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Biomedical subjects

K L Fong

Publications and source records attributed to K L Fong.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Puromycin analogues. Effect of aryl-substituted puromycin analogues on the ribosomal peptidyltransferase reaction.

A series of ortho- and para-substituted L-phenylalanylpuromycin analogues were synthesized and evaluated as substrates for the peptidyltransferase reaction of Escherichia coli ribosomes. Kinetic results reveal that substitution of the p-methoxy group of the puromycin molecule alters the peptidyltransferase activity of the molecule with the following decreasing order of substrate efficiencies: p-NH2 greater than p-NHCOCH3 greater than p-NO2 = p-NHCO(CH2)2CH3 greater than p-NHCOCH2Br. However, the inability of the ribosome to tolerate a nitro group at the ortho position of the phenylalanine ring precluded the use of the photosensitive puromycin analogue, 2-nitro-4-azidophenylalanylpuromycin aminonucleoside (7a), as a photoaffinity label for the peptidyltransferase site.

Acyltransferases↗

Sensitive radioimmunoassay for vancomycin.

A radioimmunoassay for vancomycin has been developed which uses rabbit antiserum induced by vancomycin-bovine serum albumin conjugates and vancomycin labeled with 3H or 125I. Using either isotope, the method is simple and reproducible and has a sensitivity of 4 or 0.04 ng/ml, depending on the tracer used. This is 200- to 20,000-fold improvement in sensitivity compared with the most sensitive bioassay. Drug levels in serum or urine samples from patients receiving vancomycin can be determined by this assay procedure without processing. The data obtained with 3H and 125I labels were in good agreement. Patients' plasma vancomycin concentrations determined by radioimmunoassay correlated well with those determined by bioassay when the drug was administered intravenously. However, after oral administration the drug could be detected only by radioimmunoassay. The antiserum was evaluated for cross-reactivity with a wide variety of antibiotics and cancer chemotherapeutic agents, and no significant interference was found.

Animals↗

A radioimmunoassay for 5-methyltetrahydrohomofolate.

A radioimmunoassay for 5-methyltetrahydrohomofolate has been developed by using antibody induced in rabbits by 5-methyltetrahydrohomofolate-bovine serum albumin conjugates. The labeled drug was prepared by condensing it with [3H]histamine or [125I]histamine. The assay employing either isotope was simple and reproducible and had identical sensitivities. The specificity of the antibody was characterized by comparing the effectiveness of various related compounds in displacing labeled 5-methyltetrahydrohomofolate from the binding site of the antisera. At concentrations up to 1000 microgram/ml, homofolate acid, tetrahydrohomofolic acid, folic acid and methotrexate showed no competition for the binding. 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid and 5-formyltetrahydrofolic acid cross-reacted with the antisera; the concentrations producing 50% binding inhibition were 2.8 and 24 microgram, respectively, as compared to 0.01 microgram for 5-methyltetrahydrohomofolate. The assay can be used for measuring the drug in plasma and tissues. This study supports its usability for clinical pharmacologic studies.

Animals↗

Clinical pharmacology of IMPY by radioimmunoassay.

A radioimmunoassay for IMPY has been developed using [3H]acetyl-IMPY and antibody induced by immunizing rabbits with succinyl-IMPY bovine serum albumin conjugates. The method was reproducible and sensitive at a dose of 0.2 microgram/ml. The cross-reactivities of IMPY and IMPY derivatives with the antibody were compared. Using this radioimmunoassay, clinical pharmacology was performed in cancer patients during phase I trials. Following 30-60-minute iv infusions of IMPY (450-1500 mg/m2/day for 5 days), the drug disappeared rapidly from plasma with an initial half-life of less than 10 minutes and second half-life of 4 hours. The half-lives are not affected by minimally abnormal hepatic function and are not dose-related. The apparent volume of distribution was approximately 125 ml/kg. The results obtained on Day 5 were essentially the same as those obtained on Day 1. IMPY was also detected in glioblastoma, brain, and temporalis muscle when the drug (500 mg/m2) was infused iv 4-5 hours before surgery. The tissue drug levels were comparable to or higher than those of plasma. The drug was also measurable in kidney and liver tissues obtained 4 hours after death in a patient who died 21 hours after iv infusion of IMPY at a dose of 1500 mg/m2/day for 3 days.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Photoaffinity labeling of the ribosomal peptidyl transferase site with synthetic puromycin analogues.

