Gene expression of mouse S100A3, a cysteine-rich calcium-binding protein, in developing hair follicle.

We have previously identified a cysteine-rich calcium binding protein S100A3 present in the cuticle of human hair fiber. In this study, we cloned a cDNA for mouse S100A3, identified its gene location, and elucidated the expression profile throughout hair follicle development. The mouse S100A3 gene was clustered with other S100 family members on chromosome 3, and specifically expressed in dorsal skin containing hair follicles. The level of S100A3 mRNA was elevated during the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle, and sharply declined from the regression phase on. In situ hybridization revealed that the S100A3 gene was prominently expressed in cuticular cells of the hair follicle, and mRNA levels were highest in the keratogenous zone over the entire cuticular layer. Expression was also observed to a lesser extent in differentiated cortical cells; however, expression was not observed in any other component of the hair follicle or dorsal tissues. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the S100A3 protein accumulated in cuticular and cortical cells undergoing terminal differentiation. These results indicate that the S100A3 gene is exclusively expressed, and the translation product retained, in follicular cells differentiating into major components of the hair shaft. It seems likely that S100A3 plays an important role in calcium-dependent processes leading to hair shaft formation.

Leukocyte subsets infiltrating into fully allogeneic, long-surviving rat liver allografts.

Leukocyte subsets that infiltrated into unmodified LEJ(RT1j)2 liver grafts from WKAH(RT1k) hosts were studied. This strain combination is fully allogeneic and yields acute rejections in skin and kidney transplantations. On days 3, 7, and 14, cellular infiltrates gradually increased, and many hepatocytes were degenerative and lost cellular glycogen. Blastoid lymphocytes were frequently seen, and mitotic features of hepatocytes were prominent (on day 14, 3 to 4/10 high-power fields). Later, on days 30, 50, and 300, the cellular infiltrates gradually subsided, and blastoid lymphocytes were rarely seen. Throughout the course, Ia+ cells (RT1.Dk+ and/or RT1.B+ cells) were the major cell populations infiltrating into the grafts. Most of the host RT1.D+ cells were histiocytoid in appearance on immunoelectron microscopy. Histiocytoid cells were the most numerous infiltrating cells, constituting 30-50% of the total infiltrating cells. There were different distributions of T cell subsets between the portal and sinusoidal areas, as we previously observed in acutely rejected rat renal allografts. Both RLyt-1+,2-(Th) and RLyt-1+,2+(Tc/s) cells were found almost equally in the portal area, while RLyt-1+,2+(Tc/s) cells predominated over RLyt-1+,2-(Th) cells in the sinusoidal area. However, a gradual replacement of RLyt-1+,2-(Th) cells by RLyt-1+,2+(Tc/s) cells, as seen in the perivascular area of renal grafts, was not found in the portal areas of the liver grafts. Except for the latter finding, the pattern of cellular infiltrates was similar to that of acute renal rejection, and the significance of these cellular infiltrates is discussed.

Hepatic transplantation into sensitized recipients. Demonstration of hyperacute rejection.

Hepatic transplantation into humorally presensitized patients has occasionally been performed without reported accelerated rejection. To study survival of orthotopic hepatic transplants in sensitized recipients a series of studies in rats were performed. Lewis rats sensitized by three successive skin grafts from fully allogeneic ACI strain donors then underwent orthotopic hepatic transplantation from ACI donors. Nine of ten recipients died within 4 hr with bleeding from the liver surface. By comparison, nine unsensitized recipients survived a mean of 10.7 +/- 0.5 days before succumbing with cellular rejection. Death of the sensitized recipients was not due to coagulopathy or technical failure. Histological studies of hyperacutely rejected livers demonstrated marked hemorrhage, edema, congestion, and necrosis within the hepatic parenchyma. There was a relative lack of cellular infiltrate compared with livers rejected by unsensitized recipients. Immunofluorescent staining showed IgG bound to perivascular tissues and sinusoids, and complement bound to perivascular tissue. Serum from presensitized, but not control, recipients showed a high titer of donor-specific, complement-dependent cytotoxic activity. It is concluded that hyperacute rejection of hepatic transplants can occur in sensitized rats and is mediated by a humoral mechanism. The immunohistopathology of this process is described.

Tnr8, a foldback transposable element from rice.

