Adsorption of an amphiphilic penicillin onto human serum albumin: characterisation of the complex

The complex formed by the interaction of the amphiphilic penicillin drug nafcillin and human serum albumin (HSA) in water at 25 degrees C has been characterised using a range of physicochemical techniques. Measurements of the solution conductivity and the electrophoretic mobility of the complexes have shown an ionic adsorption of the drug on the protein surface leading to a surface saturation at a nafcillin concentration of 0.012 mmol kg(-1) and subsequent formation of drug micelles in solutions of higher nafcillin concentration. Measurements of the size of the complex and the thickness of the adsorbed layer by static and dynamic light scattering have shown a gradual change in hydrodynamic radius of the complex with increasing drug concentration typical of a saturation rather than a denaturation process, the magnitude of the change being insufficient to account for any appreciable extension or unfolding of the HSA molecule. The interaction potential between the HSA/nafcillin complexes, and the stability of the complexes were determined from the dependence of diffusion coefficients on protein concentration by application of the DLVO colloidal stability theory. The results indicate decreasing stability of the colloidal dispersion of the drug/protein complexes with an increase in the concentration of added drug.     

Effects of the molecular structure of two amphiphilic antidepressant drugs on the formation of complexes with human serum albumin

Interactions of two amphiphilic antidepressant drugs, imipramine and desipramine hydrochlorides, with the blood protein human serum albumin (HSA) were investigated to gain an understanding of the effects of drug molecular structure on the complex formation of drug-protein molecules. To elucidate the mechanisms of such effects, the protein-antidepressant interactions in aqueous buffered solutions of pH 3.0 and 5.5 (isoelectric point of HSA = 4.9) were investigated using conductivity, zeta potential, and dynamic light scattering. An increase of the critical micelle concentration of both antidepressants was detected as a consequence of extensive binding to the protein. From zeta-potential measurements, the Gibbs energies of adsorption of the drugs onto the protein were derived using the proposed models of Kayes and Ottewill and Watanabe. Measurements of the hydrodynamic radii of HSA-antidepressant complexes as a function of the drug concentration have shown a gradual increase of size of a saturation rather than a denaturation process of the protein. A larger drug adsorption at pH 5.5 than at pH 3.0 was also observed, as a consequence of a more important specific binding at the former pH.     

Interactions of two amphiphilic penicillins with myoglobin in aqueous buffered solutions: a thermodynamic and spectroscopy study

The interactions and complexation process of the amphiphilic penicillins sodium cloxacillin and sodium dicloxacillin with horse myoglobin in aqueous buffered solutions of pH 4.5 and 7.4 have been examined by equilibrium dialysis, zeta-potential, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and UV-Vis absorbance techniques. A more opened structure of the protein molecules is detected as a consequence of the reduction of pH from 7.4 to 4.5. Binding isotherms and derived Hill coefficients reflect a cooperative binding behavior. Gibbs energies of binding per mole of drug were obtained from equilibrium dialysis data and compared with those derived from the zeta potential taking into account cooperativity. DeltaGads degrees values so obtained are large and negative at low concentrations where binding to the "high-energy" sites occurs and decreases with the drug concentration. The enthalpies of binding have been obtained from ITC and are small and exothermic so that the Gibbs energies of binding are dominated by large increases in entropy consistent with hydrophobic interactions. Other thermodynamic quantities of the binding mechanism, that is, entropy, DeltaSITCi, Gibbs energy, DeltaGITCi, the binding constant, KITCi, and the number of binding sites, ni, were also obtained, confirming the above results. From ITC data and following a theoretical model, the number of bound and free penicillin molecules was calculated, being higher at pH 4.5 than at pH 7.4. The binding of penicillin causes a conformational transition on protein structure as a consequence of the resulting intramolecular repulsion between the penicillin molecules bound to the protein. Thermodynamic quantites (the Gibbs energy of the transition in water, DeltaGw degrees , and in a hydrophobic environment, DeltaGhc degrees) of the denaturation process were calculated, indicating that at pH 4.5 some of the histidine residues are protonated, becoming accessible to solvent and giving rise to a more opened protein structure.     

