Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Quinolinium Compounds”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources

Mechanism through which GABAA receptor modulates catecholamine secretion from bovine chromaffin cells.

The actions and mechanism of GABAergic modulation of catecholamine secretion from isolated bovine chromaffin cells were investigated. The GABAA receptor agonist muscimol induced a fast rise in cytosolic [Ca2+]. The mean peak increase was 290 +/- 30 nM over basal levels. The increase in cytosolic [Ca2+] was abolished in the absence of extracellular [Ca2+] and was blocked by the GABAA antagonist bicuculline and the dihydropiridine nifedipine. Muscimol also elicited the release of catecholamines and increased the bisoxonol fluorescence indicating a cell depolarization. The [Ca2+] entry was well correlated with muscimol-evoked catecholamine secretion. When cells were treated with muscimol and a second secretagogue, a biphasic behavior was revealed. Muscimol enhanced the catecholamine release evoked by low concentrations of nicotine or K+, whereas release obtained at high concentrations of nicotine or K+ was actually inhibited. When the muscimol effect on membrane potential was studied in the presence of low K+ or nicotine concentrations, an enhancement of the bisoxonol fluorescence was observed. This effect was reversed at high concentrations of both K+ and nicotine. Measurement of 36Cl- fluxes showed an increase in membrane permeability to Cl- during muscimol stimulation. The influx or efflux in Cl- was dependent on membrane potential. In normal conditions, with a K+ concentration of 5.4 mM, a Cl- efflux was observed by both radiometric techniques, with 36Cl- and by the use of the chloride-sensitive fluorescent probe 6-methoxy-N-(3-sulphopropil)quinolinium, as indicator of intracellular Cl-. At high nicotine (20 mM) or K+ concentrations (105 mM) a Cl- influx was observed using 6-methoxy-N-(3-sulphopropil)quinolinium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Chloride fluxes across Acholeplasma laidlawii membranes.

Chloride fluxes across the cytoplasmic membrane of Acholeplasma laidlawii were studied by using the chloride sensitive fluorescent dye, 6-methoxy-N-(sulfopropyl)quinolinium. Chloride was found to penetrate the membrane passively. Chloride flux was dependent upon the transmembrane electric potential.

Acholeplasma laidlawii↗

Acute toxicity studies with quinuronium sulfate in laboratory animals and sheep.

The acute toxicity of quinuronium was investigated by measurements of lethal doses (LD50) in mice and rats, cholinesterase activity in vivo in whole blood, and protection from anticholinesterase activity by atropinisation in sheep and rabbits. The LD50s in mice injected i.p. and s.c. were 4.80 and 5.40 mg/kg and in rats 6.3 and 6.5 mg/kg for i.p. and s.c. routes, respectively. Signs of salivation, defecation, anorexia and muscular spasms were observed in sheep. In rabbits anorexia and depression only were observed. There was species variation in normal cholinesterase activity, rabbits being low in activity. Quinuronium inhibited cholinesterase activity from 10 min to 24 h after treatment in sheep by 24% of the normal baseline values. The enzyme activity returned to normal at 48 h. Atropinisation partially protected against anticholinesterase activity in sheep; cholinesterase activity was inhibited by only 14% of the normal baseline values 10 min to 2 h after treatment. This study indicates that quinuronium is highly toxic and that rabbits are moderately resistant.

Animals↗

Quinuronium induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

Two groups of 6 rats each received subcutaneous injections of 2.3 mg/kg or 5.0 mg/kg of quinuronium, respectively, on two consecutive days, while 5 rats injected with physiological saline served as controls. Clinical signs of muscular tremors, jumps, enlarged and hyperemic eyeballs, lacrimation, depression and anorexia were observed following administration of quinuronium. One rat receiving 5 mg/kg died before termination of the study. When killed 48 h after the first injection, the quinuronium-treated rats had a higher liver weight/body weight ratio compared to the controls. Quinuronium resulted in hepatic centrilobular fatty degeneration, but no depletion of hepatic glutathione (GSH). The present findings suggest that glutathione depletion does not seem to be involved in quinuronium hepatotoxicity.

