Interactions of Malondialdehyde and 4-Hydroxynonenal with Rat Liver Plasma Membranes and their Effect on Binding of Prostaglandin E2 by Specific Receptors

We investigated effect of aldehydic products of lipid peroxidation, malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydrox-ynonenal (HNE) on prostaglandin (PG) E₂ receptors of liver plasma membranes. The modification of the membranes by MDA diminished PGE₂ binding, decreasing receptor affinity for PGE₂ and receptor density whereas HNE increased PGE₂ binding, enhanced receptor density but did not changed receptor affinity. ESR study showed the decrease of the whole membrane fluidity after modification by MDA whereas HNE lowered membrane fluidity only in the internal zone of lipid bilayer and increased it in the surface area. The possible effects of membrane changes caused by MDA and HNE on PGE₂ receptor parameters are discussed.     

Molecular and cellular mechanisms in the viral exacerbation of asthma

The aetiology of asthma associated with viral infection is complex. The dynamics that contribute to disease pathogenesis are multifactorial and involve overlapping molecular and cellular mechanisms, particularly the immune response to respiratory virus infection or allergen sensitization. This review summarizes the evidence associated with factors that may contribute to the development or exacerbation of asthma including age, host factors, genetic polymorphisms, altered immune responses, and aspects of viral antigen expression. This review also provides an important perspective of key events linked to the development of asthmatic disease and related pulmonary inflammation from human and animal studies, and discusses their relationship as targets for disease intervention strategies.     

Subspecies-specific haemagglutination patterns of fimbriated Bacillus thuringiensis spores

Electron microscopy revealed fimbrial appendages (pili) of three types on the surface of Bacillus thuringiensis spores. Fimbriated spores induced mannose-resistant agglutination of rat, guinea pig and/or chicken red blood cells. Each haemagglutination pattern correlated with the subspecies of a given B. thuringiensis strain, rather than with its flagellar serotype. Fimbriation and haemagglutination patterns of B. thuringiensis spores are considered to be of possible taxonomic value.