Intraglomerular deposition of fibrin/fibrinogen-related antigen in children with various renal diseases.

The localization of intraglomerular deposits of fibrin (Fb)/fibrinogen (Fg)-related antigen (FRA) in children with various glomerular diseases was determined by an immunohistopathologic method using an anti-Fg antibody capable of detecting FRA, an anti-D-dimer antibody capable of detecting crosslinked Fb (XLFb) and its derivatives (XLFbDP), and by a method using the effect of monochloroacetic acid (MCA) treatment on kidney sections. In proliferative glomerulonephritis (PGN), XLFbs were detected within the capillaries and extension beyond the mesangium was seen in severe PGN. The FRA within the mesangium of minimal or mild PGN was composed of the non-XLFb substance. The FRA within Bowman's space of most PGN had disappeared after MCA treatment, suggesting a non-XLFb substance. The presence of FRA within electron-dense deposits (EDD) suggested that FRA deposits are associated with immune-complex deposits in the glomeruli.     

Mixed growth hormone cell- prolactin cell pituitary adenoma with acromegaly: α-subunit most growth hormone cells

A 51 -year-old woman with mixed growth hormone (GH) cell-prolactin (PRL) cell pituitary adenoma is presented. She had clinical signs due to hypersecretion of GH and PRL. Resected tissue was studied immunohistochemically and morphologically. The serial sections revealed that GH and α-subunit were co-localized in most cells, while GH and PRL were localized in different cells.     

LIGHT AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC STUDY OF NONFUNCTIONING PARATHYROID CARCINOMA

A case of nonfunctioning parathyroid carcinoma in a 69-year-old female has been studied by light and electron microscopy. The tumor, located on the left side of the anterior neck, was well encapsulated by connective tissue but showed invasion to the capsule and to the thyroid. The tumor cells exhibited a trabecular arrangement surrounded by capillary networks but focally showed several ductal structures. They were polygonal in shape, had a large nucleus showing frequent mitosis and poor cytoplasm containing glycogen. Some tumor cells had clear and abundant cytoplasm, and resembled water-clear cells of the parathyroid. Immunohistochemically, no thyroglobulin was demonstrated in the tumor tissue. Electronmicroscopically, the tumor cells with high N/C ratio contained poorly developed cell organelles and abundant glycogen particles. They were poor in secretory granules and had no conglomeration of lipid. Desmosomes and tonoflbrils were observed. The ratio of the reported number of nonfunctioning parathyroid carcinoma to that of functioning one in Japan was compared with that in western countries. No difference of the ratio was found between these two, when identical criteria were employed.     

Primary pulmonary low-grade marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type with prominent hyalinosis. A case report

We report a case of primary pulmonary low-grade marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)-type with prominent sclerosis, which morphologically resembled pulmonary hyalinizing granuloma (PHG) or inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) of the lung. The patient, a 66-year-old Japanese female with a history of Sj?gren's syndrome and primary biliary cirrhosis, presented with a lower left lobe mass 6.8 cm in diameter. Histologically, the lesion is characterized by dense bundles of collagen with scattered plasma cells, mature small lymphocytes, and histiocytes among the collagen bundles. Only the peripheral area of the nodule contained dense lymphoplasmacytoid and histiocytoid infiltrates. A few centrocyte-like cells were obscured by the numerous plasma cells and plasmacytoid cells. In addition, lymphoepithelial lesions and colonalized lymphoid follicles were identified by immunohistochemistry alone. Although PHG and IPT are unlikely to be confused with pulmonary MALT-type lymphomas, the present case suggests that MALT-type lymphoma should be added to the list of differential diagnoses for PHG and IPT.     

A comparative study of gut‐associated lymphoid tissue in calf and chicken

The calf contains two types of Peyer's patches (PPs): jejunal and ileal. The ileal PP has been thought to be equivalent to the bursa of Fabricius (BF) as a central lymphoid organ. The morphologies of ileal and jejunal PPs in the calf were compared with those of the BF and the caecal tonsil (CT) in the chicken. Immunoglobulin G–positive (IgG⁺) cells appear in the follicles of them all and exhibited a dendritic appearance after birth. We investigated whether the IgG in these follicles was produced in situ. IgG‐producing cells were detected in the follicular medullas of the jejunal PP and the CT, but not in those of the ileal PP and the BF. CD4⁺ cells were distributed in the follicular medullas of the jejunal PP and the CT, but not in those of the ileal PP and the BF. The data suggest that Ig class switching occurs in both jejunal PP follicles and CT follicles, but does not occur in either the ileal PP follicles or the bursal follicles. Because CD4⁺ T cells would be prerequisite for Ig class switching in these follicles, IgG⁺ cells of the follicular medullas in the ileal PP and the BF would trap immune complexes from the gut lumen. The primary B‐cell repertoire might be selected by gut‐derived antigens in the ileal PP and the BF before seeding the periphery. Anat Rec 266:207–217, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Familial lateral semicircular canal malformation with external and middle ear abnormalities

