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Biomedical subjects

C A Hunt

Publications and source records attributed to C A Hunt.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

The rat brain postsynaptic density fraction contains a homolog of the Drosophila discs-large tumor suppressor protein.

In CNS synapses, the synaptic junctional complex with associated postsynaptic density is presumed to contain proteins responsible for adhesion between pre- and postsynaptic membranes and for postsynaptic signal transduction. We have found that a prominent, brain-specific protein (PSD-95) enriched in the postsynaptic density fraction from rat brain is highly similar to the Drosophila lethal(1)discs-large-1 (dlg) tumor suppressor protein. The dlg protein is associated with septate junctions in developing flies and contains a guanylate kinase domain that is required for normal control of cell division. The sequence similarity between dlg and PSD-95 suggests that molecular mechanisms critical for growth control in developing organisms may also regulate synapse formation, stabilization, or function in the adult brain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Antisense c-myc oligodeoxyribonucleotide cellular uptake.

Antisense oligonucleotides have therapeutic potential as inhibitors of gene expression. However, the mechanism by which an intact oligonucleotide reaches the intracellular site of action is unknown. In this study, we use an oligodeoxyribonucleotide 21-mer complementary to the translation initiation codon of the c-myc protooncogene to study the mechanism of oligonucleotide uptake and internalization into Rauscher Red 5-1.5 cells. We find trypsin-sensitive and trypsin-insensitive surface binding, in addition to internalization. Uptake is partially energy dependent and inhibited by charged molecules, including DNA, ATP, a random sequence oligonucleotide, and dextran sulfate. Uptake does not appear to occur via a traditional receptor-mediated uptake pathway because chloroquine, monensin, and phenylarsine oxide pretreatment does not significantly decrease internalization. An anion channel inhibitor, SITS, and the salts, NaCl, Na2SO4, and NH4Cl, significantly decrease oligonucleotide uptake. Whether uptake occurs via a channel or a novel uptake mechanism is still unknown. A model is proposed which reasonably simulates the experimental data.

4-Acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfo↗
PubMed1992

Buffer effects on swelling kinetics in polybasic gels.

The swelling kinetics of polybasic gels consisting of copolymers of methyl methacrylate and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate are studied in solutions at various acidic pH values, with monoacidic derivatives of acetic acid added as buffers. The effects of solution pH, as well as buffer pKa and concentration, on swelling rate are assessed. Gel swelling rate shows a nearly linear dependence on the concentration of nonionized buffer in the solution, as determined by the Henderson-Hasselbach equation. This result is explained in terms of the increased availability of protons that are carried by the nonionized buffer to bare amines on the gel. In fact, the so-called pH sensitivity of these gels, under these conditions, can be attributed mainly to the effect of pH on the nonionized buffer concentration. A practical consequence is that these gels may not reliably mediate pH-sensitive swelling-controlled release in oral applications, since the levels of buffer acids in the stomach (where swelling and release are expected to occur) generally cannot be controlled. However, the gels may be useful as mediators of pH-triggered release when precise rate control is of secondary importance.

Buffers↗
PubMed1992

Characterization and minimization of cellular autofluorescence in the study of oligonucleotide uptake using confocal microscopy.

Intrinsic autofluorescent signals can interfere with extrinsic fluorophore signals when living cells are viewed under a confocal laser scanning microscope. The general pattern of this endogenous fluorescence is initially diffuse and cytoplasmic, but it can redistribute and intensify to become punctate and perinuclear as cells age. To reduce the contribution of autofluorescence when tracking the location of an extrinsic fluorophore, such as a fluorescently-labeled oligonucleotide, laser power settings, aperture settings, laser scanning rates, pH buffering environments, and excitatory wavelengths can be modulated. Decreasing laser power settings and aperture sizes, increasing laser scanning rates and excitatory wavelengths, and surrounding cells in a pH buffer all act to delay the signal transformation. In addition, the presence of an exogenous fluorophore can hasten the autofluorescent redistribution and intensification when compared to similar untreated cells.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1992

Involvement in medical informatics may enable pharmacists to expand their consultation potential and improve the quality of healthcare.

The outlook for pharmacy-related services foretells more involvement of both computers and information systems. Expert therapeutic systems and databases will enable pharmacists to expand their consultation potential through networks and improve the quality of healthcare that they provide. Therapeutic information management could be the largest pharmacy specialty of the future. As knowledge-based systems and networks become commonplace, there will be an increasing need for new components, system monitoring, and quality assurance. This is an opportunity for pharmacy to bring medical computing, as it relates to therapeutics, into the mainstream of the profession as a new discipline.

Clinical Pharmacy Information Systems↗
PubMed1979

Preparation of liposomes of defined size distribution by extrusion through polycarbonate membranes.

