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C Dive

Publications and source records attributed to C Dive.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Improved methodology for intracellular enzyme reaction and inhibition kinetics by flow cytometry.

Flow cytoenzymology is the determination of enzyme activities or concentrations in single intact cells. Using the flow cytometer built and designed in our laboratory and recent modifications to hardware and software, we have developed an improved dynamic flow cytoenzymological procedure for the assay of cellular enzyme kinetics. The reaction mixture is sampled continuously, and the computer clock incorporates time as a parameter for kinetic determinations. Conditions for cellular esterase analysis were optimized and the rates of hydrolysis of two fluorogenic substrates, fluorescein diacetate (FDA) and 4-methylumbelliferone acetate (MUA), by esterases in EMT6 mouse mammary tumor cells were studied. Reaction kinetics were characterized, and Km values of 19 and 72 microM were obtained for the hydrolysis of FDA and MUA respectively. The kinetics of the cellular efflux of fluorescein were investigated, and a half-life of 7.5 min obtained. Enzyme inhibition kinetics were investigated using the competitive substrates p-nitrophenyl acetate and phenyl acetate, and the carbamoylating agents physostigmine and n-butyl isocyanate. The latter was particularly potent with an I50 of 4.8 X 10(-5) M for FDA hydrolysis compared with 6.5 X 10(-3) M for physostigmine. The I50 of 8.8 X 10(-5) M for n-butyl isocyanate inhibition of MUA hydrolysis was similar to that obtained with FDA as substrate. By monitoring FDA and MUA reactions separately and simultaneously, we showed them to act as competitive substrates. A comparison of flow cytoenzymological and conventional spectrofluorimetric analysis was also made, and differences identified in some cases.

Animals↗

Hepatic ascaridiasis.

Adult Ascaris, which are usually found in the intestine, can enter the ampulla of Vater if the sphincter of Oddi is not efficient. This situation seems common in children; in adults it occurs after endoscopic or surgical sphincterotomy. The worms can then migrate up into the intrahepatic bile ducts and provoke biliary stasis which may become infected and complicated by abscesses. It is inside such abscesses that we may find fragments of adult Ascaris. In the 4 cases reported in the literature during the last 20 years, we note in particular that the clinical signs vary considerably, according to the age of the patient. In children, the parasitic infestation is often massive and the clinical features are extremely serious, namely shock and acute abdominal pain, which lead to a laparotomy being done. In adults, the clinical feature is that of a biliary infection. Here we describe a fifth case of hepatic ascaridiasis which differs from the others in that the diagnosis was established by ERCP and CT scan and that treatment was medical.

Aged↗

Cellular adaptation of the rat small intestine after proximal enterectomy: changes in microvillous enzymes and in the secretory component of immunoglobulins.

To investigate the adaptation of functions expressed by the villous and crypt cell of the intestinal mucosa after intestinal resection, a 50% proximal enterectomy or a single transection was performed in 16 growing rats weighing 175-200 g. Ten days following the enterectomy, we determined the mucosal mass parameters (weight, protein, and DNA content), the activity of microvillous enzymes (lactase, sucrase, and aminopeptidase) in villus cells, and the concentration of the secretory component of immunoglobulins in crypt cells isolated from the proximal intestinal remnant. Mucosal hyperplasia was attested by the finding that mucosal weight, protein, and DNA content per cm of intestinal length were significantly (p less than 0.01) higher (+29 to +48%) in the resected group than in transected controls. The specific activity of lactase, sucrase, and aminopeptidase were significantly (p less than 0.05) lower (-23 to -56%) in villous cells isolated from the intestinal remnant of resected rats compared to controls. Sucrase activity was depressed in each cell fraction of the entire villous-crypt unit resulting in a lower villous to crypt gradient of enzyme activity. Km for the enzyme determined in villous cells was similar in both groups but the Vmax was reduced proportionally to the enzyme activity in the resected group indicating less enzyme per cell. By contrast, the concentration of secretory component measured by an immunoradiometric assay in both villous and crypt cells was significantly (p less than 0.05) increased (+37 to 45%) following proximal enterectomy. Our data indicate that the response of the epithelial cell to intestinal resection varies according to the metabolic function and that the mechanism of adaptation at the cellular level is complex.

Adaptation, Biological↗

[Infectious colitis. Endoscopy].

