Response of the postnatal rat epididymis to estrogen & antiestrogens.

The effect of androgen and estrogen antagonists on estrogen induced responses in the epididymis of rat was studied. Estradiol benzoate administered to male rates on day 5 of life increased the epididymal weight, absolute volume density of fibromuscular stroma and its eosinophilic leucocyte numbers. Testosterone administration (day 5 life) alone did not have any stimulatory effect on the epididymis as an organ or its peroxidase activity on days 15 or 20 of life. On the other hand, testosterone/85/287 negated estradiol induced increase in the absolute volume density, eosinophilic leucocyte accumulation and peroxidase activity. Tamoxifen (Tam) with inherent estrogenic activity acted both as an agonist and an antagonist. Results of present studies support the contention that nonsteroidal antiestrogens (CDRI-85/287 and Tam) can modulate estradiol induced epididymal responses during the postnatal period of male rat.

Detailed Analysis of Chromosome Aberrations in Human Leukocyte Induced by Anti-malignant Tumor Agent (FT-207)

The anticancer agent's FT-207, N1-(2'-tetrahydrofuryl)-5-fluorouracil, a derivative of 5FU (5-fluorouracil), induced chromosome damage to the human leukocyte was investigated. FT-207 inhibit mitosis and cause chromatid and chromosome breakage and chromatid exchange with 20 ug/ml for 48 to 72 hours of treatment. However, with 15 ug/ml for 72 hours only delayed spiralization was produced in some of the chromosomes in the same cells. The random distribution of chromosome breakage were observed and the effect of FT-207 on the chromosomes of human leukocytes were time dependent rather than concentration dependent. The comparision of the effect of mitomycin C on human leukocytes and the action of FT-207 at specific times during the cell cycle were discussed.

Histochemical and Cytogenetical Effects of Insulin on Mouse Liver in vivo and in vitro

Histochemically detectable changes in the liver of the mouse after subcutaneous injection of a single sublethal does of insulin and the effect of insulin on mitotic rate and chromosome changes in cultured mouse liver cells have been studied. No insulin-induced necrosis or hydropic degeneration of periportal cells was observed. The most marked changes found were a diminution of glycogen and an accumulation of sudanophilic lipid, first in the periportal cells, then throughout the loblue, followed by a rapid restoration to normal. There were no changes in the mitochondria with the sublethal dose. Mitotic rates were increased with 0.5mg% for 10 to 20 hours treatment but no chromosome changes were observed. These observations indicate that insulin causes disturbance of metabolic processes in the liver, which might be interpreted as signs of incipient injury, but insulin does not give any damage at the chromosomal level.