Biomedical subjects

P Walicke

Publications and source records attributed to P Walicke.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1988

Migrainous stroke.

Twenty-two patients with acute migraine-associated stroke were prospectively evaluated; 91% were female, and 23% had a prior history of presumed migrainous stroke. The incidences of major stroke risk factors and mitral valve prolapse were no higher for the study group than for the general population of similar age. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or radionucleotide scanning of the brain was performed on all patients, and demonstrated ischemic or hemorrhagic infarction in 12 (55%). Cerebral arteriography revealed abnormalities related to the acute stroke in five (42%) of 12 cases overall, and in four (67%) of six studies performed within 72 hours of stroke onset; one patient (8%) suffered significant complications from arteriography. Although a variety of processes, alone or in combination, may contribute to migrainous stroke, extracranial and/or intracranial vasospasm appears to play a major role in at least some cases.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1986

Fibroblast growth factor promotes survival of dissociated hippocampal neurons and enhances neurite extension.

Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) has been found to increase neuronal survival and neurite extension in a highly purified population of fetal rat hippocampal neurons under well-defined serum-free cell culture conditions. In the presence of FGF, neuronal survival after 7 days in culture on a simple plastic substrate is increased 4-fold, to 54% of the initial population. Survival is increased 2-fold to 40% on polyornithine-laminin. When FGF was bound to plastic or heparin substrates, neurite outgrowth was significantly increased to lengths comparable to those seen with laminin; however, FGF produced no further increase in neurite outgrowth on laminin. Half-maximal survival was observed at FGF concentrations of about 15 pg/ml (1 pM); half-maximal process outgrowth occurred at about 375 pg/ml (20 pM). The responsive cells were identified as neurons by their labeling with tetanus toxin and by antibodies to neurofilaments and to the neuron-specific enolase. Astrocytes, identified by the presence of glial fibrillary acidic protein, constituted about 10% of cells present at 1 week both in the presence and in the absence of FGF. These results strongly suggest that, in addition to its known mitogenic effects on nonneuronal cells, FGF possesses neurotrophic activity for hippocampal neurons.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Purification of a human red blood cell protein supporting the survival of cultured CNS neurons, and its identification as catalase.

We have previously reported that red blood cells contain high levels of a protein that supports the survival of a variety of CNS neurons in vitro for 24 hr. Here we report the isolation of this trophic activity from human red blood cells. The active material, purified over 1000-fold by ion-exchange chromatography and isoelectric point, subunit molecular weight, and ability to degrade hydrogen peroxide. Commercially produced bovine liver catalase, lactoperoxidase, HRP, and vitamin E all mimic the ability of the purified human protein to support neuronal survival in vitro. Pharmacological inhibitors of peroxidase activity inhibit the trophic effects of both commercial catalase and the purified blood-derived protein. These results suggest that peroxidase activity mediates the neuronotrophic activity of these agents. The bioassay culture medium itself generates peroxides in the absence of cells. Removal of this toxic material may be the basis for the trophic effects of catalase.

Animals↗