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Research Interests: Autoimmunity, Biological Sciences, Stroke, Humans, Mice, and 4 moreAnimals, Immunization, Rats, and Autoantigens
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... References. 1 Sourander L, Rajala T, Raiha I, Makinen J, Erkkola R, Helenius H. Cardiovascular and cancer morbidity and mortality and sudden cardiac death in postmenopausal women on oestrogen replacement therapy. Lancet 1998; 352:... more
... References. 1 Sourander L, Rajala T, Raiha I, Makinen J, Erkkola R, Helenius H. Cardiovascular and cancer morbidity and mortality and sudden cardiac death in postmenopausal women on oestrogen replacement therapy. Lancet 1998; 352: 1965-1969. ...
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High affinity choline uptake plays a critical role in the regulation of acetylcholine synthesis in cholinergic neurons. Recently, we succeeded in molecular cloning of the high affinity choline transporter (CHT1), which is specifically... more
High affinity choline uptake plays a critical role in the regulation of acetylcholine synthesis in cholinergic neurons. Recently, we succeeded in molecular cloning of the high affinity choline transporter (CHT1), which is specifically expressed in cholinergic neurons. Here we demonstrate the presence of functionally relevant, nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism in the human CHT1 gene by comprehensive sequence analysis of the exons and the intron/exon boundaries including the transcription start site. The deduced amino acid change for the polymorphism is isoleucine to valine at amino acid 89 (I89V) located within the third transmembrane domain of the protein. The allele frequency of I89V was 6% for Ashkenazi Jews. Functional assessment of the I89V transporter in mammalian cell lines revealed a 40-50% decrease in V(max) for choline uptake rate compared with the wild type, whereas there was no alteration in the apparent affinities for choline, sodium, chloride, and the specific inhibitor hemicholinum-3. There also was no change in the specific hemicholinum-3 binding activity. The decreased choline uptake was not associated with the surface expression level of the protein as assessed by biotinylation assay. These results suggest an impaired substrate translocation in the I89V transporter. The Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog of CHT1 has a valine residue at the corresponding position and a single replacement from valine to isoleucine caused a decrease in the choline uptake rate by 40%, suggesting that this hydrophobic residue is generally critical in the choline transport rate in CHT1. This polymorphism in the allelic CHT1 gene may represent a predisposing factor for cholinergic dysfunction.
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Transdermal nicotine patches have been successfully introduced as a safe and powerful aid to smoking cessation; this has contributed to the rising interest in additional therapeutic applications for nicotine and synthetic nicotinic... more
Transdermal nicotine patches have been successfully introduced as a safe and powerful aid to smoking cessation; this has contributed to the rising interest in additional therapeutic applications for nicotine and synthetic nicotinic agonists. Nicotine and nicotinic agonists may have a therapeutic potential for a variety of disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, depression, attention deficit disorder, Tourette's syndrome and ulcerative colitis. These interests are partially fuelled by the urgent need of the tobacco industry to find new niches for nicotine in a world bound eventually to retire from cigarette smoking. At the same time, there is an increased interest in developing drugs for fighting obesity, a growing affliction of industrialised nations. This review presents data on the potential of nicotine, and in particular synthetic nicotinic agonists, for controlling body weight. Nicotinic agonists may become relatively safe, effective and inexpensive alternatives for several optional drugs currently being developed for treating human obesity, including beta-3-adrenergic agonists, leptin and its agonists, and neuropeptide Y antagonists.
