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Glucagon chronically impairs hepatic and muscle glucose disposal.

Defects in insulin secretion and/or action contribute to the hyperglycemia of stressed and diabetic patients, and we hypothesize that failure to suppress glucagon also plays a role. We examined the chronic impact of glucagon on glucose uptake in chronically catheterized conscious depancreatized dogs placed on 5 days of nutritional support (NS). For 3 days of NS, a variable intraportal infusion of insulin was given to maintain isoglycemia (approximately 120 mg/dl). On day 3 of NS, animals received a constant low infusion of insulin (0.4 mU.kg-1.min-1) and either no glucagon (CONT), basal glucagon (0.7 ng.kg-1.min-1; BasG), or elevated glucagon (2.4 ng.kg-1.min-1; HiG) for the remaining 2 days. Glucose in NS was varied to maintain isoglycemia. An additional group (HiG+I) received elevated insulin (1 mU.kg-1.min-1) to maintain glucose requirements in the presence of elevated glucagon. On day 5 of NS, hepatic substrate balance was assessed. Insulin and glucagon levels were 10+/-2, 9+/-1, 7+/-1, and 24+/-4 microU/ml, and 24+/-5, 39+/-3, 80+/-11, and 79+/-5 pg/ml, CONT, BasG, HiG, and HiG+I, respectively. Glucagon infusion decreased the glucose requirements (9.3+/-0.1, 4.6+/-1.2, 0.9+/-0.4, and 11.3+/-1.0 mg.kg-1.min-1). Glucose uptake by both hepatic (5.1+/-0.4, 1.7+/-0.9, -1.0+/-0.4, and 1.2+/-0.4 mg.kg-1.min-1) and nonhepatic (4.2+/-0.3, 2.9+/-0.7, 1.9+/-0.3, and 10.2+/-1.0 mg.kg-1.min-1) tissues decreased. Additional insulin augmented nonhepatic glucose uptake and only partially improved hepatic glucose uptake. Thus, glucagon impaired glucose uptake by hepatic and nonhepatic tissues. Compensatory hyperinsulinemia restored nonhepatic glucose uptake and partially corrected hepatic metabolism. Thus, persistent inappropriate secretion of glucagon likely contributes to the insulin resistance and glucose intolerance observed in obese and diabetic individuals.

Alanine↗

Elevated plasma glucose 2 h postchallenge predicts defects in beta-cell function.

Studies were performed in subjects with no known family history of diabetes, normoglycemic subjects who have first-degree relatives with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), and subjects with nondiagnostic oral glucose tolerance tests (NDX) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Insulin sensitivity index (SI) was similar in all four groups. However, a number of defects in insulin secretion were seen in the NDX and IGT groups, including reduced first-phase insulin secretory responses in intravenous glucose in relation to the degree of insulin resistance, and reduced normalized spectral power of insulin secretion during oscillatory glucose infusion. The latter finding demonstrates a decreased ability of the beta-cell to detect and respond to the successive increases and decreases in glucose and therefore to be entrained by the exogenous glucose infusion. The ability of a low-dose glucose infusion to prime the insulin secretory response to a subsequent glucose stimulus was normal in subjects with IGT but reduced or absent in subjects with overt NIDDM. These studies demonstrate that a number of alterations in beta-cell function are detectable in nondiabetic first-degree relatives of subjects with NIDDM with mild elevations in the 2-h postchallenge glucose level, and these abnormalities antedate the onset of overt hyperglycemia and clinical diabetes.

Adult↗

Characterization of calcium deprivation-induced cholestasis in the perfused rat liver.

