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Biomedical subjects

J Martinez

Publications and source records attributed to J Martinez.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Effects of gastrin on 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate, intracellular calcium, and phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis in human colon cancer cells.

Gastrin is a trophic factor for some human colon cancer cells. However, the signal-transduction pathways by which gastrin regulates growth are still unknown. We examined the effect of synthetic human gastrin-17 (G-17) on signal-transduction pathways and cell growth using 4 different human colon cancer cell lines (LoVo, COLO 320, HT-29, and HCT116). G-17 stimulated the production of cyclic AMP in LoVo, COLO 320, and HCT116 cells, while G-17 stimulated phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis and mobilization of intracellular calcium in HT-29 cells. The growth-regulatory effect of G-17 on these colon cancer cells (stimulatory on LoVo, COLO 320, and HT-29 cells; inhibitory on HCT116 cells) was well correlated with the effect of G-17 on the signal-transduction pathway in each cell line. We further examined the effect of a selective cholecystokinin-B type receptor antagonist, JMV 320, on G-17-induced signal-transduction pathways and G-17-regulated growth. In each cell line, the effect of JMV 320 on G-17-induced signal-transduction pathways was well correlated with that on G-17-regulated growth. G-17 appears to regulate, at least to some extent, growth of human colon cancer cells through gastrin receptor-linked signal-transduction pathways that are cell-specific.

Calcium↗
PubMed1994

Neurocircuitry of illness-induced hyperalgesia.

We have previously demonstrated that illness-inducing agents such as lithium chloride (LiCl) and the bacterial cell wall endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) produce hyperalgesia on diverse pain measures. The present series of studies attempted to identify the neurocircuitry mediating these effects. These studies have demonstrated that illness-inducing agents produce hyperalgesia by activating: (a) peripheral nerves rather than by generating a blood-borne mediator (Expt. 1); (b) vagal afferents, specifically afferents within the hepatic branch of the vagus (Expt. 2); (c) as yet unidentified brain site(s) rostral to the mid-mesencephalon (Expt. 6); (d) a centrifugal pathway that arises from the nucleus raphe magnus, and not from the adjacent nucleus reticularis paragigantocellularis pars alpha (Expts. 4 and 5); (e) a centrifugal pathway in the dorsolateral funiculus of the spinal cord (Expt. 3); and (f) the same centrifugal pathways for diverse illness inducing agents (Expts. 3, 7 and 8). These data call for the re-evaluation of a number of assumptions inherent in previous studies of hyperalgesia.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Transglutaminase-mediated processing of fibronectin by endothelial cell monolayers.

We studied the interaction of [125I]fibronectin with human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Endothelial cell monolayers cross-linked [125I]fibronectin which had been preadsorbed to gelatin-coated dishes. The cross-linking of the substrate-immobilized [125I]fibronectin was mediated by cell-associated tissue transglutaminase and occurred more rapidly during the first 30 min after endothelial cell seeding but also continued for several hours after the cells were fully spread. The processing of the [125I]fibronectin was associated with the basolateral surface of the endothelial cell, as demonstrated by the finding that cross-linking did not occur when [125I]fibronectin was presented to the apical surface of confluent monolayers. Transglutaminase activity was not necessary for attachment and spreading of HUVEC on a fibronectin/gelatin matrix. The presence of a nonpeptidyl transglutaminase inactivator rendered the cells more susceptible to detachment by trypsin and destabilized the association of fibronectin with the subendothelial extracellular matrix. Thus, endothelial cells process fibronectin into cross-linked multimers due to the expression of tissue transglutaminase at the basal surface of the cell. This process may serve to stabilize the extracellular matrix and to firmly anchor the cells to the basement membrane.

Cell Polarity↗
PubMed1994

Behavioural effects of two cholecystokinin analogues: JMV 236 and JMV 179.

