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K Chapman

Publications and source records attributed to K Chapman.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Postnatal handling increases the expression of cAMP-inducible transcription factors in the rat hippocampus: the effects of thyroid hormones and serotonin.

Postnatal handling increases glucocorticoid receptor expression in the rat hippocampus, thus altering the regulation of hypothalamic synthesis of corticotropin-releasing hormone and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal response to stress. The effect on glucocorticoid receptor gene expression represents one mechanism by which the early environment can exert a long-term effect on neural development. The handling effect on hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor expression is dependent on peripheral thyroid hormone release and the activation of ascending serotonergic pathways. In primary hippocampal cell cultures, serotonin (5-HT) increases glucocorticoid receptor expression, and this effect appears to be mediated by increased cAMP levels. In the current studies we examined the in vivo effects of handling on hippocampal cAMP-protein kinase A (PKA) activity. In 7-d-old rat pups, we found that (1) postnatal handling increased adenylyl cyclase activity and hippocampal cAMP levels, (2) the effect of handling on cAMP levels was completely blocked by treatment with either propylthiouracil (PTU), a thyroid hormone synthesis inhibitor, or the 5-HT receptor antagonist, ketanserin, and (3) handling also increased hippocampal PKA activity. We then examined the effects of handling on cAMP-inducible transcription factors. Handling rapidly increased levels of the mRNAs for nerve growth factor-inducible factor A (NGFI-A) (zif268, krox24) and activator protein-2 (AP-2) as well as for NGFI-A and AP-2 immunoreactivity throughout the hippocampus. Finally, we found that the effects of handling on NGFI-A and AP-2 expression were significantly reduced by concurrent treatment with either PTU or ketanserin, effects that paralleled those on cAMP formation. NGFI-A and AP-2 have been implicated in the regulation of glucocorticoid receptor expression during development. Thus, these findings suggest that postnatal handling might alter glucocorticoid receptor gene expression via cAMP-PKA pathways involving the activation of NGFI-A and AP-2.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Aetiology and management of the secondary brow.

The finding that a brow presenting within the pelvic cavity in the mento-anterior position during the second stage of labour could be easily and safely delivered by means of Kielland's forceps rotation and extraction led to a search for the cause of this rare phenomenon since normally brows are associated with non-engagement of the head. A personal series of six cases, collected over 39 years, were studied. Particular attention was paid to pelvic size and shape with detailed X-ray pelvimetry being obtained in the puerperium from the latter three patients. In all cases the pelvises were found to be commodious and, in the three where X-ray pelvimetries were taken, they were found to be anthropoid in shape, which is known to favour the occipito-posterior position. Past and subsequent pregnancies conducted by the author were in every instance associated with an occipito-posterior position, and a mechanism of labour for secondary brow presentations until impasse occurred was suggested. It was concluded that the condition only occurred when the pelvis was roomy and anthropoid in shape, and, for those experienced in their use, Kielland's forceps rotation and extraction was preferable to caesarean section. Furthermore, aficionados of the ventouse were warned to avoid attempting delivery with that instrument for such would be doomed to failure.

Journal Article↗

Linkage analysis of candidate genes as susceptibility loci for osteoarthritis-suggestive linkage of COL9A1 to female hip osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine 11 candidate genes as susceptibility loci for osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: A total of 481 families have been ascertained in which at least two siblings have had joint replacement surgery of the hip, or knee, or hip and knee for idiopathic OA. Each candidate gene was targeted using one or more intragenic or closely linked microsatellite marker. The linkage data were analysed unstratified and following stratification by sex and by joint replaced (hip or knee). RESULTS: The analyses revealed suggestive linkage of the type IX collagen gene COL9A1 (6q12-q13) to a subset of 132 families that contained affected females who were concordant for hip OA (female-hip) with a P-value of 0.00053 and logarithm of the odds (LOD) score of 2.33 [corrected P-value of 0. 0016, corrected LOD score of 1.85]. CONCLUSIONS: COL9A1 may therefore be a susceptibility locus for female hip OA. In addition, there was weak evidence of linkage to HLA/COL11A2 (6p21.3) in female hip OA with a corrected P-value of 0.016.

Arthroplasty, Replacement↗

Association analysis of the vitamin D receptor gene, the type I collagen gene COL1A1, and the estrogen receptor gene in idiopathic osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Evidence has accumulated supporting a role for genes in the etiology of osteoarthritis (OA). Several candidates have been targeted as potential susceptibility loci including genes that are involved in the regulation of bone density. Genetic association analysis has suggested a role for the vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) and the estrogen receptor gene (ER) in susceptibility. Such findings must be tested in additional independent cohorts. We tested for association of these 2 genes, plus a third gene implicated in bone density, COL1A1, with idiopathic OA. METHODS: A case-control cohort of 371 affected probands and 369 unaffected spouses was used. Association was tested using 4 intragenic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), one each for the VDR and COL1A1 genes, and 2 for the ER gene. The VDR and ER SNP are the same SNP that have been associated with OA. All 4 SNP affect restriction enzyme sites and were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction and enzyme digestion. Allele and genotype distributions for each SNP were compared between cases and controls and analyzed using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: There was no evidence of association of the VDR or the ER gene SNP to OA. There was weak evidence of association of the COL1A1 SNP in female cases (p = 0.017), reflected by a difference in the distribution of genotypes at this SNP between female cases and controls (p = 0.027). However, when corrected for multiple testing, these results were not significant. CONCLUSION: If the VDR, ER, or COL1A1 genes do encode predisposition to OA then the 4 SNP tested are not associated with major susceptibility alleles at these 3 loci.

