Dielectric Properties and Ion Mobility in Erythrocytes

The impedance of erythrocytes of man, cattle, sheep, dog, cat, rabbit, and chicken was measured in the range from 0.5 to 250 Mc. The dielectric constant of the red cell interior is 50 at 250 Mc, varies but little with species, and can readily be accounted for by the cells' hemoglobin content. The electrical conductivity of the red cell interior was determined between 70 and 100 Mc. The values differ from species to species within the rather limited range from 4.4 to 5.3 mmho/cm. Removal of the cell membranes does not affect the conductivity. Hence, the cell interior behaves, from an electrical point of view, like a highly concentrated hemoglobin solution. A theoretical value for the electrical conductivity of erythrocyte interiors, which is calculated on the basis of the salt content of the cell, ion mobility, and the volume concentration of the hemoglobin, is roughly twice as large as the measured value. This discrepancy is typical not only of the red blood cell. Pertinent measurements show that it is probably caused by hydrodynamic and possibly by electrostatic effects also, which lower the mobility of the ions. From the lower electrical mobility it appears that a lowered diffusion constant of the electrolytes and nonelectrolytes within the cell is indicated.     

Primary structure of human class II histocompatibility antigens (HLA-D). II. Separation of alpha from beta-chains of HLA-D from a homozygous lymphoblastoid B cell line, H2LCL (HLA-A3,3;B7,7;Dw2,2;MT1,1;DC1,1;MB1,1), and characterization of the isolated chain

In a previous communication we described the preparation of the alpha/beta-chain complex of HLA-D membrane antigens from a homozygous lymphoblastoid B cell line, H2LCL (HLA-A3,3; B7,7; Dw2,2; DR2,2; MT1,1; DC1,1; MB1,1). In this paper we present the separation of the alpha- and beta-chains in quantitative scale using hydroxylapatite chromatography with a pH 7.15 phosphate buffer, containing sodium dodecyl sulfate. An alternative isolation procedure is electrophoresis, taking advantage of the different isoelectric points of the alpha- and beta-chains. The relative molecular masses, the isoelectric points and the N-terminal sequences are discussed and compared with the results of other investigators. Remarkable is the polymorphism of both the chains, especially the beta-chains. The importance of the previously described three step purification procedure for the preparation of these antigens for sequence studies has been pointed out.     

Control of mitochondrial respiration in muscle

Summary Control of mitochondrial respiration depends on ADP availability to the F₁ATPase. An electrochemical gradient of ADP and ATP across the mitochondrial inner membrane is maintained by the adenine nucleotide translocase which provides ADP to the matrix for ATP synthesis and ATP for energy-dependent processes in the cytosol. Mitochondrial respiration is responsive to the cytosolic phosphorylation potential, ATP/ADP · P_i which is in apparent equilibrium with the first two sites in the electron transport chain. Conventional measures of free adenine nucleotides is a confounding issue in determining cytosolic and mitochondrial phosphorylation potentials. The advent of phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance (P-31 NMR) allows the determination of intracellular free concentrations of ATP, creatine-P and Pi in perfused muscle in situ. In the glucose-perfused heart, there is an absence of correlation between the cytosolic phosphorylation potential as determined by P-31 NMR and cardiac oxygen consumption over a range of work loads. These data suggest that contractile work leads to increased generation of mitochondrial NADH so that ATP production keeps pace with myosin ATPase activity. The mechanism of increased ATP synthesis is referred to as stimulusre-sponse-metabolism coupling. In muscle, increased contractility is a result of interventions which increase cytosolic free Ca²⁺ concentrations. The Ca^2- signal thus generated increases glycogen breakdown and myosin ATPase in the cytosol. This signal is concomitantly transmitted to the mitochondria which respond to small increases in matrix Ca²⁺ by activation of Ca²⁺-sensitive dehydrogenases. The Ca²⁺-activated dehydrogenase activities are key rate-controlling enzymes in tricarboxylic acid cycle flux, and their activation by Ca^2- leads to increased pyridine nucleotide reduction and oxidative phosphorylation. These observations which have been consistent in preparations both in vitro and in situ do not obviate a role for ADP control of muscle respiration, but do explain, in part, the lack of dramatic fluctuations in the cytosolic phosphorylation potential over a large range of contractile activities.     

