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Cholestasis is characterized by the elevation of serum total bile acids (TBA), which leads to the production of both free radicals and oxidative stress. Although they do not share the same mechanisms, membrane glycosphingolipids (GSL) and the antioxidant enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1) both act against the pro-oxidative effect of TBA. The aim of the study was to assess the role of HMOX on GSL redistribution and composition within hepatocytes in the rat model of estrogen-induced cholestasis. Compared to the controls, an increase of total gangliosides in the liver homogenates of the cholestatic group (P=0.001) was detected; further, it paralleled along with the activation of their biosynthetic b-branch pathway (P<0.01). These effects were partially prevented by HMOX activation. Cholestasis was accompanied by a redistribution of GM1 ganglioside from the cytoplasm to the sinusoids; while HMOX activation led to the retention of GM1 in the cytoplasm (P=0.014). Our study shows that estrogen-induced cholestasis is followed by changes in the synthesis and/or distribution of GSL. These changes are not only triggered by the detergent power of accumulated TBA, but also by their pro-oxidant action. Increases in the antioxidant defenses might represent an important supportive therapeutic measure for patients with cholestatic liver disease.

A comparison of histochemical detection of GM1 ganglioside in cryostat sections using cholera toxin B-subunit after fixation with 4% formaldehyde and dry acetone gave tissue-dependent results. In the liver no pre-treatment showed detectable differences related to GM1 reaction products, while studies in the brain showed the superiority of acetone pre-extraction (followed by formaldehyde), which yielded sharper images compared with the diffuse, blurred staining pattern associated with formaldehyde. Therefore, the aim of our study was to define the optimal conditions for the GM1 detection using cholera toxin B-subunit. Ganglioside extractability with acetone, the ever neglected topic, was tested comparing anhydrous acetone with acetone containing admixture of water. TLC analysis of acetone extractable GM1 ganglioside from liver sections did not exceed 2% of the total GM1 ganglioside content using anhydrous acetone at -20 degrees C, and 4% at room temperature. The loss increased to 30.5% using 9:1 acetone/water. Similarly, photometric analysis of lipid sialic acid, extracted from dried liver homogenates with anhydrous acetone, showed the loss of gangliosides into acetone 3.0 +/- 0.3% only. The loss from dried brain homogenate was 9.5 +/- 1.1%. Thus, anhydrous conditions (dry tissue samples and anhydrous acetone) are crucial factors for optimal in situ ganglioside detection using acetone pre-treatment. This ensures effective physical fixation, especially in tissues rich in polar lipids (precipitation, prevention of in situ diffusion), and removal of cholesterol, which can act as a hydrophobic blocking barrier.

Hypericin, the photoactive compound of Hypericum perforatum, is probably the most powerful photosensitizer found in nature. This compound has shown high potency in the photodynamic treatment of tumor cells. However, there is only limited knowledge regarding the photodynamic effect of hypericin on nonmelanoma skin cancer cells. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate the efficacy of photodynamic therapy with topical application of an extract of H. perforatum in actinic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and morbus Bowen (carcinoma in situ). The study was carried out on 34 patients--eight with actinic keratoses (AKs), 21 with BCC and five with Bowen's disease. The extract of H. perforatum was applied on the skin lesions under occlusion and that was followed by irradiation with 75 J cm(-2) of red light 2 h later. The treatment was performed weekly for 6 weeks on average. The percentage of complete clinical response was 50% for AKs, 28% in patients with superficial BCC and 40% in patients with Bowen's disease. There was only a partial remission seen in patients with nodular BCCs. A complete disappearance of tumor cells was found in the histologic preparation of 11% of patients with superficial BCCs and 80% in the patients with Bowen's disease. All patients complained of burning and pain sensations during irradiation. Although the results of this first clinical trial could be regarded as disappointing, there are still possibilities for improvement. Better preparation of the lesions, enhancement of hypericin delivery and other types of light exposure procedures could significantly improve the clinical outcomes of this relatively inexpensive treatment modality.

