[Burkina Faso: review of population policies and programs].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to H Kano.
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BACKGROUND: The objectives of the present study were (1) to determine whether lysophosphatidylcholine (lyso-PC), a prominent component of oxidatively modified LDL, induces migration of human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and, if so, to clarify the mechanism, and (2) to investigate the possible interactions of lyso-PC and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB, endothelin- (ET-1), adrenomedullin (AM), or vitamin E on SMC migration by the Boyden's chamber method. METHODS AND RESULTS: Lyso-PC induced SMC migration in a concentration-dependent manner between 10(-6) and 5 x 10(-5) mol/L. By contrast, phosphatidylcholine was without significant activity, and lysophosphatidylinositol and lysophosphatidylserine were much less effective than lyso-PC. Lyso-PC increased basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) production in a concentration-dependent manner between 10(-6) and 5 x 10(-5) mol/L in these cells. Furthermore, lyso-PC-induced SMC migration was inhibited by neutralizing antibody to bFGF but not by neutralizing antibody to transforming growth factor-beta1. Lyso-PC-induced migration was significantly enhanced by PDGF-BB or ET-1 but was clearly inhibited by human AM and vitamin E. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that (1) lyso-PC induces human coronary artery SMC migration at least in part through release of endogenous bFGF and (2) this lyso-PC-induced migration can be further induced by PDGF-BB and ET-1 and can be inhibited by human AM and vitamin E. Lyso-PC may recruit medial SMCs during the process of coronary atherosclerosis in part by releasing bFGF in concert with PDGF-BB or ET-1 in vascular tissues. This lyso-PC-induced SMC migration may be suppressed by AM and vitamin E under certain pathological conditions.
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Heparin, an anticoagulant, has been shown to reduce neointimal proliferation and restenosis following vascular injury in experimental studies, but the clinical trials of heparin in coronary balloon angioplasty have been negative. The current study, therefore, examined the effect of heparin on basal or stimulated migration by serum and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB in cultured human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (SMCs) by Boyden's chamber method. In addition, the reversibility of the heparin effect on human coronary artery SMC migration was examined. Fetal calf serum (FCS) and PDGF-BB stimulated SMC migration in a concentration-dependent manner. Heparin in moderate to high concentration (10 to 100 U/mL) exhibited concentration-related inhibition of FCS- and PDGF-BB-stimulated SMC migration; however, a low concentration (1 U/mL) of heparin had no inhibitory effects. Heparin also had weak inhibitory effects on nonstimulated SMC migration. The SMCs that were exposed to a high concentration (100 U/mL) of heparin for 6 hours were capable of migrating after a short lag period of removal of heparin from the culture medium. These SMCs also showed recovery of responses to FCS and PDGF-BB by migrating significantly greater than the nonstimulated level. Furthermore, heparin-containing medium did not contain detached cells. These results indicate that heparin inhibits human coronary artery SMC migration, especially when stimulated by FCS or PDGF-BB, and that this inhibitory effect of heparin is reversible and not simply a function of killing cells.
The migration of coronary artery medial smooth-muscle cells (SMCs) is one of the key events in the process of intimal thickening in coronary atherosclerotic lesions. The objectives of the present study were to determine whether any of the three isoforms of endothelin (ET), ET-1, ET-2, and ET-3, or an intermediate form of ET, big ET-1, induces migration of human coronary artery SMCs, and to investigate the possible interaction of ET peptides and well-known migration-stimulatory factors, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB and angiotensin II (Ang II), on SMC migration by the Boyden's chamber method. None of the ET peptides alone induced SMC migration between 10(-9) and 10(-7) mol/L. In contrast, ET-1 and ET-2 significantly induced SMC migration in the presence of low concentrations of PDGF-BB (0.5 ng/mL) or Ang II (10(-9) mol/L), although ET-3 was less active (ET-1 = ET-2 > ET-3). In contrast, big ET-1 was without significant activity on PDGF-BB-or Ang II-induced SMC migration. The potentiation of SMC migration by ET peptides was clearly inhibited by the ETA receptor antagonist BG-123 in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that the ET family of peptides, especially ET-1 and ET-2, can induce human coronary artery SMC migration in combination with PDGF-BB or Ang II, probably via ETA receptors. Taken together with the finding that the concentrations of ET, PDGF-BB and Ang II are locally increased at sites of endothelial injury, this indicates that ET may be an initial stimulus for human coronary artery medial SMC recruitment during coronary atherosclerosis, possibly in combination with PDGF-BB or Ang II.
