Placement of coiled catheters into the paravertebral space.

There are conflicting results with regard to the use of catheter-based techniques for continuous paravertebral block. Local anaesthetic spread within the paravertebral space is limited and the clinical effect is often variable. Discrepancies between needle tip position and final catheter position can also be problematic. The aim of this proof-of-concept study was to assess the reliability of placing a newly developed coiled catheter in human cadavers. Sixty Tuohy needles and coiled catheters were placed under ultrasound guidance, three on each side of the thoracic vertebral column in 10 human cadavers. Computed tomography was used to assess needle tip and catheter tip locations. No catheter was misplaced into the epidural, pleural or prevertebral spaces. The mean (SD) distance between catheter tips and needle tips was 8.2 (4.9) mm. The median (IQR [range]) caudo-cephalad spread of contrast dye injectate through a subset of 20 catheters was 4 (4-5[3-8]) thoracic segments. All catheters were removed without incident. Precise paravertebral catheter placement can be achieved using ultrasound-guided placement of a coiled catheter.

Enhancement of choline uptake by glycine in hamster heart.

Choline uptake by the isolated hamster heart has been shown to be inhibited by exogenous ethanolamine. In this study, the effect of glycine on choline uptake was investigated. At 0.01-1.0 mM glycine in the perfusate, an enhancement of choline uptake (30%) by the isolated heart was observed. Despite the higher choline uptake, the presence of glycine did not affect the rate of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis. At higher glycine concentration (50 mM), the enhancement of choline uptake was abolished. Exogenous choline had no effect on the uptake of glycine. We postulate that choline and glycine are transported by separate mechanisms, and that glycine may play a regulatory role in the control of choline uptake by the hamster heart.

Cardiolipin is synthesized from exogenous phosphatidylglycerol in rat heart.

De novo biosynthesis of phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin in the isolated intact rat heart was shown to occur from newly synthesized phosphatidic acid via the formation of cytidine-5'-diphosphate-1,2-diacylglycerol (Hatch, G.M. (1994) Biochem. J. 297, 201-208). The biosynthesis of new cardiolipin was investigated in isolated rat hearts perfused with exogenous phosphatidylglycerol. Phosphatidylglycerol was rapidly (within 5 min) incorporated into the heart when hearts were perfused with either phosphatidyl-[14C]glycerol or NBD-phosphatidylglycerol. In hearts perfused with phosphatidyl-[14C]glycerol for up to 30 min the amount of radioactivity observed in phosphatidylglycerol was maximum by 5 min of perfusion and remained constant throughout the perfusion period. In the presence of 1-50 microM phosphatidylglycerol, the amount of radioactive phosphatidylglycerol incorporated into the heart was not affected. There was a time-dependent accumulation of radioactivity incorporated into cardiolipin. In addition, radioactivity was incorporated with time into lysophosphatidylglycerol. No significant amount of radioactivity was associated with other phospholipids involved in the biosynthesis of cardiolipin, including phosphatidic acid and cytidine-5'-diphosphate-1,2-diacylglycerol, precursors of cardiolipin biosynthesis via the CDP-DG pathway. We postulate that cardiac cardiolipin may be synthesized from exogenous phosphatidylglycerol independent of phosphatidylglycerol synthesized within the heart.

Thyroxine stimulates the acylation of lysophosphatidylethanolamine in rat heart.

The acylation of cardiac lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) was examined in rats treated with thyroid hormone. Rats were treated for five consecutive days with thyroxine (250 microg/kg) and controls were treated with saline. On the sixth day after an overnight fast, the hearts were removed and perfused in the Langendorff mode with 0.1 mM [1-14C]oleic acid. Radioactivity incorporated into phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) was increased 1.5-fold (P < 0.025) compared to controls. Radioactivity incorporated into phosphatidylcholine was not effected. The pool size of phosphatidylethanolamine and de novo biosynthesis of this phospholipid from [3H(G)]serine or [1,2-14C]ethanolamine were unaltered by thyroxine treatment. Treatment of rats with thyroxine resulted in a 1.5-fold (P < 0.025) increase in the relative percent of oleic acid in cardiac phosphatidylethanolamine. Thyroxine treatment resulted in a 1.8-fold (P < 0.025) increase in cardiac microsomal acyl-coenzyme A:1-acyl glycerophosphorylethanolamine acyltransferase activity compared to controls whereas, phospholipase A, acyl-coenzyme A hydrolase and fatty acyl-coenzyme A synthase activities were unaltered. The results demonstrate that the reacylation of cardiac LPE is regulated by thyroid hormone.

