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Biomedical subjects

M Seth

Publications and source records attributed to M Seth.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) gene silencing and remodeling of the Ca2+ signaling mechanism in cardiac myocytes.

Transient elevations of cytosolic Ca2+ are a common mechanism of cellular signaling. In striated muscle, the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) plays an important role in terminating Ca2+ transients by returning cytosolic Ca2+ to intracellular stores. Stored Ca2+ can then be released again for subsequent signaling. We down-regulated SERCA2 gene expression in cultured cardiac myocytes by means of endogenous transcription of small interfering RNA encoded by an exogenous cDNA template. The cDNA template was delivered by adenovirus vector. Reduction of SERCA expression in all myocytes in culture was documented by immunochemistry, real-time RT-PCR, and determination of ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport. The reduction of SERCA2 expression was associated with the up-regulation of transient receptor potential (TRP) channel proteins (TRPC4 and TRPC5) and Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, indicating that intracellular store deficiency was compensated for by Ca2+ fluxes through the plasma membrane. In fact, SERCA silencing was followed by increased transcription of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, TRPC4, TRPC5, and related transcriptional factors, such as stimulating protein 1, myocyte enhancer factor 2, and nuclear factor of activated cells 4, through activation of calcineurin. This finding demonstrates that the observed compensation occurs through transcriptional crosstalk and the remodeling of Ca2+ signaling pathways. The wide significance of this regulatory mechanism is related to its general involvement in Ca2+ signaling dynamics and in cardiac development and hypertrophy.

Animals↗

MRI of spinal intradural arachnoid cyst formation following tuberculous meningitis.

Secondary intradural arachnoid cyst involving the spine is uncommon. It is usually secondary to trauma, haemorrhage, surgery or inflammation. We present two cases of treated tuberculous meningitis, which presented with gradual onset of quadriplegia and paraplegia, respectively. MRI revealed intradural (cervical and thoracic) arachnoid cysts (ventral and dorsal to the spinal cord) with myelomalacic cord changes. Ventral location of such spinal arachnoid cysts, and being secondary to tuberculous arachnoiditis are distinctively uncommon features. The rarity of this condition and the relevance of MRI in the accurate diagnosis have been discussed here.

Adult↗

Dependence of relativistic effects on electronic configuration in the neutral atoms of d- and f-block elements.

Although most neutral d- and f-block atoms have nd(g-2)(n + 1)s(2) and (n - 1)f(g-2)(n + 1)s(2) ground configurations, respectively, where g is the group number (i.e., number of valence electrons), one-third of these 63 atoms prefer a higher d-population, namely via (n + 1)s-->nd "outer" to "inner" electron shift (particularly atoms from the second d-row), or via (n - 1)f-->nd "inner" to "outer" electron shift (particularly atoms from the second f-row). Although the response to the modified self-consistent field is orbital destabilization and expansion for (n + 1)s-->nd, and stabilization and contraction for (n - 1)f-->nd, the relativistic modification of the valence orbital responses is stabilization in both cases. This is explained by double perturbation theory. Accordingly, electron configuration and relativity trigger the orbital energies, the orbital populations and the chemical shell effects in different ways. The particularly pronounced relativistic effects in groups 10 and 11, the so-called gold maximum, occur because of particularly efficient cooperative nonrelativistic shell effects and relativistic stabilization effects (inverse indirect effect) at the end of the d-block.

Journal Article↗

Topical atropine and timolol therapy in failed retinal detachment surgery.

We conducted a double-blind randomized prospective study to evaluate the efficacy of topical timolol alone and topical timolol and atropine combined in cases of operated failed retinal detachment surgery cases in which no apparent open break explained the surgical failure. In both groups with and without proliferative vitreoretinopathy no statistically significant difference in retinal reattachment was found.

Administration, Topical↗

Reversal of chloroquine resistance in Plasmodium falciparum by CDR 87/209 and analogues.

The spreading of resistance towards chloroquine has diminished its value as a potent and safe drug in malaria endemic areas. Recent reports on the reversal of chloroquine resistance in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum in vitro and in vivo by verapamil, desipramine and other Ca(2+)-channel blockers and antidepressants has initiated a strategy for chemotherapy by treatment with chloroquine in combination with a drug resistance modulator. Described here is a class of modulators of distinct structure which reverse chloroquine resistance in a different manner. Contrary to verapamil and desipramine, CDRI 87/209, the most potent compound of this new class and used as a chemical lead, did not restore chloroquine accumulation in the resistant parasites, thereby indicating that besides the proposed blockade of drug efflux other mechanisms are vulnerable targets for a chemotherapeutic approach towards drug resistance. Similar to the former modulators, CDRI 87/209 showed only weak intrinsic plasmodicidal activity and the increase of drug susceptibility was restricted to resistant plasmodia.

