Role of influenza B virus in hepatic steatosis and mitochondrial abnormalities in a mouse model of Reye syndrome.

The hepatic steatosis observed in the influenza B virus mouse model of Reye syndrome has been attributed to infectious virus or, alternately, to decreased food intake in the virus-treated mice or impurities in the virus preparation. To resolve this issue, 4- to 6-wk-old male Balb C mice were given, by intravenous injection, 12,800 hemagglutination units of influenza B Lee/40 virus in phosphate buffered saline/1% bovine serum albumin using virus prepared by ultra-centrifugation from infected allantoic fluid, by sucrose density-gradient purification of virus prepared by ultracentrifugation from infected allantoic fluid or by irradiation of virus prepared by ultracentrifugation from infected allantoic fluid to inactivate virus. The infectivity titer of virus prepared by ultracentrifugation from infected allantoic fluid was much higher than that of sucrose density-gradient purified virus prepared from infected allantoic fluid: 50% egg infectious dose for virus prepared by ultracentrifugation from infected allantoic fluid was 3.

Effect of calcium glucarate on beta-glucuronidase activity and glucarate content of certain vegetables and fruits.

Glucarate is normally present in tissues and body fluids and is in equilibrium with D-glucaro-1,4-lactone, a natural inhibitor of beta-glucuronidase activity. Dietary calcium glucarate, a sustained-release from of glucarate, elevates the blood level of D-glucaro-1,4-lactone which suppresses blood and tissue beta-glucuronidase activity. A single dose of CaG (4.

A carcinogenesis- and tumorigenesis-associated rat fetal protein: an immuno-histochemical and immuno-biochemical study utilizing a new monoclonal antibody, MOFP.

An oncofetal protein (OFP), which is a potential marker for carcinogenesis and tumorigenesis, was evaluated with monoclonal antibodies shown to be specific for the antigen. Treatment of partially hepatectomized rats with a single non-necrogenic dose of diethylnitrosamine induced OFP in the liver. Its concentration, as measured by a dual immuno/bioassay, increased steadily over a 5-week period of observation before reaching a constant level.

Developmental changes in expression of a tumor-associated protein in the rat fetus.

Monoclonal antibodies specific for a rat tumor-associated protein cross-react with a similar protein present in the cytosol of the rat fetus. The oncofetal protein exists as two species of approximate molecular weight 50 and 55 kDa which promote the transport of RNA from isolated nuclei. During rat fetal development, the protein first increases in concentration from approximately 12 to 16 days gestation and then drops to non-detectable levels perinatally.

Putative metabolites derived from dietary combinations of calcium glucarate and N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide act synergistically to inhibit the induction of rat mammary tumors by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene.

Calcium glucarate and N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide were evaluated individually and in combination in the diet as preventative chemical agents, by using the induction of rat mammary tumors by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene as the test system. When tested separately over 18 weeks, optimal doses of calcium glucarate (128 mmol/kg of diet) or N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide (1.5 mmol/kg of diet) administered daily inhibited tumor incidence by 50% or 57% and tumor multiplicity by 50% or 65%, respectively.