A hemagglutinin specific for sialic acids in a rat brain synaptic vesicle-enriched fraction

A hemagglutinating activity was detected in a synaptic vesicle-enriched fraction prepared from adult rat brain, using trypsinized glutaraldehyde-fixed rabbit erythrocytes. The specific activity of the fraction, in two series of experiments, was 7.5 and 16-fold higher than in the other subcellular fractions. The activity was absent from the synaptosome cytosol. In a study using twenty-five different carbohydrates and glycoproteins, best inhibitors were N-acetylneuraminic acid and N-glycolylneuraminic acid, together with bovine submaxillary mucin and a glycopeptide fraction prepared from rabbit erythrocyte membranes. The activity was thermolabile and very sensitive to proteolytic enzymes (but insensitive to neuraminidase) indicating that a protein (agglutinin) is responsible for the activity. Experiments using detergents and high ionic strength showed that the agglutinin is tightly bound to membranes, inactivated by the so-called non denaturing detergents, and stable in diluted sodium dodecyl sulphate. Hypotheses are discussed on the possible function of the agglutinin.     

Displacement of O2 and CO by cyanide from the active site of helix pomatia β-hemocyanin.: Formation of a mixed-liganded species

Addition of KCN to Helix pomatia β-hemocyanin fully saturated with either O₂ or CO results in a decrease of the spectroscopic properties of the protein (absorbance at 340 nm and luminescence at 550 nm) due to the displacement of the gaseous ligands (O₂ or CO) from the active site. The anionic form of cyanide (CN^?) is supposed to bind to the active site; its intrinsic affinity for the protein, as calculated from independent O₂ and CO displacement experiments, is between 2 and 6 × 10⁶M^?1. The replacement of O₂ or CO shows some differences which may be correlated with the different modes of binding at the active site. Thus, while displacement of oxygen by cyanide is hyperbolic, addition of cyanide to carbonylated hemocyanin shows a lag phase. This finding suggests the formation of a mixed liganded complex at the active site. The simultaneous presence of CO and CN^? at the active site of hemocyanin is also supported by the experiment in which addition of small amounts of KCN to hemocyanin partially saturated with O₂ and CO gives rise to an increase of emission intensity and a concomitant decrease of the O₂ absorption band. The mixed-liganded species displays luminescence properties similar to those of CO-saturated hemocyanin, and the formation of the complex is reversible on dialysis or oxygenation.     

CD8+ CD28- T regulatory lymphocytes inhibiting T cell proliferative and cytotoxic functions infiltrate human cancers

Tumor growth is allowed by its ability to escape immune system surveillance. An important role in determining tumor evasion from immune control might be played by tumor-infiltrating regulatory lymphocytes. This study was aimed at characterizing phenotype and function of CD8+ CD28- T regulatory cells infiltrating human cancer. Lymphocytes infiltrating primitive tumor lesion and/or satellite lymph node from a series of 42 human cancers were phenotypically studied and functionally analyzed by suppressor assays. The unprecedented observation was made that CD8+ CD28- T regulatory lymphocytes are almost constantly present and functional in human tumors, being able to inhibit both T cell proliferation and cytotoxicity. CD4+ CD25+ T regulatory lymphocytes associate with CD8+ CD28- T regulatory cells so that the immunosuppressive activity of tumor-infiltrating regulatory T cell subsets, altogether considered, may become predominant. The infiltration of regulatory T cells seems tumor related, being present in metastatic but not in metastasis-free satellite lymph nodes; it likely depends on both in situ generation (via cytokine production) and recruitment from the periphery (via chemokine secretion). Collectively, these results have pathogenic relevance and implication for immunotherapy of cancer.     

Photophysical and electrochemical properties of a fullerene-stoppered rotaxane.

The photophysical and electrochemical properties of a fumaramide rotaxane stoppered with C(60) are reported. The results evidenced the strong binding interactions between the template and the macrocycle, which are also supported by molecular modelling.     

Tacrine derivatives-acetylcholinesterase interaction: 1H NMR relaxation study

Two acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors structurally related to Tacrine, 6-methoxytacrine (1a) and 9-heptylamino-6-methoxytacrine (1b), and their interaction with Electrophorus Electricus AChE were investigated. The complete assignment of the 1H and 13C NMR spectra of 1a and 1b was performed by mono-dimensional and homo- and hetero-correlated two-dimensional NMR experiments. This study was undertaken to elucidate the interaction modes between AChE and 1a and 1b in solution, using NMR. The interaction between the two inhibitors and AChE was studied by the analysis of the motional parameters non-selective and selective spin-lattice relaxation times, thereby allowing the motional state of 1a and 1b, both free and bound with AChE, to be defined. The relaxation data pointed out the ligands molecular moiety most involved in the binding with AChE. The relevant ligand/enzyme interaction constants were also evaluated for both compounds and resulted to be 859 and 5412M(-1) for 1a and1b, respectively.     

Romina: A powerful strawberry with in vitro efficacy against uterine leiomyoma cells

Uterine leiom yomas are benign tumors highly prevalent in reproductive women. In thecurrent study, initially, we aimed to screen five different strawberry cultivars (Alba, Clery, Portola, Tecla, and Romina) to identify efficient cultivars in terms of phytochemical characterization and biological properties by measuring phenolic and anthocyanin content as well as antioxidant capacity, and by measuring apoptotic rate and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in uterine leiomyoma cells. Next, we focused on the most efficient ones, cultivar Alba (A) and Romina (R) as well as Romina anthocyanin (RA) fraction for their ability to regulate oxidative phosphorylation (oxygen consumption rate [OCR]) glycolysis (extracellular acidification rate [ECAR]), and also fibrosis. Leiomyoma and myometrial cells were treated with a methanolic extract of A and R (250 μg/ml) or with RA (50 μg/ml) for 48 hr to measure OCR and ECAR, as well as gene expression associated with fibrosis. In the leiomyoma cells, RA was more effective in inducing apoptosis and increasing intracellular ROS levels, followed by R and A. In myometrial cells, all strawberry treatments increased the cellular viability and decreased ROS concentrations. Leiomyoma cells showed also a significant decrease in ECAR, especially after RA treatment, while OCR was slightly increased in both myometrial and leiomyoma cells. R and RA treatment significantly decreased collagen 1A1, fibronectin, versican, and activin A messenger RNA expression in leiomyoma cells. In conclusion, this study suggests that Romina, or its anthocyanin fraction, can be developed as a therapeutic and/or preventive agent for uterine leiomyomas, confirming the healthy effects exerted by these fruits and their bioactive compounds.