Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R C Smart

Publications and source records attributed to R C Smart.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Colon transit scintigraphy in health and constipation using oral iodine-131-cellulose.

The purpose of the study was to assess if a new scintigraphic method for noninvasive assessment of colonic transit could differentiate between subjects with normal bowel transit and those with constipation. Eleven normal subjects and 29 constipated patients were given 4 MBq iodine-131-cellulose (131I-cellulose) orally and sequential abdominal scans were performed at 6, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hr from which total and segmental percent retentions were calculated. There were clear differences between the normal subjects and the constipated patients for the total percent retention at all time intervals, on a segmental basis in the right colon at 24 hr, and in all segments at 48 and 72 hr. Three-day urinary excretion of radioiodine was minimal; 2.4% +/- 1.2% (mean +/- s.d.) in constipated patients and 3.1% +/- 0.8% in normals, with approximately 75% occurring in the first day. The use of oral radiotracers in the investigation of constipation appears promising.

Administration, Oral↗

Synthetic lipid second messenger sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol: a complete tumor promoter in mouse skin.

sn-1,2-Didecanoylglycerol, a synthetic lipid second messenger and model diacylglycerol, was evaluated as a complete skin tumor promoter in CD-1 mice. In addition, sn-1,2-dioctanoylglycerol, sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol, the second stage tumor promoter mezerein, and the complete tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) were examined for their ability to stimulate epidermal protein kinase C activity in vitro. All four compounds stimulated epidermal protein kinase C activity utilizing lysine-rich histone as the phosphate acceptor substrate. sn-1,2-Dioctanoylglycerol and sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol stimulated epidermal protein kinase C activity to a maximum velocity similar to that obtained when the enzyme was stimulated with TPA; however, about 1000 times greater concentration of the sn-1,2-diacylglycerols was required. sn-1,2-Didecanoylglycerol was evaluated as a complete skin tumor promoter in CD-1 mice utilizing a dosing regimen demonstrated to produce epidermal hyperplasia. Mice were initiated with 200 nmol 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene. One week later the mice received twice daily topical applications of 1 nmol TPA, 2 mumol sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol or 5 mumol sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol, 5 days/week. Additional initiated mice received twice weekly topical applications of 2 or 5 nmol TPA. Initiated mice treated with 5 nmol TPA twice weekly or with 1 nmol TPA twice daily for 5 days/week (cumulative weekly doses of 10 nmol TPA) responded similarly, based on the tumor incidence and the average number of tumors per mouse. Initiated mice treated with 2 or 5 mumol sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol twice daily developed tumors in a dose-dependent manner. Initiated mice treated with 5 mumol sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol twice daily developed many tumors, and at 20 weeks there was a 74% tumor incidence and an average of 6.0 tumors/mouse. At 20 weeks, 24% of the initiated mice treated with 2 mumol sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol twice daily developed tumors, with an average of 1.1 tumors/mouse. Mice which were not initiated but treated twice daily with 5 mumol sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol for 20 weeks did not develop any tumors. These data demonstrate that the representative synthetic lipid second messenger sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol, like TPA, is a complete tumor promoter in DMBA-initiated mouse skin.

Animals↗

Comparison of epidermal protein kinase C activity, ornithine decarboxylase induction and DNA synthesis stimulated by TPA or dioctanoylglycerol in mouse strains with differing susceptibility to TPA-induced tumor promotion.

