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Biomedical subjects

B E Banks

Publications and source records attributed to B E Banks.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Anti-inflammatory activity of bee venom peptide 401 (mast cell degranulating peptide) and compound 48/80 results from mast cell degranulation in vivo.

1. The relationship between the anti-inflammatory activity of the bee venom peptide 401 in the carrageenin-induced oedema of the rat hind paw and its mast cell degranulating activity has been reinvestigated. 2. Mast cell degranulation caused by compound 48/80 (10 mg kg-1) or by allergen challenge in rats sensitized to Nippostrongylus brasiliensis also suppressed rat hind paw oedema in the same test. 3. The anti-inflammatory activities of peptide 401 and compound 48/80 were partially suppressed by pretreatment of rats with mepyramine and methysergide, at doses (2.5 mg kg-1) that completely suppressed skin reactions to these mast cell-derived amines. Pretreatment of rats with compound 48/80 also suppressed the apparent anti-inflammatory actions of peptide 401 and of compound 48/80. 4. Injection of peptide 401 together with carrageenin increased the inflammatory response in the rat hind paw. 5. The anti-inflammatory activity of peptide 401 and of compound 48/80 in the carrageenin-induced swelling of the rat hind paw arises from mast cell degranulation in vivo.

Allergens↗
PubMed1985

On the immunology of nerve growth factor.

We report some experiments on the immunological properties of nerve growth factor from the venom of Heloderma horridum and from bull seminal vesicles. On the basis of these results, taken together with results already in the literature, we propose an operational definition of the term nerve growth factor.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Nerve growth factor has anti-inflammatory activity in the rat hindpaw oedema test.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) affects the development of sympathetic neurons in neonatal rodents and, at very much lower levels, stimulates fibre growth from certain neurones in culture. At levels comparable to those used in culture and found in mammalian sera, NGF has recently been shown to suppress the hindpaw oedema induced in adult rats by injection of carrageenin. On a weight basis, NGF is ten times more active in this test than dexamethasone, and a thousand times more active than the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, indomethacin. It is equally effective given locally and systemically.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Mechanisms of hydrolysis of adenosine 5'-triphosphate, adenosine 5'-diphosphate, and inorganic pyrophosphate in aqueous perchloric acid.

The acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) has been found to give rise both to adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP) and inorganic phosphate and to adenosine 5'-phosphate (AMP) and inorganic pyrophosphate. Kinetic and isotope studies on the mechanism of hydrolysis of ATP therefore depend on a knowledge of the mechanism of hydrolysis of the polyphosphate products, ADP and inorganic pyrophosphate. The latter reactions have been studied over the acidity range 1--5 M perchloric acid at 25 degrees C while the more complex problem of the hydrolysis of ATP has been followed at a single acidity (3 M perchloric acid). The positions of bond fission have been determined for both ATP and ADP.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1979

Apamin blocks certain neurotransmitter-induced increases in potassium permeability.

Apamin is a neurotoxic polypeptide of known structure isolated from bee venom. Shuba and coworkers have recently shown that it abolishes the hyperpolarising action of externally-applied ATP on visceral smooth muscle (guinea pig stomach and taenia coli) as well as the hyperpolarisation (inhibitory junction potential) that follows stimulation of the non-adrenergic inhibitory nerve supply to these tissues. As it has been proposed that ATP is the neurotransmitter involved in the latter response, Vladimirova and Shuba tentatively concluded that apamin is a specific postsynaptic blocking agent of this non-adrenergic, possibly 'purinergic', inhibition. We have confirmed the important observation that nanomolar concentrations of apamin reduce inhibition by ATP and by non-adrenergic nerve stimulation, but further experiments suggest that, rather than acting as a specific blocker of ATP receptors, apamin inhibits the increase in potassium permeability caused by a number of agents, including ATP.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1978

On the mechanism of immunosympathectomy.

The effects in vivo and in vitro of the antiserum to mouse nerve growth factor (NGF) are independent of the presence of complement. These results are consistent with the view that the antiserum acts by neutralizing endogenous NGF.

Animals↗