Three-dimensional structure of a DNA repair enzyme, 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase II, from Escherichia coli

The three-dimensional structure of Escherichia coli 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase II, which removes numerous alkylated bases from DNA, was solved at 2.3 A resolution. The enzyme consists of three domains: one alpha + beta fold domain with a similarity to one-half of the eukaryotic TATA box-binding protein, and two all alpha-helical domains similar to those of Escherichia coli endonuclease III with combined N-glycosylase/abasic lyase activity. Mutagenesis and model-building studies suggest that the active site is located in a cleft between the two helical domains and that the enzyme flips the target base out of the DNA duplex into the active-site cleft. The structure of the active site implies broad substrate specificity and simple N-glycosylase activity.

One-month oral toxicity study of the new quinolone antibacterial agent (S)-10-[(S)-(8-amino-6-azaspiro[3,4]octan-6-yl)-9-fluoro-2,3-dihydro-3- methyl-7-oxo-7H-pyrido [1,2,3-de] [1,4] benzoxazine-6-carboxylic acid hemihydrate in rats and cynomolgus monkeys

One-month oral toxicity of (S)-10-[(S)-(8-amino-6-azaspiro[3,4] octan-6-yl)]-9-fluoro-2,3-dihydro-3-methyl-7-oxo-7H-pyrido[1,2,3-de] [1,4]benzoxazine-6-carboxylic acid hemihydrate (CAS 151390-79-3, DV-7751a) a new quinolone antibacterial agent was investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats at doses of 12.5, 50, 200 and 800 mg/kg/d and in cynomolgus monkeys at 10, 30 and 100 mg/kg/d. Rats receiving 200 mg/ kg showed abnormal urine crystals, enhanced deposition of lipid in hepatocytes and exacerbation of osteochondrotic lesions in the femoral condyle. In addition, dosing at 800 mg/kg induced decrease in body weight gain and increased levels of serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), cholinesterase, leucine aminopeptidase and total cholesterol. Monkeys receiving 100 mg/kg showed abnormal urine crystals and increases in serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase and ALP levels. The non-toxic doses of DV-7751a in rats and monkeys were 50 and 30 mg/kg, respectively, under the present experimental conditions.

Prediction of 3-year outcome of treated alcoholics by an empirically derived multivariate typology

OBJECTIVE

This study examined whether an empirically derived multivariate typology can predict outcome in treated alcoholics.

METHOD

Two hundred fifty-nine hospitalized male alcoholics were divided into two subtypes by means of cluster analysis of clinical factors. Type A showed the features of sporadic late-onset alcoholism, whereas type B manifested the characteristics of familial early-onset alcoholism. The prospective 3-year outcomes in the two subtypes were compared.

RESULTS

The follow-up rate was 83%. The mortality and abstinence rates for type A patients (N = 98) were 15.3% and 32.7%, respectively, and for type B patients (N = 116), 23.3% and 18.1%, respectively. The age-corrected relative mortality risk and relative abstinence rate for type A patients compared with type B patients were 0.59 and 1.60, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Familial early-onset alcoholism has a poor outcome in Japan, and this multivariate typology has high predictive validity.

LD50 value, phototoxicity and convulsion induction test of the new quinolone antibacterial agent (S)-10-[(S)-(8-amino-6-azaspiro[3,4]octan-6-yl)]-9-fluoro-2, 3-dihydro-3-methyl-7-oxo-7H-pyrido[1,2,3-de][1,4]benzoxazine-6-carboxyl ic acid hemihydrate in laboratory animals

