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S Vogel

Publications and source records attributed to S Vogel.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Microphotometric determination of enzymes in brain sections. IV. Isocitrate dehydrogenases.

A polyvinyl alcohol-(PVA) containing incubation medium was adapted for the microphotometric determination (kinetic and end-point measurements) of the activities of NAD- and NADP-linked isocitrate dehydrogenases (ICDHs) in cryostat sections of the rat hippocampus. The following incubation medium is recommended for the quantification of NAD- and NADP- (differences in brackets) ICDHs: 100 mM DL-isocitrate, 10 mM sodium azide, 5 mM (4 mM) nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT), 7 mM NAD (4 mM NADP), 10 mM magnesium chloride, 0.25 mM phenazine methosulfate (PMS), with or without 5 mM ADP (without ADP), 23% PVA in 0.05 M Hepes buffer; the final pH was 7.5. With these incubation media a linear response of the reactions lasted at least 20 min. In kinetic and end-point measurements the same level of activities was demonstrable. The use of NaN3 (as a blocker of the respiratory chain) and PMS (as artificial electron carrier) was indispensible for the transfer of all reduction equivalents in the dehydrogenase reactions to the tetrazolium salt NBT. Furthermore, the activation by magnesium ions and the need of PVA to avoid diffusion artefacts of the loosely bound ICDHs were clearly shown. It is concluded that the quantification of ICDHs in situ could be a valuable tool for neurochemical investigations because ICDHs play a role not only in the substrate flux through the tricarboxylic acid cycle but also in providing alpha-ketoglutarate for the formation of glutamate which is an important amino acid in the brain.

Animals

[Treatment of iatrogenic esophageal perforation].

Between the years 1985 and 1989 11 patients with iatrogenic esophageal perforation were treated at the Department of Surgery at the University of Würzburg. 5 perforations were diagnosed within 24 hours, the others after 1 to 5 days. All patients received a non resective surgical treatment, consisting of excision of the perforated area, primary closure in single suture technique strictly extramucosal and drainage. In addition fibrin glue and a pleural wrap protected the suture. In 55% the postoperative course was completely inconspicuous. Only one patient with a recidive of a gastric cancer with lung and liver metastases, died 11 days after operation of a cervical perforation.

Esophageal Perforation

Modulation of the control of mutagenic metabolites derived from cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide by stimulation of protein kinase A.

The phosphorylation of the 2 major phenobarbital-inducible cytochrome P450 isoenzymes IIB1 and IIB2 was increased in intact hepatocytes by the action of the membrane-permeating cAMP derivative N6,O2'-dibutyryl-cAMP. Under these conditions cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide (which are known to be activated by cytochrome P450 IIB1) were investigated for mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium TA1535 and TA100 and for cytotoxicity in TA1535. Cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide were transformed to mutagenic and cytotoxic metabolites by the hepatocytes. The activation of both drugs to mutagens was markedly reduced after pretreatment of the hepatocytes with the membrane-permeating cAMP derivative N6,O2'-dibutyryl-cAMP. Cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide activation were reduced to 51% and 38% of unstimulated controls respectively, when hepatocytes were incubated for 1 h with N6,O2'-dibutyryl-cAMP in the presence of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor theophylline, and Salmonella typhimurium TA1535 was used. A marked reduction in mutagenicity of cyclophosphamide (35% compared with unstimulated controls) was also observed under different experimental conditions, namely after pretreatment of the hepatocytes with N6,O2'-dibutyryl-cAMP for 1.5 h without theophylline and using Salmonella typhimurium TA100 as target strain. Continued presence of the cytochrome P450 IIB1 and P450 IIB2 inducer phenobarbital in the stimulation medium increased the mutagenicity of cyclophosphamide and led to an even more marked reduction of mutagenicity by pretreatment of the hepatocytes with N6,O2'-dibutyryl-cAMP and theophylline. In order to investigate whether the observed changes were metabolism-related, the ifosfamide metabolite ifosfamide mustard which does not require metabolic activation by cytochrome P450 was studied under the same conditions. Its mutagenicity was indistinguishable after incubation with N6,O2'-dibutyryl-cAMP-treated or with unstimulated hepatocytes. Also the metabolic formation of cytotoxic metabolites from cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide but not that of ifosfamide mustard was markedly decreased by pretreatment of the hepatocytes with N6,O2'-dibutyryl-cAMP and theophylline. Thus the stimulation of protein kinase A in intact cells has important consequences for the control of genotoxic and cytotoxic metabolites and represents a fast and short-term regulation of it.

