Separation of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) thrombocytes by using a monoclonal antibody, and their aggregation by collagen.

A monoclonal antibody against carp peripheral blood leucocytes was produced, and its reactivity analysed by flow cytometry and electron microscopy. The antibody reacted positively with 10-35% of the cells in a fraction of lymphocytes and thrombocytes that was separated by flow cytometry. Electron microscopy using immunogold labelling showed that this antibody reacted strongly with thrombocytes, but not with other leucocytes. By using a magnetic separator, leucocytes that were positive and negative for this antibody were separated. The positive cells were uniform, spindle-type cells that aggregated in the presence of collagen, while the negative cells did not aggregate. Light and electron microscopy showed that many positive cells changed to a spherical form after the addition of collagen and then 40-60% of these cells aggregated.

[Coexistence of cyst and tumor in the same kidney: a case report].

A case of renal cyst associated with renal tumor is presented herein. A 40-year-old male patient visited our outpatient clinic for left renal cyst which had been found by ultrasonography on routine clinical examination. CT scan demonstrated an irregular area in the cyst wall measuring about 2 cm in thickness which showed enhancement of density with contrast medium. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) also demonstrated a round mass with abnormal signal on the cyst wall, protruding into the cyst cavity. Transabdominal radical nephrectomy was performed on 13 July 1987, and to the resected kidney was attached a cyst measuring 7 cm in diameter in the lower pole. Grossly, the cyst contained amorphous red-brown material which turned out to be old blood clots and the wall harbored a tumor (3.0 x 2.5 cm). Histologically, the tumor was renal cell carcinoma, the surface of which was covered with necrotic tissue. The coexistence of renal cyst and tumor is rare and 62 cases were collected from the Japanese literature including our case, and discussion was made in relation to the etiological factors.

[Testicular endocrine function in patients with prostatic cancer receiving medical castration by long-term administration of LH-RH agonists].

Six patients with advanced prostatic cancer who had been treated by long-term administration of LH-RH agonistic preparations (Buserelin or Leupron) were tested for their pituitary-testicular endocrine functions. Serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (T), prolactin (PRL), estradiol (E2) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were measured consecutively. In all medically castrated patients, serum levels of LH, FSH, T, DHT and E2 were suppressed and particularly serum T levels were below the castration level of 1.0 ng/ml. On the other hand, serum PRL levels were unchanged after the long-term treatment with the agonists. Serum LH and FSH levels failed to respond to LH-RH stimulation after the treatment, whereas serum T responded to stimulation by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to various degrees. It was remarkable that, in 4 out of 6 medically castrated patients treated up to more than 3 years, serum T response levels above 1.0 ng/ml were noted. It is suggested that testicular endocrine function to secrete T and DHT in patients under treatment with long-term LH-RH agonist administration are still preserved in response to hCG stimulation.

[Automated measurement of reticulocyte count by flow cytometry. II: Analysis of the blood containing abnormal erythrocytes or giant platelets].

We have examined the influence of erythrocytes containing inclusion bodies, nucleated red cells or giant platelets on the measurement of reticulocyte count by automated machine, R-1000. Correlation of the reticulocyte count between automated and conventional method was extremely good in the blood containing red cells with Jolly bodies, Pappenheimer bodies or basophilic stippling . However, correlation was poor when the sample contained the nucleated red cells. Reticulocyte count was decreased in the blood with significant amounts of nucleated red cells. Since nucleated red cells themselves are not counted as reticulocytes in the machine, this was considered to be due to increased young reticulocytes which frequently appeared with nucleated red cells. Both cold agglutinated red cells and giant platelets apparently influenced the reticulocyte count by the R-1000. These results suggest that red cells with Jolly bodies, Pappenheimer bodies or basophilic stippling do not influence the automatic counting of reticulocytes. Although nucleated red cells, cold agglutinated red cells and giant platelets affected the reticulocyte count, the machine shows abnormal flags in most of above cases (except highly agglutinated red cells), so that one can recount reticulocytes by conventional method. We conclude the machine can safely count the reticulocytes even in the blood containing abnormal red cells or platelets.

[A case of thymoma associated with prostatic cancer].

A case of prostatic cancer treated with an LH-RH analogue depo-preparation was found to have a mediastinal thymoma which was later removed by surgery. The association of thymoma and prostatic cancer has not been documented in the world literature, and it remains to be elucidated whether the occurrence of the both tumors is a coincidence or etiologically inter-related.

Chronological changes in latent prostatic carcinoma found in surgical specimens from Japanese during 28 years.

Out of 1,193 specimens from open prostatectomies in Japanese at Tokyo Teishin Hospital during the 28 years from 1953 to 1980, 38 focal type latent prostatic carcinomas were found. These were classified histologically by Gleason's criteria and subdivided into two groups, a low grade group (patterns 1 and 2) and a high grade group (patterns 3, 4 and 5). The incidence of the focal type of latent prostatic carcinoma in 1967-1980 was significantly higher than that in 1953-1966 (P less than 0.05). The incidence of the high grade group was significantly higher in the recent 14-year period (P less than 0.05), while the incidence of the low grade group was not. The prevalence of latent prostatic carcinoma in the Japanese male population, especially the prevalence of the high grade group, may have increased during these 28 years, which may be associated with the increasing mortality rate for prostatic cancer in the Japanese.