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Biomedical subjects

L Cook

Publications and source records attributed to L Cook.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency and anti-proteinase 3 antibodies in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated systemic vasculitis.

alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT) is a naturally occurring inhibitor of proteinase 3 (PR3) and elastase, two of the target antigens of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA). An increased incidence of alpha 1-AT phenotypes associated with dysfunctional alpha 1-AT or low serum levels has been reported in patients with anti-PR3 antibodies. We have studied the relationship between ANCA, and phenotypes and serum levels of alpha 1-AT. Phenotypes usually associated with a moderate or severe reduction in alpha 1-AT serum levels or in dysfunctional activity were found more often in individuals with anti-PR3 antibodies than in the general population: four of the 31 patients (13%) with anti-PR3 antibodies had phenotypes MZ (n = 2), S (n = 1) or Z (n = 1) (P < 0.05). However, the corresponding alpha 1-AT serum levels were normal (n = 3) or elevated (n = 1). None of the 31 sera with anti-PR3 antibodies had low levels of alpha 1-AT. No abnormal alpha 1-AT phenotype was demonstrated in seven patients with anti-elastase antibodies, despite a low level of alpha 1-AT in one serum. Anti-myeloperoxidase antibodies are common in patients with ANCA, but no abnormal phenotype or low serum alpha 1-AT level was demonstrated in any of 29 sera containing these antibodies. Finally anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibodies occur occasionally in patients with ANCA-associated diseases, but again none of 10 sera had an abnormal alpha 1-AT phenotype or low serum level. ANCA were not demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescence in any serum from 73 patients with abnormal alpha 1-AT phenotypes. These results confirm that patients with anti-PR3 antibodies often have alpha 1-AT phenotypes that are usually associated with low serum levels of alpha 1-AT or with dysfunctional protein. Nevertheless, the incidence of anti-PR3 antibodies in patients with abnormal alpha 1-AT phenotypes is very low. This probably reflects the rarity of Wegener's granulomatosis, the major disease associated with anti-PR3 antibodies, and the relative frequency of abnormal alpha 1-AT phenotypes. The mechanism for the development of anti-PR3 antibodies in patients with abnormal alpha 1-AT phenotypes is not clear, but may relate to the increased propensity of unbound and uninhibited PR3 to stimulate autoantibody production.

Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic↗
PubMed1995

Alpha-1-antitrypsin PLowell: a normally functioning variant present in low concentration.

BACKGROUND: Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency is associated with a high risk for the development of emphysema, particularly for phenotype Pi ZZ, which is both deficient and an abnormal inhibitor of the powerful proteolytic enzyme, human neutrophil elastase. The rare variant PLowell is also expressed at abnormally low levels, but its anti-elastase activity has not been described. AIM: To study the anti-elastase activity of alpha-1-antitrypsin PLowell and compare it to the common M, S and Z proteins. METHOD: Alpha-1-antitrypsin from a female patient aged 75 years with the rare genotype PLowell NullBellingham was studied for its ability to inhibit human neutrophil elastase in a time dependent manner. RESULTS: PLowell has near normal function as an inhibitor of human neutrophil elastase with an association rate constant of 7.4 x 10(6) M-1 S-1 at 25 degrees C, similar to that of M and S. CONCLUSION: Alpha-1-antitrypsin PLowell is associated with a severe deficiency of alpha-1-antitrypsin similar to Z, but unlike that protein it has near normal function as an anti-elastase.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Using Functional Independence Measure profiles as an index of outcome in the rehabilitation of brain-injured patients.

Rehabilitation preserves and restores everyday functions in people who have disabilities. Functional change for patients undergoing a rehabilitation program is the best measure of the effectiveness of the rehabilitation program. One tool used for measuring function is the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). However, there are problems with the psychometric properties of FIM. This article presents a method for using FIM with median patient profiles. We show the method with data from 53 patients. The results show a relationship between the pattern of recovery and the length of stay in the unit. Spearman's rank order correlation coefficients confirm this observation. Median patient profiles prove to be a useful method of displaying data as outcome measures of the effectiveness of a rehabilitation program.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1994

Daidzein is a more bioavailable soymilk isoflavone than is genistein in adult women.

