The diminished cardiac performance in severe thyrotoxicosis. Parabolic correlation of LVET/PEP to the circulating levels of thyroid hormones

Fifteen patients with thyrotoxicosis, 8 patients with primary hypothyroidism and 15 normal subjects were studied to assess the correlation between systolic time intervals and serum levels of thyroid hormones. In hypothyroid patients, prolongation of PEPc (corrected pre-ejection period), shortening of LVETc (corrected left ventricular ejection time) and low values of LVET/PEP ratio and cardiac output were improved after restoration of thyroid function. In thyrotoxic patients, shortening of PEPc, high values of LVET/PEP ratio and cardiac output were normalized after correction of thyroid function. As contrasted with these observations, in 5 severely thyrotoxic patients, low values of LVET/PEP ratio and cardiac output for thyrotoxicosis were observed; these were not significantly decreased after antithyroid drug treatment, but appeared to have a tendency to increase. Performing polynomial regression analysis, a significant parabolic correlation was found between LVET/PEP and serum T4 or T3 (p less than 0.0001). From these results, it might be concluded that large amounts of thyroid hormones suppress cardiac performance.

[Studies on cefotaxime (HR 756) concentration in human biliary tract and clinical effect for acute or subacute cholecystitis with cholelithiasis (author's transl)]

A new antibiotic drug of cephalosporin with marked resistance to beta-lactamase, cefotaxime (HR 756) for parenteral use in 8 patients with acute or subacute cholecystitis with cholelithiasis. Cefotaxime was administrated by intravenous injection or drip infusion at a daily dose of 1-4 g. Clinical response was excellent in 1 case, good in 7 cases, and fair or poor was none. Clinical adverse effect was not recognized. Cefotaxime in a dose of 1 g was given intravenously during operation to those same 8 patients. Tissue specimens of different places were taken from removed organs. The materials of A-bile and B-bile were subsequently taken at intervals. Determination of cefotaxime concentration was performed according to the bioassay method with Micrococcus luteus ATCC 9341 strain. Cefotaxime concentrations in the A-bile increased gradually until 1 hour after the intravenous administration. Cefotaxime was observed in the B-bile through the gallbladder wall after the intravenous injection.

Studies on the specific interaction of concanavalin A and saccharides by affinity chromatography. Application of quantitative affinity chromatography to a multivalent system

Quantitative affinity chromatography of concanavalin A (Con A) was studied in order to clarify its mechanism of saccharide binding. Another aim of this work was to confirm the validity of frontal affinity chromatography, which we have developed for the study of specific interactions, for multivalent systems. Since Cona A exists as either a dimer or a tetramer, it is a suitable multivalent test system. Immobilized p-aminophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (AP beta-Glc Sepharose) was prepared and the interactions of homogeneous preparations of Con A with this affinity adsorbent were analyzed. Experiments were carried out under conditions where Con a exists as the dimer (5 degrees C, pH 7.9, I=0.19). The intrinsic dissociation constant of Con A for the immobilized ligand (Kd) could be determined from the extent of retardation. alpha-Con A (intact Con A) had a stronger affinity than beta-Con A. Changes in pH and ionic strength had different effects on the affinity of alpha- and beta-Con A. The dissociation constants of soluble saccharides and their derivatives (counter ligands) for Con A (K1) could be determined from their ability to diminish the elution volume of Con A. K1 values of various monosaccharides for beta-Con A including those having very weak affinity, were determined. Further, the K1 values of a series of glucobioses were determined and compared. It was found that the binding mode of the reducing terminal glucose residue must be taken into account. The results are discussed in relation to their configurations. Frontal affinity chromatography proved to be very useful as a tool to analyze specific interactions in multivalent systems.

[Production and localization of human prolactin in the tissues associated with pregnancy (Report I) (author's transl)]

In the present paper, the authors studied the production and localization of human prolactin from normal human chorionic tissue and decidua in early pregnancy (from the 7th to the 9th week after last menstruation) obtained either by curettage or hysterectomy. Immunohistological investigation by the fluorescent antibody technique using human prolactin specific antiserum prepared by the immunization of rabbits revealed that syncytial trophoblast was a production site of prolactin. Though prolactin was recognized in compact layers of parietal decidua, it was concerned not with production but solely with deposition in intercellular space which was widened edematously with the existence of a collagen-like substance. By double staining method of the fluorescent antibody technique, prolactin could be differentiated with both hCG and hPL in syncytial trophoblast.

