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Biomedical subjects

S D Nelson

Publications and source records attributed to S D Nelson.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Metabolism of selectively methylated and deuterated analogs of 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane: role in organ toxicity and mutagenicity.

In vitro bromide release and in vivo glutathione (GSH) depletion in rat liver, kidney and testis by 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) and selectively methylated and deuterated DBCP analogs were studied. With liver microsomes from phenobarbital-pretreated rats the bromide release from the C1-C3-D4- and the perdeuterated DBCP analogs were 54% and 26% of that of DBCP, respectively. Inhibitors of P-450 reduced the bromide release to 10-20% of that without additions. This correlated with the effects of deuterium substitution and additions of P-450 inhibitors on DBCP-induced bacterial mutagenicity as reported elsewhere by this laboratory. To study the importance of GSH-dependent metabolism in DBCP toxicity, bromide release was assayed in cytosolic preparations using methylated analogs of DBCP. With the C1-methyl-derivative, bromide release was markedly reduced compared to that with DBCP in cytosols from liver, kidney and testis. A similar reduction in in vivo nephrotoxicity and testicular damage has recently been reported. The obtained correlation between in vitro GSH-dependent metabolism of methylated DBCP analogs and their in vivo organ damaging potential, points to an involvement of GSH-dependent metabolism in DBCP-induced in vivo toxicity. Both DBCP and the methylated analogs (360 mumol/kg i.p.) depleted the GSH levels in liver after 1 and 3 h and in kidney after 1 h, whereas in the testis no significant depletion of GSH was obtained. As kidney and testis are reported to be the primary target organs for DBCP, there was an apparent lack of correlation between tissue depletion of GSH and organ toxicity.

Animals↗

Dissociation of 19-hydroxy- 19-oxo-, and aromatizing-activities in human placental microsomes through the use of suicide substrates to aromatase.

Suicide substrates of aromatase were used as chemical probes to determine if free 19-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione (19-OHA) and 19-oxoandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione (19-oxoA) are obligatory intermediates in the aromatization of androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (androstenedione) to oestrone by human placental aromatase. A radiometric-HPLC assay was used to monitor 19-hydroxy, 19-oxo-, and aromatized products formed in incubations of [14C]androstenedione and human placental microsomes. When microsomes were preincubated with the suicide substrates 10 beta-mercapto-estr-4-ene-3,17-dione (10 beta-SHnorA), or 17 beta-hydroxy-10 beta-mercaptoestr-4-ene-3-one (10 beta-SHnorT), it was found that 19-hydroxy-, 19-oxo- and aromatase activities were inhibited in parallel. However, when the suicide substrates 4-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione (4-OHA) and 19-mercaptoandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione (19-SHA) were preincubated with placental microsomes, significantly greater inhibition of formation of oestrogens was observed in comparison to the inhibition of formation of 19-hydroxy- and 19-oxo-metabolites. Furthermore, significantly more time-dependent inhibition of 19-oxoA formation was observed in comparison to inhibition of 19-OHA formation with these same inhibitors. These results suggest that 19-hydroxy- and 19-oxo-androstenediones are not free, obligatory intermediates in the aromatization of androstenedione by human placental aromatase, but rather are products of their own autonomous cytochrome P-450-dependent, microsomal enzymatic activities.

Androstenedione↗

Electrophysiologic actions and antifibrillatory efficacy of subacute left stellectomy in a conscious, post-infarction canine model of ischemic ventricular fibrillation.

