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Biomedical subjects

R K Sharma

Publications and source records attributed to R K Sharma.

At least 397 records · Page 22Linked to original sources

The effect of piperazine adipate and parbendazole on the carbohydrate metabolism of Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinae.

Carbohydrate metabolism of Ascardia galli and Heterakis gallinae was studied after their exposure in vitro to 10(-2) to 10(-5) M piperazine adipate and parbendazole for 10 to 60 min. Following treatment with 10(-2) M piperazine adipate O2 uptake was reduced by 87% in A. galli and 70% in H. gallinae, while parbendazole (10(-2) M) reduced O2 uptake by 70% and 86%, respectively. Glycogen contents were reduced significantly by 10(-2) M piperazine adipate in both the worms, while lactic acid level was enhanced. Parbendazole, however, did not cause any significant change in glycogen contents and lactic acid level in either parasite.

Animals↗

On the division of trypanosomes in Colisa fasciata (Perciformes) in vivo.

In vivo observation of the division in the trypomastigotes of the fish trypanosome, Trypanosoma trichogasteri, from Colisa fasciata is hereby reported for the first time. The division is initiated with the duplication of the kinetoplast followed by nuclear division and cytokinesis. Contrary to earlier reports, cytokinesis commences from the posterior end and the flagellum originates simultaneously or subsequent to cytoplasmic separation.

Animals↗

Purification and characterization of bovine lung calmodulin-dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase. An enzyme containing calmodulin as a subunit.

A rabbit lung cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) prepared by successive chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and G-200 Sephadex columns in the presence of EGTA was activated by Ca2+ and contained calmodulin (CaM), suggesting that the enzyme exists as a stable CaM X PDE complex (Sharma, R. K., and Wirch, E. (1979) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 91, 338-344). An enzyme with similar properties was demonstrated to exist in bovine lung extract. C1, a monoclonal antibody previously shown to react with the 60-kDa subunit of bovine brain PDE isozymes (Sharma, R. K., Adachi, A.-M., Adachi, K., and Wang, J. H.) (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 9248-9254), cross-reacted with the lung enzyme. Purification of the lung enzyme by C1 antibody immunoaffinity chromatography rendered the enzyme dependent on exogenous CaM for Ca2+ stimulation. Further purification was achieved by CaM affinity chromatography. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of the purified enzyme showed a predominant polypeptide of Mr 58,000 and a minor band of about 50,000. The purified enzyme could be reconstituted into a PDE X CaM complex upon incubation with CaM in the presence of either Ca2+ or EGTA. The reconstituted protein complex did not dissociate in buffers containing 0.1 mM EGTA. Analysis of the purified and reconstituted lung phosphodiesterase by Sephacryl S-300 gel filtration indicated that the lung enzyme is a dimeric protein and that the reconstituted enzyme contained two molecules of calmodulin. Analysis of the reconstituted phosphodiesterase by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis also showed it to contain equimolar calmodulin and the enzyme subunit. The CaM antagonists, fluphenazine, compound 48/80, and calcineurin at concentrations abolishing CaM stimulation of bovine brain PDE had little effect on the activity of reconstituted bovine lung phosphodiesterase.

2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases↗

Atrial natriuretic factor regulation of cyclic GMP levels and steroidogenesis in isolated fasciculata cells of rat adrenal cortex.

Isolated fasciculata cells of rat adrenal cortex, when incubated with atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), stimulated the levels of cyclic GMP and corticosterone production in a concentration-dependent manner without a rise in the levels of cyclic AMP. The ANF-dependent elevation of cyclic GMP was rapid, with a detectable increment in 30 s. ANF also stimulated the particulate guanylate cyclase. These results not only indicate the coupling of cyclic GMP and corticosterone production with ANF signal, but also demonstrate that, like the ACTH signal, cyclic AMP is not the mediator of ANF-induced adrenocortical steroidogenesis.

Adrenal Cortex↗

Calmodulin and Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of 63-kDa subunit-containing bovine brain calmodulin-stimulated cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase isozyme.

