Relationship between response of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase to alcohol drinking and risk factors for coronary heart disease.

Alcohol drinking has been reported to influence the risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD), such as the serum levels of triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol and uric acid, and the level of blood pressure. To examine whether there was individual variability in the response of these parameters to alcohol drinking, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 3130 men with a body-mass index (BMI) below 24. The subjects were divided into two groups; a normal gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (rGTP) (<40 IU/l) group and a high rGTP (> or =40 IU/l) group, and the values were compared after adjusted for age, BMI, exercise and smoking. The level of triglycerides increased according to the amount of drinking in the high rGTP group, whereas no association was observed in the normal rGTP group. The level of HDL-cholesterol increased with drinking in the normal and high rGTP groups, and no difference was observed in the levels of HDL-cholesterol between the two groups. The levels of uric acid and blood pressure also increased with drinking in both groups, but the increase was bigger in the high rGTP group than in the normal rGTP group. The results indicated that there was large individual variability in the responses of the risk factors for coronary heart disease to drinking. Subjects whose rGTP responds less to drinking may have less disadvantageous effects of drinking.

[Reference intervals of urinary biochemical analysis in Japanese men].

To determine the reference intervals of urinary albumin, immunoglobulin G, transferrin, alpha 1 microglobulin, and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, we measured those components and creatinine in urine from men with normal blood pressure(systolic < or = 139 mmHg and diastolic < or = 89 mmHg), HbA1c < or = 5.8% and negative qualitative tests of urinary protein and hematuria. The subjects were 150 men in their thirties, 136 in their forties, and 135 in their fifties. Urines was collected in the morning after at least 12 hours fast and stored at -80 degrees C until assayed. The levels of creatinine decreased with age, whereas no change was observed in the levels of other urinary components. Consequently, the levels of those components expressed as g. creatinine increased with age. The reference intervals per g. creatinine were determined for each age-bracket using the iterative truncation method after logarithmical transformation of the values.

Effects of the frequency of alcohol intake on risk factors for coronary heart disease.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 3660 male workers to examine whether the weekly frequency of alcohol intake affected serum lipids and blood pressure, which are risk factors for coronary heart disease, independently of the weekly alcohol consumption. Information regarding life-style habits and current medication was obtained by questionnaire. The effects of the frequency were examined using Tukey's test in the groups of drinkers divided according to their alcohol consumption. In moderate (189-377 ml/week) drinkers, a higher frequency of drinking was related to a higher level of HDL-cholesterol, and a lower level of triglycerides. In light (1-188 ml/week) and heavy (378-566 ml/week) drinkers, a higher frequency of drinking was also related to a higher level of HDL-cholesterol. There were no significant relations between the frequency of drinking and total cholesterol, or blood pressure in these three groups. Similar results were obtained when values were adjusted for age, body-mass index, smoking, physical activity and weekly alcohol consumption. Multiple regression analysis in the whole drinkers also showed that the weekly frequency of drinking was associated with HDL-cholesterol, but not with triglycerides (p = 0.052), total cholesterol, or blood pressure. The results suggest that the weekly frequency of drinking may affect the levels of HDL-cholesterol independently of the weekly alcohol consumption.

Relationship between the serum level of leptin and life-style habits in Japanese men.

AIMS/METHODS: To investigate whether smoking affects the serum level of leptin, 708 male workers aged 25-65 years old were cross-sectionally surveyed. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis indicated that among the various parameters examined, the level of leptin was positively associated with the body mass index and the levels of insulin, total cholesterol and uric acid, and was inversely associated with physical activity and the level of creatinine. The partial correlation coefficient of leptin was highest against the body mass index (r = 0.40), followed by insulin (0.29) and physical activity (-0.14), after adjustment for other leptin-related variables. However, no association was observed between the level of leptin and smoking (0.05), alcohol consumption (0.09) or age (0.09). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that among life-style habits, physical activity, but not smoking or alcohol consumption, significantly affects the serum level of leptin in Japanese men.

[Relationship between the prevalence of proteinuria and obesity in Japanese men].

5174 Japanese male workers were studied cross-sectionally to examine a possible relationship between obesity and the prevalence of proteinuria (1 + or greater), determined using a reagent strip. The subjects were divided into three groups with body-mass indexes (BMIs) of < 23, 23-24.9 and > or = 25, and the prevalence of proteinuria was compared among the three groups, after adjustments for age, blood pressure and blood levels of HbA1c. Among subjects with hypertension and/or a high level of HbA1c, i.e., > or = 5.9%, the group with a BMI of > or = 25 had a higher prevalence of proteinuria than the group with a BMI of < 23. In contrast, the prevalence of proteinuria was not affected by obesity in the subjects with neither hypertension nor a high level of HbA1c. These results suggest that for obese men with hypertension or diabetes, reducing body weight is important not only as part of the treatment for those diseases, but also to prevent proteinuria.

