[Involvement of stimulatory effect of prostaglandin F2 alpha on superoxide radical production by macrophages in corpus luteum regression].

The effect of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) on superoxide radical production by macrophages was studied in pseudopregnant rats. Peritoneal macrophages prepared on day 7 or 13 of pseudopregnancy (psp) were incubated with various doses of PGF2 alpha for 90 min, and the production of superoxide radical was measured by the cytochrome C reduction method. PGF2 alpha significantly stimulated superoxide radical production by macrophages on day 13 of psp, but not on day 7 of psp.

Changes in activity of superoxide dismutase in the human endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle and in early pregnancy.

To investigate the possible role of the superoxide radical and its scavenging system in the human endometrium, the immunohistochemical distribution of superoxide dismutase (SOD), activities of SOD and lipid peroxide concentrations were studied in the human endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle and in early pregnancy. The endometrial epithelium showed a positive immunostaining for Cu, Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD throughout the entire menstrual cycle and in early pregnancy. In the stroma, weak immunostaining for Cu,Zn-SOD and moderate immunostaining for Mn-SOD were observed in the predecidual cells in the late secretory phase.

Changes in interleukin-1 production of peritoneal macrophages during estrous cycle in golden hamsters.

The present study demonstrated the change in interleukin-1 (IL-1) production of peritoneal macrophages during the estrous cycle in golden hamsters and discussed its possible roles in ovarian function. Macrophages were collected from the peritoneal cavity at 0900 h on various days of the estrous cycle and incubated for 6 h in the presence of ovine pituitary LH (500 ng/ml). The IL-1 concentration in the media was measured by bioassay with the A375S2 human melanoma cell line.

Progesterone inhibits superoxide radical production by mononuclear phagocytes in pseudopregnant rats.

This study investigated the changes in superoxide radical production by mononuclear phagocytes in the corpus luteum (CL) during pseudopregnancy in rats. Activity of superoxide radical production was determined by the conversion of nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) to blue formazan deposit. Rats received 10 mg NBT via the abdominal aorta on day 3, 7, or 13 of pseudopregnancy and were autopsied 1 min later to prepare the histological sections.

[Effect of ulinastatin on delayed neuronal death in the gerbil hippocampus].

The effect of ulinastatin on delayed neuronal death was studied in the gerbil. The animals were divided into 2 groups according to the temperatures of the temporalis muscle, tympanic membrane, and the rectum. One group consisted of 36 animals in whom the temperature was maintained at 36.

Changes in lipid peroxide and antioxidant enzyme activities in corpora lutea during pseudopregnancy in rats.

This study investigated the involvement of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in the regulation of luteal function in pseudopregnant rats. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), a specific scavenger of superoxide radicals, and glutathione peroxidase, a scavenger of hydrogen peroxide, and lipid peroxide concentrations were measured in the corpus luteum on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 of pseudopregnancy. The activity of SOD in the corpus luteum gradually increased until day 9 of pseudopregnancy and decreased thereafter, in a similar manner to serum progesterone concentration.

Difference of myosin heavy chain expression between mesangial cells and vascular smooth muscles.

Contraction of the pre- and postglomerular arteries play an important role in the regulation of glomerular blood flow. Mesangial cells may also be involved in the mechanism of this regulation, but it has not been clarified yet whether or not mesangial cells and vascular smooth muscles show an identical phenotype, especially in terms of their contractile proteins. In this study, in order to elucidate any difference in the cellular phenotypes between mesangial cells and renal vascular smooth muscles, we investigated the localization of myosin heavy chain isoforms using a monoclonal antibody against SM1 and SM2.

Lipid peroxidation as an indicator of biocompatibility in haemodialysis.

Peroxidation of cell membrane (phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide, PCOOH) was quantitatively assessed using a chemiluminescence-HPLC system to clarify whether haemodialysis patients are damaged by oxidative stress. Patients were divided into two groups, one dialysed with conventional cellulose membranes, and the other with cellulose triacetate for 3 months, subsequently followed by a crossover study of each membrane for 3 more months. The mean value of PCOOH in haemodialysis patients was 508.

Effects of restraint stress on luteal function in rats during mid-pregnancy.

