Increases in cytochrome p-450 in cultured hepatocytes mediated by 3- and 4-carbon alcohols

The amount of cytochrome P-450 was increased to different extents after treatment of cultured chick embryo hepatocytes with n-propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, or isobutanol. These increases were associated with increases in benzphetamine demethylase activity, a cytochrome P-450-catalyzed oxidation, and glucuronidation of phenol red, catalyzed by UDP-glucuronyl transferase. The responses were similar to those obtained with ethanol or propylisopropylacetamide, which the phenobarbital-like inducers. Pretreatment of cells with cycloheximide prevented the increases in both cytochrome P-450 and glucuronidation of phenol red, indicating that protein synthesis was required for these responses.

The relationship between competence for secretion of H2O2 and completion of tumor cytotoxicity by BCG-elicited murine macrophages

BCG-elicited macrophages from C3H/HeJ and A/J mice secrete H2O2 comparably to BCG-elicited macrophages from control C3H/FeJ mice in response to the pharmacologic stimulant phorbol myristate acetate. By contrast, BCG-elicited macrophages from C3H/HeJ and A/J mice could not effect tumor cytotoxicity, whereas macrophages from the control C3H/FeJ mice could. When BCG-activated macrophages from C57BL/6J mice were held in culture overnight, their ability to secrete H2O2 in response to the pharmacologic trigger declined 40 to 60%; the presence of endotoxin in the overnight cultures did not alter competence for secretion of H2O2. By contrast, the cultured macrophages lost all of their cytolytic competence, but this competence could be fully maintained by the presence of endotoxin in the cultures. In three distinct circumstances, competence for secretion of H2O23 thus did not correlate with competence for completion of tumor cytotoxicity. The data imply that competence for release of H2O2 is not sufficient for completion of tumor cytotoxicity.

The effect of pH and ionic strength on the pre-steady-state reaction of cytochrome c and cytochrome aa3

(1) In the pH range between 5.0 and 8.0, the rate constants for the reaction of ferrocytochrome c with both the high- and low-affinity sites on the cytochrome aa3 increased by a factor of approx. 2 per pH unit. (2) The pre-steady-state reaction between ferrocytochrome c and cytochrome aa3 did nt cause a change in the pH of an unbuffered medium. Furthermore, it was found that this reaction and the steady-state reaction are equally fast in H2O and 2H2O. From these results it was concluded that no protons are directly involved in a rate-determining reaction step. (3) Arrhenius plots show that the reaction between ferrocytochrome c and cytochrome aa3 requires a higher enthalpy of activation at temperatures below 20 degrees C (15--16 kcal/mol) as compared to that at higher temperature (9 kcal/mol). We found no effect of ionic strength on the activation enthalpy of the pre-steady-state reaction, nor on that of the steady-state reaction. This suggests that ionic strength does not change the character of these reactions, but merely affects the electrostatic interaction between both cytochromes.

PAH transport in rock crab (Cancer irroratus) urinary bladder

Crab urinary bladder appears to possess several morphological and functional similarities to vertebrate renal proximal tubule. Sections of intermolt rock crab bladder accumulated PAH by a process that was concentrative (60 min tissue-to-medium ratio (T/M) for 10 microM PAH averaged 24), Na dependent, powered by glycolytic metabolism, and inhibitable by other organic anions. Initial section uptakes exhibited saturation kinetics and a double-reciprocal plot of uptake vs. concentration yielded a single line with a Km of 70 microM and a Vmax of 5 nmol . mg tissue-1 . h-1. Chlorophenol red and bromocresol green (BCG) competitively inhibited PAH uptake. When bladder sheets were mounted in a flux chamber, they exhibited a large, net lumen-to-serosa (L leads to S) flux of 10 microM PAH that was abolished by 1 mM BCG. The small unidirectional S leads to L flux was not BCG-inhibitable. Bladder sheets exhibited PAH T/M greater than 1 after luminal, but not serosal, exposure. BCG only reduced bladder sheet T/M after luminal exposure. The data are consistent with uphill, Na-dependent, and carrier-mediated entry of PAH at the luminal membrane and nonmediated exit at the serosal membrane.

