Corrigenda to the validation lists.
Some repetitions, omissions or errors have been made in the Validation Lists published in the International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology and they are corrected in this paper.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to T Kudo.
Some repetitions, omissions or errors have been made in the Validation Lists published in the International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology and they are corrected in this paper.
Psudomonas putida CE2010 can assimilate biphenyl despite its high similarity to P. putida F1. Biphenyl degradation in strain CE2010 was achieved using a mosaic of pathways consisting of the cmt and tod operons. CmtE hydrolysed 2-hydroxy-6-oxo-6-phenylhexa-2,4-dienoic acid, the meta-cleavage product of 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl. This enzyme was expressed differently in strains CE2010 and F1. A cmtE disruption mutant, a tod operon disruption mutant and a cmt operon disruption mutant were unable to utilize biphenyl. The introduction of the cmtE gene enabled the cmt operon disruption mutant to grow on biphenyl. A single base difference was found in the cmt promoter-operator region in strain CE2010, compared with that of strain F1. CymR protein was purified from Escherichia coli and binding assays were performed, the results of which suggested that the protein bound less strongly to the CE2010 operator sequence than to the F1 operator sequence. Exchanging the F1 promoter-operator fragment into strain CE2010 resulted in a loss of biphenyl degradation capacity. These results indicate that cmtE is not effectively repressed by CymR in strain CE2010, leading to low constitutive expression and, therefore, low growth on biphenyl.
Comamonas testosteroni metabolizes testosterone as the sole carbon source via a meta-cleavage reaction. A meta-cleavage enzyme gene, tesB, was cloned from C. testosteroni TA441. The deduced N-terminal amino acid sequence of tesB matched that of the purified meta-cleavage enzyme which is induced in TA441 during growth on testosterone as the sole carbon source. The tesB-disrupted mutant did not show growth on testosterone, suggesting that tesB is necessary for TA441 to grow on testosterone. Downstream from tesB, three putative ORFs which encode products also necessary for growth of TA441 on testosterone were identified. The usual substrate of TesB is probably 3,4-dihydroxy-9,10-secoandrosta-1,3,5(10)-triene-9,17-dione. Although this compound was not identified in the gene disrupted mutants, accumulation of upstream metabolites of testosterone degradation, 4-androstene-3,17-dione and 1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione, was shown by TLC analysis.
A three-year-old male crossbred dog was presented with multiple cutaneous nodules on the dorsum. Unilateral testicular enlargement ensued. Histopathological examination of testicular tissue and the skin lesions revealed a malignant seminoma. Despite the initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy, the dog died three months later due to systemic metastases of the seminoma to the skin, scrotum, eyes, liver, kidney and peritoneum.
Recent studies have shown that immunocompetent cells bear receptors of neuropeptides and neurotransmitters and that these ligands play roles in the immune response. In this study, the role of the sympathetic nervous system in host resistance against Listeria monocytogenes infection was investigated in mice pretreated with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), which destroys sympathetic nerve termini. The norepinephrine contents of the plasma and spleens were significantly lower in 6-OHDA-treated mice than in vehicle-treated mice. The 50% lethal dose of L. monocytogenes was about 20 times higher for 6-OHDA-treated mice than for vehicle-treated mice. Chemical sympathectomy by 6-OHDA upregulated interleukin-12 (IL-12) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production in enriched dendritic cell cultures and gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) and TNF-alpha production in spleen cell cultures, whereas chemical sympathectomy had no apparent effect on phagocytic activities, listericidal activities, and nitric oxide production in peritoneal exudate cells and splenic macrophages. Augmentation of host resistance against L. monocytogenes infection by 6-OHDA was abrogated in IFN-gamma(-/-) or TNF-alpha(-/-) mice, suggesting that upregulation of IFN-gamma, IL-12, and TNF-alpha production may be involved in 6-OHDA-mediated augmentation of antilisterial resistance. Furthermore, adoptive transfer of spleen cells immune to L. monocytogenes from 6-OHDA-treated mice resulted in untreated naive recipients that had a high level of resistance against L. monocytogenes infection. These results suggest that the sympathetic nervous system may modulate host resistance against L. monocytogenes infection through regulation of production of IFN-gamma, IL-12, and TNF-alpha, which are critical in antilisterial resistance.
A 1.4-kbp DNA fragment, including the NADH-linked acetylacetoin reductase/2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase (AACRII/BDH) gene from the chromosomal DNA of Bacillus cereus YUF-4, was cloned in Escherichia coli DH5alpha after its insertion into pUC119, and the resulting plasmid was named pAACRII119. The AACRII/BDH gene had an open reading frame consisting of 1047 bp encoding 349 amino acids. The enzyme exhibited not only AACR activity, but also BDH activity. However, the gene was not located in a 2,3-butanediol (BD) operon, as is the case in the BDH gene of Klebsiella pneumoniae and that of K. terrigena. In addition, there was no BD-cycle-related enzyme gene in the region surrounding the AACRII/BDH gene. The AACR and BDH activities in E. coli DH5alpha/pAACRII119 were 200-fold higher than those in the original B. cereus YUF-4. The characteristics of the AACRII/BDH from E. coli DH 5alpha/pAACRII119 are similar to those of the AACRII/BDH from B. cereus YUF-4. The AACRII/BDH was considered to belong to the NAD(P)- and zinc-dependent long-chain alcohol dehydrogenase (group I ADH) family on the basis of the following distinctive characteristics: it possessed 14 strictly conserved residues of microbial group I ADH and consisted of about 350 amino acids. The enzymatic and genetic characteristics of AACRII/BDH were completely different from those of BDHs belonging to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase family. These findings indicated that the AACRII/BDH could be considered a new type of BDH.
