Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0042373 (vascular disease)
 17,070 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Vessels affected by amyloid angiopathy in patients with Alzheimer's disease also displayed intense acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activity when examined by light and electron microscopy. The enzymatic properties of the vessel-bound cholinesterases were identical to those of the cholinesterases associated with senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. This cholinesterase activity is of unknown origin but represents one of the very few features common to all the major pathological markers of Alzheimer's disease.
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PMID:Cholinesterases in the amyloid angiopathy of Alzheimer's disease. 137 22

Penile tissue (consisting of corpus cavernosum and tunica albuginea) was obtained from 19 patients undergoing surgery for the implantation of penile prostheses. The tissue was examined for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactivity in nerves, acetylcholinesterase-positive staining in nerves and noradrenaline content. Impotence was due to a variety of causes; 11 patients were classified as a 'non-neuropathic' group on the basis of their clinical history which included Peyronie's disease, vascular disease, hypertension and psychogenic impotence. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactive and acetylcholinesterase-positive nerves were present and the pattern and distribution were similar in each patient in this group. The noradrenaline content of the tunica albuginea was significantly lower than the corpus cavernosum (p less than 0.02), although there was a linear relationship between the noradrenaline contents of the two regions (r = 0.95, p less than 0.01). By comparison, a complete absence of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactivity in nerves was observed in a patient with a cauda equina lesion. Five out of six diabetic patients studied revealed a marked reduction in vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactivity in nerves associated with the cavernous smooth muscle, while acetylcholinesterase-positive staining was reduced in three out of five diabetic patients studied. The noradrenaline content of the corpus cavernosum from diabetic patients was significantly lower (p less than 0.02) than that of the 'non-neuropathic' group. The noradrenaline content of the tunica albuginea, however, was similar in both groups. The results provide evidence that VIPergic, cholinergic and adrenergic nerves in the penis are affected in diabetes mellitus and thus may contribute to the development of impotence in diabetic patients.
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PMID:Changes in the VIPergic, cholinergic and adrenergic innervation of human penile tissue in diabetic and non-diabetic impotent males. 243 29

We report severe organophosphate poisoning complicated by hypotension and ischemic sequelae in two patients with pre-existing vascular disease. Both patients had a low total peripheral resistance and high cardiac output that were significantly reversed by doses of atropine in excess of those required to control other muscarinic symptoms. Cerebral infarcts and gangrene requiring a below knee amputation were complications of the poisonings. It is proposed that the ischemic complications are due to paradoxical vasoconstriction by acetylcholine at sites of endothelial injury. One patient, who had taken fenthion, also had a significantly delayed peak and prolonged, 2-3 week, systemic toxicity. We propose that stability of the plasma cholinesterase at 6 to 8 h after temporarily suspending oxime provides a rapid guide to the duration of therapy, especially in patients whose complications make clinical assessment difficult.
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PMID:Organophosphate poisoning: peripheral vascular resistance--a measure of adequate atropinization. 830 50

The colocalization of beta amyloid protein with the enzymes acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase was assessed using immunocytochemistry for beta amyloid protein and a sensitive histochemical technique for cholinesterases. In non-demented aged and Alzheimer's disease brains, double-stained sections for cholinesterases and thioflavin-S showed that all thioflavin-S-positive plaques were also positive for cholinesterases, indicating the presence of these enzymes in all plaques with beta-pleated amyloid protein. When amyloid angiopathy was present, cholinesterases were also observed in amyloid-laden vessels walls. Comparison of series of adjacent sections alternatively stained for acetylcholinesterase, beta amyloid protein and butyrylcholinesterase, as well as by double histo-immunocytochemical staining, showed either cholinesterase in a proportion of the preamyloid diffuse plaques. These data indicate that cholinesterases are associated with the amyloid protein from very early stages, when the beta-pleated structure is being formed. Novel functions attributed to acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase, such us their proteolytic activity either by themselves or in association with heparan sulfate proteoglycans, may play a role in the aggregation or the consolidation processes taking place at the early stages of diffuse plaque formation.
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PMID:Colocalization of cholinesterases with beta amyloid protein in aged and Alzheimer's brains. 848 May 10

