Biomedical subjects

T W Butler

Publications and source records attributed to T W Butler.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Neuroprotective effects of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists ifenprodil and SL-82,0715 on hippocampal cells in culture.

The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists ifenprodil and SL-82,0715 were examined for neuroprotective efficacy against glutamate toxicity of hippocampal neurons in culture. Hippocampal cells were grown on 96-well culture plates for 2 to 3 weeks and then exposed for a 15-min period to glutamate or NMDA. Neurodegeneration was quantified 24 hr after the excitotoxin exposure, by measuring the activity of lactate dehydrogenase leaked into the culture medium by the damaged cells. Glutamate induced a concentration-dependent increase in lactate dehydrogenase that reached 3-fold the activity of control cultures. The NMDA antagonists MK-801 and AP-7 blocked this neurotoxicity when added either during or after the glutamate exposure. Ifenprodil and SL-82,0715 blocked the neurotoxicity only when added during the excitotoxin exposure. Ifenprodil was 3 times more potent than SL-82,0715 in blocking glutamate or NMDA-induced neurotoxicity. Glycine did not reverse the neuroprotective effects of these antagonists. The neuroprotective effect of ifenprodil or SL-82,0715 did not appear to result from actions at alpha-1 adrenergic or sigma receptor sites because the alpha-1 adrenergic antagonist prazosin and the sigma ligands haloperidol, 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-N-propylpiperidine) and 1,3-di-o-tolylguanidine) showed no neuroprotective activity. We conclude that ifenprodil and SL-82,0715 protect cultured hippocampal neurons from excitotoxic damage by antagonizing NMDA receptors.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Assessing the impact of patient care policies using simulation analysis.

Simulation models are ideal for assessing the performance of strategic, tactical, and operational policies for hospitals. Simulation can validate a proposed policy, uncover fallacies of a proposal, or determine the sensitivity of the response to a policy change. A simulation model was developed to analyze the complex interactions comprising patient placement processes, beginning with patient arrivals and continuing through discharge. The model reflects current and potential patient assignment policies at a major southeastern general hospital. The system developed was utilized to assess proposed policies for the hospital. The simulated results of the hospital policy proposals, as well as other proposals, demonstrate the usefulness of simulation analysis in hospital policy decision-making.

Bed Occupancy↗

PubMed1991

Separation of alpha 1 adrenergic and N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist activity in a series of ifenprodil compounds.

Ifenprodil (1) represents a new class of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist. This drug also possesses potent activity at several other brain receptors (most notably alpha 1 adrenergic receptors). We have prepared the enantiomers and diastereomers of ifenprodil along with a series of partial structures in order to explore the basic structure activity relations within this class of compounds. From this study, it is clear that alpha 1 adrenergic and NMDA receptor activities may be separated by selection of the threo relative stereochemistry. Examination of the optical isomers of threo-ifenprodil (2) reveals that no further improvement in receptor selectivity is gained from either antipode. Individual removal of most of the structural fragments from the ifenprodil molecule generally results in less active compounds although fluorinated derivative 9 with threo relative stereochemistry is somewhat more potent and substantially more selective for the NMDA receptor. Finally a minimum structure for activity in this series (14) has been identified. This stripped-down version of ifenprodil possesses nearly equivalent affinity for the NMDA receptor with no selectivity over alpha 1 adrenergic receptors.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗

PubMed1990

Immunoreactive lactoferrin in resting, activated, and neoplastic lymphocytes.

