Biomedical subjects

D R Lu

Publications and source records attributed to D R Lu.

35 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1994

FT-IR measurement of mercaptoundecahydrododecaborate in human plasma.

A simple and rapid method for the quantitative measurement of mercaptoundecahydrododecarborate (BSH), (which presently is one of the most useful agents for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy) in human plasma was developed by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Different spacer thicknesses of the liquid sampling cell were examined and the optimal results were obtained by the 0.05 mm spacer. The subtraction of water absorbance from sample spectra resolved a B-H band at 2493 cm-1. The quantitative measurement of BSH was carried out by integration of the B-H band in the wavenumber range of 2534-2440 cm-1. However, at the lower BSH concentration range, a visual inspection of the spectrum to determine the wavenumber range was necessary so as to avoid any negative areas to be integrated. The lower limit of detection of BSH in aqueous solution and human plasma was 5 micrograms ml-1 (about 2.5 ppm of boron).

Borohydrides↗

PubMed1993

An interactive program for pharmacokinetic modeling.

A computer program, PharmK, was developed for pharmacokinetic modeling of experimental data. The program was written in C computer language based on the high-level user-interface Macintosh operating system. The intention was to provide a user-friendly tool for users of Macintosh computers. An interactive algorithm based on the exponential stripping method is used for the initial parameter estimation. Nonlinear pharmacokinetic model fitting is based on the maximum likelihood estimation method and is performed by the Levenberg-Marquardt method based on chi 2 criterion. Several methods are available to aid the evaluation of the fitting results. Pharmacokinetic data sets have been examined with the PharmK program, and the results are comparable with those obtained with other programs that are currently available for IBM PC-compatible and other types of computers.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1993

Glucagon adsorption on polymer surfaces with alpha-helical and extended beta-strand conformations: a computational approach.

The adsorption of glucagon with alpha-helical and extended beta-strand conformations on polymer surfaces was investigated using a computer simulation approach. An X-ray crystallographic structure of glucagon was employed in the study of the alpha-helical glucagon adsorption. The X-ray structure was then modified to simulate an extended beta-strand structure in the study of the beta-strand glucagon adsorption. Totally, 1632 different adsorption orientations of glucagon with each conformation were examined on polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and poly(vinyl alcohol) surfaces. The calculation of the average adsorption energies among different orientations did not reveal any marked difference between the two conformations. However, when the lowest-energy orientations were compared, the adsorption energy of the extended beta-strand glucagon was always much lower than that of the alpha-helical glucagon, indicating that the adsorption of extended beta-strand glucagon was more energy favorable. The lower adsorption energy for the extended beta-strand glucagon than for the alpha-helical glucagon appeared to be contributed by the lower interaction potential energy of the former conformation. A greater number of the surface atoms in the extended beta-strand glucagon than in the alpha-helical glucagon was also observed. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (FTIR) studies in the literature showed conformational changes in adsorption of various larger proteins. Our study appears to provide a theoretical insight for the results from the FTIR studies.

Adsorption↗

PubMed1993

Differential effects of fatty acyl coenzyme A derivatives on citrate synthase and glutamate dehydrogenase.

We investigated the hypothesis that one mechanism underlying fatty acid toxicity is the selective inhibition of rate-limiting and/or regulated tricarboxylic acid cycle and related enzymes by fatty acyl coenzyme A (CoA) derivatives by examining the effects of several fatty acyl CoAs on purified citrate synthase (CS) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). The results indicate that, at pathophysiological levels, palmitoyl CoA, a long-chain acyl CoA, is a potent inhibitor of CS and GDH with IC50 values of 3-15 microM. At much higher levels (in the pathological and toxicological range), octanoyl and decanoyl CoA (medium-chain acyl CoAs) inhibited both enzymes with IC50 values of 0.4-1.6 mM. Butyryl CoA, a short-chain acyl CoA, inhibited CS (IC50 = 0.9 mM) at toxicological levels but inhibited GDH poorly. These results suggest that the long-chain fatty acyl CoA inhibition of CS and GDH may assume some pathophysiological importance in fatty acid toxicity and in metabolic encephalopathies in which organic acidemia is persistent. The findings also provide additional support for the original hypothesis.

Acyl Coenzyme A↗

PubMed1993

Long-term expression of human factor IX cDNA in rabbits.

