The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine
Online ISSN : 1349-3329
Print ISSN : 0040-8727
ISSN-L : 0040-8727
Volume 191, Issue 3
July
Displaying 1-8 of 8 articles from this issue
Regular Contributions
  • Makoto Daimon, Shinji Susa, Toshihide Ohizumi, Satoko Moriai, Toru Kaw ...
    2000 Volume 191 Issue 3 Pages 119-125
    Published: 2000
    Released on J-STAGE: April 26, 2005
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    We found a novel missense mutation in the ceruloplasmin (Cp) gene in a patient with the heteroallelic Cp gene mutation (HypoCPGM). The patient was a 72-year-old woman who came to our hospital with a 1-year history of postural tremor of the hands. The diagnosis was made based on serum Cp and copper readings which were about half the normal levels, as well as MRI tests of her brain which showed charcteristics for hereditary ceruloplasmin deficiency (HCD), known to be caused by the homoallelic Cp gene mutation. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-direct sequencing analysis of the Cp gene of the patient revealed a novel point mutation, A to T, at nucleotide position 82 in Exon 1. This mutation changes the Ile28 codon (ATT) to a Phe codon (TTT) (missense mutation). PCR-restriction analysis with restriction enzyme Tsp EI for the mutation revealed that both the patient and her son were heterozygotes for the mutation.
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  • Akira Horikawa, Kyoji Okada, Kozo Sato, Minoru Sato
    2000 Volume 191 Issue 3 Pages 127-137
    Published: 2000
    Released on J-STAGE: April 26, 2005
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    We investigated the effect of fluid shear stress on both changes in morphology and in resting level of cytosolic concentrations of Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in MC3T3-E1 cells, osteoblast-like cells derived from the neonatal mouse calvaria. The cells were subjected to fluid shear stress at about 1.0 Pa. Morphological characteristics were compared between stressed and control cells by scanning electron microscopic examination, actin filament evaluation using phalloidin fluorescence and [Ca2+]i measurement using fura-2/AM. The stressed cells changed from a polygonal to a spindle shape after 1-hour exposure to fluid shear stress, whereas control cells remained polygonal, and the stressed cells exhibited an increase in the number of microvilli. The diameter in the long axis of the stressed cells was significantly larger than that of controls, and about half of the stressed cells were oriented nearly along the direction of the fluid shear stress. The arrangement of the actin filaments of the stressed cells changed to parallel, and was positioned along the long axis of the cell process. The resting level of [Ca2+]i in the stressed cells showed a peak at 1 hour after the application of the stress. A more prolonged stress period over 1 hour caused cell shrinkage, an irregularity on the cell surface, and a gradual decrease in the resting level of [Ca2+]i, suggesting that prolonged stress time may cause cellular damage.
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  • Miyoko Tsukada, Shigetoshi Chiba
    2000 Volume 191 Issue 3 Pages 139-144
    Published: 2000
    Released on J-STAGE: April 26, 2005
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The effect of temperature on submaximal vasoconstrictions to an intraluminal injection of serotonin (5-HT) and methoxamine was investigated in isolated and perfused canine lingual and mesenteric arteries, using the cannula insertion method. In both arteries cooling (from 37°C to 27°C) caused a remarkable enhancement of vasoconstriction to 5-HT, but did not to methoxamine. In lingual arteries, methoxamine-induced constrictions were strongly depressed, although those were slightly depressed in mesenteric arteries. It is assumed that 5-HT produces an important role to modulate vascular tonicity in low temperature conditions.
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  • Rong-Sen Yang, Tur-Fu Huang
    2000 Volume 191 Issue 3 Pages 145-155
    Published: 2000
    Released on J-STAGE: April 26, 2005
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    We have investigated the effect of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) on the in vitro adhesion activity of the rat osteosarcoma cell lines (ROS 17/2.8) to extracellular matrix substrata, including fibronectin, type I and IV collagen, as well as laminin. The interaction of Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) and rhodostomin, an RGD containing snake venom, with TGF-β1 on the cell adhesion was also evaluated. The results showed that incubation with various concentration of TGF-β1 (1-15 ng/ml) significantly increased the adhesion activity (1.4 to 2.5 folds) of ROS 17/2.8 to fibronectin and type I collagen (p<0.01), whereas the adhesion activity to laminin and type IV collagen was slightly elevated (1.1 to 1.5 folds). The peak effect of TGF-β1 on the cell adhesion occurred after pretreatment of ROS 17/2.8 with TGF-β1 for 6 hours. Treatment with Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS) and rhodostomin effectively suppressed the TGF-β1-enhanced adhesion activity to fibronectin and type I collagen. This study demonstrated that the up-regulated cell adhesion activity of ROS 17/2.8 cells by the TGF-β1 can be inhibited by the rhodostomin.
