The investigation of neurological diseases using NMR spectroscopy : studies on human cerebrospinal fluid, glioblastoma cells and model systems

$sp1$H NMR (1D and 2D) studies on human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are used to characterize normal CSF. Methyl malonic acid (MMA) is found (ca 154 $mu$M) only in CSF from a vitamin B$sb{12}$ deficient patient.$sp{31}$P NMR studies on the effects of 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) on perfused SKI-1 glioma cells show a transient intracellular alkalosis of a similar magnitude, (0.13 $pm$ 0.05) pH units, to that observed in vivo. This pH alteration may be related to Na$sp+$ influx.Multiple-quantum (MQ) filtered $sp{23}$Na NMR experiments are described using the multipole formalism. A triple quantum filter (TQF;$vert$3/2$>$ $leftrightarrow$ $vert-$3/2$>)$ is more selective for intracellular sodium (Na$sp+ sb{ rm in})$ than the DQF$( vert$3/2$>$ $leftrightarrow$ $vert-$1/2$>$ and $vert$1/2$>$ $leftrightarrow$ $vert-$3/2$>),$ under identical conditions, in human red blood cells. Studies on model solutions of bovine serum albumin (BSA) suggest that at constant ionic strength, the MQ filtered signal is directly proportional to the single quantum signal. Dysprosium tripolyphosphate, Dy(PPP$sb{ rm i}) sb2 sp{7-},$ is used to discriminate between intracellular and extracellular Na$sp+$ in neuroblastoma and human red blood cells

Production and interconversion of 1,2-propanediol and hydroxyacetone by <i>Escherichia coli</i>

The anaerobic metabolism of marginally lethal levels of [13C]formaldehyde by Escherichia coli (K12, MU352, CRB, and CR63) was followed in vivo by 13C NMR. The products include 1, 2-propanediol. Under aeration, the 1, 2-propanediol is converted to hydroxyacetone. The hydroxyacetone is reconverted to 1, 2-propanediol when aeration is stopped. The process can be cycled by varying the rate of aeration.Key words: hydroxyacetone, 1, 2-propanediol, Escherichia coli, production. </jats:p

Role of NO Synthase in the Development of Trypanosoma cruzi– Induced Cardiomyopathy in Mice

Trypanosoma cruzi infection results in an increase in myocardial NO and intense inflammation. NO modulates the T. cruzi–induced myocardial inflammatory reaction. NO synthase (NOS)1-, NOS2-, and NOS3-null mice were infected with T. cruzi (Brazil strain). Infected NOS1-null mice had increased parasitemia, mortality, and left ventricular inner diameter (LVID). Chronically infected NOS1- and NOS2-null and wild-type mice (WT) exhibited increased right ventricular internal diameter (RVID), although the fold increase in the NOS2-null mice was smaller. Infected NOS3null mice exhibited a significant reduction both in LVID and RVID. Reverse transcriptasepolymerase chain reaction showed expression of NOS2 and NOS3 in hearts of infected NOS1-null and WT mice, whereas infected NOS2-null hearts showed little change in expression of other NOS isoforms. Infected NOS3-null hearts showed an increase only in NOS1 expression. These results may indicate different roles for NOS isoforms in T. cruzi–induced cardiomyopathy.2030-01-0