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Biomedical subjects

H Makita

Publications and source records attributed to H Makita.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Intraoral minor salivary gland tumors: a clinicopathological study of 82 cases.

We present a retrospective study of 82 patients with intraoral minor salivary gland tumors which were diagnosed from 1979 to 2003 in Gifu University Hospital. The histological diagnoses were reevaluated according to the 1991 WHO classification. A total of 82 tumors, consisting of 55 benign and 27 malignant tumors, were found in 28 male and 54 female Japanese patients; the male-to-female ratio was 1:1.9. The mean age of the patients was 51.4+/-18.1 years. The tumors affected the palate (n = 64), the buccal region (n = 10), the upper lip (n = 6), the floor of the mouth (n = 1), and the retromolar region (n = 1). Histologically, the tumors were classified as pleomorphic adenoma (n = 54), papillary cystadenoma (n = 1), adenoid cystic carcinoma (n = 10), mucoepidermoid carcinoma (n = 8), acinic cell carcinoma (n = 3), adenocarcinoma (n = 2), basal cell adenocarcinoma (n = 1), papillary cystadenocarcinoma (n = 1), and carcinoma in pleomorphic adenoma (n = 2). From the results of the present study and review of the literature, it is suggested that the minor salivary gland tumors in Japan may be characterized by a higher incidence of benign tumors, especially of pleomorphic adenoma; a more marked tendency for female predominance; a higher incidence of palatal involvement; and a rarer occurrence of polymorphous low grade adenocarcinoma, in comparison with those reported in the literature from outside of Japan.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Osteosarcoma metastatic to the mandible: a case report.

A case of osteosarcoma that metastasized to the mandibular ramus from the femur in a 36-year-old man is presented. The patient was referred to us for the diagnosis and treatment of swelling of the left cheek. Radiologic examination showed a radiolucent lesion containing radiopaque areas within the left mandibular ramus. The patient previously suffered from a femoral small cell osteosarcoma, which was resected 71 months before our first examination. After induction of general anesthesia, a unilateral mandibulectomy and a simultaneous reconstruction using a titanium plate and an artificial condyle were performed. The postoperative course was uneventful, with satisfactory facial appearance and jaw function. The histopathologic features of the mandibular tumor were identical to those of the femoral tumor. Thus the mandibular lesion was diagnosed as a metastatic small cell osteosarcoma. At 27 months after the operation there had been no recurrence.

Adult↗

Flow-through chemiluminescence sensor using immobilized histamine oxidase from Arthrobacter crystallopoietes KAIT-B-007 and peroxidase for selective determination of histamine.

A flow sensor with immobilized oxidases is proposed for the determination of histamine in fish meat. Chemiluminometric measurement of histamine was based on the luminol reaction with hydrogen peroxide produced by immobilized histamine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.-.) and peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7.) within a flow cell. Histamine oxidase was found in cells of Arthrobacter crystallopoietes KAIT-B-007 isolated from soil. The oxidase and peroxidase were coimmobilized covalently on tresylated hydrophilic vinyl polymer beads and packed into transparent PTFE; the tubing was used as the flow cell. One assay for histamine was done at intervals of 2 min without carryover. The calibration curve for histamine was linear from 0.1 microM to 50 microM. The response was reproducible within 1.25% of the relative standard deviation for 115-replicate injections of 50 microM histamine. The sensor system was applied to the determination of histamine in fish meat extracts.

Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing)↗

Exhaled nitric oxide--is it really a good marker of airway inflammation in bronchial asthma?

