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Biomedical subjects

H Marusyk

Publications and source records attributed to H Marusyk.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Localization of a fatty acid binding protein and its transcript in the developing chick retina.

The undifferentiated chick retina has elevated levels of fatty acid binding protein (R-FABP) mRNA. Tissue maturation is accompanied by a 50-100-fold decrease in transcript levels. To determine the location of the R-FABP transcript and its encoded protein in the developing retina, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical analyses were carried out using chick embryos at different stages of development. The R-FABP mRNA and protein were found throughout the retina from day 3 to day 7 of incubation. Accumulation of R-FABP in the neurites of ganglion cells could readily be detected at early developmental stages. By day 11, R-FABP transcript levels were considerably reduced in the retina, while the protein was primarily found in the inner nuclear layer, inner plexiform layer and optic nerve fiber layer of the retina. As well, R-FABP mRNA and protein were abundant in the non-pigmented ciliary epithelium, which represents the forward prolongation of the retina in the anterior eye. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed the presence of R-FABP in both the nucleus and cytoplasm of day 4 retinal cells. In the day 13 retina, R-FABP was abundant in the processes of neuronal cells. These results suggest that, early in retinal development, there is a requirement for FABP in the nucleus as well as the cytoplasm of all retinal cells. At later stages, the concentration of R-FABP in the processes of neuronal cells would suggest a biochemical or structural role related to neurite extension and synapse formation.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

The in vivo melanocytotoxicity and depigmenting potency of N-2,4-acetoxyphenyl thioethyl acetamide in the skin and hair.

It has been shown previously that N-acetyl-4-S-cysteaminylphenol (N-Ac-4-S-CAP) is a tyrosinase substrate and a potent depigmenting agent of dark skin and black hair. The present study evaluated the depigmenting potency of an acetyl derivative of N-Ac-4-S-CAP, N-2,4-acetoxyphenyl thioethyl acetamide (NAP-TEA) in the skin and hair. We tested for (i) in vitro metabolites in the skin after topical application, and (ii) in vivo depigmenting potency in the skin and hair. We found that NAP-TEA was stable in water, but was converted to N-Ac-4-S-CAP after topical application to human skin. Therefore, although NAP-TEA was not a tyrosinase substrate, it could react with tyrosinase after being converted to N-Ac-4-S-CAP by O-deacetylation in vivo. NAP-TEA produced marked depigmentation of dark skin (Yucatan pig) after daily topical application. When given by intraperitoneal injection, it resulted in complete loss of hair colour (white) grown at the epilated site in adult C57 black mice after daily administration for 10 days, and incomplete loss of coat colour (silver grey) in newborn C57 black mice after a single administration. The depigmentation of the skin and hair was reversible. Split-dopa preparation and electron microscopy indicated that this depigmentation is primarily related to (i) a marked decrease in the number of functioning melanocytes and melanized melanosomes, (ii) a decrease in the number of melanosomes transferred to keratinocytes, and (iii) selective degeneration/inactivation of melanocytes, and deposition of melanin-like material in the Golgi cisternae, coated vesicles and melanosomes, where tyrosinase is reported to be located. We propose the NAP-TEA is converted in vivo to N-Ac-4-S-CAP which, via interaction with tyrosinase, causes reversible depigmentation of the skin and hair.

Acetamides↗
PubMed1995

Binding of cardiolipin to polystyrene beads: evidence for a lamellar phase orientation.

The association of cardiolipin with polystyrene beads was studied using 31P-NMR and electron microscopy. In the presence and absence of fetal calf serum, cardiolipin appeared to bind to the polystyrene beads in lamellar phase as assessed by 31P-NMR imaging. Electron microscopic analysis revealed an even coating of phospholipid about the beads with extensive micelle binding. Cardiolipin-coated beads challenged with ACA-positive sera followed by immunogold indicated antibody bound to micelles associated with the bead. Studies conducted with ACA IgG purified from patient sera indicated that some ACA bound to CL beads in the absence of a source of ACA cofactor (i.e. gelatin-blocked beads), some ACA required beta 2-GPI for binding (i.e. no binding in the presence of beta 2-GPI-depleted plasma), whereas other ACA which showed negligible binding with gelatin-blocked beads, showed enhanced binding in the presence of beta 2-GPI-depleted plasma. The data indicate that: (1) cardiolipin binds to polystyrene beads in lamellar phase, (2) ACA bind to phospholipid micelles bound directly to the polystyrene beads, and (3) ACA differ between individuals displaying varying phospholipid and phospholipid/cofactor substrate specificities.

