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Biomedical subjects

K Sussman

Publications and source records attributed to K Sussman.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Postprandial changes in cytosolic free calcium and glucose uptake in adipocytes in obesity and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

We evaluated the possible relationship between [Ca2+]i and glucose uptake in the postabsorptive state and postprandially in adipocytes obtained from normal and obese subjects, as well as from patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Adipocytes isolated from overnight-fasted obese and NIDDM patients revealed high levels of [Ca2+]i (p less than 0.05 vs. control) in association with a decreased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake (p less than 0.05 vs. controls). In obese and NIDDM patients treated with oral hypoglycemic agents, the overnight fasting levels of [Ca2+]i were increased postprandially (p less than 0.05), concomitantly with a further decrease in insulin-stimulated 2-deoxyglucose uptake. Although the precise nature of the relationship between [Ca2+]i in specific insulin target tissues and diminished insulin action remains unknown, it is clear that high levels of [Ca2+]i may contribute to the development of insulin resistance.

Adipose Tissue↗

Left-hemisphere dysfunction in autism: what are we measuring?

This study sought to investigate the left hemisphere deficit hypothesis regarding autism. A group of 15 autistic youngsters between the ages of 8 and 13 years was compared with a group of 15 mentally retarded youngsters matched for age and IQ on a set of measures presumed to be sensitive to neuropsychological dysfunction. The results suggested that this sample of autistic youngsters is best characterized by bilateral neuropsychological involvement, affecting left-hemisphere functioning predominantly but not exclusively. The findings of this and other such studies seem to be somewhat determined by the varied samples and assessments employed in the research. The practice of selecting tests which presumably tap left or right cerebral functions is highly inferential, and warrants concern, particularly when assessing complex cognitive functioning in autistic individuals.

Journal Article↗

Mechanism of insulin resistance induced by sustained levels of cytosolic free calcium in rat adipocytes.

We have recently provided evidence that elevated levels of cytosolic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) decreased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in isolated rat adipocytes. To investigate the mechanism of Ca2+ action, we examined the effects of elevated levels of [Ca2+]i on insulin binding, autophosphorylation, and tyrosine kinase activity (TKA) of insulin receptors as well as basal and insulin-stimulated cellular distribution of glucose transporters. The latter was assessed by cytochalasin-B binding to plasma membrane and cytosolic fractions. Elevated concentrations of [Ca2+]i were maintained by incubating adipocytes with a depolarizing concentration of K+ (40 mM). Basal nonstimulated glucose uptake was not altered by increased levels of [Ca2+]i. Adipocytes with higher [Ca2+]i (220 +/- 15 nM) showed 30% reduction in insulin-stimulated 2-deoxyglucose uptake compared with control cells ([Ca2+]i, 140 +/- 18 nM). Moreover, adipocytes with higher levels of [Ca2+]i demonstrated an approximately 10% reduction in autophosphorylation and TKA of insulin receptors without a change in insulin binding. Both basal and insulin-stimulated distributions of glucose transporters were unaffected by sustained levels of [Ca2+]i. The effects of elevated [Ca2+]i were not mimicked by protein kinase-C activation. These observations suggest that 1) elevated or sustained levels of [Ca2+]i impair insulin-stimulated glucose uptake; and 2) Ca2+-induced impairment appears to reside at the postbinding steps of insulin action and probably interferes with the TKA of insulin receptors and the intrinsic activity of glucose transporters.

Adipose Tissue↗

The existence of an optimal range of cytosolic free calcium for insulin-stimulated glucose transport in rat adipocytes.

We have examined the effects of extracellular and intracellular Ca2+ concentrations upon basal and insulin-stimulated 2-deoxyglucose uptake in isolated rat adipocytes. In the absence of extracellular Ca2+, both basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake were significantly reduced. Insulin-stimulated glucose transport was optimal at 1 and 2 mM Ca2+. Further increases in extracellular Ca2+ concentration (3 mM) significantly diminished insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. When intracellular Ca2+ concentrations were augmented by ionomycin (1 microM), insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was significantly reduced at extracellular Ca2+ concentrations of 2 and 3 mM. The levels of intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations were then measured with Ca2+ indicator fura-2. The correlation between the levels of intracellular free Ca2+ and the magnitude of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake revealed that the optimal effect of insulin is observed at Ca2+ levels between 140 and 370 nM. At both extremes outside of this window, both low and high levels of intracellular Ca2+ result in diminished cellular responsiveness to insulin. These data suggest that intracellular calcium concentrations may exert a dual role in the regulation of cellular sensitivity to insulin. First, there must exist a minimal concentration of intracellular calcium to promote insulin action. Second, increased levels of intracellular calcium may provide a critical signal for diminution of insulin action.

