Ultrastructural studies of initial stages of mineralization of long bones and vertebrae in human fetuses

We studied 27 embryos of 5-12 weeks gestational age where pregnancy was interrupted due to paramedical reasons, in order to find the developmental stages at which matrix vesicles appear in cartilage, and whether they are involved in the mineralization process. Specimens of long bones, lumbar and thoracic vertebral column were prepared for light, transmission and scanning electron microscopic studies. In the cartilaginous models of long bones, matrix vesicles were found amongst maturing and hypertrophic chondrocytes already by the 6th week after fertilization. By that stage, bone rudiments consisted of only cartilage that was not yet mineralized. In the vertebral column matrix, vesicles were found in the vertebral bodies amongst maturing and hypertrophic chondrocytes at the beginning of the 8th week. At that stage, although hypertrophy of chondrocytes was observed, mineralization was still absent. No matrix vesicles were found in the perichondrium, investing mesenchyme and intervertebral discs. Mineralization of cartilage in long bone rudiments started in the form of hydroxyapatite crystals within or around the matrix vesicles at 7 weeks of age and in the vertebral column at 11 weeks. As mineralization progressed, more hydroxyapatite crystals were observed around the matrix vesicles, forming typical calcospherites . Mineralization then progressed in the form described in other animals.     

Pharmacokinetics of 125I-GST-TatdMt, a recombinant fusion protein possessing potent anti-obesity activity, after intravenous, nasal, oral, and subcutaneous administration

This study first reports the absorption kinetics of GST-TatdMt, a recombinant Tat protein possessing potent anti-obesity activity, in rats after nasal, s.c., and p.o. administration. GST-TatdMt was over-expressed in E. coli, purified, and radioiodinated using the IODO-GEN method. The radioiodinated 125I-GST-TatdMt was administered to rats by nasal, s.c., and oral routes at doses of 7.3 microg (420.7 nCi), 146.5 microg (8413.8 nCi), and 146.5 microg (8413.8 nCi), respectively. For the determination of absolute bioavailability, 125I-GST-TatdMt was also given to rats by i.v. injection (73.2 microg, 4206.9 nCi). Following administration by extravascular routes, the systemic absorption of radioactivity was prolonged, with Cmax being attained within 4.2-8.0 h. The absolute bioavailability calculated as dose-normalized AUC(extravascular)/AUC(i.v.) was 98.0, 75.8, and 87.1% after nasal, s.c., and oral administration, respectively. The majority of administered radioactivity was excreted in urine (57.5-64.7%), with fecal excretion being less (2.5-12.7%). The distribution of 125I-GST-TatdMt to various tissues was also determined at 4 and 72 h after s.c. injection. The findings of this study suggest that this protein may be absorbed into the systemic circulation when given by extravascular administration.     

Isolation and characterization of a reducing polyketide synthase gene from the lichen-forming fungus Usnea longissima

The reducing polyketide synthases found in filamentous fungi are involved in the biosynthesis of many drugs and toxins. Lichens produce bioactive polyketides, but the roles of reducing polyketide synthases in lichens remain to be clearly elucidated. In this study, a reducing polyketide synthase gene (U1PKS3) was isolated and characterized from a cultured mycobiont of Usnea longissima. Complete sequence information regarding U1PKS3 (6,519 bp) was obtained by screening a fosmid genomic library. A U1PKS3 sequence analysis suggested that it contains features of a reducing fungal type I polyketide synthase with β-ketoacyl synthase (KS), acyltransferase (AT), dehydratase (DH), enoyl reductase (ER), ketoacyl reducatse (KR), and acyl carrier protein (ACP) domains. This domain structure was similar to the structure of ccRadsl, which is known to be involved in resorcylic acid lactone biosynthesis in Chaetomium chiversii. The results of phylogenetic analysis located U1PKS3 in the clade of reducing polyketide synthases. RT-PCR analysis results demonstrated that UIPKS3 had six intervening introns and that UIPKS3 expression was upregulated by glucose, sorbitol, inositol, and mannitol.     

Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptor in Chromaffin Secretory Granules and Its Relation to Chromogranins

The inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP₃)-mediated intracellular Ca²⁺ releases in secretory cells play vital roles in controlling not only the intracellular Ca²⁺ concentrations but also the Ca²⁺-dependent exocytotic processes. Of intracellular organelles that release Ca²⁺ in response to IP₃, secretory granules stand out as the most prominent organelle and are responsible for the majority of IP₃-dependent Ca²⁺ releases in the cytoplasm of chromaffin cells. Bovine chromaffin granules were the first granules that demonstrated the IP₃-mediated Ca²⁺ release as well as the presence of the IP₃ receptor (IP₃R) in granule membranes. Secretory granules contain all three (type 1, 2, and 3) IP₃R isoforms, and 58–69% of total cellular IP₃R isoforms are expressed in bovine chromaffin granules. Moreover, secretory granules contain large amounts (2–4 mM) of chromogranins and secretogranins; chromogranins A and B, and secretogranin II being the major species. Chromogranins A and B, and secretogranin II are high-capacity, low-affinity Ca²⁺ binding proteins, binding 30–93 mol of Ca²⁺/mol of protein with dissociation constants of 1.5–4.0 mM. Due to this high Ca²⁺ storage properties of chromogranins secretory granules contain ~40 mM Ca²⁺. Furthermore, chromogranins A and B directly interact with the IP₃Rs and modulate the IP₃R/Ca²⁺ channels, i.e., increasing the open probability and the mean open time of the channels 8- to 16-fold and 9- to 42-fold, respectively. Coupled chromogranins change the IP₃R/Ca²⁺ channels to a more ordered, release-ready state, whereby making the IP₃R/Ca²⁺ channels significantly more sensitive to IP₃.     