The acylation of lysophosphatidylglycerol in rat heart: evidence for both in vitro and in vivo activities.

The reacylation of lysophospholipids back to their parent molecules is important for attaining the appropriate fatty acyl composition in many phospholipids and for preventing the accumulation of arrhythmia generating lysophospholipids in the heart. In this study, we report the presence of an active acyltransferase activity for lysophosphatidylglycerol reacylation to phosphatidylglycerol in rat heart membrane preparations. The activity of acyl-Coenzyme A:1-acylglycerophosphorylglycerol acyltransferase in rat heart subcellular fractions was in the order of microsomal > mitochondrial > cytosol. The activity in the membrane fractions were characterized and found to have a pH optimum in the alkaline range. However, significant enzyme activity was observed at physiological pH. With oleoyl-Coenzyme A as substrate, the microsomal activity had a preference for lysophosphatidylglycerol substrates in the order of myristoyl > palmitoyl > oleoyl > stearoyl. The apparent K(m) values for 1-palmitoylglycerophosphorylglycerol and oleoyl-Coenzyme A were 9.4 and 7.1 microM, respectively. In contrast, the mitochondrial activity had a preference for lysophosphatidylglycerol substrates in the order of oleoyl > myristoyl = stearoyl = palmitoyl. The apparent K(m) values for 1-oleoylglycerophosphorylglycerol and oleoyl-Coenzyme A were 17.8 and 18.0 microM, respectively. Both membrane activities were heat labile as pre-incubation at 55 degrees C for 1 min completely abolished the activity. However, pre-incubation at 50 degrees C resulted in different profiles of inactivation in both microsomal and mitochondrial fractions. Both membrane activities were inhibited by high concentrations of lysophosphatidylglycerol and affected to a similar extent by various detergents. To demonstrate whether reacylation of lysophosphatidylglycerol to phosphatidylglycerol occurred in vivo, isolated rat hearts were perfused for 60 min in the Langendorff mode with 0.1 microM 1-palmitoylglycerophosphoryl[14C]glycerol bound to albumin. 1-Palmitoylglycerophosphoryl[14C]glycerol was readily taken up by the isolated perfused rat heart and significant synthesis of phosphatidyl[14C]glycerol was observed. The findings indicate the presence of an acyl-Coenzyme A:1-acylglycerophosphorylglycerol acyltransferase activity in the rat heart subcellular membranes which is capable of catalyzing lysophosphatidylglycerol acylation to phosphatidylglycerol in vitro and in vivo.

The protein phosphatase inhibitor, okadaic acid, inhibits phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis in isolated rat hepatocytes.

There is evidence that phosphatidylcholine (PC) biosynthesis in hepatocytes is regulated by a phosphorylation-dephosphorylation mechanism. The phosphatases involved have not been identified. We, therefore, investigated the effect of okadaic acid, a potent protein phosphatase inhibitor, on PC biosynthesis via the CDP-choline pathway in suspension cultures of isolated rat hepatocytes. Okadaic acid caused a 15% decrease (P less than 0.05) in [Me-3H]choline uptake in continuous-pulse labeling experiments. After 120 min of treatment, the labeling of PC was decreased 46% (P less than 0.05) with a corresponding 20% increase (P less than 0.05) in labeling of phosphocholine. Cells were pulsed with [Me-3H]choline for 30 min and subsequently chased for up to 120 min with choline in the absence or presence of okadaic acid. The labeling of phosphocholine was increased 86% (P less than 0.05) and labeling of PC decreased 29% (P less than 0.05) by 120 min of chase in okadaic acid-treated hepatocytes. The decrease of label in PC was quantitatively accounted for in the phosphocholine fraction. Incubation of hepatocytes with both okadaic acid and CPT-cAMP did not produce an additive inhibition in labeling of PC. Choline kinase and cholinephosphotransferase activities were unaltered by treatment with okadaic acid. Hepatocytes were incubated with digitonin to cause release of cytosolic components. Cell ghost membrane cytidylyltransferase (CT) activity was decreased 37% (P less than 0.005) with a concomitant 33% increase (P less than 0.05) in released cytosolic cytidylyltransferase activity in okadaic acid-treated hepatocytes. We postulate that CT activity and PC biosynthesis are regulated by protein phosphatase activity in isolated rat hepatocytes.

