Role for interleukin-1 (IL-1) in benzene-induced hematotoxicity: inhibition of conversion of pre-IL-1 alpha to mature cytokine in murine macrophages by hydroquinone and prevention of benzene-induced hematotoxicity in mice by IL-1 alpha

Chronic exposure of humans to benzene (BZ), a myelotoxin, causes aplastic anemia and acute leukemia. The stromal macrophage that produces interleukin-1 (IL-1), a cytokine essential for hematopoiesis, is a target of BZ's toxicity. Monocyte dysfunction and decreased IL-1 production have been shown to be involved in aplastic anemia in humans. Hydroquinone (HQ), a toxic bone marrow (BM) metabolite of BZ, causes time- and concentration-dependent inhibition of processing of the 34-Kd pre-interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) to the 17-Kd mature cytokine in murine P388D1 macrophages and BM stromal macrophages, as measured by Western immunoblots of cell lysate proteins using a polyclonal rabbit antimurine IL-1 alpha antibody. HQ over a 10-fold concentration range had no effect on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of pre- IL-1 alpha precursor or on cell viability or DNA and protein synthesis. Stromal macrophages obtained from the femoral BM of C57Bl/6 mice exposed to BZ (600 or 800 mg/kg body weight) for 2 days were incapable of processing the 34-Kd pre-IL-1 alpha to the mature 17-Kd cytokine when stimulated in culture with LPS. Stromal macrophages from mice coadministered BZ and indomethacin, a prostaglandin H synthase (PHS) inhibitor that has been shown to prevent BZ-induced myelotoxic and genotoxic effects in mice when coadministered with benzene were able to convert the pre-IL-1 alpha to mature cytokine. Administration of recombinant murine IL-1 alpha (rMuIL-1 alpha) to mice before a dose of BZ that causes severe depression of BM cellularity completely prevents BM depression, most probably by bypassing the inability of the stromal macrophage in BZ-treated animals to process pre-IL-1 alpha to the mature cytokine.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">TCF7L2</Emphasis>variant genotypes and type 2 diabetes risk in Brazil: significant association,but not a significant tool for risk stratification in the general population

Background  

Genetic polymorphisms of the TCF7L2 gene are strongly associated with large increments in type 2 diabetes risk in different populations worldwide. In this study, we aimed to confirm the effect of the TCF7L2 polymorphism rs7903146 on diabetes risk in a Brazilian population and to assess the use of this genetic marker in improving diabetes risk prediction in the general population.     

Direct evidence for the involvement of carbohydrate sequences in human sperm-zona pellucida binding

Several lines of evidence indicate that mammalian fertilization is initiated via a binding process that is dependent upon the recognition of oligosaccharide sequences associated with zona pellucida (ZP) glycoproteins. Here, specific chemical and enzymatic methods were employed to modify human ZP and to test their effects on sperm binding in the hemizona assay system (HZA). Periodate oxidation of human ZP under very mild conditions (10 min, 0 degrees C, 1 mM sodium m- periodate) that attacks only terminal sialic acid resulted in a 30% loss of human sperm binding in the HZA [hemizona index (HZI) = 70.2 +/- 10.9, n = 22; P < 0.05]. Periodate oxidation under mild conditions (1 h, 23 degrees C, 10 mM sodium m-periodate) caused a 40% decrease in binding (HZI = 60.8 +/- 10.3; n = 24; P< 0.01). Treatment of human ZP with neuraminidase caused a substantial increase in sperm binding to human ZP (HZI = 297 +/- 45, n = 22; P < 0.01). These findings indicate that there are sialic acid dependent binding sites coexisting with binding sites that are obscured by sialic acid. To determine the periodate sensitivity of these obscured sites, hemizona were first digested with neuraminidase and subsequently subjected to mild periodate oxidation. The combined enzymatic and chemical treatments caused a 79% decrease in sperm binding compared to control hemizona (HZI = 20.7 +/- 4.4, n = 16; P < 0.001). Human sperm-ZP interaction was also increased by digestion of human ZP with endo-beta-galactosidase (HZI = 710 +/- 232, n = 14; P < 0.01), indicating that potential binding sites for spermatozoa are also obscured by lactosaminoglycan sequences. These studies support a definitive role for the involvement of ZP-associated glycans in the binding of human spermatozoa to oocytes.      

大鼠膈腹膜间皮通透性的电镜观察

腹膜腔内注射兔血液和中墨汁后，用电镜观察了大鼠膈腹膜间皮对示踪剂血细胞和碳颗粒的通透笥。在膈膜隐窝区，示踪剂经三种途径通过膈腹膜间皮。（１）间皮孔的吸收作用。示踪剂由腹膜腔经间皮孔直接进入膈毛细淋巴管，或被成纤维细胞的突起包绕。（２）间皮细胞的吞噬作用。（３）示踪剂通过间皮细胞间裂隙或细胞间连接。     

大鼠膈腹膜间皮孔的电镜观察

用扫描电镜和透射电镜观察了正常大鼠膈腹膜间皮，并观察了腹膜腔内注射中国墨汁和兔血液后大鼠膈腹膜间皮的变化以及腹膜腔和间皮下毛细淋巴管的关系。     

咽-食管粘膜下巨大良性间叶瘤

为探讨对罕见的咽-食管粘膜下良性间叶瘤的诊断和治疗,报道1例巨大的咽-食管粘膜下良性间叶瘤因误诊而行开胸肿瘤切除术。分析了良性间叶瘤的病理及诊断方法,提出了对蒂部位于咽部并坠生于食管腔但与食管壁无粘连的良性间叶瘤,可考虑术前以细长金属管镜作食管检查,确诊后经咽侧进路切除肿瘤蒂部,并经食管入口摘除肿瘤体部以避免开胸。