The Immunome of Colon Cancer: Functional In Silico Analysis of Antigenic Proteins Deduced from IgG Microarray Profiling

Characterization of the colon cancer immunome and its autoantibody signature from differentially-reactive antigens (DIRAGs) could provide insights into aberrant cellular mechanisms or enriched networks associated with diseases. The purpose of this study was to characterize the antibody profile of plasma samples from 32 colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and 32 controls using proteins isolated from 15,417 human cDNA expression clones on microarrays. 671 unique DIRAGs were identified and 632 were more highly reactive in CRC samples. Bioinformatics analyses reveal that compared to control samples, the immunoproteomic IgG profiling of CRC samples is mainly associated with cell death, survival, and proliferation pathways, especially proteins involved in EIF2 and mTOR signaling. Ribosomal proteins (e.g., RPL7, RPL22, and RPL27A) and CRC-related genes such as APC, AXIN1, E2F4, MSH2, PMS2, and TP53 were highly enriched. In addition, differential pathways were observed between the CRC and control samples. Furthermore, 103 DIRAGs were reported in the SEREX antigen database, demonstrating our ability to identify known and new reactive antigens. We also found an overlap of 7 antigens with 48 “CRC genes.” These data indicate that immunomics profiling on protein microarrays is able to reveal the complexity of immune responses in cancerous diseases and faithfully reflects the underlying pathology.     

Die Phenoloxydasen des AscomycetenPodospora anserina

Ohne ZusammenfassungProfessorG. Melchers zum 60. Geburtstag.     

Effect of testosterone on long-term organ cultures of canine prostate

Summary Organ cultures of rodent and human prostate glands have shown marked differences in their morphological response to testosterone. In this study, explants from 19 canine prostate glands were cultivated for a minimum of 9 days in Trowell’s T-8 medium. Groups of explants were exposed to media containing from 0.05 to 100 μm testosterone. While the higher testosterone levels (50 and 100 μm) markedly decreased explant viability, explants cultivated at lower levels (0.05 to 5 μm) appeared similar to control explants in testosterone-free Trowell’s T-8 medium. Atmospheric mixtures containing either 95% or 50% oxygen were equally effective. Shortly after the cultures were initiated, large amounts of secretory product were liberated into the lumen. After 9 or more days in vitro, glandular epithelium appeared cuboidal and never revealed the acid phosphatase-rich secretory granules seen in the preculture control. However, the epithelium exhibited an increase in alkaline phosphatase and lipid content following cultivation. This project was supported by contract N01-CP-33331, Carcinogenesis Program, Division of Cancer Cause and Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland.     

Effect of anaerobiosis on the adult cerambycid beetle, Rhagium inquisitor L.

Glycerol, lactate, and alanine were found accumulated in adult Rhagium inquisitor beetles which had been incubated anaerobically at +5°C for one month. However, glycerol and alanine were accumulated also in control beetles, kept aerobically at the same temperature, indicating that the accumulation of these substances is an effect of the low temperature. Lactate was rapidly destroyed when the beetles were transferred to air, and this process was accompanied by increased oxygen consumption, indicating the repaying of an oxygen debt due to lactate accumulation. This high oxygen consumption phase was followed by a second, more prolonged high oxygen consumption phase. Because this pattern of oxygen consumption was not found in the control beetles, the second phase of high oxygen consumption was also probably due to the anoxia. It is suggested that this increased oxygen consumption might be caused by a metabolic destruction of accumulated metabolites, but no substances have been identified which could account for it. For this reason the elevated oxygen consumption is more likely to be due to an extensive protein synthesis, related to the re-establishing of aerobic enzyme systems after the long-lasting anoxia.     

Morphogenesis of bacteriophage Lambda: Electron microscopy of thin sections

Quantitative measurements on number, size, shape, location and time of appearance of heads and head-related structures in thin sections of induced bacteriophage λ lysogens were performed. Three types of particles can be distinguished: empty heads with a mean diameter of 39 nm (petit λ), heads partially filled with DNA with a mean diameter of 51 nm (grizzled particles) and particles filled with DNA, having a diameter of 47 nm (black particles). Some of the latter ones can be seen with a tail attached. The particles first to appear are the petit λ. A few minutes later grizzled and black particles can be seen. This sequence correspons to measurements of biological activities in lysates, i.e. to plaque-forming units, and to the number of particles which can be packaged with DNA and transformed in vitro to plaque-forming particles, respectively.DNA packaging seems to occur on the boundary area between cytoplasm and DNA plasm. Tails, on the other hand, accumulate near the cytoplasmic membrane.Two steps in DNA packaging can be distinguished, since one type of mutant blocked in DNA packaging (amber in gene A) produces paracrystalline agglomerations of petit λ and clusters of tails while another (amber in gene D) produces grizzled particles in addition.     

Stimulation of coleoptile elongation in zea mays by p-hydroxybenzoic acid

Based on the biochemistry of coenzyme Q and plastoquinone, corn coleoptile sections were treated with p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) and p-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid (HPPA), which are biosynthetic precursors of the essential coenzyme Q₁₀ and plastoquinone-9, respectively. HBA at low concentrations stimulated growth; higher concentrations inhibited elongation. HPPA did not stimulate growth, but inhibited growth. HBA could promote growth by benefiting respiration particularly if a deficiency of HBA existed and there were a depressed biosynthesis of coenzyme Q₁₀ for electron transfer in respiration.     

Thermotoga thermarum sp. nov. and Thermotoga neapolitana occurring in African continental solfataric springs

Three new strains of eubacterial hyperthermophiles were isolated from continental solfataric springs at Lac Abbé (Djibouti, Africa). Due to their morphology, lipids, and RNA polymerases they belong to the genus Thermotoga. Strains LA4 and LA10 are closely related to Thermotoga neapolitana found up to now only in the marine environment. Strain LA 3 differs from Thermotoga maritima and Thermotoga neapolitana in significant physiological and molecular properties. It is described as the new species Thermotoga thermarum.