Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Renaud

Publications and source records attributed to M Renaud.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

The yeast aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Methodology for their complete or partial purification and comparison of their relative activities under various extraction conditions.

Several fractionation steps are described which can be applied to the partial purification of the 20 aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases from commercial baker's yeast. Comparative experiments performed in the presence or absence of protease inhibitors revealed that some enzymes prepared in the presence of the inhibitor exhibit much higher specific activities than the proteins extracted in the absence of the inhibitor. The methodology reported can be used for the simultaneous preparation of several pure aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. As examples, the large scale purification of phenylalanyl-and valyl-tRNA synthetases are described.

Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases↗

On the structural constraints to state intervention in health.

This paper explores the general structural constraints which are imposed upon all states in capitalist societies in their problem-solving endeavor relative to health. The general argument is that capitalist industrial growth both creates specific health needs and institutionalizes solutions to these needs that are compatible with capital accumulation. The key mechanism in this institutionalization is the engineering model of modern scientific medicine, which transforms health needs into commodities for a specific economic market. When the state intervenes to cope with some health-related problems, it is bound to act so as to further commodify health needs, and without ameliorating the health status of the population.

Economics↗

Enhancement of 5'-nucleotidase activity of human leukemic cells after fractionation: implications for cancer and aging.

Previous studies reported that 5'-nucleotidase activity was undetectable or at much lower levels in the homogenate of human chronic lymphocytic leukemic (CCL) cells than in normal lymphocytes. In the present study, 5'-nucleotidase specific activity in acute myelocytic leukemia (AML), which varied in a range from undetectable to 1.4 (nmoles/min.mg protein), was enhanced by cell fractionation, from undetectable in the homogenate, up to 18.8 +/- 1.2, 6.4 +/- 0.7 and 0.68 +/- 0.12 in plasma membranes, microsomes, and cytosol fraction, respectively. In a further fractionation of the cytosol of various leukemic cells with ammonium sulfate, 5'-nucleotidase specific activity increased up to 14-fold in the 60% (NH4)2SO4 fraction, with a recovery of 1266 +/- 115%. These data suggest that 5'-nucleotidase activity in fractionated leukemic cells is higher than reported previously and that the sum of 5'-nucleotidase activity in subcellular compartments is higher than that detected in the homogenate. Furthermore, even when 5'-nucleotidase was undetectable in a homogenate, it became detectable in the plasma membranes, suggesting that its ecto-enzyme function is still active in leukemic cells. The undetectable or low 5'-nucleotidase in the homogenate is indicative of (1) the enzyme itself being in an inactive form but becoming active after the fractionations, or (2) the presence of a factor(s) that prevents the enzyme from being detected but that is separated from the enzyme by the fractionations. In both cases, the rate of nucleotide catabolism by inactive 5'-nucleotidase in rapidly proliferating leukemic cells should be slower than when the enzyme is active. The present finding is consistent with our previous findings that during normal cell aging the high 5'-nucleotidase activity is associated with senescent non-proliferating cells but low or undetectable activity with rapidly proliferating immortal cells. The implications of 5'-nucleotidase for DNA synthesis in aging and cancer are discussed.

5'-Nucleotidase↗