Physical analysis of the energy transducing reaction in mitochondria

As is generally known, the energy transducing reaction in mitochondria is of highly complicated one. Free energy produced by transferring electrons from substrate to oxygen, where many dehydrogenases and respiratory chain of mitochondria are concerned, is transduced to ATP formation or utilized for the ion accmulation reaction, synthesis of various substances, reversal electron transport and the mechanochemical changes of mitochondria. The mechanism of these energy trasducing reactions which is supposed to be closely related with each other, has not yet been clarified. The authors tried to solve these biological energy transducing mechnism by applying physical circuit theory in electronics and elucidate that the energy transduction occurring in mitochondria can be explained theoretically. And some unknown but possible reaction have been postulated from such a physical consideration.</p

Loosening of the cytomembrane of Ehrlich ascites tumor cell by unsaturated fatty acid

Ehrlich ascites tumor cells affected by oleic and linoleic acids lose their cytomembrane followed by the leak out of ribosomes. Some cells survived through this treatment when they were transplanted into mouse peritoneal cavity, but they changed their characteristics showing wider and less basophilic cytoplasm and smaller nuclei with dense nuclear chromatin and ambiguous nucleoli. In spite of many attempts, no qualitative changes have been found between normal and cancer cells. Recently, Ishikawa found the specific antigenicity of cancer cell membrane which was common to several strains of canccr cells. Grobstein and coworkers have clarified that pancreatic cells can differentiate in association with neighboring mesenchymal cells, probably getting some information. Their works suggest that the cell differentiation will be induced by mutual association of cells by which the cell will receive some substance acting as the information for differentiation. Taking the works of Ishikawa and his collabolators into consideration, it seems that cancer cells may be unable to differentiate by their defective or incomplete cell membrane through which they cannot associate with neighboring cells and fail to get the information. Almost all of the biological characteristics of cancer cells, immaturity, autonomic growth, invasive and metastatic properties independent from the neighboring cell groups, are well explained or consistent with this view. Recently, we found that the cell membrane can be loosened by some unsaturated fatty acids resulting in the leak-out of ribosomes. In this paper it is demonstrated how the Ehrlich ascites tumor cell affected by fatty acids lose their cytomembrane and the ribosomes and how the cells survived through this treatment show different characteristics from the original ones, taking the appearance more matured cells.</p

Studies on the mechanism of phagocytosis. I. Effect of metabolic inhibitors on the phagocytosis of iron colloid particles by ascites macrophages

For the purpose to clarify the mechanism of phagocytosis or pinocytosis, the observations on the tumor ascites, including the macrophages as well as the tumor cells, were carried out by incubating with the iron colloid with or without pretreatment by several inhibibitors of glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation and respiration, or under hypotonic or cold environments. The results have demonstrated that there are three steps in the phagocytosis. The first step is the adhesion of the substance to the cell surface, which is not an energy-requiring process. The second step is the engulfing which proceeds by using the energy supplied by glycolysis. The third is the accumulation of the substance into the vesicles through the canaliculi connecting the cell surface with the vesicles. The discussion was made on the existence of the active site on the cell surface to which the substance can be adhered, and the accumulation mechanism of the material into the phagocytic vesicles by the membrane flow, the flowing movement of the outer lipid layer of a unit membrane through the canaliculi which connect the cell surface to the phagocytic vesicles.</p

Leukemia autopsies in Japan

For the purpose to know whether the annual increase of leukemia incidence in Japan is due to some leukemogenic factors or due to the increased detection rate, the authors made some statistical survey of autopsy cases in which the diagnosis is reliable and not any type of leukemias escape the detection. The results showed that acute leukemias, which are found mostly in younger age, is actually increasing. In addition, it has been deduced that among the suspected factors the increase in ionizing radiation will be one of the most probable factors for the increase in leukemia incidence</p

Young-Onset Dementia with Lewy Bodies

Young-onset (&#x3c; 65 years) dementia is a challenging clinical problem. A 61-year-old man visited our clinic because of a 2-year history of mild cognitive impairment of the executive disorder type. He was initially suspected of having young-onset Alzheimer’s disease due to the lack of motor signs or hippocampal atrophy by conventional brain MRI. However, he proved to have anosmia, erectile dysfunction, hypersexuality, constipation, REM sleep behavior disorder, and emotional lability; imaging findings included positive brain perfusion SPECT, nigrosome MRI, DAT scan, and MIBG myocardial scintigraphy. All these clinical imaging features led to the correct diagnosis of young-onset dementia with Lewy bodies (YOD-DLB). It is hoped that this case report will help facilitate a future prospective study to diagnose and follow YOD-DLB patients with the aim of determining appropriate management and care

Induction of tumor-specific acquired immunity against already established tumors by selective stimulation of innate DEC-205+ dendritic cells

