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D K Das

Publications and source records attributed to D K Das.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources

Neutrophil kinetics in O2-exposed rabbits.

Hyperoxic injury results in an influx of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) into the lung. To better understand the role of the PMN in this injury, kinetic studies were used to assess the survival of PMNs in the circulation. The rate of deposition of PMNs in the lungs of rabbits exposed to hyperoxia was also examined. The half-lives (T1/2) of [3H]thymidine-labeled PMNs in the circulation in rabbits exposed to air or to 95% O2 for less than or equal to 48 h varied between 3.9 and 4.5 h. After 72 h of hyperoxic exposure, T1/2 fell to 2.2 h, the marginal and circulating PMN pool increased and 3H deposition in the lung increased 10-fold. Autoradiographs confirmed that [3H]thymidine was initially nuclear- and cellular-associated but, with time, [3H]thymidine dispersed throughout the lung, suggesting PMN disintegration. These PMN events seem to occur in the later phases of O2 toxicity, and because PMNs are an additional source of oxyradicals, they may further amplify oxidant injury.

Animals↗

Serotonin receptors in rat lung.

Mammalian lungs have been shown to store and to inactivate serotonin by an active process involving uptake and metabolism. Serotonin has direct action on lung including constrictor effects of pulmonary vascular and tracheobronchial smooth muscle suggesting the presence of serotonin receptors in lung. We have identified several serotonin binding receptors in rat lung. Two separate binding sites are present in a purified mitochondrial fraction. Saturation analysis of (3H)-serotonin binding to outer mitochondrial membranes exhibits temperature-dependent association kinetics and demonstrates a single, high affinity, high capacity binding (dissociation constant = 8.3 +/- 1.2 nM, maximum binding capacity = 0.819 +/- 0.046 pmol/mg protein). The dissociation constant of inner mitochondrial membrane demonstrates a low affinity, low capacity site (dissociation constant = 25.2 +/- 2.2 nM, maximum binding capacity = 0.453 +/- 0.037 pmol/mg protein). The purified microsomal fraction of lung exhibits a moderate affinity, high capacity binding site for (3H)-serotonin (dissociation constant = 14.8 +/- 1.6 nM, maximum binding capacity = 0.760 +/- 0.03 pmol/mg protein). In addition to the lung being the major site for its inactivation, the presence of several specific serotonin receptors may be related to some of the known serotonin actions in lung and may suggest other unknown actions of this amine.

Animals↗

Effect of superoxide dismutase and catalase on myocardial energy metabolism during ischemia and reperfusion.

Survival of cardiac patients undergoing heart surgery depends critically upon the recovery of myocardial energy metabolism during reperfusion of ischemic myocardium. The present study compares various parameters of myocardial energy metabolism using an isolated in situ pig heart. The left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery was occluded for 60 min, followed by 60 min of global hypothermic cardioplegic arrest and 60 min of reperfusion. Free radical scavengers [superoxide dismutase SOD and catalase] were used to protect the ischemic heart from reperfusion injury. In both control and SOD plus catalase-treated groups, ATP, creatine phosphate (CP), ATP/ADP ratio, energy charge and phosphorylation potential dropped significantly during ischemic insult. After reperfusion, CP, ATP/ADP ratio and phosphorylation potential improved significantly, but they were restored to control level only in treated animals. In either case, free energy of ATP hydrolysis (delta G) lowered only by 5% during ischemia, but recovered promptly upon reperfusion. SOD and catalase also improved coronary blood flow and reduced creatine kinase release compared to those of untreated animals, suggesting improved myocardial recovery upon reperfusion. Our results suggest that SOD and catalase significantly improve the myocardial recovery during reperfusion by enhancing rephosphorylation steps, and the value of delta G is more critical compared to those of ATP and CP for myocardial recovery.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Mepacrine, a phospholipase inhibitor. A potential tool for modifying myocardial reperfusion injury.

