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Biomedical subjects

J Heinonen

Publications and source records attributed to J Heinonen.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Genetic engineering of Escherichia coli inorganic pyrophosphatase. Tyr55 and Tyr141 are important for the structural integrity.

Two tyrosines are supposed to be essential for the activity and to participate in the stabilization of Escherichia coli inorganic pyrophosphatase (PPiase) against heat denaturation [Samejima, T., Tamagawa, Y., Kondo, Y., Hachimori, A., Kaji, H., Takeda, A. and Shiroya, Y. (1988) J. Biochem. (Tokyo) 103, 766-772]. To locate these two tyrosines in the amino acid sequence, we substituted all the eight tyrosines of E. coli PPiase with phenylalanine and studied the properties of these YF mutant PPiases. Interestingly, substitution of the tyrosines (Tyr51, Tyr55 and Tyr141) conserved with the amino acid sequence of yeast PPiase [Lahti, R., Kolakowski, L. F., Heinonen, J., Vihinen, M., Pohjanoksa, K. and Cooperman, B. (1990) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1038, 338-345] exerted the most drastic effects on the structure and activity of E. coli PPiase. PPiase variants YF51, YF55 and YF141 had 64%, 7% and 22% of the wild-type PPiase activity, respectively. Furthermore, PPiase variant YF141 had an increased sensitivity to heat denaturation, whereas mutant PPiase YF55 displayed a profound conformational change, as demonstrated by the binding of the fluorescent dye 9-(diethylamino)-5H-benzo(alpha) phenoxazine-5-one (Nile red) that monitors the hydrophobicity of protein surfaces. None of the tyrosines of E. coli PPiase seem to be essential for catalysis, but Tyr55 and Tyr141 are important for the structural integrity of E. coli PPiase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Heparin rebound: a comparative study of protamine chloride and protamine sulfate in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

Heparin rebound has been suggested to occur when protamine sulfate, but not protamine chloride, is used to neutralize heparin. This study was undertaken to compare these two protamine salts in 32 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. Initial heparin and subsequent protamine doses were determined by constructing a heparin-activated coagulation time response curve. Heparin was neutralized either with protamine sulfate or protamine chloride. The total protamine/heparin dose ratio was 0.71 +/- 0.05 for protamine sulfate and 0.77 +/- 0.07 (mg/100 U) for protamine chloride. The initial neutralization effect, the subsequent behavior of the plasma heparin level, and the various coagulation parameters did not differ significantly between the groups. Two hours after neutralization, a small and temporary increase of plasma heparin level was observed in both groups. The postoperative blood losses were comparable in both groups. Thus, protamine chloride was not a clinically superior antidote to heparin than protamine sulfate. The observed heparin rebound levels were low and clinically insignificant in terms of blood loss, but they were associated with slight changes in coagulation monitoring.

Blood Coagulation↗

Hemodynamic responses to desmopressin acetate after CABG: a double-blind trial.

Despite controversial results concerning its effectiveness, cardiac surgical patients commonly receive desmopressin acetate (DDAVP) after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in an effort to prevent or control bleeding diathesis. The side effects associated with DDAVP are usually considered benign. However, numerous authors have observed episodes of severe hypotension after DDAVP. As a part of a larger trial of DDAVP in routine first-time coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), this randomized double-blind study of the hemodynamic effects of DDAVP was performed. Fifteen patients received DDAVP (0.3 microgram/kg over 15 minutes) and another 15 received saline placebo after skin closure. A statistically significant decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP) was observed at 5 minutes after the beginning of DDAVP administration and the maximum decrease (mean change, -21 +/- 8 mm Hg, P less than 0.001) was reached as the infusion was completed. MAP did not change significantly in the control group. Hypotension after DDAVP was associated with a corresponding decrease in systemic vascular resistance. Postoperative blood loss was not different between the groups. It is concluded that routine administration of DDAVP to CABG patients is inadvisable because hemodynamic side effects are potentially dangerous and therapeutic benefit is highly unlikely.

Blood Pressure↗

Characterization of the 5' flanking region of the Escherichia coli ppa gene encoding inorganic pyrophosphatase: mutations in the ribosome-binding site decrease the level of ppa mRNA.

