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Biomedical subjects

K L Audus

Publications and source records attributed to K L Audus.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Passive diffusion of weak organic electrolytes across Caco-2 cell monolayers: uncoupling the contributions of hydrodynamic, transcellular, and paracellular barriers.

A systematic approach was used to demonstrate the quantitative interplay of pH, pKa, lipophilicity, charged and uncharged molecular species, molecular size, aqueous diffusivity, and stirring in passive transport across the aqueous boundary layer, microporous filter support, and transcellular and paracellular barriers in Caco-2 cell monolayers. The relationship of permeability of the aqueous boundary layer and hydrodynamic stirring was elucidated from transmonolayer fluxes of testosterone. Adrenergic receptor antagonists including propranolol (PPL), alprenolol (APL), pindolol (PDL), and atenolol (ATL) represented the model series of structurally similar weak bases with pKa values between 8.8 and 9.65. Although intrinsically lipophilic, their apparent log PC (n-octanol/water) at pH 7.4 and 6.5 ranged from -2.6 to 1.3. Effective permeability coefficients (Pe) correlated with log PC at both pH 7.4 and 6.5 showing a single sigmoidal-like curve: PPL > APL > PDL > or = ATL. The Pe approached a minimum plateau value established by the protonated ATL for the paracellular route (pore radius of 12 A) by molecular size-restricted diffusion within a negative electrostatic field of force. The Pe of the weak bases was delineated into component permeability coefficients of the aqueous boundary layer and porous filter support, the intrinsic permeabilities of charged and uncharged species for the transcellular and paracellular routes, and the extent to which the routes were utilized at each pH. This study emphasized a generally applicable approach to quantitatively analyze passive transport data on weak organic electrolytes and neutral molecules generated using cell culture monolayers.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

21-aminosteroid and 2-(aminomethyl)chromans inhibition of arachidonic acid-induced lipid peroxidation and permeability enhancement in bovine brain microvessel endothelial cell monolayers.

Selected 21-aminosteroids (U74500A, U74006F, and U74389G) and a 2-(aminomethyl)chromans (U78517F) were tested for their efficacy in preventing arachidonate-induced lipid peroxidation and permeability alterations in brain microvessel endothelial cells (BMECs). The 21-aminosteroids and 2-(aminomethyl)chromans were effective in varying degrees in inhibiting (U74500A = U78517F > U74006F = U74389G) concentration- and time-dependent arachidonate-induced thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) production by BMECs. Arachidonate produced a corresponding concentration-dependent increase in BMEC monolayer permeability to the membrane impermeant marker, sucrose. Pretreatment of BMEC monolayers with either the 21-aminosteroids or the 2-(aminomethyl)chromans completely blocked the arachidonate-induced increase in permeability to sucrose. Our results demonstrated that these membrane-associating antioxidants were particularly effective in preventing both arachidonic acid-induced lipid peroxidation and permeability changes in BMEC monolayers. However, concentrations of some antioxidants that only partially inhibited TBARS production, completely inhibited the arachidonic acid-induced enhancement in BMEC monolayer permeability. Therefore, arachidonic acid-induced effects on BMEC permeability were likely due in part to both lipid peroxidation and direct or indirect effects of the fatty acid on membrane integrity. This study provides further support for the application of primary cultures of BMECs as a useful in vitro system to evaluate mechanisms through which mediators of disease or injury states compromise blood-brain barrier integrity.

Animals↗

Changes in brain microvessel endothelial cell monolayer permeability induced by adrenergic drugs.

