Glucose peptide

For nonvolatile or thermally labile samples, a solution of the substance to be examined is applied to the emitter electrode by means of a microsyringe outside the ion source. After evaporation of the solvent, the emitter is put into the ion source and the ionizing voltage is applied. By this means, thermally labile substances, such as peptides, sugars, nucleosides, and so on, can be examined easily and provide excellent molecular mass information. Although still FI, this last ionization is referred to specifically as field desorption (FD). A comparison of FI and FD spectra of D-glucose is shown in Figure 5.6. 

Insulin and Amylin. Insulin is a member of a family of related peptides, the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), including IGF-I and IGF-II (60) and amylin (75), a 37-amino acid peptide that mimics the secretory pattern of insulin. Amylin is deficient ia type 1 diabetes meUitus but is elevated ia hyperinsulinemic states such as insulin resistance, mild glucose iatolerance, and hypertension (33). Insulin is synthesized ia pancreatic P cells from proinsulin, giving rise to the two peptide chains, 4. and B, of the insulin molecule. IGF-I and IGF-II have stmctures that are homologous to that of proinsulin (see INSULIN AND OTHER ANTIDIABETIC DRUGS). 

Nicotinic acid is found in plants associated with both peptides and polysaccharides. For example in wheat bran, two forms are described a peptide with a molecular weight of approximately 12,000 and a carbohydrate complex that is called niacytin. Polysaccharides isolated from wheat bran have been found to contain 1.05% nicotinic acid in bound form. Hydrolysis yielded a fragment identified as P-3-O-nicotinoyl-D-glucose (25). 

Insulin is a peptide hormone, secreted by the pancreas, that regulates glucose metabolism in the body. Insufficient production of insulin or failure of insulin to stimulate target sites in liver, muscle, and adipose tissue leads to the serious metabolic disorder known as diabetes mellitus. Diabetes afflicts millions of people worldwide. Diabetic individuals typically exhibit high levels of glucose in the blood, but insulin injection therapy allows diabetic individuals to maintain normal levels of blood glucose. 

Antidiabetic Drugs other than Insulin. Table 3 Actions of the incretin hormones GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, gastric inhibitory peptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1)... 

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) forms a physiological barrier between the central nervous system and the blood circulation. It consists of glial cells and a special species of endothelial cells, which form tight junctions between each other thereby inhibiting paracellular transport. In addition, the endothelial cells of the BBB express a variety of ABC-transporters to protect the brain tissue against toxic metabolites and xenobiotics. The BBB is permeable to water, glucose, sodium chloride and non-ionised lipid-soluble molecules but large molecules such as peptides as well as many polar substances do not readily permeate the battier. 

Glucose-dependent-insulinotropic peptide Incretin Hormones... 

Incretins gut hormones that increase glucose-stimulated insulin secretion GLP-1 glucagon-like peptide-1 GDP Gastric inhibitory peptide or glucose-dependent insulino-tropic peptide... 

The human pancreas secretes about 40—50 units of insulin daily, which represents about 15—20% of the hormone stored in the B cells. Insidin and the C-peptide (see Figure 42—12) are normally secreted in equimolar amounts. Stimuh such as glucose, which provokes insidin secretion, therefore trigger the processing of proinsidin to insidin as an essential part of the secretory response. 

The identification of non-peptidic lead structures remains a challenge. Screening of natural product extracts led to the identification of two po-lyhydroxylated biphenyls ((10a) and (10b), Figure 2.13) that show submicromolar inhibition of the viral protease [156]. A recent report discloses polyesters of glucose (11) and gallic acid (12) as micromolar inhibitors of the NS3 protease [157]. 

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