Animals↗

The role of platelet-activating factor in lipopolysaccharide-induced myocardial depression in guinea pigs.

PURPOSE: To determine if platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a key mediator of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced myocardial depression in guinea pigs. METHODS: Hartley guinea pigs of either sex received intraperitoneal (IP) injections of either vehicle (n = 45) or one of three chemically dissimilar PAF receptor antagonists (n = 38) followed 30 to 60 minutes later by IP injections of either saline (0.8 mL, n = 33) or LPS (2 to 4 mg/kg, n = 50). Left atria (LA) were harvested 16 hours later, suspended in Krebs-Henseleit buffer and attached to force-displacement transducers. Starling and force-frequency curves, contractile function in the potentiated and resting states, and inotropic response to either isoproterenol or phenylephrine were measured. RESULTS: LPS caused a significant reduction in LA contractile function. Two of the three PAF receptor antagonists failed to ameliorate LPS-induced alterations in cardiac function. The third antagonist, SR27417, was approximately 50% effective in preventing LA contractile dysfunction. However, this beneficial response appeared to be caused by a primary inotropic effect of SR27417 because LA from animals treated with SR27417 and saline showed significantly higher contractile function compared with LA from animals treated with vehicle and saline. In vitro tests confirmed this. Some LA from LPS-treated animals exhibited reduced contractile responses when in the potentiated state, a sign of impaired calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). The response of LA from endotoxic animals to isoproterenol was unchanged compared with controls whereas it was markedly impaired to phenylephrine. Use of SR27417 failed to improve this abnormal response. CONCLUSIONS: PAF does not appear to be a primary mediator of LPS-induced myocardial depression in guinea pigs. LPS may impair SR calcium release thereby causing cardiac dysfunction.

Animals↗

Activation of mouse macrophages by in vivo and in vitro treatment with a cyanine dye, lumin.

The cyanine photosensitizer, lumin, is a potent macrophage activating agent: 4 days after administration of small amounts of lumin to mice (20-40 ng mouse-1), peritoneal macrophages exhibited a greatly enhanced Fc-mediated ingestion activity; higher doses (more than 3000 ng mouse-1) did not have this effect. The in vitro photodynamic activation of macrophages in mouse peritoneal cells exposed to white fluorescent light (3 J m-2 s-1) was also studied in media containing various concentrations of lumin. A short light exposure (45 J m-2) with 10 ng lumin ml-1 produced a maximum ingestion activity of macrophages. Lumin has absorption peaks at 670 and 760 nm. Therefore we designed experiments in which peritoneal cells were exposed to a red fluorescent light (emission, 660 nm; 0.5 J m-2 s-1). In a medium containing 3 ng lumin ml-1 with 7.5 J m-2 of red light, a markedly enhanced ingestion activity of macrophages was observed. The photodynamic treatment of peritoneal macrophages alone did not stimulate phagocytic activity, but the photodynamic treatment of a mixture of non-adherent (B and T) cells and macrophages resulted in a greatly enhanced ingestion activity of macrophages. Thus non-adherent cells are required for the photodynamic activation of macrophages, implying that an activating factor is generated within the non-adherent cells and transmitted to the macrophages. This hypothesis was confirmed by the observation that co-cultivation of photodynamically treated non-adherent cells with untreated macrophages resulted in a greatly enhanced ingestion capacity.

Animals↗

Biocompatible fluorescent nanocrystals for immunolabeling of membrane proteins and cells.

