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Biomedical subjects

C Youngson

Publications and source records attributed to C Youngson.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Posts and the root-filled tooth.

It is clear that teeth often require significant reconstruction following root canal treatment. It is also evident that there is an enormous variety of ways that can be used to achieve this. Although there is some debate about the relative contributions of the root filling and coronal restoration to endodontic success, it is agreed that the best results are gained with a good root filling and a well-sealed coronal restoration. Posts, pins and/or bonding are all possible solutions to retain the coronal restoration but it is often difficult to decide, on the basis of evidence rather than fashion or anecdote, which is preferable.

Humans↗
PubMed1997

Immunocytochemical localization on O2-sensing protein (NADPH oxidase) in chemoreceptor cells.

A potential candidate for an oxygen-sensing protein in chemoreceptor cells is a heme-linked multicomponent NADPH oxidase, originally described in neutrophils. The postulated function for the oxidase in chemoreceptor cells is to signal changes in oxygen levels (either in the blood or in the airway lumen) via changes in oxygen metabolite production. An alteration in either superoxide (or dismuted hydrogen peroxide) production may affect the gating properties of the O2-sensitive K+ channels. We have previously reported immunohistochemical localization of gp91 glycoprotein component of the oxidase to the plasma membrane of pulmonary neuroepithelial body (NEB) cells. In this study we have investigated the immunocytochemical localization of the other polypeptide components of the oxidase in NEB cells and in the glomus cells of the carotid body. Cultures of dissociated fetal rabbit NEB cells and newborn rat glomus cells were immunostained with specific antibodies recognizing the various polypeptide subunits of the oxidase using indirect immunofluorescence methods. Immunostaining with the anti-oxidase antibodies reveal strong positive reaction in both NEB and glomus cell clusters while other cells were unstained. The positive reaction product was localized to the plasma membrane and/or cytoplasm and no nuclear staining was observed. Live cell labelling studies with anti-p22 antibody showed positive immunofluorescence on the surface of NEB cells, suggesting that this component of the oxidase is also associated with the plasma membrane. In glomus cells, similar strongly positive immunofluorescence signal was observed for p22 and gp91 in paraformaldehyde-fixed cultures, regardless whether they were permeabilized or not. Taken together, our findings of cell surface localization of gp91 and p22 components of the oxidase in chemoreceptive cells suggests that the heme-linked cytochrome b558 component is associated with the plasma membrane. This association allows for direct interaction with the O2-sensitive K+ channel thus forming the molecular complex of membrane bound O2 sensor.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

NADPH-oxidase and a hydrogen peroxide-sensitive K+ channel may function as an oxygen sensor complex in airway chemoreceptors and small cell lung carcinoma cell lines.

Pulmonary neuroepithelial bodies (NEB) are widely distributed throughout the airway mucosa of human and animal lungs. Based on the observation that NEB cells have a candidate oxygen sensor enzyme complex (NADPH oxidase) and an oxygen-sensitive K+ current, it has been suggested that NEB may function as airway chemoreceptors. Here we report that mRNAs for both the hydrogen peroxide sensitive voltage gated potassium channel subunit (KH2O2) KV3.3a and membrane components of NADPH oxidase (gp91phox and p22phox) are coexpressed in the NEB cells of fetal rabbit and neonatal human lungs. Using a microfluorometry and dihydrorhodamine 123 as a probe to assess H2O2 generation, NEB cells exhibited oxidase activity under basal conditions. The oxidase in NEB cells was significantly stimulated by exposure to phorbol esther (0.1 microM) and inhibited by diphenyliodonium (5 microM). Studies using whole-cell voltage clamp showed that the K+ current of cultured fetal rabbit NEB cells exhibited inactivating properties similar to KV3.3a transcripts expressed in Xenopus oocyte model. Exposure of NEB cells to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, the dismuted by-product of the oxidase) under normoxia resulted in an increase of the outward K+ current indicating that H2O2 could be the transmitter modulating the O2-sensitive K+ channel. Expressed mRNAs or corresponding protein products for the NADPH oxidase membrane cytochrome b as well as mRNA encoding KV3.3a were identified in small cell lung carcinoma cell lines. The studies presented here provide strong evidence for an oxidase-O2 sensitive potassium channel molecular complex operating as an O2 sensor in NEB cells, which function as chemoreceptors in airways and in NEB related tumors. Such a complex may represent an evolutionary conserved biochemical link for a membrane bound O2-signaling mechanism proposed for other cells and life forms.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Pulmonary neuroendocrine cells in cultures of human infant airway mucosa from postmortem tissues.

Airway mucosa was isolated by enzymatic dissociation from tracheas and bronchi obtained at autopsy from stillbirth, infants, and children. An epithelial cell fraction was recovered that could be cultured on a collagen-coated substratum for at least 7 days. Epithelial cells were identified immunocytochemically with anticytokeratin antibody; pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (PNEC) were identified with antibodies against serotonin, bombesin/GRP, and MOC-1 cell surface antigen. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed neuroendocrine ultrastructural features of PNEC including the presence of neurosecretory dense core vesicles. The ability to recover and maintain viable PNEC in human lung airway epithelial cell cultures from postmortem tissues should facilitate further investigations of PNEC function in normal human lung and in various disease states.

