Isao Miyoshi

2/8 translocation in a Japanese Burkitt's lymphoma.

A new translocation between chromsomes 2 and 8 t(2p−; 8q+), was found in fresh lymphoma cells from a Japanese patient with Epstein-Barr virus-carrying Burkitts lymphoma, and in a lymphoma cell line derived from this patient. There was no 14q+ translocation, as has been previously described in African and North American Burkitts lymphomas.

Continuous intraventricular infusion of erythropoietin exerts neuroprotective/rescue effects upon Parkinson's disease model of rats with enhanced neurogenesis

Parkinsons disease (PD) is characterized by degeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuronal systems. Several therapeutic tools for PD include medication using L-DOPA and surgeries such as deep brain stimulation are established. However, the therapies are considered as symptomatic therapy, but not basic remedy for PD and a new regenerative therapy would be desired to explore. In this study, the neuroprotective/rescue effects of erythropoietin (EPO), a well known hematopoietic hormone, on dopaminergic neurons were explored with neurogeneic potencies of EPO. EPO (100 IU/day) was continuously administered with micro-osmotic pump for a week to PD model of rats induced by intrastriatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) injection with subsequent behavioral and immunohistochemical investigations. The number of amphetamine-induced rotations of EPO-treated rats significantly decreased, compared to the control rats. The preservation of dopaminergic neurons of EPO-treated rats were confirmed by tyrosine hydroxylase staining and Fluoro-Gold staining. The number of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)/polysialic acid-neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) double positive cells in the subventricular zone of EPO treated rats significantly increased with migratory potencies to the damaged striatum,compared to the control rats. Furthermore, TUNEL staining and phosphorylated Akt staining revealed that the neuroprotective/rescue effects of EPO might be mediated by anti-apoptotic effects through the increase of phosphorylated Akt. These results suggest that continuous low dose infusion of EPO exerts neuroprotective/rescue effects with neurogeneic potentials. EPO might be a strong tool for PD therapy, although the further experiments should be added.

Chromosome 14q+ in adult T-cell leukemia☆

Cytogenetic studies were performed on leukemic cells from two patients with adult T-cell leukemia. A 14q+ marker chromosome was found in the peripheral blood leukocytes from patient No. 1 and in a leukemic T-cell line (MT-1) derived from the peripheral blood of patient No. 2. The 14q+ resulted from a t(12;14) in patient No. 1 and from a t(Y;14) in patient No. 2 with a break point at 14q32 in each case. In addition, the leukemic cells from patient No. 1 showed a t(1;7) and a 9q-, while the MT-1 line had numerous structural abnormalities. Thus, it is clear that a 14q+ translocation is not restricted to B-cell neoplasms but occurs in T-cell neoplasms as well.

Human leukemic "null" cell line (NALL-1).

A human lymphoblast cell line, NALL‐1, was established from the peripheral blood of a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). NALL‐1 cells had neither properties of T and B cells nor Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV). Many characteristics of the NALL‐1 line were distinct from those of numerous EBV‐positive lymphoblastoid cell lines previously reported. NALL‐1 cells are considered to have originated from the donors leukemic cells on the basis of their cytogenetic, morphologic and functional features. The NALL‐1 line is the first human leukemic “null” cell line derived from ALL. The significance of this cell line is discussed.

Characteristics of a brain lymphoma cell line derived from primary intracranial lymphoma

A brain lymphoma cell line, designated TK, was established from biopsy material of a patient with primary intracranial lymphoma. The TK cell line grew in suspension with clumps of cells and consisted of primitive lymphoid cells. TK cells and original lymphoma cells from which the cell line was derived bore surface immunoglobulin and lacked Epstein‐Barr virus‐determined nuclear antigen. Transplantation of the TK cells into immunosuppressed newborn hamsters gave rise to invasive growth of tumors with metastasis to the brain and eyes. These findings provide definitive evidence for a B‐cell origin of the brain lymphoma in this case.

Hairy cell leukemia: establishment of a cell line and its characteristics.

