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Biomedical subjects

J Seifter

Publications and source records attributed to J Seifter.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Hemolytic-uremic syndrome following bone marrow transplantation in adults for hematologic malignancies.

One hundred and sixty eight adult patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and other hematologic malignancies who underwent autologous or allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) were investigated for the subsequent development of hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). All patients were conditioned with cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation. When examined at 3-month intervals for the first year post-BMT, all patients had uniform measurements of hematocrit (Hct) and serum creatinine. Sixteen patients who initially exhibited Hct and creatinine values that were normal range for the BMT populations developed a sudden decrease in Hct and increase in creatinine between 3 and 11 months post-BMT and fulfilled the clinical and laboratory criteria for HUS. None of these patients had known active cytomegalovirus infection, graft-versus-host disease, or cyclosporine administration. The degree of decrease in Hct and creatinine elevation ranged from solely laboratory abnormalities to a clinically significant syndrome. Twelve of the 16 patients developed acute clinical complications of congestive heart failure, hypertension (HTN), or peripheral edema. Twelve patients required red blood cell support, whereas only four patients required platelet transfusions. Both hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia have resolved in virtually all cases. At a mean follow up of 18 months postdiagnosis, creatinine elevations have persisted along with HTN. All patients have survived without life-threatening long-term sequelae. With the increasing use of BMT as a curative modality for patients with hematologic malignancies, it becomes important to prospectively monitor patients for the development of HUS and its potential long-term impact on renal function.

Adult

Sodium and chloride transport across rabbit ileal brush border. II. Evidence for Cl-HCO3 exchange and mechanism of coupling.

An inside-alkaline pH gradient (pH 7.7 inside, 5.5 outside) stimulated Cl uptake in brush-border vesicles from rabbit ileum. The addition of HCO3 without changing the pH gradient further stimulated Cl uptake to a level fourfold greater than equilibrated Cl uptake. Although a K diffusion potential stimulated Cl uptake, this was insensitive to inhibition by 4,4-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate (DIDS), whereas pH and HCO3 gradient-stimulated Cl uptake was inhibited by DIDS. pH and HCO3 gradient-stimulated Cl uptake was found to be a saturable function of the Cl concentration with a Km of 3.5 mM and a Vmax of 49 nmol X mg prot-1 X min-1. To distinguish between coupling of Na and Cl transport by cotransport or dual exchange (Na-H and Cl-HCO3 exchange), we determined uptake with high (134 mM Tris-HEPES-MES) internal buffer and low (1.34 mM Tris-HEPES-MES) internal buffer concentrations. Inwardly directed gradients of 50 mM Na, 50 mM K, or 50 mM Na and K did not stimulate Cl uptake, and 50 mM Cl, 50 mM K, or 50 mM KCl did not stimulate Na uptake, with high internal buffer, excluding cotransport. In contrast, 50 mM Na stimulated Cl uptake (inhibited by 1 mM DIDS) and 50 mM Cl stimulated Na uptake (inhibited by 1 mM amiloride) in low buffer media. To determine a role for carbonic anhydrase, Na-stimulated Cl uptake was determined in low buffer media, equilibrated with either 100% N2 or 95% N2-5% CO2. Na stimulated Cl uptake 80% (compared with trimethylammonium control) with CO2 but only 30% with N2 (P less than 0.05). Acetazolamide partially inhibited (P less than 0.025) the stimulation of Cl uptake with CO2 but not with N2. Carbonic anhydrase activity was measured in homogenate and brush-border membrane and was enriched 7.9 +/- 0.4-fold, whereas sucrase was enriched 14.0 +/- 1.1-fold. We conclude that coupled Na and Cl transport occurs by dual exchange (Na-H and Cl-HCO3) and carbonic anhydrase, apparently located on the brush-border membrane, facilitates dual exchange by providing HCO3.

4,4'-Diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-Disulfonic Acid

Effects of polybrominated biphenyl on a discrimination task in rats.

Learning or performance of an operant discrimination task by laboratory rats in Skinner boxes was studied as a function of subchronic treatment with polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) (1.0 mg/kg, 3.0 mg/kg or 6.0 mg/kg for 20 days). Acquisition of the discrimination task was similar for experimental and control rats at each dose level. Response times were slower for the 1.0 mg/kg rats but were like controls for the 3.0 and 6.0 mg/kg animals. Extra responses occurring in the absence of auditory discriminative stimuli increased significantly for the 1.0 mg/kg rats (hyperactivity), were no different from controls for the 3.0 mg/kg rats and decreased significantly for the 6.0 mg/kg animals (CNS depression). The weights of PBB animals did not differ significantly from controls. Analyses of brains and plasma by electron capture gas chromatography yielded detectable levels of PBB as long as 10 months following the last PBB administration. PBB in brains and plasma varied directly as a function of dose administered.

