Morphologic and enzyme-cytochemical changes in uterine adenocarcinoma cells of a rat by direct application of progesterone in vitro

HTP/C1/P8 culture, a subclonal cell line of HTP/C1 culture derived from a rat uterine adenocarcinoma, has been subcultivated in a culture medium containing progesterone, 8 μg/ml. HTP/C1/P8 cells revealed a more differentiated form by light and electron microscopy, compared with original HTP/C1 cells growing in a culture medium without progesterone. The effect of progesterone on these uterine adenocarcinoma cells seemed to be direct, as evidenced by the significantly higher uptake of [³H]progesterone into the cells in vitro. Enzyme-cytochemical changes of the cells by the direct application of progesterone is discussed in relation to the morphologic differentiation of these cells.     

Establishment of monoclonal antibodies reactive with epithelial and myoepithelial cells in the breast

Monoclonal antibodies which are considered to be able to differentiate epithelial and myoepithelial cells in the breast have been developed. Human mammary carcinoma cell line (HBC-4W) was used for immunization. Monoclonal antibodies-B4B2F10 (epi-1), E9E8B7 (myo-1)-with IgM was examined using tissues from diseased breast by avidin-biotin-peroxidase assay. Epi-1 antibody reacted with epithelial cells while myo-1 antibody reacted with myoepithelial cells in the mammary glands, respectively. The reaction was markedly visible, in particular, in fibroadenoma, mastopathy, and papilloma, which showed clear two-cell-type structures. In the infiltrating ductal carcinoma, epi-1 antibody reacted with carcinoma cells, while myo-1 antibody reacted with stromal cells rather than carcinoma cells suggesting that infiltrating ductal carcinoma was mainly of epithelial origin. In the infiltrating lobular carcinoma, however, myo-1 as well as epi-1 antibodies reacted with carcinoma cells. It is suggested that infiltrating lobular carcinoma was of a mixture of epithelial and myoepithelial cell origin.     

Effect of methionine-enkephalin analog (FK 33-824) on plasma motilin

In an attempt to elucidate the effect of opioid peptide on the secretion of various gastrointestinal hormones, the methionine-enkephalin analog, FK 33-824 (FK) was injected intramuscularly in healthy male adults. The plasma levels of motilin, gastrin and cholecystokinin were assessed by specific radioimmunoassay. After the injection of FK, the plasma level of motilin markedly decreased from the baseline value of 456 +/- 70.2 pg/ml to 264 +/- 44.7 pg/ml at 120 min. On the other hand, the plasma levels of cholecystokinin and gastrin remained unchanged. These data indicate that endogenous methionine-enkephalin may have an direct inhibitory effect on the secretion of motilin.     

Anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 activities and pharmacokinetics of novel 6-substituted acyclouridine derivatives.

The novel 6-substituted acyclouridine derivatives 1-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]-6-phenylthiothymine (HEPT), 1-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]-6-(3-methylphenylthio)thymine (HEPT-M), 6-cyclohexylthio-1-[(2-hydroxyethoxy) methyl]thymine (HEPT-H), and 1-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]-6-phenylthio-2- thiothymine (HEPT-S) have proved to be potent and selective inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication in a variety of cell systems, including peripheral blood lymphocytes. They are not inhibitory to the replication of HIV-2. HEPT-S emerged as the most active congener, with a 50% inhibitory concentration of 1.6 microM for HIV-1 (human T-cell lymphotropic virus type IIIB) in MT-4 cells. We also examined the pharmacokinetics of the compounds following oral administration to rats. The pharmacokinetic profile varied considerably from one compound to another. The highest concentration in plasma (7.4 micrograms/ml, or 22.8 microM) was achieved by HEPT-S within 30 min after administration of an oral dose of 20 mg/kg of body weight. HEPT-S can be considered a promising candidate for the treatment of HIV-1 infections.     

Lipolytic activities of p-aminophenol and n-decylamine in endogenous lipid droplets from rat adipocytes

Lipolytic agents such as adrenaline (epinephrine), dibutyryl cyclic AMP (DBcAMP) and theophylline possess common structural characteristics, the existence of a positive charge and a hydrophobic area. p-Aminophenol, which has the same structural characteristics, was found to induce lipolysis in the endogenous lipid droplets from rat adipocytes. It was demonstrated that the positive group and the hydrophobic area of p-aminophenol are essential requirements for its lipolytic activity. Among various amine derivatives, only n-decylamine was found to induce lipolysis in the endogenous lipid droplets. Although the lipolytic action of n-decylamine is fairly low, it possesses remarkable inhibitory effects on both adrenaline- and DBcAMP-induced lipolytic activities. Furthermore, n-decylamine is found to inhibit competitively the DBcAMP-induced lipolysis.     

Therapeutic hepatic vein angioplasty for Budd-Chiari syndrome

The authors report a case of Budd-Chiari syndrome treated by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). In this case, the occlusion of three major hepatic veins with a big collateral to the inferior vena cava via the right inferior hepatic vein (RIHV) and stenosis of the ostium of RIHV were seen. We performed successful PTA of this stenosis.     

Identification of intracardiac thrombus: comparison of computed tomography and cross-sectional echocardiography

Thirty-eight patients with conditions predisposing to intracardiac thrombus have been studied by computed tomography and cross-sectional echocardiography. Computed tomography identified 22 cases of intracardiac thrombus (13 left ventricular, eight left atrial and one right atrial). Cross-sectional echocardiography identified five of these left ventricular thrombi and the right atrial thrombus, but none of the left atrial thrombi. In addition, measurements of thrombus density on computed tomography identified a significant difference (p less than 0.02) between the density of a new compared with an organized thrombus.     

