Effects of Proteus mirabilis lipopolysaccharides with different O-polysaccharide structures on the plasma membrane of human erythrocytes

The effects of O33 and O49 P. mirabilis lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) on human erythrocyte membrane properties were examined. Physical parameters of the plasma membrane, such as membrane lipid fluidity, physical state of membrane proteins, and osmotic fragility, were determined. The fluidity of the lipids was estimated using three spin-labeled stearic acids of doxyl derivatives: 5-doxylstearic acid, 12-doxylstearic acid, and 16-doxylstearic acid. All the applied labels locate to different depths of the lipid layer and provide information on the ordering of phospholipid fatty acyl chain mobility. LPSs O49 increased the membrane lipid fluidity in the polar region of the lipid bilayer as indicated by spin-labeled 5-doxylstearic acid. An increase in fluidity was also observed in the deeper region using 12-doxylstearic acid only for O33 LPSs. The highest concentration of O33 LPSs (1 mg/ml) increased the motion of membrane proteins detected by the spin-label residue of iodoacetamide. These results showed different actions of O33 and O49 LPSs on the plasma membrane due to the different chemical structures of O-polysaccharides. P. mirabilis O33 and O49 LPSs did not induce changes in the membrane cytoskeleton, osmotic fragility and lipid peroxidation of erythrocytes. On the other hand a rise in the content of carbonyl compounds was observed for the highest concentrations of O33 LPS. This result indicated protein oxidation in the erythrocyte membrane. Lipid A, the hydrophobic part of LPS, did not change the membrane lipid fluidity and osmotic fragility of erythrocytes. Smooth and rough forms of P. mirabilis LPSs were tested for their abilities for complement-mediated immunohemolysis of erythrocytes. Only one out of seven LPSs used was a potent agent of complement-mediated hemolysis. It was rough, Ra-type of P. mirabilis R110 LPS. The O-polysaccharide-dependent scheme of reaction is presented.     

Long-chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency as a Cause of Pulmonary Surfactant Dysfunction

Long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCAD) is a mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation enzyme whose expression in humans is low or absent in organs known to utilize fatty acids for energy such as heart, muscle, and liver. This study demonstrates localization of LCAD to human alveolar type II pneumocytes, which synthesize and secrete pulmonary surfactant. The physiological role of LCAD and the fatty acid oxidation pathway in lung was subsequently studied using LCAD knock-out mice. Lung fatty acid oxidation was reduced in LCAD^−/− mice. LCAD^−/− mice demonstrated reduced pulmonary compliance, but histological examination of lung tissue revealed no obvious signs of inflammation or pathology. The changes in lung mechanics were found to be due to pulmonary surfactant dysfunction. Large aggregate surfactant isolated from LCAD^−/− mouse lavage fluid had significantly reduced phospholipid content as well as alterations in the acyl chain composition of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol. LCAD^−/− surfactant demonstrated functional abnormalities when subjected to dynamic compression-expansion cycling on a constrained drop surfactometer. Serum albumin, which has been shown to degrade and inactivate pulmonary surfactant, was significantly increased in LCAD^−/− lavage fluid, suggesting increased epithelial permeability. Finally, we identified two cases of sudden unexplained infant death where no lung LCAD antigen was detectable. Both infants were homozygous for an amino acid changing polymorphism (K333Q). These findings for the first time identify the fatty acid oxidation pathway and LCAD in particular as factors contributing to the pathophysiology of pulmonary disease.     

Inhibitory Effect of Methyl Jasmonate on Flowering and Elongation Growth in Pharbitis nil

The effect of methyl jasmonate (JA-Me) on the floral bud formation and elongation growth in the short-day plant Pharbitis nil was investigated. The placing of 4-day-old seedlings of P. nil in a solution of JA-Me for a period of 24 h before an inductive (16 h or 14 h of darkness) night led to a dramatic reduction in the number of flower buds formed by the plant. Plants treated with JA-Me also totally lost their capacity to form a generative terminal bud. JA-Me applied after photoinduction does not inhibit flowering. Gibberellic acid (GA3) partly reverses the inhibitory effect of JA-Me. Plants treated simultaneously with JA-Me and GA3 formed about 3 flower buds more than plants treated with JA-Me only. JA-Me at a concentration of 10-7 M stimulates slightly, but at higher concentrations it inhibits root growth and shoot growth. A distinct lack of correlation between the effect of JA-Me on inhibition of flowering and shoot and root growth was noted. This indicates the independent action of JA-Me in controlling both processes.     

