The minimum information required for reporting a molecular interaction experiment (MIMIx)

A wealth of molecular interaction data is available in the literature, ranging from large-scale datasets to a single interaction confirmed by several different techniques. These data are all too often reported either as free text or in tables of variable format, and are often missing key pieces of information essential for a full understanding of the experiment. Here we propose MIMIx, the minimum information required for reporting a molecular interaction experiment. Adherence to these reporting guidelines will result in publications of increased clarity and usefulness to the scientific community and will support the rapid, systematic capture of molecular interaction data in public databases, thereby improving access to valuable interaction data.     

Prion protein does not redox-silence Cu2+, but is a sacrificial quencher of hydroxyl radicals

Oxidative stress is believed to play a central role in the pathogenesis of prion diseases, a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders associated with a conformational change in the prion protein (PrP(C)). The precise physiological function of PrP(C) remains uncertain; however, Cu(2+) binds to PrP(C) in vivo, suggesting a role for PrP(C) in copper homeostasis. Here we examine the oxidative processes associated with PrP(C) and Cu(2+). (1)H NMR was used to monitor chemical modifications of PrP fragments. Incubation of PrP fragments with ascorbate and CuCl(2) showed specific metal-catalyzed oxidation of histidine residues, His(96/111), and the methionine residues, Met(109/112). The octarepeat region protects His(96/111) and Met(109/112) from oxidation, suggesting that PrP(90-231) might be more prone to chemical modification. We show that Cu(2+/+) redox cycling is not 'silenced' by Cu(2+) binding to PrP, as indicated by H(2)O(2) production for full-length PrP. Surprisingly, although detection of Cu(+) indicates that the octarepeat region of PrP is capable of reducing Cu(2+) even in the absence of ascorbate, H(2)O(2) is not generated unless ascorbate is present. Full-length PrP and fragments cause a dramatic reduction in detectable hydroxyl radicals in an ascorbate/Cu(2+)/O(2) system; however, levels of H(2)O(2) production are unaffected. This suggests that PrP does not affect levels of hydroxyl radical production via Fentons cycling, but the radicals cause highly localized chemical modification of PrP(C).     

Protocol of a prospective study on the diagnostic value of transcranial duplex scanning of the substantia nigra in patients with parkinsonian symptoms

Background  

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. As there is no definitive diagnostic test, its diagnosis is based on clinical criteria. Recently transcranial duplex scanning (TCD) of the substantia nigra in the brainstem has been proposed as an instrument to diagnose PD. We and others have found that TCD scanning of substantia nigra duplex is a relatively accurate diagnostic instrument in patients with parkinsonian symptoms. However, all studies on TCD so far have involved well-defined, later-stage PD patients, which will obviously lead to an overestimate of the diagnostic accuracy of TCD.     

Spectral clustering for TRUS images

Background  

Identifying the location and the volume of the prostate is important for ultrasound-guided prostate brachytherapy. Prostate volume is also important for prostate cancer diagnosis. Manual outlining of the prostate border is able to determine the prostate volume accurately, however, it is time consuming and tedious. Therefore, a number of investigations have been devoted to designing algorithms that are suitable for segmenting the prostate boundary in ultrasound images. The most popular method is the deformable model (snakes), a method that involves designing an energy function and then optimizing this function. The snakes algorithm usually requires either an initial contour or some points on the prostate boundary to be estimated close enough to the original boundary which is considered a drawback to this powerful method.     

An overview of malaria transmission from the perspective of Amazon Anopheles vectors

In the Americas, areas with a high risk of malaria transmission are mainly located in the Amazon Forest, which extends across nine countries. One keystone step to understanding the Plasmodium life cycle in Anopheles species from the Amazon Region is to obtain experimentally infected mosquito vectors. Several attempts to colonise Ano- pheles species have been conducted, but with only short-lived success or no success at all. In this review, we review the literature on malaria transmission from the perspective of its Amazon vectors. Currently, it is possible to develop experimental Plasmodium vivax infection of the colonised and field-captured vectors in laboratories located close to Amazonian endemic areas. We are also reviewing studies related to the immune response to P. vivax infection of Anopheles aquasalis, a coastal mosquito species. Finally, we discuss the importance of the modulation of Plasmodium infection by the vector microbiota and also consider the anopheline genomes. The establishment of experimental mosquito infections with Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium yoelii and Plasmodium berghei parasites that could provide interesting models for studying malaria in the Amazonian scenario is important. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of the parasites in New World vectors is crucial in order to better determine the interaction process and vectorial competence.     

