Biomedical subjects

N Miwa

Publications and source records attributed to N Miwa.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1999

Bacteriological investigation of an outbreak of Clostridium perfringens food poisoning caused by Japanese food without animal protein.

An outbreak of Clostridium perfringens food poisoning occurred in a senior citizen's home in Japan. Japanese food, spinach boiled with fried bean curd, was considered to be the causative food as a result of the detection of the C. perfringens enterotoxin gene by nested PCR. The number of enterotoxin-positive C. perfringens was enumerated as 4.3 x 10(5)/g in the causative food by the MPN method combined with nested PCR. By cultivation, enterotoxin-positive C. perfringens was isolated from all the fecal specimens of patients tested and the causative food. The isolates from patients were serotypable, heat-resistant and the majority produced enterotoxin, however most isolates from the causative food were nonserotypable, enterotoxin-negative and heat-sensitive.

Aged↗

PubMed1999

Regulation of methionine adenosyltransferase activity by the glutathione level in rat liver during ischemia-reperfusion.

Hepatic ischemia was induced by clamping the hepatic artery, portal vein, and bile duct. After 15 min of ischemia, the hepatic glutathione (GSH) content rapidly decreased. On the other hand, after the start of reperfusion, the hepatic GSH levels promptly increased and reached a peak at about 1 h, and thereafter decreased to a minimum level by 2 h. Under such conditions, we examined the changes in the methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) activity in the liver. Though the time course of MAT activity was somewhat delayed compared with that of the hepatic GSH levels, both patterns were substantially similar during ischemia-reperfusion. In contrast to the changes in the MAT activity during ischemia-reperfusion, the levels of MAT protein were unchanged during these periods. When endogenous antioxidant coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) was administered to rats prior to ischemia, both the reduction in the MAT activity and hepatic GSH levels induced by ischemia-reperfusion were protected. Our findings suggest that CoQ(10) may posttranslationally regulate the MAT activity via the changes in the GSH level in the liver.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Molecular modeling of single polypeptide chain of calcium-binding protein p26olf from dimeric S100B(betabeta).

P26olf from olfactory tissue of frog, which may be involved in olfactory transduction or adaptation, is a Ca2+-binding protein with 217 amino acids. The p26olf molecule contains two homologous parts consisting of the N-terminal half with amino acids 1-109 and the C-terminal half with amino acids 110-217. Each half resembles S100 protein with about 100 amino acids and contains two helix-loop-helix Ca2+-binding structural motifs known as EF-hands: a normal EF-hand at the C-terminus and a pseudo EF-hand at the N-terminus. Multiple alignment of the two S100-like domains of p26olf with 18 S100 proteins indicated that the C-terminal putative EF-hand of each domain contains a four-residue insertion when compared with the typical EF-hand motifs in the S100 protein, while the N-terminal EF-hand is homologous to its pseudo EF-hand. We constructed a three-dimensional model of the p26olf molecule based on results of the multiple alignment and NMR structures of dimeric S100B(betabeta) in the Ca2+-free state. The predicted structure of the p26olf single polypeptide chain satisfactorily adopts a folding pattern remarkably similar to dimeric S100B(betabeta). Each domain of p26olf consists of a unicornate-type four-helix bundle and they interact with each other in an antiparallel manner forming an X-type four-helix bundle between the two domains. The two S100-like domains of p26olf are linked by a loop with no steric hindrance, suggesting that this loop might play an important role in the function of p26olf. The circular dichroism spectral data support the predicted structure of p26olf and indicate that Ca2+-dependent conformational changes occur. Since the C-terminal putative EF-hand of each domain fully keeps the helix-loop-helix motif having a longer Ca2+-binding loop, regardless of the four-residue insertion, we propose that it is a new, novel EF-hand, although it is unclear whether this EF-hand binds Ca2+. P26olf is a new member of the S100 protein family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1999

[Vitamin C: structure-activity correlation and cytoprotective actions through free radical scavenging and extracellular matrix construction].

