Acetyl-low density lipoprotein receptors on rat mesangial cells.

To elucidate whether mesangial cells have any scavenger functions for modified lipoproteins, surface binding and cholesteryl ester (CE) formation by acetyl-low density lipoproteins (acetyl-LDL) have been studied in cultured rat renal mesangial cells. Specific binding kinetics for acetyl-LDL were observed with Kd = 28.3 micrograms/ml and Bmax = 1.1 ng/micrograms cell protein at 0 degrees C. The fluorescence microscopic finding demonstrated the enhanced uptake of DiI-acetyl-LDL in mesangial cells. Incorporation of [14C]oleate into CE was enhanced to 6-fold by loading 30 micrograms/ml of acetyl-LDL on 10 micrograms/ml of [14C]oleate-bovine serum albumin conjugate as compared with the control without lipoproteins (P < 0.05). The CE formation was completely inhibited by chloroquine. The light microscopic finding demonstrated the increased CE deposition by acetyl-LDL, resulting in foam cell formation. These results indicate biochemically and morphologically that the mesangial cells take up acetyl-LDL by receptor-mediated endocytosis, and that cholesterols in acetyl-LDL are converted to CE, resulting in an increased cellular cholesterol content. In conclusion, mesangial cells may have a scavenger function similar to macrophages.

Effects of plasmapheresis on familial type III hyperlipoproteinemia associated with glomerular lipidosis, nephrotic syndrome and diabetes mellitus.

A 59-year-old woman, one of 5 cases with familial type III hyperlipoproteinemia reported at our clinic to date, had nephrotic syndrome and diabetes mellitus, but had neither coronary atherosclerosis nor xanthoma. A renal biopsy specimen revealed a massive cluster of foam cells containing apolipoprotein B and E in the mesangial region of the kidney. A restricted diet intake combined with lipid-lowering drugs such as cholestyramine, clinofibrate, and bezafibrate, in addition to methylprednisolone was not very effective in lowering serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels within physiological ranges. Therefore, plasmapheresis, using a dextran sulfate-cellulose column, was performed. Repeated plasmapheresis resulted in a marked decrease in both serum total cholesterol and triglyceride. A second renal biopsy specimen performed 2 years later revealed a marked reduction in foam cells with concurrent improvement in her nephrotic syndrome and glucose intolerance. These results suggest that familial type III hyperlipoproteinemia may be responsible for glomerular lipidosis resulting in nephrotic syndrome. They also indicate that plasmapheresis using a dextran sulfate-cellulose column is very effective in the removal of abnormal lipoproteins such as beta-very low density lipoprotein and intermediate density lipoprotein in a case of familial type III hyperlipoproteinemia.

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura subsequent to Graves' disease and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

We report a woman with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) subsequent to Graves' disease and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). The patient was affected by Graves' disease at the age of 29 and developed IDDM the following year. The ITP occurred after 8 years of well-controlled Graves' disease and IDDM with appropriate treatment, but subsided with prednisolone therapy, followed by splenectomy. Graves' disease was observed also in the parents. The serum anti-thyroid-microsome antibody, anti-parietal-cell antibody, anti-pancreas-islet-cell antibody and anti-platelet antibody were all positive. HLA analysis revealed that haplotypes including DR4, DRw9 and DRw53 were positive in both the patient and her mother. In Japanese IDDM patients with autoimmune diseases, these three haplotypes have been reported to be significantly frequent. These findings indicate that the patient of this study is a typical case of the primary autoimmune type of diabetes mellitus proposed by Irvine and Bottazzo. However, the combination of Graves' disease, IDDM and ITP has not been hitherto reported to our knowledge.

A Reovirus Causes Hypovirulence of Rosellinia necatrix.

ABSTRACT White root rot, caused by Rosellinia necatrix, is a serious soilborne disease of fruit trees and other woody plants. R. necatrix isolate W370 contains 12 segments of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) that is believed to represent a possible member of the family Reoviridae. W370 was weakly virulent and its hyphal-tip strains became dsRNA free and strongly virulent. The 12 segments of W370dsRNA were transmitted to hygromycin B-resistant strain RT37-1, derived from a dsRNA-free strain of W370 in all or none fashion through hyphal contact with W370. The W370dsRNA-transmitted strains were less virulent than their parent strain RT37-1 on apple seedlings, with mortality ranging between 0 to 16.7% in apple seedlings that were inoculated with the W370dsRNA-containing strains and 50 to 100% for seedlings inoculated with the dsRNA-free strains. Some W370dsRNA-containing strains killed greater than 16.7% of seedlings, but these were found to have lost the dsRNA in planta. These results indicate that W370dsRNA is a hypovirulence factor in R. necatrix. In addition, a strain lost one segment (S8) of W370dsRNA during subculture, and the S8-deficient mutant strain also exhibits hypovirulence in R. necatrix.

Placetins, platelet aggregation inhibitors from Streptomyces sp. Q-1043. I. Fermentation, isolation and biological properties.

