Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.2.1.23 (beta-galactosidase)
 14,648 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The effects of anticonvulsants on markers of growth, intracellular enzymes, and synaptic functions were evaluated using a rapidly dividing cholinergic neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cell-line (NG108-15). Cell cultures were exposed for 4 days to phenobarbital, phenytoin, carbamazepine, or valproic acid. Anticonvulsant concentrations added to the media were selected to produce free levels in the cell media that were equivalent to free levels in humans ranging from therapeutic to very toxic. Free levels of anticonvulsants in the toxic range affected cell number, protein content, and neurochemical markers. However, only valproic acid and phenytoin reduced cell growth at therapeutic free drug concentrations. Valproic acid was the only medication to act as a differentiating agent, significantly increasing the activity of choline acetyltransferase, beta-galactosidase, and muscarinic cholinergic receptor binding. These results emphasize the importance of performing drug studies at appropriate free drug concentrations and suggest that valproic acid differs from other commonly prescribed anticonvulsants by having both a growth-suppressing and a differentiating effect.
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PMID:Effects of anticonvulsants on cell growth and enzymatic and receptor binding activity in a neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cell culture. 310 72

Valproic acid (VPA), a simple branched-chain fatty acid having anticonvulsant activity and used in the treatment of many forms of epilepsy, markedly stimulated human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) replication in human fibroblasts (MRC-5 cells). The maximum level of stimulation was reached when cells were treated for 24 h before infection. The enhancement of virus replication correlated with an increase in the number of immediate early (IE) and early (E) antigen-positive cells. VPA also induced expression of IE antigens after transfection of fibroblasts with a plasmid containing the entire IE1-2 region. Moreover, VPA stimulated the HCMV IE1-2 promoter/enhancer-mediated expression of beta-galactosidase in a stably transfected Jurkat T cell line. Recently, VPA was shown to inhibit glutathione reductase in human red blood cells, but an action through the glutathione metabolic pathway can be eliminated in this case, since VPA decreased the intracellular level of glutathione in Jurkat T cells but not in MRC-5 cells. The ability of VPA to stimulate HCMV replication provides an attractive model for studying the molecular mechanism of the regulation of HCMV IE1-2 gene expression.
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PMID:Sodium valproate, an anticonvulsant drug, stimulates human cytomegalovirus replication. 778 69

In an effort to detect active renal tubular dysfunction in 74 epileptic patients being treated with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), we measured the urinary activity of two lysosomal enzymes, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG) and beta-galactosidase (beta-gal). The heterogeneity of the types of seizures and therapeutic regimens permitted us to examine the potential differences in AED effects. We also examined the chronological changes in the urinary excretion rates of NAG and beta-gal in 132 healthy controls, aged 3 months to 37 years. Increased NAG excretion rates (defined as > or = 2 S.D. compared with age-matched controls) were found in 36.5% of the patients. Valproic acid was highly associated with this increase, and in combination with potassium bromide caused the highest levels of NAG excretion. Among the patients taking carbamazepine, only 11.1% exhibited high levels of NAG in urine. Children under 1 year of age showed higher levels of NAG excretion than older patients. In spite of the abnormally high urinary excretion of NAG, we could not detect any signs of renal dysfunction by urinalysis and measurement of blood urea nitrogen and serum electrolytes. We cannot exclude the possibility that the increased levels of urinary NAG in epileptic patients might be due to renal tubular enzyme induction by AEDs.
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PMID:Urinary excretion of N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase and beta-galactosidase by patients with epilepsy. 821 37

The exact mechanisms of action of some antipsychotics and mood stabilizers have not been elucidated. Response to these medications can vary among individuals. Recent studies indicate that infection with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii may contribute to the symptoms of schizophrenia in some individuals. We investigated commonly used antipsychotic and mood stabilizing medications for their ability to inhibit the replication of this organism. We employed a system for testing compounds for in vitro activity against T. gondii. Human fibroblasts (HFF) were treated with test compounds and then exposed to Toxoplasma that has been genetically modified to express cytoplasmic beta-galactosidase. Inhibition by the drugs was determined by spectrophotometric analysis of colorimetric reactions. We tested 12 neuroleptic compounds and found that of these, the antipsychotic haloperidol and the mood stabilizer valproic acid most effectively inhibit Toxoplasma growth in vitro. Valproic acid inhibited the parasite at a concentration below that found in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood of individuals being treated with this medication and displayed synergistic activity with haloperidol and with trimethoprim, an antibiotic commonly used to treat Toxoplasma infections.Several medications used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder have the ability to inhibit the in vitro replication of T. gondii.
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PMID:Drugs used in the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder inhibit the replication of Toxoplasma gondii. 1283 20

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a lethal neuromuscular disease that currently has no effective therapy. Transgenic overexpression of the alpha7 integrin in mdx/utrn(-/-) mice, a model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy ameliorates the disease. We have isolated and used alpha7(+/-) muscle cells expressing beta-galactosidase, driven by the endogenous alpha7 promoter, to identify compounds that increase alpha7 integrin levels. Valproic acid (VPA) was found to enhance alpha7 integrin levels, induce muscle hypertrophy, and inhibit apoptosis in myotubes by activating the Akt/mTOR/p70S6K pathway. This activation of the Akt pathway occurs within 1 hour of treatment and is mediated by phosphatidylinositol 3-OH kinase. To evaluate the potential use of VPA to treat muscular dystrophy, mdx/utrn(-/-) mice were injected with the drug. Treatment with VPA lowered collagen content and fibrosis, and decreased hind limb contractures. VPA-treated mice also had increased sarcolemmal integrity and decreased damage, decreased CD8-positive inflammatory cells, and higher levels of activated Akt in their muscles. Thus, VPA has important biological effects that may be applicable for the treatment of muscular dystrophy.
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PMID:Valproic acid activates the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in muscle and ameliorates pathology in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. 1917 9