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Biomedical subjects

D J Riley

Publications and source records attributed to D J Riley.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Renal adaptation to the failing heart. Understanding the cascade of responses.

Progressive systolic dysfunction of the heart results in a broad array of physiologic compensatory mechanisms within the kidney. These mechanisms are primarily stimulated by diminution of the effective arterial blood volume and resultant activation of a biochemical cascade of neurohormonal responses, including activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and enhanced release of norepinephrine, arginine vasopressin, prostaglandins, endothelin, and atrial natriuretic peptide. The interaction of these neurohormonal systems within the kidney is complex. Vasoconstriction induced by angiotensin II, arginine vasopressin, and catecholamines may decrease renal perfusion by both endocrine and neural actions. In contrast, systemic pressures may rise, which may facilitate perfusion.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Renal adaptation to the failing heart. Avoiding a 'therapeutic misadventure'.

Systolic dysfunction of the heart represents a state of "prerenal" azotemia, in which the excess of total body salt and water is redistributed to venous and interstitial fluid compartments. This results in a diminished effective circulating blood volume and thereby decreases tissue perfusion. The kidneys perceive the ineffective circulating volume and employ a complex series of interconnected hemodynamic and neurohumoral effector mechanisms to restore "adequate" perfusion. This is done by reclaiming a greater fraction of filtered sodium and water and elevating systemic vascular resistance to keep perfusion pressure to vital organs constant despite diminished cardiac output. Knowledge of the physiologic compensatory responses that occur in the kidneys of heart failure patients allows clinicians to develop a logical treatment plan. This knowledge should also help avoid a therapeutic misadventure by making it possible to exclude drugs known to adversely affect renal function in patients with a failing heart and poorly compensating kidneys.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Expression of a retinoblastoma transgene results in dwarf mice.

Introduction of the normal retinoblastoma gene (RB) into different tumor cells possessing inactivated RB genes suppresses their tumorigenicity in nude mice. These results suggest that RB replacement is a potential strategy for developing future clinical treatments of cancer. In a transgenic mouse model, we found that the quantity of RB protein in a given cell may play an important role in dictating its effect. Four founder mice containing 1-7 copies of a human RB cDNA transgene under the transcriptional control of the human RB promoter were generated. Most of the transgenic mice were smaller than nontransgenic littermates. This effect was found as early as embryonic day 15. The degree of dwarfism correlated roughly with the copy number of the transgene and the corresponding level of RB protein. The expression pattern of the transgene products was similar to that of the endogenous mouse RB gene with regard to tissue and temporal distribution. Transferring the transgene to RB deficient mice, which are nonviable, resulted in the development of normal, healthy mice, indicating that the human RB gene can functionally complement the mouse homolog. These studies demonstrate that the effect of RB on overall mouse development is closely dependent upon its dosage.

3T3 Cells↗

Quantitative effects of the retinoblastoma gene on mouse development and tissue-specific tumorigenesis.

Models for studying the quantitative effects of RB protein in development and in tumorigenesis have been constructed. By crossing transgenic mice carrying the human Rb gene with mice heterozygous for the normal mouse Rb gene, we have generated mice that contain varying copies of the human Rb transgene and express varying amounts of human RB protein. Herein, we show that different amounts of RB protein are required to rescue two different phenotypes resulting from Rb deficiency: death during fetal development and susceptibility to cancer. Normal fetal development seems to depend on expression of critical amounts of RB protein, > or = 50% of the amount in wild-type mice. Adult mice, even if they overexpress RB protein, are prone to cancer if their cells express from only one Rb gene allele. Mice expressing small amounts of RB protein from different Rb alleles, however, are protected from cancer. Tumor suppression in cancer-prone cells, therefore, rather than depending on an absolute amount of RB protein, more directly depends on having redundancy in the Rb gene, assuring that at least one copy of a gene encoding functional RB protein is always available.

Animals↗

Liposome-entrapped antifibrotic agent prevents collagen accumulation in hypertensive pulmonary arteries of rats.

