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Biomedical subjects

M Kornfeld

Publications and source records attributed to M Kornfeld.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

TIMP-2 reduces proteolytic opening of blood-brain barrier by type IV collagenase.

Intracerebral hemorrhage occurs in tumors, stroke and head trauma. Proteolysis of the extracellular matrix around cerebral capillaries by naturally occurring mammalian 72-kDa type IV collagenase may initiate this pathologic event. To investigate this hypothesis adult rats underwent intracerebral injection of type IV collagenase purified from human melanoma cells. Histologically, at 4 h there was perivascular cellular infiltration with hemorrhage, and by 24 h there was infarction with necrosis, edema and hemorrhage. Ultrastructurally, the basal lamina of endothelial cells was disrupted at 2 h. Brain uptake of [14C]dextran and [3H]sucrose increased after intracerebral injection of type IV collagenase compared to controls (P less than 0.0001). Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) reduced the tracer uptake (P less than 0.02). Metalloproteinase inhibitors reduce extracellular matrix proteolysis and protect the blood-brain barrier.

Analysis of Variance

Neurocysticercosis: neurologic, pathogenic, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects.

Worldwide neurocysticercosis is the most common parasitic infection of the human brain and meninges. Clinical features of the illness vary with the stage of ova infection, but most problems arise when the mature cyst degenerates. Seizures, increased intracranial pressure, and focal neurologic signs then often develop. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance usually demonstrate Cysticercus cellulosae cysts in the brain. A new immunoblot test for antibodies to the cysticercus seems both sensitive and specific. Treatment with praziquantel or albendazole has hastened the disappearance of the cysts on computed tomography and improved clinical symptoms.

Albendazole

Neoplastic angioendotheliomatosis.

A 60-year-old white man presented with aphasia, seizures, paraparesis, and incontinence. His serologic and hematologic profiles were unremarkable. His cerebrospinal fluid showed pleocytosis, increased daily central nervous system IgG synthesis, increased myelin basic protein, and negative cytology and cultures. Cerebral computed tomography exhibited multiple areas of hypodensity but spinal computed tomography and myelography showed no abnormalities. Cranial and spinal magnetic resonance imaging revealed areas of increased signal on T2-weighted images. The use of gadolinium-pentetic acid on T1-weighted images delineated smaller areas of cortical enhancement with surrounding rim of decreased signal. Brain biopsy showed intravascular malignant cells positive for leukocyte common antigen and B-cell markers. The diagnosis was neoplastic angioendotheliomatosis (intravascular lymphomatosis). To our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of both cranial and spinal magnetic resonance imaging in this condition.

Brain

Pre-mortem diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease by detection of abnormal cerebrospinal fluid proteins.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) may be difficult to diagnose early or when it has an atypical presentation. We describe two patients with progressive dementia in whom the results of diagnostic brain biopsies were unhelpful. Spinal fluid from these patients, analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis, contained two abnormal proteins (Nos. 130 and 131, with relative molecular masses of 26,000 and 29,000 daltons and isoelectric points of 5.2 and 5.1). These findings suggested a provisional diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which was confirmed in both patients at autopsy. Detection of these abnormal cerebrospinal fluid proteins appears to be a valuable laboratory adjunct in evaluating patients with an unexplained progressive dementia.

Aged

The influenza B virus mouse model of Reye's syndrome: clinical, virologic and morphologic studies of the encephalopathy.

The influenza B virus mouse model of Reye's syndrome was studied to learn more about the encephalopathy in Reye's syndrome. One to 3 days after intravenous influenza B/Lee virus, Balb/c mice became lethargic, seized and lapsed into a fatal coma. Wide-spread cerebral edema without inflammation developed 1-3 days after virus inoculation. Swollen astrocytic foot processes containing increased glial fibrillary acidic protein were located around capillaries. Viral particles were not seen by electron microscopy and complete viral replication did not occur. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated influenza B viral antigen within many endothelial cells but not within other brain cells. Qualitative (Evans blue dye) and quantitative (percent brain water and technetium -99 pertechnetate) studies of the blood-brain barrier demonstrated abnormalities. This model reproduced many clinical, virologic and pathologic features of the Reye's syndrome encephalopathy. In addition, a non-permissive viral infection of brain endothelial cells occurred which may be important in the pathogenesis of the mouse encephalopathy and may participate in the encephalopathy of Reye's syndrome.

