Adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATLL) is a group of T-cell malignancies caused by infection with human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I). Although the pathogenesis of ATLL remains incompletely understood, the viral regulatory protein Tax is centrally involved in cellular transformation. Here we describe the generation of HTLV-I Tax transgenic mice using the Lck proximal promoter to restrict transgene expression to developing thymocytes. After prolonged latency periods, transgenic mice developed diffuse large-cell lymphomas and leukemia with clinical, pathological and immunological features characteristic of acute ATLL. Transgenic mice were functionally immunocompromised and they developed opportunistic infections. Fulminant disease also developed rapidly in SCID mice after engraftment of lymphomatous cells from transgenic mice. Flow cytometry showed that the cells were CD4(-) and CD8(-), but CD44(+), CD25(+) and cytoplasmic CD3(+). This phenotype is indicative of a thymus-derived pre-T-cell phenotype, and disease development was associated with the constitutive activation of NF-kappaB. Our model accurately reproduces human disease and will provide a tool for analysis of the molecular events in transformation and for the development of new therapeutics.

We synthesized a galactose derivative, N-octyl-4-epi-␤-valienamine (NOEV), for a molecular therapy (chemical chaperone therapy) of a human neurogenetic disease, ␤-galactosidosis (GM1-gangliosidosis and Morquio B disease). It is a potent inhibitor of lysosomal ␤-galactosidase in vitro. Addition of NOEV in the culture medium restored mutant enzyme activity in cultured human or murine fibroblasts at low intracellular concentrations, resulting in a marked decrease of intracellular substrate storage. Short-term oral administration of NOEV to a model mouse of juvenile G M1-gangliosidosis, expressing a mutant enzyme protein R201C, resulted in significant enhancement of the enzyme activity in the brain and other tissues. Immunohistochemical stain revealed a decrease in the amount of G M1 and GA1 in neuronal cells in the fronto-temporal cerebral cortex and brainstem. However, mass biochemical analysis did not show the substrate reduction observed histochemically in these limited areas in the brain probably because of the brief duration of this investigation. Chemical chaperone therapy may be useful for certain patients with ␤-galactosidosis and potentially other lysosomal storage diseases with central nervous system involvement.

Here we report that the lifespan of mice cloned from somatic cells is significantly shorter than that of genotype- and sex-matched controls, most likely due to severe pneumonia and hepatic failure. This finding demonstrates the possibility of long-term deleterious effects of somatic-cell cloning, even after normal birth.

Photoreduction of carbon dioxide (C02) to formate (HCOz-) can be achieved by UV-irradiation of the system involving phenazine (Phen) as a photosensitizer, a cobalt complex of cyclam (Co"'L, L = cyclam = 1,4,8,-1 1-tetraazacyclotetradecane) as an electron mediator, and triethylamine (TEA) as an electron donor. Reduction products from the system are HC02-and a small quantity of CO and H2. The quantum yield is 0.07 for the formation of HC02-at 1 = 313 nm. Preferential electron transfer from the photoformed radical anion of phenazine (Phen'-) to Co'I'L is confirmed by EPR analysis and the reaction between Phen'-and Co"'L with a second-order rate constant, k = 4.3 x lo9 M-' s-I. The resulting Co"L reacts with phenazinyl radical, giving [CoL(H)I2+ by hydrogen transfer from phenazinyl radical. The effective insertion of a C02 molecule into [CoL(H)I2+ yields HC02-selectively.

Abnormalities of extracellular matrix (ECM) metabolism, i.e., overproduction and/or inhibition of ECM breakdown, may contribute to progression of fibrotic degeneration in the kidney. Earlier studies revealed that major ECM components, type I, III, and IV collagens, etc., were accumulated in glomeruli and tubulointerstitium in kidneys of Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) derived glomerulonephritis (ICGN) mice which are a novel inbred strain of mice with a hereditary nephrotic syndrome of unknown etiology and are considered to be a good model of human idiopathic nephrotic syndrome. In the present study, we compared the activities of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a family of enzymes that degrade ECM components, in the kidneys of aged ICGN mice and age-matched ICR mice as normal controls. We biochemically measured interstitial collagenase (MMP-1), gelatinase (MMP-2 and MMP-9), and stromelysin (MMP-3) activities in the kidney tissues. Lower activities of MMP-1 and MMP-2 and MMP-9 were demonstrated in the kidneys of ICGN mice as compared with those of ICR mice, but there were no significant differences in the MMP-3 activities between these strains. These results show that decreased MMP activities cause abnormal accumulation of ECM in ICGN mouse kidneys.