Regional distribution of chromogranin B 420-493-like immunoreactivity in the pituitary gland and central nervous system of man, guinea-pig and rat

The distribution of chromogranin B 420-493-like immunoreactivity was investigated in the pituitary gland and central nervous system of man, guinea-pig and rat, by using two different antibodies. In man, highest chromogranin B 420-493-like immunoreactivity concentrations were found in the pituitary gland, chromogranin B 420-493 (1-17)-like immunoreactivity 74.3 +/- 8.5 (mean +/- S.E.M. pmol/g wet wt tissue) and chromogranin B 420-493 (20-38)-like immunoreactivity 2017.0 +/- 142.3, followed by the hypothalamus and substantia nigra. In the spinal cord, the highest concentration was found in the sacral dorsal area. Chromogranin B 420-493-like immunoreactivity was detected in human cerebrospinal fluid, chromogranin B 420-493 (1-17)-like immunoreactivity 376.7 +/- 77.9 and chromogranin B 420-493 (20-38)-like immunoreactivity 1174.7 +/- 259.3 pmol/l cerebrospinal fluid. Chromogranin B 420-493-like immunoreactivity was also found in high concentrations in the guinea-pig and rat pituitary glands, but very low chromogranin B 420-493-like immunoreactivity levels were present in different parts of the brain of both species. Gel permeation chromatography and fast protein liquid chromatography analysis of eight different regions of human CNS showed multiple chromogranin B 420-493-like immunoreactivity peaks. The profile of pituitary extracts was different from those of other parts of the CNS and the cerebrospinal fluid. The profiles of guinea-pig and rat pituitary on gel chromatography and fast protein liquid chromatography were different again from those of human CNS. Examination of subcellular fractionation of whole rat brain showed highest concentrations of chromogranin B 420-493-like immunoreactivity in the synaptosome fractions. Chromogranin B 420-493-like immunoreactivity release was stimulated from rat pituitary cells by high potassium ion concentrations. These findings show that (1) chromogranin B 420-493-like immunoreactivity is widely distributed throughout the pituitary gland and CNS of three mammalian species, with the highest concentration in the pituitary gland, and it is also present in human cerebrospinal fluid, and (2) the processing of chromogranin B in the pituitary gland may be different from that in the other area of the CNS, so that it is possible chromogranin B or its fragments may play a neuroeffector role in the mammalian CNS.     

Clinical significance of early diastolic time intervals for the evaluation of left ventricular function in patients with coronary artery disease

To investigate non-invasively the diagnostic significance of diastolic properties in coronary artery disease (CAD), the following early diastolic time intervals (EDTIs): IIA-O time (from the aortic component of the second heart sound to the O-point on the apexcardiogram), IIA-MVO time (from IIA to the mitral valve opening) and MVO-O time (from MVO to the O-point), were estimated in 18 patients with angina pectoris (AP) and 29 with old myocardial infarction (OMI) who were subdivided into two groups according to ejection fraction (EF): group I (OMI-I): more than 50% and group II (OMI-II): less than 50%. Seventeen patients without evidence of CAD were used as controls (N). Left ventricular pressure (LVP) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) were measured simultaneously to clarify the relationship between EDTIs and early diastolic hemodynamics. IIA-O time and IIA-MVO time in AP, OMI-I and OMI-II were significantly longer than in N. This prolongation accorded with the reduction of left ventricular function. MVO-O time in AP and OMI-I also was significantly longer compared with that in N. In OMI-II, however, it was significantly shorter than in N. The prolongation of IIA-MVO time reflected impaired LV relaxation accompanied by LV dysfunction. The maintenance of low minimal LVP was the main contributor to the lengthening of MVO-O time in AP and OMI-I. Conversely, elevated minimal LVP and impaired LV relaxation resulted in the shortening of MVO-O time in OMI-II.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

An in Vivo Quantifiable Model of Cochlear Neuronal Degeneration Induced by Central Process Injury

In the available in vivo experimental models for cochlear neuronal degeneration, the peripheral (hair cell side) process of the cochlear nerve has been injured in order to induce neuronal degeneration. However, there has been no dependable experimental model in which cochlear neuronal degeneration begins from the central (brain stem side) process. This lack of a central process injury model has probably been due to the experimental difficulties that had to be overcome in order to reproducibly and selectively injure the central process of the cochlear neurons while maintaining the patency of the internal auditory artery in small experimental animals such as rats. Using rats, we first developed a central process injury model in which the reduction of the spiral ganglion cells due to retrograde degeneration of cochlear neurons can be quantitatively evaluated. In our experimental model, the cochlear nerve was compressed and injured by a compression-recording (CR) electrode placed at the internal auditory meatus. First, the cochlear nerve was compressed until the compound action potentials of the cochlear nerve became flat, and then the CR electrode was advanced by various compression speeds (5, 10, or 200 μm/s) to reach the same depth (400μm). In our model, therefore, the reduction of the spiral ganglion cells was caused compression speed dependently. This method made it possible to produce compression injury to the cochlear nerve without evidence of damage to the blood supply to the cochlea via the internal auditory artery. This model gives us the means to obtain knowledge that was previously impossible to derive from the peripheral process injury models.