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F David

Publications and source records attributed to F David.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Metabolism of 2,3-butanediol stereoisomers in the perfused rat liver.

The identification of 2,3-butanediol in sera of alcoholics led to the hypothesis that it may be a specific marker of alcohol abuse. We have investigated the metabolism of the individual isomers of 2,3-butanediol (2R,3R-, 2S,3S-, meso-2,3-butanediol and racemic 2,3-butanediol) in perfused livers from fed rats. Rates of uptake of the isomers decrease in the order (i) 2R,3R-, (ii) meso-, (iii) 2S,3S-2,3-butanediol. We observed interconversion of isomers and oxidation to acetoin with 2R,3R- and meso- but not with 2S,3S-2,3-butanediol. In perfusions conducted in deuterium oxide, interconversion of isomers was accompanied by incorporation of deuterium. Thus, interconversion of isomers occurs via a reversible oxidation to acetoin with incorporation of hydrogen from water. In perfusions with either 2R,3R- or meso-[2-14C]2,3-butanediol, the substrates were converted to labeled acetate, R-3-hydroxybutyrate and CO2, suggesting that 2,3-butanediol is oxidized to acetyl-CoA via acetoin.

3-Hydroxybutyric Acid↗

Identification of serine 624, aspartic acid 702, and histidine 734 as the catalytic triad residues of mouse dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (CD26). A member of a novel family of nonclassical serine hydrolases.

Dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (DPP IV, CD26, EC 3.4.14.5), a multifunctional ectoenzyme, is involved not only in the proteolytic cleavage of X-Pro from the NH2 terminus of a variety of biologically active peptides, but also in activation signal transduction and cell matrix adherence processes. We recently characterized mouse DPP IV cDNA and identified the serine protease Gly-X-Ser-X-Gly consensus motif in its extracellular domain. Mouse DPP IV does not exhibit sequence similarity with any of the classical members of this enzyme family (e.g. chymotrypsin and subtilisin) but shares a conserved structural domain of approximately 200 amino acids with several nonclassical serine hydrolases. In this study, analysis of the similarity of secondary structures and amino acid sequences between these enzymes led us to identify several conserved residues likely to be involved in the catalytic site of these DPP IV-related enzymes. These amino acids (Ser624, Asp702, and His734) were found to be arranged in a novel sequential order as compared with that of archetypal serine proteases (e.g. nucleophile (Ser)-acid-His versus His-acid-nucleophile (Ser), respectively). To directly explore the involvement of these residues in the catalytic function of these enzymes, we performed in vitro site-directed mutagenesis on mouse DPP IV cDNA. Our results indicate that although conservative or non-conservative permutations at these positions do not significantly alter the surface expression and biochemical properties of the mutant molecules, they completely impair their DPP IV enzymatic function. In contrast, mutagenesis of two other aspartic residues (Asp599 and Asp657), also conserved between these DPP IV-related enzymes, did not affect the enzymatic properties of the mouse enzyme. These data provide evidence that DPP IV and its related enzymes belong to a novel family that displays a catalytic triad distinct from that of the classical serine proteases.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Assay of the acetyl-CoA probe acetyl-sulfamethoxazole and of sulfamethoxazole by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

We present gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric assays for (i) the concentration of sulfamethoxazole and (ii) the concentration and molar percentage enrichment of acetyl-sulfamethoxazole in biological fluids. The compounds are extracted with ethyl acetate, derivatized with either diazomethane or pentafluorobenzyl bromide, and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Quantitation is achieved using internal standards, [2H4]sulfamethoxazole and acetyl-[2H4]sulfamethoxazole. Limits of detection are 200 nmol for the methyl derivatives and 2 nmol for the pentafluorobenzyl derivatives. The high sensitivity of the assay with the pentafluorobenzyl derivatives allows measuring in plasma and urine (i) the pharmacokinetics of sulfamethoxazole and acetyl-sulfamethoxazole and (ii) the stable isotope enrichment of the acetyl moiety of acetyl-sulfamethoxazole. The latter is used as a probe for the noninvasive chemical biopsy of liver extramitochondrial acetyl-CoA.

Acetyl Coenzyme A↗

Determination of the 13C-labeling pattern of glucose by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

We developed a gas chromatography-mass spectrometric method which allows to determine the complete 13C-labeling pattern of glucose. The method uses four derivatives of glucose (methyloxime trimethylsilyl, bisbutylboronate acetate, aldonitrile pentaacetate, and permethyl) and selective analysis of fragment ions retaining specific carbon atoms. The technique was tested by analyzing glucose from rat livers perfused with various 13C tracers. The labeling patterns agree with theoretical calculations and with literature reports where [14C]glucose was analyzed by degradation and [13C]glucose was analyzed by NMR.

Animals↗

Determination of the 13C-labeling pattern of glutamate by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

We present a simple technique for determining the 13C-labeling pattern of glutamate by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Glutamate is derivatized with dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal (Methyl-8R). The dimethylaminomethylene methyl ester derivative of glutamate yields fragment ions that allow calculation of 13C enrichment on each carbon. The technique was tested by analyzing glutamate from rat livers perfused with various 13C tracers. The labeling patterns obtained agreed with theoretical calculations or patterns reported with 14C and 13C tracers.

