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Biomedical subjects

M R Adams

Publications and source records attributed to M R Adams.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Short-term administration of estrogen and vascular responses of atherosclerotic coronary arteries.

OBJECTIVES: This experiment sought to determine the effect of short-term administration of estrogen on endothelium-dependent dilation in the coronary arteries of 13 surgically postmenopausal female cynomolgus monkeys. BACKGROUND: Long-term estrogen replacement therapy prevents impaired endothelium-dependent dilation of atherosclerotic coronary arteries in postmenopausal female monkeys. However, it remains unclear whether this action of estrogen is due to long-term effects on plasma lipids and atherogenesis or to direct short-term effects on the endothelium. METHODS: The monkeys consumed an atherogenic diet for 18 months after bilateral ovariectomy. Vascular responses were measured just before euthanasia and necropsy. Dextrose in water (control), acetylcholine, 10(-6)M, and nitroglycerin were infused for 2.5 min each both before and 20 min after intravenous injection of 54 ng ethinyl estradiol. RESULTS: Quantitative coronary angiography revealed that the arteries constricted (-17 +/- 3%) in response to intracoronary infusion of acetylcholine before estrogen treatment but dilated (+5 +/- 3%) 20 min after intravenous injection of ethinyl estradiol (p less than 0.05). Coronary arteries dilated in response to nitroglycerin both before and after administration of estrogen (p greater than 0.05). Vascular responses of coronary arteries, both before and after administration of estrogen, were not associated with variation in plasma lipid concentrations, blood pressure, heart rate or plaque size. CONCLUSIONS: Estrogen affects endothelium-dependent coronary dilation within 20 min of administration and may have rapid direct effects on the vascular endothelium.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1992

Cross-reactivity of bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria and lantibiotics in a nisin bioassay and ELISA.

A number of bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria and lantibiotics were tested for cross-reactivity in a nisin ELISA and bioassay. The bacteriocins showed no cross-reactivity, reflecting their structural dissimilarity from nisin. The lantibiotic subtilin which shares many common structural features with nisin, showed a high cross-reactivity in both the ELISA and the bioassay suggesting possible modifications to nisin to enhance its activity. Gallidermin did not cross react in the ELISA but did produce a zone of inhibition in the less specific bioassay. Other lantibiotics tested did not react in either assay.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1992

Regional differences in arterial low density lipoprotein metabolism in surgically postmenopausal cynomolgus monkeys. Effects of estrogen and progesterone replacement therapy.

To determine if arterial lipoprotein metabolism may be involved in mediating well-known anatomic regional differences in susceptibility to atherosclerosis, arterial low density lipoprotein (LDL) metabolism and extent of atherosclerosis were studied in 17 ovariectomized female cynomolgus monkeys. The animals were fed an atherogenic diet for 18 weeks, during which time one group received 17 beta-estradiol and cyclic progesterone treatment (n = 9) and the controls received no hormone replacement therapy (n = 8). As reported previously, hormone replacement markedly reduced the accumulation of LDL in coronary arteries without affecting plasma lipoprotein patterns. We report here that LDL metabolism differed among arterial sites. LDL accumulation, LDL degradation rate, and the concentration of undegraded LDL were greatest in the coronary arteries and carotid bifurcations compared with the aorta, iliac arteries, and cerebral arteries. Although hormone replacement decreased indexes of LDL metabolism, there was no effect on intimal thickness or indexes of endothelial injury, such as leukocyte adhesion and endothelial cell turnover rate. There were, however, regional differences in these morphological parameters. The intima was thickest in the aorta, and leukocyte adhesion and endothelial cell turnover rates were greatest in the carotid bifurcation and thoracic aorta. The decreased accumulation and metabolism of LDL caused by hormone replacement therapy was specific to the arterial system and did not occur in the liver or other peripheral tissues.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Effects of oestrogens and progestogens on coronary atherosclerosis and osteoporosis of monkeys.