Lactoferrin (Lf) in lymphocytes was assessed with immunofluorescence/flow cytometric technique. Surface Lf was detected primarily among B-cell-enriched preparations. Tonsillar B-cells of different densities expressed surface Lf similarly. Very small percentages of CALLA+ ALL, HCL, or EBV-transformed B-cells expressed surface Lf, whereas B-CLL lymphocytes had the highest percentages of surface Lf positivity. Few resting, cultured, or neoplastic T-lymphocytes expressed Lf. The pattern of immunofluorescence and analyses of surface and total cellular immunoreactive Lf indicated that Lf is associated primarily with the lymphocyte surface. The percentage and/or intensity of surface Lf-specific fluorescence were not significantly altered in B- or T-cells by incubation with physiologic concentrations of differric Lf, and the percentages of Lf-positive cells detected in respective subjects remained stable over time. Surface Lf positivity was unrelated to the expression of other surface antigens (except those marking B- or T-cell lineage) or cell cycle. Expression and/or binding of Lf in B-lymphocytes may become increased during certain stages of cell maturation.

B-Lymphocytes↗

PubMed1990

A unified approach to systematic isosteric substitution for acidic groups and application to NMDA antagonists related to 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoate.

A systematic approach to the replacement of acidic groups with potential bioisosteres is described. The strategy involves simple nucleophilic displacement of a common alkyl halide precursor with a variety of mercaptoazoles and related molecules. The mercaptoazoles and their oxidized derivatives (sulfinyl- and sulfonylazoles) represent a series of possible surrogates for acidic groups which span a pKa range from about 4.5-11.5. This simple strategy was extended to include 2-hydroxy- or 2-aminothiophenyl groups which function as relatively nonacidic isosteres for a phosphonic acid. By replacing the phosphonic acid of 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoate (AP-7) with these groups, we have synthesized novel N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists.

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate↗

PubMed1988

Assessment of total immunoreactive lactoferrin in hematopoietic cells using flow cytometry.

Cell-associated lactoferrin (Lf) was analyzed using a new method involving cell permeabilization, indirect immunofluorescence staining, and flow cytometry. Statistical techniques to evaluate the results for percentage of positive cells, relative fluorescence and homogeneity of Lf distribution were also devised. Most normal adult neutrophils (97.1 +/- 0.3% (SEM), range 92.7-99.6%, n = 41) had brilliant fluorescence homogeneously distributed among the cells. There was significantly greater homogeneity of neutrophil Lf distribution in post-menopausal than pre-menopausal females. In chronic myelogenous leukemia (n = 13) and cord blood (n = 7), fractions of Lf-positive neutrophils were decreased (77.3 +/- 7.5%, range 13.3-96.3%; 71.4 +/- 9.3, range 32.0-95.6%, respectively). Normal monocyte-rich isolates had moderate fluorescence (28.7 +/- 3.6%, range 9.3-76.8%, n = 22). Among blood lymphocyte-rich preparations, 13.1 +/- 1.3% of cells had weak positivity (range 4.9-26.6%, n = 19); monoclonal B and T lymphocytes had similar parameters. No other cells had detectable Lf. Our results were significantly correlated with those obtained manually (r = 0.98, P less than 0.001), and are consistent with Lf quantity and distribution determined using other methods.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Modulation of the development of bleomycin-induced fibrosis by deferoxamine.

Bleomycin is an antineoplastic compound which produces a time- and dose-dependent pulmonary fibrosis. The mechanisms which cause this fibrosis are not known. The ability of bleomycin to produce oxygen radicals in the presence of iron and molecular oxygen appears to be related to the fibrosis. Previous studies, which have examined single time points utilizing the ferric ion chelator deferoxamine and iron-deficient diets, suggest that iron plays a central role in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, the present study was designed to determine the effects of deferoxamine on the development of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Deferoxamine pretreatment and daily injections resulted in a significant reduction in lung collagen content and lung lipid peroxidation 21 days after intratracheal bleomycin compared with bleomycin treatment alone. In addition deferoxamine treatment significantly inhibited lung DNA increases at 4, 7, and 14 days after bleomycin treatment compared with bleomycin treatment alone. These data indicate that deferoxamine treatment reduces the development of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in the later phase. The mechanism might be by the prevention of iron-catalyzed, free-radical formation and modulation of some cellular functions.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Neutrophil lactoferrin content: variation among mammals.