Liposomes of defined size and homogeneity have been prepared by sequential extrusion of the usual multilamellar vesicles through polycarbonate membranes. The process is easy, reproducible, produces no detectable degradation of the phospholipids, and can double the encapsulation efficiency of the liposome preparation. Multilamellar vesicles extruded by this technique are shown by both negative stain and freeze-fracture electron microscopy to have mean diameters approaching the pore diameter of the polycarbonate membrane through which they were extruded. When sequentially extruded down through a 0.2 micron membrane, the resulting vesicles exhibit a very homogeneous size distribution with a mean diameter of 0.27 micron while maintaining an acceptable level of encapsulation of the aqueous phase.

Carbonates↗
PubMed1977

Separation and analysis of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol in biological fluids by high-pressure liquid chromatography and GLC.

High-pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) systems were developed to separate quantitatively delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol from heptane-extractable lipoidal and other endogenous substances in biological fluids. These substances interfered with the quantitation by flame-ionization GLC of the unmodified compound and by electron-capture GLC of the pentafluorobenzoyl derivative. Reversed-phase HPLC elution, with 47% acetonitrile in water, and normal-phase HPLC with 25% chloroform in heptane separated delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol from 11-hydroxy-delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol and other monohydroxylated tetrahydrocannabinols. These systems also purified stock solutions of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol from accompanying contaminants. The various monohydroxylated tetrahydrocannabinols were resolved from each other in the normal phase, 80% chloroform in heptane. The delta 8- and delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinols were separable in the normal phase with 5% tetrahydrofuran in hexane. The GLC analysis of pentafluorobenzoylated delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol had a sensitivity of 1 ng/ml of plasma, with an estimated 5% standard error with the developed extraction and GLC procedures. Radiochemical analysis of the HPLC-separated fraction had a sensitivity of 0.2 ng/ml of plasma, with an estimated 2% standard error. There was no significant difference between the liquid scintillation and electron-capture GLC assays of the HPLC-separated delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol obtained from the plasma of dogs administered the drug. Radiolabeled compounds can be added to plasma samples as internal standards to determine the recovery efficiencies of the several procedures in the analysis of unlabeled tetrahydrocannabinol.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Pharmacokinetics of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol in dogs.

The pharmacokinetics of intravenously administered 14C-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and derived radiolabeled metabolites were studied in three dogs at two doses each at 0.1 or 0.5 and 2.0 mg/kg. Two dogs were biliary cannulated; total bile was collected in one and sampled in the other. The time course for the fraction of the dose per milliliter of plasma was best fit by a sum of five exponentials, and there was no dose dependency. No drug was excreted unchanged. The mean apparent volume of distribution of the central compartment referenced to total drug concentration in the plasma was 1.31 +/- 0.07 liters, approximately the plasma volume, due to the high protein binding of 97%. The mean metabolic clearance of drug in the plasma was 124 +/- 3.8 ml/min, half of the hepatic plasma flow, but was 4131 +/- 690 ml/min referenced to unbound drug concentration in the plasma, 16.5 times the hepatic plasma flow, indicating that net metabolism of both bound and unbound drug occurs. Apparent parallel production of several metabolites occurred, but the pharmacokinetics of their appearance were undoubtedly due to their sequential production during liver passage. The apparent half-life of the metabolic process was 6.9 +/- 0.3 min. The terminal half-life of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol in the pseudo-steady state after equilibration in an apparent overall volume of distribtuion of 2170 +/- 555 liters referenced to total plasma concentration was 8.2 +/- 0.23 days, based on the consistency of all pharmacokinetic data. The best estimate of the terminal half-life, based only on the 7000 min that plasma levels could be monitored with the existing analytical sensitivity, was 1.24 days. However, this value was inconsistent with the metabolite production and excretion of 40-45% of dose in feces, 14-16.5% in urine, and 55% in bile within 5 days when 24% of the dose was unmetabolized and in the tissue at that time. These data were consistent with an enterohepatic recirculation of 10-15% of the metabolites. Intravenously administered radiolabeled metabolites were totally and rapidly eliminated in both bile and urine; 88% of the dose in 300 min with an apparent overall volume of distribution of 6 liters. These facts supported the proposition that the return of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol from tissue was the rate-determining process of drug elimination after initial fast distribution and metabolism and was inconsistent with the capability of enzyme induction to change the terminal half-life.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Acetaminophen.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Acetaminophen↗
PubMed1977

Synthesis and stereospecific antipsychotic activity of (-)-1-cyclopropylmethyl-4-(3-trifluoromethylthio-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5-ylidene)piperidine.

