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Biomedical subjects

Y D Chen

Publications and source records attributed to Y D Chen.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Characterization of a caldesmon fragment that competes with myosin-ATP binding to actin.

The protein caldesmon inhibits actin-activated ATP hydrolysis of myosin and inhibits the binding of myosin.ATP to actin. A fragment isolated from a chymotryptic digest of caldesmon contains features of the intact molecule that make it useful as a selective inhibitor of the binding of myosin.ATP complexes to actin without having the complexity of binding to myosin. The COOH-terminal 20 kDa region of caldesmon binds to actin with one-sixth the affinity of caldesmon with a stoichiometry of binding of one fragment per two actin monomers. This contrasts with the 1:6-9 stoichiometry of intact caldesmon. The binding of the 20 kDa fragments to actin is totally reversed by Ca(2+)-calmodulin and, like intact caldesmon, the 20 kDa fragments are competitive with the binding of myosin subfragments to actin. This competition with myosin binding is largely responsible for the inhibition of ATP hydrolysis, although both the fragments and intact caldesmon also reverse the potentiation of ATPase activity caused by tropomyosin. These polypeptides are useful both in defining the function of caldesmon and in studying the role of weakly bound cross-bridges in muscle.

Actins↗
PubMed1993

Insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and hyperinsulinemia. Hypertriglyceridemia versus hypercholesterolemia.

Plasma glucose and insulin responses to oral glucose and mixed meals and the ability of insulin to stimulate glucose disposal were quantified in normal volunteer subjects and patients with types IIA, IIB, and IV hyperlipoproteinemia (HLP). The results indicated that patients with either type IIB or IV HLP had higher plasma glucose (p < 0.05-< 0.001) and insulin (p < 0.001) responses to both oral glucose and mixed meals compared with the normal subjects and patients with type IIA HLP. Steady-state plasma glucose concentrations (mmol/L) were also higher (p < 0.001) in patients with types IIB (13.3 +/- 0.6) and IV (12.8 +/- 1.2) HLP during a continuous infusion of somatostatin, glucose, and insulin than either the control group (volunteer subjects) (6.2 +/- 0.9) or patients with type IIA HLP (5.6 +/- 1.0). Because the steady-state plasma insulin concentrations were similar in all four groups, patients with either type IIB or IV HLP were resistant to insulin-mediated glucose uptake. These data indicate that patients with hypertriglyceridemia are insulin resistant, glucose intolerant, and hyperinsulinemic, irrespective of the plasma cholesterol concentration. The results further demonstrate that hypercholesterolemic patients with normal triglyceride concentrations do not have any abnormalities of glucose and insulin metabolism.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Relation of plasma triglyceride and apoB levels to insulin-mediated suppression of nonesterified fatty acids. Possible explanation for sex differences in lipoprotein pattern.

To test whether a sex difference in insulin-mediated suppression of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) could account for sex differences in plasma triglyceride levels, we studied 632 normoglycemic men and women of European and South Asian descent aged 40 to 69 years. Mean fasting NEFA levels were 19% higher in women than in men. Between fasting and 2 hours after a 75-g oral glucose load, NEFA levels fell by 69% in women and 55% in men, so that mean NEFA levels at 2 hours after loading were 19% lower in women than in men. Plasma triglyceride and apolipoprotein B levels were correlated with 2-hour NEFA levels in each sex and ethnic group, and these associations were independent of glucose, insulin, and central obesity. These results are consistent with experimental studies of the effects of insulin and NEFAs on hepatic production of triglycerides and apolipoprotein B. Suppression of NEFA levels in response to insulin is greater in women than in men, and this may account for some of the sex differences in lipoprotein pattern and coronary heart disease risk.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia in individuals with small, dense low density lipoprotein particles.