An insertion sequence 418 bp in length was found in one member of rice retroposon p-SINE1 in Oryza glaberrima. This sequence had long terminal inverted repeats (TIRs) and is flanked by direct repeats of a 9-bp sequence at the target site, indicative that the insertion sequence is a rice transposable element, which we named Tnr8. Interestingly, each TIR sequence consisted of a unique 9-bp terminal sequence and six tandem repeats of a sequence about 30 bp in length, like the foldback transposable element first identified in Drosophila. A homology search of databases and analysis by PCR revealed that a large number of Tnr8 members with sequence variations were present in the rice genome. Some of these members were not present at given loci in several rice species with the AA genome. These findings suggest that the Tnr8 family members transposed long ago, but some appear to have mobilized after rice strains with the AA genome diverged. The Tnr8 members are thought to be involved in rearrangements of the rice genome.

Identification and structural analysis of SINE elements in the Arabidopsis thaliana genome.

An insertion sequence was found in a Mu homologue in the genome of Arabidopsis thaliana. The insertion sequence had poly(A) at the 3' end, and promoter motifs (A- and B-boxes) recognized by RNA polymerase III. The sequence was flanked by direct repeats of a 15-bp sequence of the Mu homologue, which appears to be a target-site sequence duplicated upon insertion. These findings indicate that the insertion sequence is a retroposon SINE, and it was therefore named AtSN (A. thaliana SINE). Many members of the AtSN family were identified through a computer-aided homology search of databases and classified into two subfamilies, AtSN1 and AtSN2, having consensus sequences 159 and 149 bp in length, respectively. These had no homology to SINEs in other organisms. About half of AtSN members were truncated through loss of a region at either end of the element. Most of them were truncated at the 5' end, and had a duplication of the target-site sequence. This suggests that the ones with 5' truncation retroposed by the same mechanism as those without truncation. Members of the AtSN1 or AtSN2 subfamilies had many base substitutions when compared with the consensus sequence. All of the members examined were present in three different ecotypes of A. thaliana (Columbia, Landsberg erecta, and Wassilewskija). These findings suggest that AtSN members had proliferatedbefore the A. thaliana ecotype strains diverged.

Effects of tnp-470 (agm-1470) on tumor-growth, angiogenesis and serum copper levels in liver-cancer bearing rats.

Administration of TNP-470 (AGM-1470), a newly developed angiogenesis inhibitor, elevated serum copper concentrations (SCu) in a dose-dependent manner in normal rats as well as tumor-bearing rats. After discontinuation of TNP-470, SCu returned to the normal range in normal rats. In tumor-bearing rats, however, SCu decreased and then became elevated in relation to the tumor growth and capillary density in this hepatic tumor. The mechanisms leading to serum copper elevation may reflect a specific pharmacologic action of TNP-470, though it may also be related to tumor growth and reactivation of tumor angiogenesis after cessation of TNP-470.

Experience with the high occipital transcortical approach in the treatment of intraventricular hemorrhage. Report of two cases.

Two patients with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) were treated by direct removal of their intraventricular hematomas via a high occipital transcortical approach with successful results. This approach lies between the parietooccipital transcortical approach and the occipital transcortical approach. The patients were a 90-year-old woman with idiopathic IVH and a 60-year-old man with hemorrhage caused by bleeding in the thalamus. In both cases, the hematoma was tightly packed in the lateral ventricle. In the former case, the inferior horn of the lateral ventricle was extremely swollen, and the patient was at risk for development of uncal herniation. With the goals of complete elimination of the hematoma in the inferior horn and identification of the source of bleeding, a high occipital transcortical approach was applied, and the hematoma was removed under direct vision. With the patient in the lateral position, a minor craniotomy of approximately 3 cm was performed around the puncture site of the posterior horn (8 cm craniad from the inion and 3 cm lateral from the midline). A 1-cm cortical incision was made and the posterior horn was reached. First, the portion of hematoma at this site was removed, and then the remainder was completely removed from the interior horn and corpus. Using this method, the entire region of the lateral ventricle, including the inferior horn, corpus, and posterior horn, can be covered in a single operative field, and it is also possible to have sufficient working space for the operation.

Anterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysm. Report of three cases.

Three cases of aneurysms of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery are reported. Two of the aneurysms were located in the cerebellopontine angle and one in the ventral portion of the pons. Through a suboccipital craniectomy, beck clipping was performed on one aneurysm, neck ligation on another, and coating on the third. A discussion of the surgical procedures and complications includes a review of previous reports.

Teratogenic effect of californium-252 irradiation in rats.

