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Daily fat and sugar intake has increased in Japan, while total energy intake has decreased. However, the number of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients has increased, and this often causes renal injury characterized by autophagic vacuoles. Although many studies with comparisons of high fat or sugar versus a normal macronutrient balanced diet have been reported, there are few studies that equalized calorie intake and body weights. In the current study, AIN93M diets (CONT group) with matching energy content with lard derived high saturated fat (LARD group), soybean oil derived unsaturated fat (SOY OIL group) and sucrose (SUCROSE group) were provided to compare their effects on renal morphology in streptozotocin-injected CD-1 mice without causing obesity. The number of renal tubular vacuoles was higher in SUCROSE and slightly higher in LARD compared with CONT mice, and was higher in LARD and SUCROSE compared with SOY OIL mice. Most of those vacuoles were LAMP1-positive, a marker of lysosomal autophagy. These results suggest that despite identical energy contents, diets with high sucrose or saturated fat compared to unsaturated fat may aggravate lysosomal renal injury in a non-obese, streptozotocin-induced model of diabetes mellitus.

Hematological studies have revealed the importance of the visceral yolk sac (VYS) in the primitive erythropoiesis of mouse embryos at an early stage before day 12. We examined the possibility of the occurrence of extra-embryonic erythropoiesis at a stage later than embryonic day 12 by light and electron microscopic analyses. Surprisingly, a novel structure in the form of erythrocyte-like globules was observed in the VYS endodermal cells. They were consistently present in the VYS endodermal cells from embryonic day 12 until day 18 (birth is day 19), by immunocytochemical and enzyme histochemical analyses. They were immuno-positive for mouse erythrocyte antibody and also positive for the benzidine reaction showing the presence of hemoglobin. The erythrocyte-like globules were shown to be the erythrocytes present in the cytoplasm. These results indicated that erythropoiesis in the VYS endodermal cells continues from the early embryonic stage, as primitive erythropoiesis, until the late stage.

Dual fluorescent staining (DFS) with calcein acetoxy methyl ester (CAM), which labels the cellular esterase activity that is a major component of energy metabolism in cellular mitochondria, and with ethidium homodimer-1 (EthD-1) was used to evaluate mitochondrial function and membrane integrity in rat spermatozoa. The spermatozoa stained by DFS could be classified into three different populations microscopically when excited at 490 nm after 60 min incubation. 1) Spermatozoa, which were stained with CAM alone and had maintained either mitochondrial function or membrane integrity, were identified as live during incubation. 2) Spermatozoa, which were stained with EthD-1 alone and had lost either mitochondrial function or membrane integrity, were identified as already dead at the beginning of incubation. 3) Spermatozoa, which were stained with both CAM and EthD-1 and had maintained mitochondrial function with membrane breached, were identified as having died during incubation. Two toxicological tests, an in vitro triton X-100 experiment and an in vivo nitrobenzene experiment, were done. All spermatozoa were immobilized and lost either mitochondrial function or membrane integrity by 1.0% triton X-100 treatment. Almost no motile sperm were found at 0.1% in the triton X-100 group and in the groups treated with 60 and 40 mg/kg/day of nitrobenzene, and these spermatozoa maintained their mitochondrial function but had their membrane breached. In conclusion, the DFS procedure, which uses CAM and EthD-1, can clearly and visually identify the population of viable and dead spermatozoa simultaneously by fluorescence microscopy in rats. This is a useful technique to characterize sperm status, which is determined by the mitochondrial function assessed by CAM and membrane integrity evaluated by EthD-1.

In order to clarify the cause of ommochrome deficiency in an albino strain of the terrestrial isopod, Armadillidium vulgare, levels of xanthommatin, 3-hydroxykynurenine, 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid and tryptophan in whole body extracts of the albino and the wild type individuals were determined together with enzyme activities of kynurenine-3-hydroxylase, kynureninase and tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase. Xanthommatin could not be detected in the albinos. The levels of 3-hydroxykynurenine and 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection and were markedly low in the albinos compared with the wild type individuals. In contrast to those, the tryptophan levels determined by HPLC with fluorescence detection did not differ significantly between the two phenotypes. In the albino A. vulgare, kynurenine-3-hydroxylase activity was lower and kynureninase activity was higher than in the wild type, although the differences were not statistically significant. Tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase activity in the albinos was less than 10% that in the wild type. Thus, ommochrome deficiency in the albino A. vulgare is considered to be caused by the extremely low activity of tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase.

