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Biomedical subjects

N K Gupta

Publications and source records attributed to N K Gupta.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Orbital granulocytic sarcomas (myeloid sarcomas) in acute nonlymphocytic leukemia.

In a series of 89 patients with acute leukemia, orbital granulocytic sarcomas were observed in 7. All these patients had acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, and they were all children. The orbital involvement usually was bilateral, and the patients had proptosis, conjunctival hemorrhage, and chemosis. Morphologic, cytochemical, and immunophenotypic analyses did not show a predilection for any particular myeloid cell type. Two patients had biphenotypic leukemias with myeloid components. The ocular manifestations responded well to chemotherapy irrespective of the hematologic response.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

The eukaryotic initiation factor 2-associated 67-kDa polypeptide (p67) plays a critical role in regulation of protein synthesis initiation in animal cells.

The eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF-2)-associated 67-kDa polypeptide (p67) isolated from reticulocyte lysate protects the eIF-2 alpha subunit from eIF-2 kinase-catalyzed phosphorylation and promotes protein synthesis in the presence of active eIF-2 kinases. We have now studied the roles of p67 and eIF-2 kinases in regulation of protein synthesis using several animal cell lysates and an animal cell line (KRC-7) in culture under various growth conditions. The results are as follows. (i) Both p67 and eIF-2 kinase(s) are present in active forms in all animal cells under normal growth conditions and p67 protects the eIF-2 alpha subunit from eIF-2 kinase-catalyzed phosphorylation, thus promoting protein synthesis in the presence of active eIF-2 kinases. (ii) In heme-deficient reticulocyte lysates and in serum-starved KRC-7 cells in culture, p67 is deglycosylated and subsequently degraded. This leads to eIF-2 kinase-catalyzed eIF-2 alpha-subunit phosphorylation and thus to protein synthesis inhibition. (iii) Addition of a mitogen (namely, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate) to serum-starved KRC-7 cells in culture induces an increase of p67 and thus increases protein synthesis. These results suggest the following conclusions. (i) Protein synthesis inhibition in a heme-deficient reticulocyte lysate is not due to the activation of an eIF-2 kinase (heme-regulated inhibitor), as is generally believed, but is due to degradation of p67. The heme-regulated inhibitor is present in an active form and possibly in equal amounts in both heme-deficient and heme-supplemented reticulocyte lysates but cannot phosphorylate eIF-2 alpha subunit because of the presence of p67. (ii) p67 is essential for protein synthesis as it protects the eIF-2 alpha subunit from eIF-2 kinase-catalyzed phosphorylation and promotes protein synthesis in the presence of one or more active eIF-2 kinases present in all animal cells. (iii) p67 is both degradable and inducible. Only the p67 level correlates directly with the protein synthesis activity of the cell, indicating that p67 is a critical factor in protein synthesis regulation in animal cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Fatal Legionella maceachernii pneumonia in Canada.

A case of pneumonia and acute tubular necrosis was caused by an initially unknown species of Legionella. The organism was later identified as Legionella maceachernii by a combination of cultural, biochemical, and serological methods along with a gas-liquid chromatographic profile.

Canada↗
PubMed1992

Heparin rebound phenomenon--much ado about nothing?

Significant postoperative bleeding following open-heart surgery is often ascribed to the so-called heparin 'rebound' phenomenon and as such is treated with additional empiric doses of protamine sulphate. However, inappropriate protamine administration has been reported to be associated with acute pulmonary hypertension. The efficacy of heparin reversal was investigated in 42 patients undergoing open-heart surgery. The standard heparin bolus of 3 mg/kg body weight (4.1 IU/ml blood) administered before cardiopulmonary bypass was countered at the end of bypass using an empirical equivalent (3 mg/kg) of protamine. This regimen resulted in complete heparin neutralization (measured by the Hepcon HMS [Hemotec Inc., Englewood, CO, USA]) 15 min after protamine administration in all 42 patients, but heparin levels (0.4 IU/ml) were transiently detectable (duration less than 1 h) in six (14%) of the 42 cases 2 h later. Twenty-four hour postoperative bleeding in these patients did not differ significantly from that seen in patients who did not exhibit heparin rebound. Similarly, the thrombelastographic profiles (at 15 min and 2 h post-operation) and coagulation screen (prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, activated clotting time and platelets) did not differ significantly from those of non-rebound patients. The significance, if any, of the phenomenon of heparin rebound following cardiac surgery remains to be elucidated, and, until such time, conservative administration of protamine in response to 'rebound' is recommended.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Contact thermal burns of the cornea.

