Lectin-enzyme immunoassay of transferrin sialovariants using immobilized antitransferrin and enzyme-labeled galactose-binding lectin from Ricinus communis

A heterologous lectin-enzyme immunoassay is described. Microtiter plate wells were coated with affinity-purified antibodies to human transferrin. After incubation with transferrin sialovariants, prepared by limited neuraminidase treatment and separated with chromatofocusing, a lectin-enzyme-streptavidin complex was added. A good correlation was obtained between the number of terminal galactose groups on transferrin and the response in the lectin-enzyme immunoassay using Ricinus communis agglutinin as the galactose-binding lectin. The results indicate that characterization of glycosylation is possible with less than a microgram of the glycoprotein available, using lectin-enzyme immunoassays.     

Activation of human neutrophil gelatinase by endogenous serine proteinases.

The role of serine proteinases and oxidants in the activation of gelatinase released from human neutrophils was investigated. Gelatinase was measured by its ability to degrade both gelatin and native glomerular basement-membrane type IV collagen. When fMet-Leu-Phe or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate was used to stimulate the neutrophils, no gelatinase activity was measured in the absence of a mercurial activator, indicating that the enzyme was released entirely in latent form. However, when fMet-Leu-Phe-stimulated cells were treated with cytochalasin B, 50-70% of the maximal gelatinase activity was released. Activation was blocked by the serine-proteinase inhibitor phenylmethanesulphonyl fluoride and a specific inhibitor of neutrophil elastase, but was not affected by an inhibitor of cathepsin G. Addition of catalase or azide to prevent oxidative reactions did not affect activation of gelatinase under any conditions of stimulation, indicating that oxidants were not involved in activation. Our results imply that oxidative activation of gelatinase does not occur readily. However, neutrophil serine proteinases, particularly elastase, provide an alternative and apparently more efficient mechanism of activation.     

Effect of consumption of phenols from olives and extra virgin olive oil on LDL oxidizability in healthy humans

A high intake of olive oil has been proposed as an explanation for the low incidence of coronary heart disease in Mediterranean countries, but it is unclear whether olive oil offers specific benefits beyond a low content of saturated fat. Some types of extra virgin olive oil are rich in non-polar phenols, which might be taken up by plasma LDL particles and protect these from becoming atherogenic by oxidative modification. In a pilot study we found that consumption of 47 g fortified olive oil containing 31 mg phenols significantly increased the lag time of LDL oxidation from 112 ± 5 min before to 130 ± 7 min 2h after the meal. However, this study was not controlled, and in the current study we therefore investigated whether olive oil phenols increase the lag time of LDL oxidation in postprandial samples when compared with a control group.

Twelve healthy men and women consumed four different olive oil supplements with a meal on four separate occasions: one similar to the supplement in the pilot study (positive control); one containing mainly non-polar olive oil phenols; one containing mainly polar olive oil phenols; and one without phenols (placebo). Lag time significantly increased 2 h after the meals with the positive control (8 ± 2 min), the polar phenols (8 ± 2 min), and the placebo (8 ± 2 min), but not after the non-polar phenols (-0.4 ± 3 min). Increases were not statistically different between supplements.

These results indicate that the lag time of LDL-oxidation is increased after consumption of a meal. This increase is probably due to non-specific meal or time effects and not to phenols from olives or olive oil. Furthermore, these findings stress the need for adequate controlled studies to avoid misinterpretations of the data.     

Analysis and quantification of diagnostic serum markers and protein signatures for Gaucher disease

Novel approaches for the qualitative and quantitative proteomics analysis by nanoscale LC-MS applied to the study of protein expression response in depleted and undepleted serum of Gaucher patients undergoing enzyme replacement therapy are presented. Particular emphasis is given to the method reproducibility of these LC-MS experiments without the use of isotopic labels. The level of chitotriosidase, an established Gaucher biomarker, was assessed by means of an absolute concentration determination technique for alternate scanning LC-MS generated data. Disease associated proteins, including fibrinogens, complement cascade proteins, and members of the high density lipoprotein serum content, were recognized by various clustering methods and sorting and intensity profile grouping of identified peptides. Condition-unique LC-MS protein signatures could be generated utilizing the measured serum protein concentrations and are presented for all investigated conditions. The clustering results of the study were also used as input for gene ontology searches to determine the correlation between the molecular functions of the identified peptides and proteins.     

