germanium and Amyloidosis

Leupeptins, protease inhibitors, suppress the appearance of experimental amyloidosis in CBA mice induced by the injections with complete Freund's adjuvant. This substance, however, should be administered continuously from 1 week prior to amyloid induction to the end of the experiment. On the other hand, Trypan blue, inhibitors of lysosomal enzymes, accelerates experimental amyloidosis in the mouse model above-mentioned. Trypan blue is effective when given either prior to or at the same time of the initiation of amyloid induction. Organic Germanium has not been confirmed to be a potent suppressor of experimental murine amyloidosis but the experimental group administered this substance continuously from 1 week prior to the induction shows a rather low incidence of amyloidosis, and the average number of amyloidotic organs per affected mouse is about half of that of the control group. The suppression and acceleration of experimental murine amyloidosis presented here are a useful tool for investigating the pathogenesis of amyloidosis.

Topics: Amyloidosis; Animals; Freund's Adjuvant; Germanium; Leupeptins; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred CBA; Mice, Inbred Strains; Oligopeptides; Trypan Blue

A mouse strain, ICR/SLC, was involved in spontaneous amyloidosis with high incidence. The amyloid deposition in this strain was seen mainly in the mucosal propria of duodenum and terminal ileum, liver, spleen, adrenal cortices, and renal glomeruli. The mice, orally administered more than 300 mg/kg of organic germanium for 22 months since 5 weeks old, did not develop amyloidosis. Half of the mice, given 30 mg/kg of organic germanium for 22 months developed amyloidosis. The mice given 5% carboxymethylcellulose, the solvent of organic germanium, were affected with systemic amyloidosis with high frequency. The results showed that the organic germanium successfully inhibited the occurrence of senile amyloidosis with dose response. The agent did not have any apparent relation to the incidence of hepatic cell carcinoma or pulmonary adenoma which is frequently combined with aged mice. Although the actual mechanism involved is not clear, the evidence of the inhibition of senile amyloidosis by organic germanium may give a light to elucidate the pathogenesis of amyloidosis.

Topics: Amyloidosis; Animals; Female; Germanium; Kidney; Liver; Male; Mice; Myocardium; Propionates