Correlation of histologic morphology and tumor stage with molecular genetic analysis using microdissection in gastric carcinomas.

Precise correlation of histomorphology with the results of molecular genetic analysis is difficult in gastric cancer tissue composed of intestinal and diffuse types. A novel microdissection procedure was applied to correlate p53 and APC allelic loss with histologic type and tumor stage (mucosal vs. invasive cancer) in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens of 25 gastric cancers.

[Late phase II study of YNK-01 (an oral prodrug of cytarabine) for hepatocellular carcinoma].

Twenty-three patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were enrolled in this cooperative study conducted in Hirosaki University Hospital. They were treated with YNK-01, a prodrug of cytarabine for oral administration. YNK-01 was given for 2 weeks and repeated every 4 weeks for as long as possible.

Cloning and characterization of the genomic RNA sequence of the mumps virus strain associated with a high incidence of aseptic meningitis.

cDNA clones of the mumps virus wild-type strain, associated with a high incidence of aseptic meningitis (ODATE-1 strain), were isolated and analyzed from genomic nucleotide position 22 to 8520 containing the NP, P, M, F, SH and HN protein coding region. The ODATE-1 strain exhibited a RFLP profile identical to that of the Urabe vaccine strain in spite of the fact that the virus was isolated from non-vaccinated cases. However, a comparison of nucleotide and amino acid sequences among the ODATE-1 strain, Urabe strain and Miyahara strain revealed that the ODATE-1 strain was not related to the Urabe strain.

Establishment and characterization of a new human extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma cell line (ICBD-1).

A new human extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma cell line (ICBD-1) was established from surgically resected tumor of a 71-year-old Japanese male patient. ICBD-1 cells proliferate in a layer with a population doubling time of 31.5 h and secrete tissue polypeptide antigen.

Recent insights into the roles of nitric oxide and renin-angiotensin in the pathophysiology of preeclamptic pregnancy.

Normal pregnancy involves marked maternal hemodynamic adaptations; these are suppressed in preeclampsia, leading to serious complications for mother and baby. The cause of preeclampsia is unknown, but may involve primary pathology at the maternal/fetal interface. However, the systemic manifestations of the disease are associated with widespread maternal vascular endothelial damage and dysfunction.

Assessment of the expression of p53, MIB-1 (Ki-67 antigen), and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions in carcinoma of the extrahepatic bile duct.

Background: The authors retrospectively examined the predictive value of p53, MIB-1, and the argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR) and examined the relationships among them in carcinoma of the extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD).

Methods: Formalin fixed, paraffin embedded specimens from 54 patients with EHBD carcinoma were immunostained with MIB-1 against the Ki-67 nuclear antigen and p53 by the avidin-biotin peroxidase complex method, using the antigen retrieval technique of heating tissue sections in a microwave oven. The AgNOR proteins were localized at the optical level, as shown by a one-step silver staining technique.

In vivo transfer of engineered macrophages into the glomerulus: endogenous TGF-beta-mediated defense against macrophage-induced glomerular cell activation.

Communication between resident glomerular cells and infiltrating macrophages plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of glomerular disease. Using matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) as an indicator molecule, we examined the interaction between mesangial cells and macrophages. Mesangial cells cocultured with activated macrophages or exposed to macrophage-conditioned media produced abundant MMP-9.

Immunohistochemical detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and p53 expression in carcinoma of the extrahepatic bile duct.

We used an immunohistochemical method to determine the concentrations of p53 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) to evaluate their usefulness as a predictor of malignancy and examined the relationship between PCNA and p53 in carcinomas of the extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD). Paraffin-embedded specimens from 46 patients were immunostained for PCNA and p53 using PC10 and DO7 monoclonal antibodies, respectively. The PCNA labeling index (LI) was closely associated with the stages of the tumor and depth of invasion (p < 0.

The effect of YNK-01 (an oral prodrug of cytarabine) on hepatocellular carcinoma.

Thirty-two patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were treated with YNK-01, a prodrug of cytarabine for oral administration. A dose of 200 mg/d of YNK-01 was administered to 17 cases and 300 mg/d to 15 cases. One course was 2 weeks in duration, and this was repeated every 4 weeks for as long as the patients were able to tolerate it.

