Enzymatic hydrolysis of zenarestat 1-O-acylglucuronide

Zenarestat, (3-(4-bromo-2-fluorobenzyl)-7-chloro-2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4- tetrahydroquinazolin-1-yl) acetic acid, an aldose reductase inhibitor is metabolized mainly to the glucuronide in rat and man. The glucuronide was purified from urine of volunteers after ingestion of zenarestat. The structure of the glucuronide was confirmed by LC-MS and NMR as 1-O-acyl-beta-glucuronide. This compound was unstable at physiological pH, being converted to its structural isomers and the aglycone with half-life of 25 min at pH 7.4 and 37 degrees C in aqueous solution. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the glucuronide was studied in urine, blood and tissues. beta-Glucuronidase in human urine contributed little to the hydrolysis of the glucuronide, while in rat urine at pH 6, it was degraded by beta-glucuronidase and the formation of zenarestat was clearly faster than its formation in buffer at pH 6. In both rat and human blood, these reactions were accelerated by albumin, although rat red blood cells may also contribute. The rate of degradation was not affected by red blood cell membrane, haemoglobin, globulin, esterases or beta-glucuronidase. Arylesterase in rat liver, arylesterase and acetylcholinesterase in the kidney, and beta-glucuronidase in both tissues may contribute. Thus, enzymatic degradation of zenarestat 1-O-acyl-beta-glucuronide is dependent not only on pH and temperature but also on species and the type of tissue or body fluid.

Determination of 18 beta-glycyrrhetic acid in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography

A sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the determination of 18 beta-Glycyrrhetic acid in human plasma. 18 alpha-Glycyrrhetic acid was used as an internal standard. The procedure includes pretreatment by liquid-liquid extraction and chromatographic separation on a reversed-phase column with ultraviolet detection. The detection limit of the drug was 5 ng/ml. The method was applied to the determination of 18 beta-glycyrrhetic acid in plasma after oral administration of a herbal medicine containing 18 beta-glycyrrhitic acid in human volunteers.

A mouse TGF-beta type I receptor that requires type II receptor for ligand binding

A cDNA for a serine/threonine kinase receptor was isolated from a mouse brain cDNA library. The receptor transiently expressed on COS cells bound TGF-beta 1 not by itself but only when TGF-beta type II receptor was coexpressed. The molecular mass of the ligand-receptor complex was estimated to be 75 kDa. The type II receptor-dependent binding and the molecular mass of the complex suggest that the receptor is a TGF-beta type I receptor.

Augmentation of NK activity after oral administration of a traditional Chinese medicine, xiao-chai-hu-tang (shosaiko-to)

We have shown that a traditional Chinese medicine, Xiao-chai-hu-tang (Japanese name: Shosaiko-to) augments natural killer (NK)1 activity in mice. The maximum augmentation of NK activity in the peripheral blood and liver was observed at 12 hr after administration of Shosaiko-to. NK activity was augmented by Shosaiko-to dose-dependently. The augmentation became significantly positive at a dose of 500 mg/kg, and the maximum effect was observed at a dose of 1000 mg/kg. The augmentation of NK activity appeared at first in the liver from 6 hr after administration of Shosaiko-to and became detectable later in the peripheral blood from 12 hr after the administration. Activation of NK cells by Shosaiko-to may occur in the liver and subsequently the activated NK cells may be supplied to the peripheral blood. Changes in percentages of cell surface markers (asialo GM1, CD3, CD4, CD8) after Shosaiko-to treatment were hardly detected, but augmentation of NK activity induced by Shosaiko-to was abrogated by anti-asialo GM1 antibody treatment before the cytotoxicity assay. In addition, cytotoxic activity to P-815 target cells was not detected in Shosaiko-to treated mice. Augmentation of NK activity by Shosaiko-to is probably mediated by functional activation of classical NK cells of asialo GM1+ phenotype. These results suggest that augmentation of NK activity in the liver is one of mechanisms involved in clinical efficacy of Shosaiko-to in patients with virus chronic hepatitis.

