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Biomedical subjects

A Coquerel

Publications and source records attributed to A Coquerel.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Beta-endorphin and neurotensin in brainstem and cerebrospinal fluid in the sudden infant death syndrome.

Beta-endorphin (BE) and neurotensin (NT) are two neuropeptides which induce apneas. In infants who died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) we measured, in brainstem and CSF, BE and NT by IRMA and RIA respectively. BE and NT levels are compared to same aged infant and adult controls. CSF BE level was significantly higher in SIDS than in the two control groups (86 +/- 14 vs 33 +/- 13 and 16 +/- 5 pmol/l). In 6 SIDS victims NT and BE were assayed in 5 brainstem sections, each of them divided in median, intermediate and lateral parts. We found high levels of BE in every fragment (3-11 pmol/mg protein) while NT elevated values were restricted to the mesencephalic regions (1.4-12 pmol/mg), the medial pons (6 pmol/mg) and the intermediate parts of the medulla (including the olive: 1.3-1.6 pmol/mg). These results support the hypothesis that NT and/or BE could induce or participate to the fetal issue of SIDS.

Adult↗

Atrial natriuretic peptide in the renal response to an acute protein load.

A high protein meal acutely stimulates the glomerular filtration rate. In order to assess the possible role of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) as a mediator of this renal response, the ANP plasma concentrations were measured with a sensitive radioimmunoassay method before and after a large protein load (1.5 g/kg body weight given as a meat meal). Creatinine clearance increased significantly while fractional excretion of sodium remained constant. ANP plasma concentrations did not change after the protein load and the intra-individual variations of creatinine clearance were not correlated with the intra-individual changes in ANP plasma concentrations. It was concluded that ANP was probably not involved in the renal haemodynamic changes observed after a large protein load.

Adult↗

Hypothermic effect of neuromedin N in mice and its potentiation by peptidase inhibitors.

The intracerebroventricular administration of neuromedin N (from 50 ng to 5 micrograms) elicited a dose- and time-dependent hypothermia in mice. Two aminopeptidase inhibitors, bestatin (50 micrograms) and puromycin (50 micrograms), the endopeptidase 24.11 inhibitor, thiorphan (10 micrograms), and the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril (50 micrograms), were tested for their ability to potentiate the neuromedin N-induced hypothermia. Only bestatin significantly increased the response to the peptide. In addition, thiorphan, though devoid of effect on the neuromedin N-induced hypothermia when given alone, further potentiated the response elicited by neuromedin N and bestatin. The combinations of puromycin/thiorphan and bestatin/captopril did not potentiate the neuromedin N-induced hypothermia.

Animals↗

Naloxone-insensitive potentiation of neurotensin hypothermic effect by the enkephalinase inhibitor thiorphan.

The hypothermic effect of neurotensin (0.1 microgram) injected i.c.v. in mice is potentiated by the enkephalinase inhibitor thiorphan (10 micrograms, i.c.v.). This potentiation is not reversed by systemic naloxone. The hypothermic effect of neurotensin is not modified by the amino-peptidase inhibitor bestatin (50 micrograms, i.c.v.) nor by the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril (50 micrograms, i.c.v.). These data indicate the involvement of enkephalinase in the inactivation of neurotensin, at least when it is injected i.c.v.

Amino Acids, Sulfur↗

Combined influences of Gm and HLA phenotypes upon multiple sclerosis susceptibility and severity.

In some Caucasian populations, multiple sclerosis (MS) susceptibility has been independently related to given alleles of HLA or Gm systems that respectively code for major histocompatibility complex class I and II antigens or immunoglobulin G heavy chains. Whether given combinations of alleles at both series of loci simultaneously influence MS susceptibility and/or severity was investigated by comparing 147 French MS patients and 226 geographically-matched healthy controls. The G2m(-23)/HLA-B35 phenotype and G1m(-1)/HLA-B7(-)/HLA-DR2 phenotype were respectively associated with significant protection against (relative risk = 0.05) and susceptibility to (relative risk = 4.3) MS. When considering MS severity, the presence of HLA-B7 antigen correlated with a more severe disease in Gm1/Gm3 heterozygous patients, but not in Gm3/Gm3 homozygous patients. Conversely, an HLA-B12-associated milder disease was restricted to Gm3/Gm3 homozygotes. These results demonstrate the combined influence on MS of genetic loci that are unlinked but immune response-associated. Combined Gm and HLA typing is very likely able to serve as a prognostic indicator in this disease.

Disease Susceptibility↗

IgG (Gm) allotypes and multiple sclerosis in a French population: phenotype distribution and quantitative abnormalities in CSF with respect to sex, disease severity, and presence of intrathecal antibodies.

The association of a given Gm allotype or phenotype with MS susceptibility, as previously described in some Caucasian populations, was not observed in a large French MS group, whether or not considering the possible influence of sex or disease severity. This result could be related to variations in geographical distribution of Gm alleles and MS susceptibility gene(s) or suggests the simultaneous involvement of Gm and other genetic system(s). In contrast, the corresponding CSFs exhibited already known MS-associated abnormalities of IgG1 (G1m) allotype contents, which therefore did not merely result from a Gm-associated MS susceptibility. These quantitative abnormalities were not sex dependent, but may fluctuate with MS severity. The G1m allotype levels in each CSF were not correlated with titers of various intrathecal antibodies but with the number of antibody specificities detected, a picture arguing for a polyclonal, non-antigen-specific activation of G1m allotype-producing B cells present in MS brain.

Antibodies↗

[Factors of meningeal diffusion of amoxicillin and ampicillin at the acute phase of purulent meningitis in children].

Amoxicillin and ampicillin levels were comparatively studied in blood and CSF of children with purulent meningitis. Thirty one children aged 2 months to 11 years were treated by one of two beta lactams by monotherapy in a daily dose of 200 mg/kg (Group 1: amoxicillin, n = 17; group 2: ampicillin, n = 14). Samples were collected on day 2 one hour after administration of 50 mg/kg IV of the chosen antibiotic. The mean levels observed in serum (69.5 and 53.4 micrograms/ml) and in CSF (7.74 and 7.96) were not significantly different. Beyond these levels we studied different biologic parameters in CSF: leucocytes, polymorphonuclears, protein, glucose and lactic acid. Multiple linear correlations were found, for the two groups and for the whole population between the CSF antibiotic level and the 6 other parameters (group 1: R1 = 0.82; group 2: R2 = 0.88; group 1 + 2: R3 = 0.78). The best correlated parameters with antibiotic CSF level are serum antibiotic level and CSF lactic acid. With these two parameters we can also estimate antibiotic level in CSF with good correlations (R1 = 0.78; R2 = 0.72 and R3 = 0.72).

Amoxicillin↗