Elevation of plasma dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity during insulin-induced hypoglycemia in man

Résumé Nous avons étudié l'activité de la dopamine--hydroxylase du plasma humain. Elle a été remarquablement accure par l'administration de grandes quantités d'insuline. Les corrélations entre cette activité et celle des systèmes nerveux sympathiques sont également discutées.     

Dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats

Summary Dopamine--hydroxylase (DBH) activity was higher in the serum, the mesenteric artery and the cerebral cortex of 4-week-old stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP), and lower in the nucleus tractus solitarii than it was in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).The authors wish to thank Prof. Masao Sano (Nagoya University) for his aid in dissecting the nucleus tractus solitarii and the locus coeruleus.     

Erythrocyte catechol-O-methyltransferase and plasma dopamine-β-hydroxylase in human umbilical cord blood

Summary Plasma dopamine--hydroxylase enzymatic activity and immunoreactive protein levels in human umbilical cord blood are only about 2% as great as values in the blood of older subjects. Erythrocyte catechol-O-methyltransferase activity levels in umbilical cord blood are very similar to those in the blood of adult subjects.This work was supported in part by NIH grants NS 11014 and HL 17487-1. Dr Weinshilboum is an Established Investigator of the American Heart Association. We thank Luanne Wussow and the physicians and nurses of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Mayo Clinic for their assitance with these studies.     

Dopamine-β-hydroxylase,adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine in the venous blood of adrenal gland of man: A comparison with levels in the periphery of the circulation

Summary In 10 human subjects plasma dopamine--hydroxylase activity was found in the adrenal vein blood to be as high as in the periphery of the circulation. Adrenaline concentration in the adrenal vein blood was in the mean 170 times, noradrenaline concentration 11 times and dopamine concentration little higher than levels in the periphery.This study was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Histochemistry of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in monkey adrenal cortex

Zusammenfassung Es wird über mit Hydrocortisonacetat, ACTH und Aldosteronacetat induzierte morphologische und histochemische Veränderungen in der Nebennierenrinde desM. rhesus berichtet. Die bedeutende Verminderung der Steroid-3-ol-dehydrogenasischen Tätigkeit nach Cortisol und deren Zunahme nach ACTH wird hervorgehoben.     

Human plasma dopamine-β-hydroxylase: Oxygen and thermal stability

Summary There are wide individual variations in the thermal stability of human plasma dopamine--hydroxylase (DBH). Thermal stability variations have proven of value in biochemical genetic studies of many enzymes. The development of DBH thermolability depends on the exposure of plasma to oxygen. This observation may help to elucidate the biochemical basis of the genetic regulation of DBH.This work was supported in part by NIH grants HL 17487 and NS 11014.     

Correlation between serum dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity and dopamine-β-hydroxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase activities in central and peripheral adrenergic neurons and adrenal glands

Summary Serum dopamine--hydroxylase activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats and Wistar-Kyoto rats had a positive correlation with dopamine--hydroxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase activities in mesenteric vessels, vas deferens, and adrenal glands at 14–16 weeks of age, a negative correlation with dopamine--hydroxylase activity in locus coeruleus at 3 weeks and 14–16 weeks of age, and a positive correlation with tyrosine hydroxylase activity only at 3 weeks of age, but not at 14–16 weeks of age.     

Dopamine-β-Hydroxylase activity in serum of developing rats

Summary After birth, the activity of dopamine--hydroxylase in rat serum increased up to 14 days maximal level and decreased gradully to reach a low level at 42 days which was about 14% of the activity of maximal activity at 14 days.     

Kinetic studies on soluble and membrane-bound dopamineβ-hydroxylase isolated from storage vesicles of heart and adrenal medulla of different species

Summary IdenticalK _m-values for soluble and membrane-bound dopamine -hydroxylase isolated from adrenal medullary vesicles of different species were obtained; the same holds true for both forms of the enzyme of heart vesicles.The excellent technical assistance of MissSabine Klemt is gratefully acknowledged.     

Adrenal dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity: 24-hour rhythmicity and evidence for pineal control

Summary Adrenal medullary dopamine--hydroxylase activity was found in male rats to have a 24-hour rhythm, with an approximately 6-fold increase at about the time of the onset of darkness. This nocturnal rise in enzyme activity did not occur when lights were kept on, nor did it occur in animals that had been pinealectomized.Supported in part by grants from the Ford Foundation (No. 630-05050A), National Institutes of Health (No. HD-03352) and National Institute of Mental Health (No. MH-25019) USPHS.     

Hepatic cyclophorase activity in rats treated with 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-naphtylamine (THNA)

Riassunto Gli omogenati di fegato dei ratti sacrificati dopo 4 h dalla somministrazione di-tetraidronaftilammina (30 mg pro kg per via intraperitoneale) presentano una aumentata capacità di ossidare alcuni composti del Ciclo di Krebs, in rapporto ai controlli. Viene avanzata l'ipotesi che l'intensa glicogenolisi epatica e muscolare e l'aumentata acetilazionein vivo dell'acido para-aminobenzoico provocate nel ratto dalla somministrazione di-tetraidronaftilammina, siano causate da un esaltato metabolismo intermedio ossidativo.     

