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Biomedical subjects

J A Roth

Publications and source records attributed to J A Roth.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Comparison of left ventricular cryolesions created by liquid nitrogen and nitrous oxide.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to compare the cryosurgical lesions produced by liquid nitrogen (-196 degrees C) and nitrous oxide (-76 degrees C). BACKGROUND: Cryosurgical ablation is a useful method of arrhythmia surgery, but information on the dimensions of cardiac lesions produced by modifying cryoprobe temperature is limited. METHODS: We compared the dimensions, volumes and electrophysiologic effects of cryolesions created by a liquid nitrogen cryoprobe (Group I) and a nitrous oxide cryoprobe (Group II) on the left ventricular myocardium in the beating canine heart. Exposure time was compared at 1, 2, 3 and 4 min. In each of 18 dogs, two to four lesions were created on the left ventricle and analyzed: 35 lesions created with use of the nitrous oxide cryoprobe and 30 lesions created with the liquid nitrogen cryoprobe. Lesions were measured at the time of induced death 6 weeks postoperatively and assessed by tissue staining with the Masson trichrome technique. RESULTS: The volumes (mm3) of the cryolesions created by the liquid nitrogen cryoprobe were significantly larger (p < 0.05) than those of lesions created by nitrous oxide: 826 +/- 163 versus 493 +/- 197 at 1 min; 1,101 +/- 327 versus 666 +/- 185 at 2 min; 1,356 +/- 318 versus 787 +/- 258 at 3 min and 1,735 +/- 534 versus 923 +/- 376 at 4 min. CONCLUSIONS: Decreasing the temperature of the cryoprobe by using liquid nitrogen increases the volume of the lesions. Programmed electrical stimulation before and 6 weeks after cryoablation indicated no arrhythmogenicity.

Animals

Rapid suppression of spontaneous ventricular arrhythmias during oral amiodarone loading.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the time course of effects of amiodarone during an oral loading period. DESIGN: A prospective, nonrandomized study. SETTING: Arrhythmia referral center at a university hospital. PATIENTS: Fifty patients with refractory sustained ventricular tachycardia (n = 44) or ventricular fibrillation (n = 6) and frequent (greater than or equal to 30/h) ventricular premature complexes. INTERVENTION: Oral amiodarone, 1200 mg/d for 14 days and 400 mg/d thereafter. MEASUREMENTS: Ambulatory electrocardiographic monitorings, 12-lead electrocardiograms, and amiodarone blood levels on days 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 28. RESULTS: Dramatic reductions of ventricular arrhythmias were noted during the first 72 hours of the therapy. Average ventricular premature complexes/h, couplets/h, and nonsustained ventricular tachycardias/24 h were 524 +/- 1224/h, 16 +/- 61/h, and 167 +/- 611/24 h, respectively, at baseline, and reduced to 140 +/- 243/h, 11 +/- 50/h, and 33 +/- 117/24 h, respectively, on day 3 (P less than 0.05 for all). Subsequent reductions of ventricular arrhythmias from day 3 to day 13 were more gradual but were still significant (P less than 0.05). A significant reduction of ventricular arrhythmias (greater than or equal to 70% reduction of ventricular premature complexes and greater than or equal to 90% reduction of nonsustained ventricular tachycardias) was noted in 50% of patients on day 3, in 65% on day 7, and in 83% on day 13. Prolongation of the QT interval exhibited a similar time course. There were no further differences in reduction of ventricular premature complexes or QT intervals between day 13 and day 28. CONCLUSIONS: Oral amiodarone given in loading doses produces rapid and dramatic reductions in spontaneous ventricular arrhythmias within 72 hours. Subsequent reductions of spontaneous arrhythmia were gradual and less dramatic.

Administration, Oral

Reproducibility of electrophysiologic testing during antiarrhythmic therapy for ventricular arrhythmias secondary to coronary artery disease.

