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Biomedical subjects

P Henriksson

Publications and source records attributed to P Henriksson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Inhibition of cellular glycoprotein incorporation into human immunodeficiency virus-like particles by coexpression of additional cellular interaction partner.

We examined the concepts of whether cellular surface glycoprotein overexpressed in heterologous cells can be efficiently incorporated into lentiviral particles and whether incorporation is blocked when a natural interaction partner is coexpressed. Human CD4 and a truncated version lacking the cytoplasmic C terminus, expressed in 293T cells, were efficiently incorporated into Env-defective human immunodeficiency virus type 1 virus-like particles. However, on coexpression of p56(lck), the natural binding partner of the CD4 C-terminal domain in T lymphocytes, incorporation of the wild-type CD4 was completely abolished, whereas incorporation of the C-terminally truncated mutant remained unaffected. Confocal microscopy and detergent solubility assays did not reveal any significant difference in the distribution of wild-type CD4 at the plasma membrane in the presence or absence of p56(lck). These results give some insight into the processes governing protein incorporation into the lipid bilayer of lentiviruses.

Alkaline Phosphatase

[Homozygous protein C deficiency can be detected by prenatal diagnosis].

Homozygous protein C deficiency (HPCD) with purpura fulminans is a rare condition with an estimated incidence of 1-2 per 400,000 births. About 20 case reports have appeared since the first one was published in 1983. HPCD provides an excellent illustration of the fundamental importance of the protein C anticoagulant pathway. This severe coagulopathy results in serious organ damage, often already in utero, and without treatment it is incompatible with life. The treatment options include fresh frozen plasma and protein C concentrate in the acute phase, followed by oral anticoagulant therapy. Over 160 different point mutations in the protein C gene have been identified in recent years, offering new possibilities for prenatal diagnosis. The article describes the case of a family who lost two children with congenital HPCD. But where the specific point mutation was identified thus enabling prenatal diagnosis to be performed in a subsequent pregnancy.

Adult

Intravenous nitroglycerin reduces ischaemia in unstable angina pectoris: a double-blind placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: To study whether intravenous nitroglycerin (NTG) reduces the incidence of ischaemic events and leucocyte activation, as well as inhibiting platelet aggregation in patients with unstable angina pectoris. DESIGN: Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. SUBJECTS: One hundred and sixty-two patients with a history and electrocardiographic changes suggesting unstable angina pectoris. INTERVENTIONS: A 48-hour titrated intravenous infusion of NTG or placebo. RESULTS: Of the 162 randomized patients, 19 were excluded because of an acute myocardial infarction on randomization (11 patients) or proven presence of a non-ischaemic cause of the pain (6 patients). Other causes (2 patients). No differences in the clinical findings were detected between the groups on randomization. In the comparison of NTG and placebo, fewer patients in the former group had more than two new attacks of chest pain lasting for < 20 min or one new attack of chest pain lasting > 20 min, despite sublingual NTG (13/25, P < 0.03). In addition, the attacks of pain lasting > 20 min in the NTG group were delayed compared to those in the placebo group (P < 0.05), suggesting a beneficial effect on these more severe episodes. Fewer patients in the NTG group required more than two sublingual NTG tablets (P < 0.005). NTG also reduced the rate-pressure product (P < 0.05), compared to placebo after 2 h but not after 24 h. Compared to baseline, platelet aggregation was inhibited in the patients who had received an NTG infusion for 2 h (P < 0.05). In both groups, leucocytes were activated at baseline, but remained unchanged thereafter. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous NTG seems to reduce myocardial ischaemia in patients with unstable angina pectoris more than the placebo.

Adult

Possible bone-preserving capacity of high-dose intramuscular depot estrogen as compared to orchidectomy in the treatment of patients with prostatic carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of prostatic disease with GnRH agonists or by orchidectomy affects bone mass negatively. Estrogen treatment has beneficial effects on bone mass in women and might hypothetically have a bone preserving capacity also in patients with prostatic cancer. METHODS: We followed serum markers for bone and collagen metabolism and sex steroids for 18 months in patients with prostatic cancer treated by orchidectomy (N = 13) or by single-drug parenteral polyestradiol phosphate (240 mg intramuscularly every second week for the first two months, and then every fourth week; N = 17). RESULTS: Total and free testosterone reached castration levels within 1.5 months of estrogen treatment. Four patients developing progressive disease and/or signs of metastasis were excluded from the analysis. In the remaining patients, serum osteocalcin, procollagen IIIP (PIIINP), procollagen (PICP), and the crosslinked carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) increased significantly over time following orchidectomy (N = 11). Serum osteocalcin and PICP decreased significantly over time during estrogen treatment (N = 15). Treatment values of all four markers were significantly lower in estrogen-treated than in orchidectomized patients. CONCLUSIONS: The changes in serum bone and collagen markers indicate an increased bone turnover in orchidectomized subjects. The opposite pattern was found in the estrogen-treated patients, indicating a reduced turnover. Estrogens may also have a bone mass-preserving capacity in elderly males with prostatic cancer.

