Experimental osteodystrophy of chronic renal failure induced by aluminum- and ferric-nitrilotriacetate in Wistar rats

The aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe) chelate complexes of nitrilotriacetate (NTA) cause renal insufficiency when they are administered intraperitoneally to rats. Their effects on bone metabolism were studied in 4 week old Wistar rats. Daily intraperitoneal administration of Al-NTA (3 mg Al/kg for 11 weeks) induced osteomalacia, impaired bone growth, decreased bone mineral density, lower serum PTH levels than normal as well as renal insufficiency. Al staining showed diffuse deposition in the trabecula and a strong linear band of aluminum deposited at the mineralization front and along the cement line. The osteoid seen markedly within the trabecula was probably the decalcified portion of the bone, the calcium apatite of which was defectively fabricated because of diffuse Al deposition in the trabecula. Al deposition along the cement line would make it much more susceptible to external shear stress than normal. Although daily intraperitoneal administration of Fe-NTA (6 mg Fe/kg for 11 weeks) caused impaired bone growth, decreased bone mineral content and renal insufficiency, the osteoid volume did not increase. Fe staining showed that Fe was deposited diffusely in the cytoplasm of osteoblasts. The results of this study demonstrated that during renal insufficiency, different minerals exhibi different modes of action on bone metabolism, and that AI-NTA is useful for experimental animal models of Al-induced osteomalacia in renal insufficiency.     

Reproduction of menstrual changes in transplanted human endometrial tissue in immunodeficient mice

BACKGROUND: Cultures of human endometrial tissue are useful for analysing the mechanisms underlying the menstrual cycle. However, long-term culture of endometrial tissue is difficult in vitro. Xenotransplantation of normal human endometrial tissue into immunodeficient mice could allow prolonged survival of the transplanted tissues. METHODS: Proliferative-phase endometrial tissue samples from three women were transplanted into the subcutaneous space of ovariectomized, immunodeficient, non-obese diabetic (NOD)/severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)/gammaC(null) (NOG) mice. The mice were treated with 17beta-estradiol (E2) for the first 14 days after transplantation, followed by E2 plus progesterone for the next 14 days. The transplants were investigated morphologically and immunohistochemically at various times after implantation. RESULTS: The transplanted tissues contained large numbers of small glands, pseudostratification of the nuclei and dense stroma after treatment with E2 alone. After treatment with E2 plus progesterone, subnuclear vacuolation, luminal secretion and decidualization of the stroma were observed. When the hormone treatment ceased, tissue destruction occurred and the transplants returned to the proliferative phase. Lymphocytes were identified immunohistochemically: the numbers of CD56-positive and CD16-negative cells increased significantly in the stroma during the late secretory phase (day 28). CONCLUSIONS: Human endometrial tissue transplanted into NOG mice showed similar histological changes to eutopic endometrial tissue during treatment with sex steroid hormones for 1 month. Moreover, lymphocytes were produced in the transplanted human endometrial tissue. This system represents a new experimental model of the human endometrium in vivo.     

The properties of the Kir6.1–6.2 tandem channel co-expressed with SUR2A

Functional ATP-sensitive K (KATP) channels have an octameric subunit structure with four pore-forming subunits (Kir6.x) and four sulfonylurea receptors (SURx). In the present study, the properties of the heteromeric KATP channel whose pore subunits are composed of Kir6.1 and Kir6.2 were examined using a heterologous expression system. In COS7 cells co-transfected with Kir6.1, Kir6.2 and SUR2A at a ratio of 1:1:2, KATP channels showed various unitary conductances between those of Kir6.1/SUR2A (33.6+/-4.2 pS) and Kir6.2/ SUR2A (67.1+/-1.6 pS). Kir6.1-6.2 tandem protein, constructed by fusing the C-terminus of Kir6.1 to the N-terminus of Kir6.2 with a ten glutamine linker sequence, also formed a channel with an intermediate conductance (58.9+/-1.5 pS). Kir6.2 and Kir6.1-6.2 showed similar sensitivity to ATP4-: half-maximal inhibition (IC50) was obtained at 14.1+/-12.8 microM and 17.6+/-9.6 microM, respectively. In the presence of Mg2+, Kir6. 1-6.2 was significantly less sensitive than Kir6.2 to MgATP (IC50=95.5+/-49.6 microM versus 18.9+/-5.0 microM). These results suggest that Kir6.1 and Kir6.2 are endowed with the potential to form a heteromeric KATP channel, which has a low sensitivity to MgATP.     