Soybean isoflavones are proposed to be anticarcinogenic, but their effective doses have not been established. To study the bioavailability of soybean isoflavones for humans, 12 young adult women received single doses of 0.7, 1.3 and 2.0 mg isoflavones/kg body wt in soybean milk as part of a liquid diet. Plasma, urine and fecal isoflavones were measured by reverse-phase HPLC. Average 24-h urinary recoveries of daidzein and genistein were approximately 21% and 9%, respectively, at all three doses. Urinary recovery of daidzein was significantly greater than that of genistein (P < 0.001). Total fecal excretion of isoflavones was only 1-2% of the ingested amount. Plasma total isoflavone concentration was significantly increased to 4.4 +/- 2.5 mumol/L at 6.5 h after a dose of 2.0 mg/kg. The plasma concentrations of daidzein and genisten were approximately equal. Twenty-four hours after dosing, both plasma and urine isoflavone concentrations were nearly nil. Although soybean milk isoflavones seem to be 85% degraded in the intestine, the bioavailability, especially of daidzein, may be sufficient to exert some health-protective effects.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1994

Passively transferable protection against Schistosoma japonicum induced in the mouse by multiple vaccination with attenuated larvae: the development of immunity, antibody isotype responses and antigen recognition.

Vaccination of mice with attenuated S. japonicum cercariae induces protection against secondary infection which can be transferred to naive mice with serum (VMS). The presence of antibody does not per se impart protection as serum from mice carrying non-attenuated infections (CIS), contains high levels of specific antibody, but confers no protection. Here we describe the increased protection transferred (20 to 68%) with increased number of vaccinations (one to five) given to the donors, and its decline with time after the final vaccination. We also describe the development of IgM, IgA, IgE, total IgG and IgG subclass responses in VMS, giving different levels of protection and CIS, directed against sodium periodate-sensitive and -resistant epitopes in 'skin-stage', 'lung-stage' and 'liver-stage' schistosomula, adult worms and eggs. In addition, antibody affinity maturation, development of S. japonicum species-specific responses, and vaccination-specific responses were examined. No response developed in parallel with serum-mediated immunity, suggesting immunity may be due to responses against individual antigens. Preliminary examination of antigens recognized in Western blot showed that two schistosomal membrane antigens, of 13 and 40 kDa, were recognized by VMS from mice vaccinated five times (68% protection), but not by twice vaccinated VMS (27% protection). Neither antigen was recognized by non-protective CIS.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Absence of alpha-1-antitrypsin (Pi Null Bellingham) and the early onset of emphysema.

BACKGROUND: Alpha-1-antitrypsin is the body's major inhibitor of human neutrophil elastase, a powerful proteolytic enzyme capable of degrading the common tissue components. There are over 70 genetic variants of alpha-1-antitrypsin, with the Z allele being of greatest clinical relevance. Individuals homozygous for this allele (approximately one in 2500 in Caucasians) have low serum alpha-1-antitrypsin levels (10-20% of normal) and are predisposed to emphysema, especially if they smoke. Much rarer are mutations which result in the complete or almost complete absence of alpha-1-antitrypsin in the serum. AIM: To determine the cause of complete absence of alpha-1-antitrypsin in a patient who at age 27 years had both emphysema and idiopathic cardiomyopathy. METHODS: Molecular biology techniques were used to sequence the alpha-1-antitrypsin gene. Allele specific amplification was used to show the presence of the mutations in other family members. RESULTS: Investigation showed that the proband was homozygous for the Pi Null Bellingham variant of alpha-1-antitrypsin due to the mutation Lys 217 (AAG) to Stop (TAG). His grandmother was heterozygous for Pi Null Bellingham and the additional rare variant P Lowell, Asp 256 (GAT) to Val (GTT), a variant that also results in alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. CONCLUSION: Patients with complete absence of alpha-1-antitrypsin develop premature emphysema not having smoked or after only minimal exposure, and much earlier than the more common Pi Z individuals who have the usual form of alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Evaluation of defined antigen vaccines against Schistosoma bovis and S. japonicum in bovines.

