Rabeprazole- versus esomeprazole-based eradication regimens for H. pylori infection

BACKGROUND: Different kinds of proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapies could result in different Helicobacter pylori eradication rates. AIM: The aims of this study were to compare the efficacy and safety of rabeprazole- and esomeprazole-based triple therapy in primary treatment of H. pylori infection in Taiwan. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From June 2005 to March 2007, 420 H. pylori-infected patients were randomly assigned to receive a 7-day eradication therapy with either esomeprazole 40 mg daily (EAC group, n = 209) or rabeprazole 20 mg b.i.d. (RAC group, n = 211) in combination with amoxicillin 1 g b.i.d. and clarithromycin 500 mg b.i.d.. Follow-up endoscopy with biopsy was done 12-16 weeks after completion of eradication therapy. Those who refused endoscopic exams underwent (13)C-urea breath test to assess the treatment response. RESULTS: Intention-to-treat analysis revealed that the eradication rate was 89.4% in the EAC group and 90.5% in RAC groups (p-value = .72). All of the subjects returned for assessment of compliance (100% in EAC group vs. 99.5% in RAC group, p-value = .32) and adverse events (3.83% in EAC group vs. 6.16% in RAC group, p-value = .27). Sixty (28.7%) and 37 (17.6%) patients in EAC and RAC group, respectively, refused endoscopy and underwent a (13)C-urea breath test to determine the treatment effect. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, rabeprazole- and esomeprazole-based primary therapies for H. pylori infection are comparable in efficacy and safety.     

Identification of genes differentially expressed in RAW264.7 cells infected by Salmonella typhimurium using PCR method

Salmonella typhimurium, causing mouse typhoid, infects hosts such as macrophage cells, and proliferates in intracellular vacuoles causing infected cells to trigger numerous genes to respond against the infection. In this study, we tried to identify such genes in RAW264.7 cells by using the PCR screening method with degenerate primers. Fourteen genes were found to be differentially expressed after a 4 h infection in which the expression of 8 genes increased while expression of the others decreased. Most of the genes were involved in proinflammatory responses such as cytokines production and cell death. The mutation in msbB gene encoding the myristoyl transferase in lipid A of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) resulted in much lower toxicity to the inoculated animals. We compared the expression of the identified genes in wild-type and msbB-mutated S. typhimurium infections and found that Lyzs encoding lysozyme type M was differentially expressed. This gene is quite likely to be related to bacterial survival in the host cells.     

Characterization of an extracellular lipase in Burkholderia sp. HY-10 isolated from a longicorn beetle

Burkholderia sp. HY-10 isolated from the digestive tracts of the longicorn beetle, Prionus insularis, produced an extracellular lipase with a molecular weight of 33.5 kDa estimated by SDS-PAGE. The lipase was purified from the culture supernatant to near electrophoretic homogenity by a one-step adsorption-desorption procedure using a polypropylene matrix followed by a concentration step. The purified lipase exhibited highest activities at pH 8.5 and 60 degrees . A broad range of lipase substrates, from C4 to C18 rho-nitrophenyl esters, were hydrolyzed efficiently by the lipase. The most efficient substrate was rho-nitrophenyl caproate (C6). A 2485 bp DNA fragment was isolated by PCR amplification and chromosomal walking which encoded two polypeptides of 364 and 346 amino acids, identified as a lipase and a lipase foldase, respectively. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified lipase and nucleotide sequence analysis predicted that the precursor lipase was proteolytically modified through the secretion step and produced a catalytically active 33.5 kDa protein. The deduced amino acid sequence for the lipase shared extensive similarity with those of the lipase family I.2 of lipases from other bacteria. The deduced amino acid sequence contained two Cystein residues forming a disulfide bond in the molecule and three, well-conserved amino acid residues, Ser131, His330, and Asp308, which composed the catalytic triad of the enzyme.     

Identification of two entomopathogenic bacteria from a nematode pathogenic to the Oriental beetle, Blitopertha orientalis

A pathogenic nematode, Butlerius sp., was isolated from Oriental beetle, Blitopertha orientalis. The infective juveniles exhibited dose- as well as time-dependent entomopathogenicity on the larvae of B. orientalis. Two bacterial species, Providencia vermicola (KACC 91278) and Flavobacterium sp. (KACC 91279), were isolated from the infective juveniles and identified. P. vermicola outnumbered Flavobacterium sp. in the nematode host, in which the colony density of P. vermicola was found to be 21 times higher than that of Flavobacterium sp. However, when the two bacterial species were cocultured in culture media without the nematode host, they showed similar growth rates. Both bacteria induced significant entomopathogenicity against Spodoptera exigua larvae infesting economically important vegetable crops, where P. vermicola was more potent than Flavobacterium sp.     

