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J F Ward

Publications and source records attributed to J F Ward.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Radioprotection of cells in culture by WR-2721 and derivatives: form of the drug responsible for protection.

Studies of V79-171 cells were undertaken to determine what extracellular or intracellular derivative of the drug WR-2721 is associated with radioprotection. The effect of preincubation at 23 +/- 1 degree C with WR-2721, and with derivatives of WR-2721 produced in medium containing alkaline phosphatase, upon survival of cells following subsequent gamma-irradiation was examined. It was established that WR-2721, WR-1065, WR-33278, WRSSCys, and other disulfide forms produced by reactions of WR-1065 with the medium do not provide significant protection when present only extracellularly. Protection was found to correlate with cellular levels of the thiol form of the drug (WR-1065) but not with the cellular level of the disulfide forms of WR-1065. Similar results were obtained with HeLa, Me-180, Ovary 2008, HT-29/SP-1d, and Colo 395 cell lines showing that human tumor cell lines behave in the same fashion as the V79-171 nontumorigenic hamster diploid cell line. None of the drug forms produced significant cytotoxicity under the conditions used. It was concluded that it is the cellular level of WR-1065 at the time of irradiation which determines protection. The results are consistent with protection mechanisms involving scavenging of hydroxyl radicals, hydrogen atom transfer to DNA radicals, depletion of oxygen near DNA, enhancement of rapid biochemical repair processes, or some combination of these mechanisms.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1988

Radioprotection of DNA by thiols: relationship between the net charge on a thiol and its ability to protect DNA.

Release of free bases from calf thymus DNA upon irradiation in aerated 0.1 mol dm-3NaClO4 at pH 7 has been measured by HPLC and shown to be markedly influenced by the presence of thiols during irradiation. The ability of thiols to protect DNA was shown to depend upon the net charge (Z) at pH 7 in the order WR 1065 (Z = +2) greater than cysteamine (Z = +1) greater than 2-mercaptoethanol (Z = 0) approximately equal to dithiothreitol (Z = 0) greater than GSH (Z = -1) approximately equal to 2-mercaptoethanesulfonic acid (Z = -1) approximately equal to 2-mercaptosuccinate (Z = -2). A similar dependence of protection upon net charge was found for disulfides: cystamine (Z = +2) greater than 2-mercaptoethyl disulfide (Z = 0) greater than GSSG (Z = -2). Protection by WR 1065, but not by 2-mercaptoethanol or GSH, was found to decrease significantly with increasing ionic strength. Protection by WR 1065 and GSH was not markedly dependent upon pH between pH 6 and 8. The results are explained in terms of electrostatic interaction of the thiols with DNA, leading to high concentrations of cations near DNA, which allow them to scavenge hydroxyl radicals and repair DNA radicals effectively and to low concentrations of anionic thiols near DNA, which limit their effectiveness as protectors. Poly(dG,dC) and calf thymus DNA exhibited comparable release of G and C upon changing from 0.1 to 0.7 mol dm-3 MgSO4. Since this change causes poly(dG,dC), but not calf thymus DNA, to undergo a change from the B-form to the Z-form of DNA, both forms must have a comparable susceptibility to radiation-induced base release.

Anions↗
PubMed1988

Interaction of glutathione and other low-molecular-weight thiols with DNA: evidence for counterion condensation and coion depletion near DNA.

The interaction of low-molecular-weight thiols with sonicated DNA was examined using spin filtration to concentrate the DNA. Cationic thiols (WR 1065 and cysteamine) behaved as counterions and were found to have increased concentrations in the DNA retentate relative to the filtrate. Anionic thiols (GSH, 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate, mercaptosuccinate) behaved as coions and were decreased in concentration in the DNA fraction. Concentrations of the uncharged thiol 2-mercaptoethanol were little influenced by DNA. The results demonstrate the importance of counterion condensation and coion depletion in determining the concentrations of charged species near DNA. They provide a rationale for enhanced effectiveness of WR 1065 and cysteamine as radioprotectors compared to neutral and anionic thiols and suggest that anionic thiols such as GSH should be poor radioprotectors of DNA.

Anions↗
PubMed1986

Mechanisms of DNA repair and their potential modification for radiotherapy.

