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Biomedical subjects

S Nag

Publications and source records attributed to S Nag.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Effects of centrophenoxine on cholinephosphotransferase activity in maternal and fetal guinea pig lung.

Cholinephosphotransferase activities of guinea pig lung mitochondria and microsomes are inhibited by centrophenoxine and one of its metabolites, p-chlorophenoxyacetate. 2-Dimethylaminoethanol, the second metabolite of centrophenoxine, has no inhibitory effect on the enzyme activity. The inhibition of enzyme activity by centrophenoxine is noncompetitive. Intravenous injection of centrophenoxine and p-chlorophenoxyacetate to pregnant animals causes inhibition of cholinephosphotransferase activity in adult lung but not in fetal lung. However, direct administration of centrophenoxine to the fetus after laparotomy causes inhibition of both subcellular enzyme activity in fetal lung. It is suggested that the drug injected to the pregnant animals does not reach the fetal lung or is metabolized. Furthermore, while centrophenoxine injection does not change the total phosphatidylcholine content of adult lung, the acyl group composition of phosphatidylcholine was modulated.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Ultrastructural studies as a method of prenatal diagnosis of neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis.

Ultrastructural studies of uncultured amniotic fluid cells obtained by genetic amniocentesis at 16 wk of gestation demonstrated 3 major cell types. Membrane bound curvilinear cytosomes were observed in about 30% of a subpopulation of dark, elongated cells. These are considered typical of the inclusions of the late infantile variant of neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis. This technique was used to monitor 6 at-risk pregnancies of which 2 were identified as affected. We have followed 6 of the 7 fetuses through to delivery with confirmation of our findings by skin biopsy in 4 and with clinical observations of a fifth child. There are major problems involved in the use of uncultured amniotic fluid cells for prenatal diagnosis. In addition to a great deal of heterogeneity of cell type, there is a considerable amount of tissue debris and a very high proportion of nonviable cells. We have examined chorionic villus tissues of 3 fetuses known to have inborn errors of lysosomal metabolism without finding any evidence of storage material. This is taken as an indication that the mutant gene(s) is not expressed in these tissues at this early stage of pregnancy. Notwithstanding these limitations, the usefulness of this technique in monitoring at-risk pregnancies has to be determined.

Amniocentesis↗
PubMed1988

Localisation of calcium-activated adenosine-triphosphatase (Ca2+-ATPase) in intracerebral arterioles in acute hypertension.

The plasma membrane calcium-activated adenosine triphosphatase (Ca2+-ATPase) is known to regulate intracellular calcium levels. This enzyme was localised in intracerebral cortical vessels of normotensive and acutely hypertensive rats. Of interest was whether the arterioles that develop increased permeability to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in acute hypertension demonstrate any alteration in localisation of Ca2+-ATPase as compared to normotensive controls. Rats were injected with HRP intravenously and acute hypertension was induced by a 2-min infusion of angiotensin amide. Following perfusion of fixative, brains were sliced and reacted for demonstration of HRP reaction product and Ca2+-ATPase. Normotensive rats showed discontinuous distribution of Ca2+-ATPase on the outer plasma membranes of endothelial, smooth muscle and adventitial cells of arterioles. The localisation of Ca2+-ATPase in pinocytotic vesicles present in endothelial and smooth muscle cells was quite striking. Focal cortical areas of hypertensive rats showed increased arteriolar permeability to HRP. Permeable arterioles showed marked reduction of Ca2+-ATPase on the outer plasma membranes of endothelium and smooth muscle cells as compared to nonpermeable arterioles of the same animals and arterioles of normotensive controls. The latter finding suggests that calcium may be involved in increased cerebrovascular permeability mechanisms in acute hypertension.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Calcification in a recent cerebral infarct--radiologic and pathologic correlation.

