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Biomedical subjects

J M Gunn

Publications and source records attributed to J M Gunn.

41 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1975

Glucocorticoids and the regulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (guanosine triphosphate) in the rat.

The effect glucocorticoids on the synthesis and degradation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP)(EC4.1.1.32) in rat liver and kidney in vivo was studied immunochemically. The glucocorticoid analogue triamcinolone (9alpha-fluoro-11beta, 21-dihydroxy-16alpha,17alpha-isopropylidenedioxypregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione) increased the synthesis rate of the kidney enzyme in starved animals. Both triamcinolone and cortisol decreased the synthesis rate of hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP) in fed and starved rats, but were without effect on the degradation rate of the enzyme. This effect of triamcinolone in liver was reversed by injection of dibutyryl cyclic AMP. However, in diabetic animals glucocorticoids increased the synthesis rate of hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP). Triamcinolone administration to starved rats in vivo is shown to cause an increase in the portal blood concentrations of insulin and glucose. Since the physiological de-inducer of liver phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP) is insulin, this is the probable cause of the decrease in the synthesis rate of the hepatic enzyme noted when glucocorticoids are administered to non-diabetic animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1973

Relationships between concentration of hepatic intermediary metabolites and induction of the key glycolytic enzymes in vivo.

1. The time-course for the induction of hepatic glucokinase, hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, liver-type and muscle-type pyruvate kinases in reponse to various diets and insulin has been investigated over the first 48h of change in both diabetic and non-diabetic rats. 2. The results are consistent with there being separate regulatory mechanisms for the induction of each of the three key enzymes, that is for glucokinase, phosphofructokinase and liver-type pyruvate kinase. 3. To investigate the possibility that induction of these enzymes is mediated through specific metabolites a full metabolite profile has been determined under conditions identical with those in the induction experiments and the results examined for correlations between metabolite concentrations and enzyme activities. 4. Several such relationships were detected and those between glucokinase activity and the phosphorylation state of the adenine nucleotides and between liver-type pyruvate kinase activity and the concentrations of dihydroxyacetone phosphate and pyruvate are discussed in relation to the concept of inducing metabolites. 5. It is suggested that the induction of glycolytic enzymes by insulin may be secondary to the changes in the concentration of specific hepatic metabolites brought about by the acute effects of the hormone. 6. The details of the metabolite concentrations in the various experimental states have been deposited as Supplementary Publication SUP 50021 at the British Library (Lending Division) (formerly the National Lending Library for Science and Technology), Boston Spa, Yorks. LS23 7BQ, U.K., from whom copies can be obtained on the terms indicated in Biochem. J. (1973), 131, 5.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Use of water clarity to monitor the effects of climate change and other stressors on oligotrophic lakes.

We present evidence from studies of lakes in Killarney Park, Ontario, Canada that water clarity is a key variable for monitoring the effects of climate change, high UV exposure and acidification. In small oligotrophic lakes, these stressors affect water clarity primarily by altering the concentration of DOC in lake water. Clear lakes (<2 mg L(-1) DOC) proved to be highly sensitive indicators of stressors, exhibiting large thermal and optical responses to small changes in DOC. Extremely clear (<0.5 mg L(-1) DOC) acidic lakes showed the effects of climate change and solar bleaching in recent decades. These lakes became much clearer even though they were slowly recovering from acidification.

Acid Rain↗