Tissue-specific posttranslational modification of rat apoE. Synthesis of sialated apoE forms by neonatal rat aortic smooth muscle cells

We have studied the synthesis, modification, and secretion of rat apoE in primary cultures of neonatal aortic smooth muscle cells and adult rat hepatocytes. The cultures were pulsed with [35S]methionine and the intracellular and secreted apoE were immunoprecipitated and analyzed by two-dimensional isoelectric focusing/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. A short pulse (10 min) showed the presence of a major unmodified apoE form in both cultures. This form comigrated on two-dimensional gels with the major rat plasma apoE isoprotein. A longer pulse (15-120 min) resulted in the progressive appearance of intracellularly modified apoE isoproteins in both cultures. The apoE secreted by aortic smooth muscle cells consisted exclusively of sialated apoE isoproteins that were sensitive to neuraminidase treatment. In contrast, the apoE secreted by primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes, organ cultures of neonatal rat liver, as well as rat plasma apoE, contained several minor modified isoproteins. Nascent apoE secreted by the aortic smooth muscle cell cultures floats in the density range of 1.09 to 1.186 g/ml. We conclude that aortic smooth muscle cells can synthesize and secrete sialated apoE isoproteins associated with nascent lipoproteins floating in the high density lipoprotein region.     

Craniofacial and oral manifestations of fetal alcohol syndrome

Six representative patients with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) were studied for craniofacial and oral anomalies, dental development, and long-term bodily growth patterns. The craniofacial features observed were reduction of total head size, increased head-body ratio, the existence of upper and middle craniofacial asymmetry and telecanthus in some instances, and the features of a long face syndrome with a large gonial angle. Dental development was mildly to moderately delayed, and enamel anomalies were present. Analysis of growth patterns demonstrated compensatory growth in stature, weight, or head circumference and a delayed bone age in some instances. It is suggested that the semiquantitative score system for fetal alcohol syndrome study may fail to diagnose individual cases and that craniofacial features are more important in diagnosis than seems to have been appreciated in the past.     

Combined treatment of autoimmune MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr mice with cholera toxin plus irradiation

MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr (MRL/1) mice spontaneously develop autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) from 2 months of age, accompanied by massive lymphadenopathy. Such mice of 2 months of age were treated with 1g cholera toxin (CT) every 7 days and/or with 400 rad of one-shot⁶⁰Co irradiation. CT treatment alone markedly improved nephritis as evaluated by proteinuria and moderately suppressed lymphadenopathy and anti-DNA antibody production, while irradiation alone prominently improved lymphadenopathy but showed little effect on both nephritis and anti-DNA antibody production. On the other hand, when mice were treated with the combination of CT plus irradiation, autoimmune nephritis as well as anti-DNA production and lymphadenopathy were almost completely inhibited. Taken together, each agent exerts the improvement effect at the different points from each other in an abnormal immunological circuit displayed in MRL/1 mice. This kind of combined treatment may be applicable to the clinical use for autoimmune diseases.     

Some notes on the ecology of aquatic plants in the Al-Hammar marsh,Iraq

Aquatic plants were collected from different localities in the Al-Hammar marsh, southern Iraq, during late spring 1985. The marsh water is oligohaline. Typha angustata, Potamogeton pectinatus and Phragmites australis were the most abundant species in the study sites. The chemical composition of 15 aquatic plants in the study sites are given and compared with soil and water characters. These plants indicate variations among the species. All plants contain higher amounts of K than Na, while the opposite is found in the water. The Ca contents of plants and soil are higher than Mg.     

