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Effect of “mega dose” of vitamin C on polyamine oxidase activity in hepatic tissue or rats
Papers read by title
[ C11/13 I
I
EFFECT OF "MEGA DOSE" OF VITAMIN C ON POLYAMINE OXIDASE ACTIVITY IN HEPATIC TISSUE OR RATS G. Bjelakovi~,G.B. Bjelakovi~1, I. Stojanovi~, B.B. Bjelakovi6, T. Jeftovi6 Institute of Biochemistry, Clinic of Hepati-Gastroenterology, Serbia, Yugoslavia. 1Faculty of Medicine, Serbia, Yugoslavia. Polyamine oxidase (PAO) is a key enzyme in the biodegradation of polyamines. Oxidation of spermine and spermidine by PAO results in the generation of reactive aminoialdehydes, hydrogen peroxide and ammonia. L-ascorbic acid serves as effective antioxidant or at the same time pro-oxidant. In the present paper we have examined the polyamine oxidase activity and the amount of malondialdehyde in the hepatic tissue of rats treated with "mega dose" of vitamin C. The experimental animals were treated with the L-ascorbic acid in a daily dose of 12,5 mg/kg body weight intra peritonealy through fourteen days. The control animals group received 0.155 mmol/1 NaC1. Our obtained results show that the treatment of rats with ascorbic acid causes the significant decrease of polyamine oxidase activity (2.878 (0.063 U/rag prot. - in the control group) and (1.752 (0.056 - in the exp. group, P (0.05). The amount of MDA in the liver of animals treated with high dose of vitamin C increases (MDA in the experimental group - 0.562 (0.574 nmol/mg prot. and MDA in the control group - 0.327 (0.634 nmol/mg prot. P (0.001). The higher amount of malondialdehyde in the experimental group is probably a reflex of vitamin C prooxidant effects at the level of hepatic tissue.
IN VITRO STUDY OF THE IMMUNOMODULATORY EFFECTS OF OSBECKIA ASPERA H.M. Daniels, D.S. Nicholl, M.I. Thabrew, R.D. Hughes Institute of Liver Studies, Guy's King's & St Thomas' School of Medicine, London, UK. Ayurvedic medical practitioners in Sri Lanka use extracts of the leaves o f the plant Osbeckia aspera to treat liver disease. The extract has in vitro protective effects on hepatocytes, anticomplement properties and inhibits PMN activation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Osbeckia extract on lymphocyte proliferation. Blood samples were obtained from 10 normal controls and 10 patients with chronic HCV infection. Lymphocyte proliferation to mitogens PHA, PMA+ionomycin and PPD antigen at optimal and sub-optimal concentrations over 5 days was assessed by 3H-thymidine incorporation. With normal cells, stimulatory effects (up to 43%) were seen at lower concentrations o f Osbeckia extract (10-30 ~tg/ml) and inhibitory effects (up to 98%) at higher concentrations (100-1000 lxg/ml) with PMA+ionomycin, which does not require accessory cells. Progressive inhibition of the response to PPD was observed with increasing concentrations of Osbeckia extract. Little effect was observed on PHA stimulation. A similar pattern o f stimulation and inhibition was found with cells from HCV patients. To investigate antiviral activity, preliminary experiments in HepG2 cells transfected with HBV did not detect any specific effect, though the extract appeared to bind HBV DNA. Purification o f the plant extract may separate constituents with either stimulatory or inhibitory activity to lymphocyte function.
