Potent aquaretic agent. A novel nonpeptide selective vasopressin 2 antagonist (OPC-31260) in men.

Solute-free water diuretics (aquaretics) by antagonizing hydrosmotic vasopressin receptors (V2) may be useful in treating water-retaining diseases. The effects of intravenous administration of a newly developed nonpeptide, selective V2 antagonist, OPC-31260, at doses ranging from 0.017 to 1.0 mg/kg to groups of healthy, normally hydrated men were compared with those of 0.33 mg/kg furosemide and placebo. OPC-31260 increased the hypotonic urine volume dose dependently for the first 4 h, while furosemide induced sodium diuresis for 2 h. The absolute increase in the cumulative response in the urine to the highest doses of OPC-31260 was not significantly different from that to furosemide. The higher doses of OPC-31260 rapidly lowered urine osmolality for 2 h, particularly between minutes 15 and 45 (e.g., 1.0-mg/kg dose: 63 +/- 2 mOsm/kg in urine collected between minutes 30 and 45). In a marked hypotonic diuresis, mean free water clearance of the 4-h urine increased dose proportionally into the positive range, reaching 1.80 +/- 0.21 ml/min at 1.0 mg/kg. Whereas furosemide induced marked Na and K diuresis, OPC-31260 increased urinary Na excretion only slightly. At 4 h, 0.75 and 1.0 mg/kg of OPC-31260 almost doubled the plasma arginine vasopressin; and the higher doses increased plasma osmolality and plasma Na slightly, but did not alter plasma K, blood pressure, or heart rate. OPC-31260 thus safely induced a potent aquaretic effect in men.

Gentamicin inhibits Na+-dependent D-glucose transport in rabbit kidney brush-border membrane vesicles.

We studied the effect of gentamicin on Na+-dependent D-glucose transport into brush-border membrane vesicles isolated from rabbit kidney outer cortex (early proximal tubule) and outer medulla (late proximal tubule) in vitro. We found the same osmotically active space and nonspecific binding between control and gentamicin-treated brush-border membrane vesicles. There was no difference in the passive permeability properties between control and gentamicin-treated brush-border membrane vesicles. Kinetic analyses of D-glucose transport into 1 mM gentamicin-treated brush-border membrane vesicles demonstrated that gentamicin decreased Vmax in the outer cortical preparation, while it did not affect Vmax in the outer medullary preparation. With regard to Km, there was no effect of gentamicin in any vesicle preparation. When brush-border membrane vesicles were incubated with higher concentrations of gentamicin, Na+-dependent D-glucose transport was inhibited dose-dependently in both outer cortical and outer medullary preparations. Dixon plots yield inhibition constant Ki = 4 mM in the outer cortical preparation and Ki = 7 mM in the outer medullary preparation. These results indicate that the Na+-dependent D-glucose transport system in early proximal tubule is more vulnerable to gentamicin toxicity than that in late proximal tubule.

Decreased Na+-gradient-dependent D-glucose transport in brush-border membrane vesicles from rabbits with experimental Fanconi syndrome.

The effect of anhydro-4-epitetracycline on sodium gradient-dependent D-glucose transport of rabbit renal brush-border membrane vesicles was studied. The purity of isolated brush-border membrane vesicles as judged by enzyme activities was not different between normal control and anhydro-4-epitetracycline-administered rabbits. There was no difference in estimate of intravesicular volume, either. When NaCl was used for sodium gradient, the overshoot of D-glucose uptake into brush-border membrane vesicles isolated from anhydro-4-epitetracycline-treated rabbits was significantly smaller than that of normal control rabbits. In the cases of NaSCN or Na2SO4, the former was also smaller than the latter, but not significantly so. To avoid the possible effect of membrane potential on D-glucose uptake, the voltage-clamp method was applied. Even in the voltage-clamped condition, the overshoot of D-glucose uptake into vesicles from anhydro-4-epitetracycline-treated rabbits was decreased compared to that of normal rabbits. In vitro incubation of brush-border membrane vesicles with 20 mM anhydro-4-epitetracycline caused no alteration in sodium gradient-dependent D-glucose uptake. Our results demonstrate that there exists a disorder in sodium gradient-dependent D-glucose uptake of renal brush-border membrane in anhydro-4-epitetracycline-treated rabbits, and suggest that this disorder is one of the underlying mechanisms of experimental Fanconi syndrome.

