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L D Mayer

Publications and source records attributed to L D Mayer.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Detection of protein-free lipoprotein analogues with an apolar lipid core by freeze-etch electron microscopy.

Freeze-fracture electron microscopy of protein-free lipoprotein analogues consisting of polar phospholipids with neutral lipid cores shows that these systems can exhibit novel, smooth crossfracture faces. Resolution of these features can be enhanced by etching techniques. This novel particle morphology provides a new procedure to characterize microemulsions composed of polar and neutral lipids.

Emulsions↗

Vesicles of variable sizes produced by a rapid extrusion procedure.

Previous studies from this laboratory have shown that large unilamellar vesicles can be efficiently produced by extrusion of multilamellar vesicles through polycarbonate filters with a pore size of 100 nm (Hope, M.J., Bally, M.B., Webb, G. and Cullis, P.R. (1985) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 812, 55-65). In this work it is shown that similar procedures can be employed for the production of homogeneously sized unilamellar or plurilamellar vesicles by utilizing filters with pore sizes ranging from 30 to 400 nm. The unilamellarity and trapping efficiencies of these vesicles can be significantly enhanced by freezing and thawing the multilamellar vesicles prior to extrusion. This procedure is particularly applicable when very high lipid concentrations (400 mg/ml) are used, where extrusion of the frozen and thawed multilamellar vesicles through 100 and 400 nm filters results in trapping efficiencies of 56 and 80%, respectively. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy revealed that vesicles produced at these lipid concentrations exhibit size distributions and extent of multilamellar character comparable to systems produced at lower lipid levels. These results indicate that the freeze-thaw and extrusion process is the technique of choice for the production of vesicles of variable sizes and high trapping efficiency.

Filtration↗

Uptake of adriamycin into large unilamellar vesicles in response to a pH gradient.

Previous work has shown that adriamycin can be accumulated into large unilamellar vesicle (LUV) systems in response to K+ diffusion potential established by valinomycin. It is demonstrated here that adriamycin can also be rapidly and efficiently accumulated into egg phosphatidylcholine (egg PC) and egg PC-cholesterol (1:1) LUVs in response to a transmembrane pH gradient (interior acidic) in the absence of ionophores. This 'active' loading gives rise to trapping efficiencies as high as 98%, interior drug concentrations as high as 100 mM and significantly enhances drug retention within the vesicles. This procedure may be of general utility for loading liposomal systems for in vivo drug delivery.

Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone↗

Influence of vesicle size on complement-dependent immune damage to liposomes.

Complement-dependent antibody-mediated damage to multilamellar lipid vesicles (MLVs) normally results in a maximum release of 50-60% of trapped aqueous marker. The most widely accepted explanation for this is that only the outermost lamellae of MLVs are attacked by complement. To test this hypothesis, complement damage to two different types of large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs), large unilamellar vesicles prepared by the reverse-phase evaporation procedure (REVs) and large unilamellar vesicles prepared by extrusion techniques (LUVETs), were determined. In the presence of excess antibody and complement the LUVs released a maximum of only approx. 25 to 40% of trapped aqueous marker, instead of close to 100% that would be expected. Since small unilamellar vesicles apparently differ from LUVs in that they can release 100% of trapped aqueous marker it appeared that the size of the vesicles was an important factor. Because of these observations the influence of MLV size on marker release was examined. Three populations of MLVs of different sizes were separated by a fluorescence activated cell sorter. Assays of the separated MLV populations showed that the degree of complement-dependent marker release was inversely related to MLV size. No detectable glucose was taken up by MLVs when glucose was present only outside the liposomes during complement lysis. Our results can all be explained by the closing, or loss, of complement channels. We conclude that complement channels are only transiently open in liposomes, and that loss of channel patency may be due to either channel closing or to loss of channels.

Animals↗

Solute distributions and trapping efficiencies observed in freeze-thawed multilamellar vesicles.

