Biomedical subjects

R Deana

Publications and source records attributed to R Deana.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1991

Platelet responses promoted by the activation of protein kinase C or the increase of cytosolic Ca2+ are potentiated by adrenaline. Effects of cAMP and staurosporine.

We studied the action of the alpha 2 adrenergic agonist adrenaline on the platelet responses evoked by the activation of protein kinase C or by the ionophore induced increase of cytosolic Ca2+. Both the phorbol ester and ionomycin-induced aggregation are strongly potentiated by adrenaline which per se does not behave as an activating agonist. The potentiation by adrenaline is observed both when added before and after the aggregating agent; in the latter case the effect increases on increasing the delay of adrenaline addition. Adrenaline also reverses the inhibition by cAMP of the PMA (or ionomycin) induced aggregation. It also has a strong potentiating effect (over 100%) on the phorbol ester induced ATP secretion and a weaker effect on the secretion induced by ionomycin. The effect on secretion is visible only when adrenaline is added prior to the stimulus. The inhibition by cAMP of the PMA or ionomycin induced secretion is also counteracted by adrenaline. In no case adrenaline modifies the pattern of platelet phosphoproteins. Ionomycin induces some platelet aggregation also in the presence of the protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine; also this phosphoprotein independent aggregation is strongly stimulated by adrenaline.

Alkaloids↗

PubMed1991

Effect of Silibinin on biliary lipid composition. Experimental and clinical study.

The effect of Silymarin, a natural flavonoid, on biliary lipid composition, was studied in rats and humans. Bile flow, biliary cholesterol, phospholipid and total bile salt concentrations were measured in 23 control rats and in 27 rats treated with Silibinin, the active component of Silymarin, at the dose of 100 mg/kg body weight i.p. (n = 21) or 50 mg/kg body weight i.p. (n = 6) for 7 days. Biliary cholesterol and phospholipid concentrations were significantly reduced after the higher Silibinin dose (60.9 and 72.9% of the control values), whereas bile flow and biliary total bile salt concentration were unchanged. After the lower Silibinin dose all parameters remained unchanged. Total liver cholesterol content was not affected by Silibinin. On the other hand, in vitro determination of rat liver microsomal 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase activity showed a significant dose-dependent inhibition by Silibinin (0.5-8 mg/kg). Biliary lipid composition was also assayed in four gallstone and in 15 cholecystectomized patients before and after Silymarin (420 mg per day for 30 days) or placebo administration. In both groups, biliary cholesterol concentrations were reduced after Silymarin treatment and the bile saturation index significantly decreased accordingly. These data suggest that Silibinin-induced reduction of biliary cholesterol concentration both in humans and in rats might be, at least in part, due to a decreased synthesis of liver cholesterol.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Nitrovasodilators and cGMP inhibit human platelet activation.

Endothelial relaxing factor has been identified as nitric oxide, formed from L-arginine by the soluble enzyme nitric oxide synthase. Nitric oxide inhibits platelet aggregation and adhesion by stimulating a soluble guanylate cyclase and increasing the intracellular concentration of cyclic GMP. Nitrovasodilators, such as sodium nitroprusside, release the active moiety, nitric oxide. In the present study, we have investigated the effect of sodium nitroprusside and of a permeable cGMP derivative on the aggregation and ATP secretion of human platelets stimulated with the protein kinase C activators 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol or 4 beta-phorbol-12- myristate-13-acetate. Human platelets were treated with lysine acetylsalicylate, washed and resuspended in Tyrode-buffered solution. ATP secretion was evaluated by luciferin-luciferase luminescence. Nitroprusside (4-40 microM) or 8-Br-cGMP (0.1-2.4 mM) inhibited both platelet aggregation and ATP secretion evoked by 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol (40 microM) or 4 beta-phorbol-12-myristate-13- acetate (4 nM) in a dose-dependent manner, in the presence of the selective inhibitor of cGMP phosphodiesterase, M&B 22948 (5 microM). The inhibitory effect of nitroprusside was reversed by hemoglobin, known to bind and inactivate nitric oxide. To study the calcium-dependent pathway, we treated platelets with the ionophore ionomycin. The ensuing aggregation and ATP secretion were rapid and were dependent on agonist concentration. Nitroprusside (4-40 microM) inhibited the aggregation evoked by ionomycin (0.4 microM) as well as ATP release, in a dose-dependent manner. We conclude that cGMP is able to inhibit both the protein kinase C-dependent and the calcium-dependent pathways leading to platelet activation.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1990

