Cytotoxicity of ribo-and arabinoside boron nucleosides in tissue culture cells

Ribose and arabinoside boron nucleoside derivatives were shown to be potent cytotoxic agents in murine and human suspended and solid tumor cell lines. The arabinoside derivative inhibited DNA and RNA synthesis with the protein synthesis requiring a higher concentration of drug for inhibition within 60 min. The purine pathway appeared to be the major target of the arabinoside 1 with inhibition of PRPP amido transferase and IMP dehydrogenase activities. Blockage of this pathway afforded reductions of deoxyadenosine and deoxyguanosine nucleotide pools. The DNA template did not appear to be target of the arabinoside 1, in that there was no change in DNA viscosity, thermal denaturation or absorption of nucleosides of DNA. However, compound 1 when incubated with L-1210 cells for 24 hr. showed a slight shift of the DNA in the gradient and moderate inhibition of ct-DNA topoisomerase II was demonstrated by 1 in vitro.

Effects of intracervical injection of hyaluronidase in primigravidae during labour

A study was conducted on 75 primigravidae in labour of which 50 were injected with intracervical injection of hyaluronidase and 25 were taken as control. Labour could be accelerated and shortened by an average of 1.95 hours (p < .01) after intracervical injection of hyaluronidase. Its effect was insignificant on the latent phase of labour while it significantly shortened the active phase of labour by 2.09 hours (p < .001). Its effect on maximum rate of cervical dilatation (0.85 cm/hour) was also found to be statistically significant ie, p < .001. Hyaluronidase had no effect on uterine contractions, duration of 2nd and 3rd stages of labour and on involution of the uterus. There was no incidence of cervical tear in any of the cases.

Radioprotection of chick thymus by vitamin E

One day and 7 days old male white leghorn chicks were administered vitamin E prior to their exposure to sublethal dose (2.25 Gy) of gamma radiation from 60C source. The results show that vitamin E helps in faster recovery of damage in chick thymus caused by irradiation.

Ascitic fluid cholesterol in differential diagnosis of ascites

Cholesterol was estimated in ascitic fluid of 89 patients (29 malignant and 60 non-malignant ascites). Mean ascitic cholesterol level was significantly higher in malignant ascites (89.52 mg/dl) as compared to non-malignant ascites (29.93 mg/dl). At a cut off value of 48 mg/dl, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value and overall diagnostic accuracy for diagnosing malignant ascites is 96.5%, 96.6%, 93.3%, 98.3% and 96.6% respectively. Ascitic fluid cholesterol estimation is an easy and reliable test for differentiating malignant ascites from non-malignant ascites.

Loss of electrolytes during repair and regeneration of skeletal muscle

Changes in the specific conductivity and electrolytes have been studied in the leachates from normal and minced autografted chick gastrocnemii with special reference to the loss of Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and PO(4)3- ions. The study has revealed age related modifications in the muscle membranes as well as the presence of some intrinsic regulatory mechanisms which get stimulated under the induced-stress condition. Higher ionic efflux in the regenerating muscle indicates that the anatomical regeneration does not correspond to functional regeneration of muscle membranes.

Hypolipidemic activity of boronated nucleosides and nucleotides in rodents

Base-boronated nucleoside and phosphate-boronated nucleotides were potent hypolipidemic agents in rodents, lowering both serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Rat VLDL and LDL cholesterol levels were generally reduced and HDL cholesterol levels were significantly elevated after 14 days dosing at 8 mg/kg/day. Tissue cholesterol, triglyceride and phospholipid levels were reduced by selected derivatives. Increased fecal excretion of lipids did not appear to be a mechanism by which these derivatives lowered serum lipids in rodents. Rather, the agents suppressed appetite and reduced the activities of rate-limiting enzymes for de novo lipid synthesis, specifically cytoplasmic acetyl CoA synthetase, squalene synthetase, and phosphatidylate phosphohydrolase with IC50 values of approximately 10(-5) m.

The synthesis and anti-neoplastic activity of N2-isobutyryl-2'-deoxyguanosine-N7-cyanoborane derivatives

N2-Isobutyryl-2'-deoxyguanosine-N7-cyanoborane derivatives were observed to be potent antineoplastic agents and to be active against a number of human tissue culture tumor cells, e.g. Tmolt3 leukemia, HeLa-S3 uterine carcinoma. Selective agents were active against colon adenocarcinoma, osteosarcoma and glioma growth. These agents preferentially inhibited both DNA and RNA synthesis of L1210 cells. De novo synthesis of purines was significantly inhibited at the regulatory sites of PRPP amido transferase and IMP dehydrogenase. Other sites of inhibition were thymidylate synthetase, OMP decarboxylase and thymidine kinases. The agents also significantly reduced deoxyribonucleotide levels and caused DNA strand scission.

