Eicosanoid production and levels of newly characterized eicosanoid-forming enzymes in glomeruli and tubules of rat kidneys

Summary: We examined the production of prostaglandin (P0) E₂, 6-keto PGF_1α and thromboxane (Tx) B₂, the mass of cyclooxygenase (COX) isoenzymes and the activities of phospholipases A₂ and C in glomeruli, cortical tubules and medullary tubules of rat kidneys. Medullary tubules produced significantly greater amounts of PGE₂, 6-keto PGF1α. and TxB2 than glomeruli or cortical tubules. the most abundant eicosanoid in medullary tubules was 6-keto PGF1_α. By contrast, glomeruli and cortical tubules predominantly produced POE₂ (glomeruli > cortical tubules). Levels of COX 1 were markedly greater in medullary tubules than in glomeruli or cortical tubules. Glomeruli had significantly greater amounts of COX 1 than cortical tubules. Detectable amounts of COX 2 were not present in the three preparations. the activity of phospholipase (PL) A₂ against phosphatidyicholine (PC) was significantly greater in tubules (medullary tubules > cortical tubules) than in glomeruli. By contrast, there was a significant increase in the activity of PLA₂ against phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in glomeruli as compared to tubules (medullary tubules > cortical tubules). the activity of PLC was the Weatest in medullary tubules. Glomeruli had significantly greater activity of PLC than cortical tubules. the order of magnitude for the total activity of the three phospholipases in membranes was medullary tubules> glomeruli> cortical tubules. the total production rate of POE₂, 6-keto PGF1α and TxB₂ was in parallel with the amount of COX 1 and the total activity of membranous phospholipases A₂ and C in the three preparations. In conclusion, there are differences in the production of PGE₂, 6.-keto PGF1α and TxB₂, the ainount of COX 1 and the activities of phospholipases A₂ andC among glomeruli, cortical tubules and medullary tubules of rat kidneys; and the different aspects of COX 1 and phospholipases A₂ and C have a key role in the control of eicosanoid production in the three preparations.     

Diagnostic Significance of Two Fetal Proteins, {alpha}f and r{beta}s, in Hepatoma and Other Neoplastic Diseases

Incidences of f and rßs components were studied inserum samples from patients with various malignant and non-malignantdiseases. With the micro-Ouchterlony method, af was detectedexclusively in cases of hepatocellular carcinoma of which theincidence was 83.5%, whereas the incidence of rßswas 47.7%. However, rßs was also detected in somemalignant disease other than hepatocellular carcinoma, withan incidence of 16.5%, and was also detected in a small numberof cases of non-neoplastic liver diseases. Though not tumor-specific, rßs as one of the fetalserum proteins can be detected in cases of non-f-producing hepatomaand in cases of malignancies other than hepatoma. Thus, thedetection of this protein may be of diagnostic significance.Possible mechanism of the appearance of this protein in theblood was discussed.     

Metastatic Bone Tumors: Diagnosis and Treatment

Seventy-four cases of metastatic bone tumors were reviewed inorder to study the actual problems concerning their diagnosisand treatment. Sixty-five of the 74 tumors were carcinoma metastasesand the remaining nine were other malignancies. Diagnosis: In our study, as has often been reported elsewhere,there was a high incidence of metastasis of lung and breastcancer (27% and 9%, respectively). In all patients in this series,the existence of bone metastasis itself was shown by plain radiogramsat the time of their admission. In 51 patients, primary siteswere identified by clinical records and/or various clinicalexaminations. Autopsy revealed additional seven primary sites. Treatment: Limb surgery which directly intends a resection ofthe metastatic lesion generally provided good palliation and,on occasion, relatively long survival. Of the seven patientswhose bone lesions were enthusiastically resected, three survivedfor 15, 27 and 36 months postoperatively and one has survivedup to the present (18 months). On the other hand, laminectomy and other procedures of vertebralsurgery which do not directly intend a resection did not givegood results in either quad vitam vol functionem. Twenty of21 patients died within a relatively short time (1 to 13 months,average 3.6 months) without any functional recovery.