A photoaffinity labeling puromycin analogue, Nepsilon-(2-nitro-4-azidophenyl)-L-lysinyl puromycin aminonucleoside (NAP-Lys-Pan), was synthesized and used for investigation of the peptidyl transferase center of 70S riobsomes. Visible light irradiation of NAP-Lys-Pan led to covalent linkage of the analogue with Escherichia coli ribosomes. In a subsequent step, poly(uridylic acid) was employed to direct Ac[14C]Phe-tRNA to the P sites of the photolabeled ribosomes. Transpeptidation of Ac[14C]phenylalanine to the bound NAP-Lys-Pan resulted in selective incorporation of radioactive label into the peptidyl transferase A site. Dissociation of the ribosomes into subunits, and digestion of the RNA components, indicated that the radioactive label was incorporated into a protein fraction of the 50S subunit.

Acyltransferases↗

Studies on the properties of the singlet oxygen-like factor produced during lipid peroxidation.

The singlet oxygen reaction product of various trapping agents is observed during enzymic and nonenzymic peroxidation of microsomes as well as during the peroxidation of pure lipids extracted from microsomes. We now wish to report that purified fatty acid hydroperoxide alone, as well as peroxidized microsomal lipid and cumene hydroperoxide also form the singlet oxygen reaction product with 2,5-diphenylfuran. The reaction product (cis-1,2-dibenzoylethylene) was observed to be formed in an anaerobic system, with or without EDTA. The data indicate that a reaction of hydroxyl radicals with 2,5-diphenylfuran cannot account for the formation of dibenzoylethylene in these systems. These results are consistent with a hypothesis that the singlet oxygen-like factor was formed from the lipid peroxides per se and, in addition, supports the possibility that either the peroxides can react directly with diphenylfuran to produce dibenzoylethylene or that the self-reaction of organic peroxides may form an intermediate product which can react directly with singlet oxygen-trapping agents to produce substances which are identical to a reaction of the trapping agents with singlets oxygen.

Animals↗

Peptidyl transferase substrate specificity with nonaromatic aminoacyl analogues of puromycin.

A series of puromycin analogues, 3'-N-(S-substituted L-cysteinyl) puromycin aminonuleosides, has been prepared and examined as substrates for ribosomal peptidyl transferase. S-Substituted N-tert-butyloxycarbonyl-L-cysteines were coupled with puromycin aminonucleoside using dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and N-hydroxysuccinimide. Removal of the t-Boc blocking group with anhydrous trifluoroacetic acid gave the desired puromycin analogues. Kinetic studies indicate that the nonaromatic aminoacyl analogues of puromycin are effective substrates for the peptidyl transferase reaction. In addition, the discovery of the existence of hydrophilic character beyond the region normally occupied by hydrophobic amino acid R groups of the aminoacyladenyl termini of tRNA molecules, and the proper exploitation of this information, has provided the first active purmoycin analogue possessing a hydrophilic amino acid.

Acyltransferases↗

Effect of glutathione peroxidase activity on lipid peroxidation in biological membranes.

Results are presented indicating that, although glutathione peroxidase activity inhibits lipid peroxidation in membranes, it does not appear to do so by reducing membrane lipid peroxides to lipid alcohols, as has been shown by others to be the case for free fatty acid peroxides in solution. Lipid peroxidation was studied in an enzymic system (microsomal NADPH oxidase) and in a non-enzymic system (mitochondria plus ascorbate). A study of the fatty acids in the phospholipids of microsomes and mitochondria demonstrated that detectable amounts of hydroxy fatty acids were not formed in the membranes when the latter were incubated in the presence of the glutathione peroxidase system even under conditions known to have generated significant levels of lipid peroxides in the membrane. Fatty acid analyses of the microsomal and mitochondrial particles indicated that glutathione peroxidase activity inhibited loss of polyunsaturated fatty acids when these organelles were exposed to peroxidizing conditions. If glutathione peroxidase activity were inhibiting the formation of malondialdehyde (a product of lipid peroxidation) by converting peroxide groups to alcohols, the loss of the constitutive polyunsaturated fatty acids in the membrane should not have been appreciably affected by addition of the peroxidase system. The protective effect cannot be due to quenching of an autocatalytic type of lipid peroxidation (at least in the microsomal system) since it has been established that the microsomal enzyme system (NADPH oxidase) catalyzes a continuous attack on microsomal polyunsaturated fatty acyl groups during the reaction and that the peroxidative process is not autocatalytic in nature. It appears, therefore, that glutathione peroxidase activity must exert its effect on this system by preventing free radical attack on the polyunsaturated membrane lipids in the first place. A possible mechanism for the interruption of a free radical attack on the lipids is proposed.

Animals↗

Evidence for superoxide-dependent reduction of Fe3+ and its role in enzyme-generated hydroxyl radical formation.

