Ultrastructural and hormonal changes in rat cauda epididymal spermatozoa induced by Boswellia papyrifera and Boswellia carterii

Boswellia papyrifera and Boswellia carterii diffuses smoke polluting air that adversely affects indoor environment that certainly harm human health. Therefore, this study aims at ascertaining the effect of these plants on gonadal hormones and molecular changes in rat spermatozoa. The animals were exposed to 4 g/kg body weight of B. papyrifera and B. carterii daily for 120 days along with suitable controls. Significant decreases in FSH, LH and testosterone levels were evidenced, along with a reduction of protein, sialic acid, and carnitine levels. In sperm physiology, sperm count, motility, speed decrease, whereas sperm anomalies increase. TEM observation indicates morphological changes in plasma and acrosomal membranes, cytoplasmic droplet in the tail region, vacuolated, and disorganization of the mitochondrial sheath. These findings demonstrate that B. papyrifera and B. carterii smoke affects the process of sperm formation and maturation, which indicates the detrimental effects of these plants on the reproductive system.     

Growth of Azospirillum irakense KBC1 on the Aryl β-Glucoside Salicin Requires either salA or salB

The rhizosphere nitrogen-fixing bacterium Azospirillum irakense KBC1 is able to grow on pectin and beta-glucosides such as cellobiose, arbutin, and salicin. Two adjacent genes, salA and salB, conferring beta-glucosidase activity to Escherichia coli, have been identified in a cosmid library of A. irakense DNA. The SalA and SalB enzymes preferentially hydrolyzed aryl beta-glucosides. A Delta(salA-salB) A. irakense mutant was not able to grow on salicin but could still utilize arbutin, cellobiose, and glucose for growth. This mutant could be complemented by either salA or salB, suggesting functional redundancy of these genes in salicin utilization. In contrast to this functional homology, the SalA and SalB proteins, members of family 3 of the glycosyl hydrolases, show a low degree of amino acid similarity. Unlike SalA, the SalB protein exhibits an atypical truncated C-terminal region. We propose that SalA and SalB are representatives of the AB and AB' subfamilies, respectively, in glycosyl hydrolase family 3. This is the first genetic implication of this beta-glucosidase family in the utilization of beta-glucosides for microbial growth.     

Heterogeneous effects of cholecystokinin on neuronal response properties in deep layers of rat barrel cortex

Abstract

Cholecystokinin (CCK) is one of the most studied neuropeptides in the brain. In this study, we investigated the effects of CCK-8s and LY225910 (CCK₂ receptor antagonist) on properties of neuronal response to natural stimuli (whisker deflection) in deep layers of rat barrel cortex. This study was done on 20 male Wistar rats, weighing 230–260?g. CCK-8s (300?nmol/rat) and LY225910 (1?µmol/rat) were administered intracerebroventricularly (ICV). Neuronal responses to deflection of principal (PW) and adjacent (AW) whiskers were recorded in the barrel cortex using tungsten microelectrodes. Computer controlled mechanical displacement was used to deflect whiskers individually or in combination at 30?ms inter-stimulus intervals. ON and OFF responses for PW and AW deflections were measured. A condition-test ratio (CTR) was computed to quantify neuronal responses to whisker interaction. ICV administration of CCK-8s and LY225910 had heterogeneous effects on neuronal spontaneous activity, ON and OFF responses to PW and/or AW deflections, and CTR for both ON and OFF responses. The results of this study demonstrated that CCK-8s can modulate neuronal response properties in deep layers of rat barrel cortex probably via CCK₂ receptors.     

