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L Zech

Publications and source records attributed to L Zech.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Dose-dependent pharmacokinetics of amphotericin B lipid complex in rabbits.

Amphotericin B lipid complex (ABLC) was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of patients with invasive fungal infections who are intolerant of or refractory to conventional amphotericin B therapy. Little is known, however, about the pharmacokinetics of this new antifungal compound. We therefore investigated the pharmacokinetics of ABLC in comparison with those of conventional desoxycholate amphotericin B (DAmB) in rabbits. The pharmacokinetics of DAmB in a rabbit model were similar to those previously reported in humans. The pharmacokinetics of ABLC differed substantially from those of DAmB. Plasma amphotericin B levels following ABLC administration were 10 times lower than those following administration of an equal dosage of DAmB. The levels of ABLC in whole blood were approximately 40 times greater than those in plasma. The ABLC model differed from the DAmB model by (i) a dose- and time-dependent uptake and return between the plasma compartment and apparent cellular components of the blood-sediment compartment and (ii) time-dependent tissue uptake and return to plasma from serially connected compartments. Following infusion of ABLC, there was a nonlinear uptake into the apparent cellular components of the blood-sediment compartment. This uptake was related to the reciprocal of the integral of the total amount of drug infused (i.e., the more drug infused the greater the fractional uptake between 0.5 and 5 mg/kg of body weight for ABLC). The transfer of drug from plasma to the cellular components of the blood-sediment compartment resulted in initial uptake followed by rapid redistribution back to the plasma. The study describes a detailed model of the pharmacokinetics of ABLC and characterizes a potential role of the cellular components of the blood-sediment compartment in the distribution of this new antifungal compound in tissue.

Amphotericin B↗
PubMed1996

Molecular analysis of chromosome 21 in a patient with a phenotype of Down syndrome and apparently normal karyotype.

Down syndrome (DS) is caused in most cases by the presence of an extra chromosome 21. It has been shown that the DS phenotype is produced by duplication of only a small part of the long arm of chromosome 21, the 21q22 region, including and distal to locus D21S55. We present molecular investigations on a woman with clinically typical DS but apparently normal chromosomes. Her parents were consanguineous and she had a sister with a DS phenotype, who died at the age of 15 days. Repeated cytogenetic investigations (G-banding and high resolution banding) on the patient and her parents showed apparently normal chromosomes. Autoradiographs of quantitative Southern blots of DNAs from the patient, her parents, trisomy 21 patients, and normal controls were analyzed after hybridization with unique DNA sequences regionally mapped on chromosome 21. Sequences D21S59, D21S1, D21S11, D21S8, D21S17, D21S55, ERG, D21S15, D21S112, and COL6A1 were all found in two copies. Fluorescent in situ hybridization with a chromosome 21-specific genomic library showed no abnormalities and only two copies of chromosome 21 were detected. Nineteen markers from the critical region studied with polymerase chain reaction amplification of di- and tetranucleotide repeats did not indicate any partial trisomy 21. From this study we conclude that the patient does not have any partial submicroscopic trisomy for any segment of chromosome 21. It seems reasonable to assume that she suffers from an autosomal recessive disorder which is phenotypically indistinguishable from DS.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

A novel human B-cell line (U-2904) bearing t(8;14) and t(14;18) translocations.

Sequential activation of bcl-2 and c-myc appears to be involved in the pathogenesis of rare de novo acute lymphoid leukemias bearing both t(8;14) and t(14;18). Acquisition of t(8;14) by follicular-lymphoma cells with t(14;18) has also been related to the clinical transformation into an overt acute lymphoid leukemia in rare cases reported, and a role for c-myc involvement in the progression of some follicular lymphomas with t(14;18) has been suggested by the detection of c-myc rearrangements in association with histologic transformation. However, c-myc abnormalities different from those observed in Burkitt's lymphoma have been reported in diffuse large-cell lymphomas with breakpoints in 8q24, and a t(8;14) molecularly different from the classical one has been found in follicular lymphomas without t(14;18). We report the preliminary characterization of the EBV-negative cell line U 2904 established from a transformed follicular lymphoma that carries both t(8;14) (q24;q32) and t(14;18) (q32;q21) translocations. U 2904 cells have a mature B-cell phenotype, grow in agarose and are tumorigenic in nude mice. Rearrangements of both c-myc and bcl-2 confirmed the involvement of both oncogenes in the translocations which lead to abundant c-myc and bcl-2 transcripts. Two JH rearrangements and one C alpha rearrangement were observed which did not co-migrate with either c-myc or bcl-2 rearrangements. This is the first report of a cell line bearing both t(8;14) and t(14;18) derived from a follicular lymphoma after documented transformation into a centroblastic lymphoma without leukemic features. U 2904 provides further evidence for the involvement of c-myc in the progression of follicular lymphomas.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Markedly accelerated catabolism of apolipoprotein A-II (ApoA-II) and high density lipoproteins containing ApoA-II in classic lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase deficiency and fish-eye disease.

