Antinuclear factor, smooth and striated muscle antibodies in Duchenne-type muscular dystrophy

Antinuclear factors and antibodies to smooth and striated muscle were studied by the indirect immune fluorescence method in the sera of 19 children suffering from progressive muscular dystrophy. In 47% of the patients antinuclear factor positivity, in 65% anti smooth muscle antibody positivity, and in 26% antistriated muscle antibody positivity was found. Antibody to striated muscle was present in patients with serious advanced dystrophy and in patients unable to walk, while anti-smooth muscle antibody occurred in less serious cases, too. On the basis of the results, it is concluded that in genetically determined progressive muscular dystrophy a secondary autoimmune process develops owing to the degeneration of muscles as the disease progresses.

Postnatal development of plasma prolactin level in premature infants with and without NaCl supplementation

The role of prolactin in the adaptation of premature infants to the alterations of sodium balance was investigated by measuring plasma prolactin levels serially in 7 low birth weight, premature infants with (group I) and without (group II) NaCl supplementation. The study was performed on the 7th day and weekly thereafter until the 5th week of life. NaCl supplementation was given in a dose of 3-5 mEq/kg/day and 1.5-2.5 mEq/kg/day for 8-21 days and 22-35 days, respectively. It was demonstrated that before NaCl supplementation plasma prolactin concentration was similarly elevated in the two groups (6,490 +/- 1,291 mU/l in group I versus 7,661 +/- 1,094 mU/l in group II), and without supplementation it remained at about the same level throughout the study. When supplemental sodium was given, the plasma prolactin level declined with age at a steady rate to the mean value of 3,516 +/- 502 mU/l by the end of 5th week. In the 3rd-5th weeks it proved to be significantly higher in group II than in group I. It is concluded that physiological sodium depletion may account for the prolonged hyperprolactinemia and prolactin might have some importance in the control of sodium homeostasis in low birth weight, premature infants.

Pentagastrin analogues containing alpha-aminooxy acids. VII. Catabolism in vivo and in vitro of a pentagastrin analogue containing N-terminal aminooxyacetyl residue

In rat, BOC-NHO-1-14C-Ac-Trp-Met-Asp-Phe-NH2 (14C-I) is metabolised more slowly than BOC-1-14C-Gly-Trp-Met-Asp-Phe-NH2 (14C-II). Of the cytosol fractions of the rat organs the lung and pancreas exhibited a lower activity in the catabolism of BOC-NHOAc-Trp-Met-Asp-Phe-NH2 (I) than in that of BOC-Gly-Trp-Met-Asp-Phe-NH2 (II). In contrast, the cytosol fractions of the dog's lung, small intestine and pancreas hydrolysed I at a faster rate than they hydrolysed II.

Effect of adding albumin to solutions of cholecystokinin on pancreatic protein output and pancreatic polypeptide release

In four conscious dogs with chronic gastric and pancreatic Thomas fistulas we studied the effect of 99% pure cholecystokinin-33 (CCK-33) solutions on pancreatic secretion and PP release. CCK-33 was dissolved in 0.154 M NaCl alone or in the same solution containing 1 g per 100 ml dog albumin. The response of pancreatic protein output to increasing doses of CCK-33 (0.5, 1, 2, 4 IDU/kg per h) was significantly (P less than 0.05) higher when CCK was dissolved in NaCl with albumin than in NaCl alone. These results were confirmed by measuring CCK immunoreactivity in samples from tips of infusion lines by a gastrin radioimmunoassay. Release of pancreatic polypeptide (PP) following increasing doses of CCK-33 was also significantly (P less than 0.05) elevated when CCK was dissolved in an albumin-containing solution. There was a significant (P less than 0.02) correlation between plasma concentrations of PP and pancreatic protein output. This study suggests that albumin should be added to CCK-33 solutions to preserve biological activity. The biological effect of CCK-33 may be substantially underestimated if albumin is omitted.

Sensitivity of the parietal cell to pentagastrin in health and duodenal ulcer disease: a reappraisal

In view of the conflicting results on whether pentagastrin sensitivity is genuinely increased in duodenal ulcer (DU) patients, the pentagastrin-gastric acid relationship was restudied in 17 normal subjects and 15 DU patients. In a reproducibility study performed on nine healthy subjects the mean pentagastrin responses obtained on 2 different study days, using a step technique (range, 0.025-6.4 micrograms kg-1h-1), were congruent at each of the five measuring points. Analysis of variance revealed no significant overall differences. However, ED50 values showed a large within- and between-subject variation and failed to correlate significantly, this because a plateau response was not regularly obtained with the top dose. Consequently, ED50 values in normal subjects and DU patients showed a large scatter and were not significantly different, although the potency ratio calculated from the linear parts of the respective dose-response curves was significantly different (2.6; 95% confidence limits, 1.8-3.9). This study thus supplies further evidence that the parietal cell of DU patients has a higher sensitivity to pentagastrin and demonstrates that the reliability of individual ED50 estimations obtained in pentagastrin dose-response studied should not be overrated.

