Neprilysin 4: an essential peptidase with multifaceted physiological relevance.

Neprilysins are highly conserved ectoenzymes that hydrolyze and thus inactivate signaling peptides in the extracellular space. Herein, we focus on Neprilysin 4 from and evaluate the existing knowledge on the physiological relevance of the peptidase. Particular attention is paid to the role of the neprilysin in regulating feeding behavior and the expression of insulin-like peptides in the central nervous system.

Neprilysins regulate muscle contraction and heart function via cleavage of SERCA-inhibitory micropeptides.

Muscle contraction depends on strictly controlled Ca transients within myocytes. A major player maintaining these transients is the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca ATPase, SERCA. Activity of SERCA is regulated by binding of micropeptides and impaired expression or function of these peptides results in cardiomyopathy.

Identification and bioinformatic analysis of neprilysin and neprilysin-like metalloendopeptidases in .

The neprilysin (M13) family of metalloendopeptidases comprises highly conserved ectoenzymes that cleave and thereby inactivate many physiologically relevant peptides in the extracellular space. Impaired neprilysin activity is associated with numerous human diseases. Here, we present a comprehensive list and classification of M13 family members in .

Species-specific effects of thermal stress on the expression of genetic variation across a diverse group of plant and animal taxa under experimental conditions.

Assessing the genetic adaptive potential of populations and species is essential for better understanding evolutionary processes. However, the expression of genetic variation may depend on environmental conditions, which may speed up or slow down evolutionary responses. Thus, the same selection pressure may lead to different responses.

Identification and In Vivo Characterisation of Cardioactive Peptides in .

Neuropeptides and peptide hormones serve as critical regulators of numerous biological processes, including development, growth, reproduction, physiology, and behaviour. In mammals, peptidergic regulatory systems are complex and often involve multiple peptides that act at different levels and relay to different receptors. To improve the mechanistic understanding of such complex systems, invertebrate models in which evolutionarily conserved peptides and receptors regulate similar biological processes but in a less complex manner have emerged as highly valuable.

neprilysins control insulin signaling and food intake via cleavage of regulatory peptides.

Insulin and IGF signaling are critical to numerous developmental and physiological processes, with perturbations being pathognomonic of various diseases, including diabetes. Although the functional roles of the respective signaling pathways have been extensively studied, the control of insulin production and release is only partially understood. Herein, we show that in expression of insulin-like peptides is regulated by neprilysin activity.

Exact sequence analysis for three-dimensional hydrophobic-polar lattice proteins.

We have exactly enumerated all sequences and conformations of hydrophobic-polar (HP) proteins with chains of up to 19 monomers on the simple cubic lattice. For two variants of the HP model, where only two types of monomers are distinguished, we determined and statistically analyzed designing sequences, i.e.

Do African immigrants living in France have long-term malarial immunity?

Among populations living in areas endemic for malaria, repeated parasite exposure leads to a gradual increase in protective immunity to the disease. In contrast, this immunity is assumed to disappear after several years of non-exposure. This study was designed to investigate long-term immunity in subjects removed from the risk of exposure.

Efficacy of antimalarial chemoprophylaxis among French residents travelling to Africa.

Controversy exists about which antimalarial chemoprophylaxis regimen should be used among travellers to Africa: the WHO and other experts recommend the use of mefloquine throughout sub-Saharan Africa, whereas French experts still support the combination of chloroquine and proguanil in most of West Africa (the so-called zone 2 countries). In this case-control study based at a travel clinic, we examined the compliance with antimalarial chemoprophylaxis and its efficacy among travellers to tropical areas. Cases were patients with Plasmodium falciparum malaria (n = 131).

Once-a-day highly active antiretroviral therapy in treatment-naive HIV-1-infected adults in Senegal.

Objectives: To study the effectiveness, adherence and tolerance of a once-a-day highly active antiretroviral therapy regimen in adults in Senegal.

Design And Methods: In a prospective, open-label one-arm study, 40 treatment-naive HIV-1-infected patients took the following three drugs once a day at bedtime: didanosine, lamivudine and efavirenz. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients with plasma HIV-1 RNA below 500 copies/ml at 6 months.

Cutaneous larva migrans in travelers: a prospective study, with assessment of therapy with ivermectin.

The purpose of this prospective study was to update epidemiological data on cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) and to assess the therapeutic efficacy of ivermectin. We performed the study between June 1994 and December 1998 at our travel clinic. Ivermectin (a single dose of 200 microg/kg) was offered to all the patients with CLM, and its efficacy and tolerability were assessed by a questionnaire.

Geotrichum capitatum septicaemia in neutropenic patients: case report and review of the literature.

We report a case of systemic infection with Geotrichum capitatum in a patient with acute myeloid leukaemia. Three days before death, the patient developed acute renal failure, probably caused by occlusion of glomerula with hyphae of G. capitatum.

[Energy and nitrogen metabolism of pregnant and lactating sows and suckling piglets. 7. Energy and nitrogen metabolism in suckling piglets].

In 23 litters, each with 10 or 11 piglets, the energy and nitrogen metabolism was measured on base of 218 body analyses in suckling piglets and on base of 96 total metabolism experiments in early weaned piglets, combined with 134 body analyses. The studies were carried out as part of a complex experimental program for the factorial derivation of energy and protein requirement of piglets and for measuring the milk production of lactating sows. The energy maintenance requirement of suckling piglets (sow's milk nutrition, I) and of early weaned piglets (sow's milk replacement on the basis of cow's milk, II) amounted to 468 (I) and 451 kJ (II) metabolizable energy per kg LW0.