This 60 year old male developed a right hemiplegia and aphasia. A C.T. head scan showed a cerebral infarct which appeared hyperdense on a subsequent scan done 18 days after presentation. This was interpreted as indicating a hemorrhagic transformation resulting in discontinuation of anticoagulation therapy. At autopsy, the area of infarction in the left frontoparietal hemisphere appeared intensely green due to breakdown of the blood-brain barrier in the presence of jaundice. A striking finding on microscopy was the presence of calcium salts throughout the area of infarction but most prominent in the grey matter at the periphery of the infarct corresponding to the areas which appeared hyperdense on the CT head scan and stained intensely with bilirubin. There was no evidence of recent hemorrhage. This case illustrates that calcification can occur within weeks after the onset of a recent cerebral infarct and should be considered when interpreting the development of C.T. scan hyperdensity in recent cerebral infarcts.

Brain Diseases↗
PubMed1988

Effect of pretransplant graft irradiation on canine intestinal transplantation.

This study was done to define the tolerance of ex vivo administered irradiation to intestinal allograft and to assess the effect of irradiation on the incidence and severity of rejection and graft versus host disease after intestinal transplantation in dogs. Excessive intestinal damage was produced by 2,500 rads, but 750 and 1,500 rads produced no detectable acute or chronic damage in dogs observed from 100 days to two years. Using cyclosporine for postoperative immunosuppression, 1,500 rads reduced the incidence of acute (p = 0.05) and chronic rejection (p = 0.08), yet did not impair intestinal absorption of cyclosporine. The greatest improvement in survival occurred with 750 rads (p = 0.02). Histologic evidence of graft versus host disease appeared in the native small intestine in two of four long term surviving dogs receiving a nonirradiated graft but in none of the dogs receiving irradiated grafts. Irradiation of the graft may be a promising adjunct in the search for a clinically applicable method of intestinal transplantation.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Cerebrovascular permeability to horseradish peroxidase in hypertensive rats: effects of unilateral locus ceruleus lesion.

Unilateral locus ceruleus lesion enhances leakage of radioiodinated human serum albumin into the ipsilateral cerebral cortex of rats with norepinephrine-induced hypertension. This ultrastructural study was undertaken, to determine the mechanism by which this permeability alteration occurs, using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as a tracer. Unilateral locus ceruleus lesion was produced in male Wistar-Furth rats by stereotaxic microinfusion of 5 micrograms of 6-hydroxydopamine. Two weeks later, rats were injected with HRP intravenously and acute hypertension was induced in awake rats by an intravenous infusion of norepinephrine (6 micrograms), epinephrine (6 micrograms) or angiotensin amide (12 micrograms) given over a 2-min period. Thirty seconds later, the rats were perfused with fixative under deep anesthesia and their brains were sliced and processed for demonstration of HRP reaction product. Leakage of HRP occurred in both cerebral hemispheres in response to hypertension induced by the three pressor agents, but the leakage was greater on the lesioned side in response to epinephrine and norepinephrine, while in the case of angiotensin-induced hypertension side-to-side differences in permeability alterations were not observed. In both cerebral hemispheres increased permeability affected mainly arterioles, which showed enhanced pinocytosis as the principal mechanism of HRP extravasation.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Ultrastructural localization of calcium-activated adenosine triphosphatase (Ca2+-ATPase) in cerebral endothelium.

There is increasing interest in the role of calcium in a variety of biological processes. One of the mechanisms that regulate intracellular calcium concentrations is the calcium-activated adenosine triphosphatases (Ca2+-ATPase). The availability of an histochemical method for ultrastructural localization of Ca2+-ATPase has led to a number of studies attempting to localize this enzyme in a variety of cell types. This ultrastructural study was undertaken to localize Ca2+-ATPase in walls of intracerebral cortical vessels of rats. Both capillary and arteriolar endothelium showed discontinuous deposits of Ca2+-ATPase along the outer plasma membrane including the junctional plasma membranes. Patchy distribution of Ca2+-ATPase was also observed on the outer plasma membranes of smooth muscle and adventitial cells. Focal deposits of reaction product were associated with the actin filaments in endothelium. Invaginating pinocytotic vesicles at the outer plasma membrane of endothelium and smooth muscle cells showed Ca2+-ATPase. Intracytoplasmic vesicles showed the enzyme along the inner plasma membrane. Localization of Ca2+-ATPase on endothelial plasma membranes suggests that Ca2+ may be involved in many endothelial reactions. Further studies are required to determine the role of this enzyme and Ca2+ in endothelial reactions in normal and abnormal states.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Conformational changes in myosin and heavy meromyosin from chicken gizzard associated with phosphorylation.