Bovine brain contains calmodulin-dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase isozymes which are composed of two distinct subunits: Mr 60,000 and 63,000. The 60-kDa but not the 63-kDa subunit-containing isozyme can be phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase resulting in decreased affinity of this subunit toward calmodulin (Sharma, R. K., and Wang, J. H. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 82, 2603-2607). In contrast, purified 63-kDa subunit-containing isozyme has been found to be phosphorylated by a preparation of bovine brain calmodulin-binding proteins in the presence of Ca2+ and calmodulin. The phosphorylation resulted in the maximal incorporation of 2 mol of phosphate/mol of the phosphodiesterase subunit with a 50% decrease in the enzyme affinity toward calmodulin. At a constant calmodulin concentration of 6 nM, the phosphorylated isozyme required a higher concentration of Ca2+ for activation than the nonphosphorylated phosphodiesterase. The Ca2+ concentrations at 50% activation by calmodulin of the nonphosphorylated and phosphorylated isozymes were 1.1 and 1.9 microM, respectively. Phosphorylation can be reversed by the calmodulin-dependent phosphatase, calcineurin, but not by phosphoprotein phosphatase 1. The results suggest that the Ca2+ sensitivities of brain calmodulin-dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase isozymes can be modulated by protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation mechanisms in response to different second messengers.

Animals↗

Dual regulation of adenylate cyclase and guanylate cyclase: alpha 2-adrenergic signal transduction in adrenocortical carcinoma cells.

Isolated adrenocortical carcinoma cells of rat contain alpha 2- and beta-adrenergic receptors. When these cells are incubated with alpha 2-adrenergic agonists, there is a concentration-dependent increase of cyclic GMP that is blocked by the alpha 2-adrenergic antagonist yohimbine but not by the beta-antagonist propranolol. Concomitantly, both p-aminoclonidine (20 microM) and clonidine (100 microM), the alpha 2-adrenergic agonists, stimulate membrane guanylate cyclase activity. In calcium free medium there is no alpha 2-agonist-dependent increase in cyclic GMP. Isoproterenol, a beta-agonist, and forskolin cause an increase in cyclic AMP but not cyclic GMP. The cyclic AMP increase induced by isoproterenol is blocked by propranolol but not by yohimbine. Isoproterenol- and forskolin-dependent increases in cyclic AMP are inhibited by p-aminoclonidine and the inhibition is relieved by yohimbine. These results indicate a dual regulation of guanylate cyclase and adenylate cyclase by the alpha 2-receptor signal: guanylate cyclase is coupled to the receptor in a positive fashion, whereas adenylate cyclase is coupled in a negative fashion. Calcium is obligatory in the cyclic GMP-mediated response.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Regulation of cAMP concentration by calmodulin-dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase.

Bovine brain contains two major calmodulin (CaM) dependent phosphodiesterase isozymes which are homodimeric proteins with subunit molecular masses of 60 and 63 kilodaltons (kDa), respectively. The 60-kDa subunit isozyme can be phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase, resulting in a decrease in the enzyme affinity towards CaM. The phosphorylation is blocked by Ca2+ and CaM and reversed by the CaM-stimulated phosphatase (calcineurin). The 63-kDa subunit isozymes can also be phosphorylated, but in this case by a CaM-dependent protein kinase(s). This phosphorylation is also accompanied by a decrease in the isozyme affinity towards CaM and can be reversed by the CaM-dependent phosphatase. Analysis of the complex regulatory properties of the phosphodiesterase isozymes has led to the suggestion that fluxes of cAMP and Ca2+ during cell activations are closely coupled and that the CaM-dependent phosphodiesterase isozymes play key roles in this signal coupling phenomenon.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗

Purification and characterization of adrenocortical adenosine 3',5'-monoposphate-dependent protein kinases.

In this manuscript we describe in detail the purification and biochemical and immunological characterization of cAMP-dependent protein kinases in bovine adrenal cortex, rat adrenal gland, and isolated fasciculata cells of the rat. DEAE-cellulose chromatography of bovine adrenal cortex extract yielded two major (type I and type II) cAMP-dependent protein kinase peaks and one minor cAMP-binding peak. The minor peak (peak A) eluted at 30-80 mM NaCl and corresponded to the typical type I tetrameric structure of the holoenzyme. Peak B, eluting at 80-130 mM NaCl, comprised 10-15% of the total cAMP-binding activity and was identified as dimeric type I cAMP-binding regulatory subunit of the enzyme. Peak C (major peak) eluting at high salt (130-220 mM NaCl), was different from the typical type II holoenzyme; its mol wt was relatively low (123,000), and its cAMP-binding subunit was type I rather than type II. The native enzyme contained dimeric cAMP-binding regulatory subunit and suggested the presence of only a single catalytic subunit. Based on these results and on the reduced activation of its kinase activity by cAMP, we suggest a type I trimeric structure, R I2 C, of this enzyme. Most of the bovine adrenocortical extracts (62 of 68) did not contain type II cAMP-binding regulatory subunit of the enzyme. When present, its concentration (free or part of the holoenzyme) was less than 15% of the total cAMP-dependent protein kinases. These results were further supported by the studies with rat adrenal glands and isolated fasciculata cells derived from these glands, where only the type I cAMP receptor was found. We, therefore, conclude that in contrast to the current notion, adrenal cortex contains little, if any, enzyme containing type II cAMP-binding receptor. The predominant form of the holoenzyme contains a typical type I cAMP-binding receptor, but possesses an anomalous type II-like high salt elution pattern. We suggest that the trimeric structure of this enzyme contains a typical dimeric type I cAMP-binding subunit and a single catalytic subunit, R I2 C.

Adrenal Cortex↗

Effect of some anthelmintics on malate dehydrogenase activity and mortality in two avian nematodes Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinae.

Cambendazole and tiabendazole at 10(-4) M concentrations caused mortality in both the parasites after 10 min and 20 min, respectively. H. gallinae was killed by 10(-4) M haloxon but A. galli remained alive even after 60 min exposure. The effect of these drugs was found to be irreversible since no resumption of activity was observed when the parasites were returned to normal saline solution. The ratio of oxaloacetate reduction to malate oxidation in the homogenates of A. galli and H. gallinae was 4.38:1 and 3.17:1 respectively. Cambendazole at 10(-3) M inhibited the enzymic activity in both directions by 100% in both A. galli and H. gallinae. 10(-3) M tiabendazole, however, inhibited the malate oxidation by 82.8 and 60.8% and oxaloacetate reduction by 76.6 and 92% in A. galli and H. gallinae, respectively. Haloxon had little effect on malate dehydrogenase activity of any of the parasite. Assay of malate dehydrogenase, following the in vitro drug treatment cambendazole and tiabendazole, exhibited moderate inhibition of the activity in both the parasites.

Animals↗

The differential stimulation of brain and heart cyclic-AMP phosphodiesterase by oncomodulin.

Ca2+/calmodulin dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, from the bovine heart and brain, purified by monoclonal antibody chromatography were tested with respect to activation by oncomodulin. The heart and brain enzymes which have previously been shown to have slightly different electrophoretic mobilities (1), were found to also differ in the oncomodulin dose-dependent activation of cAMP hydrolysis. Oncomodulin was shown to activate the heart enzyme to the same extent as calmodulin. However, this study indicates that the heart phosphodiesterase has approximately 25-fold higher affinity for oncomodulin than the brain enzyme. The oncomodulin concentration required for the half-maximal activation of the heart phosphodiesterase was estimated to be 2 X 10(-7)M. In addition, the possibility of the observed activation by oncomodulin being due to calmodulin contamination can be ruled out as the oncomodulin activation profiles were unaltered subsequent to chromatography on organomercurial agarose and the activation by oncomodulin could not be reversed by anti-calmodulin IgG.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗

Purification and biochemical characterization of alpha 2-adrenergic receptor from the rat adrenocortical carcinoma.

The alpha 2-adrenergic receptor was purified from rat adrenocortical carcinoma 494 by an affinity chromatographic step using a novel para-aminoclonidine-sepharose resin followed by a gel-permeation high performance liquid chromatographic step. The iodinated receptor protein was homogeneous as evidenced by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and by high performance liquid chromatography. Both SDS-PAGE and high performance liquid chromatographic studies revealed that Mr of the protein was 64,000, suggesting the monomeric nature of the receptor protein. The purified protein showed the typical binding characteristics of alpha 2-adrenergic receptor.

Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms↗

Transcytosis and paracellular movements of horseradish peroxidase across liver parenchymal tissue from blood to bile. Effects of alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate and colchicine.

The pathways for the entry of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) into bile have been investigated using the isolated perfused rat liver operating under one-pass conditions. Following a 1 min one-pass infusion of HRP, two peaks of HRP activity were noted in the bile. The first, at 5-7 min post-infusion, correlated with the biliary secretion of the [3H]methoxyinulin which was infused simultaneously with the HRP. The second peak of HRP activity occurred at 20-25 min, and correlated with the biliary secretion of 125I-IgA, which was also infused simultaneously with the HRP. If the isolated livers were perfused with a medium containing 2.5 microM-colchicine, the biliary secretion of IgA and the second secretion peak of HRP were inhibited by 60%. If rats were pretreated for 12h with alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (25mg/100g body wt.) prior to liver isolation, the biliary secretion of [3H]methoxyinulin and the first secretion peak of HRP were increased. Taken together, these results suggest that HRP enters the bile via two routes. The faster route, which was increased by alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate and correlated with [3H]methoxyinulin entry into bile, was probably paracellular, involving diffusion across tight junctions. The slower route, which was inhibited by colchicine and correlated with the secretion of IgA, was probably due to transcytosis, possibly within IgA and other transport vesicles.

1-Naphthylisothiocyanate↗

Sister-chromatid exchange and cell replication kinetics in fetal and maternal cells after treatment with chemical teratogens.

Effects of selected chemical teratogens on sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) frequencies and cell replication kinetics (CRK) in pregnant mice and their fetuses were investigated. Maternal and fetal cells were analyzed for SCE and classified as to whether they had gone through 1 (M1), 2 (M2), or 3 or more (M3+) cell cycles for quantifying cell replication kinetics and estimating average generation time (AGT). The teratogens tested in this system were mitomycin C (MMC), cyclophosphamide (CP), ethylnitrosourea (ENU), dimethylnitrosamine (DMN), lead acetate (LA), benzene (BEN), diethylstilbestrol (DES), diphenyldantoin (DPH), N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). MMC, CP, ENU, DMN, LA and BEN induced significant increases in SCE in both maternal and fetal cells compared with control values. DES and DPH induced increases in SCE in fetal cells only, whereas MNNG and DMSO did not induce any increase in SCE in either maternal or fetal cells. Chi-square analysis of the relative numbers of M1, M2 and M2+ cells revealed significant heterogeneity among test chemical doses in both maternal and fetal cells treated with all of the chemicals except DES. DES had an effect on fetal cells but not on maternal cells. A significant linear relationship between AGT and test chemical dose was noted for ENU and DMSO in maternal cells and DPH and MNNG in fetal cells. Although statistically significant, the effects of DPH, MNNG, and DMSO on AGT were small, with increases in AGT of only 1 h or less at the highest doses tested. ENU, however, resulted in more than a 2-h increase in the AGT of maternal cells. Average generation time was consistently lower in fetal cells as compared with maternal cells (overall mean AGT +/- S.D. from solvent controls was 8.6 +/- 0.3 h for fetal cells and 11.6 +/- 0.7 h for maternal cells). The results indicate that SCE induction and cell replication inhibition can occur independently, and that the assessment of SCE and CRK in maternal and fetal cells may be a promising approach to the identification of teratogenic agents.

Animals↗