[The effects of progestin on the bone metabolism in postmenopausal women]

Thirty postmenopausal women, including 26 with history of hysterectomy and bilateral salpingooophorectomy due to uterine myoma and 4 with natural menopause without any diseases were randomly allocated into two groups. Fifteen subjects received medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) 10 mg twice daily for three months, the other 15 received both MPA 10 mg twice daily and cyclopentylethinyl estriol (CEE3) 5 mg once a month for three months. Fasting urinary calcium/creatinine (Ca/Cr) and hydroxyproline/creatinine (OHpr/Cr) ratio, serum calcitonon (CT) and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) concentrations were measured before and after treatment in all subjects. The results showed that in both groups, the fasting urinary Ca/Cr and OHpr/Cr ratio reduced significantly, while serum CT and AKP increased significantly after treatment. The changes of these parameters were not significantly different between these two groups. These data indicated that progestin alone appeared effective in preventing postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Prostaglandin H synthase-1: evaluation of C-terminus function

The first committed step in prostaglandin biosynthesis is catalyzed by prostaglandin H synthase, an enzyme localized to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane in a variety of cells. Several types of C-terminal region peptide sequence motifs have been found to lead to ER retention of other proteins. We have tested the potential role for such signals in the ER localization and catalytic activity of human isoform-1 of the synthase (PGHS-1). PGHS-1 mutants with alterations in the C-terminus designed to disrupt potential retention signals were expressed in transfected COS-1 cells. The mutations included: substitution of valine for the ultimate leucine residue (position 600) to disrupt a KDEL-type signal, substitution of a neutral glutamine for arginine at position 595 to disrupt signals based on positive charge, and deletion of the last six residues, to remove all of the wild-type extreme C-terminus. The subcellular localization of each recombinant PGHS-1 was assessed by differential centrifugation and by immunofluorescence microscopy. None of the mutations led to a significant change in the distribution of PGHS-1 between microsomes and other cellular fractions. Immunostaining of wild-type PGHS-1 and all of the mutants colocalized with that of protein disulfide isomerase, an ER marker protein. However, mutation of the terminal leucine or deletion of the last six residues did lead to loss of cyclooxygenase activity. Mutation of the terminal leucine also altered the pattern of fragments produced by limited proteolysis, indicating that this mutation led to changes in the polypeptide folding which might account for the loss of activity. The results indicate that the extreme C-terminal region is important to the functional integrity of PGHS-1, but it is not an essential part of the intracellular targeting mechanism.

[Experimental study on compatible application of heat-clearing and detoxifying drugs with blood circulation improving drugs]

The article describes the effectiveness of compatible application of heat-clearing and detoxifying drugs with blood circulation improving drugs to the animal model with endotoxemia and nonspecific inflammation. The compatible application reduces PGE2, endotoxin blood concentration and reduced viscosity of whole blood, decreases Evans blue extravasation volume and pes swelling percentage, increases serum cortisol content and enhances fibrinolytic activity. The experimental result shows that in most cases these two drugs work better when used in combination which implies that compatible application is more effective in detoxification, antiinflammation and inflammation recovery.

Epidural versus subcutaneous administration of alfentanil for the management of postoperative pain

This study was designed to compare the efficacy and serum concentrations of alfentanil given subcutaneously (SQ) or epidurally (EPID) for treatment of postoperative pain. Following abdominal surgery, patients (n = 12) were randomly assigned to receive double-blind SQ or EPID alfentanil over 24 h via the allocated route (1 mg along with 0.2 mg/h and 0.2-mg boluses on demand) and saline via the other route of administration using a patient-controlled analgesic (PCA) delivery system. Significantly less EPID alfentanil produced better quality analgesia and fewer side effects than SQ alfentanil. The fact that EPID analgesia was maintained with serum alfentanil concentrations less than those producing systemic analgesia confirms the spinal site of the EPID alfentanil action.

Overexpression and characterization of recombinant human fusion protein IL-6/IL-2 (CH925)

