Interaction of sex steroids and prolactin on phosphatases, transaminases, and citric acid in the ventral prostate of male albino rats

The interaction of androgens, testosterone propionate (TP), and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) with prolactin (PRL) and estradiol-17 beta (E2) on phosphatases, transaminases, and citric acid were studied in the ventral prostate of prepubertal and adult intact and castrated rats. None of the secretory products studied were affected by androgens or their combinations with E2/PRL in prepubertal rats except for the increase observed in organ weight and DNA content. However, in adults the hormonal combinations produced some significant changes. Among the secretory products, phosphatases, glutamate oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), and citric acid increased significantly in adult rats after the administration of TP/DHT. Glutamate pyruvic transaminase (GPT) required PRL along with TP/DHT to show an appreciable increment in intact adult rats. The synergistic effect of PRL with androgens was observed in the adult ventral prostatic secretory acid phosphatase and citric acid. Unlike PRL, E2 in combination with androgens produced an antagonistic effect in intact adult rats, which was well pronounced in the case of prostatic weight, DNA content secretory acid phosphatase, and citric acid. None of the androgens or their combination with PRL produced any significant change in DNA content compared to intact controls.     

Specific effect of the thyroid on testicular enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism

The effect of thyroidectomy (Tx) on some key enzymes involved in glycolysis and the HMP-shunt pathway were studied in the testis of pre-pubertal, pubertal and adult rats. Hexokinase (HK) and phosphofructokinase (PFK) did not show any significant change in activity after Tx. However, pyruvate kinase (PK) activity was reduced after Tx in the testis of pre-pubertal animals although in pubertal and adult rats it was not affected. Both glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6P-DH) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-PG-DH) activities were reduced after Tx and thyroxine (T4) replacement brought both enzyme activities back towards normal. The possible effect of the thyroid on testicular steroidogenesis acting through the HMP-shunt is discussed.     

Role of prolactin on neural and glial cellular enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism. I. Studies on immature male bonnet monkeys

The influence of prolactin (Prl) and bromocriptine on the specific activities of neural and glial cellular enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism in cerebral cortex, hypothalamus, cerebellum and pons-medulla was studied. Both Prl and bromocriptine stimulated the activity of hexokinase (HK) in the neural as well as in the glial cells. While Prl increased the activity of phosphofructokinase (PFK), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-3-PDH) and pyruvate kinase (PK) in the neural cells, it decreased the same in the glial cells. On the other hand, bromocriptine elevated the activity of all these enzymes in the neural cells without any effect on the glial cells. The activities of neural cellular glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-PGDH) were inhibited by Prl, whereas bromocriptine increased the same. The activities of the enzymes in the glial cells were enhanced by both Prl and bromocriptine. Thus, the present study suggests that Prl has a differential effect on the activities of enzymes involved in Embden-Meyerhoff pathway (EMP) and hexosemonophosphate shunt (HMP) in the neural and glial cells of immature male bonnet monkeys.     