Rapid detection of Epstein-Barr virus DNA by loop-mediated isothermal amplification method.

BACKGROUND: The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method is a novel technique for the amplification of specific DNA sequences. OBJECTIVES: To establish the LAMP method for amplifying Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA and to examine its reliability for the detection of EBV DNA in clinical specimens. STUDY DESIGN: Sera from 108 patients, who were initially suspected of primary EBV infection, were tested by the EBV LAMP method, and the results were compared with those of the real-time PCR assay. Serological examination was regarded as the standard diagnostic method. RESULTS: To diagnose primary EBV infection, the sensitivity of LAMP was 86.4% and the specificity was 100%. The sensitivity of the real-time PCR assay was 84.1% and the specificity was 98.4%. Longitudinal analysis showed that the detection rate of EBV DNA in serum by the LAMP method decreased with time in accordance with the decrease of the EBV load. EBV DNA could not be detected in serum 40 days after onset of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the sensitivity and specificity of the LAMP method are comparable to those of real-time PCR and that detecting EBV DNA in serum by this method is potentially useful for diagnosing primary EBV infection.     

Fertilization and early embryology: Effects of embryo density and co-culture of unfertilized oocytes on embryonic development of in-vitro fertilized mouse embryos

We have evaluated the effects of embryo density and the co-cultureof unfertilized (degenerating) oocytes on the development ofin-vitro fertilized (IVF) mouse embryos. In experiment 1, groupsof one, five, 10 or 20 zygotes were cultured in 20 µldrops of modified human tubal fluid (HTF) medium for 168 h at38.7°C in 5% CO₂ and 95% air. As the embryo density increased,significantly (P < 0.05) higher rates of embryos reachedhatched blastocyst stage. In addition, the time required forhatching after IVF was significantly (P < 0.05) shortenedby the increase in embryo density. In experiment 2, 10 IVF zygoteswere cultured with or without 10 unfertilized (degenerating)oocytes in 20 µl drops of HTF medium. The rates of IVFembryos that developed to morula, blastocyst, expanded blastocystand hatched blastocyst stages were decreased significantly (P< 0.01) by culturing embryos with unfertilized oocytes comparedwith culturing embryos alone. In experiment 3, groups of oneor 10 IVF zygotes or 10 IVF zygotes plus 10 unfertilized oocyteswere cultured in 20 µl drops of HTF medium and the numberof cells per blastocyst was examined at 120 h after IVF. Increasingembryo density resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) increasein the number of cells per blastocyst. In contrast, the cellnumber of IVF embryos that developed to blastocyst decreasedsignificantly (P < 0.05) when they were cultured with unfertilizedoocytes. The results suggest that in-vitro development of IVFmouse embryos is enhanced by increasing embryo density and isimpaired by co-culture with unfertilized (degenerating) oocytes.     

High-grade dysplasia associated with fundic gland polyposis in a familial adenomatous polyposis patient, with special reference to APC mutation profiles.

We report a patient with familial adenomatous polyposis who developed high-grade dysplasia against a background of fundic gland polyposis. Two large high-grade dysplasia lesions were found in the gastric body, where numerous fundic gland polyps were present. In both lesions, the dysplastic epithelium covered non-neoplastic oxyntic glands that occasionally exhibit cystic changes. A genetic analysis for APC (adenomatous polyposis coli) revealed a somatic 50-bp deletion involving codons 1502-1517 and 2-bp deletion at codon 1465 in each lesion of high-grade dysplasia. In contrast, six of the 18 fundic gland polyps were found to harbor an identical mutation: 1-bp insertion at codon 1556. Both lesions of high-grade dysplasia and the fundic gland polyps were similarly located in the fundic gland area and were caused by the inactivation of APC; however, their mutation profiles of APC were different. These results imply that fundic gland polyps and high-grade dysplasia of the stomach have distinct preferences for APC genotypes in their development.     

Validation of ECRHS Questionnaire in Japanese to use for nation-wide prevalence study of adult asthma]

PURPOSE: To enable international comparison of prevalence in asthma, we translated and evaluated ECRHS Questionnaire, which is introduced in GINA. Considering COPD prevalence in elder people, we added two questions to the ECRHS Questionnaire. METHOD: The Japanese edition of ECRHS Questionnaire was responded by 366 patients who were diagnosed asthma without COPD, 61 patients who were diagnosed COPD without asthma, and 137 healthy persons who were not diagnosed asthma or COPD. We analyzed the answers of the each group and evaluated the validity of the questionnaire to use for the nation-wide prevalence study of adult asthma in future. RESULTS: The question of 'Wheezing at any time in the last 12 months' had the highest Youden's index and validity to pick up asthma patients. The questions of 'Waking up with a feeling of tightness in chest at any time in the last 12 months' and 'Waking up by an attack of shortness of breath at any time in the last 12 month' had the highest specificity to pick up asthma patients. Most of the questions which were related asthma were able to be answered by asthma patients properly, but some questions were improperly answered by patients and healthy persons in elderly. The results in this study showed the less recognition of their diseases in elderly patients than younger patients and the limitation of the study with written questionnaire for elderly people. Not a few COPD patients complained wheezing or whistling in the chests as same as asthma patients in this study. CONCLUSION: We concluded that we had almost enough reliability in the Japanese edition of the ECRHS questionnaire for screening survey of asthma prevalence in Japan.     

Practical application of nutritional assessment protein and inflammatory marker in the nutrition support team (NST)

Recently nutrition support team (NST) has been established for the purpose of prevention of complications which are caused by nutrition disorders and reduction of the medical expenses. Although physical examinations and blood biochemical data had been used as the indexes evaluating nutritional of patients, they were not suitable for the evaluation for the short-term in-patient. On the contrary, serum albumin (ALB) has been wildly used as a nutritional marker. However, it is impossible to evaluate nutrition state for the short-term in-patient and acute phase disease patient accurately, because the plasma half-life is 21 days and it takes long time to detect the change in nutritional state by its value. Rapid turnover proteins (RTP), whose plasma half-life is shorter, has paid attention to evaluate nutritional state for the short-term in-patients and acute phase disease patients. Although, prognostic inflammatory and nutritional index (PINI) was considered as a useful maker for evaluating inflammatory and nutritional states using the concentrations of transthyretin (TTR), a RTP, alpha1-acid glycoprotein (alpha1-AG), a chronic inflammation marker, C reactive protein (CRP), a acute inflammation marker, and ALB, However, it has several pitfalls. We newly made serum amyloid A (SAA) index using SAA instead of CRP. When we compared SAA index with PINI in many diseases, it turned out that SAA index became a more effective index which reflected the patient condition than did PINI. As for this index, it is expected to be used by NST while further alternation may be needed.     

Expression of EGF, EGF-receptor, p53, v-erb B and ras p21 in colorectal neoplasms by immunostaining paraffin-embedded tissues

Immunohistochemical studies were performed to clarify the significance of the expression or overexpression of epidermal growth factor (EGF), EGF-receptor (EGFR), p53, v- erb B, ras p21 in 23 cases each of tubular adenoma and adenocarcinoma. The expression of EGF, EGFR, p53, v- erb B, and ras p21 in paraffin-embedded tissues, from 46 patients with colorectal tumors (adenoma: 23 cases; 14 mild dysplasia, six moderate dysplasia, three severe dysplasia, adenocarcinoma: 23 cases; 17 well differentiated, two moderately differentiated, three poorly differentiated, one mucinous carcinoma was analyzed immunohistochemically using anti-EGF, EGFR, p53, v- erb B and ras p21 antibodies. The EGF and ras p21 tended to express more strongly in carcinoma cases than in the adenoma cases, and in severe and moderate dysplasia than in mild dysplasia (EGF: stained positive in five adenomas [21.74%] and 17 adenocarcinomas [73.91%]; ras p21: stained positive in six adenomas [26.09%] and 14 adenocarcinomas [60.87%]. The EGFR stained positive in two adenomas (8.70%) and two adenocarcinomas (8.70%). The p53 and v- erb B showed positive staining only in the carcinoma cases (p53: stained positive in four cases [17.39%]; v- erb B: stained positive in eight cases [34.78%]). This study suggests that these factors seem to have some role in the progression of colon neoplasms. It suggests that genetic alteration is not always equal to the overexpression of protein products, but that it reflects them well, and that the staining makes some contribution to differential diagnosis in colorectal neoplasms.