Mannose-binding protein genotypes and recurrent infection.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to E Davies.
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The peptide hormone angiotensin II (AngII) plays a principal role in regulating blood pressure and fluid homeostasis. Most of its known effects are mediated by a guanine nucleotide-regulatory protein (G protein)-coupled receptor pharmacologically defined as the type-1 AngII receptor or AT1. Characterization of cDNA and genomic clones shows that the human AT1 gene contains five exons and encodes two receptor isoforms as a result of alternative splicing. Exon 5 contains the previously characterized open reading frame for AT1, and exons 1 to 3 are alternatively spliced upstream of it to generate several mRNA species, while transcripts containing exon 4 are of minor abundance. In an in vitro translation system, the presence of exon 1 was found to be extremely inhibitory to translation, probably because it can form a stable secondary structure at the RNA level. The alternatively spliced second exon also had a strong inhibitory effect on translation, presumably because it contains a minicistron commencing with an ATG in an optimal context for translation initiation. Exon 2 was similarly inhibitory to protein production in transfected cells, but exon 1 was found to enhance protein synthesis in this system. Transcripts containing exon 3 and 5, which comprise up to one-third of AT1 mRNAs in all tissues examined, encode a receptor with an amino-terminal extension of 32-35 amino acids. These transcripts were translated into a larger receptor isoform in vitro and produced a functional receptor with normal ligand binding and signaling properties in transfected cells.
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The diuretic and natriuretic response to an intravenous dose of frusemide 40 mg was assessed in the erect and supine positions in 10 patients with cardiac failure who were being treated with enalapril 10 mg twice daily in addition to diuretics (Enalapril group) and in 10 patients with cardiac failure taking diuretics alone (Control group). Total 4 h diuresis in the erect position was 728 ml and in the supine position was 824 ml in the patients taking enalapril compared to 655 ml in the erect position and 1166 ml in the supine position in those patients taking diuretics alone. Total 4 h natriuresis in the erect positions was 78 mmol and in the supine position was 85 mmol in patients taking enalapril 10 mg twice daily but in those patients taking diuretics alone total 4 h natriuresis in the erect position was 67 mmol increasing to 120 mmol in the supine position. Measurements of plasma renin activity and plasma angiotensin II concentration confirmed effective converting enzyme inhibition, in the group of patients taking enalapril, but in those patients taking diuretics alone the erect position was associated with an increase in plasma renin activity, and plasma concentrations of angiotensin II and aldosterone. We conclude that the renin angiotensin system is a major factor in mediating the effect of posture on loop diuretic drugs.
We have given a series of incremental intravenous injections of captopril to ten patients with chronic cardiac failure. Small doses of captopril produced significant changes in pulmonary artery end-diastolic pressure and right atrial pressure, up to a total cumulative dose of captopril of 2.5 mg, after which further injections had no significant effect. There were large changes in systemic vascular resistance and blood pressure up to a cumulative dose of captopril of 5.0 mg, after which the injection of larger doses caused no further significant changes. Small doses of intravenous captopril produced large increases in plasma renin activity and plasma angiotensin I concentrations up to a total cumulative dose of captopril of 1.25 mg, after which there were no significant further changes in either plasma renin activity or plasma angiotensin I concentration. However the plasma concentration of angiotensin II fell more slowly, no further change being recorded after a total cumulative dose of captopril of 10 mg. These results suggest that plasma renin activity is not the only determinant of plasma angiotensin II concentrations.
A 25 mg intravenous bolus injection of captopril caused an abrupt and rapid decrease in systemic vascular resistance (time to maximum effect 15 minutes), but a more gradual decrease in right atrial pressure (time to maximum effect 75 minutes) in 12 patients with chronic cardiac failure. Plasma angiotensin II concentrations fell significantly, reaching their lowest concentrations at 75 minutes after the injection of captopril, at which time systemic vascular resistance had begun to return toward control values. There was no correlation between the acute arteriodilator response and pretreatment plasma renin activity or plasma angiotensin II concentrations, or the decrease in plasma angiotensin II concentrations. There was a significant correlation between the decrease in plasma angiotensin II concentrations and the decrease in right atrial pressure (r = 0.67, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that in contrast to the venous response to intravenous captopril, the arterial response is not entirely dependent on a decrease in the circulating plasma angiotensin II concentration.
