PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H Kofod

Publications and source records attributed to H Kofod.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Differential expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase in rat and human islets.

The GABA synthesizing enzyme GAD is a prominent islet cell autoantigen in type I diabetes. The two forms of GAD (GAD64 and GAD67) are encoded by different genes in both rats and humans. By in situ hybridization analysis of rat and human pancreases, expression of both genes was detected in rat islets, whereas only GAD64 mRNA was detected in human islets. Immunocytochemical analysis of rat and human pancreatic sections or isolated islets with antibodies to GAD64 and GAD67 in combination with antibodies to insulin, glucagon, or SRIF confirmed that a GAD64 and GAD67 expression were beta-cell specific in rat islets. In contrast, only GAD64 was detected in human islets and was, in addition to beta-cells, also surprisingly localized to some alpha-cells, delta-cells, and PP-cells. In long-term (4 wk) monolayer cultures of newborn rat islet cells, GAD64 expression remained beta-cell specific as observed in vivo, whereas GAD67 was localized not only to the beta-cells but also in the alpha-cells and delta-cells. A small but distinct fraction of GAD positive cells in these monolayer cultures did not accumulate GABA immunoreactivity, which may indicate cellular heterogeneity with respect to GABA catabolism or GAD enzyme activity. In a rat insulinoma cell line (NHI-6F) producing both glucagon and insulin depending on the culture conditions, GAD64 expression was detected only in cultures in which the insulin producing phenotype dominated. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that the two GAD isoforms are differentially expressed in rat and human islets but also that the expression differs according to culture conditions. These findings emphasize the need to consider both the species and culture conditions of islets.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

On the botanical distribution of chiral forms of gossypol.

Plants belonging to Malvaceae (about 90 species belonging to 33 genera) were analysed for the presence of gossypol by reversed-phase HPLC using absorbance detection at 365 nm, and the chirality and optical purity of gossypol were determined whenever the analysis was positive. Only plants belonging to the cotton tribe (Gossypieae) contained gossypol (detection limit better than 0.001%). In particular, no gossypol could be detected in ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS (ocra), HIBISCUS TILIACEUS, H. SABDARIFFA, and HEREA BRASI-LIENSIS, earlier claimed to contain this compound. Gossypol-containing plants usually produced dextrorotatory gossypol of varying optical purity; an enantiomeric excess of (-)-gossypol was detected in only one plant, GOSSYPIUTN BARBADENSE.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1992

Immature transformed rat islet beta-cells differentially express C-peptides derived from the genes coding for insulin I and II as well as a transfected human insulin gene.

Synthetic peptides representing unique sequences in rat proinsulin C-peptide I and II were used to generate highly specific antisera, which, when applied on sections of normal rat pancreas, confirm a homogeneous coexpression of the two C-peptides in all islet beta-cells. Insulin gene expression is induced in the transformed heterogeneous rat islet cell clone, NHI-6F, by transient in vivo passage. During this process a transfected human insulin gene is coactivated with the endogenous nonallelic rat insulin I and II genes. Newly established cultures from NHI-6F insulinomas having a high frequency of insulin-producing cells showed highly differential expression at the cellular level of the three proinsulin C-peptide immunoreactivities, as follows: C-peptide I greater than human C-peptide greater than C-peptide II. The fractions of cells expressing human C-peptide and C-peptide II decreased in time and were absent after more than 50 successive passages, while a C-peptide I-producing population was still present. Double-labeling experiments revealed a heterogeneous distribution of the three different C-peptides. Surprisingly, in the early passages a large fraction of cells would express only a single species of proinsulin-C-peptide immunoreactivity but still at high levels. However, rat C-peptide II and human C-peptide were often colocalized, even in later passages. In situ hybridization studies combined with the immunocytochemical data suggest that the differential expression occurs at the level of transcription.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Pancreatic beta cells express two autoantigenic forms of glutamic acid decarboxylase, a 65-kDa hydrophilic form and a 64-kDa amphiphilic form which can be both membrane-bound and soluble.