To elucidate the role of calcium in regulation of canalicular bile flow, we studied biliary sucrose permeability and the transport kinetics of taurocholate in the in situ perfused rat liver. Calcium deprivation did not adversely affect viability or ultrastructural appearances of the liver. Removal of calcium led to initial choleresis followed by cholestasis dependent on external ionized calcium concentration. Biliary recovery of [14C]sucrose relative to that of tritiated water was determined by a biliary multiple-indicator dilution technique. Analysis in terms of irreversible thermodynamics suggested that biliary permeability to sucrose increased due to a change in the sieving coefficient from 0.135 to 0.435. Biliary recovery of taurocholate was significantly (P less than 0.001) reduced in low-calcium medium (from 79.6 +/- 6.5 to 17.6 +/- 11.8%). This was not due to a defect in hepatocellular uptake of taurocholate as determined in the perfused rat liver by a multiple-indicator dilution technique and in isolated hepatocytes. We conclude that calcium deprivation-induced cholestasis is characterized by an increased biliary permeability, a defect in cellular translocation and/or canalicular secretion of bile salts, and a defect in bile salt-independent bile flow.

Animals↗

Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY): genetic and clinical characteristics.

Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is a genetically and clinically heterogeneous subtype of familial diabetes mellitus characterized by early onset, autosomal dominant inheritance and primary defects of insulin secretion. Mutations in six genes cause most of the MODY cases. These genes encode the enzyme glucokinase and the transcription factors hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha, hepatocyte nuclear factor 1alpha, insulin promoter factor-1, hepatocyte nuclear factor 1beta and neuroD1. Additional MODY genes remain to be identified. The study of families with MODY has shown that the different MODY subtypes present different metabolic and clinical profiles.

Age of Onset↗

Regulation of renal rK1-kallikrein in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Urinary and renal rK1-kallikrein was studied in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and their normotensive controls (WKY). It was demonstrated that the antiserum used for kallikrein radioimmunoassay (RIA) reacts with rK1- but not with rK7-protein. The specificity of the kininogenase assay was tested: rK7 had only 8% of the activity of rK1. Urinary kallikrein excretion by RIA was reduced by about two thirds in 5-week-old SHR compared WKY (11.5 versus 37.1 micrograms/24 h). On the contrary, the kidney content of rK1-kallikrein by RIA was increased by 40% in these rats (11.6 versus 8.4 ng/mg protein). The increase in kidney rK1 was confirmed by kininogenase assays. The same pattern of reduced urinary and increased renal rK1-kallikrein was observed in 8-week-old SHR rats. Kidney rK1-kallikrein mRNA tended to be lower (0.10 > p > 0.05) in SHR compared to WKY rats, suggesting that the increased kidney rK1 content is not due to increased rK1 synthesis. We hypothesize that the combination of high kidney content and low urinary excretion may be due to a defective mechanism for secretion of rK1 into the urine by tubular epithelial cells.

Aging↗

Genetics of growth hormone gene expression.

The regulation of pituitary GH gene expression depends on binding of transcriptional activation proteins to cis-active DNA sequences preceding the GH-1 gene. The POU homeodomain protein Pit-1 is found in the nuclei of somatotrophs, lactotrophs and thyrotrophs. It fosters differentiation of these pituitary cell types and is required for hormone production by mature cells. In theory, defects in GH secretion can be caused by mutations in the GH-1 promoter sequence or in the gene encoding Pit-1. In the former case, deficiency would be limited to GH, and in the latter deficiencies extend to prolactin (Prl) and thyrotropin (TSH) as well as to GH. Both the Pit-1 gene and the GH-1 gene have been examined in children with extreme growth failure. Studies of kindreds with GH, Prl and TSH deficiency have disclosed a variety of mutations in the Pit-1 gene. These include nonsense mutations, missense mutations that diminish binding and transcriptional activation, and also mutations that appear to increase promoter binding while eliminating transcriptional activation. This latter class of mutation exerts a dominant negative effect in vivo as well as in vitro. There are many examples of deletions in the GH-1 coding sequence. Some are very large and cause the loss of GH-1, chorionic somatomammotropin and placental GH genes. Others are very small, involving only 1 or 2 bases. They produce frameshifts and premature stop signals. All types produce complete deficiency of GH, but antibody development during treatment has proven to be quite variable. The cDNA for the GH-releasing hormone receptor has recently been cloned and sequenced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Molecular characterization of human hepatic lipase deficiency. In vitro expression of two naturally occurring mutations.

