CD9-positive cells in the intermediate lobe migrate into the anterior lobe to supply endocrine cells.

The adenohypophysis is composed of the anterior and intermediate lobes (AL and IL), and secretes important hormones for growth, sexual development, metabolism, and reproduction. In the marginal cell layer (MCL) facing Rathke's cleft between the IL and AL, cluster of differentiation (CD) 9-, CD81-, S100ß-, and SOX2-quadruple positive (CD9/CD81/S100ß/SOX2-positive) cells in the adult IL are settled as tissue-resident stem/progenitor cells supplying hormone-producing cells to the AL. However, it is unclear how CD9/CD81/S100ß/SOX2-positive cells in the IL-side MCL migrate into the AL across Rathke's cleft. In the present study, we performed chimeric pituitary tissue culture using S100ß/GFP-transgenic rats and Wistar rats, and traced the footprint of S100ß/GFP-expressing cells. We detected IL-side S100ß/GFP-expressing cells in the AL tissue, demonstrating that these cells migrate from the IL to the AL. However, the cells failed to migrate in the opposite direction. Consistently, scanning electron microscopic analysis revealed well-developed cytoplasmic protrusions in the IL-side MCL, but not in the AL-side MCL, suggesting that IL-side CD9/CD81/S100ß/SOX2-positive cells had higher migratory activity. We also searched for a specific marker for IL-side CD9/CD81/S100ß/SOX2-positive cells and identified tetraspanin 1 (TSPAN1) from microarray analysis. Downregulation of Tspan1 by specific siRNA impaired cell migration and significantly reduced expression of snail family transcriptional repressor 2 (Slug), a marker of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Therefore, CD9/CD81/S100ß/SOX2-positive cells in the IL-side MCL can be stem/progenitor cells that provide stem/progenitor cells to the AL-side MCL via SLUG-mediated EMT and cell migration.

Identification of crude-oil components and microorganisms that cause souring under anaerobic conditions.

Oil souring has important implications with respect to energy resources. Understanding the physiology of the microorganisms that play a role and the biological mechanisms are both important for the maintenance of infrastructure and mitigation of corrosion processes. The objective of this study was to identify crude-oil components and microorganisms in oil-field water that contribute to crude-oil souring. To identify the crude-oil components and microorganisms that are responsible for anaerobic souring in oil reservoirs, biological conversion of crude-oil components under anaerobic conditions was investigated. Microorganisms in oil field water in Akita, Japan degraded alkanes and aromatics to volatile fatty acids (VFAs) under anaerobic conditions, and fermenting bacteria such as Fusibacter sp. were involved in VFA production. Aromatics such as toluene and ethylbenzene were degraded by sulfate-reducing bacteria (Desulfotignum sp.) via the fumarate-addition pathway and not only degradation of VFA but also degradation of aromatics by sulfate-reducing bacteria was the cause of souring. Naphthenic acid and 2,4-xylenol were not converted.

Towards the mechanical characterisation of unruptured intracranial aneurysms: Numerical modelling of interactions between a deformation device and the aneurysm wall.

Intracranial aneurysm is a critical pathology related to the arterial wall deterioration. This work is an essential aspect of a large scale project aimed at providing clinicians with a non-invasive patient-specific decision support tool regarding the rupture risk assessment. A machine learning algorithm links the aneurysm shape observed and a database of UIA clinical images associated with in vivo wall mechanical properties and rupture characterisation. The database constitution is derived from a device prototype coupled with medical imaging. It provides the mechanical characterisation of the aneurysm from the wall deformation obtained by inverse analysis based on the variation of luminal volume. Before performing in vivo tests of the device on small animals, a numerical model was built to quantify the device's impact on the aneurysm wall under natural blood flow conditions. As the clinician will never be able to precisely situate the device, several locations were considered. In preparation for the inverse analysis procedure, artery material laws of increasing complexity were studied (linear elastic, hyper elastic Fung-like). Considering all the device locations and material laws, the device induced relative displacements to the Systole peak (worst case scenario with the highest mechanical stimulus linked to the blood flow) ranging from 375 µm to 1.28 mm. The variation of luminal volume associated with the displacements was between 0.95 % and 4.3 % compared to the initial Systole volume of the aneurysm. Significant increase of the relative displacements and volume variations were found with the study of different cardiac cycle moments between the blood flow alone and the device application. For forthcoming animal model studies, Spectral Photon CT Counting, with a minimum spatial resolution of 250 µm, was selected as the clinical imaging technique. Based on this preliminary study, the displacements and associated volume variations (baseline for inverse analyse), should be observable and exploitable.