Colon and rectum localizations of an disease or a parasitosis depend essentially on the nature of the pathogenous agent and the host resistance. Acute enterocolitis is secondary to enterotoxinogenous germs (such as cholera vibrio), invasive germs (such as shigella), penetrating germs (such as salmonella); viruses are seldom concerned. Parasitic colitis include mostly amibiasis and bilharziosis. Infectious and parasitic enterocolitis may be transmitted sexually. On the other hand, certain venereal diseases have intestinal manifestations. Finally, in AIDS, timely gastro-intestinal infections develop. The diagnosis rests on endoscopy, histological examination and biological and parasitological samplings.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Immunohistochemical localization of secretory component in the liver of guinea pigs and dogs versus rats, rabbits, and mice.

Secretory component (SC) was localized in the liver of guinea pigs, dogs, rabbits, rats, and mice. In rabbits, rats, and mice SC localized predominantly in bile canaliculi and on hepatocyte sinusoidal membranes but was doubtful in cholangiocytes . In dogs and guinea pigs SC-staining was not detected in/on hepatocytes and canaliculi but was strong in/on cholangiocytes , as reported for humans. In guinea pigs IgA biliary output was small (0.23 mg/kg/day), as for dogs and humans, and below IgG output (1.4 mg), in contrast to rats, whose IgA biliary output (38 mg/kg/day) was much larger than IgG output (2mg). Biliary obstruction in guinea pigs induced only minor increases in serum IgA (+ 26% over 24 h), as reported for dogs and humans, in contrast to rats (+ 800% over 24h) and rabbits. Hepatocyte SC expression correlates with IgA hepatobiliary excretion, being low in guinea pigs, dogs, and humans but high in rats, rabbits, and mice.

Animals↗

Secretion of immunoglobulins and plasma proteins from the jejunal mucosa. Transport rate and origin of polymeric immunoglobulin A.

Parameters of secretion of IgA and several other plasma proteins from the jejunal mucosa were investigated in 11 individuals who had a normal distribution of Ig-containing cells in the lamina propria and in one patient who was totally deficient in jejunal IgA and IgM plasmacytes. Jejunal samples were collected during segmental gut perfusion. The following results were obtained: (a) The secretion of polymeric IgA (p-IgA, mean equals 217 micrograms/40 cm per min) exceeded those of albumin (132 micrograms), IgG (35 micrograms), and monomeric IgA (m-IgA, 15 micrograms, or 6.4% of total IgA). About 35% of IgA was IgA2 in the jejunal secretion, compared with approximately 23% in serum. This closely corresponds to the 35 and 24% of IgA2 plasmocytes in jejunal mucosa and peripheral lymph nodes, respectively. (b) For each protein, a relative coefficient of excretion (RCE) was calculated (jejunum to serum concentration ratio expressed relative to that of albumin). RCEs of 1.41 for orosomucoid, 1.0 for albumin, 0.83 for IgG, and 0.74 for IgE and, in the deficient patient, of 0.64 for m-IgA and 0.016 for IgM were obtained. This was inversely related to the molecular weight of these proteins and indicated their predominantly passive transport into the jejunum. However, in normal individuals, the RCE of transferrin (approximately 1.11 greater than 1, P greater than 0.05), alpha 2-macro globulin (approximately 0.77), m-IgA (approximately 1.98), and p-IgA (approximately 218) exceeded the value expected from simple seepage from plasma, thus pointing to an additional role of either local gut synthesis and/or active transepithelial transport. (c) Approximately 98% of p-IgA, approximately 99% of IgM, and approximately 68% of m-IgA in jejunal secretions were derived from local production in the gut wall, as determined by 125I-p-IgA specific activities and/or by comparison between the RCE values of the deficient patient to the values of controls. Therefore, the jejunal production of p-IgA (approximately 312 mg/d per 40 cm vs. approximately 54 mg/d from bile) contributes the majority of upper intestinal IgA in humans. The active transport of plasma p-IgA across the intestinal mucosa (approximately 0.08 mg/40 cm per kg per d) contributes less than 2% of the total amount of p-IgA (4.5 mg/kg per d) that is cleared daily from plasma.

Adult↗

Localization and serum concentration of secretory component during massive necrosis of human liver.

