Bifidobacterium-fermented soy milk extract stimulates hyaluronic acid production in human skin cells and hairless mouse skin.

We examined the effects of Bifidobasterium-fermented (BE) and nonfermented (SME) soy milk extracts on the production of hyaluronic acid (HA) in vitro and in vivo. BE, but not SME, significantly enhanced the production of HA in monolayer and organotypic cultures of human keratinocytes, in cultures of human skin fibroblasts, and in hairless mouse skin following topical application for 2 weeks. In the organotypic cultures formed by a similar structure to human epidermis, BE also extended the distribution of HA. Genistein and daidzein, known to stimulate HA production, were detected in BE at a concentration of 0.18 and 0.07 mM, respectively, but not in SME. Therefore, BE has the potential to enhance HA production in the epidermis and dermis, mainly due to genistein released from its glycoside during fermentation. BE is expected to prevent the age-dependent loss of cutaneous HA.

[Clinico-pathological studies on three preoperative combined treatments for rectal cancer].

To prevent postoperative local recurrence of rectal cancer, we treated patients using preoperative hyperthermia (5-6 times), irradiation (total 30 Gy) and 5-fluorouracil suppository (2,000-2,500 mg). The subjects were 31 patients given combined treatments and 28 patients given surgery alone. The results were as follows: 1. Histologically, therapeutic effects were recognized in 80.6% of patients receiving combined treatments. 2. The mean distance from the adventitia to the site of cancer infiltration was 6.54 mm in the combined treatments group and 3.35 mm in the surgery alone group. The difference between the two was significant (p < 0.05). 3. The rate of local recurrence in the combined treatments group was less than that in the surgery alone group. 4. No systemic side effects nor severe complications were observed during hospitalization in the combined treatments group. 5. The survival rate of the combined treatments group was higher than that of the surgery alone group. It was considered that combined preoperative treatments for rectal cancer were beneficial to survival and local control.

[Loss of catecholaminergic neuron in the hypothalamus of multiple system atrophy].

Autonomic failure is one of the primary clinical features of multiple system atrophy (MSA); while the hypothalamus is thought to be a higher center regulating the autonomic nervous system. In the hypothalamus, catecholamine depletion had been confirmed by neurochemical studies but no marked changes had yet been demonstrated by pathological studies. Using three MSA and three control cases, we evaluated the quantitative changes of catecholamine (CA)-containing neurons in the hypothalamus. As markers of CA neurons, neuromelanin (NM)- and tyrosin hydroxylase (TH)-containing neurons were stained by Fontana-Masson and the immunohistochemical technique alternatively. Serial coronal sections, 10 microns thick, were evaluated every tenth section for NM neurons, while two sections were evaluated for TH neurons. The distributions of NM and TH neurons were almost identical; most of them were clustered in the periventricular and arcuate nuclei. The mean numbers of NM and TH neurons per slice were significantly lower in MSAs than in the controls (T test, p less than 0.01); the former were 21.0, 31.6, and 13.7 in MSAs and 78.4, 54.1, and 84.3 in the controls, while the latter were 1.5, 15.5, and 20.5 in MSAs and 48.0, 62.0, and 50.5 in the controls. The clinico-pathological correlation was suggested by the significant differences in the number of TH neurons between two MSA cases: a case with severe orthostatic hypotension and a case with a milder one. The ratio of TH and NM neurons, as obtained from the adjusted sections, was constant in all MSA cases, and there was a positive statistical correlation, but it altered in each control case.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Parvalbumin-immunoreactive neurons in the cortex in Pick's disease.

Parvalbumin (a calcium-binding protein)-immunoreactive (PV-Ir) neurons in the cerebral cortex were examined in 20 postmortem brains obtained from elderly controls and patients with Pick's disease (PD). The type of PV-Ir neurons and their distribution in control and PD brains were similar. The number of PV-Ir neurons in PD brains did not differ significantly from that in the control brains either. These findings suggested that PV-Ir neurons in the cortex are not affected in PD brains. A significant loss of PV-Ir neurons has already been reported in brains obtained from patients with Alzheimer-type dementia (ATD), and the present results suggest the possibility that the damage of PV-Ir neurons might be comparatively selective for ATD brains.

A study on postmortem stability of vasopressin messenger RNA in rat brain compared with those in total RNA and ribosomal RNA.

Postmortem stability of arginine-vasopressin (AVP) messenger RNA (mRNA) in the rat brain was studied comparing changes with those in the recovered amounts of total RNA and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). The amount of AVP mRNA and rRNA showed a decrease with increasing time interval after death (postmortem time), whereas the amount of total RNA did not alter with postmortem time. The half-life of AVP mRNA in the rat postmortem seemed to be approximately 16 hrs. The analysis of the ratio of AVP mRNA to 18S-rRNA suggested that AVP mRNA was degraded postmortem more rapidly than rRNA. These results suggest that autopsied human brains should be used for AVP mRNA study within a short postmortem time.

A study of non-isotopic in situ hybridization histochemistry on postmortem changes in vasopressin mRNA in rat brain.