The control of aldosterone secretion in vivo by serotonin was studied in conscious rats. Serial blood samples were taken from indwelling arterial cannulae before and after i.p. administration of 1 ml (4 g/l) 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), the precursor of serotonin (5-HT), or saline, and analysed for 5-HTP, serotonin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, plasma renin activity (PRA), corticosterone, aldosterone, sodium and potassium concentration. The relative contribution of the hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal axis was investigated in animals pretreated with the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone. 5-HTP caused a significant increase in all parameters within 45 min except for plasma sodium and potassium. Saline administration showed no significant effect. Dexamethasone pretreatment significantly impaired the corticosterone and aldosterone response to 5-HTP, although the aldosterone response was merely attenuated. No other parameter was affected by dexamethasone pretreatment. The results show that administration of 5-HTP, which increases serum serotonin levels, stimulates PRA, corticosterone and aldosterone secretion. Dexamethasone pretreatment inhibits the aldosterone response, though not completely, suggesting that the stimulatory action of 5-HTP involves the release of ACTH, which stimulates corticosterone and aldosterone secretion by the adrenal cortex. The failure of dexamethasone to block the aldosterone response completely, suggests the involvement of other mechanisms such as the renin-angiotensin system or a direct action of serotonin on the adrenal zona glomerulosa.
When conventional, high ionic strength buffers were used for the isolation of polysomes from pea roots, only about 10% were retained in the detergent-insoluble pellet, and they were not degraded by endogenous RNase. A low ionic strength, cytoskeleton-stabilizing buffer increased retention to 60%, but polysomes were severely degraded. The RNase inhibitors, ribonucleoside-vanadyl complexes, heparin, KCl and ammonium sulphate lessened degradation but caused release, while Tris-HCl at 15-25 mM was able to prevent degradation without causing release. Cosedimentation of polysomes with the cytoskeleton is not an artefact of adsorption or trapping since isolated polysomes labelled through their nascent polypeptides and added to unfractionated tissue were not retained in the cytoskeletal pellet.
The effect of diuretic dose on the haemodynamic response to captopril was assessed in nine patients with chronic cardiac failure. Each patient was given an intravenous dose of captopril while maintained on (a) a low dose diuretic regime, and (b) a high dose diuretic regime. Activity of the renin angiotensin aldosterone system, as assessed by plasma concentrations of these hormones, was greater when patients were receiving the higher dose diuretic regime. The magnitude of haemodynamic response produced by intravenous captopril was greater when the patients were maintained on the high dose diuretic regime, although no significant correlation was found between resting plasma renin activity and resting plasma angiotensin II concentration and the change produced by captopril in any haemodynamic response on either diuretic regime. An increased dosage of loop diuretic potentiates the haemodynamic effects of captopril in patients with cardiac failure. Reduction of diuretic dose prior to introduction of captopril may protect against severe first dose hypotension.
The anti-oestrogenic effect of clomiphene citrate causes an increased rate of associated cervical factor problems. Theoretically, it may also cause an adverse effect on the endometrium. The hostile mucus may be completely or partially corrected by the use of additional oestrogen after stopping clomiphene, or by intrauterine insemination (IUI). The prospective randomized study presented here was designed to determine whether a higher pregnancy rate might be achieved using human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG) compared to clomiphene citrate. Thirty-seven women treated with clomiphene citrate for 165 cycles were compared to 33 treated with HMG for 179 cycles. A pregnancy was achieved in 81.1% of clomiphene-treated women (18.2%/cycle) versus 72.7% (13.3% per cycle) of HMG-treated women. The abortion rates of 13.3 and 12.5% respectively, were similar. The data suggest no adverse effect of clomiphene compared to HMG as far as pregnancy rates are concerned. IUI seems to be an effective means of treating cervical factor problems induced by clomiphene.
This study was designed to measure the average serum estradiol (E2) levels in the first trimester for women whose serum progesterone (P) levels were carefully maintained at normal levels by the use of exogenous P, and to compare the mean serum E2 levels in women who aborted with those in women who did not. The study group consisted of 94 pregnant women supported with exogenous natural P therapy from the luteal phase through the first trimester. Beginning at week 5, and continuing through the first trimester, the mean serum E2 levels for nonaborters were significantly higher than those for aborters.