Phosphoinositide turnover enhanced by angiotensin II in isolated rat glomeruli.

To clarify the signal transduction mechanism of angiotensin II in renal glomeruli, we studied the effect of the hormone on phospholipid metabolism using isolated rat glomeruli. Stimulation of the glomeruli pulse-chase labeled with [3H]glycerol by angiotensin II caused a rapid (within 15 s) breakdown of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) with a concurrent production of 1,2-diacylglycerol. This effect of angiotensin II was in a dose-dependent manner within the range from 10(-12) M to 10(-6) M, and was inhibited by saralasin. Angiotensin II also decreased the 3H radioactivity of PIP slightly only at 15 s and increased that of phosphatidic acid after 15 s, with no significant effect upon the labelings of phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) within 1 min. The change in phospholipid metabolism by angiotensin II was similar when the glomeruli were labeled with [32P]orthophosphate: the decrease in the labeling of PIP2 and the increase in the labeling of phosphatidic acid after 15 s. In addition, 32P labeling of PI increased after 2 min. These results suggest that angiotensin II, after binding to glomerular receptors, induces initial PIP2 hydrolysis to diacylglycerol and subsequent resynthesis of PIP2 through phosphoinositide turnover.

The mechanism of decreased Na+-dependent D-glucose transport in brush-border membrane vesicles from rabbit kidneys with experimental Fanconi syndrome.

In our previous paper (Yanase, M. et al. (1983) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 733, 95-101) we reported that the Na+-dependent D-glucose uptake into brush-border membrane vesicles is decreased in rabbits with experimental Fanconi syndrome (induced by anhydro-4-epitetracycline). In the present paper we investigate the mechanism underlying this decrease. D-Glucose is taken up into the osmotically active space in anhydro-4-epitetracycline-treated brush-border membrane vesicles and exhibits the same distribution volume and the same degree of nonspecific binding and trapping as in control brush-border membrane vesicles. The passive permeability properties of control and anhydro-4-epitetracycline-treated brush-border membrane vesicles are shown to be the same as measured by the time-dependence of L-glucose efflux from brush-border membrane vesicles. D-Glucose flux was measured by the equilibrium exchange procedure at constant external and internal Na+ concentrations and zero potential. Kinetic analyses of Na+-dependent D-glucose flux indicate that Vmax in anhydro-4-epitetracycline-treated brush-border membrane vesicles (79.3 +/- 7.6 nmol/min per mg protein) is significantly smaller than in control brush-border membrane vesicles (141.3 +/- 9.9 nmol/min per mg protein), while the Km values in the two cases are not different from each other (22.3 +/- 0.9 and 27.4 +/- 1.8 mM, respectively). These results suggest that Na+-dependent D-glucose carriers per se are affected by anhydro-4-epitetracycline, and that this disorder is an important underlying mechanism in the decreased Na+-dependent D-glucose uptake into anhydro-4-epitetracycline-treated brush-border membrane vesicles.

Indomethacin blunts the orthostatic increase in plasma aldosterone in glomerulonephritis.

To determine factors mediating the aldosterone secretory response to orthostasis, we examined the effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition (CEI) on orthostasis in eight normal subjects and 10 normotensive patients with primary glomerulonephritis ingesting a normal sodium intake. On standing with CEI, the mean plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) did not change [68.6 +/- 3.9 (+/- SE) and 63.4 +/- 6.9 pg/ml] in normal subjects, while PAC rose significantly from 72.3 +/- 7.5 to 129.5 +/- 13.2 pg/ml (P less than 0.001) in the glomerulonephritis patients without a concurrent rise in plasma angiotensin II, serum potassium, plasma ACTH, or mean blood pressure. There was a good correlation (r = -0.7064; P less than 0.03) between the changes in PAC and the changes in fractional sodium excretion in the patients. Pretreatment with indomethacin blunted the rise in PAC from 159.0 +/- 21.5 to 63.3 +/- 10.2 pg/ml upon standing with CEI, without a concurrent change in circulating 6-keto prostaglandin F1 alpha (from 57.7 +/- 9.5 to 56.0 +/- 11.1 pg/ml) in 4 patients. These results suggest that the aldosterone secretory response to orthostasis in patients with glomerulonephritis is dependent on factors blunted by pretreatment with indomethacin in addition to angiotensin II.

