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Biomedical subjects

G Seefried

Publications and source records attributed to G Seefried.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Fibronectin mRNA (FN-V95+) is increased in the liver of old Sprague-Dawley rats: effect of food restriction.

Because fibronectin (FN) mRNA has been shown to be increased in the brain of old rats and during in vivo and in vitro aging of both endothelial cells and fibroblasts, it was of interest to determine what effect age and caloric restriction have on the ability of liver cells to express FN mRNA. The prevalence of fibronectin mRNA containing the alternatively spliced variant V95 (FN-V95) was examined by RNA gel blot hybridization in the liver of 10-mo, 18-mo, 30-mo ad lib-fed (AL) and 30-mo food-restricted (FR) rats. The transcripts coding for FN-V95 mRNA were well expressed in the liver of 10-mo and 18-mo-old rats. The hybridization signal then increased (1.3-fold, p < .05) in the liver of 30-mo AL rats vs 10-mo-old rats. However, the prevalence of FN-V95 mRNA was dramatically decreased (approximately 4.5-fold, p < .01) in the liver of 30-mo food-restricted rats as compared to 30-mo-old AL rats. The distribution of FN-V95 mRNA was also investigated by non-radioactive in situ hybridization (ISH) on liver frozen sections. The hybridization signal for FN-V95 mRNA was evenly distributed among liver cells of 10-mo and 18-mo-old rats, while weak hybridization signals were sparsely scattered on liver sections derived from 30-mo-old FR rats. In contrast, strong hybridization signals showing a localized distribution were detected on liver sections obtained from 30-mo-old AL rats. Histologic examination of cryostat sections also revealed a massive accumulation of lipid droplets in the liver of 30-mo-old AL rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aging↗

Influence of age, treadmill running, and food restriction on plasma fibrinogen concentration and expression of gamma chain mRNA in female Sprague-Dawley rats.

Plasma fibrinogen concentration and expression of mRNA encoding the gamma-chain of fibrinogen were determined in female Sprague-Dawley rats aged 10, 21 and 30 months. Both parameters increased significantly with age in a parallel fashion. Food restriction was able to reduce the age-dependent increase of both plasma concentration and gene expression to levels below young controls. On the other hand, long-term treadmill running failed to influence the plasma fibrinogen concentration. From these results we conclude that the plasma fibrinogen concentration increases with age due to an increased fibrinogen biosynthesis.

Aging↗

Fibrinogen and aging.

Plasma fibrinogen concentration is becoming widely accepted as a risk factor for cardio- and cerebrovascular disease. In order to evaluate its age-dependency, plasma fibrinogen and several other blood components were determined in 156 persons (23-96 years). In 116 participants, living on their own and rating themselves as healthy, fibrinogen increased by 26 mg/dL and decade. After exclusion of persons with pathological laboratory findings and risk factors, fibrinogen still rose by 25 mg/dL per decade, thereby reaching concentrations above 320 mg/dL in 81% of those older than 65 years. In prospective studies, these values were found to be associated with an augmented cardio- and cerebrovascular risk. In this investigation, the age-dependent rise of fibrinogen was more pronounced than that of blood glucose or cholesterol. Increasing fibrinogen may reflect a multitude of processes, such as (occult) acute phase reactions, risk factors, subclinical degeneration of vascular endothelium, or a more frequent activation of coagulation and fibrinolysis, with interleukin 6 (IL-6) as a possible mediator.

Adult↗

[Intensive care medicine in advanced age from the viewpoint of the internist].

BASIC REMARKS: The percentage of elderly patients in ICUs has doubled over the last 20 years; in the case of the over-seventy-year-olds it is at present about 30%. MAJOR DISCUSSION POINTS: The mean length of stay in the ICU and hospital, and the average costs incurred, are not significantly higher in the case of the elderly. With increasing age, mortality rises steadily, being about 20% for geriatric patients in the ICU, 37% in hospital, and 52, cumulative, after one year. Nevertheless, elderly patients benefit in particular from intensive care. Their relative mortality rate in comparison with the general population of the same age is only slightly elevated. In view of the very high mortality following cardiopulmonary resuscitation of geriatric patients, it would make good sense to limit the indication in particular cases. Quality of life after discharge from ICU care and thereafter is appreciably lower in comparison with younger patients, but acceptance of intensive care is very good among elderly patients, too. As a study we carried out in our "toxicological" ICU showed, prognostic scoring systems for the elderly are not particularly reliable, and the geriatric skills and the knowledge of the physician weigh heavier. CONCLUSIONS: We consider intensive care in the elderly to be both beneficial and efficient, for despite an increase in the mortality rate, a satisfactory quality of life is achieved.

