[Evaluation for rapid detection of rifampicin-resistant mycobacterium tuberculosis by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism]

We evaluated usefulness of the rapid diagnostic method for detection of rifampicin (RFP)-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which was based on polymerase chain reaction. The MICs of RFP were measured for 38 clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis which were suspected to be RFP-resistant organisms, and 12 strains were found to be resistant to RFP. The PCR primers used were the same as those reported by Telenti et al, which were targeting the RNA polymerase beta subunit gene (rpoB). We confirmed that this gene was possessed by all the strains tested. Eight strains out of the 12 strains with RFP-resistant phenotype were demonstrated to have a point mutation or some alterationin the rpoB gene on the basis of PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP). Thus, the sensitivity of our method was calculated as 67%. In addition, we could not detect any alterations in the rpoB gene by all RFP-susceptible strains. These results indicated that rapid detection of the RFP-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis was possible directly from clinical specimens by using PCR-SSCP technique.

[Clinical investigation of obstructive pneumonia with lung cancer]

Nineteen episodes (18 patients) of obstructive pneumonia occurring in 247 patients with lung cancer were clinically examined, and the following findings were obtained. 1) All 18 patients were male smokers, with an average of 64 years. 2) Body temperatures stood above 37 degrees C in 95% of the 19 episodes. Leukocytosis was detected in 41%, and neutrophilia was observed in 69%. CRP values were positive in all episodes. 3) The frequency of obstructive pneumonia according to the site of lung cancer was 13.2% in proximal tumors and 1.7% in peripheral tumors. Pathologically, the frequency was 5.2% in adenocarcinomas 7.6% in squamous cell carcinomas, 15.6% in small cell carcinomas and 9.1% in large cell carcinomas. Squamous cell carcinomas even in Stage I led to obstructive pneumonia at the rate of 13.0%. In contrast, higher frequency was observed in adenocarcinomas in Stage II or later and small cell carcinomas in Stage IIIB or later. 4) Obstructive pneumonia was detected at the time of discovery of lung cancer in 48% of the 18 patients, and during treatment and in the terminal stage in 26% respectively. 5) Chest X-ray examinations showed that 42% of the pneumonia cases were lobar pneumonia and 11% had pleural effusion. 6) In expectorated sputum, 50% of bacteria isolated were gram-negative, 10% were gram-positive and 40% were unknown. 7) Most of the bacteria isolated from expectorated sputum showed a good susceptibility to antimicrobial agents, but those proved clinically ineffective. 8) The prognosis of obstructive pneumonia was significantly affected by performance status and levels of total protein and choline-esterase.

Studies on the therapeutic effect of 2-pyridine aldoxime methiodide (2-PAM) in mammals following organophosphorus compound-poisoning (report III): distribution and antidotal effect of 2-PAM in rats

The metabolic fate of 2-PAM and its antidotal effect on organophosphorus compound poisoning in rats were studied. When 14C-2-PAM was administered intravenously, the amount of 14C reaching the brain was small. Following administration by intramedullary injection, 14C was present in high concentrations in the brain, and 72-90% of the 14C present in the brain corresponded to the unchanged form of 2-PAM. 2-PAM was rapidly excreted into the urine and feces following either intramedullary or intravenous administration. The half-life of 2-PAM in the brain following intramedullary administration was 1.52 hr. Intramedullary administration of 2-PAM to rats poisoned with fenitrothion or malathion enabled their survival and induced reactivation of brain cholinesterase.

Studies on the therapeutic effect of 2-pyridine aldoxime methiodide (2-PAM) in mammals following organophosphorus compound (OP)-poisoning (report II): aging of OP-inhibited mammalian cholinesterase

We studied the ability of 2-PAM to reactivate cholinesterase (ChE) inhibited by organophosphorus compounds (OPs) and aging. We estimated the reactivation rate with 2-PAM following inhibition of ChE by fenitrothion, methylparathion or ethylparathion using erythrocytes of rat and rabbit and rat brain. The period of time during which inhibited ChE could be reactivated was shorter in the case of inhibition by fenitrothion or methylparathion than in the case of inhibition by ethylparathion. This results suggest that aging is related to the presence of the alkyl group in OPs, and occurs faster in the case of inhibition by OPs with an O,O-dimethyl moiety than in the case of inhibition by OPs with an O,O-diethyl moiety.