A methodology for simple convenient preparation of bright, negatively or positively charged, water-soluble CdSe/ZnS core/shell nanocrystals (NCs) and their stabilization in aqueous solution is described. Single NCs can be detected using a standard epifluorescent microscope, ensuring a detection limit of one molecule coupled with an NC. NCs solubilized in water by DL-Cys were stabilized, to avoid aggregation, by poly(allylamine) and conjugated with polyclonal anti-mouse antibodies (Abs). NC-Abs conjugates were tested in dot-blots and exhibited retention of binding capacity within several nanograms of antigen detected. We further demonstrated the advantages of NC-Abs conjugates in the immunofluorescent detection and three-dimensional (3D) confocal analysis of p-glycoprotein (p-gp), one of the main mediators of the MDR phenotype, overexpressed in the membrane of MCF7r breast adenocarcinoma cells. Immunolabeling of p-gp with NC-Abs conjugates was 4200-, 2600-, and 420-fold more resistant to photobleaching than its labeling with fluorescein isothiocyanate-Abs, R-phycoerythrin-Abs, and AlexaFluor488-Abs, respectively. The labeling of p-gp with NC-Abs conjugates was highly specific, and the data were used for confocal reconstruction of 3D images of the p-gp distribution in the MCF7r cell membrane. Finally, we demonstrated the applicability of NC-Abs conjugates obtained by the method described to specific detection of antigens in paraffin-embedded formaldehyde-fixed cancer tissue specimens, using immunostaining of cytokeratin in skin basal carcinoma as an example. We conclude that the NC-Abs conjugates may serve as easy-to-do, highly sensitive, photostable labels for immunofluorescent analysis, immunohistochemical detection, and 3D confocal studies of membrane proteins and cells.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Detection of oxidative stress-induced mitochondrial DNA damage using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy.

Using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), we tested the feasibility of rapid detection of oxidative damage of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in a small volume. The complete mtDNA genome was amplified by long polymerase chain reaction (LPCR), and the product was fluorescently labeled with an intercalating dye, YOYO-1. The fluorescence autocorrelation function was analyzed using a simple two-component model with the diffusion time of 0.21 ms for the LPCR primer and 18 ms for the mtDNA LPCR product. When human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-293) cells were exposed to 0.4 mM H2O2, the fraction of the mtDNA LPCR product decreased significantly. In contrast, the fraction of the nuclear-encoded beta-globin LPCR product remained unchanged. The analysis time of FCS measurement was very short (5 min) compared with that of gel electrophoresis (3 h). Thus, FCS allowed the rapid detection of the vulnerability of mtDNA to oxidative stress within a small volume element at the subfemtoliter level in solution. These results suggest that the LPCR-FCS method can be used for epidemiological studies of diseases caused by mtDNA damage.

Benzoxazoles↗

Transchip: single-molecule detection of transcriptional elongation complexes.

A new single-molecule system, Transchip, was developed for analysis of transcription products at their genomic origins. The bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase and its promoters were used in a model system, and resultant RNAs were imaged and detected at their positions along single template DNA molecules. The Transchip system has drawn from critical aspects of Optical Mapping, a single-molecule system that enables the construction of high-resolution ordered restriction maps of whole genomes from single DNA molecules. Through statistical analysis of hundreds of single-molecule template/transcript complexes, Transchip enables analysis of the locations and strength of promoters, the direction and processivity of transcription reactions, and the termination of transcription. These novel results suggest that the new system may serve as a high-throughput platform to investigate transcriptional events on a large genome-wide scale.

Bacteriophage T7↗

Resistance to drug by different isolates Trypanosoma evansi in China.

In order to understand drug resistance in Chinese Trypanosoma evansi isolates, the in vitro growth inhibition test was carried out to detect the sensitivities to suramin and antrycide of 12 T. evansi isolates. For suramin, 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)) ranged from 0.041 to 0.752 microg/ml; for antrycide, the IC(50) values ranged from 0.00151 to 0.06694 microg/ml. In vivo experiments in mice with selected isolates showed that the isolate most resistant to suramin was not cured at a dosage of 10 mg/kg, while the isolate that was most resistant to antrycide showed only 50% cure rate at a dose rate of 5 mg/kg. The data presented here indicate that T. evansi isolates from China had differences in drug resistance, with some isolates exhibiting low sensitivity to suramin or antrycide, while a few isolates showed complete drug resistance to curative dosages of suramin or antrycide. No drug cross-resistance was observed between suramin and antrycide.