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine that mediates a variety of functions, including induction of the acute-phase response in hepatocytes. IL-6 initiates its action by binding to its cell surface receptor, followed by activation of Janus kinases and tyrosine phosphorylation of the signal transducer and transcription factor (STAT) 3. Although it has been suggested that cholesterol- and sphingolipid-enriched membrane domains, called lipid rafts, and caveolin are involved in this process, their roles in the earliest stages of IL-6-mediated signaling are far from being understood. Here we show that pretreatment of HepG2 hepatoma cells with methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MbetaCD), which removes cholesterol and destroys lipid rafts, inhibited tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3 in IL-6-activated, but not PV-activated cells. Furthermore, when the cells were lysed under conditions preserving lipid rafts, no IL-6- or PV-induced phosphorylation of STAT3 was observed. Although most of the STAT3 was found in large MbetaCD-resistant assemblies in both non-activated and IL-6-activated cells, its association with lipid rafts was weak or undetectable. The extent of IL-6-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3 was comparable in cells expressing low or high levels of caveolin. Similar STAT3 transducer complexes were observed in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes. The combined data suggest that STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation occurs in preformed transducer complexes that can be activated in the absence of intact lipid rafts or caveolin.

(Glyco)sphingolipids (GSL) are believed to protect the cell against harmful environmental factors by increasing the rigidity of plasma membrane. Marked decrease of membrane fluidity in cholestatic hepatocytes was described but the role of GSL therein has not been investigated so far. In this study, localization in hepatocytes of a representative of GSL, the GM1 ganglioside, was compared between of rats with cholestasis induced by 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE) and vehicle propanediol treated or untreated animals. GM1 was monitored by histochemical reaction employing cholera toxin B-subunit. Our findings in normal rat liver tissue showed that GM1 was localized in sinusoidal and canalicular hepatocyte membranes in both peripheral and intermediate zones of the hepatic lobules, and was nearly absent in central zones. On the contrary, in EE-treated animals GM1 was also expressed in central lobular zones. Moreover, detailed densitometry analysis at high magnification showed greater difference of GM1 expression between sinusoidal surface areas and areas of adjacent cytoplasm, caused as well by increased sinusoidal staining in central lobular zone as by decreased staining in cytoplasm in peripheral zone. These differences correlated with serum bile acids as documented by linear regression analyses. Both GM1 content and mRNA corresponding to GM1-synthase remained unchanged in livers; the enhanced expression of GM1 at sinusoidal membrane thus seems to be due to re-distribution of cellular GM1 at limited biosynthesis and could be responsible for protection of hepatocytes against harmful effects of bile acids accumulated during cholestasis.

