Carotenoids and asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis.

High plasma concentrations of lycopene and beta-carotene have been associated with reduced prevalence of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study is to compare plasma concentrations of these carotenoids in subjects with or without ultrasonic evidence of asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis. One hundred and sixty-five subjects underwent physical examination and ultrasonic measurement of common carotid artery intima-media thickness. Analysis of variance and logistic regression methods were used to determine whether differences existed between participants with or without ultrasonic evidence of asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis. Of the 165 participants, 80 exhibited evidence of carotid atherosclerosis (carotid intima-media thickness>0.8 mm), while 85 did not (carotid intima-media thickness>0.8 mm), while 85 did not (carotid intima-media thickness<0.8 mm). Participants with ultrasonic evidence of carotid atherosclerosis exhibited significantly greater body mass index, significantly higher serum concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL-associated cholesterol and triglycerides, and significantly higher plasma concentrations of uric acid, C-reactive protein and fibrinogen. In contrast, participants with ultrasonic evidence of carotid atherosclerosis exhibited significantly lower plasma concentrations of lycopene and beta-carotene. These results suggest that lycopene and beta-carotene may play important roles in delaying the development of the early asymptomatic stage of carotid atherosclerosis. Encouraging adequate intakes of antioxidant carotenoids may provide an important public health service.

Insulin and thyroid hormones stimulate matrix metabolism in primary cultures of articular chondrocytes from young rabbits independently and in combination.

These studies examined the effects of heat-inactivated horse serum, insulin, triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4), individually and in combination, on collagen and proteoglycan synthesis by primary cell cultures of articular chondrocytes from immature male rabbits. Insulin concentrations of 25 to 100 ng/ml (4.4 to 17.4 x 10(-9) M) increasingly stimulated collagen and proteoglycan synthesis in the absence of serum. The effects of 25 ng/ml (4.4 x 10(-9) M) insulin or 15% heat-inactivated horse serum on collagen synthesis were similar. Triiodothyronine (10(-10) to 10(-6) M) and T4 (10(-8) to 10(-4) M) also stimulated collagen synthesis in the absence of serum, with peak effects at 10(-8) and 10(-6) M, respectively. Biphasic stimulation of proteoglycan synthesis was obtained with 10(-11) to 10(-7) MT3 (maximum at 10(-8) M) and 10(-8) to 10(-5) M T4 (maximum at 10(-7) M). In these experiments, triiodothyronine was 10 to 100 times more potent than T4 in stimulating cartilage matrix production. The cells retained their chondrocytic phenotype under hormonal stimulation, secreting almost exclusively Type II collagen and large, chondroitin sulfate-rich proteoglycans. The addition of insulin to maximally-stimulating concentrations of either T3 or T4 in serum-free medium further stimulated matrix synthesis, suggesting that these hormones modulate chondrocyte metabolism via multiple biosynthetic/receptor pathways.

Effects of gestation, lactation, and maternal calcium intake on mechanical strength of equine bone.

Skeletal homeostasis during late gestation, lactation, and the post-lactational recovery period is poorly understood. In an experiment using an animal model (the horse), metacarpal breaking strengths (MBS) estimated via transmission ultrasonics were examined during the last 12 weeks of gestation and for 40 weeks after parturition. MBS increased during the last 6-10 weeks of gestation in mares fed amounts of calcium (Ca) recommended by the National Research Council; maximum MBS coincided with the week of parturition. In contrast, MBS in mares fed 20% less Ca remained relatively constant during the last 12 weeks of gestation. In contrast to increases during late gestation, MBS decreased steadily in all mares during the first 12 weeks of lactation. MBS increased after approximately 12 weeks of lactation, but more slowly than they had declined. MBS of the bones of mares fed recommended amounts of Ca were fully restored at 24 weeks post-parturition, but those of Ca-deficient mares had not fully recovered even 20 weeks after milk production had ceased (40 weeks after parturition). Mid-cannon mediolateral diameters of foals born to mares fed Ca-deficient diets were thinner and mechanically weaker at birth (both p < 0.01). These differences in limb bone size and strength persisted during the first 40 weeks of life.

