Urinary Excretion of Proteolytic Activity in Catabolic States1

Author(s):  
C. Wanner ◽  
P. Schollmeyer ◽  
W. H. H�rl
Author(s):  
C.A.E. Lemmi ◽  
D. Booth ◽  
G.E. Adomian

In order to enrich populations of homogeneous cellular types we dissociated gastric mucosa by enzymatic techniques. In addition, we used SEM to monitor the progressive etching of the mucosa. Two enzymes were tested: collagenase III with minimum proteolytic activity and Pronase with broader proteolytic effects. The gastric mucosa was exposed to the effect of the enzymes using everted stomach preparations. In this way the digestive action occured progressively from the lumen of the stomach toward the base of the glands. This “etching” process could be monitored conveniently by SEM. After incubation for periods varying from 30 to 210 minutes the tissues were stretched on dental wax, fixed in 2 % glutaralheyde, post-fixed in osmium, dehydrated, critical point dryed and coated with gold. A model MSM-5 “Mini-SEM” was used for observation. Gentle uncurling of the preparation before coating with gold produced fractures which revealed the structure of the gastric glandsin more detail.


2006 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yukari Egashira ◽  
Shin Nagaki ◽  
Hiroo Sanada

We investigated the change of tryptophan-niacin metabolism in rats with puromycin aminonucleoside PAN-induced nephrosis, the mechanisms responsible for their change of urinary excretion of nicotinamide and its metabolites, and the role of the kidney in tryptophan-niacin conversion. PAN-treated rats were intraperitoneally injected once with a 1.0% (w/v) solution of PAN at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight. The collection of 24-hour urine was conducted 8 days after PAN injection. Daily urinary excretion of nicotinamide and its metabolites, liver and blood NAD, and key enzyme activities of tryptophan-niacin metabolism were determined. In PAN-treated rats, the sum of urinary excretion of nicotinamide and its metabolites was significantly lower compared with controls. The kidneyα-amino-β-carboxymuconate-ε-semialdehyde decarboxylase (ACMSD) activity in the PAN-treated group was significantly decreased by 50%, compared with the control group. Although kidney ACMSD activity was reduced, the conversion of tryptophan to niacin tended to be lower in the PAN-treated rats. A decrease in urinary excretion of niacin and the conversion of tryptophan to niacin in nephrotic rats may contribute to a low level of blood tryptophan. The role of kidney ACMSD activity may be minimal concerning tryptophan-niacin conversion under this experimental condition.


1999 ◽  
Vol 82 (08) ◽  
pp. 305-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuri Koshelnick ◽  
Monika Ehart ◽  
Hannes Stockinger ◽  
Bernd Binder

IntroductionThe urokinase-urokinase receptor (u-PA-u-PAR) system seems to play a crucial role in a number of biological processes, including local fibrinolysis, tumor invasion, angiogenesis, neointima and atherosclerotic plaque formation, inflammation, and matrix remodeling during wound healing and development.1-6 Binding of urokinase to its specific receptor provides cells with a localized proteolytic potential. It stimulates conversion of cell surface-bound plasminogen into active plasmin, which, in turn, is required for proteolytic degradation of basement membrane components, including fibronectin, collagen, laminin, and proteoglycan core proteins.7 Moreover, plasmin activates other matrix-degrading enzymes, such as matrix metalloproteinases.8 Overexpression of u-PA/u-PAR correlates with tumor invasion and metastasis formation,9-13 while reduction of cell-surface bound u-PA and inhibition of u-PAR expression leads to a significant decrease of invasive and metastatic activity.14 Specific antagonists that suppress binding of u-PA to u-PAR have been shown to inhibit cell-surface plasminogen activation, tumor growth, and angiogenesis both in vitro and in vivo models.15,16 Independently of its proteolytic activity, u-PA is implicated in many biological processes that seem to require u-PAR-mediated intracellular signal transduction, such as proliferation, chemotactic movement and adhesion, migration, and differentiation.17 Data obtained in the late 1980s indicated that u-PA not only provides cells with local proteolytic activity, but might also be capable of transducing signals to the cell.18-22 At that time, however, the u-PAR has just been isolated, cloned, and identified as a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-linked protein and not a transmembrane protein. Signaling via the u-PAR was, therefore, regarded as being unlikely, and the effects of u-PA on cell proliferation18-22 were thought to be mediated by proteolytic activation of latent growth factors. The assumption of direct signaling via u-PAR was, in fact, considered controversial, until about 10 years later when a physical association between u-PAR and signaling proteins was found.23 From this report on, several proteins associated with u-PAR have been identified. Now, u-PAR seems to be part of a large “signalosome” associated and interacting with several proteins on both the outside and inside of the cell.


