Ultrastructural characterization of the tau-immunoreactive tubules in the oligodendroglial perikarya and their inner loop processes in progressive supranuclear palsy

Coiled bodies and interfascicular threads are conspicuous white matter abnormalities of brains of patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Both structures are argyrophilic and immunoreactive for the microtubule-binding protein tau. This report concerns the ultrastructural localization of interfascicular threads and their relationship to coiled bodies in five PSP patients. We showed for the first time that abnormal tubules with a 13- to 15-nm diameter and fuzzy outer contours were the common structures of coiled bodies in the oligodendroglial perikarya and of interfascicular threads. Moreover, the tubules were immunolabeled by anti-tau antibodies. The abnormal tau-positive tubules of interfascicular threads were located in the inner loop of the myelin sheath. Our study further indicated that the thread-like structures in the white matter comprised, at least in part, oligodendroglial processes, and that they were also present in gray matter. We consider that the formation of coiled bodies in the perikarya and of interfascicular threads represents a common cytoskeletal abnormality of the oligodendroglia of PSP patients. Moreover, even though the white matter alterations of PSP resemble those of corticobasal degeneration, there are certain ultrastructural differences in the abnormal oligodendroglial tubules of the two diseases. Received: 4 October 1996 / Accepted: 6 December 1996     

Successful Treatment of Adult T-cell Leukemia/Lymphoma with MACOP-B,M-FEPA and VEPP-B Combination Chemotherapy

A 45-year-old man was referred to our department in March of 1989. Physical examination showed erythroderma, palmo-plantar hyperkeratosis, generalized lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, and leukemic manifestation. The lymphocyte count in the peripheral blood before treatment was 1.7 × 10⁴ cells/mm³. Atypical lymphocytes such as flower cells and lobulated cells were seen in the peripheral blood. A sample excised from a lymph node showed immunoblastic, pleomorphic T cells by a modified classification scheme of the Working Formulation. A high level of serum LDH was detected (2.1 times the upper normal limit). Anti HTLV-1 antibody was also detected in the serum. The atypical lymphocytes were positive for CD3, CD4, CD5, CD7 and HLA-DR, and negative for CD8. Thus, the clinical, pathologic and immunologic features were those of typical acute-type ATL. The patient was treated with VEPA-M for three months starting in March of 1989. Because of poor response, the patient was then treated with MACOP-B, M-FEPA, and VEPP-B for about one year from June of 1989 and has been free of disease up to the time of writing, March of 1993.     

Quantitative analysis of sodium fast and slow component in in vivo human brain tissue using MR Na image]

In vivo sodium concentrations in the normal brain tissue and a tumorous tissue were analyzed using MR Na image. The nuclear magnetic resonance enabled us to divide the signal from sodium in the living tissue into 2 parts based on the differences of T2 value. Those are fast component having the T2 value of less than 5 msec and slow component of 15-40 msec. We investigated the effect of macromolecules on T2 value of sodium image using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) powder. MR Na image was taken with the parameters of TR/TD, 110 ms/1.9 ms (FID image) and TR/TE, 110 ms/20 ms (SE image). Saline solution showed high intensity on both FID image and SE image. Saline solution added PVA (PVA phantom) also showed high intensity on FID image, whereas the signal intensity of PVA phantom in SE image extinguished. To know the relation between the signal intensity and sodium concentration, sodium concentration--signal intensity curve was obtained using phantoms with various sodium concentrations (0.05-1.0%). This curve showed a direct proportion between sodium concentration and signal intensity on Na image. We measured further the sodium concentrations of the human brain tissue. Sodium phantoms were arranged around the heads and the MR Na images of the normal brains from 3 volunteers and a patient with a brain tumor (meningioma) were taken. The sodium concentrations of occipital lobe, basal ganglia and the tumorous tissue were calculated using the sodium concentration--signal intensity curve obtained from the phantoms arranged around the heads.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The effect of bismuth subnitrate on cisplatin toxicity

Bismuth subnitrate (BSN), a bismuth compound medically used for antidiarrheics, was orally administered to see whether it can reduce CDDP nephrotoxicity or not. Thirteen patients aged 19 approximately 60 with ovarian cancer entered this BSN-CDDP trial. A total of thirty three courses of BSN-CDDP treatment was undergone. BSN was administered orally at a dose of 50 mg/kg for five days before CDDP therapy. CDDP was infused for two hours. No vigorous hydration or diuresis was performed. Only 2,000 ml of saline with 20 mEq per liter of KCl was given for post-hydration. The median dose of CDDP was 100 mg/m2. The renal toxicity of BSN-CDDP treatment was minimum. 82% of the courses at the sixth day after the treatment had creatinine clearance levels which were more than 80% of those before the treatment. But twenty-four hour NAG and beta 2-microglobulin excretion were significantly increased. Bone marrow suppression and gastrointestinal disturbance were commonly observed. The results of our study indicate that BSN pretreatment reduces the renal toxicity of CDDP to some extent.     