Cardioprotective effects of phospholipase inhibitor, mepacrine, on ischemic reperfused myocardium were investigated in the isolated in situ pig heart preparation, which was subjected to 120 minutes of regional ischemia, with the final 60 minutes having superimposed global cardioplegic arrest followed by 60 minutes of reperfusion. Mepacrine (0.05 mmol/L) was administered before ischemia into the perfusion circuit in 15 of 29 experiments. Significant depletion of myocardial phospholipids occurred in nontreated animals during 60 minutes of reperfusion. Mepacrine prevented the reperfusion-induced phospholipid degradation. Further, the level of high-energy phosphate compounds was higher during ischemia and reperfusion in the mepacrine-treated hearts. Left ventricular developed pressure, maximum rate of rise of left ventricular pressure, and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure were measured under isovolumic conditions to assess cardiac contractility and compliance. During incubation with mepacrine, before ischemia, left ventricular developed pressure and maximum rate of rise of left ventricular pressure decreased to 45% and 51% of baseline values, respectively. This initial decline was improved to 65% and 70% in mepacrine-treated animals during the early period of regional ischemia. In the nontreated control heart, a progressive decline in contractility was observed with ischemia such that no significant difference was apparent in the two groups. Reperfusion resulted in a further deterioration of global cardiac performance in both mepacrine-treated and control animals. Although pretreatment with mepacrine did not improve contractility, myocardial oxygen consumption, coronary flow, and cardiac compliance significantly improved. These results suggest that myocardial injury may develop during reperfusion after temporary ischemia. Mepacrine inhibits such injury by acting as a phospholipase inhibitor, but it also behaves as a negative inotropic agent in ischemic reperfused myocardium.

Animals↗

Metabolic enhancement of myocardial preservation during cardioplegic arrest.

An experimental study was undertaken to evaluate the relative efficacy of oxygenated versus unoxygenated cardioplegic solutions and to determine if the addition of certain metabolically active substrates to cardioplegic solutions had any effect on myocardial preservation. Sixty-one pigs were divided into seven groups of animals (5 to 15 animals per group). The impact of different cardioplegic vehicles, i.e., crystalloid versus the oxygen-carrying vehicles, blood and Fluosol-DA, on preservation of high-energy phosphates (adenosine triphosphate and creatine phosphate) was examined in the first three animal groups. The influence of Krebs cycle intermediates, i.e., glutamate, malate, succinate and fumarate, on adenosine triphosphate and creatine phosphate preservation was evaluated in the other four animal groups. All hearts underwent 120 minutes of hypothermic cardioplegic arrest at 15 degrees C followed by 60 minutes of normothermic reperfusion. Higher adenosine triphosphate and creatine phosphate levels were maintained during arrest when oxygenated solutions were used as the cardioplegic vehicle and when any of the four intermediates were added to the crystalloid cardioplegic solution, especially succinate and fumarate. During reperfusion, however, adenosine triphosphate levels were uniformly lower than control whereas creatine phosphate levels rose to either control levels or higher in all groups. No significant intergroup difference could be identified during reperfusion. These findings lead to the conclusion that the presence of either oxygen or certain Krebs cycle intermediates enhances the protective effect of hyperkalemic hypothermic cardioplegia on high-energy phosphates during the arrest period only. This enhancement is not maintained during the reperfusion period.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Cardiac performance during reperfusion improved by pretreatment with oxygen free-radical scavengers.

We studied the effects of oxygen free radicals on cardiac performance during reperfusion of ischemic myocardium. The pig heart, isolated in situ, was subjected to 60 minutes of regional ischemia at normothermia by occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery followed by 60 minutes of hypothermic cardioplegic arrest and 60 minutes of normothermic reperfusion. The oxygen free-radical scavengers, superoxide dismutase and catalase, were administered before occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery in the experimental group. The generation of free radicals in the untreated group, estimated by the measurement of malondialdehyde in the perfusate, was significant during reperfusion and was associated with a corresponding increase in creatine kinase. Superoxide dismutase and catalase significantly slowed the appearance of malondialdehyde and the release of creatine kinase during reperfusion. Superoxide dismutase and catalase did not alter coronary flow and myocardial oxygen extraction or consumption during occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery; however, coronary flow and oxygen consumption were significantly higher (p less than 0.05) during reperfusion in hearts treated with antioxidants. Left ventricular developed pressure and its maximum first derivative were measured under isovolumic conditions. In the untreated group, left ventricular developed pressure and its maximum first derivative declined to 61.1% and 57.1% of baseline values, respectively, after 60 minutes' occlusion of the left anterior descending, and to 45% of baseline values after 15 minutes of reperfusion. The decline in left ventricular developed pressure and its maximum first derivative during reperfusion was significantly (p less than 0.05) inhibited by superoxide dismutase and catalase, but left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was not significantly altered. These results implicate oxygen-derived free radicals in the injury resulting from reperfusion of ischemic myocardium and suggest that oxygen free-radical scavengers effectively protect against such injury.

