Abortive versus productive viral infection of dendritic cells with a paramyxovirus results in differential upregulation of select costimulatory molecules

Dendritic cells are the most potent antigen-presenting cell for priming naive T cells. Optimal activation of T cells requires that dendritic cells undergo a process of maturation resulting in the increased expression of costimulatory molecules, such as CD40, CD86, and CD80, and the production of cytokines. In this study we analyzed the effect of infection of dendritic cells obtained from two strains of mice, BALB/c and C57BL/6, with the paramyxovirus simian virus 5 (SV5). Our results show that C57BL/6 bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDC) are much more permissive to infection with SV5 at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 10 PFU/cell compared to BALB/c BMDC, as determined by the production of viral proteins and progeny. However, infection of BALB/c BMDC with a higher MOI of 50 PFU/cell resulted in a productive infection with the production of significant amounts of viral proteins and progeny. Regardless of the permissivity to infection, both BALB/c and C57BL/6 BMDC efficiently upregulated CD40 and CD86. However, CD80 upregulation correlated with the level of expression of viral proteins and the production of viral progeny. While secreted alpha/beta interferon was required for increased expression of all three molecules, optimal CD80 expression was dependent on an additional signal provided by a productive viral infection. These findings provide evidence that the signals controlling the expression of costimulatory molecules following viral infection are distinct. Further, they suggest that the amount of virus encountered and/or the permissivity of a dendritic cell to infection can alter the resulting maturation phenotype and functional capacity of the infected dendritic cell.     

Stem-loop IV in the 5' untranslated region is a cis-acting element in bovine coronavirus defective interfering RNA replication

The 210-nucleotide (nt) 5' untranslated region (UTR) in the positive-strand bovine coronavirus (BCoV) genome is predicted to contain four higher-order structures identified as stem-loops I to IV, which may function as cis-acting elements in genomic RNA replication. Here, we describe evidence that stem-loop IV, a bulged stem-loop mapping at nt 186 through 215, (i) is phylogenetically conserved among group 2 coronaviruses and may have a homolog in groups 1 and 3, (ii) exists as a higher-order structure on the basis of enzyme probing, (iii) is required as a higher-order element for replication of a BCoV defective interfering (DI) RNA in the positive but not the negative strand, and (iv) as a higher-order structure in wild-type (wt) and mutant molecules that replicate, specifically binds six cellular proteins in the molecular mass range of 25 to 58 kDa as determined by electrophoretic mobility shift and UV cross-linking assays; binding to viral proteins was not detected. Interestingly, the predicted stem-loop IV homolog in the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus appears to be group 1-like in that it is in part duplicated with a group 1-like conserved loop sequence and is not group 2-like, as would be expected by the SARS coronavirus group 2-like 3' UTR structure. These results together indicate that stem-loop IV in the BCoV 5' UTR is a cis-acting element for DI RNA replication and that it might function through interactions with cellular proteins. It is postulated that stem-loop IV functions similarly in the virus genome.     

Synthesis, structure and solution chemistry of mixed-ligand oxovanadium(IV) and oxovanadium(V) complexes incorporating tridentate ONO donor hydrazone ligands

In the title family, the ONO donor ligands are the acetylhydrazones of salicylaldehyde (H₂L¹) and 2-hydroxyacetophenone (H₂L²) (general abbreviation, H₂L). The reaction of bis(acetylacetonato)oxovanadium(IV) with a mixture of tridentate H₂L and a bidentate NN donor [e.g., 2,2′-bipyridine(bpy) or 1,10-phenanthroline(phen), hereafter B] ligands in equimolar ratio afforded the tetravalent complexes of the type [V^IVO(L)(B)]; complexes (1)-(4) whereas, if B is replaced by 8-hydroxyquinoline(Hhq) (which is a bidentate ON donor ligand), the above reaction mixture yielded the pentavalent complexes of the type [V^VO(L)(hq)]; complexes (5) and (6). Aerial oxygen is most likely the oxidant (for the oxidation of V^IV → V^V) in the synthesis of pentavalent complexes (5) and (6). [V^IVO(L)(B)] complexes are one electron paramagnetic and display axial EPR spectra, while the [V^VO(L)(hq)] complexes are diamagnetic. The X-ray structure of [V^VO(L²)(hq)] (6) indicates that H₂L² ligand is bonded with the vanadium meridionally in a tridentate dinegative fashion through its phenolic-O, enolic-O and imine-N atoms. The general bond length order is: oxo < phenolato < enolato. The V-O (enolato) bond is longer than V-O (phenolato) bond by ∼0.07 Å and is identical with V-O (carboxylate) bond. ¹H NMR spectrum of (6) in CDCl₃ solution indicates that the binding nature in the solid state is also retained in solution. Complexes (1)-(4) display two ligand-field transitions in the visible region near 820 and 480 nm in DMF solution and exhibit irreversible oxidation peak near +0.60 V versus SCE in DMSO solution, while complexes (5) and (6) exhibit only LMCT band near 535 nm and display quasi-reversible one electron reduction peak near −0.10 V versus SCE in CH₂Cl₂ solution. The VO³⁺-VO²⁺E_1/2 values shift considerably to more negative values when neutral NN donor is replaced by anionic ON donor species and it also provides better VO³⁺ binding via phenolato oxygen. For a given bidentate ligand, E_1/2 increases in the order: (L²)²⁻ < (L¹)²⁻.     

