Bovine lactoferrin decreases histopathological changes in the liver and regulates cytokine production by splenocytes of obstructive jaundiced rats.

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of bovine lactoferrin (BLF) on histopathological changes in the liver of 14 day obstructive jaundiced (OJ) rats and production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) by splenocytes from 7- and 14-day OJ rats. MATERIAL AND SUBJECTS: In the study 50 male rats of the Buffalo strain (170-270 g, mean 230 g) were used. TREATMENT: Rats were given 10 mg BLF in 0.5 ml saline daily, using a stomach tube. BLF was applied 2 days before operation and for 13 days following operation. METHODS: The specimens of liver were prepared using standard techniques. Sections, 5 mm thick were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and reviewed histologically. Microscopic estimation using semiquantitive 4-grade scale was used for evaluation of liver changes. For cytokine measurement splenocyte cultures were stimulated with 5 microg/ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS). After overnight incubation the activities of TNFalpha and IL-6 were determined using bioassays. For statistical evaluation of data the nonparametric Mann-Whitney test was applied. RESULTS: In rats with 14-day OJ, treated with BLF, the pathological changes in the liver were markedly reduced, in particular foci of necrosis with disseminated lymphocytes, cellular necrobiosis, bile duct proliferation and dilation. Neither proliferation of fibrous and reticular connective tissue nor activation of Kupffer cells was revealed. In the 7-day OJ rats treatment with BLF caused significant inhibition of both spontaneous (mean 253, median 275, vs mean 160, median 148 pg/ml, p=0.002) and LPS-induced TNF-alpha production (mean 4967, median 4102, vs mean 2291, median 2234 pg/ ml, p = 0.004) in the splenocyte cultures. The spontaneous (mean 120, median 81, vs mean 43, median 26 pg/ml, p=0.005) as well as LPS-induced IL-6 production (mean 422, median 378, vs mean 293, median 230 pg/ml, p = 0.025) were also lowered. On the other hand, in 14-day OJ, BLF upregulated cytokine production, in particular spontaneous (mean 148, median 158, vs mean 338, median 196, p = 0.001) and LPS-induced TNF-alpha (m ean 1331, median 1507, vs mean 2239, median 1707 pg/ml, p = 0.027). CONCLUSION: We conclude that oral administration of BLF is beneficial in alleviating deleterious effects of OJ.

In vivo tumor necrosis factor-alpha induction following chlorin e6-photodynamic therapy in Buffalo rats.

Photodynamic therapy may induce in the in vivo conditions the cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha in Buffalo rats. The sensitizer, i.e. chlorin e6, in the doses 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 mg/kg of body weight followed by light treatment with total doses 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 J/cm2 resulted in the increase of serum levels of the cytokine. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha have been determined at different time points using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In control animals these levels did not exceed the mean value of 189 pg/ml, whereas in photodynamically treated rats the levels were almost 3-4 times higher. The entire experiment has been carried out on healthy animals; control, tumor-bearing rats have also been included to the present experiment.

Porphobilinogen deaminase activity in malignant proliferative disorders of the lymphatic system and bone marrow.

Porphobilinogen deaminase activity was studied in the erythrocytes of 73 women and 35 men with various malignant proliferative disorders of the lymphatic system and bone marrow, and, for comparison, in the erythrocytes of 34 women and 14 men with non malignant diseases of the haemopoietic system, and in those of 20 healthy women and 20 healthy men. The activity of the enzyme was determined by the Hsiao et al. method, using porphobilinogen as a substrate. Statistical analysis showed a significant decrease of porphobilinogen deaminase activity in the erythrocytes of men with Hodgkin's disease and women with plasmocytoma and with myeloblastic leukemia; an increased activity of the studied enzyme was found only in men with lymphocytic leukemia.

Inflammatory pseudotumor of spleen.

A case of inflammatory pseudotumor of the spleen in a 78-years-old woman is presented. The diagnosis was established histologically. This is the ninth case of this rare entity described in the literature. The differential diagnosis of inflammatory pseudotumor especially with primary lymphoma of the spleen is discussed.

Comparison of porphyrin content in the cortex and medulla of the kidneys and adrenals of patients dying from chronic circulatory insufficiency.

Taking into account a correlation between the metabolism of porphyrins and hormones, and especially the metabolic interactions between the kidneys and adrenals, preliminary pilot studies were carried out on porphyrins in the kidneys and adrenals, separately in the cortex and in the medulla of these organs. The material was taken from 11 men and 8 women dying from circulatory insufficiency with vasculogenic renal fibrosis, and without changes in the adrenals. In all cases the concentration of porphyrins was much higher in the adrenals than that in the kidneys, while the content of uro-, copro-, and protoporphyrin was always higher in the adrenal medulla then that in the cortex. Discussing the results obtained the author suggest a correlation between disturbances of the reno-adrenal feedback, and an extremely increased concentration of porphyrins in the adrenal medulla which could be caused mainly by connections between the metabolism of catecholamines and porphyrins.

