PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M M Werber

Publications and source records attributed to M M Werber.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Identification and preliminary characterization of two human digitalis-like substances that are structurally related to digoxin and ouabain.

In order to characterize the structure of endogenous digitalis-like immunoreactive factor (DLIF), we utilized peritoneal dialysis fluid from patients with chronic renal failure as a source of endogenous digitalis-like immunoreactive factor (DLIF), and subjected it to one-step ion exchange chromatography, followed by one step reverse HPLC. Crude dialysis fluid contained 0.09 ng/ml of DLIF, and using Amberlite XAD-2 chromatography we extracted 110 ng of DLIF from 800 ml of dialysis fluid. By applying this partially purified DLIF to our HPLC system, we discerned three peaks of DLIF activity, with retention times of 34, 58 and 63 minutes. The first peak overlapped the elution profile of ouabain, and the third peak co-eluted precisely with digoxin. The second DLIF peak was not in proximity to any of the digitalis-like markers employed. Thus, our results indicate that DLIF isolated from peritoneal dialysis fluid exists in three distinct forms, one of which resembles ouabain, and one which is identical to digoxin.

Digoxin↗
PubMed1992

Characterization of stable beryllium fluoride, aluminum fluoride, and vanadate containing myosin subfragment 1-nucleotide complexes.

Beryllium and aluminum fluorides are good phosphate analogues. These compounds, like orthovanadate, form stable complexes with myosin subfragment 1 (S1) in the presence of MgADP. The formation of the stable S1-nucleotide complexes is characterized by the loss of ATPase activity. For the complete loss of ATPase activity there was necessary a higher concentration of aluminum than of beryllium or vanadate. In the presence of MgATP the onset of the inhibition is delayed, which indicates that stable complexes cannot form when a specific site is occupied by the gamma-phosphate of ATP or by P(i) derived from the gamma-phosphate. The half-lives of the S1-MgADP-(BeF3-), S1-MgADP-(AlF4-), and S1-MgADP-Vi complexes at 0 degrees C are 7, 2, and 4 days, respectively. In the presence of actin the rate of decomposition of all of the complexes is significantly enhanced; however, the order of decomposition is reversed, the fastest rate being observed with beryllium and the slowest with aluminum. The formation of the S1-MgADP-(BeF3-) and S1-MgADP-(AlF4-) complexes is accompanied by an increase in tryptophan fluorescence similar to that observed upon addition of MgATP to S1. The fluorescence increase develops rather slowly, by suggesting that the rate-limiting step in the formation of the stable complex is an isomerization. The rate of the fluorescence change accompanying the formation of the Be complex is faster than that for the Al complex. Addition of vanadate to S1 causes a static quenching of the tryptophan fluorescence.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Actins↗
PubMed1991

Protective effects of human recombinant MnSOD in adjuvant arthritis and bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis.

We have previously shown that human recombinant methionyl manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) is more efficient than CuZnSOD as an anti-inflammatory agent in a model of acute inflammation (Carrageenan-induced paw edema). This effect was attributed to the prolonged half-life of MnSOD in blood (t1/2 = 6 h vs. 10 min, respectively). In the present study, the two enzymes were compared in terms of their effectiveness in two systems: (1) Adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats, which is considered to be a model for the chronic situation of rheumatoid arthritis and (2) Bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis, which is a chronic situation believed to be mediated by oxygen free radicals. Rats inflicted with adjuvant arthritis were treated during the period of maximal joint swelling (Days 15-21 after adjuvant injection) with MnSOD or CuZnSOD (12 to 50 mg/kg, i.p. daily). MnSOD administration resulted in a 50-75% reduction of paw swelling, as well as inhibition of the elevation of serum globulins. A similar treatment with CuZnSOD gave merely marginal effects. In the second system, lung fibrosis was induced in rats by intratracheal administration of bleomycin. MnSOD (50 mg/kg, s.c.), administered 2 h before and then 2 and 4 days after bleomycin, markedly inhibited lung fibrosis, as evident from lung weight and collagen content measured by the 3rd week. By contrast, CuZnSOD administration did not give a significant effect. The results indicate that MnSOD is superior to CuZnSOD in the treatment of chronic inflammatory processes. In addition, they lend further support to the involvement of oxygen free radicals in bleomycin toxicity.

Arthritis, Experimental↗
PubMed1979

Viscosity-dependent structural fluctuations in enzyme catalysis.

The effect of viscosity on the rate of catalysis of carboxypeptidase A has been tested. By use of the tripeptide carbobenzoxy-l-alanyl-l-alanyl-l-alanine [Z(L-Ala)3] as substrate, it was shown that most of the effect on the hydrolysis rate caused by the presence of 30 or 40% methanol or glycerol in aqueous solution can be ascribed to a contribution of viscosity to the catalytic rate constant, kcat. Arrhenius plots of kcat in 30 and 40% glycerol or methanol are linear and almost parallel. When the rate constants are "corrected" for the viscosity of various media, the difference between the various Arrhenius plots is considerably reduced; it vanishes, within experimental error, when the effect of the dielectric constant of the solutions is taken into account as well. It is proposed that the viscosity of the medium can influence the rate-limiting step of the enzymic reaction, which is the rate of transitions over the energy barrier preceding product formation. According to the suggested mechanism, the enzyme--substrate complex can overcome this energy barrier by viscosity-dependent structural fluctuations. The quantitative agreement between the theory and the experimental results suggests that (a) due to the temperature dependence of the viscosity of the solution, the potential energy barrier of the reaction is about 5 kcal/mol lower than the observed activation energy and (b) information about the structural flexibility of the complex can be obtained by kinetic measurements.

Carboxypeptidases↗
PubMed1978

Metal binding to myosin and to myosin DTNB-light chain.

The effects of various divalent cations, Ca2+, Mg2+ and Mn2+ on the intrinsic fluorescence of heavy meromyosin (HMM) and myosin 5,5'-dithio-bis-(2-nitrobenzoate) DTNB-light chain of rabbit striated muscle, are compared. At pH 6.4, th fluorescence change induced by the metal ions is present only in the isolated light chain and disappears in HMM, thus indicating an interaction between the heavy and light chains with respect to the binding of the metal ions. Whereas Mg2+ binds more strongly than Ca2+ to myosin, this order is reversed in the case of the DTNB-light chain.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Structural and exchange properties of "Co(III)-phenanthroline-ATP": a labeling reagent for the active site of ATPases.

This paper reports on 1H and 31P NMR as well as EPR measurements of the labeling reagent of ATPase sites, "Co(III)-(phen)-ATP." This complex is found to be paramagnetic, as deduced both from its EPR spectrum and from the significant broadening, though almost unshifted, proton and phosphorus resonances. This paramagnetism is a result of the incorporation of the superoxide free-radical anion in the coordination sphere of the trivalent cobalt ion. Evidence for the presence of superoxide in the complex is based on competition experiments with cyanide, which is able to displace the superoxide anion. The latter was identified by its inducing effect on the photoreactivity of luminol. The displacement of superoxide by cyanide was accompanied by the abolition of the paramagnetism of the complex. The relative distances between the protons and phosphorus atoms of ATP and the superoxide anion in the complex were calculated using the NMR line-broadening data. Structural models compatible with the experimental results are proposed. Under conditions of excess of adenine nucleotides or phenanthroline, the coordinated ATP molecule becomes exchangeable. This phenomenon is attributed to the labilization of the cobaltic ion ligands induced by the superoxide anion.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