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Tetranitromethane (TNM) modifies the muscarinic receptors from rat cerebral cortex. The modified receptor possesses an increased binding affinity (6-9-fold) toward several agonists such as acetylcholine, carbamoylcholine, arecoline, etc.... more
Tetranitromethane (TNM) modifies the muscarinic receptors from rat cerebral cortex. The modified receptor possesses an increased binding affinity (6-9-fold) toward several agonists such as acetylcholine, carbamoylcholine, arecoline, etc. The binding of antagonists (Bmax and Kd) is only slightly altered. The effects of TNM treatment can be prevented by atropine, thus indicating that TNM modifies residue(s) at the binding site. We carried out a series of successive chemical modifications which indicated that the modified residue(s) is (are) most probably a tyrosyl and not a cysteinyl residue. This conclusion gains support from the pH profile of agonist binding, which suggests the involvement of a residue with an apparent pK comparable to that of the phenolic hydroxyl of a nitrotyrosyl residue. The binding properties of the modified receptor, when compared to those of the native one, clearly indicate that the response to TNM modification with respect to the binding of agonists such as acetylcholine and carbamoylcholine is different from that when oxotremorine and its analogue are employed. This is interpreted as being the result of different binding modes exhibited by the various agonists. Nitration of the receptors can be prevented by the presence of an antagonist but not by an agonist. We propose that this differential response is due to the formation of ligand-receptor complexes that differ with respect to the microenvironment of the modified tyrosyl residue.
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Evaluating immunomodulatory effects of xenobiotics is an important component of the toxicity studies. Herein we report on the establishment of a novel invitro test system for the immunotoxicity screening of xenobiotics based on human... more
Evaluating immunomodulatory effects of xenobiotics is an important component of the toxicity studies. Herein we report on the establishment of a novel invitro test system for the immunotoxicity screening of xenobiotics based on human lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). Four immunotoxic compounds; tributyltin chloride, cyclosporine A, benzo(a)pyrene and verapamil hydrochloride, as well as three immune-inert compounds; urethane, furosemide and mannitol were selected for characterization. The treatment of LCLs with immunosuppressive compounds resulted in reduced viability. The IC50 values determined in human LCLs were in agreement with the data obtained for human peripheral mononuclear cells. Since cytokine production reflects lymphocytes responses to external stimuli, we evaluated the functional responses of LCLs by monitoring their pro-inflammatory and immunoregulatory cytokine production. Our findings prove that LCLs allowed for reliable differentiation between immunomodulatory and immune-inert compounds. Hence, pre-treatment with immunomodulatory compounds led to a decrease in the production of pro-inflammatory TNFα, IL-6 and immunoregulatory IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and IFNγ cytokines, when compared to untreated ionomycin/PMA stimulated cells. Moreover, testing a panel of ten LCLs derived from unrelated healthy individuals reflects inter-individual variability in response to immunomodulatory xenobiotics. In conclusion, LCLs provide a novel alternative method for the testing of the immunotoxic effects of xenobiotics.
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ABSTRACT In spite of new therapeutics and diagnostics, thrombosis‐related diseases including heart failure and stroke remain the leading cause of death globally and a major healthcare burden. Pharmacogenomic studies may reduce the burden... more
ABSTRACT In spite of new therapeutics and diagnostics, thrombosis‐related diseases including heart failure and stroke remain the leading cause of death globally and a major healthcare burden. Pharmacogenomic studies may reduce the burden of thrombotic diseases by aiding treatment individualization with the most appropriate anti‐coagulant and anti‐platelet therapeutics. Discovering and validating biomarkers for improved personalized treatment of thrombotic diseases will require massive investment. A concerted dedicated effort built upon a public‐private partnership is warranted for addressing this foremost public health concern.
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ABSTRACT Migraine is among the most common chronic disorders in the developed countries, affecting up to 17% of adult women and 6% of adult men. It is also among the chronic disorders most commonly associated with recurring absence from... more
ABSTRACT Migraine is among the most common chronic disorders in the developed countries, affecting up to 17% of adult women and 6% of adult men. It is also among the chronic disorders most commonly associated with recurring absence from work. It has been estimated that in the United States the indirect annual societal cost of migraine, mostly as lost work, is US$12 billion. Migraine diagnosis and treatment is hindered by the lack of reliable serum or genetic biomarkers that could potentially improve treatment choices. Research programs focused on identifying and developing migraine biomarkers for both prevention and treatment must be included in the national biomedical research agenda. Drug Dev Res 68:267–269, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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... first 13 published cases of Alzheimer's disease and refers to Perusini's four cases including Alzheimer's original case and a subsequent case (actually, one of cerebral syphilis with tangles and plaques!) published by... more
... first 13 published cases of Alzheimer's disease and refers to Perusini's four cases including Alzheimer's original case and a subsequent case (actually, one of cerebral syphilis with tangles and plaques!) published by Bonfiglio (another of ... In: Terry RD, Katzman R, Bick KL, eds. ...
