Endothelial expression of endoglin in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic C57BL/6J mice before and after atorvastatin treatment

Endoglin (CD105) is a homodimeric transmembrane glycoprotein strongly related to transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta signaling and many pathological states. In this study, we wanted to evaluate whether endoglin is expressed in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic C57BL/6J mice as well as whether it is affected by atorvastatin treatment in these mice. C57BL/6J mice were fed with chow diet or an atherogenic diet for 12 weeks after weaning. In 2 atorvastatin-treated groups, mice were fed the same diets (chow or atherogenic) as described above except atorvastatin was added at the dosage of 10 mg x kg(-1) x day(-1) for the last 8 weeks before euthanasia. Biochemical analysis of blood samples revealed that administration of atherogenic diet significantly increased levels of total cholesterol, VLDL, LDL, and decreased levels of HDL. Atorvastatin treatment resulted in a significant decrease in total cholesterol and VLDL only in mice fed by atherogenic diet. Quantitative stereological analysis revealed that atorvastatin significantly decreased endothelial expression of endoglin in C57BL/6J mice fed the atherogenic diet. In conclusion, we demonstrated that endothelial expression of endoglin is upregulated by hypercholesterolemia and decreased by the hypolipidemic effect of atorvastatin in C57BL/6J mice, suggesting that endoglin expression could be involved in atherogenesis.     

Picornavirus internal ribosome entry site elements can stimulate translation of upstream genes

Certain viral and cellular mRNAs initiate translation cap-independently at internal ribosome entry site (IRES) elements. Picornavirus IRES elements are widely used in dicistronic or multicistronic vectors in gene therapy, virus replicon systems, and analysis of IRES function. In such vectors, expression of the upstream gene often serves as internal control to standardize the readings of IRES-driven downstream reporter activity. Picornaviral IRES elements translate optimally at up to 120 mM K(+) concentration, whereas genes used as upstream reporters usually have lower salt optima when present in monocistronic mRNAs. However, here we show that such reporter genes are efficiently translated at higher K(+) concentrations when placed upstream of a functional picornavirus IRES. This translation enhancement occurs in cis, is independent of the nature of the first reporter and of second reporter translation, and is conferred by the IRESs of picornaviruses but not of hepatitis C virus. A defective picornavirus IRES with a deletion killing IRES activity but leaving the binding site for initiation factor eIF4G intact retains translation enhancement activity. Translation enhancement on a capped mRNA is disabled by m(7)GDP. In addition, the C-terminal fragment of eIF4G can confer translation enhancement also on uncapped mRNA. We conclude that whenever eIF4F has been captured to a dicistronic mRNA by binding to a picornavirus IRES via its eIF4G moiety, it can be provided in cis to the 5'-end of the RNA and there stimulate translation initiation, either by binding to the cap nucleotide using its eIF4E moiety or by binding to the RNA cap-independently using its eIF4G moiety.     

Sulfate is transported at significant rates through the symbiosome membrane and is crucial for nitrogenase biosynthesis

Legume–rhizobia symbioses play a major role in food production for an ever growing human population. In this symbiosis, dinitrogen is reduced (“fixed”) to ammonia by the rhizobial nitrogenase enzyme complex and is secreted to the plant host cells, whereas dicarboxylic acids derived from photosynthetically produced sucrose are transported into the symbiosomes and serve as respiratory substrates for the bacteroids. The symbiosome membrane contains high levels of SST1 protein, a sulfate transporter. Sulfate is an essential nutrient for all living organisms, but its importance for symbiotic nitrogen fixation and nodule metabolism has long been underestimated. Using chemical imaging, we demonstrate that the bacteroids take up 20‐fold more sulfate than the nodule host cells. Furthermore, we show that nitrogenase biosynthesis relies on high levels of imported sulfate, making sulfur as essential as carbon for the regulation and functioning of symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Our findings thus establish the importance of sulfate and its active transport for the plant–microbe interaction that is most relevant for agriculture and soil fertility.     

