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Biomedical subjects

M L Hess

Publications and source records attributed to M L Hess.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

The effect of hypochlorous acid and hydrogen peroxide on coronary flow and arrhythmogenesis in myocardial ischemia and reperfusion.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the oxidants hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on the vulnerability of the myocardium to reperfusion-induced arrhythmias following global ischemia. After a 15 min equilibration period with or without experimental intervention, isolated perfused rat hearts in the Langendorff mode were made globally ischemic for 5 min by cross-clamping the aortic line. No dysrhythmias were evoked upon reperfusion at the 5 min global ischemia time period. HOCl or H2O2 were added to the perfusate 5 min into the equilibration period with a total exposure of 10 min. Global ischemia was then induced for 5 min followed by 10 min of reperfusion. A dose-response curve for HOCl (50-200 microM) indicated the development of idioventricular rhythms, in a concentration-dependent way. Furthermore, coronary flow of the hearts exposed to 100 and 200 microM HOCl, at 5 min post-reperfusion, was decreased; methionine (10 microM to 1 mM), an accepted scavenger for HOCl, prevented the responses to 200 microM HOCl, in a concentration-dependent manner. All hearts exposed to 200 microM H2O2 developed ventricular dysrhythmias during the reperfusion period. Coronary flow increased after 5 min of exposure to 200 microM H2O2 and remained elevated during reperfusion. It is concluded that toxic oxygen derived products are capable of increasing the susceptibility of the myocardium to reperfusion induced arrhythmias, and that although the electrical responses to exposure to those two oxidants were similar, the effects on the vasculature were not the same.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Inotropic therapy of the failing myocardium.

The clinical syndrome of congestive heart failure remains a therapeutic dilemma and challenge for the physician in 1992. This is a disease process that appears to be increasing in frequency and continues to carry an unacceptably high mortality rate. For years it has been well recognized that the combination of digoxin, Lasix and vasodilator therapy improved symptoms in these patients and decreased hospitalization, but did not increase survival. It was not until 1986 that the combination of digoxin, Lasix, Isordil, and hydralazine was shown to increase survival. Further significant improvement in quality of life and survival has recently been established in three large clinical trials, and it is now safe to say that the standard of care for symptomatic congestive heart failure in 1992 is digoxin, furosemide, and an ACE inhibitor, with the survival trials favoring the ACE inhibitor enalapril. The IV inotropic drug dobutamine remains the mainstay of pharmacological therapy for the treatment of severely refractory heart failure. Unfortunately, the phosphodiesterase inhibitors--amrinone, milrinone, and enoximone--have demonstrated unacceptable clinical side effects and have been withdrawn from further clinical study. In spite of these promising developments, the mortality and morbidity of congestive heart failure remains unacceptably high, and continued investigation in the new fields of pharmacology and the pathophysiology of congestive heart failure still must be aggressively pursued.

Cardiovascular Agents↗
PubMed1993

Protective effects of histidine during ischemia-reperfusion in isolated perfused rat hearts.

We investigated the efficacy of histidine in reducing ischemia-reperfusion (I/R)-induced myocardial injury in isolated perfused rat hearts. In I/R hearts, the contractile function and coronary flow were 59 +/- 10 and 78 +/- 6% of control. Perfusion with histidine resulted in significant increase in contractility (94 +/- 4%) and coronary flow (92 +/- 4%). The incidence of arrhythmias during reperfusion was 100% (10 out of 10) in the I/R hearts with an average duration of 12.22 +/- 1.55 (SE) min. The duration of arrhythmias was shortened to 8.24 +/- 1.46, 2.15 +/- 0.9, and 2.49 +/- 1.50 min with 10, 25, and 50 mM histidine, respectively. The duration of sinus rhythm increased from 6.26 +/- 1.56 min in I/R hearts to 10.66 +/- 1.55, 14.99 +/- 1.61, and 17.18 +/- 0.95, and 11.73 +/- 0.93 min after perfusion with 10, 25, and 50 mM histidine, and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-catalase-mannitol, respectively. Electron microscopy revealed significant ultrastructural damage of myocytes in I/R hearts, which included swelling of the mitochondria and disruption of both the sarcolemma and the myofibrils. Histidine reduced the ultrastructural damage in a dose-dependent fashion. In general, the protective effect of histidine was superior than SOD-catalase-mannitol. We conclude that histidine protects myocardium against I/R damage most likely by a singlet oxygen scavenging mechanism.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Inhibition of accelerated coronary atherosclerosis with dehydroepiandrosterone in the heterotopic rabbit model of cardiac transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Accelerated coronary atherosclerosis has become a critical problem in cardiac transplantation. Although the pathogenesis of this disease is unknown, hypercholesterolemia has been shown to be a major risk factor. METHODS AND RESULTS: To study this problem, a hypercholesterolemic rabbit model of heterotopic cardiac transplantation was developed to study accelerated graft atherosclerosis. Based on suggestions in the literature, it was hypothesized that dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) may retard the progression of the disease. Using semiquantitative light microscopy, a predilection for the development of small vessel occlusive disease in the transplanted hearts was found. Chronic DHEA administration produced a 45% reduction in the number of significantly stenosed vessels in the transplanted hearts (p < 0.05) compared with controls and a 62% reduction in the nontransplanted hearts (p < 0.05), yielding an overall 50% reduction in the number of significantly stenosed vessels in both the transplanted and nontransplanted hearts. This reduction in luminal stenosis was observed in the absence of any significant alterations in lipid profiles. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that chronic DHEA administration in a hypercholesterolemic rabbit model of heterotopic cardiac transplantation significantly retards the progression of accelerated atherosclerosis in both the transplanted heart and in the native heart.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Singlet oxygen: a potential culprit in myocardial injury?

