[Study of Streptococcus D group in gynecology and obstetrics].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Ueno.
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BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress in diabetes mellitus has recently received increasing attention as it has been proven to be associated with the development of diabetic vascular complications. Our aim was to examine whether microvascular changes, including oxidative damage, were induced in the brains of diabetic animals. METHODS: The expression of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a marker of oxidative DNA damage, the binding of cationized ferritin, a marker for evaluating endothelial glycocalyx, to the endothelial cells of capillaries and vascular permeability of intravenously injected horseradish peroxidase were examined in the cortices of 12- and 20-week-old db/db and db/+m mice. RESULTS: Immunostaining for 8-OHdG was clearly seen in the vessels of the cortex of 20-week-old db/db mice, but was hardly seen in those of mice in the other groups. The immunopositive area of 8-OHdG was significantly increased in the cortex of 20-week-old db/db mice compared with that of 20-week-old db/+m mice. No extravasated leakage of horseradish peroxidase was seen in any groups of mice, while the numbers of cationized ferritin particles binding to the endothelial cells was significantly decreased in 12- and 20-week-old db/db mice compared with that of db/+m mice at the same age, respectively. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that changes in endothelial glycocalyx are induced in db/db mice and, in addition, the long-term diabetic condition of these mice induces oxidative DNA damage to the cerebral vessels.
Brain to plasma concentration ratios of i.v. administered human serum albumin (HSA) in the olfactory bulb, frontal cortex and cerebellum were evaluated in DDD mice of different ages. We measured the brain uptake of serum albumin excluding intravascular content by using a double isotope technique and examined the time course of the brain uptake to evaluate the brain uptake at different time intervals. In young adult mice, the value was significantly higher in the olfactory bulb than in other brain regions 3-24 h after (125)I-HSA injection. It was about 2.3 times higher in the olfactory bulb than in the cerebellum (P < 0.01). The high concentration ratios in the olfactory bulb were observed in all 4-22-month-old mice. Moreover, the ratio in the olfactory bulb 24 h after (125)I-HSA injection was higher in 22-month-old mice than in younger animals. The high uptake of serum albumin in the olfactory bulb suggests that intravascular macromolecules can be transported into the olfactory bulb more easily than in other brain regions with tight endothelium, and the persistence of high uptake during adult life may be associated with age-related morphological changes in the olfactory bulb.
The time course of brain accumulation of radiolabelled human serum albumin ((125)I-HSA) injected intravenously and the transfer of (125)I-HSA from blood to brain were evaluated in DDD mice using a double isotope technique. The brain accumulation of (125)I-HSA at 3 and 9 h but not at 24 h postinjection and the brain transfer rates were significantly higher in 22-month-old DDD mice than in 4-month-old ones. The brain transfer rates of (125)I-HSA were measured also in senescence accelerated prone mice (SAM-P/8) with age-related deficits in learning and memory, and in senescence accelerated resistant mice (SAM-R/I) without these deficits. The brain transfer rates were significantly higher in 13-month-old SAM-P/8 and 22-month-old SAM-R/1 than in 3-month-old mice of the same strains, respectively. The mean brain transfer rates in five regions observed in 22-month-old DDD mice, 22-month-old SAM-R/1 and 13-month-old SAM-P/8 increased by 31%, 41% and 51% compared with corresponding values in 3- or 4-month-old mice of the same strains. DDD mice and SAM-R/1 mice with normal characteristics of aging showed similar age-related significant changes in brain transfer rates. Age-related increase in the brain transfer rate was manifested at the youngest age in SAM-P/8 among the three strains examined. These findings show that the transfer of human serum albumin into the mouse brain increases with aging and suggest that the barrier function in the mouse brain against macromolecules changes with aging.
Green tree frogs, Rhacophorus arboreus and Rhacophorus schlegelii, living on the main island of Japan have spermatozoa in the form of a counterclockwise corkscrew composed of about 20 coils arranged in the shape of a cone. A head piece coiled loosely and tightly 5-6 times each. It was composed of two subcoils, one outside and the other inside. The outside subcoils composed the nuclear head, and the inside coils the acrosome. Following the head piece, a middle piece which had a mitochondrial sheath coiled 1 1/2 times. A tail piece which followed the middle piece coiled 3-10 times irregularly in 5-6 microns width with a 20- to 30-microns straight tail in length. There was a crystalline composed of 500-600 microtubules which surrounded a pair of cilial structures in the tail piece. The tannic acid-aldehyde-osmium tetroxide fixation method produced excellent electron density and good electron conductivity for scanning electron microscope observations.
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Two years after uneventful phacoemulsification with posterior intraocular lens implant in an 84-year-old female patient, the capsular bag and enclosed intraocular lens luxated into the vitreous cavity. A vitrectomy was done to extract the lens and capsule for electron-microscopic examination. We found very few zonular attachments to the capsule, but did note hexagonal structures of unknown significance that our study indicates may be related to the lens epithelium.
