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Biomedical subjects

K W Crawford

Publications and source records attributed to K W Crawford.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Novel ceramide analogues display selective cytotoxicity in drug-resistant breast tumor cell lines compared to normal breast epithelial cells.

The sphingolipid ceramide is involved in diverse cell signaling pathways related to proliferation and differentiation. Elevated ceramide also triggers apoptosis. Synthetic ceramide derivatives have been shown to be cytotoxic to tumors, yet few studies have evaluated whether cytotoxicity of synthetic ceramides is selective for tumor cells. We have evaluated the cytotoxic potency of several novel ceramide analogues in the drug-resistant breast tumor cell lines, SKBr3 and MCF-7/Adr, and compared their cytotoxicity in normal breast epithelial cells. Cytotoxicity was assessed using release of lactate dehydrogenase into the culture medium. (2S, 3S)-3-(6'-Dodecylpyridin-2'-yl)-2-butanoylamidopropane-1,3-diol (pyridine-C4-ceramide) produced non-selective cytotoxicity across the three cell types (EC50= 12.8-16.7 microM, at 24 hr). However, 2S,5R-2-(octanoylamido-(3E))-octadecene-1,5-diol (5R-OH-3E-C8-ceramide), (2S,3R)-2-(N-adamantoyl)-(4E)-octadecen-1,3-diol (adamantyl-ceramide), and (2S,3R)-3-(3'-dodecylphenyl)-2-butanoylamidopropane-1,3-diol (benzene-C4-ceramide) exhibited increased cytotoxicity in the tumor cell lines compared to the normal breast epithelial cells. The EC50 values (microM) at 24 hr for these compounds in SKBr3 cells, MCF-7/Adr cells, and normal breast epithelial cells, respectively, were as follows: 5R-OH-3E-C8-ceramide, 18.3, 21.2 and 58.7; adamantyl-ceramide, 10.9, 24.9 and >100; benzene-C4-ceramide, 18.9, 45.5 and >100. At a concentration of 30 microM, the fold increase in cytotoxicity in breast tumor cell lines compared with normal breast epithelial cells was as follows: 5R-OH-3E-C8-ceramide, 23.7 and 19; adamantyl-ceramide, 11.2 and 10.3 and benzene-C4-ceramide, 79.3 and 77.2, for SKBr3 and MCF-7/Adr cells, respectively. Possible mechanisms accounting for selectivity are discussed. Ceramide analogues with relatively selective toxicity against tumor cells may have potential as therapeutic agents. Elucidating the mechanisms of selective cytotoxicity could identify novel targets that may lead to development of anti-neoplastic agents with a higher therapeutic index.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1993

Patient-interactive computer system for obtaining medication histories.

A portable, patient-interactive computerized system for obtaining medication histories is described. A comprehensive interview script modeling pharmacist-conducted medication-history interviews was written in lay language. The script contains sections on demographics, current medical conditions, medication regimen, medication compliance, symptoms, allergy history, dietary history, psychosocial history, and occupational and environmental exposure; it also asks the patient to evaluate the system. Some of the information requested is often not obtained by physicians during the history and physical examination. A program that conducts the interview by processing a computerized version of the script was developed with Microsoft QuickBASIC. The program was designed to be run on a personal computer microprocessor so that an interview can be conducted virtually anywhere by using a desktop or laptop computer. Summary reports suitable for inclusion in the medical record are generated after each interview. Patients using the system took an average of 40 minutes to complete an interview. They entered data easily and accurately, and they gave the system a high overall rating. The medication-history interviewing system described produces useful, comprehensive, and consistent reports and requires about the same amount of time to conduct an interview as a human interviewer.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Angiotensin II receptor recognized by DuP753 regulates two distinct guanine nucleotide-binding protein signaling pathways.

The 7315c cell, derived from a rat anterior pituitary tumor, expresses an angiotensin II (AII) receptor. [3H]AII binds to 7315c membranes specifically and saturably (Kd = 2.1 +/- 0.6 x 10(-6) M, Bmax = 282 +/- 33 fmol/mg of protein). GTP diminished the affinity of the membranes for [3H]AII (Kd = 4.1 +/- 0.4 x 10(-9) M, Bmax = 210 +/- 26 fmol/mg of protein). [3H]AII binding was displaced by AII (Ki = 1.3 +/- 0.6 x 10(-9) M), angiotensin III (AIII) (Ki = 0.9 +/- 0.4 x 10(-9) M), and the nonpeptide AII antagonist DuP753 (Ki = 1.4 +/- 0.6 x 10(-8) M). In contrast, a second nonpeptide AII ligand, PD123177, did not compete for [3H]AII binding sites. In intact cells, AII and AIII stimulated inositol trisphosphate (IP3) production (EC50 = 1.1 +/- 0.6 x 10(-8) M and 1.1 +/- 0.5 x 10(-8) M, respectively); this response to AII was antagonized by DuP753 (Ki = 1.7 +/- 0.3 x 10(-7) M). Pertussis toxin treatment failed to affect the ability of AII to stimulate IP3 production. In a crude membrane preparation, GTP was required for maximal AII-induced IP3 stimulation; guanosine thio-diphosphate abolished the agonist-GTP stimulation of IP3 production, in a concentration-dependent fashion. AII and AIII also inhibited adenylyl cyclase (EC50 = 2.9 +/- 1.1 x 10(-8) M and 6.0 +/- 1.0 x 10(-8) M, respectively). DuP753 antagonized the inhibition by AII of adenylyl cyclase (Ki = 2.8 +/- 0.4 x 10(-8) M). PD123177 failed to antagonize AII-induced cyclase inhibition. Pertussis toxin treatment abolished the AII and AIII inhibition of adenylyl cyclase. GTP was required for AII-induced inhibition of adenylyl cyclase. These data suggest that, in 7315c cells, a single subtype of AII receptor, identified by DuP753, is capable of regulating two different guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G protein) signalling pathways; one G protein, which is insensitive to pertussis toxin, stimulates IP3 production and the other G protein, which is sensitive to pertussis toxin, inhibits adenylyl cyclase.

Adenylate Cyclase Toxin↗