Metabolism of xylitol and glucose in rats bearing hepatocellular

The variation in metabolism of glucose and xylitol by diverse rat hepatocellular carcinomas and partially hepatectomized rat livers was studied. The AS-30D and FB56 tumors demonstrated a significantly different degree of utilization of glucose and xylitol in vitro. This correlated partially with the low activity of polyol dehydrogenase when xylitol was used as a substrate. The activity ofa nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent polyol dehydrogenase in various hepatomas ranged from nondetectable to 30 nmol/min/mg protein, with the lower activities in FB56 and AS-30D tumors at 0 and 0.22 nmol/min/mg, respectively; while nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-dependent xylitol dehydrogenase activities ranged from 0 to FB56 to 3.31 nmol/min/mg protein in liver regenerated for 1 week. The activities of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-dependent enzyme for normal liver and AS-30D tumors measured 2.2 and 0.14 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively. Although only the 311C tumor had an activity equivalent to that of normal liver, the range of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-dependent polyol dehydrogenase activities among the cell lines studies is narrow. The ratios of metabolites of [14C]glucose or [14C]xylitol were determined in rats bearing AS-30D tumors. Animals were given i.v. injections of a 10% solution of [14C]glucose or [14C]xylitol, 2 g/kg body weight. Assays of neutral sugar metabolites from each substrate in the acid-soluble fraction of liver or AS-30D tumor showed that xylitol in the liver was converted primarily into glucose while in the tumor 80 to 90% of the xylitol remained unchanged. This hepatocellular carcinoma is also markedly deficient in the ability to synthesize acid-insoluble glycogen and glycoprotein from xylitol as compared to the liver.

Abnormalities of chromosome no. 1 related to blood dyscrasias: study of 10 cases

Partial excess of chromosome 1 (q25-q32) was noted in malignant cells from all of 10 patients who had disorders such as non-African Burkitt's lymphoma, adult T-cell leukemia, myelofibrosis, malignant lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia or chronic myelocytic leukemia in blast crisis. The break points on chromosome 1 were at centromere, q12, q21, q23, q25 and q32. Variations in the specific region of the long arm of chromosome 1, q25-q32, were thought to be important in the evolution of malignant cell proliferation.

Chromosome 14q+ in adult T-cell leukemia

Cytogenetic studies were performed on leukemic cells from two patients with adult T-cell leukemia. A 14q+ marker chromosome was found in the peripheral blood leukocytes from patient No. 1 and in a leukemic T-cell line (MT-1) derived from the peripheral blood of patient No. 2. The 14q+ resulted from a t(12;14) in patient No. 1 and from a t(Y;14) in patient No. 2 with a break point at 14q32 in each case. In addition, the leukemic cells from patient No. 1 showed a t(1;7) and a 9q-, while the MT-1 line had numerous structural abnormalities. Thus, it is clear that a 14q+ translocation is not restricted to B-cell neoplasms but occurs in T-cell neoplasms as well.

A 14q+ chromosome in adult T-cell leukemia

Chromosome studies were conducted on two patients with adult T-cell leukemia. In both patients, a marker chromosome 14q+ and a structural change involving chromosome 1 with trisomy of the q arm were found in peripheral blood leukocytes. The 14q+ marker chromosome had resulted from translocation from #5p in one patient and #5q in the other patient. The present and previous studies suggest that the donor chromosomes involved in the 14q+ translocation are variable. This indicates that the 14q+ marker chromosome rather than the donor chromosome is intimately related with adult T-cell leukemia.

Effect of heparin injection on plasma protein binding of 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate and salicylate in rats

After intravenous injection of heparin, the plasma protein binding of 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) was remarkably decreased in rats. This effect occurred within one min after the injection of 1000 units/kg of heparin and lasted for about 30 min. The change in the binding of ANS was closely related to the plasma concentration of free acids (FFA), which was suggested as one of the heparin-induced inhibitors. The free fatty fraction of salicylate in plasma after the intravenous injection of heparin, has a pronounced variation, and also had a statistically significantly correlation with the plasma free fraction of ANS. It was suggested that ANS might be useful for the prediction of the heparin-induced changes in the plasma protein binding of acidic drugs.

Antitumor effect of bactobolin and its influence on mouse immune system and hematopoietic cells

Bactobolin prolonged survival period of mice bearing leukemia L-1210 in various dose schedules. The administration of bactobolin before or at time of immunization with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) did not affect antibody formation and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to SRBC. The administration after immunization suppressed antibody formation markedly but not DTH response. Bactobolin showed stronger suppressive action on antibody formation in vitro than mitomycin C. Bactobolin did not reduce establishment of tumor immunity which was mediated by T cells and macrophages. Comparing to other antitumor antibiotics which were effective against L-1210, bactobolin did not affect phagocytosis of mouse peritoneal macrophages. It has an extremely low toxicity to mouse spleen cells treated by concanavalin A (Con A) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). It did not affect colony formation of mouse bone marrow cells in the presence of LPS-induced colony stimulating factor. The administration of bactobolin did not reduce the number of leucocytes in peripheral blood. From these results, the usefulness of bactobolin in the treatment of cancer was discussed.