Thyroxine stimulates phosphatidylglycerolphosphate synthase activity in rat heart mitochondria.

The effect of administration of exogenous thyroxine on mitochondrial phosphatidylglycerol content and biosynthesis was investigated in rat heart ventricles. Rats were treated for 5 consecutive days with thyroxine (250 mg/kg body weight) and on the sixth day after an overnight fast the mass of ventricular mitochondrial phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin content were determined. Saline-treated animals served as controls. Thyroxine treatment did not affect body weight but increased heart weight 30% compared with controls. In addition, the ratio of heart weight/body weight (x 1000) was increased from 0.69 in controls to 0.89 in thyroxine-treated rats consistent with this model. Thyroxine-treatment resulted in a 34% increase (P < 0.05) in phosphatidylglycerol and a 23% increase (P < 0.05) in cardiolipin content in ventricular mitochondrial fractions compared with controls. The mechanism for the increase in ventricular mitochondrial phosphatidylglycerol was investigated. Phosphatidic acid:cytidine-5'-triphosphate-1,2-diacylglycerol cytidylyltransferase and phosphatidylglycerolphosphate phosphatase activities were unaltered in the ventricular mitochondria of thyroxine-treated rats. In contrast, phosphatidylglycerolphosphate synthase activity was increased 3.5-fold (P < 0.05) in these mitochondrial fractions compared with controls. As a control for the effectiveness of thyroxine on mitochondria, cardiolipin synthase activity was determined. A 2.8-fold increase (P < 0.05) in cardiolipin synthase activity was observed in ventricular mitochondrial fractions of thyroxine-treated rats compared with controls. We postulate that thyroxine-treatment of rats produces an increase in the pool size of ventricular mitochondrial phosphatidylglycerol and that the mechanism is an increase in phosphatidylglycerolphosphate synthase activity.

Induction of free radicals in hepatocytes, mitochondria and microsomes of rats by ochratoxin A and its analogs.

Oxidative damage may be one of the manifestations of cellular damage in the toxicity of ochratoxin A (OA). OA; its three natural analogs, OB, OC and O alpha; and three synthetic analogs, the ethyl amide of OA (OE-OA), O-methylated OA (OM-OA), and the lactone-opened OA (OP-OA) were used to study free radical generation in hepatocytes, mitochondria and microsomes from rats. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) using alpha-(4-pyridyl-1-oxide)-N-tert-butyl nitrone (4-POBN) as a spin trapping agent showed an enhanced free radical generation due to the addition of NADPH to the microsomes. An EPR signal was not observed in the mitochondria and hepatocyte samples when they were treated with a variety of agents. Addition of OM-OA together with NADPH and Fe3+ to the microsomes resulted in a strong EPR signal compared with the other analogs, whereas the signal could be quenched by the addition of catalase. OM-OA does not have a dissociable phenolate group and does not chelate Fe3+. The spin adduct hyperfine splitting constants indicated the presence of alpha-hydroxyethyl radicals resulting from generated hydroxyl radicals, which were trapped by 4-POBN. The results also suggested that the production of hydroxyl radicals by OA does not require a dissociable phenolate group or the prior formation of an OA-Fe complex.

Effect of NaF and okadaic acid on the subcellular distribution of CTP: phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase activity in rat liver.