The L-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase produced in E. coli JM109/pLBD2-CTC was purified by 5 steps. The molecular mass of this enzyme was estimated at 110 kDa and the subunit was measured to be 30 kDa. The L-BDH had some differences from the BDHs from other sources in substrate specificity, pI value, pH stability, effects of divalent cations, and organic acids.
The sesquiterpene contents in leaves of wild Rosa rugosa and of sixty-one hybrid rugosas were quantitatively measured by a GC analysis. In this group of samples, the greater the number of glandular trichomes the hybrid rugosas possessed on their leaves, the larger the amount of sesquiterpenes they accumulated. In contrast, those having no leaf glandular hairs contained only a trace amount of sesquiterpene components. The concentrations of bisaborosaol A (1) and carota-1,4-dienaldehyde (2) as representative sesquiterpenes of R. rugosa were positively correlated with the density of the glandular trichomes. Furthermore, an approximately regular correlation was observed between the concentrations of 1 and 2 in most of the sesquiterpene-producing hybrid rugosas, regardless of their productivity. This suggests that a major part of these hybrid rugosas have inherited from R. rugosa the ability to produce two skeletally different sesquiterpenes in parallel with a phenotype to develop leaf glandular trichomes. This investigation also led to discovering 1-dominant (e.g., Amelie Gravereaux and Purple Pavement), 2-dominant (e.g., David Thompson), and other-dominant (e.g., Martin Frobisher) types of sesquiterpene-producing hybrid rugosas.
Plasma lipid peroxide levels were examined in cats. Plasma lipid peroxide levels in 3 of 4 clinical cases which had been fed raw fish were higher than those in normal cats. When healthy cats were put on a raw fish diet in controlled conditions, a remarkable increase in plasma lipid peroxide was observed. This increase occurred within 1 to 3 weeks in cats without obvious clinical disorders. We also showed that a continuous raw fish diet is necessary to cause the increase, but the increase was transient and restored in spite of a continuous raw fish diet, indicating the development of an unidentified antioxidant process. Our results clearly indicate that intake of foods high in polyunsaturated fatty acid can induce oxidative stress in cats.
This study was designed to evaluate the long-term effects of incadronate disodium (YM175) after its withdrawal on cancellous bone mass in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Thirteen-week-old female SD rats were randomized into four groups: sham-operated, OVX, low-YM, and high-YM (0.01 mg/kg or 0.1 mg/kg subcutaneously [sc], three times a week after OVX) groups. After 4 weeks of treatment with vehicle or YM175, rats from each group were killed at time points of 0 (baseline), 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after withdrawal of the agent. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar vertebrae was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Bone volume (BV/TV), trabecular number and trabecular separation (Tb.N and Tb.Sp), eroded surface (ES/BS), osteoclast number and osteoclast surface (N.Oc/BS and Oc.S/BS), osteoid surface (OS/BS), and bone formation rate (BFR/BS) were measured as histomorphometric parameters of the fifth lumbar vertebra. BMD, BV/TV, Tb.N, and Tb.Sp in YM175-treated groups were maintained at the same level as in the sham group until 12 months after withdrawal in the high-YM group and until 3 months after withdrawal in the low-YM group. YM175 decreased both bone formative and resorptive parameters in histomorphometry. Serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and urinary deoxypyridinoline at both doses of YM175 also showed a suppressive effect of this agent on bone turnover. These results indicate that YM175, after withdrawal, still maintains bone volume dose dependently by depressing bone resorption and formation in OVX rats. Intermittent YM175 treatment with a long interval may be sufficient to maintain the bone volume and structure in OVX rats.
We report a rare case of Graves' disease associated with struma ovarii. A 26-year-old Japanese woman had preexisting Graves' disease and was positive for TSH receptor antibody. She had been on antithyroid medication at presentation. She noted a mass in the lower left abdomen, which was diagnosed as a left struma ovarii by radiological work-up including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and scintigraphy. The surgically excised teratomatous tumor, containing cystic spaces with thyroid tissue, was histologically proved to be struma ovarii. Since thyroid function tests and TSH receptor antibody did not change after surgery, her hyperthyroidism was considered to be due to Graves' disease. Our case was diagnosed as struma ovarii before surgery using various imaging studies.
Laboratory diagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is improving with the development of new technologies. Quantification of the virus by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and evaluation of EBV-specific T cells, especially by tetrameric human leukocyte antigens, are noteworthy candidates for monitoring procedures in clinical laboratories involved in the management of transplant recipients. Standardization of PCR is essential for improving the quality of these monitoring procedures.
