Undifferentiated carcinoma in the cardioesophageal junction which produces parathyroid hormone related protein

A 68-year-old man with undifferentiated carcinoma occurring in the cardioesophageal junction accompanied by hypercalcemia is reported. The serum level of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) was remarkably elevated. Serum calcium and PTHrP levels decreased following chemotherapy, but this amelioration was temporary. He died of hypercalcemia. On autopsy, a significant amount of immunoreactive PTHrP was detected in the tumor tissue extract, and the tumor cells were stained strongly positive for PTHrP by immunohistochemistry. This is the first case of undifferentiated carcinoma in the gastrointestinal tract which demonstrated hypercalcemia due to PTHrP produced by the malignant tumor.

A scintigraphical qualitative analysis of peripheral vascular sympathetic function with meta-[123I]iodobenzylguanidine in neurological patients with autonomic failure

In order to assess qualitatively the sympathetic functions of the peripheral vessels, we performed a scintigraphical study of the entire body with meta-[123I]iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) in 13 patients with autonomic failure and 11 healthy subjects as control. The patients comprised seven with multiple system atrophy (MSA), two with pure autonomic failure (PAF), three with Parkinson's disease with autonomic failure (PD with AF) and one with familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP). No clinical evidence of vascular disease was noted in any of the patients and the control subjects. We investigated their autonomic functions using the head up tilt test as well as norepinephrine and isoproterenol infusion tests. We found that: (i) All of the control subjects showed satisfactory MIBG uptake; (ii) all of the patients with PAF and FAP, most of whom had postganglionic sympathetic lesions, showed supersensitivity and low MIBG uptake; (iii) almost all the patients with MSA, who were considered to have mainly preganglionic sympathetic lesions, showed supersensitivity and diminished MIBG uptake, although the patients with olivopontocerebellar atrophy showed supersensitivity but not diminished MIBG uptake. In conclusion, these results suggest that peripheral vascular scintigraphy using MIBG is useful in detecting peripheral adrenergic dysfunction.

Synergistic effects of insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) with leukemia inhibiting factor (LIF) on establishment of rat pluripotential cell lines

To examine effects of IGF-II on establishment of pluripotential diploid cells from rat embryos, we cultured blastocysts in medium containing mouse LIF with or without IGF-II. Combination of mouse LIF (5,000 units/ml) and rat IGF-II (100 ng/ml) promoted growth of inner cell mass (ICM) and was effective for establishment of pluripotential cell lines derived from the ICM. The cell lines indicated colony forms different from the rat ES cell lines. However, they showed morphological alteration to adult-like tissue cells, formed embryoid body in suspension culture, and thus, seemed to retain a pluripotent characteristics. The rat IGF-II is useful for establishing of pluripotential cells efficiently.

Prolonged inhibition of an antigen-specific IgE response in vivo by monoclonal antibody against lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1

Intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA) into BALB/c mice caused the induction of OVA-specific IgE production in vivo. However, administration of monoclonal antibody against lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (anti-LFA-1 mAb) at days 0 and 1 after OVA immunization resulted in an inhibition of OVA-specific primary and secondary IgE production in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition of the antigen-specific IgE response due to anti-LFA-1 mAb was seen up to 8 weeks after anti-LFA-1 mAb administration. The OVA-specific IgG1 response was also blocked by anti-LFA-1 mAb. The spleen cells obtained from OVA-immunized mice showed enhanced proliferation against secondary stimulation with OVA in vitro. However, the spleen cells obtained from the mice treated with both OVA and anti-LFA-1 mAb revealed a markedly decreased proliferative responses to OVA, while they showed no reduced responses against keyhole limpet hemocyanin stimulation, indicating that anti-LFA-1 mAb might induce antigen-specific anergy in vivo. It was also demonstrated that treatment of the mice with anti-LFA-1 mAb significantly inhibited the interleukin-4-producing ability of OVA-immunized mouse spleen cells. These results demonstrated that LFA-1-dependent cell-cell interaction is essential for the production of IgE in vivo and may be important in IgE-dependent allergic disease.