Effects of procymidone on reproductive organs and serum gonadotropins in male rats

To investigate the mechanism and toxicological significance of testicular interstitial cell tumors (ICT) observed in a long-term rat study with procymidone, N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-1,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1,2-dicarboximi de, male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed procymidone in diets for up to 6 months with a positive control group receiving a single subcutaneous injection of cadmium chloride. Examinations mainly for gonadal functions such as serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH), reproductive organ weight and histopathology presented evidence of the indirect involvement of gonadotropins in the production of ICT in rats. A significant increase in both serum testosterone and LH was observed in the early stage at high dietary concentrations of procymidone without any lesion in gonadal systems in histopathology, whereas administration of cadmium chloride produced the expected substantial increase in serum LH and a concomitant decrease in serum testosterone with a marked damaging effect on gonadal systems. Increases in serum testosterone and LH levels in animals receiving procymidone were reversible. The no-effect level for procymidone on serum testosterone and LH was 300 ppm over six months of treatment. The possible mechanism of ICT production in rats by non-genotoxic procymidone, structurally similar to flutamide, a synthetic non-steroidal antiandrogen, is likely to be derived from its induction of a hypergonadotropism due to the competitive binding to the androgen receptor, preventing the normal effect of testosterone to control the circulating level of LH.

The affinity of procymidone to androgen receptor in rats and mice

To clarify the mechanism of gonadotropin imbalances and the differential response of rat and mouse testicular interstitial cells (Leydig cells) to procymidone, N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-1,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1,2-dicarboximi de, male Sprague-Dawley rats and ICR mice were fed procymidone in diet for 2 weeks at 0, 700, 2,000 and 6,000 ppm for rats, or 0, 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 ppm for mice. Testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in serum, testis or pituitary and the in vitro binding affinities of procymidone, flutamide and related compounds to the androgen receptor in prostate cytosol of rats and mice were examined. Hypergonadotropism in rats and mice was clearly observed in the same order two weeks after the initiation of treatment with procymidone. Increased levels of testosterone and LH in serum at 6,000 ppm and LH in pituitary at and above 700 ppm in rats were observed. In mice, testosterone levels in serum and testis elevated at 10,000 ppm. LH levels in serum and pituitary elevated significantly as well at around 5,000 to 10,000 ppm. In the competitive binding assay, procymidone showed a significant but lower binding affinity comparing to that of cyproterone acetate, the steroidal androgen receptor antagonist, for the androgen receptor in both rats and mice under the condition that unlabeled dihydrotestosterone (DHT) effectively inhibited the binding of [3H]-DHT to the androgen receptor in both species. The relative binding affinity (RBA) of procymidone was of the same order as that of flutamide, a synthetic non-steroidal antiandrogen structurally similar to procymidone. These results indicate that procymidone is an active antiandrogen and the androgen receptor antagonism is the likely mechanism of action.

[A clinical study of tuberculous pleurisy]

Forty-eight cases of tuberculous pleurisy were examined and the following results were obtained. (1) Most of the patients were male, and there was no significant age and underlying diseases. (2) Fever and chest pain were observed mainly in younger patients, and sputum and dyspnea in older patients. (3) All of the cases examined had exudative pleural effusion, and increased ADA activity was frequently observed. (4) Mycobacterium tuberculosis was detected in the sputum of 65%, and also in the pleural effusion of 28% of the patients. The pathological diagnosis of tuberculosis was made by pleural biopsy in 83% of the patients, suggesting that pleural biopsy is very useful in the diagnosis of tuberculosis pleurisy. (5) The prognosis of the patients with tuberculosis pleurisy was good. Steroid therapy was generally ineffective.

