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Biomedical subjects

J Lew

Publications and source records attributed to J Lew.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

[Evaluation of ambulatory anesthesia at CHU, Brest].

Outpatient anaesthesia was investigated for a two-month period by means of a questionnaire filled from the preoperative anaesthesia consultation to the surgical procedure and the discharge of the patient. 868 consultations led to schedule 260 ambulatory procedures. ENT (88 patients), paediatric surgery (73 patients) and gynaecology (63 patients) were most frequently concerned. Indications of ambulatory practice could probably be enlarged provided that recovery rooms and surgical schedules were fully adapted.

Adolescent↗

Brain proline-directed protein kinase is a neurofilament kinase which displays high sequence homology to p34cdc2.

The carboxyl-terminal regions of neurofilament high (NF-H) and middle (NF-M) molecular weight proteins have been suggested to be phosphorylated in vivo by a p34cdc2-like protein kinase, on the basis of the in vivo phosphorylation site motif and in vitro phosphorylation of the proteins by p34cdc2 kinase (Hisanaga, S.I., Kusubata, M., Okumura, E. and Kishimoto, T. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 21798-21803). A novel proline-directed protein kinase previously identified and purified from bovine brain has been found in this study to phosphorylate NF-H and NF-M at sites identical to those phosphorylated by HeLa cell p34cdc2 kinase. The proline-directed kinase is composed of a 33-kDa and a 25-kDa subunit. The 33-kDa kinase subunit was partially sequenced, and degenerate oligonucleotide primers corresponding to the amino acid sequence information were used to clone the subunit by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Two overlapping PCR products comprised a complete open reading frame of 292 amino acids. The sequence contains all features of a protein kinase, suggesting that the 33-kDa peptide represents the catalytic subunit of the kinase. The 33-kDa subunit shows high and approximately equal homology to human p34cdc2 and human cdk2, with about 58 and 59% amino acid identity, respectively. These results suggest that the brain kinase represents a new category of the cdc2 family, and that some members of the cdc2 kinase family may have major functions unrelated to cell cycle control.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Purification and characterization of a novel proline-directed protein kinase from bovine brain.

A novel protein kinase which phosphorylates a synthetic peptide substrate (RRPDAHRTPNRAF) has been purified approximately 200,000-fold from bovine brain. This peptide contains the consensus sequence for phosphorylation by the p34cdc2 kinase. The purification procedure took advantage of the phenomenon that this novel brain kinase, in partially purified extracts, chromatographed on a gel filtration column as a high molecular weight complex which dissociated in buffer containing 1 M NaCl. The purified native enzyme was estimated to be approximately 63,000, and displayed two bands of M(r) = 33,000 and 25,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. On Western immunoblot, the M(r) = 33,000 peptide reacted strongly with antibodies specific for a conserved amino-terminal sequence, weakly with antibodies to the conserved PSTAIRE sequence, and not at all with antibodies to the carboxyl terminus, of HeLa cell p34cdc2. The brain kinase and p34cdc2 were similar in displaying good activity toward the parent peptide substrate, but no activity toward peptide analogues in which the -T-P- motif was substituted with either -T-G- or -T-A-. Both kinases showed marked preference in phosphorylating a peptide derived from H1 histone (KTPKKAKKPKTPKKAKKL), and both kinases could be phosphorylated by the src-family tyrosine kinase, p56lyn, purified from bovine spleen. However, the brain kinase did not co-purify with a subunit having a molecular weight corresponding to known cyclins, nor did it undergo specific interaction with p13suc1 beads, suggesting that this enzyme is distinct from p34cdc2.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Outbreaks of summer rotavirus linked to laboratory practices. The National Rotavirus Surveillance System.

In temperate regions rotavirus diarrhea is a disease of the cooler months of the year, but little is known about its patterns in the summer. We report on the first year of national surveillance of rotavirus, during which we actively investigated patterns of summer activity. We obtained data on rotavirus testing from 85 laboratories in 48 states, conducted a survey of their testing practices and retested for confirmation positive specimens from laboratories reporting high rates of positivity during the summer. During 1989 participating laboratories reported 4011 specimens tested for rotavirus during July and August, of which 436 (11%) were said to be positive. Most laboratories reported low rates of positivity during these months (median percent positive, 3), but five had very high rates of summer positivity (> 30%). These five laboratories were geographically separated, and neighboring laboratories showed little rotavirus activity. Positive specimens submitted by four of these centers with high rates of summer rotavirus could not be confirmed. A survey of laboratory methods found one commercial assay (TestPack) and two laboratory practices (failure to use controls and involvement of more than six technicians in the testing process) to be associated with high rates of summer positivity. Moderate rates of positivity (11 to 30%) were fond frequently in the southwest during July and August; reference testing of specimens from these laboratories confirmed positivity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Clinical Laboratory Techniques↗

STY, a tyrosine-phosphorylating enzyme with sequence homology to serine/threonine kinases.

