[A case of one stage operation for primary lung cancer and abdominal aortic aneurysm]

A 75-year-old male patient of primary lung cancer associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm was operated successfully in one stage. Right S2, S3 lung cancer was resected first and then aortic aneurysm was replaced with a Dacron graft. Both disease should be operated upon as early as possible. Low dose heparin usage did not disturb the operation. This case is the third reported case of one stage operation in Japan.

Effect of radiofrequency catheter ablation of the slow pathway on the atrioventricular node

Although the effective refractory period (ERP) of the fast pathway is reported to be shortened after radiofrequency catheter ablation of the slow pathway in atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT), whether the atrioventricular (AV) nodal physiology maintains the same condition over the long term is controversial. To assess the AV nodal physiology after catheter ablation of the slow pathway in AVNRT, the A-H interval and ERP of the fast pathway were measured before, immediately after and 3 months after catheter ablation in 12 patients. We compared these factors in 12 patients with left concealed accessory bypass tract to clarify the mechanism of the electrophysiological change in the AV node. Both the A-H interval and ERP of the fast pathway were significantly shortened from 111 +/- 18 to 96 +/- 17 ms and 365 +/- 68 to 261 +/- 52 ms immediately after catheter ablation (p < 0.01), and recovered to 128 +/- 44 and 372 +/- 80 ms 3 months after catheter ablation. There were no significant differences in the A-H interval of the fast pathway between the period immediately after and 3 months after catheter ablation following administration of atropine sulfate (99 +/- 52). There were no significant differences in the ERP of the fast pathway between the period immediately after and 3 months after catheter ablation following administration of atropine sulfate (248 +/- 33 ms). On the contrary, there were no significant changes in the A-H interval and ERP of the AV node at these two times in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. The change in characteristics of AV nodal physiology was observed only immediately after catheter ablation in AVNRT, but not in WPW syndrome. The change in electrophysiology immediately after catheter ablation was similar to that following administration of atropine sulfate in AVNRT 3 months after catheter ablation. These findings suggest that catheter ablation does not cause a permanent change in AV nodal physiology and that the location of the ablated site plays an important role in AV nodal physiology.

Estimate criteria for efficacy of treatment in benign prostatic hyperplasia

BACKGROUND

Various treatment modalities for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) have emerged and are now in use or await evaluation of clinical usefulness. It is difficult, however, to compare their efficacies on a single scale, because standardized criteria for therapeutic efficacy of BPH treatments have not been established.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 692 BPH patients from 8 institutions in Japan received various treatments, and were judged by specialized physicians for overall efficacy, and for efficacy in 4 domains: symptom, function, anatomy, and quality of life (QOL). Efficacy of treatment was graded as excellent, good, fair or poor, and assessed using items based on conventional clinical measurements. These items included 1) the difference (post-pretreatment value), 2) relative ratio (post/pre) and, 3) the individual values of pre- or posttreatment measurements. The cut off levels for each grade were heuristically selected by Spearman's rank correlation and multiple regression analysis so that the results accurately predicted physicians' judgement, while the feasibility was maintained.

RESULTS

The results for each efficacy grade (range of excellent, range of good, range of fair, range of poor) were summarized as follows: Symptom: (post/pre treatment ratio of I-PSS) < or = 0.25, < or = 0.5, < or = 0.75, > 0.75. Function: (post-pre of Qmax) > or = 10 mL/s, > or = 5 mL/s, > or = 0.25 mL/s, < 0.25 mL/s. Anatomy: (post/pre ratio of prostate volume) < or = 0.5, < or = 0.75, < or = 0.9, > 0.9. QOL: (pre-post of QOL index) > or = 4, 3, 2 and 1, < or = 0. The overall efficacy grade was defined as the median of efficacy grades of 3 domains: symptom, function and QOL. The agreement rates between the criteria and physicians' judgement on the dichotomous efficacy (either excellent plus good, or fair plus poor) were approximately 80% in individual domains and overall estimate, and consistent among various treatments.

