Cytogenetic and cytochemical studies on progenitor cells of primary acquired sideroblastic anemia (PASA): involvement of multipotent myeloid stem cells in PASA clone and mosaicism with normal clone.

By cytogenetic and cytochemical analyses of individual hematopoietic colonies, we investigated clonality in progenitor compartments of primary acquired sideroblastic anemia (PASA). Two of our four subjects had reduced but countable numbers of CFU-E, BFU-E, and GFU-GM in methylcellulose culture. In one patient with cytogenetic abnormality of 47, XX, +8 in 67% of the bone marrow cells, cytogenetic analysis of individual erythroid bursts and granulocyte/macrophage colonies demonstrated two populations with and without 8 trisomy, the trisomy clone being 38% in BFU-E and 50% in CFU-GM.

Mediastinal distortions from focal masses: a CT and radiographic study.

Fifty-seven mediastinal masses were studied by computed tomography (CT) and chest radiographs to determine how their specific site of origin affected their direction of expansion and the distortion of contiguous structures. Forty-four masses arose anterior to the heart and great vessels (precardiovascular compartment). When these masses arose on the right, they extended posteriorly only as far as the coronal plane of the trachea.

Biochemical mechanisms underlying cyclosporine-induced nephrotoxicity. Effect of concomitant administration of prednisolone.

Biochemical mechanisms underlying cyclosporine (CsA)-induced nephrotoxicity and the effect of concomitant administration of prednisolone (Pr) on the nephrotoxicity were studied. Male Wistar rats were treated with the vehicles used for CsA and Pr administration (group 1), Pr alone (group 2), CsA alone (group 3), or CsA plus Pr (group 4), respectively. The dose of CsA was 5 mg/kg/day, i.

GABA-stimulated 36Cl- influx into reconstituted vesicles with purified GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor complex.

Solubilized and Purified gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)A receptors from membrane vesicles of the bovine cerebral cortex were reconstituted into phospholipid vesicles and 36Cl- influx into the vesicles was examined. GABA induced a significant stimulation of the 36Cl- influx into reconstituted vesicles with 1.5% CHAPS/0.

Dysmegakaryocytopoiesis in acute leukaemias: its predominance in myelomonocytic (M4) leukaemia and implication for poor response to chemotherapy.

Megakaryocytopoiesis was morphologically investigated in 129 adults with de novo acute leukaemia. Three types were identified: type I (84 cases), no detectable megakaryocytes; type II (32 cases), quantitatively preserved megakaryocytes with normal morphology; type III (13 cases); quantitatively preserved megakaryocytes but with distinct dysplastic changes such as micromegakaryocytes and megakaryocytes with multiple small separated nuclei. Type III was found in M1 (one out of 21 cases), M2 (one out of 20 cases).

Development of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurons in cerebral cortical neurons in primary culture.

The developmental patterns of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurons in primary culture obtained from the neopallium of 15-day-old fetus of mouse were investigated in terms of morphological features, GABA metabolism and GABA receptor binding. Morphological investigations revealed that these cells possessed typical features of neurons and the formation of synapses was detected at 10 days after the inoculation. During neuronal growth on polylysine surfaces, GABA contents and activity of GABA transaminase (GABA-T) showed a progressive increase in the time of culture.

Glycoprotein as a constituent of purified gamma-aminobutyric acid/benzodiazepine receptor complex: structures and physiological roles of its carbohydrate chain.

The effect of treatments with various enzymes and chemically modifying agents on [3H]muscimol binding to a purified gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)/benzodiazepine receptor complex from the bovine cerebral cortex was examined. Treatments with pronase, trypsin, guanidine hydrochloride, and urea significantly decreased the binding of [3H]muscimol, but dithiothreitol, N-ethylmaleimide, reduced glutathione, oxidized glutathione, cysteine, and cystine had no significant effect. These results indicate that the GABA receptor indeed consists of protein, but -SH and -S-S- groups in the protein are not involved in the exhibition of the binding activity.

[The pharmacological properties of a new anti-allergic agent, KP-136, in cutaneous models].

The pharmacological properties of KP-136 were studied using cutaneous reactions in rats and guinea pigs. KP-136 remarkably inhibited the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) with intravenous and oral dosing. However, the inhibitory effect of KP-136 had an apparent species difference.

Leukemic blast cell colony formation in semisolid culture with erythropoietin: a case report of acute poorly differentiated erythroid leukemia.

The bone marrow of a patient with acute undifferentiated leukemia developed unique colonies after a 14-day culture in erythropoietin (EPO)-containing methylcellulose. The colonies consisted of 20 to 200 nonhemoglobinized large blast cells. Cytogenetic analysis of single colonies revealed hypotetraploid karyotypes with several marker chromosomes that were identical to those found in directly sampled bone marrow.

Purification of ?-aminobutyric acid receptor, benzodiazepine receptor and C1 channel from bovine cerebral cortex by benzodiazepine affinity gel column chromatography.

Purification of solubilized ?-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and benzodiazepine receptors by Nonidet P-40 from the bovine cerebral cortex was employed by the affinity column chromatography using a benzodiazepine, 1012-S, as immobilized ligand. Although this benzodiazepine affinity gel retained all of the solubilized benzodiazepine receptors from synaptic membranes applied to the column, 25.6% of the GABA receptor binding activity was recovered in the run-through fraction.

Antisera against taurine: quantitative characterization of the antibody specificity and its application to immunohistochemical study in the rat brain.

An antiserum against taurine was generated in rabbits by immunization with taurine that was conjugated to carrier protein via glutaraldehyde. When the antiserum was applied to immunohistochemistry, structures with taurine-like immunoreactivity were observed in both neuronal and glial components of rat brain. The specificity of the serum was quantitatively examined using an enzyme-linked immunoassay method, which has been newly developed for detecting such small molecules as amino acids.

Effects of alcohol and acetaldehyde on metabolism and function of neurotransmitter systems in cerebral cortical neurons in primary culture.

Effects of alcohol (ethanol) and acetaldehyde (AcAl) on the metabolism and function of gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA)ergic and cholinergic systems were investigated using mouse cerebral cortical neurons in primary culture. Exposure to alcohol in vitro had no significant effects on the content of neuroactive amino acids as well as the activities of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), GABA-transaminase (GABA-T), choline acetyltransferase (CAT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). In contrast, AcAl showed remarkable reductions of neuroactive amino acids content, and of CAT and AChE activities, but induced no alteration in the activities of GAD and GABA-T.

Alcohol, acetaldehyde and salsolinol-induced alterations in functions of cerebral GABA/benzodiazepine receptor complex.

Effects of alcohol (ethanol) and acetaldehyde on the metabolism and function of primary cultured GABAergic neurons and that of salsolinol, a condensation product of acetaldehyde with dopamine, on cerebral GABA/benzodiazepine (BZP) receptor complex were investigated. In vitro addition of acetaldehyde induced a significant reduction not only on the content of GABA but also on the basal and GABA-activated [3H]flunitrazepam ([3H]FLN) bindings in primary cultured neurons. In contrast, alcohol exhibited only suppressive effects on [3H]FLN binding as well as on the enhancement of [3H]FLN binding by GABA.

CT of intrathoracic neurogenic tumours.

Fifteen patients with primary intrathoracic neurogenic tumours were evaluated using computed tomography (CT) scans. Schwannomas were demonstrated as homogeneous or slightly inhomogeneous densities on plain CT images; 4 of 5 schwannomas showed rim enhancement with some enhancement in the central portion of the tumour on post-enhancement CT images. Neurofibromas and ganglioneuromas were visualized as homogeneous densities on plain CT images.