Animals

Correlation of systemic and biochemical effects of PBB with behavioral effects.

Rats were given PBB orally at 1, 3, and 6 mg/kg (or vehicle as control) daily for 20 days. Some animals were sacrificed immediately while the food intake of remaining animals was limited to attain and maintain 80% of normal body weight. No effect of PBB upon body weight was observed for any of the dose levels employed. Immediately after dosing, liver/body weight ratios were 110% of controls for the 1 mg/kg group and 152% for the 3 and 6 mg/kg groups; after weight reduction for 2-6 months liver/body weight ratios for all 3 dose groups were 160-170% of controls. In the absence of body fat, most tissues exhibited dose-dependent retention of PBB 2-6 months after dosing with highest levels in liver followed by kidney. In 6 mg/kg rats weight-reduced for 6 months, liver AHH activity was 613% of controls; in rats sacrificed immediately after dosing, liver AHH activity was dose-related but appeared to reach maximal value at the 3 mg/kg dose. Both calcium binding to synaptic plasma membranes and calcium uptake by intact synaptosomes was significantly reduced in the brains of 1 mg/kg PBB rats, but not affected in preparations from 3 and 6 mg/kg animals.

Animals

Use of discrimination behavior for the evaluation of toxicants.

This study involved the application of discrimination behavior for the study of effects of environmental contaminants on the behavior of laboratory animals. Polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) was evaluated for effects on the acquisition and performance of a simple auditory discrimination by rats. Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) and carbon monoxide (CO) were evaluated for effects on a delayed match-to-sample discrimination task in the juvenile baboon. All of the contaminants slowed response times and increased extra responses. These findings suggest that discrimination behavior may be of value for the evaluation of environmental contaminants for effects on the central nervous system.

Animals

Assessment of the hazards of polybrominated biphenyls.

During their peak use period, PBBs represented under 1% of the total sales of fire retardant chemicals, and very probably would have escaped intensive study if they had not been mixed accidentally with animal feed preparations. Instead, international attention was drawn to PBBs by the state-supervised killing of over 35,000 cattle which had been contaminated with PBBs. Interestingly, low doses of PBBs exert a broad spectrum of toxicological, pharmacological, and biochemical effects despite low acute toxicity. These effects and the intensive bioaccumulation of PBBs derive from their structure and their consequent resistance of biotransformation and high solubility in fat. In rodents, PBBs are teratogenic, immunosuppressive, and potentially carcinogenic. In bovine, rodent, and avian species, PBBs reduce feed intake and induce mixed function oxidases of liver microsomes. The latter effect may be responsible for steroid level changes which underline hormonal toxicities observed in cows, mink, rats, and chickens. The effects of PBBs on humans are controversial, but data suggestive of immunological, skin, and liver disorders continue to accumulate. Concern about the clinical effects of PBBs is heightened by the knowledge that these compounds readily enter the fetus by crossing the placental barrier and can be transferred to newborn children after extensive passage into breast milk.

Adult

Toxicity of vinylidene chloride in mice and rats and its alterations by various treatments.

The toxicity of vinylidene chloride (VDC) was studied in mice and rats exposed to various concentrations of the vapors for 23 hr/day. In addition, the ability of various compounds to alter parameters of toxicity was evaluated. Mice were more sensitive than rats to the lethal, hepatotoxic, and renal toxic effects of VDC. Disulfiram protected mice from these toxic effects of inhaled VDC and reduced the levels of covalently bound radioactivity in the liver and kidney after the ip administration of [14C] VDC. Diethyldithiocarbamate and thiram also protected mice from the acute lethal effects of VDC.

Animals

Effect of various treatments on toxicity of inhaled vinylidene chloride.

The toxicity of vinylidene chloride (VDC) was studied in mice and rats exposed to various concentrations of the vapors for 23 hr/day. In addition, the ability of various treatments to alter parameters of toxicity was evaluated. Mice were more sensitive than rats both to the acute lethal and hepatotoxic effects of VDC. Disulfiram treatment reduced the acute lethal and hepatotoxic effects of inhaled VDC and reduced the levels of covalent bound radioactivity in the liver and kidney after the intraperitoneal administration of 14C-VDC. Treatment with diethyldithiocarbamate and thiram also protected mice from the acute lethal effects of VDC.

Amino Acids, Sulfur