The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei derives its metabolic energy exclusively from a unique type of glycolysis in which pyruvate derived from glucose catabolism is released into the host bloodstream. In this study, this terminal metabolic step has been examined in detail. Pyruvate release from trypanosomal cells supplied with glucose is very rapid, proceeding with an apparent Vmax of 214 n...

The role of protein kinase C and intracellular Ca(2+) on amphetamine-mediated dopamine release through the norepinephrine plasmalemmal transporter in undifferentiated PC12 cells was investigated. The selective protein kinase C inhibitor chelerythrine completely inhibited endogenous dopamine release elicited by 1 microM amphetamine. Direct activation of protein kinase C increased dopamine releas...

BACKGROUND/AIMS The transcription factor NFkappaB is a major mediator of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) signaling. We determined the role of NFkappaB activation in regulatory changes of the P-glycoprotein (Pgp) drug efflux transporter at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and proinflammatory cytokine receptors. METHODS We treated NFkappaB knockout and wildtype mice with LPS or vehicle, obtained enriched...

BACKGROUND Monoclonal antibodies represent the fastest growing sector of pharmaceutical biotechnology and a number of antibody-based biopharmaceuticals have been approved for cancer treatment. However, in many cases the antibodies used for the treatment of tumors offer only a modest survival benefit to cancer patients. AIMS In the present review-article we intend to analyze: i) the curative r...

BACKGROUND Recent studies have suggested an association between genotypes affecting the expression of the serotonin transporter and thermal pain perception and the thermal grill. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in thermal and mechanical pain perception and the thermal grill in two groups of healthy volunteers according to their genotype, associated with either high (n = 40)...

Despite increased total food intake in healthy, late-stage pregnant women, their peak postprandial blood sugar levels are normally much lower than the levels seen in healthy nonpregnant women. In this study, we sought to determine whether estriol (E3), an endogenous estrogen predominantly produced during human pregnancy, contributes to the regulation of the postprandial blood glucose level in h...

Nitric oxide (NO) mediated slow inhibitory junction potential and mechanical relaxation after electrical field stimulation (EFS) is impaired in diabetes mellitus. Externally added NO donor restore nitrergic function, indicating that this reduction result from diminution of NO synthesis within the pre-junctional nerve terminals. The present study aimed to investigate two specific aims that may p...

The vast majority of glomerular filtrated phosphate is reabsorbed in the proximal tubule. Posttransplant phosphaturia is common and aggravated by sirolimus immunosuppression. The cause of sirolimus induced phosphaturia however remains elusive. Male Wistar rats received sirolimus or vehicle for 2 or 7 days (1.5mg/kg). The urine phosphate/creatinine ratio was higher and serum phosphate was lower ...

Cerebral hypoperfusion is associated with cognitive decline in ageing, mild cognitive impairment, vascular type dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. The mechanisms leading to such neurological impairments are still uncertain. Although several mechanisms have been proposed as contributing factors leading to neuronal injury, glutamate excitotoxicity seems to be the relevant one. Recently, it was fo...

During angiotensin II (ANG II)-dependent hypertension, ANG II stimulates, while hypertension inhibits, Na(+) transporter activity to balance Na(+) output to input. This study tests the hypothesis that ANG II infusion activates Na(+) transporters in the distal nephron while inhibiting transporters along the proximal nephron. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were infused with ANG II (400 ng·kg(-1)·min(-1...