Using a scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO), the ocular fundus of a patient with Best's vitelliform macular dystrophy was examined. With the argon blue laser, a dark area was seen in the fovea. Areas of weakly bright reflex were seen corresponding to the scrambled-egg lesion observed by ophthalmoscope. With the argon green laser, highly bright spots were observed at the foveola. Intense bright reflex was seen over the scrambled-egg lesion at the posterior pole. The helium-neon laser revealed highly bright patches corresponding to the orderly ring distribution of the yellowish deposits at the posterior pole. The diode laser revealed a mottled appearance with dark and bright patches in the scrambled-egg lesion. SLO provided a morphologic enhancement in the specifically affected layers of the macula in Best's vitelliform macular dystrophy.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Fibroblast growth factor stimulates the gene expression and production of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 in bovine granulosa cells.

The hormonal control of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) gene expression and production by growth factors, gonadotrophins, and serum factors in cultured bovine granulosa cells (BGC) were investigated. Confluent cultures of BGC were exposed to various factors in a defined medium and levels of TIMP-1 in the conditioned medium were determined by enzyme immunoassay. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) showed potent stimulation of cell proliferation and TIMP-1 production by BGC, while insulin stimulated growth but not TIMP-1 production. Basic FGF stimulated TIMP-1 production and BGC cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. A time course of TIMP-1 production showed substantially increased levels between 18 and 24 h in both control and bFGF-stimulated BGC cultures with bFGF-stimulated cultures having markedly higher TIMP-1 production at all time points. Consistent with the TIMP-1 production data, bFGF and aFGF increased the expression of TIMP-1 mRNA as determined by northern blot analysis, while insulin, inhibited TIMP-1 mRNA levels. These results indicate that FGF-induced TIMP-1 production by BGC may support bovine embryo development in vitro.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of imidazole antimycotics on the liver microsomal cytochrome P450 isoforms in rats: comparison of in vitro and ex vivo studies.

We have studied the effects of three imidazole derivatives, clotrimazole (CLO), ketoconazole (KET) and miconazole (MIC) on the liver microsomal diazepam (DZ) metabolism. In in vitro experiments using rats and human liver microsomes, significant inhibition of CYP3A in terms of DZ-3-hydroxylase activity was observed. The inhibition of DZ metabolism was seen 1 h after CLO dosing. On the other hand, the induction of certain cytochrome P450 (CYP) isozymes was observed in in vivo studies 24 h after dosing. That is, CYP1A, CYP2B and CYP3A2, but not CYP2E, were observed 24 h after CLO or KET or MIC treatment. Under these conditions, CLO was the most potent inducer of CYP3A and MIC was a more potent inducer of CYP1A and CYP2B. KET induced CYP1A and CYP2B whereas the inducibility of KET was less than those of CLO and MIC. All of the imidazole derivatives tested here showed significant inhibition of CYP isozymes which overcame the induction of the CYP isozymes by those drugs in the data of Western blot analysis.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Bile acid synthesis in young and old rats.

Bile acid synthesis from orally administered (14)C-cholesterol or from (14)C-mevalonic acid administered intravenously were examined in male and female 2-, 12- and 24-month-old rats. About 5-9% of the '4C-cholesterol administered was recovered as bile acids from the small intestine 3 days after administration. The value in the case of (14)C-mevalonic acid was about 1/10 that of (14)C-cholesterol. Major bile acids were cholic acid and beta-muricholic acid, and the formation ratio of cholic acid increased in aged rats, although no further difference was found between 12- and 24-month-old animals of either sex. Male rats formed more beta-muricholic acid than females at all ages examined. In addition, no significant difference was found in the bile acid composition between both precursors, (14)C-cholesterol and (14)C-mevalonic acid.

Journal Article↗