A whole-genome association study of major determinants for allopurinol-related Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis in Japanese patients.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN) are severe, cutaneous adverse drug reactions that are rare but life threatening. Genetic biomarkers for allopurinol-related SJS/TEN in Japanese were examined in a genome-wide association study in which Japanese patients (n=14) were compared with ethnically matched healthy controls (n=991). Associations between 890 321 single nucleotide polymorphisms and allopurinol-related SJS/TEN were analyzed by the Fisher's exact test (dominant genotype mode). A total of 21 polymorphisms on chromosome 6 were significantly associated with allopurinol-related SJS/TEN. The strongest association was found at rs2734583 in BAT1, rs3094011 in HCP5 and GA005234 in MICC (P=2.44 × 10(-8); odds ratio=66.8; 95% confidence interval, 19.8-225.0). rs9263726 in PSORS1C1, also significantly associated with allopurinol-related SJS/TEN, is in absolute linkage disequilibrium with human leukocyte antigen-B*5801, which is in strong association with allopurinol-induced SJS/TEN. The ease of typing rs9263726 makes it a useful biomarker for allopurinol-related SJS/TEN in Japanese.

Homozygous CDA*3 is a major cause of life-threatening toxicities in gemcitabine-treated Japanese cancer patients.

Among 242 Japanese pancreatic cancer patients, three patients (1.2%) encountered life-threatening toxicities, including myelosuppression, after gemcitabine-based chemotherapies. Two of them carried homozygous CDA*3 (CDA208G>A [Ala70Thr]), and showed extremely low plasma cytidine deaminase activity and gemcitabine clearance. Our results suggest that homozygous *3 is a major factor causing gemcitabine-mediated severe adverse reactions among the Japanese population.

Neurons in monkey prefrontal cortex that track past or predict future performance.

Although frontal cortex is thought to be important in controlling behavior across long periods of time, most studies of this area concentrate on neuronal responses instantaneously relevant to the current task. In order to investigate the relationship of frontal activity to behavior over longer time periods, we trained rhesus monkeys on a difficult oculomotor task. Their performance fluctuated during the day, and the activity of prefrontal neurons, even measured while the monkeys waited for the targets to appear at the beginning of each set of trials, correlated with performance in a probabilistic rather than a determinist manner: neurons reflected past or predicted future performance, much more than they reflected current performance. We suggest that this activity is related to processes such as arousal or motivation that set the tone for behavior rather than controlling it on a millisecond basis, and could result from ascending pathways that utilize slow, second-messenger synaptic processes.

Distinction by concanavalin A agglutination between ulceration and repair of rat bladder epithelium induced by freezing or cyclophosphamide and the effect of sodium saccharin.

Agglutination of rat urinary bladder epithelial cells by concanavalin A (Con A) has been reported to be an early marker of bladder carcinogenesis. Ulceration of the bladder, induced by cyclophosphamide (CP) or freezing, followed by sodium saccharin in the diet results in the induction of bladder cancer. In the present studies, the agglutination of rat urinary bladder epithelial cells by Con A was shown to be increased during the regenerative hyperplasia following ulceration induced by i.p. CP injection, but it returned to normal levels by Day 21 when the preparative process was nearly complete. This effect correlated quantitatively with the dose of CP. However, if CP administration was followed by sodium saccharin in the diet beginning 14 days after the injection, the agglutinability of bladder cells by Con A persisted. In contrast, agglutination of bladder cells by Con A during regenerative hyperplasia following ulceration induced by freezing was not increased whether sodium saccharin was fed or not. These results indicate that Con A agglutination distinguishes between the regenerative hyperplasia induced by CP or freezing, even though either method followed by sodium saccharin in the diet results in bladder cancer in the rat.

