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Biomedical subjects

R A Carchman

Publications and source records attributed to R A Carchman.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

The role of calcium in macrophage chemotaxis to the phorbol ester tumor promoter TPA.

The significance of the macrophage in the inflammatory response that occurs concurrently with phorbol ester induced tumor promotion has not yet been determined. Biologically active phorbol ester tumor promoters modify several functional responses of macrophages including chemotaxis, cytotoxicity, secretion and prostaglandin synthesis and release. The present study examines calcium metabolism as a possible underlying biochemical mechanism through which 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) exerts its effects on macrophage chemotaxis. The chemotaxis of mouse resident peritoneal macrophages was evaluated in the presence of pharmacological agents known to alter cellular calcium metabolism. The calcium ionophore A23187 in microM concentrations enhanced macrophage chemotaxis to TPA by approximately 41%. This enhancement was dependent on the presence of extracellular calcium. TPA-induced chemotaxis was also enhanced by the histological dye ruthenium red (RR), an agent known to modify mitochondrial calcium fluxes and calcium-dependent neuronal transmission. Ruthenium red (0.1 and 1.0 microM) produced a maximal stimulation of macrophage chemotaxis to TPA of approximately 62%. An intracellular calcium antagonist, 8-(N,N-diethylamino) octyl 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate hydrochloride (TMB-8) inhibited macrophage chemotaxis to TPA in a dose related fashion (1.0 to 100 microM). Varying extracellular calcium concentrations (0-3.6 mM) had no effect on macrophage chemotaxis in response to TPA. In drug combination studies neither A23187 nor RR was able to overcome the inhibitory effects of TMB-8 on macrophage chemotaxis to TPA. These results indicate that intracellular calcium metabolism may be playing a significant role in modulating TPA's effect on macrophage chemotaxis, while extracellular calcium may be of little import. A possible mode of TPA's effect on the macrophage via mobilization of calcium from cellular storage sites is discussed.

Animals↗

Effects of ionophore A23187 on calcium fluxes from cultured adrenal cells.

The effect of the calcium ionophore A23128 on calcium fluxes from Y-1 adrenal cortical cells was investigated. Conditions were chosen which are known to result in an inhibition of steroidogenesis (6 . 10(-6) M ionophore and 3 . 10(-4) M extracellular calcium). Calcium efflux from Y-1 cells exhibited two distinct phases. A fast phase which was insensitive to the mitochondrial poison sodium azide and a slow, azide-sensitive phase. The ionophore brought about a rapid increase in the rate of calcium efflux and an 84% reduction in the size of the calcium pool which was associated with the slow efflux phase as well as a reduction in its rate constant. A decrease in the size of the rapidly exchanging calcium pool was also detected. Ethanol, the solvent which was used for the ionophore, slightly increased the rate constant of the rapidly exchanging pool. Conditions which resulted in diminished steroidogenic capacity also brought about a reduction in the size of an energy dependent, intracellular pool. The data is interpreted as being consistent with a hypothesis that the ionophore-induced inhibition of steroidogenesis may be causatively related to the loss of intracellular calcium or to the mechanism which brings about the loss.

Adrenal Glands↗

Induction of chemotaxis in mouse peritoneal macrophages by phorbol ester tumor promoters.

The ability of the tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), to induce chemotaxis in three different populations of mouse peritoneal macrophages was studied. TPA in the range of 10(-9) to 10(-7) M produced a dose- and time-related increase in chemotaxis in resident, thioglycollate-elicited, and divinyl ether maleic anhydride copolymer-activated macrophages. A maximal response was obtained after 4 hr incubation with 10(-7) M TPA, and this concentration of TPA was as effective as inducing chemotaxis as was endotoxin-activated mouse serum. Orientation of macrophages towards TPA was also observed by microscopy. Within 2 hr, cells exposed to TPA sent out cytoplasmic processes along the TPA gradient. Parallel arrays of cells oriented towards the TPA were observed after 4 hr incubation. Two other diterpene tumor promoters, phorbol-12,13-didecanoate and mezerein, were also chemotactic for the macrophages, as was the peptide epidermal growth factor, which shares a number of effects with TPA on cells in culture. On the other hand, two phorbol esters inactive as tumor promoters, 4-alpha-phorbol-12,13-didecanoate and phorbol, were not chemotactic for macrophages. Retinoic acid, which inhibits tumor promotion, inhibited TPA-induced, but not endotoxin-activated mouse serum-induced chemotaxis. These findings, taken together with previous studies, indicate that phorbol ester tumor promoters are potent modulators of macrophage function.