Antineoplastic activity of boron-containing thymidine nucleosides in Tmolt3 leukemic cells

The sugar boronated thymidine nucleoside, 5' -0-[(triphenylphosphine-boryl) carbonyl]-3'-0-acetyl thymidine 1, and the boron-modified nucleoside phosphotriester, 5'-(diethylphosphite- cyanoborane)-3'-acetylthymidine 2, were successfully synthesized. Both compounds demonstrated differential activity when tested against eight cell lines, with significant cytotoxic activity against the growth of human Tmolt3 leukemia, colon adenocarcinoma, HeLa S3 uterine carcinoma, and osteosarcoma cells. In in vivo studies these agents were found to be active against the growth of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma at 8 mg/kg/day I.P. and to be marginally active against the growth of L1210 and Lewis lung cancers in mice. The mode of action of these thymidine derivatives in Tmolt3 cells was the inhibition of DNA and protein synthesis. Compound 2 was highly effective in inhibiting DNA polymerase alpha and m-RNA, r-RNA and t-RNA polymerase activities. Both compounds inhibited ribonucleoside reductase activity. The de novo purine pathway appeared to be the major site of inhibition of the agents, with IMP dehydrogenase, PRPP amido transferase, and dihydrofolate reductase activities being significantly inhibited. In the pyrimidine pathway, carbamyl phosphate synthetase and aspartate transcarbamylase activities were inhibited by 1. As expected, d[NTP] levels were significantly reduced by treatment with the agents. DNA strand scission was evident after incubating Tmolt3 cells for 24 hr with the agents.

Synthesis, cytotoxicity, hypolipidemic and anti-inflammatory activities of amine-boranes and esters of boron analogues of choline and thiocholine

Boron analogues of carbamoylcholine and thiocholine and esters of these analogues were prepared. These compounds were fairly stable toward hydrolysis and demonstrated moderate anti-inflammatory and hypolipidemic activities in mice. The hypolipidemic activity of the compounds at a dose of 8 mg/kg/day was equivalent in reducing lipid levels in serum to those of clofibrate at 150 mg/kg/day and lovastatin at 8 mg/kg/day. The compounds demonstrated significant cytotoxic activity against the growth of murine and human tumor cells; all were active against the growth of human HeLa-S3 uterine suspended cells, and some were active against murine L1210 lymphoid leukemia, human Tmolt3 leukemia cells, colorectal adenocarcinoma, KB nasopharynx, osteosarcoma, and glioma. These studies demonstrated that antimetabolite analogues of acetylcholine exhibit the same types of pharmacological activity as other boron-substituted betaine and amino acids. Furthermore, a strong positive correlation exists between hypolipidemic activity and cytotoxicity for these new choline derivatives, as has previously been demonstrated for other boron-containing amino acids, amides, esters, and peptides.

Hypolipidaemic activity in rodents of boron analogs of phosphonoacetates and cyanoborane adducts of dialkyl aminomethylphosphonates

Boron analogues of phosphonoacetates proved to be potent hypolipidaemic agents in rodents, lowering both serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels. (C2H5O)3PBH2COOCH3 proved to be the most effective agent in mice, lowering serum cholesterol 46% and serum triglycerides 54% after 16 days. (C2H5O)3PBH2COOH and Na+H+(C2H5O)2(-O)PBH2COO- caused greater than a 40% reduction in lipids. The cyanoborane adducts of aminomethylphosphonates were generally less effective; (C6H5O)2P(O)CH2NH2BH2CN was the most effective, lowering serum cholesterol 32% and serum triglycerides 43% after 16 days. The phosphonoacetates appeared to lower lipid concentrations by several mechanisms. First, they lowered the de novo synthesis of cholesterol and triglycerides in the liver. Second, they accelerated the excretion of lipids into the bile and faeces. Thirdly, they modulated LDL and HDL-cholesterol contents in a manner which suggests they reduced the deposition of lipids in peripheral tissues, and accelerated the movement of cholesterol from tissues (e.g. plaques) to the liver for excretion into the bile.

