Combretastatin A4 disodium phosphate-induced myocardial injury.

Histopathological and electrocardiographic features of myocardial lesions induced by combretastatin A4 disodium phosphate (CA4DP) were evaluated, and the relation between myocardial lesions and vascular changes and the direct toxic effect of CA4DP on cardiomyocytes were discussed. We induced myocardial lesions by administration of CA4DP to rats and evaluated myocardial damage by histopathologic examination and electrocardiography. We evaluated blood pressure (BP) of CA4DP-treated rats and effects of CA4DP on cellular impedance-based contractility of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPS-CMs). The results revealed multifocal myocardial necrosis with a predilection for the interventricular septum and subendocardial regions of the apex of the left ventricular wall, injury of capillaries, morphological change of the ST junction, and QT interval prolongation. The histopathological profile of myocardial lesions suggested that CA4DP induced a lack of myocardial blood flow. CA4DP increased the diastolic BP and showed direct effects on hiPS-CMs. These results suggest that CA4DP induces dysfunction of small arteries and capillaries and has direct toxicity in cardiomyocytes. Therefore, it is thought that CA4DP induced capillary and myocardial injury due to collapse of the microcirculation in the myocardium. Moreover, the direct toxic effect of CA4DP on cardiomyocytes induced myocardial lesions in a coordinated manner.

Effects of intestinal bacteria-derived p-cresyl sulfate on Th1-type immune response in vivo and in vitro.

Protein fermentation by intestinal bacteria generates various compounds that are not synthesized by their hosts. An example is p-cresol, which is produced from tyrosine. Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) accumulate high concentrations of intestinal bacteria-derived p-cresyl sulfate (pCS), which is the major metabolite of p-cresol, in their blood, and this accumulation contributes to certain CKD-associated disorders. Immune dysfunction is a CKD-associated disorder that frequently contributes to infectious diseases among CKD patients. Although some studies imply pCS as an etiological factor, the relation between pCS and immune systems is poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the immunological effects of pCS derived from intestinal bacteria in mice. For this purpose, we fed mice a tyrosine-rich diet that causes the accumulation of pCS in their blood. The mice were shown to exhibit decreased Th1-driven 2, 4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced contact hypersensitivity response. The concentration of pCS in blood was negatively correlated with the degree of the contact hypersensitivity response. In contrast, the T cell-dependent antibody response was not influenced by the accumulated pCS. We also examined the in vitro cytokine responses by T cells in the presence of pCS. The production of IFN-γ was suppressed by pCS. Further, pCS decreased the percentage of IFN-γ-producing Th1 cells. Our results suggest that intestinal bacteria-derived pCS suppressesTh1-type cellular immune responses.

Development of hypoallergenic galacto-oligosaccharides on the basis of allergen analysis.

Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOSs) are recognized as prebiotics beneficial to human health through their abilities to modulate gut microbiota. On the other hand, it has been reported that immediate allergic reactions are caused by a GOS product (Bc-GOS) produced by treating lactose with ß-galactosidase derived from Bacillus circulans. The objective of this study was to create a safer GOS product that is less likely to cause GOS-induced allergy (GOS-AL). First, we identified two derivatives of tetrasaccharide sugar chains in Bc-GOS as the factors responsible for GOS-AL by histamine release test (HRT) using blood samples obtained from two GOS-AL patients. Through our search for non-allergic GOS, we developed a new GOS product, SK-GOS, which was produced by catalyzing lactose with ß-galactosidase derived from Sporobolomyces singularis and Kluyveromyces lactis. We regard it as a hypoallergic and safe GOS product that does not cause GOS-AL.

Cardiotoxic changes of colchicine intoxication in rats: electrocardiographic, histopathological and blood chemical analysis.

The microtubule inhibitor colchicine is cardiotoxic and is suggested to impair impulse formation and conduction. However, little is known about the electrocardiographic (ECG) changes induced by colchicine in experimental animals and the detailed pathogenesis of its cardiotoxicity. Therefore, we analyzed cardiotoxicity in colchicine-treated rats using electrocardiographic, histopathological and blood-chemistry approaches. A telemetry device for transmitting ECG data was implanted into male Crl:CD(SD) rats, and ECG tracings were obtained. At 6 weeks of age, 1.25 mg/kg colchicine was injected intravenously once daily for 2 consecutive days, and ECG waveforms and heart rate variability were analyzed. Furthermore, 1.25 mg/kg colchicine or vehicle was injected for 1 or 2 consecutive days in other rats at 6 weeks of age. One day after the final dosing, heart and blood samples were taken for histopathological and bloodchemical examination. ECG analysis revealed a prolonged RR interval, QRS duration, PR interval and QT interval. Heart rate variability analysis showed an increase in high frequency (HF) components as an index of parasympathetic nervous activity. In blood chemical examinations, colchicine induced high levels of parameters of cardiac injury and low levels and/or variations in Ca, inorganic phosphorus, potassium and chloride. Histopathologically, colchicine-treated rats showed eosinophilic granular degeneration and cytoplasmic vacuolation of ventricular myocardial cells but no remarkable change in the atrioventricular node. Not only blood chemical and histopathological changes but also ECG changes were induced in colchicine-treated rats, which indicated a decrease in myocardium excitability and conductivity, and these changes might be related to increased parasympathetic nervous activity and low blood Ca levels.