We studied the therapeutic efficacy of an intravenously injected antifibrotic agent encapsulated in liposomes on inhibiting collagen accumulation in hypertensive blood vessels. cis-4-Hydroxy-L-proline (cHyp) in liposomes was injected into rats exposed to 10% O2, and drug effect was evaluated by measuring right ventricular pressure and hydroxyproline content of the pulmonary artery. Right ventricular pressure was 11 +/- 1 mm Hg (mean +/- SEM) 5 days after a single intravenous injection of 200 mg/kg cHyp in liposomes compared with 14 +/- 1 mm Hg in rats injected with empty liposomes; hydroxyproline content was also reduced by cHyp treatment (87 +/- 6 versus 107 +/- 7 micrograms per vessel) (p less than 0.05 for both, n = 6-9). Injections of cHyp in liposomes every 5 days partially prevented hypertension and vascular collagen accumulation during a 3-week exposure to hypoxia, and the dose required was one tenth the dose of unencapsulated cHyp. Therapeutic doses of cHyp in liposomes injected for 6 months affected tensile properties of main pulmonary artery and aorta, but there were no apparent histological effects on other organs. Liposomes injected intravenously were identified in pulmonary artery endothelial cells. The prolonged effect of a single injection of cHyp in liposomes may be due to uptake of the liposomes by the endothelium. Liposome delivery of drugs to the arterial wall may be useful in the study and treatment of hypertensive vascular disease.

Animals↗

Immunisation state of young children admitted to hospital and effectiveness of a ward based opportunistic immunisation policy.

OBJECTIVE: To study the need for and effectiveness of a ward based opportunistic immunisation policy. DESIGN: A six month prospective study. SETTING: An acute medical paediatric ward of an inner city teaching hospital. SUBJECTS: 296 children admitted to the ward who lived within Central Manchester Health Authority boundaries and were aged from 5 months to 6 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Completion of immunisation schedule appropriate for age. RESULTS: 56 children were three or more months behind with immunisations. The parent's history was not reliable for 18 children. Accessing health authority immunisation records was not difficult. The main reasons for falling behind were the mobility of the families (15 children), lack of motivation (14), and frequent minor illnesses (9). 40 children were immunised before discharge, but three could not be because of valid contraindications. Of the 16 children requiring more immunisations after discharge, only four obtained them at the correct time and five children not at all. CONCLUSION: An opportunistic immunisation policy is an important means of immunising a vulnerable group of children who would often default on routine immunisations, and such policies should operate whenever possible. Our ward based policy can achieve immunisation of three quarters of possible children without change or inconvenience to the daily ward work, but efficacy relies on adequate levels of enthusiastic staff. The system can be improved by having accurate and updated immunisation records available in the hospital, and by encouraging nursing staff to participate.

Child↗

Alternative splicing of rat tropoelastin mRNA is tissue-specific and developmentally regulated.

Sequence analysis of cDNA clones coding for rat tropoelastin previously has identified two variants that potentially corresponded to alternatively spliced tropoelastin mRNAs (Pierce et al., 1990). We have now used S1 nuclease protection analysis of total RNA from aorta, skin and lungs of 10-day and 6-week old rats to localize all sites of alternative splicing in the tropoelastin mRNA and to examine tissue-specific and developmental regulation of the use of these sites. This analysis revealed multiple sites of alternative splicing involving rat tropoelastin coding sequences corresponding to exons 12 through 15 of the bovine tropoelastin gene and a single site of alternative splicing at sequences corresponding to exon 33. Messenger RNAs from all three tissues at both developmental stages were alternatively spliced at the same sites; there was no evidence for the use of an alternative splice site unique to a particular tissue or developmental stage. However, both tissue-specific and developmentally regulated differences were apparent in the proportion of rat tropoelastin mRNA alternatively spliced at exon 33. Tropoelastin mRNA from the aorta and lungs of neonatal rats was alternatively spliced at exon 33 ten time more frequently than tropoelastin mRNA from skin. Between 10 days and 6 weeks of development, the use of this site of alternative splicing decreased by twenty-fold in RNA from skin, ten-fold in RNA from lungs and two-fold in RNA from aorta. In contrast, alternative splicing at exons 12 through 15 occurred in a small percentage of the mRNA and use of these sites exhibited minimal tissue-specific differences or developmental regulation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Age Factors↗

Pancreatic cholesterol esterases. 2. Purification and characterization of human pancreatic fatty acid ethyl ester synthase.