DIAGNOSING DISSEMINATED INTRAVASCULAR COAGULATION IN ACUTE INFECTION : CAN WE DO WITHOUT FDP & D-DIMER

Alterations in coagulation profile viz. platelet count, prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time with kaolin (PTTK), thrombin time (TT) and fibrinogen were studied in 96 patients (73 males and 23 females) of acute infections. Fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) level >25µg fibrinogen equivalent unit (FEU)/ml along-with D-dimer >1.0µg FEU/ml was considered criteria for diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Normal values were established using plasma from 12 healthy voluntary blood donors. Out of these 96 patients, 15 had infection with Gram positive bacteria, 23 with Gram negative bacteria and 38 with Dengue. In 20 patients, nature of infection was not defined. Mean platelet count per cubic millimetre was 2.14 lac in Gram positive infection and 1.74 lac in Gram negative infection (p=0.07). There was no significant difference in other coagulation parameters in Gram positive and Gram negative infection. Platelet counts were low in 71% of Dengue patients but there was no significant alteration in PT, PTTK and TT. None of the Dengue patients had hypofibrinogenemia or DIC though hyperfibrinogenemia was present in 21% of Dengue patients. 20 patients had features of septicemia (Gram +ve 7, Gram -ve 8, undefined 5); 10 had concomitant DIC. DIC was present in additional 4 patients of acute infection without septicemia. PTTK was raised in 60% of the septicemia patients. 20 out of 82 non-DIC acute infection patients had subnormal PTTK. Commonest alteration in 14 DIC patients was raised PTTK with a sensitivity of 78.6% and specificity of 81.7%. Low fibrinogen levels though specific for DIC, were present in only 21.4% of the DIC patients. Combinations of PTTK >38 sec with PT >15 sec or platelet count < 1.5 lac/mmm³ were good screening tests for DIC and detected 11 and 10 patients out of 14 with three and two false positives respectively.KEY WORDS: D-dimer, Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation, Fibrinogen degradation products, Partial thromboplastin time, Prothrombin time, Thrombin time     

Studies on the seasonal variations in the proximate composition of ascidians from the Palk Bay,Southeast coast of India

Objective

To investigate the seasonal fluctuations of the proximate composition of the ascidians muscle.

Methods

The moisture content was estimated by drying 1 g of fresh tissue at a constant temperature at 105 °C for 24 h.The loss of weight was taken as moisture content. The total protein was estimated using the Biuret method. The total carbohydrate in dried sample was estimated spectrophotometrically following the phenol- sulphuric acid method. The lipid in the dried sample tissue was gravimetrically estimated following the chloroform-methanol mixture method. Ash content was determined gravimetrically by incinerating 1 g dried sample in muffle furnace at about 550 °C for 6 h and results are expressed in percentage.

Results

It was found very difficult to compare the monthly variations, as all the ten species, exhibited wide fluctuations in their proximate compositions. For the sake of convenience, average seasonal values were calculated by summing the monthly values.

Conclusions

The proximate composition of the 10 commonly available ascidians showed high nutritive value and hence these groups especially solitary ascidians can be recommended for human consumption in terms of pickles, soup, curry and others after ensuring the safety of consumers.     

Modulation of TRAIL resistance in colon carcinoma cells: Different contributions of DR4 and DR5

Background  

rhTRAIL is a therapeutic agent, derived from the TRAIL cytokine, which induces apoptosis in cancer cells by activating the membrane death receptors 4 and 5 (DR4 and DR5). Here, we investigated each receptor's contribution to rhTRAIL sensitivity and rhTRAIL resistance. We assessed whether agonistic DR4 or DR5 antibodies could be used to circumvent rhTRAIL resistance, alone or in combination with various chemotherapies.     

Long-term prognostic significance of response in multiple myeloma after stem cell transplantation

For establishing the true effect of different response categories in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) treated with autologous stem cell transplantation, we evaluated, after a median follow-up of 153 months, 344 patients with MM who received a transplant between 1989 and 1998. Overall survival (OS) at 12 years was 35% in complete response (CR) patients, 22% in near complete response (nCR), 16% in very good partial response (VGPR), and 16% in partial response (PR) groups. Significant differences in OS and progression-free survival were found between CR and nCR groups (P = .01 and P = .002, respectively), between CR and VGPR groups (P = .0001 and P = .003), or between CR and PR groups (P = .003 and P = < 10(-5)); no differences were observed between the nCR and VGPR groups (P = .2 and P = .9) or between these groups and the PR group (P = .1 and P = .8). A landmark study found a plateau phase in OS after 11 years; 35% patients in the CR group and 11% in the nCR+VGPR+PR group are alive at 17 years; 2 cases had relapsed in the nCR+VGPR+PR group. In conclusion, MM achieving CR after autologous stem cell transplantation is a central prognostic factor. The relapse rate is low in patients with > 11 years of follow-up, possibly signifying a cure for patients in CR.