The synthesis and resolution of 3-iodocyproheptadine [(+/-)-5a] and 1-cyclopropylmethyl-4-(3-iodo-5H-dibenzo-[a,d]cyclohepten-5-ylidene)piperidine [(+/-)-5b] are described. The resulting atropisomers undergo reaction with trifluoromethylthiocopper to give optically active products without extensive racemization. In this manner, optically pure (+)- and (-)-3-trifluoromethylthiocyproheptadine [(+)-6a and (-)-6a, respectively] and (+)- and (-)-1-cyclopropylmethyl-4-(3-trifluoromethylthio-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5-ylidene)piperidine [(+)-6b and (-)-6b, respectively] have been prepared. The influence of a chiral europium shift reagent on the proton and fluorine resonance signals as a diagnostic tool for the determination of the optical purities of these atropisomers is discussed. The four compounds, (+)-6a, (-)-6a, (+)-6b, and (-)-6b, were studied in squirrel monkeys for their ability to block conditioned avoidance responding. All of the antiavoidance activity was found to reside solely in the levorotatory compounds (-)-6a and (-)-6b. Further comparison of the enantiomers (-)-6b and (+)-6b showed that the ability to antagonize apomorphine-induced stereotyped behavior is confined to the levorotatory isomer (-)-6b while weak central anticholinergic activity resides solely in the dextrorotatory isomer (+)-6b. Neither (-)-6b has significant peripheral anticholinergic activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

(+)- and (-)-3-Methoxycyproheptadine. A comparative evaluation of the antiserotonin, antihistaminic, anticholinergic, and orexigenic properties with cyproheptadine.

The synthesis and resolution of (+/-)-3-methoxycyproheptadine [(+/-)-4] are described. As a peripheral serotonin antagonist, (+/-)-4 was found to be one-half as potent as cyproheptadine (1b). The peripheral anticholinergic and antihistaminic activities as well as the orexigenic property of (+/-)-4 are less than those of 1b. A further comparison of the enantiomers (+)-4 and (-)-4 shows that all of the anticholinergic activity of (+/-)-4 resides solely in the dextrorotatory enantiomer, (+)-4, while the antiserotonin activity, which is similar to that of 1b, resides in the levorotatory enantiomer, (-)-4. Antihistaminic and orexigenic activity also resides in (-)-4 but these properties are reduced compared to those of 1b.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Separation and sensitive assay of THC in biological fluids by HPLC and GLC.

HPLC systems were developed to permit quantitative separation of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol from many of the heptane extractable lipoidal and other endogenous substances in biological fluids. These substances interfered with the quantification by flame ionization GLC of unmodified compound and by electron capture GLC of pentafluorobenzoylated compound. Reverse phase HPLC elution, with 47% acetonitrile in water, and normal phase HPLC with 25% chloroform in heptane, separated tetrahydrocannabinol from 11-hydroxy-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and other monohydroxylated tetrahydrocannabinols. These systems also purified stock solutions of tetrahydrocannabinol from accompanying contaminants. The various monohydroxylated tetrahydrocannabinols were resolved from each other in normal phase, 80% chloroform in heptane. The delta8 and delta9-tetrahydrocannabinols were separable in normal phase with 5% tetrahydrofuran in hexane. The GLC analysis of pentafluorobenzoylated tetrahydrocannabinol had a sensitivity of 1 ng/ml of plasma with an estimated 5% standard error of an assay with the extraction and GLC procedures given herein. Radiochemical analysis of the HPLC separated fraction had s sensitivity of 0.2 ng/ml of plasma with an estimated 2% standard error of an assay. There was no significant difference between the liquid scintillation and electron capture GLC assays of the HPLC separated delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol obtained from the plasma of dogs administered the drug. Radiolabelled compounds can be added to plasma samples as internal standards to determine the recovery efficiencies of the several procedures in the analysis of unlabelled tetrahydrocannabinol.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Retention of cytosine arabinoside in mouse lung following intravenous administration in liposomes of different size.

An extrusion technique was used to obtain multilamellar lipid vesicles (MLV, liposomes) of different size distribution. The larger MLV ranged in diameter from 0.1 to 2.6 mu and the smaller from 0.1 to 1.5 mu, and both were composed of phosphatidylserine/phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol in the molar ratio 1:4:5. After intravenous injection of large and small MLV containing encapsulated [3H]cytosine arabinoside (ara-C), their distribution in various organs showed that the fraction of the dose associated with lung was greater for large MLV relative to small MLV by factors of 3.6--10 after 1 hr, 5.3--14 after 4 hr, and 17--23 after 24 hr. For large MLV more than 50% of drug remaining in vivo after 24 hr was associated with the lung, compared with 2.5% for small MLV. Almost all of the 3H associated with lung at all times for both large and small MLV could be accounted for by unchanged ara-C. Differences in 3H levels between small and large MLV in other tissues were much less dramatic or were not significant. The apparent in vivo stability of the liposomes was not affected by size. The data are consistent with an initial trapping of large MLV during first passage in the lung, with subsequent binding and retention. Release of ara-C from large or small MLV in the lung is apparently slow relative to meatbolism.

Animals↗