Modulation of serum cortisol by substance P in albino rats: evidence of a direct effect on adrenal gland

Effect of prolonged administration of substance P on the plasma cortisol level in the albino rats has been investigated. An inhibitory impact on intact individuals and a stimulatory effect in pharmacologically annulled rats has been observed. It is concluded that in normal conditions substance P presumably acts as a preventive agent for any excess secretion of cortisol while during stress or disturbed HPA or RAS conditions, it stimulates the secretion of cortisol. An intraglandular modulatory role of substance P has been suggested.     

Pre- and post-challenge immuno-haematological changes in Labeo rohita juveniles fed gelatinised or non-gelatinised carbohydrate with n-3 PUFA

The combined effect of dietary carbohydrate type and n-3 PUFA (EPA+DHA) on pre- and post-challenge haemato-immunological responses in Labeo rohita juveniles was studied. Fish were fed for 67days with six different test diets containing either gelatinised (G) or non-gelatinised (NG) corn (43%) with three levels of n-3 PUFA (0.5%, 1.0% and 2.0%). During the pre-challenge period, significantly higher (P<0.05) NBT, serum lysozyme activity, total protein and globulin content was recorded in the NG carbohydrate fed groups. Highest NBT value was recorded in the groups fed with 1.0% n-3 PUFA, whereas the highest serum lysozyme activity (P<0.05) was recorded at either 0.5% or 2.0% n-3 PUFA fed groups in both the pre- and post-challenge period. Feeding of NG corn significantly increased the total leucocyte count, lysozyme activity, A/G ratio and decreased the total erythrocyte count, haemoglobin, serum total protein and globulin content of L. rohita juveniles during the post-challenge period. Similarly, feeding of n-3 PUFA at any level significantly increased the immunological parameters like lysozyme activity or A/G ratio, whereas total leukocyte count increased due to feeding of either 0.5% or 1.0% n-3 PUFA. The NBT and albumin values remained similar in both the pre- and post-challenge period. After challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila, the highest survival was recorded in the NG carbohydrate fed groups, whereas the lowest survival was recorded in the highest level of n-3 PUFA fed group irrespective of dietary carbohydrate type. Thus, a high level of G carbohydrate as well as n-3 PUFA is found to be immunosuppressive in L. rohita juveniles. NG carbohydrate supplemented with 1.0% n-3 PUFA is found to be optimum to enhance the immunity in L. rohita juveniles.     

Immunochemical studies on shigella dysenteriae type 9 bacterial polysaccharide

On graded hydrolysis and Smith degradation, the O-somatic polysaccharide isolated from Shigella dysenteriae type 9 bacteria, strain NCTC 7919, yielded five oligosaccharides which were characterized. The positions of the O-acetyl and pyruvic acetal groups in the repeating unit were identified. Immunochemical studies indicated that d-galactose is the immunodominant sugar in the polysaccharide, and one of the oligomers, having the structure Gal-(1→3)-GlcNAc-(1→3)-Gal-(1→4)-Man, showed maximum inhibition of the homologous precipitation.     

RUNX1T1, a potential prognostic marker in breast cancer,is co-ordinately expressed with ERα, and regulated by estrogen receptor signalling in breast cancer cells

Molecular Biology Reports - RUNX1T1 is extensively studied in the context of AML1-RUNX1T1 fusion protein in acute myeloid leukemia. Little is known about the function of RUNX1T1 itself, although...     

