Indocyanine green angiographic findings of chorioretinal folds.

PURPOSE: To analyze indocyanine green (ICG) angiographic findings of chorioretinal folds. METHODS: Eight patients (9 eyes) in whom chorioretinal folds had been diagnosed were enrolled in this study. Color photography, fluorescein angiography (FA) and ICG angiography (IA) were performed. RESULTS: Indocyanine green angiography demonstrated choroidal venous congestion and a filling delay of the choroidal vessels in one case with an orbital tumor. In one posterior scleritis case, IA showed a filling delay of choroidal vessels in the early phase and multiple patchy hypofluorescent lesions scattered in the posterior pole during the late phase. Idiopathic cases showed choroidal venous dilatation. No abnormalities of the choroidal vasculature in the form of radial folds, were revealed in two cases of AMD. Linear hyperfluorescent areas suggestive of chorioretinal folds seen on IA were less numerous and wider than those observed on FA in some eyes. On the other hand, they were equally numerous and wider on IA than those on FA in other eyes. CONCLUSION: Indocyanine green angiography is useful for evaluating both pathological conditions of the choroidal vasculature and the width of chorioretinal folds at the level of the choroidal vasculature.

[Hyperfluorescent areas observed in late-phase indocyanine green angiography (IA) of IA findings in fellow eyes of unilateral age-related macular degeneration].

PURPOSE: To evaluate abnormal findings of indocyanine green angiography (IA), predisposing to exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in fellow eyes of unilateral exudative AMD. METHODS: We categorized 83 fellow eyes of unilateral exudative AMD into two groups, i.e. 55 eyes with early age-related maculopathy, and 28 eyes with normal aging. We performed IA. RESULTS: The late phase of IA demonstrated hyperfluorescent areas in 27 of the 83 fellow eyes, which included 22 of the 55 eyes with early age-related maculopathy and five eyes of 28 eyes with normal aging. The prevalence of the late-phase hyperfluorescence was statistically significant in early age-related maculopathy. Eight of the 22 eyes with early age-related maculopathy and one of the five eyes with normal aging progressed to exudative AMD. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperfluorescent areas observed in late-phase IA before the manifestation of exudative AMD suggested the possible presence of choroidal neovascular membrane in the subretinal pigment epithelial space.

Purification, cDNA cloning, and characterization of a new serpin with megakaryocyte maturation activity.

A new member of the serine protease inhibitor (serpin) superfamily with megakaryocyte maturation activity was purified, and its cDNA was cloned and characterized. The predicted amino acid sequence consisting of 380 residues was unique and was 38% identical to the serpin plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 (PAI-2). The recombinant factor expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells showed species-specific activity on the induction of megakaryocyte maturation in vitro. When injected into mice, the factor indeed elicited an increase in the number of platelets in plasma. The sequence alignment indicated that the factor possessed a lysine residue at the P1 position, suggesting that it might function as an inhibitor of Lys-specific proteases. Although we could not show any inhibitory activities toward several known Lys-specific proteases, we detected the activity toward protease activity present in the culture supernatant of COLO 201 cells. These results suggested that the protein might influence the maturation of megakaryocytes via action as a serpin.

[Relationships among obesity, atherosclerotic disorders, and longevity in the elderly. An autopsy study].

To evaluate the effect of obesity on atherosclerosis, health, and longevity in the elderly, we studied the relationship between body mass index, atherosclerosis, and the duration of disability by multivariate analyses. We analyzed data from 521 residents of the Yokufu-kai home for the aged. They underwent a 50 g oral glucose tolerance test, and autopsies were done after they died. All functional evaluations were done retrospectively from the hospital records. The mean age of the time of death was significantly higher in the overweight group than in the lean group. The incidence of marked cerebral atherosclerosis was significantly higher in the overweight and the obese groups than in the lean and the medium-weight groups. The incidence of cerebral infarction with neurological deficits was significantly higher in the overweight group than in the lean group, but there were no differences in other types of infarction. The incidence of severe coronary artery stenosis was significantly higher in the obese group than in the lean and medium-weight groups, but there was no difference in the incidence of myocardial infarction between groups. There were no differences in the incidence of severe atherosclerosis of the aorta, femoral artery, or renal artery between groups. Patients in the overweight group were bedridden for a significantly longer time than those in the lean group. We conclude that body weight in the elderly is positively associated with survival. However, overweight subjects suffered from non-fatal cerebral infarction, and prolonged survival was associated with greater disability.

Serum concentrations of interleukin-5 and the production of lymphocytes in reactive eosinophilia.

The concentrations of interleukin-5 (IL-5) in serum and in IL-2-stimulated lymphocyte culture medium (L-IL2-CM) prepared from patients with reactive eosinophilia were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The serum IL-5 concentration was increased in 16 of 34 cases. The concentrations of IL-5 in L-IL2-CM were increased in 8 of 21 patients.

Indocyanine green video-angiographic findings in choroidal osteoma.

