Bacterial Vipp1 and PspA are members of the ancient ESCRT-III membrane-remodeling superfamily

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Aluminium toxicity induced poikilocytosis in an air-breathing teleost, Clarias batrachus (Linn.)

The present study was undertaken to assess the toxicity of acid alone and two different sublethal concentrations of aluminium, (25% and 75% dose of 96 hr LC50 value in acidified soft water of pH 5) on red blood cells of a stenohaline catfish, C. batrachus for an acute exposure of 5 days. The scanning electron microscopic studies on all the three treated groups revealed several kinds of erythrocyte alterations and modifications with abnormal morphology. These included abnormal surface-wrinkling accompanied with excessive roughness on the membrane, erythrocytes with surface granulation in higher dose and finally the appearance of morphologically abnormal forms, the codocyte (target cell) and the stomatocyte. The results suggest that abnormality in the shape of erythrocytes could be linked to altered surface membrane area to volume ratio, decrease in cytoplasmic volume owing to reduced Hb content or increase in the amount of water content within the cell resulting from osmotic disequilibrium. In this context, the abnormal surface membrane morphology could be attributed to cytoskeleton fragility and defects in structural proteins. Further, the acid group exhibited a striking behavior of cellular adhesion and bonding to adjoining cell surfaces, culminating in several bunches which thereby reduces the surface area for gaseous exchange and could produce blocking effect while flowing through microcirculation.     

Sub-optimal dose of Sodium Antimony Gluconate (SAG)-diperoxovanadate combination clears organ parasites from BALB/c mice infected with antimony resistant Leishmania donovani by expanding antileishmanial T-cell repertoire and increasing IFN-γ to IL-10 ratio

We demonstrate that the combination of sub-optimal doses of Sodium Antimony Gluconate (SAG) and the diperoxovanadate compound K[VO(O₂)₂(H₂O)], also designated as PV6, is highly effective in combating experimental infection of BALB/c mice with antimony resistant (Sb^R) Leishmania donovani (LD) as evident from the significant reduction in organ parasite burden where SAG is essentially ineffective. Interestingly, such treatment also allowed clonal expansion of antileishmanial T-cells coupled with robust surge of IFN-γ and concomitant decrease in IL-10 production. The splenocytes from the treated animals generated significantly higher amounts of IFN-γ inducible parasiticidal effector molecules like superoxide and nitric oxide as compared to the infected group. Our study indicates that the combination of sub-optimal doses of SAG and PV6 may be beneficial for the treatment of SAG resistant visceral leishmaniasis patients.     

Alterations in haemato-biochemical profile and blood metabolites during different periods of prepubertal growth in black Bengal goat (Capra hircus): effect of sex and season

The study was carried out to investigate hemato-biochemical profile and blood metabolites during different periods of pre-pubertal growth in summer- and winter-born black Bengal kids of either sexes. The body weight was 8.07 ± 0.21 kg on 180 day with significantly (P < 0.01) higher growth in male kids. The winter born kids exhibited significantly (P < 0.01) higher body weight, packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hb), total leukocyte counts (TLC), glucose and cholesterol and significantly (P < 0.01) lower non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and α-amino nitrogen (AAN). Both PCV and Hb were lowest on day 15 and then increased significantly (P ≤ 0.01) and reached maximum value at 90 days (PCV) and 180 days (Hb). TEC increased significantly (P ≤ 0.01) from day 15 to 180 days and reached its maximum value at 180 days age. Both glucose and total cholesterol were maximum at day 15 and significantly (P ≤ 0.01) decreased with the advancement of age and found lowest was at day 150. But, total protein was lowest at day 15 and increased significantly (P ≤ 0.01) up to day 150. NEFA and AAN were lowest on day 15 and increased significantly (P ≤ 0.01) with the advancement of age and reached peak value on 180 days.     