Effect of food on antacid neutralizing capacity in man

In order to estimate their in-vivo reactivity two antacids of equal theoretical neutralizing capacity (approximately 3.9 mol/l at pH 3.5) but of different chemical composition were employed as intragastric titrant (pH 3.5) following a liquid protein meal (oxo) in two groups of five volunteers each. The two antacids chosen (alucol and Camalox) contain different amounts of aluminium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide and Camalox in addition contains calcium carbonate. The intragastric consumption of these two antacids was much higher than their respective theoretically available neutralizing capacity (Alucol 3.9 times, Camalox 2.4 times). In-vitro studies demonstrated that interaction with oxo reduced the neutralizing capacity of the two antacids at pH 3.5 from 3.9 mol/l to 1.7 mol/l (Alucol) and 2.5 mol/l (Camalox). This potency loss was related to the aluminium hydroxide content of the two antacids. This study indicates that the neutralizing capacity of antacids is not predictable from their reactivity in aqueous solution and is markedly reduced by protein-containing foods.

Morphine-like action of enkephalin analog FK 33-824 on motility of the isolated rat colon

Actions of the synthetic met-enkephalin analog FK 33-824 were compared to normorphine on intraluminal pressure of the isolated rat colon. Phasic and tonic contractions of isolated colonic segments in Ringer-Tyrode's solution under standard conditions were measured by intraluminal perfusion manometry. FK 33-824 or normorphine induced substantial tonic contractions of colonic muscles which lasted about 6 min. The maximum tonic contraction occurred at 10(-5) M normorphine or 10(-6) M FK 33-824. Naloxone (10(-6) M) and Mr 2266 alone or in combination inhibited competitively the tonic contraction induced by FK 33-824 with a similar potency ratio, whereas 10(-6) M norepinephrine or 10(-8) M isoproterenol inhibited it noncompetitively. Tetrodotoxin (10(-6) M) counteracted tonic contractions due to FK 33-824 or normorphine in all parts of the undissected colon but only in the proximal segment of the dissected colon and enhanced it in the middle and distal colonic segment. Neither 10(-5) M atropine sulfate nor 10(-6) M methysergide interfered with the action of FK 33-824 or normorphine. FK 33-824 produced morphine-like motor actions in the isolated rat colon evidently by stimulation of opiate receptors, suggested to be located in nervous and muscular tissue in the proximal and solely in muscular tissue in the mid and distal colonic segment. The neural pathway stimulated by FK 33-824 or normorphine is not identified. The data suggest it to be noncholinergic, nonadrenergic and nonserotoninergic.

The release of pancreatic polypeptide by CCK-octapeptide and some analogues in the dog

In dogs with gastric and pancreatic Thomas fistulas the effect of different cholecystokinin-like peptides upon pancreatic polypeptide (PP) release was studied in three ways: (a) Plasma PP concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay in response to 135 pmol/kg/h of the synthetic C-terminal octapeptide of cholecystokinin (CCK-OP) (A), of three of its analogues (B, C, D) where methionine has been replaced by methoxinine, and in response to 45 pmol/kg/h of caerulein. The greatest rise in plasma PP concentration expressed as delta PP was achieved with caerulein (327 +/- 37 pM), when taking into account the threefold smaller dose used, followed by CCK-OP (536 +/- 67 pM) and analogues B (343 +/- 51 pM), C (87 +/- 46 pM), and D (32 +/- 15 pM). The order of potency with respect to stimulation of exocrine pancreatic secretion was the same: E and A precede B, C, and D. delta PP correlated linearly with the pancreatic protein output (r = 0.98, p less than 0.01). (b) CCK-OP was infused in four doses of 35, 70, 135, and 270 pmol/kg/h, and plasma PP concentrations and exocrine pancreatic secretion were monitored. The correlation between pancreatic protein output and delta PP was very close (r = 0.98, p less than 0.01). (c) Atropine sulfate (0.1 mg/kg, i.v.) reduced the PP response to the 135 pmol/kg/h dose of CCK-OP by 61%. We conclude from this that CCK-OP and related peptides do release PP and that their effect on exocrine pancreatic secretion is closely correlated with their PP-releasing capacity. The PP release may therefore be used as an indicator of the CCK-like activity of CCK fragments and analogues. CCK-OP may well represent one of the humoral stimulatory factors contributing to the release of PP, but this action appears to depend on a cholinergic background.

Metabolism of C-terminal pentapeptide of gastrin in the rat. Part IV. Catabolic pathways of the N-terminal BOC-14C-glycine fragment

The catabolism of the 14C-labelled pentagastrin was investigated in rats. The following results were found: -- the labelled BOC-glycine fragment is split off the pentagastrin in the small intestine -- it is absorbed through the intestinal wall, and -- enters first the portal and then the systemic circulation.

The effect of DDVP, an organophosphorus pesticide on the humoral and cell-mediated immunity of rabbits

The effect of daily oral administration of LD50 1/40, 1/20 and 1/10 of an organophosphate pesticide DDVP (Dichlorvos) was studied in rabbits for its effect on the humoral immune response after vaccination with Salmonella typhi, as well as on cell-mediated immunity. Serum antibody titers of treated animals showed a dose-dependent fall compared with the controls. The skin redness measured in the tuberculin test showed the same dose-dependent tendency.