Animals↗

Detection of early changes in sperm membrane integrity pre-freezing can estimate post-thaw quality of boar spermatozoa.

A recently developed triple staining (SNARF-1/YO-PRO-1/ethidium homodimer) was used to assess early changes in boar sperm membrane integrity (MI) with the results of cryopreservation procedures and to seek for correlations among MI-spermatozoa in pre-freeze semen and its freezeability. Ejaculates from five boars were evaluated in the fresh and frozen-thawed (FT) state, and its freezeability defined as % of membrane intactness, MI% (MI%=% of FT-spermatozoa with intact membranes x 100 divided by the % of pre-freeze spermatozoa with intact membranes) estimated. Significant differences were found among boars for freezeability (MI%) and motility post-thaw (%). Interestingly, significant correlations were found between the percentage of YO-PRO-1-positive spermatozoa and freezeability (R=0.440, p<0.01), indicating this new triple staining can be used to safely disclose among ejaculates prior to freezing.

Animals↗

Stabilization of the c-myc gene promoter quadruplex by specific ligands' inhibitors of telomerase.

A parallel G-quadruplex structure was recently identified in the NHE III(1) element of the c-myc gene promoter that functioned as a transcriptional repressor. Different series of telomeric G-quadruplex interacting ligands reported to block telomerase activity were evaluated in a new PCR stop assay on the c-myc quadruplex (Pu22myc). Results indicated that the cationic porphyrin TMPyP4 previously described to stabilize c-myc quadruplex and to cause transcription inhibition efficiently inhibited the assay but with a narrow selectivity when parallel experiments were performed with an oligonucleotide (Pu22mu) containing mutations in the guanine repeat which is unable to form a quadruplex. Other ligands presented potent inhibitory properties with IC(50) in the submicromolar range. 307A, a new 2,6-pyridin-dicarboxamide derivative was found to present the highest selectivity as compared to Pu22mu oligonucleotide (>90-fold). Comparison with telomeric G-quadruplex using TRAP-G4 and PCR stop assays also indicated that ligands 307A, telomestatin, and TMPyP4 are equipotent against both c-myc and telomeric sequences while other ligands displayed some partial selectivity (2- to 6-fold) towards one of these sequences. This work provides evidence that G-quadruplex ligands reported as telomerase inhibitors efficiently stabilized c-myc promoter intramolecular quadruplex and may also potentially be used to inhibit c-myc gene transcription in tumor cells.

Binding Sites↗

Role of medullary excitatory amino acid receptors in mediating the 10-Hz rhythm in sympathetic nerve discharge of cats.

We tested the hypothesis that excitatory amino acid (EAA)-mediated transmission plays a role in generating the 10-Hz rhythm in sympathetic nerve discharge (SND) of baroreceptor-denervated, urethane-anesthetized cats. Microinjection of either an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) or non-NMDA receptor antagonist into any one of three medullary regions (lateral tegmental field, rostral, or caudal ventrolateral medulla) essentially eliminated the 10-Hz rhythm in inferior cardiac SND. We conclude that EAA receptors in the medulla are critical for generation of the 10-Hz rhythm.

