Pyridinesulfonylureas and pyridinesulfonamides as selective bombesin receptor subtype-3 (BRS-3) agonists

Bombesin receptor subtype-3 (BRS-3) is an orphan G-protein coupled receptor belonging to the subfamily of bombesin-like receptors. BRS-3 is implicated in the development of obesity and diabetes. We report here small-molecule agonists that are based on a 4-(alkylamino)pyridine-3-sulfonamide core. We describe the discovery of 2a, which has mid-nanomolar potency, selectivity for human BRS-3 versus the other bombesin-like receptors, and good bioavailability.     

Clinical characteristics of patients with spondyloarthritides and HLA-B27 positive antigen

The aim of this study was to present our experiences in diagnosing spondyloarthritides (SpA), and to list the most common clinical features of HLA-B27 positive patients. The study included 65 HLA-B27 positive patients with confirmed diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who were analyzed between 2009 and 2010 in Clinic of Internal Medicine in Osijek. The diagnosis of seronegative spondyloarthritides was based on the ASAS (Assessment in AS Working Group) classification criteria for axial and then supplemented with ASAS criteria for peripheral SpA and was confirmed by radiological techniques. For diagnosing the ankylosing spondylitis (AS), there have been applied the modified New York criteria. Radiological criteria for definite sacroiliitis according to the modified New York criteria is bilateral sacroiliitis, grade 2-4 (> or = 2) or unilateral sacroiliitis, grade 3-4. For diagnosing the psoriatic arthritis (PsA), there were used CASPAR diagnostic criteria. Other features of SpA are defined within the existing classification criteria. HLA-B27 antigen was determined by direct immune-fluorescence technique using flow cytometer. The average age of patients was 50.34 years, of whom 27 female (41.53%), 38 male (58.46%). Duration of illness was 15.79 years on average. With 75.38% of patients, there had been determined the diagnosis of AS; 24.62% of patients had the diagnosis of PsA. The most common clinical characteristics that patients had were: inflammatory back pain (pain Inflammation along the lumbosacral spine), peripheral arthritis, intermittent pain in the gluteus, sacroiliitis, enthesitis, uveitis, dactilitis.     

Relationship between tumor vascularity and vascular endothelial growth factor as prognostic factors for patients with neuroblastoma

Although the role of angiogenesis in tumor progression and response to treatment is generally well-characterized, for neuroblastomas clinical data regarding the contribution of angiogenesis and its predictive capacity remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether tumor vascularity in the combination with expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) represent prognostic factors for patients with neuroblastoma. Immunohistochemistry using anti-CD34 and anti-VEGF antibodies was used to analyze paraffin-embedded primary tumor tissues from 56 patients diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Tumor vascularity was estimated by calculating the tumor vascular volume fraction (TVVF), and VEGF expression was determined using semi-quantitative scoring. Statistical analyses including multivariate analysis were performed and compared with these two factors. Tumor vascularity had impact on survival of high VEGF expression neuroblastoma patients. Combination of high VEGF expression and TVVF value < or = 5% was independent predictor of overall survival (p-value = 0.0041, odds ratio (OR) (95% CI) = 8.67 (1.99-37.69) by the Cox proportional hazards model). This study revealed for the first time a group of extremely high-risk neuroblastoma with both high VEGF expression and poor vascularity. For these patients reduced rates of survival were observed (37% vs. 92.5%) (p < 0.0001). These patients did not experience a significant improvement following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and could be candidates for receiving novel therapies. These results indicate the importance of the mutual relationship between tumor vascularity and VEGF, because it gives better insight into the prognosis of patients with neuroblastoma.     

Spontaneous perforation of the small intestine, a novel manifestation of classical homocystinuria in an adult with new cystathionine beta-synthetase gene mutations

The clinical picture of classical homocystinuria is diverse. This is the first report of an adult homocystinuric patient with non-traumatic spontaneous small bowel perforation. A 47-year old man presented with abdominal rebound tenderness, hypotension and tachycardia, anemia, and elevated markers of inflammation. Other routine laboratory tests were normal. Abdominal x-ray showed no free air. An emergency laparotomy revealed jejunal perforation in the left upper quadrant. Histologic specimen showed full-thickness nonspecific inflammation of the intestinal wall with granulocytic infiltration, hemorrhage and necrosis. Tuberculosis, actinomycosis and typhus were histologically and clinically excluded. After excluding all known possible causes of perforation, we presumed a causative relationship between homocystinuria and small bowel perforation. It could be hypothesized that connective tissue weakness in homocystinuria is a result of homocysteine interference with recombinant human fibrillin-1 fragments or cross-linking of collagen through permanent degradation of disulfide bridges and lysine amino acid residues in proteins. DNA analysis showed three detectable mutations in the cystathionine beta-synthetase gene, 1278T:c.833T>C, and two new mutations, V372G:c.1133T > G, and D520G:c.1558A > G in the aternatively spliced exon 15.     

