[Cellular immune dysfunction in the NOD mouse: suppression of concanavalin A-induced responses in spleen cells by activated macrophages]

It is generally accepted that T lymphocyte-mediated autoimmunity contributes to the pathogenesis of Type 1 diabetes in humans and animals. Using spleen cells from nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice, a model of human Type 1 diabetes, we have analyzed the subset of T lymphocytes by flow cytometry and investigated concanavalin A (Con A)-induced interleukin 2 (IL-2) production and cell proliferation. NOD mice showed a higher percentage of Thy1.2+, L3T4+, and Lyt2+ T lymphocytes than did control ICR mice through the whole age examined. Spleen cells from a large majority of NOD mice were found to generate very low IL-2 production and cell proliferation in response to Con A. However, a few mice preserved their responsiveness to Con A. The following reasons may indicate that macrophage-mediated suppression participates in the deficient function of NOD spleen cells. (a) Macrophage depletion from NOD spleen cells retrieved Con A-induced IL-2 production. (b) Thioglycollate-induced peritoneal exudate cells containing many activated macrophages could completely suppress cell proliferation. (c) Prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor indomethacin reversed the suppression of IL-2 production by macrophages. (d) Conversely, exogenous prostaglandins could show the partial suppression of IL-2 production. These results suggest that activated macrophages suppress the response of NOD spleen cells to Con A mostly through prostaglandins. This impairment may contribute to the pathogenesis of Type 1 diabetes in NOD mice.

Physiological antagonism between prostaglandin E2 and neuropeptide Y on thermoregulation in the dog

These experiments were undertaken to determine whether neuropeptide Y (NPY) could suppress a prostaglandin hyperthermia in conscious dogs. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) (5 micrograms), injected into the lateral cerebral ventricle (ILV), evoked a hyperthermia of approximately 1 degrees C. Addition of ILV NPY (5 micrograms) significantly attenuated the PGE2-induced hyperthermia, whereas pancreatic polypeptide (PP), another member of the PP family peptide, did not. These results provide evidence for a role of NPY on thermoregulation in the dog.

[Characterization of cholecystokinin receptors in gastric chief cells--effect of CCK analogs and CCK receptor antagonists on chief cells]

In isolated guinea pig gastric chief cells, gastrin-I and cholecystokinin-hexapeptide (CCK-4) stimulated pepsinogen release. However, the efficacies of these two peptide were 51% of that observed with CCK-octapeptide (CCK8). CR1409 and L-364718, both of which are new CCK receptor antagonists in pancreatic acinar cells, also inhibited 10(-8) M CCK8-stimulated pepsinogen release with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) observed at 3 x 10(-9) M, respectively. The dose response curve to CCK8 for pepsinogen release shifted to the right in the presence of CR1409 or L-364718. The IC50 of these two antagonists for the CCK8-stimulated increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration monitored by Fura-2 were equal to those for CCK8-stimulated pepsinogen release. By contrast, the IC50 of dibutyryl cyclic GMP, a well-known CCK receptor antagonist, for CCK8-stimulated pepsinogen release was less than that for CCK8-stimulated increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. Results suggested that CCK receptors in gastric chief cells are unique and may be different from CCK receptors in other tissues previously reported.

Loxiglumide. A new proglumide analog with potent cholecystokinin antagonistic activity in the rat pancreas