The behavioural effects of two cholecystokinin analogues Boc-Tyr(SO3H)-Nle-Gly-Trp-Nle-Asp-Phe-NH2 (JMV 236), a potent CCK agonist, and Boc-Tyr(SO3H)-Nle-Gly-DTrp-Nle-Asp-2-Phenylethylester (JMV 179), a CCK antagonist were studied. JMV 236 (3.125, 12.5 and 50 micrograms/kg i.p.) dose-dependently decreased the exploratory activity of rats, the effect being significant for horizontal activity (ambulation) at doses of 12.5 and 50 micrograms/kg and for vertical activity (rearing) at a dose of 50 micrograms/kg. JMV 179 (3.125, 12.5 and 50 micrograms/kg i.p.) did not change the horizontal activity but dose-dependently decreased the vertical activity, the effect being significant at a dose of 50 micrograms/kg. JMV 236 administered immediately after training significantly facilitated short-term memory in passive avoidance situation but only tended to increase the mean latency upon retention testing on the 7th day. JMV 179 tended to increase the latency of the passive avoidance response upon retention testing at the 24th hour but not on the 7th day after training.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Severe central nervous system toxicity after chronic treatment with cyclosporine.

Severe neurologic complications following treatment with cyclosporine are uncommon. They tend to occur during the first month of treatment and disappear after withdrawal or reduction of the dose of the drug. We report the case of a man who underwent a liver transplantation and subsequently developed severe central nervous system toxicity. After two years receiving cyclosporine, he presented with a brachial monoparesis and a complex visual disturbance. Symptoms slowly worsened during four months. On admission, he had confusion and seizures. Multiple areas of T2 prolongation, located in cerebral white matter, were seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Symptoms partially improved after cyclosporine withdrawal, but brain lesions shown on MRI persisted in serial imaging studies after two years of follow-up. We discuss the mechanisms that have been proposed to explain this clinical picture. Severe cyclosporine-associated neurotoxicity can also occur after chronic administration, even with serum levels in therapeutic range.

Brain Diseases↗
PubMed1994

Synthesis and characterization of a new labeled gastrin ligand, 125-I-BH-[Leu15]-gastrin-(5-17), on binding to canine fundic mucosal cells and Jurkat cells.

In the course of our study concerning gastrin and cholecystokinin (CCK) receptors, we have synthesized and characterized a new labeled gastrin ligand, 125I-BH-[Leu15]-gastrin-(5-17) [(3-[125I]iodo-4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionyl-[Leu15]-gastrin-(5-17)]. Binding of 125I-BH-[Leu15]-gastrin-(5-17) to isolated canine fundic mucosal cells was specific, saturable and of high affinity. 125I-BH-[Leu15]-gastrin- (5-17) and 125I-BH-CCK-8[(3-[125I]iodo-4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionyl-CCK-8] interact with isolated canine fundic mucosal cells with small differences in maximal binding capacities and affinities, 3800 +/- 900 binding sites/cell (Kd = 0.52 +/- 0.23 nM) and 6200 +/- 1100 binding sites/cell (Kd = 0.31 +/- 0.18 nM), respectively. The relative order of potencies for gastrin and CCK analogs in displacing 125I-BH-[Leu15]-gastrin-(5-17) binding correlated well with those obtained using 125I-BH-CCK-8. Selective CCK/gastrin antagonists L-364,718 (MK-329) and L-365,260 also inhibited 125I-BH-[Leu15]-gastrin-(5-17) binding. These results indicate that 125I-BH-[Leu15]-gastrin-(5-17) binds to gastrin receptors in isolated canine fundic mucosal cells. We have also characterized 125I-BH-[Leu15]-gastrin-(5-17) binding to the human Jurkat lymphoblastic cell line (Jurkat cells) known to express the CCK-B/gastrin receptor. Saturation experiments have shown that both 125I-BH-[Leu15]-gastrin-(5-17) and 125I-BH-CCK-8 interact with a single class of high-affinity binding sites in the Jurkat cell line.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Gastrointestinal effects of diazepam-withdrawal are linked to activation of central cholecystokinin-ergic pathways in rats.