Subjects characterized by a predominance of small LDL particles (pattern B) have changes in plasma triglyceride (TG) and HDL-cholesterol concentrations consistent with the presence of resistance to insulin-mediated glucose uptake. To pursue this issue, plasma glucose and insulin responses to oral glucose, insulin-mediated glucose disposal, and lipoprotein concentrations were measured in subjects categorized on the basis of LDL peak diameter measured by gradient gel electrophoresis. Subjects with pattern B had higher (P < 0.05-0.001) total integrated plasma glucose (20.7 +/- 1.0 mmol/liter.h) and insulin (1,743 +/- 293 pmol/liter.h) responses to oral glucose compared with glucose (16.3 +/- 0.4 and 19.2 +/- 0.8 mmol/liter.h) and insulin (856 +/- 60 and 1,222 +/- 168 pmol/liter.h) responses in those with either pattern A or an intermediate pattern. Pattern B individuals were shown to be more insulin resistant on the basis of higher steady state plasma glucose concentrations (SSPG, 10.4 +/- 1.0, P < 0.002, vs. 7.5 +/- 0.7 and 6.0 +/- 0.4 mmol/liter) after a constant infusion of somatostatin, glucose, and insulin than those with either the intermediate or pattern A subclass. Pattern B subjects also had higher concentrations of (P < 0.001) TG (1.98 +/- 0.15 vs. 1.33 +/- 0.17 and 0.77 +/- 0.05 mmol/liter) and lower (P < 0.01-0.001) HDL cholesterol (1.12 +/- 0.06 vs. 1.34 +/- 0.05 vs. 1.45 +/- 0.05 mmol/liter) than those with either the intermediate or pattern A. Finally, significant (P < 0.001) correlation coefficients existed between LDL diameter and SSPG (r = -0.44); glucose (r = -0.41) and insulin (r = -0.38) responses; TG (r = -0.65) and HDL-cholesterol (r = 0.42) concentrations; and systolic (r = -0.34) and diastolic (r = -0.34) blood pressure. Thus, pattern B subjects are insulin resistant, have higher glucose, insulin, and TG, lower HDL-cholesterol levels, and higher blood pressure than those with pattern A or intermediate.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Differences in postprandial lipemia between patients with normal glucose tolerance and noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

In this paper we have compared the postprandial increase in triglyceride (TG) rich lipoproteins of intestinal origin in 10 patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and 10 subjects with normal glucose tolerance. The two groups were matched for age, sex distribution, body mass index, and plasma TG concentration. Breakfast was consumed at 0800 h and lunch at 1200 h, at which time vitamin A was also administered. Blood was sampled frequently from 1200 h to 2400 h, and measurements made of glucose, insulin, and TG concentrations. Furthermore, the retinyl palmitate (RP) content of plasma, the Sf > 400 lipoprotein fraction, and the Sf 20-400 lipoprotein fraction was also determined, and differences compared by two-way analysis of variance. Fasting and postprandial (from 1200 h to 2400 h) TG concentrations in the plasma and the two lipoprotein fractions were not significantly different in normal subjects and patients with NIDDM. In addition, the postprandial RP concentration of the two groups was not different in the chylomicron containing Sf > 400 lipoprotein fraction. However, the postprandial Sf 20-400 RP concentration was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in patients with NIDDM, estimated as hourly values over time, peak value, or total integrated response area. Significant correlation coefficients (r = 0.60-0.75, P < 0.08 < 0.02) were seen in patients with NIDDM between the total integrated insulin response and both the TG and RP responses in the Sf > 400 and Sf 20-400 fractions. In addition, fasting high density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentration in patients with NIDDM was significantly correlated with the postprandial TG response in the Sf > 400 (r = -0.64, P < 0.05) and the Sf 20-400 (r = -0.68, P < 0.05) lipoprotein fractions. In summary, the postprandial RP concentration in the Sf 20-400 lipoprotein fraction was higher than normal in patients with NIDDM. In addition, associations have been defined in patients with NIDDM between postprandial insulin response, fasting TG and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations, and magnitude of postprandial increase in TG-rich lipoproteins of intestinal origin.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMed1993

Plasma insulin, C-peptide, and proinsulin concentrations in obese and nonobese individuals with varying degrees of glucose tolerance.