A hairy cell leukemia (HCL) line, ZK‐H, was established from peripheral blood of a 69‐year‐old male patient. The ZK‐H cells and the patients original hairy cells shared the same surface properties; both possessed membrane‐bound IgG with kappa light chains and villous surface structures. The ZK‐H line carried Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)‐determined nuclear antigen, but the patients fresh leukemic cells lacked this antigen. Morphologically, the ZK‐H cells appeared lymphoblastoid and more primitive than the preculture cells. The ZK‐H line had a hyperdiploid chromosome constitution of 47 and trisomy no. 2. The presence of membrane‐bound immunoglobulin and of B‐cell tropic EBV in this cell line provides further evidence for the B‐cell nature of HCL in this patient.

Establishment of an Epstein-Barr virus-negative B-cell lymphoma line from a Japanese Burkitt's lymphoma and its serial passage in hamsters.

An Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)‐negative lymphoma line (JBL) was established in vitro from pleural effusion of an EBV‐seropositive 29‐year‐old Japanese female with Burkitts lymphoma. JBL cells as well as her original lymphoma cells bore monoclonal surface IgM with lambda light chains. The JBL line grew in single cell suspension with a doubling time of 30 hours. Attempts were made to serially transplant JBL cells in antilymphocyte serum‐treated newborn hamsters; intraperitoneal implantation of 1‐3×107 cells gave rise to invasive tumors in all recipients with death after 10 to 14 days. The hamster‐passage line, now in the 9th passage, has been converted to an ascitic form with progression to leukemia in some animals. A “starry sky” pattern closely resembling the human tumor material was preserved in every tumor through serial animal passage. Cancer 40:2999‐3003, 1977.

Non-African Burkitt's lymphoma in a young woman.

Non‐African Burkitts lymphoma is presented in a 29‐year‐old, unmarried woman, who developed tumors in both breasts and ovaries, ascites and pleural effusion. Assessment of B cells in the tumor cells, derived from ascites, pleural effusion and tumor tissue is 90%, surface IgM being consisted of 86%, in an average. Histologically, the tumor tissue demonstrates prominent, so‐called starry‐sky effect, and cytologically, tumor cells are poorly‐differentiated lymphocytoid ceUs in their features.

A CASE REPORT OF HEREDITARY CEREBELLAR ATAXIA

In 1861, Friedreich 3) described a case which showed familial and hereditary appearance of ataxia of the extremities and trunk, nystagmus, absence of deep tendon reflexes, and club-feet in the first or second decade of life, and had clinical resemblance to tabes dorsalis. Kahler and Pick?) had the first necropsied cases of Friedreich’s ataxia and indicated degenerative changes localized chiefly in the cerebellum and the dorsal half of the spinal cord ; namely the posterior columns, lateral corticospinal tracts, and spinocerebellar tracts. In 1893, Marie 13) described a group of cases which had a clinical picture different from that of Friedreich’s ataxia, emphasizing that his group had a late onset of symptoms, a more definite hereditary nature, an exaggeration of the reflexes and a frequent occurrence of optic atrophy and oculomotor palsies. However, recently, there were seen many transitional forms between Friedreich’s and Marie’s ataxia, and evidence was obtained to support that both types of ataxia belonged essentially to the same category (Bing)2). Since, in Japan, Miura 17) first described a case of Marie’s ataxia in 1898 and Kashida8) reported a case of Friedreich’s ataxia in the same year, there have been a considerable number of case reports of the hereditary ataxia, but few papers have mentiond pathological findings. It is the purpose of this paper to present 3 cases of hereditary ataxia which were studied in our Clinic recently, one of which was confirmed by autopsy.

Establishment and characterization of two hamster macrophage cell lines

Two hamster macrophage cell lines (HM-1 and HM-2) were established in vitro from lymphoid tumors produced in hamsters by direct implantation of normal human umbilical cord leukocytes. Despite long-term culture, both cell lines maintained the morphological, functional and surface characteristics of normal macrophages. It is considered that these cell lines were derived from host macrophages infiltrating the heterotransplants.