Culture-Independent Evaluation of Nonenveloped-Virus Infectivity Reduced by Free-Chlorine Disinfection

The inability of molecular detection methods to distinguish disinfected virions from infectious ones has hampered the assessment of infectivity for enteric viruses caused by disinfection practices. In the present study, the reduction of infectivity of murine norovirus S7-PP3 and mengovirus vMC0, surrogates of human noroviruses and enteroviruses, respectively, caused by free-chlorine treatment was characterized culture independently by detecting carbonyl groups on viral capsid protein. The amount of carbonyls on viral capsid protein was evaluated by the proportion of biotinylated virions trapped by avidin-immobilized gel (percent adsorbed). This culture-independent approach demonstrated that the percent adsorbed was significantly correlated with the logarithm of the infectious titer of tested viruses. Taken together with the results of previous reports, the result obtained in this study indicates that the amount of carbonyls on viral capsid protein of four important families of waterborne pathogenic viruses, Astroviridae, Reoviridae, Caliciviridae, and Picornaviridae, is increased in proportion to the received oxidative stress of free chlorine. There was also a significant correlation between the percent adsorbed and the logarithm of the ratio of genome copy number to PFU, which enables estimation of the infectious titer of a subject virus by measuring values of the total genome copy number and the percent adsorbed. The proposed method is applicable when the validation of a 4-log reduction of viruses, a requirement in U.S. EPA guidelines for virus removal from water, is needed along with clear evidence of the oxidation of virus particles with chlorine-based disinfectants.     

Growth and morphological development of laboratory-reared larvae and juveniles of the Laotioan indigenous cyprinid Hypsibarbus malcolmi

The morphological development, including the pigmentation, body proportions, fins, and survival rate for 30 days after hatching, of laboratory-reared larval and juvenile Hypsibarbus malcolmi is described. Body lengths (BL) of larvae and juveniles were 2.0 ± 0.2 (mean ± SD) mm at 1 h after hatching (day 0) and 9.2 ± 0.6 mm on day 16, reaching 12.1 ± 0.9 mm on day 30. Yolk volume decreased linearly, with the yolk being completely absorbed by day 3 in all preflexion larvae (all specimens >3.2 mm BL). Feeding was observed on day 2 in fish which had rapidly undergone complete yolk absorption following mouth and anus opening on day 1, and on day 3 in all remaining fish. Myomere numbers were 20–21 + 11–12 = 31–33, although they were not clearly visible in juveniles. Melanophores were few on the body during days 0–2, but increased with growth and covered the entire upper dorsal body surface during the juvenile stage. Body proportions tended to become constant in juveniles. Notochord flexion began in larvae >5.2 mm BL on day 8, and was completed in larvae >8.4 mm BL on day 14. Specimens with full fin ray complements were initially observed on day 22 (10.4 mm BL in juveniles). All specimens >11.5 mm BL had attained the juvenile stage. A high survival rate of 92.7% was estimated on day 30.     

Ng-Methylated Arginines in Broad Bean Seed

l-N^g-Methylarginine, l-N^g,N^g-dimethylarginine and ethanolamine were isolated from basic amino acids fraction of broad bean (Vicia faba L.) seed. The presence of N^g,N′^g-dimethylarginine was also suggested.     

Cell-to-cell movement of the CAPRICE protein in Arabidopsis root epidermal cell differentiation

CAPRICE (CPC), a small, R3-type Myb-like protein, is a positive regulator of root hair development in Arabidopsis. Cell-to-cell movement of CPC is important for the differentiation of epidermal cells into trichoblasts (root hair cells). CPC is transported from atrichoblasts (hairless cells), where it is expressed, to trichoblasts, and generally accumulates in their nuclei. Using truncated versions of CPC fused to GFP, we identified a signal domain that is necessary and sufficient for CPC cell-to-cell movement. This domain includes the N-terminal region and a part of the Myb domain. Amino acid substitution experiments indicated that W76 and M78 in the Myb domain are critical for targeted transport, and that W76 is crucial for the nuclear accumulation of CPC:GFP. To evaluate the tissue-specificity of CPC movement, CPC:GFP was expressed in the stele using the SHR promoter and in trichoblasts using the EGL3 promoter. CPC:GFP was able to move from trichoblasts to atrichoblasts but could not exit from the stele, suggesting the involvement of tissue-specific regulatory factors in the intercellular movement of CPC. Analyses with a secretion inhibitor, Brefeldin A, and with an rhd3 mutant defective in the secretion process in root epidermis suggested that intercellular CPC movement is mediated through plasmodesmata. Furthermore, the fusion of CPC to tandem-GFPs defined the capability of CPC to increase the size exclusion limit of plasmodesmata.     

Tissue-specific expression of a novel GTP-binding protein (smg p25A) mRNA and its increase by nerve growth factor and cyclic AMP in rat pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells

We have purified a novel GTP-binding protein, designated as the smg-25A protein (smg p25A), from bovine brain membranes and determined its primary structure. In the present studies, the smg-25A mRNA levels in various tissues have been studied. The 1.6-kilobase smg-25A mRNA is detected in rat brain by Northern blot analysis. This mRNA is not detected in other rat tissues including thymus, lung, heart, liver, small intestine, kidney, and skeletal muscle. The 1.6-kilobase smg-25A mRNA is also detected in bovine adrenal medulla but not in the cortex. Moreover, this mRNA is detected in rat pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells and its level increases after differentiation of the cells into sympathetic neuron-like cells in response to nerve growth factor or dibutyryl cyclic AMP. This mRNA level does not increase in response to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate incapable of inducing differentiation. These results suggest that the smg-25A gene is specifically expressed in nerve tissues and that smg p25A plays a role in some neuronal functions.     

