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Biomedical subjects

A Abe

Publications and source records attributed to A Abe.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources

The effects of prazosin and propranolol in combination with thiazide diuretics on blood pressure and serum lipids: a multicentre study.

We have carried out randomized 12-week multicentre study to compare the effects of prazosin and propranolol on blood pressure and serum lipids in 70 patients with essential hypertension after a 4 week minimum period of treatment with thiazide diuretics. After 12 weeks treatment with prazosin (n = 40, 1.5-12.0 mg per day) or propranolol (n = 30, 30-120 mg per day) with diuretics there was a significant blood pressure reduction from 165.1/97.9 mmHg to 151.2/90.6 mmHg and from 167/96.5 mmHg to 153/91.9 mmHg, respectively. In the 12th week a significant decrease was noted in triglyceride and in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL + VLDL-C), but no significant effects were seen in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in patients receiving prazosin. On the other hand, a significant decrease in lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) was seen in patients receiving propranolol. Twenty-six of 40 patients receiving prazosin were given an additional 12 weeks of treatment. Twenty-two of 30 patients initially treated with propranolol were switched from propranolol to prazosin after 13 weeks and given prazosin up to the 24th week. At 24 weeks, the blood pressure was 149/93.0 mmHg in the prazosin group and 155/89.2 mmHg in the group which switched from propranolol to prazosin. Triglyceride remained reduced in the prazosin group at the 24th week. In the group which switched from propranolol to prazosin, triglyceride decreased significantly over the next 12 weeks.

Benzothiadiazines↗

Properties of glutamate dehydrogenase purified from Bacteroides fragilis.

The dual pyridine nucleotide-specific glutamate dehydrogenase [EC 1.4.1.3] was purified 37-fold from Bacteroides fragilis by ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-Sephadex A-25 chromatography twice, and gel filtration on Sephacryl S-300. The enzyme had a molecular weight of approximately 300,000, and polymeric forms (molecular weights of 590,000 and 920,000) were observed in small amounts on polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis. The molecular weight of the subunit was 48,000. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was pH 5.1. This glutamate dehydrogenase utilized NAD(P)H and NAD(P)+ as coenzymes and showed maximal activities at pH 8.0 and 7.4 for the amination with NADPH and with NADH, respectively, and at pH 9.5 and 9.0 for the deamination with NADP+ and NAD+, respectively. The amination activity with NADPH was about 5-fold higher than that with NADH. The Lineweaver-Burk plot for ammonia showed two straight lines in the NADPH-dependent reactions. The values of Km for substrates were: 1.7 and 5.1 mM for ammonium chloride, 0.14 mM for 2-oxoglutarate, 0.013 mM for NADPH, 2.4 mM for L-glutamate, and 0.019 mM for NADP+ in NADP-linked reactions, and 4.9 mM for ammonium chloride, 7.1 mM for 2-oxoglutarate, 0.2 mM for NADH, 7.3 mM for L-glutamate, and 3.0 mM for NAD+ in NAD-linked reactions. 2-Oxoglutarate and L-glutamate caused substrate inhibition in the NADPH- and NADP+-dependent reactions, respectively, to some extent. NAD+- and NADH-dependent activities were inhibited by 50% by 0.1 M NaCl. Adenine nucleotides and dicarboxylic acids did not show remarkable effects on the enzyme activities.

Bacteroides fragilis↗

Three cases of secondary leukemia. Clinicopathologic findings.

Three cases of secondary leukemia developing after chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for myeloma, mycosis fungoides, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are reported. The first case was a 51-year-old man with IgG-lambda myeloma, treated with melphalan and prednisolone, who developed acute myelomonocytic leukemia 54 months after the diagnosis of myeloma. The second case was a 54-year-old woman with mycosis fungoides treated with radiation, predonine, and cyclophosphamide, who developed acute megakaryoblastic leukemia 298 months after the diagnosis of mycosis fungoides. The third case was a 35-year-old woman with stage IV non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treated with VEMP who developed acute myelogenous leukemia 26 months after the diagnosis of malignant lymphoma. All cases showed pancytopenia and two of three cases had morphologic abnormality in several hemopoietic cell lineages in the leukemic stage. There is a possibility that second malignancies are an increasingly recognized complication in the patients treated with a large amount of chemo-radiotherapy.

Adult↗

Glycolipid transfer protein from pig brain transfers glycolipids with beta-linked sugars but not with alpha-linked sugars at the sugar-lipid linkage.