Hepatic ganglioside composition was investigated in normal and cholestatic Wistar rats. Cholestasis was induced by 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE; 5 mg/kg body weight s.c. for 18 days). As compared with controls, the EE administration resulted in severe cholestasis, as indicated by biochemical as well as morphological signs. Gangliosides isolated from the liver tissue were separated by TLC, with resorcinol-HCl detection and densitometric evaluation. As compared with controls, the total hepatic lipid sialic acid content in cholestatic rats was increased almost 2-fold (44.3 +/- 15.2 vs 79.1 +/- 9.0 nmol/g wet weight of liver tissue, p < 0.01). This increase was primarily due to the increase of ganglioside GD1a (3.6 +/- 1.0 vs 11.8 +/- 3.0 nmol/g wet weight of liver tissue, p = 0.001), as well as to the enormous up-regulation of b-series gangliosides GD3 (0.08 +/- 0.03 vs 2.0 +/- 1.2 nmol/g wet weight of liver tissue, p = 0.002), GD1b (0.1 +/- 0.06 vs 5.4 +/- 1.6 nmol/g wet weight of liver tissue, p = 0.002) and GT1b (0.06 +/- 0.03 vs 6.4 +/- 2.6 nmol/g wet weight of liver tissue, p = 0.002). As the majority of gangliosides are concentrated in cell membranes, our findings suggest that dramatic increase of b-series gangliosides might contribute to the protection of hepatocytes against the deleterious effects of cholestasis., ((c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Gangliosides released from tumor cells, as well as administered exogenously, suppress the immune responses by largely unknown mechanisms. We show here that a pretreatment of rat basophilic leukemia cells with isolated brain gangliosides inhibited the release of preformed secretory mediators from cells activated via FcepsilonRI but not Thy-1 glycoprotein. Exogenously administered gangliosides also affected the cell-substrate adhesion and the levels of polymeric filamentous actin in Ag-activated cells. Although the production of phosphoinositides was also decreased, enzymatic activity of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase was not inhibited. Gangliosides had no or only marginal effect on the association of aggregated FcepsilonRI with glycosphingolipid-enriched membranes and on tyrosine phosphorylation of FcepsilonRI and the linker for activation of T cells. Though pretreatment with gangliosides did not inhibit the association of linker for activation of T cells with phospholipase C (PLC)gamma1 and PLCgamma2, tyrosine phosphorylation of these enzymes, as well as their enzymatic activities and association with detergent-insoluble signaling assemblies were reduced. This resulted in a decreased production of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and an inhibition of Ca(2+) mobilization. The combined data support the concept that exogenously administered gangliosides interfere with those properties of glycosphingolipid-enriched membranes that are important for the formation of plasma membrane-associated signaling assemblies containing PLCgamma but not for initial tyrosine phosphorylation of FcepsilonRI subunits.

A pronase resistant 85-kd glycoprotein in the Concanavalin A-binding fraction (CABF) of biliary glycoproteins has been reported to act as a promotor of cholesterol crystallization. De Bruijn et al. (Gastroenterology 1996;110:1936-1944) found this protein in a low-density protein-lipid complex (LDP) with potent cholesterol crystallization promoting activity. This study identifies and characterizes this protein. An LDP was prepared from CABF by discontinuous gradient ultracentrifugation. Proteins were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), blotting and immunochemical staining with anti-carcinoembryonic antigen, CEA-related adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) cross-reacting antibodies. Biliary concentrations of CEA cross-reacting proteins were determined in patients with and without gallstones. Two isoforms of CEACAM1 (85- and 115-kd bands), CEA and 2 CEA cross-reacting protein bands of 40 and 50 kd were found in human bile. All bands were also present in CABF, but only a subfraction of the 85-kd band found in the LDP was resistant to digestion with pronase. CEACAM1-85 exhibited potent cholesterol crystallization promoting activity in vitro and accounted for most of the activity in CABF. Total CEA cross-reacting protein concentrations were the same in gallbladder biles from patients with cholesterol and pigment gallstones but only half of those in biles from nongallstone subjects. In conclusion, we have identified the protein component of the cholesterol crystallization promoting LDP to be CEACAM1-85.

Carcinoembryonic cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) is a human membrane glycoprotein belonging to the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) family and to the immunoglobulin superfamily. It is expressed in apical membranes of many epithelial cells in gastrointestinal and urogenital tract and also in granulocytes and lymphocytes, and its biological effect in human tissues has recently been discussed in literature. The purpose of this study was to isolate CEACAM1 glycoprotein from bile and characterize its purity and recovery which has not been described before. Affinity chromatography of CEACAM1 on hydrazide-activated cellulose with immobilized monoclonal anti-CEA F34-187 antibody is described. The immunoglobulin carbohydrate moiety was oxidized by periodate and then bound to hydrazide-activated matrix. Crude protein fraction from bile was applied on the affinity column and after extensive washing of non-bound proteins CEACAM1 was eluted with 6 M guanidine-HCl. A single immunopositive 85 kDa band was detected on Western blots with anti-CEA antibody after SDS-PAGE. We found out that CEACAM1 was not stainable with any common method of protein staining and the only non-specific method which could detect the 85 kDa band was a lectin staining., (Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