Hypochlorous acid stimulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway enhances cell survival

We investigated the activation of three subfamilies of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAP kinase), the extracellular regulated kinase (ERK1/2), p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), by the myeloperoxidase-derived oxidant HOCl, in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and human skin fibroblasts. Treatment of fibroblasts with 10-30 microM HOCl induced a dose-dependent increase in the tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins. ERK1/2 was activated by exposure to sublethal concentrations of reagent HOCl or by HOCl generated by myeloperoxidase as shown by immune complex kinase assays. Maximum activation was seen at 20 microM and peak activation occurred within 10 min. Western blot analysis demonstrated activation of p38 with 30 microM HOCl, occurring at 15-30 min. No activation of JNK was detected in the concentration range investigated. These results show that HOCl is able to activate MAP kinases. Effective doses were considerably lower than with H2O2 and the lack of JNK activation contrasts with the activation frequently seen with H2O2. Exposure to HOCl caused a loss of viability in HUVEC that was markedly enhanced when ERK1/2 activation was inhibited by U0126. This suggests that the activation of ERK promotes cell survival in response to the oxidative challenge.     

Familial hypercholesterolemia in children

PURPOSE OF THIS REVIEW: This review provides an update on recent advances in the diagnosis and management of children with familial hypercholesterolemia. RECENT FINDINGS: A large cross-sectional cohort study of paediatric familial hypercholesterolemia demonstrated that affected children had a 5-fold more rapid increase of carotid arterial wall intima-media thickness during childhood years than their affected siblings. This faster progression led to a significant deviation in terms of intima-media thickness from the age of 12 years and onwards. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was a strong and independent predictor of carotid artery intima-media thickness in these children, which confirms the pivotal role of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol for the development of atherosclerosis. In this condition lipid lowering by statin therapy is accompanied by carotid intima-media thickness regression in familial-hypercholesterolemic children, which suggests that initiation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol-reducing medication in childhood already can inhibit or possibly reduce the faster progression of atherosclerosis. Furthermore, these trials demonstrated that statins are safe and do not impair growth or sexual development in these children. Conversely, products containing plant sterols reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels by 14%, but did not improve endothelial dysfunction as assessed by flow-mediated dilatation. SUMMARY: Children with familial hypercholesterolemia clearly benefit from lipid-lowering strategies. Statins are safe agents and have been proven to reduce elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels significantly. In addition, statins improve surrogate markers for atherosclerosis. Therefore these agents should become the pivotal therapy in children with familial hypercholesterolemia.     

Evaluation of herbicide combinations for livid amaranth (Amaranthus blitum) control in tuberous begonia (Begonia x tuberhybrida)

In the past years livid amaranth (Amaranthus blitum) is observed increasingly in begonia production fields. Control of weeds in begonia is generally done by a combined application of the soil herbicides isoxaben + simazin followed 10 days later by application of the contact herbicide bentazone. This treatment usually controls the weed population sufficiently with exception of amaranth. In 2003 a field trial was conducted to evaluate control of livid amaranth in tuberous begonia with isoxaben, simazin. S-metolachloor, phenmedipham + desmedipham and bentazone. These herbicides were used as combinations of soil treatment and contact herbicides. The results suggest that a soil treatment of isoxaben + S-metolachloor significantly reduces livid amaranth compared to isoxaben + simazin, without a pronounced negative effect on tuber yield. Application of phenmedipham + desmedipham however did not improve control of livid amaranth compared to bentazone.     

Chromosomal breakpoint mapping by arrayCGH using flow-sorted chromosomes

Despite the recent completion of the human genome project, the mapping of disease-related chromosomal translocation breakpoints and genes has remained laborious. Here, we describe a novel and rapid procedure to map such translocation breakpoints using flow-sorted chromosomes in combination with array-based comparative genomic hybridization (arrayCGH). To test the feasibility of this approach, we used a t(12;15)(q13;q25)-positive cell line with known breakpoint positions as a model. The derivative 12 chromosomes were flow-sorted, labeled, and hybridized to a genome-wide array containing 3648 well-characterized human genomic clones. The exact locations of the breakpoints on both chromosome 12 and 15 could be determined in a single hybridization experiment. In addition, we have tested the minimal amount of material necessary to perform these experiments and show that it is possible to obtain highly reliable profiles using as little as 10,000 flow-sorted chromosomes.