1992 ◽  
Vol 68 (05) ◽  
pp. 583-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annika Dotevall ◽  
Christina Rångemark ◽  
Elsa Eriksson ◽  
Jack Kutti ◽  
Hans Wadenvik ◽  
...  

SummarySmoking is a risk factor for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, in men as well as in women. An increased urinary excretion of the thromboxane metabolite 2,3-dinor-thromboxane B2 (Tx-M) has been observed in smokers of both genders, suggesting that cigarette smoking may facilitate cardiovascular disease via an action on the platelets. The present study addressed the hypothesis that the increased Tx-M excretion in female smokers reflects a true facilitation of platelet reactivity in vivo, rather than an increased destruction of the platelets. In healthy female volunteers (aged 20–46 years, 18 smokers and 17 non-smokers) platelet life-span and indices of platelet activity were determined, together with plasma levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), fibrinogen, peripheral blood cell counts and hematocrit. The urinary excretion of Tx-M was higher in smokers than in non-smokers (361 vs. 204 pg/mg creatinine, respectively, p <0.05), while plasma and urinary β-thromboglobulin, plasma platelet factor 4, platelet mean life-span and platelet production rate did not differ between the groups. PAI-1 activity, white blood cell count and hematocrit were higher in smokers than in non-smokers (p <0.05). These data indicate that smoking facilitates platelet formation of thromboxane A2 without affecting platelet survival; i.e. it increases the activity of platelets without affecting their viability to a measurable extent. Such an increase in platelet activity, operating in parallel to a reduced fibrinolytic activity and a higher hematocrit and white blood cell count, may play an etiological role in smoking-induced cardiovascular disease in women.


1968 ◽  
Vol 20 (03/04) ◽  
pp. 548-554
Author(s):  
J Gajewski ◽  
G Markus

SummaryA method for the standardization of human plasminogen is proposed, based on the stoichiometric interaction between plasminogen and streptokinase, resulting in inhibition of proteolytic activity. Activation of a constant amount of plasminogen with increasing amounts of streptokinase yields linearly decreasing activities, as a function of streptokinase, with a sharp transition to a constant residual level. The point of transition corresponds to complete saturation of plasmin with streptokinase in a 1:1 molar ratio, and is therefore a measure of the amount of plasminogen present initially, in terms of streptokinase equivalents. The equivalence point is independent of the kind of protein substrate used, buffer, pH, length of digestion and, within limits, temperature. The method, therefore, is not subject to the variations commonly encountered in the usual determination based on specific activity measurements.


1964 ◽  
Vol 11 (01) ◽  
pp. 085-093
Author(s):  
W. F Blatt ◽  
JL Gray ◽  
H Jensen

SummaryA sensitive tool has been described for measuring fibrinolysis in reconstituted systems using thrombelastography. Activator mixtures with no appreciable proteolytic activity can similarly be tested in this system when the fibrinogen utilized has sufficient plasminogen present. Exposure of human plasminstreptokinase mixtures formed at pH 7.0 to acid conditions produced a striking loss of activator activity which could not be ascribed to low pH lability of the components, nor to plasmin action on the SK at pH 2.0. This is additional evidence for the hypothesis that human plasmin interacts with SK to form a complex capable of converting human and bovine plasminogen to plasmin.


1963 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 499-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Van Der Straeten ◽  
A. Vermeulen ◽  
N. Orie ◽  
P. Regniers

ABSTRACT The authors studied the correlation between cortisol production, as measured by an isotope dilution method, and the urinary excretion of total and free Porter-Silber chromogens, as well as of 17-ketogenic steroids. Although a significant correlation exists between total Porter-Silber chromogens, 17-ketogenic steroid excretion and cortisol production, discrepancies are occasionally observed. Hence, different colorimetric methods should be used to assess the glucocorticoid activity of the adrenal cortex.


1961 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 413-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Almqvist ◽  
D. Ikkos ◽  
R. Luft

ABSTRACT The effect of graded doses (5, 10 and 25 mg/d of methandrostenolone and of 25 mg/d of testosterone propionate were compared in each of three metabolically stable adult subjects. Five mg/d of methandrostenolone induced nitrogen and calcium retention. The effects observed with larger doses of methandrostenolone (10 and 25 mg/d) were not quantitatively different from those with 5 mg/d. The nitrogen and calcium retention obtained with the daily dose of 5 mg of methandrostenolone was as great or greater than that induced by testosterone propionate (25 mg/d). Methandrostenolone induced creatinuria but had no effect on sodium and chloride balances and urinary excretion of 17-ketosteroids.


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