Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0011570 (depression)
 172,036 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.19) from Bacillus circulans has been purified, crystallized and analyzed by X-ray diffraction. The enzyme is monomeric. SDS/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gave an Mr of 73,600(+/- 1000), corresponding to 670(+/- 10) amino acid residues. The structure of the crystalline enzyme has been elucidated at a resolution of 3.4 A, using multiple isomorphous replacement and solvent flattening for phase determination. The resulting electron density map allowed tracing of the polypeptide chain; 664 residue positions have been assigned. The chain fold has been subdivided into five domains. The N-terminal domain forms a (beta alpha)8-barrel, which contains the second domain of about 55 residues as an insert after the third beta-strand. The three remaining domains form almost exclusively beta-pleated sheet structures and consist of about 90, 80 and 95 residues. The chain fold of the three N-terminal domains of 492 residues resembles closely the two known structures of alpha-amylases. This geometric similarity corresponds to the observed amino acid sequence homology. On the basis of the sequence homology with alpha-amylases, the active center can be located. The fourth domain has an immunoglobulin fold and is far away from the active center, while the fifth domain participates in the formation of the broad depression at the active center. Accordingly, the cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase chain fold can be considered as an alpha-amylase chain fold with two additional domains.
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PMID:Three-dimensional structure of cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase from Bacillus circulans at 3.4 A resolution. 253 Dec 28

The effects of different thermal processes used to produce ready-to-eat cereals on the glycemic response to whole grain wheat were investigated in rats. The metabolic response to drum dried flour, which constitutes the major component in instant gruel and porridge, was also studied in healthy human subjects. Boiled flour was used for comparison. The degree of starch gelatinization and rate of starch hydrolysis in vitro were also measured. Incompletely gelatinized steam flaked and dry autoclaved products were digested more slowly in vitro and elicited lower glucose responses in rats compared with completely gelatinized drum dried, extrusion cooked or boiled samples. The initial glycemic response in rats was closely related to the rate of starch hydrolysis in the pepsin/alpha-amylase assay (r = 0.91, P less than 0.04). When pepsin was omitted, no significant correlation was obtained. The peak glucose, insulin and C-peptide responses in humans after breakfast meals of porridge prepared from drum dried flour and from boiled flour were similar, whereas the rate of depression of the glucose curve was more rapid after consuming drum dried porridge. It is concluded that the glycemic response to wheat products is affected by the processing conditions used. The more severe the processing conditions, the more rapid the digestion of starch.
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PMID:The effect of various thermal processes on the glycemic response to whole grain wheat products in humans and rats. 268 9

A total of 108 growing albino rats was used to evaluate the dietary interactions of the major lima bean antinutritional factors trypsin inhibitor (TI), haemagglutinin (Hgg) and cyanide (CN) with respect to their effects on pancreatic and intestinal alpha-amylase activities. The results indicate that when fed at the same level of activity as found in the raw lima bean (RLB) these factors had no significant (p greater than 0.05) influence on pancreatic alpha-amylase activity whether acting individually or in combination. However, when acting alone, CN appeared to depress pancreatic amylase level more than when interacting with TI or Hgg or both. Amylase activity was significantly (p less than 0.01) depressed by the dietary treatments in both the small and large intestine while caecal levels were not. The most severe depression in amylase activity was elicited by the RLB diet. The haemagglutinin-containing diets appeared generally associated with lower levels of intestinal amylase activity. From the present finding it is suggested that these factors alone cannot fully account for the magnitude of the depression of intestinal amylase activity which is contingent upon the ingestion of RLB by experimental rats.
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PMID:Dietary interactions of lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus) trypsin inhibitor, haemagglutinin and cyanide. Part 2. Effect on pancreatic and intestinal alpha-amylase (EC 3.21.1.1) in growing albino rats. 278 18

