The level and stability of residual catalase in cultured acatalasemic skin fibroblasts

In an attempt to determine the level and heat stability of residual catalase in somatic cells of acatalasemic Japanese, skin fibroblasts from an acatalasemic subject were cultured, and the catalase activity of the cultured fibroblasts was compared with that of cultured normal fibroblasts. Catalase activity was determined using an oxygen electrode. The residual catalase activity in cultured acatalasemic fibroblasts was 10% of the normal. The heat stability at 55 degrees C of residual catalase in the acatalasemic fibroblasts was similar to that of normal fibroblasts.

Synthesis and antifungal activity of new 1-vinylimidazoles

Carbonyl compounds I were subjected to an imidazole transfer reaction with N,N'-sulfinyldiimidazole or N,N'-carbonyldiimidazole to obtain the diimidazole II and the monoimidazole III. Various 1-vinylimidazoles IV, derived from o-hydroxyacetophenones by imidazole transfer reaction, were alkylated to furnish the title compounds V. The structure-activity relationships of these 1-vinylimidazole compounds V are described.

Synthesis and antifungal activity of a series of novel 1,2-disubstituted propenones

To find an antifungal agent other than those of the imidazole and triazole series, a new class of 1,2-disubstituted propenones I and II was prepared and tested for antifungal activity. Comparison of the structure-activity relationships showed that the conjugated structure of carbonyl and exomethylene groups in I and II plays an important role in potent antifungal activity. However, it is noteworthy that compounds 53, 54, and 56, which have a hydroxymethyl or methoxymethyl group instead of an exo-methylene group in I, also showed potent activity. Although many compounds exhibited strong antifungal activity in vitro, none showed activity in vivo of oral efficacy against subacute systemic candidiasis in mice.

Synthesis and oral antifungal activity of novel azolylpropanolones and related compounds

To find orally active antifungal agents, novel imidazolyl- and 1,2,4-triazolylpropanolones I and related compounds II-IV were synthesized. Compounds I were derived from ketones V (method A), alpha-diketone IX (method B), alpha-hydroxy ketones X (method C), alpha-chloro ketone XII (method D), and enones VI (method E). Diols II, synthesized from I with NaBH4, were cyclized to five-membered cyclic compounds III by using N,N'-carbonyldiimidazole, thionyl chloride, N,N'-(thiocarbonyl)diimidazole, bromochloromethane, 2,2-dimethoxypropane, and cyclohexanone dimethyl ketal. Diols IV were synthesized from I by Grignard reaction (method F), hydroxymethylation of X (method G), and reaction of ketones XXI with 1-[(trimethylsily)methyl]-1,2,4-triazole (method H). Compounds I-IV were examined for their antifungal activities in vitro by evaluation of broth dilution MIC values against three species of fungi and the inhibitory effect on pseudomycelium of Candida albicans, and they were examined for oral efficacy in vivo against subacute systemic candidiasis in mice and superficial dermatophytosis in guinea pigs. Compounds 2, 12, 38, 39, and 92 exhibited strong oral antifungal activity. An asymmetric synthesis and the structure-activity relationships of the compounds examined are discussed.

High performance liquid chromatographic procedure for quantitative determination of urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid as indices of lead exposure

A high performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of delta-aminolevulinic acids (ALA) in urine, is described. 2-Methyl-3 carbmethoxy-4-(3-propionic acid) pyrrole was produced by the condensation of ALA with methylacetoacetate (MAA) while heating. The methylacetoacetate could be replaced by ethylacetoacetate. The ALA pyrrole thus obtained was injected into high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A stainless-steel column packed with octadecyl silanized silica gel was used. The mixed solution of acetonitrile/50 mM KH2PO4 (adjusted to pH 2.5 with 0.001 volumes of 85 g/dl H3PO4) (20/80) was a favorable mobile phase for the separation of ALA. Amino acetone pyrrole was produced by the condensation of amino acetone with methyl acetoacetate. The amino acetone pyrrole appeared later than ALA pyrrole on HPLC. The method is simple and specific. It has a lower detection limit of 0.2 ng on column. The analysis and quantitative determination of one specimen can be performed within 20 min. Mean ALA concentration of normal urine by HPLC was 1.18 mg/g creatinine.