CONCLUSION

The proposed criteria are fairly accurate, simple, and practical, and thus may be useful as a standard method for assessing the clinical efficacy of BPH treatments.

Measurement of beta 2-microglobulin in bovine serum and urine by radioimmunoassay

A radioimmunoassay (RIA) system for quantification of bovine beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-M) in serum and urine was developed. The protein isolated from bovine colostrum showed a single band in SDS-PAGE, and its molecular weight was approximately 11,600. Amino acid sequences for the first 24 residues and the amino acid composition of the protein were in agreement with those in the bovine beta 2-M of previous research works. In an Ouchterlony test, a single precipitation line was formed between the protein and the antiserum made by the protein. From these results, it was confirmed that the protein isolated from the colostrum was pure bovine beta 2-M. For creation of an RIA calibration curve for urine, a urine void of beta 2-M, as much as possible (beta 2-M-free urine), and a PBS were used as diluents. Intraassay (n = 10) and interassay (n = 3) variances were 1.7-4.6% and 7.1-11.5% in the PBS dilute method, and were 1.4-5.1% and 12.3-13.5% in the beta 2-M-free urine dilute method, respectively. Mean recoveries were 160 +/- 19% (mean +/- SD) and 98.4 +/- 7.9% in PBS and beta-M-free urine, respectively. It was found that the method using the beta 2-M-free urine as a diluent was more accurate than using PBS. The beta 2-M concentrations in serum and urine of healthy Holstein cows measured by this RIA system showed a logarithmic normal distribution for urine and a normal distribution for serum. The mean beta 2-M concentrations were 0.0305(+0.04443)(-0.0210) mg/l (Geometric mean +/- S.D., n = 43) in urine and 2.87 +/- 0.45 mg/l (Arithmetic mean +/- S.D., n = 26) in sera. Further, we could not observe the particular tendency of daily variation in urinary beta 2-M concentrations of healthy cows (Holstein, n = 3 x 2 days).

Loss of heterozygosity and tumor suppressor gene mutations in chondrosarcomas

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of chromosomes 13q and 17p and mutations of the retinoblastoma (Rb) and p53 gene were studied in 28 tumors from 22 patients with chondrosarcomas. Allele loss at polymorphic loci on 13q was found in 36% of tumors and the frequency was much higher in grade II (56%) or high grade (40%) tumors than in grade I tumors (18%). LOH of 17p, which was detected in 25% of all tumors, was of low frequency in low grade tumors (8% in grade I and 20% in grade II), whereas 80% of tumors with high grade tumors were positive for LOH. These observations may imply that LOH on 13q and 17p contributes to the tumor development at different stages. In low grade cases (grade I and II), tumor recurrence was observed more frequently in primary tumors with LOH on 13q (86%) than those without (8%), suggesting the significance of LOH analysis in the assessment of biological behavior of tumors. Structural alteration of the Rb gene was found in one dedifferentiated tumor, and point mutations of the p53 gene were found in all of five high grade tumors, indicating that high grade chondrosarcomas were genetically equivalent to other high grade sarcomas such as osteosarcomas.

End results of simultaneous splenectomy in patients undergoing total gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Splenectomy often is performed simultaneously with total gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma to facilitate dissection of splenic hilar lymph nodes. Splenectomy, however, should be avoided as frequently as possible because of its important role in the reticuloendothelial system and because of its sometimes severe complications. We evaluated the end results of simultaneous splenectomy with total gastrectomy.

METHODS

The effect of splenectomy on survival was examined by retrospective analysis of 245 patients undergoing total gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma. Of these, 154 underwent splenectomy, and 91 did not. Prognostic factors for patients undergoing total gastrectomy were determined. The relationship to postoperative complications also was analyzed.

