The spectrum of opportunistic filamentous fungi present in the CBS culture collection

The mould collection of the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Baarn, The Netherlands, was screened for isolates originating from warm-blooded animals. The range of species indicates that distribution of clinically relevant, pathogenic or opportunistic strains over the fungal kingdom is non-random. Some opportunistic fungi possess adaptations to life under hostile environmental conditions, enabling them to survive inside the human body. Presence of melanin or carotene seems to be an important virulence factor. Opportunistic fungi which sporulate in submersion are able to disseminate or cause severe local mycoses when the aspecific immune system of the host is impaired. Mycoses caused by a few dimorphic fungi, mostly in their natural ecological niche living in association with vertebrates, are promoted by specific immune deficiencies.     

Melanotic paraganglioma of the posterior mediastinum

A melanotic paraganglioma occurred in a 57-year-old woman, located in the left paravertebral space of the upper mediastinum. It was totally resected. During a 5 year follow up period neither tumour reccurrence nor metastasis were observed. Histological examination of the tumour revealed a paraganglioma with monomorphous chief cell like elements which were arranged in a zellballen pattern. Immunohistochemical results also were in accordance with the diagnosis since neuron-specific enolase, chromogranin and synaptophysin were found in tumour cells whereas keratin was not. Additionally, neurosecretory granules were found in tumour cells during electron microscopy. A peculiar feature of the tumour was its strong pigmentation due to melanin located within the tumour cells and tumour associated melanophages. The simultaneous expression of functional properties of two different neural crest derived cells in one tumour stresses the close relationship between all neural crest elements and is in accordance with the observation of other melanotic, non-melanomatous tumours.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Dr. mult. h.c. W. Doerr on the occasion of his 80th birthday     

新生儿隐球菌白化突变化分子机制的初步研究

目的：研究新生儿隐球菌白化突变分子机制,方法：采用聚合酶链反应（PCR）技术对新生隐球菌产黑素株与白化突变株进行比较研究,并进行PCR产物的克隆,构建重组表达质粒,转化大肠杆菌。结果：发现白化突变株酚氧化酶结构基因（CNLAC1）在1715－2617bp之间大片段缺失（约450bp),而产黑色素株却无此缺失片菌病的预后和基因治疗提供可能的靶基因。     

Über Melanin und Melanosomen im ZNS im Vergleich zu extracerebralen Erscheinungsformen und synthetischem Melanin aus Dopamin und Serotonin

Summary Melanosomes and isolated melanosomal fragments (melanin particles) originating from gangliocytes (substantia nigra), astroglia (melanosis cerebelli), and melanocytes (melanotic meningeoma; metastases of melanoblastoma; melanosis thalami of the goat) were compared with synthetic melanins prepared from dopamine and serotonin, respectively. Samples were examined by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis according to Debye-Scherrer and by infrared spectrophotometry, and the results were evaluated with regard to characteristic features as they may relate to specific cell types or chemical structures.On electron microscopy all three types of melanosomes could be differentiated unequivocally as could the two synthetic melanins. Thus, there were similarities between synthetic melanin from dopamine and the gliogenic melanins of the cerebellum; the synthetic melanin from serotonin resembled melanin of melanocytes.X-ray diffraction analysis yielded 2-4 Debye diffraction rings with all human and synthetic samples, suggesting short range orders between 3.8 to 5 Å the sample obtained from a goat with thalamic melanosis showed a specific reflex pattern. While diffraction patterns of some melanins were partially identical, in particular that of melanin from dopamine and melanin of substantia nigra and dentate nucleus, respectively, they were different for the various melanocytic melanins. Further investigations are required to determine whether these differences are due to disparities in basic chemical structures or conformations or else, to particular compositional features of the various types of melanocytes as they arise from benign or malignant tumors or a specific species.Infrared spectrophotometry at higher wave numbers revealed the well known patterns of melanins, which are not, however, very suitable, for their further differentiation. At lower wave numbers (fingerprinting) melanin of substantia nigra and the glial melanin in melanosis cerebelli yielded additional absorption bands of identical configuration. In contrast to melanin from dopamine, melanin from serotonin exhibited a closely similar absorption pattern in this spectral range, suggesting that the neuroectodermal melanins may contain a component possibly arising from serotonin.

Herrn Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Doerr zum 25. 8. 1979     

Eye Colour and Susceptibility to Noise-Induced Permanent Threshold Shift

257 3rd-year apprentices were given ear, nose and throat examination, electroacoustic impedance tests and audiometry. Their eye colour was also recorded. Average hearing levels of otologically normal left ears were poorer at 4 kHz (p <0.05) for apprentices with eye colours indicating no melanin pigmentation of the iris than for apprentices with melanin iris pigmentation.

257 apprentis de 3e année, après avoir été examinés au point de vue ORL, ont subi une épreuve d'impédancemétrie et d'audiometrie. La couleur de leurs yeux a été notée.

La moyenne des niveaux du seuil d'audition des oreilles gauches otologiquement normales était plus élévee à 4 kHz (p<0,05) chez les apprentis sans pigmentation mélanique de l'iris que chez ceux ayant une pigmentation mélanique de l'iris.     

Catalysis-based specific detection and inhibition of tyrosinase and their application

Tyrosinase is an important enzyme in controlling the formation of melanin in melanosome, and plays a key role in the pigmentation of hair and skin. The abnormal expression or activation of tyrosinase is associated with several diseases such as albinism, vitiligo, melanoma and Parkinson disease. Excessive deposition of melanin could cause diseases such as freckles and brown spots in the human body, and it is also closely related to browning of fruits and vegetables and insect molting. Detecting and inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase is of extraordinary value in the progress of diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. Therefore, many selective optical detection probes and small molecular inhibitors have been developed, and have made significant contributions to the basic and clinical research on these diseases. In this paper, the detection and inhibition of tyrosinase and their application in whitening products are reviewed, with special emphasis on development of fluorescent probes and inhibitors. Hopefully, this review will help design more efficient and sensitive tyrosinase probes and inhibitors, as well as shed light on novel treatment of diseases such as melanoma.