Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1968. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1968. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Pennsylvania State University, 1980. / Includes bibliographical references.

Helicobacter pylori infects more than half of the global population and causes gastric disorders. The increasing development of antibiotic resistance by the bacterium continues to limit treatment options. The identification and characterisation of novel therapeutic targets are necessary for successful future treatment of the infection. One potential target for therapeutic intervention is the gpt gene encoded by hp0735 (jhp0672) in H. pylori strain 26695 (J99). This gene produces a putative xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (XGPRTase), an enzyme of the purine salvage synthesis pathway. This project employed theoretical, molecular and biochemical approaches to investigate features of H. pylori gpt and XGPRTase that will serve to ascertain their therapeutic potential. The production of a functional XGPRTase by H. pylori was investigated in cell-free extracts, and the kinetic parameters of this activity were compared to those of purified rXGPRTase enzyme. The three 6-oxopurine substrates were recognised by rXGPRTase and allosteric kinetics were observed for some substrates of the enzyme in cell-free extracts and for purified enzyme. These observations indicate complex regulation and an influence of cellular interactions on activity. Bioinformatics were employed to analyse XGPRTase phylogeny, and threading techniques used to build a structural model of XGPRTase. The enzyme is significantly divergent from the equivalent mammalian enzyme, and modelling identified specific features of the enzyme. Molecular approaches were utilised to analyse the essential role of gpt in H. pylori survival. These included insertional inactivation of the gpt in wild-type H. pylori strains and in mutants possessing a complementing copy of the gene present at the rdxA locus. No mutants were recovered with inactivated gpt possibly as a result of pleiotropic effects. Plasmid-mediated complementation was attempted employing IPTG-inducible shuttle vectors and did not yield any mutants. Further characterisation of H. pylori XGPRTase was performed by determining the effects of nucleotide monophosphates and purine analogues on enzyme activity. Inhibition by GMP was observed in all cases, however differences in the inhibition by other nucleotide monophosphates were found between cell-free extracts and the recombinant enzyme. Inhibition of rXGPRTase activity was observed by the purine analogue 6-mercaptopurine ribose, a compound that previously has been shown to inhibit H. pylori growth in culture.

Helicobacter pylori infects more than half of the global population and causes gastric disorders. The increasing development of antibiotic resistance by the bacterium continues to limit treatment options. The identification and characterisation of novel therapeutic targets are necessary for successful future treatment of the infection. One potential target for therapeutic intervention is the gpt gene encoded by hp0735 (jhp0672) in H. pylori strain 26695 (J99). This gene produces a putative xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (XGPRTase), an enzyme of the purine salvage synthesis pathway. This project employed theoretical, molecular and biochemical approaches to investigate features of H. pylori gpt and XGPRTase that will serve to ascertain their therapeutic potential. The production of a functional XGPRTase by H. pylori was investigated in cell-free extracts, and the kinetic parameters of this activity were compared to those of purified rXGPRTase enzyme. The three 6-oxopurine substrates were recognised by rXGPRTase and allosteric kinetics were observed for some substrates of the enzyme in cell-free extracts and for purified enzyme. These observations indicate complex regulation and an influence of cellular interactions on activity. Bioinformatics were employed to analyse XGPRTase phylogeny, and threading techniques used to build a structural model of XGPRTase. The enzyme is significantly divergent from the equivalent mammalian enzyme, and modelling identified specific features of the enzyme. Molecular approaches were utilised to analyse the essential role of gpt in H. pylori survival. These included insertional inactivation of the gpt in wild-type H. pylori strains and in mutants possessing a complementing copy of the gene present at the rdxA locus. No mutants were recovered with inactivated gpt possibly as a result of pleiotropic effects. Plasmid-mediated complementation was attempted employing IPTG-inducible shuttle vectors and did not yield any mutants. Further characterisation of H. pylori XGPRTase was performed by determining the effects of nucleotide monophosphates and purine analogues on enzyme activity. Inhibition by GMP was observed in all cases, however differences in the inhibition by other nucleotide monophosphates were found between cell-free extracts and the recombinant enzyme. Inhibition of rXGPRTase activity was observed by the purine analogue 6-mercaptopurine ribose, a compound that previously has been shown to inhibit H. pylori growth in culture.