Persistence and accumulation of micronucleated hepatocytes in liver of rats after repeated administration of diethylnitrosamine.

A repeat-dose micronucleus assay in adult rat liver was recently developed [Mutat. Res. 747 (2012) 234-239]. This assay demonstrated a high detectability of hepatocarcinogens at relatively low doses, as indicated by dose-dependent micronucleus induction. Because the adult rat liver is known to have a long life-span, this desirable property of the assay will be an advantage in detecting micronucleated hepatocytes (MNHEPs) that have persisted for long periods in the liver following repeated dosing. However, no data directly supporting the underlying mechanisms have been published to date. In the present study, we verified the mechanisms by means of pulse-labeling of micronucleated hepatocytes with the thymidine analog 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU). The rodent hepatocarcinogen diethylnitrosamine (DEN) was repeatedly administered orally to male Crl:CD (SD) rats (6 weeks old) for up to 2 weeks, and EdU was injected intraperitoneally on days 1, 7, or 14. Hepatocytes were isolated by use of a non-perfusion technique at 24h, 1 week, or 2 weeks after EdU injection and analyzed for EdU incorporation and micronucleus formation. The results of our study confirmed that MNHEPs labeled with EdU on the first day of DEN administration persisted until 2 weeks post-administration in the rat livers. However, the frequency of MHNEPs among EdU-labeled hepatocytes decreased over time. In addition, the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end-labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells in the liver tissue increased, suggesting selective removal of micronucleated cells. Theoretical calculation of the cumulative MNHEP frequency on each of the days on which DEN was administered, taking into account the rate of loss, came out closer to the actual value observed in the liver micronucleus test. Taken together, these results indicate that although micronucleated cells induced in rat livers by administration of the genotoxic hepatocarcinogen DEN undergo selective removal, they persist for a long time in a certain proportion, and repeated administration results in their accumulation and increased frequency.

Evaluation of food-drug interaction of guava leaf tea.

Guava leaf tea (GLT) contains guava leaf polyphenol (Gvpp), which regulates the absorption of dietary carbohydrate from the intestines. Borderline diabetics, who are at high risk of development of diabetes, take GLT to suppress a rapid increase of blood sugar level after meals. However, patients with diabetes in whom diabetic drugs or warfarin as a blood thinner are prescribed also take GLT with the expectation of glycemic control. Therefore, we studied whether GLT had potential for inhibition or induction of cytochrome P450 (CYP) and an influence on the action of warfarin. Extract of guava leaf (GvEx) consists of carbohydrate and polyphenols, which are Gvpp, quercetin, and ellagic acid. These polyphenols, but not GvEx, showed a certain level of inhibition of human-cDNA-expressed CYPs. In a comparison of GLT and grapefruit juice, GLT showed weaker inhibition of CYP activities and of midazolam 1'-hydroxylation than grapefruit juice. Furthermore, neither liver weight nor CYP3A expression in the liver was changed in rats that received GvEx for 90 days compared with the control group. When rats were concomitantly treated with GLT and warfarin, the prolongation of clotting time of blood by warfarin was not influenced. These data suggest that GLT is unlikely to interact with drugs.

p-Cresyl sulfate suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced anti-bacterial immune responses in murine macrophages in vitro.

p-Cresyl sulfate (pCS) is a known uremic toxin that is metabolized from p-cresol produced by intestinal bacteria. Abnormal accumulation of pCS in the blood is a characteristic of chronic kidney disease (CKD). pCS is suggested to cause immune dysfunction and increase the risk of infectious diseases in CKD patients. In this study, we focused on the effects of pCS on macrophage functions related to host defense. We evaluated the effects of pCS on cytokine production, nitric oxide (NO) production, arginase activity, expression of cell-surface molecules, and phagocytosis in the macrophage-like cell line, RAW264.7. pCS significantly decreased interleukin (IL)-12 p40 production and increased IL-10 production. pCS also decreased NO production, but did not influence arginase activity. pCS suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced CD40 expression on the cell surface, but did not influence phagocytosis. We further assessed whether the effects of pCS observed in the macrophage-like cell line were consistent in primary macrophages. Similar to RAW264.7 cells, pCS decreased IL-12 p40 and p70 production and increased IL-10 production in primary peritoneal macrophages. These data indicate that pCS suppresses certain macrophage functions that contribute to host defense, and may play a role in CKD-related immune dysfunction.

Evaluation of repeated dose micronucleus assays of the liver and gastrointestinal tract using potassium bromate: a report of the collaborative study by CSGMT/JEMS.MMS.