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate↗

Neuroprotective effects of minocycline against in vitro and in vivo retinal ganglion cell damage.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether minocycline, a semi-synthetic tetracycline derivative, reduces (a) the in vitro neuronal damage occurring after serum deprivation in cultured retinal ganglion cells (RGC-5, a rat ganglion cell line transformed using E1A virus) and/or (b) the in vivo retinal damage induced by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) intravitreal injection in mice. In addition, we examined minocycline's putative mechanisms of action against oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In vitro, retinal damage was induced by 24-h serum deprivation, and cell viability was measured by Hoechst 33342 staining or resazurin reduction assay. In cultures of RGC-5 cells maintained in serum-free medium for up to 24 h, the number of cells undergoing cell death was reduced by minocycline (0.2-20 microM). Serum deprivation resulted in increased oxidative stress, as revealed by an increase in the fluorescence intensity for 5-(and-6)-chloromethyl-2', 7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (CM-H2DCFDA), a reactive oxygen species (ROS) indicator. Minocycline at 2 and 20 microM inhibited this ROS production. However, even at 20 microM minocycline did not inhibit the retinal damage induced by tunicamycin (an ER stress inducer). Furthermore, in mice in vivo minocycline at 90 mg/kg intraperitoneally administered 60 min before an NMDA intravitreal injection reduced the NMDA-induced retinal damage. These findings indicate that minocycline has neuroprotective effects against in vitro and in vivo retinal damage, and that an inhibitory effect on ROS production may contribute to the underlying mechanisms.

Animals↗

Use of a capillary electrophoresis instrument with laser-induced fluorescence detection for DNA quantitation. Comparison of YO-PRO-1 and PicoGreen assays.

Highly selective and sensitive assays are required for detection and quantitation of the small masses of DNA typically encountered in clinical and forensic settings. High detection sensitivity is achieved using fluorescent labeling dyes and detection techniques such as spectrofluorometers, microplate readers and cytometers. This work describes the use of a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detector in conjunction with a commercial capillary electrophoresis instrument for DNA quantitation. PicoGreen and YO-PRO-1, two fluorescent DNA labeling dyes, were used to assess the potential of the system for routine DNA analysis. Linearity, reproducibility, sensitivity, limits of detection and quantitation, and sample stability were examined for the two assays. The LIF detector response was found to be linear (R2 > 0.999) and reproducible (RSD < 9%) in both cases. The PicoGreen assay displayed lower limits of detection and quantitation (20 pg and 60 pg, respectively) than the YO-PRO-1 assay (60 pg and 260 pg, respectively). Although a small variation in fluorescence was observed for the DNA/dye complexes over time, quantitation was not significantly affected and the solutions were found to be relatively stable for 80 min. The advantages of the technique include a 4- to 40-fold reduction in the volume of sample required compared to traditional assays, a 2- to 20-fold reduction in the volume of reagents consumed, fast and automated analysis, and low cost (no specific instrumentation required).

Benzoxazoles↗

Stretching of single DNA molecules complexed with restriction endonuclease by Langmuir-Blodgett method.

We have proposed a new technique for stretching single double-stranded DNA molecules on solid substrates by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) method. The polyion complex monolayer of a cationic amphiphile and DNA molecules formed at the air-water interface was transferred on a clean glass substrate. Vertical lifting up of the glass substrate provided the transferred monolayer consisting the stretched individual DNA molecules aligned parallel to the lifting direction on the glass. The DNA molecules complexed with the restriction endonuclease (EcoRI) were employed for stretching by using this method. Fluorescence images of the transferred monolayer showed that the EcoRI-binding DNA molecules could be stretched and immobilized on the glass substrate. A specific sequence of DNA recognized by EcoRI was detected as spatial positions of the stretched DNA molecules.

Bacteriophage lambda↗

Mechanisms contributing to the exacerbated epileptiform activity in hippocampal slices expressing a C-terminal truncated GABA(B2) receptor subunit.

