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Biomedical subjects

A L Miller

Publications and source records attributed to A L Miller.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Lysosomal enzyme activity in human aqueous humor.

Activity of the lysosomal enzymes N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase, alpha-D-mannosidase, beta-D-glucuronidase, and beta-D-galactosidase was detected in aqueous humor from eyes undergoing intraocular surgery. There was no correlation between lysosomal enzyme activity and age. Lysosomal enzyme activity in human released by ocular tissues surrounding the anterior chamber including the cornea, trabecular meshwork, ciliary body, iris, and lens. Their release into aqueous humor may have a role in regulating aqueous outflow in normal and glaucomatous eyes.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Surface glycoconjugates of cynomolgus monkey trabecular cells.

Non-ionic detergent-soluble and detergent-resistant cynomolgus monkey trabecular cell surface glycoconjugates have been identified using three radiolabeling procedures and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The cell surface glycoconjugates were radiolabeled with tritiated sodium borohydride after treatment with: (1) neuraminidase/galactose oxidase; (2) galactose oxidase; or (3) sodium metaperiodate. The non-ionic detergent soluble components were removed by treatment of the monolayer cell culture with 1% Triton X-100 in hypotonic buffer. The radiolabeled trabecular cell surface glycoconjugates in the Triton X-100 soluble and insoluble fractions were resolved by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions and visualized by fluorography. Treatment of the monkey trabecular cells with neuraminidase/galactose oxidase/tritiated sodium borohydride resulted in the radiolabeling of five components ranging in apparent molecular weight from 128,000 to 39,000 in the Triton X-100 soluble fractions, while 12 radiolabeled glycoconjugates with apparent molecular weights ranging from 240,000 to 26,000 were resolved in the Triton X-100 resistant fraction.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Slow calcium waves accompany cytokinesis in medaka fish eggs.

Animal cells are cleaved by the formation and contraction of an extremely thin actomyosin band. In most cases this contractile band seems to form synchronously around the whole equator of the cleaving cell; however in giant cells it first forms near the mitotic apparatus and then slowly grows outwards over the cell. We studied the relationship of calcium to such contractile band growth using aequorin injected medaka fish eggs: we see two successive waves of faint luminescence moving along each of the first three cleavage furrows at approximately 0.5 micron/s. The first, narrower waves accompany furrow extension, while the second, broader ones, accompany the subsequent apposition or slow zipping together of the separating cells. If the first waves travel within the assembling contractile band, they would indicate local increases of free calcium to concentrations of about five to eight micromolar. This is the first report to visualize high free calcium within cleavage furrows. Moreover, this is also the first report to visualize slow (0.3-1.0 micron/s) as opposed to fast (10-100 microns/s) calcium waves. We suggest that these first waves are needed for furrow growth; that in part they further furrow growth by speeding actomyosin filament shortening, while such shortening in turn acts to mechanically release calcium and thus propagates these waves as well as furrow growth. We also suggest that the second waves act to induce the exocytosis which provides new furrow membrane.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Biosynthesis, processing, and secretion of alpha-L-fucosidase in lymphoid cells from patients with I-cell disease and pseudo-Hurler polydystrophy.