A fatal infantile storage disorder with hepatosplenomegaly and severe neurological disease is described. Sphingolipids, including monohexosylceramides (mainly glucosylceramide), dihexosylceramides (mainly lactosylceramide), globotriaosyl ceramide, sulphatides, ceramides and globotetraosyl ceramide, were stored in the tissues. In general, cholesterol and sphingomyelin levels were unaltered. The storage process was generalized and affected a number of cell types, with histiocytes, which infiltrated a number of visceral organs and the brain, especially involved. The ultrastructure of the storage lysosomes was membranous with oligolamellar, mainly vesicular, profiles. Infrequently, there were Gaucher-like lysosomes in histiocytes. The neuropathology was severe and featured neuronal storage and loss with a massive depopulation of cortical neurons and pronounced fibrillary astrocytosis. There was a paucity of myelin and stainable axons in the white matter with signs of active demyelination. Immunohistochemical investigations indicated that saposins A, B, C and D were all deficient. The patient was homozygous for a 1 bp deletion (c.803delG) within the SAP-B domain of the prosaposin gene which leads to a frameshift and premature stop codon. In the heterozygous parents, mutant cDNA was detected by amplification refractory mutation analysis in the nuclear, but not the cytoplasmic, fraction of fibroblast RNA, indicating that the mutant mRNA was rapidly degraded. The storage process in the proband resembled that of a published case from an unrelated family. Saposins were also deficient in this case, leading to its reclassification as prosaposin deficiency, and her mother was found to be a carrier for the same c.803delG mutation. Both of the investigated families came from the same district of eastern Slovakia.

Contrary to hitherto published results, the authors provided evidence of significant pronucleation activity in the protein fraction which is not linked to concanavaline A. Delipidation or proteolysis markedly reduce the pronucleation activity of this fraction. Albumin was identified as the main protein in this fraction. The lipid-protein complex formed by albumin and lipids had a high pronucleation and crystallization activity in relation to cholesterol. Calcium ions increased the crystalization activity. Complexes formed by proteins and lipids can be vectors of the main pronucleation activity in bile. In investigations of the main cholesterol fraction the authors provided evidence that only part of so-called pronucleation proteins is linked to vesicles--i.e. IgM, IgA and biliary glycoprotein BGP I and II. The authors assume that only proteins firmly linked to vesicles can participate in the process of cholesterol crystallization. Biliary glycoprotein BGP I and II was present in vesicles and when added into a model bile it presented a high pronucleation activity. Biliary glycoprotein is a new hitherto not identified pronucleation protein in bile.

Background: Several biliary proteins have been known to accelerate fusion of cholesterol rich phospholipid vesicles. Some of them are present in vesicular membrane, localisation of other proteins is unknown. Biliary glycoprotein has not been studied in consequence with pathogenesis of cholesterol lithiasis., Methods and Results: Low molecular extravesicular proteins were separated from vesicles by gel filtration on a 1200mm column of Sephacryl S-300 HR. Immunoglobulins IgM, IgA, haptoglobin, biliary glycoprotein I (BGP I) and nonspecific crossreactive antigen were eluted along with vesicles. Albumin and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein were eluted later and must be extravesicular., Conclusions: Fact that BGP I (85 kDa membrane glycoprotein) eluted along with vesicles and not in albumin fraction suggests that it might be bound in vesicular membrane. As a known adhesion molecule it could thus play an important role in pathogenesis of cholesterol cholelithiasis.