The action of the glutathione transferase substrate, 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene on synaptosomal glutathione content and the release of hydrogen peroxide.

We studied the action of the glutathione transferase substrate, 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) on the synaptosomal production of H2O2. We found that CDNB (30-40 microM) readily depletes the cytosolic glutathione but is almost without effect on the mitochondrial fraction. The depletion of the cytosolic glutathione induced by CDNB affords the detection in the extracellular space of H2O2 produced intrasynaptosomally upon increasing the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration that is otherwise destroyed by glutathione peroxidase. Higher concentrations of CDNB induce a H2O2 production which is not related to the glutathione content. This H2O2 is of mitochondrial origin and requires that NAD be reduced. The primary product of the mitochondrial CD-NB-dependent oxygen reduction is at least in part the superoxide anion.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Reversibility of the ionomycin promoted synaptosomal hydrogen peroxide production.

We previously reported on the release of hydrogen peroxide from guinea pig cerebral cortex synaptosomes (13). An important finding was that in glutathione depleted synaptosomes a linear release of hydrogen peroxide is rapidly induced on addition of the Ca++ -ionophore ionomycin (in the presence of Ca++) or upon depolarization of the plasma membrane. We report here that the ionomycin induced hydrogen peroxide is reversed following the addition of bovine serum albumin which strongly binds the ionophore, to be reactivated by further addition of excess ionomycin, or of the depolarizing agent KC1. Similarly, the effect of ionomycin is removed on decreasing the concentration of free Ca++. Bovine serum albumin, which counteracts the effect of ionomycin on the release of H2O2, also counteracts the effect of the ionophore on the movements of Ca++ and the release of gamma-aminobutyrate. These findings support the idea that the synaptosomal production of H2O2 is a carefully controlled important physiological event.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Further purification and characterization of the succinyl-CoA:3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate coenzyme A transferase from rat-liver mitochondria.

Succinyl-CoA:3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate coenzyme A transferase, previously identified in rat-liver mitochondria (Deana et al. (1981), Biochim. Biophys. Acta 662, 119-124), was purified to near homogeneity and further characterized. After the last purification steps consisting of Ultrogel AcA-44 filtration and agarose-hexane-coenzyme A chromatography, the enzyme was apparently tetrameric with a mass of 48-52 kDa determined by gel filtration on Sephadex G-75, ultracentrifugation through a sucrose gradient and SDS-gel electrophoresis. By means of a HPLC technique developed for measuring the CoA esters we could determine the enzyme activity in both forward and reverse directions and show that the kinetic constants, i.e., Km of reactants and Vmax, are not too different for the two reactions. Double-reciprocal plots of the enzyme velocities versus the concentration of one substrate at different fixed concentrations of the other substrate gave families of straight lines converging below the substrate-abscissa for both forward and backward reactions, indicating a kinetic mechanism of rapid equilibrium random Bi-Bi type. The competitive inhibition of the product succinate with respect to both reactants, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate and succinyl-CoA, as well as the Haldane relationships are consistent with this conclusion. An inhibitory effect on CoA transferase activity by acetate, acetoacetate, acetyl-CoA, acetoacetyl-CoA, coenzyme A, carnitine, ZnCl2 and high concentrations of the monovalent anions ClO4-, F-, I- and Cl- was also found.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Cyclic GMP and nitroprusside inhibit the activation of human platelets by fluoroaluminate.