[ 011/14 I
[ C11/16 I
A HIGH LEVEL OF POLYAMINE OXIDASE ACTIVITY IN ASCITIC FLUID OF PANCREATIC ORIGIN G.B. Bielakovi6. M. Bielakovi~.A. Na~,orni. G. Bjelakovi~ Clinic of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Serbia, Yugoslavia. Ascites occurring in patients with a history of alcoholism is usually due to liver cirrhosis but ascites also occurs in association with pancreatic disease. Among the body tissues pancreas is the riches source of polyamine oxidase (PAO), a principal enzyme in the processes of polyamines biodegradation. Beside the standaxd enzimological examination of sera and ascitic fluid of patients with liver diseases we have examined the polyamine oxidase activity. We have investigated 77 patients with ascites. Among them 5 patients, 31-54 years old,:heavy alcoholic, were with fast growing ascites of pancreatic origin. The key biochemical parameter in diagnosis of the pancreatic origin of ascites was high level of amylase in the sera and ascitic fluid (650-800 U/L in sera and 980-1245U/L in ascitic fluid) and high concentration of total protein and albtlmin in ascitic fluid (34 - 42; 12 - 23 g/L) respectively. Polyamine oxidase activity was very high in the same fluid samples, the range of enzyme activity in sera was 312 650 U/L and, analogically as amylase activity, in ascitic fluid values of PAO were higher 560 -879U/L. With pcncreatic cell necrosis PAO and amylase arc released from the cells and their serum and ascitic fluid levels i n ~ . During the pareneteral nulrifion and clinical treatment the patient healthy conditions Were better and ascitic fluid amylase and polyamine oxidase began to diminish. High PAO activity with high amylase activity is good biochemical parameters for laboratory diagnosis of pancreatic ascites.
SEVERE HEPATIC INVOLVEMENT IN VISCERAL LARVA MIGRANS M. Hartleb 1 K. Januszewski2 IDepartment of Gastroenterology, Silesian Medical School, Katowice, Poland. 2Department of Pathomorphology, Silesian Medical School, Katowice, Poland.
226
C11/15
I
Visceral larva migrans (VLM) caused by Toxocara canis is rarely taken into account in adult patients with cholestatic jaundice, especially when liver disease is not associated with hypereosinophilic reaction. We report on a 74-year-old immunocompetent woman who presented with fever, bronchospasm, erythema nodosum, weight loss and advancing cholestatic jaundice. Liver biopsy showed caseating granulomatous hepatitis with secondary fibrosis and paucity of interlobular bile ducts. Step-by-step search for aetiological factors led us to diagnosis of toxocariasis (positive ELISA IgG test). Excellent clinical response to combined treatment with steroid / diethylcarbamazine and reduction of Toxocara canis antibodies level supported the diagnosis. We also present results of hepatic imaging studies (CT, laparoscopy) which demonstrated multiple small mass lesions and perihepatitis. This report shows that VLM may be a neglected cause of prostrating liver disease and should be suspected in every febrile patient with cryptogenic cholestatic hepatitis.
[ C11/13 I
I
EFFECT OF "MEGA DOSE" OF VITAMIN C ON POLYAMINE OXIDASE ACTIVITY IN HEPATIC TISSUE OR RATS G. Bjelakovi~,G.B. Bjelakovi~1, I. Stojanovi~, B.B. Bjelakovi6, T. Jeftovi6 Institute of Biochemistry, Clinic of Hepati-Gastroenterology, Serbia, Yugoslavia. 1Faculty of Medicine, Serbia, Yugoslavia. Polyamine oxidase (PAO) is a key enzyme in the biodegradation of polyamines. Oxidation of spermine and spermidine by PAO results in the generation of reactive aminoialdehydes, hydrogen peroxide and ammonia. L-ascorbic acid serves as effective antioxidant or at the same time pro-oxidant. In the present paper we have examined the polyamine oxidase activity and the amount of malondialdehyde in the hepatic tissue of rats treated with "mega dose" of vitamin C. The experimental animals were treated with the L-ascorbic acid in a daily dose of 12,5 mg/kg body weight intra peritonealy through fourteen days. The control animals group received 0.155 mmol/1 NaC1. Our obtained results show that the treatment of rats with ascorbic acid causes the significant decrease of polyamine oxidase activity (2.878 (0.063 U/rag prot. - in the control group) and (1.752 (0.056 - in the exp. group, P (0.05). The amount of MDA in the liver of animals treated with high dose of vitamin C increases (MDA in the experimental group - 0.562 (0.574 nmol/mg prot. and MDA in the control group - 0.327 (0.634 nmol/mg prot. P (0.001). The higher amount of malondialdehyde in the experimental group is probably a reflex of vitamin C prooxidant effects at the level of hepatic tissue.