Brain microvessel endothelial cell monolayers have been shown to be a suitable blood-brain barrier in vitro system to study adrenergic regulation of permeability. We tested adrenergic drugs on bovine brain microvessel endothelial cell monolayer permeability to a biomembrane impermeant molecule, sodium fluorescein. Endogenous catecholamines noradrenaline and adrenaline were tested as well as the alpha-adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine, the beta-adrenoceptor agonist clenbuterol and the alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin. Results showed an alpha-adrenoceptor mediated increase and a beta-adrenoceptor mediated decrease in monolayer permeability. Both alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor mediated changes in permeability were abolished by inhibiting fluid-phase pinocytosis, either by vincristine or by avoiding bovine brain microvessel endothelial cell's energy utilization. The reverse transport (i.e., from brain to blood side) was also influenced by adrenergic drugs; alpha- or beta-adrenoceptor stimulation induced a permeability-reducing effect. We conclude that alpha-adrenoceptor stimulation increases bovine brain microvessel endothelial cell monolayer permeability and that beta-adrenoceptor stimulation has the opposite effect. Reverse transport results obtained with beta-adrenoceptor stimulation seem controversial and deserve further study. These results also support in vivo findings that demonstrated adrenergic influences on blood brain barrier permeability.

Adrenergic Agents↗

Quantitative approaches to delineate paracellular diffusion in cultured epithelial cell monolayers.

When using cultured cell monolayers to determine the mechanism of transcellular diffusion of molecules, it may be important to identify the fraction that moves through the paracellular route or passively diffuses through tight junctions. We characterized the apparent diameter of the junctional pore in a variety of epithelial cell monolayers (Caco-2, MDCK, alveolar). Using hydrophilic extracellular permeants varying in molecular radii and charge (neutral, anionic, cationic, zwitterionic), rate-determining steps and factors of the paracellular route were quantitatively delineated by the model for molecular size-restricted diffusion within a negative electrostatic field of force. Protonated amines permeated the pores faster than their neutral images while organic anions were slower. With increasing molecular size the influence of charge diminished. This approach was used to quantify the relationship between permeant radius and transepithelial electrical resistance and to analyze changes in junctional pore size as a function of pharmacological perturbation, such as in the use of absorption promoters or adjuvants.

Animals↗

Biochemical characteristics of primary and passaged cultures of primate brain microvessel endothelial cells.

Rhesus macaque monkey brain microvessel endothelial cells (BMECs) were isolated and grown in culture in an effort to establish an appropriate primate in vitro model of the endothelial component of the blood-brain barrier. The presence of Factor VIII antigen, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, lactate dehydrogenase, total protein, and the passive permeability properties was documented for both primary and passaged cultures. Primate BMECs were shown to exhibit similar morphological and biochemical properties described for other BMEC culture systems derived from other species. In addition, the passaged primate BMECs were particularly notable for the changes in enzyme activities and total protein that parallel age-dependent changes in brain capillary endothelia. This study provides further support for the possible application of BMEC culture systems in investigations of blood-brain barrier functions under normal, aging, and diseased conditions.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Leucine-enkephalin metabolism in brain microvessel endothelial cells.

The metabolism of leucine-enkephalin was investigated in primary cultures of bovine brain microvessel endothelial cell (BMEC) monolayers. Leucine-enkephalin was hydrolyzed slowly with less than 40% of the peptide metabolized following a 5-h incubation with intact BMEC monolayers at 37 degrees C. Following separation and extraction of BMEC enzymes into cytosolic and membrane-bound fractions, leucine-enkephalin was observed to be labile in the presence of both cytosolic and membrane-associated enzymes. A much greater concentration of enkephalin-hydrolyzing enzyme was associated with the cytosolic fraction. Resulting metabolite profiles for leucine-enkephalin appeared to be the result of interactions of the peptide with primarily aminopeptidases and angiotensin-converting enzyme. Our results suggested that extensive metabolism of leucine-enkephalin solely by BMECs in the cerebro-vasculature would require internalization by the cells and presentation to cytosolic enzymes.

Animals↗

Effect of some penetration enhancers on epithelial membrane lipid domains: evidence from fluorescence spectroscopy studies.