The effect of preincubation of rat liver post-mitochondrial supernatant with NaF and okadaic acid on the subcellular distribution of CTP: phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase activity was investigated. NaF (20 mM) inhibited the time-dependent activation of cytidylyltransferase activity in post-mitochondrial supernatant. Subcellular fractionation of the post-mitochondrial supernatant revealed that cytidylyltransferase activity in the microsomal fraction was decreased and activity in the cytosolic fraction increased with time of preincubation with NaF compared to controls. Okadaic acid is a specific and potent inhibitor of type 1 and 2A phosphoprotein phosphatases. Preincubation of cytosol with 5 microM okadaic acid inhibited the time-dependent activation of cytosolic cytidylyltransferase activity. Preincubation of post-mitochondrial supernatants with 5 microM okadaic acid inhibited the time-dependent activation of cytidylyltransferase activity by 13% at 45 min and 16% at 60 min of preincubation compared to controls. Microsomal cytidylyltransferase activity was decreased 27% at 45 min and 31% at 60 min with a corresponding retention of cytosolic cytidylyltransferase activity of 21% at 45 min and 37% at 60 min of preincubation with okadaic acid compared to controls. We postulate that the activity of the type 1 and/or type 2A phosphoprotein phosphatases affect the subcellular distribution of CTP: phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase activity in rat liver.

On the mechanism of the losartan-mediated inhibition of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis in H9c2 cells.

Phosphatidylcholine is the major phospholipid in mammalian tissues and the biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine in H9c2 cells was previously shown to be stimulated by angiotensin II. In this study, we used the potent AT1 receptor antagonist, losartan, to determine if the angiotensin II-mediated stimulation of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis was mediated by AT1 receptors. H9c2 cells were incubated with angiotensin II in the absence or presence of various concentrations of losartan. The cells were then incubated with [methyl-3H]choline for an additional 60 min and the radioactivity incorporated into phosphatidylcholine and its choline-containing metabolites determined. Losartan at concentrations which block AT1 receptors did not effect phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis mediated by angiotensin II. In contrast, higher concentrations of losartan inhibited radioactivity incorporated into phosphatidylcholine and its metabolites and this was due to a losartan-mediated reduction in choline uptake. Kinetic studies revealed that the losartan-mediated inhibition of choline uptake was competitive. High concentrations of losartan caused a translocation of CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase from the cytosolic (inactive) to the membrane (active) fraction likely as a compensatory mechanism for the losartan-mediated reduction in new phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis. Incubation of cells with PD123319, a potent AT2-receptor antagonist, did not block the angiotensin II-mediated stimulation of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis. The results suggest that angiotensin II stimulates phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis independent of AT1- and AT2-receptor activation and losartan inhibits phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis by reducing choline uptake in H9c2 cells.

Lysophosphatidylethanolamine acyltransferase activity is elevated during cardiac cell differentiation.

We examined if elevation in lysophosphatidylethanolamine acyltransferase activity was associated with elevation in phosphatidylethanolamine content during differentiation of P19 teratocarcinoma cells into cardiac myocytes. P19 cells were induced to undergo differentiation into cardiac myocytes by the addition of 1% dimethylsulfoxide to the medium. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed the presence of striated myosin at 8 days post-dimethylsulfoxide addition confirming differentiation into cardiac cells. The content of phosphatidylethanolamine was increased 2.1-fold (P<0.05) in differentiated cells compared to undifferentiated cells, whereas the content of phosphatidylcholine was reduced 29% (P<0.05). There were no alterations in the pool sizes of other phospholipids, including cardiolipin. The relative abundance of fatty acids in phospholipids of P19 cells was 18:1 > 18:0 > 16:1 = 18:2 > 16:0 = 14:0 > 20:4 and differentiation did not affect the relative amounts of these fatty acids within individual phospholipids. When cells were incubated with [1,3-(3)H]glycerol, radioactivity incorporated into phosphatidylethanolamine was elevated 5.8-fold, whereas radioactivity incorporated into phosphatidylcholine was unaltered. Ethanolaminephosphotransferase, cholinephosphotransferase and membrane CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase activities were elevated in differentiated cells compared to undifferentiated cells, whereas membrane and cytosolic phospholipase A2 activities were unaltered. Lysophosphatidylethanolamine acyltransferase activities were elevated 2.4-fold (P<0.05). Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase, monolysocardiolipin acyltransferase, acyl-Coenzyme A synthetase and acyl-Coenzyme A hydrolase activities were unaltered in differentiated cells compared to undifferentiated cells. We postulate that during cardiac cell differentiation, the observed elevation in lysophosphatidylethanolamine acyltransferase activity accompanies the elevation in phosphatidylethanolamine mass, possibly to maintain the fatty acyl composition of this phospholipid within the membrane.

