Glycogen synthase kinase-3beta is involved in the process of myocardial hypertrophy stimulated by insulin-like growth factor-1.

BACKGROUND: Glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3beta) is involved in many cellular processes, such as metabolism, apoptosis, differentiation and proliferation. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which is well known to have a hypertrophic effect on cardiomyocytes, inactivates (phosphorylates) GSK-3beta in some cell types. The role of GSK-3beta in cardiomyocytes as a negative regulator of cardiac hypertrophy has been recently reported and the present study investigated the role of GSK-3beta in the cardiac hypertrophy of cultivated neonatal rat cardiomyocytes induced by IGF-1. METHODS AND RESULTS: First, the IGF-1 induced signal transduction leading to GSK-3beta in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes was examined. The phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase/Akt/GSK-3 beta signaling induced by IGF-1 was investigated using inhibitors of PI 3-kinase and Ad AktAA, a dominant negative form of Akt. Furthermore, using Ad MEK DN, a dominant negative form of MEK, it was found that MEK negatively regulates Akt phosphorylation upon IGF-1 stimulation. Next, it was examined whether GSK-3beta acts as a negative regulator in the cardiac hypertrophy induced by IGF-1. Sustained stimulation by IGF-1 caused cardiac hypertrophy in protein synthesis and cellular morphology, and overexpression of unphosphorylatable GSK-3beta (Ad GSK-3beta S9A) repressed these hypertrophic effects of IGF-1. CONCLUSIONS: GSK-3beta may play an important role as a negative regulator of cardiac hypertrophy induced by IGF-1.     

Aortic root remodeling for root aneurysm with a uni-commissural aortic valve: report of a case.

A 23-year-old man was admitted for an aortic root aneurysm with mild aortic valve regurgitation (AR) and a small pressure gradient. At surgery, findings of aortic valve, one normal left posterior commissure and very rudimentary right anterior commissure, was compatible with the uni-commisural aortic valve. Aortic root replacement with valve-sparing technique was performed. Four years later no residual AR was observed.     

In vivo presynaptic and postsynaptic striatal dopamine functions in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.

Differentiation of impaired gait seen in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) from parkinsonian gait is sometimes a great challenge and important for future medication in the clinical setting. To investigate dopaminergic contribution to its pathophysiology, two aspects of the trans-synaptic dopamine functions in the striatal region in eight iNPH patients na?ve to dopaminergic drugs were examined using positron emission tomography with a presynaptic marker [11C]CFT ([11C]2-beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-fluorophenyl) tropane) that binds to dopamine transporter and a postsynaptic marker [11C]raclopride that binds to D2 receptor. Quantitative values of binding potentials (BPs) for [11C]CFT and [11C]raclopride were compared between patients and eight age-matched healthy subjects. The BPs and magnetic resonance imaging-based morphometric measures in iNPH were used for correlation analyses between the magnitude of binding of these in vivo markers and clinical severity of the patients. Analysis of variance showed significant reduction in [11C]raclopride binding in the putamen and nucleus accumbens (P<0.05, corrected for multiple comparison) and unchanged striatal [11C]CFT binding in iNPH. The dorsal putamen [11C]raclopride binding correlated negatively with gait severity (r=0.720, P<0.05), and the nucleus accumbens [11C]raclopride binding correlated positively with emotional recognition score (r=0.727, P<0.05) in the disease group. No significant relationship was observed between BPs and morphometric measures. The current result of the postsynaptic D2 receptor reduction along with preserved presynaptic activity in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system reflects a pathophysiology of iNPH. Postsynaptic D2 receptor hypoactivity in the dorsal putamen may predict the severity of gait impairment in iNPH.     

Significance of the BTA Test in Bladder Cancer: A Multicenter Trial

Background :
The BTA test is a latex agglutination assay for the qualitative detection in the urine of analytes that are associated with bladder tumor. We compared the results of the BTA test with those of voided urine cytology (VUC) in patients with bladder cancer.
Methods :
A multicenter trial was performed at 6 institutions. A total of 132 patients with histologically diagnosed bladder cancer were enrolled. Urine samples were split for BTA and VUC testing.
Results :
The sensitivities of the BTA test and VUC were 57.6% and 37.9%, respectively; this difference was significant ( P < 0.001). The BTA test had much higher sensitivity for small, solitary, superficial tumors than did VUC.
Conclusion :
The BTA test is simple to perform, gives rapid results, and is far more sensitive than VUC for detection of bladder cancer. The BTA test has the potential to become an additional tool for detecting bladder cancer.     

