Ethanol impairs hormone-stimulated cAMP production in a number of cell types, yet the effects of ethanol on downstream responses mediated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) are not understood. Here we have investigated the effects of ethanol feeding on cAMP-mediated inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) synthesis in rat Kupffer cells. Male Wistar rats were fed liquid diets containing 36% of calories as ethanol for 4 wk or were pair fed a control diet. Stimulation of cAMP production by the adenosine A2receptor agonist 5′-( N-ethylcarboxamido)-adenosine (NECA), prostaglandin E2, or forskolin was decreased to 25% of control values in Kupffer cells isolated from ethanol-fed rats. This decrease was associated with a reduction in the quantity of immunoreactive Gsα protein in ethanol-fed rats, with no changes observed in Giα or Gβ. TNF-α production was higher in ethanol-fed rats in response to stimulation with lipopolysaccharide or latex beads. Despite the profound reduction in the ability of hormone to increase cAMP production, NECA and prostaglandin E2 inhibited TNF-α production to an equivalent degree in Kupffer cells from ethanol- and pair-fed rats. Total activity and immuoreactive protein quantity of PKA did not differ between groups. Activation of PKA in response to a 15-min treatment with 1 μM NECA was reduced by 50% in ethanol-fed rats compared with control. Despite this reduction in activation, translocation of the catalytic subunit of PKA to the nucleus and phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein in response to activation were observed in Kupffer cells from both ethanol- and pair-fed rats. These data demonstrate that there is a dissociation between ethanol-induced desensitization of hormone-stimulated cAMP production in rat Kupffer cells and the downstream inhibition of TNF-α production mediated by cAMP.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether dietary supplementation with the n-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in combination with arabinosylcytosine (AraC) chemotherapy could prolong the life expectancy of mice bearing L1210 leukemia. The four control diets included rodent chow, a diet containing 5% of a blended oil mimicking the fatty acid composition of rodent chow, and diets containing 5% or 10% fat with safflower oil as the main oil source. The two DHA-supplemented diets provided 1.5% or 3.5% DHA and 5% or 10% total fat, respectively. After tumor cell inoculation, mice were treated with AraC for 10 days. Mice fed the 5% safflower oil diet (30.1 -/+ 4.1 days), but not those fed the 10% safflower oil diet, survived longer than the chow-fed animals (22.1 -/+ 3.1 days, P = 0.05). The 1.5%-/+ DHA diet (average intake 1.8 g DHA/kg/day) was associated with a longer life span (33.3 -/+ 3.4 days, P < 0.01 vs. chow-fed) and no incidence of death due to drug toxicity. Further increasing DHA intake (4.5 g DHA/kg/day) resulted in shortened survival time (26.5 -/+ 2.0 days), increased circulating tumor cell burden, and lowered red blood cell concentrations. These data suggest that a modest level of dietary DHA or linoleic acid supplementation may improve the antineoplastic efficacy of AraC. However, overconsumption of DHA reverses the beneficial effect of DHA intake on drug sensitivity.

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Purpose-This paper aims to offer a profile of Andrew Aldred. Design/methodology/approach-Andrew provides a short biography and is then interviewed by Jerome. Areas covered in the interview include Andrew's experiences during the Falklands War, his poetry and his time in hospital care. Findings-His experiences in the Falklands War brought home to Andrew the trauma of war as well as its futility. Its personal effects proved long lasting. His descent into mental illness led to years of institutional care and terrible physical complications as a result of the medications he was given. Originality/value-Andrew's story shows his long journey of recovery from his Falklands War experiences to prolonged hospital incarceration. Poetry helped him process these experiences and finding his wife gave him the support and love to rebuild his life.