D,L-4-(3,4-dichlorobenzoylamino)-5-(N-3-methoxypropyl-pentylami no)-5- oxopentanoic acid (CR 1505; loxiglumide) is a newly developed analog of proglumide. We examined the inhibitory effects of loxiglumide on pancreatic exocrine function in the isolated pancreatic acini and the isolated perfused pancreata of rats. Loxiglumide inhibited cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8)-stimulated amylase release and, similarly, binding of [125I]CCK-8 to isolated rat pancreatic acini. Loxiglumide was about 3000 times more potent than the reference substance proglumide, but was about 1000 times less potent than L-364,718, another new CCK antagonist having benzodiazepine ring, in inhibiting CCK-8-stimulated amylase release. The inhibitory effect of loxiglumide displayed competitive kinetics and was specific for CCK in that the effects of other receptor secretagogues or agents bypassing receptors were not altered. The inhibitory effect of loxiglumide was fully reversible in isolated acini. However, the pancreata perfused with 10 microM loxiglumide for 20 min did not respond to CCK-8 for more than 20 min even after the removal of loxiglumide infusion. In contrast, an immediate increase in pancreatic exocrine secretion was observed after proglumide removal. Loxiglumide appeared to be bound to the receptors on acinar cells in a slowly dissociating state. These results indicate that loxiglumide acts as a potent, competitive, and specific CCK antagonist on the exocrine pancreas and, because of its prolonged inhibitory action, may be useful as a therapeutic agent in pancreatic disease.

Skin blood flow in diabetic patients during cold loading

We measured periflux blood flow (PBF) in people's fingers and its response to cold loading with a laser Doppler flowmeter. As an index in the cold loading test we used cold recovery time (CRT). Among normal people, CRT increased with age. Diabetics had significantly longer CRTs than did age-matched controls. CRT seems to be useful for evaluating the skin microcirculation in diabetics and the aged.

[Therapeutic guide for renovascular hypertension with reevaluation of surgical treatment]

Therapeutic guide for renovascular hypertension has been greatly changed by a development of beta-blockers and captopril, and an introduction of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) The accepted opinion was that surgical therapy was superior to drug therapy since Hunt & Strong reported the follow-up results in 1973. However, efficacy of drug therapy was reevaluated by an appearance of beta-blockers and captopril and the number of patients applied to operation was decreased. Further, since PTA was widely used in clinical practice from the end of 1970s, surgical therapy for renovascular hypertension was hardly or never considered. Has the necessity of surgical therapy really ceased to exist? Recently, we encountered 2 cases of bilateral renovascular hypertension and reevaluated the necessity of surgical therapy during the course of treatment. The first case was in a 43-year-old male, for whose bilateral renovascular stenosis a bilateral PTA was applied. One year later a complete occlusion of the right renal artery and re-stenosis of the left renal artery developed. Thus, removal of the right kidney and the auto-transplantation of the left kidney were conducted. The second case was in a 17-year-old female with bilateral renovascular stenosis complicated by moya-moya disease. PTA was conducted for the left kidney with shorter range of stenosis and auto-transplantation was conducted for the right kidney with longer range of stenosis. The prognosis was favorable in both cases and hypertension was cured or improved. We recognized and re-evaluated the necessity of surgical therapy for patients who were unsuccessful to PTA or patients with bilateral renovascular hypertension from our experience and literatures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Evaluation of allergen-specific IgE antibodies by a newly developed mast allergy system]

MAST, which stand for multiple antigen simultaneous test, uses enzyme-linked anti-human IgE and chemiluminogenic substate to determine IgE. This system is characterized by simultaneous analysis of multiple allergen items, up to 35, together with total IgE determination. We evaluated usefulness of this MAST system using 191 serum samples obtained from patients with bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis and/or atopic dermatitis. It was found that there were statistically significant correlations between IgE antibody quantification by MAST and RAST in 24 out of 35 allergen items, with correlation coefficients more than r = 0.60. These included Dermatophagoides farinae and pteronyssinus, Japanese cedar pollen, orchard grass, Alternaria, Candida as inhalant allergens; egg white, milk, soybeans, wheat and rice as food allergens. It was also evaluated how many allergen-specific IgE antibodies could be detected in one serum sample. More than six allergen-specific IgE antibodies were simultaneously detected in 33% of 191 cases, indicating the importance of multiple-allergen analysis. These results indicate the clinical usefulness of the MAST allergy system in detecting IgE antibodies in allergic subjects.