The potentiation of radiation damage, which can be accomplished by the inhibition of repair, is estimated from published studies of repair deficient mutants. Sensitization factors as high as 10 have been achieved. Because it has previously been suggested that the most probable lethal lesion is a DNA double strand break (DSB), it is not surprising that cells deficient in repairing this type of damage are the most radiosensitive. The structures of DNA DSBs and other Locally Multiply Damaged Sites (LMDS) (involving both single strand breaks (SSB) and base damage sites) are reviewed, together with the processes by which cells may attempt to repair these lesions. Repair processes occur in competition with damage fixation, again, mechanisms of damage fixation are predicted from studies in model systems. A strategy for inhibiting the repair processes is devised that consists of holding the first SSB constituent of the LMDS open by repairing in the presence of deoxynucleoside analogues, such as ara-C, so that there is a higher probability of the formation of a DSB upon cleavage of the second site (on the other strand) by hydrolysis of a labile bond or by endonuclease cleavage of a base damaged site. To achieve preferential sensitization of tumor vs. normal tissue it may be possible to take advantage of the deficiency in alkaline phosphatase in tumor vs. normal vasculature, that is, in analogy with treatment with WR-2721. The deoxynucleoside analogue would be delivered together with the phosphate ester (deoxynucleotide) of the correct deoxynucleoside, for example, ara-C, in the presence of deoxycytidine monophosphate (dCMP). Higher alkaline phosphatase levels in normal tissue capillaries would hydrolyse the dCMP to deoxycytidine, which competes effectively with ara-C in repair replication.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Equilibrium dialysis studies of the binding of radioprotector compounds to DNA.

Radioprotection by WR-2721, S-2-(3-aminopropylamino)ethyl phosphorothioate, is thought to involve its corresponding thiol (WR-1065) or symmetrical disulfide (WR-33278). It has been suggested that these metabolites concentrate close to the DNA target molecule; to test this hypothesis we have measured their in vitro binding to DNA. The binding of WR-33278 (0.05-0.4 mM) to calf thymus DNA (6 mM, with respect to DNA phosphate) was determined at 50, 100, and 150 mM KCl in 1 mM Tris, pH 7, by equilibrium dialysis. The binding of WR-1065 (0.5-8mM) was determined at 25, 50, and 100 mM KCl, under similar conditions, but with 2 mM EDTA and 3 mM dithiothreitol (DTT) added to the dialysis buffer to prevent thiol oxidation. Drug levels were quantitated by HPLC after fluorescent labeling with monobromobimane; disulfide samples were reduced with DTT prior to analysis. Dissociation constants (Kd = [Free Drug] [DNA site]/ [bound drug] ) under these conditions were found to vary with ionic strength, being in the range of 0.02 +/- 0.01 to 0.18 +/- 0.06 mM for WR-33278 and 0.43 +/- 0.24 to 3.5 +2/- 1.5 mM for WR-1065. WR-2721, glutathione, cysteine, and DTT showed no detectable binding to DNA in 25 mM KCl. However, cysteamine and cystamine did bind to DNA, with unbound drug to bound drug ratios of 8 +/- 2 and 0.6 +/- 0.1, respectively, at total drug concentrations of 1 mM. Cystamine and WR-1065 bound to DNA with comparable affinity under similar conditions. These results indicate that binding of WR-33278 and WR-1065 by DNA phosphate are probably significant in the mechanism of radioprotection by WR-2721.

Amifostine↗
PubMed1985

Mammalian cells are not killed by DNA single-strand breaks caused by hydroxyl radicals from hydrogen peroxide.

