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J A García-Agúndez

Publications and source records attributed to J A García-Agúndez.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

C282Y and H63D mutations of HFE gene in patients with advanced alcoholic liver disease.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that the heterozygous state for HFE gene mutations involved in the pathogenesis of hemochromatosis, that may induce an increase of hepatic iron content, may aggravate the liver damage induced by prolonged and excessive use of ethanol. PATIENTS AND METHODS: C282Y and H63D mutations of HFE gene were identified through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on leukocyte DNA, in 125 consecutive patients diagnosed of advanced alcoholic liver disease (109 men, mean age 54 years, SD 11) and 181 healthy controls. All subjects were white Spaniards. RESULTS (CASES/CONTROLS): 1. Genotype distribution: a) mutation C282Y: no homozygotes, 10/23 heterozygotes, 115/158 normal (p = 0.60); b) mutation H63D: 9/5 homozygotes, 46/52 heterozygotes, 70/124 normal (Chi square 6.51, p = 0.039). 2. Allele frequencies: a) mutation C282Y: 240/339 normal, 10/23 mutated (p = 0.21); b) mutation H63D: 186/300 normal, 64/62 mutated (odds ratio 1.66, 95% CI 1.10-2.52, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that H63D mutation of the HFE gene, but not the C282Y mutation, is associated to the risk of developing advanced liver alcoholic disease.

Adult↗

Sex and age-related differences in aminopyrine N-demethylase activity in DA- and Wistar-strain rat liver microsomes. Effect of ovariectomy.

1. Liver microsomal mixed-function oxidase components were studied in Wistar and Dark Agouti (DA) rats (4-45 weeks) with regard to sex- and age-related differences. Total cytochrome P-450 ranged from 0.29 to 1 nmol/mg in Wistar rats and from 0.21 to 1.27 nmol/mg in DA rats, males had higher levels than females (P less than 0.0025). Cytochrome b5 ranged between 0.42-1.37 nmol/mg and 0.42-1.56 nmol/mg in Wistar and DA strains, respectively, and NADPH-reductase activity ranged between 14-43 and 11-46 nmol/min per mg (Wistar and DA respectively). 2. Significant age-related differences were found in DA rats with four- to six-fold increase in N-demethylase activity from young to adult rats. Sex-related differences were found in both Wistar- and DA-strain rats, with males having higher (about twice) metabolic activity than females. In contrast, no significant sex- or age-related differences in cytochrome b5 content, or NADPH-reductase activity, were found. 3. Ovariectomy of 10-13-week-old females did not affect N-demethylase activity, cytochrome P-450, cytochrome b5 or NADPH-reductase activity in Wistar or DA rats. 4. Cytochrome P-450 content did not correlate (r = 0.35) with aminopyrine N-demethylase activity. 5. Results indicate that sex- and age-related differences are due to changes in the isozymic composition of cytochrome P-450, and that these changes are not subject to oestrogen regulation.

Aging↗

Purification to homogeneity of rat liver dinucleoside tetraphosphatase by affinity elution with adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate.

Starting from a partially purified dinucleoside tetraphosphatase (Np4Nase; EC 3.6.1.17), we developed an affinity elution purification protocol involving the strong competitive inhibitor adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate. Np4Nase bound to Cibacron Blue F3G-A-Sepharose 4B or to Reactive Blue 2-Sepharose CL-6B was specifically eluted with 10 microM adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate and 5 mM MgCl2, but not by either of them separately. The final Np4Nase preparation was homogeneous by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by Coomassie blue or silver staining. The protein band showed an apparent 18 kDa molecular mass. The specific activity of the homogeneous Np4Nase was about 150 units/mg, meaning a 45,000-fold increase and a 10% recovery with respect to the crude extract. After preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, protein visualization with KCl, fragmentation of the gel lane, and extraction, all the renatured Np4Nase activity was found associated to the 18 kDa band. The renatured enzyme showed the same Km value for diadenosine 5',5"'-P1,P4-tetraphosphate as the partially purified or the native homogeneous Np4Nase.

Acid Anhydride Hydrolases↗

Aminopyrine N-demethylase activity in human liver microsomes.

Aminopyrine N-demethylase activity and the contents of cytochrome P-450, cytochrome b5, and NADPH-reductase activity in human liver microsomes from 31 different patients were studied. Our results show the existence of significant interindividual, but not sex- or age-related differences in N-demethylase activity (ranging between 0.52 and 4.42 nmol/min/mg protein), and that these differences are directly correlated with the content of cytochrome P-450 and NADPH-reductase activity, but not with that of cytochrome b5 content, in the samples. In contrast, no differences were found in the Michaelis-Menten constant values for aminopyrine (mean, 2.4 mmol/L) or NADPH (mean, 69 mumol/L), strongly suggesting that interindividual differences could be due to the occurrence of different amounts of the same enzyme, rather than the presence of different enzymes, in the population studied.

Adult↗