4ß-Hydroxywithanolide E isolated from Physalis pruinosa calyx decreases inflammatory responses by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling in diabetic mouse adipose tissue.

BACKGROUND: Chronic inflammation in adipose tissue together with obesity induces insulin resistance. Inhibitors of chronic inflammation in adipose tissue can be a potent candidate for the treatment of diabetes; however, only a few compounds have been discovered so far. The objective of this study was to find a novel inhibitor that can suppress the inflammatory response in adipose tissue and to elucidate the intracellular signaling mechanisms of the compound. METHODS: To find the active compounds, we established an assay system to evaluate the inhibition of induced MCP-1 production in adipocyte/macrophage coculture in a plant extract library. The active compound was isolated by performing high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and was determined as 4ß-hydroxywithanolide E (4ßHWE) by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectroscopy (MS) spectral analyses. The effect of 4ßHWE on inflammation in adipose tissue was assessed with adipocyte culture and db/db mice. RESULTS: During the screening process, Physalis pruinosa calyx extract was found to inhibit production of MCP-1 in coculture strongly. 4ßHWE belongs to the withanolide family of compounds, and it has the strongest MCP-1 production inhibitory effect and lowest toxicity than any other withanolides in coculture. Its anti-inflammatory effect was partially dependent on the attenuation of NF-κB signaling in adipocyte. Moreover, in vivo experiments showed that the oral administration of 4ßHWE to db/db mice resulted in the inhibition of macrophage invasion and cytokine expression in adipose tissue after 2 weeks of treatment; improved the plasma adiponectin, non-esterified fatty acids and MCP-1 concentrations; and increased glucose tolerance after 3 to 4 weeks of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that 4ßHWE has anti-inflammatory effect via inhibition of NF-κB activation in adipocyte. Moreover, the attenuation of inflammation in adipocyte has an effect on the inhibition of macrophage accumulation in obese adipose tissue. Consequently, 4ßHWE improves impaired glucose tolerance. Thus, 4ßHWE is a useful natural anti-inflammatory compound to attenuate progression of diabetes and obesity.

Long-term administration of amlodipine prevents decompensation to diastolic heart failure in hypertensive rats.

UNLABELLED: OBJECTIVES; We assessed the effects of long-term amlodipine administration in a diastolic heart failure (DHF) rat model with preserved systolic function as well as the relationship between changes in left ventricular (LV) myocardial stiffening and alterations in extracellular matrix. BACKGROUND: Although the effect of long-term administration of amlodipine has been shown to be disappointing in patients with systolic failure, the effect is unknown in those with DHF. METHODS: Dahl salt-sensitive rats fed a high-salt diet for seven weeks were divided into three groups: eight untreated rats (DHF group), eight rats given high-dose amlodipine (10 mg/kg/day; HDA group) and seven rats given low-dose amlodipine (1 mg/kg/day; LDA group). RESULTS: High-dose administration of amlodipine decreased systolic blood pressure and controlled excessive hypertrophy, without a decrease in the collagen content, and prevented the elevation of LV end-diastolic pressure at 19 weeks. Low-dose administration of amlodipine with subdeppressive effects did not control either hypertrophy or fibrosis; however, it prevented myocardial stiffening and, hence, the elevation of LV end-diastolic pressure. The ratio of type I to type III collagen messenger ribonucleic acid levels was significantly lower in both the HDA and LDA groups than in the DHF group. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term administration of amlodipine prevented the transition to DHF both at the depressor and subdepressor doses. Amlodipine did not decrease the collagen content, but attenuated myocardial stiffness, with inhibition of the phenotype shift from type III to type I collagen. Thus, amlodipine may exert beneficial effects through amelioration of collagen remodeling in the treatment of DHF.

[Acute eosinophilic pneumonia induced by cigarette smoking: positive lymphocyte stimulation test of a cigarette extract].

