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Biomedical subjects

D J Franks

Publications and source records attributed to D J Franks.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Viral p21 Ki-RAS protein: a potent intracellular mitogen that stimulates adenylate cyclase activity in early G1 phase of cultured rat cells.

Rat kidney (NRK) cells infected with a temperature-sensitive mutant of the Kirsten sarcoma virus were arrested in the G0/G1 phase of their cell cycle by incubation in serum-deficient medium at a p21-inactivating temperature of 41 degrees C. These quiescent ts K-NRK cells were then stimulated to transit G1 and initiate DNA replication by lowering the temperature to 36 degrees C, which rapidly reactivated p21. Reactivating the viral Ki-RAS protein by temperature shift led to an increase in adenylate cyclase activity in early G1 phase. The Ki-RAS protein increased the sensitivity of adenylate cyclase to guanyl nucleotides by a mechanism that seemed to involve inactivation of the enzyme's inhibitory G1 regulatory protein.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1987

Calcium, cyclic AMP and protein kinase C--partners in mitogenesis.

Evidence is steadily mounting that the proto-oncogenes, whose products organize and start the programs that drive normal eukaryotic cells through their chromosome replication/mitosis cycles, are transiently stimulated by sequential signals from a multi-purpose, receptor-operated mechanism (consisting of internal surges of Ca2+ and bursts of protein kinase C activity resulting from phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate breakdown and the opening of membrane Ca2+ channels induced by receptor-associated tyrosine-protein kinase activity) and bursts of cyclic AMP-dependent kinase activity. The bypassing or subversion of the receptor-operated Ca2+/phospholipid breakdown/protein kinase C signalling mechanism is probably the basis of the freeing of cell proliferation from external controls that characterizes all neoplastic transformations.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Therapeutic modulation of growth-promoting activity in platelets from diabetics.

Proliferation of vascular smooth muscle is thought to be involved in the major diabetic complication atherosclerosis. We have previously reported an increase of growth-promoting activity (GA) in platelets from insulin-dependent diabetics. In this study, GA was measured in the platelet extract (PE) from eight diabetic patients who had been treated by conventional insulin therapy. Vascular smooth muscle cells from rat aorta were cultured and used as an assay system for GA. Incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA of cultured cells was stimulated by diabetic PE significantly more (P less than .05) than by normal PE. Diabetic PE incubated with cells for 4 days increased cell numbers significantly more (P less than .05) than normal PE. These abnormalities were corrected by long-term intensive insulin treatments (continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion and Pen infuser). The decrease of platelet extract GA appeared to correlate with the amount of insulin administered before meals as short-acting boluses, whereas the level of basal or long-acting insulin appeared to correlate with an increase of PE GA. Thus, the growth-promoting potential of platelets can be normalized by intensive insulin therapy. The relationship of insulin levels to this activity needs further evaluation.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Cushing syndrome with food-dependent periodic hormonogenesis.

Periodic hormonogenesis has been described in patients with ACTH-dependent hypercorticism, and fluctuations of cortisol secretion have also been observed in patients with adrenal tumors. In this report, we studied a 41-year-old white male who presented with hypertension, central obesity, and muscle weakness of 2-years duration. His plasma cortisol was low (4.5 micrograms) in the morning and high in the evening (29.3 micrograms). Urinary free cortisol was 750 micrograms/day. A 24-hour cycle demonstrated highest values at noon and in late afternoon. This pattern was not suppressed by dexamethasone. When the patient was kept fasting, plasma cortisol remained low all day, and became elevated immediately after meal administration overnight. A left-sided adrenal mass was demonstrated and removed. In vitro, the adenylate cyclase activity of tumor tissue demonstrated more significant response to vasopressin than to ACTH; other tested peptides were inactive. We propose that a humoral factor induced by eating was responsible for the periodic hormonogenesis, directly stimulating the adrenal secretion of cortisol.

17-Ketosteroids↗
PubMed1985

The mitogenic/oncogenic p21 Ki-RAS protein stimulates adenylate cyclase activity early in the G1 phase of NRK rat kidney cells.

tsK-NRK rat cells infected with a temperature-sensitive mutant of the Kirsten murine sarcoma virus were arrested in the G0/G1 phase of their cell cycle by incubation in serum-deficient medium at a temperature (41 degrees C) which inactivates the virus' abnormally thermolabile mitogenic/oncogenic 21 kDa (p 21) RAS protein product. Reactivating the viral RAS protein by lowering the temperature to a permissive 36 degrees C rapidly (within 1 hour) stimulated adenylate cyclase, sensitized the enzyme to stimulation by GTP and forskolin and caused the tsK-NRK cells to transit G1 and start replicating their DNA about 10 hours later. The 41 degrees C----36 degrees C shift did not affect adenylate cyclase or stimulate G1 transit in uninfected NRK cells. Thus, an oncogenic viral RAS protein was able to stimulate adenylate cyclase and G1 transit in a mammalian cell just as other RAS proteins appear to do in yeast cells.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1985

Stimulation of adenylate cyclase by adenosine and other agonists in mesenteric artery smooth muscle cells in culture.