Effect of cooling rate on insulin release from frozen-thawed dispersed rat islet cells

Rat islet cells, dissociated with EDTA-Dispase, were immersed in 10% dimethyl sulfoxide at 20 degrees C for 15 min and frozen to -40 degrees C at a cooling rate of 0.5 or 1.0 degree C/min and subsequently further to -80 degrees C at 3 degrees C/min by a programmable freezer. After being maintained at -80 degrees C for 10 min, they were rapidly thawed in a water bath at 37 degrees C. They were cultured for 12 h and preincubated in 3.3 mM glucose-containing Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer (KHBB) for 1 h. Groups of 10(4) cells were then incubated in 3.3 or 16.7 mM glucose-containing KHBB for another hour. As a control, non-frozen-thawed cultured islet cells were incubated similarly. The non-frozen rat islet cells released 1.29 pg insulin/cell.60 min in the presence of 3.3 mM glucose and this release level was significantly elevated to 1.64 pg insulin/cell.60 min in the presence of 16.7 mM glucose. The cells frozen at 0.5 degree C/min releasing 1.55 pg insulin/cell.60 min in the presence of 3.3 mM glucose also responded to 16.7 mM glucose and released the significantly high level of 1.87 pg insulin/cell.60 min. However, the islet cells frozen at a cooling rate of 1 degree C/min secreted 1.74 and 1.92 pg insulin/cell.60 min in the presence of 3.3 mM and 16.7 mM glucose respectively. There was no significant difference between these levels. These results indicate that cryopreservation at a cooling rate of 0.5 degree C/min may be adequate for the preservation of dispersed pancreatic endocrine cells.

Purification of alpha-ketoaldehyde dehydrogenase from the human liver and its possible significance in the control of glycation

Alfa-ketoaldehyde dehydrogenase, which was extracted and purified from human livers, may act on carbonyl compounds, such as 3-deoxyglucosone, and be involved in the control of glycation (Maillard reaction) in the body.

Cellular differentiation in the embryonic rat pancreas, with special reference to the co-existence of substances immunoreactive to both insulin and glucagon antibodies in the same cells

We used light and electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry to examine the pancreas primordium in 11- to-20-day-old rat embryos. Cells that were immunoreactive to glucagon-like antibodies (G-like cells) first appeared under light microscopy on day 11, and those immunoreactive to insulin-like antibodies (I-like cells) appeared on day 13. All the I-like cells also reacted to G-like substance antibody. From the 13th to the 17th day of gestation, the G-like cells proliferated rapidly while the I-like cells increased in number very slowly. All the I-like cells continued to react with G-like substance antibody as well. The I-like cells began increasing rapidly on the 18th day and soon occupied about half of the islet-constituting cells. They no longer reacted with G-like substance antibody. Using double-label immunostaining with protein A-colloidal gold, the pancreatic endocrine cells became visible in 15-day-old embryos as large polygonal cells containing numerous secretion granules 180-200 nm in diameter. Some of these cells reacted to both I-like and G-like substance antibodies. These findings show the co-existence of G-like and I-like substances in rat embryo pancreatic endocrine cells between the 13th and 17th days of gestation, after which the I-like cells proliferate rapidly, and undergo definitive differentiation from the G-like cells.

Radio-gas chromatography on wide-bore capillary columns equipped with a synchronized accumulating radioisotope detector

A gas chromatographic system with wide-bore capillary columns and synchronized accumulating radioisotope detector (SARD) was developed. A direct injection method and constant-flow regulation were applied. The performance of wide-bore capillary columns was good and the correspondence of the resolution obtained with SARD and that with mass detection was excellent. It was proved that the apparatus could detect of the order of 1 pg of 3H-labelled substances (3.7 TBq/mmol) and compete in terms of sensitivity with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

[Effect of continuous epidural infusion of morphine for postoperative analgesia on pituitary-adrenocortical function]