The purpose of this study was to examine the activity and associated kinetic parameters of epidermal protein kinase C (PKC) following stimulation by sn-1,2-dioctanoylglycerol (DIC8) or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and to examine the relationship between levels of epidermal PKC activity and the induction of ornithine decarboxylase by these agents, utilizing various stocks and strains of mice. Importantly, the mouse strains and stock used in this study have known differing susceptibilities to undergo TPA-induced tumor promotion: the CD-1 stock and the DBA/2 strain (both sensitive to TPA-induced tumor promotion) and the C57BL/6 strain (resistant to TPA-induced tumor promotion). TPA-stimulated protein kinase C activity was measured in the 10(5)g supernatant fraction of epidermal homogenates using lysine-rich histone as a phosphate acceptor substrate. The maximal velocities for TPA-stimulated epidermal PKC activity in CD-1, DBA/2 and C57BL/6 were 0.28, 0.29 and 0.27 nmol PO4-histone/mg 10(5)g protein/min, respectively. TPA-stimulated epidermal PKC from CD-1, DBA/2 and C57BL/6 had similar theoretical Vmax values and the apparent concentrations of TPA yielding half-maximal stimulation of PKC were also similar. DiC8-stimulated PKC activity to a greater Vmax; however, the concentration required to yield half-maximal stimulation of PKC was one thousand times greater than that of TPA. There were no strain differences in these parameters when the enzyme was stimulated with DiC8. Thus, the levels of epidermal PKC activity in CD-1, DBA/2 and C57BL/6 mice exhibit no strain differences when stimulated by TPA or DiC8 using lysine-rich histone as a phosphate acceptor substrate. Since sn-1,2-diacylglycerols are known effective inducers of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity, the induction of epidermal ODC was examined in each mouse strain 5 h after topical application of 2 nmol TPA, 5 nmol TPA or 2.5 mumol DiC8. After topical treatment with TPA, C57BL/6 demonstrated an unexpected 2- and 4-fold increase in ODC activity over CD-1 and DBA/2 mice. After treatment with DiC8, C57BL/6 demonstrated a 6- and 10-fold increase in ODC activity over CD-1 and DBA/2, respectively. Thus, the resistant strain (C57BL/6) demonstrated a 'hyperinducibility' of epidermal ODC activity by TPA or DiC8. The time course for the induction of epidermal ODC was examined in each strain, and at every time point measured (3-15 h), the C57BL/6 strain exhibited this 'hyperinducibility' of ODC relative to the other strains. Epidermal DNA synthesis was stimulated to a similar extent in C57BL/6 and CD-1 mice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Hepatic tumor-promoting chlorinated hydrocarbons stimulate protein kinase C activity.

Various chlorinated hydrocarbons, many of which are known hepatic tumor promoters, have been evaluated for their ability to stimulate protein kinase C (PKC) activity in vitro. Chlordane, kepone, toxaphene, heptachlor, 2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethane, the polychlorinated biphenyl Aroclor 1254, aldrin, 2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane (DDT) and gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (lindane) were the most potent stimulators of PKC activity. Of these compounds, chlordane was the most potent organochlorine pesticide. Chlordane (100 microM) stimulated mouse brain PKC activity in the 10(5) g supernatant to a maximum velocity equal to that obtained when the enzyme was maximally stimulated with the skin-tumor-promoting phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Chlordane concentrations as low as 1 microM significantly stimulated PKC activity. Chlordane-stimulated PKC activity was calcium-dependent, and in the presence of exogenous calcium, chlordane-stimulated PKC activity was at least 5-fold greater than in the absence of added calcium. In contrast, the addition of calcium only minimally affected (less than 30% increase) the TPA-stimulated PKC activity. Concentrations of TPA and chlordane which maximally stimulate PKC did not produce an additive effect on PKC activity. Chlordane- and TPA- stimulated PKC activity was phospholipid-dependent and could be inhibited by quercetin, a known inhibitor of PKC activity. Chlordane in the presence of calcium also stimulated mouse epidermal and hepatic PKC as well as purified rat brain PKC. These results demonstrate that a wide variety of chlorinated hydrocarbons, which are considered hepatic tumor promoters, stimulate protein kinase C activity in vitro.

Animals↗

Inhibitory effect of curcumin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid on tumor promotion in mouse skin by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate.

