Plasma Biomarkers Discriminate Clinical Forms of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis, the most common cause of neurological disability in young population after trauma, represents a significant public health burden. Current challenges associated with management of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients stem from the lack of biomarkers that might enable stratification of the different clinical forms of MS and thus prompt treatment for those patients with progressive MS, for whom there is currently no therapy available. In the present work we analyzed a set of thirty different plasma cytokines, chemokines and growth factors present in circulation of 129 MS patients with different clinical forms (relapsing remitting, secondary progressive and primary progressive MS) and 53 healthy controls, across two independent cohorts. The set of plasma analytes was quantified with Luminex xMAP technology and their predictive power regarding clinical outcome was evaluated both individually using ROC curves and in combination using logistic regression analysis. Our results from two independent cohorts of MS patients demonstrate that the divergent clinical and histology-based MS forms are associated with distinct profiles of circulating plasma protein biomarkers, with distinct signatures being composed of chemokines and growth/angiogenic factors. With this work, we propose that an evaluation of a set of 4 circulating biomarkers (HGF, Eotaxin/CCL11, EGF and MIP-1β/CCL4) in MS patients might serve as an effective tool in the diagnosis and more personalized therapeutic targeting of MS patients.     

Protein binding and stability of norepinephrine in human blood plasma. Involvement of prealbumin, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and albumin

The binding of norepinephrine (NE) to plasma proteins of fresh human blood obtained from healthy volunteers was studied by ultrafiltration at different NE concentrations and incubation times at 37 degrees C. At 1.7 nM L-[3H]-NE binding was approximately 25%. The binding was rapid and was not influenced by the incubation time. [3H]-NE could be dissociated from its binding sites by acid precipitation and, after HPLC, showed to be unchanged NE. No difference in NE binding was found between plasma collected in EGTA-GSH or heparin solution. There was no degradation of NE when incubated in plasma at 37 degrees C for 10 h, even without the addition of antioxidants. Therefore, in the present study, binding represented interaction of unchanged NE with plasma proteins. The whole plasma binding was saturable over the range of 0.66 nM to 0.59 mM of NE. Scatchard plot of specific binding revealed high-affinity sites with a Kd of 5.4 nM and a Bmax of 3.9 fmoles.mg-1 protein, and low-affinity sites with a Kd of 2.7 microM and a Bmax of 3.3 pmoles.mg-1 protein. Electrophoretic characterization of NE-binding proteins showed that about 60% of bound NE was associated to albumin, and 20% to prealbumin. NE binding to pure human plasma proteins was also studied using ultrafiltration. Scatchard analyses revealed a single class of very high-affinity binding sites for prealbumin (Kd 4.9 nM), a single class of binding sites for alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (Kd 54 microM) and two classes of binding sites for albumin with high (Kd 1.7 microM) and low (Kd 0.8 mM) affinities respectively. The main results obtained in this study - a) reversibility of NE binding, b) stability of free and bound NE in plasma, c) involvement of the prealbumin as a specific binding protein - point out to a specific transport for NE in human blood plasma.     

Stereospecific reactivation of human brain and erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase inhibited by 1,2,2-trimethylpropyl methylphosphonofluoridate (soman)

Human erythrocyte and brain acetylcholinesterase are preferentially inhibited by the P(-)-isomers of C(+/-)P(+/-)-soman. The enzymes inhibited by the P(-)-isomers behave similarly with respect to oxime-induced reactivation and aging. HI-6 is the best reactivator for C(+)P(-)-soman-inhibited acetylcholinesterases. Oxime-induced reactivation of the C(-)P(-)-soman-inhibited acetylcholinesterases is much more difficult to achieve.     

Comparative study of the microtriches of adult Cestodes (Proteocephalidea: Monticelliidae), and some comments on their systematic value

The surface of the tegument of the scolex and the immature proglottides of Monticellia belavistensis, M. ventrei, Nomimoscolex chubbi, and N. lopesi is described using scanning electron microscopy. Only blade-like spiniform microtriches and filiform microtriches were observed in the species studied. The types, size and density of microtriches on the apical region surface of the scolex, central cavity surface of suckers, marginal ring surface of suckers, non-adherent surface of suckers, proliferation zone surface, and immature proglottis surface were compared among these species. The distribution pattern of the microtriches was not a reliable feature to discriminate among the genera considered in this study. It varied in each of the species of Monticellia examined, and did not permit to split the heterogeneous genus Nomimoscolex. However, the microthrix pattern can be regarded as an additional diagnostic feature to distinguish among species of proteocephalideans. Further comparative research involving other species of proteocephalid taxa is needed to elucidate the systematic value of the tegumental morphology.     

Application of the Red List Index as an indicator of habitat change

For the first time ever, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List Index for habitat types was calculated for an entire country, Finland. The RLIs were based on species threat assessments from 2000 and 2010 and included habitat definitions for all 10,131 species of 12 organism groups. The RLIs were bootstrapped to track statistically significant changes. The RLI changes of species grouped by habitats were negative for all habitat types except for forests and rural biotopes which showed a stable trend. Trends of beetles and true bugs were positive in rural and forest habitats. Other 16 observed trends of species group and habitat combinations were negative. Several trends observed were in accordance with studies focusing on particular taxa and habitats, and drivers for their change. This study demonstrates the usefulness of the RLI as a tool for observing habitat change based on species threat assessment data.