Biomedical subjects

T Araki

Publications and source records attributed to T Araki.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

PubMed2000

Temporal changes of dopaminergic and glutamatergic receptors in 6-hydroxydopamine-treated rat brain.

Quantitative receptor autoradiography was used to examine the sequential patterns of changes in dopaminergic and glutamatergic receptors in the brain of rats lesioned with 6-hydroxydopamine. The animals were unilaterally lesioned in the medial forebrain bundle and the brains were analyzed at 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks of postlesion. Degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway caused a significant increase in dopamine D(2) receptors in the ipsilateral striatum from 1 to 8 weeks of postlesion. In the ipsilateral substantia nigra (SN), a significant decrease in dopamine D(2) receptors was also observed from 1 to 8 weeks of postlesion. On the other hand, dopamine D(1) receptors were increased in the ipsilateral ventromedial striatum from 2 to 4 weeks of postlesion. In the ipsilateral SN, a transient increase in dopamine D(1) receptors was observed only 1 week after lesioning. However, other regions in both ipsilateral and contralateral sides showed no significant change in dopamine D(1) and D(2) receptors during postlesion except for a transient change in a few regions. N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors showed no significant changes in all brain regions studied during the postlesion. In contrast, a transient increase in excitatory amino acid transport sites was observed only in the frontal cortex and ventromedial striatum of the ipsilateral side at 2 weeks of postlesion. However, glycine receptors showed a significant change in any brain areas of both ipsilateral and contralateral sides after lesioning. The change in the brain areas of contralateral side was more pronounced than that of ipsilateral side for glycine receptors. In addition, dopamine uptake sites showed a severe damage in the ipsilateral striatum from 1 to 8 weeks after lesioning. In the contralateral side, in contrast, no significant change in dopamine uptake sites was found in the striatum during the postlesion. These results indicate that unilateral injection of 6-hydroxydopamine in the medial forebrain bundle can cause a significant increase in dopamine D(1) and D(2) receptors in the striatum. The increase in dopamine D(2) receptors was more pronounced than that in dopamine D(1) receptors in the striatum after 6-hydroxydopamine treatment. In contrast, dopamine uptake sites showed a severe damage in the striatum during the postlesion. Furthermore, our results support the existence of dopamine D(2) receptors on the neurons of SN, but not dopamine D(1) receptors. For glutamatergic receptor system, the present study suggests that the changes in glycine receptors may be more susceptible to degeneration of nigrostriatal pathway than NMDA receptors and excitatory amino acid transport sites. Thus, our findings are of interest in relation of degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway that occurs in Parkinson's disease

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Conditional expression of anti-apoptotic protein p35 by Cre-mediated DNA recombination in cardiomyocytes from loxP-p35-transgenic mice.

p35, a viral inhibitor of caspase, prevents cell death induced by various stimuli. We established an experimental system to study the involvement of caspases in cell death, using primary cultured cells from p35 transgenic mice in which the p35 open reading frame (ORF) had been disrupted by the insertion of a DNA segment flanked by loxP sites, the Cre recognition sites. In this system, p35 expression can be initiated by Cre recombinase. Cardiomyocytes, which are highly sensitive to hypoxic stress, were infected with an adenovirus carrying the cre gene (AxCANCre). Expression of p35 by infection with AxCANCre resulted in inhibition of caspase-3 activation and resistance to hypoxia-induced cell death. Hypoxia-induced cytochrome c release was also attenuated in p35-expressing cardiomyocytes. Our transgenic mice can be used as an experimental model for studying the involvement of caspases in various degenerative diseases as well as programmed cell death both in vitro and in vivo.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Sequential changes of [H]forskolin, [H]cyclohexyladenosine and [H]PN200-110 binding sites in the brain of 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats.

