Changes in serum DHEA and eleven of its metabolites during 12-month percutaneous administration of DHEA

Healthy postmenopausal women aged 60-65 years (n=150) were randomized to receive twice daily application on the skin of 3g of a 0.3% dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) or placebo emulsion for 12 months. Serum DHEA and eleven of its metabolites were measured at screening and on day 1, as well as at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months to study long-term metabolism. While serum DHEA and androst-5-ene-3beta, 17beta-diol (5-diol) increased by 203% and 178%, respectively, on average, during the 12-month period, the sum of concentrations of the metabolites of androgens, namely androsterone glucuronide (ADT-G), androstane-3alpha,17beta-diol-3G and -17G increased by only 71% while usually non statistically significant changes of 30%, 17% and 20% were observed for estrone (E(1)), estradiol (E(2)) and E(1) sulfate (E(1)-S), respectively. Despite the return of serum DHEA to normal premenopausal values with the present DHEA treatment regimen, the 65% decrease in the androgen pool found in this group of postmenopausal women is in fact corrected by only 24%, thus remaining 41% below the values found in normal premenopausal women. In fact, the changes in serum DHEA observed after percutaneous DHEA administration are a 186% overestimate of the true changes in androgen formation while the overestimate of estrogen production is even much higher. On the other hand, the pharmacokinetics of the steroids are stable over the 12-month period with no significant induction or decrease of activity of the enzymatic systems transforming DHEA predominantly into androgens.     

Genetic analysis of emotional reactivity in sheep: effects of the genotypes of the lambs and of their dams

A total of 1347 weaned lambs from eight genotypes were tested over five consecutive years: Romanov (ROM) and Lacaune (LAC) pure breeds, the two F1 crossbreeds (RL and LR) and the offspring of ewes from these four genotypes sired with Berrichon-du-Cher rams (BCF). The lambs were individually exposed to three challenging tests involving novelty, human contact and social isolation. Ten synthetic variables were used to express social reactivity (i.e., active vs. passive strategy), exploratory activity and reactivity to humans. BCF crossbreds were more active (i.e., high bleats, locomotion and attempts to escape) than purebreds and F1. In contrast, ROM expressed more passive responses (i.e., low bleats and vigilance postures) than LAC and BCF crossbreds. In addition, ROM approached a motionless human less and had longer flight distances to an approaching human than did LAC and BCF crossbreds. When restrained, ROM, and to a lesser extent B×ROM and B×LR, avoided human contact more than did LAC, RL and B×LAC. Most of these differences were explained by direct additive genetic effects while maternal influences or heterosis effects were rarely significant. The highest heritability was for high bleats (h² = 0.48). Females were more active and avoided human contact more than did males.     

Infliximab therapy in rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis-induced specific antinuclear and antiphospholipid autoantibodies without autoimmune clinical manifestations: a two-year prospective study

Dysfunction in various parts of immune defence, such as immune response, immune complex clearance, and inflammation, has an impact on pathogenesis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We hypothesised that combinations of common variants of genes involved in these immune functions are associated with susceptibility to SLE. The following variants were analysed: HLA DR3, HLA DQ2, C4AQ0, Fcγ receptor IIa (FcγRIIa) genotype R/R, Fcγ receptor IIIa (FcRγIIIa) genotype F/F, mannan-binding lectin (MBL) genotype conferring a low serum concentration of MBL (MBL-low), and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) genotype 2/2. Polymorphisms were analysed in 143 Caucasian patients with SLE and 200 healthy controls. HLA DR3 in SLE patients was in 90% part of the haplotype HLA DR3-DQ2-C4AQ0, which was strongly associated with SLE (odds ratio [OR] 2.8, 95% CI 1.7–4.5). Analysis of combinations of gene variants revealed that the strong association with SLE for HLA DR3-DQ2-C4AQ0 remained after combination with FcγRIIa R/R, FcγRIIIa F/F, and MBL-low (OR>2). Furthermore, the combination of the FcγRIIa R/R and IL-1Ra 2/2 genotypes yielded a strong correlation with SLE (OR 11.8, 95% CI 1.5–95.4). This study demonstrates that certain combinations of gene variants may increase susceptibility to SLE, suggesting this approach for future studies. It also confirms earlier findings regarding the HLA DR3-DQ2-C4AQ0 haplotype.     

Hyperhydricity of Micropropagated Shoots: A Typically Stress-induced Change of Physiological State

Hyperhydricity of micropropagated shoots, formerly called vitrification, undoubtedly results from growth and culture conditions, subjectively reputated as stressing factors: wounding, infiltration of soft culture medium, generally of a high ionic strength, rich in nitrogen and in growth regulators in a special balance, in a humid and gaseous confined atmosphere. Stress is (objectively) defined as a disruption of homeostasis resulting from a constraint escaping the usual flexibility of metabolism. It induces another temporary (reversible) or definitive (irreversible) thermodynamic physiological state. The state-change concept developed by Strasser (1988) and Strasser and Tsimilli-Michael (2001) is applicable to the phenomenon of hyperhydricity. An appraisal of the redox capacities of hyperhydrated shoots together with a study of some enzymic activities that catalyse pentose phosphate and glycolytic pathways has indeed shown that such shoots have evolved towards a temporary state of lower differentiation or a juvenile state with a sufficient activity to survive and to defend themselves.     

