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Biomedical subjects

M D Brown

Publications and source records attributed to M D Brown.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

A preliminary study on T-786C endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene and renal hemodynamic and blood pressure responses to dietary sodium.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of the T-786C endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene polymorphism on changes in renal hemodynamics and blood pressure due to Na(+) loading. Twenty-eight older (63+/-1 years), moderately obese (39+/-2 % fat) hypertensives had their glomerular filtration rate (GFR), renal plasma flow (RPF), blood pressure (BP) and plasma nitric oxide (NO(x)) levels determined after eight days of low (20 mEq) and high (200 mEq) Na(+) diets. The two Na(+) diets were separated by a 1-week washout period. Subjects were genotyped for the eNOS-786 site and were grouped on whether they were homozygous or heterozygous for the C allele (TC+CC, n=13) or only homozygous for the T allele (TT, n=15). The TC+CC genotype group had a significantly greater increase in diastolic (P=0.021) and mean arterial (P=0.018) BP and a significant decline in both RPF (P=0.007) and GFR (P=0.029) compared to the TT genotype group with Na(+) loading. Furthermore, Na(+) loading resulted in a significant (P=0.036) increase in plasma NO(x) in the TT, but not in the TC+CC genotype group as well as a trend (P=0.051) for an increase in urine NO(x) in TC+CC, but not in the TT genotype group. The increase in BP during Na(+) loading in older hypertensives was associated with the eNOS genotype and may be related to changes in renal hemodynamics due to changes in NO metabolism.

Blood Pressure↗

NOS3 gene polymorphisms and exercise hemodynamics in postmenopausal women.

We tested whether the G894T and T-786C NOS3 polymorphisms were associated with exercise cardiovascular (CV) hemodynamics in sedentary, physically active, and endurance-trained postmenopausal women. CV hemodynamic parameters including heart rate (HR), systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures and cardiac output (Q), as determined by acetylene rebreathing, stroke volume (SV), arteriovenous oxygen difference (a-vO2 diff), and total peripheral resistance (TPR) were measured during submaximal (40, 60, 80 %) and maximal (approximately 100 % VO2max) exercise. NOS3 G894T genotype was not significantly associated, either independently or interactively with habitual physical activity (PA) level, with SBP, Q, TPR, or a-vO2 diff during submaximal or maximal exercise. However, NOS3 894T non-carriers had a higher submaximal exercise HR than NOS3 894T allele carriers (120 +/- 2 vs. 112 +/- 2 beats/min, p = 0.007). NOS3 894T allele carriers had a higher SV than 894T non-carriers (78 +/- 2 vs. 72 +/- 2 ml/beat, p = 0.03) during submaximal exercise. NOS3 894T non-carriers also had a higher maximal exercise HR averaged across habitual PA groups than T allele carrier women (165 +/- 2 vs. 158 +/- 2 beats/min, p = 0.04). NOS3 894T allele carriers also tended to have a higher SV during maximal exercise than 894T non-carriers (70 +/- 2 vs. 64 +/- 2 ml/beat, p = 0.08). NOS3 T-786C genotype was not significantly associated, either independently or interactively, with any of the CV hemodynamic measures during submaximal or maximal exercise. These results suggest an association of NOS3 G894T genotype with submaximal and maximal exercise CV hemodynamic responses, especially HR, in postmenopausal women.

Blood Pressure↗

Promotion of prostatic metastatic migration towards human bone marrow stoma by Omega 6 and its inhibition by Omega 3 PUFAs.

Epidemiological studies have shown not only a relationship between the intake of dietary lipids and an increased risk of developing metastatic prostate cancer, but also the type of lipid intake that influences the risk of metastatic prostate cancer. The Omega-6 poly-unsaturated fatty acid, Arachidonic acid, has been shown to enhance the proliferation of malignant prostate epithelial cells and increase the risk of advanced prostate cancer. However, its role in potentiating the migration of cancer cells is unknown. Here we show that arachidonic acid at concentrations <or=5 microM is a potent stimulator of malignant epithelial cellular invasion, which is able to restore invasion toward hydrocortisone-deprived adipocyte-free human bone marrow stroma completely. This observed invasion is mediated by the arachidonic acid metabolite prostaglandin E2 and is inhibited by the Omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid at a ratio of 1 : 2 Omega-3 : Omega-6, and by the COX-2 inhibitor NS-398. These results identify a mechanism by which arachidonic acid may potentiate the risk of metastatic migration and secondary implantation in vivo, a risk which can be reduced with the uptake of Omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids.