Cell killing by ionizing radiation has been shown to be caused by hydroxyl free radicals formed by water radiolysis. We have previously suggested that the killing is not caused by individual OH free radicals but by the interaction of volumes of high radical density with DNA to cause locally multiply damaged sites (LMDS) (J. F. Ward, Radiat. Res. 86, 185-195, 1985). Here we test this hypothesis using hydrogen peroxide as an alternate source of OH radicals. The route to OH production from H2O2 is expected to cause singly damaged sites rather than LMDS. Chinese hamster V79-171 cells were treated with H2O2 at varying concentrations for varying times at 0 degree C. DNA damage produced intracellularly was measured by alkaline elution and quantitated in terms of Gray-equivalent damage by comparing the rate of its elution with that of DNA from gamma-irradiated cells. The yield of DNA damage produced increases with increasing concentration of H2O2 and with time of exposure. H2O2 is efficient in producing single-strand breaks; treatment with 50 microM for 30 min produces damage equivalent to that formed by 10 Gy of gamma irradiation. In the presence of a hydroxyl radical scavenger, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), the yield of damage decreases with increasing DMSO concentration consistent with the scavenging of hydroxyl radicals traveling an average of 15 A prior to reacting with the DNA. In contrast to DNA damage production, cell killing by H2O2 treatment at 0 degree C is inefficient. Concentrations of 5 X 10(-2) M H2O2 for 10 min are required to produce significant cell killing; the DNA damage yield from this treatment can be calculated to be equivalent to 6000 Gy of gamma irradiation. The conclusion drawn is that individual DNA damage sites are ineffectual in killing cells. Mechanisms are suggested for killing at 0 degree C at high concentrations and for the efficient cell killing by H2O2 at 37 degrees C at much lower concentrations.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Biochemistry of DNA lesions.

Ionizing radiation produces a range of damage types in cellular DNA. All damage types do not have the same biological significance. Here arguments are presented supporting the view that lesions in which damage is present on both strands in a local region of the DNA (locally multiply damaged sites--LMDS) will present problems for cellular repair processes. We have previously shown that lesions produced in DNA by individual OH radicals, i.e., single OH species acting alone, are ineffective in mammalian cell killing [J.F. Ward, W.F. Blakely, and E.I. Joner, Radiat. Res. 103, 383-392 (1985)]. We have similar evidence in mutagenesis studies (Ward and Calabro-Jones, unpublished data). Thus the formation of such damage by individual OH radicals formed by ionizing radiation would be similarly ineffectual. Earlier [J.F. Ward, Radiat. Res. 86, 185-195 (1981)] we suggested that OH-radical scavenging studies were consistent with the scavenging of OH radicals in volumes of high radical density, spurs, etc., i.e., in volumes which, when they overlap the DNA, will cause the production of LMDS. The individual constituent lesions of LMDS will be formed as a result of direct ionization or as a result of an OH-radical attack. Both mechanisms can lead to base damage or strand breakage. It is clear that damage in both bases of a deoxyribonucleotide pair leads to loss of base sequence information and can be repaired correctly only by accident or in a recombinational process.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Interpretation of statistical methodology associated with maintenance trials.

Maintenance trials in ulcer disease provide a scientific framework through which the prophylactic performances of two or more therapies can be compared with respect to ulcer recurrence. For this purpose, a primary source of data is the endoscopic classification of patients at protocol-scheduled visits as well as at unscheduled visits. Several statistical issues are relevant to the analysis of this endoscopic information. First, the extent to which the respective patients have different data patterns for their ulcer recurrence status must be taken into account by actuarial methods that adjust for the length of follow-up time. Second, the role of multiple investigators requires careful attention when information is combined from them. A third issue is concerned with the assessment of the variation of ulcer recurrence experience across subgroups with respect to patient demographics, medical history, and baseline characteristics. Statistical methods can effectively address these issues so that the results of maintenance studies can be interpreted through estimates for ulcer recurrence rates. In this way, they can meaningfully support clinical conclusions about the performance of alternative therapies for maintaining the absence of ulcer disease over time.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1984

Pulse radiolysis studies of WR-1065.

WR-1065, the dephosphorylated sulfhydryl form of WR-2721 has been suggested as the metabolite responsible for the radioprotective abilities of the latter and as being active during the radiation chemical stage of damage production. Hence this study was performed to determine some of the radiation chemical parameters of the compound. Pulse radiolysis techniques, developed for use with SH compounds, were employed in the current work: Three systems were used to attempt to measure the rate constant for reaction of OH. radicals with WR-1065; (a) Competition with phenylalanine, in which the decrease in the amount of RSSR- caused by the addition of phenylalanine is monitored; this failed because of the absence of an absorbance attributable to RSSR-. (b) Competition with 2,2'-Azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS), monitoring the decrease in OH. induced ABTS absorbance caused by WR-1065 addition. This was unsuccessful due to reaction of RS. with ABTS. (c) Competition with CNS-, observing the decrease in (CNS)-2 caused by WR-1065 addition indicates that the second order rate constant for reaction of OH. with WR-1065 is 9.2 +/- 0.3 X 10(9) M-1 s-1. To investigate the ability of WR-1065 to react with DNA radicals the yield of ABTS radicals was monitored in a situation where DNA scavenges 50% of the OH. radicals in the presence of ABTS (20%) and WR-1065 (30%). DNA radicals were shown not to react with ABTS but WR-1065 radicals do, the absence of additional ABTS absorbing species indicates that DNA radicals do not react with WR-1065 under the experimental conditions used. An attempt was made to investigate the possibility that WR-1065 is concentrated close to DNA macromolecules in solution: The rate constant for reaction Br2- with WR-1065 was measured in the presence and in the absence of excess DNA (with which Br2- was not observed to react). The observed rates of reaction were independent of the presence of DNA indicating that the latter does not affect the availability of WR-1065 for reaction with Br2- radical. Reaction of WR-1065 with Br2- was used as a probe for determining the pK of the SH group. The rate of reaction increases from 1.8 X 10(8) M-1 s-1 at pH 6.3 to 1.6 X 10(9) M-1 s-1 at pH 8.4, the mid-point of the increase indicates a pK of 7.3.

