Chronic glomerulonephritis remarkably improved after surgery for acne conglobata of the buttocks.
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Acneiform Eruptions↗
Biomedical subjects
M Ito
Publications and source records attributed to M Ito.
Enhanced expression and production of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in myocarditis.
Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a member of the C-C chemokine family that has been shown to play a major role in the migration of monocytes and T cells to an inflammatory focus. To clarify the role of MCP-1 in the pathogenesis of myocarditis, we have examined the expression of MCP-1 in rat hearts with experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM), and have also measured serum levels of MCP-1 in patients with histology-proven acute myocarditis. Lewis rats were immunized with cardiac myosin and were killed 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 42 and 56 days after immunization. Large mononuclear cells in the myocardial interstitium were stained with an anti-MCP-1 antibody. mRNA of MCP-1 increased in the hearts of EAM rats from days 15--27 as shown by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Serum MCP-1 levels of the rats with EAM were significantly elevated from days 15--24. In the clinical study, serum levels of MCP-1 in 24 patients with acute myocarditis at the time of admission (165.2 +/- 55.8 pg/ml) were significantly (P = 0.0301) elevated compared with those of 20 healthy volunteers (61.8 +/- 10.7 pg/ml). Serum MCP-1 levels of 8 fatal cases (371.8 +/- 145.2 pg/ml) were significantly (P = 0.0058) higher than those of 16 cases who survived (65.5 +/- 12.8 pg/ml). In conclusions, MCP-1 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of human acute myocarditis as well as in the progression of rat EAM.
Acute Disease↗
A thiol proteinase inhibitor, E-64-d, corrects the abnormalities in concanavalin A cap formation and the lysosomal enzyme activity in leucocytes from patients with Chediak-Higashi syndrome by reversing the down-regulated protein kinase C activity.
We have reported previously that the abnormally down-regulated protein kinase C (PKC) causes cellular dysfunction observed in natural killer (NK) cells, polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs) and fibroblasts from beige mouse, an animal model of Chediak-Higashi syndrome (CHS). Here we show that the abnormal down-regulation of PKC activity also occurs in Epstein-Barr (EB) virus-transformed cell lines from CHS patients. When CHS cell lines were stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A) for 20 min, the membrane-bound PKC activity declined markedly, whereas that in control cell lines increased. We found that E-64-d, which protects PKC from calpain-mediated proteolysis, reversed the declined PKC activity and corrected the increased Con A cap formation to almost normal levels in CHS cell lines. We confirmed that the dysregulation of PKC activity also occurred in peripheral blood mononuclear leucocytes (PBMC) from CHS patients and that E-64-d corrected both the declined PKC activity and increased Con A cap formation. E-64-d also corrected the reduced lysosomal elastase and cathepsin G activity in CHS cell lines. In contrast, chelerythrin, a specific inhibitor of PKC, and C2-ceramide, which promotes PKC breakdown induced by calpain, increased Con A cap formation and inhibited both elastase and cathepsin G activity in normal cell lines. Moreover, we found that ceramide production in CHS cell lines increased significantly after Con A stimulation, which coincides with our previous observation in fibroblasts from CHS mice. These results suggest an association between ceramide-induced PKC down-regulation and the cellular dysfunctions in CHS.
Calpain↗
Glycyrrhizin enhances interleukin-12 production in peritoneal macrophages.
Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a monocyte/macrophage-derived cytokine that plays a prominent role in the development of T helper type 1 (Th1) cell-mediated immune responses. Glycyrrhizin (GL), an aqueous extract of liquorice root, used as Chinese medicine, is known to have various immunomodulating activities. In this study, GL showed a dose-dependent priming effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced IL-12 p40 and IL-12 p70 (heterodimer of p40 and p35) protein production by peritoneal macrophages (PM). The maximal effect was observed when GL was intraperitoneally administered 12 hr before the PM were harvested and stimulated in vitro with LPS. The increases in IL-12 p70 and p40 protein production were primarily due to up-regulated transcription of IL-12 p35 and p40 messenger RNAs (mRNAs), as demonstrated by RNase protection assay. The augmentation of IL-12 p40 mRNA expression induced by GL pretreatment was associated with increased NF-kappaB activation. Moreover, GL exhibited the same priming effect on IL-12 production in interferon-gamma knockout (IFN-gamma-/-) mice. The production of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was not induced at any time point after GL pretreatment. These findings demonstrated the ability of GL to enhance LPS-induced IL-12 production by peritoneal macrophages, and indicated that the priming effect of GL on IL-12 production was independent of both IFN-gamma and GM-CSF.
