Phosphorus flame retardants in indoor dust and their relation to asthma and allergies of inhabitants.

Organophosphate esters are used as additives in flame retardants and plasticizers, and they are ubiquitous in the indoor environment. Phosphorus flame retardants (PFRs) are present in residential dust, but few epidemiological studies have assessed their impact on human health. We measured the levels of 11 PFRs in indoor floor dust and multi-surface dust in 182 single-family dwellings in Japan. We evaluated their correlations with asthma and allergies of the inhabitants. Tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate was detected in all samples (median value: 580 µg/g in floor dust, 111 µg/g in multi-surface dust). Tris(2-chloro-iso-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP) was detected at 8.69 µg/g in floor dust and 25.8 µg/g in multi-surface dust. After adjustment for potential confounders, significant associations were found between the prevalence of atopic dermatitis and the presence of TCIPP and tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate in floor dust [per log10 -unit, odds ratio (OR): 2.43 and 1.84, respectively]. Tributyl phosphate was significantly associated with the prevalence of asthma (OR: 2.85 in floor dust, 5.34 in multi-surface dust) and allergic rhinitis (OR: 2.55 in multi-surface dust). PFR levels in Japan were high compared with values reported previously for Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the USA. Higher levels of PFRs in house dust were related to the inhabitants' health status.

Alagille-like syndrome with surprising karyotype: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Chromosome 5p partial monosomy (5p-syndrome) and chromosome 6p partial trisomy are chromosomal abnormalities that result in a variety of symptoms, but liver dysfunction is not normally one of them. Alagille syndrome (OMIM #118450) is a multisystem disorder that is defined clinically by hepatic bile duct paucity and cholestasis, in association with cardiac, skeletal, and ophthalmologic manifestations, and characteristic facial features. Alagille syndrome is caused by mutations in JAG1 on chromosome 20 or NOTCH2 on chromosome 1. Here, we report a preterm infant with karyotype 46,XX,der(5)t(5,6)(p15.2;p22.3) and hepatic dysfunction, who was diagnosed as having incomplete Alagille syndrome. CASE PRESENTATION: The Japanese infant was diagnosed based on the cardiac abnormalities, ocular abnormalities, characteristic facial features, and liver pathological findings. Analysis of the JAG1 and NOTCH sequences failed to detect any mutations in these genes. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that, besides the genes that are known to be responsible for Alagille syndrome, other genetic mutations also may cause Alagille syndrome.

Relationships between mite allergen levels, mold concentrations, and sick building syndrome symptoms in newly built dwellings in Japan.

UNLABELLED: This study investigated the possible relationships between exposures to mite allergen and airborne fungi with sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms for residents living in newly built dwellings. We randomly sampled 5709 newly built dwellings in six prefectures from northern to southern Japan. A total of 1479 residents in 425 households participated in the study by completing questionnaire surveys and agreeing to environmental monitoring for mite allergen (Der 1), airborne fungi, aldehydes, and volatile organic compounds. Stepwise logistic regression analyses adjusted for confounders were used to obtain odds ratios (OR) of mite allergen and fungi for SBS symptoms. Der 1 had a significantly high OR for nose symptoms. Rhodotorula had a significantly high OR for any symptoms, and Aspergillus had significantly high OR for eye symptoms. However, the total colony-forming units had a significantly low OR for throat and respiratory symptoms. Eurotium had a significantly low OR for skin symptoms. In conclusion, dust-mite allergen levels and indoor airborne Rhodotorula and Aspergillus concentrations may result in SBS symptoms in newly built dwellings. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Various factors can cause sick building syndrome symptoms. This study focused on biologic factors such as dust-mite allergen and airborne fungi in newly built dwellings in Japan. Dust-mite allergen levels were significantly associated with higher rates of nose symptoms, airborne Rhodotorula concentrations were significantly associated with higher rates of any symptoms, and Aspergillus concentrations were significantly associated with higher rates of eye symptoms. Measures should be taken to reduce mite allergen levels and fungal concentrations in these dwellings.

Giant placental chorioangioma followed by circulatory failure of the newborn and infantile hemangioma: Case report.