Aged

Use of a hormone-sensitive (LNCaP) and a hormone-resistant (LNCaP-r) cell line in prostate cancer research.

BACKGROUND: In order to develop a hormone-resistant analog to the hormone sensitive cell-line LNCaP, different methods were tried. METHODS: After almost one year of continuous culture in RPMI-1640, containing a low concentration of androgens, the hormone sensitive cell-line LNCaP became hormone resistant and was named LNCaP-r. RESULTS: We used the LNCaP/LNCaP-r model system in order to study methods for the parenteral treatment of prostate carcinoma with estrogens, to study the mechanism of action of estramustine, and to identify markers useful as predictive tests for prostate carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: A model system made up of the hormone sensitive prostate LNCaP cell-line and the hormone resistant LNCaP-r subline was developed and characterized. This system is, despite a number of limitations, easy to use as a first step to test different hypotheses that can be studied further in later clinical trials.

Androgens

The impact of hormone replacement therapy on quality of life and willingness to pay.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the gain in quality of life due to hormone replacement therapy for women with mild and severe menopausal symptoms. DESIGN: Prospective study where data on quality of life and willingness to pay were collected by interview. SETTING: Department of Gynaecology at Södertälje Hospital near Stockholm. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and four women aged 45 to 65 years treated for menopausal symptoms for at least one month. METHODS: Quality of life was measured by the time tradeoff and rating scale methods. The willingness to pay for hormone replacement therapy was investigated using the contingent valuation method. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The quality adjusted life year weight measured with the rating scale and time tradeoff methods, and willingness to pay. RESULTS: The increase in the quality adjusted life year weight due to hormone replacement therapy for women with mild symptoms was 0.26 according to the rating scale method and 0.18 according to the time tradeoff method. For women with severe symptoms the quality adjusted life year weight increased by 0.50 according to the rating scale method and by 0.42 according to the time tradeoff method. The mean willingness to pay for hormone replacement therapy per month was 2300 Swedish krone for women with mild symptoms and 4800 Swedish krone for women with severe symptoms (Pounds 1 = 10.3 Swedish krone). CONCLUSIONS: Hormone replacement therapy leads to a major improvement in quality of life for women with menopausal symptoms. Both for women with mild and severe menopausal symptoms the willingness to pay for the treatment also greatly exceeds the costs, indicating that hormone replacement therapy is economically beneficial for women with menopausal symptoms.

Aged

Vitamin C reduces cholesterol-induced microcirculatory changes in rabbits.

The microcirculation was studied for 10 weeks in untreated rabbits (n = 12) and in rabbits treated with vitamin C in their drinking water (0.5 g/d; n = 6), a 1% cholesterol diet (n = 12), or a combination of the two treatments (n = 11). The studies were performed by direct intravital microscopic imaging of the conjunctiva of both eyes to evaluate blood flow velocity, microvessel diameter, and microhemorheologic conditions. As we reported previously, changes occurred in all of the aforementioned variables as a consequence of cholesterol feeding. After 3 and 6 weeks of feeding, there was a marked and significant (P < .0001) decrease in blood flow velocity in third-order arterioles, which was accompanied by stasis and erythrocyte aggregation in the smaller conjunctival vessels. When cholesterol treatment was combined with vitamin C, blood flow was almost identical to that of controls and significantly (P < .0001) higher than that of rabbits treated with cholesterol alone. All other changes were also significantly reduced by the addition of vitamin C treatment to the cholesterol diet. Cholesterol-treated rabbits developed macroscopic arterial lesions that were not significantly reduced by vitamin C treatment. Neither circulating oxysterol levels nor atheromas were reduced by vitamin C treatment, which also had no significant effect on lipid or circulating vitamin E levels. We have previously shown that the lipid-soluble antioxidant BHT is able to prevent both cholesterol-induced microcirculatory changes and the development of arterial lesions in rabbits. This phenomenon is compatible with a critical oxidation step occurring in the lipid phase that is common to both processes. The finding that microcirculatory changes can be prevented by a water-soluble antioxidant is compatible with a role for water-soluble oxidants in this context. The possibility is discussed that vitamin C might also be important for the microcirculation in humans.

Animals

Dietary cholesterol induces transient changes in plasma nitrate levels in rabbits that are correlated to microcirculatory changes.

