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Biomedical subjects

H L Nadler

Publications and source records attributed to H L Nadler.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The postantibiotic effect of meropenem and imipenem on selected bacteria.

Controlled experiments were conducted to determine the in-vitro postantibiotic effect (PAE) of meropenem and imipenem on ten selected bacteria representative of medically important species: Staphylococcus aureus (2). Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4), Escherichia coli (1), Serratia marcescens (1), Morganella morganii (1), and Providencia stuartii (1). The PAE was determined by comparing serial colony counts of cultures recovering from exposure to drug concentrations at 4 x MIC for 1.5 h with the counts of drug-free controls. A PAE was observed with both meropenem and imipenem when tested against four strains of Ps. aeruginosa (meropenem PAE = 0.8-2 h; imipenem PAE = 1.2-2.5 h) and two strains of Staph. aureus (meropenem PAE = 0.7, 1.7 h; imipenem PAE = 1.7, 1.8 h). In addition, a PAE was observed with meropenem on two of four Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli ATCC 25922 (0.8 h) and Prov. stuartii (1.2 h), but not with one strain each of M. morganii and Ser. marcescens. A PAE was not observed when imipenem was tested against the four Enterobacteriaceae. Studies are suggested to investigate further the PAE of meropenem on additional strains of Enterobacteriaceae.

Bacteria

Comparison of electronic and viability counting methods for determination of postantibiotic effect of oxacillin on Staphylococcus aureus.

The postantibiotic effect of oxacillin on Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538P was determined under different test conditions by reference (viability counting) and semiautomated (electronic counting) methods. Differences in durations of the postantibiotic effect obtained with the two counting methods were not statistically significant. The semiautomated method provided a more rapid and convenient alternative to viability counting.

Bacteriological Techniques

Maternal serum hexosaminidase A in pregnancy: effects of gestational age and fetal genotype.

The diagnostic usefulness of sulfated fluorogenic substrates in carrier detection of Tay-Sachs disease in serum during pregnancy was assessed by testing coded samples. Gradual increase in serum hexosaminidase activities toward these substrates was observed throughout pregnancy in both carrier and non-carriers of the Tay-Sachs gene, but absolute discrimination between the 2 genotypes could not be achieved even when values were compared within the same gestational age. Examination of isolated isozyme fractions with the sulfated substrates showed that the increased activities during pregnancy were due to a genuine increase in hexosaminidase A and not associated with the elevation of hexosaminidase I (or P), which was evident only with unsulfated substrates. The extent of the increase was influenced by the genotype of the fetus as indicated by higher values in pregnant carriers who carried non-carrier fetuses. We conclude that determination of serum hexosaminidase A during pregnancy by sulfated fluorogenic substrates may have a prenatal diagnostic value when used in obligate heterozygotes for Tay-Sachs disease, but is unreliable for screening purposes.

Female

Ultrasonographic prenatal diagnosis and fetal pathology of Langer mesomelic dwarfism.

In a family at risk for Langer mesomelic dwarfism, we document the onset of disproportionate growth in the second trimester by sonographic biometry. Midtrimester pathologic correlation of this condition demonstrates primary changes in the growthplate in the regions of proliferating cartilage and hypertrophic and degenerative chondrocytes.

Adult

First trimester prenatal evaluation for I-cell disease by N-acetyl-glucosamine 1-phosphotransferase assay.

First trimester prenatal diagnosis was offered to a couple at risk for having a child with I-cell disease (mucolipidosis II). The prenatal evaluation was based for the first time on examination of N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphotransferase activity, deficiency of which is the primary biochemical defect in both I-cell disease and pseudo-Hurler polydystrophy (mucolipidosis III). Heterozygote levels of this enzyme activity were determined in chorionic villi obtained at 9 weeks of gestation, as well as in cultured trophoblasts derived from this specimen, and led to the diagnosis of an unaffected fetus. This procedure has advantages over that based on detection of abnormal intracellular-extracellular distribution of lysosomal enzyme activities, which is expressed only in homozygotes and fully expressed only in cell culture specimens.

Adult

Altered molecular size of N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphotransferase in I-cell disease and pseudo-Hurler polydystrophy.

