Glucocorticoid-mediated degradation of DNA in thymocytes of rats with transplantable Zajdela ascites hepatoma

Tumour growth was shown to be associated with DNA breakdown in thymocytes of rats bearing Zajdela ascites hepatomas. The tumour action on the thymus is mediated through adrenal glands since bilateral adrenalectomy completely prevents DNA breakdown in thymocytes. Using Southern hybridization of DNA genome with probes for histone, ribosomal and heat shock gene (hsp 70), it was shown that the degradation products of specific DNA sequences are as heterogenous as those of total DNA, although marked differences in appearance of nucleosomal ladder were seen. These data were interpreted to indicate different patterns of DNA breakdown in dying thymocytes. DNA breakdown in thymocytes in vivo and in isolated rat liver nuclei in vitro seems to proceed by similar mechanisms.     

The Drosophila tissue polarity gene starry night encodes a member of the protocadherin family.

The tissue polarity genes control the polarity of hairs, bristles and ommatidia in the adult epidermis of Drosophila. We report here the identification of a new tissue polarity gene named starry night (stan). Mutations in this essential gene alter the polarity of cuticular structures in all regions of the adult body. The detailed polarity phenotype of stan on the wing suggested that it is most likely a component of the frizzled (fz) pathway. Consistent with this hypothesis, stan appears to be downstream of and required for fz function. We molecularly cloned stan and found that it encodes a huge protocadherin containing nine cadherin motifs, four EGF-like motifs, two laminin G motifs, and seven transmembrane domains. This suggests that Stan functions in signal reception, perhaps together with Fz.     

Clastogenic effects of acrylamide in mouse bone marrow cells

Acrylamide, known to induce dominant-lethal mutations (Shelby et al., 1986; Smith et al., 1986) and heritable translocations (Shelby et al., 1987) in rodent germ cells, was hitherto a questionable clastogen in rodent bone marrow (Shiraishi, 1978). Therefore, it was tested for chromosomal aberrations in mouse bone marrow cells, spermatogonia and by the micronucleus test. The intraperitoneally injected doses ranged from 50 to 150 mg/kg. In the chromosomal bone marrow test and the micronucleus assay positive results were obtained with acrylamide, and in the latter test the effect increased linearly with dose. Chromosomal aberrations were not induced in differentiating spermatogonia by the acute acrylamide treatment. Cisplatin was used as a positive control and gave the expected positive response in all 3 tests. The present results demonstrate that acrylamide is no exception among clastogens. It breaks chromosomes not only in mammalian germ cells but also in somatic cells.     

Diethyl phthalate, a chemotactic factor secreted by Helicobacter pylori.

The structure of a small-molecule, non-peptide chemotactic factor has been determined from activity purified to apparent homogeneity from Helicobacter pylori supernatants. H. pylori was grown in brucella broth media until one liter of solution had 0.9 absorbance units. The culture was centrifuged, and the bacteria re-suspended in physiological saline and incubated at 37 degrees C for 4 h. A monocyte migration bioassay revealed the presence of a single active chemotactic factor in the supernatant from this incubation. The chemotactic factor was concentrated by solid phase chromatography and purified by reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography. The factor was shown to be indistinguishable from diethyl phthalate (DEP) on the basis of multiple criteria including nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, electron impact mass spectroscopy, UV visible absorption spectrometry, GC and high pressure liquid chromatography retention times, and chemotactic activity toward monocytes. Control experiments with incubated culture media without detectable bacteria did not yield detectable DEP, suggesting it is bacterially derived. It is not known if the bacteria produce diethyl phthalate de novo or if it is a metabolic product of a precursor molecule present in culture media. DEP produced by H. pylori in addition to DEP present in man-made products may contribute to the high levels of DEP metabolites observed in human urine. DEP represents a new class of chemotactic factor.     

SuperSAGE analysis of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nicotiana attenuata</Emphasis> transcriptome after fatty acid-amino acid elicitation (FAC): identification of early mediators of insect responses

Background  

Plants trigger and tailor defense responses after perception of the oral secretions (OS) of attacking specialist lepidopteran larvae. Fatty acid-amino acid conjugates (FACs) in the OS of the Manduca sexta larvae are necessary and sufficient to elicit the herbivory-specific responses in Nicotiana attenuata, an annual wild tobacco species. How FACs are perceived and activate signal transduction mechanisms is unknown.     

Determination of rat brain buffering in vivo by 31P-NMR

Buffering capacity of most tissues is composed of both rapid and slow phases, the latter presumably due to active acid extrusion. To examine the time course of brain buffering the brain pH of Sprague-Dawley rats was measured using 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance. The effect on brain pH of 30- or 58-min exposures to 20% CO2 followed by 30- or 38-min recovery periods, respectively, was studied. Brain pH reached its lowest value after a 15-min exposure to elevated CO2, thereafter slowly and steadily increasing. During recovery brain pH rose rapidly in the first 5 min exceeding control brain pH by 0.08 pH units. Brain pH fell during the next 30 min despite increases in blood pH and decreases in blood CO2 tension. Calculated intrinsic brain buffering rose steadily threefold during the last 40 min of CO2 exposure and during the final 30 min of recovery. These data show that in rat brain there is a temporally late buffering process, most likely active acid extrusion, requiring greater than 30 min for full activation and at least 30 min for discontinuation.