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Biomedical subjects

Y Andersson

Publications and source records attributed to Y Andersson.

51 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Increased protein absorption after acute gastroenteritis in children.

We investigated the intestinal absorption of the macromolecule human alpha-lactalbumin during and after an episode of acute gastroenteritis in children. Twenty children were studied in the acute phase and 17 excreted rotavirus. Eleven children were studied again 5-8 weeks later (convalescent phase). Human alpha-lactalbumin serum concentrations in the acute phase were similar but in the convalescent phase they were significantly (p less than 0.001) higher than those in the reference children. The serum concentrations were also higher in the convalescent than in the acute phase (p = 0.021). This study suggests that there is an increased absorption of proteins from the gut into the circulation 5-8 weeks after rotavirus gastroenteritis.

Acute Disease↗

Demonstration of apolipoprotein CII in guinea pigs. Functional characteristics, cDNA sequence, and tissue expression.

In contrast to plasma from other mammals, guinea pig plasma does not stimulate the activity of lipoprotein lipases in vitro. This had led previously to the conclusion that guinea pigs lack an analogue to apolipoprotein CII (apoCII). By adsorption of lipid-binding proteins to lipid droplets, thereby separating them from other plasma components, we could demonstrate apoCII-like activity in guinea pig plasma. On electrophoresis, the CII-like activity co-migrated with one isoform of guinea pig apolipoprotein CIII, identified by amino-terminal amino acid sequence determination (40 residues). By isoelectric focusing in a narrow pH gradient, the activating protein was separated sufficiently from the dominating apoCIII isoform to allow sequence determination of 8 residues from the amino terminus. Six of these were identical to corresponding residues in apoCII from dog and monkey. With the aid of a human apoCII cDNA probe we identified one cross-hybridizing mRNA species (approximately 600 nucleotides) on Northern blots of guinea pig liver. Three positive clones were isolated from a guinea pig liver cDNA library using the same cDNA probe. The nucleotide sequence showed extensive similarities to the previously known human, monkey, and canine sequences, but the signal peptide was 3 amino acid residues longer in the guinea pig protein, and there was a deletion of 4 residues in the putative lipid binding domain. Northern blot analyses indicated that guinea pig apoCII is mainly expressed in the liver with little or no contribution from the intestine.

Adsorption↗

Central action of benserazide after COMT inhibition demonstrated in vivo by PET.

Positron emission tomography (PET) following intravenous administration of beta-[11C]-L-DOPA provides a method of assessing regional cerebral uptake and utilization of levodopa. Cerebral levodopa kinetics in the rhesus monkey were investigated after the inhibition of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) with RO 40-7592, and after coadministration of the peripheral aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) inhibitors benserazide and carbidopa. Pretreatment with RO 40-7592 (10 mg/kg), benserazide (10 mg/kg) or carbidopa (3.5 mg/kg) did not change striatal k3, which mainly reflects the ability for the brain tissue to convert [11C]-L-DOPA to [11 C]-dopamine, although the brain's uptake of radioactivity increased substantially after pretreatment with the AADC inhibitors. When benserazide was coadministered with RO 40-7592 (10 mg/kg) a dose-dependent decrease in striatal k3 was measured with an apparent ED50 of 3 mg/kg. No such effect was indicated after pretreatment with the combination of RO 40-7592 (10 mg/kg) and carbidopa (3.5 mg/kg). The possible negative interactions of coadministration with COMT inhibitors and predominantly peripherally acting AADC inhibitors must be considered when used in the therapy of Parkinson's disease.

Animals↗

Low brain uptake of L-[11C]5-hydroxytryptophan in major depression: a positron emission tomography study on patients and healthy volunteers.

The precursor of serotonin, L-5-hydroxytryptophan (L-5-HTP), was radiolabelled with 11C in the beta-position, yielding [beta-11C]serotonin after decarboxylation, allowing positron emission tomography studies of L-5-HTP uptake across the blood-brain barrier. We studied 8 healthy volunteers and 6 patients with histories of DSM-III major depression, 2 with repeated examinations after clinically successful treatment. We report a significantly lower uptake of [11C]5-HTP across the blood-brain barrier in depressed patients, irrespective of phase of illness. The findings emphasize that serotonin is involved in depressive pathophysiology and support earlier suggestions that the transport of 5-HTP across the blood-brain barrier is compromised in major depression.

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗

Carboxylic ester hydrolase. A sensitive serum marker and indicator of severity of acute pancreatitis.

When using clinical criteria, both falsely positive and falsely negative diagnoses of acute pancreatitis (AP) are often made. Based on a clinical study, elevated serum levels of the pancreatic lipolytic enzyme carboxylic ester hydrolase (CEH) was recently suggested to be a highly specific marker of acute pancreatitis. To determine the sensitivity of the test for AP, a study on patients with the diagnosis set objectively was necessary. In the present study, AP was diagnosed by contrast-enhanced computed tomography in 64 patients, and histopathological examination of tissue removed at laparotomy in 18 of them. By these criteria, 42 patients suffered from acute interstitial pancreatitis (AIP), and 22 patients from necrotizing pancreatitis (NP). Based on the CEH concentrations in the first serum sample obtained in each patient, the sensitivity of CEH for pancreatitis was 98%. From the second day after admission, CEH levels in patients with NP were significantly higher than in patients with AIP. Furthermore, in patients with NP, CEH values remained at a raised level for the following 10 d, whereas a significant decrease of CEH values was noted in patients with AIP. In contrast, total serum amylase activities were higher in patients suffering of AIP than in patients suffering of NP during the observation period. We conclude, that the sensitivity of the CEH test is very high for AP. CEH concentrations remaining at a high level are suggestive of NP, whereas diminishing CEH levels are suggestive of AIP.

