Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.7.10.2 (focal adhesion kinase)
 44,029 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We analysed the correlation between ophthalmic and systemic findings in 125 subjects with AIDS and 50 subjects with AIDS-related complex (ARC). Positive eye findings were defined as the presence of cotton-wool spots (CWS) or cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis. The presence of positive eye findings was significantly more frequent in AIDS than in ARC (P = 0.0001). Both lowest haematocrit and lowest T-helper cell count were significantly lower in AIDS than in ARC, and also lower in subjects with positive eye findings than in those with negative eye findings. No association was found between ocular findings and the following: risk factors for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission; positive titres for CMV, herpes simplex, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and toxoplasmosis; systemic infections; and intake of azidothymidine (AZT). Patients with AIDS and CWS were similar to patients with AIDS and CMV retinitis in viral serology, haematocrit, T-helper count, and survival. Positive eye findings, low haematocrit, and low T-helper count are poor prognostic signs for survival in AIDS.
Int J STD AIDS
PMID:Ocular-systemic interrelationships in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. 164 4

We enrolled 253 HIV-antibody positive heroin addicts without HIV-related disease (n = 81) or with persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (n = 172) in a prospective study to evaluate clinical progression to AIDS related complex (ARC) or AIDS and to identify factors of possible prognostic relevance. Follow-up lasted between 6 and 40 months (median 12 months). According to the non-parametric Cox's model the only significant (P less than 0.001) prognostic variable was T4+ cell count considered in three classes: greater than 800/microliters (no depletion), 400-800/microliters (moderate depletion) and less than 400/microliters (absolute depletion). Subjects with T4+ cell count of less than 400/microliters had a risk of developing ARC or AIDS that was 6.46 and 1.98 higher than those with values of greater than 800/microliters or between 400 and 800/microliters respectively. The estimated probability of progression to ARC or AIDS was 0.029, 0.056 and 0.172 at one year in subjects with T4+ cell count of greater than 800/microliters 400-800/microliters and less than 400/microliters, respectively, and 0.296, 0.501, and 0.896 at two years.
Int J STD AIDS
PMID:T4+ cell depletion as a major risk factor for AIDS-related complex and AIDS. Longitudinal study of 253 HIV-antibody positive heroin addicts from northern Italy. 167 62

Levels of erythropoietin and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were measured in sera of 28 HIV-seronegative heterosexual non-intravenous drug using controls, 57 HIV-seronegative and 42 HIV-seropositive asymptomatic intravenous drug users (IVDU) and 36 HIV-seronegative and 36 HIV-seropositive homosexuals, 79 patients with lymphadenopathy, 11 patients with AIDS-related complex (ARC) and 110 patients with AIDS. Serum erythropoietin levels were significantly elevated in HIV-seronegative and HIV-seropositive asymptomatic homosexuals and in patients with lymphadenopathy, ARC and AIDS when compared to controls. However, in asymptomatic HIV-seronegative and HIV-seropositive IVDU the erythropoietin levels were not significantly different from the control group. GM-CSF mean levels in both HIV-seronegative and HIV-seropositive IVDU were elevated compared with the level in controls, whereas the mean levels in both the HIV-seronegative and HIV-seropositive homosexuals were decreased relative to the level in controls. GM-CSF levels in patients with lymphadenopathy, ARC and AIDS were not significantly different from the control value. It appears that male homosexuals have mildly increased erythropoietin levels which rise substantially with the development of ARC and AIDS, which suggests that AIDS patients have intact capacity to produce erythropoietin. In contrast, GM-CSF levels are increased in association with IVDU but are not increased in association with HIV infection including ARC or AIDS. The difference in circulating levels of erythropoietin and GM-CSF may reflect the tissue sources of erythropoietin predominantly in the kidney and GM-CSF being a product of the immunological and inflammatory systems.
Int J STD AIDS
PMID:Erythropoietin and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) levels in sera of patients with HIV infection. 204 5

Six homosexual men with a diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related complex (ARC- CDC IVA/C2) were assessed with a series of neuropsychological and psychiatric tests prior to commencing treatment with zidovudine and again after 5-6 months. Significant improvements were seen in cognitive functioning, mental state and physical health at the second assessment.
Int J STD AIDS 1990 Nov
PMID:Neuropsychological and psychiatric changes following treatment of ARC patients with zidovudine. 209 7