Conventional studies on vitamin C have been conducted by single-dosage administration with ascorbic acid itself being so labile as to undergo irreversible degradation. In contrast, enrichment of intracellular ascorbate is accomplished by pro-vitamin C in which its 2,3-enediol moiety is protected with phosphate ester, being thereafter enzymatically esterolyzed. Ascorbic acid-2-O-phosphate (Asc2P) gradually releases ascorbate, which is cumulatively taken up into diverse human or mammalian cells, and prevents cell injuries such as post-ischemic reperfusional injury in the liver or heart, age-dependent telomeric DNA shortening in endothelial or epithelial cells, UV-B irradiational injury in the skin and lipid peroxide-induced injury in the vascular endothelium, and tumor invasion and metastasis.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Antimetastatic and anti-invasive ability of phospho-ascorbyl palmitate through intracellular ascorbate enrichment and the resultant antioxidant action.

A lipophilic and auto-oxidation-resistant derivative of ascorbic acid (Asc), Asc-2-O-phosphate-6-O-palmitate (Asc2P6Plm), was shown to exert an invasion-inhibitory action as promptly as 30-40 min for 50% inhibition and 60-90 min for 80% inhibition after entering fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cells. Invasive inhibition of 95-97% was accomplished by Asc2P6Plm of doses exhibiting no cytotoxicity under the same conditions. Asc2P6Plm was dephosphorylated and esterolyzed to Asc, which enriched the intracellular Asc dose dependently in invasion-suppressed cells, contrasting with no detectable Asc in invasive cells fed without Asc2P6Plm. Intracellular dehydroAsc (DehAsc), unexpectedly, amounted to 1.02-1.65-fold as much as intracellular Asc, suggesting that invasive cells underwent oxidative stress, the repression of which resulted in both inhibition of tumor invasion and oxidative conversion of Asc to DehAsc. Correspondingly, intracellular oxidants fluorometrically detected with a redox indicator CDCFH were more abundant in invasive cells than in invasion-suppressed cells fed with Asc2P6Plm. Invasion inhibitory effects of Asc2P6Plm necessitated the extensive inhibition of the major gelatinases MMP-9 and MMP-2, as shown by zymography and Western blots, but did not necessitate direct expression of the metastasis suppressor gene nm23, taking as long as 6-18 h in contrast to a prompt action of Asc2P6Plm. Antimetastatic effects on melanoma B16BL6 cells were given dose dependently by intravenous administration or pretreatment with Asc2P6Plm. Thus, Asc2P6Plm is anticipated as an antimetastatic agent via the potent antioxidant activity.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Identification, characterization and mapping of the human ZIS (zinc-finger, splicing) gene.

From a human fetal brain cDNA library, we isolated two transcripts (ZIS-1 and ZIS-2) corresponding to the human ZIS gene, an ortholog of the rat Zis (zinc finger, splicing). A comparison of base sequences of the cDNA and its corresponding genomic DNA (a P1-derived artificial chromosome clone) revealed that both transcripts have an ORF of 1011bp and encodes 337 amino acids, but ZIS-1 has 10 exons and ZIS-2 contains 11 exons. Although both transcripts share the first nine exons, exon 10 of ZIS-2 is lacking in ZIS-1, and instead, exon 11 (10th exon) of ZIS-1 is larger in size, leading to the longer 3'-UTR. Thus, the two transcripts result from differential splicing. A Northern blot analysis on various adult and fetal tissues revealed that 5.2- and 3.2-kb transcripts were ubiquitously expressed, and 3.9- and 1.9-kb transcripts were highly expressed in the fetal brain and kidney, respectively. There were several other transcripts that may be alternatively processed forms of the human ZIS. Considering the ZIS gene size, the 3.2-kb transcripts most likely corresponds to ZIS-1 and may act as a major transcript of ZIS. The human ZIS has a high homology to the rat Zis for the coding DNA sequence with 91% identity and for the amino acid sequence with 87% identity. ZIS and Zis contain the same numbers of exons and introns. Both genes have unusually long 3'-UTR, and their encoding proteins contain similar components, i.e. a zinc finger domain, a nuclear localization signal, an Asp-Glu region, and a Ser-Arg-rich region. Furthermore, the expression patterns of the two genes in tissues are similar each other. Thus, the human ZIS may act as a transcriptional factor to regulate transcription and/or splicing, as does the rat Zis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1998

Purification and molecular cloning of a novel calcium-binding protein, p26olf, in the frog olfactory epithelium.