The autonomic nervous system appears to modulate ventricular arrhythmias associated with acute myocardial ischemia. This study investigated the electrophysiologic effects and antifibrillatory actions of subacute left stellectomy in a conscious, post-infarction canine model of sudden cardiac death. Twenty-two dogs with a previous anterior wall myocardial infarction and inducible ventricular arrhythmias were randomized to undergo either left stellectomy (n = 12) or remain as sham-denervated controls (n = 10). Five to 7 days post left stellectomy, there were no significant changes in heart rate, electrocardiographic intervals or ventricular refractoriness compared to sham-denervated controls. Acute posterolateral ischemia was produced in left stellectomy and sham-denervated dogs by anodal current-induced thrombosis via a previously positioned electrode in the left circumflex coronary artery. Ventricular fibrillation developed within 1 hour of the onset of ischemia (early ventricular fibrillation) in 3/12 (25%) left stellectomy dogs versus 8/10 (80%) sham-denervated controls (P less than 0.05). However, 24-hour mortality rate was 5/12 (42%) after left stellectomy versus 8/10 (80%) after sham denervation (P = 0.072). Small differences in regional myocardial norepinephrine content, which is a marker for neuronal integrity, occurred in the mid-posterolateral and mid-anteroseptal regions of the left ventricle after left stellectomy. Overall norepinephrine concentration after left stellectomy was 409.70 +/- 9.90 ng/g vs 428.07 +/- 10.84 ng/g in sham controls (P = NS). In summary, subacute left stellectomy significantly reduces the incidence of ventricular fibrillation occurring within 1 hour of the onset of acute posterolateral ischemia at a distance to a previous myocardial infarction in conscious dogs, and tends to reduce the ischemic post-infarction mortality at 24 hours after the onset of ischemia. This protective effect of left stellectomy is not due to any alteration in cardiac electrophysiologic parameters measured prior to the development of acute posterolateral ischemia, nor is it related to regional denervation as determined by myocardial tissue concentration of residual norepinephrine.

Animals↗

Concealed anterograde accessory pathway conduction during the induction of orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether concealed anterograde accessory pathway conduction occurs during the induction of orthodromic tachycardia by an atrial extrastimulus (S2). Sixteen patients with an overt (n = 9) or concealed (n = 7) accessory pathway had inducible orthodromic tachycardia by S2 during an atrial drive (S1) cycle length of 500 to 650 ms. A ventricular extrastimulus (S3) was introduced coincident with the His depolarization resulting from S2 during the longest S1S2 interval that reproducibly induced orthodromic tachycardia. The S1S3 interval was decreased in 10 ms steps until S3 reached ventricular refractoriness. Retrograde accessory pathway conduction of S3 in the presence and absence of S2 was compared at the same S1S3 intervals. In the absence of S2 there was retrograde accessory pathway conduction after S3 in each patient. In the presence of S2, in patients with overt pre-excitation, retrograde accessory pathway conduction after S3 was absent in one patient, prolonged in four patients and present only after long S1S3 intervals in three patients. Only one patient had unchanged retrograde conduction regardless of the presence or absence of S2. In patients with a concealed accessory pathway, retrograde accessory pathway conduction after S3 was absent in five patients and was prolonged in two. Thus, concealed anterograde accessory pathway conduction was present in 15 of 16 patients at the time of orthodromic tachycardia induction. In conclusion, concealed anterograde accessory pathway conduction occurs in a majority of patients with an overt or a concealed accessory pathway during induction of orthodromic tachycardia by an atrial extrastimulus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

Interactions of thiol-containing androgens with human placental aromatase.

A series of thiol androgens were synthesized and investigated to characterize structural features important for the inhibition of aromatase. Analogues of androstenedione with thiol groups in either the 2 alpha-, 10 beta-, or 19-positions caused time-dependent inhibition of human placental aromatase. When their KI and kcat values were compared with those of 4-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione (4-OHa) and 10 beta-propargylestr-4-ene-3,17-dione (PED), the thiol androgen 10 beta-mercaptoestr-4-ene-3,17-dione (10 beta-SHnorA) proved to be the most potent suicide substrate. However, 19-mercaptoandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione (19-SHA) was the best all-around inhibitor. All compounds except 19-SHA exhibited normal type I P-450 difference spectra with partially purified/solubilized, human placental aromatase. The Ks values for the series of compounds compared qualitatively to the KI values determined from the time and concentration-dependent inhibition experiments. 19-SHA induced split Soret peaks at 380 and 474 nm, which suggested binding of the 19-thiolate directly to the ferric iron of aromatase. This binding could be displaced by aminoglutethimide but not by androstenedione. The inhibitory activity of 19-SHA may be explained by two independent mechanisms: (1) suicide inactivation of aromatase in the ferrous state; and (2) a direct "hyper-type II" binding to the remaining portion of the cytochrome in the ferric state. A free thiol group was necessary for the suicide inhibitory activity of 19-SHA; time-dependent inactivation of aromatase by 19-(acetylthio)androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (19-SAcA) and 19-xanthogenylandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione (19-XanA) could be prevented if the microsomes were preincubated with a carboxyesterase inhibitor. Aromatase previously inactivated by either thiol androgens,4-OHA, or PED could not be reactivated after incubation with the disulfide reducing agent dithiothreitol, which suggests that a disulfide bond may not be involved in aromatase inactivation by these inhibitors.

Androstenedione↗

Different mechanisms are involved in DNA damage, bacterial mutagenicity and cytotoxicity induced by 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane in suspensions of rat liver cells.

1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) induced DNA damage, measured by an automated alkaline elution method, in suspensions of rat liver parenchymal cells at low concentrations (1-10 microM). At much higher concentrations (0.5-2.5 mM), DBCP was metabolized to products that were mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium TA100 co-incubated with the liver cells. At these higher concentrations a marked depletion of cellular glutathione was seen and at 2.5 mM DBCP was cytotoxic. Perdeuterated DBCP (D5-DBCP) caused less DNA damage in the liver cells than DBCP, most likely because of decrease in cytochrome P-450 dependent metabolism. A more pronounced decrease in mutagenicity occurred with D5-DBCP compared to DBCP, whereas the two compounds were equally cytotoxic. Preincubation of the liver cells with diethylmaleate or buthionine sulfoximine, to lower cellular levels of glutathione, decreased DBCP induced DNA damage. The decrease in DNA damage was proportional to the decrease in cellular glutathione levels. In contrast, diethylmaleate enhanced DBCP-induced bacterial mutagenicity and cellular cytotoxicity. The cytotoxic effect could be partly blocked by addition of ascorbate. From the data presented we suggest that: (i) cytochrome P-450 dependent oxidation as well as glutathione conjugation are involved in DBCP induced DNA damage, (ii) cytochrome P-450 dependent oxidation leads to formation of products mutagenic to bacteria and (iii) the cytotoxicity induced by DBCP in the liver cells in vitro is caused by oxidative damage following glutathione depletion and/or direct membrane damage.

Animals↗

Comparative genotoxicities of procarbazine and two deuterated analogs in mammalian cells in vitro and in vivo.

N-isopropyl-alpha-(2-methylhydrazino)-p-toluamide hydrochloride (procarbazine; 50-1000 micrograms/ml) induced DNA damage in hepatocytes measured by an automated alkaline elution method, whereas no significant increase in unscheduled DNA synthesis was seen. In hepatocytes isolated from PCB-treated rats, DNA damage was detected in both test systems at concentrations as low as 1-10 micrograms/ml. DNA damage, as measured by alkaline elution and sister-chromatid exchange(s), was observed also in V79 cells incubated with PCB-hepatocytes. In contrast, no mutagenic activity was observed in the Salmonella typhimurium strain TA1530 co-incubated with the hepatocytes. Exposure of rats to low doses of procarbazine (25-50 mg/kg) caused DNA damage measured by alkaline elution in liver and testis, with the liver being somewhat more sensitive. The genotoxicity caused by procarbazine was increased by a factor of 2-3 in both organs by PCB-treatment of the rats. N-isopropyl-alpha-(2-methyl-hydrazino)-p-[alpha,alpha-2H2]toluamide (d2-procarbazine), was found to cause significantly less genotoxicity in control rats than either procarbazine itself, or N-isopropyl-alpha-(2-[alpha,alpha,alpha-2H3]methylhydrazino)-p-tol uamide (d3-procarbazine). This indicates that benzylic C-H oxidation of procarbazine is an important step in the activation of procarbazine to genotoxic metabolites in uninduced rats.

Animals↗

Carcinogenicity of deuterium-labeled 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in mice.

To study the effect of deuterium substitution on the carcinogenicity of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) in mice, two comparisons were made between DMH and its fully methyl-deuterated analogue, [2H6]DMH. In a lifetime study with the CBA strain, groups of 19-30 animals of each sex were dosed s.c. weekly with 8 mg/kg of either DMH or [2H6]DMH for 8, 16, or 32 weeks. In the second study, female CF-1 mice were given DMH or [2H6]DMH in 10 weekly s.c. doses of 12 mg/kg each (13.2 mg/kg for [2H6]DMH) and examined for colon tumors 36 weeks after the first dose. Deuteration significantly decreased tumor incidence in the colon of males (P less than 0.01) and the anal tissue of both sexes (P less than 0.05) but increased that of hepatomas and lung tumors in males (P less than 0.01). Substrate deuteration did not significantly affect overall incidence of any other tumor type, however, including hemangioendotheliomas and kidney tumors in both sexes, as well as colon, uterine, ovarian, liver, and lung tumors in females. The results indicate that C--H bond breakage is kinetically important in the activation of DMH to its ultimately carcinogenic form in organs such as the male colon (relative risk in DMH-versus [2H6]DMH-treated animals approximately equal to 6), and that inhibition of this process by substrate deuteration allows a diversionary mechanism having a smaller isotope effect to become relatively more extensive. The qualitatively different effect in other organs (e.g., kidney, relative risk approximately equal to 1) supports recent suggestions that the net mechanism of activation can differ from one target tissue to another, possibly by striking a different balance between parallel metabolic pathways. The lack of a significant isotope effect on overall colon tumor incidence in females of either strain suggests that differences in relative importance among competing enzymes may also be responsible for sexual dimorphism in tumor induction by DMH.

1,2-Dimethylhydrazine↗

A gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric assay for catechol estrogens in microsomal incubations: comparison with a radiometric assay.

A gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric assay for quantifying two catechol estrogens, 2-hydroxyestradiol and 4-hydroxyestradiol, in microsomal preparations is described. The assay employs deuterium-labeled analogs of the catechol estrogens as internal standards and permits quantification of catechol estrogens, in microsomal incubations, at low (1-2) microM concentrations. The compounds are analyzed as their trimethylsilyl derivatives following separation by capillary gas chromatography.

Animals↗

Pharmacodynamics of intravenous procainamide as used during acute electropharmacologic testing.

No previous studies have determined the pharmaco-dynamics of intravenous procainamide when administered in a dose of 15 mg/kg and at a rate of 50 mg/min, as is common practice during electropharmacologic testing. In this study, 30 patients received procainamide in this fashion; the right ventricular effective refractory period and the QRS duration at a ventricular pacing rate of 120/minute were then determined every minute for 20 minutes. Ten patients received no maintenance infusion of procainamide (group A), 10 received a 4 mg/min maintenance infusion (group B) and 10 received an 8 mg/min maintenance infusion (group C). Ten additional patients received no procainamide and served as control subjects (group D). The plasma procainamide concentration was measured at 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes after the loading dose was administered. A stable plasma procainamide concentration was not present in group A, B, or C until 15 minutes after infusion of the loading dose. The effective refractory period and QRS duration increased compared with baseline at 1 minute, decreased between 1 and 10 minutes and then remained essentially unchanged between 10 and 20 minutes in all 3 treatment groups. Concentration-effect relation was linear in each treatment group. The plasma procainamide concentrations in group C were significantly greater than in group A; however, the effects on refractoriness and QRS duration were similar in both groups. These findings indicate that with a procainamide dosing method commonly used during electropharmacologic testing, the plasma procainamide concentration decreases significantly during the first 15 minutes after the loading dose is administered.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Long-term efficacy of oral pirmenol in suppressing ventricular premature depolarizations.

Pirmenol is an investigational type 1A antiarrhythmic drug the long-term efficacy of which has not been fully determined. Therefore the long-term efficacy of oral pirmenol in suppressing ventricular premature depolarizations (VPDs) was assessed in an open-label, dose-titration study. Twelve patients (eight men and four women; mean age 57 +/- 12 years) were treated for 24 to 36 months (mean 33 +/- 4). Seven had structural heart disease (three valvular heart disease, two ischemic heart disease, and two hypertensive heart disease) and five did not. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 0.63 +/- 0.13. Exclusion criteria included less than 30 VPDs/hr, greater than 15 beats of ventricular tachycardia (VT), or prior failure of more than two antiarrhythmic drugs. Drug efficacy was assessed by 24-hour ambulatory ECG monitoring performed every 3 months during the first year, every 4 months during the second year, and at 6-month intervals during the third year. The mean hourly frequency of VPDs during the placebo phase was 732 +/- 608. Seven patients (58%) were treated successfully with effective (greater than 75%) long-term suppression of VPDs. Two patients (17%) had a partial response with effective suppression of VPDs for the first 16 months and 5 months of treatment, respectively. Three patients failed to show consistent suppression of VPDs while receiving pirmenol. The daily dose of pirmenol ranged from 200 to 500 mg (mean 317 +/- 94 mg at the beginning of the study and 375 +/- 97 mg at the end). No proarrhythmic effects were identified during long-term treatment, and none of the patients withdrew from the study prematurely.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Oral↗

The spontaneous and enzymatic reaction of N-acetyl-p-benzoquinonimine with glutathione: a stopped-flow kinetic study.

The spontaneous and glutathione (GSH) transferase catalyzed reactions of GSH and N-acetyl-p-benzoquinonimine (NABQI) have been studied by stopped-flow kinetics. The spontaneous reaction was shown to be first order in NABQI, GSH and inversely proportional to the H+ concentration; e.g., at pH 7.0 and 25 degrees C the second-order rate constant was 3.2 X 10(4) M-1 s-1. Data for the enzymatic reaction gave values for Km of 27, 1.3, 7, and 7 microM and values for kappa cat of 90, 37, 5.1, and 165 s-1 for rat liver GSH transferases 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, and 7-7, respectively. Over a wide range of reactant concentrations and pH, the spontaneous reaction yields three products, namely a GSH conjugate, 3-(glutathion-S-yl)acetaminophen; a reduction product, acetaminophen; and an oxidation product, glutathione disulfide in the proportions 2:1:1. Analysis of products formed after enzymatic reaction showed that both GSH conjugation and the reduction of NABQI to acetaminophen were catalyzed to an extent characteristic of each isoenzyme. With respect to GSH conjugation, GSH transferase isoenzymes were effective in the order 7-7 greater than 2-2 greater than 1-1 greater than 3-3 greater than 4-4, and with respect to NABQI reduction these isoenzymes were effective in the order 1-1 greater than 2-2 greater than 7-7 the position of isoenzymes 3-3 and 4-4 being uncertain. Human GSH transferases delta, mu, and pi behave similarly to the homologous rat enzymes, i.e., toward conjugation in the order pi greater than delta greater than mu and the reduction delta greater than mu greater than pi (for nomenclature see W. B. Jakoby, B. Ketterer, and B. Mannervik, (1984) Biochem. Pharmacol. 33, 2539-2540). Possible mechanisms of the reaction and its effect on the toxicity of NABQI are discussed.

Acetaminophen↗

Acetaminophen and analogs as cosubstrates and inhibitors of prostaglandin H synthase.

Previous studies have shown that acetaminophen (APAP) is converted by prostaglandin H synthase (PGHS) to both one-electron oxidized products and the two-electron oxidized product, N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI). The present study further characterizes this reaction and shows that relatively low concentrations (20-200 microM) of APAP stimulate PGHS activity in ram seminal vesicle microsomes, whereas high concentrations (greater than 10 mM) inhibit the conversion of arachidonic acid (AA) to 15-hydroperoxy-9,11-peroxidoprosta-5,13-dienoic acid (PGG2). Stimulatory and inhibitory activities apparently involve the reduction of oxidized complexes of PGHS, and stimulatory and inhibitory activities roughly correlate with the electrochemical half-wave oxidation potentials of a series of hydroxyacetanilides. Using APAP as a probe, it was found that at low concentrations, APAP is converted in a cooxidation reaction with arachidonic acid to a dimer, 4'4"'-dihydroxy-3', 3"'-biacetanilide (bi-APAP), and other polymeric products. Moreover, an electrophilic metabolite of acetaminophen, NAPQI, was detected directly and also detected indirectly by its reaction with glutathione (GSH) to form 3'-(S-glutathionyl)acetaminophen (GS-APAP). The formation of all products was inhibited by indomethacin and the reductants, ascorbic acid and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). However, in the presence of GSH, ascorbic acid only partially inhibited the formation of GS-APAP while almost completely inhibiting the formation of bi-APAP. The same products of APAP (bi-APAP and NAPQI) were formed by PGHS and hydrogen peroxide in reactions that were not inhibited by indomethacin. At high concentrations of APAP that inhibit PGHS, the formation of products in the presence of arachidonic acid but not H2O2 was inhibited. These findings are generally consistent with a mechanism of acetaminophen oxidation by PGHS that involves common intermediate enzyme forms for both cyclooxygenase- and hydroperoxidase-catalyzed reactions. At least one of the intermediate complexes is reduced by relatively low concentrations of APAP and stimulates PGHS, whereas another intermediate complex is reduced by APAP at higher concentrations to inhibit the enzyme.

Acetaminophen↗

Testicular necrosis and DNA damage caused by deuterated and methylated analogs of 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane in the rat.

To study the role of metabolism in 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP)-induced testicular damage in rats, selectively deuterated and methylated analogs of DBCP were given as a single ip dose of 340 mumol/kg and testicular toxicity was determined 10 days after treatment. None of the four deuterated analogs C1-D2-, C2-D1-, C3-D2-, or C1-C2-C3-D5-DBCP reduced the degree of testicular damage compared to DBCP, indicating that metabolic cleavage of a C-H bond was not rate-limiting in DBCP-induced testicular toxicity. Of the five methylated analogs, C1-methyl-, C1-dimethyl-, C2-methyl-, and C3-methyl-DBCP and 1,2-dibromo-4-chlorobutane, only C3-methyl-DBCP caused testicular toxicity. DBCP treatment resulted in increased testicular DNA damage at doses of 85-170 mumol/kg as measured by alkaline elution of DNA from testicular cells isolated 3 hr after in vivo treatment. The perdeutero-DBCP analog induced testicular DNA damage that was at least as extensive as that induced by DBCP. Of the methylated analogs tested, only C3-methyl-DBCP gave a marked dose-dependent increase in testicular DNA damage between 170 and 540 mumol/kg. There were no significant differences in the testicular tissue distribution between DBCP, perdeutero-DBCP, and the methylated DBCP analogs. Furthermore, in distribution studies with DBCP, C1-methyl- and C3-methyl-DBCP, and 1,2-dibromo-4-chlorobutane, the highest tissue concentrations were found in the kidneys, followed by the liver and then the testes. The fact that testicular DNA damage of DBCP and its deuterated and methylated analogs paralleled their ability to cause testicular necrosis and atrophy makes measurement of DNA damage a very useful correlate in mechanistic studies of DBCP-induced testicular cell death.

Animals↗

Detection and mechanism of formation of the potent direct-acting mutagen 2-bromoacrolein from 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane.

The nematocide 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) was converted to products which are mutagenic for Salmonella typhimurium TA 100 in the presence of rat liver microsomes, NADPH, and oxygen. Typical in vivo and in vitro inhibitors of cytochrome P-450 decreased DBCP mutagenicity in the presence of microsomes. Addition of glutathione to cytosolic preparations failed to bioactivate DBCP to mutagenic metabolites. Mutagenicity studies with selectively deuterated analogs showed that substitution of deuterium for hydrogen at C-1 or C-3 of DBCP modestly decreased mutagenicity, but that deuteration at both C-1 and C-3 markedly decreased mutagenicity. The formation rates of the potent direct-acting mutagen, 2-bromoacrolein (2-BA), in incubations of DBCP and its deuterated analogs with rat liver microsomes, correlated with the isotope effects on mutagenicity. Characterization of 2-BA was accomplished by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using positive-ion chemical ionization. Mass spectral analysis of 2-BA formed from specifically deuterated analogs of DBCP indicated that initial oxidative dehalogenation at C-1 followed by a spontaneous beta-elimination reaction was the preferred pathway in the formation of 2-BA from DBCP. These results demonstrate that mutagenic metabolites of DBCP are formed by cytochrome P-450-mediated oxidative metabolism, and that 2-BA is a major mutagen formed.

Animals↗

Identification and catheter ablation of a zone of slow conduction in the reentrant circuit of ventricular tachycardia in humans.

Three patients who had incessant ventricular tachycardia and in whom a zone of slow conduction was identified are presented. Each patient's tachycardia was refractory to multiple antiarrhythmic drugs and was being treated with amiodarone at the time of the electrophysiologic study. The ventricular tachycardia cycle length was 500 to 580 ms. In Patients 1 and 2, a single site at the posterolateral wall or low septum in the left ventricle was identified at which overdrive pacing during ventricular tachycardia resulted in ventricular capture with a stimulus to QRS interval of 280 to 400 ms and with little or no change in the configuration of the QRS complexes during pacing as compared with during ventricular tachycardia. In Patient 3, the same phenomenon was observed at two areas in the left ventricle: at the inferior wall, overdrive pacing during ventricular tachycardia resulted in a stimulus to QRS interval of 440 to 470 ms, whereas at the posterolateral wall, the stimulus to QRS interval was 320 to 360 ms. Transcatheter shocks of 100 to 240 J delivered at the pacing sites have been successful in preventing recurrences of ventricular tachycardia over a follow-up period of 10 to 11 months. These observations may be explained by the pacing site being located within a reentrant circuit in a zone of slow conduction bounded by inexcitable tissue between the pacing site and the exit site of the reentrant circuit. In Patient 3, the variable stimulus to QRS intervals are explained by variable proximity of the pacing sites within the slow conduction zone to the exit site of the reentrant circuit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

Electrophysiologic effects of epinephrine in humans.

The electrophysiologic effects of circulating epinephrine in humans were examined in four study groups of 10 subjects each. In 10 subjects without structural heart disease (Group 1) and in 10 patients with coronary disease or dilated cardiomyopathy (Group 2) epinephrine infusion at 25 and 50 ng/kg body weight per min for 14 min resulted in an elevation of the plasma epinephrine concentration in the physiologic range. In both groups it produced a dose-dependent decrease in the effective refractory period of the atrium, atrioventricular (AV) node and ventricle and improvement in AV node conduction. Epinephrine facilitated the induction of sustained ventricular tachycardia in 3 of the 20 subjects. In Group 3, a beta-adrenergic blocking dose of propranolol was added to the infusion of 50 ng/kg per min of epinephrine. Propranolol not only reversed the effects of epinephrine, but also lengthened these variables compared with baseline values. In Group 4, propranolol was administered first, followed by 50 ng/kg per min of epinephrine. Propranolol alone slowed AV node conduction and mildly prolonged the refractory periods. In the presence of beta-blockade, epinephrine had no effect on AV node properties but resulted in a lengthening of the atrial and ventricular effective refractory periods. In conclusion, epinephrine in physiologic doses shortens the effective refractory period of the atrium, AV node and ventricle, improves AV node conduction and may facilitate the induction of sustained ventricular tachycardia. The overall electrophysiologic effects of epinephrine result from stimulation of beta-receptors. Stimulation of alpha-receptors by epinephrine has no effect on the AV node but prolongs the effective refractory period of the atrium and ventricle, partially offsetting the shortening of refractory periods mediated by beta-receptor stimulation.

Adult↗

Significance of ST segment depression during paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia.

During paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, patients frequently experience chest pain and marked ST segment depression suggesting acute myocardial ischemia. The purpose of this study was to assess whether ST depression during supraventricular tachycardia is caused by myocardial ischemia as reflected by net myocardial lactate production. Twenty-five patients (14 men, 11 women) who had a history of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia and a mean age (+/- SD) of 38 +/- 14 years underwent electrophysiologic testing. Twenty-four of these patients had no evidence of coronary disease, whereas one patient had undergone previous coronary bypass surgery. Nineteen patients had orthodromic and six patients had atrioventricular node reentrant tachycardias. A 12 lead electrocardiogram and simultaneous femoral artery and coronary sinus blood samples for lactate determinations were obtained at baseline and at 5 and 10 min of supraventricular tachycardia. Mean baseline heart rate of 83 +/- 12 beats/min increased to 180 +/- 25 beats/min during supraventricular tachycardia. All patients had 1 to 8 mm of ST segment depression in 1 to 9 of the 12 leads. Chest pain occurred in 64% of patients during supraventricular tachycardia. Baseline myocardial lactate extraction was 28 +/- 13% with no significant change at 5 or 10 min of tachycardia. In contrast, in a comparison group of seven patients with known coronary artery disease, atrial pacing at 168 +/- 26 beats/min in five patients resulted in greater than or equal to 1 mm ST depression in 2 to 7 of the 12 leads and a change in lactate extraction from a baseline of 29 +/- 13% to -27 +/- 20% (p less than 0.05) indicating net myocardial lactate production.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