Plasma levels of cortisol, ACTH and beta-endorphin like immunoreactivity (beta-ELI) were measured to evaluate postoperative pain relief with epidural morphine and systemic analgesics in conjunction with endocrine functions in 16 patients who underwent gastrectomy. Eight of these patients (epidural morphine group) obtained postoperative analgesia with continuous epidural infusion of morphine with a pump as in our previous report. A bolus of epidural morphine was administered through an indwelling thoracic (Th8,9) catheter at 3 hrs prior to the proposed end of the surgery, which was followed with continuous epidural infusion of morphine at a rate of 0.167-0.042 mg.hr-1 with a pump (CADD-PCA, Model 5200P, Pharmacia) during and after anesthesia and surgery with gradual decrease in dose until the third postoperative day. The remaining eight patients (systemic analgesics group) repeatedly received systemic pentazocine and buprenorphine when needed. Plasma cortisol levels increased significantly at the end of surgery and after in both groups. However plasma concentrations of cortisol in the epidural morphine group were significantly lower than those in the systemic analgesics group on the first and second postoperative days. Plasma levels of ACTH and beta-ELI increased significantly at the end of surgery but returned to levels of the previous day in both groups postoperatively. Our study suggests that continuous epidural infusion of morphine is adequate for postoperative pain relief and has suppressing effect on plasma cortisol levels as compared with systemic analgesics regimen.

Acceleration of fructose mediated collagen glycation

The effect of fructose on the formation of advanced Maillard reaction products which show fluorescence and have crosslinking was investigated. Type I collagen was added to various concentrations of glucose and fructose which were then incubated at 37 degrees C for 4 weeks. The level of furosine and the fluorescence intensity both increased in direct proportion to glucose and fructose levels and to the duration of incubation. Incubation with fructose produced less furosine but more intense fluorescence than incubation with glucose. Furthermore, collagen was significantly less soluble after incubation with fructose than after incubation with glucose. These results suggest that fructose in the polyol pathway plays an important role in the formation of advanced Maillard products.

Influence of serum protein levels on serum fructosamine levels

The serum fructosamine level is influenced by the serum protein level. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between serum fructosamine levels and serum total protein and albumin levels measured simultaneously in non-diabetic and diabetic patients. Significant positive correlations were found between them. A correction formula was constructed to express the serum fructosamine level when the serum total protein level was 7 g/dl or when the serum albumin level was 4 g/dl: corrected fructosamine (mmol/l) = measured fructosamine (mmol/l) + A (7 (g/dl) or 4 (g/dl)--serum total protein (g/dl) or serum albumin (g/dl] where A is 0.28 for serum total protein and 0.30 for serum albumin in non-diabetic subjects; 0.29 for serum total protein and 0.31 for serum albumin in non-diabetic and diabetic subjects combined.

The pupillary light reflex in borderline diabetics

Computerized IR videopupilography, using an open-loop photic stimulator, was used to compare the reflexes of borderline diabetics with overt non-insulin-dependent diabetics and with age- and sex-matched non-diabetic healthy controls. The patients were all male, aged 41-59 years. Overt non-insulin-dependent diabetics in their 40s had a smaller pupillary area and pupillary diameter prior to photic stimulus compared with borderline diabetics and healthy controls. Overt non-insulin-dependent diabetics in their 50s had a lower pupillary area and pupillary diameter prior to photic stimulus, maximum velocity and acceleration of constriction and maximum velocity of dilation than did borderline diabetics or controls. The only abnormality observed among borderline diabetics compared to controls was a smaller amplitude of constriction in response to light in patients in their 50s. Amplitude of constriction in response to light and velocity of constriction measurements of borderline diabetics, however, were considerably more frequently abnormal than were those of controls. The frequency of abnormal pupillary diameter prior to photic stimulus, maximum velocity of dilation and acceleration of constriction was higher in overt non-insulin-dependent diabetics than in borderline diabetics. The results indicate that borderline diabetics have autonomic neuropathy before the disease becomes overt. The importance of the pupillary light reflex examination is discussed.

