Effects of high-dose chemotherapy with syngeneic bone marrow transplantation in experimental brain tumor in rats.

Background: The clinical dose of 3-[(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)methyl]-1-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitro- sourea hydrochloride (ACNU) is limited by the bone marrow suppression it produces. The authors investigated whether bone marrow transplantation (BMT) associated with a high dose of ACNU could alleviate marrow toxicity and achieve greater antitumor effects in Fischer rats.

Methods And Results: High doses of ACNU (20, 25, and 30 mg/kg) were administered on day 1, followed by injection of syngeneic bone marrow cells on day 3.

Expression of cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin in human arachnoid villi.

Calcium-dependent epithelial cell adhesion molecules designated as E-cadherin (also known as uvomorulin or L-CAM) were identified in human arachnoid villi by immunoblotting and immunocytochemical analyses using a monoclonal antibody HECD-1 raised against human mammary carcinoma MCF-7 cells. Immunoblot analysis showed that HECD-1 recognizes E-cadherin with a molecular weight of 124 kD. In all arachnoid cells of an arachnoid villus, E-cadherin was detected by immunolight microscopy within the cytoplasm rather than the cellular boundaries as seen in the control group.

[The effects of early manual instruction on the oral language development of two deaf children].

The speech and language training for deaf children at our clinic is performed using a multisensory method, which consists of reception and expression training for sign language and fingerspelling as well as auditory training, lip reading, and written language training (the Kanazawa Method). We have already reported that acquisition of written language is not dependent on oral language, and that written language is easier to learn than oral language for deaf children. In the present investigation, we analyzed the acquisition of comprehensible and expressive vocabulary in sign language and fingerspelling.

An immunohistochemical study of regenerating newt retinas.

Light-microscopical examination was carried out to investigate the emergence and development of several classes of immunoreactive cells in regenerating retinas of the adult newt (Triturus pyrrhogaster) after total retinal ablation. Immunoreactive proliferating cell nuclear antigen (ir-PCNA, a marker for replicating cells) was present in nuclei of all neuroblasts in the early mono-layered to several-layered stages (15-20 days after retinal ablation; days 15-20), but was lost progressively in an intermediate-to-central/peripheral order as cells and layers increased (days 20-25). Cells, which had lost ir-PCNA, began to separate to form the outer nuclear, inner nuclear and ganglion cell layers around days 25-30 (the cell separation stage).

Prominent expression of type 1 (gamma) protein kinase C in Purkinje cells located in the "central mass" of Reeler mutant mouse cerebellum as revealed by a computer image analysis technique.

In Reeler mutant mice, cerebellar Purkinje cells exhibit abnormal synaptogenesis. In this study, Purkinje cells in the "central mass" with abnormal afferent connections were compared with those located in their normal position in the cortex in terms of immunoreactivity for type 1 (gamma) protein kinase C. A "computer image analysis technique" was developed for the purpose of this quantitative study, and it revealed that the immunoreactivity in the central mass was significantly higher than that in the cortex.

Dendritic morphology of interstitial amacrine cells with monostratified dendrites in different-sized carp retinas.

The dendritic morphology of a class of interstitial (IS) amacrine cells in retinas of different-sized carp (body length, 9.1-32.3 cm) was investigated by identifying their fluorescent nuclei pre-loaded with 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), followed by iontophoretic injection of Lucifer yellow (LY) in isolated and formaldehyde-fixed flat-mounts under microscopic control.

Enhanced cholesteryl ester transfer protein activities and abnormalities of high density lipoproteins in familial hypercholesterolemia.

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein may play a role in the cholesteryl ester metabolism between high density lipoproteins (HDL) and apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins. To investigate relationship between HDL and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) activity in the development of atherosclerosis, the present study has focused on CETP activity in the patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (GH). HDL-C and HDL-C/apo A-I mass ratio in heterozygous FH were lower than those in normolipidemic controls.

A mechanism for glutamate toxicity in the C6 glioma cells involving inhibition of cystine uptake leading to glutathione depletion.

We have demonstrated that addition of L-glutamate in millimolar amounts to a culture of C6 glioma cells induced cell death within 24 h. The glutamate-induced toxicity in the C6 glioma cells was completely suppressed by adding L-cystine (0.4-1.

