Differential effects of elevated ozone on two hybrid aspen genotypes predisposed to chronic ozone fumigation. Role of ethylene and salicylic acid

The role of ethylene (ET) signaling in the responses of two hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L. x P. tremuloides Michx.) clones to chronic ozone (O(3); 75 nL L(-1)) was investigated. The hormonal responses differed between the clones; the O(3)-sensitive clone 51 had higher ET evolution than the tolerant clone 200 during the exposure, whereas the free salicylic acid concentration in clone 200 was higher than in clone 51. The cellular redox status, measured as glutathione redox balance, did not differ between the clones suggesting that the O(3) lesions were not a result of deficient antioxidative capacity. The buildup of salicylic acid during chronic O(3) exposure might have prevented the up-regulation of ET biosynthesis in clone 200. Blocking of ET perception with 1-methylcyclopropene protected both clones from the decrease in net photosynthesis during chronic exposure to O(3). After a pretreatment with low O(3) for 9 d, an acute 1.5-fold O(3) elevation caused necrosis in the O(3)-sensitive clone 51, which increased substantially when ET perception was blocked. The results suggest that in hybrid aspen, ET signaling had a dual role depending on the severity of the stress. ET accelerated leaf senescence under low O(3), but under acute O(3) elevation, ET signaling seemed to be required for protection from necrotic cell death.     

Susceptibility of Fusobacterium nucleatum to killing by peroxidase-iodide-hydrogen peroxide combination in buffer solution and in human whole saliva

Some Gram-negative anaerobic bacteria have been associated with the infection of tooth supporting tissues, i.e. periodontitis. Of these bacteria, Fusobacterium nucleatum is sensitive to lactoperoxidase/myeloperoxidase-iodide-hydrogen peroxide system in vitro, but salivary concentrations of thiocyanate abolishes the bactericidality. These bacteria are located in periodontal pockets, on oral mucosa and in saliva. Although F. nucleatum most probably does not belong to the group of main periodontal pathogens, it sustains its proportion in the periodontal flora when gingivitis progresses to periodontitis. In this study, the sensitivity of F. nucleatum to different horseradish peroxidase-iodide-hydrogen peroxide combinations was tested both in buffer and in sterilized human whole saliva. Horseradish peroxidase was chosen because it does not bind thiocyanate at pH > or = 6. After 1h incubation at 37 degrees C, the cell viability was estimated by plate count and with flow cytometer using LIVE/DEAD BacLight kit (Molecular Probes, USA). In saliva, the horseradish peroxidase (50 microg/mL)-iodide (2.5 mM)-hydrogen peroxide (2.5 mM) combination decreased the amount of viable bacteria to 37% compared to 85% in the control without any of the components when measured with flow cytometer. Replacement of buffer by saliva decreased the bactericidality of the peroxidase system. However, in buffer less iodide and hydrogen peroxide was needed to produce significant decrease in the number of viable bacteria when measured by plate count than with flow cytometer. Our study shows that horseradish peroxidase-iodide-hydrogen peroxide combination is able to kill F. nucleatum cells in saliva. Horseradish peroxidase-iodide-hydrogen peroxide combination may be useful to diminish the degree of re-colonization of periodontitis-associated bacteria after periodontal therapy and to inhibit the transmission of these bacteria via saliva.     

Regulation of calcium channel activity by lipid domain formation in planar lipid bilayers

The sarcoplasmic reticulum channel (ryanodine receptor) from cardiac myocytes was reconstituted into planar lipid bilayers consisting of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (POPE) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) in varying ratios. The channel activity parameters, i.e., open probability and average open time and its resolved short and long components, were determined as a function of POPE mole fraction (X(PE)) at 22.4 degrees C. Interestingly, all of these parameters exhibited a narrow and pronounced peak at X(PE) approximately 0.80. Differential scanning calorimetric measurements on POPE/POPC liposomes with increasing X(PE) indicated that the lipid bilayer enters a composition-driven transition from the liquid-crystalline state to the gel state at 22.4 degrees C when X(PE) approaches 0.80. Thus, the peaking of the reconstituted channel activity at X(PE) approximately 0.80 in the planar bilayer could result from the appearance of gel/liquid-crystalline domain boundaries at this POPE content. Lipid packing at domain boundaries is known to be looser as compared to the homogenous gel or liquid-crystalline state. We propose that the attractive potential of packing defects at lipid domain boundaries and entropic excluded-volume effects could result in the direct interactions of the transmembrane region of the channel protein with the lipid-packing defects at the lipid/protein interface, which could thus provide a favorable environment for the open state of the protein. The present findings indicate that the activity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium channel could be modulated by lipid domain formation upon slight changes in membrane lipid composition in vivo.     