Alteration of lysophosphatidylcholine content in low density lipoprotein after oxidative modification: relationship to endothelium dependent relaxation.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine the formation of lipid peroxidation products and the alteration in phospholipid content in low density lipoprotein (LDL) after oxidative modification by CuSO4, and subsequently, to determine the ability of the modified LDL to impair endothelium dependent relaxation in rat aortic rings. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from normal human volunteers. LDL was prepared by sequential ultracentrifugation and it was oxidatively modified in the presence of 5 microM CuSO4. Lipid peroxidation products (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS), and alterations in electrophoretic mobility and phospholipid content were determined in normal (native) and oxidised LDL. Endothelium dependent relaxation was produced by acetylcholine (10(-8)-10(-5) M) in phenylephrine precontracted rat aortic rings. RESULTS: LDL incubated for 24 h with 5 microM CuSO4 at 20 degrees C and 37 degrees C with constant agitation displayed higher amounts of TBARS than the respective native LDL. While the amounts of TBARS in LDL modified at 20 degrees C and 37 degrees C were similar, the former condition resulted in statistically smaller changes of phospholipid contents. LDL with higher lysophosphatidylcholine content showed greater impairment of endothelium dependent relaxation in rat aortic rings than LDL with lower lysophosphatidylcholine content. CONCLUSIONS: The raised lysophosphatidylcholine level in oxidatively modified LDL was related to the ability of the LDL to impair endothelium dependent relaxation. However, lipid peroxidation products assessed by TBARS did not relate to the phospholipid changes in LDL and therefore cannot be used to predict the vascular effects of LDL after oxidative modification.

A conserved MADS-box phosphorylation motif regulates differentiation and mitochondrial function in skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle cells.

Exposure to metabolic disease during fetal development alters cellular differentiation and perturbs metabolic homeostasis, but the underlying molecular regulators of this phenomenon in muscle cells are not completely understood. To address this, we undertook a computational approach to identify cooperating partners of the myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2) family of transcription factors, known regulators of muscle differentiation and metabolic function. We demonstrate that MEF2 and the serum response factor (SRF) collaboratively regulate the expression of numerous muscle-specific genes, including microRNA-133a (miR-133a). Using tandem mass spectrometry techniques, we identify a conserved phosphorylation motif within the MEF2 and SRF Mcm1 Agamous Deficiens SRF (MADS)-box that regulates miR-133a expression and mitochondrial function in response to a lipotoxic signal. Furthermore, reconstitution of MEF2 function by expression of a neutralizing mutation in this identified phosphorylation motif restores miR-133a expression and mitochondrial membrane potential during lipotoxicity. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that miR-133a regulates mitochondrial function through translational inhibition of a mitophagy and cell death modulating protein, called Nix. Finally, we show that rodents exposed to gestational diabetes during fetal development display muscle diacylglycerol accumulation, concurrent with insulin resistance, reduced miR-133a, and elevated Nix expression, as young adult rats. Given the diverse roles of miR-133a and Nix in regulating mitochondrial function, and proliferation in certain cancers, dysregulation of this genetic pathway may have broad implications involving insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, and cancer biology.

Effects of okadaic acid on the activities of two distinct phosphatidate phosphohydrolases in rat hepatocytes.

Incubation of hepatocytes with okadaic acid displaced the N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive phosphatidate phosphohydrolase from the membrane fraction into the cytosol and partially prevented the oleate-induced movement of phosphohydrolase from cytosol to membranes. However, higher concentrations of oleate still caused translocation and activation of the phosphohydrolase. This enzyme is stimulated by Mg2+, and is probably involved in glycerolipid synthesis. Okadaic acid also decreased the concentration of diacylglycerol within the hepatocytes. Okadiac acid had no observable effect on the activity of an N-ethylmaleimide-insensitive phosphatidate phosphohydrolase which remained firmly attached to membranes. This activity is not stimulated by Mg2+ and is probably involved in signal transduction by the phospholipase D pathway.

Cardiolipin: biosynthesis, remodeling and trafficking in the heart and mammalian cells (Review).