Individuals with hepatic lipase (HL) deficiency are often characterized by elevated levels of triglycerides and cholesterol and may be subject to premature atherosclerosis. Missense mutations in the HL gene have been identified in two affected families: substitutions of serine for phenylalanine at amino acid 267 and threonine for methionine at amino acid 383 (S267F and T383M, respectively). To confirm the role of S267F and T383M, respectively). To confirm the role of mutations separately into human HL cDNA by site-directed mutagenesis, and the resulting constructs were independently expressed in COS cells. HL activity and mass were measured and compared with wild-type HL transfectants to determine the effect of these mutations on lipase activity and secretion. Although similar amounts of HL protein were detected intracellularly after transfection with the wild-type and mutant constructs, S267F and T383M HL activity levels were markedly decreased: in S267F, no HL activity was detected, and activity levels in T383M were 38% of wild-type HL. Heparin-induced secretion of the two HL mutants was also severely affected: no detectable activity could be measured in the media of S267F, although some inactive mass (12% of wild-type HL) was secreted; mutant T383M secreted 4% and 20% of wild-type activity and mass, respectively. These results indicate that the single amino acid substitution present in HL S267F is sufficient to render the enzyme completely nonfunctional; in contrast, the T383M mutant retains partial activity but is poorly secreted. Thus, these defects appear capable of accounting for the HL-deficient phenotypes exhibited by individuals carrying the T383M and S267F mutations.

Base Sequence↗

Human insulin-mediated enhancement of vascular beta-adrenergic responsiveness.

Insulin may play an important role in the physiological and/or pathophysiological regulation of the cardiovascular system. Defects in insulin secretion and insulin receptor responsiveness have been associated with increased peripheral resistance and hypertension. The mechanisms linking these events remain unclear. To assess the effect of insulin on beta-adrenergic-mediated vasodilation, we examined aortic ring segments obtained from normotensive male Wistar and spontaneously hypertensive rats. Vessels were maximally preconstricted with phenylephrine (3 mumol/L). Relaxation was induced by either isoproterenol (10 mumol/L) or sodium nitroprusside (10 nmol/L), and the relaxant response was followed for 20 minutes. Insulin exposure did not alter phenylephrine-mediated constriction. However, insulin mediated a dose-dependent increase in isoproterenol-induced relaxation, to a maximum of 120 +/- 4% of baseline isoproterenol-mediated relaxation, with an EC50 for insulin of 32 pmol/L in aortic rings from Wistar rats. Insulin exposure also did not alter nitroprusside-mediated relaxation. In contrast to the results obtained in rings from Wistar rats, insulin did not enhance isoproterenol-mediated responses in rings from spontaneously hypertensive rats. Thus, insulin mediates a selective enhancement of vascular beta-adrenergic responsiveness in aortas from normotensive but not hypertensive animals.

Animals↗

Airway epithelial damage in premature infants with respiratory failure.

To evaluate the evolution of airway epithelial damage in premature infants developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a detailed quantitative light and electron microscopic evaluation was performed of the major airways in 3 infants who succumbed from respiratory failure. The 3 infants ranged from 24 to 28 wk gestational age and died after 14 h, 10 days, and 6 months of life. The tracheal epithelium was severely damaged with up to half of the epithelium being denuded in each infant. The infants who died after 14 h and after 10 days demonstrated minimal epithelial denudation in more distal bronchial divisions. However, gross and microscopic abnormalities of the ciliated component of the epithelium were common. In the infant with severe established BPD, there was extensive epithelial denudation and ciliary abnormalities out to the fourth bronchial division. The percentage of goblet cells in the total cell population decreased from proximal to distal major airways, with the lowest percentage being seen in the infant with established BPD. These studies demonstrate the respiratory failure and assisted ventilation in the human neonate is associated with severe epithelial damage in the trachea and proximal bronchi. It suggests that the difficulty in clearing airway secretion results from a defect in mucociliary transport system rather than from an increase in airway secretion.

Bronchi↗

Growth hormone-releasing factor stimulation test in depression.

The authors administered the growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) stimulation test to 19 patients with major depression and 19 age- and sex-matched control subjects to test the hypothesis that a blunted growth hormone (GH) response to clonidine reflects a central alpha 2-adrenergic receptor subsensitivity in depression. GH response to GRF was significantly higher in patients with depression than in control subjects. This group difference was mainly attributable to three of the 19 depressed patients who exhibited markedly high GH responses to GRF. These results suggest that the blunted GH response to clonidine seen in patients with depression is not due to a pituitary defect in GH secretion.

Adult↗

The relative role of PLCbeta and PI3Kgamma in platelet activation.

Stimulation of platelet G protein-coupled receptors results in the cleavage of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-trisphosphate (PIP(2)) into inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and 1,2-diacylglycerol by phospholipase C (PLCbeta). It also results in the phosphorylation of PIP2 by the gamma isoform of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3Kgamma) to synthesize phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate. To understand the role of PIP2 in platelet signaling, we evaluated knock-out mice lacking 2 isoforms of PLCbeta (PLCbeta2 and PLCbeta3) or lacking the G(betagamma)-activated isoform of PI3K (PI3Kgamma). Both knock-out mice were unable to form stable thrombi in a carotid injury model. To provide a functional explanation, knock-out platelets were studied ex vivo. PLCbeta2/beta3-/- platelets failed to assemble filamentous actin, had defects in both secretion and mobilization of intracellular calcium, and were unable to form stable aggregates following low doses of agonists. Platelets lacking PI3Kgamma disaggregated following low-dose adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and had a mildly impaired ability to mobilize intracellular calcium. Yet, they exhibited essentially normal actin assembly and secretion. Remarkably, both PLCbeta2/beta3-/- and PI3Kgamma-/- platelets spread more slowly upon fibrinogen. These results suggest substantial redundancy in platelet signaling pathways. Nonetheless, the diminished ability of knock-out platelets to normally spread after adhesion and to form stable thrombi in vivo suggests that both PLCbeta2/beta3 and PI3Kgamma play vital roles in platelet cytoskeletal dynamics.

Actins↗

Abnormal secretion and function of recombinant human factor VII as the result of modification to a calcium binding site caused by a 15-base pair insertion in the F7 gene.

A case of a novel mutation in the F7 gene that results in factor VII coagulant activity (VII:c) of less than 1% and VII antigen (VII:Ag) levels of 10% is presented. DNA analysis revealed a homozygous 15-base pair (bp) in-frame insertion-type mutation at nucleotide 10554. This insertion consisted of a duplication of residues leucine (L)213 to aspartic acid (D)217 (leucine, serine, glutamic acid, histidine, and aspartic acid), probably arising by slipped mispairing between 2 copies of a direct repeat (GCGAGCACGAC) separated by 4 bp. Molecular graphic analyses showed that the insertion is located at the surface of the catalytic domain in an exposed loop stabilized by extensive salt-bridge and hydrogen bond formation at which the calcium binding site is located. The mutation probably interferes with protein folding during VII biosynthesis and/or diminishes functional activity through the loss of calcium binding. In vitro expression studies demonstrated that the levels of VII:Ag in lysates of cells transfected with wild type VII (VIIWT) were equivalent to those with mutant type VII (VIIMT), but the level of secreted VIIMT was 5% to 10% that of VIIWT. Pulse chase studies demonstrated that VIIMT did not accumulate intracellularly, and studies with inhibitors of protein degradation showed that recombinant VIIMT was partially degraded in the pre-Golgi compartment. Accordingly, only small amounts of VIIMT with undetectable procoagulant activity were secreted into conditioned media. These results demonstrate that a combination of secretion and functional defects is the mechanism whereby this insertion causes VII deficiency.

Base Pair Mismatch↗

Tissue culture of normal and cystic fibrosis sweat gland duct cells. I. Alterations in dome formation.

The elucidation of the underlying defect in fluid secretion by cystic fibrosis (CF) sweat glands is hindered by the unavailability of an experimental model for investigating this disease. As a potential model system, a serum-free growth medium was developed that supports the explant growth of epithelial cells from fragments of human skin. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that these epithelial cell outgrowths originated from the duct of the sweat gland. By electron microscopy, the cells were demonstrated to possess keratinocyte-like morphology as noted by the presence of a multilayered outgrowth of cells containing well-defined keratin bundles. Identical outgrowths from skin biopsies of CF patients were compared to normal outgrowths and alterations were noted to occur in dome formation and in the number of intercellular spaces between cells. Doming alterations were also noted to occur in the CF heterozygous state. No differences in cell fine structure or in growth factor requirements for cell proliferation were noted between normal and CF cells. The potential use of this system as a model for CF research is discussed.

Culture Techniques↗

The Leu34Phe ProCART mutation leads to cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) deficiency: a possible cause for obesity in humans.

Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) is an anorexigenic neuropeptide synthesized in the hypothalamus. A Leu34Phe missense mutation in proCART has been found in an obese family in humans. Here we show that humans bearing the Leu34Phe mutation in proCART have severely diminished levels of bioactive CART, but elevated amounts of partially processed proCART in their serum. Expression of wild-type proCART in AtT-20 cells showed that it was sorted to the regulated secretory pathway, a necessity for proper processing to bioactive CART. However, expressed Leu34Phe proCART was missorted, poorly processed, and secreted constitutively. The defective intracellular sorting of Leu34Phe proCART would account for the reduced levels of bioactive CART in affected humans. These results suggest that the obesity observed in humans bearing the Leu34Phe mutation could be due to a putative deficiency in hypothalamic bioactive CART.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

Activin inhibits basal and androgen-stimulated proliferation and induces apoptosis in the human prostatic cancer cell line, LNCaP.

LNCaP cells, derived from an androgen-sensitive cell line widely employed as an in vitro model of human prostate cancer, have been shown to express activin receptors. Activin is a local regulator of cellular growth, appears to play a key role in mesoderm induction and differentiation during development, and has been implicated in gonadal tumorigenesis. Follistatin, a monomeric glycoprotein that specifically binds and neutralizes activin, is often coexpressed with activin and, thus, modulates the autocrine/paracrine biological activity of this potent growth factor. We tested the hypothesis that LNCaP growth is modulated by the activin/follistatin system. Recombinant human activin A inhibited [3H]thymidine incorporation in a dose-dependent fashion with an ED50 of approximately 0.43 +/- 0.3 nM. Activin (0.1-3 nM) also inhibited dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-stimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation in LNCaP cells. Similarly, recombinant human inhibin A inhibited LNCaP proliferation, but was only 1/100th as potent as activin. Furthermore, activin (3 nM) induced a 3-fold increase in the extent of labeling of low mol wt DNA fragments typical of apoptosis. Activin-induced apoptosis was also indicated by an increase in the number of cells with reduced DNA content, as measured by flow cytometry of activin-treated cells. Both activin-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis could be completely blocked by recombinant human follistatin. Based upon these results using an in vitro model, we speculate that activin functions locally to oppose androgen-driven cell proliferation and, thus, is a key factor controlling prostate growth. Reduced activin biosynthesis, increased follistatin secretion, or signaling defects in the activin receptor system should be further investigated in future studies as potential mechanisms underlying enhanced androgen-independent growth of human prostate cancer cells.

Activin Receptors↗

Decreased gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurosecretory response to glutamate agonists in middle-aged female rats on proestrus afternoon: a possible role in reproductive aging?

Before becoming acyclic, middle-aged rats display an attenuated LH surge and a decreased number of activated GnRH neurons. The present study examined whether the decreased activation of GnRH neurons in middle-aged rats could be due to defective glutamate neurosignaling in the hypothalamus. Arcuate nucleus/median eminence (ARC/ME) fragments were isolated from young (2-month-old) and middle-aged (9- to 11-month-old) rats at 1700 h on proestrus and incubated in vitro with or without the specific glutamate agonists, D,L-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (1 mM), kainate (1 mM), and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA; 50 mM). The results showed that basal GnRH release was similar in the two age groups. In contrast, stimulated GnRH release by D,L-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid, kainate, and NMDA was significantly attenuated in middle-aged vs. young rats. KCl stimulation at the end of the experiments confirmed the viability of all ARC/ME fragments. Quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR revealed that messenger RNA levels for the major NMDA receptor subunit (NMDAR1) were significantly lower in the preoptic area and ARC/ME of the middle-aged rat on proestrus afternoon. As a whole, these findings suggest that a defect in hypothalamic glutamate neurosignaling may be an important mechanism leading to age-related defects in LH secretion and acyclicity in female animals.

Aging↗

Altered osmotic threshold for vasopressin release and impaired thirst sensation: additional abnormalities in Kallmann's syndrome.

Seven subjects with Kallmann's syndrome were studied to determine whether they had disturbances of fluid homeostasis. Simultaneous measurements of urine and plasma osmolality (Uosm and Posm, respectively) were made during free access to fluids. The Uosm-Posm relationship was abnormal in five patients on at least one occasion. Patient 2 was frequently overhydrated (Posm less than or equal to 280 mosmol/kg) and patient 5 excreted a dilute urine when his Posm was 290 mosmol/kg. The three subjects (1, 5, and 7) tending to have an increased Psom (greater than or equal to 300 mosmol/kg) were able to concentrate their urine (Uosm greater than 800 mosmol/kg) and denied polyuria and polydipsia. Their elevated Posms could be explained by impairment of thirst, rather than increased excretion of water, because the patients concentrated their urines at normal Posms during fluid deprivation. The osmotic threshold for vasopressin release was decreased (Posm = 270.6 mosmol/kg) in one patient and increased (Posm greater than or equal to 295 mosmol/kg) in two others of the seven patients. The elevated osmotic threshold was not due to chronic hyperosmolality or a generalized defect in vasopressin secretion. In the patient with the highest osmotic threshold (Posm = 296 mosmol/kg) and Posms between 289--301 mosmol/kg during free access to fluid, the osmotic threshold decreased to only 293 mosmol/kg after 6 weeks of adequate hydration and desmopressin acetate. However, in response to hypotension induced by trimethaphan, he increased his plasma vasopressin from 1--26 microU/ml. In conclusion, some patients with Kallmann's syndrome may have osmoreceptor dysfunction and abnormal thirst regulation, indicating more extensive hypothalamic involvement than previously appreciated.

Adolescent↗

Further delineation of hypothalamic dysfunction responsible for menopausal hot flashes.

An association exists between pulsatile LH release and hot flashes (HFs). To further delineate the hypothalamic mechanism(s) responsible for HF, the basal levels and pulsatile release of LH, FSH, estradiol, and estrone and the rate of occurrence of HFs (measured objectively) were evaluated in patients with a defect of GnRH secretion [isolated gonadotropin deficiency (IGD)], patients with abnormalities of afferent input to GnRH neurons [hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA)], and postmenopausal women with severe HFs. Patients with IGD had received estrogens, which were discontinued before study. Patients with HA had experienced regular menses before disease onset, which followed emotional stress or weight loss. Studies were limited to HA patients with estrogen levels in the postmenopausal range. Pulsatile LH release was absent in patients with IGD and was absent or greatly reduced in women with HA. Objectively measured and subjectively experienced HFs occurred in IGD but not in HA patients. These results suggest that HFs are not an obligatory consequence of low endogenous estrogen levels and that the absence of episodic LH and GnRH release (IGD) does not influence the occurrence of HFs. It is possible that the dysfunction of afferent input to GnRH neurons in HA somehow prevents HFs in these women with low endogenous estrogen secretion.

Adult↗