Immunoassay for the determination of morphine-3-glucuronide using a surface plasmon resonance-based biosensor

Polyclonal antibodies were produced for the development of competitive ELISA's and surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based BIAcore inhibition assays for the detection of morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G, the main metabolite of heroin and morphine). A conjugate consisting of M3G and ovalbumin was produced and used for the generation of antibodies, for the coating of immunoplates and for immobilisation onto BIAcore chips. Competition ELISA's were developed in PBS and urine to characterise the antibodies ability to recognise free M3G. SPR-based inhibition immunoassays on BIAcore were developed. The regeneration of the surface of a chip immobilised with conjugate following antibody binding, essential for the development of inhibition assays was investigated. Regeneration of the conjugate-coated surface was optimised for both polyclonal antibodies resulting in binding-regeneration capacities of approximately 60 cycles for one antibody and 50 cycles for the second antibody. The inhibition assays developed in urine had ranges of detection of 762-24,400 (antibody 1) and 976-62,500 pg ml(-1) (antibody 2). The inter-day coefficients of variation for the assays ranged from 1.48 to 11.24%.     

An Arabidopsis thaliana gene for methylsalicylate biosynthesis, identified by a biochemical genomics approach, has a role in defense

Emission of methylsalicylate (MeSA), and occasionally of methylbenzoate (MeBA), from Arabidopsis thaliana leaves was detected following the application of some forms of both biotic and abiotic stresses to the plant. Maximal emission of MeSA was observed following alamethicin treatment of leaves. A gene (AtBSMT1) encoding a protein with both benzoic acid (BA) and salicylic acid (SA) carboxyl methyltransferase activities was identified using a biochemical genomics approach. Its ortholog (AlBSMT1) in A. lyrata, a close relative of A. thaliana, was also isolated. The AtBSMT1 protein utilizes SA more efficiently than BA, whereas AlBSMT1 catalyzes the methylation of SA less effectively than that of BA. The AtBSMT1 and AlBSMT1 genes showed expression in leaves under normal growth conditions and were more highly expressed in the flowers. In A. thaliana leaves, the expression of AtBSMT1 was induced by alamethicin, Plutella xylostella herbivory, uprooting, physical wounding, and methyl jasmonate. SA was not an effective inducer. Using a beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter approach, the promoter activity of AtBSMT1 was localized to the sepals of flowers, and also to leaf trichomes and hydathodes. Upon thrip damage to leaves, AtBSMT1 promoter activity was induced specifically around the lesions.     

High affinity, bioavailable 3-amino-1,4-benzodiazepine-based gamma-secretase inhibitors

In this paper, we describe the development of a novel series of high affinity, orally bioavailable 3-amino-1,4 benzodiazepine-based gamma-secretase inhibitors for the potential treatment of Alzheimer's disease. We disclose structure-activity relationships based around the 1, 3 and 5 positions of the benzodiazepine core structure.     

Characterization of attenuated Renibacterium salmoninarum strains and their use as live vaccines

Two nutritionally mutant strains of Renibacterium salmoninarum (Rs) were isolated that grew on tryticase soy agar (Rs TSA1) or brain heart infusion agar (Rs BHI1). These 2 strains could be continuously cultured on these media, whereas typical R. salmoninarum would only grow on KDM-2 agar. We determined no other phenotypic difference that could be used to distinguish them from wild-type R. salmoninarum. Both strains were found to be avirulent when 5 x 10(6) bacteria were intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected into Atlantic salmon. Rs TSA1, Rs BHI1, and Rs MT-239 (a R. salmoninarum strain previously shown to be attenuated) were tested as live vaccines in 2 separate trials. The best protection was seen with Rs TSA1. Vaccinated Atlantic salmon had relative percent survival (RPS) of 50 at 74 d post-challenge in Trial 1 and 76 at 60 d post-challenge in Trial 2. In both trials, 100% of the control salmon died from bacterial kidney disease (BKD) (within 40 d for Trial 1 and 50 d for Trial 2) after i.p. challenge with 5 x 10(6) live cells of the virulent isolate Rs Margaree.     

Modelling of congenital nystagmus waveforms produced by saccadic system abnormalities

 Models of the mechanisms of normal eye movements are typically described in terms of the block diagrams which are used in control theory. An alternative approach to understanding the mechanisms of normal eye movements involves describing the eye movement behaviour in terms of smooth changes in state variables. The latter approach captures the burst cell firing against motor error (difference between target gaze angle and current gaze angle) phase plane behaviour which is found experimentally and facilitates the modelling of variations in burst cell behaviour. A novel explanation of several types of congenital nystagmus waveforms is given in terms of a saccadic termination abnormality. Received: 12 May 1999 / Accepted in revised form: 19 November 1999     

Apolipoprotein-E dependent role for the FAS receptor in early onset Alzheimer's disease: finding of a positive association for a polymorphism in the TNFRSF6 gene

