Maitake (Grifola frondosa) improve glucose tolerance of experimental diabetic rats.

We have previously reported that rats with diabetes induced by injecting streptozotocin into neonates showed remarkably lower blood glucose, urine volume, and glucosuria after administration of Maitake (Grifola frondosa). In the present study, we investigated the effects of Maitake on insulin concentration, organ weight, serum composition, and islets of Langerhans in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats using the same method. The diabetic rats were produced by injecting 80 mg/kg B.W. streptozotocin into 2-d-old neonates. From the age of 9 wk, the rats were given experimental diets for 100 d. The diabetes and control groups were given either diets containing 20% Maitake (DM and CM groups) or control diets (D and C groups). During administration of the experimental diets, we measured body weight, food intake, amount of feces, and serum insulin concentration at glucose loading. The glucose tolerance test was performed at the 10th week after the start of the experimental diets. The D group had an initial fasting blood glucose of 225+/-49 mg/dL, and a maximum blood glucose of 419+/-55 mg/dL at 60 min. In the DM group, however, the initial fasting blood glucose was 170+/-23 mg/dL, and the maximum blood glucose was 250+/-41 mg/dL at 15 min. Both values were markedly lower than those in the D group (p<0.05). The insulin concentration at 15 min. after glucose loading in the DM group was 41+/-16 microU/mL, which was significantly higher than that in the D group (15+/-7 microU/mL) (p<0.05). After the 100-d experimental period, blood samples were collected. The fructosamine level was significantly lower in the DM group (152+/-21 mmol/L) than in the D group (185+/-13 mmol/L). The concentration of 1.5-A.G. (1.5-anhydro glucitol) was significantly higher in the DM group (9.33+/-2.42 microg/mL) than in the D group (1.33+/-0.52 microg/mL). Observation of insulin antibody stain in the Langerhans cells of the pancreas using ABC method showed a decrease insulin antibody stain in the D group. The cells of the DM group were stained more darkly than those of the D group. From these results, we postulated that the bioactive substances present in Maitake can ameliorate the symptoms of diabetes.

[A case of advanced gastric cancer producing alpha fetoprotein with multiple liver metastases responding to TS-1 after TAE].

We report a case of advanced gastric cancer producing Alpha Fetoprotein (AFP) with multiple liver metastases in which TS-1 is effective. Prognosis of gastric cancer producing AFP is well known to poor. A 74-year-old female was admitted complaining of anemia. She was diagnosed as having advanced gastric cancer with multiple liver metastases producing AFP by endoscopy, computed tomography and angiography. Her serum AFP level was 17,666 ng/ml and her serum CEA level was 5-2 ng/ml. After transarterial embolization (TAE), her family rejected her operation because it would not be curative. So, she was treated with TS-1, 40 mg, administered orally every day, followed by 14 days rest, as the first course. The next was TS-1, 80 mg orally administered for 6 courses. Her serum AFP level was down from 17,666 ng/ml to 94 ng/ml after 6 courses of TS-1. CT revealed that liver metastases did not change and endoscopy showed the primary lesion has diminished. Our report is the first to demonstrate that TS-1 is effective for patients with advanced gastric cancer producing AFP with multiple liver metastases.

Demonstration and diagnostic significance of pro-gastrin-releasing peptide in medullary thyroid carcinoma.

The expression of pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (proGRP) in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and other histological types of thyroid carcinoma was studied by an immunohistochemical technique, using polyclonal anti-proGRP antiserum. Immunoreactivity for proGRP was detected exclusively in MTC (n = 7); other histological types (n = 12) were all negative for proGRP. In addition, serum proGRP levels were elevated in patients with primary or recurrent MTC (n = 3), and they changed in parallel with serum calcitonin (CT), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). These results show that proGRP, which is considered to be a specific marker for small-cell lung carcinoma, may be also a potential tumor marker for MTC, in addition to CT and CEA.

Effect of maitake (Grifola frondosa) water extract on inhibition of adipocyte conversion of C3H10T1/2B2C1 cells.

We investigated the effect of maitake (Grifola frondosa) water extract on inhibiting the conversion of C3H10T1/2B2C1 cells into adipocytes. Maitake water extract was fractionated by molecular sieve. Heat-labile compounds strongly inhibiting adipocyte conversion proved to occur in fractions of molecular weight of more than 10,000 on the basis of activity measurement of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.

[Carcinoma of male breast--with special reference to noninvasive carcinoma].