Discovery of novel serine palmitoyltransferase inhibitors as cancer therapeutic agents

We pursued serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) inhibitors as novel cancer therapeutic agents based on a correlation between SPT inhibition and growth suppression of cancer cells. High-throughput screening and medicinal chemistry efforts led to the identification of structurally diverse SPT inhibitors 4 and 5. Both compounds potently inhibited SPT enzyme and decreased intracellular ceramide content. In addition, they suppressed cell growth of human lung adenocarcinoma HCC4006 and acute promyelocytic leukemia PL-21, and displayed good pharmacokinetic profiles. Reduction of 3-ketodihydrosphingosine, the direct downstream product of SPT, was confirmed under in vivo settings after oral administration of compounds 4 and 5. Their anti-tumor efficacy was observed in a PL-21 xenograft mouse model. These results suggested that SPT inhibitors might have potential to be effective cancer therapeutics.     

Mitochondrial DNA copy number is maintained during spermatogenesis and in the development of male larvae to sustain the doubly uniparental inheritance of mitochondrial DNA system in the blue mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI) of mitochondrial (mt) DNA has been reported in the blue mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. In DUI, males inherit both paternal (M type) and maternal (F type) mtDNA. Here we investigated changes in M type mtDNA copy numbers and mitochondrial mass in testicular cells by real‐time polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry. The ratios of M type mtDNA copy numbers to nuclear DNA content were not different between haploid (1n), diploid (2n) and tetraploid (4n) spermatogenic cells. The mitochondrial mass decreased gradually during spermatogenesis. These results suggest that mtDNA and mitochondrial mass are maintained during spermatogenesis. We then traced M type mtDNA in larvae after fertilization. M type mtDNA was maintained up to 24 h after fertilization in the male‐biased crosses, but decreased significantly in female‐biased crosses (predicted by Mito Tracker staining pattern). These results are strikingly different from those reported for mammals and fish, where it is well known that the mitochondria and mtDNA are reduced during spermatogenesis and that sperm mitochondria and mtDNA are eliminated soon after fertilization. Thus, the M type mtDNA copy number is maintained during spermatogenesis and in the development of male larvae to sustain the DUI system in the blue mussel.     

Cells capable of uptake of horseradish peroxidase in some circumventricular organs of the cat and rat

Summary The structure of mesenchymal cells distributed in some of the hypendymal organs of the circumventricular system in the cat and rat was demonstrated after intravenous injection of high doses of horseradish peroxidase. These cellular elements were observed in the vicinity of blood vessels of the organon vasculosum laminae terminalis, subfornical organ and area postrema. Electron-microscopically, these cells located between the basal laminae of the brain parenchyma and the blood capillaries show long cellular processes encircling fenestrated capillaries. Light and electron-microscopic examination revealed that this cell type is identical with the horseradish peroxidase-uptake cells, previously reported in the vicinity of the hypophysial portal system. Such phagocytic cells may be considered as a cellular component intervening between the brain parenchyma and the blood stream, playing a role in selective barrier functions in the above-mentioned circumventricular organs where a blood-brain barrier in the classical sense of the definition is lacking.This work was supported by grant No. 437002 from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan     

Group V phospholipase A2 induces leukotriene biosynthesis in human neutrophils through the activation of group IVA phospholipase A2

We reported previously that exogenously added human group V phospholipase A(2) (hVPLA(2)) could elicit leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) biosynthesis in human neutrophils (Han, S. K., Kim, K. P., Koduri, R., Bittova, L., Munoz, N. M., Leff, A. R., Wilton, D. C., Gelb, M. H., and Cho, W. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 11881-11888). To determine the mechanism of the hVPLA(2)-induced LTB(4) biosynthesis in neutrophils, we thoroughly examined the effects of hVPLA(2) and their lipid products on the activity of group IVA cytosolic PLA(2) (cPLA(2)) and LTB(4) biosynthesis under different conditions. As low as 1 nm exogenous hVPLA(2) was able to induce the release of arachidonic acid (AA) and LTB(4). Typically, AA and LTB(4) were released in two phases, which were synchronized with a rise in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) near the perinuclear region and cPLA(2) phosphorylation. A cellular PLA(2) assay showed that hVPLA(2) acted primarily on the outer plasma membrane, liberating fatty acids and lysophosphatidylcholine (lyso-PC), whereas cPLA(2) acted on the perinuclear membrane. Lyso-PC and polyunsaturated fatty acids including AA activated cPLA(2) and 5-lipoxygenase by increasing [Ca(2+)](i) and inducing cPLA(2) phosphorylation, which then led to LTB(4) biosynthesis. The delayed phase was triggered by the binding of secreted LTB(4) to the cell surface LTB(4) receptor, which resulted in a rise in [Ca(2+)](i) and cPLA(2) phosphorylation through the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2. These results indicate that a main role of exogenous hVPLA(2) in neutrophil activation and LTB(4) biosynthesis is to activate cPLA(2) and 5-lipoxygenase primarily by liberating from the outer plasma membrane lyso-PC that induces [Ca(2+)](i) increase and cPLA(2) phosphorylation and that hVPLA(2)-induced LTB(4) production is augmented by the positive feedback activation of cPLA(2) by LTB(4).