Olfactory adaptation requires the change of intracellular calcium concentration during stimuli. To contribute in the study of the molecular mechanism of calcium-dependent regulations in olfactory receptor cells, we isolated a novel 26-kDa Ca2+-binding protein named p26olf from the frog olfactory epithelium after four chromatographical steps. Based on the partial amino acid sequences of the proteolysed fragments of p26olf, we obtained a cDNA clone that encodes p26olf. The analysis of its amino acid sequence revealed that p26olf consists of two S-100-like regions aligned sequentially with a calculated molecular mass of 24,493. Northern blot analysis showed that p26olf is expressed in the frog olfactory epithelium and also in other tissues. Immunoreactivity against p26olf was detected in the cilia layer of the olfactory epithelium. These results suggest that p26olf is a dimeric form of S-100 proteins and is involved in the olfactory transduction or adaptation.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed1998

Requirement of GM2 ganglioside activator for phospholipase D activation.

Sequence analysis of a heat-stable protein necessary for the activation of ADP ribosylation factor-dependent phospholipase D (PLD) reveals that this protein has a structure highly homologous to the previously known GM2 ganglioside activator whose deficiency results in the AB-variant of GM2 gangliosidosis. The heat-stable activator protein indeed has the capacity to enhance enzymatic conversion of GM2 to GM3 ganglioside that is catalyzed by beta-hexosaminidase A. Inversely, GM2 ganglioside activator purified separately from tissues as described earlier [Conzelmann, E. & Sandhoff, K. (1987) Methods Enzymol. 138, 792-815] stimulates ADP ribosylation factor-dependent PLD in a dose-dependent manner. At higher concentrations of ammonium sulfate, the PLD activator protein apparently substitutes for protein kinase C and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, both of which are known as effective stimulators of the PLD reaction. The mechanism of action of the heat-stable PLD activator protein remains unknown.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1998

Amount of enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens in meat detected by nested PCR.

The incidence and quantity of enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens in beef, pork, and chicken meat were determined and compared with that of the total enterotoxigenic and nonenterotoxigenic C. perfringens. The method for the detection and quantification of enterotoxigenic C. perfringens consisted of a combination of the most probable number (MPN) method and a nested polymerase chain reaction after culturing of the sample. The results obtained by this method for inoculated meat samples were significantly correlated with those obtained by the plate count method. When the method was applied to the detection and quantification of enterotoxigenic C. perfringens found in randomly selected meat samples, the organism was found in 2% of the beef pieces (< 10(2) MPN/100 g) and 12% of the chicken pieces (< 10(2)-4.3 x 10(2) MPN/100 g) out of the 50 pieces of each meat tested. No enterotoxigenic C. perfringens was found in pork. Total C. perfringens was found in 16% of the beef (< 10(2)-4.3 x 10(2) MPN/100 g), 10% of the pork (< 10(2) MPN/100 g), and 84% of the chicken (< 10(2)-9.3 x 10(3) MPN/100 g) when 50 pieces of each meat was tested by the conventional MPN method. As shown in the above methods, the majority of cells were not enterotoxigenic cells in the population of C. perfringens. A small number of enterotoxigenic cells of C. perfringens co-existed with a large number of nonenterotoxigenic cells in the same meat sample.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Purification of a heat-stable activator protein for ADP-ribosylation factor-dependent phospholipase D.

A heat-stable activator for ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF)-dependent phospholipase D (PLD) was purified to near homogeneity from rat kidney cytosol by a sequential column chromatography. The purified activator has a molecular mass of 23 kDa on SDS-PAGE. Using a partially purified ARF-dependent PLD from rat kidney, the activator synergistically stimulates PLD with ARF in time- and dose-dependent manner. In the absence of ARF, the activator has little or no effect. The purified activator also stimulates PLD under several conditions including permeabilized cell system, suggesting that the activator is a physiologically relevant regulator of PLD.

ADP-Ribosylation Factors↗

PubMed1998

Age-dependent telomere shortening is slowed down by enrichment of intracellular vitamin C via suppression of oxidative stress.

