In the present work we demonstrate the presence of cysteine proteinase inhibitors of all three classes: kininogens, stefin A, and cystatin C, in inflamed human gingiva. Using cystatin C, in inflamed ...human gingiva. Using immunochemical methods we found that stefin A is the major inhibitor of cysteine proteinases, followed by kininogen and cystatin C. The values for stefin A and cystatin C ranged from 7.0--400 micrograms/g and 1.5--6.1 micrograms/g tissue, respectively, as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in inflamed gingival homogenates from patients with different degrees of periodontal disease.
The discriminatory power of three clinical tests for adrenal activity are compared by measuring the variability of the results obtained in 40 normal control subjects, 35 patients with mild essential ...hypertension, and 13 patients with Cushing syndrome. The variance of the 24-h integrated plasma concentration of cortisol was significantly (P < 0.0001) smaller than the variance of the 24-h urinary excretion of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids and free cortisol. While the 24-h urinary excretion of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids and free cortisol of the patients with Cushing syndrome overlapped with the corresponding values of the normal and hypertensive subjects, their integrated cortisol concentration did not exhibit any overlap.
Male rats were fed a diet with or without 2% di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) for 12 days. Total and peroxisomal oxidation rates of palmitic and arachidonic acid were increased in homogenates of ...liver and kidney after DEHP administration. The relative peroxisomal contribution to the total oxidation was only higher in liver. The activities of acyl-CoA oxidase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase were also higher in both tissues. Immunoblots showed that the increase of fatty acid oxidation was associated with a higher concentration of enzymes of peroxisomal and mitochondrial beta-oxidation. DEHP did not change total and peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation and activity of carnitine palmitoyltransferase of homogenates of heart and skeletal muscle. The cause for the tissue-specific response is discussed.
A 19-month-old boy presented with failure to thrive and polydipsia. Low-renin hypertension was diagnosed by the presence of hypertension, hypokalaemic alkalosis, suppressed plasma renin activity and ...low plasma aldosterone. Plasma levels and urinary excretion of other mineralocorticoids and glucocorticosteroids were low or normal. Urinary tetrahydrocortisol (THF) was increased relative to tetrahydrocortisone (THE) and also the plasma cortisol to cortisone ratio was elevated. These findings are suggestive of a decreased activity of cortisol-11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Hypertension and hypokalaemia were not influenced by spironolactone and dexamethasone. Triamterene normalised serum potassium, but addition of furosemide was required for lowering blood pressure. With this treatment catch-up growth was observed.
A preterm baby given intravenous feeding developed severe rickets. Laboratory investigation revealed hypophosphatemia as the main cause of this picture. Recovery was achieved by giving extra ...phosphorus supplementation. This case demonstrates that conventional infusates do not meet the phosphorus requirement of rapidly growing infants.
We measured pyruvate oxidation in intact leukocytes and fibroblasts by measuring 14C02 production. The optimal pyruvate concentration appeared to be higher than that usually applied. Activities ...remained constant during the incubation and were proportional to the amount of tissue protein added. Man values (+/-SD) were 2.8 +/- 0.9 nmol/h per 10(6) cells and 37 +/- 14 nmol/h per mg of protein for leukocytes and fibroblasts, respectively, for 1-14Cpyruvate oxidation; and 2.1 +/- 0.8 nmol/h per 10(6) cells and 18 +/- 7 nmol/h per mg of protein, respectively for 2-14Cpyruvate oxidation. We compared oxidation rates of pyruvate and 2-oxoglutarate by intact cells with those of isolated mitochondria. The ratio of 14CO2 production vs. activity of mitochondrial marker enzyme demonstrated that the rate of pyruvate oxidation can adequately be assayed in intact cells, but that the permeability of the cell membrane is rate-limiting in the oxidation of 2-oxoglutarate. No significant oxidation of other intermediates of the citric acid cycle was found, presumably owing to a low rate of transport of these substances across the cell membrane.
Cathepsins B, H and S were isolated from bovine lymph nodes and bovine spleen. It was shown that the incubation of homogenate at 37 degrees C at acid pH increased the total BANA hydrolase activity ...and LeuNA activity, whereas it decreased the total activity of cathepsin S. All three enzymes are electrophoretically homogeneous and probably composed of a single polypeptide chain. They exist in multiple forms as shown by isoelectric focusing. Far UV CD spectra revealed a rather high percentage of unordered structure. The three cysteine proteinases were inhibited by thiol blocking reagents, leupeptin and by an inhibitor isolated from Vipera ammodytes venom. Results on the specificity toward various substrates and the influence of pH on enzymatic activity are presented.
Immunoblot analyses of peroxisomal beta-oxidation enzymes showed that subunit A of acyl-CoA oxidase gave a stronger immunoreaction in fibroblasts of Zellweger and X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy ...patients than in those of controls. Subunits B and C and 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase were detected in fibroblasts of controls and X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy patients, but not of Zellweger patients. Total oxidation of palmitic and lignoceric acid was normal in homogenates of fibroblasts from Zellweger and X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy patients. The peroxisomal oxidation of both acids was only deficient in Zellweger patients. These data may not reflect the situation in vivo, as is evident from the accumulation of very-long-chain fatty acids in Zellweger and X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy patients.