IN VITRO STUDY OF THE IMMUNOMODULATORY EFFECTS OF OSBECKIA ASPERA H.M. Daniels, D.S. Nicholl, M.I. Thabrew, R.D. Hughes Institute of Liver Studies, Guy's King's & St Thomas' School of Medicine, London, UK. Ayurvedic medical practitioners in Sri Lanka use extracts of the leaves o f the plant Osbeckia aspera to treat liver disease. The extract has in vitro protective effects on hepatocytes, anticomplement properties and inhibits PMN activation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Osbeckia extract on lymphocyte proliferation. Blood samples were obtained from 10 normal controls and 10 patients with chronic HCV infection. Lymphocyte proliferation to mitogens PHA, PMA+ionomycin and PPD antigen at optimal and sub-optimal concentrations over 5 days was assessed by 3H-thymidine incorporation. With normal cells, stimulatory effects (up to 43%) were seen at lower concentrations o f Osbeckia extract (10-30 ~tg/ml) and inhibitory effects (up to 98%) at higher concentrations (100-1000 lxg/ml) with PMA+ionomycin, which does not require accessory cells. Progressive inhibition of the response to PPD was observed with increasing concentrations of Osbeckia extract. Little effect was observed on PHA stimulation. A similar pattern o f stimulation and inhibition was found with cells from HCV patients. To investigate antiviral activity, preliminary experiments in HepG2 cells transfected with HBV did not detect any specific effect, though the extract appeared to bind HBV DNA. Purification o f the plant extract may separate constituents with either stimulatory or inhibitory activity to lymphocyte function.
[ 011/14 I
[ C11/16 I
A HIGH LEVEL OF POLYAMINE OXIDASE ACTIVITY IN ASCITIC FLUID OF PANCREATIC ORIGIN G.B. Bielakovi6. M. Bielakovi~.A. Na~,orni. G. Bjelakovi~ Clinic of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Serbia, Yugoslavia. Ascites occurring in patients with a history of alcoholism is usually due to liver cirrhosis but ascites also occurs in association with pancreatic disease. Among the body tissues pancreas is the riches source of polyamine oxidase (PAO), a principal enzyme in the processes of polyamines biodegradation. Beside the standaxd enzimological examination of sera and ascitic fluid of patients with liver diseases we have examined the polyamine oxidase activity. We have investigated 77 patients with ascites. Among them 5 patients, 31-54 years old,:heavy alcoholic, were with fast growing ascites of pancreatic origin. The key biochemical parameter in diagnosis of the pancreatic origin of ascites was high level of amylase in the sera and ascitic fluid (650-800 U/L in sera and 980-1245U/L in ascitic fluid) and high concentration of total protein and albtlmin in ascitic fluid (34 - 42; 12 - 23 g/L) respectively. Polyamine oxidase activity was very high in the same fluid samples, the range of enzyme activity in sera was 312 650 U/L and, analogically as amylase activity, in ascitic fluid values of PAO were higher 560 -879U/L. With pcncreatic cell necrosis PAO and amylase arc released from the cells and their serum and ascitic fluid levels i n ~ . During the pareneteral nulrifion and clinical treatment the patient healthy conditions Were better and ascitic fluid amylase and polyamine oxidase began to diminish. High PAO activity with high amylase activity is good biochemical parameters for laboratory diagnosis of pancreatic ascites.
SEVERE HEPATIC INVOLVEMENT IN VISCERAL LARVA MIGRANS M. Hartleb 1 K. Januszewski2 IDepartment of Gastroenterology, Silesian Medical School, Katowice, Poland. 2Department of Pathomorphology, Silesian Medical School, Katowice, Poland.
226
C11/15
I
Visceral larva migrans (VLM) caused by Toxocara canis is rarely taken into account in adult patients with cholestatic jaundice, especially when liver disease is not associated with hypereosinophilic reaction. We report on a 74-year-old immunocompetent woman who presented with fever, bronchospasm, erythema nodosum, weight loss and advancing cholestatic jaundice. Liver biopsy showed caseating granulomatous hepatitis with secondary fibrosis and paucity of interlobular bile ducts. Step-by-step search for aetiological factors led us to diagnosis of toxocariasis (positive ELISA IgG test). Excellent clinical response to combined treatment with steroid / diethylcarbamazine and reduction of Toxocara canis antibodies level supported the diagnosis. We also present results of hepatic imaging studies (CT, laparoscopy) which demonstrated multiple small mass lesions and perihepatitis. This report shows that VLM may be a neglected cause of prostrating liver disease and should be suspected in every febrile patient with cryptogenic cholestatic hepatitis.