DNA polymerase switching: II. Replication factor C abrogates primer synthesis by DNA polymerase alpha at a critical length

A crucial event in DNA replication is the polymerase switch from the synthesis of a short RNA/DNA primer by DNA polymerase alpha/primase to the pro?cessive elongation by DNA polymerase delta. In order to shed light on the role of replication factor C (RF-C) in this process, the effects of RF-C on DNA polymerase alpha were investigated. We show that RF-C stalls DNA polymerase alpha after synthesis of approximately 30 nucleotides, while not inhibiting the polymerase activity per se. This suggested that RF-C and the length of the primer may be two important factors contributing to the polymerase switch. Furthermore the DNA binding properties of RF-C were tested. Band shift experiments indicated that RF-C has a preference for 5' recessed ends and double-stranded DNA over 3' ends. Finally PCNA can be loaded onto a DNA template carrying a RNA primer, suggesting that a DNA moiety is not necessarily required for the loading of the clamp. Thus we propose a model where RF-C, upon binding to the RNA/DNA primer, influences primer synthesis and sets the conditions for a polymerase switch after recruiting PCNA to DNA.     

1-Thio-beta-D-galactofuranosides: synthesis and evaluation as beta-D- galactofuranosidase inhibitors

Beta-D-galactofuranosidase is a good chemotherapeutic target for the design of inhibitors, since beta-D-galactofuranose is a constituent of important parasite glycoconjugates but is not present in the host mammals. With this aim, we have synthesized for the first time alkyl, benzyl and aryl 1-thio-beta-D-galactofuranosides by condensation of penta-O-benzoyl-alpha,beta-D-galactofuranose with the corresponding thiols, in the presence of SnCl4as catalyst. The complete chemical and spectroscopical characterization of these compounds showed that the reaction was stereoselective. Debenzoylation with sodium methoxide afforded the beta-S-galactofuranosides in high yield. The thioglycosides were tested as inhibitors of the beta-D- galactofuranosidase of Penicillium fellutanum, using for the first time 4-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactofuranoside as chromogenic substrate. The 4- aminophenyl-1-thio-beta-D-galactofuranoside, obtained by catalytic hydrogenation of the nitrophenyl derivative, was the best inhibitor being then an adequate ligand for the preparation of an affinity phase aimed at the isolation of beta-d-galactofuranosidases from different sources. Also the inhibitory activity of d-galactono-1, 4-lactone was shown.      

Simultaneous detection of reduced and oxidized glutathione in tissues and mitochondria by capillary electrophoresis

We have developed a rapid and precise method for glutathione quantitation by capillary electrophoresis, that allows a low amount of both redox forms to be measured. Small fragments of rat heart or liver tissues (20 mg wet weight) and the corresponding mitochondria (1 mg protein) were homogenized in 1% perchloric acid and the acid-soluble phase ultrafiltered by centrifugation with a microconcentrator (M_r cut-off 3000 Da). The analysis was performed at a constant temperature (28°C) using a Beckman P/ACE System 2100, equipped with a UV absorbance detector set to 200 nm. The limit of quantitation in heart tissue was 1.8 μM for GSH and 1.2 μM for GSSG. Myocardial concentrations of GSH and GSSG were 8.1±2.6 and 0.45±0.15 (nmol/mg protein±S.D.), respectively. The ratio of GSH to GSSG was 17.8±1.3 for heart tissue, whereas it was much higher (>100) in the mitochondria. An oxidative stress decreased the myocardial tissue GSH/GSSG ratio, indicating that the CE analysis of both glutathione forms is also a useful method to study biological redox modification.     

Energy metabolism and interstitial fluid displacement in human gastrocnemius during short ischemic cycles

Energymetabolism and interstitial fluid displacement were studied in thehuman gastrocnemius during three subsequent 5-min ischemia-reperfusion periods [ischemic preconditioning(IP)]. The muscle energy balance was assessed by combiningnear-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and³¹P-nuclear magnetic resonancespectroscopy (³¹P-NMRS). Theinterstitial fluid displacement was determined by combining NIRS and²³Na-NMRS. No changes in totalenergy consumption or in the fractional contribution of the underlyingenergy sources (aerobic glycolysis, anaerobic glycolysis, and Lohmannreaction) were observed in the muscle during the tested IP protocol.Oxygen consumption in the muscle region of interest, as estimated byNIRS, was ~8 µmol · 100 g¹ · min¹and did not change during IP. Phosphocreatine and ATP concentrations did not change over the whole experimental period. A slight but significant (P < 0.05) increase inintracellular pH was observed. Compared with the control, a 10%greater interstitial fluid content per muscle unit volume was observedat the end of the IP protocol. It is concluded that, at variance withcardiac muscle, repeated 5-min ischemia-reperfusion cycles donot induce metabolic changes in human gastrocnemius but alter theinterstitial fluid readjustment. The techniques developed in thepresent study may be useful in identifying protocols suitable forskeletal muscle preconditioning and to explain the functional basis ofthis procedure.