We have previously cloned and sequenced the ppa gene, encoding inorganic pyrophosphatase (PPase), of Escherichia coli K12 [Lahti, R., Pitkäranta, T., Valve, E., Ilta, I., Kukko-Kalske, E. & Heinonen, J. (1988) Journal of Bacteriology 170, 5901-5907]. In this work mutations were constructed in the 5' flanking region of E. coli ppa and the effect on expression was determined. The minimum length of the fully active ppa5' flanking region was shown to be 117 bp. Further deletion decreased the activity, and upon deletion to nucleotide -37 the promoter activity was totally lost. A clear point of inflection was observed in the inactivation upon deletion over the nucleotide -50. This is consistent with the fact that by binding to promoters RNA polymerase holoenzyme generally covers the -50 to +20 region in E. coli genes. When the -35 sequence of ppa, AAGACA, was mutated to AAAACA, ppa expression, as measured by PPase production, decreased to 20% of the wild-type, whereas by the change of the -10 sequence, TATAAT, to TTTAAT or TATAAA, the ppa gene was totally inactivated. Furthermore, when the ribosome-binding site (RBS) sequence, AGGAAA, was altered to AAGAAA, PPase production decreased to 19% of the wild-type. Surprisingly, when the RBS sequence was mutated to the consensus RBS sequence, AGGAGG, the intracellular levels of both ppa mRNA and PPase decreased drastically. The implications of these results are discussed.

Base Sequence↗

Renal and vascular effects of atrial natriuretic factor during cardiopulmonary bypass.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate renal and vasodilator effects of synthetic atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with special reference to the applicability of ANF as a diuretic and natriuretic. DESIGN: The study consisted of two parts. The first 15 consecutive patients in a university hospital received a pharmacologically effective bolus dose of 100 micrograms ANF, as demonstrated previously in other studies, or placebo. After analysis of the bolus data (see "Results" section below), the 12 subsequent patients were administered ANF 50 micrograms as a constant 30-min infusion at a rate of 1.67 micrograms/min or placebo. PATIENTS: The patients were scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass grafting operation. There was no evidence of congestive heart failure in any patient, and no one had an endocrine or renal disorder. INTERVENTIONS: After achievement of hypothermia (29 to 30 degrees C of rectal temperature) during CPB, a bolus dose of ANF 100 micrograms was given or an infusion of ANF 1.67 micrograms/min for 30 min, ie, a total dose of 50 micrograms was started. The control patients received placebo correspondingly. Intravenous fluids were administered according to a predetermined scheme. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: For the pharmacologic effects of ANF urine volume, urinary sodium excretion and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured. Only three of the eight patients receiving the bolus dose of ANF had a diuretic and natriuretic response to the drug, and the responses were significantly related (r = 0.91, p less than 0.05 and r = 0.98, p less than 0.001, respectively) to the prevailing MAP at the time of the bolus administration. The bolus dose of ANF decreased MAP significantly (p less than 0.001 vs placebo) from 65 +/- 6 (mean +/- SEM) to 55 +/- 6 mm Hg within 5 min. The infusion of ANF did not affect MAP, but it increased urine output (16.1 +/- 5.0 ml/min, when the data obtained during the 30-min infusion and a 30-min period after the infusion were combined) and urinary sodium excretion (1,651 +/- 514 microEq/min) significantly (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.01, respectively) as compared with the corresponding values of 3.3 +/- 1.1 ml/min and 386 +/- 141 microEq/min after placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Prevailing arterial pressure is an important determinant of the diuretic and natriuretic activity of synthetic ANF in patients undergoing CPB. A low-dose infusion of ANF (50 micrograms within 30 min) provides diuresis and natriuresis without significant changes in MAP in these patients.

Atrial Natriuretic Factor↗

A site-directed mutagenesis study on Escherichia coli inorganic pyrophosphatase. Glutamic acid-98 and lysine-104 are important for structural integrity, whereas aspartic acids-97 and -102 are essential for catalytic activity.

Analysis of the conservation of functional residues between yeast and Escherichia coli inorganic pyrophosphatases (PPases) suggested that Asp-97, Glu-98, Asp-102, and Lys-104 are important for the action of E. coli PPase [Lahti, R., Kolakowski, L. F., Heinonen, J., Vihinen, M., Pohjanoksa, K., & Cooperman, B. S. (1990) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1038, 338-345]. We replaced these four residues by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis, giving variant PPases DV97, DE97, EV98, DV102, DE102, KI104, and KR104. PPase variants DV97, DV102, and KI104 had no enzyme activity, whereas PPase variants DE97, EV98, DE102, and KR104 had 22%, 33%, 3%, and 3% of the wild-type PPase activity, respectively. This suggests that Asp-97, Asp-102, and Lys-104 are essential for the catalytic activity of E. coli PPase. PPase variants DV98 and KR104 also had an increased sensitivity to heat denaturation; incubation of these mutant PPases at 75 degrees C for 15 min in the presence of 5 mM magnesium ion decreased the activity to 20% and 1%, respectively, of the initial value while 74% of the activity was observed with wild-type PPase. Furthermore, these thermolabile mutant PPases displayed the most profound conformational changes of the PPase variants examined, as demonstrated by the binding of the fluorescent dye Nile red that monitors the hydrophobicity of protein surfaces. Accordingly, Glu-98 and Lys-104 seem to be important for the structural integrity of E. coli PPase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Conservation of functional residues between yeast and E. coli inorganic pyrophosphatases.