Population substructure and signals of divergent adaptive selection despite admixture in the sponge Dendrilla antarctica from shallow waters surrounding the Antarctic Peninsula

Antarctic shallow‐water invertebrates are exceptional candidates to study population genetics and evolution, because of their peculiar evolutionary history and adaptation to extreme habitats that expand and retreat with the ice sheets. Among them, sponges are one of the major components, yet population connectivity of none of their many Antarctic species has been studied. To investigate gene flow, local adaptation and resilience to near‐future changes caused by global warming, we sequenced 62 individuals of the sponge Dendrilla antarctica along the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) and the South Shetlands (spanning ~900 km). We obtained information from 577 double digest restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq)‐derived single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), using RADseq techniques for the first time with shallow‐water sponges. In contrast to other studies in sponges, our 389 neutral SNPs data set showed high levels of gene flow, with a subtle substructure driven by the circulation system of the studied area. However, the 140 outlier SNPs under positive selection showed signals of population differentiation, separating the central–southern WAP from the Bransfield Strait area, indicating a divergent selection process in the study area despite panmixia. Fourteen of these outliers were annotated, being mostly involved in immune and stress responses. We suggest that the main selective pressure on D. antarctica might be the difference in the planktonic communities present in the central–southern WAP compared to the Bransfield Strait area, ultimately depending on sea‐ice control of phytoplankton blooms. Our study unveils an unexpectedly long‐distance larval dispersal exceptional in Porifera, broadening the use of genome‐wide markers within nonmodel Antarctic organisms.     

BCL-XL is crucial for progression through the adenoma-to-carcinoma sequence of colorectal cancer

Evasion of apoptosis is a hallmark of cancer, which is frequently mediated by upregulation of the antiapoptotic BCL-2 family proteins. In colorectal cancer (CRC), previous work has highlighted differential antiapoptotic protein dependencies determined by the stage of the disease. While intestinal stem cells (ISCs) require BCL-2 for adenoma outgrowth and survival during transformation, ISC-specific MCL1 deletion results in disturbed intestinal homeostasis, eventually contributing to tumorigenesis. Colon cancer stem cells (CSCs), however, no longer require BCL-2 and depend mainly on BCL-XL for their survival. We therefore hypothesized that a shift in antiapoptotic protein reliance occurs in ISCs as the disease progresses from normal to adenoma to carcinoma. By targeting antiapoptotic proteins with specific BH3 mimetics in organoid models of CRC progression, we found that BCL-2 is essential only during ISC transformation while MCL1 inhibition did not affect adenoma outgrowth. BCL-XL, on the other hand, was crucial for stem cell survival throughout the adenoma-to-carcinoma sequence. Furthermore, we identified that the limited window of BCL-2 reliance is a result of its downregulation by miR-17-5p, a microRNA that is upregulated upon APC-mutation driven transformation. Here we show that BCL-XL inhibition effectively impairs adenoma outgrowth in vivo and enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy. In line with this dependency, expression of BCL-XL, but not BCL-2 or MCL1, directly correlated to the outcome of chemotherapy-treated CRC patients. Our results provide insights to enable the rational use of BH3 mimetics in CRC management, particularly underlining the therapeutic potential of BCL-XL targeting mimetics in both early and late-stage disease.Subject terms: Cancer models, Cancer stem cells, Cell biology     

A Systematic Review Characterizing On-Farm Sources of Campylobacter spp. for Broiler Chickens

Campylobacter and antimicrobial-resistant Campylobacter are frequently isolated from broiler chickens worldwide. In Canada, campylobacteriosis is the third leading cause of enteric disease and the regional emergence of ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter in broiler chickens has raised a public health concern. This study aimed to identify, critically appraise, and synthesize literature on sources of Campylobacter in broilers at the farm level using systematic review methodology. Literature searches were conducted in January 2012 and included electronic searches in four bibliographic databases. Relevant studies in French or English (n = 95) conducted worldwide in any year and all study designs were included. Risk of Bias and GRADE criteria endorsed by the Cochrane collaboration was used to assess the internal validity of the study and overall confidence in the meta-analysis. The categories for on-farm sources were: broiler breeders/vertical transfer (number of studies = 32), animals (n = 57), humans (n = 26), environment (n = 54), and water (n = 63). Only three studies examined the antimicrobial resistance profiles of Campylobacter from these on-farm sources. Subgroups of data by source and outcome were analyzed using random effect meta-analysis. The highest risk for contaminating a new flock appears to be a contaminated barn environment due to insufficient cleaning and disinfection, insufficient downtime, and the presence of an adjacent broiler flock. Effective biosecurity enhancements from physical barriers to restricting human movement on the farm are recommended for consideration to enhance local on-farm food safety programs. Improved sampling procedures and standardized laboratory testing are needed for comparability across studies. Knowledge gaps that should be addressed include farm-level drug use and antimicrobial resistance information, further evaluation of the potential for vertical transfer, and improved genotyping methods to strengthen our understanding of Campylobacter epidemiology in broilers at the farm-level. This systematic review emphasizes the importance of improved industry-level and on-farm risk management strategies to reduce pre-harvest Campylobacter in broilers.