Placental chorioangioma (CA) is a benign placental tumor. No specific treatment is required for asymptomatic cases. We report a female infant born to a mother with giant placental CA. However fetal growth was normal and, fetal hydrops was not detected by ultrasound examination until delivery, she had hydrops, subgaleal hematoma, thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, respiratory distress and circulatory failure after birth. She was successfully treated without any neurological sequelae. At 2 months of age, infantile hemangioma appeared in her lower lip. The present case suggested that giant placental CA might cause postnatal problems and be associated with the development of infantile hemangioma.

Novel soluble Flt-1 isoforms in plasma and cultured placental explants from normotensive pregnant and preeclamptic women.

Pregnant women who develop preeclampsia exhibit higher circulating levels of the soluble VEGF receptor-1 (sFlt-1). Recent findings suggest that soluble Flt-1 may contribute to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia by binding and neutralizing vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) and placental growth factor (PlGF). Existing literature identifies sFlt-1 as a 100 kDa glycoprotein, a product of an mRNA splice variant. We hypothesized that sFlt-1 expression may be more complex with multiple variants of sFlt-1 as well as multiple sources during normal pregnancy and preeclampsia. Using a combination of affinity purification of sFlt-1 by heparin-agarose and epitope specific antibodies, we performed Western blot analysis with epitope specific antibodies for sFlt-1. Plasma of preeclamptic women exhibits significantly higher amounts of a novel 145 kDa variant of sFlt-1, along with the 100 kDa isoform. We identified sFlt-1 variants in the conditioned medium from placental explant cultures that are hypoxia responsive with varying sizes, including 185, 145,100 and 60 kDa forms, as well as antigenicity. The 145 kDa was similar in antigenicity to the 100 kDa found in plasma whereas the 185 and 60 kDa sFlt-1 demonstrated different epitopes. Deglycosylation studies also confirm that there are multiple sFlt-1 polypeptides. Co-immunoprecipitation with VEGF suggests that these different sFlt isoforms can bind VEGF and therefore, may be of functional importance. Finally, comparison of sFlt-1 in the conditioned medium obtained from cultured cytotrophoblasts, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and human uterine microvascular cells (HUtMVECs) exhibit mainly the100 kDa sFlt-1. Collectively these data suggest the presence of multiple isoforms of sFlt-1 in the circulation of women with preeclampsia as well as in uncomplicated pregnancies and the possibility of multiple sources. Placental hypoxia may contribute to sFlt-1 over expression but other regulatory mechanisms cannot be ruled out.

Regional differences in residential environments and the association of dwellings and residential factors with the sick house syndrome: a nationwide cross-sectional questionnaire study in Japan.

UNLABELLED: This study was conducted to clarify regional differences in residential factors and the association of those factors with dwellings having sick house syndrome (SHS) problems. The survey was conducted in six areas of northern and southern Japan. In terms of regional differences, dampness was not as severe in the dwellings in Sapporo as compared with that in areas in the south. SHS was defined using five categories of nasal, throat and respiratory, skin and general symptoms, which appeared frequently or not frequently and improved upon leaving the home. The dampness index was estimated by the sum of the presence of several indicators: condensation on the window panes and/or wall, visible mold growth, moldy odor, slow-drying wet towels in the bathroom, and water leakage. The dwellings where inhabitants showed any symptoms of SHS comprised 3.7% of all surveyed dwellings. We found significant associations between SHS and dampness index, odors, and stuffiness of the air. For dampness, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) increased with increased dampness index, adjusting for the age of the house, pets indoors, stuffiness of the air, and odors. These results showed an increased risk when several dampness indicators appeared simultaneously. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: To evaluate the associations of residential environments and Sick House Syndrome (SHS), this cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted on 2297 dwellings in six areas in Japan from 2003 to 2004. The dwellings where inhabitants showed any of nasal, throat and respiratory, skin and general symptoms comprised 3.7% of all surveyed dwellings, and an increased risk for SHS was found when several dampness indicators, 'condensation', 'visible mold growth', 'moldy odor', 'slow drying wet towels in the bathroom' and 'water leakage', appeared simultaneously.

Placental system A amino acid transport is reduced in pregnancies with small for gestational age (SGA) infants but not in preeclampsia with SGA infants.

Preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) are both associated with abnormal remodeling of maternal spiral arteries perfusing the placental site. This would be expected to be associated with reduced fetal growth, yet only one third of infants of mothers with preeclampsia are growth restricted. Infants with IUGR have decreased concentrations of amino acids in their blood and system A amino acid transporter activity is reduced in their placentas. Since infants of preeclamptic pregnancies have increased circulating amino acids, we tested system A amino acid transport activity of placental villous fragments from pregnancies with small for gestational age (SGA) infants with and without maternal preeclampsia and from uncomplicated and preeclamptic pregnancies with normal sized infants. We confirm the reduced uptake of amino acids in SGA pregnancies without preeclampsia but report that placental amino acid uptake of SGA infants with maternal preeclampsia is not reduced and is identical to uptake by normal and preeclamptic pregnancies with normal weight infants.

Reversal of lidocaine effects on sodium currents by isoproterenol in rabbit hearts and heart cells.

We demonstrated recently that isoproterenol enhanced the cardiac voltage-dependent sodium currents (INa) in rabbit ventricular myocytes through dual G-protein regulatory pathways. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that isoproterenol reverses the sodium channel blocking effects of class I antiarrhythmic drugs through modulation of INa. The experiments were performed in rabbit ventricular myocytes using whole-cell patch-clamp techniques. Reversal of lidocaine suppression of INa by isoproterenol (1 microM) was significant at various concentrations of lidocaine (20, 65, and 100 microM, P < 0.05). The effects of isoproterenol were voltage dependent, showing reversal of INa suppression by lidocaine at normal and hyperpolarized potentials (negative to -80 mV) but not at depolarized potentials. Isoproterenol enhanced sodium channel availability but did not alter the steady state activation or inactivation of INa nor did it improve sodium channel recovery in the presence of lidocaine. The physiological significance of the single cell INa findings were corroborated by measurements of conduction velocities using an epicardial mapping system in isolated rabbit hearts. Lidocaine (10 microM) significantly suppressed epicardial impulse conduction in both longitudinal (theta L, 0.430 +/- 0.024 vs. 0.585 +/- 0.001 m/s at baseline, n = 7, P < 0.001) and transverse (theta T, 0.206 +/- 0.012 vs. 0.257 +/- 0.014 m/s at baseline, n = 8, P < 0.001) directions. Isoproterenol (0.05 microM) significantly reversed the lidocaine effects with theta L of 0.503 +/- 0.027 m/s and theta T of 0.234 +/- 0.015 m/s (P = 0.014 and 0.004 compared with the respective lidocaine measurements). These results suggest that enhancement of INa is an important mechanism by which isoproterenol reverses the effects of class I antiarrhythmic drugs.

2-difluoromethylornithine and dehydroepiandrosterone inhibit mammary tumor progression but not mammary or prostate tumor initiation in C3(1)/SV40 T/t-antigen transgenic mice.

Female transgenic mice that express SV40 T/t antigens under the regulatory control of the rat C3(1) gene spontaneously develop multifocal mammary lesions that predictably evolve into invasive, hormone-independent carcinomas, whereas male mice are prone to develop prostate cancer. Chemopreventive agents were administered to female C3(1)/SV40 large T-antigen mice from 7 to 19 weeks of age, during which time the mammary lesions developed and progressed to invasive carcinomas. No significant differences in the numbers of preinvasive mammary intraepithelial neoplasia lesions (histologically similar to human ductal carcinoma in situ) were observed after 2 or 8 weeks of treatment between mice receiving either vehicle alone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), or 2-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO). However, a dose-response reduction in invasive carcinoma growth was observed for both DFMO, an inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, and DHEA, the primary steroid precursor to both androgens and estrogens in primates. Despite unaltered expression of the transgene, tumor incidence was reduced approximately 20% by DFMO (8000 mg/kg) and 30% by DHEA (4000 mg/kg; P < 0.05). Tumor multiplicity was reduced by approximately 50% by both DFMO and DHEA (P < 0.05). DFMO had a dose-dependent effect on total tumor burden, which was reduced by 25% at low doses (4000 mg/kg) and 70% at high doses (8000 mg/kg). DHEA reduced tumor burden by 50% and 66% at low (2000 mg/kg) and high (4000 mg/kg) doses, respectively. Interestingly, despite its inhibitory effects on tumor development, DHEA caused a dose-dependent increase of serum estradiol levels that we have previously shown to increase mammary tumor formation in this model. No effect on the development of the prostate cancer precursor lesions (prostate intraepithelial neoplasia) was observed when mice were treated with DHEA, DFMO, tocopherol acetate, selenomethionine, or 9-cis-retinoic acid, although the effects on late-stage prostate cancer development were not determined. These results demonstrate that despite the expression of the highly transforming C3(1)/SV40 large T-antigen transgene, this transgenic model can be used to study the effects of chemopreventive agents on mammary cancer progression. The tumor-inhibitory effects of DHEA and DFMO on mammary cancer growth appear to occur after the development of preinvasive lesions, suggesting that these agents inhibit tumor progression but not initiation.

