[Antitumor activities of oily suspended zinostatin stimalamer (YM 881) against VX2 carcinoma implanted in the liver of rabbits--comparison with another anticancer agent]

We previously found that a lipid contrast medium, lipiodol, remained selectively in hepatic tumors after injection via the hepatic artery. YM 881 (MW 15,000) is a conjugate protein preparation of two copolymer of styren-maleic acid (MW 1,500) and neocarzinostatin (MW 11,753). Antitumor activity of YM 881 suspended in lipiodol and aqueous solution of 4'-epi-adriamycin injected arterially against VX2 carcinoma implanted in the liver of rabbits was examined. Based on the growth and histological findings of the tumor, remarkable antitumor activity was observed in the rabbits given YM 881 suspended in lipiodol of a dose of 0.2 mg/body. Compared with 0.05 mg/body, 0.1 mg/body, 0.2 mg/body of YM 881 in lipiodol, antitumor activity was proved to be dose dependent. Antitumor activity of aqueous solution of 4'-epi-adriamycin was moderate and the side effects were observed severely in the group that received aqueous solution of 4'-epi-adriamycin of 6 mg/body. These results suggest that targeting of the anticancer agent carried with lipiodol to tumor is important for the treatment of solid malignant tumors.

A ring of uncharged polar amino acids as a component of channel constriction in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

The channel pore of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) has been investigated by analysing single-channel conductances of systematically mutated Torpedo receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes. The mutations mainly alter the size and polarity of uncharged polar amino acid residues of the acetylcholine receptor subunits positioned between the cytoplasmic ring and the extracellular ring. From the results obtained, we conclude that a ring of uncharged polar residues comprising threonine 244 of the alpha-subunit (alpha T244), beta S250, gamma T253 and delta S258 (referred to as the central ring) and the anionic intermediate ring, which are adjacent to each other in the assumed alpha-helical configuration of the M2-containing transmembrane segment, together form a narrow channel constriction of short length, located close to the cytoplasmic side of the membrane. Our results also suggest that individual subunits, particularly the gamma-subunit, are asymmetrically positioned at the channel constriction.

[Phase II study of YM881 (zinostatin stimalamer) suspension injected into the hepatic artery. Research Group for Intra-arterial Injection Therapy with YM881]

A phase II study of YM 881 (zinostatin stimalamer) to determine the response and safety was conducted in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma by injecting a suspension of the drug into the hepatic artery. Repeated doses of 4 to 6 mg of the drug were given every 4 weeks so that the tumor tissues were filled with the suspension. Of the 195 registered patients, 15 were ineligible for the study, 8 dropped out, and data were missing for 5. A total of 167 patients completed the study. Response was assessed in the 167 patients who completed the study. CR was found in one, PR in 59, MR in 25, NC in 67, and PD in 15, with a response rate of 35.9. The safety of the drug was assessed in 177, excluding ineligible patients and 3 who dropped out because of the concurrent use of other drugs. Adverse reactions were found in 93.2% of the patients, and abnormal values in clinical laboratory tests in 60.5%. Major unwanted symptoms included fever, nausea, vomiting, and anorexia. Major abnormal changes in laboratory tests were elevated total bilirubin and LDH and abnormal hepatic function. About half the patients had malaise and pain related to the intra-arterial infusion therapy. The one year survival rate was 56.9%, and the duration of survival of 50% of the patients was 407 days.

[Phase I study of YM881 (zinostatin stimalamer) suspension by hepatic arterial infusion. Research Group for Intra-arterial Infusion Therapy with YM881]

A phase I study of YM-881 (zinostatin stimalamer), neocarzinostatin combined with butylesterified styrene maleate, suspended in iodized poppy oil ethyl ester, was conducted in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma by giving single intra-arterial infusions via catheters inserted by Seldinger's method. Four dose levels, 2, 4, 6, and 8 mg, were tested. Major adverse reactions were fever, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and abnormal hepatic function. Both the incidence and severity of adverse reactions tended to increase with the 8 mg dose. Tumor regression of 50% or more occurred in one receiving 2 mg and one receiving 4 mg. The results of the study suggest that doses of 6 mg or less may be appropriate for the phase II studies.