The size of the mutant N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphotransferase in Golgi membranes from fibroblasts of patients with I-cell disease and classical pseudo-Hurler polydystrophy, which comprised one complementation group characterized by deficiency towards both artificial and natural acceptor substrates, was significantly smaller than the normal enzyme, 151-174 kDa compared with 225-278 kDa. The size of the mutant enzyme from cell lines of patients with variant forms of pseudo-Hurler polydystrophy, which comprised another complementation group characterized by normal activity towards mono- and oligo-saccharide substrates, was significantly larger than the normal enzyme, ranging from 321 to 356 kDa in two families and from 528 to 547 kDa in a third family. These findings suggest that the mutations in I-cell disease and classical pseudo-Hurler polydystrophy result in a missing enzyme component, which renders the enzyme catalytically inefficient toward any type of acceptor substrate. In contrast, the mutations in the variant forms of pseudo-Hurler polydystrophy produce a larger enzyme molecule which is active toward small substrates but is incapable of binding natural lysosomal glycoprotein substrates.

Cell Line

Detection of Krabbe disease using tritiated galactosylceramides with medium-chain fatty acids.

Galactocerebrosidase (galactosylceramidase) assays using tritiated galactosylceramides with saturated, medium-chain fatty acids (C6-C11) were found to be more sensitive and more reliable than the commonly used assays with long-chain and very long-chain substrates (C16-C26). Galactosylsphingosine (psychosine) was tritiated by a modification of the galactose oxidase-sodium borohydride method, and 19 galactosylceramides were synthesized by the direct coupling of galactosylsphingosine with fatty acids of varying lengths (C6 to C24). The highest specific activities of normal prenatal and postnatal enzyme preparations were obtained with the C6 and C8 derivatives, which were six and five times more sensitive, respectively, than the C16 substrate. The residual activities in enzyme preparations from fetuses and children with Krabbe disease were proportionally increased. Our experience indicates that these substrates can provide a sensitive and reliable means for the prenatal and postnatal detection of Krabbe disease.

Amnion

Lysosomal enzyme activities in fresh and frozen chorionic villi and in cultured trophoblasts.

Fifteen lysosomal enzyme activities were compared in 14 presumed normal chorionic villus specimens that were each divided, processed and analyzed as fresh tissue, tissue frozen for 1 week, and cultures established from minced whole villi. Most of the activities determined in the chorionic villus tissue were not affected significantly by freezing. However, activities for most enzymes were significantly different from those determined in the cultured cells. Our experience with first trimester prenatal evaluations for several lysosomal disorders showed that the limited amount of tissue obtained is not always sufficient for thorough analysis and thus, cultured trophoblasts derived from the tissue specimen should also be examined. The results of this study stress the importance of using appropriate tissue-type and cell-type controls to establish the normal range in the respective analyses.

Arylsulfatases

Molecular size of N-acetylglucosaminylphosphotransferase and alpha-N-acetylglucosaminyl phosphodiesterase as determined in situ in Golgi membranes by radiation inactivation.

The radiation inactivation method was used to determine the molecular size of the two enzymes that participate in the synthesis of the phosphomannosyl recognition marker of lysosomal proteins. The determinations were carried out in situ, in Golgi membranes isolated from normal human placenta and cultured skin fibroblasts. A molecular size of 228 +/- 29 kDa was found for placental N-acetylglucosaminyl-phosphotransferase, and 129 +/- 11 kDa for placental alpha-N-acetylglucosaminyl phosphodiesterase. The values for the fibroblast enzymes were about 20% higher, 283 +/- 27 kDa and 156 +/- 14 kDa for the transferase and phosphodiesterase respectively. Triton X-100 had no effect on the molecular size of these enzymes.

Cells, Cultured

Characterization of the mutant N-acetylglucosaminylphosphotransferase in I-cell disease and pseudo-Hurler polydystrophy: complementation analysis and kinetic studies.

