Effect of changing tumor oxygenation on glycolytic metabolism in a murine C3H mammary carcinoma assessed by in vivo nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

The rate of conversion of D-[1-(13)C]glucose into [3-(13)C]lactate (apparent glycolytic rate) has been determined in C3H murine mammary carcinomas in vivo using tumor-selective (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy with (1)H-(13)C cross-polarization. Under conditions of acute hypoxia induced by breathing carbon monoxide at 660 ppm, the apparent glycolytic rate was 0.0239 +/- 0.0019 min(-1). The proportion of (13)C label incorporated into [4-(13)C]glutamate (measured in tumor extracts) was 25-fold lower than that incorporated into [3-(13)C]lactate, reflecting a very limited oxidative metabolism during this hypoxic episode. For animals breathing air or carbogen (95% O(2) + 5% CO(2)), the calculated glycolytic rates were correspondingly lower (0.0160 +/- 0.0021 min(-1) and 0.0050 +/- 0.0011 min(-1), respectively). Although (13)C labeling of glutamate at C4 was still an order of magnitude lower than that for lactate at C3 (11-fold for air and 9-fold for carbogen), these ratios did show a greater degree of oxidative metabolism than that seen in animals breathing carbon monoxide at 660 ppm. The marked difference in apparent glycolytic rate for this tumor model between well-oxygenated and hypoxic conditions demonstrates a substantial Pasteur effect (inhibition of glycolysis by oxygen). Dynamic (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy provides a noninvasive estimate of tumor glycolysis that can be used to evaluate the relationship between oxygenation and energy metabolism, and this has potential consequences for the sensitivity of hypoxic cells to treatment and their ability to promote angiogenesis.

Yeast chromosomes have been significantly reshaped during their evolutionary history.

The structure of the first eukaryotic genome, belonging to Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been deduced; however, very little is known about its origin. In order to trace events that led to the current state of the Saccharomyces nuclear genomes, random fragments of genomic DNA from three yeasts were sequenced and compared to the S. cerevisiae database sequence. Whereas, S. cerevisiae and Saccharomyces bayanus show perfect synteny, a significant portion of the analysed fragments from Saccharomyces servazzii and Saccharomyces kluyveri show a different arrangement of genes when compared to S. cerevisiae. When the sequenced fragments were probed to the corresponding karyotype, a group of genes present on a single chromosome of S. servazzii and S. kluyveri had homologues scattered on several S. cerevisiae chromosomes. Apparently, extensive reorganisation of the chromosomes has taken place during evolution of the Saccharomyces yeasts. In addition, while one gross duplication could have taken place, at least a few genes have been duplicated independently at different time-points in the evolution.

Small crystals and small coils in variable-temperature single-crystal NMR.

Time savings by a factor of between 20 and 30 in the acquisition of multinuclear single-crystal (SC) NMR spectra have been obtained for submillimeter-size (0.01 to 0.03 mm(3)) single crystals when compared to recent results for (31)P and (87)Rb SC NMR. This gain in sensitivity is achieved by optimizing the filling factor using the smallest possible rf coil (2.0 mm inner diameter) for the specific SC probe design. Furthermore, this small coil is particularly useful for variable-temperature SC NMR studies. A probe design for such studies is presented and demonstrated experimentally.

Improved hardware and software for single-crystal NMR spectroscopy.

Design of state-of-the-art instrumentation and software for acquisition and analysis of single-crystal NMR spectra is presented. The design involves highly accurate rotation of a goniometer, and the acquisition of all the spectra for each rotation axis is automatically controlled by the host computer of the spectrometer using a homebuilt interface between the computer and the single-crystal probe. Moreover, a software package (ASICS) for fast and routine assignment/analysis of complex single-crystal spectra has been developed. Employing this equipment, the acquisition and complete analysis of single-crystal NMR spectra may be performed in about the same time as required for powder methods (spinning or static). The hardware and software are compared to recent alternative approaches within single-crystal NMR. Finally, it has been observed that single-crystal NMR techniques may provide the desired data for samples where powder methods fail.

A 4-mm probe for (13)C CP/MAS NMR of solids at 21.15 T.

The design of a broadband 4-mm magic-angle spinning (MAS) X-(1)H/(19)F double resonance probe for cross-polarization (CP)/MAS NMR studies at 21.15 T ((1)H at 900 MHz) is described. The high-frequency (1)H/(19)F channel employs a new and efficient transmission line tuning design. The first (13)C CP/MAS NMR spectra recorded at 21.15 T have been obtained with this probe and exhibit the best S/N per milligram sample of hexamethylbenzene achieved so far for a 4-mm rotor.

Non-invasive tumour blood perfusion measurement by 2H magnetic resonance.

Deuterium uptake into foot-implanted C3H murine mammary carcinomas was measured non-invasively by 2H NMR spectroscopy at 46 MHz after i.v. injection. The arterial input function (AIF) was estimated from 2H NMR measurements with a second radiofrequency coil externally located over the heart. Tumour and heart data were acquired over the same time period by means of a switch automatically activated every 1.6-3.2 s. Although the AIF data were, in general, partly contaminated by signals from adjacent tissue, a mathematical fitting procedure involving simultaneous fitting of the AIF and the tumour kinetics gave robust results for tumour blood perfusion (TBP): up to four repeat TBP measurements were made in 14 out of 20 untreated animals and TBP could be measured before and after treatment in 14 out of 15 animals. The ability of this technique to measure changes in blood perfusion was assessed using hydralazine, which decreased TBP from 91 to 29 ml 100 g(-1) min(-1) and this was comparable to a 70% reduction in relative TBP measured by laser Doppler flowmetry.

A flat-coil NMR probe with hydration control of oriented phospholipid bilayer samples.

A novel flat-coil solid-state NMR probe capable of controlling the hydration of oriented phospholipid bilayers in the course of long-term experiments, is described. Perfect hydration control for at least five days of intense radio-frequency pulsing is demonstrated using (31)P NMR of oriented dimyristoylphospha-tidylcholine bilayers. The probe design will be of particular importance for studies of peptides and proteins oriented in lipid bilayers.