Calcium-activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase in cultured rat mesangial cells.

The analysis of the 100 000 X g supernatant fraction of cultured rat glomerular mesangial cells with DEAE-cellulose ion-exchange chromatography revealed a large peak showing the activity of a protein kinase (protein kinase C) which depended on phospholipid and diolein as well as Ca2+. Furthermore, it was shown that angiotensin II (AII) (10(-6)M) induced rapid hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, leading to production of diacylglycerol rich in arachidonic acid, in the cultured rat mesangial cells. These results suggest that activation of protein kinase C resulting from enhancement of phosphoinositide metabolism may be important as an intracellular regulatory mechanism of AII upon cultured mesangial cells.

Decrease in the fluidity of brush-border membrane vesicles induced by gentamicin. A spin-labeling study.

In our previous paper (Horio et al., Biochim Biophys Acta 858: 153-160, 1986), we reported that the addition of gentamicin in vitro to rabbit renal brush-border membrane vesicles decreases the apparent Vmax of Na+-dependent D-glucose transport without affecting the apparent Km. In the present study, we investigated the effects of gentamicin on the physical state of spin-labeled rabbit renal brush-border membranes, using electron spin resonance spectrometry. Brush-border membrane vesicles were prepared from outer cortex (mainly contains early proximal tubule) and outer medulla (containing primarily late proximal tubule), and the gentamicin toxicities in both preparations were compared. Significant decreases were observed in the membrane fluidity of 5 mM gentamicin-treated brush-border membranes. The fluidity of outer cortical brush-border membranes was affected at both 25 degrees and 35 degrees, whereas that of outer medullary membranes was affected only at 35 degrees. Two different stearic acid spin labels revealed that gentamicin affected the fluidity only in the superficial region of the membranes. We also demonstrated that the gentamicin-induced decreases in Na+-dependent D-glucose transport and in the membrane fluidity were recovered by washing gentamicin-treated brush-border membranes. We suggest that gentamicin binds to the superficial region of brush-border membranes and inhibits Na+-dependent D-glucose transport across brush-border membranes through the decrease in the membrane fluidity.

Endothelin-1 stimulates prostaglandin E2 production in an extracellular calcium-independent manner in cultured rat mesangial cells.

To study a possible role of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in the regulation of glomerular function, we examined the presence of receptors for, and the biological action of, ET-1 in cultured rat mesangial (M) cells. The first-subcultured M cells prepared from isolated glomeruli of Sprague-Dawley rats were used. ET-1 binding was assayed by using 125I-ET-1. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) was determined by IP3-specific binding assay. Intracellular calcium (iCa2+) was measured in fura-2 loaded cells. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) was measured by radioimmunoassay. In M cells there existed two classes of binding sites specific for ET-1 (Kd was 0.24 and 4.4 nmol/L, Bmax was 130 and 1070 fmol/mg, respectively). ET-1 (10(-7) mol/L) induced a rapid and transient increase in IP3, followed by transient and sustained increases in iCa2+. Nicardipine (10(-6) mol/L) inhibited only the sustained increase in iCa2+. ET-1 (10(-9) mol/L to 10(-7) mol/L) significantly stimulated PGE2 production with the concentration dependency. Nicardipine (10(-6) mol/L) and diltiazem (10(-6) mol/L) did not inhibit the PGE2 production. We conclude that M cells have specific ET-1 receptors linked to phosphoinositide turnover and PGE2 production, and PGE2 production by ET-1 may be through an extra-cellular calcium-independent mechanism. Our results suggest that ET-1 plays an important role in the regulation of glomerular functions by modulating PGE2 production in M cells.

