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Biomedical subjects

J J Theron

Publications and source records attributed to J J Theron.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Two roles for caveolae in the cardiac myocyte?

The presence of caveolae in many cell types including heart myocytes is well established. It is hypothesized that caveolae may play a role in the storing of excess Ca2+ and may be instrumental in Ca2+ transients during contraction and relaxation in pathological conditions. Furthermore, the presence of substances in caveolae and in their membranes may imply a role in the importing and exporting of key molecules under physiological and pathological conditions. Secretory activity is also suggested by an electron micrograph of rat heart muscle.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

The possible role of sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase in preterm labour.

An unacceptably high incidence of preterm labour is seen in the black and coloured communities of South Africa. This hypothesis proposes that sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase activity plays an important role in preterm labour. The impaired activity of the sodium pump leads to increased cytosolic calcium levels, which may trigger contraction of myometrial smooth-muscle cells, resulting in preterm labour.

Black People↗
PubMed1996

[Peroxisomal diseases--a survey].

Peroxisomes are ubiquitous cytoplasmic structures in mammalian tissues. The metabolic functions of these organelles include synthesis of plasmalogens and other ether lipids, beta-oxidation, especially of very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs, > C22) and their derivatives, inactivation of hydrogen peroxide by peroxisomal catalase and involvement in several other metabolic pathways, e.g. gluconeogenesis, catabolism of purines and polyamines and detoxification of ethanol. Peroxisomal diseases which may arise from genetic faults in the biogenesis of the organelle or aberrant targeting of one or more proteins to the peroxisome, are divided into three groups based on the extent of loss of peroxisomal functions. Prototype of the first group is the cerebro-hepato-renal syndrome of Zellweger (ZS) which shows generalised loss of peroxisomal functions and absence of demonstrable mature peroxisomes in the liver. Other syndromes which are briefly discussed include neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy (NALD) and infantile Refsum syndrome (IRS) which may be regarded as milder variants of ZS, and diseases caused by loss of a limited number of peroxisomal functions (rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctate). However, the group of peroxisomal diseases with the highest incidence are those syndromes where only a single peroxisomal function is impaired. The most common peroxisomal disease, X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (XALD) belongs to this group. XALD develops as a result of an isolated defect of peroxisomal acyl-CoA synthetase with resultant accumulation of VLCFAs, especially C26:0. Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 is caused by deficient activity of peroxisomal alanine: glyoxylate aminotransferase due to aberrant targeting of this enzyme to mitochondria and not peroxisomes, a unique example of a genetic enzyme trafficking defect. The primary diagnosis of these syndromes is usually based on clinical findings and measurement of accumulated or depleted metabolites in the body e.g. VLCFAs, bile acid intermediates, phytanic acid, pipecolic acid and plasmalogens. Therapy includes dietary adjustments e.g. supplementation with oleic acid derivatives to normalise elevated VLCFAs in XALD. Treatment with hypolipidaemic drugs and certain peroxisomal substrates which induce proliferation of mature peroxisomes offers promise in the therapy of these debilitating and often fatal diseases.

Humans↗
PubMed1992

Putative melatonin receptor in human spermatozoa.

Melatonin is present in human semen, and may affect sperm motility. The presence of melatonin receptors on spermatozoa has not yet been reported. Detection of melatonin-binding sites may be limited because of the masking of such sites by sialic acid. Spermatozoa were obtained from eligible human donors, incubated with neuraminidase to remove sialic acid residues, and saturation binding assays were carried out using 2-125I-melatonin as a receptor probe. Consistent 125I-melatonin binding could only be obtained after spermatozoa were treated with neuraminidase. Scatchard analysis revealed a low-affinity binding site (ML-2) with a Kd value of 127 +/- 6 nM and a Bmax of 25 +/- 4.5 fmol/mg protein. These results present evidence of melatonin-binding sites in spermatozoa. Sialic acid possibly regulates the binding of melatonin to these sites.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Consecutive melatonin circadian rhythms in normal volunteers.

Circadian plasma melatonin secretion patterns were determined in 12 healthy men over 3 consecutive 24-hour periods. The rhythms showed marked intra-individual stability, but pronounced interindividual variation. Plasma melatonin may serve as a reliable biological marker. Plasma melatonin assayed between 23h00 and 01h00 gave a reliable indication of an individual's circadian melatonin rhythm.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

The pineal organ in man. An endocrine gland awaiting recognition.

Information on pineal gland function in man is briefly reviewed. The evidence presented suggests that in man the pineal gland: (i) is involved in control of certain types of behaviour, such as sleep and sleepiness; (ii) is associated with direction orientation; (iii) is in some way related to the phenomenon known as jet lag; (iv) affects sexual maturation; and (v) may affect sperm motility. On the basis of available evidence it is concluded that in man the pineal gland must be regarded as an endocrine gland participating in the close synchronization of a variety of functions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Cardiac substances that influence blood-pressure. II. Potent pressor activity in rat and rabbit atrial muscle.