Telomeres in eukaryotic somatic cells are destined to the age-dependent shortening, which has not been demonstrated to correlate to direct lesion of telomeric DNA by reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI); still less explicable is the inhibitory effect of ROI-scavenging on telomere shortening. Here, we succeeded in artificial slowdown of age-dependent telomere shortening to 52-62% of the untreated control, in human vascular endothelial cells, by addition of the oxidation-resistant type of ascorbic acid (Asc), Asc-2-O-phosphate (Asc2P), which concurrently achieved both extension of cellular life-span and prevention of cell size enlargement indicative of cellular senescence. The results are attributable to a 3.9-fold more marked enrichment of intracellular Asc (Asc(in)) by addition of Asc2P, subsequently dephosphorylated before or during transmembrane influx, than by addition of Asc itself, and also attributed to diminution of intracellular ROI to 53% of the control level by Asc2P; telomerase activity was at a trace level and underwent an age-dependent decline, which was significantly decelerated by Asc2P. Thus, age-dependent telomere-shortening can be decelerated by suppression of intracellular oxidative stress and/or by telomerase retention, both of which are achieved by enriched Asc(in) but not by extracellular Asc overwhelmingly more abundant than Asc(in).

Ascorbic Acid↗

PubMed1998

Manganese-metalloporphyrin (ATN-10) as a tumor-localizing agent: magnetic resonance imaging and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy study with experimental brain tumors.

OBJECTIVE: We examined whether selective tumor accumulation of a novel manganese-metalloporphyrin (ATN-10) occurs in Fisher rats bearing intracerebral 9L gliomas. METHODS: After intravenous administration of ATN-10, magnetic resonance imaging of brains with tumors or nontumoral vasogenic brain edema was performed. Tissue manganese concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy until 48 hours after administration of ATN-10, to evaluate its uptake in tumor, normal brain, and peritumoral brain tissue. RESULTS: In magnetic resonance imaging scans, early enhancement was observed in both tumor tissue and regions of nontumoral vasogenic brain edema at 5 minutes after ATN-10 administration. However, delayed enhancement was noted only in tumor tissue, at 24 hours after intravenous injection of ATN-10. Comparison of rat brain specimens and 24-hour magnetic resonance imaging scans revealed that only the viable portions of tumors were enhanced with ATN-10; necrotic regions and areas of peritumoral brain tissue and nontumoral vasogenic edema were not. Significantly greater uptake of ATN-10 was found in tumor samples, compared with normal and peritumoral brain tissue, at 24 hours. A high tumor/normal brain tissue ratio (10.4) was achieved at 24 hours. CONCLUSION: ATN-10, a manganese-metalloporphyrin, is a potentially useful tumor-localizing agent that accumulates and is preferentially retained in viable tumor tissue.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Moderately controlled transport of ascorbate into aortic endothelial cells against slowdown of the cell cycle, decreasing of the concentration or increasing of coexistent glucose as compared with dehydroascorbate.

