Photoregulation of deacylation rate of acyl trypsin derived from photoresponsive inverse substrate

The acyl trypsin was prepared by use of an inverse substrate, which is comprise of a photoresponsive 4-phenylazobenzoyl moiety. The acyl group in acyl trypsin has been shown to isomerize from trans-form (4t-trypsin) to cis-form (4c-trypsin)/from cis-form to trans-form by irradiation of UV-vis light. The deacylation rate of the cis-form (4c-trypsin) has been shown to be 18.6 times faster than that of the trans-form (4t-trypsin).     

Spatial associations between actin filaments, endoplasmic reticula, mitochondria and fungal hyphae in symbiotic cells of orchid protocorms

The relationships between endoplasmic reticula (ER), mitochondria, and actin filaments (Afs) were observed in uncolonized and colonized cells of symbiotic protocorms ofSpiranthes sinensis (Orchidaceae) germinated in the presence of the fungus,Ceratobasidium cornigerum. Mitochondria and ER were observed by transmission electron microscopy, and with the fluorescent probe DiOC₆ (3) (3,3′-dihexyloxacarbocyanine) combined with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). An indirect immunofluorescence method using CLSM and an indirect, pre-embedding immunogold method at the ultrastructural level were used for observation of Afs. In uncolonized cells, cortical ER showed a polygonal pattern and ER formed a network throughout the cytoplasm. In the cortex, a smooth face of ER contacted the plasma membrane. Mitochondria were associated with ER. Afs were in close proximity to ER, mitochondria and amyloplasts. Colonized cells retained cortical ER, and a smooth face of ER was also closely associated with the perifungal membrane. ER and mitochondria were present in the cytoplasmic channels bridging between the central peloton and the peripheral cytoplasm. This distribution of ER and mitochondria during fungal colonization and senescence coincided with that of Afs. The changes in the arrays of Afs accompanying symbiotic fungal colonization and senescence occurred concomitantly with the changes in ER.     

Serotonin-like immunoreactivity in the central nervous system and gonad of the scallop,Patinopecten yessoensis

Summary The localization of neurons containing serotonin in the central nervous system and the gonad of the scallop, Patinopecten yessoensis, was examined immunohistochemically. In the central nervous system a large number of immunoreactive perikarya were observed in the following regions: a part of the anterior lobe of the cerebral ganglion; the posterior lobe of the cerebral ganglion; the pedal ganglion; and the accessory ganglion. No immunoreactive perikarya were found in the visceral ganglion. Numerous immunoreactive fibers were revealed in the neuropil of all central ganglia. In the gonadal region immunoreactive fibers were distributed around the gonoduct and along the germinal epithelium.This work was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan     

Treatment of Obesity by Personality Classification-Oriented Program

It is apparent that personality is related to the pathogenesis of obesity, and that understanding the personality of the patient may be a key to successful treatment of the disease. Using the Rorschach test and interviews by a psychiatrist, the types of personality were classified into four groups according to the healthiness of personalities. The judgment of healthiness was based mainly on the scores obtained from the Rorschach test This classification revealed that the occurrence of mental and physical symptoms during therapy with a very low calorie diet(VLCD)and subsequent rebound of body weight were more frequently observed in patients with relatively less healthy personalities. We used this classification to adapt our pro gram to treat obese patients. In this program, severe diet restrictions were applied to patients with relatively healthy personalities. These restrictions were applied with modifications to patients with less healthy personality, because severe restrictions would be possibly very stressful for them and would bring about an undesirable reaction. For strengthening the patients' motivation for therapy, the significance of body weight reduction was explained in different ways to patients with different types of personality. The target of body weight reduction, reward for patients with successful weight reduction, and the duration of therapy were setup differently for patients with different personalities types. The results showed that body weight rebound one or two years after treatment was reduced with the personality-oriented therapy pro gram compared to that observed with the previous conventional therapies. Also, the incidence of psychological problems was remarkably decreased.     

Potentiation of lethal endotoxin shock by streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin in rabbits: Possible relevance of hyperreactivity of macrophages to endotoxin

Abstract Streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin (SPE) potentiates lethal shock induced by endotoxin. We have previously reported that macrophages derived from SPE-treated rabbits showed hyperreactivity to endotoxin, and that the effect of SPE on macrophages was mediated by a lymphokine(s). Here we show that culture supernatants of SPE-stimulated lymphocytes, when administered into rabbits three hours before or together with endotoxin, potentiate a variety of endotoxin-induced pathophysiological changes and even lethal shock. These results suggest that SPE-induced lymphokine(s) mediates the potentiating effect of SPE on the lethal endotoxin shock through enhancing endotoxin reactivity of macrophages which play the central role in mediating endotoxin toxicity.     

Effect of a glucan,sizofiran, on natural-killer activity of 5-fluorouracil-treated murine bone marrow cells

Summary The number of bone marrow cells in C3H/He mice was reduced 3–4 days after treatment with 130 mg/kg intraperitoneal 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Higher rates of spontaneous proliferation and natural killer (NK) activity, accompanied by an increase in asialoGM1-positive cells, were observed in treated mice. When sizofiran at a dose of 200 µg/animal was intramuscularly injected after 5-FU treatment, the rates of proliferation and NK activity of bone marrow cells were higher than with 5-FU alone. The cell number was not influenced by sizofiran alone. These results indicate that all precursors of the various mature cell types (including NK cells) differentiate and regenerate rapidly to replace cells damaged by 5-FU treatment, and that sizofiran has the potential to assist this recovery. These results suggest that administration of sizofiran after chemotherapy may be useful in cancer patients.     

Immunohistochemical localization of basic fibroblast growth factor in A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells

Summary The intracellular location of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was determined in A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells both on immunofluorescence and on immunoelectron microscopy using a monoclonal anti-bFGF antibody. The immunofluorescence was located in the cytoplasm in quiescent cells. Following the addition of FCS to the culture medium of quiescent sparse cells the growth factor was translocated to and accumulated in the nucleolus. Immunogold particles were dense near the ribosomes, but were not recognized in the cytoplasmic structures concerned with the usual secretory pathway such as the rough endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi apparatus, and secretory granules. These results suggest that endogenous bFGF undergoes intracellular sorting and enters the nucleoli in A431 cells according to an extracellular growth signal.