A Case of Herpes Zoster Associated with Colitis

A 58-year-old Japanese woman who had herpes zoster in association with colitis was successfully treated with intravenously administrated acyclovir. Vesicular lesions with red haloes ranged from the left side of her buttock to the left extremity, corresponding to the L4 to S2 dermatomes. Her colitis was considered to have been induced by varicella-zoster virus, based on the facts that the clinical courses were correlated and that the innervation of the affected site of the colon corresponded to an infected dermatome (S2).     

Flat adenoma and flat mucosal carcinoma (IIb type)— A new precursor of colorectal carcinoma?

Two flat adenomas and a flat mucosal carcinoma of the colon were reported in patients with synchronous and metachronous colonic carcinomas. These lesions were almost flat and were not detected by preoperative endoscopic examinations. Colonoscopists should be aware of the presence of flat adenomas, which can be easily missed, and recognize them as lesions that play an important role in the "adenoma-carcinoma sequence."     

Monocytes secrete factors regulating glycosaminoglycan synthesis in mesangial cells in vitro.

The present study was conducted to determine the manner in which monocytes increase mesangial matrices, particularly glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) which interact with various other matrix components such as collagens, laminin, fibronectin and lipoproteins. A supernatant of human peripheral blood monocyte cultures activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) contains stimulating factors for glycosaminoglycan synthesis in rat mesangial cells (MCs). The culture supernatant in this study was concentrated and fractionated by gel chromatography and the GAG-stimulatory factor was found to have a molecular weight of 10-17 kD. This factor was shown to be present in fractions different from that of IL-1. Gel and ion-exchange chromatography studies of GAGs synthesized by MCs indicated the elution patterns of GAGs in the presence and absence of the monocyte culture supernatant to be essentially the same. Local infiltration of monocytes into the glomerulus, often seen in various types of glomerular injury, may be an important factor in the accumulation of the mesangial matrix.     

Levels of salivary lysozyme, lactoperoxidase, and lactoferrin in diabetic hamsters.

In an attempt to clarify the mechanism(s) of increased susceptibility to oral infection in diabetics, we examined the levels of salivary antibacterial factors, including lysozyme, lactoperoxidase, and lactoferrin, in diabetic hamsters whose condition was induced with streptozotocin. Saliva was collected from these hamsters periodically for 19 weeks after the administration of streptozotocin. Diabetes persisted with significant hyperglycemia throughout the experiment after a single injection of streptozotocin. There was no significant difference between groups in the amount of saliva secreted. In diabetic hamsters, lysozyme activity decreased by 56% and lactoperoxidase activity decreased by 53% compared with the control hamsters 19 weeks after the administration of streptozotocin. There was no significant difference between groups in the amount of salivary lactoferrin. However, the ratio of lactoferrin to total protein increased to approximately double the amount of that of the control hamsters. Insulin treatment had a significant effect on lysozyme and lactoperoxidase activity, recovering 73 and 74% those of the controls, respectively, and the ratio of lactoferrin to total salivary protein reverted to normal values. Growth inhibition of Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014 with whole saliva and amylase activity significantly decreased in diabetic hamsters. The position of each protein band of whole saliva on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was almost the same for control and diabetic hamsters; however, there was some variability in band intensity.     