The glycolipid transfer protein purified from pig brain facilitates the transfer of various glycosphingolipids and glyceroglycolipids (Yamada, K., Abe, A. and Sasaki, T. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 4615-4621). In this paper, the transfer of Man beta 1----4Glc beta 1-Cer and Man alpha 1----4Man beta 1-Cer isolated from a bivalve, Corbicula japonica, the transfer of 3-[Glc alpha 1-]-sn-1,2-diacylglycerol and 3-[Glc alpha 1----2Glc alpha 1-]-sn-1,2-diacylglycerol prepared from Streptococcus lactis, and the transfer of 3-[Glc beta 1-]-rac-1,2-dipalmitylglycerol have been investigated. The transfer of these lipids from liposomes to mitochondria was assayed by the decrease of these lipids in the donor liposomes. These lipids were determined by chromatographic isolation of the lipids, acid hydrolysis of the isolated lipids, and subsequent determination of glucose in the hydrolysate. The glycolipid transfer protein facilitated the transfer of ManGlcCer and ManManGlcCer. The transfer protein did not facilitate the transfer of Glc alpha-diacylglycerol or Glc alpha Glc alpha-diacylglycerol. However, the transfer of Glc beta-dipalmitylglycerol was facilitated by the protein. These results strongly suggest that the glycolipid transfer protein has the specificity to the presence of beta-linked glucose or galactose directly linked to either ceramide or diacylglycerol.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Purification and some properties of the glycolipid transfer protein from pig brain.

A glycolipid-specific lipid transfer protein has been purified to apparent homogeneity from pig brain post-mitochondrial supernatant. The purified protein was obtained after about 6,000-fold purification at a yield of 19%. Evidence for the homogeneity of the purified protein includes the following: (i) a single band in acidic gel electrophoresis, in sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis, (ii) a single band in analytical gel isoelectric focusing, (iii) exact correspondence between the glycolipid transfer activity and stained protein absorbance in the acidic gel electrophoresis, and (iv) coincidence between the transfer activity and protein absorption at 280 nm in gel filtration through Ultrogel AcA 54. The protein has an isoelectric point of about 8.3 and a molecular weight of 22,000, as measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A molecular weight of 15,000 was calculated from AcA 54 gel filtration. The amino acid composition has been determined. The protein binds [3H]galactosylceramide but not [3H]phosphatidylcholine. Under the conditions used, 1 mol of the transfer protein bound about 0.13 mol of [3H]galactosylceramide. The glycolipid transfer protein-[3H]galactosylceramide complex was isolated by a Sephadex G-75 chromatography. An incubation of the complex with liposomes resulted in the transfer of [3H]galactosylceramide from the complex to the acceptor liposomes. The result indicates that the complex functions as an intermediate in the glycolipid transfer reaction. The protein facilitates the transfer of [3H]galactosylceramide from donor liposomes to acceptor liposomes lacking in glycolipid as well as to acceptor liposomes containing galactosylceramide.

Amino Acids↗

Specificity of the glycolipid transfer protein from pig brain.

Lipid specificity has been studied in the lipid transfer reaction facilitated by the glycolipid transfer protein from pig brain. The lipid transfer was measured by determining the transfer of a radioisotopically labeled lipid from donor liposomes to either acceptor liposomes or mitochondria. Whenever possible, the liposomes contained 1 mol % of the lipid whose transfer was under study. The transfer protein accelerates the transfer of glucosylceramide, galactosylceramide (GalCer), lactosylceramide (LacCer), galactosylceramide 3-sulfate, globotriaosylceramide, LacCer sulfate, sialosyl-LacCer, globotetraosylceramide, and globopentaosylceramide. An inverse relationship is found between the length of sugar chains in glycosphingolipids and the transfer rates. In addition to the glycosphingolipids, the transfer protein facilitates the transfer of galactosyldiacylglycerol, digalactosyldiacylglycerol, glucosyldiacylglycerol, and diglucosyldiacylglycerol. The protein does not facilitate the transfer of dimannosyldiacylglycerol. The transfer of periodate-oxidized and subsequently reduced derivatives of GalCer and LacCer is facilitated by the transfer protein. The derivatives of GalCer are transferred at lower rates than GalCer, whereas the derivatives of LacCer are transferred at higher rates than LacCer. The transfer protein does not facilitate the transfer of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, cholesterol, or cholesteryloleate. These results suggest that the glycolipid transfer protein from pig brain has specificity to hydroxyl groups present in the sugar residue directly linked to either ceramide or diacylglycerol. The presence of glucose or galactose linked to these hydrophobic moieties makes the glycolipid transferable by the protein.