This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between the inhibitory effect of restraint stress and the protective effect of the feto-placental luteotrophic factors on luteal function during mid-pregnancy in rats. The number of conceptuses was adjusted to one (1C group) or more than ten (FC group) on day 7 of pregnancy, and each rat received restraint stress from day 12 to day 17 of pregnancy. Restraint stress consisted of placing a rat individually in a small plastic holder three times a day for 1 h each time.

Effects of ovarian ischemia-reperfusion on luteal function in pregnant rats.

An involvement of reactive oxygen species in CL regression has been reported. We have shown that a decrease in serum progesterone concentrations coincides with a decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and an increase in lipid peroxide levels in the CL after Day 15 of pregnancy. Recently it has been found that ischemia-reperfusion stimulates reactive oxygen species production and causes tissue damage in various organs.

[Nutritional assessment of patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis].

Nutritional status was assessed in 214 CAPD patients from eight centers in Japan. All patients were receiving adequate dialysis, as indicated by KT/Vurea and Karnofsky's activity scale. Subjective global assessment indicated that 25% of 83 female patients and 27% of 131 male patients were, at least, moderately malnourished.

A clinical trial of FK506 in refractory uveitis.

We performed a clinical open trial to evaluate the efficacy and the adverse side effects of a single therapy with FK506 in refractory uveitis as a multicenter study in Japan. Fifty-three patients (41 patients with Bechçet's disease, five with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease, four with idiopathic retinal vasculitis, and three with other forms of uveitis) were enrolled in the study. FK506 was given orally for 12 weeks.

[Success of cyclosporine therapy in two patients with PSS].

Two PSS patients, unresponsive to D-penicillamine, steroid, cyclophosphamide and plasma exchange therapy, were treated with cyclosporine. One patient complained scleroderma, dysphagia and dyspnea during movement after treatment with steroid, plasma exchange and cyclophosphamide. He showed a increased Leu3a/2a ratio (6.

Changes in activities of superoxide dismutase and lipid peroxide in corpus luteum during pregnancy in rats.

Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and lipid peroxide (LPO) were studied in corpora lutea of pregnant rats. SOD activities, both Mn-SOD and Cu,Zn-SOD, gradually increased in the corpora lutea until day 15 of pregnancy and decreased thereafter until day 21 of pregnancy, in a similar manner to serum progesterone concentration. LPO activities remained low until day 15 of pregnancy, but increased rapidly after day 15 to day 21 of pregnancy.

Hereditary serum cholinesterase deficiency associated with severe lipid deposition in the kidney.

A 47-year-old woman who was homozygous for a silent cholinesterase gene (hereditary serum cholinesterase deficiency) presented with nephrotic syndrome and hyperlipidemia. Renal biopsy performed in 1986 demonstrated mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis. Four years later, a second biopsy revealed progression with mesangial interpositions and severe lipid deposition in the glomeruli, tubules and interstitium.

Endothelin-specific antibodies decrease blood pressure and increase glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Objective: Studies were undertaken to clarify the pathophysiologic significance of endogenous endothelin in the control of blood pressure and renal hemodynamics in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).

Design: The technique of passive immunization was used to neutralize endogenous endothelin in order to estimate the contribution of endothelin to the in vivo control of blood pressure and renal hemodynamics.

Methods: Endothelin-specific antibodies were administered intravenously into anesthetized SHR and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, and the effects upon blood pressure and renal function (renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate) assessed.

[Increased serum levels of human cardiac myosin light chain 1 in patients with renal failure].

In this study, we measured cMLC1 concentration in serum and urine from patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), chronic renal failure (CRF), and various grades of renal dysfunction (RD) in comparison with normal controls, by using enzyme immunoassay (EIA) with monoclonal antibody, and attempted to elucidate the mechanism of increased serum level of cMLC1 in patients with renal failure. The serum level of cMLC1 of CRF patients under maintenance hemodialysis (HD) was 20.3 +/- 19.

Comparison of converting enzyme inhibitor and calcium channel blocker in SHR with nephrotoxic serum nephritis.

In order to compare the protective effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and calcium channel blockers (CCB) on the renal function in experimental nephritis, nephrotoxic serum nephritis was induced in male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The above drugs were then chronically administered to different groups, as follows: the ACEI-treated group (n = 7) received captopril (150 mg/kg/day), and the CCB-treated group (n = 6) was given both nifedipine (40 mg/kg/day) and nisoldipine (20 mg/kg/day). The control group (n = 8) received a placebo.