Animals↗

Effect of five-membered heterocycles against Leishmania donovani infection.

Impact of change of heteroatom in pentavalent heterocycles, viz., pyrroles, isoxazoles, imidazoles and crotonates on the profile of antileishmanial activity against amastigotes of L. donovani using in vivo test system and macrophage-amastigote culture system has been studied. Sixty-three compounds were tested. Nine imidazoles showed marginal activity in vivo, whereas 3 out of 10 compounds of isoxazolone series and 2 out of 4 substituted aminocrotonates exhibited antileishmanial activity. Of the 30 substituted pyrroles, except 8 all showed antileishmanial activity in vivo on day 7 post treatment.

Animals↗

Pregnancy interceptive efficacy and biological profile of 3-amino-6,7-dimethoxy-1H-pyrazolo [3,4-b] quinoline (compound 85/83) in rodents.

Administration of compound 85/83 during the peri- and post-implantation period intercepted pregnancy in hamster and guinea pig by parenteral route and in hamster by oral route also. The m.e.d. for hamster and guinea pig was 10 and 20 mg/kg, respectively; lower doses were less effective. Restricting the administration to early post-implantation schedule interrupted pregnancy partially in both species. The compound was, however, ineffective in rat and in the pre-implantation schedule (days 1-4 post-coitum) in hamster. When tested in vitro on growing trophoblasts at 13.8 x 10(-5) M concentration, it prevented growth and caused degeneration of the cells within 24 h; lower concentration (9.2 x 10(-5) M) was less effective. The compound was found to be devoid of estrogenic, antiestrogenic, progestational and antiprogestational properties in conventional bioassays. In hormone competition assays, its relative binding affinity (RBA) to estrogen receptor was negligible (0.002% of estradiol-17 beta), while for uterine cytosol progesterone receptors in rabbit and hamster was 0.06 and 0.08% of progesterone, respectively. The compound 85/83 appears to intercept pregnancy by interfering with development of trophoblast cells.

Administration, Oral↗

Regioselective reactions of 1,2-dehydroprogesterone: syntheses of pregnane derivatives as possible contragestational agents.

A few pregnane derivatives were synthesized from 1,2-dehydroprogesterone (1). Ring A of 1,2-dehydroprogesterone was aromatized without affecting C-20, and the resulting acetoxy compound (2) after hydrolysis yielded 1-hydroxy-4-methyl-19-norpregna-1,3,5(10)-trien-20-one (3). Reactions of the phenol (3) with alkyl halides yielded the ethers 6a-6b and 7. Opening of the oxirane ring in 7 with secondary amines furnished the aminoalcohols 8a-8b. Friedelcraft's reaction of 3 with maleic anhydride and chloracetyl chloride led to the formation of 9 and 10, respectively. Base-catalyzed ring closure of 10 yielded 1-acetyl-12a-methyl-8-oxo-5[H]-1,2,3,3a,3b,4,8,9,10b,11,12, 12a-dodecahydrocyclopenta (7,8)-phenanthro (3,4-b) furan (11), which reacted with aromatic aldehydes regioselectively to furnish 12a-12b. Reaction of 1 with triethylorthoformate in the presence of boron trifluoride etherate involved the participation of C-21, and the carbonyl at C-3 remained unaffected. The product 13 was identified as 21-[2-hydroxyvinyl]-21-norpregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione. Reductive amination with sodium cyanoborohydride in the presence of ammonium acetate did not attack ring A and smoothly furnished the amine 14 which, on reaction with succinic anhydride, gave 20-succinamylpregna-1,4-dien-3-one (15).

Chemical Phenomena↗

Temporal fluctuations in HIV quasispecies in vivo are not reflected by sequential HIV isolations.

A genetic study has been made of the HIV tat gene from sequential HIV-1 isolates and the corresponding infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells. DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cloned into a eukaryotic expression vector. Twenty clones were sequenced from each sample. Comparing the sequential HIV isolates, abrupt differences were seen between the major forms of each isolate. These progressive changes were not reflected at all among the in vitro samples. The fluctuation in the quasispecies in vivo may suggest a much more dynamic role for latently infected mononuclear cells. High frequencies of functionally defective tat genes were identified. Given such complexity and the evident differences between quasispecies in vivo and in vitro, the task of defining HIV infection in molecular terms will be difficult.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Syntheses and bioevaluation of substituted dihydropyridines for pregnancy-interceptive activity in hamsters.

