Detection of oestrus in the african elephant (Loxodonta africana).

Swabs of mucus and cells from the reproductive tract of a 15 year old female African elephant in captivity were examined. Daily samples were obtained over a 1-year period by means of a probe designed to penetrate the urogenital sinus to a depth of 90cm. Dried smears of mucous material showed ferning patterns at intervals of approximately 16 days. Dried spots of supernatant from washings of the swabs also showed intense ferning at 16-day intervals, but with greater regularity. Smears were stained and examined for the presence of squamous cells over a 4-month period. Results indicate a regular occurrence of Keratinisation at approximately 15-day intervals. These observations indicate that the oestrous cycle of this elephant has a duration of approximately 16 days.This is the first detailed study of the oestrous cycle in the African elephant, knowledge of which is essential for artificial breeding.     

Labeling of succinate-cytochrome c reductase with 125I. Accessibility of the peptides to the aqueous phases on the cytosolic and matrix sides of the mitochondrial membrane

Lactoperoxidase-catalyzed radioiodination was used to study the arrangement of the component peptides of succinate-cytochrome c reductase with respect to the aqueous phases on each side of the mitochondrial inner membrane. Mitochondria depleted of their outer membrane and inside-out vesicles purified from submitochondrial particles by the lectin-affinity procedure (D'Souza, M. P., and Lindsay, J. G. (1981) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 640, 463-472) were iodinated using immobilized preparations of lactoperoxidase. The labeled membranes were solubilized in detergent and the succinate-cytochrome c reductase was purified by immunoprecipitation with specific IgG. Analysis of the radioiodine distribution after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and comparison with peptide stain patterns show that bands 2 (64 kilodaltons), 6 (30 kilodaltons), 9 (15 kilodaltons), and 11 (less than 10 kilodaltons) are labeled from the cytoplasmic surface of the membrane. Bands 1 (72 kilodaltons), 4 (48 kilodaltons), and 8 (20 kilodaltons) appear to be labeled on the matrix side of the membrane, while bands 3 (52 kilodaltons), 5 (35 kilodaltons), 7 (25 kilodaltons), and 10 (11 kilodaltons) are labeled from both sides of the membrane. Tentative identification of the labeled bands suggests that band 1 is the large subunit of succinate dehydrogenase. Bands 3 and 4 represent proteins which have been referred to as core proteins I and II. Bands 5 and 6 are the proteins associated with cytochromes b and c1, respectively; band 7 is the Rieske iron-sulfur protein.     

Studies on the altered electrophoretic type of the factor VIII related antigen

Summary A distinct sub-group of von Willebrand's disease is characterized by an electrophoretically faster mobility of the factor VIII related antigen. Some of the physico-chemical properties of this variant antigen were investigated in this communication. The effect of temperature was tested by heating aliquots (0.5 ml) for 20 minutes at 45°C, 56°C and 65°C. The variant was found to be denatured at 56°C while the control was denatured at 65°C. The effect of pH was tested by assessing the quantity (Laurell technique) and electrophoretic mobility (two dimensional immunoelectrophoresis) of the antigen in a variety of buffers ranging in pH from 7.0 to 9.5. The quantity of antigen was variable both among variants and controls and the electrophoretic mobility of the variant antigen was faster at all pH's. Molecular weight differences between the variant and controls were not detected since the chromatographic profile of the variant was similar to that of the controls in Sepharose 6 B using a 0.02 M Tris-NaCl buffer at pH 7.0. The affinity of the antigen for human antibody was geterogeneous although the variant exhibited less affinity for one of the human antibodies but not the other. The inhibitory effect was more pronounced in serum than in plasma. Purified IgG, however, did not show any inhibition, as the residual antigen assayed by the Laurell technique, was similar to the expected values. This would imply that non-IgG plasmatic factors could also play a part in the observed inhibition.     