Animals↗
Characterization of the reversible nature of the reaction catalyzed by sphingolipid ceramide N-deacylase. A novel form of reverse hydrolysis reaction.
Sphingolipid ceramide N-deacylase catalyzes a reversible reaction in which the amide linkages of the ceramides of various sphingolipids are cleaved or synthesized. Hydrolysis of sphingolipids by the enzyme proceeded efficiently at acidic pH in the presence of high concentrations of detergents, whereas the reverse reaction tended to be favored at neutral pH with a decrease in the detergent concentration. Although the catalytic efficiency (V(max)/K(m)) of the hydrolysis and reverse reactions was changed mainly by the concentration of detergents in the reaction mixture, V(max) and K(m) for the reverse reaction were relatively higher than those for the forward reaction, irrespective of the detergent concentration. The reverse reaction proceeded most efficiently when the molar ratio of lyso-sphingolipids and fatty acids was fixed at 1 : 1-2, the yield of the reaction exceeding 70-80%. The reverse and exchange (transacylation) reactions did not require ATP, CoA, metal ions or addition of organic solvents. Studies using inhibitors and chemical modifiers of the enzyme protein suggested that both the hydrolysis and condensation reactions are catalyzed at the same catalytic domain. These results indicate that the reverse hydrolysis reaction of the enzyme is unique, being completely different from those of lipases, proteases and glycosidases reported to date.
Adenosine Triphosphate↗
Clinicopathological features of gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: a comparison with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma without a mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma component.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim of this study was to clinicopathologically distinguish the pathogenesis of gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma without a MALT lymphoma component (DLL). METHODS: We investigated clinicopathological features of these gastric lymphomas including age, sex ratio, tumor location and depth, macroscopic appearance, and infection with Helicobacter pylori of these gastric lymphomas and hepatitis viruses in 24 patients with gastric low-grade MALT lymphoma, 10 patients with high-grade MALT lymphoma, and 19 patients with DLL. The frequency of H. pylori infection in lymphoma patients was compared with that in age- and sex-matched control subjects. RESULTS: There was a predominance of females with MALT lymphoma (male to female ratio, 8/16 for low-grade MALT lymphomas and 1/9 for high-grade MALT lymphomas), and there was a predominance of males with DLL (male to female ratio, 13/6); the ratios differed significantly (P < 0.05). Ninety-two percent of low-grade MALT lymphomas and 80% of high-grade MALT lymphomas were confined to the mucosal and submucosal layers, but lymphoma cells invaded the muscular layer or more deeply in 74% of DLL. Helicobacter pylori infection occurred significantly more often in patients with low-grade MALT lymphoma than in age- and sex-matched controls (96 vs 67%, P < 0.01). Conversely, the frequency of H. pylori infection in DLL patients did not differ from that in controls. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that H. pylori infection may be associated with the development of gastric MALT lymphoma, but not DLL, and that MALT lymphoma and DLL may have a different pathogenesis.
Adult↗
A rat model of hypereosinophilic syndrome.
Hypereosinophilia-occurring rats without chemical and antigen treatment have been maintained in our laboratory. The rat, Matsumoto Eosinophilia Shinshu (mes), showed hypereosinophilia at the age of 9 weeks or older and developed eosinophil-related inflammatory lesions in many organs. These lesions included: aortitis, granulomatous lesion in the mesenteric lymph node, inflammatory fibroid polyp of the stomach and pulmonary vasculitis with septal infiltration. These lesions were involved with cellular infiltration of eosinophils and macrophages, and deposition of eosinophilic crystals which immunohistologically showed major basic protein and eosinophilic peroxidase derived from eosinophilic lysosomal constituents. Although the distribution of lesions in mes is a little different from that of hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) in humans, in that endomyocardial fibrosis appears in HES while aortitis appears in mes, mes is probably comparable with HES. The present paper describes the pathological aspects of the lesions in mes and discusses the pathogenesis of tissue injury related to eosinophilic infiltration.
Animals↗
Histological diversity of vasculitic lesions in MPO-ANCA-positive autopsy cases.