Relaxant effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide on isolated small renal arteries in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats

The relaxant effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on the 3rd branches of renal arteries obtained from stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP), and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) were investigated in vitro. CGRP elicited concentration-dependent relaxation, and the relaxant response was not affected by the mechanical removal of endothelium in either SHRSP or WKY. The CGRP-induced relaxant response was markedly greater in SHRSP than in WKY, whereas there was no significant difference in acetylcholine-induced relaxation, which was endothelium-dependent, between the two groups. Additionally, significantly enhanced reactivity to CGRP was also shown in spontaneously hypertensive rats compared to WKY; however, this reactivity was less than that observed in SHRSP. There were also no significant differences between WKY and SHRSP in the relaxation induced by forskolin, dibutyryl cyclic AMP, and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). CGRP-induced relaxation was significantly potentiated in similar manner by the pretreatment with IBMX in both WKY and SHRSP. Incubation with glibenclamide (10(-6) M) had no effect on CGRP-induced relaxation in either group, the WKY or the SHRSP. These results suggest that CGRP produces endothelium-independent relaxation in the small renal arteries in the rat, and that the increased CGRP-induced relaxant response found in SHRSP may not be associated with the altered vasodilation mediated by cyclic AMP, or with functional changes in ATP-sensitive potassium channels.

Structures of cell wall mannans of pathogenic Candida tropicalis IFO 0199 and IFO 1647 yeast strains

We conducted a structural analysis of the cell wall mannans isolated from two Candida tropicalis strains, IFO 0199 and IFO 1647, exhibiting strong agglutinabilities against anti-Candida factor sera 5 and 6. The products released from these mannans by acid treatment were identified as the oligosaccharides, from biose to pentaose, consisting solely of beta-1,2-linked mannopyranose units corresponding to common epitopes of Candida albicans serotypes A and B (factor 5). Mild acetolysis of acid- and alkali-treated mannans produced large amounts of hexaose and heptaose, Man rho beta 1-2Man rho beta 1-2Man rho alpha 1-2Man rho alpha 1-2Man rho alpha 1-2Man and Man rho beta 1-2Man rho beta 1-2Man rho beta 1-2Man rho alpha 1-2 Man rho alpha 1-2Man, corresponding to the C. albicans serotype A-specific epitopes (factor 6). However, the homologous pentaose, Man rho beta 1-2Man rho alpha 1-2 Man, was not generated by this procedure. The oligosaccharides (biose to hexaose) obtained from the mannans by conventional acetolysis were composed exclusively of alpha-1,2-linked mannopyranose units. Therefore, the mannans of C. tropicalis IFO 0199 and IFO 1647 do not have the alpha-1,3-linked mannopyranose units previously observed in the mannans of C. albicans and Candida stellatoidea. The results of this study and previous findings indicate that the similarity of the antigenicities of three Candida species, C. albicans serotype A, C. stellatoidea type II, and C. tropicalis, reside in the beta-1,2 and alpha-1,2 linkages containing oligomannosyl side chain (factor 6) in the cell wall mannan.

[Development of a scale of attitudes toward the roles of liberated men (SARLM)]

A ten-item Scale of Attitudes toward the Roles of Liberated Men (SARLM) based on the factor analysis was developed in order to provide a measure of attitudes toward the roles of liberated and traditional men. The scale was administered to 109 men and 93 women and was examined for its reliability and validity. The goodness-of-fit test indicated that the distribution of the scale scores was very close to the normal distribution. The reliability coefficient was .75, the test-retest coefficient with a four-week interval was .94, and the coefficients of the item-total correlations ranged from .43 to .62. These results support the reliability of SARLM. Evidence of the construct validity was derived from the confirmation of five hypotheses regarding sex, educational attainment, age, women's employment status, and husbands' participation in household tasks. SARLM appears to provide a reliable and valid measure for assessing attitudes toward the roles of liberated and traditional men.

[Relationship between the converting ability of liver microsomes and monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension in male, female and castrated male rats]

It is well known that the initial reaction of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats (MPH) is injury to the endothelial cells of pulmonary vascular bed by monocrotaline-pyrrole (MP), which is converted from monocrotaline (M) by cytochrome P450 monooxygenase in hepatic microsomes. It is also known that the degree of MPH differs between sexes. The mechanisms of MPH remain, however, to be elucidated. The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between the converting ability of hepatic microsomes and the sexual difference in MPH using castrated male rats. A 40 mg/kg dose of M was given to fifteen 6 week-old male, twelve 6 week-old female and fifteen 6 week-old castrated male, Sprague-Dawley, rats. The castration was done at three weeks of age. Four weeks after M administration, the right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and the right ventricular to total ventricular weight ratio (RV/T) were measured as indices of pulmonary hypertension. Livers were taken from six 6 week-old male, six, 6 week-old female and six 6 week-old castrated male, Sprague-Dawley, rats and then homogenized and centrifuged to extract hepatic microsomes. M, at 3.3 mM, was added to concentrated hepatic microsomes (0.25 to 1.5 mg/ml) in order to produce MP. The concentration of the MP was measured using a modification of Mattock's method. The mean value of RVSP was 86.5 mmHg in males, 59.6 mmHg in females and 73.9 mmHg in castrated males. The mean value of RV/T was 0.453 in males, 0.358 in females and 0.403 in castrated males.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Long-term results of reconstructive surgery for acquired valve disease: evaluation of mitral and aortic valvuloplasty

