Pathogenesis of Borna disease in rats: evidence that intra-axonal spread is the major route for virus dissemination and the determinant for disease incubation.

Borna disease virus is an uncharacterized agent that causes sporadic but fatal neurological disease in horses and sheep in Europe. Studies of the infection in rats have shown that the agent has a strict tropism for neural tissues, in which it persists indefinitely. Inoculated rats developed encephalitis after an incubation period of 17 to 90 days. This report shows that the incubation period is the time required for transport of the agent in dendritic-axonal processes from the site of inoculation to the hippocampus. The immune responses to the agent had no effect on replication or transport of the virus. The neural conduit to the brain was proven by intranasal inoculation of virus that resulted in rapid transport of the agent via olfactory nerves to the hippocampus and in development of disease in 20 days. Virus inoculation into the feet resulted in spread along nerve fibers from neuron to neuron. There was sequential replication in neurons of the dorsal root ganglia adjacent to the lumbar spinal cord, the gracilis nucleus in the medulla, and pyramidal cells in the cerebral cortex, followed by infection of the hippocampal neurons and onset of disease. This progression required 50 to 60 days. The exclusiveness of the neural conduit was proven by failure to cause infection after injection of the virus intravenously or into the feet of neurectomized rats.     

Molecular cloning and chromosomal mapping of the human gene for the testis-specific catalytic subunit of calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase (calcineurin A).

A cDNA for an alternatively spliced variant of the testis-specific catalytic subunit of calmodulin dependent protein phosphatase (CaM-PrP) was cloned from a human testis library. The nucleotide sequence of 2134 base pairs (bp) encodes a protein of 502 amino acids (Mr approximately 57,132) and pI 7.0. The cDNA sequence differs from the murine form of this gene by a 30 bp deletion in the coding region, the position of which matches those in the two other genes for the catalytic subunit. These data indicate that this alternative splicing event arose prior to the divergence of the three genes. The deduced sequence of the human protein is only 88% identical to the homologous murine form, in striking contrast to the other two CaM-PrP catalytic subunits which are highly conserved between mouse and human (approximately 99%); this indicates a more rapid rate of evolution for the testis-specific gene. Analysis of Southern blots containing DNA from human-hamster somatic cell hybrids show that the gene is on human chromosome 8.     

Preparation of an enzymatically active cross-linked complex between brain cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase and 3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionyl-substituted calmodulin

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (0.07 nM) was activated by near stoichiometric concentrations of [3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionyl]calmodulin (PDP-CaM) after initial incubation of these proteins at 200-fold higher concentrations; activity in assays with EGTA was 80% of that in the presence of Ca2+. The enzyme incubated with native calmodulin under identical conditions required approximately 1 nM for half-maximal activation, and no activation was observed in the absence of calcium. These data suggested formation of a covalent complex between phosphodiesterase and PDP-CaM. On high-performance gel-permeation chromatography in the presence of metal chelators, the complex appeared considerably larger than the native enzyme. Incubation of phosphodiesterase with the thiolated (inactivated) form of PDP-CaM did not change its chromatographic behavior, indicating that reactive sulfhydryl groups were involved in complex formation. Although the total activities recovered from chromatography were not significantly different, maximal activation of PDP-CaM-phosphodiesterase complex was only approximately 20%, whereas the control enzyme was activated 6-8-fold by Ca2+ plus calmodulin. Kinetics of cGMP hydrolysis in the presence of EGTA by the isolated complex differed from those of control enzyme but were indistinguishable from those of control enzyme assayed with saturating Ca2+ and CaM. The calmodulin antagonists W-7 and trifluoperazine had relatively little effect on activity of the PDP-CaM-phosphodiesterase complex. Incubation of the complex with dithiothreitol dramatically increased its Ca2+ and calmodulin responsiveness, suggesting that reduction of the disulfide cross-link released phosphodiesterase from the complex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Expression of Calmodulin-Dependent Phosphodiesterase, Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Phosphatase, and Other Calmodulin-Binding Proteins in Human SMS-KCNR Neuroblastoma Cells

