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Biomedical subjects

J P Clark

Publications and source records attributed to J P Clark.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Chemical induction of thymomas in AKR mice: interaction of chemical carcinogens and endogenous murine leukemia viruses. Comparison of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and methyl methanesulphonate.

The time course of development of thymic lymphoma, which occurs spontaneously in mice of the AKR strain, is accelerated by the methylating agents N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) and methyl methanesulphonate (MMS). Since MNU is a potent mutagen inducing G----A transition mutations and MMS a relatively weak mutagen, it was of interest to examine the genetic alterations associated with each class of the chemically induced tumors and to compare these alterations with those found in the spontaneous tumors. The same spectrum of genetic alterations was found for MMS-induced and spontaneous thymomas. Both showed rearrangements of c-myc and Pim-1 genes that appeared to result from integration of recombinant mink cytopathic focus-forming (MCF) proviruses but failed to reveal evidence for activation of ras oncogenes, either by DNA transfection experiments or by hybridization of DNA to specific oligonucleotide probes. Some alteration in c-myc and Pim-1 genes were also found in MNU-induced tumors, but, mainly, these involved integration of ecotropic-like rather than recombinant MCF viruses. Furthermore, MNU-induced tumors frequently (in 24% of thymomas) contained G----A transition mutations, activating the Ki-ras oncogene at codon 12 position 2. Another feature that distinguishes the MNU-induced tumors from those occurring in untreated and MMS-treated mice was the consistently high level of c-myc mRNA that occurred in the absence of c-myc gene rearrangement. Taken together, the data indicate that the mechanisms of development of tumors following treatment with MNU and MMS are distinct, and that the effect of MMS is probably to speed up the process of viral leukemogenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Retroviral gp70 immune complexes in NZB x NZW F2 mice with murine lupus nephritis.

NZB x NZW (NZB x W) F1 hybrid mice spontaneously develop a disease most prominently characterized by immune complex glomerulonephritis (GN), which seems to be associated with both antibodies to DNA and to the serum retroviral envelope glycoprotein, gp70. To evaluate the contribution of each of these autoimmune responses to the pathogenesis of the GN, we studied NZB x W F2 mice in which the two responses appeared to segregate relatively independently. Use of this model permitted analysis of possible correlations between each response and the G.N. The presence of circulating anti-gp 70-complexed gp70 correlated significantly with the development of fatal GN and one could predict the course of renal disease by computing the rising serum levels of gp70 complexed with antibodies. In contrast, the presence of free antibodies to either double-stranded or single-stranded DNA was not significantly associated with the development of fatal GN. This association of anti-gp70 antibody production with these animals' early death from GN strongly suggests that the gene(s) governing production of antibodies to serum retroviral gp70 may be one of the major genes responsible for spontaneous renal disease segregated in NZB x W F2 generations.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Actions of various muscarinic agonists on membrane potential, potassium efflux, and contraction of longitudinal muscle of guinea-pig intestine.

1 Depolarizations were recorded intracellularly in smooth muscle from the taenia of the guinea-pig caecum in response to the iontophoretic application of acetylcholine, carbachol, oxotremorine-M, methylfurmethide, hexyl trimethylammonium and tetramethylammonium (TMA). 2 No differences between the iontophoretic responses to agonists stable to cholinesterase were detected. 3 The latency and time to peak of acetylcholine-induced depolarizations were less than those to stable agonists, and the response was briefer and less complex in shape. These differences were reduced, or disappeared, upon inhibition of cholinesterase. 4 The rate of loss of 42K and changes in length were measured in superfused strips weighing about 10 mg of separated longitudinal muscle of guinea-pig ileum. 5 Acetylcholine, carbachol, methylfurmethide, butyltrimethylammonium and TMA contracted the muscle and increased the rate of loss of 42K. 6 Contrary to previous reports, no evidence of a selective action of any of these agonists on 42K loss was detected. TMA appeared to be a partial agonist in evoking 42K loss, although it produced a maximum contraction. 7 The maximum 42K efflux produced by acetylcholine was about 40% of the maximum evoked by application of carbachol or methylfurmethide. If cholinesterase was inhibited, the 42K efflux evoked by maximally effective concentrations of acetylcholine was comparable to that evoked by a stable agonist. 8 These results are consistent with the idea that the muscarinic agonists used interact in an essentially similar way with muscarinic receptors to produce their effects on membrane potential, permeability, and tension.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1981

Evidence that histamine and carbachol may open the same ion channels in longitudinal smooth muscle of guinea-pig ileum.

1. Membrane potential was recorded intracellularly by micro-electrode in separated longitudinal muscle of guinea-pig ileum. Electrotonic potentials were evoked in longitudinal strips by passing current between large external electrodes in the partition chamber.2. Histamine increased the frequency of action potential discharge at low concentrations and depolarized the membrane. At higher concentrations it caused substantial depolarization and action potential discharge was abolished. Carbachol had similar actions but the maximal depolarization by carbachol (using 10(-4)m) was some 4-5 mV greater than maximal depolarization by histamine (using 10(-4)m).3. The change in size of evoked electrotonic potentials was used to estimate the effects of carbachol and histamine on the conductance of the smooth muscle membrane. The equilibrium potentials for histamine and carbachol depolarizations were estimated from their relative effects on potential and conductance and were found to be not significantly different; measurements of the effects on conductance showed that 10(-4)m-histamine increased conductance about 8-fold whilst 10(-4)m-carbachol had a much greater effect on conductance. This difference could explain the differing maximal depolarizing effects of these agents if both were assumed to open channels having the same ionic selectivity (i.e. equilibrium potential).4. The efflux of (42)K was studied in separated strips of longitudinal ileal muscle from guinea-pig. In the presence of a concentration of carbachol (2 x 10(-5)m or 10(-4)m) having a maximal effect on (42)K efflux rate, histamine (10(-4)m) did not increase efflux further although 120 mm-potassium did so. Experiments with the irreversible muscarinic receptor blocker, propylbenzilylcholine mustard, indicated that the number of muscarinic receptors did not limit the (42)K efflux response to carbachol and it was suggested that the response was limited by the availability of ion channels which could be opened by activated muscarinic receptors.5. Contractions to histamine and carbachol in 120 mm-potassium depolarizing solution were followed upon washing by a relaxation below basal tension. Carbachol, but not histamine, showed a pronounced and long lasting secondary contraction following this relaxation.6. These results are consistent with the idea that activated histamine and activated muscarinic receptors open the same ion channels in the smooth muscle membrane to produce depolarization, increased action potential discharge and contraction, although muscarinic receptors can open more of these. However, there was evidence that the opening of these channels is not the only pathway between receptor activation and contraction.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Saccharin, cyclamate, and human bladder cancer. No evidence of an association.

An epidemiologic study designed to elucidate the possible roles of the artificial sweeteners saccharin and cyclamate in human urinary bladder cancer was recently completed. The previous intake of each of these substances among 519 patients with histopathologically confirmed bladder cancer and an equal number of matching controls in metropolitan Baltimore did not differ significantly in frequency, quantity, or duration. These normal findings persisted after simultaneous adjustment for the effects of smoking, occupation, age, diabetes mellitus, and a number of other potentially confounding factors. They are substantiated by the failure of the relative risk of bladder cancer to increase with increasing exposure to artificial sweeteners. It is concluded that neither saccharin nor cyclamate is likely to be carcinogenic in man, at least at the moderate dietary ingestion levels reported by the patient sample.

Cyclamates↗