Vestibular abnormalities in congenital disorders.

This paper reviews the histopathologic features of vestibular abnormalities in congenital disorders affecting the inner ear, based upon a comprehensive literature survey and a review of cases in our temporal bone collection. The review proceeds in three systematic steps. First, we surveyed associated diseases with the major phenotypic features of congenital abnormalities of the inner ear (including the internal auditory canal and otic capsule). Second, the vestibular anomalies are examined specifically. Finally, the anomalies are discussed from a developmental perspective. Among vestibular anomalies, a hypoplastic endolymphatic duct and sac are observed most frequently. Anomalies of the semicircular canals are also often observed. From embryological and clinical viewpoints, many of these resemble the structural features from fetal stages and appear to be associated with vestibular dysfunction. It is expected that progress in genetic analysis and accumulation of temporal bone specimens with vestibular abnormalities in congenital diseases will provide crucial information not only for pathology of those diseases, but also for genetic factors that are responsible for the specific vestibular abnormalities.

The first seven cases of chronic beryllium disease in ceramic factory workers in Japan.

In the present paper the first 7 cases in Japan of chronic beryllium disease found in workers employed in a ceramic factory utilizing beryllium have been described. Immunological examinations of these cases showed changes similar to those observed in sarcoidosis, that is, negative tuberculin test and increase in serum gamma globulin and immunoglobulins. The fact that a considerable number of workers in the same factories as the patients showed negative tuberculin reaction may suggest that there may be further cases of chronic beryllium disease among them that are still in a latent period.

Effects of chronic renal failure on the regulation of pyruvate kinase.

The effects of chronic renal failure on the enzyme activity of pyruvate kinase and the mRNA level of this enzyme were studied in 7 out of 8 nephrectomized rats. The mRNA level was measured by RNA-DNA dot blot hybridization, using cloned pyruvate kinase cDNA as hybridized probe. Neither the activity of M1-type pyruvate kinase nor the level of this enzyme in rat gastrocnemius muscle was affected by chronic renal failure, whereas L-type pyruvate kinase enzyme activity in uremic rat liver was lower than that in control at both fasted and refed states. The levels of L-type pyruvate kinase mRNA were not different between two groups at the fasted state. Induction of L-type pyruvate kinase mRNA after high carbohydrate diet refeeding was suppressed proportionally to the severity of chronic renal failure, which was expressed by the serum creatinine concentrations (r = -.876, P less than .005). These results indicate that the suppression of L-type pyruvate kinase activity in uremia was partly reflected by the decreased accumulation of this enzyme mRNA. There was a significantly negative correlation between L-type pyruvate kinase mRNA levels and plasma glucagon/insulin ratios (r = -.719, P less than .05). Hyperglucagonemia in uremia might play a major role in this suppression.

Effect of chronic renal failure on the level of albumin messenger RNA.

The effects of chronic renal failure on the level of albumin mRNA and the transcription rate of the albumin gene were studied in seven of eight nephrectomized rats. A paired feeding procedure was employed to eliminate a nutritional difference between sham-operated control and uremic rats. Total RNA was isolated from the livers of control and uremic rats fasted for 24 or 48 hours. The mRNA level was measured by RNA-cDNA dot blot hybridization, and the transcription rate was measured by the "run-on" transcription assay in isolated nuclei. The albumin mRNA levels in uremic rat livers were reduced to 75% at the 24-hour fasted state, and to 45% at 48-hour fasted state compared with those in the respective control groups. There was no difference in the level of beta-actin mRNA between these groups. However, there was no difference in the transcription rate of the albumin gene between control and uremic rats. Northern analysis showed that albumin mRNA isolated from uremic rat liver was identical in size with that from the control. These results suggested that a posttranscriptional process, involving the destabilization of cytoplasmic mRNA, is responsible for the uremia-induced repression of albumin synthesis.

Influence of chronic renal failure on protein synthesis in rat liver and muscle.