The C3(1)/SV40 T-antigen transgenic mouse model of mammary cancer: ductal epithelial cell targeting with multistage progression to carcinoma.

The 5' flanking region of the C3(1) component of the rat prostate steroid binding protein (PSBP) has been used to successfully target the expression of the SV40 large T-antigen (Tag) to the epithelium of both the mammary and prostate glands resulting in models of mammary and prostate cancers which histologically resemble the human diseases. Atypia of the mammary ductal epithelium develops at about 8 weeks of age, progressing to mammary intraepithelial neoplasia (resembling human ductal carcinoma in situ [DCIS]) at about 12 weeks of age with the development of invasive carcinomas at about 16 weeks of age in 100% of female mice. The carcinomas share features to what has been classified in human breast cancer as infiltrating ductal carcinomas. All FVB/N female mice carrying the transgene develop mammary cancer with about a 15% incidence of lung metastases. Approximately 10% of older male mice develop anaplastic mammary carcinomas. Unlike many other transgenic models in which hormones and pregnancy are used to induce a mammary phenotype, C3(1)/Tag mice develop mammary tumors in the mammary epithelium of virgin animals without hormone supplementation or pregnancy. Although mammary tumor development appears hormone-responsive at early stages, invasive carcinomas are hormone-independent, which corresponds to the loss of estrogen receptor-alpha expression during tumor progression. Molecular and biologic factors related to mammary tumor progression can be studied in this model since lesions evolve over a predictable time course. Genomic alterations have been identified during tumor progression, including an amplification of the distal portion of chromosome 6 containing ki-ras and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in other chromosomal regions. We have demonstrated that stage specific alterations in the expression of genes which are critical regulators of the cell cycle and apoptosis are functionally important in vivo. C3(1)/Tag mice appear useful for testing particular therapies since growth of the mammary tumors can be reduced using chemopreventive agents, cytokines, and an anti-angiogenesis agent.

Properties of the strongly immobilized signal observed in spin-labeled erythrocytes.

A strongly immobilized signal from fatty acid spin labels was observed in human erythrocytes treated with oxidizing agents such as glutaraldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, phenylhydrazine and copper-ortho-phenanthroline. This signal was also observed in freshly prepared ghosts treated with potassium superoxide and in old erythrocyte ghosts. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of these samples demonstrated the diffuse, nondiscrete bands of high molecular weight due to the cross-linking of membrane proteins. The temperature and pH dependences of the outer hyperfine splitting of this signal were very similar to those of bovine serum albumin. We propose that the strongly immobilized signal reflects the interaction of the lipids with the cross-linked products of membrane proteins.

Dihydropyridine action on voltage-dependent potassium channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes.

Dihydropyridines (DHPs) are well known for their effects on L-typed voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, However, these drugs also affect other voltage-dependent ion channels, including Shaker K+ channels. We examined the effects of DHPs on the Shaker K+ channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Intracellular applications of DHPs quickly and reversibly induced apparent inactivation in the Shaker K+ mutant channels with disrupted N- and C-type inactivation. We found that DHPs interact with the open state of the channel as evidenced by the decreased mean open time. The DHPs effects are voltage-dependent, becoming more effective with hyperpolarization. A model which involves binding of two DHP molecules to the channel is consistent with the results obtained in our experiments.