The effect of the penetration enhancers Azone, oleic acid, 1-dodecanol, dodecyl N,N-dimethylaminoacetate (DDAA), and dodecyl N,N-dimethylaminoisopropionate (DDAIP) on epithelial membrane lipids was examined using human buccal cell membranes as a model for epithelial lipid bilayer. Buccal epithelial cells (BEC) were labeled with 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH), 1-(4-(trimethylammonio)phenyl)-6- phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH), and 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulphonic acid (ANS) fluorophores to characterize enhancer-induced changes in the hydrophobic core, in the superficial polar head region, and on the exterior surface, respectively, with fluorescence anisotropy and fluorescence lifetimes. All the enhancers studied were found to decrease the BEC membrane lipid packing order in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner in the deep bilayer region, as shown by a 37-66% decrease in anisotropy. Oleic acid was also found to disrupt membrane lipids strongly in the polar head region, causing at least a 34% decrease in anisotropy values. Azone and DDAA were shown to alter molecular movement on the surface of the bilayers (24 and 19% decrease in anisotropy, respectively). The results suggest that interaction with membrane lipid domains is an important, but not the only, mode of action for the penetration enhancers studied.

Alanine↗

Primary culture of rat gastric epithelial cells as an in vitro model to evaluate antiulcer agents.

Primary rat gastric cell cultures were investigated as an in vitro model for evaluating antiulcer agents. Following exposure to concentrations of up to 5 mg/mL of an antiulcer agent sucralfate, an aluminum hydroxide complex of sucrose octasulfate, cultured cells were treated with either pH 3.5 medium or 3.5 mM indomethacin. Cytoprotection was evaluated by colony forming efficiency, neutral red uptake, and 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazoyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) hydrolysis. By each measure, and depending on damaging agent, 2 and 5 mg/mL sucralfate provided partial (50% of untreated control) to near-complete (90% of untreated control) cytoprotection, respectively. Aluminum hydroxide also provided partial (55% of untreated control) to near-complete (more than 90% of untreated control) cytoprotection at 2 and 5 mg/mL, respectively, for the pH 3.5 medium-induced damage. Over a concentration range of 0.05 to 5 mg/mL, the potassium salt of sucrose octasulfate, KSOS, stimulated cell growth up to 40-60% over untreated controls but had little or no cytoprotective action in the presence of either 3.5 mM indomethacin or pH 3.5 medium. Overall results suggested that sucralfate may have at least two roles in influencing gastric epithelial cell function, cytoprotection and stimulation of cell growth in vitro. These observations serve as a basis for further study of in vitro models in evaluating the cytoprotective activity of antiulcer agents and their respective mechanisms of action.

Acids↗

Leucine enkephalin effects on paracellular and transcellular permeation pathways across brain microvessel endothelial cell monolayers.

Leucine enkephalin (YGGFL) effects on markers for transcellular and paracellular permeation across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) were investigated in vitro with bovine brain microvessel endothelial cell (BMEC) monolayers in primary culture. Intact YGGFL, but not metabolites of YGGFL, stimulated BMEC uptake of lucifer yellow (LY), a marker for fluid-phase endocytosis, in a concentration-dependent manner. However, D-[Ala2]-leucine enkephalin (YAGFL), a YGGFL analogue that altered BMEC monolayer permeability, had no effect on LY uptake. In part, these results suggested that YGGFL's effects on fluid-phase uptake might not relate directly to enhanced BMEC transcellular permeability in the presence of the peptide. The measurement of the fluorescence anisotropy of membrane-bound diphenyl-hexatriene probes did not show substantial peptide-induced changes in membrane lipid packing order (i.e., membrane fluidity) and indicated a limited role for membrane perturbations in YGGFL-induced changes in BMEC monolayer permeability. Conversely, the apparent permeability coefficients showed size-dependent YGGL-induced alterations for passage of membrane-impermeant substances across BMEC monolayers. The apparent permeability coefficients of low-molecular-weight (low-mol-wt) molecules (mannitol, sucrose, and fluorescein) were increased on exposure to YGGFL. The apparent permeability coefficients for high-mol-wt molecules, FITC dextran conjugates (4, 20, and 71.6 Kd), were not affected by exposure to YGGFL. Transmission electron micrographs of lanthanum (Stoke's radius, 10 A) exclusion from BMEC intercellular junctions supported these observations. Collectively, results from this study suggest that YGGFL enhanced BMEC permeability either by altering paracellular openings or through formation of a small pore in the monolayers to allow preferential penetration of low-mol-wt or small molecular size (< 10 A) substances.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Formation of extensive canalicular networks by rat hepatocytes cultured in collagen-sandwich configuration.