[Phase I clinical study of zinostatin stimalamer (YM 881) by intravenous injection]

A phase I clinical study by intravenous injection of zinostatin stimalamer (YM 881), a protein anti-cancer drug, was conducted in 50 patients with malignant tumors. The initial dose was 0.5 mg/m2 (n) in the single dose test, and 0.2 mg/m2/day in the repeated dose test for 5 successive days. Doses were increased up to 12n according to the modified Fibonacci's method in both the single and repeated dose tests. The dose limiting factor was thrombopenia in both the single and repeated dose tests. The maximum tolerated dose was 6.0 mg/m2 (12n) in the single dose test, and the subtoxic dose was 2.4 mg/m2/day in the five day repeated dose study. These results indicate that dose of 1.0 to 1.4 mg/m2/day (5 n to 7 n) are appropriate for the phase II repeated dose study.

[Early phase II study of YM 881 (zinostatin stimalamer) by intravenous injection. Research group for intravenous YM 881]

An early phase II multicentered study of YM 881 (zinostatin stimalamer) was conducted in 36 patients to investigate response and the safety of the drug in malignant tumors. The response could be evaluated in 18 patients, one with brain tumor, 2 with lung cancer, one with breast cancer, one with liver cancer, one with pancreatic cancer, 6 with gastric cancer, and 6 with colon cancer. PR was found in the patient with brain tumor. Major subjective unwanted effects were gastrointestinal symptoms. Objective evidence of hematological changes (thrombocytopenia, decreased hematocrit, and lymphocytopenia) was also obtained.

A Japanese family pedigree of patients with severe combined immunodeficiency disease with X-linked inheritance

We described three patients with severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) with B lymphocytes from a single family. Adenosine deaminase and purine nucleoside phosphorylase activities were normal. Two of them received bone marrow transplantation from an HLA haplotype-mismatched mother and an HLA-identical sibling, respectively, with successful immunological reconstitution. Another patient died of severe pneumonia. X-linked inheritance was suggested through the analysis of the pedigree extending four generations. This is probably the largest SCID kindred reported in Japan.

Kinin-generating cascade in advanced cancer patients and in vitro study

The role of the bradykinin-generating system in the pathogenesis of cancer was explored by simultaneously measuring plasma prekallikrein (PK), the precursor of kallikrein, which is the major enzyme responsible for kinin generation, and plasma kininogens (KNG), which are precursors of kinin, in patients with various cancers. The mean value of plasma PK in healthy volunteers was 2.5 +/- 0.5 (mean +/- SD) units/mg plasma protein and that in cancer patients (all stage IV) was 1.7 +/- 0.7 units/mg plasma protein. The mean value of plasma KNG in healthy volunteers was 12.5 +/- 2.0 ng kinin equivalents/mg plasma protein and that in cancer patients was 10.9 +/- 2.8 ng. These data showed that plasma PK and plasma KNG values were significantly lower in cancer patients compared with healthy volunteers (P less than or equal to 0.005 for PK; 0.0005 less than P less than or equal to 0.005 for KNG; n = 28 for healthy subjects; n = 29 for cancer patients). These data appear to indicate that conversion of PK to kallikrein would probably occur with concomitant consumption of KNG by newly generated kallikrein for kinin generation in cancer patients. Early stage cancer patients showed little difference from healthy volunteers. For the in vitro study, activation of purified Hageman factor (HF) and PK was examined by using cancer cell lines and virus-transformed cells that produced plasminogen activator (PA) at a high rate. Both HF and PK were activated in the presence of plasminogen. Diploid cell lines and primary fibroblasts, which did not produce PA, activated neither HF nor PK. Taking all these data together, we conclude that kinin generation does occur in the plasma of patients with advanced cancer, and that one of the initiation mechanisms of the kinin-generating cascade appears to be mediated by plasmin and to depend on cancer cell-derived PA activity.