Protein-synthetic activity in the liver and muscle of rats with chronic renal failure (CRF) of 2 weeks' duration was studied by examining RNA/DNA ratios and polysome profiles and in vitro protein synthetic activity of isolated polysomes. CRF was found to cause differential effects on protein synthesis in the liver and muscle. In the liver, CRF caused impairment of protein synthesis only in the fed condition; CRF rats maintained the same "basal" protein synthetic activity as the sham-operated control rats upon 18 hours' starvation. In the muscle, the effect of CRF was manifested only in the starved condition; CRF caused extensive disaggregation of polysomes when animals were starved. It is proposed that the muscle serves as a "reserve" protein when animals sustain a protein-catabolic state such as CRF.

Transcardiac 8-iso-prostaglandin F(2 alpha)generation from acute myocardial infarction heart: insight into abrupt reperfusion and oxidant stress.

8-iso-prostaglandin F(2 alpha)(8-iso-PGF(2 alpha)), a representative isoprostane, has been reported to be a reliable marker for oxidant stress in vivo. To examine if 8-iso-PGF(2 alpha)is generated in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), we measured the level of immunoreactive 8-iso PGF(2 alpha)in the great cardiac vein as well as classical eicosanoids, 6-keto-prostaglandin F(1 alpha)(6-keto-PGF(1 alpha)) and thromboxane B(2)(TXB(2)) in the process of urgent coronary balloon angioplasty. Fourteen patients with anterior AMI were divided into two groups: the totally occluded (n=7) and the already perfused groups (n=7). In the former, transient elevation of 8-iso-PGF(2 alpha)was observed immediately after the angioplasty, i.e. the ratio of post-angioplasty level to pre-level was approximately 2.4 for 8-iso-PGF(2 alpha), 14 for 6-keto-PGF(1 alpha), and 5 for TXB(2). In the already perfused group, the levels of these eicosanoids were unchanged. In the totally occluded group, peak creatine phosphokinase in a peripheral vein was correlated with the level of 8-iso-PGF(2 alpha)(r(2)=0.841, P<0.01), but not with those of the other two eicosanoids. In conclusion, transcardiac 8-iso-PGF(2 alpha)generation is a reliable marker for the size of myocardium exposed to oxidant stress.

Cardiac effects of aprindine in patients with or without cardiac dysfunction: echocardiographic and clinical evaluation.

Cardiac effects of aprindine, a relatively new antiarrhythmic agent, were investigated by means of echocardiography in nine patients with ventricular arrhythmias. Three patients had normal cardiac function, and six patients had dilated cardiomyopathy. Aprindine was administered orally in a dosage of 50 to 75 mg/d. The plasma concentrations were 0.86 +/- 0.12 micrograms/ml. No worsening of cardiac signs and symptoms was noted within four weeks. An antiarrhythmic effect was noted in six of the nine patients. Significant changes in end-diastolic dimension or ejection fraction were not observed. Changes in contractile state were also assessed using the peak systolic blood pressure-end-systolic dimension relationship in three patients; none of them showed a decrease in cardiac contractility. This study suggests that aprindine, in a dose sufficient to suppress arrhythmias, does not make cardiac function deteriorate, as evaluated echocardiographically, even in patients with cardiac dysfunction.

Simultaneous determination of uric acid and creatinine in biological fluids by column-switching liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection.

A column-switching liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of uric acid and creatinine in human serum and urine was developed. Creatinine and uric acid were separated by size-exclusion chromatography on a hydrophilic gel column (C1) and creatinine eluted from C1 was separated from proteins by filtration through a longer hydrophilic gel column (C2). The creatinine fraction eluted from C2 was transferred to a weakly acidic cation-exchange column (C3) and then to a strongly acidic cation-exchange column (C4). Uric acid eluted from C1 after creatinine was transferred to an anion-exchange column (C5) and then to a hydrophilic gel column (C6). The mobile phase was a mixed buffer of pH 5.1 (propionic acid-succinic acid-NaOH, 60:15:60 mmol/l in water). Diluted serum and urine could be injected onto C1, and C1 was backflushed after the transfer of uric acid from C1 to C5. Creatinine and uric acid in the eluate were determined by measuring their ultraviolet absorption at 234 and 290 nm, respectively. The recovery of uric acid and creatinine added to diluted serum (20-fold dilution, concentration 20 and 5 mumol/l, respectively) was 98.9 +/- 0.56% and 100.9 +/- 1.29%, respectively. The recovery of uric acid and creatinine added to diluted urine (100-fold dilution, concentration 50 and 100 mumol/l, respectively) was 99.4 +/- 0.72% and 98.7 +/- 1.45%, respectively (mean +/- R.S.D., n = 6).