Severe, white sheathing of the retinal vessels and yellowish-white placoid lesions, suggesting frosted-branch angiitis, were found in both fundi of a 24-year-old woman. Fluorescein angiography showed hypofluorescence of the placoid lesions in the early phase and hyperfluorescence in the late phase. Indocyanine green angiography showed hypofluorescence during all phases. These findings imply an occlusion of the choriocapillaris. Fluorescein angiography also showed occlusion of the peripheral retinal vessels. With systemic corticosteroids and prostaglandin I2 derivative, the fundi recovered almost completely to normal 3 months later.
Transport of iron from the mother to the fetus is essential for the normal development of the fetus and abnormalities in the transferrin receptor (TFR) on the placental trophoblasts might have some crucial effects on the fetal iron metabolism. The present study was undertaken to determine whether there are any changes in the expression of the transferrin receptor in the placenta from pre-eclamptic mothers. An immunohistochemical study using antibodies specific for C-terminus and N-terminus regions of the TFR revealed that TFR expression by syncytiotrophoblasts around chorionic villi is markedly reduced in placentae from pre-eclamptic pregnancies compared to those from normal pregnancies and pregnancies at early gestational age that terminated by abortion. The same result, although to a lesser extent, was obtained even in trophoblasts which were located around atrophic villi with fibrotic changes in the interstitium, or which invaded into the deciduas. The expression of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) on those cells was observed to the same extent in the normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancy groups. The concentration of TFR in the peripheral blood also decreased in pre-eclampsia. These results suggest that TFR synthesis in the pre-eclampsia, especially in the placental trophoblasts, is decreased.
We previously reported that the accumulation of blood-borne radiolabelled serum albumin in brain parenchyma increased with aging, especially in senescence-accelerated mice (SAMP8), which showed age-related deficits in learning and memory. In this study, in order to examine morphological events related to the age-related increase of the brain accumulation of serum albumin, the transvascular passage of blood-borne horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and ultrastructural features of microvessels were examined in the hippocampus, cerebellum and pons of SAMP8 and SAMR1 (control) mice. Ultrastructural examination of the hippocampus showed that the staining for HRP was occasionally spreading throughout the parajunctional cytoplasm of the endothelial cell of aged SAMP8 mice, but not in young SAMP8 mice nor in SAMR1 mice. The number of vessels showing the staining reaction for HRP in the parajunctional cytoplasm of the endothelial cells in aged SAMP8 mice increased significantly compared with that in the others. Electron microscopic morphometry showed that there were no significant differences among the number of HRP-positive vesicles per unit area of the endothelial cell cytoplasm in young and old mice of both strains. The staining reaction for HRP was not seen in the basal lamina of microvessels and the perivascular neuropil in all mice examined. Perivascular lipofuscin-like granules and collagen deposits, swelling of astroglial perivascular endfeet and perivascular cells containing foamy, lipid-like droplets were frequently found in several brain regions of aged SAMP8 mice. The perivascular cells with a few lipid-like droplets and more electron-homogeneous lysosomes were occasionally seen in SAMR1 and young SAMP8, while the other findings were scarcely observed in SAMR1 and young SAMP8 mice. These findings suggest that the blood-brain barrier to HRP was preserved in microvessels in three brain regions of SAM mice but the blood microvessels showed some age-related ultrastructural alterations in SAMP8 brains. Uncontrolled passage of HRP through the parajunctional cytoplasm of the endothelial cells may partly contribute to the age-related increase of accumulation of serum albumin in SAMP8 brains.
The SAMP, Senescence-Accelerated Mouse strains show senescence acceleration and age-associated pathological phenotypes similar to geriatric disorders seen in humans. Among these strains, SAMP8 mice show age-associated deficits in learning and memory. Histopathological studies revealed various neurodegenerative changes in the brain, including age-associated appearance of spongiform degeneration in the brain stem and of PAS-positive granular structures in the hippocampus. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) function of SAMP8 mice was also impaired with advancing age. The compromised BBB function in the olfactory bulb, the hippocampus and the pons of SAMP8 mice coincided with and might have been the cause of some morphological changes. Age-associated degeneration of receptor cells and ganglion neurons in the retina and cochlea also occurred in the SAM mice. Oxidative stress partly caused by mitochondrial dysfunction was detected and may be a cause of the neuronal cell degeneration. The SAM strains are useful tool in the attempt to understand the mechanisms of age-dependent neurodegeneration and to develop clinical interventions.
In a series of inbred Senescence-Accelerated mice (SAM) strains, accelerated-senescence prone SAMP substrains show early onset and rapid advancement of senescence. SAMP8 and SAMP10, in particular, exhibit a significant age-related deterioration in memory and learning for passive and active avoidance tasks with, respectively, a low and high incidence of systemic senile amyloidosis. In the brains of both SAMP8 and SAMP10 strains, we have found numerous morphological alterations. Here we review the changes seen in both neuronal or glial components in SAMP8/P10 brains. They may serve as markers of the neuronal degeneration leading to the deficits in learning and memory.
