corneal cells were determined using checkerboard analysis in Boyden chambers. EGF, FGF, and TGF-beta each stimulated high levels of chemotactic migration. Each growth factor, however, induced a different dose-response pattern. Migration stimulated by FGF reached a plateau at a concentration between 100 and 200 ng/ml for endothelial, epithelial, and stromal fibroblasts. By contrast, chemotactic responses to EGF peaked between 10 and 50 ng/ml, then decreased at higher concentrations. TGF-beta also stimulated a peak in migration in all three corneal cells, but the peak of migration occurred at an approximately 1000-fold lower concentration (1 pg/ml) than for EGF. Checkerboard analysis demonstrated that FGF and EGF, but not TGF-beta, stimulated chemokinesis of bovine, stromal, and endothelial cells. These results demonstrate that FGF, EGF, and TGF-beta induce migration in pure populations of bovine and human corneal cells and support the concept that these growth factors may play key roles in corneal wound healing by regulating migration of corneal cells.     

Intrathecal chemotherapy with ACNU for meningeal gliomatosis.

ACNU [1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl) methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea hydrochloride], one of the chloroethylnitrosoureas (CENUs), is believed to be effective against malignant glioma when intravenously or intrathecally administered. A rat model with meningeal gliomatosis (MG) induced by an intracisternal inoculation of rat C6 or 9L glioma cells was intrathecally and intravenously treated with ACNU in order to test the feasibility of intrathecal chemotherapy with ACNU in the treatment of meningeal gliomatosis. The median survival time (MST) of the animals was significantly prolonged when ACNU was intrathecally administered at dosages of 0.5 to 1.5 mg kg-1 in the early stages of MG, i.e. within 3 days after the tumour inoculation, whereas intravenous therapy with ACNU at a dose of 15 mg kg-1 did not exhibit any efficacy in the rats inoculated with C6 glioma cells (C6-MG). Intrathecal ACNU, however, at dosages of up to 1.5 mg kg-1 failed to demonstrate any therapeutic effect in the late stage of MG, i.e. 5 days after the tumour inoculation, except in the rats inoculated with 9L brain tumour cells (9L-MG). Intravenous chemotherapy with ACNU at a dose of 15 mg kg-1 extended the MST of the 9L-MG rats more significantly in the late stage of MG than in its early stage. This points to the feasibility of intrathecal ACNU in the treatment of meningeal gliomatosis in its early stages, but not in its late stages in which intravenous ACNU might be more effective than intrathecal treatment against MG of which the parenchyma has already been deeply invaded by the tumour.     

AD-1590, a potent antagonist of lipopolysaccharide-induced fever in rabbits

The antipyretic activity of AD-1590 (2-[8-methyl-10,11-oxodibenz[b,f]oxepin-2-yl]propionic acid), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with a novel chemical structure, was investigated in rabbits with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced fever and monkeys with leucocytic pyrogen-induced fever. AD-1590 produced a dose-related inhibition of the LPS-fever at oral doses of 0·1 mg kg⁻¹ or more (ED50 = 0·089 mg kg⁻¹). Its potency was 10–12, 20–35, 100–170, 400–540, >1500 and >2000 times that of ketoprofen, diclofenac sodium, indomethacin, ibuprofen, mefenamic acid and aspirin, respectively. The fever caused by leucocytic pyrogen was significantly inhibited by intravenous administration of 0·1–0·2 mg kg⁻¹ of AD-1590. AD-1590 (10 mg kg⁻¹ oral or i.v.) did not affect body temperature in afebrile rabbits or monkeys. These results suggest that AD-1590 shows a potent antipyretic activity in the rabbit and monkey and is a potent antagonist of LPS-fever.