This report describes studies yielding additional evidence that superoxide anion (O2) production by some biological oxidoreductase systems is a potential source of hydroxyl radical production. The phenomenon appears to be an intrinsic property of certain enzyme systems which produce superoxide and H2O2, and can result in extensive oxidative degradation of membrane lipids. Earlier studies had suggested that iron (chelated to maintain solubility) augmented production of the hydroxyl radical in such systems according to the following reaction sequence: O2 + Fe3+ leads to O2 + Fe2+ Fe2+ + H2O2 leads to Fe3+ + HO-+OH-. The data reported below provide additional support for the occurrence of these reactions, especially the reduction of Fe3+ by superoxide. Because the conditions for such reactions appear to exist in animal tissues, the results indicate a mechanism for the initiation and promotion of peroxidative attacks on membrane lipids and also suggest that the role of antioxidants in intracellular metabolism may be to inhibit initiation of degradative reactions by the highly reactive radicals formed extraneously during metabolic activity. This report presents the following new information: (1) Fe3+ is reduced to Fe2+ during xanthine oxidase activity and a significant part of the reduction was oxygen dependent. (2) Mn2+ appears to function as an efficient superoxide anion scavenger, and this function can be inhibited by EDTA. (3) The O2-dependent reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ by xanthine oxidase activity is inhibited by Mn2+, which, in view of statement 2 above, is a further indication that the reduction of the iron involves superoxide anion. (4) Free radical scavengers prevent or reverse the Fe3+ inhibiton of cytochrome c3+ reduction by xanthine oxidase. (5) The inhibition of xanthine oxidase-catalyzed reduction of cyt c3+ by Fe3+ does not affect uric acid production by the xanthine oxidase system. (6) The reoxidation of reduced cyt c in the xanthine oxidase system is markedly enhanced by Fe3+ and is apparently due to enhanced HO-RADICAL formation since the Fe3+-stimulated reoxidation is inhibited by free radical scavengers, including those with specificity for the hydroxyl radical.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Pharmacokinetic evaluation of drug interactions with anti-human immunodeficiency virus drugs. V. Effect of soluble CD4 on 2',3'-dideoxycytidine kinetics in monkeys.

This study was conducted to determine if soluble CD4 (ST4) altered the pharmacokinetics of 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddC) in nonhuman primates. Each of six monkeys received 5 mg/kg of ddC iv in the absence and presence of two different iv regimens of ST4. The ST4 regimens produced steady-state plasma concentrations of 10.3 micrograms/ml (N = 3) and 22.2 micrograms/ml (N = 3) for 30 min following ddC administration. Pharmacokinetic parameters for ddC and ST4 were calculated based on plasma and urine concentrations of ddC and plasma concentrations of ST4. Following combined ddC and ST4 administration, in both the low- and high-dose ST4 groups, plasma concentration-time profile of ddC were similar for each monkey, and no statistical differences were observed in the pharmacokinetic parameters compared with those obtained when ddC was given alone. Complete urinary excretion data for ddC was obtained in 3 of the 6 animals studied. At the low ST4 dose, one animal had a reduced renal clearance of ddC, whereas at the high ST4 dose two animals recorded an increased renal clearance of ddC. ST4 plasma concentrations were comparable to in vitro concentrations of antiviral activity, with pharmacokinetic parameters similar to those reported previously. The kinetic information provides a basis for rational dosage design for combination chemotherapeutic regimens of ddC and ST4 in human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Animals↗

Disposition of metabolically labeled recombinant soluble CD4 (sT4) in male Sprague-Dawley rats following intravenous and subcutaneous administration.

Soluble CD4 (sT4) has been metabolically labeled with [3H]leucine in Chinese hamster ovary cells and purified by S Sepharose chromatography. Over 250 microCi of high specific radioactivity [3H]sT4 (42 Ci/mmol) was prepared. The radiolabeled molecule was chemically and biologically representative of the unlabeled molecule and thus appropriate for in vivo metabolic investigations. To explore the biotransformation and disposition of a recombinant protein, this uniformly labeled [3H]sT4 was administered intravenously and subcutaneously to male Sprague-Dawley rats. Following a single dose of 0.3 mg/kg, blood samples were collected for 9 days and analyzed for total radioactivity, total plasma radioactivity, trichloroacetic acid-precipitable plasma radioactivity, sT4-related plasma radioactivity (by extraction with a Sepharose-bound polyclonal anti-sT4 antibody), and plasma sT4 concentration (by an N and C terminal-specific Leu3A/OKT4 ELISA). Excreta were analyzed for total radioactivity. The pharmacokinetic profiles of intact sT4 were as expected from the results of previous studies. sT4 was cleared rapidly from plasma with an elimination t1/2 of 7 min (intravenous), and low sT4 levels were observed following subcutaneous administration. Comparison of the kinetic profiles of total radiolabel, trichloroacetic acid-precipitable radiolabel, sT4-related radiolabel, and the isolation of plasma proteins containing tritium have led to the following conclusions. One of the major metabolic pathways for [3H]sT4 was the degradation of the polypeptide to its constituent amino acids, which were subsequently incorporated into endogenous proteins. Incorporation of tritium into blood cell proteins resulted in a prolonged radiolabel blood profile (t1/2 greater than 250 hr). Following subcutaneous administration, [3H] sT4 was significantly degraded before reaching the vascular circulation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Dose-dependent pharmacokinetics of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator in anesthetized dogs following intravenous infusion.