[A clinical evaluation of the increased serum myoglobin: creatine phosphokinase and lactic dehydrogenase in patients with thyroid disorders (author's transl)]

Since muscle dysfunction is frequently associated with a hypothyroid state, many clinical reports have indicated that serum enzyme activities derived from the muscle such as creatine phosphokinase (CPK), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and glutamic-oxaloacetic transamynase (GOT) are elevated. These enzyme activities in the serum of hyperthyroidism, euthyroidism and hypothyrodism have been known to have a good inverse correlation with protein-bound iodine (PBI). Therefore, as part of a study of the relationship between thyroid states and muscle tissue, values of serum myoblobin (Mb) were measured by RIA. The values of Mb in untreated hyperthyroidism were significantly lower (P<0.01) and, in untreated hypothyroidism, Mb values were significantly higher (p<0.001) than in normal subjects. There was a significant inverse correlation (p<0.01) between T4 or T3 concentration and Mb levels in these subjects. The relationship found between either Mb and LDH or Mb and CPK was also studied in the present study, and it was found that Mb significantly correlated to both LDH and CPK (P<0.001). Abnormalities of these enzyme levels in serum returned to the normal range rapidly after the correction of the abnormal thyroid states in each patient.

[Dopaminergic control of aldosterone secretion in man (author's transl)]

To evaluate the dopaminergic control of aldosterone secretion, the following experiments were performed on 10 normal subjects (3 men and 7 women, aged 21 approximately 69 yrs.), 16 diabetics (8 men and 8 women, aged 20 approximately 74 yrs.) and 7 patients with untreated hyperthyroidism (2 men and 5 women aged 16 approximately 58 yrs.). Blood samples were withdrawn from an intravenous cannula indwelled in an antecubital vein at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min after intravenous injection of 10mg metoclopramide with a volus. Plasma aldosterone levels and plasma renin activities (PRA) were measured by radioimmunoassay. In normal subjects, plasma aldosterone levels were significantly increased from basal levels of 111.8 +/- 1.3 Opg/ml (Mean +/- S.E.) to 183.4 +/- 23.3pg/ml 15 min after an intravenous injection of metoclopramide and were sustained for about 90 min. This increase induced by metoclopramide was, however, abolished by pretreatment with 2.5mg of bromocriptine. It is suggested that metoclopramide and bromocriptine are in a competitive relationship at the level of dopaminergic receptor. In diabetics, the mean plasma level of aldosterone was as low as 66.3 +/- 8.7pg/ml, which was significantly lower than that in normal subjects (p less than 0.01), and aldosterone response to metoclopramide was significantly diminished. Although this tendency was more apparent in diabetics with such complications as neuropathy or retinopathy, aldosterone response to metoclopramide implied that aldosterone secretion was under dopaminergic inhibition in this hypoaldosteronemic state. While aldosterone responded well to metoclopramide, PRA was not significantly altered in this treatment in normal subjects and diabetics. In patients with untreated hyperthyroidism, aldosterone response was similar to that in normal subjects.

Effects of propylthiouracil and relatively small doses of iodide on early phase treatment of hyperthyroidism

In order to compare the acute effects of three methods of treatment in hyperthyroid patients with diffuse goitre, values of thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) in serum, T3-resin uptake (T3-U), free thyroxine index (FT4I) and free triiodothyronine index (FT3I) were employed as thyroid function parameters. In iodide (I-) group given iodine (3 or 6 mg/day) as iodinated lecithine once daily, the parameters were reduced acutely within one week after the start of treatment, reaching a plateau during the next week. In contrast to the changes in I- group, the thyroid function was decreased gradually and consistently for two weeks in the propylthiouracil (PTU 300 mg/day) group. In PT1+I- (300 mg/PTU plus 3 or 6 mg/iodide/day) group, the parameters were reduced acutely and progressively for two weeks. These results indicate that PTU+I- therapy is much more effective than PTU or I- alone in early phase treatment of hyperthyroidism. Another new finding was that the thyroid function increased again during the later addition of PTU (300 mg/day) in the patients treated with I- (3 or 6 mg/day) for one or two weeks. The well-known escape phenomenon from iodide inhibition took place counteracted the effect of PTU. Since blocking of thyroidal secretion by I- is only transient while synthesis of T3 and T4 continues, leading to greater amount of hormone stored in the gland, the treatment of hyperthyroidism with I- alone is a risky procedure.

