Human tumor growth in nude mice is associated with decreased plasma cysteine and homocysteine.

The methionine cycle and its metabolites homocysteine and cysteine serve several important functions in cellular metabolism. Abnormalities in metabolism of the methionine cycle have been associated with cancer. We determined plasma levels of methionine, homocysteine and cysteine in nude mice implanted with human cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-435 breast, PC-3 prostate, HT29 colon, BX-PC3 pancreas) over a prolonged period of tumor growth.

Talin immunogold density increases in sciatic nerve of diabetic rats after nerve growth factor treatment.

Background: Diabetic neuropathy is a debilitating disorder whose causation is poorly understood. Recent studies have shown significant reduction in the activity of nerve growth factor (NGF) and in the amount of talin cytoskeleton protein immunoreactivity in the perineurium in patients with diabetic neuropathy.

Objective: Since talin is involved in transmembrane connections between extracellular matrix and cytoskeleton, this study investigates the subcellular pattern of talin immunoreactivity and the effect of NGF treatment of diabetic rats on the distribution of talin in the sciatic nerve.

Allopurinol provides long-term protection for experimentally induced testicular torsion in a rabbit model.

Objective: To assess the effect of five antioxidants on exocrine function of rabbit testes retained in situ for 24 h and 3 months after experimental torsion.

Materials And Methods: The left testes of peripubertal rabbits were clamped for 60 min, after which the clamps were removed and the testes allowed to reperfuse. The right testes served as internal controls.

Significance of determining the point of reperfusion failure in experimental torsion of testis.

Background: Experimental studies of the use of free radical scavengers in ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury following detorsion of the torted testis have yielded conflicting results due to differences in the period of ischemia used. The authors studied I/R injury in the rabbit model, to define the point beyond which there is reperfusion failure.

Methods: Ischemia/reperfusion injury of the testis was created in 3-6-month-old male New Zealand white rabbits by cross-clamping the left spermatic cord for periods of ischemia lasting 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 min.

Role of Na+/H+ exchanger isoform-1 in human inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE) is responsible for a net uptake of sodium chloride and water from the gastrointestinal tract and maintains electrolyte and water homeostasis. However, its status in human inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) remains poorly understood.

Objectives: To investigate the role of NHE-1 isoform in human CD and UC.

Activities of erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes in cancer patients.

We measured the activities of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) before therapy in 97 patients with cancer in various sites (gastrointestinal tract (GIT) (n=40), breast (n=30), and others (n=27)), and in 60 matched controls to assess antioxidant enzyme protection. Hemolysate hemoglobin (Hb) was measured spectrophotometrically. The activity of SOD (U/g Hb) was significantly lower in all sites (when all the cancer sites were considered as a group), GIT, breast, and other sites compared to the controls (P<0.