Although electrophysiologic studies are often used to assess antiarrhythmic drug efficacy in patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT), the reproducibility of these studies during therapy has not been definitively established. Confirmation studies were performed during drug therapy in 64 patients (51 men, mean age 63 years) with sustained ventricular arrhythmias induced during initial study to assess the reproducibility of drug effect. All patients had coronary artery disease. The stimulation protocol used included the serial introduction of up to 3 premature ventricular stimuli during sinus rhythm and with ventricular pacing at 2 pacing rates. Rapid ventricular pacing techniques were also used. Antiarrhythmic drug efficacy was confirmed in 77% of patients. Sustained VT was induced at repeat electrophysiologic study in 19% of patients during antiarrhythmic therapy that was previously thought to be effective. In summary, electrophysiologic study results during antiarrhythmic therapy exhibit significant day-to-day variability. Sustained VT can be induced during antiarrhythmic therapy that was previously defined as effective by programmed stimulation in a substantial number of patients.

Adult

New approaches to treating early lung cancer.

The survival from lung cancer has not changed over the past 15 years, despite the intensive application of combined modality therapy for advanced disease. Prevention and early diagnosis appear to be the most promising strategies for reduction of lung cancer mortality. A Keystone Colloquium was held April 1 to 7, 1991, on the Biology of and Novel Therapeutic Approaches for Epithelial Cancers of the Aerodigestive Tract, to discuss recent basic and clinical research in this area. This paper summarizes the presentations relevant to lung cancer, including genetic mechanisms, growth factors, neuropeptides, growth and differentiation, carcinogenesis, chemoprevention, multidrug resistance, and immunology.

Humans

Recognition of substrates by tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase. Determination of affinity by acidic amino acids near the target sites.

The sulfation of proteins by tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase (TPST) is highly site-specific. In this study, we examined the sequence specificity of the target site for TPST by determining the kinetics of rat liver TPST with peptides related to the sequence of the C4 component of complement. The data obtained from this study demonstrate that selective elimination of negative charges from the -5 to +5 region of the acceptor tyrosine, either by removal or by isosteric substitution or the acidic amino acids in the region, produced a substantial change in the Km value, with relatively little effect on Vmax. Substitutions at -1 and +1 positions increase the Km value by 22- and 4-fold, respectively, whereas removal of the acidic amino acids from the -5, -4, or +4 positions increased the Km values by a factor of 2-4. The effect of elimination of an acidic amino acid on the Km value was constant and specific for its particular position in relation to tyrosine, and the effect of modification of more than one amino acid was multiplicative. This study provides evidence that: 1) acidic residues near tyrosines promote sulfation by increasing the affinity of enzyme-substrate binding and have little effect on catalytic rate; 2) the contribution of each acidic residue to affinity for TPST is independent and varies according to position relative to the acceptor tyrosine; and 3) the enzyme interacts with a segment of at least 4-5 residues on each side of the tyrosine, with the residues on the -1 and +1 positions being the most important determinants. In general, residues on the NH2-terminal side of the tyrosine have a greater effect on affinity for TPST.

Amino Acid Sequence

Five-year survival after pulmonary metastasectomy for adult soft tissue sarcoma.

Determinants of 5-year survival were evaluated after complete resection of pulmonary metastases from adult soft-tissue sarcomas. Fifty-eight patients had complete resection (median survival 25 months, P = 0.0002), with a 25.8% absolute 5-year survival (15 of 58 patients); six patients had unresectable disease (median survival 6 months) and were excluded from additional analysis. Eleven patients remain disease free, with a median follow-up of 76 months. Significant independent prognostic indicators associated with improved survival (P less than 0.05) included metastasis doubling time of 40 days or greater (median survival 37 months versus 15 months if less than 40 days); unilateral disease on preoperative radiography (33 months versus 15 months if bilateral disease); three or fewer nodules on preoperative computed tomography (40 months versus 14 months if 4 or more nodules); two nodules or fewer resected (40 months versus 17 months if 3 or more nodules resected), and tumor histology (33 months for malignant fibrous histiocytoma versus 17 months for all others). Multivariate analysis identified the number of nodules detected by computed tomography preoperatively as having significant prognostic value.

Adult

Molecular surgery for cancer.

