Teratologic evaluation of synthetic delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol in rabbits.

Synthetic delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was dissolved in undiluted propylene glycol and administered in daily subcutaneous doses of 15.0, 30.0 or 60.0 mg/kg to pregnant New Zealand white rabbits on days 7--19 of gestation. Maternal food consumption and weight gain were markedly reduced at all dose levels. Embryotoxicity and embryocidal effects were observed in the form of reduced litter weight and number of viable fetuses, respectively, in offspring from pregnant mothers treated with THC. However, on the basis of extensive external, visceral and skeletal examination of all fetuses it may be concluded that THC is not teratogenic in the New Zealand white strain rabbit following subcutaneous administration of doses as high as 60.0 mg/kg/day during the critical period of organogenesis (days 7--19 of gestation). On the other hand, an oral dose of thalidomide (200.0 mg/kg/day), the positive control used in this study, was both embryocidal and teratogenic.     

In vitro synthesis of a possible precursor RNA by purified vesicular stomatitis virus.

The RNA products synthesized $\text{in vitro}$ by the virion-associated RNA polymerase of purified vesicular stomatitis virus have previously been shown to contain two distinct 5′-terminal sequences. The mRNA species contain the blocked 5′-terminal G(5′)ppp(5′)A-A-C-A-G sequence and the initiated lead-in RNA segment (approximately 50 bases) contains the unblocked 5′ ppA-C-G sequence. In the present studies, using inosine 5′-triphosphate in place of GTP it is shown that RNA species as large as 14.5S contain an unblocked 5′-ppA-C-(I) sequence indicating that the GTP analogue permits synthesis of a possible precursor of viral mRNA $\text{in vitro}$.     

Studies on intestinal protease: Isolation,purification and effect of dietary proteins on alkaline protease activity of the air-breathing fish,Clarias batrachus (Linn.)

1. The effect of dietary protein levels on the proteolytic activity in the intestines of the air-breathing fish, Clarias batrachus (Linn.) has been studied
2. Activity of proteolytic enzymes increased significantly in fishes maintained with a 50% protein diet from those maintained with a 25% protein diet; still higher dietary protein percentage showed no further stimulation of enzyme activity.
3. In a study on the determination of sub-cellular localisation, it has been found that protease activity is more prominent in lysosomes than in other organelles of the cell.
4. A sixty fold purification of alkaline protease from the intestine of Clarias batrachus has been achieved by ion exchange chromatography on DEAE cellulose which has been further checked by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

     

Hyaluronidase activity of human endometrial tissues & uterine fluids.

Hyaluronidase activity of human endometrial tissues and uterine fluids was investigated. Endometrial tissue and uterine fluid specimens were obtained from normal human subjects, and different cases of uterine dysfunction induced by steroidal contraceptives, copper IUD, lactational amenorrhea, and in early pregnancy. Hyaluronidase activity was found to increase from Cycle Days 8 to 10 and reach the maximum value during the secretory phase. Hyaluronidase activity was reduced in both endometrial tissue and uterine fluid during lactational amenorrhea and early pregnancy, and was drastically reduced in copper-IUD and steroidal contraceptive users. The low hyaluronidase activity in the early phase of the cycle may be due to rapid growth of endometrial tissue. In the secretory phase, the corresponding activities were found to increase because of high secretory activity and enhanced catabolic processes. In early pregnancy, the low lysosomal enzyme activity may also be explained on the basis of increased endometrium tissue growth. Low hyaluronidase activity of amenorrhic subjects may be due to the absence of ovarian steroids.     

Localization and origin of the intestinal peroxidase--effect of adrenal glucocorticoids

Peroxidase activity in rat intestine is stimulated two-fold after bilateral adrenalectomy and is reversed by dexamethasone (9-fluoro-11 beta,17,21-trihydroxy-16 alpha-methyl-1-4-pregnadiene-3,20-dione). The enzyme activity is inhibited on administration of various glucocorticoids of which dexamethasone acts as the most potent inhibitor of the enzyme in vivo. The change of enzyme activity results neither from alteration of the apparent Km of the enzyme nor from enzyme synthesis. Although a small amount of peroxidase is located in the intestinal epithelial cells, a large amount is present in the rest of the intestine. Histochemical studies indicate the presence of peroxidase in the lamina propria, the core of the intestinal villi which contains eosinophil. The peroxidase isolated from the epithelial cell-free intestine is similar to the peroxidase obtained from the pure eosinophil in terms of various physicochemical properties. Dexamethasone also inhibits the eosinophil peroxidase and decreases the number of both circulating and intestinal eosinophil. Studies indicate that a large part of the peroxidase of the intestine is contributed by invading eosinophil and dexamethasone inhibits the enzyme by sequestration of eosinophil both from intestine and blood possibly to the peripheral lymph nodes.