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Biomedical subjects

Z S Herman

Publications and source records attributed to Z S Herman.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
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[The effect of astrocytoma cells on secretion of cytokines by autologous lymphocytes].

Immunotherapy is one of the experimental methods used in the treatment of brain tumours. The development of astrocytomas is accompanied by decreased activity of lymphocytes, namely inhibition of mitogen-induced proliferation and decreased cytokine secretion, which is an adverse event in the course of disease. In the present study, astrocytoma cells obtained from human tumours and cocultured with autologous lymphocytes inhibited cytokine secretion by those lymphocytes.

Astrocytoma↗
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Role of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in anxiety.

Apart from its regulatory role in release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and beta-endorphin, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is implicated in behavioral functions. This review summarizes the present knowledge of the role of CRF in anxiety and discusses probable sites and receptors involved in the anxiogenic-like effect of CRF as well as possible interactions between the CRF system and other peptides. The role of the CRF system in human psychopathological conditions associated with anxiety is also reviewed. Based on the available literature, we suggest that the CRF system may interact with antianxiety drugs and that this interaction may be of importance in the development of anxiety induced by ethanol or cocaine withdrawal.

Animals↗
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Neuropeptide Y in obese women during treatment with adrenergic modulation drugs.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study is the assessment whether weight loss treatment with adrenergic modulation drugs modifies neuropeptide Y (NPY) plasma concentration in obese women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 13 obese women (BMI 38.3 +/- 4.4) were tested before and subsequently 10 and 20 days after weight loss treatment. The treatment consisted of a very low caloric diet of 400 kcal (1670 kJ) daily combined with ephedrine with caffeine (E + C) or ephedrine with caffeine and yohimbine (E + C + Y) administered for 10 days using the cross-over method. The patients underwent physical examination, including heart rate and blood pressure measurements, spectral heart rate variability (HRV) at rest and after 3 minute handgrip and a 15 minute cycloergometer exercise at 75 W. All the above mentioned tests were carried out thrice in each patient. In 13 obese patients and in 6 control women plasma NPY concentrations were determined by a specific radioimmunoassay using rabbit anti-NPY antiserum and a standard synthetic porcine NPY (Peninsula Lab.). RESULTS: Plasma NPY concentrations were significantly lower in the obese persons compared with the control group. During weight loss treatment with adrenergic modulation drugs no changes in plasma NPY were found at rest and after physical exercise. Also no differences in HRV indices were observed. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Low plasma NPY concentration observed in obesity may be a contraregulatory factor that could prevent further weight increase. 2. Weight reduction treatment did not affect plasma NPY concentration and cardiovascular response to physical exercise. 3. The doses of adrenergic modulation drugs used in our study did not induce any serious side effects, and were so low that no change of plasma NPY concentration and cardiovascular responses were observed at rest.

Adrenergic Agents↗
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Acute toxicity and the influence of some undecane, cyclopentylpentane and pyridine alpha- and beta-carboxylic acid derivatives on the increased hyperlipemia in rats.

Acute toxicity and hypolipaemic properties of 17 new compounds were studied in the tyloxapol test. Out of these, sodium salts of 1-chloro-2,6,10-trimethylundecane-1-carboxylic acid (I-2) and of 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-5 (2(2),2(2),3(2)-trimethylcyclopenten-3(2)yl)-pent-3-en-1-carboxylic acid (V) have hypolipemic activity.

Animals↗
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A new immunological marker of atherosclerotic injury of arterial wall.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The atherosclerotic arterial injuries lead to many life threatening vascular incidents. It has been well documented that inflammatory processes play an important role in atherogenesis. Intensive studies are undertaken to find a serum marker of inflammatory reaction correlated with arterial injuries. METHODS: In our study we measured the level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in patients with dyslipidemia IIa and IIb biochemically confirmed. Control estimations were done in age-matched group. Arterial injuries were evaluated as a thickening of complex intima-media in common carotid arteries by means of Doppler ultrasonography. RESULTS: Levels of IL-6 were significantly higher in both groups of patients with dyslipidemia as compared with the healthy control persons (IIa vs control p<0.001, IIb vs control p<0.001). The plasma level of IL-6 is significantly correlated to intima-media complex thickness (r=0.68, p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: We conclude that increase of serum concentration of IL-6 may be related to arterial wall injuries in the course of the most atherogenic lipid disorders.