Bromine↗
PubMed1984

Induction of lethal damage in E. coli by Cerenkov emission associated with high-energy X-rays: the effect of bromouracil substitution.

5.1. The damages induced in E. coli AB2487 recA by Cerenkov emission and ionizing radiation contribute in an additive fashion to the overall lethality, and do not interact in a synergistic fashion. 5.2. BU substitution enhances the lethal action of high energy X-irradiation on E. coli AB2487 recA by a mechanism involving enhanced radiosensitivity and enhanced photosensitivity.

Bromouracil↗
PubMed1984

Effects of inhibitors of DNA strand break repair on HeLa cell radiosensitivity.

The effects of three drugs (hydroxyurea, 1-beta-arabinofuranosylcytosine, and diamide) known to inhibit DNA synthesis on the repair of ionizing radiation-induced DNA single-strand breaks measured by alkaline elution and on cellular radiosensitivity were examined. Inhibition of repair was observed at 10(-2) M hydroxyurea, 10(-4) M 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine, and 5 X 10(-5) M diamide, levels causing only 10% cell kill. While the mechanisms by which the drugs inhibit DNA synthesis differ, they are equally effective at inhibiting repair; without drug, cells, after a dose of 10 grays, repair 35% of DNA strand breaks in 3 min and a further 35% in 1 hr; with drug, only 10% is repaired in 3 min, and the deficiency in repair amount remains, even after 60 min. The effect of similar drug treatment on radiation-induced cell killing shows that radiosensitivity is increased; the major effect is reduction in D0 from 1.3 grays to approximately 0.8 grays with smaller effects on Dq. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that radiation produces potential double-strand breaks in DNA which, if not rapidly repaired, are converted into lethal actual double-strand breaks.

Azo Compounds↗
PubMed1983

Enhancement of human tumor cell killing by L-canavanine in combination with gamma-radiation.

On the basis of several physiological properties of L-canavanine, we have tested the prediction that this analogue of arginine would enhance the cytotoxic effects of gamma-rays in mammalian cells. Using the human colonic tumor cell line, HT-29, time-dose studies were performed with log-phase cultures in order to determine conditions which maximize the incorporation of L-canavanine into cellular proteins while leaving a large fraction of the cells viable for subsequent gamma-ray survival measurements. At an input ratio of 2.5 (L-canavanine:arginine), the analogue exerted a cytostatic effect on the cells for at least 6 days following one cell division. Little cell killing (less than 20%) by clonogenicity was caused by L-canavanine during the first 12 hr of treatment of log-phase cells, even at a L-canavanine:arginine ratio of 20. A 24-hr exposure, however, produced an exponential decrease in survival as a function of L-canavanine concentration. The interaction between L-canavanine treatment and gamma-ray damage with respect to cell survival was examined under several conditions and times based on the above findings. Optimal enhancement of X-ray-induced cytotoxicity (assayed by loss of clonogenicity) was observed with a 48-hr exposure to the analogue at a L-canavanine:arginine ratio of 10. A marked increase in radiosensitivity was observed when L-canavanine was administered either before or after irradiation of the cells. In both protocols, enhancement was seen at all radiation doses. Together with our earlier findings showing the antitumor activity of L-canavanine in L1210 murine leukemia, these results suggest the potential usefulness of this amino acid analogue in the treatment of cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