Animals

Collagenase-induced intracerebral hemorrhage in rats.

Intracranial bleeding is an important cause of brain masses and edema. To study the pathophysiology of intracerebral hemorrhage, we produced experimental hemorrhages in 53 rats and characterized the lesion by histology, brain water content, and behavior. Adult rats had 2 microliters saline containing 0.5 unit bacterial collagenase infused into the left caudate nucleus. Histologically, erythrocytes were seen around blood vessels at the needle puncture site within the first hour. By 4 hours there were hematomas, the size of which depended on the amount of collagenase injected. Necrotic masses containing fluid, blood cells, and fibrin were seen at 24 hours. Lipid-filled macrophages were observed at 7 days and cysts at 3 weeks. Water content was significantly increased 4, 24, and 48 hours after infusion at the needle puncture site and for 24 hours in posterior brain sections. Behavioral abnormalities were present for 48 hours, with recovery of function occurring during the first week. Brain tissue contains Type IV collagen in the basal lamina. Collagenase, which occurs in an inactive form in cells, is released and activated during injury, leading to disruption of the extracellular matrix. Collagenase-induced intracerebral hemorrhage is a reproducible animal model for the study of the effects of the hematoma and brain edema.

Animals

Neurofibromatosis xenografts. Contribution to pathogenesis.

We transplanted Schwann cells of 3 patients with neurofibromatosis from neurofibromas, sural nerve, and from a malignant schwannoma into sciatic nerves of immunoincompetent mice. Three and six months later, the grafts and distal nerve segments contained normal myelinated fibers. After rendering host animals immune competent again, neurofibroma and malignant schwannoma Schwann cells were rejected, but grafts retained normally myelinated fibers indicating that these were of mouse origin. Sural nerve Schwann cells from a neurofibromatosis patient were rejected also leaving naked axons in the grafted segments showing that human Schwann cells from the sural nerve of one patient had invested and myelinated the regenerating mouse axons. The nature of putative signals passing between axons and Schwann cells might be elucidated by the combination of human and animal cells in immunoincompetent host nerves. Hypothetical signals for myelination of mouse axons were normally received by sural nerve Schwann cells of a patient with neurofibromatosis, but not by Schwann cells from neurofibromas or malignant schwannomas.

Animals

A fatal variant of human ornithine carbamoyltransferase is stimulated by Mg2+.

Biochemical studies of a female who died at 2 years of age from a possible genetic variant of ornithine carbamoyltransferase (OCTase) deficiency are reported. The patient had severe psychomotor retardation with plasma ammonia levels throughout life reaching as high as 500 mumole/liter. The average OCTase level in the patient's liver was 2% of that in normal livers. Preincubation with 0.05 M MgCl2 resulted in a 570% increase in OCTase activity (13% of control). Citrate synthase and carbamoyl-phosphate synthase I were present at essentially normal levels. Unusual Mg2+ requirements have not been recognized in previous reports of OCTase deficiency, suggesting a genetic variant in this patient.

Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors

Fatal infantile form of muscle phosphofructokinase deficiency.

We studied a girl with an infantile syndrome of limb weakness, seizures, cortical blindness, and corneal opacifications; she died at age 7 months of respiratory failure. There was no consanguinity or family history of neuromuscular diseases. Histochemical and biochemical studies of muscle showed mildly increased glycogen content and markedly decreased PFK activity (1.4% of the normal mean). Anaerobic glycolysis in vitro confirmed the metabolic block. Immunofluorescence and immunotitration by ELISA using monoclonal antibodies against subunit M of PFK showed a normal amount of cross-reacting material. The brain showed typical features of neuroaxonal dystrophy. This variant of PFK deficiency may be due to a distinct genetic defect.