[The role of prolactin in neoplastic disease]. / Rola prolaktyny w chorobie nowotworowej.

The role of prolactin in carcinogenesis in experimental animals and in humans presented.

Aflatoxin carcinogenesis in Wistar rats enhanced by thyroideum POLFA.

Comparative studies of carcinogenesis were carried out in Wistar rats receiving Thyroideum Polfa and/or aflatoxin B1. Of decisive importance for the enhancement and acceleration of aflatoxin carcinogenesis, particularly in the kidneys, was the administration of Thyroideum before and during the treatment with aflatoxin B1.

Hereditary porphyria manifesting itself during renal failure in a 49-year-old woman.

Clinical findings in a female patient aged 49 years suggested Conn's syndrome (hypokalemia, alkalosis, hypertension) developing in the course of renal failure. During treatment biochemically confirmed porphyria manifested itself, and the patient died several days later. On autopsy and in histological examinations malignant nephrosclerosis of vascular origin, nodular hyperplasia of the adrenal cortex and lesions of other organs were found. The largest content of porphyrins was shown in the adrenals, and then in the liver, pituitary gland, thyroid and pancreas. A study of other family members confirmed the genetic background of porphyria. Probably, this hereditary latent hepatic porphyria manifested itself after a breakdown of the feedback mechanisms between the kidneys and the endocrine glands, the adrenals in particular.

Organ porphyrins and uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase activity in a case of non-functioning adrenocortical carcinoma.

In a case of metastasizing hormonally non-functioning carcinoma of the cortex of the left adrenal, leading to the death of a man aged 42, the activity of uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase and the concentrations of tissue porphyrins were determined. In the carcinoma a quantitative rise was observed of uroporphyrin, coproporphyrin and, particularly, protoporphyrin, while the total concentration of these three porphyrins was increased in the bone marrow fourfold, in the kidney eightfold in relation to the primary tumour. The correlation between the reduced activity of uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase and the increased concentration of uroporphyrin was noted in the adrenocortical carcinoma and its metastases to the liver and lymph node, and also in the bone marrow and renal medulla.

[Idiopathic form of lethal midline granuloma. Case report]. / Idiopatyczna postac ziarniniaka srodkowej czesci twarzy (midline lethal granuloma). Opis przypadku.

A case of the idiopathic form of facial midline granuloma is described in a man aged 35 years. Good result was obtained after radiotherapy, cobalt radiotherapy and chemotherapy. After 4 years no relapse or generalization of changes were noted.

Uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase and porphyrins in the tissue of human clear-cell renal carcinoma and in its maternal renal cortex.

The activity of uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase and porphyrin concentration were determined in human clear-cell renal carcinomas and in their maternal renal cortex without evidence of malignancy in 24 men and 8 women. The obtained results were compared with the degree of morphological malignancy of various tumors. No positive correlation was found between the activity of uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase and the concentration of porphyrins in the studied tissues. There was no significant correlation between the activity of this enzyme and the porphyrin level and the degree of morphological malignancy of the tumors. However, in most cases the combined concentrations of three porphyrin fractions (uroporphyrin, coproporphyrin and protoporphyrin) were lower in carcinomas than in the unchanged renal cortex of the same kidney.

[Activity of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase in clear cell carcinomas of the human kidney and renal cortex]. / Aktywnosc gamma-glutamylotranspeptydazy w jasnokomórkowych rakach nerki ludzkiej i w ich macierzystej korze nerkowej.

In 30 operated patients (23 men and 7 women) we determined the activity of GGTP in the tissue of renal clear-cell carcinomas and in their renal cortex. It was found that the enzyme activity was constantly lower in the tumours than in the spared kidney however with a correlation between the enhancement of GGTP activity in the renal cortex and clear-cell carcinomas originating in the tissue of the cortex. In contrast we did not observe a relation between the degree of morphological differentiation of the neoplasms and GGTP activity. The authors discuss the problem in the light of literature data.

Enzymes and acute phase reactants in serum of selenium treated rats bearing adenocarcinoma.

Sodium selenite was administered to the rats bearing subcutaneously transplanted adenocarcinoma. The following determinations were carried out in serum: gamma-glutamyl transferase, aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase and its placental isoform, haptoglobin, protein- and lipid-bound sialic acid. Changes observed in catalytic activities and concentrations of the examined parameters could be ascribed rather to the presence of the tumor than to the effect of the selenium treatment.