Genitourinary phenotype in XX patients with distal 9p monosomy

Although testicular development has been shown to be variably impaired in XY patients with distal 9p monosomy, ovarian and other genitourinary phenotype has poorly been studied in XX patients monosomic for the distal 9p region. Thus, we studied a 13-month-old infant with 46,XX,der(9)t(9;10)(p23;p13) (case 1) and an 11-year-old girl with 46,XX,der(9)t(9;16)(p23;q22) (case 2). Case 1 had primary hypogonadism (basal serum follicle stimulating hormone [FSH], 40.0 mIU/mL; leteinizing hormone [LH], 1.2 mIU/mL; estradiol [E2], <10 pg/mL), whereas case 2 had age-appropriate pubertal development (breast, Tanner stage 4; pubic hair, Tanner stage 3; menarche 11.7 years of age) and hormone values (FSH, 7.3 mIU/mL; LH, 6.7 mIU/mL; E2, 47 pg/mL). In addition, case 1 had hypoplastic labia majora, short distance between the vaginal orifice and the anus, and five renal cysts, and case 2 had anal atresia, short distance between the vaginal orifice and the anus, bilateral hydronephrosis of grade 3 with probable ureteropelvic junction stenosis, and renal dysfunction (serum creatinine, 1.52 mg/dL; urea nitrogen, 34.5mg/dL). Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis for five regions and microsatellite analysis for 10 loci on 9p confirmed hemizygosity for the distal 9p region with the breakpoints between IFNA and D9S285 in case 1 and between D9S168 and D9S286 in case 2. The results, in conjunction with the previous data in XX patients with molecularly defined distal 9p monosomy, are consistent with the presence of a gene(s) involved in the development of indifferent gonad or subsequent ovarian differentiation in a approximately 11 Mb region distal to D9S168. In addition, it is possible that a gene(s) for anoperineal and renal development also maps distal to D9S168 and that for external genital development maps distal to D9S285 at the position approximately 16 Mb from the 9p telomere.     

The frequency of type 2 CD8+ T cells is increased in peripheral blood from patients with psoriasis vulgaris

Studies have suggested that psoriasis vulgaris is mediated by type 1 T cells. In this study, we examined both chemokine receptor expression and intracellular cytokine production by circulating T cells to check the type 1/type 2 balance in psoriasis. CCR4⁺ and CXCR3⁺ T cells predominantly produced interleukin-4 and interferon-, respectively. The frequency of interferon--producing cells and that of CXCR3⁺ cells in circulating CD4⁺ T cells were similar for psoriatic patients and healthy control subjects. By contrast, the frequency of CCR4⁺CD8⁺ T cells and CCR4/CXCR3 ratio in circulating CD8⁺ T cells were significantly higher in psoriatic patients than in healthy control subjects. Analysis of intracellular cytokine production also indicated relative increase of type 2 CD8⁺ T (Tc2) cells in peripheral blood from psoriatic patients. The frequency of circulating Tc2 cells directly correlated with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that not only CXCR3⁺CD8⁺ T cells but also a similar number of CCR4⁺CD8⁺ T cells infiltrated the psoriatic epidermis and dermis. Our findings suggest an increase in Tc2 cell number in blood from psoriatic patients, and the association of Tc2 cells with inflammation in psoriasis.     

Evaluation of the mouse lymphoma tk assay (microwell method) as an alternative to the in vitro chromosomal aberration test

In order to evaluate the utility of the mouse lymphoma assay(MLA) for detecting in vitro clastogens and spindle poisonsand to compare it with the in vitro chromosomal aberration test(CA), we conducted an international collaborative study of theMLA that included 45 Japanese laboratories and seven overseaslaboratories under the cooperation of the Ministry of Healthand Welfare of Japan and the Japanese Pharmaceutical Manufacturer'sAssociation. We examined 40 chemicals; 33 were reportedly positivein the CA but negative in the bacterial reverse mutation assay,six were negative in both assays and one was positive in both.We assayed mutations of the thymidine kinase (TK) locus (tk)of L5178Y tk^+/– mouse lymphoma cells using the microwellmethod. According to our standard protocol, cells were exposedto the chemical for 3 h, cultured for 2 days and TK-deficientmutants were expressed in 96-well plates under trifluorothymidine.Each chemical was coded and tested by two or three laboratories.Among the 34 CA-positive chemicals, positive MLA results wereobtained for 20 and negative results were obtained for nine.The remaining five chemicals were inconclusive or equivocalbecause of discrepant inter-laboratory results or reproduceddiscrepant results, respectively. Among the six CA-negativechemicals, one was negative in the MLA, two were positive andthree were inconclusive. Thus, the MLA could detect only 59%(20/34) of CA-positive chemicals. We concluded that the MLAwas not as sensitive as the CA. Some MLA-negative chemicalsevoked positive responses in the CA only after long continuoustreatment. These might also be genotoxic in the MLA with longcontinuous treatment. Improvement of the MLA protocol, includingalteration of the duration of the treatment, might render theMLA as sensitive as the CA. ⁸ To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +81 3 37009847; Fax: +81 3 3700 2348; Email: sofuni{at}nihs.go.jp     

