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Biomedical subjects

M Kubo

Publications and source records attributed to M Kubo.

At least 505 records · Page 28Linked to original sources

Inhibition of purified bovine milk lipoprotein lipase by propranolol and other beta-adrenergic blockers in vitro.

Numerous clinical studies have shown that propranolol administration causes hypertriglyceridemia and a decrease in high-density lipoprotein in man. Although these findings have been attributed to diminution of triacylglycerol-rich lipoprotein catabolism by lipoprotein lipase, biochemical studies of the effects of propranolol on lipoprotein lipase activity in vitro have not been previously reported. We purified lipoprotein lipase from raw bovine skimmed milk and examined the effect of propranolol using as substrate phospholipid-stabilized, triolein emulsions containing purified human apolipoprotein C-II. These studies demonstrate that propranolol inhibits lipoprotein lipase activity. The inhibition was found to be noncompetitive with a Ki for propranolol of 0.55 mM. In addition, propranolol was shown to bind to phospholipid-stabilized triolein emulsions reaching local concentrations at the particle surface many times higher than its bulk concentration. Metoprolol, timolol and practolol, which are less hydrophobic than propranolol, were less inhibitory. Atenolol was the weakest inhibitor of purified bovine lipoprotein lipase in vitro.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

Analysis of two distinct B cell activation pathways mediated by a monoclonal T helper cell. I. MHC-restricted activation of B cells by an IL 2-dependent pathway.

The present study was carried out to determine whether the MHC-restricted and MHC-unrestricted B cell activation pathways mediated by a single cloned Th cell are separable, and whether these two pathways are mediated by distinct mechanisms. It was demonstrated that the two B cell activating functions of a single cloned Th cell could be separated by their sensitivity to irradiation. It was shown that MHC-restricted B cell activation is mediated by a radiosensitive Th cell function, whereas MHC-unrestricted B cell activation is mediated by a radioresistant function of the same Th cell. In addition, it was shown that recombinant IL 2 can restore or replace the radiosensitive component of MHC-restricted cognate helper function.

Animals↗

Effect of theophylline on respiratory neuromuscular drive.

To investigate the possible mechanisms by which theophylline affects the control of ventilation, neuromuscular drive and ventilatory function were examined in 7 healthy men receiving an incremental intravenous aminophylline dosing schedule to achieve plasma theophylline concentrations of 5, 10, and 15 micrograms/ml. As compared with the baseline (predose) values, the 3 incremental aminophylline doses significantly (p less than 0.05 to 0.01) increased occlusion pressure (P0.1) and maximum inspiratory pressure static (MIPS) at functional residual capacity (FRC). This was not observed for ventilatory flow (V), tidal volume (VT), inspiratory time to total breathing cycle time ratio (Ti/Ttot) VT/Ti, and effective impedance [P0.1/VT/Ti)]. When maximum electrical activity of diaphragm (Edimax) and transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdimax) were examined in 3 of the 7 subjects, Pdi/Edi tended to increase with increasing theophylline concentrations, while Edimax did not. Our results suggest that the increase in P0.1 during the increase in aminophylline dose is caused by an improvement in respiratory muscle contractility, rather than by a central effect or by an increase in neural drive.

Adult↗

Incidence of apparent Michaelis-Menten kinetic behavior of theophylline and its parameters (Vmax and Km) among asthmatic children and adults.

For assessing the clinical impact of nonlinearity in theophylline elimination, we examined the incidence of individuals with an apparent Michaelis-Menten kinetics (percent change in plasma concentration exceeding that in dose by at least 50%) among asthmatic children (n = 122) and adults (n = 50) screened through a two-step chart review. Forty-nine children and 21 adults had the apparent nonlinearity. When compared overall between the two groups, the maximum elimination rate (Vmax) differed significantly (mean +/- SD, 32.2 +/- 11.5 versus 21.8 +/- 6.7 mg/kg/day, p less than 0.001). The Vmax correlated with age (r = -0.459, p less than 0.001). Such a trend as found in Vmax was not observed in Km. Our results imply that a disproportionate relationship between dose and concentration of theophylline appears to be relatively common in asthmatic children and adults; the metabolic capacity in children is greater than in adults, if the nonlinearity could occur; and caution is needed with these certain susceptible individuals when using linear kinetics for the dosage modification of theophylline.

