Purification and characterization of a component produced by Lactobacillus fermentum that inhibits the adhesion of K88 expressing Escherichia coli to porcine ileal mucus

It has previously been shown that Lactobacillus fermentum strain 104r releases compounds into its culture fluid that inhibit the adhesion of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88. The aim of the present study was to purify and identify this compound. Judged by gel filtration, the compound was found to be approximately 1700 kDa. The amount of active compound increased upon prolonged incubation, while the number of viable cells reduced, suggesting that the activity was coming from dead cells. As the activity can be destroyed by lysozyme treatment and contains glucose, N -acetylglucosamine and galactose, it was concluded that cell wall fragments are the active agent, although cell wall preparations did not have the same effect. Adhesion to some mucus fractions could be inhibited by spent culture fluid, indicating specific interaction between mucus and the active compound. The compound was not able to interfere with the adhesion of E. coli 1107 to neutral lipids from mucus which contain a glycolipid receptor for K88 fimbriae.     

Effect of orally administered non-viable Lactobacillus cells on murine humoral immune responses

BALB/c mice were immunized intraperitoneally with the food antigen ovalbumin (OVA) while they were fed with Lactobacillus GG heated killed cell preparation. The oral administration of Lactobacillus GG did not appear to modify the antigen-augmented serum IgE in the tested mice but significantly augmented serum OVA specific IgG in the tested mice fed with a diet containing 0.1% Lactobacillus GG as the non-viable cell preparation (P< 0.05). The fecal OVA specific IgA of the tested mice fed with nonviable Lactobacillus GG cells was also significantly elevated (P< 0.05) compared to those from OVA immunized mice. The spleen cells of mice fed with non-viable Lactobacillus GG cells secreted more IL-6 (P< 0.01). These results suggest that the non-viable Lactobacillus GG can augment the systemic and mucosal immune responses in a host animal favoring secretory IgA but not IgE in an adjuvant-like manner.     

Absorbance difference spectra of the successive redox states of the oxygen-evolving apparatus of photosynthesis

The spectra of the absorbance changes due to the turnover of the so-called S-states of the oxygen-evolving apparatus were determined. The changes were induced by a series of saturating flashes in dark-adapted Photosystem II preparations, isolated from spinach chloroplasts. The electron acceptor was 2,5-dichloro-p-benzoquinone. The fraction of System II centers involved in each S-state transition on each flash was calculated from the oscillation pattern of the 1 ms absorbance transient which accompanies oxygen release. The difference spectrum associated with each S-state transition was then calculated from the observed flash-induced difference spectra. The spectra were found to contain a contribution by electron transfer at the acceptor side, which oscillated during the flash series approximately with a periodicity of two and was apparently modulated to some extent by the redox state of the donor side. At the donor side, the S₀ → S₁, S₁ → S₂ and S₂ → S₃ transitions were all three accompanied by the same absorbance difference spectrum, attributed previously to an oxidation of Mn(III) to Mn(IV) (Dekker, J.P., Van Gorkom, H.J., Brok, M. and Ouwehand, L. (1984) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 764, 301–309). It is concluded that each of these S-state transitions involves the oxidation of an Mn(III) to Mn(IV). The spectrum and amplitude of the millisecond transient were in agreement with its assignment to the reduction of the oxidized secondary donor Z⁺ and the three Mn(IV) ions.     

Identification of Tspan9 as a novel platelet tetraspanin and the collagen receptor GPVI as a component of tetraspanin microdomains

Platelets are essential for wound healing and inflammatory processes, but can also play a deleterious role by causing heart attack and stroke. Normal platelet activation is dependent on tetraspanins, a superfamily of glycoproteins that function as 'organisers' of cell membranes by recruiting other receptors and signalling proteins into tetraspanin-enriched microdomains. However, our understanding of how tetraspanin microdomains regulate platelets is hindered by the fact that only four of the 33 mammalian tetraspanins have been identified in platelets. This is because of a lack of antibodies to most tetraspanins and difficulties in measuring mRNA, due to low levels in this anucleate cell. To identify potentially platelet-expressed tetraspanins, mRNA was measured in their nucleated progenitor cell, the megakaryocyte, using serial analysis of gene expression and DNA microarrays. Amongst 19 tetraspanins identified in megakaryocytes, Tspan9, a previously uncharacterized tetraspanin, was relatively specific to these cells. Through generating the first Tspan9 antibodies, Tspan9 expression was found to be tightly regulated in platelets. The relative levels of CD9, CD151, Tspan9 and CD63 were 100, 14, 6 and 2 respectively. Since CD9 was expressed at 49000 cell surface copies per platelet, this suggested a copy number of 2800 Tspan9 molecules. Finally, Tspan9 was shown to be a component of tetraspanin microdomains that included the collagen receptor GPVI (glycoprotein VI) and integrin alpha6beta1, but not the von Willebrand receptor GPIbalpha or the integrins alphaIIbbeta3 or alpha2beta1. These findings suggest a role for Tspan9 in regulating platelet function in concert with other platelet tetraspanins and their associated proteins.     