The conversion of gamma-glutamylcysteinylethyl ester (gamma-GCE) to glutathione in a reduced form (GSH) was examined using isolated rat hepatocytes pretreated with diethylmaleate, a GSH-depletor. Incubation of hepatocytes with 0.1 and 5.0 mM gamma-GCE (gamma-GCE-hepatocytes) over a 30-min period resulted in time-dependent increases in intracellular GSH and nonprotein-SH (NP-SH) concentrations. Hepatocytes incubated with 5.0 mM but not 0.1 mM GSH over a period of 30 min showed a time-dependent increase in intracellular GSH concentration. In the gamma-GCE-hepatocytes pretreated with bis-(p-nitrophenyl)phosphate (BNPP), a non-specific esterase inhibitor, an enhancement of intracellular GSH concentration was markedly reduced. gamma-GCE concentration in the gamma-GCE-hepatocytes with BNPP pretreatment was significantly higher than that in the cells without BNPP pretreatment, although there was no difference in the total amount of intracellular NP-SH, i.e., gamma-GCE, GSH, gamma-glutamylcysteine, cysteine ethyl ester, and cysteine between both gamma-GCE-hepatocytes. The present results indicate that gamma-GCE is transported into liver cells more easily than GSH itself, resulting in its conversion to GSH via esterase and glutathione synthetase within the cells.

Stepwise glycosidation was adopted for the construction of glycyrrhetic acid β-glycosides (27-30) having β(1→2)-linked disaccharides such as 2-O-β-D-flucuronopyranosyl-β-D-glucopyranose, 2-O-β-D-glucuronopyranosyl-β-D-galactopyranose, 2-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-β-D-glucuronopyranose and 2-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-β-D-glucuronopyranose. In the first glycosidation, 2-O-trichloroacety-β-D-pyranosyl chlorides (9-11) were utilized as starting sugar derivatives to react with methyl glycyrrhetinate (5) : Glycosidation of 5 with 9 and 10 gave β- and α-monoglycosides (12) and (13), and (15) and (16), respectively. Treatment of the β-glycoside 12 and 15 with ammonia-saturated ether gave products (14) and (17), respectively. The glycosidation of 5 with 11 followed by treatment with ammonia-saturated ether gave compounds (18) and (19), respectively. The second step glycosidations of 14 and 17 with methyl 2, 3, 4-tri-ο-acetyl-α-D-glucuronatopyranosyl bromide (20) gave diglycoside derivatives (23) and (24), respectively, and that of 18 with 2, 3, 4, 6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl bromide (21) and -α-D-galactopyranosyl bromide (22) gave deglycoside derivatives (25) and (26), respectively. The removal of the protecting groups of 23-26 gave diglycosides 27-30, respectively, having a β-D-glucuronopyranose (β-D-glcUA) as one of two sugar components in the molecules. The cytoprotective effects of the synthesized glycosides 27-30 on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity in vivo were compared with deglycosides 31-33 having only neutral sugar components, and naturally occurring glycyrrhizin (34) having two acidic sugar components (β-D-glcUA). While glycosides 31-33 had no cytoprotective effect, glycosides 27-30 showed potent effects. Especially, 27 and 28, having a β-D-glcUA as the terminal sugar component, were more effective meterials against hepatic injury than glycyrrhizin 34.

Glycyrrhetic acid glycosides (1-7) having beta(1----2)-linked disaccharides such as 2-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-galactopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-beta-D-galactopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-beta-D-galactopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-glucuronopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-beta-D-glucuronopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranose, respectively, were synthesized by stepwise construction; from glycyrrhetic acid monoglycosides to the diglycosides. The cytoprotective activities of the glycosides 1-7 and 2-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-11-oxoolean-12-e n-30-oate (8) were compared with natural occurring glycyrrhizin (9). Among these glycosides 1-8, glycosides 3 and 7 having beta-D-glucuronopyranose (glcUA) as the only terminal sugar component were more effective materials against hepatic injury than glycyrrhizin 9.