Arachidonic Acid↗

Effect of aerobic exercise training on blood pressure sensitivity to dietary sodium in older hypertensives.

Although aerobic exercise training has been shown to lower blood pressure (BP) in older adults, its effect on BP sensitivity to dietary sodium (Na(+)) is unknown. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to examine the effect of aerobic exercise training on BP sensitivity to dietary Na(+) in older hypertensive individuals. Blood pressure was measured after 8 days of low (20 mEq) and high (200 mEq) Na(+) diets in 31 older (63+/-7 years, mean+/-standard deviation), hypertensive (152+/-11/88+/-5 mm Hg) individuals at baseline and following 6 months of aerobic exercise training (at 75% VO(2)max, 3 times/week, 40 min/session). Subjects were grouped on the basis of the difference in mean arterial BP (MAP) between diets (Na(+) sensitive: >or=5 mm Hg increase in MAP on high Na(+), n=20; Na(+) resistant: <5 mm Hg increase in MAP on the high Na(+) diet, n=11). Following 6 months of aerobic exercise training, there was a significant increase in maximal aerobic capacity (VO(2)max: 18.3+/-3.8 vs 20.7+/-4.2 ml/kg/min, P<0.017). Aerobic exercise training had a significant (P=0.02) effect on Na(+) sensitivity status, with the proportion of Na(+)-resistant individuals increasing from 35% at baseline to 61% following the 6-month aerobic exercise training programme. This study demonstrates the importance of physical activity on BP sensitivity to dietary Na(+).

Aging↗

Angiogenesis in ischaemic and hypertrophic hearts induced by long-term bradycardia.

Angiogenesis and improved left ventricular function as a consequence of long-term bradycardia were first demonstrated in normal hearts, either electrically paced (rabbits, pigs) or treated with a selective sinus blocking drug alinidine (rats). Here we review the evidence that chronic heart rate reduction can have similar effects in the heart with compromised vascular supply, due to either hypertensive or haemodynamic overload hypertrophy (rats, rabbits) or ischaemic damage (rats, rabbits, pigs). Bradycardia induced over several weeks increased capillarity in all hypertrophied hearts, and in border and remote left ventricular myocardium of infarcted hearts. In some, but not all cases, coronary blood flow was improved by heart rate reduction, suggesting enlargement of the resistance vasculature in some circumstances. Cardiac or left ventricular function indices, which were depressed by hypertrophy or ischaemic damage, were preserved or even enhanced by chronic heart rate reduction. The expansion of the capillary bed in the vascularly compromised heart induced by bradycardia may be stimulated by mechanical stretch of the endothelium and/or VEGF activated by chamber dilation and myocyte stretch. The increased number of capillaries and more homogeneous distribution of capillary perfusion would support the better pump function, even in the absence of higher coronary flow. The beneficial impact of chronic heart rate reduction on myocardial angiogenesis and function in cardiac hypertrophy and infarction may be major factor in the success of beta-blockers in treatment of human heart failure.

Animals↗

No association between ACE I/D polymorphism and cardiovascular hemodynamics during exercise in young women.