Conventional immunoassays to quantify insulin concentration do not differentiate between insulin and proinsulin. Thus, previous conclusions as to the relationship between the development of hyperglycemia in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and pancreatic insulin secretory function may have been confounded by not being able to determine the contribution made by plasma proinsulin to the putative measurements of plasma insulin concentration in these patients. The current study was initiated to address this issue by making specific measurements of plasma insulin, proinsulin, and C-peptide concentrations in 42 individuals: 14 with normal glucose tolerance, 12 with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and 16 with NIDDM. The study population was further subdivided into a nonobese (body mass index, < 30 kg/m2) and an obese (body mass index, > 30 kg/m2) group. Mixed meals were given at 0800, 1200, and 1800 h, and blood was removed at 0800 h (before the meal) and at hourly intervals from then until 1600 h. Plasma glucose concentrations throughout the sampling period were slightly, but significantly (P < 0.01), greater in patients with IGT than in normal individuals. Patients with NIDDM had markedly elevated glycemic excursions, greater than either of the other two groups (P < 0.002). Both plasma immunoreactive insulin and C-peptide concentrations from 0800-1600 h were higher (P < 0.002-0.001) in patients with either IGT or NIDDM than in the group with normal glucose tolerance. Although day-long plasma immunoreactive insulin and C-peptide concentrations were higher, on the average, in patients with IGT compared to those with NIDDM, the difference was not statistically significant. Plasma proinsulin concentrations were highest in patients with NIDDM (P < 0.002), lower in those with normal glucose tolerance (P < 0.002), and intermediate in patients with IGT. When the calculated "true" insulin concentration was determined by taking the proinsulin content into consideration, patients with IGT had the highest day-long levels, with the lowest values found in the control population (P < 0.002). Although absolute values varied as a function of obesity, the generalizations outlined above were found in both weight groups. These results show that ambient plasma proinsulin concentrations increase as glucose tolerance declines. However, true plasma insulin concentrations in response to mixed meals remain highest in patients with IGT, lowest in normal individuals, and intermediate in patients with NIDDM. Thus, previous conclusions that absolute day-long plasma insulin concentrations are not lower than normal in patients with NIDDM do not appear to result from an inability to differentiate true insulin from proinsulin.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMed1993

Effect of variations in dietary fat and carbohydrate intake on postprandial lipemia in patients with noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

The effect of dietary composition on concentrations of postprandial lipoproteins was studied in eight sulfonylurea-treated patients with noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Two diets were consumed by each patient for 2 weeks in random order, one contained (as percent of total calories) 15% protein, 40% fat, and 45% carbohydrate (CHO), whereas the other consisted of 15% protein, 25% fat, and 60% CHO. At the end of each dietary period, patients were given Vitamin A (60,000 U/m2) with their noon meal, and the concentration of triglyceride (TG) and retinyl esters in plasma and two lipoprotein fractions (Sf > 400 and Sf 20-400) determined over the next 12 h. The results indicated that both postprandial TG and retinyl ester concentrations were higher in plasma (Sf > 400, and Sf 20-400 lipoproteins), when patients ate the 25% fat/60% CHO diet. Thus, replacing saturated fat with CHO accentuates the magnitude of postprandial lipemia. Since TG-rich lipoproteins may be atherogenic, appropriate dietary advice for patients with type 2 diabetes may deserve reappraisal.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Glucagon does not increase plasma free fatty acid and glycerol concentrations in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