Rat models which stimulated various postmortem conditions were used to determine postmortem changes in the vasopressin mRNA content of the brain. In situ hybridization histochemistry experiments using biotinylated oligonucleotide probes revealed that vasopressin mRNA could be detected in the rat hypothalamic nuclei, even though the rats had been killed and left for 8 h postmortem at room temperature and the brains were then fixed by immersion in 4% paraformaldehyde instead of by transcardial perfusion. However, these signals were greatly reduced in the nuclei if the brains were removed after a 24-h delay. These results suggest that gene expression study of neuropeptides at the cellular level can be performed on postmortem human brains after a short postmortem delay.

[Mechanism of the decrease in metacarpal bone mineral content due to oophorectomy].

In order to determine the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of post-oophorectomized osteopenia, we have investigated the bone mineral status and the serum levels of calcium regulating hormones in 250 females. The bone mineral status was measured in 250 [173 pre-menopausal females (controls) and 77 who received oophorectomy] females by microdensitometry in the metacarpal bone. Among these subjects, in some cases who were selected randomly, the serum levels of Alp, Ca, Pi, M-PTH, calcitonin (CT), bone gla protein (BGP), estrone, estradiol and delta 4-androstenedione, and the urinary excretion of Ca and hydroxyproline (OH-pro) as a function of the creatinine ratio were measured. The mineralization indices of bone such as GSmax, GSmin, and sigma GS/D in oophorectomized patients were significantly less than those in controls at ages up to 45 years. On the other hand, the index of periosteal bone resorption (MCI) in the oophorectomized group was less than that in controls at ages up to 50 years. Serum levels of Alp, Ca, Pi and BGP were higher in oophorectomized subjects than in controls. Despite these facts, the serum levels of calcium regulating hormones such as M-PTH and CT in these two groups were significantly different. Urinary Ca/cr and OH-pro/cr ratios were significantly higher in oophorectomized subjects at ages 40-44 than those in age matched controls. These data clearly indicate that oophorectomy causes high turn-over osteopenia.

Self-priming effect of LH-RH on pituitary gonadotropins in hyperprolactinemic women.

To investigate how various concentrations of serum prolactin (PRL) influence the priming effect of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LH-RH) on the pituitary gland, 24 women with various blood PRL concentrations received intravenous injections of 100 micrograms of synthetic LH-RH twice at an interval of 60 minutes and their serum LH and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured and analysed. In the follicular phase with a normal PRL concentration (PRL less than 20 ng/ml, n = 6), marked first peaks of the two hormones following the first LH-RH stimulation and enhanced second peaks after the second LH-RH administration were observed, indicating a typical priming effect of LH-RH on gonadotropins, though the second response of FSH was more moderate than that of LH. In hyperprolactinemia, in which the serum PRL concentration was higher than 70 ng/ml (n = 13), the basal concentration of gonadotropins was not significantly changed but the priming effect of LH-RH on LH and FSH was significantly decreased (p less than 0.01). No marked second peaks of LH and FSH were observed, suggesting an inhibitory effect of hyperprolactinemia on the second release of LH and FSH. In contrast, this effect was restored in a group of women whose serum PRL concentration was between 30 and 50 ng/ml (n = 5). Furthermore, enhanced second peaks of both LH and FSH were noted after successful bromocriptine therapy reduced hyperprolactinemia (PRL greater than 70 ng/ml) to less than 25 ng/ml (n = 5).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Study on the development of the radioimmunoassay of the corticotropin releasing factor (CRF)].

Synthetic ovine CRF was conjugated to bovine serum albumin (BSA) with glutaraldehyde and used as an immunogen to generate antibodies in rabbits. One of the antisera revealed 40% binding with 125I-CRF at 1 : 12,000 dilution in RIA. The antiserum did not show any significant crossreaction with other hormones. The Chloramine-T method was used to label CRF with 125I and purified by Sephadex G-50 fine (1 X 103 cm) chromatography with 0.03 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.2) containing 0.1% BSA, 20mM EDTA, 200 KIU/ml Trasyrol was used for the RIA buffer and the separation of free and antibody-bound CRF was performed by the Dextran-Charcoal method. The tentative minimum sensitivity of the assay was 20-100 pg/tube. The dilution curve of 125I-CRF in the hypothalamus of rat was parallel to that of the standard. Immunoreactive CRF content in the hypothalamus of male, female and post ovariectomized rats was measured by RIA. The content in those of male and post ovariectomized rats was significantly higher than in female rats. These data indicate that the pituitary-adrenal axis may have some effects on post-menopausal status.

System degeneration of the thalamus. A clinico-neuropathological study.

A case of essential degeneration of the thalamus is reported. The patient was a 43-year-old Japanese male, who, a few weeks after mild head trauma, suffered from forgetfulness, psychomotor slowing, and Korsakoff's syndrome. Four to five months later, there were optical hallucinations and delirium and he died 19 months after the onset of symptoms. Neuropathological examination revealed symmetrical thalamic degeneration, whose distribution corresponded to phylogenetically younger subunits of the thalamus. In addition, there was olivovermian degeneration. These findings are identical to those of eleven cases hitherto reported. Five of these were Japanese, including the present one. The syndrome thalamic degeneration may now be classified as a special type of "system degeneration".