Search results for "secret"
showing 10 items of 1132 documents
PCOS Phenotypes: Impact on Fertility
2018
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterised by an extreme heterogeneity and at least four main phenotypes may be distinguished. In referred population, anovulatory hyperandrogenic phenotype (classic PCOS or phenotypes A and B) is by far the most common phenotype and presents the most severe endocrine and metabolic alterations. Ovulatory PCOS and normoandrogenic phenotype represent a mild form of PCOS that is more common in general population and/or (normoandrogenic) in some particular ethnic group. During their life, because of changes in lifestyle or because of spontaneous changes in ovarian and adrenal androgen secretion that occur during late reproductive age, patients may move fro…
Receptor for advanced glycation end products is subjected to protein ectodomain shedding by metalloproteinases.
2008
The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a 55-kDa type I membrane glycoprotein of the immunoglobulin superfamily. Ligand-induced up-regulation of RAGE is involved in various pathophysiological processes, including late diabetic complications and Alzheimer disease. Application of recombinant soluble RAGE has been shown to block RAGE-mediated pathophysiological conditions. After expression of full-length RAGE in HEK cells we identified a 48-kDa soluble RAGE form (sRAGE) in the culture medium. This variant of RAGE is smaller than a 51-kDa soluble version derived from alternative splicing. The release of sRAGE can be induced by the phorbol ester PMA and the calcium ionophore c…
The Role of the α Cell in the Pathogenesis of Diabetes: A World beyond the Mirror
2021
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most prevalent chronic metabolic disorders, and insulin has been placed at the epicentre of its pathophysiological basis. However, the involvement of impaired alpha (α) cell function has been recognized as playing an essential role in several diseases, since hyperglucagonemia has been evidenced in both Type 1 and T2DM. This phenomenon has been attributed to intra-islet defects, like modifications in pancreatic α cell mass or dysfunction in glucagon’s secretion. Emerging evidence has shown that chronic hyperglycaemia provokes changes in the Langerhans’ islets cytoarchitecture, including α cell hyperplasia, pancreatic beta (β) cell dedifferentiati…
The Effect of High Parathyroid Hormone Concentration on Calcitonin in Patients with Primary Hyperparathyroidism2)
2009
Serum calcitonin (CT), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and calcium levels were measured in 23 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. PTH was determined by a midregion (M-RIA) and a carboxyl-terminal (C-RIA) specific PTH-RIA. Only 2 patients had elevated CT levels. In contrast to the findings in 46 healthy controls, the CT levels did not correlate with calcium levels. Patients who had the highest iPTH values showed a negative correlation between CT and iPTH (M-RIA (n = 7): R = -1.0000, p less than 0.001; C-RIA (n = 13): R = -0.5604, p less than 0.05). The results of the C-RIA were subtracted from those of the M-RIA. In 12 patients with the highest levels of intact PTH (M-RIA - C-RIA), serum P…
Retinoids as a Perspective in Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
2010
<i>Background:</i> In the past, we demonstrated that the disintegrin metalloproteinase ADAM10 has α-secretase activity in vitro and in cultured cells. We also found out that moderate overexpression of this proteinase inhibits Aβ peptide production and prevents the formation of amyloid plaques in an Alzheimer’s disease (AD) mouse model. Moreover, it corrects early hippocampal defects like LTP impairment and increases cortical synaptogenesis. <i>Objective:</i> Upregulation of ADAM10 might be an alternative approach concerning AD therapy. Our current research therefore focuses on substances and/or pathways which regulate ADAM10 gene expression. <i>Methods:</i&g…
Immunohistochemical localization of the pro-peptide processing enzymes PC1/PC3 and PC2 in the human anal canal.
1997
Abstract HORsch, D., R. Day, N. G. Seidah, E. Weihe and M. K.-H. SchAFer. Immunohistochemical localization of the pro-peptide processing enzymes PC1/PC3 and PC2 in the human anal canal. Peptides 18(5) 755–760, 1997.—The distribution of prohormone/pro-peptide convertases PC1/PC3 and PC2 was investigated in the human anal canal by immunohistochemistry. Both prohormone convertases exhibited region-specific distribution patterns and were observed in neural and neuroendocrine cells and in nonneuroendocrine cellular elements. PC1/PC3 immunoreactivity was present in enteric neurons, subsets of nerve fibers, and neuroendocrine cells, and also in epithelial cells like intestinal stem cells, and a su…
Electron microscopic immunogold cytochemistry reveals chromogranin A confined to secretory granules of porcine Merkel cells
1990
By ultrastructural immunohistochemistry using the immunogold technique, immunoreactive (ir) Chromogranin A (CGA) was found to be confined to the secretory vesicles of porcine Merkel cells. CGA was present predominantly in the periphery of the electron-dense core and on the clear halo. These findings indicate that CGA is a regular constituent of Merkel cell secretory granules but probably not exclusively responsible for their electron opacity.
New biological aspects of Chromogranin A-derived peptides: Focus on vasostatins
2007
Chromogranin A (CgA), one component of the granin family, represents the major soluble protein co-stored and co-released with catecholamines, within chromaffin cells secretory granules. It is considered a diagnostic and prognostic marker of several diseases, including a variety of tumours and cardiac heart failure. It also represents a precursor of biologically active fragments, generated after proteolytic cleavage at the level of the multiple pairs of dibasic sites which enrich its sequence. CgA, and its derived fragments show an old evolutionary history being ubiquitously present throughout the animal word, from mammals to invertebrates. Their biological functions include control of hormo…
Prolactin supplementation to culture medium improves beta-cell survival
2010
OBJECTIVES.: Recent studies demonstrated that prolactin (PRL) has beneficial effects on β cells for islet transplantation. We examined the effect of human recombinant PRL (rhPRL) supplementation to the culture media to determine its potential use in the context of clinical islet transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS.: Each human islet isolated from 14 deceased multiorgan donors was cultured in Miami modified media-1 supplemented with or without rhPRL (500 μg/L) for 48 hr. β-Cell survival and proliferation (BrdU and Ki-67) were determined by laser scanning cytometry. The cytoprotective effects of rhPRL against noxious stimuli were assessed by flow cytometry (tetramethylrhodamine ethyl ester…
Long-term function of porcine islets and single cells embedded in barium-alginate matrix.
1993
The influence of alginate-embedding on the maintenance of functioning and morphological integrity in long-term culture of isolated porcine islets and islet cells was studied. Free-floating islets and islet cells served for control. Function was tested after the 1st, 2nd and 4th week. Basal and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion of embedded islets decreased slightly, but significantly after the first week (from 4.39 +/- 0.64 to 2.87 +/- 0.47 at normal and from 11.96 +/- 1.44 to 4.76 +/- 0.78 microU pro 24 h pro islet at elevated glucose concentration, p < 0.05 and < 0.01, resp.) and remained unchanged thereafter. Glucose-stimulation resulted in significant increases in insulin secretion at…