Transglutaminase-catalysed cross-linking of proteins phosphorylated in the intact glucose-stimulated pancreatic beta-cell

Incubation of intact islets in the presence of [32P]Pi and stimulatory levels of glucose followed by separation of phosphorylated islet proteins by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of a high molecular weight phosphopolymer which did not transverse a 3% (w/v) acrylamide gel. The majority of this phosphopolymer (approx. 70%) was present in the 600 x g sedimented fraction of islet homogenates. Islet homogenates obtained from intact islets previously incubated with [32P]Pi and stimulatory levels of glucose when incubated under conditions that activated the islet transglutaminase resulted in an increase in the amount of phosphopolymer present in the 600 x g sedimented fraction. Inhibitors of transglutaminase activity which are known to inhibit glucose-stimulated insulin release led to a significant reduction in the fraction of phosphopolymer present in the glucose-stimulated intact islet. These findings suggest that protein cross-linking and phosphorylation reactions may be closely linked in the pancreatic beta-cell.     

Brugia malayi: stage-specific expression of carbohydrates containing N-acetyl-D-glucosamine on the sheathed surfaces of microfilariae

Microfilariae, infective larvae, and adult worms of Brugia malayi were incubated with a panel of seven lectins in order to study the expression of surface carbohydrates. Infective larvae and adult worms did not bind any of the lectins utilized. Microfilariae, on the other hand, bound wheat germ agglutinin. The binding of this lectin was saturable and specific, and attributed to the presence of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. In addition, microfilariae derived in vitro bound concanavalin A, indicating the presence of glucose and/or mannose on this stage of the parasite. The fact that similar concanavalin A binding was not seen on microfilariae recovered directly from the infected host implies that there is masking or loss of parasite surface antigens as microfilariae mature in vivo.     

Rapid test for determination of urea hydrolysis

A urease test for the rapid determination of urea hydrolysis is described in which diluted urea agar concentrate was used in small amounts with dense inoculum of the test organisms. The method was evaluated and compared with Christensen's urea agar slants by using 728 clinical isolates of gram-negative bacteria. Of the 325 strains of urease-positive Proteus-Providencia-Morganella, 282 (87%) gave positive results within 5 min with the rapid test. Urease activity of 97% of these organisms became evident within 30 min. All 287 isolates which showed no urease activity on Christensen's urea agar also remained negative by this test.     

Identification of genetic variants in TNF receptor 2 which are associated with the development of cervical carcinoma

Cervical cancer is one of the most common malignancies among women in India. Beside HPV, other factors present in host also put their role in the progression of cervical tumerogenesis. In present study, we screened 300 subjects to identify variations in TNFR2 gene by PCR-dHPLC method followed by direct sequencing. We identified six known and four novel variations in six different exons of TNFR2 gene. Out of these identified variations, five known variations were found to be significantly associated with the risk of cervical cancer (p?<?0.0001). On construction of haplotypes, one haplotype (TTGCC) was emerged as a major protective type while two (CAAGC?+?CTGCC) were revealed as major risk haplotypes. In conclusion, postmenopausal women having CAAGC?+?CTGCC haplotypes in TNFR2 gene along with HPV infection and tobacco consumption may lead to the development of cervical cancer.     

Risk assessment of heavy metal toxicity through contaminated vegetable from sewage water: Implications for populace health

The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the levels of metals and metalloids in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) irrigated with city wastewater. Soil and vegetable samples from two different sites irrigated with wastewater were wet-digested and analyzed. Arsenic (As) was found higher at both sites and Cr was many-fold lower at both sampling sites. Among all heavy metals, Mn and Zn were abundant. Highest value of coefficient factor was found for Cr and the lowest for Cd. The high transfer value was recorded for Cu at site-I and for Ni at site-II. Copper and Se showed negative and significant correlations between soil and vegetable, whereas Mn, Zn, As, Cd, Cr, and Ni showed positive but non-significant correlations. Pollution load index in this vegetable was found to be higher for Cd and lower for Cu. Health risk index at site-I was in the order of As > Mn > Mo > Pb > Cd > Ni > Zn > Se > Fe > Co > Cr > Cu, whereas the same order was observed at site-II of the sampling locations. Thus, the health risks of metals through ingestion of vegetables were of great concern in the study area.