The alignments of the amino acid sequences of inorganic pyrophosphatase (PPase) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Y1-PPase, 286 amino acids) and Escherichia coli (E-PPase, 175 amino acids) are examined in the light of crystallographic and chemical modification results placing specific amino acid residues at the active site of the yeast enzyme. The major results are: (1) the full E-PPase sequence aligns within residues 28-225 of Y1-PPase, raising the possibility that the N-terminal and C-terminal portions of Y1-PPase may not be essential for activity, and (2) that whereas the overall identity between the two sequences is only modest (22-27% depending on the choice of alignment parameters), of some 17 putative active site residues, 14-16 are identical between Y-PPase and E-PPase. PPase thus appears to be an example of enzymes from widely divergent species that conserve common functional elements within the context of substantial overall sequence variation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Atrial pressure and hormonal and renal responses to acute cardiac tamponade.

The effect of acute cardiac tamponade on atrial pressures, plasma atrial natriuretic factor concentration and renin activity, and renal water and electrolyte excretion was studied in pigs loaded intravenously with hydroxyethyl starch and maintained on a continuous intravenous infusion of isotonic saline solution. Saline solution was infused into the pericardial space in 6 anesthetized pigs until a predetermined decrease of 20% in mean arterial pressure was achieved. Another 6 sham-treated pigs served as controls. Tamponade increased atrial intracavitary pressures but decreased atrial transmural (distending) pressures. These changes in atrial pressures were reversed after release of tamponade. Changes in plasma atrial natriuretic factor concentration correlated positively with changes in atrial transmural pressures. Tamponade increased plasma renin activity and decreased urine flow and renal sodium and potassium excretion, and release of tamponade reversed these changes. Thus, the tamponade-induced reduction in atrial distention is associated with hormonal changes, which may contribute to the reductions in diuresis and natriuresis observed in this connection.

Acute Disease↗

Right ventricular response to hypercarbia after cardiac surgery.

The right ventricular responses to mild hypocarbia and hypercarbia were studied in 18 anesthetized and paralyzed patients following coronary artery bypass surgery. Maintaining constant tidal volume (8 ml.kg-1), FIO2 (0.5), and PEEP (5 cm H2O), the ventilator rate was varied to sequentially produce: 1) normocarbia (PaCO2, 38.3 +/- 2.5 mmHg; mean +/- SD), 2) hypocarbia (PaCO2, 33.2 +/- 2.8 mmHg), 3) hypercarbia (PaCO2, 49.8 +/- 2.9 mmHg) and 4) normocarbia (PaCO2, 38.8 +/- 3.6 mmHg). Pulmonary and right ventricular hemodynamics were assessed using a rapid-response pulmonary artery catheter after 10 min of stabilization at each PaCO2. Pulmonary and right ventricular hemodynamics remained unaffected by slight hypocarbia. In contrast, hypercarbia increased pulmonary vascular resistance by 54% (P less than 0.001) and mean pulmonary artery pressure by 34% (P less than 0.001). This was accompanied by a 24% (P less than 0.001) increase in right ventricular end-diastolic volume, a 38% (P less than 0.001) increase in right ventricular end-systolic volume, and a 20% decrease (P less than 0.001) in right ventricular ejection fraction. Despite an increase in right ventricular afterload, stroke volume was maintained unchanged because of a 45% (P less than 0.001) increase in right ventricular stroke work index. Although the patients maintained pulmonary blood flow during hypercarbia using preload augmentation, compensatory reserve might be exceeded in patients with more compromised right ventricular function.

Coronary Artery Bypass↗

Vasodilator properties of atrial natriuretic factor: a comparison with nitroglycerin, nitroprusside, and phentolamine during cardiopulmonary bypass.

