Superoxide dismutases of muscle in mitochondrial encephalomyopathies

Lmmunohistochemical analyses were made of the superoxide dismutases (Mn-SOD and CuiZn-SOD) in biopsied muscles from 7 patients with mitochondrial encephalomyopathies that included mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis and strokelike episodes (MELAS), and chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO). Mn-SOD mainly was present in the subsarcolemmal region, but it also was found in a coarsely granular, reticular, or diffuse pattern of staining within the muscle fibers. These Mn-SOD-positive fibers corresponded almost completely to the ragged-red fibers. The immunoreaction for CuiZn-SOD was weakly positive in some of the muscle fibers positive for Mn-SOD. In CPEO, Mn-SOD-positive fibers predominantly showed decreased cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity. In MELAS, Mn-SOD-positive fibers tended to be stained deeply for COX although a few were COX-negative. These findings suggest that Mn-SOD-positive fibers can be used to make a differential diagnosis between CPEO and MELAS and that in mitochondrial encephalomyopathies Mn-SOD in the raggedred fibers may protect against oxidative stress. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Human leukocyte antigens in Fisher's syundrome

We performed human leukocyte antigens(HLA)typing for class I antigens on 19 Japanese patients with Fisher's syndrome. We demonstrated a statistically significant association between the disease and the HLA-B39 antigen.     

Diffuse type of senile plaques in the cerebellum of Alzheimer-type dementia demonstrated byβ protein immunostain

Summary We studied senile plaques (SP) in the cerebella of six autopsied subjects with Alzheimer-type dementia (ATD) and ten non-ATD autopsied subjects between the ages of 78 and 90. Neither SP nor amyloid angiopathy (AA) was observed in any of the non-ATD subjects. In the four of the six ATD subjects, diffuse plaques in the molecular layer were seen as ill-defined areas of fine fibrillar materials by protein immunostaining with formic acid pretreatment, the modified Bielschowsky stain, and periodic acid-methenamine silver (PAM) stain. The plaques were not visible with Bodian, Congo red, or periodic acid-Schiff stains. Compact plaques in the Purkinje cell or in the granular cell layers were found in three of the six subjects. Their amyloid core was often surrounded by areolar amyloid deposits. AA was observed in three of the six subjects. The argyrophilia of the diffuse and compact plaques, demonstrated by the modified Bielschowsky and PAM stains, became undetectable when the sections were first treated with formic acid. Such treatment made the plaques immunoreactive with protein antiserum. The findings suggested that cerebellar diffuse plaques and compact plaques consist mainly of an amyloid component, and are characteristic of ATD.     

Urine levels of CD46 (membrane cofactor protein) are increased in patients with glomerular diseases

Soluble membrane cofactor protein (MCP, CD46) has not been detected by conventional ELISA in human urine. Here, we established a highly sensitive assay method for determination of urinary MCP (uMCP) using monoclonal antibody-coated paramagnetic beads. This method enabled us to detect less than 0.05 ng/ml of purified membrane and recombinant soluble MCP, a sensitivity 10-fold higher than that of conventional ELISA. In normal subjects, the levels of uMCP were <0. 05 ng/ml. The levels of uMCP were elevated in patients with IgA nephropathy and more prominently in patients with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. The levels of uMCP were correlated significantly with those of serum MCP (sMCP) and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase and nonsignificantly with those of beta(2)-microglobulin, total urine protein, or serum creatinine. The properties of uMCP were inconsistent with those of the reported sMCP, since uMCP showed three bands on SDS-PAGE/immunoblotting with molecular mass profiles different from those of sMCP. uMCP exhibited factor I cofactor activity for cleavage of C3b comparable to that of sMCP. The origin of uMCP, however, remains to be determined. These results, taken together with the parameter correlation profiles, suggested that uMCP is secreted or produced secondary to tubular or glomerular damage. The physiological role and clinical significance of uMCP are now within the scope of our investigation by establishment of this assay.     