GABAergic synaptic transmission plays an important role in the patterning of epileptiform activity. We have previously shown that global loss of GABA(B) receptor function due to transgenic deletion of the GABA(B1) receptor subunit exacerbates epileptiform activity induced by pharmacological manipulations in hippocampal slices. Here we show that a similar hyperexcitable phenotype is observed in hippocampal slices prepared from a transgenic mouse expressing a GABA(B2) receptor subunit lacking its C terminal tail (the DeltaGB2-Ct mouse); a molecular manipulation that also produces complete loss of GABA(B) receptor function. Thus, epileptiform bursts that are sensitive to NMDA receptor antagonists (induced by either the GABA(A) receptor antagonist bicuculline (10muM) or removal of extracellular Mg(2+)) were significantly longer in duration in DeltaGB2-Ct slices relative to WT slices. We now extend these observations to demonstrate that a stimulus train induced bursting (STIB) protocol also evokes significantly longer bicuculline sensitive bursts of activity in DeltaGB2-Ct slices compared to WT. Furthermore, synchronous GABA(A) receptor-mediated potentials recorded in the presence of the potassium channel blocker 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 100muM) and the ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists NBQX (20muM) and D-AP5 (50muM) were significantly prolonged in duration in DeltaGB2-Ct versus WT slices. These data suggest that the loss of GABA(B) receptor function in DeltaGB2-Ct hippocampal slices promotes depolarising GABA(A) receptor-mediated events, which in turn, leads to the generation of ictal-like events, which may contribute to the epilepsy phenotype observed in vivo.

4-Aminopyridine↗

Cell volume response to hyposmotic shock and elevated cAMP in bovine trabecular meshwork cells.

PURPOSE: Hyposmolar perfusion of intact trabecular meshwork (TM) induces a decrease in its hydraulic conductivity (Lp). However, exposure to agents that elevate intracellular cAMP in TM cells increases Lp. Since volume of TM cells could directly influence porosity of the TM and hence Lp, this study has investigated changes in volume in response to acute hyposmotic shock (i.e. regulatory volume decrease or RVD) and elevated cAMP in cultured TM cells. METHODS: Bovine trabecular meshwork cells (BTMC), grown on glass coverslips and loaded with the fluorescent dye MQAE, were used to measure rapid changes in cell volume using the principle of dynamic fluorescence quenching. Activation of volume-regulated anion channels (VRAC) was assessed by measuring volume-sensitive Cl(-) currents (I(Cl,swell)) in the whole cell configuration of the patch clamp technique and by determining the swelling-induced enhancement in I(-) permeability using the halide-sensitivity of MQAE. Expressions of ClC (chloride channels of the ClC gene family), P-glycoprotein (Pgp), and cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) Cl(-) channels were examined by RT-PCR. Elevation of cAMP in response to forskolin was confirmed by determining the phosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding protein and activating transcription factor-1 (CREB, ATF-1), which form the downstream targets of protein kinase A. RESULTS: As a response to hyposmotic shock, there was an acute increase in cell volume but there was no robust RVD. Patch clamp experiments showed activation of a characteristic Cl(-) current in response to cell swelling. This Cl(-) current was inhibited by NPPB (100microM) and fluoxetine (50microM), both of which are known blockers of VRAC. Experiments, which used the halide-sensitivity of MQAE, also indicated a 9-fold increase in I(-) influx upon cell swelling (8.9+/-4.6; n=9), consistent with activation of a VRAC-like Cl(-) current. To examine whether RVD is limited by K(+) conductance, the swollen cells were exposed to gramicidin, which is known to induce cation channel activity. Such a maneuver led to secondary swelling with [Na(+)](o)=140mM but a rapid shrinkage [Na(+)](o)=8mM indicating that the RVD is limited by cationic conductance necessary for K(+) efflux. Exposure to forskolin, which resulted in CREB and ATF-1 phosphorylation, caused a reversible decrease in cell volume (14.5+/-5%; n=20) under isosmotic and hyposmotic conditions. RT-PCR analysis confirmed expression of ClC-2, ClC-5, and Pgp Cl(-) channels in bovine TM cells. However, ClC-3 and CFTR were not expressed. CONCLUSIONS: TM cells respond to acute hyposmotic shock in an osmometric manner, but their RVD is limited by K(+) conductance. The lack of CFTR expression and decrease in cell volume in response to forskolin concomitant with hyposmolarity suggest that elevated cAMP activates a K(+) conductance. Thus, the altered resistance to aqueous outflow in response to hyposmotic perfusion of the TM and elevated cAMP may be attributed to persistent cell swelling and cell shrinkage, respectively.

Animals↗