Normal and abnormal heme biosynthesis. Part 7. Synthesis and metabolism of coproporphyrinogen-III analogues with acetate or butyrate side chains on rings C and D. Development of a modified model for the active site of coproporphyrinogen oxidase

Analogues of coproporphyrinogen-III have been prepared with acetate or butyrate groups attached to the C and D pyrrolic subunits. The corresponding porphyrin methyl esters were synthesized by first generating a,c-biladienes by reacting a dipyrrylmethane with pyrrole aldehydes in the presence of HBr. Cyclization with copper(II) chloride in DMF, followed by demetalation with 15% H(2)SO(4)-TFA and reesterification, gave the required porphyrins in excellent yields. Hydrolysis with 25% hydrochloric acid and reduction with sodium-amalgam gave novel diacetate and dibutyrate porphyrinogens 9. Diacetate 9a was incubated with chicken red cell hemolysates (CRH), but gave complex results due to the combined action of two of the enzymes present in these preparations. Separation of uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase (URO-D) from coproporphyrinogen oxidase (CPO) allowed the effects of both enzymes on the diacetate substrate to be assessed. Porphyrinogen 9a proved to be a relatively poor substrate for CPO compared to the natural substrate coproporphyrinogen-III, and only the A ring propionate moiety was processed to a significant extent. Similar results were obtained for incubations of 9a with purified human recombinant CPO. Diacetate 9a was also a substrate for URO-D and a porphyrinogen monoacetate was the major product in this case; however, some conversion of a second acetate unit was also evident. The dibutyrate porphyrinogen 9b was only recognized by the enzyme CPO, but proved to be a modest substrate for incubations with CRH. However, 9b was an excellent substrate for purified human recombinant CPO. The major product for these incubations was a monovinylporphyrinogen, but some divinyl product was also generated in incubations using purified recombinant human CPO. The incubation products were converted into the corresponding porphyrin methyl esters, and these were characterized by proton NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The results extend our understanding of substrate recognition and catalysis for this intriguing enzyme and have allowed us to extend the active site model for CPO. In addition, the competitive action of both URO-D and CPO on the same diacetate porphyrinogen substrate provides additional perspectives on the potential existence of abnormal pathways for heme biosynthesis.     

Single and dual task gait training in people with Parkinson's Disease: A protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background  

Difficulty performing more than one task at a time (dual tasking) is a common and disabling problem experienced by people with Parkinson disease (PD). If asked to perform another task when walking, people with PD often take shorter steps or walk more slowly. Currently there is uncertainty about whether clinicians should teach people with PD to avoid dual tasking or whether they should encourage them to practice dual tasking with the hope that practice will lead to enhanced performance. This study will address this issue by comparing single to dual task gait training.     

Galectin-3C Inhibits Tumor Growth and Increases the Anticancer Activity of Bortezomib in a Murine Model of Human Multiple Myeloma

Galectin-3 is a human lectin involved in many cellular processes including differentiation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, neoplastic transformation, and metastasis. We evaluated galectin-3C, an N-terminally truncated form of galectin-3 that is thought to act as a dominant negative inhibitor, as a potential treatment for multiple myeloma (MM). Galectin-3 was expressed at varying levels by all 9 human MM cell lines tested. In vitro galectin-3C exhibited modest anti-proliferative effects on MM cells and inhibited chemotaxis and invasion of U266 MM cells induced by stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1α. Galectin-3C facilitated the anticancer activity of bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor approved by the FDA for MM treatment. Galectin-3C and bortezomib also synergistically inhibited MM-induced angiogenesis activity in vitro. Delivery of galectin-3C intravenously via an osmotic pump in a subcutaneous U266 cell NOD/SCID mouse model of MM significantly inhibited tumor growth. The average tumor volume of bortezomib-treated animals was 19.6% and of galectin-3C treated animals was 13.5% of the average volume of the untreated controls at day 35. The maximal effect was obtained with the combination of galectin-3C with bortezomib that afforded a reduction of 94% in the mean tumor volume compared to the untreated controls at day 35. In conclusion, this is the first study to show that inhibition of galectin-3 is efficacious in a murine model of human MM. Our results demonstrated that galectin-3C alone was efficacious in a xenograft mouse model of human MM, and that it enhanced the anti-tumor activity of bortezomib in vitro and in vivo. These data provide the rationale for continued testing of galectin-3C towards initiation of clinical trials for treatment of MM.     