Antibodies, Anticardiolipin↗
PubMed1993

Melanin pigments and melanosomal proteins as differentiation markers unique to normal and neoplastic melanocytes.

This report introduces some aspects of our current basic research focus on the unique metabolic pathways within the melanocyte. Using this approach, we hope to gain a better understanding of the pathophysiology of malignant melanoma and develop early laboratory diagnostic tests for this disease. Specifically, we will discuss that: 1) the synthesis of pheomelanin is markedly increased in malignant melanoma and dysplastic melanocytic nevi; 2) high levels of metabolites of pheomelanin and eumelanin can be detected in the urine and blood of patients with metastatic melanoma; 3) this release of melanin metabolites appears to correlate with tumor thickness and tumor load, including the extent of metastasis; 4) the synthesis of melanosomal proteins also becomes aberrant in malignant melanoma; and 5) this abnormal melanosome synthesis can be utilized in the identification of antigenic epitopes that are uniquely expressed in malignant melanoma. We believe that this synthesis and secretion of abnormal melanin pigment and melanosomal proteins (human melanosome-specific antigen) would be useful for the development of early laboratory diagnostic and monitoring tools for malignant melanoma. In addition, we also report the detection of pheomelanin component in "normal" unexposed skin; however, the relative amount of pheomelanin in the skin does not reflect hair color (e.g., red hair). The nature of this pheomelanin component in the skin needs to be further clarified.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

The effects of myoinositol on the autonomic neuropathy in the streptozotocin diabetic rat--a freeze fracture study.

This report describes a freeze fracture study of rat dorsal sympathetic chain in normal, streptozotocin diabetic on normal diet, and a group fed a 1% myoinositol normal diet. In nonmyelinated fibres, the diabetic group had significant loss of particles on the P face of juxta-axonal Schwann cell membranes, whilst myelinated nerves showed a profound loss of particles on P and E faces. In the group with adjuvant myoinositol the particle numbers were normal in both types of nerve. Axonal plasma membranes showed increased numbers of particles in the P face of the nonmyelinated membranes in the diabetic, but were normal in the myoinositol group. Myelinated axonal membranes showed no significant difference between the diabetic and the normal. Rats on a myoinositol diet showed a significant decrease in the E face particles. These results are consistent with those described in the sciatic myelinated nerves by earlier authors and reinforce the view that myoinositol is an important membrane constituent as phosphatidylinositol and is essential for the expression of normal protein particle numbers.

Adrenergic Fibers↗
PubMed1988

Ultrastructural localization of human placental lactogen in distinctive granules in human term placenta: comparison with granules containing human chorionic gonadotropin.

Human placental lactogen (hPL) is known to originate in the syncytiotrophoblast, as demonstrated by light microscopic peroxidase and immunofluorescent staining. However, ultrastructural localization of hPL has not previously been performed. In these experiments, immunostaining of electron microscopic sections using protein A-gold and avidin-biotin complex techniques was used to study hPL and human chorionic gonadotropin (beta hCG) localization in first trimester and term placentae. HPL was localized in many small (0.12-0.25 micron) granules. In contrast, beta hCG was found in large (0.40-1.2 micron) granule complexes. The results therefore demonstrate that these two hormones are stored in two morphologically distinct types of cytoplasmic granules. Since hPL and hCG have different secretory mechanisms, this methodology will be useful in studying these differing mechanisms in human placenta.

Chorionic Gonadotropin↗
PubMed1987

Demonstration of specific secretory granules for human chorionic gonadotropin in placenta.