An expression vector encoding the human recombinant fusion protein interleukin 6/interleukin 2 (IL-6/IL-2) was constructed. When a flexible linker had been synthesized and ligated with the IL-2 gene fragment by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, the IL-6 gene fragment was unidirectionally inserted into the upstream of the linker-IL-2 sequence. The molecule of the IL-6-linker-IL-2 fusion gene named E. coli DH5 alpha/pfIL-6/2 was cloned and identified by DNA sequencing. The expressed protein named as CH925 showed a strong band on SDS-PAGE and amounted to 32% of total cell protein, and its estimated molecular weight was about 37 kDa. The fusion protein purified by gel filtration and reversed-phase HPLC showed as almost homogeneous. CH925 possesses both IL-2 and IL-6 activities when assayed by CTLL2- and 7TD1-dependent cell lines, respectively. The specific activity of IL-2 was 2.1 x 10(6) U/mg while that of IL-6 was 2.3 x 10(8) U/mg. Our studies exhibited that CH925 exerted a significant augmentative effect on the growth of erythroid colony forming units (CFU-E), and synergized with erythropoietin (EPO) and/or IL-3 in a dose-dependent way. Our experimental results also showed CH925 at a low dose causing active lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell proliferation more vigorous than IL-2 and/or IL-6 (p < 0.001). CH925 is a novel fusion protein, being neither IL-6 nor IL-2, more potent than IL-2 and/or IL-6 and causing non-IL-2 and non-IL-6 functions of strong EPO-like and mild IL-3-like effects on erythroid progenitor cell growth. There is a potential for efficacious clinical application of CH925.

Glomerular prostaglandins modulate vascular reactivity of the downstream efferent arterioles

The balance of vascular resistance in afferent (Af-) and efferent arterioles (Ef-Arts) is a crucial factor that determines glomerular hemodynamics. We have recently reported that when Ef-Arts were perfused from the distal end of the Af-Art through the glomerulus (orthograde perfusion; OP), both angiotensin II (Ang II) and norepinephrine (NE) induced much weaker constriction than they did when Ef-Arts were perfused from the distal end (retrograde perfusion; RP). This difference was not affected by inhibiting synthesis of nitric oxide. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that glomerular prostaglandins (PGs) may modulate vascular reactivity of the downstream Ef-Art. In addition, we examined the possible modulatory role of PGs in the Af-Art responses to Ang II or NE. Both Ang II and NE caused dose-dependent constriction of Ef-Arts with either OP or RP; however, the constriction was stronger in RP. At 10(-8) M, Ang II decreased Ef-Art diameter by 35 +/- 3.5% in OP (N = 9) compared to 73 +/- 3.9% in RP (N = 5), while 10(-6) M NE decreased the diameter by 25 +/- 3.6% in OP (N = 9) compared to 62 +/- 7.2% in RP (N = 5). Pretreatment with 5 x 10(-5) M indomethacin (Indo) did not alter basal diameter with either method of perfusion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Dielectric properties of human red blood cells in suspension at radio frequencies

Dielectric properties of human red blood cells (RBCs) in suspension (hematocrit 50%) from 243 healthy persons (120 males, 123 females) were measured at 25 degrees C in a frequency range of 1-500 MHz, with a coaxial transmission line reflection method (one-side measurement). The measuring system, controlled by an IBM-PC computer, was composed of a network analyzer (HP4195A), an impedance test adapter (HP41951-61001), a coaxial line sensor, and a temperature-controlling set. The data measured revealed a statistically significant age dependence, with a critical age of about 49 years, above which permittivity and conductivity of human RBCs in suspension decreased significantly.

Evidence for the role of nitric oxide in macula densa control of glomerular hemodynamics

There is evidence that nitric oxide, an endothelium-derived relaxing factor, may be produced by the macula densa, as well as by blood vessels, within the kidney. To examine the role of nitric oxide in macula densa control of glomerular hemodynamics directly, we performed in vitro microperfusions of both rabbit afferent arterioles (with the glomerulus intact) and adherent tubular segments consisting of portions of the thick ascending limb, macula densa, and early distal tubule. While keeping afferent arteriolar pressure constant at 60 mmHg, we examined the effect of Nw-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis, added to a macula densa perfusate. When the macula densa perfusate was changed from low to high NaCl, the diameter of the arterioles decreased from 16.3 +/- 1.0 to 14.0 +/- 1.1 microns (n = 10; P < 0.001). Addition of 10(-5) M L-NAME to the high NaCl solution further decreased the diameter to 11.9 +/- 1.1 microns (P < 0.001). In contrast, when macula densa perfusion was maintained with the low NaCl solution, addition of L-NAME had no effect. L-NAME-induced constriction was completely reversed by adding 10(-3) M L-arginine (the precursor of nitric oxide) but not D-arginine (an inactive isomer) to the macula densa perfusate. We confirmed that perfusing the macula densa with L-NAME did not affect the vasodilator action of acetylcholine added to the lumen of the afferent arteriole, indicating that NO synthesis by the arteriole was not altered. Thus, our findings suggest that the macula densa may produce nitric oxide, which in turn modulates the afferent arteriolar constriction induced by high concentrations of NaCl at the macula densa.

