The clonality of purified cells was examined in 10 myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients by analysing the restriction fragment length polymorphism and methylation pattern of the ...phosphoglycerate-kinase gene. Natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cytotoxicity was also examined. The granulocytes and monocytes were monoclonal or oligoclonal in all cases, except for the monocytes in one case. Conversely, the NK and T cells had a polyclonal pattern in most cases, including all cases who had defective NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. The hypothesis that reduced NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity in MDS is caused by a clonal involvement of NK cells was not supported by the present study.
The mitochondrial sulfurtransferase, rhodanese, has been analyzed for phosphate content. Significant amounts of protein-bound phosphate (30–40%) were measured in the six rhodanese preparations ...examined. Chromatographic experiments followed by phosphate analyses done on two of the preparations indicated that rhodanese A and rhodanese B, two enzyme forms that were previously resolved on DEAE-Sephadex by Blumenthal and Heinrikson (Blumenthal, K., and Heinrikson, R. L. (1971) J. Biol. Chem. 240, 2430–2437), correspond to dephospho- and phosphorhodanese, respectively.
The phosphorylation of rhodanese by γ-32PATP is catalyzed by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The stoichiometry of 32P incorporation based on the amount of dephosphorhodanese in the enzyme preparation approaches 1.0. The phosphorylation site is accessible in rhodanese that is free of substrate sulfur but not in the covalent enzyme-sulfur intermediate which is formed as an obligatory step during the course of catalysis. Because the cellular localization of cAMP-dependent protein kinase makes it unlikely as the physiologic modulator of rhodanese activity, liver extracts have been tested for a rhodanese kinase that does not require cAMP. Rhodanese kinase activity which is independent of cAMP is observed in extract fractions resolved by Affi-Gel Blue chromatography and freed from endogenous rhodanese by chromatography on Sephadex G-100.
These results together with previous findings from this and other laboratories have led to a working model of a bicyclic cascade system that can modulate the rate of mitochondrial respiration. The essence of the model is a transduction and amplification of cellular signals into the altered covalent phosphorylation of rhodanese. Rhodanese, in turn, serves as a converter enzyme which directly alters the rate of the respiratory chain and, thus, ATP production by the reversible sulfuration of key iron-sulfur centers. The model, when expanded to include signal pathways initiated by hormones or neurotransmitters, represents a mechanism by which mitochondria can recognize and meet changing energy demands.
Magneto-optical properties in the visible wavelength region are studied on CdMnTe films grown on quartz glass and sapphire (0001) single crystal substrates by MBE. Good quality films with sharp ...spectra of X-ray diffraction are obtained on the sapphire substrates polished carefully and pre-heated up to 950/spl deg/C. Weak (111) film-growth is observed for films deposited on the quartz glass substrates. A value of Faraday rotation angle of -0.31 deg/cmG at 700 nm is measured in the Cd/sub 0.59/Mn/sub 0.41/Te film grown on the sapphire substrate. The values for the films on the quartz glass substrates are 1/3 of those on sapphire. It is shown that the specific rotation in CdMnTe depends strongly upon the crystalline quality of films deposited on the substrate.< >
A 74-year-old woman was pointed out distal arch aneurysm 4 years ago in another hospital. As the diameter has gradually increased, the operation was considered. At first a pig tail catheter was ...inserted from the right femoral artery to aortic arch in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. In the operating room, stent-graft was inserted using pig tail catheter. Post operative CT showed clot formation outside the stent-graft. This procedure was thought to be less invasive and safe.
Detection of sequence-specific DNA damage induced by antitumor alkylating agents might provide a mechanism for detecting and discriminating damage specific to one or more of these drugs. Using ...repetitive primer-extension and human alphoid DNA as a substrate, lesions specific for an activated form of cyclophosphamide, 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide, were detected at 32 of 33 guanines within a 200-base pair region in DNA from cells treated in culture. There was a marked variation in lesion site intensity among affected guanines. For instance, guanines flanked by cytosine were weak sites of 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide-induced damage. Damage at bases other than guanine induced by cisplatin, UV irradiation, and adozelesin were compared to drug-DNA lesions induced by 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide. Using this method it was possible to detect, and at some sites distinguish, between cyclophosphamide- and cisplatin-induced DNA damage within WBC DNA from a patient treated with both agents. There was a different damage pattern for DNA derived from cells treated in culture compared to DNA derived from the patient sample.
We introduce a new treatment strategy (multi-ablation therapy) for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The therapy consists of radio-frequency ablation (RFA), microwave coagulation therapy (MCT) ...and ethanol injection therapy (EIT). We assessed the efficacy of the therapy in 20 patients with advanced HCCs, including 10 patients with stage III and 10 patients with stage IV. The average tumor diameter was 3.6 cm (max: 6.6 cm) and the average tumor number was 3.6 (max: 11). RFA, MCT and EIT were performed in 20, 14 and 9 cases, respectively. A percutaneous, endoscopic and open approach was applied in 2, 11 and 7 cases, respectively. The average number of times treated on initial admission was 1.1. The response rate, calculated by the tumor necrosis effect, was 100%. The cumulative two-year recurrent rate in the treated sites was 33% and the 2-year cumulative survival rate was 90%. Complications were encountered in two patients (liver failure and pyothorax). Multi-ablation therapy provides an excellent prognosis for advanced HCC patients whose condition could not be controlled with conventional therapeutic modalities.
Group G Streptococcus strains isolated from patients with severe invasive infections in the period 2002–2008 were surveyed and their prevalence compared with that observed in the period 1995–2001 in ...Japan. Strains with genotypes stg485, stg6792, stc36, stg6, and stg652 were isolated in both periods, whereas various new genotypes appeared in 2002–2008 and some genotypes found in 1995–2001 were not found subsequently, thus indicating a change in the prevalent genotyped strains causing severe invasive streptococcal infections.
Rat liver 80 S ribosomes were cross-linked with 2-iminothiolane. Proteins extracted from the cross-linked 80 S ribosomes were separated into 25 fractions by chromatography on carboxy methylcellulose. ...Each protein fraction was analyzed by diagonal polyacrylamide-sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. Eight pairs characteristic of 80 S ribosomes were detected which did not appear when isolated 40 S and 60 S subunits were cross-linked, and the cross-linked proteins were analyzed in similar manners. The cross-linked components were radioiodinated and then analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, followed by autoradiography. Eight kinds of cross-links between 60 S subunit proteins and 40 S subunit proteins were identified as follows: SA30 (acidic protein with Mr 30,000)-LA33 (acidic protein with Mr 33,000), S2-LA33, S2-L11, S3a-L11, S4-L5, S25-L5, S4-L24 and S6-L24.
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