In vivo evidence for two active nuclease motifs in the double-strand break repair enzyme RexAB of Lactococcus lactis

In bacteria, double-strand DNA break (DSB) repair involves an exonuclease/helicase (exo/hel) and a short regulatory DNA sequence (Chi) that attenuates exonuclease activity and stimulates DNA repair. Despite their key role in cell survival, these DSB repair components show surprisingly little conservation. The best-studied exo/hel, RecBCD of Escherichia coli, is composed of three subunits. In contrast, RexAB of Lactococcus lactis and exo/hel enzymes of other low-guanine-plus-cytosine branch gram-positive bacteria contain two subunits. We report that RexAB functions via a novel mechanism compared to that of the RecBCD model. Two potential nuclease motifs are present in RexAB compared with a single nuclease in RecBCD. Site-specific mutagenesis of the RexA nuclease motif abolished all nuclease activity. In contrast, the RexB nuclease motif mutants displayed strongly reduced nuclease activity but maintained Chi recognition and had a Chi-stimulated hyperrecombination phenotype. The distinct phenotypes resulting from RexA or RexB nuclease inactivation lead us to suggest that each of the identified active nuclease sites in RexAB is involved in the degradation of one DNA strand. In RecBCD, the single RecB nuclease degrades both DNA strands and is presumably positioned by RecD. The presence of two nucleases would suggest that this RecD function is dispensable in RexAB.     

Genistein effects on growth and cell cycle ofCandida albicans

Microbial virulence is generally considered to be multifactorial with infection resulting from the sum of several globally regulated virulence factors. Estrogen may serve as a signal for global virulence induction in Candida albicans. Nonsteroidal estrogens and estrogen receptor antagonists may therefore have interesting effects on yeast and their virulence factors. Growth of C. albicans was monitored by viable plate counts at timed intervals after inoculation into yeast nitrogen broth plus glucose. To determine if increased growth of yeast in the presence of estradiol was due to tyrosine kinase-mediated signaling, we measured growth in the presence of genistein, estradiol or genistein plus estradiol and compared these conditions to controls, which were not supplemented with either compound. Unexpectedly, genistein stimulated growth of C. albicans. In addition, genistein was found to increase the rate of germination (possibly reflecting release from G(0) into G(1) cell cycle phase) and also increased Hsp90 expression, demonstrated by a dot blot technique which employed a commercial primary antibody detected with chemiluminescence with horseradish peroxidase-labeled secondary antibody. These biological effects may be attributable to genistein's activity as a phytoestrogen. In contrast, nafoxidine suppressed growth of Candida and mildly diminished Hsp90 expression. This study raises the possibility of receptor cross-talk between estrogen and isoflavinoid compounds, and antiestrogens which may affect the same signaling system, though separate targets for each compound were not ruled out.     

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in <Emphasis Type="Italic">TaER</Emphasis> genes and their association with carbon isotope discrimination in wheat genotypes under drought

Candidate gene association studies implicate the detection of contributing single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) for the target traits and have been recommended as a promising technique to anatomize the complex characters in plants. The ERECTA gene in plants controls different physiological functions. In this study, we identified SNPs in 1.1 kb partial sequences of TaER-1 and TaER-2 of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Thirty-nine SNPs were identified in the coding regions of TaER-1 gene in 33 wheat genotypes, of which 20 SNPs caused non-synonymous mutations while 19 SNPs produced synonymous mutations; 31 SNPs were located in the coding regions of TaER-2 gene in 26 genotypes, of which 18 SNPs caused non-synonymous mutations and 13 SNPs caused synonymous mutations. In addition, 32 SNPs in TaER-1 and 9 SNPs in TaER-2 were also identified in the non-coding regions. Moreover, the significant genetic associations of SNPs of TaER-1 and TaER-2 genes with carbon isotope discrimination, stomatal conductance, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE), leaf length, leaf width, stomatal density, epidermal cell density, and stomatal index were noted in wheat genotypes. This study confirms the importance of TaER-1 and TaER-2 genes which could improve iWUE of wheat by regulating leaf gas exchange and leaf structural traits. These identified SNPs may play a critical role in molecular breeding by means of marker-assisted selection.     