A CASE OF EARLY GASTRIC CANCER ACCOMPANIED BY DIEULAFOY ULCER IN A YOUNG WOMAN

A case of early gastric carcinoma accompanied by Dieulafoy ulcer is presented. The patient, a 26‐year‐old female, visited our emergency room with chief complaints of massive hematemesis and tarry stool. The initial endoscopic examination revealed a superficial depressed lesion with a faded color accompanied by a tiny ulcer with converging folds at the anterior wall of the middle gastric body. Although no active bleeding vessel was found at that time, the patient was admitted to our hospital for further check‐ups and treatment. On the 6th hospital day, she developed massive hematemesis resulting in shock. Urgent endoscopy, this time, disclosed an exposed bleeding vessel at the small ulcer floor previously mentioned, and endoscopic hemostasis was achieved. Since, however, a biopsy at initial examination from the surrounding depressed area proved carcinoma, a partial distal gastrectomy was subsequently carried out. Histological examination of the resected specimen confirmed the diagnosis of carcinoma limited to the mucosa and submucosa along with findings consistent with Dieulafoy ulcer. This is a rare case of combination of early cancer and Dieulafoy ulcer particularly in such a young patient. A review of the literature is also presented.     

Experimental study on the pathogenesis of acute ulceration in obstructive jaundice--with reference to gastric mucosal blood flow

We prepared obstructive jaundice models in rats in order to study the mechanism of acute ulceration in obstructive jaundice centering on impediments to gastric wall blood flow and changes in gastric mucosal NA and PGE2 when the rats were subjected to water immersion restraint stress. The results were: In the obstructive jaundice 2 weeks group, when subjected to water immersion restraint stress, gastric mucosal NA reached a dried up stage from the incipient stage, causing gastric mucosal impediments at the same time, showing a significant decrease of gastric mucosal PGE2. Intragastric pH was at a similar level of excessive acidity in all groups; gastric acid is believed to be a secondary factor promoting ulceration. Gastric mucosal PGE2 showed a significant decrease coinciding with the increase in ulceration index, being a possible factor of ulceration; it is also presumed to regulate gastric wall blood flow alternatively with gastric mucosal NA. Pre-treatment with PGE2 prior to loading stress resulted in a decrease in gastric wall blood flow being significantly controlled. The administration of PGE2 brought about an improvement in gastric wall blood flow and a consequent increase in gastric mucosal NA, being judged effective for acute ulceration in obstructive jaundice.     

Spermidine/Spermine N-Acetyltransferase, a New Biochemical Marker for Epithelial Proliferation in Rat Bladder

We examined the activity of spermidine/spermine N ¹-acetyltransferase (SAT), a rate-limiting enzyme of the biodegradation of polyamines, in N -butyl- N -(4–hydroxybutyI)nitrosamine-induced transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) and melamine-induced papillomatosis of rat bladder, and compared the activity to that of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). Both activities were higher in both lesions than in control rats. The difference between SAT and ODC activities in cancerous tissue and papillomatosis was not significant. Cells stained for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were abundant in papillomatosis. TCC had areas with much PCNA. The results indicated that an elevation of SAT activity occurs in both reversible and irreversible proliferation of bladder epithelium and could be important in bladder carcinogenesis.     

Continuous lumbar subarachnoid pressure monitoring as an indicator of shunt operation for so-called normal pressure hydrocephalus

Lumbar subarachnoid pressure (LSP) was continuously monitored via intrathecally introduced polyethylene catheter to select the patients for shunt operation. A total of seventy cases included so-called normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) secondary to subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH; 34 cases), idiopathic NPH (17 cases), secondary NPH whose symptoms developed after operations for brain tumors, head injuries or meningitis (12 cases) and other intracranial diseases including pseudotumor cerebri or meningeal carcinomatosis, etc. (7 cases). Shunt operation was effective in 36 cases and not effective in 9 cases, while 25 cases were not shunted since LSP was not elevated or clinical manifestations were slight. Mean values of baseline pressure and maximum pressure in shunt effective group, shunt non-effective group and non-shunted group were 14.5, 12.7, 9.0 and 29.9, 25.0, 17.9 mmHg, respectively. Statistical difference was observed between shunt effective group and non-shunted group. Frequency of pressure waves was also significantly higher in shunt effective group than in non-shunted group. Above all, measurement of LSP was regarded as useful in idiopathic NPH. However, preoperative clinical symptoms had a closer relationship to shunt response than results of LSP in post SAH patients. Complication related to this monitoring was negligible except in one case of meningitis which was easily treated by administration of antibiotics. Follow-up study also justified our selection since no further deterioration was noted in non-shunted group. The present study indicates that measurement of LSP would be useful in selecting the patients who will benefit from shunting and in eliminating unnecessary shunt operations because this simple method is easily performed at bed side without perforating the skull.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)