Receptor autoradiographic technique was studied to investigate sequential changes in adenylyl cyclase, adenosine A1 receptors and L-type calcium channels in the striatum and substantia nigra 1-8 weeks after unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine injection of the medial forebrain bundle in rats. [3H]Forskolin, [3H]cyclohexyladenosine (CHA) and [3H]PN200-110 were used to label adenylyl cyclase, adenosine A1 receptors and L-type calcium channels, respectively. The degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway caused a significant increase in [3H]forskolin binding in the striatum of both the ipsilateral and contralateral sides from 2 to 4 weeks post-lesion. The ipsilateral substantia nigra showed a transient increase in [3H]forskolin binding 4 weeks post-lesion. In contrast, [3H]CHA binding showed no significant change in most brain areas after lesioning. On the other hand, a conspicuous decrease in [3H]PN200-110 binding was observed in the dorsolateral striatum of ipsilateral side 4 weeks post-lesion. Thereafter, the striatum of both the ipsilateral and contralateral sides showed a significant decrease in [3H]PN200-110 binding 8 weeks post-lesion. These results demonstrate that unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine into the medial forebrain bundle of rats can experimentally cause a significant increase in adenylyl cyclase binding sites in the striatum and substantia nigra, whereas no conspicuous change in adenosine A1 receptors is observed in these areas during post-lesion. In contrast, L-type calcium channels were progressively damaged in the striatum after unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine treatment. These findings suggest that adenylyl cyclase and calcium system may contribute to the degeneration processes of the dopaminergic neurones.

Adenosine↗

PubMed2000

BIT/SHPS-1 enhances brain-derived neurotrophic factor-promoted neuronal survival in cultured cerebral cortical neurons.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) activates a variety of signaling molecules to exert various functions in the nervous system, including neuronal differentiation, survival, and regulation of synaptic plasticity. Previously, we have suggested that BIT/SHPS-1 (brain immunoglobulin-like molecule with tyrosine-based activation motifs/SHP substrate 1) is a substrate of Shp-2 and is involved in BDNF signaling in cultured cerebral cortical neurons. To elucidate the biological function of BIT/SHPS-1 in cultured cerebral cortical neurons in connection with its role in BDNF signaling, we generated recombinant adenovirus vectors expressing the wild type of rat BIT/SHPS-1 and its 4F mutant in which all tyrosine residues in the cytoplasmic domain of BIT/SHPS-1 were replaced with phenylalanine. Overexpression of wild-type BIT/SHPS-1, but not the 4F mutant, in cultured cerebral cortical neurons induced tyrosine phosphorylation of BIT/SHPS-1 itself and an association of Shp-2 with BIT/SHPS-1 even without addition of BDNF. We found that BDNF-promoted survival of cultured cerebral cortical neurons was enhanced by expression of the wild type and also 4F mutant, indicating that this enhancement by BIT/SHPS-1 does not depend on its tyrosine phosphorylation. BDNF-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase was not altered by the expression of these proteins. In contrast, BDNF-induced activation of Akt was enhanced in neurons expressing wild-type or 4F mutant BIT/SHPS-1. In addition, LY294002, a specific inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, blocked the enhancement of BDNF-promoted neuronal survival in both neurons expressing wild-type and 4F mutant BIT/SHPS-1. These results indicate that BIT/SHPS-1 contributes to BDNF-promoted survival of cultured cerebral cortical neurons, and that its effect depends on the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt pathway. Our results suggest that a novel action of BIT/SHPS-1 does not occur through tyrosine phosphorylation of BIT/SHPS-1 in cultured cerebral cortical neurons.