Human pancreatic fatty acid ethyl ester synthase has been isolated and purified 1200-fold to homogeneity, and its activities, binding properties, and N-terminal amino acid sequence indicate that it is a member of the lipase family. This 52-kDa monomeric protein is present at 0.6-1.2 mg/g of pancreas, and it catalyzes the synthesis and hydrolysis of ethyl oleate at rates of 2400 nmol mg-1 h-1 and 30 nmol mg-1 h-1, respectively. Kinetic analyses reveal a pronounced substrate specificity for unsaturated octadecanoic fatty acids, with ethyl ester synthetic rates of 2400 nmol mg-1 h-1 (linoleic), 2400 nmol mg-1 h-1 (oleic), 400 nmol mg-1 h-1 (arachidonic), 300 nmol mg-1 h-1 (palmitic), and 100 nmol mg-1 h-1 (stearic). Like cholesterol esterase, the enzyme binds to immobilized heparin, and this property was critical for its purification to homogeneity. Its N-terminal amino acid sequence is virtually identical with that reported for human triglyceride lipase, NH2-X-Glu-Val-Cys-5Tyr-Glu-Arg-Leu-Gly-10Cys-Phe-Ser-Asp- Asp-15Ser-Pro-Trp-Ser-Gly-20Ile, and it differs by only four residues from that reported for porcine pancreatic lipase. The synthase purified here also cleaves triglycerides, hydrolyzing triolein at a rate of 30 nmol mg-1 h-1, and this activity is stimulated by colipase and inhibited by sodium chloride. Conversely, commercially available porcine triglyceride lipase exhibits fatty acid ethyl ester synthase activity (1530 nmol mg-1 h-1) and hydrolyzes triolein at a rate of 23 nmol mg-1 h-1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acyltransferases↗

Pancreatic cholesterol esterases. 3. Kinetic characterization of cholesterol ester resynthesis by the pancreatic cholesterol esterases.

The ability of cholesterol esterase to catalyze the synthesis of cholesterol esters has been considered to be of limited physiological significance because of its bile salt requirements for activity, though detailed kinetic studies have not been reported. This study was performed to determine the taurocholate, pH, and substrate requirements for optimal cholesterol ester synthesis catalyzed by various pancreatic lipolytic enzymes, including the bovine 67- and 72-kDa cholesterol esterases, human 100-kDa cholesterol esterase, and human 52-kDa triglyceride lipase. In contrast to current beliefs, cholesterol esterase exhibits a bile salt independent as well as a bile salt dependent synthetic pathway. For the bovine pancreatic 67- and 72-kDa cholesterol esterases, the bile salt independent pathway is optimal at pH 6.0-6.5 and is stimulated by micromolar concentrations of taurocholate. For the bile salt dependent synthetic reaction for the 67-kDa enzyme, increasing the taurocholate concentration from 0 to 1.0 mM results in a progressive shift in the pH optimum from pH 6.0-6.5 to pH 4.5 or lower. In contrast, cholesterol ester hydrolysis by the 67-, 72-, and 100-kDa enzymes was characterized by pH optima from 5.5 to 6.5 at all taurocholate concentrations. Optimum hydrolytic activity for these three enzyme forms occurred with 10 mM taurocholate. Since hydrolysis is minimal at low taurocholate concentrations, the rate of synthesis actually exceeds hydrolysis when the taurocholate concentration is less than 1.0 mM. The 52-kDa enzyme exhibits very low cholesterol ester synthetic and hydrolytic activities, and for this enzyme both activities are bile salt independent. Thus, our data show that cholesterol esterase has both bile salt independent and bile salt dependent cholesterol ester synthetic activities and that it may catalyze the net synthesis of cholesterol esters under physiological conditions.

Animals↗

Strain specific respiratory air space enlargement in aged rats.

We studied lung structure and function in Fischer-344 and Sprague Dawley rats to compare the pathophysiologic features of the aged lung in animal strains. Both strains were maintained under identical conditions of minimal exposure to injurious environmental agents. We measured the number, size, and surface area of alveoli, pressure-volume characteristics and connective tissue content of lungs at midlife (12 or 14 months of age) and old age (24 months of age). Results showed differences in the older versus younger group of the Sprague Dawley strain as indicated by enlarged air spaces [154 +/- 21 (SEM) versus 118 +/- 13 micromicroliter] (p less than 0.05), increased collagen (hydroxyproline content 4.1 +/- 0.1 versus 3.0 +/- 0.1 mg/lung) (p less than 0.05), and a leftward shifted pressure-volume curve. There was no change in surface area or alveolar number. The structural lesions are consistent with air space enlargement with fibrosis and not emphysema. In contrast, no major changes were found in the lungs with age in Fischer-344 rats. We hypothesize that in the Sprague Dawley strain the aging process impairs the ability of the lung to maintain normal structure and function. Two strains of rats which differ pathologically in old age may be useful in the study of the effects of aging on the lung.