The synthesis and antineoplastic activity of 2'-deoxy-nucleoside-cyanoboranes in murine and human culture cells

The guanine, inosine, adenine and cytidine deoxyriboside cyanoboranes proved to be cytotoxic and possess in vivo antineoplastic activity against murine and human single cells and cultured cells derived from solid tumor lines. The agents preferentially inhibited DNA synthesis in Tmolt3 leukemic cells. The enzyme sites of drug inhibition of two active derivatives were DNA polymerase-alpha and de novo purine synthesis at the regulatory sites, PRPP amido transferase and IMP dehydrogenase. Moderate inhibition by the agents of TDP kinase and ribonucleoside reductase activities also occurred. Kinetic studies showed that IMP dehydrogenase activity was inhibited the earliest of all of the enzymes affected by the drugs. The d(ATP) pools were also reduced by drug treatment. DNA strand scission was evident after 24 hr incubation at 100 microM of drug. The 14C-cytidine-cyanoborane drug was rapidly taken up over 6 hr and most effective uptake was shown by rapidly dividing cells. The drug was bound to DNA, RNA and protein in Tmolt3 leukemic cells.

Synthesis and antineoplastic activity of some cyano-, carboxy-, carbomethoxy-, and carbamoylborane adducts of heterocyclic amines

Boron analogues of piperidine, piperazine, morpholine, and imidazole proved to be cytotoxic against the growth of murine and human tissue culture cells. Significant activity was demonstrated for single-cell suspensions of L1210 lymphoid leukemia, Tmolt3 lymphoblastic leukemia, and HeLa-S3 cervical carcinoma. Trimethylamine-imidazole carbonyldihydroborane 17 demonstrated activity against solid tumor growth of human colorectal adenocarcinoma, KB nasopharynx, and osteosarcoma. In addition, 4-methylpiperidine-carbomethoxyborane 12, 2-methylimidazole-3-cyanoborane 16, and 1-methylimidazole-3-(N-ethylcarbamoyl)borane 19 were active against the KB nasopharynx growth. Piperidine-cyanoborane 2, piperidine-carboxyborane 4, and 1-methylimidazole-3-(N-ethylcarbamoyl)borane 19 were effective in reducing the growth of osteosarcoma cells. The imidazole derivatives 13-19, as well as 4-methylpiperidine-carboxyborane 11 and carbomethoxyborane 12, demonstrated good activity against lung bronchogenic and glioma growth. In the in vivo studies, N-methylmorpholine-carboxyborane 7,4-phenylpiperidine-carboxyborane 9, 4-phenylpiperidine-carbomethoxyborane 10, 4-methylpiperidine-carboxyborane 11, imidazole cyanoborane 14, and 1-methylimidazole-3-carbomethoxyborane 18 demonstrated the best activity against Lewis Lung growth and P388 lymphocytic leukemia growth in mice. Mode of action studies in L1210 leukemia cells demonstrated that piperidine-carboxyborane 4 and N-methylmorpholine-carboxyborane 7 inhibited DNA synthesis, purine synthesis at PRPP amido transferase and IMP dehydrogenase sites, and thymidine kinase and thymidine diphosphate kinase activities, while lowering d(NTP) pool levels. Also, DNA strand scission was evident after incubation with these drugs.

POEMS syndrome

A patient with peripheral polyneuropathy, hepatosplenomegaly, osteosclerotic myeloma in the ilium, hyperpigmentation and hypertrichosis is described. A diagnosis of POEMS syndrome was made. This is the first report of this syndrome from India.

The cytotoxicity of amine-cyanoboranes, amine-cyanoalkylboranes and aminomethyl-phosphonate cyanoborane adducts against the growth of murine and human tissue culture cells

The amine-cyanoboranes, the amine-cyanoalkylboranes and the aminomethyl-phosphonate-N-cyanoborane adducts proved to be active antineoplastic agents. These compounds were more effective against single cell cultured cell growth rather than solid tumors. The following amine-cyanoboranes, (CH3)2(C18H37)NBH2CN (5), (CH3)2NHBH[CH(CH3)2]CN (7) and (CH3)3NB(CN)2.CH3 (10), were the most active in vivo and in vitro. A related phosphine-cyanoborane was also very active in both in vivo and in vitro model screens. Of the amino-methyl-phosphonate-N-cyanoborane adducts, (CH3O)2.P(O)CH2N(C2H5)2BH2CN (13) proved to be the most active. The amine-cyanoalkylboranes had the poorest in vivo activity; the in vitro cytotoxicity, however, was similar to that of other cyanoboranes.

