ABSTRACT. Relationships between female reproductive performance and uterine natural killer (uNK) cells were investigated in pregnant IL-2 receptor β-chain overexpressed transgenic (Tg2Rβ) mice. At 8 days of pregnancy, all fetuses were alive, suggesting that implantation normally occurred in these mice. However, 47% of fetuses were dead at 10 days of pregnancy and at 12 days all fetuses were resorbing, indicating that fetal loss progressed with the advance of pregnancy. The placenta of Tg2Rβ mice gradually decreased in weight with the advance of pregnancy. At 10 days the placental labyrinth, decidua basalis, and metrial gland in Tg2Rβ mice were poorly developed, and more uNK cells were found in Tg2Rβ mice than in the control mice. We propose that Tg2Rβ mice are the first and interesting model that uNK cells can cause abortion, to clarify the involvement of uNK cell function in female reproductive performance. KEY WORDS: IL-2 receptor β-chain overexpression, placenta, transgenic mouse.

Abstract.To understand the role of IGF-I in murine pregnancy, we studied the reproductive performance of IGF-I overexpressed mice. Fetal loss occurred only in the transfected uterine horn during Day 10-15 of pregnancy. The placenta appeared healthy until Day 10 of pregnancy. From Day 12, the decidua basalis of the transfected horn increased in thickness. The vascular lumen was expanded, and most of embryos were dead. Uterine Natural Killer cells did not undergo apoptosis from Day 10 to Day 15 when they usually go through apoptosis. Thus, it is likely that IGF-I plays a role in the decidual formation through regulation of uNK cells. This is the first report to demonstrate that IGF-I overexpression can cause fetal loss during murine placentation.

Abstract. We previously reported that all fetuses died or were resorbed on day 12 of pregnancy (Day 1=the day of plug) in interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor β-chain overexpressed transgenic (Tg2Rβ) mice. In this study, to clarify the role of uterine natural killer (uNK) cells in pregnancy, the ultrastructure of Tg2Rβ mouse uNK cells was analyzed using a transmission electron microscope. uNK cells and their granules on day 10 of pregnancy were larger in Tg2Rβ mice than control mice, indicating that differentiation of uNK cells in Tg2Rβ mice progressed rapidly. Additionally, the granules of uNK cells in Tg2Rβ mice on day 10 of pregnancy had an irregular morphology. The multivesicular regions were present in the cap structure of these granules, suggesting that the uNK cells of the Tg2Rβ mice had cytotoxic activity.

Hepatic subcapsular steatosis in a patient with insulin dependent diabetes receiving dialysis the steatosis would cause swelling of the hepatocytes which could then further compromise the blood supply. This hypothesis is unlikely in this case as over 90% of the liver capsule was affected.

Abstract.To analyze the function of heat shock protein (HSP) in spermatogenesis, rat suppressor of potassium transport defect 3 (SKD3) cDNA, a novel member of the HSP family, was cloned in rat testis, and its expression and localization was investigated in rat testis at the mRNA and protein levels. The cDNA and predicted amino acid sequence of rat SKD3 showed approximately 95.6% and 97.0% homology, respectively, with mouse SKD3. All motifs recognized in mouse were conserved in rat. SKD3 mRNA (2.3 kbs) was restricted to the testis among the tissues investigated. SKD3 mRNA was detected by in situ hybridization in spermatogonia, spermatocytes, Leydig cells, and Sertoli cells. Immunoreactive SKD3 from whole rat testis and a Leydig cell line (LC540) was seen at 76 kDa by Western blotting. SKD3 immunoreactive cells were Leydig and Sertoli cells. Although the cellular localizations of SKD3 mRNA and protein were somewhat inconsistent, rat SKD3 cDNA was characterized and various expression patterns of SKD3 mRNA and protein in rat testis were revealed in the present study.