The effects of topically applied curcumin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity, epidermal DNA synthesis, and the promotion of skin tumors were evaluated in female CD-1 mice. Topical application of 0.5, 1, 3, or 10 mumol of curcumin inhibited by 31, 46, 84, or 98%, respectively, the induction of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity by 5 nmol of TPA. In an additional study, the topical application of 10 mumol of curcumin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, or ferulic acid inhibited by 91, 25, 42, or 46%, respectively, the induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity by 5 nmol of TPA. The topical application of 10 mumol of curcumin together with 2 or 5 nmol of TPA inhibited the TPA-dependent stimulation of the incorporation of [3H]-thymidine into epidermal DNA by 49 or 29%, respectively, whereas lower doses of curcumin had little or no effect. Chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid were less effective than curcumin as inhibitors of the TPA-dependent stimulation of DNA synthesis. Topical application of 1, 3, or 10 mumol of curcumin together with 5 nmol of TPA twice weekly for 20 weeks to mice previously initiated with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene inhibited the number of TPA-induced tumors per mouse by 39, 77, or 98%, respectively. Similar treatment of mice with 10 mumol of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, or ferulic acid together with 5 nmol of TPA inhibited the number of TPA-induced tumors per mouse by 60, 28, or 35%, respectively, and higher doses of the phenolic acids caused a more pronounced inhibition of tumor promotion. The possibility that curcumin could inhibit the action of arachidonic acid was evaluated by studying the effect of curcumin on arachidonic acid-induced edema of mouse ears. The topical application of 3 or 10 mumol of curcumin 30 min before the application of 1 mumol of arachidonic acid inhibited arachidonic acid-induced edema by 33 or 80%, respectively.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗

Comparison of the effect of sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate on cutaneous morphology, inflammation and tumor promotion in CD-1 mice.

Since sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol mimics 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) by inducing ornithine decarboxylase activity and stimulating DNA synthesis in mouse epidermis [Smart, R.C., Huang, M.-T. and Conney, A.H. Carcinogenesis, 7, 1865 (1986)], we have investigated morphological changes induced by TPA and sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol in the epidermis and we have also examined sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol as a possible complete tumor promoter. It was determined that topical application of 2.5 or 10 mumol of sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol induced epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity to about the same extent as the application of 1 or 2 nmol of TPA respectively. Therefore, these doses of TPA and sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol were used in most of our studies. Single or multiple application (2 X/week for 4 weeks) of 1, 2 or 5 nmol of TPA to the skin of CD-1 mice produced a dose-dependent increase in the number of epidermal non-cornified cell layers, epidermal thickness, leukocyte infiltration and intracellular edema. In contrast, neither single nor multiple application (2 X/week for 4 weeks) of 2.5 or 10 mumol sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol produced any of these responses. However, when 5 mumol sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol was applied topically twice a day (10 mumol/day) for 5 days there was a significant increase in the number of epidermal non-cornified cell layers and epidermal thickness. The effects of TPA and sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol were compared using the mouse ear inflammation model. Application of TPA caused edema, but sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol had little or no effect. sn-1,2-Didecanoylglycerol was then evaluated as a complete tumor promoter utilizing the mouse skin two-stage model. CD-1 mice were initiated with 200 nmol 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene and then treated with 1 nmol TPA or 2.5 mumol sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol twice a week for 28 weeks. A 28 weeks, 28% of the mice treated with TPA had developed tumors, while none of the mice treated with 2.5 mumol sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol developed tumors. The data indicate that topical application of 2.5 mumol sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol induced ornithine decarboxylase activity to the same extent as a tumor-promoting dose of 1 nmol TPA, but it did not cause morphological changes in the epidermis when applied once or when applied twice a week for 4 weeks and did not function as a complete tumor promoter when applied twice a week for 28 weeks.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Inhibition of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity, DNA synthesis, and tumor promotion in mouse skin by ascorbic acid and ascorbyl palmitate.

The effects of topically applied 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) on the level of ascorbic acid in the epidermis and the effects of topically applied ascorbic acid, ascorbyl palmitate (a synthetic lipophilic derivative of ascorbic acid), palmitic acid and sorbitan monopalmitate on TPA-induced epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity, epidermal DNA synthesis, and the promotion of skin tumors were evaluated in female CD-1 mice. Topical application of 5 or 16 nmol of TPA resulted in a 45-50% decrease in the amount of ascorbic acid per mg protein in mouse epidermis at 5 h after TPA application. Large topical doses of ascorbic acid inhibited TPA-induced tumor promotion in mouse epidermis, but smaller doses were inactive. The topical application of relatively small doses of ascorbyl palmitate had a marked inhibitory effect on TPA-induced ornithine decarboxylase activity, DNA synthesis, and tumor promotion in mouse epidermis. Ascorbic acid, palmitic acid, and sorbitan monopalmitate were less effective than ascorbyl palmitate as inhibitors of tumor promotion. The topical application of 4 mumol of ascorbyl palmitate inhibited by 60-76% the induction of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity and DNA synthesis that occurred after a single topical application of 2 nmol of TPA whereas similar doses of ascorbic acid had no inhibitory effect. The topical application of 4 mumol of ascorbyl palmitate together with 5 nmol of TPA twice weekly for 20 weeks to previously initiated mice inhibited by 91% the number of tumors per mouse.

