Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 partly mediates hypotensive effect of nitrite on L-NAME-induced hypertension in normoxic rat.

Nitrite has become a topic of interest in the field of medical research because of its potential therapeutic role as an alternative source of nitric oxide (NO). While the bioconversion of nitrite to NO occurs via either nonenzymatic or enzymatic reduction under acidic or hypoxic conditions, little is known about its conversion to NO under normoxic conditions. Because of a recent report of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2)-catalyzed glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) vasorelaxation by denitration of GTN to 1,2-glyceryl dinitrate (1,2-GDN) and nitrite, we therefore investigated a catalytic activity of ALDH2 for nitrite reduction and subsequent effect on N(ω)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME)-induced hypertension in normoxic rat.

Development of novel rat model for high-fat and high-cholesterol diet-induced steatohepatitis and severe fibrosis progression in SHRSP5/Dmcr.

Objectives: Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease are increasing worldwide, and preventive measures are an urgent need and primary concern today.

Aim: This study aimed to develop and clarify the usefulness of the SHRSP5/Dmcr rat, derived from a stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat, as a novel animal model for time-course analysis of steatohepatitis and the severe fibrosis progression often observed in the disease.

Methods: Ten-week-old male SHRSP5/Dmcr rats were divided into six groups: half were fed a high-fat and high-cholesterol-containing diet (HFC diet), and the others the control, stroke-prone (SP) diet for 2, 8, and 14 weeks.

Permethrin may disrupt testosterone biosynthesis via mitochondrial membrane damage of Leydig cells in adult male mouse.

Permethrin, a popular synthetic pyrethroid insecticide used to control noxious insects in agriculture, forestry, households, horticulture, and public health throughout the world, poses risks of environmental exposure. Here we evaluate the reproductive toxicity of cis-permethrin in adult male ICR mice that were orally administered cis-permethrin (0, 35, or 70 mg/kg d) for 6 wk. Caudal epididymal sperm count and sperm motility in the treated groups were statistically reduced in a dose-dependent manner.

Weakness in intercellular association of keratinocytes in severely brittle nails.

The brittle fingernail is a common complaint, but the features of the cellular structure of the nail plate remain unclear. In this study, clipped nailplates from two persons with severely brittle nails, one female aged 26 years and one male aged 82 years, were observed by light and electron microscopy and compared with normal nail plates. Numerous cracks were observed in clipped brittle nails, but not in normal nails, on light microscopy.

Effects of estradiol administration on feto-placental growth in rat.

Background: To clarify the effect of estradiol benzoate on placental structure and its consequences for fetal survival and fetoplacental growth.

Study Design: Estradiol benzoate (0, 0.1, 1, 10, 100 microg/day) was infused intraperitoneally into pregnant Wistar rats from 12 to 19 days' gestation.

Collagen of chronically inflamed skin is over-modified and upregulates secretion of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and matrix-degrading enzymes by endothelial cells and fibroblasts.

In order to investigate the properties of collagen in chronically inflamed tissue, we isolated collagen from the ear skin of mice with chronic contact dermatitis and examined its biochemical characteristics and the functions that regulate the secretion of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and collagen-degrading enzymes from endothelial cells and fibroblasts. Collagen in skin with chronic contact dermatitis comprised 60% type I collagen and 40% type III collagen, which latter is higher than the content of type III collagen in control skin (35%). The denaturation temperature was higher (42 degrees C) than that of control skin (39 degrees C).

Structural changes in the glycosaminoglycan chain of rat skin decorin with growth.

Decorin controls collagen fibrilogenesis in skin, and its molecular weight changes in wound healing and with age. In this report, the quantitative and structural changes of decorin were investigated with growth in rat skin from the fetus to the young adult. A northern blot analysis showed that the highest level of skin decorin mRNA was at post partus 0.

Morphological study of disordered myelination and the degeneration of nerve fibers in the spinal cord of mice lacking complex gangliosides.

