Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Y C Cheng

Publications and source records attributed to Y C Cheng.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

Unique spectrum of activity of 9-[(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxy)methyl]-guanine against herpesviruses in vitro and its mode of action against herpes simplex virus type 1.

A guanosine analog, 9-[(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxy)methyl]guanine (DHPG), was found to inhibit herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex virus type 2, cytomegalovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus replication by greater than 50% at concentrations that do not inhibit cell growth in culture. The potency of the drug against all of these viruses is greater than that of 9-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]guanine (acyclovir). DHPG was active against HSV-1 growth during the early phase of virus replication and had no activity when added at a later time after infection. Its antiviral activity was irreversible. Thymidine partially neutralized its action. The anti-HSV-1 activity of DHPG was dependent on the induction and the properties of virus-induced thymidine kinase. Virus variants that induced altered virus thymidine kinase and became resistant to acyclovir were still as sensitive to DHPG as the parental virus. DHPG is active against five different HSV variants with induced altered DNA polymerase and resistance to acyclovir.

Acyclovir↗

Characterization of abnormal thymidine kinases induced by drug-resistant strains of herpes simplex virus type 1.

Two TK+ acyclovir-resistant variants of herpes simplex virus (HSV) (S1 and Tr7) and one TK+ BVdU-resistant variant (B3) induce abnormal thymidine kinases with impaired ability to phosphorylate the drugs used in their isolation. These enzymes have been purified and their properties compared with those of the wild-type (wt) parent, SC16. The enzyme induced by S1 differed markedly from the other three in both its responses to salt and to pH. B3 TK recognized the enzyme's natural substrates, thymidine, deoxycytidine, dTMP and ATP as well as the wt enzyme. In contrast, Tr7 and S1 TKs failed to bind deoxycytidine and bind thymidine less well than wt. Tr7 and S1 TKs had affinities for dTMP similar to those of B3 and the wt enzymes. ATP binding to wt, Tr7 and B3 enzymes was similar but this substrate bound only weakly to S1 TK. Each mutant displayed a characteristically distinct pattern of affinities for a range of nucleoside analogue substrates, suggesting that they will show some cross-resistance to drugs which have a similar mechanism of action to acyclovir and BVdU.

Drug Resistance, Microbial↗

Susceptibility of phosphonoformic acid-resistant herpes simplex virus variants to arabinosylnucleosides and aphidicolin.

A plaque-reduction assay was used to examine the susceptibility of five phosphonoformic acid-resistant variants of herpes simplex virus type 1 to arabinosylnucleosides and aphidicolin. These viruses were cross-resistant to arabinosylhypoxanthine and to arabinosyladenine when tested in the absence of deoxycoformycin, a deaminase inhibitor. In the presence of deoxycoformycin, no cross-resistance between arabinosyladenine and phosphonoformic acid was observed. The two variants tested were cross-resistant to arabinosylthymine, and all five variants were collaterally susceptible to aphidicolin inhibition.

Antiviral Agents↗

Effect of 9-(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxymethyl)guanine on human cytomegalovirus replication in vitro.

We studied the effect of a novel purine acyclic nucleoside, 9-(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxymethyl)guanine (DHPG), on human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) replication. The susceptibility of HCMV to this drug was monitored in cell culture by plaque reduction assay. HCMV replication of various strains was inhibited to the extent of 50% by 1 to 5 microM DHPG. DHPG was highly specific in its anti-HCMV activity, since at concentrations as high as 100 microM it did not exert any detectable inhibitory effect on uninfected cell macromolecular synthesis and cell growth. At concentrations of 2 to 4 microM, the drug inhibited the synthesis of six virus-specific polypeptides with molecular weights of 200,000 (VP200), 150,000 (VP150), 67,000 (VP67), 54,000 (VP54), 32,000 (VP32), and 27,000 (VP27) up to 96 h after infection. HCMV DNA synthesis was also considerably suppressed at concentrations of 2 to 4 microM DHPG. Upon removal of the inhibitor, however, viral DNA synthesis resumed and infectious virus reappeared, indicating that this inhibition was a virostatic reversible-type inhibition.

Acyclovir↗

Alteration of the pharmacokinetics of high-dose ara-C by its metabolite, high ara-U in patients with acute leukemia.

