Toll-like receptor 3 is induced by and mediates antiviral activity against rhinovirus infection of human bronchial epithelial cells

Rhinoviruses (RV) are the major cause of the common cold and acute exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a conserved family of receptors that recognize and respond to a variety of pathogen-associated molecular patterns. TLR3 recognizes double-stranded RNA, an important intermediate of many viral life cycles (including RV). The importance of TLR3 in host responses to virus infection is not known. Using BEAS-2B (a human bronchial epithelial cell-line), we demonstrated that RV replication increased the expression of TLR3 mRNA and TLR3 protein on the cell surface. We observed that blocking TLR3 led to a decrease in interleukin-6, CXCL8, and CCL5 in response to poly(IC) but an increase following RV infection. Finally, we demonstrated that TLR3 mediated the antiviral response. This study demonstrates an important functional requirement for TLR3 in the host response against live virus infection and indicates that poly(IC) is not always a good model for studying the biology of live virus infection.     

Modulation of Fas-dependent apoptosis: a dynamic process controlling both the persistence and death of CD4 regulatory T cells and effector T cells

We have previously shown that regulatory CD25(+)CD4(+) T cells are resistant to clonal deletion induced by viral superantigen in vivo. In this work we report that isolated CD25(+)CD4(+) T cells activated in vitro by anti-CD3 Ab are resistant to Fas-induced apoptosis, in contrast to their CD25(-)CD4(+) counterparts. Resistance of CD25(+)CD4(+) T cells to Fas-dependent activation-induced cell death is not linked to their inability to produce IL-2 or to their ability to produce IL-10. The sensitivity of both populations to Fas-induced apoptosis can be modulated in vitro by changing the CD25(+)CD4(+):CD25(-)CD4(+) T cell ratio. The sensitivity of CD25(-)CD4(+) T cells to apoptosis can be reduced, while the sensitivity of CD25(+)CD4(+) T cells can be enhanced. Modulation of Fas-dependent apoptosis is associated with changes in cytokine production. However, while CD25(-)CD4(+) T cell apoptosis is highly dependent on IL-2 (production of which is inhibited by CD25(+)CD4(+) T cells in coculture), modulation of CD25(+)CD4(+) T cell apoptosis is IL-2 independent. Taken together, these results suggest that CD25(+)CD4(+) and CD25(-)CD4(+) T cell sensitivity to Fas-dependent apoptosis is dynamically modulated during immune responses; this modulation appears to help maintain a permanent population of regulatory T cells required to control effector T cells.     

Investigating the effects of dietary folic acid on sperm count, DNA damage and mutation in Balb/c mice

The cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMN-Cyt) assay was originally developed as an ideal system for measuring DNA damage, cytostasis and cytotoxicity. The objective of the present study is to simultaneously evaluate the background levels of micronuclei (MN), nucleoplasmic bridges (NPBs), nuclear buds (NBUDs), cell death (necrosis or apoptosis) and nuclear division index (NDI) in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of non-occupationally exposed, healthy subjects living in the city of Kayseri in Turkey. We used the CBMN-Cyt assay, taking into account factors - age, gender, and smoking habits - that might affect MN frequency and also other CBMN-Cyt assay parameters. Ninety-six healthy subjects (48 female and 48 male) were selected with ages varying between 21 and 60 years. The parameters, except for the number of binucleated (BN) cells with NPBs, showed no statistically significant difference between smokers and non-smokers. There were significant differences between female and male groups in MN frequency (higher in females) and in the number of NPBs (lower in females), while the other parameters were not significantly different between genders. The correlations between years of age and MN frequency, number of NPBs and the frequency of necrotic cells were statistically significant, while the correlations between the years of age and the other parameters were not. The results of the correlation analysis between years of smoking and MN frequency were positive, although no statistically significant correlation was found between the years of smoking and the other parameters. Among the smokers, no correlation was found either between the pack-years of smoking and the parameters assessed in this group. The results of the present study provide evidence of increasing MN frequency, number of NPBs and frequency of necrotic cells with increasing age in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy individuals and influencing MN frequency and number of NPBs by gender.     

Multi-Tiered Observation and Response Charts: Prevalence and Incidence of Triggers,Modifications and Calls,to Acutely Deteriorating Adult Patients

Background

Observation charts are the primary tool for recording patient vital signs. They have a critical role in documenting triggers for a multi-tiered escalation response to the deteriorating patient. The objectives of this study were to ascertain the prevalence and incidence of triggers, trigger modifications and escalation response (Call) amongst general medical and surgical inpatients following the introduction of an observation and response chart (ORC).

Methods

Prospective (prevalence), over two 24-hour periods, and retrospective (incidence), over entire hospital stay, observational study of documented patient observations intended to trigger one of three escalation responses, being a MER—Medical Emergency Response [highest tier], MDT—Multidisciplinary Team [admitting team], or Nurse—senior ward nurse [lowest tier] response amongst adult general medical and surgical patients.

