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Biomedical subjects

J R Alger

Publications and source records attributed to J R Alger.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Combined 1H and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic studies of bicuculline-induced seizures in vivo.

Using a 1.89-Tesla spectrometer, 1H and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectra were acquired from the brains of paralyzed rabbits ventilated with 30% oxygen in nitrous oxide. Intracellular pH and changes in lactate concentration in the cerebrum were monitored by nuclear magnetic resonance methods during and after bicuculline-induced seizures, together with the electroencephalogram, heart rate, and arterial blood pressure. During seizures lasting more than an hour, cerebral intracellular pH became acidic, the cerebral lactate level rose rapidly, and both changes persisted as long as 2 hours without signs of recovery. After less prolonged seizures, lactate elevations were no less persistent, despite nearly complete recovery of intracellular pH and the electroencephalogram.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Hepatic gluconeogenesis from alanine: 13C nuclear magnetic resonance methodology for in vivo studies.

This paper describes an experimental protocol designed to optimize 13C NMR spectra from the liver of the living anesthetized rat at 1.9 T. The protocol involves the use of a Helmholtz NMR coil which is positioned around the liver after surgical exposure. 1H decoupling is facilitated by double tuning this coil to both the 1H and the 13C frequencies. The protocol was shown to be suitable for studying the hepatic metabolism of 13C-labeled substrates in vivo by investigating the metabolism of [3-13C]alanine. Labeled glucose, glutamate, glutamine, and aspartate were formed and detected by 13C NMR in vivo in this experiment. The labeling patterns in these metabolites provided evidence that the major flow of alanine carbon into the Krebs cycle is via the pyruvate carboxylase reaction rather than through pyruvate dehydrogenase.

Alanine↗
PubMed1986

Detection of metabolites in rabbit brain by 13C NMR spectroscopy following administration of [1-13C]glucose.

1H-decoupled 13C NMR spectra (20.2 MHz) of the living rabbit brain were collected with a surface coil following the intravenous infusion of [1-13C]glucose. Within 15 min of infusion, the alpha and beta anomers of glucose were detected and, shortly thereafter, the carbon atoms at positions C4, C3, and C2 of glutamate and(or) glutamine. After reductions of inspired oxygen from 30 to 5%, lactate C3 was detected. The intensity of the lactate resonance rose progressively during hypoxia and later fell during recovery with oxygen. The 13C fractional isotopic enrichment of arterial blood glucose was measured by 1H NMR providing information on the rate and extent of blood glucose labeling.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Cerebral metabolism in hyper- and hypocarbia: 31P and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance studies.

Paralyzed rabbits ventilated with an oxygen, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide mixture were subjected to hyper- and hypocarbic stress. An Oxford Instrument TMR 32-200 spectrometer was used to record phosphorus-31 and nonwater proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of the in vivo brain. These spectra provide measurements of cerebral pHi, phosphocreatine, orthophosphate, ATP, and lactate. The brain exhibited twice as much acute pH-regulating ability as the arterial blood. During hypercarbia, orthophosphate rose while phosphocreatine declined in a reciprocal manner, and ATP remained constant. During hypocarbia, lactate rose gradually over a period of 1 hour, while orthophosphate, phosphocreatine, and ATP remained constant and calculated values of adenosine mono- and diphosphate rose.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1985

Cerebral intracellular pH by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

We determined cerebral intracellular pH in living rabbits and rats under physiologic conditions, using phosphorus NMR spectroscopy and new titration curves thought to be appropriate for brain. Mean values for the two species were, respectively, 7.14 +/- 0.04 (SD) and 7.13 +/- 0.03. These are toward the alkaline end of the range of values obtained by other methods, as values reported by other NMR workers also tend to be.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

In vivo phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in status epilepticus.

Bicuculline-induced status epilepticus was studied in paralyzed rabbits ventilated with an oxygen and nitrous oxide mixture. An Oxford Instruments TMR 32-200 spectrometer was used to record phosphorus 31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of the in vivo brain. An array of conventional physiological variables including the electroencephalogram was simultaneously recorded. Several features were consistently observed during status epilepticus: (1) Phosphocreatine levels fell to about two-thirds of their control values and remained at that level despite a gradual decline in seizure activity; (2) intracellular pH declined and then remained constant, whereas seizure discharges declined; (3) adenosine triphosphate levels remained constant at their control values. These new, lower levels of brain phosphocreatine and intracellular pH were largely unaffected by increases in seizure activity brought about by elevation of blood pressure from levels too low to support adequate cerebral perfusion, by waning of anticonvulsant drug effect, or by repeated doses of bicuculline.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗
PubMed1983

Natural abundance Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of liver and adipose tissue of the living rat.