Gastrointestinal manometry findings in a case with dilated small bowel and disturbed transit treated successfully with bowel plication

We report the manometric findings in a case of dilated small bowel and disturbed transit successfully treated with plication of the dilated small bowel. The female newborn infant required total parenteral nutrition following an operation for small bowel atresia. X-ray showed a dilated proximal small bowel. Jejunal manometry showed normal phase 3 migration but persistently low-amplitude contractions in the dilated segment. After plication of the dilated intestine, symptoms of bowel obstruction disappeared. A second manometry two weeks after the operation showed contractions with normal amplitude. These findings indicate that: (1) disturbed transit in the dilated intestine proximal to small intestinal atresia is associated with persistently low contraction amplitude, and (2) the amplitude can be increased by the plication of the dilated loop.

Bcl-2 oncoprotein expression and apoptosis in neuroblastoma

Bcl-2 protooncogene, originally discovered at the chromosomal breakpoint of the t(14;18) in follicular lymphoma, is known to regulate the process of programmed cell death or apoptosis. The inhibition of apoptosis is thought to be one of the mechanisms involved in the development of tumors. To investigate the possible association of bcl-2 protooncogene with the tumorigenesis of neuroblastomas, the authors examined bcl-2 expression by immunohistochemistry in 49 neuroblastomas and 7 ganglioneuromas. The distribution of apoptotic cells was also examined by the TUNEL method (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling). Bcl-2 oncoprotein was detected in the cytoplasm in 40 of 49 neuroblastomas (81.6%). There was no correlation between bcl-2 oncoprotein expression and the clinical features of neuroblastoma. The incidence of bcl-2-positive tumors in ganglioneuroma was significantly lower than that in neuroblastoma (28.6%) (P < .01). TUNEL stained the nuclei of tumor cells in 11 of 34 (32.4%) neuroblastomas. TUNEL-positive cells tended to be located around calcifications in neuroblastomas in patients less than 1 year old. Examination of serial sections showed that apoptotic cells were distributed in the area where bcl-2 oncoprotein was not expressed. What we have observed indicates that apoptosis of neuroblastoma cells may be regulated by bcl-2 expression. Our observations suggest that the survival of neuroblastoma cells might be promoted by bcl-2 expression and that bcl-2 might be associated with the tumorigenesis of neuroblastomas.

3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) decarboxylase deficiency and resultant high levels of plasma DOPA and dopamine in unfavorable neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a tumor which arises from neural crest cells. In the developing neural crest cells, the induction of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) decarboxylase is more delayed than that of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase. If NB cells are arrested in an early stage of neural crest development, the induction of DOPA decarboxylase is insufficient and the accumulation and secretion of DOPA can be caused. The biochemically immature phenotype is thought to represent the undifferentiated characteristics of the cells and might correlate with the grade of malignancy. To investigate whether the hypothesis is clinically applicable or not, we have measured plasma DOPA, dopamine and urinary catecholamine metabolites in NB patients. The levels of plasma DOPA, dopamine, urinary homovanillic acid (HVA) and vanillactic acid (VLA) were significantly higher in patients with unfavorable NBs and the higher plasma DOPA level was significantly associated with the patients' age (> 1 year old), tumor stage (III, IV) and DNA diploidy. Serial determination of plasma DOPA was a good monitor of the disease course. These results are compatible with the hypothesis on DOPA decarboxylase deficiency and DOPA secretion in undifferentiated, unfavorable NBs. In conclusion, the plasma DOPA can be used to predict patients' prognosis as well as to follow up patients with NB.

Cerebrospinal fluid levels of S-100b protein and neuron-specific enolase in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy

We measured the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of S-100b protein (S-100b) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) using enzyme immunoassay methods in 15 patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), other three patients with chronic neuropathy with demyelination, eight patients with various axonal neuropathies (AN), and 46 controls, to investigate the clinical usefulness of the determination of these two specific proteins in these neuropathies. S-100b levels were elevated (> the mean +/- 2 SD levels of controls) in the majority of patients with clinically progressing CIDP (9/11), but not in the patients with AN (0/8). In parallel with the clinical improvement, S-100b levels were normalized in patients with CIDP (10/10), though total protein levels in the CSF still remained high in some of these patients (5/10). Elevation of NSE levels were seldom seen in clinically worsening patients with CIDP (1/11) or AN (1/8). Thus our results indicated that the level of S-100b in the CSF may be useful to assess the activity of actual disease process in CIDP.