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of singlet oxygen in cardiovascular injury. To accomplish this objective, we investigated the effect of singlet oxygen [generated from photoactivation of rose-bengal] on the calcium transport and Ca(2+)-ATPase activity of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum and compared these results with those obtained by superoxide radical, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radical. Isolated cardiac SR exposed to rose bengal (10 nM) irradiated at (560 nm) produced a significant inhibition of Ca2+ uptake; from 2.27 +/- 0.05 to 0.62 +/- 0.05 mumol Ca2+/mg.min (mean +/- SE) (P less than 0.01) and Ca(2+)-ATPase activity from 2.08 +/- 0.05 mumol Pi/min.mg to 0.28 +/- 0.04 mumol Pi/min.mg (mean +/- SE) (P less than 0.01). The inhibition of calcium uptake and Ca(2+)-ATPase activity by rose bengal derived activated oxygen (singlet oxygen) was dependent on the duration of exposure and intensity of light. The singlet oxygen scavengers ascorbic acid and histidine significantly protected SR Ca(2+)-ATPase against rose bengal derived activated oxygen species but superoxide dismutase and catalase did not attenuate the inhibition. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of SR exposed to photoactivated rose bengal up to 14 min, demonstrated complete loss of Ca(2+)-ATPase monomer band which was significantly protected by histidine. Irradiation of rose bengal also caused an 18% loss of total sulfhydryl groups of SR. On the other hand, superoxide (generated from xanthine oxidase action on xanthine) and hydroxyl radical (0.5 mM H2O2 + Fe(2+)-EDTA) as well as H2O2 (12 mM) were without any effect on the 97,000 dalton Ca(2+)-ATPase band of sarcoplasmic reticulum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Singlet oxygen-induced inhibition of cardiac sarcolemmal Na+K(+)-ATPase.

We investigated the susceptibility of sarcolemmal Na+K(+)-ATPase to singlet oxygen. The role of this enzyme is regulation of Na+ concentration and thereby membrane potential. Inhibition of Na+ pump would lead to intracellular Ca2+ overload therefore further aggravating the injury caused by free radicals. Incubation of isolated sarcolemmal vesicles with irradiated rose bengal (150 nM) resulted in 86 +/- 1% inhibition of Na+K(+)-ATPase activity and histidine (25-100 mM) protected the enzyme in a dose-dependent fashion whereas SOD, catalase or mannitol (.OH radical scavenger) did not have any effect. Also, the inhibition of Na+K(+)-ATPase activity was dependent on rose bengal concentration, intensity of irradiation, duration of light exposure, showing that inhibition was directly related to amount of singlet oxygen generated. These results show that singlet oxygen may have significant disruptive effects on sarcolemmal function and may represent an important mechanism by which the oxidative injury to the myocardium induces arrhythmogenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

The oxygen free radical system: from equations through membrane-protein interactions to cardiovascular injury and protection.