Aging↗

An antifibrotic agent reduces blood pressure in established pulmonary hypertension in the rat.

We have shown that administration of the antifibrotic agent cis-4-hydroxy-L-proline (cHyp) to rats at the onset of exposure to hypoxia prevents collagen accumulation in pulmonary arteries and the rise in pulmonary blood pressure. In this experiment, we tested whether cHyp is effective when administered after hypertension was already established. Rats were exposed to hypoxia (10% O2) for 21 days. Groups were hypoxic animals treated with cHyp (200 mg/kg sc twice daily) on days 10-21 (hypoxic cHyp) and saline-injected hypoxic animals (hypoxic). On day 21, we measured mean right ventricular pressure, hematocrit, collagen content of main and intrapulmonary arteries, and wall thickness of arterioles. Treatment reduced right ventricular pressure from 21 +/- 1 to 17 +/- 1 mmHg (P less than 0.05), hematocrit from 66 +/- 1 to 56 +/- 1% (P less than 0.05), hydroxyproline content of intrapulmonary arteries from 30 +/- 3 to 11 +/- 2 micrograms/vessel (P less than 0.05), and wall thickness from 27 +/- 3 to 16 +/- 2 microns (P less than 0.05). These results show that vascular collagen content is increased in established pulmonary hypertension and that cHyp treatment is effective in partially preventing the hemodynamic, structural, and biochemical changes if started after pulmonary hypertension is established. cHyp may also affect the rheological properties of blood.

Animals↗

Collagen and elastin metabolism in hypertensive pulmonary arteries of rats.

We evaluated the processes controlling the accumulation of collagen and elastin in main pulmonary arteries of rats during an episode of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. Explant cultures of main pulmonary arteries were incubated with [3H]proline to measure collagen and protein synthesis and percent collagen synthesis. Elastin synthesis was measured by [14C]valine incorporation into insoluble elastin. Relative collagen synthesis increased twofold (from 1.1 +/- 0.2 x 10(3) to 2.0 +/- 1.0 x 10(3) disintegrations per minute [14C]hydroxyproline/vessel/hr/mg protein), relative collagen synthesis doubled (from 2% to 4-5% of total protein synthesis), and elastin synthesis increased ninefold (from 0.4 +/- 0.2 x 10(4) to 3.6 +/- 0.6 x 10(4) dpm [14C]valine/vessel/hr/mg protein) in early hypertension. The level of pro alpha l(I) collagen RNA paralleled the relative collagen synthetic rate during the study period. Within 7 days of recovery from hypoxia, collagen and elastin contents were normal. We conclude that collagen and elastin in main pulmonary arteries are synthesized rapidly during an episode of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and that collagen and elastin are rapidly removed from the hypertensive vessel during normoxic recovery.

Actins↗

Activation of neutrophils by factors released from alveolar macrophages stimulated with collagen-like polypeptides.

Oxidant-induced injury is associated with breakdown of interstitial collagen and the accumulation of inflammatory cells in the lungs. In previous studies, we demonstrated that phagocyte accumulation is mediated, in part, by chemotactic factors generated from damaged collagen. To determine if alveolar macrophages also mediate the migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) into the lungs, we examined the release of chemotactic factors from alveolar macrophages treated with native or synthetic collagenous peptides. These included fragments of bovine collagen digested with bacterial collagenase (CG) or cyanogen bromide (CB) as well as small molecular weight synthetic polypeptides containing proline (Pro), glycine (Gly), and hydroxyproline (Hyp), the major amino acids that comprise collagen. We found a dose- and time-related generation of PMN chemotactic activity by collagen peptide-treated macrophages. The maximum activity was released 72 h after pretreatment of macrophages for 1 to 3 h with 0.1 to 1 microM CG-, CB-, or (Pro-Pro-Gly)5-peptides. The native peptides derived from CG-digested collagen were more active than synthetic peptides containing Pro and Gly. Neither trypsin digests of bovine serum albumin nor synthetic peptides containing Hyp stimulated chemotactic factor release from macrophages. The alveolar macrophage-derived chemotactic factor was found to lose activity when dialyzed and after heat or trypsin treatment. The release of PMN-activating factors by collagen peptide-treated macrophages was also examined. Alveolar macrophage-conditioned medium was found to stimulate PMN production of reactive oxygen intermediates as well as elastase and gelatinase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Heparin-modulated binding of pancreatic lipase and uptake of hydrolyzed triglycerides in the intestine.