Animals↗

Specific binding of serotonin in rat lung.

Mammalian lungs have been shown to store and to inactivate serotonin (5-HT) by an active process involving uptake and metabolism. 5-HT has direct action on lung including constrictor effects of pulmonary vascular and tracheobronchial smooth muscle, suggesting the presence of 5-HT receptors in lung. We have identified specific 5-HT binding of high affinity to the different lung portions and have shown that there was a different capacity for this binding. Two different 5-HT-binding capacities are present in a purified mitochondrial fraction. Saturation analysis of 5-[3H]HT binding to outer mitochondrial membranes demonstrates a single, temperature-sensitive, high-affinity and high-capacity binding (Kd = 8.3 +/- 1.2 nM, maximum binding capacity = 0.819 +/- 0.046 pmol/mg protein). The dissociation constant of inner mitochondrial membrane demonstrates a low-capacity site (Kd = 25.2 +/- 2.2 nM, maximum binding capacity = 0.453 +/- 0.037 pmol/mg protein). The purified microsomal fraction of lung exhibits a high-capacity binding site for 5-[3H]HT (Kd = 14.8 +/- 1.6 nM, maximum binding capacity = 0.760 +/- 0.03 pmol/mg protein). In addition to the lung being the major site for its inactivation, the presence of several specific 5-HT receptors may be related to some of the known 5-HT actions in lung and may suggest other unknown actions of this amine.

Animals↗

Nutritional and hormonal control of glucose and fructose utilization by lung.

Whereas glucose is a major substrate for pulmonary lipid synthesis, fructose has also been suggested as a potential substrate. In vivo pulmonary fatty acid synthesis is depressed in hormonally deprived conditions, such as diabetes, and this can be modified by fructose feeding, but not by glucose feeding. In this study the glucose and fructose utilizations were compared in normal, diabetic and fasting states using isolated perfused rat lungs. When (U-14C)- or (5-3H)-glucose was used as substrate, glucose utilization by lung was reduced by 50% in both the fasting and diabetic animals compared to the normal controls. Using (U-14C)-glucose as substrate, the incorporation of (14C)-label in various metabolites of glucose was significantly depressed. For example, this reduction was 50% in lactate, pyruvate and CO2, 15% in ethanol-insoluble fraction, 65% in neutral lipids, 75% in phospholipids, 80% in fatty acid moiety, 40% in deacylated fraction and 10% in the polysaccharide fractions. Refeeding the fasted animals or insulin treatment to the diabetic animals restored these depressed (14C)-recoveries to the normal levels. Fructose utilization was less than 10% of glucose utilization, but remained unaffected by fasting and diabetic states. In addition, pulmonary hexokinase enzyme activity was lowered significantly in fasting and diabetic animals, whereas fructokinase enzyme activity was not altered. Despite the low rate of fructose utilization, these results suggest that fructose may serve as an alternative substrate for pulmonary phospholipid synthesis when glucose utilization is significantly depressed.

Animals↗

Fructose utilization by lung.

We have examined the role of fructose as a substrate for the mammalian lung. Isolated and ventilated rat lungs were perfused for 2 h in the presence of either [U-14C]- or [5-3H]fructose. Fructose utilization, 3H2O production, and lactate and pyruvate production were measured. Insulin had no effect on the production of radiolabeled lactate. The 14C label from [U-14C]fructose was incorporated into the neutral lipids, phospholipids, fatty acid moiety, and deacylated fraction of lung. The apparent Km and maximum velocity of enzyme reaction for fructose utilization were 0.5 mM and 75 nmol X h-1 X g dry wt-1, respectively. Recovery of fructose 1-phosphate and fructose 1,6-diphosphate after perfusion with fructose, as well as detection of fructokinase, aldolase, and triokinase activities in the lung homogenates, suggested that fructose had been metabolized via phosphorylation through fructose 1-phosphate. Activities of fructose-metabolizing enzymes were not altered by the induction of diabetes, hypophysectomy, or starvation. These results suggest that mammalian lungs may utilize fructose to synthesize fatty acids, which in turn are used for phospholipid biosynthesis. The utilization of fructose by lung does not seem to be affected by nutritional or hormonal conditions.

Animals↗

Potentiation of surfactant release in fetal lung by thyroid hormone action.