Aged↗

Mimicry of erythropoietin by a nonpeptide molecule.

Erythropoietin (EPO) controls the proliferation and differentiation of erythroid progenitor cells into red blood cells. EPO induces these effects by dimerization of the EPO receptors (EPOR) present on these cells. To discover nonpeptide molecules capable of mimicking the effects of EPO, we identified a small molecule capable of binding to one chain of EPOR and used it to synthesize molecules capable of inducing dimerization of the EPOR. We first identified compound 1 (N-3-[2-(4-biphenyl)-6-chloro-5-methyl]indolyl-acetyl-L-lysine methyl ester) by screening the in-house chemical collection for inhibitors of EPO binding to human EPOR and then prepared compound 5, which contains eight copies of compound 1 held together by a central core. Although both compounds inhibited EPO binding of EPOR, only compound 5 induced dimerization of soluble EPOR. Binding of EPO to its receptor in cells results in activation of many intracellular signaling molecules, including transcription factors like signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins, leading to growth and differentiation of these cells. Consistent with its ability to induce dimerization of EPOR in solution, compound 5 exhibited much of the same biological activities as EPO, such as (i) the activation of a STAT-dependent luciferase reporter gene in BAF3 cells expressing human EPOR, (ii) supporting the proliferation of several tumor cell lines expressing the human or mouse EPOR, and (iii) the in vitro differentiation of human progenitor cells into colonies of erythrocytic lineage. These data demonstrate that a nonpeptide molecule is capable of inducing EPOR dimerization and mimicking the biological activities of EPO.

Anemia↗

Enhanced anti-inflammatory effects of a nitric oxide-releasing derivative of mesalamine in rats.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Nitric oxide (NO)-releasing derivatives of cyclooxygenase inhibitors exhibit enhanced anti-inflammatory activity and greatly reduced gastrointestinal toxicity. We evaluated whether a similar derivatization of mesalamine (5-aminosalicylic acid) would improve its anti-inflammatory activity. METHODS: Effects of an NO-releasing derivative of mesalamine (NCX-456; NO-mesalamine) were compared with those of mesalamine itself and 2 other NO donors in a rat model of colitis. These drugs were compared for their ability to inhibit leukocyte adherence to the vascular endothelium in vivo, interleukin (IL)-1beta and interferon (IFN)-gamma release in vitro (splenocytes and colon), and messenger RNA expression in the inflamed colon. RESULTS: NO-mesalamine was significantly more effective than mesalamine in reducing the severity of colitis (damage and granulocyte infiltration). Unlike mesalamine, NO-mesalamine significantly suppressed leukocyte adherence to the vascular endothelium in vivo. NO-mesalamine inhibited IL-1beta and IFN-gamma release and caspase 1 activity in splenocytes; such effects were not found in the inflamed colon. CONCLUSIONS: These studies show that an NO-releasing derivative of mesalamine has significantly enhanced anti-inflammatory activity, including improved efficacy in a rat model of colitis. The improved efficacy of this derivative is most likely caused by its enhanced ability to suppress leukocyte infiltration and possibly to scavenge peroxynitrite.

Aminosalicylic Acids↗

Elevated neuronal Cdc2-like kinase activity in the Alzheimer disease brain.

Neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) consist largely of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Many of the phosphorylation sites on tau are serine/threonine-proline sequences, several of which are phosphorylated in vitro by neuronal Cdc2-like kinase (Nclk), a kinase composed of Cdk5 and its activator(s). Thus, tau hyperphosphorylation in AD may result in part from deregulation of Nclk. To test this hypothesis, we examined Nclk activity in prefrontal and cerebellar cortex from 15 postmortem AD and 16 age-matched control subjects, and corrected either for Cdk5 level or for neuronal loss. The ratio of Nclk activity in prefrontal versus cerebellar cortex was then compared. When corrections were made for neuronal loss, the ratios of kinase activity in prefrontal versus cerebellar cortex were significantly higher in AD (6.45+/-0.86) than the controls (3.13+/-0.46; P = 0.003). This finding is consistent with a role for Nclk in the pathogenesis of NFT in AD.

Aged↗

Limited anti-inflammatory efficacy of cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibition in carrageenan-airpouch inflammation.

1. Cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) is expressed at sites of inflammation and is believed to be the major source of inflammation-associated prostaglandin synthesis. Selective inhibition of COX-2 has been suggested to produce anti-inflammatory effects with reduced toxicity in the gastrointestinal tract. We examined the extent to which suppression of COX-2 led to inhibition of various components of inflammation in the carrageenan-airpouch model in the rat. 2. Indomethacin (> or =0.3 mg kg(-1)), nimesulide (> or =3 mg kg(-1)) and the selective COX-2 inhibitor, SC-58125 (> or =0.3 mg kg(-1)), significantly suppressed the production of prostaglandin E2 at the site of inflammation. At higher doses, indomethacin (> or =1 mg kg(-1)) and nimesulide (30 mg kg(-1)), but not SC-58125 (up to 10 mg kg(-1)), significantly inhibited COX-1 activity (as measured by whole blood thromboxane synthesis). 3. All three test drugs significantly reduced the volume of exudate in the airpouch, but only at doses greater than those required for substantial (>90%) suppression of COX-2 activity. Similarly, reduction of leukocyte infiltration was only observed with the doses of indomethacin and nimesulide that caused significant suppression of COX-1 activity. 4. SC-58125 did not significantly affect leukocyte infiltration into the airpouch at any dose tested (up to 10 mg kg(-1)). A second selective COX-2 inhibitor, Dup-697, was also found to suppress exudate PGE2 levels without significant effects on leukocyte infiltration. 5. These results indicate that selective inhibition of COX-2 results in profound suppression of PGE2 synthesis in the carrageenan-airpouch, but does not affect leukocyte infiltration. Exudate volume was only reduced with the highly selective COX-2 inhibitor when a dose far above that necessary for suppression of COX-2 activity was used. Inhibition of leukocyte infiltration was observed with indomethacin and nimesulide, but only at doses that inhibited both COX-1 and COX-2.

Animals↗

Osteoarthritis-susceptibility locus on chromosome 11q, detected by linkage.

We present a two-stage genomewide scan for osteoarthritis-susceptibility loci, using 481 families that each contain at least one affected sibling pair. The first stage, with 272 microsatellite markers and 297 families, involved a sparse map covering 23 chromosomes at intervals of approximately 15 cM. Sixteen markers that showed evidence of linkage at nominal P</=.05 were then taken through to the second stage, with an additional 184 families. This second stage confirmed evidence of linkage for markers on chromosome 11q. Additional markers from this region were then typed to create a denser map. We obtained a maximum single-point LOD score, at D11S901, of 2.40 (P=.0004) and a maximum multipoint-LOD score of 3.15, between markers D11S1358 and D11S35. A subset of 196 of the 481 families, comprising affected female sibling pairs, generated a corrected LOD score of 2.54 (P=.0003) for marker D11S901, with evidence for linkage extending 12 cM proximal to this marker. When we stratified for affected male sibling pairs there was no evidence of linkage to chromosome 11. Our data suggest that a female-specific susceptibility gene for idiopathic osteoarthritis is located on chromosome 11q.

Arthroplasty, Replacement↗

Perception of middorsum palatal stops from the speech of three children with repaired cleft palate.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine listeners' perception of the middorsum palatal stop, a compensatory articulation used by individuals with repaired cleft palates. DESIGN: This study tested whether listeners could discriminate middorsum palatal stops from matched alveolar (/t/) and velar (/k/) stops using a two-button "change/no-change" procedure. It also explored how listeners identified the palatal stop by rating each sound on a scale of one to eight. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty listeners, 10 untrained and 10 trained in general phonetics (graduate students in speech-language pathology), participated in discrimination and identification tasks during a 1-hour session in the Speech Perception Laboratory at the University of Buffalo. MEASURES: Discrimination was measured using d-prime, a score based on listeners' hits, correct rejections, misses, and false alarms to the changes/no changes in the stimuli. Identification was measured by the mean rating score for each class of stops. RESULTS: Listeners discriminated middorsum palatal stops from alveolar and velar stops, but their ratings for the middorsum palatal stops did not differ from those for the regular stop consonants. The two groups differing in phonetic training did not perform differently. CONCLUSIONS: Listeners can discriminate middorsum palatal stops from other stop articulations, but they did not identify them differently from alveolar and velar stop consonants. The results suggest that considerable training listening to middorsum palatal stops is necessary for listeners to be able to reliably identify them.

Adult↗

Synthesis and biological activities of potent peptidomimetics selective for somatostatin receptor subtype 2.

A series of nonpeptide somatostatin agonists which bind selectively and with high affinity to somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (sst2) have been synthesized. One of these compounds, L-054,522, binds to human sst2 with an apparent dissociation constant of 0.01 nM and at least 3,000-fold selectivity when evaluated against the other somatostatin receptors. L-054,522 is a full agonist based on its inhibition of forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in Chinese hamster ovary-K1 cells stably expressing sst2. L-054,522 has a potent inhibitory effect on growth hormone release from rat primary pituitary cells and glucagon release from isolated mouse pancreatic islets. Intravenous infusion of L-054,522 to rats at 50 microgram/kg per hr causes a rapid and sustained reduction in growth hormone to basal levels. The high potency and selectivity of L-054, 522 for sst2 will make it a useful tool to further characterize the physiological functions of this receptor subtype.

Animals↗