A time- and voltage-dependent K+ current in single cardiac cells from bullfrog atrium.

Individual myocytes were isolated from bullfrog atrium by enzymatic and mechanical dispersion, and a one-microelectrode voltage clamp was used to record the slow outward K+ currents. In normal [K+]o (2.5 mM), the slow outward current tails reverse between -95 and -100 mV. This finding, and the observed 51-mV shift of Erev/10-fold change in [K+]o, strongly suggest that the "delayed rectifier" in bullfrog atrial cells is a K+ current. This current, IK, plays an important role in initiating repolarization, and it is distinct from the quasi-instantaneous, inwardly rectifying background current, IK. In atrial cells, IK does not exhibit inactivation, and very long depolarizing clamp steps (20 s) can be applied without producing extracellular K+ accumulation. The possibility of [K+]o accumulation contributing to these slow outward current changes was assessed by (a) comparing reversal potentials measured after short (2 s) and very long (15 s) activating prepulses, and (b) studying the kinetics of IK at various holding potentials and after systematically altering [K+]o. In the absence of [K+]o accumulation, the steady state activation curve (n infinity) and fully activated current-voltage (I-V) relation can be obtained directly. The threshold of the n infinity curve is near -50 mV, and it approaches a maximum at +20 mV; the half-activation point is approximately -16 mV. The fully activated I-V curve of IK is approximately linear in the range -40 to +30 mV. Semilog plots of the current tails show that each tail is a single-exponential function, which suggests that only one Hodgkin-Huxley conductance underlies this slow outward current. Quantitative analysis of the time course of onset of IK and of the corresponding envelope of tails demonstrate that the activation variable, n, must be raised to the second power to fit the sigmoid onset accurately. The voltage dependence of the kinetics of IK was studied by recording and curve-fitting activating and deactivating (tail) currents. The resulting 1/tau n curve is U-shaped and somewhat asymmetric; IK exhibits strong voltage dependence in the diastolic range of potentials. Changes in the [Ca2+]o in the superfusing Ringer's, and/or addition of La3+ to block the transmembrane Ca2+ current, show that the time course and magnitude of IK are not significantly modulated by transmembrane Ca2+ movements, i.e., by ICa. These experimentally measured voltage- and time-dependent descriptors of IK strongly suggest an important functional role for IK in atrial tissue: it initiates repolarization and can be an important determinant of rate-induced changes in action potential duration.

Extra-placental expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1, (Flt-1) and soluble Flt-1 (sFlt-1), by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in normotensive and preeclamptic pregnant women.

The soluble VEGF receptor, sFlt-1 (otherwise referred to as sVEGFR-1), has been implicated in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. The preeclamptic placenta has been previously demonstrated to produce high levels of the soluble VEGF receptor. Here we tested the hypothesis that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) may also represent an additional source for circulating sFlt-1 during normal and preeclamptic pregnancies. We first demonstrate that preeclamptic placentae show five-fold increased Flt-1 and sFlt-1 mRNA levels. We also show that the Flt-1 and sFlt-1 levels are eight-fold higher in preeclamptic placentae if we collect biopsies without rinsing them in saline to remove excess blood. Cultured villous explants from women with preeclampsia failed to show the increased amount of Flt-1 and sFlt-1 mRNA that was observed in the placental biopsies of normal pregnancy and preeclampsia. Under normoxic conditions the Flt-1 and sFlt-1 mRNA levels in the explants were 3.11+/-0.6 fold in normal pregnancy and 3.6+/-0.4 fold in women with preeclampsia (p = NS by ANOVA). However, the same villous explants showed hypoxic induction of Flt-1 mRNA (NP 3.96+/-0.4 fold, p = NS and PE 5.24+/-0.6 fold, p < 0.05 by ANOVA). We analyzed Flt-1 and sFlt-1 protein levels in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to analyze the possibility of an extra-placental sFlt-1 source. Our results indicate that PBMCs of pregnant women are capable of expressing variable amounts of Flt-1 proteins. PBMCs from pregnant women exposed to hypoxia show up-regulation of HIF-1alpha and Flt-1 proteins. PBMCs obtained from women with preeclampsia (n = 9) produced significantly higher amounts of sFlt-1 under normal tissue culture conditions (104.6+/-14.3 pg/ml vs. 46.23+/-5.03 pg/ml, p < 0.05 by ANOVA) and much higher concentrations under hypoxia (196.74+/-26.3pg/ml vs. 83.3+/-13.6pg/ml, p < 0.05 by ANOVA) than PBMCs from normal pregnant women (n = 11). Moreover, analysis of PBMCs from a different group of women with a history of preeclampsia showed persistent abnormality of Flt-1 women one year post-partum. The present study indicates that Flt-1 dysregulation in PBMCs of pregnant women resulting in over-expression of sFlt-1 could be an additional (extra-placental) source of sFlt-1 that contributes to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

