Sleep enhances nocturnal plasma ghrelin levels in healthy subjects

Ghrelin, an endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, has been shown to promote slow-wave sleep (SWS, non-REM sleep stages 3 and 4). Plasma levels of ghrelin are dependent on food intake and increase in sleeping subjects during the early part of the night. It is unknown whether sleep itself affects ghrelin levels or whether circadian networks are involved. Therefore, we studied the effect of sleep deprivation on nocturnal ghrelin secretion. In healthy male volunteers, plasma levels of ghrelin, cortisol, and human growth hormone (hGH) were measured during two experimental sessions of 24 h each: once when the subjects were allowed to sleep between 2300 and 0700 and once when they were kept awake throughout the night. During sleep, ghrelin levels increased during the early part of the night and decreased in the morning. This nocturnal increase was blunted during sleep deprivation, and ghrelin levels increased only slightly until the early morning. Ghrelin secretion during the first hours of sleep correlated positively with peak hGH concentrations. We conclude that the nocturnal increase in ghrelin levels is more likely to be caused by sleep-associated processes than by circadian influences. During the first hours of sleep, ghrelin might promote sleep-associated hGH secretion and contribute to the promotion of SWS.     

Allogeneic T cells treated with amotosalen prevent lethal cytomegalovirus disease without producing graft-versus-host disease following bone marrow transplantation

Infusion of donor antiviral T cells can provide protective immunity for recipients of hemopoietic progenitor cell transplants, but may cause graft-vs-host disease (GVHD). Current methods of separating antiviral T cells from the alloreactive T cells that produce GVHD are neither routine nor rapid. In a model of lethal murine CMV (MCMV) infection following MHC-mismatched bone marrow transplantation, infusion of MCMV-immune donor lymphocytes pretreated with the DNA cross-linking compound amotosalen prevented MCMV lethality without producing GVHD. Although 95% of mice receiving 30 x 10(6) pretreated donor lymphocytes survived beyond day +100 without MCMV disease or GVHD, all mice receiving equivalent numbers of untreated lymphocytes rapidly died of GVHD. In vitro, amotosalen blocked T cell proliferation without suppressing MCMV peptide-induced IFN-gamma production by MCMV-primed CD8(+) T cells. In vivo, pretreated lymphocytes reduced hepatic MCMV load by 4-log(10) and promoted full hemopoietic chimerism. Amotosalen-treated, MCMV tetramer-positive memory (CD44(high)) CD8(+) T cells persisted to day +100 following infusion, and expressed IFN-gamma when presented with viral peptide. Pretreated T cells were effective at preventing MCMV lethality over a wide range of concentrations. Thus, amotosalen treatment rapidly eliminates the GVHD activity of polyclonal T cells, while preserving long-term antiviral and graft facilitation effects, and may be clinically useful for routine adoptive immunotherapy.     

PCR and blot hybridization for rapid identification of Haloferax species

Based on the amplification of a 16S rDNA, a PCR assay for the identification of species of Haloferax to genus level was performed. Two variable regions of the 16S rDNA in Haloferax spp. were selected as genus-specific primers for the PCR assay and hybridization probe. Five genera of halophilic Archaea and Escherichia coli were examined as outside groups. Using this approach, all strains of Haloferax spp. were positive. In contrast, all species belonging to the most closely related genera, including Natrinema, Halorubrum, Halobacterium, and Haloarcula, were negative. In addition, the mass bloom of halophilic Archaea that develops in the El-Mallahet saltern of Alexandria City was positive using the same approach. This assay, which does not require pure cultures of microorganisms, is a specific and rapid method for identifying Haloferax spp. in hypersaline environments.     

Supercritical carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide cause mild changes in spore structures associated with high killing rate of Bacillus anthracis

The present work examines chemical and structural response in B. anthracis spores killed by a mixture of supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO₂) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Deactivation of 6-log of B. anthracis spores by SCCO₂ + H₂O₂ was demonstrated, but changes in structure were observed in only a small portion of spores. Results from phase contrast microscopy proved that this treatment is mild and does not trigger germination-like changes. TEM imaging revealed mild damage in a portion of spores while the majority remained intact. Dipicolinic acid (DPA) analysis showed that < 10% of the DPA was released from the spore core into the external milieu, further demonstrating only modest damage to the spores. Confocal fluorescent microscopy, assessing uptake of DNA-binding dyes, directly demonstrated compromise of the permeability barrier. However, the magnitude of uptake was small compared to spores that had been autoclaved. This work suggests that SCCO₂ + H₂O₂ is quite mild compared to other sterilization methods, which has major implications in its application. These results provide some insight on the possible interactions between spores and the SCCO₂ + H₂O₂ sterilization process.     

