Application of a diagnostic DNA probe for the differentiation of the two types of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), which is caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides, is still a serious disease in some parts of the world. There is also a commonly occurring mycoplasma which is sufficiently related to the CBPP organism to bear the same name, even though this organism does not cause CBPP. Thus it is very important to be able to distinguish between these organisms and identify either with certainty. Fragments derived from M mycoides subspecies capri by restriction enzyme digestion of genomic DNA were cloned into the vector M13mp8. One resulting clone CAP-21, with a 1.5 kb insert was used as a probe in Southern hybridisation assays where genomic DNA was digested with the restriction endonuclease TaqI. This probe could differentiate a strain of M mycoides subspecies mycoides which does not cause CBPP. Subsequent tests on 14 other strains from cattle and goats showed that although they were isolated from diverse geographical areas, CAP-21 could clearly differentiate between these two types of M mycoides subspecies mycoides.     

Tumor angiogenesis in pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas

BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis correlates with growth and likely metastases in several tumors. To determine whether it has a similar role in pheochromocytomas, immunohistochemical staining of factor VIII was done on the tumor tissue of 42 patients. METHODS: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue was obtained from 29 women and 13 men with 24 primary adrenal and 18 extraadrenal pheochromocytomas. Patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 included 32 patients with benign pheochromocytomas, and group 2 included 10 patients with malignant tumors evidenced by capsular or vascular invasion (six), liver metastases (three), or periaortic lymph node metastases (one). Blood vessels highlighted by factor VIII staining of endothelial cells with labeled streptavidin-biotin were counted under light microscopy. Mean vessel count within a 10 mm2 micrometer disk was calculated under x100, x200, and x400 magnification fields. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in patient age or clinical symptoms between the groups. The mean tumor size in group 2 of 8.8 +/- 5.3 cm was larger than the mean of 4.8 +/- 2.8 cm in group 1 (p < 0.005). The mean counts of vessels in the x100, x200, and x400 magnification fields were 102 +/- 48, 40 +/- 18, and 19 +/- 9 in group 1, and 203 +/- 77, 73 +/- 28, and 37 +/- 15 in group 2. The number of blood vessels in group 2 was significantly higher than in group 1 (p < 0.001) in each studied field. CONCLUSIONS: In this study the number of tumor blood vessels correlated with the invasive behavior of pheochromocytomas. Tumor angiogenesis may be useful in determining the likelihood of malignant behavior in pheochromocytomas.     

Gastric mucosal hepatocyte growth factor in Helicobacter pylori gastritis and peptic ulcer disease

OBJECTIVES: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is increasingly recognized for its role in a variety of hepatic and systemic diseases. Its relationship to gastritis has not been studied. We aimed at measuring gastric mucosal HGF levels in the presence or absence of Helicobacter pylori gastritis, in peptic ulcers, and in response to H. pylori eradication. METHODS: Fifty one patients were studied. Patients were not entered if they had liver disease, malignancy, or any systemic illness. HGF was measured in gastric antral incubates using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Assessments were repeated 6 wk after a 2-wk course of anti-H. pylori triple therapy in 12 patients. Code numbers were used for blinding. RESULTS: The median gastric mucosal HGF level was 36 ng/gm/tissue in patients with H. pylori gastritis (n = 33) compared with 19 ng/gm in 18 negative controls (p = 0.0024), 18 ng/gm after the eradication of H. pylori (p = 0.021), 23 ng/gm in all patients with ulcers (n = 10), and 26 ng/gm/tissue in H. pylori-positive ulcers (n = 7). CONCLUSIONS: Gastric mucosal HGF levels were elevated in H. pylori gastritis and reduced by its eradication. These results are relevant to our understanding of the increased gastric cell proliferation in patients with H. pylori-related gastritis.     