Effects of duration of gonadectomy,sex and age on adrenal steroid 5α-reductase activity in the rat

Summary Within 6–8 weeks, gonadectomy in male and female rats leads to an increase in adrenal 5-steroid reductase activity. However, long-term post-orchiectomy enzyme activity decreases to the control level and this effect is not related to the age of animals.Supported in part by grant No.564/VI from Polish Academy of Sciences. Generous gift of hormones applied in these studies from The Upjohn Company, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA is acknowledged.     

Influence of cyproterone acetate on the activity ofβ-glucuronidase in the hypothalamus and cerebral cortex of the male mouse

Summary Daily s.c. injections of cyproterone acetate greatly decrease the protein content and-glucuronidase activity in the mouse hypothalamus. These effects are reversible and the recovery capacity of the animal seems to be inversely related to the duration of antiandrogenic treatment.Financial aid was given by CNR (finalized project Biologia della Riproduzione) and Ministry of Education. Thanks are also due to Prof. G. Chieffi for suggestions and to Mr R. Auriemma for maintenance of experimental animals.     

The structure of human interferon-β: implications for activity

Interferons (IFNs) are potent extracellular protein mediators of host defence and homoeostasis. This article reviews the structure of human IFN-β (HuIFN-β), in particular in relation to its activity. The recently determined crystal structure of HuIFN-β provides a framework for understanding of the mechanism of differentiation of type I IFNs by their common receptor. Insights are generated by comparison with the structures of other type I IFNs and from the interpretation of existing mutagenesis data. The details of the observed carbohydrate structure, together with biochemical data, implicate the glycosylation of HuIFN-β, which is uncommon among type I IFNs, as an important factor in the solubility, stability and, consequently, activity of the protein. Finally, these structural implications are discussed in the context of the clinical use of HuIFN-β. Received 12 June 1998; received after revision 16 July 1998; accepted 16 July 1998     

Electrochemical behaviour ofβ-carotene with strong acids

Zusammenfassung Die Einwirkung von starken Säuren auf-Carotin in geeigneten Lösungsmitteln führte zur Bildung von blauen Farbstoffen. Bei Anwendung von mono- und polybasischen Säuren wanderten diese neuen Stoffe meistens kathodisch, wenn die Säurekonzentration schwach war. Manchmal, vor allem bei stärkerer Konzentration oder nach längerem Stehen der Lösungen, wanderten sie anodisch.     

Suppression of cytophilic antibody (‘arming’ factor) in the sera of patients with prostatic cancer by human seminal plasma

Summary The arming of normal peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) by cytophilic antibody in the sera of prostatic cancer patients is suppressed by pretreatment of PBL with normal human seminal plasma (HuSP1). Suppression of cytophilic antibody by HuSP1 extends the spectrum of immunologic reactions on which SP1 has an immunosuppressive effect and may provide further insight into the possible role of SP1 in the natural history of prostatic cancer.     

Changes in the concentration of adenohypophyseal prolactin and morphological manifestations in the adenohypophysis of lactating rats after administration of D-6-methyl-8-[β-isopropylaminoethyl] ergoline-I

Summary The four days administration of D-6-methyl-8-[-isopropylaminoethyl]ergoline-I (VÚFB-10726) to nursing rats decreases adenohypophyseal prolactin as determined with disc electrophoresis, and produces changes in the histological appearance of adenohypophyses, which indicate the inhibition of prolaction production and secretion.The authors thank Dr.I. J. Skála, Mrs.J. Boubínová, Mrs.J. Emanuelová and Mrs.V. Maitová for technical assistence.     

Increase in cystathionine β-synthase activity in the liver of rats treated withl-ethionine

Résumé Une seule injection d'éthionine (400 mg/kg) provoque une augmentation significative de l'activité de la cystathionine -synthase du foie de rat. La méthionine empêche l'effect de l'éthionine, tandis que l'actinomycine D, le cycloheximide, la méthionine sulfoximine, la méthionine sulfona et l'ATP ne le modifient pas. In vitro, l'éthionine n'a aucune influence sur l'activité de la cystathionine synthase hépatique.

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This work was supported by the Serbian Medical Research Foundation.     

Influence of sex,developmental time and food onβ-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity in the rice weevilSitophilus oryzae L.

Summary The effects of some biological parameters on -N-acetylglucosaminidase activity have been investigated inS. oryzae. There is no significant influence of sex and developmental time on the enzyme activity level, which appears in contrast to be greatly influenced by food (wheat or sorghum). Sorghum contains competitive inhibitors which are almost completely removed after dialysis. Fasting relieves this inhibition very quickly, suggesting that inhibitors act directly at the gut level.