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J B Field

Publications and source records attributed to J B Field.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Structure of the thyrotropin receptor and thyroid adenylate cyclase system as determined by target analysis.

Bovine thyroid plasma membranes were irradiated with high-energy electrons. Analysis of the target size of the thyrotropin (TSH) receptor revealed a complex pattern composed of a TSH binding component of 71 000 daltons and a large component (several hundred thousand daltons) that masked some of the binding. Both components were also observed when binding was assayed in the presence of 50 mM NaCl. Membranes preincubated with Mg2+ and 10 microM guanosine 5'-(beta,gamma-imidotriphosphate) [Gpp(NH)p], a persistent activator of adenylate cyclase, also showed the presence of these same components. Although the receptor for TSH has been reported to have some similarities to the receptor for cholera toxin, target analysis of [125I]iodocholera toxin binding was consistent with a single small component about the size of a ganglioside. Measurement of the target size of ground-state, i.e., not preactivated, adenylate cyclase was also carried out. The basal (Mn2+) adenylate cyclase yielded a Mr of 85 000, the smallest unit capable of producing cAMP. The Gpp(NH)p-responsive adenylate cyclase has a Mr of 150 000, which may reflect the contribution of the guanine nucleotide regulatory component to the mass of the active enzyme. A similar size was previously measured for the Gpp(NH)p-preactivated, detergent-solubilized thyroid enzyme [Asbury, R.F., Cook, G.H., & Wolff, J. (1978) J. Biol. Chem. 253, 5286-5292]. Radiation inactivation of the NaF-responsive enzyme indicated two or more components to this activity, the smaller of which (140 000 daltons) was similar in size to the ground-state Gpp(NH)p-responsive enzyme and the larger of which was greater than 10(6) daltons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Role of calcium in acetylcholine-induced desensitization in dog thyroid slices.

Incubation of dog thyroid slices with 1 microM acetylcholine (ACH) for 3 h followed by a second 2-h incubation without it induces a diminution of stimulation of glucose oxidation by ACH during a third incubation of 45 min. Using a calcium-free medium during all incubations prevents the desensitization and reduces, but does not abolish, ACH stimulation of glucose oxidation. EGTA [ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid] (2 mM) added to the calcium-free medium in all incubations prevents both refractoriness and stimulation of glucose oxidation induced by ACH. Calcium depletion during the first incubation only, achieved by using EGTA and a calcium-free medium, also prevents refractoriness but not the augmentation of glucose oxidation caused by ACH. Incubation of thyroid slices with 1 microM ionophore A23817 during the 3-h first incubation decreases the stimulation of glucose oxidation induced by its readdition or by 1 microM ACH added for the first time in the third incubation. Ionophore-induced desensitization is not related to a cholinergic muscarinic receptor effect. Initial incubation of dog thyroid slices with 1 microM ACH diminishes the subsequent stimulation of glucose oxidation by 0.5 microM ionophore. However, the ACH-induced desensitization to ionophore can be overcome by a 10-fold increase in the amount of ionophore in the third incubation. Ionophore (1 microM) in the first incubation also induces refractoriness to thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) (10 mU/ml)-stimulated glucose oxidation in the third incubation. In contrast, initial incubation of thyroid slices with TSH (25 mU/ml) does not affect the stimulation of glucose oxidation by 0.5 microM ionophore added during the third incubation. These results suggest that increased intracellular calcium plays a major role in, or even mediates, ACH-induced desensitization in the thyroid gland.

Acetylcholine↗

Hepatic extraction of exogenous insulin in depancreatized conscious dogs.

Hepatic and mesenteric extraction of exogenous insulin and glucose appearance and clearance were compared in conscious depancreatized and normal dogs after intraportal or peripheral intravenous insulin infusion. Portal vein insulin levels were higher, whereas arterial insulin levels were lower after intraportal compared with intravenous peripheral infusion of insulin. During the intraportal infusion of 1 and 2 mU X kg-1 X min-1 insulin, 40 +/- 3% of the insulin presented to the liver was extracted by that organ in the diabetic dogs, similar to the value obtained in normal dogs (39 +/- 5%). Hepatic extraction of insulin after intravenous peripheral infusion of that hormone was similar in normal and diabetic dogs and was not significantly different from intraportal infusion. Mesenteric extraction of insulin in the diabetic dogs (13 +/- 2%) was similar to the 19 +/- 3% in the normal animals. The blood sugar changes were similar after both routes of insulin infusion. Suppression of glucose appearance in diabetic dogs was also similar during both routes of infusion. Glucose clearance during the peripheral intravenous infusion of insulin in diabetic dogs was greater than during intraportal insulin. These findings indicate that hepatic extraction of exogenous insulin was similar in normal and depancreatized dogs and was not influenced by the different infusion routes. Suppression of glucose appearance in diabetic dogs was similar after both routes despite different portal vein insulin levels. The peripheral action of intravenous peripheral infused insulin in diabetic dogs was greater than that of intraportal insulin reflecting the higher arterial insulin levels.