Utilizing small intestine membranes that contain heparin (50 micrograms/mg protein), binding of triglyceride lipase (homogeneous 52 kDa, specific activity, 70 nmol/mg.h) to membranes was shown to be concentration dependent and saturable, and it was characterized by a single dissociation constant (KD = 86 +/- 16 nM) with a maximal binding capacity of 54 +/- 8 pmol/mg of vesicle protein. Specific binding was decreased in a concentration-dependent manner by the addition of exogenous heparin, and binding was virtually eliminated (less than 6% control values) by pretreatment of membranes with bacterial heparinase. Cultured intestinal epithelial cells (CaCo-2), shown to possess membrane-associated heparin, also bound pancreatic triglyceride lipase in a specific and saturable manner, with KD = 77 +/- 12 nM and Bmax = 13.7 +/- 6 pmol/10(6) cells. Soluble heparin not only decreased binding, but it also diminished the enzyme-mediated cellular uptake of [14C]oleate from [14C]triolein by over 75%. Therefore, intestinal heparin, a component of the brush border membrane, localizes pancreatic triglyceride lipase in a receptor-like manner to the plasma membrane to promote the subsequent absorption of fatty acids derived from hydrolyzed triglycerides.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Vascular collagen affects reactivity of hypertensive pulmonary arteries of the rat.

We studied the role of vascular collagen on the responsiveness of isolated pulmonary arteries to vasoactive agonists. Dose-response curves to prostaglandin F2 alpha, (PGF2 alpha), angiotensin II (ANG II), and norepinephrine (NE) and responses to a depolarizing concentration of KCl were obtained on rings of pulmonary artery from normal rats, chronically hypoxic (10% O2 for 10 days) rats, and chronically hypoxic rats treated with cis-4-hydroxy-L-proline (cHyp), an agent that blocks collagen accumulation. Treatment with this agent prevented the rise in pulmonary blood pressure normally seen during hypoxia. Collagen content was twice normal in hypoxic vessels and was significantly reduced in vessels from cHyp-treated hypoxic rats. There was no change in reactivity to PGF2 alpha, but reactivity to ANG II, NE, and KCl was decreased in vessels from hypoxic rats. cHyp treatment completely restored reactivity to NE and KCl and partially restored reactivity to ANG II. The changes in contractility could be a response to the lower blood pressure. Another explanation is that collagen deposited in hypertensive pulmonary arteries may impair reactivity to some constrictor agonists.

Angiotensin II↗

Pressure-induced connective tissue synthesis in pulmonary artery segments is dependent on intact endothelium.

Physiologic stimuli of connective tissue accumulation in pulmonary vascular remodeling are poorly defined. We postulated that increased pressure within central pulmonary arteries is a stimulus for connective tissue synthesis and the response is dependent on an intact endothelium. Mechanical tension equivalent to 50 mmHg pressure was applied for 4 h to isolated rat main pulmonary arteries (endothelium intact or removed), and incorporation of [14C]proline into collagen, [14C]valine into elastin, [3H]thymidine into DNA and pro alpha 1 (I) collagen mRNA levels were measured. In intact vessels, tension induced synthesis of collagen (3.1 +/- 0.4 vs. 2.3 +/- 0.5 [SEM] dpm X 10(2) [14C]-hydroxyproline/[mg protein.h]) (n = 10) and elastin (6.1 +/- 2.4 vs. 2.9 +/- 0.4 dpm X 10(3) [14C]valine/[mg protein.h]) (n = 5) (both P less than 0.05). Steady state mRNA levels of pro alpha 1 (I) collagen were also increased by tension (46 vs. 30 X 10(2) dpm hybridized/100 ng total RNA). However, the stimulus did not increase [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA. In denuded vessels, tension had no effect on connective tissue synthesis or mRNA level of pro alpha 1 (I) collagen. Messenger RNA levels for v-sis were induced by tension in intact but not denuded vessels. Our findings establish that induction of vascular connective tissue synthesis by mechanical tension is dependent on an intact endothelium.

Actins↗