Effect of aspirin on urinary bladder carcinogenesis initiated with N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide in rats.

N-[4-(5-Nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide (FANFT), a potent urinary bladder carcinogen, is metabolically activated in vitro by a variety of enzyme systems including aerobic cooxidation by prostaglandin H synthase which is present in the rat bladder mucosa. In a previous experiment, aspirin coadministered with FANFT for 12 weeks inhibited FANFT-induced bladder carcinogenesis and enhanced forestomach carcinogenesis. To further evaluate the effects of aspirin on FANFT carcinogenesis, male F344 rats were fed either FANFT (0.2% of the diet) for 12 weeks (Group 4), aspirin (0.5% of the diet) simultaneously with FANFT for 12 weeks (Group 2), aspirin simultaneously with FANFT for 12 weeks and then subsequently to the end of the experiment (Group 1), or FANFT only followed by aspirin (Group 3). The incidence of bladder carcinoma was significantly higher when aspirin was fed after FANFT treatment (87%) compared to FANFT followed by control diet (48%) and was higher in rats given aspirin plus FANFT followed by aspirin (73%) compared to aspirin plus FANFT followed by control diet (47%). Aspirin alone given for 13 weeks (Group 6) or throughout the experiment (68 weeks) (Group 5) did not induce bladder cancer. However, in all groups administered aspirin long-term, renal papillary necrosis and renal pelvic hyperplasia and atypia were frequently observed. Only a single forestomach tumor was observed. In the present experiment, aspirin appeared to exhibit promoting activity for bladder carcinogenesis in the rat.

Synergism by sodium L-ascorbate but inhibition by L-ascorbic acid for sodium saccharin promotion of rat two-stage bladder carcinogenesis.

Since both sodium L-ascorbate (Na-AsA) and sodium saccharin (Na-Sac) promote two-stage bladder carcinogenesis in rats, synergism of the two chemicals was investigated with special reference to the role of urinary pH and Na+ concentration. Male F344 rats were given 0.05% N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine in the drinking water for 4 wk and then treated with basal diet containing 5% Na-Sac, 5% Na-AsA, 5% Na-Sac plus 5% Na-AsA, 5% L-ascorbic acid (AsA), 5% Na-Sac plus 5% AsA, or no added chemical for 32 wk. Treatment with Na-Sac or Na-AsA alone significantly increased the induction of neoplastic and preneoplastic lesions of the bladder. Na-Sac plus Na-AsA also induced these bladder lesions significantly when compared with the controls, and the number of lesions was greater than the sum of the lesions in the groups treated with Na-Sac alone or Na-AsA alone. In contrast, the induction of carcinomas and papillomas in rats treated with Na-Sac plus AsA was not significantly different from the controls. In addition Na-Sac plus Na-AsA produced an elevation of urinary pH and Na+ concentrations, although the increases were not different from those in rats fed Na-Sac or Na-AsA alone. Na-Sac plus AsA, however, did not cause elevation of urinary pH, although it increased urinary Na+ concentration. Thus, the bladder carcinogenesis promotion by Na-Sac was synergized by Na-AsA and inhibited by AsA. This modulation was associated with changes of urinary pH and Na+ concentration.

Modification by catechol and resorcinol of upper digestive tract carcinogenesis in rats treated with methyl-N-amylnitrosamine.