Effect of adenovirus and influenza virus infection on obesity

The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the effects of adenovirus and influenza virus infections on obesity in various experimental models. We reviewed studies that were conducted within the past 10 years and were related to virus infection and obesity prevalence. Here, we discuss a different causal relationship between adenovirus and influenza infections with obesity. Adenovirus infection can cause obesity, whereas obesity can be a risk factor for increasing influenza virus infection and increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. The prevalence of obesity due to adenovirus infections may be due to an increase in glucose uptake and reduction in lipolysis caused by an increase in corticosterone secretion. Adenovirus infections may lead to increases in appetite by decreasing norepinephrine and leptin levels and also cause immune dysfunction. The relationship between obesity and influenza virus infection could be summarized by the following features: decreases in memory T-cell functionality and interferon (IFN)-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ mRNA expression, increases in viral titer and infiltration, and impaired dendritic cell function in obese individuals. Moreover, leptin resistance may play an important role in increasing influenza virus infections in obese individuals. In conclusion, prevention of adenovirus infections could be a good approach for reducing obesity prevalence, and prevention of obesity could reduce influenza virus infections from the point of view of viral infections and obesity.     

Antiangiogenic properties of cafestol, a coffee diterpene, in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

As angiogenesis plays important roles in tumor growth and metastasis, searching for antiangiogenic compounds is a promising tactic for treating cancers. Cafestol, a diterpene found mainly in unfiltered coffee, provides benefit through varied biological activity, including antitumorigenic, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to investigate the effects of cafestol on angiogenesis and to uncover the associated mechanism. We show that cafestol inhibits angiogenesis of human umbilical vascular endothelial cells. This inhibition affects the following specific steps of the angiogenic process: proliferation, migration, and tube formation. The inhibitory effects of cafestol are accompanied by decreasing phosphorylation of FAK and Akt and by a decrease in nitric oxide production. Overall, cafestol inhibits angiogenesis by affecting the angiogenic signaling pathway.     

Isolation of a gene responsible for the oxidation of trans-anethole to para-anisaldehyde by Pseudomonas putida JYR-1 and its expression in Escherichia coli

A plasmid, pTA163, in Escherichia coli contained an approximately 34-kb gene fragment from Pseudomonas putida JYR-1 that included the genes responsible for the metabolism of trans-anethole to protocatechuic acid. Three Tn5-disrupted open reading frame 10 (ORF 10) mutants of plasmid pTA163 lost their abilities to catalyze trans-anethole. Heterologously expressed ORF 10 (1,047 nucleotides [nt]) under a T7 promoter in E. coli catalyzed oxidative cleavage of a propenyl group of trans-anethole to an aldehyde group, resulting in the production of para-anisaldehyde, and this gene was designated tao (trans-anethole oxygenase). The deduced amino acid sequence of TAO had the highest identity (34%) to a hypothetical protein of Agrobacterium vitis S4 and likely contained a flavin-binding site. Preferred incorporation of an oxygen molecule from water into p-anisaldehyde using (18)O-labeling experiments indicated stereo preference of TAO for hydrolysis of the epoxide group. Interestingly, unlike the narrow substrate range of isoeugenol monooxygenase from Pseudomonas putida IE27 and Pseudomonas nitroreducens Jin1, TAO from P. putida JYR-1 catalyzed isoeugenol, O-methyl isoeugenol, and isosafrole, all of which contain the 2-propenyl functional group on the aromatic ring structure. Addition of NAD(P)H to the ultrafiltered cell extracts of E. coli (pTA163) increased the activity of TAO. Due to the relaxed substrate range of TAO, it may be utilized for the production of various fragrance compounds from plant phenylpropanoids in the future.     

Structural analysis of RIG-I-like receptors reveals ancient rules of engagement between diverse RNA helicases and TRIM ubiquitin ligases

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Faecalicatena faecalis sp. nov., a moderately alkaliphilic bacterial strain isolated from swine faeces

An obligately anaerobic, Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, non-spore-forming and rod-shaped strain AGMB00832^T was isolated from swine faeces. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene, together with the housekeeping genes, gyrB and rpoD, revealed that strain AGMB00832^T belonged to the genus Faecalicatena and was most closely related to Faecalicatena orotica KCTC 15331^T. In biochemical analysis, strain AGMB00832^T was shown to be negative for catalase, oxidase and urease. Furthermore, the isolate was positive for β-glucosidase, β-glucuronidase, glutamic acid decarboxylase, proline arylamidase, acid phosphatase and naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase. The major cellular fatty acids (>?10%) of the isolate were C_14:0, C_16:0 and C_18:1ω11t DMA. Based on the whole genome sequence analysis, the DNA G?+?C content of strain AGMB00832^T was 44.2 mol%, and the genome size and numbers of rRNA and tRNA genes were 5,175,159 bp, 11 and 53, respectively. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain AGMB00832^T and related strains were ≤?77.4 and 22.5%, respectively. Furthermore, the genome analysis revealed the presence of genes for alkaline shock protein 23 and cation/proton antiporters, which may facilitate growth of strain AGMB00832^T in alkaline culture condition. On the basis of polyphasic taxonomic approach, strain AGMB00832^T represents a novel species within the genus Faecalicatena, for which the name Faecalicatena faecalis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is AGMB00832^T (=?KCTC 15946^T?=?NBRC 114613^T).