Elemental diet as primary treatment of acute Crohn's disease: a controlled trial.

Acute exacerbations of Crohn''s disease are usually treated with prednisolone or potentially more toxic immunosuppressive drugs or by surgery. In pilot studies replacing the normal diet by a protein free elemental diet also induced remission. A controlled trial was therefore conducted in which 21 patients acutely ill with exacerbations of Crohn''s disease were randomised to receive either prednisolone 0.75 mg/kg/day or an elemental diet (Vivonex) for four weeks. Assessment at four and 12 weeks showed that the patients treated with the elemental diet had improved as much as and by some criteria more than the steroid treated group. Elemental diet is a safe and effective treatment for acute Crohn''s disease.     

A chlorinated phenylpyrrole antibiotic fromActinoplanes

Two chlorophenyl-containing antibiotics have been isolated from a strain ofActinoplanes (ATCC 33002). Antibiotic A 15104 Y is a chlorinated phenylpyrrole compound whose structure has been confirmed by chemical synthesis. Antibiotic A 15104 Z is a chlorophenol derivative for which a structural formula is proposed on the basis of its physicochemical properties. A 15104 Y shows antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and acid-fast bacteria, yeasts, fungi, and protozoa, while A 15104 Z possesses a low activity against Gram-positive bacteria andTrichophyton. A 15104 Y has a weak activity in curing experimentally infected mice, at a dose that is one-fifth the LD₅₀ for the same species. This is the first example of a chloropyrrole derivative isolated from an actinomycete.     

Inhibition of elongation and H+ and K+ transport by the phosphodiesterase inhibitor aminophylline in plant tissue

Aminophylline, an inhibitor of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.17), inhibits elongation and correlated H⁺ and K⁺ transport in embryos of Haplopappus gracilis and in pea internode segments. Moreover, the drug strongly inhibits the stimulation of these processes by fusicoccin and indole-3-acetic acid and reduces passive permeability of the membrane. The possible mechanisms of action of aminophylline are discussed.Abbreviations cAMP adenosine 3:5-cyclic monophosphate - FC fusicoccin - IAA indole-3-acetic acid - MES 2-N-morpholinoethanesulfonic acid - PDE cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase     

Cytofluorometric and cytochemical comparisons of normal and abnormal human cells from the female genital tract.

Acridine orange staining of exfoliated cells from epithelial tissues facilitates discrimination between normal and abnormal cells: abnormal cells develop highly elevated nuclear fluorescence. Comparisons of acridine orange (AO) staining with propidium iodide (PI) or Feulgen staining have shown that: (a) PI staining also provides highly elevated nuclear fluorescence from abnormal cells; (b) the distributions of nuclear fluorescence following AO or PI staining were usually not significantly different as judged by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test; (c) fluorescence emission spectra from AO and PI stained cells are consistent with the hypothesis that both fluorochromes bind to DNA within cell nuclei; (d) DNAse treatment of AO stained normal cells eliminates the nuclear fluorescence peak from slit-scan contours; RNAse treatment has no effect on nuclear fluorescence; (e) the distribution of abnormal cell nuclear fluorescence after AO staining is usually, but not always, significantly different from the distribution of abnormal cell nuclear absorbance after Feulgen staining, with relative nuclear fluorescence being greater than relative nuclear absorbance. The hypothesis currently most consistent with these results is that elevated Feulgen DNA content can account for only part of the discrimination provided by AO staining, and that the chromatin within abnormal cells is altered so as to increase accessibility of DNA to intercalating dyes.     

The role of metal ions in chemical evolution: Polymerization of alanine and glycine in a cation-exchanged clay environment

Summary The effect of the exchangeable cation on the condensation of glycine and alanine was investigated using a series of homoionic bentonites. A cycling procedure of drying, warming and wetting was employed. Peptide bond formation was observed, and the effectiveness of metal ions to catalyze the condensation was Cu²⁺ > Ni²⁺ Zn²⁺ > Na⁺. Glycine showed 6% of the monomer incorporated into oligomers with the largest detected being the pentamer. Alanine showed less peptide bond formation (a maximum of 2%) and only the dimer was observed.     

