Structural protein analysis of intracisternal A particles in adenovirus-induced mouse tumor

Analysis and purfication of structural proteins of intracisternal A particles produced in adenovirus-induced tumor were described. SDS-PAGE of purified intracisternal A particles demonstrated its major structural components, K92, K70 and K55, and minor components, K43 and K37. Two dimensional gel electrophoresis indicated a pI of K70 and K55 at 6.5 and 6.3, respectively, in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Purification of the main band, K70, in SDS-PAGE using reversed phase-HPLC was difficult in the standard acidic condition, but could be achieved in the neuttral condition. Although purificatin of K70 is generally difficult because of its hydrophobicity, the method shown here will be useful for furthey study of structural proteins of intracisternal A particles

Activation and Expression of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Alpha Are Associated with Tumorigenesis in Colorectal Carcinoma

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-α) belongs to the PPAR family and plays a critical role in inhibiting cell proliferation and tumorigenesis in various tumors. However, the role of PPAR-α in colorectal tumorigenesis is unclear. In the present study, we found that fenofibrate, a PPAR-α agonist, significantly inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in colorectal carcinoma cells. In addition, PPAR-α was expressed in the nucleus of colorectal carcinoma cells, and the expression of nuclear PPAR-α increased in colorectal carcinoma tissue compared with that of normal epithelium tissue (P<0.01). The correlation between the expression of nuclear PPAR-α and clinicopathological factors was evaluated in human colorectal carcinoma tissues, and the nuclear expression of PPAR-α was significantly higher in well-to-moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma than in mucinous adenocarcinoma (P<0.05). These findings indicate that activation of PPAR-α may be involved in anticancer effects in colorectal carcinomas, and nuclear expression of PPAR-α may be a therapeutic target for colorectal adenocarcinoma treatment

Novel absorbance peak of gentisic acid following the oxidation reaction

Gentisic acid (GA), a metabolite of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), and homogentisic acid (HGA), which is excreted at high levels in alkaptonuria, are divalent phenolic acids with very similar structures. Urine containing HGA is dark brown in color due to its oxidation. We recently reported a new oxidation method of HGA involving the addition of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with sodium hypochlorite pentahydrate (NaOCl·5H2O), which is a strong oxidant. In the present study, we attempted to oxidize GA, which has a similar structure to HGA, using our method. We herein observed color changes in GA solution and analyzed the absorption spectra of GA after the addition of NaOH with NaOCl·5H2O. We also examined the oxidation reaction of GA using a liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometer (LC/TOF-MS). The results obtained indicated that GA solution had a unique absorption spectrum with a peak at approximately 500 nm through an oxidation reaction following the addition of NaOH with NaOCl·5H2O. This spectrophotometric method enables GA to be detected in sample solutions without expensive analytical instruments or a complex method

Correlation Between Cardiac Images, Biomarkers, and Amyloid Load in Wild‐Type Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy

Background Several imaging parameters and biomarkers provide diagnostic and prognostic information for wild‐type transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy. However, the relevance of these parameters and their association with cardiac amyloid load requires further substantiation. We aimed to elucidate the association of imaging parameters obtained using 99mTc‐labeled pyrophosphate scintigraphy, cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging, global longitudinal strain (GLS), and cardiac biomarkers with cardiac amyloid load in patients with wild‐type transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy. Methods and Results Eighty‐eight patients with wild‐type transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy who underwent 99mTc‐labeled pyrophosphate scintigraphy and cardiovascular magnetic resonance were retrospectively evaluated. Quantitative cardiac amyloid load was obtained from 61 patients after myocardial biopsy. Correlations were assessed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient applied to medical record data. The mean heart to contralateral ratio, native T1, extracellular volume, and GLS were 1.91±0.36, 1419.4±56.4 ms, 56.5±13.6%, and −9.4±2.5%, respectively. Median high‐sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs‐cTnT) and BNP (B‐type natriuretic peptide) levels were 0.0478 (0.0334‐0.0691) ng/mL and 213.8 (125.8–392.7) pg/mL, respectively. The mean cardiac amyloid load was 22.9±15.0%. The heart to contralateral ratio correlated significantly with native T1 (r=0.397), extracellular volume (r=0.477), GLS (r=0.363), cardiac amyloid load (r=0.379), and Ln (hs‐cTnT) (r=0.247). Further, cardiac amyloid load correlated significantly with native T1 (r=0.509), extracellular volume (r=0.310), GLS (r=0.446), and Ln (hs‐cTnT) (r=0.354). Compared with BNP, hs‐cTnT levels better correlated with several imaging parameters and cardiac amyloid load. Conclusions Increased cardiac amyloid load correlated with increased 99mTc‐labeled pyrophosphate positivity, native T1, extracellular volume, and hs‐cTnT levels, and an impaired GLS, suggesting that imaging parameters and cardiac biomarkers may reflect histological and functional changes attributable to amyloid deposition in the myocardium