Efficacy of ivermectin as an anthelmintic in leopard frogs.

Ivermectin administered cutaneously at dosages of 2 mg/kg of body weight eliminated nematode infections in leopard frogs. Three clinical trials were conducted. In the first trial, 5 groups of 11 frogs were given ivermectin IM at dosages of 0, 0.2, 0.4, 2, or 20 mg/kg. All frogs given ivermectin IM at dosages of 2.0 mg/kg or greater died. In trial 2, 44 frogs, allotted to 5 groups, were given ivermectin cutaneously at 0, 0.2, 2, or 20 mg/kg. Cutaneously administered ivermectin was not toxic at dosages up to 20 mg/kg. In trial 3, nematode infections were eliminated in all 10 frogs treated cutaneously with ivermectin at 2.0 mg/kg.

Enzymatic isolation of chondrocytes from immature rabbit articular cartilage and maintenance of phenotypic expression in culture.

The studies included here identify factors affecting cartilage digestion by crude bacterial collagenase (cCGN) and describe a cartilage digestion medium that maximizes both tissue digestion rate and viable cell yield. The basal digestion medium contained 100 mM NaCl, 3 mM K2HPO4, 1 mM CaCl2, 1 mM MgSO4, 10 mM NaHCO3, 60 mM sorbitol, 5 mg/ml of dextrose, 1 mg/ml of albumin, and 2 mg/ml of cCGN in 25 mM HEPES at pH 7.2. Approximately 45% of articular cartilage tissue was digested in this basal medium in 6 h at 37 degrees C, yielding 6.8 x 10(6) viable cells per g tissue digested. The addition of 30 microM tosyllysylchloromethane (TLCM) increased the fraction of tissue digested in 6 h to 68% (p less than 0.05) and doubled viable cell yields to 13.6 x 10(6) per g tissue digested (p less than 0.05). Withholding Mg, decreasing NaCl to 70 mM, and adding 30 mM KCl increased fractional tissue digestion to 81% (p less than 0.01) and doubled viable cell yield yet again (to 29.9 x 10(6) viable cells per g tissue digested). Supplementation with TLCM increased the rate of cartilage digestion and the yield of viable cells regardless of cCGN source or lot. Additional trypsin (0.25%) inhibited tissue digestion and decreased cell yield; this effect was reversible with the addition of TLCM. The cartilage digestion medium developed in these studies (low Mg with added K and TLCM) was very effective in digesting articular, scapular, rib, and growth plate cartilage, as well as in yielding a large number of viable chondrocytes. These cells grew well in culture and maintained their chondrocytic characteristics, secreting predominantly type II collagen and large macromolecular forms of chondroitin sulfate-rich proteoglycans.

Polysulfated glycosaminoglycan accelerates net synthesis of collagen and glycosaminoglycans by arthritic equine cartilage tissues and chondrocytes.

Low molecular weight polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG) stimulated net collagen and glycosaminoglycan synthesis by normal and arthritic equine fetlock cartilage tissues in organ culture. Arthritic tissues were more sensitive to PSGAG stimulation. The rates of cartilage-specific type-II collagen and chondroitin sulfate-rich glycosaminoglycan synthesis by confluent chondrocyte cell cultures obtained from normal and arthritic equine cartilage tissues were increased by 25 and 50 mg of PSGAG/ml. Cells from arthritic cartilage were also more sensitive to the presence of PSGAG. In addition, concentrations of PSGAG (25 and 50 mg/ml) approximate to those in synovial fluid after intra-articular injection of 250 mg of PSGAG inhibited the rate of collagen and glycosaminoglycan degradation in cell culture. These findings suggest that PSGAG may have a role in the healing of mild cartilage degeneration by encouraging the production of replacement hyaline matrix materials, while delaying their subsequent degradation. In contrast, growth of cell cultures was inhibited by PSGAG, suggesting that these compounds may fail to stimulate chondrocyte replication, a prerequisite for tissue regeneration. Nonetheless, these observations provide direct evidence of a truly chondroprotective role for low molecular weight PSGAG in the treatment of equine degenerative joint disease.