Highly toxic oxygen radicals and their metabolites have been implicated in the pathogenesis of ischaemia/reperfusion injury. These reactive oxygen species include the superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical, and singlet oxygen. The central theme of this review is first to discuss the basic mechanisms of free radical generation from various potential sources, to point out and emphasise the growing importance of the role of singlet oxygen, and then to discuss in depth membrane-protein interactions that ultimately lead to myocardial damage and dysfunction. With this background, we highlight several novel therapeutic strategies aimed at interrupting the oxygen free radical mediated component of ischaemia/reperfusion injury. It is hoped that this thesis will then serve as a future impetus to challenge these hypotheses and further build on this truly unique system that has assumed such an important role in the pathophysiology of myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion and inflammation. "To those of us who are humbly exploring the mysteries of science, we must project our findings and model our systems. For if correct, we have made a small contribution and, if wrong, we have forced others to eventually think." A V Hill, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of E H Starling's Linacre lecture (University College, London, 1968).

Antioxidants↗
PubMed1991

Cardiac transplantation with corticosteroid-free immunosuppression: long-term results.

To assess the long-term safety of an immunosuppressive regimen without corticosteroids, we retrospectively evaluated 42 long-term (greater than 1 year) survivors of orthotopic cardiac transplantation. We determined the incidence of (1) conversion of the immunosuppressive regimen from cyclosporine and azathioprine alone (group I) to cyclosporine, azathioprine, and prednisone (group II), (2) late acute graft rejection (defined as occurring at greater than 1 postoperative year), and (3) major postoperative complications related to corticosteroids. Of the 42 patients who were started on cyclosporine and azathioprine, 48% remained in group I, and 52% converted to group II. Forty-five percent of group II patients were able to taper and discontinue prednisone in 15.6 +/- 2.2 months. Among the patients on long-term corticosteroid-free immunosuppression, the incidence of late rejection was 2.1% per endomyocardial biopsy. The incidence of late infectious episodes was not significantly different between the two groups of patients, although diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia were more prevalent in group II than in group I. These data suggest that cardiac transplant recipients who chronically remain on corticosteroid-free immunosuppression represent a select group of patients with an acceptably low risk of late graft rejection and associated reduction of potential risk factors of accelerated coronary artery disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The heart as a target organ of immune injury.

Over the last 10 years, our knowledge of immunologically mediated processes involving the myocardium appears to have made quantum leaps. New and important disease entities such as AIDS have appeared and the cardiologist now becomes an important member of the "AIDS team." Our understanding of "older diseases" such as sarcoidosis, Lyme disease, systemic lupus and other connective tissue syndromes has significantly increased. The concept of high-dose steroid therapy for these processes may, in fact, turn out to be futile and more selective, as less dangerous immunosuppression is being introduced. This concept has significantly advanced in the field of cardiac transplantation where immunosuppression has now been usurped by specific immunotherapy aimed at selective aspects of the immune sequence. New and exciting concepts will emerge from the molecular biology laboratory that will have direct bearing on the management of patients with cardiovascular disorders. This information explosion will force the cardiovascular physician to become more in tune with the world of immunology and molecular biology. Many obvious, significant problems remain, such as accelerated atherosclerosis in the transplant patient and the role of myocarditis in the patient with heart failure. However, it will truly be an exciting decade in which to work and watch the unraveling of these mysteries and hopefully, the study of today's problems will give way to solutions and a clearer understanding of the heart as a target of immune injury.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1991

Singlet oxygen interaction with Ca(2+)-ATPase of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum.

