dolichols and Lung-Diseases

The isoprenoid pathway is a key regulatory pathway in the cell. It synthesizes digoxin, an endogenous membrane Na(+)-K+ ATPase inhibitor and modulator of synaptic transmission. The role of the isoprenoid pathway in lung diseases and its relation to hemispheric dominance was assessed in this study. The following parameters were measured in patients with (i) bronchial asthma, (ii) chronic bronchitis emphysemia, (iii) idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, (iv) sarcoidosis, and (v) in individuals with right hemispheric, left hemispheric and bihemispheric dominance: 1. plasma HMG CoA reductase, digoxin, dolichol, ubiquinone, and magnesium levels, 2. tryptophan, tyrosine catabolic patterns, 3. free radical metabolism, 4. glycoconjugate metabolism, and 5. membrane composition. In patients with lung disease there was elevated digoxin synthesis, increased dolichol and glycoconjugate levels, and low ubiquinone and elevated free radical levels. The RBC membrane Na(+)-K+ ATPase activity and serum magnesium were decreased. There was also an increase in tryptophan catabolites and reduction in tyrosine catabolites in the serum. There was an increase in cholesterol:phospholipid ratio and a reduction in glycoconjugate level of RBC membrane in these patients. The same biochemical patterns were obtained in individuals with right hemispheric chemical dominance. An upregulated isoprenoid pathway and hyperdigoxinemia are characteristic of lung disease and right hemispheric chemical dominance. Right hemispheric chemical dominance is important in deciding the predisposition to lung disease.

Topics: Adult; Digoxin; Dolichols; Female; Free Radicals; Functional Laterality; Humans; Hypothalamus; Lung Diseases; Magnesium; Male; Middle Aged; Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; Ubiquinone

The isoprenoid pathway produces three key metabolites--endogenous digoxin, dolichol, and ubiquinone. This was assessed in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and in individuals of differing hemispheric dominance to find out the role of hemispheric dominance in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. All 15 cases of interstitial lung disease were right-handed/left hemispheric dominant by the dichotic listening test. The isoprenoidal metabolites--digoxin, dolichol, and ubiquinone, RBC membrane Na(+)-K+ ATPase activity, serum magnesium, tyrosine/tryptophan catabolic patterns, free radical metabolism, glycoconjugate metabolism, and RBC membrane composition--were assessed in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis as well as in individuals with differing hemispheric dominance. In patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis there was elevated digoxin synthesis, increased dolichol and glycoconjugate levels, and low ubiquinone and elevated free radical levels. There was also an increase in tryptophan catabolites and a reduction in tyrosine catabolites. There was an increase in cholesterol phospholipid ratio and a reduction in glycoconjugate level of RBC membrane in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Isoprenoid pathway dysfunction con tributes to the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The biochemical patterns obtained in interstitial lung disease are similar to those obtained in left-handed/right hemispheric chemically dominant individuals by the dichotic listening test. However, all the patients with interstitial lung disease were right-handed/left hemispheric dominant by the dichotic listening test. Hemispheric chemical dominance has no correlation with handedness or the dichotic listening test. Interstitial lung disease occurs in right hemispheric chemically dominant individuals and is a reflection of altered brain function.

Topics: Adenosine Triphosphatases; Brain Chemistry; Cardenolides; Case-Control Studies; Dichotic Listening Tests; Digoxin; Dolichols; Dominance, Cerebral; Free Radicals; Glycoconjugates; Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases; Hypothalamus; Isoproterenol; Lung Diseases; Magnesium; Middle Aged; Neurotransmitter Agents; Saponins; Ubiquinone

The isoprenoid pathway produces three key metabolites--endogenous digoxin, dolichol, and ubiquinone. This was assessed in patients with systemic sarcoidosis. All l5 patients with sarcoidosis were right-handed/left hemispheric dominant by the dichotic listening test. The pathway was also studied in normal right hemispheric, left hemispheric, and bihemispheric dominant individuals for comparison to find out the role of hemispheric dominance in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis. In patients with sarcoidosis there was elevated digoxin synthesis, increased dolichol, and glycoconjugate levels, and low ubiquinone and elevated free radical levels. There was also an increase in tryptophan catabolites and a reduction in tyrosine catabolites. There was an increase in cholesterol:phospholipid ratio and a reduction in glycoconjugate level of RBC membrane in these patients. The neurotransmitter/digoxin-mediated increased intra cellular calcium induced immune activation, ubiquinone deficiency-related mitochondrial dysfunction/free radical generation, and increased dolichol-related altered glycoconjugate metabolism/endogenous self-glycoprotein antigen generation are crucial to the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis. The biochemical patterns obtained in sarcoidosis are similar to those obtained in left-handed/right hemispheric chemically dominant individuals by the dichotic listening test. But all the patients with sarcoidosis were right-handed/left hemispheric dominant by the dichotic listening test. Hemispheric chemical dominance has no correlation with handedness or the dichotic listening test. Sarcoidosis occurs in right hemispheric chemically dominant individuals and is a reflection of altered brain function.

Topics: Adult; Dichotic Listening Tests; Digoxin; Dolichols; Dominance, Cerebral; Female; Humans; Hypothalamus; Lung Diseases; Male; Sarcoidosis; Ubiquinone