(S)-10-[(S)-(8-Amino-6-azaspiro[3,4]octan-6-yl)]-9-fluoro-2, 3-dihydro-3-methyl-7-oxo-7H-pyrido[1,2,3-de][1,4]benzoxazine-6-carboxyli c acid hemihydrate (CAS 151390-79-3, DV-7751a) a new quinolone antibacterial agent, was examined for LD50 value, phototoxicity and convulsion inducing potential in laboratory animals. A single oral administration of DV-7751a induced soft stool in rats at 1000 and 2000 mg/ kg and in monkeys at 250 mg/kg and vomiting in monkeys at 500 mg/kg or more. A single intravenous administration caused a decrease in locomotor activity, respiratory depression, convulsion, pulmonary edema and death in rats and mice. The LD50 values with oral administration were more than 2000 mg/ kg for rats and mice and more than 250 mg/kg for monkeys, and those with intravenous administration were 164.3 mg/kg for rats of both sexes at an injection rate of 2 ml/min, 118.8 mg/kg for male rats and 104 to 125 mg/kg for female rats at 0.5 ml/min, and 184.7 mg/kg for male mice and 187.4 mg/kg for female mice. DV-7751a showed very weak phototoxicity in mice after single oral administration of 600 mg/kg, followed by UVA irradiation, but no convulsion after oral administration of 200 or 1000 mg/kg in combination with 4-biphenylacetic acid at 400 mg/kg.

Body mass index (BMI) is a reliable index to estimate obesity as a risk factor for deteriorating health

The objective of this study was to find out what index is appropriate to evaluate obesity, by measuring body fat using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Subjects in this study were 74 women, aged 44 to 73, living in Tokushima prefecture. The means +/- standard deviation (SD) of Broca index, Body mass index (BMI) and body fat were 103 +/- 14.3%, 23.0 +/- 2.8 kg/m2 and 28.1 +/- 5.5%, respectively. In addition, their clinical data such as blood pressure, glutamate-pyruvate transaminase activity (GPT), triglycerides (TG) and fasting blood sugar (FBS) were within normal ranges. When compared with correlation between obesity indices (Broca index or BMI) and height, there was a negative correlation between Broca index and height (= -0.447). Furthermore, the number of obese subjects estimated by Broca index was less than that of obese subjects estimated by BMI. Although both Broca index and BMI showed higher correlations with body fat estimated by BIA, BMI (r = 0.927) showed a higher correlation compared to that of Broca index (r = 0.875). These results suggest that BMI is a reliable index to evaluate the body fat.

Anomalous left main coronary artery arising from the pulmonary artery in an adult: treatment by direct reimplantation

We herein report the case of a 37-year-old woman in whom an anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery was surgically corrected. A magnetic resonance angiogram showed the left main coronary artery connecting to the right posterior portion of the pulmonary trunk, and exercise-stressed thallium-201 perfusion scintigrams demonstrated a large reversible anterior defect. She was successfully treated by direct aortic reimplantation of the abnormal left coronary artery. We were able to obtain a sufficient length of the left main trunk by excising the large cuff of pulmonary artery wall surrounding the ostium of the anomalous left coronary artery while transecting the pulmonary artery. Postoperative angiograms demonstrated a widely patent left coronary artery, a decrease in the size of the right coronary artery, and no collaterals, and exercise-stressed thallium-201 perfusion scintigrams demonstrated no remaining ischemic defect at all. Direct aortic reimplantation is an ideal operation but is still limited by the anatomical position of the left coronary artery. In this case, magnetic resonance angiography was an excellent method for deciding the optimum operative procedure for the anomalous left coronary artery. In addition, exercise thallium-201 scintigraphy was found to be useful in recognizing the revascularized effect of the left ventricle.

Responses of plasma norepinephrine and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system to dynamic exercise in patients with congestive heart failure