Heavy meromyosin (HMM) undergoes a conformational transition between a rapidly and a slowly sedimenting form, during which it sediments as a single peak in the ultracentrifuge with sedimentation coefficients between 7.5 and 9S. Changes in sedimentation velocity and ATPase activity produced by changes in ionic strength, phosphorylation of HMM or addition of MgATP are interpreted in terms of equilibria between the rapidly and slowly sedimenting forms, the observed values of activity and sedimentation velocity being determined by the fraction of HMM in each form. Phosphorylation of the 20 kDa light chain or raising the ionic strength decrease the sedimentation velocity, by decreasing the fraction of HMM in the rapidly sedimenting form, while addition of ATP increases sedimentation velocity upon forming a 9S HMM-ADP-Pi complex. Electron microscopic studies support this interpretation showing the presence of two distinct conformations of HMM--extended and flexed, which correspond to the 7.5S and 9S forms, respectively (Suzuki et al., 1985). In samples prepared at high ionic strengths, the heads extend away from the tail in a more or less random orientation, while at low ionic strength, the molecule is flexed at the head-tail junction assuming a more compact structure, that appears to account for its more rapid sedimentation rate. The degradation rates of the heavy chain and the 20 kDa light chain of HMM on digestion with papain indicate the presence of three forms of HMM differing in their susceptibility to papain. At 25 mM NaCl, HMM is rapidly digested in the absence of ATP, while addition of ATP decreases digestibility by a factor of ten, upon formation of a complex of HMM with the products of ATP hydrolysis. Above 0.4 M NaCl, HMM is degraded at an intermediate rate that is not affected by ATP. When the ionic strength is varied, the rate of disappearance of the heavy chain depends linearly on the sedimentation velocity in both the phosphorylated and dephosphorylated states, indicating that the rate of proteolysis is determined primarily by the fraction of HMM in the rapidly and slowly sedimenting forms. The same pattern is seen in the disappearance of the 20 kDa light chain of dephosphorylated HMM on cleavage at a site 4 kDa from the N-terminus, indicating that the cleavage of the light chain also depends on the fraction of HMM in the rapidly and slowly sedimenting forms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1986

Location of the sites of reaction of N-ethylmaleimide in papain and chymotryptic fragments of the gizzard myosin heavy chain.

The thiol of the gizzard myosin heavy chain, which reacts most rapidly with N-ethylmaleimide (MalNEt), has been located in the subfragment 2 region of myosin rod by fragmentation of [14C]-MalNEt-labeled myosin with papain and chymotrypsin. MalNEt reacts more slowly with thiols present in the 70- and 25-kilodalton (kDa) papain fragments of subfragment 1. The reaction of MalNEt with thiols present in these regions is increased on addition of ATP by factors of 2 and 10, respectively, when myosin is modified in 0.45 M NaCl where it is present in the extended, 6S conformation. The rate of increase of Mg2+-activated adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase) activity, which reflects the loss of ability of myosin to assume the folded, 10S conformation, and the rate of loss of K+-EDTA-activated activity produced by MalNEt are both accelerated 5- to 10-fold on addition of ATP. The rates at which ATPase activities change agree closely to the reaction rates of MalNEt with the 25-kDa region of subfragment 1; therefore, the changes in these activities can be attributed to modification of a thiol of the 25-kDa segment. An increase in actin-activated ATPase activity produced by reaction of myosin with MalNEt in 0.45 M NaCl is accelerated by ATP by a factor of at least 4. Reaction with [14C]MalNEt in the presence of MgATP and 0.2 M NaCl, where myosin is in the 10S form, inhibits the incorporation of radioactive MalNEt into the 25-kDa papain fragment of subfragment 1. It also prevents the increase in actin-activated ATPase activity and preserves the ability of myosin to assume the 10S form.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1986

Ca2+ dependence of the ATPase activity of phosphorylated smooth muscle myosin: effects of tropomyosin and actin.

