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Biomedical subjects

A H Mulder

Publications and source records attributed to A H Mulder.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

CHOP compared with CHOP plus granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in elderly patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether the relative dose-intensity of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) chemotherapy could be improved by prophylactic administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in elderly patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients aged 65 to 90 years (median, 72 years) with stage II to IV aggressive NHL were randomly assigned to receive standard CHOP every 3 weeks or CHOP plus G-CSF every 3 weeks on days 2 to 11 of each cycle. RESULTS: In 389 eligible patients, the relative dose intensities (RDIs) of cyclophosphamide (median, 96.3% v 93.9%; P =.01) and doxorubicin (median, 95.4% v 93.3%; P =.04) were higher in patients treated with CHOP plus G-CSF. The complete response rates were 55% and 52% for CHOP and CHOP plus G-CSF, respectively (P =.63). The actuarial overall survival at 5 years was 22% with CHOP alone, compared with 24% with CHOP plus G-CSF (P =.76), with a median follow-up of 33 months. Patients treated with CHOP plus G-CSF had an identical incidence of infections, with World Health Organization grade 3 to 4 (34 of 1,191 cycles v 36 of 1,195 cycles). Only the cumulative days with antibiotics were fewer with CHOP plus G-CSF (median, 0 v 6 days; P =.006) than with CHOP alone. The number of hospital admissions and the number of days in hospital were not different. CONCLUSION: In elderly patients, G-CSF improved the RDI of CHOP, but this did not lead to a higher complete response rate or better overall survival. G-CSF did not prevent serious infections.

Aged↗

Antibody responses to pneumococcal and haemophilus vaccinations in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

Although vaccination against Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is recommended for immunocompromised patients, such as patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL), its protective effect is questionable. We studied antibody responses to pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (Pneumovax-23) and to conjugated H. influenzae type b-vaccine (Act-Hib) in 25 patients with B-CLL. After vaccination, the number of patients with antibody levels in the protective range against pneumococcal serotypes and H. influenzae b increased from 9 (38%) to 12 (50%) of 24 patients and from 8 (35%) to 11 (48%) of 23 patients, respectively. The patients with adequate antibody response to Pneumovax-23 and Act-Hib had significantly less advanced stages of B-CLL, higher gammaglobulin levels, total IgG-levels and IgG-subclasses 2 and 4 levels, and lower levels of soluble CD23. Consequently, vaccination with these vaccines should be given as soon as the diagnosis of B-CLL is made, early in the course of the disease with determination of post-vaccination antibody levels.

Aged↗

The role of molecular analysis of immunoglobulin and T cell receptor gene rearrangements in the diagnosis of lymphoproliferative disorders.

AIMS: To investigate whether the analysis of immunoglobulin (Ig)/T cell receptor (TCR) rearrangements is useful in the diagnosis of lymphoproliferative disorders. METHODS: In a series of 107 consecutive cases with initial suspicion of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), Southern blot (SB) analysis of Ig/TCR rearrangements was performed. RESULTS: In 98 of 100 histopathologically conclusive cases, Ig/TCR gene results were concordant. In one presumed diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLCL) and one follicular lymphoma (FL) case no clonality could be detected by SB analysis, or by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at second stage. In the DLCL, sampling error might have occurred; the FL was revised after an initial diagnosis of reactivity. In many of the histopathologically inconclusive cases Ig/TCR gene SB analysis was helpful, giving support for the histopathological suspicion. However, because of a lack of (clinical) follow up data this could not be confirmed in a few cases. CONCLUSIONS: Experienced haematopathologists or a pathologist panel can diagnose malignant versus reactive lesions in most cases without the need for Ig/TCR gene analysis and can select the 5-10% of cases that might benefit from molecular clonality studies.

Blotting, Southern↗

Hemolytic uremic syndrome after capnocytophaga canimorsus (DF-2) septicemia.

A 66-year-old man developed a hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) with acute renal failure, thrombocytopenia, fragmented red cells in the blood film and elevated serum LDH following a capnocytophaga canimorsus (DF-2) infection after a dog bite. He was treated with antibiotics, plasmapheresis and hemodialysis. Although hematologic values improved, the patient remained hemodialysis-dependent for six months. In the literature several cases of renal failure following capnocytophaga canimorsus septicemia have been described, caused by hypotension or disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). In our patient there were no signs of hypotension or extensive DIC. A few case reports described HUS and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) following DF-2 sepsis.

