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Biomedical subjects

L G Heding

Publications and source records attributed to L G Heding.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Development of ketonemia in fasting patients with hyperthyroidism.

Concentrations of ketone bodies, free fatty acids, glycerol, lactate, glucose, insulin, glucagon and cortisol were determined 6-hourly during 36 hours of fasting in 4 hyperthyroid patients and in 4 euthyroid controls. The concentrations of ketone bodies were elevated in hyperthyroid patients from the beginning and increased during fasting more rapidly and to higher values as compared to the controls. After 6 hours of fasting the blood ketone concentrations were 1.1--1.8 mM in hyperthyroid patients and 0.3--0.6 mM in the controls. After 36 hours the concentrations had increased to about 3.5 mM and 1.4 mM in hyperthyroid and control subjects, respectively. The concentrations of free fatty acids were identical in the groups compared postprandially, but increased significantly more in the hyperthyroid patients than in the controls during fasting. The glycerol concentration was higher in the hyperthyroid group throughout the observation period. The concentrations of insulin were slightly higher in the hyperthyroid group than in the control, whereas the concentrations of the "ketogenic" hormones, glucagon and cortisol were identical in the compared groups. It is concluded that hyperthyroidism leads to an increased tendency to ketosis, that is partly explained by increased concentrations of free fatty acids and that might also involve a direct action of long term thyroid hormone excess on enzyme activities (e.g. carnitine acyltransferase in liver).

Adult

Metabolic studies in acute asthma before and after treatment.

We studied the metabolism and hormone profile of 9 patients with moderately severe acute asthma before treatment, and again 10 min after intravenous aminophylline (250 mg) or the selective beta-adrenergic stimulant hexoprenaline (5 microgram) intravenously. Compared with basal values in normal subjects the untreated asthmatics had statistically significant raised mean plasma pancreatic glucagon, free fatty acid (FFA) and glucose levels in the plasma and a significantly depressed mean plasma potassium level. Insulin, growth hormone, cortisol, thyrotropin and ketone body levels were normal. The only significant changes after therapy were a further fall in plasma potassium in the hexoprenaline-treated patients and a rise in the mean lactate concentration of the group as a whole. The clinical implications of these findings are briefly considered.

Acute Disease

Hormonal profile, blood sugar control and HLA patterns in long-term insulin dependent diabetes with and without vascular disease.

Nineteen insulin dependent diabetics with onset at 30 years of age or less and duration of diabetes of greater than 25 years were divided into two groups on the basis of the presence or absence of clinically evident vascular disease. The patients without vascular disease were characterised by a later mean age of onset, lower fasting growth hormone concentration, and a lower frequency of the unusual HLA pattern B8 without A1 compared to the diabetics with vascular complications. The level of blood glucose control assessed over the last 15 years, insulin antibody titres, plasma glucagon levels and plasma cholesterol did not differ between the two groups. Residual beta cell activity was found in only one of the 19 patients. Although this study does not exclude an effect of the degree of blood glucose control or persistence of beta cell function in the early stages of diabetes on the subsequent development of vascular disease, it suggests that genetic factors, age of onset and plasma growth hormone levels may be more important.

Adult

Characterization of seven C-peptide antisera.

The plasma C-peptide immunoreactivity (CPR) in 10 normal subjects varied considerably when measured with different antisera in parallel assays. The CPR level correlated with the blank "CPR" value measured in plasma devoid of C-peptide and to a lesser degree with the sensitivity of the standard curves obtained with the individual antisera. Storage of plasma samples at different temperatures and for different lengths of time before the analyses were carried out resulted in further variation in the CPR results. This was caused by a time- and temperature-dependent fall in CPR, which was more pronounced with some antisera than with others. This sensitivity to storage of plasma did not correlate with the antigenic characteristics of the antisera as determined by their reactivity with 11 specific fragments of the C-peptide molecule. The contribution of human proinsulin to the CPR concentration relative in normal subjects was considered to be negligible even though the relative immunoreactivity of human proinsulin and C-peptide ranged from 11 to 143 per cent among these antisera. These results suggest that differences in C-peptide antisera are a major reason for the variation in the concentration of circulating CPR as measured in different C-peptide immunoassays.

