The lysosomal enzyme N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase in rabbit muscle following a period of ischaemia

Lysosomal changes in mouse skeletal muscle during the repair of exercise injuries

Lysosomal changes of mouse skeletal muscle during the repair of exercise injuries were studied with biochemical, histochemical, and electron microscopic methods. Treadmill running for 4 hours and 9 hours increased the activities of cathepsin C and beta-glucuronidase, but not that of beta-glycerophosphatase in mouse quadriceps femoris muscle. The highest activities occurred 3 days after exertion and were higher after the longer duration of exertion. Similar changes that were highly correlated with the activities of lysosomal enzymes occurred in the activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and in the concentration of DNA. The activities of lysosomal enzymes correlated significantly with the severity of histopathologic injuries. Histochemical stainings of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase and beta-glucuronidase showed a strong increase in the staining intensity 3 and 5 days after exertion, both in inflammatory phagocytes and in surviving muscle fibers in the injured area, and staining intensities increased in parallel with the severity of injuries. Electron microscopy showed an increased number of autophagic vacuoles, lysosome-like bodies, and Golgi complexes in the fibers adjacent to necrotic foci, coinciding with the highest histochemical staining pattern. Lysosomal changes in surviving muscle fibers in close proximity to injured muscle fibers could, by autophagic degradation, provide structural elements for the regeneration of injured muscle fibers.

The effect of prostaglandins on the lysosomal function in the cervix uteri

Local or systemic prostaglandin (PG) administration leads to the known softening and dilatation of the cervix uteri. Lysosomal enzymes are involved in connective tissue degradation. The question arises whether the effect of PG on the cervix uteri is mediated by lysosomes. Five pregnant women (volunteers after informed consent) in the first trimester received 500 micrograms of PGE2-derivative (Nalador) i.m. at 12 and 8 h before termination by curettage. Five pregnant women without PG-treatment served as controls. Small biopsies were obtained from the endocervical canal and were immediately immersed in cold 2.5% glutaraldehyde and after further preparations examined under a Zeiss electron microscope 9S-2. A second portion of tissue was sliced and prepared for histochemical analysis of the acid phosphatase on lysosomes. Examination of the ultrastructure of the cervix uteri showed vesicles in the extracellular matrix. These were surrounded by a single membrane and contained either fine granular material of myelin-like whorls of membranes. These vesicles lay between collagen fibers, showed the reaction product of acid phosphatase and were often surrounded by an electron-lucent halo. We conclude that these matrix vesicles were "matrix lysosomes" extruded from the cervical myo-fibrocytes into the extracellular space as a result of the PG-E2-administration. Here they are not under cellular control and can initiate the proteolytic degradation of connective tissue. This might be the crucial step in cervical dilatation which, on ultrastructural examination, can be seen as decreasing electron density of the extracellular ground substance near the matrix lysosomes. The relationship between PGE2 and collagenase production is generally accepted. If one believes that lysosomal cathepsin D and cathepsin B act synergistically with collagenase, it can be assumed that PGE2 is involved in a lysosomal degradation of the connective tissue. The morphological sign of this occurrence is the release of matrix lysosomes by PGE2 as described in the present study. Extracellular lysosomes and their physiological significance in cervical function are discussed in detail.

Exhaustive physical exercise and acid hydrolase activity in mouse skeletal muscle. A histochemical study

Adult, untrained NMRI mice were exhausted on a motor-driven treadmill by an intermittent-type running programme. Serial cryostate sections for the staining of NADH-tetrazolium reductase, beta-glucuronidase, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and beta-glycerophosphatase activities and for making hematoxylin-eosin staining were cut from m. quadriceps femoris 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 15 days after physical exhaustion. A strong increase in the activities of beta-glucuronidase and beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase was observed 7 days after exhaustion and the activity changes, which were similar for the both glycosidases, were more prominent in the highly oxidative red compared to less oxidative white fibres. Activity granules were more numerous in the perinuclear than the interfibrillar area of red fibres. Spots were arranged like longitudinal chains between myofibrils. Activity in connective tissue was usually observed only in animals exhausted 3--7 days earlier. Simultaneous activity in fibres exceeded that in connective tissue. beta-Glycerophosphatase activity was not, by the method used, seen in histologically "healthy" or normal-looking fibres. In samples taken 2--5 days after exhaustion some degenerating and necrotic fibres were observed. Inflammatory reaction was also observed being at its strongest five days after loading when mononuclear cells were seen inside necrotic fibres. The number of regenerating muscle cells was most abundant 7 days after exhaustion. It is suggested that temporary hypoxia, which accompanies exhaustive physical exercise in skeletal muscle, upsets the energy metabolism and homeostasis of fibres and causes the observed histological and histochemical alterations, which possess features typical of both lethal and sublethal acute cell injury.

Protective effect of methylprednisolone on ischaemic myocardium assessed by ventricular function

Intracardiac surgical procedures are best carried out when the heart is still and bloodless. This condition, however, produces myocardial cellular damage with loss of contractility and compliance unless some protection can be provided. Myocardial contractility and compliance is best studied by isovolumic ventricular function tests, which were used to evaluate the protective effect of methylprednisolone on the isolated cross-perfused canine heart made ischaemic for 2 hours. Control experiments included 2 hours of ischaemia without methylprednisolone, and 2 hours of continuous normothermic cross-perfusion. The methylprednisolone-treated hearts had probably significantly better ventricular function after 2 hours of ischaemia than did hearts without the methylprednisolone, while the cross-perfused hearts were best overall. This work suggests that methylprednisolone may have a protective effect on the ischaemic myocardium of the intact canine heart.