A hybrid multibreath wash-in wash-out lung function quantification scheme in human subjects using hyperpolarized 3 He MRI for simultaneous assessment of specific ventilation, alveolar oxygen tension, oxygen uptake, and air trapping.

PURPOSE: To present a method for simultaneous acquisition of alveolar oxygen tension (PA O2 ), specific ventilation (SV), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of hyperpolarized (HP) gas in the human lung, allowing reinterpretation of the PA O2 and SV maps to produce a map of oxygen uptake (R). METHOD: An imaging scheme was designed with a series of identical normoxic HP gas wash-in breaths to measure ADC, SV, PA O2 , and R in less than 2 min. Signal dynamics were fit to an iterative recursive model that regionally solved for these parameters. This measurement was successfully performed in 12 subjects classified in three healthy, smoker, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) cohorts. RESULTS: The overall whole lung ADC, SV, PA O2 , and R in healthy, smoker, and COPD subjects was 0.20 ± 0.03 cm2 /s, 0.39 ± 0.06,113 ± 2 Torr, and 1.55 ± 0.35 Torr/s, respectively, in healthy subjects; 0.21 ± 0.03 cm2 /s, 0.33 ± 0.06, 115.9 ± 4 Torr, and 0.97 ± 0.2 Torr/s, respectively, in smokers; and 0.25 ± 0.06 cm2 /s, 0.23 ± 0.08, 114.8 ± 6.0Torr, and 0.94 ± 0.12 Torr/s, respectively, in subjects with COPD. Hetrogeneity of SV, PA O2 , and R were indicators of both smoking-related changes and disease, and the severity of the disease correlated with the degree of this heterogeneity. Subjects with symptoms showed reduced oxygen uptake and specific ventilation. CONCLUSION: High-resolution, nearly coregistered and quantitative measures of lung function and structure were obtained with less than 1 L of HP gas. This hybrid multibreath technique produced measures of lung function that revealed clear differences among the cohorts and subjects and were confirmed by correlations with global lung measurements. Magn Reson Med 78:611-624, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Assessment of antimicrobial (host defense) peptides as anti-cancer agents.

Cationic antimicrobial (host defense) peptides (CAPs) are able to kill microorganisms and cancer cells, leading to their consideration as novel candidate therapeutic agents in human medicine. CAPs can physically associate with anionic membrane structures, such as those found on cancer cells, causing pore formation, intracellular disturbances, and leakage of cell contents. In contrast, normal cells are less negatively-charged and are typically not susceptible to CAP-mediated cell death. Because the interaction of CAPs with cells is based on charge properties rather than cell proliferation, both rapidly dividing and quiescent cancer cells, as well as multidrug-resistant cancer cells, are targeted by CAPs, making CAPS potentially valuable as anti-cancer agents. CAPs often exist as families of peptides with slightly different amino acid sequences. In addition, libraries of synthetic peptide variants based on naturally occurring CAP templates can be generated in order to improve upon their action. High-throughput screens are needed to quickly and efficiently assess the suitability of each CAP variant. Here we present the methods for assessing CAP-mediated cytotoxicity against cancer cells (suspension and adherent) and untransformed cells (measured using the tritiated thymidine-release or MTT assay), and for discriminating between cell death caused by necrosis (measured using lactate dehydrogenase- or (51)Cr-release assays), or apoptosis and necrosis (single-stranded DNA content measured by flow cytometry). In addition the clonogenic assay, which assesses the ability of single transformed cells to multiply and produce colonies, is described.

A fluorescent-based assay for live cell, spatially resolved assessment of vesicular monoamine transporter 2-mediated neurotransmitter transport.

The vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2; Slc18a2) packages monoamines into synaptic vesicles. Monoamine homeostasis is highly regulated and dysfunction may play a role in Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, drug addiction, and neuropsychiatric disorders. The primary function of VMAT2 is to sequester monoamine neurotransmitters into vesicles for subsequent release; it also sequesters toxicants away from cytosolic sites of action. Identification of compounds that modify the action of VMAT2 may be useful as therapeutic agents for preventing or reversing monoamine-related toxicity. Current methods for measuring VMAT2 function are unable to assess uptake in intact cells. Here, we adapted the Neurotransmitter Uptake Assay (Molecular Devices) to develop a measure of VMAT2 function in live whole cells. This assay contains a fluorescent compound, which is transported into cells by the plasma membrane monoamine transporters and has been marketed as a rapid, high-throughput, plate reader based assay for function of these plasma membrane transporters. We demonstrate a modified version of this assay that can be used to visualize and measure transport into vesicles by VMAT2. HEK293 cell lines stably expressing the dopamine transporter and a mCherry-VMAT2 fusion protein were generated. Confocal microscopy confirmed that the fluorescent compound is transported into mCherry-positive compartments. Furthermore, the VMAT2-specific inhibitor tetrabenazine (TBZ) blocks uptake into the mCherry-positive compartment. Confocal images can be analyzed to generate a measure of VMAT2 activity. In summary, we demonstrate a method for spatially resolved analysis of VMAT2-mediated uptake in live intact cells.