Immunohistochemical localization of cell adhesion molecule epithelial cadherin in human arachnoid villi and meningiomas.

Cadherins are a family of intercellular glycoproteins responsible for calcium-dependent cell adhesion and are currently divided into four types: epithelial (E), neuronal (N), placental (P), and vascular (V). Since cadherins are known to be indispensable for not only morphogenesis in the embryo but also maintenance of tumor cell nest, we examined the expression of E-cadherin in 31 meningiomas (11 syncytial, 12 transitional, 8 fibroblastic) and 3 arachnoid villi by immunoblot and immunohistochemical analyses. In the immunoblot analysis, E-cadherin was detected at the main band of Mr 124,000 in all of the arachnoid villi, as well as syncytial and transitional types of meningiomas, but not in the fibroblastic type.

Induction of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-immunoreactive cells in goldfish retina following intravitreal injection with 6-hydroxydopamine.

1. The dopaminergic neurotoxin, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), was injected intravitreally into the eyes of juvenile (5- to 6-cm) goldfish. 2.

Induction of immunoreactive proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in goldfish retina following intravitreal injection with tunicamycin.

Effects of a photoreceptor-specific biotoxin, tunicamycin (TM), injected intravitreally into the goldfish eye at one side, were explored on electroretinograms (ERGs) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen-immunoreactive (PCNA-ir) nuclei, representing the mitotic activity of rod precursors, in the retina at both sides. The eye-cup preparations were made for ERG recording, and the retinas were isolated and processed as cryosections or wholemounts by a routine immunohistochemical method for visinin (cones), opsin (rods), tyrosine hydroxylase (dopaminergic cells) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), at various intervals after intravitreal injection with TM (1.0 micrograms/eye).

Serum lipoprotein lipid concentration and composition in homozygous and heterozygous patients with cholesteryl ester transfer protein deficiency.

Six homozygous, 10 heterozygous and 8 unaffected subjects in a CETP deficient family confirmed by CETP gene analysis were studied to characterize serum lipoproteins separated by ultracentrifugation, and to examine the relations between CETP levels and lipoprotein lipid concentration and composition. The serum CETP levels were measured by radioimmunoassay using 125I-labeled monoclonal antibodies (TP2). The serum CETP levels in the homozygotes were undetectable and those in the heterozygotes were significantly lower than those in the unaffected subjects (1.

Patterns of neural and plexus invasion of human pancreatic cancer and experimental cancer.

Specimens from four patients who underwent resection of cancer of the pancreatic head were examined histologically by serial sections to study the patterns of extrapancreatic nerve plexus invasion of cancer. To understand the mode of neural invasion and its specificity for pancreatic cancer, we also examined retropancreatically transplanted virus-induced rabbit papilloma (VX2) cells in six rabbits. Histological evaluation of the specimens from patients revealed neural invasion near the primary lesion, where cancer cells broke the perineurium and showed communication of cancer cells between the inside and outside of the perineurium.

HTLV-1 Tax induces expression of various immediate early serum responsive genes.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is an etiological agent of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL). We showed here by mobility-shift assay that T-cell lines transformed with the virus contained high levels of AP-1 activities. Consistent with this result, these cell lines expressed increased levels of mRNAs encoding the AP-1 proteins, c-Fos, Fra-1, c-Jun, JunB, and JunD.

Immunohistochemical study of erythropoietin in cerebellar hemangioblastomas associated with secondary polycythemia.

Although cerebellar hemangioblastomas are known to be associated with secondary polycythemia, the cellular derivation of erythropoietin (EPO) in hemangioblastomas still remains obscure. Specimens from 18 patients with cerebellar hemangioblastomas were immunohistochemically studied using anti-EPO monoclonal antibody. Eight cases of brain tumors, including 2 meningiomas, 2 medulloblastomas, 2 glioblastomas, and 2 metastatic brain tumors were studied as controls.

Dendritic morphology of a class of interstitial and normally placed amacrine cells revealed by intracellular Lucifer yellow injection in carp retina.

