Pyramid environment reduces the wound healing suppressant properties of dexamethasone in albino rats

With a view to investigate the contribution and role of environment within a wooden pyramid model on the wound healing suppressant effect of dexamethasone in rats, wound breaking strength, dry weight, hydroxyproline content and histology of granulation tissue of the dead space wound were studied in rats. The results indicate that the environment within the wooden pyramid not only promotes significant wound healing but also reduces the wound healing suppressant effect of dexamethasone. Histological studies also confirmed the results.     

Identification of Human Erythrocyte Cytosolic Proteins Associated with Plasma Membrane During Thermal Stress

The influence of thermal stress on the association between human erythrocyte membranes and cytosolic proteins was studied by exposing erythrocyte suspensions and whole blood to different elevated temperatures. Membranes and cytosolic proteins from unheated and heat-stressed erythrocytes were analyzed by electrophoresis, followed by mass spectrometric identification. Four major (carbonic anhydrase I, carbonic anhydrase II, peroxiredoxin VI, flavin reductase) and some minor (heat shock protein 90α, heat shock protein 70, α-enolase, peptidylprolyl cis–trans isomerase A) cytosolic proteins were found to be associated with the erythrocyte membrane in response to in vitro thermal stress. Unlike the above proteins, catalase and peroxiredoxin II were associated with membranes from unheated erythrocytes, and their content increased in the membrane following heat stress. The heat-induced association of cytosolic proteins was restricted to the Triton shells (membrane skeleton/cytoskeleton). Similar results were observed when Triton shells derived from unheated erythrocyte membranes were incubated with an unheated erythrocyte cytosolic fraction at elevated temperatures. This is a first report on the association of cytosolic catalase, α-enolase, peroxiredoxin VI, peroxiredoxin II and peptidylprolyl cis–trans isomerase A to the membrane or membrane skeleton of erythrocytes under heat stress. From these results, it is concluded that specific cytosolic proteins are translocated to the membrane in human erythrocytes exposed to heat stress and they may play a novel role as erythrocyte membrane protectors under stress by stabilizing the membrane skeleton through their interactions with skeletal proteins.     

Enhanced wound contraction and epithelization period in steroid treated rats: role of pyramid environment

Contribution and role of a pyramid/square box on the wound healing suppressant effect of dexamethasone was studied in rats of either sex using excision wound model to record the wound contraction rate and epithelization period. The results showed enhanced wound contraction rate and decreased epithelization period in the pyramid-exposed rats as compared to controls. Thus, it appears that pyramid environment facilitates the process of wound healing. Also, the wound healing suppressant effects of dexamethasone were significantly reduced.     

Carbohydrate-conjugate heterobimetallic complexes: synthesis, DNA binding studies, artificial nuclease activity and in vitro cytotoxicity

New carbohydrate-conjugated heterobimetallic complexes [C(32)H(62)N(10)O(8)NiSn(2)Cl(4)]Cl(2)(1) and [C(32)H(62)N(10)O(8)CuSn(2)Cl(4)]Cl(2) (2) were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic (IR, (1)H, (13)C, and (119)Sn NMR, EPR, UV-vis, ESI-MS) and analytical methods. The interaction studies of 2 with CT DNA were studied by using various biophysical techniques, which showed high binding affinity of 2 toward CT DNA. The extent of interaction was further confirmed by the interaction of 2 with the nucleotides viz.; 5'-AMP, 5'-CMP, 5'-GMP, and 5'-TMP, by absorption titration. (1)H, (31)P, (119)Sn NMR spectroscopy further validated the interaction mode of 2 with 5'-GMP. The electrophoresis pattern observed for 2 with supercoiled pBR322 DNA, exhibited significantly good nuclease activity following oxidative pathway. The preferential selectivity of 2 toward the major groove was observed on interaction of 2 with pBR322 DNA, in the presence of standard groove binders viz.; DAPI and methyl green. Additionally, in vitro antitumor activity of 2 was evaluated on a panel of human cancer cell lines, exhibiting remarkable cytotoxicity activity against Colo205 (colon) and MCF7 (breast) cell lines with GI(50) values <10 μg/mL.     

A comparison of the activities of the products of the two genes for elongation factor Tu

Summary The two species of Elongation Factor Tu coded for by the tufA and tufB genes were synthesized in UV-irradiated E coli infected by transducing phages bearing the separate genes. Both proteins interact similarly with EFTs, GDP, and phe-tRNA. Although the phe-tRNA·EFTu·GMP·PNP complex containing the tufA gene product binds some-what more tightly to ribosomes, both proteins promote the complete process of binding phe tRNA to ribosomes at similar rates.     

Insulin and β-adrenergic Receptors Inhibit Retinal Endothelial Cell Apoptosis Through Independent Pathways

Diabetic retinopathy results from altered insulin receptor signaling. Based on previous studies demonstrating an interaction between β-adrenergic receptors and insulin signaling in hyperglycemic conditions, we hypothesized that β-adrenergic receptor stimulation and insulin stimulation would act synergistically to inhibit one of the hallmarks of diabetic retinopathy, namely retinal endothelial cell apoptosis. To test this hypothesis, human retinal endothelial cells were grown in high glucose (25 mM) medium and treated with a β-1-adrenergic receptor agonist (xamoterol, 10 μM) alone, insulin alone (10 nM) or xamoterol + insulin. We then assessed changes in the levels of insulin receptor, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) receptor, and Akt phosphorylation, as well as cleaved caspase 3. Xamoterol alone significantly decreased insulin receptor, IGF-1 receptor and Akt phosphorylation, whereas insulin alone increased insulin receptor, IGF-1 receptor, and Akt phosphorylation. Xamoterol significantly decreased apoptosis of retinal endothelial cells. This data suggests that both β-adrenergic receptors and insulin can inhibit retinal endothelial cell apoptosis in hyperglycemic conditions, but inhibition occurs through independent pathways. These findings have implications for treatments of diabetic retinopathy.     

Arabidopsis Argonaute 2 regulates innate immunity via miRNA393(∗)-mediated silencing of a Golgi-localized SNARE gene, MEMB12

Argonaute (AGO) proteins are critical components of RNA silencing pathways that bind small RNAs and mediate gene silencing at their target sites. We found that Arabidopsis AGO2 is highly induced by the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst). Further genetic analysis demonstrated that AGO2 functions in antibacterial immunity. One abundant species of AGO2-bound small RNA is miR393b(?), which targets a Golgi-localized SNARE gene, MEMB12. Pst infection downregulates MEMB12 in a miR393b(?)-dependent manner. Loss of function of MEMB12, but not SYP61, another intracellular SNARE, leads to increased exocytosis of an antimicrobial pathogenesis-related protein, PR1. Overexpression of miR393b(?) resembles memb12 mutant in resistance responses. Thus, AGO2 functions in antibacterial immunity by binding miR393b(?) to modulate exocytosis of antimicrobial PR proteins via MEMB12. Since miR393 also contributes to antibacterial responses, miR393(?)/miR393 represent an example of a miRNA(?)/miRNA pair that functions in immunity through two distinct AGOs: miR393(?) through AGO2 and miR393 through AGO1.