BACKGROUND: The concentration of exhaled nitric oxide ([NO]) has been reported to reflect the inflammatory process of airways in patients with bronchial asthma, particularly when they are steroid naive. However, it is not fully understood whether it equally reflects the degree of airway inflammation in patients receiving inhaled corticosteroids, but whose symptoms are not necessarily well controlled. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the exhaled [NO] really reflects airway inflammation in patients with bronchial asthma, regardless of treatment with inhaled steroids. METHODS: Exhaled [NO] was measured in patients with bronchial asthma (43 steroid treated and 32 steroid naive), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (n = 36), bronchiectasis (n = 10) and in control subjects (n = 26). We examined in each asthmatic group whether the exhaled [NO] correlated with parameters reflecting airway inflammation. RESULTS: Exhaled [NO] was significantly correlated with symptom score, clinical severity, circulating eosinophil count, and the percentage of eosinophils in induced sputum in the steroid-naive asthmatics, but not in the steroid-treated asthmatics, although airway inflammation in this group was not well controlled, as evidenced by clinical symptoms and the higher percentage of eosinophils in induced sputum. Exhaled [NO] from the patients with COPD (6.2 +/- 0. 7 ppb) or bronchiectasis (5.4 +/- 1.3 ppb) was not significantly increased compared with the controls (6.0 +/- 1.0 ppb), and was significantly lower than in the asthmatic patients as a whole (19.0 +/- 2.0 ppb). CONCLUSIONS: Although exhaled [NO] is a useful marker of airway inflammation for differential diagnosis and evaluation of severity in steroid-naive patients with bronchial asthma, it may not be as useful in steroid-treated patients.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

Chemopreventive effect of dietary flavonoid morin on chemically induced rat tongue carcinogenesis.

The modifying effects of dietary exposure of the flavonoid morin on 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO)-induced tongue tumorigenesis, the activities of phase II detoxifying enzymes glutathione S-transferase (GST) and quinone reductase (QR) in liver and tongue, and cell proliferation activity in tongue were investigated in male F344 rats. At 7 weeks of age, all animals except those treated with morin alone and control group were given 4-NQO (20 ppm) in drinking water for 8 weeks to induce oral neoplasms. Starting 7 days before 4-NQO exposure, experimental groups were fed experimental diets containing morin (100 and 500 ppm) for 10 weeks ("initiation feeding"). Starting 1 week after the cessation of exposure to 4-NQO, other experimental groups given 4-NQO and a basal diet were given experimental diets for 22 weeks ("post-initiation feeding"). At week 32 week, "initiation feeding" of morin caused a significant reduction in the incidence of tongue carcinoma (by 44-100%). "Post-initiation feeding" with morin also significantly decreased the frequency of tongue carcinoma (by 44%). Morin feeding elevated liver GST and QR activities and GST activity in the anterior portion of tongue. Feeding with morin significantly lowered QR activity of the posterior part of the tongue. Dietary exposure to morin significantly decreased the proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive index in the posterior portion. Also, morin feeding lowered tongue polyamine levels, especially in the "post-initiation feeding" group. Our results indicate that morin acts as a chemopreventive agent against tongue carcinogenesis induced by 4-NQO through modification of detoxifying enzyme activities and/or cell proliferation activities.

4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide↗

Modifying effects of a flavonoid morin on azoxymethane-induced large bowel tumorigenesis in rats.

The modifying effect of dietary exposure to a flavonoid morin during the initiation and post-initiation phases of azoxymethane (AOM)-initiated colorectal carcinogenesis was investigated in male F344 rats. A total of 55 animals were initiated with AOM by weekly s. c. injections of 15 mg/kg body wt for 3 weeks to induce colorectal neoplasms. Rats were fed a diet containing 500 p.p.m. morin for 5 ('initiation feeding') or 28 ('post-initiation feeding') weeks. Other groups contained rats treated with morin alone (500 p.p.m. in diet) and untreated rats. At the end of the study (32 weeks), the incidence of adenocarcinoma in the large intestine of rats initiated with AOM together with (43%) or followed by (29%) a diet containing morin was smaller than that of rats given AOM alone (75%). A significant difference was found between 'post-initiation feeding' and untreated groups (P = 0.023). Although both 'initiation feeding' and 'post-initiation feeding' of morin reduced polyamine levels in colorectal mucosa and blood, 'post-initiation feeding' of morin significantly decreased the proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive index in aberrant crypt foci. 'Post-initiation feeding' of morin significantly elevated glutathione S-transferase and quinone reductase activities in the liver and large bowel, but 'initiation feeding' caused a significant elevation of these enzymes activities only in the large bowel. These results indicate that morin could exert a weak chemopreventive effect on large bowel tumorigenesis induced by AOM when fed during the post-initiation phase.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Plasma concentration of adenosine during normoxia and moderate hypoxia in humans.

