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Biomedical subjects

G De Luca

Publications and source records attributed to G De Luca.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

A new peptide from Crotalus atrox snake venom.

The presence of new hypotensive peptides, possibly not related to ACE inhibition, has been investigated on 66 snake venoms from crotalid, viperid and elapid families. Only the venom of Crotalus atrox showed a substantial amount of a new decapeptide, called POL-236, with the following aminoacid sequence: PYR-LEU-TRP-PRO-ARG-PRO-GLN-ILE-PRO-PRO. Pharmacological assays performed on the synthesized peptide revealed effects on blood pressure, probably derived from vascular and cardiac interferences.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1985

gamma-Aminobutyric acid metabolism and behavioral effects after intraventricular injection of spermine in chicks.

Effects of intraventricularly injected spermine on behavior and electrocortical activity and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) metabolism after a single dose of 1.13 mumol/animal were studied. Decrease in locomotor activity, sedation or sleep, and electrocortical synchronization that lasted approximately 2 h were observed. In addition spermine caused a significant increase in GABA content in diencephalon and brainstem, 30 min after administration. Concomitantly a significant increase of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) activity was observed in cerebral hemispheres, diencephalon, and brainstem. Reduction in gamma-aminobutyrate: alpha-oxoglutarate amino-transferase (GABA-T) levels occurred in the diencephalon along with a significant increase of GABA-T in the brainstem. The present results demonstrate that spermine has the capacity to affect GABA metabolism and are in favor of the suggestion that endogenous polyamines may modulate GABAergic mechanisms.

4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase↗
PubMed1985

Orthotopic liver transplantation in pigs. An evaluation of different methods of avoiding the revascularization syndrome.

During hypothermia of a liver to be transplanted, a large quantity of K+ accumulates, which may cause myocardial dysfunction at revascularization. In our study we attempted to prevent this electrolytic imbalance. We used 58 Landrace pigs for 29 orthotopic liver transplants. The animals were divided into three groups. In group 1, vascular anastomoses were performed and the liver was revascularized with no specific attempt to prevent hyperkalemia. In group 2, the liver was perfused via the portal vein prior to revascularization in order to flush K+ and acid radicals. In group 3, extracorporeal circulation (ECC) between the previously anastomized inferior vena cava (IVC) below the liver and the jugular vein was employed. At revascularization, the blood was drained from the organ into the ECC which was equipped with a polyacrylonitrile dialyzer (PAN). The recipients in group 1 were subject to cardiac arrest caused by hyperkalemia and acidosis at revascularization. The recipients in group 2 showed myocardial dysfunction during revascularization; in 20% of the cases, cardiac arrest ensued. In group 3 the blood that flowed into the PAN before reentering systemic circulation showed normal levels of K+ and a normal acid base balance. The animals in this group did not demonstrate any changes in cardiac rhythm (group 1:K+ = 12.95 +/- 2.77; group 2:K+ = 7.17 +/- 2.34; [1-2 P less than 0.01]; group 3:K+ = 2.96 +/- 0.76; [1-3 P less than 0.001]).

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Regulatory aspects of glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis.

The control of glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis was investigated by studying the kinetic and regulatory properties of some enzymes involved in the formation of UDP-sugar precursors: UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 4'-epimerase, catalyzing the interconversion of hexosamine precursors and UDP-glucose dehydrogenase and UDP-glucose 4'-epimerase, utilizing UDP-glucose for the formation of uronic acid and galactose precursors. The study was carried out in tissues with different glycosaminoglycan production: bovine cornea, producing both chondroitin sulfate and keratan sulfate, and newborn-pig epiphysial-plate cartilage, producing mostly chondroitin sulfate. The biosynthesis of hexosamine precursors appeared to be regulated by the value of the NAD/NADH ratio. This control mechanism regulated also the activities of both UDP-glucose dehydrogenase and UDP-glucose 4'-epimerase and, therefore, it could correlate the biosynthesis of glycosaminoglycan precursors with the redox activity of the cell. At the level of UDP-glucose utilization two other control mechanisms were demonstrated: the different affinities of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase and UDP-glucose 4'-epimerase for UDP-glucose in tissues with different glycosaminoglycan production and the cellular concentration of UDP-xylose. This sugar-nucleotide inhibited UDP-glucose dehydrogenase, but did not affect the UDP-glucose 4'-epimerase activity; therefore, and increase of its cellular concentration may result in a decreased chondroitin sulfate synthesis and in an increased keratan sulfate formation.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Biochemical investigations of different forms of osteogenesis imperfecta. Evaluation of 44 cases.

Forty-four patients with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (O.I.) were divided into groups on the basis of clinical and genetic criteria and the alterations in collagen and glycosaminoglycans (GAG) in the subjects of each group were examined. The largest group of patients as affected with a mild form of O.I. and showed an increased ratio of type III to type I collagen in skin and an increase of the ratio of hydroxylysine diglycoside to monoglycoside in skin collagen. The group of patients affected with a severe nonlethal form of O.I. appeared to be heterogeneous both from a clinical and from a biochemical point of view. A marked increase of the diglycoside to monoglycoside ratio was observed in skin and urine, whereas the ratio of type III to type I collagen in skin was within the normal range or significantly decreased. Some of these patients also showed alterations involving proteoglycans, e.g. in urinary GAGs a decreased galactosamine to glucosamine ratio could be demonstrated. Similar and more marked alterations involving both collagen and GAG metabolism were observed in five children affected with a lethal form of O.I.

Collagen↗
PubMed1982

Biochemical and morphological modifications in rabbit Achilles tendon during maturation and ageing.

