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Biomedical subjects

E H Ulm

Publications and source records attributed to E H Ulm.

52 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1975

The reaction of PGA1 with sulfhydryl groups; a component in the binding of A-type prostaglandins to proteins.

Prostaglandins of the A-type (PGAs) were found to react with cysteine or reduced glutathione to yield water-soluble adducts, an effect due to a reaction of the sulfhydryl group of cysteine with the unsaturated carbonyl function of these prostaglandins. The binding of tritiated PGA1 to the supernatant fraction of rabbit papilla homogenates reported by Attallah and Lee (4) appears to be related to this phenomenon since ethacrynic acid, a compound also highly reactive with the thiol group of cysteine, effectively competes with PGAs for the binding site in this soluble kidney preparation. Evidence is also presented to show that this binding of PGAs to the "acceptor' of the rabbit kidney is related to an interaction with a thiol group of 15-hydroxy prostaglandin dehydrogenase, the enzyme chiefly involved in the metabolism of prostaglandins.

Animals↗
PubMed1972

Alpha-isopropylmalate synthase from yeast: purification, kinetic studies, and effect of ligands on stability.

alpha-Isopropylmalate synthase, the first specific enzyme in leucine biosynthesis, was purified approximately 100-fold from extracts of Saccharomyces sp. (strain 60615), the most effective step being specific elution with the feedback inhibitor leucine from a hydroxyapatite column. In the early steps of purification, special care was taken to protect the synthase against proteolytic activities. The apparent molecular weight of the enzyme as determined from gel filtration on a calibrated column was 137,000 in the absence and 121,000 in the presence of leucine. Inhibition by leucine was specific and strongly pH-dependent, with the leucine concentration necessary for half-maximal inhibition increasing about 10-fold as the pH increased from 7.5 to 8.5. Within this pH range, catalytic activity remained almost unchanged. The apparent K(m) values for the two substrates were found to be 16 mum for alpha-ketoisovalerate and 9 mum for acetyl-coenzyme A. K(+) was required for full activity, the apparent K(a) value being 2 mm. Leucine inhibition was of the mixed type, resulting in decreased V(max) and increased apparent K(m) values forboth substrates. Whereas no cooperative effects were observed with either substrate, positive cooperativity was seen with leucine in the presence of saturating substrate concentrations. Leucine and, to a lesser extent, alpha-ketoisovalerate stabilized the purified enzyme against heat-inactivation. The presence of acetyl-coenzyme A, on the other hand, accelerated the inactivation. In subsequent experiments, coenzyme A was recognized as the actual inactivating ligand, being effective even at lower temperatures and in concentrations which were estimated to be in the range of the enzyme concentration.

Acyltransferases↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Novel renin inhibitors containing the amino acid statine.

The proteolytic enzyme renin (EC3.4.99.19) cleaves the protein substrate angiotensinogen to yield angiotensin I, the decapeptide substrate transformed by converting enzyme into the pressor substance angiotensin II. Although the contribution of this pathway to the maintenance of normal blood pressure is unclear, it seems to be a major factor in various hypertensive states. Important progress in the control of hypertension has been achieved by development of the potent inhibitors SQ-14,225 (captopril) and MK-421 (enalapril maleate), which block the generation of angiotensin II by the inhibition of angiotensin converting enzyme. An attractive alternative to the inhibition of converting enzyme would be the blockade of the preceding step in the cascade, the renin reaction. We report here new highly potent (IC50 = 10(-9)-10(-8) M) competitive inhibitors of renin in which statine, (3S,4S)-4-amino-3-hydroxy-6-methylheptanoic acid, is incorporated into analogues of the pig renin substrate (Fig. 1).

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dose-dependent stereopharmacokinetics of 5,6-dihydro-4H-4(isobutylamino)thieno(2,3-B)thiopyran-2-sulfonamide-7,7 -dioxide , a potent carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, in rats.