To investigate the variety of histological features of vasculitic lesions in myeloperoxidase-specific antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (pANCA)-related vasculitis, retrospective pathological analysis was done on 13 autopsy cases, collected from 1990 to 1998 at five hospitals. These cases were classified into three groups: (i) pulmonary-renal syndrome characterized by capillaritis of lung and glomeruli with occasional small-vessel arteritis and/or phlebitis; (ii) glomerular capillaritis without pulmonary involvement associated with significant small-vessel arteritis; and (iii) extensive distribution of small-vessel arteritis with no capillary involvement. The results suggest that pANCA-related vasculitis encompasses a wide variety of vasculitic syndromes, including pulmonary-renal syndrome, microscopic polyarteritis nodosa, and classic polyarteritis nodosa. pANCA may contribute to pathogenesis in all of these cases.
Aged↗
Prenatal sonographic diagnosis of Pena-Shokeir syndrome type I.
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Abnormalities, Multiple↗
A novel type II cytokeratin, mK6irs, is expressed in the Huxley and Henle layers of the mouse inner root sheath.
Hair follicle differentiation involves the expression of both epithelial-type keratins or cytokeratins and hair keratins as well as hair keratin-associated proteins. In this study, a cDNA clone encoding a cytokeratin family member was isolated using RNA differential display techniques. The predicted amino acid sequence derived from this clone, revealed a homology with a number of cytokeratins, not only in the central alpha-helical regions but also in the conserved portions of the amino and carboxy terminal domains, indicating that this protein represents a new member of the mouse type II cytokeratin family. Northern blot analysis showed expression in mouse skin, but not in other tissues, including tongue, esophagus, and forestomach. One- and two-dimensional western blot analysis showed that this new cytokeratin was 57 kDa in size and ran slightly below the area of cytokeratin 5, which corresponded to that of the cytokeratin 6 family members. Both RNA in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical studies of mouse anagen hair follicles demonstrated expression of this cytokeratin in the inner root sheath hair cone during anagen III and in the Henle and Huxley layers of the inner root sheath during anagen VI. The expression of the new cytokeratin began in the hair bulb and progressed up to the height of the keratogenous zone. Taken together the sum of the data analyzed, we have termed this novel cytokeratin mK6irs (mouse gene nomenclature k2-6g) to indicate both its similar mobility with K6 in two-dimensional gels and its specific expression in the inner root sheath of the hair follicle.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Factors influencing the linear depth of invasion of primary basal cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND: Predicting subclinical growth of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is important for clinicians to determine adequate surgical margins. However, few attempts to predict the depth of invasion of BCC prior to surgery have been done. OBJECTIVE: To identify the factors significantly influencing the depth of invasion of primary BCC. METHODS: In 235 primary BCCs treated with surgical excision, maximum vertical diameter, designated as "invasion index," from the surrounding skin surface to the bottom of the tumor was measured. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify the factors significantly influencing the invasion index. Seven variables including age, sex, duration, anatomic location, tumor horizontal diameter, histologic subtypes, and ulceration were entered into the model. RESULTS: Among seven variables, male sex (P = 0.0003), larger tumor diameter (P = 0.0011), and histologic subtypes including infiltrative, morpheic, and micronodular subtypes (P = 0.0019) had significant strength of influence for the invasion index. CONCLUSION: The three predictive factors positively related to the linear depth of invasion in this study are important, but not sufficient, considerations at planning of surgery and for postoperative follow-up of BCC.
Aged↗
Breakthrough waves during ventricular fibrillation depend on the degree of rotational anisotropy and the boundary conditions: a simulation study.
INTRODUCTION: The left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle (RV) are characterized by specific fiber orientation known as "rotational anisotropy." However, it remains unclear whether the LV and RV are different with regard to the effect of rotational anisotropy on the dynamics of scroll waves during ventricular fibrillation (VF). To resolve this issue, we used a computation-based model to study scroll wave behavior. METHODS AND RESULTS: We composed an environment of simulated three-dimensional ventricular wall slabs, with optional ratios of fiber rotation to wall thickness (0 degrees, 6 degrees, and 12 degrees/mm thickness; LV 10 mm, RV 5 mm), using Luo-Rudy phase I equations. When rotational anisotropy was not incorporated into the LV wall slab (theta endo to approximately theta epi = 0 degrees), most scroll waves rotated around the filaments perpendicular to the tissue surface, with only a few accompanying breakthrough waves. In a twisted LV model (theta endo to approximately theta epi = 60 degrees and 120 degrees), the scroll waves were demonstrated as multiple wavelets scattered spatiotemporally, frequently accompanied by breakthrough waves that were promoted by rotational anisotropy. In a twisted RV model (theta endo to approximately theta epi = 30 degrees and 60 degrees), single scroll waves and/or figure-of-eight reentrant waves appeared, with comparatively few breakthrough waves, regardless of the degree of fiber twist. CONCLUSION: The proportion of electrical effects of rotational anisotropy and tissue boundaries plays an important role in the genesis of breakthrough waves during VF, and the difference in wave propagating patterns and frequency spectrum of the ventricles may arise, in part, from the number of breakthrough waves promoted by rotational anisotropy.