Importance of acyl-CoA availability in interpretation of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I kinetics

Bovine serum albumin is generally employed as a substrate depot for the delivery of acyl units to lipid metabolizing enzymes in vitro. Here we test the possibility that albumin alters the availability of substrate to mitochondrial carnitine palmitoyltransferase I and thereby alters its apparent kinetics. Binding competition with palmitoyl-CoA indicates that albumin has 5-6 high affinity sites which avidly bind the substrate, while isolated mitochondria compete favorably for substrate only as the albumin sites become saturated. In contrast to albumin, artificial phospholipid vesicles bind palmitoyl-CoA uniformly. Palmitoyl-CoA distribution between vesicles and mitochondrial membranes appears simply to be a function of the relative size of the two lipid compartments. Both albumin and artificial vesicles reduce the effective concentration of substrate available to the enzyme and in this way reduce apparent affinity. Direct measurement of mitochondrially bound substrate removes this effect and brings the results into agreement with an affinity constant of 6-7 nmol/mg. Changes in gross mitochondrial structure, as indicated by decreased optical density and increased nonpelleting protein, do not begin occurring until levels of mitochondrially bound palmitoyl-CoA are 15 times greater than this. The highly sigmoidal activity profile of carnitine palmitoyltransferase with respect to palmitoyl-CoA (apparent Hill coefficient = 3.0 +/- 0.3) is lost when vesicles are substituted for albumin, suggesting that albumin binding sites contribute to the sigmoidal kinetics in the range of palmitoyl-CoA studied.     

Progressive Erblindung und Nierenerkrankung in Zusammenhang mit einer periartikulären Hyperostose bei einem männlichen Mohrenmaki (Eulemur macaco macaco) im Tierpark Berlin

Until now there were no publications about periarticular hyperostosis in black lemurs at an European zoo. The author described a case of this disease connected with a growing blindness and a progressive renal disfunction in a male black lemur at Tierpark Berlin. Clinical symptoms, diagnosis and therapy are explained in detail.     

Adenovirus in Rural Côte D`Ivoire: High Diversity and Cross-Species Detection

The Taï region in Western Côte d`Ivoire is characterized by extensive overlap of human and animal habitats. This could influence patterns of adenovirus transmission between humans and domestic animals. Fecal samples from humans and various domestic animals were tested for the presence of adenoviruses by PCR. Phylogenetic and species delineation analyses were performed to further characterize the adenoviruses circulating in the region and to identify potential cross-species transmission events. Among domestic animals, adenovirus shedding was frequent (21.6% of domestic mammals and 41.5% of chickens) and the detected strains were highly diverse, several of them representing novel types. Although no evidence for zoonotic transmission of animal adenovirus was obtained, the present study provides concordant evidence in favor of common cross-species transmission of adenoviruses between different animal species and first indications for adenovirus transmission from humans to animals. These findings underline the thus far underestimated importance of reverse zoonotic transmission of viruses and of the role of domestic animals as pathogen reservoirs, “bridge species,” or intermediate hosts.     

Nitric oxide is formed in Medicago truncatula-Sinorhizobium meliloti functional nodules

Nitric oxide (NO) has recently gained interest as a major signaling molecule during plant development and response to environmental cues. Its role is particularly crucial for plant-pathogen interactions, during which it participates in the control of plant defense response and resistance. Indication for the presence of NO during symbiotic interactions has also been reported. Here, we defined when and where NO is produced during Medicago truncatula-Sinorhizobium meliloti symbiosis. Using the NO-specific fluorescent probe 4,5-diaminofluorescein diacetate, NO production was detected by confocal microscopy in functional nodules. NO production was localized in the bacteroid-containing cells of the nodule fixation zone. The infection of Medicago roots with bacterial strains impaired in nitrogenase or nitrite reductase activities lead to the formation of nodules with an unaffected NO level, indicating that neither nitrogen fixation nor denitrification pathways are required for NO production. On the other hand, the NO synthase inhibitor N-methyl-L-arginine impaired NO detection, suggesting that a NO synthase may participate to NO production in nodules. These data indicate that a NO production occurs in functional nodules. The location of such a production in fully metabolically active cells raises the hypothesis of a new function for NO during this interaction unrelated to defense and cell-death activation.     

N-(Pyridin-2-yl) arylsulfonamide inhibitors of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1: Discovery of PF-915275

N-(Pyridin-2-yl) arylsulfonamides are identified as inhibitors of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD1), an enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of the glucocorticoid cortisone to cortisol. Dysregulation of glucocorticoids has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. In this Letter, we present the development of an initial lead to an efficient ligand with improved physiochemical properties using a deletion strategy. This strategy allowed for further optimization of potency leading to the discovery of the clinical candidate PF-915275.