Rings of anionic amino acids as structural determinants of ion selectivity in the acetylcholine receptor channel

To gain an insight into the molecular basis of the weak but significant selectivity among alkali metal cations of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) channel, we have determined single-channel conductance and permeability ratios for alkali metal cations on specifically mutated Torpedo californica AChR channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes. The mutations involved charged and polar side chains in the three anionic rings (extracellular, intermediate and cytoplasmic ring) which have previously been found to determine the rate of K+ transport through the AChR channel. The results obtained reveal that mutations in the intermediate ring exert much stronger effects on ion selectivity than do mutations in the extracellular and the cytoplasmic ring. The experimental results, together with simulations of the channel's energy profile, suggest that the amino acid residues forming the intermediate ring come into close contact with permeating cations and possibly represent part of the physical correlate of the postulated selectivity filter in the AChR channel.

B-lineage phenotype of lymphoblastoid cell lines from patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-induced precursor B-cell lines were established from bone marrow cells of patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia (X-LA). Using seven B-lineage specific monoclonal antibodies marker profiles of these cell lines were examined in order to know developmental stage specific and/or X-LA specific changes of B-cell related cell-surface antigens. CD19, CD20, CR2 (CD21), Fc epsilon receptor (CD23) and HLA-DR antigens were consistently found on the X-LA derived precursor B-cell lines as well as mature lymphoblastoid cell lines from healthy adults. These results suggest that immortalisation of B-cells with EBV is always accompanied by expression of pan-B cell markers and B-cell activation antigen (Fc epsilon receptor) even though the cell lines have precursor B-cell phenotypes as defined by immunoglobulin expression.

Tumor-targeted chemotherapy with lipid contrast medium and macromolecular anticancer drug (SMANCS) for renal cell carcinoma

Twenty-five patients with renal cell carcinoma were treated with a lipophilic macromolecular drug, poly(stylene-co-maleic acid)-conjugated neocarzinostatin (SMANCS) dissolved in lipid contrast medium (Lipiodol). The drug was injected by catheterizing the renal artery and another feeding artery in 24 patients, and in the common hepatic artery in 1 patient with metastases to the liver after a radical nephrectomy. The procedure of selective arterial administration of 3-20 mg/mL of SMANCS/Lipiodol was simple to perform and was required once every two to three weeks. Total dose of SMANCS for each patient varied from 3 to 57 mg. Both SMANCS and Lipiodol accumulated more selectively in tumor than in any other tissue and remained in the neovasculature and extracapillary space for a long time. CT pattern of the remaining oil contrast medium in the tumor was characterized by the high-density area localized mainly in the periphery of the tumor around the central necrosis. When hyperviscosity Lipiodol (Lipiodol HV) was used as lipid contrast medium, it remained more persistently in the tumor and disappeared more slowly than Lipiodol. Moreover, the pronounced anticancer effect was recognized when SMANCS/Lipiodol HV was administered compared with only SMANCS/Lipiodol. Severe side effects, such as myelosuppression, unendurable pain, paralytic ileus, etc., were not observed. This targeting chemotherapy may be of great significance for advanced renal cell carcinoma.

The localization and function of the neutralizing protein, VP4, in human rotavirus

The binding sites of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) to human rotavirus VP4 (K-1532) on the virion surface were examined with electron microscopy and the Markham photorotation method. The mAb, which had both hemagglutination inhibiting and neutralizing activities, appeared to bind to the outer margin of double-shelled particles of human rotavirus, especially to the parts overlaying the tubelike channels, which seemed to be the "cover lid" of the tubelike channels that extruded radially from the core region. This binding point may be a putative fusion site of the virus (Mackow et al. 1988) as well as a viral nucleus component ejection gate (Suzuki et al. 1986). Rotavirus particles treated with the mAb were shown to be capable of binding to MA104 cells by ultra-thin section examination. These observations suggest that neutralization via VP4 is related to virus uncoating but not to attachment of rotavirus.

Functional and molecular characteristics of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells with a mature T-cell phenotype from a patient with ataxia telangiectasia

A 12-year-old male patient with ataxia telangiectasia developed an acute lymphoblastic leukemia of T-cell phenotype. The lymphoblasts showed uniform surface expression of CD3, CD7, CD8, and T-cell receptor (TCR) alpha/beta chains, positive immunofluorescent staining of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase, complex cytogenetic aberrations including t(14;14) (q11;q32) and unique rearrangements of TCR beta and gamma chain genes, indicating the clonal expansion of leukemic cells. CD25 expression could be readily induced on the leukemic cells by mitogenic stimulation, followed by CD71 expression, but interleukin-2 production and subsequent proliferation in response to mitogens were subnormal.

