Association of a CAG/CAA repeat sequence in the TBP gene with type I diabetes

Type I diabetes is a complex disease in which multiple susceptibility loci have been implicated by whole genome scans. IDDM8, a susceptibility locus, is located on chromosome 6q27, however the specific susceptibility gene has yet to be identified. We have examined five potential candidate genes using 36 genetic markers, spanning 360kb located near the chromosome 6q27 terminus in 478 families for diabetes association. No associations with type I diabetes susceptibility were detected with the strength previously observed for IDDM1 or IDDM2. However, a novel CAG/CAA polymorphism was detected in exon 3 of the TATA box-binding protein gene, which shows preliminary evidence of association with diabetes susceptibility (p<0.05).     

Low-Protein Diet Induces IRE1α-Dependent Anticancer Immunosurveillance

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Synthesis of RGD amphiphilic cyclic peptide as fibrinogen or fibronectin antagonist

This paper investigates the effect of the incorporation of adiazaethylene glycol derivative (Deg, 2) into a cyclic peptide containingthe tripeptide sequence Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD). This motif is a common structuralelement of many integrin ligands. The synthesis of cyclo-(Arg-Gly-Asp-Deg)(7) has been accomplished in solution using standard peptide chemistry. Theintent was to improve the bioavailability of this new RGD cyclic peptide,which is shown to interact with _IIb33or _{5 1} receptors. A preliminary stepfor the conformational study of peptide 7 was done in DMSO-d₆using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy techniques.     

New antitumoral cyclopeptides

Summary Chlamydocin is a powerfulin vitro antitumoral agent, quickly inactivatedin vivo. A series of cyclic tetrapeptides related to chlamydocin or HC toxin and bearing a bioactive alkylating group on an-amino-lysyl function have been examined for their antitumoral activity on L1210 and P388 murine leukemia cell lines. One analog was found to be potent at inhibiting L1210 cell proliferation and had a higher therapeutic index than the reference compound bis--chloroethylnitrosourea on thein vivo P388-induced leukemia model.     

Enzymatic peptide synthesis by new supported biocatalysts

Summary It is well known that proteases can be successfully used for peptide synthesis in aqueous medium or in water-containing organic solvents. Copolymerized of acrylated derivatives of-chymotrypsin and polyethylene glycol (PEG) have been prepared and used as biocatalysts for the synthesis of model peptides in organic solvents containing a very low quantity of water. Trypsin has been similarly treated and used as a new biocatalyst particularly for the coupling of non-specific substrates.     

Three New Diketopiperazines from the Previously Uncultivable Marine Bacterium Gallaecimonas mangrovi HK‐28 Cultivated by iChip

The in situ application of iChip cultivation in mangrove sediment from Hainan province, China, led to the isolation of a novel bacterial species Gallaecimonas mangrovi HK‐28. The extract of G. mangrovi HK‐28 exhibited antibiotic activity against the aquatic pathogen Vibrio harveyi, and its chemical constituents were further investigated by bioactivity‐guided isolation. Three new diketopiperazines, gallaecimonamides A–C, were accordingly isolated from the AcOEt extract of the fermentation broth of G. mangrovi HK‐28. The planar structures of gallaecimonamides A–C were determined using HR‐ESI‐MS together with 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR. The absolute configurations of gallaecimonamides A–C were assigned by optical rotation, NOESY experiment and TDDFT ECD calculations. The in vitro antibacterial and antimalarial activities of gallaecimonamides A–C were assessed. Gallaecimonamide A was found to display antibacterial activity against V. harveyi with a MIC value of 50 μm . However, gallaecimonamides B and C showed no antibacterial activity against V. harveyi (MIC >300 μm ). In addition, all the isolates did not exhibit any inhibitory activities against V. parahaemolyticus (MIC>300 μm ) and Plasmodium falciparum W2 (EC₅₀>100 μg/mL).     

The effects of a glucocorticoid on the cell surface of RLC-GAI cells

The purpose of these studies was to examine the effects of a synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone sodium phosphate, on the cell surface of an epithelial cell line, RLCGAI, and to investigate the mechanism of these effects. Within hours after addition of dexamethasone sodium phosphate to the cultures, the cells begin to spread going from a more bipolar to a more epithelioid form; this change is maximal by 24 hours. In the spread cells the density of surface microvilli, as visualized in the scanning electron microscope, is considerably reduced. The changes in cell surface and shape elicited by the glucocorticoid are blocked by actinomycin D but not by hydroxyurea. Cell spreading is probably related to the configuration of cell microfilaments since these are increased in numbers in the presence of the hormone and spreading is inhibited by cytochalasin B. An important role of microfilaments in the general mechanism of action of glucocorticoids is suggested.     

Selective isolation of lysine-free tryptic peptides delimited by arginine residues: A new tool for proteome analysis

Tryptic digestion of biotinylated Lys-C peptides followed by affinity chromatography allows the selective isolation of lysine-free tryptic peptides delimited by arginine residues (RRnK peptides). In silico analysis revealed that RRnK peptides represent 87% of the whole proteomes and their specific isolation simplifies the complex peptide mixture (5 peptides per protein). The good recoveries and high selectivity obtained in the isolation of RRnK peptides anticipate the applicability of this method in 2DE-free quantitative proteome analyses.     

Protection of human and murine hepatocytes against Fas-induced death by transferrin and iron

Recent studies in a murine model show that transferrin (Tf) interferes with Fas-mediated hepatocyte death and liver failure by decreasing pro-apoptotic and increasing anti-apoptotic signals. We show here in vitro in murine and human hepatocyte cell lines and in vivo in mice that Fas-induced apoptosis is modulated by exogenous Tf and iron. The results obtained with iron-free Tf (ApoTf), iron-saturated Tf (FeTf), and the iron chelator salicylaldehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone (SIH) in its iron-free and iron-saturated (FeSIH) forms indicate that apoptosis-modulating effects of Tf are not mediated by iron alone. Both the Tf molecule and iron affect multiple aspects of cell death, and the route of iron delivery to the cell may be critical for the final outcome of cellular Fas signaling. Survival of hepatocytes ‘stressed’ by Fas signals can be manipulated by Tf and iron and may be a target for prophylactic and therapeutic interventions.