The 64-kDa pancreatic beta-cell autoantigen, which is a target of autoantibodies associated with early as well as progressive stages of beta-cell destruction, resulting in insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM) in humans, has been identified as the gamma-aminobutyric acid-synthesizing enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase. We have identified two autoantigenic forms of this protein in rat pancreatic beta-cells, a Mr 65,000 (GAD65) hydrophilic and soluble form of pI 6.9-7.1 and a Mr 64,000 (GAD64) component of pI 6.7. GAD64 is more abundant than GAD65 and has three distinct forms with regard to cellular compartment and hydrophobicity. A major portion of GAD64 is hydrophobic and firmly membrane-anchored and can only be released from membrane fractions by detergent. A second portion is hydrophobic but soluble or of a low membrane avidity, and a third minor portion is soluble and hydrophilic. All the GAD64 forms have identical pI and mobility on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Results of pulse-chase labeling with [35S]methionine are consistent with GAD64 being synthesized as a soluble protein that is processed into a firmly membrane-anchored form in a process which involves increases in hydrophobicity but no detectable changes in size or charge. All the GAD64 forms can be resolved into two isoforms, alpha and beta, which differ by approximately 1 kDa in mobility on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis but are identical with regard to all other parameters analyzed in this study. GAD65 has a shorter half-life than the GAD64 forms, remains hydrophilic and soluble, and does not resolve into isomers. Comparative analysis of the brain and beta-cell forms of GAD show that GAD65 and GAD64 in pancreatic beta-cells correspond to the larger and smaller forms of GAD in brain, respectively. The expression of different forms and the flexibility in subcellular localization of the GAD autoantigen in beta-cells may have implications for both its function and autoantigenicity.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Differential effects of secretin-fragments imply a dual mechanism of action for secretin.

The effects of synthetic peptides, representing different parts of the secretin molecule in isolated mouse pancreatic islets have been investigated in perifusion studies. In the presence of 10 mM D-glucose the C-terminal nonapeptide Leu-Gln-Arg-Leu-Leu-Gln-Gly-Leu-Val-NH2 (S19-27) showed a 2-fold higher activity than that earlier shown for S22-27 and had the same effect on the dynamic pattern of insulin release as secretin, while the elongating sequence Leu-Gln-Arg (S19-21) had no effect on the insulin release. The nonapeptide Leu-Ser-Arg-Leu-Arg-Asp-Ser-Ala-Arg (S10-18) had no influence on the insulin release. Glucagon release seen after intact secretin could not be shown for any of the smaller fragments. Accumulation of cAMP in the islets as seen with secretin, could at 10 mmol/L D-glucose only be demonstrated with S22-27 or S19-27 but not with S10-18 or S1-6. Our results indicate that full size secretin has to be present to stimulate glucagon release while insulin-releasing activity can be confined to the C-terminal part of the hormone.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Synthesis of biologically active porcine secretin and [ITyr10] porcine secretin.

Porcine secretin, [Tyr10] secretin, and [Tyr13] secretin were synthesized by solid phase methodology and purified by stepwise gradient elution from a short reversed-phase column with ethanol and acetic acid as organic modifiers. [Tyr10] secretin and [Tyr13] secretin were iodinated by the chloramine-T method and nonmono-, and di-iodinated products separated and isolated by reversed-phase HPLC. Batch incubation analysis is isolated mouse pancreatic islets revealed that secretin and the [Tyr10] analogue were indistinguishable in their effect on the glucose-induced insulin release and cAMP accumulation. [Tyr13] secretin in contrast was significantly less potent in its effect on the glucose-induced insulin release.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

A novel affinity purification method to isolate peptide specific antibodies.