Advances in the understanding of the process of carcinogenesis may allow prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer to be approached at the molecular level. Studies in our laboratory show that growth factors (transforming growth factor alpha), dominant oncogenes (HER-2/erb B2 and K-ras), and tumor suppressor genes (p53) are functionally important in the maintenance of the malignant phenotype of human non-small-cell lung cancer cells. Application of these findings to clinical problems include the identification of p53 mutations as markers for malignant change in Barrett's epithelium, the use of discordant p53 mutations to diagnose second primary malignant neoplasms in patients with head and neck cancer, and the potential for therapy by the reversal of genetic lesions.

Adenocarcinoma

A patient with primary biliary cirrhosis and multiple sclerosis.

A 48-year-old woman with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and multiple sclerosis (MS) is reported. She presented with a visual deficit in 1975. In the course of a diagnostic evaluation, she was found to have PBC. In 1986, the diagnosis of MS was made. The patient's liver function deteriorated and liver transplantation was performed in May 1988. This is the third known case of this association.

Adult

Prognostic significance of computed tomography in resected N2 lung cancer.

We reviewed 124 patients from 1982 to 1988 who had a resected primary non-small cell lung cancer metastatic to mediastinal (N2) lymph nodes and a preoperative assessment of the mediastinum with computed tomography of the chest. Sixty-three patients studied had computed tomographic evidence of mediastinal lymph node enlargement. In these patients the survival at 5 years was only 6.6%, compared with the 5-year survival of 13.5% in 61 patients in whom the mediastinum was normal. Plain chest roentgenography with evidence of mediastinal adenopathy did not predict a poorer outcome. In addition, patients with tumors located in the left upper lobe were found to have an improved survival. These patients had a 5-year survival of 20.8%. Tumor histology, central location of the tumor, extranodal extension, and type of resection did not result in a significant survival difference.

Adult

Long-term survival after resection of pulmonary metastases from carcinoma of the breast.

Resection of isolated pulmonary metastases may yield improved survival in select patients. Between 1981 and 1991, 44 women (median age, 55 years) with a history of breast cancer underwent 47 thoracotomies with no operative deaths and only three minor postoperative complications (3/47, 6.4%). Confirmation of the metastatic origin of the lung lesion was made by direct histological comparison with the primary. Three patients had benign nodules and were excluded, and 4 patients had less than complete resection at thoracotomy. The median survival after thoracotomy of the remaining 37 patients with completely resected metastases was 47 +/- 5.5 months, and their actuarial 5-year survival was 49.5%. Patients with a disease-free interval of longer than 12 months had a longer survival (median survival, 82 +/- 6 months; 5-year survival, 57%) than patients with a disease-free interval of 12 months or less (median survival, 15 +/- 3.6 months; 5-year survival, 0%) (p = 0.004). Patients with estrogen receptor-positive status (n = 14) tended to have longer survival after resection than patients with estrogen receptor-negative status (n = 15) (median survival, 81 +/- 9 months versus 23 +/- 6 months, respectively; p = 0.098). Other clinical variables analyzed did not predict survival after thoracotomy. We conclude that resection of pulmonary metastases in patients with breast cancer can be done safely and may result in long-term survival for a substantial number of patients. Patients with a disease-free interval of longer than 12 months have an excellent prognosis after complete resection.

Adult

Alteration of neutrophil function in BCG-treated and non-treated swine after exposure to Salmonella typhimurium.