Mutational analysis in podocin-associated hereditary nephrotic syndrome in Polish patients: founder effect in the Kashubian population

Hereditary nephrotic syndrome is caused by mutations in a number of different genes, the most common being NPHS2. The aim of the study was to identify the spectrum of NPHS2 mutations in Polish patients with the disease. A total of 141 children with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) were enrolled in the study. Mutational analysis included the entire coding sequence and intron boundaries of the NPHS2 gene. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and TaqMan genotyping assay were applied to detect selected NPHS2 sequence variants in 575 population-matched controls. Twenty patients (14 %) had homozygous or compound heterozygous NPHS2 mutations, the most frequent being c.1032delT found in 11 children and p.R138Q found in four patients. Carriers of the c.1032delT allele were exclusively found in the Pomeranian (Kashubian) region, suggesting a founder effect origin. The 14 % NPHS2 gene mutation detection rate is similar to that observed in other populations. The heterogeneity of mutations detected in the studied group confirms the requirement of genetic testing the entire NPHS2 coding sequence in Polish patients, with the exception of Kashubs, who should be initially screened for the c.1032delT deletion.     

Administration of a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor counteracts prostaglandin F2-induced luteolysis in cattle

The objective of this study was to determine whether nitric oxide (NO) is produced locally in the bovine corpus luteum (CL) and whether NO mediates prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha)-induced regression of the bovine CL in vivo. The local production of NO was determined in early I, early II, mid, late, and regressed stages of CL by determining NADPH-d activity and the presence of inducible and endothelial NO synthase immunolabeling. To determine whether inhibition of NO production counteracts the PGF2alpha-induced regression of the CL, saline (10 ml/h; n = 10) or a nonselective NOS inhibitor (Nomega-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester dihydrochloride [L-NAME]; 400 mg/h; n = 9) was infused for 2 h on Day 15 of the estrous cycle into the aorta abdominalis of Holstein/Polish Black and White heifers. After 30 min of infusion, saline or cloprostenol, an analogue of PGF2alpha (aPGF2alpha; 100 microg) was injected into the aorta abdominalis of animals infused with saline or L-NAME. NADPH-diaphorase activity was present in bovine CL, with the highest activity at mid and late luteal stages (P < 0.05). Inducible and endothelial NO synthases were observed with the strongest immunolabeling in the late CL (P < 0.05). Injection of aPGF2alpha increased nitrite/nitrate concentrations (P < 0.01) and inhibited P4 secretion (P < 0.05) in heifers that were infused with saline. Infusion of L-NAME stimulated P4 secretion (P < 0.05) and concomitantly inhibited plasma concentrations of nitrite/nitrate (P < 0.05). Concentrations of P4 in heifers infused with L-NAME and injected with aPGF2alpha were higher (P < 0.05) than in animals injected only with aPGF2alpha. The PGF2alpha analogue shortened the cycle length compared with that of saline (17.5 +/- 0.22 days vs. 21.5 +/- 0.65 days P < 0.05). L-NAME blocked the luteolytic action of the aPGF2alpha (22.6 +/- 1.07 days vs. 17.5 +/- 0.22 days, P < 0.05). These results suggest that NO is produced in the bovine CL. NO inhibits luteal steroidogenesis and it may be one of the components of an autocrine/paracrine luteolytic cascade induced by PGF2alpha.     

Yeast-like fungi as etiologic agents of blood infections in patients hospitalized in 1998-1999

The aim of the study was the analysis of frequency of yeast-like fungi as etiological agents of fungemias in patients hospitalized in operative and conservative wards of Medical Academy Central Clinical Hospital in Warsaw in 1998-1999. Peripheral blood samples and collected from vascular catheters were incubated in BacT/Alert system(Organon Teknika, USA). Positive blood samples were inoculated on Sabouraud medium with chloramphenicol (bioMerieux, France) (the time of cultivation from 48 h to 7 days at 30 C) and on chromogenic medium BBL CHROMagar Candida (Becton Dickinson, USA). Fungal strains were identified by standard mycological procedures using ID 32 C strips (ATB system, bioMerieux, France) and tests of Sanofi Diagnostics Pasteur (France). The total number of positive blood cultures was 1724. Fifty eight fungal strains were isolated from blood samples (3.36%). Strains belonged to 4 genera: Candida (55), Trichosporon (1), Saccharomyces (1) and Pichia (1). Thirty eight fungal strains were isolated from peripheral blood samples. Forty seven fungal strains were cultured from patients hospitalized in operative wards. Among fungi isolated from peripheral blood samples C. albicans (10), C. glabrata (9) and C. parapsilosis (5) strains dominated. From blood samples collected from vascular catheters most often C. albicans (7), C. glabrata (4) and C. parapsilosis (3) were isolated.     

