Effects of endothelin (ET) family peptides and their derivatives on cellular contraction and calcium-ion level were examined by using cultured human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSM). Contraction of cultured human VSM, isolated from human fetal aortic segments, was induced within 1 min after the treatment with ET-1 (100 nM) as seen in the changes of cytosolic calcium-ion localization. In parallel with the cell contraction, cytosolic calcium-ion level in the human VSM increased very rapidly and then dropped with some oscillation as determined by Anchorage Cell Analyzing System. It was noted that transient calcium-ion mobilization rather than sustained calcium-ion influx was significant in the contraction of cultured human VSM. Vasoactive intestinal contractor (VIC), three amino acids different from ET-1, had less activity in increase of intracellular calcium-ion level and in percent of response cells than ET-1, ET-2, and VIC-S4L6 (one amino acid different from ET-1). EC50 of ET-1, VIC-S4L6, ET-2, and VIC were 0.5 nM, 0.6 nM, 2.0 nM, and 20 nM, respectively. VIC-like peptide (VIC-LP), 16 amino acids fragment of VIC precursor protein, had no effect with a single administration of up to 10 microM. However, the increase in calcium-ion level by VIC was suppressed with a prior treatment of cells with high concentration (10 microM) of VIC-LP. The establishment of cultured human VSM for the simultaneous examination of the contraction and calcium-ion level will provide a new system to study signal transduction of vasocontractor peptides.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Quantification of gastric ulcer healing by endoscopic ultrasonography.

We studied and quantified the healing process of gastric ulcers in humans by means of endoscopic ultrasonography. Initially, using the water bath method, we scanned specimens of resected human stomachs with gastric ulcers including 9 open ulcers and 14 ulcer scars. Comparison of histological findings and measurement of the cross-section suggested that the ulcers observed in the ultrasonographic photographs were essentially equivalent to those in histological photographs. By using endoscopic ultrasonography, we then examined 16 patients with active, mainly recurrent, gastric ulcers before and after 2, 4, and 8 weeks of H2 blocker treatment, measuring the length and cross-sectional area of the ulcer in endoscopic ultrasonographic photographs. From measurements of the contraction rate of cross-sectional ulcer area during healing, we observed that the healed ulcers showed a relatively rapid rate of contraction in the first 4 weeks of therapy and the non-healed cases showed a poor contraction rate. Endoscopic ultrasonography is useful for the quantitative estimation of histological changes associated with gastric ulcer healing.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Different effects of anxiolytic agents, diazepam and 5-HT(1A) agonist tandospirone, on hippocampal long-term potentiation in vivo.

Benzodiazepines and 5-HT(1A) agonists have been widely used as anxiolytic agents. Some clinical reports document that 5-HT(1A) agonists induce memory impairment to a lesser degree than diazepam. In the present study, we compared the effects of diazepam and 5-HT(1A) agonist, tandospirone, on hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) in Schaffer collateral-CA1, mossy fiber-CA3 and perforant path-dentate gyrus synapses. In the diazepam-injected group, the reduction in LTP was observed in all three types of synapses, although the effective dose differed among these. In the tandospirone-injected group, no reduction in LTP was observed except in Schaffer-CA1 synapses. In addition, population spike amplitude was potentiated by tandospirone in mossy fiber-CA3 synapses in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, there was a discrepancy in the effects on hippocampal LTP between diazepam and tandospirone, possibly reflecting the reported clinical properties of these drugs, in that 5-HT(1A) partial agonists do not affect learning and memory, whereas diazepam impairs memory function.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The prevalence of gallstones in gastrectomized patients: a comparative study in a large population.

We investigated the prevalence of gallstones after gastrectomy by abdominal ultrasonography in 289 gastrectomized patients selected from 51,621 Automated Multiphasic Health Testing and Services (AMHTS) examinees after barium meal studies. The results were compared with those of another group of 3,193 AMHTS patients who routinely underwent ultrasonography (control). Among the gastrectomized patients, the overall prevalence of gallstones was 16.6%, and in the control group, 4.7%, showing a statistically significant difference (p less than 0.001). The prevalence of gallstones increased with age in both the control and gastrectomized groups, but was greater in gastrectomized subjects in each (10-yr) age group. The characteristics of the gallstones were compared between gastrectomized patients and the control group according to the ultrasonographic classification proposed by Tsuchiya (Yazawa et al, Jpn J Gastroenterol 85: 708, 1988). In the control group, the percentages of types I, II, III and small stone of Tsuchiya's classification were 30.2, 14.5, 21.9 and 34.3, respectively. On the other hand, in the gastrectomized group, the percentages were 8.3, 6.3, 16.7 and 68.8, respectively. This difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.001). The differences in the prevalence of gallstones between groups with Billroth I and II anastomoses, and between diseases necessitating gastrectomy, were not statistically significant.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Primary amyloidosis with dry eyes and dry mouth--a case report.

We report a rare case of dry eyes and dry mouth caused by primary amyloidosis. A 66-year-old woman with keratoconjunctivitis sicca and xerostomia died of acute respiratory failure. Shirmer's test, gum test, and sialography indicated Sjögren's syndrome. Lip biopsy revealed amyloid deposition around the salivary ducts. Bence-Jones protein was noted in the urine. At autopsy, amyloid deposition was identified histochemically in many organs, mainly on the vessel walls. Primary amyloidosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical applications of Ga-67 DFO-DAS-fibrinogen.

Ga-67 DFO-DAS-fibrinogen scanning was performed in 15 patients to detect fresh arterial thrombus. Seven patients were preoperative cases of aortic aneurysm and eight were postoperative cases of graft bypass. Scanning was performed on the first and second days after the injection. Nine of 13 grafts in eight cases were visualized by 67Ga-DFO-DAS-fibrinogen scan. Velour Dacron grafts were more strongly visualized compared with woven Dacron or Goatex. In three patients with aortic aneurysm in whom fresh thrombus was identified by operative findings, arterial thrombus was clearly visualized by 67Ga-DFO-DAS-fibrinogen scan, whereas in three other patients with aortic aneurysm, thrombus was not visualized, although it was identified by other examinations. In one case, a marked accumulation was observed in the abdominal aorta, although no arterial thrombus was found at operation. This was thought to be an accumulation in a blood pool because it decreased on the second day. We think it important to observe the relative changes of accumulation.

Adult↗