Gangliosides, a family of glycosphingolipids that contain sialic acid, are abundant on the neuronal cell membranes, but their precise functions in the central nervous system remain largely undefined. In a previous study of GalNAc-T(-/-) mice engineered to lack beta1,4-N-acetylgalactos-aminyltransferase (GM2/GD2 synthase) to abolish any, complex gangliosides, we observed the reduction of nerve conduction velocity but did not find any obvious morphological change in the brain. In the present study, we observed morphological changes in the nerve fiber tracts of the spinal cord in these mice.

Innervation and functional characteristics of connective tissues, especially elastic fibers, in human fetal thoracic intervertebral articular capsule and its surroundings.

The articular capsules between the thoracic vertebrae, which have physiologically different functions from those of other levels of the vertebrae, have yet to be subjected to neuro-anatomical and fine structural analysis. In the present study, we analyzed serial frozen sections of decalcified thoracic vertebrae in human fetuses, and identified the articular capsule tissue with its unique distribution of elastic fibers. The fine structure of the elastic fibers was studied by transmission electron microscopy.

Ultrastructural localization of aminopeptidase A/angiotensinase and placental leucine aminopeptidase/oxytocinase in chorionic villi of human placenta.

Aims: Membrane-bound aminopeptidases in human placenta are thought to be involved in maintaining homeostasis during pregnancy by metabolizing bioactive peptides such as oxytocin and angiotensin at the interface between the fetus and mother. Because determining the precise localization of these enzymes is required to support this notion, we investigated the ultrastructural localization of two principal enzymes, aminopeptidase A (APA; EC 3.4.

Characterization of a holin (HolNU3-1) in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus host.

The gene encoding holin protein HolNU3-1 from a clinical isolate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) NU3-1 was cloned and expressed in S. aureus RN4220. HolNU3-1 encoded by the holNU3-1 gene, which is located upstream of the deleted endolysin gene, was functional.

Size control of decorin dermatan sulfate during remodeling of collagen fibrils in healing skin.

Recently it has been reported that the molecular size of decorin dermatan sulfate (DS) was increased in healing skin after hapten application and that the elongated DS was distributed in enlarged interfibrillar space among thin collagen fibrils in situ. Here we show that such modulation of the length of decorin DS is temporary. Although the size of decorin DS was evidently increased on day 15, it decreased to almost normal size on day 35 when the altered disaccharide composition of DS was also recovered.

[Ultrastructural changes of collagen fibrils in mouse dermal connective tissue after moxibustion treatment].

Morphological changes in mouse back skin, especially dermal connective tissue, were observed after moxibustion treatment. Various amounts of direct moxibustion and indirect moxibustion (column) were performed and the exact skin area was processed for light and electron microscopy. Just after treatment, epidermal cell layer was degenerated and increased amounts of mast cells were observed.

Antibacterial activities of beta-lactamase inhibitors associated with morphological changes of cell wall in Helicobacter pylori.

Background: Recent study has demonstrated that beta-lactamase inhibitors including clavulanate, sulbactam and tazobactam have an vitro antibacterial effect on Helicobacter pylori. Here we describe the relationship between viability and cell profiles of H. pylori exposed to beta-lactamase inhibitors and some antibiotics in a short-time course.

Separation of corneal stroma and Descemet's membrane during deep lamellar keratoplasty.

Purpose: To study the interface of the corneal stroma and Descemet's membrane and to report the histologic findings of the deep corneal stromal tissue removed during deep lamellar keratoplasty (DLKP).

Methods: The deep stromal tissues of four corneas were removed during DLKP and were examined histologically by light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Results: Descemet's membrane appeared as a smooth surface under the surgical microscope during the removal of deep corneal stroma.

Relationship between morphological changes and endotoxin release induced by carbapenems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The relationship between morphological changes and endotoxin release induced in vitro by carbapenems in a clinical isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was examined. The time-course and magnitude of endotoxin release induced varied among imipenem, panipenem, meropenem and biapenem and related to the morphological changes caused by these agents which variously affected cell shape, cell-wall disintegration and cell lysis. The amount of endotoxin released by carbapenem-treated cells correlated with both the cell-wall morphology and bacterial shape immediately before lysis.