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Biomedical subjects

G Kramer

Publications and source records attributed to G Kramer.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Is plasma GABA of peripheral origin?

Plasma levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) appear to be altered in affective disorders and alcoholism. Plasma levels of GABA were not affected by menstrual cycle, exercise, gender, gut flora, nor by cholinergic stimulation by bethanechol. An obvious peripheral source for plasma GABA could not be demonstrated.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

The NH2-terminal sequence of the alpha and gamma subunits of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 and the phosphorylation site for the heme-regulated eIF-2 alpha kinase.

Rabbit reticulocyte eukaryotic initiation factor 2 was phosphorylated with the heme-regulated alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 kinase, and then the individual subunits were resolved by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Phosphorylated and unphosphorylated forms of the alpha subunit also were well resolved. The NH2-terminal sequences of intact alpha and gamma subunits were determined. No sequence was obtained from the beta subunit, suggesting that it may have a blocked NH2-terminus. Overlapping tryptic and chymotryptic phosphopeptides from the NH2-terminal sequence of the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 were used to establish the order of amino acids 1-52 and localized the phosphorylation site within the sequence: -Leu-Leu-Ser48-Glu-Leu-Ser51-. Subdigestion of a tryptic fragment with chymotrypsin generated only phosphopeptides that appeared to terminate at leucine 50, indicating phosphorylation at serine 48.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

Interaction of the 56,000-dalton phosphoprotein phosphatase from reticulocytes with regulin and inhibitor 2.

The interaction of divalent metal ions with a homogeneous 56,000-dalton phosphoprotein phosphatase isolated from rabbit reticulocytes was studied. The effects of the ions on enzymatic activity and on fluorescence from a 3-(4-maleimidylphenyl)-4-methyl-7-(diethylamino)coumarin derivative of the protein were compared. Enzymatic activity is dependent on Mn2+. The apparent association constant for Mn2+ is about 0.5 mM-1 as judged from enzymatic activity and from changes in fluorescence caused by binding of the metal ion; Ca2+ and Mg2+ do not affect enzymatic activity and appear not to bind tightly to the enzyme; however, Co2+, Fe2+, and Zn2+ bind to the protein and inhibit the Mn2+-activated enzyme. The 56,000-dalton phosphoprotein phosphatase was found to interact with regulin, a spectrin-associated protein also isolated from reticulocytes, and with skeletal muscle phosphatase inhibitor 2. The interaction was followed by changes in the enzymatic activity and by quenching of fluorescence from the coumarin derivative of the phosphatase. Homogeneous regulin (Mr approximately 230,000) increases the activity of the enzyme severalfold; this stimulation is Mn2+-dependent. Inhibitor 2 decreases enzyme activity but only if the two proteins are preincubated in the absence of Mn2+. Comparable differences in the effect of Mn2+ were also observed in parallel experiments in which changes in fluorescence from the coumarin-labeled 56,000-dalton phosphatase were measured. In these experiments, it was shown that Mn2+ enhances the interaction between regulin and the 56,000-dalton phosphatase, but inhibits the interaction between the phosphatase and inhibitor 2.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Inhibition of protein synthesis by the beta-subunit of spectrin.

The 220 kDa beta-subunit of erythroid cell spectrin is a potent inhibitor of protein synthesis in lysates from rabbit reticulocytes. On the basis of weight of protein added to a lysate reaction mixture, it has about half the inhibitory activity of highly purified heme-regulated eIF-2 alpha kinase. Inhibition appears to be at the level of peptide initiation but does not involve a kinase that phosphorylates eIF-2 on its alpha-subunit.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Etiology of the pulmonary pathophysiology associated with inhalation injury.

This study describes an experimental model of smoke inhalation injury in sheep in which the same pathophysiologic alterations occur as with clinical inhalation injury in man. Diffuse pulmonary mucosal sloughing with atelectasis and emphysema with concomitant development of pulmonary edema results in a decrease in arterial oxygen and progressive pulmonary deterioration which results in a substantial mortality. Increased pulmonary edema fluid is shown to be caused by an increased microvascular permeability to protein with pulmonary lymph and tracheobronchial fluid, a filtrate of plasma. Concomitant with this increase in microvascular permeability is an influx of neutrophils, release of proteolytic enzymes and an identified presence of the metabolite of the prostanoid thromboxane A2 which are postulated as contributors to the progressive pulmonary dysfunction post inhalation injury.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

[Percutaneous reconstruction and fixation of closed fractures of the tibial head. Results of a follow-up study].