Immunohistological analysis in the distribution of cells in the fetal porcine adenohypophysis

Adenohypophyses of porcine fetuses from 25 to 110 days of gestation were studied by immunohistochemical staining to ascertain the ontogeny of specific cell types and their spatial distribution in the pars distalis. No hormonecontaining cells were found before 30 days of gestation. ACTH cells were observed first at 40 days, while GH and LH cells appeared first at 60 days. PRL cells were initially detected at 105 days. ACTH immunoreactive cells were also observed in the pars intermedia at 40 days. Blood capillaries were interposed between cell cords of the pars distalis after 40 days of gestation. ACTH cells were evenly distribution in all areas of the pars distalis except the rostal area (sex zone). GH cells were densely distributed in lateral wings of the pars distalis and immediately anterior to Rathke's lumen. PRL cells resembled GH cells in their distribution pattern, but PRL cells were fewer in number. LH cells were scattered in the sex zone of the pars distalis from 60 to 80 days of gestation. After 90 days, they became scattered throughout the pars distalis but were more numerous in the sex zone than in other areas. The inductive elements of adenohypophysial cells from Rathke's pouch epithelia are discussed. We hypothesize that cell cords of specific areas facing Rathke's lumen may differentiate into specific cell types of the pars distalis during fetal life. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Evaluation of the drug lymphocyte stimulation test (DLST) with shosaikoto]

BACKGROUND: Our aim is to evaluate the significance of DLST by Shosaikoto. METHODS: We clinically evaluated 3 cases of drug-induced pneumonia assumed to be caused by Shosaikoto, and we performed DLST of Shosaikoto for healthy controls, and compared the data with drug-induced pneumonia cases of Shosaikoto. RESULTS: As clinical characteristics of 3 cases, 2 cases were positive for hepatitis C virus antibody, and 1 case was positive for DLST of Shosaikoto. The observed chest high-resolution CT (HRCT) findings showed hypersensitivity pneumonia (HP) pattern in all 3 cases. Prognosis was good in all 3 cases. DLST of Shosaikoto was positive in 27.5% of healthy controls. Stimulation index (S.I.) of DLST in drug-induced pneumonia cases increased depending on drug dilution density, compared to that of healthy controls. CONCLUSION: DLST of Shosaikoto showed high false-positive rate. However, we may be able to distinguish the true-positive cases with the false-positive cases by comparing the S.I. of DLST according to drug dilution density.     

Vp130, a chloroviral surface protein that interacts with the host Chlorella cell wall

A protein, Vp130, that interacts with the host cell wall was isolated from Chlorovirus CVK2. From its peptide sequence, the gene for Vp130 was identified on the PBCV-1 genomic sequence as an ORF combining A140R and A145R. In Vp130, the N-terminus was somehow modified and the C-terminus was occupied by 23-26 tandem repeats of a PAPK motif. In the internal region, Vp130 contained seven repeats of 70-73 amino acids, each copy of which was separated by PAPK sequences. This protein was well conserved among NC64A viruses. A recombinant rVp130N protein formed in Escherichia coli was shown not only to bind directly to the host cell wall in vitro but also to specifically bind to the host cells, as demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy. Because externally added rVp130N competed with CVK2 to bind to host cells, Vp130 is most likely to be a host-recognizing protein on the virion.     

Fate of odontoblasts and blood capillaries in the incisal region of the rat incisor pulp

Transmission electron microscopy of thin sections of the rat incisor pulp revealed that in the middle region of the incisor there were fenestrated capillaries in the “predentinal plexus” and that this region contained the tallest odontoblasts. The odontoblasts gradually became shortened in the incisal part of this region: the fenestrated capillaries in the predentinal plexus changed to continuous type capillaries. Almost all the odontoblasts had degenerated near the incisal end of the tooth. The predentinal plexus disappeared in this region, but the “subodontoblastic capillary plexus” persisted. In a specific region just beneath the worn incisal end, numerous macrophages and polymorphonuclear neutrophils appeared and scavenged the degenerating cells, possibly including the odontoblasts. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.