Site-specific, high affinity polyclonal antisera are effectively and successfully produced by immunizing rabbits with synthetic peptides. The use of these antisera in subsequent immune analysis is often limited because of non-specific binding. We describe a new and simple method to effectively affinity-purify anti-peptide antibodies. To test our system, rabbits were immunized with model peptides representing sequences of the putative rabbit growth hormone receptor and several HLA-DQ beta-chain molecules. Polystyrene plastic beads were coated with peptides. Immune serum was incubated with the beads and after a wash step the bound antibodies were eluted in 1 M acetic acid. The eluted material was composed predominantly of intact immunoglobulin as evidenced by the presence of heavy and light chain bands in SDS-PAGE. The eluted antibodies were peptide specific in ELISA and bound only to intact, antigenic protein in immunoblot analyses. The sequence-specific nature of the eluted antibodies was confirmed since binding to the antigenic proteins could be displaced by the immunizing but not by unrelated peptides.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Phorbol-ester-induced down-regulation of protein kinase C in mouse pancreatic islets. Potentiation of phase 1 and inhibition of phase 2 of glucose-induced insulin secretion.

The influence of down-regulation of protein kinase C on glucose-induced insulin secretion was studied. A 22-24 h exposure of mouse pancreatic islets to the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA; 0.16 microM) in RPMI 1640 culture medium (8.3 mM-glucose, 0.43 mM-Ca2+) abolished TPA (0.16 microM)-induced insulin secretion and led to a potentiation of phase 1 and a decrease in phase 2 of glucose-induced insulin secretion. Thus, although the total insulin release during 40 min of perfusion with glucose (16.7 mM) (45-85 min) was unaffected, the percentage released during phase 1 (45-55 min) was increased from 12.9 +/- 1.5 (4)% in controls to 35.8 +/- 3.9 (4)% in TPA-treated islets (P less than 0.01), and the percentage released during phase 2 (65-85 min) was decreased from 63.2 +/- 3.9 (4)% to 35.3 +/- 1.4 (4)% (P less than 0.005). In contrast, TPA exposure in TCM 199 medium (5.5 mM-glucose, 1.26 mM-Ca2+) caused a total abolition of both phases 1 and 2 of glucose-induced secretion. However, inclusion of the alpha 2-adrenergic agonists adrenaline (10 microM) or clonidine (10 microM), or lowering of the Ca2+ concentration in TCM 199 during down-regulation, preserved and potentiated phase 1 of glucose-induced secretion. Furthermore, perifusion of islets in the presence of staurosporine (1 microM), an inhibitor of protein kinase C, potentiated phase 1 and inhibited phase 2 of glucose-induced secretion. In addition, down-regulation of protein kinase C potentiated phase 1 and inhibited phase 2 of carbamoylcholine (100 microM)-induced insulin secretion at 3.3 mM-glucose, and abolished the potentiating effect of carbamoylcholine (100 microM) at 16.7 mM-glucose. These results substantiate a role for protein kinase C in insulin secretion, and suggest that protein kinase C inhibits phase 1 and stimulates phase 2 of both glucose-induced and carbamoylcholine-induced insulin secretion.

Alkaloids↗
PubMed1990

Characterization of the fine specificity of peptide antibodies to HLA-DQ beta-chain molecules.

In an attempt to produce epitope specific antisera which could distinguish two closely associated HLA-DQ beta-chain alleles, we immunized 20 rabbits with synthetic peptides representing sequences from the first domain of the HLA-DQw8 and -DQw7 beta-chain molecules, differing only by one amino acid in position 57. Several of the antisera in immunoblotting specifically recognized either the HLA-DQw7 or the HLA-DQw8 beta-chain allele as previously reported. The fine specificity of the antisera was tested in ELISA using synthetic peptides of varying length as solid phase antigen. Two out of the 20 antisera specifically recognized DQw7 beta peptides and two antisera bound only to DQw8 beta peptides from the region containing the amino acid in position 57. To analyze whether the antisera bound to native HLA-DQ beta-chain molecules, FACS analysis was carried out. Seven of the 20 antisera bound to intact EBV-transformed B-lymphocytes, and one antiserum bound preferentially to HLA-DQw8 positive cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Production of peptide antisera specific for mouse and rat proinsulin C-peptide 2.