Improved synchronized accumulating radioisotope detector for gas chromatography

A synchronized accumulating radioisotope detector for radio gas chromatography was developed. It comprised seven gas-flow proportional counters each with an inner volume of 10 ml. Every counter tube was connected by a mutual anti-coincidence circuit to reduce the background. The transit time of gas particles in one counter tube could be set to an optimal value between 1 and 4 s by regulating the flow-rate of the counting gas, according to analytical requirements. The improved detector maintained high chromatographic resolution, which suggested the applicability of the apparatus to capillary gas chromatography.

Target antigen of islet cell antibody in Japanese insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

The target antigens of islet cell antibody (ICA) have not been clarified. We tried to modify the antigen in human pancreatic tissues and characterize the ICA with immunohistochemical methods. Human pancreatic tissues were treated with periodate (A), borohydride (B), neuraminidase (C), methanol (D), chloroform-methanol (E), or protease (F) to modify the antigens, and stained by an immunofluorescent method using ICA-positive sera from five Japanese insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients. In all sera the fluorescence of islets disappeared or waned after A, C, D, and E, and did not change after F. The disappearance or loss of fluorescence induced by A was recovered after B. It is, therefore, suggested that one of the antigens of ICA in Japanese IDDM patients is the sialic acid residue of glycolipid.

Vacor inhibits insulin release from islets in vitro

It has been reported that Vacor, a rodenticide containing N-3-pyridylmethyl-N'-p-nitrophenyl urea, causes insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The pathomechanism of Vacor-induced diabetes mellitus has not been clarified yet. The effect of Vacor, therefore, was studied in terms of insulin release from isolated rat pancreatic islets. Vacor suppressed glucose-stimulated insulin release, but did not affect the insulin release induced by theophylline or 12-o-tetra-decanoylphorbol 13-acetate. It is suspected that the suppression of insulin release from pancreatic islets by Vacor may contribute to the pathogenesis of Vacor-induced diabetes mellitus and that this suppression might not be related to cAMP and C-kinase.

Effect of a new cholecystokinin receptor antagonist CR 1392 on caerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in rats

The effects of cholecystokinin receptor antagonist CR 1392 was studied in a model of mild acute pancreatitis induced in rats by four subcutaneous injections of the secretagogue caerulein. A single subcutaneous injection of 50 mg/kg body weight of CR 1392 caused a dramatic reduction in serum amylase concentration and pancreatic wet weight as well as histologic improvement of the caerulein-induced acute pancreatitis when given 30 min before the first caerulein injection. CR 1392 was also effective in reducing the elevated serum amylase activity, pancreatic weight, and histologic alterations even when administered after the pancreatitis had been induced. These present observations suggest that CR 1392 remains active for more than 3 h and blocks the action of caerulein on the pancreas.

Effects of dietary sucrose on age-related changes in VLDL-triglyceride kinetics in the rat

The effects of sucrose feeding on in vivo kinetics of triglyceride metabolism were compared in rats aged 2 and 12 months. Sucrose was supplied as a 10% solution in their drinking water for 2 weeks. Although plasma triglyceride concentrations doubled with age, total triglyceride secretion rates for the whole rat (mg/min/rat) increased by 40%, suggesting a decrease in the efficiency of triglyceride removal from plasma with aging. The rate of triglyceride secretion per unit body mass (mg/min/kg body weight), however, decreased by 40% as the rats grew to 12 months of age. These age-related differences were statistically significant only in rats receiving supplementary sucrose. Feeding sucrose to rats of both ages doubled the secretion rates of triglyceride not only for the whole rat but also per unit body mass. However, it tripled triglyceride concentrations, implying that the sugar decreases the removal efficiency of plasma triglyceride equally in rats at either age. Fasting hypertriglyceridemia induced by sucrose supplement was much greater in old rats than in young rats (162 +/- 30 vs. 80 +/- 8 mg/dl). The present studies demonstrate that dietary sucrose enhances age-related changes in triglyceride kinetics in the rat.