It is well known that avian yolk sac is involved in both primitive and definitive erythropoiesis during embryonic development. Definitive erythropoiesis is first detected at about 4-5 days incubation and its maximum activity is reached between day 10 and 15 of incubation, ending between days 18 and 20 of incubation. We confirmed the definitive erythropoietic foci in the chicken yolk sac throughout the 5th to 19th day of incubation by histochemical light and electron microscopy. The definitive erythropoietic foci were observed in the yolk sac endodermal layer from day 5 until day 19, just before hatching. Ultrastructurally, definitive erythropoietic foci were observed extravascularly in the yolk sac endodermal cell layer in direct contact with the vitellolysis zone. These findings provide a basis for clarifying definitive erythropoiesis in vertebrates.

We have already reported that exercise activates kynurenine pathway. But, the mechanism for this activation by exercise is still unclear. Kynurenine is metabolized to NAD, which is an essential factor for energy metabolism. In this study, exercise on treadmill was loaded to rats until all-out and tryptophan metabolites and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) activities were determined in the blood, livers, and macrophages, respectively, in the exercise-loaded rats. The mean values of serum tryptophan concentration decreased from 92.6 +/- 6.0 nmol/ml to 52.4 +/- 10.2 nmol/ml (p0.05) just after treadmill load. The serum kynurenine concentration had increased from 2.06 +/- 0.25 nmol/ml to 3.08 +/- 0.62 nmol/ml (p0.005). And whole blood NAD concentration increased from 68.8 +/- 14.6 nmol/ml to 77.9 +/- 19.1 nmol/ml (p0.005). These results showed that exercise activated the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism and made NAD which will be concerned with energy metabolism in mitochondria. Tryptophan-NAD pathway was initiated by cleavage of indole ring of tryptophan by TDO in the liver and IDO in many organs. We had also found that the exercise increase IDO activity of macrophages, but not TDO activity.

The mouse visceral yolk sac (VYS) is widely known to play an important role as erythropoietic tissue during embryonic periods. Mouse VYS from embryonic days 9 to 12 was examined by light microscopy, electron microscopy and histochemical analysis with benzidine to detect the presence of hemoglobin with special reference to the development of VYS, the disappearance of the blood islands in VYS, and the appearance of a novel structure in the form of erythrocyte-like globules in VYS endodermal cells. The villous appearance of VYS became complicated by the development of VYS endodermal cells. The blood islands positive for the benzidine reaction were light microscopically detected on embryonic days 9, 10, and 11. They disappeared on embryonic day 12, however. Erythrocyte-like globules positive for the benzidine reaction were not observed in VYS endodermal cells on embryonic days 9, 10, and 11, but then appeared on embryonic day 12, by light and electron microscopy. Erythrocyte-like globules in VYS endodermal cells, which appear after the disappearance of blood islands in VYS, may participate in erythropoiesis during embryonic development.

Adriamycin (ADR), an anticancer drug which induces testicular toxicity, was administrated to Slc:SD male rats at doses of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/kg intravenously once a week for 4 weeks. The males treated with ADR were mated with untreated females, and sperm analyses (motion, count, and morphology) were performed. Sperm motion was analyzed by Hamilton-Thorne Sperm analyzer (HTM-IVOS) to investigate the useful parameters. Copulated females were necropsied at Day 13 of gestation, and reproductive status was evaluated. In ADR-treated groups, the testicular weight was dose-dependently decreased. Associated with this decrease was a depletion of the number of spermatogonia noted histopathologically at all dosage levels. Sperm morphological abnormalities, which were classified as tailless sperm and/or no-hook head sperm, were increased in both the 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg groups. The males treated with ADR at 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg had a decreased number of sperms per cauda epididymis. In sperm motion analysis, decreases in the percentage of motile sperm, percentage of progressive sperm, and sperm velocity (straight line velocity and curvilinear velocity) were noted at 2.0 mg/kg. Impaired fertility was noted at 2.0 mg/kg in the form of decreased numbers of implantations and live embryos, and an increased number of pre-implantation losses. In conclusion, ADR induced deterioration of sperm motion and sperm content, which were responsible for the adverse effect on male fertility. The most sensitive indicators to detect male reproductive toxicity induced by ADR were testicular weight and histopathological findings in the testis. Among the parameters generated by HTM-IVOS, the percentage of motile sperm, the percentage of progressive sperm, and sperm velocity are useful for assessing male fertility.

