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Biomedical subjects

H Jalanko

Publications and source records attributed to H Jalanko.

116 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Antigenic differences in nuclear proteins of normal liver and hepatoma. Identification of a nuclear protein present in hepatocytes but absent in hepatoma cells.

A nuclear antigen was detected in the mouse liver nonhistone protein fraction by using antibodies to whole liver cells. The antigen was purified to homogeneity from perchloric acid extracts of liver tissue. It gave a single band corresponding to tool wt 21,000 in sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. Amino acid and carbohydrate analysis showed predominance of the acidic amino acids, lack of proline, and absence of carbohydrate. Immunofluorescence staining of liver sections confirmed the nuclear localization of the antigen. Its tissue distribution was studied by using radioimmunoassay. Of the various tissues extracted for analysis, the liver contained the highest amounts of the antigen, about 1 mug/mg of solubilized liver protein. Other tissues examined showed 2-4 percent of the amount of antigen present in the liver. Two transplantable hepatomas in C3H/HeJ and C57L/J mice, respectively, and three spontaneous C3H hepatomas showed greatly decreased levels of the antigen compared to normal liver. The amount of antigen in hepatomas varied from nondetectable to 2 percent of the amount of antigen found in the livers of the mice. The antigen was also found in the blood. The antigen was found in high concentrations (up to 13 mg/ml) in the urine of normal mice. This suggests identity with the previously known mouse urinary protein (MUP). In addition to the extremely high urinary output, the properties found to be shared by MUP and the nuclear antigen included similar serum concentrations (2-60 mug/ml), a sex difference with lower values in females, same molecular size as determined by gel filtration, and immunological identity. The nuclear localization of MUP and its disappearance from hepatomas suggest that it may have an important regulatory function.

Animals↗

Effect of specific immunotherapy with preimmunization against alpha-fetoprotein on a mouse transplantable hepatoma.

Antibodies to autologous alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) were produced in mice by immunization with rat AFP. C57L/J mice with or without such antibodies were inoculated sc or ip with controlled numbers of cells of the syngeneic, AFP-producing, BW 7756 hepatoma. There was a linear relationship between circulating AFP and tumor mass, with elevated AFP being detectable earlier than the tumor. The AFP levels of the immunized mice were generally lower than those of control mice, and tumors could be detected before elevated concentrations of AFP appeared in the circulation. An extensive series of transplantations with varying protocols for immunization did not protect against tumor and did not affect the rate of tumor growth.

Animals↗

Amniotic fluid pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein (SP1) in fetal developmental disorders.

Concentration of pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein (SP1) was studied in second and third trimester amniotic fluid from pregnancies with various fetal developmental disorders. The material consisted of 26 cases with chromosomal disorders and 19 cases with non-chromosomal fetal malformations. The SP1 concentration was elevated in two cases of Meckel's syndrome (mean +2.7-4.0 S.D.) as well as in one case of fetal triploidy (mean +22 S.D.), while it was normal in all other 14 different fetal disorders.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Studies on the elevated amniotic fluid SP1 in Meckel's syndrome: modified glycosylation of SP1.

Pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein (Schwangerschaftsprotein, SP1) is elevated in the amniotic fluid in Meckel's syndrome. In an attempt to clarify this phenomenon, we studied fetal tissues by immunohistochemistry for the distribution of SP1 in normal fetuses and fetuses with Meckel's syndrome. The amount of SP1 was increased in two out of ten Meckel placentae, as semiquantitatively shown by the immunoperoxidase method, but was normal in the rest of the cases. There was no difference in the SP1 distribution or content in the other fetal tissues studied. Fetal cerebrospinal fluid contained only very low levels of SP1 and thus cannot provide a source for elevated amniotic fluid SP1. In addition, binding of amniotic fluid SP1 to concanavalin A (Con-A) was studied in pregnancies with normal fetuses and Meckel's syndrome using affinity chromatography. The proportion not bound to Con-A in normal amniotic fluids decreased with advancing gestation and was lowest when the total SP1 concentrations were highest. An especially low percentage of SP1 not bound to Con A was found in Meckel's syndrome, suggesting an altered carbohydrate structure of SP1 in these amniotic fluids.

Amniotic Fluid↗

Noncollagenous matrix components of glomeruli in congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type: evidence of abnormal splitting of nidogen?

The congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type (CNF) is a rare autosomal recessive disease with proteinuria starting already in utero, prematurity and nephrotic syndrome developing within the first weeks of life. The basic defect of this disease is unknown but has been suggested to be restricted to the kidney glomeruli and especially to the glomerular basement membrane (GBM). The location of the major matrix components in the glomeruli of CNF patient kidneys has previously been reported. Using indirect immunofluorescence microscopy we here describe the more recently characterized components of the glomerular extracellular matrix, including nidogen, tenascin, vitronectin and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan in CNF and control kidney glomeruli. The accumulation of tenascin and chondroitin sulfate in the renal interstitium as well as a more granular deposition pattern of vitronectin in the mesangium of CNF glomeruli as compared to the control kidneys were observed. These changes were considered secondary to the massive proteinuria, reflected also by the presence of glomerular sclerosis and interstitial fibrosis in the CNF kidney samples. Additionally, analysis of GBM components by immunoblotting revealed either increased or decreased proportionate amounts of fibronectin and laminin in the GBM of CNF kidneys, respectively. Interestingly, different proportionate amounts of proteolytic fragments of nidogen were found in CNF glomeruli as compared to controls. Equal levels of nidogen mRNA were found in the cortical tissue of CNF and control glomeruli. Since nidogen is crucial for the supramolecular organization of basement membranes, these results suggest that an unusual fragmentation of nidogen, due to abnormal assembly, degradation or reorganization of glomerular extracellular matrix, may be associated with the basic defect of CNF.

Basement Membrane↗

Expression of nine developmental stage-specific genes in human kidney and cultured renal cells.

BACKGROUND: Several genes transiently expressed during the maturation of the metanephrogenic mesenchyme have been reported in recent years while there is accumulating evidence of a reverted developmental pathway during tissue damage and loss of function. METHODS: Here we studied the expression of nine genes associated with kidney maturation from samples of normal human fetal, juvenile and adult kidneys and cultured glomerular cells using Northern blotting analysis. Subsequently, kidneys from patients with congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type (CNF), presenting with heavy proteinuria, and Wilms' tumor tissue were studied for the corresponding expression pattern for evidence of dedifferentiation/persistence of a fetal expression pattern. RESULTS: All the genes studied had their distinct expression pattern within the tissues and cells tested. No conclusive evidence of dedifferentiation could be obtained in the samples from CNF kidneys, whereas, as expected, the gene expression pattern of Wilms' tumor tissue was highly similar to that of fetal kidney tissue. CONCLUSION: Some genes thought to be only transiently expressed during kidney maturation were, however, constantly found in the samples from fetal to newborn and adult kidneys.

Adolescent↗

Peritoneal dialysis in children under 5 years of age.

OBJECTIVE: We report our experience with maintenance peritoneal dialysis (PD) in small children. DESIGN: This is a retrospective analysis of the patient records of all children under the age of 5 years treated with continuous peritoneal dialysis (CPD) between 1986 and 1994 in Finland. SETTING: Treatment was started and the patients were seen at the outpatient clinic at the Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, every 3 months. Between these visits, they had controls at their local hospital every 2-4 weeks. PATIENTS: The most common primary renal disease in these 34 patients was congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type (27 patients). Others were: congenital nephrotic syndrome (3 patients), polycystic kidney disease (1), urethral valve (1), neuroblastoma (1), and renal dysplasia (1). RESULTS: Mean age at onset was 1.6 years and median treatment time 9.3 months. Time spent in hospital decreased from 270 days/year in the 1980s to 150 days/year in the 1990s. Two children died (5.9%). The peritonitis rate on continuous cyclic peritoneal dialysis was 1:11.5 patient-months. Hernias were diagnosed in 29% of the patients. After 3 months half of the patients were on antihypertensive medication. Pulmonary edema was diagnosed once in 12 patients and twice in 2 patients. During the first 6 months on PD the mean height standard deviation score (hSDS) increased from -2.13 to -1.66 (p < 0.0001). The 6-month change in hSDS before initiation and 6 months after the start of CPD increased from -0.12 +/-0.68 to +0.59 +/- 0.64 (p = 0.0008). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that peritoneal dialysis is feasible and safe in small children. Mortality was low and growth was good. The major challenges presented by CPD therapy were maintenance of optimal nutrition, avoidance of peritonitis, and control of volemia.

Age of Onset↗