Glycine stimulated growth hormone release in man

The influence of glycine, the simplest amino acid, on pituitary function has been investigated in the present study. Different doses (4, 8, or 12 g) of glycine were intravenously infused over 15 or 30 min in normal subjects. Serum levels of GH (growth hormone) and Prl (prolactin) were measured before and after the infusion, and also blood sugar levels were determined. The dose of 4 or 8 g glycine induced a significant increase in serum GH (P less than 0.05 or P less than 0.001, respectively); however, a more pronounced and significant increase in serum GH levels was observed after infusion at a dose of 12 g glycine (P less than 0.001). It was clearly observed that the dose-dependent GH release to intravenous glycine occurred in normal subjects. On the contrary, serum Prl level was not changed significantly, and blood sugar level was transiently, but significantly (P less than 0.05), increased after the infusion of 12 g glycine. The present data suggest that glycine might play an important role in the control of hypothalamic-pituitary function.

[Establishment of a colony of Japanese white rabbits free from coccidia and their breeding performance (author's transl)]

A colony of rabbits free from coccidia was established in 1974 by weaning young at 25 days of age from dams infected with coccidia. Until now Bordetella, Pasteurella and Psoroptes cuniculi have not been detected either, and neither diarrhea nor death has occurred in weanlings of the colony. However, the mortality of sucklings was significantly high owing to cannibalism and tread by their dams. The weaning rate was effectively improved by use of a large nursing cage (3,100 cm2) and sterilized hay on a stainless steel mesh floor of the nursing cage.

Serum myoglobin level in altered thyroid states

Serum myoglobin (Mb) levels were measured in normal, hyperthyroid, and hypothyroid subjects by RIA. Serum Mb levels were significantly higher (P less than 0.001) in untreated hypothyroid patients and significantly lower (P less than 0.01) in untreated hyperthyroid patients than in normal subjects. There was a significant inverse correlation (P less than 0.01) between serum T4 or T3 levels and Mb levels in these subjects. Serum Mb levels were normalized after correction of the abnormal thyroid states.

Specific isolation of biologically-active peptides by means of immobilized anhydrotrypsin and anhydrochymotrypsin

Anhydrotrypsin, a derivative of bovine trypsin, immobilized on Sepharose tightly adsorbs various peptides containing L-arginine at the carboxyl termini, such as bradykinin and tuftsin. These peptides correspond to the specific products of the action of trypsin-like enzymes. Native trypsin immobilized on Sepharose does not show such strong affinity. Fragment 2, a peptide with 41 amino acid residues, which has been released together with bradykinin from bovine high-molecular-weight kininogen by the action of plasm kallikrein, is also adsorbed on the immobilized anhydrotrypsin. When only the carboxyl-terminal arginine is removed with carboxy-peptidase B, however, the peptide loses its adsorptive ability. Immobilized anhydrochymotrypsin, on the other hand, exerts specific affinity for the peptides which correspond to the products of chymotrypsin. These results suggest that the anhydro-derivatives of serine-proteseas in general may be of great use in the affinity chromatography of respective series of various naturally occurring peptides.

Studies on the interaction of immobilized trypsin and specific ligands by quantitative affinity chromatography

The interaction of beta-trypsin [EC 3.4.21.4] immobilized on Sepharose with competitive inhibitors was quantitatively studied by frontal affinity chromatography. Analysis of the dependence of the elution volume of an inhibitor on its initial concentration gave two important parameters. One is the dissociation constant (Kd) of the immobilized trypsin-inhibitor complex, and the other is the total amount of trypsin retaining binding ability that is present in the column (Bt). Experiments using benzamidine showed that frontal affinity chromatography is a theoretically simple system and can be treated in the same way as enzyme kinetics. The Kd value obtained for benzamidine was very similar to the Ki value. The Bt value corresponded to 73% of the immobilized trypsin. These results suggest that the function of trypsin was hardly affected by the immobilization. Results obtained with beta-naphthamidine were somewhat less satisfactory, probably due to a considerable non-specific interaction. In the case of proflavine, analysis was almost impossible due to extremely strong non-specific interaction. This procedure is very useful to analyze specific interactions if non-specific interactions are not significant. The basic features of frontal affinity chromatography are discussed.

Affinity chromatography of trypsin and related enzymes. V. Basic studies of quantitative affinity chromatography

A detailed study of the quantitative affinity chromatography of trypsin [EC 3.4.21.4] is reported here. Frontal chromatography using an enzyme solution of very low concentration on an affinity adsorbent gave the dissociation constant of the enzyme-immobilized ligand complex (Kd). Kd values determined under various conditions enabled us to discuss in detail the interaction of trypsin and affinity adsorbents (mainly Gly-Gly-Arg Sepharose). The pH dependence of Kd was consistent with that of the interaction of trypsin and product-type compounds. The effects of changes in temperature, ionic strength, dielectric constant, etc., were also studied. The Ki values of soluble competitive inhibitors can be determined by analysis of their effects on the elution volume of the enzyme. The values obtained were in good agreement with those obtained by kinetic analysis. The present method proved to be useful as a general procedure to investigate the interaction of a protein and a specific ligand.

