Development of specific chemiluminescent immunoassays for three subtypes of vitellogenin in grey mullet (Mugil cephalus)

Chemiluminescent immunoassays (CLIAs) were developed for each of three subtypes of vitellogenin (VtgAa, VtgAb and VtgC) in grey mullet, primarily for use in monitoring estrogenic pollution of the environment. The working range of VtgAa-CLIA and VtgAb-CLIA was from 0.975 to 1,000 ng/ml, while that of VtgC-CLIA was from 0.487 to 1,000 ng/ml. Each CLIA appeared to be specific to the targeted Vtg subtype. Intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation in the developed CLIAs were lower than 10%. In male serum, VtgAa, VtgAb and VtgC were detected in ranges from 0.01 to 0.38, 0.02 to 1.01, and 0.01 to 3.12 μg/ml, respectively, during various sampling periods. In vitellogenic females (October), serum VtgAb levels (1,192.05 ± 237.81 μg/ml) were significantly higher than levels of the other two Vtg subtypes (120.82 ± 30.42 and 119.23 ± 16.95 μg/ml for VtgAa and VtgC, respectively). When immature mullet were fed diets containing 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) at three different doses (0.4, 40 and 4,000 ng/g body weight), all Vtg subtypes were induced by 40 ng/g and 4,000 ng/g EE2. The VtgC (610.30 ± 150.18 μg/ml) was most highly expressed among the three Vtgs in fish fed 40 ng/g EE2, while VtgAb (33.25 ± 13.58 mg/ml) was highest in expression in fish fed 4,000 ng/g EE2. The present study provided practical subtype-specific Vtg assays for the first time in grey mullet, providing the necessary means to evaluate estrogenic activities in aquatic environments.

Structure-cytotoxic activity relationship for the toad poison bufadienolides

The toad poison bufadienolides including natural and derivatized compounds were tested for their cytotoxic effects on primary liver carcinoma cells PLC/PRF/5 and their structure-cytotoxic activity relationships were studied. For this study, a ligand-binding model was developed by using a pharmacophore mapping program, Distance Comparisons (DISCO). The structural features that are common to the 3D structures of active bufadienolides were identified to provide approach to a 3D QSAR method by using Comparative Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA) study and to correlate the steric and electrostatic fields of the molecules to their activities. A valuable model which enables prediction of their activities was obtained from the CoMFA analysis, which may be employed for the drug designs of new bufadienolide analogues.

A chemiluminescent immunoassay for urinary thromboxane B2

Because of the vasoactive properties of thromboxane A2 and other related prostaglandins, much research has been conducted on drugs which alter their levels. Urinary levels of thromboxane B2 and 2,3-dinor thromboxane B2 (major urinary metabolite of thromboxane B2) are used as an indication of thromboxane production in-vivo. In order to accurately measure urinary TXB2 levels of subjects on investigative drugs which lower TXA2 and subsequently TXB2, a simple and sensitive analytical tool becomes necessary. We have thus developed a non-radioisotopic (chemiluminescent) assay for urinary TXB2. Sensitivity has been demonstrated to 5 pg/ml. The method correlates well with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (the accepted reference method) even without column chromatographic purification prior to the conduct of the chemiluminescent assay (r = 0.96). In addition, we have demonstrated feasibility for a chemiluminescent assay to measure urinary 2,3-dinor TXB2.

Inhibition of cholera-toxin-stimulated intestinal secretion by CGS 9343B in rats: a specific calmodulin inhibitor

In this study, the effect of CGS 9343B on cholera-toxin-stimulated intestinal secretion in rats was determined using in vivo isolated loops. This recently developed compound is a potent and specific inhibitor of calmodulin, but not of protein kinase C. At a luminal dose of 15 mg/kg, CGS 9343B has little effect on basal intestinal absorption but completely inhibited the secretory effects of cholera toxin. The less specific calmodulin inhibitor, trifluoperazine, has a similar antisecretory effect, but unlike with CGS 9343B, severe toxicity was noted at luminal doses of 7.5 mg/kg. In animals where two intestinal loops were created, one with cholera toxin alone and the other with CGS 9343B and cholera toxin, significant inhibition of secretion was observed in both loops, consistent with a systemic effect of this compound. Finally, both CGS 9343B and trifluoperazine inhibited choleratoxin stimulated increases in mucosal cyclic AMP content, whereas basal levels were unaffected. We conclude that CGS 9343B significantly inhibits choleratoxin-stimulated intestinal secretions, possibly by inhibition of calmodulin-dependent adenylate cyclase activity. Its lack of major toxicity at therapeutic doses makes this compound potentially useful for the treatment of enterotoxigenic diarrheal diseases.

Comparison of hepatic microsomal drug-metabolizing systems from rats fed crude and purified diets

Hepatic microsomes from rats fed a crude or a purified diet were compared by measureing their contents of protein, cytochrome P-450, and cytochrome b5, their rates of activity of NADPH- and NADH-cytochrome c reductases, NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, NADPH oxidase, lipid peroxidase, ethylmorphine N-demethylase, aniline hydroxylase, benzpyrene hydroxylase, and their substrate-binding spectra (ethylmorphine, hexobarbital, aniline, and ethyl isoyanide). With the exception of lipid peroxidase activity, which was much higher in microsomes from animals fed the crude diet, little or no consistent diet-related differences in these measurements were observed over a 4-week experimental period, nor were results significantly less variable with one or the other diet. No consistent significant differences were observed with two strains of rats. The lower lipid peroxidase activity seen with the purified diet appeared to be due to the high vitamin E intake when that diet was employed; rats fed the crude diet and an oral supplement of alpha-tocopherol yielded microsomes with low lipid peroxidase activities similar to those seen in microsomes from rats fed the purified diet. A gradual temporal increase in benzpyrene hydroxylase activity was observed with both diets. This was interpreted to be due to environment inducing agents other than those present in the diet.