Thirty-five patients scheduled for coronary artery surgery were studied during hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) to compare the arteriolar and venodilator properties of a bolus dose of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), 100 micrograms, with those of nitroglycerin, 200 micrograms, sodium nitroprusside, 120 micrograms, phentolamine, 3 mg, and placebo. A decrease observed in mean arterial pressure was used as an indicator of a decrease in systemic vascular resistance (arteriolar dilation), while a decrease in reservoir blood volume of the CPB circuit was considered to indicate an increase in venous capacitance (venodilation). All vasodilators decreased mean arterial pressure, and there was no difference in the maximal decrease of the pressure between the drugs. However, the decrease caused by ANF appeared later than that caused by the other vasodilators and lasted longer than with nitroglycerin and sodium nitroprusside. Nitroglycerin and sodium nitroprusside decreased reservoir blood volume, while ANF and phentolamine had no effect. It is concluded that ANF is an arteriolar dilator with a time profile of its effect differing from those of nitroglycerin, sodium nitroprusside, and phentolamine. ANF seems to have no venodilator activity in patients undergoing hypothermic CPB.

Atrial Natriuretic Factor↗

Halothane-induced variability in the neuromuscular transmission of patients with myasthenia gravis.

The purpose of the present clinical study was to explore the skeletal muscle mechano (MMG)- and electromyographic (EMG) responses during halothane/oxygen/air anaesthesia in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) compared with patients with normal neuromuscular transmission. The majority of MG-patients had a significant decremental response of the evoked muscle action potentials to a train-of-four (TOF) stimulation during halothane exposure (mean decrease of train-of-four ratio was 33% during the highest mean halothane concentration of 1.9 MAC). An excellent correlation was found between MMG- and EMG-measurements (r2 = 0.878, P less than 0.001). However, marked individual variations in the neuromuscular response to halothane were seen. Neither preoperative muscle fatigability nor acetylcholine receptor antibodies predicted the decremental muscle responses produced by halothane among MG-patients. The increased presence of HLA-B8 among myasthenics with halothane-suppressed muscle responses after TOF stimulation could be demonstrated (P less than 0.01).

Adolescent↗

Thiopentone pharmacokinetics during cardiopulmonary bypass with a nonpulsatile or pulsatile flow.

To evaluate possible factors affecting the pharmacokinetics of thiopentone during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), the present study was undertaken in patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass grafting and with in vitro experiments. The effects of nonpulsatile and pulsatile flow during CPB on the distribution and elimination of thiopentone were compared in 30 patients anaesthetized with fentanyl. The initial rapid phases of distribution of thiopentone were studied in 17 patients undergoing a nonpulsatile or pulsatile perfusion, to whom thiopentone 6 mg/kg was given as a rapid intravenous bolus during CPB. In order to study later distribution and early elimination of thiopentone, 13 patients perfused with a nonpulsatile or pulsatile flow received 6 mg/kg of the drug as a 15-min intravenous infusion before CPB. No differences in the pharmacokinetic parameters characterizing distribution and elimination of thiopentone were found between the patients undergoing nonpulsatile or pulsatile perfusion. As measured in 10 of the patients receiving the drug before the institution of CPB, no difference in plasma thiopentone level was observed in blood samples drawn simultaneously from a radial arterial cannula and a pulmonary artery catheter before, during and after CPB. This suggests that thiopentone is not sequestered in lungs during CPB. In vitro binding of thiopentone to the CPB equipment was studied in 6 experiments using a closed circuit. After a 60-min circulation time, only 50% of the predicted thiopentone level was recovered from the perfusate. It is concluded that replacing a nonpulsatile perfusion with a pulsatile one has no effect on the distribution and elimination of thiopentone in patients undergoing CPB. During CPB, thiopentone is sequestered in the extracorporeal circuit but not in the lungs.

Adult↗

Intracellular PPi concentration is not directly dependent on amount of inorganic pyrophosphatase in Escherichia coli K-12 cells.

No correlation was observed between the level of inorganic pyrophosphatase (PPase) and the intracellular concentration of PPi in Escherichia coli cells. In exponentially growing cells the intracellular PPi concentration was in every case 1.5 nmol/mg (dry weight) or about 0.5 mM, even though the amount of PPase was varied from 15 to 2,600% of the control amount by mutation or by using a multicopy plasmid with an inserted gene (ppa) encoding PPase. The PPi concentration could, however, be increased or decreased from the control level under some stressful conditions.

Diphosphates↗

Pulmonary vascular resistance before and after cardiopulmonary bypass. The effect of PaCO2.

