Fourier transform infrared study on the thermotropic behaviour of fully hydrated 1-palmitoyl-2-[10-(pyren-1-y) decanoyl]-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine.

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to study the thermotropic behaviour of fully hydrated 1-palmitoyl-2-[10-(pyren-1-yl)-decanoyl]-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidyl choline (PPDPC) in the temperature range of 3-30 degrees C. Several changes in the spectral features of PPDPC were observed. Major alterations analogous to the gel-to-liquid crystalline phase transition of saturated phosphatidylcholines were evident at approximately 16 degrees C in both the wavenumbers and the halfbandwidths of five different vibrational modes of PPDPC, viz.

Characterization of Langmuir-Blodgett films of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine and 1-palmitoyl-2-[10-(pyren-1-yl)decanoyl]-sn-glycero-3-phosphat idylcholine by FTIR-ATR.

Monomolecular films of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and 1-palmitoyl-2-[10-(pyren-1-yl)decanoyl]-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylc holine (PPDPC) were transferred from an air/water interface onto a germanium attenuated total reflection crystal by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique. The assemblies were thereafter investigated by Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy. To determine the molecular organization in the deposited layers we monitored the CH2 and C = O stretching and the CH2 bending regions of the infrared spectra of these lipids in detail.

Intracavernous self-injection for erectile failure.

Thirty-three patients with erectile failure were taught to self-inject papaverine intracavernosally. The dose was from 15 to 80 mg. Phentolamine was added if 80 mg was not sufficient.

Role of the polar head group stereoconfiguration in the cation-induced aggregation of dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol vesicles.

Cation-induced aggregation of small unilamellar vesicles of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidyl-sn-1'-glycerol (1'-DMPG), the corresponding 3' stereoisomer (3'-DMPG), and their 1:1 mixture was studied as a function of the concentration of different mono- and divalent cations. The order of efficiency, Na+ greater than Li+ greater than K+ greater than Cs+, of the monovalent cations to induce the aggregation of DMPG vesicles is the same for both stereoisomers and their mixture. However, significant differences in the Na+-induced aggregation of 1'-DMPG and 3'-DMPG were evident.

Control of the action of phospholipases A by "vertical compression" of the substrate monolayer.

Monolayers of rac-1,2-didodecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol at an air-water interface were "vertically compressed" by substituting an alkylated glass plate for air while maintaining a constant surface pressure of 15 mN m-1. At this surface pressure the overlaying of the lipid film by the alkylated surface resulted in an average increase of 16 A2/molecule in the mean molecular area of those phospholipid molecules residing at the interface between water and the alkylated glass. Subsequently, the activities of phospholipases A1 and A2 toward the monolayers were measured both in the presence and in the absence of the support.

Triggering of the activity of phospholipase A2 by an electric field.

In this paper we show that the action of phospholipase A2 can be triggered by applying an electric field across a 1,2-didodecanoyl-sn-3-phosphoglycerol monolayer residing between an alkylated silicon surface and water. When the silicon wafer served as a cathode, rapid activation of porcine pancreatic phospholipase was observed and did depend on the magnitude of the applied potential. The degree of activation was different for the pancreatic phospholipase A2 and snake and bee venom enzymes.

Binding of cytochrome c to liposomes as revealed by the quenching of fluorescence from pyrene-labeled phospholipids.

Resonance energy transfer from pyrene-fatty acid containing phospholipid derivatives to the heme of cytochrome c (cyt c) was used to observe the binding of this protein to liposomal membranes. Liposomes were formed of egg yolk phosphatidic acid (PA) and either egg yolk phosphatidylcholine or dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine with 1 mol % of the fluorescent lipid. Binding of cyt c to liposomes was monitored by measuring the decrease either in the fluorescence intensity or in the lifetime of pyrene emission.

Increased plasma phospholipase-A2 activity in schizophrenic patients: reduction after neuroleptic therapy.

Phospholipase-A2 (PLA2) is a key enzyme in the metabolism of phospholipids, and it may play an important role in neuronal function and neuronal plasticity. We determined the activity of PLA2 in the plasma of 20 drug-free schizophrenic patients, 6 nonschizophrenic psychiatric patients, and 21 healthy controls. Schizophrenic patients showed significantly higher plasma PLA2 activity than controls, and higher than our nonschizophrenic patients.

Hydrolysis of 1-palmitoyl-2-[6-(pyren-1-yl)]hexanoyl-sn-glycero- 3-phospholipids by phospholipase A2: effect of the polar head-group.

The effect of the phospholipid polar head-group on the porcine pancreatic phospholipase A2 (phosphatidylcholine 2-acylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.

The value of basic investigations in the diagnosis of impotence.