The effect of dietary pectin on apparent ileal and fecal digestibilities of protein and amino acids and on pancreatic secretions was studied in two experiments with growing pigs (initial weight 70 kg). Four barrows were fitted with simple T-cannulas for collection of ileal digesta; another four barrows were fitted with permanent re-entrant cannulas for collection, sampling and subsequent return of pancreatic juice. Dietary pectin included at a level of 7.5 g/100 g in a cornstarch-based diet significantly depressed apparent ileal and fecal protein and amino acid digestibilities. This depression in the small intestine could be attributed to both an increase in endogenous protein secretions and a decrease in the efficiency of digestion. In the large intestine, pectin was used by intestinal microbes as the principal energy source to catabolize nitrogenous compounds and to stimulate bacterial nitrogen assimilation, thus altering the amino acid profile of protein voided in feces. The inclusion of pectin did not affect the flow of pancreatic juice or the total secretion of protein, lipase, trypsin and chymotrypsin. However, there was a significantly lower secretion of alpha-amylase, which was a direct result of the replacement of starch by pectin. The results demonstrate that pectin may have a detrimental effect on the processes of protein digestion and absorption but does not affect the secretion of pancreatic proteolytic enzymes in pigs.
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PMID:Dietary pectin's effect on ileal and fecal amino acid digestibility and exocrine pancreatic secretions in growing pigs. 791 17

Tricyclic antidepressants are still a dominating group of psychotherapeutic drugs used in the treatment of depression. Oral dryness is one of their major side-effects, leading in humans to increased oral disease and dysfunction of speech, chewing, swallowing and taste. We previously reported that the tricyclic antidepressant desipramine desensitizes beta-adrenergic signal transduction in salivary glands. In this study, we evaluated the effects of this treatment on parotid and submandibular gland function, oral microbiota, and oral health in rats. Total protein secretion and salivary alpha-amylase was not affected by treatment, while cellular alpha-amylase and the content of epidermal growth factor was depressed. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed increased secretion for proline-rich proteins and glycoproteins. Surprisingly, flow rates were temporarily increased. These alterations in salivary gland function may partially explain the observed changes in oral microbiota and the increased incidence of gingivitis. Under other nutritional conditions, desipramine might have more severe impacts on oral health.
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PMID:Desipramine changes salivary gland function, oral microbiota, and oral health in rats. 1107 Jan 87

Response of two wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum cv. YM 158 and NM 9) to the herbicide chlorotoluron and the effect of two forms of dissolved organic matter on the chlorotoluron toxicity to the plants were characterized. Treatment with chlorotoluron at 10-50 microg/ml inhibited the seed germination and a dose-response was observed. The inhibition of seed germination was correlated to the depression of alpha-amylase activities. To identify whether chlorotoluron induced oxidative damage to wheat plants, the malondlaldehyde (MDA) content and electrolyte leakage were measured. Results showed that both MDA content and electrolyte leakage in the chlorotoluron-treated roots significantly increased. Activities of several key enzymes were measured that operate in citric acid cycle and carbohydrate metabolic pathway. Inhibited activities of citrate synthase and NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase were observed in the chlorotoluron-treated roots as compared to control plants. We also examined malate dehydrogenase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase in wheat roots exposed to 30 gg/ml chlorotoluron. However, none of the enzymes showed significant changes in activities. Application of 160 microg/ml dissolved organic matter (DOM) extracted from non-treated sludge (NTS) and heat-expanded sludge (HES) in the medium with 30 microg/ml chlorotoluron induced an additive inhibition of seed germination and plant growth. The inhibition of growth due to the DOM treatment was associated with the depression of activities of alpha-amylase, citrate synthase and NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase, as well as the increase in malondlaldehyde content and electrolyte leakage. These results suggested that the presence of DOM might enhance the uptake and accumulation of chlorotoluron, and thus resulted in greater toxicity in wheat plants. The two forms of DOM exhibited differences in regulation of chlorotoluron toxicity to the wheat plants. Treatments with DOM-NTS induced greater toxicity to plants as compared to those with DOM-HES. In addition to DOM affecting chlorotoluron-induced toxicity to wheat plants, the cultivars could have also contributed to differences. Generally, NM-9 showed a higher sensitivity to chlorotoluron than YM 158 either in the absence or in the presence of DOM.
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PMID:Effect of dissolved organic matter on the toxicity of chlorotoluron to Triticum aestivum. 2005 May 56

