Ultrastructural studies of epidermis in acute radiation dermatitis. Basal lamina thickening and coated vesicles

Fine structural changes of keratinocytes by X-ray were examined in normal skin area around a lesion of Bowen's disease. The area was exposed to about 6000 r over 28 days. The findings were: a decreased number of desmosomes and microvilli, formation of cytoplasmic vaculoes with or without membrane, perinuclear aggregation of tonofibrils, intracytoplasmic desmosomes and gap junction, cytoplasmic occurrence of dense bodies, lipid droplet and glycogen particles, changes in mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex, and deep invagination of the nuclear membrane. Besides these, conspicuous in the present study were, changes in the basal lamina which consisted of multiplication, thickening and occasional detachment from basal cells, and frequent occurrence of coated vesicles along with the basal lamina alteration. Possible exocytotic nature of coated vesicles in X-ray irradiated keratinocytes is discussed.

Formation of N-carbamyl putrescine from citrulline in Escherichia coli

Decarboxylation of citrulline by Escherichia coli enzymes was presented. The N-carbamyl putrescine produced showed the same properties as those of synthesized authentic samples in column chromatography, paper chromatography, and paper electrophoresis.

[Clinical results in treatment of purulent dermatoses with amoxicillin (author's transl)]

The following are the clinical results of amoxicillin used for 21 cases of purulent dermatoses. Amoxicillin was remarkably effective in 5 of total 21 cases, effective in 12, slightly effective in 2 and non-effective in 2; that is, amoxicillin produced good results. One case each of drug eruption and abdominal distention were observed as side effects. Judging from its level in the blood, amoxicillin is expected to exhibit good therapeutical effect at a daily dose of 750 approximately 1,000 mg. Amoxicillin can be considered to be an effective drug for purulent dermatoses without severe side effect.

Phosphorylation of D-glucosamine by rat liver glucokinase

D-Glucosamine was found to be phosphorylated by a rat liver extract in the presence of a high concentration of glucose, which was formerly believed to be a strong competitive inhibitor of this reaction. Results suggested that glucosamine may be phosphorylated by high Km hexokinase, i.e. glucokinase [EC 2.7.1.2]. The enzyme involved was separated from specific N-acetyl-D-glucosamine kinase [EC 2.7.1.59]. The phosphorylation was not inhibited by a physiological level of glucose or glucose 6-phosphate, which strongly inhibited low Km hexokinase. The apparent Km of glucokinase for glucosamine was estimated as 8 mM, which is ten times that of low Km hexokinase.