BACKGROUND

Neurohormonal activation is present and neurohormonal responses to dynamic exercise are altered in congestive heart failure (CHF). Responses of plasma norepinephrine in various degrees of heart failure have been investigated, but the responses of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system have not been studied in relation to the severity of CHF. The aim of this study was to determine if the responses of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system to exercise are augmented according to the severity of CHF.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Ventilatory and neurohormonal responses were assessed in 38 patients with CHF (New York Heart Association class: I, 13 patients; II, 14 patients; III, 11 patients) and 11 normal subjects during symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Plasma norepinephrine, renin activity, angiotensin II, and aldosterone were measured at rest and at peak exercise. The increments in neurohormones were divided by peak oxygen consumption, and these ratios (norepinephrine exercise ratio, plasma renin activity-exercise ratio, angiotensin II-exercise ratio, aldosterone-exercise ratio) were compared among groups. Peak oxygen consumption and anaerobic threshold decreased progressively with the severity of CHF. Neurohormonal profiles at rest showed that plasma norepinephrine levels were significantly higher, and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system was augmented only in patients with class III CHF. Neurohormones increased during exercise both in patients with CHF and in normal subjects, but patients with class III CHF had significantly higher plasma renin activity (10.11 +/- 2.32 ng/mL/h), angiotensin II (73.9 +/- 14.2 pg/mL), and aldosterone (265.2 +/- 61.1 pg/mL) than did normal subjects. Plasma renin activity-exercise ratio, angiotensin II-exercise ratio, and aldosterone-exercise ratio in patients with class III CHF were significantly higher compared to normal subjects. This augmentation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system was not observed in class I or II patients. Peak plasma norepinephrine levels were not different among normal subjects and subgroups of CHF patients, but the norepinephrine-exercise ratio was significantly higher in classes II and III CHF compared to normal subjects.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that neurohormonal excitation during exercise increases along with the severity of CHF when normalized for peak exercise level.

Detection of DCC and Ki-ras gene alterations in colorectal carcinoma tissue as prognostic markers for liver metastatic recurrence

BACKGROUND

The mortality of patients with colorectal carcinoma depends mainly upon subsequent liver metastasis even after curative operation. However, it is very difficult to predict the incidence of liver metastasis by analyzing conventional tumor markers or pathologic findings. In the current study, the authors examined the genetic alterations of p53/DCC loci and Ki-ras in colorectal carcinoma in relation to liver metastasis, and investigated whether these gene alterations could be prognostic markers for liver metastasis.

METHODS

Primary tumor tissue samples were collected at surgery from 30 patients with no liver metastasis and 24 patients with liver metastasis. Among the 30 patients with no liver metastasis at surgery, 9 developed liver metastasis after surgery. After the extraction of DNA, we investigated the loss of heterozygosity at p53/DCC loci and mutations of Ki-ras codon 12 in the colorectal carcinoma tissue from these patients.

RESULTS

The incidence of allelic loss of the DCC locus was significantly greater for patients with liver metastasis that for patients who had no liver metastasis for more than 2 years (19/20:95% vs 2/5:40%, P < 0.05). However, mutations of Ki-ras codon 12 were significantly less in patients with liver metastasis than in patients with no liver metastasis for more than 2 years (6/33:18% vs 6/11:55%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The current study indicated that detection of allelic loss of DCC and absence of Ki-ras codon 12 mutations are associated with the metastatic potential of colorectal carcinoma in the liver. These results suggested that these gene alterations might be reliable biologic markers for assessing the potential of liver metastasis after colorectal resection.

Antianginal effects of FR144420, a novel slow nitric oxide-releasing agent

The aim of this study was to compare the antianginal effects of two compounds that release nitric oxide (NO) spontaneously, i.e. (+/-)-N-[(E)-4-ethyl-3-[(Z-hydroxyimino]-5-nitro-3-hexenyl] -3-pyridinecarboxamide (FR144420) and (+/-)-(E)-ethyl-2-[(E)-hydroxyimino] -5-nitro-3-hexenamide (FK409), in two different rat models of coronary vasospasm. In the rat methacholine-induced coronary vasospasm model, FR144420 suppressed the elevation of the ST segment dose dependently and significantly at 1.0 mg/kg, i.d. 185 min after its administration. FK409 suppressed the ST elevation only 5 min after its administration at 1.0 mg/kg, i.d. FR144420 and FK409 significantly decreased mean blood pressure at all doses tested only 5 min after their intraduodenal administration, but did not change heart rate at any time. Although the suppression of the ST elevation by FK409 had the same duration as its hypotensive effect, the FR144420-induced suppression of the ST elevation lasted longer than its hypotensive effect. In the rat vasopressin-induced coronary vasospasm model, FR144420 (32 mg/kg) significantly inhibited the depression of the ST segment both 60 min and 120 min after oral administration, whereas FK409 (32 mg/kg) significantly inhibited this ST depression only 60 min after oral administration. These data suggest that FR144420 inhibits coronary vasospasm for longer than FK409 does and particularly shows more prolonged antianginal effects than hypotensive effects in the methacholine-induced coronary vasospasm model. Thus FR144420 is expected to be a useful NO releaser for investigating the in vivo actions of NO.

