Fungal spore concentrations in the air at Tiruchirapalli (India) 1987–1988

Summary Using an aeroscope, airborne fungal spores were sampled for two years, 1987–1988 at Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India. The aerospora components, their seasonal and annual variations in incidence in the air are discussed and a spore calendar for Tiruchirapalli is presented.     

Mac-2-binding glycoproteins. Putative ligands for a cytosolic beta-galactoside lectin

Mac-2, a galactose-binding lectin secretion by activated macrophages, is the major non-integrin laminin-binding protein in these cells. Mac-2 is also expressed by epithelial cells in the intestine and kidney. We wished to identify intestinal glycoproteins other than laminin that have a high affinity for Mac-2 and that could be considered as candidate ligands or partners for this lectin in intestinal epithelium. Certain lines of human colon adenocarcinoma cells produce two Mac-2-binding glycoproteins (M2BP-1 and M2BP-2) that were identified by their avid association with Mac-2 following detergent lysis and immunoprecipitation. These glycoproteins do not share a common epitope with Mac-2, and the interaction between Mac-2 and these proteins is mediated through the carbohydrate-binding domain of Mac-2 and sugar moieties on M2BP-1 and M2BP-2. M2BP-1 (98 kDa) and M2BP-2 (70 kDa) were purified by immunoaffinity chromatography and were specifically eluted with either galactose or lactose. Peptide maps revealed that M2BP-1 and M2BP-2 are structurally related. M2BP-1 is secreted and could conceivably associate with Mac-2 extracellularly. N-terminal sequence analysis of M2BP-2 suggests that these glycoproteins represent a unique subset of candidate ligands for this mammalian beta-galactoside lectin.     

Effect of human plasma proteins on spontaneous contractile activity of rat mesenteric portal vein.

This study examines the effect of various plasma proteins from man on the spontaneous contractile activity of the rat portal vein. Albumin, gamma-globulin, alpha-globulin, beta-globulin (the major plasma proteins), and immunoglobulin IgG (the major immunoglobulin present in the gamma-globulin fraction) were obtained commercially. Mesenteric portal vein strips were prepared from rats and placed in a physiological salt solution in muscle baths for the measurement of longitudinal mechanical response. Portal veins exposed to albumin or gamma-globulin showed a dose-dependent increase in the spontaneous activity, whereas those exposed to alpha-globulin or alpha- and beta-globulin together showed a dose-dependent inhibition of spontaneous activity. Immunoglobulin IgG produced a dose-dependent increase in the spontaneous activity similar to that of gamma-globulin. The increased spontaneous activity produced by albumin was not prevented by ouabain but was inhibited by phentolamine. Spontaneous contractile activity was stimulated by albumin in the chemically (6-hydroxydopamine) denervated portal vein. These findings indicate that albumin acts in a manner similar to noradrenaline. The increased spontaneous activity caused by gamma-globulin (IgG) was inhibited by ouabain or verapamil. The effect of IgG was not dependent on alpha-adrenergic, cholinergic, histaminergic, serotoninergic, or renin angiotensin systems nor was it affected by removal of the endothelium. These observations may have implications in the pathophysiology of essential hypertension.     

Fast Diffusion of Very Long Chain Saturated Fatty Acids across a Bilayer Membrane and Their Rapid Extraction by Cyclodextrins: IMPLICATIONS FOR ADRENOLEUKODYSTROPHY*

Abnormalities in the transport of saturated very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA; >C18:0) contribute to their toxic levels in peroxisomal disorders of fatty acid metabolism, such as adrenoleukodystrophy and adrenomyeloneuropathy. We previously showed that VLCFA desorb much slower than normal dietary fatty acids from both albumin and protein-free lipid bilayers. The important step of transbilayer movement (flip-flop) was not measured directly as a consequence of this very slow desorption from donors, and the extremely low aqueous solubility of VLCFA precludes addition of unbound VLCFA to lipid membranes. We have overcome these limitations using methyl-β-cyclodextrin to solubilize VLCFA for rapid delivery to “acceptor” phosphatidylcholine vesicles (small and large unilamellar) and to cells. VLCFA binding was monitored in real time with the fluorescent probe fluorescein-labeled phosphatidylethanolamine in the outer membrane leaflet, and entrapped pyranine was used to detect flip-flop across the membrane. The upper limit of the rate of flip-flop across the membrane was independent of temperature and media viscosity and was similar for model raft and non-raft membranes as well as living cells. We further showed that cyclodextrins can extract VLCFA rapidly (within seconds) from vesicles and cells, which have implications for the mechanism and potential alternative approaches to treat adrenoleukodystrophy. Because VLCFA diffuse through the lipid bilayer, proteins may not be required for their transport across the peroxisomal membrane.