We evaluated the temporal profile of the number of neurons containing neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS neurons) in the brain of a neonatal hypoxic-ischemic rat model. Hypoxic-ischemic insults were produced in the brains of 7-day-old rat pups using a combination of unilateral carotid artery ligation and hypoxic (8% oxygen) exposure. Sections of brain from rats killed at 0-24 h after the onset of hypoxia were stained immunohistochemically using a polyclonal anti-nNOS antibody. Histological changes of neuronal injury were evaluated in the adjacent Nissl stained sections. The number of nNOS neurons in the hemisphere ipsilateral to the carotid ligation was significantly increased (P < 0.05) at 3 h, when the neuronal injury consisted of clusters of degenerating hyperchromic neurons. Neuronal degeneration and an increased number of nNOS neurons were seen only in the ipsilateral hemisphere and the increase was most prominent in the dorsolateral area of the striatum. The increase in the number of nNOS neurons continued at 6 h, when the area of neuronal injury continued to expand. At 24 h, the neuronal injury was diffuse, and the number of nNOS neurons on the ipsilateral side significantly decreased. The increase of the number of nNOS neurons in the early phase of neonatal neuronal injury suggests its possible involvement in the hypoxic-ischemic injury. The delineation of its role in neuronal injury may lead to an improvement in managing neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

Animals↗

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Juvenile xanthogranuloma with hematologic changes in dizygotic twins: report of two newborn infants.

We describe the first reported instances of juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG) in dizygotic twins. They had characteristic skin lesions and subcutaneous nodules as well as hepatomegaly, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. These extracutaneous symptoms improved in 5 months, coincident with the resolution of the skin lesions. Although most patients with JXG have only cutaneous symptoms, some show such dramatic extracutaneous manifestations that the possibility of malignant disease is occasionally the principle concern. It is therefore necessary to make a precise diagnosis based on specific immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings, and to evaluate for other organ involvement, including hematologic abnormalities.

Anemia↗