RESULTS

No significant differences overall were found between the 5-year survival of the patients undergoing total gastrectomy with or without splenectomy. No correlation to any prognostic factor was seen with splenectomy. In contrast, splenectomy was independently associated with postoperative complications.

CONCLUSIONS

In this retrospective study simultaneous splenectomy at total gastrectomy for gastric cancer did not have an effect on the survival rate of patients undergoing total gastrectomy, and it sometimes caused severe complications.

Prolonged luminal narrowing of internal mammary artery graft after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty

The authors describe a case with an internal mammary artery (IMA) graft that demonstrated prolonged, but reversible, luminal narrowing persisting > twenty-four hours following percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Luminal narrowing disappeared spontaneously, however, at the time of follow-up angiography one week after the angioplasty. Since haziness at the dilation site had been shown on preprocedural angiogram, suggestive of intraluminal thrombus, this phenomenon may be attributed to either prolonged vasospasm or distal embolization of the IMA graft.

Role of bilirubin as an antioxidant in an ischemia-reperfusion of rat liver and induction of heme oxygenase

The anti-oxidative effect of bilirubin was investigated in an ischemia-reperfusion model of rat liver. The rat portal vessel and liver artery were ligated with a vascular clip, and after reperfusion the urine was collected at intervals. The amount of biopyrrins, the oxidative metabolites of bilirubin, in rat urine reached a maximum 4 hours after reperfusion. Biotripyrrin-a and -b which are biopyrrins isolated from human urine were included in urinary bilirubin oxidative metabolites of rats after reperfusion. The hepatic mRNA level of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), the rate limiting enzyme of bilirubin biosynthesis, reached a maximum after 4 hours. Furthermore, the hepatic activity of HO began to rise 4 hours after treatment and remained high until 24 hours posttreatment. These findings suggest that bilirubin acts as a physiological antioxidant in vivo in ischemia-reperfusion and that bilirubin biosynthesis is evoked by oxidative stress.

Reconstruction of the laryngeal mucosa. A three-dimensional collagen gel matrix culture

OBJECTIVE

To prepare an in vitro reconstruction of the porcine laryngeal mucosa, for use in cell biological investigations and as a model for the study of laryngeal disease.

DESIGN

Using separately obtained epithelial cells and fibroblasts from porcine laryngeal mucosa, we reconstructed the laryngeal mucosa in a three-dimensional collagen gel matrix culture with air-liquid interface.

SUBJECTS

Porcine larynges were from 6-month-old pigs obtained from a local abattoir.

RESULTS

We successfully reconstructed the laryngeal mucosa in vitro, including epithelium and lamina propria. The epithelial cells showed five to eight cells in thickness and were well differentiated on the reconstructed lamina propria. The differentiation-specific cytokeratin was positive.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this is the first report of a reconstruction of the laryngeal mucosa in a three-dimensional collagen gel matrix culture. Fibroblasts and air-liquid interface treatment exert a great influence on the proliferation and differentiation of the cultured epithelial cells. This culture system will help to provide an appropriate physiologic environment to study the differentiation and disease of the larynx.

3'-Deoxyribonucleotides inhibit eukaryotic DNA primase

In order to elucidate the biological activities of cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) and related 3'-deoxyribonucleosides on eukaryotic DNA replication, the inhibitory effects of triphosphate derivatives of 3'-deoxyadenosine(3'-dATP), 8-azido-3'-deoxyadenosine(8-N3-3'-dATP), 3'-deoxyguanosine(3'-dGTP), 3'deoxyuridine(3'dUTP), 5-fluoro-3'deoxyuridine(5-F-3'-dUTP), 3'-deoxycytidine(3'-dcTP), and 5-fluoro-3'-deoxycytidine(5-F-3'dCTP) on DNA primase and replicative DNA polymerases alpha, delta, and epsilon purified from cherry salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) testes or calf thymus were examined. All analogs, except 8-N3-3'-dATP, showed strong inhibitory effects on DNA primase, but none of them inhibited DNA polymerases alpha, delta, or epsilon. Kinetic analysis revealed that the inhibition modes of them were competitive with respect to the incorporation of natural substrate that had the corresponding base moiety and non-competitive with respect to other substrates. Based on the kinetic data, we compared the affinities of 3'-dNTPs between DNA primase and RNA polymerases I and II, since 3'-dNTPs also inhibit eukaryotic RNA polymerases. Although the Ki values for DNA primase were much larger than those for RNA polymerases, the Ki/K(m) values, which indicate the affinity of the analog to the enzyme, were very similar.

