Expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 in pancreatic ductal carcinoma is associated with tumor metastasis formation

The objective of the current study was to assess the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) in pancreatic ductal carcinoma and to examine its correlation with chosen clinico-anatomical parameters. The study group consisted of 36 patients with pancreatic ductal carcinoma. Tumors were stained using immunohistochemical method (NCL -MMP-9, Novocastra). No correlation was found between tumor MMP-9 expression and age, gender or grade of histological malignancy. However, statistical analysis revealed a relationship between tumor MMP-9 expression and histological type (adenocarcinoma mucinosum) of pancreatic carcinoma. The expression was strongly correlated with lymph node involvement and occurrence of distant metastases (p<0.00001). The results indicate a correlation between the expression of MMP-9 in pancreatic ductal carcinoma and worse prognosis (shown by lymph node involvement and distant metastases).     

Evidence that platelet-derived microvesicles may transfer platelet-specific immunoreactive antigens to the surface of endothelial cells and CD34+ hematopoietic stem/ progenitor cells--implication for the pathogenesis of immune thrombocytopenias

The pathogenesis and tissue damage that accompanies destruction of platelets in immune thrombocytopenias (IT) is still not understood very well and in addition to platelets, other cells (e.g. endothelial cells, CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitors) may also become affected. Based on our previous work that platelet antigens (e.g., CD41) may be transferred by platelet-derived microvesicles (PMV) to the surface of other cells, we asked if platelet derived-antigens, especially those that are involved in the formation of anti-platelet antibodies in IT (e.g., against antigen HPA 1 a) could be also transferred by similar mechanism. To address this issue normal human CD34+ cells, human umbilical vein-endothelial cells (HUVEC) and monocytic cell line THP-1 were incubated with PMV derived from HPA1a+ donors. We noticed that the HPA1a antigen is highly expressed on PMV-derived from the HPAla positive platelets and is transferred in PMV-dependent manner to the surface of CD34+ cells, HUVEC and monocytic THP-1 cells. These cells covered with HPA1a positive PMV but not by PMV derived from HPAla negative platelets reacted with anti-HPA1a antibodies derived from the alloimmunized pregnant women. More importantly, human hematopoietic cells that were preincubated with HPA1a+ PMV and subsequently exposed to anti-HPA 1 a serum and human NK cells, become subject to elimination by antibody dependent cell cytotoxicity ADCC. Thus, we postulate that PMV-dependent transfer of antigens may playing an important role in "expanding" the population of target cells that may be affected by anti-platelet antibodies and explain several pathologies that accompany IT (e.g. damage of endothelium, cytopenias).     

AP endonuclease paralogues with distinct activities in DNA repair and bacterial pathogenesis

Oxidative stress is a principal cause of DNA damage, and mechanisms to repair this damage are among the most highly conserved of biological processes. Oxidative stress is also used by phagocytes to attack bacterial pathogens in defence of the host. We have identified and characterised two apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease paralogues in the human pathogen Neisseria meningitidis. The presence of multiple versions of DNA repair enzymes in a single organism is usually thought to reflect redundancy in activities that are essential for cellular viability. We demonstrate here that these two AP endonuclease paralogues have distinct activities in DNA repair: one is a typical Neisserial AP endonuclease (NApe), whereas the other is a specialised 3'-phosphodiesterase Neisserial exonuclease (NExo). The lack of AP endonuclease activity of NExo is shown to be attributable to the presence of a histidine side chain, blocking the abasic ribose-binding site. Both enzymes are necessary for survival of N. meningitidis under oxidative stress and during bloodstream infection. The novel functional pairing of NExo and NApe is widespread among bacteria and appears to have evolved independently on several occasions.     

The structure of the O-polysaccharide isolated from the lipopolysaccharide of Salmonella Dakar (serogroup O:28)

The structure of the O-antigenic part of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Salmonella Dakar was analysed using chemical methods, NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The following structure for the repeating unit of the O-polysaccharide was determined: [see text] where Quip3NAc is 3-acetamido-3,6-dideoxyglucose. This is the first published structure of the O-polysaccharides from 101 serotypes of Salmonella bacteria belonging to serogroup O:28 (formerly M) in the Kauffmann-White scheme.     

Polymorphism and chromosomal location of the MC4R (melanocortin-4 receptor) gene in the dog and red fox

The melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) is expressed in the hypothalamus and regulates energy intake and body weight. In silico screening of the canine chromosome 1 sequence and a comparison with the porcine MC4R sequence by BLAST were performed. The nucleotide sequence of the whole coding region and 3'- and 5'-flanking regions of the dog (1214 bp) and red fox (1177 bp) MC4R gene was established and high conservation of the nucleotide sequences was revealed (99%). Five sets of PCR primers were designed and a search for polymorphism was performed by the SSCP technique in a group of 31 dogs representing nineteen breeds and 35 farm red foxes. Sequencing of DNA fragments, representing the identified SSCP patterns, revealed three single nucleotide polymorphisms (including a missense one) in dogs and four silent SNPs in red foxes. An average SNP frequency was approx. 1/400 bp in the dog and 1/300 bp in the red fox. We mapped the MC4R gene by FISH to the canine chromosome 1 (CFA1q1.1) and to the red fox chromosome 5 (VVU5p1.2).     

