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Biomedical subjects

Y Fong

Publications and source records attributed to Y Fong.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

Hepatocellular membrane function during chronic burn injury.

Hepatocellular membrane dysfunction, as indicated by depolarization of the membrane potential, occurs after acute injury and early bacteremia. To determine whether hepatocellular membrane dysfunction occurs in the setting of ongoing thermal injury and infection, Wistar rats were divided into four groups: (1) sham-burned, freely fed controls (FF); (2) rats sustaining approximately 30% total body surface area dorsal full-thickness scald burn (Burn); (3) rats sustaining burns as in group 2 followed by immediate inoculation of 1 x 10(8) CFU Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Burn/Inf); and (4) sham-burned rats pair-fed to the food intake of the Burn/Inf group (PF). On the third and seventh days postburn, body and liver weights were determined. In vivo hepatocellular transmembrane potentials were measured and hepatic ATP, RNA, DNA, and protein contents were assayed. By Day 7, despite greater weight loss in the Burn/Inf group than due to starvation alone (P less than 0.01 Burn/Inf vs FF and PF), hepatic mass was conserved. This was associated with hyperpolarization of the hepatic transmembrane potential (-46.6 +/- 1.5 vs -32.1 +/- 0.6 mV, Burn/Inf vs FF, P less than 0.01) and increases in RNA (141 +/- 9 vs 91 +/- 4 mg/liver, Burn/Inf vs FF, P less than 0.01) and DNA (37 +/- 5 vs 22 +/- 2 mg/liver, Burn/Inf vs FF, P less than 0.05) contents, with no change in ATP or hepatic protein contents. There was a significant hypercorticosteronemia observed in the Burn/Inf group (43 +/- 9 vs 2.8 +/- 0.7 micrograms/dl, Burn/Inf vs FF, P less than 0.01). This hepatic membrane hyperpolarization and augmented RNA content were not secondary to burn or starvation alone as the response in these groups was significantly less than that of the Burn/Inf group. It is suggested that this hepatic membrane hyperpolarization is one mechanism by which hepatic function is maintained during ongoing burn infection in the rat.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Recombinant growth hormone enhances muscle myosin heavy-chain mRNA accumulation and amino acid accrual in humans.

A potentially lethal complication of trauma, malignancy, and infection is a progressive erosion of muscle protein mass that is not readily reversed by nutritional support. Growth hormone is capable of improving total body nitrogen balance, but its role in myofibrillar protein synthesis in humans is unknown. The acute, in situ muscle protein response to an infusion of methionyl human growth hormone was investigated in the limbs of nutritionally depleted subjects during a period of intravenous refeeding. A 6-hr methionyl growth hormone infusion achieved steady-state serum levels comparable to normal physiologic peaks and was associated with a significant increase in limb amino acid uptake, without a change in body amino acid oxidation. Myosin heavy-chain mRNA levels, measured by quantitative dot blot hybridization, were also significantly elevated after growth hormone administration. The data indicate that methionyl growth hormone can induce intracellular amino acid accrual and increased levels of myofibrillar protein mRNA during hospitalized nutritional support and suggest growth hormone to be a potential therapy of lean body wasting.

Adult↗

Cachectin/tumor necrosis factor-alpha alters red blood cell kinetics and induces anemia in vivo.

Chronic inflammatory diseases are often associated with decreased red blood cell (RBC) mass. The cytokines cachectin/tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) and interleukin 1 (IL 1) are produced by monocytes/macrophages in response to many inflammatory stimuli and have been implicated in the anemia of chronic disease. This study was undertaken to evaluate the mechanisms by which cachectin/TNF, IL 1, or endotoxin induce anemia. Hematologic parameters and RBC kinetics were quantitated in rats given chronic sublethal quantities of either recombinant human cachectin/TNF, recombinant human IL 1 alpha, or Salmonella endotoxin for 7 days. Cachectin/TNF or endotoxin treatment resulted in a 25 or 31% decrease, respectively, in total RBC mass, whereas RBC mass was unchanged by IL 1 administration. Anemia associated with either chronic cachectin or endotoxin administration was characterized by normal mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin content, and reticulocyte numbers. [59Fe]RBC survival was significantly shortened in animals given cachectin, IL 1 or endotoxin, but the magnitude of the response was greatest in cachectin/TNF-or endotoxin-treated rats. Although cachectin/TNF-IL 1-, or endotoxin treatment resulted in similar hypoferremia and shortened plasma iron half-life, endotoxin or cachectin/TNF treatment (but not IL 1) significantly reduced the incorporation of plasma 59Fe into newly synthesized RBCs. We conclude that chronic cachectin/TNF administration produces anemia by decreasing RBC synthesis and reducing the life span of circulating RBCs. An endogenous cachectin/TNF response during inflammatory disease may contribute to an associated anemic state, whereas the modestly reduced red cell life span induced by IL 1 does not lead to a net reduction in RBC mass, presumably owing to a preserved RBC synthetic rate.