[A case of familial juvenile dystonia-parkinsonism: 18F-6-fluorodopa and 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose PET study]

A 27-year-old Japanese woman was admitted to Kyoto University Hospital because of gait disturbance since age 25. Her elder sister had been suffering from childhood-onset dystonia-parkinsonism with diurnal fluctuation which initially responded well to levodopa therapy, but later larger dose of levodopa was needed because of severe treatment-related fluctuation of the clinical symptoms. Physical examination revealed left foot dystonia, mild parkinsonism with kinesie paradoxale and dyskinesia of lower limbs. Symptoms were relieved by sleep and worsened by walking. Laboratory data including serum ceruloplasmin, serum and urinary amino acid analysis, and hexosaminidase and beta-glucosidase activity in leukocytes were all normal. Homovanillic acid (HVA) in cerebrospinal fluid was normal (68 ng/ml) at 8 pm but markedly decreased (7 ng/ml) at 4 pm. Cranial MRI was normal. 18F-6-fluorodopa PET demonstrated decreased dopa uptake in the bilateral striatum, especially in the putamen. 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose PET showed decreased regional glucose metabolism in the bilateral putamen. Levodopa therapy rendered equivocal effects while trihexyphenydil was effective. This case indicated that some cases of dopa-unresponsive dystonia with parkinsonism might be a clinical variant of juvenile parkinsonism. 18F-6-fluorodopa PET is useful in evaluating juvenile dystonia-parkinsonism, though it may not predict levodopa effectiveness. 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose PET study will be helpful in predicting the effect of levodopa therapy, because decreased regional glucose metabolism in the putamen probably indicates poor response to levodopa. Further study including dopaminergic receptor imaging study is needed to clarify the physiological mechanism of co-existing dystonia and parkinsonism in patients with juvenile parkinsonism and related disorders.

Effect of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory drugs, and histamine antagonists on sparfloxacin-induced phototoxicity in mice

We examined the effects of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory drugs, and histamine antagonists on auricular inflammation and retinal degeneration induced by the phototoxicity of sparfloxacin (SPFX), a quinolone antibacterial agent. Catalase (CAT), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMS0), dexamethasone (DM), indomethacin (IM), phenidone (PD), AA-861 (AA), pyrilamine maleate (PY), or cimetidine (CM) was continuously administered to female Balb/c mice using microosmotic pumps for 72 hr and intraperitoneally once before SPFX administration. The mice were given a single oral administration of 50 or 100 mg/kg SPFX and irradiated with ultraviolet-A (UVA) light at 1.5 mW/cm(2) for 4 hr. SPFX administration plus UVA irradiation induced thickening and inflammation of the auricular skin and retinal degeneration in the eye. CAT and DMS0 significantly inhibited the auricular thickening only 4 hr after SPFX administration. DM, IM, and PD also inhibited this toxicity from 4 to 48 or 72 hr. On the other hand, PY and CM showed no effect on this change. With regard to the eye, CAT and DMSO completely inhibited the occurrence of retinal degeneration and IM and PD tended to decrease its incidence, whereas DM, AA, PY, and CM showed no or an exacerbating effect. These results suggest that reactive oxygen species contribute to the initiation of auricular inflammation and retinal degeneration and that cyclooxygenase products are also involved in the initiation and later progression of auricular inflammation. They also show that histamine and 5-lipoxygenase products are not involved in either phototoxic lesion.

Normal variability of the amplitude and phase of steady-state VEPs

The present study quantifies the amplitude and phase variability of steady-state VEPs (S-VEPs) and compares this variability between subjects and between individual runs. The S-VEPs were recorded repeatedly in 14 normal subjects with varying spatial and temporal frequencies of sinusoidal gratings; 6 spatial frequencies (range 0.5-8.0 c/deg) with 3 temporal frequencies (4, 6 and 8 Hz) were used. A total of 75 responses were averaged and analyzed by the Fourier method. Four recordings were obtained in each spatio-temporal combination. In general, the phase data showed small inter- and intrasubject variability. As anticipated, the amplitude data showed a large degree of intersubject variability, although the intrasubject variability was very small. In addition, in some stimulus conditions the inter- and intrasubject variability increased, which thus suggested the existence of an optimal spatio-temporal combination. Therefore, these stimulus parameters should be taken into consideration when S-VEPs are applied in clinical practice.

