Hair shaft miRNA‐221 levels as a new tumor marker of malignant melanoma

miRNA‐221 (miR‐221) is known to be abnormally expressed in many human cancers. The serum levels of miR‐221 have been reported as a tumor marker for malignant melanoma (MM). We hypothesized that the hair shaft miR‐221 levels may be increased in patients with MM. We therefore assessed the possibility that hair shaft miR‐221 levels could be a marker for MM. The hair shaft miR‐221 levels were significantly higher in patients with MM than controls. The rates of increased hair shaft miR‐221 levels above the cut‐off value were comparable to those of serum 5‐S‐CD, which is a tumor marker commonly used for MM. Measurements of the hair shaft miR‐221 levels could have potential clinical value in the detection of MM. This is the first report investigating the hair shaft levels of an miRNA in patients with MM. Our investigations offer new insight into the relationship between miR‐221 and MM, and may provide a new, non‐invasive way to screen for melanoma.     

Effects of Topically Applied Spironolactone on Androgen Stimulated Sebaceous Glands in the Hamster Pinna

The effects of spironolactone (5% SYC-201G, a preparation developed for clinical use in acne vulgaris by Searle Yakuhin K.K.), which is known to have antiandrogenic effects by competitively inhibiting dihydrotestosterone at androgen receptor sites, was topically applied to the androgen stimulated sebaceous glands of adult female golden hamsters. Androgen stimulation, induced by intramuscular injection of testosterone propionate (TP) every other day over a two week period, resulted in a 2.5 to 2.7 time increase in the size of the sebaceous glands of the hamster pinna. Once-daily treatment with 5% SYC-201G or matching placebo was applied to androgen-stimulated hamsters on one pinna only during the same period as TP injection. Comparison between the treated and untreated sides revealed a significant suppression in the sebaceous gland size (p<0.05) by 5% SYC-201G; no such effect was observed with placebo. The difference in the suppression rate of the sebaceous gland size between 5% SYC-201G (23%) and matching placebo (–4.7%) was significant (p<0.01).     

Anaplastic ganglioglioma with sarcomatous component: An immunohistochemical study and molecular analysis of p53 tumor suppressor gene

The present case report describes a case of ganglioglioma with a distinct sarcomatous component in the left temporal lobe of a 59‐year‐old Japanese man. Neoplastic neuroglial tissue contained both benign and anaplastic glial components with a MIB‐1 labeling index of 0.1% and 12.0%, respectively. Sarcomatous tissue adjacent to the anaplastic glial tissue was dominated by pleomorphic fibroblastic cells with a MIB‐1 labeling index of 10.8%. They were immunoreactive for smooth muscle actin, type IV collagen, and alpha 1 antitrypsin, but not for desmin and CD34. Interestingly, some of the sarcomatous cells were double‐positive for smooth muscle actin and GFAP. The p53 protein had accumulated in the anaplastic astrocytes and sarcomatous cells, but direct DNA sequencing of PCR products failed to detect any mutation in the p53 gene (from exon 4 to exon 10).     

In situ fluorescence imaging of organs through compact scanning head for confocal laser microscopy

We develop a compact scanning head for use in laser confocal fluorescence microscopy for in situ fluorescence imaging of organs. The head, cylindrical in shape, has 3.5 mm diameter and 30 mm length, and is thus small enough to operate in a living rat heart. The lateral and axial resolutions, defined as full widths at half maximum (FWHM) of a point spread function (PSF), measures 1.0 and 5.0 microm, respectively, for 488-nm excitation and 1.0 and 5.4 microm, respectively, for 543-nm excitation. The chromatic aberration between 488- and 543-nm laser beams is well suppressed. We perform Ca2+ imaging in cardiomyocytes through the right ventricular chamber of a perfused rat heart in line-scan mode with 2.9-ms time resolution. We also carried out two-color imaging of a fixed mouse heart and liver with subcellular resolution. The compact head of the microscope equipped with a line-scan imaging mode and two-color imaging mode is useful for in situ imaging in living organs with subcellular resolution and can advantageously be applied to in vivo research.     

Induction of heterothallic strains and their genetic and physiological characterization in a homothallic strain of the yeast Saccharomyces exiguus

Summary We isolated heterothallic strains from a homothallic strain of S. exiguus by mutagenization with UV or ethylmethanesulfonate (EMS). A gene, not linked to the mating-type locus, was found to control homothallism in the yeast, as in S. cerevisiae. Pheromone of S. exiguus (^se pheromone) induced formation of large pear-shaped cells (shmooing) in a strains of S. exiguus, S. cerevisiae, and S. kluyveri, and sexual agglutinability of an inducible a strain of S. cerevisiae. ^se Pheromone is a peptidyl substance a little different from pheromone of S. cerevisiae. a Pheromone of S. exiguus acts only on a cells of S. exiguus. Contrary to the above results, neither sexual agglutination nor zygote formation occurred among these three Saccharomyces yeasts.     