To examine whether CPB influences pulmonary vascular sensitivity to CO2, we compared the effect of slight induced hypocarbia and hypercarbia on pulmonary circulation before and after CPB in ten mechanically ventilated patients undergoing CABG. Hypocarbia was produced by increasing tidal volume slightly and hypercarbia was then induced by adding CO2 to the inspired gas mixture. In another ten patients, hypercarbia was produced after CPB by decreasing ventilator rate and the cardiopulmonary responses to hypercarbia, produced by the two methods of CO2 elevation, were compared. Slight respiratory acidosis induced by CO2 inhalation did not change PVR before CPB but effected a 50 percent increase after CPB. Hypercarbia induced by alveolar hypoventilation after CPB increased PVR by 40 percent. During the increased CO2 production after hypothermic CPB, pulmonary vasoconstriction would be expected to occur and impair right ventricular performance. Therefore, tight control of PaCO2 with appropriate adjustment of ventilatory support is mandatory.

Carbon Dioxide↗

Hemodynamic effects of alpha-human atrial natriuretic peptide in healthy volunteers.

The hemodynamic effects of synthetic alpha-human atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-hANP) were evaluated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study with echocardiography and systolic time intervals in 11 healthy volunteers. During an infusion of alpha-hANP for 30 min, when plasma ANP concentration increased to a peak level of approximately 300 pg/ml, an increase occurred in diuresis (+174%, p less than 0.01 vs. placebo) and natriuresis (+148%, p less than 0.05). Heart rate increased (+10%, p less than 0.05), but the mean arterial pressure remained unchanged. The left ventricular end-diastolic diameter was reduced (-3%, p less than 0.01), as was the left ventricular end-systolic diameter (-11%, p less than 0.001). Total peripheral resistance (-12%, p less than 0.05) and midsystolic circumferential wall stress (-16%, p less than 0.05) decreased, while cardiac output increased (+15%, p less than 0.05), as did fractional shortening (+15%, p less than 0.001). Within 30 min postinfusion, all differences between the ANP and placebo treatments had disappeared. No significant difference between the treatments was observed in preejection period or preejection period/left ventricular ejection time ratio. In conclusion, when administered as a short infusion, alpha-hANP causes peripheral arterial vasodilation and thus, by reducing left ventricular afterload, improves the pump function of the heart. Venous vasodilating effect of alpha-hANP may contribute to the decrease in left ventricular preload, but a diuresis-induced reduction in circulating intravascular volume may also be influenced.

Adult↗

Cloning and characterization of the gene encoding inorganic pyrophosphatase of Escherichia coli K-12.

Escherichia coli K-12 gene ppa encoding inorganic pyrophosphatase (PPase) was cloned and sequenced. The 5' end of the ppa mRNA was identified by primer extension mapping. A typical E. coli sigma 70 promoter was identified immediately upstream of the mRNA 5' end. The structural gene of ppa contains 528 base pairs, from which a 175-amino-acid translation product, Mr 19,572, was deduced. The deduced amino acid composition perfectly fitted with that of PPase as previously determined (P. Burton, D. C. Hall, and J. Josse, J. Biol. Chem. 245:4346-4351, 1970). Furthermore, the partial amino acid sequence (residues 1 to 108) of E. coli PPase determined by S. A. Cohen (Ph.D. thesis, University of Chicago, 1978) was the same as that deduced from the nucleotide sequence. This is the first report of the cloning of a PPase gene.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Noninvasive monitoring of oxygenation during one-lung ventilation: a comparison of transcutaneous oxygen tension measurement and pulse oximetry.

Oxygenation was monitored concomitantly by measurement of transcutaneous oxygen tension and by pulse oximetry, and the data were compared with arterial blood oxygen tension and saturation values in 10 patients who became hypoxemic when undergoing thoracotomy and one-lung ventilation. A steep decrease in arterial blood oxygen tension was obvious immediately after the institution of one-lung ventilation, reaching the lowest mean value of 63 +/- 2 mm Hg (+/- SEM) at 12 minutes. Despite significant correlation between transcutaneous oxygen tension and arterial blood oxygen tension during one-lung ventilation (r = 0.75; P less than 0.001), the delay in the transcutaneous oxygen tension response resulted in underestimation of the severity of hypoxemia at the beginning of one-lung ventilation. In contrast, the decrease in arterial blood oxygen saturation from 97.9 +/- 0.3% to 92.2 +/- 0.8% as measured by CO-Oximeter was accurately followed by pulse oximetry with almost beat-to-beat response, bringing about a highly significant linear correlation between the two methods (r = 0.93; P less than 0.001). We conclude that pulse oximetry is a simpler and more rapidly responding method than measurement of transcutaneous oxygen tension for detection of hypoxemia during one-lung ventilation in adults.

Blood Gas Monitoring, Transcutaneous↗