Animals

beta-cell function in children with diabetes.

Although it is generally believed that insulin secretion is minimal or absent in juvenile-onset diabetes, we have found appreciable levels of C-peptide at the time of onset in 12 patients, 4 to 16 years old (9.3 +/- 4.2). Ten of them had ketonuria but none severe ketoacidosis. All entered a remission period. Most of the patients had near normal C-peptide levels during the remission, and their beta cells had the capacity to respond to a breakfast stimulation with increased insulin secretion. C-peptide and proinsulin were also determined in 98 juvenile diabetics with age at onset of 1 to 16 years (6.8 +/- 3.9) and a duration of diabetes between two and 17 years (6.7 +/- 3.4). Many were found to have persisting beta-cell function, which seems to be of importance for ensuring stability in metabolic control. Although little is known about factors that may slow or reverse the process leading to beta-cell failure, our results suggest that early detection and intensive treatment of diabetes before severe metabolic disturbances have occurred may help preserve beta-cell function.

Adolescent

HLA-types, C-peptide and insulin antibodies in juvenile diabetes.

HLA-types were determined in 102 juvenile diabetics. HLA-B8 was found in 39 patients (RR 2.64; p less than 0.01) and HLA-BW15 in 32 patients (RR 1.33; n.s.). HLA-B7 was found in 14 patients (RR 0.40; p less than 0;05). There were no correlations between HLA-B8 or BW15 and family history of diabetes, occurrence of infection before onset of diabetes, ketonuria at onset or the age at onset of diabetes. Serum C-peptide, insulin binding capacity of IgG and total serum insulin, IRI, were determined in 94 patients who had had diabetes for more than two years and who were beyond the remission period. Measurable amounts of C-peptide were found in 33 patients (34.7%). There was no evidence of a relationship between any particular HLA-antigen and the B-cell function except for an increased incidence of do a decreased incidence of detectable C-peptide in patients with the combination HLA-B8, W15. Only four patients (4.3%) were lacking insulin antibodies; HLA-BW15 positive patients had higher levels of insulin antibodies than other groups, while HLA-B7 positive patients had lower levels; The results suggest that HLA-B7 and HLA-B18 might be associated with a different and perhaps milder form of juvenile diabetes.

Adolescent

C-peptide in juvenile diabetics beyond the postinitial remission period. Relation to clinical manifestations at onset of diabetes, remission and diabetic control.

A group of 58 diabetics, age 6-17 years and with a duration of diabetes of 3-14 years was studied in order to show whether the nature of the clinical manifestations and the treatment at the onset of the disease are related to the subsequent C-peptide production and also whether remaining C-peptide production is related to better diabetic control. The relations between a number of clinical and laboratory variables were analysed including the degree of ketosis and the insulin dose given at onset of diabetes, the incidence of postinitial remission period, the fasting C-peptide level after the remission period, the level of insulin antibodies and the actual diabetic control expressed as the degree of glucosuria in the patients' urine tests at home. Multiple regression analysis was the main method used. Postinitial remission was positively correlated to initial insulin dose and negatively correlated to duration of ketonuria at onset. C-peptide, which was found in 24.1% of the patients was positively correlated to age at onset and initial insulin dose, but negatively correlated to ketonuria at onset. Diabetic control was positively correlated to insulin dose at onset and to C-peptide level, but negatively correlated to insulin antibodies. It could further be shown that patients who had received a more vigorous treatment immediately at onset had both a higher incidence of postinitial remission and a better diabetic control. The results suggest that an early diagnosis followed by rapid normalization of the metabolism at the onset of juvenile diabetes increase the possibility of preservation of some of the endogenous insulin production, which seems to facilitate diabetic control.

Adolescent

C-peptide in juvenile diabetes.

