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Biomedical subjects

S D Levine

Publications and source records attributed to S D Levine.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Calcium flow-independent actions of calcium channel blockers in toad urinary bladder.

A role for transmembrane calcium movement in vasopressin stimulation of its target cell has been postulated based on studies with calcium entry blockers such as verapamil. We examined the effect of three sets of structurally different calcium blockers--D600 (an analogue of verapamil), diltiazem, and nifedipine--on water flow in toad bladder. D600 (200 microM), diltiazem (200 microM), and nifedipine (60 microM) inhibited vasopressin-induced water flow but enhanced adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-induced water flow, suggesting that the drugs inhibit cAMP generation in response to vasopressin but enhance the response to exogenous cAMP by inhibiting phosphodiesterase activity. In the case of vasopressin stimulation, inhibition of cAMP generation appears to be the overriding effect. This was confirmed by measurements of cAMP content and the protein kinase ratio (-cAMP/+cAMP), which were significantly lower in bladders receiving both D600 and vasopressin than in those receiving vasopressin alone. Furthermore the drugs inhibited activation of adenylate cyclase by vasopressin in cell homogenates and inhibited phosphodiesterase in both homogenates and membrane-free supernatants. Thus these "calcium channel blockers" can directly alter cAMP metabolism in settings where movement of calcium should be irrelevant. The close correlation between the biochemical and transport effects of these agents suggests that their effect on water flow may occur by a direct effect on cellular enzymes or the membranes in which they reside and not by altering local calcium concentrations.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗
PubMed1982

Effect of distension on ADH-induced osmotic water flow in toad urinary bladder.

We recently described a method by which the resistance to water flow of the luminal membrane of ADH-stimulated toad bladder can be quantitatively distinguished from that of barriers lying in series with it. This method requires estimated of both total bladder water permeability (assessed by transbladder osmotic water flow at constant gradient) and luminal membrane water permeability (assessed by quantitation of the frequency of ADH-induced luminal membrane particle aggregates). In the present study we examined the effect of bladder distension on transepithelial osmotic water flow before and during maximal ADH stimulation. Base-line water flow was unaffected by bladder distension, but hormonally stimulated flow increased systematically as bladders became more distended. Distension had no effect on the frequency of ADH-induced intramembranous particle aggregates. By comparing the relationships between aggregate frequency and hormonally induced water permeability in distended and undistended bladders, we found that distension appeared to enhance ADH-stimulated water flow by decreasing the resistance of the series permeability barrier while the apparent water permeability associated with each single luminal membrane aggregate was unaffected. In that bladder distension caused tissue thinning, the series resistance limiting ADH-stimulated water flow appears to be accounted for by deformable barriers within the bladder tissue itself, probably unstirred layers of water.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Barriers to water flow in vasopressin-treated toad urinary bladder.

Unstirred layers of water complicate the measurement of water permeability across epithelia. In the toad urinary bladder, the hormone vasopressin increases the osmotic water permeability of the granular epithelial cell's luminal membrane, and also leads to the appearance of aggregates of particles within this membrane. The aggregates appear to be markers for luminal membrane osmotic water permeability. This report analyzes the relationship between transbladder osmotic water flow and aggregate frequency, and demonstrates that flow across the bladder is significantly attenuated by unstirred layers of water or by structural barriers other than the luminal membrane when the luminal membrane is made permeable by vasopressin. This analysis in addition yields unique values for the permeabilities of both the luminal membrane and the barriers to water flow which lie in series with it.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Antihypertensive pyrrolo[1,2-c]quinazolines and pyrrolo[1,2-c]quinazolinones.

The synthesis of a variety of pyrrolo[1,2-c]quinazolines and pyrrolo[1,2-c]quinazolinones is described. Several of these compounds have exhibited antihypertensive properties in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). Structure-activity comparisons have indicated that optimal activity is obtained in both the 2-carbethoxydihydroquinazoline series (C) and 2-carbethoxyquinazolinone series (D) when there is either a carbethoxy or cyanoethyl group at position 6 and no substitution in the benzene ring, while optimal activity is obtained in the 2-methyl-quinazolinone series (D) when both position 6 and the benzene ring are unsubstituted.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Multiple sites for interaction of prostaglandin and vasopressin in toad urinary bladder.

