Urine Growth Hormone Determinations Compared with Other Methods in the Assessment of Growth Hormone Secretion

Okuno, A., Yano, K., Itoh, Y., Hashida, S., Ishikawa, E., Mohri, Z-I. and Murakami, M. (Department of Paediatrics, Asahikawa Medical College, Hokkaido; Medical College of Miyazaki, Kiyotake, Miyazaki; and Research and Development Division, Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals Co Ltd, Hyogo, Japan). Urine growth hormone determinations compared with other methods in the assessment of growth hormone secretion. Acta Paediatr Scand [Suppl] 337:74, 1987.
Urinary excretion of hGH was studied in children with short stature using a sensitive sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique. Urinary hGH excretion, in terms of hGH: creatinine ratio, showed excellent correlation with the mean and peak hGH values during physiological and pharmacological tests. It seems that the urinary hGH levels reflect serum hGH profiles during the urine collection period. A border zone for the lower limits of normal hGH levels in the urine was 7.5–13.4 ng/g creatinine for the physiological test at night (from 2000 hours to 0600 hours) and 17.4–35.0 ng/g creatinine for the pharmacological tests. Assessment of hGH secretory status by the urinary hGH levels showed good agreement with the serum hGH response. Measurement of urinary hGH could be used as a diagnostic test for impaired hGH secretion, and the multiple blood drawing required in physiological and pharmacological tests might be replaced by urine sampling.     

Intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia

Intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia (IPEH) was first described by Masson.1 It is characterized by the development of endothelial-lined papillary projections in a vascular lumen. In Japan the disease was first reported by Tanimura et al.² in 1976, and since then over 30 cases have been described. In this reort we describe a case of IPEH together with the review of these Japanese cases.     

Zeta potential of human X- and Y-bearing sperm

The zeta potential of human X- and Y-bearing sperm was measured by two different methods: (i) using an electrophoretic light scattering spectrophotometer, and (ii) using a laser-rotating prism. The X- and Y-bearing sperm were separated by free-flow electrophoresis, and their purities were determined by staining for the F-body using quinacrine mustard. The zeta potential of the sperm in the fraction containing more than 80% Y-bearing sperm was approximately -16 mV, whereas that of sperm in the fraction containing more than 95% X-bearing sperm was approximately -20 mV. In other words, the net negative-charge on the cell surface of human X-bearing sperm is higher than that of Y-bearing sperm.     

Role of ureteroscopic biopsy in the management of upper urinary tract malignancy

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study presented here was to examine the accuracy of ureteroscopic biopsy in the diagnosis of upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) and whether nephron-sparing management (holmium YAG laser, transurethral resection or partial ureterectomy) is possible or not based on pathological diagnosis. METHODS: Forty consecutive patients underwent ureteroscopic biopsy with the use of 3-Fr cold cup forceps. Pathological diagnosis of the biopsy sample and grade or stage of surgically resected tumors were compared. In patients with grade 1 or 2 TCC diagnosed by ureteroscopic biopsy, the disease-free and survival rates determined whether nephron-sparing management was performed or not. RESULTS: There were no major complications associated with ureteroscopic biopsy. The pathological grading of the biopsy specimen was almost the same as that of the surgically resected specimen. Eighty five percent of grade 2 or 3 TCC showed muscle invasive disease. There were no significant differences in the disease-free and survival rates between the nephroureterectomy and the nephron-sparing management groups, except for grade 3 or pT3 tumors. CONCLUSION: Ureteroscopic biopsy is safe and accurate if sufficient tissue sample is obtained. Ureteroscopic biopsy should be performed in patients who require nephron-sparing management. Nephroureterectomy can be avoided if the tumor is confirmed as low-grade.     

Increased Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Levels in Spermatic Vein Blood of Seminoma Patients

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels in peripheral andspermatic vein blood in nine patients with seminoma were determinedby a radioimmuno-assay using antibody against the hCG beta-subunit(hCG-ß). HCG measured by this assay includes hCG,hCG-ß and immunoreactive hCG-like substances. Of thenine patients, hCG levels in both peripheral and spermatic veinblood were above the normal limit in three, only spermatic hCGlevels were elevated in four, and both levels were normal intwo. Spermatic hCG levels exceeded peripheral levels in sixof the seven patients who showed increased hCG levels in theblood of either or both veins. Elevation of hCG levels observedin these seminoma patients was definite but not so excessiveas usually seen in chorio-carcinoma. No giant syncytial cellswere found in any histological specimens of these seminomas.The high incidence of elevated spermatic vein hCG levels inseminoma patients suggests that the majority of seminomas producesmall amounts of hCG or radioimmunoreactive hCG-like substances. ^*Present address: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine,the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.     

Molecular and biochemical characterization of kettin in Caenorhabditis elegans

Kettin is a unique member of the connectin/titin family of muscle elastic proteins, which has repetitive immunoglobulin-like domains that are separated by weakly conserved linker sequences. In striated muscles of insects and crayfish, kettin binds to actin filaments and localizes to the Z-disc and its adjacent region in the I-band. Recent sequence analysis of invertebrate connectin/titin (also known as SLS proteins) has revealed that kettin is a splice variant of connectin/titin. In contrast, in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the kettin gene is independent of the genes for other connectin/titin-related proteins. Immunofluorescent localization of kettin shows that it localizes to the I-bands in the obliquely striated body wall muscle. Therefore, C. elegans is an attractive model system to study specific functions of kettin in muscle cells.     

Phyllodes tumor of the prostate: Recurrent obstructive symptom and stromal proliferative activity

We report the case of a 59-year-old man with a metachronous development of phyllodes tumor and adenocarcinoma of the prostate. He complained of urinary obstruction and transurethral resections of the prostate (TUR-P) had been performed six times in 10 years. Microscopic examination showed cystically dilated glands consisting of bizarre cells with pleomorphic, hyperchromatic nuclei in the stroma at the sixth TUR-P. Radical prostatectomy was performed against recurrences and adenocarcinoma was incidentally detected. Apparent up-regulation of proliferative nuclear antigens (PCNA), but not p53, was observed in the prostatectomy specimen by Western blotting. Active proliferation of stromal cells is considered to have caused the recurrent obstructive symptom.     

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the bladder 12 years after radical nephrectomy

We report, herein, a case of metastatic renal cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder. A 76-year-old man presented to our hospital. He had undergone right radical nephrectomy at 64 years of age. Cystoscopy revealed a solitary, spherical tumor 1.5 cm in size protruding into the urinary bladder. Transurethral resection was performed and the pathological diagnosis of the lesion was clear cell carcinoma. The patient is alive 12 months after recurrence to the bladder, under the administration of interleukin-2.     

Localized multiple neurofibromas

Two cases of localized multiple neurofibromas are reported. The patients had fairly large, closely grouped neurofibromas limited to a circumscribed part of the body, a very different clinical feature from segmental neurofibromatosis, but with otherwise had typical histopathological features. Possible aetiology is discussed.