Toshio Aoyagi

Lectin-binding pattern in normal human gastric mucosa. A light and electron microscopic study.

SummaryNormal human gastric mucosal cells were examined by light and electron microscopy using lectins as a probe. The ABC method was used with biotinylated lectins for light microscopy and HRP-labeled lectins for electron microscopy. The human gastric mucosal cells revealed specific binding patterns for each lectin by light microscopy. Among the lectins tested, in particular, DBA gave a characteristic pattern. It specifically stained the supranuclear region of surface epithelial cells and the perinuclear region of parietal cells. By electron microscopy, the stacked cisternae and the vesicles of the Golgi apparatus of the surface epithelial cells were positive for the DBA staining. These results show that the DBA-positive supranuclear region observed by light microscopy corresponds to the Golgi apparatus. In the parietal cells, DBA, RCA and ConA bound to the intracellular secretory canaliculi which are invaginations of the cell membrane running around the nucleus in the cytoplasm. Therefore, the tubular perinuclear positive region observed by light microscopy corresponds to the membranes of the intracellular secretory canaliculi. In addition, the ConA reagent stained the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, nuclear envelope, and cell membrane of the parietal cell, which explains the diffuse cytoplasmic staining observed at the light microscopic level with this lectin. Lectins have proved to be very useful for the evaluation of in situ cytochemical aspects of the glycoconjugates characteristic to human gastric mucosal cells.

Quantitative detection of hepatitis C virus RNA by multicyclic RT-PCR

Abstract We have developed a method to quantitate hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA from serum by using ‘multicylic’ RT-PCR. This method requires 100 μl of sera and synthetic HCV-RNA with a known copy number to be used as a standard. HCV RNA in serum are amplified by the RT-PCR technique and quantitated by comparing the darkness of the spot on the film with the standards after dot blot hybridization. Accuracy of this technique was comparable to the competitive RT PCR method (CRT-PCR) when compared using the same sample. Also, this technique uses one-tenth of the sample volume required in CRT-PCR with the additional advantages of low cost, faster assay time, and ability to run a larger number of samples. We analyzed the amount of HCV-RNA in 71 patients with chronic liver disease due to HCV subclassified into chronic inactive hepatitis (CIH), chronic active hepatitis (CAH), liver cirrhosis (LC), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Seventy-five percent of the patients contained 106 to 108 copies/ml of HCV-RNA. The number of samples which contained over 106 copies/ml in the four groups were CIH,5/8 (62.5%); CAH,15/20 (75.0%); LC,25/27 (92.6%); and HCC,14/16 (87.5%).

Immunohistochemical localization of Na+-dependent glucose transporter in the rat digestive tract

SummaryGlucose is actively absorbed in the intestine by the action of the Na+-dependent glucose transporter. Using an antibody against the rabbit intestinal Na+-dependent glucose transporter (SGLT1), we examined the localization of SGLT1 immunohistochemically along the rat digestive tract (oesophagus, stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon and rectum). SGLT1 was detected in the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum and ileum), but not in the oesophagus, stomach, colon or rectum. SGLT1 was localized at the brush border of the absorptive epithelium cells in the small intestine. Electron microscopical examination showed that SGLT1 was localized at the apical plasma membrane of the absorptive epithelial cells. SGLT1 was not detected at the basolateral plasma membrane. Along the crypt-villus axis, all the absorptive epithelial cells in the villus were positive for SGLT1, whose amount increased from the bottom of the villus to its tip. On the other hand, cells in the crypts exhibited little or no staining for SGLT1. Goblet cells scattered throughout the intestinal epithelium were negative for SGLT1. These observations show that SGLT1 is specific to the apical plasma membrane of differentiated absorptive epithelial cells in the small intestine, and suggest that active uptake of glucose occurs mainly in the absorptive epithelial cells in the small intestine.

Ursodeoxycholic acid therapy for chronic type C hepatitis: A multicenter, dose-finding trial

Abstract Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) was administered orally for 12 weeks to 40 patients with chronic type C hepatitis. Patients were randomly assigned to receive UDCA 150 mg/day (n = 20) or 450 mg/day (n = 20). In the 450-mg group, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) decreased significantly ( P P P P

Is Helicobacter pylori a causal agent in gastric carcinoma

The aim of this study is to clarify the relationship between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and gastric carcinoma. 94 patients with gastric carcinoma and 111 patients with chronic gastritis were involved in this study. They were classified into 3 age groups: Group A (40 years and under), Group B (41-59), Group C (60 years and over). Serum samples were tested for H. pylori IgG antibodies by ELISA and for pepsinogen (PG) by RIA. The ratio of PG I/PG II was used as a marker for atrophic gastritis. Results were as follows. In the incidence of H. pylori antibodies, there was no significant differences between gastric carcinoma and chronic gastritis in any of the groups. In the quantity of H. pylori antibodies, there was no significant difference between gastric carcinoma and chronic gastritis in any of the groups. The ratio of PG I/PG II was significantly decreased in H. pylori positive cases when compared to H. pylori negative cases in each group with chronic gastritis and group A and B with gastric carcinoma. The ratio of PG I/PG II in gastric carcinoma was significantly lower than that of chronic gastritis. As conclusion, from the point of view of the prevalence of H. pylori, it is suggested that H. pylori is not a direct causal agent in the pathogenesis of gastric carcinoma.

A case of primary sclerosing cholangitis treated with endoscopic balloon dilatation of the common bile duct.

胆嚢結石を合併し,繰り返す胆管・胆嚢炎に対して内視鏡下バルーン総胆管拡張術が有効であった原発性硬化性胆管炎(以下PSC)の1症例を経験したので報告する.症例は39歳男性.2年来繰り返す腹痛・発熱を主訴に来院した.胆石・胆嚢炎の診断にて治療していたが,1年後の腹部超音波検査にて肝内胆管に多発性の不整な拡張を認めたため,入院した.入院時肝機能検査は正常であったが,内視鏡的逆行性胆道造影では総胆管は全長にわたり狭窄しており,肝内胆管は不整に拡張していた.PSCを疑い腹腔鏡下肝生検を施行したところ,組織像はPSCに合致した所見を示していた.大腸内視鏡にて炎症性腸疾患の合併もあり,胆嚢結石及び胆管・胆嚢炎を合併したPSCと診断した.一旦外来管理としたが,胆管・胆嚢炎にて再入院した.入院後,内視鏡下にバルーン総胆管拡張術を2回施行した.その後胆管・胆嚢炎の発症はなく,現在外来通院中である.