A single chicken anemia virus protein induces apoptosis.

Chicken anemia virus (CAV) causes cytopathogenic effects in chicken thymocytes and cultured transformed mononuclear cells via apoptosis. Early after infection of chicken mononuclear cells, the CAV-encoded protein VP3 exhibits a finely granular distribution within the nucleus. At a later stage after infection, VP3 forms aggregates. At this point, the cell becomes apoptotic and the cellular DNA is fragmented and condensed. By immunogold electron microscopy VP3 was shown to be associated with apoptotic structures. In vitro, expression of VP3 induced apoptosis in chicken lymphoblastoid T cells and myeloid cells, which are susceptible to CAV infection, but not in chicken embryo fibroblasts, which are not susceptible to CAV. Expression of a C-terminally truncated VP3 induced much less pronounced apoptosis in the chicken lymphoblastoid T cells.     

Enhanced reactivation and enhanced mutagenesis of herpes simplex virus in normal human and xeroderma pigmentosum cells.

Enhanced reactivation (ER) and enhanced mutagenesis (EM) of herpes simplex virus type 1 were studied simultaneously in UV-irradiated stationary cultures of diploid normal human and xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) fibroblasts. Mutagenesis was assayed with unirradiated herpes simplex virus type 1 as a probe in a forward mutation assay (resistance to iododeoxycytidine). Dose-response studies showed that ER increased with the UV dose given to the virus. Optimal reactivation levels were obtained when normal cells and XP variant cells were exposed to a UV dose of 8 J . m-2 and the virus was irradiated with 150 J . m-2. Repair-deficient XP cells of complementation groups A, C, and D showed optimal reactivation levels with a UV dose to the cells of 1.0 J . m-2 and a UV dose to the virus of 40 J . m-2. The time course of appearance of ER and EM was also studied, both in the normal and XP cells. In all cell types except the XP variant cells, EM followed similar kinetics of appearance as did ER. Maximal activities occurred when infection was delayed 1 or 2 days after cell treatment. In XP variant cells, however, maximal expression of the EM function was significantly delayed with respect to ER. The results indicate that ER and EM are transiently expressed in normal and repair-deficient XP cells. Although both phenomena may be triggered by the same cellular event, ER and EM appear to be separate processes that occur independently of each other.     

An Ex Vivo Study of Congenital Pigmented Nevi in Epidermal Reconstructs

In order to study morphologic and functional characteristics of pigment cells in congenital pigmented nevi, autologous or heterologous reconstructs have been made using normal keratinocytes and nevus cells from the dermal-epidermal junction or from the dermis. All these cells, keratinocytes and nevus cells, were used as cell suspensions immediately after dissociation from the tissues or after subsequent brief cultivation in a serum-free medium. Reconstructed epidermis were cultured for 15 days at the air-liquid interface with or without ultraviolet (UV) B exposure. The reconstructs were examined macroscopically (formation of hyperpigmented macules), histologically (pigment cell nesting) and ultrastructurally (pigment structure and transfer). Typical nesting of nevus cells was observed in the dermal-epidermal junction or in the superficial dermis associated with macroscopically detectable small pigmented macules. UVB exposure induced an upward migration of nevus cells in the suprabasal layers of the epidermis. This tissue model can be considered as an excellent system for the ex vivo reproduction of pigmented nevi and as an assay of the sensitivity of nevus cells towards UVB irradiation.     

Higher number of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helicobacter pylori</Emphasis> CagA EPIYA C phosphorylation sites increases the risk of gastric cancer,but not duodenal ulcer

Background  

Helicobacter pylori infection is one of the most common infections worldwide and is associated with gastric cancer and peptic ulcer. Bacterial virulence factors such as CagA have been shown to increase the risk of both diseases. Studies have suggested a causal role for CagA EPIYA polymorphisms in gastric carcinogenesis, and it has been shown to be geographically diverse. We studied associations between H. pylori CagA EPIYA patterns and gastric cancer and duodenal ulcer, in an ethnically admixed Western population from Brazil. CagA EPIYA was determined by PCR and confirmed by sequencing. A total of 436 patients were included, being 188 with gastric cancer, 112 with duodenal ulcer and 136 with gastritis.     

Salivary alpha amylase-cortisol asymmetry in maltreated youth

BACKGROUND: Maltreatment represents a major stressor in the lives of many youth. Given the known effects of stress exposure on subsequent functioning of biological stress response systems, researchers have been interested in the effects of maltreatment on the functioning of these systems. Experimental studies reveal that previous exposure to stress affects the symmetry between components of the physiological stress response to subsequent stress. The present study examined asymmetry between salivary alpha amylase (sAA), a sympathetic indicator, and cortisol reactivity to a social stressor among maltreated and comparison youth age 9 to 14 years. Consistent with earlier studies suggesting that stress leads to asymmetry between hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and sympathetic nervous system activity, we expected that maltreated youth would exhibit greater sAA-cortisol asymmetry than would comparison youth. METHODS: Forty-seven maltreated and 37 comparison youth visited the laboratory and engaged in a social stress protocol. We collected 2 saliva samples before the stressor and 4 after, at 0 min post-stress and every 10 min for 30 min. RESULTS: Maltreatment status moderated the relation between sAA and cortisol activity in response to the stressor. Comparison youth showed significant links between the sAA and cortisol responses; maltreated youth had no significant associations between responses in the two biomarkers. CONCLUSION: The data were consistent with sAA-cortisol asymmetry among maltreated youth. Further research should seek to replicate this finding and investigate its implication for developmental trajectories.     

Herd-level risk factors associated with the presence of Phage type 21/28 E. coli O157 on Scottish cattle farms

Background  

E. coli O157 is a bacterial pathogen that is shed by cattle and can cause severe disease in humans. Phage type (PT) 21/28 is a subtype of E. coli O157 that is found across Scotland and is associated with particularly severe human morbidity.