Existence of secretory granules and exocytosis during secretion of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in human placenta has been a point of controversy. Using two methods, the highly sensitive avidin-biotin complex (ABC) method and the protein A-gold technique, for immunochemical identification of beta-hCG on electron microscopic sections, we have examined placentas at 8-10 weeks gestation and at term for the presence of secretory granules. First-trimester placentas demonstrated plentiful syncytiotrophoblast cytoplasmic granules, some undergoing exocytosis, when stained using specific beta-hCG antiserum in the ABC and protein A-gold methods. Term placentas did not show positive reaction product. The data demonstrate that the classic secretory granule-exocytosis pathway mediates placental hCG secretion. However, clear morphological differences exist between placenta granules and hormone secretory granules observed in pituitary, consistent with known functional differences between these organs. This methodology will be useful for further studies of the secretory pathways for placental peptides.

Chorionic Gonadotropin↗
PubMed1987

Epidermal growth factor induces differentiation and secretion of human chorionic gonadotropin and placental lactogen in normal human placenta.

Human trophoblast differentiates by the fusion of cytotrophoblasts to form syncytiotrophoblast. To determine factors controlling this process, the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on trophoblast differentiation were studied using long term serum-free culture of isolated trophoblast. Only trophoblast was present in the cultures, as demonstrated by positive immunoperoxidase staining with beta hCG, cytokeratin, and trophoblast-specific H315 monoclonal antisera and by the absence of contaminating endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and macrophages, as shown by negative staining with vimentin and OKM1 monoclonal antisera. EGF induced large sustained increases in hCG and human placental lactogen (hPL) secretion in a dose-dependent manner. The minimum effective dose was 0.1 ng/mL, and the maximum effective dose was 1 ng/mL. Light and electron microscopic studies showed EGF-induced differentiation of cytotrophoblast to form syncytiotrophoblast. DNA content and cell number did not change during the process. The formation of syncytia thus probably accounted for the increase in hCG and hPL secretion. We conclude that EGF causes morphological differentiation, but not cell proliferation, of trophoblasts, and the differentiation results in increased hCG and hPL secretion from the syncytia.

Cell Differentiation↗
PubMed1984

Results of blind testing a method to detect carriers of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene.

We blind-tested a method that in earlier studies had shown increased leucine uptake in muscle fibers of biopsy specimens from three obligate carriers and seven of 11 putative carriers of the gene for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Here, muscle samples obtained at biopsy in seven obligate carriers and nine control subjects from Brazil were examined in Canada without knowledge of the carrier status or serum enzyme concentrations. Leucine uptake was increased in four controls and within normal range in four carriers, a rate of false-positives and -negatives that underscores the need for blind-testing methods for detecting carriers of this disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

A method for the detection of carriers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy--a preliminary report.

This report of a method to detect carriers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy describes a technique of tissue autoradiography that identifies increased uptake of [(3)H]leucine into some individual muscle fibers in muscle biopsies. Three obligate and seven of 11 sisters of affected boys are identified as carriers in this series. This method of identification may be of value in identifying those carriers undetected by other means, but remains to be further evaluated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

The incorporation of 3H (G) L-leucine into single muscle fibers in Duchenne dystrophy and Charcot-Marie Tooth disease.

The results are reported of single muscle fiber uptake of tritiated leucine in muscle biopsy material from Duchenne dystrophy and Charcot-Marie Tooth disease. The uptake in the two conditions is compared and suggests that the previously reported increase in synthesis of cytoplasmic proteins in muscular dystrophy are probably related to regenerative efforts by the muscle fibers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

The incorporation of isotopes into proteins of normal and dystrophic mouse heart and skeletal muscle.