Dietary treatment of rabbits with 1% cholesterol resulted in a transient rise in their plasma nitrate levels. After 3 weeks of treatment the nitrate levels were about 50% higher than those of the controls (p<0.005). After 10 weeks of treatment the nitrate levels were similar to those at the start of the study. In accordance with previous work (Xiu et al., J. Clin. Invest., 1994, 93, 2732-2737), the cholesterol treatment let to a decreased blood flow velocity in arterioli of the third order in the conjunctiva, and a decreased diameter of these arterioli. There was a significant correlation between plasma nitrate levels and the two microcirculatory variables (p<0.0001). Nitrate is the major metabolic end product of nitric oxide (NO), and plasma nitrate levels may be used as an index of the endogenous formation of NO. The present results suggest that dietary cholesterol induces a transient increase in the synthesis of NO. Such an increased synthesis may compensate for part of a cholesterol-induced degradation of NO.

Animals

Profound decrease of in vivo formation of thromboxane during oestrogen therapy.

Oestrogen has been proposed to influence platelet activity and formation of the vasoactive eicosanoids thromboxane and prostacyclin. Previous studies have been based on ex vivo techniques with well-known artifacts during blood sampling and ex vivo conditions. The present study is the first to assess in vivo formation through gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric analysis of the major urinary metabolites 2,3-dinor-thromboxane B2 and 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1 alpha. Ten consecutive male patients with prostatic carcinoma participating in a randomized study comparing the effects of parenteral oestrogen therapy (n = 5) with orchidectomy (n = 5) were included. Oestrogen was given as polyestradiol phosphate 240 mg i.m. every month, 2,3-dinor thromboxane B2 and 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1 alpha were analysed with the help of tetradeuterated internal carriers/standards. We found a consistent decrease of in vivo formation of thromboxane by approximately 40% during parenteral oestrogen therapy (P = 0.008) and a doubling after surgical castration. The ratio of prostacyclin to thromboxane increased by approximately 50% (P = 0.023) during oestrogen therapy. In conclusion, oestrogen induced a marked decrease of in vivo formation of thromboxane and a marked increase in the ratio of prostacyclin to thromboxane formation in all patients. According to current knowledge this should be beneficial for the cardiovascular system. Furthermore, thromboxane formation increased after surgical castration. The latter fact should direct attention to the influence of androgens on thromboxane synthesis. Our findings discloses a marked sex-hormone sensitivity of the thromboxane-forming system.

Aged

Hormonal regulation of serum lipoprotein (a) levels: effects of parenteral administration of estrogen or testosterone in males.

When given orally, estrogens, as well as androgens, lower serum lipoprotein (a)[Lp(a)]levels. To determine whether these effects occur also after parenteral administration of steroids, Lp(a) levels were determined in two groups of elderly males suffering from prostatic carcinoma, who were randomized to treatment with parenteral estrogen (n = 8) or orchidectomy (n = 6). One group of healthy male volunteers (n = 9) was studied after parenteral administration of testosterone. Estrogen was given as im polyestradiol phosphate, 240 mg twice monthly, and testosterone was given as im injections, 250 mg/week. In the orchidectomized subjects, Lp(a) levels increased by 20% by month 3 after treatment (P < 0.05). In spite of drastic changes in serum hormone levels, no change in Lp(a) levels was observed in the estrogen-treated subjects. Concomitantly, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were lowered by 15% and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels increased by 20%. Testosterone administration lowered Lp(a) levels by 20% (P < 0.05). No significant changes in serum lipid levels were observed in the testosterone-treated subjects or in the orchidectomy group. Thus, during parenteral administration of estrogens or androgens, diverging effects on Lp(a) and serum lipoproteins were observed. In particular, the mode of administration of estrogen influenced the response in Lp(a) levels. This suggests that the regulatory role of sex hormones on serum Lp(a) levels may depend on their capability to influence hepatic metabolic pathways of Lp(a).

Adult

Implications of the prognostic importance of exercise-induced thromboxane formation in survivors of an acute myocardial infarction.

Thirty-two patients with acute myocardial infarction performed an exercise stress test one month after hospital discharge. The in vivo formation of thromboxane and prostacyclin formation before and during the exercise stress test was analyzed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of the in vivo formed metabolites 2,3-dinor-TxB2 and 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1 alpha. Patients with a significant increase in thromboxane formation (> 30%) during exercise (P < 0.0001) had a worse prognosis, with a 60% incidence of coronary events during the three years following the index infarction as compared to only 8% in the group without such an increase in thromboxane formation during exercise (P = 0.008). The group with coronary events and increased thromboxane formation included patients not detected by classical risk factors. Our findings suggest that exercise-induced thromboxane formation in survivors of an acute myocardial infarction may include prognostic information not defined by other risk indicators.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha

[Intramuscular depot estrogens (Estradurin) in treatment of patients with prostate carcinoma. Historical aspects, mechanism of action, results and current clinical status].

