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Biomedical subjects

R Zahler

Publications and source records attributed to R Zahler.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Broad-spectrum antiviral activity of the acyclic guanosine phosphonate (R,S)-HPMPG.

(R,S)-9-(3-hydroxy-2-phosphonomethoxypropyl)guanine [(R,S)-HPMPG] exhibits broad spectrum antiviral activity with an ED50 of less than 1 microM against herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2, varicella zoster virus, human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and vaccinia in plaque reduction assays. Wild type HSV-2 and its thymidine kinase deficient variant are equally sensitive to (R,S)-HPMPG. (R,S)-HPMPG is 100-fold more potent than acyclovir (ED50 = 0.45 microM vs. 44 microM, respectively) against HCMV in cell culture, and 10-fold more active than acyclovir in extending survival time in mice intraperitoneally infected with 70 LD50 HSV-1. However, (R,S)-HPMPG is toxic when administered repeatedly at 44 mg/kg/day in uninfected adult mice. The diphosphoryl derivative of HPMPG was enzymatically synthesized and is a competitive inhibitor of HSV-1 DNA polymerase relative to dGTP (K1 = 0.03 microM). HPMPG-PP is 70-fold less active at inhibiting HeLa DNA polymerase alpha than HSV-1 DNA polymerase. At concentrations between 0.3 and 1.5 microM (R,S)-HPMPG inhibited HSV-1 DNA replication greater than or equal to 50% in infected cells as measured by nucleic acid hybridization. Consistent with inhibition of viral DNA synthesis, 6 to 30 microM (R,S)-HPMPG reduces late viral polypeptide synthesis in HSV-1 infected cells. These data indicate that (R,S)-HPMPG is a thymidine kinase independent broad spectrum antiviral drug which is capable of inhibiting viral DNA polymerase.

Acyclovir↗

Analysis of compartmentation of ATP in skeletal and cardiac muscle using 31P nuclear magnetic resonance saturation transfer.

We have developed a model for the analysis of the forward creatine kinase reaction in muscle as measured by the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique of magnetization transfer. The model, accounting for the double-exponential behavior observed in some NMR magnetization transfer data, allows for the existence of two ATP pools, one that is NMR-visible (NMR-VIS) and another that is NMR-invisible (NMR-INVIS). We have applied the model to experimental data for the forward creatine kinase reaction in skeletal and cardiac muscles to study the dependence of the creatine kinase rate constants and fluxes on workload and to account for the differences between heart and skeletal muscle. The results suggest that an NMR-distinct ATP pool exists in both heart and skeletal muscles, and that phosphate exchange with this pool catalyzed by creatine kinase increases with increased workload. The results also agree with previously published estimates of the rates of mitochondrial translocase and net ATP synthesis obtained by traditional biochemical methods.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Isolated right atrial tamponade by serous fluid simulating tricuspid stenosis.

Echocardiography is a key diagnostic tool in the recognition of pericardial tamponade. A 56-year-old man in whom severe dyspnea developed 22 days after cardiac surgery is described. Echocardiography suggested tricuspid valve disease but showed no pericardial abnormalities. Catheterization revealed functional stenosis of a normal tricuspid valve caused by loculated serous pericardial fluid.

Cardiac Catheterization↗

Kinetics of drug effect by distributed lags analysis: an application to cocaine.

The same plasma drug concentration may induce different effects depending on whether the concentration is rising or falling. We described a new method of modeling kinetics of drug effects that can handle such "dissociation" phenomena, that does not depend on compartmental theory, and that allows quantitative comparisons between experiments. As applied to cocaine, it is shown that the resulting models are independent of drug dose or route of administration and give good predictions of the time course of response.

Administration, Intranasal↗

Na, K-ATPase isoform gene expression in normal and hypertrophied dog heart.

OBJECTIVES: The catalytic alpha subunit of the sodium-potassium ATPase, the target of digitalis glycosides, has three isoforms; the expression of these isoforms is tissue-specific and developmentally regulated. While the effect of pressure overload on Na, K-ATPase isoform expression has been studied in rodent heart, there are no systematic data on this question in hearts of larger animals, which differ from those of rodents both in isoform composition and in glycoside sensitivity. Thus, we investigated the expression of Na, K-ATPase isoforms in normal dog heart; we also examined the effect of experimental left ventricular hypertrophy on isoform expression. METHODS: hypertrophy was produced by aortic banding. Expression was assessed by quantitative Northern and Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and 3H-ouabain binding. RESULTS: RNA blotting indicated that the alpha 3 isoform represented 11% of Na, K-ATPase mRNA in normal dog LV. Normal dog LV expressed alpha 1 and alpha 3 protein, but no detectable alpha 2; immunoreactive alpha 1 and alpha 3 protein were also present in Purkinje fibers. There was a statistically significant decrease in total expression of all alpha isoform mRNA's in hypertrophied dog LV, resulting in a greater proportion of alpha 1. The expression level of the alpha 3 isoform mRNA and protein was lower in hypertrophied hearts. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate a greater proportion of alpha 1 isoform pumps in experimental canine hypertrophy. Thus, shifts in NA, K-ATPase isoforms occur in pressure-overloaded heart in large animals as well as rodents.

Analysis of Variance↗

Heterogeneous signal intensity in magnetic resonance images of hypertrophied left ventricular myocardium.

Left ventricular hypertrophy is associated with decreased longevity and often leads to congestive heart failure. An exploratory study of magnetic resonance imaging in human left ventricular hypertrophy was performed. First, 13 patients with left ventricular hypertrophy and 7 controls of similar ages were studied using electrocardiogramgated end-diastolic images. Visual inspection suggested that low-intensity zones were frequently found within the hypertrophied myocardium. To verify this observation, the images were processed with semi-automatic edge detection and a derivative-based tissue characterization algorithm, yielding tissue heterogeneity indices (THI-A and THI-V) which objectively measured the low-intensity zones. THI-A and THI-V were both significantly greater in left ventricular hypertrophy patients than in controls (THI-A: 0.111 vs 0.038, p = 0.009). THI was also significantly correlated with duration of disease and electrocardiographic abnormalities. To validate these initial findings prospectively, the same quantitative analysis was applied to magnetic resonance images of an additional 20 left ventricular hypertrophy patients and 12 controls from two institutions, using different imaging systems and different acquisition parameters. Again, THI was significantly greater in patients than in controls. Analysis of end-systolic images yielded similar results. In four dogs with left ventricular hypertrophy induced by aortic banding, THI showed a statistically significant increase as left ventricular hypertrophy developed. Hypertrophied myocardium thus shows reproducible differences from normal tissue with magnetic resonance imaging; hence, quantitative magnetic resonance tissue characterization may be useful in assessing pathologic changes in LVH.

Adult↗