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Biomedical subjects

D Vetter

Publications and source records attributed to D Vetter.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

[In vitro demonstration of a deficit in suppressor T-cell function in alcoholic cirrhosis. Role of hepatitis B virus infection].

The T lymphocyte suppressor cell activity has been evaluated in 33 alcoholic patients compared with 16 normal controls, using an in vitro test. Suppressor T cells were activated with concanavalin A, and suppressor effect was quantified by the inhibition of an autologous B cell culture response to Pokeweed Mitogen. When compared with controls, cirrhotic patients showed a significant defect of suppressor cell activity on B cell production of IgG (20 +/- 3 vs 46 +/- 5 p. 100, p less than 0.001) and IgM (26 +/- 4 vs 56 +/- 8 p. 100, p less than 0.05). In cirrhotic patients, defect of T cell suppressor function was independent of sex and severity of the cirrhosis (Child's staging). This defect was more marked in cirrhotics with serological markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (n = 11) than in cirrhotics without markers (n = 22) (9 +/- 5 vs 25 +/- 3 p. 100, p less than 0.05; 16 +/- 6 vs 30 +/- 5 p. 100, p less than 0.05 respectively for IgG and IgM production suppression). These results suggest that HBV and lymphocytes interact directly. This interaction could increase the T suppressor cell defect, and explain the promoting role of HBV infection in the constitution of the cirrhosis in alcoholics even when viral replication is not serologically apparent.

Female↗
PubMed1989

[Hepatic undifferentiated (or embryonal) sarcoma. Diagnostic and therapeutic problems apropos of botryoid rhabdomyosarcoma].

Primary undifferentiated sarcomas (also called embryonal sarcomas or malignant mesenchymomas) are an exceptional form of cancer of the liver, occurring preferentially in children or adolescents. They can exhibit poor differentiation, embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma being the most frequent. To date, therapeutic success has been reported only rarely. The authors describe the case of a 16 year old boy with primary hepatic sarcoma showing a rhabdomyoblastic differentiation, who is in complete remission two years after total surgical resection and polychemotherapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

[Study of insulin resistance in cirrhosis by the hyperinsulin euglycemia clamp].

To explore the insulin resistance state in liver cirrhosis and to assess the respective role of insulin sensitivity and cellular metabolism alterations, an euglycemic glucose clamp was performed in 12 cirrhotic patients and 6 healthy volunteers with 3 successive hyperinsulinemic periods of 90 mn (infusions of 7, 20 and Iu/h). An artificial beta-cell model allowed to quantify the amount of glucose needed to keep glycemia at 4.70 mmol/l. In 7 cirrhotic patients, insulin secretion was tested by an intravenous glucose tolerance test. The dose-response curves showed a significant (p less than 0.01) decrease of the theoretical maximal metabolic clearance rate of glucose (capacity). The insulin concentration corresponding to the half-maximal response (ED50) did not differ between cirrhotic and control subjects because of a very important dispersion of individual values in cirrhotics. The ED50 value was lower than the values of control subjects in five cirrhotic patients and normal or enhanced in seven other patients; the former showed the most reduced values for capacity, and the latter a more marked hyperinsulinemia during the intravenous glucose tolerance test. The two subgroups of patients did not differ for clinical or biological parameters of cirrhosis, or for glucose tolerance. These results 1) show a constant and marked impairment of glucose metabolism capacity in liver cirrhosis, 2) and suggest that the insulin resistance inconstantly observed in this state is a consequence of chronic hyperinsulinemia.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

[Determination of sub-populations of circulating T lymphocytes in alcoholic cirrhosis using monoclonal antibodies OKT3, 4, 5, Leu 2 and Leu 15. Effect of hepatitis B virus infection].

Peripheral T lymphocyte subpopulations were quantified in 24 alcoholic cirrhotic patients, 11 of them having anti-HBs and/or anti-HBc antibodies, and were compared with 35 healthy control subjects, 10 of them having anti-HBs and/or anti-HBc antibodies. The monoclonal antibodies utilized (OKT3, OKT4, OKT8 in simple staining, Leu 2 and Leu 15 in double staining) are considered as markers of mature (CD3), helper (CD4), cytotoxic/suppressor (CD8, Leu 2), suppressor (Leu [2+ 15+), and cytotoxic (Leu 2+ 15-) T cells. In cirrhotics, when compared to controls, the number of CD3 cells was reduced (p less than 0.01); the proportion of CD4 cells was within normal range, and that of CD8 cells diminished (p less than 0.001), contrasting with an increased proportion of Leu 2+ cells (p less than 0.01), related to an increased proportion of Leu 2+ 15+ cells. Leu 2+ 15- lymphocytes were within normal range. In control subjects, a decreased proportion of Leu 2+ 15+ cells was found (p less than 0.05) when Ac HBs and/or Ac HBc were present. In cirrhotics having at least one serologic marker of hepatitis B virus infection, when compared with negative ones, increased proportions of Leu 2+ (p less than 0.05) and Leu 2+ 15+ (p less than 0.05) cells were found. These results show that data concerning T lymphocyte subpopulations are conflicting when various types of antibodies are used. However, they suggest abnormalities of immune regulation, possibly a defect of T suppressor cell function. Hepatitis B virus infection probably modifies immune regulation in alcoholic cirrhosis, and perhaps in normal subjects.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1987

[Hyperammonemia induced by propranolol in cirrhotic patients. Role of the kidney and influence of the severity of the cirrhosis].

