Effect of volatile anesthetics on the circular dichroism of bilirubin bound to human serum albumin

The characteristic circular dichroism of bilirubin bound to human serum albumin undergoes a remarkable sign inversion on addition of halothane, chloroform and other volatile anesthetics. This sign inversion, which is completely reversed by removal of the anesthetic, reflects a pronounced conformational change of the bound ligand; probably a complete inversion of chirality. The observation suggests that association of volatile anesthetics with proteins can markedly alter the internal topography of receptor sites and potentially influence the stereoselectivity of ligand binding.     

Preferential excretion of glycated albumin in C57BL-Ks-J mice: Effects of diabetes

Urinary excretion of glycated albumin was quantitated in genetically hyperglycemic mice (C57BL-Ks-J, db/db mice), a model for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and compared with their non-diabetic littermates. The data indicated a preferential excretion of glycated albumin in non-diabetic mice. This phenomenon of editing of glycated albumin is decreased significantly in diabetic mice. Quantitative measurements of overall excretion of glycated albumin suggested that the loss of editing in diabetic mice is due to the dilution of glycated albumin by the unmodified albumin which is excreted in large amounts in diabetic mice. Therefore, the loss of editing observed in this model resembled the one we characterized in insulin-dependent diabetic humans and a streptozotocin-diabetic rat model³.     

Purification of platelet-derived endothelial cell growth inhibitor and its characterization as transforming growth factor-β type 1

In 1986, Brown and Clemmons (Proc. natl Acad. Sci. USA83 (1986) 3321) showed that platelets contain a substance, platelet-derived growth inhibitor (PDGI), that inhibits in vitro endothelial cell replication. Although platelets are rich in transforming grwoth factor (TGF-), PDGI was considered not to be related to TGF-, on the basis of its reported properties (extraction from platelets at neutral pH, binding to heparin-Sepharose). However, we purified PDGI to near homogeneity and showed that on the basis of HPLC retention behavior, in vitro growth inhibitory activities with several cell types, receptor binding, and immunoneutralization of growth inhibitory activity with specific anti-TGF- type 1 antibodies, PDGI is most probably identical with TGF- type 1.     

Evaluation of the hepatotoxicological effects of a drug in an in vivo/in vitro model

Both in vivo and in vitro models have certain disadvantages for the study of the chronic hepatotoxicity of drugs. The aim of this work was to evaluate a new approach based on an in vivo/in vitro model. After chronic in vivo treatment of rats with Vincamine and Vindeburnol (an eburnamenine derivative which exhibits hepatotoxic properties in man) liver cells were isolated, and functional and metabolic disorders (metabolic utilization of fructose and protein biosynthesis) were studied to determine injury. The results showed no modification of blood parameters, but a direct relationship between the dose of Vindeburnol administered in vivo and the metabolic disorders observed in vitro, evidencing the high sensitivity and reliability of this model.     

In vitro amiodarone protein binding and its interaction with warfarin

Summary The binding of amiodarone to human plasma protein and to bovine serum, albumin was studied by three different methods, ultracentrifugation, equilibrium dialysis and fluorescence spectroscopy. The fraction of amiodarone bound to plasma protein amounted to 96.3%. The changes in the binding properties of 1-anilino-naphthalene-8-sulfonate for bovine serum albumin using warfarin and amiodarone as independent inhibitors were analyzed in terms of binding site specificity. The findings indicated that amiodarone and warfarin have two different binding sites on bovine serum albumin, so a noncompetitive inhibition mechanism was indicated. On the basis of our data we cannot exclude other mechanisms of interaction besides direct displacement of one drug by another; nevertheless, metabolite interference between amiodarone and coagulation cofactors may better explain the enhancement of warfarin's pharmacological action in association with amiodarone.This work was partially funded by the CNR (National Research Council, Rome, Italy), Program on Clinical Pharmacology and Rare Diseases. The authors would like to thanks Drs E. Marzi and E. riva for their help.     

Determination of certain physical and chemical characteristics of the activating serum factor from preparturient women and women with habitual abortions

Summary Follow-up investigation of the blood sera from preparturient women and women with habitual, abortions showed the presence of a factor which has an activating effect on smooth muscle preparations because it causes the release of prostaglandins. Gel-chromatographic counter flow separation and microelectrophoresis of the blood sera have shown that the isolated serum factor is a water soluble glycopeptide with a molecular weight of about 2000.     

血清金属元素含量与缺血性脑血管病相互关系探讨

对缺血性脑血管病（ＩＣＶＤ）患者血清Ｚｎ、Ｃｕ、Ｃｒ、Ｍｇ元素进行测定,结果表明患者血清Ｃｕ、Ｃｒ、Ｍｇ含量比对照组低,Ｚｎ含量和Ｚｎ／Ｃｕ比值比对照组高,测定患者Ｚｎ／Ｃｕ比值较测定单一元素Ｚｎ、Ｃｕ更有意义。     

建立人输卵管上皮细胞无血清培养

人输卵管上皮细胞（HOEC）可以体外较长时间无血清培养,DMEM／F12培养液的培养效果优于Ham’sF10,在加有多种因子和胎球蛋白的培养液中,HOEC可贴壁生长,生长能力达到合质量分数15％FCS的对照组的30％～40％,一般可传代2次,最长培养可维持38d,细胞形态与有血清培养差别不大,虽然无血清培养HOEC的生长速度、密度、传代成功率远不及有血清培养,但能抑制成纤维细胞生长,维持较纯的上皮细胞。     

视黄醇结合蛋白基因的研究发展

视黄醇结合蛋白(Retinol-Binding Proteins，RBP)是一类维生素A的运载蛋白，参与血清和细胞内视黄醇／酸的转运，是疏水小分子结合蛋白家族的成员。RBP主要在肝脏中合成并释放入血液进而进入各种组织，通过与视黄醇、前白蛋白及细胞表面受体相互作用，在维生素A的储存、代谢、转运到周围靶器官中具有重要功能。细胞内视黄醇结合蛋白则主要在细胞内发挥类似作用。本文主要就血清及细胞内视黄醇结合蛋白的基因结构、作用机理、发育性表达、组织定位及染色体定位、对动物繁殖性能和胚胎发育的影响等方面进行综述。     

葡萄离体培养中胚状体发生的研究Ⅰ.胚状体发生的组织细胞学观察

以葡萄（ＶｉｔｉｓｖｉｎｉｆｅｒａＬ．）的花药和花丝为实验材料，观察了葡萄离体培养中胚状体的发生发育过程．结果表明：（１）葡萄的花药和花丝经诱导都可形成胚性和非胚性两类不同的愈伤组织，与外植体来源无关，胚状体经胚性愈伤组织产生．（２）胚状体多起源于胚性愈伤组织表层或表层以下的单个细胞，这些细胞核大，细胞质浓，染色深，在表层者易于脱落而处于单个离散状态，它们的第一次分裂有均等分裂，也有不等分裂，经２细胞、３细胞、多细胞原胚等阶段发育为成熟的胚状体．（３）葡萄胚状体具有与双子叶植物合子胚相似的发育过程