Evidence that the FSH receptor itself is not a calcium channel.

FSH has been shown to stimulate the uptake of calcium in cultured rat Sertoli cells, resulting in an increase in cytosolic calcium concentrations. One possibility which has been put forth is that the FSH receptor per se may act as a calcium channel. This is all the more tantalizing given the proposed structure of this receptor which, like all other G protein-coupled receptors, is thought to have the putative transmembrane helices forming a bundle-like structure in the plasma membrane. To test whether the FSH receptor could function as a calcium channel, we performed whole-cell voltage clamp experiments on 293 and 293F(wt1) cells, which are a clonal line of 293 cells expressing high levels of rat FSH receptors. The 293 cells, which do not express FSH receptors, were found to lack any detectable inward calcium currents, and therefore, serve as an excellent model for transfecting with potential calcium conducting FSH receptors. When the 293F(wt1) cells were then tested, no inward calcium currents could be detected in either control or FSH-stimulated cells. These results suggest that the FSH receptor itself is not a calcium channel and, therefore, FSH must be stimulating endogenous calcium channels in rat Sertoli cell plasma membranes.

Suppression of mammary carcinoma growth in vitro and in vivo by inducible expression of the Cdk inhibitor p21.

Mammary carcinomas that develop in C3 (1)/SV40 T- antigen (TAg) transgenic mice have lost the p53-mediated induction of p21, leading to increased cellular proliferation and significant elevations of cyclins and Cdks. To test whether p21 could serve as a target for anticancer therapy for this mammary cancer model, a retroviral delivery system for the inducible expression of p21 was developed. We demonstrate that overexpression of p21 in C3(1)/TAg mammary tumor cells using the retroviral inducible p21 expression system results in increased apoptosis, reduced cell proliferation in vitro and reduced tumor growth in vivo associated with reduced expression of cyclins D1 and E, and Cdks 2, 4, and 6. Reciprocal changes in the expression of p21 and p27(Kip1), another cell-cycle regulator, were also observed. Because reduced p21 expression occurs frequently in human breast cancer, restoration of the Cdk inhibitor p21 by gene therapy approaches may provide a method for inhibiting mammary tumor progression.

Expression of mitochondrial thioredoxin-dependent antioxidant protein, SP-22, in normal human and inflammatory mouse placentae.

The aim of this study was to elucidate whether a novel mitochondrial antioxidant protein, SP-22, is localized in placenta and whether its expression is induced in placenta of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-exposed mouse. Western blot analysis of normal human placenta indicated that the SP-22 protein was located in the mitochondrial fraction. Immunohistochemical analysis of SP-22 in normal placenta showed that immunoreactive SP-22 was distributed mostly in cytotrophoblastic cells but with almost no signal in syncytiotrophoblasts. The positive signals were also detected in the decidual cells and stromal cells in stem villi of normal placenta. We also examined LPS-mediated inflammatory placenta on day 13 of pregnancy at various time points after LPS injection (50 microg/kg, intraperitoneally). Western blot analysis indicated that LPS approximately quadrupled the expression of SP-22 in placenta of LPS-exposed mouse. When the SP-22 protein was localized immunohistochemically, the decidua and the diploid trophoblasts in the basal zone were intensively stained in placenta of LPS-exposed mouse compared to the control. The localization and inducible expression of SP-22 protein in placenta suggest a possible role in antioxidant system in mitochondria of normal and inflammatory placentae.

Enhanced protein levels of protein thiol/disulphide oxidoreductases in placentae from pre-eclamptic subjects.