Adolescent↗

Effects of extracellular matrices on human keratinocyte adhesion and growth and on its secretion and deposition of fibronectin in culture.

Extracellular matrices (ECMs) play an important role as components of basement membrane of normal human skin and in migrating epidermal cells in wound healing. We investigated the effects of various ECMs on human keratinocyte adhesion and growth as well as on its secretion and deposition of fibronectin (FN) in vitro using a serum-free, low-calcium culture system. Since cell adhesion is the first step of cell growth, we performed cell adhesion assay for 14 h. Human keratinocytes adhered best on FN and less well on types I/III collagen, type IV collagen, and heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) as compared with bovine serum albumin (BSA) (control) or laminin (La). Cell growth assayed for 7-8 days on the dishes coated with various extracellular matrices revealed significantly increased keratinocyte growth on FN and on types I/III collagen in comparison with that on type IV collagen, HSPG, BSA (control), or La. Morphology of keratinocytes and of their colonies on FN and types I/III collagen was strikingly different from that of the control; the colonies were not so compact as in the control, but rather loose and larger; each keratinocyte was spread out more on these substrata. These morphologic features seemed to correlate with the increased keratinocyte growth on these extracellular matrices. Both immunofluorescence study for FN with keratinocytes in 8-day culture on various extracellular matrices and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for FN measurement on substratum or in conditioned medium with keratinocytes in 5-day culture demonstrated that extracellular matrices modulated the secretion and deposition of FN by human keratinocytes in culture; the keratinocyte growth correlated with the amount of FN detected on substratum but not with that in medium. Based on the results of the present investigation, we think that the growth of human keratinocytes depends on the amount of FN on substratum.

Cell Adhesion↗

Metabolic basis of diethylaminoethoxyhexestrol-induced phospholipid fatty liver.

Diethylaminoethoxyhexestrol caused a foam cell lipidosis in humans characterized by phospholipid storage in the liver, spleen, and other tissues, and this represents the first description of acquired lipidosis caused by a drug. It has been proposed that diethylaminoethoxyhexestrol causes phospholipid fatty liver by concentrating in lysosomes and inhibiting phospholipases but it has not previously been possible to measure the intralysosomal concentration of diethylaminoethoxyhexestrol. In this paper we report for the first time the intralysosomal concentration of this drug in rats. After a single oral dose of diethylaminoethoxyhexestrol (100 mg/kg) the intralysosomal concentration was 7.9 mM at 2.5 h, 15.6 mM at 12 h, and 20.9 mM at 24 h, respectively. The total phospholipid content of lysosomes in drug-treated rats increased 1.9-, 6.0-, and 7.6-fold over control at 2.5, 12, and 24 h, respectively. Purified lysosomal phospholipase A1 was strongly inhibited by diethylaminoethoxyhexestrol in vitro. In phospholipid fatty liver, phospholipid accumulation in lysosomes appears to be caused by the presence of diethylaminoethoxyhexestrol in lysosomes at concentrations estimated to be 7.9-20 mM, because drug levels above 1 mM completely block the activity of purified lysosomal phospholipase A1 in vitro.

Animals↗

Alterations in the proliferative response of T cells from aged and chimeric mice.

Factors involved in the nonspecific and specific proliferative responses of T cells were examined in the A/J strain of mice that were physiologically aged in the specific pathogen-free condition. In aged A/J mice, the production of IL-1 and IL-2 from optimally stimulated peritoneal macrophages and splenic T cells was significantly decreased, while the production of IL-3 by T cells was increased. T cells from old mice showed a higher threshold for concanavalin A stimulation for the induction of IL-2 receptors. The same T cells responded only slightly in the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) stimulated by allogeneic class II antigens, while they showed a high background stimulation without stimulators. The addition of syngeneic accessory cells did not increase the proliferative response of T cells from aged animals. T cells from bone marrow chimeras constituted by transferring stem cells from young A/J into irradiated old B10.A mice (young A/J----old B10.A chimeras) showed a pattern very similar to that of old A/J T cells, whereas those from the old A/J----young B10.A chimeras exhibited a response pattern comparable to that of normal young A/J cells. These results indicated that the proliferative responses in aged animals are abnormal, partially due to the alterations in the interleukin cascade. Some changes are probably due to the effect of environment where T cells undergo early differentiation, because bone marrow stem cells from aged mice can generate T cells with normal functions when differentiated in the young environment.

