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Biomedical subjects

A Schwartz

Publications and source records attributed to A Schwartz.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

A new flow cytometric method for quantitative assessment of lymphocyte mitogenic potentials.

A new flow cytometric method was developed to quantitatively assess lymphocyte proliferation simultaneously for different subsets. The cells were stained with a fluorescent dye, PKH-26 and were stimulated with mitogens. The fluorescence intensities (FL2) of proliferating cells were measured by flow cytometry; and each subset was identified by the use of a monoclonal antibody (Mab)-fluorescein-isothiocyanate (FITC) (FL1). FL2 histograms were then analyzed by the cell proliferation model based on the ModFit software (Verity). This new method revealed information which could not be obtained by conventional mitogen assays. For example, the CD4+ and the CD4- T-subsets responded to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) quite differently from each other and it was indicated that activation of one population could significantly alter the response of the other. In addition, even within a subset, all activated cells did not proliferate uniformly. Some cells divided only once while others underwent further cellular division during the same time period. The method is, therefore, invaluable for studying the nature and the extent of interactions between different cellular subsets within a culture.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1995

Anti-CD4 cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity in HIV+ patients: flow cytometric analysis.

A new cell proliferation analysis by flow cytometry was applied to the mitogen induced cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from either normal, healthy donors or those individuals who are infected by human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV-1). While phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation of normal PBMC (nPBMC) yielded propagation of both CD4 (nCD4) and CD8 (nCD8) T cell subsets, similar activation of PBMC from certain HIV-1-infected individuals (HIV-PBMC) produced active proliferation of CD8 (HIV-CD8) cells but varying degrees of CD4 (HIV-CD4) cell destruction. However, no measurable viral p24 antigen was produced extracellularly. On the other hand, when the purified HIV-CD4 cells were similarly activated, no such cell death was noted and high titer p24 was detected in the culture supernatants. Addition of exogenous IL-2 to either HIV-PBMC or HIV-CD4 cultures, did not alter either CD4 cell death or HIV-1 p24 production. Isolated HIV-CD8 killed not only HIV-CD4 but also nCD4, when co-cultured and less proliferative fractions of CD4 cell population was the more preferred targets of the HIV-CD8 CTL activity. The presence of anti-CD4 CTL activity was closely associated with high CD8, but not with CD4 counts, of the HIV+ patients.

CD4 Lymphocyte Count↗
PubMed1994

Alteration of channel characteristics by exchange of pore-forming regions between two structurally related Ca2+ channels.

Several types of structurally homologous high voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (L-, P- and N-type) have been identified via biochemical, pharmacological and electrophysiological techniques. Among these channels, the cardiac L-type and the brain BI-2 Ca2+ channel display significantly different biophysical properties. The BI-2 channel exhibits more rapid voltage-dependent current activation and inactivation and smaller single-channel conductance compared to the L-type Ca2+ channel. To examine the molecular basis for the functional differences between the two structurally related Ca2+ channels, we measured macroscopic and single-channel currents from oocytes injected with wild-type and various chimeric channel alpha 1 subunit cRNAs. The results show that a chimeric channel in which the segment between S5-SS2 in repeat IV of the cardiac L-type Ca2+ channel, was replaced by the corresponding region of the BI-2 channel, exhibited macroscopic current activation and inactivation time-courses and single-channel conductance, characteristic of the BI-2 Ca2+ channel. The voltage-dependence of steady-state inactivation was not affected by the replacement. Chimeras, in which the SS2-S6 segment in repeat III or IV of the cardiac channel was replaced by the corresponding BI-2 sequence, exhibited altered macroscopic current kinetics without changes in single-channel conductance. These results suggest that part of the S5-SS2 segment plays a critical role in determining voltage-dependent current activation and inactivation and single-channel conductance and that the SS2-S6 segment may control voltage-dependent kinetics of the Ca2+ channel.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Structural diversity of triadin in skeletal muscle and evidence of its existence in heart.

Triadin has been characterized as an abundant protein co-localized with the calcium release channel on the terminal cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum of the skeletal muscle. Its localization to terminal cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and functional studies suggest that it has an important role in excitation-contraction coupling. In this study we identify three triadin isoforms in rabbit skeletal muscle and by Northern blot analysis demonstrate that triadin also exists in the heart.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Inhibition of 3'azido-3'deoxythymidine-resistant HIV-1 infection by dehydroepiandrosterone in vitro.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolated from patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) shows resistance to 3'azido-3'deoxythymidine (AZT) after one or two years of treatment. AZT also has significant toxic side effects, further limiting its use in the therapy of HIV-1-infected individuals. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) has been shown to have a broad spectrum of biological functions, to be bioavailable orally and to be relatively nontoxic. Epidemiological studies provide evidence that reduced serum levels of DHEA are related to the progression of AIDS in HIV-1 infection. DHEA has also been shown to inhibit HIV-1 replication in vitro and block HIV-1 reactivation from chronically infected cell lines. However, there have been no reports on the ability of DHEA to inhibit the replication of AZT-resistant strains of HIV-1. We investigated whether DHEA treatment could inhibit replication of AZT-resistant strains of HIV-1. Addition of DHEA to MT-2 cell cultures infected with either AZT-sensitive or AZT-resistant isolates of HIV-1 resulted in dose-dependent inhibition of HIV-1-induced cytopathic effect and suppression of HIV-1 replication as measured by accumulation of reverse transcriptase activity. At a concentration as low as 50 microM, DHEA reduced AZT-resistant HIV-1 replication over 50 percent as measured by cytopathic effect and accumulation of reverse transcriptase activity. This study provides evidence that DHEA can inhibit the replication of AZT-resistant as well as wild-type HIV-1. Since the main targets for DHEA are metabolic and cellular signaling pathways leading to HIV-1 replication-activation, DHEA should be effective against multidrug-resistant strains of HIV-1. Combined with recently discovered immunoregulatory properties, the finding that DHEA is able to inhibit replication of both wild-type and AZT-resistant HIV-1 suggests that in vivo DHEA may have a much broader spectrum of action than originally anticipated.

Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral↗
PubMed1994

Pattern of anti-small nuclear ribonucleoprotein antibodies in MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr mice suggests that the intact U1 snRNP particle is their autoimmunogenic target.

MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr (MRL/lpr) mice develop anti-Sm Abs that bind the B and D proteins of the U1 and other U small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs). Humans with SLE also develop anti-Sm, but in contrast to MRL/lpr mice, anti-Sm Abs in humans are virtually always accompanied by anti-snRNP Abs that bind the A and 70 kDa proteins of the U1 snRNP. In this study, we identified anti-U1 snRNP Abs in 60% of MRL/lpr mice (40 of 66 animals), with the earliest and most frequent response directed against the A protein. This response was either accompanied or closely followed by Abs to other snRNP proteins, including the 70-kDa protein of the U1 particle and the B and D proteins that represent the anti-Sm response. Other U snRNPs were rarely bound by these sera, analogous to previous observations in human SLE. Using in vitro translated 5' and 3' deletion mutants, we found that these early Abs principally bound an epitope on the COOH-terminal of the murine A protein. As shown previously, human sera with anti-U1 snRNP reactivity bind a similar epitope. In summary, we have shown that anti-snRNP Abs in MRL/lpr mice are composed of a linked group of specificities against proteins of the U1 snRNP particle, similar to human SLE. These observations, in conjunction with our previous findings that intact snRNPs are necessary for diversification of Abs in normal mice immunized with snRNPs, strongly suggests that intact U1 particles may be targets of the immune response in this disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Inhibition of inward K+ channels and stomatal response by abscisic acid: an intracellular locus of phytohormone action.

Abscisic acid (ABA), a plant hormone whose production is stimulated by water stress, reduces the apertures of stomatal pores in the leaf surface, thereby lessening transpirational water loss. It has been thought that inhibition of stomatal opening and promotion of stomatal closure by ABA are initiated by the binding of extracellular ABA to a receptor located in the guard-cell plasma membrane. However, in the present research, we employ three distinct experimental approaches to demonstrate that ABA can act from within guard cells to regulate stomatal apertures. (i) The extent to which ABA inhibits stomatal opening and promotes stomatal closure in Commelina communis L. is proportional to the extent of ABA uptake, as assayed with [3H]ABA. (ii) Direct microinjection of ABA into the cytoplasm of Commelina guard cells precipitates stomatal closure. (iii) Application of ABA to the cytosol of Vicia faba L. guard-cell protoplasts via patch-clamp techniques inhibits inward K+ currents, an effect sufficient to inhibit stomatal opening. These results demonstrate an intracellular locus of phytohormone action and imply that the search for hormone receptor proteins should be extended to include intracellular compartments.

Abscisic Acid↗
PubMed1994

Molecular studies of the calcium antagonist binding site on calcium channels.

Currently available calcium antagonists act primarily on L-type calcium channels. Composed of 5 subunits, this ion channel is markedly more complicated than the potassium and sodium channels. Most of the data that have emerged over the past year have concerned the alpha subunit. The secondary structure of this subunit includes 4 repeating motifs; each motif contains 6 membrane-spanning helices, designated S1 through S6. The dihydropyridine (e.g., nifedipine) binding site is most likely situated primarily in motif 4 and the phenylalkylamine (e.g., verapamil) binding site is on motif 4 in an intracellular region. The benzothiazepine (e.g., diltiazem) binding site is also located on the alpha 1 subunit, but its precise location has not been determined. The transmembrane helices S5 and S6 of each motif have been proposed as the "wall" of the actual ion channel.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1994

DNase I footprinting of cis- or trans-diamminedichloroplatinum(II)-modified DNA.