The risk of cerebral infarction in non-valvular atrial fibrillation: effects of age, hypertension and antihypertensive treatment

The stroke risk was studied on 600 subjects with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) compared with the general population. The age-matched relative risk of stroke was highest in the 41- to 50-year-old population (12.6) but decreased with age (8.2 for 51-60 years, 3.6 for 61-70 years, and 2.6 for 71-80 years) owing to the increase in stroke incidence with age in the general population. There was no particularly vulnerable period for stroke from NVAF diagnosis until the 15the year. Stroke incidence was greater in hypertensives than in normotensives, but was not different between treated and untreated subjects among hypertensives.

Primary structure and functional expression of the alpha-, beta-, gamma-, delta- and epsilon-subunits of the acetylcholine receptor from rat muscle

The isolation and characterization of five clones carrying sequences of the alpha-, beta-, gamma-, delta- and epsilon-subunit precursors of the rat muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR) are described. The deduced amino acid sequences indicate that these polypeptides contain 457-519 amino acids and reveal the structural characteristics common to subunits of ligand-gated ion channels. The pattern of subunit-specific mRNA levels in rat muscle shows characteristic changes during development and following denervation, suggesting that innervation of muscle reduces the expression of the alpha-, beta- and delta-subunit mRNAs, suppresses the expression of the gamma-subunit mRNA, and induces expression of epsilon-subunit mRNA. Subunit-specific cRNAs generated in vitro were injected into Xenopus laevis oocytes, resulting in the assembly of two functionally different AChR channel subtypes. The AChR gamma, composed of the alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-subunits, has functional properties similar to those of the native AChRs in fetal muscle. The AChR epsilon, composed of alpha-, beta-, delta- and epsilon-subunits, corresponds to the end-plate channel of the adult muscle. Thus in rat skeletal muscle the motor nerve regulates the expression of two functionally different AChR subtypes with different molecular composition by the differential expression of subunit-specific mRNAs.

Targeting cancer chemotherapeutic agents by use of lipiodol contrast medium

Arterially administered Lipiodol Ultrafluid contrast medium selectively remained in various malignant solid tumors because of the difference in time required for the removal of Lipiodol contrast medium from normal capillaries and tumor neovasculature. Although blood flow was maintained in the tumor, even immediately after injection Lipiodol contrast medium remained in the neovasculature of the tumor. To target anti-cancer agents to tumors by using Lipiodol contrast medium as a carrier, the characteristics of the agents were examined. Anti-cancer agents had to be soluble in Lipiodol, be stable in it, and separate gradually from it so that the anti-cancer agents would selectively remain in the tumor. These conditions were found to be necessary on the basis of the measurement of radioactivity in VX2 tumors implanted in the liver of 16 rabbits that received arterial injections of 14C-labeled doxorubicin. Antitumor activities and side effects of arterial injections of two types of anti-cancer agents were compared in 76 rabbits with VX2 tumors. Oily anti-cancer agents that had characteristics essential for targeting were compared with simple mixtures of anti-cancer agents with Lipiodol contrast medium that did not have these essential characteristics. Groups of rabbits that received oily anti-cancer agents responded significantly better than groups that received simple mixtures, and side effects were observed more frequently in the groups that received the simple mixtures. These results suggest that targeting of the anti-cancer agent to the tumor is important for treatment of solid malignant tumors.

