Effect of iron, zinc, and copper on lipid peroxidation in liver in vivo

Changes in the levels of lipid peroxides, natural antioxidants (NA), iron, zinc and copper as well as the ability of the lipid substrate to oxidize in animal liver in the presence of iron, zinc and copper have been studied. It has been found that those metals increase the amplitude of natural fluctuations in iron, zinc and copper levels in the liver (by 5-30% in comparison with control). Within the first few hours following administration of iron and copper, the concentration of lipid peroxidation (LPO) products in animal livers increases, while the NA level and lipid oxidizeability decrease, in contrast. Zinc inhibits LPO in the liver within the first few hours following the injection. The changes in the content of NA, lipid oxidizeability and the level of LPO products in animal livers following iron, zinc and copper administration are phase-dependent. Data from regression analysis indicate a direct dependence (kcor = 0.98 at p < or = 0.05) between lipid oxidizeability and NA content in the liver following administration of iron, zinc and copper which, in turn, is suggestive of the lack of disturbances in the system of NA regulation     

Cytokine actions in the central nervous system

Cytokines and chemokines have been implicated in contributing to the initiation, propagation and regulation of immune and inflammatory responses. Also, these soluble mediators have important roles in contributing to a wide array of neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, AIDS Dementia Complex, stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Cytokines and chemokines are synthesized within the central nervous system by glial cells and neurons, and have modulatory functions on these same cells via interactions with specific cell-surface receptors. In this article, I will discuss the ability of glial cells and neurons to both respond to, and synthesize, a variety of cytokines. The emphasize will be on three select cytokines; interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), a cytokine with predominantly proinflammatory effects; interleukin-6 (IL-6), a cytokine with both pro- and anti-inflammatory properties; and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), a cytokine with predominantly immunosuppressive actions. The significance of these cytokines to neurological diseases with an immunological component will be discussed.     

Lung transplantation for cystic fibrosis

This reprint of an article that first appeared in Nucleonics in 1966 provides a unique perspective of the introduction of the cyclotron into clinical medicine and medical research. The cyclotron offers a potentially powerful tool to biomedical centers. With this accelerator one can produce a variety of short-lived nuclides that are unavailable from other sources.     

An agent that increases tumor suppressor transgene product coupled with systemic transgene delivery inhibits growth of metastatic lung cancer in vivo

Low levels of gene expression following systemic delivery have impaired the effectiveness of tumor suppressor gene replacement in treating metastases. We asked whether combined treatment with 2-methoxyestradiol (2-Me), which increases levels of wild-type p53 protein in cancer cells, and the systemic administration of an adenoviral vector expressing wild-type p53 (Ad-p53) would inhibit the growth of human metastatic lung cancer cells in vivo. The simultaneous administration of p53 and 2-Me resulted in a greater than additive reduction with the lung colony count reduced to 33% of its control value. These results suggest that the synergistic effect of 2-Me and Ad-p53 in combination treatment may have application in the systemic treatment of cancer.