The dendritic morphology of a class of interstitial amacrine (ISA) and normally placed amacrine cells was investigated in carp retina. We first identified their fluorescent nuclei after preloading with 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) in living or aldehyde-fixed retinal wholemounts and then injected them iontophoretically with Lucifer Yellow (LY) under microscopic control. Although DAPI appeared to be accumulated nonspecifically by amacrine and ganglion cells, ISA cell nuclei were discriminated by focusing between the amacrine and ganglion cell layers.

Matrix metalloproteinase 2 from human rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts. Purification and activation of the precursor and enzymic properties.

Human rheumatoid synovial cells in culture secrete at least three related metalloproteinases that digest extracellular matrix macromolecules. One of them, termed matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), has been purified as an inactive zymogen (proMMP-2). The final product is homogeneous on SDS/PAGE with Mr = 72,000 under reducing conditions.

Radiation necrosis of the optic chiasm, optic tract, hypothalamus, and upper pons after radiotherapy for pituitary adenoma, detected by gadolinium-enhanced, T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging: case report.

A 26-year-old woman was treated for a prolactin secreting pituitary adenoma by surgery and radiotherapy (5860 rads). Fourteen months later, she developed right hemiparesis and dysarthria. A T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scan using gadolinium contrast showed a small, enhanced lesion in the upper pons.

Early histogenesis of the teleostean retina: studies using a novel immunochemical marker, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA/cyclin).

Immunoreactive proliferating cell nuclear antigen or cyclin (ir-PCNA), detected by immunofluorescence using a human autoantibody, was used as a marker for proliferating neuroblasts during early development of the teleostean retina. In a killifish (Medaka) and a cyprinid (goldfish), ir-PCNA was present in all retinal cells at the monolayer stage (embryonic day 2 in Medaka, days 3-4 in goldfish). Subsequently ir-PCNA was lost, as neuroblasts became postmitotic in a centre-to-periphery and proximal-to-distal (ganglion cells first, photoreceptors last) sequence.

Emergence and development of immunoreactive cells in teleostean retinas during the perinatal period.

We have used light-microscopical immunohistochemistry to investigate developmental changes of several neurochemical indicators in retinas of perinatal killifish and goldfish. Immunoreactive proliferating cell nuclear antigen (ir-PCNA/cyclin, a marker for replicating cells) was present in nuclei of all neuroblasts in the early monolayer stage, but was lost progressively in central-to-peripheral and proximal-to-distal order as the layers and cells of the mature retina appeared. The loss of ir-PCNA was slightly prior to the appearance of ir-TH (tyrosine hydroxylase), GAD (glutamic acid decarboxylase) and GS (glutamine synthetase) at the 4th embryonic day (E4) in both fish.

Close tip-to-tip contacts between dendrites of transient amacrine cells in carp retina.

In isolated retinas of the carp (Cyprinus carpio) placed receptor side up in a plastic chamber, a subclass of amacrine cells, generating a fast ON-OFF transient response to spot and annular light stimuli, were intracellularly recorded and injected with a fluorescent dye, Lucifer yellow (LY). After brief fixation of the same preparations in aldehyde solution, the retinas were wholemounted vitreous side up in a tissue chamber. Under a fluorescence microscope, one LY-injected cell and several dye-coupled cells were seen; these cells belonged to type Fnd, having a fusiform soma, narrow dendritic field and bistratified dentrites in the inner plexiform layer (IPL).

An ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study of extracellular matrix in meningiomas.

Extracellular matrix of meningiomas was studied by light and electron microscopy with the aid of immunohistochemical techniques. Special attention was paid to the distribution of type I, III, IV, V collagens and laminin with a comparison between meningothelial and fibroblastic types. Connective tissue fibers and basement membrane were not found among the tumor cells in the meningothelial type, but were found in the fibroblastic type.

Dopamine release via protein kinase C activation in the fish retina.

Calcium-dependent phospholipid-sensitive protein kinase [protein kinase C (PKC)] was partially purified from the carp (Cyprinus carpio) retina through DE 52 ion exchange and Cellulofine gel filtration chromatography. The phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) activated PKC in the nanomolar range. A major 38-kDa protein in the retinal supernatants (105,000 g) was phosphorylated in vitro by PKC during a short period (3 min).