Chronic effect of aluminium ingestion on bone in calcium-deficient rats

In order to elucidate the relationship of osteogenesis with aluminum and iron deposition, we investigated the histopathological findings of bone in calcium and/or aluminium-deficient rats, together with levels of calcium, aluminium and iron in sera and bone tissues, and also the level of serum parathyroid hormone. Four week old male STD-Wistar rats were divided into four groups to examine the effects of four kinds of diets for ten weeks. The rats on normal diet (Group I) and normal diet+aluminum (Group II) did not show any pathological changes of the bones, but in both calcium-deficient diet group (Group III) and calcium deficient diet added aluminium (Group IV), the compact bone converted into spongy bone in varying degrees, particularly in Group IV. Aluminium deposition was demonstrated at the calcification fronts and the cement lines only in Group IV as red or violet-red lines with aluminium stain, together with iron deposition as revealed with Berlin blue stain, showing similar distribution pattern as aluminum. It was clearly indicated that aluminium and iron, instead of calcium, deposited on the calcification front of the bone under the condition of calcium deficiency, inhibiting the normal osteogenesis.

Experimental osteochondritis dissecans--the role of cartilage canals in chondral fractures of young rabbits

Skeletal immature rabbits were used to study the pathogenesis of Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD). Both histological studies and a radiographical examination were utilized after sagittal and coronal surgical chondral fractures were made in the femoral condyles cartilage. Serial microangiographies were performed in rabbits between 0 and 84 days after the chondral fractures were made. Analyses of the histology and microradiography findings suggest in either a coronal or sagittal direction, that avascular lesions like an experimental OCD occur as a sequence of chondral injury. A fracture in a wide pedicle of a stable cartilaginous flap with abundant cartilage canals heals in the usual way. However, a fracture in an unstable fragment with a small isthmus devoid of cartilage canals and of nutritious vessels, probably doesn't heal completely and a fragment closely resembling OCD is instead formed. An experimental OCD depends on the slender hinge of the flap and on the lack of stability in a rabbit's non-ossified epiphyseal cartilage. The damage to the cartilage canals and the rupture of vessels in the canals by a chondral fracture and the disturbance in the revascularization in the healing process by abnormal mechanical forces are thus most likely considered to be the main factor for OCD production.

Molecular cloning and expression of human liver biliverdin-IX beta reductase

The cDNA encoding for human liver isozyme I of biliverdin-IX beta reductase was cloned from human liver cDNA libraries. The constructed cDNA of 853 bp in length contained an entire reading frame coding 206 amino acid residues. It was found that isozyme 1 of biliverdin-IX beta reductase is identical to human erythrocyte NADPH-flavin reductase recently reported in a communication by Chikuba et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 198, 1170-1176 (1994). We, further, characterized this mRNA by Northern blot analyses of poly(A) RNA from four different human fetal tissues and eight different human adult tissues showed hybridization mainly to liver RNA in fetal tissues and to skeletal muscle and liver RNA in adult tissues. Southern blot analysis indicated that isozyme I of biliverdin-IX beta reductase appeared to be a single copy gene. Insertion of the enzyme-coding sequence into an expression vector pET-3c yielded relatively high amounts of the active enzyme in E. coli. The amino terminal sequence of the recombinant protein was identical to that of native enzyme, indicating that E. coli also removed the N-terminal methionine to produce the mature form. The recombinant and native biliverdin-IX beta reductases were indistinguishable as far as their mobility on SDS-PAGE gel, immunoreactivity and specific activity were concerned.

