Swallowing in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease: A Surface Electromyography Study

Our goal was to study deglutition of Parkinson??s disease (PD) patients and normal controls (NC) using surface electromyography (sEMG). The study included 15 patients with idiopathic PD and 15 age-matched normal controls. Surface electromyography was collected over the suprahyoid muscle group. Conditions were the following: swallow at once 10 and 20?ml of water and 5 and 10?ml of yogurt of firm consistency, and freely drink 100?ml of water. During swallowing, durations of sEMG were significantly longer in PD patients than in normal controls but no significant differences of amplitudes were found. Eighty percent of the PD patients and 20?% of the NC needed more than one swallow to consume 20?ml of water, while 70?% of the PD patients and none of the NC needed more than one swallow to consume 5?ml of yogurt. PD patients took significantly more time and needed significantly more swallows to drink 100?ml of water than normal controls. We conclude that sEMG might be a simple and useful tool to study and monitor deglutition in PD patients.     

Dihydropyridine-insensitive calcium currents contribute to function of small cerebral arteries

Although dihydropyridines are widely used for the treatment of vasospasm, their effectiveness is questionable, suggesting that other voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCCs) contribute to control of cerebrovascular tone. This study therefore investigated the role of dihydropyridine-insensitive VDCCs in cerebrovascular function. Using quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry, we found mRNA and protein for L-type (Ca_V1.2) and T-type (Ca_V3.1 and Ca_V3.2) channels in adult rat basilar and middle cerebral arteries and their branches. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed both L- and T-type channels in smooth muscle cell (SMC) membranes. Using patch clamp electrophysiology, we found that a high-voltage-activated calcium current, showing T-type channel kinetics and insensitivity to nifedipine and nimodipine, comprised ∼20% of current in SMCs of the main arteries and ∼45% of current in SMCs from branches. Both components were abolished by the T-type antagonists mibefradil, NNC 55-0396, and efonidipine. Although nifedipine completely blocked vasoconstriction in pressurized basilar arteries, a nifedipine-insensitive constriction was found in branches and this increased in magnitude as vessel size decreased. We conclude that a heterogeneous population of VDCCs contributes to cerebrovascular function, with dihydropyridine-insensitive channels having a larger role in smaller vessels. Sensitivity of these currents to nonselective T-type channel antagonists suggests that these drugs may provide a more effective treatment for therapy-refractory cerebrovascular constriction.     

Characterization of primitive subpopulations of normal and leukemic cells present in the blood of patients with newly diagnosed as well as established chronic myeloid leukemia

Elevated numbers of primitive Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) progenitors, including long-term culture-initiating cells (LTC-IC) as well as colony-forming cells (CFC), have been previously described in the blood of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase with high white blood cell counts. In the present study, which focused primarily on an analysis of circulating progenitors present in such patients at diagnosis, we discovered the frequent and occasionally exclusive presence of circulating normal (Ph-) LTC-IC, often at levels above those seen for LTC-IC in the blood of normal individuals. The presence of detectable numbers of circulating Ph- LTC-IC was independent of the fact that the same peripheral blood samples also contained elevated numbers of predominantly or exclusively Ph+ CFC. Interestingly, both the Ph+ and Ph- LTC-IC in these samples were CD34+CD71- and variably CD38- and Thy-1+, as previously documented for LTC-IC in normal marrow. Thus, neither CD38 nor Thy-1 expression was useful for discriminating between Ph+ and Ph- LTC-IC in mixed populations. Nevertheless, an association of these phenotypes with LTC- IC function did allow highly enriched (> 5% pure) suspensions of either Ph+ or Ph- LTC-IC to be obtained from selected samples of CML blood in which the initial LTC-IC population was either predominantly Ph+ or Ph- , respectively. These findings suggest that the mechanisms causing mobilization of leukemic stem cells in untreated CML patients may affect their normal counterparts. They also indicate a possible new source of autologous cells for the support of intensive therapy of CML patients. Finally, they provide a method for obtaining the most highly purified populations of Ph+ LTC-IC described to date. This method should be useful for further analyses of the molecular activities of these very primitive neoplastic cells.     

Arg-Gly-Asp-dependent occupancy of GPIIb/IIIa by applaggin: evidence for internalization and cycling of a platelet integrin