Anemia↗

Anticachectin/tumor necrosis factor-alpha antibodies attenuate development of cachexia in tumor models.

C57BL/6 mice bearing either a transplantable methylcholanthrene-induced sarcoma or Lewis lung adenocarcinoma were passively immunized every other day with a rabbit immunoglobulin fraction raised against murine cachectin/tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Mice bearing methylcholanthrene-induced sarcoma developed tumor-associated hypophagia that was attenuated by anticachectin immunoglobulin treatment. In the same tumor-bearing animals, anticachectin treatment also significantly reduced the extent of carcass protein and fat loss, and reduced tumor weight. Mice bearing Lewis lung adenocarcinoma did not develop significant anorexia or carcass lean tissue depletion as tumor growth progressed, but they lost carcass lipid. Treatment of Lewis lung adenocarcinoma bearing mice with anticachectin antibodies diminished the degree of carcass lipid depletion and prevented plasma hypertriglyceridemia. However, in both tumor models, anticachectin treatment did not affect either the development of anemia, hypoalbuminemia or the increase in serum amyloid P concentrations seen with increasing tumor burden. We conclude that an endogenous cachectin response, inhibitable by exogenously administered antibody, contributes to anorexia and to changes in body fat and protein metabolism in these tumor-bearing animals. Neutralizing endogenous cachectin production with antibodies offers the potential to reduce tissue wasting that is frequently associated with neoplastic disease, but it does not appear to affect all of the hematologic and acute phase responses in these murine tumor models.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Peripheral blood leukocyte kinetics following in vivo lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration to normal human subjects. Influence of elicited hormones and cytokines.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin) administration to human subjects elicits significant elevations in plasma cachectin/TNF, epinephrine, and cortisol. This study examined the temporal relationship between changes in blood leukocyte subsets and plasma mediators following endotoxin administration to normal human subjects. A five-minute intravenous infusion of purified LPS (20 units/kg Escherichia coli) was administered to 12 healthy volunteers. Blood samples were obtained at varying intervals after infusion and analyzed for differential cell counts and lymphocyte subsets (CD2, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, and HLA-DR) by flow microfluorimetry, and also assayed for plasma cachectin/TNF, epinephrine, and cortisol. Plasma cachectin/TNF was significantly elevated at 75 and 90 minutes after infusion with a peak concentration of 261 +/- 115 pg/ml noted 75 minutes after infusion. A significant plasma epinephrine elevation of 181 +/- 75 pg/ml was demonstrated one hour after infusion, while significant elevations in plasma cortisol were noted from one to five hours after infusion with a peak level of 34 +/- 3 micrograms/dl three hours after infusion. A profound monocytopenia (p less than 0.01) was noted one hour after infusion. Temporally associated with the rise in plasma cortisol was a reversal of the early granulocytopenia to a significant granulocytosis (p less than 0.01 versus preinfusion mean), whereas a marked lymphocytopenia (p less than 0.01) was observed from one to six hours after infusion. During the period of hypercortisolemia, CD2, CD3, and CD4 lymphocyte percentages were decreased (p less than 0.01) while CD20 and HLA-DR lymphocyte percentages were increased (p less than 0.01). There was a small percentage decrease in CD8 lymphocytes from one to 24 hours after infusion (p less than 0.01), although relative to the one-hour nadir, there was a significant rise in the percentage during the time of elevated plasma cortisol concentrations. A six-hour infusion of epinephrine (30 ng/kg/min) administered to six healthy volunteers resulted in a monocytosis (p less than 0.05) and granulocytosis (p less than 0.01) without a change in lymphocyte number or lymphocyte subset percentage. Previous reports have shown that in vivo corticosteroid infusion causes a prominent granulocytosis, monocytopenia, and lymphocytopenia with a decrease in the percentages of CD3 and CD4 lymphocytes. The peripheral blood leukocyte dynamics documented in the current study are similar to patterns observed following in vivo corticosteroid administration. This study suggests that the acute adrenocortical response to endotoxemia primarily mediates the subsequent changes in leukocyte subsets.

