Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.1.1.8 (cholinesterase)
 12,691 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The presence of cholinesterase activity in M. demissus hearts was demonstrated by light- and electron-microscopic histochemistry and by enzymic assay. The enzyme proved to be acetylcholinesterase (AChE) since acetylthiocholine was the preferred substrate, and eserine or BW284C5I inhibited the enzyme activity, while isoOMPA was without effect. The AChE was localized and uniformly distributed along the cell surface membranes of the cardiac muscle cells. A fraction 8-fold enriched in AChE was isolated from pooled ventricles by a combination of differential and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. This sarcolemmal fraction contained little mitochondrial contamination as determined by electron microscopy and by succinate cytochrome c reductase activity. In addition, this fraction stained uniformly for AChE, indicating that it was free of other membrane types (for example sarcoplasmic reticulum which did not stain for AChE). Therefore, this fraction contained purified cell surface membrane free of contamination by other membranous organelles.
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PMID:Acetylcholinesterase: a useful marker for the isolation of sarcolemma from the bivalve (Modiolus demissus demissus) myocardium. 74 38

Although acetylcholine is known to be involved in the genesis of skeletal muscle disturbance, its effect on cardiac muscle has been scarcely studied. In the present paper, using pyridostigmine, a cholinesterase inhibitor, the possible role of acetylcholine in the genesis of cardiomyopathy was investigated. In a mortality study, it was shown that pyridostigmine (100 mg/kg) caused death of 9/10 rats within 8 h, and that the lethality of such a dose could be significantly diminished by the subsequent administration of a total dose of 4 mg/kg atropine. In all other experiments, rats were divided into three groups; the control, untreated group; the pyridostigmine + atropine group in which atropine (2 mg/kg) was administered 5 min after pyridostigmine (60 mg/kg) administration; and the pyridostigmine group in which pyridostigmine (60 mg/kg) was administered orally. Rats were killed 3 h after pyridostigmine administration, and hearts were isolated. Heart mitochondrial electron transport activity (NADH-cytochrome c reductase, succinate-cytochrome c reductase, and cytochrome c oxidase) were measured enzymatically, and mitochondrial respiratory rates and control indices were measured polarographically. Structural changes in cardiac muscles of each group were observed by electron microscopy of cardiac sections. Acetylcholine levels of left ventricle were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. Activities of NADH-cytochrome c reductase and succinate-cytochrome c reductase were not affected by pyridostigmine administration; however, cytochrome c oxidase activity was significantly reduced in the pyridostigmine group. Atropine markedly lessened this reduction in activity. A protective effect of atropine was also observed morphologically. A protective effect of atropine was also observed morphologically. In the pyridostigmine group and the pyridostigmine + atropine group, left ventricular acetylcholine levels were increased significantly compared with the control.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Role of acetylcholine in pyridostigmine-induced myocardial injury: possible involvement of parasympathetic nervous system in the genesis of cardiomyopathy. 273 Mar 38

In the blood of rabbits and rats poisoned with Intration, after 1, 3, 6 and 10 days of the experiment activities of AChE and ChE as well as those of beta-GR, AcP, AP and KT were checked. In addition, in the cardiac muscle, kidneys and liver, marker lysosomal hydrolases, i.e. beta-GR and AcP were determined. A long-standing reduction in the activities of AChE and ChE and increase in the activities in the concentrations of nonphysiologically great lysosomal hydrolases and AP were noted. A correlation between the inhibition of cholinesterase and organic lesions was found. Lysosomal enzymes share the responsibility for the necrotic process or rabbits' and rats' cardiac muscles. The use of oximes (PAM and Toxobidine) considerably contributed to reactivation of AChE and ChE and to normalization of the test marker enzymes.
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PMID:[Organ changes in rabbits and rats in phosphothioaliphatic acid poisoning. I. Effect of inhibition of cholinesterase and various marker lysosomal hydrolases on organ changes in rabbits and rats in phosphothioaliphatic acid poisoning]. 279 31