Classic (complete) lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) deficiency and Fish-eye disease (partial LCAT deficiency) are genetic syndromes associated with markedly decreased plasma levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol but not with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. We investigated the metabolism of the HDL apolipoproteins (apo) apoA-I and apoA-II in a total of five patients with LCAT deficiency, one with classic LCAT deficiency and four with Fish-eye disease. Plasma levels of apoA-II were decreased to a proportionately greater extent (23% of normal) than apoA-I (30% of normal). In addition, plasma concentrations of HDL particles containing both apoA-I and apoA-II (LpA-I:A-II) were much lower (18% of normal) than those of particles containing only apoA-I (LpA-I) (51% of normal). The metabolic basis for the low levels of apoA-II and LpA-I:A-II was investigated in all five patients using both exogenous radiotracer and endogenous stable isotope labeling techniques. The mean plasma residence time of apoA-I was decreased at 2.08 +/- 0.27 d (controls 4.74 +/- 0.65 days); however, the residence time of apoA-II was even shorter at 1.66 +/- 0.24 d (controls 5.25 +/- 0.61 d). In addition, the catabolism of apoA-I in LpA-I:A-II was substantially faster than that of apoA-I in LpA-I. In summary, genetic syndromes of either complete or partial LCAT deficiency result in low levels of HDL through preferential hypercatabolism of apoA-II and HDL particles containing apoA-II. Because LpA-I has been proposed to be more protective than LpA-I:A-II against atherosclerosis, this selective effect on the metabolism of LpA-I:A-II may provide a potential explanation why patients with classic LCAT deficiency and Fish-eye disease are not at increased risk for premature atherosclerosis despite markedly decreased levels of HDL cholesterol and apoA-I.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

In vivo metabolism of apolipoprotein A-IV in severe hypertriglyceridemia: a combined radiotracer and stable isotope kinetic study.

Apolipoprotein (apo) A-IV is an intestinally derived apolipoprotein that plays a potentially important role in lipoprotein metabolism and reverse cholesterol transport. However, the factors that regulate its plasma concentrations are not well understood. Plasma apoA-IV levels have been previously shown to correlate with fasting triglyceride (TG) levels in humans with TG levels less than 300 mg/dl (Lagrost et al. 1989. J. Lipid Res. 30: 701-710). In this study, we established that apoA-IV levels were significantly elevated (mean 29.3 mg/dl) in a group of 15 hypertriglyceridemic patients (TG > 300 mg/dl) compared with normolipidemic controls (mean 13.4 mg/dl). In order to investigate the relationship between hypertriglyceridemia and apoA-IV metabolism, we then studied the in vivo kinetics of apoA-IV in two healthy hypertriglyceridemic patients (mean TG = 1297 mg/dl) compared with normolipidemic control subjects. Combined studies using endogenous stable isotope labeling (with a primed constant infusion of deuterated L-leucine) and exogenous radiolabeling (with 125I) of apoA-IV were performed. Both stable isotope and radiotracer studies demonstrated substantially decreased apoA-IV fractional catabolic rates (FCR) in the hypertriglyceridemic patients (1.24 +/- 0.13 day-1) compared with controls (2.33 +/- 0.08 day-1). The apoA-IV production rate was not significantly different between the two groups. Gel filtration chromatography of plasma indicated an increased proportion of apoA-IV in the triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRL) of the hypertriglyceridemic patients compared with controls and delayed catabolism of this TRL-associated apoA-IV. The rate of apoA-IV catabolism from the lipid deficient fraction was not different between the hypertriglyceridemic patients and controls. In summary, plasma levels of apoA-IV are significantly elevated in hypertriglyceridemic patients due to delayed catabolism of apoA-IV as demonstrated by both endogenous stable isotope labeling and exogenous radiotracer techniques.

Apolipoproteins A↗
PubMed1993

Very low high-density lipoproteins without coronary atherosclerosis.

Epidemiological studies have established that concentrations of plasma high-density lipoproteins (HDL) are inversely associated with premature atherosclerosis, but the physiological basis of this relationship remains unknown. We investigated 5 probands with very low plasma HDL. None had clinical or biochemical findings typical of the known genetic disorders with low HDL nor had evidence of premature coronary atherosclerosis by sensitive diagnostic methods. All 5 probands and the son of 1 of them had rapid catabolism of the HDL apolipoproteins A-I and A-II. These results indicate that not all people with low HDL are necessarily at risk of premature coronary heart disease and that further investigation is required before decisions can be made about their management.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Manganese metabolism in rats: an improved methodology for assessing gut endogenous losses.