A retrospective study was undertaken into 105 cases of closed fractures of the tibial head which had been treated by percutaneous elevation and fixation at the Surgical Casualty Ward of Dortmund, between 1973 and 1983. Follow-up check made 24 months from surgery, on average, revealed functional results which were in all respects comparable to those recorded from cases of open reduction and fixation. The approach was found to be applicable to closed reduction and impression fractures with first-grade and second-grade damage to soft tissue. Stability in exercise is claimed together with low surgical risk and trauma and with minimum demand for osteosynthesis implant. Good long-term results were found to depend strongly on early, intensive, and active exercise treatment.

Bone Screws↗
PubMed1985

Electrostatic effect of trypsin binding on the hydrogen exchange rate of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor beta-sheet NH's.

The changes of H-D exchange rates upon protein-protein interactions are generally interpreted as a result of the changes of the dynamic properties of the proteins. The effect of trypsin binding on the H-D exchange kinetics of some trypsin inhibitor amide H's was reported (Simon et al., 1984). In this paper the electrostatic potential originating from the trypsin molecule is calculated at the positions of the studied amide H's in the trypsin-trypsin inhibitor complex. We conclude that the observed decrease of the exchange rates is mainly due to the electrostatic field of the trypsin molecule.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1985

Intracortical glutamate injection produces helpless-like behavior in the rat.

Acute injection of glutamate into frontal neocortex of naive rats produced a subsequent deficit in escape performance behavior that was similar to that produced by exposure to uncontrollable shock. The behavioral deficit was dose-related. The behavioral deficit was similar in time-course to that produced by 15 min (but not 40 min) of exposure to learned helplessness induction. Unlike learned helplessness produced by exposure to inescapable shock, the behavioral deficit produced by intracortical glutamate injection was not prevented by chronic intraperitoneal administration of imipramine.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

The 90-kDa component of reticulocyte heme-regulated eIF-2 alpha (initiation factor 2 alpha-subunit) kinase is derived from the beta subunit of spectrin.

Antibodies from three different lines of monoclonal hybridomas crossreact with both the beta subunit of spectrin and the 90-kDa peptide present in highly purified preparations of the heme-controlled eIF-2 alpha (initiation factor 2 alpha-subunit) kinase from rabbit reticulocytes. Antibodies from two of the three lines enhance the enzymatic activity of the kinase preparation for phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eukaryotic translational initiation factor 2 (eIF-2) and for phosphorylation of the 100-kDa peptide thought to be a peptide of the kinase that is phosphorylated during its activation. Also, it is shown that both the beta subunit of spectrin and the 90-kDa peptide can be phosphorylated by two protein kinases from reticulocytes, the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and a cAMP-independent protein kinase similar to casein kinase II. Furthermore, a phosphorylated 90-kDa peptide can be derived from phosphorylated beta subunit of spectrin by tryptic proteolysis. We conclude that the 90-kDa peptide is derived by proteolysis from the beta subunit of spectrin, probably from its carboxyl terminus, and suggest that the heme-sensitive eIF-2 alpha kinase, like the 56-kDa phosphatase [Wollny, E., Watkins, K., Kramer, G. & Hardesty, B. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 2484-2492], is associated with an element of the membrane skeleton in intact reticulocytes.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Purification to homogeneity and partial characterization of a 56,000-dalton protein phosphatase from rabbit reticulocytes.

A 56,000-Da peptide with inherent protein phosphatase activity was isolated from the postribosomal supernatant fraction of rabbit reticulocytes. The peptide appears to form complexes with other proteins that are present in crude fractions. It exhibits atypical retention on steric exclusion columns during high performance liquid chromatography, an unusual characteristic that facilitated its isolation. The protein phosphatase activity of the 56,000-Da peptide is dependent on Mn2+ ions, but is not activated by either the FA, ATP/Mg2+ protein phosphatase activator system or by proteolysis. The protein phosphatase activity of the peptide is increased 3-fold or more by the antigen peptides described in the accompanying paper (Fullilove, S., Wollny, E., Stearns, G., Chen, S.C., Kramer, G., and Hardesty, B. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 2493-2500).

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1984

Partial characterization of a 230,000-dalton reticulocyte protein and peptides derived from it that affect the activity of a protein phosphatase.

