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V Weber

Publications and source records attributed to V Weber.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

Cloning and functional characterization of a novel mas-related gene, modulating intracellular angiotensin II actions.

The mas oncogene codes for a GTP binding protein-coupled receptor that determines a physiological response to angiotensin when expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes or in the neuronal cell line NG115-401L. However, another gene, rat thoracic aorta gene, structurally related to mas, is devoid of any functional similarity with the angiotensin receptor(s). The relationships between the mas-related proteins and the angiotensin receptors were investigated by identifying and characterizing new members of the mas gene family. A new mas-related gene (mrg) was cloned in a human genomic library at low stringency using the mas cDNA as probe. Mrg codes for a seven-hydrophobic-segment receptor that is 35% identical to the mas product and 29% identical to the rat thoracic aorta gene product. Mrg mRNA was not detected in several rat and human adult tissues that normally express the angiotensin II (AII) receptor, and transfections of COS and CHO cells with the mrg gene did not modify the number of AII binding sites. These results indicate that mrg and the human AII receptor genes are not identical. However, injection of mrg mRNA into Xenopus oocytes markedly increased the electrophysiological response to angiotensin peptides, indicating some functional similarities with the mas product. The reduction of the response after defolliculation of the oocyte, together with the full agonist effect of Sar1IIe8AII and the partial agonist effect of Sar1Ala8AII, seem to indicate that mrg interacts with the signaling pathways of the endogenous Xenopus angiotensin receptor to potentiate the response to AII.

Amino Acid Sequence

Islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP;amylin) influences the endocrine but not the exocrine rat pancreas.

The effect of synthetic rat amylin (10,100,1000 pmol/l) on glucose (10 mmol/) and arginine (10 mmol/l) -stimulated islet hormone release from the isolated perfused rat pancreas and on amylase release from isolated pancreatic acini was investigated. Amylin stimulated the insulin release during the first (+76%) and the second secretion period (+42%) at 1 nmol/l. The first phase of the glucagon release was inhibited concentration dependently by amylin and completely suppressed during the second phase. Amylin diminished the somatostatin release in a concentration dependent manner. This effect was more pronounced at the first than the second secretion period (1 nmol amylin: 1 phase: -60%, 2.phase: -22%). Amylin was without any effect on basal and CCK stimulated amylase release from isolated rat pancreatic acini. Our data suggest amylin, a secretory product of pancreatic B-cells, as a peptide with approximately strong paracrine effects within the Langerhans islet. Therefore, amylin might be involved in the regulation of glucose homeostasis.

Amylases

Cosecretion of amylin and insulin from isolated rat pancreas.

Amylin, a 37 amino acid C-terminal amidated peptide is an integral part of secretory granules of pancreatic beta-cells. Utilizing a specific radioimmunoassay system we demonstrate in the present study a cosecretion of amylin and insulin from the isolated rat pancreas. The secretion pattern of both peptides during glucose or glucose plus arginine stimulation is identical. The molar ratio of amylin amounts to 10% of that of insulin. The biological significance of amylin is still unknown, but a paracrine/endocrine role in glucose homeostasis is speculated.

Amyloid

The effects of two FMRFamide related peptides (A-18-F-amide and F-8-F-amide; 'morphine modulating peptides') on the endocrine and exocrine rat pancreas.

The effects of two recently isolated mammalian FMRFamide related peptides (A-18-F-amide and F-8-F-amide) on the encocrine and exocrine rat pancreas were investigated. A-18-F-amide (10, 100, 1000 pM) inhibited concentration dependently glucose (10 mM)- and arginine (10 mM)-induced insulin secretion from the isolated perfused rat pancreas during the first (controls: 100%; 10 pM: 114%; 100 pM: 63%, p less than 0.05; 1000 pM: 31%, p less than 0.05) and the second secretion phase (controls: 100%; 10 pM: 102%; 100 pM: 78%; 1000 pM: 27%, p less than 0.05). The inhibitory actions of A-18-F-amide on pancreatic D-cell secretion were more pronounced during the first than the second phase (first phase: controls: 100%; 10 pM: 95%; 100 pM: 37%, p less than 0.05; 1000 pM: 39%, p less than 0.05%; second phase: controls: 100%; 10 pM: 113%; 100 pM: 72%; 1000 pM: 59%, p less than 0.05). F-8-F-amide (at 1000 pM) inhibited stimulated insulin (controls: 100%; first phase: 26%, p less than 0.05%; second phase: 20%, p less than 0.05) and somatostatin release (controls: 100%; first phase: 14%, p less than 0.05; second phase: 29%, p less than 0.05). Both peptides were without effect on basal and CCK-8-stimulated amylase release from isolated incubated rat pancreatic acini.