Effects of neocarzinostatin-chimeric Fab conjugates on the growth of human pancreatic carcinoma xenografts

Neocarzinostatin (NCS) was bound covalently to human/mouse chimeric Fab fragments of MAb A7 (chA7Fab) directed against human pancreatic carcinoma. The anti-tumour effect of chA7Fab-NCS was tested in a nude mouse model on pancreatic carcinoma and compared with A7-NCS or NCS alone. The anti-tumour effect of chA7Fab-NCS increased in a dose-dependent manner and was significantly greater than either A7-NCS or NCS. Tumour growth was completely suppressed after the administration of chA7Fab-NCS. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with rabbit anti-mouse immunoglobulin was performed to examine the antigenicity of chA7Fab. ChA7Fab had less reactivity with rabbit anti-mouse immunoglobulin than either whole antibody A7 or murine Fab fragments of A7. Thus, chA7Fab-NCS can inhibit human pancreatic cancer growth in an animal and may be useful for targeting chemotherapy to pancreatic cancer in humans.

Oral supplementation with branched-chain amino acids improves transthyretin turnover in rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced liver cirrhosis

The hypothesis that dietary branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation improves the impaired protein turnover in male Donryu rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced liver cirrhosis was tested. We supplemented cirrhotic rats orally for 2 wk with BCAA solution [26.67 mg BCAA/(100 g body weight . d)], a conventional amino acid mixture [4.25 mg BCAA/(100 g body weight . d)] or saline and fed these three groups the AIN76 basal diet to have similar intakes of total energy and total nitrogen. Normal rats without liver cirrhosis were fed the basal diet similar to the above (noncirrhotic controls). After supplementation, rats were fed intravenous transthyretin (thyroxine-binding prealbumin) doubly labeled with 125I-tyramine-cellobiose and 131I. Kinetic indices including production rate of transthyretin were analyzed from plasma transthyretin disappearance curves. Tissue sites of transthyretin degradation were assayed using a trapped ligand technique by measuring 125I-tyramine-cellobiose levels. The production rate of transthyretin was significantly lower in cirrhotic rats supplemented with saline (mean 25.46 X 10(-3) . h(-1)) compared with noncirrhotic controls (45.08 X 10(-3) . h(-1)) (P < 0.05). This was corrected by supplementing cirrhotic rats with BCAA (37.05 X 10(-3) . h(-1), P < 0.05) but not with conventional amino acid mixture (22.49 X 10(-3) . h(-1)). The accelerated degradation of transthyretin in muscles of cirrhotic rats was improved by BCAA (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with BCAA improves the impaired transthyretin turnover in rats with liver cirrhosis.

Hypertrophy of the cerebral white matter in hemimegalencephaly

We morphometrically measured the cut surface of the cerebral hemisphere and localized epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like immunoreactivity in 4 patients with hemimegalencephaly. On the affected side, the area of cerebral white matter was more than twice as large as that on the unaffected side, while the area of the cerebral cortex on the affected side was relatively small. EGF-like immunoreactivity was demonstrated in cortical neurons (4 of 4 patients) and glial cells (3 of 4 patients), notably in astrocytes. Significant enlargement of the cerebral white matter compared to the cerebral cortex and the expression of EGF-like molecules in astrocytes suggest excessive proliferation in the white matter with hemimegalencephaly and the possible relevance of EGF to these events.