Glomerular mesangial cells and inflammatory macrophages ingest neutrophils undergoing apoptosis

Apoptosis or programmed cell death of senescent neutrophils leading to their uptake by phagocytes is a general mechanism by which neutrophils may be removed from inflamed sites in vivo, promoting resolution rather than persistence of inflammation. We now report morphological evidence of neutrophil apoptosis leading to uptake by glomerular cells in rats with experimental glomerulonephritis. In addition to confirming that inflammatory macrophages take up apoptotic neutrophils, these studies indicated that glomerular mesangial cells can also participate in this mode of neutrophil clearance. Furthermore, human neutrophils which had been "aged" in vitro so as to undergo apoptosis were ingested by 31.5 +/- 1.3% (mean +/- SE) of cultured human mesangial cells, but there was minimal recognition of freshly isolated neutrophils (2.2 +/- 0.1%). Centrifugal elutriation of aged neutrophil populations yielded fractions with varying degrees of apoptosis (from 11.1 to 79.4%). Uptake of these fractions (by 8.2% to 59.8% of mesangial cells) was closely correlated with apoptosis (r = 0.96, P less than 0.0001). This demonstrated that recognition was dependent upon apoptosis, as in previous reports of macrophage recognition of aged neutrophils. However, by contrast, a partial requirement for serum was observed. These data indicate a hitherto unexpected function for the mesangial cell in clearance of senescent neutrophils from the glomerulus which may supplement inflammatory macrophage uptake of leucocytes undergoing apoptosis.

Thrombospondin cooperates with CD36 and the vitronectin receptor in macrophage recognition of neutrophils undergoing apoptosis

We have investigated the cell surface recognition mechanisms used by human monocyte-derived macrophages (M phi) in phagocytosis of intact aging human neutrophils (PMNs) undergoing apoptosis. This study shows that the adhesive protein thrombospondin (TSP) was present in the interaction, both associated with the M phi surface and in solution at a mean concentration of 0.59 micrograms/ml. The interaction was inhibited by treatment of M phi (but not aged PMN) with cycloheximide, but could be "rescued" by replenishment with exogenous TSP. Under control conditions, M phi recognition of aged PMNs was specifically potentiated by purified platelet TSP at 5 micrograms/ml, present either in the interaction or if preincubated with either cell type, suggesting that TSP might act as a "molecular bridge" between the two cell types. In support, both aged PMN and M phi were found to adhere to TSP, and phagocytosis of aged PMN was specifically inhibited by (a) excess soluble TSP; (b) antibodies to TSP that also inhibit TSP-mediated adhesion to aged PMN; and (c) down-regulation of M phi receptors for TSP by plating M phi on TSP-coated surfaces. Furthermore, inhibition with mAbs/Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser peptide of the candidate M phi receptors for TSP, CD36, and alpha v beta 3 exerted synergistic effects on both M phi recognition of aged PMN and M phi adhesion to TSP, indicating that "two point" adhesion of TSP to these M phi structures is involved in phagocytosis of aged PMN. Our findings indicate newly defined roles for TSP and CD36 in phagocytic clearance of senescent neutrophils, which may limit inflammatory tissue injury and promote resolution.

The cell recognition molecule, cognin, mediates choline acetyltransferase activity in embryonic chick retina

Cell signaling and cell-cell interactions play an important role in neuronal differentiation in the embryonic CNS. Previous work (Hausman, R.E., Vivek Sagar, G.D. and Shah, B.H., Dev. Brain Res., 59 (1991) 31-37) had shown that cholinergic differentiation in the embryonic chick retina depends on insulin and neuron-neuron interactions. Here, we pursued the molecular nature of that dependence on cell interactions. The embryonic chick retina is known to contain several cell adhesion or recognition molecules. We asked if retina cognin, a 50 kDa cell surface-associated protein, played a role in controlling cholinergic differentiation in the developing chick retina. As previously, cholinergic differentiation was measured by two markers: choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity and high-affinity choline uptake. We used polyclonal antibody to cognin to determine if blocking cognin-mediated cell interactions would affect the normal embryonic increases in these cholinergic markers. We demonstrated a 40% inhibition of the normal developmental appearance of ChAT activity in retina neuronal cultures from early development, but no effect in cultures from more differentiated retina. The inhibition was selective for retina, since it was not seen in neural tissues like cerebrum and cerebellum that also express ChAT. In contrast to the effect of insulin, choline uptake was not affected by treatment with cognin antibody. Antibodies to two other cell recognition molecules present in the retina (Ng-CAM and N-cadherin) did not block the normal developmental appearance of ChAT. These results suggest that cognin-mediated interactions play a unique role in the control of one aspect of cholinergic differentiation in the developing chick retina.