Nanowire labeled direct-charge transfer biosensor for detecting Bacillus species

A direct-charge transfer (DCT) biosensor was developed for the detection of the foodborne pathogen, Bacillus cereus. The biosensor was fabricated using antibodies as the sensing element and polyaniline nanowire as the molecular electrical transducer. The sensor design consisted of four membrane pads, namely, sample application, conjugate, capture and absorption pads. Two sets of polyclonal antibodies, secondary antibodies conjugated with polyaniline nanowires and capture antibodies were applied to the conjugate and the capture pads of the biosensor, respectively. The detection technique was based on capillary flow action which allowed the liquid sample to move from one membrane to another. The working principle involved antigen-antibody interaction and direct electron charge flow to generate a resistance signal that was being recorded. Detection from sample application to final results was completed in 6 min in a reagentless process. Experiments were conducted to find the best performance of the biosensors by varying polyaniline types and concentrations. Polyaniline protonated with hydrochloric acid, emeraldine salt and polyaniline protonated with perchloric acid were the three kinds of polyaniline used in this study. The biosensor sensitivity in pure cultures of B. cereus was found to be 10(1) to 10(2)CFU/ml. Results indicated that using emeraldine salt at a concentration of 0.25 g/ml gave the best biosensor performance in terms of sensitivity. The biosensor was also found to be specific in detecting the presence of B. cereus in a mixed culture of different Bacillus species and other foodborne pathogens. The speed, sensitivity and ease-of-use of this biosensor make it a promising device for rapid field-based diagnosis towards the protection of our food supply chain. The phenotypic and genotypic similarities between B. cereus and Bacillus anthracis will also allow this biosensor to serve as an excellent model for the detection of B. anthracis.     

Detection of Pancreatic Carcinomas by Imaging Lactose-Binding Protein Expression in Peritumoral Pancreas Using [18F]Fluoroethyl-Deoxylactose PET/CT

Background

Early diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma with highly sensitive diagnostic imaging methods could save lives of many thousands of patients, because early detection increases resectability and survival rates. Current non-invasive diagnostic imaging techniques have inadequate resolution and sensitivity for detection of small size (∼2–3 mm) early pancreatic carcinoma lesions. Therefore, we have assessed the efficacy of positron emission tomography and computer tomography (PET/CT) imaging with β-O-D-galactopyranosyl-(1,4′)-2′-deoxy-2′-[¹⁸F]fluoroethyl-D-glucopyranose ([¹⁸F]FEDL) for detection of less than 3 mm orthotopic xenografts of L3.6pl pancreatic carcinomas in mice. [¹⁸F]FEDL is a novel radioligand of hepatocarcinoma-intestine-pancreas/pancreatitis-associated protein (HIP/PAP), which is overexpressed in peritumoral pancreatic acinar cells.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Dynamic PET/CT imaging demonstrated rapid accumulation of [¹⁸F]FEDL in peritumoral pancreatic tissue (4.04±2.06%ID/g), bi-exponential blood clearance with half-lives of 1.65±0.50 min and 14.14±3.60 min, and rapid elimination from other organs and tissues, predominantly by renal clearance. Using model-independent graphical analysis of dynamic PET data, the average distribution volume ratio (DVR) for [¹⁸F]FEDL in peritumoral pancreatic tissue was estimated as 3.57±0.60 and 0.94±0.72 in sham-operated control pancreas. Comparative analysis of quantitative autoradiographic images and densitometry of immunohistochemically stained and co-registered adjacent tissue sections demonstrated a strong linear correlation between the magnitude of [¹⁸F]FEDL binding and HIP/PAP expression in corresponding regions (r = 0.88). The in situ analysis demonstrated that at least a 2–4 fold apparent lesion size amplification was achieved for submillimeter tumors and to nearly half a murine pancreas for tumors larger than 3 mm.

Conclusion/Significance

We have demonstrated the feasibility of detection of early pancreatic tumors by non-invasive imaging with [¹⁸F]FEDL PET/CT of tumor biomarker HIP/PAP over-expressed in peritumoral pancreatic tissue. Non-invasive non-invasive detection of early pancreatic carcinomas with [¹⁸F]FEDL PET/CT imaging should aid the guidance of biopsies and additional imaging procedures, facilitate the resectability and improve the overall prognosis.     

Design and synthesis of caffeoyl-anilides as portmanteau inhibitors of HIV-1 integrase and CCR5

Designing multi-functional ligands is a recent strategy by which multiple targets can be inhibited by a single entity. A series of caffeoyl-anilide compounds based on structures of various integrase and CCR-5 inhibitors have been designed and synthesized as anti-HIV agents in the present study. Most of the compounds exhibited potent anti-HIV activity at micromolar concentration in CEM-GFP CD4+ T cells infected with HIV-1NL4.3 virus. Compound 14 showed a lower EC(50) and better TI as compared to AZT. Mechanism based studies suggest that these compounds inhibit either one or in some cases, both the targets. The experimental data and the docking results showed that these compounds are potential inhibitors for both HIV-1 IN and CCR5.