[Application of tumor marker for immunotargeting therapy of cancer]

For many years, attempts have been made to utilize the monoclonal antibody against tumor markers for diagnostic purposes. On the other hand, studies with various form of immunoconjugate have demonstrated some therapeutic promise. In this paper, the ideal tumor marker for immunotargeting therapy will be discussed. Results of clinical trials of radioimmunoconjugates, immunotoxin and chemoimmunoconjugates will be reviewed and prospects of these new approaches for the treatment of cancer patients will be presented.

Taurocholate induces directional excretion of bilirubin into bile in perfused rat liver

The role of taurocholate, one of the major conjugated bile acids present in portal blood, in excretion of bilirubin from liver parenchyma to biliary and vascular compartments was studied in isolated perfused rat liver. Contents of bilirubin and carbon monoxide (CO) in the bile or venous effluents were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent microassay with the use of antibilirubin monoclonal antibody 24G7 and myoglobin-assisted spectrophotometry, respectively. In the presence of taurocholate, bilirubin excreted into the biliary compartment constituted greater than 90% of the total bilirubin excreted from the liver (0.26 nmol.min-1.g liver-1), corresponding to 60% of the outflow of CO into the venous effluents. In its absence, however, the total amount of bilirubin excreted into extrahepatic compartments was reduced to 27% of CO flux, and more than 90% of the excreted bilirubin was in the venous effluent. Thus a choleretic bile acid such as taurocholate is necessary for directional transport of bilirubin into bile in the perfused liver preparation.

Early gastric cancer in young adults

The clinicopathological features of 31 young patients with early gastric cancer, defined as under 40 years of age, were reviewed retrospectively from hospital records between 1969 and 1993. The results were compared with those for 549 patients 40 years of age or older. Early gastric cancer was found in 36.0% of the younger patients with gastric cancers and in 36.3% of the older patients with those. The gender ratio of m/f was 1.21 for the younger patients and 2.37 for the older patients. The macroscopic characteristics of early gastric cancer for the younger patients were superficial depressed lesions and a larger tumor size. The distinguished histologic features of early gastric cancer for the younger patients were a diffuse type of cancer and infiltrative tumor growth with a scirrhous stroma. More extensive lymph node dissection was performed on the younger patients than on the older patients. The younger patients had a prognosis similar to that of the older patients. We conclude that early gastric cancer in young patients possesses histological aggressiveness, but those patients rather show a similar survival to older patients.

[Characteristics and management of patients with lung cancer and idiopathic interstitial pneumonia]

Among 102 patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP), 22 with lung cancer who were treated from 1981 to 1994 were studied retrospectively. As controls, 248 patients with lung cancer only who were treated from 1991 to 1992 were also studied. Lung cancer developed in 6 of 85 patients after IIP was diagnosed (7.1%). The time from the onset of IIP to the onset of lung cancer was 7.7 years. In 17 patients both IIP and lung cancer were present on admission. In general, patients with IIP and lung cancer were heavy smokers. In patients with IIP and lung cancer, %VC was higher than in those with IIP alone, and 20 cancers (90.0%) were in peripheral lung fields. Seventeen patients received anticancer chemotherapy, irradiation, or both. Five patients (29.4%) died of respiratory failure due to progression of pneumonitis after the therapy. The prognosis for patients with IIP and lung cancer was very poor.