[Clinical efficacy of neoadjuvant M-VAC chemotherapy for invasive bladder cancer]

We clinically evaluated the efficacy of neoadjuvant M-VAC (methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin) therapy followed by radical cystectomy. A total of 21 patients with locally invasive bladder cancer received neoadjuvant M-VAC therapy with an average of 2.4 courses (range 2-4). Of the 21 patients, 4 had stage T2N0M0, 11 had stage T3aN0M0, 5 had stage T3bN0M0 and 1 had stage T4N0M0 at diagnosis. Of the 21 patients, 3 had clinically complete responses (cCR) and 12 had partial responses (cPR), for an overall response rate of 71.4%. The patients who responded to the chemotherapy (cCR + cPR) had a 2-year disease free rate of 80.0% in contrast to 50.0% for the remaining patients who did not respond. A pathological response (pT0, pT1) was achieved in 6 (28.6%) of the 21 patients. The 5 patients in this group remain free of disease for 15 to 79 months (mean 58.8 months). These preliminary results suggest that the patients who achieve either a complete or partial response, in particular those had pathological stage of pT0 or pT1, may have a favorable clinical course.

Retrospective analysis of biological factors in a recurrent IV-S neuroblastoma with intermediate-grade malignancy

A clinical stage of IV-S neuroblastoma is known to include heterogeneous tumors. The authors report a case of IV-S neuroblastoma that relapsed after regression 4 years and 10 months after diagnosis. Multiagent chemotherapy was necessary to control the disease, and the patient has been doing well with no evidence of disease for more than 5 years. Although Shimada's classification showed favorable characteristics, N-myc protein was positive and DNA ploidy was diploidy in the tumor at diagnosis. Discrepancy in DNA ploidy was observed and aneuploidy was shown in tumor specimens at recurrence. Experience in this case showed the following important clinical features: (1) IV-S neuroblastoma of intermediate-grade malignancy does exist, and patients with such a disease may be cured by aggressive treatment; (2) Identifying IV-S patients with an unfavorable clinical course is possible by examining biological prognostic factors.

Okadaic acid induces both augmentation and inhibition of opsonized zymosan-stimulated superoxide production by differentiated HL-60 cells. Possible involvement of dephosphorylation of a cytosolic 21K protein in respiratory burst

We found that okadaic acid (OA), a potent tumor promoter and a phosphatase inhibitor, has a unique opposing effect on opsonized zymosan (Op.-zym.)-elicited O2.- production by differentiated HL-60 cells in a narrow range of concentrations but does not induce any O2.- production by itself. Okadaic acid magnified the O2.- production 2.5-fold at 1.0 microM, while it inhibited it at 2.0 microM or higher concentrations. This effect of OA did not correspond to the changes in the expression of surface receptors (CD11b/CD18, CR3) for Op.-zym., because they were weakly down-regulated by OA at any concentration. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed that in the absence of OA, Op.-zym. induced rapid dephosphorylation of a cytosolic 21K protein with a very slight increase in phosphorylation of membranous p47phox, which is one of the cytosolic factors required for respiratory burst. In the presence of a stimulatory concentration (1.0 microM) of OA, the Op.-zym.-caused dephosphorylation of the 21K protein was still observed and the phosphorylation of p47phox was enhanced. In the presence of an inhibitory concentration (2.0 or 5.0 microM) of OA, the Op.-zym.-induced dephosphorylation of the 21K protein was strongly inhibited while p47phox was heavily phosphorylated. Acid hydrolysis of the 21K phosphoprotein yielded only phosphoserine as a phosphoamino acid. Furthermore, at least part of the 21K protein seemed to be associated with p67phox and p47phox, because it was co-immunoprecipitated with those cytosolic factors. These results suggest that a cytosolic 21K protein plays an important role in respiratory burst through dephosphorylation by a phosphoserine phosphatase, and that the dephosphorylated 21K protein may work synergistically with the phosphorylated p47phox on the pathway for activation of the respiratory burst oxidase.