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No description available.

Pharmaceutical solids tend to exist in different physical forms termed as polymorphs. Issues about pharmaceutical systems are mainly concerned with the active ingredient's physico-chemical stability and bioavailability. The main aim of this study is to investigate the non-bonded interactions in pharmaceutical solids that govern the physical pharmaceutics performance of such materials and through the use of structural techniques and correlation of these results with crystal structural database to establish the presence of physical motifs in selected systems. Structural motifs were identified by the use of single crystal and crystal packing analysis on diverse range of pharma-relevant materials including chalcones, cryptolepines, biguanides and xanthines. These selected systems were validated using functional group and molecular analysis and correlating them to the Cambridge Structural Database. Crystallization studies are done on these selected systems as well as exploiting those using synthetic analogues. A total of 51 crystal structures were investigated including 16 new structure determinations. Addition synthesis of new xanthines to investigate novel intermolecular patterns was also undertaken. The understanding and exploitation of intermolecular interactions involving hydrogen bonds and coordination complexation during packing can be used in the design and synthesis of solid state molecular structures with desired physical and chemical properties.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-26T12:51:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 eduardolira_dissert.pdf: 542986 bytes, checksum: e47b365af35f88f462e77e2e9ac92c97 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-04-20 / Introduction: The aim of the present study was to estimate the anticatabolic effect of xanthine derivatives on skeletal muscle protein metabolism from septic rats by using microdialysis. Methods: Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). After 3, 6 and 10 hours of surgery, male Wistar rats (~250g) were anesthetized with thionembutal sodium (50mg/Kg body weight i.p.) and placed on heating pads to maintain adequate temperature (37oC). Microdialysis probe was inserted in the anterior tibial muscle and an equilibration period of 30 minutes was allowed. After connecting the catheter inlet to a microinjection pump, the system was perfused with 0,5% bovine serum albumin, 50 μM tyrosine and 1 mmol/l glucose in isotonic saline at a rate of 1.0 μl/min. Samples of the skeletal muscle interstitial fluid and arterial plasma from carotid artery were collected after 90 minutes of experiment and tyrosine was measured by fluorescence. The interstitial tyrosine concentration was estimated from the dialysate concentration. To calibrate catheters in vivo the internal reference calibration technique was used. The muscle blood flow was estimated by ethanol technique. Overall proteolysis was investigated in extensor digitorus longus (EDL) muscles from sham-operated and 3-hour septic rats (~70g) incubated in the presence or not of IBMX (1mM). Results: In sham-operated and septic rats, skeletal muscle interstitial tyrosine levels (μM) were significantly higher than arterial plasma tyrosine. Three-hour septic rats showed a 33% decrease in muscle blood flow and a 128% increase in the concentration of tyrosine in skeletal muscle interstitial (235 ± 16, n=10), when compared to sham-operated rats (95,5 ± 5,5, n=10). Interstitial (I) minus arterial (A) plasma tyrosine concentrations difference was also significantly increased after 3 hours of sepsis (117 ± 7 vs. 31 ± 6 in sham-operated, n=10). Pentoxifylline (PTX; 50mg/Kg body weigh, e.v.) treatment, during 1 hour immediately after CLP, reduced in 25% and 50% the interstitial tyrosine concentration and I-A difference, respectively. In situ isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX; 1mM), but not PTX, reduced the interstitial tyrosine concentration (30-46%) and I-A difference (43-48%) in both groups. The increase of proteolysis induced by sepsis in EDL muscles was abolished by in vitro