Synthesis and spectroscopic properties of cobalt(III) complexes of some aroyl hydrazones: X-ray crystal structures of one cobalt(III) complex and two aroyl hydrazone ligands

Cobalt(III) complexes of diacetyl monooxime benzoyl hydrazone (dmoBH₂) and diacetyl monooxime isonicotinoyl hydrazone (dmoInH₂) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses and spectroscopic methods. The X-ray crystal structures of the two hydrazone ligands, as well as that of the cobalt(III) complex [Co^III(dmoInH)₂]Cl·2H₂O, are also reported. It is found that in the cobalt(III) complexes the Co(III) ion is hexa-coordinated, the hydrazone ligands behaving as mono-anionic tridentate O,N,N donors. In the [Co^III(dmoInH)₂]Cl·2H₂O complex, the amide and the oxime hydrogens are deprotonated for both the ligands, while the isonicotine nitrogens are protonated. In the [Co^III(dmoBH)₂]Cl complex, only the amide nitrogens are deprotonated. It is shown that the additional hydrogen bonding capability of the isonicotine nitrogen results in different conformation and supramolecular structure for dmoInH₂, compared to dmoBH₂, in the solid state. Comparing the structure of the [Co^III(dmoInH)₂]Cl·2H₂O with that of the Zn(II) complex of the same ligand, reported earlier, it is seen that the metal ion has a profound influence on the supramolecular structure, due to change in geometrical dispositions of the chelate rings.     

Imipramine Is an Orally Active Drug against Both Antimony Sensitive and Resistant Leishmania donovani Clinical Isolates in Experimental Infection

Background

In an endeavor to find an orally active and affordable antileishmanial drug, we tested the efficacy of a cationic amphiphilic drug, imipramine, commonly used for the treatment of depression in humans. The only available orally active antileishmanial drug is miltefosine with long half life and teratogenic potential limits patient compliance. Thus there is a genuine need for an orally active antileishmanial drug. Previously it was shown that imipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant alters the protonmotive force in promastigotes, but its in vivo efficacy was not reported.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Here we show that the drug is highly active against antimony sensitive and resistant Leishmania donovani in both promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes and in LD infected hamster model. The drug was found to decrease the mitochondrial transmembrane potential of Leishmania donovani (LD) promastigotes and purified amastigotes after 8 h of treatment, whereas miltefosine effected only a marginal change even after 24 h. The drug restores defective antigen presenting ability of the parasitized macrophages. The status of the host protective factors TNF α, IFN γ and iNOS activity increased with the concomitant decrease in IL 10 and TGF β level in imipramine treated infected hamsters and evolution of matured sterile hepatic granuloma. The 10-day therapeutic window as a monotherapy, showing about 90% clearance of organ parasites in infected hamsters regardless of their SSG sensitivity.

Conclusions

This study showed that imipramine possibly qualifies for a new use of an old drug and can be used as an effective orally active drug for the treatment of Kala-azar.     

Incorporation of axonally transported glycoproteins into axolemma during nerve regeneration

The insertion of axonally transported fucosyl glycoproteins into the axolemma of regenerating nerve sprouts was examined in rat sciatic motor axons at intervals after nerve crush. [(3)H]Fucose was injected into the lumbar ventral horns and the nerves were removed at intervals between 1 and 14 d after labeling. To follow the fate of the “pulse- labeled” glycoproteins, we examined the nerves by correlative radiometric and EM radioautographic approaches. The results showed, first, that rapidly transported [(3)H]fucosyl glycoproteins were inserted into the axolemma of regenerating sprouts as well as parent axons. At 1 d after delivery, in addition to the substantial mobile fraction of radioactivity still undergoing bidirectional transport within the axon, a fraction of label was already associated with the axolemma. Insertion of labeled glycoproteins into the sprout axolemma appeared to occur all along the length of the regenerating sprouts, not just in sprout terminals. Once inserted, labeled glycoproteins did not undergo extensive redistribution, nor did they appear in sprout regions that formed (as a result of continued outgrowth) after their insertion. The amount of radioactivity in the regenerating nerves decreased with time, in part as a result of removal of transported label by retrograde transport. By 7-14 d after labeling, radioautography showed that almost all the remaining radioactivity was associated with axolemma. The regenerating sprouts retained increased amounts of labeled glycoproteins; 7 or 14 d after labeling, the regenerating sprouts had over twice as much of radioactivity as comparable lengths of control nerves or parent axons. One role of fast axonal transport in nerve regeneration is the contribution to the regenerating sprout of glycoproteins inserted into the axolemma; these membrane elements are added both during longitudinal outgrowth and during lateral growth and maturation of the sprout.     