This study has been carried out by measuring the cholinesterase (ChE) activity in blood serum and in some organs (brain, liver, spleen, kidney, small intestine, lung, and cardiac muscle) of rats before and at different time intervals after infusion of 65 dextran 70, and 5% gelatin 40 solutions (1 ml/100 g body weight). The controls received infusions of the diluent of the gelatin preparation. The data obtained showed that the infusion of the diluent in rats has no effect on ChE activity neither in blood serum nor in other organs at any time intervals after infusion. In case of dextran and gelatin, a significant increase in ChE activity in blood serum and the tested organs was observed at different time intervals after infusion. The increase in case of dextran was more marked than in case of gelatin. These measurements returned to base-line values during 72 h after infusion. Furthermore, the study failed to disclose any untoward reactions, either immediate or delayed, which could be attributed to the infusion solutions.
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PMID:Effect of dextran gelatin on cholinesterase of rats. 618 11

Histochemical reactions which demonstrate cholinesterase reactions in tissues were used for slides of serial frozen sections of hearts of pigs, dogs, and rats to determine whether there are special types of modified muscle cells in continuous pathways from the SA (sinoatrial) to the AV (atrioventricular) node. There were positive reactions for acetylcholinesterase with less reaction for butyryl cholinesterase in ganglion cells and nerve fibers. No continuous pathways of cholinesterase-reacting cardiac muscle fibers from the SA to the AV node were identified although the muscle fibers were in intimate relation with the nerve fibers. No cells of Purkinje type were demonstrated in the atria.
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PMID:A restudy of cardiac conduction pathways by techniques for visualization of cholinesterase reaction. 703 Jan 46

The levels and molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase (AChE, EC 3.1.1.7) and pseudocholinesterase (psiChE, EC 3.1.1.8) were examined in various skeletal muscles, cardiac muscles, and neural tissues from normal and dystrophic chickens. The relative amount of the heavy (Hc) form of AChE in mixed-fibre-type twitch muscles varies in proportion to the percentage of glycolytic fast-twitch fibres. Conversely, muscles with higher levels of oxidative fibres (i.e., slow-tonic oxidative-glycolytic fast-twitch, or oxidative slow-twitch) have higher proportions of the light (L) form of AChE. The effects of dystrophy on AChE and psiChE are more severe in muscles richer in glycolytic fast-twitch fibres (e.g., pectoral or posterior latissimus dorsi, PLD); there is no alteration of AChE or psiChE in a slow-tonic muscle. In the pectoral of PLD muscles from older dystrophic chickens, however, the AChE forms revert to a normal distribution while the pesChE pattern remains abnormal. Muscle psiChE is sensitive to collagenase in a similar way as is AChE, thus apparently having a similar tailed structure. Unlike skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle has very high levels of psiChE, present mainly as the L form; AChE is present mainly as the medium (M) form, with smaller amounts of L and Hc. The latter pattern of AChE forms resembles that seen in several neural tissues examined. No alterations in AChE or psiChE were found in cardiac or neural tissues from dystrophic chickens.
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PMID:Comparison of the molecular forms of the cholinesterases in tissues of normal and dystrophic chickens. 706 26

Histochemical methods were used to demonstrate acetylcholinesterase in the wall of cardiac blood vessels in the baboon, dog and vervet monkey. To remove cholinesterase-containing sympathetic nerves, some of the animals were treated with guanethidine for four weeks prior to being sacrificed. In cardiac muscle from the dog and the vervet monkey, cholinergic nerves were histochemically visualized in both small and large vessels. On the other hand, in cardiac muscle from baboons, cholinergic nerves were not seen in branches of the coronary artery with diameters between 0.6 mm to 1 mm and very few fibres were seen around smaller vessels of diameter less than 0.3 mm. The few fibres seen did not appear to penetrate the media of the vessels. These results support physiological findings that the baboon coronary vasculature is not innervated by parasympathetic cholinergic nerves.
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PMID:Histochemical localization of acetylcholinesterase in the wall of cardiac blood vessels in the baboon, dog and vervet monkey. 709 79

Experiments which combined histochemistry and electron microscopy were performed in studying the sites of enzymatic hydrolysis of thiolacetic acid in the presence of lead ions in diaphragmatic and cardiac muscle. It was found that in these striated muscles the electron opaque, final product of the histochemical reaction (PbS) was discretely deposited on the swelling of the thick elemental filaments that occurs at the M band. Additional sites of enzymatic activity occurred in mitrochondria and in round sarcoplasmic bodies. A reaction, probably non-enzymatic, also occurred in contraction bands in the area of the Z bands and in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. To ascertain the enzymatic nature of the reaction and to define the enzyme involved, control experiments were carried out and the effect of various esterase inhibitors was assayed. It is suggested that the M band enzyme is a cholinesterase, but the enzymes in the mitochondria and the sarcoplasmic bodies that hydrolyze the substrate appear to be different. A possible role of the M band enzyme is discussed.
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PMID:Enzymatic activity in the M band. 1379 93

