We investigated the adhesion of three morphologically distinct human neuroblastoma cell lines (NCG, GOTO and SK-N-DZ) to intact fibronectin, central cell binding domain fragment (CBF) and CS peptide-IgG conjugates in the fibronectin molecule. Each cell line was found to express different integrin fibronectin receptors (alpha 3 beta 1, alpha 4 beta 1 and alpha 5 beta 1), although similarly attached on intact fibronectin. To CBF, NCG attached well, while GOTO moderately and SK-N-DZ poorly attached. Only GOTO adhered to CS1-IgG. RGDS inhibited the spreading of NCG and SK-N-DZ on intact fibronectin, but it barely inhibited that of GOTO. The analysis by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) revealed that NCG expressed abundant alpha 3 beta 1 and alpha 5 beta 1, but little alpha 4 beta 1, while GOTO expressed a large amount of alpha 4 beta 1 as well as alpha 5 beta 1. SK-N-DZ was undetectable in any of these molecules, but expressed alpha v beta 1, which was identified by immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting. Polyclonal antibody to alpha v beta 3 inhibited the adhesion of SK-N-DZ but not that of NCG or GOTO on intact fibronectin. These results suggest the existence of a distinct mechanism of cell adhesion to fibronectin among human neuroblastoma cell lines. It remains to be determined if such heterogeneous adhesion properties are related to the unique metastatic character of human neuroblastoma.

Cell Adhesion↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Recurrent and pre-eruptive acute cerebellar ataxia: a rare case of varicella.

This is a report of an unusual case of acute cerebellar ataxia in which the ataxia recurred after a 6 week interval and the second episode of ataxia antedated the varicella exanthem by 19 days, suggesting the direct invasion of the central nervous system by the varicella virus.

Cerebellar Ataxia↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Liquid meal attenuates meal anticipation in rat adrenocortical activity.

Effects of dietary consistency were examined on the development and persistence of meal anticipation in adrenocortical activity in rats under restricted daily feeding (RF), in which food supply was restricted to a fixed time of day. Restricted daily solid meal produced the anticipatory hormone peak in 8 days, whereas restricted daily liquid meal produced the peak in 12 days. The developed hormone peak was less prominent by liquid meal than by solid. The anticipatory corticosterone peak developed by solid meal persisted throughout the period examined (3 weeks) after the termination of RF, whereas the peak developed by liquid meal disappeared after the first week. It is concluded that liquid meal attenuates the meal anticipation in the adrenocortical activity in rats under RF.

Adrenal Cortex↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Subepithelial fiber components of the round window membrane of the guinea pig: an ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study.

Subepithelial fiber components of the round window membrane (RWM) of the guinea pig were studied by the following methods: transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with NaOH treatment, high-voltage electron microscopy (HVEM) and immunohistochemical staining. SEM observation revealed intersecting collagen fibers and a vascular network in the middle layer. TEM observation showed that at the attachment region to the bone fibroblasts, collagen fibers and elastic fibers were intermingled with each other, and mesenchymal cells (bone-lining cells) were scattered on the surface of the bone. The cytoplasmic processes of fibroblasts and bone-lining cells were connected by interdigitations. HVEM demonstrated that collagen fibers of the RWM were directly linked to the fibers of the bone matrix. Immunohistochemically, the middle layer was positive for antibody to type I collagen. Immunoreaction for fibronectin was also positive at the middle layer and most intense in the region attached to the bone. Thus, the RWM is securely attached to the bone by type I collagen fibers together with the bone-lining cells and fibroblasts.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Sesquiterpenoids from the roots of Solanum aethiopicum.

Three new sesquiterpenoids, lubiminoic acid, epilubiminoic acid and aethione, and six known sesquiterpenoids, solavetivone, 3beta-hydroxysolavetivone, 13-hydroxysolavetivone, anhydro-beta-rotunol, epilubimin and lubimin, were isolated from roots of S. aethiopicum L. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Sesquiterpenoids in root exudates of Solanum aethiopicum.

Five known sesquiterpenoids, solavetivone, lubimin, lubiminoic acid, aethione and lubiminol were isolated from the root exudates recovered from Solanum aethiopicum by a newly proposed method using charcoal. Quantitative analysis of the sesquiterpenoids in the root exudates of S. aethiopicum and S. melongena suggested that relatively large amounts of the sesquiterpenoids were exuded from the roots. Antifungal activity of the sesquiterpenoids against Fusarium oxysporum and Verticillium dahliae was also examined.

