Inhibitory effects of tetrandrine on human neutrophil and monocyte adherence

Tetrandrine is a plant alkaloid useful in the treatment of silicosis. Its mode of action is unknown, but results of the present study show dose-dependent inhibition of human neutrophil and monocyte adherence at concentrations (0.1-10 micrograms/ml) easily achieved in plasma during drug therapy. Monocytes were shown to be more sensitive to tetrandrine than neutrophils. Dye-exclusion experiments indicate that tetrandrine is non-toxic to these cells at 10 micrograms/ml concentrations. Suppression of adherence was reversible by washing, suggesting that the drug does not bind tightly to membrane components. Enhancement of adherence by the tumour promoter, phorbol myristate acetate, was abolished by tetrandrine. The uptake of deoxyglucose by neutrophils and monocytes was suppressed by tetrandrine. These results indicate that tetrandrine may act by interfering with the recruitment of these cells into silicotic lesions.

Effects of cyclosporin A on the production of experimental anti-erythrocyte autoantibodies in mice

Mice were treated with cyclosporin A (CsA) (25-100 mg/kg daily, by mouth) during the induction of autoantibodies to erythrocytes by means of injections of rat erythrocytes. A high dose of CsA inhibited autoantibody production whereas a low dose temporarily potentiated it. Cell transfer and anti-Thy 1.2 treatment indicated the presence of suppressor T cells in the spleens of immunized mice. Their formation was inhibited by treatment with high dose CsA and potentiated by low dose CsA. In the CBA/H mice used, CsA treatment after immunization had no effect on autoantibody titres.

Acetylspiramycin and the immune system--II. Effects on lymphocyte proliferation, lymphokine production, delayed-type hypersensitivity and antibody production

The effects of the antibiotic acetylspiramycin (ASPM) on lymphocyte function were studied in vitro and in vivo. When added to lymphocyte cultures in vitro, ASPM inhibited splenic lymphocyte transformation induced by phytohemagglutinin (PHA), lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and antigen. It also depressed production by spleen cells of the lymphokine inducing procoagulant activity in mouse macrophages. Spleen cells from mice given ASPM orally showed enhanced responses to PHA, but normal responses to LPS. The capacity to produce lymphokine was increased early after oral ASPM and slightly decreased after prolonged administration. Oral ASPM had no effect on the production of antibodies and a very slight enhancing effect on the development of delayed-type hypersensitivity to sheep red blood cells.

The use of scrotal septal neurovascular pedicle island skin flap in one-stage repair of hypospadias

A scrotal septum neurovascular pedicle skin flap was successfully used in one-stage repair of hypospadias in 30 patients with encouraging results. The hairless median scrotal skin flap, with the scrotal septum attached, rich in neurovascular plexus and with the flap tip continuous with the external urethral orifice, is ideal material for creating a new penile urethra without interference to its blood supply. Operative technique and clinical analysis are detailed.

Chemical transformation of eremofortin C into PR toxin

The natural products of both eremofortin C (EC) and PR toxin are secondary metabolites of Penicillium roqueforti. Because the chemical structures of EC and PR toxin are closely related to each other and differ only by a hydroxyl functional group in EC and an aldehyde functional group in PR toxin at the C-12 position, the chemical transformation of EC into PR toxin was investigated. Oxidation with a chromic anhydride-pyridine complex was found to be the most satisfactory method.

X-ray photoelectron spectra study on the derivatives of N-beta-phenethyl amine and N-beta-phenethyl glycine

The X-ray photoelectron spectra of sixteen derivatives of N-beta-phenethyl amine and N-beta-phenethyl glycine have been studied. The effect of different structures on N1s binding energy and that of their Pauling's atomic charge density on the nitrogen atoms are investigated. The experimental binding energy of N1s is proportional to the calculated Pauling's atomic charge density. It shows that the phosphoryl group is the strongest nitrogen lone pair electron localizing group as compared with the corresponding sulfonyl and acyl derivatives. The XPS results agree with the data that there is no decarbonylation during the synthesis of N-dialkylphosphoryl-tetrahydro-3-benzazepin-1-one. In addition, since the N1s in P-N bond is smaller than that in S-N and C-N bonds, the phosphoryl group can be removed under much milder conditions. These results provide a semi-empirical evidence for the synthesis of the skeleton of the cephalotaxine. It also differentiates the reaction paths for these three different amino protecting groups.

