Influence of abscisic acid on nitrogen partitioning, sucrose metabolism and nitrate reductase activity of chicory suspension cells

Batch suspension cultures of chicory cells (Cichorium intybusL. var. Witloof) possess a NADH-specific nitrate reductase activitythat peaks on day 3 of a 10 d growth cycle. When both nitrateand ammonium are used as nitrogen sources, chicory cells absorbnitrate irst. Ammonium uptake becomes predominant at day 3,even though NO₃^– was still present in the medium. Althoughabscisic acid impairs growth as well as ¹⁵NO₃^– uptakeand reduction, it promotes nitrate reductase activity as measuredboth in vivo and in vitro. Specific activity is 50% higher inABA-treated cells than in controls. These conflicting data maybe explained either in erms of nitrate reductase levels or bythe availability of reducing power and energy. Since NRA isgenerally controlled by the availability of the reducing power,the energy status of the cell, the adenylate nucleotide pools,were measured simultaneously with the carbohydrate levels withinthe cell and the growth medium. The energy charge was not modifiedduring the growth cycle, regardless of the rowth conditions.Yet ABA modified the intracellular carbohydrate metabolism andinhibited the acidic invertase, the sucrose synthase and thesucrose phosphate synthase activities. Modified assimilationrates of nitrate in chicory cells grown in the presence of ABA,were probably correlated to modified carbohydrate metabolismpathways leading to increased availability of reducing power,energy and C-skeletons. Key words: Abscisic acid, Cichorium intybus L, nitrate reductase, reductase, invertase, sucrose synthase, sucrose phosphate synthase     

p53 potentiation of tumor cell susceptibility to CTL involves Fas and mitochondrial pathways

In this study, we have investigated the mechanisms used by wild-type p53 (wtp53) to potentiate tumor cell susceptibility to CTL-mediated cell death. We report that wtp53 restoration in a human lung carcinoma cell line Institut Gustave Roussy (IGR)-Heu, displaying a mutated p53, resulted in up-regulation of Fas/CD95 receptor expression associated with an increase of tumor cell sensitivity to the autologous CTL clone, Heu127. However, when IGR-Heu cells were transfected with Fas cDNA, no potentiation to Heu127-mediated lysis was observed, indicating that induction of CD95 is not sufficient to sensitize target cells to CTL killing. Importantly, our data indicate that the effect of wtp53 on the Fas-mediated pathway involves a degradation of short cellular FLICE inhibitory protein resulting in subsequent caspase 8 activation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that wtp53 restoration also resulted in CTL-induced Bid translocation into mitochondria and a subsequent mitochondrial membrane permeabilization leading to cytochrome c release. These results indicate that tumor cell killing by autologous CTL can be enhanced by targeting degranulation-independent mechanisms via restoration of wtp53, a key determinant of apoptotic machinery regulation.     

Systems analysis of MVA-C induced immune response reveals its significance as a vaccine candidate against HIV/AIDS of clade C

Based on the partial efficacy of the HIV/AIDS Thai trial (RV144) with a canarypox vector prime and protein boost, attenuated poxvirus recombinants expressing HIV-1 antigens are increasingly sought as vaccine candidates against HIV/AIDS. Here we describe using systems analysis the biological and immunological characteristics of the attenuated vaccinia virus Ankara strain expressing the HIV-1 antigens Env/Gag-Pol-Nef of HIV-1 of clade C (referred as MVA-C). MVA-C infection of human monocyte derived dendritic cells (moDCs) induced the expression of HIV-1 antigens at high levels from 2 to 8 hpi and triggered moDCs maturation as revealed by enhanced expression of HLA-DR, CD86, CD40, HLA-A2, and CD80 molecules. Infection ex vivo of purified mDC and pDC with MVA-C induced the expression of immunoregulatory pathways associated with antiviral responses, antigen presentation, T cell and B cell responses. Similarly, human whole blood or primary macrophages infected with MVA-C express high levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines involved with T cell activation. The vector MVA-C has the ability to cross-present antigens to HIV-specific CD8 T cells in vitro and to increase CD8 T cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. The immunogenic profiling in mice after DNA-C prime/MVA-C boost combination revealed activation of HIV-1-specific CD4 and CD8 T cell memory responses that are polyfunctional and with effector memory phenotype. Env-specific IgG binding antibodies were also produced in animals receiving DNA-C prime/MVA-C boost. Our systems analysis of profiling immune response to MVA-C infection highlights the potential benefit of MVA-C as vaccine candidate against HIV/AIDS for clade C, the prevalent subtype virus in the most affected areas of the world.     

Genetic enhancement of Brassica napus seed quality

The ultimate value of the Brassica napus (canola) seed is derived from the oil fraction, which has long been recognized for its premium dietary attributes, including its low level of saturated fatty acids, high content of monounsaturated fatty acids, and favorable omega-3 fatty acid profile. However, the protein (meal) portion of the seed has also received favorable attention for its essential amino acids, including abundance of sulfur-containing amino acids, such that B. napus protein is being contemplated for large scale use in livestock and fish feed formulations. Efforts to optimize the composition of B. napus oil and protein fractions are well documented; therefore, this article will review research concerned with optimizing secondary metabolites that affect the quality of seed oil and meal, from undesirable anti-nutritional factors to highl value beneficial products. The biological, agronomic, and economic values attributed to secondary metabolites have brought much needed attention to those in Brassica oilseeds and other crops. This review focuses on increasing levels of beneficial endogenous secondary metabolites (such as carotenoids, choline and tochopherols) and decreasing undesirable antinutritional factors (glucosinolates, sinapine and phytate). Molecular genetic approaches are given emphasis relative to classical breeding.     

Study of the Optical and Thermoplasmonics Properties of Gold Nanoparticle Embedded in Al2O3 Matrix

Plasmonics - In this paper, the optical and thermoplasmonics properties of nanocomposites consisting of spherical gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) integrated in $${Al}_{2}{O}_{3}$$ matrix are determined...