Biochemical correlations between some organs and the liver after acute ethanol intoxication in rats.

The influence of different doses of ethanol on the phospholipid metabolism in rat was investigated with 32P. Male rats received by oral intubation a single intoxicating dose of ethanol (3.5 or 5.8 g/kg body wt) as a 45% solution. The corresponding control rats received an equal volume of water. The rats were killed at 2, 4, 6, 24, 48 and 72 hours. The liver, brain, kidney and spleen responses depend on the administered dose and vary with time.

Phospholipid variation in acute ethanol intoxication in rats.

The effects of acute ethanol intoxication in different rat organs were studied with 32P. Since 32P incorporation in all compounds of cell membrane formation faithfully illustrate their structural and functional integrity, levels of 32P labelled phospholipids, from different organs were investigated in acute experiments. Researches were carried out on male rats, by administering doses of 3.5 and 5.8 g/kg body wt., and killing them at 2, 4, 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours. The response of the liver, brain, kidneys and spleen depends on the administered dose and varies with time.

Serum alphaphetoprotein in chronic hepatitis. Scintigraphic correlations.

On studying a number of 59 patients with chronic active hepatitis and with hepatic cirrhosis, with 37% and 41% cases respectively our research-works have proved increased serum AFP concentrations varying between 30-45 ng/ml, their values being much larger in active hepatic cirrhosis. The significant increase in aminotransferase and bilirubin has been correlated with a more severe stage of the hepatic disease. The gamma glutamyltranspeptidase (GGTP) assays for 9 of the 17 cases with active chronic hepatitis and for 17 cases with alcoholic hepatitis have shown a 6-15 times increase of this enzyme as compared to the other cases. Very high values of AFP, ranging between 300-900 ng/ml, have been found in the hepatic adenocirrhosis cases. A certain correlation between the AFP modifications and the scintigraphy has been found in 5 of the cases with malignant changes, in contrast with the AFP low and sporadic increase in the case of other gastrointestinal tract tumors. The scintigraphic modifications have been evident with low or multiple lacunary fixations, in considerable sizes and forms, with irregular edges, their dimensions, depending upon the disease evolution stage.

The effect of low concentrations of sodium dodecyl-sulfate on 45Ca release in frog skeletal muscle.

The release of radioactive 45Ca was studied in toe muscles of frog previously soaked in Ringer containing 0.1--0.2 mc 45Ca/ml. Sodium dodecyl-sulfate (SDS) added in concentration of 0.05 mM during the washout of the muscle in nonradioactive solution caused a moderate increase in 45Ca efflux that developed gradually to a maximum in about 30 min, then slowly declined. This increase was significantly reduced in muscles with disrupted T tubules. The transient release of 45Ca induced by EDTA (lmM) was markedly increased and prolonged by simultaneous application of the detergent. This effect had a rapid onset, a pronounced increase in 45Ca efflux being observed from the 1st min. The Ca released by the detergent was different from the self-exchangeable Ca fraction. After soaking the muscles in EDTA solution to remove superficial Ca, the addition of SDS was still able to produce a small increase in 45Ca efflux. It is concluded that SDS in low concentrations acts to reduce the binding capacity for Ca of sites located at the level of both superficial portion of the membrane and T tubular membrane. In addition, it also favours the release of Ca from sarcoplasmic reticulum sites. Thus an important effect of SDS appears to be the labilization of specific Ca sites at the level of triadic junction. This effect may account for the facilitation of excitation-contraction coupling observed with SDS in contracture studies.

Glucidic and lipidic metabolic changes in rats induced by irradiation and the effect of adrenalectomy.

In experiments on X-irradiated rats (1000 R) the hepatic glycogen, total lipids, phospholipids content, and plasma glucose, cholesterol and beta-lipoprotein concentration were determined in intact and adrenalectomized animals. It was confirmed that irradiation produces a hepatic glycogen and blood glucose increased concentration. The glucidic metabolic response on irradiation is diminished by adrenalectomy. The adrenalectomy-induced modifications in the lipid metabolism of irradiated rats are more inconstant, which corresponds with its relative independence from glucocorticoid hormones.