The TPL women revealed worsened periodontal conditions and elevated serum IL-8 and IL-1beta levels compared to the non-TPL women. The elevated levels of serum IL-8 and IL-1beta could have affected the maintenance of the proper uterine-fetus relationship, resulting in premature uterine contractions.

Genetic risk for adult T cell leukemia (ATL) has been implicated by ethnic and familial segregation of ATL patients from HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). To clarify the genetic risk for ATL, we characterized HLA class I alleles of ATL patients and analyzed the anchor motifs of HTLV-1 peptides binding to HLA class I molecules, using 291 lines of anti-HTLV-1 CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) generated in vitro with a total of 165 synthetic peptides for HTLV-1 Tax and Env proteins. Allele frequencies of HLA-A*26, B*4002, B*4006, and B*4801 were significantly higher in ATL patients than in HAM/TSP patients and asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers in southern Japan. CD8(+) CTL analysis revealed the HTLV-1 Tax peptide sequence to completely lack anchor motifs of peptides binding to HLA-A*26,B*4002, and B*4006 molecules but to possess one anchor for HLA-B*4801, while the HTLV-1 Env peptide sequence had many anchor motifs for HLA-A*26, B*4002, B*4006, and B*4801 molecules. Most ATL patients featured heterozygous HLA class I alleles composed of HLA-A*26, B*4002, B*4006, and B*4801, with a lower number of HTLV-1 Tax peptide anchor motifs and epitopes generating anti-HTLV-1 Tax CD8(+) CTLs than individuals possessing other HLA alleles. The relationship between Tax epitope and ATL incidence was verified by the significantly decreased number of HTLV-1 Tax epitopes in ATL patients compared with asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers (p < 0.01) as well as late onset ATL patients (p < 0.001). These results indicate that HLA-A*26, B*4002, B*4006, and B*4801 alleles predispose to ATL because of the limited recognition of HTLV-1 Tax peptide anchor motifs and epitopes capable of generating anti-HTLV-1 Tax CD8(+) CTLs.

Lipoleiomyoma is a rare uterine tumor. The exact frequency and proliferation activity are not yet known. This study aims to know the frequency and evaluate the relation with renal angiomyolipoma. Lipoleiomyoma cases were immunohistochemically stained by antibodies for Ki-67, melanoma specific antigen HMB45, S-100 protein, and alpha smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA). Frequency of uterine lipoleiomyoma among uterine myomatous tumor was 17/4904 (0.35%) in the Department of Human Pathology, Field of Oncology, Kagoshima University Graduate School database (1983-2003). Patients ranged from 45 to 74 years of age, and 10 cases were associated with leiomyoma. Six of 17 (35%) cases showed areas with renal angiomyolipoma-like vessels and atypical cellular features. Immunostaining was available in 12 cases. By Ki-67 labeling index, both muscle (average 1.38%) and fat (average 1.17%) portions of the tumor had greater proliferation than normal myometrium (average 0.76%), which suggests that fat portions of the tumor are proliferating adipose tissue rather than fatty degeneration of muscular counterpart. HMB45 antigen, which is positive in renal angiomyolipoma, was negative in three uterine cases having angiomyolipoma-like vessels (3/12). However, HMB45 antigen was positive in spindle-shaped tumor cells of three cases (3/12) which lacked angiomyolipoma-like vessels. Presence of angiomyolipoma-like blood vessels in these tumors is not an uncommon feature. However, the diagnosis of uterine angiomyolipoma should not be based on the result of HMB45 antigen immunoreactivity alone.

SUMMARY1. The ATP-regulated potassium channel (KiATP) was investigated with respect to modulation by intracellular pH (pHi) by using the inside-out membrane patch clamp technique in ventricular cells isolated from the heart of the guinea-pig. Channels which had been closed by internal ATP (0 3-3 mM) were dose-dependently activated by decreasing the pHi over the range of pH 7-6-6-0. However, the channel was conversely inhibited when the pHi was further decreased below 6-0. Inwardly rectifying K+ channels were also decreased in activity when pHi fell from 7-2 to 6-0.2. The channel activation was also observed with constant concentration of free Ca2+ (1 nM) and Mg2+ (1 mM) in the bathing solution, suggesting that a change in divalent cation concentration is not involved in channel modulation by pHi.3. When the dose-response relations of the channel activity for ATP concentrations at different pHi were examined, the channel activity obtained at 1 /tM ATP was increased by decreasing pH from 7-2 to 6-4. The half-maximal inhibition for ATP concentration at pH 7-2 and 6-4 was 20 and 40 ,(M, respectively, and the Hill coefficient was 2-5 in both curves.4. In the absence of ATP, internal H+ was able to reactivate run-down channels but it had less effect on the channel as long as the activity was maintained at a higher level. The increase in the channel activity by H+ was facilitated with a proceeding of the run-down. However, after the channel was completely inactivated by a long exposure of the membrane patch to ATP-free solution, a reduction of pH could not activate the channel.5. The decrease of pH from 7-2 to 6-4 reduced single channel conductance from 89-0 to 77-7 pS in the absence of Mg2+, whereas it reduced the conductance only at the negative membrane potentials in the presence of 2 mm Mg2+.6. Mean open and closed times within the burst-like openings of the channel remained unaffected during the change in pHi.7. We conclude that the cardiac KATP channel is modulated by a change in the intracellular pH. The channel modulation consisted of the increase in the channel * To whom offprints should be requested. MS 9964T. KOYANO AND OTHERS activity and a decrease in the permeability. The former effect was due to the decrease in the sensitivity of the channel to ATP and the reactivation of the channel which is during the process of run-down in activity.

Preoperative OPN is a useful biomarker for predicting ovarian cancer. It is especially useful when used complementary to CA125. Larger studies of patients with ovarian cancer showing a low CA125 level or in early stages of ovarian cancer are needed.