Evidence for a single steroid-binding protein in the rabbit progesterone receptor

The rabbit uterine progesterone receptor copurifies as two molecular weight (Mr) forms of about 105,000 and 78,000. To investigate whether these are different proteins, we have used protease digestion, reversible denaturation, and photoaffinity labeling in studies on the steroid-binding domain of the receptor. Digestion of the Mr 105,000 and 78,000 forms, photoaffinity labeled with [3H]R5020, with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease revealed identical peptide fragments of Mr 43,000, 39,000, and 27,000-30,000. When receptor in cytosol was denatured, separated by electrophoresis, and then reconstituted, [3H]progesterone bound specifically to a single form at about Mr 105,000. After partial purification, the reversible denaturation procedure revealed both the larger and the smaller progesterone-binding species similar to the photoaffinity-labeled species in this preparation. Receptor in uterine cytosol prepared under mild conditions appeared as a predominant large molecular weight form on photoaffinity labeling with [17 alpha-methyl-3H]R5020, [6,7-3H]R5020, or [3H]RU27987. Further purification of this cytosol showed the generation of a smaller labeled species. These results from three different approaches reinforce the view that the rabbit progesterone receptor contains a single steroid-binding protein.     

Characterization of calciphorin, the low molecular weight calcium ionophore, from rat liver mitochondria

Calciphorin, the putative mitochondrial calcium ionophore from rat liver mitochondria, exhibits the inherent properties of the mitochondrial calcium transport system and is similar to the calf heart preparation reported earlier. The protein has a strong selectivity for Ca2+, and has a Kd for Ca2+ of 56.5 +/- 6.6 microM and 13.9 +/- 2.1 microM in organic extraction and flow dialysis experiments, respectively. Reduction of the contaminating lipids from 23 +/- 6.5 to 1.73 +/- 0.4 moles per mole protein does not alter the affinities, Ca2+/protein stoichiometry or selectivity for Ca2+.     

Leishmania promastigotes activate PI3K/Akt signalling to confer host cell resistance to apoptosis

Previous reports have shown that cells infected with promastigotes of some Leishmania species are resistant to the induction of apoptosis. This would suggest that either parasites elaborate factors that block signalling from apoptosis inducers or that parasites engage endogenous host signalling pathways that block apoptosis. To investigate the latter scenario, we determined whether Leishmania infection results in the activation of signalling pathways that have been shown to mediate resistance to apoptosis in other infection models. First, we showed that infection with the promastigote form of Leishmania major, Leishmania pifanoi and Leishmania amazonensis activates signalling through p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), NFkappaB and PI3K/Akt. Then we found that inhibition of signalling through the PI3K/Akt pathway with LY294002 and Akt IV inhibitor reversed resistance of infected bone marrow-derived macrophages and RAW 264.7 macrophages to potent inducers of apoptosis. Moreover, reduction of Akt levels with small interfering RNAs to Akt resulted in the inability of infected macrophages to resist apoptosis. Further evidence of the role of PI3K/Akt signalling in the promotion of cell survival by infected cells was obtained with the finding that Bad, which is a substrate of Akt, becomes phosphorylated during the course of infection. In contrast to the observations with PI3K/Akt signalling, inhibition of p38 MAPK signalling with SB202190 or NFkappaB signalling with wedelolactone had limited effect on parasite-induced resistance to apoptosis. We conclude that Leishmania promastigotes engage PI3K/Akt signalling, which confers to the infected cell, the capacity to resist death from activators of apoptosis.     

