ABSTRACT. Osteocalcin is a bone-specific protein whose concentration in blood is a direct reflection of bone turnover. In chronic renal failure, circulating osteocalcin is elevated. This elevation is due to decreased renal clearance and, in some patients, increased bone turnover secondary to renal osteodystrophy. In children receiving continuous ambulatory pe;iton~al-dialysis, mean serum-osteocalcin concentrations are substantiallv lower than in similar Datients on hemodyalysis (1). his difference may be due to clearance of the protein by the peritoneal membrane. To test this possibility we examined osteocalcin in 16 infants and adolescents undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis with two commercially available glucosebased dialysis solutions (2.5 and 4.25% Dianeal). Mass transfer of osteocalcin over 5-h dialysis exchange periods was -18.9 + 2.8 and -28.4 + 7.8 pg for the low and high glucose solutions, respectively. Serum levels fell over the course of single exchange periods in concert with increasing dialysate concentrations. There were significant correlations between initial blood concentrations of osteocalcin and the total amount of osteocalcin transferred ( r = 0.609 and 0.642 for the high and low glucose solutions, respectively, p < 0.05). There were also strong correlations between the mass transfers of osteocalcin and those of creatinine ( p < 0.05) and total protein ( p < 0.01) with the 4.25% glucose exchange. The relationships were weaker with the 2.5% glucose exchange. Fractionation of serum revealed a single immunoreactive peak eluting coincident with intact osteocalcin, but two or three immunoreactive peaks were identified in matching dialysate samples, suggesting that both intact osteocalcin and circulating fragments are transferred by the peritoneal membrane. The efficient clearance of the protein or its metabolic fragments may be a significant factor in the natural history of renal osteodystrophy seen in these patients. (Pediatr Res 21: 296-300,1987) Abbreviations Gla, y-carboxyglutamic acid CAPD, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis
The effect of endothelin (ET), a recently discovered 21-amino-acid polypeptide with powerful vasoconstrictor properties, was examined on human uterine myometrial strips in vitro. ET dose-dependently (10(-11)-10(-7) M) increased the contractile force (monitored as contraction amplitude) of the myometrium with significant effects at 10(-8) and 10(-7) M. ET (10(-8) M and up) also increased the basal tone of the myometrium. The calcium channel blocking agents nifedipine (10(-7) M) and diltiazem (10(-6) M) both inhibited the spontaneous tonic contractions of the myometrium. When ET was given in the presence of nifedipine, the tonic contractions were further inhibited, whereas the ET-induced increase in basal tone remained. The same result was obtained with diltiazem (10(-6) M). The results indicate that the contractility of human myometrium may be modulated by ET, and that the effects of ET on the human myometrium are only partly mediated by dihydropyridine-sensitive calcium channels.
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