Sodium nitroprusside, an activator of the soluble guanylate cyclase, inhibits the intracellular Ca2+ mobilization, ATP secretion and aggregation of human platelets evoked by fluoroaluminate. Similar results are obtained with 8-bromo-cyclic GMP (8-Br-cGMP). Both nitroprusside and 8-Br-cGMP inhibit the protein kinase C-dependent phosphorylation of the 47 and 20 kDa proteins induced by fluoroaluminate, but not by the protein kinase C activators phorbol ester and diacylglycerol. Since fluoroaluminate interacts directly with a G protein, the present results suggest that the cGMP interferes with platelet activation at the level of G protein-phospholipase C.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1989

Generation of hydrogen peroxide by cerebral-cortex synaptosomes. Stimulation by ionomycin and plasma-membrane depolarization.

Guinea-pig cerebral cortex synaptosomes steadily release H2O2 into the suspending medium, at the rate of 20-30 pmol min-1 mg protein-1. A transient increase of the H2O2 release is induced by the addition of 1 mM Ca2+, which declines within 60-90 s to a rate identical or slightly higher than that before Ca2+. The extra H2O2 following Ca2+ addition varies between 40-100 pmol/mg protein and is insensitive to verapamil. The H2O2 release increases strongly (up to 250 pmol min-1 mg-1) upon depletion of the synaptosomal glutathione by treatment with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, a substrate for glutathione transferase. This treatment however has no effect on the Ca2+-induced H2O2 transient. In these treated synaptosomes a further increase of the output of H2O2 is rapidly induced upon addition of the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin. This increase (about 100 pmol min-1 mg-1) lasts several minutes and requires the presence of Ca2+. A similar, though less pronounced increased H2O2 release is obtained (also in the absence of Ca2+) upon depolarization of the synaptosomal plasma membrane with KCl or with veratridine.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Effect of L-carnitine and L-aminocarnitine on calcium transport, motility, and enzyme release from ejaculated bovine spermatozoa.

Experiments were performed to further elucidate the role of gamma-amino-beta-hydroxybutyric acid trimethylbetaine (carnitine) on the metabolism and functions of spermatozoa. Addition of 20 mM L-carnitine to suspensions of ejaculated bovine spermatozoa resulted in an increase of cellular calcium transport, whereas 20 mM L-aminocarnitine (an inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyltransferase) caused an inhibition of this process. Both L-carnitine and L-aminocarnitine inhibited the progressive motility of spermatozoa, and the oxygen consumption as well as the release of the enzymes hyaluronidase and glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase from spermatozoa. Labeled carnitine was rapidly taken up by spermatozoa by a process strongly dependent on temperature and extracellular concentration of carnitine. It is concluded that the effects produced by high concentrations of carnitine or aminocarnitine are mainly due to interactions of these compounds with the cellular membranes of spermatozoa.

Acyltransferases↗

PubMed1988

Forskolin and prostacyclin inhibit fluoride induced platelet activation and protein kinase C dependent responses.

Platelet activation (cytosolic [Ca2+] increase, aggregation and ATP secretion) was induced with A1F-4. This agent presumably interacts with a G protein which appears to mediate the coupling of the receptors for Ca mobilizing hormones and phospholipase C. All the A1F-4 evoked responses were inhibited by treatment with forskolin or prostacyclin, agents known to increase cellular cAMP. Thus the G protein-phospholipase C system appears to be the site of cAMP inhibition. Unexpectedly forskolin and prostacyclin also inhibited secretion and aggregation induced by the activators of protein kinase C, diglyceride and phorbol ester, suggesting that cAMP can also inhibit directly the protein kinase C dependent responses.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1988

Pathways of hydrogen peroxide generation in guinea pig cerebral cortex mitochondria.