A new hepatoprotective flavone glycoside from the flowers of Onopordum alexandrinum growing in Egypt

A bioactivity-guided fractionation of the ethyl acetate fraction of the flowers of Onopordum alexandrinum L. (Asteraceae) yielded a new flavonoidal glycoside designated as acacetin-7-O-galacturonide (9), alongside with nine known flavonoids; 6-methoxy-apigenin (hispidulin) (1), acacetin (2), apigenin (3), luteolin (4), kaempferol (5), eriodictyol (6), apigenin-7-O-glucoside (7), luteolin-7-O-glucoside (8), and kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (10). The compounds were assayed for their hepatoprotective activity against CCl4-induced hepatic cell damage in rats and free radical scavenging activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Compounds 4, 6, 9, and 10 have not been previously reported from flowers of O. alexandrinum L., and this is the first report of acacetin-7-O-galacturonide (9) in nature which has also shown significant hepatoprotective and free radical scavenging effects. The isolated compounds were identified using different spectroscopic methods (UV, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, HMQC, HMBC, and COSY).     

Ligand-dependent differences in estrogen receptor beta-interacting proteins identified in lung adenocarcinoma cells corresponds to estrogenic responses

Background

A recent epidemiological study demonstrated a reduced risk of lung cancer mortality in breast cancer patients using antiestrogens. These and other data implicate a role for estrogens in lung cancer, particularly nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Approximately 61% of human NSCLC tumors express nuclear estrogen receptor β (ERβ); however, the role of ERβ and estrogens in NSCLC is likely to be multifactorial. Here we tested the hypothesis that proteins interacting with ERβ in human lung adenocarcinoma cells that respond proliferatively to estradiol (E₂) are distinct from those in non-E₂-responsive cells.

Methods

FLAG affinity purification of FLAG-ERβ-interacting proteins was used to isolate ERβ-interacting proteins in whole cell extracts from E₂ proliferative H1793 and non-E₂-proliferative A549 lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Following trypsin digestion, proteins were identified using liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Proteomic data were analyzed using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Select results were confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation.

Results

LC-MS/MS identified 27 non-redundant ERβ-interacting proteins. ERβ-interacting proteins included hsp70, hsp60, vimentin, histones and calmodulin. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of the ERβ-interacting proteins revealed differences in molecular and functional networks between H1793 and A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments in these and other lung adenocarcinoma cells confirmed that ERβ and EGFR interact in a gender-dependent manner and in response to E₂ or EGF. BRCA1 interacted with ERβ in A549 cell lines and in human lung adenocarcinoma tumors, but not normal lung tissue.

Conclusion

Our results identify specific differences in ERβ-interacting proteins in lung adenocarcinoma cells corresponding to ligand-dependent differences in estrogenic responses.

     

The relation between cartilage biomarkers (C2C,C1,2C,CS846, and CPII) and the long-term outcome of rheumatoid arthritis patients within the CAMERA trial

Introduction  

The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum biomarker levels of C2C, C1,2C, CS846, and CPII can predict the long-term course of disease activity and radiographic progression early in the disease course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).     

Effect of ultraviolet radiation on chlorophyll,carotenoid, protein and proline contents of some annual desert plants

Investigation was carried out to find whether enhanced ultraviolet radiation influences the Malva parviflora L., Plantago major L., Rumex vesicarius L. and Sismbrium erysimoids Desf. of some annual desert plants. The seeds were grown in plastic pots equally filled with a pre-sieved normal sandy soil for 1 month. The planted pots from each species were randomly divided into equal groups (three groups). Plants of the first group exposed to white-light tubes (400–700 nm) 60 w and UV (365 nm) 8 w tubes. The second group was exposed to white-light tubes (400–700 nm) 60 w and UV (302 nm) 8 w tubes. The third group was exposed to white-light tubes (400–700 nm) 60 w and UV (254 nm) 8 w tubes, respectively, for six days. The results indicated that the chlorophyll contents were affected by enhanced UV radiation. The chlorophyll a, b, and total contents were decreased compared with the control values and reduced with the enhanced UV radiation, but the carotenoid was increased compared with the control and also reduced with the enhanced UV radiation. So, the contents of chlorophylls varied considerably. M. parviflora showed the highest constitutive levels of accumulated chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll (0.463, 0.307 and 0.774 mg g⁻¹ f w) among the investigated plant species. P. major showed the lowest constitutive levels of the chloroplast pigments, 0.0036, 0.0038 and 0.0075 mg g⁻¹ f w for chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll at UV-365 nm, respectively. The protein content was decreased significantly in both root and shoot systems compared with the control values but, it was increased with increasing wave lengths of UV-radiation of all tested plants. R. vesicarius showed the highest protein contents among the investigated plants; its content was 3.8 mg g⁻¹ f w at UV-365 nm in shoot system. On the other hand, decreasing ultraviolet wave length induced a highly significant increase in the level of proline in both root and shoot of all tested plants. From the results obtained, it is suggested that proline can protect cells against damage induced by ultraviolet radiation. Statistically, the variations of the studied metabolic activities were significant due to UV radiation treatment in shoot and root system of all investigated plant species.