Results

Prevalence: 416 patients, 321 (77.2%) being medical admissions, median age 76 years (IQR 62, 85) and 95 (22.8%) Not for Resuscitation (NFR). Overall, 193 (46.4%) patients had a Trigger, being 17 (4.1%) MER, 45 (10.8%) MDT and 178 (42.8%) Nurse triggers. 60 (14.4%) patients had a Call, and 72 (17.3%) a modified Trigger. Incidence: 206 patients, of similar age, of whom 166 (80.5%) had a Trigger, 122 (59.2%) a Call, and 91 (44.2%) a modified Trigger. Prevalence and incidence of failure to Call was 33.2% and 68% of patients, respectively, particular for Nurse Triggers (26.7% and 62.1%, respectively). The number of Modifications, Calls, and failure to Call, correlated with the number of Triggers (0.912 [p<0.01], 0.631 [p<0.01], 0.988 [p<0.01]).

Conclusion

Within a multi-tiered response system for the detection and response to the deteriorating patient Triggers, their Modifications and failure to Call are common, particularly within the lower tiers of escalation. The number of Triggers and their Modifications may erode the structure, compliance, and potential efficacy of structured observation and response charts within a multi-tiered response system.     

Pros and cons of group living in the forest tent caterpillar: separating the roles of silk and of grouping

Group living can incur both benefits and costs, mediated by different mechanisms. In many gregarious caterpillars, collective use of a network of silk trails is thought to improve foraging. Grouping, i.e., close contact with conspecifics, has been postulated to have both positive (thermoregulation and predator defense) and negative (competition and pathogen transmission) effects. The present experiment distinguishes between silk produced by group members and grouping per se in their effects on growth and development of both early and late larval stadia of the forest tent caterpillar [Malacosoma disstria Hübner (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae)] in a laboratory context. For both developmental stadia tested, pre‐established silk trails decreased latency to food finding and hence increased food consumption and growth rate. For younger larvae, pre‐established silk also decreased investment in silk production. Grouping young caterpillars accelerated development at the expense of growth, possibly as a mechanism to avoid intraspecific competition in later larval stadia. In older caterpillars, grouping decreased meal duration, suggesting that competition can indeed occur towards the end of larval development, even in the presence of surplus food. This led to a decrease in growth without any effect on instar duration. The benefits of exogenous silk thus decreased during larval development, whereas the costs associated with crowding increased. Ontogenetic shifts in grouping are common in many taxa: the present study is among the first to provide empirical evidence for an adaptive explanation of observed ontogenetic changes in aggregative behavior.     

A protein with an inactive pterin‐4a‐carbinolamine dehydratase domain is required for Rubisco biogenesis in plants

Ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) plays a critical role in sustaining life by catalysis of carbon fixation in the Calvin–Benson pathway. Incomplete knowledge of the assembly pathway of chloroplast Rubisco has hampered efforts to fully delineate the enzyme's properties, or seek improved catalytic characteristics via directed evolution. Here we report that a Mu transposon insertion in the Zea mays (maize) gene encoding a chloroplast dimerization co‐factor of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 (DCoH)/pterin‐4α‐carbinolamine dehydratases (PCD)‐like protein is the causative mutation in a seedling‐lethal, Rubisco‐deficient mutant named Rubisco accumulation factor 2 (raf2‐1). In raf2 mutants newly synthesized Rubisco large subunit accumulates in a high‐molecular weight complex, the formation of which requires a specific chaperonin 60‐kDa isoform. Analogous observations had been made previously with maize mutants lacking the Rubisco biogenesis proteins RAF1 and BSD2. Chemical cross‐linking of maize leaves followed by immunoprecipitation with antibodies to RAF2, RAF1 or BSD2 demonstrated co‐immunoprecipitation of each with Rubisco small subunit, and to a lesser extent, co‐immunoprecipitation with Rubisco large subunit. We propose that RAF2, RAF1 and BSD2 form transient complexes with the Rubisco small subunit, which in turn assembles with the large subunit as it is released from chaperonins.     

Discovery of imidazo[1,2-a]-, [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]-, and [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridine-8-carboxamide negative allosteric modulators of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5

Based on a hypothesis that an intramolecular hydrogen bond was present in our lead series of picolinamide mGlu₅ NAMs, we reasoned that an inactive nicotinamide series could be modified through introduction of a fused heterocyclic core to generate potent mGlu₅ NAMs. In this Letter, we describe the synthesis and evaluation of compounds that demonstrate the viability of that approach. Selected analogs were profiled in a variety of in vitro assays, and two compounds were evaluated in rat pharmacokinetic studies and a mouse model of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Ancillary pharmacology screening revealed that members of this series exhibited moderate inhibition of the dopamine transporter (DAT), and SAR was developed that expanded the selectivity for mGlu₅ versus DAT.