No abstract

Administration of the diuretic, spironolactone (SR), can inhibit chronic liver diseases. We determined the effects of SR alone or in combination with the antioxidant α-glycosyl isoquercitrin (AGIQ) on hyperlipidemia- and steatosis-related precancerous lesions in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats subjected to a two-stage hepatocarcinogenesis model. Rats were fed with control basal diet or HFD, which was administered with SR alone or in combination with an antioxidant AGIQ in drinking water. An HFD increased body weight, intra-abdominal fat (adipose) tissue weight, and plasma lipids, which were reduced by coadministration of SR and AGIQ. SR and AGIQ coadministration also reduced hepatic steatosis and preneoplastic glutathione S-transferase placental form-positive foci, in association with decrease in NADPH oxidase (NOX) subunit p22phox-positive cells and an increase in active-caspase-3-positive cells in the foci. Hepatic gene expression analysis revealed that the coadministration of SR and AGIQ altered mRNA levels of lipogenic enzymes ( Scd1 and Fasn), antioxidant-related enzymes ( Catalase), NOX component ( P67phox), and anti-inflammatory transcriptional factor ( Pparg). Our results indicated that SR in combination with AGIQ had the potential of suppressing hyperlipidemia- and steatosis-related early hepatocarcinogenesis through the reduced expression of NOX subunits.

A 17-year-old female wolf (Canis lupus lupus) had a right lung mass that was adhered to the thoracic cavity. Histopathological examination revealed that the mass consisted of sheets, cord or ribbon-like structures of monotonous, small, cuboidal cells with round, oval or short-spindle nuclei and scant clear cytoplasm, demarcated by a fine fibrovascular stroma. Focal necrosis, congestion and thrombi were observed. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells diffusely expressed cytokeratin AE1/AE3, and some expressed chromogranin A, neural cell adhesion molecule (CD56) and thyroid transcription factor-1. The number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive tumor cells was low. A diagnosis of pulmonary neuroendocrine tumor was based on the resemblance to carcinoids.