EFFECT OF INFLAMMATION ON PROSTATIC PROTEIN SYNTHESIS AND LUMINAL SECRETION IN VIVO

PURPOSE: Inflammation of the prostate, or prostatitis, can be caused by an infectious process or can occur in a reportedly non-bacterial form, the etiology of which is largely unknown. The present study was undertaken to establish a method of studying prostatic protein synthesis and secretion in vivo and determine the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced prostatic inflammation on these processes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: control, 24 hours LPS-inflammation, and 24 hours LPS + antibody against tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF). 35S-methionine was perifused in vivo around ventral prostate ducts for 3 hours. Ductal fluid (DF) was collected by micropuncture and ductal extract (DE) was collected by tissue homogenization. DE and DF were then subjected to SDS-PAGE and autoradiography. Densitometric analysis of gels and autoradiograms was used to compare protein synthesis (total DE 35S-proteins) and protein secretion (DF 35S-proteins) among the three groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The method proved to be effective for studying prostatic protein synthesis and secretion in vivo. LPS-induced inflammation caused an increase in total 35S-proteins in both the DE and the DF when compared with controls. There were significant increases in both the total number of proteins produced as well as the densitometric quantity of protein in the inflamed group. Some specific prostatic proteins were also upregulated by inflammation. The addition of anti-TNF did not significantly alter inflammation-induced protein synthesis or secretion at the time/dose studied.     

Complement (C3) levels and the effect of C3 depletion in infections of Trypanosoma brucei in mice

Summary Circulating C3 levels and parasitaemias have been measured in four groups of mice chronically infected with Trypanosoma brucei : group A (normal); group B (irradiated, reconstituted); Group C (T cell-deprived); and group D (T cell-deprived, C3-depleted by treatment with cobra venom factor). In groups A-C, C3 levels first rose two to three times normal, C3 thus behaving as an acute phase reactant. Three weeks after infection C3 returned to normal levels for the remainder of the infection. It is thus unlikely that the severe generalized immunodepression seen in mice infected with this trypanosome, is in any way dependent upon a reduction of circulating C3. The curves of parasitaemia in all four groups of mice were essentially similar, even though in group D mice, C3 levels were reduced to about 10% of normal for the first 3 weeks of infection. From this finding, it is argued that complement has no essential role in the mechanisms whereby mice control successive variant populations of T. brucei in the blood. Variant-specific IgM antibodies, acting as trypagglutinins, are probably all that are required to control blood stream infections.     

Transpharyngeal Echocardiographic Diagnosis of Carotid Bulb and Left Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis

We report a patient in whom we were able to make an accurate diagnosis of left carotid bulb and left internal carotid artery stenosis by carefully and slowly withdrawing the probe from the esophagus into the pharynx.     

Ectopic pregnancy in Aberdeen 1950–1985

Summary. The reported incidence of ectopic pregnancy in Aberdeen City and suburbs (1950–1985), using as denominators maternities, pregnancies and women aged 15–44 years, has increased threefold since 1970 to 6·4/1000 pregnancies. This increased incidence persisted after the exclusion of previously sterilized women. A total of 11128 women were sterilized in Aberdeen City and suburbs between 1960 and 1982; 36 ectopic pregnancies occurred in this sterilized population. The prevalence of ectopic pregnancy was 3·55/1000 sterilizations. This did not alter significantly over the period of study despite changes in the method of sterilization. However, due to the increased popularity of sterilization, the proportion of ectopic pregnancies in women who had been sterilized increased from 0% in the 1950s to 21% in the quinquennium 1975–1979.     

URETERAL TISSUE EXPANSION FOR BLADDER AUGMENTATION

Purpose

Ureteral augmentation is an effective method of bladder reconstruction using the native urothelium of a megaureter. Clinically this procedure is contingent on the presence of an enlarged ureter. We have iatrogenically produced a segmental megaureter, while preserving renal function in a pig model. The urothelium of the enlarged ureter was then used for augmentation cystoplasty.