Manganese homeostasis is believed to be maintained by excretion of excess absorbed manganese through the gut, but the extent of endogenous gut losses of manganese has not been quantitated. We developed a model with rats to quantitate endogenous gut losses of manganese in which the parenterally administered isotope was distributed like fed isotope. Intraportally injected 54Mn complexed to albumin distributed in tissues like the fed isotope, but carrier-free 54Mn injected intraperitoneally, intravenously, or intraportally, or 54Mn complexed to transferrin and injected intraportally did not. Thus, manganese appears to be complexed to albumin or an albumin-like protein when it leaves the intestine. A mathematical model of manganese metabolism in rats fed 54Mn was developed using the SAAM and CONSAM computer programs. It was determined that the liver, not the pancreas, was the major source of endogenous gut losses of manganese. Young, growing rats fed 45 micrograms of Mn/g diet were calculated to absorb 8.2% of their manganese intake and then to lose 37% of the absorbed manganese through gut endogenous losses.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

EMSA: a SAAM service for the estimation of population parameters based on model fits to identically replicated experiments.

This paper presents a new technique for the aggregation of models to produce population parameter estimates based on a set of identically replicated experiments. After describing the theoretical basis for the technique we discuss tactical and strategic issues associated with its implementation in the SAAM software. Finally, we demonstrate its utility in the aggregation of models fitted to four simulated experiments.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1990

del(3p)(p13p21) in renal cell adenoma and del(4p)(p14) in bilateral renal cell carcinoma in two unrelated patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease.

Karyotype analyses of renal cell adenoma in one patient and bilateral renal cell carcinomas (RCC) in another unrelated patient have been performed. Both patients belonged to families with von Hippel-Lindau disease (vHL). In the adenoma, we found a clonal del(3)(p13p21) and a small clone of two cells with an additional del(14)(q13). This result indicates that the same region that is often deleted in RCC may also be deleted in a renal cortical adenoma. This finding may facilitate the localization of a tentative renal cell adenoma/carcinoma tumor suppressor locus. In the tumors from the patient with bilateral carcinomas we found a clonal del(4)(p14) on one side and on the other a del(4)(p14) together with del(14)(q13). In this case, there was no detectable 3p defect in the tumors. This result raises the question whether an alternative/additional locus on chromosome 4p may be involved in the RCC/vHL syndrome. Constitutional karyotypes were in both cases normal.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1990

Gating kinetics of pH-activated membrane fusion of vesicular stomatitis virus with cells: stopped-flow measurements by dequenching of octadecylrhodamine fluorescence.

To identify the initial stages of membrane fusion induced by vesicular stomatitis virus, we performed stopped-flow kinetic measurement with fluorescently labeled virus attached to human erythrocyte ghosts that contained symmetric bilayer distributions of phospholipids. Fusion was monitored spectrofluorometrically using an assay based on mixing of the lipid fluorophore octadecylrhodamine. At 37 degrees C and pH values near the threshold for fusion, a lag phase of 2 s was observed. The lag time decreased steeply as the pH decreased, while the initial rate of fusion showed the reverse functional dependence on pH. The observed rapid fluorescence changes resulted from fusion of virus bound to the target, and the time lags were not due to association-dissociation reactions between virus and target. For a given pH value, the temperature dependence of the lag time was similar to that of the initial rate of fusion. The results were fitted to a multistate model similar to that resulting from ion channel gating kinetics. The model allows testing of hypotheses concerning the role of cooperativity and conformational changes in viral spike glycoprotein-mediated membrane fusion.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The gene for insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 is localized to human chromosomal region 7p14-p12.

Insulin-like growth factors (IGF) I and II are bound to high-affinity binding proteins in the blood circulation and other body fluids. These IGF-binding proteins are expressed at different concentrations in different tissues and are thought to regulate the activity of IGF I and II. Cloned cDNA for IGF-binding protein-1 (IGFBP1) has been used to verify the location of its gene to human chromosome 7 by Southern blotting to DNA from a human-mouse hybrid cell line. Further, by in situ hybridization the gene was regionally localized to 7p14-p12, and a Mendelian-inherited two-allele BglII restriction enzyme length polymorphism was identified, with the most frequent allele occurring in 53% of the chromosomes.

