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A simple method is described for determing thyroxine binding proteins in human serum by electrophoresis at pH 8.6, using cellulose acetate membrane as the supporting medium. The procedure had high reliability in sera of normal subjects, pregnant women and patients with decreased thyroxine binding capacity of thyroxine binding globulin.

Cells from methylcholanthrene-induced tumor (MC-tumor), Ehrlich ascites cancer or mouse ascites hepatoma (MH-134) were subcutaneously implanted in dorsal area of mice to examine the specific cell mediated immunity following implantation. The migration index (MI) of lymphocytes was determined at various time periods after cell transplantation. The MI-activity increased under all three implantations, reached maximum at a certain period, decreased gradually and disappeared. The maximum MI-activity coincided with the proliferation period of the implanted tumor cells. This peak occurred on the tenth postimplantation day with MC-tumors, on the fifth day with Ehrlich ascites cancer and on the sixth day with MH-134 cancer. In lymphoid tissues of animals with MC-tumor and Ehrlich ascites cancer, strong MI-activity appeared early in the regional axillary lymph nodes, while weak activity was observed consistently in the distant mesenterial lymph nodes. The MI-activity of the splenic lymphoid cells resembled the axillary lymph nodes cell activity. The MI-activity of venous blood lymphoid cells was parallel to the average value of lymphoid cells of the spleen and axillary and mesenterial lymph nodes.

The relationship between muscle activity at the terminal region of the common bile duct and the duodenal muscle was examined in rabbits. The rhythmic muscle activity in the terminal region was synchronous with duodenal muscle activity. The activity of the latter muscle preceded the former. The activity at the terminal region synchronous with the rhythmic activity of the duodenal muscle sometimes disappeared spontaneously. The muscle activity of the ampulla and the spincter at the terminal region was sometimes independently lost. The conduction of excitation from the duodenal muscle to the terminal region appeared to be performed at several sites. The existence of a "conduction-shunt path" between the terminal region and the duodenum, as well as between the ampulla and the sphincter appeared probably. Some quantitative differences were found between the spincter, ampulla and duodenum in inhibitory effects to stimulation of splanchnic nerves and reflex effects and to excitatory effects of cholecystokinin-pancreoxymin and caerulein. These results seem to indicate that the sympathetic nerves and the intramural cholinergic neurones controlling these region carry out activities quantitatively different from each other.

HB surface antigen (HBs Ag) was detected using the enzyme-labelled antibody technique on routinely processed liver biopsy material fixed in Bouin's fixative and embedded in paraffin. Of 85 examined specimens, 45 cases were HBs Ag positive by both the immunofluorescent test and the enzyme labelled antibody technique. The remaining 40 cases were negative by both techniques. The specificity of HBs Ag detected by the enzyme-labelled antibody technique was confirmed by the blocking test using guinea pig specific HBs antibody. The results indicate that the enzyme-labelled antibody technique may be useful for detecting HBs Ag on routine paraffin sections.

Hepatitis B core antigen (HBc Ag) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag) were detected in the liver tissue of a patient with chronic aggressive hepatitis by the immunofluorescent complement technique. The presence of anti-HBc was examined by the same method in 67 human sera previously tested for HBs Ag, anti-HBs and s-GPT levels. HBc Ag was localized mainly in the nucleus and sometimes in the cytoplasm of the hepatic cells. HBs Ag was found only in the cytoplasm. The focal area of HBc Ag positive hepatic cells seemed to correspond to the HBs Ag positive cells. Double staining demonstrated the simultaneous presence of HBs Ag and HBc Ag in individual cells. Anti-HBc positive serum was found in 46 (68.7%) cases. Forty-eight (71.6%) indicated a combination of HBs Ag and anti-HBc.

Phosphate-binding protein(s) was found in the inner mitochondrial membrane of calf heart by Sephadex G-200 and G-25 gel filtration. The binding activity was inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide and competed by a large amount of cold phosphate. The amount of phosphate bound to the fraction was 29 nmoles per mg of protein. Affinity chromatography with phosphate-bound Sepharose 4B confirmed the presence of phosphate-binding protein(s) in the active fraction of mitochondrial membrane fractionated by gel filtration.

