Long-lasting narrowing of the parent artery after bilateral clipping of mirror-image aneurysms of distal anterior cerebral arteries: a case report.

Because multiple intracranial aneurysms are not rare, accurate preoperative detection of asymptomatic aneurysms is important. In this paper, we report a ruptured distal anterior cerebral artery (DACA) aneurysm associated with an unruptured mirror-image aneurysm in a 62-year-old man presenting with headache. Although delayed vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage has been reported to persist for 2 to 3 weeks, angiographic parent artery narrowing was far more prolonged in our case.

Elevation of growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor messenger ribonucleic acid expression in growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma with Gsalpha protein mutation.

Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) stimulates not only the synthesis and secretion of GH but also the proliferation of normal somatotrophs. The expression of GHRH receptor (GHRHR) is regulated by GHRH, both of which are known to be expressed in human GH-secreting pituitary adenoma cells. Somatic mutations in the subunit of Gsalpha protein (gsp), lead to the constitutive activation of adenylyl cyclase in pituitary adenomas that secrete GH.

Expression patterns of claudin family of tight-junction proteins in the mouse prostate.

Claudins are the transmembrane proteins forming the backbone of tight junctions, and consist of over 20 members of a gene family. Claudins are expressed in a tissue- and cell-type specific fashion, and changes in their abundance and/or distribution are proposed to play important roles in the pathophysiology of numerous disorders. In the prostate, claudin-1, -3, -4 and -7 transcripts are known to be expressed, but it is unknown regarding mRNA expression of other claudins or concerning expression and localization of claudin proteins in this organ.

The nuclear receptor hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha acts as a morphogen to induce the formation of microvilli.

Microvilli are actin-based organelles found on apical plasma membranes that are involved in nutrient uptake and signal transduction. Numerous components, including ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM) proteins, have been identified that link filamentous actins to transmembrane proteins, but the signals driving microvillus biogenesis are not known. In this study, we show that the conditional and/or ectopic expression of a nuclear receptor, hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha (HNF4alpha), triggers microvillus morphogenesis.

Differential expression and subcellular localization of claudin-7, -8, -12, -13, and -15 along the mouse intestine.

Among tight-junction proteins, claudins, which play a key role in paracellular transport across epithelia, claudins 1 to 5 are expressed in the intestine, and changes in their abundance and/or distribution are considered to contribute to various gastrointestinal diseases. We investigated, by reverse transcription-PCR, immunoblot, and immunofluorescence analyses, which other claudin species were expressed in the mouse intestine, and whether they showed unique expression profiles. Rabbit polyclonal antibodies against mouse claudin-8, claudin-12, and claudin-15 were generated, and their specificity was verified by immunoblotting using COS-7 cells transfected with individual claudin cDNAs.

Activation of p21CIP1/WAF1 gene expression and inhibition of cell proliferation by overexpression of hepatocyte nuclear factor-4alpha.

The F9 murine embryonal carcinoma cell line provides an attractive system for studying epithelial differentiation and antiproliferative processes. We have recently established F9 cells expressing doxycycline-inducible hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)-4alpha and shown that HNF-4alpha triggers the gene expression of tight-junction molecules, occludin, claudin-6, and claudin-7, as well as formation of functional tight junctions and polarized epithelial morphology (Exp. Cell Res.

Non-traditional roles of ubiquitin-proteasome system in fertilization and gametogenesis.

Fertilization and gametogenesis are key events in sexual reproduction. Our recent studies, together with several reports by other authors, demonstrated that the extracellular ubiquitin-proteasome system plays a role in fertilization and gametogenesis in addition to the traditional intracellular ubiquitin-proteasome system. Here, we summarize our recent results showing the importance of the extracellular ubiquitin-proteasome system in the sperm penetration through the vitelline coat of the egg during ascidian fertilization, together with our recent reports implicating the participation of a novel proteasome-associating complex PC530 in starfish oocyte maturation.

Extracellular ubiquitin system implicated in fertilization of the ascidian, Halocynthia roretzi: isolation and characterization.

The ubiquitin-proteasome system is essential for intracellular protein degradation, but there are few studies of this system in the extracellular milieu. Recently, we reported that a 70-kDa sperm receptor, HrVC70, on the vitelline coat is ubiquitinated and then degraded by the sperm proteasome during fertilization of the ascidian, Halocynthia roretzi. Here, we investigated the mechanism of extracellular ubiquitination.

Blood patch therapy for spontaneous intracranial hypotension: safe performance after epidurography in an unconscious patient.

Epidurography was useful for identifying the epidural space and determining the likely spread of an epidural blood patch in an unconscious patient with spontaneous intracranial hypotension.