Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0026850 (muscular dystrophy)
 5,870 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A wide-range complex of biochemical techniques was used to study metabolic processes in workers exposed to cobalt and ethanol. In practically healthy workers were found laboratory manifestations of hepato-biliary irritations, hyperpermeability of the hepatocytes' cytoplasmic membrane, cholestasis syndrome, initial manifestations of muscular dystrophy and minor signs of atherosclerosis risks. The biochemical shifts were like those in alcoholism cases. It was suggested that, under the existing technological conditions of cobalt-containing hard-facing alloys' powder processing, the action of ethanol increased the toxic effect of cobalt.
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PMID:[Metabolic status in workers engaged in the production of cobalt-containing powder compositions of hard alloys]. 179 96

Genetic studies of alcoholics, their families and controls have given credence to the idea that genetic influences in alcoholism exist, and set the stage for efforts to identify alcoholism-susceptibility genes (Devor and Cloninger, 1989). My purpose is not to review the genetics of alcoholism, but rather to review the genetic approaches that have been successful in identifying the genes responsible for genetic conditions such as muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis. In these disorders our current knowledge of the basic biochemical defect was derived directly from the cloning of the gene that is defective in the disorder. The cloned gene provides DNA probes for carrier identification and prenatal diagnosis, while knowledge of the basic defect allows new and direct investigation of potential therapeutic strategies. The genetic approach is much less definitive when it comes to the study of polygenic or multifactorial disorders such as schizophrenia or Alzheimer's disease. In the case of alcoholism the problem is exacerbated not only by environmental factors but also by phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity. The lack of a clear inheritance pattern means that plausible modes of inheritance must be invoked and tested on families with multiple affected members. Direct segregation analysis may not be possible and the less informative analysis of sib-pairs may be the method of choice. Ultimately, however, it should be possible to identify and clone those genes that play a major role in determining susceptibility to alcoholism. Once cloned, the protein products can be identified, and study of their function should lead to new understanding of the complex biological processes involved in this disorder.
Alcohol Alcohol Suppl 1991
PMID:Molecular genetic approaches to the study of individual risk in alcoholism. 184 36

Catecholamines play an essential role in the activation of the cardiovascular system and in the regulation of energy metabolism in a variety of physiological conditions. Many of these effects are mediated through beta-adrenoceptors located on cell membranes. Binding of catecholamines to beta-adrenoceptor increases the concentration of intracellular cyclic AMP which in turn activates protein kinase A. This enzyme phosphorylates a number of other intracellular enzymes influencing cell metabolism and functions. The primary structures of the receptor and its topography in the cell membrane as well as its binding domains have been partially clarified. In studies of the human beta-adrenergic receptors blood lymphocytes have mostly been used as model cells. These cells carry receptors of mainly the beta 2-subtype. The adequacy of this model system has been demonstrated in several studies. In clinical work receptor assays have had limited use until now. However, studies on the pathophysiology of the adrenergic system in several diseases have revealed that receptor alterations may constitute an important factor in the disease process. Measurements of adrenergic receptors may also have increasing usefulness in determining optimal drug concentrations. Our own studies have primarily focused on physiological adjustments in the beta-adrenergic system during acute or prolonged physical exercise as well as receptor changes in heart failure, muscle diseases and the alcohol withdrawal syndrome. We have also explored receptor dynamics during therapy with beta-blocking agents. These studies, briefly reviewed in this communication, have led to the following conclusions: (1) High aerobic capacity is associated with an increased density and ability of lymphocytic beta-adrenoceptors to respond to catecholamines. (2) Both short-and long-term physical exercise induce a rapid up-regulation and more effective functioning of lymphocytic beta-adrenoceptors. (3) Administration of beta-blocking drugs is associated with a subnormal exercise-induced up-regulation and decreased functioning of the lymphocytic beta-adrenoceptors. (4) The exercise-provoked up-regulation and improved functioning of beta-adrenoceptors is blunted in heart failure patients. (5) Patients with Duchenne-type of muscular dystrophy have a reduced number of lymphocytic beta-adrenoceptors. (6) In chronic alcoholics the lymphocytic beta-adrenoceptor level is subnormal but during abrupt ethanol withdrawal a rapid increase in the number and functioning of the receptors to a normal level takes place. This sequence of events may lead to a condition of relative adrenergic hypersensitivity.
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PMID:The beta-adrenergic system in man: physiological and pathophysiological response. Regulation of receptor density and functioning. 197 55

Previous studies showed that nitricoxide synthase (NOS) and oxidative stress can induce skeletal muscle atrophy in the muscular dystrophy and inclusion-body myopathy. There is a correlation between NOS and oxidative stress. However, it is not clear, whether there are some changes of the NOS activity in prolonged alcoholic myopathy (PAM), and whether NOS activity has relation to amyotrophy of PAM. We established experimental alcoholic myopathy model of rats by prolonged alcohol intake. We found that there is a reduction in GSH-px (P < 0.05) and an increase of SOD (P < 0.05), MDA (P < 0.05) and iNOS (P < 0.05) in the plantaris of the experimental group by spectrophotometer. In the soleus of the experimental group, except for MDA showed an increase (P < 0.05), the other enzymes showed no obvious difference (P > 0.05). The immunohistochemistry results showed that there was obvious expression of iNOS in the cytoplasm of plantaris in the experimental group and there was no expression of iNOS in the control group. There was a decrease of nNOS expression on the membranes of the plantaris cells in the experimental group by immunofluorescence. Meanwhile, we found the expression of nNOS in some cytoplasm. Our results suggested that NOS might be an important factor during the development of PAM. We could infer that there are some disturbances with regard to output and scavenging of free radical in PAM. Alcohol can induce the oxidative stress reaction and further result in imbalance of the oxidant-antioxidant status in the organism.
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PMID:Nitricoxide synthase-induced oxidative stress in prolonged alcoholic myopathies of rats. 1760 8

Sodium selenite is used to prevent selenium deficiency known as nutritional muscular dystrophy or white muscle disease. In ruminants, selenium supplements are transformed partiality in insoluble form by ruminal microorganisms and its process decrease the selenium absorption in digestive gastrointestinal. However, the objective in this research was focused in encapsulated sodium selenite to be release into of a pH less than four, similarity to an intestinal environment. It was encapsulated by nanoprecipitation and emulsion-evaporation methods, within polymeric nanoparticles. The effect of these methods, polymer proportion (Eudragit RL and RS) and solvent (ethanol and acetone) on the physicochemical (drug entrapment, polidispersity index (PDI) and z potential) and morphological characteristics (particle morphology and particle size) were evaluated. Particle size from each nanoparticles, formulation ranged from 36.64 to 213.86 nm. Particle size, z potential and PDI increased (P <or= 0.01) when nanoprecipitation and ethanol were used. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed when different polymeric proportions were used. Selenium entrapment was 26% when emulsion-evaporation method was used and 78% with nanoprecipitation. Nanoparticles produced by nanoprecipitation were spherical and had a great variation in particle size; on the other hand, nanoparticles produced by emulsion-evaporation were spherical as well as amorphous and presented a homogeneous nanopartcicle size distribution. The release of selenium from nanoparticles was higher in acid pH (less than 4), this condition may represent a better availability of the mineral in the small intestine.
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PMID:Designing and evaluation of sodium selenite nanoparticles in vitro to improve selenium absorption in ruminants. 2002 Feb 2