Es wurde Untersuchungen an Mausen mit dem Rinder-Monokomponente-Insulin und der Rinder-a-Komponente durchgefGhrt, urn den Nachweis zu erbringen, ob das Monokomponente. Insulin oder die a-Komponente als ein Insulitis-erzeugendes Antigen dienen kann. Dabei wurden die Tiere mit den Substanzen, die jeweils mit Freund's complete adjuvant wiederholt verabreicht wurden, aktiv immunisiert und weiterhin untersucht auf eine dadurch bewirkte Insulitis. (1) Bei den mit dem Rinder-MonokomponenteInsulin sensibilisierten Gruppen kam die Insulitis bei 1 von 8 Fallen in der 20. Woche nach der ersten Sensibilisierung und bei 5 von 10 Fallen in der 28. Woche zur Erscheinung. (2) Bei den mit der a-Komponente behandelten Gruppen liet3 sich die Insulitis bei 0 von 9 Fallen in der 20. Woche nach dem Sensibilisierungsbeginn und auch bei 1 von 10 Fallen in der 28. Woche nachweisen. Diese Ergebnisse zeigen, dat3 das Monokomponente-Insulin als ein Insulitis-erzeugendes Antigen wirken kann. Dagegen war nur ein Fall von Insulitis befallen unter 19 Tieren, die mit der a-Komponente behandelt wurden.

An anomalous zymogram of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the serum from a patient with liver cirrhosis was reported. Agar-gel electrophoresis of serum showed an extra LDH band close to the anodic side of LDH5 and a wide band of LDH5. Gel filtration of patient's serum in Sephadex G-200 demonstrated an abnormal LDH fraction eluted between immunoglobulin G (IgG) and macroglobulin in addition to a normal LDH component. Chromatographically abnormal LDH was demonstrated on agar gel as extra and wide LDH5 bands and resembled closely human hepatic LDH in various physico-chemical properties such as inhibition by urea or substrate, stability against heat, and Michaelis-Menten's constant. Immunological analyses demonstrated that abnormal LDH could be in the state combined with IgG. Molecular weight of the complex estimated by gel filtration was approximately 300,000. Mixtures of the heated patient's serum with normal or patient's hepatic LDH showed abnormal LDH fraction by gel filtration, whereas abnormal fraction was not demonstrated when heated normal serum was mixed with normal or the patient's hepatic LDH. These results strongly suggest that the occurrence of anomalous LDH zymogram in patient's serum is due to a formation of LDH-IgG complex, which is based on the binding of essentially normal hepatic LDH and abnormal IgG.

Experimentelle Produktion der Immun-Insu1itis wurde aufgrund der aktiven Immunisierung der Mause vom dd-Stamm durch wiederholte Gabe vom rekristallisierten Rinderinsulin im Abstand von 4 Wochen unternommen. Wahrend der Zeitdauer vom 3. Tag bis zur 28. Woche nach der ersten Sensibilisierung wurden serologische sowie histo1ogische Untersuchungen an diesen Tieren vorgenommen. Dabei ergaben sich fo1gende Befunde: (1) Die Immunlnsulitis kam bei allen von 58 Fallen bis zu 16 Wochen nach dem Sensibilisierungsbeginn nicht zur Erscheinung, und trat bei 2 von 8 Fallen erst in der 20. Woche und dann bei 3 von 8 Fallen in der 28. Woche in die Erscheinung. (2) Kein signifikanter Unterschied bestand in Hinsicht des insulinverbindenden Antikorpertiters im Blut zwischen den Fallen mit und ohne Immun-Insulitis in der 20. Woche sowie in der 28. Woche. (3) 1m Zeitlauf gab es aber eine gute Koinzidenz zwischen der Entstehung der Immun-Insulitis und der Herabsetzung des Antikorpertiters im Blut. (4) Untersuchungen des Pankreas mit Hi1fe der direkten Fluoreszenz-Antikorpermethode ergaben keine erkennbare spezifische Fluoreszenz innerhalb der Langerhansschen Inseln. Diese Untersuchungsergebnisse liefern der Ansicht einen Beweis, da~ die Insulitis, die fUr den mensch1ichen Diabetes mellitus spezifisch ist, mindestens zum Teil durch einen immuno1ogischen Mechanismus entstehen konnte.

The macrophage migration inhibition activity [MI activity) was stable in sensitized lymphocyte-to-marcophage ratios of 1:5 to 1:20 in mice. Antigen protein concentrations under 100 mug/ml did not induce nonspecific macrophage migration inhibition. Inhibition of tumor proliferation and survival was observed after a combined injection of BCG and MH-134 cells. After a single injection of MH-134 tumor cells, MI activity was reinforced and prolonged, demonstrating the clear effects of BCG as adjuvant. In DDS mice MI activity was weakened in the regional lymph node after a subcutaneous injection of just above or below 10(5) Ehrlich cancer cells previously treated with mitomycin C. This finding suggests the presence of an optimal tumor antigen concentration.

