Tau protein expression in adult bovine oligodendrocytes: functional and pathological significance

In tauopathies, overexpression of tau exon 10 is linked to degeneration and abnormal tau deposition in neurons and oligodendroglia (OLGs). To compare exon 10 expression in normal neurons and OLGs, adult bovine brain was examined for the expression of tau in gray matter and cultured OLGs isolated from white matter. Using exon-specific antibodies, we found that both types of tissues abundantly expressed exon 2 but isolated OLGs had a lower expression of exons 3 and 10 when compared to gray matter. Relative expression of exons 3 and 10 did not change significantly during the in vitro maturation of OLGs for 39 days. Using a panel of well-characterized antibodies against tau, we determined that isolated OLGs contained tau phosphorylated at the Tau-1, 12E8, and PHF-1 but not the AT8, AT100, AT180, and AT270 epitopes. Tau phosphorylation status diminished during in vitro maturation, suggesting that healthy OLG processes require regulated phosphorylation of tau at specific sites. We propose that the tau isoform profile and phosphorylation status contribute to the vulnerability of OLGs in degenerative diseases linked to overexpression of exon 10.     

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 enters primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells by a mechanism involving cell surface proteoglycans independent of lipid rafts

Several studies have reported a crucial role for cholesterol-enriched membrane lipid rafts and cell-associated heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), a class of molecules that can localize in lipid rafts, in the entry of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) into permissive cells. For the present study, we examined the role of these cell surface moieties in HIV-1 entry into primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVECs), which represent an important HIV-1 central nervous system-based cell reservoir and a portal for neuroinvasion. Cellular cholesterol was depleted by exposure to beta-cyclodextrins and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins), the loss of cholesterol was quantitated, and disruption of membrane rafts was verified by immunofluorescence. Nevertheless, these treatments did not affect binding of several strains of HIV-1 virions to BMVECs at 4 degrees C or their infectivities at 37 degrees C. In contrast, we confirmed that cholesterol depletion and raft disruption strongly inhibited HIV-1 binding and infection of Jurkat T cells. Enzymatic digestion of cell-associated HSPGs on human BMVECs dramatically inhibited HIV-1 infection, and our data from quantitative HIV-1 DNA PCR analysis strongly suggest that cell-associated chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans greatly facilitate infective entry of HIV-1 into human BMVECs. These findings, in combination with our earlier work showing that human BMVECs lack CD4, indicate that the molecular mechanisms for HIV-1 entry into BMVECs are fundamentally different from that of viral entry into T cells, in which lipid rafts, CD4, and probably HSPGs play important roles.     

In vitro anti-inflammatory effect of Carthamus lanatus L

The anti-inflammatory activity of four total extracts, their fractions and two main constituents (alpha-bisabolol beta-D-fucopyranoside and luteolin 7-O-glucoside) of Carthamus lanatus L. aerial parts, were assessed in vitro by determining the inhibitory effects on induced human neutrophils. The dichloromethane extract and its water-alcoholic part exhibited the most significant inhibitory effects.     

5-Aminolevulinic acid synthase: mechanism,mutations and medicine

5-Aminolevulinic acid synthase (ALAS), the first enzyme of the heme biosynthesis pathway, catalyses the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent condensation between glycine and succinyl-CoA to yield 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-amino-4-oxopentanoate). A three-dimensional structural model of Rhodobacter spheroides ALAS has been constructed and used to identify amino acid residues at the active site that are likely to be important for the recognition of glycine, the only amino acid substrate. Several residues have been investigated by site-directed mutagenesis and enzyme variants have been generated that are able to use alanine, serine or threonine. A three-dimensional structure model of 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase from human erythrocytes (ALAS 2) has also been constructed and used to map a range of naturally occurring human mutants that give rise to X-linked sideroblastic anemia. A number of these anemias respond favourably to vitamin B(6) (pyridoxine) therapy, whereas others are either partially responsive or completely refractory. Detailed investigations with selected human mutants have highlighted the importance of arginine-517 that is implicated in glycine carboxyl group binding.     