Placetins, platelet aggregation inhibitors were obtained from the culture broth of Streptomyces sp. Q-1043. These were designated placetins A, A1, B and B1, respectively. Placetins A and B showed strong cytotoxicities against P388, L1210 and HeLa cells.

[Cefotetan, a new cephamycin antibiotic: in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities (author's transl)].

Cefotetan (CTT) is a new parenteral semisynthetic cephamycin-type antibiotic with a broad antibacterial spectrum against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Against wide varieties of Gram-negative bacteria, particularly including indole positive Proteus, S. marcescens, Enterobacter sp. and C. freundii CTT was more highly active than cefmetazole, cefoxitin and cefazolin. The 50% inhibition doses (ID50) of CTT against E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. mirabilis, indole positive Proteus and S. marcescens were by far superior to those of the 3 other antibiotics. The antibacterial activities of CTT were bactericidal and were little affected by addition of horse serum and by variation in pH of the medium, in inoculum size and in type of culture media. Model infections in mice against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were studied. The therapeutic effects after subcutaneous injection of CTT against various Gram-negative bacterial infections were superior to those of cefmetazole, cefoxitin and cefazolin.

[A new technique for proximal esophagography and quantitative analysis of pharyngeal function].

The roentgenologic examination of the upper esophagus in somewhat difficult due to the rapid passage of barium. Therefore we designed a new technique for proximal esophagography, using magnetic video disc recorder and multiformat camera (VDR-MC technique). The video signal from fluoroscopic unit is led to video disc recorder (VDR) and after the examination have been finished the recorded images are transferred into multiformat camera, and then the images are copied sequentially on a sheet film VDR have a storage capacity, 600 frames per 20 seconds. The sequential pictures of barium swallowing in one deglutition movement are shown as the time-intervals of each 0.03 seconds on a sheet film. The movement of barium bolus in one deglutition will be demonstrated exactly and except any failure. This working process of VDR-MC technique in very simple and convenient, and when the reading and diagnosis of X-ray appearances, we can easily compare with the changes of each image. This is a characteristic merit of new technique. In order to examine the function of deglutition we designed a new technique by means of the dynamic pharyngo-esophagrams as before. The recorded dynamic images are transferred into multiformat camera and copied on a sheet film by the intervals of 0.03 seconds in turn. Viewing these sequential images the each measuring points are determined ane the barium transit times are calculated from the number of frames, and then transferred to the time in millisecond unit. According to the results of experiment, the measured values well correspond to that by EMG on the pharyngeal movement of deglutition. These quantitative analysis on the pharyngeal function and morphological diagnosis will be performed in easy procedure at the same time. The outline of the discussion about the advantages of this technique is as follows; The performance of the examination by new technique will be done with extreme easy. A difficult examination will be performed without failure and finished in a short time successfully. We can examine enough the patients who are not able to understand the doctor's indication, for example children and patients having hard hearing. In comparison with cinefluorographic unit, development of films, patient's position, observation and copy of images and storage of film, became extremely easy. A quantitative measurement on pharyngeal function was designed and the reproducibility of measurements was given proof.

[MRI imaging of liver neoplasma].

MRI by 1.5 T imager with spin echo pulse sequence was performed on 53 liver neoplasms (13 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), 28 cavernous hemangiomas and 12 metastasis). Lobulated and notched contour were observed in 72% of our cases of hemangioma. It is well known that in hemangioma several kinds of echographic patterns appear, but in MRI, almost all hemangioma appear to show the same signal pattern as high intensity homogeneous on T2 weighted image. No liver neoplasma showed high intensity on T1 image except in 1/3 of cases of HCC. Contrast enhancement with Gd-DTPA is useful for differential diagnosis of liver neoplasma because it shows different signal patterns from the other diseases.

[Thirty years of Radiology Department in Hokkaido University Hospital (author's transl)].

Thirty year's history of the Radiology Department of the Medical School of Hokkaido University, the first department of its kind in Hokkaido, is shortly reviewed. Statistics include the number of staff, equipment and patients diagnosed or/and treated in the department. Sections have been formed in the department since several years ago and are functioning to a certain extent independently in order to keep pace with the development of modern medicine and to meet the needs of our hospital. These sections are mainly radiation therapy, nuclear medicine, neuroradiology, X-ray diagnosis in angiology and for the digestive tract. Diagnosis based upon ultrasonography and CT are also becoming recognized sections in the department recently. Further more data processing and statistics seem to grow to become a section in the near future. In conclusion the number of staff, equipment and patients has been and perhaps will be growing increasingly fast. The increasing number of sections which resulted from the establishment of new specialities makes us to anticipate the new and independent departments in addition to the existing one.

[An evaluation of MR imaging of soft-tissue masses in extremities].

We evaluated 22 soft-tissue masses in the extremities using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The twenty-two cases consist of 14 benign lesions and 8 malignant lesions. MR imaging is available to provide the representation of the extent of the masses, though characteristic diagnosis of them could not be identified. We think that there are more advantages to using MR imaging rather than computed tomography (CT) in the evaluation of soft-tissue masses in extremities.