DNase I has been used as an enzymatic probe to visualize the conformational alteration induced in DNA by the binding of either the antitumor drug cis-platinum (cis-DDP) or the therapeutically inactive derivatives, trans-platinum (trans-DDP) and chlorodiethylene-triamineplatinum(II) (dien-Pt). We have constructed double-stranded oligonucleotides (52-mer) containing a single adduct either at the d(GG) site (cis-DDP intrastrand cross-link) or at the d(GC/GC) site (cis-DDP interstrand cross-link) or at the d(G/C) site (trans-DDP interstrand cross-link) or at the d(G) site (dien-Pt adduct). The platinated oligonucleotides are differently recognized by DNase I. As judged by DNase I, the distortions induced in the DNA double helix by the cis-DDP and trans-DDP interstrand cross-links spread over more base-pairs than that induced by the cis-DDP intrastrand cross-link.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

[Thyroidal oxyphilic tumors].

Treatment of thyroidal oxyphilic (Hurthle cell) tumors is controversial due to difficulties in grading tumor malignancy. We classify these tumors into 3 histological subtypes: adenomas, atypical adenomas, and carcinomas. The purpose of this study was to find out whether this classification is a useful criterion for determination of the extent of surgery. Our retrospective study included 5 cases of adenoma, 2 of atypical adenoma and 13 of carcinoma. All histological specimens were revised and were stained immunohistochemically for thyroglobulin. All specimens were positive for thyroglobulin; staining for factor VIII was performed in cases in which the tumor had penetrated into blood vessels. Hemithyroidectomy was used for typical adenomas, while atypical adenomas were treated as carcinomas and total thyroidectomy was performed. 5 patients were treated with radioactive iodine. Taking into account the clinical results, we conclude that histological subtype is a useful guide for proper surgical management. Hemithyroidectomy is proper therapy for adenomas. The management of atypical adenomas was not determined as all were treated as carcinomas.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1994

Refined localization of the alpha 1-subunit of the skeletal muscle L-type voltage-dependent calcium channel (CACNL1A3) to human chromosome 1q32 by in situ hybridization.

We isolated and partially sequenced a cosmid clone containing the human skeletal muscle L-type voltage-dependent calcium channel gene (CACNL1A3). The cosmid clone, which was also found to contain a novel dinucleotide repeat marker for the CACNL1A3 gene, was used for the chromosomal localization of CACNL1A3 by in situ hybridization. Our results refine the localization of CACNL1A3 on the long arm of human chromosome 1 to band q32.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Salivary duct carcinoma. Part I. A clinicopathologic evaluation and DNA image analysis of 13 cases with review of the literature.

Salivary duct carcinoma is an uncommon and relatively unknown clinically aggressive adenocarcinoma of salivary origin that histologically demonstrates a remarkable resemblance to invasive carcinoma of the breast. We report the clinicopathologic features of 13 cases that were also examined by image analysis for DNA ploidy. The results were then analyzed collectively with the less than 100 cases of salivary duct carcinoma reported in the English-language literature to define the characteristics of this unusual neoplasm. The 12 men and one woman averaged 68 years of age (range, 49 to 90 years). All tumors arose in the parotid (10 cases) or submandibular glands (three cases). Nine tumors were aneuploid, three diploid, and one was indeterminate because of insufficient tissue. Follow-up (median, 24 months) was available in 12 cases: three patients died of disease, six were alive without disease, and three died of other causes. Combining our cases with those in the literature, a total of 104 cases, confirms that salivary duct carcinoma is a highly malignant neoplasm with distinctive clinical and pathologic features. It arises almost exclusively in the major salivary glands (96% of cases), is three times more common in men, and usually occurs in patients over 50 years of age (range, 22 to 91 years). One-third of patients experience local recurrences, 59% develop positive regional lymph nodes, 46% have systemic metastases (lungs and bones), and 65% die of their disease, usually within 4 years of diagnosis. Determination of tumor ploidy has no prognostic significance. The presence of distant metastasis was the only clinicopathologic feature that was statistically associated with prognosis (p = 0.02); all patients with systemic metastasis died of disease.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1994

Salivary duct carcinoma. Part II. Immunohistochemical evaluation of 13 cases for estrogen and progesterone receptors, cathepsin D, and c-erbB-2 protein.

Salivary duct carcinoma is an infrequent highly aggressive salivary gland tumor that is histologically similar to ductal carcinoma of the breast. We studied 13 cases by immunohistochemistry for the presence of estrogen and progesterone receptors, cathepsin D, and c-erbB-2 protein to determine whether the similarity to breast carcinoma extended beyond the light microscope to the molecular level and, if so, whether these markers might have therapeutic or prognostic value. Twelve of 13 cases contained sufficient amounts of tumor tissue for evaluation. Of these 12 cases, one (8%) was positive for estrogen receptors, none was positive for progesterone receptors, five (42%) were positive for cathepsin D, and three (25%) were positive for c-erbB-2 protein. Expression of cathepsin D and c-erbB-2 protein does not appear to have prognostic significance in salivary duct carcinoma. The 8% incidence of immunopositivity for estrogen receptors and absence of progesterone receptors in salivary duct carcinoma is considerably less than that seen in breast cancer. Nevertheless, because the occurrence of systemic metastasis in salivary duct carcinoma is such an ominous development largely unresponsive to chemotherapy, antihormonal therapy, such as used in breast cancer, might be considered on a trial basis for those tumors that are estrogen receptor-positive when conventional therapeutic modalities fail.

Adenocarcinoma↗