2-Nonenal newly found in human body odor tends to increase with aging.

Human body odor consists of various kinds of odor components. Here, we have investigated the changes in body odor associated with aging. The body odor of subjects between the ages of 26 and 75 was analyzed by headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. 2-Nonenal, an unsaturated aldehyde with an unpleasant greasy and grassy odor, was detected only in older subjects (40 y or older). Furthermore, analysis of skin surface lipids revealed that omega7 unsaturated fatty acids and lipid peroxides also increased with aging and that there were positive correlations between the amount of 2-nonenal in body odor and the amount of omega7 unsaturated fatty acids or lipid peroxides in skin surface lipids. 2-Nonenal was generated only when omega7 unsaturated fatty acids were degraded by degradation tests in which some main components of skin surface lipids were oxidatively decomposed using lipid peroxides as initiator of an oxidative chain reaction. The results indicate that 2-nonenal is generated by the oxidative degradation of omega7 unsaturated fatty acids, and suggest that 2-nonenal may be involved in the age-related change of body odor.

Mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis of the masu salmon--phylogeny in the genus Oncorhynchus.

We determined 2162-bp sequences from the mitochondrial genome of the masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou masou, chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta, and Atlantic salmon Salmo salar by using polymerase chain reactions. These DNA sequences span from the 3' region of the gene for ATPase subunit 6 to the 5' region of the gene for NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4L. With the aid of the sequence data from other Pacific salmonid species (Thomas and Beckenbach, 1989, J. Mol. Evol. 29: 233-245), the evolutionary distances among the masu salmon and other species in the genus Oncorhynchus were calculated. These evolutionary distances were then used to construct a neighbor-joining tree. Further, a maximum parsimony tree was constructed. The evolutionary trees that were obtained suggest that masu salmon first diverged from the common ancestor of the genus Oncorhynchus.

Proliferative signal transduction by epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the human salivary gland adenocarcinoma (HSG) cell line.

We examined the proliferative signal transduction by EGF in HSG-AZA 3, a subclone of HSG cell line. The treatment of cells with EGF resulted in an increase in [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA depending upon EGF concentrations. In addition, the nuclear proto-oncogene c-fos was rapidly induced by EGF. Moreover, EGF induced transient expression of EGF receptor mRNA followed by the de novo synthesis of EGF receptor protein. On the other hand, treatment of the cells with EGF occurred phosphorylation by tyrosine kinase comprised in the EGF receptor, autophosphorylation, followed by activation of MAP kinase. These results indicate that the proliferative response to EGF is modulated by the phosphorylation cascade mediating EGF receptor-associated tyrosine kinase and MAP kinase, and transient activation of c-fos protein is implicated in the cell proliferation.

cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of nuclear proteins in mouse submandibular gland following testosterone administration.

The effect of androgen on protein kinase activities was studied in chromosomal proteins from female mouse submandibular gland. The protein kinase activities in the nuclei were stimulated 3 h after testosterone administration. The in vitro addition of cAMP in the nuclei resulted in the enhancement of the androgen-sensitive protein kinase activities. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that nonhistone proteins having molecular weights of 20-30 kDa and around 43 kDa were phosphorylated after androgen treatment. The addition of cAMP stimulated phosphorylation of nonhistone proteins having molecular weights with 15-25 kDa, 30 kDa and 35 kDa and the intensity of phosphorylation of these nonhistone proteins was enhanced after androgen treatment. These results suggest that androgen-sensitive protein kinases including cAMP-dependent protein kinase were present and that phosphorylation of nonhistone proteins by these protein kinases may be involved in mediating androgen-induced gene activation.

Analysis of characteristic odors from human male axillae.

A number of studies concerning the analysis of axillary odors have assumed that the characteristic odor produced in the axillae is due to volatile steroids and isovaleric acid. Organoleptic evaluation of Chromatographic eluants from axillary extracts was employed to isolate the region in the chromatogram where the characteristic odor eluted. The odor of the dissolved eluant was eliminated when it was treated with base, suggesting that acids make up the characteristic axillary odor. Subsequent extraction of the pH-adjusted axillary extract in conjunction with organoleptic evaluation of the Chromatographic eluant, preparative gas chromatography, and analysis by GC-MS as well as GC-FTIR showed the presence of a number of C6 to C11 straight-chain, branched, and unsaturated acids as important contributors to the axillary odor. The major odor component is (E)-3-methyl-2-hexenoic acid. Three homologous series of minor components are also important odor contributors; these consist of the terminally unsaturated acids, the 2-methyl-C6 to -C10 acids and the 4-ethyl-C5 to -C11 acids. These types of acids have not been reported previously as components of the human axillary secretions and have not been proposed previously as part of the principal odor components in this area.

