Epstein-Barr Virus-induced Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines from Patients with Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases

Peripheral lymphocytes from eight patients with congenital immunodeficiency diseases were infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in an attempt to establish B lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL). These patients included three boys with congenital agammaglobulinaemia, two girls with hypogammaglobulinaemia, one boy with common variable immunodeficiency, one boy with severe combined immunodeficiency with adenosine deaminase deficiency, and one boy with DiGeorge syndrome. Five of the patients bore no surface immunoglobulins (slg) on their peripheral lymphocytes. LCL were established from seven of the eight patients. All the LCL established formed rosettes with EAC3 and had the ability to produce cytoplasmic immunoglobulins (clg) of various classes. Culture supernatants concentrated up to 100-fold developed precipitin bands by Ouchterlony's method with antisera to human Ig in all the established LCL. These results suggested that both slg^-, clg^- and C3⁺ cells and slg⁺, clg^- and C3⁺ cells might be the target cells for EBV and that slg^-, clg^- and C3⁺ cells might be the precursor cells of B lymphocytes.     

Uterine metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report

The extrahepatic spread of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is uncommon. Moreover, metastatic uterine tumor from extragenital primaries is rare. We report a 63-year-old woman with uterine metastasis from HCC. She had undergone transcatheter arterial embolization four times and surgery for HCC from 2-4 years before. This time, she underwent resection of a newborn, head-sized uterine tumor that was proven to be metastasis from HCC. This is the first described case of metastatic uterine tumor originated from HCC.     

Risk of Lung Cancer by Histologic Type among Smokers in Miyagi Prefecture

Smoking habits of the 827 lung cancer patients aged 40 yearsor over who were treated in the Sendai Kosei Hospital from 1977–82were compared with those in the general population of a non-metropolitandistrict in northern Japan, which we recently surveyed by mailquestionnaire. The relative risks of lung cancer by histologictype adjusted by age and area of residence were as follows:1.9 for adenocarcinoma, 4.3 for squamous cell carcinoma, 3.9for small cell carcinoma and 3.4 for large cell carcinoma inmen, and 2.9, 6.4, 4.5 and 4.0 for these histologic types, respectively,in women. These elevated risks were all statistically significant(p < 0.05). These findings suggest that smoking habits shouldbe carefully considered when studying the etiology of any celltype of lung cancer, even adenocarcinoma, which often has beenthought to be unrelated to smoking habits.     

Distribution of γ-Glutamyl Transpeptidase in Male Reproductive System of Rats and its Age-Related Changes

The present study is designed to investigate localization of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GTP) in male reproductive organs and its age-related changes using Wistar rats aged 2 to 15 weeks. Histochemically, gamma-GTP activity was detected intensively in epithelial cells of epididymides and seminal vesicles and weakly in those of anterior prostates, but not in testes under the present conditions. Biochemically, the highest gamma-GTP activity was found in epididymal head portions. The order of the activity was epididymides (head greater than body greater than tail), seminal vesicles, prostates and testes. The activity increases with sexual maturation in epididymides and seminal vesicles, but not in prostates. Since gamma-GTP is an enzyme involved in the incorporation of amino acids, the present findings suggest that not only epididymides but also seminal vesicles possess uptake mechanisms for amino acids.     

Assessment of Angiographic Coronary Calcification and Plaque Composition in Virtual Histology Intravascular Ultrasound

Objectives

We assessed the relation between coronary plaque composition and angiographic calcification by using virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH‐IVUS).

Background

The plaque vulnerability according to angiographic calcification is unclear.

Methods

Subjects were 140 consecutive patients (145 lesions) undergoing VH‐IVUS before percutaneous coronary intervention. Subjects were divided into 4 groups: no calcification group (n = 27), spotty group (n = 65) that had calcium deposits under 90° in grayscale IVUS, intermediate group (n = 37) had calcium deposits with 90° or more and under 180°, and extensive group (n = 16) had calcium deposits with 180° or more.

Results

The number of VH thin‐cap fibroatheromas in spotty group was significantly larger than no calcification group, intermediate group, and extensive group (0.66 ± 0.71 vs 0.22 ± 0.42 [P < 0.01], 0.32 ± 0.48 [P < 0.05], 0.13 ± 0.34 [P < 0.01], respectively). Spotty group without angiographic calcification had significantly larger %necrotic core than with angiographic calcification (24.5 ± 6.7% vs 19.9 ± 7.2%, P < 0.05). Intermediate group without angiographic calcification had significantly larger necrotic core area than with angiographic calcification (2.5 ± 0.9 mm² vs 1.7 ± 0.9 mm², P < 0.05). Extensive group with angiographic calcification had significantly larger %dense calcium than without angiographic calcification (18.3 ± 4.0% vs 13.4 ± 4.4%, P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Lesions with spotty calcification was highly vulnerable in VH‐IVUS. Spotty or intermediate plaque calcification without angiographic calcification was more vulnerable than those with angiographic calcification. Extensive plaque calcification with angiographic calcification had more dense calcium than those without angiographic calcification.

     

Fluctuations in plasma macrophage colony‐stimulating factor levels during autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for haematologic diseases

Plasma macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (M‐CSF) levels were measured in 13 haematologic patients treated with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). Six of the patients showed an increase in M‐CSF peak levels (> 3000 pg/ml) during the conditioning and stem cell infusion period. The peak levels of M‐CSF in this phase correlated with thrombomodulin levels, indicating the endothelial origin of plasma M‐CSF. However, the M‐CSF levels were not influenced by TNFα. More patients with high M‐CSF levels (> 5000 pg/ml) suffered from organ failure than those with lower M‐CSF levels. These results suggest that high M‐CSF levels may correlate with cellular or organ damage in patients treated with PBSCT.     

Urothelial carcinoma (clear cell variant) diagnosed with useful immunohistochemistry stain

The case is reported of urothelial carcinoma (clear cell variant) that was diagnosed with useful immunohistochemistry stain. A 70-year-old man, who had undergone left radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma in August 2003 and partial lobectomy for pulmonary metastasis in May 2005, complained of hematuria in June 2005. On evaluation, a papillary pedunculated tumor was detected in the left wall of the urinary bladder. A transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TUR-Bt) was performed in July 2005. The pathological diagnosis was difficult due to diffuse clear cell appearance. Immunohistochemistry stain showed urothelial carcinoma, not metastasis of the renal cell carcinoma. Finally it was diagnosed as urothelial carcinoma clear cell variant. Urothelial carcinoma has many variants that show a variety of appearances and characteristics. These should be well known before medical therapy is initiated.