More than 50 years ago, orally given estrogen was already used in the treatment of prostate cancer. Due to cardiovascular side-effects with a high morbidity of 25%, this treatment has not become standard. Recent investigations show that parenteral application reduces the risk of cardiovascular side-effects, because it avoids the first passage through the liver with high concentrations of estrogen which normally occur after oral application. Therefore, an increased synthesis of so-called "steroid-sensitive" liver proteins, such as coagulation factors (especially factor VII) can be avoided. This newer parenteral estrogen application shows encouraging results of a cheap and effective hormonal therapy with a low rate of side-effects in patients with prostate cancer.

Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal

Deteriorated arterial supply to the lower limb during oral oestrogen therapy of patients with prostatic carcinoma.

Patients with prostatic carcinoma were randomised to treatment with surgical castration (n = 47) or oral oestrogen therapy (n = 53). The oestrogen-treated patients received oral ethinyl oestradiol daily, 1 mg for the first 2 weeks followed by 150 micrograms. In addition, oestrogen was given intramuscularly as polyoestradiol phosphate monthly 160 mg for 3 months, continued by 80 mg. Before and 1 year after therapy systolic arm and toe blood pressures were measured. Eleven percent of the patients in the oestrogen group had a pathological pressure difference between the arm and toe before treatment versus 34% in the orchidectomy group. Despite the greater proportion of subclinical atherosclerotic disease in the legs of the patients in the orchidectomy group, the patients in the oestrogen group only had signs and symptoms of a deterioration of the arterial system. Thus, in the oestrogen group the arm-toe blood pressure difference increased from 20 +/- 3 to 32 +/- 4 mm Hg (p < 0.001) and the proportion of pathological toe pressures increased from 11 to 29% (p = 0.0014). Two of the patients in this group had to be referred for reconstructive surgery due to severe intermittent claudication. In addition, 5 more patients in this group suffered arterial ischemic events in the coronary and cerebral vasculatures. In contrast, there were no clinical ischemic events in the orchidectomy group and no change in the blood pressure difference between the arm and toe 1 year after orchidectomy. In conclusion, oral oestrogen therapy, in contrast to orchidectomy, induces a deterioration of the arterial supply to the lower limbs during the 1st year of therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Oral

The antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene prevents early cholesterol-induced microcirculatory changes in rabbits.

Microcirculation was studied during 10 wk in untreated rabbits (n = 13) and in rabbits treated with dietary addition of 1% cholesterol (n = 13), 1% cholesterol + 1% of the antioxidant BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) (n = 11), or 1% BHT (n = 5). The studies were performed by direct intravital microscopic imaging of the left and right conjunctivae with the use of a stereo microscope and a high resolution television camera. Microvessel diameter, erythrocyte flow velocity, and microhemorheologic conditions were evaluated quantitatively via a computer-assisted digital image processing system. Significant and marked changes occurred in all the above variables as a consequence of cholesterol feeding. After 3 wk of feeding there was a dramatic decrease (approximately 30%) in blood flow velocity in arterioli of the third order (P < 0.0001), accompanied by aggregation of cells in 40-50% of the smaller conjunctival vessels (P < 0.0001). These changes were enhanced further during the following 7 wk of treatment. All the above changes in the microcirculation were markedly reduced by the addition of BHT treatment. The diameter of the above arterioli decreased in the purely cholesterol-fed group (P < 0.005), whereas this did not occur in the group fed both cholesterol and BHT. In rabbits fed BHT in the absence of cholesterol, there was no significant effect on any assessed microcirculatory variable. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that the antioxidant BHT prevented early cholesterol-induced microcirculatory changes. This prevention occurred in the absence of a reduction of blood lipid levels. The results provide strong support for the hypothesis that a considerable part of the effects on microcirculation in hypercholesterolemia may be due to cholesterol-induced oxidations and not to cholesterol itself. The results are discussed in relation to the previously demonstrated antiatherogenic effect of BHT and the possible use of antioxidants in the therapy and prophylaxis of atherosclerosis.

Animals

Tetrasomy 15q: two marker chromosomes with no detectable alpha-satellite DNA.

Two patients with specific and similar phenotypes were both found to have an unusual marker chromosome present in 70%-80% of their lymphocytes at routine cytogenetic examination. The marker chromosomes were isolated by flow sorting and were amplified by degenerate oligonucleotide-primed PCR. These libraries and a cosmid probe located at 15q26 were used to characterize the marker chromosomes by FISH. Both marker chromosomes were found to consist of duplicated chromosome material from the distal part of chromosome 15q and were identified as inv dup(15) (qter-->q23::q23-->qter) and inv dup(15) (qter-->q24::q24-->qter), respectively. Hence, the markers did not include any known centromere region, and no alpha-satellite DNA could be detected at the site of the primary constriction. Tetrasomy 15q may be a new syndrome, associated with a specific type of marker chromosome. In addition, further analyses of this type of marker chromosome might give new insight into the structure and function of the mammalian centromere.

Abnormalities, Multiple