Adenosine, a purine nucleoside, plays a variety of roles in cardiovascular and ventilatory control, and may be a marker of tissue hypoxia. There is, however, no direct evidence of an increase in plasma or in tissue levels of adenosine during moderate hypoxia in humans. We measured the plasma concentrations of adenosine in an artery and the median cubital vein simultaneously in 12 normal volunteers, and also in the internal jugular vein in seven of them during normoxia and moderate hypoxia (SaO2 = 80%, 20 min) with or without dipyridamole (0.6 mg/kg) pretreatment. Dipyridamole was expected to block reuptake of adenosine by red blood cells and vascular endothelial cells so that the plasma level of adenosine would more likely reflect the tissue level. Blood was sampled with an appropriate stopping solution, and adenosine was measured with a high-pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC)-fluorometric technique. The plasma concentration of adenosine did not rise either in the artery or in the vein at any phase of hypoxia without the dipyridamole pretreatment. However, when subjects were pretreated with dipyridamole, the plasma concentration of adenosine increased significantly and markedly in a time-dependent manner during hypoxia in the vein, but not in the artery. The adenosine level rose from 20. 7 +/- 2.5 nM (mean +/- SE) during normoxia to 50.7 +/- 10.7 nM at 20 min of hypoxia, and returned to the baseline level in the recovery phase. The plasma concentration of adenosine in the jugular vein did not change during hypoxia either with or without dipyridamole pretreatment. These data provide evidence that in humans, the local production of adenosine increases during moderate hypoxia in forearm tissue, although this is not reflected in plasma unless the subject is pretreated with dipyridamole.

Adenosine↗

Effect of anti-macrophage migration inhibitory factor antibody on lipopolysaccharide-induced pulmonary neutrophil accumulation.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a recently rediscovered pro-inflammatory cytokine that has the unique potential to override the anti-inflammatory action of glucocorticoids. Since recent reports suggest the pivotal role of MIF in acute lung injury, we examined the protective effect of anti-MIF antibody on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury in rats. Rats were injected with LPS (7 mg/kg) intraperitoneally with or without pretreatment with anti-MIF antibody. The anti-MIF antibody significantly attenuated LPS-induced migration of neutrophils to the lungs at 4 and 24 h as demonstrated by observation of the number of neutrophils per alveolus, the activity of myeloperoxidase of the lung tissue, and cell differentiation of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. The increased level of macrophage inflammatory protein-2, a powerful neutrophil chemokine, in BAL fluid was also significantly attenuated by pretreatment with the anti-MIF antibody as compared with the control group. Additionally, positive immunostaining for MIF was observed in bronchial epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages, and Northern blot analysis of lung tissues demonstrated increased MIF mRNA 24 h after LPS injection. These data suggest that the anti-MIF antibody has therapeutic potential for the treatment of acute lung injury by suppressing the level of neutrophil chemokine in the lungs.

Animals↗

1,4-phenylenebis(methylene)selenocyanate exerts exceptional chemopreventive activity in rat tongue carcinogenesis.