Cytotoxic Activity and Apoptosis-Inducing Potential of Di-spiropyrrolidino and Di-spiropyrrolizidino Oxindole Andrographolide Derivatives

Anticancer role of andrographolide is well documented. To find novel potent derivatives with improved cytotoxicity than andrographolide on cancer cells, two series of di-spiropyrrolidino- and di-spiropyrrolizidino oxindole andrographolide derivatives prepared by cyclo-addition of azomethine ylide along with sarcosine or proline (viz. sarcosine and proline series respectively) and substitution of different functional groups (-CH3, -OCH3 and halogens) were examined for their cytotoxic effect on a panel of six human cancer cell lines (colorectal carcinoma HCT116 cells, pancreatic carcinoma MiaPaCa-2 cells, hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells, cervical carcinoma HeLa cells, lung carcinoma A549 and melanoma A375 cells). Except halogen substituted derivatives of proline series (viz. CY2, CY14 and CY15 for Br, Cl and I substitution respectively), none of the other derivatives showed improved cytotoxicity than andrographolide in the cancer cell lines examined. Order of cytotoxicity of the potent compounds is CY2>CY14>CY15>andrographolide. Higher toxicity was observed in HCT116, MiaPaCa-2 and HepG2 cells. CY2, induced death of HCT116 (GI₅₀ 10.5), MiaPaCa-2 (GI₅₀ 11.2) and HepG2 (GI₅₀ 16.6) cells were associated with cell rounding, nuclear fragmentation and increased percentage of apoptotic cells, cell cycle arrest at G1 phase, ROS generation, and involvement of mitochondrial pathway. Upregulation of Bax, Bad, p53, caspases-3,-9 and cleaved PARP; downregulation of Bcl-2, cytosolic NF-κB p65, PI3K and p-Akt; translocation of P53/P21, NF-κB p65 were seen in CY2 treated HCT116 cells. Thus, three halogenated di-spiropyrrolizidino oxindole derivatives of andrographolide are found to be more cytotoxic than andrographolide in some cancer cells. The most potent derivative, CY2 induced death of the cancer cells involves ROS dependent mitochondrial pathway like andrographolide.     

Blocking dephosphorylation at Serine 120 residue in t-SNARE SNAP-23 leads to massive inhibition in exocytosis from mast cells

Mast cells (MCs) respond to allergen challenge by release of pre-stored inflammatory mediators from their secretory granules, on cross-linking of Fcε receptor I (FcεRI) receptors. The target-SNARE (t-SNARE) SNAP-23 has been shown to play an important role in MC exocytosis and undergoes transient phosphorylation at Serine 95 (S95) and Serine 120 (S120), concomitant with mediator release. During current study we explored the importance of transient nature of phosphorylation at S120 in MC exocytosis. A phosphomimetic SNAP-23-S120D mutant of rodent SNAP-23 was cloned into EGFP vector and its effect on the exocytosis and the mechanisms involved was studied in RBL-2H3 MC line. Secretion reporter assay with SNAP-23-S120D transfected MCs revealed a very significant inhibition of exocytosis, and reduced ruffling in response to FcεRI cross-linking. Further, the effect of this mutation on localization of SNAP-23 in MCs was studied. Immunofluorescence microscopy studies and membrane-cytosol fractionation of green fluorescent protein-tagged SNAP-23-S120D (GFP-SNAP-23-S120D) transfected MCs showed that a large proportion of GFP-SNAP-23-S120D was residing in cytosol unlike wild-type SNAP-23, in resting and activated MCs and even the membrane associated portion was on internal lysosomal membranes than plasma membrane. These studies imply that dephosphorylation of S120 is important for SNAP-23 membrane association dynamics and subsequently MC degranulation.