N-Acetylglucosamine 1-phosphotransferase is a key enzyme required for synthesis of the mannose 6-phosphate recognition marker that is used by many newly made acid hydrolases for their transport to lysosomes. It has previously been found that lymphoid cells from patients with I-cell disease and pseudo-Hurler polydystrophy have nearly normal intracellular and intralysosomal activities of several lysosomal acid hydrolases, despite a deficiency of N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphotransferase. These results suggest that lymphoid cells may provide an important system to investigate alternate mechanisms for targeting newly made acid hydrolases to lysosomes. In the present study, the biosynthesis, processing and secretion of alpha-L-fucosidase in I-cell and pseudo-Hurler lymphoid cells was used as a model system to study the existence of such mechanisms. The level of intracellular alpha-L-fucosidase protein in exponentially growing I-cell or pseudo-Hurler lymphoid cultures was statistically indistinguishable from the mean of 19 control cultures. A 1.5 h [35S]methionine pulse experiment showed that alpha-L-fucosidase is initially synthesized by I-cell, pseudo-Hurler and control cultures as an intracellular form (Mr = 58,000). Companion cultures chased with methionine from 2 to 21 h processed the enzyme to an intracellular form (Mr = 60,000) and an extracellular form (Mr = 62,000). All enzyme forms were glycoproteins with polypeptide chains of Mr 52,000. In control cells incubated with radioactive inorganic phosphate (32Pi), less than 1% of the 32Pi incorporated into alpha-L-fucosidase was associated with carbohydrate chains and greater than 99% with polypeptide chains. In I-cell disease lymphoid cells, the 32Pi incorporated into alpha-L-fucosidase was associated solely with polypeptide chains. A qualitative analysis of phosphorylated residues identified phosphoserine in alpha-L-fucosidase from control and I-cell lymphoid cells. Only alpha-L-fucosidase from control cells contained mannose 6-phosphate. These results are consistent with the proposal that I-cell lymphoid cells may use a mannose 6-phosphate-independent mechanism for routing alpha-L-fucosidase. Additional metabolic labelling experiments demonstrated the presence of 32P-labelled alpha-L-fucosidase in both cells and medium of a control lymphoid culture, but only in cells of an I-cell lymphoid culture. In contrast, alpha-L-fucosidase labelled with [35S]methionine was found in cells and medium of control and I-cell lymphoid cultures. Since phosphoserine was only found to occur in intracellular, but not in extracellular alpha-L-fucosidase of the I-cell culture, we speculate that phosphoserine may be involved in intracellular retention of alpha-L-fucosidase in I-cell lymphoid cells.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Dichloroacetate increases glucose use and decreases lactate in developing rat brain.

Dichloroacetate (DCA) activates pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) by inhibiting PDH kinase. Neutralized DCA (100 mg/kg) or saline was intravenously administered to 20 to 25-day-old rats (50-75g). Fifteen minutes later a mixture of [6-14C]glucose and [3H]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) was administered intravenously and the animals were sacrificed by microwave irradiation (2450 MHz, 8.0 kW, 0.6-0.8 sec) after 2 or 5 min. Brain regional rates of glucose use and metabolite levels were determined. DCA-treated rats had increased rates of glucose use in all regions studied (cortex, thalamus, striatum, and brain stem), with an average increase of 41%. Lactate levels were lower in all regions, by an average of 35%. There were no significant changes in levels of ATP, creatine phosphate, or glycogen in any brain region. Blood levels of lactate did not differ significantly between the DCA- and the saline-treated groups. Blood glucose levels were higher in the DCA group. In rats sacrificed by freeze-blowing, DCA treatment caused lower brain levels of both lactate and pyruvate. These results cannot be explained by any systemic effect of DCA. Rather, it appears that in the immature rat, DCA treatment results in activation of brain PDH, increased metabolism of brain pyruvate and lactate, and a resulting increase in brain glycolytic rate.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Transplant information management system: a center-oriented approach to transplant data management.

TIMY is the ideal management system for novice data-entry personnel as well as for the research staff, nurses, and physicians at our facility. Access to data through the use of menus and security systems makes TIMY a user-friendly database. It has excellent data export capabilities so that more complex data analysis can be performed using dedicated software such as SPSS/PC, BMDP, or SAS. This provides great flexibility as well as the power needed for the study of complex data sets.

Database Management Systems↗
PubMed1990

Characterization of lysosomal enzymes from cultured cynomolgus monkey trabecular meshwork cells.

The current study characterizes selected properties of lysosomal enzymes associated with cynomolgus monkey trabecular meshwork (MTM) cells. These proteins may participate in the turnover of macromolecules involved in regulating the aqueous outflow. Intracellular levels of lysosomal enzymes in MTM cells were similar to those found in cultured human fibroblasts. The presence of ammonium chloride increased the secretion rate of certain lysosomal enzymes from 47 to 122% of normal. Column chromatography of the secreted enzymes on the galactose-specific lectin Ricinus communis I demonstrated an increase in the number of accessible galactose residues on lysosomal enzymes secreted in the presence of ammonium chloride. The presence of mannose-6-phosphate receptors on the trabecular meshwork cells was demonstrated by the specific uptake of purified 125I-beta-D-glucosidase. This uptake represented 20% of that observed with cultured human fibroblasts and was inhibited only 50% by the presence of mannose-6-phosphate.

Ammonium Chloride↗
PubMed1989

Calcium buffer injections block fucoid egg development by facilitating calcium diffusion.