Effect of a novel class I antiarrhythmic agent, TYB-3823, on the calcium current in single guinea pig ventricular myocytes

The effect of TYB-3823 on Ca2+ current (ICa) of guinea pig ventricular myocytes was investigated by means of whole-cell patch-clamp technique. TYB-3823 (100-1,000 microM) caused a concentration-dependent decrease in ICa. Furthermore, a reduction of ICa induced by TYB-3823 (1,000 microM) was progressively accentuated by repetitive membrane depolarization, indicating a rate-dependent block of ICa. However, the inhibitory potency on ICa was approximately 1/1000 of a Ca2+ antagonistic agent, verapamil hydrochloride. Considering evidence that 3-30 microM TYB-3823 decreased the maximum upstroke velocity of the action potential of guinea pig ventricular muscles, it is indicated that the drug does not show its Ca2+ antagonistic property in the usual concentration range as a class I antiarrhythmic agent.

The effect of TYB-3823, a new antiarrhythmic drug, on sodium current in isolated cardiac cells

1. Sodium current (INa) blockade by TYB-3823, a newly synthesized antiarrhythmic agent, was investigated in isolated single ventricular myocytes by use of the whole cell patch-clamp technique. 2. TYB-3823 blocked INa under steady-state conditions (Kd,rest = 500 microM, Kd,i = 4.9 microM), findings consistent with a shift in the steady state INa availability curve to more negative potentials. 3. TYB-3823 produced use-dependent block at 2 Hz in conjunction with increase in pulse duration (5-300 ms), that was markedly enhanced at less negative holding potentials. 4. The time course of the onset of block was accelerated and the degree of use-dependent block was decreased at more negative holding potential. The time course of the onset of block was accentuated with enhancing block at more positive holding potentials. 5. The time course of recovery from use-dependent block was accelerated at more negative holding potentials but was accentuated at more positive holding potentials. 6. These results suggest that both tonic block and use-dependent block of sodium channels in cardiac tissue might result from an interaction of TYB-3832 with sodium channels mainly in the inactivated channel states and the kinetics of the interaction between drug and receptor may be modulated by the inactivation gate.

Comparison of Ca2+ channel inhibitory effects of cibenzoline with verapamil on guinea-pig heart

1. Cibenzoline, a class 1 antiarrhythmic drug, was studied on the effects upon the myocardial slow inward Ca2+ current (ICa) and the contractile force, and was compared with verapamil. 2. In voltage-clamp experiments with guinea-pig ventricular myocytes, cibenzoline caused a concentration-related inhibition of ICa (IC50 = 30 microM), whereas verapamil exerts a stronger effect (IC50 = 0.6 microM). 3. Cibenzoline also produced a concentration-related decrease in contractile force of isolated papillary muscle preparation (IC50 = 30 microM), while IC50 of verapamil was 0.8 microM. 4. Although the myocardial Ca2+ channel blocking effect of cibenzoline is about 1/50 compared to verapamil, cibenzoline possesses an inhibitory action on Ca2+ channel as well as on Na+ channel.

Blocking effect of 1389-S on the sodium current in isolated guinea-pig ventricular myocytes

Under whole cell patch conditions, 1389-S blocked the INa in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes under steady state conditions (Kdrest = 30 microM, Kdi = 2.4 microM) with a shift of the inactivation curve to the hyperpolarizing direction. Both brief and long conditioning pulses could produce a use-dependent block of 1389-S. These results suggest that 1389-S had a higher affinity to the inactivated than to the rested state under steady state conditions and had a higher affinity to the activated state during train pulses as well as to the inactivated state, making channels unavailable for conduction upon activation.