The recombination activating genes,RAG 1 and RAG 2, are on chromosome 11p in humans and chromosome 2p in mice

The recombination activating genes RAG-1 and RAG-2 are adjacent genes that act synergistically to activate variable-diversity-joining (V(D)J) recombination. Southern analysis of hybrid cell lines derived from patients with the Wilms tumor-aniridia-genitourinary defects-mental retardation (WAGR) syndrome and from mutagenized cell hybrids selected for deletions in chromosome 11 has allowed us to map the chromosomal location of the human RAG locus. The RAG locus defines a new interval of human chromosome 11p, but is not associated with any genetically mapped human disease. Guided by the chromosomal localization of the human recombination activating genes, we have also mapped the location of the mouse Rag locus.     

Development of a screening assay for surrogate markers of CHK1 inhibitor-induced cell cycle release

Chk1 is a key regulator of the S and G2/M checkpoints and is activated following DNA damage by agents such as the topoisomerase I inhibitor camptothecin (CPT). It has been proposed that Chk1 inhibitors used in combination with such a DNA damaging agent to treat tumors would potentiate cytotoxicity and increase the therapeutic index, particularly in tumors lacking functional p53. The aim of this study was to determine whether gene expression analysis could be used to inform lead optimization of a novel series of Chk1 inhibitors. The candidate small-molecule Chk1 inhibitors were used in combination with CPT to identify potential markers of functional Chk1 inhibition, as well as resulting cell cycle progression, using cDNA-based microarrays. Differential expression of several of these putative marker genes was further validated by RT-PCR for use as a medium-throughput assay. In the presence of DNA damage, Chk1 inhibitors altered CPT-dependent effects on the expression of cell cycle and DNA repair genes in a manner consistent with a Chk1-specific mechanism of action. Furthermore, differential expression of selected marker genes, cyclin E2, EGR1, and DDIT3, was dose dependent for Chk1 inhibition. RT-PCR results for these genes following treatment with a panel of Chk1 inhibitors showed a strong correlation between marker gene response and the ability of each compound to abrogate cell cycle arrest in situ following CPT-induced DNA damage. These results demonstrate the utility of global expression analysis to identify surrogate markers, providing an alternative method for rapid compound characterization to support advancement decisions in early drug discovery.     

High-dose versus standard-dose vitamin D supplementation in older adults with COVID-19 (COVIT-TRIAL): A multicenter,open-label,randomized controlled superiority trial

BackgroundVitamin D supplementation has been proposed as a treatment for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) based on experimental data and data from small and uncontrolled observational studies. The COvid19 and VITamin d TRIAL (COVIT-TRIAL) study was conducted to test whether a single oral high dose of cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) administered within 72 hours after the diagnosis of COVID-19 improves, compared to standard-dose cholecalciferol, the 14-day overall survival among at-risk older adults infected with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).Methods and findingsThis multicenter, randomized, controlled, open-label, superiority trial involved collaboration of 9 medical centers in France. Patients admitted to the hospital units or living in nursing homes adjacent to the investigator centers were eligible if they were ≥65 years, had SARS-CoV-2 infection of less than 3 days, and at least 1 COVID-19 worsening risk factor (among age ≥75 years, SpO2 ≤94%, or PaO₂/FiO₂ ≤300 mm Hg). Main noninclusion criteria were organ failure requiring ICU, SpO2 ≤92% despite 5 L/min oxygen, life expectancy <3 months, vitamin D supplementation >800 IU/day during the preceding month, and contraindications to vitamin D supplements. Eligible and consenting patients were randomly allocated to either a single oral high-dose (400,000 IU) or standard-dose (50,000 IU) cholecalciferol administered under medical supervision within 72 hours after the diagnosis of COVID-19. Participants and local study staff were not masked to the allocated treatment, but the Steering Committee and the Data and Safety Monitoring Board were masked to the randomization group and outcome data during the trial. The primary outcome was 14-day overall mortality. Between April 15 and December 17, 2020, of 1,207 patients who were assessed for eligibility in the COVIT-TRIAL study, 254 met eligibility criteria and formed the intention-to-treat population. The median age was 88 (IQR, 82 to 92) years, and 148 patients (58%) were women. Overall, 8 (6%) of 127 patients allocated to high-dose cholecalciferol, and 14 (11%) of 127 patients allocated to standard-dose cholecalciferol died within 14 days (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.39 [95% confidence interval [CI], 0.16 to 0.99], P = 0.049, after controlling for randomization strata [i.e., age, oxygen requirement, hospitalization, use of antibiotics, anti-infective drugs, and/or corticosteroids] and baseline imbalances in important prognostic factors [i.e., sex, ongoing cancers, profuse diarrhea, and delirium at baseline]). The number needed to treat for one person to benefit (NNTB) was 21 [NNTB 9 to ∞ to number needed to treat for one person to harm (NNTH) 46]. Apparent benefits were also found on 14-day mortality due to COVID-19 (7 (6%) deaths in high-dose group and 14 (11%) deaths in standard-dose group; adjusted hazard ratio = 0.33 [95% CI, 0.12 to 0.86], P = 0.02). The protective effect of the single oral high-dose administration was not sustained at 28 days (19 (15%) deaths in high-dose group and 21 (17%) deaths in standard-dose group; adjusted hazard ratio = 0.70 [95% CI, 0.36 to 1.36], P = 0.29). High-dose cholecalciferol did not result in more frequent adverse effects compared to the standard dose. The open-label design and limited study power are the main limitations of the study.ConclusionsIn this randomized controlled trial (RCT), we observed that the early administration of high-dose versus standard-dose vitamin D3 to at-risk older patients with COVID-19 improved overall mortality at day 14. The effect was no longer observed after 28 days.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT04344041","term_id":"NCT04344041"}}NCT04344041.