Interaction between mosquito-larvicidal Lysinibacillus sphaericus binary toxin components: Analysis of complex formation

The two components (BinA and BinB) of Lysinibacillus sphaericus binary toxin together are highly toxic to Culex and Anopheles mosquito larvae, and have been employed world-wide to control mosquito borne diseases. Upon binding to the membrane receptor an oligomeric form (BinA2.BinB2) of the binary toxin is expected to play role in pore formation. It is not clear if these two proteins interact in solution as well, in the absence of receptor. The interactions between active forms of BinA and BinB polypeptides were probed in solution using size-exclusion chromatography, pull-down assay, surface plasmon resonance, circular dichroism, and by chemically crosslinking BinA and BinB components. We demonstrate that the two proteins interact weakly with first association and dissociation rate constants of 4.5 × 10³ M^?1 s^?1 and 0.8 s^?1, resulting in conformational change, most likely, in toxic BinA protein that could kinetically favor membrane translocation of the active oligomer. The weak interactions between the two toxin components could be stabilized by glutaraldehyde crosslinking. The cross-linked complex, interestingly, showed maximal Culex larvicidal activity (LC₅₀ value of 1.59 ng mL^?1) reported so far for combination of BinA/BinB components, and thus is an attractive option for development of new bio-pesticides for control of mosquito borne vector diseases.     

Brain Endogenous Estrogen Levels Determine Responses to Estrogen Replacement Therapy via Regulation of BACE1 and NEP in Female Alzheimer’s Transgenic Mice

Estrogens have been found to improve memory and reduce risk of dementia, although conflicting results such as failure of estrogen replacement therapy for treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) also has been reported. Only recently, our published human brain studies showed a depletion of brain estrogen in women with AD, while other studies have demonstrated cognitive impairment believed to be caused by inhibition of endogenous estrogen synthesis in females. To investigate whether the shortage of brain estrogen alters the sensitivity of response to estrogen replacement therapy, we have used genetic and surgical animal models to examine the response of estrogen treatment in AD neuropathology. Our studies have shown that early treatment with 17β-estradiol (E2) or genistein could reduce brain amyloid levels by increasing Aβ clearance in both APP23 mice with genetic deficiency of aromatase (APP/Ar^+/?), in which the brains contain nondetectable levels of estrogen, and in APP23 mice with an ovariectomy (APP/OVX), in which the brains still contain certain levels of estrogen. However, only APP/Ar^+/? mice showed a great reduction in brain amyloid plaque formation after E2 or genistein treatment along with downregulation of β-secretase (BACE1) mRNA and protein expression. Our results suggest that early and long-term usage of E2 and/or genistein may prevent AD pathologies in a dependent manner on endogenous brain estrogen levels in aged females.     

Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells Are Enriched in Side Population and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Bright Overlapping Population

Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs)/cancer-initiaiting cells (CICs) are defined as a small population of cancer cells that have self-renewal capacity, differentiation potential and high tumor-initiating ability. CSCs/CICs of ovarian cancer have been isolated by side population (SP) analysis, ALDEFLUOR assay and using cell surface markers. However, these approaches are not definitive markers for CSCs/CICs, and it is necessary to refine recent methods for identifying more highly purified CSCs/CICs. In this study, we analyzed SP cells and aldehyde dehydrogenese bright (ALDH^Br) cells from ovarian cancer cells. Both SP cells and ALDH^Br cells exhibited higher tumor-initiating ability and higher expression level of a stem cell marker, sex determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2), than those of main population (MP) cells and ALDH^Low cells, respectively. We analyzed an SP and ALDH^Br overlapping population (SP/ALDH^Br), and the SP/ALDH^Br population exhibited higher tumor-initiating ability than that of SP cells or ALDH^Br cells, enabling initiation of tumor with as few as 10² cells. Furthermore, SP/ADLH^Br population showed higher sphere-forming ability, cisplatin resistance, adipocyte differentiation ability and expression of SOX2 than those of SP/ALDH^Low, MP/ALDH^Br and MP/ALDH^Low cells. Gene knockdown of SOX2 suppressed the tumor-initiation of ovarian cancer cells. An SP/ALDH^Br population was detected in several gynecological cancer cells with ratios of 0.1% for HEC—1 endometrioid adenocarcinoma cells to 1% for MCAS ovary mucinous adenocarcinoma cells. Taken together, use of the SP and ALDH^Br overlapping population is a promising approach to isolate highly purified CSCs/CICs and SOX2 might be a novel functional marker for ovarian CSCs/CICs.