Anesthesiology and minimizing mitochondrial toxins during abdominal cancer Surgery
Finding The Independent Variable Under Anesthesia during a Surgical
or Medical Procedure, which
would destroy a mitochondrial toxin that inhibits Immune Function, would
possibly improve Patient Survival
Congratulations to the Authors for such a detailed Study.
The Anesthesiologist's concern has always been to have minimal impact
on the vicissitudes of disease, as a particular Anesthetic is chosen for
each Surgical or Medical case, except, of course, as a positive
intervention to curing disease.
Since there are some nowadays who are of the opinion that
mitochondrial toxins cause many
chronic illnesses, perhaps an Anesthetic which ameliorates their action
would be of benefit to Patients experiencing cancer surgery.
That is to say, since a particular mitochondrial toxin, valinomycin,
synthesized by the ubiquitous fifth column bacteria, Steptomyces griseus,
disrupts
mitochondria, destroys NK cells, and inhibits portions of the Thiamine
Metabolic Pathway (1)(4), an Anesthetic which inhibits or neutralizes such
a toxic agent would be of value. That work has yet to be done.
Perhaps something as simple as breaking the valinomycin circle
structure, or altering the ion fluxes of the inner membrane of the
mitochondria would be of benefit.(2)
If such mitochondrial toxin neutralizing compounds could be used
during a Surgical or
Medical procedure in a Patient with cancer, then perhaps the NK cells
would be more likely to destroy potentially metastatic cells immediately,
since processing through a lymph node etc wouldn't be necessary.
valinomycin, known since the 1950's,(3) has been shown to cause NK and
mitochondrial damage at dosages 1/100 of what had been thought pathogenic
The Anesthesiologist objective is to minimize any adverse effect of
an Anesthetic, and optimize its beneficial effects.
As Dr Mattox once said, "Explore to the center of the matter, for
there you will find safety." Unfortunately all parameters of Immune System
dysfunction aren't known, but attempts to neutralize mitochondrial toxins,
whether with Anesthetics or
conventional Medical Agents would be a step in the right direction.
There are several mitochondrial toxins which cause severe disease, or
worse. Apparently there are variable numbers of mitochondria per cell. And
all
mitochondrial don't seem to be created equally
Another example would be cereulide and Diabetes Mellitus.
The purpose of Anesthetic is to provide analgesia, General or
Regional &c, have the patient
relaxed, and PRN amnesia for the procedure. If en route to doing that, a
therapeutic Anesthetic which inhibits mitochondrial toxins and improves
Immune
System Function should be utilized, if indeed it exists.
Keep up the good work
Cordially,
Joseph W Arabasz MD
Past Division Chairman, Anesthesiology, Cook County Hospital,
Chicago, Illinois
Past Chairman, Respiratory Therapy, Cook County Hospital, Chicago
(1) Inhibition of Human NK Cell Function by Valinomycin, a Toxin from
Streptomyces griseus in Indoor Air
Auli Paananen,1,* Raimo Mikkola,2 Timo Sareneva,3 Sampsa Matikainen,3
Maria Andersson,2 Ilkka Julkunen,3 Mirja S. Salkinoja-Salonen,2 and Tuomo
Timonen1
Infection and Immunity, January 2000, p. 165-169, Vol. 68, No. 1 http://iai.asm.org/cgi/content/full/68/1/165
(2) Unpublished Letter of Finland Researcher on valinomycin.
Thiamine triphosphate synthesis in rat brain occurs in mitochondria and is
coupled to the respiratory chain
Marjorie Gangolf1, Pierre Wins1, Marc Thiry2, Benaissa El Moualij1 and
Lucien Bettendorff1,* ThTP synthesis is strongly inhibited by respiratory chain inhibitors
such as myxothiazol and inhibitors of the H+ channel of F0F1-ATPase. It is
also impaired by disruption of the mitochondria or by depolarization of
the inner membrane (by protonophores or valinomycin), indicating that a
proton-motive force is required.
Rapid Response:
Anesthesiology and minimizing mitochondrial toxins during abdominal cancer Surgery
Finding The Independent Variable Under Anesthesia during a Surgical
or Medical Procedure, which
would destroy a mitochondrial toxin that inhibits Immune Function, would
possibly improve Patient Survival
Congratulations to the Authors for such a detailed Study.
