The level of expression of midkine (MK), a heparin-binding growth factor, is increased in many types of human carcinomas. An enzyme-linked immunoassay, which utilizes a combination of rabbit and chicken antibodies revealed that serum MK level in the controls (n= 135) was 0.154 ± 0.076 (mean ± SD) ng ml–1with an apparent cut-off value as 0.5 ng ml–1. Serum MK level was significantly elevated in the cancer patients (n= 150) (P< 0.001); 87% of the patients showed levels of more than 0.5 ng ml–1. All ten types of cancer examined showed a similar profile of serum MK level. There was no or weak correlation between C-reactive protein level, a marker of inflammation, and serum MK level. Furthermore, in case of gastric carcinoma and lung carcinoma, patients with stage I carcinoma already showed elevated serum MK levels. The present results indicated that serum MK could serve as a general tumour marker with a good potential for clinical application. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaign

Two water-soluble, silver(I) complexes showing a wide spectrum of effective antibacterial and antifungal activities, i.e., ([Ag(Hhis)].0.2EtOH)2 (1; H2his = L-histidine) and [Ag(Hpyrrld)]2 (3; H2pyrrld = (S)-(-)-2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylic acid) were prepared. In aqueous solution 1 and 3 were present as dimers, whereas in the solid state they were polymers. Crystallization of 1 by slow evaporation and/or vapor diffusion gave water-insoluble crystals of [Ag(Hhis)]n (2) showing modest antimicrobial activities. The complex 1 in the solid state is a polymer formed by intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions between dimeric [Ag(Hhis)]2 cores, while 2 is a different polymer without a core complex. X-ray crystallography revealed that 2 was a left-handed helical polymer consisting of a bent, 2-coordinate silver(I) atom bonding to the Namino atom of one Hhis- ligand and the N pi atom of a different Hhis- ligand. Of particular note is the fact that Ocarboxyl atoms do not participate in the coordination. X-ray crystallography also revealed that 3 was a left-handed helical polymer formed by self-assembly of dimeric [Ag(Hpyrrld)]2 cores with an intramolecular metal(I)-metal(I) interaction (Ag-Ag distance, 2.9022(7) A). The FT-IR and the solid-state 13C and 15N NMR spectra showed that the dimeric core of 1 was formed through Ag-N bonds, while that of 3 was formed through Ag-O bonds. The molecular ions of 1 and 3 were detected by the positive-ion electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. For 1-3, characterization by elemental analysis, TG/DTA, FT-IR, and variable-temperature solid-state 13C NMR and room-temperature 15N NMR measurements was performed, and for 1 and 3, that by solution molecular weight measurements and solution (109Ag, 1H, and 13C) NMR spectroscopies was also carried out. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of 1 and 3 were remarkable and comparable to those of the previous silver(I)-N-heterocycle complexes.

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic diseases and a major contributor to the development of cardiovascular diseases. It is due to a deficiency or a failure of normal action of insulin, which is responsible of the use of the sugar from the diet. The number of cases of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus has increased dramatically due to the changes in lifestyle, increasing prevalence of obesity, and ageing of populations. 1) In the year 2000, the number of diabetic patients was 151 million and is estimated to rise to 300 million by 2025. 2,3)The uses of natural drugs, such as plants and herbal remedies to treat diseases is very common in Asia and developing countries, where the population is linked with the use of traditional medicines, due to their efficiency or due the costs of the synthetic drugs and/or pharmaceuticals. One of the aims of phytochemists is to find the application of ethnomedicine in drug discovery. Moreover, WHO study groups emphasize strongly the optimal, rational uses of traditional and natural indigenous medicines (http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs134/en/). The leprosy gourd (bitter gourd, ayurveda name: karela), Momordica charantia L., a well known plant for its antidiabetic properties in Asia and some African countries, is among the candidates. Bitter and non-bitter cucurbitane triterpene aglycones and/or glycosides have been isolated from the plant. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] The bitter principles so far reported have been characterized as momordicosides K and L, and momordicines I and II. 5,8) Interestingly, the four compounds have C-9 formyl, 7-OH or O-b-D-glucopyranosyl groups and are unsaturated at C-5, C-6. These features might be the structural requirement for the bitter taste and undoubtedly, the high content of saponins in the plant can be related to its taste.The constituents responsible for the glucose lowering activity are not yet well known even though over hundred scientific articles have described the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of the plant. 12,13) In the course of our phytochemical screening of medicinal plants aimed at finding the active principles for antidiabetic activities, eleven compounds (1-11) were isolated from the Indian bitter gourd sample. The structural elucidation of compounds 1-3 is reported and the major compounds (4 and 5) have been tested against the antidiabetic strain of male ddY mice. The objective of the present study is to find the relationship between Momordica charantia constituents and the antidiabetic properties of the plant. Results and DiscussionEffect of the Extracts on Diabetes Induced Mice The ether and ethyl acetate fractions of the water suspension of the bitter gourds methanol extract were tested for antidiabetic assay in mice. Oral administration of each fraction at 500 mg/kg (Figs. 3, 4, respectively) resulted marked hypoglycaemic effects comparable to glibenclamide (at 200 mg/kg).Isolation and Characterization of Constituents from the Active Extracts A combination of size exclusion and sil...

The extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are associated with the rheology, texture, and mouthfeel of fermented milk products, including yogurt. This study investigated the immunomodulatory effects of EPS purified from the culture supernatant of Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus (L. bulgaricus) OLL1073R-1. The crude EPS were prepared from the culture supernatant of L. bulgaricus OLL1073R-1 by standard chromatographic methods, and were fractionated into neutral EPS and acidic EPS (APS). Acidic EPS were further fractionated into high molecular weight APS (H-APS) and low molecular weight APS (L-APS). High molecular weight APS were shown to be phosphopolysaccharides containing D-glucose, D-galactose, and phosphorus. Stimulation of mouse splenocytes by H-APS significantly increased interferon-gamma production, and, moreover, orally administered H-APS augmented natural killer cell activity. Oral administration of yogurt fermented with L. bulgaricus OLL1073R-1 and Streptococcus thermophilus OLS3059 to mice showed a similar level of immunomodulation as H-APS. However, these effects were not detected following administration of yogurt fermented with the starter combination of L. bulgaricus OLL1256 and S. thermophilus OLS3295. We conclude from these findings that yogurt fermented with L. bulgaricus OLL1073R-1, containing immunostimulative EPS, would have an immunomodulatory effect on the human body.

To examine the transforming potential of the × gene product of hepatitis B virus (HBV), the X‐gene‐containing region (referred to as the HBx region) was introduced into mouse NIH3T3 cells. Each transformed cell line expressed X‐coding mRNA at a different level. A positive correlation was found between the level of X‐coding mRNA and the saturation density of the cells. The HBx‐transformed cell lines exhibited × protein production and tumor formation in nude mice. The function of HBV in oncogenesis may involve the continuous expression of the X‐gene‐coded product in the HBV DNA‐integrated cells.