Adenoviridae↗

PubMed2000

Shp-2 specifically regulates several tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling in cultured cerebral cortical neurons.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophins, promotes differentiation and survival and regulates plasticity of various types of neurons. BDNF binds to TrkB, a receptor tyrosine kinase, which results in the activation of a variety of signaling molecules to exert the various functions of BDNF. Shp-2, a Src homology 2 domain-containing cytoplasmic tyrosine phosphatase, is involved in neurotrophin signaling in PC12 cells and cultured cerebral cortical neurons. To examine the roles of Shp-2 in BDNF signaling in cultured rat cerebral cortical neurons, the wild-type and phosphatase-inactive mutant (C/S mutant) forms of Shp-2 were ectopically expressed in cultured neurons using recombinant adenovirus vectors. We found that several proteins tyrosine-phosphorylated in response to BDNF showed enhanced levels of tyrosine phosphorylation in cultured neurons infected with C/S mutant adenovirus in comparison with those infected with the wild-type Shp-2 adenovirus. In addition, in immunoprecipitates with anti-Shp-2 antibody, we also observed at least four proteins that displayed enhanced phosphorylation in response to BDNF in cultured neurons infected with the C/S mutant adenovirus. We found that the Shp-2-binding protein, brain immunoglobulin-like molecule with tyrosine-based activation motifs (BIT), was strongly tyrosine-phosphorylated in response to BDNF in cultured neurons expressing the C/S mutant of Shp-2. In contrast, the level of BDNF-induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and coprecipitated proteins with anti-Trk and Grb2 antibodies did not show any difference between neurons infected with these two types of Shp-2. Furthermore, the survival effect of BDNF was enhanced by the wild type of Shp-2, although it was not influenced by the C/S mutant of Shp-2. These results indicated that in cultured cerebral cortical neurons Shp-2 is specifically involved in the regulation of several tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins, including BIT, in the BDNF signaling pathway. In addition, the phosphatase Shp-2 may not influence the level of BDNF-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase in cultured cortical neurons. Further, Shp-2 may have potential to positively regulate BDNF-promoting neuronal survival.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2000

Prognostic significance of vascular endothelial growth factor expression in human ovarian carcinoma.

The influence of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and microvessel density (MVD) on prognosis and the relationship between VEGF expression and MVD in ovarian carcinoma are not well defined. We studied VEGF expression in parallel with MVD by immunohistochemistry in 94 ovarian tumours (64 malignant, 13 borderline, and 17 benign) and correlated the results with the clinicopathologic prognostic factors of the disease to clarify their significance in this disease. Assessment of VEGF mRNA isoforms by RT-PCR was also performed. Of the malignant, borderline, and benign ovarian tumours respectively, two (3%), four (31%) and 16 (94%) were negative, 31 (48%), seven (54%) and one (6%) had low expressions, and 31 (48%), two (15%) and none (0%) had high expressions of VEGF. There were significant associations between the VEGF expression and disease stage (P= 0.002), histologic grade (P= 0.0004), and patient outcome (P= 0.0002). MVD did not correlate significantly with the clinicopathologic parameters. Likewise, no correlation was found between MVD and VEGF expression. The survival of patients with high VEGF expression was significantly worse than that of patients with low and negative VEGF expression (P = 0.0004). Multivariate analysis revealed that disease stage and VEGF expression were significant and independent prognostic indicators of overall survival time (P = 0.008 and P = 0.006 respectively). These findings suggest that in conjunction with the established clinicopathologic prognostic parameters of ovarian carcinoma, VEGF expression may enhance the predictability of patients at high risk for tumour progression who are potential candidates for further aggressive therapy.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Plasma adenosine levels increase in women with normal pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate plasma adenosine levels during normal pregnancy and to evaluate the possible roles of platelet activation and 5'-nucleotidase as causes of changes in adenosine levels. STUDY DESIGN: We measured plasma adenosine levels, the platelet activation markers beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4, and 5'-nucleotidase activity, which catalyzes dephosphorylation from adenosine monophosphate to adenosine, in 34 nonpregnant women and 34 women with normal pregnancies in the third trimester. RESULTS: The mean plasma adenosine level in pregnant women was 0.59 +/- 0.08 micromol/L (mean +/- SEM), which was significantly higher than that found in nonpregnant women (0.18 +/- 0.04 micromol/L; P <.01). In pregnant women plasma beta-thromboglobulin levels, platelet factor 4 levels, and 5'-nucleotidase activity were significantly higher than in nonpregnant women (P <.05). CONCLUSION: The increase of plasma adenosine may be attributed at least in part to platelet activation and an increase of 5'-nucleotidase activity during normal pregnancy. This increase may be an endogenous compensatory mechanism that diminishes platelet activation and maintains vessel integrity during normal pregnancy.

5'-Nucleotidase↗

PubMed2000

Changes in succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity in Paramecium caudatum cells in culture as function of age.

