Search results for "PRECURSORS"

Adrenomedullin and arterial stiffness: integrative approach combining monocyte ADM expression, plasma MR-Pro-ADM, and genome-wide association study.

2014

Background— Adrenomedullin (ADM) is a circulating vasoactive peptide involved in vascular homeostasis and endothelial function. Single nucleotide polymorphisms of the ADM gene are associated with blood pressure variability, and elevated levels of plasma midregional proadrenomedullin (MR-pro-ADM) are associated with cardiovascular diseases. Methods and Results— We investigated the sources of variability of ADM gene expression and plasma MR-pro-ADM concentrations in the general population, and their relationship with markers of atherosclerosis. MR-pro-ADM levels were assessed in 4155 individuals who underwent evaluation of carotid intima-media thickness and arterial rigidity (reflection inde…

Association of MR-proadrenomedullin with cardiovascular risk factors and subclinical cardiovascular disease.

2012

Abstract Aims and background Midregional proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM) is a protein, which exerts various effects on the cardiovascular system. Recent studies underscored its prognostic implications in patients with acute dyspnea and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, we aimed to determine the distribution of MR-proADM in the general population and to reveal potential associations of MR-proADM with cardiovascular risk factors and measures of subclinical cardiovascular disease. Methods and results MR-proADM plasma concentrations were determined in individuals of the population-based cohort of the Gutenberg Health Study ( N  = 5000) using a commercially available fluoroimmunoassay. Individua…

Effects of acute exercise and xanthine oxidase inhibition on novel cardiovascular biomarkers.

2013

Several sports have been associated with a postexercise increase of cardiac, liver, and skeletal muscle biomarkers of injury. Exhaustive or acute physical exercise causes an increased generation of reactive oxygen species, resulting in cellular injury. Thus, exercise and training may trigger pathophysiological changes in serum concentrations of a variety of biomarkers. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the variation of novel biomarkers of stress and cardiovascular disease such as copeptin, midregional part of proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM), growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, and placental growth factor along with uric acid before …

Association study of a SNP coding for a M129V substitution in the prion protein in schizophrenia.

2003

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-I regulation of interleukin (IL)-1b and IL-1 receptor antagonist expression in cultured human endometrial strom…

2008

Aim:  Human endometrium is an active site of cytokine production and action. Among these cytokines, the interleukin-1 (IL-1) system seems to be relevant to the embryonic implantation process. We have previously reported the production of GnRH-I by human blastocyst, as well as the presence of GnRH-I receptor in human endometrium. This suggests a close interaction between the immune and endocrine systems through these cytokine mediators in embryonic implantation. Methods:  To test the relevance of this interaction during embryonic implantation, we investigated GnRH-I regulation of IL-1b and IL-1ra mRNA and protein expression in human endometrial stromal cells using quantitative competitive po…

Association of Inflammation Markers with Impaired Insulin Sensitivity and Coagulative Activation in Obese Healthy Women

2003

Abstract Insulin resistance is associated with a low chronic inflammatory state. In this study we investigated the relationship between impaired insulin sensitivity and selected markers of inflammation and thrombin generation in obese healthy women. We examined 32 healthy obese women (body mass index ≥ 28), with normal insulin sensitivity (NIS, n = 14) or impaired insulin sensitivity (n = 18), and 10 nonobese women (body mass index < 25). Impaired insulin sensitivity patients had significantly higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), TGF-β1, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), activated factor VII (VIIa), and prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2) compared with either control s…

Differential polyadenylation pattern of ovalbumin precursor RNAs during development.

1986

The expression of the ovalbumin gene encoding for the major hen oviduct protein slows down with age. Analysis of Northern blots of electrophoretically separated total and poly(A) + RNA from oviducts of hens of different age with an ovalbumin-specific probe (nick-translated 9.5 kb ovalbumin gene DNA cloned into pBR322) revealed that the largest high molecular weight ovalbumin RNA precursor (7.9 kb band, representing the putative primary transcript of the ovalbumin gene) was most intense if total RNA from non-egg-laying old hen oviduct was checked as compared to that from egg-laying mature animals. On the other side, the 7.9 kb RNA precursor band was readily detected in the poly(A) + RNA from…

Wall formation by Candida albicans yeast cells: synthesis, secretion and incorporation of two types of mannoproteins.

1993

SUMMARY: The mannoprotein components solubilized from the walls of Candida albicans blastoconidia following degradation of the glucan network with β-glucanase (Zymolyase) have higher molecular masses than their probable precursors present in the supernatant of regenerating protoplasts. It therefore appears that the mannoproteins are released from the walls as part of supramolecular complexes. Immunological analysis using both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies has demonstrated the probable relationship between molecules found in a mixed membrane preparation, those secreted by regenerating protoplasts, and those present in yeast cell walls. Some mannoproteins secreted by protoplasts incuba…

DNA-mediated immunization to hepatitis B virus envelope proteins: preS antigen secretion enhances the humoral response.

1999

In order to design optimized DNA vectors as genetic vaccines against infections with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) we investigated if secretion or retention of the viral antigens has an influence on the quality and quantity of the humoral immune response. Intramuscular injection of plasmid DNA encoding the HBV large L envelope protein, known to be retained within host cells, induced only a weak response in mice whereas a vector expressing the secretion-competent small S envelope protein elicited strong and sustained immunity. Immunization with rearranged envelope genes further demonstrated that secretion affects the magnitude of the immune response. In situ expression of modified small and mi…

Determinants of procalcitonin concentration in acute heart failure.

2014

Age, years 73.1 ± 10.4 Male, n (%) 133 (51.0) Hypertension, n (%) 212 (81.2) Diabetes mellitus, n (%) 126 (49.4) Previous smoker, n (%) 104 (28.2) Ischemic etiology, n (%) 92 (35.3) Peripheral oedema, n (%) 187 (71.7) Previous admission for AHF, n (%) 95 (36.4) Prior use of beta-blockers, n (%) 111 (42.5) Prior use of loop diuretics, n (%) 175 (67.0) Prior use of ACEI/ARB, n (%) 134 (51.3) Heart rate, beats/min 97 ± 28 SBP, mm Hg 148 ± 34 DBP, mm Hg 81 ± 19 Atrial fibrillation, n (%) 119 (45.6) Hemoglobin, g/dl 12.1 ± 2.0 Serum creatinine, mg/dl 1.23 ± 0.57 Urea, mg/dl 60.5 ± 30.1 Sodium, mEq/l 137.8 ± 4.7 NT-proBNP, pg/ml 4813 (6011) Leukocyte count, 10 cells/l 9286 ± 3468 Relative lymphoc…