In psychoneuroendocrinology research, salivary measures have become increasingly important. While several studies focus on determinants of salivary cortisol such as age, gender, and gynaecological variables, less research has focused on confounding variables of salivary alpha-amylase (sAA). In a large sample of nurses (N=215) we analyzed the impact of age, gender, intake of oral contraceptives, smoking, coffee consumption as well as psychological parameters, such as work stress and burnout, on basal diurnal sAA release. Saliva was collected at 07:00 h, 11:30 h, 17:30 h, and 20:00 h on a working day during early shift. Only gender could be identified to have an impact on sAA, with females having a more pronounced sAA increase over the course of the day. Whereas depression, anxiety, work stress and burnout were not associated with sAA, a small negative correlation between social difficulties, measured with the Chronic Stress Screening Scale, and sAA could be identified.
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PMID:The diurnal course of salivary alpha-amylase in nurses: an investigation of potential confounders and associations with stress. 2043 94

The study examines group and individual differences in psychological functioning and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity among adolescents displaced by Hurricane Katrina and living in a U.S. government relocation camp (n = 62, ages 12-19 years) 2 months postdisaster. Levels of salivary cortisol, salivary alpha-amylase, depression, anxiety, distress, aggression, and self-esteem for this group were contrasted with a demographically matched no-trauma control group (n = 53). Results revealed that hurricane exposure and SNS activity moderated the relations between lower cortisol and higher internalizing behaviors. Sex-related differences were observed in behavioral adjustment and stress regulation. Implications of sex differences in biobehavioral adjustment to loss, displacement, and relocation are discussed in relation to evolutionary and developmental theory.
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PMID:Sex differences in salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase, and psychological functioning following Hurricane Katrina. 2063 92

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with alterations in stress physiology. Severe melancholic depression is characterized by hypercortisolism, but community dwelling mildly depressed individuals and those with remitted MDD have shown reduced or normal reactivity to stress. There are also pronounced sex differences both in the incidence of MDD and in stress reactivity. To explore the relationships among depression history, sex differences, and stress, we examined stress reactivity in people with and without a history of MDD. Twenty-two participants with remitted MDD (12 men and 10 women) and 36 never depressed comparison participants (22 men and 14 women) participated in the study. Cortisol and alpha-amylase (sAA) were sampled from saliva before, 10 min after, and 30 min after the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Participants filled out the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) before and after they underwent the TSST. Women with remitted MDD showed reduced cortisol response to the TSST compared with the never MDD women, while men with remitted MDD showed comparable cortisol reactivity to the never depressed men. The groups did not differ on sAA reactivity to stress. The remitted MDD group (overall and men and women separately) reported greater negative affect both before and after stress compared to the never depressed group. Women from both groups reported greater post-stress negative affect than men. In contrast, men from both groups reported higher positive affect before and after stress than women. Given that the sex difference findings were not dependent on depression history, self-reported affective differences in response to stress may predate depressive symptoms and contribute to sex differences in depression incidence.
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PMID:Sex differences in physiological and affective responses to stress in remitted depression. 2139 47

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may experience higher levels of stress and health problems than parents of children with typical development. However, most research has focused on mothers, with emphasis on parent-reported stress and wellbeing. This study compared parenting responsibility, distress, anxiety, depression, cortisol, alpha-amylase, and cardiovascular activity between 19 mother-father dyads of children with ASD. Mothers reported higher parenting responsibility, distress, anxiety, and depression than fathers, while fathers had higher blood pressure and heart rate variability. Mothers and fathers had lower than average morning cortisol levels, suggesting stress effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis. Parents of children with ASD may benefit from routine health screening (particularly adrenal and cardiovascular function) and referral for stress reduction interventions or supports.
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PMID:Parenting stress, salivary biomarkers, and ambulatory blood pressure: a comparison between mothers and fathers of children with autism spectrum disorders. 2528


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