In a randomized trial, Cedric Annweiler and colleagues evaluate whether a single high dose of vitamin D3 improves survival among older adults in France with SARS-CoV-2 infection.     

Microtubule‐organizing centers of Aspergillus nidulans are anchored at septa by a disordered protein

Microtubule‐organizing centers (MTOCs) are large, multi‐subunit protein complexes. Schizosaccharomyces pombe harbors MTOCs at spindle pole bodies, transient MTOCs in the division plane (eMTOCs) and nuclear‐envelope associated MTOCs in interphase cells (iMTOCs). In the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans SPBs and septum‐associated MTOCs were described. Although comparable to S. pombe eMTOCs, A. nidulans sMTOCS are permanent septum‐associated structures. The composition of sMTOCs is poorly understood and how they are targeted to septa was unknown. Here, we show that in A. nidulans several SPB outer plaque proteins also locate to sMTOCs while other SPB proteins do not, including SfiA, a protein required for SPB duplication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and S. pombe and PcpA, the anchor for γ‐TuSCs at the SPB inner plaque. The A. nidulans disordered protein Spa18^Mto2 and the centrosomin‐domain containing protein ApsB^Mto1 were required for recruiting the γ‐TuRC component GcpC to sMTOCs and for seeding MT formation from septa. Testing different septum‐associated proteins for a role in sMTOC function, Spa10 was identified. It forms a septal pore disc structure, recruits Spa18 and ApsB to septa and is required for sMTOC activity. This is the first evidence for a septum‐specific protein, Spa10, as anchor for a specific class of MTOCs.     

Yeast communities associated with stingless bees

The yeast communities associated with the stingless bees Tetragonisca angustula, Melipona quadrifasciata and Frieseomelitta varia were studied. The bees T. angustula and F. varia showed a strong association with the yeast Starmerella meliponinorum. M. quadrifasciata more frequently carried a species related to Candida apicola, but also vectored low numbers of S. meliponinorum. Some of the yeasts isolated from adult bees were typical of species known to occur in flowers. Other yeast species found in adult bees were more typical of those found in the phylloplane. S. meliponinorum and the species in the C. apicola complex, also part of the Starmerella clade, may have a mutualistic relationship with the bees studied. Many yeasts in that group are often found in bees or substrates visited by bees, suggesting that a mutually beneficial interaction exists between them.     

ExCyto PCR Amplification

Background

ExCyto PCR cells provide a novel and cost effective means to amplify DNA transformed into competent bacterial cells. ExCyto PCR uses host E. coli with a chromosomally integrated gene encoding a thermostable DNA polymerase to accomplish robust, hot-start PCR amplification of cloned sequences without addition of exogenous enzyme.

Results

Because the thermostable DNA polymerase is stably integrated into the bacterial chromosome, ExCyto cells can be transformed with a single plasmid or complex library, and then the expressed thermostable DNA polymerase can be used for PCR amplification. We demonstrate that ExCyto cells can be used to amplify DNA from different templates, plasmids with different copy numbers, and master mixes left on ice for up to two hours. Further, PCR amplification with ExCyto cells is comparable to amplification using commercial DNA polymerases. The ability to transform a bacterial strain and use the endogenously expressed protein for PCR has not previously been demonstrated.

Conclusions

ExCyto PCR reduces pipetting and greatly increases throughput for screening EST, genomic, BAC, cDNA, or SNP libraries. This technique is also more economical than traditional PCR and thus broadly useful to scientists who utilize analysis of cloned DNAs in their research.