[5,6-dihydro-4H-4(isobutylamino)thieno(2,3-B)thiopyran-2-sul fonamide-7,7- dioxide] (MK-927), a potent carbonic anhydrase inhibitor capable of reducing intraocular pressure after topical application, is currently under investigation for the treatment of glaucoma. The purpose of this study was to characterize the pharmacokinetics of the enantiomers of MK-927 with particular emphasis on the effect of dose on the elimination kinetics. Because the drug resided primarily in erythrocytes, the kinetic analysis was generally performed based on the drug concentration of whole blood. Following iv administration, the rat cleared the (R)(-)-enantiomer more rapidly than the (S)(+)-isomer. The stereoselective difference in elimination kinetics was dose-dependent; total blood clearance of the (R)(-)-enantiomer was approximately 40 times that of the (S)(+)-isomer at 0.05 mg/kg, and about 7-fold at 5 mg/kg. For both enantiomers, the pharmacokinetic parameters remained unchanged when the dose increased from 0.05 to 0.2 mg/kg, while the total blood clearance and apparent volume of distribution increased substantially as the dose exceeded 2 mg/kg. Nevertheless, the terminal half-life for each enantiomer appeared to be dose-independent. The enantiomers were extensively bound to erythrocytes in a stereoselective manner; at low concentrations, the (S)(+)enantiomer was bound 3-fold more strongly than the (R)(-)-enantiomer in vitro and 6-fold in vivo. Clearly, the magnitude of stereoselectivity in the elimination kinetics of MK-927 enantiomers (40-fold) cannot be explained solely by stereoselective binding. Thus, other factors may also contribute to the overall stereoselectivity in the elimination kinetics of MK-927. The dose-dependent kinetics of the enantiomers was probably due to the saturable binding to carbonic anhydrase.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Biotransformation of lovastatin. I. Structure elucidation of in vitro and in vivo metabolites in the rat and mouse.

Structures of in vitro microsomal and in vivo metabolites of lovastatin, a new cholesterol-lowering drug, were elucidated with the combined application of HPLC, UV, fast atom bombardment-MS, and NMR spectroscopy. Liver microsomes from rats and mice catalyzed the biotransformation of lovastatin, primarily at the 6'-position of the molecule, to form 6'-hydroxy-lovastatin and a novel 6'-exomethylene derivative. Hydroxylation at the 6'-position occurred stereoselectively, giving 6'-beta-hydroxy-lovastatin. Stereoselective hydroxylation at the 3"-position of the methylbutyryl side chain and hydrolysis of the lactone group to the corresponding hydroxy acid were the other two pathways of microsomal metabolism. 3'-Hydroxy-iso-delta 4',5'-lovastatin was isolated, but is not believed to be a direct metabolite since 6'-beta-hydroxy-lovastatin rearranges to this compound under mildly acidic conditions. The major metabolites excreted in bile of rats treated with the hydroxy acid form of the drug were identified as the 3'-hydroxy analog and a taurine conjugate of a beta-oxidation product of lovastatin. The pentanoic acid derivative of lovastatin, formed by beta-oxidation of the heptanoic acid moiety, was a major metabolite in livers of mice dosed with the hydroxy acid form of lovastatin. The microsomal metabolites, in their hydroxy acid forms, were active inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase. The relative enzyme inhibitory activities of hydroxy acid forms of lovastatin, 6'-beta-hydroxy-, 6'-exomethylene-, and 3"-hydroxy-lovastatin were 1, 0.6, 0.5, and 0.15, respectively.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Species-dependent enantioselective plasma protein binding of MK-571, a potent leukotriene D4 antagonist.

The plasma protein binding of the enantiomers of MK-571 was stereoselective and the stereoselectivity was species dependent. The 12 mammalian species studied could be classified into three groups: those that bind the S-(+)-enantiomer to a greater extent than the R-(-)-enantiomer (human, baboon, monkey, cow, dog, and cat); those that bind the R-(-)-enantiomer more extensively (rat, guinea pig, and sheep); and those that show no stereoselectivity (rabbit, hamster, and mouse). The stereoselective binding appears to have no phylogenetic relationship. Using serum albumin instead of plasma, a similar degree of stereoselective binding was observed for human, dog, sheep, and rat, suggesting that albumin is the major binding component for MK-571 enantiomers, and that species differences in stereoselective binding are likely due to structural differences in the albumin molecule. Displacement studies with [14C] diazepam, [14C]warfarin, and [3H]digitoxin indicated that the enantioselective differences in protein binding are most likely due to the differences in binding affinity rather than to different binding sites.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dose-dependent pharmacokinetics of MK-417, a potent carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, in rabbits following single and multiple doses.

