Novel murine autoimmune-mediated liver disease model induced by graft-versus-host reaction and concanavalin A.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: We have previously reported that cluster of differentiation (CD)4+ T cells induced autoimmune liver diseases in mice with graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR) because of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II disparity. To analyze the progression of the autoimmune-related mechanism in the liver, concanavalin A (Con A) was injected in mice undergoing GVHR. The aim of this study is to clarify whether Con A deteriorates murine hepatic lesions induced by GVHR, and to elucidate the participation of the cytokines of liver-infiltrating CD4+ T cells. METHODS: Mice (F1; B6.C-H-2(bm12) x B6) were intravenously injected with B6 T spleen cells. Concanavalin A (15 mg/kg) was administrated 5 days after cell transfer. We examined serum transaminase, antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA), antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and histological changes. Liver-infiltrating CD4+ T cells were sorted and their cytokine mRNA expression was examined by the use of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Graft-versus-host reaction + Con A mice revealed an elevated serum transaminase, elevated AMA and ANA titers, increased periportal cellular infiltration, piecemeal necrosis and bridging necrosis in the liver. In this group, interferon (IFN)-gamma mRNA expression was more elevated than it was in the GVHR mice. However, there was no difference in the expression of interleukin (IL)-10 mRNA between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that Con A deteriorates the GVHR-induced hepatic lesions, and IFN-gamma and IL-10 of CD4+ T cells might be implicated in the progression of autoimmune-related hepatic lesions. This model might offer an aspect for the investigation of progressive mechanisms in T-cell- mediated hepatobiliary injury.

Suppression of hepatic lesions in a murine graft-versus-host reaction by antibodies against adhesion molecules.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The injection of parental CD4+ T cells into major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II disparate F1 hybrid mice induced an autoimmune graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR) which is analogous to autoimmune liver diseases. The interaction of adhesion molecules such as vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) has been known to be profoundly involved in the trafficking of lymphocytes into the inflammatory tissues. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of VLA4 or VCAM-1 in the development of GVHR-induced hepatic lesions in our model. METHODS: B6 T spleen cells were injected into (B6.C-H-2bm12xB6) F1 mice intravenously. Anti-VLA-4 mAbs and/or anti-VCAM-1 mAbs were injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg of each mAbs per body weight of mouse. We examined the changes in GVHR-induced hepatic lesions, serum levels of antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) and cytokine mRNA expressions of liver-infiltrating lymphocytes using H.E. and immunohistochemical staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively. RESULTS: Hepatic lesions of anti-VLA-4 mAbs-treated mice were inhibited compared with those of GVHR mice. However, the administration of mAbs did not interfere with the induction of splenomegaly, the invasion of CD4+, CD8+, B220+, or Mac-1+ cells around bile ducts, nor the production of AMA. Liver-infiltrating CD4+ T cells obtained from these treated mice did not alter the expression of T helper (Th)1 and Th2 cytokine mRNA. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that treatment with antibodies against these adhesion molecules could inhibit the infiltration of lymphocytes without affecting the Th1/Th2 balance. The blockade of VLA-4-mediated cell infiltration into the liver in this model may have a possible novel therapeutic role of VLA-4 mAbs.

Structure-activity relationships of cyclic enediynes related to dynemicin A. I. Synthesis and antitumor activity of 9-acetoxy enediynes equipped with aryl carbamate moieties.

A series of the 9-acetoxy enediyne compounds, 6a-k which were simplified from natural dynemicin A, and designed to be equipped with various aryl carbamate moieties, was synthesized and evaluated for DNA-cleaving ability, in vitro cytotoxicity, and in vivo antitumor activity. As a result of this study of the structure-activity relationships (SAR) with regard to the Rt substituent, both compounds 6a and 6f with the phenyl carbamate and 4-chlorophenyl carbamate moiety, respectively, were found to exhibit significant activity (T/C > 200%) against murine P388 leukemia in mice, in spite of having IC50 values in the micromolar range. In particular, compound 6f showed the most potent activity with a maximum T/C of 256% at a daily dosage of 4.0 mg/kg for four days. Furthermore, both compounds 6a and 6f were effective against Meth A sarcoma in mice and inhibited 71 and 77% of the tumor growth at 2.0 and 3.0 mg/kg dosages, respectively. In contrast to 6f, compound 6i possessing the 2-nitrophenyl carbamate moiety showed only a slight in vivo activity, while it had about one order of magnitude higher in vitro cytotoxicity than 6f. For the stereochemistry-activity relationships at the C9 position, the (9R*)-isomers of 6c, 6g, and 6j were found to show higher in vitro and in vivo potencies than the corresponding (9S*)-isomers.

