Eicosapentaenoic acid-induced changes in membrane fluidity and cell adhesion molecules in cultured human keratinocytes

The effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) on the lipid dynamics of cultured epidermal keratinocytes and their expression of cell adhesion molecules were investigated, and were compared with those of arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6). When keratinocytes were treated with 3 μg/ml of EPA or AA for 72 h, these compounds were found to be incorporated into the cells. EPA-induced lipid changes were distinguished by a significant increase in the cellular content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, whereas AA treatment resulted in an increase in the cellular content of n-6 arachidonic acid. These changes in fatty acid composition were accompanied by an increase in cellular membrane fluidity, which was evaluated by the diffusion coefficient, using the method of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) [from 1–77±0–34 × 10^?8cm^2/s untreated to 2–23±0–35 × l0^?8cm^2/s EPA-treated (P < 0.001), and 2–16±0–35 × 10^?8cm^2/s AA-treated (P < 0·001)]. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) was induced on the keratinocyte membrane in the presence of tumour necrosis factor-a and interferon-γ, and pretreatment with EPA or AA further enhanced the expression, almost to an equal degree, as estimated by flow cytometry (P < 0.05). These results indicate that the modulation of ICAM-1 expression does not seem to be EPA-specific, but is presumably a consequence of increased membrane fluidity due to the increased levels of unsaturated fatty acids of both the n-3 and n-6 series in the membrane.     

Advanced ureteral cancer with complete remission achieved by taxan containing systemic chemotherapy

We report a case of advanced ureteral cancer successfully treated with systemic chemotherapy combined with irradiation. A 47-year-old man was diagnosed as having a right ureteral cancer at the clinical stage of T4, N2 and M1 (liver). A papillary tumor was also found in the bladder and the resected specimen showed a grade 1 transitional cell carcinoma. Although three cycles of methotrexate, vinblastine, pirarubicin and cisplatin (MVAC) gave partial response to the ureteral tumor, new metastases to the lung and pelvic bone were observed. The patient received 50 Gy external irradiation to the pelvis, 11 cycles of paclitaxel (270 mg) and cisplatin (60-80 mg) followed by four cycles of docetaxel (100 mg) and cisplatin. Thereafter, he underwent bone biopsy, partial hepatectomy, total nephroureterectomy and lymph node resection, by which a complete response was achieved pathologically. The patient has been alive without evidence of disease for 12 months.     

Developmental Changes of Amniotic Fluid Alpha-Fetoprotein Subtractions in Early Gestation

ABSTRACT: Using both concanavalin A crossed-line affinity immunoelectrophoresis and lentil lectin crossed-line affinity immunoelectrophoresis, developmental changes of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) subfractions were studied in 11 samples of human amniotic fluid obtained between 43 and 121 days of gestation. In the amniotic fluid at 43 or 48 days of gestation, only subfractions produced by the yolk sac were evident. The initial appearance of the subfractions produced by the fetal liver was first detected at 51 days of gestation. Percentages of liver-originated subfractions rose rapidly with gestational age and reached a level of 50% at 54 days of gestation. The subfractions produced by the yolk sac disappeared from the amniotic fluid at 121 days of gestation. These findings suggest that, in early gestation, the yolk sac is mainly responsible for the fetal AFP synthesis and that initiation of AFP production by the fetal liver takes place between 48 and 51 days of gestation. In the present study, attention was also given to the origin of four subfractions separated by the lentil lectin crossed-line affinity immunoelectrophoresis.     

AN ANAESTHETIC DOSE OF ETHANOL INHIBITS CYCLIC AMP FORMATION BY ALTERING THE FUNCTION OF GS PROTEIN

The effects of ethanol on cerebral -aminobutyric acid (GABA)_Breceptor and its related signal transduction systems were studied.[³H]GABA binding to cerebral GABA_B receptors in crude synapticmembranes from rat brain was unaffected by ethanol at concentrationsup to 100 mM, although 100 mM ethanol suppressed not only thebasal but also forskolin-stimulated cAMP formation in cerebralcortical membrane vesicles. The suppressive effect of baclofenand the stimulatory effect of forskolin on cAMP formation wasalso found to be unaltered by ethanol. Pretreatment of the membranevesicles with islet-activating protein (IAP), which eliminatesthe function of G₁ protein by its ribosylation, had no effecton the suppressive effects of ethanol on basal and forskolin-stimulatedcAMP formation. In contrast, pretreatment of membrane vesicleswith ‘low pH’, which is known to suppress the functionof G_s protein, eliminated the suppressive effect of ethanolon cAMP formation. These results suggest that an anaestheticdose of ethanol, which is below that necessary to cause changesin receptor binding, may not affect the functions of GABA_B/G₁,G₀ protein/adenylate cyclase system, but suppresses cAMP formationsystems which are coupled with G_s protein.     

Correspondence. Superficial brachial artery continuing as the common interosseous artery

The superficial artery of the arm with a course anterior to the median nerve is found at an incidence of ≈13%, and it continues as the radial artery twice as frequently than as the ulnar artery; less frequently it continues as both arteries (Bergman et al. 1988). We report a rare case in which the superficial brachial artery continued as the common interosseous artery only and the deep brachial artery continued as the radial and superficial ulnar arteries in the cubital fossa.     

Evaluation of Xerotomography for Diagnosing Peripheral-Type Lung Lesions

The diagnostic value of the xerotomogram was evaluated in comparisonwith that of the conventional tomogram in 55 patients with peripheral-typelung lesions, who were operated on. Thickened drainage bronchi,pleural retraction and infiltrative or expanding margins ofthe lesions were visualized more clearly by the xerotomogram.The xerotomogram was also useful for examining the pathologicalthickening of bronchial walls, and the ratio of third orderbronchi (inner diameter/outer diameter) in the patients withpathologically thickened walls was below 0.6, which was significantlyless than that observed in normal bronchi. The positive pictureof the xerotomogram was useful for revealing the linear structuresin the peripheral lung field. These data indicate that the xerotomogram is useful for examiningthe detailed features of peripheral-type lung lesions. The X-rayskin dose of the xerotomogram, however, is about 10 times thatof the conventional tomogram. Therefore, attention should bepaid to the indications for the xerotomogram.