Maize based diets and possible neurobehavioural after-effects among some populations in the world

Maize is a cereal particularly lacking in tryptophan, which is the precursor of serotonin, an important neurotransmitter. Altough complementary foods may eliminate tryptophan deficiency, serotonin deficiency may often continue to exist because of competition made by other Large Neutral Amino Acids (LNAA) against tryptophan for neuron access, since they use the same carrier to cross the blood-brain barrier. Thus serotonin synthesis depends on two variables: the amount of tryptophan and the trp/LNAA ratio (R). “R” is lowest for common maize, low for beans and, as a rule, for most vegetable foods, higher for meat. So, when maize is the preponderant food in the meal, the “R” value lowers and so in parallel serotonin synthesis does. Serotonin deficiency involves several behavioural consequences, such as the tendency towards aggressive behaviour or the religious fanaticism. Among native american populations, these consequences appear, as a rule, positively correlated with maize alimentary dependence (Aztecs appear as those who greatly suffered from serotonin deficiency). In the world these are thinkable for some african populations (i.e. Zulu) or european (i.e. Balkan peoples).     

Early degradation of photosynthetic membranes in carob and sunflower cotyledons

The assimilatory activity of cotyledons can play an essential role in the survival of seedlings with a slow and delayed development of primary leaves. Changes in the photosynthetic activity of the cotyledon, from the onset of greening through senescence, were studied in two such plants, carob and sunflower, in order to determine its efficiency and duration, also in connection with the achievement of assimilatory autonomy by the plantlet. Chlorophyll analyses showed that the cotyledon's chloroplasts reached maximal greening in plantlets with a pair of expanded leaves. In contrast, the cotyledon's photosynthetic activity, measured as the rate of oxygen release, started to decrease early, before expansion of primary leaves. The decrease was due to the inactivation of a number of photosystem II (PSII) units, as revealed by immunodetection of breackdown products of the reaction centre's D1 and D2 thylakoid proteins. No signals of PSII alteration were noticed in the primary leaf chloroplasts that differentiated under the same environmental conditions. The damage to the cotyledon PSII, occurring in a non-photoinhibitory situation, might be due to a slower rate of turnover of D1 polypeptide than in the leaf thylakoids. The differential turnover of this protein in cotyledons and in leaves might represent an organ-specific regulation of the photosynthetic activity. The peculiarity of the cotyledon thylakoids make these organs useful objects for studying the metabolic cycle of both D1 and D2 proteins in vivo, under non-photoinhibiting conditions.     

Mixed connective tissue disease. A clinico-serological study of 17 cases

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) was described as a distinct clinical syndrome in 1972. Since then many cases have been reported in the literature worldwide. In this study we present our experience with a group of 17 Mexican patients with this syndrome, and we analyze their clinical and serological features, as well as the causes of death in these patients. The patients are Mexican mestizos living in Guadalajara and most of them have been followed-up at Hospital General de Occidente for a period of 1–10 years. The female/male ratio was 16:1, and their age ranged from 14–55 years with a mean of 29 years. The disease duration has ranged from 1–17 years, with a mean of 6 years. Among the clinical manifestations we have found a high frequency of lymphadenopathy when compared with published series (13/17 or 76%), and the laboratory findings in our patients included a very high polyclonal increase of gammaglobulins (93%), lymphopenia (76%), direct immunofluorescence speckled nuclear epidermal deposits in skin biopsies (75%) and positive rheumatoid factor (65%). Other clinical and serological features were similar to those reported in other series of patients with MCTD. Six of the 17 patients have died (35%), and in 3 of them (17.5%) the cause of death was due to an infectious disease that suddenly presented, and apparently was not related to a concomitant high dose of steroids or malnutrition in the patients. It seems that in addition to the already well known autoimmune abnormalities that occur in MCTD, there are other features like the presence of lymphadenopathy, the high polyclonal increase of gammaglobulins, and the lymphopenia, that reflect the profound disturbance of the immune system in this syndrome, possibly contributing to the sudden appearance of a severe infectious disease in some of our patients.Abbreviations ANA antinuclear antibody - CIE counterimmunoelectrophoresis - MCTD mixed connective tissue disease - PHA passive hemagglutination - PM polymyositis - RF rheumatoid factor - SLE systemic lupus erythematosus - SS systemic sclerosis (SS)     

The Human Serum Paraoxonase/Arylesterase Gene (PON1) Is One Member of a Multigene Family

A physiological role for paraoxonase (PON1) is still uncertain, but it catalyzes the hydrolysis of toxic organophosphates. Evidence that the human genome contains twoPON1-like genes, designatedPON2andPON3,is presented here. HumanPON1andPON2each have nine exons, and the exon/intron junctions occur at equivalent positions.PON1andPON2genes are both on chromosome 7 in human and on chromosome 6 in the mouse. Turkey and chicken, like most birds, lack paraoxonase activity and are very susceptible to organophosphates. However, they have aPON-like gene with 70% identity with humanPON1, PON2,andPON3.Another unexpected finding is that the deduced amino acid sequences of PON2 in human, mouse, dog, turkey, and chicken and of human PON3 are all missing the amino acid residue 105, which is lysine in human PON1. The expanded number ofPONgenes will have important implications for future experiments designed to discover the individual functions, catalytic properties, and physiological roles of the paraoxonases.     

Characterization of aminopeptidase N from Torpedo marmorata kidney

Summary— A major antigen of the brush border membrane of Torpedo marmorata kidney was identified and purified by immunoprecipitation. The sequence of its 18 N terminal amino acids was determined and found to be very similar to that of mammalian aminopeptidase N (EC 3.4.11.2). Indeed aminopeptidase N activity was efficiently immunoprecipitated by monoclonal antibody 180K1. The purified antigen gives a broad band at 180 kDa after SDS-gel electrophoresis, which, after treatment by endoglycosidase F, is converted to a thinner band at 140 kDa. This antigen is therefore heavily glycosylated. Depending on solubilization conditions, both the antigen and peptidase activity were recovered either as a broad peak with a sedimentation coefficient of 18S (2% CHAPS) or as a single peak of 7.8S (1% CHAPS plus 0.2 % C₁₂E₉), showing that Torpedo aminopeptidase N behaves as an oligomer stabilized by hydrophobic interactions, easily converted into a 160 kDa monomer. The antigen is highly concentrated in the apical membrane of proximal tubule epithelial cells (600 gold particles/μm² of brush border membrane) whereas no labeling could be detected in other cell types or in other membranes of the same cells (basolatéral membranes, vacuoles or vesicles). Monoclonal antibodies prepared here will be useful tools for further functional and structural studies of Torpedo kidney aminopeptidase N.