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Biomedical subjects

L S Haigh

Publications and source records attributed to L S Haigh.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Conservative treatment of rectal adenocarcinoma with endocavitary irradiation or wide local excision and postoperative irradiation.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of endocavitary irradiation and wide local excision followed by irradiation in the treatment of early-stage rectal adenocarcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-five patients with early-stage adenocarcinoma of the rectum were treated with endocavitary irradiation (n = 20) or wide local excision followed by external-beam irradiation (n = 45) between 1974 and 1994 at the University of Florida. All patients were monitored for a minimum of 2 years or until death. RESULTS: The rates of local-regional control at 5 years were 80% after endocavitary irradiation and 86% after wide local excision and radiotherapy. The ultimate 5-year local-regional control rates were 85% and 92%, respectively. Multivariate analysis of local-regional control with sphincter preservation showed that tumor configuration (exophytic v ulcerative) significantly influenced this end point; local-regional control was decreased in patients with ulcerated cancers. Five-year cause-specific survival rates were 84% after endocavitary irradiation and 88% after wide local excision and radiotherapy. Multivariate analysis revealed that tumor configuration significantly influenced cause-specific survival; patients with ulcerated tumors had a worse prognosis. CONCLUSION: Endocavitary irradiation is a highly effective treatment for properly selected patients with early-stage rectal adenocarcinoma. Patients with less favorable lesions that appear to be limited to the muscularis propria have a high chance of cure with sphincter preservation after wide local excision and external-beam irradiation.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Effects of low density lipoproteins and mevinolin on sympathetic responsiveness in cultured chick atrial cells. Regulation of beta-adrenergic receptors and alpha s.

We have previously demonstrated that cultures of myocytes from embryonic chick atria grown in media supplemented with fetal calf serum from which lipoproteins have been removed demonstrate a nearly 10-fold increase in sensitivity of beating to the muscarinic cholinergic agonist carbamylcholine compared with cells grown with control medium. This increased response to carbamylcholine was associated with a 1.4-fold increase in total cell cholesterol, a 2-fold increase in the number of muscarinic receptors which bind agonist with high affinity, and a 2-fold increase in the levels of the alpha subunits of Go and Gi (Haigh, L. S., Leatherman, G. F., O'Hara, D. S., Smith, T. W., and Galper, J. B. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 15608-15618). In the studies reported here, we determined the responsiveness of cells grown in lipoprotein-depleted serum (LPDS) to beta-adrenergic stimulation. Isoproterenol stimulated a contractile response of 58% measured as an increase in amplitude of contraction with a half-maximal effect at 3 x 10(-7) M for cells grown in fetal calf serum, but had no significant effect on amplitude of contraction on cells grown in LPDS. In cells grown in media supplemented with fetal calf serum, isoproterenol (1 x 10(-3) M) stimulated adenylate cyclase activity 100% over basal with an EC50 of 7 x 10(-6) M compared with an increase of 32% in cells grown in media supplemented with LPDS. beta-Adrenergic receptor number as measured by the binding of 125I-pindolol decreased from 24 +/- 3 (+/- S.E., n = 6) fmol/mg protein in cells grown under control conditions to 12 +/- 2 (n = 6) fmol/mg protein in media supplemented with LPDS. The level of alpha s as measured both by ADP-ribosylation with cholera toxin in the presence of 32P-NAD and by immunoblotting with specific antibody to alpha s decreased by 3-fold in cells grown in media supplemented with LPDS compared with control. All of these effects of growth of cells in LPDS were reversed by incubating cells with LPDS plus 30 microM mevinolin, an inhibitor of endogenous cholesterol synthesis. These studies indicate that growth of cells in media supplemented with LPDS results in a coordinate decrease in the levels of beta-adrenergic receptors and alpha s. Taken together with our previous studies these data support the hypothesis that the receptors and guanine nucleotide-binding proteins which mediate sympathetic and parasympathetic responsiveness in the heart are reciprocally regulated.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗

Effects of low density lipoproteins and mevinolin on cholesterol content and muscarinic cholinergic responsiveness in cultured chick atrial cells. Regulation of levels of muscarinic receptors and guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins.

Cultures of myocytes from embryonic chick atria grown in medium supplemented with fetal calf serum from which lipoproteins had been removed demonstrated a nearly 10-fold increase in sensitivity of beating to the muscarinic cholinergic agonist carbamylcholine compared to cells grown with control serum. This effect was reversed by growth of cells in medium supplemented with lipoprotein-depleted serum (LPDS) reconstituted with the low density lipoprotein fraction from fetal calf serum. In cells grown in LPDS, total cell cholesterol was increased 32% over control levels and returned to control levels in cells grown with LPDS reconstituted with low density lipoprotein. Growth of cells in LPDS plus mevinolin, an inhibitor of endogenous cholesterol synthesis, also reversed the effects of LPDS on cholesterol content and sensitivity of beating to carbamylcholine. The ability of mevinolin (30 microM) to reverse the effect of LPDS on sensitivity of beating to carbamylcholine was inhibited by mevalonic acid, a metabolic precursor to cholesterol, with an IC50 of 7 x 10(-5) M. These data suggest that mevinolin reverses the effects of LPDS by altering cellular cholesterol levels. Enhanced responsiveness of embryonic chick heart cells to muscarinic stimulation was associated with a 2-fold increase in the number of muscarinic receptors with high affinity for agonist from 82 +/- 10 fmol/mg protein in media containing fetal calf serum to 175 +/- 12 fmol/mg protein in cells grown in the presence of LPDS. The distribution of receptors between high affinity (RH) and low affinity (RL) forms changed from 41% RH and 59% RL in cells grown in control serum to 66.5% RH and 33.5% RL in cells grown in LPDS. Quantitation of the effect of growth in LPDS on the levels of guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins No and Ni which couple the muscarinic receptor to a physiologic response, demonstrated that the relative levels of the 39-kDa alpha subunits of No and 41-kDa alpha subunits of Ni determined by ADP ribosylation with pertussis toxin and immunoblotting increased 2-fold compared to control cells grown with fetal calf serum. Growth of cells with medium supplemented with LPDS plus mevinolin reduced the levels of alpha 39 and alpha 41 to below the levels in control cells. Levels of the beta subunit of No and Ni were unaffected by growth with LPDS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Algorithms↗