PURPOSE: Although nitrates are known to improve indices of exercise capacity in patients with coronary artery disease, their effects on oxygen uptake kinetics during the onset of exercise have not been clarified. We evaluated the acute effects of isosorbide dinitrate on the kinetics of oxygen uptake during the onset of exercise at a constant work rate in patients with coronary artery disease. METHODS: We studied 14 patients with coronary artery disease who performed 6 min of low-intensity exercise at a constant work rate on a cycle ergometer 30 min after oral administration of 10 mg of isosorbide dinitrate or placebo in a double-blind, crossover manner. Oxygen uptake was calculated from breath-by-breath analysis of respired gases. The time constant of oxygen uptake kinetics during the onset of exercise was determined by fitting a single exponential function to the oxygen uptake response. RESULTS: Heart rate was significantly increased at rest, and systolic blood pressure was significantly decreased both at rest and during exercise after administration of isosorbide dinitrate. The time constant of oxygen uptake was significantly shorter (the kinetics were faster) after administration of isosorbide dinitrate (39.4+/-10.1 vs 44.5+/-10.5 s, P = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Isosorbide dinitrate was found to speed the kinetics of the increase in oxygen uptake during constant work-rate exercise. The time constant of oxygen uptake, which reflects the rapidity of cardiovascular adaptation at the onset of exercise, seems to be a useful parameter of the effectiveness of therapy in patients with coronary artery disease.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) has both somatic and testicular isozymes, the former possessing two catalytically active domains, amino-terminal and carboxyl-terminal, while the latter has only the carboxyl-terminal one. We compared hydrolysis processes of the nonapeptide beta-neoendorphin by the two isozymes of human ACE. Both isozymes hydrolyzed the peptide to Tyr1-Gly2-Gly3 by the sequential removal of carboxyl-terminal dipeptides in three consecutive steps. The rate constant values for the second step, conversion of beta-neoendorphin1-7 to Leu-enkephalin, by the somatic isozyme in the presence of 10 or 200 mM NaCl were 4-fold higher than those for the first step, conversion of beta-neoendorphin1-9 to beta-neoendorphin1-7. The k(cat) values of the somatic isozyme for beta-neoendorphin1-7 were 2-fold higher than those for beta-neoendorphin1-9, indicating that beta-neoendorphin1-7 is more rapidly hydrolyzed than beta-neoendorphin1-9. The rate constant value for the second step at 10 mM NaCl was 5-fold higher than that for the testicular isozyme. Similar extent of difference was also observed in k(cat) values for beta-neoendorphin1-7 between the two isozymes. These results suggest that the amino-terminal domain of the somatic isozyme mainly contributes to the conversion of beta-neoendorphin1-7 to Leu-enkephalin at a low NaCl concentration. Optimal chloride concentrations for the individual steps of beta-neoendorphin1-9 hydrolysis differed between the two isozymes.
Although the three-dimensional structure of human glutathione transferase (GST) P1-1 crystallized with a GSH analogue has been reported, its structure in the non-complexed form has not been determined. Four monoclonal antibodies to GST P1-1 were produced to facilitate structural analysis. Of these, one, clone d-1 of IgG2a isotype, dose-dependently inhibited the activity of GST P1-1 but did not affect the activities of either GST A1-1 or M1-1. On immunoblotting, the antibody reacted strongly with GST P1-1 and weakly with rat GST-P and mouse GST-II, indicating cross-reactivity with Pi-class forms but preferential reactivity with GST P1-1. When GST P1-1 and the antibody were incubated in the presence of 60 microM GSH, no inhibition of activity was found, whereas 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene had no effect at concentrations up to 10 microM. The binding of GST P1-1 to antibody adsorbed to Protein A-Sepharose was also prevented by both 0.1 mM GSH and N-ethylmaleimide treatment. Trypsin digests of GST P1-1 were resolved by HPLC and a peptide that reacted with the antibody was detected by absorption experiments. N-Terminal amino acid sequencing revealed the peptide to be in the C-terminal portion of the enzyme, stretching from amino acid residues 198 to 208. A synthetic peptide of this sequence also absorbed the antibody. These results suggest that both GSH bound to the active site and N-ethylmaleimide bound to the cysteine residue repress antibody binding to the C-terminal region. Thus this antibody may be useful for examining the steric configuration of the C-terminal and other regions of GST P1-1 in the absence of GSH.