Adult↗

Cachectin/TNF or IL-1 alpha induces cachexia with redistribution of body proteins.

Macrophage secretory products are suspected to participate in the severe lean tissue wasting related to chronic illness. The protein metabolic effects of chronic, 7-day cachectin/tumor necrosis factor (cachectin) or interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) administration in vivo were studied in male Wistar rats that were 1) freely fed, 2) pair fed, 3) total protein and calorie starved, 4) twice daily lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administered, 5) twice daily cachectin administered, and 6) twice daily IL-1 alpha administered. LPS, cachectin, or IL-1 alpha administration produced anorexia; weight loss in these groups was comparable to respective pair-fed animals. However, LPS, cachectin, or IL-1 alpha accelerated peripheral protein wasting while preserving liver protein content, unlike the pattern in the pair-fed or starved animals in which loss of liver proteins and relative preservation of skeletal muscle protein were observed. The decrease in skeletal muscle protein content in LPS- or cytokine-treated animals was associated with coordinate decreases in muscle mRNA levels for the myofibrillar proteins myosin heavy chain, myosin light chain, actin, and in the 18S and 28S subunits of ribosomal RNA. We conclude that chronic exposure to the cytokines, IL-1 alpha or cachectin, can simulate those body and muscle protein changes seen in experimental LPS administration or chronic disease and markedly differ from the pattern of protein redistribution due to caloric restriction.

Animals↗

Cachectin/tumor necrosis factor induces cachexia, anemia, and inflammation.

Cachexia is a potentially lethal syndrome of unknown etiology characterized by anorexia, weight loss, and protein wasting that frequently complicates the treatment of chronic inflammation and cancer. Cachectin/TNF was isolated during the search for a humoral mediator of cachexia and found to stimulate the breakdown of energy stores from adipocytes and myocytes in vitro, but the chronic effects of the monokine in vivo are not known. Sublethal doses of recombinant human cachectin administered twice daily for 7-10 d caused cachexia in rats, as evidenced by reduced food intake, weight loss, and depletion of whole-body lipid and protein stores. Significant anemia is also observed and found to be the result of decreased red blood cell mass, not expanded plasma volume. Leukocytosis and histopathological evidence of tissue injury and inflammation are observed in several organs, including omentum, liver, spleen, and heart. These data suggests that the exposure of the normal host to cachectin is capable of inducing a pathophysiological syndrome of cachexia, anemia, and inflammation similar to that observed during inflammatory states or malignancy.

Anemia↗

Cachectin/TNF production in experimental burns and Pseudomonas infection.

Burn injury and infection result in significant losses of lean tissue. The cytokine cachectin/tumor necrosis factor has been implicated in this process but is not uniformly detected during infection. We sought to determine the relationship between body composition changes and in vivo hepatic levels of pretranslational message for cachectin (messenger RNA) in a burn and infection rodent model. Adult Wistar rats were grouped as follows: (1) freely fed, (2) 30% burn, (3) 30% burn with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, (4) pair fed, and (5) 30% burn and infection with recombinant cachectin. Compared with controls or animals only burned, burned and infected rats had a 100% increase in hepatic cachectin messenger RNA content, lost carcass protein, and exhibited muscle loss with sparing of liver mass. Tissue production of cachectin as well as other cytokines may be sufficient to mediate several body composition changes observed in response to injury and infection.

Animals↗

Influence of substrate background on peripheral tissue responses to growth hormone.

To evaluate the effects of substrate and hormonal background on the peripheral response to methionyl human growth hormone (met-hGH), metabolic measurements were performed in 10 normal subjects before and at the end of a 6-hr infusion of met-hGH. Five subjects were studied in the postabsorptive state and five were studied on the 10th day of intravenous repletion. Measurements of hormonal levels, serum amino acid levels, and free fatty acid levels, as well as extremity amino acid and free fatty acid fluxes, were performed. Met-hGH in the postabsorptive setting had no effect on extremity amino acid flux but significantly increased extremity free fatty acid efflux. In contrast, met-hGH in the background of intravenous feeding produced a significant extremity uptake of total amino acids but had no effect on free fatty acid flux. These data suggest a relationship between the substrate background and the actions of met-hGH on both peripheral protein and lipid metabolism. Therefore, the adequacy and composition of the feeding regimen may be important when considering growth hormone as an adjunct to nutritional therapy.

Adult↗

Submaximal exercise during intravenous hyperalimentation of depleted subjects.