A number of 2,6-dimethyl-3,5-bis(methoxycarbonyl)-4-substituted-1,4- dihydropyridines were synthesized and evaluated for pregnancy-interceptive activity in mated hamsters. Out of 24 compounds, 12, 15, 21, 22, 28, and 34 caused a marked reduction in the number of implantations when administered on days 3-8 postcoitum. In an in vitro competition assay, none of the compounds exhibited noticeable binding affinity for uterine progesterone receptors. The results reported here have helped to identify new leads for developing pregnancy-interceptive agents and the active compounds do not seem to elicit their interceptive effect through receptor-mediated inhibition of progesterone action in hamster uterus.

Abortifacient Agents↗

Radical curative activity of a new 8-aminoquinoline derivative (CDRI 80/53) against Plasmodium cynomolgi B in monkeys.

An analogue of primaquine, N1-(3-acetyl-4-5-dihydro-2-furanyl)-N4-(6-methoxy-8-quinolinyl) 1,4-pentanediamine, CDRI Code 80/53), has been evaluated for anti-relapse activity against sporozoite induced Plasmodium cynomolgi B infection in rhesus monkeys. The compound has shown 100% curative anti-relapse activity at 1.25 mg/kg x 7 day dose schedule, thereby giving a primaquine index of 0.8. The compound is currently under Phase-I clinical trials.

Aminoquinolines↗

Exploration of antileishmanial activity in heterocycles; results of their in vivo & in vitro bioevaluations.

A total of 51 imidazoles, pyrroles, quinolines and isoxazolines compounds were screened for antileishmanial activity in vivo and in vitro, using Leishmania donovani as the test parasite. The screening revealed hitherto unknown antileishmanial activity in these heterocycles. Three of the compounds screened (one belonging to isoxazoline series and two from pyrrole series) showed significant anti-leishmanial activity, ranging from 86-91 per cent inhibition in hamsters. When tested in vitro, using macrophage amastigote culture system, these compounds showed inhibition of 62-78 per cent at 30 micrograms/ml concentration.

Animals↗

Molecular interaction of non-steroidal compounds with uterine progesterone receptor (Part II).

Some possible non-steroidal antiprogestins were evaluated for their receptor binding activity by competitive protein binding assay in rabbit as well as human uterine cytosol in vitro. Of the 42 compounds belonging to 5 different series tested, dimethyl ester of monobenzylidene succinic acid, 4-ethoxycarbonyl-3-(m-methoxybenzyl)-5-(m-anisyl)-gamma-butyrolact one and 2-(3-benzyl-oxybenzyl)-3-(3-acetoxybenzyl)butane-1,4-diol exhibit around 20% inhibition of 3H-progesterone binding to uterine cytosol in both species.

Animals↗

Contraceptive and hormonal properties of a new 1,4-dihydro-2-oxoquinoline derivative (compound 84-182) in rodents and rhesus monkeys.

Compound 84-182 prevented pregnancy when administered subcutaneously at 10 mg/kg dose on days 3-8 post-coitum in hamsters and on days 6-10 post-coitum in guinea pigs. At lower doses, while in hamsters there was a marked reduction in implantation number, majority of implantations in guinea pigs showed signs of resorption. The compound was ineffective when administered at 10 mg/kg dose on days 1-3 or 6-7 post-coitum in hamsters and on days 1-5 or 4-8 post-coitum in rats. In rhesus monkeys, treatment with the compound at 5 and 10 mg/kg doses on days 16-21 of the menstrual cycle induced frank vaginal bleeding between days 21 and 24. Treatment on days 21-30 or after confirmation of pregnancy on days 32-36 was ineffective. In conventional bioassays, the compound was devoid of any estrogenic, antiestrogenic, progestational, antiprogestational, androgenic or antiandrogenic properties at the contraceptive dose. In competitive protein binding assay, the compound showed relative binding affinity (RBA) of less than 0.1% and 0.28% of progesterone, respectively, for rabbit and hamster uterine cytosol progesterone receptors. Its RBA for rat uterine cytosol estrogen receptors was less than 0.1% of estradiol-17 beta.

Animals↗