Among the organoselenium compounds, 1,4-phenylenebis(methylene) selenocyanate (p-XSC) is reported to exert the most effective chemopreventive effect on chemically induced carcinogenesis in the mammary glands, colon, and lung of laboratory animals. This study was designed to test the inhibitory effects of dietary p-XSC (5 and 15 ppm as selenium) during the initiation phase (1 week before, during, and up to 1 week after the carcinogen exposure) and the postinitiation phase (1 week after carcinogen administration until termination) on the formation of neoplasms of the tongue induced in male F344 rats by 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4-NQO). The doses of p-XSC were 20% (5 ppm selenium) and 60% (15 ppm selenium) of maximum tolerated dose levels. At 6 weeks of age, all rats except those given p-XSC alone and those in untreated groups were treated with 4-NQO (20 ppm in the drinking water for 8 weeks). Dietary p-XSC, administered at selenium levels of 5 and 15 ppm during either the initiation or postinitiation phases, significantly reduced the incidence of carcinoma of the tongue. p-XSC was especially effective when it was administered at 15 ppm selenium during the postinitiation phase, in which case it completely inhibited the development of tongue carcinoma (from 47% in the dietary control to 0%). Glutathione S-transferase activities in the liver and tongue of rats treated with 4-NQO and p-XSC were significantly elevated compared to those in rats treated with 4-NQO alone. Similarly, quinone reductase activity was significantly elevated in the liver but decreased in the tongue (posterior portion). Such modulation by p-XSC in the phase II enzyme activities of the liver and tongue might be related to inhibition of the initiation. In addition, the expression of cell proliferation biomarkers, such as polyamine level, ornithine decarboxylase activity, 5-bromodeoxyuridin-labeling index, and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer's protein number, in the epithelium of the tongue was significantly reduced in rats that were fed thep-XSC diets compared to those who were fed the basal diet. Such alteration in cell proliferation through modulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity and polyamine biosynthesis in the tongue epithelium might be related to inhibition occurring in the postinitiation phase of carcinogenesis. The dose levels of p-XSC used induced no toxicity or alteration in body weight gain. Although the precise mechanisms of p-XSC-induced inhibition of tongue carcinogenesis remains to be elucidated, it is evident that p-XSC has powerful chemopreventive efficacy against tongue carcinogenesis.

4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide↗

Chemoprevention of 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide-induced oral carcinogenesis in rats by flavonoids diosmin and hesperidin, each alone and in combination.

The modifying effects of the two flavonoids diosmin and hesperidin given during the initiation and postinitiation phases of oral carcinogenesis initiated with 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO) were investigated in male F344 rats. The compounds were tested alone and in combination. At 6 weeks of age, animals were divided into experimental and control groups and fed diets containing 1000 ppm diosmin and 1000 ppm hesperidin and a diet containing both compounds (900 ppm diosmin and 100 ppm hesperidin). At 7 weeks of age, all animals except those treated with each test chemical alone and control groups were given 4-NQO (20 ppm) in the drinking water for 8 weeks to induce oral cancer. Starting 7 days before the 4-NQO exposure, groups of animals were fed the diets containing test chemicals for 10 weeks and then switched to the basal diet. Starting 1 week after the cessation of 4-NQO exposure, the groups given 4-NQO and a basal diet were switched to the diets containing diosmin, hesperidin, or diosmin combined with hesperidin and maintained on these diets for 22 weeks. The other groups consisted of rats given diosmin (1000 ppm), hesperidin (1000 ppm), and the combination regimen of these two compounds (900 ppm diosmin with 100 ppm hesperidin) alone, and untreated rats. All animals were necropsied at the termination of the study (week 32). The incidences of tongue lesions (neoplasms and preneoplasms), polyamine levels in the tongue tissue, and cell proliferation activity estimated by a 5-bromodeoxyuridine-labeling index and by morphometric analysis of silver-stained nucleolar organizer regions protein were compared among the groups. Feeding of both compounds singly or in combination during the initiation phase caused a significant reduction in the frequency of tongue carcinoma [diosmin, 68% reduction (P < 0.01); hesperidin, 75% reduction (P < 0.005); and the combination regimen, 69% (P < 0.05)]. When fed the test compounds singly or the combination regimen after 4-NQO exposure, the frequency of tongue cancer was also decreased [diosmin, 77% reduction (P < 0.005); hesperidin, 62% reduction (P < 0.05); and the combination regimen, 77% (P < 0.005)]. The incidences of oral preneoplasia (hyperplasia and dysplasia) in these groups were also decreased when compared with carcinogen controls (P < 0.05-P < 0.001). There were no pathological alterations in rats treated with test compounds or the combined regimen alone or those in an untreated control group. Dietary administration of these compounds significantly decreased the expression of cell proliferation biomarkers (5-bromodeoxyuridine-labeling index and silver-stained nucleolar organizer regions protein number) of the nonlesional tongue squamous epithelium (P < 0.05). Also, polyamine concentrations in the oral mucosa were lowered in rats given the carcinogen and test compounds, alone and in combination, compared with those of rats given 4-NQO alone (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that supplementation with the flavonoids diosmin and hesperidin, individually and in combination, is effective in inhibiting the development of oral neoplasms induced by 4-NQO, and such inhibition might be related to suppression of increased cell proliferation caused by 4-NQO in the oral mucosa.