The recovering effect of betaine (derivative of choline) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-injured liver was investigated by oral and intraperitoneal administration of betaine at 24 h after acute CCl4 intoxication. The effect of betaine was estimated by the activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) released into the serum, histological score, and the incorporation of S-phase indicator (5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine/5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine; BrdU/FdU). A significant decrease in the activity of serum ALT was observed by the intraperitoneal (3 mg/kg body) or oral (15 mg/kg body) administration of betaine. Furthermore, an increase in the uptake of BrdU into the hepatocyte nuclear DNA and a reduction in liver necrosis after the oral treatment of betaine (15 mg/kg body) was observed. From these results, the administration of betaine showed a significant effect in recovering CCl4-injured liver.

Ethanolamine, a positively charged hydrophilic component of the phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) which is also a precursor of phosphatidylcholine (PC), enhances the repair processes 24 h after carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) intoxication of mouse liver. Ethanolamine quickly reduced aminotransferase activity released in the serum, increased the hepatocellular nuclear BrdU uptake, a marker of S phase, and the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor content in the liver injured with CCl4. Thus, exogenous administration of ethanolamine may function as a liver proliferating factor in Ccl4 intoxicated mouse liver.

Glycosylations of 3-O-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1--2)- 3,4-di-O-acetyl-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl)-23-O-acetylhederageni n (15) with mono- (16), di- (17) and trisaccharide bromide (18) gave the bisdesmoside peracetates 19, 20 and 22, respectively, which were treated with 5% KOH in MeOH to give the bisdesmosides 25-27. Hydrolysis of the glycosides 6 and 9 having beta-D-glucopyranose as a terminal sugar component with beta-glucosidase in acetate buffer (pH 4.7) gave compounds 28 and 29, respectively. Cytoprotective effects of the synthesized triterpenoidal saponins against CCl4-induced hepatic injury were compared with those of saponins isolated from the leaves of Aralia elata Seem. (Araliaceae) using isolated hepatocytes from rat liver. Although the monodesmosides 1-4 having neutral sugar components only at the O-3 position on the aglycones showed no cytoprotective effect, bisdesmosides having sugar components at both the O-3 and O-28 positions on the aglycones had potent effects, even when the species of the sugar components were different. The bisdesmosides 10, 11, and 27 having five monosaccharides in the molecules exhibited the most potent cytoprotective effects.

In order to characterize the system of L-tryptophan (TRP) transport into liver during the growing period of 10 to 42 days, the changes of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) activity, levels of serum, liver, brain, and muscle TRP, and the rate and mode of TRP uptake into isolated hepatocytes were examined in male Wistar rats. Liver TDO activity increased rapidly at 16 days of age. A marked and rapid decrease in free serum TRP level occurred before weanling, while a small decrease in total serum TRP level was found after weanling. The change of liver TRP level was similar to that of free serum TRP level and correlated well. There was a significant inverse correlation between liver TDO activity and either free serum TRP level or liver TRP level. A rapid change in TRP level did not occur in brain and muscle during the growing period. The concentrations of brain and muscle TRP correlated better with those of total serum TRP than with those of free serum TRP. The rate of TRP uptake into hepatocytes isolated from rats aged 10 days was lower than that from rats aged 21 and 42 days. The former hepatocytes were lacking in a high-affinity saturable transport component for TRP uptake which was present in the latter ones. The present results indicate that a great change in the system of TRP transport into liver occurs in growing rats, and that in suckling rats a high level of free serum TRP contributes to the efficient transport of the amino acid into the liver.

The formation of cinnabarinate in the presence of manganese ions and catalase was investigated spectrophotometrically. The absorption peak of cinnabarinate at 460 nm appeared only in a reaction system containing manganese ions and catalase. If catalase was omitted, a new absorption peak at 360 nm was observed while the absorption peak of cinnabarinate reached a plateau. Furthermore, in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, the absorption spectrum of cinnabarinate changed; catalase suppressed this absorption change. We conclude that in the course of cinnabarinate formation in the presence of manganese ions hydrogen peroxide is produced, which decomposes cinnabarinate. Catalase prevents the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide, which results in the steady increase of cinnabarinate. Cinnabarinate formation by manganese ions shows an initial lag phase. This lag phase disappeared by preincubating 3-hydroxyanthranilate under aerobic conditions. Incubation of 3-hydroxyanthranilate resulted in the generation of superoxide anions. When both manganese ions and superoxide anions were present, the lag phase of cinnabarinate formation disappeared. In the process of cinnabarinate formation, manganese ions serve to dismutate superoxide anions, as does superoxide dismutase; manganese (II) ions were oxidized to manganese (III) ions by superoxide anions. From these results we have proposed a mechanism of cinnabarinate formation catalysed by manganese ions.