Antifungal Agents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Neuromuscular junctions of the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle in the human adult, human fetus and cat. Histochemical and electron microscopic study.

The motor end plate of the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle (PCA muscle) in the human adult, human fetus and cat was examined by using electron microscopy and histochemical methods. In the present study, we observed the single-type motor end plate and en plaque type neuromuscular junction. At the neuromuscular junction of the fetal PCA muscle, the primary synaptic cleft, the basement membrane and the postsynaptic density could already be observed; however, there was no secondary synaptic cleft. Histochemically, the subneural apparatus was filled with electron-dense products, indicating acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. The primary and secondary synaptic clefts in the adult PCA muscle were well developed and intense AChE activity was present. The appearance of the neuromuscular junction and its localization of AChE activity was similar to that in the cat PCA muscle.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Post-labyrinthectomy balance compensation influenced by pre-placement of descending medial longitudinal fasciculus lesion.

To characterize the functional role of the descending medial longitudinal fasciculus (d-MLF) in vestibular compensation, vestibulo-ocular and vestibulo-spinal balance functions were studied comparatively in the squirrel monkey. When a unilateral lesion was made on the d-MLF, the animals showed a slight head deviation to the intact side, slight locomotor ataxia and irregular spontaneous nystagmus. About 2 months later, the ipsilateral labyrinthectomy was placed, and the compensatory process was compared between 3 experimentals and 3 controls (labyrinthectomy without pre-lesion). During the acute stage of the vestibular compensation, locomotor deviation was clearly greater in experimentals than those in controls. However, no significant difference existed in the final attainment and maintenance of the balance. The same result was found in the spontaneous nystagmus, although the difference in the two groups was less remarkable.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cytochemical study of K+-p-nitrophenyl phosphatase (K+-NPPase) in planum semilunatum and dark cells of the squirrel monkey.

We examined the ultrastructure of the planum semilunatum, and also cytochemically demonstrated K+-dependent p-nitrophenyl phosphatase (K+-NPPase) activity in planum semilunatum and ampullary dark cells of the squirrel monkey. K+-NPPase activity was found in the basal part of the planum semilunatum. The reaction products were limited to the cytoplasmic side of the plasma membranes. A more intense reaction was found in the basal infoldings and the lateral interdigitations of the dark cells. On the other hand, the apical cell surface of both cell types showed no K+-NPPase activity. The present results show that both the planum semilunatum and the dark cells may both be involved in maintaining endolymph homeostasis.

4-Nitrophenylphosphatase↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Ultracytochemical localization of Na+, K(+)-ATPase activity in the tegmentum vasculosum of the developing chick cochlea.

We studied the morphological changes and the precise localization of Na+, K(+)-ATPase activity in the developing chick tegmentum vasculosum (TV) with a cytochemical method utilizing K(+)-p-nitrophenylphosphatase (K(+)-NPPase). At stage 37, epithelial folds (lamellae) were relatively well developed, and the light and the dark cells were clearly identified. At stage 41 to 42, Na+, K(+)-ATPase activity appeared in the folded cytoplasmic processes of the dark cells which interdigitated with those of the light cells. The present results indicate that the TV is involved in the production of the cochlear endolymph prenatally (at least up to stage 41), and that the dark cell plays a central role in the maintenance of the ionic composition of the endolymph.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study of salivary duct carcinoma of the parotid gland.

A case of salivary duct carcinoma of the parotid gland found in an 81-year-old man was studied by light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy. Histologically, the tumor was composed of elongated cords of cells and ductal structure with desmoplastic stromal reaction. Tumor cell nests sometimes showed central comedonecrosis. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigen, and they were negative for S-100 protein and muscle-specific actin. Electromicroscopically, two cell types were identified. The first cell type showed electron-lucent cytoplasm with scant organelles. The second type cell contained numerous mitochondria. Neither acinar nor myoepithelial cell differentiation was observed. These findings suggest that salivary duct carcinoma originates from the interlobular or excretory ducts.

Adenocarcinoma↗