Animals↗

Cellular distribution of thyroid myosin.

The subcellular localization of myosin in thyroid was investigated by both immunofluorescence and biochemical techniques. Dog thyroid cells stained with antisera to gizzard or thymus myosins showed that epithelial cells from thyroid contain nonmuscle myosin but not smooth muscle myosin. The antimyosin staining appeared at the periphery of the cell and in fibrils within the cell. The nature and subcellular localization of the myosin were further probed using biochemical techniques. Bovine thyroid plasma membranes were isolated by flotation on sucrose density gradients and subsequently extracted with 1% Triton X-100 to prepare an insoluble cytoskeletal fraction. After washing to remove residual Triton X-100, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the cytoskeletal fraction demonstrated two major bands and several minor bands. The higher molecular weight band of the two major bands comigrated with the 200,000 mol wt heavy chain of myosin. Phosphorylation of the cytoskeletal fraction by thyroid myosin light chain kinase demonstrated a calcium- and calmodulin-dependent phosphorylation of the 20,000 mol wt light chain of myosin. Furthermore, the cytoskeletal fraction contained a myosin-type EDTA-K+ ATPase activity which was not influenced by ouabain and sodium azide. These results demonstrate the association of myosin with thyroid plasma membranes. Little myosin was solubilized by incubation of the thyroid plasma membranes with 0.6 M KCl; however, the addition of 10 mM ATP and 10 mM MgCl2 solubilized most of the myosin, indicating that it is associated with the thyroid plasma membranes through interaction with actin filaments. The presence of myosin in the thyroid plasma membranes may be important in endocytosis and exocytosis involved in thyroid hormone secretion.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Effects of portal and peripheral venous insulin infusion on glucose production and utilization in depancreatized, conscious dogs.

The relation between portal vein insulin concentrations and suppression of hepatic glucose production, as well as peripheral venous insulin level and increase of peripheral glucose utilization, was compared in conscious, depancreatized, diabetic dogs after infusion of insulin at 0.25 and 0.5 mU/kg/min into either the portal system or the peripheral circulation. Glucose appearance and clearance was measured using [3-3H]-glucose. Before infusion of insulin, portal vein insulin concentrations were undetectable. The intraportal infusion of insulin at 0.25 mU/kg/min increased portal vein insulin to 16 +/- 1 microU/ml, significantly higher than the arterial concentration (9 +/- 1 microU/ml). Infusion of the same amount of insulin into a peripheral vein raised peripheral insulin levels to 14 +/- 1 microU/ml and portal vein concentrations to 12 +/- 1 microU/ml. When 0.5 mU/kg/min of insulin was infused into the portal system, the portal vein insulin level was 28 +/- 2 microU/ml and significantly greater than the arterial concentration (16 +/- 1 microU/ml). After the same amount of insulin was infused into a peripheral vein, the arterial insulin level was higher than that of the portal vein (25 +/- 1 microU/ml versus 20 +/- 1 microU/ml, respectively). The ensuing hypoglycemia was greater after the 0.5 mU/kg/min infusion compared with the 0.25 mU/kg/min infusion. At each dose there was no significant difference between the peripheral venous or the portal route.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Identification and purification of calcium ion dependent modulators of actin polymerization from bovine thyroid.