Associations of urinary albumin excretion rate with vascular disease in europid nondiabetic subjects

Microalbuminuria and its association with vascular disease has previously been reported in nondiabetic individuals. The aims of this study were to determine whether there is a cross-sectional relationship between urinary albumin excretion rate and cardiovascular disease in nondiabetic subjects and to investigate hereditary predisposition to microalbuminuria by studying offspring of the main study population. Europid patients, aged 40-70 years, were randomly selected from a large inner-city general practice; there was a 62.6% attendance rate, and a study population of 959 remained after exclusions. Blood pressure, ankle systolic pressure, height, and weight were measured. Albumin excretion rate was calculated from overnight and morning urine collections. Venous blood was taken for lipids, fibrinogen, and factor VII; and resting electrocardiograms were carried out. Offspring (aged 15-40 years) of those found to be microalbuminuric were invited to attend for the same tests, and controls were selected by age and sex matching the parents. There was no association between parents' albumin excretion rate with that of their offspring, and there were no significant differences in albumin excretion rate between offspring subjects and their controls. There were no statistically significant associations of prevalent coronary heart disease (CHD) with albumin excretion rate or microalbuminuria in either sex [CHD in women: odds ratio (OR) 1.85; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.19,9.0] [CHD in men: OR 2.13; 95% CI (0.64, 6.59)]. In women, there were significant associations between albumin excretion rate and peripheral vascular disease (positive) and fibrinogen (negative). Because established risk factors may not be as strongly associated with CHD in cross-sectional studies, we intend to follow this group prospectively.     

A novel mutation (Cys145-->Stop) in Bruton's tyrosine kinase is associated with newly diagnosed X-linked agammaglobulinemia in a 51-year-old male

BACKGROUND: X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) is a severe, life-threatening disease characterized by failure of B cell differentiation and antibody production and is associated with mutations in Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk). The proband in this study is a 51-year-old male presenting with chronic nasal congestion, recurrent sinusitis, sporadic pneumonia, and pronounced B cell deficiency. A family history suggestive of an X-linked immunodeficiency disease was noted. MATERIALS AND METHODS: cDNA was synthesized from mRNA prepared from peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes. Btk cDNA amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was subjected to both manual and automated DNA sequencing. A DNA sequence corresponding to exons 6 and 7 of Btk was amplified from genomic DNA. Western blot analysis employed both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to Btk and reaction patterns were obtained both by chemiluminescence and an in vitro kinase assay. RESULTS: A mutation (Cys145-->Stop) was identified in Btk cDNA and was confirmed in amplified exon 6 of genomic DNA from both the proband and an affected nephew. Neither Btk nor a truncated peptide was detected in Western blot analyses of peripheral blood mononuclear cell lysates. CONCLUSIONS: The C145A mutation reported here is novel. This family study is extraordinary in that affected male members who did not undergo aggressive medical management either succumbed to complications in early life or survived into later life. The proband is the oldest de novo diagnosed patient with XLA reported to date.     

SC-53606, a potent and selective antagonist of 5-hydroxytryptamine4 receptors in isolated rat esophageal tunica muscularis mucosae

(1-S,8-S)-N-[(hexahydro-1H-pyrrolizin-1-yl)methyl]-6-chloroimi+ ++- dazo[1,2-a]pyridine-8-carboxamide hydrochloride (SC-53606) acts as an antagonist of 5-hydroxytryptamine4 (5-HT4) receptor-mediated relaxation of carbachol-induced contractions in rat esophageal tunica muscular mucosae, but does not possess 5-HT4 agonist activity. SC-53606 demonstrated a pA2 value against 5-HT in this tissue of 7.91 +/- 0.08 (Ki = 12.3 +/- 1.17 nM). Similar pA2 values of 7.68 +/- 0.06, 7.67 +/- 0.06 and 7.63 +/- 0.05 were determined for the synthetic 5-HT4 receptor agonists SC-53116, 5-methoxytryptamine and renzapride, respectively. In addition, slopes of Schild plots for antagonism of these four agonists by SC-53606 were 1.07 +/- 0.02, 0.98 +/- 0.03, 1.04 +/- 0.02 and 0.96 +/- 0.06, respectively, and did not deviate from unity. The pA2 values for 5-HT4 antagonism against 5-HT were determined to be 6.80 +/- 0.09 for tropisetron and 7.36 +/- 0.08 for 2-methoxy-4-amino-S- chlorobenzoic acid-2-(diethylamino)ethyl ester SDZ 205-557), indicating that SC-53606 is more a potent 5-HT4 antagonist than either of the reference antagonists. Radioligand binding studies also demonstrated that SC-53606 is a selective antagonist with more affinity for 5-HT4 than for other 5-HT receptors. Displacement of radioligand binding from 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 receptors by SC-53606 was less than 50% at a 10 microM concentration. Similarly, SC-53606 displayed little binding affinity at alpha 1, alpha 2 and beta adrenergic, dopamine1, dopamine2 and muscarinic cholinergic receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)