No abstract available.
Edema* ; Hydrops Fetalis*

Genes encoding sequence-specific DNA binding proteins have been isolated by screening cDNA libraries constructed in rgt11 expression vector with recognition site DNAs. We isolated a rgt11 recombinant human cDNA clone, designated to C2, using a DNA probe consisted of heptamer of the perfect palindrome (PP; GGGGATTCCCC) of enhancer A (Enh A) of HLA dass I promoter. Sequencing analysis showed that this clone contained a partial cDNA homologous to NF-kB2. Lysogenic E. coli containing the C2 was generated and crude cell extract was prepared. Immunoblot using anti-B-galactosidase antibody showed that this lysogenic E. coli expressed B-galactosidase fusion protein. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and DNase I footprinting assay were done using crude cell extract and their patterns were compared with nuclear protein extracted from an EBV transformed B lymphoblastoid cell line (BLCL). EMSA showed that crude cell extract prepared from E. coli lysogen speci5cally bound to the PP of Enh A region of HLA class I gene. DNase I footprinting assay showed that the binding sequence of this recombinant B-galactosidase fusion protein was identical to that of nuclear protein extracted from a BLCL. Our data indicate that a Agt11 recombinant cDNA clone was isolated from a human cDNA library using the PP of Enh A of the HLA class I promoter and this clone encoded a B-galactosidase fusion protein capable of binding to the PP and belongs to a NF-xB subunit.
Cell Line ; Clone Cells ; Deoxyribonuclease I ; DNA ; DNA, Complementary* ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Gene Library ; Genes, MHC Class I ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans* ; Mass Screening ; Nuclear Proteins

Vestibular neurectomy is known as an effective procedure in the management of intractable peripheral vertigo from Meniere's disease and other episodic peripheral vertigo disorders. Various approaches have been developed for selectively sectioning the vestibular nerve, in order to preserve hearing and avoid facial nerve injury. Vestibular neurectomy is performed in two patients with Meniere's disease to control intractable episodic vertigo through retrolabyrinthine approach. Vertigo was improved with preserving their hearing. We report the surgical technique and advantages of retrolabyrinthine vestibular neurectomy in the treatment of vertigo.
Facial Nerve Injuries ; Hearing ; Humans ; Meniere Disease ; Vertigo* ; Vestibular Nerve

A spinal epidural hemorrhage, secondary to thrombolytic and anticoagulative therapies, is becoming increasingly common. Urgent surgical decompression is generally warranted to preserve the neurological function. This case report describes an epidural hematoma, with neurological sequelae, in an elderly patient who received intravenous heparin therapy for about 48hrs due to unstable angina. The posterior decompression was urgently treated, but the neurological changes did not recover. The magnetic resonance imaging and operative findings are presented, along with a discussion of the anatomical and pathophysiological considerations that could lead to such a condition.
Aged ; Angina, Unstable ; Decompression ; Decompression, Surgical ; Hematoma ; Hematoma, Epidural, Spinal* ; Heparin ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

No abstract available.
Animals ; Macrophages, Peritoneal* ; Mice* ; Mycobacterium bovis*

No abstract available.
Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Interferon-alpha* ; Killer Cells, Natural* ; Prednisolone*

Bipotent progenitors for T and natural killer (NK) lymphocytes are thought to exist among early precursor thymocytes or liver lymphocytes. The identification of such a progenitor population or mature NK cells in such organs remains undefined. Here we report the identification of a novel receptor of NK cells, p58 (HLA class I-specific inhibitory receptors), in fetal thymocytes and fetal liver lymphocytes. Our finding suggests the NK cells mature in the developmental stage during feta1 ontogeny. Flow cytometric analysis revealed p58 positive cells in thymocytes or in fetal liver lymphocytes and reverse transcription PCR also showed amplification of p58 RNA. The result of single stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) showed it discriminates one or two base pair differences of the p58 gene. Although the question still remains as to whether the expression of p58 is due to the NK cells or natural T cells, it is clear the p58 is expressed in fetal thymocytes or liver lymphocytes. And SSCP analysis using appropriate sets of primers used in this study, is helpful to study the diversity of p58.
Base Pairing ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Liver* ; Lymphocytes* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA ; T-Lymphocytes ; Thymocytes*