Establishment of a T cell-dependent nude mouse liver injury model induced by Propionibacterium acnes and LPS

Normal ICR mice developed severe liver injury when they were given intravenous injections of Propionibacterium acnes and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with a 7 day interval. In contrast, T cell-deficient ICR nude mice were resistant to P. acnes and LPS-induced liver injury. However, athymic ICR nude mice, which were treated with cell transfer of normal ICR mouse spleen cells (10(8) cells) or ICR mouse nylon-wool passed splenic T-enriched cells (over 10(7) cells), showed severe liver injury as assessed by elevation of serum transaminase activities. Histological analyses also demonstrated that the transferred cells migrated into the liver of nude mice to induce liver injury. However, depletion of both CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells from transferred cell populations caused a marked decrease in the elevation of serum transaminase, indicating the actual involvement of T cells in liver injury. Moreover, in vivo administration of anti-LFA-1 mAb blocked P. acnes and LPS-induced liver injury in nude mice following T cell transfer. Thus, this model will provide a new strategy to investigate T cell-dependent cell-cell interaction during the induction of liver damage.

Postsurgical observations of mean hemispheric cerebral blood flow with patients receiving high-flow EC-IC bypass using a radial artery graft (preliminary report, one-year observation of 10 hemispheres)

BACKGROUND

When we encounter an inaccessible internal carotid artery lesion, we sacrifice the inaccessible internal carotid artery and, at the same time, establish a high-flow extracranial-to-intracranial arterial bypass (EC-IC bypass). Questions and concerns remain, however, about the dynamics of the patient's cerebral blood flow postoperatively.

METHOD

Ten hemispheres from 9 patients had received radial artery grafting as an EC-IC bypass with the simultaneous obstruction of the internal carotid artery. Their mean hemispheric cerebral blood flow (mCBF) was measured longitudinally during 1 year after surgery by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and a 133Xenon-inhalation method.

RESULTS

The serial mCBF values of the five hemispheres with giant aneurysm or paracavernous meningioma were attenuated during the postoperative 3-month period and then returned to the normal range. In only one case did the postoperative reduction of mCBF fail to return to normal; in addition there was a memory disturbance that had developed and progressed. Five hemispheres with the ICA stenosis did not present reduction in mCBF. In three out of five hemispheres, transient elevation of mCBF at 1 month after surgery was observed.

Distribution of lamprey adrenocorticotropin and melanotropins in the pituitary of the adult sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus

Three peptides containing the melanotropin (MSH)-core sequence, YXMXHFRWG, have been isolated recently from the pituitary glands of adult sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) and were tentatively assigned as lamprey adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), MSH-A, and MSH-B, respectively. Both MSHs differed significantly from gnathostome MSHs and cannot be assigned as alpha-MSH, beta-MSH, or gamma-MSH. The aim of the present study was to localize these peptides in the lamprey pituitary using antisera generated against synthetic lamprey ACTH1-16, MSH-A, and MSH-B. ACTH-like immunoreactivity was found in most cells of the rostal pars distalis (RPD) and in a few scattered cells of the proximal pars distalis (PPD). MSH-A-like immunoreactivity was found in most cells of the RPD, a few scattered cells of the PPD, and almost all cells of the pars intermedia (PI). MSH-B-like immunoreactivity was found only in the PI, where almost all cells were stained. Thus, the topographic distributions of ACTH and MSHs in the lamprey pituitary were similar to those in gnathostome vertebrates.

Proximal balloon occlusion for dissecting vertebral aneurysms accompanied by subarachnoid hemorrhage

Five patients with spontaneous dissecting vertebral aneurysms presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage were treated with endovascular proximal balloon occlusion after a successful balloon Matas' test. Occlusion was performed in the extracranial portion of the vertebral artery after the potentially dangerous period of cerebral vasospasm. Two patients rebled preoperatively during the waiting period. Although angiograms demonstrated residual aneurysmal dilatation for four of the five patients, postoperative hemorrhages or progression of the dissection were not observed during the 19- to 48-month follow-up period. Only one patient experienced transient postoperative ischemic complication. Although the timing of the procedure and the site of occlusion remain controversial, proximal balloon occlusion of the vertebral artery appears to be a safe and effective therapy for patients with dissecting vertebral aneurysms presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhages. This method provides an important, less invasive alternative for this condition.