In this study, rabbits were used as a model for gene therapy for hemophilia B. Human factor IX cDNA was transferred to cultured normal rabbit skin fibroblasts (RSF) by a recombinant plasmid (pCMVIX) or retrovirus (XL-IX or N2CMVIX) constructed in our laboratory. Infected fibroblasts capable of synthesizing and secreting high levels of biologically active human factor IX protein were selected and embedded in a collagen matrix. The latter was surgically implanted into rabbits as autografts or allografts. Human factor IX protein was detected in the plasma of all the grafted rabbits, and its expression has been maintained for more than 10 months at the time of writing. In addition, we have improved and simplified the method of implantation from surgically grafting the tissue-like matrix to the injection of the infected cell-collagen mixture subcutaneously. Using the latter method, human factor IX in rabbits injected with RSF-N2CMVIX reached a peak of 480 ng/ml plasma, and its expression has continued for more than 3 months at the time of writing. We suggest that the simplified method of transplantation by subcutaneous injection would offer an effective and acceptable approach to somatic cell gene therapy and may be practical for human trials.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Stage I clinical trial of gene therapy for hemophilia B.

This paper describes the first human gene therapy trial for hemophilia B. Retroviruses were used to introduce human factor IX into autologous, primary human skin fibroblasts from the patients. Recombinant retroviral vector containing human FIX cDNA driven by viral LTR promoter (XL-IX) and double-copy retroviral vector driven by human cytomegalovirus enhancer-promoter (N2CMV-IX) were constructed. After the safety assessment, including soft-agar test, cell morphology observation, analysis of endotoxin, chromosome karyotype, allergic reaction test, nude mice test, routine pathological test, electromicroscopic analysis, and virus detection by PCR, etc., the engineered cells were pooled and embedded in collagen mixture, autologously injected into the patients respectively. The concentration of human FIX protein of Patient 1 increased from 71 ng/ml to 220 ng/ml, with a maximum level of 245 ng/ml. The expression of FIX has lasted for 6 months at the time of writing. The clotting activity also increased from 2.9% to 6.3%, his clinical symptoms have been alleviated obviously. The secretion rate of FIX for Patient 2 increased from 130 to 250 ng/ml, maintained at the level of 220 ng/ml for 5.5 months at the time of writing, but the clotting activity has not been increased steadily. There is no deleterious effect to be found in the two patients since the ex-vivo cells were implanted. The two patients are now under follow-up investigation. We suggested that retrovirus-mediated transfer of genes into skin fibroblasts, to be embedded in collagen and subcutaneously injected into patients, is a simple and effective approach for the gene therapy for hemophilia B.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Quantitative analysis of mercaptoundecahydrododecaborate by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Mercaptoundecahydrododecaborate (BSH) is an important agent in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) of various cancers. A simple and rapid analytical method for the measurement of mercaptoundecahydrododecaborate in aqueous solution and in urine by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy has been developed. A thin-pathlength sampling apparatus was used to minimize the strong absorption of water. The subtraction of water absorbance from sample spectra resolved a B-H band at 2493 cm-1. The quantitative measurement of BSH concentration was carried out by integrating the B-H band above baseline in the range of 2534-2440 cm-1. The lower limit of measuring the concentration of sodium BSH (Na2B12H11SH) in our experiment was 10 micrograms/ml (about 5 ppm of boron). This method measures the hydroborate (B-H) concentration instead of total boron and, thus, may be utilized to measure the BSH concentration in in vivo samples for metabolic studies.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

A case of basophilic leukemia bearing simultaneous translocations t(8;21) and t(9;22).

We report a case of basophilic leukemia with simultaneous translocations of t(8;21) and t(9;22). The patient's clinical and hematologic findings were characteristic only of t(9;22) but not of t(8;21). This unusual cytogenetic phenomenon raises a challenge to the current concepts of primary chromosomal abnormalities in cancer.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

PubMed1991

Calculation of solvation interaction energies for protein adsorption on polymer surfaces.

Of the interactions that govern protein adsorption on polymer surfaces, solvation interactions (repulsive hydration and attractive hydrophobic interactions) are thought to be among the most important. The solvation interactions in protein adsorption, however, have not been dealt with in theoretical calculation of the adsorption energy owing to the difficulties in modelling such interactions. We have evaluated the solvation interaction energies using the fragment constant method of calculating the partition coefficients of amino acids. The fundamental assumption of this approach is that the partition coefficients of amino acids between water and organic solvent phases are related to the free energies of transfer from bulk water to the polymer surface. The X-ray crystallographic protein structures of lysozyme, trypsin, immunoglobulin Fab, and hemoglobin from the Brookhaven Protein Data Bank were used. The model polymer surfaces were polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) [poly(HEMA)], and poly(vinyl alcohol). All possible adsorption orientations of the proteins were simulated to study the effect of protein orientation on the solvation interactions. Protein adsorption on either hydrophobic or hydrophilic polymer surfaces was examined by considering the sum of solvation and other interaction energies. The results showed that the contribution of the solvation interaction to the total protein adsorption energy was significant. The average solvation interaction energy ranged from -259.1 to -74.1 kJ/mol for the four proteins on the hydrophobic polymer surfaces, such as polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene. On the other hand, the average solvation interaction energies on hydrophilic surfaces such as poly(HEMA) and poly(vinyl alcohol) were larger than zero. This indicates that repulsive hydration interactions are in effect for protein adsorption on hydrophilic polymer surfaces. The total interaction energies of the proteins with hydrophobic surfaces were always lower than those with more hydrophilic surfaces. This trend is in agreement with the experimental observations in the literature. This study suggests that consideration of the solvation interaction energies is necessary for accurate calculation of the protein adsorption energies.

