OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to compare the prooxidative activity stimulating the protein carbonyl formation by 3rd generation cephalosporin (moxalactam) and amoxacillin in the uterine venous, umbilical venous, and umbilical arterial plasma of preeclampsia with that of normal pregnancy. METHODS: Lipid peroxide levels in the uterine venous, umbilical venous, and umbilical arterial plasma of normal pregnancy (n=16) and preeclampsia (n=16) were measured by thiobarbituric acid reaction. The basal protein carbonyl contents in the uterine venous, umbilical venous, and umbilical arterial plasma of normal pregnancy (n=16) and preeclampsia (n=16) were determined by the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) method. After plasma of them were mixed and incubated up to 5 hours with 0.2 mL of 1 mM moxalactam or amoxacillin, the protein carbonyl contents in them were measured by DNPH. RESULTS: Lipid peroxide levels in the uterine venous plasma, umbilical venous plasma, and umbilical arterial plasma of preeclampsia were significantly higher than those of normal pregnancy (3.11+/-1.21 vs. 2.18+/-1.16 nmol/mg protein, p<0.05, 5.85+/-1.67 vs. 3.79+/-1.66 nmol/ mg protein, p<0.01, 6.00+/-1.91 vs. 4.99+/-1.78 nmol/mg protein, p<0.01). Protein carbonyls formation by moxalactam in the uterine venous plasma, umbilical venous plasma, and umbilical arterial plasma of preeclampsia were signigicant higher than those of normal pregnancy (19.69+/-8.43 vs. 10.84+/-3.00 nmol/mg protein, p<0.01, 18.94+/-6.96 vs. 10.63+/-1.81 nmol/mg protein, p<0.01, 14.62+/-5.77 vs. 11.21+/-2.08 nmol/mg protein, p<0.05). There were significant positive correlations between lipid peroxide and moxalactam-induced protein carbonyls levels of the uterine venous plasma, umbilical venous plasma, and umbilical arterial plasma (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that increase in the prooxidative activity stimulating the oxidative modification of proteins in utero-placental unit may be involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.
Moxalactam ; Plasma* ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Pregnancy ; Protein Carbonylation

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to compare the prooxidative activity stimulating the protein carbonyl formation by cephalosporins in the umbilical venous and placenta of preeclampsia with that of normal pregnancy. METHODS: Lipid peroxide levels in the umbilical venous plasma and placental tissue homogenates of normal pregnancy (n=12) and preeclampsia (n=12) were measured by thiobarbituric acid reaction. The basal protein carbonyl contents in the umbilical venous plasma and placental tissue homogenates of normal pregnancy (n=12) and preeclampsia (n=12) were determined by the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) method. After samples of them were mixed and incubated up to 5 hours with 0.2 mL of 1 mM moxalactam or cephalothin, the protein carbonyl contents in them were measured by DNPH. RESULTS: Protein carbonyls formation by moxalactam and cephalothin in the umbilical venous plasma and of women with preeclampsia were significantly higher than that of women with normal pregnancy (8.5+/-2.0 vs. 6.6+/-1.4 nmol/mg protein, p<0.05, 7.6+/-1.6 vs. 6.2+/-1.2 nmol/mg protein, p<0.05). Protein carbonyls formation by moxalactam and cephalothin in the placental tissue homogenates of women with preeclampsia were significantly higher than that of women with normal pregnancy (17.6+/-5.3 vs. 13.0+/-4.2 nmol/mg protein, p<0.05, 16.1+/-5.2 vs. 12.5+/-4.4 nmol/mg protein, p<0.05). There were significant positive correlations between lipid peroxide and cephalosporins induced protein carbonyls levels of umbilical venous plasma, and placental tissue homogenates (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that increase in the prooxidative activity stimulating the oxidative modification of proteins in placenta may be involved in the pathogenesis of preecalmpsia.
