Secondary metabolites from Ganoderma lucidum and Spongiporus leucomallellus

The hydrodistillates and solvent extracts of the fruit bodies of Ganoderma lucidum (Fr.) P. Karst. and Spongiporus leucomallellus (Murril) A. David were investigated. The constituents in both oils comprised hydrocarbons, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and fatty acids. Major volatiles of G. lucidum were trans-anethol, R-(-)-linalool, S-(+)-carvone and alpha-bisabolol, while the essential oil of S. leucomallellus contained relatively large amounts of R-(-)-1-octene-3-ol, R-(-)-linalool, 1-hepten-3-one and (Z)-nerolidol. From the n-hexane extract of G. lucidum, the steroid ester ergosta-7,22-diene-3beta-yl pentadecanoate could be identified. From S. leucomallellus two constituents showing structures of 3,4-seco-lanostane type triterpene acids were identified as (+)-23-oxo-3,4-seco-lanosta-4(28),7(8),9(11),24(31)-tetraene-3,26-dicarboxylic acid and (+)-20-hydroxy-23-oxo-3,4-seco-lanosta-4(28),7(8),9(11),24(31)-tetraene3,26-dicarboxylic acid, respectively. Cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity of selected compounds were investigated using standard tests.     

Beta ig-h3 interacts directly with biglycan and decorin, promotes collagen VI aggregation, and participates in ternary complexing with these macromolecules

Recombinant human beta ig-h3 was found to bind 125I-labeled small leucine-rich proteoglycans (SLRPs), biglycan, and decorin, in co-immunoprecipitation experiments. In each instance the binding could be blocked by an excess of the unlabeled proteoglycan, confirming the specificity of the interaction. Scatchard analysis showed that biglycan bound beta ig-h3 more avidly than decorin with Kd values estimated as 5.88 x 10(-8) and 1.02 x 10(-7) M, respectively. In reciprocal blocking experiments both proteoglycans inhibited the others binding to beta ig-h3 indicating that they may share the same binding site or that the two binding sites are in close proximity on the beta ig-h3 molecule. Since beta ig-h3 and the SLRPs are known to be associated with the amino-terminal region of collagen VI in tissue microfibrils, the effects of including collagen VI in the incubations were investigated. Co-immunoprecipitation of 125I-labeled biglycan incubated with equimolar mixtures of beta ig-h3 and pepsin-collagen VI was increased 6-fold over beta ig-h3 alone and 3-fold over collagen VI alone. Similar increases were also observed for decorin. The findings indicate that beta ig-h3 participates in a ternary complex with collagen VI and SLRPs. Static light scattering techniques were used to show that beta ig-h3 rapidly forms very high molecular weight complexes with both native and pepsin-collagen VI, either alone or with the SLRPs. Indeed beta ig-h3 was shown to form a complex with collagen VI and biglycan, which appeared to be much more extensive than that formed by beta ig-h3 with collagen VI and decorin or those formed between the collagen and beta ig-h3, biglycan, or decorin alone. Biglycan core protein was shown to inhibit the extent of complexing of beta ig-h3 with native and pepsin-collagen VI suggesting that the glycosaminoglycan side chains of the proteoglycan were important for the formation of the large ternary complexes. Further studies showed that the direct interaction between beta ig-h3 and biglycan and between biglycan and collagen VI were also important for the formation of these complexes. The globular domains of collagen VI also appeared to have an influence on the interaction of the three components. Overall the results indicate that beta ig-h3 can differentially modulate the aggregation of collagen VI with biglycan and decorin. Thus this interplay is likely to be important in tissues such as cornea where such complexes are considered to occur.     

Electron tomography of the Maurer's cleft organelles of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes reveals novel structural features

During intraerythrocytic development, the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, establishes membrane-bound compartments, known as Maurer's clefts, outside the confines of its own plasma membrane. The Maurer's compartments are thought to be a crucial component of the machinery for protein sorting and trafficking; however, their ultrastructure is only partly defined. We have used electron tomography to image Maurer's clefts of 3D7 strain parasites. The compartments are revealed as flattened structures with a translucent lumen and a more electron-dense coat. They display a complex and convoluted morphology, and some regions are modified with surface nodules, each with a circular cross-section of approximately 25 nm. Individual 25 nm vesicle-like structures are also seen in the erythrocyte cytoplasm and associated with the red blood cell membrane. The Maurer's clefts are connected to the red blood cell membrane by regions with extended stalk-like profiles. Immunogold labelling with specific antibodies confirms differential labelling of the Maurer's clefts and the parasitophorous vacuole and erythrocyte membranes. Spot fluorescence photobleaching was used to demonstrate the absence of a lipid continuum between the Maurer's clefts and parasite membranes and the host plasma membrane.     

