Absence of donor-type major histocompatibility complex class I antigen-bearing microglia in the rat central nervous system of radiation bone marrow chimeras

Localization of bone marrow-originated cells in the central nervous system (CNS) of the rat was investigated by using bone marrow chimeras. In order to do this, Lewis rats which carry major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigens haplotype 1 (RT1.Al) were reconstituted with (Lew X PVG)F1 (RT1.Al/c) bone marrow cells after lethal irradiation. Transferred bone marrow cells were detected by immunohistochemical staining using a monoclonal antibody, OX27, specific for haplotype c of rat MHC class I antigens (RT1.Ac). The spleen and thymus of chimeric rats were fully reconstituted with transferred F1 cells 4 weeks after bone marrow transplantation. At this stage, mononuclear cells in the subarachnoid space of the CNS expressed OX27 antigen indicating that they were of bone marrow origin. A few OX27-positive blood cells were scattered in the CNS parenchyma 4-12 weeks after reconstitution. Ramified microglia, however, remained OX27-negative. Bone marrow-derived microglia were not observed throughout the period of examination until 24 weeks. In addition, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced in chimeric rats in order to augment the expression of MHC class I antigens on microglia. Even under this condition, no OX27-positive microglia were observed. Taken together, ramified microglia might be of neuroectodermal origin and there is little possibility that the microglia are derived from the bone marrow. However, if the ramified microglia are derived from blood cells, the microglia may be expected to have characteristic cell kinetics from the following points: (1) the precursor cells of the microglia may enter the CNS only at the perinatal stage; and (2) even under the condition in which lymphocytes and macrophages enter the CNS as observed in EAE, the precursor cells of the microglia are not supplied from the blood.     

TNF-alpha augments the expression of RhoA in the rat bronchus.

While nonspecific airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is a central feature of allergic bronchial asthma, the mechanism underlying the development of AHR is not clearly understood. We have previously demonstrated in vitro hyperresponsiveness of bronchial smooth muscle to acetylcholine (ACh) in rats that were actively sensitized and repeatedly challenged with aerosolized antigen. It has also been demonstrated that the ACh-induced, RhoA-mediated Ca(2+) sensitization is markedly augmented concomitantly with an increased expression and activation of RhoA protein in the bronchial smooth muscle of the antigen-treated rats. In the present study, we have investigated whether TNF-alpha, a proinflammatory cytokine which is involved in bronchial asthma, causes upregulation of RhoA mRNA and protein in the rat bronchus. Treatment of rat bronchial smooth muscle preparations with TNF-alpha (300 ng/ml for 24 hr) significantly shifted the concentration-response curve to ACh upwards, but did not alter the response to high K(+), when compared to that of control tissues. Levels of RhoA mRNA and protein in the TNF-alpha-treated bronchus were significantly greater than those in the control group. In conclusion, it is suggested that the augmentation of the ACh-induced contractile response evoked by TNF-alpha might be mediated by an upregulation of RhoA in rat bronchial smooth muscle.     

A case of autoimmune pancreatitis complicated with immune thrombocytopenia]

A 80-year old man was referred to our hospital because of an elevation of serum amylase level. Diffuse enlargement of the pancreas was detected by abdominal computed tomography, and also diffuse narrowing of the main pancreatic duct was revealed using endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. The serum level of IgG was elevated to 3450mg/dl. Besides, on the 10th hospital day, petechia developed and the platelet level decreased to 1.5 x 10(4)/microl. The platelet-associated IgG, antiplatelet antibody and antinuclear antibody in serum were positive. The levels of serum complements were low. From all these findings the patient was diagnosed as autoimmune pancreatitis complicated with immune thrombocytopenia. The treatment with prednisolone was started, which was effective on each disease. The medication was suspended a year ago, and so far there is no data suggesting the recurrence of autoimmune pancreatitis or immune thrombocytopenia.     

EFFECTIVENESS OF CYTODIAGNOSIS WITH PANCREATIC DUCT LAVAGE FLUID FOR PANCREATIC DUCTAL CARCINOMA: NEW SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

Background: Pancreatic carcinoma is one of the most lethal cancers. Because pancreatic carcinoma is still very difficult to diagnose in its early stage, many of these patients will be considered unsuitable for surgery. If a cytological diagnosis is obtained at initial endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), suitable treatment will be initiated without delay. Methods: To increase the number of exfoliated cells from the pancreatic duct, we devised a new technique, pancreatic duct lavage fluid (PDLF), following bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The present paper reports the effectiveness of cytological examination using PDLF in the diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma. We examined 18 pancreatic carcinoma cases. After the endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP), PDLF was collected from a double‐lumen catheter inserted into the main pancreatic duct. Saline injected from the lumen for the injection, and PDLF was aspirated from the other lumen for the guidewire at the same time. The cytological examination was performed using PDLF. Results: Exfoliated cells were more frequently found in PDLF from all patients. In 15 cases (83%), cytological examination of PDLF revealed positive cytological results as the diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma. Conclusion: Cytological examination using PDLF has a high sensitivity for detection of pancreatic carcinoma. The new examination, PDLF, is simple, safe and effective, so we expect PDLF to become widely popular.     

Synergistic suppression of the clonogenicity of U937 leukemic cells by combinations of recombinant human interleukin 4 and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.

