We tested the hypothesis that particulate air pollutants are associated with metals that have a capacity to transport electrons and that biologic activity of the particulates can correlate with the concentrations of these metals. The metals studied were titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, and copper. Measurements included ( 1 ) oxidized products of deoxyribose catalyzed by particulates, (2) induction of a neutrophilic alveolitis after particdate instillation, (3) increments in airway reactivity after particulate instillation, and (4) mortality after exposures to both dusts and a microbial agent. Employing 10 different dusts of either natural or anthropogenic origin, in vitro generation of oxi- ~ dized products of deoxyribose increased with ionizable concentrations of all metals, except for titanium, associated with the particles. After tracheal instillation of dust into rats, both the neutrophil influx and lavage protein increased with ionizable concentrations of these same metals. Changes in airway reactivity following instillation of dusts in rats alsoappeared to be associated with the ionizable concentrations of these metals. Similarly, mortality after injection of particles in mice with subsequent exposure to aerosolized Streptococcus zooepidemicus reflected metal concentrations. We conclude that particulate air pollutants are associated with metals which have a capacity to catalyze electron transfer. An in vitro measure of oxidant production increased with ionizable concentrations of the metals. Indices of in vivo lung injury also corresponded to concentrations of these same metals.

Pancreatic beta cell apoptosis is important in the pathogenesis and potential treatment of Type 1 diabetes. We investigated whether Humanin, a recently described survival factor for neurons, could improve the survival of beta cells and delay or treat diabetes in the NOD model. Humanin reduced apoptosis induced by serum starvation in NIT-1 cells and decreased apoptosis induced by cytokine treatment. Humanin induced Stat3 and ERK phosphorylation over a 24 hour time course. Specific inhibition of Stat3 resulted in nullifying the protective effect of Humanin. Humanin normalized glucose tolerance in diabetic NOD mice treated for 6-weeks and their pancreata revealed decreased lymphocyte infiltration and severity. In addition, Humanin delayed/prevented the onset of diabetes in NOD mice treated for 20 weeks. In summary, Humanin treatment decreases cytokine-induced apoptosis in beta cells in vitro and improved glucose tolerance and onset of diabetes in NOD mice in vivo. This indicates that Humanin may be useful for islet protection and survival in a spectrum of diabetes-related therapeutics.

Growth hormone (GH) therapy has evolved rapidly over the past decade, and continuing research has established a clear role for therapeutic GH in a wide spectrum of disorders, including idiopathic GH deficiency (childhood- and adult-onset), Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, small-for-gestational age children with failure of catch-up growth, AIDS-related catabolism, children with chronic renal failure, and idiopathic short stature. Although GH is used therapeutically in a wide variety of conditions, actual guidelines regarding the logistics of GH dosing continue to evolve, with data emerging regarding efficacy and safety. This review proposes a role for insulin-like growth factor I measurement in optimizing GH dosing.

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