Protective effects of α-galacto-oligosaccharides against a high-fat/western-style diet-induced metabolic abnormalities in mice

In this study, we investigated the effects of a newly synthesized α-galacto-oligosaccharide mixture (α-GOSg), 0.5% in drinking water, on high-fat/western-style diet (HFWD)-induced metabolic abnormality in mice in a study of 13 weeks. Raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs) were included as a comparison. Mice treated with α-GOSg had significantly lower body weight and body fat (p < 0.05), while RFOs were less effective. Both α-GOSg and RFOs significantly reduced serum levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase and liver lipids. However, only α-GOSg significantly decreased the histopathological score for liver steatosis and downregulated hepatic fatty acid synthesis gene acetyl CoA carboxylase-α. α-GOSg also significantly reduced the content of bile acids in the small intestine and significantly increased the abundance of gut Bifidobacterium and decreased the abundance of Clostridium leptum. These actions are proposed to be key mechanisms contributing to the beneficial health effects of α-GOSg.

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of tocopherols are independent of Nrf2 in mice

The present study investigated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions of tocopherols in mice and determined whether the nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) is involved in these activities. A mixture of tocopherols (γ-TmT) that is rich in γ-tocopherol was used. Nrf2 knockout (Nrf2 -/-) and wild-type mice were maintained on 0.03, 0.1, or 0.3% γ-TmT-enriched diet starting 2 weeks before the administration of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in drinking water (for 1 week, to induce colonic inflammation), until the termination of the experiment at 3 days after the DSS treatment. Dietary γ-TmT dose dependently lowered the levels of 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine, nitrotyrosine, inflammation index, and leukocyte infiltration in colon tissues, as well as 8-isoprostane and prostaglandin E2 in the serum, in both Nrf2 (-/-) and wild-type mice. No significant difference on the inhibitory actions of γ-TmT between the Nrf2 (-/-) and the wild-type mice was observed. The γ-TmT treatment significantly increased the serum levels of γ- and δ-tocopherols. Interestingly, the serum levels of tocopherol metabolites, specifically the γ- and δ-forms of carboxymethylbutyl hydroxychroman and carboxyethyl hydroxychroman, in Nrf2 (-/-) mice were significantly higher than those in wild-type mice. These findings suggest that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of γ-TmT in the colon are mostly due to the direct action of tocopherols in trapping reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, independent of the antioxidant enzymes and anti-inflammatory proteins that are regulated by Nrf2; however, Nrf2 knockout appears to affect the serum levels of tocopherol metabolites.

Effects of green tea polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate on newly developed high-fat/Western-style diet-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome in mice

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on newly developed high-fat/Western-style diet-induced obesity and symptoms of metabolic syndrome. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high fat/Western-style (HFW; 60% energy as fat and lower levels of calcium, vitamin D(3), folic acid, choline bitartrate, and fiber) or HFW with EGCG (HFWE; HFW with 0.32% EGCG) diet for 17 wks. As a comparison, two other groups of mice fed a low-fat diet (LF; 10% energy as fat) and high-fat diet (HF; 60% energy as fat) were also included. The HFW group developed more body weight gain and severe symptoms of metabolic syndrome than the HF group. The EGCG treatment significantly reduced body weight gain associated with increased fecal lipids and decreased blood glucose and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels compared to those of the HFW group. Fatty liver incidence, liver damage, and liver triglyceride levels were also decreased by the EGCG treatment. Moreover, the EGCG treatment attenuated insulin resistance and levels of plasma cholesterol, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), C-reactive protein (CRP), interlukin-6 (IL-6), and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). Our results demonstrate that the HFW diet produces more severe symptoms of metabolic syndrome than the HF diet and that the EGCG treatment can alleviate these symptoms and body fat accumulation. The beneficial effects of EGCG are associated with decreased lipid absorption and reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines.

Abstract 961: Higher activity of δ-tocopherol (δ-T) than γ-tocopherol and α-tocopherol in the inhibition of lung cancer H1299 xenograft tumors in mice