Ameliorating effect of Gardenia jasminoides extract on amyloid beta peptide-induced neuronal cell deficit

The brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients are characterized by large deposits of amyloid beta peptide (Abeta). Abeta is known to increase free radical production in nerve cells, leading to cell death that is characterized by lipid peroxidation, free radical formation, protein oxi-dation, and DNA/RNA oxidation. In this study, we selected an extract of Gardenia jasminoides by screening, and investigated its ameliorating effects on Abeta-induced oxidative stress using PC12 cells. The effects of the extract were evaluated using the 2,7 -dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) assay and the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay. To find the active component, the ethanol extract was partitioned with hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate, respectively, and the active component was purified by silica-gel column chromatography and HPLC. The results suggested that Gardenia jasminoides extract can reduce the cytotoxicity of Abeta in PC 12 cells, possibly by reducing oxidative stress.     

Tylosin production by Streptomyces fradiae using raw cornmeal in airlift bioreactor

Using a 50-l airlift bioreactor, for the effective production of tylosin from Streptomyces fradiae TM-224 using raw cornmeal as the energy source, various environmental factors were studied in flask cultures. The maximum tylosin concentration was obtained at 32 degrees C and pH between 7.0 and 7.5. When seed was inoculated after 24 h of culture, the maximum tylosin concentration, 5.7 g/l, was obtained after 4 days of culture. Various concentrations of raw cornmeal were tested to investigate the optimum initial concentration for the tylosin production. An initial raw cornmeal concentration of 80 g/l gave the highest tylosin concentration, 5.8 g/l, after 5 days of culture. Of the various nitrogen sources, soybean meal and fish meal were found to be the most effective for the production of tylosin. In particular, with the optimal mixing ratio, 12 g/l of soybean meal to 14 g/l of fish meal, 7.2 g/l of tylosin was obtained after 5 days of culture. To compare raw cornmeal and glucose for the production oftylosin in the 50-1 airlift bioreactor for 10 days, fed-batch cultures were carried out under the optimum culture conditions. When raw corn meal was used as the energy source, the tylosin production increased with increasing culture time. The maximum tylosin concentration after 10 days of culture was 13.5 g/l, with a product yield from raw cornmeal of 0.123 g/g of consumed carbon source, which was about 7.2 times higher than that obtained when glucose was used as the carbon source.     

Biodegradation of endocrine-disrupting bisphenol A by white rot fungus Irpex lacteus

Biodegradation of endocrine-disrupting bisphenol A was investigated with several white rot fungi (Irpex lacteus, Trametes versicolor, Ganoderma lucidum, Polyporellus brumalis, Pleurotus eryngii, Schizophyllum commune) isolated in Korea and two transformants of T versicolor (strains MrP 1 and MrP 13). I. lacteus degraded 99.4% of 50 mg/l bisphenol A in 3 h incubation and 100% in 12 h incubation. which was the highest degradation rate among the fungal strains tested. T. versicolor degraded 98.2% of 50 mg/l bisphenol A in 12 h incubation. Unexpectedly, the transformant of the Mn-repressed peroxidase gene of T. versicolor, strain MrP 1, degraded 76.5% of 50 mg/l bisphenol A in 12 h incubation, which was a lower degradation rate than wild-type T. versicolor. The removal of bisphenol A by I. lacteus occurred mainly by biodegradation rather than adsorption. Optimum carbon sources for biodegradation of bisphenol A by I. lacteus were glucose and starch, and optimum nitrogen sources were yeast extract and tryptone in a minimal salts medium; however, bisphenol A degradation was higher in nutrient-rich YMG medium than that in a minimal salts medium. The initial degradation of endocrine disruptors was accompanied by the activities of manganese peroxidase and laccase in the culture     

Enrichment of electrochemically active bacteria using a three-electrode electrochemical cell

Electrochemically active bacteria were successfully enriched in an electrochemical cell using a positively poised working electrode. The positively poised working electrode (+0.7 V vs. Ag/AgCl) was used as an electron acceptor for enrichment and growth of electrochemically active bacteria. When activated sludge and synthetic wastewater were fed to the electrochemical cell, a gradual increase in amperometric current was observed. After a period of time in which the amperometric current was stabilized (generally 8 days), linear correlations between the amperometric signals from the electrochemical cell and added BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) concentrations were established. Cyclic voltammetry of the enriched electrode also showed prominent electrochemical activity. When the enriched electrodes were examined with electron microscopy and confocal scanning laser microscopy, a biofilm on the enriched electrode surface and bacterium-like particles were observed. These experimental results indicate that the electrochemical system in this study is a useful tool for the enrichment of an electrochemically active bacterial consortium and could be used as a novel microbial biosensor.     