Our objective is to contribute to the development of defined antigen vaccines for schistosomiasis by evaluating the protective efficacy of Schistosoma bovis and S. japonicum antigens in their natural bovine hosts. Antigens under evaluation include some already identified as vaccine candidates: glutathione S-transferases (GSTs); KLH, which shares protective epitopes with the protective antigen GP38 of S. mansoni; and Sj23, the analogue of the vaccine candidate Sm23 antigen. In another approach, since crude freeze/thaw schistosomular antigen plus BCG(F/T vaccine) has proved protective against S. japonicum in bovines, as it was against S. mansoni in mice, we are carrying out further evaluations both of this crude antigen and of recombinant-derived paramyosins. In a third line of work, novel vaccine candidate antigens identified by screening our cDNA libraries with various passively protective animal sera are being evaluated in animal experiments. In the Sudan we have shown that vaccination of calves with either native S. bovis GSTs or KLH induces high levels of fecundity-suppression without causing a significant reduction in adult worm recoveries. Therefore, recombinant-derived S. bovis 28kD GST is now being evaluated, as are the effects of combined GST/KLH vaccination. In China, sheep have been vaccinated with either S. japonicum GSTs, with KLH, or with the F/T vaccine, as a prelude to trials in bovines. As judged by adult worm recoveries, each type of vaccine induced significant protection, and there was also evidence, particularly with the GST and F/T vaccines, of fecundity-suppressive effects. As with the S. bovis/cattle system therefore, both GST and KLH showed protective effects against S. japonicum in sheep.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Occurrence and characterization of a dehydratase enzyme in the leek icosanoyl-CoA synthase complex.

The presence of a beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydratase involved in the icosanoyl-CoA synthase (EC 2.3.1.119) complex of leek epidermis has been demonstrated using antibodies raised against the purified beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydratase from rat liver. In a first step the leek icosanoyl-CoA synthase activity was measured in the presence of different amounts of this antibody, the results obtained showed a 75% inhibition of the activity using a 8:1 IgG/microsomal protein ratio, whereas only a weak diminution of the activity occurred using pre-immune IgG. The analysis of the reaction products after incubation in the presence of increasing IgG amounts showed a decrease of the fatty acids (the final product) and an accumulation of beta-hydroxy fatty acids using immune IgG, whereas no change occurred in the presence of pre-immune IgG. Moreover, the beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydratase activity was strongly inhibited, whereas in the same conditions, the beta-ketoacyl-CoA reductase and the (trans-2-3) enoyl-CoA reductase activities were not affected. The protein fractions that eluted from the DEAE and Ultrogel columns containing the leek icosanoyl-CoA synthase activity were able to specifically bind the anti beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydratase from rat liver. The cross-reactivity was demonstrated. In immunoblotting experiments using the same antiserum after SDS-PAGE of the purified leek icosanoyl-CoA synthase, only one of the four protein bands constituting the leek icosanoyl-CoA synthase was detected. This protein, having an apparent molecular mass of 65 kDa, could be the dehydratase component of the elongation complex.

Allium↗
PubMed1992

Novel piperidine sigma receptor ligands as potential antipsychotic drugs.

sigma receptor ligands represent a new class of potential antipsychotic drugs. This paper presents the structure-activity relationships leading to novel disubstituted piperidine sigma ligands, which have little or no affinity for dopamine D2 receptors. Selectivity for sigma sites over dopamine D2 or serotonin 5-HT2 receptors appears to be governed by the chemical nature of the piperidine nitrogen substituent, its distance from the basic nitrogen, and its orientation relative to the other piperidine substituent. Several of these compounds have good oral potency in some animal models used to evaluate potential antipsychotic drugs. The N-cyclopropylmethyl ketones and ethers (e.g. 6i (DuP 734), 6q, 18a, and 18n) have the best in vivo potency. Compounds 6i (DuP 734) and 6q did not cause catalepsy in the rat, even at very high doses. On the basis of the pharmacology profiles of these sigma ligands, we propose these compounds may be effective antipsychotic drugs, which do not induce extrapyramidal side effects or tardive dyskinesia.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Evidence that beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrase purified from rat liver microsomes is of peroxisomal origin.

The present study provides strong evidence that the previously isolated hepatic microsomal beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrase (EC 4.2.1.17), believed to be a component of the fatty acid chain-elongation system, is derived, not from the endoplasmic reticulum, but rather from the peroxisomes. The isolated dehydrase was purified over 3000-fold and showed optimal enzymic activity toward beta-hydroxyacyl-CoAs or trans-2-enoyl-CoAs with carbon chain lengths of 8-10. The purified preparation (VDH) displayed a pH optimum at 7.5 with beta-hydroxydecanoyl-CoA, and at 6.0 with beta-hydroxystearoyl-CoA. Competitive-inhibition studies suggested that VDH contained dehydrase isoforms, and SDS/PAGE showed three major bands at 47, 71 and 78 kDa, all of which reacted to antibody raised to the purified preparation. Immunocytochemical studies with anti-rabbit IgG to VDH unequivocally demonstrated gold particles randomly distributed throughout the peroxisomal matrix of liver sections from both untreated and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate-treated rats. No labelling was associated with endoplasmic reticulum or with the microsomal fraction. Substrate-specificity studies and the use of antibodies to VDH and to the peroxisomal trifunctional protein indicated that VDH and the latter are separate enzymes. On the other hand, the VDH possesses biochemical characteristics similar to those of the D-beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrase recently isolated from rat liver peroxisomes [Li, Smeland & Schulz (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 13629-13634; Hiltunen, Palosaari & Kunau (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 13536-13540]. Neither enzyme utilizes crotonoyl-CoA or cis-2-enoyl-CoA as substrates, but both enzymes convert trans-2-enoyl substrates into the D-isomer only. In addition, the VDH also contained beta-oxoacyl-CoA reductase (beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase) activity, which co-purified with the dehydrase.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Depletion of rat hepatic glutathione and inhibition of microsomal trans-2-enoyl-CoA reductase activity following administration of a dec-2-ynol and dec-2-ynoic acid.