Modifying effects of the environmental contaminant catechol, and its isomers resorcinol and hydroquinone, on methyl-N-amylnitrosamine (MNAN)-induced carcinogenesis were studied in male F344 rats. Groups of 15 rats were given three i.p. injections of 25 mg/kg of body weight of MNAN within the initial 2-wk period, and commencing 1 wk thereafter they were administered 0.8% catechol, 0.8% resorcinol, or 0.8% hydroquinone in powdered basal diet or were given basal diet alone for 49 wk. Additional groups of 10 to 15 rats were similarly treated without prior carcinogen exposure. Histological examination after sacrifice at wk 52 revealed that the incidences of tongue papillomas and esophageal squamous cell carcinomas in the groups given MNAN followed by catechol (57.1% and 64.3%) or resorcinol (50% and 58.8%) were significantly higher than those in the carcinogen only controls (9.1, and 0%, respectively). Hydroquinone also enhanced the development of esophageal squamous cell carcinomas but was less active than catechol or resorcinol. The incidence of alveolar hyperplasia in the lungs of the group given MNAN followed by catechol (0%) was, in contrast, significantly reduced as compared to the control value (54.5%). Hydroquinone and resorcinol showed a similar but non-significant tendency. These results indicated that the environmental contaminant, catechol and its isomers, may play a role in the development of human upper gastrointestinal cancer, in addition to exerting modifying effects in other organs.

Promotion by dihydroxybenzene derivatives of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine-induced F344 rat forestomach and glandular stomach carcinogenesis.

Modifying effects of resorcinol, hydroquinone, p-tert-butylcatechol (PTBC), p-methylcatechol (PMC), and o-methylcatechol on N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-induced forestomach and glandular stomach carcinogenesis were investigated in F344 rats. Groups of 15 to 16 male 6-wk-old animals were given a single intragastric administration of 150 mg/kg of body weight of MNNG and starting 1 wk later were administered powdered diet containing 0.8% resorcinol, 0.8% hydroquinone, 1.5% PTBC, 1.5% o-methylcatechol, 1.5% PMC, or basal diet alone for 51 wk. Additional groups of 10 to 15 rats each were treated with the phenolic compounds or received basal diet without prior carcinogen exposure. Histological examination after sacrifice at Wk 52 revealed that squamous cell carcinoma development in the forestomachs of rats treated with MNNG followed by PTBC (75%, P less than 0.001) or MNNG followed by PMC (100%, P less than 0.001) was significantly greater than in animals receiving MNNG alone (20%). Treatment with PMC alone also resulted in a 40% yield of papilloma. In the glandular stomach, incidences of adenomatous hyperplasias in rats treated with MNNG followed by PTBC (31.3%, P less than 0.05) or PMC (100%, P less than 0.001) and the incidence of adenocarcinomas in rats treated with MNNG followed by PMC (100%, P less than 0.001) were significantly higher than in controls. In addition, PMC alone induced a 100% yield of adenomatous hyperplasias and 6.7% of adenocarcinomas. Thus, the results demonstrated that PTBC and PMC treatment significantly enhances forestomach and glandular stomach carcinogenesis and that PMC itself may possess weak carcinogenic potential in these organs. The ortho-position appears to be important for this dihydroxybenzene activity.

Initiation of urinary bladder carcinogenesis in rats by freeze ulceration with sodium saccharin promotion.

Sodium saccharin was previously shown to induce a significant incidence of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder when administered to rats either immediately or beginning 2 weeks after ulceration of the bladder epithelium induced by freezing or cyclophosphamide injection. However, the marked regenerative hyperplasia following ulceration by either of these methods is not completely repaired until 3 to 4 weeks after ulceration. To determine whether initiation in this model was due to the ulceration and regenerative hyperplasia alone or if it was due to the administration of sodium saccharin acting on the hyperplastic epithelium, the effect of administering sodium saccharin at various times after ulceration was examined. Five-week-old F344 male rats were given sodium saccharin as 5% of the diet beginning either immediately (Group 1) or 2, 4, 6, or 18 weeks (Groups 2, 3, 4, or 5, respectively) after freezing of the bladder, and sacrificed 2 years after the start of the experiment. The incidences of rats with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder were 11 of 36 rats (31%) in Group 1, 6 of 36 (17%) in Group 2, 12 of 40 (30%) in Group 3, 7 of 36 (19%) in Group 4, and 9 of 39 (23%) in Group 5. Sodium saccharin without prior ulceration induced a transitional cell papilloma in one rat, and freeze ulceration without subsequent sodium saccharin induced a transitional cell carcinoma in one rat. No bladder lesions were seen in the untreated control rats. Scanning electron microscopic examination of rats fed sodium saccharin after ulceration showed evidence of multifocal hyperplasia and significant surface changes either at Week 18 of the experiment (Groups 1 to 3) or 18 weeks after beginning sodium saccharin administration (Groups 4 and 5). These results indicate that freeze ulceration of the bladder induced irreversible changes in the epithelial cells related to bladder cancer initiation even though the regenerative hyperplasia is morphologically reversible, and that sodium saccharin promotes the tumorigenic expression of those freeze ulceration-induced cellular changes even after healing from the injury.

