Lovastatin attenuates nerve injury in an animal model of Guillain-Barré syndrome

Statins, widely used as clinically effective inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, exhibit anti-inflammatory properties that may be of therapeutic benefit for the management of some neurological disorders. In this study, a short-term course of lovastatin treatment is shown to markedly inhibit the development of experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) in the absence of hepatotoxic or myotoxic complications. Independent of cholesterol reduction, lovastatin treatment prevented EAN-induced peripheral nerve conduction deficits and morphologic nerve injury. Co-administration with mevalonate neutralized the prophylactic effects of lovastatin. When administered therapeutically, lovastatin significantly shortened the disease course. Autoreactive immunity, measured in vitro by myelin-stimulated proliferation of splenocytes, was significantly diminished by in vivo lovastatin treatment. Th1-dominant immune responses, measured by cytokine profiling, however, were not affected by lovastatin. Sciatic nerves of lovastatin-treated immunized rats showed markedly reduced levels of cellular infiltrates. Treating peripheral nerve endothelial monolayers with lovastatin significantly inhibited the in vitro migration of autoreactive splenocytes. Together, these data demonstrate that a short-term course of lovastatin attenuates the development and progression of EAN in Lewis rats by limiting the proliferation and migration of autoreactive leukocytes.     

Anoxic survival of the Pacific hagfish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Eptatretus stoutii</Emphasis>)

It is not known how the Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii) can survive extended periods of anoxia. The present study used two experimental approaches to examine energy use during and following anoxic exposure periods of different durations (6, 24 and 36 h). By measuring oxygen consumption prior to anoxic exposure, we detected a circadian rhythm, with hagfish being active during night and showing a minimum routine oxygen consumption (RMR) during the daytime. By measuring the excess post-anoxic oxygen consumption (EPAOC) after 6 and 24 h it was possible to mathematically account for RMR being maintained even though heme stores of oxygen would have been depleted by the animal’s metabolism during the first hours of anoxia. However, EPAOC after 36 h of anoxia could not account for RMR being maintained. Measurements of tissue glycogen disappearance and lactate appearance during anoxia showed that the degree of glycolysis and the timing of its activation varied among tissues. Yet, neither measurement could account for the RMR being maintained during even the 6-h anoxic period. Therefore, two independent analyses of the metabolic responses of hagfish to anoxia exposure suggest that hagfish utilize metabolic rate suppression as part of the strategy for longer-term anoxia survival.     

Mitochondrial footprints of human expansions in Africa.

mtDNA studies support an African origin for modern Eurasians, but expansion events within Africa have not previously been investigated. We have therefore analyzed 407 mtDNA control-region sequences from 13 African ethnic groups. A number of sequences (13%) were highly divergent and coalesced on the "mitochondrial Eve" in Africans. The remaining sequences also ultimately coalesced on this sequence but fell into four major clusters whose starlike phylogenies testify to demographic expansions. The oldest of these African expansions dates to approximately 60,000-80,000 years ago. Eurasian sequences are derived from essentially one sequence within this ancient cluster, even though a diverse mitochondrial pool was present in Africa at the time.     

Exogenous ATP-stimulated calcium uptake in isolated rat intestinal epithelial cells

ATP in the extracellular medium is known to stimulate Ca uptake into avian intestinal epithelial cells. We have now demonstrated a similar effect of ATP in mammalian intestinal epithelial cells and have further characterized this effect. Exogenous ATP increased 45Ca uptake 2-6 fold in isolated rat small intestinal epithelial cells, with a maximal effect at 1 mM and an ED50 of 290 microM. A strict structural requirement for nucleotide-stimulated 45Ca uptake was observed. ADP was much less effective than ATP and gamma-thio-ATP, and 5'-AMP, cyclic AMP, adenosine, non-adenine nucleotides, non-hydrolyzable ATP analogs and ATP analogs with ring substitutions at the 8 position were inactive. Prenylamine (100 microM) completely inhibited ATP-stimulated 45Ca uptake, while verapamil (100 microM) had only a small effect. In the intact intestine, ATP increased short-circuit current (Isc) when added to the mucosal side of the tissue. This effect was reduced by 10 microM and abolished by 100 microM prenylamine. The effect of ATP on Isc was markedly reduced in Cl-free solutions and in reduced-Ca solutions. Serosal and mucosal addition of the nonhydrolyzable ATP analog, beta, gamma-methylene-ATP, and serosal addition of ATP had little or no effect on Isc. The similarities between the effects of ATP in isolated cells and in the intact intestine suggest that the effect of ATP on Isc may be at least partially mediated through stimulation of Ca uptake into the epithelial cells.     

