Absorption of phenolsulfonphthalein as a model across the mesenteric surface in rats to determine the drug absorption route after intraperitoneal administration

The purpose of this study is to clarify absorption characteristics of a drug across the mesenteric surface which occupies a large area of absorption in the peritoneal cavity in order to determine the drug absorption route after intraperitoneal administration. Absorption of phenolsulfonphthalein (PSP) as a model after application to the mesenteric surface was investigated in rats, by employing a cylindrical diffusion cell attached to the mesentery with or without blood vessels. PSP was absorbed from the rat mesenteric surface, followed by its appearance in the plasma and bile, regardless of blood vessel existence. The absorption ratios of PSP in 6 h were calculated to be 92.1 % and 83.6 % from the mesenteric surface with and without blood vessels, respectively. We then employed an experimental system by sticking a polyethylene cap (PE cap) on the surface of the other side to exclude the influence of absorption of the drug from the other organ surfaces that penetrated across the mesentery. The PE cap-sticking decreased the appearance of PSP in the plasma from the mesenteric surface with blood vessels and eliminated the PSP absorption completely from the mesenteric surface without blood vessels. Accordingly, blood vessels on the mesenteric surface actually play an important role in drug absorption, but the contribution of the mesenteric surface to drug absorption from the peritoneal cavity is unlikely to be significant due to there being a small effective area of blood vessels

Absorption characteristics of model compounds with different molecular weights from the serosal caecal surface in rats

The purpose of this study is to clarify the absorption characteristics of drugs across the serosal cecal surface membrane occupying a large absorption area in the peritoneal cavity in rats. Absorptions of phenolsulphonphthalein (PSP) and fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextrans (FDs) as model drugs after application to the rat serosal cecal surface were investigated in rats, employing a cylindrical diffusion cell. PSP was absorbed from the rat serosal cecal surface, followed by appearance in the plasma and bile. The time course of the remaining PSP amount in the diffusion cell obeyed first-order kinetics, and its rate constant Ka was calculated to be 8.01 x 10-3 min-1. No significant difference was seen in the absorption ratio of PSP which was approximately 90 % in 6 h among three doses (0.3, 0.5 and 1 mg), suggesting a linearity of absorption. Moreover, the absorption ratios of FDs from the rat serosal cecal surface at 3 h decreased with an increase in the molecular weight (24.7% for FD-4, 12.8% for FD-10 and 3.4% for FD-40)

Delivery advantage to the unilateral kidney by direct drug application to the kidney surface in rats and pharmacokinetic verification based on a physiological model

The objective of this study was to evaluate the drug delivery advantage to the unilateral kidney by direct drug application to the rat kidney surface based on a physiological pharmacokinetic model. Under anesthesia, a cylindrical diffusion cell (i.d. 6 mm, area 0.28 cm(2)) was attached to the right kidney surface in rats. Phenolsulfonphthalein (PSP), an organic anion chosen as a model compound, was added into the diffusion cell. The free PSP concentration in the right (applied) kidney after application to the right kidney surface at a dose of 1 mg was significantly higher than that of the left (non-applied) kidney until 60 min after application. Similarly, the urinary excretion rate of free PSP from the applied kidney was much faster than that from the non-applied kidney, with a 2.6 times larger excreted amount in 240 min. These results imply the possibility that a considerable drug delivery advantage to the unilateral kidney could be obtained after direct absorption from the kidney surface. This tendency was also observed at the other application doses of 0.3 and 1.5 mg. On the other hand, fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran (Mw 4400, FD-4) was equally excreted into the urine from each kidney and the renal concentrations in the applied and non-applied kidneys were almost the same, possibly due to the involvement of passive transport for the absorbed FD-4, i.e. glomerular filtration. The computer simulations of free PSP concentrations in the plasma and each kidney based on a physiological model after kidney surface application were consistent with the respective experimental data. Moreover, the delivery advantage of kidney surface application of PSP was verified by its comparison with other routes such as i.v. and i.a. administrations

Crystal structure and redox properties of a novel cyanobacterial heme-protein with a His/Cys heme axial ligation and a per-arnt-sim (PAS)-like domain

International audiencePhotosystem II (PSII) catalyzes the light-induced water oxidation leading to the generation of dioxygen indispensable for sustaining aerobic life on Earth. The PSII reaction center is composed of D1 and D2 proteins encoded by the psbA and psbD genes, respectively. In cyanobacteria, different psbA genes are present in the genome. The thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus contains 3 psbA genes, psbA1, psbA2 and psbA3 and a new c-type heme protein, Tll0287, was found to be expressed in a strain expressing the psbA2 gene only, but the structure and function of Tll0287 are unknown. Here we solved the crystal structure of Tll0287 at a 2.0 Å resolution. The overall structure of Tll0287 was found to be similar to some kinases and sensor proteins with a per-arnt-sim (PAS)-like domain, rather than to other c-type cytochromes. The 5th and 6th axial ligands for the heme were Cys and His, instead of the His/Met or His/His ligand pairs observed for most of the c-type hemes. The redox potential, E1/2, of Tll0287 was -255 ± 20 mV versus normal hydrogen electrode at pH values above 7.5. Below this pH value, the E1/2 increased by ≈57 mV/pH unit at 15°C, suggesting the involvement of a protonatable group with a pKred = 7.2 ± 0.3. Possible functions of Tll0287 as a redox sensor under micro-aerobic conditions or a cytochrome subunit of an H2S-oxidising system, are discussed in view of the environmental conditions in which psbA2 is expressed as well as phylogenetic analysis, structural and sequence homologie

Role of WNT10A-Expressing Kidney Fibroblasts in Acute Interstitial Nephritis

<div><p>WNT signaling mediates various physiological and pathological processes. We previously showed that WNT10A is a novel angio/stromagenic factor involved in such processes as tumor growth, wound healing and tissue fibrosis. In this study, we investigated the role of WNT10A in promoting the fibrosis that is central to the pathology of acute interstitial nephritis (AIN). We initially asked whether there is an association between kidney function (estimated glomerular filtration rate; eGFR) and WNT10A expression using kidney biopsies from 20 patients with AIN. Interestingly, patients with WNT10A expression had significantly lower eGFR than WNT10A-negative patients. However, changes in kidney function were not related to the level of expression of other WNT family members. Furthermore, there was positive correlation between WNT10A and α-SMA expression. We next investigated the involvement of WNT10A in kidney fibrosis processes using COS1 cells, a kidney fibroblast cell line. WNT10A overexpression increased the level of expression of fibronectin and peroxiredoxin 5. Furthermore, WNT10A overexpression renders cells resistant to apoptosis induced by hydrogen peroxide and high glucose. Collectively, WNT10A may induce kidney fibrosis and associate with kidney dysfunction in AIN.</p></div

Study on Utilization of Solar Heat Energy in Detached House with Central Air Conditioning and Circulation System : Part 3 Energy Analysis about Solar Heat Collection System with Large Area Heat Collection Panels

In the previous paper until part2, the effect of air circulation type of central air-conditioning system was focused. The six experimental houses for the research are equipped with large area solar collection panels and large capacity hot water storage tanks in comparison with the standard specification in order to reduce the load of hot water supply by using solar heat. This paper investigates the effect of load reduction when large area solar heat collection panels and large capacity hot water storage tanks are used