TGF-beta and glomerulonephritis: anti-inflammatory versus prosclerotic actions.

TGF-beta has been considered as the key regulator in the generation of glomerulosclerosis. Despite abundant descriptive data, it still remains undetermined whether sustained, local expression of TGF-beta leads to irreversible glomerulosclerosis. There is no doubt that TGF-beta stimulates ECM production in the glomerulus, but this molecule has several anti-inflammatory properties as well.

Mesangial cell-derived transforming growth factor-beta 1 reduces macrophage adhesiveness with consequent deactivation.

Adhesion of macrophages is a crucial event that determines the number and function of macrophages at inflammatory sites. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of mesangial cells in the regulation of macrophage adhesiveness. J774.

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 is the predominant paracrine inhibitor of macrophage cytokine synthesis produced by glomerular mesangial cells .

Cross-communication between glomerular cells and infiltrating mononuclear cells plays an important role in the generation of or recovery from glomerular diseases. We found that cultured mesangial cells secrete a factor that inhibits production of proinflammatory cytokines by activated macrophages. Treatment of J774.

Isolation and characterization of mumps virus strains in a mumps outbreak with a high incidence of aseptic meningitis.

In 1993, mumps with a high incidence of aseptic meningitis became prevalent in Akita prefecture, Japan. Three mumps virus isolates obtained from the nonvaccine-associated cases lacked the BamHI restriction cleavage site of the P gene, like the Urabe strain (Yamada, A. et al, Vaccine 8: 553-557).

Acute changes in urinary excretion of nitrite + nitrate do not necessarily predict renal vascular NO production.

NO2 + NO3 (NOx), the stable oxidation products of NO, and cGMP are widely accepted as indices of in vivo NO production. Whether acute changes in urinary excretion of nitrite + nitrate (UNOXV) can be taken to reflect acute changes in renal and/or systemic NO production is not known. The present studies were conducted in the conscious rat to investigate the effect on acute changes in UNOxV, of maneuvers that (a) enhance NO production and (b) act as diuretics.

[Immunological properties of Weil-Felix test negative sera from patients with Japanese spotted fever].

Sera from 4 out of 19 patients with the Japanese spotted fever were negative to OX2 antigen of Weil-Felix (WF) test. These WF test negative sera were analyzed by ELISA and immunoblot used whole cells and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of rickettsiae and Proteus strains as antigens. These acute-phase sera have already possessed the IgG antibodies against LPS of Proteus OX2 strain, whereas IgM antibodies in these acute- and convalescent-phase sera did not react with this LPS.

Serological studies of the antigenic similarity between typhus group rickettsiae and Weil-Felix test antigens.

The sera from two patients with murine typhus reacted with whole cells of Rickettsia prowazekii, R. typhi, and Proteus vulgaris OX19, and with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from the spotted fever group rickettsia strain TT-118 and P. vulgaris OX19 in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Prolonged blockade of nitric oxide synthesis in gravid rats produces sustained hypertension, proteinuria, thrombocytopenia, and intrauterine growth retardation.

Objective: Our purpose was to test the hypothesis that chronic inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis in pregnant rats can produce a preeclampsia-like syndrome.

Study Design: Pregnant rats were instrumented on day 14 of gestation (parturition day 21 to 22) and infused continuously through a venous catheter with L-nitro-arginine, a potent inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, or with sterile saline solution from day 18 until 24 hours post partum. A group of virgin rats was treated identically.

Cloning and characterization of the cDNA encoding the HA protein of a hemagglutination-defective measles virus strain.

cDNA clones corresponding to the mRNA for the hemagglutinin of the hemagglutination-defective strain AK-1 of measles virus were isolated and characterized. Compared with the prototype Edmonston strain, 60 nucleotide substitutions that resulted in 18 amino acid changes were detected. An additional potential N-linked glycosylation site was added by point mutation, which was supported by the observation that the hemagglutinin of the AK-1 strain was stained more heavily after NaDodSO4-PAGE and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining than the Edmonston strain.