The effect of the intravenous injection of 0.1 mg/kg of propranolol on arterial ammonemia was studied in 30 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis comparatively with 10 healthy volunteers. Moreover, in 20 patients in the cirrhotic group (10 were Pugh's grade A or B and 10 others were grade C), left renal vein catheterization was performed to follow the changes in ammonemia and glutaminemia levels simultaneously with those occurring in arterial blood. After 30 min, arterial ammonemia was significantly increased in the controls (p less than 0.02) and in the cirrhotic patients (p less than 0.001). The renal venous ammonemia was also significantly increased in all of the cirrhotic patients (p less than 0.01). In the grade A and B patients, the increase in ammonemia was more marked in the renal vein as compared with that in arterial blood (p less than 0.001). In contrast, in the grade C patients, the increase in ammonemia did not differ significantly between the two sectors. The difference in ammonia concentration between arterial and renal venous blood increased significantly after 30 min in the grade A and B patients (p less than 0.001) whereas it was stable in the grade C patients. The changes of glutaminemia in arterial and renal venous blood were not significantly different in the two groups of cirrhotic patients. These data show that, in our experimental conditions, propranolol induces arterial hyperammonemia in cirrhotic patients and that the kidney could interfere with the mechanism of hyperammonemia, at least in grade A and B patients.

Ammonia↗
PubMed1986

[Current trends in dietetics in diabetology and their experimental bases].

The last decade has witnessed drastic changes in our views on diet for diabetics, whether insulin-dependent or not. To bring blood glucose levels down to normal values, thereby preventing diabetic microangiopathy or alleviating its course, remains the compelling purpose of treatment, but the modalities and constraints of the dietetic measures which contribute to this result have been radically revised. Leaving aside fashions and controversies, three tendencies have emerged: the low carbohydrate diet does not improve the glycaemic balance but implies an excessive fat intake which may aggravate the microangiopathy. Of course, an hypocaloric diet remains fundamental in the management of obese non-insulin dependent diabetics; the effects on glycaemia of the carbohydrate ration constituents must be reconsidered. The classical distinction between "fast" and "slow" sugars seems to be excessive and insufficient, if not erroneous. Food replacements must take into account the glycaemic index; a minimal dietary fibre intake has a favourable effect on post-prandial glycaemia and lipid metabolism and is to be recommended, notably to diabetics.

Diabetes Mellitus↗
PubMed1986

[Malnutrition and deficiency of insulin secretion in alcoholic cirrhosis. Study by the assay of urinary C-peptide].

In order to evaluate the relationship between nutritional status and insulin secretion in cirrhosis, the following parameters of caloric (tricipital skin fold, prealbumin) and proteic (arm muscle size, transferrin, 24 h-urinary creatinine excretion) nutritional status were compared in 20 alcoholic cirrhotics and 10 normal subjects. Insulin secretion was evaluated in both groups by insulin and C-peptide response to an intravenous glucose tolerance test and by 24 h urinary excretion of C-peptide. When compared to normals, cirrhotics have lower values for all nutritional status parameters and individually for at least three of those in 14 (70 p. 100) patients. In cirrhotics there is a significant decrease of the 4-min poststimulative response of insulin and C-peptide, contrasting with higher basal and late poststimulative values than in normals. This contrast could be explained by a reduced metabolic clearance rate of insulin (consistent with insulin resistance) and of C-peptide (the urinary clearance of which is 2.5 times lower in cirrhotics than in normals). The 24-h urinary excretion of C-peptide, probably weakly dependent of this reduced clearance, is 50 p. 100 lower in cirrhotics: 12.9 +/- 1.6 nM/24 h than in normals: 26.0 +/- 2.4 nM/24 h (p less than 0.001). In cirrhotics there is a significant linear correlation between 24 h urinary C-peptide excretion and all the nutritional status parameters but one (prealbumin). These results indicate that in cirrhosis: 1) urinary C-peptide excretion rate is a good index of insulin secretion; 2) urinary C-peptide indicates a marked deficit in insulin secretion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1985

The FLP protein of the 2-micron plasmid of yeast. Purification of the protein from Escherichia coli cells expressing the cloned FLP gene.

Most laboratory strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae contain many copies of an autonomously replicating plasmid called 2-micron circle DNA. This plasmid codes for a site-specific recombinase, the FLP protein which promotes recombination across two 599-base pair inverted repeats of the plasmid DNA. We have cloned the FLP gene under the control of a strong Escherichia coli promoter and have hyperproduced the protein in that organism. Cell-free extracts from this source promote highly efficient site-specific recombination in vitro and we have used this activity to purify the FLP protein substantially. The enzyme acts efficiently on circular and linear substrates and requires only monovalent or divalent cations for activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