Lipopolysaccharide-activated B cells down-regulate Th1 immunity and prevent autoimmune diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice.

B cells can serve dual roles in modulating T cell immunity through their potent capacity to present Ag and induce regulatory tolerance. Although B cells are necessary components for the initiation of spontaneous T cell autoimmunity to beta cell Ags in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice, the role of activated B cells in the autoimmune process is poorly understood. In this study, we show that LPS-activated B cells, but not control B cells, express Fas ligand and secrete TGF-beta. Coincubation of diabetogenic T cells with activated B cells in vitro leads to the apoptosis of both T and B lymphocytes. Transfusion of activated B cells, but not control B cells, into prediabetic NOD mice inhibited spontaneous Th1 autoimmunity, but did not promote Th2 responses to beta cell autoantigens. Furthermore, this treatment induced mononuclear cell apoptosis predominantly in the spleen and temporarily impaired the activity of APCs. Cotransfer of activated B cells with diabetogenic splenic T cells prevented the adoptive transfer of type I diabetes mellitus (T1DM) to NOD/scid mice. Importantly, whereas 90% of NOD mice treated with control B cells developed T1DM within 27 wk, <20% of the NOD mice treated with activated B cells became hyperglycemic up to 1 year of age. Our data suggest that activated B cells can down-regulate pathogenic Th1 immunity through triggering the apoptosis of Th1 cells and/or inhibition of APC activity by the secretion of TGF-beta. These findings provide new insights into T-B cell interactions and may aid in the design of new therapies for human T1DM.     

Fryns syndrome: another example of non-lethal outcome with severe mental handicap.

In this report we present clinical data of a patient with Fryns syndrome who survived the neonatal period. Two sibs died intra-uterine. The syndrome is characterized by craniofacial dysmorphism, diaphragmatic hernia and distal limb hypoplasia. Lethality in most cases is caused by the diaphragmatic hernia with concomitant lung hypoplasia. In patients with Fryns syndrome presenting without the diaphragmatic defect and lung-hypoplasia, survival beyond the neonatal period is possible; mental retardation is present in all four patients described so far. This report illustrates, once more, the great intrafamilial variation of the syndrome and emphasises its important consequences for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis.     

Plasma Amino Acids in Dogs with Osteochondrosis or Hip Dysplasia

Radiography of the hip joints of mature dogs has shown that hip dysplasia is quite common in many middle and large size breeds in Norway. The heritability of hip dysplasia has been estimated in several studies to be between 0.2 and 0.6 (Hedhammar et al 1979). This indicates that environmental factors are important for development and severity of hip dysplasia.     

Aberrant Mitochondria in a Bethlem Myopathy Patient with a Homozygous Amino Acid Substitution That Destabilizes the Collagen VI α2(VI) Chain

Bethlem myopathy and Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy (UCMD) sit at opposite ends of a clinical spectrum caused by mutations in the extracellular matrix protein collagen VI. Bethlem myopathy is relatively mild, and patients remain ambulant in adulthood while many UCMD patients lose ambulation by their teenage years and require respiratory interventions. Dominant and recessive mutations are found across the entire clinical spectrum; however, recessive Bethlem myopathy is rare, and our understanding of the molecular pathology is limited. We studied a patient with Bethlem myopathy. Electron microscopy of his muscle biopsy revealed abnormal mitochondria. We identified a homozygous COL6A2 p.D871N amino acid substitution in the C-terminal C2 A-domain. Mutant α2(VI) chains are unable to associate with α1(VI) and α3(VI) and are degraded by the proteasomal pathway. Some collagen VI is assembled, albeit more slowly than normal, and is secreted. These molecules contain the minor α2(VI) C2a splice form that has an alternative C terminus that does include the mutation. Collagen VI tetramers containing the α2(VI) C2a chain do not assemble efficiently into microfibrils and there is a severe collagen VI deficiency in the extracellular matrix. We expressed wild-type and mutant α2(VI) C2 domains in mammalian cells and showed that while wild-type C2 domains are efficiently secreted, the mutant p.D871N domain is retained in the cell. These studies shed new light on the protein domains important for intracellular and extracellular collagen VI assembly and emphasize the importance of molecular investigations for families with collagen VI disorders to ensure accurate diagnosis and genetic counseling.