The Anesthesiologist's concern has always been to have minimal impact
on the vicissitudes of disease, as a particular Anesthetic is chosen for
each Surgical or Medical case, except, of course, as a positive
intervention to curing disease.
Since there are some nowadays who are of the opinion that
mitochondrial toxins cause many
chronic illnesses, perhaps an Anesthetic which ameliorates their action
would be of benefit to Patients experiencing cancer surgery.
That is to say, since a particular mitochondrial toxin, valinomycin,
synthesized by the ubiquitous fifth column bacteria, Steptomyces griseus,
disrupts
mitochondria, destroys NK cells, and inhibits portions of the Thiamine
Metabolic Pathway (1)(4), an Anesthetic which inhibits or neutralizes such
a toxic agent would be of value. That work has yet to be done.
Perhaps something as simple as breaking the valinomycin circle
structure, or altering the ion fluxes of the inner membrane of the
mitochondria would be of benefit.(2)
If such mitochondrial toxin neutralizing compounds could be used
during a Surgical or
Medical procedure in a Patient with cancer, then perhaps the NK cells
would be more likely to destroy potentially metastatic cells immediately,
since processing through a lymph node etc wouldn't be necessary.
valinomycin, known since the 1950's,(3) has been shown to cause NK and
mitochondrial damage at dosages 1/100 of what had been thought pathogenic
The Anesthesiologist objective is to minimize any adverse effect of
an Anesthetic, and optimize its beneficial effects.
As Dr Mattox once said, "Explore to the center of the matter, for
there you will find safety." Unfortunately all parameters of Immune System
dysfunction aren't known, but attempts to neutralize mitochondrial toxins,
whether with Anesthetics or
conventional Medical Agents would be a step in the right direction.
There are several mitochondrial toxins which cause severe disease, or
worse. Apparently there are variable numbers of mitochondria per cell. And
all
mitochondrial don't seem to be created equally
Another example would be cereulide and Diabetes Mellitus.
The purpose of Anesthetic is to provide analgesia, General or
Regional &c, have the patient
relaxed, and PRN amnesia for the procedure. If en route to doing that, a
therapeutic Anesthetic which inhibits mitochondrial toxins and improves
Immune
System Function should be utilized, if indeed it exists.
Keep up the good work
Cordially,
Joseph W Arabasz MD
Past Division Chairman, Anesthesiology, Cook County Hospital,
Chicago, Illinois
Past Chairman, Respiratory Therapy, Cook County Hospital, Chicago
Diplomate ABA
Mensa
Sigma Xi, The Professional Science Research Society
< http://www.SigmaXi.org >
PO Box 6939,
Denver, CO 80206
USA
References
(1) Inhibition of Human NK Cell Function by Valinomycin, a Toxin from
Streptomyces griseus in Indoor Air
Auli Paananen,1,* Raimo Mikkola,2 Timo Sareneva,3 Sampsa Matikainen,3
Maria Andersson,2 Ilkka Julkunen,3 Mirja S. Salkinoja-Salonen,2 and Tuomo
Timonen1
Infection and Immunity, January 2000, p. 165-169, Vol. 68, No. 1
http://iai.asm.org/cgi/content/full/68/1/165
(2) Unpublished Letter of Finland Researcher on valinomycin.
(3) Chem. Ber. 1955, 88, 57-61
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/112297012/issue
Valinomycin I, XXVII. Mitteil. ?ber Antibiotica aus Actinomyceten (p
57-61)
Hans Brockmann, Gunter Schmidt-Kastner
Published Online: Jan 21 2006 2:17PM
DOI: 10.1002/cber.19550880111
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemische_Berichte
Archives
All issues from 1868 to 2008 can be found at
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/117930400/tocgroup
Chemische Berichte
(4)http://www.jbc.org/content/early/2009/11/11/jbc.M109.054379.full.pdf+html
Thiamine triphosphate synthesis in rat brain occurs in mitochondria and is
coupled to the respiratory chain
Marjorie Gangolf1, Pierre Wins1, Marc Thiry2, Benaissa El Moualij1 and
Lucien Bettendorff1,* ThTP synthesis is strongly inhibited by respiratory chain inhibitors
such as myxothiazol and inhibitors of the H+ channel of F0F1-ATPase. It is
also impaired by disruption of the mitochondria or by depolarization of
the inner membrane (by protonophores or valinomycin), indicating that a
proton-motive force is required.
Competing interests: No competing interests