Structure-activity relationships of cyclic enediynes related to dynemicin A. II. Synthesis and antitumor activity of 9- and 12-substituted enediynes equipped with aryl carbamate moieties.

Novel enediyne compounds 4-8, simple analogues of dynemicin A (1) equipped with the phenyl or 4-chlorophenyl carbamate moiety, were synthesized and evaluated for DNA-cleaving ability, in vitro cytotoxicity, and in vivo antitumor activity. As a result of the SAR study, it was revealed that the size and character of the substituents (R1 and R2) at the C9 position critically influenced both the stability and antitumor activity of the enediyne compounds. We found that the 9-deoxy compound 6a, a stable and less bulky enediyne having a hydrogen as the R1 and R2 substituents, showed a significant in vivo activity with a T/C of 215% at a daily dosage of 2.0 mg/kg for 4 days. The incorporation of an oxygen-containing functional group as the R3 substituent on a benzene ring resulted in considerable abolishing of both the in vitro and in vivo potencies. In a series of 9-acyloxy compounds, incorporation of the basic aromatic moiety such as 8e was effective for the in vitro activity, but it was ineffective for the in vivo activity. Furthermore, for the stereochemistry-activity relationships at the C9 position, the (9R*)-isomers of 8c, 8e, and 8f were found to show higher both in vitro and in vivo than the corresponding (9S*)-isomers. For the mechanistic studies, compound 6a underwent Bergman cycloaromatization via a diradical pathway under acidic conditions, whereas it scarcely showed DNA-cleaving activity due to the chemical stability of the aryl carbamate moiety under neutral conditions.

Synthesis and antitumor activity of water-soluble enediyne compounds related to dynemicin A.

The enediyne compounds 9-14, simple dynemicin A (1) analogues equipped with aryl carbamate moieties with various aliphatic amino or hydroxy groups at the C9 position, were synthesized and evaluated for DNA-cleaving ability, in vitro cytotoxicity, and in vivo antitumor activity. We found that the water-soluble compounds, in which the tert-amines such as the 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl (10b, 14b), 2-(pyrrolidino)ethyl (10c), or 1-azabicyclo[3.3.0]oct-5-ylmethyl (10d, 12d, 14d) group were attached, showed not only the enhanced in vivo antitumor activity but also the decreased toxicity compared to the corresponding 9-acetoxy enediyne compounds 6-8. In particular, compound 10c showed the most enhanced in vivo antitumor activity (T/C = 222% at a daily dose of 1.25 mg/kg for 4 days) at about half of the dose of 6. These results suggest that both the enhanced antitumor activity and the reduced toxicity might be due to the improved bioavailability or disposition of compounds 6-8 by their water-solubilization.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel cyclic enediyne compounds related to dynemicin A as antitumor agents.

Novel cyclic enediyne compounds, which are simple functional analogs of dynemicin A (1) having the bicyclo-[7.3.1]tridec-4-ene-2,6-diyne system, were synthesized and evaluated for the DNA-cleaving ability, in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo antitumor activity. All of the sulfones 19-24, which were equipped with a 2-(arylsulfonyl)-ethoxycarbonyl group or the 2-(methylsulfonyl)ethoxycarbonyl group as a triggering device, showed both potent DNA-cleaving activity and cytotoxicity against various tumor cell lines. However, these compounds were entirely inactive or only slightly active against murine P388 leukemia in mice. On the other hand, the enediyne 2a having a phenyl carbamate moiety as a stable N-protecting group showed effective antitumor activity both in vitro and in vivo. In particular, it exhibited significant antitumor activity against Lewis lung carcinoma in mice. These results show that the character of the carbamate moiety of the cyclic enediynes strikingly affects their biological activities, that is, the sulfonylethyl carbamate moiety is an effective triggering device for both DNA-cleaving activity and cytotoxicity, and the phenyl carbamate moiety is significant for antitumor activity in vivo. As part of a mechanistic study, the reactivities of 2a and 21 were examined under a weakly basic condition (pH 9.3); both compounds failed to give the Bergman cycloaromatization product.

