Elevated blood cyanide concentrations in victims of smoke inhalation.

Background: The nature of the toxic gases that cause death from smoke inhalation is not known. In addition to carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide may be responsible, but its role is uncertain, because blood cyanide concentrations are often measured only long after exposure.

Methods: We measured cyanide concentrations in blood samples obtained at the scene of residential fires from 109 fire victims before they received any treatment.

Glucocorticoid hormones prevent the induction of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase by ethanol in a rat hepatoma cell line.

The increase in serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) is a well known marker of chronic alcoholism in man. We have previously shown that ethanol (180 mM) induces GGT activity 2-3-fold in the C2 rat hepatoma cell line. In this study, we have analyzed the interaction of ethanol with steroid hormones and drugs in this well defined cell culture system.