TEC-01 monoclonal antibody recognizes the oligosaccharide structure Galbeta1-->4[Fucalpha1-->3] GlcNAc (Le(X) hapten). To determine its fine specificity, reactivity of TEC-01 antibody with Le(X) glycosphingolipids, isolated from human liver metastasis of adenocarcinoma, and Le(X) neoglycolipid were analysed. Immunostaining of Le(X) glycosphingolipids, fractionated by thin-layer chromatography, showed that TEC-01 reacted with difucosyl and trifucosyl Le(X) glycosphingolipids but not with Le(X) pentasaccharide ceramide. Interestingly, TEC-01 also reacted with Le(X) neoglycolipid prepared by reductive amination from Le(X) pentasaccharide, lacto-N-fucopentaose III, and L-1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerophosphoethanolamine. The combined data suggest that TEC-01 recognizes Le(X) hapten in glycolipids with longer oligosaccharide chain moiety.

Interest in research in the sphere of tumours has concentrated for many years on finding tumour specific antigenic structures which can be used in immunodiagnosis and immunotherapy. During the last 30 years a number of monoclonal antibodies against tumours was prepared by means of which evidence was provided that antigens associated with tumourous processes have very often the nature of carbohydrates, in particular those linked to lipids, i.e. glycolipids. Carbohydrate structures with which anti-tumour antibodies react are usually found (at least in small concentrations) also in normal tissues. In the strict sense, from the chemical aspect specific tumour antigens do not exist but rather antigens associated with the tumourous process-tumour markers. Factors which influence the presence of a glycolipid of a tumour marker may be a) a simplification of the glycolipid spectrum by incomplete biosynthesis with concurrent deficiency of higher complex glycolipids and cumulation of the glycolipid precursor, b) activation of new pathways of biosynthesis, c) changes in the ceramide portion, d) lactonisation in the carbohydrate portion of the molecule, e) changes in the accessibility of the glycolipid molecule, their conformation and density on the cell surface. The author reviews the main glycolipid tumour markers which can be used in immunodiagnostics.

Sphingolipid activator protein (SAP) deficiency, previously described in two sibs and shown to be caused by the absence of the common saposin precursor (prosaposin), was further characterized by biochemical lipid and enzyme studies and by ultrastructural analysis. The 20-week-old fetal sib had increased concentrations of neutral glycolipids, including mono-, di-, tri- and tetrahexosylceramide, in liver, kidney and cultured skin fibroblasts compared with the controls. Glucosylceramide and lactosylceramide were particularly elevated. The kidney of the affected fetus showed additional increases in the concentration of sulphatide, galactosylceramide and digalactosylceramide. Free ceramide was stored in the liver and kidney, and GM3 and GM2 gangliosides were elevated in the liver, but not the brain, of the fetus. Phospholipids, however, were normal in the affected fetus. In the liver biopsy of the propositus, who later died at 16 weeks of age, only a few lipids could be studied. Glucosylceramide, dihexosylceramide and ceramide were elevated in agreement with our previous study. Enzyme studies were undertaken using detergent-free liposomal substrate preparations and fibroblast extracts. The sibs' beta-glucocerebrosidase and beta-galactocerebrosidase activities were clearly reduced, but their sphingomyelinase activities were normal. The normal activity of the latter enzyme and the almost normal tissue concentration of sphingomyelin in prosaposin deficiency suggest that the prosaposin-derived SAPs are not required for sphingomyelinase activity in vivo. In keeping with the biochemical findings, skin biopsies from the sibs showed massive lysosomal storage with a vesicular and membranous ultrastructure. The function of SAPs in sphingolipid degradation and the role of SAPs for enzyme activity in vitro are discussed. In addition, the similarity in neutral glycolipid accumulations in Niemann-Pick disease type C and in prosaposin deficiency are noted. The phenotype of the prosaposin deficient sibs resembled acute neuronopathic (type 2) Gaucher disease more than Farber disease in several aspects, but their genotype was unique.

Alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1) is synthesized in media with a low phosphate concentration (0.37 mM of total and 19 microM of inorganic phosphate, respectively) already during the exponential phase of growth of Bacillus cereus. The enzyme is repressed by higher phosphate concentrations (3.7 mM) during the whole growth period; during sporogenesis the enzyme activity in cells slightly increases even under these conditions. During growth the enzyme is not secreted into the medium, a minor amount being released after cessation of growth. The enzyme activity can be increased by adding Zn2+ ions (10 microM). When during growth without phosphate the pH of the medium decreases below 5.0, the enzyme activity temporarily decreases and growth is slowed down, followed by a subsequent increase of the enzyme activity. In this case the onset of sporulation is also delayed.

The composition of gangliosides was studied in four fibrosarcomas (FL, FLA, FLB, FLC) induced in the Lewis rat by Ferridextran, and in two clones of a spontaneous Lewis rat mammary sarcoma (C-1-SAM LEW and C-2-SAM LEW) and two supertransformed clones (S-174 and S-271) derived from these clones, using the B77 virus. The malignancy of the Lewis tumors was tested in terms of their ability to outgrow the RT-5 barrier in LEW.1x rats and expressed as the loss-rate of LEW.1x rats. As for the Ferridextran-induced tumors, the FL was the only one to have been rejected in nearly 100% of the LEW.1x recipients. Following presensitization with FL the other tumors were also rejected, though not at a rate of 100%. The rat loss-rate was: FL--0%, FLC--23.5%, FLB--36.5%, and FLA--82.6%. As malignancy increased, the composition of gangliosides showed signs of progressive simplification indicating a step-by-step repression of ganglioside biosynthesis involving first the disialoganglioside and subsequently also the monosialoganglioside pathways. Some less distinct decrease (but significant at the 5% level of probability) of gangliosides of the disialoganglioside pathway and an increase of the simplest ganglioside (GM3) were observed between the C-1 clone of SAM LEW and its S-174 supertransformant. However, the changes, especially in the C-2 clone and its supertransformant, were not such as would suggest a marked defect in the biosynthesis of gangliosides.

An extract of human brain gangliosides was separated on a Spheron 1000-DEAE spherous fine-grain macroporous glycolmethacrylate anion-exchanger. Linear gradient elution using ammonium acetate in methanol resulted in the complete separation of mono, di-, tri-, tetra- and pentasialogangliosides in 35 min at the load of 2.4 mg/ml of ion-exchanger. The ganglioside fractions thus obtained were characterized by thin-layer chromatography on silica gel. In conclusion, the scope of rapid separation of gangliosides is discussed, based on a combination of column chromatographic methods.

An ultrastructural, histochemical and chemical analysis of storage elements in the infantile form of Gaucher's disease showed that in addition to cerebroside the lysosomes also included a non-lipid component of protein, or possibly glycoprotein nature. This component, easily removable with trypsin, was present in such quantities that it conditioned the typical solid and fibrillar appearance of storage elements even after they had been substantially delipidized. Another noteworthy finding was that the ultrastructural appearance of tubular structures generally regarded as stored cerebrosides persisted in all the extracted specimens without any noticeable change. The findings are compared with available data from the literature and their significance briefly discussed.

Structural, chemical, and histochemical analyses of adrenal tissue performed in 8 cases of Niemann-Pick disease (NPD) revealed stark differences of storage between spingomyelinase (SMase) deficiency (6 cases) and type C (2 cases). In all the full-blown cases of the SMase deficiency group, pronounced sphingomyelin (SM) storage was found in all the zones of the cortical epithelium with slightly increasing centripetal gradient. The storage resulted in the reduction or even disappearance of lipofuscinogenesis in the reticular zone, in the reduction of the physiological fat content, in the generalized foamy transformation of the epithelium, and in moderate organomegaly. The storage was expressed in both A and B types and was roughly proportional to the storage in other viscera. The stromal storage was confined to the vascular endothelium, and in particular, to the macrophages. One of the cases showed the presence of typical spirolactone bodies unmodified in fine structure by the lysosomal storage. Their most conspicuous enzymatic activity was that of non-specific esterase and NADH tetrazolium reductase. The adrenals in type C were macroscopically and histologically normal except for a variable population of stromal foam cells. Chemically, there was slight increase in all phospholipids with borderline or moderate percentual increase of SM. There was also slight increase in some of the lower neutral glycosphingolipids. Electron microscopy dislosed rudimentar storage in lower cortical layer epithelium which by its fine structure and according to results of lipid histochemistry was qualitatively different from that in SMase deficiency. The stromal storage was expressed mainly in macrophages in which there was histochemically detectable amount of SM. There was no storage detectable in medullary cells in neither group of NPD complex. The results point not only to striking quantitative differences in storage intensity between the 2 basic groups of NPD showing the cortical epithelium in type C as being remarkably resistant to the metabolic disorder, but also to difference in quality of the storage very much like that found in other tissues, too.

