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Biomedical subjects

G Guillon

Publications and source records attributed to G Guillon.

123 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

[Multiplicity of the molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase and thermal acclimatization in Carassius auratus].

Multiple forms of acetylcholinesterase have been studied in Goldfish adapted to 15 degrees C and 25 degrees C. Three forms of enzyme (sedimenting at 18S, 12S and 5S) could be distinguished by sucrose gradient centrifugation. Their molecular and enzymatic properties did not vary with environmental temperature. It was noted that the relative proportion of the three forms differed between brain and muscle extracts, the 18S forms predominating in muscle (about 75 per cent) the 12S forms being more abundant in the brain, suggesting a physiological differentiation between these forms. The latter form varied from 48 per cent to 70 per cent in Goldfish adapted to 15 degrees and 25 degrees C respectively. The relative efficiency of saline buffer solubilization for each form also depended on the tissue used and in all cases decreased with rising environmental temperature. These two facts are taken to reflect interactions between acetylcholinesterase and membrane that depend on the nature of the membrane and probably involve the aliphatic chains of its phospholipids. The greater case of solubilization found in the low temperature adapted fish may be a function of the increased fluidity of the cellular membranes formed at lower temperatures.

Animals↗

[Pool kinetics and pathways of 45Ca exchange in rat hepatocytes].

The loading and loss kinetics of cellular 45Ca were studied in rat liver cells. The data are described by a three compartment system. Six arrangements of the exchange pathways of these pools are presented. Taking into account the Ca stocking properties of cell organels, two models may be emphasized.

Animals↗

Fluorescent peptide hormones: development of high affinity vasopressin analogues.

Highly potent and specific peptide hormone analogues with fluorescent reporter groups are current research goals. Until now, however, only moderately potent analogues have been described. We report here several types of vasopressin (VP) analogues with different fluorophores attached to the peptide. In a first series, fluorophores were attached to the free epsilon amino function of [des-amino1-lysine8]VP (dLVP), producing agonistic analogues. In a second series, reporter groups were added to the N-terminal of open-chain antagonist structures. The biological activities of these analogues were assessed by two different sets of experiments: 1) The measurement of their binding affinities towards the V1a-vasopressin receptor subtype from WRK1 cells or rat liver membrane preparations; 2) Their ability to stimulate the phospholipase C activity in WRK1 cells. As expected, a simple acylation of fluorophores to dLVP resulted in a considerable loss of affinity. If however, the Lys8 side chain was extended through double Schiff-base formation with glutaraldehyde-ethylenediamine followed by reduction to an aminoalkyl aminoalkylamine, single fluorophores could be added without loss of affinity compared to VP. The open-chain analogues, on the other hand, while displaying weak affinity, nevertheless exhibited pure antagonistic behavior.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Hormone-mediated inositol lipid breakdown in hepatocytes and WRK1 cells: relationship to receptor function.

All hormones and neurotransmitters which provoke their intracellular effects by increasing the cytosolic concentration of Ca2+ in their target cells also stimulate the breakdown of inositol phospholipids. Much evidence suggests that this breakdown is intimately involved in the mechanism which couples cell-surface receptor activation to intracellular Ca2+ mobilization. Recent results indicate that the primary, receptor-mediated event in stimulated cells is a phosphodiesteric hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate to yield inositol trisphosphate and diacylglycerol. It is likely that both products of this reaction fulfill 'second messenger' roles within stimulated cells.

Acetylcholine↗

Cyclic AMP-independent effects of ACTH on glomerulosa cells of the rat adrenal cortex.

The aim of the present paper is to point out the complexity of ACTH action in glomerulosa cells of the adrenal cortex. We demonstrate that the increase in cAMP production induced by ACTH is the result of a balance between activation of adenylyl cyclase and direct modulation of a PDE2 phosphodiestease activity, an effect mediated by inhibition of cGMP content. Moreover, Ca2+ is essential for cAMP production and aldosterone secretion, but its exact primary action is not clearly determined. We recently described that ACTH activated a chloride channel, via the Ras protein, which can be involved in steroidogenesis. ACTH also increases tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins. These data, together with those of phospholipase C activation, indicate that ACTH action in the adrenal is complex, and most certainly not limited to cAMP production, in particular for the low concentrations of the hormone. Some years ago, cAMP was considered to be the unique second messenger of ACTH action; now it becomes more and more evident that ACTH triggers complex signaling pathways using several second messengers in a closely interacting way. The most predominant point is that these signals are observed for low concentrations of ACTH.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

Regulation of adrenocortical function by vasopressin.

Accumulating data obtained from various animal species indicate that vasopressin (AVP) participates in the regulation of adrenocortical function. AVP doubled aldosterone and cortisol secretion but did not affect corticosterone secretion. Pharmacological studies indicate that the AVP receptors in the cortex belong to the V1 a subtype. Activation of V1 a receptors induces breakdown of membrane phosphoinositides, with subsequent accumulation of inositol phosphates and diacylglycerol. These effects occur after receptor binding, G-protein activation and coupling to a specific phospholipase C. Inositol trisphosphate, transiently produced, induces a rapid release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores. Diacylglycerol activates protein kinase C, which, together with calcium, is responsible for steroid secretion. The early events of AVP action are mediated by two types of G-proteins. One is coupled to phospholipase C, and insensitive to pertussis toxin (probably Gq/11) and a second one, which is inactivated by pertussis toxin (Gi protein), is involved in the stimulation of calcium influx. This Ca2+ influx pathway is very important, as no steroidogenic effect of AVP could be observed when experiments were performed in a calcium-free medium or in pertussis toxin-treated cells. Besides the pituitary, the adrenal is also a source for AVP production. Indeed, AVP is synthesized and secreted by chromaffin cells either present in the medulla or scattered throughout the cortex with a more prominent concentration in zona glomerulosa. AVP receptors are also present on chromaffin cells. However, in contrast to AVP receptors in the cortex, these mainly belong to the V1 b subtype, although V1 a receptors are also detected. The results summarized in this review conclusively indicate that AVP is one of the regulators of both cortex and medulla, an influence which may be mediated in part via pituitary AVP and in part via local production of AVP.