Factors influencing long-term survival after aortic valve replacement

In the aortic stenosis group, the left ventricular (LV) muscle mass index was a good parameter for predicting the prognosis. Associated mitral valve disease had no influence on long term survival after aortic valve replacement. In the aortic insufficiency group, associated mitral valve disease had a marked influence on the results of aortic valve replacement. In general, the aortic insufficiency group had less clinical improvement postoperatively than the aortic stenosis group. In the annuloaortic ectasia group, left ventricular enddiastolic pressure (LVEDP) might be the predictor to the prognosis. This group had the worst prognosis, of the three groups. Early operation should be considered for patients who have no, or only mild symptoms of, aortic valve disease.

Cytological alteration of cultured rat liver cells by 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene with special reference to chromosome changes, changes of growth patterns at a colony level and alpha-fetoprotein production

A near diploid clone derived from a rat liver cell line was continuously treated with various concentrations of 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3'-Me-DAB) in culture. By treatment with 2.8 micrograms/ml, cells with 41 chromosomes formed a mode and which then shifted to 39. The chromosome numbers of cells treated with 5.4 micrograms/ml were widely distributed at early stages, but later the mode shifted to hypotetraploid region. Untreated control cells were confirmed as near diploid. Increased plating efficiency by 3'-Me-DAB as well as the appearance of large sized colonies was obtained. The production of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) by the cells was slightly enhanced by treatment with 3'-Me-DAB. The cells treated with and without 3'-Me-DAB did not produce any tumor in rats 6 months after their intraperitoneal injection.

Mitogenic effect of bestatin on lymphocytes

The incorporation of 3H-thymidine into the acid insoluble fraction of spleen cells was increased intraperitoneal injection of 10 microgram bestatin/mouse. Bestatin (0.01, 0.1, 1.0 microgram/ml) which was added to mouse spleen cell culture increased 3H-thymidine incorporation into lymphocytes, but 10 microgram/ml did not. This mitogenic action of bestatin was not observed when adherent cells were removed or T cells were destroyed, suggesting that bestatin causes the proliferate T cells probably through the activation of macrophages. Bestatin given to mice did not modulate mitogenicity of lectins. Bestatin treatment of human peripheral buffy coat cells increased 3H-thymidine incorporation into lymphocytes. The addition of bestatin at a high concentration such as 100 microgram/ml to mouse spleen cell cultures exhibited a high mitogenic effect on B cells in preference to T cells but this effect was not seen with bestatin at 50 microgram/ml. In this case, the mitogenicity of Con A or LPS was expanded and antibody formation to SRBC in spleen cell cultures were also stimulated.

8-14 translocation in a Japanese Burkitt's lymphoma

Chromosome analysis was performed on cells obtained from the pleural effusion of a Japanese patient with Burkitt's lymphoma. Two modal chromosomal numbers were found: 45 and 46. Five different karyotypes were present, all having a t (8q-;14q+) translocation. This case illustrates that Burkitt's lymphomas of Japanese are no exception to the frequent association of this chromosomal abnormality with Burkitt's lymphomas.

Chromosome analysis in a human hepato-blastoma cell line producing alpha-fetoprotein

Analysis of the chromosomes of a cloned human hepato-blastoma cell line, HUH-6-clone 5 by Q-, G- and C-banding revealed numerical and structural chromosome aberrations. The modal number of chromosomes was 49. Trisomies #12 and 20 were present in most of the cells, and 8q isochromosome was detected in all of the cells analyzed. High levels of alpha-fetoprotein production by this cell strain were also demonstrated.

Preparation of anti-rat albumin antiserum and its application to radioimmunoassay

Albumin was highly purified from a commercially available rat albumin preparation (Fraction V) using disc electrophoresis. The purified albumin had the same antigenicity as Fraction V. A monospecific anti-rat albumin rabbit serum was obtained. The antiserum was used in a double antibody quantitative method for determining rat albumin.

Therapy and prognosis of status convulsivus in childhood

The record of 67 cases under 15 years of age who were hospitalized during status convulsivus from 1975 to 1978, the 348 cases who visited the hospital for the first time with epilepsy (Oct. 1977 to Sept. 1978) and the 32 cases who were hospitalized during status epilepticus from 1969 to 1974 and who are being followed up as outpatients were studied. The frequency of status epilepticus was 8% among epileptic children. There was no difference in the frequency of incidence between male and female. Patients with mental retardation, however, were revealed to have status epilepticus twice to three times more frequently as compared to cases without mental retardation. The major seizure types of status epilepticus in childhood were generalized tonic clonic convulsion and unilateral clonic convulsion. In 25% of the cases, status epilepticus was the first ictal manifestation. The major cause of status convulsivus was epilepsy, followed by encephalitis and encephalopathy, but cases due to brain tumor were rare. The drug of first choice for status convulsivus is diazepam. If there is any difficulty in controlling status convulsivus with diazepam, it may be worthwhile to consider what the problem is, causes of status convulsivus, seizure type, or basic disease of the patient. The effective dose of diazepam was within the range of 0.3--0.5 mg/kg. When the effect is not sufficient, the dose of diazepam should be increased to 1 mg/kg while watching the general condition of the patient. Factors affecting the prognosis of status convulsivus were its cause, duration, onset age and effectiveness of therapy during the acute stage. The frequency of cases who suffered disability after status epilepticus was 56%. (transient disability 43%, permanent disability 13%) The most frequent type of transient disability was hemiplegia. Most epileptic children who had repetitive status convulsivus revealed psychomotor retardation before first status. Factors which cause repetitive status seem to be hemispheric brain damage or diffuse corticocentrencephalic damage.