The morphogenesis of testicular degeneration induced in rats by orally administered 2,5-hexanedione

The neurotoxic hexacarbon 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD) produces testicular atrophy in experimental animals. To examine the morphogenesis of the testicular lesion, 1.0% 2,5-HD was provided in the drinking water of adult F-344 rats for up to 6 weeks. After 3 weeks of administration, there were occasional large vacuoles in the basal region of the germinal epithelium. At 4 weeks, these vacuoles were much larger and more numerous; electron microscopy demonstrated that they were derived from the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The vacuoles were preferentially associated with stages 12, 13, 14, and 1 of the spermatogenic cycle. Additionally, at 4 weeks there was a significant decrease in the number of tubules in stages 7 and 13, and a concomitant increase in the percentage of tubules in stages 3, 5, and 6. By Week 5, most Golgi-phase and cap-phase spermatids were visibly affected, showing margination of nuclear chromatin, and were becoming dissociated from Sertoli cells. Frequent multinucleated giant cells were seen and electron microscopy of these cells suggested that they were derived from fused spermatocytes or spermatids. After 6 weeks, fewer giant cells were present, most tubules contained cellular debris, and many showed empty lumina encircled by a thin ring of cytoplasm near the basement membrane. Interstitial tissue appeared unaffected. These studies indicate that the Sertoli cell is probably an initial target for 2,5-HD action in the testis.     

The dual effect of L-proline on spreading depression in the chicken retina

Evidence was presented for a glutamate agonistic effect of L-proline which promotes K+-based spreading depressions (SD) in chick retinas at relatively high concentrations (5 mM), in addition to an antagonistic effect which inhibits glutamate-based SDs at lower (2 mM) concentrations. Together these effects explain the observed biphasic effect of L-proline on the incidence of SD in the retina.     

MRL/lpr-->severe combined immunodeficiency mouse allografts produce autoantibodies, acute graft-versus-host disease or a wasting syndrome depending on the source of cells.

MRL/lpr (lpr) mice spontaneously develop a lupus-like illness as well as massive lymphadenopathy. Attempts to transfer autoimmunity by adoptive transfer or radiation bone marrow chimeras have been unsuccessful. Since severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice have been engrafted with human and rat xenografts without apparent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), we subjected SCID mice to low-dose irradiation and reconstituted the mice with spleen cells from young or old lpr mice or with lpr bone marrow. Fourteen out of twenty (70%) of SCID mice engrafted with spleen cells from old lpr mice produced autoantibodies (anti-DNA and anti-Sm) without evidence of the severe lymphoid atrophy previously described for lpr spleen-->+/+ chimeras. SCID mice engrafted with spleen cells from young lpr mice developed acute GVHD and 5/6 (83%) died within 4 weeks post-transfer. Although 8/11 (73%) of lpr-->SCID bone marrow allografts survived for at least 4 months, these mice developed a wasting disease characterized by lymphoid atrophy and fibrosis without the production of autoantibodies. None of the lpr-->SCID grafts resulted in the transfer of double negative T cells or the lymphoproliferative syndrome characteristic of MRL/lpr mice. These findings indicate that SCID mice can be engrafted with splenocytes from old MRL/lpr mice and that B cells continue to secrete autoantibodies for several months in the SCID recipients. This study also demonstrates that, unlike i.p. transplant of xenogeneic cells, acute GVHD is a consistent feature of i.p. transplants of normal allogeneic mononuclear cells into SCID mice.     

A portable device for the rapid concentration of viruses from large volumes of natural freshwater

A portable device for the rapid concentration of viruses from natural freshwaters described and its performance in field use is evaluated. The system handled up to 500 litres of water in less than 90 min at a cost of only 2 pounds per sample. Where the samples contained sufficient bacteriophages for detection by direct plating the apparent phage recoveries were greater than 75%. Plant and animal viruses were also concentrated from waters with this system.     

