Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to H Walter.
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Investigations on 70 German families with 142 children confirmed the autosomal-dominant inheritance of Gm(4). However, in our material as well as in the materials published so far, Gm(4) X Gm(-4) parental combinations show clear surplusses of Gm(4) and deficits of Gm(-4) children, which might indicate prenatal selection. The world distribution of Gm4 alleles reveals a remarkable racial heterogeneity. Furthermore, marked North-South distribution gradients in Caucasoids and Mongoloids were found. The genetical and population genetical observations are discussed.
Based on the hitherto published population data of the human red cell PGM1 and acid phosphatase polymorphisms, the geographical distributions of their gene frequencies were analyzed. As far as the acid phosphatase alleles are concerned, a marked geographical gradient was found as the Pa and Pb alleles showed significant correlations with the mean annual temperatures of the various human biotopes (Pa:r = -0.706; Pb:r = +0.812). Against that, the world distribution of the PGM1 alleles did not show a comparable correlation (PGM1 1:R = +0.063; PGM2 1:R = -0.063). The possible reasons for the distribution pattern of the acid phosphatase alleles are discussed.
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On a sample of n = 345 non-related males and females of different age mostly from the area of Rheinland-Pfalz the serum albumin levels have been determined, using the single radial immundiffusion method proposed by Mancini et al. (1965). The following results were obtained: 1. Neither in males nor in females significant differences in the mean absolute albumin level were present in individuals from 0 up to 70 years. 2. In the mean absolute albumin levels no significant sex differences were observed. 3. The various phenotypes of the genetic blood polymorphisms ABO, MN, Rh (D), Hp, Gc, Gm (1), aP and PGM1 did not show any significant differences in the mean absolute albumin levels.
Report of four cases of extrapyramidal effects following the treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum with neuroleptica (Triflupromazin). A short list is made of the common preparations and their neuroleptic potency. The pathophysiological theory is mentioned and the simple and very effectfull therapy with anti-parkinsonism-drugs.
Quantitative determinations of the human serum albumin level showed significantly higher values in tropical (Negroes 46.98 mg/ml, Indians 54.30 mg/ml) than in non-tropical populations (Germans 44.41 mg/ml). These observations are in agreement with those of several other authors. It is assumed that these variations in the serum albumin level are related to climate, and that they may indicate some biological advantage of higher albumin levels under the climatic conditions of tropical biotops. This hypothesis is discussed considering several aspects.
In order to study the "sidedness" of the ligands of the Na+, K+-ATPase in the phosphorylation from [32P]ATP, tight vesicles were prepared from guinea pig kidney and partially purified by a two-stage sucrose and Ficoll gradient centrifugation procedure. These vesicles were derived presumably from plasma membrane fragments resealed after the initial disruption of the cells during homogenization. Tightness of the vesicles was estimated according to activation by the nonionic detergent, Triton X-100. Treatment with Triton X-100 increased both the activity of the Na+, K+-ATPase and its Na+-dependent phosphorylation from [32P]ATP at least three-fold. Activation of both functions also appeared when the vesicles were shocked osmotically. These results suggest that the preparation contains a major population of tight normal vesicles (approximately 75%) in which the phosphorylation site faces the intravesicular solution. In the response to ouabain breakdown of the phosphoenzyme was inhibited in vesicles treated with Triton X-100 but not in intact ones as if ouabain could not get to its binding site. Correspondingly in phosphorylation from ATP pretreatment with ouabain in the presence of inorganic phosphate produced less inhibition in intact vesicles than in those disrupted with Triton X-100 beforehand. These data suggest the presence of an everted vesicle fraction in the preparation (approximately 20%). Apparently only a small fraction of the vesicles was leaky. In the everted vesicles the action of K+ on the phosphoenzyme was slow. In order to accelerate the dephosphorylation in intact vesicles as effectively as in disrupted ones, K+ had to be added before the start of phosphorylation. This supports the view that K+ was acting from the side of the membrane opposite to that where the gamma-phosphoryl group was accepted from ATP.
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On a sample of N equals 169 nonrelated blood donors from Libya several blood group, serum protein group and enzyme frequencies are within the range of those of other Caucasoid populations. However, the frequencies of cDe, Jk-a, Fy-c, Hp-1, Gc-1, aP-b and AK-1 show some greater differences and seem to indicate certain Negroid influence on the genetic composition of our Libyan sample. This assumption is conceivable considering the racial history of Libya.
Several enzyme polymorphisms and hemoglobin variants were typed in a sample of n = 219 non-related Greek blood-donors. The following gene frequencies were observed: pa = 0.201, pb = 0.701, pc = 0.098;PGDA = 0.985, PGDc = 0.015; AK1 = 0.942, AK2 = 0.058; HbA = 0.988, HbS = 0.012. No polymorphic variation was seen in LDH, s-MDH, PHI, or SOD. The population genetical aspects of these results are discussed.
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Partition of cells in two-polymer aqueous phases is an extremely sensitive method for the separation of cells and for tracing subtle changes in the cells' membrane surface properties (primarily surface charge) as a function of in vivo processes (e.g. differentiation, maturation, ageing). Combining isotope labelling and cell countercurrent distribution techniques we have examined the membrane surface properties of rat reticulocytes produced in response to erythroid stress by bleeding. It was found that the rapid increase in the partition coefficient of normal reticulocytes subsequent to release into the peripheral blood (which reflects a rapid increase in membrane surface charge) is absent in reticulocytes produced in response to bleeding. In this way the reticulocytes behave like those produced in response to repeated phenylhydrazine injections. 'Stress reticulocytes' never mature to erythrocytes having normal membrane surface properties as judged by partition. The experiments show that our previous results are not due to the phenylhydrazine per se but rather to the production of 'stress reticulocytes'. Further, if remodelling of the phlebotomy-induced reticulocyte cell membrane occurs in the circulation as has been suggested it does not lead to a cell with normal membrane surface properties. Whether the abnormal membrane surface properties of 'stress reticulocytes' and of the erythrocytes to which they give rise affect the cells' life-span is not clear since phenylhydrazine-induced 'stress reticulocytes' have been reported to have at least a component of short-lived cells while the phlebotomy-induced cells are said to have a virtually normal life-span. It is likely that reticulocytes produced in severe anaemias, in general, mature to erythrocytes having abnormal surface properties (i.e. lower membrane surface charge).
On a sample of n = 23 Indian students associations between the heat loss ability after thermic stress and anthropometric variables (body height, body weight, body surface, weight/surface ratio) could be seen. The biological meaning of these findings is discussed with special reference to the climatic associated geographical variability of the human physique.
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On the basis of data published in the literature the geographical distribution of psoriasis vulgaris is described. One of the most interesting results is the increase of the psoriasis frequency in countries such as Japan, Korea, Kazachstan and East Africa. This could be due to the fact, that altered life conditions in connection with an increasing industrialization favour the manifestation of psoriasis genes. How far population differences of the psoriasis frequencies are to be seen exclusively as genetical ones, is hitherto unclear, but rather unlikely. No relations between psoriasis and climatec factors could be seen. Associations between psoriasis and several antigens (HL-A 13 and W 17) of the HL-A-systems seem to be present. These associations could be of considerable importance for the interpretation of the geographical distribution pattern of psoriasis. Further studies in psoriatic families are required, which describe the distribution of the HL-A specifities in the possibly potential psoriatic members of the families, who carry the respective genes.
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