Seven cases of carcinoma of male breast were reported. The mean age of them was about 65 years, 17 years older than that of female breast cancer. Six tumors out of 7 were located under the areola. By histological examination, 4 of 7 cases were proved to be noninvasive ductal carcinoma, and the others are invasive ductal carcinoma (2 : scirrhous, 1 : solid-tubular). We focused on clinicopathological features of noninvasive carcinoma. There were two points to be mentioned. One is the nipple discharge as a chief complaint, and the other is cyst formation as a macroscopic observation. These features are characteristic to noninvasive carcinoma and contribute to diagnosis. Therefore, for screening the mass of male breast, ultrasonography (U.S.) is most useful. For preoperative final diagnosis, aspiration or smear cytology is essential. In regard to postoperative survival, all of the 3 invasive cases were dead but all of the 4 noninvasive cases are alive. So the prognosis of noninvasive carcinoma of male breast does not appear to be worse than the female one. These observations indicate that the prognosis of carcinoma of male breast can be improved by early diagnosis and appropriate surgical therapy.

Sister chromatid exchanges in lymphocytes of a patient treated with cyclophosphamide and vincristine for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) were investigated in lymphocytes from an adult patient treated with cyclophosphamide (CTX) and vincristine (VCR) for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The treatment consisted of iv injection of CTX (1 g) followed immediately by injection of VCR (2 mg). The patient was treated six times at weekly intervals, except for two irregular intervals of 35 and 48 days, respectively, as the second and the fourth intervals. Before the initiation of the therapy, the SCE frequency in the patient was 9.9 +/- 3.5 per cell, which is not significantly different from those of healthy controls and other cancer patients not given chemotherapy. After the first injection, the SCE frequency increased rapidly with time, reaching a peak of 33.4 +/- 4.6 per cell in 24 hr, and then gradually decreased, returning to a nearly normal level of 12.5 +/- 4.2 per cell on the 7th day. Similar cycles of rapid increase and slow decrease in the SCE frequency were observed after each of the subsequent five injections, resulting in a gradual rise in the basal and the maximal levels of the SCE values. Oral administration of CTX (150 mg/day) for about a month during the second interval slightly increased the SCE value from 16.1 +/- 3.1 to 22.4 +/- 6.2 but injections of vincristine alone at a dose of 2 mg twice during the fourth 45-day interval did not affect the gradually decreasing trend in the SCE frequency. In the 5th month after the termination of the therapy, the SCE value returned to the untreated level.

Liquid culture of Rhizopus chinensis for the production of acid protease rhizopuspepsin.

1. Culture conditions for the production of rhizopuspepsin in liquid medium by Rhizopus chinensis have been investigated. 2. Optimum production was achieved in 24 hr shaking culture in 1% bovine serum albumin, 1% corn starch, 0.1% yeast extract and a salt mixture, pH 5. 3. Levels at 24 hr compared in isozyme pattern and in quantity to conventional solid culture on wheat bran.

Purification and characterization of rhizopuspepsin isozymes from a liquid culture of Rhizopus chinensis.

1. Rhizopuspepsin has been purified from liquid cultures of Rhizopus chinensis. 2. Purification by ammonium sulfate precipitation, affinity chromatography on pepstatin Sepharose and low/high resolution isoelectric focusing produced five isoelectric forms. 3. The two major isozymes pI 5.1 and 5.8 did not differ significantly in amino acid composition, molecular weight and enzyme activity. 4. Three minor isozymes were partially purified as pI 7.35, 7.41 and 7.9.

Sister chromatid exchanges in lymphocytes of cancer patients receiving mitomycin C treatment.

Peripheral lymphocytes from cancer patients receiving mitomycin C treatment were examined for cytogenetic effects. The treatment consisted of i.v. injections of mitomycin C at a dose of 4 mg given twice a week for 2 weeks. The lymphocytes were cultured in vitro for 72 hr with phytohemagglutinin and 5-bromodeoxyuridine, and then sister chromatid exchanges were scored. Before treatment with mitomycin C, the frequencies of sister chromatid exchanges in lymphocytes of cancer patients were similar to those of healthy controls. After the first and second treatments in vivo with mitomycin C, the frequencies of sister chromatid exchnages increased with time, reached a peak in about 24 hr, and then returned to the pretreatment level in about 48 hr, in contrast to the case of in vitro exposure to mitomycin C. After the third and fourth injections, however, the frequency increased further and did not return to the original level. The significance of the specific kinetics of change in the sister chromatid exchnage frequency after in vivo treatments is discussed in relation to cancer chemotherapy.

The interaction of L-ascorbic acid with the active center of myrosinase.

Only L-ascorbic acid activated plant myrosinase (thioglucoside glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.3.1), whereas ascorbic acid analogs did not. The enzyme protein was conformationally changed by the addition of L-ascorbic acid to the spectrophotometric analysis, approx. 1.5 amino residues appeared on the surface of the enzyme and about 2.3 tryptophan residues were buried in the molecule when 1 mM L-ascorbic acid was added. Optimum temperature for the myrosinase activity was approx. 55 degrees C without L-ascorbic acid, but with L-ascorbic acid it was about 35 degrees C; that for beta-glucosidase activity was the same (55 degrees C) with or without L-ascorbic acid. The effect of chemical modification of the functional groups of myrosinase on the interaction of L-ascorbic acid was investigated and the interaction of L-ascorbic acid with the active center of the enzyme is proposed.