We have cloned a novel kinase (STY) from an embryonal carcinoma cell line. Sequence analysis of the STY cDNA reveals that it shares sequence homology with serine/threonine-type kinases and yet the bacterial expression product of the STY cDNA appears to have serine-, threonine-, and tyrosine-phosphorylating activities. The predicted STY protein is highly basic and contains a putative nuclear localization signal. During differentiation, two new mRNAs were detected in addition to the embryonic transcript.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

p34cdc2 kinase is localized to distinct domains within the mitotic apparatus.

Antibodies to both the C-terminal and the N-terminal regions of the 34 kd serine-threonine specific protein kinase, p34cdc2, were used to study the distribution of this protein in dividing cells and isolated chromosomes of the Indian muntjac. p34cdc2 was found to be present throughout the cytoplasm of dividing cells. In addition, a portion of cellular p34cdc2 was localized to the centrosome, kinetochore, and intercellular bridge and along kinetochore-to-pole microtubules during cell division. Tubulin-denuded metaphase kinetochores retained their association with p34cdc2. The detection of p34cdc2 within a variety of domains of the mitotic apparatus, in addition to the previous reported association with the centrosome [Bailly et al., EMBO J. 8:3985-3995, 1989; Raibowol et al., Cell 57:393-401, 1989] suggests that p34cdc2 may play a role in events associated with anaphases A and B as well as with the transition between interphase and mitosis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Dietary fat influences electric membrane properties of neurons in cell culture.

1. SJL/J mice were maintained on semipurified diets which differed in the ratio of polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid content (P/S). Exposure was from conception and was maintained for periods ranging from 6 to 34 weeks. 2. Neural cell cultures were prepared from dorsal root ganglia (DRG). After 6 and 20 days of culture, neuronal electric membrane properties were determined quantitatively by intracellular recording. 3. A number of significant differences were observed for the two dietary conditions. DRG from mice on the low-P/s diet had an increase in the rate of fall of both phases of repolarization which, in conjunction with the reduced action potential overshoot, led to a reduced action potential duration. This shift to shorter-duration action potentials was accompanied by a shift to more monophasic falling phases. The low-P/S neurons also exhibited a decreased afterhyperpolarization, decreased specific membrane resistance, and decreased membrane electrical time constant compared to high-P/S neurons. 4. It was concluded that the P/S ratio in the diet can have a significant effect on the electric properties of neurons. The high-P/S neurons tended to have action potentials with biphasic repolarizations and longer durations. In contrast, the low-P/S neurons tended to have action potentials with monophasic repolarizations and shorter durations. Moreover, the known ionic dependence of these two types of action potentials suggested that the low-P/S diet resulted in action potentials with a more exclusive Na dependence, while the high-P/S diet resulted in action potentials with both Na and Ca dependence.

Action Potentials↗

Effect of chronic hydrogen peroxide exposure on neuronal electric membrane properties.

In view of the well known cytotoxic effects of hydrogen peroxide, it was decided to investigate the neurotoxic effects of this oxygen metabolite on the electric membrane properties of neurons. Neural cell cultures of adult mouse dorsal root ganglia were chronically exposed to H2O2 and electrical properties of the neurons determined using intracellular recordings. Chronic H2O2 exposure caused a variety of alterations in EMP including increased overshoot, afterhyperpolarization and duration of the action potential. The prolongation of the action potential was due to a shift to a more biphasic type of repolarization and to a decreased rate of fall of the initial phase of repolarization. The observed pattern of EMP alterations in conjunction with previous investigation of ionic dependence in these neurons suggested that hydrogen peroxide may exert its toxic effect, at least in part, by increasing the calcium dependence of the action potential ionic mechanism.

Animals↗

Neurons in cell culture survive freezing. Effect on electric membrane properties.

A preliminary technique is described for freezing and thawing of intact neural cell cultures and neural cell suspensions of adult mouse dorsal root ganglia which permitted the neurons to retain to a remarkable degree their usual morphological and electrophysiological characteristics. Determination of ten electrical membrane properties (EMP) indicated significant quantitative alterations including increased specific membrane resistance and duration of the action potential and decreased resting membrane potential. The pattern of altered EMP was discussed in terms of the possible ionic site of freezing damage.