The actions and interactions of purified recombinant human (rh) interleukin 4 (IL-4) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on the clonogenicity of human leukemic cell line U937 were studied in vitro. Parameters analyzed were the suppression of stem cell generation using sequential clonal cultures, alterations of surface antigen expression, and morphological changes. IL-4 alone (10 U/ml) and G-CSF alone (1000 U/ml) only slightly reduced colony numbers (80% +/- 7% and 87% +/- 7% of control colonies, respectively). However, IL-4 interacted synergistically with G-CSF to further reduce the colony number (46% +/- 8% of control colonies) and suppress the self-renewal ability (clonogenicity) of U937 cells. This synergistic effect was not eliminated by cultures containing neutralizing concentrations of anti-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (anti-GM-CSF), anti-interleukin 6 (anti-IL-6), anti-interferon-alpha (anti-IFN-alpha), anti-IFN-gamma, anti-transforming growth factor-beta (anti-TGF-beta) serum, and anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF-alpha) serum. The coexistence of IL-4 and G-CSF was required for at least 48 h to reveal the synergistic action as assessed by preincubation and delayed addition experiments. Combinations of IL-4 and G-CSF showed a significant increase in CD11b expression on U937 cells. This action was not observed with HL60, K562, ML-1, or KG-1 leukemic cell lines, and IL-4 did not show any synergistic suppression of clonogenicity of U937 leukemic cells in combination with other cytokines tested in this study. These results suggest that IL-4 in combination with G-CSF may have some capacity to synergistically suppress human leukemic cells of specific types with loss of clonogenicity.     

A case report of paraplegia following an operation for thoracic aortic aneurysm--with special reference to pathological findings of the spinal cord

A 60-year-old man suffered from paraplegia after the operation for thoracic aortic aneurysm and died 10 months after the operation. Detailed examination on the distribution of spinal cord lesions and of the locations of anterior radicular arteries revealed that the spinal cord ischemia occurred at the mid-thoracic segments between T-6 and T-10; the artery of Adamkiewicz entered at T-12; another radicular artery entered at T-4. We concluded that the spinal cord ischemia was caused by the interruption of the radicular artery at T-4 and that the segments nourished by the blood flow of the artery of Adamkiewicz were intact. We suggest that in some patients important radicular arteries other than the artery of Adamkiewicz are essential to preserve blood flow to the upper or middle thoracic spinal segments.     

Tissue renin content in superficial, midcortical, and juxtamedullary afferent arterioles in rabbits]

Tissue renin content within the kidney decreases from outer to inner cortex. However, it is not known whether this gradient is due to a decrease in the number of afferent arterioles from the outer to inner cortex or the decrease in renin content per afferent arteriole. Furthermore, it is still controversial whether sodium depletion increases or decreases this gradient. According to Taugner et al., sodium depletion induces the extension of renin positive part of afferent arterioles from vascular pole toward interlobular artery. Since the length of extension may differ among superficial, midcortical, and juxtamedullary afferent arterioles, the observed gradient may vary depending on whether the entire afferent arteriole or only the vascular pole is examined. In the present study, we microdissected the entire afferent arterioles from superficial, middle, and juxtamedullary cortex of rabbit kidney, and examined tissue renin content. We studied: 1. whether tissue renin content per afferent arteriole decreases from the outer to inner cortex. 2. whether sodium depletion affects the gradient of tissue renin content within the cortex. In result, we reached the conclusions, as follows: 1. Tissue renin content per afferent arteriole decreases steeply from superficial to midcortical to juxtamedullary afferent arterioles. 2. The absolute difference in renin content among the three types of afferent arterioles becomes greater during sodium depletion. The internephron heterogeneity of tissue renin content may contribute to functional heterogeneity.     

Study of the transformation of weddellite to whewellite in calcium oxalate stones by x-ray diffraction

A clay film was made of the stone powder and water drops on a slide glass and dried at 100 to 110 degrees C or at room temperature in the horizontal position for 20 calcium oxalate stones which had been received between April, 1978 and August 1980. Each clay film was scanned with an X-ray diffractometer using CuK alpha radiation, stored at room temperature in a wooden sample case and analysed again by X-ray five to seven years after the first X-ray analysis. Then the recent diffractograms of 20 powder samples were compared with the previous ones regarding the peak heights at 14.2 degrees, 14.8 degrees and 25.8 degrees (2 theta), which were considered representative of weddellite, whewellite and apatite contents and designated as Iwe, Iwh and Iap, respectively. Since there was a good correlation between Iwe/Iwe + Iwh + Iap and weddellite/weddellite + whewellite + apatite that was determined by thermogravimetry (Fig. 1), the transformation rate of weddellite to whewellite can be expressed as the change of Iwe/Iwe + Iwh + Iap. One sample Iwe/Iwe + Iwh + Iap of which decreased by 48% in seven years (Fig. 3) and another sample Iwe/Iwe + Iwh + Iap of which increased by 10% in five years (Table) were excluded from this study because the clay films of these samples might have been overheated or incompletely dried before the first X-ray analysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Periodic psychosis of puberty: a review on near-monthly episodes.

Published cases of periodic psychosis of puberty and related papers were reviewed. The clinical picture is near-monthly recurrence of episodes of stupor or excitement lasting about 1 or 2 weeks, which are accompanied by delusion and in some cases also by hallucinations or confusion. This condition was found to occur more commonly in girls than in boys, and in half of the girls reported the episodes tended to start a few days before menses. Adolescents with mental retardation were more commonly affected, and this suggests that organic brain damage may play a role in the etiology in some cases. Short-term prognosis is usually favorable, but at long-term follow-up, nearly half of them were found to be suffering from affective or schizophrenic illness. The clinical importance of recognizing this psychosis early in the course of illness is emphasized.