A PRKAG2 mutation causes biphasic changes in myocardial AMPK activity and does not protect against ischemia

Dominant mutations in the gamma2 regulatory subunit of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), encoded by the gene PRKAG2, cause glycogen storage cardiomyopathy. We sought to elucidate the effect of the Thr400Asn (T400N) human mutation in a transgenic mouse (TGT400N) on AMPK activity, and its ability to protect the heart against ischemia-reperfusion injury. TGT400N hearts had markedly vacuolated myocytes, excessive accumulation of glycogen, hypertrophy, and preexcitation. Early activation of myocardial AMPK, followed by depression, and then recovery to wild-type levels was observed. AMPK activity correlated inversely with glycogen content. Partial rescue of the phenotype was observed when TGT400N mice were crossbred with TGalpha2DN mice, which overexpress a dominant negative mutant of the AMPK alpha2 catalytic subunit. TGT400N hearts had greater infarct sizes and apoptosis when subjected to ischemia-reperfusion. Increased AMPK activity is responsible for glycogen storage cardiomyopathy. Despite high glycogen content, the TGT400N heart is not protected against ischemia-reperfusion injury.     

Suppression of gross chromosomal rearrangements by a new alternative replication factor C complex

Defects in DNA replication fidelity lead to genomic instability. Gross chromosomal rearrangement (GCR), a type of genomic instability, is highly enhanced by various initial mutations affecting DNA replication. Frequent observations of GCRs in many cancers strongly argue the importance of maintaining high fidelity of DNA replication to suppress carcinogenesis. Recent genome wide screens in Saccharomyces cerevisiae identified a new GCR suppressor gene, ELG1, enhanced level of genome instability gene 1. Its physical interaction with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and complex formation with Rfc2-5p proteins suggest that Elg1 functions to load/unload PCNA onto DNA during a certain DNA metabolism. High level of DNA damage accumulation and enhanced phenotypes with mutations in genes involved in cell cycle checkpoints, homologous recombination (HR), or chromatin assembly in the elg1 strain suggest that Elg1p-Rfc2-5p functions in a fundamental DNA metabolism to suppress genomic instability.     

Characterizing momentum change and viscous loss of a hemodynamic endpoint in assessment of coronary lesions

Myocardial fractional flow reserve (FFR(myo)) and coronary flow reserve (CFR), measured with guidewire, and quantitative angiography (QA) are widely used in combination to distinguish ischemic from non-ischemic coronary stenoses. Recent studies have shown that simultaneous measurements of FFR(myo) and CFR are recommended to dissociate conduit epicardial coronary stenoses from distal resistance microvascular disease. In this study, a more comprehensive diagnostic parameter, named as lesion flow coefficient, c, is proposed. The coefficient, c, which accounts for mean pressure drop, Delta p, mean coronary flow, Q, and percentage area stenosis, can be used to assess the hemodynamic severity of a coronary artery stenoses. Importantly, the contribution of viscous loss and loss due to momentum change for several lesion sizes can be distinguished using c. FFR(myo), CFR and c were calculated for pre-angioplasty, intermediate and post-angioplasty epicardial lesions, without microvascular disease. While hyperemic c decreased from 0.65 for pre-angioplasty to 0.48 for post-angioplasty lesion with guidewire of size 0.35 mm, FFR(myo) increased from 0.52 to 0.87, and CFR increased from 1.72 to 3.45, respectively. Thus, reduced loss produced by momentum change due to lower percentage area stenosis decreased c. For post-angioplasty lesion, c decreased from 0.55 to 0.48 with the insertion of guidewire. Hence, increased viscous loss due to the presence of guidewire decreased c compared with a lesion without guidewire. Further, c showed a linear relationship with FFR(myo), CFR and percentage area stenosis for pre-angioplasty, intermediate and post-angioplasty lesion. These baseline values of c were developed from fluid dynamics fundamentals for focal lesions, and provided a single hemodynamic endpoint to evaluate coronary stenosis severity.     

Biosorption of no-carrier-added radionuclides by calcium alginate beads using 'tracer packet' technique

The aim of this study was to determine the adsorption behaviour of various micronutrient elements e.g., (61)Cu, (62,63)Zn, (66,67,68)Ga, (66,67,69)Ge, (71,72)As present in no-carrier-added state, with calcium alginate (CA) using 'tracer packet' technique. High Ge and Ga and moderate Cu removal were achieved at pH 7 and pH 5, respectively. Results on the studies to recover all the three radionuclides from the calcium alginate beads using desorbing reagents, HCl, thiourea, ammonium oxalate and sodium nitrite showed that 0.1 M HCl and 0.1 M ammonium oxalate removed Cu and Ge moderately. The amount of Ga desorbed by all the washing liquids was almost negligible, except sodium nitrite.     

N-Hydroxythiosemicarbazones: synthesis and in vitro antitubercular activity

N-Hydroxythiosemicarbazide was prepared by two methods starting from 2,4-dimethoxy benzyl amine and hydroxylamine hydrochloride, which in turn was reacted with various aldehydes and ketones to obtain the titled compounds. Eighteen compounds were tested for their in vitro activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv using the agar dilution method. Compound 10p was found to be the most potent compound (MIC: 0.28 microM) and was 2.5 times more active than standard isoniazid.     

G2E3 is a nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling protein with DNA damage responsive localization

G2E3 was originally described as a G2/M-specific gene with DNA damage responsive expression. The presence of a conserved HECT domain within the carboxy-terminus of the protein indicated that it likely functions as a ubiquitin ligase or E3. Although HECT domains are known to function in this capacity for many proteins, we demonstrate that a portion of the HECT domain from G2E3 plays an important role in the dynamic subcellular localization of the protein. We have shown that G2E3 is a nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling protein with nuclear export mediated by a novel nuclear export domain that functions independently of CRM1. In full-length G2E3, a separate region of the HECT domain suppresses the function of the NES. Additionally, G2E3 contains a nucleolar localization signal (NoLS) in its amino terminus. Localization of G2E3 to the nucleolus is a dynamic process, and the protein delocalizes from the nucleolus rapidly after DNA damage. Cell cycle phase-specific expression and highly regulated subcellular localization of G2E3 suggest a possible role in cell cycle regulation and the cellular response to DNA damage.