Indocyanine green video-angiography (ICG) was done twice on three patients with choroidal osteoma. Choroidal osteoma consisted of two portions, a yellow-white area and a surrounding orange area. The early phase of ICG angiography showed hypofluorescence due to blockage, corresponding to the osteoma. However, the hypofluorescence was greater in areas corresponding to the orange portions of the lesions than in the yellow-white parts. In the late phase, tumor staining was present, corresponding to the orange area. Although long-standing yellow-white lesions blocked fluorescence in the late phase, some of these showed hyperfluorescence. ICG video-angiography showed areas of blocked fluorescence in the early phase as well as hyperfluorescent areas accompanied by several small hypofluorescent foci in the late phase, corresponding to very slight ophthalmoscopically observed changes in the vicinity of the osteoma. During follow-up observation, fluorescein angiography confirmed the extension of the osteoma into this area. These results confirm that the characteristic findings of choroidal osteoma can be observed with ICG video-angiography. This imaging technique showed the lesions were larger than they appeared with ophthalmoscopy and fluorescein angiography.

Studies on pharmacological activation of human serum immunoglobulin G by chemical modification and active subfragments. IX. Anti-inflammatory activity of completely alkylated heavy chain (C.Fr.I-H).

The anti-inflammatory activity of completely reduced and carboxamide-methylated heavy chain of all disulfide bonds in human serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) (C.Fr.I-H) was investigated using some experimental inflammatory models. C.Fr.I-H significantly inhibited carrageenin-induced paw edema and pleurisy, and serotonin-induced paw edema. The carboxamide-methylated heavy chain of interchain disulfide bonds in IgG (Fr.I-H) exhibited similar inhibitory activities to C.Fr.I-H on carrageenin-induced paw edema and pleurisy, while it was ineffective on serotonin-induced paw edema. These results suggest that complete alkylation of disulfide bonds in a heavy chain caused stronger anti-inflammatory activities than partial alkylation.

A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for human interleukin-5.

A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for human interleukin-5 (hIL-5) using a combination of monoclonal anti-recombinant(r)-hIL-5 antibody and rabbit anti-r-hIL-5 IgG. Detection limit of this assay was estimated to be 7.8 pg/ml, which was about 10,000 times more sensitive than that of the bioassay using BCL1 cells of murine origin. This ELiSA was specific for hIL-5, showing no crossreactivity to recombinant human GM-CSF, IL-4, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and mouse IL-5 (mIL-5). The presence of 10% fetal calf serum did not interfere with the measurement of r-hIL-5. Coefficients of variation in intra-assay and interassay were 1.1-4.6% and 2.3-11.3%, respectively. These results indicate that this assay system can be quite useful in quantifying hIL-5 in various biological fluids.

The effect of a cystamine derivative, bis[2-(E-2-hexenoylamino)ethyl] disulfide, on rat platelet aggregation.

Bis[2-(E-2-alkenoylamino)ethyl] disulfides (compds. I), synthesized from cystamine and 2-trans fatty acids, inhibited collagen-induced rat and rabbit platelet aggregation. The most potent compound was bis[2-(E-2-hexenoylamino)ethyl] disulfide (compd. I-1), and this compound suppressed thromboxane B2 formation from arachidonic acid in rat platelets. The results suggested that compd. I-1 has an inhibitory effect on cyclooxygenase.

The inhibitory effect of bis[2-[(E)-2-octenoylamino]ethyl] disulfide on the cyclooxygenase pathway.

Bis[2-[(E)-2-octenoylamino]ethyl] disulfide (compd. I-3) inhibited collagen- and arachidonic acid-induced rat platelet aggregation, although not adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP)-induced rat platelet aggregation. Based on these results, we then investigated the inhibitory effect of compd. I-3 on thromboxane B2 formation from arachidonic acid in rat platelets, and prostaglandin I2 formation in rat aortae. Compound I-3 inhibited both thromboxane B2 and prostaglandin I2 formation, suggesting that it has an inhibitory effect on cyclooxygenase. The inhibitory effect of compd. I-3 was confirmed in experiments using a crude preparation of sheep seminal vesicle microsomal prostaglandin synthetase. These findings suggested that compd. I-3 has an inhibitory effect on cyclooxygenase activity, like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Suppression of gastric ulcer induced by stress and HCL-ethanol by intravenously administered metallothionein-II.

A metallothionein isoform metallothionein-II was isolated from the livers of zinc acetate-treated rats. Metallothionein-II, which showed a single band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was subjected to two kinds of anti-ulcer screening systems. It was shown that intravenously administered metallothionein-II suppressed the formation of rat water-immersion stress- and HCl-ethanol-induced gastric ulcer significantly. The effect may partly be derived from the zinc contained in the metallothionein-II. However, the effect of metallothionein-II was much stronger than that of an equivalent mole of zinc. Apparently, metallothionein-II had an anti-ulcerogenic activity not based on the effect of intrinsic zinc.