To evaluate the long-term results of reconstructive surgery for mitral and aortic valve diseases, 58 patients treated with mitral valvuloplasty (MVP) and 18 patients with aortic valvuloplasty (AVP) were considered. In the MVP group simple annuloplasty was performed in 16 cases, tape annuloplasty in 39 cases, and mitral valve extension with homopericardium in 3 cases. In the AVP group a combination of slicing, commissurotomy, and commissuroplasty was performed in 15 cases and aortic valve extension in three. There was one operative death in the AVP group, and one late death in the MVP group. The percentage of patients who had no complications related to reconstructive surgery after 17 years was 88% in the MVP group, and 81.7% in the AVP group. Only three patients in the MVP group, and one in the AVP group required reoperation after the reconstruction. Thus, reconstructive surgery should be utilized, whenever possible, in the treatment of valvular disease, even of the aortic valve.

[Recent advances in imaging in diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis]

Recent advances in imaging have been brought about by the the development of digital imaging modalities. The clinical application of these modalities for tuberculosis can be carried out in various situations, screening, differential diagnosis, examination for disease extend, marker of treatment response and checking the sequela. A digital image processing of contrast adjustment using Fuji Computed Radiography (FCR) produce more favorable chest image than that of spacial frequency enhancement. From our experience FCR proved superior to conventional film-screen system. CT has been considered to be very useful for detection and observation of tuberculosis lesion. Recently thin slice CT and high resolution CT have improved spacial resolution and these modalities are very useful to differentiate peripheral pulmonary nodule. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) completely differs from X-ray examination in terms of image parameter. The histologic resolution of this image is superior to any X-ray examination and Gd-DTPA enhancement will assist the differential diagnosis of nodular lesion. On the contrary, the spacial resolution of this chest imaging is inferior to CT because of respiratory motion. However, MRI application for brain is useful in diagnosis of cerebral tuberculosis. A spiral CT scanning has been developed for clinical use and three dimensional CT (3-D CT) can be obtained by this system.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[The effect of wound perfusion on the relief of postoperative pain]

The efficacy of wound perfusion (WP) with lidocaine for postoperative pain relief was studied in patients with median incision for cholecystectomy. Twenty four patients were divided into 3 groups according to the method of postoperative pain relief; group C, n = 8: intramuscular injections of penta-zocine 30 mg administered on demand, group WP, n = 8: WP with continuous lidocaine perfusion for 24 hours (plus pentazocine on demand); group EPI, n = 8: buprenorphine administered epidurally for 24 hours (plus pentazocine on demand). Pain scores at 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, hours after operation were examined. Arterial blood gas analysis, FVC and FEV1 were measured preoperatively and on the first postoperative day. Pain scores at 0 and 24 hours in group WP and EPI were significantly lower than those in group C. There were no significant differences in the scores between group WP and EPI at all the points. Analgesic requirement was significantly reduced in group WP and EPI compared with group C. FVC, FEV1 and PaO2 were significantly reduced postoperatively in every group but there were no differences among three groups. PaCO2 significantly increased postoperatively in group C and EPI. We conclude that the technique of wound perfusion with lidocaine is effective and safe for postoperative pain relief.

Structure and activity of Bombyx PBAN

Two structurally related molecular species of pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptides (PBANs), PBAN-I and -II, were isolated from adult heads of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, and characterized. PBAN-I is a carboxyl-terminally amidated 33-residue peptide. Structure-activity relationship studies revealed that 1) its carboxyl-terminal pentapeptide is the smallest size showing activity, 2) the carboxyl-terminal amide is indispensable for activity, and 3) oxidation of three Met residues in PBAN-I to Met(O) (methionine sulfoxide) caused marked enhancement of activity, and the three Met(O) residues contribute equally to the enhancement of activity. Molecular design of PBAN analogs using a carboxyl-terminal hexapeptide showed that modification of the amino-terminal amino group brought about a dramatic increase in activity. This increase was presumed to be mainly due to the increased stability in hemolymph. PBANs share the common carboxyl-terminal sequence, -Phe-Xaa-Pro-Arg-Leu-NH2, with myotropic peptides isolated from locust and cockroach. Examination of cross-activity of these two groups of peptides revealed that PBAN and its analogs exhibited myotropic activity comparable to myotropic peptides, while myotropic peptides showed extremely high pheromonotropic activity. In B. mori, PBAN activates sex pheromone (bombykol) production presumably by promoting the reduction reaction from acyl to alcohol, which is the last step in the biosynthesis of bombykol.