The effect of binocular stimulation on each component of transient and steady-state VEPs

We recorded the monocular and binocular VEPs to the alternation of sinusoidal gratings in order to evaluate the binocular interaction in each component of transient and steady-state VEPs in 13 normal subjects. Three spatial frequencies (1.3, 2.6 and 5.3 c/deg) with a 90% contrast were used as visual stimuli. The latencies and amplitudes of N70 and P100 of the transient VEPs were measured. The steady-state VEPs were Fourier analyzed, and both the phase and amplitude of the second (2F) and fourth (4F) harmonic responses were obtained. Binocular interaction was influenced by spatial frequency such that a binocular summation or even an inhibition occurred. For the transient VEPs, a binocular summation was more pronounced in the amplitude of N70 than in that of P100 at all spatial frequencies. There were no significant effects of binocular stimulation on latencies of N70 or P100. However, the latencies of N70 and P100 showed different spatial frequency characteristics. For the steady-state VEPs, the amplitude of 2F revealed a binocular summation that was more pronounced at 5.3 c/deg, whereas the 4F amplitude showed binocular inhibition at 2.6 and 5.3 c/deg. The 2F phase showed binocular inhibition at all spatial frequencies, whereas no such inhibition was observed in the 4F phase. These results suggest that individual components of transient and steady-state VEPs are physiologically distinct and may therefore be generated from different neuronal populations in striate cortex.

Bradykinin increases intracellular free Ca2+ concentration and promotes insulin secretion in the clonal beta-cell line, HIT-T15

We have examined the effects of bradykinin (BK) on both the intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) and insulin secretion in the hamster beta-cell line, HIT-T15 cells. BK evoked a rise in [Ca2+]i in a dose-dependent manner. This response was suppressed by neomycin, suggesting that BK mobilizes Ca2+ from intracellular store via promotion of the phosphatidyl inositol turnover. Furthermore, BK also evoked insulin secretion. Both the BK-evoked rise in [Ca2+]i and insulin secretion were suppressed by the BK2 receptor antagonist, but not by the BK1 receptor antagonist. These results indicate that BK increases [Ca2+]i via BK2 receptor, thereby promoting insulin secretion in HIT-T15 cells.

Detection of DCC and Ki-ras gene alterations in colorectal carcinoma tissue as prognostic markers for liver metastatic recurrence

BACKGROUND

The mortality of patients with colorectal carcinoma depends mainly upon subsequent liver metastasis even after curative operation. However, it is very difficult to predict the incidence of liver metastasis by analyzing conventional tumor markers or pathologic findings. In the current study, the authors examined the genetic alterations of p53/DCC loci and Ki-ras in colorectal carcinoma in relation to liver metastasis, and investigated whether these gene alterations could be prognostic markers for liver metastasis.

METHODS

Primary tumor tissue samples were collected at surgery from 30 patients with no liver metastasis and 24 patients with liver metastasis. Among the 30 patients with no liver metastasis at surgery, 9 developed liver metastasis after surgery. After the extraction of DNA, we investigated the loss of heterozygosity at p53/DCC loci and mutations of Ki-ras codon 12 in the colorectal carcinoma tissue from these patients.

RESULTS

The incidence of allelic loss of the DCC locus was significantly greater for patients with liver metastasis that for patients who had no liver metastasis for more than 2 years (19/20:95% vs 2/5:40%, P < 0.05). However, mutations of Ki-ras codon 12 were significantly less in patients with liver metastasis than in patients with no liver metastasis for more than 2 years (6/33:18% vs 6/11:55%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The current study indicated that detection of allelic loss of DCC and absence of Ki-ras codon 12 mutations are associated with the metastatic potential of colorectal carcinoma in the liver. These results suggested that these gene alterations might be reliable biologic markers for assessing the potential of liver metastasis after colorectal resection.