Immunogenetic analysis of tolerance induction in anti-alloantigen delayed type hypersensitivity responses by portal venous pre-inoculation with allogeneic cells

The present study investigates some of the immunogenetic bases for tolerance of anti-allo-delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses as induced by pre-inoculating allogeneic cells via portal venous (p.v.) route. BALB/c mice were injected with totally allogeneic C57BL/6 or H-2 incompatible BALB.B spleen cells via p.v. route. These mice not only failed to exhibit anti-H-2b DTH responses, but also abrogated the potential to generate H-2b-specific DTH responses as induced by the subsequent immunization with H-2b spleen cells via subcutaneous (s.c.) route. The p.v. presensitization with allogeneic spleen cells differing at either class I or class II of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) resulted in the tolerance induction of DTH responses to the respective allogeneic class I or class II MHC antigens. Moreover, the p.v. administration of the class I-positive allogeneic cell fraction depleted of class II-positive component into recipients differing at both class I and class II was capable of inducing anti-class I DTH tolerance. These results indicate that anti-allo-class I or class II DTH tolerance can be induced independently and that the existence of class II antigens on p.v.-presensitized cells is not necessarily required for the tolerance induction of anti-allo-class I DTH response.

Synthesis of 16 alpha,19-dihydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione and 3 beta,16 alpha,19-trihydroxy-5-androsten-17-one and their 17 beta-hydroxy-16-keto isomers

3 beta,16 alpha,19-Trihydroxy-5-androsten-17-one and 16 alpha,17-dihydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione were synthesized from the 5 alpha-bromo-6 beta,19-epoxy-17-ketone derivative 1, using the bromination at C-16 alpha of the 17-ketone 1 and the controlled alkaline hydrolysis of the 16 alpha-bromo-17-ketones 2 and 11 as key reactions. Zinc dust reductive cleavage of the 6 beta,19-epoxy-16 alpha-hydroxy-17-ketones 4 and 12, produced by controlled hydrolysis, gave the corresponding 19-alcohol derivatives 6 and 14, which were rearranged to the 17 beta-hydroxy-16-ketones 7 and 15 when treated with sodium hydroxide. The 3 beta,16 alpha,17 beta,19-tetrol 8 was obtained from the 16 alpha-ketol 6 by reaction with sodium borohydride.

Clinical study of glucose metabolism during partial gastrectomy--comparison between epidural and general anesthesia

Plasma glucose, insulin, glucagon, growth hormone (GH) and cyclic-AMP (C-AMP) were measured in 14 patients undergoing partial gastrectomy under 5 g/hr glucose loading. Seven patients received general anesthesia (GOF; Group G) and the other seven, GO + epidural anesthesia (analgesia Th4-L1; Group E). Blood glucose increased in both groups, although it remained consistently lower in Group E than in Group G. Serum IRI and IRI/glucose ratio appeared consistently higher in Group E than in Group G and a significant difference was found between the two groups at the early period of surgery. The changes in plasma glucagon and GH were found independent of those in glucose. Cyclic-AMP was also consistently higher in Group G than in Group E and a significant difference was observed at the end of anesthesia. These results suggest that epidural anesthesia with 5 g/hr glucose loading may facilitate insulin release from the islet and peripheral blood uptake particularly during the early period of surgery while many other factors such as GH, cortisol and vagal stimulation seemed to be involved in the later period of surgery.