The pharmacokinetics of SK&F recombinant two-chain tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) following intravenous (iv) infusion were characterized in anesthetized, open chested mongrel dogs in which artificial intracoronary thrombi were formed. SK&F tPA was infused at rates of 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 micrograms/kg/min (N = 3 to 5 per dose) for 90 min, and arterial blood samples were withdrawn during and after infusion for determination of functionally active tPA concentrations using a modified and validated S-2251 chromogenic assay. At all doses studied, steady state active tPA plasma concentrations were achieved 10-20 min after the onset of infusion. Upon cessation of infusion, active tPA plasma concentrations declined rapidly with a t1/2 of 2-3 min. The active tPA plasma concentration at steady state (Css) and the area under the tPA plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) increased linearly with the dose in the range of 0.5-4 micrograms/kg/min. However, as the dose was increased 2-fold from 4 to 8 micrograms/kg/min, the AUC and the Css increased 2.5-fold. The systemic clearance ranged from 15-16 ml/min/kg at doses of 0.5-4 micrograms/kg/min, but decreased to 11.7 ml/min/kg at the 8 micrograms/kg/min dose. With exceptions in three dogs, the volume of distribution at steady state approached or slightly exceeded the blood volume. Plasma tPA antigen concentrations were also determined in the dogs receiving the 2 micrograms/kg/min dose. At steady state, active tPA accounted for 40-60% of the total tPA antigen. The postinfusion t1/2 of the tPA antigen was considerably longer (13.46 +/- 5.94 min) than that of active tPA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Anesthesia↗

Aromatization of 7,8-dichloro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline by rat liver microsomes.

The in vitro aromatization of 7,8-dichloro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (DCTQ) has been studied. Incubation of DCTQ with various rat liver subcellular fractions in the presence and absence of cofactors suggested that oxidative reactions catalyzed by microsomal enzymes were involved in this aromatization pathway. In addition to the aromatization product, 7,8-dichloroisoquinoline, three other metabolites were detected in the 9000g supernatant and microsomal incubations. By comparing the chromatographic and spectral data of the metabolites with those obtained for synthetic compounds, these three metabolites were identified as the hydroxylamine, nitrone, and the partially oxidized product (3,4-dihydro) of DCTQ. When added to microsomes, the hydroxylamine and the 3,4-dihydro derivatives were also metabolized to the 7,8-dichloroisoquinoline, and the conversions were NADPH and oxygen dependent. These findings, together with kinetic data, suggested that the aromatization of DCTQ catalyzed by rat liver microsomes was a stepwise oxidative reaction, with N-hydroxylation of DCTQ as the initial step.

Animals↗

Disposition of growth hormone-releasing peptide (SK&F 110679) in rat and dog following intravenous or subcutaneous administration.

The disposition of growth hormone releasing peptide (SK&F 110679) has been studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats and in male and female beagle dogs following intravenous (iv) and subcutaneous (sc) administration. Mass balance/excretion of [3H]SK&F 110679 was assessed in bile duct-exteriorized rats from which radiolabeled biliary and urinary excreta were quantified and characterized. [3H]SK&F 110679 was excreted, predominantly in the bile, and to a large extent as intact peptide following either iv or sc administration. Although the extent of biliary excretion of radiolabel was similar following iv or sc administration (60-70% of the dose), the rate was significantly higher following iv administration. Using a specific plasma HPLC/fluorescence assay, the iv and sc pharmacokinetics of SK&F 110679 were investigated in both species. Following iv bolus administration, biphasic plasma concentration-time profiles were observed, and the initial phases were characterized by 2-4 min half-lives. Systemic plasma clearance was 27 ml/min/kg in the rat (0.4 mg/kg dose) and 17 ml/min/kg in the dog (0.5 mg/kg dose). High sc bioavailability (89-103%) was observed in both species; an apparent terminal half-life of 1 hr likely reflected slow absorption from the injection site.

Animals↗