Anisotropy↗
Electroporation in a model of cardiac defibrillation.
INTRODUCTION: It is known that high-strength shock disrupts the lipid matrix of the myocardial cell membrane and forms reversible aqueous pores across the membrane. This process is known as "electroporation." However, it remains unclear whether electroporation contributes to the mechanism of ventricular defibrillation. The aim of this computer simulation study was to examine the possible role of electroporation in the success of defibrillation shock. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using a modified Luo-Rudy-1 model, we simulated two-dimensional myocardial tissue with a homogeneous bidomain nature and unequal anisotropy ratios. Spiral waves were induced by the S1-S2 method. Next, monophasic defibrillation shocks were delivered externally via two line electrodes. For nonelectroporating tissue, termination of ongoing fibrillation succeeded; however, new spiral waves were initiated, even with high-strength shock (24 V/cm). For electroporating tissue, high-strength shock (24 V/cm) was sufficient to extinguish ongoing fibrillation and did not initiate any new spiral waves. Weak shock (16 to 20 V/cm) also extinguished ongoing fibrillation; however, in contrast to the high-strength shock, new spiral waves were initiated. Success in defibrillation depended on the occurrence of electroporation-mediated anodal-break excitation from the physical anode and the virtual anode. Some excitation wavefronts following electrical shock used a deexcited area with recovered excitability as a pass-through point; therefore, electroporation-mediated anodal-break excitation is necessary to block out the pass-through point, resulting in successful defibrillation. CONCLUSION: The electroporation-mediated anodal-break excitation mechanism may play an important role in electrical defibrillation.
Action Potentials↗
Maturation of mass-screened localized adrenal neuroblastoma.
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: In infants, neuroblastoma has been known to spontaneously differentiate into a benign ganglioneuroma. Although several investigators have compared mass-screened with unscreened, disseminated with localized, and adrenal with retroperitoneal neuroblastoma, there are very few cross-comparisons of the above parameters. Herein, the authors report the maturation of mass-screened, localized adrenal neuroblastoma. METHODS: Fifty-one mass-screened adrenal neuroblastomas were divided into 2 groups. In infants less than 1 year of age (Group A), 45 neuroblastomas were resected, whereas 6 neuroblastomas were resected after observation in 1- to 4-year-old children (group B). Histopathology of the tumors in the 2 groups was compared. Data were analyzed by X(2) test, and P <.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: According to the International Neuroblastoma Pathological Classification, 41 of 45 tumors of group A were "differentiating neuroblastoma" and 4 of 6 tumors of group B were "maturing ganglioneuroma." Maturation toward ganglioneuroblastoma was observed in 16 neuroblastomas of group A (36%) and 6 neuroblastomas of group B (100%). In group A, 58% had low mitosis karyorrhexis index (MKI); all patients in group B had low MKI. CONCLUSIONS: If left untreated, maturation of mass-screened, localized adrenal neuroblastomas is a common phenomenon. These children do not need to undergo early operation.