Adsorption↗

PubMed1991

[Syntheses of 1-ethyl-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-7-[(4-P-nitrobenzol)-1- piperazinyl] quinoline-3-carboxylic acid and its analogues].

Syntheses of thirteen new compounds of 1-ethyl-6-flouro-1, 4-dihydro-4-oxo-7-[(4-p-nitrobenzoyl)1-piperazinyl] quinoline-3-carboxylic acid and its analogues are reported. The structures were determined by IR, 1HNMR and elemental analysis. Four compounds have been subjected to antibacterial activity tests in vitro. Compound I1 was shown to have significant activity.

Anti-Infective Agents↗

PubMed1990

Isochromosome 11q in a case of acute myelomonocytic leukemia FAB type M4.

The clinical and cytogenetic findings in a 42-year-old female with acute myelomonocytic leukemia (AMMoL) were reported. At diagnosis, cytogenetic studies of bone marrow cells revealed the karyotype 45; XX, +8, -11, -17, -18, +i (11q). To our knowledge, this is the second case of AMMoL with i(11q) in the literature.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Protein adsorption on polymer surfaces: calculation of adsorption energies.

In an attempt to understand the mechanisms of protein adsorption at the solid-liquid interface, we have calculated the interaction potential energy between the protein and the polymer surface by a computer simulation approach. The adsorption of four proteins--lysozyme, trypsin, immunoglobulin Fab, and hemoglobin--on five polymer surfaces was examined. The model polymers used for the calculation were polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate), and poly(vinyl alcohol). All possible orientations of the protein on the polymer surfaces were simulated and the corresponding interaction energies for the initial contact stage of protein adsorption were calculated. In the calculation of interaction energies, the hydrophobic interaction was not treated explicitly owing to the difficulty in the theoretical treatment. The results showed that the interaction energy was dependent on the orientation of the protein on the polymer surfaces. The energy varied from -850 to +600 kJ/mol with an average of about -155 kJ/mol. The interaction energy was also dependent on the type of polymer. The average interaction energies of the four proteins with poly(vinyl alcohol) were always lower than those with the other polymers. The interaction energy was not dependent on the protein size. It was found that the dispersion attraction played the major role in protein adsorption on neutral polymer surfaces.

Adsorption↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Adenovirus 5 E1a-mediated gene therapy for human ovarian cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

The aim of this study was to investigate therapeutic efficacy of adenovirus-mediated E1a gene therapy for ovarian cancer in vitro and in vivo. Recombinant replication-deficient adenoviral vectors were prepared by superinfection of 293 cells, and then purified. The efficacy of the adenovirus vector system to infect ovarian cells was tested using different multiplicity of infection (MOI) and different times (1-4) of Ad.RSVlacZ. SKOV-3 cells (10(3) per well) were infected once with 2 x 10(4) adenovirus. The cells were harvested and counted on different days for 7 days to generate the in vitro growth curve. Tumor-bearing mice were injected intraperitoneally with ovarian cancer cells and treated by intraperitoneal injection of 100 microl (2.5 x 10(8) PFU) viral solution containing either replication-deficient Ad.E1a(+); control virus Ad.E1a(-) which is the same adenovirus as Ad.E1a(+) except for E1a deletion, or just phosphate buffered solution. The transduction efficacy increased with higher MOI and reached a plateau at the 20:1 ratio. When Ad.E1a(+) was used to transduce the HER-2/neu overexpressing human ovarian cancer cell line SKOV-3, tumor cell growth in vitro was greatly inhibited by E1a transduction. Also, Ad.E1a+ greatly inhibited tumor growth of SKOV-3-bearing mice. Immunohistochemistry analysis indicated that Ad.E1a protein was expressed in tumor tissue and expression of HER-2/neu p185 protein was suppressed. Very strong beta-gal staining was detected in tumors, and beta-gal activity in small intestine, lung, heart, stomach, liver, and kidney was detected. No beta-gal activity was detected in the tumor and other organs in control mice injected with Ad.E1a(-) or PBS. Adenovirus-type 5 E1a gene can efficaciously inhibit HER-2/neu-overexpressing ovarian cancer, and this promising procedure could greatly benefit ovarian cancer patients with high expression of HER-2/neu.