We describe the purification of Ca2+-dependent actin modulator proteins from bovine thyroid using DNase I affinity chromatography and diethylaminoethylcellulose chromatography. The 40K actin modulator has been purified to 98% homogeneity. It is a single polypeptide chain with a molecular weight of approximately 40 000 and an isoelectric point of 8.1. Its amino acid composition is different from previously described actin-associated proteins and thyroid actin. On the basis of the centrifugation assay and the DNase I inhibition assay, the actin complexed with the 40K protein is G-actin in its conformation rather than F-actin oligomers. Substoichiometric concentrations of the 40K protein rapidly inhibit actin polymerization in the presence of physiological concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+. An 80K actin modulator also has been purified to 98% homogeneity. It is a single polypeptide chain with a molecular weight of approximately 80 000 and an isoelectric point of 6.35-7.0. Its amino acid composition is different from those of villin, gelsolin, and leukocyte actin polymerization inhibitor. On the basis of the DNase inhibition assay and the centrifugation assay, the nonprecipitable actin associated with the 80K protein was F-actin in its conformation. The 80K protein acts very efficiently as a Ca2+-dependent nucleator for actin assembly and reduces its viscosity. In addition to the 40K and 80K actin modulators, 91K and 95K actin-associated proteins were partially purified. The 91K-95K fraction has similar activity to the 80K protein regarding precipitation of F-actin. The 125I-G-actin polyacrylamide gel overlay technique [Snabes, M. C., Boyd, A.E., & Bryan, J. (1981) J. Cell Biol. 90, 809-812] revealed that both the 91K and 95K proteins bind 125I-actin after sodium dodecyl sulfate (NaDodSO4) electrophoresis while the 80K and 40K proteins do not. Thyroid 91K protein comigrated with a human platelet 91K actin binding protein on NaDodSO4 gels and may be similar to macrophage gelsolin. The 95K protein may be similar to villin, the intestinal cytoskeletal protein.

Actins↗

Effects of forskolin on adenylate cyclase, cyclic AMP, protein kinase and intermediary metabolism of the thyroid gland.

Forskolin (40 microM) stimulated adenylate cyclase activities of bovine thyroid plasma membranes without the addition of guanine nucleotides. GDP had little effect on the forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity while Gpp[NH]p (0.1-1.0 microM) decreased it. In the presence of TSH (10 mU/0.11), Gpp[NH]p no longer caused inhibition. Forskolin did not affect phosphodiesterase activities of thyroid homogenates. Forskolin (10 microM) rapidly increased cAMP levels in bovine thyroid slices both in the absence and presence of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. The effect of TSH (50 mU/ml) on cAMP levels was additive or greater than additive to that of forskolin. An initial 2-h incubation of slices with forskolin did not decrease their subsequent cAMP responses to either forskolin and/or TSH while similar treatment of slices with TSH induced desensitization of the cAMP response to TSH, but not to forskolin. Forskolin (10 microM) as well as TSH (50 mU/ml) activated cAMP-dependent protein kinase of slices in the absence of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. Although forskolin activated the adenylate cyclase cAMP system, it did not stimulate iodide organification or glucose oxidation, effects which have been attributed to cAMP. In fact, forskolin inhibited these parameters and 32P incorporation into phospholipids as well as their stimulation by TSH. These results indicate that an increase in cAMP levels and cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity in thyroid slices may not necessarily reproduce the effects of TSH on the thyroid.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Isolation of an actin polymerization stimulator from bovine thyroid plasma membranes.

An actin polymerization stimulator was purified from bovine thyroid plasma membranes by DNase I affinity column chromatography. Although the molecular weight of the protein was about 42,000 (42K) by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, it did not comigrate with actin. In the presence of 30 mM KC1, the 42K protein facilitated formation of actin filaments when analyzed by a centrifugation method, accelerated the initial phase of actin polymerization as measured in an Ostwald viscometer and increased the length of filaments as shown by electron microscopy. The 42K protein also accelerated the initial phase of actin polymerization in the presence of 100 mM KC1 and 2 mM MgCl2 but did not affect the final viscosity. The effect of the 42K protein was diminished by 5 uM cytochalasin B or 1 uM cytochalasin D. This 42K protein may anchor actin filaments onto the thyroid plasma membrane.

Actins↗

Exposure of dog thyroid slices to acetylcholine induces refractoriness to its subsequent stimulation of glucose oxidation.