L-ascorbic acid amplification of bladder carcinogenesis promotion by K2CO3.

The dose dependence of K2CO3 promotion of two-stage urinary bladder carcinogenesis and the amplifying effects of additional L-ascorbic acid (AsA) administration were investigated. Male F344 rats were given 0.05% N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine in their drinking water for 4 weeks and then fed basal diet containing K2CO3 at levels of 0, 1, 1.5, 2.2, and 3% with or without 5% AsA or 3% NaHCO3 supplementation from weeks 5 to 8 (4 weeks) and weeks 12 to 20 (9 weeks). During weeks 9 to 11 (3 weeks), the rats were fed 3% uracil in their diet. For controls, rats without N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine treatment were given either 3% K2CO3, 5% AsA, or both plus the uracil treatment. The total observation period was 20 weeks. K2CO3 dose dependently increased the numbers of the putative preneoplastic lesion, papillary or nodular hyperplasia, and papillomas in rats initiated with N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine. AsA (5%), while itself exerting no promoting effect, amplified the enhancing influence of K2CO3 on the induction of papillary or nodular hyperplasia and papillomas. The dose-dependent elevation of urinary pH and K+ concentration was associated with K2CO3 treatment with or without AsA. Thus, increased urinary pH and K+ concentration appear to play important roles in K2CO3 promotion, and AsA amplifies this promotion.

Effect of L-tryptophan excess and vitamin B6 deficiency on rat urinary bladder cancer promotion.

To further evaluate the role of tryptophan and vitamin B6 in bladder carcinogenesis, male Fischer 344 rats were fed 0.2% N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide (FANFT) in semipurified diet or were given semipurified diet alone for 4 weeks. One week later, rats from each group were assigned for the remainder of the experiment to one of four experimental diets, labeled as follows: group 1, control semipurified; group 2, L-tryptophan excess (2%); group 3, vitamin B6-deficient (1.0 mg/kg diet); or group 4, L-tryptophan excess, plus vitamin B6-deficient diet. All surviving rats were killed at 80 weeks of the experiment. Throughout the study, body weights were reduced in the groups fed FANFT and, at 70 and 80 weeks, body weights were reduced in the groups given tryptophan excess. The incidence of urinary bladder carcinoma was highest in the group treated with FANFT, followed by diet with control tryptophan and vitamin B6 levels (40%). The disease incidence was reduced in the vitamin B6-deficient group (13%) and of an intermediate range in the groups fed a tryptophan excess with or without vitamin B6 deficiency (28-29%). Tumors at other sites were greatest in number in FANFT-treated rats fed vitamin B6-deficient diet with excess tryptophan and were significantly fewer in FANFT-treated rats fed vitamin B6-deficient diet alone. Animals given diet deficient in vitamin B6 consistently had depressed levels of alanine aminotransferase activity and plasma pyridoxyl phosphate. FANFT pretreatment decreased alanine aminotransferase activities in rats in some groups and the feeding of tryptophan had variable effects on alanine aminotransferase and plasma pyridoxyl phosphate levels. Urinary tryptophan metabolites were influenced by all treatments, but the results did not correlate with tumor yields. Urinary bladder ornithine decarboxylase activity was not altered in vitamin B6-deficient female rats. These results do not support the hypothesis that increased dietary L-tryptophan promotes bladder carcinogenesis in rats, but other dietary factors might modify the process following FANFT initiation.

Inhibition by aspirin of N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide initiation and sodium saccharin promotion of urinary bladder carcinogenesis in male F344 rats.