An electron microscopic study of the cavernous bodies in the lamprey gill filaments

The cavernous body in the lamprey gill filament was studied by electron microscopy. This body lies along the outer border of the axial plate of each gill filament and freely communicates with an afferent filament artery. Two series of blood channels run alternately, passing through the cavernous body, and lead to the marginal channels in the secondary lamellae. On the other hand, narrow blood spaces left in the cavernous body lead to the blood lacunae in the axial plate (osmoregulatory region) and to those in the secondary lamellae (respiratory region). All the blood in the cavernous body is finally collected by an efferent filament artery. The cavernous body is traversed by numerous trabeculae and collagenous columns which run diagonally in the blood spaces to connect the walls of the cavernous body. All the walls of the cavernous body, including trabeculae and collagenous columns, are completely surrounded by the cytoplasmic flanges of specialized cells called here “cavernous body cells.” These cells are about 30 μm in diameter and characterized by (1) association with collagenous columns or trabeculae and also by the presence of (2) coated caveolae and vesicles, (3) vacuoles and (4) cytoplasmic granules in their cytoplasm. These cells are considered to be related to the pillar cells in origin because of their close association with collagenous columns or trabeculae. The functional significance of the cavernous body and the cavernous body cells is discussed.     

A promiscuous T cell hybridoma restricted to various I-A molecules

In a previous study, we identified T cell receptor and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) contact sites on the pigeon cytochrome c p43-58 peptide. Positions 46 and 54 of p43-58 were shown to be the MHC-binding sites. Specific amino acids were identified on the MHC-binding sites which bound to the relevant I-A molecule. In the present study, using NOD (I-A^g7) mice, we established a T cell hybridoma, NOE33-1-2, specific for a p43-58 analog 46R50E54A with arginine (R) and alanine (A) at positions 46 and 54, respectively. Interestingly, NOE 33-1-2 recognized 46R50E54A in the presence of not only I-A^g7, but also I-A^{d, s, u and v}. In contrast to previous reports that promiscuous T cells were able to recognize peptide antigens with various HLA-DR or I-E molecules consist of monomorphic α and polymorphic β chains, the promiscuous T cell clone NOE33-1-2 recognized peptides with various I-A molecules lacking the monomorphic chain.     

Fine structure of the myotendinous junction and “terminal coupling” in the skeletal muscle of the lamprey,Lampetra japonica

The myotendinous junction in the skeletal muscle of adult lamprey Lampetra japonica was studied with an electron microscope. Numerous finger-like sarcolemmal invaginations were present at the ends of muscle fibers to form the myotendinous junction. Parietal fibers of each muscle unit showed more closely distributed sarcolemmal invaginations than central fibers. Features of the myotendinous junction. Parietal fibers of each muscle unit showed more closely distributed sarcolemmal invaginations than central fibers. Features of the myotendinous junction generally conform to the accounts in the literature. The sarcolemmal invagination was covered on its sarcoplasmic aspect by the connecting filament layer and the dense amorphous attachment layer, and on the extracellular aspect by the intermediary layer and the external lamina with collagen fibrils arising from the myosepta. Sarcolemmal invaginations were sometimes seen to consist of a pair of sarcolemmas of adjacent muscle fibers within a muscle unit, which is characteristic to the myotendinous junction of lamprey. It is noteworthy that the connecting filament layer is much thinner than that, e.g., in the tadpole tail muscles (Nakao, '74). Furthermore, it is much thicker in the parietal fibers than in the central fibers. The sarcolemma of the terminal segment of the invagination frequently showed specific coupling with cisterns of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (terminal coupling). The external lamina is partially or completely deficient in the terminal segment of sarcolemmal invaginations which form terminal couplings so that collagen fibrils contained in the invagination appear to be in direct contact with the sarcolemma; however, definite relationships of collagen fibrils with the sarcolemma and the external lamina in the terminal segment of invagination still remain obscure. This type of coupling is considered to play a role in the coupling of excitation to contraction of muscle fibers as triads and diads.     

Spontaneous regression of malignant pleural mesothelioma

We describe the spontaneous regression of a malignant pleural mesothelioma with left pleural effusion, chest pain, and a high fever (38° to 39°C) in a 37-year-old man. The patient was referred to us because multiple nodules were seen on his chest radiograph after he was successfully treated with thoracocentesis and conventional antibiotic therapy for pleural effusion. Our diagnosis was malignant pleural mesothelioma, based on histologic findings in a biopsy specimen obtained during thoracoscopy. Interestingly, the tumors markedly regressed without treatment, and the patient was doing well more than 5 months after the cancer was diagnosed. The spontaneous regression of malignant pleural mesothelioma is rare, and this may represent the first case report.