Short communication: Effects of feeding purple corn (Zea mays L.) silage on productivity and blood superoxide dismutase concentration in lactating cows.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding purple corn (Zea mays L.) silage on productivity and blood superoxide dismutase concentration in lactating cows. We hypothesized that feeding purple corn silage (AX-152; Nagano Animal Industry Experiment Station, Nagano, Japan, and Takii and Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan), which is high in anthocyanin content, would increase milk production and blood concentration of superoxide dismutase. We assigned 16 Holstein cows (8 primiparous and 8 multiparous) in mid lactation to 1 of 2 treatments in a randomized block design, with efforts to balance parity, body weight, and days in milk between treatments. Experimental diets contained either purple corn silage [PCS; 31.2% dry matter (DM), 8.4% crude protein, 40.2% neutral detergent fiber, and 26.6% starch] or conventional corn silage (CONT; 30.5% dry matter, 8.7% crude protein, 42.1% neutral detergent fiber, and 26.5% starch) at approximately 32% of diet DM. Both PCS and CONT were ensiled for 5 mo before the study. Treatment diets were fed as total mixed rations ad libitum for 12 wk from February 1 to April 25, 2016. Cows fed the PCS had increased milk yield (31.7 vs. 29.2 kg/d) and blood superoxide dismutase concentrations (9,333 vs. 8,467 U/mL) compared with those fed CONT. However, anthocyanin concentration in the PCS decreased over the 12-wk experiment: 70 mg/kg of DM for the first 4 wk, 20 mg/kg of DM for the second 4 wk, and undetectable for the last 4 wk. We did not detect anthocyanins in the CONT group at any time point. Feeding PCS may increase antioxidant capacity and milk production in dairy cows, but anthocyanin in PCS may be degraded during storage.

Anatomical versus non-anatomical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The optimal surgical resection method in patients with HCC to minimize the risk of local recurrence has not yet been determined. The aim of this study was to compare the prognosis following anatomical versus non-anatomical hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Consecutive patients with HCC without macroscopic vascular invasion, treated by curative resection between 1981 and 2012 at Osaka Medical Centre, were included in this retrospective study. The outcomes of patients selected by propensity score matching were compared. RESULTS: Some 1102 patients were included, 577 in the anatomical and 525 in the non-anatomical resection group. By propensity score matching, 329 patients were selected into each group. Demographic, preoperative and tumour variables were similar between the propensity score-matched groups, including tumour size, tumour multiplicity, α-fetoprotein level and 15-min indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min. The incidence of microvascular invasion was higher in the matched anatomical resection group (P = 0·048). Stratified analysis of recurrence-free and overall survival rates revealed no statistically significant differences between the two propensity score-matched groups (P = 0·704 and P = 0·381 respectively). There was also no significant difference in the early recurrence rate within 2 years after resection between these groups (P = 0·726). Subset analysis of the early recurrence-free survival rate in patients with and without microvascular invasion revealed no significant differences between the groups (P = 0·312 and P = 0·479 respectively). CONCLUSION: The resection method had no impact on the risk of HCC recurrence or survival.

Performance of a rapid human metapneumovirus antigen test during an outbreak in a long-term care facility.

Using a newly developed rapid test, an outbreak of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection in a long-term care facility was detected within only 2 days after the onset of symptoms in a putative index case. The outbreak was almost under control within 8 days mainly by zoning patients, with the exception of two cases of HMPV that were diagnosed 16 and 17 days after the onset of the outbreak. According to an immunological diagnosis as well as the rapid test, it was eventually proven that 18 patients had HMPV infections. We suspected that even asymptomatic residents, who had not been completely separated from the facility population, were a source of infection. That suggested that all asymptomatic residents should be tested and that the separation of the infected patients should be absolute, if an outbreak of HMPV infection is suspected in such a facility.

Prevention of gastroduodenal content reflux and delayed gastric emptying after esophagectomy: gastric tube reconstruction with duodenal diversion plus Roux-en-Y anastomosis.