4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide↗

Citrus auraptene inhibits chemically induced colonic aberrant crypt foci in male F344 rats.

The modifying effect of dietary administration of auraptene isolated from the peel of citrus fruit (Citrus natsudaidai Hayata) on the development of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) was investigated in rats. Male F344 rats were given s.c. injections of AOM (15 mg/kg body wt) once a week for 3 weeks to induce ACF. They also received diets containing 100 or 500 p.p.m. auraptene for 5 weeks, starting 1 week before the first dose of AOM. At termination of the study (week 5) dietary administration of auraptene caused a significant reduction in the frequency of ACF in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Feeding of auraptene suppressed expression of cell proliferation biomarkers (5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine labeling-index, ornithine decarboxylase activity, polyamine content and number of silver stained nucleolar organizer region protein particles) in the colonic mucosa and the occurrence of micronuclei caused by AOM. Also, auraptene increased the activities of phase II enzymes (glutathione S-transferase and quinone reductase) in the liver and colon. These findings might suggest that inhibition of AOM-induced ACF may be associated, in part, with increased activity of phase II enzymes in the liver and colon and suppression of cell proliferation in the colonic mucosa.

Animals↗

Modulation of N-methyl-N-amylnitrosamine-induced rat oesophageal tumourigenesis by dietary feeding of diosmin and hesperidin, both alone and in combination.

The modifying effects of flavonoids diosmin and hesperidin during the initiation and post-initiation phases of oesophageal carcinogenesis initiated with N-methyl-N-amylnitrosamine (MNAN) were investigated in male Wistar rats. At 7 weeks of age, all animals except those treated each test chemical alone and control groups were given weekly intraperitoneal injections of MNAN (12.5 mg/kg body weight/injection) for 12 weeks to induce oesophageal neoplasms. For examining the modifying effects of 'initiation' treatment of test compounds, groups of animals were fed the diets containing 1000 ppm diosmin and 1000 ppm hesperidin, and the diet containing both compounds (900 ppm diosmin and 100 ppm hesperidin) for 13 weeks, starting 7 days before the MNAN dosing and then switched to the basal diet. For examining the modifying effects of 'post-initiation' treatment of these compounds, the groups given MNAN and a basal diet were switched to the experimental diets containing diosmin, hesperidin or diosmin combined with hesperidin at 1 week after the stop of MNAN injection, and maintained on these diets for 7 weeks. The other groups consisted of rats given test compounds alone or untreated rats. All animals were necropsied at the termination of the study (week 20) to determine the incidences of oesophageal neoplasms and preneoplasms, blood polyamine levels, and cell proliferation activity estimated by 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-labelling index and by morphometric analysis of silver-stained nucleolar organizer regions' protein (AgNORs). A number of oesophageal neoplasms developed in rats treated with MNAN alone (75% and 100% incidences of carcinoma and papilloma, respectively). 'Initiation' feeding of diosmin significantly decreased the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma (P < 0.05). Also, 'initiation feeding' of both compounds singly or in combination caused a significant reduction in the multiplicities of oesophageal carcinoma and papilloma (diosmin, 78 and 58% reduction; hesperidin, 70 and 50% reduction; and the combination regimen, 70 and 30% reduction, P < 0.005). 'Post-initiation' feeding slightly decreased the multiplicities of these oesophageal neoplasms. Also, these dietary regimens reduced the multiplicities of preneoplastic lesions (hyperplasia and severe dysplasia; P < 0.05). There were no pathological alterations in rats treated with both compounds alone or the combined regimen alone or those in an untreated control group. Similarly, feeding of these compounds significantly decreased the expression of cell proliferation biomarkers (BrdU-labelling index and AgNORs number) of the non-lesional oesophageal epithelium (P < 0.05). Blood polyamine concentrations were also lowered in rats given the carcinogen and test compounds, both alone and in combination, when compared with those of rats given MNAN alone (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that diosmin and hesperidin supplementation, individually or in combination, is effective in inhibiting the development of oesophageal cancer induced by MNAN when given during the initiation phase, and such inhibition might be related to suppression of increased cell proliferation caused by MNAN in the oesophageal mucosa.