The influence of flumazenil-precipitated diazepam withdrawal on intestinal myoelectric activity and colonic transit was evaluated, in diazepam-dependent rats. Administered intraperitoneally, flumazenil (15 mg kg-1) induced a strong stimulation of the duodenal spiking activity lasting 197 +/- 20 min, and accelerated colonic transit corresponding to a significantly (P < 0.05) increased value of the geometric centre (3.52 +/- 0.23 vs 2.44 +/- 0.1 for the control). Both devazepide and L365260 administered intracerebroventricularly at a dose of 10 micrograms kg-1 abolished the flumazenil-induced withdrawal effect on the duodenum, whereas at a lower dose (1 microgram kg-1) only L365260 was able to antagonize this effect. In the same way, devazepide, loxiglumide and L365260 suppressed the effect of precipitated withdrawal on colonic transit when administered intracerebroventricularly at a dose of 10 micrograms kg-1, whereas similar blockade was obtained at a dose of 5 micrograms kg-1 with L365260, and 10 ng kg-1 with PD135-158. It is concluded that in rats precipitated diazepam-withdrawal altered intestinal motility and colonic transit and that these effects are mediated by central release of cholecystokinin (CCK) or activation of CCK-ergic neurons.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Pancreas growth, tyrosine kinase, PtdIns 3-kinase, and PLD involve high-affinity CCK-receptor occupation.

Cholecystokinin (CCK), CCK octapeptide (CCK-8), and caerulein (Cae) are the most potent trophic factors in the pancreas when given exogenously or released from the intestine. Recent studies have suggested that this growth-promoting effect of CCK was initiated through the occupation of the CCKA receptor. This study was then undertaken to determine whether occupation of the high- or low-affinity CCKA receptor is involved in the growth process and to establish which transduction signals have been selectively activated. As an answer to the first question, rats were infused with CCK JMV-180, a CCKA high-affinity agonist, at doses of 50, 100, 150, and 300 micrograms.kg-1.h-1, or Cae (0.25 micrograms.kg-1.h-1) for 4 days. After rats were killed, their pancreatic weight and contents of protein, DNA, RNA, amylase, and chymotrypsinogen were estimated. To investigate the transduction signals, rats were infused for 30 min to 4 h with 300 micrograms.kg-1.h-1 JMV-180, or pancreatic acini were exposed in vitro to 1 microM JMV-180 for 5 or 30 min. After rats were killed, pancreases were used to monitor tyrosine kinase, phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) 3-kinase, and phospholipase D (PLD) activities. The first set of experiments indicates that JMV-180 caused a dose-dependent effect on pancreas growth, with the 300 micrograms.kg-1 x h-1 dose giving the maximal effect comparable to that of Cae. Furthermore, JMV-180 induced concomitant early increases in tyrosine kinase and PLD activities both in vivo and in vitro and PtdIns 3-kinase in vitro.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Utrophin localization in normal and dystrophin-deficient heart.

BACKGROUND: The localization of dystrophin at the sarcolemma of cardiac skeletal fibers and cardiac Purkinje fibers has been described. Dystrophin deficiency produces clinical manifestations of disease in skeletal muscles and hearts of patients with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy. Utrophin (or dystrophin-related protein), a dystrophin homologous protein, was found to be expressed in fetal muscles and reexpressed in dystrophin-deficient skeletal muscle fibers. We therefore examined utrophin expression in normal and in dystrophin-deficient hearts. METHODS AND RESULTS: The expression and subcellular distribution of utrophin was examined in cardiac muscle by immunoblot and immunofluorescence analysis in normal bovine heart compared with dystrophin. Utrophin expression was also examined in normal and dystrophin-deficient hearts of MDX mice. Three monoclonal antibodies reacting with dystrophin and utrophin solely or reacting with both proteins along with two polyclonal antibodies reacting with either utrophin or dystrophin and utrophin were tested. In normal bovine heart, utrophin was not expressed at the periphery of fibers but was strongly expressed in intercalated disks and in the cytoplasm of cardiac Purkinje fibers. In cardiocytes, utrophin was colocalized along transverse T tubules with dystrophin. Dystrophin was present at the periphery of cardiocytes and cardiac Purkinje fibers as well as in transverse T tubules but was absent or faintly expressed in intercalated disks. The results with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies were identical. Western blot analysis revealed that the detected molecules corresponded only to a 400-kD protein band and not to possible shorter transcripts of utrophin or dystrophin (apo-utrophin or apo-dystrophin). In dystrophin-deficient hearts of MDX mice, utrophin alone was abundant but not organized in the same networklike distribution. CONCLUSIONS: This first localization of utrophin in normal heart (in Purkinje fibers, transverse tubules, and intercalated disks) showed a distinct subcellular localization of this protein with dystrophin, suggesting an important function of this protein in intercellular communication. In dystrophin-deficient hearts of MDX mice, utrophin alone is overexpressed as in skeletal muscle sarcolemma, an area normally occupied by dystrophin but not organized in the same networklike distribution.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Upregulation of Na(+)-dependent alanine transport in vascular endothelial cells by serum: role of intracellular Ca2+.