Cephalosporins ; Cephalothin ; Female ; Humans ; Moxalactam ; Placenta* ; Plasma* ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Pregnancy ; Protein Carbonylation

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to investigate the lipid peroxide levels and the protein carbonyl groups content in the venous plasma of pregnant women with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), non-pregnant, and normal pregnant women. METHODS: Samples of venous blood were obtained from women with non pregnancy (n=20), normal pregnancy between 25 and 37 weeks gestation (n=20), and PPROM before 37 completed weeks gestation (n=20). Lipid peroxide levels in the venous plasma of women of each group were measured by thiobarbituric acid reaction. The basal, amoxacillin and moxalactam-induced protein carbonyl contents in the venous plasma of women of each group were determined by the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) method. RESULTS: 1. Lipid peroxide levels in the venous plasma of PPROM was significantly higher than that of non-pregnant and normal pregnant women (5.66+/-0.43 vs. 3.78+/-0.24 vs. 3.56+/-0.30 nmol/mg protein, p<0.01). 2. Protein carbonyl levels in the venous plasma of PPROM was also significantly higher than that of non-pregnant and normal pregnant women (8.23+/-0.54 vs. 6.39+/-0.23 vs. 6.54+/-0.24 nmol/mg protein, p<0.01). 3. Protein carbonyls formation by moxalactam in the venous plasma of PPROM was significantly higher than that of non-pregnant and normal pregnant women (11.73+/-0.59 vs. 10.06+/-0.26 vs. 10.10+/-0.22 nmol/mg protein, p<0.05). 4. There was no significant difference in protein carbonyls formation by amoxacillin of the venous plasma of pregnant women with PPROM, non-pregnant, and normal pregnant women (5.63+/-0.41 vs. 5.81+/-0.43 vs. 5.81+/-0.39 nmol/mg protein, p>0.05). 5. There were significant positive correlations between lipid peroxide and moxalactam-induced protein carbonyls levels of the venous plasma (p<0.05). There were no significant positive correlations between lipid peroxide and amoxacillin-induced protein carbonyls levels of the venous plasma. CONCLUSION: In the venous plasma of pregnant women with PPROM, the lipid peroxidation and the protein carbonyl formation were increased. And moxalactam-induced protein carbonyl levels were increased in PPROM. These results suggest that oxydative stress was increased in pregnant women with PPROM.
Female ; Humans ; Lipid Peroxidation* ; Membranes* ; Moxalactam ; Plasma* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Protein Carbonylation ; Rupture*

PURPOSE: Cefodizime is a new third-generation cephalosporin which has a structure and immunomodutation properties similar to cefotaxime. Various studies on cefodizime have demonstrated the direct eradication of bacteria in cooperation with the host defense mechanism, particularly with phagocytosis. We evaluated the effects of cefodizime on the phagocytosis of COS-1 cells transfected with FcgammaRI/gammagamma or FcgammaRIIA cDNA. METHODS: Phagocytosis was measured using the in vitro COS-1 cell modeling system according to Schreiber's method. COS-1 cells, which lack endogenoous Fcgammareceptors but have phagocytic potential, were transfected with either FcgammaRI/gammagammaor FcgammaRIIA cDNA. COS-1 cells, as target cells, were treated with antibiotics for 1 or 24 hours and incubated for 30 min with IgG coated sheep RBCs. Adhered IgG coated sheep RBCs were removed after brief exposure to hypotonic phosphate buffered saline. Phagocytosis index (PI) was calculated as the number of ingested RBCs per 100 phagocytic cells after wright-Giemsa staining. RESULTS: COS-1 cells tranfected with FcgammaR (either FcgammaRI/gammagamma or FcgammaRIIA cDNA) showed the phagocytic activity against IgG coated sheep RBC, while untransfected COS-1 cells did not. After treatment with cefodizime, phagocytic activity of FcgammaRI/gammagammacDNA transfected COS-1 cells was significantly increased, while that of FcgammaRIIA cDNA transfected COS-1 cells did not. Marked enhancement of phagocytosis of COS-1 cells was observed after treatment with cefodizime, but was not observed with ceftriaxone or moxalactam. CONCLUSION: Cefodizime showed marked enhancement of phagocytic activity of FcgammaR transfected COS-1 cells. FcgammaRI seems to play an important role in the enhancement of phagocytosis. Further studies will be required.
Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteria ; Cefotaxime ; Ceftriaxone ; COS Cells ; DNA, Complementary ; Immunoglobulin G ; Moxalactam ; Phagocytes ; Phagocytosis* ; Sheep

One hundred and fifty strains of Gram negative bacilli isolated from urine of patients with urological disease were tested for resistance to antimicrobial drugs including quinolones. Escherichia coli (61 strains) was most frequently isolated, and followed by Klebsiella spp. (36), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12). and Proteus spp. (6) in the decreasing order. New quinolone carboxylic acid compounds such as enoxacin (Ex). norfloxacin (Nf), ciprofloxacin (Cp), pefloxacin (Pf), and ofloxacin (Of) showed very high antimicrobial activities against the majority of organisms tested except P.aerogi. nose. In P.aeruginosa all strains were resistant to nalidixic acid, and 25-33% to Ex. Nf. Cp, Pf, and Or. The majority of strains tested were found to be resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics except moxalactam (Mr). aminoelycoside drugs except amikacin (Ak), and other drugs tested such as chloramphgnicol, tetracycline. rifampin and etc.. but in P.aeruginosa, 33-58% were resistant to Mx and Ak. Organisms multiplyine resistance to 5 or more druge were noted in almost all isolates tested The stain numbers of multiplying resistance to 5 or more drugs were 51 strains (83.6%) of E. Coli 24 strains (66.7%) of Klebsielle spp., 10 strains (83.3%) of P.aeruginosa, and 5 strains (83.3%) of Prorteus spp.
Amikacin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Ciprofloxacin ; Drug Resistance, Microbial* ; Enoxacin ; Escherichia coli ; Humans ; Klebsiella ; Moxalactam ; Nalidixic Acid ; Norfloxacin ; Nose ; Ofloxacin ; Pefloxacin ; Proteus ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Quinolones ; Rifampin ; Tetracycline ; Urologic Diseases

BACKGROUND: Cefoxitin, a cephamycin-type antibiotic, is known to be superior to oxacillin in predicting the presence of mecA gene because it serves as a very potent inducer of mecA regulatory system. We used a cefoxitin disk diffusion methods for detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and compared it with the conventional methods. METHODS: For 50 MRSA and 50 methicillin susceptible S. aureus confirmed by mecA and femA gene PCR, oxacillin, cefoxitin, and moxalactam disk diffusion methods, oxacillin and cefoxitin E-tests, Vitek 2 and Microscan Walkaway antibiotics susceptibility tests, and PBP2a latex agglutination test were performed. The sensitivity and specificity of each method were evaluated. RESULTS: The sensitivities of oxacillin disk diffusion method and E-test were 96%. The sensitivities of cefoxitin and moxalactam disk diffusion method, cefoxitin E-test, Vitek 2, Microscan Walkaway, PBP2a latex agglutination test were 100%. The specificities were 100% for all the methods used. CONCLUSIONS: It may be considered that both the cefoxitin- and moxalactam disk diffusion methods are effective and excellent screening methods for the detection of MRSA in clinical laboratory routinely.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cefoxitin ; Diffusion ; Latex Fixation Tests ; Mass Screening ; Methicillin ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Moxalactam ; Oxacillin ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the lipid peroxide levels and protein carbonyls levels in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). METHODS: The lipid peroxide levels in the amniotic fluid of normal pregnancy (n=20) and pregnant women with PPROM (n=20) were measured by thiobarbituric acid reaction. The protein carbonyl contents in the amniotic fluid of normal pregnancy (n=20) and pregnant women with PPROM (n=20) were determined by the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine method. After amniotic fluid of them were mixed and incubated up to 5 hours with 0.2 mL of 1mM moxalactam, cefodizime, amoxacillin, erythromycin, the lipid peroxide levels and protein carbonyl contents in them were measured. RESULTS: 1. The lipid peroxide levels in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women with PPROM was significantly higher than that of normal pregnancy (9.74+/-0.48 vs. 7.20+/-0.38 nmol/mg protein, P<0.01). 2. The protein carbonyl levels in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women with PPROM was significantly higher than that of normal pregnancy (13.0+/-0.33 vs. 11.27+/-0.17 nmol/mg protein P<0.01). 