Experience of thoracoscopic extirpation of intrapulmonary lymphangioma

We report a 59-year-old woman who underwent thoracoscopic extirpation of the intrapulmonary cystic lymphangioma which was located in the subpleural space of the left upper lobe. A chest X-ray showed a solitary round nodule in the left pulmonary hilum. A computed tomography scan revealed a mass shadow at the interlobar region surrounding the interlobar pulmonary artery. A round nodule was recognized as low signal intensity on T1-weighted images by magnetic resonance imaging. There was biphasic signal intensity on T2-weighted images as well. Radiologically, we diagnosed this lesion as a benign cystic tumor in the lung. Thoracoscopic observation revealed a cystic lesion just beneath the visceral pleura of the upper lobe adjacent to the interlobular pulmonary artery. As this suggested a benign bronchogenic cyst, we performed extirpation of the cyst under thoracoscopy. After this operation, the cyst was diagnosed as an intrapulmonary cystic lymphangioma pathologically.     

Subtle computed tomography abnormalities in cerebral deep sinus thrombosis.

A patient with cerebral deep sinus thrombosis, which was not diagnosed on the first examination, is reported. A 46-year-old woman presented with headache and vomiting. Neurological examination and a brain computed tomography (CT) scan showed no obvious abnormal findings. The patient suffered disturbed consciousness on the day after the examination, and was admitted to our emergency centre. A CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging revealed an ischaemic lesion in the left basal ganglia, suggesting deep sinus occlusion. Anticoagulant therapy was administered. One day after admission, a CT scan showed a haematoma and severe brain swelling in the same region. Cerebral angiography demonstrated a straight sinus occlusion. Intracranial pressure was not controlled with hypothermia, and the patient died 25 days after admission. Review of the initial CT scan revealed subtle, early findings of deep venous thrombosis that were missed on first examination.     

Characterization of diethylstilbestrol‐induced hypospadias in female mice

The urethral duct and vagina are formed from the urogenital sinus (UGS) during the early neonatal period in mice. Neonatal estrogen exposure results in hypospadias, or the malpositioning of vaginal and urethral openings, with wide cleft clitoris. We sought to characterize diethylstilbestrol (DES) influence on UGS morphogenesis and hypospadias formation. Newborn (day 0) and 1–4‐day‐old female mice (ICR/Jcl) were given (s.c.) oil or 3.0 μg DES. Animals were killed 24 hr later; then hypospadias formation and epithelial apoptosis and proliferation within the developing UGS were assessed. DES did not alter normal UGS morphogenesis by day 1, in comparison with controls. However, hypospadias formation was observed in DES‐treated mice by day 3. In these mice, the distal dorsal urethral duct appeared to fuse with and open into the lower vaginal solid cord region. Further, DES treatment produced a gradual significant increase in dorsal urethral epithelial apoptosis (P < 0.05) just prior to and during fusion and hypospadias formation. DES‐induced urethral epithelial and sinus cord proliferation appeared significantly increased (P < 0.05) and unchanged, respectively, just prior to fusion. By day 5, DES‐treated mice exhibited wide cleft clitoris. In addition, if DES was given on day 3 or 5, a gradual, distinct caudal shift in the vaginal‐urethral junction was observed compared to mice treated on days 0–2. Although hypospadias was not induced when neonates were given DES on day 7, these mice continued to display early vaginal opening. Dose‐response analysis indicated that 0.03 μg DES for 5 days is the lowest known critical dose for hypospadias induction. We have shown for the first time that DES‐induced hypospadias onset may primarily be the result of changes in developing dorsal urethral epithelial cell apoptotic and proliferative activity, and that the location of DES‐induced hypospadias formation is dependent on age at time of exposure. Anat Rec 266:43–50, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.