GLP-1 depolarizes the rat pancreatic beta cell in a Na(+)-dependent manner

An intestinal hormone glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a prominent candidate for incretin. In vitro experiment showed (Fridolf and Ahren, Mol. Cell. Endocrinol., 96 (1993) 85-90) that GLP-1 increased both insulin secretion and the efflux of 45Ca2+ in a Na(+)-dependent manner. Further, GLP-1 depolarizes the pancreatic beta cells in the presence of high concentration of glucose. Here, we report the effect of GLP-1 on the membrane potential with a physiological concentration of glucose in perforated patch clamp of primary cultured rat beta cells. 10 nM GLP-1 depolarized the beta cell, which was completely reversed by replacing Na+ with the impermeant molecule N-methyl-D-glucamine (NMDG). The Ca2+ channel blocker, Co2+ suppressed the Ca2+ spikes without hyperpolarizing the cell. GLP-1-induced insulin secretion in perifused islets was also suppressed by a prior replacement of Na+ with NMDG. In addition, GLP-1 slightly augmented the long-lasting Ba2+ current, which was reverted to the control level by a selective inhibitor of protein kinase A, H-89. These results indicate: (i) GLP-1 depolarizes the beta cell by activating the membrane Na+ permeability; (ii) GLP-1 slightly modulates the L-type Ca2+ channel probably through protein kinase A; and (iii) at least in part, these mechanisms may be involved in the insulin secretion induced by GLP-1.

Increased preproenkephalin mRNA and preprotachykinin mRNA in the striatum of Rolling mouse Nagoya

Although Rolling mouse Nagoya (RMN) has been considered to demonstrate cerebellar dysfunction, our previous metabolic and electrophysiological studies also revealed a dysfunction of the basal ganglia, with the presumable primary site of dysfunction being the striatum. In the present study, we investigated the neurochemical functions of the striatum. In RMN, both preproenkephalin mRNA and preprotachykinin mRNA increased significantly in the striatum, with unaltered GAD mRNA, [(3)H]spiperone binding, [(3)H]QNB binding and preprosomatostatin mRNA, thus indicating the dysfunction of striatal projection neurons. These findings support the hypothesis that the site of primary dysfunction in the basal ganglia is in the striatum of RMN.

Ammonia response to exercise in patients with congestive heart failure

OBJECTIVE

To assess energy depletion in skeletal muscle in patients with congestive heart failure by measuring blood purine metabolites during exercise and, at the same time, determine the implications of the ammonia response to exercise in these patients.

SETTING

Tottori University Hospital, Yonago, Japan.

PATIENTS

49 heart failure patients (New York Heart Association (NYHA) grades I-III) and 16 normal subjects.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Blood lactate, ammonia, and hypoxanthine levels were measured during exercise with expired gas analysis.

RESULTS

In normal exercising subjects as well as in each heart failure subgroup, the ammonia threshold was significantly higher than both the lactate threshold [control: 21.8 (SD 5.3) v 17.4 (3.3) ml/kg/min; NYHA class I: 18.9 (3.8) v 15.5 (2.6); class II: 14.8 (2.5) v 12.7 (2.4); class III: 13.5 (2.6) v 11.8 (2.5)] and the ventilatory threshold (P < 0.01). The difference between the ammonia and lactate thresholds was noted in all normal subjects and in all heart failure patients. The ammonia threshold, however, was significantly lower in heart failure patients than in normal subjects and it decreased with increasing NYHA class (P < 0.01). Maximum ammonia levels were lower in the heart failure group and decreased further with higher NYHA classifications [control: 198 (52) mg/dl; NYHA class I: 170 (74); class II: 134 (58); class III: 72 (15); P < 0.01]. There were significant correlations between maximum ammonia values and maximum lactate, oxygen consumption, and hypoxanthine levels (r = 0.74, 0.48, and 0.87, respectively; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The ammonia threshold may reflect the onset of ATP depletion in exercising skeletal muscles, as opposed to the onset of anaerobic respiration. It seems therefore that energy depletion in skeletal muscles during exercise occurs after attaining the anaerobic threshold. Both aerobic and anaerobic capacities of skeletal muscle are reduced in patients with congestive heart failure.

[Diagnosis and targeting therapy of colorectal cancer using antibody]

Application of monoclonal antibody for diagnosis and therapy of colorectal cancer was reviewed. The history and present status of radioimmunoimaging of cancer were presented. Immuno-guided surgery using radiolabeled antibody and hand-aided detector during surgery is a promising approach for complete excision of cancerous region. Also, a new antibody labeling method using a micro-magnet instead of radioisotopes may lead to a new era in immunodiagnosis of cancer. Finally, immunotargeting chemotherapy using antibody-anticancer drug conjugates was reviewed. A new type of immunoconjugate composed of human/mouse chimeric antibody and Neocarzinostatin seems to be one of the most promising drug formulas for immunotargeting chemotherapy.