Abstract. A single-chain 55,000-mol wt form of urokinase (UK), similar to that previously isolated from urine, was purified from a transformed kidney cell culture medium and characterized; and its fibrinolytic properties were evaluated. The preparation immunoprecipitated with UK antiserum, had a low intrinsic amidolytic activity that was 0.1% of its active derivative, and resisted diisopropyl fluorophosphate treatment and inactivation by plasma inhibitors. The single-chain UK was therefore designated pro-UK. In
High exposures of Vietnam veterans to 2,3,7, 8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, a dioxin contained in the herbicide mixture Agent Orange, have previously been demonstrated to be associated with an increased prevalence of diabetes and hyperinsulinemia in non-diabetic subjects. Sixty-nine persons were identified who were in good health and had normal glucose levels during glucose tolerance testing. These subjects lived within 25 miles of the Vertac/Hercules Superfund site located in Jacksonville, Arkansas. The blood sera lipid concentrations of TCDD for the 69 subjects ranged between 2 and 94 ppt. When subjects with blood sera lipid TCDD levels in the top 10% (TCDD > 15 ppt, n = 7) were compared to subjects with lower levels (2-15 ppt, n = 62), there were no group differences in age, obesity, gender distribution, total lipids, or glucose levels. However, plasma insulin concentrations, at fasting and 30, 60, and 120 min following a 75 g glucose load, were significantly higher in the group with high blood TCDD levels. These finding could not be explained by other known risk factors for hyperinsulinemia. The finding of the TCDD-hyperinsulinemia relationship is consistent with studies of Vietnam veterans and suggests that high blood TCDD levels may cause insulin resistance.
HLA-A, -B, -C, and -DR antigens were determined in order to study the association of HLA in Japanese patients with several autoimmune diseases, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and Hodgkin's disease. The frequency of HLA-DR4 was significantly increased in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile-onset insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. In this study, no significant associations with A, B, or C specificities were observed except BW22 in IDDM. In contrast, the negative association with HLA-DR2 was observed in Hashimoto's thyroiditis, pemphigus vulgaris and hypertrophic non-obstructive cardiomyopathy.
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