A Biotin–Avidin-Based Enzyme Immunoassay for βh-Endorphin

An avidin–biotin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is described for _h-endorphin (_h-EP). Microtiter plates coated with commercially available antibodies were used together with _h-EP tracer derivatives that were biotinylated in positions 24, 28, and 29 via a C₆ spacer arm. Nonspecific binding of biotinylated derivatives to the microtiter plates was blocked with a mixture of 1% casein and 10% ethanolamine in 0.1 M NaHCO₃. A sequential saturation procedure using a high-affinity antiserum in combination with an avidin–alkaline phosphatase complex matched the sensitivity of reported radioimmunoassays (RIAs), with a detection limit of 0.5 fmol/assay. The intra- and interassay coefficients of variation were 5 and 12%, respectively. Results obtained by ELISA and RIA showed good correlations (r = 0.95). The -EP concentration in extracted rat plasma after high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) fractionation was determined by this method to be 1600 fmol/ml.     

Cotinine determination by immunoassays may be influenced by other nicotine metabolites

Polyclonal rabbit anticotinine antiserum, which can be used for biomonitoring nicotine uptake by the determination of cotinine in body fluids, was checked by a competitive ELISA for its cross-reactivity with nine nicotine metabolites. The highest percentage of relative crossreactivity (about 30%) was observed with trans-3-hydroxycotinine, a metabolite which is known to be excreted in 3-fold higher amounts than cotinine in the urine of human smokers. Therefore, it is possible that cotinine determinations performed by immunochemical methods — especially in urine — may yield overestimated cotinine concentrations.     

Acute inhalation toxicity of eugenol in rats

The acute toxicity of inhaled eugenol was assessed by exposure of three groups of five male and five female rats to a submicron aerosol of eugenol for 4 h followed by a 14-day observation period. A fourth group, also of five male and five female rats and exposed to air only under similar conditions, served as a control group for comparison. The three concentrations of eugenol to which the different groups were exposed were 2.58, 1.37 and 0.77 mg/l. The mass median aerodynamic diameters and geometric standard deviations of the aerosols were, respectively, 0.82 m (g 2.26), 0.88 m (g 2.05) and 0.9 m (g 1.87). Clinical signs observed during exposure consisted principally of moderately increased salivation and restlessness (indicative of irritation) and abnormal breathing patterns. The signs were graded, being less marked in animals exposed to the lower concentrations of eugenol. All three groups, exposed to high, medium and low levels of eugenol, lost weight overnight following exposure. Associated with the weight loss were marked reductions in food and water intake. The responses appeared to be largely independent of the concentration of eugenol inhaled, although there was some evidence of a graded effect on water intake. There was rapid recovery, with food and water consumption data comparable with control values throughout most of the remainder of the 14-day observation period. Also, by the end of the observation period, group mean body weights were comparable. Upon sacrifice and macroscopic examination of the animals, abnormalities were detected in the lungs only of a few animals: 3/10 control, 2/10 eugenol 2.58 mg/l, and 2/10 eugenol 0.77 mg/l. These consisted of dark red/red (raised) areas up to 4×4 mm. Such abnormalities are not uncommon in the lungs of laboratory maintained rats and their presence with equal incidence in control animals suggests that they are unlikely to be related to inhalation of eugenol. Lung weight to body weight ratio values for all groups were similar, providing no evidence of any persistent effect of eugenol on the lungs of the rats. Similarly, histopathological examination of the lung failed to reveal any treatment-related changes. A few incidental lesions present were considered spontaneous in origin and therefore of no toxicological importance.     

Deacetylation and further metabolism of the mercapturic acid of hexachloro-1,3-butadiene by rat kidney cytosol in vitro

Hexachloro-1,3-butadiene (HCBD) is more nephrotoxic to female than male rats. Metabolism of HCBD involves conjugation with glutathione followed by formation of the cysteine conjugate S-(pentachloro-1,3-butadienyl) cysteine (PCBD-CYS) and then the mercapturic acid N-acetyl-S-pentachloro-1,3-butadienyl-cysteine (PCBD-NAC). PCBD-NAC is also more nephrotoxic to female rats than male rats. The deacetylation of [¹⁴C]-PCBD-NAC to PCBD-CYS and the binding of radiolabelled metabolites to protein has been studied using renal cytosol preparations from male and female rats in vitro, since a sex-related difference in these reactions could explain the difference in nephrotoxicity found in vivo. PCBD-NAC was rapidly metabolised by renal cytosol. The rate of metabolism was similar with either male or female renal cytosol, and the major metabolite identified was PCBD-CYS. N-Acetylation of PCBD-CYS to PCBD-NAC was not detected in the presence of either male or female renal cytosol. Covalent binding of radioactivity from [¹⁴C]-PCBD-NAC to cytosolic protein could be detected after 5 min incubation, and although the extent of binding was similar for both male and female cytosol at early time periods, after 60 min incubation more binding was found in the presence of male cytosol. Covalent binding was largely prevented by aminooxyacetic acid, an inhibitor of cysteine conjugate -lyase, suggesting a role for this enzyme in the activation of HCBD. These results indicate that the sex differences in the nephrotoxicity of HCBD and PCBD-NAC in the rat are not attributable to differences in the rate of deacetylation of PCBD-NAC to give the proximate nephrotoxin PCBD-CYS.This work was supported by a fellowship from the European Science Foundation granted to I. S. P.     