N-[4-(5-Nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide (FANFT) is metabolically activated by several enzyme systems, including prostaglandin H synthase. Aspirin is an inhibitor of prostaglandin H synthase and has been shown to inhibit FANFT-induced bladder carcinogenesis when coadministered in the diet. To further evaluate the effects of aspirin on bladder carcinogenesis in the rat, we have coadministered aspirin with FANFT during the initiation phase and with sodium saccharin during the promotion phase of carcinogenesis. FANFT was administered in the diet at a level of 0.2% for 6 weeks as the initiator and sodium saccharin was administered in the diet at a level of 5% for 61 weeks as promoting stimulus. Aspirin was administered at a level of 0.5% with FANFT or with sodium saccharin, and appropriate control groups were included. Weanling male Fischer 344 rats were utilized and the chemicals were added to Agway Prolab 3000 rat chow. A 1-week interval was included between the FANFT and sodium saccharin administration during which the rats received either aspirin containing diet or control chow, depending on the treatment regimen of the group. Thirty rats were included in each group at the beginning of the experiment, except for the control group which contained 40. Rats given FANFT followed by saccharin had a bladder carcinoma incidence of 83%. Rats given aspirin with FANFT but not with saccharin had a carcinoma incidence of 20% and the rats fed aspirin with the saccharin but not with the FANFT had an incidence of 28%. FANFT followed by control diet resulted in a bladder carcinoma incidence of 10%, as was true for the rats given FANFT plus aspirin followed by control diet. However, the hyperplastic effects induced in the bladder epithelium by saccharin without prior FANFT administration were inhibited by coadministration with aspirin. These results indicate that aspirin inhibits both FANFT initiation and sodium saccharin promotion of bladder carcinogenesis, but the mechanisms involved would most probably be different for each.

Chemoprevention by dehydroepiandrosterone and indomethacin in a rat multiorgan carcinogenesis model.

The chemopreventive efficacy of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and indomethacin (IM) alone or in combination was investigated in a rat multiorgan carcinogenesis model. These two chemicals were selected as chemopreventive agents with different functions. Animals were sequentially given five carcinogens with different organ target sites in the first 4-week initiation period. One week after its completion, the rats received 0.3% DHEA in the diet, 20 ppm IM in the drinking water, or 0.3% DHEA + 20 ppm IM until experimental week 28. DHEA enhanced hepatocarcinogenesis, but concurrent treatment with IM suppressed tumor development as compared to the DHEA group. DHEA inhibited tumor development in the thyroid, with a similar tendency observed for the small intestine. In addition, treatment with this hormone decreased occurrences of preneoplasias in the urinary bladder and seminal vesicles. Treatment with IM clearly suppressed development of preneoplasias or neoplasias in the lung and small and large intestines. In the urinary bladder, treatment with IM tended to decrease preneoplastic lesion development. Analysis of multiplicity of total tumors of any category revealed comparable values for DHEA and control groups, while the IM group showed a significant reduction. IM in combination with DHEA caused suppression as compared to DHEA alone. In a separate 8-week experiment, DHEA or IM were administered for 4 weeks after prior carcinogen application, and biochemical responses in the target organs were investigated. DHEA increased glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase levels in the liver but caused a decrease in the small intestine. In addition, DHEA decreased serum T4 but not T3. IM decreased prostaglandin E2 content in the small intestine. In conclusion, although DHEA or IM exert significant chemopreventive effects in multiorgans with the exception of the DHEA-treated liver case, treatment in combination did not result in amplification of their beneficial influence. Our results suggest the possible application of IM for chemoprevention in high-risk individuals, but the question of effects of DHEA in the liver must be answered before this hormone can be considered for use in humans.