Administration, Topical↗

Thallium circumferential profiles in the detection of coronary artery disease--assessment by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

Thallium uptake and redistribution in the myocardium was quantitated using circumferential activity profiles. The profiles were determined from images in the LAO 35, LAO 70 and anterior views, obtained after peak exercise and after 3-4 h redistribution. A retention curve was constructed from these profiles, displaying the redistribution profile as a fraction of the stress profile. Normal values were obtained from 21 normal patients and compared to the images from 68 patients suspected of having coronary artery disease (CAD). Of the latter, 20 had normal/non-significant CAD and 48 had 70% or greater stenosis of one or more vessels on coronary angiography. Several methodological variations were examined: calculation of the profiles using the peak or average counts around the ventricle, uniform or interpolative background subtraction, normalisation of the profiles to their peak or mean counts. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated for profiles calculated using these variations and compared with the ROC curves obtained by visual interpretation of both analogue and computer-enhanced images by two experienced observers. The uniform background subtraction method was found to be better than the interpolative method, and normalisation to the mean of each curve was preferable to normalisation to the peak. ROC curves using profiles calculated using the peak myocardial counts were identical to the ROC curves from profiles using the average counts, but the operating points on the two curves differed. Computer enhancement of the digital images resulted in increased sensitivity for CAD without loss of specificity when compared to the interpretation of the analogue images. The circumferential profiles were found to provide a further increase in sensitivity and were highly reproducible.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Disposition of the naturally occurring antimutagenic plant phenol, ellagic acid, and its synthetic derivatives, 3-O-decylellagic acid and 3,3'-di-O-methylellagic acid in mice.

The effect of ellagic acid and some of its more lipophilic derivatives on the mutagenicity of (+/-)-7 beta,8 alpha-dihydroxy-9 alpha,10 alpha-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenz[a]pyrene was examined in Salmonella typhimurium TA100. Ellagic acid, 3,3'-di-O-methylellagic acid, 4,4'-di-O-methylellagic acid and 3-O-decylellagic acid were found to have approximately equal antimutagenic activity. The tissue distribution and elimination of ellagic acid, 3,3'-di-O-methylellagic acid and 3-O-decylellagic acid were examined in CD-1 mice. Little or no ellagic acid (less than 1 nmol/g) was found in blood, lung or liver after the oral administration by gavage of 300 mumol of ellagic acid per kg body weight of after feeding 1% of ellagic acid in the diet for 1 week. Following the i.p. administration of 120 mumol/kg of ellagic acid, the blood and lung levels of ellagic acid were 15-20 nmol/g at 30 min after the dose, and the concentrations of ellagic acid decreased to 1-3 nmol/g at 6-8 h after the dose. A portion of the administered i.p. dose precipitated in the abdominal cavity. After i.v. administration, ellagic acid was eliminated very rapidly from blood, lung and liver, and approximately 70% of the administered dose was recovered in the urine and feces as free ellagic acid and its conjugates. At 2 h after an i.v. injection of 60 mumol/kg of ellagic acid, 46% of the dose was recovered in the urine as ellagic acid and its conjugates. Of this amount, about half was excreted as free ellagic acid and half was excreted as conjugates. An additional 25% of the dose was recovered in the feces (mostly as free ellagic acid) after 7 h. The disposition of 3,3'-di-O-methylellagic acid or 3-O-decylellagic acid after i.v. administration (32 mumol/kg) was examined and compared to the disposition of the same i.v. dose of ellagic acid. The concentrations of ellagic acid, 3,3'-di-O-methylellagic acid and 3-O-decylellagic acid decreased rapidly in the blood, liver and lung, but the concentrations of 3-O-decylellagic acid in the lung throughout the experimental period (2-360 min) was on average 20- to 40-fold higher than the corresponding average concentrations of ellagic acid or 3,3'-di-O-methylellagic acid.