Synergistic effects of Trichoshield on enhancement of growth and resistance to downy mildew in pearl millet

Trichoshield, a talc formulation consisting of spores of Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma lignorum, Gliocladium virens and Bacillus subtilis was tested, following different application methods, for its ability to promote growth of pearl millet plants and to induce resistance to downy mildew of pearl millet. Under laboratory conditions, trichoshield seed treatment enhanced seed germination and seedling vigor of pearl millet significantly over the control; under greenhouse conditions vegetative growth parameters like height, fresh and dry weight, leaf area and number of tillers were significantly enhanced over the control: Trichoshield formulation offered greater protection against downy mildew in comparison with individual strains of T. harzianum, T. lignorum, G. virensand B. subtilis. Among the methods of application, foliar spray was found to be a more efficient delivery method than seed treatment or slurry treatment. Combinations of foliar spray with seed treatment and slurry treatment produced the same effect as foliar spray alone. Under field conditions, trichoshield treatment enhanced reproductive parameters like number of earheads, length and girth of earheads, 1000 seed weight and yield significantly over the control. Days required for 50% flowering was reduced by 4 days compared to the control. Yield enhancement of 28% over the control was highly significant. Trichoshield treatment offered protection ranging from 52 to 71% under field conditions, depending on the application method. However, the chemical fungicide metalaxyl Apron provided the highest protection against downy mildew, both under greenhouse and field conditions.     

Induction of p53 by urokinase in lung epithelial cells

Urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) is a serine protease that catalyzes the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin. The plasminogen/plasmin system includes the uPA, its receptor, and its inhibitor (plasminogen activator inhibitor-1). Interactions between these molecules regulate cellular proteolysis as well as adhesion, cellular proliferation, and migration, processes germane to the pathogenesis of lung injury and neoplasia. In previous studies, we found that uPA regulates cell surface fibrinolysis by regulating its own expression as well as that of the uPA receptor and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. In this study, we found that uPA alters expression of the tumor suppressor protein p53 in Beas2B airway epithelial cells in both a time- and concentration-dependent manner. These effects do not require uPA catalytic activity because the amino-terminal fragment of uPA lacking catalytic activity was as potent as two chain active uPA. Single chain uPA also enhanced p53 expression to the same extent as intact two chain active uPA and the amino-terminal fragment. Pretreatment of cells with anti-beta1 integrin antibody blocked uPA-induced p53 expression. uPA-induced p53 expression occurs without increased p53 mRNA expression. However, uPA induced oncoprotein MDM2 in a concentration-dependent manner. uPA-induced p53 expression does not require activation of tyrosine kinases. Inactivation of protein-tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2 inhibits both basal and uPA-induced p53 expression. Plasmin did not alter uPA-mediated p53 expression. The induction of p53 expression by exposure of lung epithelial cells to uPA is a newly recognized pathway by which urokinase may influence the proliferation of lung epithelial cells. This pathway could regulate pathophysiologic alterations of p53 expression in the setting of lung inflammation or neoplasia.     

Cell cycle kinetics of expanding populations of neural stem and progenitor cells in vitro

Neural stem cells (NSCs) are undifferentiated, primitive cells with important potential applications including the replacement of neural tissue lost due to neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease, as well as brain and spinal cord injuries, including stroke. We have developed methods to rapidly expand populations of mammalian stem and progenitor cells in neurosphere cultures. In the present study, flow cytometry was used in order to understand cell cycle activation and proliferation of neural stem and progenitor cells in suspension bioreactors. First, a protocol was developed to analyze the cell cycle kinetics of NSCs. As expected, neurosphere cells were found to cycle slowly, with a very small proportion of the cell population undergoing mitosis at any time. Large fractions (65-70%) of the cells were detected in G1, even in rapidly proliferating cultures, and significant fractions (20%) of the cells were in G0. Second, it was observed that different culturing methods influence both the proportion of neurosphere cells in each phase of the cell cycle and the fraction of actively proliferating cells. The results show that suspension culture does not significantly alter the cell cycle progression of neurosphere cells, while long-term culture (>60 days) results in significant changes in cell cycle kinetics. This suggests that when developing a process to produce neural stem cells for clinical applications, it is imperative to track the cell cycle kinetics, and that a short-term suspension bioreactor process can be used to successfully expand neurosphere cells.     

Aging in the rat hippocampus is associated with widespread reductions in the number of glutamate decarboxylase-67 positive interneurons but not interneuron degeneration

Increased excitability of principal excitatory neurons is one of the hallmarks of aging in the hippocampus, signifying a diminution in the number and/or function of inhibitory interneurons with aging. To elucidate this, we performed comprehensive GABA-ergic interneuron cell counts in all layers of the dentate gyrus and the CA1 and CA3 subfields, using serial sections from adult, middle-aged and aged Fischer 344 rats. Sections were immunostained for glutamate decarboxylase-67 (GAD-67, a synthesizing enzyme of GABA) and GAD-67 immunopositive interneurons were counted using an unbiased cell counting method, the optical fractionator. Substantial declines in the absolute number of GAD-67 immunopositive interneurons were found in all hippocampal layers/subfields of middle-aged and aged animals, in comparison with the adult animals. However, the counts were comparable between the middle-aged and aged groups for all regions. Interestingly, determination of the absolute number of interneurons using neuron-specific nuclear antigen (NeuN) expression in the strata oriens and radiatum of CA1 and CA3 subfields revealed an analogous number of interneurons across the three age groups. Furthermore, the ratio of GAD-67 immunopositive and NeuN positive interneurons decreased from adult age to middle age but remained relatively static between middle age and old age. Collectively, the results underscore that aging in the hippocampus is associated with wide-ranging decreases in the number of GAD-67 immunopositive interneurons and most of the age-related changes in GAD-67 immunopositive interneuron numbers transpire by middle age. Additionally, this study provides novel evidence that age-related reductions in hippocampal GAD-67 immunopositive interneuron numbers are due to loss of GAD-67 expression in interneurons rather than interneuron degeneration.