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Biomedical subjects

M J Lane

Publications and source records attributed to M J Lane.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Antroduodenal manometry. Usefulness and limitations as an outpatient study.

We performed fasting and postprandial recordings of antroduodenal manometry in 21 normal volunteers, 13 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and gastrointestinal symptoms, and 11 patients with the irritable bowel syndrome. None of the patients or volunteers had previously undergone an intestinal intubation study. Recordings could not be obtained from four of the diabetic patients due to failure to intubate the pylorus. Catheter migration led to incomplete antral data in a further 21% of all recordings. Due to the wide variations demonstrated by the normal volunteers, parameters of either the migrating motor complex (MMC) or the fed response could not differentiate between either of the patient groups and/or the controls. Similarly, while abnormal patterns of either fasting or postprandial motility were common in the diabetic patients, manometry had a sensitivity of only 67% in comparison to the less invasive radionuclide gastric emptying study. Furthermore, manometry failed to identify any diagnostic abnormality in irritable bowel patients; in particular, the incidence of "clustered" contractions was similar in all three groups. We conclude that short duration antroduodenal manometry is of limited diagnostic usefulness due to the difficulties in pyloric intubation in the presence of a dilated stomach and the intrinsic variability in normal motor patterns, perhaps excerbated by the stressful effects of the procedure itself in tube-naive subjects.

Adult↗

Double-minute chromosomes as megabase cloning vehicles.

Radiation-reduced chromosomes provide valuable reagents for cloning and mapping genes, but they require multiple rounds of x-ray deletion mutagenesis to excise unwanted chromosomal DNA while maintaining physical attachment of the desired DNA to functional host centromere and telomere sequences. This requirement for chromosomal rearrangements can result in undesirable x-ray induced chromosome chimeras where multiple non-contiguous chromosomal fragments are fused. We have developed a cloning system for maintaining large donor subchromosomal fragments of mammalian DNA in the megabase size range as acentric chromosome fragments (double-minutes) in cultured mouse cells. This strategy relies on randomly inserted selectable markers for donor fragment maintenance. As a test case, we have cloned random segments of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) chromosomal DNA in mouse EMT-6 cells. This was done by cotransfecting plasmids pZIPNeo and pSV2dhfr into DHFR-CHO cells followed by isolation of a Neo + DHFR + CHO donor colony and radiation-fusion-hybridization (RFH) to EMT-6 cells. We then selected for initial resistance to G418 and then to increasing levels of methotrexate (MTX). Southern analysis of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of rare-cutting restriction endonuclease digestions of DNA from five RFH isolates indicated that all five contain at least 600 kb of unrearranged CHO DNA. In situ hybridization with the plasmids pZIPNeo and pSV2dhfr to metaphase chromosomes of MTX-resistant hybrid EMT-6 lines indicated that these markers reside on double-minute chromosomes.

Animals↗

Infection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and cell lines by cell-free human T-cell lymphoma/leukemia virus type I.

Previous studies of in vitro infection by human T-cell lymphoma/leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) have required cocultivation of target cells with HTLV-I cell lines or vesicular stomatitis virus pseudotypes containing HTLV-I envelope proteins. We report here the development of a cell-free infection assay for HTLV-I. Target cells were incubated with purified, DNase-treated HTLV-I virions for 4 h at 37 degrees C. Target cell DNA was then analyzed for the presence of newly synthesized HTLV-I proviral DNA by the highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction. Using this assay system, we have been able to consistently detect in vitro infection of a variety of cellular targets by different HTLV-I isolates. Optimal infection required the presence of 10 micrograms of DEAE-dextran per ml. The assay was dose dependent with respect to virus input. In general, the amount of proviral DNA detected correlated with the level of HTLV-I receptors present on the surface of the target cells, as measured by fluorochrome-labelled HTLV-I binding. Finally, the specificity of the assay was confirmed by demonstrating that the cell line, L1q, a somatic cell hybrid containing human chromosome 17q, to which the gene for the HTLV-I receptor has been mapped, was susceptible to infection by HTLV-I, while the parental mouse cell line from which it was derived, LMTK-, which lacks human chromosome 17q, was not.