DNA-adduct formation in the forestomach of rats treated with 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole and its metabolites as assessed by an enzymatic 32P-postlabeling method

Formation of DNA-adducts by 3-BHA or its metabolites, i.e., tert-butyl-1,4-benzoquinone (TBQ) and 5-methoxy-3-tert-butyl-1,2-benzoquinone (3-TBOQ), as well as DNA-adduct formation by 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide (4NQO), in rat forestomach were examined by an enzymatic 32P-postlabeling assay. Four DNA-adducts were clearly detected in the forestomach after treatment of rats with 4NQO. The sensitivity was 1.9 certain adducts per 10(8) normal nucleotides. On the contrary, no DNA adducts were detected in the forestomach of rats given either a single or repeated oral administration (5 days) of 3-BHA, TBQ or 3-TBOQ. The analyses were carried out under conditions which could detect the DNA-adducts produced by reaction of TBQ with calf thymus DNA in vitro. The results suggest that formation of aromatic adducts in vivo by 3-BHA, TBQ or 3-TBOQ in the rat forestomach-DNA is not evident or at least below the detection limits of the current bioassay.

Relationship between sarcolemmal damage and appearance of amorphous matrix densities in mitochondria following occlusion of coronary artery in rats

The relationship between the progression of sarcolemmal damage and the appearance of amorphous matrix densities (AMDs) within myocardial mitochondria in the early phase of ischemia was studied in coronary-ligated rats by means of electron microscopy. The animals were divided into six groups according to the duration of ischemia (from 10 to 120 min). The severity of sarcolemmal damage was graded into four classes according to the ultrastructural ischemic changes, as follows: grade 0, normal cells; grade 1, slight ischemic changes in cellular organelles but intact sarcolemma; grade 2, formation of subsarcolemmal blebs, but overall sarcolemmal integrity; and grade 3, sarcolemmal disruption. In the experiment, grade 1 cells decreased and those of grade 3 increased with a longer period of ischemia. The appearance of grade 3 cells was distinct at 30 min of ischemia. This cellular damage proceeded from the subendocardial layer to the subepicardial layer indicating the "wavefront phenomenon." The number of AMDs within the mitochondria increased as the sarcolemmal damage became more severe. It was noteworthy that AMDs could be found in cells with an intact sarcolemma after subjection to 10 min of ischemia. Myoglobin staining of the myocardium obtained after 10 min of ischemia followed by 6 hr of reperfusion revealed no loss of myoglobin, indicating no irreversible cell damage. This finding suggests that the formation of AMDs may occur prior to the disruption of the sarcolemma or irreversible cell damage.

Mutagenicity studies on fenitrothion in bacteria and mammalian cells

The mutagenicity of fenitrothion was determined in strains of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli. Fenitrothion was found to be non-mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium strains of TA98, TA1535 and TA1537 and in Escherichia coli WP2uvrA both with and without S9 mix, while weak mutagenicity was observed only in Salmonella typhimurium TA100 and enhanced by the addition of S9 mix. The mutagenicity observed in the TA100 strain was not expressed in a nitroreductase-deficient strain, TA100 NR, and decreased in a transacetylase-deficient strain, TA100 1,8-DNP6. The mutagenicity of fenitrothion was also examined by a gene mutation assay using the gene for hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (hgprt) in V79 Chinese hamster lung cells. Fenitrothion did not induce any increment of 6-thioguanine-resistant mutant cells at doses ranging from 0.01 to 0.3 mM regardless of the presence or absence of S9 mix. These results suggest that reduction of fenitrothion by a bacterial nitroreductase of TA100 to an active form is essential for the expression of the mutagenicity of fenitrothion in TA100 and that a bacterial transacetylase of TA100 also has an important role in the process of mutagenic activation.