The ACE I/D polymorphism has been shown to interact with habitual physical activity levels in postmenopausal women to associate with submaximal and with maximal exercise hemodynamics. This investigation was designed to assess the potential relationships between ACE genotype and oxygen consumption (VO2), cardiac output (Q), stroke volume (SV), heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), total peripheral resistance (TPR), and arteriovenous oxygen difference ([a-v]O2 diff) during submaximal and maximal exercise in young sedentary and endurance-trained women. Seventy-seven 18-35-yr-old women underwent a maximal exercise test and a number of cardiac output tests on a treadmill using the acetylene rebreathing technique. ACE genotype was not significantly associated with VO2max (II 41.4+/-1.2, ID 39.8+/-0.9, DD 39.8+/-1.1 ml/kg/min, p=ns) or maximal HR (II 191+/-2, ID 191+/-1, DD 193+/-2 bpm, p=ns). In addition, systolic and diastolic BP, (a-v)O2 diff, TPR, SV, and Q during maximal exercise were not significantly associated with ACE genotype. During submaximal exercise, SBP, Q, SV, HR, TPR, and (a-v)O2 diff were not significantly associated with ACE genotype. However, the association between diastolic BP during submaximal exercise and ACE genotype approached significance (p=0.08). In addition, there were no statistically significant interactions between ACE genotype and habitual physical activity (PA) levels for any of the submaximal or the maximal exercise hemodynamic variables. We conclude that the ACE I/D polymorphism was not associated, independently or interacting with habitual PA levels, submaximal, or maximal cardiovascular hemodynamics in young women.

Adolescent↗

A new model of peripheral arterial disease: sustained impairment of nutritive microcirculation and its recovery by chronic electrical stimulation.

OBJECTIVES: To develop a model of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in rat skeletal muscle with sustained impairment of microcirculatory perfusion, and to ascertain whether increased muscle activity can reverse the impairment. METHODS: Three weeks after iliac ligation in rats, the ipsilateral femoral artery was ligated (double ligation, DL), and in some animals, muscle activity was increased by electrical stimulation for 2 weeks (10 Hz, 15 min on, 85 mins off, 7 times per day). Diameter changes of precapillary arterioles to vasoactive agonists and capillary perfusion (flow intermittency, capillary red cell velocity [V(rbc)], and diameters) were measured in extensor digitorum longus muscle and compared with 5 weeks iliac only ligation (single ligation, SL) and controls. Total muscle endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was estimated by Western blotting. RESULTS: Whereas single ligation increased intermittency of capillary flow with little effect on V(rbc) and shear stress, DL completely eliminated increases in V(rbc) and shear stress after muscle contractions. Arterial dilation to sodium nitroprusside was attenuated similarly in SL and DL; in SL, acetylcholine induced constriction and bradykinin an attenuated dilation, but in DL vessels were unresponsive to either. Chronic stimulation returned all microcirculatory parameters in DL to normal and increased levels of eNOS protein by 75%. CONCLUSIONS: Femoral artery ligation following iliac ligation impairs arteriolar vasodilator capacity, capillary perfusion, and shear-dependent function of microcirculatory endothelium more than iliac ligation alone and is more representative of long-standing ischemia in PAD. Chronic intermittent electrical stimulation can normalize these derangements.

Animals↗

Studies into using manure in a biorefinery concept.

Animal manure is an underutilized biomass resource containing a large amount of organic carbon that is often wasted with the existing manure disposal practices. A research project funded by the US Department of Energy explored the feasibility of using manure via the sugar platform in a biorefinery, converting the carbon from fiber to biochemicals. The results showed that (1) fiber was the major component of manure dry material making up approx 50%, 40%, and 36% of the dry dairy, swine, and poultry manure material, respectively; within dairy manure, more than 56% of the dry matter was in particles larger than 1.680 mm; (2) in addition to being a carbon source, manure could provide a variety of nutrient for fungi T. reesei and A. phoenicis to produce cellulase; (3) the hemicellulose component in the manure fiber could be readily converted to sugar through acid hydrolysis; while concentrated acid decrystallization treatment was most effective in manure cellulose hydrolysis; (4) purification and separation was necessary for further chemical conversion of the manure hydrolysate to polyols through hydrogenation; and (5) the manure utilization strategy studied in this work is currently not profitable.

Agriculture↗

A case of sporadic infantile histiocytoid cardiomyopathy caused by the A8344G (MERRF) mitochondrial DNA mutation.