A picture of generalized phosphoglyceride and cholesterol storage was induced, in keeping with literary data, by the experimental administration of 4,4'-diethylaminoethoxyhexesterol to rats. An asset of this model lies in the discovery that considerable storage occurs in the peripheral nervous system in contrast to the CNS, whose resistance to hexesterol is generally known. The significance of this finding is briefly discussed.

A case of infantile neurovisceral disease was classified according to the morphological and chemical analysis of fixed tissue as a chemically different type of Niemann-Pick disease (NPD) type C, with glycolipids dominating the storage process. The diagnosis was reached on the basis of massive accumulation of neutral glycolipids in visceral storage elements (hepatocytes and macrophages) as an outstanding feature of lipid histochemistry. Chemical lipid analysis corroborated the findings by detecting a manyfold increase of glucosyl ceramide, lactosyl ceramide, ceramide trihexoside and GM3 ganglioside. In addition, macrophages contained variable quantities of sphingomyelin. The brain showed slightly increased quantities of lactosylceramide (Slower fraction) and glucosyl ceramide. Apart from the classical neuronal storage changes there was also marked neuroaxonal dystrophy. In terms of quality, the glycolipid spectrum was comparable to that of NPD type C, in terms of quantity, the changes were consistent with those in so-called lactosylceramidosis, which, however, was reclassified as NPD type C only recently. In our view, the present case is the second published observation of lactosylceramidosis classifiable as a glycolipid (GL) variety of NPD type C in which the normally considerable tendency to glycolipid storage is further enhanced while the storage of sphingomyelin is less expressed.

We present the results of a structural, histochemical and lipid-chromatographic study of tissues obtained at postmortem from an unusual case of phospholipidosis. A previous biopsy of the appendix and liver (Elleder et al., 1975a) had revealed a predominance of phosphoglyceride storage, principally of lysobisphosphatidic acid (LBPA) postmortem material showed that this lipid was stored exclusively in central neurons. In the spleen and the lymph node, however, sphingomyelin (SP) was shown, histochemically and chromatographically, to be the main lipid stored. Total sphingomyelinase (SPase) activity in the appendix was reduced to about 50% of normal. Neuroaxonal dystrophy (NAD) and a conspicuous discrepancy between the degree of distension of some neurons and their lipid content deserve special mention. The case is contrasted with classical sphingomyelinosis; the complexity of the Niemann-Pick group of diseases is discussed as an indication of the difficulties of classification of any atypical case.

A histochemical study is reported of regional differences of the lipid storage in a case of Niemann-Pick disease (NPD) type C. Besides tissues known to be affected (reticulo-endothelium, hepatocytes, nervous system), storage was demonstrated in adrenal cortical spongiocytes, sweat glands, renal glomerular and tubular cells, smooth muslce, excretory tubules of some salivary glands, ependyma and in choroid plexus. In most tissues were stored sphingomyelin, cholesterol and a small amount of a glycosphingolipid. In the endothelium of cerebral and spinal vessels the main stored lipid was a glycosphingolipid. The significance of these regional differences are discussed and their study is recommended as a useful counterpart to the biochemical investigation.