MK-417, a potent carbonic anhydrase inhibitor capable of reducing intraocular pressure after topical application, is currently under investigation for the treatment of glaucoma. The purposes of this study were to characterize dose-dependent pharmacokinetics of MK-417 and to determine the accumulating effect of the drug during chronic topical administration in rabbits. Because the drug resided primarily in the erythrocytes, kinetic analyses were performed on whole blood concentration data. Following i.v. administration, both total blood clearance and apparent volume of distribution for MK-417 increased disproportionately between the low and high dose, while the half-life of the drug appeared to be independent of dose. Total blood clearance and apparent volume of distribution increased from 0.993 +/- 0.224 ml/hr/kg (mean +/- SD) and 88.6 +/- 9.4 ml/kg at a dose of 0.05 mg/kg to 2.73 +/- 0.17 ml/hr/kg and 272 +/- 5.5 ml/kg at a dose of 1 mg/kg. The dose-dependent kinetics of MK-417 are probably due to the saturable binding of carbonic anhydrase. Upon instillation of MK-417 into the eyes, the drug was rapidly and well absorbed. At the low dose of 0.05 mg/kg, the bioavailability varied from 58% to 98.5% with a mean value of 76.5 +/- 20.5%. Prediction of concentrations of MK-417 during chronic topical administration were performed based on the corresponding concentrations after a single topical dose using an overlay technique. Good agreement between the experimental data and the predicted blood concentrations of MK-417 during chronic dosing at 0.05 mg/kg, but not at 1 mg/kg, strongly suggests that linear kinetics apply in the case of the low dose but not in the case of the high dose.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of experimental diabetes on elimination kinetics of diflunisal in rats.

The effects of insulin-deficient diabetes on the elimination of diflunisal were investigated in streptozotocin-treated rats. Diflunisal, a fluorinated salicylate with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory properties, is eliminated primarily as the ester and ether glucuronides. After an iv injection of a 10 mg/kg dose, diabetic rats cleared diflunisal more rapidly than control rats; time-averaged total body clearances were 1.96 +/- 0.29 and 1.10 +/- 0.12 ml/min/kg, respectively. For a low clearance drug such as diflunisal, changes in the total body clearance can result from changes in the extent of plasma protein binding and/or drug metabolic rate. To determine whether the pronounced changes in elimination clearance in diabetic rats were due to the changes in plasma protein binding or enzyme activity, diflunisal was infused to obtain steady state kinetics. At steady state, the unbound intrinsic clearance increased from 43.4 +/- 16.4 ml/min/kg in the control rats to 82.5 +/- 21.1 ml/min/kg in diabetic rats at a high infusion rate (72 micrograms/min). When the infusion rate was lowered to 4.5 micrograms/min, the respective values for the unbound intrinsic clearance were 353 +/- 101 ml/min/kg and 561 +/- 112 ml/min/kg. Diabetic rats, however, showed no changes in plasma protein binding of diflunisal. The data suggest that the elimination of diflunisal was increased as a result of increased enzyme activity. Insulin treatment appeared to reverse the diabetic effect, suggesting that the effect on drug metabolism was the result of insulin deficiency and not a secondary or nonspecific effect of streptozotocin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dose-dependent kinetics of cilastatin in laboratory animals.

Cilastatin, a potent inhibitor of renal dehydropeptidase I, was specifically designed to inhibit renal metabolism of the antibiotic imipenem in order to achieve therapeutically relevant imipenem concentrations in the urinary tract. In this study the elimination kinetics of cilastatin in rats at doses of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg iv were demonstrated to be dose dependent, with total plasma clearance and non-renal clearance falling from 20.2 +/- 3.1 ml/min/kg and 17.7 +/- 3.3 ml/min/kg (mean +/- S.D.) at the 5 mg/kg dose to 11.4 +/- 1.2 ml/min/kg and 5.30 +/- 1.2 ml/min/kg, respectively, at the 200 mg/kg dose, whereas the volume of distribution of the drug remained unchanged. Since cilastatin is mainly eliminated by renal excretion as well as by N-acetylation, the non-renal clearance may reasonably reflect the N-acetylation process. Thus, the dose-dependent kinetics of cilastatin might be explained, at least partly, by the saturation of the N-acetylation of the drug. The dose-related decrease in the fraction (fm) of cilastatin converted to its N-acetylated metabolite provided further evidence for the saturable N-acetylation. The fm values decreased from 0.915 at the 10 mg/kg dose to 0.626 at the 100 mg/kg dose. Although both the total plasma clearance and non-renal clearance decreased with increasing dose, the dose had an opposite effect on the renal clearance of cilastatin. The renal clearance of cilastatin increased from 2.50 +/- 0.40 ml/min/kg at the lowest dose to 6.10 +/- 0.50 ml/min/kg at the highest dose as the dose increased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Urinary excretion kinetics of famotidine in rats.

