Impact of pericardial restraint on right atrial mechanics during acute right ventricular pressure load

Optimization of right atrial (RA) mechanics is important for maintaining right ventricular (RV) filling and global cardiac output. However, the impact of pericardial restraint on RA function and the compensatory role of the right atrium to changes in RV afterload remain poorly characterized. In eight open-chest sheep, RA elastance (contractility) and chamber stiffness were measured (RA pressure-volume relations) at baseline and during partial pulmonary artery (PA) occlusion. Data were collected before and after pericardiotomy. With the pericardium intact and partial PA occlusion, RA elastance increased by 28% (P < 0.04), whereas RA stiffness tended to rise (P = 0.08). However, after pericardiotomy, there was a significant fall in both RA elastance (54%, P < 0.04) and stiffness (39%, P < 0.04), and subsequent PA occlusion failed to induce a change in elastance (P > 0.19) or stiffness (P > 0.84). After pericardiotomy, RA elastance and stiffness fell dramatically, and the compensatory response of the right atrium to elevated RV afterload was lost. The ability of the right atrium to respond to changes in RV hemodynamics is highly dependent on pericardial integrity.     

Structural features of paramyxovirus F protein required for fusion initiation

On the basis of the coordinates of the related Newcastle disease virus (NDV) F protein, Valine-94, a determinant of measles virus (MV) cytopathicity, is predicted to lie in a cylindrical cavity with 10 A diameter located at the F neck. A 16-residue domain around V94 is functionally interchangeable between NDV and MV F, supporting our homology model. Features of the cavity are conserved within the Paramyxovirinae. A hydrophobic base and a hydrophilic residue at the rim are required for surface expression. Small residue substitutions predicted to open the cavity were found to disrupt transport or limit fusogenicity of transport-competent mutants but can be compensated for by simultaneous insertion of larger residues at the opposing wall. Variants containing histidine substitutions mediate fusion at pH 8.5, while at pH 7.2 fusion is blocked, suggesting that functionality requires low charge in the cavity. These results indicate that specific structural features of the cavity are essential for paramyxovirus fusion initiation.     

Antigen-driven oligoclonal expansion of tumor-infiltrating B cells in infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast

The objective of this study was to determine whether tumor-infiltrating B cells (TIL-B) of infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast represent a tumor-specific humoral immune response. Immunohistochemical analysis of three Her-2/neu-negative IDC tumors from geriatric patients showed that TIL-B cluster in structures similar to germinal centers containing CD20(+) B lymphocyte and CD3(+) T lymphocyte zones with interdigitating CD21(+) follicular dendritic cells, suggesting an in situ immune response. A total of 29, 31, and 58 IgG1 H chain clones was sequenced from the three IDC tumors, respectively. Intratumoral oligoclonal expansion of TIL-B was demonstrated by a preponderance (45-68%) of clonal B cells. In contrast, only 7% of tumor-draining lymph node and 0% of healthy donor PBL IgG H chains were clonal, consistent with the larger repertoires of node and peripheral populations. Patterns and levels of TIL-B IgG H chain somatic hypermutation suggested affinity maturation in intratumoral germinal centers. To examine the specificity of TIL-B Ig, a phage-displayed Fab library was generated from the TIL-B of one IDC tumor. Panning with an allogeneic breast cancer cell line enriched Fab binding to breast cancer cells, but not nonmalignant cell lines tested. However, panning with autologous tumor tissue lysate increased binding of Fab to both tumor tissue lysate and healthy breast tissue lysate. These data suggest an in situ Ag-driven oligoclonal B cell response to a variety of tumor- and breast-associated Ags.     

Phosphorylation of the rat vesicular acetylcholine transporter

Metabolic labeling of a mutant PC12 cell line, A123.7, expressing recombinant rat vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) with radiolabeled inorganic phosphate was used to demonstrate phosphorylation of the transporter on a serine residue. Mutational analysis was used to demonstrate that serine 480, which is located on the COOH-terminal cytoplasmic tail, is the sole phosphorylation site. Phosphorylation of serine 480 was attributable to the action of protein kinase C. Using a permanently dephosphorylated form of rat VAChT, S480A rVAChT, it was shown that this mutant displays the same kinetics for the transport of acetylcholine and the binding of the inhibitor vesamicol as does the wild type transporter. However, sucrose gradient density centrifugation showed that, unlike wild type VAChT, the S480A mutant did not localize to synaptic vesicles. These results suggest that phosphorylation of serine 480 of VAChT is involved in the trafficking of this transporter.     