1. When the various anticancer agents are injected intravenously to normal rabbits and intraperitoneally to normal mice, it seems that the serum properdin levels fall transitorily for some hours after administration with a small dose and then keep rising, but with a massive dose it continues to fall from the beginning. 2. The properdin level is decreased considerably by Thio-TEPA and Carzinophilin; moderately by Mitomycin C; and slightly by M. H. OX-substance hardly changes the level and 8-azaguanine rather has a tendency to raise the level. 3. The administration of most anticancer agents seems to suppress the properdin system. 4. The influence of these agents on human serum properdin is similar to that of rabbits. 5. The properdin levels keep at high titers in the group to which the agents act effectively on the cancer, but the levels fall down more rapidly and animals die earlier in the group to which the agents act ineffectively on the cancer as compared with the control group.

For the purpose to reveal whether or not the liver and the cell organellae are responsible for the abnormal metabolism of polysaccharides found in cancer bearing individuals, the author analyzed the liver and ascites with tumor cells of AH 130 hepatoma bearing rats biochemically with some histochemical observations. A quantitative increase in polysaccharides accompanied by the production of unusual polysaccharides is found in the supernatant of liver from cancer bearing rats, but not from mitochondrial or microsomal fractions. Tumor cells themselves and ascites fluid do not contain the abnormal polysaccharides found in the liver supernatant.

1. The properdin levels in sera from mice bearing Ehrlich ascitic carcinoma and from rabbits with Brown-Pearce carcinoma decrease inversely with the increase of the ascites or the tumors. In the incipient period of tumor transplantation, the level rather rises. When the tumor is proliferating or large, the level keeps falling or is low. On the contrary, when the tumor is regressing or disappears, the level elevates or reverts to that before transplantation. Strong A and R III mice with spontaneous mammary cancer have markedly low serum properdin levels as compared with those of healthy mice. 2. The properdin levels are less than 2 units per milliliter of the serum in 44.4 per cent of patients with gastric cancer, in 18.2 per cent of ones with non-malignant tumor and in 18.2 per cent of ones with gastric or duodenal ulcer. The abnormal low level has been found in 33.3 per cent of patients without recurrence, who had undergone extended radical gastrectomy combined with radical lymphadenectomy for gastric cancer. 3. Some correlation can be seen between the serum properdin levels and the degree of progress of gastric cancer. 4. The cancer patients with low total serum protein have lower serum properdin levels than those having nomal protein. 5. As for influence of surgical operation on the serum properdin levels, there is observed a tendency that a minor operation causes the levels to increase and a major operation causes the levels to fall. 6. It has been inferred that the properdin system could be one of the host natural resistance against cancer.

1. Properdin assay which is comparatively sensitive and reproducible has been described. The assay may be called a modified method of properdin assay by HUNTER·HILL and McNALL. 2. The properdin assay of serum is possible by using a very small amount of test serum (0.1 ml at the least). The necessary amount of zymosan is very little, the procedure of properdin assay is comparatively simple and it can safely be used clinically. 3. Serum properdin of guinea pig, rat, rabbit and mouse can easily be measured by means of Rp and Ra made from guinea-pig sera. 4. In the properdin assay of human serum, human Rp serum IS preferable to guinea-pig Rp serum. 5. Human Rp serum is always prepared easily from pooled sera of advanced cancer bearing patients. 6. Insulin has not such ability of making Rp and R3 as can replace zymosan. 7. Properdin assay is possible by means of goat's hemolytic system as well as sheep's hemolytic system.

The author studied the distribution of polysaccharides and the amino-acid composition of cytoplasmic organellae, the problems that have come to call a great interest in the field of studies on cancer bearing animals. And also biochemical and electron microscopic observations were carried out to study the influences of cytoplasmic organellae in the cancer cells (AH 130), the livers of cancer bearing animals, and normal liver on the catalase activity of the liver. The results obtained are as follows : Cytoplasmic organellae of various cells do not affect so markedly the hexose metabolism of the liver. As for the amino-acid pattern of cytoplasmic organellae of various cells studied by paperchromatography, it is interesting to note that the pattern of the liver of cancer bearing animals, shows lack in histidine, while in can~er tissue and in the liver of cancer bearing animals an increase in phenylalanine can be observed. The decrease in the liver catalase activity is caused by the primary factor of cancer cells, especially their microsomes, and also by the secondary factor of the liver mitochondria in cancer bearing animals. On the other hand, the mitochondria of cancer cells, instead of reducing the catalase activity in the liver, markedly increases the catalase activity. By the morphological changes observed with light microscope and electron microscope, liver cells revealed marked morphological differences, proving that the microsomes of hepatoma cell induce considerably marked changes in the liver, while the mitochondria of hepatoma cell, on the contrary, induce the hypertrophy of liver cells. Sirriilarly in the electron microscopic observations the mitochondria of mouse liver injected with cancer mitochondria are enlarged, but no destruction of cellular structures such as cristae can be recognized. Also microbodies and the growing process of mitochondria can be observed, but no marked changes in endoplasmic reticulum.

