Urokinase bound to fibrocollagenous tubes: an in vitro kinetic study

Urokinase (UK) has been immobilized to the inner surfaces of fibrocollagenous tubes (FCT) in an attempt to develop a fibrinolytic biomaterial which may be suitable for use as a small diameter vascular prosthesis. The enzyme was bound by adsorption followed by glutaraldehyde crosslinking. An in virto kinetic study of immobilized urokinase was conducted by employing the tubular material as a flow through reactor operated in a batch recycle mode in which the esterolysis of the model substrate, N-alpha-acetyl-L-lysine methyl ester (ALME), was monitored as a function of substrate concentration, recycle flow rate, and temperature. Results were compared with data from the soluble enzyme reaction, which was conducted in the presence and absence of 10% swine skin gelatin, in order to identify the specific effects of a collagenous microenvironment. Observed rates for the UK-FCT catalyzed reaction were observed to be dependent on recycle flow rates below 12 mL/min (Re = 107). Apparent Michaelis-Menten rate parameters were determined by a nonlinear search technique for two flow rates: one above the critical point for external diffusion effects (Re = 282) and one within the mass-transfer-limited region (Re = 71). When the latter data were corrected for external diffusion by applying the Graetz correlation for laminar flow in tubes to estimate themass transfer coefficient, the corrected K(m) of 6.45 +/- 0.38 mM agreed very closely with the diffusion free parameter (i.e. 6.13 +/- 0.63). Furthermore, this value was observed to be an order of magnitude higher than that of the soluble enzyme but approximately equal to the K(m) of the soluble enzyme in a 10% gelatin environment (8.13 +/- 1.53 mM). It is postulated that the difference in kinetic parameters between soluble and collagen immobilized UK is due to an inherent interaction between collagen and enzyme rather than to mass transfer effects. Such aninteraction is supported by the effects of collagen on thermal stability and energy of activation.     

Pressure-flow relationships of endotracheal tubes during high-frequency ventilation

We studied the pressure-flow relationships of various endotracheal tubes (ETT) at frequencies (f) and tidal volumes (VT) in the range used for high-frequency ventilation (HFV) (f: 2-32 Hz, VT: 15-100 ml). Sinusoidal flows were applied to ETT inserted into a rigid bottle or into the tracheae of three anesthetized paralyzed dogs, while pressure fluctuations were measured both proximal and distal to the ETT. The pressure drops in the ETT were nonlinearly related to the peak flow rate and were VT dependent, suggesting that turbulent frictional head loss and convective acceleration were important. The pressure drops measured in vitro were found to be in good agreement with the predictions of a nonlinear oscillatory pressure-flow equation (derived herein), which incorporate the effects of turbulent frictional losses, convective acceleration, inertance, and compliance. The pressure drops measured in situ were 30-50% higher than with the corresponding f-VT combinations in vitro. Possible explanations of these differences are junctional losses at the tip of the ETT or the nonrigid character of the trachea.     

Effects of some antibiotics on human erythrocyte glutathione reductase: an in vitro study

Inhibitory effects of some antibiotics on purified human erythrocyte glutathione reductase were investigated. Human erythrocyte glutathione reductase was purified 2800-fold (29% yield) at 4°C using 2′, 5′-ADP Sepharose 4B affinity gel and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration chromatography. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a single band for the enzyme. Imipenem, rifamycin, sulfanylacetamide, ceftazidime, chloramphenicol, seftriaxon, vancomycin, cefuroxime and ornidazole exhibited inhibitory effects but clindamycin, lincomycin, amoxicillin, amikacin exhibited activatory effects on the enzyme in vitro. The IC₅₀ values of imipenem, rifamycin, sulfanylacetamide, ceftazidime, chloramphenicol, seftriaxon, vancomycin, cefuroxime and ornidazole were 0.030, 0.146, 0.59, 2.476, 2.36, 2.88, 4.83, 15.43 and 19.632 mM, respectively, and the K_i constants were 0.06 ± 0.01, 0.275 ± 0.10, 0.85 ± 0.05, 3.59 ± 0.51, 3.85 ± 0.40, 3.71 ± 0.60, 15.11 ± 2.50, 23.50 ± 2.94 and 28.49 ± 6.50 mM, respectively. While imipenem, rifamycin, sulfanylacetamide, ceftazidime, chloramphenicol and seftriaxon cefuroxime and ornidazole showed competitive inhibition, vankomycine displayed noncompetitive inhibition.     

Effects of some antibiotics on human erythrocyte glutathione reductase: an in vitro study

Inhibitory effects of some antibiotics on purified human erythrocyte glutathione reductase were investigated. Human erythrocyte glutathione reductase was purified 2800-fold (29% yield) at 4 degrees C using 2', 5'-ADP Sepharose 4B affinity gel and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration chromatography. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a single band for the enzyme. Imipenem, rifamycin, sulfanylacetamide, ceftazidime, chloramphenicol, seftriaxon, vancomycin, cefuroxime and ornidazole exhibited inhibitory effects but clindamycin, lincomycin, amoxicillin, amikacin exhibited activatory effects on the enzyme in vitro. The IC(50) values of imipenem, rifamycin, sulfanylacetamide, ceftazidime, chloramphenicol, seftriaxon, vancomycin, cefuroxime and ornidazole were 0.030, 0.146, 0.59, 2.476, 2.36, 2.88, 4.83, 15.43 and 19.632 mM, respectively, and the K(i) constants were 0.06 +/- 0.01, 0.275 +/- 0.10, 0.85 +/- 0.05, 3.59 +/- 0.51, 3.85 +/- 0.40, 3.71 +/- 0.60, 15.11 +/- 2.50, 23.50 +/- 2.94 and 28.49 +/- 6.50 mM, respectively. While imipenem, rifamycin, sulfanylacetamide, ceftazidime, chloramphenicol and seftriaxon cefuroxime and ornidazole showed competitive inhibition, vankomycine displayed noncompetitive inhibition.     

Effects of some metal ions on human erythrocyte glutathione reductase: an in vitro study

In this study, we investigated inhibitory effects of some metal ions on human erythrocyte glutathione reductase. For this purpose, initially human erythrocyte glutathione reductase was purified 1051-fold in a yield of 41% by using 2', 5'-ADP Sepharose 4B affinity gel and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration chromatography. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was done in order to control the purification of enzyme. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a single band for enzyme. A constant temperature (4 degrees C) was maintained during the purification process. Enzyme activity was determined with the Beutler method by using a spectrophotometer at 340 nm. Hg(2+), Cd(2+), Pb(2+), Cu(2+), Fe(3+) and Al3+ exhibited inhibitory effects on the enzyme in vitro. K(i) constants and IC(50) values for metal ions were determined by Lineweaver-Burk graphs and plotting activity % vs. [I]. IC(50) values of Pb(2+), Hg(2+), Cu(2+), Cd(2+), Fe(3+) and Al(3+) were 0.011, 0.020, 0.0252, 0.0373, 0.209 and 0.229 mM, and the Ki constants 0.0254+/-0.0027, 0.0378+/-0.0043, 0.0409+/-0.0048, 0.0558+/-0.0083, 0.403+/-0.043 and 1.137+/-0.2 mM, respectively. While Pb(2+), Hg(2+), Cd(2+) and Fe(3+) showed competitive inhibition, others displayed noncompetitive inhibition.     

Effects of some drugs on human erythrocyte 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase: an in vitro study

Inhibitory effects of some drugs were investigated on human erythrocyte 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase obtained with a 6552-fold purification in a yield of 78% using 2′, 5′-ADP Separose 4B affinity gel. Which on SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a single band. Larnoxicam, metronidazole, imipenem, ornidazole, vancomycin, clindamycin, and amoxicillin exhibited inhibitory effects on the enzyme in vitro with IC₅₀ values of 0.17, 0.23, 0.43, 21.79, 46.39, 117.43 and 287.35 mM, and the Ki constants 0.40 ± 0.04, 0.57 ± 0.06, 0.77 ± 0.11, 42.40 ± 2.89, 65.60 ± 4.03, 130.22 ± 9.21, and 287.58 ± 10.56 mM, respectively. While vancomycin, clindamycin and amoxicillin showed competitive inhibition the other drugs displayed noncompetitive inhibition.     

Effects of some drugs on human erythrocyte 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase: an in vitro study

Inhibitory effects of some drugs were investigated on human erythrocyte 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase obtained with a 6552-fold purification in a yield of 78% using 2', 5'-ADP Separose 4B affinity gel. Which on SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a single band. Larnoxicam, metronidazole, imipenem, ornidazole, vancomycin, clindamycin, and amoxicillin exhibited inhibitory effects on the enzyme in vitro with IC50 values of 0.17, 0.23, 0.43, 21.79, 46.39, 117.43 and 287.35 mM, and the Ki constants 0.40 +/- 0.04, 0.57 +/- 0.06, 0.77 +/- 0.11, 42.40 +/- 2.89, 65.60 +/- 4.03, 130.22 +/- 9.21, and 287.58 +/- 10.56 mM, respectively. While vancomycin, clindamycin and amoxicillin showed competitive inhibition the other drugs displayed noncompetitive inhibition.     

S-Nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine impregnated endotracheal tubes for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia

The chances of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) increases 6–20 folds when an endotracheal tube (ETT) is placed in a patient. VAP is one of the most common hospital-acquired infections and comprises 86% of the nosocomial pneumonia cases. This study introduces the idea of nitric oxide-releasing ETTs (NORel-ETTs) fabricated by the incorporation of the nitric oxide (NO) donor S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) into commercially available ETTs via solvent swelling. The impregnation of SNAP provides NO release over a 7-day period without altering the mechanical properties of the ETT. The NORel-ETTs successfully reduced the bacterial infection from a commonly found pathogen in VAP, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, by 92.72 ± 0.97% when compared with the control ETTs. Overall, this study presents the incorporation of the active release of a bactericidal agent in ETTs as an efficient strategy to prevent the risk of VAP.     

Effects of aspirin and paracetamol on ATPases of human fetal brain: an in vitro study

In vitro effects of aspirin and paracetamol at the doses 200, 400, 600, 800 nmole/mg protein on ATPases activity were studied in the cerebrum and cerebellum of human fetus covering the age range from 10 weeks to 32 weeks of gestation. Both aspirin and paracetamol inhibit Na+K+ ATPase and Mg2+ ATPase in a dose dependent manner. The inhibition of Na+K+ ATPase and Mg2+ ATPase activity which may affect the release and uptake of biogenic amines in CNS, hinders the maturation of human fetal brain.     

Effects of some analgesic anaesthetic drugs on human erythrocyte glutathione reductase: an in vitro study

Inhibitory effects of some analgesic and anaesthetic drugs on human erythrocyte glutathione reductase were investigated. For this purpose, human erythrocyte glutathione reductase was initially purified 2139-fold in a yield of 29% by using 2′, 5′-ADP Sepharose 4B affinity gel and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration chromatography. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis confirmed the purity of the enzyme by sharing a single band. A constant temperature (+4°C) was maintained during the purification process. Diclofenac sodium, ketoprofen, lornoxicam, tenoxicam, etomidate, morphine and propofol exhibited inhibitory effects on the enzyme in vitro using the Beutler assay method.

K_i constants and IC₅₀ values for drugs were determined from Lineweaver-Burk graphs and plotting activity % versus [I] graphs, respectively. The IC₅₀ values of diclofenac sodium, ketoprofen, lornoxicam, propofol, tenoxicam, etomidate and morphine were 7.265, 6.278, 0.3, 0.242, 0.082, 0.0523 and 0.0128 mM and the K_i constants were 23.97 ± 2.1, 22.14 ± 7.6, 0.42 ± 0.18, 0.418 ± 0.056, 0.13 ± 0.025, 0.0725 ± 0.0029 and 0.0165 ± 0.0013 mM, respectively. While diclofenac sodium, ketoprofen, lornoxicam, tenoxicam etomidate and morphine showed competitive inhibition, propofol displayed noncompetitive inhibition.     

Effects of phospholipids on sphingomyelin hydrolysis induced by intestinal alkaline sphingomyelinase: an in vitro study

Digestion of dietary sphingomyelin (SM) is catalyzed by intestinal alkaline sphingomyelinase (SMase) and may have important implications in colonic tumorigenesis. Previous studies demonstrated that the digestion and absorption of dietary SM was slow and incomplete and that the colon was exposed to SM and its hydrolytic products including ceramide. In the present work, we studied the influences of glycerophospholipids and hydrolytic products of phosphatidylcholine (PC; i.e., lyso-PC, fatty acid, diacylglycerol, and phosphorylcholine) on SM hydrolysis induced by purified rat intestinal alkaline SMase in the presence of 10 mM taurocholate. It was found that various phospholipids including PC, phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidic acid (PA) inhibit alkaline SMase activity in a dose-dependent manner, with the degree of inhibition being in the order PA > PS > PI > PC > PE. Similar inhibition was also seen in a buffer of pH 7.4, which is close to the physiologic pH in the middle of the small intestine. When the effects of hydrolytic products of PC were studied, lyso-PC, oleic acid, and 1,2-dioleoyl glycerol also inhibited alkaline SMase activity, whereas phosphorylcholine enhanced SMase activity. However, in the absence of bile salt, acid phospholipids including PA, PS, and PI mildly stimulated alkaline SMase activity whereas PC and PE had no effect. It is concluded that in the presence of bile salts, glycerophospholipids and their hydrolytic products inhibit intestinal alkaline SMase activity. This may contribute to the slow rate of SM digestion in the upper small intestine.     

Effects of some drugs on human erythrocyte glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase: an in vitro study

Inhibitory effects of some drugs on glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase from the erythrocytes of human have been investigated. For this purpose, at the beginning, erythrocyte glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase was purified 2256 times in a yield of 44.22% by using ammonium sulphate precipitation and 2', 5'-ADP Sepharose 4B affinity gel. Temperature of +4°C was maintained during the purification process. Enzyme activity was determined with the Beutler method by using a spectrophotometer at 340?nm. This method was utilized for all kinetic studies. Ketotifen, dacarbazine, thiocolchicoside, meloxicam, methotrexate, furosemide, olanzapine, methylprednizolone acetate, paricalcitol, ritodrine hydrochloride, and gadobenate-dimeglumine were used as drugs. All the drugs indicated the inhibitory effects on the enzyme. Ki constants for glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase were found by means of Lineweaver-Burk graphs. While methylprednizolone acetate showed competitive inhibition, the others displayed non-competitive inhibition. In addition, IC(50) values of the drugs were determined by plotting Activity% vs [I].     

Effects of some analgesic anaesthetic drugs on human erythrocyte glutathione reductase: an in vitro study

Inhibitory effects of some analgesic and anaesthetic drugs on human erythrocyte glutathione reductase were investigated. For this purpose, human erythrocyte glutathione reductase was initially purified 2139-fold in a yield of 29% by using 2', 5'-ADP Sepharose 4B affinity gel and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration chromatography. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis confirmed the purity of the enzyme by sharing a single band. A constant temperature (+4 degrees C) was maintained during the purification process. Diclofenac sodium, ketoprofen, lornoxicam, tenoxicam, etomidate, morphine and propofol exhibited inhibitory effects on the enzyme in vitro using the Beutler assay method. K(i) constants and IC(50) values for drugs were determined from Lineweaver-Burk graphs and plotting activity % versus [I] graphs, respectively. The IC(50) values of diclofenac sodium, ketoprofen, lornoxicam, propofol, tenoxicam, etomidate and morphine were 7.265, 6.278, 0.3, 0.242, 0.082, 0.0523 and 0.0128 mM and the K(i) constants were 23.97 +/- 2.1, 22.14 +/- 7.6, 0.42 +/- 0.18, 0.418 +/- 0.056, 0.13 +/- 0.025, 0.0725 +/- 0.0029 and 0.0165 +/- 0.0013 mM, respectively. While diclofenac sodium, ketoprofen, lornoxicam, tenoxicam etomidate and morphine showed competitive inhibition, propofol displayed noncompetitive inhibition.     

Effects of leptin on hypothalamic arcuate neurons in Wistar and Zucker rats: an in vitro study

Leptin, a product of the ob gene, decreases food intake and body weight in both Wistar and Zucker obese rats when administered centrally or peripherally. To examine whether these leptin effects might be mediated through a neuropeptide Y (NPY) signaling pathway in the medial part of the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (vmARC), the effects of leptin on vmARC neurons in Wistar and Zucker obese rats were examined electrophysiologically using brain slice preparations. Bath application of leptin inhibited about 60% of the vmARC neurons recorded in slices from Wistar rats. Similar inhibitory effects of leptin on vmARC neurons were also observed under low-Ca2+, high-Mg2+ Ringer's solution. However, inhibitory effects were almost absent under Ringer's solution containing a protein kinase C inhibitor, chelerythrine chloride. In slices from Zucker obese rats, leptin inhibited only about 25% of the vmARC neurons recorded, and the proportion of neurons inhibited was significantly smaller for these rats than for Wistar rats. These results suggest that reductions in food intake and body weight induced by leptin in both Wistar and Zucker obese rats are partly mediated via inhibition of an NPY signaling pathway in the vmARC.