We have employed the topical magnetic resonance (TMR) technique to obtain natural abundance 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra from liver and adipose tissue in the living rat. Experiments were performed in a TMR magnet (20-cm diameter) with a two-turn radio-frequency coil ("surface" coil) combined with a focused static magnetic field. The in vivo spectra that were obtained at 20.2 MHz have been assigned by comparison with those from excised organs obtained in a conventional spectrometer operating at 90.5 MHz. Signals in the TMR spectra corresponding to carbons of the carbohydrates, glucose and glycogen, and of the lipids, triglycerides and phospholipids, have been resolved in vivo and assigned. The effects of chronic modification of dietary fat and carbohydrate on the in vivo spectra have been investigated. The levels of carbohydrates and of saturated and unsaturated fats in the liver as measured by 13C TMR reflect the relative amounts of these compounds in the long-term diet.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1983

Cerebral metabolic studies in vivo by 31P NMR.

31P NMR studies on the brains of living rabbits were carried out at 32 MHz in a spectrometer having a 200-mm clear bore. Paralyzed pump-ventilated animals under nitrous oxide analgesia were inserted into the 1.89-T field and signals were focused in the brain by using a 4-cm surface coil. Several conventional physiological variables were monitored together with 31P spectra during induction and reversal of insulin shock and hypoxic hypoxia sufficient to abolish the electroencephalogram and during status epilepticus. A reversible decrease in phosphocreatine stores accompanied by an increase in Pi was detected during hypoglycemia and hypoxia. Similar changes were observed in prolonged status epilepticus but were not reversed. ATP levels fell about 50% in hypoglycemia but only slightly in the other two metabolic stresses. Intracellular pH rose in hypoglycemia; in status epilepticus and hypoxia it fell, but only when cardiovascular function was severely impaired. From the measured NMR parameters and the assumptions (i) that creatine kinase was at equilibrium and (ii) that the creatine/phosphocreatine pool was constant, it was possible to calculate the relative changes in cytoplasmic ADP levels associated with these metabolic disturbances.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Enhanced recovery of renal ATP with postischemic infusion of ATP-MgCl2 determined by 31P-NMR.

The postischemic infusion of ATP-MgCl2 will enhance the recovery of both glomerular and tubular function. To assess the effect of ATP-MgCl2 on tissue nucleotides, 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (31P-NMR) spectra were obtained continuously in vivo from the left kidney of rats that had been subjected to 45 min of renal ischemia and then infused with either normal saline or ATP-MgCl2. 31P-NMR spectra with distinct peaks for alpha-, beta-, and gamma-phosphate of ATP, sugar phosphate, and inorganic phosphate were collected every 7 min before, during, and after renal artery occlusion. During ischemia, the ATP beta-peak (the only peak unique to ATP) fell rapidly to 10% of control values in both groups of animals. By 120 min after the ischemic insult, the animals treated with ATP-MgCl2 had recovery of renal ATP to 89 +/- 2.6%, which is significantly greater (P less than 0.001) than 65.2 +/- 1.8% found in rats given normal saline. These data indicate that 1) 31P-NMR can be used to assess renal ATP levels continuously in vivo; 2) during renal ischemia ATP levels fall quickly to less than 10% of control values; 3) tissue ATP returns relatively slowly to control values in rats given normal saline, whereas postischemic treatment with ATP-MgCl2 results in an accelerated recovery of tissue ATP levels. These findings provide a biochemical correlate to the improvement in renal function previously described.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1982

In vivo phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance saturation transfer studies of adenosinetriphosphatase kinetics in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Phosphorus-31 saturation transfer NMR techniques have been employed to measure the unidirectional Pi consumption rate by respiration competent suspensions of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae while the levels of ATP, ADP, and Pi are constant. These experiments are performed by saturating the ATP gamma phosphate resonance and observing the changes in the Pi resonance intensity while the yeast are respiring on endogenous substrates. The unidirectional Pi consumption rate is 3.5 +/- mumol s-1 (g of wet cells)-1. The rate is reduced 10-fold upon addition of oligomycin (80 micrograms/ML), suggesting that at least 90% of the Pi consumption activity is due to the mitochondrial F1-F0 ATPase. We have not been able to conclusively assign the remaining 10%. When the yeast are glycolyzing anaerobically, the unidirectional Pi consumption rate was 1.0 +/- 0.2 mumol s-1 (g of wet cells)-1. At most, 80% of this is due to Pi consumption by the glycolytic enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase leaving a residual activity of at least 0.2 mumol s-1 (g of wet cells)-1. Thus the activity in the oligomycin-inhibited cells under respiratory conditions and the nonglycolytic activity in anaerobic cells are equal to within the experimental errors. Furthermore the unidirectional rate of Pi consumption during anaerobic glycolysis is insensitive to oligomycin. These data suggest that the mitochondrial adenosinetriphosphatase is not turning over during anaerobic glycolysis. Possible explanations for this inhibition are discussed.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1982

s-Cis...and s-trans isomerism in acylproline analogs. Models for conformationally locked proline peptides.