Spontaneous and agonist-induced openings of an acetylcholine receptor channel composed of bovine muscle alpha-, beta- and delta-subunits

During the development of mammalian muscle the gamma-subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) is replaced by the epsilon-subunit to produce well-defined alterations in the conductance and gating of the channel. To gain a better understanding of the functional role of the gamma- and epsilon-subunits, we have studied the properties of an AChR channel lacking these subunits. The AChR expressed in Xenopus oocytes injected with the bovine alpha-, beta- and delta-subunit-specific mRNAs (referred to as alpha beta delta-AChR) is unusual in that its channel opens spontaneously at a high frequency in the absence of agonist. From a comparison of the alpha beta delta-AChR with complete receptors containing either the gamma- or epsilon-subunit, we conclude that the gamma- and epsilon-subunits influence most channel properties, including agonist binding, and are especially important for stabilizing the closed state of the unliganded receptor channel. The alpha beta delta-AChR can form when a complete set of four subunit-specific mRNAs is injected. The ease with which it is assembled raises the possibility that the alpha beta delta-AChR contributes to some of the variations in receptor properties that occur during development.

Enzymatic removal of bilirubin toxicity by bilirubin oxidase in vitro and excretion of degradation products in vivo

The toxic effects of the degradation products of bilirubin that were formed by reaction with bilirubin oxidase were investigated with the C 1300 mouse neuroblastoma cell line by examining the following parameters: growth inhibition, morphologic characteristics, membrane transport, DNA synthesis, and protein synthesis. The addition of bilirubin to the cells resulted in definite cytotoxic effects on all of these parameters in a dose-dependent fashion; the addition of bilirubin oxidase reversed the toxic effects on the C 1300 cells in vitro. Furthermore, we found that most of these enzymatic degradation products of bilirubin were excreted by the kidney into the urine in a few hours after intravenous injection of the degradation products; in contrast, no intact bilirubin was excreted. Thus, these findings suggest that hyperbilirubinemia in newborn infants (kernicterus) may be prevented by administering polyethylene glycol-conjugated bilirubin oxidase, with a longer plasma half-life which has been reported previously to oxidize bilirubin to its nontoxic components in the bloodstream.

Unusual expression of IgG Fc receptors on peripheral granulocytes from patients with leukocyte adhesion deficiency (CD11/CD18 deficiency)

Leukocyte adhesion deficiency (LAD) is a hereditary disease characterized by defective expression of leukocyte adhesion glycoproteins; lymphocyte function-associated Ag-1 (CD11a/CD18), CR3 (CD11b/CD18) and p150,95 (CD11c/CD18). Granulocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes of patients with LAD show profoundly defective in vivo and in vitro adherence-dependent immune functions. We investigated the expression of FcR for IgG on polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) and monocytes from patients with LAD, and their luminol- and lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence production in response to SRBC sensitized with murine (m) IgG2a and IgG2b. Unstimulated patient PMN showed an enhanced chemiluminescence in response to mIgG2a-SRBC and an increased phagocytosis of mIgG2a-SRBC. The up-regulated functions were inhibited by monomeric human IgG in a dose-dependent manner, which was attributed to an increase in expression of FcRI on patient PMN, as shown by flow cytometry using monoclonal antibody, 32.2, specific for human FcRI. In contrast, neither the expression of FcR on the monocytes of LAD patients nor their FcR-mediated functions were different from those of controls.

Unusual expression of IgG Fc receptors on peripheral granulocytes from patients with leukocyte adhesion deficiency (CD11/CD18 deficiency)

Leukocyte adhesion deficiency (LAD) is a hereditary disease characterized by defective expression of leukocyte adhesion glycoproteins; lymphocyte function-associated Ag-1 (CD11a/CD18), CR3 (CD11b/CD18) and p150,95 (CD11c/CD18). Granulocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes of patients with LAD show profoundly defective in vivo and in vitro adherence-dependent immune functions. We investigated the expression of FcR for IgG on polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) and monocytes from patients with LAD, and their luminol- and lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence production in response to SRBC sensitized with murine (m) IgG2a and IgG2b. Unstimulated patient PMN showed an enhanced chemiluminescence in response to mIgG2a-SRBC and an increased phagocytosis of mIgG2a-SRBC. The up-regulated functions were inhibited by monomeric human IgG in a dose-dependent manner, which was attributed to an increase in expression of FcRI on patient PMN, as shown by flow cytometry using monoclonal antibody, 32.2, specific for human FcRI. In contrast, neither the expression of FcR on the monocytes of LAD patients nor their FcR-mediated functions were different from those of controls.

