Prevention of experimental liver metastases by D-galactose

Summary The metastasis of malignant tumors from a primary site to near and distant secondary sites is probably the most important event in the pathogenesis of cancer and it accounts for most cancer deaths¹. Whereas advances in the treatment of primary cancer have led to increased patient survival, metastatic cancers are still the most difficult group of diseases to treat successfully². As organ-characteristic lectins play an important role in the organ manifestation of metastatic islets^3,4, it might be possible (e.g. during surgical operations on malignant tumors) to block those organ-characteristic lectins with the appropriate receptor-bearing glycoconjugates in order to inhibit the metastatic spread. Recent experiments have demonstrated that neuraminidase treatment of tumor cells (mouse sarcoma-1) alters in vivo (Balb/c-mice) the organotropic distribution of metastases; instead of being found exclusively in the lung, they are found both in lung and liver. However, pre-injection and regular application of D-galactose — the same holds for arabinogalactan^5,6,13 — prevents the settling of metastases in the liver but does not influence the metastatic process to the lung, whereas mannan — as a galactose-free control substance — does not alter the initial pattern of metastasis to lung and liver.     

Erythrocyte catalase in liver cirrhosis and in experimental liver injury

Résumé Nous avons trouvé que l'activité de la catalase des erythrocytes chez les cirrhotiques et chez les chiens intoxiqués par CCl₄ est considérablement diminuée, tandis que le numéro globulaire et le taux d'hémoglobine ne représentent que des changements très peu signicatifs.     

Antigenic differences between a primary hamster lymphosarcoma and its liver metastases

Summary An antiserum was raised in rabbits against a primary metastasizing lymphosarcoma (ML) of the hamster. This was made tumor-specific by absorption with normal hamster tissue extracts. Immunoglobulin-G was prepared and tested for its cytotoxicity towards cells derived from the primary tumor and its liver metastases. The ML-specific IgG was found to be 2–5 times more cytotoxic for cells derived from the primary tumor compared to cells obtained from liver metastases. Acknowledgments. The authors thank the North of England Cancer Research Campaign and the Manpower Services Commission for financial support.     

Antigenic differences between a primary hamster lymphosarcoma and its liver metastases

An antiserum was raised in rabbits against a primary metastasizing lymphosarcoma (ML) of the hamster. This was made tumor-specific by absorption with normal hamster tissue extracts. Immunoglobulin-G was prepared and tested for its cytotoxicity towards cells derived from the primary tumor and its liver metastases. The ML-specific IgG was found to be 2--5 times more cytotoxic for cells derived from the primary tumor compared to cells obtained from liver metastases.     

延衰合剂对D-半乳糖诱导的亚急性衰老小鼠免疫功能影响的实验研究

目的 研究延衰合剂( yanshuai mixture,YSM)对D-半乳糖所致亚急性衰老小鼠胸腺、脾脏组织结构及白介素2水平的影响.方法 选昆明系小鼠,用D-半乳糖建立衰老模型.应用光镜、电镜技术观察延衰合剂治疗前后衰老小鼠胸腺、脾脏的形态学改变;检测胸腺指数及脾脏指数;酶联免疫分析法检测血清白介素2的变化.结果 衰...     

The synthesis of total and specific glycosaminoglycans during development of experimental liver cirrhosis

Summary During hepatic fibrogenesis induced by long-term administration of thioacetamide, the synthsis of chondroitin 4,6-sulfate and hyaluronic acid was strongly enhanced; the formation of heparan sulfate comprising at least 70% of total liver GAG synthesis and of a keratan-sulfate-like fraction was stimulated 1.7fold. Formation of dermatan-sulfate in liver could not be detected.We are grateful to Prof. W. Kühnel, Department of Anatomy, and to Prof. R. Lindenfelser, Department of Pathology, RWTH Aachen, for critical examination of the histology.     

