The Presence of Insulin-degrading Enzyme in Human Ileal and Colonic Mucosal Cells

The aim of this research is to characterize the presence of insulin-degrading enzyme in human colon and ileal mucosal cells. Biochemical studies, including the activity-pH profiles, the effects of enzyme inhibitors, immunoprecipitation and western blots, were conducted. The majority of insulin-degrading activity in colon mucosal cells was localized in the cytosol. In both colon and ileum, cytosolic insulin-degrading activities had a pH optimum at pH 7.5, and were extensively inhibited by each of N-ethylmaleimide, p-chloromercuribenzoate, and 1,10-phenanthroline, but were very weakly affected by each of leupeptin, chymostatin, diisopropyl phosphofluoridate and soybean trypsin inhibitor. In the colon and ileum, more than 93% and 96%, respectively, of cytosolic insulin-degrading activities were removed by the mouse monoclonal antibody to human RBC insulin-degrading enzyme, as compared with less than 20% by the normal mouse IgG for both tissues. Further, a western blot analysis revealed that a cytosolic protein of 110 kD, in both human colon and ileum, reacted with the monoclonal antibody to insulin-degrading enzyme. It is concluded that insulin-degrading enzyme is present in the cytosol of human colon and ileal mucosal cells.     

Differences in SLE disease activity between patients of Caucasian and South‐East Asian/Chinese background in an Australian hospital

Aim: We performed a semiprospective and retrospective review of all admissions to a single institution of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, admitted due to active disease. The aim was to describe differences in disease activity as a cause of hospital admissions between patients originating from South‐East Asia/China (SAC) and Caucasians. Method: There were 210 patients admitted for active disease, with a total of 567 admissions for active SLE over a 16‐year period. Allowing for patients who had left our database, there was a total of 3415 patient years of observation. Results: Patients from SAC with a flare requiring admission presented earlier in their disease course and with more active disease than did Caucasians (median SLE Disease Activity Index 13 vs. 8, P= 0.002). They had longer inpatient stays (7 vs. 5 days P = 0.03). There was a trend to higher rates of re‐presentation to hospital for flare (59% in SAC patients vs. 41% in Caucasians, P = 0.09) with more subsequent admissions (3 vs. 2 P = 0.06) despite a shorter period of observation. Conclusions: South‐East Asian/Chinese were more likely to be diagnosed with class III/IV glomerulonephritis and require cyclophosphamide both at presentation and subsequent admissions. More patients from SAC were readmitted to hospital for severe central nervous system disease after their first hospital admission. In this population, lupus patients had more severe flares and more frequently required admission for these than Caucasians.     

Trisomy 8 in acute promyelocytic leukaemia: an interphase study by fluorescence in situ hybridization

Summary. Acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) is characterized by t(15;17)(q24;q21). Trisomy 8 is the commonest accompanying karyotypic aberration. We investigated 14 APL patients for trisomy 8 using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Conventional cytogenetic analysis showed trisomy 8 in two of nine successfully karyotyped cases. With FISH, a possible third case showing a subclone (1-2-5%) with trisomy 8 was found. The trisomy 8 clone size defined by karyotyping and FISH was concordant in one case and discordant in another, in which trisomy 8 was found in 100% of metaphases but only in 48% of leukaemic prbmyelocytes by FISH. Therefore trisomy 8 was mosaic in all the cases, suggesting that it had arisen from clonal evolution. AU-trans-retinoic acid successfully induced morphologic remission in both cases with trisomy 8.     

Pharmacokinetic interactions between midazolam and propofol: an infusion study

We have tested the hypothesis that the synergistic interactionwhich occurs when midazolam and propofol are combined for i.v. sedation is caused by an increase in the free plasma concentrationof one of the drugs. Six patients undergoing general anaesthesiareceived an infusion of propofol with the addition of an infusionof midazolam commenced 30 min later. Another six patients receivedan infusion of midazolam with the addition of an infusion ofpropofol 30 min later. All infusions were administered via pharmacokineticmodel-controlled syringe pumps programmed to maintain a constantplasma concentration. Venous blood samples were taken beforeand after introduction of the second infusion for later analysis.Free plasma concentration of midazolam increased from 2.0 (SD1.5) ng mt^–1 to 2.2 (1.9) ng ml^–1 after introductionof the propofol infusion (P = 0.32). Free propofol plasma concentrationwas unchanged at 18.5 (5.3) ng ml^–1 before and 18.7 (7.8)ng ml^–1 after introduction of the midazolam infusion (P= 0.94). It was concluded that the observed synergism with thiscombination cannot be explained solely by alteration in freeplasma concentration of either of these drugs when they areadministered together. (Br. J. Anaesth. 1994; 72: 62–65)