[Serum bilirubin subfractionation by high-performance liquid chromatography in patients with fulminant hepatic failure]

Serum bilirubin subfractionation, using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), was carried out and clinically evaluated in 9 patients with fulminant hepatic failure (FHF). Serum unconjugated bilirubin (UCB), C-8 bilirubin mono-conjugate (MBC), C-12BMC and bilirubin di-conjugate (BDC) were quantified by the alkaline methanolysis-HPLC method described by Blanckaert. Similar studies were performed in 10 patients with acute hepatitis (AH) and 6 patients with obstructive jaundice and the results were compared. In patients with rising serum bilirubin, the serum C-12BMC/C-8BMC ratio was calculated to be as follows: 2.10 +/- 0.21 for FHF, 1.05 +/- 0.34 for AH and 0.81 +/- 0.08 for obstructive jaundice, respectively. A significant differences were observed between FHF and AH (P less than 0.01). As there was almost no overlapping, it was considered that this determination is useful for the differential diagnosis of jaundiced patients, especially, in those patients with AH whose sera show a prolonged prothrombin time lower than 40%, and there is a concern that they may develop FHF. The calculation of C-12BMC/C-8BMC allows us to make a differential diagnosis between AH and FHF at an early period in the development of the disease, and it was proved that serum C-12BMC/C-8BMC ratio can reflect the magnitude of hepatocyte damage as well as bilirubin metabolism disturbance.

Laterality of cerebral controls on somatic and autonomic functions

The mode of cerebral representation for each half of the body is various according to the functions that are represented; contralateral, ipsilateral and bilateral. We reviewed, and discussed the meaning of, such different patterns of cerebral representation for somatic and autonomic functions.

[Treatment of carcinomatous effusion with oily anticancer agents dissolved in lipiodol]

The oily anticancer agents dissolved in lipiodol used for arterial administration against various solid tumors in our department were found to be applicable to treat for pleural or peritoneal carcinomatosis experimentally and clinically. The pharmacokinetic study with rat model showed oily anticancer agents were retained in a high concentration in the peritoneal cavity compared to water-soluble anticancer agents. In our pilot clinical study all patients with pleural or peritoneal carcinomatosis showed improvement cytologically and physically.

Determination of aromatization of 19-oxygenated 16 alpha-hydroxyandrostenedione with human placental microsomes by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with coulometric detection

A sensitive assay of aromatization of 16 alpha-hydroxylated androgens, 16 alpha-hydroxyandrostenedione (16 alpha-OHA), 16 alpha,19-dihydroxyandrostenedione [16 alpha,19-(OH)2A], and 16 alpha-hydroxy-19-oxo androstenedione (16 alpha-OH-19-oxo A), was developed using reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography with a coulometric detector. The estrogens, estriol and 16 alpha-hydroxyestrone, were simultaneously detected in quantities as low as 300 pg of the estrogens formed in an assay by an internal standard method. Apparent Km and Vmax of the microsomal aromatase for 16 alpha-OHA, 16 alpha,19-(OH)2A or 16 alpha-OH-19-oxo A were 1.06, 4.00 or 571 microM and 0.014, 0.087 or 1.67 pmol/min/micrograms protein, respectively. The results show that the 19-oxo steroid has extremely low affinity for aromatase relative to the other substrates.

Physical and chemical changes of medicinals in mixtures with adsorbents in the solid state. IV. Study on reduced-pressure mixing for practical use of amorphous mixtures of flufenamic acid

Flufenamic acid (FFA) was mixed with magnesium aluminum silicate (MAS) at a reduced pressure of about 10 to 50 mmHg employing a commercial mixer for pharmaceutical production. An amorphous state of FFA in the mixture was efficiently achieved with this equipment, and the dissolution of FFA was enhanced in comparison with that of the physical mixture. Effects of the conditions of mixing, such as pressure, temperature and rotating speed, on dissolution of FFA were determined. Through stability tests at 40 degrees C under both dry and humid conditions, no change in dissolution profiles was recognized in a 5% FFA mixture stored under any conditions. On the other hand, decreases in dissolution behavior were observed in 10% and 20% FFA mixtures when they were stored under humid conditions. These results suggested that humidity should be avoided during the storage of amorphous mixtures of FFA with MAS for production purposes.