Improved Artificial Saliva for Studying the Cariogenic Effect of Carbohydrates

Saliva is a complex fluid that possesses many important functions regarding oral health. Many in vitro studies require relatively large quantities of saliva. While natural saliva would be the material of choice, it is difficult to obtain in sufficient quantities and varies in composition. Substitutes mimicking the physicochemical properties of saliva have been developed, but these are not appropriate to study the growth of mutans streptococci. Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) has been commonly used for this, but this medium is richer in nutrients than saliva. We therefore developed artificial saliva (AS) with nutrient levels resembling those in natural saliva as a substitute for natural human saliva (HS) to study the influence of different carbon sources on mutans streptococci growth. Growth of a wild-type Streptococcus mutans strain and S. mutans ATCC 15175 in BHI, HS, and AS was monitored anaerobically. Growth of S. mutans in the modified AS was very similar to the growth in HS, both in the absence and presence of different carbon sources. We therefore conclude that the developed AS is suitable for in vitro tests on S. mutans growth.     

Single Nucleotide Variants in the Protein C Pathway and Mortality in Dialysis Patients

Background

The protein C pathway plays an important role in the maintenance of endothelial barrier function and in the inflammatory and coagulant processes that are characteristic of patients on dialysis. We investigated whether common single nucleotide variants (SNV) in genes encoding protein C pathway components were associated with all-cause 5 years mortality risk in dialysis patients.

Methods

Single nucleotides variants in the factor V gene (F5 rs6025; factor V Leiden), the thrombomodulin gene (THBD rs1042580), the protein C gene (PROC rs1799808 and 1799809) and the endothelial protein C receptor gene (PROCR rs867186, rs2069951, and rs2069952) were genotyped in 1070 dialysis patients from the NEtherlands COoperative Study on the Adequacy of Dialysis (NECOSAD) cohort) and in 1243 dialysis patients from the German 4D cohort.

Results

Factor V Leiden was associated with a 1.5-fold (95% CI 1.1–1.9) increased 5-year all-cause mortality risk and carriers of the AG/GG genotypes of the PROC rs1799809 had a 1.2-fold (95% CI 1.0–1.4) increased 5-year all-cause mortality risk. The other SNVs in THBD, PROC, and PROCR were not associated with 5-years mortality.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that factor V Leiden and PROC rs1799809 contributes to an increased mortality risk in dialysis patients.     

Monocyte gene expression signature of patients with early onset coronary artery disease

The burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) cannot be fully addressed by therapy targeting known pathophysiological pathways. Even with stringent control of all risk factors CVD events are only diminished by half. A number of additional pathways probably play a role in the development of CVD and might serve as novel therapeutic targets. Genome wide expression studies represent a powerful tool to identify such novel pathways. We compared the expression profiles in monocytes from twenty two young male patients with premature familial CAD with those from controls matched for age, sex and smoking status, without a family history of CVD. Since all patients were on statins and aspirin treatment, potentially affecting the expression of genes in monocytes, twelve controls were subsequently treated with simvastatin and aspirin for 6 and 2 weeks, respectively. By whole genome expression arrays six genes were identified to have differential expression in the monocytes of patients versus controls; ABCA1, ABCG1 and RGS1 were downregulated in patients, whereas ADRB2, FOLR3 and GSTM1 were upregulated. Differential expression of all genes, apart from GSTM1, was confirmed by qPCR. Aspirin and statins altered gene expression of ABCG1 and ADBR2. All finding were validated in a second group of twenty four patients and controls. Differential expression of ABCA1, RSG1 and ADBR2 was replicated. In conclusion, we identified these 3 genes to be expressed differently in CAD cases which might play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic vascular disease.