Aged↗

Synergistically interacting dopamine D1 and NMDA receptors mediate nonvesicular transporter-dependent GABA release from rat striatal medium spiny neurons.

Given the complex interactions between dopamine D1 and glutamate NMDA receptors in the striatum, we investigated the role of these receptors in transporter-mediated GABA release from cultured medium spiny neurons of rat striatum. Like NMDA receptor-mediated [(3)H]-GABA release, that induced by prolonged (20 min) dopamine D1 receptor activation was enhanced on omission of external calcium, was action potential-independent (tetrodotoxin-insensitive), and was diminished by the GABA transporter blocker nipecotic acid, indicating the involvement of transporter-mediated release. Interestingly, lowering the external sodium concentration only reduced the stimulatory effect of NMDA. Blockade of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase by ouabain enhanced NMDA-induced but abolished dopamine-induced release. Moreover, dopamine appeared to potentiate the effect of NMDA on [(3)H]-GABA release. These effects of dopamine were mimicked by forskolin. mu-Opioid receptor-mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase by morphine reduced dopamine- and NMDA-induced release. These results confirm previous studies indicating that NMDA receptor activation causes a slow action potential-independent efflux of GABA by reversal of the sodium-dependent GABA transporter on sodium entry through the NMDA receptor channel. Moreover, our data indicate that activation of G-protein-coupled dopamine D1 receptors also induces a transporter-mediated increase in spontaneous GABA release, but through a different mechanism of action, i.e., through cAMP-dependent inhibition of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, inducing accumulation of intracellular sodium, reversal of the GABA carrier, and potentiation of NMDA-induced release. These receptor interactions may play a crucial role in the behavioral activating effects of psychostimulant drugs.

Action Potentials↗

The effects of fractionated gamma irradiation on induction of mammary carcinoma in normal and estrogen-treated rats.

The effects of dose fractionation on induction of mammary carcinoma were studied in normal and estrogen-treated female rats of the inbred WAG/Rij strain. Groups of 40 animals received total-body doses of 1 or 2 Gy of (137)Cs gamma radiation, administered in fractions of 2.5, 10 or 40 mGy with intervals of 12 h, or in fractions of 10 mGy with intervals of 2, 5 or 24 h. The irradiations were started at the age of 8 weeks. Estrogen treatment was accomplished by implantation of a pellet containing estrogen at the age of 6 weeks. All mammary tumors were resected and classified histologically as carcinoma or fibroadenoma. The age-specific incidence of mammary carcinoma was compared with that in control groups of unirradiated normal or estrogen-treated rats and was expressed as excess normalized risk, using lifetime statistical analysis with both parametric and nonparametric methods. The data were also compared to the results of single-dose experiments reported in previous papers. Fractionated irradiation increased the risk of mammary cancer in both normal and estrogen-treated rats compared to the corresponding unirradiated control group. The excess normalized risk per unit of total dose was approximately equal with or without estrogen treatment. Without estrogen treatment, the effects of the single-dose and fractionated irradiations were approximately equal. In estrogen-treated animals, however, single-dose irradiation was up to 15 times more carcinogenic than the fractionated exposures. This fractionation effect appeared to vanish for total doses below approximately 0.3 Gy. With estrogen treatment, the excess normalized risk was significantly higher for dose fractions of 40 mGy than for fractions of 10 mGy. The risk was also markedly higher for fractionation intervals of 2 or 5 h than for intervals of 12 or 24 h. The results of these experiments show that the effects of dose fractionation on the induction of mammary carcinoma may depend on hormonal status, the total dose delivered, the dose per fraction, and the fractionation interval.

Animals↗

Opposing role of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors in modulation of rat nucleus accumbens noradrenaline release.

