Cyclic nucleotide activity in gastrointestinal tissues and fluids

Safety and immunogenicity in humans of an attenuated Salmonella typhi vaccine vector strain expressing plasmid-encoded hepatitis B antigens stabilized by the Asd-balanced lethal vector system

Attenuated Salmonella typhi organisms which express genes encoding protective antigens of other pathogens have been developed for use as experimental oral vaccines. A delta asd S. typhi strain attenuated by deletions in cya, crp, and cdt which contains hepatitis B core (HBc) and pre-S genes encoded on an Asd+ pBR-based plasmid vector was constructed. Healthy adult volunteers ingested a single dose of 5 x 10(5) to 5 x 10(8) CFU of strain chi4073 (delta cya delta crp delta cdt S. typhi Ty2), 6 x 10(7) or 1 x 10(9) CFU of strain chi4632(pYA3149), a further derivative of chi4073 deleted in asd and containing the Asd+ vector without the HBc-pre-S fusion, or 3 x 10(7) or 7 x 10(8) CFU of strain X4632(pYA3167), a derivative containing the vector with the HBc-pre-S fusion. Chi4073 was generally well tolerated by 22 volunteers. No volunteer had fever or positive blood cultures; 4 of 22 volunteers shed vaccine organisms in the stool in the first 48 h only. Two of 18 volunteers who received one of the plasmid-containing derivatives of chi4073 developed low-grade fevers on day 10 or 12 after ingestion. One of these volunteers had positive blood cultures on days 7 and 8. Seven of these 18 volunteers had vaccine organisms detected in their stools in the first 48 h only. Most volunteers developed S. typhi-specific serum responses and developed S. typhi-specific antibody-secreting cells. However, no volunteer developed serum antibody to hepatitis pre-S or pre-S-specific antibody-secreting cells. Although the parent strain chi4073 was well tolerated, induced immunoglobulin G seroconversion to S. typhi lipopolysaccharide in 80 to 100% of vaccinees and stimulated specific IgA-secreting lymphocytes in 80 to 100% of vaccinees given a single oral dose of 2 x 10(7) and 5 x 10(8) CFU, chi4073 derivatives containing the Asd+ vector with and without sequences encoding the HBc-pre-S fusion caused occasional febrile reactions at high doses and did not stimulate detectable immune responses to hepatitis B antigens.

Aspirin potentiates prestimulated acid secretion and mobilizes intracellular calcium in rabbit parietal cells

The effects of aspirin on gastric acid secretion were studied in isolated rabbit parietal cells (PC). Aspirin (10(-5) M) potentiated histamine-, dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP)-, forskolin- and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine-stimulated acid secretion without affecting basal acid secretion. Augmentation of secretagogue-stimulated acid secretion by aspirin was dependent on calcium (Ca2+) since potentiation was blocked by removal of extracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]o) or addition of the calcium antagonist lanthanum chloride. Using the Ca2+ probe fura-2, aspirin (10(-6) - 2 X 10(-5) M) rapidly increased intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in a dose-dependent manner. The source of released Ca2+ was intracellular as demonstrated by depletion of intracellular Ca2+ and [Ca2+]o with EGTA washing. Aspirin did not affect several other signal transduction sites involved in stimulus-secretion coupling, including the H2 receptor, intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP), inositol 1,4,5, triphosphate (IP3) and H+,K(+)-ATPase. Aspirin decreased PC prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) content by 98%. Exogenous dimethyl PGE2 (dmPGE2) inhibited both histamine-stimulated acid secretion and its enhancement by aspirin. In contrast, dmPGE2 abolished aspirin-induced potentiation of dbcAMP-stimulated acid secretion by augmenting the dbcAMP-stimulated response. These results indicate that aspirin acts at a site beyond the adenylate cyclase/cAMP system and before the proton pump, presumably by releasing Ca2+ from an IP3-independent intracellular storage pool and by inhibiting PGE2 generation.