The teratogenicity of californium-252 (Cf-252) irradiation which generates approximately 70% 2.3 MeV fast neutron and 30% gamma rays was evaluated. A single whole body exposure of Cf-252 at various doses was given to pregnant rats on day 8 or 9 of pregnancy, followed by microscopic autopsy of the fetuses at the terminal stage of pregnancy to search for external and internal malformations. For comparison, pregnant rats were irradiated with various doses of cobalt-60 (Co-60) standard gamma rays at the same dose rate (1 rad/min.). The doses were 20-120 rad of Cf-252 and 80-220 rad of Co-60. Using frequency of radiation induced malformations observed on day 8 of pregnancy as an index, relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of 2.3-2.7 was obtained from the straight line obtained by modifying by the least squares method the frequency curves of malformed fetuses in total implants and in surviving fetuses. The types of malformations induced by Cf-252 and Co-60 irradiation were alike. Using fetal LD50 as an index, 2.4 was obtained as RBE when irradiated on day 8 of pregnancy and 3.1 as that when irradiated on day 9. The results showed that Cf-252 had stronger a teratogenic effect than Co-60 gamma rays.

[The role of brain-stem vasomotor centers on the neurogenic control of the neurogenic control of cerebrovascular tonus. Part 1: In special reference to cerebral blood volume and intracranial pressure].

An increase in cerebral blood volume (CBV) due to a decrease in cerebrovascular tonus has been though to be a major factor in the cause of acute brain swelling. It has been reported that the dorsomedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (DM), one of the brain-stem vasomotor centers, regulates cerebrovascular tonus. The DM and other vasomotor centers, such as the midbrain reticular formation (MBRF) and the reticular formation of the medulla oblongata (MORF), are connected through a series of nerve fibers. This experiment was designed to clarify the neurogenic control of the DM, MBRF, and MORF on cerebrovascular tonus. Using fifty-six cats, unilateral and bilateral DM(A 1.2, L2.0, H-10.0), MBRF (A4.0, L4.0, H0), and MORF (P10.0, L2.5, H-9.0) were coagulated stereotaxically with the condition of 15-10 mA for 1 minute. The lesions in the DM and MBRF were enlarged by increasing the current intensity of electrical coagulation. The effects of the increase on a number of simultaneously coagulated lesions were examined. Changes in systemic blood pressure (BP), intracranial pressure (ICP), and CBV were continuously recorded. Temporary increases in ICP (mean increase 16 mmHg, n = 14) and CBV were observed after unilateral coagulation of the DM. These increases were associated with transient systemic hypotension. The changes lasted only for approximately 5 minutes. The changes that occurred in ICP and CBV as a result of unilateral coagulation in the MBRF were almost the same as those that occurred after coagulation of the DM. In the latter case, the duration of the change was approximately 6 minutes with a mean increase of 12 mmHg (n=12).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Orthotopic liver transplantation in the rat].

In the present study, rat orthotopic liver grafting was performed in order to investigate genetical, immunological and pathological aspects of liver transplantation. In the rat, MHC (RT1) incompatible liver grafts are mostly rejected in an acute fashion like other organs, and Class II antigen-barrier had a stronger effects on the survival of liver grafts than that of class I antigens. But in Some combinations, full RT1 incompatible grafts can survive indefinitely. The mechanisms of long survival of liver grafts are complicated dynamically but regulated systematically. While the hepatocytes are regenerating from the damage by the attack of the host immune reactions, the condition of host immune response is gradually changed from positive to negative. Immunosuppressive humoral factors (anti-Ia antibodies, anti-idiotypic antibodies, class I-like antigens secreted from hepatocytes, etc.) are produced and later suppressor cells are induced. Both of them can suppress the immune reactions (MLR, CTL induction etc.) successfully. These results indicate that liver grafts stand strong having potential regenerating activity and changing the host anti-graft immunity to immunologically unresponsive state.

A case of large intestinal malignant lymphoma.

Primary malignant lymphoma of gastrointestinal tract is relatively rare and the most of it are seen in stomach or small intestine, and in Japan only 130 cases of primary large intestinal malignant lymphoma were reported from the accumulating results of the postoperative cases in the 11th Congress of the Japanese Research Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum. This paper describes the case report of the primary malignant lymphoma originated from the cecum, and the review of the literature. The patient was 63 year-old female, who came to this hospital for slight fever and right lower abdominal pain that was gradually increasing. After the investigation by using barium enema and the intrapelvic CT, cecum tumor was detected. The ileocecal excision was performed, and revealed the 4 X 4.5 cm tumorous type lesion of which surface was slightly irregular. Histopathologically the tumor was follicular lymphoma (partial type), medium sized cell type by the Lymphoma-leukemia Study Group (LSG) classification. After discharge, cyclophosphamide was administered by 100 mg/day for six weeks, and the sign of the recurrence has not been observed.