Recent studies have indicated that pre-eclampsia is closely associated with oxidative stress both in maternal circulation and in the placenta. Protein thiol/disulphide oxidoreductases, such as thioredoxin, glutaredoxin, and protein disulphide isomerase have recently been found to eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and regenerate oxidatively damaged proteins. Protein thiol/disulphide oxidoreductases may also play a role in combating pre-eclampsia. In this study, we examined the accumulation of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE)-modified proteins, which are markers of lipid peroxidation, in human placentae of normal and pre-eclamptic subjects. We also examined the protein levels of thioredoxin, glutaredoxin, and protein disulphide isomerase in placentae. Immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry showed that HNE-modified proteins accumulated to a greater extent in pre-eclamptic placentae than in normal placentae. In both normal and pre-eclamptic placentae, thioredoxin, glutaredoxin, and protein disulphide isomerase were detected in the trophoblasts of the floating villi. The levels of these proteins were increased approximately 2- to 3-fold in the pre-eclamptic placentae compared to the normal placentae. These results indicated that the pre-eclamptic placentae were exposed to oxidative stress and that the protein thiol/disulphide oxidoreductases were adaptively induced in pre-eclamptic placentae, suggesting possible roles for thioredoxin, glutaredoxin, and protein disulphide isomerase in protecting placental functions against oxidative stress caused by pre-eclampsia.

Enhancement of mitochondrial oxidative stress and up-regulation of antioxidant protein peroxiredoxin III/SP-22 in the mitochondria of human pre-eclamptic placentae.

A growing body of evidence indicates that the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia is closely associated with oxidative stress occurring in mitochondria. In the present study, we evaluated the degree of mitochondrial lipid peroxidation by assessing the accumulation of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE)-modified proteins and examined the expression of mitochondrial antioxidant protein peroxiredoxin III/SP-22 in normal and pre-eclamptic human placentae. The accumulation of HNE-modified proteins increased to a greater extent in both the mitochondria and cytosol of pre-eclamptic placentae than in those of normal placentae. Moreover, the accumulation of HNE-modified proteins was much more evident in the mitochondria than in the cytosol, indicating that lipid peroxidation occurred mainly in the mitochondria of pre-eclamptic placentae. The mRNA expression of peroxiredoxin III/SP-22 was increased about 2-fold in pre-eclamptic placentae compared to normal placentae. The protein levels of peroxiredoxin III/SP-22 were approximately 4-fold higher in pre-eclamptic placentae than in normal placentae. Immunohistochemistry of placental tissues showed that the levels of peroxiredoxin III/SP-22 protein were increased in the trophoblasts of floating villi, stromal cells of stem villi, and decidual cells in pre-eclamptic placentae. These results indicate that peroxiredoxin III/SP-22 plays a crucial role in the protection of placental function from oxidative stress occurring in mitochondria of pre-eclamptic placentae.

Adrenomedullin and proadrenomedullin N-terminal 20 peptide induce histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cell.

Adrenomedullin (ADM)-induced histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells was investigated. We compared the ability of full-length ADM to induce histamine release to the fragments ADM-(1-25) and ADM-(22-52), as well as proadrenomedullin N-terminal 20 peptide (PAMP). ADM (10(-8) to 10(-5) M) and PAMP (10(-8) to 10(-5) M) dose-dependently increased histamine release from peritoneal mast cell preparations. The effect of ADM-(1-25) was similar to ADM, whereas ADM-(22-52) did not show any effects. These data suggest the relative importance of the ADM C-terminal fragment, which contains a six-membered ring structure. Histamine release, induced by ADM, was significantly and dose-dependently inhibited by the addition of ADM-(22-52) (10(-5) M), Ca(2+) (0.5 to 2.0 mM), and benzalkonium chloride (3 to 7 microM), a selective inhibitor of Gi type G proteins. In contrast, PAMP (10(-5) M)-induced histamine release was not inhibited by Ca(2+). These results suggest that ADM induce histamine release via a putative ADM receptor in a manner sensitive to Gi-protein function and extracellular Ca(2+) concentration, and that PAMP might produce its effect by a different mechanism than ADM.