Increased risk of mammary carcinoma development following transplacental and trans-breast milk exposure to a food-derived carcinogen, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Effects of transplacental and trans-breast milk exposure to a food-derived mammary and colon carcinogen, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), were investigated in rats. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were administered PhIP in the diet (100 ppm) for 4 weeks before mating with nontreated males and also during gestation and lactation. As controls, additional females were maintained on the basal diet without PhIP and mated as with the treated animals. The offspring of both groups were subdivided for each sex at weaning into three dietary groups receiving 100, 25, and 0 ppm and were killed at 47 weeks of age. Effects of the transplacental and neonatal exposure to PhIP on mammary carcinogenesis were most evident in females administered 25 ppm PhIP after weaning; the incidence and multiplicity of adenocarcinomas in offspring from the PhIP fed dams (42.9%, 0.62/rat) was significantly higher than the value for offspring from nontreated dams (4.8%, 0.05/rat). Furthermore, in the basal diet groups, the incidence of adenocarcinomas in females was higher, albeit not significantly, in offspring of the PhIP-treated than the nontreated dams (16.7%, 0.22/rat as compared with 3.3%, 0.07/rat). Although the highest incidence of mammary adenocarcinomas was found in the female progeny given 100 ppm PhIP from PhIP-treated dams (70.0%, 1.55/rat), this was only slightly higher than the 61.9% and 0.90/rat of the same dose group from the nontreated dams. In males, no apparent effects of transplacental and neonatal exposures were evident. In a separate experiment, excretion of PhIP into breast milk and transfer of PhIP to fetuses and neonates with resultant hepatic PhIP-DNA adduct formation were demonstrated. Thus, maternal exposure to this food-derived carcinogen may be a critical risk factor for generation of mammary carcinomas.

The prostate: a target for carcinogenicity of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) derived from cooked foods.

Prostate tissues obtained from rats given a food-derived carcinogen, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), at a dose of 400 ppm in the diet for 52 weeks were histopathologically evaluated and found to contain prostate carcinomas limited to the ventral lobe in 18 of 27 cases. Atypical hyperplasias were also detected in the ventral and anterior prostate as well as the seminal vesicles. 32P-Postlabeling analysis of DNA demonstrated that PhIP-DNA adducts are produced in all lobes of the prostate of rats receiving PhIP. The findings indicate that PhIP is carcinogenic to rat prostate in addition to the previously demonstrated targeting of the colon and mammary glands, providing evidence of a possible role of PhIP in human prostate carcinogenesis and highlighting the potential importance of PhIP for man.

The fluctuation of various enzyme activities due to myo-inositol deficiency in Saccharomyces carlsbergensis.

The neutral lipid accumulation in myo-inositol deficient Saccharomyces carlsbergensis results at least partly from an enhancement of acetyl CoA carboxylase activity due to the high level of fructose 1,6-biphosphate which activates acetyl CoA carboxylase, and due to the low level of citrate which counteracts the activation [4]. In an attempt to explore the effect of myo-inositol deficiency on the metabolic fluxes, various enzyme activities were compared between the myo-inositol supplemented and deficient cells. The activities of phosphofructokinase and ATP-citrate lyase increased by 74 and 83%, respectively. The activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was unchanged. Unlike acetyl CoA carboxylase, elimination of low molecular effectors had no influence on their activities. The thermostability of phosphofructokinase (at 53 degrees C) increased, while that of aldolase (at 48 degrees C) greatly decreased due to the deficiency. The thermostability of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (at 52 degrees C) was also unchanged.

The effect of myo-inositol deficiency on lipid metabolism in rats. III. The mechanism of an enhancement in lipolysis due to myo-inositol deficiency in rats.

myo-Inositol deficiency in rats produced an overaccumulation of triacylglycerols in the liver due to stimulated lipolysis in the adipose tissue (Hayashi, E., Maeda, T. and Tomita, T. (1974) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 360, 134--155). The mechanism of the enhancement in lipolysis has now been investigated. The lipolytic response to adrenalin, corticotropin and insulin of the epididymal adipose tissue did not change due to the deficiency, but hormone-sensitive lipase activity, plasma adrenalin level and blood pressure were higher in the deficient rats. Adrenalectomy had no influence, but administration of sympathetic nervous blockers (reserpine, hexamethonium and bupranolol) inhibited the liver lipid deposition and an increase of serum free fatty acids in the deficient rats. These results indicate that the enhancement in lipolysis is mediated by an excitation of sympathetic nerve terminals innervating in the adipose tissues.