The expression of MHC class I genes has been thought to be regulated by two major cis-acting regulatory elements. The first region, enhancer A (Enh A) spanning from positions -210 to -165 contains perfect palindrome (PP), TGGGGATTCCCCA. The PP is well-conserved both in mouse and human MHC class I genes, even though the PP is disrupted by 2 bp substitutions (TGAGGATTCTCCA) in HLA-C genes. Three proteins binding to the Enh A of HLA-A and -B locus genes, but very weakly or nearly not to the Enh A of HLA-C locus gene have been identified. To determine functional importance of the PP for binding of trans-acting protein, mutant DNA probes were made by site-directed in vitro mutagenesis and then electrophoretic mobility shift assay was performed. HLA-A mutant DNA probe, in which the PP is disrupted, shows the same nuclear protein binding pattern as that of the HLA-C gene, and HLA-C mutant DNA probe, in which the PP is introduced, shows the same nuclear protein binding pattern as that of the wild type HLA-A gene. These data suggest that the perfect palindrome and its cognate DNA binding nuclear protein play an important role in the HLA class I gene regulation, and thus the lower expression of HLA-C antigen may be ascribed to no or very weak factor binding to the nonpalindromic sequences of HLA-C upstream DNA.
Animal ; Base Sequence ; Cell Nucleus/metabolism ; Enhancer Elements (Genetics) ; *Genes, MHC Class I ; Human ; Mice ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Nuclear Proteins/*metabolism ; Protein Binding ; *Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Myelin is a specialized structure of the nervous system that both enhances electrical conductance and insulates neurons from external risk factors. In the central nervous system, polarized oligodendrocytes form myelin by wrapping processes in a spiral pattern around neuronal axons through myelin-related gene regulation. Since these events occur at a distance from the cell body, post-transcriptional control of gene expression has strategic advantage to fine-tune the overall regulation of protein contents in situ. Therefore, many research interests have been focused to identify RNA binding proteins and their regulatory mechanism in myelinating compartments. Fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) is one such RNA binding protein, regulating its target expression by translational control. Although the majority of works on FMRP have been performed in neurons, it is also found in the developing or mature glial cells including oligodendrocytes, where its function is not well understood. Here, we will review evidences suggesting abnormal translational regulation of myelin proteins with accompanying white matter problem and neurological deficits in fragile X syndrome, which can have wider mechanistic and pathological implication in many other neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Axons ; Cell Body ; Central Nervous System ; Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein* ; Fragile X Syndrome ; Gene Expression ; Myelin Proteins* ; Myelin Sheath* ; Nervous System ; Neuroglia ; Neurons ; Oligodendroglia ; Risk Factors ; RNA-Binding Proteins ; White Matter

Because of the important role played by interleukin-2(IL-2) in T cell growth and differentiation, we investigated the effect of exogenous IL-2 on the proliferative response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) from 77 leprosy patients. The proliferative responses of PBMCs from lepromatous leprosy(LL) or borderline lepromatous leprosy(BL) patients to M. leprae were significantly lower(cpm 6,051 +/- 803 for LL type; 4,951 +/- 2,529 for BL type) than those from tuberculoid leprosy(TT) or borderline tuberculoid leprosy(BT) patients (28,853 +/- 28,916 for TT type; 15,884 +/- 334 for BT type). To investigate the effect of exogenous IL-2, purified IL-2 was added at the start of culture at 100 unit/ml. There was an apparent increase in 3H-thymidine incorporation of M. leprae-stimulated PBMCs(18,723 +/- 6,503) in the presence of IL-2 compared to the results without IL-2(6,051 +/- 803) in LL patients. Twenty nine out of 33 LL patients belonged to the responders to IL-2 and four patients were nonresponders. Therefore we conclude that the defective cell mediated immune response in LL patients may result from diminished production of IL-2, but we can not exclude the possibility of diminished expression of the IL-2 receptor. And we suggest that the immunologic heterogeneous response of an individual to M. leprae is important to the pathogenesis of clinical disease in the same LL patients.
Cells, Cultured ; Comparative Study ; Human ; Immunity, Cellular ; Interleukin-2/biosynthesis/*pharmacology ; Leprosy/blood/*immunology ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Mycobacterium leprae/immunology ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; T-Lymphocytes/*immunology