Enhanced glycogen repletion in liver and skeletal muscle with citrate orally fed after exhaustive treadmill running and swimming

A possibility whether an oral feeding of citrate, which has been reported to inhibit phosphofructokinase in vitro, following exercise to exhaustion could increase the rate of glycogen repletion in liver and soleus muscle was tested in treadmill running trained (experiments 1 and 2) and swimming trained rats (experiment 3). An exhaustive running or swimming was loaded at the end of the experiments, resulting in a significant reduction in liver and soleus muscle glycogen stores. The feeding of 1.0 and 0.5 g of citrate per kg of body weight just after the exhaustive running could significantly increase the liver glycogen repletion during a 2-hr recovery period, but this was not observed in soleus muscle (experiment 1). As compared with a single feeding of 3.3 g of glucose per kg of body weight, a mixed feeding of 0.5 g of citrate and 3.0 g of glucose after an exhaustive running (experiment 2) and swimming (experiment 3) could significantly enhance the repletion of glycogen stores in both liver and soleus muscle. These results clearly indicate that the postexercise feeding of citrate can stimulate the glycogen repletion in liver and skeletal muscle during an early period of recovery.

Identification and metabolic implication of 1-deoxyglucose (1,5-anhydroglucitol) in human plasma

1-Deoxyglucose (1,5-anhydroglucitol), a metabolite related to diabetes mellitus, was identified in human plasma by gas-liquid chromatography and by gas-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Plasma polyols were accurately determined with a gas-liquid chromatograph equipped with an all-glass capillary column. The plasma content of 1-deoxyglucose in healthy persons varies with age. Although the precise physiological role of 1-deoxyglucose remains obscure, the method described here for determining the minor polyol components of plasma, as well as the findings of 1-deoxyglucose in the plasma of healthy subjects, may be useful for investigating the metabolic roles of 1-deoxyglucose.

Identification and metabolic implication of 1-deoxyglucose (1,5-anhydroglucitol) in human plasma

1-Deoxyglucose (1,5-anhydroglucitol), a metabolite related to diabetes mellitus, was identified in human plasma by gas-liquid chromatography and by gas-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Plasma polyols were accurately determined with a gas-liquid chromatograph equipped with an all-glass capillary column. The plasma content of 1-deoxyglucose in healthy persons varies with age. Although the precise physiological role of 1-deoxyglucose remains obscure, the method described here for determining the minor polyol components of plasma, as well as the findings of 1-deoxyglucose in the plasma of healthy subjects, may be useful for investigating the metabolic roles of 1-deoxyglucose.

The histopathological substratum for atrial fibrillation in man

Quantitative studies on the histological sections of the atria including sinoatrial (SA) node, SA junction and internodal preferential pathways in 12 hearts with long-term atrial fibrillation (Af group) and in 43 hearts with no arrhythmia (control group) have been carried out. The control group was subdivided into two age-groups, the younger and older over 50 years for the age-matched comparison with the Af group. In the Af group, markedly impaired contiguity of the SA junction, severe fibrosis and lipomatosis of atria were common precipitating factors. Regarding the ratio of SA nodal cells to the area of SA node, and patency of SA node artery, there were no significant difference between the Af group and age-matched (older) control group. In comparison between the two control groups, decreased SA nodal cells, stenosis of SA node artery, impaired contiguity of the SA junction, fibrosis and lipomatosis of atria were more prominent in the majority of the older group than that of the younger. These findings suggest that the pathological lesions of the SA junction and the atrial myocardium in the Af group were the exaggerated aging changes, and these lesions may be the main anatomic substratum for Af.

A solid phase immunofluorometric assay for anti-lymphocyte antibodies

A solid phase immunofluorometric assay for anti-lymphocyte antibodies was developed by using agarose beads to which partially purified HLA antigens were bound. Optimal conditions for the assay system was determined with respect to bead concentration, serum concentration, FTC-conjugate concentration and incubation times. This system detected non-complement fixing as well as complement fixing antibodies in antisera. It was approximately 20 times more sensitive than the microlymphocytotoxicity test or an indirect immunofluorescence test in which viable cells were used. The antigen bound to the bead was stable at least for 54 days at 5 degrees C or - 80 degrees C. When lyophilized, its antibody-binding activity was 80% of the original. By this system, pregnancy sera containing lymphocytotoxic antibodies and normal sera gave relative fluorescence intensities of 331 +/- 65 (X +/- S.D.; n = 8) and 188 +/- 54 (n = 9), respectively.