The A8344G mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutation is best known for the MERRF phenotype (myoclonic epilepsy, myopathy, and ragged red fibers). We describe a sporadic case of an infant with the A8344G mtDNA mutation who presented with failure to thrive and sudden unexpected death at 11 months of age. The autopsy revealed a histiocytoid cardiomyopathy, diffuse steatosis of the liver, and bilateral retinal hypoplasia. Electron micrographs of cardiac myocytes showed striking mitochondrial hyperplasia, dispersing the sarcomeres. Special stains of frozen heart muscle showed an absence of complex IV (cytochrome c oxidase) in many of the myocytes. Both complexes I and IV of the respiratory chain were reduced in cardiac muscle. The A8344G mtDNA mutation was detected in both liver and cardiac muscle tissue. To our knowledge, this is the first description of the A8344G mtDNA mutation presenting as a sporadic case of fatal infantile cardiomyopathy and the first occurrence of this mutation associated with histiocytoid cardiomyopathy.

Cardiomyopathies↗

Arteriolar endothelial dysfunction is restored in ischaemic muscles by chronic electrical stimulation.

Chronic intermittent electrical stimulation (15 min on, 85 min off, seven times per day) eliminated endothelial dysfunction of pre-capillary arterioles in ischaemic rat ankle flexor muscles. Responses to acetylcholine were restored from constriction to dilation, and the reduced dilation to bradykinin was corrected by 1 week of stimulation. Administration of the NOS inhibitor N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine for 1 week impaired arteriolar reactivity in a similar way to ischaemia, and dilator function was likewise restored by chronic stimulation. This suggests that nitric oxide production in the microcirculation is depressed by chronic ischaemia and that chronic electrical stimulation can specifically reverse this deficit. Stimulation applied to ischaemic muscles for 2 weeks also increased the numbers of microvessels immunostained for alpha-smooth muscle actin and the numbers of eNOS-positive microvessels and capillaries. These findings help to elucidate the mechanism of the beneficial effect of exercise in the treatment of peripheral vascular diseases by showing that muscle activity can improve both function and structural capacity of the microvasculature.

Actins↗

Chronic transcutaneous electrical stimulation of calf muscles improves functional capacity without inducing systemic inflammation in claudicants.

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether electrical stimulation of ischaemic calf muscles in claudicants causes a systemic inflammatory response and to evaluate effects of its chronic application on muscle function and walking ability. DESIGN: Prospective randomised controlled trial of calf muscle stimulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Stable claudicants were randomised to receive either active chronic low frequency (6 Hz) motor stimulation (n=15) or, as a control treatment, submotor transcutaneous electrical nerve (TENS) stimulation (n=15) of calf muscles in one leg, 3 x 20 min per day for four weeks. Leucocyte activation was quantified by changes in cell morphology, vascular permeability by urinary albumin:creatinine ratio (ACR), calf muscle function by isometric twitch contractions and walking ability by treadmill performance pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: Acute active muscle stimulation activated leucocytes less (28% increase) than a standard treadmill test (81% increase) and did not increase ACR. Chronic calf muscle stimulation significantly increased pain-free walking distance by 35 m (95% CI 17, 52, P<0.001) and maximum walking distance by 39 m (95% CI 7, 70, P<0.05) while control treatment had no effect. Active stimulation prevented fatigue of calf muscles during isometric electrically evoked contractions by abolishing the slowing of relaxation that was responsible for loss of force. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic electrical muscle stimulation is an effective treatment for alleviating intermittent claudication which, by targeted activation of a small muscle mass, does not engender a significant systemic inflammatory response.

Aged↗

Impact of candidate sire number and sire relatedness on DNA polymorphism-based measures of exclusion probability and probability of unambiguous parentage.