We have used the cynomolgus macaque as a model for the study of the effects of endogenous and exogenous sex steroid hormones on atherosclerosis and osteoporosis. As in human beings, premenopausal female cynomolgus macaques develop much less extensive coronary artery atherosclerosis than their male counterparts. Furthermore, surgical menopause results in a more atherogenic plasma lipoprotein pattern and an approximate doubling of atherosclerosis extent. Frequent pregnancy, a hyperoestrogenic state, results in an approximate 50% reduction in atherosclerosis extent. Physiological replacement with 17 beta-oestradiol alone or in combination with progesterone prevents the increase in coronary artery atherosclerosis extent associated with ovariectomy. This effect is independent of plasma lipoprotein concentrations and appears to be accounted for, at least in part, by an inhibitory effect of oestrogen replacement therapy on the uptake and degradation of LDL by the artery wall. Also, as in human beings, treatment with certain types of combination oral contraceptives results in marked decreases in plasma HDL-C concentration. Nonetheless, coronary artery atherosclerosis extent is reduced in monkeys by oral contraceptive treatment, and this effect is most pronounced among animals at highest risk due to theoretically adverse plasma lipoprotein profiles. It appears that, as with oestrogen replacement therapy, this effect can be accounted for, at least in part, by an inhibition of the uptake and degradation of low density lipoprotein by the artery wall. The monkey also appears to be a good model for studies of postmenopausal bone loss. As in women, surgical menopause results in significant diminution of bone mineral density and bone mineral content. Also, serum biomarkers of bone turnover (total alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase and osteocalcin) are increased in surgically postmenopausal monkeys, indicating increased bone turnover resulting from the surgical menopause. These increases in bone loss and indices of bone turnover were prevented by physiological oestrogen replacement therapy. Cynomolgus monkeys seem to be exceptionally useful models for studies of the effects of sex steroid hormones on atherosclerosis and osteoporosis, two major public health problems in postmenopausal women.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Estrogen and progesterone replacement therapy reduces low density lipoprotein accumulation in the coronary arteries of surgically postmenopausal cynomolgus monkeys.

The effect of estrogen and progesterone replacement therapy on the initiating events in atherogenesis was studied in surgically postmenopausal cynomolgus monkeys. Monkeys were ovariectomized and divided randomly into two groups, one receiving 17 beta-estradiol and cyclic progesterone treatment (n = 9) and ovariectomized controls receiving no hormone replacement therapy (n = 8). The monkeys were fed a moderately atherogenic diet for 18 wk to accelerate the early pathogenic processes but not to be of sufficient duration to produce grossly visible atherosclerotic lesions. Sex hormone replacement therapy decreased the accumulation of LDL and products of LDL degradation in the coronary arteries by greater than 70% while having no significant effect on plasma lipid, lipoprotein, or apoprotein concentrations. Arterial intimal lesions were small with no difference between groups. The reduction in arterial LDL metabolism occurred very early in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and was independent of indices of endothelial cell injury, such as enhanced endothelial cell turnover or leukocyte adhesion to the endothelium. Results of this study suggest that one mechanism by which sex hormone treatment inhibits the initiation of atherosclerosis is a direct effect at the level of the arterial wall by suppressing the uptake and/or degradation of LDL.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Social behavior and gender in biomedical investigations using monkeys: studies in atherogenesis.

We review the use of socially housed cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) in biomedical research with emphasis on studies of atherosclerosis, particularly in the two specific domains of atherosclerosis investigation for which nonhuman primates are especially well-suited as animal models: gender differences and psychosocial influences. We found that the presence of normal ovarian function prevented exacerbation of diet-induced coronary artery atherosclerosis in female monkeys. However, any manipulation or condition which impaired ovarian function tended to diminish or abolish this "female" protection. Among group-housed female monkeys, low social status was accompanied by ovarian dysfunction and, not surprisingly, by exacerbated coronary artery atherosclerosis as well. Surgical menopause (ovariectomy) also induced exacerbation of coronary atherosclerosis in monkeys, a situation which was prevented by estrogen replacement therapy. Conversely, pregnancy (a hyperestrogenic state) resulted in markedly diminished atherosclerosis. A somewhat different pattern of atherogenesis emerged among socially-housed males. Here, socially dominant animals developed exacerbated coronary artery atherosclerosis, but only under conditions of social stress (viz., disruption caused by periodic reorganization of social group membership). We hypothesized that exposure to repeated group reorganizations provoked activation of the sympathetic nervous system among dominant animals; in turn, the hemodynamic and metabolic concomitants of sympathetic activation may have damaged the coronary arteries of these monkeys, potentiating atherogenesis. To test this hypothesis, males were housed in unstable social groupings, with half of the monkeys administered a beta-adrenergic blocking agent (to attenuate heart rate and blood pressure responses to stress). The beta-blocker inhibited atherosclerosis, but only among those animals behaviorally predisposed to develop exacerbated lesions (i.e. dominant monkeys). These results support the view that monkeys are suitable research models of atherosclerosis, a disease that affects millions of humans.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Modelling the effect of pH, acidulant and temperature on the growth rate of Yersinia enterocolitica.