Cyclic AMP and gastric secretion in man. An in vivo study in healthy volunteers, duodenal ulcer patients, and pernicious anaemia patients

The metabolism of cyclic AMP and HCl secretion has been studied in eight healthy volunteers, in eight duodenal ulcer (DU) patients, and in four pernicious anaemia patients. Pentagastrin showed a tendency to increase adenylate cyclase and cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activities in the fundal mucosa and caused a significant increase in cyclic AMP output into the gastric juice in healthy volunteers and in DU patients. Cimetidine inhibited all these events but had no effect on basal cyclic AMP output. Vagotomy significantly inhibited basal cyclic AMP output. We conclude that cyclic AMP is involved both in basal and in pentagastrin-stimulated gastric secretion in man. Basal secretion is mainly controlled by vagal tone. The main pathway for this stimulus at the parietal cell may be via other than H2-receptors, probably through acetylcholinergic receptors. However, a significant part of the pentagastrin stimulation of the human parietal cell is via H2-receptors.

Salmonella typhimurium deletion mutants lacking adenylate cyclase and cyclic AMP receptor protein are avirulent and immunogenic

Salmonella typhimurium SR-11 mutants with cya::Tn10 or crp::Tn10 mutations were found to be avirulent and immunogenic for BALB/c mice. Fusaric acid-resistant derivatives with deletions of the Tn10 and adjacent DNA sequences were constructed in S. typhimurium SR-11 strains with or without the virulence plasmid pStSR100. These delta cya delta crp strains grew more slowly than wild-type strains. They possessed wild-type ability to attach to, invade, and persist in gut-associated lymphoid tissue for up to a week but exhibited a diminished ability to reach mesenteric lymph nodes and the spleen. Mice 4 to 8 weeks old were resistant to oral infection with 10(9) cells of several different delta cya and delta cya delta crp strains (the equivalent to 10(4) 50% lethal doses of wild-type S. typhimurium SR-11) and 30 days after immunization became resistant to oral challenge with 10(3) to 10(4) 50% lethal doses of wild-type S. typhimurium SR-11.

Inhibition of growth of Rhizobium japonicum by cyclic GMP

Exogenous cyclic guanosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) inhibited the growth of Rhizobium japonicum at less than 100 microM. Other nucleotides, including cyclic AMP, cyclic IMP, and cyclic CMP, had no inhibitory effect even at higher concentrations nor was the inhibition by cGMP reversed by cyclic AMP. The inhibitory effect was independent of the carbon and nitrogen source(s) used. cGMP did not inhibit the growth of any other species of bacterium tested, including several fast-growing Rhizobium species. The kinetics of growth inhibition are multiphasic, with no apparent effect for several hours after addition, followed by a period of total inhibition. Subsequently, growth resumed at a slower rate. Resumption of growth was not due to destruction of the nucleotide. Studies of the intracellular cGMP concentration did not reveal significant changes in cells grown under aerobic or microaerobic conditions. No effect of cGMP on the derepression of respiratory nitrate reductase was observed.

Indomethacin enhances histamine-stimulated acid production in rabbit isolated fundic glands

The effects of 10(-4)M indomethacin on tissue prostaglandin E2 levels, cyclic AMP concentrations, and acid secretion as measured by the intraglandular accumulation of [14C]aminopyrine were evaluated in unstimulated and histamine-stimulated isolated rabbit fundic glands. Indomethacin (10(-4)M) reduced endogenous prostaglandin E2 content by 52% in unstimulated glands. Indomethacin tripled histamine (10(-6)-10(-4)M-stimulated aminopyrine uptake while not affecting aminopyrine accumulation in unstimulated glands. Indomethacin did not affect cyclic AMP levels in either the unstimulated or stimulated condition.

Cyclic nucleotide concentrations in tissue and perfusate of isolated rat lung

Cyclic nucleotide content of lung tissue is altered by anesthesia, ventilatory pattern, and pharmacologic manipulation (e.g., isoproterenol). In addition the lung releases cyclic nucleotides into its circulation, but little is known about factors that might alter this release. We isolated and perfused rat lungs (IPL) to determine: 1) if cyclic nucleotides are released into the perfusate in the control state; and 2) if their release changes after alteration of the ventilatory pattern or the addition of isoproterenol. We demonstrated that the rat IPL releases both cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) into the perfusate. Isoproterenol has no effect on cGMP release but increases cAMP release dramatically. Perfusate cAMP is not affected by ventilatory pattern, but perfusate cGMP is higher during high-pressure ventilation than it is in nonventilated or normally ventilated lungs.