Cx43在造血调控及重建中的作用

目的:采用条件性基因敲除技术构建造血系统间隙连接蛋白43(Cx43)基因敲除(Cx43~(-/-))小鼠模型,并探讨Cx43在维持造血细胞自我更新及功能稳定中的作用。方法:将引进的2对转基因小鼠Cx43 loxP/loxP和Lyz-Cre/+杂交,选取F1雌性子代Cx43 loxP/-_Lyz-Cre/+与雄性Cx43 loxP/loxP合笼回配,提取所获得子代小鼠鼠尾组织基因组DNA,采用PCR方法鉴定小鼠基因型,RT-PCR方法筛选Cx43~(-/-)小鼠,同时分析小鼠不同器官中Cx43基因的表达差异;该类小鼠经5-氟尿嘧啶(5-FU;125 mg/kg)处理,在化疗前及化疗后第5、10和15天经眼球取血分析其血象变化。Cx43~(-/-)及Cx43~(+/+)小鼠予7.5 Gy(~(60)Co-γ)的致死量照射,剂量率1 Gy/min,照射后6 h分别给予事先准备就序的骨髓细胞,每只3×10~6细胞于尾静脉注入,2周后处死小鼠检测造血是否重建:分离股骨切片后,收集骨髓细胞进行细胞表型分析(选用的单抗为CD45R、Gr-1、CD4、 CD8a、TCRαβ、Mac-1、抗sIgM、TER119、Sca-1及CD117);同时进行体外造血细胞集落实验观察造血细胞的体外增殖能力。结果:本研究通过2种转基因小鼠间杂交和回交,成功获得造血系统选择性Cx43基因敲除小鼠;该类小鼠骨髓及外周血细胞无Cx43表达,参与造血的组织,如肝脏和脾脏中Cx43表达也显著下调(P0.01),而心脏和肾脏的Cx43表达则无影响,小鼠成年后外周血象分析并无明显异常,但应急代偿能力下降,经5-FU处理后,其造血功能恢复显著减缓,处理15 d后,Cx43~(+/+)小鼠造血功能已接近正常水平,而Cx43~(-/-)小鼠仍无明显的恢复迹象,血红蛋白、白细胞及血小板仍处低位,2者差别有统计学显著性(P0.01);体外集落试验也证实Cx43~(-/-)小鼠造血干/祖细胞的增殖能力下降,其CFU-GM或CFU-E集落数均明显少于Cx43~(+/+)小鼠(P0.01),但流式细胞术结果显示,Cx43~(-/-)小鼠骨髓中Lin~-/c-Kit~+/Sca-1~+细胞亚群数量与Cx43~(+/+)小鼠相比差异并无统计学显著性;Cx43~(-/-)小鼠在化疗或移植后其骨髓造血功能重建均延迟,且化疗15 d后骨髓切片及涂片均证实其骨髓中造血细胞增生程度明显降低,脂肪组织显著增多,而且T、B细胞发育也有异常。此外,其外周血中CD4~+CD8~+细胞比例比野生型小鼠增多(P0.05),但CD4~+T细胞显著减少(P0.01),尤其是TCRαβ亚群细胞减少最为明显(P0.01)。同样,Cx43~(-/-)小鼠外周血中CD45R~+sIgM~-细胞亚群比例与野生型小鼠相比显著减少(P0.01)。结论:骨髓中Cx43基因表达在造血干/祖细胞发育(尤其是应急状态时)具重要作用,敲除Cx43基因后造血干/祖细胞增殖减缓,造血及免疫重建功能受损。     

Molecular pathology of well-differentiated thyroid carcinomas

The newly discovered molecular features of well-differentiated thyroid carcinomas derived from follicular cells are reviewed, within the frame of the 2004 WHO classification of thyroid tumours, under the following headings: “Follicular carcinoma”, “Papillary carcinoma”, “Follicular variant of papillary carcinoma” and “Hürthle cell tumours”. A particular emphasis is put on the meaning of PAX8–PPARγ rearrangements, RAS and BRAF mutations, and deletions and mutations of mitochondrial genes and of nuclear genes encoding for mitochondrial enzymes, for thyroid tumorigenesis.     

IVF/ICSI outcome and serum LH concentration on day 1 of ovarian stimulation with recombinant FSH under pituitary suppression

BACKGROUND: Down-regulation with GnRH agonist has been suggested to result in a profound suppression of LH bioactivity, reduced estradiol synthesis, and thus impaired IVF and pregnancy outcome. The aims of this study were: (i) to assess the usefulness of serum LH measurement on stimulation day 1 as a predictor of ovarian response, conception and pregnancy outcome in patients treated with long-term down-regulation with GnRH agonist and recombinant FSH, and (ii) to define the best threshold LH value, if any, to discriminate between women with different outcomes of IVF. METHODS: Records of 2625 cycles in 1652 infertile women undergoing IVF (n = 1856) and/or ICSI (n = 769) treatment were reviewed. RESULTS: The range of LH concentrations on stimulation day 1 overlapped among non-conception cycles, conception cycles, ongoing pregnancies and early pregnancy losses. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that serum LH concentrations on stimulation day 1 were unable to discriminate between conception and non-conception cycles (AUC(ROC) = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.49-0.54) or ongoing pregnancies versus early pregnancy loss groups (AUC(ROC) = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.47-0.57). Stratification for various low serum levels of LH did not reveal significant differences with respect to conception or pregnancy outcome among different LH levels on stimulation day 1. CONCLUSIONS: Serum LH concentration on stimulation day 1 cannot predict ovarian response, conception and pregnancy outcome in women receiving long-term down-regulation during assisted reproduction treatment.     