The purpose of this study was to determine if the loss of the trabecular connectivities can be recovered by human parathyroid hormone-(1-34) therapy in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Seven-month old female Wistar rats underwent ovariectomy or sham-operation at the beginning of the experiment. All sham operated groups (sham groups) were sacrificed after 0 (initial-BL group), 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks, and one-third of the OVX rats were sacrificed as the baseline controls (OVX-BL groups) at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after OVX. Four weeks PTH or its vehicle treatment for residual OVX rats was started at 4, 8, or 12 weeks after OVX (OVX+PTH groups, OVX+vehicle groups). h-PTH (6.0 microg/kg) was injected subcutaneously six times a week for 4 weeks for each group. Their proximal right tibiae were processed for undecalcified Villanueva bone staining sections for bone histomorphometry. Furthermore, changes in trabecular connectivities were determined by node-strut analysis. h-PTH completely restored OVX-induced cancellous bone loss by stimulating bone formation. In node-strut analysis, node number in the OVX-BL-4, -8, and -12 groups was decreased to 53%, 49% and 44% of the initial-BL value respectively, and that in the OVX-4, -8, -12 + PTH groups recovered to 80%, 66%, 56% of the initial-BL value respectively. However, they were lower than those in their corresponding sham groups. The findings of this study suggested that decreased trabecular connectivity by OVX was recovered by intermittent h-PTH administration. However, delayed treatment blunted the restoration of trabecular connectivity.
Chondroblastoma of the metacarpal bone has been extremely rare and only seven cases have been reported in the English literature. Here we reported the eighth case of a chondroblastoma that developed on the first metacarpal bone of the right hand of a 21-year-old man. Radiographs showed an expansile osteolytic lesion with a multilocular appearance. In MR images, the lesion showed low intensity in T1 and high intensity in T2-weighted images with multiple fluid-fluid levels, which are findings resembling those of an aneurysmal bone cyst. From the pathological findings, however, it was recognized as a chondroblastoma with aneurysmal bone cyst-like change. Good clinical results was obtained by the subtotal resection of the metacarpal bone with a columnar-shaped iliac bone graft.
The role of thrombospondin (TSP) in tumor angiogenesis and progression remains controversial. The expression of TSP-1 and TSP-2 mRNAs was assessed. Furthermore, TSP association with clinicopathological features, including microvessel count, regarding prognostic significance was examined. Expression of TSP-1 and TSP-2 were assessed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in 18 normal endometrium and 55 endometrial cancer samples. Microvessel counts were determined by immunostaining for factor VIII-related antigen in endometrial cancer specimens. TSP-1 expression of secretory phase endometrium was markedly higher than that of proliferative phase endometrium (p=0.047). Expression of TSP-1 and TSP-2 was detected in 33 (60.0%) and 15 cases (27.3%), respectively, of 55 endometrial cancer samples. TSP-1 expression was significantly higher in tumors recovered from elderly women (p=0.009). TSP-2 expression was significantly higher in malignancies exhibiting cervical and lymph-vascular space involvement (p=0.029 and p=0.009, respectively). Although not statistically significant, microvessel counts were higher in cases displaying increased TSP-1 expression. The microvessel count in patients with TSP-2 expression was markedly higher than that observed in patients lacking TSP-2 expression (p=0.026). Subjects demonstrating TSP-2 mRNA expression displayed significantly poorer prognosis than those lacking TSP-2 mRNA expression (p=0.016). There was no association between TSP-1 mRNA expression and patient outcome. Our findings provide evidence that elevated TSP expression may be associated with an angiogenic phenotype in endometrial cancer. In addition, TSP-2 expression is a marker for poor prognosis in this disease.
Recently, attempts have made to use radiotherapy in combination with chemotherapy in various solid tumors including cervical cancer. Twenty-four patients with locally advanced cervical cancer were treated with concurrent Carboplatin (16-24 mg/m2/day) or Nedaplatin (20 mg/m2/week) and conventional radiotherapy. Of 13 evaluable patients, there were nine complete responders and four partial responders. There was no renal damage or grade 4 hematological toxicity. Gastrointestinal adverse reactions were mild. One patient had grade 3 dermatologic toxicity after delayed radiation therapy. This pilot study suggests that daily Carboplatin or weekly Nedaplatin administered with standard radiation therapy is safe, well-tolerated, and thus may be useful as a radiation sensitizer in the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer.
A 50-year-old female underwent mastectomy for left breast cancer in June, 1991. She received tamoxifen for 36 months and tegafur for 30 months as adjuvant therapy. In November 1997, liver, lung and para-aortic lymph node recurrences were found, and we treated her six times with docetaxel 60 mg. After the chemotherapy, a complete response (CR) of all metastatic lesions was achieved and her serum CA15-3 level was decreased. Adverse reactions were grade 4 neutropenia, grade 2 alopecia, fever, and grade 1 edema. She received medroxyprogesterone acetate after the chemotherapy and has been well without re-growth of any metastases for over eight months.