Adipose Tissue↗

Somatostatin inhibits fusion of pituitary secretion vesicles with the plasma membranes.

Somatostatin has been found to inhibit secretion vesicle fusion with the iodinated (125-I) inside-out plasma membrane vesicles (both were isolated from the anterior pituitaries). This effect of somatostatin was specific and dose-dependent (half-maximal effect at 10(-9) M). Calmodulin (10 microM), but not cyclic AMP, enhanced the fusion process between the two organelles and somatostatin inhibited calmodulin-stimulated fusion. These observations suggest that one facet of somatostatin action on hormone secretion may be its inhibition of secretion vesicle fusion with the plasma membrane.

Animals↗

Internalization and cellular processing of somatostatin in primary culture of rat anterior pituitary cells.

Somatostatin (SRIF) binding, internalization, and intracellular processing in primary culture of anterior pituitary cells have been studied using somatostatin coupled to an electron-opaque marker, colloidal gold. Initially, after 2 min of incubation (37 C), gold-conjugated SRIF is localized on the cell surface, with 38% of the marker being found around microvilli, 10% at the junction of secretion vesicles with the plasma membrane, and 51% distributed over the remaining areas of the cell membrane. There was no internalization of SRIF at this time. After 20 min of incubation, distribution of the cell-surface bound hormone was similar to that at 2 min (40.6% at microvilli, 12% at the junction with the secretion vesicle, and 47.4% over the rest of the plasma membrane). However, 12% of the electron-opaque markers were found intracellularly in association with coated vesicles, intermediate-sized vesicles, lysosomes, and Golgi structures. SRIF did not enter pituitary cells at 4 C. To study the role of coated vesicles in internalization of SRIF, we have measured somatostatin binding to isolated coated vesicles before and after various treatments and sonication. SRIF binding to sonicated vesicles (3.46 +/- 0.36 fmol/micrograms protein), was much greater than to intact ones (0.75 +/- 0.16 fmol/micrograms protein), suggesting intraluminal localization of SRIF receptors in the coated vesicles. Approximately 80% of SRIF-binding sites were recovered on the intraluminal surface of the coated vesicles. The results of these experiments suggest that internalization of SRIF is a time- and temperature-dependent process. Within the cell, SRIF is routed to either lysosomes or the Golgi apparatus. Coated vesicles participate in intracellular translocation of SRIF-receptor complexes. It appears that the receptor for SRIF being internalized is located on the intraluminal surface of the coated vesicle.

Animals↗

An exploration of health counseling and goal attainment scaling in health education programs.

This paper presents findings of an experimental study to test the effects of health counseling with seventh and eighth grade students (N = 32). Goal attainment scaling was used to monitor changes in health behavior during a 10-week period with each student meeting with a health counselor five times during the study. A pretest/posttest, repeated measures design with experimental and control groups was used to evaluate the influence of health counseling. The results revealed a significant increase in goal attainment scaling scores (F = 4.96). Health behaviors influenced were exercise and nutrition. There also was a significant increase in self-esteem (F = 8.42) and home-esteem (F = 4.24). The utilization of health counseling appears to be an attractive educational strategy to enhance the effectiveness of classroom instruction.

Adolescent↗

The biological activity of catfish pancreatic somatostatin.

Catfish pancreatic somatostatin, which contains eight additional amino acids on the amino terminus of a tetradecapeptide with considerable homology to tetradecapeptide somatostatin (SRIF), is a naturally occurring homolog of the hypothalamic peptide. The purpose of these studies was to determine the biological activity of this somatostatin homolog. Inhibition of 125I-labelled tyr1-SRIF binding to bovine pituitary plasma membranes by catfish pancreatic somatostatin was approximately 33% that of SRIF. Pancreatic somatostatin had full biological activity measured by inhibition of growth hormone release from isolated rat pituitary cells, but 0.01-0.1% the potency of SRIF. Pancreatic somatostatin at 100 ng/ml produced a 50-60% inhibition of insulin and glucagon secretion from perfused rat pancreas, while SRIF produced comparable inhibition at 10 ng/ml. This report demonstrates that a larger molecular form and natural homolog of SRIF, isolated from fish pancreas, has the same (but reduced) biological activities in rat assay systems as somatostatin originally isolated from sheep hypothalamus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