Enhancement of UDP-glucuronyltransferase, UDP-glucose dehydrogenase, and glutathione S-transferase activities in rat liver by dietary administration of eugenol

Male Fisher rats were fed a diet ad lib. containing eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) to observe its effects on liver drug-detoxifying enzymes such as UDP-glucuronyltransferase (GT), UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (DH) and glutathione S-transferase (GST). Liver weights were not affected significantly by a diet containing 3% eugenol (w/w) for 13 weeks. The activities of GT of liver microsomes toward various xenobiotic substances such as 4-nitrophenol, 1-naphthol, 4-hydroxybiphenyl and 4-methylumbelliferone were enhanced by dietary administration of eugenol, but the activity of GT toward its endogenous substrate, bilirubin, was not changed. Dose-response relationships between the enhancement of GT activities toward these xenobiotics and the dose of eugenol were observed. The induced higher activities of GT toward these xenobiotics were maintained during 13 weeks of eugenol treatment. Similar results on DH and GST activities in the liver cytosol were obtained by dietary administration of eugenol, while no effect on cytochrome P-450 content in the liver microsomes from the rats fed the eugenol diet was observed during 13 weeks. These results suggest that the intracellular content of the active intermediates of various drugs or carcinogens would be reduced by this specific enhancement of drug-detoxifying enzymes in the liver of rats given a diet containing eugenol, as previously described for a diet containing 2(3)-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (BHA) [Y-N. Cha and H. S. Heine, Cancer Res. 42, 2609 (1982)].

Vertebral aneurysm of the neck

We recently encountered a case of a huge vertebral aneurysm involving the entire right neck, extending from the clavicle to the mandibular area. The patient had undergone laminectomy of the cervical spine at age 45 for neuritis or spinal caries. This operative procedure apparently caused a small vertebral laceration and produced the giant aneurysm. The aneurysm was resected under hypothermia in order to protect the brain. One vertebral artery was ligated, but cerebral damage did not occur. Only a few cases of huge aneurysms extending from the clavicle to the mandible have been reported in the literature.

Effect of aortocoronary bypass surgery on coronary circulation and myocardial metabolism during atrial pacing

Eleven patients with coronary heart disease, in whom at least one of several bypass grafts to the left coronary artery was patent, were selected for the study. The hemodynamics, coronary sinus blood flow, myocardial oxygen consumption, and myocardial lactate metabolism were evaluated at rest and during atrial pacing stress test before and after surgery. There were no significant improvements in the cardiac index, pulmonary arterial end-diastolic pressure, and left ventricular ejection fraction after aortocoronary bypass surgery. However, significant improvement of coronary sinus blood flow, myocardial oxygen consumption, and myocardial lactate extraction and consumption were found during postoperative atrial pacing compared with the preoperative findings. These results suggest that successful bypass grafting may improve myocardial lactate metabolism in ischemic lesions and contribute to the postoperative relief of angina.

[Tolerance and plasticity against the intracranial pressure in cases of chronic subdural hematoma in the aged brain]

A consecutive series of 94 patients with chronic subdural hematomas (CSDHs) was studied on compensation against intracranial pressure and tolerance, and plasticity from compression of CSDHs, comparing between 47 cases of the aged group over 70 years of age and 47 cases of the younger group under 69 years of age. Better compensation from compression of CSDHs in the aged group was demonstrated from the fact those of long duration from impact to onset of symptoms, few cases with signs of chronic intracranial hypertension and volume of hematoma over 100 ml. But, when CSDHs progressed over 100 ml in size, this compensation mechanism and also tolerance against increased intracranial pressure were deprived. Disturbance of consciousness and anisocoria were shown much more in the aged group on admission. Patients in the aged group demonstrated reduced brain reexpansion and poor clinical recovery during 3 months after surgery. CT performed on 3 months after surgery demonstrated persisting subdural fluid in 63% of cases in the aged group comparing with 8% of those in the younger group. There was significant difference about morbidity between two groups. These study suggests that the plasticity and elastance in the aged brain reduce because of brain atrophy and impairment of cerebral blood flow, then brain reexpansion and clinical improvement may participate in delay regardless of release from compression of CSDHs. It may be urged that the critical age maintaining the plasticity of the brain in cases with SDHs in 75 years of age.

Suppressed mutagenicity of benzo[a]pyrene by the liver S9 fraction and microsomes from eugenol-treated rats

The mutagenicity of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) in the Ames test using liver S9 fraction prepared from rats pretreated with eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) was suppressed to a lower level than that obtained using liver S9 from untreated rats. There was a reverse correlation between the mutagenicity of B[a]P and the dose of eugenol administered to the animals. Similarly suppressed mutagenicity was observed when liver microsomes, instead of the S9 fraction, were used in the Ames test. The mutagenic activity of B[a]P and arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) could not be inhibited by the direct addition of eugenol into the assay mixtures. In eugenol-treated microsomes, cytochrome P-450 content, AHH activity and total B[a]P hydroxylase activity were decreased to 81, 29 and 48% of the control values, respectively. The mutagenicity of B[a]P catalyzed by microsomes from rats fed ad libitum on a diet containing 5% eugenol in the Ames test was significantly decreased. AHH activity and total B[a]P hydroxylase activity were also decreased in these liver microsomes. These results indicate that the activation of B[a]P in rat liver by cytochrome P-450, which metabolizes B[a]P to ultimate mutagens or carcinogens, is reduced by the administration of eugenol.

