To investigate whether cell proliferation and PRL gene expression in female rat pituitary during estrous cycle were mediated by the poly (ADP)-ribosylation of chromatin proteins, anterior pituitaries at different estrous cycle were obtained from female Wistar rats, and poly (ADP-ribose) synthesis, DNA synthesis, PRL and GH messenger RNAs and PRL content in the pituitary, and serum concentrations of PRL and estradiol were analyzed. From diestrus to proestrus, poly (ADP-ribose) synthesis, the contents of PRL messenger RNA and PRL in the pituitary increased significantly, and decreased at estrus. However, DNA synthesis and serum concentration of PRL showed a significant increase from proestrus to estrus. Serum estradiol concentration increased from diestrus to proestrus. No significant change was observed in the pituitary GH messenger RNA content during estrous cycle. The increase of PRL messenger RNA from diestrus to proestrus was abolished completely by the administration of nicotinamide, an inhibitor of poly (ADP-ribose) synthesis, to rats at diestrus. These results indicate that poly (ADP)-ribosylation of chromatin proteins may play some role in cell proliferation and transcription of PRL gene during rat estrous cycle.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Stomal varices: treatment by percutaneous transhepatic coil embolization.

Bleeding from stomal varices in a patient with portal hypertension, uncontrolled by surgical ligation and sclerotherapy, was well controlled by percutaneous transhepatic embolization with platinum and stainless-steel coils.

Colostomy↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Expression of human placenta alkaline phosphatase in placenta during pregnancy.

To clarify the expression of PLAP during the course of pregnancy, the amount of PLAP mRNA and its activity in normal placental villi were measured. Both PLAP and its mRNA were found in placentae of as early as 7 weeks of gestation, and they continued to increase throughout pregnancy. But they showed different patterns of increase. The amount of PLAP mRNA began to increase dramatically around 13th week and probably continued to increase gradually until term. PLAP activity per gram of villi showed a gradual increase from around 13th week and a marked increase was observed after about 20th week. PLAP levels in sera from pregnant women were also measured, and they showed a pattern of increase imilar to that of PLAP activity per gram of villi. The continuous increase in the expression of PLAP throughout pregnancy suggests that PLAP may play a role in feto-maternal metabolism and placental differentiation.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Different characteristics of carcinoma in the gastric remnant: histochemical and immunohistochemical studies.

Seventy cases of cancer of the gastric remnant were divided into three groups: 33 cases following surgery for benign disease (group A), and 15 cases occurring more than 10 years and 22 cases occurring within 10 years after the first gastrectomy for malignant disease (groups B and C, respectively). Then mucin histochemical and immunohistochemical studies were undertaken. Billroth-II procedure for anastomosis was most frequently performed in group A. Intestinal metaplasia within the mucosa surrounding the carcinomas was more frequently present in groups A and C with a diffuse distribution. Intestinal-type surrounding mucosa was significantly more frequent in group C. The immunohistochemical expression of p53 protein was most frequently expressed in group B. We conclude that a different mechanism of carcinogenesis exists in these three groups; i) group A: the reflux of duodenal juice especially following B-II procedures leads to progression of the carcinoma. ii) group B: some genetic factor such as p53 may be related to the metachronous multiple carcinogenesis. iii) group C: metachronous multiple carcinogenesis within the short interval may be closely associated with diffuse intestinal metaplasia in the surrounding mucosa.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Granular cell ameloblastoma of the mandible with metastasis to the third thoracic vertebra. A case report.

A 62-year-old housewife had a metastasis of granular cell ameloblastoma to the third thoracic vertebra. She had suffered at least four local recurrences during the 38-year duration of the right mandibular tumor and was treated by posterior decompression of the spinal cord with instrumentation. Histologically, the granular cells appeared to be of epithelial origin. Ultrastructurally, the granules were identified as lysosomes, including some that were autophagic. Of 45 reported cases of granular cell ameloblastoma, there have been only three cases with pathologically confirmed metastasis. Their characteristics are long duration of the tumor, multiple local recurrences, and predominance in blacks.

Ameloblastoma↗