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R T McCLUSKEY

Publications and source records attributed to R T McCLUSKEY.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1962

Immunohistochemical demonstration of the reticuloendothelial clearance of circulating fibrin aggregates.

In rabbits given an intravenous infusion of thrombin or an injection of endotoxin, immunohistochemical examination of the tissues, using conjugated antiserum against rabbit fibrin, showed bright intracytoplasmic staining in many of the phagocytic cells of the liver and spleen. In normal rabbits as well as in animals injected with large doses of heparin prior to thrombin or endotoxin administration, no such intracellular staining was observed. The findings of this study substantiate the hypothesis that fibrin aggregates formed in the circulating blood during low grade intravascular coagulation are largely removed by the reticuloendothelial system.

Animals↗
PubMed1960

The removal of cartilage matrix by papain. Factors affecting the distribution of crystalline papain in vivo.

In rabbits, the depletion of cartilage matrix which occurs following intravenous administration of papain treated with iodacetamide is attributable to a portion of the enzyme in the disulfide form which has not undergone alkylation. It is this portion that is reactivated in cartilage in vivo and initiates the enzymatic breakdown of the protein-polysaccharide complex which forms a major component of the matrix. Evidence presented in support of these conclusions indicates that, contrary to an earlier hypothesis, papain acetamide is not reactivated in vivo. Following intravenous injection in amounts up to 4 mg./kg., active and inactive papain leaves the circulation at a rate proportional to the concentration, and it is likely that the initial rate of disappearance represents equilibration with the extracellular space. Following injection in the active or inactive form, a high proportion of papain in serum is bound to protein in the alpha globulin fraction. It is believed that in the case of fully active papain, the proportion which is not bound to alpha globulin becomes attached to other proteins of serum in extracellular fluid, such as albumin, by a process of enzyme substrate combination, and is thus prevented from diffusing into cartilage. In the case of inactive papain, a comparable excess remains free to enter cartilage, where it initiates depletion of matrix following reactivation within the tissue. These conclusions provide an explanation for the failure of fully active papain to cause depletion of cartilage matrix in vivo; the widespread changes seen after the injection of papain inactivated by iodoacetamide or by simple reversible oxidation are attributable to a small proportion of the injected material which enters cartilage in the disulfide form in a concentration of approximately 2 micrograms/gm. wet weight. The possibility that such a small amount of protease, when reactivated, can produce changes in cartilage matrix has been confirmed by studies on the effects of papain on isolated cartilage and chondromucoprotein in vitro. It has been shown that severe local injury results when active papain is injected into the skin of a rabbit in low concentrations. Since a much higher concentration of papain can be attained in the circulation without obvious adverse effects, it is evident that binding of the protease by alpha globulin and possibly other serum proteins may exemplify a mechanism whereby the tissues are protected from injury following entry into the circulation of other potentially harmful agents, such as proteolytic enzymes derived from cells or bacteria.

Animals↗
PubMed1960

Comparison of the effects of papain n vitamin A on cartilage. I. The effects in rabbits.

The administration of large amounts of vitamin A to rabbits has been shown to result in depletion of cartilage matrix. The normal basophilic, metachromatic, and Alcian blue staining properties of the matrix are lost, especially in articular and epiphyseal cartilage. The cartilage cells remain intact, but are reduced in size. These changes sometimes appeared as early as 48 hours after the initiation of daily injection of 1 million units of vitamin A, and were usually well established by 5 days. Some rabbits failed to show changes in cartilage, even after 5 daily injections. Increased amounts of material presumed to be chondroitin sulfate were present in the sera of vitamin A-treated rabbits, usually by 72 hours after the first injection. This was demonstrated by a turbidimetric procedure using hexamminecobaltic chloride. In rabbits given sulfur-35 (Na(2)S(35)O(4)) 5 days before the initiation of vitamin A treatment, it was shown that sulfur-35 was lost from articular and epiphyseal cartilage. This was associated with an increase in the non-dialyzable sulfur-35 in both serum and in the cobalt-precipitable material. These rabbits also excreted more sulfur-35 than rabbits not given vitamin A. There was a reduction in sulfur-35 activity in chondromucoprotein extracted from the ear cartilage of vitamin A-treated rabbits. The changes are interpreted as indicating that the administration of large amounts of vitamin A to rabbits results in removal of chondroitin sulfate from cartilage matrix. The administration of small amounts of crude papain causes histologic changes in cartilage that are remarkably similar to those seen in vitamin A-treated rabbits. The possibility is suggested that the changes in cartilage produced by administration of vitamin A to rabbits may be the result of activation of a proteolytic enzyme or enzymes, with properties similar to those of papain.

Animals↗
PubMed1958

The removal of cartilage matrix, in vivo, by papain; identification of crystalline papain protease as the cause of the phenomenon.

The intravenous injection of crystalline papain into young rabbits results in depletion of cartilage matrix throughout the body, with loss of rigidity and collapse of the ears, provided the enzyme is inactivated by oxidation or sulfhydryl blocking agents prior to administration. Cysteine-activated crystalline papain, when injected intravenously, produces little or no change in cartilage. The changes which occur in cartilage following an injection of inactivated crystalline papain are indistinguishable from those produced by crude papain. Activation of crude papain by cysteine prior to injection results in loss of its capacity to produce in vivo changes in cartilage. The progressive changes which take place in cartilage in vivo also occur in vitro in isolated rabbit ears removed shortly after an injection of crude papain or inactivated crystalline papain. In vitro ear collapse occurs rapidly at 37 degrees C. and does not occur at 4 degrees C. Collapse is enhanced by exposing the cartilage to cysteine and prevented by exposure to iodoacetamide or p-chloromercuribenzoate. The direct action of crystalline papain on plates of normal cartilage, in vitro, results in the same gross and histological changes which were observed in vivo. The direct action is accelerated by cysteine and inhibited by iodoacetamide or p-chloromercuribenzoate. The intravenous injection of iodoacetamide-treated bromelin produces the same in vivo changes in cartilage as papain. Untreated bromelin has no demonstrable effect on cartilage. It is suggested that the reason for the failure of activated papain to enter cartilage, after being injected intravenously, is that it probably reacts with a substrate or substrates in the blood. Oxidized or otherwise inactivated papain, in contrast, is readily taken up by cartilage and there converted to its active form.

Animals↗