Our previous study showed that γ-TmT (a tocopherol mixture containing 57% γ-T, 24% δ-T, 13% α-T and 1.5% β-T) effectively inhibited colon and lung carcinogenesis as well as the growth of transplanted human lung cancer in mice. This study aims to determine the more active constituents in this mixture in a xenograft model. After injection of human lung cancer H1299 cells into NCr nu/nu nude mice, the mice were maintained on a standard AIN93M diet or diet enriched with α-T, γ-T, δ-T or γ-TmT (each at 0.3% and 0.17%) for 50 days. Dietary δ-T showed the strongest inhibition based on final tumor weight (35.6% and 57.6% reduction from the control by 0.17% and 0.3% δ-T, respectively). Dietary 0.3% γ-T and γ-TmT also showed significant inhibition (37.4% and 46% reduction from control, respectively). However, an inhibitory effect was not observed with dietary α-T group. Consistent with the animal study, the growth of H1299 cells was inhibited by tocopherols with their effectiveness following the order of δ-T &gt; γ-TmT &gt; γ-T, but α-T was not effective. We also found that dietary α-T, γ-T and δ-T treatment respectively increased serum α-T, γ-T and δ-T levels (up to 45, 9.7 and 1.2μM, respectively). However, the serum α-T level was decreased by dietary γ-T and δ-T; for example, at 0.3% they decreased α-T levels by 50% and 42% from the control group, respectively. The results suggest a competition among different forms of tocopherols. Dietary treatment with each form of tocopherol also increased the corresponding side-chain degradation metabolites: carboxyethyl hydroxychromans (CEHC) and carboxymethylbutyl hydroxychromans (CMBHC). With 0.3% α-, γ- and δ-T in the diet, the mean serum levels of α-, γ- and δ-CEHC were 0.08, 0.7 and 3.0μM, respectively; and α-, γ- and δ-CMBHC were 0.14, 0.83 and 4.0μM, respectively. These metabolites retain the intact chromanol ring and, similar to their parent tocopherols, could trap reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. δ-CEHC and δ-CMBHC, which are present at rather high concentrations, may play an important role in inhibiting xenograph and tumor growth. The present results show that δ-T and γ-T effectively inhibited human lung cancer xenograft tumors and the inhibition may be due to the apoptosis-inducing, antioxidative, and reactive nitrogen species-trapping activities of these tocopherols and their metabolites (Supported by NIH grants CA120915, CA122474, and CA133021).

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 961.

[Changes of potassium and sodium content in erythrocyte of rabbit cardiac blood after death and timing of death]

We studied the changes of potassium and sodium contents in erythrocytes and the activity of erythrocyte membrane Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase in 40 cardiac blood samples of rabbit corpses at different postmortem intervals (PMI). The erythrocyte potassium content (RBCK) decreased linearly as the PMI increased (R = -0.829, P < 0.025). during postmortem 48 hours. The erythrocyte potassium content and the time after death had significant correlation. The activity of erythrocyte membrane Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase had no significant changes over postmortem 48 hours.

Anatomical correlates of alien hand syndromes

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to correlate various alien hand syndromes (AHS) with sites of lesion in 16 patients with anterior cerebral artery (ACA) territory infarction.

BACKGROUND

All previous reports of AHS were case studies. Their clinico-anatomic correlations were still controversial. While the callosal lesion appears necessary for various types of AHS, which portion of the corpus callosum is associated with which syndrome is still not yet completely resolved.

METHOD

Sixteen patients with ACA territory infarction were selected from a stroke registry containing 7355 individuals. They were divided into three lesion groups according to location identified by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging: mesial frontal, callosal and combined mesial frontal and callosal. Neurobehavioral examination focused on the presence or absence of grasp reflex, various alien hand signs, intermanual conflict, and callosal disconnection syndrome. By gross visual analysis of the obtained data, a trend for clinicoanatomic correlation emerged.

RESULTS

Patients with restricted mesial frontal lesions (three subjects), restricted anterior callosal lesions (four subjects) or "restricted" mesial frontal and anterior callosal lesions (two subjects) did not have symptoms of AHS. The remaining seven patients with extensive callosal injury involving the midbody and isthmus all had symptoms of AHS. Four of the patients with relatively isolated callosal involvement showed intermanual conflict (IMC) associated with a callosal AHS, while the remaining three patients with additional lesions involving the mesial frontal cortex showed impulsive reaching and grasping behaviors of the contralesional hand (a component of frontal AHS) and IMC (a component of callosal AHS).

CONCLUSIONS

A comparison of the lesions and symptoms of seven patients in two different groups shows that mesial frontal and anterior callosal (genu and rostral body) lesions are associated with a contralateral frontal AHS. Isolated involvement of the callosal midbody and isthmus is associated with a callosal AHS. When the mesial frontal cortex and corpus callosum (genu and whole body) are extensively involved, a mixed frontal and callosal AHS may occur in the same patient.

Primary leptomeningeal melanoma

A 25-year-old man suffered from a sudden severe headache followed by loss of consciousness on 29 March 1993. Cranial computed tomography was performed at a local hospital and arteriovenous malformation was suspected. An open biopsy was performed on 7 July 1993 and malignant melanoma was discovered. Radiotherapy was given in August 1993. The patient's condition continued to deteriorate and he died of bronchopneumonia about 7 months after the initial diagnosis. Autopsy confirmed primary leptomeningeal melanoma.