Brain Diseases

The investigation of alleged insecticide toxicity: a case involving chlordane exposure, multiple sclerosis, and peripheral neuropathy.

A man with no previous medical problems had two documented exposures to an insecticide containing the organophosphorous compounds chlordane and heptachlor. Six months to one year later, he began to experience neurological symptoms which progressed until his death. At autopsy, his brain showed classic findings of multiple sclerosis, and he had a severe peripheral neuropathy. Review of the literature indicates that the findings are not compatible with chlordane toxicity. Some of the factors to be used in determining the casual relationship between toxic exposure and disease processes are discussed.

Brain

Granular cell glioblastoma: a malignant granular cell neoplasm of astrocytic origin.

Granular cell tumors in the cerebral hemispheres are rare and of unknown origin. Two large aggressive cerebral neoplasms composed mainly of granular cells and also containing neoplastic astrocytes were studied histologically, ultrastructurally and immunohistochemically. In both instances, transitional forms between astrocytes and typical granular cells were demonstrated. In the second case which consisted of a central core of typical glioblastoma surrounded by a thick shell of granular cells, the latter spread in a fashion that is characteristic of intrinsic tumors of the central nervous system by forming abundant secondary structures of Scherer, particularly under the pia and around cortical blood vessels. All the evidence indicates that in these two cases granular cells were transformed neoplastic astrocytes. Paradoxically, many granular cells exhibited benign cytological features that belied their malignant nature.

Astrocytes

Neuropathology of ornithine carbamyl transferase deficiency.

Neuropathologic findings in two cases of ornithine carbamyl transferase (OCT) deficiency are presented. In one, a boy 3 days old, the only abnormality related to the enzyme defect was metabolic gliosis which was unusual in distribution being present mainly in the brain stem. In the other case, a girl who died at the age of 2 3/12 years, the brain showed metabolic gliosis in typical location, widespread ulegyria, and moderate atrophy of the internal granular layer in the cerebellum accompanied by development of expansions of Purkinje cell dendrites. Case 2 demonstrates how rapidly changes previously demonstrated in the cerebral cortex after a few months of illness can proceed to massive hemispheric destruction. By now ulegyria has been observed in several disorders of the urea cycle.

Brain

Cisplatin neuropathy. Clinical, electrophysiologic, morphologic, and toxicologic studies.

Ten of 11 patients with ovarian cancer receiving cisplatin developed a distal sensory neuropathy, manifested early by decreased vibratory sensibility in toes and depressed ankle jerks and later by uncomfortable paresthesias. Eleven patients receiving cisplatin, 50 mg/m2 monthly (mean total, 580 mg/m2) were studied prospectively with monthly neurologic examinations and conduction velocity determinations of median, peroneal, and sural nerves. Early signs were decreased vibratory sensibility in toes (mean dose, 417 +/- 132 mg/m2 [SD]) and loss of ankle jerks (mean dose, 455 +/- 86 mg/m2). With continued therapy, four developed paresthesias. Strength was unaffected. Sural nerve responses abruptly disappeared in six of peripheral nerves from four patients showed axonal degeneration and secondary myelin breakdown. Platinum concentrations in three patients were similar in tumor (3.3 micrograms/g), sural nerves (3.5 micrograms/g), and spinal ganglia (3.8 micrograms/g), but lower in brain (0.17 microgram/g). This may explain the cisplatin toxicity of peripheral nerves with relative sparing of the central nervous system.

Adult

Meningeal carcinomatosis from an ovarian primary: a clinicopathologic study.

Meningeal carcinomatosis due to primary ovarian carcinoma is an uncommon metastasis that presents difficult problems in diagnosis and management of patients known to have this disease. There is evidence that extended survival due to advances in treatment of ovarian carcinoma has improved our ability to diagnose meningeal carcinomatosis of this tumor more often. Herein the first case of meningeal metastasis of primary ovarian cancer with cytologic and postmortem examination is discussed.

Adenocarcinoma