Calcium ions produce a 3-4-fold stimulation of the actin-activated ATPase activities of phosphorylated myosin from bovine pulmonary artery or chicken gizzard at 37 degrees C and at physiological ionic strengths, 0.12-0.16 M. Actins from either chicken gizzard or rabbit skeletal muscle stimulate the activity of phosphorylated myosin in a Ca2+-dependent manner, indicating that the Ca2+ sensitivity involves myosin or a protein associated with it. Partial loss of Ca2+ sensitivity upon treatment of phosphorylated gizzard myosin with low concentrations of chymotrypsin and the lack of any change on similar treatment of actin supports the above conclusion. Although both actins enhance ATPase activity, activation by gizzard actin exhibits Ca2+ dependence at higher temperatures or lower ionic strengths than does activation by skeletal muscle actin. The Ca2+ dependence of the activity of phosphorylated heavy meromyosin is about half that of myosin and is affected differently by temperature, ionic strength and Mg2+, being independent of temperature and optimal at lower concentrations of NaCl. Raising the concentration of Mg2+ above 2-3 mM inhibits the activity of heavy meromyosin but stimulates that of myosin, indicating that Mg2+ and Ca2+ activate myosin at different binding sites.

Actins↗
PubMed1986

Cerebral endothelial plasma membrane alterations in acute hypertension.

This study was undertaken to localize oligosaccharide residues on the endothelial luminal plasma membrane of cerebral vessels of normotensive animals and vessels permeable to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in angiotensin-induced acute hypertension. Wistar-Furth rats were injected with HRP intravenously and hypertension was induced by an intravenous infusion of angiotensin amide. Animals were fixed 2.5, 10 and 15 min later and the HRP reaction product was demonstrated in brain slices, followed by lectin localization using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase method. Oligosaccharide residues demonstrable on the luminal plasma membrane of cerebral endothelium of normotensive controls and both permeable and nonpermeable vessels of hypertensive animals were: alpha-D-mannosyl, alpha-D-glucosyl, beta-N-acetylglucosaminyl, sialyl, beta-D-galactosyl, alpha-L-fucosyl and alpha-N-acetyl-D-galactosaminyl groups. Peanut agglutinin did not bind to the endothelium of normotensive controls or of nonpermeable vessels in hypertensive animals, but did bind to endothelium of vessels permeable to HRP 2.5 min after the onset of hypertension. At 10 min, the luminal plasma membrane of vessels regained their normal characteristics and peanut agglutinin binding was no longer demonstrable. Our studies suggest that increased cerebrovascular permeability to protein in acute hypertension is associated with loss of the terminal sialic acid groups on the luminal plasma membrane of permeable vessels. This results in the observed reduction of charge on the endothelium and an exposure of beta-D-gal-(1-3)-D-gal N-acetyl groups leads to binding of peanut agglutinin. Both alterations are rapidly reversible and no longer demonstrable 10 min after the onset of hypertension, when blood pressures reach resting levels and the blood-brain barrier is restored.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1986

Once-a-week lower hemibody irradiation (HBI) for metastatic cancers.

