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K Zeller

Publications and source records attributed to K Zeller.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Parallel changes of blood flow and heterogeneity of capillary plasma perfusion in rat brains during hypocapnia.

Plasma perfusion patterns were investigated in brain capillaries during decreased cerebral blood flow induced by hyperventilation. Anesthetized rats were decapitated 3-4 s after being given an intravenous bolus injection of Evans blue dye. the measured steep increase of the arterial dye concentration at this moment ensures that different capillary plasma transit times are reflected in different intracapillary dye concentrations. The observed heterogeneity of capillary plasma transit time was expressed as the coefficient of variation (means +/- SD) of the intracapillary dye concentrations. For comparison, cerebral blood flow was determined at comparable PCO2 values in a second experimental group. At arterial PCO2 values between 40 and 25 mmHg, the cerebral blood flow and the coefficient of variation of the intracapillary dye concentration decreased with decreasing PCO2, whereas at PCO2 values <25 mmHg cerebral blood flow and coefficient of variation did not correlate with the arterial PCO2. However, it cannot be excluded that the coefficient of variation of the intracapillary dye concentration increases between 25 and 14 mmHg and decreases between 14 and 10 mmHg. It is concluded that the reduction of cerebral blood flow measured during moderate hypocapnia is paralleled by a decreased heterogeneity of the brain capillary perfusion. During severe hypocapnia this relationship is lost, indicating a potential disturbance of the cerebral microcirculation.

Animals↗

Autoradiographic analysis of the regional distribution of Glut3 glucose transporters in the rat brain.

Glut3 is a glucose transporter protein which facilitates the transport of glucose across the neuronal membranes. The local distribution of Glut3 in the brain is not well known. The present study had the aim to verify the local distribution of Glut3 in the brain and to compare it with the local glucose utilization. A polyclonal antibody directed against the C-terminal peptide sequence of Glut3 was applied to cryosections of rat brains. A secondary antibody was added which had been coupled to 35S. Using autoradiography and radioactive standards, 17 cerebral structures were investigated. The results show moderate differences of Glut3 density in the structures investigated ranging from -23% to +41% of the mean density. The pineal gland was an exception with a density 66% lower than mean. Local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU) was analyzed in identical brain structures by application of the quantitative autoradiographic 2-deoxyglucose method to conscious rats. The range of LCGU was from -59% to +55% of the mean. No correlation was found between the moderately heterogeneous Glut3 transporter density and the strongly heterogeneous local cerebral glucose utilization. The results show that the local density of Glut3 glucose transporter protein does not reflect the local level of glucose utilization in the brain.

Animals↗

Lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase deficiency: identification of two defective alleles in fibroblast cDNA.

Previous mutations associated with lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) deficiency have been identified using genomic DNA. To facilitate mutation analysis, we used cDNA from cultured fibroblasts which were shown to express LCAT mRNA. Using reverse-transcriptase PCR, LCAT cDNA was obtained from a 13-year-old boy with complete LCAT deficiency, characterized by low HDL-C (3 mg/dl), nondetectable initial cholesterol esterification rate, LCAT activity, and minimal LCAT mass (0.16 vs. 5-7.5 micrograms/ml). Sequencing of LCAT cDNA clones identified two mutations. A novel frameshift mutations caused by deletion of cytosine at the third nucleotide position of amino acid 168 (exon 5) predicts a disrupted protein catalytic site by converting Ser181-->Ala and creates a Pvu-II restriction site prior to premature truncation at amino acid 238. A C-->T transition results in a substitution of methionine for threonine at amino acid position 321 and creates an Nla-III restriction site on the maternal allele. Expression studies of mutant LCAT cDNA confirmed the virtual absence of LCAT activity in transfected COS-1 cells. The molecular defect in a young male with complete LCAT deficiency has been identified using fibroblast cDNA.

Adolescent↗

Structure and developmental regulation of the B-lymphoid tyrosine kinase gene blk.

