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Biomedical subjects

A Greene

Publications and source records attributed to A Greene.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Evidence for alteration of the vitamin D-endocrine system in obese subjects.

Serum immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (PTH) is increased in obese as compared with nonobese subjects and declines with weight loss. To determine whether alteration of the vitamin D-endocrine system occurs in obesity and whether ensuing secondary hyperparathyroidism is associated with a reduction in urinary calcium, a study was performed in 12 obese white individuals, five men and seven women, and 14 nonobese white subjects, eight men and six women, ranging in age from 20 to 35 yr. Body weight averaged 106 +/- 6 kg in the obese and 68 +/- 2 kg in the nonobese subjects (P less than 0.01). Each of them were hospitalized on a metabolic ward and were given a constant daily diet containing 400 mg of calcium and 900 mg of phosphorus. Whereas mean serum calcium, serum ionized calcium, and serum phosphorus were the same in the two groups, mean serum immunoreactive PTH (518 +/- 48 vs. 243 +/- 33 pg/ml, P less than 0.001), mean serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] (37 +/- 2 vs. 29 +/- 2, P less than 0.01), and mean serum Gla protein (33 +/- 2 vs. 24 +/- 2 ng/ml, P less than 0.02) were significantly higher, and mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) (8 +/- 1 vs. 20 +/- 2 ng/ml, P less than 0.001) was significantly lower in the obese than in the nonobese men and women. Mean urinary phosphorus was the same in the two groups, whereas mean urinary calcium (115 +/- 10 vs. 166 +/- 13 mg/d, P less than 0.01) was significantly lower, and mean urinary cyclic AMP (3.18 +/- 0.43 vs. 1.84 +/- 0.25 nM/dl GF, P less than 0.01) and creatinine clearance (216 +/- 13 vs. 173 +/- 6 liter/d, P less than 0.01) were significantly higher in the obese than in the nonobese individuals. There was a significant positive correlation between percentage of ideal body weight and urinary cyclic AMP (r = 0.524, P less than 0.01) and between percentage of ideal body weight and serum immunoreactive PTH (r = 0.717, P less than 0.01) in the two groups. The results provide evidence that alteration of the vitamin D-endocrine system in obese subjects is characterized by secondary hyperparathyroidism which is associated with enhanced renal tubular reabsorption of calcium and increased circulating 1,25(OH)2D. The reduction of serum 25-OHD in them is attributed to feedback inhibition of hepatic synthesis of the precursor by the increased serum 1,25(OH)2D.

Adult↗

Evidence for alteration of the vitamin D-endocrine system in blacks.

As compared with values in white subjects, bone mass is known to be increased and urinary calcium to be diminished in black individuals. To evaluate the possibility that these changes are associated with alterations in the vitamin D-endocrine system, an investigation was performed in 12 black subjects, 7 men and 5 women, and 14 white subjects, 8 men and 6 women, ranging in age from 20 to 35 yr. All of them were hospitalized on a metabolic ward and were given a constant daily diet containing 400 mg of calcium, 900 mg of phosphorus, and 110 meq of sodium. Whereas mean serum calcium, ionized calcium, and phosphate were the same in the two groups, mean serum immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (350 +/- 34 vs. 225 +/- 26 pg/ml, P less than 0.01) and mean serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) (41 +/- 3 vs. 29 +/- 2 pg/ml, P less than 0.01) were significantly higher, and mean serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25-OHD) was significantly lower in the blacks than in the whites (6 +/- 1 vs. 20 +/- 2 ng/ml, P less than 0.001). Mean urinary sodium and 24-h creatinine clearance were the same in the two groups, whereas mean urinary calcium was significantly lower (101 +/- 14 vs. 166 +/- 13 mg/d, P less than 0.01) and mean urinary cyclic AMP was significantly higher (3.11 +/- 0.47 vs. 1.84 +/- 0.25 nM/dl glomerular filtrate, P less than 0.01) in the blacks. Further, the blacks excreted an intravenous calcium load, 15 mg/kg body weight, as efficiently as the whites (49 +/- 3 vs. 53 +/- 3%, NS). Mean serum Gla protein was lower in blacks than in whites (14 +/- 2 vs. 24 +/- 3 ng/ml, P less than 0.02), and increased significantly in both groups in response to 1,25(OH)2D3, 4 micrograms/d for 4 d. There was a blunted response of urinary calcium to 1,25(OH)2D3 in the blacks, and mean serum calcium did not change. The results indicate that alteration of the vitamin D-endocrine system with enhanced renal tubular reabsorption of calcium and increased circulating 1,25(OH)2D as a result of secondary hyperparathyroidism may contribute to the increased bone mass in blacks. Their low serum 25-OHD is attributed to diminished synthesis of vitamin D in the skin because of increased pigment.

Adult↗

Effects of human erythrocyte guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory protein on parathyroid hormone-responsive adenylate cyclase from canine renal cortex.

