The effect of fructose on the formation of advanced Maillard reaction products which show fluorescence and have crosslinking was investigated. Type I collagen was added to various concentrations of glucose and fructose which were then incubated at 37 degrees C for 4 weeks. The level of furosine and the fluorescence intensity both increased in direct proportion to glucose and fructose levels and to the duration of incubation. Incubation with fructose produced less furosine but more intense fluorescence than incubation with glucose. Furthermore, collagen was significantly less soluble after incubation with fructose than after incubation with glucose. These results suggest that fructose in the polyol pathway plays an important role in the formation of advanced Maillard products.

Collagen↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Essential role of newly synthesized ATP for cyclic GMP-induced relaxation in alpha-toxin permeabilized smooth muscle of rat proximal colon.

The role of newly synthesized ATP in cyclic GMP-induced relaxation was studied in membrane permeabilized longitudinal muscle preparations of the rat proximal colon. Cyclic GMP and 8 bromo cGMP induced concentration-dependent relaxation of alpha-toxin permeabilized preparations which were precontracted by 3 microM Ca2+ in the presence of 4 mM ATP and 5 mM phosphocreatine (PC). The relaxation by 8 bromo cGMP was inhibited by Rp-8-pCPT cGMPS, an inhibitor of cyclic GMP dependent protein kinase. The relaxation was inhibited by removal of PC from the bathing solution, in spite of the presence of ATP. The relaxation was also inhibited by dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB), a selective inhibitor of creatine kinase. The removal of PC or treatment with DNFB is known to produce accumulation of ADP within smooth muscle cell, however, ADPbetaS did not affect the relaxation. After irreversible inhibition of endogenous creatine kinase by DNFB in beta-escin permeabilized preparations, treatment of the preparations with exogenous creatine kinase restored the relaxation. In the presence of ADP and PC but without ATP, 8-bromo cGMP induced the relaxation to the similar extent to that in the presence of ATP and PC. These results suggest that ATP newly synthesized from ADP and PC by creatine kinase is essential for cyclic GMP-induced relaxation of the smooth muscle preparations obtained from the proximal colon of rats.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Influence of serum protein levels on serum fructosamine levels.

The serum fructosamine level is influenced by the serum protein level. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between serum fructosamine levels and serum total protein and albumin levels measured simultaneously in non-diabetic and diabetic patients. Significant positive correlations were found between them. A correction formula was constructed to express the serum fructosamine level when the serum total protein level was 7 g/dl or when the serum albumin level was 4 g/dl: corrected fructosamine (mmol/l) = measured fructosamine (mmol/l) + A (7 (g/dl) or 4 (g/dl)--serum total protein (g/dl) or serum albumin (g/dl] where A is 0.28 for serum total protein and 0.30 for serum albumin in non-diabetic subjects; 0.29 for serum total protein and 0.31 for serum albumin in non-diabetic and diabetic subjects combined.

Blood Glucose↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Surgical treatment for recurrent tumors of primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus: a case report and review of the literature.

The purpose of this communication is to present a case of resection performed for local recurrent tumors of primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus (PMME) and to review the relevant literature. The patient was a 54 year-old man who had received an intraabdominal esophagectomy with a total gastrectomy for primary malignant melanoma of the abdominal esophagus in another hospital, in November 1995. After the initial operation, he was treated as an outpatient. In August 1997, computed tomography and ultrasonography revealed recurrent tumors in the dorsal pancreatic lymph node and in the right adrenal gland. The recurrent tumor of the dorsal pancreas directly invaded the dorsal pancreas parenchyma and occluded the superior mesenteric vein and splenic vein, and the other metastatic tumor in the right adrenal gland existed in the absence of circumference invasion. Metastases of the PMME were confirmed in the dorsal pancreas, the superior mesenteric vein, splenic vein, and right adrenal gland, and were removed by a total pancreatectomy on October 7, 1997. By immunohistochemical staining, we found that the focal areas expressed S-100 protein and HMB-45 antibody. Currently (February 1998), the patient is alive and disease-free. PMME is an extremely rare tumor with a poor prognosis for survival. Only 2 cases of removal of recurrent tumors, including the present case, have been reported. The treatment of choice is surgical resection, even in cases of recurrence, because radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy have not been proven to be beneficial; however, they may play a palliative role if surgery is not possible.

Esophageal Neoplasms↗