Mice and rats have two functional non-allelic insulin genes. By using a synthetic peptide representing a common sequence in mouse and rat C-peptide 2 as antigen, we have produced rabbit antisera specific for an epitope which is not present in mouse or rat C-peptide 1. Long-term immunization did not seem to increase the end point titre as tested in direct ELISA. The specificity of the antiserum was determined by competitive ELISA and histochemistry on pancreas sections. Only the synthetic C-peptide 2, but not the homologous synthetic C-peptide 1 from mouse and rat competed efficiently in ELISA for antibody binding to the immunizing antigen. Antisera to C-peptide 2, stained islet beta-cells on mouse and rat, but not monkey pancreas sections in immunocytochemical analysis. Preabsorption to the synthetic C-peptide 2, but not the synthetic mouse and rat C-peptide 1 abolished staining. In conclusion we have produced peptide antisera to an antigenic epitope which is unique to mouse and rat C-peptide 2. Antisera recognizing this epitope may be effective tools to study differential expression of the two insulin genes in mouse and rat.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1989

Site-specific antibodies distinguish single amino acid substitutions in position 57 in HLA-DQ beta-chain alleles associated with insulin-dependent diabetes.

The HLA-DQ beta-chain gene shows a close association with susceptibility or resistance to autoimmune insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and it has been suggested that the amino acid in position 57 may be of pathogenetic importance. To study the expression of the IDDM associated HLA-DQ beta-chain alleles, we immunized rabbits with 12 to 13 amino acid long peptides representing HLA-DQw7 and -DQw8 allelic sequences, differing only by one amino acid in position 57 being aspartic acid (Asp) and alanine (Ala), respectively. Immunoblot analysis of lymphoblastoid cells showed that several antisera recognized a 29-kDa protein, equivalent to the expected molecular size of the HLA-DQ beta-chain to yield two antisera specific for HLA-DQw7 (pos. 57Asp) and three antisera for HLA-DQw8 (pos. 57Ala) positive cells. Analysis of HLA-DR 3/4 positive IDDM patients (n = 24) and controls (n = 19) showed that all (100%) patients were positive for pos. 57Ala antiserum compared to 13 of 19 (68%) of the controls. The remaining six controls reacted with the pos. 57Asp antisera, whereas none of the patients did. We have therefore successfully been able to generate site-specific antibodies that distinguish single amino acid substitutions in predetermined positions of allelic HLA-DQ beta-chain gene products. Such sera should become useful to detect and investigate HLA associated susceptibility to autoimmune diseases in man.

Alleles↗
PubMed1989

Carboxypeptidase-B-like processing of the C-terminus of glucagon-like peptide-2 in pig and human small intestine.

We developed specific, C-terminal radioimmunoassays for three proglucagon (PG) fragments: PG 151-158, PG 151-160 and PG 126-159 (glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2] in order to determine the exact C-terminal sequence of the newly isolated GLP-2 in man and pig. The antigens and the antisera showed no mutual cross-reactivity. By gel filtration of extracts of pig and human small intestine, the immunoreactivity eluting at the position of GLP-2 was identified by the radioimmunoassays for glucagon-like peptide-2 (PG 126-159) and for PG 151-158, whereas the assay for PG 151-160 was completely negative. We conclude that the C-terminal amino acid residue of pig and human ileal GLP-2 is PG 158. Thus the basic residues, PG 159 and 160 are removed during its processing in the small intestine.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Naturally occurring products of proglucagon 111-160 in the porcine and human small intestine.