Adenoviridae↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Carboplatin-loaded PLGA microspheres for intracerebral injection: formulation and characterization.

The purpose of this study is to prepare and characterize injectable carboplatin-loaded poly(D,L,-lactic-co-glycolic) acid copolymer (PLGA) microspheres for the intracerebral treatment of malignant glioma. The microspheres were prepared by an acetone/mineral oil emulsion and solvent evaporation method. Preparation variables were optimized and the following processing conditions resulted in the highest drug loading and best yields of the microspheres compared with those prepared with the other variables: the PLGA concentration was 8% (w/w) in the internal phase; the emulsifier (Span 80) concentration was 8% (w/w) in the external phase; the ratio of the internal phase: the external phase was 1:8; the stirring speed was 1500 rpm; the emulsion time was 15 min; the solvent evaporation time was 3.75 hr. Microspheres so prepared were analysed for size distribution, drug loading, in vitro release and morphological characteristics. The drug release in phosphate buffer solution started with a 10-day slow release period, followed by a fast near zero order release period from 12 to 22 days. The carboplatin release in brain homogenate was slower than in phosphate buffer solution. The morphological changes of the microspheres during the in vitro degradation correlated with the drug relase profile. In conclusion, the carboplatin-loaded PLGA microspheres were specifically prepared to meet the specification as an injectable and biodegradable brain implant.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cell culture and animal studies for intracerebral delivery of borocaptate in liposomal formulation.

The efficacy of a liposomal formulation for intracerebral delivery of borocaptate (BSH) to brain tumor cells has been investigated using cell culture to study BSH uptake and persistence and using tumor-bearing rats to determine BSH distribution in the brain. During a 16-hr incubation, cellular uptake of BSH solution or BSH liposomal formulation was similar. However, the cellular persistence of BSH greatly increased when BSH was present in liposome. The differences in cellular persistence for BSH solution and BSH-loaded liposomes were significant both in 12-hr and 24-hr incubation experiments (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). For the studies involving tumor-bearing rats, BSH level in tumor tissue was significantly higher than that in normal brain tissue at 2 hr and 6 hr after intracerebral injection of BSH-loaded liposomes (p < 0.01). Our study indicated that the liposomal formulation enhanced cellular persistence of BSH in tumor cells and therefore favored the boron accumulation in the cells. With the prolonged physical retention of liposomes at the local injection site and the cellular retention of BSH enhanced by the liposomes, the intracerebral delivery of BSH using liposomal formulation may provide an effective boron delivery approach for boron neutron capture therapy of brain tumors.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cell culture studies of a carborane cholesteryl ester with conventional and PEG liposomes.

A new cholesterol-carborane conjugate (BCH) has been synthesized as a potential targeting agent for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) of cancers. The compound is extremely water insoluble and was formulated in two liposomal formulations to determine if the compound could be adequately taken up by 9L rat glioma cells in cell culture. Several factors potentially affecting the cellular uptake were evaluated, such as concentration of BCH in the incubation medium, incubation time, cell confluence, and the addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG) phospholipids to the liposomal formulation. The studies indicated that the cellular uptakes of BCH in the conventional and PEG liposomal formulations were 49.1 and 45.9 microg boron/g cells, respectively. Therefore, this compound, formulated in both liposomal formulations, delivered sufficient levels of boron to cancer cells in vitro, indicating that BCH is a promising approach for use in BNCT. The uptake appeared to depend upon BCH concentration in the media as well as the confluence of the cells. The greater boron uptake by nonconfluent cells indicated that active growth of cells was a factor in the uptake of this compound.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Liposomal formulations containing sodium mercaptoundecahydrododecaborate (BSH) for boron neutron capture therapy.

Sodium mercaptoundecahydrododecaborate or BSH is a compound most widely used for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). Liposome formulations containing BSH, with or without steric stabilization, were prepared as potential agents for delivery of boron compounds for BNCT. Liposomes composed of DPPC/CHOL in a molar ratio 1:1 (PEG concentration: 5 mol%) were prepared having an average diameter in the range of 100-110 nm 200 mu L of liposomes (l.88 mg phospholipid/mouse and 3.5-5.8 mg BSH/kg body weight) were injected in mice via the tail vein. Both types of liposomes resulted in a significant improvement in the circulation time of BSH compared to that obtained previously after injecting free BSH. The mean percent injected BSH remaining in circulation at the end of 24 h was 19% for the PEG-liposomes compared to the corresponding value of 7% for the conventional liposomes. The mean percent uptake by the liver and spleen was not significantly different for the two types of liposomes; the blood/RES ratios were higher for the PEG-liposomes at all time points indicating that a higher fraction of injected BSH was available in circulation. The PEG-liposomes could be further explored as a means of enhance boron drug delivery to tumor cells for BNCT.

Animals↗