A quantitative assay for the detection of hepatitis B virus DNA employing a biotin-labeled DNA probe and the avidin-beta-galactosidase complex

We have developed a procedure for the quantitation of specific DNA which employs nonradioisotopic probes and beta-galactosidase as a detector. The sample DNA was immobilized on a nitrocellulose filter paper. After the filter paper had been processed to hybridization with a biotinylated probe DNA, the paper was incubated with avidin-beta-galactosidase complex. The optimum ratio of avidin to biotinylated beta-galactosidase for preparation of a complex between the two was determined. The filter paper was punched. Each punched piece was put into a microtiter well and beta-galactosidase activity was measured using 4-methylumbelliferyl beta-D-galactosidase as a substrate. By this method, we were able to quantify as little as a few picograms of specific DNA. The application of this method for the quantitative assay of hepatitis B virus DNA in serum sample is also described. The sensitivity for the detection of the DNA by our method was practically comparable to that of the conventional radioisotopic method. The validity of our method for detection of the virus DNA was further supported by comparison with the serological data.

Direct communication between the pulmonary artery and the left atrium. A case report and review of the literature

A case of direct communication between the right pulmonary artery and the left atrium is presented. Twenty-two cases from the literature and our case are analyzed. Complete cure can be obtained by simple ligation, division, or intracardiac repair with cardiopulmonary bypass. This anomaly involves the risk of serious complications such as cerebral abscess and systemic embolization and should be accurately diagnosed and treated by surgery.

[Anterior pituitary hormone in severe head injury--with special reference to the GH, TSH, LH and FSH response to TRH and LH-RH]

Measurement of the serum level of anterior pituitary hormones (GH, TSH, LH and FSH) and the response of these hormones to their releasing hormones were made in 45 uncomplicated head injury patients within 24 hours after injury. We classified these 45 patients into three groups according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale of six months after head injury, such as good outcome group (GR or MD), poor outcome group (SD or PVS) and dead group. The serum level of the anterior pituitary hormones in dead group were higher than those in the good or poor outcome group, especially the level of GH. The serum level of GH was 14.7 +/- 3.0 ng/ml in the dead group, whereas 5.8 +/- 0.9 ng/ml in the good outcome group and 4.0 +/- 2.1 ng/ml in the poor outcome group. The response of TSH, LH or FSH to the administration of TRH or LH-RH were depressed in the dead group. On the other hand, there were normal response of TSH, LH or FSH following administration of TRH or LH-RH in the other two survival groups. These findings suggested that the measurement of the anterior pituitary hormones and the response of these hormones to their releasing hormones were useful to evaluate the severity of head injury.

Influence of energy intake on growth and utilisation of dietary protein and energy in germ-free and conventional chicks

The effect of metabolisable energy (ME) intake on the growth and utilisation of dietary protein and energy in germ-free (GF) and conventional (CV) chicks was investigated in two experiments. In experiment 1 a high energy diet (HED, 14.8 kJ ME/g) and a marginally-adequate energy diet (AED, 11.7 kJ ME/g) were fed to the GF and CV chicks at 240 g/2 birds/10 d. In experiment 2 a diet with 13.7 kJ ME/g was fed at 118 g (low level, LL) or 128 g (high level, HL)/bird/10 d. Body weight gain, protein retention and protein retention rate were similar in GF and CV chicks on both AED and HED in the first experiment, but in the second were higher in GF than in CV chicks. The increased ME intake of the CV chicks in experiment 2 may be too small to compensate for the increased requirement. ME intake was significantly higher in the CV chicks than in the GF chicks, whereas energy retention was similar in both groups.

Biosynthesis of UDP-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminuronic acid and UDP-N-acetyl-D-mannosaminuronic acid in Micrococcus luteus

The occurrence and formation of UDP-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminuronic acid (UDP-GlcNAcA) and UDP-N-acetyl-D-mannosaminuronic acid (UDP-ManNAcA) were studied in Micrococcus luteus ATCC 4698. UDP-N-acetylhexosaminuronic acid separated from D-cycloserine-inhibited cells was shown to be a mixture of UDP-GlcNAcA and UDP-ManNAcA in the ratio of 87:13, whereas that obtained from untreated cells was a 96:4 mixture of these two nucleotides. Crude enzyme preparations obtained from the supernatant fraction of cells catalyzed the NAD+-dependent conversion of UDP-GlcNAc into UDP-GlcNAcA and UDP-ManNAcA. Studies on the partial separation and properties of enzymes revealed that UDP-GlcNAcA is synthesized directly from UDP-GlcNAc by the action of UDP-GlcNAc dehydrogenase and that UDP-ManNAcA is synthesized from UDP-GlcNAc through the successive actions of UDP-GlcNAc 2-epimerase and UDP-ManNAc dehydrogenase. However, enzymatic conversion of UDP-GlcNAcA to UDP-ManNAcA was not detected. Ammonium sulfate protects both dehydrogenases from inactivation during storage and incubation. Partially purified UDP-GlcNAc dehydrogenase required dithiothreitol and the particulate fraction for its full activity. The apparent Km values of UDP-GlcNAc dehydrogenase for UDP-GlcNAc and NAD+ were 0.28 and 1.43 mM, respectively. The optimum pH of this enzyme was higher than 9 in Tris-HCl buffer. p-Chloromercuribenzoate at 27 microM as well as 10 mM ethanol almost completely inhibited the UDP-GlcNAc dehydrogenase reaction.