1,182 males and 155 females attending an STD clinic from June 1984 to October 1985 were investigated for the presence of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 348 (29.5%) of the males and 5 (3.2%) of the females were antibody positive (ab+). 237 of the males were initially antibody negative (ab-) and were tested more than once, and during a 16-month period 40 of these seroconverted from ab- to antibody positive. The mean follow-up period of these 40 patients was 7.1 months, and thus the seroconversion rate is estimated to be 2.4% per month. Samples from 37 of these were available for HIV antigen testing. 19 of the patients were antigen positive in the latest ab- sample and accordingly, 18 patients were antigen negative in the latest ab- sample. No difference was found between the mean follow-up periods of those with and those without HIV antigen in the latest ab- serum and the presence of HIV antigen in serum was not associated with symptoms of acute HIV infection. After 20 months of follow-up, none (0.0-8.8%, 97.5% confidence limits) of the 40 patients have developed AIDS or AIDS-related complex.
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PMID:Seroconversion to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in persons attending an STD clinic in Copenhagen. 245 20

This study investigated the contribution of psychological factors to disease progression among long-term HIV-1 infected gay men. Participants completed self-report measures including coping strategies, life events, social support, personality and psychological morbidity and were followed clinically for up to 30 months. Cox proportional hazards survival analyses were carried out to CD4<200 x 106/1 and AIDS-related complex (ARC) or AIDS diagnosis controlling for viral load, antiretroviral drug use and CD4 count. Only acceptance coping was a significant predictor of time to ARC or AIDS diagnosis: the risk of ARC or AIDS was almost 5 times greater for those scoring within the lowest tertile compared with those scoring in the highest tertile (HR=4.7, 95% CI 1.8-12.3).
Int J STD AIDS 2000 Nov
PMID:The relationship of psychological variables and disease progression among long-term HIV-infected men. 1108 88

Our objective was to assess, in the clinical setting, the predictors of immune reconstitution (IR) and its relation with long-term clinical benefit, in HIV patients with advanced disease after highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) through an observational study. A retrospective cohort study in a clinical setting of 383 consecutive adult patients with advanced HIV infection (CD4+ cells <200/mm(3) at baseline), starting their first protease inhibitor (PI)-containing regimen was observed. Immune reconstitution was defined as CD4 count >200 cells/mm(3) and an increase > or =100 cells from baseline, anytime since starting HAART. Clinical benefit was defined as decreased mortality and reduction in AIDS-defining events, AIDS-related complex (ARC) events, major infections and hospitalization (days spent in hospital). During a mean follow-up of 808 days, 261 patients (68.1%) achieved IR. About 50% of these patients reached this result within one year after starting HAART. In multivariate analysis, predictors of immune recovery were sex (female) and baseline CD4 count higher than 50 cells/mm(3). The group of patients with IR had greater clinical benefit with lower mortality, fewer AIDS-defining events, shorter lengths of stay in hospital, fewer ARC events and fewer major infections during all the follow-up (P < 0.0001, tests for trends). However, although they did less remarkably than the first group of patients, even those patients who did not achieve IR experienced a significant decrease in the incidence of all the above events, as compared with the first and sometimes the second trimester after starting their HIV therapy. About 70% of HIV patients with advanced disease achieved IR after starting HAART. Such a benefit is a time-dependent effect and may even take more than 2 years to occur. Predictors of IR were sex (female) and higher baseline CD4 count (>50 cells/mm(3)). The patients who achieved immune recovery performed clinically better than patients who did not. Also the patients who failed to gain such a strong immunological recovery experienced a long-term clinical benefit. This suggests that PI-containing regimens, in advanced HIV disease, may produce a significant clinical benefit, at least temporary, even for patients who do not achieve a substantial immune response.
Int J STD AIDS 2001 Sep
PMID:Long-term clinical benefit after highly active antiretroviral therapy in advanced HIV-1 infection, even in patients without immune reconstitution. 1151 66