The value of angiotensin-I-converting enzyme determinations in malignant and other diseases

Mean values for serum angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (SACE), determined spectrophotometrically in 648 subjects, using the synthetic substrate hippuryl-L-histidyl-L-leucine, and expressed in units per milliliter, were: controls, 11.11 +/- 3.97 (n = 89); lung cancer, 6.50 +/- 3.26 (n = 87); tuberculosis of the lung, 8.93 +/- 4.60 (n = 68); pulmonary sarcoidosis, 21.18 +/- 14.93 (n = 48); pneumonia, 9.81 +/- 6.83 (n = 52); fibrosis, 11.18 +/- 8.26 (n = 34); diabetes mellitus, 10.90 +/- 7.51 (n = 29); ischemic heart disease, 8.98 +/- 6.19 (n = 42); pulmonary embolism, 13.20 +/- 3.91 (n = 5); and lymphomas, 11.66 +/- 5.44 (n = 36). The lowest values for SACE (5.92 +/- 1.95) were observed in 7 patients with pulmonary metastases. No relationship could be found between SACE and other laboratory parameters, nor between the enzyme activity in men and women. Evidence suggests that low SACE activity is often associated with extrapulmonary cancers of various organs. Levels were significantly decreased in cancer of the lung and pulmonary metastases and significantly (p less than 0.001) increased in sarcoidosis compared with other diseases, suggesting that SACE activity may be of value in the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer of the lung.     

A three-fluorophore FRET assay for high-throughput screening of small-molecule inhibitors of ribosome assembly

In one of the first steps of prokaryotic ribosome assembly, the ribosomal protein S15 binds to a three-way junction in the central domain of the 16S rRNA. Binding causes a conformational change that is required for subsequent binding events. Using a novel fluorescence resonance energy transfer assay with three fluorophores, two on the RNA and one on the S15 protein, small-molecule libraries can be screened for potential inhibitors of this initial step in ribosome assembly. The employment of three fluorophores allows both the conformational change of the RNA and the binding of S15 to be monitored in a single assay.     

Inhibition of basal and interleukin-1-induced VCAM-1 expression by phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase and 15-lipoxygenase in rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells

Cytokines or hydroperoxides upregulate cell adhesion molecules (CAM) in early stages of atherosclerosis. VCAM-1 expression was therefore investigated in rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) stably transfected either with phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx; SMCPHGPx) as a hydroperoxide-reducing enzyme or with 15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX; SMCLOX) as a hydroperoxide-producing enzyme. Transfected cells showed up to 3-fold enhanced PHGPx and a marked LOX activity, respectively, that was absent in controls. Intracellular hydroperoxides were 6-fold higher in SMCLOX than in SMC or SMCPHGPx. Intracellular protein thiols were decreased by 50 and 90% in SMCPHGPx and SMCLOX, respectively. Glutathione mixed disulfides were tentatively increased from SMC via SMCPHGPx to SMCLOX, accordingly. Thiol reduction with tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine completely restored protein thiols in SMCPHGPx, whereas in SMCLOX only 60% of control values were recovered. Basal VCAM-1 mRNA levels were decreased by 50% in SMCPHGPx and 75% in SMCLOX. VCAM-1-inducibility was abrogated in SMCLOX but not in SMCPHGPx. Accordingly, NFkappaB-driven reporter gene activation by IL-1 was unaffected in SMCPHGPx but abolished in SMCLOX. The data confirm that PHGPx overexpression dampens CAM expression either by lowering stimulatory hydroperoxides or by using hydroperoxides for protein modification. But hydroperoxides, when constitutively overproduced as in SMCLOX, inhibit CAM expression and render cells refractory to IL-1 stimulation likely due to oxidation of protein thiols of the signaling system.     

