Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0016382 (flushing)
 6,387 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Nine patients with mid-gut carcinoid tumours received leucocyte interferon (IFN) i.m. daily for 90 days. Six patients clearly ameliorated in symptoms typical of the carcinoid syndrome (flushing, diarrhoea, asthma) which correlated with reduced serum levels of tumour related polypeptides and urinary output of 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA). Before IFN treatment, peripheral blood mononuclear leucocytes (PBLs) from carcinoid patients showed markedly deficient production of pH 2 labile IFN-alpha in response to Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SACoI) in vitro. In contrast, IFN-alpha responses to the inducers Sendai virus and beta-haemolytic streptococcus group G and IFN-gamma responses to Lens culinaris lectin and concanavalin A were normal. Also, basal and in vitro IFN enhanced natural killer (NK) cell activity and T cell mitogen-induced cell proliferation were similar in patients and controls. During 90 days of IFN therapy, SACoI-induced IFN responses became entirely undetectable. There were transient declines at 1 and 30 days in IFN responses to the other IFN inducers, of mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation and of basal NK activities. The increments of NK cell activities after in vitro IFN exposure were clearly decreased in IFN treated patients, suggesting in vivo activation of these cells. Thus, the results demonstrate one remarkable abnormality in carcinoid patients: a deficient IFN response to SACoI and a clear influence of IFN therapy on several parameters of the IFN-NK system.
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PMID:Evaluation of the natural killer cell-interferon system in patients with mid-gut carcinoid tumours treated with leucocyte interferon. 661 63

Lectins conjugated with either peroxidase or ferritin were used to detect specific monosaccharide residues on the luminal front of he fenestrated endothelium in the capillaries of murine pancreas and intestinal mucosa. The lectins tested recognize, if accessible, the following residues: alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminyl (soybean lectin), beta-D-galactosyl (peanut agglutinin [PA] and Ricinus communis agglutinin-120 [RCA]), beta-N-acetylglucosaminyl and sialyl residues (wheat germ agglutinin [WGA]), alpha-L-fucosyl (lotus tetragonolobus lectin), and alpha-D-glucosyl and beta-D-mannosyl (concanavalin A [ConA]). Thi labeled lectins were introduced by perfusion in situ after thoroughly flushing with phosphate-buffered saline the microvascular beds under investigation. Specimens were fixed by perfusion, and subsequently processed for peroxidase detection and electron microscopy. Control experiments included perfusion with: (a) unlabeled lectin before lectin conjugate; (b) labeled lectin together with the cognate hapten sugar, and (c) horseradish peroxidase or ferritin alone. Binding sites were found to be relatively homogeneously distributed on the plasmalemma proper, except for Lotus tetragonolobus lectin and Con A, which frequently bound in patches. Plasmalemmal vesicles, transendothelial channels, and their associated diaphragms were particularly rich in residues recognized by RCA and PA (beta-D-galactosyl residues) and by WGA (beta-N-acetylglucosaminyl residues). Receptors for all lectins tested appeared to be absent or considerably less concentrated on fenestral diaphragms. The results reported here extend and complement previous findings on the existence of microdomains generated by the preferential distribution of chemically different anionic sites (Simionescu et al., 1981, J. Cell Biol., 9:605-613 and 614-621).
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PMID:Differentiated microdomains on the luminal surface of capillary endothelium: distribution of lectin receptors. 710 6

Mucins are high molecular weight glycoproteins produced by goblet cells and secreted on mucosal surfaces. We investigated biochemical and histochemical properties of intestinal mucins of virus- and parasite-free common carp Cyprinus carpio in response to a single peroral application of endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide = LPS). Intracellular mucins were quantified histochemically by their carbohydrate content and characterized by specific, lectin-based methods. In addition, secreted epithelial (intracellular) and luminal (extracellular) mucins were isolated and separated by downward gel filtration. Carbohydrate and protein content were determined photometrically. Subsequently, terminal glycosylation was characterized by a lectin-binding assay. A peroral endotoxin application altered intestinal secretion and composition of intestinal mucin glycoproteins in common carp. A statistically significant decrease in mature luminal mucins was demonstrated, linked to a new biosynthesis of intracellular mucin glycoproteins. Simultaneous changes in the glycosylation pattern of isolated mucins were found. The intestinal mucosal system is purported to provide a removal mechanism for bacterial noxes by increasing secretion of mucins inducing a flushing-out effect, in combination with altered glycosylation patterns that change adhesion properties. Consequently, pseudofaeces of fish, which are a common sign of intestinal parasitical infections, may also be interpreted as an elimination mechanism for strong bacterial noxes.
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PMID:Biochemical and histochemical effects of perorally applied endotoxin on intestinal mucin glycoproteins of the common carp Cyprinus carpio. 1793 94