In order to characterize the expression of adrenomedullin during pregnancy, we measured the mature and total concentrations in maternal plasma and amniotic fluid, and examined its expression in fetoplacental tissues. Plasma samples were obtained from 13 normal normotensive non-pregnant women and 14 normal normotensive post partum women. Maternal plasma and amniotic fluid samples were obtained from 37 normal pregnant women (10 in the first trimester, 13 in the second trimester and 14 in the third trimester). Fetoplacental tissues were obtained from first and third-trimester pregnancies. Mature and total adrenomedullin concentrations in plasma and amniotic fluid were determined by using specific radioimmunoassay. The distribution and expression of adrenomedullin were determined using immunohistochemistry, reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, and in situ hybridization. Plasma total adrenomedullin concentrations were increasing with advancing gestation. The mature/total adrenomedullin ratio in the second trimester was the highest during pregnancy. Mature and total adrenomedullin concentrations in the amniotic fluid were significantly higher than those in the maternal plasma throughout gestation (P< 0.05). Mature adrenomedullin concentrations and the mature/total adrenomedullin ratio in the amniotic fluid increased with advancing gestation. There was a significant linear correlation between amniotic fluid and maternal plasma mature/total adrenomedullin ratio in the first or second trimester of pregnancy. Adrenomedullin mRNA was identified in the amniotic membrane and chorionic villi, and within the endothelial layers of villous blood vessels. These results suggest that the mature/total adrenomedullin ratio is modified in maternal plasma and amniotic fluid with advancing gestation.
OBJECTIVE: We report MR findings in three patients with dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT), which is a recently described benign tumor in childhood or young adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The MR studies of three patients with surgically proven DNT were reviewed. All cases presented with partial complex seizures. Axial and coronal T1- and T2-weighted MR imaging of the head was performed using a 1.5 T MR unit. T1-weighted imaging after Gd-DTPA was also performed. RESULTS: The tumors were located mainly in the cortical to subcortical area with very little perifocal mass effects on MR imaging. They were essentially hypointense on T1-weighted imaging and hyperintense well-demarcated mass on T2-weighted imaging and retained a thick gyrus-like configuration within the lesions. None of them exhibited contrast enhancement after administration of Gd-DTPA. CONCLUSION: Differentiation of DNT from gangliogliomas or other low grade gliomas is possible using these MR features and is important because DNT does not recur after epilepsy surgery, therefore postoperative radiation and chemotherapy are not needed.
BACKGROUND: Pulmonary tumorlets are localized lesions of neuroendocrine cell proliferation, usually found in association with chronic pulmonary inflammation. Since they are mostly incidental histologic or radiologic discoveries, they have received little attention, and there have been no reports on their detailed cytology. We describe for the first time the cytologic features of a pulmonary tumorlet and discuss its differential diagnosis. CASE: An abnormal nodule in the right lung field was discovered on a regular checkup by chest roentgenogram in a 70-year-old, nonsmoking female. Intraoperative aspiration cytology demonstrated cohesive, spindle-shaped cells arranged in fascicles or singly. Since these cells showed nuclear atypia, such as hyperchromasia, a coarsely granular chromatin pattern and nuclear grooving, a nonepithelial malignant lesion was suspected and upper lobectomy performed. The final diagnosis was a pulmonary tumorlet on the basis of histologic examination of the resected material. CONCLUSION: This is the first cytologic report of a pulmonary tumorlet. In this case, differential diagnosis was made of a tumor consisting predominantly of spindle-shaped cells. Although cytologic findings included nuclear atypia, the lesion was not malignant.
BACKGROUND: Ectopic meningiomas arising in the lung are rare. We report here the first multiple primary case diagnosed by intraoperative imprint cytology. CASE: Asymptomatic pulmonary nodules, two in the left and three in the right lung, were found in a 61-year-old woman, and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was undertaken. Because the largest tumor was diagnosed as a meningioma by intraoperative imprint cytology using an excised biopsy specimen, further resection was not performed immediately. Histopathologically the tumor was characterized by whorled nests of cells accompanied by psammoma bodies intermingled with a fibrous pattern. The diagnosis was a transitional meningioma, positive for vimentin and epithelial membrane antigen and negative for keratin immunohistochemically. All the nodules were subsequently surgically resected and showed a similar cytohistologic appearance. Ultrastructurally the tumor cells demonstrated interdigitation of adjacent plasma membranes with numerous desmosomes and hemidesmosomes, typical of meningiomas. We failed to detect another primary tumor in the nervous system, and at this writing the patient was healthy three years after the operation. CONCLUSION: Because of the characteristic cytomorphologic features of primary pulmonary meningioma, the cytologic approach provides useful information for therapy.