Evaluation of a flat membrane hepatocyte bioreactor for pharmacotoxicological applications: evidence that inhibition of spontaneously produced nitric oxide improves cell functionality

A laboratory-scale bioreactor was re-evaluated, with the aim of improving its use for the perfused culture of rat hepatocytes. In contrast to conventional culture systems, the flat membrane bioreactor (FMB) showed good functionality and biochemical competence during 2-3 days. Hepatocytes cultured in the FMB, specifically in a "sandwich" configuration, were functionally stable, as shown by a high rate of urea biosynthesis after challenge with NH4Cl, a low alanine-aminotransferase leakage and suppressed spontaneous nitric oxide (NO) production. Moreover, the time-course of the disappearance of cyclosporin A (CsA) from the perfusate demonstrated the high biotransformation capacity of cells in the FMB. The effect of CsA on the modulation of urea and spontaneous NO production demonstrated flexibility, in that minor changes could be observed at diverse time intervals and in a non-destructive way. The monitoring of nitrite levels during various steps of isolation and culture suggested that spontaneously produced NO has a negative impact on hepatocyte metabolic and functional integrity. In spite of the sophisticated techniques that are being used for the preparation of bioreactors, with hepatocytes surviving for longer periods, our data have shed light on some factors that could be important for the successful use of similar models for pharmacotoxicological and other biomedical applications.     

Response of obligate heterozygotes for phytosterolemia to a low-fat diet and to a plant sterol ester dietary challenge

Twelve obligate heterozygotes from two kindreds were ascertained through phytosterolemic probands homozygous for molecular defects in the ATP binding cassette (ABC) half transporter, ABCG8. The response of these heterozygotes to a Step 1 diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, and to 2.2 g daily of plant sterols (as esters) was determined in Protocol I (16 weeks) and Protocol II (28 weeks) during three consecutive feeding periods: Step 1/placebo spread; Step 1/plant sterol spread; and Step 1/placebo spread (washout). At baseline, half the heterozygotes had moderate dyslipidemia and one-third had mildly elevated campesterol and sitosterol levels. On the Step 1/placebo spread, mean LDL cholesterol decreased significantly, 11.2% in Protocol I (n = 12), and 16.0% in Protocol II (n = 7). Substitution with plant sterol spread produced a significant treatment effect on LDL levels in Protocols I and II. Conversely, the mean levels of campesterol and sitosterol increased 119% and 54%, respectively, during the use of plant sterol spread for 6 weeks in Protocol I, an effect mirrored for 12 weeks in Protocol II. During the placebo spread washouts, LDL levels increased, while those of plant sterols decreased to baseline levels in both protocols. In conclusion, phytosterolemic heterozygotes respond well to a Step 1 diet, and their response to a plant sterol ester challenge appears similar to that observed in normals.     

20-Hydroxyecdysone inhibits the mitotic activity of neuronal precursors in the developing mushroom bodies of the honeybee,Apis mellifera

The mushroom bodies (MBs) within the brain of the honeybee, Apis mellifera, are prominent paired neuropil structures consisting of a lateral and a median subunit. The intrinsic MB neurons (Kenyon cells) of each of these subunits are generated in four distinct proliferation centers, each associated with a calyx. Previous BrdU studies revealed that neurogenesis of Kenyon cells starts at the first larval stage (L1) by symmetrical cell division of Kenyon precursor cells, and ceases abruptly at a midpupal stage (P5). In the present work, we confirmed these results using the antiphospho histone H3 mitosis marker to label mitotically active cells in a cell culture system, in histological sections, and in whole-mount brain preparations. To elucidate whether the steroid hormone ecdysone plays a role in the termination of Kenyon cell neurogenesis, we manipulated the hormone titer by injecting 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) into animals of those pupal stages (P0/1, P3, P4) in which neurogenesis of Kenyon cells was still extensive. The effects of 20E were evaluated by determining the number of mitotically active cells in confocal microscopic images of squash preparations of the MB proliferation centers. In all pupal stages studied, 20E caused a reduction of mitotic activity, indicating its involvement in the cessation of Kenyon cell neurogenesis.