Monoclonal antibodies were raised that recognize a series of highly antigenic, protease-sensitive peptides that modulate protein phosphatase activity in reticulocyte extracts. Purified antigen peptides cause a 3-fold increase in the enzymatic activity of a homogeneous Mr congruent to 56,000 protein phosphatase. The monoclonal antibodies inhibit protein phosphatase activity in crude extracts but do not recognize the protein phosphatase itself. The antigen peptides are associated with the phosphatase throughout its purification from the postribosomal supernatant of rabbit reticulocytes but are separated from it during size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (see accompanying article: Wollny, E., Watkins, K., Kramer, G., and Hardesty, B. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 2484-2492). The series of antigenic peptides appears to be derived by proteolysis from a 230,000-Da precursor, which is relatively abundant in undegraded form in the membrane fraction of rabbit reticulocytes and is present in erythrocyte ghosts. Antigen peptides are extracted with spectrin from both sources. The Mr congruent to 230,000 peptide is not the alpha or beta subunit of spectrin or ankyrin and appears not to have been recognized previously. The name "regulin" is proposed.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Evaluation of short-course preoperative irradiation in the treatment of resectable bronchus carcinoma: long-term analysis of a randomized pilot-study.

A randomized pilot-study on patients with resectable non small-cell lung carcinoma was conducted from December 1971 to May 1976 inclusive. Patients were randomly assigned to receive preoperative irradiation to the mediastinum followed by surgery (RT + S), or to be treated by surgery only (SO). A total of 33 patients clinically staged as T1-2, N0, M0 histologically confirmed bronchus carcinoma were entered onto the study. Sixteen patients were assigned to RT + S and 17 patients received SO. There were 3 operative mortalities, all of them in the SO group. A total of 28 patients, 14 in each group are evaluable, with a minimum period of observation of 7 years. Preoperative irradiation consisted of a Telecobalt photon-beam applied to the mediastinum as anterior and posterior portals. The thoracic spine was protected on the posterior portal by a narrow lead block. A total dose of 20 Gy calculated in the mid plane was given in 5 equal fractions each of 4 Gy administered on 5 consecutive days: Monday through Friday; patients were operated on the following Monday after the week-end. Surgical treatment was similar for both groups and consisted of lobectomy or pneumonectomy, depending on the size and site of the primary tumor. Analysis of the survival data showed an absolute crude 5 years survival rate of 58% for patients who received RT + S versus 43% for SO. The corrected actuarial 5 and 10 years survival rates are 78 and 69% for the group that received RT + S, and 67 and 55% for the group treated by SO, respectively. Nineteen patients were treated more than 10 years ago. Four of 8 (50%) treated by RT + S are alive with no evidence of disease (NED), and 3/11 (28%) treated by SO are alive with NED. The median survival period for the group that received RT + S is 72 months versus 30 months for the group treated by SO. Analysis of the adequacy of surgical resection based on histological examination of the operative specimen showed higher incidence of radical resection in the group that received RT + S (57 versus 28.5%). It is concluded that the treatment protocol of preoperative radiation therapy as outlined is well tolerated and the results are encouraging.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Role of thermal injury-induced hypoproteinemia on fluid flux and protein permeability in burned and nonburned tissue.

We studied the role of hypoproteinemia, induced by a major burn injury, on the edema process in burned and nonburned tissues including the lung in the adult sheep. We used lymph flow (QL) and the lymph-plasma (L/P) protein ratio as indicators of the rate of fluid and protein flux across the microcirculation and into the interstitium. We compared the response after a full-thickness burn to 30% of total body surface plus resuscitation by means of lactated Ringer's solution (n = 8) with a comparable degree of hypoproteinemia produced by plasmapheresis with vascular hydrostatic pressure and cardiac output kept constant. We measured lung QL and soft tissue (prefemoral) QL from both the burned and nonburned areas. A twofold increase in QL and a decrease in the L/P ratio was seen in both lung and nonburned tissue in both burn and plasmapheresis animals, indicating the postburn response to be due to hypoproteinemia with no increase in protein permeability. The QL in burned tissue was increased five to ten times with an increase in the L/P ratio. Four burned sheep were resuscitated with pooled plasma. Restoration of plasma proteins eliminated the increase in QL in lung and nonburned tissue but had no effect on the burn response. In summary, burn-induced hypoproteinemia plays a major role in the edema process in nonburned tissues and is corrected by restoration of plasma proteins. Edema in burned tissue does not appear to be related to this process.

Animals↗