PURPOSE: The loss of estrogen and progesterone receptors appeats to be associated with a progression to less differentiated and hormone-independent tumors. The gain of hormone independency over time even in estrogen receptor-positive tumors has become another obstacle to endocrine therapy for breast cancer. We tried to regain the hormone dependency in estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer cells by lipofecting estmgen receptor cDNA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The mutant human estrogen receptor cDNA (pSGS-HEO) was lipofected into estrogen receptor-negative human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231, in an attempt to restore their sensitivity to antiestrogen. Then the effects of 17p-estradiol and tamoxifen were studied by counting viable cell numbers after treating the lipofected cell line with either one or together. RESULTS: Culture medium cantaining phenol red, a weak estrogen, has growth advantages compared with culture medium without it. In both culture conditions, cell growth was most profoundly inhibited in 4 days after lipofection with mutant human estrogen receptor cDNA, which was overcome after that day. Tamoxifen, as an antiestrogen, showed a growth inhibitory effect slightly stronger tban combined conditions of tamoxifen and 17- estradiol compared to estrogen-treated group and to control, and the inhibitory effect was lasted 4 days. CONCLUSION: The temporary induction of estrogen receptor by lipofection with pSGS-HEO on estrogen receptor-negative human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 showed negative growth control on these cells by tamoxifen, indicating that liposome-mediated estrogen receptor transfection may be used as a novel therapeutic strategy for hormane independent human breast cancers in the near future.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cell Count ; Cell Line ; DNA, Complementary ; Estradiol ; Estrogen Receptor Modulators ; Estrogens* ; Genetic Therapy ; Humans* ; Phenolsulfonphthalein ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Tamoxifen ; Transfection

PURPOSE: To evaluate the optimal pulse sequences in the detection of erosions and for the discrimination of theeffusion from pannus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR studies were performed in thirteen patients with clinical diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. We used a 1.5T MR unit with single or dual 3 inch coil. We compared coronal images at the same location, obtained with pulse sequences of T2, T2 with fat saturation, and postcontrast T1 with fat suppression. Erosions were assessed by comparing the count of the numbers of erosions depending on each imaging method. A four point scoring systems was used for the comparison of conspicuitof lesion. RESULTS: T2WI with fat suppression and postcontreat T1WI with fat suppresison were better than conventional T2WI in the detection of erosions. The pannus had a heterogeneous signal on T2WI, some of which were enhanced after the intravenous injection of MR contrast a gents. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the fat suppression TIWI with enhacnement or the fat suppression T2WI were better than conventional T2WI for detecting both bone erosion and pannus. The postcontrast MR imaging may often be helpul in distinguishing pannus from the effusion.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Diagnosis ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Wrist*

For the elucidation of a possible pathogenetic mechanism of fatty accumulation by the orotic acid in the liver, male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed on semisynthetic diet containing 1 per cent orotic for a week, and followed by the morphological examination on the rat livers. The experimental animals were sacrificed on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and the 7th days of orotic acid feeding and daily sacrifice was performed after conversion to normal diet feeding during the performed after conversion to normal diet feeding during the period of successive 7 days. The control group animals were fed on normal regular diet, or semisynthetic diet without orotic acid. The liver tissues were examined by the light ad electron microscopy, together with electron microscopic cytochemical study for glucose-6-phosphatase and thiamine pyrophosphatase. On the light microscopy, the lipid droplets began to appear in the 3rd day of orotic acid feeding and then occupy through the all hepatic lobules in the 7th day of orotic acid feeding. On the electron microscopy in the 3rd day of orotic acid administraion, the endoplasmic rdticulum were fragmented and vesiculated, and vesicles containing VLDL particles were demonstrated closely around the Golgi complex. In the 7th day, Golgi complex were increased in numbers. The limiting membrances of lipid vacuoles were regarded to originated from rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum of account of demonstration of glucose-6-phospatase in them. In the Golgi complex the activity of thyamine pyprophosphatase were markedly decreased in the 1st day of orotic acid feeding, and then the activity of this enzyme is failed to present afterthat. On the above findings it is assumed that orotic acid depresses the function of trans aspect of Golgi stack and the VLDL is interrupted and followed by the retrograde accumulation of VLDL. The cis aspect of Golgi stack and rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum were accumulated with VLDL particles, and eventually coalesced vesicles of VLDL with become lipid vacuole. The sequential alteration of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex is supporting the concept of conformational change of membranes in cytocavitary net-work.
Male ; Humans ; Rats ; Animals

For the elucidation of a possible pathogenetic mechanism of fatty accumulation by the orotic acid in the liver, male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed on semisynthetic diet containing 1 per cent orotic for a week, and followed by the morphological examination on the rat livers. The experimental animals were sacrificed on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and the 7th days of orotic acid feeding and daily sacrifice was performed after conversion to normal diet feeding during the performed after conversion to normal diet feeding during the period of successive 7 days. The control group animals were fed on normal regular diet, or semisynthetic diet without orotic acid. The liver tissues were examined by the light ad electron microscopy, together with electron microscopic cytochemical study for glucose-6-phosphatase and thiamine pyrophosphatase. On the light microscopy, the lipid droplets began to appear in the 3rd day of orotic acid feeding and then occupy through the all hepatic lobules in the 7th day of orotic acid feeding. On the electron microscopy in the 3rd day of orotic acid administraion, the endoplasmic rdticulum were fragmented and vesiculated, and vesicles containing VLDL particles were demonstrated closely around the Golgi complex. In the 7th day, Golgi complex were increased in numbers. The limiting membrances of lipid vacuoles were regarded to originated from rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum of account of demonstration of glucose-6-phospatase in them. In the Golgi complex the activity of thyamine pyprophosphatase were markedly decreased in the 1st day of orotic acid feeding, and then the activity of this enzyme is failed to present afterthat. On the above findings it is assumed that orotic acid depresses the function of trans aspect of Golgi stack and the VLDL is interrupted and followed by the retrograde accumulation of VLDL. The cis aspect of Golgi stack and rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum were accumulated with VLDL particles, and eventually coalesced vesicles of VLDL with become lipid vacuole. The sequential alteration of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex is supporting the concept of conformational change of membranes in cytocavitary net-work.
Male ; Humans ; Rats ; Animals