Adrenal Cortex↗

Vasopressin : a potent autocrine/paracrine regulator of mammal adrenal functions.

The control of adrenal functions by locally secreted neuropeptides or neurotransmitters is of great physiological importance. Vasopressin (VP) is one of these autocrine/paracrine regulators. We demonstrated by RT-PCR and perifusion experiments that rat and human adrenal medulla expressed and released vasopressin under basal conditions and under stimulation by acetylcholine. Intra-adrenal concentrations of VP may be sufficient to activate adrenal VP receptors. In the cortex, only the V1a receptor subtype has been detected. It triggered both steroid secretion and cortical growth. In the medulla, both V1a and V1b receptor subtypes were expressed. V1b receptors were mainly present on chromaffin cells and stimulated catecholamine secretion. The role of the V1a receptor remains unclear. Pathophysiological studies also revealed that human pheochromocytoma did not overexpress vasopressin receptors but might oversecrete vasopressin causing high plasma VP concentrations and elevated blood pressure.

Adrenal Glands↗

Adrenal steroid-secreting cells express endothelin-1.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is involved in adrenal steroid secretion but its cell origin remains unclear. We showed, using RT-PCR the expression of the mRNAs for preproET-1 and ECE-1 in primary cultures of human adrenal cells enriched in glomerulosa cells. Since these expressions could be due to contamination of steroid secreting cells by other cells, we also used the human adrenocortical cell line H295R, which was shown to produce steroids. This cell line also expressed preproET-1-RNA and released mature ET. Functional ET receptors were shown on H295R and cultured human adrenocortical cells. These findings indicate that adrenal steroid-secreting cells synthesize and release ET-1, raising the possibility for an autocrine-paracrine effect of ET-1 on adrenocortical functions.

Adrenal Cortex↗

Night sleep heart rate patterns recorded by cardiopneumography at home in normal and at-risk for SIDS infants.

It has been reported that infants at higher than normal epidemiological risk for the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) have abnormal cardiac autonomic activity. A prospective work was performed using cardiopneumographic recordings (CPG) in order to evaluate heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) patterns in sleeping normal control infants (C) and in infants at-risk for SIDS in their normal environment at home. One hundred appropriate-for-gestational age full-term infants were studied: 28 C, 48 SIDS siblings (SS), and 24 near-miss for SIDS (NM) within the first 2 weeks following the first detected apparent life-threatening event. The three groups of infants were comparable with respect to gestational and conceptional ages, birthweights, sex distribution and socio-economic backgrounds. CPG were done over two successive nights. Records were visually analysed for sleep states (quiet: QS, and combined active + indeterminate sleep: AIS) and wakefulness (W) coding. Periods of W were not analysed. An automatic programme allowed us to study HR minute-by-minute, and to assess whether HR and HRV patterns were specific to a certain part of the night, records were divided into three periods (2200-0040 h, 0041-0320 h, and 0321-0600 h). In C and SS groups, the HR was significantly lower in the 2nd night-period than in the 1st and 3rd periods in both QS and AIS (P less than 0.05). In the NM group this difference was only observed during AIS (P less than 0.05). During the three night-periods the HR was significantly elevated in AIS as compared to QS (at least P less than 0.05) in all infant groups except the NM group during the 2nd night-period. During QS the HR was significantly higher in NM than in C and SS groups (P less than 0.02). During AIS the HR did not differ between infant groups. HRV was significantly lower in the NM group during QS in the three night-periods (P less than 0.05). There was no difference in the HR and HRV patterns between C and SS groups with respect to sleep states and night period. We concluded that following the first detected apparent life-threatening event differences in the HR and HRV patterns can be demonstrated when sleeping NM infants are compared with both C and SS infants especially during QS in different night periods studied by CPG at home.

Female↗

[Evolution of human endocervical cilio-secretory epithelium during the menstrual cycle. Scanning electron microscopy study].

The anatomy of the ventral epithelial surface of the human uterine endocervix was investigated by S.E.M. from biopsies taken at various periods of the menstrual cycle and from whole cervices obtained by hysterectomy on the 17th and 22nd day. Ciliated and secretory cells which constitute the epithelial surface appeared to be associated at random in various manners without apparent connection with the menstrual cycle. Considerable variation was observed at the same cycle period, depending on the patients. The release of mucus took place mainly according the macro-apocrine extrusion process, whose evolution was clear throughout menstrual cycle. Apocrine extrusions were found to be particularly intense and numerous from the 12th to the 16th day, with a peak on the 14th day. Some ciliated cells were also seen to exhibit protuberant mucus protrusion. The merocrine extrusion process was seen very rarely and thus seemed to be of minor importance. An evolutive provess also seems to occur at the level of ciliated cells: from the 9th to the 16th day, some secretory cells were seen to bear miniciliae of increasing length beside their typical microvillae. This could be interpreted as a transformation process of secretory into ciliated cells during the second third of the menstrual cycle.

Adult↗