In order to determine whether or not alpha-adrenoceptors are present in adrenal glands, radioligand receptor binding assay was performed in both Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat and human adrenal gland membranes. Radioligand binding assay using 3H-prazosin as an alpha 1-adrenoceptor ligand and 3H-yohimbine as an alpha 2-adrenoceptor ligand, clearly demonstrated alpha 1 and alpha 2 receptors present in b...

Glucosyltransferase and glucanotransferase involved in the production of cyclic tetrasaccharide (CTS; cyclo [-->6]-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->)) from alpha-1,4-glucan were purified from Bacillus globisporus C11. The former was a 1,6-alpha-glucosyltransferase (6GT) catalyzing the a-1,6-transglucosylatio...

In vitro affinity for vascular 5HT2 and alpha receptors was determined for several compounds (spiperone, ketanserin, mianserin, trazodone, mepiprazole, benzoctamine, m-trifluoro-methylphenylpiperazine, m-chlorophenylpiperazine, and 1-(1-naphthyl)piperazine) known to interact with serotonin receptors. All compounds competitively inhibited 5HT2 and alpha receptors with differing degrees of select...

A nonhydrolyzable ether analogue of RRR-alpha-tocopherol, 2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2R-(4R, 8R, 12-trimethyltridecyl)chroman-6-yloxyacetic acid, called RRR-alpha-tocopheryloxyacetic acid or RRR-alpha-tocopherol ether-linked acetic acid analogue (alpha-TEA), exhibits antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo using a syngeneic BALB/c mouse mammary tumor model (line 66 clone 4 stably transfected with gree...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of the cyclooxygenase-2 (cox-2)-dependent prostaglandins D(2) (PGD(2)), E(2) (PGE(2)) and F(2)alpha (PGF(2)alpha) on the redifferentiation and cartilage matrix production of dedifferentiated articular chondrocytes. METHODS Human articular chondrocytes from three adult donors were dedifferentiated by monolayer expansion and induced to redifferentiate by cul...

The presence of anti-alpha-fodrin autoantibodies has been reported to be a highly specific and sensitive test for the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome (SjS). We looked (in Nijmegen) for anti-alpha-fodrin, anti-Ro60, and anti-La autoantibodies in a cohort of 51 patients with rheumatic diseases (primary SjS [21], secondary SjS 6, rheumatoid arthritis [RA] 12, systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] 6, ...

The effects of 4-hydroxyphenyl alpha-glucopyranoside (alpha-arbutin) and 4-hydroxyphenyl beta-glucopyranoside (arbutin) on the activity of tyrosinase from human malignant melanoma cells were examined. The inhibitory effect of alpha-arbutin on human tyrosinase was stronger than that of arbutin. The K(i) value for alpha-arbutin was calculated to be 1/20 that for arbutin. We then synthesized arbut...

background: alcohol consumption is one of the main health problems in most countries. the purpose of the present study is to evaluate the reliability and validity of alcohol use disorders identification test (audit). methods: by employing the method of available sampling, 70 alcoholic patients were included as case group and 70 normal age, gender and education matched individuals were also incl...