Effect of ELF-EMF on antioxidant status and micronuclei in K562 cells and normal lymphocytes

The effect of ELF-EMF on DNA through changes in antioxidative enzyme activities has not been sufficiently explored yet. The aim of this study was to determine ELF-EMF effect on antioxidative enzymes in cancer cell line and genotoxic potential on normal human lymphocytes. K562 cells were exposed to 50 Hz ELF-EMF (40 μT, 100 μT; 3 h, 24 h) and spectrophotometric determination of lipid peroxidation and antioxidative enzyme activities was conducted. Genotoxicity of ELF-EMF (50 Hz, 100 μT) was investigated by cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay in a normal human lymphocytes (exposure 24 h and 48 h). Results demonstrated that ELF-EMF did not alter the process of lipid peroxidation and superoxide dismutase activity. Catalase activity was increased only after application of 100 μT EMF for 24 h. Glutathione-S-transferase and -reductase activities were increased. Treatment with 100 μT ELF-EMF (24 h, 48 h) significantly reduced micronuclei incidence, while cell proliferation was significantly increased. Results indicate that 50 Hz ELF-EMF (40 μT, 100 μT) are week stressors which alone cannot generate enough ROS to induce process of lipid peroxidation in cancer cell line but strong enough to induce response of antioxidative system. Furthermore, 100 μT ELF-EMF in human lymphocytes did not exhibit genotoxic potential during 24 h and 48 h treatment, but stimulated cell proliferation.     

Extramedullary plasmacytoma imitating neoplasm of the gallbladder fossa after cholecystectomy

Extramedullary plasmacytomas are plasma cell tumors that arise outside of the bone marrow. They account for approximately 3% of plasma cell neoplasms and are most frequently located in the head and neck region. Five months after undergoing cholecystectomy, a 69-year-old patient presented with the pain under the right costal margin and a 12 kg weight loss. Computed tomography of the abdomen demonstrated irregular, vascular mass in the gallbladder fossa that dents towards the duodenum and the pylorus and lowers caudally to the hepatic flexure. His laboratory tests indicated normocytic anemia and showed elevated sedimentation rate. During operative procedure, a tumorous mass in the gallbladder fossa was found, inseparable of the peritoneum of the hepatoduodenal ligament and the IVb liver segment. Histopathological examination and immunohistochemical staining determined the diagnosis of the plasmacytoma. Total resection of the tumor was achieved and after 24-month follow-up patient showed no signs of local recurrence or dissemination of the disease.     

Isolation and Characterization of Full and Truncated Forms of Human Breast Carcinoma Protein BA46 from Human Milk Fat Globule Membranes

We have isolated and characterized two proteins of 50 and 30 kDa from human milk fat globule membranes of healthy donors. N-terminal and internal sequencing revealed that the 50-kDa protein is the full-length human breast carcinoma protein BA46 that is highly expressed in human breast tumors. The 30-kDa protein is a truncated form of protein BA46 which consists of the C-terminal factor V/VIII-like domain of BA46 and which appears to anchor BA46 to the milk fat globule membrane. Defective release of the epidermal growth factor domain containing a surface RGD motif may be related to involvement of BA46 in breast cancer     

Energetics and geometry of FtsZ polymers: nucleated self-assembly of single protofilaments

Essential cell division protein FtsZ is an assembling GTPase which directs the cytokinetic ring formation in dividing bacterial cells. FtsZ shares the structural fold of eukaryotic tubulin and assembles forming tubulin-like protofilaments, but does not form microtubules. Two puzzling problems in FtsZ assembly are the nature of protofilament association and a possible mechanism for nucleated self-assembly of single-stranded protofilaments above a critical FtsZ concentration. We assembled two-dimensional arrays of FtsZ on carbon supports, studied linear polymers of FtsZ with cryo-electron microscopy of vitrified unsupported solutions, and formulated possible polymerization models. Nucleated self-assembly of FtsZ from Escherichia coli with GTP and magnesium produces flexible filaments 4-6 nm-wide, only compatible with a single protofilament. This agrees with previous scanning transmission electron microscopy results and is supported by recent cryo-electron tomography studies of two bacterial cells. Observations of double-stranded FtsZ filaments in negative stain may come from protofilament accretion on the carbon support. Preferential protofilament cyclization does not apply to FtsZ assembly. The apparently cooperative polymerization of a single protofilament with identical intermonomer contacts is explained by the switching of one inactive monomer into the active structure preceding association of the next, creating a dimer nucleus. FtsZ behaves as a cooperative linear assembly machine.     

Glycosphingolipid expression in cerebrospinal fluid of infants with neurological abnormalities: report of three cases

The aim of this study was to analyse glycosphingolipid expression in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from one idiopathic West syndrome (IWS) infant, one with Reye like syndrome, and one with congenital hydrocephalus, in comparison to control group (n=7) using highly sensitive thin-layer chromatography-immunostaining methods. Gangliotetraose-series gangliosides (acidic glycosphingolipids) were not detected in CSF of infant with idiopathic West syndrome and infant with congenital hydrocephalus. CSF of infant with IWS showed traces of neolacto-tetraose ganglioside fractions, which were absent in all other CSF examined. In addition, lactosylceramide fraction, and one ceramide fraction were highly expressed only in IWS CSF These results confirmed previously described lack of gangliotetraose-series gangliosides in IWS patient and for the first time is described increased expression of neolacto-series glycosphingolipids in IWS patient. Since follow up until the age of five years showed almost normal IWS patient psychomotor development, the discribed shift of glycosphingolipid expression may implicate on transient inhibition of specific glycosyl transferases in the age of seven months.     

Discovery of potent, orally active benzimidazole glucagon receptor antagonists

The discovery and optimization of potent and selective aminobenzimidazole glucagon receptor antagonists are described. One compound possessing moderate pharmacokinetic properties in multiple preclinical species was orally efficacious at inhibiting glucagon-mediated glucose excursion in transgenic mice expressing the human glucagon receptor, and in rhesus monkeys. The compound also significantly lowered glucose levels in a murine model of diabetes.