Salmonella typhimurium infection in swine causes an enterocolitis followed by a persistent carrier state, but little is known about the mechanisms that allow this organism to colonize and persist in host tissues. Neutrophils provide a first line of defense against invading pathogens such as Salmonella typhimurium. The purpose of this study was to evaluate porcine neutrophil function after in vivo exposure to Salmonella and to determine if the immunomodulator, bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG), exerts any effect on neutrophil function or on the colonization and persistence of S. typhimurium in the pig. Compared to negative controls, neutrophils from pigs exposed to S. typhimurium exhibited significantly decreased iodination, cytochrome-C reduction, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, random migration, and chemotaxis (P less than or equal to 0.05). Neutrophil bactericidal activity against S. typhimurium was significantly enhanced. Most of the significant differences were noted in the first two days after exposure to Salmonella. Often the functional alterations were biphasic, peaking again 7-10 days after exposure. BCG alone significantly depressed random migration and cytochrome-C reduction in unstimulated neutrophils. The clinical course, colonization pattern, and persistence of Salmonella were similar between pigs receiving BCG and untreated pigs. These data suggest that S. typhimurium infection causes a depression in oxidative metabolism and motility, yet an increase in overall bactericidal activity against S. typhimurium in circulating porcine neutrophils. It also appears that BCG treatment, as reported here, does not enhance resistance of pigs to S. typhimurium colonization or reduce the number of persistent organisms in the porcine ileum.

Animals

A comparison of virulent and avirulent strains of Salmonella choleraesuis and their ability to invade Vero cell monolayers.

The mechanisms of invasion used by virulent and avirulent Salmonella choleraesuis were compared using a Vero cell invasion assay. Mouse virulent S. choleraesuis strain 38 and avirulent strain 9 were examined for their ability to invade and survive in Vero cells. The assay was performed by S. choleraesuis infection of the Vero cell monolayer alone and in the presence of various treatments applied to the Vero cell monolayers. Intracellular S. choleraesuis colony forming units were then counted to characterize the mechanism of bacterial uptake. Invasion was not affected by colchicine, but was significantly inhibited in the presence of cytochalasins B and D, chloroquine, and dansylcadaverine. Inhibition by the above substances suggested the importance of microfilaments and of receptor recycling in receptor mediated endocytosis. Both bacterial strains had decreased invasion in the presence of mannose and after enzymic treatment with trypsin. Mannose exposure caused a significant 48% decrease in the uptake of virulent S. choleraesuis 38 and a 28% decrease in avirulent S. choleraesuis 9. Inhibition of endosome acidification did not affect the virulent strain 38 as much as it affected avirulent strain 9. Results from these experiments suggested that Vero cell invasion by S. choleraesuis was due to host uptake by receptor mediated endocytosis, and was mediated in part by mannose-sensitive adhesins. Outer membrane proteins were extracted from the virulent and avirulent strain and compared using SDS-PAGE following surface protein labeling with 125I. Virulent S. choleraesuis 38 had a unique 35 kD protein. The outer membrane proteins of both strains were then examined by radio-immunoprecipitation and western blot using guinea pig polyclonal antisera and the 35 kD protein was again found to be unique to the virulent strain 38. Antisera against the 35 kD protein significantly inhibited invasion of Vero cells by S. choleraesuis strain 38.

Actin Cytoskeleton

Prolonged chemotherapy for localised squamous carcinoma of the oesophagus.

We evaluated the feasibility of six courses of chemotherapy in 34 consecutive patients with localised squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus. All 32 evaluable patients first received at least two courses of chemotherapy. There were 18 patients with resectable carcinomas who underwent surgery and 14 patients with unresectable carcinomas who received definitive chemoradiotherapy. After two courses of 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin 21 (66%) of 32 patients had either a complete or major response. A median of five courses (range, 1-6 courses) was administered. 17 out of 18 (94%) patients with resectable carcinoma had a 'curative' resection (negative proximal, distal, and radial margins by histopathology in an en-block resection specimen) and 2 patients had a complete pathological response. The median survival duration of all patients was 28 months (range, 2-46+ months). The median survival duration of 14 patients with unresectable carcinoma was 23 months (range, 8-36+ months), and the median survival duration of 18 patients with resectable carcinoma has not been reached at a median follow-up of 24+ months (range, 10+ to 46+ months). No deaths occurred because of chemotherapy or chemoradiation therapy. Our data suggest that prolonged chemotherapy is feasible in patients with locoregional squamous carcinoma of the oesophagus. An ongoing controlled trial will determine the contribution of chemotherapy to patients' survival.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols

Autocrine growth stimulation by transforming growth factor-alpha in human non-small cell lung cancer.