Biological controls upon the physical taphonomy of exceptionally preserved salamanders from the Miocene of Rubielos de Mora,northeast Spain

McNamara, M.E., Orr, P.J., Manzocchi, T., Alcalá, L., Anadón, P. & Peñalver, E. 2011: Biological controls upon the physical taphonomy of exceptionally preserved salamanders from the Miocene of Rubielos de Mora, northeast Spain. Lethaia, Vol. 45, pp. 210–226. The middle Miocene Rubielos de Mora Konservat‐Lagerstätte of northeast Spain is hosted within profundal, finely laminated, lacustrine mudstones. The diverse biota includes abundant salamanders. Most individuals died during separate episodes and sank rapidly postmortem. Specimens are typically preserved in dorso‐ventral aspect, the most hydrodynamically stable orientation. The near‐cylindrical morphology of the body, however, allowed some carcasses to settle in or subsequently re‐orientate into, lateral orientations. Loss of skeletal elements (i.e. reduced completeness) reflects their location within the body and followed a distal to proximal trend. Two stages are identified: initial loss of a small number of phalanges, followed by loss of more proximal limb bones plus additional phalanges. Disarticulation is more complex: it occurred via several mechanisms (notably, abdominal rupture and re‐orientation of part of the body and limbs during decay) and shows no consistent pattern among specimens. The physical taphonomy of the salamanders is controlled predominantly by intrinsic biological factors, i.e. the geometry of the body and of individual skeletal elements, the orientation, inherent strength and location of specific joints and the extent to which soft tissues, particularly the skin, persist during decay. These biological factors probably control patterns of physical taphonomy of other fossil tetrapods with a similar skeletal configuration. □Articulation, completeness, Konservat‐Lagerstätten, orientation, quantitative taphonomy, salamanders.     

Systems analysis of primary Sjögren's syndrome pathogenesis in salivary glands identifies shared pathways in human and a mouse model

Bone tissue has an exceptional quality to regenerate to native tissue in response to injury. However, the fracture repair process requires mechanical stability or a viable biological microenvironment or both to ensure successful healing to native tissue. An improved understanding of the molecular and cellular events that occur during bone repair and remodeling has led to the development of biologic agents that can augment the biological microenvironment and enhance bone repair. Orthobiologics, including stem cells, osteoinductive growth factors, osteoconductive matrices, and anabolic agents, are available clinically for accelerating fracture repair and treatment of compromised bone repair situations like delayed unions and nonunions. Preclinical and clinical studies using biologic agents like recombinant bone morphogenetic proteins have demonstrated an efficacy similar or better than that of autologous bone graft in acute fracture healing. A lack of standardized outcome measures for comparison of biologic agents in clinical fracture repair trials, frequent off-label use, and a limited understanding of the biological activity of these agents at the bone repair site have limited their efficacy in clinical applications.     

Infrared Thermography and Ultrasonography to Indirectly Monitor the Influence of Liner Type and Overmilking on Teat Tissue Recovery

Eight Danish Holstein cows were milked with a 1-mm thick specially designed soft liner on their right rear teat and a standard liner mounted under extra high tension on their left rear teat. Four of the animals were overmilked for 5 min. Rear teats were subjected to ultrasound examination on the first day and to infrared thermography on the second day. Teats were submersed in ethanol 20 min post-milking on the second day. Ultrasonography measurements showed that teat canal length increased by 30–41% during milking. Twenty minutes after milking, teats milked with modified standard liners still had elongated teat canals while teats milked with the soft liner were normalized. Overmilking tended to increase teat wall thickness. Approximately 80% of variability in teat canal length, from before teat preparation to after milking, could be explained by changes during teat preparation. Thermography indicated a general drop in teat temperature during teat preparation. Teat temperature increased during milking and continued to increase until the ethanol challenge induced a significant drop. Temperatures approached pre-challenge rather than pre-milking temperatures within 10 minutes after challenge. Teat temperatures were dependent on type of liner. Mid-teat temperatures post-challenge relative to pre-teat preparation were dependent on overmilking. Thermography and ultrasound were considered useful methods to indirectly and non invasively evaluate teat tissue integrity.     