JC virus genotyping using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded renal tissues

Recently genotyping of JC virus (JCV) DNA in renal tissue was reported to be useful to identify the geographic origin of unidentified cadavers. In the above study, autopsied tissue samples without storage or stored in a frozen state were used. This study examined JCV DNA sequence modifications caused by formalin-fixation, in an attempt to elucidate whether formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples can also be used to determine the genotypes of JCV DNA in the kidney. In four cases, a 610 bp typing region of the JCV genome was PCR-amplified from renal tissues stored for 1 year in three different states: frozen at -80 degrees C [Amaker, B.H., Chandler, F.W., Huey, L.O., Colwell, R.M., 1997. Molecular detection of JC virus in embalmed, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded brain tissue. J. Forensic Sci., 1157-1159], formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded [Ault, G.S., Stoner, G.L., 1992. Two major types of JC virus defined in progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy brain by early and late coding region DNA sequences. J. Gen. Virol. 73, 2669-2678], and soaked in 5% formalin [Baksh, F.K., Finkelstein, S.D., Swalskey, P.A., Stoner, G.L., Ryschkewitsch, C.F., Randhawa, P.R., 2001. Molecular genotyping of BK and JC virus in human polyomavirus-associated interstitial nephritis after renal transplantation. Am. J. Kidney Dis. 38 (2), 354-365]. The amplified fragments were cloned, and the resultant clones were sequenced. In frozen samples, single sequences ('original' sequences) were detected in all cases. In formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples, not only the original sequences but also those with 1-6 base substitutions were detected. From formalin-soaked samples, the original sequences and those with 1-5 and 10-13 substitutions were detected. The genotyping of JCV DNA was not hampered by the presence of 1-6 substitutions, but a shift in JCV genotypes was observed in sequences with 10-13 substitutions. Thus, it was concluded that the genotypes of JCV DNA in the kidney can be determined only with specimens stored in a frozen state or formalin-fixed for a short time.     

Selective planting of cationized,haptenized ovalbumin on the rat tubular basement membrane

We developed an experimental protocol for planting exogenous antigens with different molecular weights and charges on the constituents of the renal tubulointerstitium. The cationized antigens were injected selectively into the left renal arteries of Wistar rats. Antigen localization was documented by immunohistochemistry on frozen sections. Cationized bovine serum albumin (BSA; 68 kDa, isoelectric point =9.5) localized almost exclusively along the glomerular capillary wall. After application of highly cationic polyethyleneimine, cationized BSA given subsequently was found in a linear distribution along the glomerular capillary wall and along the peritubular capillaries. The fate of highly cationized ovalbumin conjugated with trinitrophenol (TNP-OA), subjected to gel filtration to obtain monomers (42 kDa, isoelectric point >10) differed; it was deposited in a linear pattern on the tubular basement membrane (TBM) and Bowman's capsule, and remained up to 36 h after injection. Noncationized, monomeric TNP-OA (42 kDa, isolectnic point =4.6) showed fine granular deposition in the tubular epithelium exclusively. These findings indicate that the barrier of the glomerular BM acts selectively on antigens with different molecular weights. They either settle on the peritubular capillaries, after passing the glomerular, or reach the urinary space, after which they are reabsorbed by the tubular epithelial cells to reach the TBM.