Animals↗

Comparative effects of protein, protein hydrolysate and amino acid diets on nitrogen metabolism of normal, protein-deficient, gastrectomized or hepatectomized rats.

The effects of diets containing protein, protein hydrolysate or an amino acid mixture on nitrogen metabolism of normal and severely protein-deficient rats and on rats after gastrectomy and hepatectomy were compared. In experiment 1, rats weighing about 80 g were fed one of three experimental diets containing casein, protein hydrolysate or an amino acid mixture for 28 d. In experiment 2, rats weighing about 270 g were fed a protein-free diet for 40 d, and then one of the above three experimental diets for 14 d. In experiment 3, rats weighing about 220 g were totally gastrectomized and fed one of the three experimental diets for 21 d. In experiment 4, rats weighing about 210 g had about 70% of the liver resected, and then were fed one of the three experimental diets for 15 d. In all four experiments, daily food intake, daily body weight gain, nitrogen balance, urinary nitrogen compounds, body composition and hematologic values were measured. In normal, protein-deficient and hepatectomized rats, most results were similar for the groups fed protein, protein hydrolysate or amino acid diets, except that urinary ammonia was higher in the group fed the amino acid diet than in the other two groups. For about 10 d after total gastrectomy, food intake and growth of the animals fed the protein diet were lower than in the other two groups.

Amino Acids↗

A fluorimetric determination of the activity of glycolipid transfer protein and some properties of the protein purified from pig brain.

The fluorimetric method of Correa-Freire et al. (Correa-Freire, M.C., Barenholz, Y. and Thompson, T.E. (1982) Biochemistry 21, 1244-1248) to measure glucosylceramide transfer between phospholipid bilayers has been applied to the determination of the activity of glycolipid transfer protein purified from pig brain. The transfer of pyrene-labeled galactosylceramide (PyrGalCer) from donor to acceptor vesicles was measured by a decrease in the intensity ratio of eximer (E) to excited monomer (M). A sensitive determination of the glycolipid transfer activity is possible by the fluorimetric method without separation of the donor and acceptor vesicles. The newly developed fluorimetric assay of glycolipid transfer protein was used to study the effects of N-ethylmaleimide, HgCl2 and sugars on the transfer activity. The treatment with N-ethylmaleimide inactivated the activity to about 40%. The activity was almost completely inactivated by the treatment with HgCl2. Monosaccharides and methyl-alpha-D-glucoside had no inhibitory effect on the transfer activity. A marked and immediate drop of the E/M ratio was observed by the addition of glycolipid transfer protein to vesicles containing PyrGalCer at a protein-to-PyrGalCer molar ratio of 1.56:1. The result suggests a complex formation of glycolipid transfer protein with PyrGalCer.

Animals↗

Anticholinesterase action of a bromine compound isolated from human cerebrospinal fluid.

L-1- Methylheptyl -gamma- bromoacetoacetate was found to be a competitive inhibitor of the acetylcholinesterases (electric eel, Ki = 17.2 microM; rat brain, Ki = 32.6 microM) and of butyrylcholinesterase (horse serum, Ki = 1.2 microM). The L-isomer was a more effective inhibitor than the D-isomer. The bromine atom at the gamma-position of the acidic moiety, the specific length of the carbon chain constituting the secondary alcohol moiety, and the presence of the ketone radical at the acidic moiety of the ester were necessary for the anticholinesterase action. 1- Methylheptyl -gamma- bromoacetoacetate formed a complex with acetylcholinesterase or butyrylcholinesterase without hydrolysis of its own molecule.

Acetoacetates↗

The immunological and structural comparisons of deoxyribonucleases I. Glycosylation differences between bovine pancreatic and parotid deoxyribonucleases.