Muscarinic cholinergic receptors in the embryonic chick heart: interaction of agonist, receptor, and guanine nucleotides studied by an improved assay for direct binding of the muscarinic agonist [3H]cismethyldioxolane.

Muscarinic agonist binding has been studied by the indirect method of competition between binding of agonist and 3H-antagonist. Studies of 3H-agonist binding have either been complicated by high levels of nonspecific binding or have been carried out at low concentrations of agonist, which bind only to high affinity sites. A new assay for binding of the muscarinic agonist, [3H]cismethyldioxolane, allows measurement of binding at concentrations up to 1000 nM with a high degree of specificity (92% at 18 nM, 50% at 1000 microM). Using this new binding method, it is possible not only to directly establish the validity of those observations made using competition binding studies, but also to obtain new insight into the mechanism of interaction of receptor agonist and guanine nucleotide. Specifically, data have been presented which demonstrate: 1) that binding of agonist to the high and low affinity forms of the muscarinic receptor involves two independent parallel reactions, and, in the absence of guanine nucleotides, agonist binding alone does not mediate the interconversion of the receptor from one affinity state to another, thus suggesting that high affinity receptors are present in chick heart membranes and do not require agonist binding for their formation; 2) that the interaction of agonist and guanine nucleotide with the receptor-guanine nucleotide-binding protein complex involves formation of an intermediate state in which both agonist and guanine nucleotide are bound to the receptor-guanine nucleotide-binding protein complex; and, finally, 3) that the order of binding of agonist and guanine nucleotide during formation of this intermediate state is random.

Animals↗

DNA methylation of remote sequences in chicken alpha-globin gene expression.

We have previously reported a correlation between site-specific DNA methylation and developmental expression of the chicken alpha-globin genes [8]. We have now extended this investigation to include sites 10-20 kb 5' to the alpha-globin cluster. These data indicate that the methylation status of DNA 5' to the globin genes can still be correlated with gene expression in red blood cells. The results suggest a possible role of DNA methylation in modifying regulatory sequences remote from the transcription initiation sites of globin genes; the existence of such remote regulatory sequences has also been indicated by some beta-thalassemia deletions and by genetic elements in other systems. Our results further correlate with known intermediate DNase I sensitivity in this region [7]. A discrete cluster of CpC type methylation is reported 5' to the alpha-globin gene cluster.

Animals↗

DNA methylation in chicken alpha-globin gene expression.

We have investigated certain specific methylation sites of the chicken alpha-globin gene cluster in DNA from embryonic and adult erythroid cells as well as from brain and sperm cells. Eight contiguous DNA fragments of the alpha-globin gene cluster were subcloned from a recombinant lambda phage. The subclones were used as probes to map all the Msp I/Hpa II and Hha I sites in the unmethylated cloned DNA and specific sites of methylation in and around the alpha-globin gene cluster in chromosomal DNA. The data show that sperm DNA is totally methylated at these restriction sites in the globin gene region, as is brain DNA, with some exceptions. Interestingly, the methylation status of specific sites 5' to the coding sequences is correlated with expression of the embryonic or adult alpha-globin genes in different stages of erythroid development. Some sites showing partial methylation, however, do not conform to the model that transcribed genes are unmethylated or undermethylated. We also find a well-defined 3.5-kilobase region of DNA 5' to the alpha-globin gene cluster in which all C-C-G-G sites are resistant to Msp I digestion in all tissues. This "Msp block" is presumably caused by 5-MeCpC methylation.

Animals↗

Control of hemoglobin expression in chick embryonic development.

We have investigated the presence or absence of methylation of cytosine (5-MeCpG) at specific sites of the chick alpha-globin gene cluster in DNA from embryonic and adult erythroid cells, as well as from brain and sperm cells. We find that these sites are totally methylated in sperm DNA and, with some exceptions, in brain DNA. In erythroid cells no methylation or undermethylation is found in certain sites that are in or near those globin genes that are expressed in embryonic or adult cells, respectively, as predicted by the model. Other sites, away from these genes, do not necessarily follow the prediction. We have also detected a cluster of 5-MeCpC methylation sites in all tissues which is 5' to the alpha-globin cluster.

5-Methylcytosine↗