The competitive NMDA antagonist, CGS-19755, improves postischemic hypoperfusion in selectively vulnerable regions in gerbils

We attempted to clarify the effects of an NMDA antagonist on postischemic hypoperfusion in gerbils with 10 min forebrain ischemia and to relate it to postischemic metabolic recovery. We administered 10 mg/kg of CGS-19755, a competitive NMDA antagonist, or the same volume of saline intraperitoneally 30 min before the vascular occlusion. In 26 gerbils, we measured local cerebral blood flow (LCBF) 60 min after the reperfusion using [14C]iodoantipyrine autoradiography. In 20 gerbils, the effects on metabolic recovery were determined by serial measurements of intracellular pH, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and the ratio between phosphocreatine and inorganic phosphate (PCr/Pi) until 60 min after reperfusion using 31P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In another group of 24 gerbils, we determined histopathological damage 24 h after the ischemia. The LCBF autoradiograms in the control group consistently demonstrated a typical postischemic hypoperfusion, i.e. homogeneous 50-75% reduction of blood flow in all forebrain structures. In contrast, CGS-19755 pretreatment animals showed highly heterogeneous LCBF declines, and significantly higher LCBF values were observed in the frontoparietal cortex and thalamus both of which were the most vulnerable area in this model. No significant LCBF change was observed in sham operated animals with or without CGS-19755 pretreatment. The postischemic recovery of PCr/Pi in gerbils pretreated with CGS-19755 was significantly better than that in the control animals. No significant differences in the recovery of ATP and intracellular pH were observed. The histological damage in the CGS-19755-treated group was less extensive than those in the saline-treated group. CGS-19755 pretreatment improved postischemic hypoperfusion and PCr/Pi recovery in the 10-min forebrain ischemia model in gerbils. The improvement of postischemic hypoperfusion in selectively vulnerable regions suggests that the activation of NMDA receptors may be related to the mechanism of developing postischemic hypoperfusion.

Cortical glucose metabolism in psychiatric wandering patients with vascular dementia

The cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRglc) in 18 patients with vascular dementia (VD) and 15 age-matched normal subjects was measured with positron emission tomography (PET) and the 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose technique. Nine of the 18 VD patients manifested abnormal wandering behavior with some psychiatric symptoms: they showed relatively spared CMRglc, which was higher than that of nonwandering patients, especially in the bilateral frontal lobes, left parietal lobe, left temporo-parieto-occipital region, left occipital lobe, and cerebellum. The results suggest that psychiatric wandering behavior of patients with VD could be correlated with partial sparing of CMRglc in the regions listed above.

Early gastric lymphoma: a clinicopathologic study of ten patients, literature review, and comparison with early gastric adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Improved diagnostic techniques have increased early detection of gastric lymphoma as well as the early detection of adenocarcinoma. However, clinicopathologic features of early gastric lymphoma are presently undefined.

METHODS

Clinicopathologic features of 10 patients with early gastric lymphoma were compared with the same features of 180 patients with early gastric adenocarcinoma. In addition, 46 articles were reviewed to evaluate clinicopathologic differences.

RESULTS

Early gastric lymphoma was found in 29.2% of the patients who underwent surgery for gastric lymphoma. Early gastric lymphoma was associated with lymph node involvement in 29.9% of the patients, superficial spreading tumors in 48.6%, and multifocal lesions in 40%. These rates are greater than those in patients with adenocarcinomas (P < 0.05%). The survival rate was identical in both groups. Early gastric lymphoma may develop into large, multifocal tumors, accompanied by lymph node involvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical treatment with a wide resection of the stomach and extensive lymph node dissection is necessary for early gastric lymphomas.

Analysis of numerical aberrations of specific chromosomes by fluorescent in situ hybridization as a diagnostic tool in breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Biopsy by fine-needle, aspiration has become a routine technique for the diagnosis of a dominant breast mass. In this study, fluorescent in situ, hybridization (FISH) analysis of interphase nuclei allowed the authors to detect genetic aberrations that are difficult to identify by conventional cytology.

METHODS

To investigate ways of minimizing misdiagnosis of the cytology of breast tumors, and detecting genetic aberrations preoperatively, the authors performed FISH with specimens obtained by fine-needle aspiration biopsies of 106 primary breast tumors (78 primary breast cancers, 2 phyllodes tumors, and 26 benign breast tumors). Numerical chromosome aberrations were investigated using 3-color FISH performed with (peri)centromere-specific probes for chromosomes 1, 11, and 17.