Administration, Oral↗

A xanthine oxidase inhibitor 1'-acetoxychavicol acetate inhibits azoxymethane-induced colonic aberrant crypt foci in rats.

The modifying effect of dietary administration of a xanthine oxidase inhibitor 1'-acetoxychavicol acetate (ACA) present in an edible plant Languas galanga in Thailand on the development of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) was investigated in rats. Male F344 rats were given s.c. injections of AOM (15 mg/kg body wt) once a week for 3 weeks to induce colonic ACF. They were fed the diets containing 100 or 200 ppm ACA for 5 weeks, starting 1 week before the first dosing of AOM. At the termination of the study (week 5), AOM induced 118 +/- 28 ACF/colon. Dietary administration of ACA caused significant reduction in the frequency of ACF (41% inhibition by 100 ppm ACA feeding and 37% inhibition by 200 ppm ACA feeding, P<0.01). Such inhibition might be associated with suppression of the proliferation biomarkers' expression such as ornithine decarboxylase activity in the colonic mucosa, number of silver-stained nucleolar organizer regions' protein in the colonic mucosal cell nuclei and blood polyamine content. These results indicate that ACA could inhibit the development of AOM-induced ACF through its suppression of cell proliferation in the colonic mucosa and ACA might be a possible chemopreventive agent against colon tumourigenesis.

Animals↗

Chemoprevention of azoxymethane-induced rat colon carcinogenesis by the naturally occurring flavonoids, diosmin and hesperidin.

The modulating effects of dietary feeding of two flavonoids, diosmin and hesperidin, both alone and in combination, during the initiation and post-initiation phases on colon carcinogenesis initiated with azoxymethane (AOM), were investigated in male F344 rats. Animals were initiated with AOM by weekly s.c. injections of 15 mg/kg body wt for 3 weeks to induced colon neoplasms. Rats were fed the diets containing diosmin (1000 ppm), hesperidin (1000 ppm) or diosmin (900 ppm) + hesperidin (100 ppm) for 5 weeks (initiation treatment) or 28 weeks (post-initiation treatment). The others contained the groups of rats treated with diosmin, hesperidin alone or in combination, and untreated. At the end of the study (32 weeks), the incidence and multiplicity of neoplasms (adenoma and adenocarcinoma) in the large intestine of rats initiated with AOM together with, or followed by, a diet containing diosmin or hesperidin were significantly smaller than those of rats given AOM alone (P <0.001). The combination regimen during the initiation and post-initiation stages also inhibited the development of colonic neoplasms, but the tumor data did not indicate any beneficial effect of diosmin and hesperidin administered together as compared with when these agents were given individually. In addition, feeding of diosmin and hesperidin, both alone and in combination, significantly inhibited the development of aberrant crypt foci. As for cell proliferation biomarkers, dietary exposure of diosmin and hesperidin significantly decreased the 5'-bromodeoxyuridine-labeling index and argyrophilic nuclear organizer region's number in crypt cells, colonic mucosal ornithine decarboxylase activity, and polyamine levels in the blood. These results indicate that diosmin and hesperidin, both alone and in combination, act as a chemopreventive agent against colon carcinogenesis, and such effects may be partly due to suppression of cell proliferation in the colonic crypts, although precise mechanisms should be clarified.

Animals↗

Suppressive effects of S-methyl methanethiosulfonate on promotion stage of diethylnitrosamine-initiated and phenobarbital-promoted hepatocarcinogenesis model.