The interaction of vasopressin with prostaglandins were examined in the toad bladder by determining water flows, cAMP levels, and cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity. Both water flow and activation of cAMP-kinase in response to vasopressin were enhanced after prostaglandin inhibition, consistent with inhibition of vasopressin-induced cAMP generation by endogenous prostaglandins. On the other hand exogeneous PGE stimulated cAMP generation. PGE1 (10(-7) M) alone did not increase water flow but activated kinase more than vasopressin only. Addition of PGE1 (10(-7) M) and vasopressin inhibited water flow as compared with vasopressin along but increased the kinase ratio above that with vasopressin only. PGE2 (10(-5) M) increased the cAMP content and kinase ratio even more than vasopressin but again resulted in no water flow. Addition of vasopressin and PGE2 (10(-5) M) increased water flow but did not alter cAMP content or the kinase ratio compared with PGE2 alone. Similar results were obtained with PGE1. Accordingly, prostaglandin dissociates cAMP levels and kinase ratio from the hydroosmotic response, suggesting that PGE2 inhibits steps distal to cAMP. Consistent with this, in bladders pretreated with naproxen or meclofenamate, PGE2 (10(-8) to 10(-6) M) inhibited the response to submaximal doses of cAMP (5 mM) or 8-bromo-cAMP (0.03 mM). Furthermore, pretreatment with naproxen significantly enhanced the response to cAMP (5 mM). These studies provide evidence for vasopressin-PGE interaction at the site of cAMP generation and also at a step(s) unrelated to cAMP generation.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Effects of trifluoperazine on function and structure of toad urinary bladder. Role of calmodulin vasopressin-stimulation of water permeability.

Calcium ion plays a major regulatory role in many hormone-stimulated systems. To determine the site of calcium's action in the toad urinary bladder, we examined the effect of trifluoperazine, a compound that binds specifically to the calcium binding protein, calmodulin, and thereby prevents activation of enzymes by the calcium- calmodulin complex. 10 microM trifluoperazine inhibited vasopressin stimulation of water flow, but did not alter vasopressin's effects on urea permeability or short-circuit current. Trifluoperazine also blocked stimulation of water flow by cyclic AMP and methylisobutylxanthine, implying a "postcyclic AMP" site of action. Consistent with these results, trifluoperazine did not decrease epithelial cyclic AMP content or the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity ratio. Assay of bladder epithelial supernate demonstrated calmodulin-like activity of 1.5 U/microgram protein. Morphologic studies of vasopressin-treated bladders revealed that trifluoperazine did not alter the volume density of cytoplasmic microtubules or significantly decrease the number of fusions between cytoplasmic, aggregate-containing, elongated vesicles and the luminal membrane. Nonetheless, the frequency of luminal membrane aggregates, structures that correlate well with luminal membrane water permeability, was decreased by greater than 50%. Thus, trifluoperazine appears to inhibit the movement of intramembranous particle aggregates from the fused intracellular membranes to the luminal membrane, perhaps by blocking an effect of calcium on microfilament function.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗
PubMed1981

The effects of amrinone on transport and cyclic AMP metabolism in toad urinary bladder.

Amrinone is a new noncatechol, nonglycoside agent with cardiotonic and vasodilator properties. This paper examines the effects of amrinone in the toad urinary bladder, a tissue whose function may be altered by many factors which also change cardiovascular activity. Amrinone enhanced the effect of vasopressin and cyclic AMP on water and urea permeabilities, as well as the effect of vasopressin on sodium transport. Consistent with these actions, amrinone inhibited cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity in epithelial homogenates and increased both cyclic AMP content and the protein kinase activity ratio measured in intact epithelial cells. The inhibitory effect of amrinone on phosphodiesterase may be relevant to its cardiostimulatory and vasodilator activities.

Aminopyridines↗
PubMed1980

Effect of hydrazine on transport on toad urinary bladder.

Vasopressin stimulates osmotic water flow and urea permeability in the toad urinary bladder via separate cAMP-responsive mechanisms. Hydrazine (10--20 MM), added to the bladder's serosal bath, reversibly enhanced the effect of both low and saturating levels of vasopressin on osmotic water flow, without increasing urea permeability. A small increase in basal water flow was also observed. Cyclic AMP-stimulated water flow was not altered by hydrazine, but hydrazine enhanced the effect of both 8-bromo-cyclic AMP and methylisobutylxantine. Hydrazine increased luminal membrane aggregate frequency in vasopressin-treated tissues examined by freeze-fracture electron microscopy. Hydrazine increased both basal and vasopressin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity. We could measure no effect of hydrazine on cAMP content; however hydrazine did increase the protein kinase activity ratio (-cAMP/+cAMP) in vasopressin-treated tissues, suggesting that the kinase activity ratio is more sensitive than cAMP content as an index of cAMP-related function in the bladder. Further strengthening the relationship between kinase activation and water flow, we found that methohexital, an inhibitor of vasopressin-stimulated water flow and adenylate cyclase, also decreased the kinase activity ratio in the presence of vasopressin. These studies link closely the role of cAMP-dependent kinase and luminal membrane aggregates to the specific mediation of vasopressin-stimulated water flow in the bladder.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Membrane pathways for water and solutes in the toad bladder: I. Independent activation of water and urea transport.