Animals

Binding domains and epitopes in platelet-derived growth factor.

Trypsin treatment of recombinant PDGF-BB from Escherichia coli leads to the liberation of a small carboxy-terminal fragment and two internal segments without dissociating the molecule. The remaining core of 21 kDa retained a considerable binding affinity of 8.4 nM. By use of various peptide fragments obtained from monomeric recombinant PDGF-B, a receptor binding domain was assigned to one of these internal trypsin-sensitive segments. This segment is enriched in charged residues, suggesting mainly hydrophilic interactions with the receptor. Circular dichroism measurements of recombinant PDGF-BB showed a high content of random structure and only a small percentage (less than 10%) of alpha-helical structures. This structure was very rigid since the addition of 70% trifluoroethanol or 1% SDS did not change the circular dichroism spectrum. On the basis of these results, a tentative structure was generated by computer modeling.

Amino Acid Sequence

Red cell oxygen transport in man in relation to gender and age.

P50 values, the O2-partial pressure at 50% O2-saturation of hemoglobin, 2,3-DPG, hematological parameters and the plasma concentrations of sexual hormones were determined in 135 subjects of both sexes aged from 10 to 60 years. P50 was significantly higher in sexually mature women than in men, but did not differ between sexes before puberty and after menopause. In females P50 increased with sexual maturation by about 2 mmHg (0.27 kPa). RBC, Hb and Hct remained unchanged. In males Hb-O2-affinity, RBC, Hb and Hct increased with aging. In sexually mature females 2,3-DPG was significantly higher (2 mumol/gHb) than in males, although before puberty and postmaturity no difference was found. In males, 2,3-DPG increased slightly with maturation although P50 decreased. P50 values (pH = 7.4) correlated positively with red cell 2,3-DPG only when data from all groups were pooled (r = 0.330, P less than or equal to 0.0001). Hb was negatively correlated with P50 (r = 0.221, P less than or equal to 0.01). The data suggest a sex hormone and maturation induced influence in the development of the red cell O2-transport system. Estrogens seem to favour a decrease in Hb-O2-affinity rather than an elevation in O2-transport capacity, whereas androgens do the reverse.

Adolescent

[Neuroradiologic diagnosis of elongated spinal tumors].

Elongated spinal space-occupying lesions are infrequent but not rare. They are found at all ages, most frequently in the thoracic spinal canal and are primarily of gliomatous origin. A survey of our cases from the last 25 years shows the enormous progress in the diagnosis of such processes. This applies to technical quality as well as improved diagnostic information of modern methods and significantly less discomfort to the patient. In the case of suspected space-occupying lesions, a consecutive diagnostic program is recommended, that implies first conventional radiographs of the structure of the spine (including tomography if necessary) followed by myelography with modern positive contrast media. Myelography should be combined with CT. Plain CT-scans can demonstrate hypodense or calcified tumours. MRT provides essential additional information by three dimensional imaging and the corresponding signal processing techniques. With increasing MRT-capacities and improving image quality medullary tumours will primarily investigated with this method. The relations between multiple intramedullary cavities can be explored by endomyelography before drainage.

Adolescent

Cytochrome oxidase histochemistry in the rat hippocampus. A quantitative methodological study.

The diaminobenzidine (DAB) method was adapted for the microphotometric determination of cytochrome c oxidase (cyt ox) in the rat hippocampus. The qualitative and quantitative investigations at the light microscopic level showed that acetone and cytochrome c pretreatment of cryostat sections resulted in a significant increase of demonstrable cyt ox activities. The final incubation medium consisted of 7.5 mM DAB, 2% polyvinylalcohol (PVA) and 6% dimethyl sulfoxide in 0.1 M Hepes buffer; final pH 7.5. PVA was used to keep DAB and artificially oxidized DAB in solution. In the kinetic and endpoint measurements a linear response of the reaction with highest slope was observed only in the initial 5-6 min of reaction. Thereafter the slope decreased. Ultracytochemical demonstrations, which were performed as a topochemical control, showed reaction product only in mitochondria (cristae and intermembranous space). In contrast to vibratome sections all mitochondria reacted positively in cryostat sections of aldehyde-fixed hippocampi. The enhancement of reaction after acetone pretreatment of cryostat sections (light microscopic level) and after a freezing step in ultracytochemistry is discussed in connection with diffusion problems of DAB through mitochondrial membranes.

3,3'-Diaminobenzidine

Quantitative succinate dehydrogenase histochemistry in the hippocampus of aged rats.