7,8-Dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo(a)pyrene 9,10-oxide↗

Effect of ellagic acid and 3-O-decylellagic acid on the formation of benzo[a]pyrene-derived DNA adducts in vivo and on the tumorigenicity of 3-methylcholanthrene in mice.

The effect of ellagic acid and its more lipophilic derivative, 3-O-decylellagic acid, on the amount of DNA-bound adducts in the epidermis or lung of CD-1 mice treated with [3H]benzo-[a]pyrene ([3H]B[a]P) was evaluated using several different treatment protocols. The i.v. administration of 50 mumol/kg of ellagic acid or 3-O-decylellagic acid either together with or 5 min before a 0.2 mumol/kg i.v. dose of [3H]B[a]P did not inhibit the formation of pulmonary DNA-bound adducts. Feeding mice a diet that contained 1% ellagic acid for 10 days or the i.p. administration of 120 mumol/kg of ellagic acid 30 min before the i.v. administration of 0.2 mumol/kg of [3H]B[a]P did not inhibit the formation of DNA-bound adducts in the lung. The application of 2,500 nmol of ellagic acid or 3-O-decylellagic acid to mouse skin 5 min before the application of 2, 10 or 50 nmol of [3H]B[a]P had little or no effect on the covalent binding of [3H]B[a]P metabolites to epidermal DNA. Feeding mice a diet containing 1% ellagic acid for 10 days did not inhibit the formation of epidermal DNA-bound adducts after a topical dose of 2 nmol of [3H]B[a]P. Similarly, the topical application of 2,500 nmol of ellagic acid at 2 h, 1 h and 5 min before and at 10 min after the application of 2 nmol of [3H]B[a]P did not inhibit the formation of DNA-bound adducts, but the same dosing regimen of 3-O-decylellagic acid (total dose of 10,000 nmol) resulted in a modest inhibition in the formation of DNA-bound adducts. The topical application of 1,500 nmol of ellagic acid 1 h before the application of 1,500 nmol of 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) to CD-1 or BALB/c mice twice weekly did not inhibit the development of skin tumors. Our results indicate that ellagic acid and 3-O-decylellagic acid are not effective in inhibiting [3H]B[a]P DNA adduct formation in mouse skin and lung and that ellagic acid does not inhibit 3-MC-induced skin tumorigenesis in BALB/c or CD-1 mice.

Animals↗

sn-1,2-Diacylglycerols mimic the effects of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in vivo by inducing biochemical changes associated with tumor promotion in mouse epidermis.

12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13 acetate (TPA) or various acylglycerols were applied topically to CD-1 mice, and biochemical changes associated with tumor promotion in the epidermis were examined. The topical application of 5 mumol of sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol caused a 40-fold increase in ornithine decarboxylase activity which was similar to that found after the topical application of 2 nmol of TPA. The time course for the induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity by TPA and the time course for its induction by sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol were similar; both compounds produced rapid increases in ornithine decarboxylase activity with peak induction occurring 4-6 h after application of the inducing chemical. sn-1,2-Dioctanoylglycerol and sn-1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol also increased ornithine decarboxylase activity in mouse epidermis, but sn-1,2-dioleoylglycerol, 1,3-didecanoylglycerol and rac-1-monodecanoylglycerol were inactive at the dose tested. trans-Retinoic acid, a potent inhibitor of tumor promotion, markedly inhibited the epidermal induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity that resulted from the topical administration of sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol or TPA. The effects of TPA and the acylglycerols on epidermal DNA synthesis in vivo were determined by measuring the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into epidermal DNA. The application of sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol or TPA to mouse skin stimulated epidermal DNA synthesis. The maximum increase occurred 18 h after administration of the inducing chemical, and the increase in DNA synthesis was proportional to the dose of sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol. Although sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol, sn-1,2-dioctanoylglycerol and sn-1,2-dioleoylglycerol stimulated epidermal DNA synthesis, sn-1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol, 1,3-didecanoylglycerol and rac-1-monodecanoylglycerol had little or no effect. The increase in epidermal DNA synthesis induced by sn-1,2-didecanoylglycerol or TPA was inhibited by the simultaneous application of fluocinolone acetonide, a potent inhibitor of tumor promotion. The results indicate that several sn-1,2-diacylglycerols mimic TPA in vivo with respect to their effects on certain biochemical parameters associated with tumor promotion in mouse skin.