We report a family with inner ear lateral semicircular canal (LSC) malformation and external and middle ear abnormalities. The family had no history of known syndromes or toxic exposures. Distinct phenotypic manifestations were found in three family members. A young girl exhibited bilateral LSC malformation with a right-sided preauricular tag, a mildly deformed auricle, a stenotic external auditory canal, and a constricted middle ear cavity. She had moderate conductive hearing loss in the right ear but normal hearing in the left ear. Her younger brother exhibited right-sided LSC malformation, microtia, external auditory canal atresia, a malformed middle ear cavity, and abnormal auditory ossicles. He had severe mixed hearing loss in his right ear. Their mother exhibited left-sided LSC malformation without external and middle ear abnormalities, and the hearing was normal in her left ear. None of the three cases had vestibular symptoms, and their results of balance tests were appropriate for the corresponding ages. In contrast, significantly decreased LSC function was revealed by caloric tests in an ear with LSC malformation. Previously, LSC malformation may have been underdiagnosed in patients presenting with external and middle ear abnormalities and their relatives, since this malformation is frequently associated with normal hearing and balance or conductive hearing loss only. To our knowledge, this condition has not been described previously. This condition supports a genetic basis for the combination of LSC malformation and external and middle ear abnormalities and may represent an autosomal dominant condition with variable expressivity.     

The leptospiral major outer membrane protein LipL32 is a lipoprotein expressed during mammalian infection

We report the cloning of the gene encoding the 32-kDa lipoprotein, designated LipL32, the most prominent protein in the leptospiral protein profile. We obtained the N-terminal amino acid sequence of a staphylococcal V8 proteolytic-digest fragment to design an oligonucleotide probe. A Lambda-Zap II library containing EcoRI fragments of Leptospira kirschneri DNA was screened, and a 5.0-kb DNA fragment which contained the entire structural lipL32 gene was identified. Several lines of evidence indicate that LipL32 is lipid modified in a manner similar to that of other procaryotic lipoproteins. The deduced amino acid sequence of LipL32 would encode a 272-amino-acid polypeptide with a 19-amino-acid signal peptide, followed by a lipoprotein signal peptidase cleavage site. LipL32 is intrinsically labeled during incubation of L. kirschneri in media containing [(3)H]palmitate. The linkage of palmitate and the amino-terminal cysteine of LipL32 is acid labile. LipL32 is completely solubilized by Triton X-114 extraction of L. kirschneri; phase separation results in partitioning of LipL32 exclusively into the hydrophobic, detergent phase, indicating that it is a component of the leptospiral outer membrane. CaCl(2) (20 mM) must be present during phase separation for recovery of LipL32. LipL32 is expressed not only during cultivation but also during mammalian infection. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated intense LipL32 reactivity with L. kirschneri infecting proximal tubules of hamster kidneys. LipL32 is also a prominent immunogen during human leptospirosis. The sequence and expression of LipL32 is highly conserved among pathogenic Leptospira species. These findings indicate that LipL32 may be important in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and prevention of leptospirosis.     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(1-benzoylthiosemicarbazide) and poly(1,3,4-thiadiazole amine) from 2-(p-aminophenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazoline-5-thione via ring-opening process

A novel thermally stable and semiconducting polyheterocycle, poly(1,3,4-thiadiazole amine), was synthesized from 2-(p-aminophenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazoline-5-thione via ring-opening. The polymer is a new class of ordered alternating copoly(aniline) containing 1,3,4-thiadiazole heterocyclic units. An investigation of the reaction of 2-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazoline-5-thione with aniline was conducted as a model reaction for the polymerization, and poly(phosphoric acid) (PPA) and phosphorus pentoxide/methanesulfonic acid (PPMA) were found to be favorable both as condensing agent and solvent for the formation of 2-anilino-5-phenyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole as a model compound. The polymerization was carried out both by two-step procedure that included ring-opening self-polyaddition giving poly(1-benzoylthiosemicarbazide), followed by cyclodehydration to poly(1,3,4-thiadiazole amine), and by a one-step procedure including cyclodehydration in situ. The poly(1-benzoylthiosemicarbazide) which was formed in the first step in m-cresol had reduced viscosities up to 0,42 dL·g^?1, and it was converted to poly(1,3,4-thiadiazole amine) by treating in PPA or PPMA. Poly(1,3,4-thiadiazole amine) having reduced viscosities up to 0,25 dL·g^?1 was also synthesized by the direct one-step polymerization in PPA or PPMA. The polymer is highly thermally stable and exhibited no weight loss up to 350°C under nitrogen. Its electric conductivity was less than 10^?10 S·cm^?1 at ambient temperature, but markedly increased to 2,9·10^?7 S·cm^?1 upon doping with iodine.     

DNA analysis of two patients with a non-fluorescent y chromosome

Summary Results of DNA study on two patients of gonadal dysgenesis with a 45,X/46,X,Ynf (non-fluorescent Y chromosome) karyotype are described. In one patient who developed gonadoblastoma, all 12 loci on the non-fluorescent part of Yq were detected. Another patient did not have gonadoblastoma at 20 years, and only the proximal 6 loci out of 12 were detected.