A rabbit antiserum against bovine pancreatic DNase A is used to study the immunological reaction of DNases I. As shown by double immunodiffusion, bovine pancreatic DNases A, B, C, and D are immunologically identical, so are DNases from bovine pancreas and parotid and from ovine pancreas. These DNases also behave similarly in immunotitration of DNase activity and all are tightly bound to the immunoaffinity medium, requiring an acidic buffer with 10% ammonium sulfate to dissociate. On the other hand, porcine pancreatic and malted barley DNases that do not form precipitin lines remain active in solution with the antibody; however, in spite of the lack of inhibition these DNases are retarded (but not tightly bound) in immunoaffinity chromatography, suggesting interaction with the antibody. In thin layer isoelectric focusing, the parotid DNase, purified with the immunoaffinity technique, shows only two major active components whose isoelectric points correspond to those of DNases A and C of bovine pancreas. As estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the molecular weight of parotid DNase is 34,000, approximately 3,000 more than that of the pancreatic enzyme. However, both parotid and pancreatic DNases have the same NH2-terminal leucine, an identical COOH-terminal amino acid sequence, nearly identical amino acid compositions, and almost the same peptide maps. The molecular weight difference is due to differences in the carbohydrate side chains. Results of peptide analyses indicate that parotid DNase contains two glycopeptides; pancreatic DNase has only one. In addition, both parotid glycopeptides contain glucosamine and galactosamine while the pancreatic glycopeptide has only glucosamine.

Animals↗

Ecto-5'-nucleotidase does not catalyze vectorial production of adenosine in the perfused rat liver.

From the results obtained in perfused rat hearts, Frick and Lowenstein proposed that ecto-5'-nucleotidase catalyzes a vectorial reaction in which AMP hydrolysis is accompanied by transfer of adenosine across the cell membrane (Frick, G.P., and Lowenstein, J.M. (1978) J. Biol. Chem. 253, 1240-1244). We have examined by the use of perfused rat livers, the uptake mechanism of adenosine generated from AMP by ecto-5'-nucleotidase. Recirculating perfusion of rat livers was performed with a buffered saline containing [2-3H]AMP at an initial concentration of 5 microM. One-half of the [2-3H] AMP was dephosphorylated by 0.8 min of perfusion; less than 13% of the radioactivity of hydrolyzed [2-3H] AMP was located in [2-3H]adenosine plus [2-3H]inosine appearing in the perfusate. Addition of 6-[(4-nitrobenzyl)thio]-guanosine, an inhibitor of the nucleoside transport system, at 120 microM to the perfusate caused a 3.9-fold increase in the amount of the [2-3H]AMP-derived 3H-nucleosides appearing in the perfusate. Moreover, in a perfusion in which uridine was added to the perfusate at 2.6 mM to compete with the [2-3H] AMP-derived [2-3H]adenosine for the nucleoside transport system, more than 87% of the radioactivity of hydrolyzed [2-3H]AMP was located in [2-3H]adenosine appearing in the perfusate; the result indicates that the uridine added to the perfusate efficiently trapped the [2-3H]adenosine formed from [2-3H]AMP. These results support an uptake mechanism of the AMP-derived adenosine in which the adenosine formed by ecto-5'-nucleotidase in the blood-sinusoidal plasma membrane of hepatocytes, is taken up by the nucleoside transport system located at the plasma membrane side by side with ecto-5'-nucleotidase. The results therefore indicate that the ecto-5'-nucleotidase of hepatocytes does not catalyze vectorial production of adenosine, in contrast to the previous report on perfused rat hearts.

5'-Nucleotidase↗

Effects of estrogen and progesterone on thymidine kinase activity in the immature rat uterus.

The effects of progesterone and/or 17 beta-estradiol on thymidine kinase activity and autoradiograms were investigated in immature rats. Thymidine kinase activity increased more than thirtyfold above the control level 30 hours after 17 beta-estradiol injection. The enzyme activity induced by 17 beta-estradiol was suppressed by progesterone, the dose of which was approximately 1,000-fold that of 17 beta-estradiol. The specific thymidine kinase isozyme, which was separated from 17 beta-estradiol-induced uterine thymidine kinase by diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) cellulose column chromatography and not affected by deoxycytidine triphosphate, was involved in the DNA replication and inhibited by progesterone. The autoradiogram revealed many grains due to 3H-thymidine in the endometrial epithelium, stroma, and the myometrium in the immature rat 30 hours after 17 beta-estradiol injection, whereas progesterone reduced remarkably the number of grains induced by 17 beta-estradiol in the epithelium. Progesterone seems to inhibit the increment of the specific thymidine kinase isozyme induced by 17 beta-estradiol in the endometrial epithelium.

Animals↗