Aging↗

Differential activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase in zones of the adrenal cortex.

Cholesterol metabolism and steroidogenesis in the outer (zona fasciculata/glomerulosa) and inner (zona reticularis) zones of the adrenal cortex were examined in the guinea pig. It is known from previous studies that the content of cholesterol in the inner zone is considerably lower than that in the outer zone, although basal low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor activity is similar in the two zones. To further explore cholesterol metabolism in the guinea pig adrenal cortex, the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, the rate-limiting step in cholesterol synthesis, has been examined for which this paper forms the initial report. It was found that the basal specific activity of HMG-CoA reductase was similar in the outer and inner adrenocortical zones (approximately 230 pmol mevalonate formed/min X mg microsomal protein). The administration of ACTH caused 4- and 5-fold increases in HMG-CoA reductase activity in the outer and inner zones, respectively. In fact, the increase in HMG-CoA reductase activity with ACTH treatment was always greater for the inner zone than for the outer zone. This is in contrast to LDL receptor activity, which does not increase in the inner zone as it does in the outer zone with ACTH treatment. When dexamethasone was administered, HMG-CoA reductase activity decreased in the outer zone by about 50%, while there was no change in reductase activity in the inner zone. The latter finding is similar to what happens with LDL receptor activity during dexamethasone administration. Why suppression of endogenous ACTH had no effect on HMG-CoA reductase activity in the inner zone while exogenous ACTH administration caused a marked increase in enzyme activity is not clear, but may be related to phosphorylation/dephosphorylation mechanisms. Based on the use of sodium fluoride in solutions to block HMG-CoA reductase phosphatase, evidence is presented which indicates that a pharmacological dose of ACTH alters the phosphorylation/dephosphorylation status of HMG-CoA reductase in the inner adrenocortical zone, but not in the outer cortical zone.

Adrenal Cortex↗

Beta-adrenergic receptor in heart of starved rats.

Female Wistar-strain rats were starved for 14-19 days by feeding approximately 1/4 of the amount consumed by ad libitum fed controls. The body weight was reduced by 41% and the heart weight by 38% in these starving periods. The 125I-iodocyanopindrol (ICYP) binding capacity of heart preparations from the starved rats was 35.3 +/- 11.1 (mean +/- SD) fmol/mg protein in comparison with 69.3 +/- 14.9 for the controls. Serum 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine and TSH levels as well as pituitary TSH contents were markedly lower in the starved rats. One group of them further received 20 ng of T3 daily after the 8th day of the experiment. The body weight decreased by 47% of the controls but the ICYP binding capacity recovered to 56.3 +/- 10.9 fmol/mg protein. There was no difference in association constants of the receptors in these three groups. It was concluded that quasi-chronic starvation in rats caused a remarkable decrease in the number of beta-adrenergic receptors in heart and this was partly offset by the substitution of T3.

Animals↗

Biphasic effects of dexamethasone on growth hormone release in vitro.

The effect of dexamethasone (Dex) on growth hormone (GH) release was examined in vitro in monolayer culture of normal rat pituitary cells and human somatotropinoma cells from patients with acromegaly. In either cell strain, Dex, at a concentration of 50 nM initially inhibited, but later (48 less than or equal to h) potentiated, the release of GH into the medium, with or without growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH). The intracellular GH was significantly increased by 4-hour incubation with Dex in rat cell cultures. These results indicate a biphasic effect of glucocorticoids on GH release, irrespective of the origin of somatotrophs, and that the initial inhibitory effect is probably caused by inhibition of the release.

Acromegaly↗