Famotidine is a new histamine H2-receptor antagonist which has been demonstrated to be more potent than cimetidine and ranitidine in inhibiting gastric acid secretion. Nine groups of adult male Sprague-Dawley rats received an ia injection of various loading doses of famotidine followed immediately by a constant infusion of the drug at different rates for 6 hr. When steady state famotidine concentrations in plasma were low, renal clearance of the drug (CLR) was greater than glomerular filtration (GFR), and the ratio CLR/GFR was about 4.5 at plasma concentrations of 0.2-1.8 micrograms/ml, suggesting that famotidine was actively secreted by the renal tubules. The CLR decreased as famotidine concentration in plasma increased, and the ratio CLR/GFR approached 1 in the concentration range of 25-76 micrograms/ml, thus providing evidence for saturation of the secretory mechanism. The maximum rate of secretory transport (Tm) of famotidine averaged 180 micrograms/min/kg. On average, some 50-70% of an ia bolus dose was excreted in the urine as unchanged drug within 24 hr of administration. Over the dose range of 0.3-30 mg/kg famotidine, there was no dose-dependent effect on total or renal clearance. Since the lowest dose level, 0.3 mg/kg, is below the recommended human therapeutic dose for famotidine (0.6 mg/kg), the saturation of the renal excretion process observed here in rats is not likely to be of clinical significance.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Kinetic studies on the competition between famotidine and cimetidine in rats. Evidence of multiple renal secretory systems for organic cations.

The H2-receptor antagonists famotidine and cimetidine are both basic drugs that are predominantly eliminated by the kidneys. Cimetidine has been shown to inhibit the renal secretion of tetraethyl-ammonium bromide (TEAB) but not p-aminohippuric acid (PAH), suggesting that cimetidine is secreted by an organic cation transport system [Weiner and Roth: J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 216: 516 (1981)]. The present study shows that famotidine behaves like cimetidine in that it also inhibits TEAB but not PAH excretion. Where a high concentration of cimetidine in plasma has an inhibitory effect on the renal excretion of famotidine, the reverse is not true, i.e. high plasma levels of famotidine have no effect on the excretion of cimetidine. Further evidence that additional transport systems are involved in the renal tubular secretion of cimetidine is as follows. Quinine, a potent competitor of the organic cation transport system, inhibits the secretory component of famotidine renal clearance but not that of cimetidine. Probenecid, a classic competitor for the organic anion transport system, inhibits the renal excretion of cimetidine but not famotidine. However, the effect of probenecid is minor and not sufficient to account for other components of cimetidine secretion not affected by famotidine and quinine.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Differential renal handling of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors enalaprilat and lisinopril in rats.

Enalaprilat, the active metabolite of enalapril, and its lysine analogue lisinopril are potent nonsulfhydryl angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. Earlier studies from our laboratories demonstrated that neither drug is significantly metabolized, and both are almost exclusively eliminated by renal excretion. This report compares the renal excretory mechanisms for these structurally related compounds in the rat. After an iv, 1-mg/kg dose, ratios of renal clearance (CLR) of unbound drug to glomerular filtration rate (GFR) for enalaprilat and lisinopril were 2.72 +/- 0.70 and 1.01 +/- 0.18, respectively, suggesting that enalaprilat, but not lisinopril, was actively secreted by the kidneys. Treatment with probenecid and p-aminohippuric acid, potent competitive inhibitors for the renal anionic transport system, caused a profound decrease in the renal clearance of enalaprilat to the level of GFR. The CLR/fu.GFR, where fu is the unbound fraction, became 1.10 +/- 0.09 and 1.25 +/- 0.25, respectively. These results and the fact that quinine, a potent inhibitor for the cationic transport system, had little effect on the renal clearance of enalaprilat indicated that enalaprilat is secreted by the organic anion transport system. On the other hand, probenecid, p-aminohippuric acid, and quinine had no effect on the renal clearance of lisinopril, suggesting that lisinopril is eliminated exclusively by glomerular filtration.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The physiological disposition and metabolism of enalapril maleate in laboratory animals.