Histocytic medullary reticulosis, known as malignant histiocytosis, is a disorder characterized by a systemicproliferation of morphologically abnormal histiocytes with prominent erythrophagocytosis. Fever, wasting, lymphdenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia are the main clinical pictures. Prognosis is very poor andinvariably die within several months. Authors present radiological findings of pulmonary involvement in 5 cases of histologically proven histiocytic medullary reticulosis. The findings are progressive interstitial, alveolar ormixed infiltrations, small amount of pleural effusion, hilar and/or mediastineal lymph node enlargement and cardiomegaly. Histiocytic medullary reticulosis should be borne in mind in differential diagnosis of any patientswho has unexplanable above radiological findings.
Cardiomegaly ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fever ; Histiocytes ; Histiocytic Sarcoma ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Pancytopenia ; Pleural Effusion ; Prognosis

This report presents a case of metasric calcinosis cutis resembling pseudoxanthoma elasticum in clinical appearance. The patient, 19-year-old man, has dull yellowish firm folded lesion on both axillae, and immobility of lower extremities because of bony osteoporosis, knee fracture, impaired renal function, Skin biopsy, bone marrow biopsy, bone X-ray, and laboratory findings showed metastatic calcinosis cutis due to histiocytosis X and chronic renal failure.
Axilla ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Calcinosis* ; Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Knee ; Lower Extremity ; Osteoporosis ; Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum* ; Skin ; Young Adult

Generalized granuloma annulare is manifested by numerous, symrnetrical, shiny, normal-skin colored, discrete or confluent, papular eruption on the sunexposed areas, mostly in females of past middle age. Up to date, a variety of therapeutic approaches have been tried with inconsistent results. Recently several agents have been reported to be inconsistent results. Recently several agents have reported to be effective in the treatment of genealizecl granuloma annulare. Of these, dapsone has been used with favorable respones. The fact dapsone can inhibit the lysosomal enzyme release and the mononuclear cell-rnediated rnyeloperoxidase cytotaxicity would account for its effect in granuloma annulare even in part. We observed a case of generalized granulare in a 49-year old man, who had had numerous normal-skin colored or faintly violaceous, flattopped papular eruption on the sun-exposed areas for 3 years. He was treated successfully with dapsone 100mg a day for about 22 months.
Dapsone* ; Female ; Granuloma Annulare ; Humans ; Middle Aged

No abstract available.
Azoospermia* ; Sarcoidosis*

PURPOSE: Palatal myoclonus(PM) is an involuntary cyclic movement of the soft palate and is known to be caused by the hypertrophic degeneration of the inferior oilvary nucleus of the medulla, secondary to the dentato-rubro-tegmental tract lesions. Our purpose is to describe the brain magnetic resonance(MR) imaging findings in palatal myoclonus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the locations and causes of primary lesions in the dentato-rubro-tegmental tract and correlated them with changes in MR signal intensity and size of the inferior olive on T2-weighted MR images in 10 patients with palatal myoclonus. RESULTS: All cases showed hyperintensity in one or both inferior olive and six cases showed accompaning enlargement. The locations of the primary lesions were dorsal aspect of pons(central tegmental tract) in eight patients and the dentate nucleus in one, and no lesion was found in the dentato-rubro-tegmental tract in one. Among eight patients who had lesions in the ports, the ipsilateral inferior olivary nuclei showed changes in five and bilateral olive were involved in three. In the case with a lesion in the dentate nucleus, the contralateral inferior olivary nucleus was involved. The causes of primary lesions were hemorrhage in eight cases and traumatic brain stem injury in one. CONCLUSION: MR specifically showed enlargement and hyperintensity of the inferior olivary nucleus on T2-weighted images and matching lesions in the ports or the dentate nucleus in patients with palatal myoclonus.
Brain ; Brain Stem ; Cerebellar Nuclei ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Myoclonus ; Olea ; Olivary Nucleus ; Palate, Soft ; Retrospective Studies

Portal vein anomalies include absence, duplication, and malposition (preduodenal portal vein). Duplication of the portal vein or a preduodenal portal vein are hazards at the time of biliary or duodenal surgery, or liver transplantation. Preduodenal portal vein, which was first reported by knight in 1921, is extremely rare congenital anomaly and may cause duodenal obstruction. Recently, we experienced a case of preduodenal portal vein associated with dextrocardia, situs inversus, and duodenal obstruction in a 3 days old male newborn and report with review of the references.
Dextrocardia ; Duodenal Obstruction* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Portal Vein* ; Situs Inversus