Nutritional requirements for boron, silicon, vanadium, nickel, and arsenic: current knowledge and speculation

Definition of specific biochemical functions in higher animals (including humans) for the ultratrace elements boron, silicon, vanadium, nickel, and arsenic still has not been achieved although all of these elements have been described as being essential nutrients. Recently, many new findings from studies using molecular biology techniques, sophisticated equipment, unusual organisms, and newly defined enzymes have revealed possible sites of essential action for these five elements. Based on these findings and the response of animals and/or humans to low intakes of these elements, the following speculations have been presented: 1) Boron has a role that affects cell membrane characteristics and transmembrane signaling. 2) Silicon is necessary for the association between cells and one or more macromolecules such as osteonectin, which affects cartilage composition and ultimately cartilage calcification. 3) Vanadium reacts with hydrogen peroxide to form a pervanadate that is required to catalyze the oxidation of halide ions and/or stimulate the phosphorylation of receptor proteins. 4) Nickel is needed for the CO2-fixation to propionyl-CoA to form D-methylmalonyl-CoA. 5) Arsenic has an important role in the conversion of methionine to its metabolites taurine, labile methyl, and the polyamines. If any of these speculations are found to be true, the element involved will be firmly established as having a nutritional requirement because the body obviously cannot synthesize it. Based on animal findings, the dietary requirement is likely to be small; that is, expressed in micrograms per day.     

A controlled study of eight months of physical training and reduction of blood pressure in children: the Odense schoolchild study.

OBJECTIVE--To examine the effect of physical training on physical fitness and blood pressure in children aged 9-11 years. DESIGN--Prospective randomised controlled intervention study of a sample of children drawn from a population survey of coronary risk factors in children. SETTING--Odense, Denmark. SUBJECTS--69 children with mean blood pressure greater than or equal to 95th centile (hypertensive group) and 68 with mean blood pressure less than 95th centile (normotensive group), randomly selected from a population of 1369 children. INTERVENTION--67 children were randomised to receive three extra lessons a week of an ordinary school physical education programme for eight months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Physical fitness assessed by calculation of maximum oxygen uptake and blood pressure recorded by one unblinded observer. RESULTS--After three months neither blood pressure nor physical fitness had changed significantly. After adjustment for values in weight, height, heart rate, and the variable in question before training physical fitness rose significantly at the end of eight months'' training, by 3.7 mlO2/kg/min (95% confidence interval 2.2 to 5.3) in the normotensive training subgroup and by 2.1 mlO2/kg/min (0.1 to 4.2) in the hypertensive training subgroup compared with that in the controls. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the training subgroups fell significantly by 6.5 mm Hg (3.2 to 9.9) and 4.1 mm Hg (1.7 to 6.6) respectively in the normotensive group and by 4.9 mm Hg (0.7 to 9.2) and 3.8 mm Hg (0.9 to 6.6) respectively in the hypertensive group. CONCLUSIONS--Physical training lowers blood pressure and improves physical fitness in children and might have implications for an important non-pharmacological approach to primary prevention of essential hypertension.     

Inheritance of the group I rDNA intron in Tetrahymena pigmentosa

We have previously argued from phylogenetic sequence data that the group I intron in the rRNA genes of Tetrahymena was acquired by different Tetrahymena species at different times during evolution. We have now approached the question of intron mobility experimentally by crossing intron⁺ and intron^? strains looking for a strong polarity in the inheritance of the intron (intron homing). Based on the genetic analysis we find that the intron in T. pigmentosa is inherited as a neutral character and that intron⁺ and intron^? alleles segregate in a Mendelian fashion with no sign of intron homing. In an analysis of vegetatively growing cells containing intron⁺ and intron^? rDNA, initially in the same macronucleus, we similarly find no evidence of intron homing. During the course of this work, we observed to our surprise that progeny clones from some crosses contained three types of rDNA. One possible explanation is that T. pigmentosa has two rdn loci in contrast to the single locus found in T. thermophila. Some of the progeny clones from the genetic analysis were expanded for several hundred generations, and allelic assortment of the rDNA was demonstrated by subcloning analysis. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Mannose-6-phosphate stimulates proliferation of neuronal precursor cells

The mitogenic signal function of mannose-6-phosphate (Man-6-P)/insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) receptors was studied in neuronal precursor cells from developing rat brain (E15). About 30% of the cellular Man-6-P/IGF-II receptors were present on the cell surface. Man-6-P and IGF-II stimulated DNA synthesis twofold and their effects were additive. Antibody 3637 to the Man-6-P/IGF-II receptor blocked the response to Man-6-P but not that to IGF-II. Other phosphorylated hexoses were also active. Fructose-1-phosphate was equally potent with Man-6-P, whereas glucose-6-phosphate was 5 times less potent. We conclude that Man-6-P-containing proteins and IGF-II act as mitogens in developing brain by interaction with the Man-6-P/IGF-II receptor and the IGF-I receptor, respectively.     

The effect of two proteinase inhibitors, E-64 and the Bowman-Birk inhibitor, on the developmental time and mortality of Acanthoscelides obtectus

An artificial bean seed system was used to evaluate the effects of a cysteine proteinase inhibitor (E-64) and a serine proteinase inhibitor (Bowman-Birk inhibitor) on the developmental time and mortality of the common bean weevil, Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say). These inhibitors were incorporated into artificial bean seeds on which the insect fed. To better understand the mode of action of these inhibitors, free amino acids were also added to the seeds, alone and in combination with the inhibitors. E-64 was found to be highly effective in delaying development and increasing mortality of the insect. Both effects were directly related to the concentration of E-64. Bowman-Birk inhibitor had little effect on these parameters. Assays of gut proteolytic activity of insects reared on artificial seeds with various levels of E-64 demonstrated a direct relationship between E-64 concentration in the diet and reduction of gut proteolytic activity. Free amino acid supplementation to the diet did not prevent inhibition of gut proteolytic activity by E-64, but did reverse its effects on developmental time and mortality, strengthening the hypothesis that E-64 operates by inhibition of essential digestive proteinase activity.