Carrier Proteins↗
PubMed1989

Appearance of a transient inv(14)(q11q32) in a case of B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

The inv(14)(q11q32) has been reported to be a specific chromosome aberration in T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (T-CLL) and different types of T-cell lymphomas. Here, the first case of B-CLL with a clonal inv(14)(q11q32) in a phytohemagglutinin-stimulated bone marrow culture is presented. In a subsequent study 9 months later, tetradecanoyl-o-phorbol-13-acetate stimulated blood and bone marrow cultures revealed a clone with a t(1;11)(p13.2;q23.1) and an aberrant chromosome 17.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Epstein-Barr virus-transformed pro-B cells are prone to illegitimate recombination between the switch region of the mu chain gene and other chromosomes.

Six independently maintained sublines of FLEB 14, a fetal-liver-derived Epstein-Barr virus-transformed pro-B cell line that has not yet rearranged its immunoglobulin genes, were examined after in vitro propagation during 19-36 months. Two lines showed no immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement, whereas one allele was rearranged with breakpoints inside the switch region of the mu chain gene in the remaining four. These rearrangements had been generated by the translocation of different chromosome fragments to the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene cluster-carrying 14q32 band in each of the four lines. Previously, a similar rearrangement was found in a fifth subline concurrently with a reciprocal 6;14 translocation. The transposed pieces have been derived from chromosomes 16 and 18 in two of the more recently rearranged lines. Their origins could not be determined in the remaining two lines, but they were different from each other and the other three 14q+ markers. The 14q+ marker-carrying variant has replaced its diploid progenitor suggesting that the translocation has conveyed some in vitro growth advantage on its carrier. This was also supported by the duplication of the 14q+ marker and the loss of its normal chromosome 14 homologue in one subline during serial culturing. The vulnerability of the switch region of the mu chain gene to illegitimate recombination at the pro-B stage and the possible relevance of this finding for the origin of the Burkitt lymphoma-associated 8;14 (immunoglobulin heavy chain gene cluster/MYC) translocation is discussed.

B-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1989

A resource facility for kinetic analysis: modeling using the SAAM computer programs.

Kinetic analysis and integrated system modeling have contributed significantly to understanding the physiology and pathophysiology of metabolic systems in humans and animals. Many experimental biologists are aware of the usefulness of these techniques and recognize that kinetic modeling requires special expertise. The Resource Facility for Kinetic Analysis (RFKA) provides this expertise through: (1) development and application of modeling technology for biomedical problems, and (2) development of computer-based kinetic modeling methodologies concentrating on the computer program Simulation, Analysis, and Modeling (SAAM) and its conversational version, CONversational SAAM (CONSAM). The RFKA offers consultation to the biomedical community in the use of modeling to analyze kinetic data and trains individuals in using this technology for biomedical research. Early versions of SAAM were widely applied in solving dosimetry problems; many users, however, are not familiar with recent improvements to the software. The purpose of this paper is to acquaint biomedical researchers in the dosimetry field with RFKA, which, together with the joint National Cancer Institute-National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute project, is overseeing SAAM development and applications. In addition, RFKA provides many service activities to the SAAM user community that are relevant to solving dosimetry problems.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Direct outgrowth of in vivo Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells into permanent lines.

In the course of our efforts to characterize the EBV-carrying cells that are responsible for direct growth or the 2-step mechanism, based on virus release from the explanted cells and subsequent transformation of previously uninfected cells, we have encountered an unusual CLL patient who carried a small subpopulation of in vivo EBV-infected leukemia cells. These were predominantly present in the low-density fraction and grew into EBV-carrying lines upon explantation after a relatively short latency period, 3-4 weeks. Cytogenetic examination conclusively proved the leukemic origin of the established CLL lines. They carry a ring chromosome 15 and are trisomic for chromosome 12. The same changes are also found in the majority of the peripheral blood lymphocyte population. Taken together, our results suggest that the EBV-genome and the cytogenetic changes may have contributed to the immortalization of the CLL cells in a complementary or synergistic fashion.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1988

Effect of insulin deficiency on low density lipoprotein metabolism in rabbits.

These studies have been carried out in rabbits with alloxan-induced diabetes in order to see if insulin deficiency affects low density lipoprotein (LDL) catabolism. The results showed that plasma LDL-cholesterol was lower in diabetic rabbits, associated with a fall in the cholesterol to protein ratio of LDL particles. In addition, 125I-LDL disappeared more slowly from plasma of diabetic rabbits, leading to a significant reduction in fractional catabolic rate and a decrease in residence time of 125I-LDL. These data demonstrated that LDL composition and catabolism are greatly altered as a consequence of insulin deficiency.

Animals↗