The peripheral nitrogen wasting and loss of functional capacity caused by the malnutrition of disease and the immobilization of hospitalization may not be readily reversed by refeeding alone. In order to examine submaximal exercise as an adjunctive anabolic stimulus to intravenous refeeding (IVF) in depleted subjects, 14 volunteers were studied in the postabsorptive (PA) state, after 10 days of total starvation, and again after 10 days of nutritional repletion with I.V. feedings. The subjects were randomized to one group that received IVF alone and one group that performed 1 hour of submaximal (51% of VO2max) stationary bicycle exercise daily during IVF. The exercised group was not significantly different from the nonexercised group in urinary nitrogen balance, resting energy expenditure, extremity amino acid flux, or maximal oxygen consumption. Acute exercise did not induce significant derangements in electrolytes or counter-regulatory hormone concentrations. Ten days of submaximal exercise does not appear to be detrimental in this population recovering from moderate hospitalized malnutrition, but additional anabolic stimulae may be needed for improvements in protein accrual or functional capacity.

Adult↗

Differential neutrophil activation before and after endotoxin infusion in enterally versus parenterally fed volunteers.

This study was done to determine whether or not increased susceptibility to infection seen in enterally versus parenterally fed patients was caused by altered neutrophil (PMN) responsiveness. To determine the differential effects of route of feeding on human PMN activation, plasma C3a levels, circulating PMN counts, PMN migration to leukotriene B4 (LTB4), the peptide, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) and zymosan activated serum (ZAS) and generation of LTB4 were assayed before and after and infusion of endotoxin. Nine normal volunteers were enterally (n=4) or parenterally (n=5) fed a diet sufficient to maintain body weight for seven days prior to a standard challenge of endotoxin. Samples were taken prior to the infusion and hourly thereafter for six hours. Prior to the injection of endotoxin, significant differences were seen in the two feeding groups. Plasma C3a levels, absolute circulating PMN counts and chemotaxis to LTB4 were all significantly (p less than 0.02) elevated in the enterally fed group. Generation of LTB4 was higher in the intravenously fed group at base line than the orally fed group (p less than 0.05). Plasma C3a levels rose in the enterally fed group, but not in the intravenously fed group, at two hours after infusion. Neutrophil counts rose in both feeding groups after endotoxin infusion; but the change in percentage was greater in the enterally fed group than in the intravenously fed group. Chemotaxis to FMLP and ZAS was not different during the study and did not differ between the two feeding can have significant impact on neutrophil function and that parenteral nutrition may impair host responsiveness.

Chemotaxis↗

Cytokine appearance in human endotoxemia and primate bacteremia.

The results of recent work have demonstrated that endotoxin elicits the production of several immunopeptide cytokines that likely mediate the development of septic shock. Bolus injection of endotoxin (20 units per kilogram of body weight) to four volunteers resulted in peak serum cachetin/tumor necrosis factor (TNF) levels of 358 +/- 166 picograms per milliliter within 90 minutes after challenge (p less than 0.05 versus base line) and peak serum interleukin-1 levels of 2.14 +/- 0.89 units per milliliter within two hours after challenge. By contrast, the infusion of a lethal dose of live Escherichia coli to four baboons revealed peak serum cachectin/TNF levels of 20,500 +/- 9,890 picograms per milliliter within 90 minutes after bacteria were given (p less than 0.05 versus base line) and peak interleukin-1 levels of 14.2 +/- 10.1 units per milliliter three hours after bacterial challenge. No detectable monokine levels were observed in either model six hours after challenge. Interferon-gamma levels reached a peak of 2.67 +/- 1.66 nanograms per milliliter in baboon sera at eight hours after bacterial infusion and was no longer detectable by 12 hours. Interferon-gamma was not detected in the sera of humans. These results suggest that the transient release of cachectin/TNF, followed by interleukin-1 and interferon-gamma, may participate in the cascade of events noted in overwhelming bacterial invasion.

Adult↗

Cachectin/tumor necrosis factor induces lethal shock and stress hormone responses in the dog.