1. Achilles tendons of foetal, newborn, adult and old rabbits were examined by electron microscopy after staining by conventional methods or with the periodate/silver/methenamine technique. 2. The mean diameter of collagen fibrils increased with age whereas silver/methenamine-positivity became less evident. 3. Biochemical analyses showed a great decrease of the concentration of glycoproteins and galactosamine-containing glycosaminoglycans. 4. Collagen content increased with maturation and ageing of the tissue. 5. The extent of glycosylation of collagen hydroxylysine residues was also age-dependent; the total amount of hydroxylysyl glycosides rapidly decreased in the last days of prenatal life and in the first months after birth, corresponding to the rapid growth in collagen fibre diameter. 6. The hydroxylysyl diglycoside concentration decreased more markedly than that of the monoglycoside, thus indicating a possible gradual removal of the monosaccharide units. A role for the extent of glycosylation of tropocollagen molecules in fibre organization was suggested.

Achilles Tendon↗
PubMed1982

S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase levels in rat retina during postnatal development.

S-Adenosylmethionine decarboxylase from rat retina is similar to that isolated from other rat tissues with regard to kinetic parameters, pH optimum, putrescine requirement, and sensitivity to spermine. The enzymic activity increases during the first 7 days of postnatal life but decreases until the 20th day. After this period AdoMet decarboxylase activity increases, to reach the highest values at the 90th day. This behavior suggests that such enzymic activity is responsible for spermidine and spermine levels in rat retina and that a high content of retinal spermine might have a role in the photoreceptor outer segment renewal.

Adenosylmethionine Decarboxylase↗
PubMed1982

[Cryotherapy in 141 cases of carcinoma of the prostate reviewed after 5 years (author's transl)].

141 patients with prostatic cancer, checked by biopsy, have been treated since 1975 till 1980 with cryotherapy and hormonotherapy. They have been compared with 60 patients who have received only hormones. There is a statistical difference in favour of the patients treated with cryotherapy, particularly in T3 and T4 stage. The best survival is plain especially in the first and third year. This improvement might depend on an immunologycal answer.

Aged↗
PubMed1981

Biochemical changes in the articular cartilage of the patella and femoral condyles in the lateral hyperpatellar syndrome.

The biochemical changes in the articular cartilage of the femoral condyles and the patella were studied during the earliest stage of patello-femoral arthrosis, with particular reference to chondromalacia of the patella in the "lateral hypertension syndrome", with the object of comparing them with the results obtained by Boni et al. (1977) in the initial phases of experimental arthrosis induced in rabbits by means of vitamin A. The biochemical determinations were done on samples of cartilage removed at operation from the medial and lateral femoral condyles and the medial and lateral patellar articular facets in ten patients. The biopsy samples were fixed in 80% alcohol and dried in the oven at 50 degrees C for twenty-four hours. The hexosamine and hydroxyproline content was then determined. This investigation demonstrated significant biochemical changes in this syndrome in the four areas examined. The data obtained indicate that only the mucopolysaccharide component of the joint cartilage is involved at this stage. The most interesting finding was marked diminution in the galactosamine/glucosamine ratio, which was markedly diminished - the opposite of what occurs in established arthrosis. These data appear to be identical with those found in the early phases of vitamin A induced arthrosis in experimental rabbits. The diminution of hexosamine content and the diminished galactosamine/glucosamine ratio were more marked in the femoral condyles, which appeared to have few lesions macroscopically. These changes were also present in both articular facets of patella, but were less marked, probably because the degeneration was more advanced in those areas, thus more closely resembling frank arthrosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Effects of intraventricular gamma-acetylenic-GABA on GABA concentrations, GABA-T and GAD in several areas of the chick brain.

The great interest in new compounds able to increase GABA concentration in the brain as potential antiepileptic drugs has led to the synthesis of powerful inhibitors of GABA transaminase (GABA-T) e.g. gamma-acetylenic GABA (GAG) and gamma-vinyl-GABA. Present experiments were aimed to study behavioral, electrocortical and biochemical effects of GAG after its intraventricular injection. It has been shown that in chicks the microinjection of GAG into the third cerebral ventricle produced a biphasic behavioral and electrocortical syndrome : an initial phase of behavioral and electrocortical sleep followed by a paradoxycal increase in motor activity and a very intense behavioral and ECoG arousal pattern. In addition intraventricular GAG (0.8 mumol) produced a significant increase 1 and 2 h later in GABA concentration in the diencephalon and brain-stem whereas no changes occurred in other brain areas e.g. cerebral hemispheres, optic lobes. Higher doses (1.6 mumol), produced after 1 h, concomitantly to the increased GABA concentration, a significant GABA-T inhibition and a profound inhibition of glutamate-decarboxylase in the diencephalon and brain-stem. Present experiments may explain the paradoxical behavioral, motor and electrocortical stimulation observed at the time of GABA increase concentration and suggest that a small functional neuronal pool of GABA, more than the whole absolute levels of GABA in a given area of the brain, seems to be involved in the control of GABAergic mediated inhibitory mechanisms.

4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase↗
PubMed1978

Enzymatic formation of UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine in epiphysial-plate cartilage.

The activity of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 4'-epimerase (EC 5.1.3.7) from newborn pig epiphysial-plate cartilage was investigated. The formation of radioactive UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine from UDP-N-acetyl[U-14C]-glucosamine was demonstrated by radioautography, after hydrolysis of UDP-derivatives and separation of the hexosamines by paper chromatography. The pH optimum and the Km values for UDP-N-acetylglucosamine and NAD were determined. At equilibrium, the ratio UDP-N-acetylglucosamine/UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine reaches a value of about 2.3. The effect of UDP-xylose and UDP-glucuronic acid on the enzyme activity was investigated. NADH inhibits UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 4'-epimerase activity. The inhibitory effect of NADH seems to be strikingly correlated with the value of NAD/NADH ratio and pH.

Animals↗