Loss of mammalian Sprouty2 leads to enteric neuronal hyperplasia and esophageal achalasia

We report here that loss of the Sprouty2 gene (also known as Spry2) in mice resulted in enteric nerve hyperplasia, which led to esophageal achalasia and intestinal pseudo-obstruction. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) induced hyperactivation of ERK and Akt in enteric nerve cells. Anti-GDNF antibody administration corrected nerve hyperplasia in Sprouty2-deficient mice. We show Sprouty2 to be a negative regulator of GDNF for the neonatal development or survival of enteric nerve cells.     

Ovarian juvenile granulosa cell tumor associated with Maffucci's syndrome.

A 15-year-old girl developed a juvenile granulosa cell tumor associated with Maffucci's syndrome (enchondromatosis + hemangiomas). Clinical manifestations of the disease included an abdominal mass and progressive anemia. She underwent the removal of a Stage Ic juvenile granulosa cell tumor and subsequent adjuvant chemotherapy. On follow-up examination 4 years later, no recurrence of the ovarian tumor was noted. A review of the literature showed 10 previous cases of juvenile granulosa cell tumor associated with enchondromatosis, two associated with Maffucci's syndrome, and the rest with Ollier's disease (enchondromatosis). Ovarian juvenile granulosa cell tumor may occur not infrequently in female patients with enchondromatosis in the first or second decades, in contrast to the widely recognized sarcomatous changes of enchondromas that usually occur after the second decade. Data provided from these cases also emphasize the concept of a generalized mesodermal dysplasia.     

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.     

Lack of association of angiotensin I-converting enzyme gene polymorphism and premature myocardial infarction in Mauritian Indians

Eighty-five young Mauritian Indians, male survivors of premature myocardial infarction (MI) and thus belonging to a high risk group, were compared with 108 stringently selected controls for a possible association between premature MI and an insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the gene encoding angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE). The frequency of the D allele was 0.42 in the MI group and 0.43 in the control group, and thus no association between I/D polymorphism of ACE with susceptibility to early-onset MI was found in this population group. Other gene components of the renin-angiotensin system and lipid metabolism need to be explored to understand the genetic factors involved in causing MI at an early age.     

HISTOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY ON PROGRESSIVE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY—REPORT OF A CASE WITH AUTOPSY FINDINGS—

A typical case of the D uchenne type of progressive muscular dystrophy with autopsy findings was presented. Changes in the myocardial and smooth muscle of many organs were found, and the skeletal muscles also revealed florid changes.
Histopathological examination of the skeletal muscle was made in detail through light and electron microscopic observation.     

Developmental characteristics of topographic EEG in the newborn using an autoregressive model

Summary Autoregressive topographic EEG analysis was used to determine topographic EEGs of the total power in quiet and active sleep stages in 33 healthy premature infants of 34 to 40 weeks conceptional age. The developmental characteristics were also examined by simultaneously referring to the autoregressive pattern discrimination of topographic EEGs between different conceptional age groups in both sleep stages. Treating 10.24 seconds of EEG as one segment, the topographic EEG of 10 segments in each of the quiet and active sleep stages as well as their mean were obtained. In both sleep stages the results showed a small peak in total power in the frontal region and a large peak in the occipital region, but total power was greater in the quiet sleep. Total power decreased with increasing conceptional age. Topographic pattern discrimination between different conceptional age groups showed significant differences mainly in the frontal, temporal and occipital regions. It was concluded that regional differences in the development of EEG in premature infants could be clarified by means of topographic EEG analysis and the pattern discrimination method using the autoregressive model.This study was supported by a Scientific Research Grant (No. 02670450) from the Japanese Ministry of Education.     

Transforming growth factor beta is protective in host resistance against Listeria monocytogenes infection in mice.

The role of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) in host resistance against Listeria monocytogenes infection was studied with mice. The constitutive expression of TGF-beta 1 mRNA was observed in the spleens and livers of mice before and after infection. Injecting the mice with anti-TGF-beta 1 peptide serum resulted in diminished antilisterial resistance, whereas the administration of human platelet-derived TGF-beta 1 enhanced the resistance. Moreover, mice were protected against lethal infection when treated with TGF-beta 1. These results suggest the TGF-beta 1 might be involved in antilisterial resistance. On the other hand, injecting the mice with TGF-beta 1 resulted in a decrease in the titers of endogenous gamma interferon, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interleukin-6, which are crucial in antilisterial resistance, in sera and in extracts of spleen and liver. Thus, a complicated mechanism might be involved in the role of TGF-beta 1 in host resistance against L. monocytogenes infection.     

Cross-linking of Fc(gamma)-receptor on monocytes inhibits hepatitis C virus-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte induction in vitro.

In hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, immune complex (IC)-type virus particles are frequently observed in circulation. The IC leads to cross-linking of Fcgamma receptors (FcgammaR) on monocytes and exerts immunoinhibitory function. To test the roles of IC in HCV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) induction, we generated HCV CTL from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of chronic hepatitis C patients with or without HCV-IC- or immunoglobulin G (IgG)-coated culture plates and compared their lytic activities. HCV-IC or adherent IgG, which induces FcgammaR cross-linking, significantly reduced CTL activity. Expression of B7-1 on monocytes decreased on adherent IgG. In addition, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) production increased from cells on adherent IgG and their mRNA expression in monocytes was enhanced. Anti-TNF-alpha antibody during induction on adherent IgG inhibited lysis; however, anti-TGF-beta completely reversed its inhibitory effect. These results demonstrated that HCV-IC or adherent IgG impaired HCV-CTL induction in vitro. The FcgammaR-mediated CTL suppression occurred via decreased expression of monocyte B7-1 and/or enhanced production of TGF-beta1.