Biomedical subjects

Ralf Benndorf

Publications and source records attributed to Ralf Benndorf.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Impact of atorvastatin treatment on platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase and 15-F(2trans)-isoprostane in hypercholesterolaemic patients.

AIMS: Isoprostanes are the product of free radical oxidation of arachidonic acid, whose hydrolysis from phospholipids is presumably catalysed by phospholipases A(2) (PLA(2)s) such as group IIA or V PLA(2)s, or group VII PLA(2)[platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH), lipoprotein-associated phospholipase]. Atorvastatin reduces concentrations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), with which PAF-AH is associated, and PLA(2)s' protein concentrations. We investigated the effect of atorvastatin on PLA(2)s and PAF-AH activity and the urinary excretion of 15-F(2trans)-isoprostane (15-F(2t)-IsoP, 8-iso-PGF(2alpha), iPF(2alpha)-III). METHODS: Twenty-four hypercholesterolaemic individuals naive to lipid-lowering therapy were randomized to atorvastatin 40 mg or placebo for 6 weeks. The 15-F(2t)-isoP urinary excretion (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry), PAF-AH and group IIA and V PLA(2) activities (photometry) were assessed at baseline and end-point. RESULTS: At end-point, 15-F(2t)-isoP urinary excretion concentrations as well as PLA(2)s' activity were unchanged under atorvastatin (mean change 0.21 +/- 1.79 ng h(-1), 95% confidence interval -0.92, 1.35 and 0.33 +/- 0.94 nmol min(-1) ml(-1), -0.27, 0.93) and under placebo (mean change 0.69 +/- 1.69 ng h(-1), -0.52, 1.90 and 1.29 +/- 2.16 nmol min(-1) ml(-1), -0.25, 2.84). Atorvastatin treatment decreased total (P < 0.001) and LDL-cholesterol (P < 0.001) but had no effect on high-density lipoprotein. PAF-AH activity was lowered in the atorvastatin group (mean change - 5.27+/- 1.96 nmol min(-1) ml(-1), -6.51, -4.03, P < 0.001) but not in the placebo group (mean change 1.02 +/- 1.64 nmol min(-1) ml(-1), 0.15, 2.20), and the change in PAF-AH activity was correlated with that in total (P = 0.03) and LDL-cholesterol (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Our results show a lowering effect of atorvastatin on PAF-AH activity associated with its lipid-lowering effect and exclude a key role of PAF-AH in the liberation of 15-F(2t)-isoP from phospholipids.

1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase↗

PubMed2005

Attitude towards computer-based learning: determinants as revealed by a controlled interventional study.

BACKGROUND: Curriculum-wide implementation of computer-based learning (CBL) in undergraduate medical education remains elusive. Unlike many pilot tests of singular learning programmes, dropout rates are high and acceptance seems low in the long run. We studied the effect of a new CBL programme, suitable for curriculum-wide implementation, on Year 3 medical students' attitudes towards CBL. METHODS: Students from 2 universities participating in a mandatory pharmacology course were given access to a CBL programme covering cardiovascular drug therapy in a controlled randomised study (n = 167). Learner properties and attitude towards CBL were measured using psychometric scales, and knowledge by multiple-choice questions (pre- and post-test). RESULTS: Attitude towards CBL worsened in the CBL group (n = 70). Individual learners' properties did not explain this effect. The perceived programme quality was rated only 'average', which may contribute to the lower post-test values of attitude towards CBL. Learning outcomes were similar between the control group (n = 97) and students using CBL (n = 44). Learning efforts were shifted from self-study towards CBL. CONCLUSION: The initial enthusiasm of students was not maintained when using a programme designed to complement or even replace traditional teaching. Curriculum-wide implementation of CBL might be hampered by the discouragement of users.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed2003

Angiotensin II type 2 receptor inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor-induced migration and in vitro tube formation of human endothelial cells.

Endothelial cell migration and tube formation in response to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) play an important role in the process of angiogenesis. Recent data indicate that angiotensin type 2 (AT2) receptor stimulation is antiangiogenic. Therefore, we studied the effect of angiotensin II (Ang II) on VEGF-induced migration and in vitro tube formation of human endothelial cells. Ang II inhibited VEGF-induced migration of EA.hy926 cells, human coronary artery (HCA) and human dermal microvascular (HDM) endothelial cells (ECs) as well as tube formation by HDMECs. The AT2 receptor antagonist PD123,319 but not the AT1 receptor antagonist losartan blocked the inhibitory effect of Ang II. The inhibitory effect of Ang II on VEGF-induced migration of endothelial cells was mimicked by the specific AT2 receptor agonist CGP-42112A. The phosphorylation of Akt and its downstream effector endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) is pivotal to VEGF-induced angiogenesis. We therefore investigated the effect of Ang II on VEGF-induced Akt and eNOS phosphorylation. Ang II diminished the VEGF-induced phosphorylation of Akt and eNOS in endothelial cells, whereas the autophosphorylation of VEGF receptors was unaffected. CGP-42112A again mimicked and PD123,319 but not losartan blocked the inhibitory effect of Ang II. Treatment of endothelial cells with pertussis toxin (PTX) totally abolished the AT2 receptor-mediated inhibition of VEGF-induced endothelial cell migration and blocked the inhibition of Akt and eNOS phosphorylation. In conclusion, this study indicates that AT2 receptor stimulation inhibits VEGF-induced endothelial cell migration and tube formation via activation of a PTX-sensitive G protein. These findings may explain the reported antiangiogenic properties of the AT2 receptor.

Angiotensin II↗

PubMed2003

Norepinephrine upregulates vascular endothelial growth factor in rat cardiac myocytes by a paracrine mechanism.

Norepinephrine has growth-promoting effects in cardiac myocytes. The present study in cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes tested the hypothesis that norepinephrine also stimulates expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an important angiogenic factor. As assessed by polymerase chain reaction cardiac myocytes and non-myocytes expressed all three isoforms of rat VEGF, with the short isoform (VEGF 121 ) preferentially expressed in non-myocytes. When cardiac myocytes were stimulated with 1 micro M norepinephrine for 24 h in the presence or absence of the specific alpha - and beta -adrenoceptor antagonists prazosin and propranolol, respectively, VEGF mRNA levels and splice variant pattern did not change, whereas atrial natriuretic peptide mRNA levels increased 3 to 4-fold. CoCl(2) increased VEGF mRNA levels in cardiac myocytes five-fold. When cardiac myocytes were cultured with conditioned medium from non-myocytes that had been stimulated with norepinephrine for 24 h VEGF mRNA increased 2-fold. The increase was blocked by antibodies neutralizing TGF beta. These data suggest that norepinephrine stimulates myocardial angiogenesis by a paracrine mechanism that involves cardiac non-myocytes and TGF beta.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