Elicitation as yield enhancement strategy for glycyrrhizin production by cell cultures of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abrus precatorius</Emphasis> Linn.

Glycyrrhizin is an important phytoconstituent of licorice which is widely used in the pharmaceutical and food industry. As the roots and leaves of Abrus precatorius also contain glycyrrhizin, it can be used as an alternative source of glycyrrhizin. In spite of extensive research work undertaken with cultures of Glycyrrhiza glabra, the glycyrrhizin production remains elusive. Successful production of glycyrrhizin in cell cultures of A. precatorius is being reported for the first time in our study. Cell cultures of A. precatorius L. were treated with the elicitors prepared from the fungi (Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus stolonifer), yeast extract, salicylic acid, ascorbic acid, and eugenol to induce and enhance the synthesis of glycyrrhizin. In the present study, an integrated yield enhancement strategy, developed by the addition of selected elicitor (A. niger and ascorbic acid) at optimized concentrations, resulted in 24.6 g/l dry cell weight biomass and 53.62 mg/l glycyrrhizin, which was 5.22 times higher in productivity in comparison to control cultures.     

The BH3-only protein bid is dispensable for DNA damage- and replicative stress-induced apoptosis or cell-cycle arrest

Bid, a caspase-activated proapoptotic BH3-only protein, is essential for Fas-induced hepatocyte destruction. Recent studies published in Cell produced conflicting results, indicating that loss of Bid either protects or enhances apoptosis induced by DNA damage or replicative stress. To resolve this controversy, we generated novel Bid-deficient mice on an inbred C57BL/6 background and removed the drug-selection cassette from the targeted locus. Nine distinct cell types from these Bid-deficient mice underwent cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in a manner indistinguishable from control WT cells in response to DNA damage or replicative stress. Moreover, we found that even cells from the original Bid-deficient mice responded normally to these stimuli, indicating that differences in genetic background or the presence of a strong promoter within the targeted locus are unlikely to explain the differences between our results and those reported previously. We conclude that Bid has no role in DNA damage- or replicative stress-induced apoptosis or cell-cycle arrest.     

Combination of dipeptidylpeptidase IV inhibitor and low dose thiazolidinedione: preclinical efficacy and safety in db/db mice

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are currently the most efficacious class of oral antidiabetics. However, they carry the burden of weight gain and haemodilution, which may lead to cardiovascular complications. The present study was designed to ascertain whether a combination of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) inhibitor with low dose of a thiazolidinedione absolves TZD associated weight gain and oedema without compromising its efficacy. In this study, we examined the efficacy and safety of lower dose (1 mg/kg/day) of rosiglitazone, a thiazolidinedione, in combination with 5 mg/kg/day dose of LAF-237 (vildagliptin), a known DPP IV inhibitor, in aged db/db mice after 14 days of treatment and compared the combination with therapeutic dose (10 mg/kg) of rosiglitazone. The combination therapy showed similar efficacy as that of 10 mg/kg/day rosiglitazone in lowering random blood glucose (53.8%, p<0.001 and 54.3%, p<0.001 respectively), AUC ((0-120) min) during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) (38.6 %, p<0.01; 38.3%, p<0.01 respectively) and triglyceride levels (63.9% and 61% respectively; p<0.01). Plasma active glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and insulin levels were found to be elevated significantly (p<0.01 and p<0.05 respectively) in both LAF-237 and combination treated groups following oral glucose load. LAF-237 alone had no effect on random glucose and glucose excursion during OGTT in severely diabetic db/db mice. Interestingly, the combination treatment showed no significant increase in body weight as compared to the robust weight gain by therapeutic dose of rosiglitazone. Rosiglitazone at 10 mg/kg/day showed significant reduction (p<0.05) in haematocrit, RBC count, haemoglobin pointing towards haemodilution associated with increased mRNA expression of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase-alpha and epithelial sodium channel gamma (ENaCgamma) in kidney. The combination therapy escaped these adverse effects. The results suggest that combination of DPP IV inhibitor with low dose of thiazolidinedione can interact synergistically to represent a therapeutic advantage for the clinical treatment of type 2 diabetes without the adverse effects of haemodilution and weight gain associated with thiazolidinediones.     

Pre-spliceosomal binding of U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (RNP) and heterogenous nuclear RNP E1 is associated with suppression of a growth hormone receptor pseudoexon

Pseudoexons occur frequently in the human genome. This paper characterizes a pseudoexon in the GH receptor gene. Inappropriate activation of this pseudoexon causes Laron syndrome. Using in vitro splicing assays, pseudoexon silencing was shown to require a combination of a weak 5' pseudosplice-site and splicing silencing elements within the pseudoexon. Immunoprecipitation experiments showed that specific binding of heterogenous nuclear ribonucleoprotein E1 (hnRNP E1) and U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) in the pre-spliceosomal complex was associated with silencing of pseudoexon splicing. The possible role of hnRNP E1 was further supported by RNA interference experiments in cultured cells. Immunoprecipitation experiments with three other pseudoexons suggested that pre-spliceosomal binding of U1 snRNP is a potential general mechanism of suppression of pseudoexons.     

An experimental model of Actinobacillus suis infection in mice

Actinobacillus suis is an opportunistic pathogen of high health status swine and is associated with fatal septicemia, especially in neonatal pigs. A practical model of A. suis is unavailable currently. However, some evidence suggests that A. suis can infect nonporcine species. We therefore hypothesized that a mouse model of A. suis infection might be possible. To test this idea, we challenged CD1 mice with 3 strains of A. suis (2 porcine [SO4 and H91-0380] and 1 feline [96-2247]) by intranasal and intraperitoneal routes. We also evaluated the effects of coadministration of hemoglobin and immunosuppression by dexamethasone on the susceptibility of mice to A. suis infection. The feline and H91-0380 porcine strains induced clinical signs of acute disease and necrotizing pneumonia in mice similar to those seen in pigs. Although few bacteria were recovered, dissemination of A. suis was widespread. Generally, mice infected with the feline A. suis isolate had more severe clinical signs and higher bacterial titers than did mice infected with either of the porcine strains. Pretreatment of the mice with dexamethasone or addition of 2% porcine hemoglobin to the challenge inoculum appeared to hasten the onset of clinical signs by the porcine strains but had no significant effect on moribundity. These experiments demonstrate that mice can be infected with A. suis and subsequently develop pneumonia and bacteremia comparable to that seen in pigs, suggesting that mice may be used as a model for studying infection in swine.