Combined effect of exogenous insulin and sucrose on alterations in plasma lipoproteins induced by cholesterol feeding in the rat

We have recently reported increased cholesterol concentrations in high-density and very-low-density lipoproteins (HDL and VLDL) in sucrose-fed rats with exogenous hyperinsulinemia. In order to see if exogenous hyperinsulinemia has any effect on the alterations in plasma lipoproteins induced by cholesterol feeding, we fed a cholesterol-rich diet supplemented with lard, cholic acid and propylthiouracil to hyperinsulinemic, sucrose-supplemented rats and examined plasma lipoprotein profiles. Three control groups were investigated: one receiving chow only, the other receiving a cholesterol-rich diet, the third receiving exogenous insulin, sucrose, and no cholesterol-rich diet but chow. Hyperinsulinemia was induced by a constant s.c. infusion of porcine insulin (6 U/day) from an osmotic minipump. Insulin infusion plus sucrose produced an increase in HDL cholesterol concentrations similar to that seen in the previously reported injection model in the face of no change in total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Rats receiving a cholesterol-rich diet but no insulin developed marked hypercholesterolemia characterized by an elevation of cholesterol not only in LDL but also in intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL) and VLDL. Infusing insulin into cholesterol-fed rats produced a further increase in IDL and VLDL cholesterol but was not accompanied by any further increase in LDL cholesterol. HDL cholesterol was decreased below normal.

Effect of hyperglycemia on hepatic extraction of insulin in totally pancreatectomized dogs

Using the glucose clamp technique, we investigated the effect of blood glucose levels on hepatic extraction of insulin in pancreatectomized dogs. A primed continuous infusion of regular insulin was administered at a rate 1.5 mU/kg body wt./min into the portal or peripheral vein and the blood glucose level was clamped at hyperglycemia (over 200 mg/dl) or euglycemia (below 100 mg/dl) by a variable infusion of glucose through the saphenous or portal vein. Plasma insulin concentrations were measured during portal or peripheral insulin infusion, as were the metabolic clearance rates of insulin during insulin infusion via each route. Hepatic extraction of insulin was calculated from the two metabolic clearance rates using the insulin kinetic model (Pilo' method). Hepatic extraction of insulin during the hyperglycemic clamp was 45.8 +/- 2.5%, significantly higher than that during the euglycemic clamp (35.7 +/- 2.8%: p less than 0.01). When glucose was infused into the portal instead of the peripheral vein during the euglycemic clamp, hepatic extraction of insulin increased (44.7 +/- 3.4 vs 37.6 +/- 2.9%: p less than 0.05). It was concluded that hyperglycemia increases the hepatic extraction of insulin. Moreover, portal hyperglycemia during the euglycemic clamp also increases the hepatic extraction of insulin. It is suggested that portal glucose concentration may affect the hepatic extraction of insulin.

Effects of pancreatic polypeptide on basal and meal stimulated secretion of gastrointestinal, pancreatic and adrenocortical hormones in the dog

We have assessed the effects of intravenous infusion of bovine pancreatic polypeptide (PP) (1 microgram kg-1 h-1) on the basal and postprandial secretion of gastrointestinal, pancreatic and adrenocortical hormones in normal dogs. Bovine PP within the physiological range increased plasma cortisol levels transiently but significantly. PP elicited an inhibition of insulin response to a protein-rich meal, and tended to reduce the gastrin response. There were, however, no significant changes in basal or postprandial plasma concentrations of motilin and pancreatic glucagon during PP infusion. These results suggest that PP may have a role in controlling insulin secretion from the pancreas. The possible mechanisms are discussed mainly on the basis of vagal innervation.