Adult↗

Actinomycin D induced DNase I hypersensitivity and asymmetric structure transmission in a DNA hexadecamer.

DNase I cleavage rates and nmr chemical shifts are shown to change for DNA sequences distal to an intercalated actinomycin D molecule in a duplex hexadecamer upon drug binding. Both sets of observations suggest that the source of these changes is a DNA-mediated structural response. The nmr results imply the response is transmitted preferentially in a 5'-to-3' direction from the drug binding site. An inequivalent response of the two strands to a ligand-induced conformational change immediately suggests a mechanism for distinguishing the sense and antisense strands of DNA.

Base Sequence↗

An efficient technique for obtaining sequences flanking inserted retroviruses.

Genomic mapping studies frequently employ retrovirus-mediated transfer of dominant selectable markers to specific target chromosomes. DNA probes containing sequences adjacent to inserted proviruses are valuable mapping tools in such studies. We have implemented a strategy for amplification of chromosomal sequences flanking the 5' LTR of MoMuLV-based vectors. Probes derived from these amplification products successfully differentiated murine versus human proviral localization in retrovirus-infected mouse-human chromosome 17q hybrid cells.

Animals↗

Actinomycin D induced DNase I cleavage enhancement caused by sequence specific propagation of an altered DNA structure.

Two DNA hexadecamers containing one central 5'-GC-3' base step have been examined by footprinting methodology in the presence and absence of actinomycin D. The results of these studies, coupled with imino proton NMR measurements indicate that the antitumor drug causes a change in DNA conformation at a distance from the actinomycin intercalation site in a molecule of sequence d[ATATATAGCTATATAT] that does not occur in d[AAAAAAAGCTTTTTTT]. The experiments demonstrate that DNase I rate enhancements associated with actinomycin D binding are caused by ligand alteration of equilibrium DNA structure.

Base Composition↗

Determination of equilibrium binding affinity of distamycin and netropsin to the synthetic deoxyoligonucleotide sequence d(GGTATACC)2 by quantitative DNase I footprinting.

A new method for determining the equilibrium binding constant of antitumor drugs to specific DNA sequences by quantitative DNase I footprinting is presented. The use of a short synthetic DNA oligomer to define a homogeneous population of DNA binding sites enables the calculation of the free drug concentration and the fraction of DNA sites complexed with drug in solution and is described for the first time. Since a 1:1 stoichiometry is observed for each drug-oligomer DNA complex, it becomes possible to calculate equilibrium binding constants in solution. By use of this technique, the binding affinities of the nonintercalating drugs netropsin and distamycin to the synthetic oligonucleotide d(GGTATACC)2 are determined to be Ka (25 degrees C) = 1.0 X 10(5) and 2.0 X 10(5) M-1, respectively. Quantitation of the temperature dependence associated with complex formation results in a determination of standard enthalpies of -3.75 and -8.48 kcal mol-1 for the binding of netropsin and distamycin, respectively. Calculation of other thermodynamic parameters are found to be in agreement with previous studies and indicate that the DNA binding process for these compounds is predominantly enthalpy driven. This method of quantitative DNase I footprinting is demonstrated to be a useful technique for the measurement of drug affinities to specific binding sites on DNA oligomers which are designed and synthesized expressly for this purpose. Applications of the technique to the determination of drug binding affinities at specific sites within native DNA sequences are discussed.

Binding Sites↗

Actinomycin D facilitates transition of AT domains in molecules of sequence (AT)nAGCT(AT)n to a DNAse I detectable alternating structure.

The interaction of actinomycin D with (AT)nAGCT(AT)n (where n = 2, 3, or 4) was investigated using a combination of imino proton NMR and DNAse I digestion. The stoichiometry of the interaction appears to be one:one with the actinomycin chromophore intercalated between the two GC base pairs. This binding event facilitates the conversion of the flanking repetitive AT regions to an alternating conformation characterized by induced sensitivity of the ApT sequences to attack by DNAse I. The neighboring TpA sequences do not exhibit rate changes as a function of binding of the drug. The potential relevance of such ligand induced DNA structural alterations is discussed.