Quantitative histochemical methods (microphotometric kinetic and end-point measurements, and morphometric analyses of reactive areas) were used to investigate the levels of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) in the hippocampus of young adult (3-6 months old) and aged male rats (24-27 months old). Methodological studies concerning the demonstration of SDH activity, which were performed using hippocampi of young animals, revealed a linear relationship between the reaction time and the amount of reaction product for up to 20 min; kinetic (continuous) and end-point measurements provided the same results. In a number of experiments, it was established that an incubation medium consisting of 100 mM succinate, 10 mM sodium azide, 3 mM nitro blue tetrazolium chloride, 0.25 mM phenazine methosulfate, and 7.5% polyvinylalcohol in 0.05 M Hepes buffer (final pH 7.5) was optimal for quantitative SDH histochemistry in the hippocampus. Comparative quantitative investigations of SDH activity in rat hippocampi showed that, in most regions and layers of the hippocampus of both young and aged rats, the levels of SDH activity increased along the rostrocaudal axis of the hippocampus, i.e., higher levels were present in the caudal than in the rostral pole. In both groups, the highest SDH levels were observed in the molecular layer of the cornu ammonis (CA)-1, the CA-3, and the fascia dentata (middle and outer thirds), most of which are termination fields of the excitatory perforant path arising from the regio ento-rhinalis. Furthermore, in almost all of the investigated layers, the older animals exhibited lower SDH levels than young animals. These differences were statistically significant in the molecular layer of the fascia dentata and in most layers of the CA-3. The lower SDH levels in aged animals are discussed in relation to the reduced capacity for energy metabolism in the aging brain.

Aging

Phase I-II pilot of whole abdominal radiation and concomitant 5-FU as an adjuvant in colon cancer: a Southwest Oncology Group Study.

Thirty-eight patients with Stage B2, C1 or C2 colon cancer (Astler-Coller Modification of Dukes) received 3000 rads whole abdominal radiation and concomitant intermittent bolus 5-FU as part of a phase I-II adjuvant trial. Patients whose tumor penetrated the serosa (B2 or C2) in addition received a 1600 rad boost to the tumor bed. 5-FU was administered only during radiation. It was given at a dose of 300 mg/m2 days 1-5 and 28-32 in 21 patients (Group A) and day 1-3 and 28-31 in 17 patients (Group B). Median follow-up time for Group A is 44 months. Group A patients have a disease-free survival of 66% and overall survival of 73% at 44 months. The 16 C2 patients in Group A have a disease-free survival of 54% and overall survival of 65% at 44 months. There was a 26% incidence of moderate to severe acute toxicity in Group A but no long term bowel, liver, or hematologic toxicity. One patient developed acute myelogenous leukemia 2 years after treatment. Group B patients had only a 6% incidence of moderate to severe toxicity, but had a disease-free survival of 60% and overall survival of 100% at median follow-up of 23 months. Group B Stage C2 patients had a disease-free survival of 53% and overall survival of 100% at this same follow-up period. Disease-free and overall survival in Group A Stage C2 patients is superior to that in several published trials. Given the manageable toxicity, adjuvant whole abdominal radiation with concomitant 5-FU and tumor bed boost should be tested in a randomized fashion for possible therapeutic benefits.

Abdomen

Effect of nimodipine on the regional cerebral acidosis accompanying thiamine deficiency in the rat.

The effect of the calcium channel blocker nimodipine on the previously described regional cerebral acidosis accompanying thiamine deficiency was investigated. Local cerebral pH (LCpH) and blood flow (LCBF) were separately determined autoradiographically in normal and 16-day thiamine-deficient rats administered the calcium antagonist drug and compared to appropriate controls. Nimodipine did not modify LCpH in normal brain. In thiamine deficiency, nimodipine significantly raised LCpH in 5 of 17 structures evaluated, two of which, the medial dorsal nucleus of the thalamus and the mammillary body, are vulnerable to the development of histological lesions in this condition. Although the calcium blocker augmented LCBF in normal brain, it had no effect on the hyperperfusion already present by day 16 of thiamine deprivation. Thus, the pH changes we are reporting are probably not related to an effect on cerebral perfusion, but could have resulted from an improved ability of the brain to reduce its proton load in the presence of nimodipine. These results may have wider therapeutic implications than in thiamine deficiency alone.

Animals

Hepatorenal syndrome. Studies of the effect of vascular volume and intraperitoneal pressure on renal and hepatic function.