Unilateral hearing loss following rubella infection in an adult

A 36-year-old man was admitted to our university hospital, complaining of acute hearing loss of the right ear, which was his only hearing ear. He had developed complete deafness due to mumps in the left ear at the age of 26. Before admission, he had been diagnosed as having rubella infection. He noticed hearing loss in the right ear two days after disappearance of macular rash. Headache, nausea and vertigo were not present. Three weeks after the onset of hearing loss, he was admitted to our university hospital. Pure tone audiometry revealed sensorineural hearing loss; a mild ascending audiometric curve with a marked loss at 4,000 Hz and 8,000 Hz. SISI test was positive. Caloric stimulation (ice water 10 ml/10 s) to the right ear demonstrated a normal response. Rubella hemagglutination antibody titer was 512. Specific IgG antibody was over 3,200. Specific IgM antibody was positive (7.01 Enzyme Immunoassay). The data indicated recent infection with rubella. He was given betamethasone for 14 days. Pure tone audiometry showed hearing improvement.

Cause of death in 81 autopsied patients with rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the cause of death and complications in a series of autopsied patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS

A clinicopathological study of 81 autopsied patients with RA was performed.

RESULTS

In order of frequency, the causes of death were infection (23.5%), heart disease (17.3%), respiratory failure (9.9%), renal failure (9.9%), and gastrointestinal disease (9.9%). Observed complications of RA were systemic angiitis in 25 cases (30.8%), systemic amyloidosis in 17 cases (21.0%), and pulmonary fibrosis in 28 cases (34.6%). No patient had both angiitis and amyloidosis simultaneously. The prevalence of systemic angiitis tended to decrease during the study period (1960-1990), while systemic amyloidosis tended to increase.

CONCLUSION

The cause of death in RA is difficult to analyze accurately because RA itself is a chronic systemic inflammation disease.

Production of parathyroid hormone-related protein by cultured human myeloma cells

We examined whether or not parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTH-rP) is produced in cultured human myeloma cells. PTH-rP protein was detected in the cell extract of one (U266) of 6 myeloma cell lines examined by radioimmunoassay. Also we demonstrated the expression of PTH-rP mRNA in all of the 6 lines. These findings indicate that PTH-rP may be one of the factors responsible for the bone destruction or hypercalcemia in multiple myeloma.

Changes in Ca2+ mobilization in platelets from stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats

Intracellular free Ca2+, [Ca2+]i, levels were measured in platelets from stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) using fura-2AM. In the presence of extracellular Ca2+ (1 mM), [Ca2+]i levels in unstimulated platelets of 2- and 9-month-old SHRSP were both significantly higher than those of the age matched WKY. In the absence of extracellular Ca2+, the levels in platelets from 9-month-old SHRSP were also higher than any other groups examined. Receptor-linked Ca2+ influxes of old SHRSP were smaller when thrombin or collagen was given to the platelets. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (TPA) enhanced more prominently the Ca2+ influx into old SHRSP platelets than into old WKY platelets. These results strongly suggest that the Ca2+ permeability across plasma membrane is increased in young as well as old SHRSP platelets, where the resting [Ca2+]i level is highly sustained because of an impaired Ca2+ uptake mechanism and possible enhancement of protein kinase C activity.

[A case of elevated serum creatine-kinase after anesthesia]

An elevation of creatine-kinase was noted postoperatively in a 50 year-old male who had cerebral aneurysm surgery under isoflurane, N2O and O2 anesthesia. Serum CK concentration reached as high as 5919 IU.l-1 immediately after surgery and elevation was associated with the temperature elevation of above 39.5 degrees C and port-wine urine. The postoperative course was uneventful and elevated serum creatine-kinase was corrected within next 6 days. Since elevated serum creatine-kinase is known to occur in acute stage of cerebrovascular accident, and since the influence of myocardial infarction, malignant hyperthermia and drugs could be neglected, we assumed that an abnormal elevation of CK values observed in the present patient resulted from stimulation of sympathetic nervous system due to cerebral bleeding and to hyperpermeability of sarcolemma of skeletal muscle.