An initial incubation of dog thyroid slices with 0.1 or 1 microM acetylcholine (ACH) for at least 2 h decreases its subsequent stimulation of [1-14C]glucose oxidation. Refractoriness persists for as long as 6 h in the absence of ACH. While new protein synthesis is essential for recovery, it is not necessary for its induction. Refractoriness is prevented when 25 microM tropicamide, an atropine-like drug, is present from the beginning of the initial incubation, but not when it is added after 2 h of incubation of slices with ACH, indicating that at this time ACH is no longer necessary for refractoriness. During refractoriness induced by ACH, stimulation of glucose oxidation by thyroid-stimulating hormone, prostaglandin E1, dibutyryl cyclic AMP, and cholera toxin, but not menadiol, is also significantly diminished. Incubation of thyroid slices with ACH does not modify its stimulation of iodide organification or 32Pi incorporation into phospholipids. These results suggest that the desensitization is not due to changes in the ACH receptor but rather to intracellular metabolic effects. This phenomenon may be important in the regulation of cholinergic effects on the thyroid.

Acetylcholine↗

The effect of ingestion of meat on hepatic extraction of insulin and glucagon and hepatic glucose output in conscious dogs.

The effect of ingestion of protein on hepatic extraction of insulin and glucagon and hepatic glucose output were investigated in conscious dogs. The ingestion of meat stimulated both insulin and glucagon secretion but the glucagon response was much more rapid and greater than that of insulin. Secretion of glucagon demonstrated a biphasic pattern while insulin release was monophasic. The fractional hepatic extraction of glucagon increased gradually from the basal value of 15 +/- 3% to a peak of 36 +/- 5% at 90 min, and that of insulin increased from the basal level of 41 +/- 2% to 54 +/- 4% at 45 and 60 min. The increased hepatic extraction of glucagon and insulin after meat ingestion may be explained by neural or hormonal signals from the gut. The blood glucose and hepatic glucose output did not increase significantly despite the significant decrease of the portal vein insulin to glucagon molar ratio as well as the significant decrease of the molar ratio of the hepatic uptake of these hormones. The absence of greater hepatic glucose production despite the augmented glucagon secretion and decreased portal vein insulin to glucagon molar ratio could reflect down regulation by glucagon.

Animals↗

Discrimination of multiple forms of phosphoprotein phosphatase in bovine thyroid.

Phosphoprotein phosphatases (phosphoprotein phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.16) were partially purified from bovine thyroid with phosphorylated mixed histones, H1 histone and casein as substrates. Utilizing DEAE-cellulose chromatography, (NH4)2SO4 precipitation, gel filtration before and after freeze-thawing in 0.2 M 2-mercaptoethanol and histone-Sepharose chromatography, four fractions of enzyme activity were obtained and were designated as phosphatases I, IIA, IIB, and III. Phosphatases I had an apparent molecular weight of 155,000 and was dependent on Mn2+ for maximal activity. The enzyme had the greatest activity with histone H1 and was greatly stimulated by NaCl with phosphohistones as substrate. Phosphatases IIA and IIB had a molecular weight of about 70,000, were stimulated over 5-fold by Mn2+ and had much higher activities with phosphohistones than with casein in the presence of the cation. Phosphatase III, a possible catalytic subunit of larger molecular weight forms, had an apparent molecular weight of 30,000, was generally independent of Mn2+ and had high activities using all three substrates. Phosphatases I, IIA, and III were inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by sodium pyrophosphate (PPi), ATP, potassium phosphate (Pi) and sodium fluoride (NaF) when they were added directly to the reaction mixture with phosphorylated mixed histones as substrate. PPi was the most potent inhibitor and phosphatase III was the most sensitive to inhibition. PPi, ATP and NaF probably inactivated phosphatase III activity by removing an essential metal ion. After extensive dialysis to remove these inhibitors, the inactivated enzyme could be fully activated by Mn2+, but not by Mg2+, Ba2+, Cu2+, Cd2+, Ca2+, Zn2+ and Fe2+. Whereas the enzyme pretreated with Pi retained about 80% activity after dialysis, its activity was not further stimulated by Mn2+. The inactivated (demetallized) enzyme was less reactivated by Mn2+ in the presence of mM concentration of Pi. Moreover, the Mn2+-reactivated enzyme was again inactivated by Pi, NaF and ATP. Among them Pi was the most potent inactivator. These results suggest that Pi may have another inhibitory effect on metal ion binding besides on substrate binding and also that phosphatase III might be a metalloenzyme. In bovine thyroid, there are at least two major phosphoprotein phosphatases which may have different properties. Metal ion stimulation of phosphatase I and IIA activities may be through an interaction with the substrate or with a metal ion binding site on the regulatory subunit. The lowest molecular weight enzyme (phosphatase III) probably does not exist naturally in the cell.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Absence of hepatic extraction of pancreatic polypeptide in conscious dogs.