[Compatibility of Chinese drugs radix Aconiti carmichaeli with rhizoma Pinelliae]

To find out whether the Chinese drug Radix Aconiti Carmichaeli is compatible with another Chinese drug Rhizoma Pinelliae in preparation, the two medicinal herbs were made into different forms of decoctions. Experiments with these decoctions were carried out to observe the action on isolated hearts of toads and the ECG and acute toxicity on mice. The results showed that in terms of toxicity there was no marked increase in the mixed decoction as compared with the other two decoctions prepared from Radix Aconiti Carmichaeli and Rhizoma Pinelliae separately.

[Spermine inhibition of in vitro fertilizing ability of human spermatozoa and its possible mode of action]

The direct effect of spermine at various concentrations (0.25-8.0 mmol/L) on in vitro fertilizing ability of human spermatozoa was evaluated by the penetration test of zona-free hamster egg. To study the effect of spermine on capacitation, as judged by the rate of penetration, spermatozoa were incubated in BWW with various concentrations of spermine for 6 h at 37 degrees C. The hyperactivated motility of spermatozoa was markedly inhibited by spermine at a concentration of 4.0 mmol/L. The penetration rate was decreased proportionally to the dose of spermine used. Spermatozoa were incubated in BWW with 0.5 mmol/L spermine for 6 h and another 4 h after spermine was washed off with spermine-free BWW. The percentage of penetration was comparable to that of the control. Therefore, spermine-mediated inhibition of capacitation was reversible. Moreover, exogenous dbcAMP (0.5-1.0 mmol/L) or caffeine (10 mmol/L) could antagonize significantly the spermine-induced inhibition of capacitation with a correlation coefficient of 0.990. The content of spermine in fertile men spermatozoa was assayed by HPLC. Before capacitation spermine in spermatozoa was 7.05 micrograms/10(7) cells, whereas after capacitation it was no longer detectable, indicating that spermine may be an inhibitor of in vitro capacitation in human sperm. To study the effect of spermine on capacitated sperm, spermine was added to the BWW medium after sperm had been preincubated in spermine-free BWW. The persistent presence of spermine could interfere with spermatozoa attachment to, binding to and penetration into zona-free hamster eggs, which was related to the concentration (r = 0.820) used.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Prostaglandin H synthase: spectroscopic studies of the interaction with hydroperoxides and with indomethacin

Prostaglandin H synthase has both a heme-dependent peroxidase activity and a cyclooxygenase activity. A current hypothesis considers the cyclooxygenase reaction to be a free radical chain reaction, initiated by an interaction of the synthase peroxidase with hydroperoxides leading to the production of a tyrosyl free radical [Stubbe, J. A. (1989) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 58, 257-285]. We have examined the kinetics of radical formation with both ethyl hydroperoxide (EtOOH) and 15-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HPETE) and have analyzed the effects of indomethacin (a selective cyclooxygenase inhibitor) and tetranitromethane (TNM; a selective agent for nitration of tyrosyl residues) on the synthase. At -14 degrees C both EtOOH and 15-HPETE generated within 5 s a free radical species whose electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum was dominated by a doublet centered at g = 2.005 (splitting of approximately 16 G; overall peak-to-trough width of 35 G) that has been attributed to tyrosyl radical. The doublet subsequently gave way to a singlet with a similar peak-to-trough width; the doublet-to-singlet transition was complete in 20-60 s. The intensity of the doublet/singlet combination peaked at 0.6 spins/heme after 120 s with EtOOH and at about 0.3 spins/heme after 20 s with 15-HPETE; the radical intensity declined slowly with EtOOH but more rapidly with 15-HPETE. Reaction of the indomethacin-synthase complex with EtOOH resulted in a narrower (peak-to-trough width of 24 G) singlet free radical signal, with no evidence of an earlier doublet; the intensity of the singlet peaked at 0.45 spins/heme after about 300 s. Reaction of TNM-treated synthase with EtOOH resulted in a singlet almost identical with that seen for the indomethacin-synthase complex. Reaction of the synthase holoenzyme with TNM at pH 8.0 led to inactivation of both cyclooxygenase and peroxidase activity, with the former being lost rapidly and completely while the latter was lost slowly and to about 50%. Ibuprofen, a competitive cyclooxygenase inhibitor, slowed the rate of inactivation of the cyclooxygenase by about 20-fold. The rate of inactivation of the cyclooxygenase activity in synthase apoenzyme by TNM was also about 20-fold less than that observed with the holoenzyme. Amino acid analyses revealed that TNM-reacted holoenzyme with less than 10% residual activity contained 1.8 nitrotyrosines/subunit; apoenzyme reacted under the same conditions had greater than 80% of the original activity and contained 0.7 nitrotyrosine/subunit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)