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Biomedical subjects

D Atkinson

Publications and source records attributed to D Atkinson.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Conformational analysis of apolipoprotein A-I and E-3 based on primary sequence and circular dichroism.

The primary and secondary structure of human plasma apolipoprotein A-I and apolipoprotein E-3 have been analyzed to further our understanding of the secondary and tertiary conformation of these proteins and the structure and function of plasma lipoprotein particles. The methods used to analyze the primary sequence of these proteins used computer programs: (a) to identify repeated patterns within these proteins on the basis of conservative substitutions and similarities within the physicochemical properties of each residue; (b) for local averaging, hydrophobic moment, and Fourier analysis of the physicochemical properties; and (c) for secondary structure prediction of each protein carried out using homology, statistical, and information theory based methods. Circular dichroism was used to study purified lipid-protein complexes of each protein and quantitate the secondary structure in a lipid environment. The data from these analyses were integrated into a single secondary structure prediction to derive a model of each protein. The sequence homology within apolipoproteins A-I, E-3, and A-IV is used to derive a consensus sequence for two 11 amino acid repeating sequences in this family of proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Sexual showiness and parasite load: correlations without parasite coevolutionary cycles.

Hamilton & Zuk (1982, Science 218, 384-387.) produced a model of sexual selection in which coevolutionary cycles of host and parasites generate consistently positive correlations between parent and offspring viability, and that animals choose mates for genetic disease resistance by scrutinizing characters whose full expression is dependent on health and vigour. They predicted a positive correlation between sexual showiness and parasite burden across species, and a negative correlation within a species. First, recent suggestions that interspecific correlations in the opposite direction to that indicated above are consistent with the mechanisms of Hamilton & Zuk's model are discussed. Second, it is shown that the model's predictions can be produced by heritable variation maintained by non-parasite fluctuating selection. In this case, the parasites associated with degree of sexual showiness are those able to amplify any initial heritable differences in vigour. Alternative sources of positive correlation between parent and offspring viability, which include the indirect effects of climatic change and exclude the need for host-parasite coevolutionary cycles, are also proposed.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Linkage of a cardiac arrhythmia, the long QT syndrome, and the Harvey ras-1 gene.

Genetic factors contribute to heart disease. In this study, linkage analyses have been performed in a family that is predisposed to sudden death from cardiac arrhythmias, the long QT syndrome (LQT). A DNA marker at the Harvey ras-1 locus (H-ras-1) was linked to LQT with a logarithm of the likelihood ratio for linkage (lod score) of 16.44 at theta = 0, which confirms the genetic basis of this trait and localizes this gene to the short arm of chromosome 11. As no recombination was observed between LQT and H-ras-1, and there is a physiological rationale for its involvement in this disease, ras becomes a candidate for the disease locus.

Chromosome Mapping↗
PubMed1991

Evaluation and management of supraventricular tachycardia in children.

Emergency physicians may be called on to resuscitate acute complications in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease. Supraventricular tachycardia, with or without hemodynamic decompensation, is one of the most serious complications. We present the case of a 22-month-old boy with a history of single ventricle who presented to our institution with a history of syncope and hemodynamically stable supraventricular tachycardia. Initial attempts at pharmacologic conversion with propranolol and verapamil failed. The arrhythmia was terminated in response to an IV fluid bolus and dopamine infusion and probably resulted from a combination of anemia, hypovolemia, and impaired contractility. Appropriate evaluation and management relating to the cre of acute supraventricular tachycardia in children are discussed.

Anemia↗
PubMed1991

Consistent linkage of the long-QT syndrome to the Harvey ras-1 locus on chromosome 11.

The long-QT syndrome (LQT; Ward-Romano syndrome) is a cardiac disorder that is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. Affected family members suffer from recurrent syncope and sudden death due to ventricular arrhythmias. Recently, we identified a DNA marker on the short arm of chromosome 11 (the Harvey ras-1 locus [H-ras-1]) that was completely linked to the LQT locus in one large family. In the study presented here, we performed linkage investigations on six new and unrelated families with LQT. The LQT locus was again completely linked to the H-ras-1 locus in all families examined, with a combined lod score of 5.25 at a recombination fraction of 0. This work confirms our previous assignment of the LQT locus to chromosome 11p and supports the hypothesis that LQT is genetically homogeneous. As no obligate recombinants were identified in either this or our previous study, the H-ras-1 protooncogene remains a candidate for the LQT disease gene. Identification of LQT families with locus homogeneity is an important step in the development of a refined genetic map of this locus and will help determine whether the H-ras-1 marker would be of general use for presymptomatic diagnosis of this potentially fatal, but treatable, disorder.