Angiotensin II is an octapeptide resulting from the enzymatic cascade of the renin-angiotensin system and involved in vasoconstriction and aldosterone secretion. The extensive use of converting enzyme inhibitors recently suggested that angiotensin II may have a specific action on growth of its target tissues. Cellular models confirm that angiotensin II is able to produce in vitro a cellular hypertrophy of many cell types. Nevertheless a controversy was developed on the real possibility for angiotensin II to act on cell division. Some cells, such as adrenocortical cells, present a clear induction of their division by angiotensin II, but contradictory results were obtained on vascular smooth muscle cells. The mechanism by which angiotensin II induces hypertrophy of its target tissues, is largely unknown but may involve a direct action on proto-oncogene synthesis, or an indirect action on growth factor secretion. The nature of the angiotensin II receptor involved in these mechanisms has to be identified.
To investigate the role of calcium as a second messenger in serotonin-stimulated aldosterone secretion, radiolabelled calcium influx studies were carried out in purified rat adrenal zona glomerulosa cells using 45CaCl2. The results show that serotonin caused calcium influx within 45 seconds of addition and this continued for up to 105 seconds. Angiotensin II also caused calcium influx; however, the effect was significantly smaller than that of serotonin. Serotonin-stimulated calcium influx could be inhibited by the calcium antagonist verapamil and by methysergide, a selective serotonin receptor type-1/2 antagonist. The data indicate that serotonin directly stimulates calcium uptake in zona glomerulosa cells via calcium channels which are coupled to specific serotonin receptors.
We have studied the acute and chronic effects of an ACE inhibitor (captopril) on platelet function and the renin-angiotensin system in patients with congestive heart failure. Plasma concentrations of angiotensin II fell significantly after a single dose of captopril (25 mg) and during long-term treatment with captopril (2 weeks, 75 mg/day). Plasma renin activity increased significantly after both the single and repeated doses. Captopril did not affect ADP-induced platelet aggregation or concentrations. It seems unlikely that circulating angiotensin II affects ADP-induced platelet aggregation in patients with congestive heart failure.
Serial complement estimations during cardiopulmonary bypass are reported in a patient with acquired C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency. Although the extent of classic and alternative pathway activation appeared appropriate, exaggerated common pathway activation with massive increase in the C3d:C3 ratio occurred. A fatal hemostatic disorder, pulmonary edema, and circulatory collapse ensued despite prophylaxis and therapy.
The effects of inhibition of the renin angiotensin aldosterone system on the natriuretic and diuretic actions of an intravenous dose of frusemide 40 mg in patients with chronic cardiac failure maintained on oral diuretics were studied in the supine and erect positions. In the patients studied in the supine position the total 4 hour diuresis was decreased from 995 (92) ml to 668 (66) ml and the total 4 hour natriuresis fell from 105 (14) mmol to 67 (14) mmol following the administration of captopril. Creatinine clearance fell from 87 (8) ml/minute to 52 (15) ml/minute. In the patients studied in the erect position the total 4 hour diuresis was 596 (87) ml without captopril and 562 (83) ml with captopril. Total 4 hour natriuresis was 71 (13) mmol without captopril and 65 (9) mmol with captopril. Creatinine clearance was reduced by captopril from 82 (7) ml/minute to 47 (12) ml/minute. The reduction in the diuretic and natriuretic response to frusemide caused by captopril in the supine position is mediated through a fall in glomerular filtration rate. However, in the erect position, which is associated with even further increases in activity of the renin angiotensin aldosterone system, the reduction in diuresis and natriuresis that a fall in glomerular filtration rate would cause is offset by abolition of the rise in sodium retaining hormones, angiotensin II and aldosterone that mediate the antinatriuretic effect of the erect position.
When conventional, high ionic strength buffers were used for the isolation of polysomes from pea plants, less than 20% were retained in the detergent-insoluble pellet. Reducing Tris, K+ and Mg++ to 10 mM increased retention to 70%, and when a new, microfilament-stabilizing buffer was used, retention increased to 80%. Conditions which favoured polysome pelleting at lower g forces permitted the retention of actin in the pellet. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that higher plants, like animals, contain cytoskeleton-(actin)-bound polysomes.