Genetic paternity testing can provide sire identity data for offspring when females have been exposed to multiple males. However, correct paternity assignment can be influenced by factors determined in the laboratory and by size and genetic composition of breeding groups. In the present study, DNA samples from 26 commingled beef bulls and their calves from the Nebraska Reference Herd-1 (NRH1), along with previously reported Illinois Reference/Resource Families data, were used to estimate the impact of sire number and sire relatedness on microsatellite-based paternity testing. Assay performance was measured by exclusion probabilities and probabilities of unambiguous parentage (PUP) were derived. Proportion of calves with unambiguous parentage (PCUP) was also calculated to provide a readily understandable whole-herd measure of unambiguous paternity assignment. For NRH1, theoretical and observed PCUP values were in close agreement (85.3 and 85.8%, respectively) indicating good predictive value. While the qualitative effects on PUP values of altering sire number and sire relatedness were generally predictable, we demonstrate that the impacts of these variables, and their interaction effects, can be large, are non-linear, and are quantitatively distinct for different combinations of sire number and degree of sire relatedness. In view of the potentially complex dynamics and practical consequences of these relationships in both research and animal production settings, we suggest that a priori estimation of the quantitative impact of a given set of interacting breeding group-specific and assay-specific parameters on PUP may be indicated, particularly when candidate sire pools are large, sire relatedness may be high, and/or loci numbers or heterozygosity values may be limiting.

Animals↗

Modulation of physiological angiogenesis in skeletal muscle by mechanical forces: involvement of VEGF and metalloproteinases.

Growth factors are involved in physiological angiogenesis in female reproductive organs but their role in capillary growth in skeletal muscles during activity or exercise training is not proven. Evidence suggests that increases in muscle blood flow and accompanying capillary shear stress and/or wall tension, or mechanical stress due to sarcomere length changes during contraction/relaxation cycles are closely linked with angiogenesis. Time-dependent studies of rat muscles in models with increased shear stress (chronic vasodilator treatment with alpha(1) antagonist prazosin), altered sarcomere length (stretch-induced overload with no increase in blood flow), or both (chronic electrical muscle stimulation) showed a similar increase in capillary supply in all models but by different modes of growth. With prazosin, it occurred by intra-luminal splitting of vessels, with stretch by abluminal sprouting, and in stimulated muscles by both methods. Whole muscle matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) was elevated during sprouting growth induced by extravascular tensile forces but not during splitting growth induced by shear. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein was elevated at capillary sites in all three models but with different time courses. With shear as the stimulus, the increase occurred early although there was little capillary proliferation; it matched the rise in proliferation in stretched muscles but lagged behind proliferation in stimulated muscles. Mechanical forces therefore influence MMP and VEGF expression and capillary growth patterns in skeletal muscle differentially depending upon whether they act intra- or ab-luminally. In exercise-trained muscles, the type of capillary growth remains to be determined but the most likely stimuli for angiogenesis are increased blood flow and shear forces to vessel supplying the active fibres, probably linked with metabolic factors.

Animals↗

Remodeling in the microcirculation of rat skeletal muscle during chronic ischemia.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the time course and extent of remodeling of terminal microcirculation in ischemic rat skeletal muscle during prolonged low flow that does not lead to inflammation. METHODS: One common iliac artery was ligated via laparotomy in adult Sprague-Dawley rats and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles removed at intervals (1, 2, and 5 weeks) postsurgery. Serial frozen EDL sections were stained to show capillaries (alkaline phosphatase), cell proliferation (antibody to proliferating cell nuclear antigen [PCNA]), terminal microvessels (antibodies to alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) or endothelial nitric oxide synthase [eNOS]), and macrophages (antibodies to infiltrating and resident macrophages). Total muscle eNOS protein was quantified by standard Western blotting techniques. RESULTS: Capillary proliferation was very limited in ischemic EDLs, with a modest 12% increase in the capillary/fiber ratio after 5 weeks, preceded at 2 weeks by increased numbers of PCNA-positive nuclei at capillary sites. There was no muscle necrosis or evidence of inflammation, based on macrophage staining. The number of terminal microvessels that were positive for alpha-SMA and <10 microm in diameter was fewer in ischemic EDLs at all time points, whereas the number of larger positive vessels was unchanged. eNOS-positive vessels <10 microm in diameter were stained similarly throughout ischemic muscles as the controls, and showed a similar increase in vessel/fiber ratio as the capillaries. The total eNOS protein level was similar to that in controls in ischemic EDLs after 1 and 2 weeks, but was 28% lower after 5 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged, moderate flow reduction to skeletal muscles does not necessarily lead to inflammation or extensive capillary growth. Based on eNOS staining, the terminal microcirculation remains intact, but the loss of alpha-SMA immunoreactivity may indicate remodeling involving the "deinvestment" of microvessels by smooth muscle.

