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Biomedical subjects

D C Kaufman

Publications and source records attributed to D C Kaufman.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Effects of metronidazole on hepatic CYP3A4 activity.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a short course of oral metronidazole, commonly used for bowel-preparation regimens, on hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 activity, as measured by the [14C N-methyl]-erythromycin breath test (ERMBT) in healthy volunteers. DESIGN: Prospective, nonrandomized, interventional study SETTING: University-affiliated, community, teaching hospital. SUBJECTS: Five healthy male volunteers. INTERVENTION: Subjects underwent a baseline ERMBT in the morning before receiving three oral doses of metronidazole 500 mg administered at 3 P.M., 7 P.M., and 11 P.M. Repeat ERMBTs were performed at 24, 72, and 96 hours after the initial ERMBT. Changes in ERMBT values were compared with baseline results using Freidman's repeated-measures analysis of variance on ranks. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The ERMBT values did not change significantly compared with baseline (p=0.82). Median (range) ERMBT values expressed as a percentage of baseline at 24, 72, and 96 hours were 110.3 (96.2-136.9), 101.3 (99.3-115.0), and 101.8 (95.5-116.3), respectively CONCLUSION: A short course of oral metronidazole does not result in a significant change in hepatic CYP3A4 activity as measured by the ERMBT.

Adult↗

Enhanced glutathione peroxidase expression protects cells from hydroperoxides but not from radiation or doxorubicin.

Both radiation and anthracycline antibiotics may produce reactive oxygen species to cause cytotoxicity, and it has been suggested that some cellular antioxidant enzymes may be important for resistance to these agents. The human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7WT has a low level of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity. We have transfected MCF-7WT cells with a plasmid that contains the cDNA for human GPX under the transcriptional control of the human metallothionein IIA promoter. One transfected clone, MCF-GPX-6, contained multiple copies of GPX cDNA/cell and, after exposure to heavy metals, expressed a level of GPX enzyme activity that was 40-fold higher than that present in MCF-7WT cells and comparable to the GPX activity contained in the doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7DOX cell line. No differences in levels of glutathione, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferase, or glutathione reductase were noted in MCF-GPX-6 cells compared to MCF-7WT cells. MCF-GPX-6 cells were relatively resistant to hydrogen peroxide and tert-butylhydroperoxide compared to MCF-7WT cells, e.g., exposure of both cell lines to 750 microM H2O2 for 1 h resulted in a relative surviving fraction of 0.07 for MCF-7WT and 0.35 for MCF-GPX-6 cells. However, no difference in sensitivity to either radiation or doxorubicin was noted between MCF-7WT and MCF-GPX-6 cells. These results suggest that GPX is not important for the development of cellular resistance to either radiation or doxorubicin.

Antibiotics, Antineoplastic↗

Glutathione depletion by L-buthionine sulfoximine antagonizes taxol cytotoxicity.

Taxol is a naturally occurring chemotherapeutic agent that is active against a variety of tumors. Taxol is believed to act by binding tightly to microtubules and preventing their disaggregation. Others have shown that depletion of cellular glutathione results in the disaggregation of microtubules, presumably by allowing the oxidation of some or all of the cysteine residues in tubulins. We studied the effect of glutathione (GSH) depletion by L-buthionine sulfoximine (L-BSO) on taxol cytotoxicity in two human tumor lines. After a 24-h incubation in 5 mM L-BSO, the breast adenocarcinoma line MCF-7 and the lung adenocarcinoma line A549 were exposed to varying concentrations of taxol for 24 h. GSH levels were undetectable in cells treated with L-BSO. At the highest concentrations of taxol (50 nM), control MCF-7 cells had 10% cell survival and control A549 cells had only 1% cell survival as assessed by clonogenic assay. Pretreatment with 5 mM L-BSO resulted in a 3-fold increase in survival of MCF-7 cells and a 10-fold increase in survival of A549 cells. Pretreatment with L-BSO had no effect on taxol uptake into A549 or MCF-7 cells, as assessed by measurement of binding of [3H]taxol to cells. Following exposure to 37 nM taxol for 24 h, both cell lines had over 80% of their population in G2/M and bromodeoxyuridine labeling showed that taxol markedly reduced the percentage of cells in S phase. L-BSO pretreatment had no effect on the cell cycle in either cell line in the absence of taxol. However, in cells treated with taxol, L-BSO increased the percentage of cells in S phase by 3-fold in both cell lines. We conclude that depletion of cellular GSH by L-BSO results in resistance to taxol in MCF-7 and A549 cells. Resistance to taxol mediated by GSH depletion is not due to alterations in cellular uptake of taxol by L-BSO. L-BSO increased the S-phase fraction of taxol-treated cells in both cell lines. These data suggest that GSH depletion interferes with cell cycle changes induced by taxol. The alteration in taxol-induced cell cycle effects may account for the resistance to taxol produced by L-BSO.

Buthionine Sulfoximine↗

Student indebtedness and practice mode choice.

Student indebtedness upon graduation from optometry school has long been cited as the major factor influencing practice mode choice. A review of the literature, practice trends for optometry, medicine and dentistry, and forces affecting the health care industry reveal other factors as well.

Humans↗

Kinetics of superoxide production by stimulated neutrophils.

Oxygen-derived active species and superoxide radical in particular are generated and excreted upon granulocyte activation and are instrumental in host defense against bacterial and fungal infections. Associated with the activation of neutrophils is an apparent transitory oxy-radical production. Evidence from independent methods has previously suggested that radical production peaks shortly following neutrophil stimulation and decays within minutes. However, since neutrophil function in the body might reasonably be expected to last beyond the few minutes following stimulation, cessation of the production of oxy-radicals is unexpected. In an attempt to reconcile this discrepancy, the formation kinetics of superoxide by stimulated human neutrophils was reinvestigated by three independent methods: electron spin resonance, chemiluminescence, and ferricytochrome c reduction. The present results demonstrate that under appropriate experimental conditions stimulated neutrophils have the capacity to produce superoxide for several hours. The reasons for the previously reported "apparent" ephemeral nature of oxy-radical formation are discussed.

Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy↗

Enhanced expression of the granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor gene in acute myelocytic leukemia cells following in vitro blast cell enrichment.

Expression of the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) gene in acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) was assayed by Northern blot analysis. GM-CSF messenger RNA (mRNA) was detected in the freshly obtained mononuclear cells of only one of 48 cases of AML, in contrast with recent reports that GM-CSF mRNA might be detected in half of the cases of AML when RNA is prepared from T-cell- and monocyte-depleted leukemic cells. We did find, however, that expression of the GM-CSF gene was detectable in five of ten cases after in vitro T-cell and monocyte depletion steps. Additional studies suggest that expression of GM-CSF in the bone marrow of the one positive case, rather than being autonomous, was under exogenous control, possibly by a paracrine factor secreted by marrow stromal cells. These studies emphasize the potential for altering in vivo patterns of gene expression by in vitro cell manipulation.

Cell Separation↗