We studied the molecular basis of low hepatic lipase (HL) activity in normolipidemic male patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease (CAD). In 18 subjects with a lowered HL activity (< 225 mU/mL), all nine exons of the HL gene and part of the promoter region (nucleotides -524 to +7) were sequenced. No structural mutations in the coding part of the HL gene were found, but 50% of the subjects showed a C-to-T substitution at nucleotide -480. Screening for the base substitution in 782 patients yielded an allele frequency of 0.213 (297 heterozygotes, 18 homozygotes). In a group of 316 nonsymptomatic control subjects, the allele frequency was 0.189, which is significantly less than in the CAD patients (P = .035). In the CAD patients, the C-to-T substitution was associated with a lowered lipase activity (heterozygotes -15%, homozygotes -20%). The patients were divided into quartiles on the basis of HL activity. Sixty percent (allele frequency 0.32) of the patients in the lowest quartile (HL activity < 306 mU/mL) had the gene variant against 27% (allele frequency 0.14) in the highest quartile (HL activity > 466 mU/mL). In the noncarriers, but not in the carriers, HL activity was related with plasma insulin, being increased at higher insulin concentration. Homozygous carriers had a significantly higher HDL cholesterol level-than noncarriers (1.13 +/- 0.28 mmol/L versus 0.92 +/- 0.22 mmol/L, P < .02). Our results show that a C-to-T substitution at -480 of the HL promoter is associated with a lowered HL activity. The base substitution, or a closely linked gene variation, may contribute to the variation in HL activity and affect plasma lipoprotein metabolism.

An intracellular, thermostable, neutral a-galactosidase (a-D-galactoside galactohydrolase E C 3.2.1.32) was produced in pilot plant quantities from a strain of Bacillus stearothermophilus. The organism was cultured at 50°C in a soluble neutral medium containing water extract of soybean meal (397,) and O.5y0 yeast extract. The enzyme biosynthesis was inducible and sensitive to catabolite repression. After autolysis of the cells, the a-galactosidase was selectively and quantitatively complexed from clarified beer directly onto DEAE Sephadex; and enzyme-rich fractions were batchwise eluted with an increasing gradient of NaCl solutions. The eluates were given two consecutive isopropyl alcohol precipitations, and the aqueous solutions of the second precipitate were dialyzed and lyophilized. Final product activity recovery was 72Y0 based on the crude fermentation beer. Best specific activity was 5.2 u/mg protein. Further laboratory purification (DEAE Sephadex and Bio-Gel P200) yielded a product with 14.2 u/mg protein.

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Summary and Conclusions A critical review of the literature was made in search of suitable methods for analyzing ethylene oxide condensates. These studies led to the development of a rapid empirical titrimetric method for measuring nonionic hydrophobicity based on a water titration of a condensate dissolved in dimethylformamide (DMF) and benzene. The end‐point is identified by a definite solution turbidity. Calibration curves were prepared from known condensates. This method should be useful for analysis of adducts in plant quality control and also for nonionics with known hydrophobes. Ether type adducts can not. (Ethylene oxide in esters can be calculated from their saponification values.) Examples of adducts which can be identified by the titrimetric method are those based on fatty alcohols and alkylphenols. Proprietary nonionics analyzed by the DMF method had ethylene oxide values in agreement with those claimed by the manufacturers. DMF data also compare favorably with that by hydriodic acid cleavage.

In 13 non-obese patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus who failed to achieve adequate blood glucose control on dietary treatment (fasting blood glucose 13.4 +/- 2.7 (+/- SD) mmol l-1, glycosylated haemoglobin 13.0 +/- 1.7%), the effects of 6 months insulin or sulphonylurea therapy on blood glucose control and lipid metabolism were compared in a randomized crossover study. Three patients, who showed a clear improvement on insulin (median glycosylated haemoglobin fell from 14.7 to 8.6%), withdrew from the study prematurely because of subjective and objective signs of hyperglycaemia after crossover from insulin to sulphonylurea. Daily dose after 6 months was 2000 mg tolbutamide (n = 3), 18 +/- 1 mg glibenclamide (n = 7), or 34 +/- 3 U insulin. On insulin, fasting (8.0 +/- 1.9 mmol l-1) and postprandial blood glucose (10.4 +/- 2.7 mmol l-1), and glycosylated haemoglobin (9.5 +/- 1.1%) were lower than on sulphonylurea (11.0 +/- 3.4 mmol l-1, 14.4 +/- 4.8 mmol l-1 and 11.0 +/- 2.5%, respectively, p less than 0.05 in each case). Median increase in body weight was greater on insulin (4.2 vs 1.1 kg, p less than 0.05). Six patients experienced improved well-being on insulin compared with sulphonylurea. Median plasma non-esterified fatty acids decreased from 825 mumol l-1 to 476 mumol l-1 (sulphonylurea) and 642 mumol l-1 (insulin, both p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)