Acetylspiramycin and the immune system. I. Effects of acetylspiramycin on phagocytosis by mouse macrophages in vitro and in vivo

A study was made of the effect of acetylspiramycin (ASPM) on the phagocytic activity of mouse macrophages in vitro and in vivo, using opsonized, 51Cr-labelled sheep red blood cells (SRBC) as test particles. Resident mouse peritoneal macrophages cultured with ASPM (25-100 micrograms/ml for 18 h) showed a 62-92% reduction in phagocytosis. This was due to decreases in both attachment and ingestion of SRBC and was additional to the detachment of some macrophages from the surface of the culture chamber. Morphologically the macrophages were vacuolated, with some nuclear condensation. When the cells were cultured for a further 48 h after removal of ASPM there was almost complete functional and morphological recovery. When mice were treated with ASPM (50-100 mg/kg orally for 7 days) their peritoneal macrophages showed increases of 57-121% in phagocytic activity in vitro. In mice treated with ASPM (200 mg/kg orally for 7-21 days) the clearance of i.v. injected opsonized SRBC was significantly accelerated. Thus, although ASPM is reversibly toxic to macrophages in vitro, it is not toxic in vivo, but actually stimulates the mononuclear phagocyte system. It is possible that metabolites of ASPM, such as neospiramycin, produced in vivo but not in vitro, are responsible for the stimulation.

Effect of 24 antimicrobial drugs on polymorphonuclear leukocyte adherence

The effects of 24 antimicrobial agents on the adherence of human neutrophils to nylon fibre microcolumns were studied. Neutrophil adherence was found to be remarkably resistant to antimicrobial agents. No effect was observed with penicillin G, nafcillin, cephalothin, vancomycin, bacitracin, tetracycline, minocycline, doxycycline, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, lincomycin, neomycin, streptomycin, acetylspiramycin, 5-fluorocytosine, sulfisoxazole, tinidazole and primaquine. Only 2 enhanced adherence - oxytetracycline and rifampicin - and only 4 suppressed adherence - colistin, polymyxin B, quinine, chloroquine - and then only at high concentrations.

Synergistic activation of rat hepatocyte glycogen phosphorylase by A23187 and phorbol ester

The combination of 1.6 microM 4 beta phorbol, 12 beta myristate, 13 alpha acetate (PMA) and 1 microM A23187 produced a five-fold greater stimulation of rat hepatocyte glycogen phosphorylase activity than was seen with PMA alone. Vasopressin activation of glycogen phosphorylase was comparable to that seen with PMA plus A23187. Glycogen phosphorylase activity due to PMA plus A23187 was increased significantly after 30 sec, maximal at 120 and sustained at elevated levels for 240 sec. In contrast, activation due to vasopressin was maximal at 30 sec followed by a decrease. The addition of PMA 5 min prior to the A23187 abolished the synergism between these two agents. These data are compatible with the hypothesis that diacylglycerol and Ca2+ synergistically increase glycogen phosphorylase activity in rat hepatocytes.

Double balanced de novo translocations involving chromosomes 4/15 and 5/12 in a mentally retarded boy

This report describes a compound structural rearrangement containing two apparently unrelated reciprocal translocations, one between chromosomes 4 and 15, the other between 5 and 12. It is suggested that the patient's mental retardation and osteosclerosis may be the result of the loss of a small amount of chromosomal material and/or position effect accompanying these translocations.

Direct stimulation of phosphatidylinositol degradation by addition of vasopressin to purified rat liver plasma membranes

Rat liver plasma membranes were incubated in Ca2+-free buffer plus 0.5 mM ethyleneglycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) containing 0.5 mg/ml deoxycholate or 50 mU/ml vasopressin or both compounds. The membrane phospholipids were extracted, separated by two-dimensional chromatography and quantitated by phosphorus analysis. Vasopressin significantly enhanced degradation of phosphatidylinositol in the presence of deoxycholate (21% with deoxycholate alone versus 32% in the presence of vasopressin plus deoxycholate). However, no significant effects of deoxycholate or vasopressin were seen on the degradation of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine or phosphatidylserine. These results indicate that specific degradation of phosphatidylinositol can be seen after direct addition of vasopressin to a plasma membrane preparation.