The serum concentration of secretory component was monitored in 9 patients with massive liver necrosis. During acute cytolysis, no increase in serum secretory component levels was observed. Later on, patients with fulminant evolution displayed minor elevations. Values as high as those usually found in acute hepatitis were only observed in cases with delayed liver failure. In these patients, levels were elevated before failure, dropped as liver failure developed, and rose again during recovery. This evolution of serum secretory component level cannot be accounted for by a defective liver clearance of circulating secretory component. It rather suggests a release into the blood of secretory component produced in the liver by cells other than damaged hepatocytes, possibly during liver regeneration. In 3 cases, secretory component localization in the liver was demonstrated by immunocytochemistry and was compared with that in normal liver and in obstructive jaundice. In normal liver, it was restricted to portal bile duct cells and lumens. In obstructive jaundice, additional secretory component staining was found in bile canaliculi. After fatal liver necrosis, secretory component was localized to portal ducts and to a variable proportion of the cholangiocytelike cells belonging to the numerous extraportal proliferating ducts. In these structures, 0.1%, 21%, and 4% of the cells were stained 3, 8, and 30 days after maximal cytolysis, respectively. Remaining hepatocytes and bile canaliculi or bile plugs were unstained. Therefore, portal cholangiocytes and extraportal cholangiocytelike cells are probably essential sources of secretory component in human liver. We propose that proliferation of extraportal cholangiocytelike cells, expression of secretory component synthesis by these cells, and their inability to secrete secretory component in a disorganized biliary tree result in the elevated serum concentration of secretory component observed after acute liver necrosis.

Acute Disease↗

Changes in size, subclass, and metabolic properties of serum immunoglobulin A in liver diseases and in other diseases with high serum immunoglobulin A.

We have studied the relative contributions of monomeric (m-) and polymeric IgA (p-IgA) and of IgA1 and IgA2 to total serum IgA in healthy adults and patients with liver disease (LD) or with other diseases and high serum IgA. Serum concentration of total secretory component (SC) was also determined. In addition, fractional catabolic rates (FCR) and synthetic rates for both m- and p-IgA were measured in nine controls and nine cirrhotics. Our results support four main conclusions: (a) In healthy adults, intravascular p-IgA contributes to only 4-22% (mean 12%) of serum IgA, because its FCR and synthetic rate are approximately two times higher and four times smaller, respectively, than those of intravascular m-IgA. (b) in LD, biliary obstruction does not result in a significant increase in serum p-IgA unlike in rats and rabbits, indicating that in humans the SC-dependent biliary transport of p-IgA plays a much less significant role in selective removal of p-IgA from plasma than in rats and rabbits. (c) In contrast to biliary obstruction, parenchymal LD results in a significant and preferential increase in serum p-IgA, which in cirrhotics correlates with a selective reduction of the p-IgA-FCR. This supports a role for the human liver in selective removal of p-IgA from plasma, but another mechanism than the SC-dependent biliary transport should be considered. (d) Total SC, p-IgA, and IgA2 in serum are unlinked parameters, not necessarily reflecting mucosal events. A marked increase in serum SC occurs almost selectively in LD. Although a shift to IgA2 is suggested in Crohn's disease and alcoholic cirrhosis, a shift to IgA1 frequently associated to a shift to p-IgA occurs in chronic active LD, primary Sicca, and connective tissue diseases.

Adult↗

Breath 14CO2 after intravenous administration of [14C]aminopyrine in liver diseases.

The determination of of 14CO2 in breath after oral administration of [14C]aminopyrine has been proposed as a quantitative liver function test. In order to shorten the procedure and avoid misinterpretations related to variable rates of intestinal absorption, the [14C]aminopyrine breath test (ABT) was performed after intravenous administration of [14C]aminopyrine in 21 controls and 89 patients with biopsy-proven liver disease. The specific activity of the first hour sample corrected for body weight (SA1) was the most discriminant expression of breath data. The SA1 value, expressed as the percentage of the administered dose, was 0.86 +/- 0.1% (mean +/- SD) in controls and significantly less in patients (0.46 +/- 0.31%). Low values were observed in patients with untreated chronic active hepatitis (0.16 +/- 0.13%), alcoholic cirrhosis (0.2 +/ 0.15%0, and untreated postnecrotic cirrhosis (0.47 +/- 0.17%). In contrast, normal values were obtained in chronic persistent hepatitis (0.86 +/- 0.13%) and 58% of noncirrhotic alcoholic liver diseases (0.83 +/- 0.27%). The results of duplicate studies were reproducible and SA1 correlated with other conventional liver function tests, including 45-min BSP retention. Among these, ABT was the most sensitive screening test for the presence of cirrhosis, especially in alcoholic patients, where it allowed a sharp distinction between cirrhotic and noncirrhotic cases. The results obtained in chronic hepatitis suggested that ABT may provide a reliable index of the activity of the disease. In our hands, intravenous ABT, performed over a 1-hr period, was a fast, sensitive, and discriminant liver function test.