Complementation was examined among various types of I-cell disease and pseudo-Hurler polydystrophy by monitoring N-acetylglucosaminylphosphotransferase activity in multinucleated cells produced by fusing pair combinations of cultured skin fibroblasts. Patients with the classical forms of these disorders (5 I-cell disease and 3 pseudo-Hurler polydystrophy cell lines) comprised one complementation group and 5 cell lines from patients with variant forms of pseudo-Hurler polydystrophy comprised a distinct complementation group. In the first group, total or partial deficiency of the transferase activity was demonstrated with both natural (lysosomal enzymes) and artificial (alpha-methylmannoside) acceptor substrates with low Vmax but apparently normal Km values for the donor (UDP-GlcNAc) and acceptor (alpha-methylmannoside) substrates. The activity toward artificial substrate could be inhibited by adding exogenous lysosomal enzyme preparations to the reaction mixture. In the second group, the cells demonstrated deficiency of the transferase activity toward lysosomal enzyme acceptors but had normal activity toward alpha-methylmannoside acceptor and this activity could not be inhibited by the addition of exogenous lysosomal enzyme preparations. These findings suggest that N-acetylglucosaminylphosphotransferase is composed of at least two distinct subunits, a catalytic subunit which is absent or defective in the first complementation group, and a recognition subunit which is altered or deficient in the second group.

Cells, Cultured

Accuracy and reproducibility of the AutoMicrobic System Gram-Negative General Susceptibility-Plus Card for testing selected challenge organisms.

A total of 180 selected strains of gram-negative bacilli were tested for susceptibility to nine antibiotics by the prototype General Susceptibility Card and reference broth microdilution MIC method, and 112 of 180 were tested by the modified Gram-Negative General Susceptibility-Plus Card (Vitek Systems, Inc., Hazelwood, Mo.). When category calls--susceptible, intermediate, and resistant for the prototype card and very susceptible, moderately susceptible, and resistant for the modified card--were identical or compatible (very susceptible by one method and moderately susceptible by the other), the methods were considered in qualitative or categorical agreement. The overall categorical agreement improved from 83% for the prototype card to 91.5% for the modified card, and the frequency of major and very major disagreements was reduced from 7.5 to 1%, respectively. Overall agreement between the modified card and reference method for both category calls and MICs (+/- 2 dilutions) was 90%. Of the results, 67% were identical, 22% were more susceptible with the modified card, and 11% were more resistant. Reproducibility of identical or compatible category calls and MICs obtained from three trials was 94.5%. The poorest accuracy and reproducibility were observed when testing Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The study suggests that the modified card can rapidly and efficiently perform susceptibility tests with an acceptable level of accuracy and reproducibility provided that the system is appropriately used for testing strains of the family Enterobacteriaceae with preset criteria for excluding organism-antibiotic combinations. The evaluation also indicates dramatic improvement in the technical performance of the modified card compared with its earlier prototype.

Anti-Bacterial Agents

Decreased sialic acid and altered binding to lectins of purified alpha 2-macroglobulin from patients with cystic fibrosis.

Purified preparations of plasma alpha 2-macroglobulin from patients with cystic fibrosis are shown to have normal amounts of total hexose but as much as 40% decrease in their sialic acid content. The binding of these preparations to concanavalin A and wheat-germ agglutinin was markedly reduced as compared to normal values in controls. Intermediate values were found in obligate heterozygotes. These results suggest a possible alteration in the carbohydrate moiety of alpha 2-macroglobulin in cystic fibrosis, presumably due to a defective posttranslational process.

Concanavalin A

Is multiple sulphatase deficiency due to defective regulation of sulphohydrolase expression?

Multiple sulphatase deficiency disease is an unusual autosomal recessive disorder characterised biochemically by a deficiency of several sulphohydrolase activities. The laboratory diagnosis of this combined neurological connective tissue disorder is made on the basis of decreased activities of the lysosomal enzymes, arylsulphatase A and arylsulphatase B and the microsomal enzyme, arylsulphatase C. The primary defect in this multi-enzyme deficiency has not been identified. Using immunological techniques to characterise further the residual activities of arylsulphatases A and B in the multiple sulphatase deficiency disease, we have examined the levels of cross-reaching material (CRM) to arylsulphatases A and B in cultured skin fibroblasts from controls and patients with multiple sulphatase deficiency, metachromatic leukodystrophy (deficiency of only arylsulphatase A activity) and Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome (deficiency of only arylsulphatase B activity). We report here results indicating that arylsulphatases A and B in multiple sulphatase deficiency are reduced in their levels of CRM while retaining a normal activity/CRM ratio. Because the two enzymes are apparently structurally unrelated, these data are consistent with the possibility that their combined deficiencies in this disorder may result from a defect in the coordinated expression of sulphohydrolases.

Arylsulfatases