Studies on enzymatic activities in mice immunized with antigens prepared from Biomphalaria Alexandrina snails

In the present work, five antigenic fractions were prepared from Biomphalaria alexandrina snails. These antigens were immunized into five different groups of mice. The effect of these antigens on the serum enzyme activity levels, namely transaminase [GOT and GPT], alkaline phosphatase [alk-phase] and 5-nucleotidase [5- Nase], was studied and compared to those of non-immunized mice. In addition, the activity levels of these enzymes were also studied in control and immunized mice 10 weeks post infestation with cercariae of the Egyptian strain Schistosoma mansoni. Significant decreases were observed in the activity levels of GOT, GPT, Alk-phase and 5-Nase in the infested immunized mice as compared to the infested non-immunized mice. These results indicated the efficiency of these antigens in reducing the damaging effect caused by parasitic infestation

Enzymatic studies on fertile and infertile human semens

Fructose and protein level, as well as the enzymatic activity levels of 5-nucleotdase, acid phosphatase alkaline phosphatase, GOT, GPT, gamma glutamyl transferase [g-GT] and leucine aminopeptidase [LAP], were detemined in the whole semen, seminal plasma and sperms of human beings. The values obtained were compared with spermatic count, which ranged from 0.1 x 106 to more than 50 x 106 per ml. Acid phospatase and LAP activities were found to be directly correlated with the spermatic count and motility. Nevertheles, the other parameters studied did not show a direct correlation with sperm density and motility

Minerals in the liver of mice treated with nitrosamines precursors, and the possible protective role of vicia faba and bran

The present work was conducted on mice receiving nitrosamine precursors in their drinking water, namely 2000 ppm dibutylamine [DBA] and 4000 ppm nitrite [NO2-]. Sodium [Na+], potassium [K+], calcium [Ca+], zinc [Zn++] and magnesium [Mg++] cations were estimated in their liver tissue homogenate. Nevertheless, addition of 30% Vicia faba [VF] to the diet of mice receiving nitrosamine precursors, was sufficient to retain the level of the mentioned cations, to be nearly around its normal levels. Supplementation of 30 percent bran to the diet of mice receiving nitrosamine precursors did not normalize the cations levels

N-acetyltransferase activity in bilharzial infested mice

N-acetyltransferase enzyme systems act as components of detoxication pathway with respect at arylamine induced bladder carcinogenesis. The percent of N-acetylation of sulphadiazine was estimated in serum, liver and doudenum of bilharzial infested mice, as well as in normal control animals. Liver homogenates showed the highest% of N-acetylation, whether in normal or bilharzial infested mice. Nevertheless, the percent of N-acetylation was significantly decreased in bilharzial infested mice as compard to normal untreated controls. This decrease was obvious in serum, liver and doudenal tissue homogenates. These findings indicates that bilharzial infested subjects might be at a high risk of having bladder cancer after exposure to arylamine. In this respect, N-acetylation could be used as a determinant of the susceptibility of individuals to arylamine bladder carcinogenesis

Effect of soyabean feeding and vitamin C on experimental carcinogenesis: 5 biochemical changes in the liver of albino mice induced by feeding nitrite and dibutylamine

Experiments were planned to study the protective effect of soybean and vitamin C against the carcinogenicity induced the liver of mice by dibutylnitrosamine [DBNA] precursors; namely, dibutylamine [DBA] and sodium nitrite. The biochemical parameters chosen for the study were the total protein contents and some enzymes involved in the amino acid metabolism such as transaminases [GOT and GPT], total lipids, nucleic acids [DNA and RNA] levels and their rate of synthesis, as well as some enzymes involved in nucleic metabolism such as alkaline phosphate [ALK-phase], acid ribonuclease [acid RNase], 5-nucleotidase [%-Nase] and adenosine triphosphate [ATPase]. Glucose-6-phosphate [G-6-phase] activity level, which is a sensitive parameter for the hepatic cell injury, was also studied. The results indicated that the carcinogen dibutylnitrosamine [DBNA] can be formed, in vitro and in vivo, when dibutylamine [DBA] and sodium nitrite were present together. Oral administration of DBNA precursors induced many biochemical changes as indicated by elevation or decrease in the biochemical parameters studied. Nevertheless, mild autoclaved soybeans [SB] as well as ascorbic acid, showed a significant prophylactic effect against the action of DBNA precursors as indicated by the improvement of the changes in the biochemical parameters investigated in the present study