Rat primary hepatocytes were cultured under different extracellular matrix configurations and evaluated for the acquisition and maintenance of structural and functional cell polarity. De novo repolarization of the plasma membrane was variable in rate and extent in hepatocyte cultures maintained on a conventional single layer of either gelled or ungelled collagen. However, cultures maintained in a collagen-sandwich configuration initiated uniform formation of a contiguous anastomosing network of bile canaliculi throughout the entire culture. Localization of apical membrane markers demonstrated normal distribution at the canalicular membrane. A marked rearrangement of the intracellular microfilaments to the cell periphery was observed and coincided with the development of the bile canaliculi. Acquisition of normal bile canalicular function and integrity was observed within 3-4 days postoverlay as indicated by the concentration and retention of carboxyfluorescein within the canalicular network. These results demonstrate that cultures of hepatocytes maintained in a sandwich configuration may serve as a more reliable and representative model in which to study the physiology of hepatic function as well as the morphogenesis of polarized membrane domains in vitro.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗

Tie-1 and tie-2 define another class of putative receptor tyrosine kinase genes expressed in early embryonic vascular system.

We report the molecular cloning and characterization of two structurally related putative receptor tyrosine kinases, encoded by distinct genes (tie-1 and tie-2) on mouse chromosome 4. Both tie-1 and tie-2 encode receptor proteins possessing unique multiple extracellular domains: two immunoglobulin-like loop domains flanking three epidermal growth factor repeats followed by three fibronectin-type III repeats. Both genes are expressed in early embryonic vascular system and in maternal decidual vascular endothelial cells, where the vasculature undergoes an active angiogenesis. tie-2, but not tie-1, expression was also detected in extraembryonic mesoderm of the amnion. tie-1, but not tie-2, is expressed in an acute myelogenic cell line in vitro. tie-1 and tie-2 may form another class within the receptor tyrosine kinase gene family, and further characterization of these genes and identification of their putative ligands should define the nature of the signal-transduction cascades underlying early vascular system development, as well as their differential roles in mesodermal cells of the amniotic and myeloid lineages.

Animals↗

Sulfation of hypertensive and hypotensive drugs by monkey brain phenol sulfotransferase.

The substrate specificity and affinity of two forms of phenol sulfotransferase (PST) from Rhesus macaque brain cortex were studied. Catecholamines, their methylated metabolites (normetanephrine, metanephrine) and methylated precursor, alpha-methylDOPA, were examined as substrates for both the cationic (PST I) and the anionic (PST II) forms of the enzyme. Sulfation of hypertensive drugs (phenylephrine, octopamine, metaraminol), hypotensive drugs (alpha-methylDOPA, minoxidil), and related agents without a free hydroxy group on the benzene ring were also studied. Results indicated that both PST forms sulfated alpha-methylDOPA and minoxidil, but only PST II transferred the sulfate group to catecholamines and most of the adrenergic agents examined.

Animals↗

Biotin uptake and transport across bovine brain microvessel endothelial cell monolayers.