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  • Nobuhiko Kimura, Shimpei Nishikawa, Makoto Tamai
    2000 Volume 191 Issue 3 Pages 157-166
    Published: 2000
    Released on J-STAGE: April 26, 2005
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Morphology and enzymes of Müller cells in the developing retina of RCS (Royal College of Surgeons) rats were investigated. RCS (rdy/rdy) rats with inherited retinal dystrophy were studied and RCS (+/+) rats served as normal controls. Rats underwent intracardiac perfusion with 4% paraformaldehyde and the eyes were enucleated on postnatal days P1, 4, 10, 21, 35, and 100. Eyes were then fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde, and silver enhancing technique was applied to show glutamine synthetase (GS) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). For solubilized retinas, Western blot analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were performed to detect GS and GFAP in the extracts. Immunohistochemistry showed GS expression first on P10. It increased later in both normal and dystrophic retinas. GFAP was not expressed in normal retinas, but Müller cells of dystrophic retinas were stained on P35 and P100. GS immunoblots were recognized on P21 and later in both normal and dystrophic retinas with similar densities, while GFAP immunoblots were observed only on P35 and P100, and only in dystrophic retinas. ELISA demonstrated increased GS concentrations with the development in both normal and dystrophic retinas, but no significant difference was observed between them. GFAP concentrations had no significant difference on P21 between both groups, those of normal ones remained unchanged later, while those of dystrophic rats were remarkably increased on P35 and P100. Müller cells might be affected following the progressive degeneration of photoreceptor cells and react to the glio-neuronal relationship.
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  • Makoto Hirokawa, Atsushi Kitabayashi, Jun Kuroki, Akira B. Miura
    2000 Volume 191 Issue 3 Pages 167-176
    Published: 2000
    Released on J-STAGE: April 26, 2005
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Binding of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) to p60 TNF-α receptor induces the activation of sphingomyelinase to generate ceramide, which in turn activates certain protein kinases and phosphatases, resulting in various TNF-α-mediated biological effects. We have investigated the role for the sphingomyelin/ceramide pathway in the TNF-α-induced upregulation of adhesion molecule expression and tissue factor production of human endothelial cells. TNF-α stimulated human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) to upregulate the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and HLA class I molecules in addition to the induction of procoagulant tissue factor production. C2-ceramide, a highly cell-permeable ceramide analog, was able to stimulate HUVECs to produce tissue factor activity as well as TNF-α. However, C2-ceramide did not stimulate HUVECs to upregulate the expression of VCAM-1, ICAM-1 and HLA class I molecules. These results suggest that there exist both the ceramide-dependent and -independent pathways in TNF-α signal transduction system in human vascular endothelial cells.
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Case Reports
  • Hiroshi Tanaka, Shinobu Waga, Tohru Nakahata, Naohiro Kondo, Norio Ono ...
    2000 Volume 191 Issue 3 Pages 177-181
    Published: 2000
    Released on J-STAGE: April 26, 2005
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    A 9-year-old boy was referred to our hospital because of significant hematuria and proteinuria associated with hypocomplementemia. Although he had had a 3-year history of asymptomatic persistent proteinuria detected by urine screening of school children, he did not visit a physician. Finally, he visited a regional hospital, and hypocomplementemia was noted there. A percutaneous renal biopsy performed hospital day 4 revealed diffuse endocapillary proliferative glomerulonephritis with severe tubulointerstitial changes. Although his hematuria and hypocomplementemia spontaneously subsided within a month, proteinuria remained. A renal biopsy performed 4 months after the first renal biopsy revealed the lesion suggesting advanced focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Despite corticosteroid treatment, his proteinuria persisted, and he developed end stage renal failure. These clinical observation indicated that he had acute glomerulonephritis (AGN) superimposed on non-nephrotic FSGS, and that the episode of AGN might cause exacerbation of the FSGS.
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  • Yukihito Fukada, Takehito Yasumizu, Eriko Sumino, Kazuhiko Hoshi
    2000 Volume 191 Issue 3 Pages 183-186
    Published: 2000
    Released on J-STAGE: April 26, 2005
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    A 21-year-old woman was diagnosed with Fechtner syndrome at 15 weeks gestation. She had a familial history of this disorder; her mother, two siblings and maternal grandmother were also affected. She presented with neither bleeding from the genital tract nor symptoms suggestive of placental abruption. Labor progressed uneventfully and resulted in the birth of a healthy female infant weighing 3436 g at 41 weeks of gestation. The puerperium was uneventful for both mother and infant.
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