The records of 59 patients (66 eyes) with contact thermal burns of the cornea (unilateral in 52 cases and bilateral in 7) were reviewed to determine the causes, clinical presentation, management and complications of such injuries. Most of the injuries (90%) occurred at home. The commonest cause was splashing of boiling fluids (42% of cases), followed by contact with red-hot firecracker particles (18%) and lit match heads (17%). In 59 eyes (89%) the burn was limited to the corneal epithelium, in 5 (8%) the superficial stroma was also involved, and in 2 (3%) there was associated corneal perforation caused by mechanical impact of foreign bodies. Débridement of the coagulated epithelium with patching was the most successful treatment, healing 48 (73%) of the eyes. Postburn complications were rare, the most common being development of inferior symblepharon, in three eyes (4%).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Lack of late skin necrosis in man after high-dose irradiation using small field sizes: experiences of grid therapy.

Out of a total of 437 patients with superior vena caval syndrome or advanced malignancy, given single-dose grid radiotherapy, four survived to 7 years. The dose to the skin under each of the 77 holes in the grid was approximately 58 Gy. The lack of skin necrosis in the total of 308 skin circles of 1 cm diameter among these survivors, compared with known necrosis rates in larger irradiated areas, implies that there is a marked field-size effect for late necrosis in small areas of irradiated skin.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Glycosylation of eukaryotic peptide chain initiation factor 2 (eIF-2)-associated 67-kDa polypeptide (p67) and its possible role in the inhibition of eIF-2 kinase-catalyzed phosphorylation of the eIF-2 alpha-subunit.

We have reported previously that a 67-kDa polypeptide (p67) present in reticulocyte lysates protects the alpha-subunit of reticulocyte eukaryotic peptide chain initiation factor 2 (eIF-2) from phosphorylation by an eIF-2 kinase, heme-regulated protein synthesis inhibitor (Datta, B., Chakrabarti, D., Roy, A.L., and Gupta, N. K. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85, 3324-3328). We now present evidence that this p67 contains multiple O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residues, and these glycosyl residues may be required for p67 activity to protect the eIF-2 alpha-subunit from eIF-2 kinase phosphorylation. Our results are as follows. 1) p67 binds specifically to wheat germ agglutinin, and such binding is completely inhibited in the presence of 0.2 M GlcNAc. 2) The binding of p67 to wheat germ agglutinin leads to complete loss of p67 activity to protect the eIF-2 alpha-subunit from eIF-2 kinase phosphorylation. 3) p67 accepts 10-12 [3H]galactose molecules from UDP-[3H]galactose in the presence of galactosyltransferase. This radioactivity is resistant to endo-beta-N-acetylglucosamine F (+ peptide:N-glycosidase F) treatment but is completely lost when the 3H-labeled p67 is treated with sodium borohydride in mild alkali (beta-elimination reaction). These results suggest that p67 contains terminal GlcNAc moieties O-linked to the protein. 4) Upon hexosaminidase treatment, p67 reaction product migrated as a lower molecular mass (Mr approximately 65 kDa) protein in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. 5) A monoclonal antibody (D1) against p67 has been isolated. D1 apparently recognizes a specific GlcNAc-containing peptide epitope in p67 and does not react with hexosaminidase-treated p67. These results suggest that p67 activity in the cell may also be regulated post-transcriptionally by glycosylation of p67 protein.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Natural mRNA is required for directing Met-tRNA(f) binding to 40S ribosomal subunits in animal cells: involvement of Co-eIF-2A in natural mRNA-directed initiation complex formation.

Two protein factors, eIF-2 as well as a high molecular weight protein complex from reticulocyte ribosomal high-salt wash which we term Co-eIF-2, promote Met-tRNA(f) binding to 40S ribosomes. This binding is dependent on the presence of an AUG codon or natural mRNAs [Roy et al. (1984) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 122, 1418-1425]. Co-eIF-2 contains two component activities, Co-eIF-2A and Co-eIF-2C. Previously, we have purified an 80-kDa polypeptide containing Co-eIF-2A activity and showed that this polypeptide is a component of Co-eIF-2 and is responsible for Co-eIF-2A activity in Co-eIF-2 [Chakravarty et al. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 6945-6949]. We now report purification of a protein complex (subunits of Mr 180K, 110K, 65K, 63K, 53K, 50K, 43K, and 40K) containing Co-eIF-2C activity and devoid of Co-eIF-2A activity. In SDS-PAGE, the purified Co-eIF-2C preparation and an eIF-3 preparation (purified in Dr. A. Wahba's laboratory) separated into seven similar major polypeptides (Mr 110K, 65K, 63K, 53K, 50K, 43K, and 40K). The 50-kDa polypeptide in Co-eIF-2C was immunoreactive with a monoclonal antibody against eIF-4A (50 kDa). We have studied the roles of purified Co-eIF-2A and Co-eIF-2C activities in ternary and Met-tRNA(f).40S ribosome complex formation. The results are as follows: (1) At low and presumably physiological factor concentration (30 nM), eIF-2 did not form detectable levels of ternary complex. Moreover, such complex formation was totally dependent on the presence of Co-eIF-2A and/or Co-eIF-2C.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Roles of a 67-kDa polypeptide in reversal of protein synthesis inhibition in heme-deficient reticulocyte lysate.