It has recently been observed (Gruner, Lenk, Janoff and Ostro (1985) Biochemistry, in the press) that mechanical dispersion of dry lipid in an aqueous buffer to form multilamellar vesicle (MLV) systems does not result in equilibrium trans-membrane distributions of solute. In particular, the entrapped buffer exhibits reduced solute concentrations. Here we demonstrate that egg phosphatidylcholine MLV systems dispersed in the presence of Mn2+ also exhibit non-equilibrium solute distributions, and that repetitive freeze-thawing cycles can remove such solute heterogeneity. Further, the resulting freeze-thawed MLVs exhibit dramatically enhanced trapped volumes and trapping efficiencies. At 400 mg phospholipid per ml, for example, the trapping efficiencies can be as high as 90%. This is associated with a remarkable change in MLV morphology where large inter-bilayer separations are commonly observed.

Freeze Fracturing↗

Uptake of antineoplastic agents into large unilamellar vesicles in response to a membrane potential.

Many drugs exhibit lipophilic and cationic (basic) characteristics. Previous studies have shown that lipophilic cations can be accumulated into model membrane 'liposomal' (vesicular) systems in response to establishing a membrane potential (inside negative) across the vesicle membrane. We demonstrate here that the anticancer drugs, adriamycin and vinblastine, can be rapidly accumulated into egg phosphatidylcholine large unilamellar vesicles in response to a valinomycin-dependent K+ diffusion potential (delta psi) to achieve high effective interior concentrations. Further, trapping efficiencies approaching 100% can be easily achieved. The influence of lipid composition and the requirement for valinomycin have been examined for adriamycin. Equimolar cholesterol levels inhibit the uptake process at 20 degrees C. However, incubation at higher temperature results in enhanced uptake. Similarly, the presence of egg phosphatidylserine or incubation at elevated temperatures results in significant adriamycin uptake in the absence of valinomycin. It is shown that the adriamycin retention time in the vesicles is enhanced by an order of magnitude or more when actively trapped by the presence of a membrane potential in comparison to passive trapping procedures. It is suggested that such active trapping procedures may be of use for loading liposomal systems for drug delivery applications, and may provide avenues for controlled release of encapsulated material.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Uptake of dibucaine into large unilamellar vesicles in response to a membrane potential.

Local amine anesthetics appear to exert their effects in the charged (protonated) form on the cytoplasmic side of excitable membranes. Two features of interest are the mechanism whereby these drugs move across the membrane to the inner monolayer and the actual membrane concentrations achieved. In this work, we have investigated the influence of a K+ diffusion potential, delta psi, on the transmembrane distribution and concentration of the local anesthetic dibucaine employing large unilamellar vesicle systems. It is demonstrated that egg phosphatidylcholine large unilamellar vesicles exhibiting a delta psi (interior negative) actively accumulate dibucaine to achieve high interior concentrations. 31P and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance studies show that the internalized drug is localized to the vesicle inner monolayer, and suggest that the protonated form of the anesthetic is the species that is actively transported. The inner monolayer anesthetic concentrations thus achieved can be an order of magnitude or more larger than predicted on the basis of anesthetic lipid-water partition coefficients. It is suggested that these effects may be related to the mechanisms whereby local anesthetics are localized and concentrated at their sites of action in nerve membranes.

Anesthetics, Local↗

Phosphatidic acid as a calcium ionophore in large unilamellar vesicle systems.

The ionophoretic capabilities of dioleoylphosphatidic acid (DOPA) for transporting calcium across phospholipid bilayers have been investigated. Calcium uptake by large unilamellar vesicles is shown to depend on the presence of DOPA. This uptake is sensitive to the nature and concentration of calcium chelators in the vesicle interior, indicating that accumulation results from DOPA-mediated translocation of calcium across the membrane. Further, it is shown that characteristics of DOPA-mediated Ca2+ uptake are similar to those observed for the fungal calcium ionophore, A23187.

Biological Transport↗

Kinetic and hydrodynamic analysis of blood clotting factor V-membrane binding.

