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R K McBride

Publications and source records attributed to R K McBride.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Oxidant injury alters barrier function of ferret tracheal epithelium.

To understand the influence of oxidant stress on the barrier function of airway epithelium, we conducted studies to determine the effects of chemically generated reactive oxygen species on permeability, permselectivity, and active ion transport of ferret trachea. We examined the consequences of oxidant injury using ferret trachea mounted in Ussing-type chambers and bathed with a modified Krebs-Henseleit solution containing mannitol and xanthine. We added xanthine oxidase to the luminal bathing solution, which reacted with the xanthine to generate reactive oxygen species. Tissue electrical conductance and short-circuit current were significantly increased after the addition of xanthine oxidase. Simultaneous measurement of mannitol flux (as a marker of paracellular conductance) and the backflux of chloride (lumen to submucosa) demonstrated a significant oxidant-induced increase in mannitol flux and backflux of chloride. Mannitol flux and the backflux of sodium (submucosa to lumen) also increased after oxidant stress. Comparison of the diffusion of sodium relative to the diffusion of chloride in relation to predicted diffusion in free solution indicated that the paracellular pathway was cation selective after oxidant stress. Active ion transport, as reflected by the short-circuit current, was significantly increased transiently after oxidant stress. Studies with furosemide, amiloride, and diphenylamine-2-carboxylate are suggestive that oxidant stress transiently stimulates the Na-K-ATPase. These studies demonstrated that exposure to reactive oxygen species significantly altered the permeability of the tracheal epithelium as well as active ion transport.

Animals↗

Arachidonic acid increases cholinergic secretory responsiveness of ferret tracheal glands.

The purpose of this study was to determine if arachidonic acid could alter ferret tracheal gland secretory responsiveness to a cholinergic agonist. We prepared glandular explants and incubated the explants in medium containing [3H]glucosamine. Secretory responsiveness was expressed as the percent change in basal secretion of acid-precipitable [3H]glucosamine-labeled glycoconjugates induced by the addition of agonist with and without arachidonic acid [mean +/- SE (n)]. Addition of 10(-3) M arachidonic acid caused a significant increase in secretion [28 +/- 6% (n = 6)] compared with untreated control tissues [-10 +/- 4% (n = 7), P less than or equal to 0.05]. Carbachol (10(-7) M) increased secretion 39 +/- 9% (n = 7). The combination of 10(-3) M arachidonic acid and 10(-7) M carbachol elicited a significantly greater change in secretion compared with either agent alone [173 +/- 50% (n = 5)]. The addition of nordihydroguaiaretic acid (10(-6) M) or indomethacin (10(-6) M) partially attenuated the arachidonic acid-enhanced secretory responsiveness to carbachol. Treatment with both blockers completely inhibited the arachidonic acid-enhanced secretory responsiveness to carbachol. The effect of arachidonic acid on cholinergic stimulation was also abolished by treating the explant cultures with tetrodotoxin (10(-7) M). This hypersecretory state is most likely mediated by eicosanoid-induced release of neurotransmitters from nerve terminals.

Animals↗

Variable effects of soman on macromolecular secretion by ferret trachea.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the anticholinesterase agent, soman, on macromolecular secretion by ferret trachea, in vitro. We mounted pieces of ferret trachea in Ussing-type chambers. Secreted sulfated macromolecules were radiolabeled by adding 500 microCi of 35SO4 to the submucosal medium and incubating for 17 hr. Soman added to the submucosal side produced a concentration-dependent increase in radiolabeled macromolecular release with a maximal secretory response (mean +/- SD) of 202 +/- 125% (n = 8) relative to the basal secretion rate at a concentration of 10(-7) M. The addition of either 10(-6) M pralidoxime (acetylcholinesterase reactivator) or 10(-6) M atropine blocked the response to 10(-7) M soman. At soman concentrations greater than 10(-7) M, secretion rate decreased and was not significantly different from basal secretion. Additional experiments utilizing acetylcholine and the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, physostigmine, suggest that inhibition of secretion by high concentrations of soman may be due to a secondary antagonistic effect of soman on muscarinic receptors.

Acetylcholine↗

Effects of ozone on the cholinergic secretory responsiveness of ferret tracheal glands.

Oxidant air pollutants exacerbate several pulmonary diseases. Inhalation of ozone has been shown to induce airway smooth muscle hyperresponsiveness. Oxidant injury could also affect airway secretory mechanisms. We postulated that oxidant exposure would alter the glycoconjugate secretory function of airway submucosal glands. To test this hypothesis we examined the effects of in vivo ozone exposure on the in vitro secretory responsiveness of ferret tracheal glands. Ferrets were exposed to 1 ppm ozone, 24 hr/day for 3 or 7 days. Following exposure, glandular explants, denuded of surface epithelial cells, were prepared and incubated in medium containing 3H-glucosamine for 18 hr. Basal secretion of labeled glycoconjugates was significantly increased 31% following 3 days of ozone exposure (P less than or equal to 0.05) and remained elevated 11% after 7 days of exposure compared to the air-exposed group. After 3 or 7 days of exposure to ozone, tracheal gland responsiveness to carbachol was increased as indicated by significantly lower EC50 values (log molar concentration) of -6.43 +/- 0.04 (n = 6) and -6.50 +/- 0.11 (n = 5), respectively; compared to -6.20 +/- 0.08 (n = 6) for the air-exposed group. There was no difference in carbachol EC50 values for air and 7-day ozone-exposed animals treated with dexamethasone. Dexamethasone did not attenuate the ozone-induced increase in basal secretion. Tracheal gland responsiveness to alpha- or beta-adrenergic agonists was not changed by oxidant exposure. These experiments suggest that oxidant injury not only increases basal secretion of respiratory glycoconjugates but also increases tracheal gland sensitivity to a cholinergic agonist.