[Immunohistochemical studies on pathogenetic features of diffuse fasciitis]

Three cases of diffuse fasciitis were reported: case 1, a 24-year-old female, case 2, an 18-year-old male and case 3, a 61-year-old male. Their prominent features were reduced extensibility of the muscle and/or fascia. Skin was taut and bound underneath in cases 1 and 3, and focal edema was noted in the left forearm of case 2. Firmness of the muscle and/or fascia was dominantly seen in four extremities in case 1, proximal limbs in case 2 and in the trunk and proximal limbs in case 3. Muscle weakness was not seen in case 1, slight in the limbs of case 2 and moderate in the proximal limbs of case 3. Transient eosinophilia was observed in case 1. IgG was elevated in all 3 cases and IgM in cases 1 and 3. Antinuclear antibody was positive in case 1 and 2, and anti-ENA antibody in case 3. Remarkable thickening of the fascia and perivascular mononuclear cell infiltration in the fascia were main pathological features in all three cases. Inflammatory alteration of the muscle was modest and limited to the perifascicular and epimysial sites underneath the fascia. In these 3 cases, a diagnosis of Shulman syndrome or diffuse fasciitis with eosinophilia was made, although eosinophils were scarce in the fascia or muscle tissue. All 3 cases well responded to the oral prednisolone. Mononuclear cells clustered mainly in the perivascular sites, comprising mostly T cells, helper T cells, and partly B cells. These findings suggest that helper T cell mediated immune mechanism may play a pathogenetic role in this disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Clinical study of radiation pneumonitis over 10 years]

We studied clinical aspects of radiation pneumonitis from 1983 to 1992. Fifty seven patients admitted to our hospital because of lung cancer were treated with radiotherapy, and radiation pneumonitis developed in 20 (35.1%). The incidence of radiation pneumonitis was closely related to male sex, chronic obstructive lung disease, and chemotherapy. Pneumonitis was not related to age, or to the area or amount of radiation. Eighteen cases (90%) of pneumonitis occurred during or within one month after radiotherapy. In all but five cases (25%), pneumonitis was limited to the area of radiation. Treatment was mainly with steroids. In 4 cases (20%), pneumonitis recurred when steroid therapy was reduced, and five patients (10%) died.

Surgical treatment of childhood moyamoya disease--comparison of reconstructive surgery centered on the frontal region and the parietal region

Indirect revascularization procedures centered on the parietal region, such as encephalo-myo-arterio-synangiosis (parietal synangiosis) and direct procedures centered on the frontal region using both the anterior and the posterior branches of the superficial temporal artery (STA), such as STA to middle cerebral artery anastomosis combined with encephalo-duro-arterio-myo-synangiosis (frontal anastomosis) were compared in childhood moyamoya disease patients. The parietal synangiosis group consisted of 10 sides in five patients, and the frontal anastomosis group consisted of 30 sides in 15 patients. The development of postoperative collateral circulation was assessed by external carotid angiography, the neurological outcome was monitored for 2 years after surgery, and the intelligence quotient (IQ) was measured at least 6 months after surgery. Frontal anastomosis achieved superior results compared to the parietal synangiosis assessed by development of collateral circulation, in particular to the orbitofrontal artery, the prefrontal artery, and the precentral artery (p < 0.01), and reduction in the incidence of ischemic attacks, such as transient ischemic attacks (p < 0.05). The mean IQ in the frontal anastomosis group was higher than that in the parietal synangiosis group. Vascular reconstruction centered on the frontal region utilizing both the anterior and posterior branches of the STA is more efficacious than only synangiosis centered on the parietal region.

Induction of hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes by chlornitrofen (CNP) and CNP-amino in rats and mice

The induction of hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes by chlornitrofen (CNP) and CNP-amino was studied in the liver of male rats and mice. CNP-amino increased the activities of 7-pentoxyresorufin O-depentylase (PROD) and 7-benzyloxyresorufin O-debenzylase (BROD) as CYP2B1-dependent monooxygenase 3.6- and 4.1-fold in rats. On the contrary, these enzyme activities in mice were induced by CNP rather than by CNP-amino. Furthermore, immunoblotting showed that the protein levels of CYP2B subfamily cytochrome P450 (P450) in liver microsomes of rats and mice were increased by CNP or CNP-amino. Phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes, UDP-glucuronyltransferase (UGT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) levels in mice were also significantly increased from 1.4 to 2.5-fold by CNP or CNP-amino. However, neither CNP nor CNP-amino affected UGT and GST in rats. These results suggest that CNP and or CNP-amino induce the P450 isoforms of CYP2B subfamily in the rat and mouse liver, and that the inducibility of drug-metabolizing enzyme by the compounds is different between rats and mice.

pH-dependent inactivation and reactivation of recombinant sheep angiotensinogen

Purified recombinant sheep angiotensinogen (rsAngn) lost 74% of the reactivity with human renin during storage at pH 8.0 and 4 degrees C. The inactivated rsAngn was reactivated by incubation at acidic pHs. This indicates that pH-dependent inactivation and reactivation occur in rsAngn.