     

Potent Functional Antibody Responses Elicited by HIV-I DNA Priming and Boosting with Heterologous HIV-1 Recombinant MVA in Healthy Tanzanian Adults

Vaccine-induced HIV antibodies were evaluated in serum samples collected from healthy Tanzanian volunteers participating in a phase I/II placebo-controlled double blind trial using multi-clade, multigene HIV-DNA priming and recombinant modified vaccinia Ankara (HIV-MVA) virus boosting (HIVIS03). The HIV-DNA vaccine contained plasmids expressing HIV-1 gp160 subtypes A, B, C, Rev B, Gag A, B and RTmut B, and the recombinant HIV-MVA boost expressed CRF01_AE HIV-1 Env subtype E and Gag-Pol subtype A. While no neutralizing antibodies were detected using pseudoviruses in the TZM-bl cell assay, this prime-boost vaccination induced neutralizing antibodies in 83% of HIVIS03 vaccinees when a peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) assay using luciferase reporter-infectious molecular clones (LucR-IMC) was employed. The serum neutralizing activity was significantly (but not completely) reduced upon depletion of natural killer (NK) cells from PBMC (p=0.006), indicating a role for antibody-mediated Fcγ-receptor function. High levels of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC)-mediating antibodies against CRF01_AE and/or subtype B were subsequently demonstrated in 97% of the sera of vaccinees. The magnitude of ADCC-mediating antibodies against CM235 CRF01_AE IMC-infected cells correlated with neutralizing antibodies against CM235 in the IMC/PBMC assay. In conclusion, HIV-DNA priming, followed by two HIV-MVA boosts elicited potent ADCC responses in a high proportion of Tanzanian vaccinees. Our findings highlight the potential of HIV-DNA prime HIV-MVA boost vaccines for induction of functional antibody responses and suggest this vaccine regimen and ADCC studies as potentially important new avenues in HIV vaccine development.

Trial Registration

Controlled-Trials ISRCTN90053831 The Pan African Clinical Trials Registry ATMR2009040001075080 (currently PACTR2009040001075080)     

Thrombospondin‐1 is part of a Slug‐independent motility and metastatic program in cutaneous melanoma,in association with VEGFR‐1 and FGF‐2

Differently from most transformed cells, cutaneous melanoma expresses the pleiotropic factor thrombospondin‐1 (TSP‐1). Herein, we show that TSP‐1 (RNA and protein), undetectable in four cultures of melanocytes and a RGP melanoma, was variously present in 13 cell lines from advanced melanomas or metastases. Moreover, microarray analysis of 55 human lesions showed higher TSP‐1 expression in primary melanomas and metastases than in common and dysplastic nevi. In a functional enrichment analysis, the expression of TSP‐1 correlated with motility‐related genes. Accordingly, TSP‐1 production was associated with melanoma cell motility in vitro and lung colonization potential in vivo. VEGF/VEGFR‐1 and FGF‐2, involved in melanoma progression, regulated TSP‐1 production. These factors were coexpressed with TSP‐1 and correlated negatively with Slug (SNAI2), a cell migration master gene implicated in melanoma metastasis. We conclude that TSP‐1 cooperates with FGF‐2 and VEGF/VEGFR‐1 in determining melanoma invasion and metastasis, as part of a Slug‐independent motility program.     

Differences in the Serum Nonesterified Fatty Acid Profile of Young Women Associated with a Recent History of Gestational Diabetes and Overweight/Obesity

BackgroundNonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) play pathophysiological roles in metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this study, we analyzed the fasting NEFA profiles of normoglycemic individuals at risk for T2D (women with a recent history of gestational diabetes (GDM)) in comparison to controls (women after a normoglycemic pregnancy). We also examined the associations of NEFA species with overweight/obesity, body fat distribution and insulin sensitivity.ResultsWomen after GDM had a lower molar percentage of total saturated fatty acids (SFA; 38.55% vs. 40.32%, p = 0.0002) than controls. At an explorative level of significance several NEFA species were associated with post-GDM status (with and without adjustment for body mass index (BMI) and HbA1c): The molar percentages of 14:0, 16:0, 18:0 and 18:4 were reduced, whereas those of 18:1, 18:2, 20:2, 24:4, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and total n-6 NEFA were increased. BMI and the amount of body fat correlated inversely with several SFA and MUFA and positively with various PUFA species over the whole study cohort (abs(ρ)≥0.3 for all). 14:0 was inversely and BMI-independently associated with abdominal visceral adiposity. We saw no correlations of NEFA species with insulin sensitivity and the total NEFA concentration was similar in the post-GDM and the control group.ConclusionIn conclusion, we found alterations in the fasting NEFA profile associated with a recent history of gestational diabetes, a risk marker for T2D. NEFA composition also varied with overweight/obesity and with body fat distribution, but not with insulin sensitivity.