Biodegradation kinetics of the nitramine explosive CL-20 in soil and microbial cultures

The cyclic nitramine explosive CL-20 (C(6)H(6)N(12)O(12), 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12 -hexaazaisowurtzitane) is a relatively new energetic compound which could be a persistent organic pollutant. To follow its biodegradation dynamics, CL-20 was added to soil alone or together with organic co-substrates and N-source and incubated under oxic and anoxic conditions. Without co-substrates, the CL-20 degradation was detectable only under anoxic conditions. The highest degradation rate was found under aerobic conditions and with the addition of co-substrates, succinate and pyruvate being more efficient than acetate, glucose, starch or yeast extract. When added to intact soil, CL-20 degradation was not affected by the N content, but in soil serially diluted with N-free succinate-mineral medium, the process became N-limited. About 40% of randomly selected bacterial colonies grown on succinate agar medium were able to decompose CL-20. Based on 16S rDNA gene sequence and cell morphology, they were affiliated to Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus, Ochrobactrum, Mycobacterium and Ralstonia. In the pure culture of Pseudomonas sp. MS-P grown on the succinate-mineral N(+) medium, the degradation kinetics were first order with the same apparent kinetic constant throughout growth and decline phases of the batch culture. The observed kinetics agreed with the model that supposes co-metabolic transformation of CL-20 uncoupled from cell growth, which can be carried out by several constitutive cellular enzymes with wide substrate specificity.

Administration of a nonpeptidyl growth hormone secretagogue, L-163, 255, changes somatostatin pattern, but has no effect on patterns of growth hormone-releasing factor in the hypophyseal-portal circulation of the conscious pig

The activity of the growth hormone secretagog, L-163,255, on growth hormone (GH), growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF), and somatostatin (SRIF) levels was evaluated in a porcine model of hypophyseal portal blood (HPB) collection. Young, castrated pigs had HPB and jugular blood collected for approximately 300 min. The blood collection was divided into discrete periods: baseline (BL) approximately 180 min; GH response period (RSP) approximately 90 min; and positive control period following a GRF bolus, 30 min. RSP was divided into a dominant response period (DOM) and a tail (TL). The spontaneous relationship between HPB GRF and SRIF and peripheral GH during BL has been reported (Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 217:188-196, 1998). The apex of the GH pulse resulting from L-163,255 administration was nonrandomly associated (P < 0.05) with descending periods of SRIF troughs. Frequency and amplitude of GRF and SRIF pulses, and frequency and depth of SRIF troughs were not different between BL and the beginning of DOM (the 20-30 min of GH increase). GH AUC was significantly greater (P < 0.05) for DOM compared to BL and TL, and for TL compared to BL. GRF AUC tended to be greater (P < 0.1) for RSP compared to BL, but the majority of the increase was in the TL period. There were no significant differences in the SRIF AUCs between the sampling periods. Furthermore, in a separate experiment, fos activity (a marker of neuronal activation) in the hypothalamus of pigs was examined after either L-163,255 (1x or 4x), isotonic saline (control), or hypertonic saline (positive control) administration. There were no differences in fos activity in the GRF, SRIF, or CRH immunopositive neurons between L-163,255 treatment and control. The pituitaries of the L-163,255-treated pigs showed marked fos activation compared to the controls. In conclusion, L-163,255 in pigs has its primary effect at the level of the anterior pituitary.

Hypophyseal-portal concentrations of growth hormone-releasing factor and somatostatin in conscious pigs: relationship to production of spontaneous growth hormone pulses

A method of collecting hypophyseal portal blood (HPB) in conscious pigs was used to show the relationship between GRF and somatostatin (SRIF) concentration and peripheral GH response. Six male castrate pigs (approximately 63 kg body weight) had HPB and jugular blood collected individually for an average of 175 min each. Twenty-seven spontaneous GH pulses were detected in the 1050 min of total HPB collection. Of the associations examined, the only significant finding was that GH pulse maxima occurred nonrandomly within periods of SRIF descent (63%; P = 0.005). Although 48% (13/27) of GH pulse maxima were associated with an ascent in portal GRF concentration, these associations were not determined to be nonrandom (P = 0.14). Only 7 of 27 (26%) GH pulse maxima were associated with an ascent in portal GRF concentration and a descent in SRIF concentration occurring simultaneously. A saline infusion given approximately 120 min after beginning blood collection resulted in an increase in SRIF pulse frequency and a decrease in GH-AUC and GRF-AUC. The cause of this saline effect is unknown, but it may have been related to acclimation of the pigs to the blood collection procedure. These data show the complexity of the relationship between SRIF and GRF concentrations and GH secretion and may indicate a close relationship with SRIF in GH pulse generation in the pig. In addition, these data support the hypothesis that, in the pig, mediation of GH release cannot be explained simply by antagonism between GRF and SRIF.

Mediation by the central nervous system is critical to the in vivo activity of the GH secretagogue L-692,585

To investigate the effect of hypophyseal transection (HST) on GH secretagogue activity of the non-peptidyl GH secretagogue L-692,585 in the conscious pig, male castrated swine were randomly assigned to either a hypophyseal stalk transection group (HST; n = 3) or to a sham-operated control group (SOC; n = 3). Treatments administered were L-692,585 (100 micrograms/kg), human GH-releasing factor(1-29)NH2 (GRF; 20 micrograms/kg) or L-692,585 (100 micrograms/kg) + GRF (20 micrograms/kg) on days -7 to -3 before surgery and days +3 to +8 after surgery. To evaluate the integrity of the pituitary gland, the animals were challenged with corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH; 150 micrograms) or GnRH (150 ng/kg) both before and after surgery. Blood was collected from -60 to +180 min post treatment and assayed for GH, cortisol and LH. Before surgery, no significant difference (P > 0.05) in peak GH response (ng/ml) was present between the two groups (SOC vs HST) in response to L-692,585 (101 +/- 12 vs 71 +/- 9) or L-692,585 + GRF (171 +/- 21 vs 174 +/- 21). Only two out of three SOC vs three out of three HST pigs responded to GRF (13 +/- 2 vs 25 +/- 3) resulting in a significant difference between groups. Following surgery, significant differences were present in peak GH response (ng/ml) between SOC and HST groups following L-692,585 (79 +/- 6 vs 13.8 +/- 1.0); however, the response to L-692,585 + GRF was similar (115 +/- 8 vs 94 +/- 7). All animals responded to GRF; however, a significant difference was present between groups due to the magnitude of the responses. Whereas the cortisol responses (ng/ml) to L-692,585 in the SOC and HST groups were similar before surgery, a significant difference was present after surgery (44.4 +/- 6.4 vs 14.6 +/- 2.1). No significant difference was noted between the HST and SOC groups in response to CRH or GnRH either before or after surgery. These results indicated that L-692,585 induced an immediate GH response in the intact animal in contrast to GRF where the GH release was variable. L-692,585 also stimulated an immediate increase in cortisol levels. Transection of the hypophyseal stalk dramatically decreased but did not ablate the GH or cortisol response to L-692,585. Co-administration of L-692,585 + GRF induced an immediate GH response of similar magnitude in the intact and HST animal. We conclude that L-692,585 has a direct but limited action at the level of the pituitary and that an intact hypophyseal stalk is required for a maximal GH and cortisol response. L-692,585 acts with GRF at the level of the pituitary to induce a maximal GH response. These findings suggest that L-692,585 stimulates GH secretion by acting in combination with GRF and interrupting the inhibitory tone of somatostatin on the somatotroph.