We investigated the role of singlet oxygen (generated from photoactivation of rose bengal) on the calcium transport and Ca(2+)-ATPase activity of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Isolated cardiac SR exposed to rose bengal (10 nM) irradiated at 560 nm resulted in significant inhibition of Ca2+ uptake (from 2.27 +/- 0.05 to 0.62 +/- 0.05 mumol Ca2+/mg.min [mean +/- SEM], p less than 0.01) and Ca(2+)-ATPase activity (from 2.08 +/- 0.05 to 0.28 +/- 0.04 mumol Pi/min.mg [mean +/- SEM], p less than 0.01). The inhibition of calcium uptake and Ca(2+)-ATPase activity by rose bengal-derived activated oxygen (singlet oxygen) was dependent on the duration of exposure and intensity of light. Singlet oxygen scavengers ascorbic acid and histidine significantly protected SR Ca(2+)-ATPase against rose bengal-derived activated oxygen species, but superoxide dismutase and catalase did not attenuate the inhibition. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of SR exposed to photoactivated rose bengal for up to 14 minutes demonstrated complete loss of the Ca(2+)-ATPase monomer band, which was significantly protected by histidine. The addition of dithiothreitol (5 mM) had a slight protective effect, showing that new disulfide bond formation was not a major cause of aggregation. The results were also confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography of the SR exposed to irradiated rose bengal. Irradiation of rose bengal also caused an 18% loss of total sulfhydryl groups of SR. On the other hand, superoxide radical (generated from xanthine oxidase action on xanthine) and hydroxyl radical (in the presence of Fe(3+)-EDTA or 0.5 mM H2O2 plus Fe(2+)-EDTA) as well as H2O2 (0.25-12 mM) were without any effect on the 97,000-d Ca(2+)-ATPase band of SR. Generation of radical species (superoxide and hydroxyl radical) from rose bengal was studied by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy using the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO). The results showed that irradiation of rose bengal formed a 1:2:2:1 quartet, characteristic of the DMPO-OH adduct, which was scavenged by ethanol but not by superoxide dismutase, catalase, or histidine. No radical species could be detected from irradiated rose bengal or irradiated DMPO under the assay conditions used. Peroxy adducts of DMPO might be produced but would be observed only at very low temperatures. Similarly, we could not detect any measurable.O2- anion from irradiation of rose bengal as indicated by either cytochrome c reduction at 550 nm or nitro blue tetrazolium reduction at 560 nm. These results show that SR is damaged most likely by singlet oxygen derived from rose bengal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Oxidative damage to the myocardium: a fundamental mechanism of myocardial injury.

Certain pathophysiologic conditions are able to shift normal oxygen metabolism towards univalent reduction, resulting in the production of reduced oxygen intermediates, including free radicals and their metabolites. Oxygen free radicals have been implicated in a number of pathologic conditions, including myocardial injury. The possible sources of oxygen free radicals, the detection of the radicals during ischemia/reperfusion and possible mechanisms of free radical damage are discussed. The clinical implications of free radical damage and the experimental drug therapies at present under investigation are also reviewed.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Captopril and enalaprilat do not scavenge the superoxide anion.

The ability of captopril and enalaprilat, 2 angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, to scavenge superoxide anion radical was examined. With use of a number of superoxide-generating systems, such as xanthine-xanthine oxidase, phorbol myristate acetate-activated neutrophils, auto-oxidizing dihydroxyfumarate, and auto-oxidation of epinephrine to adrenochrome, captopril was seen not to scavenge superoxide directly, because it did not inhibit superoxide-dependent cytochrome c or nitro-blue tetrazolium reduction. Superoxide-dependent cytochrome c reduction was inhibited only when captopril was preincubated with a lower concentration of cytochrome c (22 microM). This effect was due to a decrease in the concentration of cytochrome c, because captopril reduced cytochrome c directly. When this effect was compensated for, no cytochrome c reduction induced by superoxide was observed. Captopril inhibited the auto-oxidation of epinephrine to adrenochrome at pH 10.2 where this auto-oxidation is superoxide-dependent, and at pH 7.8 where it is superoxide-independent and superoxide dismutase insensitive. It appears that captopril, in this respect, acted as a nonspecific antioxidant, probably by reducing an intermediate in the complex oxidation of epinephrine to adrenochrome. Therefore, caution may be used in interpreting the role of captopril in the attenuation of reperfusion-induced myocardial dysfunction and in attributing this effect to the inhibition of free radical mechanism.

Captopril↗
PubMed1990

Comparison of atrial contribution to cardiac hemodynamics in patients with normal and severely compromised cardiac function.

The importance of atrial contribution to cardiac function in patients with congestive heart failure is controversial. Ten patients with severe congestive failure (Group A) and 10 patients with normal ventricular function (Group B) were studied during atrial and ventricular pacing. Left ventricular ejection fraction, baseline pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, and baseline cardiac index were different between Group A and Group B patients: 22 +/- 10 vs. 65 +/- 11 (p less than 0.01); 21 +/- 5 vs. 8 +/- 4, (p less than 0.01); and 2.8 +/- 0.5 vs. 3.5 +/- 1.0 (p = 0.05). Compared with atrial pacing, cardiac index decreased from 2.8 +/- 0.6 to 2.2 +/- 0.5 (p less than 0.01) in Group A and from 3.6 +/- 0.7 to 2.9 +/- 0.5 (p less than 0.01) in Group B, during ventricular pacing. Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure increased by similar amounts in both groups during ventricular pacing. The change in cardiac index, % change in cardiac index, and change in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure from atrial to ventricular pacing, were not different between Group A and Group B patients. By logistic regression analysis, no association was found between the % change in cardiac index and the following variables: left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular end-diastolic volume, baseline pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, change in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, and baseline cardiac index. The atrial contribution to resting steady-state cardiac function is similar between patients with severe congestive failure and those with preserved ventricular function.