Two major distinct subsets of dendritic cells (DCs) are arranged to regulate our immune responses in vivo; 33D1+ and DEC-205+ DCs. Using anti-33D1-specific monoclonal antibody, 33D1+ DCs were successfully depleted from C57BL/6 mice. When 33D1+ DC-depleted mice were stimulated with LPS, serum IL-12, but not IL-10 secretion that may be mediated by the remaining DEC-205+ DCs was markedly enhanced, which may induce Th1 dominancy upon TLR signaling. The 33D1+ DC-depleted mice, implanted with syngeneic Hepa1-6 hepatoma or B16-F10 melanoma cells into the dermis, showed apparent inhibition of already established tumor growth in vivo when they were subcutaneously (sc) injected once or twice with LPS after tumor implantation. Moreover, the development of lung metastasis of B16-F10 melanoma cells injected intravenously was also suppressed when 33D1+ DC-deleted mice were stimulated twice with LPS in a similar manner, in which the actual cell number of NK1.1+CD3− NK cells in lung tissues was markedly increased. Furthermore, intraperitoneal (ip) administration of a very small amount of melphalan (l-phenylalanine mustard; l-PAM) (0.25 mg/kg) in LPS-stimulated 33D1+ DC-deleted mice helped to induce H-2Kb-restricted epitope-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) among tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes against already established syngeneic E.G7-OVA lymphoma. These findings indicate the importance and effectiveness of selective targeting of a specific subset of DCs, such as DEC-205+ DCs alone or with a very small amount of anticancer drugs to activate both CD8+ CTLs and NK effectors without externally added tumor antigen stimulation in vivo and provide a new direction for tumor immunotherapy

細胞貪食作用の電子顕微鏡的研究 第1編 コロイド粒子の細胞表面への附着現象

By using Ehrlich tumor ascites of ddN mice, the phagocytosis of ascites macrophage and the tumor cell has been observed in vitro in the medium containing chondroitin sulfric acidiron colloid. Observations revealed that macrophage phagocytizes the colloid particles but the tumor cell does not in spite of its marked pinocytotic activity. Macrophage adsorbed the colloid particles on its surface but the tumor cell did not, indicating that the adhesion of the colloid particles induces phagocytosis. At the area where the colloid particles were adsorbed small rhopheocytotic vesicles developed and then phagocytotic vesicles were formed, suggesting that rhopheocytosis is the initial step of phagocytosis. The adsorption of the colloid particles occured on the cell surface with a certain distance but not covering whole the surface of the cell. This fact indicates that specific groups having the affinity to the colloid particle should exist on the cell surface of macrophage, by which macrophage can phagocytize the particles. The particles were found to be accumulated in the phagocytotic vesicles. This should be obtained by the membrane flow toward the inside of the cell. Generally the vesicle is connected to the cell surface by narrow tubule. The number of colloid particles in vesicle will increase with the reduction of vesicular volume by dispersing water and the small molecules into cytoplasm

Acta Medica Okayama Loosening of the cytomembrane of Ehrlich ascites tumor cell by unsaturated fatty acid E-iti Yokomura † Loosening of the cytomembrane of Ehrlich ascites tumor cell by unsaturated fatty acid * BRIEF NOTE LOOSENING OF THE CYTOMEMB RANE OF

Abstract Ehrlich ascites tumor cells affected by oleic and linoleic acids lose their cytomembrane followed by the leak out of ribosomes. Some cells survived through this treatment when they were transplanted into mouse peritoneal cavity, but they changed their characteristics showing wider and less basophilic cytoplasm and smaller nuclei with dense nuclear chromatin and ambiguous nucleoli. In spite of many attempts, no qualitative changes have been found between normal and cancer cells. Recently, Ishikawa found the specific antigenicity of cancer cell membrane which was common to several strains of canccr cells. Grobstein and coworkers have clarified that pancreatic cells can differentiate in association with neighboring mesenchymal cells, probably getting some information. Their works suggest that the cell differentiation will be induced by mutual association of cells by which the cell will receive some substance acting as the information for differentiation. Taking the works of Ishikawa and his collabolators into consideration, it seems that cancer cells may be unable to differentiate by their defective or incomplete cell membrane through which they cannot associate with neighboring cells and fail to get the information. Almost all of the biological characteristics of cancer cells, immaturity, autonomic growth, invasive and metastatic properties independent from the neighboring cell groups, are well explained or consistent with this view. Recently, we found that the cell membrane can be loosened by some unsaturated fatty acids resulting in the leak-out of ribosomes. In this paper it is demonstrated how the Ehrlich ascites tumor cell affected by fatty acids lose their cytomembrane and the ribosomes and how the cells survived through this treatment show different characteristics from the original ones, taking the appearance more matured cells. ABSTRACT Ehrlich ascites tumor cells affected by oleic and linoleic acids lose their cytomembrane followed by the leak out of ribosomes. Some cells survived through this treatment when they were transplanted into mouse peritoneal cavity, but they changed their characteristics showing wider and less basophilic cytoplasm and smaller nuclei with dense nuclear chromatin and ambiguous nucleoli