[A case of pulmonary tuberculosis complicated with gingival lesions].

A case of secondary gingival tuberculosis is presented. The case is 51 year-old male who had been suffering from undetected pulmonary tuberculosis visited a dentist because of chronic periodontal inflammation around the gingiva of the right upper and left lower molar teeth lasting for one year. The lesions remained unchanged and painful granulomatous swelling sustained in spite of the conservative treatment. The case was treated with the extraction of six teeth due to continued toothache. By pathohistological examination of gingiva and chest X-ray examination, the case was diagnosed as tuberculosis. Chest roentgenogram showed active pulmonary tuberculosis, and bacteriological examination of sputum showed tubercle bacilli. The administration of INH, RFP and EB was started, and the response to the treatment was good and the pain in the gingiva disappeared within three weeks. Secondary gingival tuberculosis is manifested as local granulomatous lesions with severe pain. The incidence of gingival tuberculosis is very rare, but we have to keep in mind that the oral tuberculosis secondary to pulmonary tuberculosis could occur.

Neurotropic pyrimidine heterocyclic compounds. II. Effects of novel neurotropic pyrimidine derivatives on astrocytic morphological differentiation.

Astrocytes play an important role in supporting nerve regeneration after brain injuries. In this study, the effects of novel neurotropic synthesized pyrimidine compounds on astrocytic morphological differentiation were examined. Treatment of protoplasmic cultured astrocytes with 2-piperidino-5,6-dihydro-7-methyl-6-oxo(7 H)pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine maleate (MS-430) and the related compounds caused astrocytic process formation in 60 min. The morphology of MS-430-treated cells was similar to that of dibutyryl cAMP (DBcAMP)-treated cells. The astrocytic process formation by MS-430 was observed within 60 min and the maximum effect was obtained at the drug concentration of 0.5-1.0 mM. Rhodamine-phalloidin staining showed that astrocytic cytoskeletal actin was reorganized by MS-430 and DBcAMP. MS-430 did not increase cAMP accumulation in cultured astrocytes. These results suggest that the neurotropic pyrimidines induced astrocytic morphological differentiation through a cAMP-independent mechanism.

Neurotropic pyrimidine heterocyclic compounds. I. The newly synthesized pyrimidine compounds promote neurite outgrowth of GOTO and neuro 2a neuroblastoma cell lines, and potentiate nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced neurite sprouting of PC 12 cells.

From the study using cultured human and mouse neuroblastoma cells, we found that a new type of synthetic bicyclic pyrimidine compounds possessing piperazine moiety strongly promoted neurite outgrowth in neuroblastoma cell lines human GOTO and mouse neuro 2a. The most effective compounds of these 2-piperazinopyrimidine derivatives possessing nerve growth factor (NGF)-like activity were 2-piperazino-6-oxo-5,6-dihydro(7H)pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine and 2-piperadino-6-methyl-5-oxo-5,6-dihydro(7H)pyrrolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin e. The piperazinopyrimidine compounds were also shown to potentiate NGF-induced neurite sprouting of rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells. The compounds were more effective in cell cultures than isopropylaminopyrimidine (isaxonine) which had been previously developed and then withdrawn. We discussed the merit of the method of the screening of neurotropic compounds by neurite sprouting activity in cultured neuroblastoma cells.

A new factor from enteric bacteria of rats amplifying induction of liver enzyme by glucocorticoid. 1. Purification, properties and biological action.

1. A factor, which amplifies the inductions of several liver enzymes by glucocorticoid, was partially purified from Proteus mirabilis from rat intestine. The factor (amplifier) was completely inactivated by alpha-glucosidase, but not by other glycoside hydrolases, proteases, nucleases or phosphatases tested; it was also hydrolysed by HCl with liberation of reducing sugars. Thus the oligosaccharide in this factor seems to be essential for the amplification. 2. In adrenalectomized rats the amplifier increased the inductions of several liver enzymes, such as tyrosine aminotransferase and leucine aminotransferase, by glucocorticoid. But it did not amplify the induction of tyrosine aminotransferase by glucagon or insulin or the activities of enzymes that are not induced by glucocorticoid. The amplifier by itself did not have any glucocorticoid-like action in adrenalectomized rat. These results show that the amplifier specifically increases the inductions of liver enzymes by glucocorticoid. 3. Since similar amplification was also observed in isolated perfused liver and cultured hepatoma cells in vitro, the amplifier seems to act directly on the target organ or cells.