The effect of fructose on the formation of advanced Maillard reaction products which show fluorescence and have crosslinking was investigated. Type I collagen was added to various concentrations of glucose and fructose which were then incubated at 37 degrees C for 4 weeks. The level of furosine and the fluorescence intensity both increased in direct proportion to glucose and fructose levels and to the duration of incubation. Incubation with fructose produced less furosine but more intense fluorescence than incubation with glucose. Furthermore, collagen was significantly less soluble after incubation with fructose than after incubation with glucose. These results suggest that fructose in the polyol pathway plays an important role in the formation of advanced Maillard products.

Collagen↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Influence of serum protein levels on serum fructosamine levels.

The serum fructosamine level is influenced by the serum protein level. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between serum fructosamine levels and serum total protein and albumin levels measured simultaneously in non-diabetic and diabetic patients. Significant positive correlations were found between them. A correction formula was constructed to express the serum fructosamine level when the serum total protein level was 7 g/dl or when the serum albumin level was 4 g/dl: corrected fructosamine (mmol/l) = measured fructosamine (mmol/l) + A (7 (g/dl) or 4 (g/dl)--serum total protein (g/dl) or serum albumin (g/dl] where A is 0.28 for serum total protein and 0.30 for serum albumin in non-diabetic subjects; 0.29 for serum total protein and 0.31 for serum albumin in non-diabetic and diabetic subjects combined.

Blood Glucose↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Age-dependent difference in susceptibility to IgE antibody- and IgG1 antibody-mediated passive anaphylactic shock in the mouse.

The age dependence of the susceptibility to passive anaphylactic shock was studied in the mouse. Anti-BPO IgE monoclonal antibody produced potent systemic sensitization sufficient for provocation of lethal shock in most aged (6 to 10 months) CTS, DS and C57BL/6J mice but only in a very few young (1.5 to 2.5 months) mice. A similar trend was found in the NOD strain, though it was not as definite as in the above three strains. Age-dependent potentiation of the IgE antibody-mediated anaphylactic shock was not found in both sexes of five other strains, C3H/He, DBA/2, NON, BALB/c and B6D2F1. However, the potentiation became obvious even in these strains, when they were treated with Bordetella pertussis before the antigen challenge. Age-dependent potentiation was also clear with IgG1 antibody-mediated anaphylactic shock in DS females and NON males. In contrast, no age-dependent difference was seen for the shock induced by PAF which is estimated to be the main mediator for anaphylactic shock in the mouse. This suggests that the age-dependent potentiation of anaphylactic shock does not seem to be due to elevated susceptibility to the mediator but to its increased release. The sex-dependent differences was also studied and found to be particularly clear in the case of IgG1 antibody-mediated anaphylactic shock in young DS and aged NON mice.

Aging↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Progression of prostate cancer: diagnostic and prognostic utility of prostate-specific antigen, alpha2-macroglobulin, and their complexes.

We previously reported cases of advanced prostate cancer (PCa) in which serum alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2M) levels were markedly decreased to less than approximately 50 mg/dl whereas serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were remarkably increased. These cases were not complicated with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). In this study, we measured serum PSA and alpha2M in 108 patients with either benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or PCa to elucidate the relationship between PSA, i.e. the serum protease derived from the prostatic tissue, and alpha2M, i.e. the protease inhibitor that was the most abundantly contained in serum. alpha2M was determined by ELISA, total PSA and PSA-alpha1-antichymotrypsin (PSA-ACT) by EIA, and free-PSA by RIA in 44 patients with untreated BPH and 64 patients with untreated PCa. The ready association of alpha2M and PSA was assessed using Western blotting to identify complexes of the two. Levels of total serum PSA correlated positively with those of PSA-ACT in PCa (r = 0.99, p < 0.001), and both levels increased with advancing stage of disease. In contrast, the serum-free PSA/total PSA ratio (free/total PSA) and alpha2M levels decreased as the disease progressed. However, only the free/total PSA ratio attained significant difference for localized cancer in stage T1,2 versus BPH (p < 0.05). In stage M1b PCa, in which serum PSA levels were very high, there was a negative correlation between the total PSA and alpha2M values (r = -0.57, p < 0.05). In addition, serum alpha2M levels tended to decrease with progression of PCa. Serum total PSA levels correlated tightly with serum PSA-ACT levels. It is suggested that PSA is usually complexed with ACT in the serum. Free/total PSA was useful for differential diagnosis between early cancer and BPH. Levels of serum alpha2M of less than 50 mg/dl in PCa patients may indicate a possibility of bone metastases.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Venous reconstruction using prosthetic grafts.

The effect of antiplatelet drugs on the fate of Teflon grafts placed at the superior vena cava were examined. Eighty adult mongrel dogs received dipyridamole, dipyridamole depot capsule, or cepharanthin after implantation of Teflon grafts to the superior vena cava. The incidence of graft obstruction was significantly decreased, suggesting that intimal hyperplasia was prevented by administration of antiplatelet drugs. Eighteen patients underwent various kinds of venous revascularization, including the superior caval, innominate, pulmonary, and femoral veins. The long-term outcome of prosthetic reconstruction of the superior vena cava was favorable.

Alkaloids↗