SDH activity and its frequency distributions were determined cytophotometrically to investigate the change in respiratory oxidative energy metabolism in Paramecium caudatum (P. caudatum) cell populations during their growth in cell culture. Cells from 3 separate cultures were examined on day 2, 5 and 11 post-inoculation as measures of logarithmic, early and late stationary phases, respectively. SDH activity per individual cell is expressed as the increase in total absorbance (TA) at 590 nm of nitroblue tetrazolium (Nitro BT) formazans per min per cell area in a specimen (deltaTA/min/microm2) to exclude the influence of cell size on the data. On day 5, the mean SDH activity was higher, being approx 140% of that on day 2 and decreased significantly to only approx 11% at day 11. As the mean SDH activity rose, a certain portion of the cells demonstrated a wider range of activity than on day 2 leading to an increase in the width of the SDH activity-frequency distribution. Moreover, on day 11, approx 85% of cells shifted toward the lowest range of activity with further increase in width of the distribution as the mean activity declined. These findings suggest that the respiratory oxidative energy metabolism in P. caudatum cells rise while the cells change from logarithmic to early stationary phases and decays during late stationary phase with increase in its extent of variety within cell populations.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Clinical usefulness of maternal body mass index in twin pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: We examined whether maternal body mass index (BMI) during prepregnancy is useful for prediction of maternal preeclampsia in twin pregnancies. METHODS: We studied 250 dichorionic twin pregnancies and 3196 singleton pregnancies. Maternal BMI was calculated during prepregnancy in both twin and singleton pregnancies. The incidence of maternal preeclampsia was compared among three groups, low-BMI [< -1.5 standard deviations (SD)], normal-BMI, and high-BMI (> + 1.5 SD) groups, in both singleton and twin pregnancies. RESULTS: In singleton pregnancies, the incidence of maternal preeclampsia in the high-BMI group was significantly higher than that in the normal-BMI group (p < 0.05). The relative risk by high BMI was 8.5 (95% confidence interval: 5.6-12.0). However, in twin pregnancies, no significant differences were observed in these values. CONCLUSIONS: Body mass index during prepregnancy was not useful for the prediction of preeclampsia in twin pregnancies. Mechanisms other than maternal weight may be associated with the beginning of preeclampsia in twin pregnancies.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Specific accumulation of polysaccharide-linked hydroxycinnamoyl esters in the cell walls of irregularly shaped and collapsed internode parenchyma cells of the dwarf rice mutant Fukei 71.

We examined a novel rice mutant, Fukei 71 (Oryza sativa L.), for alterations in the levels of hydroxycinnamoyl esters that are linked to cell wall polysaccharides and lignin units. In this mutant, a recessive mutation at a single locus caused the collapse of parenchyma cells in the internodes. Light microscopy revealed that the abnormal walls of internode parenchyma cells of Fukei 71 were stained by the Mäule reaction, which is specific for syringyl units in phenolic compounds. These walls were not stained by Wiesner's reagent (phloroglucinol-HCl), which reacts cinnamaldehyde in lignin. Levels of p-coumaric acid (PCA) and ferulic acid (FA) were apparently elevated in the abnormal tissue of the mutant. Western blotting analysis with antibodies specific for phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) revealed higher levels of PAL in the abnormal parenchyma tissue of Fukei 71 than in the parenchyma tissue of the parent cultivar Fujiminori. These results and the observation that PAL was produced at a greatly elevated level indicated that the phenylpropanoid pathway that leads to the biosynthesis of polysaccharide-linked FA and PCA was abnormally activated in the irregularly shaped and collapsed internode parenchyma cells, in which the biosynthesis of lignin is normally repressed.

Cell Wall↗

PubMed2000

hosoba toge toge, a syndrome caused by a large chromosomal deletion associated with a T-DNA insertion in Arabidopsis.