Adenine↗

The polyol pathway and glucose 6-phosphate in human endothelial cells cultured in high glucose concentrations.

In an attempt to identify the mechanisms underlying the ill effects of high glucose previously described in cultured human endothelial cells, we have investigated in these cells the activity of the polyol pathway and accumulation of glucose 6-phosphate, a powerful agent of non-enzymatic glycosylation. Sorbitol accumulation varied among different batches of cells (primary cultures). In presence of 5 mmol/l glucose the cellular sorbitol content ranged from 0.04 to 0.12 nmol/10(6) cells. When cells were exposed to 20 mmol/l glucose the sorbitol content increased by 2- to 3-fold to concentrations of 0.08-0.38 nmol/10(6) cells (p less than 0.01). Addition to the culture medium of 100 mumol/l Sorbinil, an inhibitor of aldose reductase, resulted in a substantial inhibition of sorbitol accumulation throughout the 14 days in culture, but the degree of inhibition varied inversely with the duration of cell exposure to high glucose (70% inhibition in cells exposed to high glucose and Sorbinil for 1-3 days versus 14% inhibition in cells exposed for 14 days, p less than 0.01). Sorbinil treatment failed to improve even slightly the abnormalities in cellular replication induced by high glucose. The cellular content of glucose 6-phosphate was augmented 3-fold by exposure to 20 mmol/l glucose (p less than 0.001). In conjunction with other studies these results indicate that in this model the polyol pathway is not an osmotically or metabolically important mechanism of glucotoxicity, and that the inhibitory activity of Sorbinil on the polyol pathway of human tissues may be a function of their length of exposure to hyperglycaemia. The consequences of intracellular accumulation of glucose 6-phosphate await investigations.

Aldehyde Reductase↗

Sequence specificity of actinomycin D and Netropsin binding to pBR322 DNA analyzed by protection from DNase I.

A direct approach to determining the sequence specificities of equilibrium binding drugs by using the DNase protection technique is described. The method utilizes singly end-labeled restriction fragments and partial digestion of the drug fragment complex with DNase I. Microdensitometry of autoradiograms produced after electrophoretic separation of digestion products allows determination of sequences that are affected by drug binding. The feasibility of the technique for locating small ligands bound to DNA and its eventual use as a quantitative thermodynamic approach to studying ligand binding to heterogeneous DNA as a function of sequence is illustrated by using actinomycin D and Netropsin.

Animals↗

Kinetics of hydrogen-deuterium exchange in guanosine 5'-monophosphate and guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate determined by laser-Raman spectroscopy.

Pseudo-first-order rate constants governing the deuterium exchange of 8-CH groups in guanosine 5'-monophosphate (5'-rGMP) and guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cGMP) were determined as a function of temperature in the range 30-80 degrees C by means of laser-Raman spectroscopy. For each guanine nucleotide the logarithm of the rate constant exhibits a strictly linear dependence on reciprocal temperature: i.e., k psi = Ae-Ea/RT with A = 8.84 X 10(14) h-1 and Ea = 24.6 kcal/mol for 5'-rGMP and A = 3.33 X 10(13) h-1 and Ea = 22.2 kcal/mol for cGMP. Exchange of the 8-CH groups in guanine nucleotides is generally 2-3 times more rapid than in adenine nucleotides [cf. g. j. thomas, Jr., & J. Livramento (1975) Biochemistry 14, 5210-5218]. As in the case of adenine nucleotides, cyclic and 5' nucleotides of guanine exchange at markedly different rates at lower temperatures, with exchange in the cyclic nucleotide being the more facile. Each of the guanine nucleotides was prepared in four different isotopic modifications for Raman spectral analysis. The Raman frequency shifts resulting from the various isotopic substitutions have been tabulated, and assignments have been given for most of the observed vibrational frequencies.

Cyclic GMP↗