Blood flow velocity in the common carotid artery in humans during graded exercise on a treadmill

Cerebral blood volume flow and flow velocity have been reported to increase during dynamic exercise, but whether the two increase in parallel and whether both increases occur as functions of exercise intensity remain unsettled. In this study, blood flow velocity in the common carotid artery was measured using the Doppler ultrasound method in eight healthy male students during graded treadmill exercise. The exercise consisted of stepwise progressive increases and decreases in exercise intensity. The peak intensity corresponded to approximately 85% of maximal oxygen consumption. During this exercise, the heart rate (fc), mean blood pressure (BP) in the brachial artery and mean blood flow velocity (vcc) in the common carotid artery increased as functions of exercise intensity. At the peak exercise intensity, fc, BP and vcc increased by 134.5%, 20.5% and 51.8% over the control levels before exercise (P < 0.01), respectively. The resistance index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) were determined from the velocity profile and were expected to reflect the distal cerebral blood flow resistance. The RI and PI increased during the graded exercise, but tended to decrease at the highest levels of exercise intensity. As vcc increased with increases in exercise intensity it would be expected that cerebral blood flow would also increase at these higher intensities. It is also suggested that blood flow velocity in the cerebral artery does not proportionately reflect the cerebral blood flow during dynamic exercise, since the cerebral blood flow resistance changes.

Initiating activity of quinones in the two-stage transformation of BALB/3T3 cells

2-tert-Butyl-1,4-benzoquinone (BQ), a metabolite of the rodent carcinogen 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (3-BHA), has been shown previously to have initiating activity for cell transformation. In this paper, we examined the initiating activity of quinones in a two-stage transformation assay using BALB/3T3 cells. Cells were treated first with a quinone and then with the tumor promoter 12-O-tetra-decanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). The quinones tested were 1,4-benzoquinone (pQ), phenyl-1,4-benzoquinone (PhQ), menadione and 2,5-di-tert-butyl-1,4-benzoquinone (DBQ) in addition to BQ. pQ is a metabolite of benzene and phenacetin, and PhQ is a metabolite of o-phenylphenol (OPP) and sodium o-phenylphenate (OPP-Na). All of the tested quinones induced transformation in the presence of TPA but not in its absence. The extent of transformation caused by quinones followed by TPA was weak but statistically significant. Thus these quinones were shown to act as initiators in the transformation of BALB/3T3 cells. This result suggests that BQ, pQ and PhQ may be involved in carcinogenesis by 3-BHA, benzene, phenacetin, OPP and OPP-Na in vivo. Menadione has been reported to cause cytotoxic effects and mutations through active oxygen generation from semiquinone radicals. DBQ has two bulky substitutes which interfere with covalent bonds with DNA. Menadione and DBQ exhibited initiating activity in the present study. This result suggests that active oxygens generated from semiquinone radicals may play a role in the initiation of cell transformation.

Hepatoprotective effect of SY-640, a novel acetamide derivative, on Propionibacterium acnes and lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury in mice

The hepatoprotective effect of SY-640 on Propionibacterium acnes and lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury in mice and its protective mechanism were examined. Oral administration of SY-640, 150 mg/kg once daily for 7 days, significantly inhibited Propionibacterium acnes and lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury, but a single administration was without effect. Liver-infiltrating cells (T-lymphocytes and macrophages) play an important role in Propionibacterium and lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury and express a higher level of leukocyte function-associated antigen-1. SY-640 inhibited the number of liver-infiltrating cells and attenuated the increased expression of leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 on these cells. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha mediated Propionibacterium acnes and lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury, and SY-640 inhibited the elevation of the serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentration after injection of lipopolysaccharide in Propionibacterium acnes-primed mice. The putative effects of SY-640 are inhibitory effects on infiltration into the liver and on activation of T-lymphocytes and macrophages after Propionibacterium acnes-priming, and attenuation of expression of cell adhesion molecules such as leukocyte function-associated antigen-1. The immunological effect of SY-640 is likely to be closely related to the inhibition of Propionibacterium and lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury.