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Biomedical subjects

A Burchell

Publications and source records attributed to A Burchell.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Reactive hypoglycaemia in association with disordered islet function and abnormal hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase activity: response to diazoxide.

Severe reactive hypoglycaemia was confirmed in a non-diabetic male patient by a counter-regulatory hormone (GH, cortisol and catecholamine) response to profound hypoglycaemia induced by an intravenous glucose load. There was also evidence of disordered pancreatic islet cell paracrine regulation with hyperinsulinaemia and absent glucagon response to hypoglycaemia. A defect in the patient's hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase enzyme system was documented. Because of severe symptoms, dietary control was insufficient, but the patient responded clinically and biochemically to 18 months of oral diazoxide therapy. He also showed good biochemical response to a single dose (100 micrograms IM) of the somatostatin analogue octreotide.

Adult↗

Improved preparation of hepatic microsomes for in vitro diagnosis of inherited disorders of the glucose-6-phosphatase system.

Disruption of microsomal membranes after freezing liver samples can undermine the reliability of in vitro enzymatic diagnosis of the type 1 glycogen storage diseases. However, freezing of biopsy material is necessary if biopsy samples are to be safely transported to the place of assay. We have therefore examined several different methods (each of which could easily be carried out in routine hospital laboratories) of preparing and freezing liver tissue before analysis for glucose-6-phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.9) enzyme activity, and determination of microsomal intactness. Our study showed that homogenizing fresh liver, and centrifuging the homogenate at 10,000 x g for 10 min at 4 degrees C, followed by freezing the resulting supernatant material at -80 degrees C, provided the optimum source of material for subsequent preparation of microsomes for analysis of glucose-6-phosphatase activity. We also demonstrated that 1-naphthol UDP glucuronosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.17) activity could be used to assess microsomal intactness in cases of type 1a glycogen storage disease, where mannose-6 phosphatase activity cannot be used.

Animals↗

Calcium activates glucose-6-phosphatase in intact rat hepatic microsomes.

The effects of Ca2+ on the microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase activity were investigated. Evidence is provided that increases by Ca2+ in both the pyrophosphatase and the glucose-6-phosphate-hydrolysing activities are due to an increase in microsomal transport capacity of T2, the phosphate/pyrophosphate-transport protein.

Animals↗

Molecular pathology of glucose-6-phosphatase.

It was known in the 1950s that hepatic microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase plays an important role in the regulation of blood glucose levels. All attempts since then to purify a single polypeptide with glucose-6-phosphatase activity have failed. Until recently, virtually nothing was known about the molecular basis of glucose-6-phosphatase or its regulation. Recent studies of the type 1 glycogen storage diseases, which are human genetic deficiencies that result in impaired glucose-6-phosphatase activity, have greatly increased our understanding of glucose-6-phosphatase. Glucose-6-phosphatase has been shown to comprise at least five different polypeptides, the catalytic subunit of glucose-6-phosphatase with its active site situated in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum; a regulatory Ca2+ binding protein; and three transport proteins, T1, T2, and T3, which respectively allow glucose-6-phosphate, phosphate, and glucose to cross the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Purified glucose-6-phosphatase proteins, immunospecific antibodies, and improved assay techniques have led to the diagnosis of a variety of new type 1 glycogen storage diseases. Recent studies of the type 1 glycogen storage diseases have led to a much greater understanding of the role and regulation of each of the glucose-6-phosphatase proteins.

Biological Transport↗

The ontogeny of human hepatic microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase proteins.

We have studied 250 human liver biopsy samples to determine the ontogeny of the microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.9) system. Human hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase enzyme activity develops at 11 weeks' gestation and slowly increases to approximately 10% of adult activity at term. In the first week after birth, activity rises to adult values. Increases in enzyme activity coincide with increasing concentrations of the glucose-6-phosphatase enzyme protein. The phosphate/pyrophosphate transport protein (T2) of the human hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase complex develops at a different rate from that of the enzyme. Our study shows that the development of rat and human glucose-6-phosphatase activities are completely different. We conclude that deficiencies of the proteins in the microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase complex can be diagnosed with much more certainty perinatally than prenatally.

Adult↗

Amiloride activation of hepatic microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase; activation of T1?

The mechanism of activation of hepatic microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.9) in vitro by amiloride has been investigated in both intact and fully disrupted microsomes. The major effect of amiloride is a 4.5-fold reduction in the Km of glucose-6-phosphatase activity in intact diabetic rat liver microsomes. Amiloride also decreased the Km of glucose-6-phosphatase activity in intact liver microsomes isolated from starved rats 2.5-fold. Kinetic calculations, direct enzyme assays and direct transport assays all demonstrated that the site of amiloride action was T1, the hepatic microsomal glucose 6-phosphate transport protein. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of an activation of any of the proteins of the multimeric hepatic microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase complex.

Amiloride↗

Hepatic microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase system and sudden infant death syndrome.

Microassay techniques and monospecific antibodies were used to study the hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase system in liver samples from 55 infants who had died suddenly and unexpectedly, including 38 victims of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Raised hepatic glycogen was found in 10, all of whom had a diagnosis of SIDS, and in 1 other infant who was already known to have type 1b glycogen storage disease (deficiency of transport protein T1). Of the 10 infants with raised hepatic glycogen who had a diagnosis of SIDS, 8 had glucose-6-phosphatase deficiency (type 1a glycogen storage disease), and 2 had transport protein T2 deficiency (type 1c glycogen storage disease).

Glucose-6-Phosphatase↗

The microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase enzyme of human gall-bladder.

Microsomes isolated from adult human gall-bladders have for the first time been shown to contain specific glucose-6-phosphatase activity. The gall-bladder glucose-6-phosphatase enzyme has the same molecular weight (36,500 daltons) and similar immunological properties and kinetic characteristics to the hepatic microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase enzyme.

Adult↗