A method has been developed for localizing sites of cholinesterase activity in rat cardiac muscle by electron microscopy. The method utilizes thiocholine esters as substrates, and is believed to be dependent on the reduction of ferricyanide to ferrocyanide by thiocholine released by enzymatic activity. The ferrocyanide thus formed is captured by copper to form fine, electron-opaque deposits of copper ferrocyanide, which sharply delineate sites of enzymatic activity at the ultrastructural level. Cholinesterase activity in formalin-fixed heart muscle was localized: (a) in longitudinal elements of the sarcoplasmic reticulum, but not in the T, or transverse, elements; and (b) in the A band, with virtually no activity noted in the M band, or in the H zone. The I band was also negative. No activity was detected in the sarcolemma, or in invaginations of the sarcolemma at the level of the Z band. The perinuclear element of the sarcoplasmic (endoplasmic) reticulum was frequently strongly positive. Activity at all sites was completely abolished by omitting the substrates, or by inhibition with eserine 10(-4)M and diisopropylfluorophosphate 10(-5)M. Eserine 10(-5)M completely inhibited reaction in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and virtually abolished that in the A band. These observations, together with the use of the relatively specific substrates and suitable controls to eliminate non-enzymatic staining, indicate that cholinesterase activity was being demonstrated. The activity in rat heart against different substrates was that of non-specific cholinesterases, in accordance with biochemical data. The activity in the A band was considered to be probably due to myosincholinesterase. It is proposed that the localization of cholinesterases in myocardium at the ultrastructural level should be taken into account in considering the possible functions of these myocardial enzymes, and it is hoped that knowledge of their localization will open up new avenues of approach in considering their physiological role in myocardium, which at present is not definitely known.
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PMID:THE LOCALIZATION OF CHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY IN RAT CARDIAC MUSCLE BY ELECTRON MICROSCOPY. 1422 10

Butyrylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8 BChE) is present in all human and mouse tissues, and is more abundant than acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7 AChE) in all tissues except brain. People who have no BChE activity due to a genetic variation are healthy. This has led to the hypothesis that BChE has no physiological function. We tested this hypothesis by challenging BChE and AChE knockout mice, as well as wild-type mice, with the AChE specific inhibitors, (--)-huperzine A and donepezil, and with serine hydrolase inhibitors, echothiophate and chlorpyrifos oxon. (--)-Huperzine A and donepezil caused mortality and significant toxicity in the BChE-/- animals. The BChE heterozygote (BCHE+/-) mice with approximately one-half the BChE activity of the BChE wild type (BChE+/+) exhibited intermediate toxic symptoms, and survived a longer period. The BChE+/+ animals displayed comparatively minor toxic symptoms and recovered by 24h post-dosing. Plasma AChE activity was inhibited to the same extent in BChE-/-, +/-, and +/+ mice, whereas BChE activity was not inhibited. This indicated that the protective effect of BChE was not due to scavenging (--)-huperzine A. AChE-/- mice were unaffected by (--)-huperzine A and donepezil, demonstrating the specificity of these inhibitors for AChE. AChE-/- mice treated with chlorpyrifos oxon lost all BChE activity, had severe cholinergic symptoms and died of convulsions. This showed that BChE activity was essential for survival of AChE-/- mice. In conclusion, we propose that the protective effect of BChE is explained by hydrolysis of excess acetylcholine in physiologically relevant regions such as diaphragm, cardiac muscle, and brain. Thus, BChE has a function in neurotransmission. People with BChE deficiency are expected to be intolerant of standard doses of the anti-Alzheimer's drugs, (--)-huperzine A and donepezil.
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PMID:Sensitivity of butyrylcholinesterase knockout mice to (--)-huperzine A and donepezil suggests humans with butyrylcholinesterase deficiency may not tolerate these Alzheimer's disease drugs and indicates butyrylcholinesterase function in neurotransmission. 1719 17


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