Animals↗

Alpha-adrenergic regulation of secretion by tracheal glands.

The purpose of the present study was to begin to characterize, pharmacologically, the alpha-adrenergic regulation of glycoconjugate secretion from airway glands. Using isolated gland cells from cat trachea, we determined the binding characteristics of [3H]dihydroergocryptine ([3H]DHE), an alpha-adrenergic antagonist, with equal affinities for alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenergic receptors. Specific binding of [3H]DHE to gland cell homogenates was saturable, of high affinity (KDapp = 4.2 nM) and inhibited with greater efficacy by epinephrine much greater than isoproterenol. Competition experiments with alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenergic selective antagonists (prazosin and yohimbine, respectively) demonstrated high- and low-affinity sites for each antagonist, indicating the presence of both receptor subtypes. In studies of glycoconjugate secretion by cat tracheal explants, secretion was stimulated by adrenergic agonists with the rank potency: norepinephrine greater than or equal to phenylephrine greater than epinephrine much greater than clonidine. alpha-Adrenergic-stimulated secretion (epinephrine + propranolol) was inhibited by low concentrations of prazosin, but was unaffected by 100 nM yohimbine. The alpha 2-adrenergic agonists, clonidine and UK-14,304, each markedly inhibited beta-adrenergic-stimulated secretion. Collectively, these results demonstrate alpha 1-adrenergic regulation of glandular glycoconjugate secretion and suggest alpha 2-adrenergic receptors may modulate beta-adrenergic-stimulated secretion.

Animals↗

Effects of soman and its antidotes on tracheal mucociliary transport of ferrets.

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of acetylcholinesterase on mucociliary transport by use of a potent anticholinesterase agent, soman, and potential antagonists, atropine (muscarinic antagonist) and pralidoxime (acetylcholinesterase reactivator). Initial measurements of mucociliary transport rate were obtained in anesthetized ferrets at 30-min intervals for 5.5 h. These rates remained constant at a mean of 18.2 +/- 1.0 (SE) mm/min. We studied the effects of intravenously administered soman (1-8 micrograms/kg) and observed a dose-related change in the rate of mucociliary transport [-1.1 +/- 2.7 (SE) mm/min after 1 microgram/kg, 9.8 +/- 2.9 mm/min after 5 micrograms/kg, and 14.4 +/- 4.3 mm/min after 8 micrograms/kg of soman]. Pretreatment with atropine completely prevented the response to soman, whereas pretreatment with pralidoxime did not significantly alter the response. We postulate that soman's effect on mucociliary transport relates directly to its cholinergic activity. Failure of pralidoxime to inhibit the effects of soman may relate to pralidoxime's inability to reactivate acetylcholinesterase successfully.

Animals↗

The influence of plasma catecholamines on methotrexate-enhanced rat salivary gland protein secretion.

The acetylcholine-elicited secretory output of parotid protein and amylase, and of submandibular protein from rats receiving 15 mg methotrexate (MTX)/kg for 3 days were 3-6 times greater than that from control animals. Plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine levels in MTX-treated animals were 4-14 times greater than control values. Adrenalectomy reduced the plasma-catecholamine levels, and the acetylcholine-stimulated salivary protein and amylase output. Thus MTX-enhanced salivary protein secretion evoked by acetylcholine stimulation may be mediated, at least in part, by elevated levels of circulating catecholamines.

Acetylcholine↗

Effect of methotrexate on protein and amylase secretion by rat parotid and submandibular salivary glands.

Saliva was collected from anaesthetized, methotrexate (MTX)-treated, pair-fed and control rats using either acetylcholine or bethanechol as secretagogue. Parotid saliva was analysed for protein and amylase content, and submandibular saliva for protein. Acetylcholine stimulation after MTX increased parotid protein output by 151 per cent, amylase output by 125 per cent and submandibular protein output by 229 per cent when compared to control values. There were no significant differences in either protein or amylase output between the control and pair-fed animals. With bethanechol, salivary amylase and protein secretion did not differ between MTX-treated and control animals. The significant increase in parotid protein and amylase output with acetylcholine was reduced by pretreatment with hexamethonium (5 mg/kg) or propranolol (5 mg/kg), but not by phenoxybenzamine (1 mg/kg). MTX did not increase the number or the dissociation constant of parotid beta-adrenergic receptors but did increase their number in the submandibular gland. Thus increases in protein and amylase output caused by acetylcholine MTX-treated rats may be the result of increased beta-adrenergic activity.

Amylases↗

Methotrexate-induced changes in rat parotid and submandibular gland function.

Methotrexate (MTX) was injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 15 mg/kg into adult rats daily for three consecutive days. When compared with saline-injected, ad libitum-fed rats or pair-fed saline-injected rats, MTX decreased unstimulated parotid gland weight, RNA content, and amylase content. RNA content was also decreased in submandibular glands. The parotid and submandibular gland outputs of sodium and chloride, but not that of potassium, were decreased following MTX injection. Ductal perfusion demonstrated decreased net efflux of sodium and chloride from the excretory duct of the submandibular gland. The effects of MTX on unstimulated parotid gland weight, RNA content, and amylase content are consistent with its ability to inhibit protein synthesis through depletion of folate co-factors. However, the mechanism by which the alterations in ion transport occurred is not clear at this time.

Animals↗