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Biomedical subjects

S L Newman

Publications and source records attributed to S L Newman.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Hypercatecholaminemia in Reye's syndrome.

To evaluate the role of catecholamines in Reye's syndrome, a specific and sensitive radioenzymatic assay was used to study plasma and CSF concentration of dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine in 14 patients with liver-biopsy-proven Reye's syndrome. The results (median and range) revealed significant (P less than .04, P less than .0024, and P less than .030, respectively) elevation in plasma dopamine (131, 0 to 1,193 pg/mL), norepinephrine (1,455, 20 to 5,271 pg/mL), and epinephrine (345, 7.6 to 2,504 pg/mL) at the onset of the disease when compared with the level of these neurotransmitters in a group of hospitalized patients without hepatic disorders. There was a positive correlation between plasma catecholamines and stage of coma on admission (r = .54 to .86; P less than .001 to .024). Furthermore, the concentration of dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine in the CSF increased significantly during the development of cerebral edema in all patients with Reye's syndrome as compared with concentrations in a control population. Hypercatecholaminemia may contribute to the encephalopathy of Reye's syndrome.

Adolescent↗

Generation of three different fragments of bound C3 with purified factor I or serum. II. Location of binding sites in the C3 fragments for factors B and H, complement receptors, and bovine conglutinin.

The many different recognized functions of C3 are dependent upon the ability of the activated C3 molecule both to bind covalently to protein and carbohydrate surfaces and to provide binding sites for as many as eleven different proteins. The location of the binding sites for six of these different proteins (factors B and H, complement receptors CR(1), CR(2) and CR(3) and conglutinin) was examined in the naturally occurring C3-fragments generated by C3 activation (C3b) and degradation by Factor I (iC3b, C3c, C3d,g) and trypsin (C3d). Evidence was obtained for at least four distinct binding sites in C3 for these six different C3 ligands. One binding site for B was detectable only in C3b, whereas a second binding site for H and CR(1) was detectable in both C3b and iC3b. The affinity of the binding site for H and CR(1) was charge dependent and considerably reduced in iC3b as compared to C3b. H binding to iC3b-coated sheep erythrocytes (EC3bi) was measurable only in low ionic strength buffer (4 mS). The finding that C3c-coated microspheres bound to CR(1), indicated that this second binding site was still intact in the C3c fragment. However, H binding to C3c was not examined. A third binding site in C3 for CR(2) was exposed in the d region by factor I cleavage of C3b into iC3b, and the activity of this site was unaffected by the further I cleavage of iC3b into C3d,g. Removal of the 8,000-dalton C3g fragment from C3d,g with trypsin forming C3d, resulted in reduced CR2 activity. However, because saturating amounts of monoclonal anti-C3g did not block the CR(2)-binding activity of EC3d,g, it appears unlikely that the g region of C3d,g or iC3b forms a part of the CR(2)-binding site. In addition, detergent-solubilized EC3d (C3d-OR) inhibited the CR(2)-binding activity of EC3d,g. Monocytes and neutrophils, that had been previously thought to lack CR(2) because of their inability to form EC3d rosettes, did bind EC3d,g containing greater than 5 x 10(4) C3d,g molecules per E. The finding that monocyte and neutrophil rosettes with EC3d,g were inhibited by C3d-OR, suggested that these phagocytic cells might indeed express very low numbers of CR(2), and that these CR(2) were detectable with EC3d,g and not with EC3d because C3d,g had a higher affinity for CR2 than did C3d. A fourth C3 binding site for CR(3) and conglutinin (K) was restricted to the iC3b fragment. Because of simultaneous attachment of iC3b to phagocyte CR3 and CR(3), the characteristics of iC3b binding to CR3 could only be examined with phagocytes on which the CR(1) had been blocked with anti-CR(1). Inhibition studies with EDTA and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine demonstrated a requirement for both calcium cations and carbohydrate in the binding of EC3bi to CR3 and to K. However, CR(3) differed from K in that magnesium cations were required in addition to calcium for maximum CR(3) binding activity, and NADG produced less inhibition of CR(3) activity than of K activity.

Animals↗

Identification of the cyanopregnenolone-inducible form of hepatic cytochrome P-450 as a catalyst of aldrin epoxidation.

In light of recent suggestions that hepatic microsomal aldrin expoxidation activity selectively reflects the phenobarbital (PB)-inducible form(s) of cytochrome P-450 (P-450PB), we tested the effect of pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile (PCN), a synthetic steroid that induces P-450PCN, a form of the cytochrome biochemically and immunochemically distinguishable from P-450PB. In hepatic microsomes prepared from rats receiving PB, 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC), or PCN, the latter compound produced a greater increase in aldrin epoxidation activity relative to control than did PB, whereas 3-MC decreased enzyme activity. Moreover, the aldrin epoxidation activity in microsomes prepared from PCN- or PB-pretreated rats was selectively inhibited by form-specific antibodies directed against P-450PCN or P-450PB, respectively, whereas anti-P-450MC antibodies gave no inhibition with microsomes prepared from induced or control animals. We conclude that P-450PCN, P-450PB, and probably other cytochromes P-450 catalyze aldrin epoxidation, precluding use of this enzyme as a specific marker of a single form of the cytochrome.

Aldrin↗

Vitamin D metabolites change the phenotype of monoblastic U937 cells.

U937 is a human-derived lymphoma cell line that has monoblastic properties and high-affinity receptors for 1 alpha,-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Incubation of these cells with the vitamin D metabolite at 10 nM for 5 days produced marked stimulation in adherence and ingestion of Staphylococcus aureus (645% of control) and of C3b receptor (CR1) expression (292% of control) and a slight increase in hexose monophosphate shunt activity without changing cell growth rates or Fc fragment receptor expression. The changes in cellular association of S. aureus and the CR1 were detected as early as 48 hr of incubation and peaked between 3 and 5 days. Similar changes in the CR1 were induced by 25-hydroxy- and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 at micromolar concentrations. Dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, and progesterone had no effect on CR1 expression. U937 cells incubated in the presence of vitamin D metabolites exhibited a change in their phenotype. These results suggest that vitamin D metabolites may contribute to monocyte/macrophage differentiation.

Calcifediol↗

Inhibition of zymosan activation of human neutrophil oxidative metabolism by a mouse monoclonal antibody.

We have studied a neutrophil-specific murine monoclonal antibody, PMN7C3 (IgG3), which specifically alters PMN oxidative metabolism stimulated by serum-opsonized zymosan (STZ) or Candida albicans (STC). Polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) exposed to PMN7C3 show a significant depression in O2- release (52.8% +/- 2.5% of control), H2O2 release (44.4% +/- 6.0% of control), and O2 consumption (73.9% +/- 2.6% of control) in response to STZ. O2 release in response to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) was modestly reduced (78.4% +/- 3.7%) by PMN7C3 treatment, but not to the extent seen with STZ or STC. PMN7C3 did not affect O2 release by PMNs stimulated by zymosan opsonized with IgG or by S. aureus, A 23187, or FMLP. PMN7C3 was not cytotoxic, did not trigger oxidative metabolism when used as a stimulus, did not alter STZ-induced degranulation, and did not interfere with binding or uptake of STZ by PMNs. Exposure of PMNs to PMN7C3 decreased PMN rosette formation with erythrocytes coated with C3b (54% of control) or C3bi (63% of control), but had no affect on rosette formation with IgG-coated erythrocytes. PMN7C3 does not bind to monocytes and had no affect on rosette formation by this cell type. Binding of antibody PMN7C3 to the neutrophil surface inhibits the oxidative response to opsonized STZ or STC, possibly in part by altering the function or expression of C3b and C3bi receptors. Monoclonal antibodies such as PMN7C3 provide highly specific probes that may be used to define the molecular features of the stimulus-coupled response of PMN activation.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Phagocytosis of senescent neutrophils by human monocyte-derived macrophages and rabbit inflammatory macrophages.

An in vitro system to investigate the ability of macrophages to recognize and ingest senescent polymorphonuclear neutrophils has been used that uses chromium-labeled neutrophils and staining for myeloperoxidase (MPO). Human monocyte-derived macrophages obtained from in vitro cultures were able to recognize "aged" but not freshly isolated 51Cr-labeled human neutrophils and ingest them. Freshly isolated monocytes did not exhibit this property. Because the aged neutrophils were greater than 95% viable, death did not appear to be a prerequisite for recognition and ingestion. Serum was not required for the aging of the neutrophils, and when serum was used, different concentrations did not appear to effect the aging process; that is, neutrophils aged in different concentrations of serum were ingested equally. Phagocytosis of senescent neutrophils by macrophages occurred in a time-dependent manner and was also dependent on the number of neutrophils added. Monocyte-derived macrophages first exhibited the ability to phagocytose senescent neutrophils on the 3rd d of culture, with the percentage of active macrophages increasing through day 7. In experiments with rabbit mononuclear phagocytes, immune complex-induced inflammatory macrophages from the lung but not resident bronchoalveolar macrophages or peripheral blood monocytes were found to be capable of recognition and ingestion of senescent rabbit neutrophils. These data suggest that the monocyte maturation process, akin to that seen during inflammation, is necessary in vitro before macrophages recognize and remove senescent neutrophils.

Animals↗

Measurement of the metabolism of cytochrome P-450 in cultured hepatocytes by a quantitative and specific immunochemical method.

We have defined conditions that permit quantitative and specific measurement of the metabolism of the major phenobarbital-inducible form of cytochrome P-450 protein in primary non-proliferating monolayer cultures of adult rat hepatocytes. Isolated antibodies specifically directed against phenobarbital cytochrome P-450 are used to immunoprecipitate the cytochrome from lysates of cultured hepatocytes pulse-labelled with [(3)H]leucine. Phenobarbital cytochrome P-450 protein is then isolated from the immunoprecipitate by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gradient slab gels. Specificity of the assay for phenobarbital cytochrome P-450 was established by competition experiments involving other forms of purified cytochrome P-450 as well as by testing antibodies directed against these other forms of the cytochrome. Using purified phenobarbital cytochrome P-450, radiolabelled in both its haem and apoprotein portions, as an internal standard, we demonstrated that, with this immunoassay, recovery of cytochrome P-450 from microsomal samples is nearly complete. Basal rates of synthesis of phenobarbital cytochrome P-450 representing as little as 0.02-0.05% of total cellular protein synthesis were reliably and reproducibly detected in hepatocyte culture maintained in serum-free medium for 72h. Moreover, inclusion of phenobarbital in the culture medium for 96h stimulated not only synthesis de novo of phenobarbital cytochrome P-450 protein, but also accumulation of spectrally and catalytically active cytochrome P-450. Advantages of this immunoassay are that metabolism (synthesis or degradation) of the haem or protein of this important form of the cytochrome can be measured conveniently in the small samples available from cultured cells without the necessity of preparing subcellular fractions.

Animals↗

Development of functional complement receptors during in vitro maturation of human monocytes into macrophages.

The development of Fc and C3 receptor function was evaluated during differentiation of human peripheral blood monocytes into macrophages in an in vitro culture system. At the time of isolation, monocytes formed rosettes with C3-coated erythrocytes (EIgMC) but did nt internalize them, whereas IgG-coated erythrocytes (EIgG) were both bound and ingested. During the first 24 hr in culture, IgG-mediated phagocytosis and C3-mediated rosette formation declined. After 7 days of in vitro differentiation, monocyte-derived macrophages were capable of ingesting 2 to 4 times as many EIgG as uncultured monocytes. In addition, macrophages demonstrated a new function--the ability to ingest C3-coated erythrocytes, as well as to efficiently bind them. The time course of the reappearance of receptor functions varied between different individuals, but by day 7, the activity of Fc and C3 receptors was vigorous for all individuals tested. Monocytes underwent differentiation whether they were cultured on glass coverslips or on a plastic surface. However, macrophages demonstrated C3-mediated ingestion earlier when cultured on plastic. Culturing monocytes on the different surfaces did not affect the time course of the reappearance of Fc receptor function, but did have a small effect on the magnitude of the response. These experiments demonstrate for the first time, that a defined population of human phagocytic cells can acquire the ability to mediate ingestion through their C3 receptors.

Cell Differentiation↗

Adrenal calcification present at birth.

Presented in a case in which calcification of the adrenal gland was roentgenographically evident on the first day of life. The earliest previously reported case of adrenal calcification was at 8 days of age and was attributed to an intrapartum hemorrhage. It is proposed that an intrauterine third trimester insult was responsible for prepartal hemorrhage which resulted in adrenal calcification present at birth.

Adrenal Gland Diseases↗

Evidence for hypertyraminemia in Reye's syndrome.

Utilizing a specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay, palsma and urine tyramine were measured in 14 consecutive patients with liver biopsy-proven Reye's syndrome. Plasma tyrosine was measured in 11 of these patients. The results revealed significant (P less than .003) elevation in plasma (3.4 +/- .52 ng/ml) (mean +/- SEM) and urine (1.00 +/- .26 mg/24 hr) tyramine as well as plasma tyrosine (204 +/- 52.5 mumole/liter) at the onset of the disease when compared to the levels of tyramine and tyrosine in a group of hospitalized patients without hepatic disorders. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between plasma tyramine and days in coma (r = .86; P less than .001), and between plasma tyramine and tyrosine (r = 0.80; P less than .001). These data suggest that there is s substantial disturbance of tyrosine metabolism in Reye's syndrome and that the accumulation of this amino acid and its metabolite, tyramine, may contribute to the encephalopathy of this disease.

Adolescent↗