Synthesis and aldose reductase inhibitory activity of 2-substituted 6-fluoro-2,3-dihydrospiro[4H-1-benzopyran-4,4'-imidazolidine]-2',5'-dio nes.

Optically active and racemic 2-substituted 6-fluoro-2,3-dihydrospiro[4H-1- benzopyran-4,4'-imidazolidine]-2',5'-diones were synthesized stereoselectively from (+)-, (-)-, and (+/-)-6-fluoro-3, 4-dihydro-4-oxo-2H-1-benzopyran-2-carboxylic acid [(+)-1, (-)-1, and (+/-)-1], respectively, for evaluation as new aldose reductase inhibitors. Among these compounds, the 2S,4S compounds were found to be more potent inhibitors of aldose reductase in vitro and in vivo than the corresponding 2R,4R enantiomers. The chloromethyl compound [(+)-5] showed highly potent activities in inhibiting cataract formation in the lenses and polyol accumulation in the sciatic nerve of rats.

Synthesis and aldose reductase inhibitory activity of 2-substituted-6-fluoro-2,3-dihydrospiro [4H-1-benzopyran-4, 4'-imidazolidine]-2',5'-diones.

Optically active and racemic 2-substituted-6-fluoro-2,3-dihydrospiro[4H-1-benzopyran-4, 4'-imidazolidine]-2',5'-diones were synthesized from (+)-, (-)-, and (+-)-6-fluoro-3,4-dihydro-4-oxo-2H-1-benzopyran-2-carboxylic acid. These compounds were then evaluated for in vitro and in vivo aldose reductase inhibitory activity. The 2S,4S isomers were found to be more potent aldose reductase inhibitors than the other corresponding stereoisomers. Among these compounds, (2S,4S)-6-fluoro-2,3-dihydro-2',5'-dioxospiro[4H-1-benzopyran-4, 4'-imidazolidine]-2-carboxamide ((+)-1b, SNK-860, CAS 105300-43-4) showed the most potent in vitro and in vivo activity.

Reversed effects between crude and processed ginger extracts on PGF2 alpha-induced contraction in mouse mesenteric veins.

The effects of crude and processed ginger extracts and pungent components, S-(+)-[6]-gingerol and [6]-shogaol, on noradrenaline (NA)- and prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha-induced contraction were investigated using mouse mesenteric veins. Both spicy constituents inhibited the contractile responses to NA. Crude ginger extract and S-(+)-[6]-gingerol potentiated the PGF2 alpha-induced contraction, whereas processed ginger extract and [6]-shogaol inhibited the contraction.

[Clinical experience of netilmicin on chronic urinary tract infections (author's transl)].

Daily 150 mg or 200 mg dose of netilmicin (NTL) were administered to 26 patients with chronic complicated urinary tract infections for 5 days, and the following results were obtained. 1) Out of 26 cases excellent response was seen in 5 cases, good response in 4, and poor response in 11. Effectiveness rate was 45%. Six cases were excluded from the evaluation. 2) Effective result was not seen in the catheterized group, whereas 5 excellent and 4 good cases were observed in the noncatheterized group, resulting 60% in effectiveness rate. 3) MICs of NTL against various bacteria were comparative to GM against P. aeruginosa, to AMK against Serratia, and to both GM and AMK against other bacteria. 4) Except a slight local irritation, no subjective side effect was observed. One case showed a slight elevation in hepatic function tests but it was not definitely judged as the side effect due to NTL.

[Experience in use of amoxicillin for treatment of acute cystitis (author's transl)].

Seventeen cases of acute simple cystitis were treated by oral administration of amoxicillin at a daily dose of 1.0 g (250 mg X 4 in a day) for consecutive 7 days, and the following results were obtained. 1. Amoxicillin was remarkably effective in 11 of total 17 cases, effective in 2, slightly effective in 2 and non-effective in 2. 2. In terms of effect against isolated bacteria, amoxicillin was remarkably effective against 6 of 11 strains of E. coli, effective against 2, slightly effective against 2 and non-effective against 1, remarkably effective against 2 of 3 strains of Proteus mirabilis and non-effective against 1, and remarkably effective against one strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis. 3. There was no severe side effect specially to be mentioned.