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Résumé Des grains artificiels de haricot ont été utilisés pour évaluer les effets sur la durée de développement et la mortalité d' Acanthoscelides obtectus. Say d'inhibiteurs de la protéinase de la cystéine (E-64) et de la protéinase de la sérine (l'inhibiteur de Bowman-Birk). Ces inhibiteurs avaient été incorporés dans les grains artificiels. Pour mieux comprendre leur voie d'action, des acides aminés libres étaient ajoutés à ces graines, seuls ou combinés aux inhibiteurs. E-64 a très efficacement retardé le développement et accru la mortalité; ces 2 effets étaient liés à sa concentration. L'inhibiteur de Bowman-Birk a eu peu d'effets sur ces paramètres. Des expériences sur l'activité protéolytique du tube digestif d'insectes élevés sur des graines artificielles avec différentes concentrations de E-64 ont montré une relation directe entre la concentration en E-64 et la réduction de l'activité protéolytique. L'addition d'acides aminés libres dans l'aliment n'a pas empêché l'inhibition de l'activité protéolytique par E-64, mais a inversé ses effets sur la durée de développement et la mortalité, renforçant l'hypothèse que E-64 agit en inhibant l'activité protéinase digestive essentielle.

     

Protein HMG-17 is hyper-expressed in rat glucagonoma. Single-step isolation and sequencing

High-mobility-group protein 17 (HMG-17) was identified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography analysis as a major component in acidic extracts of transplantable rat glucagonoma tissue but not in insulinoma tissue of similar origin. The peptide was purified in a single step and the entire sequence of 89 amino acids was determined. Rat HMG-17 has a molecular mass of 9238 Da and shows strong similarity to human, bovine (94.4%) and chicken (88.8%) HMG-17. Six of the seven residues which vary among the mammalian sequences are located within a short segment (positions 64-83) present in the acidic, non-DNA-binding C-terminal part of HMG-17. This region shows least similarity to the otherwise related proteins HMG-14 and H6 (a trout HMG protein). Interestingly, four of the six variable positions are Asp in rat HMG-17 which results in an overall net increase in the negative charge of the C-terminal region. The nature of selective hyper-expression of HMG-17 in glucagon but not in insulin-producing tumor tissue remains to be clarified.     

A quantitative and qualitative study of blood monocytes in patients with bronchogenic carcinoma

Summary Absolute circulating number and functions of blood monocytes (i.e., pinocytosis, phagocytosis, and chemotaxis) were studied in 25 patients with untreated bronchogenic carcinoma and in 28 control subjects. The absolute circulating monocyte count was increased in 20 (80%) of the patients. There was no difference in the pinocytic and phagocytic activity of patient and control monocytes. In contrast, patient monocytes showed depressed chemotactic responsiveness. This defect was more severe in small cell anaplastic carcinoma than in the other histologic types of bronchogenic carcinoma (P=0.001), and may explain the difference in macrophage infiltration seen in solid tumours of the lung. There was no correlation between chemotaxis and clinical stage. Depressed chemotaxis may be related to a plasma factor, since patient plasma inhibited the chemotaxis of control monocytes as well as the activity of chemotactic agents. The defective chemotaxis and the presence of plasma inhibitory activity may interfere with the ability of blood monocytes to accumulate as macrophages in tumour sites. Abbreviations used in this paper are: MCR, monocyte chemotactic response; SAC, small cell anaplastic bronchogenic carcinoma; OBC, non-small cell bronchogenic carcinoma MEM, Eagle's minimal essential medium; CFI, chemotactic factor inhibitor(s); HSA, human serum albumin     

Normalization of defective monocyte chemotaxis during chemotherapy in patients with small cell anaplastic carcinoma of the lung

Summary Monocyte chemotactic responsiveness (MCR) in 14 patients with small cell anaplastic bronchogenic carcinoma was depressed before treatment compared with the MCR in 28 normal controls (P=0.00004). MCR was subsequently monitored during combination chemotherapy and after 6 months the MCR had become normalized compared with pretreatment values (P=0.00006).In addition, chemotactic factor inhibitor (CFI) activity in plasma was measured before treatment and after 6 months. When incubated with plasma before treatment casein had 62% of normal activity and when incubated with plasma after chemotherapy, 81% of normal activity (P=0.0009). CFI activity decreased by greater amounts in patients in complete remission than in patients in partial remission or in non-responders (P=0.01). This study supports the concept that cancer patients have depressed monocyte function. Chemotherapy seems to enhance monocyte chemotaxis in vitro and to decrease CFI activity in plasma.     

Incidence of chromosome abnormalities in newborn children. Comparison between incidences in 1969–1974 and 1980–1982 in the same area

Summary As part of an ongoing study of the influence of environmental factors on pregnancy, childbirth, and fetuses, comparisons have been made between incidences in 1969–1974 and in 1980–1982 of chromosome aberrations in liverborn children in the same area of Denmark. The incidence of chromosome aberrations in the first period was 2.6 per 1000, compared with 4.1 per 1000 during the latter period. However, the difference was mainly due to an increase in inversions, and this in turn was due to a difference in chromosome staining methods between the two periods.It is concluded that the Danish study and similar studies in the United States, Canada, and Scotland indicate that early detection of chromosome aberrations by chromosome examination at birth is indicated in order to be able to inform and counsel parents of children with chromosome aberrations. Chromosome examination at birth is also of importance in the diagnosis of structural inheritable chromosome aberrations and consequent family investigation and genetic counseling.