Polytene chromosomal maps of 11 Drosophila species: the order of genomic scaffolds inferred from genetic and physical maps

The sequencing of the 12 genomes of members of the genus Drosophila was taken as an opportunity to reevaluate the genetic and physical maps for 11 of the species, in part to aid in the mapping of assembled scaffolds. Here, we present an overview of the importance of cytogenetic maps to Drosophila biology and to the concepts of chromosomal evolution. Physical and genetic markers were used to anchor the genome assembly scaffolds to the polytene chromosomal maps for each species. In addition, a computational approach was used to anchor smaller scaffolds on the basis of the analysis of syntenic blocks. We present the chromosomal map data from each of the 11 sequenced non-Drosophila melanogaster species as a series of sections. Each section reviews the history of the polytene chromosome maps for each species, presents the new polytene chromosome maps, and anchors the genomic scaffolds to the cytological maps using genetic and physical markers. The mapping data agree with Muller's idea that the majority of Drosophila genes are syntenic. Despite the conservation of genes within homologous chromosome arms across species, the karyotypes of these species have changed through the fusion of chromosomal arms followed by subsequent rearrangement events.     

Regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase in the common killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus, during hypoxia exposure

We examined the metabolic responses of the hypoxia-tolerant killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) to 15 h of severe hypoxia and recovery with emphasis on muscle substrate usage and the regulation of the mitochondrial protein pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), which controls carbohydrate oxidation. Hypoxia survival involved a transient activation of substrate-level phosphorylation in muscle (decreases in [creatine phospate] and increases in [lactate]) during which time mechanisms to reduce overall ATP consumption were initiated. This metabolic transition did not affect total cellular [ATP], but had an impact on cellular energy status as indicated by large decreases in [ATP]/[ADP(free)] and [ATP]/[AMP(free)] and a significant loss of phosphorylation potential and Gibbs free energy of ATP hydrolysis (DeltafG'). The activity of PDH was rapidly (within 3 h) decreased by approximately 50% upon hypoxia exposure and remained depressed relative to normoxic samples throughout. Inactivation of PDH was primarily mediated via posttranslational modification following the accumulation of acetyl-CoA and subsequent activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK). Estimated changes in cytoplasmic and mitochondrial [NAD(+)]/[NADH] did not parallel one another, suggesting the mitochondrial NADH shuttles do not function during hypoxia exposure. Large increases in the expression of PDK (PDK isoform 2) were consistent with decreased PDH activity; however, these changes in mRNA were not associated with changes in total PDK-2 protein content assessed using mammalian antibodies. No other changes in the expression of other known hypoxia-responsive genes (e.g., lactate dehydrogenase-A or -B) were observed in either muscle or liver.     

Seasonal expressed sequence tags of rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) revealed by subtractive hybridization and the identification of two genes up-regulated during winter

The rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) is freeze-resistant and maintains swimming and feeding activity during winter. In order to identify genes differentially expressed in smelt liver response to winter water temperatures, a large-scale analysis of gene expression using suppression subtractive hybridization was carried out using samples obtained in fall and winter. Forward and reverse subtractions were performed, subtraction-enriched products were cloned, and clones were sequenced from both of the resulting libraries. When 27 of these genes were screened by semi-quantitative RT-PCR to identify candidates for differential expression based generally on 2-fold changes in expression, one encoding FK506-binding protein 5 was classified as up-regulated in response to seasonal change, another encoding the mitochondrial solute carrier 25 member 25 (ATP-Mg/Pi carrier) was similarly classified with seasonal change and low temperature shift, and the one encoding the 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein was provisionally classified as down-regulated with low temperature shift. Analysis of fall (warm) and winter (cold) seasonal samples by quantitative PCR (qPCR) revealed significant up-regulation of genes encoding FK506-binding protein 51 and the mitochondrial solute carrier, whereas the gene encoding the glucose-regulated protein showed no significant change in expression. The mitochondrial solute carrier and FK506-binding protein results may relate to changes in cortisol action, as both are regulated by cortisol in other species.