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Research Interests: Dementia, Cell line, Humans, Female, Male, and 5 moreHaloperidol, Aged, Sex Factors, RISPERIDONE, and Cell Proliferation
The expression of muscarinic binding sites was examined in a collection of primary brain tumors of different cellular origins and various degrees of dedifferentiation, as compared to control specimens. Eleven gliogenous tumors were... more
The expression of muscarinic binding sites was examined in a collection of primary brain tumors of different cellular origins and various degrees of dedifferentiation, as compared to control specimens. Eleven gliogenous tumors were examined, all of which contained substantial amounts of muscarinic binding sites. Most of the other tumor types examined did not display detectable binding of [3H]N-methyl-4-piperidyl benzilate ([3H]4NMPB). Scatchard analysis indicated the existence of homogeneous antagonist sites in both normal forebrain and glioblastoma multiforme, with Kd values of 1.2 nM and 0.9 nM, respectively. The density of muscarinic binding sites varied between tumors from different patients, and also between specimens prelevated from different areas of the same tumor. This variability, as well as the average density of binding sites, appeared to be larger in highly malignant tumors than in less malignant ones. In contrast, the density of muscarinic receptors from control specimens was invariably high, but within the same order of magnitude. To test whether the muscarinic binding activity in the brain tumors is correlated to other cholinoceptive properties, cholinesterase activity was also examined. Individual data for density of [3H]4NMPB binding sites were then plotted against corresponding values of cholinesterase activity. The pattern of distribution of these values was clearly different in tumor specimens, when compared to that observed in samples derived from non-malignant brain. Our observations indicate that human brain cells of gliogenous origin are capable of expressing muscarinic binding sites, and that, if a correlation exists between muscarinic receptors and cholinesterase levels in gliogenous tumors, it differs from that of non-malignant brain tissue.
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The enzyme NADPH-P450 oxidoreductase (POR) is the main electron donor to all microsomal CYPs. The possible contribution of common POR variants to inter- and intra-individual variability in drug metabolism is of great pharmacogenetic... more
The enzyme NADPH-P450 oxidoreductase (POR) is the main electron donor to all microsomal CYPs. The possible contribution of common POR variants to inter- and intra-individual variability in drug metabolism is of great pharmacogenetic interest. To search for POR polymorphic alleles and estimate their frequencies in a Jewish population. We analyzed the POR gene in 301 Ashkenazi and Moroccan Jews. A total of 30 POR SNPs were identified, nine in the noncoding regions and 21 in the protein-coding regions (ten synonymous, 11 missense). Six of these missense variants are previously undescribed (S102P, V164M, V191M, D344N, E398A and D648N). The data collected in this study on missense POR SNPs, interpreted in light of the crystallographic structure of human POR, indicate that some POR missense variants may be potential biomarkers for future POR pharmacogenetic screening.