Suppression of hepatitis B viral gene expression by protein-tyrosine phosphatase PTPN3

Summary Protein-tyrosine phosphatase PTPN3 is a membrane-associated non-receptor protein-tyrosine phosphatase. PTPN3 contains a N-terminal FERM domain, a middle PDZ domain, and a C-terminal phosphatase domain. Upon co-expression of PTPN3, the level of human hepatitis B viral (HBV) RNAs, 3.5 kb, 2.4/2.1 kb, and 0.7 kb transcribed from a replicating HBV expression plasmid is significantly reduced in human hepatoma HuH-7 cells. When the expression of endogenous PTPN3 protein is diminished by specific small interfering RNA, the expression of HBV genes is enhanced, indicating that the endogenous PTPN3 indeed plays a suppressive role on HBV gene expression. PTPN3 can interact with HBV core protein. The interaction is mediated via the PDZ domain of PTPN3 and the carboxyl-terminal last four amino acids of core. Either deletion of PDZ domain of PTPN3 or substitution of PDZ ligand in core has no effect on PTPN3-mediated suppression. These results clearly show that the interaction of PTPN3 with core is not required for PTPN3 suppressive effect. Mutation of ³⁵⁹serine and ⁸³⁵serine of 14-3-3β binding sites to alanine, which slightly reduces the interaction with 14-3-3β, does not influence the PTPN3 effect. In contrast, mutation of the invariant ⁸⁴²cysteine residue in phosphatase domain to serine, which makes the phosphatase activity inactive, does not change its subcellular localization and interaction with core or 14-3-3β, but completely abolishes PTPN3-mediated suppression. Furthermore, deletion of FERM domain does not affect the phosphatase activity or interaction with 14-3-3β, but changes the subcellular localization from cytoskeleton-membrane interface to cytoplasm and nucleus, abolishes binding to core, and diminishes the PTPN3 effect on HBV gene expression. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the phosphatase activity and FERM domain of PTPN3 are essential for its suppression of HBV gene expression. En-Chi Hsu, Yen-Cheng Lin have equal contributions to this work.     

Synthesis and characterization of a new bioactivated paramagnetic gadolinium(III) complex [Gd(DOTA-FPG)(H2O)] for tracing gene expression

A smart contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to exploit an enzymatic activity specific to the tissue or disease state signified by converting an MRI-inactivated agent to an activated MRI agent. In this study, a beta-galactopyranose-containing gadolinium(III) complex [Gd(DOTA-FPG)(H 2O)] was designed, synthesized, and characterized as being potentially suitable for a bioactivated MRI contrast agent. The (17)O NMR experiments were conducted to estimate the water exchange rate k e x 298 and rotational correlation time tau R 298 . The k ex 298 value of [Gd(DOTA-FPG)(H 2O)] is similar to that of [Gd(DO3A-bz-NO 2)(H 2O)]. The rotational correlation time value of [Gd(DOTA-FPG)(H 2O)] is dramatically longer than that of [Gd(DOTA)(H 2O)] (-) Relaxometric studies show that the percentage change in the T 1 value of [Gd(DOTA-FPG)(H 2O)] decreases dramatically in the presence of beta-galactosidase and human serum albumin. The T(1) change percentage of [Gd(DOTA-FPG)(H 2O)] (60%) is significantly higher than those of Egad and gadolinium(III)-1-(4-(2-(1-(4,7,10-triscarboxymethyl-(1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecyl)))-ethylcarbamoyloxymethyl)-2-nitrophenyl)-beta- d-glucopyronuronate. The signal intensity of the MR image for [Gd(DOTA-FPG)(H 2O)] in the presence of human serum albumin and beta-galactosidase (2670 +/- 210) is significantly higher than that of [Gd(DOTA-FPG)(H 2O)] in the sodium phosphate buffer solution (1490 +/- 160). In addition, the MR images show a higher-intensity enhancement in CT26/beta-gal tumor with beta-galactosidase gene expression but not for the CT26 tumor without beta-galactosidase gene expression. We conclude that [Gd(DOTA-FPG)(H 2O)] is a suitable candidate for a bioactivated MRI contrast agent in tracing gene expression.