OBJECTIVE: Amino acid transport and its regulation in vascular endothelial cells remains a largely unexplored area. In this study, we evaluated alanine transport in bovine aortic endothelial cells to assess possible mechanisms of regulation. METHODS: Alanine transport into confluent monolayers of endothelial cells was measured using 100 microM [3H]alanine in the presence and absence of external Na+, in cells deprived of serum for 24 hr (SD), and in SD cells exposed to 10% serum (S) for 3 hr (SD + S cells). RESULTS: Our results indicate that although SD did not significantly affect the Na(+)-independent transport of alanine when compared to normal cells, serum addition to serum-deprived cells markedly stimulated the Na(+)-dependent uptake of this amino acid through system A. The stimulation of alanine transport pathway(s) by serum was totally abolished by pretreatment of endothelial cells with 10 microM cycloheximide, suggesting a role of protein synthesis. Serum also induced a marked increase in calcium recycling at the cell membrane, suggesting that calcium is a key element of the serum signaling pathway. Indeed, both BAPTA (20 microM), a cellular calcium chelator, and thapsigargin (1 microM), an agent that depletes intracellular calcium stores, prevented the stimulation of alanine uptake by serum. Finally, pertussis toxin (400 ng/ml), an agent known to inactivate certain G-protein-dependent pathways, significantly reduced the serum-dependent 45Ca uptake and [3H]alanine entry. However, the protein kinase C activator PMA (100 nM), significantly reduced the stimulation of alanine uptake by serum but did not affect the stimulation of calcium uptake. CONCLUSIONS: Altogether these findings suggest that cell calcium is involved in the regulation of system A by serum in vascular endothelial cells.

Alanine↗
PubMed1994

[Pulmonary atresia with open septum: analysis of therapeutic management apropos of 47 cases].

Pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (VSD) accounts for 2% of all congenital heart disease. The prognosis is poor (30% survival at 1 year) and early medico-surgical management is essential. A natural history of retrospective analysis of 47 consecutive patients with this abnormality born between 1962 and 1992, hospitalised between 1971 and 1992 and followed up for an average of 9.6 years (range: 1 month to 24 years) allowed identification of several anatomical groups: Group I (N = 19, 40.4%) comprised patients who underwent complete correction; Group II comprised patients who had undergone one or more palliative procedures. In Group II, there were 13 survivors at the end of the study (Group IIA); 14 patients died (Group IIB) and one was lost tot follow-up. The global mortality was 38% (21% in Group I and 52% in Group II). Overall management was intense: 166 cardiac catheter studies, 109 surgical operations including 48 systemico-pulmonary anastomoses, 34 right ventricular outflow reconstructions, I Ilbawi procedure. The survival was higher in Group I (79%) than in Group II (48%) indicating a clear advantage in reestablishing as normal as possible anatomic and haemodynamic status. Patients in Group I had a higher incidence of pulmonary artery confluence, patent ductus and an anatomically simple form of pulmonary atresia with VSD, all good surgical prognostic factors. The first palliative procedure was performed on average at 35 months in Group I, 46 months in Group IIA and 24 months in Group IIB; complete correction, when possible, was performed at about the 10th year, after an average of 3 operative procedures per patient.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Actuarial Analysis↗