Actins↗

Differences in local environment determine the site of physiological angiogenesis in rat skeletal muscle.

The specificity in location of angiogenesis to either glycolytic or oxidative fibre types, or muscle regions, was examined in the tibialis anterior (TA) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles of rat. Angiogenesis was induced by mechanical means either with (chronic muscle stimulation) or without (muscle stretch by overload) changes in blood flow, treatments which invoked only minor changes in fibre type and fibre size. Proliferation estimated by PCNA labelling of cells co-localised with capillaries was very rare in control muscles, where it occurred mainly in the glycolytic regions, but was increased in both models of angiogenesis. However, when labelled capillaries were scored according to the type of surrounding fibres, only muscle stimulation significantly accentuated proliferation of capillaries surrounded by glycolytic fibres. We conclude that while mechanical stimuli are important for proliferation in glycolytic regions in both models, capillary growth occurs specifically around glycolytic fibres in that region when the angiogenic stimulus includes increased blood flow and/or increased metabolic demand.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Numerical models of auto-regulation and blood flow in the cerebral circulation.

A two-dimensional time-dependent computational fluid dynamics model of the Circle of Willis has been developed. To simulate, not only the peripheral resistance of the cerebrovascular tree but also its auto-regulation function, a new "active" boundary condition has been defined and developed using control theory to provide a model of the feedback mechanism. The model was then used to simulate different common abnormalities of the Circle of Willis while a pressure drop, simulating a rapid compression of the right internal carotid artery, was imposed. Test results using a simple tube compared excellently with experiment. The total time-dependent flux for each efferent artery was tabulated and showed the important relationship between geometrical variations in the Circle of Willis and the auto-regulation of blood flow by vascular vaso-dilation and contraction. From this study, it was found that the worst case seemed to be that of a missing or dysfunctional right A1 segment of the anterior cerebral artery. The use of valid physiological models of the peripheral resistance allows for more realistic models of the blood flow in the Circle whilst allowing an easy extension to 3D patient specific simulations.

Blood Flow Velocity↗

Hypoxia and expression of VEGF-A protein in relation to capillary growth in electrically stimulated rat and rabbit skeletal muscles.

To investigate the role of hypoxia as a stimulus to the early upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in fast skeletal muscles during chronic low frequency stimulation, blood flow, oxygen consumption, VEGF expression and capillary : fibre ratio were measured in chronically stimulated tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles in rabbits and rats. No differences were found in blood flow, oxygen consumption and extraction between rabbit muscles stimulated for 2 or 4 days (8 h on-16 h off) and controls. Muscle P(O(2)) polarographically measured immediately at the end of stimulation on day 2 was also no different from control under resting conditions (10.7 +/- 1.6 vs. 9.5 +/- 1.2 Torr, n.s.). Unlike control muscles, however, P(O(2)) in 2 day stimulated muscles did not increase immediately after a further acute bout of contractions. This difference was not apparent after similar acute contractions in 4 day stimulated muscles. The involvement of VEGF in early angiogenesis in stimulated muscles was studied in serial cryosections of rat EDL. The proportion of capillaries positively immunostained for VEGF increased from 25 +/- 1 % to 40 +/- 1 % (P < 0.05) in muscles removed on day 2 immediately at the end of chronic stimulation; it decreased slightly after 16 h rest, and increased again after 4 days of stimulation. Capillary : fibre ratio was unchanged throughout the experiment. Capillary cell proliferation increased only after the rest period on day 2 (20-fold increase) and day 4 (12-fold increase), indicating angiogenesis in progress. Thus the timing of transient hypoxia and increase in capillary-linked VEGF in stimulated muscles, albeit in different species, was similar, and increased VEGF staining and capillary cell proliferation occurred even after the hypoxia had resolved. This suggests (1) a connection between hypoxia and VEGF during the early stages of stimulation, although ensuing capillary proliferation may thereafter rapidly correct for local hypoxia, and (2) that the subsequent angiogenesis and VEGF expression are dependent on factors other than hypoxia.

Animals↗