[Usefulness of nerve block therapy in patients with herpetic pain]

A retrospective study was performed on 230 patients with Herpes zoster. Among these patients, 156 patients (67.8%) were over 50 years old. Ninety-four percent of the patients who received the nerve block therapy within a month from the onset became ultimately free from pain while only seventy-nine percent of the patients upon whom this therapy was started after 2 months or more were relieved of pain. It was suggested that the earlier the therapy and the younger the patients, the more easily herpetic pain could be controlled. In conclusion, it became apparent that early treatment of Herpes zoster with nerve block therapy, is extremely important for prevention of post-herpetic neuralgia.

Differential ability of tumor-unique and cross-reactive antigen(s) on two murine hepatoma cell lines to induce Lyt-1+2- T cells responsible for in vivo protective immunity

The role of the tumor-unique determinant(s) on two syngeneic murine hepatoma cells in inducing in vivo protective immunity was investigated in comparison with that of the tumor-cross-reactive determinant(s). Induction of vaccinia-reactive helper T cells in C3H/He mice by intraperitoneal (i.p.) inoculation of viable vaccinia virus and then immunization with vaccinia-infected syngeneic MH134 or MH129 tumor cells resulted in the production of potent anti-MH134 or -MH129 antibody as well as the generation of in vivo protective immunity. Neither antibody reacted with other syngeneic plasmacytoma or fibrosarcoma cells, but both cross-reacted appreciably with the other hepatoma cells as well reacted strongly as with the tumor cells used for immunization. The absorptions of anti-MH134 and -MH129 antisera with the respective hepatoma cells abolished their reactivities with both the corresponding hepatoma cells and the other hepatoma cells. In contrast, the absorption of these antisera with the other tumor cells resulted in loss of their cross-reactivities with the other hepatoma cells, but not loss of their specific reactivity to the respective hepatoma cells. Although in these hematoma systems, the above-mentioned immunization protocol resulted in in vivo induction of protective immunity and generation of antibodies, in vivo immunity as observed by Winn assays was mediated by Lyt-1+2- T cells and was specific for each type of hepatoma cells. These results indicate that these two types of hepatoma cells bear two kinds of antigenic determinants, one kind unique to each hepatoma and the other kind cross-reactive with the other hepatoma cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Quantitation of urinary metabolites of toluene, xylene, styrene, ethylbenzene, benzene and phenol by automated high performance liquid chromatography

An automated high performance liquid chromatographic method (HPLC) for the direct determination of urinary concentrations of hippuric acid (HA), and o-, m- and p-methyl hippuric acids (MHAs), metabolites of toluene and o-, m-, and p-xylenes, and of urinary phenyl glyoxylic acid (PGA) and mandelic acid (MA), metabolites of styrene or ethylbenzene, is described. Methanol was added to urine, the mixture was centrifuged and the supernatant was injected into HPLC. A stainless-steel column packed with octadecyl silanized silicate was used and the mobile phase was a mixed solution of 5 mM potassium phosphate monobasic/acetonitrile (90/10). The method is simple and specific. Urine can be analyzed without solvent extraction. Analysis can be performed satisfactorily within 45 min for samples containing HA, MHAs, PGA and MA, and within 15 min for those containing HA, PGA and MA. Another automated HPLC method for the determination of urinary concentrations of phenylsulfate (PhS) and phenylglucuronide (PhG), metabolites of benzene and phenol, is also described. Urine was centrifuged and the supernatant was injected into HPLC. A column packed with octadecyl silicate and a mobile phase of 50 mM of potassium phosphate monobasic/acetonitrile (85/15) were used. The whole analyses and quantitative determination can be performed within 15 min for samples containing PhS and PhG in the worker's urine with a simple mobile phase. The accuracy and precision in the present methods by the use of automated HPLC were satisfactory.