Animals↗

Rates of gluconeogenesis and citric acid cycle in perfused livers, assessed from the mass spectrometric assay of the 13C labeling pattern of glutamate.

Absolute rates of gluconeogenesis and of the citric acid cycle were assessed in livers isolated from 24-h starved rats, perfused with physiological concentrations of [3-13C]lactate and [3-13C]pyruvate +/- 0.2 mM octanoate. Calculations are based on (i) the 13C-labeling pattern of glutamate determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with isotopomer analysis, (ii) substrate balance, and (iii) equations developed by Magnusson et al. (Magnusson, I., Schumann, W. C., Bartsch, G. E., Chandramouli, V., Kumaran, K., Wahren, J., and Landau, B. R. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 6975-6984) based on a citric acid cycle model proposed by Katz (Katz, J. (1985) Am. J. Physiol. 248, R391-R399). Glutamate, isolated from liver extracts, is enzymatically or chemically converted to gamma-aminobutyrate, alpha-hydroxyglutarate, isocitrate, and glutamine before mass spectrometric analysis. General equations have been developed ("Appendix I") to determine the isotopic enrichment of each carbon of glutamate from the isotopic enrichment of fragments obtained from the mass spectra of trimethylsilyl or t-butyldimethylsilyl derivatives of glutamate and of derived compounds ("Appendix II"). In the presence of octanoate, (i) the rate of the citric acid cycle decreases from 0.25 to 0.13 mumol/min x g wet weight which are one-third and one-sixth of the rate of pyruvate carboxylation, and (ii) the rate of gluconeogenesis increases from 0.65 to 0.83 mumol/min x g wet weight. The rate of pyruvate carboxylation is 13 and 34-fold faster than that of pyruvate dehydrogenation in the absence or presence of octanoate, respectively. The rate of oxaloacetate to fumarate interconversion is at least six times greater than that of the citric acid cycle. Our data closely agree with those obtained by Magnusson et al. who used a non-invasive "chemical biopsy" of the human liver and support the use of labeled lactate and/or pyruvate for tracing hepatic metabolism in vivo.

Animals↗

Diversity of chromosomal genetic elements and gene identification in antibiotic-resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus bovis.

Antibiotic-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (26 strains) and Streptococcus bovis (28 strains), devoid of R plasmids, were examined for DNA-DNA homology to Tn916 and Tn3701. Tn916-like structures were found in 17 S. pneumoniae and 21 S. bovis strains. Tn916-modified structures were present in 6 S. pneumoniae and 2 S. bovis strains. Two strains of each species carried elements having a Tn3701-like composite structure. All these elements were chromosome-borne. No chromosomal elements were detected in 1 S. pneumoniae and 3 S. bovis strains.

Chromosomes, Bacterial↗

The presence of epithelioid granulomas in hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis.

We examined surgical liver specimens from 52 patients with hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis. All patients underwent orthotopic liver transplantation at Paul Brousse Hospital. They were found to be seropositive for antibodies to hepatitis C virus by second-generation testing (RIBA 2, Ortho Diagnostic Systems Inc, Westwood, MA). We detected multiple granulomas in five (10%) of the cirrhotic livers. These granulomas were composed of epithelioid cells, sometimes associated with multinucleated giant cells, and were surrounded by small lymphocytes and fibrosis. The epithelioid granulomas were located within the cirrhotic nodules. They were not present within the portal tracts or within the fibrosis. These granulomas were diffusely distributed in the liver. None of the patients with diffuse hepatic epithelioid granulomas had evidence of tuberculosis or brucellosis before transplantation or during the follow-up period (range, 3 to 20 months). They had no detectable cause of granulomatous hepatitis. The role of hepatitis C virus as a cause of epithelioid granulomas is discussed.

Adult↗

Production of interleukin 8 (IL-8) by cord blood mononuclear cells induced by Listeria monocytogenes.

The defective ability of human newborns to mobilize phagocytes to the site of infection led us to examine the ability of cord blood mononuclear cells to secrete interleukin-8, a major neutrophil chemotactic factor, in response to stimulation with Listeria monocytogenes. Adult or cord blood mononuclear cells were incubated with L. monocytogenes for varying lengths of time, and IL-8 was measured in the culture supernatants by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Spontaneous IL-8 secretion by unstimulated cells was undetectable or at the minimal detection limit of the assay. By 24 h of cell incubation with L. monocytogenes, newborn cells produced as much IL-8 as adult cells did (300 +/- 113 versus 269 +/- 189 ng/ml, respectively). Over the next 2-4 days, IL-8 output by adult cells was slightly higher than that by newborn cells, but the difference was not statistically significant. The in vitro results suggested that newborns are as able as adults to produce IL-8, although they are defective in mobilizing neutrophils, the IL-8 target cells, to the site of infection.

Adult↗

Prenatal diagnosis of hereditary amyloidosis in a Portuguese family living in France.