Recent studies have revealed that the glucagon gene is expressed in the mammalian intestine. Here it codes for "glicentin" (proglucagon 1-69) and a glucagon-like peptide, proglucagon 78-107, recently isolated from porcine intestine. We studied the fate of the remaining COOH-terminal part of proglucagon (proglucagon 111-160) using radioimmunoassays against proglucagon 111-123 and 126-160. Two peptides were isolated from acid ethanol extracts of porcine ileal mucosa and sequenced: one corresponding to proglucagon 126-158 and one probably corresponding to proglucagon 111-158. By comparing human and porcine proglucagon sequences, Ala117 is replaced by Thr, and Ile138, Ala144, Ile152 and Gln153 are replaced by Val, Thr, Leu, and His. By gel filtration and radioimmunoassay of intestinal extracts it was established that a large part of porcine and virtually all of human proglucagon are processed to release proglucagon 111-123 (designated spacer peptide 2), which, like proglucagon 126-158 must be considered a potential hormonal entity. By isocratic high pressure liquid chromatography human spacer peptide 2 was indistinguishable from synthetic proglucagon 111-122 amide, suggesting that this is the structure of the naturally occurring human peptide.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Secretin uncouples glucose inhibition of glucagon-producing cells resulting in a simultaneous stimulation of both glucagon and insulin release.

The effect of secretin on glucagon and insulin release and its interaction with glucose has been studied in cultured mouse pancreatic islets by column perifusion. Glucose alone showed the well-known stimulation of insulin release and inhibition of glucagon release. Addition of 10 mM secretin increased glucagon secretion at 3 mM D-glucose by 300% while no change in insulin release could be seen at this low glucose concentration. At maximal stimulation of insulin release by 20 mM D-glucose addition of 10 nM secretin increased insulin release by 30%. Despite this insulin concentration and the high glucose concentration an increase in glucagon secretion of 1800% was found. These effects of secretin were dose-dependent at 10 mM D-glucose with 1 nM secretin being the lowest effective dose.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Beta-cell lines derived from transgenic mice expressing a hybrid insulin gene-oncogene.

Three pancreatic beta-cell lines have been established from insulinomas derived from transgenic mice carrying a hybrid insulin-promoted simian virus 40 tumor antigen gene. The beta tumor cell (beta TC) lines maintain the features of differentiated beta cells for about 50 passages in culture. The cells produce both proinsulin I and II and efficiently process each into mature insulin, in a manner comparable to normal beta cells in isolated islets. Electron microscopy reveals typical beta-cell type secretory granules, in which insulin is stored. Insulin secretion is inducible up to 30-fold by glucose, although with a lower threshold for maximal stimulation than that for normal beta cells. beta TC lines can be repeatedly derived from primary beta-cell tumors that heritably arise in the transgenic mice. Thus, targeted expression of an oncogene with a cell-specific regulatory element can be used both to immortalize a rare cell type and to provide a selection for the maintenance of its differentiated phenotype.

Adenoma, Islet Cell↗
PubMed1988

Potentiation of glucose-induced insulin release in islets by desHis1[Glu9]glucagon amide.

Glucagon and secretin and some of their hybrid analogs potentiate glucose-induced release of insulin from isolated mouse pancreatic islets. It was recently shown that the synthetic glucagon analog, desHis1[Glu9]glucagon amide, does not stimulate the formation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate in the rat hepatocyte membrane, but binds well to the glucagon receptor and is a good competitive antagonist of glucagon. In the present study the effect of this analog on isolated islets was examined. desHis1-[Glu9]glucagon amide at 3 x 10(-7) M, in the presence of 0.01 M D-glucose, increased the release of insulin by 30% and maintained that level for the full 30-min test period. The rate of insulin release returned to the glucose-induced base line after removal of the peptide. The same insulin level was produced by 3 x 10(-9) M glucagon, and at 3 x 10(-7) M glucagon insulin release was enhanced 290% above the glucose base line.

Amino Acid Sequence↗