Action Potentials↗

Lead neurotoxicity: neuronal and non-neuronal cell survival in fetal and adult DRG cell cultures.

In the present study, neural cell cultures of fetal and adult mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRG) were prepared, exposed to various concentrations of lead (Pb) for two different schedules, and dose survival curves obtained. For the late exposure (LE) to Pb, Pb was applied from 8 DIV to 20 DIV (12 day exposure) while for the early exposure (EE), Pb was applied from 2 DIV to 20 DIV (18 day exposure). For LE there was evidence for increased vulnerability of adult compared to fetal neurons and the LD50 for both was greater than 100 microM. For both LE and EE and for both adult and fetal tissue, the non-neuronal cells were much more sensitive to the toxic Pb effects than neurons. For the LE, the adult and the fetal non-neuronal cells had LD50s of 28 microM and 58 microM respectively. For EE the LD50 for adult neurons was 35 microM. The differential effect of Pb on fetal and adult non-neuronal cells observed for LE was reversed in direction for EE; the LD50 for adult non-neuronal cells being 5.5 microM and the LD50 for fetal non-neuronal cells being only 1.7 microM, making the fetal cells about three times more sensitive than adult non-neuronal cells. An explanation of the differential effects of Pb on neurons and non-neuronal cells and on adult and fetal cells was proposed which incorporated known cell dynamics in vitro.

Age Factors↗

Differential survival of fetal and adult neurons and non-neuronal cells exposed chronically to ethanol in cell culture.

Neural cell cultures of dissociated dorsal root ganglia (DRG) were used to investigate the effect of chronic ethanol exposure on the differential survival of fetal and adult neurons and non-neuronal cells. After 12 days of culture in ethanol (20 DIV), counts were made of both neurons and non-neural cells. Unexpectedly, the adult neurons showed a slightly greater degeneration with increasing ethanol than fetal neurons; the adult and the fetal neurons had LD50s of 1.78 and 2.08 gm% respectively. In contrast, for the non-neuronal cells the differential response was reversed; the fetal non neuronal cells were more affected than the adult non neuronal cells with LD50s of 0.7 gm% and 0.94 gm% for fetal and adult non-neuronal cells respectively. Also independent of developmental stage, the non-neuronal cells were 2 to 3 times more sensitive (in terms of survival) to increasing ethanol than the neurons. Electron microscopic examination suggested an increased amount of lipofuscin and dilated endoplasmic reticulum in the adult neurons exposed to ethanol. The possible significance of the results to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is discussed.

Age Factors↗

Further investigation of the effect of chronic ethanol on the electric membrane properties of adult DRG neurons in cell culture.

Neural cell cultures were used to investigate the effects of acute and chronic ethanol exposure on electric membrane properties (EMP) of adult mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. These results in combination with results from additional experiments involving chronic exposure to hyposomotic medium provided further support for the hypothesis that the abnormal EMP caused by chronic ethanol exposure involved neuronal membrane adaptation to an ethanol-induced membrane expansion.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Chronic exposure to lead causes persistent alterations in the electric membrane properties of neurons in cell culture.

The effects of chronic lead (Pb) exposure on neuronal electric membrane properties (EMP) were determined using neural cell cultures of adult mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Cultures were exposed to Pb concentrations ranging from 0 to 100 microM for 12 days (8 DIV to 20 DIV). EMP were determined in Pb-free medium either immediately after withdrawal (IWD), or 6 days after withdrawal (6WD) from Pb. For IWD, regression analysis indicated that a number of EMP varied significantly with increasing Pb concentration. The largest such change occurred for electrical excitability which decreased significantly with increasing Pb (P = 0.000), being reduced by approximately two-thirds for neurons exposed to 100 microM Pb; resting membrane potential increased with Pb (P = 0.000); membrane time constant decreased with Pb (P = 0.007); action potential afterhyperpolarization decreased with Pb (P = 0.023). There was also evidence that the time course of action potentials was accelerated with increasing Pb concentrations, the rate of fall of neurons with biphasic falling phases being particularly increased (P = 0.047). This general pattern of altered EMP was observed for the 6WD condition also, indicating that chronic exposure to Pb caused persistent abnormalities in neuronal membranes even after 6 days of cultivation in Pb-free medium. The patterns of alterations in EMP suggested that chronic Pb exposure caused a prolonged increase in potassium permeability. It was proposed that the latter was mediated through a Pb-induced increase in intracellular ionic calcium and the associated disruption of calcium homeostasis.

Animals↗