Thyroid hormone has been shown to accelerate fetal lung development, but the mechanisms by which this hormone acts are yet unknown. Since this hormone may act indirectly by potentiating the action of endogenous catecholamines, we studied this mechanism by measuring beta-adrenergic receptors in fetal lung. Fetal rabbits at 27 days of gestation were treated with triiodothyronine (T3), 100 micrograms/100 g, in the presence and absence of propranolol, 200 micrograms/100 g, or actinomycin D, 20 micrograms/100 g. Fetuses were killed by decapitation either after 4 or 24 h of T3 treatment. The beta-adrenergic antagonist l-[3H]dihydroalprenolol was used to directly estimate the number and affinity of beta-adrenergic receptor in lung membranes. T3 increased the number of beta-adrenergic receptors in fetal lung, but the affinity of binding did not change. The enhancement of binding capacity after 4 h of T3 treatment was not inhibited by actinomycin D. However, 24-h T3-mediated stimulation was partially blocked by actinomycin D. In addition, T3 stimulated the catecholamine content, adenylate cyclase activity, and adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate content of lung. T3 increased the lecithin-to-sphingomyelin ratio, phosphatidylglycerol, and disaturated phosphatidylcholine content of the pulmonary lavage fluid. These parameters were completely inhibited by propranolol after 4 h and partially inhibited by actinomycin D after 24 h. Thus thyroid hormone enhances lung maturation by increasing the number of beta-adrenergic receptors in fetal lung.

Animals↗

Pulmonary and hepatic fatty acid synthesis. III. Control of hexose monophosphate shunt pathway by 3,5,3'-L-triiodothyronine.

The hexose monophosphate shunt (HMPS) pathway activities were measured in lung and liver by estimating the relative conversion of [1-14C]-glucose and [6-14C]-glucose into 14CO2 as well as by assaying the glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase activities. The HMPS activities were depressed in the livers of diabetic and hypophysectomized rats and enhanced by 3,5,3'-L-triiodothyronine (T3) or insulin. The hepatic HMPS activities were stimulated to supranormal levels when normal rats were injected with T3. T3-mediated stimulation of hepatic enzyme activities was dependent on the dose and duration of the hormonal treatment. Half-lives of T3-induced synthesis and degradation of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase were 20 and 96 h, respectively, and of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase were 19 and 90 h, respectively. Although HMPS activity was found in lung, the activities of the HMPS pathway dehydrogenase did not vary with the alteration of hormonal conditions, nor the activities were stimulated by the action of T3 or insulin.

Animals↗

Thyroid hormone regulation of beta-adrenergic receptors and catecholamine sensitive adenylate cyclase in foetal heart.

The effect of thyroid hormone on the beta-adrenergic receptor in foetal cardiac membranes was analysed by measuring the binding of (-)[3H]DHA. The specific activities (per mg protein) of beta-adrenergic receptors decreased with advancing gestational age, whereas the total activities (per heart) increased under the similar conditions. The change in the binding affinities was not statistically significant. 1; 3,5,3'-L-triiodothyronine (T3) stimulated the (-)[3H]DHA binding capacities of the cardiac membranes of foetuses of all age groups. The enhancement in the receptor activity was completely inhibited actinomycin D or cycloheximide. The contents of epinephrine, norepinephrine and cAMP increased with advancing gestational age; but T3 had no significant effect on the catecholamines or cAMP. Similarly, the activities of the basal, NaF stimulated and Gpp(NH)p stimulated adenylate cyclase remained unaltered by T3, but the activities increased progressively with foetal maturity. The absolute values of catecholamine stimulated adenylate cyclase activities in the hearts of T3 treated foetuses were, however, higher compared to those in the untreated foetuses. The enhancement of the activities were totally blocked by the action of actinomycin D, cycloheximide or propranolol. Our results indicate that thyroid hormone enhances the number of beta-adrenergic receptor binding sites by synthesizing new receptor proteins resulting in increased catecholamine sensitivity.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Effects of superoxide anions on the (Na + K)ATPase system in rat lung.

Oxygen-derived free radicals have been shown to alter endothelial cell functions in lung. Enzymatically generated superoxide anions inactivated (Na + K)ATPase activity and caused lipid peroxidation in lung. Superoxide dismutase or allopurinol, but not ATP, protected this oxy radical-mediated depression of ATPase activity.

Allopurinol↗