Small peptide analogues representing the C-terminal portion of angiotensin I sequence were designed as inhibitors of human renin. Among synthesized compounds, benzyloxycarbonyl (-"Z")-(1-naphthyl)Ala-His-leucinal (ES-188), Z-(1-naphthyl)Ala-His-statine ethyl ester (ES-226), and Z-(1-naphthyl)Ala-His-statine 2-methylbutylamide (ES-254) markedly inhibited human and primate renins (inhibitory concentration, 50% [IC50], near 10(-7) M). These peptide analogues inhibited rabbit renin with one or two orders of magnitude less potency. They were very weak inhibitors of renins from pig, goat, dog, and rat. ES-188 had no discernible effect on cathepsin D, pepsin, or human angiotensin-converting enzyme at the concentration of 10(-4)M. ES-226 had little effect on the three enzymes at the concentration of 10(-5)M; however, ES-254 had a considerable inhibitory effect on cathepsin D (IC50 of 1.4 X 10(-5)M), pepsin (IC50 of 4.2 X 10(-5)M), and human angiotensin-converting enzyme (IC50 of 7.1 X 10(-6)M). Our results indicate that 1-naphthylalanine-containing tripeptide analogues are highly potent human renin inhibitors.

Angiotensin I↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Asymptomatic hereditary xanthinuria: a case report.

A 22-year-old man with hereditary xanthinuria is reported. A biochemical study of the patient showed elevated serum levels of xanthine and hypoxanthine with concomitant increases in urinary excretion of xanthine and hypoxanthine. The xanthine oxidase activity in the duodenal mucosa of the patient was about 1.5% of normal value. Urinary excretion of xanthine and hypoxanthine of his parents and his eldest brother were significantly higher than the corresponding normal values, but the values were much less than those of the patient. The results suggested that the patient was homozygote, and his parents and his eldest brother were heterozygotes.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Primary aldosteronism with cortisol overproduction from bilateral multiple adrenal adenomas.

A 55-year-old woman with bilateral multiple adenomas showed hypertension, muscle weakness, hypokalemia, moon-like face and truncal obesity. Increased serum and urinary levels of aldosterone were observed. Serum cortisol level did not show a normal circadian rhythm. Microscopic examination of the resected tumors showed two types of adenoma cells; one (golden yellow tumor) was a large clear cell with foamy cytoplasm which possibly secreted aldosterone and the other (dark brown tumor) was an acidophilic cell with lipofuscin which might have produced cortisol. This is a very rare case of primary aldosteronism with Cushing's syndrome due to multiple bilateral adrenal adenomas.

Adenoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the chest wall in a nonagenarian].

We report a case of malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the chest wall observed in a 94-year-old woman. She noticed appetite loss and general edema a week before admission. The patient was diagnosed as having congestive heart failure due to valvular heart disease on the basis of echocardiographic findings and became symptom-free by treatment with vasodilators and diuretics. However, chest roentgenogram disclosed a extrapleural mass in the left mid-lateral chest. About 2 months after admission, she experienced left lateral chest pain for the first time. The chest CT scan revealed a 5 x 5 x 2 cm mass, adjacent to the lateral-posterior chest wall and projecting into the thoracic cavity and rib osteolysis. Gallium-67 citrate scintigram showed abnormal isotope accumulation in the left middle chest. Biopsy was not done. The therapeutic approach was mainly pain relief, and no tumor resection, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy was performed. The mass increased in size, and increasingly extended into the thoracic cavity on follow-up CT scans. Furthermore, marked invasion of the tumor to subcutis and subscapula was found. She died of cachexia and respiratory failure 34 weeks after admission. Histologic examination revealed malignant fibrous histiocytoma.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Hallermann-Streiff syndrome and its oral implications.

A patient with Hallermann-Streiff syndrome was followed from birth to nine years of age. The oral manifestations during the course of the nine years were documented.

Cephalometry↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A comparison of the results of A-C bypass grafting in collateral and non-collateral groups.

Ninety patients who had aorto-coronary bypass grafting were divided into two groups: a collateral group, which had coronary arterial stenosis or occlusion with collateral circulation, and a non-collateral group, which had coronary arterial stenosis or occlusion without collateral circulation. The number of coronary arteries visualized through collateral circulation in coronary angiograms (CAG) was 32, left anterior descending arteries (LAD) 17, right coronary arteries (RCA) 11, and left circumflex arteries (LCX) 4. The results of A-C bypass grafting in the collateral and non-collateral groups were compared. Surgical mortality was 0% in the collateral group, and 5.4% in the non-collateral group. The differences in graft patency and graft flow between the two groups were not statistically significant. However, left ventricular ejection fraction and myocardial perfusion, which was estimated by thallium-201 myocardial perfusion scintigram, were significantly improved after A-C bypass in the collateral group. Although the coronary arteries visualized through collateral vessels seemed too narrow to undergo graft anastomosis, they were, in fact, large enough. A-C bypass grafting was achieved with more satisfactory results in the collateral group than in the non-collateral group.

Angina Pectoris↗