This article provides clinical profiles for HIV seropositive patients discovered at an STD clinic in Tirupati, India. Considering that sexual contact is the most common mode of transmission of HIV, researchers from the SV Medical College at Tirupati conducted a surveillance for HIV infection among patients attending an STD clinic. From January 1988 to April 1989, the researchers collected serum samples from 2320 patients. 11 people were found to be infected with HIV, 1 of whom exhibited the AIDS Related Complex (ARC). 9 out the HIV-infected patients were 20-30 year-old males categorized as heterosexually promiscuous; the remaining 2 seropositive patients were female prostitutes. The seropositivity rate among heterosexually promiscuous males was 0.58%, and 6.7% among female prostitutes (the total seropositivity rate was 0.47%). Among the HIV-infected patients, the most commonly associated STD was syphilis. 5 of the patients had syphilis alone, and 2 others had syphilis and another STD. One of the HIV-infected patients, a 50 year-old heterosexual male with a history of multiple partners, suffered from a nonhealing genital ulcer and inguinal buboes of 1 month duration. A biopsy of the genital ulcer revealed a pattern consistent with that of granuloma venereum. He also developed angular stomatitis which did not respond to B complex therapy. Furthermore, suffering from persistent lymphadenopathy, weight loss, slight thrombo-cytopenia, an opportunistic infection in the form of oral candidosis and persistent seropositivity for HIV antibodies, the patient was deemed to have the AIDS Related Complex. Tirupati's seropositivity rate of .47% was higher that noticed in other parts of the country, leading the authors call for a plan to investigate the problems of HIV-infected people.
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PMID:Clinical profile of STD clinic patients seropositive for HIV antibodies. 1228 35

The hypothalamus is a major site for integration of central and peripheral signals that regulate energy homeostasis. Within the hypothalamus, neurons residing in the ARC (arcuate nucleus)-PVN (paraventricular)-PF/LH (perifornical/lateral hypothalamus) axis communicate among each other and are subjected to the influence of several peripheral factors, including leptin and insulin. Proper signaling in the hypothalamus by leptin, a long-sought peripheral factor that relays the status of fat stores, is critical to normal regulation of food intake and body weight. Leptin action in the hypothalamus is mediated by a large number of orexigenic and anorectic peptide-producing neurons of the ARC-PVN-PF/LH axis. Not only the classical JAK2 (Janus kinase 2)-STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) pathway, but also the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase-phosphodiesterase 3B-cAMP pathway mediates hypothalamic leptin receptor signaling. It appears that hypothalamic leptin resistance, possibly due to defective nutritional regulation of leptin receptor expression and/or reduced STAT3 signaling in the hypothalamus, contributes to the development of obesity associated with high-fat feeding and aging. Interestingly, hypothalamic neurons may develop leptin resistance despite an intact JAK2-STAT3 signaling path. The role of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 and other negative regulators of leptin signaling in central leptin resistance needs to be established, an important area of future investigation. Further understanding of the neural circuitry and leptin signaling in the hypothalamus is critical not only for the advancement of our knowledge on the hypothalamic role in energy balance but also for future development of drugs for the attenuation or treatment of obesity and related disorders in humans.
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PMID:Minireview: A hypothalamic role in energy balance with special emphasis on leptin. 1504 60

The expression of arginine metabolism in Lactococcus lactis is controlled by the two homologous transcriptional regulators ArgR and AhrC. Genome sequence analyses have shown that the occurrence of multiple homologues of the ArgR family of transcriptional regulators is a common feature of many low-G + C Gram-positive bacteria. Detailed studies of ArgR type regulators have previously only been carried out in bacteria containing single regulators. Here, we present a first characterization of the two L. lactis arginine regulators by means of gel retardation and DNase I footprinting. ArgR of L. lactis was shown to bind to the promoter regions of both the arginine biosynthetic argCJDBF operon and the arginine catabolic arcABD1C1C2TD2yvaD operon, but in an arginine-independent manner. Surprisingly, AhrC alone was unable to bind to DNA. Arginine-dependent DNA binding was obtained by mixing the two regulators in gel retardation assays. With both regulators present, the addition of arginine led to increased binding of ArgR-AhrC to the biosynthetic argC promoter but also to diminished binding to the catabolic arcA promoter. Footprinting showed ArgR-AhrC protection of regions containing ARG box operator sequences preceding argC. In the absence of AhrC, ArgR protected sites in the arcA promoter region with similarity to ARG box half-sites, here called ARC boxes. We propose a model for repression of arginine biosynthesis and activation of catabolism by anti-repression, involving arginine-dependent interaction between the two L. lactis regulator proteins, ArgR and AhrC.
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PMID:Interaction between ArgR and AhrC controls regulation of arginine metabolism in Lactococcus lactis. 1574 10


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