The pharmacokinetics of high-dose cytosine arabinoside (HiDAC) given as a three-hour intravenous infusion at 3 g/m2 were studied in five patients with acute leukemia during relapse and/or remission of their disease. Apparent steady state plasma levels of ara-C during 13 infusions averaged 115 +/- 32 microM. Upon cessation of the infusion, cytosine arabinoside (ara-C) was rapidly cleared from the plasma. The apparent postinfusion kinetics of ara-C were triexponential with a distribution half-life of 16 minutes and elimination half-lives of 1.8 hours and six hours. Total clearance averaged 86 L per hour and mean residence time averaged 0.47 hours. Disease status (relapse or remission) had no apparent effect on the pharmacokinetic characteristics of ara-C. Peak levels of ara-U averaged 310 microM and the metabolite had an average apparent elimination half-life of 3.75 hours. Despite the persistence of ara-U at about 100 microM at the time of administration of subsequent infusions of ara-C, there was no further accumulation of ara-U in the plasma with repetitive infusions of HiDAC. In vitro studies indicate that ara-U can exert an inhibitory effect on deoxycytidine (dCyd) deaminase activity. The ratio of the Ki of ara-U to the Km of ara-C for cytidine (Cyd)-dCyd deaminase is 40:1; however, during the gamma phase of ara-C elimination, the ratio of ara-U:ara-C in plasma is at least 100:1. Thus, a retardation of systemic catabolism of ara-C by ara-U is possible. Two to three hours after the termination of the HiDAC infusion, the ara-C cerebrospinal fluid: plasma ratio is 1-3:1, a feature of potential therapeutic significance. The slower elimination of ara-C from the CSF may also contribute to the plasma gamma half-life.

Acute Disease↗

Effects of 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine on DNA metabolism in HeLa cells.

5-Fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine at a concentration of 0.1 microM completely inhibited incorporation of radioactivity from [3H]dUrd into DNA in HeLa S3 cells within 5 min of exposure. The dTTP pool size decreased from 800 to 300 pmoles/10(7) cells by 1 hr, and then gradually increased after 3 hr of exposure. Although the incorporation of radioactivity from [32P] H3PO4 into DNA was inhibited, the relative incorporation into smaller fragments compared with larger fragments of DNA was found to be increased in the drug-treated cells. When the cells with [14C]thymidine-prelabeled DNA were exposed to 5 fluoro-dUrd, shifts of labeled DNA peaks to smaller sizes were observed between 5 and 18 hr after exposure, as analyzed by alkaline sucrose gradient centrifugation. Exposure of cells to 1 and 10 microM 5-fluoro-[3H]dUrd caused incorporation of radioactivity into DNA. By high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of nucleosides, it was confirmed that almost all of the radioactivity was incorporated as 5-fluoro-dUrd.

Centrifugation, Density Gradient↗

Antibody responses to Epstein-Barr virus-specific DNase in relation to the prognosis of juvenile patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

We have examined serial sera from 17 juvenile patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) for their capacity to neutralize the activity of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific DNase. The results revealed that NPC patients who became long-term survivors (LTS) without evidence of the disease either never possessed significant levels of antibodies to the enzyme or showed a gradual decline in the number of EBV DNase units neutralized from an elevated level at diagnosis to an insignificant figure several years later. All the 10 LTS neutralized less than 4, and some neutralized less than 2 units of the enzyme 3 or more years after the initial diagnosis. In contrast, serial sera from juvenile patients who died of NPC neutralized over 10 and as many as 25 units of EBV DNase either persistently until death occurred or with transient declines during unmaintained remissions. Rises and declines in the neutralizing activity were, with few exceptions, accompanied by corresponding changes in the titers of IgA and IgG antibodies to EB viral capsid antigen and to the diffuse component of the early antigens. Although the number of juvenile NPC cases available for study was small, the observations suggest that the EBV DNase neutralization test may serve to provide information on the prognosis of the patients.

Adolescent↗

DNA glycosylases.

Various DNA glycosylases exist, which initiate the first step in base-excision repair. A summary of the kinetic and physical characteristics of three classes of DNA glycosylases are presented here. The first class discussed, include glycosylases which recognize alkylated DNA. Various data from enzymes derived from both prokaryotic and eukaryotic sources is discussed. The second class deals with a glycosylase that recognizes and initiates the excision of pyrimidine dimers in DNA. To date, this enzyme has only been uncovered from two sources, Micrococcus luteus and the T4 bacteriophage of E. coli. The third class consists of the most studied of the glycosylases, the uracil-DNA glycosylase enzymes. Various characteristics are presented for the uracil-DNA glycosylases derived from various sources. Recent information from our laboratory is presented implicating that herpes simplex virus may mediate a uracil-DNA glycosylase activity in productivity infected cells.

Chemical Phenomena↗

Sequential high-dose cytosine arabinoside and asparaginase in refractory acute leukemia.

The development of resistance to Ara-C by leukemia cells may be a multifactorial process. These include diminished rates of anabolism or increased rate of catabolism to Ara-C, competition for incorporation into DNA by higher pool size of the competing normal metabolite, dCTP and perhaps other mechanisms. Laboratory investigations have shown that cellular resistance to lower doses of Ara-C (LoDAC) may be overcome by a substantial increase in the extracellular concentration (dose-effect). Clinical extrapolation of these observations have shown that high dose Ara-C (HiDAC) is effective in re-inducing remission in patients with acute leukemia who have either failed to enter remission or who relapsed while being treated with LoDAC. Other laboratory investigations indicate significant schedule-dependent synergy between sequential HiDAC and asparaginase. Application of these observations to clinical trial has resulted in a 64% complete remission rate in patients with non-lymphocytic leukemia, including those who were previously treated with LoDAC or who had had an antecedent hematologic disorder. Toxicity from this regimen was not significantly different from those employing LoDAC. These preliminary data in patients with high risk disease would suggest that HiDAC/asparaginase might have significant utility in patients with previously untreated acute non-lymphocytic leukemia.