Cardiolipin is the principal polyglycerophospholipid found in the heart and most mammalian tissues. This phospholipid is the only phospholipid localized exclusively to the mitochondria of mammalian cells. Cardiolipin appears to be involved, either directly or indirectly, in the modulation of a number of cellular processes including the activation of mitochondrial enzymes and hence production of energy by oxidative phosphorylation. The regulatory properties which govern cardiolipin biosynthesis, its remodeling and trafficking are beginning to emerge. Studies in the isolated perfused rat heart and H9c2 cardiac myoblast cells have indicated that the rate-limiting step of cardiolipin biosynthesis, via the cytidine-5'-diphosphate-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol pathway, is the conversion of phosphatidic acid and cytidine-5'-triphosphate to cytidine-5'-diphosphate-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol. The cellular level of cytidine-5'-triphosphate appears to control the production of cardiolipin in H9c2 cells. The activities of the other enzymes of the cytidine-5'-diphosphate-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol pathway of cardiolipin biosynthesis in the heart may be modulated by thyroid hormone and unsaturated fatty acids. In addition, extra-mitochondrial cytidine-5'-diphosphate-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol and phosphatidylglycerol may be utilized for cardiolipin biosynthesis in the heart and permeabilized cells. Cardiolipin may be readily hydrolyzed by phospholipases and may be remodeled by a deacylation-reacylation pathway. Studies with a Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cell line CCL16-B2 have indicated that the remodeling of cardiolipin is markedly altered in the mitochondria of these cells and that this alteration in remodeling may be one of the underlying mechanisms for the mutation in oxidative energy production in these cells. Host cell cardiolipin may be trafficked from the mitochondria to an intracellular bacterial parasite Chlamydia trachomatis. The purpose of this review is to briefly discuss some of the more recent findings in cardiolipin metabolism in the heart and mammalian cells and to provide insight into their possible implications in the regulation of some cellular functions in mammalian tissues and cells.

Phosphocholine phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase are different enzymes in hamster heart.

The CDP-choline pathway is the major pathway for the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine in the hamster heart. The formation of phosphocholine from choline was regarded as the first committed reaction in this pathway. We demonstrated earlier that the phosphocholine pool in the heart was substantially less than that found in other tissues, and we observed that a substantial amount of the phosphocholine was hydrolyzed back to choline by a phosphatase. This phosphatase was located in the microsomal fraction of the heart, and unlike alkaline phosphatase, it was not inhibited by amino acids. The pH optima and heat sensitivity of phosphocholine phosphatase were also found to differ from alkaline phosphatase. Phosphocholine did not inhibit the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenylphosphate, but a "mixed type" inhibition of the hydrolysis of phosphocholine was observed in the presence of p-nitrophenylphosphate. Our data support the hypothesis that these two activities originate from separate and distinct enzymes, and we postulate that the cardiac phosphocholine phosphatase may play a role in the regulation of the phosphocholine pool size in the hamster heart.

Inhibition of cardiolipin biosynthesis in the hypoxic rat heart.

Cardiolipin is the principal polyglycerophospholipid in the heart. The effect of hypoxia on cardiolipin biosynthesis was investigated in isolated rat hearts perfused in the Langendorff mode. Hearts were pulsed-labeled for 60 min with 0.1 mM [1,(3)-3H]glycerol in Krebs Henseleit buffer saturated with either 95% O2/5% CO2 (control) or 95% N2/5% CO2 (hypoxic). Radioactivity incorporated into phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin were reduced 88% (P < .05) and 79% (P < .05), respectively, in hypoxic hearts compared to controls. In other experiments, hearts were pulse-labeled for 15 min with 1.4 mM [32P]Pi in Krebs Henseleit buffer saturated with 95% O2/5% CO2 and subsequently perfused for 60 min under control or hypoxic conditions. The radioactivity incorporated into CDP-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, and cardiolipin were reduced 61% (P < .05), 71% (P < .05), and 70% (P < .05), respectively, in the hypoxic hearts compared to controls, indicating a decreased formation of CDP-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol in the hypoxic heart. The activities of the enzymes involved in cardiolipin biosynthesis and the cardiac pool sizes of cardiolipin, phosphatidylglycerol, and CDP-1,2-diacyl-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol were unaltered between hypoxic and control hearts. In contrast, cardiac adenosine-5'-triphosphate and CPT levels were decreased 94% (P < .05) and 92% (P < .05), respectively, in hypoxic hearts compared to controls. We postulate that the biosynthesis of the cardiac polyglycerophospholipid cardiolipin may be inhibited by a decreased adenosine-5'-triphosphate and cytidine-5'-triphosphate level in the heart.