Studies on sheep kidney nuclease. I. An improved purification method and some properties

An improved purification method of the sheep kidney nuclease (nuclease SK) specific for single-strans nucleic acid, which includes extraction with 0.85% NaCl, treatment with DEAE-cellulose, fractionation with polyethylene glycol, phospho-cellulose chromatography, CM-Sephadex chromatography and phospho-cellulose rechromatography is described. The nuclease was purified approx. 390-fold. Identity was established by comparison with known properties. Molecular weight was estimated to be 52 000-53 000 by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The properties of the purified enzyme agreed well those reported previously. The purified enzyme hydrolyzed heat-denatured calf thymus DNA, yeast RNA and no hydrolytic activity for native calf thymus DNA, A2'-pA, A3'-pA, ADP, ATP, 5'-AMP and cyclic AMP.

A case of pituitary apoplexy with spontaneous recovery

A patient, 38-year-old man, with hemorrhage into a prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma, or pituitary apoplexy, is reported. On his admission, clinical examinations revealed typical stigmata indicating that he suffered from an acute attack of pituitary apoplexy probably induced by acute meningitis. He survived the acute attack and recovered spontaneously without an urgent operation. Although there was no suspicious sign and symptom of hypopituitarism, the first study performed immediately after the attack suggested strongly that hypopituitarism might acutely developed during the hemorrhage into the tumor. Moreover, the follow-up studies indicated that TSH, LH and ADH recovered spontaneously from the initial damage following the resorption of hemorrhage for the next 3 months.

Stimulatory effect of glycine on human growth hormone secretion

Glycine (250 ml 0.3 M glycine) was administered orally to 19 nonobese normal subjects and 12 subjects with partial gastrectomy. In the normal subjects, a clear and significant increase of serum human growth hormone (hGH) level was observed (p less than 0.001), whereas serum immunoreactive insulin (IRI), prolactin (PRL) and blood sugar (BS) levels were not affected after the drug administration. A more pronounced and significant increase of hGH value in serum was found in the subjects with gastrectomy than in the normal controls (p less than 0.001). Thus we administered the drug intraduodenally in normal subjects. The similar rise of hGH to that of the gastrectomied group was obtained in normals by this administration. The facts demonstrated that glycine is one of the stimulatory agents inducing the pituitary gland to secrete hGH. In addition, in nonobese diabetics, no significant increase of serum hGH level, even after the intraduodenal administration of glycine, was observed in the present study.

Cephalosporins. I. Cephaloglycin analogs with six-membered heterocycles in the C-3 side chain

Cephaloglycin analogs with six-membered heterocycles in the C-3 side chain have been prepared by nucleophilic substitution of 7-aminocephalosporanic acid with appropriate azine thiols followed by 7-N-acylation with phenylglycine by the mixed anhydride method. Seventeen thiols of non-substituted or substituted pyridines, pyridazines, pyrimidines, pyrazines and triazines were used as the S-nucleophiles. In general, pyridazine thiols gave cephalosporins processing good antimicrobial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Among them 6-hydroxypyridazine-3-thiol gave the most active compound of this series, BB-S 118 (1f), which was significantly more active than cephalexin and cephaloglycin in vitro against gram-positive and gram negative bacteria.

Preferential renal excretion of iodide derived from thyroxine and triiodothyronine deiodination in man

Tracer doses of 131I- (Carrier free), 131I-T3 and 131-T4 were administered po to 19 healthy male volunteers at intervals 2 to 8 weeks to study whether or not part of the iodide generated in the kidney from T3 and T4 deiodination may enter the renal tubular lumen and be excreted in the urine without entering the blood stream. U(urine)/T(thyroid) ratios of the radioactivity from these materials were employed as the index of the comparison. U/T ratios were severalfold higher 24 h after 131I-T3 or 131I-T4 administration than after 131I-. The data indicate that the 131I- derived from T3 and T4 metabolism is more readily excreted into urine than 131I- which reaches the kidney as inorganic iodide.

