Search results for "PEPTIDE"

2021

White adipose tissue (WAT) possesses the endocannabinoid system (ECS) machinery and produces the two major endocannabinoids (ECs), arachidonoylethanolamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). Accumulating evidence indicates that WAT cannabinoid 1 receptors (CB1R) are involved in the regulation of fat storage, tissue remodeling and secretory functions but their role in controlling lipid mobilization is unclear. In the present study, we used different strategies to acutely increase ECS activity in WAT and tested the consequences on glycerol production as a marker of lipolysis. Treating lean mice or rat WAT explants with JLZ195, which inhibits ECs degrading enzymes, induced an increase in…

Diminished Inhibition of Adhesion Molecule Expression in Prostacyclin Receptor Desensitized Human Platelets

1995

Long-term exposure of platelets to prostacyclin or iloprost (100nM, 3hr) results in receptor desensitization measured as decrease in 3H-iloprost binding sites by 47 +/- 14%. Desensitized platelets respond with an increased adhesion to endothelial cells. The mechanism of increased adhesiveness was studied by measuring the expression of the adhesion molecule CD62p (p-selectin; GMP140) on washed human platelets by flowcytometry. In thrombin stimulated platelets CD62p expression was dose-dependently reduced by iloprost. In receptor desensitized platelets IC50 for iloprost inhibition of thrombin-induced CD62p expression increased from 0.48 +/- 0.10 to 2.4 +/- 0.7 nM.

Should we measure routinely oxidised and atherogenic dense low-density lipoproteins in subjects with type 2 diabetes?

2010

Beyond low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol concentrations, in recent years, several clinical studies have shown that both oxidised and small, dense LDL have a strong predictive role for the presence of vascular atherosclerosis. These two lipid parameters seem to have a synergistic impact on cardiovascular risk, with a greater importance in patients at higher-risk, such as those with type-2 diabetes. Increased levels of oxidised and small, dense LDL levels are a feature of diabetic dyslipidaemia, and small, dense LDL have been shown to be a good predictor of future cardiovascular events, at both univariate and multivariate analyses. On the other hand, although the association of oxidis…

Complement activation by oxidatively modified low-density lipoproteins

1999

Background Oxidatively modified low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and are found in human vascular lesions. There is increasing evidence that complement activation may also play a role in atherogenesis. Activated complement proteins have been demonstrated to be present in early atherosclerotic lesions, and lipids isolated from lesions have been shown to activate complement, hence their designation as lesion complement activator (LCA). The question now arose whether oxidized LDLs would also activate complement. Material and methods The complement-activating capacity of a lesion complement activator preparation and of minimally as well …

Effect of the stable prostacyclin analogue iloprost on water and electrolyte transfer of the rat ileum and colon in vivo.

1988

The effect of iloprost on water and ion transfer was measured simultaneously in tied-off loops of the rat ileum and colon in vivo. (1) In the ileal loops iloprost had no effect on water and ion transfer neither by intraluminal, nor intraaortal or intravenous application. (2) In the colonic loops only intraaortal bolus application of the high dose of 500 micrograms iloprost significantly decreased net water, sodium and chloride absorption, but did not induce net secretion. (3) Inhibition of endogenous prostaglandin synthesis by indomethacin did not change net water and electrolyte transfer in the ileum and colon. (4) Under this pretreatment i.v.-application of 100 micrograms iloprost, ineffe…

Treat-to-target versus dose-adapted statin treatment of cholesterol to reduce cardiovascular risk

2015

Clinical guidelines should be based on the best available evidence and are of great importance for patient care and disease prevention. In this respect, the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association report is highly appreciated and well-recognized. The report included critical questions concerning hypercholesterolaemia, but its translation into a clinical guideline initiated intense debate worldwide because of the recommendation to switch from a treat-to-target approach for low-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol to a statin dose-based strategy.

Failure of opioids to affect excitation and contraction in isolated ventricular heart muscle

1989

The opioid agonists morphine (selective for mu-receptors) and ethylketocyclazocine (selective for kappa-receptors), at concentrations evoking strong effects in neuronal structures, did not significantly affect the configuration of the intracellularly recorded action potential and the force of contraction in ventricular heart muscle isolated from guinea pigs, rabbits and man. These results suggest that any changes of heart functions in vivo in response to opioid-like drugs are probably not mediated postsynaptically at the myocardial cell membrane but rather presynaptically, influencing the release of noradrenaline and/or acetylcholine from the nerve terminals.

Use of Novel Antidiabetic Agents in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and COVID-19: A Critical Review

2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The latter is a pandemic that has the potential of developing into a severe illness manifesting as systemic inflammatory response syndrome, acute respiratory distress syndrome, multi-organ involvement and shock. In addition, advanced age and male sex and certain underlying health conditions, like type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), predispose to a higher risk of greater COVID-19 severity and mortality. This calls for an urgent identification of antidiabetic agents associated with more favourable COVID-19 outcomes among patients with T2DM, as well as recognition of their potential underlying…

Human corticotropin-releasing hormone and thyrotropin-releasing hormone modulate the hypercapnic ventilatory response in humans

1996

Human corticotropin-releasing hormone (hCRH) and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) are known to stimulate ventilation after i.v. administration in humans. In a placebo-controlled, single-blind study we aimed to clarify if both peptides act by altering central chemosensitivity. Two subsequent CO2-rebreathing tests were performed in healthy young volunteers. During the first test 0.9% NaCl was given i.v.; during the second test 200 micrograms of hCRH (n = 12) or 400 micrograms of TRH (n = 6) was administered i.v. Nine subjects received 0.9% NaCl i.v. during both rebreathing manoeuvres. The CO2-response curves for the two tests were compared within the same subject. In the hCRH group a marke…

Size and subclasses of low-density lipoproteins in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

2012

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have proatherogenic dyslipidemia. We analyzed predictors of low-density lipoproteins' (LDLs) size in patients with OSA. In a cross-sectional study including 58 participants with OSA (30 without the metabolic syndrome [MetS] and 28 with MetS), we evaluated the size of LDL by gradient gel electrophoresis. Compared with patients without the MetS, those with MetS showed lower LDL size ( P = .007), due to a reduction in large LDL-I particles ( P = .002) and an increase in small, dense LDL-IIIA ( P = .048) and LDL-IIIB ( P = .037). The size of LDL correlated inversely with age ( r = −.268, P = .042) and serum triglycerides ( r = −.364, P = .005), and p…