Sheehan's syndrome (postpartum hypopituitarism), report of a case

A case of postpartum necrosis of the anterior lobe of the pituitary, known as Sheehan's syndrome, is presented. The patient has done well on a combined replacement therapy with cortisone and thyroid. It is hoped that increased awareness will be given to this clinical entity.</p

A thymus-specific noncoding RNA, Thy-ncR1, is a cytoplasmic riboregulator of MFAP4 mRNA in immature T-cell lines

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Postgenomic transcriptome analyses have identified large numbers of noncoding (nc)RNAs in mammalian cells. However, the biological function of long ncRNAs in mammalian cells remains largely unknown. Our recent expression profiling of selected human long ncRNAs revealed that a majority were expressed in an organ-specific manner, suggesting their function was linked to specific physiological phenomena in each organ. We investigated the characteristics and function of ncRNAs that were specifically expressed in the thymus, the site of T-cell selection and maturation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Expression profiling of 10 thymus-specific ncRNAs in 17 T-cell leukemia cell lines derived from various stages of T-cell maturation revealed that HIT14168 ncRNA, named Thy-ncR1, was specifically expressed in cell lines derived from stage III immature T cells in which the neighbouring CD1 gene cluster is also specifically activated. The Thy-ncR1 precursor exhibited complex alternative splicing patterns and differential usage of the 5' terminus leading to the production of an estimated 24 isoforms, which were predominantly located in the cytoplasm. Selective RNAi knockdown of each Thy-ncR1 isoform demonstrated that microfibril-associated glycoprotein 4 (MFAP4) mRNA was negatively regulated by two major Thy-ncR1 isoforms. Intriguingly, the MFAP4 mRNA level was controlled by a hUPF1-dependent mRNA degradation pathway in the cytoplasm distinct from nonsense-mediated decay.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study identified Thy-ncR1 ncRNA to be specifically expressed in stage III immature T cells in which the neighbouring CD1 gene cluster was activated. Complex alternative splicing produces multiple Thy-ncR1 isoforms. Two major Thy-ncR1 isoforms are cytoplasmic riboregulators that suppress the expression of MFAP4 mRNA, which is degraded by an uncharacterized hUPF1-dependent pathway.</p

Tissue culture of spleen : Studies on the growing pattern and its evaluation for clinical diagnosis of leukemias and other hematologic disorders

It has been found that the clinical tissue culture method devised in our laboratory for bone marrow is satisfactorily applicable to the in vitro study of human and animal splenic tissues. The present experiments have shown that the growth pattern, migration mode or cellular population of the cultured splenic cells is fairly characteristic of each disease condition, and the technic appears to be a valuable diagnostic aid in the practice of hematology. Direct vision biopsy with the laparoscope is safe and unattended by untoward side effects, enabling us to obtain excellent biopsy material from the enlarged spleen in various blood dyscrasias.</p

miR-155, a Modulator of FOXO3a Protein Expression, Is Underexpressed and Cannot Be Upregulated by Stimulation of HOZOT, a Line of Multifunctional Treg

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in regulating post-transcriptional gene repression in a variety of immunological processes. In particular, much attention has been focused on their roles in regulatory T (Treg) cells which are crucial for maintaining peripheral tolerance and controlling T cell responses. Recently, we established a novel type of human Treg cell line, termed HOZOT, multifunctional cells exhibiting a CD4+CD8+ phenotype. In this study, we performed miRNA profiling to identify signature miRNAs of HOZOT, and therein identified miR-155. Although miR-155 has also been characterized as a signature miRNA for FOXP3+ natural Treg (nTreg) cells, it was expressed quite differently in HOZOT cells. Under both stimulatory and non-stimulatory conditions, miR-155 expression remained at low levels in HOZOT, while its expression in nTreg and conventional T cells remarkably increased after stimulation. We next searched candidate target genes of miR-155 through bioinformatics, and identified FOXO3a, a negative regulator of Akt signaling, as a miR-155 target gene. Further studies by gain- and loss-of-function experiments supported a role for miR-155 in the regulation of FOXO3a protein expression in conventional T and HOZOT cells

Studies on Tissue Culture of Spleen Chapter Ⅲ Vital Observation of Splenic Reticulum Cells by Fluorochrominized Tissue Culture

1) Fluorochrominized tissue culture of spleen was established by the similar method used for bone marrow culture devised in our clinic. And vital observation of splenic reticulum cells was done by fluorochrominized tissue culture method by the use of rectangular cover slip method which has been mentioned in the chapter I. 2) Each type of reticulum cells showed characteristic fluorochrominized findings when stained with acridine orange. Granules and vaculoles stained with acridine orange showed nearly similar findings to neutral red granules and vacuoles as described in the chapter Ⅱ. 3) By this method, the existence of transitional forms between each type of reticulum cells and maturation process were confirmed in the series of types Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ reticulum cells, as have been already described by other methods in the chapter Ⅰ and Ⅱ. 4) Part of acridine orange stainable vacuoles were thought to be secondary to toxic effects of acridine orange stain. 5) Changes of fluorochrominized granules and vacuoles were observed successively in the degenaration of type Ⅲ reticulum cells

Studies on Tissue Culture of Spleen Chapter Ⅱ Vital Observation of Splenic Reticulum Cells by Vital Staining

Janus green B and neutral red were used for vital staining of mouse splenic reticulum cells that have been described in the chapter Ⅰ and phagocytic activities were observed by carbon particle feeding. 1) With my estabished method, observation of vital staining of splenic reticulum cells were possible under condition avoiding deletrious effects of stain after various time intervals of culture. 2) Each type of reticulum cells which were classified in the chapter Ⅰ was characteristically separated by vital staining method. ⅰ) Neutral red granules and vacuoles increased in sine and number. On the other hand, janus green B granules decreased and/or vanished, in the stage of Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ type of reticulum cells. These findings showed that type Ⅰ reticuum cells matured into type Ⅱand then type Ⅲ reticulum cells in this order. ⅱ) In the cytoplasm of type Ⅲ reticulum cells, markedly enlarged red vaculoes and phagocytized stainable materials were observed. 3) Some of the neutral red stainable materials were vaculoes induced by toxic effects of neutral red and janus green B stain. 4) Reticulum cells cultured over 120 hours were stained immediately and faded sooner, in contrast to reticulum cells in the relatively early stage. This phenomenon was thought to be related to the declining function of the cell. 5) By addition of carbon particles to medium, most of type Ⅰ and Ⅱ reticulum cells showed little phagocytic ability, but type Ⅲ reticulum cells manifested active phagocytosis so that their cytoplasm was filled with carbon particles. That was considered to be specific function to type Ⅲ reticulum cells

A case of beautiful bone scan due to bone metastasis of gastric cancer

A 46-year-old female presented with lumbago. A plain X-ray examination did not indicate any distinctive changes, however a bone scintigram showed beautiful bone scan. A bone marrow biopsy certified metastatic adenocarcinoma and a primary gastric carcinoma was discovered subsequently. Beautiful bone scan can be seen in malignant metastasis, several bone metabolic diseases and other rare cases. A rare case of a gastric cancer exhibiting a beautiful bone scan, is described