Stimulation of phosphatidylglycerolphosphate phosphatase activity by unsaturated fatty acids in rat heart.

Phosphatidylglycerolphosphate (PGP) synthase and PGP phosphatase catalyze the sequential synthesis of phosphatidylglycerol from cytidine-5'-diphosphate 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol (CDP-DG) and glycerol-3-phosphate. PGP synthase and PGP phosphatase activities were characterized in rat heart mitochondrial fractions, and the effect of fatty acids on the activity of these enzymes was determined. PGP synthase was observed to be a heat labile enzyme that exhibited apparent Km values for CDP-PG and glycerol-3-phosphate of 46 and 20 microM, respectively. The addition of exogenous oleic acid to the assay mixture did not affect PGP synthase activity. PGP phosphatase was observed to be a heat labile enzyme, and addition of oleic acid to the assay mixture caused a concentration-dependent stimulation of PGP phosphatase activity. Maximum stimulation (1.9-fold) of enzyme activity was observed in the presence of 0.5 mM oleic acid, but the stimulation was slightly attenuated by the presence of albumin in the assay. The presence of oleic acid in the assay mixture caused the inactivation of PGP phosphatase activity to be retarded at 55 degrees C. Stimulation of PGP phosphatase activity was also observed with arachidonic acid, whereas taurocholic, stearic and palmitic acids did not significantly affect PGP phosphatase activity. The activity of mitochondrial phosphatidic acid phosphohydrolase was not affected by inclusion of oleic acid in the incubation mixture. We postulate that unsaturated fatty acids stimulate PGP phosphatase activity in rat heart.

Effect of diethyl ether on phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis in hamster organs.

The effect of diethyl ether anesthesia on phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis in hamster organs was investigated. Ether administration did not affect the incorporation of radioactive choline into phosphatidylcholine in the liver, heart, lung, brain and spleen. A significant (29%) decrease in the labeling of phosphatidylcholine was detected in the kidney of ether-treated hamsters. Reduction in phosphatidylcholine labeling was not due to a diminished radioactive choline uptake but a decrease in the conversion of phosphocholine to CDP-choline. The accumulation of labeled phosphocholine was caused by the translocation of CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase from microsomal (more-active) form to cytosolic (less-active) form. Ether administration appears to modulate the cytidylyltransferase in hamster kidney differently than that in other hamster organs.

Essentials of forensic post-mortem MR imaging in adults.

Post-mortem MR (PMMR) imaging is a powerful diagnostic tool with a wide scope in forensic radiology. In the past 20 years, PMMR has been used as both an adjunct and an alternative to autopsy. The role of PMMR in forensic death investigations largely depends on the rules and habits of local jurisdictions, availability of experts, financial resources, and individual case circumstances. PMMR images are affected by post-mortem changes, including position-dependent sedimentation, variable body temperature and decomposition. Investigators must be familiar with the appearance of normal findings on PMMR to distinguish them from disease or injury. Coronal whole-body images provide a comprehensive overview. Notably, short tau inversion-recovery (STIR) images enable investigators to screen for pathological fluid accumulation, to which we refer as "forensic sentinel sign". If scan time is short, subsequent PMMR imaging may be focussed on regions with a positive forensic sentinel sign. PMMR offers excellent anatomical detail and is especially useful to visualize pathologies of the brain, heart, subcutaneous fat tissue and abdominal organs. PMMR may also be used to document skeletal injury. Cardiovascular imaging is a core area of PMMR imaging and growing evidence indicates that PMMR is able to detect ischaemic injury at an earlier stage than traditional autopsy and routine histology. The aim of this review is to present an overview of normal findings on forensic PMMR, provide general advice on the application of PMMR and summarise the current literature on PMMR imaging of the head and neck, cardiovascular system, abdomen and musculoskeletal system.