Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid-induced vasodilation in mouse aorta and mesenteric arteries is not mediated by ATP-sensitive potassium channels

There is strong evidence that the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have cardioprotective effects. n-3 PUFAs cause vasodilation in hypertensive patients, in part controlled by increased membrane conductance to potassium. As KATP channels play a major role in vascular tone regulation and are involved in hypertension, we aimed to verify whether n-3 PUFA-mediated vasodilation involved the opening of KATP channels. We used a murine model in which the KATP channel pore subunit, Kir6.1, is deleted in vascular smooth muscle. The vasomotor response of preconstricted arteries to physiologically relevant concentrations of DHA and EPA was measured using wire myography, using the channel blocker PNU-37883A. The effect of n-3 PUFAs on potassium currents in wild-type native smooth muscle cells was investigated using whole-cell patch clamping. DHA and EPA induced vasodilation in mouse aorta and mesenteric arteries; relaxations in the aorta were sensitive to KATP blockade with PNU-37883A. Endothelium removal didn't affect relaxation to EPA and caused a small but significant inhibition of relaxation to DHA. In the knock-out model, relaxations to DHA and EPA were unaffected by channel knockdown but were still inhibited by PNU-37883A, indicating that the action of PNU-37883A on relaxation may not reflect inhibition of KATP. In native aortic smooth muscle cells DHA failed to activate KATP currents. We conclude that DHA and EPA cause vasodilation in mouse aorta and mesenteric arteries. Relaxations in blocker-treated arteries from knock-out mice demonstrate that KATP channels are not involved in the n-3 PUFA-induced relaxation.

Effects of dietary restriction on appendicular bone in the SENCAR mouse

Peptide hormones, cytokines, and growth factors regulate cellular metabolism by stimulating second messenger signal transduction cascades in target tissues. A mutation in the regulatory domain of protein kinase C (PKC) in SENCAR (sensitive to carcinogenesis) mice renders them extremely sensitive to diacylglycerol and phorbol esters, resulting in rapid growth, high free radical generation, carcinogenesis, and metabolic bone disease. Dietary restriction (DR) normalizes PKC and ameliorates adverse downstream effects, including carcinogenesis, in SENCAR mice. We hypothesized that DR sufficient to ameliorate carcinogenesis would prevent or delay the early onset of metabolic bone disease in SENCAR mice. Male mice were assigned to 1 of 4 feeding groups from 10 to 16 weeks of age (the critical period when metabolic bone disease develops): ad libitum (AL)-fed; AL antioxidant (0.07% thioproline)-fed; 40% DR; or 40% DR antioxidant-fed. Femoral bone mass was determined gravimetrically. Tibial total, cortical, and trabecular bone mineral density (BMD) were determined by quantitative computed tomography. Body weight, femoral bone mass, and tibial cortical BMD were lower in DR than in AL mice. However, tibial total and trabecular BMD were higher in DR than in AL mice. Serum calcitonin, the hormone that inhibits the osteoclastic bone resorption that is most notable in trabecular bone, was 2-fold higher in DR than in AL-fed mice. Dietary thioproline had no major effects. Thus, DR sufficient to ameliorate carcinogenesis in SENCAR mice did not prevent early-onset metabolic bone disease, but it had a beneficial effect on tibial trabecular BMD that occurred at the apparent expense of cortical BMD. DR in SENCAR mice was also associated with elevated serum calcitonin, which may inhibit osteoclastic resorption and account for trabecular bone conservation in this model. In conclusion, PKC or the downstream metabolic processes regulated by it appear to play previously unrecognized roles in the regulation of tibial trabecular BMD and serum calcitonin in SENCAR mice.

Neutral lipids facilitate transfer of bone morphogenetic proteins and other noncollagenous proteins

In the process of separation of bone morphogenetic proteins from bone matrix, lipids were found in unexpected amounts closely associated with noncollagenous proteins soluble in guanidine hydrochloride. Lipids representing 33.7-49.9% by weight were recovered with various solvents. Composites of noncollagenous proteins and lipids soluble in either chloroform- methanol or acetone implanted in the hindquarter muscles of mice induced the formation of large deposits of heterotopic bone. The protein-lipid aggregates formed microspherules which were stained by Sudan Black B. Implants of bone morphogenetic proteins and noncollagenous proteins-lipid microspherules stained with Sudan Black B induced bone development in the same manner as unstained delipidized bone morphogenetic proteins associated with noncollagenous proteins. Lipid-free osteocalcein, osteonectin, albumin and other bone matrix proteins did not induce bone formation or bind Sudan Black B. The more highly purified the noncollagenous proteins, with or without activity of bone morphogenetic proteins, the lower the level of binding with Sudan Black B. Acetone-soluble bone matrix lipids consisted chiefly of triglycerides, cholesterol and saturated short chain fatty acids, and included little or no phospholipids or monounsaturated fatty acids. Composites of recombinant bone morphogenetic proteins-2 and acetone-soluble lipids induced larger deposits of bone than implants of recombinant bone morphogenetic proteins-2 without acetone-soluble lipids. The hypothesis that an association of bone lipids with protein facilitates the local transport of bone morphogenetic proteins warrants further investigation.

Lipids closely associated with bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)--and induced heterotopic bone formation. With preliminary observations of deficiencies in lipid and osteoinduction in lathyrism in rats

An extensive literature on bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) induced generation and regeneration shows general agreement about one observation. The incidence and quantity of bone were greatest when BMP was delivered with a carrier of various biologic and non biologic polymers. In the present research, neutral lipids either endogenous in demineralized bone matrix (DBM) or exogenous in orign were employed as a delivery system for induced heterotopic bone formation in the rectus muscle in rats. Total neutral lipids including cholesterol were measured by correlated gravimetric and Sudan Black B dye binding methods. The heterotopic bone was measured by computer assisted radiomorphometric and histologic methods. Bone formation was measured by total calcium, DNA-P, and alkaline phosphatase activity. Composites of BMP and neutral lipids, separable from phospholipids by extraction with absolute acetone, were consistently osteoinductive. A significant quantity of the total bone lipid was closely associated with and extractable from the bone matrix non-collagenous protein fraction which had high levels of BMP activity. Lathyritic matrix was very low both in dye binding and osteoinductive activity. These observations suggest the possibility that lipids may serve as a BMP carrier in the process of induced bone development.

Meningeal carcinomatosis from an ovarian primary: a clinicopathologic study

Meningeal carcinomatosis due to primary ovarian carcinoma is an uncommon metastasis that presents difficult problems in diagnosis and management of patients known to have this disease. There is evidence that extended survival due to advances in treatment of ovarian carcinoma has improved our ability to diagnose meningeal carcinomatosis of this tumor more often. Herein the first case of meningeal metastasis of primary ovarian cancer with cytologic and postmortem examination is discussed.

Intravesical instillation of Formalin for hemorrhagic cystitis secondary to radiation for gynecologic malignancies

Our experience with the use of Formalin instillation in interactable gross hematuria secondary to radiation cystitis in patients with gynecological malignancies is reported. This study indicates coagulative effect of low concentration of Formalin with minimal side effects as a method to control hemorrhage.