Eleven patients with well-documented hepatorenal syndrome were studied by measurement of blood volume, glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow, plasma aldosterone concentration, renin substrate concentration, and plasma renin activity. They were then given 750 ml of stored plasma, 750 ml of fresh frozen plasma, and then an infusion of angiotensin II, in random order on successive days. Infusion of fresh frozen plasma improved function more than did stored plasma and in addition returned a very low filtration fraction toward normal. Angiotensin II infusion increased filtration fraction, but decreased glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow, and urine flow sharply. Patients were then given a daily infusion of 1,000 ml of fresh frozen plasma for seven to 18 days to expand the blood volume to supranormal levels as assayed by serial measurement of blood volume. Plasma aldosterone levels decreased to a normal range, glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow both increased, and urinary excretion of sodium and potassium both returned toward normal. The effect of intraperitoneal pressure was then studied by measuring glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow, pressure in the vena cava, hepatic vein free flow, and hepatic vein wedged pressure before, during, and after paracentesis to reduce the intraperitoneal pressure from 30 to 40 cm H2O to 12 to 17 cm H2O. Venous pressures moved parallel to ascitic fluid pressures, and glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow, and urine flow all improved sharply; then, as ascitic fluid continued to form, reducing vascular volume, urine flow, glomerular filtration rate, and renal plasma flow all decreased slowly. Six patients then underwent placement of a LeVeen shunt. Improvement in glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow and clinical condition was dramatic. During postoperative observation of up to two years, progressive improvement in hepatic function has occurred.

Angiotensin II

A phase II trial of vinblastine in patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma. A Southwest Oncology Group Study.

Forty-one patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma no longer amenable to control with surgery and/or radiotherapy were entered into study. Five of these were ineligible for study. One eligible patient never received any treatment, another had no baseline information recorded; these were thus inevaluable. The remaining 34 patients received continuous infusion vinblastine (1.5 mg/m2) as a 24-h infusion daily for 5 days every 3 weeks. One complete and 3 partial responses were observed among these 34 patients, for an overall objective response rate of 12%. Two of these 4 responders are deceased, and 2 remain alive with disease at 18 and 22 months, respectively. The most common toxicity noted was leukopenia in 22 patients (65%); 12 (35%) of these had severe or life-threatening leukopenia (less than 2,000 WBC/microliter). Fourteen of the 34 (41%) experienced nausea and vomiting. Other adverse effects were less common. Overall, 15 of the 34 patients (44%) experienced severe or life-threatening toxicity. In this trial, continuous infusion vinblastine was toxic and had minimal to moderate efficacy at best. These facts suggest that the drug at the dose and schedule tested has no role in the management of advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma

Chromosomal localization of integrated adenovirus DNA in productively infected and in transformed mammalian cells.

The in situ hybridization technique has been used to localize adenovirus type 12 (Ad12) genomes on specific chromosomes of Ad12-transformed hamster cells as well as on specific chromosomes of human cells productively infected with Ad12. Hamster cell lines T637 and A2497-2 contain 20 to 22 and 17 copies of Ad12 DNA, respectively, in an integrated form. The results of in situ hybridization experiments demonstrate that the Ad12 DNA molecules are predominantly located on chromosomes 2, 7, 11 to 13, and 15 in cell line T637, and on chromosomes 7, 20, and perhaps 16 to 19 in cell line A2497-2. These data further document that viral DNA is chromosomally integrated and does not persist in a huge extrachromosomal, episomal structure. There is evidence from previous work that adenovirus DNA can also be covalently linked to human cellular DNA after productive adenovirus infection of human cells. In keeping with these earlier findings, we have now been able to show by in situ hybridization experiments that early in productive infection, i.e., 2 or 6 hr after infection, Ad12 genomes are predominantly associated with a limited number of human chromosomes. It appears biologically significant that these chromosomes, which belong to groups A and CII, have been the same ones in several independent infection experiments. Other chromosomes may also carry smaller amounts of viral DNA. In situ hybridization of Ad12 DNA to chromosomes of uninfected human cells yields no significant chromosomal association of viral DNA. The signal to noise ratio of grain counts over chromosomes from Ad12-infected cells to areas devoid of chromosomes is 5.6. The results presented raise the question of whether Ad12 DNA can integrate at selective sites in human chromosomes and whether this insertion event plays an essential role in early steps of viral transcription or replication. There is no direct evidence to suggest a biologic function for viral DNA integration in the productive infection cycle.