The effects of administration of dec-2-ynol and dec-2-ynoic acid on the hepatic glutathione (GSH) content and hepatic microsomal trans-2-enoyl-CoA reductase activity were examined in rat. Both compounds, when administered ip, caused a marked depletion of GSH levels and a corresponding inactivation of trans-2-enoyl-CoA reductase activity in both a time- and dose-dependent manner. The dec-2-ynoic acid caused greater hepatotoxicity than dec-2-ynol based on serum alanine transaminase activity. Based on the observations that (a) the alcohol did not interact with GSH in the presence or absence of cytosol, (b) the spectral manifestation of the interaction between GSH and the alcohol occurred only when NAD+ was added to the reaction mixture containing the cytosol and reactants, and (c) a similar absorbance spectrum was obtained following the interaction between aldehyde and GSH, it was concluded that dec-2-ynol is converted to an electrophile, dec-2-ynal, which causes depletion of GSH. The decrease in GSH content following administration of the acid appears to be due to activation of the acid to the electrophile, dec-2-ynoyl CoA, which then interacts with GSH, resulting in its depletion, based on the in vitro observations that (a) the acid did not interact with GSH in the presence or absence of cytosol, and (b) the spectral manifestation of interaction between GSH and dec-2-ynoyl CoA occurred both nonenzymatically and enzymatically in the presence of rat liver glutathione S-transferase (Sigma). Bovine serum albumin stimulated the enzymatic reaction. Comparable to the effects on GSH were the effects of dec-2-ynol, dec-2-ynal, dec-2-ynoic acid, and dec-2-ynoyl CoA on the microsomal trans-2-enoyl-CoA reductase activity in vitro. While the alcohol had no effect on the enzyme activity, its electrophilic product, the aldehyde, was a potent inhibitor. Similarly, the acid did not inhibit the enzyme activity unless the acid was present at high concentration; however, its electrophilic product, the CoA thioester, was a very potent inhibitor at very low concentration.

Acyl Coenzyme A↗
PubMed1992

Effect of one-legged exercise on the strength, power and endurance of the contralateral leg. A randomized, controlled study using isometric and concentric isokinetic training.

The purpose of this investigation was to study the effect of one-legged exercise on the strength, power and endurance of the contralateral leg. The performance of the knee extensor and flexor muscle of 20 healthy young adults (10 men and 10 women) was first tested by Cybex II+ and 340 dynamometers. Then 10 subjects were chosen at random to train using one leg three times a week for 7 weeks whilst the other 10 served as controls. During the 8th week, the tests were repeated. Both quadriceps and hamstring muscles of the trained subjects showed a cross-transfer effect from the trained limb to the untrained side. This concerned the strength and power, as well as endurance characteristics of these muscles. The average change in peak torque of the quadriceps muscle was +19% (P less than 0.001) in the trained limb, +11% (P less than 0.01) in the untrained limb and 0% in the control limbs. In hamstring muscles the changes were +14% (P less than 0.01), +5% and -1%, respectively. Concerning muscle endurance (work performed during the last 5 contractions in the 25-repetition test) the corresponding changes were +15% (P less than 0.01), +7% (P less than 0.01), and -1% in quadriceps muscle, and +17% (P less than 0.05), +7%, and -3% in hamstring muscles. The average strength benefit in the untrained limb was +36% (hamstring muscles) and +58% (quadriceps muscle) of that achieved in the trained limb. Untrained hamstring muscle showed better benefits in the endurance parameters than in strength or power parameters, while in the quadriceps muscle this effect was reversed. A positive relationship was observed between the changes (greater improvement in the trained limb resulted in greater improvement in the untrained limb) (hamstring muscles: r = 0.83, P less than 0.001, quadriceps muscle: r = 0.53, P less than 0.001). In endurance parameters, this relationship was almost linear while in the strength and power parameters the results were more in favour of a curvilinear relationship with limited benefit.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

The fatty acid chain elongation system of mammalian endoplasmic reticulum.