Using indirect immunofluorescence microscopy we examined the distribution and cycling of GPIIb/IIIa after binding to applaggin, a high-affinity Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)--containing ligand. Resting, unfixed platelets were incubated with applaggin for 30 minutes at 37 degrees C, and bound applaggin was detected by an affinity-purified rabbit anti- applaggin antibody. Examination of intact cells showed a rim pattern for applaggin, consistent with its binding to the platelet surface. Staining of Triton X-100--permeabilized cells showed an intracellular pool of applaggin. Competition of applaggin binding by either AP-2, an anti-GPIIb/IIIa monoclonal antibody (MoAb) that blocks fibrinogen binding, or the synthetic peptide RGDW eliminated both surface and intracellular staining, indicating that applaggin is binding to GPIIb/IIIa in an RGD-dependent manner. Inhibition of platelet activation by PGE1 and theophylline had no effect on the observed staining patterns, indicating that cellular activation is not required for surface binding and subsequent internalization. To evaluate whether occupancy of functional binding sites on GPIIb/IIIa is required for internalization, we used mAb15, an anti-GPIIIa antibody that neither blocks fibrinogen binding nor induces the expression of ligand-induced binding sites on GPIIb/IIIa. In these studies mAb15 was internalized in a manner analogous to both AP-2 and applaggin, showing that occupancy of the RGD binding site is not required to initiate receptor internalization. To estimate the size of the newly internalized pool of applaggin, 125I-applaggin--binding studies were performed. Displacement of bound 125I-applaggin by excess unlabeled applaggin or EDTA showed that at least 17% of bound applaggin was nondisplaceable when binding was performed under conditions permitting membrane flow and internalization. These data indicate that GPIIb/IIIa is internalized in unstimulated platelets independent of cellular activation or occupancy of the functional binding site(s) of GPIIb/IIIa by RGD-containing ligands. Thus, internalization of GPIIb/IIIa may represent a mechanism by which the surface expression of this adhesion receptor is regulated.     

Transfected leukocyte integrin CD11b/CD18 (Mac-1) mediates phorbol ester-activated, homotypic cell:cell adherence in the K562 cell line

The CD11b/CD18 leukocyte integrin molecule mediates diverse neutrophil adherence-related functions, including cell:cell and cell:extracellular matrix attachments. To study the individual role of this leukocyte integrin in cell adherence in hematopoietic cells, we expressed the CD11b/CD18 complex on the surface of K562 cells, a cell line derived from an individual with chronic myelogenous leukemia in blast crisis. We used an amphotrophic retroviral vector designated LCD18SN, harboring the complete coding sequence for the CD18 subunit, to transfer the CD18 cDNA into K562 cells and select stable cell lines. The CD11b subunit in the expression plasmid pREP4 was transfected into these K562/CD18 cells by electroporation and stable cell clones were selected. These K562 cells possessed RNA and intracellular protein for each subunit, and they expressed the CD11b/CD18 heterodimer on the cell surface. When CD11b/CD18 expressing K562 cells were stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate (50 ng/mL) for 24 to 48 hours, these K562 cells formed dense cell:cell aggregates. This homotypic aggregation required both activation of the CD11b/CD18 complex and the induction of the counter- receptor for CD11b/CD18 on the conjugate cell. This cell line will (1) enable the structure-function relationships between cell activation and homotypic adherence to be assessed, (2) provide the opportunity to identify accessory molecules required for activation of the CD11b/CD18 complex, and (3) facilitate the identification of novel ligands for the CD11b/CD18 complex.     

Different behaviour of the N-terminal and C-terminal fragment of proatrial natriuretic factor in plasma of healthy subjects as well as of patients with cirrhosis

N-terminal (atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) 1-98) and C-terminal (ANF 99-126) fragments of proatrial natriuretic factor (NTA and CTA, respectively) were determined in plasma of healthy subjects adopting different postures and in patients with cirrhosis. Seven healthy subjects were investigated while seated and 30 min after assuming a horizontal position. NTA plasma concentrations increased in subjects in the horizontal position (from 734 +/- 250 (SE) fmol/ml to 902 +/- 227 fmol/ml; p less than 0.05). In contrast, CTA plasma concentrations remained unchanged (9.2 +/- 1.3 fmol/ml vs 8.9 +/- 1.6 fmol/ml). In 10 patients with cirrhosis of the liver, NTA concentrations were markedly (p less than 0.001) elevated compared to 11 healthy subjects (2334 +/- 291 fmol/ml vs 743 +/- 155 fmol/ml). However, there was no difference of CTA plasma levels between cirrhotic patients and healthy subjects (8.7 +/- 1.3 fmol/ml vs 8.2 +/- 0.9 fmol/ml). These data demonstrate changes of the plasma concentration of the N-terminal fragment of proatrial natriuretic factor by posture and in liver disease, in contrast to unchanged levels of the C-terminal fragment.     

Identification of MEN1 gene mutations in sporadic carcinoid tumors of the lung

Lung carcinoids occur sporadically and rarely in association with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1). There are no well defined genetic abnormalities known to occur in these tumors. We studied 11 sporadic lung carcinoids for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the locus of the MEN1 gene on chromosome 11q13, and for mutations of the MEN1 gene using dideoxy fingerprinting. Additionally, a lung carcinoid from a MEN1 patient was studied. In four of 11 (36%) sporadic tumors, both copies of the MEN1 gene were inactivated. All four tumors showed the presence of a MEN1 gene mutation and loss of the other allele. Observed mutations included a 1 bp insertion, a 1 bp deletion, a 13 bp deletion and a single nucleotide substitution affecting a donor splice site. Each mutation predicts truncation or potentially complete loss of menin. The remaining seven tumors showed neither the presence of a MEN1 gene mutation nor 11q13 LOH. The tumor from the MEN1 patient showed LOH at chromosome 11q13 and a complex germline MEN1 gene mutation. The data implicate the MEN1 gene in the pathogenesis of sporadic lung carcinoids, representing the first defined genetic alteration in these tumors.