Adult↗
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[The role of neuropeptide Y in anxiety].

Neuropeptide Y (NPY), one of the most abundant peptides in the mammalian brain, is implicated in the control of many physiological processes. It is also suggested the involvement of NPY in several neuropsychiatric illnesses. This review summarizes the present knowledge concerning the role of NPY in anxiety and discusses probable sites and receptors involved in the anxiolytic-like effect of NPY as well as interactions between the NPY and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) systems. The possible role of the NPY system in human psychopathological conditions associated with anxiety is also reviewed. Based on our data, we suggest that the NPY system is involved in antianxiety effects of diazepam and buspirone.

Anti-Anxiety Agents↗
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The activation of the renin--angiotensin system in the dog after injection of noradrenaline into the lateral brain ventricle.

Experiments were made on 15 mongrel dogs of either sex. Biologically active substances circulating in the blood after administration of noradrenaline (NA) into the left lateral brain ventricle of the dog were detected using the blood bathed organ technique of Vane. Plasma renin activity was also estimated. NA injected intraventricularly (ivc) in doses of 50-500 mug activated the renin--angiotensin system. Phentolamine prolonged the effect of NA. Propranolol abolished this central effect of NA. The increase in the concentration of endogenous NA in the brain by desmethylimipramine and RO 4-1284 also caused an activation of renin--angiotensin system.

Angiotensin II↗
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Influence of nifedipine on aortal cholesterol content, blood coagulation and elastin metabolism in cholesterol-fed rabbits.

Our studies showed that the nifedipine in daily doses of 30 mg/kg given to rabbits treated with a diet containing 1% cholesterol for 6 months, decreased cholesterol content in aorta homogenates, urine excretion of desmosines and prolonged partial thromboplastin time, while it did not alter serum lipids. These results may have some value for understanding of the antiatherogenic mechanism of nifedipine.

Analysis of Variance↗
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Flupentixol and trifluperidol reduce interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-2 release by rat mixed glial and microglial cell cultures.

Neuroleptics penetrate into the brain, where they act not only on neurons but probably also on glial cells. In the available literature, there are no reports on the effect of neuroleptics on cytokine release in glia cultures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of neuroleptics on the release of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta and IL-2) by mixed glial and microglial cell cultures. Trifluperidol at 20 and 2 muM reduced IL-beta secretion by mixed glial cultures after 3 days of exposure. Trifluperidol at 20, 2 and 0.2 muM diminished IL-beta secretion after 1 day of incubation. Trifluperidol at 20 and 2 muM reduced IL-2 release after 1 and 3 days of exposure. Flupentixol at 20 and 2 muM reduced IL-1beta by mixed glial cell cultures after 3 days of exposure. Flupentixol at 20, 2 and 0.2 muM caused diminution of IL-1beta release after 1 day of exposure. Flupentixol at 20 and 2 muM reduced IL-2 release after 1 day of incubation. Flupentixol at 20, 2 and 0.2 muM diminished IL-2 release after 3 days of exposure. Flupentixol at 20, 10, 2 and 0.2 muM reduced IL-1beta release by microgial cell cultures. Flupentixol at 20, 10 and 2 muM reduced release of IL-2 by microglial cells after 1 day of exposure. The results of the present study suggest that neuroleptics have an inhibiting effect on the release of glial cytokines, but clinical significance this results remains to be elucidated.

Animals↗
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Behavioral effects of dibutyryl cyclic 3'5'AMP and biogenic amines in rats.

White male Wistar rats were injected intraventricularly with 200 mug of dibutyryl cyclic 3'5'AMP (DAMP. 30 min later part of animals was injected intraventricularly with 10 mug of dopamine (DA), 10 mug of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) or 50 mug of acetylcholine (Ach). Immediately after injection of the amines the time of walking, convulsions, immobility and number of jumps during 10 min periods of observation was measured. DAMP induced excitation of animals expressed by convulsions, jumping and short period of immobility. All studied biogenic amines inhibited convulsions and caused periodically stereotypical behavior. 5-HT and Ach increased the time of immobility in animals injected with DAMP. DA increased the number of jumping. These results indicate the interaction between DAMP and DA, 5-HT and Ach on behavioral phenomena in rats.

Acetylcholine↗
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Opiate-like peptides. Part XIII. Synthesis and analgesic activity of met-enkephalin analogs substituted in position 4 with D-4-halogenophenylalanine.

