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R S Bar

Publications and source records attributed to R S Bar.

86 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Receptors for peptide hormones. New insights into the pathophysiology of disease states in man.

The first step in the action of polypeptide hormones and many neurotransmitters is binding to receptor sites on the plasma membrane of the cell. These receptors are usually complex, high molecular weight proteins. Using a variety of receptor preparations and radioactively labeled hormones, radioreceptor assays for several hormones have been developed. These have allowed for assay of hormones for which no immunoassay exists. Such assays have shown increased levels of NSILA-s (an insulin-like peptide) in patients with nonpancreatic tumors and hypoglycemia. In disease states, the number or affinity of hormone receptors may be altered, leading to hormone resistant states such as the insulin resistance of obesity. A major factor regulating receptor concentration is the hormone itself. Several hormones seem to accelerate inactivation of their own receptors. Antibodies to membrane receptors are produced in at least three diseases and cause hormone resistance or mimic states of hormone excess.

Acanthosis Nigricans↗

Insulin receptor status in disease states of man.

When insulin or any peptide hormone binds to its receptor on the surface of a target cell, it initiates a series of biochemical steps that ultimately lead to the characteristic action of the hormone. The strength of the signal generated by the hormone depends equally on the hormone concentration, the receptor concentration, and the receptor affinity. Not only do hormone concentrations change rapidly and widely in vivo but so do receptor concentration and affinity. In hormone resistant states, any step in the biochemical pathway of hormone action at the target cell may be involved. Studies of insulin receptors in people indicate that the insulin receptor is altered in many common disorders such as obesity and diabetes, as well as in rare disorders such as extreme insulin resistance due to circulating antibodies directed at the insulin receptor itself. By responding to both intracellular and extracellular events, the insulin receptor is, therefore, a major site for the regulation of target cell responsiveness in vivo.

Acanthosis Nigricans↗

The syndromes of insulin resistance and acanthosis nigricans. Insulin-receptor disorders in man.

In six patients with acanthosis nigricans variable degrees of glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia and marked resistance to exogenous insulin were found. Studies of insulin receptors on circulating monocytes suggest that the insulin resistance in these patients was due to a marked decrease in insulin binding to its membrane receptors. When these patients were fasted, there was a fall in plasma insulin but no increase in insulin binding, suggesting that the receptor defect was not secondary to the hyperinsulinemia. The clinical features shared by these cases and several similar ones previously reported may be divided into two unique clinical syndromes: Type A, a syndrome in younger females with signs of virilization or accelerated growth, in whom the receptor defect may be primary, and Type B, a syndrome in older females with signs of an immunologic disease, in whom circulating antibodies to the insulin receptor are found.

Acanthosis Nigricans↗

Fluctuations in the affinity and concentration of insulin receptors on circulating monocytes of obese patients: effects of starvation, refeeding, and dieting.

The binding of 125I-insulin to insulin receptors on circulating monocytes of obese patients and normal volunteers has been determined under various dietary states. In the basal, fed state the monocytes of obese patients with clinical insulin resistance (n= 6) bound less insulin than normals (n =10) because of a decrease in insulin receptor concentration (obese = 6,000-13,000 sites per monocyte versus normals 15,000-28,000 sites per monocyte). The single obese patient without evidence of clinical insulin resistance demonstrated normal binding of insulin with 16,000 sites per monocyte. In all patients, the total receptor concentration was inversely related to the circulating levels of insulin measured at rest after an overnight fast. For the obese patients with basally depressed insulin binding, a 48-72-h fast lowered circulating insulin and increased binding to normal levels but only at low hormone concentrations; this limited normalization of 125I-insulin binding was associated with increased receptor affinity for insulin without change in receptor concentration. Refeeding after the acute fasting periods resulted in return to the elevated plasma insulin levels, the basal receptor affinity, and the depressed insulin binding observed in the basal, fed state. Chronic diet restored plasma insulin levels, insulin binding, and receptor concentration to normal without change in affinity. When the data from this study are coupled with previous in vivo and in vitro findings they suggest that the insulin receptor of human monocytes is more sensitive to regulation by ambient insulin than the receptors of obese mice and cultured human lymphocytes. The results further indicate than an insulin receptor undergoes in vivo modulation of its interaction with insulin by changing receptor concentration and by altering the affinity of existing receptors.

Adolescent↗

Primary empty sella, galactorrhea, hyperprolactinemia and renal tubular acidosis.

Discussed here is a 41 year old woman with galactorrhea associated with the empty sella syndrome and mild renal tubular acidosis. Basal serum prolactin (PRL) levels were normal, but a 24 hour serum PRL secretory profile demonstrated an increased mean PRL concentration. Serum PRL was appropriately suppressed by the administration of L-dopa; however, chlorpromazine stimulation resulted in a blunted serum PRL response. Pituitary luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, ACTH and thyroid stimulating hormone levels were normal. Thus, galactorrhea associated with an enlarged sella does not establish the diagnosis of a pituitary tumor, and pneumoencephalography must be performed to exclude the empty sella syndrome.

Acidosis, Renal Tubular↗

Hypomagnesemic hypocalcemia secondary to renal magnesium wasting.

Two patients developed severe hypomagnesemia, hypocalcemia, and hypokalemia as a result of renal wasting of magnesium and potassium shortly after being treated with large doses of gentamicin. When therapy with gentamicin was discontinued renal loss of magnesium and potassium ceased, and serum calcium, magnesium, and potassium returned toward normal. Serum immunoreactive parathyroid hormone levels were inappropriately low during the episodes of hypocalcemia. Both patients represent examples of hypomagnesemic hypocalcemia induced by inappropriate magnesuria, possibly caused by gentamicin. These observations suggest that serum calcium, magnesium, and potassium should be monitored during gentamicin therapy.

Aged↗

Lymphopenic infectious mononucleosis.

Lymphopenic IM is a real phenomenon. It is likely to appear as a more severe clinical illness and, in contrast to the benign course to typical IM, may have a poorer prognosis. The clinical spectrum of IM should be extended to included to include lymphopenic patients if their diagnosis is supported by appropriate heterophil and EBV antibody titers.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Surface area of human erythrocyte lipids: reinvestigation of experiments on plasma membrane.

Ratios of the lipid monolayer area to the erythrocyte surface area are 2:1 at low surface pressures and approach 1: 1 at collapse pressures. Un saturated phospholipids in cholesterol-phospholipid complexes of membrane ex tracts resemble their saturated derivatives at collapse pressures. Area ratio and phospholipid area data are related by an equation that tests hypothetical values for molecular areas used in membrane models.

Cell Membrane↗

Linoleic acid metabolism and prostaglandin production by cultured bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells.

When bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells are cultured in a medium supplemented with linoleic acid, their capacity to produce prostacyclin (PGI2) is reduced by about 60%. This reduction occurs when PGI2 formation is stimulated by the addition of either the calcium ionophore A23187 or arachidonic acid. In addition, supplementation with linoleic acid reduced the production of prostaglandin E2 and F2 alpha from 1-14C-arachidonic acid by more than 50%. The capacity of cultured bovine pulmonary vein and aortic endothelial cells to convert extracellular arachidonic acid into PGI2 also was reduced by about 50% when the growth medium was supplemented with linoleic acid. Although bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells incorporated large amounts of 1-14C-linoleic acid into cellular phospholipids and triglycerides, a maximum of only 2.3% of the radioactivity was converted to arachidonic acid in 24 hours. The most prevalent radioactive metabolite was eicosadienoic acid, the elongation product of linoleic acid. As compared with linoleic acid, the bovine endothelial cells incorporated 30% more 1-14C-arachidonic acid into phospholipids and 60% more into triglycerides. When the growth medium was supplemented with linoleic acid, the percentage of this fatty acid in cellular lipids increased 3- to 4.5-fold and eicosadienoic acid accumulated, accounting for up to 9% of the cellular fatty acids. This increase was accompanied by a 30% to 45% reduction in arachidonic acid. These findings, together with our previous results with human umbilical vein endothelium, suggest that an inability to convert large amounts of linoleic to arachidonic acid and a suppressive effect of linoleic acid enrichment on prostaglandin production may be general properties of endothelial cells.

Animals↗