Induction of light hydrocarbon nephropathy by p-dichlorobenzene

In order to clarify the etiology of a dose-related increase in the incidence of tubular cell adenocarcinomas of the kidney in male rats, the nephrotoxicity of p-dichlorobenzene (p-DCB) was investigated in a subchronic study. Groups of ten male and ten female Fischer 344 rats were dosed by gavage with 0 (controls), 75, 150, 300 or 600 mg p-DCB/kg/day in corn oil. Half of the animals were sacrificed after 4 weeks and the remainder after 13 weeks. Increased urinary LDH and epithelial cell excretion and exacerbation of hyaline droplet accumulation in the cytoplasm of renal cortical cells were observed in male rats over the entire dose range investigated. Tubular single cell necrosis, dilated tubules with granular cast formation in the outer zone of the medulla, were evident in male rats after 4 and 13 weeks of treatment with doses of 150–600 mg/kg/day. In female rats there was no indication of a nephrotoxic action of p-DCB. The effects on the kidney, both in their morphological characteristics and the fact that they occur exclusively in male animals, correspond to the light hydrocarbon nephropathy observed as a result of short-term treatment with a number of aliphatic and cyclic hydrocarbons. The development of cortical renal tumors seems to be associated with this kind of kidney damage which is unique to male rats. The literature on this subject generally regards these renal effects as not predictive for man.     

Thiol Reduction of 3′-Azidothymidine to 3′-Aminothymidine: Kinetics and Biomedical Implications

The ability of thiols to reduce 3-azidothymidine (AZT) to 3-aminothymidine has been investigated. Incubation with glutathione, dithiothreitol (DTT), or mercaptoethanol at pH 7.2 and 37°C leads to quantitative reduction of the azido moiety to an amine. The reaction is first order in AZT and first order in reducing agent (mono- or dithiol). The second-order rate constants are 2.77 × 10^–3, 6.55 × 10^–5, and 6.35 × 10^–6 M ^–l sec^–1 for the dithiothreitol, glutathione, and mercaptoethanol reductions, respectively. The thiol reduction of alkyl azide to amine under mild conditions is a synthetic method particularly suitable for water-soluble azido compounds that are sensitive to catalytic hydrogenation. The potential for the mono- or dithiol-mediated reduction of alkyl azides under biological conditions must be considered when conducting studies of azido drugs.     

The Relationship of pK a and Acute Skin Irritation in Man

The relationship between pK _a and skin irritation in man is studied for a homologous series of benzoic acid derivatives, which permeate through human skin at comparable rates (15–88 µg/cm²/hr). Skin irritation and pK _a are correlated for pK _a 4. Laser Doppler velocimetric assessment of skin blood flow, color meter readings, erythema, edema, and the primary irritation index are all linearly correlated and related to pK _a, erythema at 24 hr appears to be the most sensitive parameter to variation in pK _a when pK _a 4.     

踝肱指数和肱踝动脉脉搏波速度与血管舒张功能联合载脂蛋白B与载脂蛋白A-1比值对中青年冠心病血瘀证的预测价值研究

背景 冠心病属中医“胸痹心痛”范畴,其证候分布以血瘀证最为多见,与老年人相比,中青年血瘀证的发生率更高。本研究在团队前期研究基础上进行拓展,首次运用动脉弹性和血管内皮功能检测联合载脂蛋白比值诊断中青年冠心病血瘀证,旨在为早期发现中青年冠心病血瘀证提供新思路,也可为优化补充冠心病血瘀证的诊断标准提供参考。目的 探讨踝肱指数(ABI)、肱踝动脉脉搏波速度(baPWV)、血管舒张功能(FMD)联合载脂蛋白B与载脂蛋白A-1比值(apoB/apoA-1)与中青年冠心病血瘀证的关系及其预测价值。方法 选取2016年12月至2021年12月于中日友好医院中西医结合心脏内科住院治疗的中青年(<50岁)冠心病患者,并根据《冠心病血瘀证诊断标准》分为血瘀证组和非血瘀证组。收集患者首次冠状动脉造影前的ABI、baPWV、FMD和apoB/apoA-1等临床资料。采用多因素Logistic回归分析构建中青年冠心病患者血瘀证的预测模型,并采用受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线进行预测价值评价。结果 本研究共纳入中青年冠心病患者206例,其中血瘀证组127例,非血瘀证组79例。多因素Logistic回归分析结果...     