Administration, Oral↗

Selective transport of polymeric immunoglobulin A in bile. Quantitative relationships of monomeric and polymeric immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin M, and other proteins in serum, bile, and saliva.

In 17 adults, serum, hepatic bile, and saliva samples were analyzed for their sedimentation profile of IgA and secretory component (SC), and for their concentrations of albumin, orosomucoid, transferrin, IgG, IgA, alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M), IgM, and SC. Polymeric IgA(p-IgA) averaged 13% (50-700 micrograms/ml) of total IgA in serum, 70% (43-88%) in bile, and 93% (74-98%) in saliva. Most of the p-IgA in bile sedimented with SC, which also occurred free (8-44%), and with IgM. In bile, albumin (155-1,485 micrograms/ml) was the predominant protein, followed by IgG (32-480 micrograms/ml), and total IgA (37-209 micrograms/ml). In saliva, p-IgA (72-902 micrograms/ml) predominated, followed by albumin (16-385 micrograms/ml) and IgG (9-178 micrograms/ml). Secretion-to-serum albumin-relative concentration ratios (S/S-ARCR = 1 for albumin) in bile averaged 22 for p-IgA, 1.91 for IgM, 1.28 for monomeric IgA (m-IgA), 0.70 for IgG, and 0.57 for alpha 2M, indicating for p-IgA, IgM, and to a lesser extent for m-IgA, a selective excretion into bile. In saliva, a 16-fold greater selective excretion of p-IgA (mean S/S-ARCR = 354) was found. Labeled m- and p-IgA were injected intravenously into five patients. Specific activities indicated that for p-IgA 50% was serum derived in bile, as compared with 2% in saliva, and to 85% for m-IgA in bile. In the patient with the highest excretion of 125I-p-IgA in bile, only 2.8% of the injected dose was recovered in bile within 24 h after injection. Compared with rats and rabbits, the serum-to-bile transport of p-IgA in humans is much smaller.

Bile↗

Serum IgM-bound secretory component (sIgM) in liver diseases: comparative molecular state of the secretory component in serum and bile.

The sera of 15 patients with liver disease and high serum concentrations of secretory component (SC) were analyzed by density gradient ultracentrifugation and radioimmunoassays for SC, IgA, and IgM to determine the molecular state of SC and IgA. Results in serum were compared to those obtained by simultaneous analysis of bile in five of the patients, and to those in serum and bile of a case of total IgA deficiency. Free SC was virtually not found in sera, although it was well represented in all bile, up to 88 and 97% of total bile SC in a case of complete biliary obstruction and in IgA deficiency, respectively. IgM-bound SC was found in all sera, amounting to 91% and 100% of total serum SC, respectively, in a case of acute hepatitis with a very high serum IgM concentration and in IgA deficiency. The proportions of SC bound to IgM and to polymeric IgA (p-IgA) in the sera correlated with their IgM/p-IgA molar ratio. This suggests that during liver disease, the hepatobiliary tissues could release free SC into the circulation, where it binds to p-IgA and IgM according to their respective concentrations and affinities for SC. The proportion of p-IgA in serum was not increased in four cases of biliary obstruction, in contrast to our cases of cirrhosis and acute hepatitis, indirectly supporting a minor transfer of p-IgA from blood to bile in humans, in contrast to rats and rabbits.

Acute Disease↗

Controlled trial of cimetidine in reflux esophagitis.

In an eight-week double-blind trial, the effectiveness of cimetidine (1.6 g/day) was compared to placebo in 34 patients with symptomatic esophagitis confirmed by endoscopy with biopsies and/or by acid infusion test. Patients treated with cimetidine had significantly less symptomatic days during the first six weeks and less symptomatic nights during the first two weeks, and they consumed less antacids during the whole trial period. Endoscopic evaluation of 17 patients on cimetidine and of 15 patients on placebo did not show any significant difference in severity and extent of esophageal lesions after eight weeks, but histological assessment of 16 patients on cimetidine and 13 patients on placebo showed a significant improvement after eight weeks of cimetidine (P < 0.025). These results show that cimetidine has a rapid effect on symptoms of reflux esophagitis and that, in some cases, it may reduce the esophageal lesions after eight weeks.

Administration, Oral↗