Materials and Methods

A tissue expander suitable for insertion into the lumen of the ureter was constructed. The tissue expander was passed antegrade through a flank incision of 8 pigs, and a separate nephrostomy tube was left in place. During the ensuing 1 to 4 weeks the pigs underwent daily dilation of the tissue expander without anesthesia. After dilation the pigs underwent ureteral augmentation of the bladder. The segment of expanded ureter was isolated from the native ureter, opened and anastomosed to the bladder. The continuity of the left ureter was restored by primary ureteroureterostomy. The animals underwent cystograms at 1 and 4 weeks and were sacrificed 4 weeks after augmentation. Tissue was harvested for gross and microscopic histology.

Results

Of the 8 pigs starting the protocol 5 underwent successful ureteral tissue expansion followed by bladder augmentation. Tissue expansion was performed from 1 to 4 weeks, and volumes of 150 to 1,000 cc were obtained. Two to 3 weeks of dilation was optimal to achieve ease of dilation, and no animal showed evidence of discomfort or failure to thrive. All 5 animals underwent successful ureteral augmentation with primary ureteroureterostomy. Tissue expansion volumes of approximately 250 cc were optimal for tissue management and ease of augmentation. Cystograms of all augmented animals showed increased bladder capacity with filling of the ureteral segment. Histological examination of the ureteral augmentation revealed preservation and regeneration of the urothelial mucosa.

Conclusions

The use of a tissue expander in the lumen of the ureter is a novel method of generating urothelium for use in bladder augmentation. It may provide an alternative to bowel in patients who require bladder augmentation. Long-term studies are currently under way.     

D2 DOPAMINE RECEPTOR TaqI ALLELES IN MEDICALLY ILL ALCOHOLIC AND NONALCOHOLIC PATIENTS

The prevalence of TaqI A alleles of the D₂ dopamine receptor(DRD2) gene was examined in two subgroups of medically ill nonalcoholics(more prevalent and less prevalent substance users, MPSU andLPSU, respectively) and in two subgroups of medically ill alcoholics(more severe and less severe alcoholics, MSA and LSA, respectively).The prevalence of the Al allele in the 80 nonalcoholic and 73alcoholic patients was 30.0% and 52.1%, respectively (P = 0.009).In the four subgroups of these patients, the prevalence of thisallele was: LPSU = 18.2%, MPSU = 34.5%, LSA = 44.4% and MSA= 58.3%. Linear trend analysis showed that as the use of substancesand severity of alcoholism increase, so does Al prevalence (P= 0.001). Specific, subgroup comparisons showed Al prevalencein MSA to be about 3-fold (P = 0.007) and 1.5-fold (P = 0.04)higher than in LPSU and MPSU subgroups, respectively. Similarly,in a combined analysis of independent studies, Al prevalencein MSA was higher when compared to LSA (P < 5 x 10^–3),MPSU (P < l0^–4 and LPSU (P < l0^–8) subgroups.There was virtually no difference in the prevalence of the Alallele between LSA and MPSU subgroups. None of the specificmedical or neuropsychiatric complications of alcoholism wasassociated with the Al allele. In conclusion, the severity ofalcohol dependence in alcoholics and of substance use behaviorsin controls are important variables in DRD2 allelic association.The present report and converging lines of evidence suggestthat the DRD2 locus could represent a prominent gene risk factorfor susceptibility to severe alcoholism. However, other genesand environmental factors, when combined, still play the largerrole.     

Prepulse inhibition decreases as startle reactivity habituates

In the present study, I investigated the effect of stimulus repetition on human startle eyeblink reflex inhibition (PPI) by a prepulse. Participants were assigned to one of three groups (n= 14 each). in which they received 18 trials of (a) noise startle stimuli presented alone or preceded by 1000-Hz tone prepulses, (b) startle stimuli presented alone, or (c) prepulses presented alone. All participants then received 18 more trials of startle stimuli presented alone or preceded by 1000-Hz tone prepulses, followed by 6 trials of startle stimuli presented alone or preceded by 2000-Hz tone prepulses. As trials progressed, startle eyeblink electromyogram magnitude habituated and PPI decreased. PPI was not affected by the repeated presentation of the prepulses alone but decreased with the repeated presentation of the startle stimulus alone. Changes in the frequency of the prepulse had no significant effect on PPI. These data suggest that the reduction of PPI that is seen across trials is not due to habituation of the prepulse but is related to startle reactivity in control trials, which is reduced by habituation.