Atrial Function↗
PubMed1990

Superoxide radical production after phorbol ester stimulation in neutrophils of aged donors.

Superoxide anion radical production was studied in purified neutrophils of young and old donors after stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate to determine whether phorbol-stimulated activation of NADPH-oxidase was altered by aging. Superoxide radical production of neutrophils of healthy ambulatory elderly (mean age 73 years) was increased compared to young adult controls. Expressed as nmol superoxide/min/mg protein, however, old cells were no different from young. Neutrophils of the elderly contained nearly 20% more protein/cell than young cells, yet neutrophil diameter and volume were not increased in the old cells. Binding affinity and maximum binding capacity of 3H-phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate were similar in young and old neutrophils. Maximum binding capacity was similar whether expressed on a per cell or per mg protein basis. Although others have suggested that initial plasma membrane events leading to superoxide radical production are diminished in aging cells, these studies show that intracellular phases of the mechanisms leading to superoxide radical production are maintained. Superoxide production rate per cell is increased in older persons, associated with a higher protein content per cell but not larger cell size.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Differences in endothelium-dependent cerebral dilation by bradykinin and acetylcholine.

We compared the mechanism of action of acetylcholine and bradykinin, two agents that cause endothelium-dependent relaxation, on cerebral arterioles of cats equipped with cranial windows for the observation of the cerebral microcirculation. The vasodilation caused by bradykinin was eliminated by cyclooxygenase inhibition with topical indomethacin, it was reduced by topical deferoxamine, an agent that scavenges iron and thereby inhibits the production of hydroxyl radical via the Haber-Weiss reaction, and it was eliminated by 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, an agent that inhibited superoxide production by cyclooxygenase. The vasodilation from acetylcholine was not affected by these agents. Acetylcholine induced a transferable, short-lived vasodilator material in bioassay experiments, whereas bradykinin did not. Bradykinin or acetylcholine, when applied topically by themselves, induced arteriolar dilation; when applied together, they did not. The findings are consistent with the view that the cerebral arteriolar dilation from bradykinin is caused by oxygen radicals generated in association with accelerated arachidonate metabolism via cyclooxygenase, whereas the dilation from acetylcholine is caused by an endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) similar to that generated by this agent in large vessels in vitro. The EDRF from acetylcholine and the radicals from bradykinin interact and inactivate each other.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1990

Sarcolemmal Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase: inactivation by neutrophil-derived free radicals and oxidants.

One of the targets of free radicals and neutrophil-derived oxidants that is known to be generated during ischemic-reperfusion injury of the myocardium is the sarcolemma. We therefore examined the susceptibility of sarcolemmal Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and ouabain binding sites to O2-., H2O2,.OH, HOCl, NH2Cl, and stimulated neutrophils. O2-. generated from xanthine oxidase action on xanthine had no significant effect on Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity. The inhibition of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity and ouabain binding by H2O2 was dependent on concentration and the time of incubation. H2O2 (10 mM) inhibited 80% of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity at 90 min..OH generated by Fenton's reagent (200 microM Fe2+ + 5 mM H2O2) significantly decreased maximum binding of ouabain (43.06 +/- 1.45 to 31.96 +/- 2.37 pmol/mg) and was significantly protected by 5 mM mannitol (P less than 0.05). The dissociation constant of ouabain binding was unaffected by Fenton's reagent or H2O2. In contrast, lower concentrations of HOCl, NH2Cl, or PMA-stimulated human neutrophils (4 X 10(6) cells/ml) had significant inhibitory effects on Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity. We conclude that O-2. per se is not damaging to sarcolemmal Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity. The formation of H2O2 and the more destructive .OH or HOCl and NH2Cl disrupt sarcolemmal function by inhibiting Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity and destroying ouabain binding sites.

Ammonium Chloride↗
PubMed1990

Management and long-term followup of outpatient care in the cardiac transplant recipient.

Successful long-term management of the cardiac transplant patient requires the concerted effort of the patient, the cardiac transplant team, and the primary care physician. The long-term management of these patients will continue to evolve as new immunosuppressive agents are used and new methods of surveillance for rejection are found. The long-term management is indeed one of the most exciting parts of the care of the transplant patient, especially when all those involved can watch the patient enter into a normal lifestyle.

Aftercare↗