Animals↗

Enhancement of macrophage-induced cytotoxicity by phorbol ester tumor promoters.

The potent promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), markedly enhanced the ability of mouse peritoneal macrophages to inhibit the growth of L5178Y tumor cells as measured by growth in agar. Three populations of macrophages, resident, divinylether maleic anhydride copolymer, and thioglycollate-recruited, were used. In general, TPA reduced both the cocultivation time and the number of macrophages required to induce cytotoxicity in all three macrophage types. With divinylether maleic anhydride copolymer macrophages, TPA enhanced cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner in the concentration range of 1.7 to 170 nM at macrophage: tumor cell ratios of 10:1 and 1:1. For reasons that were not apparent, inhibition of cytotoxicity was found at higher cell ratios. With both thioglycollate-elicited and resident macrophages, TPA (170 nM) enhanced cytotoxicity at all ratios tested. Even 1:1 ratios of macrophages:tumor cells, which were not cytotoxic alone, inhibited cell viability by 50% to 60% in the presence of TPA. A correlation was found between the biological activity of related macrocyclic diterpenes and their ability to enhance macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity. Thus, mezerein and phorbol didecanoate enhanced macrophage cytotoxicity, while the biologically inactive analogs, phorbol, 4-O-methyl-12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, and 4-alpha-phorbol-12, 13-didecanoate were without effect in this assay. Cytotoxicity towards untransformed BALB/c/3T3 cells was also demonstrated using a liquid cloning assay. These target cells were much less sensitive to growth inhibition by the macrophages than were the L5178Y cells. A 50% decrease in survival occurred only after 48 hr incubation and required macrophage: target cell ratios of 100:1. The addition of 170 nM TPA led to a dramatic enhancement of cytotoxicity in these cells at macrophage:target cell ratios of 10:1 and 1:1. The results observed with the phorbol esters in the present studies are compatible with other evidence that these compounds can modulate a variety of macrophage functions.

Animals↗

Relationship between membrane transport of methotrexate and endogenous cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate in the Ehrlich ascites tumor.

Transport of methotrexate in mammalian cells is a complex process. Although the drug is pumped uphill into cells, metabolic poisons enhance influx and transmembrane gradients for this agent. Structurally unrelated inorganic and organic anions nonspecifically depress these parameters in a variety of tumor cells. It has been suggested that cell cyclic adenosine 3':5'-Monophosphate (cyclic AMP) plays a regulatory role in the transport of this agent. To evaluate this further, a number of different experimental approaches were used to analyze the relationship between methotrexate transport and cell cyclic AMP in the Ehrlich ascites tumor. The following results indicate that for the Ehrlich ascites tumor, at least, there is no evidence for a regulatory role for cyclic AMP in the transport of methotrexate. (a) A marked increase in cell cyclic AMP by cholera-toxin or reduction in cyclic AMP by ascorbate was unaccompanied by changes in methotrexate influx. (b) Instantaneous and constant inhibition of methotrexate influx by isobutylmethylxanthine was temporally dissociated from the slower rise in cell cyclic AMP that was induced by this agent. (c) Although isobutylmethylxanthine and dibutyryl cyclic AMP augment cell cyclic AMP and decrease methotrexate influx, they have different effects on efflux and net transport of methotrexate. Isobutylmethylxanthine stimulates net methotrexate uptake and slows methotrexate efflux but dibutyryl cyclic AMP depresses net methotrexate uptake without an effect on methotrexate efflux. (d) Azide markedly stimulates methotrexate influx and net transport without a change in cell cyclic AMP. (d) Dinitrophenol inhibits methotrexate influx and augments net methotrexate accumulation but does not alter cell cyclic AMP.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗

A method for the evaluation of dose-effect data utilizing a programmable calculator.