Influence of site-directed modifications on the formation of iron cores in ferritin

The structure and crystal chemical properties of iron cores of reconstituted recombinant human ferritins and their site-directed variants have been studied by transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction. The kinetics of Fe uptake have been compared spectrophotometrically. Recombinant L and H-chain ferritins, and recombinant H-chain variants incorporating modifications in the threefold (Asp131----His or Glu134----Ala) and fourfold (Leu169----Arg) channels, at the partially buried ferroxidase sites (Glu62,His65----Lys,Gly), a putative nucleation site on the inner surface (Glu61,Glu64,Glu67----Ala), and both the ferroxidase and nucleation sites (Glu62,His65----Lys,Gly and Glu61,Glu64,Glu67----Ala), were investigated. An additional H-chain variant, incorporating substitution of the last ten C-terminal residues for those of the L-chain protein, was also studied. Most of the proteins assimilated iron to give discrete electron-dense cores of the Fe(III) hydrated oxide, ferrihydrite (Fe2O3.nH2O). No differences were observed for variants modified in the three- or fourfold channels compared with the unmodified H-chain ferritin. The recombinant L-chain ferritin and H-chain variant depleted of the ferroxidase site, however, showed markedly reduced uptake kinetics and comprised cores of increased diameter and regularity. Depletion of the inner surface Glu residues, whilst maintaining the ferroxidase site, resulted in a partially reduced rate of Fe uptake and iron cores of wider particle size distribution. Modification of both ferroxidase and inner surface Glu residues resulted in complete inhibition of iron uptake and deposition. No cores were observed by electron microscopy although negative staining showed that the protein shell was intact. The general requirement of an appropriate spatial charge density across the cavity surface rather than specific amino acid residues could explain how, in spite of an almost complete lack of identity between the amino acid sequences of bacterioferritin and mammalian ferritins, ferrihydrite is deposited within the cavity of both proteins under similar reconstitution conditions.     

Tetrahydrobiopterin synthesis. An absolute requirement for cytokine-induced nitric oxide generation by vascular smooth muscle.

Nitric oxide (NO) synthesis is induced in vascular smooth muscle cells by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) where it appears to mediate a variety of vascular dysfunctions. In some cell types tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) synthesis has also been found to be induced by cytokines. Because BH4 is a cofactor for NO synthase, we investigated whether BH4 synthesis is required for LPS-induced NO production in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMC). The total biopterin content (BH4 and more oxidized states) of untreated RASMC was below our limit of detection. However, treatment with LPS caused a significant rise in biopterin levels and an induction of NO synthesis; both effects of LPS were markedly potentiated by interferon-gamma. 2,4-Diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine (DAHP), a selective inhibitor of GTP cyclohydrolase I, the rate-limiting enzyme for de novo BH4 synthesis, completely abolished the elevated biopterin levels induced by LPS. DAHP also caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of LPS-induced NO synthesis. Inhibition of NO synthesis by DAHP was reversed by sepiapterin, an agent which circumvents the inhibition of biopterin synthesis by DAHP by serving as a substrate for BH4 synthesis via the pterin salvage pathway. The reversal by sepiapterin was overcome by methotrexate, an inhibitor of the pterin salvage pathway. Sepiapterin, and to a lesser extent BH4, dose-dependently enhanced LPS-induced NO synthesis, indicating that BH4 concentration limits the rate of NO production by LPS-activated RASMC. Sepiapterin also caused LPS-induced NO synthesis to appear with an abbreviated lag period phase, suggesting that BH4 availability also limits the onset of NO synthesis. In contrast to the stimulation of LPS-induced NO synthesis, observed when sepiapterin was given alone, sepiapterin became a potent inhibitor of NO synthesis in the presence of methotrexate. This is attributable to a direct inhibitory action of sepiapterin on GTP cyclohydrolase I, an activity which is only revealed after blocking the metabolism of sepiapterin to BH4. Further studies with sepiapterin, methotrexate, and N-acetylserotonin (an inhibitor of the BH4 synthetic enzyme, sepiapterin reductase) indicated that the BH4 is synthesized in RASMC predominantly from GTP; however, a lesser amount may derive from pterin salvage. We demonstrate that BH4 synthesis is an absolute requirement for induction of NO synthesis by LPS in vascular smooth muscle. Our findings also suggest that pterin synthesis inhibitors may be useful for the therapy of endotoxin- and cytokine-induced shock.     