Animals↗

Virus-induced thymidine kinases as markers for typing herpes simplex viruses and for drug sensitivity assays.

A rapid, reproducible and objective new method for typing herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) based on the effects of virus-induced thymidine kinases on various antiviral drugs has been developed. When several laboratory strains and clinical isolates were typed by this method and compared to the results obtained by the immunofluorescence antibody typing method, agreement was found for all the viruses. The new technique has the added advantage of determining the sensitivity of HSV strains to antiviral drugs.

Bromodeoxyuridine↗

Differential effect of nucleoside analog triphosphates on ribonucleotide reductases from uninfected and herpes simplex virus-infected HeLa cells.

Effects of the triphosphates of eight pyrimidine nucleoside analogs (5-substituted, 2'-fluoroara-, and acyclonucleosides) and acycloguanosine were examined on the ribonucleotide reductases prepared from uninfected and herpes simplex virus (types 1 and 2)-infected HeLa cells. Of the analogs tested, E-5-propenyl- and E-5-(2-bromovinyl)-dUTP were more potent inhibitors than dTTP of the enzymes from virus-infected cells, whereas only the former compound showed this effect on the uninfected HeLa enzyme.

Acyclovir↗

Identification and characterization of a DNase induced by Epstein-Barr virus.

The diterpene ester promoter of mouse skin tumors, 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate, induced a DNase activity in the Epstein-Barr virus-producer cell line P3HR-1. The elution patterns of the enzyme from DEAE-cellulose, phosphocellulose, and DNA-cellulose columns were different from virus-associated DNA polymerase activity. The partially purified activity could be neutralized to the extent of 90% by sera of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Purified immunoglobulin G from sera of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients inhibited this enzyme and that obtained from superinfected Raji cells to the same extent. The partially purified enzyme preferred native DNA as a substrate over denatured DNA and 3'-terminally labeled activated calf thymus DNA. The activity was inhibited by high ionic strength. Phosphonoformic acid did not have any effect on this enzyme activity.

Burkitt Lymphoma↗

In vitro biological activity of 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-2-fluoroadenine and the biochemical actions of its triphosphate on DNA polymerases and ribonucleotide reductase from HeLa cells.

9-beta-D-Arabinofuranosyl-2-fluoroadenine (2-F-araA) inhibited the growth in vitro of HeLa cells by 50% at a concentration of 0.25 microM and depressed the replication of herpes simplex virus Types 1 and 2 by 99% at 25 microM. The analogue served as a substrate for cytoplasmic but not mitochondrial deoxycytidine (dCyd) kinase partially purified from human peripheral chronic lymphocytic leukemic blast cells. The Km values of dCyd and 2-F-araA for the cytoplasmic enzyme were 5 microM and 213 microM, respectively. However, at concentrations of 0.4 mM, the analogue was phosphorylated 2.9 times faster than dCyd. The 5'-triphosphate of 2-F-araA was examined for its biochemical effects on partially purified ribonucleotide reductase and highly purified DNA alpha- and beta-polymerases from HeLa cells. 2-F-araATP was a potent inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase; the concentration required for 50% inhibition of ADP reduction (0.3 mM ADP; 5 mM GTP or dGTP) was 1 microM and for CDP reduction (0.15 mM CPD; 5 mM ATP) was 8.5 microM. Furthermore, 2-F-araATP was a competitive inhibition (Ki = 1.2 microM) with respect to dATP (Km = 3.8 microM) of DNA alpha-polymerase, whereas DNA beta-polymerase was relatively insensitive to the drug. The results suggest that the cytotoxic actions of 2-F-araA may be due, in part, to a "self-potentiating" inhibition of DNA synthesis. This is, by inhibiting the formation of competing dATP, 2-F-araATP may potentiate its inhibition of DNA synthesis.

Antiviral Agents↗

Effect of methotrexate on dihydrofolate reductase activity in methotrexate-resistant human KB cells.

A cloned subline of human cell variants derived from KB cells (KB/6b), 6500-fold resistant to methotrexate (MTX), exhibited a stable 40-fold elevation of the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (EC 1.5.1.3., DHFR) in the absence of the drug. No differences were detected between the enzyme isolated from resistant and parental KB cells. After the culture medium was supplemented with MTX, the resistant cells were shown to have an additional 5-fold increase in DHFR levels. This increment was dependent upon the concentration of exogenous MTX and was freely reversible. This behavior differs from that of other DHFR-overproducing mammalian cell lines previously reported. The half-life of DHFR in these cells in the presence or absence of MTX was the same, thus eliminating stabilization of the enzyme by MTX as being responsible for the modulation or "induction" phenomenon. Furthermore, the effect was blocked by cycloheximide and was not affected by actinomycin D. These results suggest that modulation of DHFR specific activity by MTX occurs at either the translational level or by as yet undefined post-transcriptional mechanism(s).

Cells, Cultured↗