Roles for two aminopeptidases in vacuolar hemoglobin catabolism in Plasmodium falciparum

During the erythrocytic stage of its life cycle, the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum catabolizes large quantities of host-cell hemoglobin in an acidic organelle, the food vacuole. A current model for the catabolism of globin-derived oligopeptides invokes peptide transport out of the food vacuole followed by hydrolysis to amino acids by cytosolic aminopeptidases. To test this model, we have examined the roles of four parasite aminopeptidases during the erythrocytic cycle. Localization of tagged aminopeptidases, coupled with biochemical analysis of enriched food vacuoles, revealed the presence of amino acid-generating pathways in the food vacuole as well as the cytosol. Based on the localization data and in vitro assays, we propose a specific role for one of the plasmodial enzymes, aminopeptidase P, in the catabolism of proline-containing peptides in both the vacuole and the cytosol. We establish an apparent requirement for three of the four aminopeptidases (including the two food vacuole enzymes) for efficient parasite proliferation. To gain insight into the impact of aminopeptidase inhibition on parasite development, we examined the effect of the presence of amino acids in the culture medium of the parasite on the toxicity of the aminopeptidase inhibitor bestatin. The ability of bestatin to block parasite replication was only slightly affected when 19 of 20 amino acids were withdrawn from the medium, indicating that exogenous amino acids cannot compensate for the loss of aminopeptidase activity. Together, these results support the development of aminopeptidase inhibitors as novel chemotherapeutics directed against malaria.     

Inactivation of metabolic enzymes by photo-treatment with zinc meta N-methylpyridylporphyrin

Cell proliferation is notably dependent on energy supply and generation of reducing equivalents in the form of NADPH for reductive biosynthesis. Blockage of pathways generating energy and reducing equivalents has proved successful for cancer treatment. We have previously reported that isomeric Zn(II) N-methylpyridylporphyrins (ZnTM-2(3,4)-PyP⁴⁺) can act as photosensitizers, preventing cell proliferation and causing cell death in vitro. The present study demonstrates that upon illumination, ZnTM-3-PyP inactivates glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, NADP⁺ -linked isocitrate dehydrogenase, aconitase, and fumarase in adenocarcinoma LS174T cells. ZnTM-3-PyP⁴⁺ was significantly more effective than hematoporphyrin derivative (HpD) for inactivation of all enzymes, except aconitase and isocitrate dehydrogenase. Enzyme inactivation was accompanied by aggregation, presumably due to protein cross-linking of some of the enzymes tested. Inactivation of metabolic enzymes caused disruption of cancer cells' metabolism and is likely to be one of the major reasons for antiproliferative activity of ZnTM-3-PyP.     

Preparation and characterization of combi-CLEAs catalyzing multiple non-cascade reactions

A novel cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEA) concept called combi-CLEA has been described. It is based upon the fact that CLEA can be made from heterogeneous populations of proteins/enzymes. Porcine pancreatic acetone powder crude extract was used for preparing CLEA in such a way that lipase, -amylase, phospholipase A₂ activities were retained upto 100%. The lipase present in the CLEA showed greater thermal stability at 50 °C as compared to free enzyme. For lipase and phospholipase A₂, V_max/K_m showed no significant change upon combi-CLEA formation but decreased significantly for -amylase activity from 190 to 114 min⁻¹. The lipase activity and -amylase activity in CLEA were completely retained upto three cycles of use. The scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies showed that morphology of CLEA changed upon inactivation by reuses.     

Impact of hyperglycemia on the expression of GLUT1 during oral carcinogenesis in rats

Molecular Biology Reports - On the background of the epidemiological link between diabetes and oral cancer, the present study aimed to analyze the potential involvement of selected glucose...     

Algal Turbidity Reduces Risk Assessment Ability of the Three‐Spined Stickleback

Recent anthropogenic increases in algal turbidity in aquatic habitats have been suggested to affect the ability of fish to assess predation risk. We investigated the response of feeding three‐spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) exposed to a sudden appearance of an avian predator (the silhouette of common tern, Sterna hirundo), under clear and turbid water conditions. As stickleback use social cues to aid in predator avoidance, we also tested whether turbidity affected social information use by manipulating group size. We found that in turbid water, a smaller proportion of fish would escape from the feeding area, that the distance escaped was shorter and that a smaller proportion of fish fled into shelter. Larger group size was associated with longer escape distance and greater shelter use. However, there was no effect of group size on the proportion of fish that escaped the arena. The effect of group size was similar for turbid and clear water. Our finding that the fish showed a weaker antipredator response suggests that turbidity impedes their risk assessment capability. However, the sticklebacks were still able to benefit of the social facilitation provided by being in a group. This suggests that algal turbidity has detrimental effects on the ability of sticklebacks to assess predation risk from avian predators in shallow water. An implication is that in shallow water fish may be more vulnerable to avian predation under turbid conditions.