Protection from radiation-induced male germ cell loss by sphingosine-1-phosphate

Male germ cells are susceptible to radiation-induced injury, and infertility is a common problem after total-body irradiation. Here we investigated, first, the effects of irradiation on germ cells in mouse testis and, second, the role of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) treatment in radiation-induced male germ cell loss. Irradiation of mouse testes mainly damaged the early developmental stages of spermatogonia. The damage was seen by means of DNA flow cytometry 21 days after irradiation as decreasing numbers of spermatocytes and spermatids with increasing amounts of ionizing radiation (0.1-2.0 Gy). Intratesticular injections of S1P given 1-2 h before irradiation (0.5 Gy) did not protect against short-term germ cell loss as measured by in situ end labeling of DNA fragmentation 16 h after irradiation. However, after 21 days, in the S1P-treated testes, the numbers of primary spermatocytes and spermatogonia at G2 (4C peak as measured by flow cytometry) were higher at all stages of spermatogenesis compared with vehicle-treated testes, indicating protection of early spermatogonia by S1P, whereas the spermatid (1C) populations were similar. In conclusion, S1P appears to protect partially (16%-47%) testicular germ cells against radiation-induced cell death. This warrants further studies aimed at development of therapeutic agents capable of blocking sphingomyelin-induced pathways of germ cell loss.     

Identification of genetic polymorphisms of CYP2S1 in a Finnish Caucasian population

CYP2S1 is a recently discovered member of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) gene superfamily. Interestingly, even though the DNA sequence identifies it as the sole member of the new CYP2S family, CYP2S1 exhibits many features typical to CYP1 family members, e.g. dioxin-inducibility mediated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT). In addition, CYP2S1 metabolises some aromatic hydrocarbons as well as cellular substances. These characteristics, together with a wide extrahepatic tissue distribution, suggest that CYP2S1 may have an important role in both exogenous and endogenous metabolism. This is the first study characterising CYP2S1 alleles and naming them with the recommended CYP allele nomenclature. We used denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and direct sequencing to investigate genetic variation of CYP2S1 in 100 male Finnish Caucasians. Those exons in which variation was found were examined in subsequent 100 subjects. The coding region of all of the nine exons, as well as a 449 bp fragment of the proximal promoter region, was analysed. This systematic investigation revealed eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which comprise nine different variant alleles (haplotypes), in addition to the wild-type allele. Seven of the SNPs occurred in the protein-coding areas and one in the proximal 3' untranslated region (3'UTR). Two of these sequence variations (10347C > T and 13106C > T) result in non-conservative amino acid substitutions, i.e. Arg380Cys and Pro466Leu, respectively. The respective allelic variants, CYP2S1*2 ([10347C > T]) and CYP2S1*3 (13106C > T; 13255A > G]), occurred in our study population at frequencies of 0.50 and 3.75%, respectively. The most common of the variant alleles was CYP2S1*1H (23.8%), harbouring a 13255A > G substitution located in the 3'UTR.     

No Serological Evidence of Influenza A H1N1pdm09 Virus Infection as a Contributing Factor in Childhood Narcolepsy after Pandemrix Vaccination Campaign in Finland

Background

Narcolepsy cataplexy syndrome, characterised by excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy, is strongly associated with a genetic marker, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQB1*06:02. A sudden increase in the incidence of childhood narcolepsy was observed after vaccination with AS03-adjuvanted Pandemrix influenza vaccine in Finland at the beginning of 2010. Here, we analysed whether the coinciding influenza A H1N1pdm pandemic contributed, together with the Pandemrix vaccination, to the increased incidence of childhood narcolepsy in 2010. The analysis was based on the presence or absence of antibody response against non-structural protein 1 (NS1) from H1N1pdm09 virus, which was not a component of Pandemrix vaccine.

Methods

Non-structural (NS) 1 proteins from recombinant influenza A/Udorn/72 (H3N2) and influenza A/Finland/554/09 (H1N1pdm09) viruses were purified and used in Western blot analysis to determine specific antibody responses in human sera. The sera were obtained from 45 patients who fell ill with narcolepsy after vaccination with AS03-adjuvanted Pandemrix at the end of 2009, and from controls.

Findings

Based on quantitative Western blot analysis, only two of the 45 (4.4%) Pandemrix-vaccinated narcoleptic patients showed specific antibody response against the NS1 protein from the H1N1pdm09 virus, indicating past infection with the H1N1pdm09 virus. Instead, paired serum samples from patients, who suffered from a laboratory confirmed H1N1pdm09 infection, showed high levels or diagnostic rises (96%) in H1N1pdm virus NS1-specific antibodies and very high cross-reactivity to H3N2 subtype influenza A virus NS1 protein.

Conclusion

Based on our findings, it is unlikely that H1N1pdm09 virus infection contributed to a sudden increase in the incidence of childhood narcolepsy observed in Finland in 2010 after AS03-adjuvanted Pandemrix vaccination.