We isolated a T-DNA-tagged mutant named hosoba toge toge (hot) in which a pleiotropic phenotype was observed in both the shoot and root throughout the life cycle. The phenotype and allelism indicated that the mutant has a defect in both the FASCIATA1 (FAS1) gene and the FT gene located on the bottom arm of chromosome 1. Analysis of the junctions between the T-DNA ends and the plant genome suggested the presence of a 75.8-kbp deletion at the insertion site. In addition to FAS1 and FT, 13 genes were predicted to exist in the region corresponding to that deleted in hot. They include homologs of genes for type II inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate 5-phosphatase (IP5Pase), the beta-chain of N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAGase), NADPH oxidoreductase of the zeta-crystallin family, polygalacturonase, and endo-1,4-beta-glucanase. Although most aspects of the hot phenotype can be explained by loss of FAS1 and FT functions, some novel phenotypic features which may represent aspects of a mutant phenotype due to loss-of-function of other gene(s) were observed. One "wild-type" ecotype and a previously reported T-DNA insertion line, neither of which has any obvious phenotypic abnormality, carry a possible loss-of-function mutation in the zeta-crystallin homolog and in the NAGase beta chain homolog, respectively.

Arabidopsis↗

PubMed2000

Japanese individuals do not harbor the T594M mutation but do have the P592S mutation in the C-terminus of the beta-subunit of the epithelial sodium channel: the Ohasama study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the implications of polymorphisms of the amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel in essential hypertension in the Japanese population by determining the incidence of the T594M mutation in the , subunit of the epithelial sodium channel, and by screening the C-terminus of the epithelial sodium channel. METHODS: Single-strand confirmational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis using two sets of primers which cover the last two-thirds of the last exon coding the B epithelial sodium channel and modification of a specific enzyme restriction site (NlaIII) for the T594M mutation were performed on 803 Japanese subjects. They were randomly selected from the study participants representative of a general population of Ohasama, Japan, who measured their home blood pressure. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products presenting a shift in SSCP gel, as well as controls, were directly sequenced by autoanalyser to identify the mutation. RESULTS: SSCP analysis identified altered migration in five subjects. Four SSCP variants found by sequencing were heterogeneous for the P592S (CCT to TCT) mutation conserving the PY motif, although it was not significantly associated with either home or casual blood pressure values. The resting polymorphism was at codon Thr 594, leading to no change in the amino acid sequence (ACG to ACA). None of the PCR products were modified by NlaIII, indicating the absence of the T594M mutation. CONCLUSIONS: The epithelial sodium channel variants at the C-terminus are not involved in the common form of essential hypertension in Japanese.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Various imaging modalities for the detection of salivary gland lesions: the advantages of 201Tl SPET.

The aim of this study was to compare dual-isotope (99Tc(m) and 201Tl) SPET imaging with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the differentiation of various lesions of the major salivary glands. Twenty-two patients underwent dual-isotope SPET imaging, of whom 12 also had CT and 15 also had an MRI study. The uptake ratio and retention index for 99Tc(m) and 201Tl were calculated by drawing regions of interest on the involved and normal glands. Both CT and MRI were interpreted by two radiologists. All malignant tumours were detected by all three modalities. Warthin's tumours were detected by dual-isotope SPET imaging; however, MRI failed to differentiate Warthin's tumour from pleomorphic adenoma. Of 13 other benign tumours, dual-isotope SPET correctly diagnosed 12. Of 16 tumours showing a cold defect on the 99Tc(m) images, parametric analysis with 201Tl gave an accuracy of 94%, whereas CT gave an accuracy of 70-90%. MRI was 73-91% accurate in differentiating between benign (Warthin's) and malignant tumours. We believe that dual-isotope SPET imaging (99Tc(m) and 201Tl), together with semi-quantitative analysis, is the method of choice for differentiating between various lesions of the major salivary glands.

Adenolymphoma↗

PubMed2000

B-cell-type malignant lymphoma with placental involvement.

We present here a case of B-cell-type mediastinal malignant lymphoma during pregnancy complicated by placental involvement. In this case, some nodular high-echo patterns were recognized in the placenta by ultrasonography. A cesarean section and resection of the mediastinal tumor were performed at 33 weeks and 6 days of gestation due to the deterioration of the dyspnea. A female infant weighing 1,868 g was delivered and she is now a healthy 2-year-old. The mother, however, died of the disease 1 month after surgery, due to progression of the tumor. The placenta showed numerous white firm nodules varying from 3 mm to 3 cm in diameter. The pathologic findings of both the mediastinal tumor and the placenta indicated primary mediastinal (thymic) B-cell lymphoma.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Secondary mitochondrial dysfunction after transient intrauterine ischemia in the fetal rat brain.