The study was initiated to determine whether physiological elevations of plasma glucagon would increase plasma FFA or glycerol concentrations in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). To do this, patients were infused for 6 h with somatostatin (SRIF) alone or with SRIF plus glucagon. Furthermore, these studies were performed with an insulin infusion rate that maintains basal insulin levels or without any insulin infusion. Infusion of SRIF alone was associated with an increase in plasma FFA and glycerol concentrations, whereas hepatic glucose production and plasma glucose concentrations fell somewhat. When glucagon was added to SRIF, plasma FFA and glycerol concentrations were again increased, but to a significantly lesser extent. In addition, the addition of glucagon was associated with a modest increase in hepatic plasma glucose production and plasma glucose concentrations. In contrast, plasma FFA and glycerol concentrations fell when SRIF was infused in the presence of basal insulin levels. The decrease in FFA and glycerol levels tended to be accentuated when glucagon was also infused. It should be noted that the increases in hepatic glucose production and plasma glucose concentration after glucagon was added to SRIF were prevented when basal insulin levels were replaced. These results demonstrate that an increase in the plasma glucagon level comparable to that seen in patients with NIDDM was associated with lower, not higher, plasma FFA and glycerol concentrations in patients with NIDDM. Furthermore, these changes were seen in the absence of insulin or when basal insulin levels were replaced. Thus, the higher ambient plasma FFA and glycerol concentrations in patients with NIDDM do not appear to be secondary to increased plasma glucagon levels.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMed1993

Cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitory component from Zingiber officinale Roscoe.

We previously reported on the isolation and identification of (E)-8 beta,17-epoxylabd-12-ene-15,16-dial (ZT) from ginger (rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Zingiberaceae). In this paper, the pharmacological effects of ZT are reported. The experimental mouse hypercholesterolemia induced by Triton WR-1339 was treated after oral administration of ZT. In homogenated rat liver with ZT, cholesterol biosynthesis was decreased. In addition, the same activity was observed in the homogenated rat liver which was resected after the oral administration of ZT. According to the results of general pharmacological screening, no remarkable activity of ZT was observed except for an inhibitory effect on the cholesterol biosynthesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Insulin resistance and insulin secretion are determinants of oral glucose tolerance in normal individuals.

Plasma glucose values after oral glucose challenge vary widely in nondiabetic subjects. We have now evaluated the role of insulin resistance in determining the plasma glucose response to oral glucose in 74 volunteer subjects with normal glucose tolerance. In these subjects, we determined the plasma glucose and insulin responses over a 3-h period to a 75-g oral glucose challenge, and the steady-state plasma glucose concentration during a continuous infusion of somatostatin, glucose, and insulin (a quantitative measure of insulin resistance). The plasma glucose response was defined as the incremental increase in plasma glucose concentration above the fasting value for 3 h after the oral glucose challenge. Multiple regression analysis was used to define the relationship between the dependent variable (plasma glucose response) and various predictors of this response. These analyses indicated that both the steady-state plasma glucose and the incremental insulin response during the first 30 min after the glucose load were significant predictors of the plasma glucose response. In those individuals in whom insulin action was impaired and the 30-min plasma insulin response was decreased, plasma glucose values reached higher levels. When standardized regression coefficients were determined, the incremental glucose response was directly correlated with steady-state plasma glucose (r = 0.700, P < 0.001) and inversely with the insulin response during the first 30 min (r = 0.268, P = 0.023). Furthermore, the correlation between steady-state plasma glucose and glucose response was significantly greater (P < 0.005) than that between the glucose response and 30-min insulin concentration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Studies on the establishment of malarial animal model of short-term relapse. IV. Short-term relapse in rhesus monkeys infected with sporozoites of Plasmodium cynomolgi].

The present paper reports that the short-term relapse could be artificially made by the application of the experimental method, and thus we established the monkey model of the short-term relapse. According to the experimental design, when the parasitemia was detected in rhesus monkeys infected with sporozoites of Plasmodium cynomolgi, a combined therapy of pyronaridine 6 mg/kg body weight, artemether 10 mg/kg and chloroquine 20 mg/kg once daily for 3 days was carried out to clear the erythrocytic parasite and then the short-term relapse was observed in the animal follow-up for 100 days. The combined therapy was given again when relapse occurred. One onset of relapse occurred on 47 days after therapy in monkey M194 infected with sporozoites 11 x 10(3). In M195 infected with sporozoites 55 x 10(4), relapses occurred for 3 times on 30, 37 and 51 days respectively after medication, but during a follow-up period of 200 days, no relapse was shown in M192 and M193 infected with sporozoites 50 and 55 x 10(2), respectively. The results showed that the frequency of the short-term relapse was relative to the sporozoites inoculation, and sporozoites less than 11 x 10(3) were not suitable for making short-term relapse in animal model. No long term relapse could be seen in all the 4 monkeys until 400 days. Under existing conditions that the relapse was generally explained with hypnozoite assumption, the establishment of animal model of short-term relapse could be tenable.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Interaction between HMG proteins (1 + 2) and the negative regulatory region 1 (NCR1) in the 5'-flanking sequence of the human beta-globin gene.

The pattern of high mobility group proteins 1 and 2 (HMG1,2) interaction with the 5'-flanking sequence of the human beta-globin gene has been analyzed by scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). A 200 bp negative regulatory region in the 5'-flanking sequence of the human beta-globin gene can be folded by HMG proteins 1 and 2 into a circular structure (diameter 70 +/- 6 A) with a linear tail which seems to be a left-handed double helix structure.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Binding of HMG proteins to the 5'-flanking sequence of human beta-globin gene.

Our previous studies have identified that there are at least three regulatory regions (two negative regions and one positive region) in the 5'-flanking sequence of human beta-globin gene (-610 to +1 bp). The binding of HMG proteins to both negative regulatory regions was examined by the gel mobility shift and DNase I protection assays. In gel mobility shift assay, we observed that HMG proteins 1 and 2 could bind to both negative regulatory regions (NCR1 and NCR2). Using the gel shift competition assay, we identified that the binding proteins between the two regions are different from each other. DNase I protection analysis shows that HMG proteins 1 and 2 only bind to one site (between -560 and -533 bp) in NCR1. However, two protected regions can be detected in NCR2, one between -272 and -252 bp relative to the cap site, the other between -306 and -329 bp. We also observed that HMG proteins 14 and 17 could not bind to both negative regions, so it seems that HMG proteins 1 and 2 may play an important role in the regulation of beta-globin expression through DNA-protein interaction or through protein-protein interaction.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Insulin resistance and cigarette smoking.

Cigarette smoking is associated with increases in plasma triglycerides and decreases in plasma high density-lipoprotein-cholesterol concentration. These changes not only increase risk of coronary heart disease but also are secondary to resistance to insulin-stimulated glucose uptake or hyperinsulinaemia. To see whether there is a relation between cigarette smoking and insulin-mediated glucose uptake we measured plasma lipid and lipoprotein concentrations, plasma glucose and insulin response to an oral glucose challenge, and insulin-mediated glucose uptake in 40 matched healthy volunteers (20 non-smokers, 20 smokers). Smokers had significantly higher mean (SEM) very-low-density-lipoprotein triglycerides (0.66 [0.10] vs 0.39 [0.03] mmol/l, p less than 0.02) and cholesterol (0.45 [0.06] vs 0.23 [0.04] mmol/l, p less than 0.005) concentrations and lower high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations (1.16 [0.05] vs 1.51 [0.08] mmol/l, p less than 0.001). Although plasma glucose concentrations in response to the oral glucose load were similar in the two groups, plasma insulin response of the smokers was significantly higher (p less than 0.001). Finally, smokers had higher steady-state plasma glucose concentrations in response to a continuous infusion of glucose, insulin, and somatostatin (8.4 [0.2] vs 5.0 [0.3] mmol/l, p less than 0.001), despite similar steady-state plasma insulin concentrations. The findings show that chronic cigarette smokers are insulin resistant, hyperinsulinaemic, and dyslipidaemic compared with a matched group of non-smokers, and may help to explain why smoking increases risk of coronary heart disease.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed1992

A mosaic multiple-binding model for the binding of caldesmon and myosin subfragment-1 to actin.

Binding of caldesmon to actin causes a decrease in the quantity of bound myosin and results in a reduction in the rate of actin-activated adenosine triphosphate hydrolysis. It is generally assumed that the binding of caldesmon and myosin to actin is a pure competitive interaction. However, recent binding studies of enzyme digested caldesmon subfragments directed at mapping the actin binding site of caldesmon have shown that a small 8-kD fragment around the COOH-terminal can compete directly with the myosin subfragment 1 (S-1) binding to actin; at least one other fragment that binds to actin does not inhibit the actin-activated adenosine triphosphate activity of myosin. That is, only a part of the caldesmon sequence may be responsible for directly blocking the binding of S-1 to actin. This prompts us to question the actual mode of binding of intact caldesmon and myosin S-1 to actin: whether the entire intact caldesmon molecule is competing with S-1 binding (pure competitive model) or just a small part of it (mosaic multiple-binding model). To answer this question, we measured the amount of myosin S-1 and caldesmon bound per actin monomer as a function of the total concentration of S-1 added to the system at constant concentrations of actin and caldesmon. A formalism for calculating the titration data based on the pure competitive model and a mosaic multiple-binding model was then developed. When compared with theoretical calculations, it is found that the binding of caldesmon and S-1 to actin cannot be pure competitive if no cooperativity exists between S-1 and caldesmon. In contrast, the mosaic multiple-binding model can fit the binding data rather well regardless of the existence of cooperativity between S-1 and caldesmon.

Actins↗
PubMed1992

Delayed removal of 125I-labeled very low density lipoprotein from plasma of rats with insulin-deficient diabetes mellitus.

The present studies demonstrate that the removal rate of exogenously labelled 125I-VLDL-protein is prolonged when total serum from insulin-deficient rats combined with isolated 125I-VLDL is injected into normal recipient rats (6.8 +/- 0.7 vs 4.2 +/- 0.4 min; p < 0.01), but not when 125I-VLDL-protein is isolated and injected alone (4.2 +/- 0.8 vs 4.3 +/- 0.8 min). Furthermore, the present studies demonstrate that when isolated 125I-VLDL-protein is recombined with either VLDL-free (d > 1.006 g/ml), or lipoprotein-free serum (d > 1.215 g/ml) from insulin-deficient rats, the defect in removal rate of VLDL-protein observed in total serum is reestablished (125I-VLDL + VLDL-free serum from insulin-deficient rat vs that from normal rat: 7.6 +/- 1.2 vs 4.6 +/- 0.7 min, p < 0.05; and 125I-VLDL + lipoprotein-free serum from insulin-deficient rat vs that from normal rat: 6.4 +/- 0.7 vs 4.1 +/- 0.4 min, p < 0.01). These data suggest that a factor or factors exist in lipoprotein-free serum of insulin-deficient rats which interfere with the normal removal of 125I-VLDL. Since we have previously demonstrated a prolongation in the removal rate of endogenously labeled VLDL-3H-TG, the defect in removal of VLDL from the plasma of insulin-deficient rats appears to include both the lipid and protein moieties of the VLDL particles.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Effect of nicotinic acid on plasma glucose concentration in normal individuals.

In order to assess the ability of nicotinic acid to decrease plasma glucose concentration, normal individuals were given continuous four hour infusions of either nicotinic acid (NA), somatostatin (SRIF), NA + SRIF, or 0.9% NaCl (Saline). Plasma non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentration decreased to about one-fourth of the basal value in response to either NA or NA + SRIF, associated with statistically significant decreases in plasma glucose concentration. The ability of NA and NA + SRIF to decrease plasma glucose concentration was seen despite the fact that plasma insulin concentrations also fell significantly during both infusions. Although plasma glucose concentration fell significantly in response to both NA and NA + SRIF, the effect of NA + SRIF was approximately twice as great as that seen with NA alone. The augmented hypoglycaemic effect of NA + SRIF as compared to NA alone was associated with a concomitant fall in plasma glucagon concentration. In contrast, plasma glucose concentration did not change following Saline, and was actually higher than baseline after the infusion of SRIF alone. These results provide evidence that NA can lower plasma glucose concentration in normal volunteers, and suggests that this is mediated by the NA-associated decrease in plasma NEFA concentration.

Blood Glucose↗