Mathematical analysis of the relative contributions of decreased production and increased peripheral destruction in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and implications in splenectomy

We utilize a model of platelet concentration kinetics and bone marrow production based on three terms (a constant loss term, a random loss term and a higher order loss term) to compare a hypoplastic bone marrow patient and a patient with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) for the same platelet concentration. We compare this model to published data and show that in many ITP patients there is an overall decrease in platelet production. However, for almost all cases of ITP there is an increase in peripheral platelet destruction, even in those cases where total bone marrow production is less than that in a normal individual or is severely depressed. We are able to graphically depict the variable contributions of decreased production and increased peripheral destruction in patients with ITP and hence give insight into their relative contributions in a given patient. We apply a unique feature of our model, the newly postulated destruction term proportional to the platelet concentration squared (the higher order loss term), to explain cases of antibody negative ITP. Application of our model to data on patients splenectomized as treatment for ITP shows promise in predicting which patients are likely to respond.     

Is G1 normally distributed?

The normal distribution parameters were calculated for seven sets of cell cycle data of animal cells in culture. These include two sets of intermitotic times (rat S6/1 cells and mouse fibroblast L 929) and five sets of DNA synthesis (two of mouse fibroblast line L 929, two Chinese hamster CHO lines and Syrian hamster line BHK 21/613).It is demonstrated that within the errors involved the experimental data fit the normal distribution adequately. The Smith-Martin model and the normal distribution are briefly discussed in relationship to the initial curvature observed in a semilogarithmic presentation of such data.     

Xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme gene polymorphisms predict response to lung volume reduction surgery

Background

In the National Emphysema Treatment Trial (NETT), marked variability in response to lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) was observed. We sought to identify genetic differences which may explain some of this variability.

Methods

In 203 subjects from the NETT Genetics Ancillary Study, four outcome measures were used to define response to LVRS at six months: modified BODE index, post-bronchodilator FEV₁, maximum work achieved on a cardiopulmonary exercise test, and University of California, San Diego shortness of breath questionnaire. Sixty-four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in five genes previously shown to be associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease susceptibility, exercise capacity, or emphysema distribution.

Results

A SNP upstream from glutathione S-transferase pi (GSTP1; p = 0.003) and a coding SNP in microsomal epoxide hydrolase (EPHX1; p = 0.02) were each associated with change in BODE score. These effects appeared to be strongest in patients in the non-upper lobe predominant, low exercise subgroup. A promoter SNP in EPHX1 was associated with change in BODE score (p = 0.008), with the strongest effects in patients with upper lobe predominant emphysema and low exercise capacity. One additional SNP in GSTP1 and three additional SNPs in EPHX1 were associated (p < 0.05) with additional LVRS outcomes. None of these SNP effects were seen in 166 patients randomized to medical therapy.

Conclusion

Genetic variants in GSTP1 and EPHX1, two genes encoding xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes, were predictive of response to LVRS. These polymorphisms may identify patients most likely to benefit from LVRS.     

Identification of the allosteric regulatory site of insulysin

Background

Insulin degrading enzyme (IDE) is responsible for the metabolism of insulin and plays a role in clearance of the Aβ peptide associated with Alzheimer''s disease. Unlike most proteolytic enzymes, IDE, which consists of four structurally related domains and exists primarily as a dimer, exhibits allosteric kinetics, being activated by both small substrate peptides and polyphosphates such as ATP.

Principal Findings

The crystal structure of a catalytically compromised mutant of IDE has electron density for peptide ligands bound at the active site in domain 1 and a distal site in domain 2. Mutating residues in the distal site eliminates allosteric kinetics and activation by a small peptide, as well as greatly reducing activation by ATP, demonstrating that this site plays a key role in allostery. Comparison of the peptide bound IDE structure (using a low activity E111F IDE mutant) with unliganded wild type IDE shows a change in the interface between two halves of the clamshell-like molecule, which may enhance enzyme activity by altering the equilibrium between closed and open conformations. In addition, changes in the dimer interface suggest a basis for communication between subunits.

Conclusions/Significance

Our findings indicate that a region remote from the active site mediates allosteric activation of insulysin by peptides. Activation may involve a small conformational change that weakens the interface between two halves of the enzyme.     

Using co-occurrence network structure to extract synonymous gene and protein names from MEDLINE abstracts

Background  

Text-mining can assist biomedical researchers in reducing information overload by extracting useful knowledge from large collections of text. We developed a novel text-mining method based on analyzing the network structure created by symbol co-occurrences as a way to extend the capabilities of knowledge extraction. The method was applied to the task of automatic gene and protein name synonym extraction.