Growth of two pathogenic and one environmental serotype of Yersinia enterocolitica under acidic conditions and at 4 and 25 degrees C was investigated. At both temperatures the maximum growth inhibitory pH depended on the acidulant used and was in the order acetic greater than lactic greater than citric greater than sulphuric. At the lower temperature the maximum growth inhibitory pH was 0.3-0.5 pH units higher than at 25 degrees C. No difference was observed between the behaviour of pathogenic and environmental serotypes in this respect. Measurement of growth at a number of sub-optimal temperatures and pH values showed that the variation of growth rate with temperature could be represented by a square root plot. The effect of different pH values could be incorporated into the model by replacing the regression coefficient b by its relationship with pH. Values of maximum growth inhibitory pH derived from the model were in good agreement with experimental values with the exception of acetic acid.

Acetates↗
PubMed1990

Effects on bone of surgical menopause and estrogen therapy with or without progesterone replacement in cynomolgus monkeys.

The influence of estrogen replacement therapy on bone loss of surgically postmenopausal cynomolgus macaques was evaluated histomorphometrically using the first (L-1) lumbar vertebra and ex vivo dual photon absorptiometry of the third (L-3) lumbar vertebra. The animals were a subgroup of a larger study on the effects of estrogen replacement therapy on diet-induced coronary artery atherosclerosis. The three experimental conditions were as follows: untreated females with oophorectomy, females with oophorectomy treated with continuous estrogen replacement therapy plus cyclic progesterone, and females with oophorectomy treated with estrogen replacement therapy. Bone mineral density (grams per square centimeter) of L-3, when covaried for body mass index (body mass index, body weight/(trunk length/100)2), was significantly lower for the oophorectomy group compared with the group treated by estrogen replacement therapy plus progesterone and estrogen replacement therapy groups (p = 0.018). When covaried for body mass index, trabecular bone volume percentage of a midsagittal section of L-1 was not significantly different between groups, but the adjusted mean was greatest in the estrogen replacement therapy plus progesterone group, followed closely by the estrogen replacement therapy group, and was least in the oophorectomy group. When covaried for body mass index, trabecular plate number was significantly lower (p = 0.022) and mean trabecular plate separation was significantly higher (p = 0.033) in the oophorectomy group. Thus both estrogen replacement therapy and estrogen replacement therapy plus progesterone provided overall protection against surgical menopause--associated bone mass loss. Cynomolgus macaques are an extremely useful animal model for estrogen replacement therapy use in prevention of postmenopausal bone loss.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1990

Oral contraceptives, lipoproteins, and atherosclerosis.

A nonhuman primate model was developed to study the effects of oral contraceptives on lipoproteins and atherosclerosis. Cynomolgus macaques were selected because of their susceptibility to diet-induced atherosclerosis and because their reproductive physiology, menstrual cycle, and circulating sex hormone patterns are similar to those of human females. The first study compared a vaginal ring containing levonorgestrel and estradiol with an oral contraceptive containing norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol. A second study compared two oral combinations: norgestrel-ethinyl estradiol and ethynodiol diacetate-ethinyl estradiol. As predicted, use of all the contraceptives led to lowering of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. However, contrary to what might be expected, use of the ethinyl estradiol-containing oral contraceptives did not lead to an increase in the prevalence or extent of atherosclerosis. We concluded that ethinyl estradiol neutralized the atherogenic influence of the progestin component of oral contraceptives.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Colorimetric enumeration of Escherichia coli based on beta-glucuronidase activity.

A medium containing a chromogenic substrate was developed for the enumeration of Escherichia coli on the basis of beta-glucuronidase activity. In this medium there was an inverse linear relationship between the log initial E. coli concentration and the time taken for the color to reach a threshold optical density of 0.05. This relationship applied even when the E. coli population contained 5% beta-glucuronidase-negative cells. Incubation at 44 degrees C reduced the time taken for color development and allowed the procedure to be used in the presence of a competitive microflora that outnumbered the E. coli population by a factor of 10(4). Sodium lauryl sulfate as an additional selective agent gave no significant improvement. In the analysis of environmental water samples, the technique gave a good correlation with a standard cultural method. The procedure shows promise as a simple method for testing the compliance of environmental samples with microbiological criteria for E. coli.

Chromogenic Compounds↗
PubMed1990

Estrogen modulates responses of atherosclerotic coronary arteries.