Adenoviruses, Human

Assignment of conserved amino acid residues to the ATP site in the protein kinase domain of the receptor for epidermal growth factor.

The ATP substrate site in the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor was mapped by using a series of 26 ATP derivatives with modifications at the base, ribose or triphosphate moiety. Ki values for these derivatives were determined by competition with [gamma-32P]ATP. The enzyme seems to interact specifically with the beta-phosphate in an ion-pair bond with the N-6 amino group at the adenine in a hydrogen bond. With ribosyl-2-aminopurine triphosphate and GTP, the enzyme most likely recognizes the 2-amino group in a hydrogen bond. This high specificity for ATP and GTP is unique for the ATP site in the EGF receptor among all investigated protein kinases. The available data on the interaction between ATP derivatives and protein kinases were used to assign conserved amino acid residues found in diverse protein kinases to the ATP site in this type of enzyme.

Adenosine Triphosphate

Polyamines stimulate the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol in membranes from A431 cells.

The phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol in plasma membranes from A431 cells was investigated using [gamma-32P]ATP as the substrate. Phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate was found to be the major product after an incubation time of 5-10 min. Little, if any, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate was found under these conditions. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) had no effect on the formation of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate or phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. On the other hand, the polyamines spermidine and spermine stimulated the phosphatidylinositol kinase activity about eightfold yielding almost exclusively phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate as the reaction product. Half-maximum stimulation by spermidine occurred under near physiological conditions (1.5 mM). Furthermore various proteins and amino acid polymers containing clustered basic amino acid residues (e.g. histones and polylysine) stimulated the formation of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate to a similar extent. Half-maximal concentrations for the activation were considerably lower ranging from 1.5 microM to 80 microM. The ATP specificity of the phosphatidylinositol kinase(s) was investigated with a small set of selected ATP derivatives. In the presence of spermidine the specificity changed significantly indicating that (a) spermidine acts on a kinase and not on a phosphatase, (b) this activity is distinct from the EGF-receptor protein kinase activity. The results do not suggest an involvement of the EGF receptor in the growth-factor-dependent formation of phosphatidylinositol phosphates. It is proposed that the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol by polyamines might be a mechanism to replenish the pool of inositolphospholipids.

1-Phosphatidylinositol 4-Kinase

Combined alkylators and multiple-site irradiation for extensive small cell lung cancer: a Southwest Oncology Group Study.

The Southwest Oncology Group performed a study for patients with extensive small cell lung cancer in which two hypotheses were tested: that combined alkylating agents for induction might improve the initial response rate; and that multiple-site, involved-field consolidation with irradiation in patients with response to chemotherapy might further improve response quality and duration. A regimen of combined alkylating agents plus vincristine [carmustine, thiotepa, vincristine, and cyclophosphamide (BTOC)] was compared to our standard program of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine (CAV). Patients with bone marrow metastases and/or disseminated bone metastases were randomized to BTOC or CAV as initial induction therapy, but received no multiple-field irradiation afterward. Among 189 such patients, the overall response rates were similar (48% to BTOC and 61% to CAV, with complete remission in 5% and 15%, respectively). Toxic effects were also comparative, with 23% sustaining life-threatening or fatal complications on BTOC and 16% on CAV. Median survival (5.9 and 7 months for BTOC and CAV, respectively) and overall survival were not different, and are superimposable upon our previously reported results with CAV alone. For patients with no evidence of bone marrow involvement and no metastases identified beyond the confines of ipsilateral hemithorax, liver, and brain, the plan of therapy consisted of induction chemotherapy (BTOC or CAV) every 3 weeks for three cycles, followed by multiple-field irradiation consolidation to sites of prior involvement. Among 239 such patients, response rates to therapy initiated with BTOC and CAV were also similar: 54% for BTOC and 62% for CAV, with complete response in 16% and 13%, respectively. However, the program of BTOC followed by multiple-site irradiation was associated with a higher incidence of severe or life-threatening thrombocytopenia (23% versus 8% for CAV), accounted for almost entirely by patients receiving hepatic irradiation after chemotherapy, among whom the incidence of this complication (grade 3 or 4) was 76% and 14%, respectively. Other toxic effects, including granulocytopenia, were comparable. With the exception of thrombocytopenia in the cited subgroup, multiple-field irradiation consolidation proved feasible and tolerable, with improved quality of response evident after its initiation in 24% of 135 patients. However, a similar proportion developed disease progression during or shortly after radiation therapy, and the median survival of patients who received irradiation was only 9 months (7 months from the start of consolidation).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols