Electron microscopic observation of the liver in portal hypertension following chronic exposure to vinyl chloride monomer

Two patients with portal hypertension following chronic exposure to vinyl chloride monomer were studied histologically and ultrastructurally. Both cases showed non-cirrhotic portal hypertension accompanied by esophageal varices and splenomegaly. They proved hepatic fibrosis with conventional microscope. Ultrastructurally, there were large amounts of small myelin-like lamellar materials with electron density and remarkable proliferation and vesiculation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum in the cytoplasms of hepatocytes. The widened Disse's spaces, were the sinusoidal lining cells were arranged in multilayers, were plugged by collagenous fiber bundles. The finding may be consistent with the development of portal hypertension.

Glycylprolyl beta-naphthylamidase activities in serum, liver and kidney of rats in chronic carbon tetrachloride intoxication

Following chronic carbon tetrachloride intoxication in rats, the activity of glycylprolyl beta-naphthylamidase increased in serum and decreased in liver, suggesting that the enzyme is released from liver in hepatic injury. In contrast, the enzyme activity in kidney did not decrease when the enzyme level in liver decreased significantly.

Albumin synthesis and effect of betamethasone on albumin synthesis in perfused liver of normal and CCL4-intoxicated rats

Synthesis of plasma albumin was studied in perfused liver of normal and CCl4-intoxicated rats, using 14C-bicarbonate method. 1. In normal liver, albumin synthesis averaged 5.6 mg/hr/100 g body weight. 2. In CCl4-intoxicated liver, albumin synthesis decreased to 4.6 mg at acute stage, but restored to 5.1 mg at non-septal fibrotic stage. At septal fibrotic, cirrhotic and cirrhotic stage with ascites, the synthesis rate averaged 4.5 mg, 4.1 mg and 3.2 mg, respectively. From these results, it is inferred that albumin synthesis rate decreases in accordance with the progress of the liver injury. 3. Effect of betamethasone on plasma albumin synthesis in perfused rat liver was investigated. Albumin synthesis rate in normal liver averaged 5.4 mg, and after addition of betamethasone, the rate averaged 4.3 mg, 3.3 mg and 2.8 mg, respectively. The rate after addition of betamethasone increased to 7.3 mg, 5.5 mg and 4.5 mg, respectively. From these results obtained, it is inferred that betamethasone increases plasma albumin synthesis in both normal and CCl4-intoxicated liver. 4. In normal liver, actinomycin-D did not inhibit basal albumin synthesis, but inhibited the increase of albumin synthesis by betamethasone, when actinomycin-D was added together with betamethasone. From these facts, it is concluded that betamethasone is able to induce albumin synthesis.

Bone tumor imaging by scintigraphy of the skeleton, marrow reticuloendothelial system, and the proliferative tissue

Paralleled clinical studies of radioisotopic imaging or tumor metastases in the bone were undertaken with Tc99m pyrophosphate, Ga67 citrate, and Tc99m sulfur colloid. All three were capable of anticipating the bone roentgenograms. A critical analysis suggested that positive delineation with Ga67 citrate would sometimes be superior to the others. This deserves further investigation. Clinically the combined use of Tc99m pyrophosphate with Ga67 for the chest areas and extremties or with Tc99m colloid for the pelvic and abdominal areas would be more frutiful in early detection and exact localization of bone metastases.

Glycylprolyl beta-naphthylamidase activity in human serum

Glycylprolyl beta-naphthylamidase activities in sera from 40 normal subjects (18-81 years) were: 22.6 +/- 0.9 (S.E.) (11.8-38.2) I.U./1 serum at 37 degrees C. The enzyme activities did not differ significantly with age between the younger group under 40-years-old and the older group over 40-years-old. Males, especially under 40-years-old, had slight but significantly higher activities than females. The levels were decreased in patients with gastric cancer. The levels were elevated in patients with hepatobiliary diseases, and had significant correlations with the results of the serum tests in hepatic diseases such as glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin, but had no correlation with serum lactate dehydrogenase. In cellulose acetate electrophoresis, normal sera had a single peak at the beta-globulin region, but the sera in hepatitis or liver cirrhosis showed not only an increase in the normal peak at the beta-globulin region but also the appearance of the other one or two new peaks in the alpha1 and alpha2-globulin regions.

Isolated marrow reticuloendothelial activation and erythropoietic response following an acute blood loss

The radioassay technique with the 113mIndium-iron chondroitin sulfate colloid, developed in our laboratory, revealed that an isolated marrow reticuloendothelial activation takes place after bleeding 15 to 30 ml of blood per kg body weight from a rabbit. It parallels the erythropoietic response very well. The present stimulation method might deserve testing for studies where marrow reticuloendothelial function is important such as in cancer-bearing patients, the effects of anticancer chemotherapy and gross antigenization.