A lower ongoing pregnancy rate can be expected when GnRH agonist is used for triggering final oocyte maturation instead of HCG in patients undergoing IVF with GnRH antagonists

BACKGROUND: Eliciting an endogenous LH surge by GnRH-agonist for the induction of final oocyte maturation may be more physiological compared with the administration of HCG. However, the efficacy of this intervention in patients treated for IVF with GnRH antagonists remains to be assessed. METHODS: 106 patients were randomized to receive either 10 000 IU urinary HCG or 0.2 mg Triptorelin for triggering final oocyte maturation. Ovarian stimulation for IVF was performed with a fixed dose of 200 IU recombinant FSH and GnRH antagonist was started on stimulation day 6. Luteal phase was supported with micronized vaginal progesterone and oral estradiol. The study was monitored continuously for safety and stopping rules were established. RESULTS: No significant differences were present in the number of cumulus-oocyte complexes retrieved, in the proportion of metaphase II oocytes, in fertilization rates or in the number and quality of the embryos transferred between the two groups. However, a significantly lower probability of ongoing pregnancy in the GnRH agonist arm prompted discontinuation of the trial, according to the stopping rules established (odds ratio 0.11; 95% confidence interval 0.02-0.52). CONCLUSIONS: Lower probability of ongoing pregnancy can be expected when GnRH agonist is used for triggering final oocyte maturation instead of HCG in patients undergoing ovarian stimulation for IVF with GnRH antagonists.     

Adrenomedullin and vascular endothelial growth factor production by follicular fluid macrophages and granulosa cells

BACKGROUND: Human follicular fluid contains several substances, such as cytokines and growth factors, which may affect follicular growth and maturation. The present study examines the relative contribution of macrophages and granulosa cells in the production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and adrenomedullin in the human ovulatory follicle. METHODS: Both follicular fluid samples and blood samples were obtained at the time of oocyte retrieval following ovarian stimulation from 20 women undergoing IVF treatment because of male infertility. Human follicular fluid macrophages and luteinized granulosa cells were obtained from pooled follicular fluid of individual patients. Accumulation of VEGF and adrenomedullin in the culture medium of the isolated macrophages and human granulosa cells was determined at variable time intervals ranging from 0 to 48 h. Plasma and follicular fluid concentrations of VEGF and adrenomedullin were also measured. RESULTS: The follicular fluid concentrations of VEGF and adrenomedullin were significantly higher than those found in plasma. After 48 h, accumulation of VEGF in the culture medium of follicular fluid macrophages was significantly higher than that released in the culture medium of luteinized granulosa cells. In contrast, the production rate of adrenomedullin by follicular fluid macrophages was similar to that found in granulosa cells. VEGF secreted by follicular fluid macrophages increased progressively within 48 h of cell culture. A similar response pattern was observed with the culture medium of luteinized granulosa cells, but with lower production rates. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests for the first time that both luteinized granulosa cells and macrophages actively secrete VEGF and adrenomedullin into follicular fluid in the human ovary.     

Cytokeratin 5/6 in normal human breast: lack of evidence for a stem cell phenotype

In recent studies, B?cker and colleagues described a population of cells in paraffin wax sections of normal human breast that express cytokeratins (CK) 5/6 without expression of CK8/18 or smooth muscle actin (SMA). They proposed that these represent stem cells that give rise to differentiated luminal and myoepithelial cells. The data have been used to generate a model for breast cancer progression and classification with associated implications for management of pre-invasive disease. In this study, the expression of CK5/6, CK8/18, and SMA was investigated using multiple immunofluorescence on matched pairs of paraffin wax-embedded and frozen breast specimens. The staining patterns reported previously in antigen-retrieved paraffin wax-embedded sections were confirmed but no CK5/6-only cells were found in frozen sections of normal breast. There were cells with low levels of CK8/18 expression in frozen sections that may correspond to the CK8/18 'negative' cells seen in paraffin wax sections. This study brings into question the previously described profile of breast 'stem cells' based on CK5/6 staining and hence the breast cancer progression model and classification based on this phenotype.