The role of dopamine receptors in the modulation of nucleus accumbens noradrenaline release was investigated in superfused rat brain slices. At concentrations of </=1 microM, dopamine enhanced, whereas at higher concentrations dopamine inhibited electrically evoked [3H]noradrenaline release. The D1 receptor agonist SKF-38393 increased, whereas the D2 agonist quinpirole inhibited evoked [3H]noradrenaline release. These effects were attenuated by the D1 antagonist SCH-23390 and the D2 antagonist (-)-sulpiride, respectively, indicating that accumbens noradrenaline release is regulated by stimulatory D1 and inhibitory D2 receptors. Whereas (-)-sulpiride enhanced, SCH-23390 did not reduce evoked accumbens [3H]noradrenaline release, indicating a tonic activation of D2 receptors only. Given the similar apparent affinity of dopamine for D1 and D2 receptors in striatal slices, the lack of tonic D1 receptor activation suggests that D1, unlike D2, receptors are extrasynaptically localized. No dopaminergic modulation of noradrenaline release was observed in rat medial prefrontal cortex or amygdala slices. To examine the regulation of accumbens noradrenaline release under conditions of increased dopaminergic activity, measurements were made using slices of amphetamine-pretreated rats. In these slices, the electrically evoked release of [3H]dopamine and [3H]noradrenaline was enhanced. The increasing effect of (-)-sulpiride on noradrenaline release was augmented, and SCH-23390 almost completely reversed this enhancement of [3H]noradrenaline release. These data suggest that whereas although under a moderate dopaminergic tone, accumbens noradrenaline release is mainly regulated by inhibitory D2 receptors, under circumstances of increased dopaminergic activity, recruitment of extrasynaptic stimulatory D1 receptors contributes to enhancement of noradrenaline release.

Adenosine↗

Unrestricted free-choice ethanol self-administration in rats causes long-term neuroadaptations in the nucleus accumbens and caudate putamen.

In the present study, the reactivity of striatal dopamine and dopamine-sensitive neurons in super-fused striatal slices of ethanol-experienced rats was compared to that of ethanol-naive rats, 3 weeks after oral ethanol self-administration. During the acquisition phase (17 days), rats were offered increasing concentrations of ethanol (from 2 to 10%, 24 h per day) on an alternate-day schedule in a free choice with water. Following 2 weeks of unrestricted 10% ethanol consumption, the highest and lowest drinkers (representing about 25% of the upper and lower extremes of the total population) were selected. Preliminary experiments revealed that both groups of rats displayed a profound increase in ethanol consumption and preference 3 weeks after cessation of ethanol self-administration (deprivation effect). This deprivation effect was associated with an increase in electrically evoked release of [3H]dopamine from superfused nucleus accumbens slices, whereas the evoked [3H]dopamine release from caudate putamen slices remained unchanged. In slices of the caudate putamen, but not in nucleus accumbens slices, postsynaptic dopamine D1 receptor-stimulated cyclic AMP production was also enhanced. In addition, prior ethanol consumption enhanced the electrically evoked release of [14C]acetylcholine release in both striatal regions. Interestingly, the magnitude of these long-term neuroadaptations correlated with the amount of daily ethanol consumption, i.e. neuronal hyperresponsiveness in the striatum was more profound in the high than in the low ethanol drinkers. These data show for the first time that unrestricted free-choice ethanol consumption in rats is associated with a long-term increase in dopaminergic and cholinergic neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens and caudate putamen. These (and other) neuroadaptations may underlie the enhanced motivation to self-administer ethanol and the maintenance of ethanol consumption long after deprivation.

Acetylcholine↗

Bremazocine reduces unrestricted free-choice ethanol self-administration in rats without affecting sucrose preference.

It has been postulated that opioid systems in the brain may play a role in ethanol reinforcement. In this respect, mu- and delta-opioid receptors may mediate the rewarding effects whereas kappa receptors are thought to mediate the aversive effects of opioids. Accordingly, long-acting benzomorphans such as bremazocine, that simultaneously act as mu and delta receptor antagonists and kappa receptor agonists may be particularly effective in reducing ethanol self-administration. Therefore, we studied the effect of bremazocine on oral ethanol self-administration in rats using a paradigm [unrestricted free-choice drinking of 10% (v/v) ethanol], previously shown to cause long-term neuroadaptations in the nucleus accumbens and caudate putamen. Bremazocine (0.1 mg/kg, once daily for five consecutive days) reduced ethanol drinking by about 50% during the active period of the animals, whereas the intake of sucrose (3-10% w/v) was affected neither in naive nor in ethanol-experienced rats. This effect of bremazocine appeared not to be secondary to its acute sedative effect or the slight increase in total fluid consumption. Unlike bremazocine, the selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist U50,488H (10 mg/kg, once daily) inhibited ethanol drinking only during the first of 5 treatment days and the opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone (0.3-10 mg/kg, once daily) only caused a modest (about 20%) suppression of ethanol drinking during the first hours after drug injection. Thus, bremazocine appears to be far more potent than the clinically applied drug naltrexone in this respect. Our data further support the role of opioid receptors in ethanol reinforcement and indicate that long-acting mixed-action opioids such as bremazocine may be useful as adjuvants for the clinical management of ethanol addiction.

