Idiopathic myointimal hyperplasia of mesenteric veins: Rare case of ischemic colitis mimicking inflammatory bowel disease

Idiopathic myointimal hyperplasia of mesenteric veins (IMHMV) is a rare and poorly understood ischemic colitis that occurs in the rectosigmoid colon of predominantly young, previously healthy, male patients. A 76‐year‐old Japanese man presented to our hospital with a 1‐year history of worsening diarrhea, lower abdominal pain, and weight loss (−6 kg). Laboratory evaluation revealed white blood cell count of 13 200/μL, C‐reactive protein level of 2.0 mg/dL (normal range, 0.0–0.3), and negative results for stool culture (including Clostridium difficile). Colonoscopy showed circumferential and edematous narrowing of the sigmoid colon with deep longitude ulceration. Biopsy was done and examination of the specimen demonstrated no specific ischemia. The patient was treated with bowel rest, antibiotics, and i.v. fluids; however, his symptoms worsened. Finally, sigmoidectomy was carried out. Histological examination demonstrated significant myointimal hyperplasia of mesenteric veins leading to thickening and stenosis of the venous lumen. Therefore, the final diagnosis was IMHMV. Three months following sigmoidectomy, he was asymptomatic.     

Experimental Hydrocephalus in Suckling Hamster Induced by Myxovirus Infection

Abstract This study was undertaken to elucidate the pathogenesis of the hydrocephalus and aqueductal stenosis induced by intracerebral mumps virus inoculation in suckling hamsters.
Mild ventricular dilatation became apparent after 5 days of inoculation. Focal denuding of the ependymal layer and subsequent aqueductal stenosis were observed by 14 days after inoculation. The virus antigen was detected not only in the ependymal cells and choroid plexus, but also in some neurons in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, midbrain and cerebellum. In the cerebral aqueduct, the orderly arrangement of the cilialy clusters was destroyed on the 5th day after inoculation. After 10 days, proliferation of GFAP positive cells was noticed around the cerebral aqueduct and subsequently caused aqueductal stenosis. In the advanced state of hydrocephalus, the cerebellum was displaced downward and showed an elongated, atrophic and sleevelike structure similar to the Arnold-Chiari malformation. It was suggested that the extensive damage of the ependymal cilia may account for early ventricular dilatation, and subsequent aqueductal stenosis with glial proliferation is the main cause of the advanced hydrocephalus. It has not yet been determined whether the mumps virus can pass through the human placenta or not. If it can, however, our results strongly suggest that mumps virus infection in the human fetus will cause congenital hydrocephalus.     

Histochemical study of mitochondrial enzymes in cerebellar cortex of macular mutant mouse,a model of Menkes kinky hair disease

The cerebellar Purkinje cells in the hemizygote of the macular mutant mouse contain numerous abnormal mitochondria which show a marked decrease in cytochrome c oxidase activity. Using histochemical methods we studied the activity of other mitochondrial enzymes, such as NADH diaphorase and succinic dehydrogenase, in the cerebellar cortex of this mutant mouse. Such activities were markedly increased in the Purkinje cells, especially in the soma and stem dendrite, from 10 days after birth in the hemizygote as compared with findings in normal littermates. These results were considered to be due to an increased number of abnormal mitochondria.Supported by the Research Grants nos. 2A-5-03 and 3B-1-04 for Nervous and Mental Disorders from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and by Grant no. 04670492 of the Ministry of Education of Japanese Government     

Suppression of neointimal thickening by a newly developed HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor,BAYw6228, and its inhibitory effect on vascular smooth muscle cell growth

1. The aim of this study was to determine whether BAYw6228 (BAYw), a newly developed 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor, could suppress an atherogenic process such as intimal thickening by a mechanism other than lowering the level of serum cholesterol.
2. First, we evaluated the in vitro effect of BAYw on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) from various species: Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, New Zealand (NZ) white rabbits, intimal cells from Watanabe hereditary hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbit and SMC from the new-born human aorta. The increasing rate of total protein content of these cells was inhibited by the addition of BAYw in a dose-dependent fashion. In the presence of 2% foetal calf serum (FCS), the value of IC₅₀ was 1.0 μM in SD rats. 2.1 μM in NZ white rabbits, and 0.3 μM in WHHL rabbits. With human SMC, the value was 0.02 μM in the presence of 10% FCS and 0.2 μM with a mixture of growth factors.
3. Based on these above in vitro findings, we next examined the in vivo effect of the agent to determine whether it could suppress rabbit intimal thickening induced by balloon catheterization. A balloon catheter was inserted from a peripheral branch of the left external carotid artery to the aorta to denude the endothelium of the left common carotid artery in Japanese white rabbits. After 12 days they were divided into control and BAYw groups. The former were subcutaneously injected with saline and the latter with BAYw 1 mg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹. Two days after the beginning of treatment, a second balloon injury was performed to the previously injured left common carotid artery in both groups. After another two weeks, the left common carotid artery was removed and variously stained. Although the total serum cholesterol in the BAYw group was significantly lower than in the control (P<0.05), the difference was not enough to affect intimal thickening. In addition, the BAYw group had a smaller intima/media ratio than the control group, decreasing to 45% of control (P<0.05). By anti-α smooth muscle actin antibody staining, these intimal thickening areas were entirely occupied by SMCs, and their amount was attenuated by BAYw. By anti-rabbit macrophage antibody (RAM 11) staining, the number of positive cells in the intimal thickening was markedly decreased in the BAYw group compared to control (P<0.01).
4. These results indicate that BAYw has an inhibitory effect on intimal thickening by attenuating intimal SMC proliferation and infiltration of macrophages, suggesting that BAYw could be effective in the prevention of the progression of atherosclerotic plaque-like restenosis after angioplasty.