A complex neuropathological study of two cases of Niemann-Pick disease (NPD) type C (NPDC) revealed some novel features in the chemical pathology of the neuronal storage. Lipid histochemistry showed the presence of a lipid which met the criteria of a neuronal glycosphingolipid. Sphingomyelin (SM) was not detected in the neurones in any of the regions examined. Lipid chemical analysis of total extracts and of partially purified lysosomal fraction of the brain cortex showed markedly increased levels of neutral ceramide hexosides especially of glucosylceramide and ceramide dihexoside (mostly of its slower band). Phospholipids were not significantly increased. Monosialogangliosides GM2 and GM3 were increased only slightly. The storage process displayed the well known fine structure and was accompanied by a marked secondary increase in some lysosomal enzyme activities. There was neuroaxonal dystrophy (NAD) of considerable intensity and extent. Many spheroids contained masses of degenerated organelles and neurofilaments in various proportions and displayed variable activities of acid phosphatase, nonspecific esterase and dehydrogenases. There was marked brain atrophy accompanied in one case by severe demyelination. Enzyme studies revealed partial decrease of sphingomyelinase (SMase) and beta-glucosidase activities in cultured fibroblasts, as well as lack of cathodic SMase activity on isoelectric focusing. No defects of these enzymes were found in the brain samples. The findings are regarded as significant since they indicate a biochemical defect in which SM is not primarily involved and which may thus be fundamentally different from that in type A of NPD.

3-chloro-1,2-propanediol and 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol caused base substitutions in Salmonella typhimurium TA1535 both with and without metabolic activation. Metabolic activation seemed to act mainly by decreasing the toxicity of these compounds. A difference in the growth of the wild-type and repair-deficient strains of Escherichia coli was observed only for 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol with S9 mix. Esters of both chlorohydrines with fatty acids has smaller mutagenic effects than unesterified compounds.

A case of a 27 month old girl suffering from a rare form of lipidosis is described. Clinical symtoms consisted of a moderate hepatosplenomegaly and a progressive psychomotor retardation. Bioptical examination of the liver, appendix and skin revealed a pronounced lipid storage in histiocytes, hepatocytes, vascular endothelium and in peripheral nervous system. Histochemically, a generalized storage of phosphoglycerides and cholesterol was found. It was accompanied with a moderate amount of sphingomyelin and a variable amount of glycolipids (predominantly glycosphingolipids), the latter being stored mainly in the peripheral nervous system and in the vascular endothelium. Chromatographically, an increased concentration of lysobisphosphatidic acid and cholesterol could be detected. The ultrastructure of storage cytosomes was rather pleomorphic often with concentrically lamellar appearance. Further details of the investigation are described and the relation of this case to those described by Baar and Hickmans (1956) and Wiedemann et al. (1972) is stressed. Due to a strong evidence that this group of diseases represents a new type of phospholipid storage disease the name "Phospholipidosis Type II" (Baar-Wiedemann) or "Phosphoglyceridosis" is proposed, whereas "Phospholipidosis Type I" or "Sphingomyelinosis" should be reserved for the classical Niemann-Pick complex.

Multiple sulphatase deficiency was studied in 3 siblings--one pair of monozygotic twins and their sister. The children's psychomotor development was arrested at the age of 18 to 24 months, and the hypotonic syndrome combined with signs of spasticity appeared. There was marked hepatosplenomegaly, conspicuously dry scaly skin with the decortication syndrome developing and persisting in the presence of pronounced cachexia. Also present were numerous X-ray abnormalities, metachromatically staining granules in the urine, and Alder- Reilly 's bodies in the blood leukocytes and in specimens of bone marrow. Liver, skin and muscle biopsies performed simultaneously revealed accumulations of water-soluble mucopolysaccharides and deposits of sulphatides in the two twins. Enzyme assays demonstrated arylsulphatase A and B deficiency. The diagnosis was subsequently confirmed at all the three siblings' postmortem examinations.