Nanoparticles of compacted DNA transfect postmitotic cells

Charge-neutral DNA nanoparticles have been developed in which single molecules of DNA are compacted to their minimal possible size. We speculated that the small size of these DNA nanoparticles may facilitate gene transfer in postmitotic cells, permitting nuclear uptake across the 25-nm nuclear membrane pore. To determine whether DNA nanoparticles can transfect nondividing cells, growth-arrested neuroblastoma and hepatoma cells were transfected with DNA/liposome mixtures encoding luciferase. In both models, growth-arrested cells were robustly transfected by compacted DNA (6,900-360-fold more than naked DNA). To evaluate mechanisms responsible for enhanced transfection, HuH-7 cells were microinjected with naked or compacted plasmids encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein. Cytoplasmic microinjection of DNA nanoparticles generated a approximately 10-fold improvement in transgene expression as compared with naked DNA; this enhancement was reversed by the nuclear pore inhibitor, wheat germ agglutinin. To determine the upper size limit for gene transfer, DNA nanoparticles of various sizes were microinjected into the cytoplasm. A marked decrease in transgene expression was observed as the minor ellipsoidal diameter approached 25 nm. In summary, suitably sized DNA nanoparticles productively transfect growth arrested cells by traversing the nuclear membrane pore.     

Honokiol,a small molecular weight natural product,inhibits angiogenesis in vitro and tumor growth in vivo

Natural products comprise a major source of small molecular weight angiogenesis inhibitors. We have used the transformed endothelial cell line SVR as an effective screen of natural product extracts to isolate anti-angiogenesis and anti-tumor compounds. Aqueous extracts of Magnolia grandiflora exhibit potent activity in our SVR proliferation assays. We found that the small molecular weight compound honokiol is the active principle of magnolia extract. Honokiol exhibited potent anti-proliferative activity against SVR cells in vitro. In addition, honokiol demonstrated preferential inhibition of primary human endothelial cells compared with fibroblasts and this inhibition was antagonized by antibodies against TNF alpha-related apoptosis-inducing ligand. In vivo, honokiol was highly effective against angiosarcoma in nude mice. Our preclinical data suggests that honokiol is a systemically available and non-toxic inhibitor of angiogenesis and should be further evaluated as a potential chemotherapeutic agent.     

Do mothers-in-law matter? Family dynamics and fertility decision-making in urban squatter settlements of Karachi, Pakistan

The perspectives of mothers-in-law about intra-household decision-making, family size and family planning are investigated, and their views compared with those of their sons and daughters-in-law. Women (717 daughters-in-law), their husbands (717 sons) and their 522 mothers-in-law were interviewed in eight squatter settlements in Karachi, Pakistan. Decisions about the schooling and health care of children, and the purchase of jewellery, are perceived to lie within the nuclear family domain (i.e. husband and wife). There was a difference in mothers-in-law's, daughters-in-law's and sons' desire to have more children. Twenty-eight per cent of mothers-in-law versus 58%, of daughters-in-law did not want more grandsons/sons and 36%, of mothers-in-law versus 66% of daughters-in-law did not want more granddaughters/daughters. The difference was markedly greater among the mother-in-law/daughter-in-law pairs than in the mother/son pairs. Overall, the mother-in-law's role seems to be somewhat overshadowed by that of her son (family male member), except for limiting family size. It is suggested that mothers-in-law should be included in Information-Education-Communication (IEC) campaigns about family planning.     

Regioselective sulfonylation of 6,1',6'-tri-O-tritylsucrose through dibutylstannylation: synthesis of 4'-O-sulfonyl derivatives of sucrose

3-O-Mesyl-1,6-di-O-trityl-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-(2-->1)-6-O-trityl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (3) was synthesized via stannylation of 6,1',6'-tri-O-tritylsucrose with dibutyltin oxide in benzene, followed by treatment of the crude product with methanesulfonyl chloride in the presence of triethylamine in dichloromethane at 0 degrees C. A similar treatment of the tri-tritylsucrose in toluene, instead of benzene, yielded 4-O-mesyl-1,6-di-O-trityl-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-(2-->1)-6-O-trityl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (4) as the major product. The X-ray crystal structure of the corresponding acetyl derivative, 3-O-acetyl-4-O-mesyl-1,6-di-O-trityl-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-(2-->1)-2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-6-O-trityl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (5), confirms the position and stereochemistry of the methanesulfonyl group at C-4 of the fructofuranosyl ring.     

Milestones in chloroplast genetic engineering: an environmentally friendly era in biotechnology

Chloroplast genomes defied the laws of Mendelian inheritance at the dawn of plant genetics, and continue to defy the mainstream approach to biotechnology, leading the field in an environmentally friendly direction. Recent success in engineering the chloroplast genome for resistance to herbicides, insects, disease and drought, and for production of biopharmaceuticals, has opened the door to a new era in biotechnology. The successful engineering of tomato chromoplasts for high-level transgene expression in fruits, coupled to hyper-expression of vaccine antigens, and the use of plant-derived antibiotic-free selectable markers, augur well for oral delivery of edible vaccines and biopharmaceuticals that are currently beyond the reach of those who need them most.