Biomedical subjects

N el Borai

Publications and source records attributed to N el Borai.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1997

Detection of herpes simplex DNA in semen and menstrual blood of individuals attending an infertility clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To determine a possible link between herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV) and infertility. METHOD: A specifically designed polymerase chain reaction with nested primers, was developed and used to test for HSV in 153 men and 20 women attending an infertility clinic. RESULTS: HSV DNA was detected in 37 (24%) out of 153 semen samples and in 11 (55%) out of 20 menstrual blood samples. However, HSV DNA (0%) was not detected in the semen of 16 males with children. A significant association between the evidence for infertility and an HSV positive test was observed in men (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.024), and a stronger effect was found in females after failed in vitro fertilization (Fisher's exact test p = 0.0086). CONCLUSION: This is the first report of the detection of herpes simplex virus DNA in semen and menstrual blood. Encouraging preliminary results justify antiviral therapy in case of a positive test.

Acyclovir↗

PubMed1997

Characterization of plasmin-induced platelet aggregation.

This study was undertaken to determine if reocclusion after treatment of myocardial infarction with a tissue-plasminogen activator (t-PA) may be due to plasmin-induced platelet aggregation. t-PA caused platelet aggregation by conversion of plasminogen to plasmin under certain conditions. Plasmin-induced platelet aggregation was inhibited by serine protease inhibitors, aprotinin and bdellin, and a lysine binding site inhibitor, epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA). Extracellular [Ca2+], and RGDS sequence-dependent steps were involved in the aggregation process. The action of plasmin was inhibited by large thrombin antagonistic molecules such as argatroban-inactivated thrombin or anti-thrombin receptor peptide antibodies but not by small molecules like thrombin receptor antagonist peptides. This suggests that target molecules of plasmin on the surface of platelets may not be thrombin receptors but may exist very close to thrombin receptors. Binding experiments using FITC-labeled plasmin showed that plasmin has its binding sites on platelets. Flow cytometric analyses with four types of anti-plasmin(ogen) monoclonal antibodies suggested that plasmin might bind to platelets through the N-terminal region. The binding of plasmin to platelets was suppressed by aprotinin and EACA, furthermore indicating that protease catalytic sites and lysine binding regions are involved in interaction of plasmin to platelet.

Aminocaproic Acid↗

PubMed1995

Regulation of heat production of brown adipocytes via typical and atypical beta-adrenoceptors in the rat.

Previous studies in our laboratory demonstrated that microcalorimetry is an appropriate method for estimating the physiological function of isolated rat brown adipocytes. In the present study, to elucidate the mode of action of typical and atypical beta-adrenoceptors on heat production of this cell, the effect of novel adrenergic beta 3-agonists was compared with that of other typical adrenergic reagents by direct microcalorimetry. Isoproterenol and beta 3-agonists, BRL37344, ICI215001, and CGP12177, increased heat production in a dose-dependent manner, however, phenylephrine had no effect. Propranolol and pindolol did not increase the heat production but attenuated the effect of isoproterenol and BRL37344 in a dose-dependent manner. Molar IC50 values of propranolol and pindolol for BRL37344 were about 10(-5) and 3 x 10(-6) M, respectively, whereas those of the two antagonists for isoproterenol were about 3 x 10(-7)M. The pA2 values by Schild analysis of propranolol vs. isoproterenol and BRL37344 were 7.91 and 6.13, respectively. These results suggest that heat production may be regulated via both beta 3- and typical beta-adrenoceptors in brown adipocytes.

Adipose Tissue, Brown↗

PubMed1993

Continuous column culture system for adherent cells.

A new continuous column culture system for adherent cells was developed using beads. The beads were packed in a column and an appropriate medium was continuously passed through. The whole system was kept under closed conditions. L cells and C6 cells were cultured by this new system. The number of cells increased linearly up to 16 days and reached a maximum at around 18 days. As the heat production remained constant for 16 days, it can be concluded that cells grown in this system had identical characteristics. The final concentration of cells reached was 1.0 x 10(8) ml-1. The cells could grow both in the upward and the downward direction. Advantages of this system are: (1) Cells can be recovered in their adherent form on the beads; (2) cells can easily be collected from the column by trypsinization, and (3) cells remaining in the column after trypsinization can grow again.

Animals↗