Portuguese type amyloidosis is an autosomal dominant condition caused by a mutation in the transthyretin gene. This mutation can be detected directly by the presence of a restriction site for NsiI. We report here our first prenatal diagnosis for this condition performed by chorionic villus sampling, polymerase chain reaction, and restriction enzyme digestion.

Amyloid Neuropathies↗

Lipid composition of leprosy-derived corynebacteria, a distinct group of corynebacteria, and of a reference Corynebacterium.

Leprosy-derived corynebacteria (LDC) are diphtheroid organisms isolated from leprosy patients and previously characterized by DNA and cell wall analysis. Three groups of LDC components of taxonomic value, glycolipids, and phospholipids and cell-wall-bound lipids were analyzed in comparison with those of a reference strain C. hoffmannii (CH). The main CH glycolipid, "cord factor" (trehalose dimycolate), was missing from LDC. Among phospholipids, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylglycerol had lowered proportions in LDC, as compared to CH, whereas phosphatidylethanolamine and cardiolipin were absent from both microorganisms. Bound lipids in acidic extracts of delipidated LDC yielded arabinose corynomycolate in lesser quantity with respect to CH. Alkaline hydrolysis of whole cells released fatty acids and mycolic acids, which were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Reference CH, grown in the absence of serum, yielded C16:0 and C18:1 (major) and C18:0 (minor) fatty acids, as well as C32, C34, and C36 corynomycolic acids. All these components, particularly mycolates, had lowered proportions when this organism was grown in the presence of serum. Dominant LDC components were, in addition to C16:0, C18:0, and CI8:u fatty acids, cholesterol from serum. Very low concentrations of corynomycolic acids with a high degree of unsaturation were found in these organisms, suggesting a dependence of lipid metabolism on growth conditions. The presence in LDC of tuberculostearic acid (C19r:0), a mycobacterial component found in some pathogenic corynebacteria, was carefully explored: Traces of C19r:0 were found in LDC 19 grown in the presence of delipidated serum, but not in LDC 15 nor in C. hoffmannii. Present data, in conjunction with previous studies on DNA and mycolic acids, disclose basic differences in the composition of LDC and conventional corynebacteria.

Cell Wall↗

Metabolism of R- and S-1,3-butanediol in perfused livers from meal-fed and starved rats.

The metabolism of millimolar concentrations of R- or S-1,3-butanediol has been studied in perfused livers from fed and starved rats. Protocols were designed to measure in the same experiment (i) uptake of the diol, (ii) the contribution of the diol to ketogenesis, (iii) the contribution of the diol to total fatty acid plus sterol synthesis, and (iv) conversion of S-1,3-butanediol into S-3-hydroxybutyrate. Our data show that R- and S-1,3-butanediol are taken up by the liver at the same rate. Most of the metabolism of R-1,3-butanediol is accounted for by conversion to the physiological ketone bodies R-3-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate. Only 29-38% of S-1,3-butanediol uptake is accounted for by conversion into physiological ketone bodies. The balance of S-1,3-butanediol metabolism is conversion to S-3-hydroxybutyrate, lipids and CO2.

Animals↗

Fractionation by SFE and microcolumn analysis of the essential oil and the bitter principles of hops.

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is evaluated and optimized for the enrichment and fractionation of the essential oil and the bitter principles of hops (Humulus lupulus), both of which contribute to the flavor of beer. Profiles of the essential oil of different hop varieties are compared. The bitter principles, the humulones and lupulones, are analyzed by miniaturized liquid chromatography (micro-LC) and by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC).

Chromatography↗

Y-chromosome-specific haplotypes of Jews detected by probes 49f and 49a.

A sample of Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews has been studied with respect to haplotypes at the 49f-49a Y-specific DNA probes. Only seven haplotypes were found in Jews, three of them (VII, VIII, and XI) being the most widespread. Haplotype distribution in the European non-Jewish population is different.

DNA Probes↗

Simple method for quantifying alpha-tocopherol in low-density+very-low-density lipoproteins and in high-density lipoproteins.

We assessed the distribution of alpha-tocopherol in serum lipoprotein samples after separating the lipoprotein fractions by either sequential ultracentrifugation or selective precipitation with sodium phosphotungstate-magnesium chloride reagent. alpha-Tocopherol concentrations were determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. After ultracentrifugation, we found that in men, low- and very-low-density serum lipoproteins (LDL-VLDL) contained 53.6% of alpha-tocopherol vs 46.4% in high-density lipoproteins (HDL). In women, serum LDL-VLDL contained 45.6% alpha-tocopherol after ultracentrifugation vs 54.4% in HDL. After selective precipitation, the proportions of alpha-tocopherol in men were 56.1% in LDL-VLDL vs 43.9% in HDL, and in women, 45.4% in LDL-VLDL vs 54.6% in HDL. After selective precipitation, alpha-tocopherol recovery from whole lipoprotein fractions was 97% to 100% vs 80% after ultracentrifugation, thus allowing more accurate alpha-tocopherol quantification than after separation by ultracentrifugation.

Adult↗