C-peptide can be used as a measure of endogenous insulin secretion in insulin treated diabetics with insulin antibodies. At the onset of juvenile diabetes insulin production is thought to be absent or minimal, but we have found rather high levels of C-peptide, even in ketoacidotic patients. The ketoacidosis does not mean an irreversible beta cell failure. In the postinitial remission period with stable metabolism many patients have normal or almost normal C-peptide levels and their beta cells have the capacity to respond to natural stimulation with an increased insulin secretion. For some unknown reason the metabolism becomes more labile coinciding with decreasing C-peptide values. However, even several years beyond the postinitial remission period many juvenile diabetics have some persistent beta cell function, and it has been shown that even trace remnants of beta cell function are of importance for stabilization of the metabolism. There is no reason to believe that the beta cell failure should be predetermined e.g. by genetic factors. However, little is known how to influence the progression and stop the increasing beta cell failure. Some of our results suggest that an early detection and an intensive treatment of diabetes before severe metabolic disturbances and pronounced insulin deficiency have appeared, may increase the possibility of preserving some beta cell function.

Adolescent

C-peptide in diabetic children after stimulation with clucagon compared with fasting C-peptide levels in non-diabetic children.

Fasting serum C-peptide and total immunoreactive insulin (IRI) were determined in 38 non-diabetic children and adolescents 6-22 years old. C-peptide varied between 0.22-0.73 pmol/ml (mean +/- SD, 0.45 +/- 0.11). There was a tendency to higher values during puberty. No difference was found between subjects with or without a family history for diabetes. IRI varied between 0-31 millimcron/m1 (mean +/- SD, 11.3 +/- 6.5). The C-peptide response to glucagon was studied in 10 insulin dependent juvenile diabetics 11-19 years old, who had had measurable amounts of fasting C-peptide on some occasions during the previous years. Duration of diabetes varied between 4-12 years. A slight but significant rise in C-peptide level occurred in 3 patients. Their metabolic control estimated on the basis of daily urinalysis was "excellent" or "good". The results support the hypothesis that even trace remnants of the beta cell function may be of importance for the metabolic control in juvenile diabetes.

Adolescent

C-peptide in children with juvenile diabetes. A preliminary report.

Serum C-peptide, insulin-binding IgG and total insulin (IRI) were determined in 96 juvenile diabetics aged 4-21 years, with onset of diabetes at the age of 1-16 years and with 2-17 years' duration of diabetes. Thirty-four patients (35.4%) had detectable levels of C-peptide (greater than or equal to 0.04 pmol/ml). Compared to non-diabetic adults, 19 had values below the normal range, 12 showed values within the normal range (0.18-0.63 pmol/ml) and 3 rated above normal. There was a negative correlation between the fasting C-peptide concentration and the degree of ketonuria at the onset of diabetes and a positive correlation between C-peptide levels and the incidence of post-initial remission periods. Patients without detectable C-peptide had significantly higher levels of insulin antibodies than those who had detectable levels of C-peptide. The possibility of a relationship between the intensity of the initial treatment of diabetes and the preservation of the B-cell function is discussed, as well as the possibility of insulin antibodies being a cause of B-cell exhaustion.

Adolescent

Structure-function relationship: immunologic.

It is suggested that the antigenic site of glucagon for the specific sera is located within the 24-29 section of the molecule and within the 2-23 section for the fully cross-reacting sera. Biologically inactivated glucagon may retain immunoreactivity in spite of the loss of receptor-binding activity.

Animals

Separation of the two double-chain bovine intermediates of the proinsulin-insulin conversion I. Chemical, immunochemical, circular dichroism, and biological characterization.

The intermediates of the proinsulin-insulin conversion were separated by cation exchange. The circular dichroism spectra of the intermediates showed less alpha-helix than insulin and proinsulin. It is suggested that the C-peptide interacts with the section of alpha-helix contained between residues 2 and 8 in the A-chain of the insulin moieties and unwinds the alpha-helix. The in vivo activities of the intermediates were found to be in the order of 50% relative to insulin. In the fat cell assay, the A-chain-substituted form is weaker (9%) than the B-chain-substituted form (19%). The C-peptide segments of the two forms reacted with C-peptide-specific antibodies as fully as the free C-peptide, on a molar basis. In contrast, the insulin segments were hindered from reacting with insulin-specific antibodies as fully as the insulin.

Amino Acids