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Biomedical subjects

L Dorland

Publications and source records attributed to L Dorland.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Selective screening for amino acid disorders.

The analysis of amino acids is the most frequently applied technique in the selective screening of inborn errors of metabolism. When urine is used as a starting material, simple techniques such as thin-layer chromatography or high-voltage electrophoresis is preferred as a first approach. The quantitative analysis requires instrumentation, usually an amino acid analyser. Both plasma and urine are needed for establishing renal transport defects. Apart from the accumulation of the 'usual' amino acids, the presence of unusual amino acids may be of diagnostic significance. Furthermore the finding of decreased plasma concentrations of specific amino acids may pinpoint several inherited defects. No amino acid screening procedure is complete without the availability of an organic acid and a purine/pyrimidine analytical system, both yielding important additional diagnostic information. Considerable clinical problems may occur in subjects with a decreased tolerance to protein amino acids without being homozygous for any inherited defect. Examples of these disorders that need further studies are homocysteinaemia associated with vascular disease and carriers of ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency.

Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors↗

Experimental design of 31P MRS assessment of human forearm muscle function: restrictions imposed by functional anatomy.

The restrictions imposed by the functional anatomy of the finger flexor muscles on the experimental design of 31P MRS assessment of human forearm muscle function employing surface coil localization and voluntary exercise were investigated. It was found that 31P MRS metabolic data of finger flexor muscle should be correlated with mechanical data of combined flexion of only the ring and little fingers, rather than all four fingers as has been commonly the case in previously reported studies.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Diagnosis of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation defects.

Inherited defects of mitochondrial beta-oxidation of fatty acids lead to hypoketotic hypoglycemia during prolonged fasting. Affected patients may present with episodes of a Reye-like illness or even sudden child death. The number of currently detected patients with medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency--the most common disease in this area--is indicative of a high frequency, possibly comparable to that of phenylketonuria. A comprehensive system of biochemical analyses is described, which enables the differential diagnosis of the various defects. An indispensable part of the diagnostic system is the gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric analysis of plasma and urinary organic acids. A correct diagnosis is a prerequisite for the installment of specific treatment.

Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase↗

Enzyme studies on human and snail beta-mannosidase using a fluorescence assay and an HPLC/diode array method with Man beta (1-4)GlcNAc as substrate.

1. Snail beta-mannosidase showed a Km value of 0.05 mM toward MU-beta-Man and could not be inhibited by Man, GlcNAc, Man beta(1-4)GlcNAc, Man beta(1-4)GlcNAc beta(1-N)urea or Man beta(1-4) GlcNAc beta(1-4)GlcNAc. 2. The Km value of the snail enzyme towards Man beta(1-4)GlcNAc, as measured by HPLC, was 10 mM, explaining the lack of inhibition. 3. The Km value of the human serum beta-mannosidase towards MU-beta-Man was 0.3 mM, but the human enzyme was not capable of degrading Man beta(1-4)GlcNAc in detectable amounts.

Animals↗

Diagnosis of medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency in lymphocytes and liver by a gas chromatographic method: the effect of oral riboflavin supplementation.

The activity of medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) with octanoyl-CoA as a substrate was measured in human lymphocytes by a gas chromatographic technique. Phenazine methosulfate was used as the primary electron acceptor. After the addition of crotonase and subsequent hydrolysis, the reaction product 3-hydroxyoctanoic acid was quantitated by capillary gas-liquid chromatography of the trimethylsilyl derivatives. Control subjects had MCAD activities of 3.46 +/- 0.18 nmol/mg protein/min (n = 15). Five patients were investigated while receiving no therapy at all; MCAD activity ranged from 0.08 to 0.23 in four of them and was 0.65 in the fifth one. Subsequent to the long-term administration of 50-150 mg/d of riboflavin to MCAD-deficient patients (n = 11), these activities increased to an average of 0.41 in 10 patients and 2.22 in one. The activities in 15 obligate heterozygotes were 1.91 +/- 0.41 nmol/mg protein/min, thus enabling a clear distinction from controls. Neither heterozygotes nor a control responded to riboflavin. The method was also applicable to postmortem liver tissue. One patient, who had died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 19 mo, was correctly diagnosed as MCAD-deficient, whereas five additional children who died of the sudden infant death syndrome showed normal activities.

Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase↗

Medium- and long-chain 3-hydroxymonocarboxylic acids: analysis by gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry.

Medium- and long-chain 3-hydroxymonocarboxylic acids represent intermediates in the beta-oxidation of fatty acids: they accumulate in the plasma of patients with an inherited deficiency of long-chain 3-hydroxyacylcoenzyme A dehydrogenase. 3-Hydroxy acids with chain lengths varying from 6 to 16 were synthesized by a Reformatzky reaction. Capillary gas chromatography of the pertrimethylsilyl derivatives was performed on a CP-Sil 19 CB column, coupled to a quadrupole mass spectrometer in the electron impact mode. Calculation of the retention indices showed that the separation of the 3-hydroxy acids from the homologous straight-chain fatty acids may be troublesome, stressing the need for mass spectrometric identification.

Carboxylic Acids↗

3-Hydroxydicarboxylic aciduria due to long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency associated with sudden neonatal death: protective effect of medium-chain triglyceride treatment.

Two siblings were found to be affected by long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, one of which died suddenly and unexpectedly on the 3rd day of life suffering from extreme hypoketotic hypoglycaemia. The younger sibling started to have feeding problems, lowered consciousness, and liver dysfunction at the age of 5 months. Her urine contained large amounts of C6-C14 3-hydroxydicarboxylic acids and conjugated 3-hydroxyoctanoic acid, as verified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Plasma long-chain acylcarnitine was increased. A clue to the diagnosis was given by the results of a phenylpropionic acid loading test. This revealed small, but significant amounts of conjugated 3-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid (phenylhydracrylic acid) in the patient's urine. Subsequently, the activity of long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase was found to be deficient in cultured skin fibroblasts. Based on the findings obtained by a medium-chain triglyceride load, a diet enriched in this type of fat was prescribed. On this regimen the patient started to thrive, signs of cardiomyopathy disappeared, and her liver function normalized.

3-Hydroxyacyl CoA Dehydrogenases↗

Sialyl-alpha 2-6-mannosyl-beta 1-4-N-acetylglucosamine, a novel compound occurring in urine of patients with beta-mannosidosis.

Human beta-mannosidosis urine was fractionated by gel permeation chromatography on Bio-Gel P-2 and by high performance liquid chromatography on Partisil 10 SAX. Besides the disaccharide Man beta 1-4GlcNAc as the major component, a sialic acid-containing compound was detected in an amount of 10% compared to that of Man beta 1-4GlcNAc. Structural characterization of the oligosaccharide and of its reduced analogue by sugar composition analysis, methylation analysis, gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and 500-MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy gave conclusive evidence for a novel urinary constituent: NeuAc alpha 2-6Man beta 1-4GlcNAc. This linear trisaccharide can be considered as the result of an alpha 2-6-sialylation of the major accumulating compound, Man beta 1-4GlcNAc. The hitherto unknown linkage between sialic acid and mannose was shown to be susceptible to sialidase digestion.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗

Accumulation of mannosyl-beta(1----4)-N-acetylglucosamine in fibroblasts and leukocytes of patients with a deficiency of beta-mannosidase.

Cultured fibroblasts from two brothers with beta-mannosidosis were shown to accumulate the disaccharide mannosyl-beta(1----4)-N-acetylglucosamine in amounts of 52 and 68 nmol/mg protein. Structural identification of the Man beta(1----4)GlcNAc, isolated by HPLC, was performed by 500-MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy and sugar composition analysis. Control fibroblasts did not contain a detectable amount of Man beta(1----4)GlcNAc. The disaccharide was also present in leukocytes from these patients, but not in controls, as could be demonstrated by thin-layer chromatography and sugar composition analysis. However, the amounts in leukocytes (5 and 6 nmol/mg protein) were much smaller than those in fibroblasts.

Cells, Cultured↗

O-phosphohydroxylysinuria: a new inborn error of metabolism?

An abnormal ninhydrin positive compound was observed in the urine of two unrelated patients with neurological abnormalities. The compound was isolated by cation exchange followed by preparative paper chromatography and finally purified via cation exchange column chromatography. Its identification as O-phosphohydroxylysine resulted from FAB mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. Chemical synthesis confirmed the structure. It was tentatively postulated that these patients had a defect of the metabolism of hydroxylysine, viz., a deficiency of the enzyme O-phosphohydroxylysine phospholyase.

Adolescent↗