3. The lipid peroxide levels and protein carbonyls formation by moxalactam in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women with PPROM was significantly higher than basal level (12.08+/-0.81 vs. 9.74+/-0.48 nmol/mg protein, 20.08+/-0.66 vs. 13.0+/-0.33 nmol/mg protein, P<0.01). 4. The lipid peroxide levels and protein carbonyls formation by cefodizime in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women with PPROM was significantly lower than basal level (5.04+/-0.33 vs. 9.74+/-0.48 nmol/mg protein, 9.76+/-0.35 vs. 13.0+/-0.33 nmol/mg protein, P<0.01). 5. There were no significant differences in the levels of lipid peroxide and protein carbonyls by amoxacillin and erythromycin in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women with PPROM between antibiotics-induced and basal levels. CONCLUSION: The lipid peroxidation and the protein carbonyls formation were increased in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women with PPROM. Antibiotics-induced lipid peroxide and protein carbonyl levels were changed in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women with PPROM. Further studies on our results may be beneficial in the selection of antibiotics for pregnant women with PPROM.
Amniotic Fluid ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cefotaxime ; Erythromycin ; Female ; Humans ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Membranes ; Moxalactam ; Phenylhydrazines ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Protein Carbonylation ; Rupture ; Thiobarbiturates

OBJECTIVE: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has been emerging as an important nosocomial pathogen in recent years in patients with impaired host- defense mechanism or who has been exposed to large amount of inocula. This organism is usually resistant to multiple (commonly used) antimicrobial agents, particularly to those of the beta-lactam class. To evaluate the clinical feature of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infection and in vitro anti- microbial susceptibility, we performed a retrospective study. METHODS: We analyzed the result of in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility test for 200 isolates of S. maltophilia and the annual isolation rate during the period between January 1990 and December 1994 in our institution, and performed a retrospective study for the available records of 165 cases among them. The data were obtained with only the first isolation of the organism for each patients. RESULTS: Total of 165 initial isolates, the isolates were from wounds in 50(30.3%), urine in 47(28.5%), the respiratory tract in 37(22.4%), blood in 9(5.5%), bile in 6(3.6%), and miscellaneous sources in 16(9.7%). The 84.2% of isolates were hospital-acquired isolate and 58.3% of these patients had received antecedent antibiotic therapy: polymicrobial growth was demonstrated in 61.9% of the cases. In vitro antimicrobial susceptibiiity test, ofloxacin was active against the isolates in 89.2%, moxalactam in 85.9%, ciprofloxacin in 83.9%, TMP-SMX(trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) in 64.2%, As expected, S. maltophilia isolates were, in general, not susceptible to cephalosporins, penicillins. The annual isolation rate at Kyung Hee University hospital was not increased significantly from 1990 to 1994, 19.53 per 10,000 patients dismissals in 1990, 13.56 in 1994. The major underlying diseases of patients were malignancy(17.6%), cerebrovascular disorder(17%), diabetic mellitus(13.3%). Mortality rate is 10.3%. CONCLUSION: S. maltophilia has been emerging as an important nosocomial pathogen in immunocompromised patients, especially those receiving broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy. And this organism is resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents, particularly to those of the beta-lactam class. When antimicrobial treatment is necessary, the clinician should be guided by results of in vitro susceptibility testing because of the notable in vitro resistance of S. maltophilia to commonly used antibiotics. And when S. maltophilia has been recovered from a patient, wound and contact isolation is warranted.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Bile ; Cephalosporins ; Ciprofloxacin ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Mortality ; Moxalactam ; Ofloxacin ; Penicillins ; Respiratory System ; Retrospective Studies ; Stenotrophomonas maltophilia ; Stenotrophomonas* ; Wounds and Injuries