Cellular- and micro-dosimetry of heterogeneously distributed tritium.

PURPOSE: The assessment of radiotoxicity for heterogeneously distributed tritium should be based on the subcellular dose and relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for cell nucleus. In the present work, geometry-dependent absorbed dose and RBE were calculated using Monte Carlo codes for tritium in the cell, cell surface, cytoplasm, or cell nucleus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Penelope (PENetration and Energy LOss of Positrins and Electrons) code was used to calculate the geometry-dependent absorbed dose, lineal energy, and electron fluence spectrum. RBE for the intestinal crypt regeneration was calculated using a lineal energy-dependent biological weighting function. RBE for the induction of DNA double strand breaks was estimated using a nucleotide-level map for clustered DNA lesions of the Monte Carlo damage simulation (MCDS) code. RESULTS: For a typical cell of 10 µm radius and 5 µm nuclear radius, tritium in the cell nucleus resulted in much higher RBE-weighted absorbed dose than tritium distributed uniformly. Conversely, tritium distributed on the cell surface led to trivial RBE-weighted absorbed dose due to irradiation geometry and great attenuation of beta particles in the cytoplasm. For tritium uniformly distributed in the cell, the RBE-weighted absorbed dose was larger compared to tritium uniformly distributed in the tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Cellular- and micro-dosimetry models were developed for the assessment of heterogeneously distributed tritium.

Quantitative assessment of DNA replication to monitor microgametogenesis in Plasmodium berghei.

Targeting the crucial step of Plasmodium transition from vertebrate host to mosquito vector is a promising approach to eliminate malaria. Uptake by the mosquito activates gametocytes within seconds, and in the case of male (micro) gametocytes leads to rapid DNA replication and the release of eight flagellated gametes. We developed a sensitive assay to monitor P. berghei microgametocyte activation based on [(3)H]hypoxanthine incorporation into DNA. Optimal pH range and xanthurenic acid concentrations for gametocyte activation were established and the kinetics of DNA replication investigated. Significance of the method was confirmed using P. berghei mutants and the assay was applied to analyse the effect of protease inhibitors, which revealed differences regarding their inhibitory action. The developed method thus appears suitable for reproducible determination of microgametocyte activation, medium-throughput drug screenings and deeper investigation of early blocks in gametogenesis and will facilitate the analysis of compounds for transmission blocking activities.

AZD2184: a radioligand for sensitive detection of beta-amyloid deposits.

The presence of beta-amyloid plaques in brain is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and serves as a biomarker for confirmation of diagnosis postmortem. Positron emission tomography (PET) radioligands such as Pittsburgh compound B ([(11)C]-2-(3-fluoro-4-methylamino-phenyl)-benzothiazol-6-ol) (PIB) binds selectively to beta-amyloid and are promising new tools supporting the clinical diagnoses of AD. In addition, such methodology may be useful for evaluation of new drugs aiming at reduction of amyloid plaque load. The objective of this study is to develop a new amyloid selective PET radioligand with higher signal-to-background ratio when compared with existing amyloid PET ligands. The lead compound, AZD2184, (2-[6-(methylamino)pyridin-3-yl]-1,3-benzothiazol-6-ol) was found to have high affinity for amyloid fibrils in vitro (K(d): 8.4 +/- 1.0 nM). Two minutes after i.v. administration in rats, about 1% of the dose was in brain. In vitro autoradiography on cortical brain sections from amyloid-beta precursor protein/presenilin 1 (APP/PS1) mice and AD patients showed that while [(3)H]AZD2184 and [(3)H]PIB are mutually displaceable, [(3)H]AZD2184 displays a higher signal-to-background ratio primarily by virtue of lower background binding levels. The ratio of binding ability in prefrontal cortex (high plaque load) to subcortical white matter (background) was 4.5 for [(3)H]AZD2184 and 0.8 for [(3)H]PIB at 1 nM. In adjacent cortical sections from APP/PS1 mouse as well as from AD cortical tissue, [(3)H]AZD2184 and antibodies to human beta-amyloid labeled identical structures. In vivo administration of [(3)H]AZD2184 to APP/PS1 mice further showed that [(3)H]AZD2184 labels amyloid deposits with low non-specific background binding. Taken together, the pre-clinical profile of AZD2184 in relation to the reference ligand PIB, suggests that (11)C-labeled AZD2184 is a potential radioligand for PET-visualization of beta-amyloid deposits in the living human brain.