An adenosine-sensitive adenylate cyclase has been characterized in cultured mesenteric artery smooth muscle cells. N-Ethylcarboxamide-adenosine (NECA), N-Methylcarboxamide-adenosine (MECA), L-N6-phenylisopropyladenosine (PIA) and 2-chloroadenosine (2-cl-Ado) all stimulated adenylate cyclase in a concentration dependent manner. NECA was the most potent analog (EC50, 1 microM), whereas PIA (EC50, 15 microM), 2-Cl-Ado (EC50, 15 microM) and MECA (EC50, 24 microM), were less potent and had efficacies relative to NECA of 0.61, 0.61 and 0.65, respectively. Adenosine showed a biphasic effect: stimulation at lower concentrations and inhibition at higher concentrations, whereas 2' deoxyadenosine only inhibited adenylate cyclase activity. The stimulatory effect of NECA on adenylate cyclase was dependent on metal ion concentration and was blocked by 3-isobutyl-l-methylxanthine (IBMX) and 8-phenyltheophylline (8-PT). Adenylate cyclase from these cultured cells was also stimulated by other agonists such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, prostaglandins, dopamine, NaF and forskolin. The stimulation of adenylate cyclase by isoproterenol, epinephrine and norepinephrine was blocked by propranolol but not by phentolamine. On the other hand, phentolamine, propranolol and flupentixol all inhibited dopamine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity. In addition, the stimulation by an optimal concentration of PIA was additive or almost additive with maximal stimulation caused by catecholamines and prostaglandins. These data indicate the presence of adenosine (Stimulatory "Ra"), catecholamine and prostaglandin receptors in mesenteric artery smooth muscle cells and suggest that these agents may exert their physiological actions through their interaction with their respective receptors coupled to adenylate cyclase.

Adenosine↗
PubMed1985

Abnormalities of platelet-derived growth factors in insulin-dependent diabetes.

Platelets are involved in homeostasis of the vascular wall at various levels. An important feature of this involvement is the potential for platelet proliferation. Platelets from normal subjects contain platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), epithelial growth factor (EGF), and transforming growth factor. We have detected the presence of an excessive growth-promoting activity in the heated supernatant fraction derived from the platelets of young, insulin-dependent diabetics. This activity is most pronounced when measured in cultures of smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts. This activity may be further separated into cationic and anionic fractions by ion exchange chromatography of the platelet-rich supernatant. The cationic factor corresponds to PDGF, whereas the anionic factor appears to be identical to EGF. Chronic, intensive insulin therapy normalizes the excessive growth-promoting activity of platelets from diabetics. Further studies are needed to evaluate the differential release of those growth-promoting factors found in platelets of normal subjects and in patients with vascular disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Effect of aldosterone on vascular angiotensin II receptors in the rat.

The effect of aldosterone on the density and affinity of binding sites for 125I-labelled angiotensin II was investigated in a particulate fraction prepared from the rat mesenteric arteriolar arcades. The infusion of aldosterone 6.6 micrograms/h intraperitoneally via Alzet osmotic minipumps for 6 d produced an increase in the density of binding sites for 125I-labelled angiotensin II without change in affinity. After sodium depletion, mesenteric artery angiotensin II receptors were down-regulated as expected. An increase in the number of binding sites could be found when aldosterone was infused into sodium-depleted rats with no change in the elevated plasma renin activity. The intraperitoneal infusion of angiotensin II (200 ng X kg-1 X min-1 for 6 d) simultaneously with aldosterone resulted in down-regulation of vascular angiotensin II receptors, whereas after intravenous angiotensin II infusion (at 60 ng X kg-1 X min-1) the density of angiotensin II binding sites rose with aldosterone infusion. Plasma renin activity (PRA) was reduced and plasma angiotensin II increased in a dose-dependent fashion after angiotensin II infusion. An aldosterone concentration of 3 ng/mL for 18 h produced an increase in the number of angiotensin II binding sites in rat mesenteric artery smooth muscle cells in culture. We conclude that increased plasma aldosterone may result in up-regulation of vascular angiotensin II receptors independently of changes in plasma renin activity, and may in certain physiological states effectively antagonize the down-regulating action of angiotensin II.