RESULTS

Sufficient materials for FISH analysis were obtained with aspiration biopsy from 98 of the 106 breast tumors (93.4%). None of the benign tumors nor phyllodes tumors showed evidence of aneusomy for any of the 3 chromosomes. However, 71 of the 74 breast cancers (95.9%) for which sufficient material was available demonstrated aneusomy of at least 1 of the 3 chromosomes tested. The FISH analysis also suggested a possible correlation between aneusomy of chromosome 17 and metastasis to regional lymph nodes (chi-square test = 7.78; P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

FISH analysis of fine-needle aspiration biopsies can be a practical and useful method for the preoperative diagnosis of breast carcinoma.

Multifocal Ewing's sarcoma and hypercalcemia. A case report

An unusual case of Ewing's sarcoma in which the earliest sign of disease was the development of hypercalcemia is described. Radiologic examinations showed extensive osteolysis involving all of the trunk, and the proximal femora and humeri. An ill defined destruction of the left fibula was also noted. No definite primary site was found. The lungs and other visceral organs were free of metastasis. To the best of the author's knowledge, no comparable case has been reported in the literature.

Significance of nucleosides and a nucleotide mixture infusion on hepatic energy metabolism of 70% hepatectomized rabbits in postoperative phase

BACKGROUND

The influence of administration of a nucleoside-nucleotide mixture on hepatic energy metabolism was investigated in 70% hepatectomized rabbits from 48 to 72 hours after hepatectomy.

METHODS

From 48 to 72 hours after hepatectomy, animals underwent continuous i.v. infusion of 2 mL/kg body weight/h of 9 g/L NaCl (group S), 5.99 mmol/L nucleoside-nucleotide mixture (group N1) or 11.98 mmol/L nucleoside-nucleotide mixture (group N2).

RESULTS

At 72 hours, there was no significant difference in the hepatic adenylate energy charge among groups (S, 0.84 +/- 0.01; N1, 0.82 +/- 0.02; N2, 0.85 +/- 0.01). The hepatic mitochondrial phosphorylation rate was 66.9 +/- 2.5, 76.3 +/- 11.1, and 108.4 +/- 14.1 nmol ATP/mg mitochondrial protein/min in groups S, N1, and N2, respectively. The value of group N2 was significantly higher than the value of group S (p < .01). In addition, DNA concentration of the remnant liver was 2.27 +/- 0.07, 2.56 +/- 0.17, and 3.19 +/- 0.42 mg/g wet liver in groups S, N1, and N2, respectively, showing a significant increase in group N2 compared with group S (p < .05).

CONCLUSION

A continuous i.v. infusion of a nucleoside-nucleotide mixture to 70% hepatectomized rabbits from 48 to 72 hours after hepatectomy prolonged an enhancement of the hepatic mitochondrial phosphorylation rate and elevated DNA content of the remnant liver.

In vivo ESR studies on pharmacokinetics and metabolism of parenteral lipid emulsion in living mice

PURPOSE

We applied non-invasive and real-time method with in vivo ESR spectroscopy to determining pharmacokinetics and metabolism of lipid emulsion as a drug carrier in living mice.

METHODS

A spin-labeled triglyceride (SL-TG) was newly synthesized and lipid emulsion containing SL-TG was prepared. In vivo ESR spectra in mice were observed after intravenous administration of the lipid emulsion.

RESULTS

In vivo ESR spectra consisted of three components, coinciding with the in vitro spectra of SL-TG particles, free and immobilized fatty acids. The amount of the components depended on both the observing domain and the period after administration. In the chest, all three components were observed, while SL-TG particle was lacking in the abdomen. The half-life of the lipid particles in the chest was 2 hr.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-invasive and real-time analysis of drug carriers in living animal is successfully accomplished using an in vivo ESR method.