[Cell functions of cultured human choriocarcinoma following the administration of methotrexate (author's transl)]

Treatment of choriocarcinoma should be eradicated of trophoblastic cells which undergo destruction in both of primary and metastatic sites and Methotrexate (MTX) has a most effective value. While MTX is being administration to the patients, there is no determination of clear relationship between proliferation of trophoblastic cells and production of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). In this report, we attempted to clarify the changes of the dividing compartments in cell cycle of human choriocarcinoma in vitro in the administration of MTX (concentration in 5 x 10(-6) M and 5 x 10(-7) M) to the experimental cells. Cell samples were stained by propidium iodide (PI) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), then were measured nucleic acid and protein content by means of flow microfluorometry (FMF). MTX was remarkably increased the intensity of FITC associated with protein production, in dose that is not only killing effect to the cells but inhibition of DNA synthesis. Moreover, the most difference in both subjects were as follows; Ever when MTX in low concentration was removed after 48 hours, 50% of experimental cells recovered to the level of controls in contrast to the persistence of remarkable inhibition of DNA synthesis in high concentration.

Nasal allergy in spinning mill workers and the possibility of allergenicity of chemical fibers and cotton linters

During a three-year period from 1976, we examined fifty eight patients with nasal allergy who worked in spinning mills or handled sewing machines. Skin tests and procative nasal tests were performed on these patients with crude and fractionated extracts from cotton linters, cotton cloth and chemical fibers. The crude aqueous antigens were extracted in dextro-phenol solution and fractionated by Saphadex G-100. It was possible that the cotton and chemical fibers included components which were the cause of hypersensitivity, but there is still doubts concerning their reaction as irritant substances. Serum specific IgE antibody was found in extracts from chemical fiber. Therefore, spinning mill dust acts as an irritant of the nose add the possibility of antigenicity of the dust for immediate type nasal allergies can not be denied from the present study.

Effect of neural stimulation on acinar cell membrane potentials in isolated pancreas and salivary gland segments

The effect of cholinergic neural excitation by field stimulation on the acinar cell membrane potential was investigated in superfused segments of mouse pancreas and salivary glands (sublingual, submaxillary, and parotid glands). Responses of acinar cells in both exocrine pancreas and salivary glands to the neural excitation obtained by field stimulation were similar to responses previously described in each gland to the externally applied acetylcholine. In the pancreatic acinar cell, electrical field simulation induced depolarization with a latency of 0.3 to 1.2 sec. This depolarization was accompanied by a marked decrease in membrane resistance. The equilibrium potential of the depolarization induced by stimulation was between - 10 and - 20 mV. In the sublingual gland, field stimulation induced depolarization of the acinar cell with a latency of 0.2 to 0.3 sec. The stimulus induced depolarization was block by the addition of atropine. In the submaxillary and parotid glands, field stimulation induced depolarization in some acinar cell and hyperpolarization in other cells. The results support evidence previously presented by Petersen and his colleagues that acetylcholine acts to increase Na+ and K+ or Na+, K+, and Cl- permeabilities in the pancreatic acinar cell and to increase K+ and Na+ permeabilities in the salivary gland [11,24].

Effect of neural stimulation on contractile system (myoepithelial cells) in isolated salivary gland segments of rat

The effect of cholinergic neural excitation by field stimulation on the tension of the contractile system (myoepithelial cells) was investigated in superfused segments of rat salivary glands (sublingual, submaxillary, and parotid). Electric field stimulation evoked gland tissue contraction of a few mg, which was blocked by addition of TTX or atropine. The order of the magnitude of the contraction per wet tissue weight was sublingual greater than submaxillary greater than parotid. This correlates with the order of the distribution of myoepithelial cells described in morphological investigations. Cholinergic stimulants induced contraction in all salivary glands, but adrenergic stimulants hardly evoked contraction in the sublingual gland, whereas those drugs evoked a considerable amount of contraction in the submaxillary gland. These findings seem to suggest that the contraction may originate in the myoepithelial cells. The omission of Na from the superfusing solution quickly abolished the contraction evoked by field stimulation but not the contraction induced by ACh. The omission of Ca from the solution reduced the contraction evoked not only by field stimulation but also by ACh and by high K. The results suggest that extracellular Ca is important for the initiation of myoepithelial contraction.