Dimethylthiourea ameliorates carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury in ovariectomized mice.

Aims: In order to clarify hepato-protective actions of estrogen, we examined the progress of carbon tetrachloride (CCl)-induced acute liver injury (ALI) in sham and ovariectomized (ovx) mice and the effects of dimethylthiourea (DMTU), a hydroxyl radical scavenger, and meloxicam (Melo), a selective cox-2 inhibitor, on the development of CCl-induced ALI.

Main Methods: Female C57BL/6 J mice weighing 15-20 g were performed sham or ovx operation at 8 weeks of age. Blood and liver samples were collected 15 and 24 h after CCl administration.

Sudden infant deaths from undiagnosed ventricular septal defect - Report of two autopsy cases.

Ventricular septal defect (VSD) has a relatively non-aggressive clinical course; either spontaneous closure or causing congestive heart failure treatable with surgical intervention. We present two autopsy cases of sudden infant deaths from clinically undiagnosed VSDs. Case 1 was an 18-day-old boy.

Apocynin reduced doxycycline-induced acute liver injury in ovariectomized mice.

To determine the physiological role of estrogen in the development of liver injury, we examined the sensitivities of sham and ovariectomy (ovx) mice against doxycycline (DOXY)-induced acute liver injury. Ovx or sham operation was performed in C57BL/6J wild-type female mice of eight weeks of age. Sham mice and ovx mice were treated with DOXY (240 mg/kg ip) 8 weeks after the operation, 30 min after apocynin (5 mg/kg) or saline administration.

Interleukin-6 modulates oxidative stress produced during the development of cisplatin nephrotoxicity.

Aims: We reported that interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a protective role in the development of cisplatin-induced acute renal failure (ARF) through upregulation of anti-oxidative stress factors. In this study, we examined the effects of dimethylthiourea (DMTU), a hydroxyl radical scavenger, on the development of cisplatin-induced ARF in wild-type (WT) and IL-6(-/-) mice to determine how IL-6 contributes to modulation of oxidative stress caused by cisplatin.

Main Methods: WT and IL-6(-/-) male mice were given either cisplatin (30 mg/kg) or saline intraperitoneally.

Interleukin-6 plays a protective role in development of cisplatin-induced acute renal failure through upregulation of anti-oxidative stress factors.

Aims: Cisplatin, a major chemotherapeutic agent, accumulates in proximal tubules of the kidneys and causes acute renal failure dose-dependently. We previously reported that cisplatin induced more severe renal dysfunction in interleukin-6 (IL-6) knockout (IL-6(-/-)) mice than in wild-type (WT) mice. Expression of a pro-apoptotic protein was significantly increased with cisplatin in IL-6(-/-) mice compared to that in WT mice.

Comparison of renal dysfunction in wild-type, IL-6 KO and iNOS KO mice hind limb tourniquet-reperfusion model.

The release of a tourniquet after hind limb ischemia results in vital organ injury, which progresses to multiple organ failure with a high mortality rate. Many events are involved in ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. The purpose of this study was to determine how IL-6 or iNOS is involved in I/R injury using IL-6 knockout (KO) and iNOS KO mice.

PCR detection of bacterial genes provides evidence of death by drowning.

We have developed a sensitive and specific PCR method for detecting plankton DNA in cases of death by drowning. However, this PCR method could not be used for cases of drowning in water containing no plankton. Bacteria species are normally localized in the throat and trachea and they may invade into blood through the respiratory tract in people who have drowned as well as species localized in water.

A hind limb tourniquet induces interleukin-6 expression in a rat dorsal root ganglion.

We investigated the mRNA levels of interleukin-6-related genes in a rat dorsal root ganglion after application of a tourniquet to a hind limb in order to identify the molecules that are induced immediately after peripheral nerve injury at the early stage. Induction of interleukin-6 and upregulation of glycoprotein 130 mRNA expressions were observed in the ipsilateral dorsal root ganglion at 4 h after tourniquet application. Interleukin-6 protein was detected in small-sized and medium-sized dorsal root ganglion cells by immunohistochemical analysis.