DNA interaction with metal complexes and salts of substituted boranes and hydroborates in murine and human tumor cell lines

A series of metal complexes and sodium salts of substituted boranes and hydroborates was shown to have cytotoxicity in murine and human tumor screens. Most of these agents were active against the growth of L-1210, Tmolt3 and Hela-S3. Selected agents demonstrated activity against the growth of monolayer human cell lines derived from solid tumors. Interestingly, many of the compounds demonstrated even lower ED50 values in the solid tumor than the L-1210 leukemic screen. Four compounds, Cu2(m-CH3)3NBH2CO2)4.2(CH3)NBH2COOH (I), [Fe3O((CH3)3NBH2CO2)6(CH3OH)3]NO3.CH3CN (II), cis-[Co(en)2((CH3)3N.BH2CO2)2]Cl.2.5 H2O.0.5 CH3OH (V), and Na(CH3)3NBH2CO2.0.25 CH3OH (IX) were shown preferentially to inhibit DNA synthesis of L-1210 cells with only moderate inhibition of RNA and protein synthesis. In preliminary studies these agents effectively inhibited the activities of regulatory enzymes involved in the purine pathway and nucleoside kinases resulting in the suppression of d(NTP) pool levels. The boron derivatives also caused L-1210 DNA strand scission. These drugs may act together to inhibit DNA synthesis and induce cytotoxicity.

Synthesis and hypolipidemic activity of amine-carboxyboranes, and their amides and esters in rodents

A series of amine carboxyboranes including their amides and esters were synthesized and shown to have potent hypolipidemic activity in rodents at 20 mg/kg/day. Ethylamine carboxyborane, di-n-propylamine-carboxyborane, trimethylamine-carbomethoxyborane, n-butylamine carbomethoxyborane, methylamine-N-ethyl carbamoylborane and trimethylamine-N-n-octyl carbamoylborane were the most potent derivatives demonstrating hypocholesterolemic and hypotriglycemic activities in rats orally at 20 mg/kg/day. These derivatives lowered tissue lipids, e.g. cholesterol, in the rat liver, small intestine and aorta. The fecal lipids were elevated. Furthermore, the agents lowered cholesterol and triglycerides in the serum VLDL and LDL fractions but caused elevations in the HDL fraction after 14 days. The agents inhibited hepatic enzymatic activities of rate limiting steps involved in lipid metabolism, e.g. ATP dependent citrate lyase, sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase and phosphatidylate phosphohydrolase.

Assessment and diagnosis of mental illness in persons with mental retardation. Methods and measures

The assessment and diagnosis of psychiatric disorders in individuals with mental retardation has been a neglected area of research. However, current research indicates that these individuals suffer from the same range of psychiatric disorders that is evident in those who are not mentally retarded. A model of assessment and diagnosis of mental illness in this population is presented that incorporates psychiatric as well as behavioral methods. The emphasis is on the comprehensive assessment of an individual's behavior, based on family history, self and informant clinical interviews, rating scales, direct observations, and an experimental analysis of the target behaviors. The model provides the basis for making differential diagnoses in terms of related psychiatric disorders and between psychiatric disorders and behavior problems. Depression and schizophrenia are used as illustrative disorders to describe the application of this model. Given the paucity of literature on the assessment and diagnosis of mental illness in individuals with mental retardation, a number of suggestions are made regarding future research and refinement of the model.

Colonoscopic fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of ileocecal tuberculosis

Two cases of ileocecal tuberculosis are presented. The diagnosis was achieved by endoscopic fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), while endoscopic biopsies and brush cytology were negative. The usefulness of endoscopic FNAC in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal tract tuberculosis is highlighted.

The hypolipidemic activity of heterocyclic amine boranes in rodents

Heterocyclic amine boranes were observed to be potent hypolipidemic agents in rodents at 8 mg/kg per day lowering both serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels. These agents were also effective in lowering tissue lipids. Rat serum lipoprotein cholesterol levels were reduced in the low density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) fractions and elevated in the high density lipoprotein (HDL) fraction after 14 days. The modes of action of the agents appear to accelerate excretion of lipids in the bile and the suppression of the activities of key hepatic regulatory enzymes of lipids synthesis.