Alzheimer disease (AD) is accompanied by a marked loss of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity associated with cortical cholinergic axons and cholinoceptive neurons. Simultaneous with this loss, cholinesterase (ChE) activity emerges in AD cortex in the form of AChE and butyrylcholinesterase activity associated with plaques, tangles, and amyloid angiopathy. Our observations have shown that the ChEs associated with the pathological lesions of AD (ADChEs) possess different enzymatic properties and quite possibly are of a different source as compared with the ChEs associated with normal neurons and axons. The ADChEs most likely have noncholinergic functions involved in the pathogenesis of AD. The postulated functions include acting as proteases/peptidases, participating directly in the amyloidogenic processing of the amyloid precursor protein, and causing aberrant growth of neuronal processes. The therapeutic and diagnostic implications of ADChEs are discussed.
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PMID:Cholinesterases and the pathology of Alzheimer disease. 853 19

In human populations, serum paraoxonase (PON1) exhibits a substrate dependent polymorphism. The Arg192 isoform hydrolyzes paraoxon rapidly but diazoxon, soman and especially sarin slowly. On the other hand, the Gln192 isoform hydrolyzes paraoxon slowly, but diazoxon, soman and sarin more rapidly than the Arg192 isoform. Our experiments with a mouse model system have convincingly shown that PON1 plays a major role in the detoxication of organophosphate (OP) compounds processed through the P450/PON1 pathway. Recent studies have also shown that PON1 plays an important role in the metabolism of oxidized lipid compounds. Currently, there is an effort underway to identify genes and polymorphisms that play an important role in 'environmental susceptibility'. The PON1 polymorphism has been cited as a prime example of such a genetic polymorphism. The advent of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for DNA amplification with improvements, modifications and automation has provided a very convenient way to do individual genotyping. It is tempting to set up large scale PCR analyses of populations to determine individuals at risk for environmental exposures affected by the PON1 polymorphism. In fact, a number of such studies have already been carried out in examining the relationship of the PON1 polymorphism to vascular disease. We advocate the use of a high throughput two-dimensional enzyme assay that provides both PON1 genotype and phenotype (PON1 status). The high level of variation of gene expression within each genetic class in humans, together with our animal model studies indicate that it is very important to determine PON status as opposed to PON1 genotype alone. Experiments in rats and mice have shown that injection of PON1 purified from rabbit serum by the i.v., i.p. or i.m. route, significantly increases PON1 activities in rodents' plasma. Under these conditions, the acute toxicity (assessed by the degree of acetylcholinesterase inhibition) of paraoxon and chlorpyrifos oxon is significantly decreased, compared to control animals. Protection is maximal when PON1 is administered before the OPs, but still occurs when PON1 is utilized as a post-exposure treatment. Furthermore, protection by PON1 is also provided toward the parent compound chlorpyrifos. Pon1-knockout mice display a much greater sensitivity to chlorpyrifos oxon toxicity than wild mice. However, the acute toxicity of guthion, which is not a substrate for PON1, does not differ between knockout and wild mice. These observations underline the importance of considering both genetic variability of enzyme isoform as well as enzyme level (PON1 status) and the developmental time course of appearance of PON1 in developing risk assessment models.
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PMID:The role of paraoxonase (PON1) in the detoxication of organophosphates and its human polymorphism. 1042 80

Alzheimer's disease remains the most common form of dementia. Dementia symptoms vary depending on individual personality, life experience, and social and cultural influences. As dementia progresses, involvement of multi-disciplinary health care professionals is needed to manage the disease. Alzheimer research is progressing rapidly. While 5% of all Alzheimer's disease may be genetically determined, the majority is not. Susceptibility genes can reveal the risk of contracting Alzheimer's disease. Early life risk factors such as education, nutrition, and vascular disease may increase the likelihood of dementia in later life. In the United States, two acetylcholinesterase inhibitors have been approved as cognitive enhancers. Possible prevention and symptomatic treatment interventions have focused on estrogen replacement therapy, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory medications. Research advances have improved the clinical management of dementia. Ethical implications to the patient, family, and society are multiple and remain challenging.
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PMID:The burden of dementia. A medical and research perspective. 1044 50