[Energy and nitrogen metabolism of pregnant and lactating sows and suckling piglets. 6. Comparative studies of energy and nitrogen metabolism of non-pregnant and pregnant sows].

Aim of the studies was to attain new scientific findings for the influence of the physiological state of sows (non-pregnant and pregnant respectively) on energy and nitrogen metabolism. The experiments were carried out according to a 3 x 3 factorial experimental plan with 3 variants of litter number (1, 2 and 4) and 3 variants of energy supply (120, 100 and 80%). Within the variants the non-pregnant and pregnant sows were fed equally related to the metabolic live weight.

[Energy and nitrogen metabolism of pregnant and lactating sows in addition to the suckling piglets. 4. Chemical composition and energy content of the conception products, reproductive organs and the live weight gain or loss in pregnant or lactating sows].

The chemical composition and the energy content of the conception products, the reproductive organs and the live weight gains or losses of pregnant and lactating sows were determined in dependence on the litter number (1, 2 and 4) and the energy supply (120, 100 and 80% of requirement recommendation) of sows as well as on the course of gestation and lactation. The results will be used as a basis for factorial derivation of requirement recommendation. The deposition of protein and energy in the conception products in dependence on the time is characterized by an exponential function.

[Energy and nitrogen metabolism of pregnant and lactating sows and suckling piglets. 5. Energy and nitrogen metabolism of pregnant sows].

The energy and nitrogen metabolism of pregnant sows was measured with the method of indirect calorimetry in dependence on the number of gestation (1,2 and 4), on the energy supply (120, 100 and 80% of the requirement recommendation) and on the gestation stage. Values of maintenance requirement and of energy and nitrogen utilization for body deposition were calculated on the basis of results of energy and nitrogen metabolism. The energy maintenance requirement increased from 389 to 435 and 473 kJ metabolizable energy per kg LW0.

[Energy and nitrogen metabolism of pregnant and lactating sows and suckling piglets. 3. Chemical composition and energy content of the animal body fractions as well as portions of the animal body fractions of empty body of nonpregnant, pregnant and lactating sows].

The study is based on the results obtained from the slaughter of 5 sows on the first day of pregnancy and the first day of the experiment respectively (pregnant and non-pregnant sows resp.), of 43 pregnant sows on the 56th, 84th, 98th, 105th and 113rd day of gestation as well as 17 lactating sows on the 26th day of lactation. The animal bodies of pregnant sows were divided in 15 fractions and those of non-pregnant and lactating sows in 12 fractions.

[The effect of the phosphorus supply on the energy metabolism of growing swine].

In growing barrows (live weight 17-30 kg) 3 g P/kg DM feed resulted in comparison to 6 g P/kg DM in 8% lower live weight gain. The lower live weight gain had no relation to N- and energy retention. The lower P feeding has only low effect on energy excretion in faeces and urine (1% of gross energy).

[The energy and nitrogen metabolism of pregnant and lactating sows and suckling piglets. 2. Chemical composition and energy content of the animal bodies of pregnant, non-pregnant and lactating sows].

The influence of litter number (1, 2 and 4, age of sows) as well as gestation and lactation stage of sows on the chemical composition and on the quantities of protein and fat of their bodies was investigated. The slaughter of 46 pregnant, 18 non-pregnant and 17 lactating sows were carried out at the 1st, 56th, 84th, 98th, 105th and 113th day of gestation, 113th day of experiment (non-pregnant sows) and 26th day of lactation. The results were related to the sows' energy supply (120, 100 and 80%) with equal supply of protein, vitamins and minerals.

[The energy and nitrogen metabolism of pregnant and lactating sows and suckling piglets. 1. Experimental plan and results concerning the live weight development of pregnant, non-pregnant and lactating sows and the reproductive performance during gestation and lactation].

The aim of the experiments was to work out new results for a factorial derivation of energy and protein requirement. The experiments were carried out according to a 3 x 3 factorial experimental plan with 3 variants of litter number (1, 2 and 4, age of sows) and 3 variants of energy supply (120, 100 and 80% of the norm of pregnancy, continued in lactation with 80, 100 and 120%). Methods of the indirect calorimetry and the slaughtering technique were used.

[Determination of kinetic parameters of protein metabolism in growing rats in conjunction with the measurement of energy metabolism. 2. Determination of the energy requirement for protein retention in conjunction with measurement of the protein synthesis rate at different levels of protein supply].

Energy metabolism-by means of indirect calorimetry-and kinetic parameters of the protein metabolism on the basis of the 3-compartment model were measured with 4 groups of 4 or 5 male Wistar rats in the growth range of between 70 and 230 g live weight in a total of 5 alternately successive periods at the feeding levels growth and energy maintenance as well as 4 different levels of protein supply (6, 10, 17 and 26% crude protein in the feed). The partial energy requirement values for protein retention (bp) for every animal and every period are calculated from the data of energy metabolism. On an average of the 3 growth periods they amounted to 1.

[Determination of kinetic parameters of protein metabolism in growing rats in conjunction with measurement of energy metabolism. 1. Determination of kinetic parameters of protein metabolism in relation to body weight and protein content of the feed].

The digestibility, the N balance, the rate of protein synthesis and other parameters, characterising the protein metabolism in dependence on live weight, protein- and energy supply are estimated on Wistar rats (4-5 animals/group). These experiments were done in 5 alternating consecutive growth and energy maintenance periods at 4 different levels of protein (6, 10, 17, 26% CP) during the live weight period of 70 to 230 g. The rate of protein synthesis was calculated from the course of renale 15N excretion by means of the end product method after giving a single dose of a mixture of 17 15N labelled amino acids.