Intranuclear distribution of rat liver glucocorticoid receptors by nuclease digestion in a cell-free system.

Intranuclear distribution of rat liver glucocorticoid receptors was examined. When the [3H]TA-receptor complex-bound nuclei were digested with micrococcal nuclease, the [3H]TA-receptor complex sedimented coincident with mono-, di- and trinucleosomes on a glycerol gradient. The specific activity of the [3H]TA-receptor associated with chromatin fragments in the Mg-soluble fraction was 13-fold higher than that in the Mg-insoluble fraction. In adrenalectomized rats, the nucleosome-bound [3H]TA-receptor complex was reduced, but the specific activity in the Mg-soluble fraction was almost the same as that in intact rats. Endogenous glucocorticoid receptor complex associated with mononucleosomes decreased 2 weeks after adrenalectomy. These results suggest that interaction between the glucocorticoid receptor complex and chromatin acceptor sites in intact and adrenalectomized rats occurred in the transcriptionally active chromatin regions which are sensitive to micrococcal nuclease.

Paratyphoid infection induced by Eimeria tenella in the broiler-type chickens.

Two experiments were conducted to examine the effects of the Eimeria tenella infection on mortality, weight gain and lesions of paratyphoid infection in broilers. When 4-day-old birds were exposed to approximately 106 colony forming units (CFU) of S. typhimurium for 5 consecutive days after the coccidial inoculation, the effect on mortality of concurrent infection, 17.7%, was about the sum of the E. tenella-inoculated group and the S. typhimurium-inoculated group (15.5%). When 11-day-old birds were similarly exposed to approximately 107 CFU of S. typhimurium, the gross lesions of paratyphoid infection characterised by visible foci over the entire liver were observed only in the concurrently infected birds killed 10 and 14 days after coccidial inoculation. The S. typhimurium counts in the liver and spleen of birds killed 7 days after coccidial inoculation were significantly greater than that of birds inoculated with S. typhimurium alone. In both experiments, the S. typhimurium counts in the caecal contents of birds inoculated with both organisms were significantly greater than those of birds infected with S. typhimurium alone.

Natural killer activity in two cases of ataxia telangiectasia.

We report two cases of ataxia telangiectasia in which a small number of T cells and a slightly diminished response to phytohaemagglutinin or concanavalin A were observed. In one case, serum IgA was undetectable. In spite of T and/or B cell involvement, natural killer activity and the percentage of natural killer cells determined by monoclonal antibodies Leu 7 were normal in both cases.

Vitamin D metabolism in osteogenesis imperfecta during calcitonin therapy.

The effect of calcitonin on plasma concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25-(OH)2D] was studied in six patients with osteogenesis imperfecta. The mean pretreatment value of plasma 1,25-(OH)2D was significantly higher than the mean value of age-matched control subjects (P less than .05). High or normal plasma levels of 1,25-(OH)2D before calcitonin therapy were decreased after 1 month of therapy and remained normal thereafter in all six patients. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations, which were normal before calcitonin injection, remained normal during calcitonin administration. These results indicate that there may be acute and chronic effects of calcitonin on vitamin D metabolism.

High plasma, erythrocyte, lymphocyte and granulocyte zinc concentrations in a patient with the Chediak-Higashi syndrome.

Zinc determinations were made in a 5 month-old female with the Chediak-Higashi syndrome. Zinc concentrations in plasma, erythrocytes, lymphocytes and granulocytes from the patient were significantly higher than those in healthy children of a similar age, and were higher than--or equal to--those of healthy adults. Lymphocyte zinc levels in the parents were significantly lower than those of healthy adults. Although the cause of the high zinc concentrations in these samples cannot be fully explained , abnormally high zinc levels may be partially responsible for impairment of some leukocyte functions in patients with CHS since zinc plays a central role in cellular metabolism.