During heme deficiency in reticulocyte lysates, the heme-regulated protein synthesis inhibitor, HRI, phosphorylates the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF-2) and thus inhibits protein synthesis. Two factors, eIF-2 and a reticulocyte-lysate supernatant factor that we term RF, reverse this inhibition. We now report the following. (i) An active eIF-2 preparation contained, in addition to the three subunits (alpha, beta, and gamma), a 67-kDa polypeptide. Pretreatment of eIF-2 with polyclonal antibodies against either isolated alpha subunit or 67-kDa polypeptide almost completely inhibited the reversal activity. Upon further fractionation, three-subunit eIF-2 and the 67-kDa polypeptide were resolved. Neither the three-subunit eIF-2 nor the 67-kDa polypeptide alone was active in protein synthesis inhibition reversal. The activity was, however, restored by combining both the three-subunit eIF-2 and the 67-kDa polypeptide. (ii) Active RF preparations contained eIF-2 alpha (unphosphorylated) and beta subunits and the 67-kDa polypeptide. As with eIF-2, prior treatment of the RF preparation with antibodies to either the alpha subunit or the 67-kDa polypeptide almost completely inhibited the reversal activity. The RF preparation devoid of eIF-2 gamma subunit did not form ternary complex (Met-tRNA(fMet).eIF-2.GTP). The eIF-2 gamma subunit in the free form was isolated, and addition of this isolated gamma subunit to RF promoted significant ternary-complex formation. (iii) Purified HRI efficiently phosphorylated the alpha subunit in the three subunit eIF-2. However, the extent of such phosphorylation was significantly reduced when eIF-2 containing the 67-kDa polypeptide was used. The 67-kDa polypeptide apparently protected eIF-2 alpha subunit from HRI-catalyzed phosphorylation but did not inhibit HRI activity. Based on these results, we suggest that the protein synthesis inhibition reversal activity in both eIF-2 and RF is due to the same components--namely, eIF-2 alpha subunit and the 67-kDa polypeptide. The 67-kDa polypeptide protects eIF-2 alpha subunit from HRI-catalyzed phosphorylation and may also be a necessary component of the functioning eIF-2 molecule.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Protein synthesis in rabbit reticulocytes: Mg2+-inhibition of ternary complex (Met-tRNA(f).eIF-2.GTP) formation by reticulocyte eIF-2.

There are conflicting reports regarding Mg2+-inhibition of ternary complex formation by reticulocyte eIF-2. Several laboratories have reported that eIF-2 is isolated as eIF-2.GDP and Mg2+ inhibits ternary complex formation, as in the presence of Mg2+, GDP remains tightly bound to eIF-2 and prevents ternary complex formation. A protein factor, GEF is necessary for GDP displacement and subsequent ternary complex formation. Other laboratories have reported that Mg2+ has no effect on eIF-2 activity and eIF-2 forms near stoichiometric amount of ternary complex in the presence of Mg2+. In this paper, we provide evidence which suggests that the Mg2+-insensitive eIF-2 activity as reported by several laboratories might have been the result of the use of high Met-tRNA(f) concentrations in their assays as the nucleotides in excess tRNA bound Mg2+ in the reaction mixture and there was no free Mg2+ available to inhibit eIF-2 activity. Our data will show that the addition of excess tRNA promotes non-enzymatic GDP displacement from eIF-2.GDP and relieves Mg2+ inhibition.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

A randomised clinical trial to contrast radiotherapy with radiotherapy and methotrexate given synchronously in head and neck cancer.

Three hundred and thirteen patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck were entered in a randomised clinical trial to determine whether the addition of methotrexate during the course of irradiation improved the rate of primary control and subsequent survival. The overall primary control (P = 0.016) and survival (P = 0.075) for the patients receiving methotrexate was better than the patients treated by radiotherapy alone. The improvement in primary control (P = 0.0019) and survival (P = 0.0089) in patients with oropharyngeal cancers who had methotrexate in addition to radiotherapy is statistically significant. The treatment was well tolerated and there has been no increase of late morbidity.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1987

Bilateral disc oedema in retinitis pigmentosa--an unusual sign.

An unusual case of Bardet-Biedl syndrome which presented with sudden total visual loss in both eyes is documented. The fundus picture and angiographic findings were consistent with the diagnosis of bilateral disc oedema with retinitis pigmentosa. The various etiological possibilities resulting in the manifestation of bilateral disc oedema in this case of retinitis pigmentosa are considered. Inflammatory disc oedema secondary to photoreceptor degeneration as a possible cause of acute loss of vision in retinitis pigmentosa is discussed.

Adult↗