The murine blk gene, which encodes a B-lymphoid-specific tyrosine kinase of the Src family (p55blk), contains 13 exons that span more than 30 kilobases of DNA on chromosome 14. In the first three exons, which encode the 5'-untranslated region and N-terminal amino acid sequence unique to p55blk, the blk gene differs from other members of the src family; in the last 10 exons, the organization of the blk gene is similar to that of other src genes. By primer extension and S1 nuclease protection analyses, we show that blk transcripts initiate from four major sites at the 5'-flank of blk; two sites predominate. The resulting transcripts differ only in the lengths of their 5'-untranslated sequences and encode identical proteins. None of the transcriptional start sites are preceded by consensus TATA elements, AT-rich elements, or extensive GC-rich regions. Expression of blk is regulated during B-cell development: blk RNA is expressed in all pro-B-, pre-B-, and mature B-cell lines examined, but is absent from plasma cell lines. Immunolocalization of p55blk in normal mouse spleen supports these observations: staining is restricted to lymphocytes and is concentrated in regions rich in B-cells; plasma cells and stromal cells are not stained with anti-Blk antibodies. Assays for RNA synthesis in isolated nuclei indicate that the lineage and developmental stage specificities of blk expression are regulated at least in part by changes in its rate of transcription.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Effect of restricting dietary protein on the progression of renal failure in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Restriction of dietary protein may slow the progression of renal failure in diverse renal diseases, but the extent to which such a diet is beneficial in patients with diabetic nephropathy is uncertain. METHODS: We studied the effect of reduced intake of protein and phosphorus on the progression of renal disease in 35 patients with insulin-dependent (Type I) diabetes mellitus and clinically evident nephropathy. The low-protein, low-phosphorus diet contained 0.6 g of protein per kilogram of ideal body weight per day, 500 to 1000 mg of phosphorus, and 2000 mg of sodium. The control diet consisted of the patient's prestudy diet with the stipulation that it contain 2000 mg of sodium and at least 1 g of protein per kilogram per day and 1000 mg of phosphorus. Renal function was assessed by measurement of iothalamate and creatinine clearances at intervals of 3 to 6 months, and the patients were followed for a minimum of 12 months (mean, 34.7). The declines in mean glomerular filtration rates were compared between groups by linear-regression analysis of the glomerular filtration rate as a function of time. RESULTS: The patients who followed the study diet for a mean of 37.1 months had declines in iothalamate clearance of 0.0043 ml per second per month and in creatinine clearance of 0.0055 ml per second per month. The comparable values in the control group were 0.0168 and 0.0135, respectively (P less than 0.05). Blood pressure was well controlled, and the degree of glycemic control was comparable in both groups. CONCLUSION: Dietary restriction of protein and phosphorus can retard the progression of renal failure in patients with Type I diabetes mellitus who have nephropathy. We believe that wider use of this treatment is indicated.

Adult↗

Phosphatidylinositol-glycan anchors of membrane proteins: potential precursors of insulin mediators.

BC3H1 myocytes release membrane-bound alkaline phosphatase to the incubation medium upon stimulation with insulin, following a time course that is consistent with the generation of dimyristoylglycerol and the appearance of a putative insulin mediator in the extracellular medium. The use of specific blocking agents shows, however, that alkaline phosphatase release and dimyristoylglycerol production are independent processes and that the blockade of either event inhibits the production of insulin mediator. These experiments suggest a new model of insulin action.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Rat liver insulin mediator which stimulates pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphate contains galactosamine and D-chiroinositol.

It has been established that insulin treatment of cells, isolated plasma membranes, or whole animals leads to the generation of low molecular weight mediators which serve as intermediates in the signalling pathway. At least two distinct classes of mediator have been described, based on differences in apparent molecular weight, isoelectric point and biological activity (Cheng, K., and Larner, J. (1985) Ann. Rev. Physiol. 45, 407-424). Recently, Saltiel's (Saltiel, A.R., and Cuatrecasas, P. (1986) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 5793-5797) and Mato's (Mato, J.M., Kelly, K.L., Abler, A., and Jarett, L. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 2131-2137) laboratories have described an insulin "modulator" which was apparently derived from glycosylphosphoinositol linker, similar to those known to anchor proteins to the external surface of the cell membrane (Low, M.G. (1987) Bioch. J. 244, 1-13). In this paper, we report that highly purified preparations of the insulin mediator which stimulates pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase contain mannose, galactosamine, and D-chiroinositol. These determinations are based upon analyses using paper chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy. Nitrous acid deamination of the mediator resulted in release of inositol phosphate, indicating that the galactosamine and D-chiroinositol are linked. Although the presence of chiroinositol in modulator from H35 hepatoma cells has been recently reported (Mato, J.M., Kelly, K.L., Abler, A., Jarett, L., Corkey, B.E., Cashel, J.A., and Zopf, D. (1987) Bioch. Biophys. Res. Comm. 146, 764-770), the optical identity of the inositol remained unknown until the present report. Likewise, the presence of galactosamine rather than glucosamine in insulin mediator is a novel finding. These findings, coupled with those of Saltiel and Mato's groups, provide clear evidence for the existence of multiple forms of insulin mediators. Additionally, the results presented here afford further confirmation for the formation of insulin mediators from glycosyl-phosphoinositol linkers.

Animals↗