Uptake of L-[1-(14)C]ascorbic acid (Asc) of 12.5-200 microM for 1 h into bovine aortic endothelial BAE-2 cells grown to confluence was as low as 43-64% (per cell) of uptake into the cells grown to nearly one-fourth confluence. [14C]Asc undergoing transmembrane uptake was concentrated and accumulated in the cell less efficiently ([Asc]in/ex = 8-13) at confluence than at subconfluence ([Asc]in/ex = 15-24). The declined Asc uptake at confluence is attributable to slowdown of the cell cycle, because a similar decrease in [Asc]in/ex was shown by subconfluent cells precultured in serum-insufficient medium, resulting in an increase in G1 phase and concurrent decreases in S and G2 + M phase distributions as determined by flow cytometry. [1-(14)C]Dehydroascorbic acid (DehAsc) was taken up and accumulated as Asc, after metabolic reduction, without detectable DehAsc. The [Asc]in/ex values for DehAsc at confluence were as low as 15-69% of those at subconfluence in contrast to the values as retentive as 62-75% for Asc, suggesting the moderate control of Asc uptake against slowdown of the cell cycle. At either confluence or subconfluence, dose-dependence for DehAsc uptake was more marked than for Asc uptake as shown by an uphill slope in a curve of doses versus [Asc]in/ex for DehAsc in contrast to a downhill slope for Asc, suggesting the moderate control for Asc uptake against fluctuation of the dose. Increasing of coexistent glucose of 5 mM to 20-40 mM, plasma concentrations in diabetic patients, declined DehAsc uptake to 46-48%, which was less moderately controlled than Asc uptake retained to 59-73%. Asc uptake did not compete with DehAsc uptake, suggesting different transporter proteins for Asc and DehAsc. Thus, Asc uptake into the aortic endothelial cells is more moderately controlled against slowdown of the cell cycle, decreasing of the extracellular concentrations or increasing of coexistent glucose than DehAsc uptake, suggesting a homeostatic advantage of Asc over DehAsc in terms of retention of intracellular Asc contents within a definite range.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Magnetic iron oxide particles coated with carboxydextran for parenteral administration and liver contrasting. Pre-clinical profile of SH U555A.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the physical and pharmacological profiles of SH U555A, a suspension of magnetic iron oxide particles that is designed to enhance the visualization of liver tumors and metastases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Chemical and physical methods were used to characterize the size and structure of these magnetic iron oxide particles in aqueous solution. The biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of the particles were studied in mice, rats and dogs. The imaging efficacy of the particles was demonstrated by MR imaging in rat liver tumors RESULTS: The SH U555A particles consist of low-molecular-weight carboxydextran-coated iron oxides predominantly of the gamma-Fe2O3 form with a hydrodynamic diameter ranging from 57-59 nm and strong T2 relaxivity of 164 liters x mmol(-1) x s(-1) (water, 0.47 T). In rats the particles exhibited a dose-dependent half-life of between 2 and 3 days in the liver at a dose of 20 micromol Fe/kg and a shorter half-life at lower doses. No major side effects were found. In a rat tumor model the tumor-to-liver contrast was markedly improved after i.v. administration of SH U555A. At a dose of 14 micromol Fe/kg the half-maximal contrast-effect was obtained even in nonoptimized T1-weighted spin-echo images. CONCLUSION: SH U555A is a superparamagnetic MR contrast agent for i.v. administration and has substantial potential for the demarcation of liver tumors.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Most probable numbers of enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens in intestinal contents of domestic livestock detected by nested PCR.

The incidence and numbers of enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens in the intestinal contents of cattle, swine and broiler chickens were determined and compared with those of total (enterotoxigenic and nonenterotoxigenic) C. perfringens. The method used for the enumeration of enterotoxigenic C. perfringens consisted of a combination of the most probable number (MPN) method and a nested polymerase chain reaction after enrichment culture of the sample. Enterotoxigenic C. perfringens was found in 26% (4.0 x 10-4.3 x 10(2) MPN/100 g), 22% (4.0 x 10-2.3 x 10(3) MPN/100 g) and 40% (4.0 x 10-2.4 x 10(4) MPN/100 g) of intestinal contents of 50 head each of cattle, swine and broiler chickens, respectively. Whereas, total C. perfringens was found in 76% (9.0 x 10-7.5 x 10(6) MPN/100 g), 44% (7.0 x 10-4.3 x 10(6) MPN/100 g) and 80% (4.3 x 10(2)-9.3 x 10(7) MPN/100 g) of intestinal contents of 50 head each of cattle, swine and broiler chickens, respectively, by the conventional MPN method. In all cases, enterotoxigenic cells were not dominant in the population of C. perfringens: a small number of enterotoxigenic cells of C. perfringens co-existed with a large number of nonenterotoxigenic cells in the same sample. The ratios of enterotoxigenic C. perfringens cells to total C. perfringens cells were 1/10-1/10(5).

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Most probable number method combined with nested polymerase chain reaction for detection and enumeration of enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens in intestinal contents of cattle, pig and chicken.