A program for the calculation of the median effective dose (ED50) and the slope of the dose-effect line was developed for a programmable calculator. The method employed approximated the solution described by Bliss. Experimental data were evaluated and compared to both hand calculated results and results of other computer methods. This method produced results which differed from other computer methods by less than 1 percent. This program provided information necessary for the test for parallelism and estimate of relative potency of two dose-effect lines.

Computers↗

Assessment of somatogenotoxicity of povidone-iodine using two in vitro assays.

The mutagenic potential of povidone-iodine (PVP-I) and some related compounds were studied using the L5178Y mouse (TK+/-) lymphoma assay. The established mutagens ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) and dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) were highly active in this assay, whereas PVP-I, polyvinyl pyrolidone (PVP), potassium iodide (KI), and iodine (I2) were inactive. Furthermore, in the presence of a rat liver microsomal activating fraction (S-9), PVP-I and I2 had only marginal activity as mutagens. Using the Balb/c 3T3 transformation assay we assessed the transformational capacities of these same agents and the positive mutagen N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). All concentrations of the compounds tested were inactive in this assay except for PVP-I (5 mg/ml) and MNNG (5 micrograms/ml). However, the response with PVP-I was only marginal. We concluded from these studies that PVP, PVP-I, KI, and I2 did not possess any biologically significant mutagenic or cell transforming ability.

Animals↗

Caffeine elicited withdrawal signs in morphine-dependent rhesus monkeys.

In the dose range of 4.0--32.0 mg/kg s.c., caffeine produced most of the signs which are commonly seen after the administration of naloxone (0.05 mg/kg s.c.) to morphine-dependent monkeys. The signs designated as lying on side or abdomen, avoiding contact, vocalizing, crawling or rolling, restlessness or pacing, tremors, retching, vomiting, coughing, vocalizing when abdomen palpated, rigid abdomen and salivation were noted. A randomized and blind experimental design, which included vehicle and positive (naloxone) controls was used. The significance of the differences between total scores for the whole syndrome was tested by the Mann-Whitney U-test. In preliminary studies in naive monkeys, caffeine was found to elicit some withdrawal signs but the results were equivocal. Na benzoate also elicited some withdrawal signs in morphine-dependent monkeys at 32.0 mg/kg s.c., but few signs were seen in naive monkeys. Caffeine was found to be approximately 10X more active than Na benzoate in inhibiting cAMP phosphodiesterase activity in a neuroblastoma cell whole homogenate assay. These results are consistent with the observations of Collier and Francis that morphine abstinence in rodents is associated with increased brain levels of cAMP.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗

Effects of ruthenium red, A23187 and D-600 on steroidogenesis in Y-1 cells.

The effects of the calcium antagonists ruthenium red and D-600 and the cation ionophore A23187 on steroidogenesis were investigated. Steroidogenesis triggered by corticotrophin and cyclic AMP was inhibited by each of the agents. Incubation of Y-1 cells with an excess of ethyleneglycol-bis-(beta-amino-ethylether)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) abolished the steroidogenic response to corticotrophin while the response to cyclic AMP was unaffected. The ability of ruthenium red and D-600 (1 . 10(-5) M), and A23187 (6 . 10(-6 M) to inhibit a response which does not require the presence of extracellular calcium (cyclic AMP induced steroidogenesis) suggests that they are altering intracellular calcium. Neither of the calcium antagonists nor the cation ionophore inhibited the steroidogenic response to exogenous pregnenolone, thereby suggesting that the cells were still viable. Only when A23187 was used in the presence of a 15-fold increase in extracellular calcium (4.8 mM) was the response to pregnenolone diminished. The data are interpreted as a further indication that, in intact cells, intracellular calcium plays a role in the steroidogenic pathway.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

Prostacyclin: a potent stimulator of adrenal steroidogenesis.

The relative potencies of various prostaglandins were investigated in trypsin-dispersed cat adrenocortical cells. Prostacyclin proved to be the most potent steroidogenic prostaglandin, being 100-1000 times more potent than PGE2. This stimulant effect of prostacyclin was only partially dependent upon the presence of extracellular calcium and was associated with increased levels of cyclic AMP. These data suggest a possible role for prostacyclin in corticosteroidogenesis.

Adrenal Cortex↗