Naganuma K

Extensive proliferation of mature connective-tissue type mast cells in vitro.

There are two phenotypically distinct subpopulations of mast cells in rodents: connective tissue-type mast cells (CTMC) and mucosal mast cells (MMC). These populations differ in their location, cell size, staining characteristics, ultrastructure, mediator content and T-cell dependency1–3. Several investigators4–9 recently reported a further subclass of mast cells which arise when normal mouse haematopoietic cells are cultured with interleukin-3 (IL-3); IL-3 is an activity similar or identical to mast-cell growth factor, histamine-producing factor, or P-cell stimulating factor4–9. These cultured mast cells are in many ways similar to MMC; they stain with Alcian blue but not safranin, contain chondroitin sulphate E proteoglycan rather than heparin proteoglycan and have relatively low histamine content, as do MMC10–13. Although proliferation of MMC is known to be T-cell dependent in vivo and thought to be IL-3-dependent in vitro, the factors on which CTMC proliferation depends remain elusive. Here we show that mature CTMC purified from mouse peritoneal cells can proliferate in vitro in methylcellulose culture and maintain the appearance and function of CTMC. We also present evidence that mature CTMC cannot proliferate in the presence of pure IL-3 alone.

Electrophysiological findings in a family with congenital arteriohepatic dysplasia (Alagille syndrome).

Arteriohepatic dysplasia (Alagille syndrome) is a congenital cholestatic disease associated with ocular abnormalities. Three Japanese siblings, a 14-year-old girl, an 11 year-old boy, and a 9-year-old girl with this syndrome were studied. All three patients showed neonatal jaundice, hepatic dysfunction, characteristic facies, and psychomental retardation. The two sisters had cardiac murmurs. Ophthalmological examinations revealed that they had posterior embryotoxon, refractive error, retinochoroidal degener ation, and electrophysiological abnormalities. The two sisters showed retinochoroidal degeneration and unilateral high myopia while the brother showed marked retino choroidal degeneration with extensive pigment clumps. Visual fields showed moderate concentric contraction in the two sisters and marked concentric contraction in the brother. Amplitudes of the single flash electroretinogram were moderately reduced in the sisters, the test was nonrecordable in one eye and extensively reduced in the other eye of the brother. The electrooculogram was borderline in the elder sister and abnormal in the brother and younger sister. Visual evoked cortical potential (VECP) were abnormal in the high myopic eye in each of the two sisters. Ophthalmological findings including electrophysiological examinations may help to confirm the diagnosis of this multisystem familial disorder.