N-Acetyl-2,3-dehydroproline, N-acetyl-5-oxo-L-proline, N-acrylyl-L-proline, N-acetyl-L-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid and N-acetyl-D,L-pipecolic acid have been examined in 2H2O by 1H and 13Cn.m.r. for the purpose of finding s-cis or s-trans locked acylprolines. Conformationally locked acylprolines could be incorporated into proline-containing peptide hormones such as angiotensin and thyroliberin in order to determine the rotational state of the peptide bond to proline in the hormone receptor complex. The populations of trans and cis rotational isomers were determined as a function of p2H in order to assign the trans and cis isomers and to compare the populations in all the acylprolines at neutral p2H, where the cis isomer is normally present. Proton spectra were also recorded at from 7 degrees to 75 degrees in order to qualitatively determine the exchange rate between the isomers. The majority of these analogs exhibit a cis-trans isomerization similar to that of N-acetyl-L-proline in the ratio of trans to cis rotational isomer found at neutral p2H (about 1:1), the temperature dependence of the population ratio (none), and the coalescence temperature for proton resonances (greater than 75 degrees). However, N-acetyl-5-oxo-L-proline was found to be greater than 98% s-trans at neutral pH, compared to 50% s-trans in N-acetyl-L-proline, and therefore a good candidate for synthesis of an s-trans locked peptide hormone. N-Acetyl-2,3-dehydroproline rapidly exchanges between s-cis and s-trans in contrast to all other proline analogs examined and exhibits coalescence of the beta-proton cis and trans resonances at 45 degrees. Titration with the shift reagent Pr+++ was employed to confirm the assignments of the cis and trans methyl resonances of all of the N-acetyl compounds except N-acetyl-5-oxo-L-proline.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy↗
PubMed1982

Effects of pH and repellent tactic stimuli on protein methylation levels in Escherichia coli.

Intracellular pH (pH(int)) and extracellular pH (pH(ext)) of Escherichia coli were measured at 12-s time resolution by (31)P-nuclear magnetic resonance: a sudden neutral-to-acid shift in pH(ext) (e.g., from 7.0 to 5.6) caused a transient failure of homeostasis, with pH(int) decreasing by about 0.4 unit in ca. 30 s and then returning to its original value (ca. 7.5) over a period of several minutes. Membrane proton conductance was estimated to be 20 pmol s(-1) cm(-2) pH unit(-1). Addition of the membrane-permeant weak acid benzoate at constant pH(ext) also caused a lowering of pH(int); at high concentrations it generated an inverted transmembrane pH gradient (DeltapH). The buffering capacity of the cells was estimated by such experiments to be ca. 50 mM per pH unit. Effects of pH-related stimuli on the methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs) were examined: the steady-state methylation of MCP I was found to decrease when pH(int) was lowered by weak acid addition or when pH(ext) was lowered. The extent of demethylation in the latter case was too great to be explained by imperfect steady-state homeostasis; a small but reproducible undershoot in methylation level correlated with the observed short-term homeostatic failure. MCP II underwent smaller and more complex changes than MCP I, in response to pH-related stimuli. The methylation level of MCP I could not, by any condition tested, be driven below a limit of ca. 15% of the control level (unstimulated cells at pH(ext) 7.0). The weak-acid concentration needed to reach that limit was dependent on pH(ext), as would be expected on the basis of DeltapH-driven concentrative effects. The potency ranking of weak acids was the same with respect to lowering pH(int), demethylating MCP I, and causing repellent behavioral responses. The data are consistent with a model whereby MCP I and hence tactic behavior are sensitive to both pH(int) and pH(ext). Evidence is presented that pH(int) may also have a direct (non-MCP-related) effect on motor function. Comparison of methyl-(3)H- and (35)S-labeled MCP I revealed that in both unstimulated and repellent-stimulated cells the major species did not carry methyl label, yet it had an electrophoretic mobility that indicated that it was more positively charged than the unmethylated form observed in methyltransferase mutants, and it was susceptible to base hydrolysis. This suggests that a substantial fraction of MCP I molecules is methylated or otherwise modified but neither exchanges methyl label nor undergoes reverse modification by repellent stimuli.

Acetates↗
PubMed1981

In vivo carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance studies of mammals.

Natural abundance carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonances (NMR) from human arm and rat tissues have been observed in vivo. These signals arise primarily from triglycerides in fatty tissue. Carbon-13 NMR was also used to follow, in a living rat, the conversion of C-1-labeled glucose, which was introduced into the stomach, to C-1-labeled liver glycogen. The carbon-13 sensitivity and resolution obtained shows that natural abundance carbon-13 NMR will be valuable in the study of disorders in fat metabolism, and that experiments with substrates labeled with carbon-13 can be used to study carbohydrate metabolism in vivo.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1981

pH homeostasis in Escherichia coli: measurement by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance of methylphosphonate and phosphate.

The intracellular pH of Escherichia coli cells, respiring on endogenous energy sources, was monitored continuously by 31P NMR over an extracellular pH range between 5.5 and 9. pH homeostasis was found to be good over the entire range, with the data conforming to the simple relationship intracellular pH = 7.6 + 0.1(external pH - 7.6) so that the extreme values observed for intracellular pH were 7.4 and 7.8 at external pH 5.5 and 9, respectively. As well as inorganic phosphate, we employed the pH-sensitive NMR probe methylphosphonate, which was taken up by glycerol-grown cells and was nontoxic; its pKa of 7.65 made it an ideal probe for measurement of cytoplasmic pH and alkaline external pH.

Cell Membrane↗