     

The relation between superoxide dismutase in cancer tissue and clinico pathological features in breast cancer

The localization of Cu/Zn- and Mn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) in breast cancer tissue (12 papillotubular carcinomas, 21 solid-tubular carcinomas, 16 scirrhous carcinomas, 1 medullary carcinoma, 1 secreting carcinoma, 1 lobular carcinoma, 1 Paget's disease) was investigated via an immunohistochemical technique using antihuman Cu/Zn- and Mn-SOD antibodies in 10%formalin fixed-paraffin embedded thin sections. Both SODs stained strongly in the normal breast gland, but not clearly in many cancer tissues. Furthermore, Cu/Zn-SOD stained more strongly in well differentiated tubular carcinomas than in poorly differentiated tubular carcinomas. It tended to stain less in tumors which recurred or had a poor outcome, and in tumors with a diploid pattern on DNA flow cytometry. Mn-SOD staining was similar to that of Cu/Zn-SOD, but no significant differences among subgroups was found, since the incidence of positively staining tumors was too small in all groups. The intensity of SOD staining seems to change in relation to cell proliferation and differentiation in breast carcinoma, and may be a prognostic indicator, since SOD decreased in poorly differentiated carcinoma and in tumors which developed distant metastasis. Thus, the localization of SOD in breast cancer tissue can provide useful information for cancer treatment.     

Determinants of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction as clinical presentation of acute coronary syndrome

Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis - Antiplatelet agents and statin therapies are widely used in patients with known cardiovascular disease. Plaque rupture (PR) and plaque erosion (PE) are the...     

Association study of G1704T and G82S polymorphisms of RAGE gene for microalbuminuria in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients

To clarify whether polymorphisms G1704T and G82S of the RAGE gene were related to microalbuminuria, we performed a case-control study in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients. Polymorphisms G1704T and G82S of the RAGE gene were examined with genomic DNA obtained from 116 type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria (urinary albumin/creatinine ratio between 30 and 300 mg/g of creatinine) (microalbuminuria group), and 232 patients with normoalbuminuria (urinary albumin/creatinine ratio <30 mg/g of creatinine) (normoalbuminuria group). The genotype distribution and T allele frequency of G1704T (9.9%) and S allele frequency of G82S (14.2%) in the microalbuminuria group did not significantly differ from those (T allele frequency, 8.4%; S allele frequency, 12.3%) in the normoalbuminuria group. There were no differences among the genotypes of G1704T and G82S of the RAGE gene regarding age, duration of diabetes, body mass index, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood pressure, and serum lipid levels. These data suggest that G1704T and G82S polymorphisms of the RAGE gene are not related to microalbuminuria in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients.     

Calcified liver metastases from a non-functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor

Neuroendocrine tumors consist of a spectrum of malignancies that arise from neuroendocrine cells throughout the body. Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are rare tumors, with an incidence of 3.65 per 100,000 individuals per year, and they account for 1–2 % of all pancreatic neoplasms. A non-functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor with multiple liver metastases with calcifications was diagnosed in a 43-year-old female with diabetes mellitus. Early phase-enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed a hypovascular mass in the pancreatic body and tail with calcifications and multiple liver metastatic masses with calcifications. Percutaneous liver biopsy showed homogenous nuclear chromatins and tumor cells with acidophilic cytoplasm against the hyaline interstitium, and a non-functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor was diagnosed. An interesting clinical image of a metastasis from a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor is presented in which multiple liver tumors were accompanied by dystrophic calcifications. CT and percutaneous liver biopsy play an important role in the diagnosis of a non-functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, and are valuable diagnostic methods in planning treatment.