Artificial cold adaptation of a mesophilic protease, subtilisin BPN' was attempted by means of random mutagenesis of its entire gene coupled with screening of cleared-zone-forming colonies on skim-milk plates at a low temperature. Out of sixty clones screened at 10 degrees C, one mutant enzyme (termed M-15) was found to acquire higher proteolytic activities, specifically dependent on low temperatures ranging from 10 degrees C to 1 degree C, in comparison with those of the wild-type. DNA sequencing analysis revealed that, by this mutation, the 84th amino acid residue, valine, was substituted by isoleucine, which is located 1.5 nm from the center of the catalytic triad in the tertiary structure of subtilisin. By kinetic analysis of the purified enzyme samples, the higher proteolytic activities of M-15 at low temperatures were found to be due to the decrease in the Km value. There was no difference in thermostability between the wild-type and mutant enzymes, when tested by heat treatment. Circular dichroism spectra also showed no difference between them at 10 degrees C, indicating that the mutation of V841 had no effect on the secondary structure of subtilisin.
We examined the fluorescence spectral properties of the DNA stains DAPI (4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole, hydrochloride) and Hoechst 33342 (bis-benzimide, or 2,5'-bi'1H-benzimidazole2'-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-5-(4-methyl-1-piperazi nyl)) with two-photon (2h nu) and three-photon (3h nu) excitation using femtosecond pulses from a Ti:sapphire laser from 830 to 885 nm. The mode of excitation of DAPI bound to DNA changed from two-photon at 830 nm to three-photon at 885 nm. In contrast, Hoechst 33342 displayed only two-photon excitation from 830 to 885 nm. DAPI-DNA displayed the same emission spectra and decay times for 2h nu and 3h nu excitation. Hoechst 33342-DNA displayed the same intensity decay for excitation at 830 and 885 nm. Both probes displayed higher anisotropies for multiphoton excitation as compared to one-photon excitation with ultraviolet wavelengths, and DAPI-DNA displays a higher anisotropy for 3h nu at 885 nm than for 2h nu at 830 nm. We used 970-nm excitation of DAPI-stained chromosomes to obtain the first three-dimensional images with three-photon excitation. Three-photon excitation of DAPI-stained chromosomes at 970 nm was demonstrated by the power dependence in the fluorescence microscope.
Erythrocyte deformation is an important regulatory factor of the microcirculation. The present study was designed to examine whether erythrocyte deformability is altered in hypercholesterolemic patients and, if so, whether cholesterol-lowering therapy affects this parameter in these patients. The erythrocyte deformability of 37 hypercholesterolemic patients was evaluated before and after 1 year of therapy with pravastatin, an inhibitor of hepatic hydroxymethyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase, under various shear stresses (4.7, 9.5, 23.6, 47.3, 118.1, and 236.2 dyne/cm2) using laser diffractometry. At study entry, erythrocyte deformability under 4.7 and 9.5 dyne/cm2 shear stress, which is actually observed in human vessels, was reduced compared with that in 20 age-matched normocholesterolemic subjects and was inversely correlated with serum cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Pravastatin therapy for 1 year, which reduced serum cholesterol from 288 +/- 28 to 223 +/- 20 mg/dL, significantly improved erythrocyte deformability by approximately 20%. There was a significant relation between the improvement of erythrocyte deformability and the reduction of serum cholesterol or LDL cholesterol. The results suggest that erythrocyte deformability is reduced in hypercholesterolemic patients, and that long-term cholesterol-lowering therapy can improve reduced erythrocyte deformability, which may contribute to the improvement of organ perfusion.