Glucagon carboxyl-terminal derivatives: preparation, purification, and characterization

Chemical and enzymatic methods have been used to prepare the following series of seven glucagon derivatives modified in the carboxyl-terminal region important for hormone-receptor binding: [des-Asn28,Thr29](homoserine lactone27)glucagon, [des-Asn28,Thr29](homoserine27)glucagon, (S-methyl-Met27)glucagon, [des-Thr29](S-methyl-Met27)-glucagon, [des-Thr29]glucagon,[des-Asn28,Thr29](S-methyl-Met27)glucagon, and [des-Asn28,Thr29]glucagon. The derivatives were isolated in high yield, extensively purified, and chemically characterized. All were found to be full agonists of native glucagon. Binding affinity was evaluated by displacement of mono[125I]iodoglucagon prepared by new methods. Binding and biological activities closely correlated, indicating that most modifications affected the relative binding affinity and relative biological potency of glucagon to a comparable extent. Circular dichroism measured in dilute acid solution resembled that of native glucagon except for [des-Asn28,Thr29]glucagon which displayed increased alpha helicity (25%). All derivatives formed helical structures in 2-chloro-ethanol, although the amount of helicity induced was not closely correlated with biological activity. Binding and biological activities were not affected by removal of Thr-29, though both were reduced 20-fold when Asn-28 was also removed, irrespective of whether homoserine or native methionine remained at the carboxyl terminus. Lactone formation was associated with a further 5-fold reduction in binding affinity but not in activity. Methylation of Met-27 had essentially the same effect as removing the two carboxyl-terminal residues, although the combined effect of both modifications was greater than 100-fold reduction in binding and activity. These findings provide additional insight concerning glucagon structure-function relationships.

Failure of prostaglandins E1 and E2 to alter canine gastric mucosal cyclic nucleotides

The action of prostaglandins and indomethacin on gastric mucosal cyclic nucleotide concentrations was evaluated in 18 anesthetized mongrel dogs. Prostaglandins E1 (PGE1) and E2 (PGE2) (25 microgram/kg bolus, then 2 micrograms/kg/min) were administered both intravenously (4 experiments; femoral vein) and directly into the gastric mucosal circulation (10 experiments; superior mesenteric artery). The possible synergistic effect of pre-treatment and continuous arterial infusion of indomethacin (5 mg/kg bolus for 5 min, then 5 mg/min), a prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor, with PGE2 was studied in 4 experiments. Antral and fundic mucosa were biopsied and measured by radioimmunoassay for cyclic nucleotides. Doses of PGE1 and PGE2 which inhibited histamine-stimulated canine gastric acid secretion did not significantly alter antral or fundic mucosal cyclic nucleotide concentrations. Concomitant infusion of PGE2 with indomethacin did not potentiate the mucosal nucleotide response compared to PGE2 alone. These studies fail to implicate cyclic nucleotides as mediators of the inhibitory acid response response induced by PGE1 or PGE2 in intact dog stomach.

Studies on the source of cyclic AMP in canine gastric juice

The possibility that cyclic AMP in gastric juice is derived from plasma by simple clearance was evaluated. The effect of exogenous cyclic AMP administration (1 mg/min) on radioimmunoassayable cyclic AMP in plasma and gastric juice was studied in dog stomach during histamine (8--16 micrograms/kg/hr) infusion. Experiments were performed in vagally denervated fundic (Heidenhain) and in innervated gastric pouches. During infusion of cyclic AMP with histamine, plasma cyclic AMP concentration rapidly increased 500-fold. Simultaneously, gastric juice cyclic AMP levels decreased almost 50%. In contrast, dibutyryl cyclic AMP infusion increased gastric juice cAMP concentration 5-fold, suggesting that the gastric mucosa is more permeable to dibutyryl cyclic AMP. In Heidenhain pouch experiments the clearance of dibutyryl cyclic AMP into gastric juice was only 1.5% of the clearance of aminopyrine. It appears that plasma clearance of cyclic AMP fails to account for most of the cyclic AMP present in gastric juice.