Acute Disease↗

Rat apolipoprotein C-II lacks the conserved site for proteolytic cleavage of the pro-form.

Apolipoprotein C-II (apoC-II) plays a critical role in the metabolism of plasma lipoproteins as an activator for lipoprotein lipase. Human apoC-II consists of 79 amino acid residues (pro-apoC-II). A minor fraction is converted to a mature form by cleavage at the site QQDE releasing the 6 amino-terminal residues. We have cloned and sequenced the cDNA for rat apoC-II from a liver cDNA library using human apoC-II cDNA as a probe. The cDNA encodes a protein of 97 amino acid residues including a signal peptide of 22 amino acid residues. There is approximately 60% similarity between the deduced amino acid sequence of rat apoC-II and other apoC-II sequences presently known (human, monkey, dog, cow, and guinea pig). Compared to these, rat apoC-II is one residue shorter at the carboxyl terminus. Furthermore, there is a deletion of 3 amino acid residues (PQQ) in the highly conserved cleavage site where processing from pro- to mature apoC-II occurs in other species. Accordingly, rat apoC-II isolated from plasma was mainly in the pro-form. Northern blot analyses indicated that rat apoC-II is expressed both in liver and in small intestine.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Cloning and sequencing of a cDNA encoding human milk beta-casein.

A cDNA of 1065 bp encoding the human milk beta-casein was cloned and sequenced using a synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotide probe and a human mammary gland library. The nucleotide (nt) sequence contained an open reading frame sufficient to encode the entire amino-acid (aa) sequence of a beta-casein precursor protein consisting of 210 aa and a signal peptide of 15 aa. The nt sequence shows 45-62% homology to those of bovine, ovine, rat, and mouse beta-caseins. The highly phosphorylated site, which is responsible for the calcium-binding capacity of beta-casein, the signal peptide, and a sequence encoding for an inhibitor to the angiotensin-converting enzyme seem highly conserved among the beta-caseins with known sequences.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Decreased uptake and binding of 11C-nicotine in brain of Alzheimer patients as visualized by positron emission tomography.

Positron emission tomography of the brain following intravenous injection of (+) (R) and (-) (S) N-[11C-methyl]nicotine showed a marked reduced uptake of both isomers, especially the (R) form, in Alzheimer patients as compared to age-matched controls. The significantly larger difference between the uptake values of the (S)- and (R)-enantiomers of 11C-nicotine in Azheimer brains may be of diagnostic value.

Aged↗

A water-borne outbreak of giardiasis in Sweden.

In the middle of October 1982 a large number of people living at Mjövik, a small community in the south-east of Sweden, fell ill after drinking municipal water contaminated with waste water. The epidemic curve showed one single outbreak without secondary cases. No pathogenic agents could be isolated from the water or sick persons. From some persons who fell ill again or did not recover new samples were taken and Giardia lamblia was then isolated from persons with remaining symptoms and previously affected persons. No parasite was found in persons without gastroenteritis. The outbreak at Mjövik was caused by at least 2 agents, 1 unidentified, with a short incubation time, contracted by 557 persons, and Giardia lamblia, with a longer incubation time, contracted by at least 56 persons.

Disease Outbreaks↗

Typhoid fever among Swedish visitors to Kos in 1983.

Seven cases of confirmed typhoid fever were discovered among 26 Swedish visitors to the Greek island of Kos in 1983. They had all stayed at the same hotel during the last week of June and the first week of July. During the same period 32 British visitors and 16 visitors from other Scandinavian countries who stayed at the implicated hotel also developed typhoid fever. By analysing questionnaires and by personally interviewing the Swedish visitors, a close association with the eating of salad at dinner on the 4th of July was found. As soon as the first Swedish case was discovered, a carrier among the hotel staff was suspected because it was known that one Swedish and one Finnish case of typhoid fever had been reported in 1981 and 1982 respectively, both patients having stayed at the implicated hotel.

Adult↗

Fate of nickel subsulfide during carcinogenesis studied by autoradiography and X-ray powder diffraction.

Sarcomas in mice were induced by i.m. and s.c. administration of 63Ni- and 35S-labeled nickel subsulfide (Ni3S2), and the fate of the Ni3S2 was studied in tumors and normal tissues during carcinogenesis. Whole-body autoradiography showed a gradual loss of solubilized 63Ni and 35S radioactivity from the site of injection. There was also a loss of nonsolubilized dust particles which appeared to be phagocytized by reticuloendothelial cells in the liver, spleen, and regional lymph nodes. Microautoradiography showed that the totally dominating radioactivity within both the 63Ni3S2- and the Ni3(35)S2-induced tumors was associated with dust particles. There was no specific or excessive localization of solubilized radioactivity in the tumors or in metastases (when present). Two patterns of localization of dust particles within the tumors were observed: one with particles concentrated in a central part of the tumor and one with the particles present in the periphery of the tumor. X-ray powder diffraction of the insoluble crystalline material in the tumors indicated that a conversion of the alpha Ni3S2 to alpha Ni7S6 and beta NiS had occurred.

Animals↗