Six met-enkephalin derivatives substituted in position 4 with D-4-chlorophenylalanine or D-4-fluorophenylalanine were obtained. Their antinociceptive activity was determined after icv administration to rats by tail immersion test. Cataleptic activity and the influence of the analogs obtained on the body temperature were also estimated. All compounds exerted analgesic activity, which was decreased significantly by naloxone. Almost all compounds appeared cataleptic, some of them caused hypothermia.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
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Antinociceptive action of the SP1-4 tetrapeptide and of some tuftsin analogs.

The N-terminal tetrapeptide of substance P (SP1-4) was found to produce analgesia, after the icv injection to the rat brain, which is lower in its intensity than that produced by tuftsin (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg tetrapeptide). Among investigated tuftsin analogues Thr-Lys-Pro-Thr and Thr-Lys-Pro-Thr-Asp (partial sequences of S-protein of HB virus) were weakly active, Thr-Arg-Pro-Arg was inactive, and Thr-Lys-Pro-Gly-Arg produced a weak hyperalgesia 30 min after the icv injection. The obtained results were compared with those obtained previously in the phagocytosis stimulation test. In the control experiments the effects of free amino acids of the tuftsin molecule (Thr, Lys, Pro, Arg) were also studied.

Analgesia↗
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Pharmacological interaction between neuropeptides and morphine or pentazocine in rat spinal cord.

Male Wistar rats were treated with morphine or pentazocine subcutaneously (sc) and then intrathecally (it) by methionine- or leucine-enkephalin, neurotensin, substance P or cholecystokinin octapeptide 26-33. Then antinociceptive effect was measured during 1 h using tail-immersion test. Leucine-enkephalin potentiated and methionine-enkephalin antagonized morphine or pentazocine analgesia. Neurotensin, substance P and cholecystokinin acted biphasically on morphine induced antinociception. After short elevation, the diminution of antinociceptive effect was seen. Neurotensin diminished but substance P and cholecystokinin elevated analgesic effect elicited by pentazocine. Experimental model employed by us may be useful for preliminary screening of pharmacological interactions between neuropeptides and opioid analgesics on the spinal level. Our data confirm the results of other authors that individual enkephalins have different pharmacological features.

Animals↗
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Further investigations on the antinociceptive activity of tuftsin analogs.

C-Terminal dipeptide fragment of tuftsin, Pro-Arg, substituted by D-amino acids, and tuftsin analogs with n-hexyl- and n-heptylamine coupled to their C-termini were synthesized by a classical method in solution and their antinociceptive activity was measured by tail flick immersion test (0.4 microM/icv). D-Pro-D-Arg and D-Pro-L-Arg showed an analgesic activity, with the duration of 60 and 40 min, respectively. The strong behavioral effects observed after injection of D-Pro-D-Arg were decreased by naloxone. L-Pro-D-Arg and Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-HxA display no antinociceptive effect; the tetrapeptide amide showed some toxicity effects. Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-HpA was very toxic and caused death of all experimental animals. This effect was not influenced by previous injection of naloxone.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
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Central action of catecholamines on the cardiovascular system in rats.

Central action of catecholamines on the cardiovascular system in rats. Acta Physiol Pol., 1978, 29 (2): 123--130. It was demonstrated that noradrenaline, adrenaline, dopamine and isoproterenol as well as normethanephrine administered into the lateral ventricle of the rat brain, under urethane anaesthesia, caused significant changes in arterial blood pressure. This action is due to stimulation of central adrenergic receptors. Arterial blood pressure rise after intraventricular administration of noradrenaline is caused by activation of the renin-angiotensin system in the periphery. The results of these experiments point to a role of central catecholamines in functional regulation ofthe cardiovascular system.

Animals↗
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The analgesic activity of some kyotorphin-tuftsin analogs.

The analgesic potency of the C-terminal dipeptide of tuftsin (Pro-Arg) was found to be much stronger than that of the C-terminal of bradykinin dipeptide Phe-Arg. It was also found that the tripeptide fragment of bradykinin (Pro-Phe-Arg) and its D-Pro analog (D-Pro-Phe-Arg) are deprived of analgesic activity. The attempt to synthesize kyotorphin analogs containing fluorescence label (DMAPhe-Arg and D-DMAPhe-Arg; DMAPhe: 4'-dimethylamino-phenylalanine) resulted in inactive compounds.

Amino Acid Sequence↗