Acta Medica Okayama volume18 issue6

1. For the purpose to clarify the relationship between the structural change and lipid composition of isolated rat liver mitochondria, lipid composition and swelling rate of mitochondria obtained from the rat of 3'-Me-DAB feeding and raised in cold room are measured, and the following results were obtained. 2. The mitochondria obtained from the liver of 3'-Me-DAB-fed rat and of rat raised in cold room show a low rate of swelling by addition of Na-oleate accompanied by the decrease in highly unsaturated fatty acids (C18:3 and C20:3or 4) and with the increase in saturated fatty acids (C16 and C18). 3. Activation energy for the mitochondrial swelling is about 16.2 Kcal in the mitochondria obtained from normal rat liver, but requires 19.7 Kcal in the mitochondria that show a low rate of swelling. The fatty acid composition, especially in glycerophosphatides which occupy about 80 per cent of total lipids, is a structural component of mitochondrial membrane, undergoes the change from former to latter in the following fashion: C16:0 21.73→32.10, C16:1 3.37→2.96, C18:0 25.0→29.75, C18:1 13.75→17.40, C18:2 23.90→16.0 and C20:3 or 4 12.23→1.79. 4. At the time of low rate swelling of mitochondria isolated from 3'-MeDAB- fed rat liver, there could be observed a marked increase of the acetone soluble lipid (simple lipids) in the total liver lipids and in the fatty acid distribution of the acetone-soluble lipids, oleic acid was markedly increased (0.838→3.81%/dry liver), despite the fact that in the acetone-insoluble fractions or in the mitochondria there are no marked changes in the oleic acid contents (1.84→2.56% or 0.212→0.246%/dry liver).

1. The forms of irritation causing inflammation and pain are reviewed, with reference to the significance of histamine, serotonin and bradykinin and in particular to the interrelationship between inflammation and pain. 2. The various types of experimental pain are reviewed and mention is made of the human and animal analgesia test methods derived from them. 3. More detailed descriptions are given of the analgesia test methods used by us, namely: a) Silver nitrate gonarthritis-pain, rat, in which both strong and weak analgesics with an anti-inflammatory action are effective. b) Phenylquinone-induced abdominal pain, mouse, in which all the analgesics and anti inflammatory agents mentioned in this article are effective in a greater or lesser degree. c) Tail-flick and hot-plate tests, mouse, in which the strong analgesics, the weaker analgesics and the anti-inflammatory agents, with the exception of the salicylates, are effective. d) Dental-pain test, guinea pig, which can be used to demonstrate the activity of the various analgesics, including the salicylates and also colchicine, which is not active in any other test. e) Pressure-pain, mouse, in which only the strong analgesics (narcotics) are effective. 4. The action of a large number of analgesics, anti-inflammatory agents and related drugs in the various analgesia-tests and in acute experimental inflammation is presented in tabular form. 5. It is concluded that the use of several pain and inflammation tests is essential for screening both analgesics for special indications (severe, mild pain, pain due to inflammation, etc.) and universal pain-killing drugs.

Liver homogenates could synthetize S-(isopropylcarboxymethyl) glutathione (GSIV) from isovaleric acid and glutathione, and GSIV thus formed was cleaved into L-allo-isovalthine by kidney glutathionase preparation. Isovaleric acid-l-C14 incorporated into GSIV without prior cleavage by the in vitro system. The discrepancy of configuration between urinary and in vitro synthesized isovalthine was discussed.

We experienced a case of eosinophilic granuloma in soft tissue, and demonstrated its patterns of hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes histochemically. Neutrophils were rich in acid phosphatase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Eosinophils had much acid phosphatase and less other hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes. Lymphocytes showed weak reaction in all enzymes. Lymph follicles and histiocytes or fibrocytes had moderately oxidative enzymes. Small blood vessels and collagen fibers were rich in alkaline phosphatase and had a moderate amount of oxidative enzymes and acid phosphatase.

The swelling-shrinkage and oxidative phosphorylation of rat liver mitochondria affected by 3'-methy1-DAB feeding were observed in correlation with function by the method mentioned, and the following results were obtained: 1. By feeding 3'-methy1-DAB the swelling-shrinkage ability of rat liver mitochondria showed a remarkable alteration reducing in the amplitude. It reduced gradually during the days of feeding, reached the minimum value on 30th day and restored gradually thereafter (in Case 1). 2. ADP/O ratio also decreased by feeding the carcinogen reached the minimum point on 30th day and increased on 38th day showing the similar tendency in the decrease of the swelling-shrinkage amplitude (in Case 1). 3. The mitochondria from the hepatoma, which was induced by 3'-methy1DAB feeding, showed a lower amplitude in swelling-shrinkage with the dropped ADP/O ratio compared with those of mitochondria from liver tissue neighbouring the tumor. 4. The mechanism in the reduction of swelling-shrinkage ability has been discussed in the relation with fatty acid composition of mitochondria which is reported elsewhere. 5. From the above results it is deduced that lowered ability for swellingshrinkage with the reduced oxidative phosphorylation will be somehow related to the mechanism of cancer induction.

FUKUTOME has once reported that isovaleric acid is an isovalthinuria inducer but isovaleric acid-1-C14 administered to a dog does not incorporate into urinary isovalthine and glutamic acid is most strongly labeled among acidic amino acids excreted. Recently, however, KUWAKI has found that liver homogenates of some animals can synthesize C14-labeled S-(isopropylcarboxymethyl) glutathione (GSIV) from isovaleric acid-1-C14 and glutathione, and that GSIV can be converted into isovalthine by kidney homogenate or glutathionase preparation4. For the elucidation of the above discrepancy, FUKUTOME's experiments were repeated by using isovaleric acid-methyl-C14 or-1-C14, and it was again found that these isotopic compounds did not significantly incorporate into urinary isovalthine.