Hemibody irradiation (HBI) of 8 Gy has been shown to produce pain relief in widespread metastatic disease. The major problems occurred with high dose (over 6 Gy) to the upper hemibody. Because 8 Gy lower HBI was well tolerated, we decided to study the efficacy and tolerance of even higher radiation doses given to the lower hemibody. Nineteen patients with widespread metastatic cancers in the lower hemibody were treated from 1982 to 1984 with 16 Gy (8 Gy one week apart) to the lower hemibody (from top of iliac crest to knee joint) after premedication with an antiemetic. All the patients tolerated this high dose, lower HBI well, except for two patients who had slight nausea and vomiting, and one patient who had moist reaction in the perineum. There was no significant bone marrow depression. All patients had improvement in performance status and had prompt pain relief, ten (53%) with complete pain relief and nine (47%) with partial pain relief. The median duration of pain relief was 5 months. Ten of the 15 patients who died were pain-free at the time of death. The four patients still living are free of pain. The median survival was 7 months, and five patients survived 1 year. High dose (8 Gy X 2 spaced one week apart), lower HBI produces prolonged, prompt and effective palliation of pain with minimal morbidity and is well tolerated. It probably does not prolong survival. Because it requires only two treatments spaced one week apart, it is a very convenient and cost effective regimen for the sick and elderly patient.

Humans↗
PubMed1985

Prenatal diagnosis of neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinoses.

We report on the successful prenatal diagnosis of the late infantile "Jansky-Bielschowsky" variant of the neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinoses (NCL). The fetus was studied at 16 weeks of gestation because of an affected sib. Uncultured amniotic fluid cells were studied by conventional electron microscopic techniques. About one-third of a subpopulation of dark, elongated cells contained one or more deposits of curvilinear cytosomes bound by a single unit membrane. These findings were considered typical of the late infantile variant of NCL. After delivery at term, a skin punch biopsy and a buffy coat preparation from the baby were examined and found to have similar characteristic inclusions, which confirmed our prenatal diagnosis.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1985

Radioactive iodine-125 implantation for cancer of the prostate.

Localized cancer of the prostate can be treated by radical prostatectomy, external beam irradiation, or radioactive implantation with similar survival results. Radical prostatectomy, however, almost universally results in impotency, although a new, nerve-sparing procedure may preserve potency in B1 patients. External beam irradiation radiates a large volume of tissue with significant rectal and bladder morbidity, 23-47% risk of impotency, and requires prolonged treatment (6-8 weeks). Radioactive implantation may be done suprapubically or transperineally using iodine-125, gold-198, or radon-222 permanent implantation techniques and iridium-192 or radium-226 removable implantation techniques. Interstitial iodine-125 implantation is frequently employed since it is a short procedure and limits the morbidity to a 7% incidence of impotency, 20% urinary complications, and 5% rectal complications. The overall 5-year survival of patients with iodine-125 is 79%, the survival rate decreasing with increasing T or N stage or increasing grade of tumor.

Brachytherapy↗
PubMed1985

Ultrastructural localization of lectin receptors on cerebral endothelium.

Oligosaccharide residues on the endothelial luminal plasma membrane of rat cerebral cortical vessels were localized using biotinylated lectins. In addition, the effect of pretreatment of brain slices with neuraminidase prior to the binding of cationized ferritin (CF) and certain lectins was studied. Conjugates of biotinylated lectins and avidin-D horseradish peroxidase reaction product were evenly distributed on the endothelium of arterioles, capillaries, and venules. Lectin binding sites were observed on the plasma membrane of pinocytotic vesicles open onto the vascular lumen and at the luminal end of the interendothelial space only. The following sugar residues were localized: alpha-D-mannosyl, alpha-D-glucosyl, beta-N-acetylglucosaminyl, sialyl, D-galactosyl, alpha-L-fucosyl, and alpha-N-acetyl-D-galactosaminyl. Following pretreatment of brain slices with neuraminidase beta-D-gal-(1-3)-D-galN-acetyl groups were demonstrated on endothelium. In this respect, cerebral endothelium differs from noncerebral endothelium which is reported to have peanut agglutinin binding sites without neuraminidase pretreatment. Anionic groups on cerebral endothelium were demonstrated at the same locations as the lectin binding sites. Following neuraminidase pretreatment there was reduction, but not absence, of CF binding supporting the observation that surface charge is not wholly due to sialyl groups. The role of monosaccharide residues in states of altered cerebrovascular permeability remains to be determined.

Animals↗