Amino Acid Sequence

Interaction of glucagon-like peptide-1 (7-36)amide and cholecystokinin-8 in the endocrine and exocrine rat pancreas.

The synergistic impact of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) (7-36)amide and cholecystokinin-8 (CCK-8) was studied in the rat pancreas. The GLP-1 (7-36)amide (1 pM-1 microM) had no effect on the basal or CCK-stimulated (1 nM-1 pM) amylase release from isolated pancreatic acini. The insulinotropic action of 0.5 nM GLP-1 (7-36)amide, which weakly stimulated the glucose-induced (6.7 mM) insulin release from the isolated perfused rat pancreas, was strongly potentiated by the addition of CCK-8 (20, 50, and 100 pM) to the perfusate. In concentrations as they occur physiologically after a meal, CCK-8 alone had no significant effect on basal or glucose-stimulated (6.7 mM) insulin secretion. Our data support the assumption that the nutrient-regulated intestinal release of various peptides represents a regulatory system to ensure an adequate insulin response to food intake, at least in rats.

Amylases

The difficult challenge of cloning the angiotensin II receptor.

The vasopressor peptide angiotensin II exerts its cellular effects through a membrane-bound receptor coupled to a G protein. Biochemical and pharmacological analyses of this receptor already identify two different membrane-bound receptors and one cytosoluble angiotensin-II-binding protein. Nevertheless, the purification of the membrane-bound form(s) appears to be difficult. In the absence of purified protein, two cloning strategies of the gene have been explored: (1) expression cloning, identifying the functions of the protein expressed from a cDNA library in COS cells or Xenopus oocytes, has been unsuccessful until now; (2) analogical cloning, trying to identify related members of the seven transmembrane segment receptor family, which could be related to angiotensin receptors, identifies the mas oncogene and two related genes. However, there are accumulating data to exclude their involvement in angiotensin binding.

Animals

[The diagnosis of organic brain damage with common psychodiagnostic tests (author's transl)].

WIP, Hopper-VOT, Benton-Test d2-Test, and the KVT were used to examine 124 brain-damaged people with sufficiently secured localized wounds on the brain (48 frontal, 30 temperoral, 29 parietal and 17 occipital lobe damaged patients). The results showed considerable differences depending on the localisation of the injury. The differences between the frontal lobe damaged and the parieto-occipital damaged patients were significant. A normal score in one or more tests does not exclude a frontal lobe damage.

Brain Damage, Chronic

[Symptomatic hernia (author's transl)].

A symptomatic hernia (most inguinal or femoral hernia, seldom epigastric, umbilical or post-operative hernia)--appeared a little while ago--originates from a preexisting, so far unknown or long since known illness. All patients with a hernia--especially those over 40 years old--are to be carefully asked for preexisting illnesses. Barium-enema and rectoscopy are not indicated at each inguinal or femoral hernia as a screening-method to exclude a symptomatic hernia; however, both methods must be employed in suspicious cases. 320 Patients with a histologically verified carcinoma of the rectum and colon had no inguinal or femoral hernia. From 387 patients with an inguinal or femoral hernia 318 patients were over 40 years old; at these patients polyps were found in five cases by rectoscopy, but never by barium-enema, and two carcinoma of the colon transverse appeared by barium-enema. A 23-years old patient with a great intraabdominal malignant tumor must be added to the sum total.

Adolescent

Splenoperitoneal anastomoses after application of collagenase to the splenic capsule of rats.

In 200 Wistar rats the spleen was transposed into a pouch between the muscle layers of the left abdominal wall. Collagenase powder was applied to the spleen surface. After 12 to 24 hours an acute haemorrhagic inflammation was seen. Collaterals developed from the splenic parenchyma to the abdominal wall from the 10th day. They connected the portal venous system with the caval system.

Abdominal Muscles

[The diagnosis of hepatic metastases (author's transl)].

The report deals with 404 patients suffering from hepatic metastases. Average age is 62,2 years. The primary tumour was situated in the stomach in 43,8%, followed by extrahepatic bile ducts or the gallbladder, rectum, pancreas and colon. Hepatomegaly is the most frequent symptom. 72,2% of all patients had a positive liver-scan, 78% a pathological bromsulfalein test.

Adult

[Peculiarities of acute appendicitis in women].

A complete documentation of the clinical and operative findings and a comparison of these with the histologic diagnosis in nearly 900 appendectomy patients from a period of more than two years is presented. In this publication an account of the specific results of nearly 500 women is given. The influences of age, menstruation, and gynecologic illnesses are reported in detail. Sixty-five percent of all women were treated unnecessarily with appendectomy. However, the indications for this operation should not be limited on these grounds.

Acute Disease