PKCepsilon regulates behavioral sensitivity, binding and tolerance to the CB1 receptor agonist WIN55,212-2.

The cannabinoid CB1 receptor (CB1) is one of the most abundant G protein-coupled receptors in the brain, but little is known about the mechanisms that modulate CB1 receptor signaling. Here, we show that inhibition or null mutation of the epsilon isozyme of protein kinase C (PKCepsilon) selectively enhances behavioral responses to the CB1 agonist WIN55,212-2 in mice, but not to the structurally unrelated CB1 agonist CP55,940. Binding affinity for [(3)H] WIN55,212-2 was increased in brain membranes from PKCepsilon(-/-) mice compared with PKCepsilon(+/+) mice. There was no difference in binding of the inverse agonist [(3)H] SR141716A. In addition, repeated administration of WIN55,212-2 produced greater analgesic and thermal tolerance in PKCvarepsilon(-/-) mice compared with PKCepsilon(+/+)mice. These results indicate that PKCvarepsilon selectively regulates behavioral sensitivity, CB1 receptor binding and tolerance to WIN55,212-2.

Assessment of postprandial glucose metabolism: conventional dual- vs. triple-tracer method.

The dual-tracer method has been used conventionally for assessment of postprandial fluxes, i.e., appearance in plasma of ingested glucose (R(a meal)), endogenous glucose production (EGP), and disposal (R(d)). To quantify the magnitude of errors affecting the calculations and their dependence on model assumptions, this method was assessed and compared with the triple-tracer method, which provides model-independent estimates. For this purpose, the dual-tracer protocol was performed twice in eight normal subjects, with [1-(13)C]glucose to trace ingested glucose and [6,6-(2)H(2)]glucose constantly infused. A third tracer, [6-(3)H]glucose, was infused at variable rates to render the calculation of R(a meal) and EGP virtually model independent. The dual-tracer method analyzed with a one-compartment model performed poorly, since R(a meal) peak was significantly lower and delayed compared with triple-tracer reference, resulting in a significantly lower estimation of the amount of absorbed glucose (9,036 +/- 558 vs. 11,316 +/- 823 micromol/kg, P = 0.0117). EGP showed a paradoxical pattern, with an initial overshoot followed by a rapid decay to negative values, resulting in a significant underestimation of EGP suppression (57 +/- 3 vs. 65 +/- 4%, P = 0.0117). A two-compartment model performed better but did not overcome the limitations of the dual-tracer approach, since the amount of absorbed glucose was still significantly underestimated (10,231 +/- 661 vs. 12,169 +/- 838 micromol/kg, P = 0.0117) and EGP still showed a paradoxical behavior. R(d), estimated from R(a meal) and EGP, was significantly underestimated with the dual-tracer method, irrespective of adopted model. We conclude that three suitably infused tracers are required for accurate assessment of postprandial R(a meal), EGP, and R(d).

Differential binding properties of [3H]dextrorphan and [3H]MK-801 in heterologously expressed NMDA receptors.

The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists: MK-801, phencyclidine and ketamine are open-channel blockers with limited clinical value due to psychotomimetic effects. Similarly, the psychotomimetic effects of the dextrorotatory opioids, dextromethorphan and its metabolite dextrorphan, derive from their NMDAR antagonist actions. Differences in the use dependency of blockade, however, suggest that the binding sites for MK-801 and dextrorphan are distinct. In the absence of exogenous glutamate and glycine, the rate of association of [3H]MK-801 with wild-type NR1-1a/NR2A receptors was considerably slower than that for [3H]dextrorphan. Glutamate individually, and in the presence of the co-agonist glycine, had substantial effects on the specific binding of [3H]MK-801, while the binding of [3H]dextrorphan was not affected. Mutation of residues N616 and A627 in the NR1 subunit had a profound effect on [3H]MK-801 binding affinity, while that of [3H]dextrorphan was unaltered. In contrast, NR1 residues, W611 and N812, were critical for specific binding of [3H]dextrorphan to NR1-1a/NR2A complexes with no corresponding influence on that of [3H]MK-801. Thus, [3H]dextrorphan and [3H]MK-801 have distinct molecular determinants for high-affinity binding. The ability of [3H]dextrorphan to bind to a closed channel, moreover, indicates that its recognition site is shallower in the ion channel domain than that of MK-801 and may be associated with the extracellular vestibule of the NMDAR.

Fatty acid amidohydrolase in human neocortex-activity in epileptic and non-epileptic brain tissue and inhibition by putative endocannabinoids.