Effect of phage therapy on the turnover and function of peripheral neutrophils

The aim of this investigation was to establish the impact of phage therapy on the turnover and function of circulating neutrophils in 37 patients with suppurative bacterial infections. We determined the levels of circulating neutrophils and their precursors before therapy, after 3 weeks of therapy, and at a distant time interval (3 months) following the beginning of therapy. In addition, we measured the ability of neutrophils to phagocytize Staphylococcus aureus in vitro. Eight healthy blood donors served as a control group. The results showed that, among the studied parameters, the significant changes involved neutrophil precursor count and the ability of neutrophils to phagocytize bacteria. The percentage of neutrophils in patients before therapy was lower than in healthy donors (mean 58.0, versus 61.4). This value dropped further in patients after 3 months of following the therapy (mean 55.6). The content of neutrophil precursors, on the other hand, was lower in healthy donors than in patients before therapy (mean 2.5, versus 3.8). After 3 weeks of the therapy and after 3 months, the levels of neutrophil precursors were significantly higher (mean 4.8 and 4.9, respectively) than in control donors. The phagocytic index was lower in patients before therapy than in control donors (mean 66.3, versus 70.1) and decreased further after 3 weeks of therapy (mean 59.0) and after 3 months (mean 59.6). The results of this investigation indicate that successful phage therapy accelerates the turnover of neutrophils, accompanied by a decrease in their ability to phagocytize bacteria.     

Effects of mating stimuli and oxytocin on plasma cortisol concentration in gilts

The involvement of oxytocin (OT) in the regulation of glucocorticoid secretion during stress reaction, parturition, and suckling has been documented in various species. In this study four in vivo experiments were conducted on gilts (1) to demonstrate the influence of mating stimuli on plasma cortisol concentration, (2) to test the effect of OT alone and (3) OT combined with OT-antagonist on cortisol secretion and (4) to clarify the role of progesterone and estradiol in cortisol response to exogenous OT. In experiment 1, plasma cortisol concentration in gilts (n=4) increased (p<0.05) from 16.1 +/- 5.3 ng ml(-)1 (control period: 30 min before mating) to 42.8 +/- 11.6 ng ml(-1) and 46.6 +/- 9.6 ng ml(-1) at the time of leaving the pen and during the first visual and olfactory contact with the boar, respectively. During coitus the elevation was maintained (48.8 +/- 9.8 ng ml(-1); p<0.05 vs. control). The plasma cortisol concentration returned to pre-mating levels within 30 min after mating. In experiment 2, gilts (n=7) were treated, according to Latin square design, with saline (2 ml; i.v.) and OT (10, 20, and 30 IU; i.v.). The magnitude of cortisol response (area under cortisol curve) was higher (p<0.01) only after treatments with 20 and 30 IU OT vs. control period (30 min before OT). Gilts (n=3) of experiment 3 were infused with OT-antagonist (Atosiban; 25 mg per gilt per 2 hours; i.v.) and then were injected with OT (20 IU; i.v.) 60 min after the beginning of Atosiban administration. Blockage of OT receptors by Atosiban reversed the stimulatory effect of OT on cortisol secretion. In experiment 4, ovariectomized gilts (n=25) primed (i.m.) with corn oil (n=7), progesterone (P4; n=7), estradiol benzoate (EB; n=4) or EB+P4 (n=7) were treated with OT (20 IU; i.v.). Plasma cortisol concentrations were increased following OT administration in all gilts of experiment 4. The highest cortisol response to OT was noted in gilts primed with EB+P4 (p<0.01 vs. other groups). In conclusion: (1) leaving the pens, visual and olfactory contact with the boar as well as coitus, increased plasma cortisol concentrations in gilts to similar levels; (2) exogenous OT (20 and 30 IU per gilt) increased cortisol plasma concentration, (3) this effect was abolished by OT-antagonist and (4) E2+P4 elevated cortisol response to OT. Oxytocin may be included to secretagogues of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical axis in pigs.