Polypeptide growth factors in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours

Polypeptide growth factors form a potent class of extracellular signal molecules in the regulation of cellular differentiation and proliferation. Disturbances in the expression of growth factors influence the normal pathway of differentiation and lead to cellular transformation and tumour progression. Contemporary medical studies report that various growth factors such as those for platelet-derived growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, epidermal growth factor, hepatocyte growth factor and insulin-like growth factor are expressed in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP/NET). Polypeptide growth factors have great significance in the growth, progression and development of metastases by various tumours. We describe the role of growth factors in GEP/NET on the basis of the available reports of medical research.     

Alignment of multiple chromosomes along helical ParA scaffolding in sporulating Streptomyces hyphae

The dynamic, mitosis-like segregation of bacterial chromosomes and plasmids often involves proteins of the ParA (ATPase) and ParB (DNA-binding protein) families. The conversion of multigenomic aerial hyphae of the mycelial organism Streptomyces coelicolor into chains of unigenomic spores requires the synchronous segregation of multiple chromosomes, providing an unusual context for chromosome segregation. Correct spatial organization of the oriC-proximal region prior to septum formation is achieved by the assembly of ParB into segregation complexes (Jakimowicz et al., 2005; J Bacteriol 187: 3572-3580). Here, we focus on the contribution of ParA to sporulation-associated chromosome segregation. Elimination of ParA strongly affects not only chromosome segregation but also septation. In wild type hyphae about to undergo sporulation, immunostained ParA was observed as a stretched double-helical filament, which accompanies the formation of ParB foci. We show that ParA mediates efficient assembly of ParB complexes in vivo and in vitro, and that ATP binding is crucial for ParA dimerization and interaction with ParB but not for ParA localization in vivo. We suggest that S. coelicolor ParA provides scaffolding for proper distribution of ParB complexes and consequently controls synchronized segregation of several dozens of chromosomes, possibly mediating a segregation and septation checkpoint.     

Isoforms of trehalase and invertase of Fusarium oxysporum

Enzymatic assays and native PAGE were used to study trehalase and invertase activities, depending on culture age and different sugar conditions, in cell-free extracts, culture filtrates and ribosomal wash of Fusarium oxysporum. The activity of invertase preceded that of trehalase; in the exponential phase of growth, mainly invertase activity was produced, whereas trehalase activity was high in the stationary phase. In this last phase of growth, the activity of intracellular trehalase was repressed by monosaccharides, whereas disaccharides, especially lactose and starch, enhanced the activity of intracellular and extracellular trehalase. However, invertase activity was not repressed under these conditions and had the maximal activity in the presence of saccharose. Intracellular trehalase appeared in a single, high-molecular weight (120 kDa) form, whereas the extracellular enzyme appeared in a single, low-molecular weight (60 kDa) form. The activity pattern of invertase isoforms indicated the occurrence of three forms of intracellular enzyme with the main activity band at 120 kDa and two isoforms of extracellular enzyme. In the ribosomal wash, high-molecular weight isoforms of both trehalase and invertase were identified. A possible role of trehalase and invertase in carbohydrate metabolism of fungal pathogens is also discussed.     

Changes in the content of gamma-linolenic C18:3 (n-6) and stearidonic C18:4 (n-3) acids in developing seeds of viper's bugloss Echium vulgare L

Changes in the composition of fatty acids (FA) were determined in lipid extracts isolated from developing ovaries containing ovules and developing seeds of Echium vulgare L. The samples were collected successively over 20 days beginning with the first day after flowering. The contents of the n-6 FA family members, i.e., gamma-linolenic (GLA) (C(18:3)) and linoleic (LA) (C(18:2)) acids changed in a parallel manner and reached the maximum of 13.9% and 24%, respectively, on the 12th day, after which they fell systematically down to 8.6% and 18.2%, respectively, on the 20th day after flowering. Starting with day 13, the content of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) (C(18:3) n-3) begins to grow intensively, from 24.2% to 39.3% on the 20th day after flowering. The increase in the content of stearidonic acid (SDA) (C(18:4) n-3), up to 10.5% on the 20th day after flowering, occurred steadily as the seeds developed, and was independent of the changes in the content of GLA and LA. The pattern of changes in the content of SDA, GLA, LA and ALA during the development of seeds, and the occurrence of SDA in the seed oil of other plants, demonstrate that the biosynthesis of SDA in the seeds is critically dependent on the presence of ALA. The above condition indicates that SDA biosynthesis in the seeds of Echium vulgare follows the scheme LA --> simultaneous, competitive, action of Delta(6) and Delta(15) desaturases, leading to the formation of GLA and ALA, respectively, and then ALA (Delta(6) des) --> SDA. The biosynthesis according to the scheme: GLA (Delta(15) des) --> SDA is highly unlikely.