Studies are described of L-[3H-(G)]leucine and [5-3H]uridine incorporation into proteins in dystrophic mouse skeletal and heart muscle of the 129/Rej/dy Bar Harbor strain. The results show a remarkable difference in isotope incorporation in the 2 muscle types. While skeletal muscle in the dystrophic mouse shows a consistently high cytoplasmic incorporation of leucine and uridine respectively, the heart muscle shows a marked reduction of uptake in nuclear, myofibrillar, and cytoplasmic protein. These findings appear to suggest that in terms of protein synthesis the mouse heart is not affected at the age of 8 weeks by a recognizably similar dystrophic process to that in the skeletal muscle. Whilst our material showed no gross evidence of cardiomyopathy, cytomorphometric analysis of the dystrophic heart muscle is in keeping with an atrophic process. The possibility that this difference in protein synthesis pattern may be related to an embryologically different organogenesis of the heart and skeletal muscle altering the predystrophic synthesis pattern cannot be excluded.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

The uptake of 3H(G)L leucine into single muscle fibers in Charcot-Marine-Tooth disease.

In previous studies, the incorporation of 3H(G)L-leucine into muscles of patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease was shown to be increased in comparison with that observed in motor neuron disease (MND). To determine the cause of the increased uptake in CMT, studies of single fiber leucine incorporations have been undertaken. The results of this study indicate that the increased incorporation is into those muscle fibers which are undergoing regeneration following reinnervation. These results do not support the thesis that there is an associated myopathic process in CMT.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease↗
PubMed1977

An autoradiographic study of muscular dystrophy, motor neuron disease and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

The autoradiographic findings using tritiated leucine are described in muscle biopsy material from five patients with progressive muscular dystrophy (P.M.D.), three with motor neuron disease (M.N.D.) and four with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (C.M.T.). In progressive muscular dystrophy there is a marked increase in uptake of leucine into cytoplasmic proteins and precursors, and reduced incorporation into structural protein. In Charcot-Marie Tooth disease muscle there is a significantly increased uptake into cytoplasmic elements and a normal uptake into structural protein. In motor neuron disease the uptake into cytoplasmic elements appears normal but is reduced into structural proteins. The abnormal uptake in C.M.T. could be explained as a product of regenerative efforts associated with reinnervation. However, the abnormal uptake may represent the primary effects of gene action in the muscle, as seems probable in progressive muscular dystrophy.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease↗
PubMed1976

The study of (Methyl-3H)decamethonium dichloride incorporation into normal and dystrophic mouse muscle.

1. (Methyl-3H)decamethonium dichloride was injected intravenously into the tail vein of dystrophic and normal mice of the Bar Harbour strain 129 ReJ/dy in paralysing doses. 2. Scintillation counts were made of 1 mm sections of diaphragm and tibialis anterior which showed a normal distribution of tritiated decamethonium in the dystrophic animals. 3. Intraperitoneal injections of L-(gamma-3H)leucine were made into dystrophic and normal mice. Examination of diaphragm and tibialis anterior by scintillation counting showed the abnormal uptake typical of dystrophic involvement of murine muscle. 4. The normal distribution of (methyl-3H)decamethonium dichloride uptake by the dystrophic muscle does not support the concept of active denervation in this disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Myofibrillar incorporation of 3H (G) L-leucine in pgrogressive muscular dystrophy and motor neuron disease.

A study of the incorporation of hydrogen 3 (3H) leucine into skeletal muscle in patients with human muscular dystrophy and motor neuron disease showed uptake in cytoplasm and myofibrils. The techniques used were light and electron microscopy and autoradiography before and after glycerination (Szent-Gyorgyi). The results indicated an increase of 3H leucine uptake into cytoplasm of the dystrophic muscle and a marked drop in incorporation into structural protein. In the patients with motor neuron disease, the normal incorporation into cytoplasm was seen, with reduced uptake into structural protein. These results showed a different protein synthesis pattern in dystrophic and denervated muscle.

Humans↗
PubMed1975

3H leucine incorporation into myofibrils of normal and dystrophic mouse skeletal muscle.

The study of 3H leucine incorporation into skeletal muscle of mouse muscular dystrophy (129 ReJ/dy Bar Harbour strain) shows the uptake of isotope into myofibrils. The techniques employed were light and EM autoradiography before and after glycerination (Szent-Gyorgyi 1947). The results indicate a marked drop in uptake of the 3H-Leucine into myofibrils in the dystrophic animals, supporting the contention of Nihei et al (1971) that reduced myosin synthesis occurs in mouse muscular dystrophy.

Animals↗