Animals↗

Primary extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

A total of 52 of 238 patients (22%) with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma presented with disease in a primary extranodal site. The gastrointestinal tract was the commonest site involved (50%) and diffuse large cell was the commonest histological sub-type of the lymphoma (64%). Survivorship analysis of these patients, treated predominantly with chemotherapy, suggests that long-term survival is associated with: low-grade malignancy--median survival greater than 120 months; localized disease or spread of disease confined to the regional lymph nodes--median survival 65.5 months; and the use of aggressive combination chemotherapy for intermediate grade malignancy when the disease is localized or spread is confined to the regional lymph nodes--median survival greater than 110 months.

Adult↗

A combined procedure for 99mTc aerosol ventilation and perfusion imaging.

For several years, radioaerosols have been successfully used to provide detailed images of regional ventilation to aid in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. It has been widely advocated that the ventilation images should follow the perfusion scan and that the amount of aerosol deposited in the patient's lungs should be three times greater than the perfusion dose. We employed an alternative approach which avoided the deposition of an unpredictable amount of aerosol in individual patients. The aerosol study was performed first, and the activity of the microspheres used for the perfusion images was then tailored to the actual amount of aerosol which the patient had retained. This allowed a microsphere/aerosol activity ratio of 10:1 to be readily achieved, thus successfully masking the ventilation pattern by the perfusion activity. The faster biological clearance of 99mTc-DTPA aerosol from the lung fields, as compared to 99mTc-sulphur-colloid aerosol, allowed higher initial activities to be deposited in the lungs, thus enabling a high-resolution collimator to be used. When the perfusion study was delayed by 1 h (one effective half-life for the 99mTc-DTPA aerosol), it was not necessary to increase the perfusion activity required to mask the ventilation image.

Aerosols↗

Effect of ascorbate on covalent binding of benzene and phenol metabolites to isolated tissue preparations.

[14C]Phenol and [14C]benzene are metabolized in the presence of NADPH and hepatic microsomes isolated from phenobarbital- or benzene-pretreated or untreated guinea pigs to intermediates capable of covalently binding to microsomal protein. When 1 mM ascorbate was included in the incubation mixture containing benzene as the substrate, covalent binding was inhibited by 55%. Increasing the ascorbate concentration to 5 mM inhibited binding by only an additional 17%. In contrast, when phenol was used as the substrate, 1 mM ascorbate inhibited binding by 95%. When DT-diaphorase was included in the incubation mixture containing benzene as the substrate, binding was inhibited by only 18%. This degree of inhibition is in contrast to 70% inhibition with phenol. These results indicate that different metabolites are responsible for a portion of the covalent binding depending upon the substrate employed. GSH inhibited covalent binding greater than 95% with either substrate. The metabolism of phenol to hydroquinone was unaffected by the addition of ascorbate or GSH. The metabolism of benzene to phenol was unaffected by the addition of GSH; however, the addition of ascorbate decreased the formation of phenol by 35%. Tissue ascorbate could be modulated by placing guinea pigs on different dietary intakes of ascorbate. Bone marrow ascorbate concentrations could be modulated 10-fold without any significant change in the GSH concentrations. Bone marrow isolated from guinea pigs on different dietary intakes of ascorbate were incubated with H2O2 and phenol. Bone marrow with low ascorbate concentrations displayed 4-fold more covalent binding of phenol equivalents than those with high ascorbate concentrations. This is an example of how the dietary intake of ascorbate can result in a differential response to a potentially toxic event in vitro.

Animals↗