A 21-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with high fever, general fatigue and dyspnea. Chest radiography on admission showed diffuse bilateral infiltrate shadows with Kerley's B lines, and a CT scan showed patches of infiltrates with thickened interlobular septa in both lungs. Examination of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and the clinical course led to a diagnosis of acute eosinophilic pneumonia. The patient improved without steroid therapy. We suspected that the disease was related to smoking because the patient had started smoking seven days before the onset of the symptoms. Because a lymphocyte stimulation test gave a positive reaction to a cigarette extract, a challenge test was done. After this, the patient had fever and hypoxemia. These findings suggest that cigarette smoking induces acute eosinophilic pneumonia.

Molecular cloning of Frizzled-10, a novel member of the Frizzled gene family.

The Frizzled genes encode WNT receptors. Frizzled-10 (FZD10), a novel member of the Frizzled gene family, has been cloned and characterized. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that human FZD10 gene encodes a seven-transmembrane-receptor of 581 amino acids, with the N-terminal cysteine-rich domain and the C-terminal Ser/Thr-Xxx-Val motif. Larger amounts of FZD10 mRNA, 4.0 kb in size, were detected in the placenta and fetal kidney, followed by fetal lung and brain. In adult brain, FZD10 mRNA was abundant in the cerebellum. Among cancer cell lines, FZD10 was highly expressed in a cervical cancer cell line, HeLa S3, and moderately in a colon cancer cell line, SW480. The FZD10 gene was mapped to human chromosome 12q24.33. FZD10 shares 65.7% amino-acid identity with Frizzled-9 (FZD9). FZD10 and FZD9 constitute a subfamily among the Frizzled genes.

Effects of L-carnitine supplementation on muscular symptoms in hemodialyzed patients.

Various muscle symptoms are well recognized among patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Carnitine deficiency may be an important factor of dialysis-associated muscle symptoms, whereas high-dose L-carnitine supplementation may result in unphysiologically high plasma levels of carnitine and carnitine esters. We studied the effect of low-dose L-carnitine treatment (500 mg/d) on muscle symptoms, plasma carnitine fractions, and lipid profiles in 30 periodically dialyzed patients with muscular weakness, fatigue, or cramps/aches. After 12 weeks of L-carnitine treatment, about two-thirds of patients had at least some improvement in muscular symptoms, whereas carnitine fractions were normal or slightly above normal ranges, but lipid profiles showed no demonstrable changes. This study also showed the correlation between plasma-free carnitine deficiency and months on dialysis. These results suggest that prolonged low-dose L-carnitine treatment can improve dialysis-associated muscle symptoms by restoring carnitine tissue levels and washing out acyl moieties.

Characterization of 30-kDa fragments derived from beta-conglycinin degradation process during germination and seedling growth of soybean.

The degradation process of beta-conglycinin, a vicilin-type glycosylated storage protein of soybean seeds, during germination and seedling growth was examined by concanavalin A blotting combined with polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. We detected and analyzed the structures of key intermediary fragments of 30 kDa derived from beta-conglycinin degradation, they were proved to be single-domain type subunits of beta-conglycinin. We show here a degradation process of beta-conglycinin: beta-conglycinin is subjected to limited proteolysis at exposed regions on the molecular surface, like domain junctions, generating 30-kDa single-domain fragments before non-specific proteolysis.

Abscessed leiomyosarcoma of the ileum.

A-49-year-old man was admitted because of a lower abdominal mass. During the five days prior to admission, he had noted fever and lower abdominal pain. Palpation of the abdomen revealed a tender mass, 10 cm in diameter, in the suprapubic region. An x-ray revealed an irregular collection of gas, 9 cm in diameter, in the pelvic cavity, which appeared as a mirror image when the patient was upright. Based on the physical finding and the results of a barium enema, abdominal CT, MRI, and small intestine imaging, a diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma of the ileum was made. Excision of the tumor and part of the small intestine was performed. A saccular tumor, 11 x 6 x 5 cm, was found 1.0 m from the cecum and growing out of the wall of the ileum. A large amount of pus was found inside the cavity. The pathological diagnosis was leiomyosarcoma.

A combination of Laserthermia and chemotherapy for the treatment human gastric cancers transplanted into nude mice.

