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Biomedical subjects

E S Higgins

Publications and source records attributed to E S Higgins.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Effects of succinylacetone on methyl alpha-D-glucoside uptake by the rat renal tubule.

Succinylacetone, a catabolic end-product of tyrosine, is excreted in large quantities in urine from individuals with hereditary tyrosinemia and the Fanconi syndrome. Succinylacetone inhibits rat renal tubular concentrative uptake of the glucose transport analogue, methyl alpha-D-glucoside, in a noncompetitive and reversible fashion. This compound also depresses oxygen consumption by the rat renal tubule without fine structural damage to mitochondria. It is concluded that succinylacetone may be a useful probe in elucidation of the biochemical mechanism underlying the human Fanconi syndrome.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Differential inhibition of mitochondrial respiratory control by N-1-substituted, 3-,4-substituted pyridinium halides.

Several N-1-alkyl-, 3-, and 4-carbamidopyridinium halides were synthesized and determined to be inhibitors of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. L-Glutamate respiration was most depressed by N-1-dodecylpyridinium bromide whereas succinate respiration was most depressed by N-1-dodecylisonicotinamide bromide. Combination of inhibitors with mitochondrial sites may involve lipophilic interactions as modified by steric restrictions.

Animals↗

Influence of dietary cholesterol on mitochondrial function in the rat.

Rat-liver mitochondrial cholesterol ester levels were increased nine-fold and free cholesterol levels were doubled by feeding 10% lard and 2% cholesterol with Purina rabbit chow pellets to weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats for 5 weeks. This resulted in depression of State 3 (ADP-stimulated) glutamate respiration and reduced sensitivity to inhibition of phosphyorylation by tetrabutylammonium bromide and oligomycin. Brain, heart, lung, spleen, kidney and testis mitochondrial functions were not responsive to changes in dietary cholesterol nor were increases noted in free cholesterol content; mitochondrial cholesterol esters in these six tissues remained at extremely low levels regardless of treatment. Inclusion of 0.01% oleyl-p-decylbenzene sulfonate (a hypocholesterolemic agent) in the 10% lard and 2% cholesterol diet prevented elevation of rat-liver cholesterol esters and restored "normal" mitochondrial functions of respiratory control. This compound had no lowering effect on the raised level of liver mitochondrial free cholesterol nor on the reduced mitochondrial sensitivity to the phosphorylation inhibitors. We concluded that cholesterol esters were associated with depression of liver mitochondrial respiratory control and that free cholesterol was related to desensitization of mitochondria to the phosphorylation inhibitors.

Animals↗

Depression by ethionine of phosphorylating oxidation in hepatic mitochondria.

Induction of hepatic steatosis and suppression of hepatic ATP levels, protein synthesis and gluconeogenesis subsequent to administration of ethionine may be consequences of interference by this compound with mitochondrial phosphorylation of ADP. The mitochondrial dysfunction is not a direct action of ethionine on the organelle.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Respiratory control depression by tetraalkylammonium bromides in rat liver mitochondria.

Six different lipophilic (hydrophobic) organic cations, tetraethyl-, tetrapropyl, tetrabutyl-, tetrapentyl-, tetrahexyl-, and tetraheptylammonium bromide, depressed respiratory control in rat liver mitochondria. Evaluation of mitochondrial responses in terms of a quadratic equation in log P (an index of lipophilicity) indicated that the NADH dehydrogenase receptor site for inhibitor (diminution of control of glutamate, alpha-ketoglutarate, and beta-hydroxybutyrate respiration) was more lipophilic than receptor sites for flavin-linked substrates (reduction of control of succinate, choline and alpha-glycerophosphate respiration). The succinate dehydrogenase receptor site for inhibition by the tetraalkylammonium bromides was more hydrophillic (less lipophilic) than the choline or alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase receptor sites. Depression of respiratory control may be a function of charge density and of lipophilicity at specific inner membranal sites and the susceptible site may differ for different respiratory substrates.

Animals↗

Mitochondrial functional changes during hepatic hyperplasia and azo dye carcinogenesis.

Resting and active-state respiratory velocities, respiratory control, high amplitude volume changes, and latent ATPase activities were examined in hepatic mitochondria from rats fed 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3'MeDAB) for production of liver tumors and from rats in three phases of liver regeneration subsequent to subtotal hepatectomies. Tetrabutylammonium bromide, a lipophilic probe capable of selectively inhibiting phosphorylating oxidation or uncoupling oxidation from phosphorylation, was used to detect subtle alterations in lipophilicity characteristics of the organelles and it was concluded that mitochondria from pre-hyperplastic, hyperplastic, and neoplastic tissues had a higher than normal degree of membrane lipophilicity at specific functional sites. Control of respiration by ADP was markedly augmented in all experimental groups; this behavior, plus depressed sensitivity to swelling agents and energized contraction, were similar in mitochondria from hepatomas and from 3-day regenerating livers. These mitochondrial functions were even more pronounced, however, in cells in pre-hyperplastic states (6 and 16 h subsequent to partial hepatectomy). Many forms of liver damage result in mitochondrial alterations which elevate the capacity for oxidative phosphorylation. Such changes associated with induction of azo dye oncogenesis are mimicked by the degree of hyperplasia in the tissue following the first mitotic wave of regeneration; implications relevant to hepatocarcinogenesis are discussed.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Lipophilic and respiratory properties of NADH and succinate dehydrogenase sites in mitochondria from various tissues of the rat.

Mitochondria were isolated from heart, liver, kidney, spleen, and brain of the rat. With overall regard to both resting and activated respiratory velocities with either glutamate or succinate, as well as the respective degrees of respiratory control, kidney mitochondria were most efficient and spleen mitochondria least so. A probe of mitochondrial inner membrane lipophilicity with tetrabutylammonium bromide showed that NADH dehydrogenases from liver and heart were similar, as were also those from kidney and spleen. With the exception of brain, only small differences were observed in lipophilic properties of succinate dehydrogenases from the various other tissues. Variation in lipophilic characteristics of the two sites on the mitochondrial inner membranes could not be correlated with embryological origin of the tissue.

Animals↗

Ethidium bromide inhibits mitochondrial phosphorylating oxidation.

Ethidium bromide, in addition to combination with mitochondrial nucleic acids, is a phosphorylation inhibitor during glutamate and succinate respiration by mitochondria. Exhaustive washing of ethidium bromide-treated mitochondria did not relieve the inhibition nor significantly decrease the amount of bound dye. Dialysis against a cation exchange resin at 3 degrees for 17 hr removed about 97% of bound dye. This restored phosphorylating capacity to that of untreated mitochondria which had also been dialyzed against the resin. Since state 3 respiration was diminished and state 4 was unaffected by the presence of the acridine dye, and since neither swelling of mitochondria nor release of latent ATPase was observed, then ethidium bromide was not an electron transport inhibitor nor an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation. Inhibition of metabolic processes by ethidium bromide may be due in part to depressed generation of mitochondrial ATP.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