In 15 conscious dogs basal portal vein pancreatic polypeptide (PP) (306 +/- 8 pg/ml) exceeded both hepatic vein PP (255 +/- 8 pg/ml) and arterial PP (244 +/- 9 pg/ml) and increased rapidly 10 min after oral glucose administration. In contrast to oral glucose, intraportal glucose infusion decreased PP levels from 45 min until the end of the infusion. Meat ingestion rapidly and promptly increased PP. During the basal state, hepatic extraction of total immunoreactive PP was 10 +/- 4%, not significantly different from zero, of the 150 +/- 14 ng/min presented to the liver. Fractional hepatic extraction of PP did not change after oral glucose, meat ingestion, or intraportal glucose infusion. Chromatographic analysis showed at least four different components of immunoreactive PP. The first peak eluted with the void volume, the second peak between the void volume and authentic PP, and the third peak coincided with authentic PP. When present, the fourth peak eluted after authentic PP. More than half of the immunoreactive PP in the basal state eluted with authentic PP, whereas about one-third was found in the second peak. The marked alterations in PP after meat, oral glucose, or intraportal glucose and atropine reflected primarily changes in the third peak. The fractional hepatic extraction of all the components was very similar.

Animals↗

Differential effects of oral, peripheral intravenous, and intraportal glucose on hepatic glucose uptake and insulin and glucagon extraction in conscious dogs.

The effect of equal (1.1 +/- 0.1 g/kg body wt) amounts of glucose administered orally, or by peripheral intravenous or intraportal infusion on hepatic glucose uptake and fractional hepatic extraction of insulin and glucagon was studied in conscious dogs with chronically implanted Doppler flow probes on the portal vein and hepatic artery and catheters in the portal vein, hepatic vein, carotid artery, and superior mesenteric vein. Portal vein and hepatic vein plasma flow increased only after oral glucose administration. Arterial plasma glucose increased equally to 150-160 mg/100 ml after all three routes of glucose administration. Portal vein glucose was similar after oral (195 +/- 15 mg/100 ml) and intraportal glucose infusion (215 +/- 11 mg/100 ml) and significantly higher than after peripheral intravenous glucose. Hepatic glucose uptake after oral (68 +/- 4%) and intraportal glucose administration (65 +/- 7%) significantly exceeded that after peripheral intravenous glucose infusion (23 +/- 5%). The amount of insulin above basal presented to the liver during the 180 min after oral glucose was 7.6 +/- 1.3 U, 4.3 +/- 0.6 U after intraportal glucose, and 4.1 +/- 0.6 U after peripheral intravenous glucose. Hepatic extraction of insulin increased significantly after oral glucose (42 +/- 3 to 61 +/- 4%), but was unchanged after intraportal and peripheral intravenous glucose administration. When the portal vein glucose levels achieved during peripheral intravenous glucose infusion for 90 min were maintained by a subsequent 90-min intraportal glucose infusion, hepatic glucose uptake was significantly greater during the intraportal glucose infusion. Glucagon secretion was suppressed equally after oral glucose, intraportal glucose, and peripheral intravenous glucose administration; fractional hepatic extraction of that hormone, which was significantly less than that of insulin, was unchanged. These results indicate that hepatic glucose uptake is significantly greater after oral and intraportal glucose administration than after peripheral intravenous glucose infusion. This difference is not simply related to the amount of glucose or insulin presented to the liver and the increased hepatic glucose uptake did not depend solely upon the augmented fractional hepatic extraction of insulin. Hepatic extraction of insulin and hepatic glucose uptake appear to be regulated independently.

Administration, Oral↗

Partial purification and characterization of myosin light chain kinase from bovine thyroid gland.

Myosin light chain kinase has been purified approximately 1700-fold from bovine thyroid gland, using Affigel blue column chromatography, ammonium sulfate fractionation (0-60% saturation), Sepharose 6B gel filtration, and calmodulin-Sepharose affinity column chromatography. This partially purified kinase was Ca2+ and calmodulin dependent for its activity and specifically phosphorylated the 20,000-dalton light chain of chicken gizzard myosin. At higher CaCl2 concentration, thyroid myosin light chain kinase demonstrated a novel inhibition in the presence of calmodulin. The mechanism of this Ca2+-dependent inhibition is not clear at present. The existence of myosin light chain kinase in thyroid gland provides additional support for the role of the contractile system in the secretion of thyroid hormones.