Cachectin/tumor necrosis factor has been implicated as a mediator of lethal endotoxemia, but the metabolic and hemodynamic responses to this macrophage-derived peptide have been incompletely characterized. Cachectin was administered by intra-arterial infusion in two groups of beagle dogs at lethal (100 micrograms per kilogram) and sublethal (10 micrograms per kilogram) doses. The infusion produced serum cachectin levels (1 to 50 nanomoles per liter) similar to those achieved after experimental endotoxemia. The lethal response to cachectin was characterized by progressive hypotension, shock and death within three hours. Histopathologic findings included acute inflammation of the pulmonary interstitium, intravascular thrombosis with hemorrhagic necrosis, adrenal medullary necrosis and acute renal tubular necrosis. Cachectin infusion precipitated significant increases of plasma catecholamines, cortisol and glucagon in a dose response manner. Cachectin infused directly into the isolated hindlimb mediated reductions of skeletal muscle resting transmembrane potential and stimulated lactate efflux. Cachectin appears to occupy a crucial role in physiopathologic responses to infection, and likely participates in the mobilization of host energy stores, intravascular depletion and shock after lethal endotoxemia.

Animals↗

Treatment of colorectal cancer: hepatic metastasis.

Almost one-third of patients dying from colorectal cancer have tumor limited to the liver. Systemic chemotherapy is the appropriate palliative management of patients with metastases to the liver and other sites. For many patients with isolated hepatic metastases, systemic chemotherapy is also the most appropriate treatment. However, results with systemic chemotherapy indicate that one-third or less of patients will respond to such treatments, and long-term survival is rare. In this report we provide information concerning the natural history of colorectal hepatic metastases, followed by the expected benefits with systemic chemotherapy. This information provides background for the regional therapeutic strategies of surgical resection, cryosurgery, and hepatic artery chemotherapy. We discuss the selection factors appropriate for such treatments, morbidity and mortality, and the potential long-term benefits of such approaches. The last section focuses on surgical considerations in hepatic resection and hepatic artery chemotherapy.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Metastatic liver tumors.

The liver is a common site of metastasis from a variety of tumors. In many cases, liver resection for metastatic cancer provides the only chance for a cure and can be performed with less than 5% mortality and acceptable morbidity. The 5-year survival following liver resection for colorectal metastasis is reported in many large series to be 25% to 37%. The data regarding liver resection for other metastatic tumor types are less clear. However, resection for selected tumors, such as neuroendocrine and renal cell, can provide durable palliation and/or cure. We will review important prognostic factors used to guide the selection of patients for resection of metastatic disease and make recommendations for imaging studies and follow-up routines. The role of adjuvant regional and systemic chemotherapy for resectable metastatic disease is also discussed. Methods for ablating unresectable metastatic tumors may prove to be useful adjuncts to current therapies.

Chemotherapy, Adjuvant↗

Recent advances in hepatic resection.

Hepatic surgery has emerged over the last three decades and has proven to be a safe and effective treatment for primary and secondary malignancies, as well as for benign diseases of the liver. During the past 10 years, several major advances have been made in 1) surgical technique with the advent of portal pedicle ligation maneuvers and the implementation of mechanical staplers, 2) intraoperative management with the development of low central venous pressure anesthesia, and 3) surgical technology with the innovation of laparoscopy for staging of patients with cancer and performing minimally invasive liver resection. We present a summary of our experience with these advances.

Anesthesia, General↗

Role of chest CT in patients with negative chest x-rays referred for hepatic colorectal metastases.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic resection is the standard treatment for hepatic colorectal metastases. The lung represents the next most likely site, after the liver, of metastatic disease. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest is more sensitive than is chest x-ray in detecting metastatic lung lesions. However, the usefulness of chest CT in the evaluation of patients before hepatic resection remains uncertain. METHODS: One hundred consecutive patients with negative chest x-rays and potentially resectable hepatic colorectal metastases underwent chest CT. Patients with CT findings suggestive of metastatic disease were subjected to thoracotomy or video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) before laparotomy and attempted hepatic resection. The operative findings and clinical course were analyzed. RESULTS: Eleven of 100 patients had a positive chest CT. Four of these 11 patients had malignant lesions of the lung (three metastatic colorectal cancers and one primary lung cancer). There was no difference in median total hospital stay (8.5 days [range 7 to 13 days] vs. 8.0 days [range 3 to 49 days]), number of perioperative deaths (0 vs. 2 deaths), or long-term outcome between those patients with a positive chest CT undergoing thoracotomy/VATS and those patients with a negative chest CT. Overall, chest CT provided a positive yield of 4% and a positive predictive value of 36% for the detection of malignant lesions of the lung. CONCLUSIONS: Chest CT only minimally improved detection of malignant lesions of the lung over chest x-ray. Thoracotomy/VATS and wedge resection of lung nodules did not adversely affect outcome. The low positive yield and low positive predictive value of chest CT in the setting of a negative chest x-ray places in question the usefulness of routinely performing chest CT as part of the extent-of-disease work-up before hepatic resection.

Adult↗