Vsopressin activates a number of transport systems in the toad bladder, including the systems for water, urea, sodium, and other small solutes. Evidence from experiments with selective inhibitors indicates that these transport systems are to a large extent functionally independent. In the present study, we show that the transport systems can be separately activated. Low concentrations of vasopressin (1 mU/ml) activate urea transport with virtually no effect on water transport. This selective effect is due in part to the relatively greater inhibitor action of endogenous prostaglandins on water transport. Low concentrations of 8-bromoadenosine cyclic AMP, on the other hand, activate water, but not urea transport. In additional experiments, we found that varying the ratio of exogenous cyclic AMP to theophylline activated water or urea transport selectively. These studies support the concept of independently controlled systems for water and solute transport, and provide a basis for the study of individual luminal membrane pathways for water and solutes in the accompanying paper.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Membrane pathways for water and solutes in the toad bladder: II. Reflection coefficients of the water and solute channels.

Urea and water transport across the toad bladder can be separately activated by low concentrations of vasopressin or 8 Br-cAMP. Employing this method of selective activation, we have determined the reflection coefficient (sigma) of urea and other small molecules under circumstances in which the bladder was transporting urea or water. An osmotic method for the determination of sigma was used, in which the ability of a given solute to retard water efflux from the bladder was compared to that of raffinose (sigma = 1.0) or water (sigma = 0). When urea transport was activated (low concentration of vasopressin), sigma for urea and other solutes was low, (sigma urea, 0.08--0.39; sigma acetamide, 0.55; sigma ethylene glycol, 0.60). When water transport was activated (0.1 mM 8 Br-cAMP) sigma urea approached 1.0 sigma urea also approached 1.0 at high vasopressin concentrations. In a separate series of studies, sigma urea was determined in the presence of 2 x 10(-5) M KMnO4 in the luminal bathing medium. Under these conditions, when urea transport is selectively blocked, sigma urea rose from a value of 0.12 to 0.89. Thus, permanganate appears to "close" the urea transport channel. These findings indicate that the luminal membrane channels for water and solutes differ significantly in their dimensions. The solute channels, limited in number, have relatively large radii. They carry a small fraction (approximately 10%) of total water flow. The water transport channels, on the other hand, have small radii, approximately the size of a water molecule, and exclude solutes as small as urea.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

pH-Dependence of water and solute transport in toad urinary bladder.

Stimulation of urea and water transport by vasopressin (ADH) appears to occur via independent pathways. We examined the effects of altering serosal or mucosal bath pH on transport of water, urea, and sodium. Compared to bladders with a serosal bath pH of 7.4 to 8.0, reducing the serosal bath pH to 6.8 led to a 60% fall in ADH-stimulated osmotic water flow, without decreasing the permeability of urea. Raising the serosal pH to 9.5 had the opposite effect: urea permeability was inhibited by 40% without altering water flow. Exogenous cyclic AMP-stimulated water and urea permeabilities were not dissociated, but were changed in the same direction by alterations in serosal pH: serosal acidification enhanced the effect of exogenous cyclic AMP on both urea and water, whereas the cyclic AMP effect on both was diminished by serosal alkalinization. This was especially marked for urea, suggesting that an alteration in the urea response to cyclic AMP may be particularly important in defining vasopressin-stimulated urea permeability as the serosal bath pH is altered. Mucosal acidification increased short circuit current but decreased both the urea and water response to ADH and 8-bromo-cyclic AMP. The response to cyclic AMP was less consistent. Mucosal alkalinization did not cause significant changes in either basal or stimulated transport. The data demonstrate distinct and separable effects of bath pH alterations on each of the transport systems examined.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Ligandinuria: an indication of tubular cell necrosis.

Ligandinuria is a useful index of acute tubular injury. Ligandin probably enters the urine at the time of initial necrosis and should be looked for soon after the toxic or ischemic event. Periodic examination of perfusates for this substance might yield useful information about techniques for storage of cadaver kidneys.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Ligandin in perfusates from transplanted kidneys: a test for tubular necrosis.

Ligandin, an intracellular organic anion-binding protein, having glutathione-S-transferase activity, was detected in concentrated perfusing solutions from 8 of 13 kidneys preserved for homotransplantation. The presence of ligandin in the perfusate correlated well with oliguric acute renal failure following transplantation. Testing the perfusate for ligandin may be useful in predicting tubular damage in renal transplants.

Acute Kidney Injury↗