Calcium movement in nerve fibres

Given the existence of a difference in electrical potential between the interior of a nerve cell and the media surrounding it, where the cytoplasm is some 70 mV negative (Hodgkin, 1958), it must be expected that any positively charged ion to which the cell membrane is permeable is more concentrated in the cell interior. For monovalent cations such as Na and divalent cations such as Ca and Mg this is not the case in the majority of the cells such as the squid giant axon. In other words, nerve cells maintain a lower intracellular concentration of these ions, as compared with their concentration in the extracellular fluid. For Mg, Ca and Na ions, this lower internal concentration must, in the steady state, be effected by some membrane based mechanism which consumes energy.

Effects of inhibitors in lumen on PAH and urate transport by isolated renal tubules

Effects of the presence of unlabeled p-aminohippurate (PAH) or urate, probenecid, and phenol red in the lumen on labeled PAH or urate transport by isolated, perfused snake (Thamnophis spp.) proximal renal tubules were studied. Net secretion of labeled urate and luminal membrane permeability to urate were unaffected by the presence of unlabeled urate (up to 0.1 mM) or probenecid (up to 1.0 mM) in lumen only. The data are compatible with movement of urate from cells to lumen during urate secretion by a simple passive process. Net secretion of labeled PAH was rapidly and reversibly depressed to about 25-35% of control when unlabeled PAH (0.05 mM), phenol red (0.05 mM), or probenecid (0.1 mM) was added to the lumen only. During maximum depression of PAH transport, luminal membrane permeability to PAH was reduced by 60-70%. The data suggest that movement of PAH from cells to lumen down an electrochemical gradient during PAH secretion occurs by a readily inhibited, mediated process.

Kinetics studies on the renal transport of probenecid in vitro

1. The kinetic parameters of renal transport of probenecid have been assessed by studying the uptake of the drug in rabbit kidney tubules incubated in an electrolyte medium under various conditions. 2. The added compounds inhibited the uptake of probenecid both by kidney cortical slices and separated renal tubule preparations in the following order: p-aminohippurate less than phenol red less than bromophenol blue less than bromocresol green. A reversible competitive inhibitory effect of these organic anions on the renal accumulation of the drug was observed. 3. The Km for renal uptake of probenecid in separated tubules (0.04 mM) and the KI values calculated in this system for p-aminohippurate (0.5 mM), phenol red (0.09 mM), bromophenol blue (0.02 mM) and bromocresol green (0.015 mM) were found to be in good agreement with the corresponding KI value of probenecid and Km values of these compounds previously observed in various kidney tissue preparations. 4. On the basis of above mentioned findings, it is concluded that probenecid, p-aminohippurate and various phenolsulphonphthalein dyes are transported by the common renal organic anion transport system.

On the mechanism of p-piperidyl and p-benzyl sulfamyl benzoic acids transport by renal tissue

The uptake of cyclic analogues of probenecid by kidney cortical slices has been studied in detail, in order to obtain more information on the secretory system for these compounds. Both p-piperidyl sulfamyl benzoic acid and p-benzyl sulfamyl benzoic acid were accumulated against concentration gradient, by renal tissue under aerobic as well as anerobic conditions. PAH, phenol red and probenecid competitively inhibited the active accumulation of these compounds by kidney tissue. Aerobic uptake of probenecid analogues was stimulated by succinate and octanoate at low medium concentrations while inhibition of renal accumulation of these compounds occurred at higher concentrations. Both p-piperidyl and p-benzyl sulfamyl benzoic acids like probenecid strongly interact with kidney cortex homogenates. Binding of these cyclic analogues to various cellular constituents of homogenate was efficiently inhibited by probenecid. The binding affinity of probenecid and analogues for kidney tissue, phospholipid vesicles (liposomes) and human serum albumin increased in the order : p-piperidyl sulfamyl benzoic acid less than p-benzyl sulfamyl benzoic acid less than di-n-propyl sulfamyl benzoic acid (probenecid). By contrast to the view put forward by Beyer (1950 & 1954), the results presented in this paper established that probenecid analogues are the true substrates of renal organic anion transport system.

Enhancement of p-aminohippurate accumulation in renal cortical slices after repeated administrations of various organic anionic drugs to rats of different ages

After repeated administrations of various organic anionic drugs to rats of different ages, an enhancement of paminohippurate accumulation was observed in renal cortical slices from adult but not from newborn and infant rats. The effect can be interpreted as specific substrate-induced stimulation of the organic anion transport.