The food additive potassium bromate (KBrO3) is known as a renal carcinogen and causes chromosomal aberrations in vitro without metabolic activation and in vivo in hematopoietic and renal cells. As a part of a collaborative study by the Mammalian Mutagenicity Study group, which is a subgroup of the Japanese Environmental Mutagen Society, we administered KBrO3 to rats orally for 4, 14, and 28 days and examined the micronucleated (MNed) cell frequency in the liver, glandular stomach, colon, and bone marrow to confirm whether the genotoxic carcinogen targeting other than liver and gastrointestinal (GI) tract was detected by the repeated dose liver and GI tract micronucleus (MN) assays. In our study, animals treated with KBrO3 showed some signs of toxicity in the kidney and/or stomach. KBrO3 did not increase the frequency of MNed cells in the liver and colon in any of the repeated dose studies. However, KBrO3 increased the frequency of MNed cells in the glandular stomach and bone marrow. Additionally, the MNed cell frequency in the glandular stomach was not significantly affected by the difference in the length of the administration period. These results suggest that performing the MN assay using the glandular stomach, which is the first tissue to contact agents after oral ingestion, is useful for evaluating the genotoxic potential of chemicals and that the glandular stomach MN assay could be integrated into general toxicity studies.

Screening of Probiotic Candidates in Human Oral Bacteria for the Prevention of Dental Disease.

The oral cavity in healthy subjects has a well-balanced microbiota that consists of more than 700 species. However, a disturbance of this balance, with an increase of harmful microbes and a decrease of beneficial microbes, causes oral disorders such as periodontal disease or dental caries. Nowadays, probiotics are expected to confer oral health benefits by modulating the oral microbiota. This study screened new probiotic candidates with potential oral health benefits and no harmful effects on the oral cavity. We screened 14 lactobacillus strains and 36 streptococcus strains out of 896 oral isolates derived from healthy subjects. These bacteria did not produce volatile sulfur compounds or water-insoluble glucan, had higher antibacterial activity against periodontal bacteria, and had higher adherence activity to oral epithelial cells or salivary-coated hydroxyapatite in vitro. We then evaluated the risk of primary cariogenicity and infective endocarditis of the selected oral isolates. As a result, Lactobacillus crispatus YIT 12319, Lactobacillus fermentum YIT 12320, Lactobacillus gasseri YIT 12321, and Streptococcus mitis YIT 12322 were selected because they showed no cariogenic potential in an artificial mouth system and a lower risk of experimental infective endocarditis in a rat model. These candidates are expected as new probiotics with potential oral health benefits and no adverse effects on general health.

Histopathological studies of microtubule disassembling agent-induced myocardial lesions in rats.

Microtubule disassembling agents (MDAs) such as colchicine (COL) and vincristine sulfate (VCR) are known to be cardiotoxic. However, few attempts have been made to histopathologically examine cardiac lesions induced by MDAs. In this study, we endeavored to induce myocardial injury in rats by administering MDAs and to clarify the morphological features of these myocardial lesions. Male rats were intravenously administered COL (1.00 or 1.25mg/kg for 2 days at single daily doses) or VCR (0.50 or 0.75 mg/kg for 2 days at single daily doses). The day after administration, hearts were excised and examined histopathologically, immunohistochemically and electron microscopically. Degeneration and necrosis of myocardial cells with vacuolation were observed in rats administered COL at 1.25mg/kg or VCR at 0.75 mg/kg. Electron microscopic examination revealed vacuoles in swollen mitochondria. Moreover, there were cells showing pyknosis and karyorrhexis in the interstitium. TUNEL and immunohistochemical staining for endothelial cells and electron microscopic examination identified the apoptotic cells in the interstitium to be vascular endothelial cells. These vascular endothelial lesions were induced by lower doses of MDAs than were myocardial lesions. Furthermore, common sites of cardiac lesions induced by MDAs had almost the same distribution as areas positive for pimonidazole, a marker of hypoxia. These findings indicate that MDAs occasionally damage mitochondria in myocardial cells, and suggest that these changes involve microcirculatory dysfunction induced by endothelial cell injury.

A Case Report of a Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma in a T-cell Receptor ß Chain and p53 Double-knockout Mouse.

A subcutaneous tumor was found in the right abdomen of a 16-week-old male TCRß and p53 double-knockout mouse. The tumor had indistinct borders with the surrounding tissue. The cut surface after formalin fixation was pale yellowish white, partially dark red and partly white. Histologically, the tumor was composed of three distinct regions. The first region showed pleomorphic cells arranged in sheets. The second region showed spindle cells arranged in interlacing fascicles. The final region contained a mixture of the above mentioned two types of cells. Furthermore, a small amount of collagen fibers, round cells, multinucleated giant cells, and cells with eosinophilic granules were observed between these tumor cells. Immunohistochemical examination and electron microscopy identified that the pleomorphic cells and spindle cells were histiocytes and fibroblasts, respectively, and that the round cells were undifferentiated mesenchymal cells. Based on these findings, the tumor was diagnosed as a malignant fibrous histiocytoma.