Aged↗

Gastric secretion and gastrin under progressive doses of somatostatin-14 and -28 administered intraperitoneally to the rat.

The actions of progressive doses of intraperitoneally (IP) administered somatostatin-14 (SS-14) and -28 (SS-28) on gastric secretion (acid, pepsin) and mucosal blood flow (MBF) were studied in conscious gastric fistula rats both under basal conditions and under additional administration of pentagastrin. Also, somatostatin-like immunoreactivity was measured in aortal blood in all groups as well as aortal gastrin levels under basal conditions. IP infusion of equimolar doses of SS-14 and SS-28 resulted in an equal and dose-dependent inhibition of basal as well as pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion. MBF was reduced by either peptide both in the basal and pentagastrin experiments. Under basal conditions pepsin secretion was significantly increased by infusion of SS-14 at the higher doses, by infusion of SS-28 only at the intermediate dose (3.1 nmole kg-1.hr-1). In the pentagastrin experiments, low and intermediate doses of SS-14 tended to lower pepsin outputs but the highest dose of SS-14 stimulated pepsin secretion, whereas SS-28 had no effect on pepsin. Administration of SS-28 inhibited gastrin only at the highest dose (12.3 nmole kg-1.hr-1), and SS-14 had no influence at all on gastrin. After IP infusion of both peptides, plasma SLI rose dose-dependently under basal and stimulated conditions. Gel chromatography indicated an in-vivo conversion of SS-28 to SS-14 or intermediate fragments. It is concluded that SS-14 and SS-28 delivered by IP infusion, inhibit basal and stimulated gastric acid equally in the rat without suppressing gastrin. The mechanism underlying SS-mediated pepsin stimulation is unknown.

Animals↗

Interleukin-6 and selected plasma proteins in healthy persons of different ages.

In the present study, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and several acute phase proteins were measured in healthy participants (23-87 years of age). A linear correlation between IL-6 and age was established with an increase of 0.016 pg/ml (0.004) per year of life. Whereas CRP remained below 0.5 mg/dl in all participants, an increase with age for fibrinogen and an inverse relation for albumin as well as transferrin were obtained. However, the increase of IL-6 did not correlate with any of these changes. IL-6 associated diseases may therefore occur more often with advancing age, but in healthy participants IL-6 does not explain the changing plasma protein pattern resembling that of an acute phase reaction.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗

Low serum cholesterol and triglycerides and risk of death from suicide.

Several studies suggest that a low or reduced blood cholesterol concentration is associated with a higher risk of mortality from suicide. The authors sought to determine whether a low cholesterol and triglyceride level is related to a higher rate of suicide attempts, alcohol or drug intoxication. A total of 216 patients, aged 15-93 years, admitted to a toxicological intensive care unit were assessed by blood cholesterol, triglycerides, psychiatric disease and former suicide attempts. Serum cholesterol levels, obtained from the admission biochemical values, were divided into levels below and above 160 mg/dl, serum triglyceride levels were divided into levels below and above 100 mg/dl. Compared to patients with cholesterol levels higher than 160 mg/dl and controls without suicide attempts, men with cholesterol levels equal or lower than 160 mg/dl had made no more suicide attempts. However, in the group with low cholesterol and attempted suicide a significant decrease of serum triglyceride levels was investigated. A significant correlation between low serum cholesterol with respect to triglycerides and alcohol or drug intoxication could not be proved. There was no association between low cholesterol levels and attempted suicide with respect to alcohol or drug intoxication. The significantly lowered serum triglycerides in the patient group with a low cholesterol and suicide attempt require further investigations.

Journal Article↗