[Comparison of LDL-C values measured with the automated method and the ultracentrifugation method in severe hypertriglyceridemia, and prevalence and life-style of patients with hypertriglyceridemia].

The correlation between LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) values assayed by the direct method and the ultra-centrifugation method is reported good in normal to moderate hypertriglyceridemia, but it is not clear in severe hypertriglyceridemia. We examined such a correlation in mild (triglycerides, 150-400 mg/dl; n = 3) and severe (> or = 800 mg/dl, n = 9) hypertriglyceridemia. The bias of LDL-C determined by the direct method in comparison with the ultracentrifugation method was from -1.1% to 3.4% and from -49.5% to 15.7% in mild and severe hypertriglyceridemia, respectively. The prevalence of severe hypertriglyceridemia was only 0.2% both in hospital patients and in company workers. Data analyses of company workers indicated that people with severe hypertriglyceridemia have a higher body-mass index, consume more alcohol, smoke more, and exercise less than those with a normal level of triglycerides. These results suggest that there is not a good correlation between LDL-C values assayed by the direct method and the ultracentrifugation method in severe hypertriglyceridemia; but that the direct method can be used for the clinical examination of LDL-C, because of the very low prevalence of severe hypertriglyceridemia. Patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia should improve their life-style as soon as possible.

Hanganutziu-Deicher antigen as a possible target for immunotherapy of melanoma.

Hanganutziu-Deicher (H-D) antigen is classified as a heterophile antigen and chemically defined as a glycoconjugate which contains N-glycolylneuraminic acid. H-D antigens are absent from normal human tissues, but can be expressed on a variety of human malignant cells, including melanoma. Natural anti-H-D antibodies have been detected in man with and without malignancies, but in this study when the level of antibody was compared between healthy adults and patients with melanoma, elevated anti-H-D antibody levels were found more frequently in melanoma patients for both IgM (p = 0.0001) and IgG (p = 0.0001). The present study was designed to evaluate the significance of the H-D antigen-antibody system in melanoma suppression. Sera from melanoma patients containing anti-H-D antibody reacted strongly to H-D antigen expressed on melanoma by means of flow cytometry. In a complement-dependent cytotoxicity assay this antibody killed melanoma cells in vitro. In vivo significance of the antibody was assessed by evaluating the relationship between the antibody levels and the clinical course in patients with stage II melanoma. Antibody levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using a H-D glycoprotein antigen isolated from bovine erythrocytes. A significantly higher level of IgG (p = 0.0640) and IgM (p = 0.0644) anti-H-D antibody was demonstrated in those patients who were free of disease more than 5 years after surgery than in those who relapsed within 2 years. This study provides a rational basis for immunotherapy targeting H-D antigen in human melanoma.

Expression of heterophile, Paul-Bunnell and Hanganutziu-Deicher antigens on human melanoma cell lines.

Expression of heterophile antigens was studied on 6 human melanoma cell lines. Paul-Bunnell and Hanganutziu-Deicher (H-D) antigens, but not Forssman antigen, were demonstrated on these cell lines. H-D antigen was also demonstrated on melanoma cells isolated from primary and metastatic lesions. Evidence was also presented that HLA class I but not class II (DR and DQ) molecules are expressed on these cell lines. H-D antibodies of IgG class were detected in 10 of 23 (42%) melanoma patients suggesting the possibility that H-D antigen might have been expressed in an immunogenic form in the patients.

Studies on Hanganutziu-Deicher antigens-antibodies. I. Hanganutziu-Deicher antibodies of IgG class in liver diseases.

Sera of patients with various liver diseases were examined for the presence of Hanganutziu-Deicher (H-D) antibodies by enzyme immunoassay with high-molecular weight glycoprotein (HMWGP) isolated from bovine red blood cell stromata. IgG class H-D antibodies were demonstrated in sera of 5.9% of acute hepatitis, 28.1% of chronic hepatitis and 21.9% of liver cirrhosis patients. H-D specificity of the antibodies under investigation was determined by absorption experiments. Evidence was also presented that the H-D antibodies in the liver disease sera are directed to N-glycolyl neuraminic acid (NGNA) and/or NGNA-dependent determinants of HMWGP.