We have found an enzyme system that catalyzes the conversion of L-tryptophan to L-kynurenine, presumably via L-formylkynurenine, in soluble and insoluble fractions of rat skin. The enzymatic activity was stimulated by hematin, ascorbate, and catalase, but not by methylene blue. Highest activity was located in the skin of the dorsal posterior region and lowest activity in the abdominal region. The activity in plucked (depilated) skin was only about 25% of that obtained from unplucked (depilated) tissue of the same region. D-Tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan, and tryptamine were not degraded by the skin enzyme and the Km for L-tryptophan determined with the crude enzyme was 1 microM. The decycling activity of rat skin and liver for L-tryptophan began to be stimulated after birth and reached the highest level at 6 weeks. But, 1 week later, most of the skin activity suddenly disappeared and the low level continued at least until 12 weeks. In contrast, the hepatic enzyme did not change so drastically. These findings suggest that an enzyme that catalyzes L-tryptophan to L-kynurenine via L-formylkynurenine is present in rat skin.

We have identified a new enzyme, skin l-tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase (skin TDO), that catalyzes the degradation of l-tryptophan into formylkynurenine in rats. The rate of this degradation peaks in all rats at 5 to 6 weeks after birth, and also, among rats depilated at 8 weeks old, at 10 to 11 weeks after birth. We have also observed that the properties of this enzyme are closer to those of hepatic l-tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase (hepatic TDO) than to indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase. Although an intraperitoneal injection of l-tryptophan increased the activity of skin TDO to approximately 2.2 times greater than control values, an intraperitoneal injection of hydrocortisone and α-methyl-dl-tryptophan, both compounds known to affect hepatic TDO activity, had no effect on skin TDO activity. The molecular weight of skin TDO was estimated to be 16.0 kDa, which is close to the molecular weight of hepatic TDO, yet a much larger molecule than indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase. Increased hair growth rates paralleled increased levels of skin TDO activity in 5- to 6-week-old rats, and marked increases in the activity of skin TDO occurred 2 or 3 weeks after depilation. Enzyme activity was also greatest 2 days before the time of maximum hair root length. Therefore, skin TDO may play an important role in the initiation or suppression of rat hair growth.

3-Hydroxykynurenine is condensed to xanthommatin by cytochrome c and cytochrome oxidase in rat liver mitochondria. In intact mitochondria the reaction is inhibited by respiratory chain substrates. However, this was not the case with preincubated mitochondria or with isolated cytochrome c and cytochrome oxidase. The inhibition of xanthommatin formation in native mitochondria by succinate was abolished by addition of antimycin A or malonate, whereas the inhibition by citrate, glutamate or fumarate was not impaired by antimycin A or amobarbital. However, after preincubation of mitochondria at 37 degrees C for 30 min the inhibition disappeared in these cases too. It is suggested that the inhibition by succinate is due to the supply of reduced cytochrome b which competes with 3-hydroxykynurenine for ferricytochrome c, while the other respiratory chain substrates inhibit xanthommatin formation only in the case of intact mitochondria by a yet unknown mechanism. These inhibition mechanisms prevent xanthommatin formation in rat liver mitochondria, even though 3-hydroxykynurenine is synthesized in the outer mitochondrial membrane.

Uptake of cholesterol by isolated rat hepatocytes in a serum-free medium was remarkably enchanced by dispersion with several kinds of phosphatidylcholine. Of the various phosphatidylcholines tested, dilinoylphosphatidylcholine had the strongest accelerating effect, while dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine was the weakest. The abilities to accelerate cholesterol uptake were in proportion to the content of unsaturated fatty acid in the phosphatidylcholine used. It was confirmed by electron microscopy that there is no relation between the size of the cholesterol-phosphatidylcholine complex and uptake. These data suggest that recognition of unsaturated fatty acids in phosphatidylcholine by isolated cells enhances uptake of cholesterol.Cholesterol uptake(Isolated rat hepatocyte)PhosphatidylcholineUnsaturated fatty acidDioleoylphosphatidylcholineDipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine