Imipramine associations with plasma components and its uptake by cultured human cells

It has been proposed that in vivo variability in response to certain hydrophobic chemicals or drugs, such as imipramine, may be due in part to the varying plasma lipid levels in patients. The distribution of [3H]imipramine into the lipoproteins of human plasma was therefore studied. Differential density centrifugation of plasma containing [3H]imipramine resulted in flotation of very low density, low density and high density lipoproteins (VLDL, LDL, HDL) and approximately one-third of the total 3H radioactivity. Twelve percent of the radioactivity was present in the sedimented fraction which included most of the plasma proteins. There appeared to be little specific binding of [3H]imipramine to VLDL or LDL, as shown by ultracentrifugation, dialysis and column chromatography. [3H]Imipramine was readily incorporated into cultured human fibroblasts;o no differences were observed in cellular uptake whether it was added to the medium in plasma, LDL or HDL. Also, no differences in uptake of [3H]imipramine by LDL-receptor positive and receptor negative cells were noted. These experiments indicate that LDL is not a major vehicle for the transport of this drug and that both the bound and free fractions are available for cellular uptake.     

Tracing paternal ancestry in mice, using the Y-linked, sex-determining locus, Sry

The molecular evolution of mammalian Y-linked DNA sequences is of special interest because of their unique mode of inheritance: most Y- linked sequences are clonally inherited from father to son. Here we investigate the use of Y-linked sequences for phylogenetic inference. We describe a comparative analysis of a 515-bp region from the male sex- determining locus, Sry, in 22 murine rodents (subfamily Murinae, family Muridae), including representatives from nine species of Mus, and from two additional murine genera--Mastomys and Hylomyscus. Percent sequence divergence was < 0.01% for comparisons between populations within a species and was 0.19%-8.16% for comparisons between species. Our phylogenetic analysis of 12 murine taxa resulted in a single most- parsimonius tree that is highly concordant with phylogenies based on mitochondrial DNA and allozymes. A total evidence tree based on the combined data from Sry, mitochondrial DNA, and allozymes supports (1) the monophyly of the subgenus Mus, (2) its division into a Palearctic group (M. musculus, M. domesticus, M. spicilegus, M. Macedonicus, and M. spretus) and an Oriental group (M. cookii++, M. cervicolor, and M. caroli), and (3) sister-group relationships between M. spicilegus and M. macedonicus and between M. cookii and M. cervicolor. We argue that Y- chromosome DNA sequences represent a valuable new source of characters for phylogenetic inference.      

Effects of dichloroacetate and glyoxylate on low density lipoprotein uptake and on growth of cultured fibroblasts

The effects of dichloroacetate, a known hypocholesterolemic agent, were studied in cultured growing and confluent human fibroblast cells. Microscopic examination showed no visible adverse effects of dichloroacetate on confluent cells during exposure to concentrations as high as 5 mM for 96 hr. Higher concentrations resulted in cell death after varying periods of incubation. There were no viable cells after 24 hr of exposure to 100 mM dichloroacetate. In contrast, much lower concentrations proved lethal to growing cells; cell growth, as determined by cell numbers at specified times after splitting, was suppressed by 1 mM dichloroacetate and 5 mM concentrations resulted in cell death. Similar effects were noted with glyoxylate. The hypocholesterolemic effect of dichloroacetate is probably not due to any effect on the low density lipoprotein pathway, since concentrations of up to 1 mM dichloroacetate did not affect the cellular binding and uptake of 125I-labeled low density lipoprotein. It is concluded that growing and rapidly metabolizing cells are much more sensitive to the toxic effects of dichloroacetate and glyoxylate than confluent cells.     