Chromosome Mapping↗
PubMed1990

Tumor trapping of 5-fluorouracil: in vivo 19F NMR spectroscopic pharmacokinetics in tumor-bearing humans and rabbits.

The pharmacokinetics of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) were studied in vivo in patients with discrete tumors and in rabbits bearing VX2 tumors by using 19F NMR spectroscopy. The human studies were conducted in a 1.5-T Magnetom magnetic resonance imager (Siemens), and the rabbit studies were conducted in a 4.7-T GE/Nicolet 33-cm bore magnet. Free 5FU was detected in the tumors of four of the six patients and in all VX2 tumors but not in normal rabbit tissues. No other metabolites were seen in these tumors, contrary to the extensive catabolism we had previously documented using 19F NMR spectroscopy in both human and animal livers. The tumor pool of free 5FU in those human tumors that trapped 5FU was determined to have a half-life of 0.4-2.1 hr, much longer than expected and significantly longer than the half-life of 5FU in blood (5-15 min), whereas the half-life of trapped 5FU in the VX2 tumors ranged from 1.05 to 1.22 hr. In this initial experience, patient response to chemotherapy may correlate with extent of trapping free 5FU in the human tumors. These studies document that NMR spectroscopy is clinically feasible in vivo, allows noninvasive pharmacokinetic analyses at a drug-target tissue in real time, and may produce therapeutically important information at the time of drug administration. Demonstration of the trapping of 5FU in tumors provides both a model for studying metabolic modulation in experimental tumors (in animals) and a method for testing modulation strategies clinically (in patients).

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1990

Human tumor fluorouracil trapping: clinical correlations of in vivo 19F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy pharmacokinetics.

We previously reported that fluorouracil (5FU) accumulation and metabolism in human livers and tumors can be studied by in vivo nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMRS). We have extended these observations by evaluating the pharmacokinetics of 5FU in the tumors of 11 patients with carcinoma of the breast, colon, endometrium, cervix, and kidney, using 19F-NMRS in a 1.5 Magnetom (Siemens Medical Systems, Cerrito, CA) magnetic resonance imaging unit (MRI). These NMRS measurements detected a long-lived tumor pool of 5FU in six of 11 tumors in our patients including carcinomas in the pelvis, breast, lung, and liver. The half-life (T1/2) of this tumor pool of "trapped" 5FU was 0.33 to 1.3 hours (20 to 78 minutes), much longer than the T1/2 of 5FU in blood (5 to 15 minutes). Neither the anabolites of 5FU (fluorinated nucleosides, nucleotides, 5FU-RNA, or 5FU-thymidylate synthase) nor the catabolites (eg, fluorobetaalanine [FBAL]) were detectable by 19F NMRS. Patient response to chemotherapy appeared to correlate with the extent of trapping of free 5FU in the human tumors: in the seven patients receiving 5FU, or 5FU or FUdR plus leucovorin, four of four patients whose tumors trapped 5FU responded to fluorinated pyrimidine chemotherapy, whereas three patients in whom there was a failure to detect tumor trapping were resistant to 5FU. We conclude that NMRS is clinically feasible, and enables investigators to study 5FU pharmacokinetics and metabolism in tumors in vivo. 19F-NMRS of 5FU allows for in vivo evaluation of 5FU metabolic modulation and might be able to guide therapeutic decisions.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1990

Polymorphic behavior of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-3-lauroyl(PP12)- and 3-myristoyl(PP14)-sn-glycerols.

The polymorphic behavior and molecular packing in different polymorphic forms of stereospecific triacylglycerols, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-3-lauroyl-sn-glycerol (PP12) and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-3-myristoyl-sn-glycerol (PP14) were examined by X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, infrared and Raman spectroscopy techniques. The molecular packing and the polymorphic behavior of the metastable forms of these two compounds are very similar. In both compounds the isotropic liquid, on quenching, crystallizes into a hexagonally packed alpha-phase. The long spacing periodicity of the alpha-phase indicates a tilted bilayer structure to compensate the voids created by the short acyl chains. Upon heating, the alpha-phase converts into an orthorhombic perpendicular (O perpendicular) beta'2-phase. The beta' 2-phase, on further heating, exothermally converts to beta' 1-phase with slightly different O perpendicular subcell. On incubation of PP12 near the melting temperature of beta' 1-phase, there is a slow (hours) conversion to a beta-phase with triclinic parallel (T//) packing. However the beta' 1-phase of PP14 is the most stable structure and the beta-phase is absent. The thermodynamic parameters of the O perpendicular packings of these compounds compared to those of the higher homologue, tripalmitoylglycerol, suggest that the O perpendicular subcell is more stable in PP12 and PP14. The X-ray diffraction long spacings indicate that all the polymorphic forms of these compounds pack in a bilayer structure. The vibrational spectra confirm the lateral chain packing and inter- and intra-molecular order/disorder in the various polymorphic forms. The Raman and infrared spectra further indicate perturbation in the carbonyl and the end methyl plane regions of the beta'-phases.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗
PubMed1990

The establishment of a population-based Cancer Registry for North Carolina.

