Glycosaminoglycans of normal and scarred fascia.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to K Olczyk.
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It was found that the ageing process is accompanied by significant changes of elastin content in human intervertebral discs. In the case of annuli fibrosi only a slight age-related increase during the first four decades of life followed by a decrease in later periods of life were observed. In the case of nuclei pulposi the changes were much more apparent. A systematic decrease in elastin: collagen ratio was observed, especially in the case of nuclei pulposi. An increase in elastin: GAGs ratio was observed during the first 4 decades of life. After that period no further changes of the ratio were found.
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Rats were intoxicated with sodium selenite (0.3 mg/kg body wt.) for 10 weeks. An increase in total collagen content in skin and a decrease in the lungs, liver and kidneys were observed. Enhanced serum and urine levels of collagen metabolites were found. Elastin content was shown to be increased in the lung, liver, heart muscle and kidney of selenium-intoxicated rats.
The age-related changes in glycosaminoglycan composition of human intervertebral discs were studied. Large number of tissue samples taken from 301 individuals at autopsy or at operation of prolapsed discs was investigated. It was found that the ageing process is accompanied by a progressive decrease in GAG content, both in annulus fibrosus and in nucleus pulposus. The GAG: collagen ratio significantly decreases. The KS and Ch-6-S were found to be the most abundant GAGs in both parts of the disc and their amounts decrease during the ageing. A distinct, age-related increase in KS:Ch-S and Ch-6-S:Ch-4-S ratios was observed. Significant quantitative differences between the GAG contents in normal and prolapsed discs were found. The nuclei pulposi of prolapsed discs contained less GAGs, especially KS and Ch-6-S in comparison to normal tissue of the same age. Furthermore, the age-related decline of GAGs:collagen ratio was more distinct in the prolapsed discs. It seems that these differences in GAG composition may be important in the mechanism of predisposition to discs prolapse.
Thyroid hormones or methylthiouracil (MTU) were given to healthy rats or animals with hepatic fibrosis. Administration of thyroid hormones to rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis caused an increase in serum activity of matrix-degrading hydrolases although the increase was lower than that in healthy animals treated with thyroid hormones only. Methylthiouracil administration had no effect on the enzyme activity in healthy rats and resulted in a decreased activity in rats with hepatic fibrosis.
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Age-related changes of human intervertebral disk collagen have been investigated. A progressive, age-related accumulation of collagen, both in annulus fibrosus and in nucleus pulposus was found. A decrease in collagen solubility was observed during physiological aging. Up to the 3rd-4th decades of life, a significant increase in the aldehyde content in disk collagen has been observed. Nuclei pulposi of the prolapsed disk contain more collagen, and its solubility was higher in comparison to corresponding necropsy material. Some alterations in the collagen of prolapsed disks may be considered as symptomatic of accelerated aging.
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Rats were chronically exposed to poisonous sodium selenite in concentrations 0.5 mg/kg b. m. for 10 weeks. As a result, hydroxyproline contents in blood serum increased, as well as its excretion with urine. It was proved that the procedure enhanced urinary glycosaminoglycane excretion and increased the contents of the protein-related glycosaminoglycanes in the serum. This was accompanied by increased quantities of keratane sulphate and heparin sulphate. The results confirmed that selenium poisonings influenced connective tissues.
A series of biochemical and immunological investigations was performed in a group of 33 silicosis patients and in 34 controls. The results obtained suggest future prospects of utilizing the following tests as silicotic-fibrosis markers: alpha 2-globulin and ceruloplasmin levels, activity of certain lysosomal enzymes (beta-galactosidase and beta-acetylglucosaminidase), IgM and IgG immunoglobulins, elastases, and the C4 component of the complement.
Mercury chloride was administered into rats (1 mg/kg) in drinking water daily for 12 weeks. Revealed was an increase in the content of oxyproline and glycosaminglycanes in urine, as well as increased concentration of these compounds in blood serum. Glycosamine growth was accompanied by decreased contents of keratin sulphates and higher concentrations of heparin and heparin sulphates. The results indicated to the influence of mercury on the connective tissue metabolism.
Intoxication of rats with mercuric chloride (0.5 mg Hg/kg of body weight, daily for 10 weeks) increased the hepatic contents of soluble and insoluble collagen and elastin. The increase was associated with elevated serum aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities, and decreased total protein level in serum. Inflammatory changes were found in the liver. An increase in the fibrous protein content suggests that inflammatory reaction to mercuric chloride can result in hepatic fibrosis.
Serum antinuclear antibodies were induced in rats by treatment with hydralazine or todralazine, given in daily dose of 25 mg/kg of body wt. for 12 months. An increased activity of alpha-glucosidase, beta-glucosidase, beta-galactosidase, alpha-fucosidase, beta-xylosidase was found in heart muscle, liver, kidney and lung. Hydralazine produced a more significant increase in the enzyme activity than todralazine. The obtained results suggest drug-induced connective tissue damage, probably of an inflammatory type. The mechanism of this phenomenon and its relationship to immunological alterations remain unclear.
Cardiomyopathy was produced by isoprenaline injections to healthy and hydrazinophthalazine-treated rats. The elastin content in the heart muscle and the aortic wall as well as the level of serum elastolytic activity were determined. An increase of elastin content in both tissues was found, and its progress was concomitant with the development of isoprenaline injury. It was also found that the elastolytic activity increased on the second day after the last isoprenaline injection, and on the seventh day of the experiment it began to decrease. Changes in hydrazinophthalazine-treated rats after dosing them with isoprenaline had a similar tendency but they were significantly lower than those found in healthy animals receiving isoprenaline only.
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