Autopsy↗
PubMed1996

Imidazoline receptors and agmatine in blood vessels: a novel system inhibiting vascular smooth muscle proliferation.

We investigated whether vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells express imidazoline (I-) receptors, their endogenous ligand agmatine and/or its biosynthetic enzyme arginine decarboxylase (ADC), and if I-receptors regulate smooth muscle proliferation. Membranes of cultured rat aortic smooth muscle or bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells bind 3H-idazoxan. Binding was inhibited by: idazoxan > cirazoline > UK 14,304 > naphazoline > tolazoline > guanabenz > amiloride > clonidine = phentolamine > > epinephrine. Agmatine competitively inhibited binding of 3H-idazoxan (Ki of 240 +/- 25 nM). Smooth muscle and endothelial cells were immunostained in vitro and in situ by antibodies to an I-receptor binding protein and by antibodies to agmatine. Rat aorta also contained substantial amounts of agmatine measured by HPLC (8.69 +/- 1.1 ng/g). Membranes of rat aorta and cultured endothelial but not smooth muscle cells expressed substantial amounts of ADC. The incorporation of 3H-thymidine and numbers of smooth muscle cells stimulated by fetal calf serum was inhibited > 90% by: idazoxan > UK 14,304 > naphazoline > cirazoline > agmatine highly correlating (r= .996; P < .01) with affinities for 3H-idazoxan binding site. Tolazoline, but not rauwolscine, blocked the antiproliferative action of idazoxan. We conclude that (1) vascular smooth muscle and endothelium contain imidazoline receptors of the I2 subclass; (2) stimulation of the receptors inhibits vascular smooth muscle proliferation; (3) agmatine, synthesized in endothelium by ADC may be an endogenous agonist of I2 receptors to inhibit vascular growth and (4) I2 receptors may be functionally active.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗
PubMed1995

Imidazoline receptors in vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells.

We sought to determine if smooth muscle and endothelial cells of blood vessels express imidazoline receptors. Membranes of cultured smooth muscle cells specifically bind with high affinity to alpha 2-adrenergic ligands, [3H]p-aminoclonidine, [3H]rauwolscine, and [3H]idazoxan. All of [3H]rauwolscine and [3H]p-aminoclonidine but less than 10% of [3H]idazoxan binding was displaced by 10 microM epinephrine, indicating a nonadrenergic binding site for [3H]idazoxan. [3H]Idazoxan binding was inhibited with a rank order of potency: cirazoline > idazoxan > naphazoline >> guanabenz > amiloride > clonidine = phentolamine. Agmatine, an endogenous ligand for I-receptors, inhibited binding with a Ki of 240 +/- 25 nM. The binding of [3H]idazoxan to membranes of pulmonary artery endothelial cells was to both alpha 2-adrenergic and imidazoline receptors. Cultured smooth muscle cells, as well as rat carotid arterioles, were specifically immunostained by antibodies to an I-receptor-associated protein. We conclude that vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells express not only alpha 2-adrenergic receptors but also I-receptors of the I2 subclass with high affinity for agmatine. Since serum contains an endogenous ligand for I-receptors, possibly agmatine, the results suggest the presence of a novel receptor mechanism on vascular smooth muscle which may regulate vascular tone.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

An antibody to agmatine localizes the amine in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells.

Agmatine, a newly identified amine in mammalian brain, is an endogenous ligand for imidazoline and alpha 2-adrenergic receptors. We sought to develop a polyclonal antibody to agmatine suitable for immunocytochemistry. Agmatine was conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin and injected into rabbits. The polyclonal antiserum so generated dose-dependently recognized the agmatine conjugate but not carrier protein by dot blot. Its reaction with the conjugate was selectively antagonized by agmatine but not related compounds. The antiserum, but not pre-immune or pre-adsorbed antiserum, selectively stained cultured adrenal chromaffin cells. Our results indicate that agmatine immunoreactivity is contained in a sub-population of adrenal chromaffin cells and, thus, these antibodies are useful for immunocytochemical localization of the amine in mammalian tissues.

Adrenal Medulla↗
PubMed1993

Oxygen sensing in airway chemoreceptors.

Pulmonary neuroepithelial bodies, composed of innervated clusters of amine- and peptide-containing cells, are widely distributed throughout the airway mucosa of human and animal lungs. Structurally, neuroepithelial bodies resemble chemoreceptors (such as carotid body, taste buds) and are thought to function as hypoxia sensitive airway sensors. Evidence for this is indirect, however, and the mechanism of oxygen sensing by these cells is unknown. Here we culture neuroepithelial bodies isolated from rabbit fetal lungs and identify voltage-activated potassium, calcium and sodium currents using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. Upon exposure to hypoxia there is a reversible reduction (25-30%) in the outward potassium current, with no change in inward currents. In addition, we demonstrate the expression of an oxygen-binding protein (b-cytochrome, NADPH oxidase) on the plasma membrane of these cells. The identification of an oxygen-sensing mechanism (namely the presence of an O2-sensitive potassium channel coupled to an O2 sensor protein) in the cells of pulmonary neuroepithelial bodies indicates that they are transducers of the hypoxia stimulus and hence may function as airway chemoreceptors in the regulation of respiration.

Animals↗