Multi-point flicker recognition apparatus and its application for video display terminal work

The apparatus to measure multi-point critical flicker fusion frequency (MCFF) was devised for more precise determination of the critical flicker fusion frequency (CFF). Using this apparatus, the variations in flicker value after the work load of the television (TV) game, the Kraepelin using the video display terminal (VDT-Kraepelin) and the paper-Kraepelin were examined in order to test its practical applicability. The following results were obtained. The degree of decrease in the CFF values of some peripheral eye fields was larger than that on the central field of both eyes (ordinary CFF) after work load. The variation rates of the central and the peripheral flicker values were measured before and after loading in each work, and the correlations of variation rates between two CFF values among them were calculated. The numbers of peripheral eye fields showing significant correlation of variation rates between two eye fields in the TV game and the VDT-Kraepelin, were greater than those in the paper-Kraepelin.

The role of tumor-specific Lyt-1+2- T cells in eradicating tumor cells in vivo. II. Lyt-1+2- T cells have potential to reject antigenically irrelevant (bystander) tumor cells on activation with the specific target tumor cells

The present study investigates some of mechanisms for tumor-specific Lyt-1+2- T cell-mediated tumor cell eradication in vivo through analyses of tumor specificity in the afferent tumor recognition and efferent rejection phases. When C3H/He mice which had acquired immunity against syngeneic MH134 hepatoma were challenged with other syngeneic X5563 plasmacytoma cells, these mice failed to exhibit any inhibitory effect on the growth of X5563 tumor cells. However, the inoculation of X5563 tumor cells into the MH134-immune C3H/He mice together with the MH134 tumor cells resulted in appreciable growth inhibition of antigenically distinct (bystander) X5563 tumor cells. Although the growth of X5563 cells was inhibited in an antigen-nonspecific way in mice immunized to antigenically unrelated tumor cells (bystander effect), the activation of Lyt-1+2- T cells leading to this effect was strictly antigen-specific. Such a bystander growth inhibition also required the admixed inoculation of the bystander (X5563) and specific target (MH134) tumor cells into a single site in mice immunized against the relevant MH134 tumor cells. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that Lyt-1+2- T cells specific to MH134 tumor cells were responsible for mediating the growth inhibition of antigenically irrelevant (bystander) and relevant tumor cells. These results are discussed in the context of cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the Lyt-1+2- T cell-initiated bystander phenomenon.

Reduction of mercuric ion and exhalation of mercury in acatalasemic and normal mice

A significant difference in the amount of exhaled mercury per hour between normal and acatalasemic mice was observed in 7 of 11 experiments for different periods of time. The total amount of mercury exhaled from acatalasemic mice was significantly higher than those of normal mice. The results confirm that the reduction of mercuric ion to metallic mercury occurs by recycling of mercury in the tissues and reoxidized metallic mercury to mercuric ion by catalase. Mercuric ion was reduced to metallic mercury in the presence of superoxide anion in vitro. The reduction rate of mercuric ion to metallic mercury in the presence of both superoxide anion and cytochrome C or nitro blue tetrazolium was higher than that in the presence of superoxide anion alone, and the reduction of mercuric ion by NADPH or NADH was also observed. The reduction of mercuric ion to metallic mercury by liver homogenates of acatalasemic mice was higher than that of normal mice.

Natural killer activity enhancing substance in normal human serum

We studied the effect of normal human serum on natural killer (NK) activity of normal peripheral lymphocytes. Both fresh serum and heat-inactivated (56 degrees C, 30 min) serum significantly enhanced NK activity, in a dose dependent manner, the limit being reached with a final concentration of 5%. However, antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) was not affected by heat-inactivated serum, although it did show the effects of fresh serum as complement. The serum absorbed with target cells also enhanced NK activity, so it indicated that the enhancing effect of normal serum was not due to the natural antibody against target cells in the serum. The serum was fractionated by Sephadex G-200 into fractions I, II and III in the order of elution. The enhancing factor existed in fraction III. When fraction III was further separated by Cibacron Blue-Sepharose, which selectively adsorbs albumin from serum, the enhancing activity existed in the albumin-rich subfraction. In addition, commercial human albumins had the NK enhancing activity, whereas native transferrin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) or plasminogen did not. These results therefore suggest that the substance enhancing NK activity in normal serum is serum albumin, which is considered to have no significant effect on immune reaction.