Increased levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) have been observed in connection with neuronal disorders like epilepsy. In order to investigate whether an impaired enzymatic AEA hydrolysis contributes to this phenomenon, the present study determined the activity of fatty acid amidohydrolase (FAAH) in epileptic and non-epileptic human neocortical brain tissue. Additionally, we investigated whether other putative endocannabinoids (2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG), noladin ether, virodhamine) may also interact with FAAH. AEA hydrolysis was measured by the formation of the product [(3)H]-ethanolamine after separation from the substrate using activated charcoal. FAAH activity was found to be similar in epileptic and non-epileptic human neocortex (0.29 and 0.37 nmol ethanolamine/mg protein/min, respectively). FAAH activity was about 55% higher in rat neocortex. While in human, neocortex noladin ether did not influence AEA hydrolysis, FAAH activity was concentration-dependently inhibited by AEA, 2-AG and virodhamine (IC(50) values 3.3, 3.5 and 13.8 microM, respectively). Our results suggest that, in the course of epilepsy, increased AEA levels are likely due to enhanced formation and not due to decreased hydrolysis. To further increase endocannabinoid activity, the application of FAAH inhibitors might be therapeutically useful in the treatment of neuronal hyperexcitability. Whereas noladin ether did not interact with AEA hydrolysis, this compound, 2-AG and virodhamine may share common enzymatic inactivation mechanisms in human neocortex.

Antibody probe study of Ca2+ channel regulation by interdomain interaction within the ryanodine receptor.

N-terminal and central domains of ryanodine receptor 1 (RyR1), where many reported malignant hyperthermia (MH) mutations are localized, represent putative channel regulatory domains. Recent domain peptide (DP) probe studies led us to the hypothesis that these domains interact to stabilize the closed state of channel (zipping), while weakening of domain-domain interactions (unzipping) by mutation de-stabilizes the channel, making it leaky to Ca2+ or sensitive to the agonists of RyR1. As shown previously, DP1 (N-terminal domain peptide) and DP4 (central domain peptide) produced MH-like channel activation/sensitization effects, presumably by peptide binding to sites critical to stabilizing domain-domain interactions and resultant loss of conformational constraints. Here we report that polyclonal anti-DP1 and anti-DP4 antibodies also produce MH-like channel activation and sensitization effects as evidenced by about 4-fold enhancement of high affinity [3H]ryanodine binding to RyR1 and by a significant left-shift of the concentration-dependence of activation of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release by polylysine. Fluorescence quenching experiments demonstrate that the accessibility of a DP4-directed, conformationally sensitive fluorescence probe linked to the RyR1 N-terminal domain is increased in the presence of domain-specific antibodies, consistent with the view that these antibodies produce unzipping of interacting domains that are of hindered accessibility to the surrounding aqueous environment. Our results suggest that domain-specific antibody binding induces a conformational change resulting in channel activation, and are consistent with the hypothesis that interacting N-terminal and central domains are intimately involved in the regulation of RyR1 channel function.

Assessment of B-cell mass in isolated islets exposed to D-[3H]mannoheptulose.

D-mannoheptulose was recently proposed to be transported into cells mainly at the intervention of GLUT2. In the present study, it was investigated whether advantage could be taken from such a situation to assess the contribution of insulin-producing B-cells to the total mass of isolated rat pancreatic islets. After 60 min incubation at 37 degrees C in the presence of 8.3 mM D-glucose, the intracellular distribution space of D-[3H]mannoheptulose (0.1 mM) averaged, in islets from control and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, respectively 49.0+/-2.3 and 6.2+/-1.5% of the corresponding intracellular 3HOH space, all values being corrected for extracellular contamination as judged from the distribution space of [U-14C]sucrose (1.0 mM). These findings indicate that the present approach indeed allows to assess the relative contribution of B-cells to total islet mass for purpose of comparison between animals with different metabolic and/or hormonal status.

Biological assessment of the enhancement of tritium excretion by administration of diuretics and excessive water in mice.

This study was undertaken to determine whether or not the administration of diuretics and excess water after tritium exposure would have any positive reducing effect not only on the retention of tritium but also on the radiation damage of hematopoietic tissue in mice. When mice were treated with diuretics and excess water for a few days after injection of tritiated water (HTO), radioactivity within the body fluid and tissues was reduced, and the number of CFU-s, clonability of splenic T cells and proliferative activity assayed by Con-A blastogenesis were increased in comparison with those in the controls. When the mice were injected with a large dose of HTO (811 MBq/mouse) to assay survival, no mice treated with diuretic and excess water died 80 days after injection, while 80% of the controls died during the first month. The final committed dose in the mice treated early with diuretics was calculated to be 60% of that in the controls. These results suggest that treatment with diuretics and excess water is useful for practical purposes when a human is accidentally exposed to tritium.