Susceptibility to organophosphorus (OP) insecticides and nerve agents is strongly influenced by genetic and developmental factors. A number of organophosphorothioate insecticides are detoxified in part via a two-step pathway involving bioactivation of the parent compound by the cytochrome P450 systems, then hydrolysis of the resulting oxygenated metabolite (oxon) by serum and liver paraoxonases (PON1). Serum PON1 has been shown to be polymorphic in human populations. The Arg192 isoform (PON1R192) of this HDL-associated protein hydrolyzes paraoxon (POX) at a high rate, while the Gln192 isoform (PON1Q192) hydrolyzes paraoxon at a low rate. The effect of the polymorphism is reversed for the hydrolysis of diazoxon (DZO), soman and particularly sarin. Phenylacetate is hydrolyzed at approximately the same rate by both PON1 isoforms and chlorpyrifos oxon (CPO) slightly faster by the PON1R192 isoform. In addition to the effect of the amino acid substitution on rates of toxicant hydrolysis, two other factors influence these rates. The expression of PON1 is developmentally regulated. Newborns have very low levels of PON1. Adult levels in rats and mice are reached at 3 weeks of age and in humans, sometime after 6 months of age. In addition, among individuals of a given genotype, there is at least a 13-fold difference in expression of PON1 that is stable over time. Dose/response experiments with normal mice injected with purified PON1 and with PON1 knockout mice have clearly demonstrated that the observed differences of in vitro rates of hydrolysis are significant in determining differential sensitivities to specific insecticides processed through the P450/PON1 pathway. Injection of purified rabbit PON1 protects mice from cholinesterase inhibition by chlorpyrifos (CPS) and CPO. Knockout mice are much more sensitive to CPO and DZO than are their PON1+/+ littermates or wild-type mice. A number of recent reports have also indicated that the PON1R192 isoform may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Studies with PON1 knockout mice are also consistent with a role of PON1 in preventing vascular disease.
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PMID:Genetic and temporal determinants of pesticide sensitivity: role of paraoxonase (PON1). 1079 89

Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology is characterized by A beta peptide-containing plaques, neurofibrillary tangles consisting of hyperphosphorylated tau, extensive neuritic degeneration, and distinct neuron loss. We generated several transgenic mouse lines expressing the human amyloid precursor protein (APP751) containing the AD-linked KM670/671NL double mutation (Swedish mutation) under the control of a neuron-specific Thy-1 promoter fragment. In the best APP-expressing line (APP23), compact A beta deposits can be detected at 6 months of age. These plaques dramatically increase with age, are mostly Congo Red positive, and accumulate typical plaque-associated proteins such as heparansulfate proteoglycan and apolipoprotein E. Activated astrocytes and microglia indicative of inflammatory processes reminiscent of AD accumulate around the deposits. Furthermore, plaques are surrounded by enlarged dystrophic neurites as visualized by neurofilament or Holmes-Luxol staining. Strong staining for acetylcholinesterase activity is found throughout the plaques and is accompanied by local distortion of the cholinergic fiber network. All congophilic plaques contain hyperphosphorylated tau reminiscent of early tau pathology. Modern stereologic methods demonstrate a significant loss of neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region, correlating with an increasing A beta plaque load. Interestingly, APP23 mice develop cerebral amyloid angiopathy in addition to amyloid plaques even though the APP transgene is only expressed in neurons. Crossbreeding of APP23 mice with transgenic mice carrying AD-linked presenilin mutations but not wild-type presenilin resulted in enhanced formation of pathology. In conclusion, our APP transgenic mice present many pathologic features, similar to those observed in AD and therefore offer excellent tools for studying the contribution of A beta to AD pathogenesis.
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PMID:Transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. 1091 65

Amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta) fibril deposition on cerebral vessels produces cerebral amyloid angiopathy that appears in the majority of Alzheimer's disease patients. An early onset of a cerebral amyloid angiopathy variant called hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis of the Dutch type is caused by a point mutation in Abeta yielding Abeta(Glu22-->Gln). The present study addresses the effect of amyloid fibrils from both wild-type and mutated Abeta on vascular cells, as well as the putative protective role of antioxidants on amyloid angiopathy. For this purpose, we studied the cytotoxicity induced by Abeta(1-40 Glu22-->Gln) and Abeta(1-40 wild-type) fibrils on human venule endothelial cells and rat aorta smooth muscle cells. We observed that Abeta(Glu22-->Gln) fibrils are more toxic for vascular cells than the wild-type fibrils. We also evaluated the cytotoxicity of Abeta fibrils bound with acetylcholinesterase (AChE), a common component of amyloid deposits. Abeta(1-40 wild-type)-AChE fibrillar complexes, similar to neuronal cells, resulted in an increased toxicity on vascular cells. Previous reports showing that antioxidants are able to reduce the toxicity of Abeta fibrils on neuronal cells prompted us to test the effect of vitamin E, vitamin C, and 17beta-estradiol on vascular damage induced by Abeta(wild-type) and Abeta(Glu22-->Gln). Our data indicate that vitamin E attenuated significantly the Abeta-mediated cytotoxicity on vascular cells, although 17beta-estradiol and vitamin C failed to inhibit the cytotoxicity induced by Abeta fibrils.
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PMID:Vitamin E but not 17beta-estradiol protects against vascular toxicity induced by beta-amyloid wild type and the Dutch amyloid variant. 1194 11


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