Potential cancer-chemopreventive activities of wine stilbenoids and flavans extracted from grape (Vitis vinifera) cell cultures

Moderate consumption of wine is associated with a reduced risk of cancer. Grape plant cell cultures were used to purify 12 phenols: the stilbenoids trans-astringin, trans-piceid (2), trans-resveratroloside, trans-resveratrol, trans-piceatannol, cis-resveratroloside, cis-piceid, and cis-resveratrol; the flavans (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, and epicatechin 3-O-gallate; and the flavan dimer procyanidin B2 3'-O-gallate. These compounds were evaluated for potential to inhibit cyclooxygenases and preneoplastic lesion formation in carcinogen-treated mouse mammary glands in organ culture. At 10 micrograms/ml, trans-astringin and trans-piceatannol inhibited development of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced preneoplastic lesions in mouse mammary glands with 68.8% and 76.9% inhibition, respectively, compared with untreated glands. The latter compound was the most potent of the 12 compounds tested in this assay, with the exception of trans-resveratrol (87.5% inhibition). In the cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 assay, trans isomers of the stilbenoids appear to be more active than cis isomers: trans-resveratrol [50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 14.9 microM, 96%] vs. cis-resveratrol (IC50 = 55.4 microM). In the COX-2 assay, among the compounds tested, only trans- and cis-resveratrol exhibited significant inhibitory activity (IC50 = 32.2 and 50.2 microM, respectively). This is the first report showing the potential cancer-chemopreventive activity of trans-astringin, a plant stilbenoid recently found in wine. trans-Astringin and its aglycone trans-piceatannol were active in the mouse mammary gland organ culture assay but did not exhibit activity in COX-1 and COX-2 assays. trans-Resveratrol was active in all three of the bioassays used in this investigation. These findings suggest that trans-astringin and trans-piceatannol may function as potential cancer-chemopreventive agents by a mechanism different from that of trans-resveratrol.

Constituents of Eugenia sandwicensis with potential cancer chemopreventive activity

A triterpenoid, 3beta-cis-p-coumaroyloxy-2alpha,23-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (1), and two natural products, 3beta-trans-p-coumaroyloxy-2alpha,23-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (2) and 23-trans-p-coumaroyloxy-2alpha,3beta-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (3), were isolated from a chloroform-soluble extract of the stems of Eugenia sandwicensis, along with 10 known compounds. Of these compounds, 2 showed significant inhibitory activity (79.2% at 4 microg/ml) in a 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced mouse mammary organ culture assay system of relevance to cancer chemoprevention. Gallic acid was isolated as an antioxidative constituent of an ethyl acetate-soluble extract of E. sandwicensis stems. Isolates 1-3 were characterized on the basis of spectral and chemical evidence.

Metabolism of N-[4-hydroxyphenyl]retinamide (4-HPR) to N-[4-methoxyphenyl]retinamide (4-MPR) may serve as a biomarker for its efficacy against human breast cancer and melanoma cells

A clinical trial of N-[4-hydroxyphenyl]retinamide (4-HPR) has been in progress for the past 4 years to evaluate its role in chemoprevention of breast cancer. However, it is currently not known whether the effect of 4-HPR in breast cells is mediated by 4-HPR directly or through one of its metabolites. In this report, we investigated in vivo and in vitro effects of 4-HPR on three different breast carcinoma cells and two different melanoma cell lines. In vitro, the growth of all three breast carcinoma cell lines was inhibited by 4-HPR. Only one of two melanoma cell lines (UISO-Mel-1) showed growth inhibition to 4-HPR. The cell lines sensitive to 4-HPR in vitro also showed inhibition to 4-HPR in a xenograft model. Dietary 4-HPR (0.5 mmol/kg diet) reduced the growth of UISO-BCA-1 xenografts in female athymic mice, but had no effect on UISO-Mel-6 xenografts. Metabolism investigations of the 4-HPR-sensitive and insensitive cell lines indicated that N-[4-methoxyphenyl]retinamide (4-MPR), the major metabolite of 4-HPR, was detected only in cells sensitive to 4-HPR. Further in vitro studies with 4-MPR suggested that it is not an active metabolite of 4-HPR as it failed to inhibit growth of 4-HPR-resistant UISO-Mel-6 cells, and showed no dose-dependent inhibition of 4-HPR-sensitive breast carcinoma and melanoma cell lines. Our results in the present study indicate that, although 4-MPR is not an active metabolite of 4-HPR, detection of this metabolite in the malignant cells may serve as an indirect biomarker to predict response of cells to 4-HPR.