Aldosterone↗
PubMed1985

Effect of plasma, serum and platelets from diabetics on DNA synthesis in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.

Abnormalities in the regulation of proliferation of vascular smooth muscle are believed to be involved in the development of atherosclerosis. This study addresses the question of whether altered levels or activity of circulating factors in diabetes may influence the growth of vascular smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts. Plasma prepared from a group of patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus was less capable of stimulating DNA synthesis in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells and human lung fibroblasts than plasma from control subjects. In contrast a platelet lysate prepared from the same patients caused significantly greater DNA synthesis than did a platelet lysate prepared from the controls. Thus both increased and decreased growth promoting activity exist in diabetes. The end result of these abnormalities may depend on the sensitivity of the target organ and platelet function, but may be related to the increased risk of atherosclerosis amongst the diabetic population.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Atrial natriuretic factor inhibits adenylate cyclase activity.

The synthetic atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) (8- 33AA ) inhibited adenylate cyclase activity in aorta washed particles, mesenteric artery, and renal artery homogenates in a concentration dependent manner with an apparent Ki between 0.1 to 1nM . The extent of inhibition of adenylate cyclase by ANF varied from tissue to tissue. The adenylate cyclase from mesenteric artery and renal artery was inhibited to a greater extent as compared to that from aorta. ANF was also able to inhibit the stimulatory effects of hormones on adenylate cyclase activity and of agents such as F- and forskolin which activate adenylate cyclase by receptor- independent mechanism. In addition, ANF showed an additive effect with the inhibitory response of angiotensin II on adenylate cyclase from rat aorta. These studies for the first time demonstrate that ANF is an inhibitor of adenylate cyclase of several systems.

Adenylyl Cyclase Inhibitors↗
PubMed1984

An increase in adenylate cyclase activity precedes DNA synthesis in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.

Adenylate cyclase activity in cultured rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells showed a linear correlation with the rate of DNA synthesis. When smooth muscle cells were rendered quiescent by shifting them from a serum-supplemented medium to a medium containing low concentrations of plasma, the cells could be stimulated to proliferate by the addition of serum or by addition of a crude preparation of platelet-derived growth factor. DNA synthesis began at 16 hours and was maximal at 24 hours. Prior to synthesis of DNA there was an increase in adenylate cyclase activity with a peak at 12 hours. Adenylate cyclase activity returned to basal level before DNA synthesis began. The increase in adenylate cyclase activity was not blocked by cycloheximide. Adenylate cyclase activity could also be increased by incubating vascular smooth muscle cells with cholera toxin; however, the time course and magnitude of this increase was different from that caused by growth stimulants. Cholera toxin caused a slight increase in DNA synthesis at 16 hours, but was also cytotoxic to smooth muscle cells. An increase in adenylate cyclase activity may be a prerequisite for the progression from G1 to S.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1983

Platelets and vascular smooth muscle: abnormalities of phosphodiesterase, aggregation, and cell growth in experimental and human diabetes.

Platelets appear to be involved in both the maintenance of homeostasis and the regulation of proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells. Anomalies of platelet function may be responsible in part for the pathogenesis of vascular disease in experimental and human diabetes. In a search for an appropriate animal model, we have studied platelet function and the properties of platelet cyclic NCL-PDE in rats with streptozocin-induced diabetes, spontaneous diabetes, and human insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). It appears that opposite abnormalities in both aggregation and phosphodiesterase activity exist in the two animal models. In human IDDM, similar abnormalities to those seen in the BB model were observed. Vascular smooth muscle cells in culture can be used as a model for studies of the effect of circulating growth factors in animals and humans. A growth inhibitory factor was found in plasma and serum from STZ and human IDDM but not BB. In humans we observed increased growth-promoting activity of diabetic platelets, but this phenomenon was absent in both animal models. It remains to be evaluated whether these differences may account for the fact that diabetic rats appear resistant to development of vascular complications. It also remains to be established which animal model is the best choice for studying growth abnormalities in diabetes.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMed1983

Rapid activation of cAMP phosphodiesterase in rat platelets.