In 1984 the North Carolina Medical Society's House of Delegates adopted Report S, which called for the North Carolina Legislature to fund a statewide cancer incident reporting system. The Cancer Committee continues to be advisory to the Division of Adult Health. A subcommittee of the Cancer Committee advises the Central Cancer Registry.

Forecasting↗
PubMed1990

Calorimetric and spectroscopic investigation of the unfolding of human apolipoprotein B.

The unfolding of human apolipoprotein B-100 in its native lipid environment, low density lipoprotein (LDL), and in a soluble, lipid-free complex with sodium deoxycholate (NaDC) has been examined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and near UV circular dichroic (CD) spectroscopy. High resolution DSC shows that LDL undergoes three thermal transitions. The first is reversible and corresponds to the order-disorder transition of the core-located cholesteryl esters (CE) (Tm = 31.1 degrees C, delta H = 0.75 cal/g CE). The second, previously unreported, is reversible with heating up to 65 degrees C (Tm = 57.1 degrees C, delta H = 0.20 cal/g apoB) and coincides with a reversible change in the tertiary structure of apoB as shown by near UV-CD. No alteration in the secondary structure of apoB is observed over this temperature range. The third transition is irreversible (Tm = 73.5 degrees C, delta H = 0.99 cal/g apoB) and coincides with disruption of the LDL particle and denaturation of apoB. The ratio of delta H/delta HvH for the reversible protein-related transition suggests that this is a two-state event that correlates with a change in the overall tertiary structure of the entire apoB molecule. The second protein-related transition is complex and coincides with irreversible denaturation. ApoB solubilized in NaDC undergoes three thermal transitions. The first two are reversible (Tm = 49.7 degrees C, delta H = 1.13 cal/g apoB; Tm = 56.4 degrees C, delta H = 2.55 cal/g apoB, respectively) and coincide with alterations in both secondary and tertiary structure of apoB. The changes in secondary structure reflect an increase in random coil conformation with a concomitant decrease in beta-structure, while the change in tertiary structure suggests that the conformation of the disulfide bonds is altered. The third transition is irreversible (Tm = 66.6 degrees C, delta H = 0.54 cal/g apoB) and coincides with complete denaturation of apoB and disruption of the NaDC micelle. The ratio of delta H/delta HvH for the two reversible transitions indicates that each of these transitions is complex which may suggest that several regions or domains of apoB are involved in each thermal event.

Apolipoproteins B↗
PubMed1990

Phospholipid/cholesteryl ester microemulsions containing unesterified cholesterol: model systems for low density lipoproteins.

As models for the effects of unesterified cholesterol (UC) on the lipid organization of low density lipoprotein (LDL), microemulsions containing either egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (EYPC) or dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) as the surface component, cholesteryl oleate (CO) as the core component, and varying amounts of unesterified cholesterol were prepared by sonication. Gel filtration chromatography showed coelution of each of the lipid components, demonstrating the formation of well-defined microemulsion populations. Unesterified cholesterol incorporation into the microemulsions was proportional to the composition of the original mixture at low unesterified cholesterol compositions, but reached saturation at compositions of approximately 15 and 10 mol% unesterified cholesterol for EYPC/CO and DMPC/CO microemulsions, respectively. The Stokes' radius of the microemulsions was constant and similar to native LDL for initial compositions less than 15 mol% unesterified cholesterol, but increased at compositions above 15 mol%. In both EYPC/CO/UC and DMPC/CO/UC microemulsions, no significant changes were observed for the calorimetric or Van't Hoff enthalpy for the thermal transition of the core cholesteryl ester; however, increases in the transition temperature as a function of increasing unesterified cholesterol composition suggests that unesterified cholesterol has a stabilizing effect on the core transition. In DMPC/CO/UC microemulsions, the effect of unesterified cholesterol on the surface-located DMPC could be clearly observed as a broadening of the thermal transition of the acyl chains. These results demonstrate that unesterified cholesterol is located primarily in the surface of these protein-free lipid model systems for LDL.

Biophysical Phenomena↗