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Biomedical subjects

S Chatterjee

Publications and source records attributed to S Chatterjee.

At least 469 records · Page 26Linked to original sources

Increased urinary excretion of glycosphingolipids in familial hypercholesterolemia.

The content of glycosphingolipids (GSL) was studied in the urinary sediments (24-hr specimens) from seven normal subjects, a patient with Fabry's disease, and five homozygotes with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Normal urinary sediments contained very small amounts of GalCer, GlcCer, GaOse(2)Cer, LacCer, GbOse(3)Cer, and GbOse(4)Cer. In Fabry urinary sediment, the levels (nmole glucose/24 hr) of GaOse(2)Cer and of GbOse(3)Cer were 389 and 550, respectively. In urinary sediments from the FH subjects, the mean contents (nmol glucose/mg protein per 24 hr) of GlcCer, GalCer, and LacCer were 2.7, 1.9, and 15.8 times higher, respectively, than in normals. The mean contents ( micro g/mg protein per 24 hr) of total cholesterol and phospholipid in the urinary sediment of FH (1.1 and 224, respectively) and normals (0.8 and 220) were similar. The mean contents of GlcCer, GalCer, and LacCer, expressed in terms of the cholesterol content of urinary sediment (nmol glucose/ micro g cholesterol per 24 hr), were increased 3.4-, 1.6-, and 5.4-fold, respectively, in the FH homozygotes. Of the five FH homozygotes, only one, who had undergone a portacaval shunt and was also receiving lipid-lowering therapy, had a normal value of LacCer. The other four FH homozygotes had levels of LacCer that were 3- to 55-fold higher (nmol glucose/mg protein per 24 hr) and 5.5- to 7.3-fold higher (nmol glucose/ micro g cholesterol per 24 hr) than the mean of the normals. One homozygote underwent plasma exchange therapy that reduced both the baseline urinary (nmol glucose/24 hr) and plasma (nmol/100 ml) LacCer levels from 86 to 7 and from 1491 to 852, respectively. Eleven days after plasma exchange, the urinary LacCer levels approached pre-exchange levels (59 nmol glucose/24 hr). The data indicate that there is an abnormality of GSL metabolism associated with familial hyper-cholesterolemia and that the urinary excretion of GSL can be modified by plasma exchange therapy.-Chatterjee, S., C. S. Sekerke, and P. O. Kwiterovich, Jr. Increased urinary excretion of glycosphingolipids in familial hypercholesterolemia.

Adolescent↗

Effect of tunicamycin on cell fusion induced by Mason-Pfizer monkey virus.

Mason-Pfizer monkey virus, a D-type retrovirus, has been shown to induce multinucleate cell (syncytium) formation or cell fusion in several normal primate cells. A series of experiments has been carried out to examine whether a glycosylated "fusion-inducing" product is responsible for this biological property of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus. Treatment of rhesus monkey fetal lung cells with different concentrations of tunicamycin, a potent inhibitor of glycosylation, during infection with Mason-Pfizer monkey virus had no effect on cell fusion even though up to 5 micrograms of the drug per ml was tested. Furthermore, no significant effect on the extent of syncytium formation in rhesus monkey fetal lung cells was observed when the time of addition or duration of treatment with this inhibitor was varied. Nevertheless, tunicamycin was very effective in blocking glycosylation in rhesus cells since virions produced in the presence of this drug completely lacked gp70 and gp20, the two structural glycoproteins of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus. These non-glycosylated virus particles produced in the presence of tunicamycin were noninfectious as determined by a protein A binding assay and were unable to induce syncytium formation when assayed on rhesus cells. These results indicate that glycosylation of the fusion-inducing product is not required for multinucleate cell formation induced by Mason Pfizer monkey virus.

Animals↗

Nutrient utilization in actinomycetes. Induction of alpha-glucosidases in Streptomyces venezuelae.

Streptomyces venezuelae contains intracellular alpha-glucosidases that are induced during growth on maltose, isomaltose, maltotriose, dextrin, starch, and other alpha-glucosides. Induction was prevented by rifampicin at 10 micron g.mL-1 and inhibited by chloramphenicol or streptomycin, indicating that de novo synthesis of messenger ribonucleic acid and protein was required. Glucose and other readily utilizable sugars did not repress induction of alpha-glucosidase activity whereas certain organic acids and amino acids effectively reduced enzyme synthesis. Extracts of mycelium grown in the presence of maltose as an inducer hydrolysed maltose and isomaltose rapidly. Sucrose and other alpha-glucosides were less suitable substrates whereas trehalose and starch were not hydrolysed. No activity was observed with Beta-glucosides, alpha-galactosides, or methyl alpha-mannoside.

Chloramphenicol↗

Generalized transduction in Rhizobium meliloti.

The phage 11 of R. meliloti performs generalized transduction. This was confirmed by the variety of single markers transferred and by separating transducing particles containing BUdR-labelled bacterial DNA. The transduction frequencies depended on the marker. Linked alleles were mapped by cotransduction on fragments of bacterial DNA equal in size to the phage DNA. With crosses between antibiotic resistancy and auxotrophic markers a partial map was constructed with str, cml, pur-19, and leu-44 sites. With a few multi-auxotrophic mutants linkage data of conjugation were compared with the linkage by cotransduction.

Bacteriophages↗

Association of immune responsiveness to cytomegalovirus infection with survival of renal allografts.

The association of immune responsiveness to cytomegalovirus infection was studied in relation to survival of renal allografts. The presence of anti-cytomegalovirus antibody in the pre-transplant patient was not associated with any detrimental effect on the graft survival. The presence or absence of cytomegalovirus antigen or of cytomegalovirus antibody, or later development of cytomegalovirus antibody, in no way affected the graft survival. The same conclusion was reached in cases when kidneys from male donors were used in cytomegalovirus antibody-postive patients.

Adult↗

Sinusoidal fetal heart rate patterns in severe Rh disease.

Four patients with severe Rh isoimmunization are presented in whom sinusoidal fetal heart rate patterns were recorded. In 2 cases in which the pattern was seen intermittently in the postintrauterine transfusion period, the perinatal outcome was good. In the 2 cases in which the pattern was seen spontaneously and continuously, the outcome was poor, confirming the ominous and possibly agonal significance of the latter pattern.

Blood Transfusion, Intrauterine↗

Screening for SGA by the roll-over test.

The roll-over test (ROT) was evaluated in normal pregnant patients between 28 and 34 weeks' gestation and found to be an accurate method of screening for small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants and for preeclampsia. Patients with a positive ROT had a significant risk of SGA or preeclampsia or both. In patients with a positive ROT, the development of SGA may be further predicted by an examination of maternal prepregnancy weight and weight gain. Patients with a prepregnancy weight of 50 kg or less, total weight gain of 10 kg or less, and/or differential weight gain of 20% or less have a highly significant risk of developing an SGA fetus. In contrast, patients with a negative ROT have a significantly decreased risk for SGA and/or preeclampsia.

Body Weight↗