Metabolism of C-terminal pentapeptide of gastrin in the rat. Part III. The catabolism of the BOC-pentapeptide and its distribution in the organs

The metabolism of labelled BOC-14 C-glycine-pentapetide was investigated in rats, both in blood and urine. We report on the following findings: --radioactivity could be measured in the blood even after the disappearance of the bioactive- and immunoreactive pentapeptide. --the bulk of the radioactivity in the blood after 8 minutes originates from a metabolite which, after subsequent systematic chemical identification, proved to be the BOC-14C-glycine fragment of the pentapeptide. --the radioactivity in the urine comes entirely from this split product of the labelled pentapeptide --the organ distribution of radioactivity of labelled pentapeptide was checked after i.v. administration; 1 minute after the injection, most of the radioactivity was found in the liver, followed by the kidney, pancreas, jejunum and lung. After 1 hour, radioactivity could be detected only in the kidneys. It was concluded that the N-terminal amino-acid of the naturally occurring pentagastrin (glycine) remains linked to the BOC protecting group in the course of the catabolism of the molecule and this fragment is excreted in the urine.

Bilateral cataract in acrodermatitis enteropathica

Bilateral cataract was found in a case of acrodermatitis enteropathica. A possible role of zinc deficiency in causing cataract might be assumed.

Effects of prolonged administration of metiamide on serum gastrin, gastrin content of the antrum and gastric corpus, and G-cell population in the rat

The effect of prolonged metiamide administration on serum gastrin, gastrin content of the antrum and gastric corpus, and G-cell population was studied in the rat. A single subcutaneous injection of metiamide (200 mg/kg) at the onset of 16 days of continous treatment with three daily injections was followed by a fivefold increase in serum gastrin level at 4 hr in fasted and at 4 and 6 hr in fed rats. After 16 days of metiamide, the fed rats showed a peak in serum gastrin level of the same magnitude as on day 1, but only at 4 hr. Two hours later, the levels decreased rapidly to basal values. In the fasted animals, the response to metiamide was reduced to a threefold increase at 2 hr. There was no difference in gastrin content of the antrum and gastric corpus nor in volume density of the G-cells after the prolonged treatment compared with the controls. It is concluded that in spite of rises in serum gastrin, prolonged metiamide medication has no effect on the gastrin content of the antrum and gastric corpus nor on the G-cell population in the rat. Furthermore, after prolonged treatment, metiamide-induced gastrin release is diminished.

Repair of DNA damage in light sensitive human skin diseases

Repair of UV-light induced DNA damage and changes in the semiconservative DNA synthesis were studied by in vitro autoradiography in the skin of patients with lightdermatoses (polymorphous light eruption, porphyria cutanea tarda, erythropoietic protoporphyria) and xeroderma pigmentosum as well as in that of healthy controls. In polymorphous light eruption the semiconservative DNA replication rate was more intensive in the area of the skin lesions and in the repeated phototest site, the excision repair synthesis appeared to be unaltered. In cutaneous porphyrias a decreased rate of the repair incorporation could be detected. Xeroderma pigmentosum was characterized by a strongly reduced repair synthesis.

Pentagastrin analogs containing alpha-aminooxy acids, II. Simultaneous substitutions at the N- and C-terminus

Twenty-seven new pentagastrin analogs containing free or protected aminooxy acids at the N-terminus and D-2-aminooxy-3-phenyl-propionic acid, L-(4-chlorophenyl)glycine, L- and D-phenylglycine, or L- or D-cyclohexyglycine instead of the C-terminal L-phenylalanine and analogs extended by aminooxyacetic acid at the C-terminus, were synthesized stepwise. The end products were purified by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose or silica gel.

Pentagastrin analogs containing alpha-aminooxy acids, I. Synthesis of analogs substituted at the N-terminus

Nine new pentagastrin analogs containing a free or protected alpha-aminooxy acid at the N-terminus were synthesized stepwise. Analogs containing leucyl, norleucyl, norvalyl, L- and D-2-aminodecanoyl residues instead of methionyl residue were also prepared. The peptides were synthesized by the active ester method with subsequent removal of the protecting groups. The purification of the end products was performed by crystallization or column chromatography on silica gel.

Pentagastrin analogs containing alpha-aminooxy acids, III. Biological studies and structure-activity relationships

The stimulation of gastric acid flow by thirty-six new pentagastrin analogs administered intravenously, intrajejunally and intrarectally was determined in rats. Some of the analogs are several times more active than the pentagastrin (Peptavlon, I.C.I.) used as control. Unlike the control, some analogs are absorbed in active form from the jejunum. The N-terminal substitution with alpha-aminooxy acids seems to increase the gastric secretory response, probably by improving the enzymatic resistance of the molecule to various enzymes. None of the analogs tested significantly inhibit the gastric acid output in rats induced by pentagastrin. Structure-activity relationships are discussed.