3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cycloh↗

Dopaminergic mechanisms mediating the long-term expression of locomotor sensitization following pre-exposure to morphine or amphetamine.

The role of dopaminergic mechanisms in opiate- and psychostimulant-induced long-term locomotor sensitization was investigated. To that aim, rats were behaviourally sensitized with morphine or amphetamine and 3 weeks after cessation of treatment challenged with various direct and indirect dopamine agonists. Both morphine- and amphetamine-pretreated rats displayed sensitization of the locomotor effects of amphetamine, cocaine, and the selective dopamine reuptake inhibitor GBR-12909. Sensitization of the locomotor stimulant effects of the dopamine D2/D3 receptor agonist quinpirole was observed in amphetamine- but not morphine-pretreated rats. In contrast, morphine-, but not amphetamine-pretreated rats appeared hyposensitive to the locomotor inhibitory effects of a low, presumably D2-autoreceptor selective, dose of quinpirole. Neither pretreatment induced sensitization to the dopamine D1/D2 agonist apomorphine or the dopamine D1 agonist SKF-82958. In fact, the locomotor stimulant effects of SKF-82958 appeared to be decreased in animals pre-exposed to amphetamine. These results suggest that functional changes in presynaptic dopamine release mechanisms represent common neuroadaptations involved in the long-term expression of morphine- and amphetamine-induced locomotor sensitization. Presynaptic dopamine D2 and postsynaptic D2 and/or D3 receptors are differentially involved in the expression of morphine- and amphetamine-induced locomotor sensitization. In a parallel study, we report that all of the drugs that elicited sensitized locomotor responses in morphine- or amphetamine-pretreated rats caused reinstatement of previously extinguished heroin- or cocaine-seeking behaviour, respectively. Taken together, these data suggest a marked relationship between drug-seeking behaviour and drug sensitization.

Amphetamine↗

Downbeat nystagmus caused by thiamine deficiency: an unusual presentation of CNS localization of large cell anaplastic CD 30-positive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

A 24-year-old woman with a large cell anaplastic CD 30-positive T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) developed downbeat nystagmus, anisocoria, and oscillopsia. Prior to overt cerebral invasion by NHL, she had a thiamine deficiency with very low thiamine concentrations in the CSF, probably caused by protracted vomiting and increased vitamin B1 consumption by intrathecal tumor cells. We believe that her neurologic symptoms were caused -- at least partly -- by thiamine deficiency, as she reacted well to thiamine supplementation at the beginning of treatment.

Adult↗

Lack of cross-sensitization of the locomotor effects of morphine in amphetamine-treated rats.

Repeated exposure to morphine and amphetamine induces long-lasting sensitization of their psychomotor stimulant properties, whereas pretreatment with morphine causes cross-sensitization of the locomotor effects of amphetamine. Here, we investigated whether pre-exposure to amphetamine also results in cross-sensitization to morphine. Rats pretreated with amphetamine (5 x 2.5 mg/kg, i.p.) displayed neither short-term (3 days post-treatment) nor long-term (3 weeks post-treatment) cross-sensitization of the locomotor effects of morphine (2 or 5 mg/kg, s.c.). Two other amphetamine pretreatment protocols (1 x 5 mg/kg, i.p. and 14 x 2.5 mg/kg, i.p.) also failed to induce cross-sensitization to morphine. In contrast, all amphetamine pretreatment regimens induced sensitization of the locomotor effects of amphetamine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) and pretreatment with morphine (14 x 10 mg/kg, s.c.) induced both short- and long-term sensitization of the locomotor effects of both morphine and amphetamine. These data suggest that the expression of sensitization of the locomotor effects of morphine and amphetamine, at least partially, involves distinct neuroadaptive phenomena.

Amphetamine↗

Comparison of different polymerase chain reaction-based approaches for clonality assessment of immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene rearrangements in B-cell neoplasia.