Severe disturbance occurring during treatment for depression of a bulimic patient with fluoxetine

We report on a 32-year old woman with bulimia nervosa treated with fluoxetine for depression. Fluoxetine is the only drug currently recommended for the treatment of bulimia. The patient became severely disturbed with tension, irritability, self-damage by cutting and violent, intense, suicidal and paranoid ideation qualitatively different to previous symptoms in the course of her illness. Clinical impression was of a striking association between fluoxetine and these symptoms. We suggest caution when using fluoxetine in bulimic patients with depression who have additional impulsive behaviours such as self-cutting, alcohol and/or drug abuse and shop-lifting.

Urinary incontinence. Why people do not seek help

Some of the most frequently cited reasons for not seeking treatment for urinary incontinence are a belief that incontinence is a normal part of aging; a belief that incontinence is a normal sequelae of childbirth; and a lack of knowledge about existing treatment. There is often a lack of knowledge concerning urinary incontinence and its treatment on the part of health-care providers. Some of the methods available to treat urinary incontinence are pelvic floor muscle exercises, medications, and biofeedback. To overcome the barriers to seeking treatment for incontinence, healthcare providers should ask direct questions about urinary incontinence as part of the routine history and physical examination.

Capgras' syndrome with organic disorders

Capgras' syndrome, one form of the delusional misidentification syndromes, is described. Three patients with the syndrome are reported. The first had a right cerebral infarction, the second had nephrotic syndrome secondary to severe pre-eclampsia in the puerperium, and the third had uncontrolled diabetes mellitus with dementia. Evidence is reviewed regarding an organic aetiology for Capgras' syndrome. We conclude that, when the syndrome is present, a thorough search for organic disorder should be made.

Effect of all-trans-retinoic acid on nuclear RNA polymerase activity in chemically-induced rat mammary tumors

In the present study the effect of all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) on nuclear RNA polymerase activity in N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced mammary tumors was investigated. Three experimental protocols were used. (1) The tumor mince was incubated with 1 microM RA for 30 min at 30 degrees C; the RNA polymerase activity was measured in the purified nuclei and compared with control nuclei. (2) In order to evaluate the influence of retinoic binding protein on enzyme activity, mammary tumor nuclei were incubated with RA bound cytosolic retinoic acid binding protein complex (RA-CRABP) at 25 degrees C for 30 min. This step allows the complex to translocate into the nuclei. The enzyme activity in these nuclei was compared with the nuclei pre-incubated with buffer or cytosol. (3) Finally, the influence of the addition of RA-CRABP complex directly into the RNA polymerase reaction mixture was determined and compared with appropriate controls. Results indicated that the RNA polymerase activity in the nuclei of RA treated tissue as well as in the nuclei subsequent to the translocation step was significantly reduced. However, the addition of RA-CRABP into the reaction mixture did not alter the enzyme activity. These results suggest that alteration of RNA polymerase activity may be an essential step in the retinoid action in mammary tissues.

Coding of visual information by units in the cat cerebellar vermis

Extracellular records were made of the responses to precisely controlled stationary or moving visual stimuli of 174 units in the cerebellar vermis of cats anaesthetised with chloralose. Identified Purkinje cells and unidentified units responsed similarly. Responses to ON and to OFF steps of a stationary light bar had different characteristics. Some units showed changes in the form of their ON responses related to different positions of the stimulus in their large receptive fields. In some cases changes in response latency from different field positions were also noted. Some units responded only to binocular stimulation and others gave much larger responses to binocular than to monocular stimulation. In addition, some were sensitive to the relative retinal disparity of images and, of these, several were sensitive to vertical as well as to horizontal retinal disparity. Sinusoidally-moving light bars gave responses consisting of one or two bursts of impulses per cycle; the most effective frequency was about 3 Hz. These responses may represent detection of the instant of maximum velocity. The relatively precise coding of retinal disparity in spite of the large size of receptive fields and the coding of position within these large fields is discussed. A possible function for the disparity-sensitive units in the control of vergence is suggested and the relation of this control to visual depth detection and to the estimation of the absolute distance of objects from the animal is discussed.