Much has been learned about FACES of the endoplasmic reticulum since its discovery in the early 1960s. FACES consists of four component reactions, requires the fatty acid to be activated in the form of a CoA derivative, utilizes reducing equivalents in the form of NADH or NADPH, is induced by a fat-free diet, resides on the cytoplasmic surface of the endoplasmic reticulum, appears to function in concert with the desaturase system and appears to exist in multiple forms (either multiple condensing enzymes connected to a single pathway or multiple pathways). FACES has been found in all tissues investigated, namely, liver, brain, kidney, lung, adrenals, retina, testis, small intestine, blood cells (lymphocytes and neutrophils) and fibroblasts, with one exception--the heart has no measurable activity. Yet, much more needs to be learned. The critical, inducible and rate-limiting condensing enzyme has resisted solubilization and purification; the purification of the other components has met with limited success. We know nothing about the site of synthesis of each component of FACES. How is each component enzyme integrated into the endoplasmic reticulum membrane? Is there a single mRNA directing synthesis of all four components or are there four separate mRNAs? How are elongation and desaturation coordinated? What is (are) the physiological regulator(s) of FACES--ADP, AMP, IP3, G-proteins, phosphorylation, CoA, Ca2+, cAMP, none of these? The molecular biology of FACES is only in the fetal stage of development. We are only scratching the surface--it is an undiscovered country.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Sex and dietary fat modulate hepatic prostaglandin F2 alpha in F344/N rats.

The study was designed to determine whether sex and fat calories altered hepatic prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha status; a factor which may reflect susceptibility to cancer development. For 4 weeks, groups of 8 male and 8 female F344/N rats were fed diets with 9% of energy (en%) from linoleate and 15.5, 20, 30 or 40 en% fat. Females had greater hepatic stearate, arachidonate and PGF2 alpha whereas males had greater hepatic myristate, palmitate and oleate. Females also had greater plasma stearate levels. Greater hepatic arachidonate may have stimulated PG production in females. Hepatic oleate increased and hepatic palmitate decreased with increasing en% fat (p < 0.05). Hepatic stearate was greater and hepatic linoleate less when 40 en% fat was fed compared with other levels of dietary fat (p < 0.05). Plasma oleate was greater at 30 or 40 en% fat than at lower levels of fat, whereas plasma linoleate was less at 40 en% than at 15.5% en% fat. The ability of a 30 en% fat diet, containing equal proportions of linoleate and oleate, to suppress hepatic PG production may be related to the effects of dietary fat content and composition on plasma fatty acid profiles. Because suppressed PG production has been linked with suppression of cancer development, dietary recommendations to consume 30 en% fat with a P:M ratio of 1:1 may be cancer-protective.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Quantitative DNA analysis and proliferation in breast carcinomas. A comparison between image analysis and flow cytometry.

The DNA content and proliferation in 100 invasive breast carcinomas were evaluated by computerized image analysis (IA) and flow cytometry (FCM). For DNA content, image analysis of Feulgen-stained slides of fresh tumor imprints were compared with flow cytometry of propidium iodide-stained disaggregated fresh tumor tissue. The DNA indices obtained by the two methods showed close correlation by linear regression analysis (r = 0.89, p less than .001). There were 44 (44%) diploid and 56 (56%) aneuploid tumors. There was agreement between the two methods in detection of aneuploidy in 81% of tumors. Image analysis required smaller tissue samples, permitted direct visualization and selection of tumor cells, and was more sensitive in detecting tetraploid and highly aneuploid cell populations. In contrast, flow cytometry histograms provided better resolution, and were more effective in detecting multiploid tumors and near-diploid aneuploid tumors. Aneuploidy was significantly related to various adverse prognostic parameters, namely, negative estrogen receptor, high mitotic rate, high histologic and nuclear grades. Proliferation was evaluated by measuring the FCM S phase fraction (SPF), and by image analysis quantitation of immunohistochemical staining using Ki-67 monoclonal antibody. SPF and Ki-67 count showed modest correlation (r = 0.42). Both SPF and Ki-67 count were significantly related to the mitotic rate, histologic and nuclear grades. Our results indicate that the two methods provide comparable results, but offer individual advantages and are complementary techniques in analyzing DNA ploidy and proliferation in breast carcinomas.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