Calmodulin (CaM)-dependent enzymes, such as CaM-dependent phosphodiesterase (CaM-PDE), CaM-dependent protein phosphatase (CN), and CaM-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II), are found in high concentrations in differentiated mammalian neurons. In order to determine whether neuroblastoma cells express these CaM-dependent enzymes as a consequence of cellular differentiation, a series of experiments was performed on human SMS-KCNR neuroblastoma cells; these cells morphologically differentiate in response to retinoic acid and phorbol esters [12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)]. Using biotinylated CaM overlay procedures, immunoblotting, and protein phosphorylation assays, we found that SMS-KCNR cells expressed CN and CaM-PDE, but did not appear to have other neuronal CaM-binding proteins. Exposure to retinoic acid, TPA, or conditioned media from human HTB-14 glioma cells did not markedly alter the expression of CaM-binding proteins; 21-day treatment with retinoic acid, however, did induce expression of novel CaM-binding proteins of 74 and 76 kilodaltons. Using affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies, CaM-PDE immunoreactivity was detected as a 75-kilodalton peptide in undifferentiated cells, but as a 61-kilodalton peptide in differentiated cells. CaM kinase II activity and subunit autophosphorylation was not evident in either undifferentiated or neurite-bearing cells; however, CaM-dependent phosphatase activity was seen. Immunoblot analysis with affinity-purified antibodies against CN indicated that this enzyme was present in SMS-KCNR cells regardless of their state of differentiation. Although SMS-KCNR cells did not show a complete pattern of neuronal CaM-binding proteins, particularly because CaM kinase II activity was lacking, they may be useful models for examination of CaM-PDE and CN expression. It is possible that CaM-dependent enzymes can be used as sensitive markers for terminal neuronal differentiation.     

Immediate and Ongoing Detection of Prions in the Blood of Hamsters and Deer following Oral,Nasal, or Blood Inoculations

Infectious prions traverse epithelial barriers to gain access to the circulatory system, yet the temporal parameters of transepithelial transport and persistence in the blood over time remain unknown. We used whole-blood real-time quaking-induced conversion (wbRT-QuIC) to analyze whole blood collected from transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE)-inoculated deer and hamsters throughout the incubation period for the presence of common prion protein-conversion competent amyloid (PrP^C-CCA). We observed PrP^C-CCA in the blood of TSE-inoculated hosts throughout the disease course from minutes postexposure to terminal disease.     

Low frequency resonance Raman spectra of isolated alpha and beta subunits of hemoglobin and their deuterated analogues

In an attempt to gain further insight into the nature of the low frequency vibrational modes of hemoglobin and its isolated subunits, a comprehensive study of several different isotopically labeled analogues has been undertaken and is reported herein. Specifically, the resonance Raman spectra, between 200 and 500 cm(-1), are reported for the deoxy and ligated (CO and O2) forms of the isolated alpha and beta subunits containing the natural abundance or various deuterated analogues of protoheme. The deuterated protoheme analogues studied include the 1,3,5,8-C2H3-protoheme (d12- protoheme), the 1,3-C2H3-protoheme (1,3-d6-protoheme), the 5,8-C2H3-protoheme (5,8-d6-protoheme), and the meso-C2H4-protoheme (d4-protoheme). The entire set of acquired spectra has been analyzed using a deconvolution procedure to help correlate the shifted modes with their counterparts in the spectra of the native forms. Interestingly, modes previously associated with so-called vinyl bending modes or propionate deformation modes are shown to be quite sensitive to deuteration of the peripheral methyl groups of the macrocycle, shifting by up to 12-15 cm(-1), revealing their complex nature. Of special interest is the fact that shifts observed for the 1,3-d6- and 5,8-d6-protoheme analogues confirm the fact that certain modes are associated with a given portion of the macrocycle; i.e., only certain modes shift upon deuteration of the 1 and 3 methyl groups, while others shift upon deuteration of the 5 and 8 methyl groups. Compared with the spectra previously reported for the corresponding myoglobin derivatives, the data reported here reveal the appearance of several additional features that imply splitting of modes associated with the propionate groups or that are indicative of greater distortion of the heme prosthetic groups.     

Assessment of the Correlation Between Two Defining Criteria for Bidirectional Isthmic Block in the Ablation of Typical Atrial Flutter

Background

A complete, bidirectional conduction block in the cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) represents the end-point of the typical atrial flutter ablation. We investigated the correlation between two criteria for successful ablation, one based on the atrial bipolar electrogram morphology before and after complete CTI conduction block, compared to the standard criteria of differential pacing and reversal in the right atrial depolarization sequence during coronary sinus (CS) pacing.

Method

We conducted a retrospective study in 111 patients (81 males, average age 62±10 years) who underwent an atrial flutter ablation during September 2007 - July 2009 in the Cardiology - Rehabilitation Hospital, UMF Cluj-Napoca. We assessed the presence of a bidirectional block at the end of the procedure using the standard criteria. We then analyzed the morphology of the bipolar atrial electrograms adjacent to the ablation line, before and after CTI conduction block.

Results

A change from a qRs morphology to a rSr'' morphology when pacing from the coronary sinus and from a rsr'' morphology to a QRS morphology when pacing from the low-lateral right atrium was associated with a CTI conduction block. Sensitivity (Se), specificity(Sp), positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) were 96%, 89%, 99% and 67% respectively.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that the analysis of the atrial bipolar electrogram next to the ablation line before and after CTI ablation may be used as a reliable criterion to validate CTI conduction block due to its high sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value.