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The relationships between phosphoinositide hydrolysis induced by various muscarinic agonists and by membrane depolarization agents were investigated in rat cerebral cortex and heart atrium slices. In both preparations, phosphoinositide... more
The relationships between phosphoinositide hydrolysis induced by various muscarinic agonists and by membrane depolarization agents were investigated in rat cerebral cortex and heart atrium slices. In both preparations, phosphoinositide hydrolysis was stimulated by a combination of carbamylcholine and membrane depolarization with 40 mM K+ in a synergistic fashion. The synergism was more pronounced at lower external calcium ion concentrations and was sensitive to verapamil. Lower external calcium ion concentrations were required for demonstration of the synergism in heart atrium slices than in cerebral cortex slices. The carbamylcholine-induced stimulation was only partially additive with membrane depolarization via Na+ channel gating by batrachotoxin. In addition, K+ depolarization eliminated the sensitivity of carbamylcholine-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis to the sodium channel blocker tetrodotoxin. Our results suggest that muscarinically stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis in rat cerebral cortex and heart atrium slices may occur by dual pathways which interact synergistically and that only one of the pathways is depolarization-dependent. Different muscarinic agonists could preferentially utilize these pathways, thus perhaps explaining their different potencies in stimulating phosphoinositide hydrolysis.
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... hyperglycemia. Dr. Ron Grunstein described the association between Metabolic Syndrome and sleep apnea. Dr. John Rodzvilla explained the relationship between Metabolic Syndrome and male hypogonadism. There are ...
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The vision of personalized medicine, the practice of medicine where each patient receives the most appropriate medical treatments and the most fitting dosage and combination of drugs based on his or her genetic make-up, seems to become... more
The vision of personalized medicine, the practice of medicine where each patient receives the most appropriate medical treatments and the most fitting dosage and combination of drugs based on his or her genetic make-up, seems to become more realistic as our knowledge about the human genome rapidly expands. We already know the reason for many types of adverse drug reactions, which are often related to polymorphic gene alleles of drug metabolizing enzymes. Moreover, insight into reasons for poor drug efficacy, often related to single nucleotide polymorphisms or larger polymorphisms in genes encoding drug target proteins, has been gained. There is a growing need to incorporate this increasingly complex body of knowledge to the standard curriculum of medical schools, so that the forthcoming generation of clinicians and researchers will be familiar with the latest developments in pharmacogenomics and medical bioinformatics, and will be capable of providing patients with the expected benefits of personalized medicine.
Research Interests: Genetics, Polymorphism, Drug metabolism, Personalized Medicine, Research, and 14 moreCurriculum, Biological Sciences, Humans, Pharmacogenetics, Human Genome Project, Enzyme, Human Genome, Single Nucleotide Polymorphism, Adverse Drug Reaction, Body of Knowledge, Trends In Pharmacological Sciences, Drug Targeting, Internet, and Medical Treatment
Inflammatory demyelinating diseases of peripheral nerves are associated with altered nerve conduction and with activation of the coagulation pathway. Thrombin mediates many of its effects through protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR-1). We... more
Inflammatory demyelinating diseases of peripheral nerves are associated with altered nerve conduction and with activation of the coagulation pathway. Thrombin mediates many of its effects through protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR-1). We examined the possibility that thrombin may mediate conduction abnormalities through PAR-1 on rat sciatic nerve. PAR-1 was found to be present by both RT-PCR and Western blot analysis of the sciatic nerve. Activation of PAR-1 by a specific peptide agonist caused a 3-fold increase in phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in the sciatic nerve indicating the existence of functional receptors in the nerve. By confocal immunofluoresence microscopy of the sciatic nerve using anti-PAR-1 antibody and double staining for the paranodal marker contactin-associated protein 1 (Caspr1) or the nodal markers gliomedin and ezrin, the receptor was localized predominantly to myelin microvilli at the node of Ranvier. Thrombin and the PAR-1-specific agonist were applied to exposed rat sciatic nerve and their effects on nerve conduction were measured. Thrombin at concentrations of 100 and 200 U/ml and PAR-1 agonists 150 and 300 muM produced a conduction block within 30 min of application. This effect was maintained for at least 1 h and was reversible by washing. The function of the nodal non-compacted myelin is not well known. The current results implicate this structure and PAR-1 activation in the pathogenesis of conduction block in inflammatory and thrombotic nerve diseases.