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B Testa

Publications and source records attributed to B Testa.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

The binding of agonists and antagonists to rat lung beta-adrenergic receptors as investigated by thermodynamics and structure-activity relationships.

Interaction of several agonists and antagonists with the relevant beta receptor were studied in vitro using rat lung membranes as beta-adrenergic receptor source. The influence of temperature, between 4 degrees C and 37 degrees C, on the ability of beta-adrenergic agonists and antagonists to displace (-)-[125I]iodocyanopindolol from beta-adrenergic receptors was checked. Thermodynamic parameters were calculated from the Kj values thus obtained. Lipophilicity of the twenty molecules was also measured using a RP-HPLC method. The results obtained show: the density of receptors was not affected by the temperature but their affinity for the twenty agonists and antagonists increased with decreasing temperature; the binding of agonists is enthalpy driven while that of antagonists is entropy driven, with the exception of the lipophilic agonist dobutamine; a single relationship between entropy and lipophilicity exists for all twenty compounds and would suggest that molecular structure and physicochemical properties account for the thermodynamics of binding.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists

The thermodynamics of agonist and antagonist binding to dopamine D-2 receptors.

The ability of dopamine agonists and antagonists to compete with [3H]spiperone binding to rat striatal membrane preparations at 4, 15, 26, and 37 degrees varied markedly with temperature. Dopamine and the dopamine agonist 2-amino-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene hydrobromide (ADTN) were more potent at lower temperatures. The ability of the dopamine antagonists, haloperidol, cis-flupenthixol, cis-N-(1-benzyl-1-methypyrrolidin-3-yl)-5-chloro-2-methoxy-9- methylaminobenzamide (YM 09151-2), raclopride, and clozapine, and of the agonists apomorphine and pergolide, to compete with [3H]spiperone binding was little altered by temperature. (+)-Butaclamol was more potent at higher temperatures. In contrast, the antagonists sulpiride, metoclopramide, clebopride, sultopride, tiapride, piquindone, and zetidoline were more potent at lower temperatures. The interaction of the agonists dopamine and ADTN was driven by a decrease in enthalpy, allowing an energetically unfavorable decrease in entropy. The binding of the antagonists, haloperidol, cis-flupenthixol, YM 09151-2, raclopride, (+)-butaclamol, and clozapine, and also of the agonists, apomorphine and pergolide, was entropy driven. The interaction of the antagonists sulpiride, metoclopramide, clebopride, alizapride, sultopride, tiapride, piquindone, and zetidoline differed from that of other antagonists in being enthalpy driven. The observed entropy changes correlated with the lipophilicity of the displacing drugs and not with their intrinsic activity.

Animals

Affinity of pyridylalkylamines for nicotinic, muscarinic and histaminic recognition sites in brain tissue preparations.

The affinity of 15 regioisomeric and homologous pyridylalkylamines was examined in brain preparations for nicotinic, muscarinic, and H1-histaminic binding sites as labeled by [3H]-nicotine, [3H]-dexetimide and [3H]-mepyramine, respectively. Overall, the compounds show a clear selectivity for the nicotinic versus muscarinic binding sites, and a weak affinity for the H1-histaminic sites. Variations in affinity appear to be partly influenced by steric factors (such as position of attachment, length and rigidity of side-chain) and marginally by lipophilicity.

Amines

Inhibiting or potentiating effects of flavonoids on carbon tetrachloride-induced toxicity in isolated rat hepatocytes.

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) added to isolated rat hepatocytes produces toxic effects which were assessed by monitoring the release of aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT). CBrCl3 was equitoxic with CCl4, while CHCl3 was inactive, suggesting solvent properties not to be involved. The CCl4-mediated toxicity was markedly decreased by carbon monoxide, indicating possible activation by cytochrome P 450. 55 flavonoid compounds were tested for their ability to interfere with CCl4-induced release of ASAT. The compounds are cianidanol, 3-ethers and 3-esters thereof, flavanones, flavanolols, flavones and flavanols. The more hydrophilic compounds inhibit the CCl4-induced toxicity, while the lipophilic derivatives are potentiators. No other structure-activity relationships are apparent. The results are discussed in terms of the mechanisms of action of the compounds and of the validity of the technique as a screening test for hepatotropic agents.

Animals

The toxic actions of MPTP and its metabolite MPP+ are not mimicked by analogues of MPTP lacking an N-methyl moiety.

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), its metabolite 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine (MPP+) and three analogues of MPTP, lacking an N-methyl moiety, namely, 4-phenylpiperidine (I), 4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (II) and 4-phenylpyridine (III), were infused continuously for a period of 4 days into the rat substantia nigra. Within 12 h of commencing the bilateral infusion of MPTP or MPP+, rats showed marked motor deficits with reduction in locomotor activity, loss of ability to move the forelimbs and grip with forepaws and, following MPP+ infusions, similar loss of movement in the hindlimbs associated with the development of limb and body rigidity. These motor deficits were not induced by the 3 analogues of MPTP on infusion into the substantia nigra. After 4 days of infusion, the motor deficits caused by MPTP and, in particular, MPP+, were still marked, and for MPP+ these correlated with marked loss of striatal dopamine (DA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid. 4-Phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine caused a small loss in striatal DA and DOPAC, but the other analogues failed to modify the striatal content of DA or its metabolites. Small alterations of chemical structures related to MPTP and its metabolite can critically alter ability to induce behavioural and neurochemical changes reflecting toxicity on the nigrostriatal DA system.

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine

An ab initio study of electronic factors in metabolic hydroxylation of aliphatic carbon atoms.

The monooxygenase-mediated hydroxylations of aliphatic carbon atoms are known to be regioselective for positions alpha to heteroatoms or to pi systems (aromatic rings, carbon-carbon double bonds, carbonyl groups). Ab initio calculations (STO-3G and in some cases 4-31G) were performed on model molecules, indicating that the Mulliken overlap populations (taken as indices of electron bond densities) of Calpha-H bonds being regioselectively hydroxylated are larger than Cbeta-H and Cgamma-H overlap populations. These results support the hypothesis that metabolic C-hydroxylations occur by insertion of an activated oxygen species of electrophilic nature, probably oxene.

Carbon

A reappraisal of the stereoselective metabolism of nicotine to nicotine-1'-N-oxide.

1. The cis and trans 1'-N-oxide metabolites of (2'R)-(+)-nicotine have the absolute configuration (1'S; 2'R) and (1'R; 2'R), respectively, and not the reverse as previously published. 2. Reinterpretation of metabolic data in the light of this reassignment reveals that N-oxidation of nicotine leads preferentially to the (1'R)-N-oxide, with little dependence on the configuration of the 2'-centre. 3. It is proposed that (2'S)-(-)-nicotine and (2'R)-(+)-nicotine bind to the same enzymic site by two distinct modes of binding; each of these modes involves the more basic centre (in this case the pyrrolidine ring) as the governing binding moiety.

Animals