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗
Paradoxical weight loss with extra energy expenditure at brown adipose tissue in adolescent patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
We examined the energy expenditure in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy(DMD) to evaluate the cause of the paradoxical weight loss observed in large numbers of adolescent patients before any obvious impairment of their swallowing function. In the morning, resting energy expenditure (REE)/m(2) was almost the same as that in normal controls despite a reduction in fat-free mass (FFM); thus, REE/m(2)/FFM was significantly increased in patients (median, 21.2 kcal/m(2)/FFM kg; range, 17.7 to 44.2, P =.012). A thermographic examination in the morning showed an obvious elevation of the body surface temperature on the back. This phenomenon was consistent with a paradoxical fall in the low frequency (LF)/high frequency (HF) ratio at night analyzed using the inter-RR spectrum by 24-hour electrocardiogram, which indicated relative activation of the sympathetic nervous system. The urinary secretion of norepinephrine at night was also significantly greater in patients (median, 0.119 microg/kg/h; range, 0.061 to 0.219, P =.011). These results suggest that paradoxical activation of the sympathetic nervous system may accelerate the production of heat in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and increase the level of energy consumption in patients, and that adolescent DMD patients may require greater caloric intake than expected to maintain body weight, which is important to improve the prognosis of their respiratory function.
Adipose Tissue, Brown↗
Mechanical alternans in patients with chronic heart failure.
BACKGROUND: Clinical implications of mechanical alternans in patients with chronic heart failure have remained uncertain. In this study, prevalence, characteristics, and prognostic implications of mechanical alternans were investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: Consecutive 51 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy underwent diagnostic cardiac catheterization using a micromanometer-tipped catheter. Under basal conditions, 7 of 35 patients with sinus rhythm showed mechanical alternans. Physiologic tachycardia (110 bpm) induced mechanical alternans in another 15 patients with sinus rhythm and in another 10 of 16 patients with atrial fibrillation. Low doses of dobutamine also induced mechanical alternans in another 8 patients, but a high dose of dobutamine eliminated mechanical alternans. Consequently, 40 patients (78%) showed mechanical alternans. Mechanical alternans was always accompanied by alternating changes of positive dP/dt, a parameter of contractility during isovolumetric contraction time, but negative dP/dt was occasionally constant. Concordant mechanical alternans between both ventricles was more prevalent than discordant alternans. The left ventricular end-diastolic volume indices and end-systolic volume indices of patients with mechanical alternans were larger than those of patients without. The left ventricular ejection fraction of patients with alternans was significantly lower than that of patients without. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical alternans was highly prevalent in patients with chronic heart failure. The origin of mechanical alternans seems to exist before or at the isovolumetric contraction time.
Adult↗
Penetrating injury of the brain by the burr of a high-speed air drill during craniotomy: case report.
The most critical complications of craniotomy are caused by the plunging of a skull drill, and there have been no reports of penetrating brain injury caused by the broken burr of a high-speed air drill during craniotomy. Left orbitofrontal craniotomy was performed to clip two aneurysms in a 44 year old man. While cutting the lateral orbital rim with the burr of an Ultra Power surgical drill system, the burr broke off and penetrated the frontal lobe down to the falx cerebri. There were no discernible contusion or haemorrhage in the brain. The accident occurred because a long burr for the angled attachment of a Surgairtome was erroneously attached to the angled attachment of an UltraPower surgical drill. The mismatch between the steel strength and torque of the two burrs designed for different drill systems seemed responsible for breakage of the burr. We learned a valuable lesson from this failure: that all new instruments, including high-speed air drills, must be studied carefully so that staff become thoroughly familiar with their handling.
Adult↗
Inhibitory effect of decoction of Perilla frutescens on cultured murine mesangial cell proliferation and quantitative analysis of its active constituents.
The leaves of Perilla frutescens (perilla) are a common herb used in Japan for garnishing raw seafood. Previously, we reported that a decoction of perilla leaves had suppressive effects on the progression of glomerulonephritis in an animal model of spontaneous IgA nephropathy. The objective of the present study was to isolate anti-nephritic constituents in the perilla decoction under the guidance of its in vitro anti-proliferative activity on cultured murine mesangial cells, and to measure the contents of the active constituents in decoctions prepared from various perilla chemotypes, which differ in their composition of essential oils and/or pigments. DNA synthesis of cultured mesangial cells induced by 1% fetal calf serum was significantly inhibited by the perilla decoction (IC50 values, 8.8 microg/ml). Caffeic acid, luteolin 7-O-[beta-glucuronosyl(1-->2)beta-glucuronide], apigenin 7-O-[beta-glucuronosyl(1-->2)beta-glucuronide], scutellarin, and rosmarinic acid were isolated as active constituents. The contents of these phenolic compounds were not significantly different among chemotypes of P. frutescens. Considering the relation between the contents in the perilla decoction and the activities of these compounds, rosmarinic acid represents the in vitro anti-proliferative effect of perilla decoction.
Animals↗