N-[1-(S)-carboxy-3-phenylpropyl]-L-alanyl-L-proline (MK-422), is a potent angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, but as a diacid is poorly absorbed in laboratory animals. Enalapril maleate, the monoethyl ester of MK-422, proved to be significantly better absorbed in both rats and dogs. Peak levels of radioactivity in plasma occurred in 30 min in rats and 2 hr in dogs after a single dose of 14C-enalapril maleate (1 mg/kg, po). Rats excreted 26% of the dose in the urine and 72% in the feces in 72 hr; dogs excreted 40% of the dose in the urine and 36% in the feces. After the intravenous dose, the presence of radioactivity in the feces of both species suggested that some biliary excretion had occurred. Absorption was estimated to be 34% in the rat and 61% in the dog. The major metabolite of enalapril maleate in dogs, accounting for 86% of the urine radioactivity, was identified as MK-422 by GC/MS. A procedure was developed for the quantitation of MK-422 and enalapril in plasma and urine by their inhibition of purified ACE. The assays showed that enalapril was absorbed intact in dogs and converted to MK-422 after absorption.

Absorption↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Disposition of enalapril and its diacid metabolite, enalaprilat, in a perfused rat liver preparation. Presence of a diffusional barrier for enalaprilat into hepatocytes.

Enalaprilat (MK-422), a new and potent angiotensin- converting enzyme inhibitor, and its monoethyl ester precursor, enalapril, were studied in a single pass perfused rat liver preparation under constant perfusate flow (10 ml/min) at concentrations of 0.29-0.41 microM for 14C-enalapril and 0.01-0.015 microM for 3H- enalaprilat . During their simultaneous delivery to the same rat liver preparation, the steady state hepatic extraction ratio of 14C-enalapril was high (0.861 +/- 0.02) and 14C- enalaprilat appeared rapidly in effluent perfusate plasma. Of the enalapril dose, 22.7 +/- 6.9% appeared in bile. 14C- Enalaprilat accounted for 79% of the total radioactivity in bile (18% of dose) whereas 14C-enalapril was present only as 10% of the total (2.3% of dose). By contrast, the steady state hepatic extraction of 3H- enalaprilat was very low (0.053) and the disappearance was virtually identical to the appearance of 3H- enalaprilat in bile. These findings suggest that diffusional barrier exists for enalaprilat as the preformed metabolite, which hinders penetration into hepatocytes, and therefore, elimination. The precursor, enalapril, effectively brings enalaprilat into hepatocytes were more extensive biliary excretion of the generated metabolite takes place. This account adds to our further understanding of metabolite kinetics; in addition to the uneven distribution of enzyme system and the intrinsic clearance for metabolite formation and elimination, the presence of a diffusional barrier is another important determinant which may cause deviations between the kinetics of a generated and performed metabolite.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Biotransformation of lovastatin. V. Species differences in in vivo metabolite profiles of mouse, rat, dog, and human.

Lovastatin is a prodrug lactone whose open-chain 3,5-dihydroxy acid is a potent, competitive inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis. The compound undergoes extensive and complex metabolism in animals and humans, with the metabolites excreted predominantly in bile. Radiochromatograms of bile from three human subjects and of bile and liver homogenates from mouse, rat, and dog displayed obvious species differences. Biotransformation of lovastatin occurred by three distinct routes, namely hydrolysis of the lactone ring to yield the pharmacologically active dihydroxy acid, cytochrome P-450-mediated oxidation of the fused-ring system, and beta-oxidation of the dihydroxy acid side chain. The first two reactions occurred in all four species, but the last was observed in mouse and rat only. The P-450 reactions, hydroxylation and a novel dehydrogenation reaction, yielded a 6'-hydroxylated metabolite of the dihydroxy acid and a 6'-exomethylene derivative as major and minor metabolites, respectively, in the bile of rat and dog. Human bile, which contained predominantly polar metabolites, yielded these metabolites in similar proportions only after mild hydrolysis at pH 5.0. In mouse and rat an atypical beta-oxidation of the dihydroxy acid side chain occurred to give a pentanoic acid derivative that was observed in liver homogenates. This metabolite was subsequently conjugated with taurine and excreted in the bile. From these studies, cytochrome P-450 oxidation is the primary route of phase I metabolism for lovastatin in human and dog, but beta-oxidation plays a major metabolic role in rodents.

Animals↗