We studied the biological response to and production of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) by the non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) clonal cell lines H226b, H322a, H460a, H596b. Each of these cell lines expressed epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as determined by [125I]EGF competitive binding and Scatchard analysis and by phosphorylation. The receptors were functionally active as determined in immune complex kinase assays. H322a, H226b, H460a, and H596b cells showed stimulated [3H]thymidine (Thd) uptake in response to TGF-alpha. Exogenously added TGF-alpha increased colony formation in soft agar for three of the cell lines in media containing serum. All cell lines expressed TGF-alpha detected by immunohistochemistry and TGF-alpha mRNA, although to differing degrees. Cell lysates and spent media competed for EGFR binding with EGF, thus demonstrating production of TGF-alpha-like activity. The anti-TGF-alpha monoclonal antibody AB-3 inhibited the uptake of [3H]Thd by proliferating H322a and H226b cells but not H460a and H596b cells. No inhibition occurred with MOPC21 antibody and inhibition was completely reversed by addition of TGF-alpha to the culture. Suramin inhibited cell proliferation and [3H]Thd uptake by all cell lines. Inhibition of H460a and H596b cells was reversed with exogenous TGF-alpha but not PDGF. Our data suggests that TGF-alpha is a mediator of autocrine growth stimulation for NSCLC cells, and that for some NSCLC cells cytoplasmic binding of receptor and ligand is the primary mechanism for autocrine growth stimulation.

Animals

IL-1 synergy with IL-2 in the generation of lymphokine activated killer cells is mediated by TNF-alpha and beta (lymphotoxin).

Interleukin 1 is a pleuripotent cytokine shown to synergize with IL-2 in the generation of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells, when cultured with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) or peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). When IL-1 and low dose IL-2 are added in combination, both LAK cytotoxicity and proliferation are increased in short-term (5-6 day) and long-term (12-14 day) cultures compared with cells activated with IL-2 alone. The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha), lymphotoxin (LT, or TNF-beta) and the TNF receptor in the observed IL-1/IL-2 mediated synergy. Analysis of lymphocyte culture supernatants using the L929 bioassay and by specific ELISAs demonstrated an increased production of both TNF and LT in those cells cultured with IL-1 and IL-2. Utilizing specific neutralizing antisera, our experiments demonstrated the biologic activity of both cytokines, with LT-specific antibodies producing the greatest diminution of IL-1/IL-2 stimulated cell proliferation and cytotoxicity. The addition of IL-1 and IL-2 in combination markedly upregulated TNF-receptor expression (measured by Scatchard analysis) in comparison with cells stimulated with IL-2 alone. Characterization of the TNF-R by flow cytometric analysis revealed increased membrane expression of the 75 kDa, but not the 55 kDa, TNF binding protein as a result of IL-1 costimulation.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Implementation of a new DDDR algorithm for tachycardia prevention and treatment utilizing an implantable RAM-based software-controlled pacemaker.

Reentry within the atrioventricular node or over accessory pathways are common causes of symptomatic tachycardia. These arrhythmias are frequently initiated by a spontaneous atrial or ventricular premature beat. Appropriately timed atrial or ventricular extrastimuli can, in some patients, render one limb of the reentrant circuit refractory and prevent induction of tachycardia. Currently available implantable devices are not suitable for this application. The authors have implemented a new implantable pacing algorithm capable of extremely short atrial and ventricular refractory periods, rapid triggered ventricular pacing rates, protection against encroachment on the ventricular vulnerable period, protection against tachycardia induction by ventricular premature beats, automated antitachycardia pacing in either atrium and ventricle, as well as an extensive event storage capability. This application has been made possible by a new, RAM-based microprocessor controlled dual chamber pacemaker (Medtronic Prometheus Model 6100). Its use in intraatrial tachycardia with atrioventricular block as well as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is demonstrated. This device is capable of prevention of tachycardia induction in some patients. Where prevention is not feasible or fails, it is backed up by automated or manually activated antitachycardia pacing. The great flexibility of a completely reprogrammable software based pacemaker has enabled the implementation of a very complex experimental pacemaker that will permit evaluation in the implanted setting of this new pacing strategy.

Algorithms