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Biomedical subjects

D Perrett

Publications and source records attributed to D Perrett.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Circulating thiomalate after administration of disodium aurothiomalate: impurity or active metabolite?

During studies of the metabolism of disodium aurothiomalate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis we have found that its pharmaceutical preparation. Myocrisin, contains 4 to 8% of free thiomalate. To establish whether the free thiomalate previously reported in plasma and urine of patients receiving Myocrisin is a true metabolite or results from this impurity, we prepared aurothiomalate containing 0.1% thiomalate. Intramuscular injection of the purified drug to 2 healthy subjects produced easily detectable levels of thiomalate in both plasma and urine; 7.7 and 9.8% respectively of the doses given were recovered in urine as free thomalate within 4 h. Thus, dissociation of disodium aurothiomalate does occur in vivo, releasing both gold and free thiomalate as potentially active forms.

Chemical Phenomena↗

The determination of thiomalate in physiological fluids by high-performance liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection.

Methods are described for the determination of free thiomalate in the plasma and urine of patients receiving the anti-rheumatic drug sodium aurothiomalate. Thiomalate is separated by reversed-phase chromatography and detected using a gold electrochemical cell. Plasma analyses require maximal sensitivity while urine estimations require selectivity rather than sensitivity: different phosphate buffer-methanol eluents and electrode potentials are used. On-column sensitivity for thiomalate is 40 fmol injected.

Journal Article↗

GTP depletion and other erythrocyte abnormalities in inherited PNP deficiency.

GTP levels were low and NAD+ levels high in purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) deficient erythrocytes, in addition to the raised deoxy-GTP (dGTP) levels previously noted by others. dGTP was also identified in the PNP deficient child's lymphocytes. A further novel finding was the conversion of hypoxanthine to inosine by the PNP deficient red cells, as compared to inosine monophosphate (IMP) in controls. This has been attributed to IMP formation with subsequent breakdown, and raises interesting questions regarding the controls which normally maintain erythrocyte nucleotide pools. These findings may also explain the gross purine overproduction seen in this defect; they may likewise be related to the associated immunodeficiency, anaemia, and other clinical manifestations. The results may also have important implications for the development and clinical use of PNP inhibitors.

Adenosine Deaminase↗

Reciprocal relationship between erythrocyte ATP and deoxy-ATP levels in inherited ADA deficiency.

A reciprocal relationship between erythrocyte ATP and deoxy-ATP levels has been noted in an immunodeficient child with adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency during therapy with red cell transfusions. The sum of red cell ATP plus deoxy-ATP equalled the normal complement of ATP prior to any form of therapy. dATP, dADP and dAMP levels were found in the same ratio (10:1:0.1) as the adenine nucleotides ATP, ADP and AMP. Red cell ATP levels were low, not high or normal as found by others in ADA deficiency, but no deoxyadenosine nucleotides could be found in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Erythrocyte ATP depletion has recently been identified as a serious consequence of anti-leukaemic therapy with ADA inhibitors; it may thus be an important but hitherto unrecognised contributing factor in the clinical expression of inherited ADA deficiency.

Adenosine↗

Formation and degradation of deoxyadenosine nucleotides in inherited adenosine deaminase deficiency.

dATP, dADP, and dAMP equalled or exceeded the depleted levels of ATP, ADP, and AMP in erythrocytes from two children with adenosine deaminase (ADA; EC 3.5.4.4) deficiency. dATP and dADP were identified in the mononuclear cells of only one child. The levels of deoxyadenosine compounds fell dramatically after enzyme replacement therapy and were no longer detectable in the urine or in mononuclear cells. Erythrocyte adenosine nucleotide levels showed a corresponding increase. Intact erythrocytes prior to treatment contained adenine, presumed to be from deoxyadenosine degraded during extraction. Adenosine at high concentrations in vitro increased both dATP and ATP levels and decreased intracellular deoxyadenosine levels. There was no significant deamination of either [8-14C]adenosine or deoxyadenosine by intact ADA-deficient erythrocytes. About 90% of adenosine was metabolized to ATP at substrate concentrations from 10-100 microM, compared to 40-60% of deoxyadenosine metabolized to dATP. These studies suggest that (i) high intracellular deoxyadenosine levels may be necessary in vivo to sustain the raised dATP levels in ADA deficiency. (ii) When ADA is inhibited or absent, deoxyadenosine is removed rapidly from the circulation by the human erythrocyte utilizing an adenosine transport system linked to both ADA and adenosine kinase (EC 2.7.1.20).

Adenosine↗

Simultaneous release of neurotensin, somatostatin, enkephalins and catecholamines from perfused cat adrenal glands.

Acid extracts of cat adrenal medullae were found to contain neurotensin-like (0.71 +/- 0.21nmol/gm), met-enkephalin-like (11.71 +/- 2.87nmol/gm), leu-enkephalin-like (1.95 +/- 0.11nmol/gm) and somatostatin-like (1.57 +/- 0.63pmol/gm) immunoreactivities. Using isolated retrogradely perfused cat adrenal glands the secretory responses to acetylcholine (ACh), nicotine and potassium ions (K+) were studied. Spontaneous secretion of catecholamines, neurotensin-like, met-enkephalin-like, leu-enkephalin-like and somatostatin-like immunoreactivities was negligible. However, ACh (5.5 X 10(-5)M), nicotine (2.2 X 10(-5)M) and 55mM K+ all evoked the simultaneous release of noradrenaline, adrenaline and the four neuropeptide immunoreactivities. The ACh stimulated secretion of the four neuropeptides could be prevented by perfusion with hexamethonium (C6, 2.8 X 10(-4)M). The concomitant release of these neuropeptides with catecholamines suggests that they may have a role in the modulation of stress responses.

