Intestinal Coccidiosis in a Patient with Alpha-chain Disease

During an ultrastructural study of small-intestinal mucosa from a patient suffering from alpha-chain disease organisms were identified within the epithelial cytoplasm which showed the fine structural features of the coccidian group. Though coccidiosis is well recognized as causing a diarrhoeal and often lethal illness in animals it has been neglected as a cause of disease in man. Thus this finding may be significant and warrants further investigation into its possible role in the pathogenesis of alpha-chain disease.     

Effects of 1-ethynylpyrene and related inhibitors of P450 isozymes upon benzo[a]pyrene metabolism by liver microsomes

The effects of three aryl acetylenes, 1-ethynylpyrene (EP), 2-ethynylnaphthalene (EN) and 3-ethynylperylene (EPE), upon the metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) by microsomes isolated from rat liver were investigated. These aryl acetylenes all inhibited the total metabolism of BaP. Formation of BaP 7,8-dihydrodiol and BaP tetrol products by microsomal preparations from rats that had been pretreated with 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC) were preferentially inhibited. The effects of EP upon the metabolism of BaP 7,8-dihydrodiol by microsomes from rat liver were also studied. This aryl acetylene strongly inhibited the formation of BaP tetrols from BaP 7,8-dihydrodiol by liver microsomes both from untreated rats and from rats pretreated with 3MC, but enhanced the conversion of the BaP dihydrodiol into other metabolites.     

Inactivation and oxidative modification of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase by stimulated neutrophils: the appearance of new catalytically active structures.

Bovine superoxide dismutase (SOD) was inactivated during incubation with phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated neutrophils. In addition, stimulated neutrophils were able to disrupt the SOD structure. Inactivation and structural damage were dependent on the action of hypochlorous acid, an oxidant generated by the myeloperoxidase-hydrogen peroxide-chloride system of neutrophils. Incubation of SOD with stimulated neutrophils lead to long-wavelength fluorescence (ex, 350 nm; em, 450 nm) and the appearance of new structural forms with other isoelectric points. These additional forms possess catalytic activity. Generation of catalytically active new forms of SOD demonstrates the inaccessibility of the active centre of SOD to hypochlorite and may be a reason for the successful application of SOD during anti-inflammatory therapy.     

Effects of neurotropin on seizure activity in picrotoxin kindling]

It is shown that both intracerebral and intraperitoneal neurotropin administration resulted in a decrease of seizure susceptibility of preliminary picrotoxin--kindled rats. On the other hand, neurotropin did not change the course of kindling development. Under conditions of acute picrotoxin--induced seizures it was observed that preliminary cycloheximide (protein-synthesis blocker) administration abolished anticonvulsant properties of neurotropin. It is concluded that anticonvulsant effects of neurotropin are realized via modulation of endogenous peptides synthesis and, in particular, cerulein.