Column-switching liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of iothalamic acid and creatinine in biological fluids.

A column-switching liquid chromatographic method for simultaneous determination of iothalamate and creatinine in human serum and urine was developed. Iothalamate and creatinine were separated on a weakly acidic ion-exchange column (C1) by ion-exclusion chromatography and iothalamate excluded from the column was purified by gel chromatography on a hydrophilic gel column (C2) and then by ion-exchange chromatography on a weakly basic ion-exchange column (C3). Creatinine that was eluted from C1 after iothalamate was transferred to a hydrophilic gel column (C4) and then to a strongly acidic ion-exchange column (C5). The mobile phase for C1-C4 was a pH 3.8 propionate buffer (propionic acid-NaOH = 0.35 + 0.035 mol/kg in water) and a pH 5.6 propionate buffer (propionic acid-NaOH = 0.04 + 0.035 mol/kg in water) was used for C5. Diluted serum and urine samples could be injected directly on to C1, as the matrix of C1 is hydrophilic and C1 is backflushed after the transfer of the creatinine fraction from C1 to C4. Iothalamate and creatinine in the eluates were determined by measuring their ultraviolet absorption at 245 and 234 nm, respectively. The precision (R.S.D.) of the chromatographic method was 1.6% (n = 7) and 0.36% (n = 6) for diluted serum and urine with iothalamate concentrations of 1.0 and 10.0 mumol/l, respectively, and 0.85% (n = 7) and 0.55% (n = 7) for diluted serum and urine with creatinine concentrations of 5.77 and 272 mumol/l, respectively.

TUNEL staining of inner ear structures may reflect autolysis, not apoptosis.

A recent study (Usami et al., 1997) using the TUNEL method has suggested that age-related cell death in the senescence-accelerated mouse inner ear is due to apoptosis. TUNEL staining detects not only apoptosis but also late necrosis or autolysis because it detects DNA breaks. Autolysis may occur in inner ear structures during fixation. To determine whether or not age-related cell death is due to apoptosis, TUNEL staining of the inner ear of normal mice should be understood. However, studies of TUNEL staining of the normal inner ear have not yet been reported. We investigated whether the fixation method or the interval between the death of normal mice and the initiation of fixation influences the results of TUNEL staining of the inner ear. Marginal cells of the stria vascularis and hair cells of the saccule were TUNEL-positive, irrespective of the fixation method or the interval between death and fixation. Interdental cells, Reissner membrane cells, fibrocytes in the suprastrial region, and inner and outer hair cells were also occasionally stained. Transmission electron microscopy showed no morphological characteristics of apoptosis in the hair cells of the saccule. Moreover, patterns of TUNEL staining in the normal and senescence-accelerated mouse inner ear were similar. These stained tissues may require a high level of oxygen, making them more susceptible to autolysis. We concluded that the results of TUNEL staining in the inner ear require confirmation by morphological studies.

Hypouricemia due to an isolated defect in renal tubular urate reabsorption.

During investigation of chronic glomerulonephritis, a 24-year-old man was found to have a low serum urate concentration (0.6-1.3 mg/100 ml). Daily urinary excretion of urate and oxypurines was normal. His urate clearance was markedly increased (43.3-98.0 ml/min), and was substantially unchanged after both the administration of pyrazinamide, an inhibitor of the renal tubular secretion of uric acid, and the administration of probenecid, an inhibitor of the renal tubular reabsorption of uric acid. No other renal tubular abnormalities were detected. It was concluded that the patient had an isolated defect in the renal tubular reabsorption of uric acid. The patient's brother was also found to have hypouricemia due to renal uricosuria, suggesting a genetic origin of the defect.