We previously showed that plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) concentration was increased in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt-induced malignant hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In contrast, in normal SHR, this value is similar to that seen in Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the new combined ET type A/type B (ETA/B) receptor antagonist, TAK-044, on the development of hypertension in this model of malignant hypertension. TAK-044 10 mg/kg, which effectively blocks both ETA and ETB receptors, was administered intraperitoneally once per day for 4 weeks in DOCA-salt SHR, and the effects on ET-1 and other parameters were compared with the same values in untreated WKY rats, untreated DOCA-salt SHR, and hydralazine-treated DOCA-salt SHR. DOCA-salt caused marked increases in blood pressure, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, and plasma ET-1 concentrations in SHR. Both TAK-044 and hydralazine significantly suppressed the increase in blood pressure in DOCA-salt SHR to the same extent. Both treatments also suppressed the increase in BUN and serum creatinine, but this attenuation was less marked with hydralazine than with TAK-044. Neither TAK-044 nor hydralazine affected plasma ET-1 concentration in this model. TAK-044 significantly reduced kidney weight in DOCA-salt SHR, whereas the decrease seen with hydralazine was less marked. Prevention of DOCA-salt-induced renal structural injury (mesangial hypercellularity, glomerular sclerotic changes, and tubulointerstitial damage) in this model was clearly greater with TAK-044 treatment than with hydralazine treatment. These results suggest that endogenous ET-1 may, at least in part, contribute to renal functional and structural damage in malignant DOCA-salt SHR. Our results raise the possibility of renoprotective effects of ETA/B receptor blockers in certain forms of malignant hypertension.
Coagulation factors IX/X-binding protein is an intertwined dimer with a central loop projecting into the adjoining subunit. Excluding this loop, each subunit has a fold similar to rat mannose-binding protein.
Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration and proliferation are believed to play key roles in atherosclerosis. To elucidate the role of vascular dopamine D1-like receptors in atherosclerosis, the effects of dopamine and specific D1-like agonists SKF 38,393 and YM 435 on platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) BB-mediated VSMC migration and proliferation were studied. We observed that cells stimulated by PDGF-BB (5 ng/mL), showed increased migration and proliferation. These effects were prevented by coincubation with dopamine, SKF 38,393, or YM 435 (1 to 10 mumol/L), and this prevention was reversed by Sch 23,390 (1 to 10 mumol/l), a specific D1-like antagonist. These actions are mimicked by forskolin (1 to 10 mumol/L), a direct activator of adenylate cyclase and 8-bromo-cAMP at 0.1 to 1 mmol/L and are blocked by a specific protein kinase A inhibitor, N-[2-(p-bromocinnamylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinoline-sulfonamide (H 89), but not blocked by its negative control, N-[2-(N-formyl)-p-chlorociannamylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinoline sulfonamide (H 85). PDGF-BB (5 ng/mL)-mediated activation of phospholipase D, protein kinase C, and mitogen activated protein kinase activity were significantly suppressed by coincubation with dopamine. These results suggest that vascular D1-like receptor agonists inhibit migration and proliferation of VSMC, possibly through protein kinase A activation and suppression of activated phospholipase D, protein kinase C, and mitogen-activated protein kinase activity.
Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) hypertrophy is believed to play some roles in atherosclerosis. To elucidate the role of vascular D1-like receptors in VSMC hypertrophy, the effects of dopamine and specific D1-like receptor agonists SKF 38393 and YM 435 on platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) BB-mediated VSMC hypertrophy was studied. We observed that cells stimulated by PDGF-BB 5 ng/mL showed increased VSMC hypertrophy. These effects were prevented by coincubation with dopamine, SKF 38393, and YM 435 1-10 mumol/L, and this prevention was reversed by Sch 23390 1 to 10 mumol/L, a specific D1-like receptor antagonist. These actions are mimicked by forskolin 1 to 10 mumol/L, a direct activator of adenylate cyclase and 8-bromo-cAMP 0.1 to 1 mmol/L, and are blocked by a specific protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor N-[2-(P-bromcoinnamylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinoline-sulfonamide (H89) but not blocked by its negative control. PDGF-BB (5 ng/mL)-mediated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity was significantly suppressed by coincubation with D1-like receptor agonists, which were reversed by PKA inhibitor H 89. These results suggest that vascular D1-like receptor agonists inhibit hypertrophy of VSMC, possibly through PKA activation and suppression of activated MAPK activity.