Although evidence indicates that estrogen replacement therapy reduces risk of coronary heart disease, the mechanism remains unknown. Among the possibilities are that estrogen replacement therapy may 1) inhibit growth of atherosclerotic plaque and 2) decrease the prevalence of transient myocardial ischemia and myocardial infarction by modulating vasomotion in atherosclerotic coronary arteries. Using quantitative coronary angiography, we determined vasomotor responses of atherosclerotic coronary arteries in ovariectomized cynomolgus monkeys; six were given physiological estrogen "replacement" by subcutaneous implants, and six were not. Intracoronary infusion of the endothelium-dependent dilator acetylcholine (1 X 10(-6) M) caused paradoxical constriction of coronary arteries (from 1.2 +/- 0.2 to 0.6 +/- 0.1 mm, p less than 0.05) in the estrogen-deficient monkeys. However, acetylcholine tended to minimally dilate the left circumflex coronary artery in estrogen-treated monkeys (from 1.2 +/- 0.2 to 1.5 +/- 0.2 mm, p greater than 0.2). Although estrogen replacement therapy reduced plaque extent in coronary arteries, altered vasomotion was not related to plaque extent. We conclude that estrogen modulates vasomotion of atherosclerotic coronary arteries of monkeys and speculate that estrogen-modulated constrictor responses of atherosclerotic coronary arteries may reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease in postmenopausal women.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1990

Oral contraceptives and coronary artery atherosclerosis of cynomolgus monkeys.

Studies of both human and nonhuman primates show an inverse relationship between high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations and coronary artery atherosclerosis. For this reason, there has been concern that the HDL cholesterol-lowering effect of oral contraceptives might exacerbate coronary artery atherosclerosis. We studied three groups of adult female cynomolgus macaques fed a moderately atherogenic diet: a control group, a group given ethinyl estradiol and norgestrel, and another group given ethinyl estradiol and ethynodiol diacetate. Norgestrel and ethynodiol diacetate, co-administered with ethinyl estradiol, lowered the plasma concentrations of HDL cholesterol. However, the extent of coronary artery atherosclerosis was lessened by both contraceptives, especially among females at high risk based on their plasma lipid profiles.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

From menarche to menopause: coronary artery atherosclerosis and protection in cynomolgus monkeys.

The effects on atherogenesis of stress, pregnancy, and oral contraceptive therapy were studied in a nonhuman primate model. The stress of social subordination was associated with ovarian dysfunction, unfavorable lipoprotein changes, and increased coronary artery atherosclerosis compared with nonstressed (socially dominant) or normal monkeys. Although pregnant animals exhibited lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, they had only one half as much diet-induced coronary artery atherosclerosis as their nonpregnant counterparts. Monkeys treated with an Ovral-like regimen also exhibited adverse lipoprotein changes. Nevertheless, prevalence and extent of coronary artery plaques decreased. We conclude that estrogen is an important factor in the animals' "female protection" against diet-induced atherosclerosis. We also suggest that the lowering of high-density lipoproteins by the progestin component of higher-dose contraceptives is not necessarily atherogenic if a sufficiently potent exogenous estrogen is administered concomitantly.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Effects of stress and the sympathetic nervous system on coronary artery atherosclerosis in the cynomolgus macaque.

Epidemiologic evidence increasingly implicates psychosocial variables in the development of coronary heart disease in human beings, an association that appears to be independent of the effects of other coronary disease risk factors. It has been hypothesized that behavioral influences on coronary heart disease are mediated by activation of the sympathetic nervous system, perhaps through exacerbation of coronary artery atherosclerosis. This article summarizes several studies of the effects of stress and sympathetic arousal on atherosclerosis in a nonhuman primate model of atherogenesis. The application of a behavioral stressor involving periodic reorganization of social group memberships resulted in worsened coronary atherosclerosis among male cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) fed a cholesterol-containing diet, relative to control animals housed in groups of fixed (stable) membership, but only among those monkeys that retained dominant social status during the course of the study. This effect could not be attributed to concomitant variability in blood pressure or serum lipid concentrations. When the same experimental procedures were applied to males fed a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, the manipulation of group memberships similarly led to development of greater atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries. In related observations, monkeys that exhibited the largest heart rate responses to a standardized behavioral challenge had more extensive coronary atherosclerosis than animals showing a less pronounced cardiac responsivity to stress. In a final investigation, we observed that the exacerbated atherosclerosis of dominant monkeys consuming an atherogenic diet and housed in unstable social groups could be prevented by long-term administration of a beta-adrenoreceptor-blocking agent, propranolol hydrochloride.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