OBJECTIVE: Recirculation following transient intrauterine ischemia has previously been found to cause partial recovery and secondary deterioration of cellular bioenergetic states in the fetal rat brain. Our objective was to assess whether secondary bioenergetic failure is due to mitochondrial dysfunction. STUDY DESIGN: Cerebral cortical tissues were obtained from 20-day-old fetal rats at the end of 30 minutes of intrauterine ischemia (n = 6) and after 1 hour (n = 6), 2 hours (n = 6), and 4 hours (n = 6) of recirculation. Mitochondrial respiratory activities were measured polarographically using homogenates. RESULTS: Mitochondrial activities decreased to 45% of sham-operated controls at the end of ischemia. Recirculation (1 hour) brought about partial recovery, but continued reflow (2 hours and 4 hours) was associated with a secondary deterioration of mitochondrial activities. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that although during the early time period after ischemia mitochondrial respiratory capacity is restored, secondary mitochondrial dysfunction develops in the immature rat brain.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Changes in uterine and ovarian arterial impedance during the periovulatory period in conception and nonconception cycles.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the Doppler velocimetry of uterine and ovarian arteries during the periovulatory period in conception cycles differs from that in nonconception cycles. DESIGN: Transvaginal color Doppler sonography was used to assess uterine and ovarian perfusion in 63 infertile women during the periovulatory period. RESULTS: In the conception cycles (n = 16), the PI values of uterine arteries at the day of ovulation were significantly less than those in nonconception cycles (n = 47). There were no significant differences in the PI values of ovarian arteries between the conception and nonconception cycles. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, the conception cycles showed lower vascular impedance in the uterine during the periovulatory period than did the nonconception cycles. This endometrial perfusion presents an accurate noninvasive assay of uterine receptivity that can be used to predict the successful outcome of implantation and to reveal unexplained infertility problems.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Preoperative diagnosis of dehiscence of the lower uterine segment in patients with a single previous Caesarean section.

Preoperative diagnoses were checked during surgery in 39 patients who underwent elective repeat Caesarean section with (n = 20) and without (as control, n = 19) a preoperative diagnosis of wall dehiscence (thinning) of the lower uterine segment (LUS). All patients were examined manually and by ultrasonography at 36 weeks gestation before labour. A preoperative diagnosis of wall dehiscence was made when the wall thickness was less than 2 mm and/or the patient felt pain and tenderness in the LUS. Surgical findings of dehiscence were defined as a subperitoneal separation of the uterine scar in the LUS. The sensitivity and specificity of our ultrasonographic evaluations were found to be 100% and 83% (p < 0.05), respectively. On the other hand, there were no surgical findings of dehiscence in patients who felt pain and tenderness in the LUS with a wall thickness greater than 2 mm, nor among those in the control group.

Case-Control Studies↗

PubMed2000

Preventive effect of monoclonal antibodies to intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and leukocyte function-associate antigen-1 on murine spontaneous fetal resorption.

PROBLEM: Are cell adhesion molecules involved in the murine model of immunologically-mediated spontaneous abortion? METHOD OF STUDY: Pregnant CBA/J female mice mated with DBA/2 male mice were injected with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and leukocyte function-associate antigen-1 (LFA-1). On day 13 of gestation. viable and resorbed embryos were counted. Natural killer (NK) cell activity in the spleen, mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR), mixed lymphocyte-placenta reactions (MLPR), and levels of interferon (IFN)-gamma were assayed. RESULTS: Significant suppression of fetal resorption was observed by the injection of MAb to ICAM-1 and LFA-1. NK cell activity and the MLR anti-(CBA/J x DBA/ 2)F1 were reduced in the antibody-treated CBA/J spleen. Moreover, the level of IFN-gamma was significantly lower in the MLPR supernatants from the antibody-treated group than those of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: One mechanism in the murine model of spontaneous abortion may be through the interaction of cell adhesion molecules, which may modulate NK cell activities and cytokine production.

Animals↗