1. Clinical and histological evaluation of so-called chorioepithelioma malignum and hydatidiform mole has been made on the cases treated at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Hospital during the 20year period friom 1939 to 1958. 2. CC has been confirmed to be a poor risk in the treatment than CA and SE. 3. The two-year cure rate and the five-year cure rate yield an approximate value in each of CC, CA and SE, so that the two-year survival would be an ideal index for determination of the prognosis. 4. It may be pointed out that CC would indicate a tendency of a higher gonadotropin content suggestive of the poor prognosis, provided the disease contain a greater number of La-cells comparing to Sy-cells. 5. Metastasis of CA is not so infrequent as has been formerly believed, and there were two cases, which proved to be a typical SE and had metastasis to the vaginal wall. 6. Concerning the last labor preceding the chorioepithelioma, it has been clarified that the disease occurs more frequently following spontaneous abortion rather than after artificial abortion. 7. It is noted that the mole showing a marked proliferation of the trophoblasts entailed CC. However, in order to evaluate a correlation of the histological findings of the mole with chance occurrence of the subsquent CC, further study on the cases is required.

A photo tube dew-point hygrometer is used for measuring humidity of respiratory gases, which are in varying conditions. It makes it possible to make an accurate, precise, continuous and automatic recording of the dew point of gas flows. The most notable features of this device are: (1) Simplicity of calculating absolute humidity, since the humidity is indicated with dew point. (2) Calibration is easy and reliable. (3) Performance is stable, and its operation and maintenance are simple. (4) Indication is correct and unaffected by temperature. (5) There is good response to any quick changes in humidity. (6) There is continuous and automatic recording of humidity, especially with simultaneous temperature measurements on the same paper. (7) Impurities such as the vapors of organic substances or volatile agents do not affect the performance. Simple wiping can eliminate the disturbance from mirror contamination. (8) The entire apparatus is on a cart and easily movable. This device provides a new method of studying the functional relationship between humidity and various respiratory states, and it is hoped it will contribute much to physiological and clinical investigations. The principle and structure of the "automatic D.P. hygrometer", the apparatus and method for practical hygrometry and obtained results are described and discussed.

With the purpose to elucidate the relation between the enzyme activity and the morphology of mitochondria the author carried out histochemical and biochemical investigations of cytochrome oxidase and succinic dehydrogenase activities of liver cells obtained at various intervals after the oral administration of CCl4, to male rats. And the data were compared with those reported in the first report. In the normal liver histochemically demonstrable cytochrome c oxidase activity and succinic dehydrogenase activity can be seen in parenchymal cells. In both cases the cells lying in the peripheral area show a more intense activities than those in the central part of liver lobules. The activity of cytochrome c oxidase falls markedly 5 to 6 hours after the CCl4, administration, while the activity of succinic dehydrogenase is retained almost at normal level for about 20 hours. Quantitative estimation of the succinic dehydrogenase activity of tissue homogenate revealed a transient rise in the activity 90 minutes after the CCl4, administration, and thereafter the values have been kept in almost normal level by 20 hours though a gradually fall has been seen in this period with a marked degree at 22nd hour. Taking the changes of minute structure occurring at each stage into consideration, which have been reported in the previous paper, the author concludes that the activity of succinic dehydrogenase is closely correlated with the maintenance of double membraneous structure of mitochondria, but the activity of cytochrome c oxidase is reduced by the swelling of mitochondria.

Every cytologist in biology or medicine knows the so-called "Golgi-Complex", but no cytologist can state exactly the structure and the function of this complex. Nevertheless, in the last six years this" Golgi complex" in about 100 different cells has been seen in the electron microscope. That is the reason I have tried to make a comparative study of these fields. I would like to give a short review of this investigation here, having been kindly invited by Prof. S. SENO.