Somatic embryogenesis in asparagus: the role of explants and growth regulators

Summary The explant used to initiate embryogenic callus and the growth regulators used in subsequent induction (IM) and embryo development media (EDM) both influenced rate of somatic embryo development and conversion to plantlets in asparagus. Embryogenic callus derived from spear-cross sections (SS), in vitro crowns (IVC) and lateral buds (LB) was cultured on IM of MS salts and vitamins with 2, 4-D or NAA at 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0 or 10 mg/l and kinetin at 0, 0.1, 1.0 or 10 mg/l. The auxin 2,4-D at 1–10 mg/l, in combination with kinetin at 0–1 mg/l, in IM induced the highest frequency of embryos after four weeks; callus derived from SS, IVC and LB had means of 394, 382, and 344 small globular embryos, and 4, 11 and 9 bipolar embryos per gram of callus, respectively. After 6 weeks on EDM, 128, 116 and 51 bipolar embryos (4–7 mm in length) occurred per gram callus and 4.5, 1.4 and 2.1 embryos converted for IVC, SS and LB, respectively. NAA at 1–10 mg/l, in combinations with kinetin 0–1 mg/l, yielded means of 64, 175 and 225 small globular embryos per gram callus on IM for SS, IVC and LB, respectively. NAA promoted a higher rate of embryo development: means of 27, 54 and 91 bipolar embryos per gram callus for SS, LB and IVC, respectively, on EDM. There were 0.5, 9.4 and 11.9 plantlets from these respective callus sources. There was no difference between kinetin levels of 0–1 mg/l on callus growth and embryogenesis, whereas, 10 mg/l in IM was inhibitory.Abbreviations 2,4-D 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - EDM embryo development medium - IAA indole-3-acetic acid - IM induction media - IVC in vitro crowns - LB lateral bud - LS Linsmaier and Skoog (1965) - MS Murashige and Skoog (1962) - NAA naphthaleneacetic acid - SS spear-cross section     

Poly(ADP-ribose) has a branched structure in vivo

We have searched for the presence of branching in the chromosomal polymer poly(ADP-ribose) as it occurs in vivo. Treatment of the polymer with phosphodiesterase asnd phosphomonoesterase results in the conversion of internal residues to the nucleoside ribosyladenosine and the conversion of points of branching to diribosyladenosine. We have detected diribosyladenosine in digests of the polymer derived from carcinogen-treated SV40 virus-formed 3T3 cells and in normal rat liver, kidney, and spleen. The frequency of residues involved in branching varied from 0.8 to 1.6 mole % over a 50-fold range of total levels of poly(ADP-ribose). Thus, branching seems to be a general feature of poly(ADP-ribose) as it occurs in vivo.     

Glutamate as a Putative Transmitter in the Cerebellum: Stimulation by GABA of Glutamic Acid Release from Specific Pools

The aim of the present paper was to determine whether the release of glutamate from putative "glutamergic" terminals in the cerebellum is influenced by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). In a group of preliminary experiments, we present biochemical evidence in favour of a neurotransmitter role of glutamate in the cerebellum: (1) endogenous glutamate was released from depolarized cerebellar synaptosomal preparations in a Ca2+-dependent away; (2) [14C]glutamate was synthesized from [14C]glutamine in cerebellar synaptosomes, and the newly synthesized [14C]glutamate was released released in a Ca2+-dependent way; (3) the elevation of cyclic GMP elicited by depolarization of cerebellar slices in the presence of Ca2+ was partly reversed by the glutamate antagonist glutamic acid diethyl ester, which probably prevented the interaction of endogenously released glutamate with postsynaptic receptors. GABA and muscimol at low concentrations (2--20 micrometers) potentiated the depolarization-induced release of D-[3H]aspartate (a glutamate analogue which labels the glutamate "reuptake pool") from cerebellar synaptosomes. The effect was concentration dependent and was largely prevented by two GABA antagonists, bicuculline and picrotoxin. The stimulation of D-[3H]aspartate release evoked by muscimol was linearly related to the logarithm of K+ concentration in the depolarizing medium. GABA did not affect the overall release of endogenous glutamate, but potentiated, in a picrotoxin-sensitive manner, the depolarization-evoked release of [14C]glutamate previously synthesized from [14C]glutamine. Since nerve endings are the major site of glutamate synthesis from glutamine, GABA and muscimol appear to exert their stimulatory effect at the level of "glutamergic" nerve terminals, probably after interacting with presynaptic GABA receptors. The possible functional significance of these findings is briefly discussed.