重组腺相关病毒2型转导人外周血单核细胞来源树突状细胞的研究

To find out the infection efficiency of recombinant adeno-as sociated virus 2-mediated exogenou s genes in human peripheral blood monocyte-derived dendritic cells(D Cs),the process of transfection wa s investigated by FITC-labeled rAA V2,and observed under confocal mic roscope.Newly separated dendritic cells were tranfected by rAAV2-luc and rAAV2-GFP at different MOI,and transfection efficiency were detec ted by luminometer for rAAV2-luc a nd flow cytometry for rAAV2-GFP.Th e results were elucidated in four different assay systems:(1)60min w as needed for rAAV2 to bind on den dritic cells,and got into cells in the following 10min;(2)the express ion of luc could be detected at th e MOI as low as 1×10~5v.g/cell,and the expression plateau was reached by the MOI of 10~6～10~7v.g/cell,furt her increase of MOI had no functio n on expression level;(3)transgene expression was detected after 48h, and maintained a higher expression level from 96h to 240h after infec tion;(4)7days postinfection of rAA V2-GFP,5%～18% dendritic cells were GFP positive. These data suggest th at rAAV2 vector can efficiently in fect monocyte-derived dendritic ce lls and mediate exogenous gene exp ression,and that the application o f rAAV2 as vector may be useful fo r gene transfer to dendritic cells in ex vivo immunotherapy.     

Evolution of body condition‐dependent dispersal in metapopulations

Body condition‐dependent dispersal strategies are common in nature. Although it is obvious that environmental constraints may induce a positive relationship between body condition and dispersal, it is not clear whether positive body conditional dispersal strategies may evolve as a strategy in metapopulations. We have developed an individual‐based simulation model to investigate how body condition–dispersal reaction norms evolve in metapopulations that are characterized by different levels of environmental stochasticity and dispersal mortality. In the model, body condition is related to fecundity and determined either by environmental conditions during juvenile development (adult dispersal) or by those experienced by the mother (natal dispersal). Evolutionarily stable reaction norms strongly depend on metapopulation conditions: positive body condition dependency of dispersal evolved in metapopulation conditions with low levels of dispersal mortality and high levels of environmental stochasticity. Negative body condition‐dependent dispersal evolved in metapopulations with high dispersal mortality and low environmental stochasticity. The latter strategy is responsible for higher dispersal rates under kin competition when dispersal decisions are based on body condition reached at the adult life stage. The evolution of both positive and negative body condition‐dependent dispersal strategies is consequently likely in metapopulations and depends on the prevalent environmental conditions.     

Identification of Leishmania Proteins Preferentially Released in Infected Cells Using Change Mediated Antigen Technology (CMAT)

Although Leishmania parasites have been shown to modulate their host cell''s responses to multiple stimuli, there is limited evidence that parasite molecules are released into infected cells. In this study, we present an implementation of the change mediated antigen technology (CMAT) to identify parasite molecules that are preferentially expressed in infected cells. Sera from mice immunized with cell lysates prepared from L. donovani or L. pifanoi-infected macrophages were adsorbed with lysates of axenically grown amastigotes of L. donovani or L. pifanoi, respectively, as well as uninfected macrophages. The sera were then used to screen inducible parasite expression libraries constructed with genomic DNA. Eleven clones from the L. pifanoi and the L. donovani screen were selected to evaluate the characteristics of the molecules identified by this approach. The CMAT screen identified genes whose homologs encode molecules with unknown function as well as genes that had previously been shown to be preferentially expressed in the amastigote form of the parasite. In addition a variant of Tryparedoxin peroxidase that is preferentially expressed within infected cells was identified. Antisera that were then raised to recombinant products of the clones were used to validate that the endogenous molecules are preferentially expressed in infected cells. Evaluation of the distribution of the endogenous molecules in infected cells showed that some of these molecules are secreted into parasitophorous vacuoles (PVs) and that they then traffic out of PVs in vesicles with distinct morphologies. This study is a proof of concept study that the CMAT approach can be applied to identify putative Leishmania parasite effectors molecules that are preferentially expressed in infected cells. In addition we provide evidence that Leishmania molecules traffic out of the PV into the host cell cytosol and nucleus.