D-半乳糖致衰老小鼠学习记忆能力和睾丸的改变及延衰合剂的治疗作用

目的研究D-半乳糖所致亚急性衰老小鼠学习记忆能力和睾丸的变化,并观察延衰合剂对其的治疗作用。方法选昆明系雄性小鼠,用D-半乳糖建立亚急性衰老模型。应用Morris水迷宫实验测试衰老小鼠学习记忆能力的变化;电镜技术观察延衰合剂治疗后衰老小鼠睾丸的形态学改变;酶联免疫分析法检测血清睾酮的变化。结果衰老小鼠学习记忆能力下降,睾丸重量减少,生精细胞减少,结构紊乱,功能障碍,血清睾酮含量明显降低。在改变学习记忆能力上延衰合剂高剂量组作用明显优于延衰合剂低剂量纽（P〈0．05）,但与补肾益寿胶囊纽及延衰舍剂中荆量组差畀无显著性（P〉0．05）。结论延衰舍剂可以提高衰老小鼠学习记忆能力,改善睾丸生精小管的超微结构,抑制衰老小鼠血清睾酮含量的下降,具有一定的延缓衰老作用。     

Effect of experimental chronic renal failure upon the production of urea,as measured by the liver arginase activity in rats

Summary A significant diminution in liver arginase activity of chronic renal failure uremic rats is described, thus implying that the experimental finding of an increased urea production is not due to a depressed arginase activity.This work was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico do Brasil's Grants. —Acknowledgments. We are indebted to Mr D'Arrochela Lobo for technical assistance, Mr Celso Chiarin for the statistical review and Dr C.E. Tosta and Dr Linda Caldas for helpful advice.     

Polyvinylchloride (PVC) particles implantation in mouse liver. A technique for experimental study of schistosome eggs-induced liver pathology

Summary An injection of suspended PVC particles in the caecal vein of mice induces a foreign-body portal granuloma reaction in the liver. Plastic casts of the portal system, after PVC particles implantation, show modifications in the portal bed and are compared with plastic casts obtained in mice infested bySchistosoma mansoni. This technique can be useful to study the cellular dynamics of the portal granuloma and can be a model for schistosomal eggs induced liver pathology.This work was supported by an ATP (INSERM) 18.75.41 and a scholarship from the Société d'Hépatologie Expérimentale.     

Polyvinylchloride (PVC) particles implantation in mouse liver. A technique for experimental study of schistosome eggs-induced liver pathology.

An injection of suspended PVC particles in the caecal vein of mice induces a foreign-body portal granuloma reaction in the liver. Plastic casts of the portal system, after PVC particles implantation, show modifications in the portal bed and are compared with plastic casts obtained in mice infested by Schistosoma mansoni. This technique can be useful to study the cellular dynamics of the portal granuloma and can be a model for schistosomal eggs induced liver pathology.     

Prevention or acceleration of type 1 diabetes by viruses

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease characterized by the destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic β-cells. Even though extensive scientific research has yielded important insights into the immune mechanisms involved in pancreatic β-cell destruction, little is known about the events that trigger the autoimmune process. Recent epidemiological and experimental data suggest that environmental factors are involved in this process. In this review, we discuss the role of viruses as an environmental factor on the development of type 1 diabetes, and the immune mechanisms by which they can trigger or protect against this pathology.     

Suppression of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis by vitamin A

Résumé L'encéphalomyélite allergique expérimentale n'apparaît pas chez les cobayes auxquels on a injecté de fortes doses de vitamine A.

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The authors are indebted toElisabeth Móre for technical assistance.     

Inhibition of rat liver transglutaminase by nucleotides

Summary Tissue-type transglutaminase (TGase) was purified from rat liver, and the effects of nucleotides on its activity were examined. The enzyme activity is inhibited by ATP in a concentration-dependent way, with complete inhibition by 3 mM ATP. Partially-purified TGase from human brain was inhibited by ATP in a manner similar to that observed with the rat liver enzyme. This suggests that the inhibition is a common phenomenon for tissue-type TGase in all species and tissues. The inhibition is reversible since full activity is restored by lowering the ATP concentration. CTP has a TGase-inhibitory potency equivalent to that of ATP, whereas GTP and UTP possess about 50% of the inhibitory activity of ATP. ADP inhibits TGase activity to the same extent as ATP, but AMP causes much less inhibition, and there is no inhibition by adenosine or adenine. The inhibition by ATP is insensitive to ionic strength and is non-competitive with the substrate putrescine. Since ATP levels in cells are of mM order, these results suggest that TGase activity is controlled by ATP in vivo.     

Dinemorphan N-demethylation by mouse liver microsomes

Dinemorphan, an antitussive drug, is N-demethylated in vitro by mouse liver microsomes with biphasic kinetics showing two apparent Km and Vmax. Moreover, dinemorphan N-demethylation is inhibited by CO, SKF-525A, metyrapone and it is specifically catalyzed by a phenobarbital-inducible form of cytochrome P-450.