Active and passive cation transport and L antigen hertogeneity in low potassium sheep red cells

Several lines of experimental evidence are presented suggesting that the L antigens in low potassium (LK) sheep red cells are associated with separate Na(+)K(+) pump flux is distinct from the action of anti-L(l) on K(+) leak flux, implying that K(+) leak transport sites may not be converted into active pumps by the L antiserum. Treatment of LK red cells with trypsin completely abolished both the stimulation of K(+) pump flux and the enhancement of the rate of ouabain binding brought about by anti- L. That this effect is due to a total destruction of the L(p) determinant associated with the LK pump was evident from the complete failure of anti-L(p) to bind to trypsinized LK red cells. The L(p) antigen can be effectively protected against the trypsin attack by prior incubation with anti-L, indicating that the sites for antibody binding and trypsin action may be closely adjacent at the structural level. Trypsin treatment, however, did not interfere with anti-L(l) reducing ouabain insensitive K(+) leak influx, nor did it prevent binding of anti-L(ly), the hemolytically active L antibody which is probably identical with anti-L(l). The functional independence of the L(p) and L(l) sites was documented by the observation that anti-L(l) still reduced K(+) leak influx in LK cells with experimentally induced high potassium concentrations, at which K(+) pump flux is fully suppressed, whether or not anti-L(p) was binding to the L(p) antigen associated with the LK pump.     

Selective orexin receptor antagonists

The orexin, or hypocretin, neuropeptides (orexin-A and orexin-B) are produced on neurons in the hypothalamus which project to key areas of the brain that control sleep–wake states, modulation of food intake, panic, anxiety, emotion, reward and addictive behaviors. These neuropeptides exert their effects on a pair of G-protein coupled receptors termed the orexin-1 (OX1) and orexin-2 (OX2) receptors. Emerging biology suggests the involvement of these receptors in psychiatric disorders as they are thought to play a key role in the regulation of multiple systems. This review is intended to highlight key selective OX1 or OX2 small-molecule antagonists.     

Impacts of cage culture on physico-chemical and bacteriological water quality in Lake Volta,Ghana

The effects of cage fish farming on physico-chemical and bacteriological water quality in Lake Volta, Ghana, were investigated in 2013–2014. Farmed and unfarmed (control) areas of the lake were selected for monitoring. Nutrients, temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, turbidity, pH, total coliforms, Pseudomonas and Vibrio spp. in the water were monitored monthly. Analyses of the water samples were carried out according to standard procedures. Physico-chemical quality of the water in both farm and control sites were within ranges typical of minimally impacted water and did not vary significantly between the two contrasting sites. The bacteriological analysis, however, revealed contamination of the lake water by fish farming. The bacterial counts at the farmed sites were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of the control sites, with figures at the farmed sites ranging from 132 to 1 708 cfu 100 ml?1 for total coliforms, 514 to 5 170 cfu 100 ml?1 Pseudomonas spp. and 14 to 516 cfu 100 ml?1 for Vibrio spp. The results suggested that cage fish farming has increased bacterial loads in the lake water, but has had minimal impact on its physico-chemical quality.     

Functional promiscuity correlates with conformational heterogeneity in A-class glutathione S-transferases

The structurally related glutathione S-transferase isoforms GSTA1-1 and GSTA4-4 differ greatly in their relative catalytic promiscuity. GSTA1-1 is a highly promiscuous detoxification enzyme. In contrast, GSTA4-4 exhibits selectivity for congeners of the lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxynonenal. The contribution of protein dynamics to promiscuity has not been studied. Therefore, hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (H/DX) and fluorescence lifetime distribution analysis were performed with glutathione S-transferases A1-1 and A4-4. Differences in local dynamics of the C-terminal helix were evident as expected on the basis of previous studies. However, H/DX demonstrated significantly greater solvent accessibility throughout most of the GSTA1-1 sequence compared with GSTA4-4. A Phe-111/Tyr-217 aromatic-aromatic interaction in A4-4, which is not present in A1-1, was hypothesized to increase core packing. "Swap" mutants that eliminate this interaction from A4-4 or incorporate it into A1-1 yield H/DX behavior that is intermediate between the wild type templates. In addition, the single Trp-21 residue of each isoform was exploited to probe the conformational heterogeneity at the intrasubunit domain-domain interface. Excited state fluorescence lifetime distribution analysis indicates that this core residue is more conformationally heterogeneous in GSTA1-1 than in GSTA4-4, and this correlates with greater stability toward urea denaturation for GSTA4-4. The fluorescence distribution and urea sensitivity of the mutant proteins were intermediate between the wild type templates. The results suggest that the differences in protein dynamics of these homologs are global. The results suggest also the possible importance of extensive conformational plasticity to achieve high levels of functional promiscuity, possibly at the cost of stability.     