Mutational Analysis of Mesentericin Y105, an Anti-Listeria Bacteriocin, for Determination of Impact on Bactericidal Activity, In Vitro Secondary Structure, and Membrane Interaction

Mesentericin Y105 is a 37-residue bacteriocin produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides Y105 that displays antagonistic activity against gram-positive bacteria such as Enterococcus faecalis and Listeria monocytogenes. It is closely related to leucocin A, an antimicrobial peptide containing β-sheet and α-helical structures. To analyze structure-function relationships and the mode of action of this bacteriocin, we generated a collection of mesentericin derivatives. Mutations were obtained mostly by PCR random mutagenesis, and the peptides were produced by an original system of heterologous expression recently described (D. Morisset and J. Frère, Biochimie 84:569-576, 2002). Ten derivatives were obtained displaying modifications at eight different positions in the mesentericin Y105 sequence. Purified peptides were incorporated into lysophosphatidylcholine micelles and analyzed by circular dichroism. The α-helical contents of these peptides were compared and related to their respective bactericidal activities. Moreover, studies of the intrinsic fluorescence of tryptophan residues naturally occurring at positions 18 and 37 revealed information about insertion of the peptides in micelles. A model for the mode of action of mesentericin Y105 and related bacteriocins is proposed.     

Does exercise-induced hypoxemia modify lactate influx into erythrocytes and hemorheological parameters in athletes?

This study investigated 1) red blood cells (RBC) rigidity and 2) lactate influxes into RBCs in endurance-trained athletes with and without exercise-induced hypoxemia (EIH). Nine EIH and six non-EIH subjects performed a submaximal steady-state exercise on a cyclo-ergometer at 60% of maximal aerobic power for 10 min, followed by 15 min at 85% of maximal aerobic power. At rest and at the end of exercise, arterialized blood was sampled for analysis of arterialized pressure in oxygen, and venous blood was drawn for analysis of plasma lactate concentrations and hemorheological parameters. Lactate influxes into RBCs were measured at three labeled [U-14C]lactate concentrations (1.6, 8.1, and 41 mM) on venous blood sampled at rest. The EIH subjects had higher maximal oxygen uptake than non-EIH (P < 0.05). Total lactate influx was significantly higher in RBCs from EIH compared with non-EIH subjects at 8.1 mM (1,498.1 +/- 87.8 vs. 1,035.9 +/- 114.8 nmol.ml(-1).min(-1); P < 0.05) and 41 mM (2,562.0 +/- 145.0 vs. 1,618.1 +/- 149.4 nmol.ml(-1).min(-1); P < 0.01). Monocarboxylate transporter-1-mediated lactate influx was also higher in EIH at 8.1 mM (P < 0.05) and 41 mM (P < 0.01). The drop in arterial oxygen partial pressure was negatively correlated with total lactate influx measured at 8.1 mM (r = -0.82, P < 0.05) and 41 mM (r = -0.84, P < 0.05) in the two groups together. Plasma lactate concentrations and hemorheological data were similar in the two groups at rest and at the end of exercise. The results showed higher monocarboxylate transporter-1-mediated lactate influx in the EIH subjects and suggested that EIH could modify lactate influx into erythrocyte. However, higher lactate influx in EIH subjects was not accompanied by an increase in RBC rigidity.     

Post-secretory events alter the peptide content of the skin secretion of Hypsiboas raniceps

A novel family of antimicrobial peptides, named raniseptins, has been characterized from the skin secretion of the anuran Hypsiboas raniceps. Nine cDNA molecules have been successfully cloned, sequenced, and their respective polypeptides were characterized by mass spectrometry and Edman degradation. The encoded precursors share structural similarities with the dermaseptin prepropeptides from the Phyllomedusinae subfamily and the mature 28-29 residue long peptides undergo further proteolytic cleavage in the crude secretion yielding consistent fragments of 14-15 residues. The biological assays performed demonstrated that the Rsp-1 peptide has antimicrobial activity against different bacterial strains without significant lytic effect against human erythrocytes, whereas the peptide fragments generated by endoproteolysis show limited antibiotic potency. MALDI imaging mass spectrometry in situ studies have demonstrated that the mature raniseptin peptides are in fact secreted as intact molecules within a defined glandular domain of the dorsal skin, challenging the physiological role of the observed raniseptin fragments, identified only as part of the crude secretion. In this sense, stored and secreted antimicrobial peptides may confer distinct protective roles to the frog.     

Gas chromatography–combustion–isotope ratio mass spectrometry analysis of 19-norsteroids: application to the detection of a nandrolone metabolite in urine

Determination of whether the major metabolite of nandrolone in urine, 19-norandrosterone (19-NA), is exogenous or endogenous in origin is one of the most exciting challenges for antidoping laboratories. Gas chromatography–combustion–isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC–C–IRMS) can be used to differentiate these two origins by carbon isotopic ratio analysis. A complete method for purification of 19-NA in urine has been established. Acetylated ketosteroids, and in particular 19-NA, are isolated from the urine matrix before analysis after hydrolysis and purification of urine by reversed-phase and normal solid-phase extraction. The limit of detection for 19-NA was about 60 ng with recoveries of 54–60%. Evidence of exogenous administration of 19-NA may be established from isotope ratio determination from the ¹³C/¹²C ratios of several synthetic 19-norsteroids compared to those obtained for endogenous steroids.