The effects of Laserthermia plus chemotherapy on a human gastric cancer transplanted into nude mice was investigated. Three different treatment regimes were tested. The relative tumor growth rate according to the Battele Columbus Laboratories protocol, was as follows. 5-FU chemotherapy, 54%; Laserthermia, 31%; and combined treatment with 5-FU and Laserthermia, 21%. The greatest degree of tumor regression was achieved in the combined therapy group. It is suggested that the combination therapy of Laserthermia plus antitumor agents may be useful in the treatment of gastric cancer in humans.

[Intracranial hematoma accompanying bleeding tendency: therapeutic practice and analysis of literature].

Therapies and prognoses covering fifteen cases of intracranial hematoma (ICrH) accompanying various types of bleeding tendency (BTD) were studied along with a secondary analysis of the pertinent references. Fifteen cases were divided into two groups, Group A comprising 11 cases of ICrH accompanying primary BTD, and Group B comprising four cases of ICrH accompanying secondary BTD caused by various underlying diseases. Group A included four cases of hemophilia A (Hp-A), two cases of factor XIII deficiency (FXIII-d), three cases of thrombocytopenia (Th-p) and two cases of vitamin K deficiency (VK-d). The four cases of Hp-A responded favorably, with good prognoses, to a supplementary therapy alone. This result was endorsed by the development of therapy as documented in the references. The combined five cases of FXIII-d and Th-p tended without exception, to show good prognoses in the wake of a combination therapy of supplementary treatment and surgical procedure. As regards FXIII-d, there was an inter-reference difference in supplementary doses. Many references shared the view that splenectomy was essential to the treatment of Th-p in general, and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in particular. The current study also suggested that gammaglobulin in large doses would serve as an effective therapy. The two cases of VK-d suffered from a serious degree of lingering neurologic manifestations, although their lives were saved. Even though there is an established therapy for it, VK-d was found to be a problem with poor functional prognosis showing the importance of the preventive approach. Group B was classified into the acute type and the subacute type depending on the rate of pathologic development. As underlying diseases DIC and myelofibrosis due to acute myeloblastic leukemia, and Th-p due to aplastic anemia were noted in two cases in each group. Of these, two cases of the subacute type were able to be saved, while two cases of the acute type followed poor prognostic courses resulting, eventually, in death. The following were found to be responsible fatal factors: 1) causes of BTD which involved both mechanisms of coagulation and hemostasis, 2) non-removal of the underlying disease, in which case supplementary therapy tended to be futile, and 3) the underlying disease per se as a danger to the life of the patient. In conclusion, therapeutic rationale and prognosis in ICrH accompanying primary type of BTD will benefit from the implementation of an adequate augmentative therapy as in the ordinary type of ICrH.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Alteration in morphology and induction of glutamine synthetase in rat glioma C6BU-1 cells cultured with prostaglandin D(2)-supplemented media.

We evaluated the effects of prostaglandins (PGs) on rat glioma C6BU-1 cells by supplementing the culture media with PGs. In the medium containing PGD(2) (15 or 20 ?M), the glial cells showed altered morphology from an elongated fibroblastic form to a spreading multipolar one within 24 h, and their growth rate was suppressed to half of that of control cultures. In these cultures, the specific activity of glutamine synthetase (GS) increased approximately twofold within 48 h in comparison to the value for vehicle-treated controls. Simultaneous treatment with actinomycin D or cycloheximide completely blocked the PGD(2)-elicited increase in GS specific activity, suggesting that the increase was due to de novo synthesis of the enzyme. PGD(2)-like prostanoids such as PGD(1) and 9-deoxy-?(9), ?(12)-13,14-dihydro-PGD(2) (?(12)-PGJ(2)), when added to the culture medium, mimicked the actions of PGD(2) on the C6BU-I cells, though their effective concentrations were not necessarily identical. PGs of the E- and F-series had almost no discernible effect on the glioma. These results might imply a possibility that PGD(2) plays a regulatory effect in growth and/or differentiation of rat glioma C6BU-1 cells.