The kinetics and hydrodynamic properties of factor V-membrane interaction were characterized. Factor V bound to membranes containing acidic phospholipids with a high collisional efficiency. For membranes of 20% phosphatidyl-serine-80% phosphatidylcholine, an association rate constant of (1.13 +/- 0.10) X 10(8) M-1 s-1 was obtained. These membranes contained about 20 factor V binding sites per vesicle of 3.6 X 10(6) daltons. This association rate represented about a 30% collisional efficiency. Dissociation of factor V was measured by a fluorescence energy transfer method with a dissociation rate constant of 0.0055 s-1 at 10 degrees C. The equilibrium dissociation constant for binding to these membranes at 10 degrees C and 0.14 M ionic strength was 5 X 10(-11) M. Ionic strength, pH, calcium, and charge density in the membrane had large effects on the rate of factor V-membrane dissociation, indicating a strongly ionic interaction between protein and membrane. In contrast, the association rate was nearly insensitive to ionic strength. The membrane-binding properties were relatively unchanged after thrombin digestion of factor V or after long-term protein storage which resulted in loss of procoagulant activity. Other proteins of the prothrombinase reaction greatly decreased the rate of factor Va-membrane dissociation. At protein saturation, factor V increased the hydrodynamic radius of phospholipid vesicles by 11.4 nm. In contrast, factor Va increased the hydrodynamic vesicle radius by only about 5 nm. The mass of membrane-bound protein was comparable for both proteins.

Animals↗

Assessment of the involvement of CYP3A in the vitro metabolism of a new modulator of MDR in cancer chemotherapy, OC144-193, by human liver microsomes.

The novel substituted imidazole compound, OC144-093 exhibits potent biological activity in vitro and in vivo for reversal of P-glycoprotein (PgP) based resistance to cancer chemotherapy. Its mechanism of action relies upon its inhibitory interaction with the mdr1 gene product, a known mediator of multidrug resistance (MDR). Overlapping substrate specificities and tissue distribution of cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) and PgP indicate the potential for drug-drug interactions when modulator and anticancer agent are co-administered. We have examined the metabolism of OC144-093 in vitro using human liver microsomes to determine if CYP3A is involved. Our results show that OC144-093 is converted to one major metabolite (M1) in human liver microsomes which was identified by LCMS to be the O-deethylated derivative. Km and Vmax for O-deethylation were determined as 3.96+/-0.67 microM and 32.08+/-9.73 pmol/mg protein/min, respectively (n=3). Correlation studies conducted in a panel of human livers phenotyped for specific P450 enzyme activity showed a significant relationship between M1 formation and the activity of CYP2C9, CYP2B6, CYP2E1 and CYP3A4. Treatment of microsomes with carbon monoxide gas inhibited M1 formation and diethyldithiocarbamate and ketoconazole (>3 microM), non-specific CYP inhibitors, gave IC50 values of 124.4+/-21.6 microM and 25.3+/-3.2 microM respectively for the inhibition of O-deethylation, also implicating the involvement of CYP enzymes. Specific CYP inhibitors of CYP3A4 were essentially non-inhibitory to M1 formation. We can conclude therefore that OC144-093 is not extensively metabolised in human liver microsomes although conversion to its O-deethylated derivative does occur. Our data indicates that this conversion is not mediated by CYP3A4.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Techniques for encapsulating bioactive agents into liposomes.

As a prerequisite for the use of liposomes for delivery of biologically active agents, techniques are required for the efficient and rapid entrapment of such agents in liposomes. Here we review the variety of procedures available for trapping hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds. Considerations which are addressed include factors influencing the choice of a particular liposomal system and techniques for the passive entrapment of drugs in multilamellar vesicles and unilamellar vesicles. Attention is also paid to active trapping procedures relying on the presence of (negatively) charged lipid or transmembrane ion gradients. Such gradients are particularly useful for concentrating lipophilic cationic drugs inside liposomes, allowing trapping efficiencies approaching 100%.

Antineoplastic Agents↗