172 patients with impotence symptoms were investigated by SBBBV-test, orthostatic blood pressure, Doppler examination of the superficial and deep penile arteries, penile-brachial index, visual sexual stimulation, papaverin test, and measurement of bulbocavernous reflex latency time. Visual sexual stimulation and papaverin test correlated well with each other, and so did papaverin test and PBI in cases of arterial insufficiency. SBBBV was simple to perform and useful in detecting autonomic neuropathy.

Estimation of the equilibrium lateral pressure in 1-palmitoyl-2-[6(pyren-1-yl)]hexanoyl-glycerophospholipid liposomes.

Compression isotherms for 1-palmitoyl-2-[6(pyren-1-yl)] hexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PPHPC), -ethanolamine (PPHPE), -glycerol (PPHPG), -serine (PPHPS) and -phosphatidic acid monomethylester (PPHPM) were recorded at an argon/water interface. Thereafter, the ratios of pyrene excimer to monomer fluorescence emission intensities (Ie/Im) were determined for liposomes of these lipids and were found to be 20.15, 12.

Toxic catheters and diminished urethral blood circulation in the induction of urethral strictures.

Local effects of indwelling urinary catheters are poorly characterized. Latex catheter brands of various degrees of tissue toxicity were implanted into the urethra of 27 male piglets. The systemic hemodynamic states varied from normal to hypovolemia, where the circulation changes simulated the extracorporeal perfusion used in open-heart surgery.

Polyamine-phospholipid interaction probed by the accessibility of the phospholipid sn-2 ester bond to the action of phospholipase A2.

Conditions were used where the action of porcine pancreatic phospholipase A2 on phospholipids can be followed in the absence of added calcium and the catalytic activity is supported by the calcium brought with the nanomolar enzyme. Therefore, alterations in the enzyme velocity resulting from the presence of spermine or spermidine could be specifically studied using 1-palmitoyl-2-(pyren-1-yl)hexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PPHPC) and 1-palmitoyl-2-(pyren-1-yl)hexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol (PPHPG) as substrates. Both spermine and spermidine activated the hydrolysis of PPHPG fourfold at polyamine/phospholipid molar ratios of approximately 1:1 and 12:1, respectively.

1-Palmitoyl-2-pyrenedecanoyl glycerophospholipids as membrane probes: evidence for regular distribution in liquid-crystalline phosphatidylcholine bilayers.

We have synthesized 1-palmitoyl-2-pyrenedecanoyl-sn-glycero derivatives of 3-phosphatidylcholine, 3-phosphatidylethanolamine, 3-phosphatidylserine, 3-phosphatidylglycerol, 3-phosphatidylinositol, and 3-phosphatidic acid and investigated their behavior in monolayers and in neat and mixed bilayers. Fluorescence spectroscopy of neat pyrene phospholipid dispersions revealed a well-defined thermotropic transition at 13.5-19 degrees C depending on the polar head group.

Fluorometric assay for phospholipase A2 in serum.

In this fluorometric assay for phospholipase A2 (EC 3.1.1.

Fluorometric assay for pancreatic cholesterylester hydrolase.

A fluorescent cholesterylester analogue, cholesteryl 6-pyrenylhexanoate (ChPH), was used as a substrate for pancreatic cholesterylester hydrolase (CEH, EC 3.1.1.

Initial healing of the posterior corneal surface following perforating trauma in guinea pig: a scanning electron microscope study.

Using a scanning electron microscope, we have studied the healing of the posterior corneal surface after a small perforating trauma. Both corneas of adult guinea pigs were perforated with a needle and studied at various time intervals during recovery. Thirty minutes after the perforation the wound was sealed with a fibrous plug.

The effect of fixation on corneal endothelial cell dimensions and morphology in scanning electron microscopy.

Soft tissue specimens shrink during fixation, dehydration and critical point drying when prepared for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This can cause serious artifacts not only in 'compact' tissues but especially in hollow structure, like the eye, where the chambers are lined by delicate layers such as the corneal endothelium. In this study various glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde fixations at different concentrations with or without 5% sucrose were tested.

Hydrolysis of 1-triacontanoyl-2-(pyren-1-yl)hexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine by human pancreatic phospholipase A2.

A novel fluorescent phospholipid analogue, 1-triacontanoyl-2-(pyren-1-yl)hexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (C30PHPC) was employed as a substrate for human pancreatic phospholipase A2. C30PHPC has a main endothermic phase transition with Tm at 46 degrees C as determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). For an aqueous dispersion of C30PHPC the ratio of the intensities of pyrene excimer and monomer fluorescence emission, (IE/IM) has a maximum between 32 and 36 degrees C.

Esterase-type of activity possessed by human plasma apolipoprotein C-II and its synthetic fragments.

Human plasma apolipoproteins apo A-I, A-II, C-I, C-II and C-III (with the exception of apoE), porcine pancreatic colipase and procolipase hydrolyze 4-methylumbelliferyloleate. In all cases, liberation of 4-methylumbelliferone could be inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl-fluoride, thus suggesting the involvement of serine residues. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on the esterase activities of these peptides.