Changes in anti-heat shock protein 27 antibody and C-reactive protein levels following cardiac surgery and their association with cardiac function in patients with cardiovascular disease

The relationship between serum anti-heat shock protein (Hsp)27 antibody and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels and indices of cardiac function were investigated in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or heart valve replacement. The changes in anti-Hsp27 antibody titers and hs-CRP levels were compared among patients undergoing off-pump and on-pump CABG or valvular heart replacement. Fifty-three patients underwent off-pump, on-pump CABG, and heart valvular replacement in each group. Serum anti-Hsp27 titers and hs-CRP values were measured 24 h before and after the operation and at discharge. Echocardiography was performed before surgery and before discharge. The results were compared with values from 83 healthy controls. hs-CRP levels increased and anti-Hsp27 antibody decreased following surgery (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively), although these changes were independent of operative procedure (P = 0.361 and P = 0.120, respectively). Anti-Hsp27 antibody levels were higher at the time of discharge (P = 0.016). Only in coronary patients were anti-Hsp27 antibody levels negatively associated with E/E′ (r = −0.268, P = 0.022), a marker of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. In conclusions, anti-Hsp27 antibody levels are associated with indices of cardiac function in coronary patients. Cardiopulmonary bypass had no significant effect on the induction of changes in anti-Hsp27 levels. Moreover, anti-Hsp27 antibody levels fell in all groups postoperatively; this may be due to the formation of immune complexes of antigen–antibody, and antibody levels were higher at the time of discharge.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12192-012-0358-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Some evidences for the involvement of plasmid in diuron herbicide degradation

Pseudomonas sp. strain Bk8 was isolated from field soil contaminated with different urea-herbicides. This strain is a plasmid (pBkB)-harbouring organism capable of complete degradation of diuron herbicide. Plasmid-cured strain Bk8M was obtained by treatment of Pseudomonas sp. Bk8 with Mitomycin C. This cured strain is capable of only partial degradation of diuron side chain and accumulated a phenolic compound in the medium during growing on diuron as a sole source of carbon and energy. Conjugation experiment was carried out using Bk8M as a recipient and Bk8 as a donor of pBk8 plasmid. The transconjugant was able to degrade a diuron without accumulation of phenolic compound. It was proposed that plasmid pBk8 is self-transmissible and involved in the degradation of diuron aromatic ring but it is not connected with the transformation of diuron into diuron phenol compound.     

Rapamycin Augments Immunomodulatory Properties of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

The immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) have been considered as an appropriate candidate for treatment of autoimmune diseases. Previous studies have revealed that treatment with BM-MSCs may modulate immune responses and alleviate the symptoms in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice, an animal model of multiple sclerosis. Therefore, the present study was designed to examine immunomodulatory effects of BM-MSCs in the treatment of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) 35-55-induced EAE in C57BL/6 mice. MSCs were obtained from the bone marrow of C57BL mice, cultured with DMEM/F12, and characterized with flow cytometry for the presence of cell surface markers for BM-MSCs. Following three passages, BM-MSCs were injected intraperitoneally into EAE mice alone or in combination with rapamycin. Immunological and histopathological effects of BM-MSCs and addition of rapamycin to BM-MSCs were evaluated. The results demonstrated that adding rapamycin to BM-MSCs transplantation in EAE mice significantly reduced inflammation infiltration and demyelination, enhanced the immunomodulatory functions, and inhibited progress of neurological impairments compared to BM-MSC transplantation and control groups. The immunological effects of rapamycin and BM-MSC treatments were associated with the inhibition of the Ag-specific lymphocyte proliferation, CD8+ cytolytic activity, and the Th1-type cytokine (gamma-interferon (IFN-γ)) and the increase of Th-2 cytokine (interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-10) production. Addition of rapamycin to BM-MSCs was able to ameliorate neurological deficits and provide neuroprotective effects in EAE. This suggests the potential of rapamycin and BM-MSC combined therapy to play neuroprotective roles in the treatment of neuroinflammatory disorders.