addition of IBMX (1mM). Conclusions: The data show that: (1) microdialysis is a perfectly adapted tool to investigate in vivo regulation of muscle protein metabolism during acute catabolic states; (2) the catabolic effect of sepsis on rat skeletal muscle protein metabolism in vivo can be observed 3 hours after CLP; (3) the xanthine derivatives reduce the muscle protein catabolism induced by sepsis in rats. / Objetivo: investigar o efeito anticatabólico dos derivados de xantinas no metabolismo de proteínas de ratos sépticos utilizando a técnica de microdiálise. Materiais e métodos: Ratos machos Wistar (~250g) foram anestesiados com tiopental (50mg/Kg, i.p.) e mantidos em mesa cirúrgica aquecida (37°C). A sepse foi induzida pela ligadura e punção do ceco (CLP) e os músculos estudados após 3, 6 e 10 horas da cirurgia. O cateter de microdiálise foi inserido no tibial anterior, o qual foi perfundido a um fluxo constante de 1,0μl/min com solução salina enriquecida com albumina bovina (0,5%), 50 μM de tirosina fria, 1 mmol/l de glicose e [14C]-tirosina. A tirosina foi quantificada por fluorescência no dialisado, sangue arterial e solução de perfusão, após 90 minutos de microdiálise. O cateter foi calibrado in situ pela técnica da referencia interna. O Fluxo Sanguíneo Muscular (FSM) foi avaliado pela técnica do clearance de etanol. A proteólise foi quantificada no extensor digitorus longus (EDL) de ratos (~70g) sham ou sépticos por meio da liberação de tirosina in vitro. Resultados: A concentração intersticial de tirosina foi sempre maior que a concentração arterial. A sepse de 3 horas reduziu em 33% o FSM e aumentou em 127% a concentração intersticial de tirosina (235 ± 16, n=10) em relação ao sham (95 ± 5, n=10). A diferença I-A também foi maior no grupo séptico (117 ± 16 vs. 31 ± 6 no sham, n=10). A infusão sistêmica da pentoxifilina (PTX; 50mg/Kg, e.v.), durante a primeira hora pós-CLP, reduziu em 25% e 50% a concentração intersticial e a diferença I-A de tirosina, respectivamente. O tratamento in situ com isobutil-metil-xantina (IBMX; 1mM), mas não com PTX, reduziu a concentração intersticial (30-46%) e a diferença I-A (43-48%) de tirosina, em ambos os grupos. O aumento da proteólise muscular induzido pela sepse foi abolido pela ação in vitro da IBMX (1mM) que reduziu a proteólise em 41%. Conclusões: os resultados mostram que: (1) a microdiálise é uma técnica perfeitamente adaptada ao estudo do metabolismo de proteínas em situações catabólicas; (2) o modelo da CLP de 3 horas ativa o catabolismo de proteínas em músculos esqueléticos de ratos; (3) As ações sistêmicas, in situ e in vitro dos derivados de xantinas reduzem o catabolismo de proteínas em músculos de ratos sépticos.

Pharmaceutical solids tend to exist in different physical forms termed as polymorphs. Issues about pharmaceutical systems are mainly concerned with the active ingredient's physico-chemical stability and bioavailability. The main aim of this study is to investigate the non-bonded interactions in pharmaceutical solids that govern the physical pharmaceutics performance of such materials and through the use of structural techniques and correlation of these results with crystal structural database to establish the presence of physical motifs in selected systems. Structural motifs were identified by the use of single crystal and crystal packing analysis on diverse range of pharma-relevant materials including chalcones, cryptolepines, biguanides and xanthines. These selected systems were validated using functional group and molecular analysis and correlating them to the Cambridge Structural Database. Crystallization studies are done on these selected systems as well as exploiting those using synthetic analogues. A total of 51 crystal structures were investigated including 16 new structure determinations. Addition synthesis of new xanthines to investigate novel intermolecular patterns was also undertaken. The understanding and exploitation of intermolecular interactions involving hydrogen bonds and coordination complexation during packing can be used in the design and synthesis of solid state molecular structures with desired physical and chemical properties.