Crohn's ileocolitis with initially superimposed cytomegalovirus infection, resembling intestinal tuberculosis]

We describe a case of 41-year-old Japanese man with Crohn's ileocolitis and cytomegalovirus infection, confirmed by histology of ileal ulcers. Although his colonoscopic and radiological features resembled those of intestinal tuberculosis, granulomas of typical Crohn's disease were evident on histology of biopsy specimens taken from the duodenum and colon. The lesions remain unchanged even after 1.5 years by oral administration of salazosulphapyridine 3g daily.     

Developmental toxicity potential of grayanotoxin I in mice and chicks

Developmental toxicity potential of grayanotoxin I (GTX I), a toxic diterpenoid contained in plants of the family Ericaceae, with sodium ionophore activity, was studied in mice and chicks. In mice, intraperitoneal injections of 1.5 mg GTX I/kg body weight of mouse for three consecutive days during the organogenetic period caused some dams to die, but neither embryotoxicity nor teratogenicity was detected. In chicks, a single injection of 0.1-1.0 microgram GTX I per egg into the extraembryonic coelom on day 1.5 or 2 of incubation, or into the amnionic cavity on day 3 or 4 of incubation induced neither embryotoxic nor teratogenic signs, but 10 micrograms GTX I per egg showed lethal effects when applied on each of those days.     

Effects of iodine-enriched egg (IE-egg) on nasal allergy: basic and clinical investigations

The effect of iodine-enriched egg (IE-egg) on nasal allergy was investigated using an experimental allergic model. In addition, the effect of IE-egg was investigated using patients with yearly nasal allergy. IE-egg could suppress the leakage of pontamine sky blue dye in the experimental allergic model. beta-Glucuronidase activity in the perfusate was suppressed with the ingestion of IE-egg. The symptoms of the patients with yearly nasal allergy were mitigated by the ingestion of IE-egg. beta-Glucuronidase activity in the pituita of nasal allergic patients tended to be decreased.     

Ryanodine: its possible mechanism of action in the caffeine-sensitive calcium store of smooth muscle

The caffeine-sensitive intracellular Ca store was characterized and the mechanism of action of ryanodine in the store was studied using K-depolarized guinea-pig taenia caecum. (1) After incubation of the preparation with CaCl₂ (Ca loading), caffeine was applied in Ca-deprived medium, to produce a transient contraction and to monitor the amount of the stored Ca. As duration of Ca deprivation was prolonged, the amplitude of the caffeine-induced contraction was decreased. When ryanodine was applied during Ca deprivation, the rate of the decrease was remarkably accelerated. (2) The rate of rise of the contraction induced by external Ca ((Ca)o) was slowed by preceding depletion of the stored Ca by caffeine, compared with that observed in the Ca loaded preparation. However, in the presence of ryanodine, even if stored Ca was depleted by caffeine, the rate of rise of the (Ca)o-induced contraction remained at a higher level. (3) These results suggest that ryanodine stimulates a leak of the stored Ca, and that the contraction induced by the transmembrane influxed Ca could be modulated by the amount of Ca in, or leakiness of, the caffeine-sensitive Ca store.     

Block of sodium channels by tyramine and its analogue (N-feruloyl tyramine) in frog ventricular myocytes.

Pharmacological effects of tyramine and its analogue, N-feruloyl tyramine (NFT), on sodium and calcium currents in frog ventricular myocytes were examined using the whole-cell voltage-clamp technique. To improve the temporal and spatial control of the membrane potential, sodium currents (INa) were recorded in 45.5 mM [Na+]o at 10 degrees C. Both tyramine and NFT (1-100 microM) induced a concentration-dependent decrease in INa evoked from a holding potential of -80 mV without affecting a change in either the time to peak or the time constant for the falling phase of INa. Similarly the reversal potential for INa remained unchanged at a value close to that predicted from the Nernst equation. The finding that both tyramine and NFT decreased INa when activated maximally, from a holding potential of -120 mV, indicates that the amplitude of INa can be reduced independently of a change in the kinetics of the current. In addition, tyramine (100 microM) shifted the membrane potential for half maximal inactivation (Vh) of the steady-state inactivation (h infinity)-curve from -74 to -84 mV without affecting its slope. In contrast, NFT failed to affect the h infinity-curve. The calcium current (ICa) recorded in the presence of 0.3 microM TTX was not affected by either 100 microM tyramine or NFT. We concluded that tyramine directly blocks Na channel by shifting h infinity-curve and by suppressing maximum Na channel conductance, while NFT suppresses only maximum Na channel conductance.     

Translocation (1;22)(p36;q11.2) with concurrent del(22)(q11.2) resulted in homozygous deletion of <Emphasis Type="Italic">SNF5/INI1</Emphasis> in a newly established cell line derived from extrarenal rhabdoid tumor

Malignant rhabdoid tumor (MRT) is a highly malignant pediatric cancer, which arises in various sites such as the kidney, brain, and soft tissues. Cytogenetic studies have revealed alterations of 22q11 in MRT. Recently, deletions and mutations of the SNF5/INI1 locus in 22q11.2 have been reported in MRT, suggesting that SNF5/INI1 is a tumor suppressor gene for MRT. Here we report our molecular cytogenetic study for a newly established cell line from extrarenal MRT with t(1;22)(p36;q11.2). Consequently, the reciprocal translocation was associated with the interstitial deletion of a small segment including SNF5/INI1, and another, chromosome 22, showed terminal deletion, the breakpoint of which was located 70–80 kb centromeric to SNF5/INI1, resulting in homozygous deletion of SNF5/INI1 in this cell line.     

A CASE OF ALPORT'S SYNDROME

A 19-year-old female belonging to a family of Alport's syndrome was autopsied and her kidneys were examined in detail light and electron microscopically. The basement membrane was examined chiefly and the laminated thickening and/or splitting, looseness, irregularity and rail-like appearance of lamina densa were found in the glomerular, Bowman's capsular, tubular and interstitial capillary basement membranes. These findings were strongly suggestive of Alport's syndrome, whether or not the particles are seen in the basement membrane. In addition, Japanese reports on Alport's syndrome (total 48 families) were summarized and renal lesions were examined in comparison. It has been said that the prognosis is worse in the male than in the female, but according to our Investigation on case reports in Japan, the prognosis showed no difference between male and female.