The most probable number (MPN) method combined with a nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) for the detection and enumeration of enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens in the intestinal contents of cattle, pig and chicken was examined. Ten-fold serial dilutions of samples were added to three tubes of enrichment medium, which were incubated at 37 degrees C for 20-24 hr, and the C. perfringens enterotoxin gene was detected by nested PCR from the enrichment culture without isolating the organism. The results obtained by this method with artificially contaminated intestinal contents were significantly correlated with those obtained by a plate count method. When the method was applied to the detection and enumeration of indigenous enterotoxigenic C. perfringens, the organism was found in two, two and three samples of 10 intestinal contents of cattle, pig and chicken, respectively. Most of the positive samples contained fewer than 10 MPN/g of enterotoxigenic C. perfringens, except one sample of chicken, which contained 1.5 x 10(2) MPN/g. The MPN method combined with nested PCR is easy to perform and may be a useful tool for the detection and enumeration of enterotoxigenic C. perfringens in intestinal contents.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Enhanced protection against peroxidation-induced mortality of aortic endothelial cells by ascorbic acid-2-O-phosphate abundantly accumulated in the cell as the dephosphorylated form.

Bovine aortic endothelial BAE-2 cells exposed to the peroxidizing agent, tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BuOOH) or 2,4-nonadienal (NDE), suffered from disruption of cell membrane integrity and from reduction of mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity as assessed by fluorometry using ethidium homodimer and photometry using WST-1, respectively. The cells were protected from t-BuOOH-induced injury more markedly by L-ascorbic acid-2-O-phosphate (Asc2P) stably masked at the 2,3-enediol moiety, which is responsible for the antioxidant ability of L-ascorbic acid (Asc), than by Asc itself. In contrast, NDE-induced membrane disruption but not mitochondrial dysfunction was prevented by Asc2P, whereas Asc exhibited no prevention against both types of injury. The amount of intracellular Asc was 7.2- to 9.0-fold larger in Asc2P-administered BAE-2 cells, where the intact from Asc2P was not detected, than in Asc-administered cells as assessed by HPLC of cell extract with detection by coulometric ECD and UV. During transmembrane influx into the cell, Asc2P was concentrated as highly as 70- to 90-fold relative to the extracellular Asc2P concentration, whereas Asc was 8- to 13-fold concentrated as estimated based on an intracellular water content of 0.59 pL/cell determined by [14C]PEG/gas chromatography. Thus, Asc2P but not Asc is highly concentrated in the aqueous phase of the cell after prompt dephosphorylation, and may thereby render the cell more resistant to t-BuOOH-peroxidation assumedly via scavenging of intracellular reactive oxygen species than to peroxidation with the less hydrophilic agent NDE.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Cytotoxicity to tumors by alpha, beta-dihydric long-chain fatty alcohols isolated from esterolysates of uncytotoxic sheep cutaneous wax: the dependence on the molecular hydrophobicity balance of N- or iso-alkyl moiety bulkiness and two hydroxyl groups.

Wool fatty alcohols (WF-Alc; C10-C33), separated by esterolysis of wool grease secreted from sheep sebaceous gland, inhibited growth of mouse Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells in contrast to no inhibition by unesterolysed wool grease. WF-Alc was fractionated by molecular distillation and subsequent octadecylsilica (ODS) gel liquid chromatography, showing that most of the growth-inhibitory activity was found in the most hydrophilic fraction with the lowest boiling-point (MW 200-300; C12-C20), ODS-HPLC of the fraction showed that most of the activity resided in two homogeneous fractions identified by GC-MS and 13C-/1H-NMR as alpha, beta-dihydric saturated fatty alcohols such as 1,2-hexadecanediol (n-C16(OH)2) and 16-methyl-1,2-heptadecanediol (iso-C18(OH)2), respectively. EAC cells implanted into mice were inhibited markedly by n-C16(OH)2 possessing a cytolysing ability and slightly by iso-C18(OH)2, but hardly by other alkyl-alpha, beta-diols (C12-C24) contained in WF-Alc. Thus, the antitumor activity of WF-Alc was exhibited only after saponification of uncytotoxic wool grease, showing necessity of unesterified hydroxyl groups, and was dependent upon the molecular hydrophobicity balance attributed to both hydroxyl groups and n- or iso-alkyl moiety bulkiness specified out of diverse species of fatty alcohols contained in WF-Alc.

Animals↗