Several frequently applied polymerase chain reaction strategies for analysis of immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene rearrangements were compared by analyzing 70 B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders and 24 reactive lymphoid lesions. Southern blot analysis was used as the "gold standard" for clonality assessment. For polymerase chain reaction analysis, primers directed against framework (FR) 3 (FR3-A and FR3-B), FR2, and FR1 of the variable gene segments and against joining gene segments of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene were used. Polymerase chain reaction products were analyzed by high-resolution fingerprinting analysis using radiolabeled nucleotides, gene scanning using fluorochrome-labeled primers, and heteroduplex analysis. All of the assays generated polyclonal patterns in the reactive tissues. The sensitivity in detecting monoclonality as defined by Southern blotting varied between 60% (heteroduplex analysis with FR3 primers) and 77% (high-resolution fingerprinting analysis with FR2 primers). Comparison of the three FR3 assays revealed that gene scanning had the highest sensitivity (69%), probably because it could detect small aberrant monoclonal amplicons. False-negative results were especially frequent in follicular center lymphoma (n = 20), but also in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n = 18), both renowned for having mutated variable gene segments, potentially leading to primer mismatching. For example, in follicular center lymphoma, the FR3, FR2, and FR1 region primer sets detected clonality in only 35 to 40, 65, and 50%, respectively. Combining these techniques, 17 (85%) of 20 follicular center lymphoma samples showed monoclonality. Therefore, especially in follicular center lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and, to a lesser extent, in other lymphomas, multiple variable gene segment primer sets must be used for a reliable assessment of clonality. Our results also suggest that gene scanning is somewhat more sensitive than other read-out systems. Heteroduplex analysis, however, is a reliable alternative within a diagnostic setting, avoiding the use of radioactivity or expensive automated sequencing equipment and fluorochrome-labeled (oligo)nucleotides.

Blotting, Southern↗

MK-801 reinstates drug-seeking behaviour in cocaine-trained rats.

We evaluated the incentive motivational properties of MK-801 by determining its priming effect on drug-seeking behaviour following extinction of cocaine self-administration, an animal model for drug craving. Rats were allowed to self-administrate cocaine (0.5 mg/kg) or saline during 10 daily sessions. MK-801 (0.1-0.25 mg/kg, i.p.) dose-dependently reinstated responding for cocaine following an extinction period of 3 weeks. Responding was selectively enhanced in the previously drug-paired hole and was completely absent in rats with a history of saline self-administration. These data provide evidence for a possible role of NMDA receptors in the incentive motivation underlying cocaine-seeking behaviour. In addition, the ability of MK-801 to elicit drug-seeking behaviour may prove to be a serious drawback for the proposed use of NMDA antagonists in the treatment of drug addiction.

Analysis of Variance↗

T lymphocytes determine the development of xeno GVHD and of human hemopoiesis in NOD/SCID mice following human umbilical cord blood transplantation.

Over the past decade the human-immunodeficient mouse chimera has become a well-established in vivo model for studying the human immune system and/or hemopoiesis. Under certain experimental conditions and depending on the composition of the human cell graft, the recipient mice may develop a fatal disease, designated as discordant xenogenic graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD), which differs in target tissues and histopathology from allogenic GVHD. Experimental evidence is presented that immunodeficient mice are equally susceptible to allogenic GVHD as normal immunocompetent mice. Whole human cord blood and distinct cellular subpopulations from a single cord blood harvest were transplanted in NOD/severe combined immunodeficient mice and the repopulation of human cells was monitored over time. Depending on the ratio of lymphocytes to hemopoietic stem cells, proliferation of human T cells, hemopoiesis or a combination of the two is observed in widely varying proportions. When the graft contains a preponderance of lymphocytes, fatal protracted discordant xenogenic GVHD develops. Mice receiving purified CD34 cells survived up to 207 days in good health with more than 95% human cells in the bone marrow. In those mice all lineages (B and T lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes, erythrocytes and thrombocytes) were demonstrated in the bone marrow and peripheral blood.

Animals↗

Lack of alpha2-adrenoceptor autoregulation of noradrenaline release in rat nucleus accumbens slices.

The role of release-inhibitory alpha2-adrenoceptors on or near noradrenergic nerve terminals was investigated in slices of rat nucleus accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex, representing major projection areas of mesocorticolimbic dopamine neurons. As expected, the electrically evoked release of [3H]noradrenaline from superfused medial prefrontal cortex slices was strongly inhibited (to about 25% of control values) by exogeneous noradrenaline and by the alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist oxymetazoline, while blockade of alpha2-adrenoceptors with phentolamine or rauwolscine caused a large increase (to almost 250% of control values) in neurotransmitter release. In striking contrast and much to our surprise, these drugs did not at all affect the electrically evoked release of [3H]noradrenaline from nucleus accumbens slices. These results indicate that alpha2-adrenoceptor autoregulation of noradrenaline release may not be a major feature of noradrenergic varicosities in rat nucleus accumbens. Thus, the functioning or presence of these receptors may vary with the brain region innervated by locus coeruleus neurons and may not represent a ubiquitous feature of noradrenergic neurons.

Adrenergic alpha-Agonists↗