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Biomedical subjects

E F Elstner

Publications and source records attributed to E F Elstner.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Determination of the superoxide dismutating activity of D-penicillamine copper.

The superoxide dismutating activity of the D-penicillamine copper complex was determined and compared with the activities of Cu-Zn and Mn superoxide dismutase in four O2 ground negative earth generating systems. I. Nitrite formation from hydroxylamine. II. Crocin destruction by xanthine/xanthine oxidase. III. Ethylene production by isolated chloroplasts. IV. Nitrite formation from hydroxylamine by chloroplasts in the presence of diquat (1, 1'-dimethylene-2,2'-bipyridylium dibromide). In all four test systems a high dismutative activity of the complex was found, which is not sensitive to KCN as demonstrated with test system III. The results are discussed with regard to the antiinflammatory activity of D-penicillamine.

Copper↗

Ethylene formation in sugar beet leaves: evidence for the involvement of 3-hydroxytyramine and phenoloxidase after wounding.

Ethylene production by sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) leaf discs is inhibited by white (or red, >610 nm) light or by wounding. In contrast, in wounded leaf discs, ethylene production is stimulated by light. The effect of light on wounded leaf discs has been studied by using an in vitro system which mimics the loss of compartmentation in the wounded leaf. Chlorophyll-free extracts from sugar beet leaves stimulate the production of the superoxide free radical ion (as a prerequisite for ethylene formation) by illuminated chloroplast lamellae. The substance from the crude leaf extracts which is active in stimulating the production of the superoxide free radical ion has been identified as 3-hydroxytyramine (dopamine). Exogenous dopamine between 5 mum and 100 mum stimulates ethylene formation by illuminated chloroplast lamellae from methional. It also stimulates the production of the superoxide free radical ion, the formation of which apparently involves both a lamellar phenoloxidase and photosynthetic electron transport as a 1-electron donor, and is cyanide-sensitive.

Journal Article↗

Cyanide insensitive iron superoxide dismutase in Euglena gracilis. Comparison of the reliabilities of different test systems for superoxide dismutases.

Two proteins (P1 and P2, with weights of 57,500 and 27,500 respectively) were isolated from Euglena gracilis. Both proteins show cyanide-insensitive superoxide dismutase activity in the "classical" superoxide dismutase assay, using xanthine-xanthine oxidase as O2.- generator. If O2.- is generated chemically (autoxidation of reduced anthraquinone), photochemically (illuminated riboflavine) or pulse radiolytically, only protein P1 but not P2 shows SOD activity. Protein P1 contains 1 g atom (determined: 0.82) iron (no Mn or Cu) per mole protein and may thus be defined as iron-superoxide dismutase. Protein P2, showing the spectral properties of a flavoprotein, exhibits the activities of ferredoxin-NADP-oxidoreductase and "diaphorase". The cyanide-insensitive SOD-activity of this Diaphorase" in the xanthine oxidase-assay for superoxide dismutase makes this classical and commonly used test unreliable for assay cyanide insensitive SOD activities. The existence of the "prokaryote-type" of superoxide dismutase (Fe-SOD) in Euglena gracilis is exceptional for an eukaryotic, autotrophically grown organisms.

2,6-Dichloroindophenol↗

Chlorophyll photobleaching and ethane production in dichlorophenyldimethylurea- (DCMU) or paraquat-treated Euglena gracilis cells.

Light dependent (35 Klux) chlorophyll bleaching in autotrophically grown Euglena gracilis cells at slightly acidic pH (6.5-5.4) is stimulated by the photosystem II blockers DCMU and DBMIB (both 10(-5) M) as well as by the autooxidizable photosystem I electron acceptor, paraquat (10(-3) M). Chlorophyll photobleaching is accompanied by the formation of thiobarbituric acid -- sensitive material ("malondialdehyde") and ethane. Both chlorophyll photobleaching and light dependent ethane formation are partially prevented by higher concentrations (10(-4) M) of the autooxidizable photosystem II electron acceptor DBMIB or by sodium bicarbonate (25 mM). In vitro studies with cell free extracts (homogenates) from E. gracilis suggest that alpha-linolenic acid oxidation by excited (reaction center II) chlorophyll represents the driving force for both ethane formation and chlorophyll bleaching. Ethane formation thus appears to be a sensitive and non-destructive "in vivo" marker for both restricted energy dissipation in photosystem II and, conditions yielding reactive oxygen species at the reducing side of photosystem I.

Chlorophyll↗

Comparison of different methods for the determination of phenylalanine hydroxylase activity in rat liver and Euglena gracilis.

Three different methods for the determination of phenylalanine hydroxylase activity have been compared: a) Differential photometric assay of the increase in tyrosine concentration in the presence of phenylalanine; b) Product separation by thin layer chromatography and scintillation counting of the [14C]tyrosine formed; c) HPLC separation and spectrofluorometric quantification of derivatized amino acids. A comparison of the activities of phenylalanine hydroxylase in rat liver and Euglena gracilis clearly showed that only rat liver contains this enzymic activity as shown by methods b) and c) although pseudo-activity of Euglena gracilis preparations was found during the spectrophotometric test a). The HPLC method proved to be the fastest, most reliable and convenient method for direct tyrosine determination and thus for measuring phenylalanine hydroxylase activity.

Animals↗