转录因子Ascl2调控Acss1/3的表达影响结直肠癌患者预后

转录因子Ascl2作为WNT信号靶基因,可影响结直肠癌（CRC）前体细胞干性特征,探讨其能否调控短链脂肪酸β-氧化而影响CRC患者的预后。方法 下载稳定干扰Ascl2表达的CRC LS174T细胞（sh-Ascl2/LS174T）的mRNA及miRNA差异表达数据（GSE69036和GSE34926）分析其靶基因;应用RT-PCR方法和Western 印迹定量检测sh-Ascl2/LS174T及对照细胞中的Ascl2、Acss1和Acss3的mRNA表达水平,以及Ascl2和Acss1蛋白表达水平,从GSE44076表达数据和UALCAN数据比较在正常结直肠粘膜、CRC组织和不同临床病理分期的肿瘤组织的表达水平差异;TCGA数据库下载548例CRC患者基因 mRNA表达量及相关临床信息,用Spearman等级相关分析表达相关性,Kaplan-Meier法进行生存分析,Cox回归分析评估危险因素。结果 sh-Ascl2/LS174T细胞中Acss1的mRNA较对照细胞下调2.08倍,miR-4282表达水平下调2.069倍。RT-PCR定量检测sh-Ascl2/LS174T细胞中Acss1的mRNA和miR-4282水平明显下降(P＜0.01), Acss3的mRNA水平明显升高(P＜0.05);Acss1和Ascl2蛋白水平较对照细胞均明显下降。CRC组织Ascl2和Acss1的mRNA水平明显高于癌旁结直肠粘膜组织(P＜0.001),而Acss3明显低于癌旁结直肠粘膜组织 (P＜0.001);CRC组织中Ascl2与Acss1的mRNA表达水平呈正相关,与Acss3的表达水平呈负相关(均P＜0.001)。Ascl2和Acss3表达水平与疾病特异性生存期（DSS）、总体生存期（OS）、无进展生存期（PFS）无关,Acss1高表达组比低表达组的DSS (P=0.0389)和OS (P=0.04)明显降低。Ascl2与Acss1基因异常表达、Ascl2、Acss1和Acss3基因异常联合表达与CRC患者的DSS存在显著的联系(P=0.0377和P=0.0161),Ascl2、Acss1和Acss3三个基因的联合异常表达是影响CRC患者DSS的危险因素之一(P=0.043)。结论Ascl2对CRC细胞中的Acss1/3的表达可能具有调控作用而导致其短链脂肪酸β-氧化的重编程,它们的联合异常表达可以一定程度预测CRC患者的预后     

甘草地上部分活性部位的急性毒性和长期毒性实验研究

[目的] 探索甘草地上部分活性部位对小鼠的急性毒性及大鼠的长期毒性,评价其安全性,为合理开发利用甘草地上部分资源以及临床应用提供可靠的理论依据。[方法] 甘草地上部分活性部位33.2 g/kg灌胃给予昆明种小鼠,24 h内两次（间隔5 h）经口灌胃给予受试物,持续观察14 d内小鼠的急性毒性反应;SD大鼠随机分为对照组和甘草地上部分低、中、高剂量组,按8.3、16.6、33.2 g/kg剂量连续灌胃甘草地上部分活性部位90 d,观察大鼠的一般状况,并分别于给药后45、90 d进行血液学指标检测与血清生化指标检测,给药后90 d进行大体解剖及病理学检查,观察甘草地上部分活性部位的长期毒性反应。[结果] 急性毒性实验中小鼠的一般状态、饮食、分泌物、排便未见异常,无小鼠死亡,肉眼尸检心、肝、脾等主要脏器组织未见明显异常;长期毒性实验中,各组大鼠与对照组比较,一般状况、血液学及血清生化指标未见明显差异;病理检查未见主要脏器组织形态学改变。[结论] 甘草地上部分活性部位无急性毒性和长期毒性,在治疗剂量范围内用药安全性高。