Primary cultures of bovine brain microvessel endothelial cells (BMECs) were used to characterize blood-brain barrier (BBB) uptake and transport of biotin. Both the uptake and the transcellular transport of either radiolabeled or fluorescein-conjugated biotin by confluent monolayers of BMECs were measured. Biotin uptake (Km = 123 microM) and bidirectional transport across BMEC monolayers was a saturable process and could be competed for by unlabeled biotin, biocytin, and biotinmethyl ester. Pantothenic and nonanoic acid were found not to be effective competitors for either biotin uptake or transport. The metabolic inhibitor, 2-deoxyglucose, had only small effects on the saturable apical-to-basolateral transport and apical uptake of biotin by BMECs. In contrast, basolateral-to-apical transport of biotin was substantially attenuated by 2-deoxyglucose pretreatment. Results supported the existence of specific and saturable uptake and efflux carrier systems for biotin in BMEC monolayers. The function of these systems was dependent to some degree on the metabolic status of the BMECs. Our findings confirm the existence of a biotin uptake system at the BBB in vivo and provide the first indication of an efflux system for biotin in BMECs.

Animals↗

In vitro nasal transport across ovine mucosa: effects of ammonium glycyrrhizinate on electrical properties and permeability of growth hormone releasing peptide, mannitol, and lucifer yellow.

Transport of growth hormone releasing peptide across ovine nasal mucosa in the absence or presence of ammonium glycyrrhizinate (AMGZ) was studied in vitro. Ovine nasal mucosa was stripped from underlying cartilage and mounted in Ussing chambers. Transepithelial conductance (Gt) and short-circuit current (Isc) were monitored during experiments to assess tissue viability and integrity. Radiolabeled mannitol (Man; MW 182) and growth hormone releasing peptide (GHRP, SK&F 110679; MW 873) were employed to measure transport rates across the epithelium, and fluorescence spectroscopy was employed to measure rates of lucifer yellow (LY; MW 521) transport. Effects of AMGZ on ovine nasal mucosal viability and transport were determined from changes in electrical properties of fluxes of [3H]GHRP, [3H]Man, and LY. Results demonstrate that electrical properties of ovine nasal mucosa are stable over the time course of the experiments (Gt = 8.3 +/- 0.5 mS/cm2 and Isc = 3.7 +/- 0.2 microEq/hr.cm2; n = 21). Man fluxes were comparable in the mucosal (m)-to-serosal (s) and s-to-m directions [0.10 +/- 0.01 (n = 17) and 0.10 +/- 0.01 (n = 4) %/hr.cm2, respectively]. Transport of GHRP and LY in the m-s direction was similar to that of Man [0.08 +/- 0.01 (n = 11) and 0.09 +/- 0.01 (n = 3) %/hr.cm2, respectively]. GHRP flux was equivalent in the m-s and s-m directions. GHRP did not significantly alter ion transport processes as indicated by the lack of any change in Gt or Isc.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Effects of selected vasoactive substances on adenylate cyclase activity in brain, isolated brain microvessels, and primary cultures of brain microvessel endothelial cells.

The specific activity of adenylate cyclase was assayed in homogenates of gray matter, freshly isolated and primary cultured microvessel endothelial cells from bovine cerebral cortex. Specific activities for the tissues were 14.6 +/- 2.1, 15.6 +/- 2.7, and 8.4 +/- 1.5 pmol cAMP/mg protein/min +/- SD for gray matter, cultured microvessels, and freshly isolated microvessels, respectively. Adenylate cyclase associated with gray matter and cultured microvessels was sensitive to histamine and selected catecholamines. Perhaps due to metabolic deficiencies, adenylate cyclase of freshly isolated microvessels exhibited little or no response to either the catecholamines or histamine. Angiotensin II stimulated adenylate cyclase of both freshly isolated and cultured microvessels but had no effect on gray matter. Bradykinin did not stimulate cAMP generation in any of the tissues. Overall results support the role of cAMP in regulating brain microvessel functions and suggest that primary cultures of brain microvessels may be useful in examining cAMP-mediated biochemical pathways at the blood-brain barrier.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