Clinical study on early changes in thyroid function of hyperthyroidism treated with propylthiouracil and a relatively small dose of iodide

In order to compare the acute effects of three kinds of antithyroid agents of iodide (I-), propylthiouracil (PTU) and PTU combined with iodide (PTU+I-) on thyroid function in hyperthyroid patients with diffuse goiter, serum concentrations of thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), T3-resin sponge uptake (T3-RU) and free thyroxine index (FT4I) were employed as thyroid function parameters. In the group given iodine (1 mg/day) as iodinated-lecithine, the initial values of T4, T3, T3-RU and FT4I were 20.9 +/- 1.6 microng/100 ml (T4), greater than 740 ng/100 ml (T3), 49.5 +/- 2.3% (T3-RU) and 14.7 +/- 1.8 (FT4I). At the end of one week of therapy, they decreased clearly to 15.6 +/- 2.2 microng/100 ml, 457 +/- 87 ng/100 ml, 42.2 +/- 4.0% and 9.7 +/- 2.4. The so-called "escape phenomenon" from iodide inhibition was observed in serum T4, T3-RU and FT4I values at the end of two weeks of iodide therapy, while serum T3 continued to decrease but the value of T3 was far outside of the normal range. In the PTU group (300 mg/day), thyroid function parameters were 22.5 +/- 0.8 microng/100 ml (T4), greater than 592 ng/100 ml (T3), 54.9 +/- 1.0% (T3-RU) and 18.7 +/- 1.0 (FT4I) before treatment. They decreased continually week by week. At the end of four-week treatment with PTU, the value of each thyroid function parameter was 11.1 +/- 1.9 microng/100 ml, 229 +/- 56 ng/100 ml, 36.6 +/- 4.4% and 5.7 +/- 1.7. In the group of hyperthyroidism simultaneously given both PTU and iodide (300 mg/PTU and 1 mg/iodine), these thyroid function parameters decreased as well as in the group treated with PTU alone for more than two weeks. More rapid or significant decrease of T4, T3, T3-RU and ft4i in PTU+I- group than in PTU group was observed in the present study. These results suggested strongly that iodide alone was not an adequate therapy for hyperthyroidism as well known and they were also compatible with the idea that the concomitant administration of PTU and iodide was more effective in the early phase of therapy of hyperthyroidism than PTU alone.

Affinity chromatography of trypsin and related enzymes. I. Preparation and characteristics of an affinity adsorbent containing tryptic peptides from protamine as ligands

An absorbent for the affinity chromatography of trypsin [EC 3.4.21.4] (AP Sepharose) was prepared. The ligand was a mixture of oligopeptides (mainly di- and tripeptides) containing L-arginine as carboxyl termini, and was obtained from a tryptic digest of protamine. Trypsin was absorbed at relatively low pH (7-4), but was not absorbed at the optimum pH of catalysis (8.2). This was clearly explained on the basis of the pH dependence of the interaction of trypsin with its products. Inactivated trypsin, trypsinogen, and chymotrypsin were not absorbed. The absorption of active trypsin was interferred with by either benzamidine or urea. From these observations, it is evident that AP Sepharose is an affinity adsorbent. AP Sepharose was useful for purification of commercial bovine trypsin. A preliminary application for the purification of Streptomyces griseus trypsin was also successful.

[A low response of pituitary growth hormone secretion in the patient with diabetes mellitus after intravenous administration of L-dopa (author's transl)]

Recently, L-dopa has been known as one of drugs to stimulate the secretion of growth hormone from the pituitary gland through dopamine, which is a metabolic of L-dopa, without any changes of serum insulin levels, blood sugar values, fatty acids and amino acids concentrations in the serum of human being. The present study was thus designed to assess the effect of L-dopa on the pituitary gland to secrete the growth hormone in the normal subject and the study was further extended to compare the response of the pituitary secretion of the growth hormone following the administration of L-dopa between in the patient with diabetes mellitus and in the normal subject. In the present experiment, 5 normal subjects and 11 diabetes mellitus without obesity were employed and they received a 30 min infusion of 200 mg L-dopa dissolved in 200 ml physiological saline. In normal subjects, serum growth hormone concentration measured by radio-immunoassay was started to increase within 10 min after L-dopa administration and maximum value of serum growth hormone was obtained 60 min after the drug, mean values of it, 30 ng/ml of serum. Then it was declined sharply upto the values of 2-3 ng/ml. In the patients with diabetes mellitus, on the other hand, maximum value of serum concentration of the growth hormone was only approximately 5 ng/ml of serum obtained between 45 and 75 min after the administration of L-dopa. No changes in the serum concentration of IRI (Immunoreactive insulin) and of blood sugar values were observed by the infusion of L-dopa in both normal subjects and diabetes mellitus. From the above mentioned facts, it was concluded that the ability of pituitary gland to secrete the growth hormone was considerably impaired in diabetics when it was compared with normal subjects.