Lactoferrin (Lf) in blood and/or marrow neutrophils was semiquantified using indirect immunofluorescence technique in nine mammalian species. Neutrophil iron-binding reactivity (NFeBR), which corresponds primarily to Lf, was also visualized and semiquantified using functional cytochemical (FeNTA-AF) technique at the light microscopic level in these nine and in an additional fifteen mammalian species, and in selected species at the ultrastructural level. Neutrophil immunoreactive Lf was positively correlated with total cellular and granule content of NFeBR among these nine species, and with previously reported concentrations of neutrophil Lf quantified by radioimmunoassay. Relative levels of Lf in neutrophil extracts from rat, hamster, and human were confirmed using SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. Relatively high levels of immunoreactive neutrophil Lf and/or NFeBR were observed in carnivores (ten species) and primates (six species). Among rodents (five species), the levels were variable, and the artiodactyls (four species) studied had low levels. These results demonstrate that neutrophil Lf levels vary widely among mammalian species. In addition, FeNTA-AF technique provides a rapid means of evaluating animals for relative quantities of neutrophil Lf.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Differential staining of neutrophils and monocytes: surface and cytoplasmic iron-binding proteins.

Lactoferrin, transferrin, and ferritin were systematically visualized and semiquantified in neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages using indirect immunofluorescence and functional cytochemical techniques. They localized on cell surfaces and within the cytoplasm at the light and electron microscopical levels. In normal subjects, subpopulations of blood neutrophils and monocytes had surface lactoferrin, but little surface transferrin or ferritin was observed on these cells. Most neutrophils had brilliant granular cytoplasmic positivity for lactoferrin; variable fractions of monocytes had weak to moderate diffuse cytoplasmic lactoferrin staining localized most prominently to the cytoplasmic matrix. Most neutrophils had cytoplasmic ferritin, but few had cytoplasmic transferrin, whereas larger subpopulations of monocytes had cytoplasmic staining reactions for both proteins. To analyse maturing cells, the iron nitrilotriacetate-acid ferrocyanide method was adapted for the light microscopical analysis of neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages in soft agar culture. Further, a combined stain that visualizes iron nitrilotriacetate-acid ferrocyanide reactivity and alpha-naphthyl butyrate esterase activity in cells in blood and marrow smears was developed. The relative quantities and subcellular distribution of iron-binding proteins in neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages defined by the present methods can be correlated with biochemical, maturational, and functional properties of these cells.

Bone Marrow↗

PubMed1988

Effect of iron deficiency on bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in the hamster.

Bleomycin produces a dose- and time-dependent interstitial pulmonary fibrosis in humans, and is widely used to produce an animal model for the study of interstitial pulmonary fibrosis. The mechanism(s) for bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis is (are) unknown, but the production of oxygen radicals by a ferrous ion-molecular oxygen pathway might be related to the fibrosis. Therefore, we studied the effect of iron deficiency on the biochemical, inflammatory, and morphologic parameters of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in the hamster. Mild iron deficiency was induced in hamsters by bleeding via the retro-orbital sinus and maintenance on an iron-deplete diet. After intratracheal administration of bleomycin (1 U), there was no accumulation of lung collagen in the iron-deficient bleomycin-treated animals. In comparison, iron-replete animals treated with bleomycin exhibited a significant (p less than 0.01) increase in lung collagen. In addition, bleomycin-treated iron-replete animals had increased lung lipid peroxidation (p less than 0.05), whereas bleomycin-treated iron-deficient animals did not (p greater than 0.05). Lung DNA and morphometric estimates of the lesion severity were significantly increased in both iron-replete and iron-deficient bleomycin-treated animals. These data indicate that iron deficiency is associated with a reduction in the severity of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, possibly by the prevention of iron-catalyzed oxygen-radical formation and lipid peroxidation.

Animals↗

PubMed1978