Reflux of gastroduodenal contents and delayed gastric emptying are the most common and serious problems after esophagectomy with gastric reconstruction. However, attempts to reduce the above symptoms, surgically as well as non-surgically, had no or limited effect. To address this issue, we performed retrosternal gastric reconstruction with duodenal diversion plus Roux-en-Y anastomosis (RY) in eight patients with thoracic esophageal cancer and compared the outcomes with control patients who underwent standard reconstruction. The procedure is simple, safe, and not associated with any postoperative complications. The pancreatic amylase concentrations in the gastric juice samples on postoperative day 2 were slightly lower in the non-RY group than in the RY group (1884 ± 2152 vs. 25,790 ± 23,542IU/mL, respectively, P= 0.07). Postoperative endoscopic examination showed neither reflux esophagitis nor residual gastric content in the RY group. Quality of life assessed by the Dysfunction After Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery-32 questionnaire postoperatively was significantly better in the RY group than in the non-RY group for 'decreased physical activity,''symptoms of reflux,''nausea and vomiting,' and 'pain.' The results of this pilot study suggest that gastric reconstruction with duodenal diversion plus RY seems effective in improving both the reflux and delayed gastric emptying. The benefits of this procedure need to be further assessed in a large-scale, randomized controlled trial.

The significance of abdominal para-aortic lymph node metastasis in patients with lower thoracic esophageal cancer.

Para-aortic lymph node (PALN) recurrence is often seen in patients with lower thoracic esophageal cancer treated by esophagectomy with extended lymph node dissection. However, the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with PALN metastasis and the significance of PALN dissection are unknown. A total of 283 patients with lower thoracic esophageal cancer underwent esophagectomy with lymphadenectomy at our hospital between April 1984 and March 2007. Among these 283 patients, 60 patients were enrolled in this retrospective study according to following criteria: (i) clinical T2 to T4 tumor, (ii) no clinical PALN metastasis, and (iii) received PALN dissection. PALN dissection was indicated by a tumor depth of at least T2 and no severe complications. The clinicopathological data, recurrence pattern, and overall survival were compared between patients with PALN and without PALN metastasis. The mean length of surgery was 587 min and the mean blood loss was 1383 mL. The morbidity was 33.3% and mortality was 5% in this series. Sixteen patients (26.7%) had PALN metastasis; these showed significantly more lymph node metastases (15.8 ± 13.2 vs. 3.0 ± 3.2, P < 0.0001) and significantly worse survival rates (53.3% vs. 79.9% at 1 year, 6.7% vs. 62.0% at 3 years, P < 0.0001) than patients without PALN metastasis. The incidence of lymph node recurrence (P < 0.0001) and hematogenous recurrence (P= 0.0487) was also higher in patients with PALN metastasis than in patients without PALN metastasis. Among the 16 patients with PALN metastasis, a univariate analysis revealed total number of metastatic nodes < 8 (P= 0.0325) to be a significant prognostic factor. A multivariate logistic regression analysis of the regional lymph nodes identified the invasion of the lower mediastinal nodes (hazard ratio = 6.120) and retroperitoneal nodes (hazard ratio = 15.167) to be significantly correlated with PALN metastasis. PALN metastasis is suggested to be related to the systemic spread of lymphatic metastasis even in lower thoracic esophageal cancer. PALN dissection for pathological PALN(+) patients should not be performed. It remains to be determined in future prospective studies whether patients without pathological PALN metastasis, but showing PALN micrometastasis, could achieve improved survival with PALN dissection.

Nosocomial outbreak of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis accompanying environmental contamination with adenoviruses.

An outbreak of acute keratoconjunctivitis involving 27 patients occurred in the Department of Ophthalmology, Kurume University Hospital. Adenoviral DNA was detected in four inpatients, one outpatient and one healthcare worker. Sequence-based typing of adenoviral DNA indicated serotype 3 from one inpatient, the rest being serotype 37. At a later stage of the outbreak adenoviral DNA types 37 and/or 3 were also detected from almost all environmental instruments and commonly used eye drops, despite thorough disinfection of the environment and enforcement of various infection control measures. The detection rate of adenoviral DNA in environmental swabs was 81%. A further second disinfection of the environment reduced the detection rate of adenoviral DNA to 38%. The outbreak ceased after closing the ophthalmology ward and outpatient consulting room, accompanied by enhanced cleaning of environmental instruments and the introduction of disposable eye drops for individual patients.

A retrospective analysis of the clinical effects of neoadjuvant combination therapy with full-dose gemcitabine and radiation therapy in patients with biliary tract cancer.

PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate survival and the objective response to neoadjuvant combination therapy with gemcitabine and radiation therapy in patients with biliary tract cancer. METHODS: The chemoradiation therapy regimen consisted of 3 cycles of full-dose gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2 at days 1, 8, and 15, every 4 weeks) with 50-60 Gy radiation. We compared 27 patients who received neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy and 79 patients who were treated without neoadjuvant therapy. Hemi-hepatectomy or pancreatoduodenectomy was planned for all of the patients in the study population. CT-based staging was used to adjust for the pre-treatment characteristics of the patients. RESULTS: After confirming the reproducibility of CT-based staging, we analyzed the survival of the patients. The multivariate analysis showed that the absence of arterial invasion on CT, the absence of lymph node swelling, and neoadjuvant therapy were independent prognostic factors. The three-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates in patients treated with and without neoadjuvant therapy were 78% and 58%, respectively (P = 0.0263). The adjusted overall survival (OS) (determined by the inverse probability of treatment weighting method using the inverse propensity score) was improved by neoadjuvant therapy (P = 0.00187); the hazard ratio was 0.3505. CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy might have the potential to improve RFS and OS. REGISTRATION: UMIN-CTR UMIN000015450.

Risk factors for graft dysfunction after adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for graft dysfunction after adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Thirty-nine adults with chronic cirrhosis underwent LDLT between 1999 and 2004. Their postoperative courses were uneventful with no vascular or bile duct complications early after LDLT, except one mild hepatic artery stenosis. The preoperative MELD scores were significantly higher in the failed graft group (n=5) than the functioning graft group (n=34; P=.004), while the graft liver weight/standard liver volume ratio was similar between these groups. We concluded that a high preoperative MELD score was associated with postoperative graft failure and that graft size had little impact on graft outcome. Although large grafts would seem intuitively more suitable for sick recipients, we did not show a benefit among this cohort; the MELD score was the best predictor, a finding that is also most consistent with donor safety.

Alpha-fetoprotein mRNA detection in peripheral blood for prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after liver transplantation.

The aim of this study was to assess the value of alphafeto protein (AFP) mRNA-expressing cells detected in peripheral blood for predicting tumor recurrence after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The test group consisted of 25 patients who underwent LDLT for end-stage liver disease with HCC while the control group consisted of 37 living donors. Quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used for detection of AFP mRNA-expressing cells in peripheral blood. Nine (36%) of 25 patients developed tumor recurrences (four lung; one liver; one peritoneum; two bone; one adrenal gland) during the follow-up period. Perioperatively, AFP mRNA was positive in peripheral blood of eight patients (32.0%) but only in 1 (2.7%) of the control. Preoperative AFP mRNA was positive in three cases. Univariate analyses revealed that preoperative and perioperative AFP mRNA and microscopical vascular invasion were the significant predictors for HCC recurrence (P = .007, .037, and .005, respectively). In the patients with HCC exceeding Milan criteria (n = 15), the presence of AFP mRNA-positive cells in the peripheral blood correlated significantly with HCC recurrence (P = .033). We concluded that the presence of AFP mRNA-expressing cells could be a useful predictor of HCC recurrence in liver transplant patients.

Clinical implications of p53 autoantibodies in the sera of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: The presence of autoantibodies to p53 protein has been associated with the presence of p53 (also known as TP53) gene mutations in primary tumors and with poor prognosis. This study was undertaken to determine the clinical significance of p53 autoantibodies in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: We studied 188 consecutive patients with NSCLC who underwent pulmonary resection and for whom preoperative serum was available. The presence of p53 autoantibodies, detected by use of two amino-terminal and two carboxy-terminal peptides (20-30 mers) as antigens and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, was related to various clinicopathologic parameters and to overexpression of p53 protein in the primary tumor. For 22 patients who had p53 autoantibodies before surgery, we also examined sera taken during postoperative follow-up. Reported P values are two-sided. RESULTS: Autoantibodies to p53 protein were detected in 38 patients. Patients with squamous cell carcinoma, those with more advanced disease (stage III-IV), and those with tumors that overexpressed p53 had a significantly higher incidence of p53 autoantibodies (P = .05,.0079, and .02, respectively). In all but one of the patients with postoperative serum samples, the antibody titer declined after surgery; however, there was no relationship between clinical course and this change in antibody titer. In addition, there was no relationship between the presence of p53 autoantibodies and overall survival in 171 patients who underwent potentially curative resection (P = .28); however, 13 patients with autoantibodies to amino-terminal peptides had a worse overall survival (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: In NSCLC, the incidence of p53 autoantibodies is associated with histologic type, stage, and p53 overexpression--but not with patient survival. Our data do not support the clinical utility of p53 autoantibodies as diagnostic or prognostic markers in patients with NSCLC.

Novel prognostic prediction models for patients with stage IV colorectal cancer after concurrent curative resection.

BACKGROUND: We developed a prediction tool for recurrence and survival in patients with stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC) following surgically curative resection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 1983 to December 2012, 113 patients with CRC and synchronous liver and/or lung metastatic CRC were investigated at the Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases. All patients underwent curative resection of primary and metastatic lesions. In the group of patients who underwent surgery from 1983 to 2008, a Cox regression model was used to develop prediction models for 1-year, 3-year and 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) and relapse-free survival (RFS). In the other group of patients who underwent surgery from 2009 to 2012, the developed prediction model was validated. RESULTS: Univariate analysis of clinicopathological factors showed that the following factors were significantly correlated with CSS and RFS: preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen level, tumour location, pathologically defined tumour invasion and lymph node metastasis, and synchronous metastatic lesions. Using these variables, novel prediction models predicting CSS and RFS were constructed using the Cox regression model with concordance indexes of 0.802 for CSS and 0.631 for RFS. The prediction models were validated by external data sets in an independent patient group. CONCLUSIONS: We developed novel and reliable personalised prognostic models, integrating tumour, node, metastasis (TNM) factors as well as the preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen level, tumour location and metastatic lesions, to predict patients' prognosis following surgically curative resection. This individualised prediction model may help clinicians in the treatment of postoperative stage IV CRC following surgically curative resection.

Ile-Ser-bradykinin (T-kinin) and Met-Ile-Ser-bradykinin (Met-T-kinin) are released from T-kininogen by an acid proteinase of granulomatous tissues in rats.

An acid proteinase of granulomatous tissues in rats with carrageenin-induced inflammation released kinin from T-kininogen. The kinin isolated by n-butanol extraction was separated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography into T-kinin and a T-kinin derivative. From determination of its amino acid composition and its immunoreactivity toward anti-bradykinin antiserum, the T-kinin derivative was identified as Met-Ile-Ser-bradykinin (Met-T-kinin).

Morphological study of recombinant human transforming growth factor beta 1-induced intramembranous ossification in neonatal rat parietal bone.

Recombinant human transforming growth factor beta 1 (rhu TGF beta 1) was injected singly or repeatedly for 3-12 days into the periosteum of the right side parietal bone of neonatal rats under the period of bone growth, and the time course of histological changes of the bone was observed by light and electron microscopy and by enzyme histochemistry. The repeated injections of rhu TGF beta 1 at 200 ng/day increased the thickness of the bone tissue on the treated side, which was about twice the nontreated side value after 12-day injections. On the dermal side, preosteoblasts in the periosteum increased in an early stage of treatment, and thereafter, differentiation into osteoblasts, increase of bone matrix, bone marrow cavity formation, and increase of osteoclasts within the bone marrow cavities were observed. Activation of osteoblasts on the dura mater side was also seen. The single injection of rhu TGF beta 1 at 200 ng resulted only in increased osteoprogenitor cell layers and bone matrix formation in an early stage, and the thickness of the osteoprogenitor cell layers and bone tissue at 12 days after single injection was comparable to the values on the nontreated side. At 1 microgram, however, the osteoblasts were activated, and the osteoprogenitor cell layers and bone matrix formation were markedly increased. At 12 days, the bone tissue thickness on the treated side was about twice the nontreated side value, as in the repeated treatment groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Detection of contamination of vaccines with the reticuloendotheliosis virus by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

The reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was applied to detect contamination of Marek's disease (MD) vaccine with reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV). The env primers were used for the 1st RT-PCR to amplify the DNA fragments of REV-A and -T. The rel and env primers were used for nested-PCR to confirm the sites deleted from REV-T and REV-A. Specific amplification products were detected in the 1st RT-PCR with these primers. By nested PCR with the env and the rel primer pairs, the products originating from REV-A and -T were identified. This system, using the env primer pairs, showed a specific amplification with several REV strains (REV-T, DE, CE, KI and 0202), but no amplified product was detected with MDV, NDV, IBV or ILTV. The 1st RT-PCR detected the virus in a concentration of 10(3) in 50% fluorescent antibody infectious dose per ml (FAID50/ml) and the nested PCR detected 10(1) FAID50/ml virus. The sensitivity of the RT-PCR system was found to be higher than that of the FA assay. This system provides a rapid, sensitive and specific method for detection of contamination of MD vaccines with REV-RNA, and it may be applied for quality control of live vaccines.

Biological and genetic characterization of a human immunodeficiency virus strain resistant to CXCR4 antagonist T134.

The chemokine receptors CXCR4 and CCR5 are considered to be potential targets for the inhibition of HIV-1 replication. We have reported that T134 and T140 inhibited X4 HIV-1 infection specifically because they acted as CXCR4 antagonists. In the present study, we have generated a T134-resistant virus (trHIV-1(NL4-3)) in a cell culture with gradually increasing concentrations of the compound. The EC(50) of T134 against trHIV-1(NL4-3) recovered after 145 passages was 15 times greater than that against wild-type HIV-1(NL4-3). This adapted virus was resistant to other CXCR4 antagonists, T140, AMD3100, and ALX40-4C, and SDF-1; from 10 to 145 times greater than that against wild-type HIV-1(NL4-3). On the other hand, T134, T140, and ALX40-4C were still active against AMD3100-resistant viruses (arHIV-1(018A)). The trHIV-1(NL4-3) contained the following mutations in the V3 loop of gp120: N269K, Q278T, R279K, A284V, F285L, V286Y, I288T, K290E, N293D, M294I, and Q296K; an insertion of T at 290; and Delta274-275 (SI). In addition, many other mutations were recognized in the V1, V2, and V4 domains. Thus, resistance to T134 may be the consequence of amino acid substitutions in the envelope glycoprotein of X4 HIV-1. The trHIV-1(NL4-3) could not utilize CCR5 as an HIV infection coreceptor, although many amino acid substitutions were recognized. The trHIV-1(NL4-3) acquired resistance to vMIP II, which could inhibit both X4 and R5 HIV-1 infection. However, neither the ligands of CCR5, RANTES, and MIP-1alpha, nor a CCR5 low molecular antagonist, TAK-779, were able to influence the infection of trHIV-1(NL4-3). Those results indicated that alternation of coreceptor usage of trHIV-1(NL4-3) was not induced.

Histological diagnosis of amniotic fluid embolism by monoclonal antibody TKH-2 that recognizes NeuAc alpha 2-6GalNAc epitope.

This study evaluates whether immunohistochemical staining using antibody TKH-2 is presented as a sensitive method for the histological diagnosis of amniotic fluid embolism (AFE). TKH-2 is the sensitive antibody clearly directed to sialyl Tn, NeuAc alpha 2-6GalNAc and reacts with meconium- and amniotic fluid-derived mucin-type glycoprotein. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded maternal lung tissue sections were obtained from four cases of patients showing AFE, and four women uninvolved with AFE served as control. Specimens were stained using the streptavidin-biotin-immunoperoxidase method. The results of immunostaining were compared with those of hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) or a conventional Alcian blue stain. Remarkable positive TKH-2 stainings were observed easily within the pulmonary vasculature in patients with AFE syndrome. AFE can be easily missed on H&E sections. Compared with TKH-2 staining, Alcian blue staining also may be insufficient to show intravascular mucin in the maternal lung sections. TKH-2 immunostaining is the sensitive method to detect meconium- and amniotic fluid-derived mucin in the lung sections of patients with AFE syndrome.

Prognostic significance of posturally induced crackles. Long-term follow-up of patients after recovery from acute myocardial infarction.

We found that on pulmonary auscultation, fine crackles could be induced by changing the posture from sitting to supine and/or from supine to supine with passive leg elevation in patients without obvious congestive heart failure. We named these crackles "posturally induced crackles (PIC)." To investigate the relationship between PIC and long-term prognosis after myocardial infarction, we followed up 262 patients who recovered from acute myocardial infarction for a mean period of six years. Cardiac death occurred in three of 78 PIC-negative patients and in 28 of 143 PIC-positive patients. PIC-negative patients had a significantly better long-term prognosis than PIC-positive patients according to the Kaplan-Meier survival curves for cardiac death (p < 0.01). In a multilogistic model based on 70 appropriate cases, PIC was the third most important prognosticator after recovery from myocardial infarction and the number of diseased coronary vessels and the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure ranked first and second, respectively.

Frequency of MAGE-3 gene expression in HLA-A2 positive patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Melanoma tumor antigens, MAGE-1 and -3 are presented on HLA-A1 and -Cw*1601, or -A1 and -A2, respectively, to the corresponding cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). If CTL recognizing these antigens were generated in patients, clones of positive tumor cells should be eliminated. To ascertain whether such an immunological response is active in patients with lung cancer and to determine what fraction of lung cancer patients are candidates for MAGE oriented immunotherapy, we assessed the relationship between HLA-A1 or -A2 expression and MAGE-1 or -3 gene expression in their tumors. MAGE-1 and -3 were detected in 18/55 (33%) and 23/55 (42%), respectively, by reverse transcriptase (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Allele specific PCR revealed HLA-A1 and -A2 alleles to be expressed in 0/55 (0%) and 22/55 (40%) of our cohort, respectively. Among the 22 patients with HLA-A2 genotype, expression of HLA class I antigens detectable by immunohistochemistry was lost in five (23%) cases. The frequency of MAGE-3 expression in HLA-A2 patients was 5/17 (29%), somewhat lower than that of patients without HLA-A2 expression, 18/38 (47%), although the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.17). Neither was there a significant association between HLA-A2/MAGE-3 co-expression and survival (P = 0.15, logrank test). We conclude that there is no clear evidence for elimination of lung cancers co-expressing HLA-A2 and MAGE-3 in vivo. Approximately 10% (5/55) of Japanese lung cancer patients are potential candidates for MAGE-3-based immunotherapy.

Effects of unsaturated fatty acids on the peroxisomal enzyme activities of Tetrahymena pyriformis.

The effects of unsaturated fatty acids on the activities of peroxisomal enzymes of Tetrahymena pyriformis were investigated. When saturated fatty acids and the corresponding unsaturated fatty acids (C18) were added to the culture medium at 0.05%, the activities of peroxisomal enzymes [fatty acyl-CoA oxidase (FAO), carnitine acetyltransferase (CAT), isocitrate lyase (ICL), and malate synthase (MS)] were significantly increased. The order of effectiveness was linoleic acid greater than oleic acid greater than stearic acid. However, alpha-linolenic acid and gamma-linolenic acid at the same concentration were lethal to the cells. The inhibitory effect on growth disappeared upon addition of an antioxidant, alpha-tocopherol. Lipid peroxides derived from unsaturated fatty acids induced marked cell lysis. In the presence of a low concentration (0.005%) of linolenic acid the production of lipid peroxide was lower and no inhibitory effect on the growth was observed, while the activities of peroxisomal enzymes participating in lipid metabolism and that of catalase were significantly increased. These results indicate that the peroxisomal enzyme systems related to the beta-oxidations of fatty acids and the glyoxylate cycle are regulated by unsaturated long-chain fatty acids, including linolenic acid, at low concentrations, as well as by saturated fatty acid in the medium.

The regulation of peroxisomal enzyme systems of Tetrahymena pyriformis by fatty acid composition, glucose and oxygen in the medium.

The effect of the chain length of fatty acids on peroxisomal enzyme activities of Tetrahymena pyriformis was investigated. The growth of cells and the activities of peroxisomal enzymes were inhibited markedly by the addition of medium-chain fatty acids (C6-C12) to the culture medium, whereas the addition of longer-chain fatty acids (C14-C18) resulted in a slight increase of growth and in the marked stimulation of enzyme activities concerned with fatty acid beta-oxidation and the glyoxylate cycle in peroxisomes. Peroxisomal beta-oxidation (fatty acyl-CoA oxidase) was more potent towards longer-chain fatty acids than the mitochondrial activity (fatty acyl-CoA dehydrogenase). The induction of the peroxisomal beta-oxidation system by palmitate was repressed both by the addition of glucose and the aeration of the culture medium, whereas that of the peroxisomal glyoxylate cycle was repressed only by the addition of glucose to the medium. These results indicate that peroxisomal enzyme systems related to the beta-oxidation of fatty acids and the glyoxylate cycle are regulated by the compositions of fatty acids, glucose, and oxygen in the medium.