The production of H2O2 by brain mitochondria was monitored employing a new technique based on the horseradish peroxidase dependent oxidation of acetylated ferrocytochrome c. It was shown that brain mitochondria release H2O2 by an intermediate autooxidation at the QH2-cytochrome c oxidoreductase level (induced by antimycin A and inhibited by myxothiazol). With both succinate and pyruvate plus malate this H2O2 release is inhibited at high substrate concentrations. With pyruvate plus malate a second source of H2O2 could be detected, apparently from autoxidation at the NADH dehydrogenase level. With alpha-glycerophosphate some H2O2 derives from autooxidation at the alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase. The NADH dehydrogenase dependent, but not the QH2-cytochrome c oxidoreductase dependent H2O2 was significantly stimulated upon depletion of the mitochondrial glutathione.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Effects of calcium chelators, divalent cations and sulfhydryl reagents on calcium uptake and motility of bovine spermatozoa.

Addition of 1 mM Ca/EGTA complex (1:1 ratio) to an incubation medium containing 1.5 mM Ca2+ produced a notable increase in the Ca2+ cycling in ejaculated bovine spermatozoa. Similar results were also obtained with the Ca/EDTA and Ca/EDTA complexes or with the heavy metal chelator DTPA (50 microM). Ba2+, Ni2+ or Co2+ added at 0.1 mM concentration abolished the stimulatory effect of the Ca/EGTA complex on Ca2+ cycling, whereas it did not affect the calcium movement in the absence of the calcium chelator complex. It is concluded that small amounts of these cations should be bound to the plasma membrane of bovine spermatozoa and inhibit the cellular calcium influx. 0.1 mM Cd2+ and NEM or 1 mM diamide produced a calcium efflux from the spermatozoa together with an inhibition of cellular motility and an increase in glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase release. Conversely the impermeant sulfhydryl reagent mersalyl caused a net calcium efflux but did not alter the cellular motility nor the transaminase release. It is suggested that the permeant thiol reagents could decrease the spermatozoal mobility by impairing the mitochondrial ATP-synthesis.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Effect of L-carnitine on motility and acrosome reaction of human spermatozoa.

L-carnitine added to the suspension medium decreases the glucose-sustained progressive motility of human spermatozoa. Addition of 20 mM L-carnitine to the capacitation medium causes an inhibition of the occurrence of the acrosome reaction parallel to a viability enhancement and negligible changes of the cellular content of ATP. The cellular efflux of glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase was also inhibited by L-carnitine. A possible role of L-carnitine on membrane stability and metabolism of spermatozoa is briefly discussed.

Acrosome↗

PubMed1987

Evidence for a delta pH-driven Ca2+ uptake in EGTA-treated bovine spermatozoa.

Calcium efflux from ejaculated bovine spermatozoa occurred upon incubation in Ca2+/EGTA buffers with Ca2+ ion concentrations ranging from 0.1 microM to 1 nM. Both total cellular calcium and cytosol free Ca2+ concentrations, the latter measured with Quin 2, were inversely correlated with the Ca2+ activity of the medium. An influx of radioactive 45Ca2+ parallel to a net efflux of calcium took place in spermatozoa incubated in 45Ca2+/EGTA buffers with 45Ca2+ activity of 0.01 microM or 0.1 microM. The uptake of the radioactive isotope was higher in spermatozoa incubated at pH 7.8 than that found at pH 6.8, increased in the presence of acetate or amiloride but decreased when ammonium chloride or monensin was added to the incubation mixture. Addition of acetate produced a decrease of the cytoplasmic pH, determined with the indicator carboxyfluorescein, whereas addition of NH4Cl or monensin caused a pH increase. Addition of either nigericin or monensin to spermatozoa suspended in a choline medium containing low concentrations of Na+, K+ and Ca2+ produced a cytosolic acidification, the subsequent addition of Ca2+ caused a cytosolic alkalinization parallel to an increase of the cytosolic free Ca2+. Addition of CaCl2 to EGTA-pretreated spermatozoa resuspended in a poorly buffered medium induced an evident decrease of extracellular pH suggesting a cellular proton extrusion. Both monensin and nigericin caused an increase of the calcium transport in spermatozoa suspended in a choline medium containing a physiological concentration of 1.5 mM CaCl2. Taken together the present results indicate that, under the experimental conditions used, a delta pH-driven Ca2+ uptake occurs in ejaculated bovine spermatozoa and suggest that Ca2+ is taken up in exchange with H+.

Acetates↗

PubMed1987

Inhibition by some phenolic antioxidants of Ca2+ uptake and neurotransmitter release from brain synaptosomes.

We present observations on the action of the phenolic antioxidants 2,3-tert-butyl-4-methoxyphenol (BHT); 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (BHA); n-propyl-gallate and nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) on the function of guinea pig cerebral cortex synaptosomes. While the Ca2+ uptake observed under non depolarizing conditions is not affected by these agents, the depolarization induced Ca2+ uptake is strongly inhibited. Similarly the phenolic antioxidants studied inhibit the Ca2+ plus depolarization induced exocytosis of GABA and glutamate. These results which are similar to those previously obtained in blood platelets (Alexandre, A. et. al. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 139, 509-514, 1986), may indicate that free radical intermediates are involved in stimulus-secretion coupling.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaric, adipic, and 2-oxoglutaric acids measured by HPLC in the plasma from diabetic patients.

A method for the measurement of organic acids in human plasma is presented. The analytical procedure consists of plasma protein precipitation with acetonitrile, acid extraction by chromatography through a DEAE-cellulose column eluted with 100 mM perchloric acid, HPLC by cation-exchange column Aminex HPX-87 eluted with 6.5 mM sulfuric acid. Adipic, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric, 2-oxoglutaric, and citric acids were determined in the plasma of diabetic patients. The concentrations of all the measured acids, but particularly those of adipic and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric acids, were significantly higher than those of healthy controls. These results suggest that in diabetics the omega-oxidation of fatty acids is enhanced.

Adipates↗

PubMed1987

Effect of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate treatment on plasma ketone bodies, triglycerides, and HDL-cholesterol in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaric acid administration to streptozotocin-diabetic rats produced a net decrease of plasma ketone bodies and triglycerides together with a slight decrease of total cholesterol. A nonsignificant enhancement of HDL-cholesterol and a negligible change in HDL-phospholipid was also observed. The effect of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate was dose dependent and was more evident with the compound intraperitoneally injected than orally administered with drinking water. [14C]-3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate was administered either orally or intraperitoneally both to diabetic and control groups of animals, and a higher radioactivity accumulated in liver and kidneys of diabetic rats compared to the controls. The possible mechanism of action of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate is briefly discussed.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Inhibition by antioxidants of agonist evoked cytosolic Ca++ increase, ATP secretion and aggregation of aspirinated human platelets.

The synthetic antioxidants butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), nordihydroguaiaretic acid and the one-electron donor 1,1'-dimethylferrocene, inhibit cytosolic Ca++ increase, shape change, aggregation and ATP secretion in aspirinated washed human platelets stimulated by thrombin, vasopressin and platelet-activating factor. The antioxidants also inhibit cytosolic Ca++ increase originating from intracellular stores in the presence of EGTA. The effect of phorbol ester (TPA), which promotes platelet aggregation and secretion without raising the cytosolic Ca++, is also antioxidant-sensitive. Since agonist activation of aspirinated platelets does not involve cyclooxygenase or lipoxygenase metabolites, it is suggested that other yet unknown free radical-dependent pathways are involved in the mechanism of platelet activation, both in the protein kinase C-independent events leading to the cytosolic Ca++ increase, and in those, largely protein kinase C-dependent, leading to aggregation and ATP secretion.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