Mammalian cadherin-6 (K-cadherin, cad6) was originally identified by means of the polymerase chain reaction, but its biological functions have not yet been determined. We analyzed the expression pattern of the mouse homologue of this cadherin during development and found that it was transiently expressed in restricted rhombomeres and in other subdivisions of the neural plate and tube. In the midbrain and anterior hindbrain of E8.0-8.5 embryos, cad6 was expressed only in neural crest-generating regions. In contrast, in the posterior hindbrain and contiguous spinal cord of these embryos, cad6 occurred throughout the neural plate, forming a sharp anterior limit at the future rhombomere 4 and 5 boundary. Subsequently, this neural plate expression became confined to rhombomere 6, although most of the neural crest-generating areas remained positive throughout the body. Neural crest cells expressing cad6 migrated out of the neural tube, and subsequently accumulated mainly along peripheral nerves. We then studied the effect of Hoxa-1 mutation on the expression of cad6, as their expressions spatiotemporally overlapped with each other in the early posterior hindbrain. In E8.0-8.5 Hoxa-1 mutants, cad6 expression was suppressed in the region of rhombomeres 4 to 6, although that in the other regions was not essentially affected. At later stages, however, cad6-positive crest cells appeared and migrated out of rhombomeres 4 to 6, indicating that the suppression of cad6 expression was transient and restricted to early stages. Importantly, this effect of the Hoxa-1 mutation concurred with the timing of the expression of this gene. We also studied Hoxa-3 mutants, but found no effect of this mutation on the cad6 expression pattern. These findings suggest that cad6 may contribute to the formation of the segmental structure of the early brain through its ability to confer specific adhesiveness on cells and that Hoxa-1 may be required for early cad6 expression in the posterior hindbrain.

We studied the disposition of cyclosporine (CyA) in 8 living related donor partial liver transplant recipients (patient A-H). CyA blood levels were determined by fluorescence polarization immunoassay with specific monoclonal antibody (m-FPIA) and fluorescence polarization immunoassay with non-specific polyclonal antibody (p-FPIA). The ratio of the blood levels of CyA determined by p-FPIA to those by m-FPIA varied significantly, because the levels determined by p-FPIA were influenced by the function of graft liver. Thus, the levels of CyA determined by p-FPIA could not be used for the adjustment of CyA dose. The CyA dose ratios [DR; CyA blood level (mg/l)/dose (mg/kg)] of 3 in 8 patients were relatively large in 1-4 d after the transplant operation, however, it decreased within 2-5 d after the operation. CyA DR gradually increased from 5-8 d after the transplantation, and it reached to a maximum in 10-13 d in 5 patients to whom CyA was administered intravenously over 12 d after transplantation. The average ratio of DR in oral administration to that in intravenous one was about 43%. CyA bioavailability in the patient of living related partial liver transplantation was as usual as that in other organ transplant patient except for cadaveric liver transplant patients. The average DR of intravenous CyA administration in liver transplant recipients was 1.5 times larger than that in bone marrow transplant patients. CyA disposition had large inter-individual and intra-individual variation, and CyA blood level and DR varied in clinical time course at least within 1.5 month after operation. Therefore, it is necessary to measure CyA blood level frequently and to adjust CyA dose.