Modifying effects of S-methyl methanethiosulfonate (MMTS) on diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-initiated and phenobarbital (PB)-promoted hepatocarcinogenesis were examined in rats. Five-week-old male F344 rats were divided into 8 groups. After a week, groups 1-5 were given DEN (100 mg/kg body weight, i.p.) once a week for 3 weeks, whereas groups 6-8 received vehicle treatment. Group 2 was given 100 ppm MMTS containing diet in the initiation phase. From 4 weeks after the start of experiment, groups 3 and 5 were fed MMTS, and groups 1-3 and 7 received drinking water containing 500 ppm PB. Group 6 was given MMTS diet alone throughout the experiment (24 weeks). The incidences of hepatocellular adenoma and total liver tumors were significantly smaller in group 3 than those of group 1. The average numbers of hepatocellular adenoma, carcinoma and total tumors in group 3 were significantly smaller than in group 1. Glutathione S-transferase placental form-positive foci were also significantly decreased by MMTS treatment in the promotion phase. MMTS treatment in the initiation or promotion phase reduced ornithine decarboxylase activity in the liver of rats given DEN. The antioxidant activity against lipid peroxidation of MMTS was confirmed in tests with rabbit erythrocyte membrane ghosts or rat hepatocytes. These results suggest that MMTS is a promising chemopreventive agent for liver neoplasia when concurrently administered with PB.

Animals↗

Chemoprevention of azoxymethane-induced rat colon carcinogenesis by a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, 1'-acetoxychavicol acetate.

In our studies to find natural compounds with chemopreventive efficacy in foods, using azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colonic aberrant crypt foci and colonic mucosal cell proliferation as biomarkers, a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, 1'-acetoxychavicol acetate (ACA), present in the edible plant Languas galanga from Thailand was found to be effective. This study was conducted to test the ability of ACA to inhibit AOM-induced colon tumorigenesis when it was fed to rats during the initiation or post-initiation phase. Male F344 rats were given three weekly s.c. injections of AOM (15 mg/kg body weight) to induce colonic neoplasms. They were fed diet containing 100 or 500 ppm ACA for 4 weeks, starting one week before the first dosing of AOM (the initiation feeding). The other groups were fed the ACA diet for 34 weeks, starting one week after the last AOM injection (the post-initiation feeding). At the termination of the study (week 38), AOM had induced 71% incidence of colonic adenocarcinoma (12/17 rats). The initiation feeding with ACA caused significant reduction in the incidence of colon carcinoma (54% inhibition by 100 ppm ACA feeding and 77% inhibition by 500 ppm ACA feeding, P = 0.03 and P = 0.001, respectively). The post-initiation feeding with ACA also suppressed the incidence of colonic carcinoma (45% inhibition by 100 ppm ACA feeding and 93% inhibition by 500 ppm ACA feeding, P = 0.06 and P = 0.00003, respectively). Such inhibition was dose-dependent and was associated with suppression of proliferation biomarkers, such as ornithine decarboxylase activity in the colonic mucosa, and blood and colonic mucosal polyamine contents. ACA also elevated the activities of phase II enzymes, glutathione S-transferase (GST) and quinone reductase (QR), in the liver and colon. These results indicate that ACA could inhibit the development of AOM-induced colon tumorigenesis through its suppression of cell proliferation in the colonic mucosa and its induction of GST and QR. The results confirm our previous finding that ACA feeding effectively suppressed the development of colonic aberrant crypt foci. These findings suggest possible chemopreventive ability of ACA against colon tumorigenesis.

Animal Feed↗

Continuous versus bilevel positive airway pressure in a patient with idiopathic central sleep apnea.

A 57-yr-old man with idiopathic central apnea is reported. He presented at our hospital complaining of excessive daytime sleepiness. Polysomnography, including esophageal pressure monitoring, confirmed central sleep apnea with an apnea index of 27/h. He had mild non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) but no signs of diabetic neuropathy or other background diseases. The ventilatory responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia tested while he was awake indicated increased respiratory chemosensitivity. We applied nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and bilevel positive airway pressure (BPAP) in an attempt to compare the possible difference in therapeutic efficacy. Although nasal CPAP completely reversed central apnea, nasal BPAP adversely affected both apnea length and frequency in an applied pressure-dependent manner. Arterial blood gas analyses while he was being treated indicted alveolar hypoventilation with CPAP and hyperventilation with BPAP. Additionally, administration of a mixed gas containing 5% CO2 through a face mask had a significant effect on the disappearance of central apnea in this patient. These findings support the theory that the arterial PCO2 level is critical in generating idiopathic central apnea and that nasal CPAP therapy may be effective in eliminating central apnea by raising the PaCO2.

Blood Gas Analysis↗