The polarity of fucoid eggs is fixed either when tip growth starts or a bit earlier. A steady flow of calcium ions into the incipient tip is thought to establish a high calcium zone that is needed for its localization and formation. To test this hypothesis, we have injected seven different 1,2-bis(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA)-type calcium buffers into Pelvetia eggs many hours before tip growth normally starts. Critical final cell concentrations of each buffer prove to block outgrowth (as well as cell division) for up to 2 weeks. This critical inhibitory concentration is lowest for two buffers with dissociation constants or Kd values of 4-5 x 10(-6) M and increases steadily as the buffers' Kd values shift either below or above this optimal value to ones as low as 4 x 10(-7) M or as high as 9.4 x 10(-5) M. To analyze these results, we have derived an equation (based on the concept of facilitated diffusion) for the effects of diffusable calcium buffers on steady-state calcium gradients. The data fit this equation quite well if it is assumed that cytosolic free calcium at the incipient tip is normally kept at about 7 microM and, thus, far above the general cytosolic level.

Buffers↗
PubMed1989

Correlation between Root-Generated Ionic Currents, pH, Fusicoccin, Indoleacetic Acid, and Growth of the Primary Root of Zea mays.

Correlations between root-generated ionic currents, extracellular pH, indoleacetic acid, fusicoccin, and growth were investigated. Current consistently entered the meristematic and elongating tissues of intact growing roots of Zea mays cv Golden Bantam. Mature root regions generated the outward limb of the current loop. Ion-substitution and pH-profile experiments suggested that the bulk of the ionic current was carried by H(+). Calcium ions did not carry current, but calcium may regulate the proton circulation since the proton current density was slightly larger in calcium-depleted media. Increased root elongation at low pH was associated with increased current density and an extended zone of inward current. Conversely decreased elongation at high pH was associated with a reduced current density and a more restricted zone of inward current. The effect of the fungal toxin fusicoccin was to increase the current density of the inward limb of the ion current and to increase root extension. Concentrations of indoleacetic acid that reduced root growth, also reduced the density of the inward current and shortened the inward current zone. The results emphasize the point that roots are electrically contiguous over many millimeters and that the electrophysiology of root growth is best studied in intact root systems.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1988

Autosomal inheritance of sideroblastic anaemia.

Inherited sideroblastic anaemia is usually transmitted as an X-linked disorder (Losowsky & Hall 1965). We report a patient in whom family studies indicated autosomal inheritance, with direct transmission from father to son. The severe nature of the sideroblastic abnormality in the proband may be due to interaction between the sideroblastic trait and a single allele for idiopathic haemochromatosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

A simple enzymic method for the measurement of magnesium in serum and urine on a centrifugal analyser.

A method is described based on a reaction that requires magnesium-ATP as a co-factor for the activity of hexokinase (HK), coupled with glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH). Glucose and NADP are converted to D-gluconolactone 6-phosphate and NADPH, respectively. The rate of increase in absorbance at 340 nm due to the formation of NADPH is proportional to the magnesium concentration in the sample. Magnesium levels in serum and urine measured by the enzymic method compared well with those obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry. The within-batch precisions were 1.4% and 1.5% for the enzymic method and the atomic absorption method, respectively for a quality assurance sample with a magnesium concentration of 2 mmol/L. The enzymic method is accurate (recoveries of added magnesium to serum samples are 101-102%), reproducible (between batch CV 2.8%), and rapid (23 samples may be measured in 10 min). Data on accuracy, precision and correlation for the enzymic and atomic absorption methods are presented.

Autoanalysis↗
PubMed1987

Properties of N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphotransferase from human lymphoblasts.

Human lymphoblast and fibroblast cell lines from a patient with I-cell disease and normal individuals were characterized with respect to certain properties of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine:lysosomal enzyme precursor N-acetylglucosamine phosphotransferase. The enzyme isolated from normal lymphoblast and fibroblast cell lines expressed similar kinetic properties, substrate specificities and subcellular localizations. Coincident with the severe reduction of N-acetylglucosamine phosphotransferase activity in both I-cell fibroblast and lymphoblast cell lines, there was an increased secretion of several lysosomal enzymes compared to normal controls. Subsequent examination of N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase secreted by the I-cell lymphoblasts demonstrated a significant increase in adsorption of the I-cell enzyme to Ricinus communis agglutinin, a galactose-specific lectin. However, the I-cell lymphoblasts did not exhibit the significant decrease in intracellular lysosomal activities seen in I-cell fibroblasts. Our results suggest that lymphoblasts not only represent an excellent source for the purification of N-acetylglucosamine phosphotransferase, but in addition, represent a unique system for studying alternate mechanisms involved in the targeting of lysosomal enzymes.

Cell Line↗