Plasminogen activation: biochemistry, physiology, and therapeutics

The mammalian serine protease zymogen, plasminogen, can be converted into the active enzyme plasmin by vertebrate plasminogen activators urokinase (uPA), tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), factor XII-dependent components, or by bacterial streptokinase. The biochemical properties of the major components of the system, plasminogen/plasmin, plasminogen activators, and inhibitors of the plasminogen activators, are reviewed. The plasmin system has been implicated in a variety of physiological and pathological processes such as fibrinolysis, tissue remodeling, cell migration, inflammation, and tumor invasion and metastasis. A defective plasminogen activator/inhibitor system also has been linked to some thromboembolic complications. Recent studies of the mechanism of fibrinolysis in human plasma suggest that tPA may be the primary initiator and that overall fibrinolytic activity is strongly regulated at the tPA level. A simple model for the initiation and regulation of plasma fibrinolysis based on these studies has been formulated. The plasminogen activators have been used for thrombolytic therapy. Three new thrombolytic agents--tPA, pro-uPA, and acylated streptokinase-plasminogen complex--have been found to possess better properties over their predecessors, urokinase and streptokinase. Further improvements of these molecules using genetic and protein engineering tactics are being pursued.     

Two dopamine receptors: biochemistry, physiology and pharmacology

In 1979, two categories of dopamine (DA) receptors (designated as D-1 and D-2) were identified on the basis of the ability of a limited number of agonists and antagonists to discriminate between these two entities. In the past 5 years agonists and antagonists selective for each category of receptor have been identified. Using these selective drugs it has been possible to attribute the effects of DA upon physiological and biochemical processes to the stimulation of either a D-1 or a D-2 receptor. Thus, DA-induced enhancement of both hormone release from bovine parathyroid gland and firing of neurosecretory cells in the CNS of Lymnaea stagnalis has been attributed to stimulation of a D-1 receptor. Likewise, the DA-induced inhibition of the release of prolactin and alpha-MSH from the pituitary gland, as well as of acetylcholine, DA and beta-endorphin from brain, the DA-induced inhibition of chemo-sensory discharge in rabbit carotid body and the DA-induced hyperpolarization of neurosecretory cells in the CNS of Lymnaea stagnalis have been attributed to stimulation of a D-2 receptor. Independently two categories of DA receptors (designated as DA-1 and DA-2) were identified in the cardiovascular system. Stimulation of a DA-1 receptor increases the vascular cyclic AMP content and causes a relaxation of vascular smooth muscle in renal blood vessels, whereas stimulation of a DA-2 receptor inhibits the release of norepinephrine from certain postganglionic sympathetic neurons. Recent studies with the newly developed drugs discriminating between D-1 and D-2 receptors suggest however that the independently developed schemata for classification of dopamine receptors in either the central nervous and endocrine systems or the cardiovascular system are similar although maybe not completely identical.     

Essential fatty acids: biochemistry, physiology and pathology

Essential fatty acids (EFAs), linoleic acid (LA), and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) are essential for humans, and are freely available in the diet. Hence, EFA deficiency is extremely rare in humans. To derive the full benefits of EFAs, they need to be metabolized to their respective long-chain metabolites, i.e., dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA), and arachidonic acid (AA) from LA; and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from ALA. Some of these long-chain metabolites not only form precursors to respective prostaglandins (PGs), thromboxanes (TXs), and leukotrienes (LTs), but also give rise to lipoxins (LXs) and resolvins that have potent anti-inflammatory actions. Furthermore, EFAs and their metabolites may function as endogenous angiotensin-converting enzyme and 3-hdroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, nitric oxide (NO) enhancers, anti-hypertensives, and anti-atherosclerotic molecules. Recent studies revealed that EFAs react with NO to yield respective nitroalkene derivatives that exert cell-signaling actions via ligation and activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors. The metabolism of EFAs is altered in several diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis, and cancer. Thus, EFAs and their derivatives have varied biological actions and seem to be involved in several physiological and pathological processes.     

Comparative physiology,biochemistry, and the taxonomy ofChlorella (Chlorophyceae)

According to biochemical and physiological characters, 77 strains ofChlorella were assigned to 12 taxa. The characters used are presence or absence of hydrogenase, formation of secondary carotenoids under nitrogen-deficient conditions, liquefaction of gelatin, products of glucose fermentation, ability to reduce nitrate, thiamine requirement, acid tolerance, salt tolerance, thermophily, and base composition of DNA (GC content). On the other hand, certain nutritional characters, i. e., utilization of organic carbon and nitrogen compounds, were found to be more or less strain-specific, highly variable, and therefore unsuitable for taxonomy.Presented at the symposium Speciation and the Species Concept during the XIIth International Botanical Congress, Leningrad, July 8, 1975.     

Prostatic kallikreins: biochemistry and physiology

This review describes and compares the properties of seven individual kallikreins present in the prostate of four mammalian species. The first kallikrein discovered in prostate was the one of guinea-pig. That protein has kininogenase activity like classical kallikreins. The rat prostate expresses two different kallikreins, S3 and P1, whose physiological functions remain to be determined precisely. In man, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is an abundant secretory protein. It is currently used as a prostate cancer marker. The human prostate may also contain renal/pancreatic kallikrein and human glandular kallikrein-1 (hGK-1). Arginine esterase secreted by dog prostate is probably the most abundant kallikrein. It has no known physiological substrate.     

Aspects of tapeworm physiology

The review draws attention to modern developments in tapeworm physiology. The importance of the tegument is emphasized with particular attention being paid to its role as an absorptive, digestive, and protective epithelium.