Chemiluminescence response of human leukocytes: influence of medium components on light production

Light-producing reactions have been reported to occur after phagocytosis of opsonized particles by human polymorphonuclear neutrophils, eosinophils, and monocytes. Such chemiluminescence appears to be related to the generation of singlet oxygen, superoxide, and hydroxyl radicals, which have also been implicated as microbicidal agents. In examining the influences of various medium components on leukocyte chemiluminescence, we have observed that the amount of light measured is increased by addition of soluble protein, the amino acids tyrosine and tryptophane, or excess zymosan to the reaction medium. These agents appear to produce their effect not by increasing the rate of phagocytosis, but by providing substrate for secondary light-producing reactions. Polystyrene particles do not provide a suitable substrate for such secondary light-producing reactions. This is evidenced by the failure of ingested latex to stimulate high levels of chemiluminescence in the cellular system and their failure to augment light production in two noncellular chemiluminescent reactions. Some of the light generated in the cellular chemiluminescence response may derive from secondary reactions, which occur outside of the phagocyte. Support for this phenomenon is provided by two experiments. In one, addition of supplementary, nonopsonized zymosan to the reaction, after phagocytosis of opsonized zymosan is complete, resulted in an increased level of chemiluminescence. In another, addition of nonopsonized zymosan, together with latex particles, resulted in a significant increase in chemiluminescence. The results of the latter experiment also support our hypothesis that latex does not provide an appropriate substrate for secondary light-producing reactions. These observations suggest that leukocytes activated by phagocytosis generate electronically activated radicals which act intra- and extracellularly and that the amino acids tyrosine and trytophane may provide one substrate through which these agents act.

Characteristics of accumulation of probenecid by rabbit kidney cortical slices

Probenecid was accumulated by renal tissue both under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The aerobic uptake at a low medium concentration of probenecid was enhanced three- or fourfold by acetate, while metabolic inhibitors and organic anions like p-aminohippurate (PAH), phenol red, and other substituted phenolsulphonphthalein (PSP) dyes which undergo secretion had an inhibitory effect. Octanoate and succinate stimulated aerobic probenecid uptake at low medium concentrations, but inhibited transport of the drug at high levels. Studies on renal homogenates showed that the anaerobic uptake of probenecid is due to binding to tissue constituents. Binding characteristics of PSP dyes to phospholipid vesicles and a representative binding protein, human serum albumin, exhibited close similarity to that of binding to renal tissue. Hydrophobic compounds like octanoate and PSP dyes partially inhibited probenecid binding. In contrast, transport of probenecid was almost completely abolished by these substances and PAH at high medium concentrations. On the basis of the results presented in this paper, it is concluded that renal transport of probenecid occurs by the common organic anion transport system.

Further studies on the tachyphylaxis to DSCG. The effects of concentration and temperature

The tachyphylaxis to DSCG's inhibition of anaphylactic histamine release has been demonstrated in passively sensitized rat lung fragments. The induction of tachyphylaxis appears to depend on the concentration of the drug and the length of pretreatment. Tachyphylaxis is relatively independent of the concentration of the second exposure to DSCG. The development of tachyphylaxis is highly temperature dependent; it can be prevented by cooling the tissues to 2-4 degrees C after a brief (30 sec) preincubation with DSCG. It is suggested that DSCG inhibits histamine release by binding to 'receptor' site(s). Once the site is occupied by DSCG, it is modified by a temperature-dependent process, thus losing the ability as a 'receptor' for inhibition of histamine release. The tachyphylaxis is the result of such a modification.

Effect of types of media on the production of acid from glucose by so-called glucose-negative strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Typical gonococci metabolize glucose; however, occasional strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae fail to metabolize glucose when tested on cystine Trypticase agar (CTA) medium, a fact that leads to delay in identification. Certain strains of so-called glucose-negative N. gonorrhoeae do indeed metabolize glucose, depending on the medium used in testing for metabolism of the carbohydrate. Six strains were tested that failed to oxidize glucose with the production of acid when tested on standard CTA medium, yet all produced acid from glucose when supplemented GC medium with a phenol red indicator was utilized. An attempt was made to single out the compound present in CTA that leads to inhibition of metabolism and, occasionally, growth as well. We found that certain ratios of the cystine and Na2SO3 concentrations are inhibitory, including that ratio of the two compounds present in CTA medium; however, L-cysteine, when included in similar concentrations, did not inhibit the metabolic reaction.