Metabolism of 2- and 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole in the rat (III): Metabolites in the urine and feces

The urinary and fecal metabolites of orally administered 2-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (2-BHA) and 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (3-BHA) in rats were identified. Samples of 2-day pooled urine and feces of rats given a single intragastric dose of 1 g/kg body wt of tert[butyl-14C]3-BHA (*Bu-3-BHA). tert[butyl-14C]2-BHA (*Bu-2-BHA), [methyl-14C]3-BHA (*Me-3-BHA) or [methyl-14C]-2-BHA (*Me-2-BHA) were analyzed by comparing thin-layer chromatography (TLC) retentions with authentic standards. Conjugated metabolites were identified after enzymatic hydrolysis. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and electron impact mass spectrometry were used for confirmation of the authentic standards. In rats given 3-BHA, a major metabolite in the urine was 3-BHA-glucuronide with a smaller amount of tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ)-sulfate, while unchanged 3-BHA and 3-BHA-glucuronide were detected in the feces. In rats given 2-BHA, the main metabolites were the sulfate conjugates of 2-BHA, 4-tert-butyl-5-methoxy-1,2-benzoquinone (2-TBOQ) and the glucuronide of 2-BHA in the urine, while unchanged 2-BHA was found in the feces.

Electrophysiological studies on the effects of mianserin, a tetracyclic antidepressant agent, on isolated guinea-pig papillary muscle

We studied the effects of mianserin on the action potentials of papillary muscle from the guinea-pig. Mianserin (above 10 microM) reduced the maximum rate of the rise (Vmax) of the action potential, and shifted the Vmax-Em relationship to more negative potentials. The compound also depressed the slow action potentials of K+-depolarized papillary muscles. It is concluded that relatively high concentrations of mianserin had an inhibitory action on the electrophysiological properties of both the fast- and slow-response fibers of the heart.

Comparative study of the block of Vmax by aprindine and quinidine in the guinea-pig heart muscle

The depression of Vmax of the action potential in guinea-pig ventricular muscle by aprindine and quanidine was compared. Aprindine caused a more pronounced rate-dependent block (Kd = 10(-6) M at 3.3 Hz) than did quinidine (Kd = 1.6 X 10(-5) M at 3.3 Hz). Aprindine shifted the relationship between Vmax and resting potential to a more negative potential (mean 9.2 mV: 10 microM) than did quinidine (mean 5.7 mV: 10 microM). In addition, aprindine caused a more pronounced resting block (Kd = 1.3 X 10(-5) M) than quinidine (Kd = 8.6 X 10(-5) M). It is concluded that aprindine has a higher affinity for activated and/or inactivated and resting state channels than quinidine, making channels unavailable for conduction upon activation.

Effect of the alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist urapidil on the pacemaker activity of rabbit sino-atrial node preparations

We studied the effects of the alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist urapidil on the sino-atrial node pacemaker activity of the rabbit. Urapidil (above 10 microM) decreased the spontaneous firing frequency and the maximum rate of rise of the action potential, and prolonged the action potential duration at half-amplitude. Above 100 microM, urapidil also reduced the rate of the diastolic depolarization and the action potential amplitude. On the current systems, urapidil depressed the slow inward current and the time-dependent potassium outward current. The hyperpolarization-activated inward current was also reduced with only a high concentration (300 microM). Furthermore, the agent decreased the current oscillations induced by elevating [Ca]o. It is concluded that urapidil depresses the sinoatrial node pacemaker activity, mainly due to a reduction of Ca2+ influx through the cell membrane and it also eliminates the excessive intracellular Ca2+ load of nodal cells.

Renal hypouricemia due to an isolated renal defect of urate transport

A 22-year-old man was found to have low serum urate concentration (1.1-1.7 mg/dl). His urate clearance was markedly increased (26.9-35.5 ml/min) and was not decreased after administration of pyrazinamide, but was even more increased after administration of benzbromarone. No other renal tubular abnormalities were detected. The young man has one sister and two brothers. His sister also has hypouricemia and hyperuricosuria. We suggest that the present case had a genetically determined renal abnormality affecting tubular presecretory reabsorption of urate.