Acetylcholine↗

In perfused rat hearts ischaemia promotes the reversible conversion of appreciable quantities of soluble adenine nucleotides to a stable trichloroacetic acid-precipitable form.

Radioactivity from [14C] adenosine was linearly incorporated into tissue nucleotides in perfused rat hearts. All the TCA-extractable 14C was confined to the purine nucleoside phosphates for up to 1 h of perfusion. Radioactivity was also incorporated linearly into the TCA-insoluble fraction, which by 40 min accounted for 24% of the tissue 14 C. Estimates based on precursor specific radioactivity suggest that at least 0.6 micro mol/g of the mononucleotide is in this stable insoluble form. Following 2 min total ischaemia, the tissue nucleotide content and soluble radioactivity decreased while the insoluble radioactivity showed a corresponding increase to account now for 35% of the tissue radiolabel. This redistribution was rapidly reversed by post-ischaemic reperfusion. A possible function for the rapid reversible sequestration of adenine nucleotides in ischaemia is proposed.

Adenine Nucleotides↗

Metabolic adaptation in phosphorylase kinase deficiency. Changes in metabolite concentrations during tetanic stimulation of mouse leg muscles.

1. Glycogen, nucleotides and glycolytic intermediates and products were measured before and during tetanus in the hamstrings-muscle groups of normal (C3H) and phosphorylase kinase-deficient (ICR/IAn) mice. 2. Phosphorylase kinase-deficient muscles contained 3-4-fold more glycogen and sustained a larger (approx. 2-fold), more rapid (11 +/- 2 ng/s faster) and more prolonged glycogenolysis during 120s tetanus despite their lack of phosphorylase a. 3. No significant change in total adenine nucleotide contents occurred during tetanus in either strain, but there was a 60-100-fold rise in IMP concentration to approx. 2mM in both strains. The initial rate of IMP formation was 6-fold more rapid (112 nmol/s per g) in phosphorylase kinase-deficient muscle. 4. Adenylosuccinate content rose to 36 nmol/g in phosphorylase kinase-deficient muscle and to 9 nmol/g in normal muscle at 45s tetanus, but then fell. 5. In phosphorylase kinase-deficient muscle, glucose 6-phosphate, a powerful phosphorylase inhibitor, was 56% of that in normal muscle. 6. The mass-action ratio of the phosphoglucomutase-catalysed reaction [glucose 6-phosphate]/[glucose 1-phosphate] was markedly lower than Keq. (approx. 17) in relaxed muscle of both strains (approx. 5-7), but rose significantly during tetanus to the value for Keq. 7. The data for IMP satisfy the criteria put forward by Rahim, Perrett & Griffiths [(1976) FEBS Lett. 69, 203-206] for a nucleotide activator of phosphorylase b: it should be present at a higher concentration in phosphorylase kinase-deficient muscle, its concentration should rise during muscle work, and it should attain a concentration comparable with its activation constant for phosphorylase b.

Animals↗

Systematic variations in the content of the purine nucleotides in the steady-state perfused rat heart. Evidence for the existence of controlled storage and release of adenine nucleotides.

1. The contents of the major purine nucleotides in the isolated non-working perfused rat heart varied systematically during 80min of perfusion. In particular the amounts of ATP, ADP, GTP, cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP in the well-oxygenated myocardium showed changes ranging from 25 to 60% of the mean concentrations. The apparent periodicity was about 30min for some and about 60min for other nucleotides. 2. These data are in contrast with measurements of parameters reflecting heart performance, which remained constant over this period of perfusion. 3. The ATP/ADP ratio, the cyclic AMP content, the GTP content and the GTP/GDP ratio in the tissue bore a constant relationship to one another, and all showed the same temporal variation. 4. Increasing the energy demand on the heart by administration of bovine somatotropin (1mug/ml) tended to damp the variations, and generally lower the content of all the nucleotides. 5. The total extractable adenine nucleotide pool also showed systematic temporal variations of as much as 1.3mumol/g wet wt. of tissue within 10min. 6. These variations could not be accounted for as inter-conversion with adenosine, other purine nucleotides, nucleosides or purine-degradation products either in the tissue or in the perfusion medium. No evidence was found in this preparation of the purine nucleotide oscillations described by Lowenstein and his co-workers [see Tornheim & Lowenstein (1975) J. Biol. Chem.250, 6304-6314]. 7. Further, the pool size increases cannot be satisfactorily explained by either synthesis de novo or the breakdown of any purine macromolecular species in the cell. Thus it is suggested that an unsuspected substantial storage form of purine nucleotide may exist in heart.

Adenine Nucleotides↗

Purine metabolism in adenosine deaminase deficiency.

Deoxyadenosine was identified in the urine of a second child with almost undetectable levels of adenosine deaminase (ADA) in erythrocyte lysates. Deoxyadenosine excretion thus appears to be characteristic of ADA deficiency: the acid lability of deoxyadenosine (responsible for the frequent confusion of this abnormal urinary metabolite with adenine) may be used in screening for this defect by isotachophoresis. The deoxynucleotides dATP, dADP and dAMP found initially in the child's erythrocytes (in comparable amounts to ATP, ADP and AMP) disappeared after a successful marrow graft from an unrelated donor, as did the urinary deoxy metabolites. Erythrocyte ADA activity decreased after the marrow graft but was still greater than 10% of normal congruent to 10 weeks after the last red cell transfusion.

Adenosine Deaminase↗