Incubation of intact platelets with prostaglandins (PGE1 and PGI2) and phosphodiesterase inhibitors (1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine, indomethacin, dipyridamol) lead to activation of cAMP phosphodiesterase. The activation was rapid (maximal within 30 s) and stable after removal of agents and homogenization of platelets. The activation remained after DEAE-Sepharose chromatography. The effect of the two types of agents on phosphodiesterase activity was more than additive and activation did not alter the nonlinear kinetic behavior of phosphodiesterase. The mechanism of the ex vivo stimulation is unknown at the present time, however, it does not seem to be due to cellular redistribution of the enzyme. The results suggest that activation of a cAMP-dependent protein kinase is an intermediate step. The ex vivo stimulation is regulated by a calcium-dependent process, since addition of Ca2+ ions and ionophore A23187 to Ca2+ depleted platelets abolished the ex vivo stimulation by PGE1 and MIX.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMed1982

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase and aggregation in platelets from diabetic rats.

Platelet aggregation and cyclic nucleotide (cNCL) phosphodiesterase (PDE) have been studied in a new strain of insulin-dependent spontaneously diabetic rat (SDR). The rate of aggregation of washed platelets induced by ADP or ionophore A23187 was decreased in SDR as compared to asymptomatic littermates. The activity of soluble cGMP-PDE was increased in SDR, while no significant difference was observed between SDR and control in soluble and particulate cAMP-PDE activities nor in particulates cGMP-PDE activity. Furthermore, a kinetic study of soluble cGMP-PDE in platelets demonstrated that the apparent Km was lower while the Vmax was higher in SDR. Increases were also observed in the activities of particulate cAMP-PDE and cGMP-PDE at low and high substrate concentrations in liver and heart of SDR. These anomalies of platelet aggregation and cNCL-PDE in SDR were partially correctable by insulin. For comparison, a similar study was performed in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (STZ). In contrast to SDR, the rate of platelet aggregation induced by ADP was increased in STZ, and the activity of soluble cGMP-PDE in platelets was decreased in STZ. A similar decrease in the activities of cAMP-PDE in liver was also observed in STZ. This study confirms observations concerning the decrease of cGMP-PDE in tissues of STZ diabetic rats. However, since opposite anomalies in PDE activity as well as a platelet function were observed in another model of diabetes (SDR), the significance of these anomalies in the pathophysiology of diabetes requires further investigation.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗
PubMed1982

Stimulation of rat platelet adenylate cyclase by an endogenous calcium-dependent protease-like activity.

The stimulation of adenylate cyclase by various exogenous proteases has been described in several tissues. In this study, we describe a 2 to 7-fold increase of adenylate cyclase activity in a particulate preparation from rat platelets following prior exposure of the homogenate to calcium. Calmodulin alone was unable to increase the adenylate cyclase activity and trifluoperazine only partially inhibited the calcium-dependent activation. On the other hand, calcium had a slight stimulatory effect on the particulate preparation but this activation was greatly enhanced by the addition of supernatant. Only the combined addition of calcium, supernatant and calmodulin to washed particulate preparations reconstituted the activation seen in homogenates. The activation was significantly inhibited by leupeptin and thiol reagents. It is concluded that platelets contain a calcium-dependent protease-like activity that is able to increase adenylate cyclase activity in membrane fractions. This phenomenon may be involved in the regulation of adenylate cyclase activity in platelets.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1980

Characteristics of a new binding protein distinct from the kinase for guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate in rat platelets.

A new type of cyclic GMP binding protein was recently identified in our laboratory (Hamet, P. and Coquil, J.-F. (1978) J. Cyclic Nucleotide Res. 4, 281--290). The binding, recovered in the supernatant fractions, is highly specific for cyclic GMP and is clearly distinct from the binding to cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase. Chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose separated the cyclic GMP binding protein from cyclic AMP binding, cyclic AMP-dependent kinase activities, and from guanylate cyclase. The optimal binding occurs at high pH and in the presence of thiol reagents. Several phosphodiesterase inhibitors increase the affinity of binding (Kd was 353 +/- 60 nM in the absence and 13.4 +/- 1.5 nM in the presence of 1-methyl-3-isobutyl-xanthine). The molecular weight of the binding protein was determined to be about 176,000 and the sedimentation coefficient was 6.4 S. While the binding and phosphodiesterase activities co-migrated on DEAE-Sepharose, gel filtration and sucrose gradients, certain treatments (such as increasing the concentrations of salt and heating) were able to influence one activity while having no effect on the other. Hence, the binding activity may be involved in the regulation of the activity of cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase. Since the binding protein appears to be the only 'receptor' for cyclic GMP detectable in platelets, this protein and/or its relation to cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase may play a role in the mechanism of action of cyclic GMP in platelets.

2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases↗