A 52-year-old male was admitted with autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP), showing mononuclear cell infiltration in both the pancreas and salivary glands with both normal sialography and anti-SS-A/SS-B antibodies. Although the AIP improved with glucocorticoid treatment, subsequent abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a nodular shadow in the bilateral kidneys, which was confirmed as interstitial nephritis by renal biopsy. The patient's serum immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) level was 10 times higher than the upper limit of the normal range. IgG4-positive mononuclear cell infiltration was detected in the salivary gland, pancreas, and kidney. A new entity proposed as 'IgG4-related autoimmune disease' was considered.

Autoimmune Diseases↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Bile acid load on the DNA distribution pattern of bile ductules and cholangiocarcinoma induced by diisopropanolnitrosamine in hamsters.

This study evaluated the influence of bile acid load on the DNA distribution pattern of proliferated bile ductules and cholangiocarcinoma induced by diisopropanolnitrosamine. Ninety hamsters were separated into control, tauro- and deoxycholic acid (DCA) groups. The DNA distribution pattern of intrahepatic lesions at 15-25 weeks was measured by cytofluorometry and classified into three types: I (-A, -B), II and III, according to the degree of dispersion on the DNA histogram. Regarding proliferated bile ductule lesions, all groups showed an increase in cell populations, indicating the dispersion of nuclear DNA content from the 4C to 6C ranges over the course of 25 weeks, and two groups with bile acids, especially the DCA group, revealed significant high incidences of lesions with type I-B plus II compared with those in the control group (p < 0.05, 0.01). Changes in carcinoma types were similar to those of bile ductule lesions, and the tumors in the DCA group had a significant high frequency of type II plus III (p < 0.05). In addition, heterogeneity of the DNA distribution pattern was observed within individual lesions of not only carcinoma but also bile ductules. These results suggest that bile acid load, especially DCA, promotes an increase in nuclear DNA content or DNA polyploidization and enhances the distribution of the DNA pattern of proliferating bile ductules and carcinoma. Furthermore, a bile ductule-carcinoma sequence may be present in the development of cholangiocarcinoma.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Expression of tie1 and tie2 proteins during reendothelialization in balloon-injured rat carotid artery.

The novel endothelial cell tyrosine kinase receptors, Tie1 and Tie2, are essential for vascular development and remodeling in the embryo but little is known regarding the regulation of their expression and their role in the maintenance and repair of the adult vascular system. We examined the expression of Tie1 and Tie2 in normal vessels and during reendothelialization following balloon injury of the adult rat carotid artery. Tie proteins were detected in quiescent endothelial cells of the adult rat carotid artery. Tie1 and Tie2 proteins were also detected in human and rat platelets. A weak expression of Tie1 and Tie2 proteins was detected in young endothelial cells which sparsely repopulated the denuded surface by day 14. Protein levels increased in the confluent layer of endothelial cells by day 28. Based on these observations, we tested whether Tie1 and Tie2 mRNA and protein levels are regulated by cell density. Tie1 and Tie2 expression significantly increased with higher density in cultured human endothelial cells, and this upregulation required cell-cell interaction. These data suggest that Tie1 and Tie2 may play a role in the maintenance and repair of the adult vascular system and that the expression of these proteins is regulated by cell density.

Angioplasty, Balloon↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Reduced expression of ICE/caspase1 and CPP32/caspase3 in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

The interleukin-1(-converting enzymes (ICE)/caspase1 and the CPP32/caspase3, cysteine proteases, play an important role in the maintenance of homeostasis by inducing apoptosis. Since human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) demonstrate strong resistance to apoptosis, we investigated the expression of ICE and CPP32 in human HCCs. Reverse transcription PCR analysis revealed that one out of five HCC tissues showed no band of ICE mRNA and two out of five HCC tissues showed no band of CPP32 mRNA. An immunohistochemical study of 20 cases of HCC tissues and non-tumor parts revealed that immunoreactivity of ICE and CPP32 was preferentially observed in the cytoplasm, appearing as a diffuse and homogeneous pattern. Some nuclei also stained with anti-ICE antibody or anti-CPP32 antibody and demonstrated apoptotic features. Overall, the expression of ICE and CPP32 were significantly down-regulated in the HCCs compared to nontumor cells. In situ nick end labeling method (TUNEL) labeling index significantly decreased according to the decreasing staining intensity of CPP32. However, there was no tendency for the TUNEL labeling index to decrease with decreasing ICE staining intensity. Our results suggested that the expression of ICE and CPP32 were down-regulated and that especially reduced expression of CPP32 may contribute to resistance against apoptosis in human HCCs.

Apoptosis↗