Effects of Neonatal Treatment With 6-Hydroxydopamine and Endocrine Disruptors on Motor Activity and Gene Expression in Rats

To investigate the mechanisms underlying motor hyperactivity, we performed intracisternal injection of 6-hydroxydopamine or endocrine disruptors in rats on postnatal day 5. 6-Hydroxydopamine (100 μg, 488 nmol) caused a significant increase in spontaneous motor activities at 4 weeks of age. Gene-expression profiling using a cDNA membrane array revealed alterations in several classes of gene at 8 weeks of age. In the midbrain, gene expression was enhanced in dopamine transporter 1; a platelet-derived growth factor receptor; dopamine receptor D4; galanin receptor 2; arginine vasopressin receptor 2; neuropeptide Y; tachykinin 2; and fibroblast growth factor 10. Expression was also enhanced in the glutamate/aspartate transporter gene in the striatum. Rats received an endocrine disruptor (87 nmol), such as bisphenol A, nonylphenol, p-octylphenol, or diethylhexylphthalate, which also caused motor hyperactivity at 4 weeks. The effects of bisphenol A on motor activity were dose-dependent from 0.87 to 87 nmol. The phenols caused a deficit in dopamine neurons, similarly to the deficit caused by 6-hydroxydopamine. Gene-expression profiles after treatment with endocrine disruptors showed variation and differed from those of 6- hydroxydopamine. The results suggest that neonatal treatment with environmental chemicals can generate an animal model of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, in which clinical symptoms are pervasive

Anti-allergic activity of Glycopeptide isolated from Perilla frutescens BRITTON

The anti-allergic activity of Perilla glycopeptide (Pe-GP) isolated from dried Perilla frutescens BRH-TON leaves was investigated. Pe-GP was found to be effective in inhibiting histamine release from IgE-sensitized rat peritoneal mast cells induced by a specific antigen. The histamine release induced by several substances such as concanavalin A, compound 48/80, mastoparan, and ionophore A23187, was also found to be inhibited by Pe-OP. These results suggest that Pe-GP mainly interrupts a pathway of histamine release after calcium influx. Anti-allergic activity of Pe-GP was investigated by ear-swelling response in mice that had been passively sensitized with IgE via intravenous injection. Pe-GP, injected intraperitoneally before exposure to the antigen, was found to inhibit the allergic response in a dosedependent manner (5-100 mg/kg). Pe-GP shows promise as an anti-allergic substance for medical use as well as in health foods. シソ(Perilla frutescens B_)葉熱水抽出液から分離精製されたシソ糖ペプチド(Pe-GP,6kDa)の抗アレルギー活性を検討した。Pe-GPは,ラット腹腔内より単離してIgEで感作したマスト細胞において,特異抗原で刺激したときに誘発されるヒスタミン遊離反応を抑制した。同様にPe-GPはconcanavalin A,compound48/80,mastoparan,ionophore A23187などの誘発するヒスタミン遊離反応も抑制した。これらの結果からPe-GPはヒスタミン遊離機構のうちカルシウム動員以降の経路を主として抑えると考えられる。Pe-GPの生体内における抗アレルギー活性は,IgEを静注して受動感作したマウスの耳介浮腫反応により検討した。抗原塗布前にあらかじめ腹腔内に投与しておくと,Pe-GPは5-100mg/mlの範囲で濃度依存的に浮腫を抑制し抗アレルギー活性を示した。Pe-GPの抗アレルギー活性を有する医薬品としての開発が,健康食品と同様,期待される

Anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration: a case report and review of the literature

Abstract Background Anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas is a rare pancreatic neoplasm with a poor prognosis. It is classified as a variant of ductal adenocarcinoma, but the clinical features and treatment of it remain unknown because of its rarity and aggressiveness. Endoscopic ultrasonography and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration are useful techniques for the diagnosis of pancreatic tumors with high sensitivity and specificity. Case presentation A 72-year-old Japanese woman presented with a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis, and a cystic lesion with slightly high density area was observed by computed tomography in her pancreatic head. In addition, endoscopic ultrasound revealed a heterogeneous lesion. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration showed pleomorphic atypical cells. We diagnosed anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas. We resected the lesion, and she has shown no sign of recurrence for > 6 months. There are few reports of anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration and treated by surgery. Our analysis indicates that anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas is more likely than typical ductal carcinomas to have cystic lesions with the tumor. Conclusions We report a case of anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration and subsequently resected with a clear margin. We speculate that anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas is more likely to have cystic changes than pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. When we diagnose pancreas tumor as having cystic changes, anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas should be considered one of the differential diagnoses