The TNFRSF6 gene encodes FAS, a cell-surface receptor involved in apoptosis initiation. Elevated levels of FAS have been reported in the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. We have tested a G/A polymorphism at position -670 in the TNFRSF6 gene for association with non-familial, early onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD) by using dynamic allele-specific hybridization. In an initial set of Scottish EOAD cases (n=78) and controls (n=152), we found that, for individuals carrying one or two APOE4 alleles, the homozygous GG-genotype was enriched in the patients (26.7% versus 10.9% in controls). A second study was conducted on an independent set of Scottish individuals (87 EOAD, 358 controls). In this material, the TNFRSF6 GG-genotype frequency was elevated in patients regardless of APOE4 status (28.7% versus 15.1%) and was even more enriched in APOE4 carriers (35.9% versus 15.3%). A combination of the two sample sets (165 cases, 510 controls) gave a significant disease association for the TNFRSF6 GG-genotype that was irrespective of APOE4 (P=0.0020) and that was almost completely attributable to the enrichment present within the set of APOE4 carriers (P=0.0016). This represents an odds ratio of 8.71 for GG-homozygotes carrying at least one APOE4 allele compared with other TNFRSF6 genotypes in APOE4 non-carriers. The TNFRSF6 variation was further explored in Scottish late-onset Alzheimer's disease (n=159) but no associations were found. These results imply that TNFRSF6, in interaction with APOE4, is a genetic risk factor for sporadic EOAD. Hence, the AD risk contributed by APOE4 could be mechanistically related to a pathway in common with FAS-mediated apoptosis.     

Rapid antibody-based field test to distinguish between Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Helicoverpa punctigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) and Helicoverpa punctigera (Wallengren) are the two most important insect pests of cotton production in Australia and require application of insecticides to control them. H. armigera has developed resistance to several insecticides but H. punctigera has not. Cost-effective management of insecticide resistance requires that growers be able to determine the proportion of H. armigera eggs or young larvae present on their crop before applying insecticides. This is impossible visually. We generated two monoclonal antibodies that reacted with the insect protein "lipophorin" and were capable of discriminating individuals of the two species at all life-stages. The antibodies were incorporated into a rapid test kit that was tested under field conditions over two growing seasons. Results obtained with the kit agreed closely with those obtained by rearing larvae through to second instar.     

Corticotropin releasing hormone and related peptides can act as bioregulatory factors in human keratinocytes

Summary Following previous findings in human skin of the functional expression of genes for the corticotropin releasing hormone (CHR) receptor type 1 (CRH-R1) and CRH itself, we searched for local phenotypic effects for peptides related to CRH. We now report that CRH, sauvagine, and urocortin inhibit proliferation of human HaCaT keratinocytes in a dose-dependent manner. The peptides produced variable cyclic adenosine 3′∶5′-monophosphate stimulation with CRH having the highest potency. Binding of iodine 125 CRH to intact keratinocytes was inhibited by increasing doses of CRH, sauvagine, or urocortin, all showing equal inhibitory potency. Immunocytochemistry identified CRH-R1 immunoreactivity in HaCaT keratinocytes. In conclusion, CRH (exogenous or produced locally) and the related urocortin and sauvagine peptides can modify human keratinocyte phenotype through a receptor-mediated pathway.     

Prostaglandins regulate melanoma-induced cytokine production in macrophages

Tumor-secreted products can affect macrophage cytokine expression and in that way alter the immune response. Prostaglandins (PGs) are found in the tumor microenvironment and have been associated with local and regional immunosuppression. We investigated whether tumor-secreted factors could induce PG synthesis in macrophages and whether these PGs could alter macrophage production of immunoregulatory cytokines. In both murine and human models, melanoma conditioned medium (MCM) induced macrophage production of PGE(2), IL-6, and TNF-alpha. PGE(2) production increased over 24 h and was accompanied by an increase in cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, while COX-1 expression remained unchanged. In the presence of 10 microM NS398, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, MCM-stimulated PGE(2) synthesis was almost completely suppressed, while production of IL-6 and TNF-alpha proteins and mRNA also was partially abrogated. In the murine model, 200 microM NS398 resulted in more significant inhibition of cytokine protein and mRNA production. Although MCM induced NFkappaB and NF-IL-6 activation, neither dose of NS398 altered this effect. We conclude that melanoma-secreted products stimulate COX-2 expression and PGE(2) synthesis in macrophages and that inhibition of COX-2-derived PG synthesis results in partial abrogation of macrophage cytokine production.     

Specific Expansion of Protein Families in the Radioresistant Bacterium Deinococcus Radiodurans

Computer analysis of the complete genome of Deinococcus radioduransR1 reveals a number of protein families, which are over-represented in this organism, compared to most other bacteria with known genome sequences. These families include both previously characterized and uncharacterized proteins. Most of the families whose functions are known or could be predicted seem to be related to stress-response and elimination of damage products (cell-cleaning). The two most prominent family expansions are the Nudix (MutT) family of pyrophosphohydrolases and a previously unnoticed family of proteins related to Bacillus subtilisDinB that could possess a metal-dependent enzymatic activity whose exact nature remains to be determined. Several proteins of the expanded families, particularly the Nudix family, are fused to other domains and form multidomain proteins that are so far unique for Deinococcus. The domain composition of some of these proteins indicates that they could be involved in novel DNA-repair pathways. Such unique proteins are good targets for knock-out and gene expression studies, which are aimed to shed light on the unusual features of this interesting10.6pt bacterium.