Effect of bilirubin on serum fructosamine value, and the elimination of bilirubin by bilirubin oxidase]

Fructosamine is examined as the index of past mean blood glucose levels. However, the fructosamine value appears to be influenced by the bilirubin. Therefore, we examined patients with hyperbilirubinemia showing suspected and definite jaundice. Abnormal fructosamine values were noted in 9 out of the 50 cases (18%) with suspected jaundice and 40 out of the 55 cases (72.2%) with definite jaundice. An experiment in which bilirubin was removed by bilirubin oxidase revealed that fructosamine levels in hyperbilirubinemia correlated with the values of bilirubin and increased fructosamine values were expressed as the values of bilirubin x 6.5. These results demonstrate abnormal fructosamine values not only in jaundice patients but also in those with suspected jaundice. These cases must be taken in the examination of fructosamine in patients with hyperbilirubinemia.     

The serum transaminases in experimental lesions of the liver

Summary An inquiry was made into the activity of the glutamico-asparagic and glutamico-alanine transaminase in the blood serum of rats and dogs at various periods after the administration of carbon tetrachloride. The maximal rise of the transaminases activity in the blood serum of rats was observed in 24 hours after a single administration of CCl₄; the ratio of the activities of glutamico-asparagic and glutamico-alanine transaminase was below 1. Considerable rise of the transaminase activity in the blood serum of rats was observed after 15 times administration of CCl₄ given every other day. However, the ratio of the glutamicoaspargic transaminase and glutamico-alanine transaminase ratio was over 1.(Presented by Academician V. N. Chernigovskii) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 53, No. 4, pp. 69–71, April, 1962     

Experimental transmission of foot-and-mouth disease among Indian buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and from buffalo to cattle

Indian buffalo and cattle were infected experimentally with a serotype O strain of foot-and-mouth disease virus of buffalo origin. Whereas intradermolingual inoculation of buffalo produced largely sub-clinical infection, inoculation in the dental pad produced vesicles in the mouth and on the feet. A buffalo infected via the dental pad transmitted infection to cattle and buffalo by direct contact with them for 24h. The contact-exposed buffalo developed (1) delayed-onset clinical signs, and (2) shedding of virus from the nose, commencing before the appearance of vesicles and continuing until the experiment was terminated 10 weeks after exposure. The covert nature of the disease in Indian buffalo, coupled with the prolonged shedding of virus, suggests that this species represents a host of epidemiological importance.     

Anatomical studies on the optic chiasma in the Indian buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

The optic chiasma of the buffalo was a transversely oval body, averaging 9.0 +/- 0.89 X 12.3 +/- 0.48 X 5.0 +/- 0.48 mm. Its shape was like a letter "X". This was located 2--3 mm cranial to the pituitary. Following unilateral enucleation, the degenerating myelinated fibres were noted throughout the optic chiasma, and in both the optic tracts. The degeneration in the contralateral optic tract was more dense. By enumerating the degenerating fibres in the remnant optic nerve, in the ipsilateral and contralateral optic tracts it was noted that 57.34% of the optic nerve fibres crossed over and only 12.29% of the fibres remained uncrossed.     

Association of polymorphisms in four bilirubin metabolism genes with serum bilirubin in three Asian populations

Numerous studies have shown that the (TA)n repeat polymorphism in the uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferase 1 (UGT1A1) gene promoter is associated with hyperbilirubinemia. Several studies also indicated that single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs4148323:G>A at Exon 1 of UGT1A1 is associated with hyperbilirubinemia. However, it remains unclear what role the polymorphisms play in influencing serum total bilirubin (TBIL) levels in general populations, and whether polymorphisms in other genes involved in the bilirubin metabolism pathway are associated with TBIL levels. The present study addressed these questions by investigating the association of four bilirubin metabolism genes with TBIL levels in three Asian populations: 11 genetic polymorphisms in heme oxygenase‐1 (HMOX1); biliverdin reductase A (BLVRA); solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 1B1 (SLCO1B1); and UGT1A1. The populations consisted of 502 Kazak herdsmen, 769 Uyghur farmers, and 789 Han farmers, with distinct genetic backgrounds. UGT1A1 was found to be associated with the (TA)₇ allele of the (TA)n repeat polymorphism. We also showed that the A allele of SNP rs4148323:G>A was strongly associated with high TBIL levels in all three populations (each P<0.005). Among polymorphisms in other genes, only the (GT)n repeat polymorphism in the HMOX1 promoter region showed association with TBIL levels in the Uyghur population, but not in the Han and Kazak populations. We also assessed the contributions of (TA)n polymorphism and rs4148323:G>A to phenotypic variations in all three populations. Finally, we observed that significant differences of TBIL levels existed among the three populations; however, this could not be completely explained by the differences at the (TA)n repeat polymorphism and SNP rs4148323:G>A. Hum Mutat 0, 1–7, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

An enzyme immunoassay for buffalo serum ferritin

Buffalo ferritin has been isolated and purified from liver using conventional biochemical techniques such as thermal denaturation, ammonium sulphate fractionation, Sephacryl S‐300 gel filtration and DEAE‐blue gel affinity chromatography. Native gel‐electrophoresis of affinity‐purified ferritin followed by iron staining showed a single band corresponding to rat liver ferritin. The yield and the iron content of purified ferritin were 10.7 mg per 500 g of liver and 7% respectively. As a glycoprotein, buffalo ferritin has 12.2% neutral carbohydrate. Polyclonal antibodies raised against purified buffalo liver ferritin in rabbits were used successfully in the development of competitive indirect ELISA using alkaline phosphatase as an enzyme label. The sensitivity range of the assay was 5–30 ng with intraand inter‐assay coefficients of variation (CVs) of 3.1% and 9.2% respectively. The assay was reproducible and could be applied under field conditions for the evaluation of ferritin levels in buffalo. Using this method, the range of circulating ferritin levels in 10 normal buffalo was 1.12–3.68 μg ml^‐1. Cross‐reactivity studies by ELISA also suggest the applicability of the method to the evaluation of ferritin levels in other domestic species such as sheep and cattle.     

Inhibition of serum bactericidal activity by bilirubin

The results presented show that bilirubin inhibited the bactericidal activity of human serum. Addition of serum albumin (which tightly binds bilirubin) to the bactericidal assay prevented the inhibition mediated by bilirubin. These findings suggest that the decreased bactericidal activity of sera from neonates with hyperbilirubinemia may be due to the inhibition of the bactericidal activity by unconjugated bilirubin.     

An automated method for serum bilirubin determination

A method for the determination of both direct and indirect serum bilirubin on the AutoAnalyzer is described which has a number of advantages over the automated method that is currently recommended. It gives total bilirubin results which are similar to those obtained with the equivalent manual method and direct bilirubin results which are usually about 10% lower.