The migration of coronary artery medial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) into the intima is proposed to be an important process of intimal thickening in coronary atherosclerotic lesions. In the current study, we examined the possible interaction of adrenomedullin, a novel vasorelaxant peptide, and angiotensin II (Ang II) on human coronary artery SMC migration using Boyden's chamber method. Ang II stimulated SMC migration in a concentration-dependent manner between 10(6) and 10(8) mol/L. This stimulation was clearly blocked by the Ang II type 1 receptor antagonist losartan but not by the type 2 receptor antagonist PD 123319. The migration stimulatory effect of Ang II was chemotactic in nature for cultured human coronary artery SMCs but was not chemokinetic. Human adrenomedullin clearly inhibited Ang II-induced migration in a concentration-dependent manner. Human adrenomedullin stimulated cAMP formation in these cells. Inhibition by adrenomedullin of Ang II-induced SMC migration was paralleled by an increase in the cellular level of cAMP. 8-Bromo-cAMP, a cAMP analogue, and forskolin, an activator of adenylate cyclase, inhibited the Ang II-induced SMC migration. These results suggest that Ang II stimulates SMC migration via type 1 receptors in human coronary artery and adrenomedullin inhibits Ang II-induced migration at least partly through a cAMP-dependent mechanism. Taken together with the finding that adrenomedullin is synthesized in and secreted from vascular endothelial cells, this peptide may play a role as a local antimigration factor in certain pathological conditions.
The migration of medial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) into the intima is proposed to be an important process of intimal thickening in atherosclerotic lesions. The present study examined the possible effect of a novel endothelium-derived relaxing peptide, C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), on oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-induced migration of cultured human coronary artery SMCs by the Boyden's chamber method. The effect of CNP was compared with that of atrial and brain natriuretic peptides (ANP and BNP, respectively). Oxidized LDL stimulates SMC migration in a concentration-dependent manner between 20 and 200 micrograms/mL. This stimulation was chemotactic in nature but was not chemokinetic. By contrast, native LDL was without significant activity. CNP-22 clearly inhibited SMC migration stimulated with 200 micrograms/mL oxidized LDL in a concentration-dependent manner between 10(-9) and 10(-6) mol/L. ANP-(1-28) and BNP-32 also inhibited oxidized LDL-induced SMC migration at concentrations of 10(-7) and 10(-6) mol/L, but these effects were weaker than the effect of CNP-22. Such inhibition by these natriuretic peptides was paralleled by an increase in the cellular level of cGMP. Oxidized LDL-induced migration was significantly inhibited by a stable analogue of cGMP, 8-bromo-cGMP, or an activator of the cytosolic guanylate cyclase, sodium nitroprusside. These natriuretic peptides did not suppress the cell adhesion either in the absence or presence of oxidized LDL. These data indicate that oxidized LDL stimulates migration of human coronary artery SMCs and that natriuretic peptides, especially CNP, inhibit this stimulated SMC migration, at least in part, through a cGMP-dependent process. Taken together with the finding that oxidized LDL is present in the intima, CNP may play a role as a local antimigration factor during the process of intimal thickening in hypercholesterolemia-induced coronary atherosclerosis.
Recent findings suggest that high glucose levels may promote atherosclerosis in coronary vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). To explore the intracellular mechanisms of action by which troglitazone affects this process, we examined the effect of troglitazone on the migration and growth characteristics of cultured rabbit coronary VSMCs. Treatment with chronic high glucose medium (22.2 mmol/L) for 5 days increased VSMC migration by 92%, [3H]thymidine incorporation by 135%, and cell number by 32% compared with VSMCs treated with normal glucose (5.5 mmol/L glucose + 16.6 mmol/L mannose) medium. Trolitazone at 100 nmol/L and 1 mumol/L significantly suppressed high glucose-induced VSMC migration by 34% and 42%, respectively, the proliferative effect (as measured by cell number) by 17% and 27%, and [3H]thymidine incorporation by 45% and 60% (n = 6, P < .05). The high glucose-induced impairment of insulin-mediated [3H]deoxyglucose uptake was blocked by a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor (calphostin C, 1 mumol/L) and was also improved by troglitazone without any change in insulin receptor number and affinity. The high glucose-induced insulin-mediated increase in cell number and in [3H]thymidine incorporation was suppressed by troglitazone. Troglitazone (1 mumol/L) also suppressed high glucose-induced phospholipase D activation, elevation of the cytosolic NADH/NAD+ ratio (as measured by the cytosolic ratio of lactate/pyruvate), and membrane-bound PKC activation. Flow cytometric DNA histogram analysis of cell cycle stage showed that high glucose-induced increase in the percentage of cells in the S phase was suppressed by 1 mumol/L troglitazone. These findings suggest that PKC may be a link between impairment of insulin-mediated glucose uptake and the increase in migration and proliferation induced by high glucose levels and that troglitazone may be clinically useful for the treatment of high glucose-induced coronary atherosclerosis.