Induction of nerve growth factor mRNA in a rat dorsal root ganglion after application of a tourniquet.

We investigated the mRNA levels of neurotrophins and neurotrophin receptors in a rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG), after tourniquet application to a hind limb, to identify the nerve-protective molecules that are induced immediately after peripheral nerve crush and play a part in the process leading to secondary events. No significant expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) mRNA or protein was observed in the control or contralateral DRG. NGF mRNA expression started within 2 h and NGF protein expression was observed in Schwann cells at 4 h after application of the tourniquet, due to termination of the neurotrophin supply from peripheral nerves.

Nitric oxide synthase expressions in rat dorsal root ganglion after a hind limb tourniquet.

We investigated the mRNA levels of neuronal, inducible, endothelial nitric oxide synthases (nNOS, iNOS, eNOS) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in a rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) after tourniquet application to a hind limb to identify molecules that trigger secondary events after peripheral nerve injury. Significantly high nNOS, iNOS mRNA and protein levels were observed in the ipsilateral DRGs 4 h after tourniquet application but not in the contralateral or control DRGs. The levels of TNF-alpha, an inducer of iNOS, were significantly increased in the ipsilateral DRGs 1 h after tourniquet application.

Changes in mRNA expression patterns for cytokines in blood leukocytes of a rat tourniquet model.

We examined changes in mRNA expression patterns for proinflammatory cytokines and growth factors in blood samples after application of a tourniquet to the rat hind limb. Slight upregulations of interferon (IFN)-gamma, macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 mRNA began at 2h after tourniquet application and were short-lived. The levels of activating transcription factor (ATF)-3, a stress-inducible gene, had increased at 1h after tourniquet application.

Expression of cytokines, neurotrophins, neurotrophin receptors and NOS mRNA in dorsal root ganglion of a rat tourniquet model.

We studied temporal changes in mRNA expression patterns for nitric oxide synthase (NOS), cytokines, neurotrophins and neurotrophin receptors in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of the rat, after application of a tourniquet to the hind limb. Collapsed myelin and degenerated axons were observed in the tourniquet segment of the sciatic nerve. Gene expression level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) was significantly increased in ipsilateral DRG samples at 4h after application of the tourniquet but not in the contralateral or control DRG samples.

Nitric oxide synthase expressions in mice skeletal muscle subjected to ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expressions in skeletal muscle subjected to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) were studied using a hind limb tourniquet ischemia model in mice. A rubber band was applied to a hind limb for 3 h under isoflurane anesthesia followed by 1 or 4 h of reperfusion. Increased NADPH diaphorase activity and NOS immunoreactivity were histochemically detected in the cells of muscle that had been subjected to I/R.

Phytoplankton gene detection in drowned rabbits.

We have developed a sensitive and specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for identifying phytoplankton in cases of death by drowning, and we have designed four primer pairs, EG1, EG2, SK1 and SK2, for chlorophyll-related genes of Euglena gracilis and Skeletonema costatum, which are commonly distributed in all types of water. In order to evaluate the usefulness of this method for diagnosis of drowning, we have used this method for detection of plankton genes in non-drowned rabbits submerged after death and in decomposed drowned rabbits. Plankton DNA was identified in lung samples obtained from the non-drowned rabbits because of postmortem plankton penetration into the respiratory system, and plankton DNA was identified in liver and kidney samples obtained from the decomposed drown rabbits.

A novel PCR method for identifying plankton in cases of death by drowning.

We present a new PCR method for identifying plankton in cases of death by drowning. We designed four primer pairs for chlorophyll-related genes of Euglena gracilis (EG) and Skeletonema costatum (SK), which are commonly distributed in water. The primers were selected from sequences coding chloroplast/chlorophyll apoprotein of EG (EG1 and EG2) and fucoxanthin-chlorophyll a/c harvesting protein of SK (SK1 and SK2).