Animals↗

Comparison of hepatic extraction of insulin and glucagon in conscious and anesthetized dogs.

Previous studies in anesthetized dogs demonstrated that basal hepatic extraction of insulin and glucagon are approximately 50 and 10-20%, respectively. Because of the stress of anesthesia and surgery, these values may not be relevant to normal physiology. In this study, hepatic extraction of insulin and glucagon were compared in conscious and anesthetized dogs. The conscious dogs had chronically implanted catheters in the portal and hepatic vein and the carotid artery and Doppler flow probes on the portal vein and hepatic artery. The mean basal portal vein insulin (42 +/- 10 and 44 +/- 7 microU/ml, respectively) and glucagon (247 +/- 37 and 219 +/- 20 pg/ml, respectively) concentrations were similar in conscious and anesthetized animals. The mean basal portal vein, but not hepatic artery, plasma flow was significantly increased in conscious dogs (462 +/- 62 vs. 294 +/- 35 ml/min, respectively). Despite the increased portal vein plasma flow in conscious animals, the basal hepatic extractions of insulin (42 +/- 6 vs. 39 +/- 6%, respectively) and glucagon (12 +/- 7 vs. 7 +/- 7%, respectively) were similar in both types of animals. Arginine and cholecystokinin-pancreozymin (CCK-PZ) infusion, which increased the amount of insulin and glucagon presented to the liver in conscious and anesthetized dogs, significantly decreased the hepatic extraction of insulin. Hepatic extraction of glucagon did not change in either group of animals. In contrast, infusion of insulin (1.0 mU/kg X min) and glucagon (4 ng/kg X min) into the portal system did not alter hepatic extraction of insulin even though the amounts of insulin and glucagon presented to that organ were similar to those obtained with arginine and CCK-PZ. The basal arterial glucose level was significantly lower in the conscious dogs but the basal hepatic glucose output was similar in the two groups. The glucose response to the infusion of arginine and CCK-PZ and exogenous hormones was significantly greater in the anesthetized animals.

Anesthesia, General↗

Effect of thyrotropin-induced desensitization of bovine thyroid adenylate cyclase on the nucleotide regulatory protein.

The stimulation of adenylate cyclase by TSH was decreased 50-60% in crude membranes prepared from homogenates of bovine thyroid slices that had previously been incubated for 2 h with the hormone. The diminished response was not associated with any significant change in the binding capacity or affinity for 125I-labeled TSH. The apparent affinities of the desensitized adenylate cyclase for TSH or GTP were not different from those of the enzyme prepared from thyroid slices that had been incubated without TSH. Decreased adenylate cyclase responses to NaF, cholera toxin, or guanyl-5'-yl-imidodiphosphate were also observed in the desensitized membrane, whereas the enzyme responses to prostaglandin E1, GTP, or forskolin were not decreased. However, desensitization caused no decrease in the cholera toxin-catalyzed ADP ribosylation of the 40,000 mol wt polypeptide guanine nucleotide-binding component of the adenylate cyclase. The desensitized membranes showed basal adenylate cyclase activity similar to that of the control membranes using adenyl-5'-yl-imidodiphosphate as substrate in the absence of a nucleotide-regenerating system. These results suggest that the in vitro TSH-induced desensitization of thyroid adenylate cyclase reflects an alteration in the activation processes of the nucleotide regulatory protein.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗

Sulfonamide-induced hypoglycemia in chronic renal failure.

Severe hypoglycemia with an inappropriately elevated insulin level occurred in a patient with chronic renal failure who was taking two tablets of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim twice a day for a urinary tract infection. Hypoglycemia was readily corrected with intravenous glucose and did not recur after discontinuation of the sulfonamide. Insulin and glucose determinations during a 48-hour fast while the patient was rechallenged with this compound, as compared with those obtained during a 72-hour fast performed 12 days after discontinuation of the therapy, suggest that the hypoglycemic episode was related to hyperinsulinemia probably induced by the sulfonamide. Other factors, including congestive heart failure, growth hormone deficiency, and hypoalaninemia might have contributed to the development of hypoglycemia in this patient.

Aged↗