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Biomedical subjects

P M Russell

Publications and source records attributed to P M Russell.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Dietary carotenoid pigment supplementation influences hepatic lipid and mucopolysaccharide levels in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

We assessed the effects of dietary carotenoid pigment supplementation on liver histochemistry in the rainbow trout. One hundred and eight rainbow trout (mean mass 266+/-10 g) were assigned to each of three replicate tanks for each of three dietary treatments; astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, or control at a target dietary inclusion of 100 mg/kg, by top-coating a pigment-free commercially extruded basal diet (Trouw Aquaculture, U.K.). Fish were fed for 3 weeks at a ration of 1.2% body mass/day, in a recirculating freshwater system maintained at 16 degrees C. Frozen liver sections were stained for total lipids, unsaturated lipids, glycogen, mucopolysaccharides, glycogen phosphorylase and aspartate aminotransferase. Relative amounts were measured quantitatively by image analysis. Carotenoid treatment significantly (P<0.05) altered the total lipid profile and hepatic mucopolysaccharide contents of livers of rainbow trout. Results are discussed in relation to the catabolic potential of the liver in carotenoid pigment metabolism.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Histopathologic biomarkers in three spined sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus, from several rivers in Southern England that meet the freshwater fisheries directive.

This study demonstrates the utility and sensitivity of histopathologic biomarkers by recording lesions to the gill, liver and spleen in three spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) from several rivers in Southern England which broadly comply with the water quality directives to protect fish health. The main study site was the Letcombe Brook system near Wantage, graded 1 (good) to 3 (fair) by the Environment Agency, using the River Ecosystem (RE) Class system. Sites with similar grades on the rivers Erme, Clyst, Exe and Plym were also selected in Devon. A normal condition factor (0.9 +/- 0.02, mean +/- S.E., n = 90), the presence of food in the stomach, and the whole body ionic composition (Na, K, Mg, Ca, Cu, Zn) suggested that fish were generally healthy. All fish showed some minor incidence of gill and liver lesions, even in the best (grade RE1) river water quality. Scoring the percentage of branchial secondary lamellae showing lesions did not reflect water quality because of biotic factors such as parasite load. However, fatness of secondary lamellae (length/width) increased in lower class rivers. Hepatic fatty change and focal necrosis was related to river quality grades with fatty change increasing from 0.8% to 12% of total liver area in grade RE1 and RE2 rivers, respectively. The gross anatomy of the spleen showed normal red and white pulp, and sinusoid space varied between 11% and 34% of the tissue area, but was not correlated with river grade. Overall, we conclude that histopathologic lesions are present in fish even when water quality meets the Freshwater Fisheries Directive. The Directive therefore only partly protects fish health. The incidence of fatty change in the liver, or fatness of secondary lamellae, in adult three spined sticklebacks are suggested as simple but sensitive histopathologic biomarkers which may be used to protect freshwater fishes as a novel alternative approach to water quality based Directives. We propose histopathologic biomarkers of the three spined stickleback for routine monitoring of fish health in EU freshwaters.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Inflammation-associated changes in the cellular availability of tryptophan and kynurenine in renal transplant recipients.

In the course of evaluating the hypothesis that tryptophan or tryptophan metabolites mediate some of the physiological or pathological aspects of the inflammatory response, we assessed the bioavailability of tryptophan and kynurenine in renal allograft recipients during periods of stable graft function, acute rejection and OKT3 therapy. In normal controls and patients with stable function, approximately 8% of the tryptophan and less than 5% of the kynurenine in serum were present in the freely diffusable form. The free tryptophan concentration was significantly increased during acute rejection, while free tryptophan as well as total and free kynurenine concentrations were significantly increased during OKT3 therapy. In each case the ratio of free indole to the sum of the plasma concentrations of large neutral amino acids was also increased. In vitro studies of indole binding to human serum proteins demonstrated the parallel displacement of bound tryptophan and kynurenine by physiological changes in pH, serum albumin concentration and free fatty acid concentration. The results suggest that inflammation associated increases in the oxidative metabolism of tryptophan are accompanied by the increased availability of serum indoles for intracellular metabolism in the tissues.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1992

Oxidative tryptophan metabolism in renal allograft recipients: increased kynurenine synthesis is associated with inflammation and OKT3 therapy.

Serum concentrations of tryptophan (TRP) and kynurenine (KYN) were determined in renal allograft recipients (RAR) as an index of interferon-gamma-induced, indoleamine-dioxygenase-catalysed TRP degradation. Serum TRP and KYN in RAR during periods of stable graft function were typically within the normal range, however, the median values for serum KYN demonstrated significant increases 5-7 days prior to biopsy-confirmed acute rejection (1.6-fold, P less than 0.01) and on the day of biopsy (1.7-fold, P less than 0.001). Serum KYN was also markedly elevated in patients who contracted viral or Gram-negative bacterial infections in the absence of graft rejection. Serum KYN was not correlated with serum creatinine in RAR nor were serum TRP or KYN affected by antirejection therapy with high dose steroids. Retrospective analysis of intra-patient changes in serum KYN demonstrated that KYN monitoring was a useful adjunct to serum creatinine in the early detection of first acute rejection episodes. The first course of OKT3 therapy was associated with low serum TRP and significant increases in serum KYN (two- to three-fold) following the first three doses. The time course of these abnormalities corresponded to that over which many of the side effects of the OKT3 'first dose reaction' have been reported to occur. Significant changes in serum KYN were not observed in patients receiving repeat courses of OKT3 therapy. Significant decreases in serum TRP and significant increases in serum KYN were both prevalent and frequent in RAR during the first two postoperative months.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