We studied the effects of the guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory protein (Gs) from human erythrocytes on PTH-responsive adenylate cyclase from partially purified membranes of canine renal cortex (CRC). Extracts of erythrocyte membranes, containing soluble Gs, was obtained by treatment with a detergent (Lubrol PX). Gs did not stimulate adenylate cyclase activity by itself, but amplified the response of adenylate cyclase in CRC membranes to both synthetic bovine PTH-(1-34) [bPTH-(1-34)] and to the hydrolysis-resistant GTP analog 5'-guanylimido-diphosphate [Gpp(NH)p]. Gs increased PTH stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity in both the presence and absence of Gpp(NH)p. In the absence of Gpp(NH)p, the potentiating effect of Gs occurred only when the concentration of bPTH-(1-34) was greater than 10 ng/ml. bPTH-(1-34), Gpp(NH)p, and Gs each enhanced the catalytic activity of adenylate cyclase when added separately or in combination by increasing the apparent maximum velocity (Vmax) of the enzyme without altering the apparent Km for MgATP. The effect of Gs on CRC membrane adenylate cyclase activity in the presence of NaF (10 mM) and forskolin (100 microM) was also examined. NaF- and forskolin-stimulated enzyme activities were significantly increased by Gs in both the presence and absence of Gpp(NH)p (100 microM). Analysis of double reciprocal plots of substrate concentration and enzyme activity revealed that NaF and forskolin increased the Vmax of the catalytic activity and did not alter the apparent Km of the enzyme for MgATP. These data support the role of Gs as a regulator of the response of adenylate cyclase to hormones, guanyl nucleotides, NaF, and forskolin. Our studies address the relative functional stoichiometry between Gs and catalytic unit present in CRC membranes and suggest that the CRC adenylate cyclase system must contain insufficient Gs to couple with all available catalytic units. These results are consistent with the possibility that deficiency of Gs impairs hormonal stimulation by diminishing the apparent Vmax of the catalytic unit and does not alter the apparent affinity of the enzyme for MgATP.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Evidence for extrarenal production of 1 alpha ,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in man.

Recent studies provide evidence for extrarenal production of 1 alpha ,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1 alpha ,25(OH)2D]. To investigate this possibility, serum vitamin D, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD), 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [24,25(OH)2D], and 1 alpha ,25(OH)2D were measured in eight adult anephric subjects. All were undergoing hemodialysis and three of them were receiving vitamin D, 50,000 or 100,000 U/d. Serum vitamin D was elevated in two of the patients given vitamin D and was abnormally low in the others. Mean serum 25-OHD was increased in patients given vitamin D (94.0 +/- 7.6 ng/ml) and was normal in the others (16.4 +/- 0.9 ng/ml, P less than 0.001). Mean serum 24,25(OH)2D was normal in patients given vitamin D (1.38 +/- 0.27 ng/ml) and was low in the others (0.25 +/- 0.08 ng/ml, P less than 0.001). Serum 24,25(OH)2D correlated significantly with serum 25-OHD (r = 0.848, P less than 0.01). Mean serum 1 alpha ,25(OH)2D determined by receptor assay was 5.8 +/- 1.9 pg/ml in patients who were not given vitamin D and was 14.1 +/- 0.6 in those who were given vitamin D (P less than 0.001). Serum 1 alpha ,25(OH)2D correlated significantly with serum 25-OHD (r = 0.911, P less than 0.01). Mean serum 1 alpha ,25(OH)2D, measured by bioassay, was 8.3 +/- 1.9 pg/ml in patients who were given vitamin D and was 15.9 +/- 2.4 pg/ml in those who were given vitamin D (P less than 0.05). There was a significant correlation between the values for serum 1 alpha ,25(OH)2D obtained with the two methods (r = 0.728, P less than 0.01). The results (a) provide evidence in man for extrarenal production of both 24,25(OH)2D and, by two independent assays, of 1 alpha , 25(OH)2D, and (b) indicate that serum values of the two dihydroxy metabolites of vitamin D in anephric subjects vary with the serum concentration of the precursor 25-OHD.

Adult↗

Clinical characteristics, DNA repair, and complementation groups in xeroderma pigmentosum patients from Egypt.

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) has been reported to be unusually frequent among Middle Eastern populations. This report describes the first survey of DNA repair characteristics among Egyptians. Sixteen XP patients were contacted, and biopsies from eight were analyzed for unscheduled DNA synthesis, strand breakage during pyrimidine dimer excision, and complementation groups. The patients were equally distributed between Complementation Groups A and C. Unscheduled synthesis and strand breaks were significantly higher in Group C than in Group A cells. Central nervous system disorders were found in all of the Group A patients and in none of the Group C patients. No clinical symptoms were observed in the heterozygotes. A 2-month-old sib of an XP patient was free of symptoms, but unscheduled synthesis and strand breakage in cultures from this sib were the same as in the related XP homozygote. From the relative frequencies of each complementation group found in various parts of the world, we offer a hypothesis concerning the relative sizes and roles for gene products specified by the alleles or genes corresponding to each complementation group.

Adolescent↗