In addition to their natriuretic, diuretic and vasodilator activities, freshly prepared aqueous extracts of either rat or rabbit atrial myocardium were shown to elicit significant increases in the blood-pressure of anaesthetized rats. Small aliquots (0.05 ml) intravenously administered caused a transient rise in mean arterial blood-pressure of up to 20%. Slow infusion of 0.4 ml right atrial extract (corresponding to about one half of a rabbit right atrial lobe) during 90 seconds caused the expected natriuresis and diuresis, together with a sustained elevation in arterial blood-pressure (ca 25%) that returned to normal within 3 minutes. This potent pressor activity could not be detected in ventricular extracts. It was furthermore readily separable from the natriuretic peptides and catecholamines by ultrafiltration. The atrial pressor factor is a small proteolytically unstable molecule (300-1000 dalton).

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Effect of chlorpromazine on the localization of cAMP phosphodiesterase.

Chlorpromazine (CPZ) at dosages of 10 mg/kg body weight (b.wt.) affected the cytochemical localization of cAMP-dependent phosphodiesterase (cAMP PDE) activity in the synapses of the rat frontal cortex. Postsynaptic cAMP PDE activity was inhibited, and presynaptic activity increased. CPZ also inhibited membrane-bound ATPase activity in the frontal cortex. The activity of Na+-K+-ATPase was significantly (P less than 0.005) inhibited in isolated plasma membranes from the rat frontal cortex. CPZ exposure also affected the cytochemical localization of cations with potassium pyroantimonate. Precipitate, which could be removed with 5 mm EGTA, was decreased in the mitochondria and synaptic vesicles in presynaptic areas after CPZ treatment. The incorporation of 45Ca2+ into slices of the rat frontal cortex was also significantly (P less than 0.001) inhibited by CPZ. This ultrastructural study shows that CPZ may affect biochemical events in an opposite manner in the pre- and post-synaptic areas of some neurons of the frontal cortex.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗
PubMed1984

Cardiac substances that influence blood-pressure. I. Identification of the agent that lowers blood-pressure in anaesthetized rats.

Extracts of the atrium of the mammalian heart contain a natriuretic factor which may be associated with the atrium-specific granules. It has often been observed that the intravenous injection of a crude atrial extract into anaesthetized rats, causes a transient decrease in blood-pressure. In rabbits, this activity is present in stored aqueous extracts prepared from both atrial and ventricular tissue. The hypotensive activity, which can be readily separated from the natriuretic factor, is mainly due to the presence of adenosine and its derivatives, of which 5'-adenosine monophosphate is the major contributor. However, an extract from rabbit atrial muscle, carefully prepared under stringent conditions, caused a rapid and striking increase in blood-pressure, an activity that could not be detected in ventricular tissue.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Effect of physical exercise on plasma melatonin levels in normal volunteers.

Plasma melatonin, cortisol and prolactin levels were determined in clinically normal adult Black male volunteers before, immediately after, and 1 hour after a period of controlled physical exercise. In all subjects the levels of these three hormones showed highly significant increases immediately after exercise and returned to pre-exercise levels 1 hour after physical exertion. In subjects who exercised in a room with reduced environmental lighting (54 lux), the plasma melatonin level immediately after exercise was significantly higher than in the group who exercised in a room with a lighting level of 320 lux. Reduction of environmental lighting had no effect on the plasma cortisol and prolactin values immediately after exercise. Significant positive relationships between post-exercise melatonin levels and body mass, age and pulse rate were noted in all volunteers. Since plasma melatonin reached a plateau level after 30 minutes, it is suggested that controlled exercise (step-climbing), which induces an energy output of 185 W/m2 body surface, conducted in a room with reduced environmental lighting for a period of 30 minutes, may form the basis for a pineal function test.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Circadian changes in microtubules, synaptic ribbons and synaptic ribbon fields in the pinealocytes of the baboon (Papio ursinus).

In baboons kept under controlled lighting conditions, microtubules (MT) are readily seen in the perikaryal cytoplasm and in the perivascular processes of pinealocytes. A significant increase in the number of MT, single synaptic ribbons (SR) and the formation of synaptic ribbon fields (RF, i.e. organelles which consist of multiple dense rodlets or plates, and vesicles), occur during the dark phase of a circadian light-dark cycle. MT may act as "tracks" for the oriented flow of vesicles derived from the smooth endoplasmic reticulum, to cytoplasmic sites where RF are being formed. The origin of the dense rodlets of RF remains unknown. Structural differences between SR and RF indicate that the latter organelles are not directly involved in impulse propagation between adjacent baboon pinealocytes. RF may function as storage organelles for some of the pineal secretory products which are formed in large amounts during the dark phase.

Animals↗