Acute phase reactants add little to composite disease activity indices for rheumatoid arthritis: validation of a clinical activity score

Introduction  

Frequent assessments of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity allow timely adaptation of therapy, which is essential in preventing disease progression. However, values of acute phase reactants (APRs) are needed to calculate current composite activity indices, such as the Disease Activity Score (DAS)28, the DAS28-CRP (i.e. the DAS28 using C-reactive protein instead of erythrocyte sedimentation rate) and the Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI). We hypothesized that APRs make limited contribution to the SDAI, and that an SDAI-modification eliminating APRs – termed the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI; i.e. the sum of tender and swollen joint counts [28 joints] and patient and physician global assessments [in cm]) – would have comparable validity in clinical cohorts.     

NMR studies of ligand binding to P450(eryF) provides insight into the mechanism of cooperativity

Cytochrome P450's (P450's) catalyze the oxidative metabolism of most drugs and toxins. Although extensive studies have proven that some P450's demonstrate both homotropic and heterotropic cooperativity toward a number of substrates, the mechanistic and molecular details of P450 allostery are still not well-established. Here, we use UV/vis and heteronuclear nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic techniques to study the mechanism and thermodynamics of the binding of two 9-aminophenanthrene (9-AP) and testosterone (TST) molecules to the erythromycin-metabolizing bacterial P450(eryF). UV/vis absorbance spectra of P450(eryF) demonstrated that binding occurs with apparent negative homotropic cooperativity for TST and positive homotropic cooperativity for 9-AP with Hill-equation-derived dissociation constants of K(S) = 4 and 200 microM, respectively. The broadening and shifting observed in the 2D-{1H,15N}-HSQC-monitored titrations of 15N-Phe-labeled P450(eryF) with 9-AP and TST indicated binding on intermediate and fast chemical exchange time scales, respectively, which was consistent with the Hill-equation-derived K(S) values for these two ligands. Regardless of the type of spectral perturbation observed (broadening for 9-AP and shifting for TST), the 15N-Phe NMR resonances most affected were the same in each titration, suggesting that the two ligands "contact" the same phenylalanines within the active site of P450(eryF). This finding is in agreement with X-ray crystal structures of bound P450(eryF) showing different ligands occupying similar active-site niches. Complex spectral behavior was additionally observed for a small collection of resonances in the TST titration, interpreted as multiple binding modes for the low-affinity TST molecule or multiple TST-bound P450(eryF) conformational substates. A structural and energetic model is presented that combines the energetics and structural aspects of 9-AP and TST binding derived from these observations.     

Aspects of early arthritis. Traditional DMARD therapy: is it sufficient?

There is increasing evidence for beneficial effects of early DMARD (disease-modifying antirheumatic drug) therapy over delayed treatment in patients who present with arthritis of recent onset. However, no universal consensus exists concerning the choice of initial drug or whether single drugs or combinations should be given as initial treatments. Recent studies have focused on the benefits of various strategies in which treatments were tailored to achieve low levels of disease activity, as assessed using validated response criteria. These studies demonstrated superiority of 'aggressive' over 'conventional' approaches. Whether the inclusion of tumour necrosis factor antagonists or other biologic targeted therapies in such strategies confers additional benefits in terms of improved long-term outcomes must be clarified by further studies. Assessment of risks in the individual patient, allowing individual 'tailoring' of the initial treatment, would be desirable.