Characteristics of adenosine activity on adenine nucleotide metabolism of rat thymocytes

The effects of adenosine on adenine nucleotide metabolism in [14C]adenine-labeled rat thymocytes were studied. It was shown that adenosine increases the intracellular pool of adenine nucleotides, predominantly ATP, which is accompanied by marked acceleration of their catabolism and a release of labeled products (especially inosine, hypoxanthine and adenosine) from the thymocytes. The effect of adenosine depends on its concentration and manifests itself already at 10(-6) M. 2-Deoxycoformycin partly relieves the effect of adenosine on adenine nucleotide metabolism. Exogenous deoxyadenosine, inosine, hypoxanthine and adenine, unlike adenosine, do not significantly affect the adenine nucleotide catabolism and the label release from the cells. All the effectors under study strongly increase inosine transport from the thymocytes, and inhibit, with the exception of adenosine, the hypoxanthine release from the cells.     

Metabolism of adenine nucleotides in thymocyte cytoplasm and subcellular fractions after treatment with concanavalin A, papaverine and adenosine

Studies with rat thymocytes labeled with [14C]adenine and fractionated by digitonin treatment revealed that the cytoplasm of these cells contains about 60% of the total adenine nucleotide pool with a higher ATP/ADP ratio and metabolic activity as compared with the structural components. The incorporation of [14C]adenine and [14C]adenosine into thymocyte adenine nucleotides results in predominant labeling of cytoplasmic ATP, in which the specific radioactivity of this nucleoside triphosphate is two and three times as high as in subcellular structures. Concanavalin A decreases the ATP level in thymocytes without changing its specific radioactivity. This compound does not influence the total content and amount labeled adenine nucleotides in the structural fraction. Papaverine accelerates the catabolism of ATP, mainly in thymocyte cytoplasm and, in a lesser degree, in its structural fraction. In each fraction the papaverine-induced catabolism of ATP is localized in the compartment which is more intensively labeled with [14C]adenine than the whole fractionation ATP pool. Adenosine markedly accelerates adenine nucleotide catabolism in the cytoplasmic and structural fractions of thymocytes; however, only in the first one of them this acceleration is due to ATP elevation. Papaverine and adenosine do not directly influence either the content or specific radioactivity of adenine nucleotides of the structural fraction isolated from [14C]adenine-labeled thymocytes.     

Long non‐coding RNAs in melanoma

Melanoma is the most lethal cutaneous cancer with a highly aggressive and metastatic phenotype. While recent genetic and epigenetic studies have shed new insights into the mechanism of melanoma development, the involvement of regulatory non‐coding RNAs remain unclear. Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a group of endogenous non‐protein‐coding RNAs with the capacity to regulate gene expression at multiple levels. Recent evidences have shown that lncRNAs can regulate many cellular processes, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, migration and invasion. In the melanoma, deregulation of a number of lncRNAs, such as HOTAIR, MALAT1, BANCR, ANRIL, SPRY‐IT1 and SAMMSON, have been reported. Our review summarizes the functional role of lncRNAs in melanoma and their potential clinical application for diagnosis, prognostication and treatment.     

Protective effect of bixin on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Background

The liver is an important organ for its ability to transform xenobiotics, making the liver tissue a prime target for toxic substances. The carotenoid bixin present in annatto is an antioxidant that can protect cells and tissues against the deleterious effects of free radicals. In this study, we evaluated the protective effect of bixin on liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) in rats.

Results

The animals were divided into four groups with six rats in each group. CCl₄ (0.125 mL kg^-1 body wt.) was injected intraperitoneally, and bixin (5.0 mg kg^-1 body wt.) was given by gavage 7 days before the CCl₄ injection. Bixin prevented the liver damage caused by CCl₄, as noted by the significant decrease in serum aminotransferases release. Bixin protected the liver against the oxidizing effects of CCl₄ by preventing a decrease in glutathione reductase activity and the levels of reduced glutathione and NADPH. The peroxidation of membrane lipids and histopathological damage of the liver was significantly prevented by bixin treatment.

Conclusion

Therefore, we can conclude that the protective effect of bixin against hepatotoxicity induced by CCl₄ is related to the antioxidant activity of the compound.     

Metabolism of extracellular adenine nucleotides and adenosine uptake by rat thymocytes; the effect of concanavalin A

Thymocytes under cultivation conditions are established to catabolyze rapidly extracellular ATP and AMP which do not penetrate through the plasma membrane. Thymocytes uptake adenosine produced from adenosine nucleotides. Concanavalin A inhibits the extracellular hydrolysis of AMP and adenosine uptake by thymocytes.     

The role of adenine nucleotide catabolism in the interphase death of thymocytes, caused by papaverine and dipyridamole

Papaverine and dipyridamole induce the interphase death of thymocytes rapidly growing four hours later and reaching its maximum by the seventh-eighth hour of the cell incubation. To induce death of thymocytes no constant presence of these preparations in the incubation medium is needed, a definite (for each of preparations) time of the contact with cells being enough. The interphase death of thymocytes induced by papaverine and dipyridamole is preceded by acceleration of the release of adenine nucleotide catabolism products from cells mainly as hypoxanthine and inosine, respectively. These both processes are induced by papaverine for a shorter period of its incubation with cells than by dipyridamole and the joined use of these substances intensifies the above processes. The analysis of the data obtained indicates that thymocytes under the effect of papaverine die rather from the exhaustion of the adenine nucleotide pool, than from a decrease in the adenylate charge of cells. Exogenous adenosine essentially removes the toxic effect of papaverine but not of dipyridamole. Addition of adenine and inosine to thymocytes does not affect their survival rate in the presence of the preparations under study.     

Purification of biomolecules by the method of the expanded bed adsorption chromatography. III. Method optimization. Aplications

This review introduces the principles of the expanded bed adsorption (EBA) and serves as a practical guide to the use STREAMLINE adsorbent and columns available on the market. Critical operational parameters will be discussed as well as the principles for the method design and optimization that will ensure maximum operation of this unique unit. The review is illustrated with the examples of different types of biological molecules which have been purified when using the expanded bed adsorption.     

Combined effect of adenosine and papaverine on the metabolism of adenine nucleotides in rat thymocytes

It is shown that in [14C]adenine-labelled thymocytes adenosine increases the content of adenine nucleotides and simultaneously accelerates their catabolism. Papaverine induces acceleration of splitting and a decrease of the specific ATP radioactivity but increases the AMP content and its specific radioactivity. The both effectors intensify considerably the outlet of total radioactive label from cells. If the papaverine effect in the extracellular medium results in accumulation mainly of hypoxanthine in the extracellular medium then the adenosine presence causes accumulation of inosine and hypoxanthine approximately in equal amounts. The release of labelled adenosine from thymocytes in all cases is an insignificant part of extracellular radioactivity. A conclusion is drawn that under conditions of the combined action of the substances under study papaverine removes the adenosine effect caused by its under study papaverine removes the adenosine effect caused by its phosphorylation with the formation of ATP and exerts the dose-depended action on adenine nucleotide metabolism in thymocytes.     

Purification of biomolecules by the method of adsorptional chromatography in the expanded bed. I. Principles of the method

Principles the Expanded Bed Adsorption (EBA) have been described in the survey. The paper also deals with critical operation parameters, principles of the method design and optimization, which will guarantee maximum operation of this unique operation stage. All these problems have been discussed. The survey is illustrated by the examples of various types of biological molecules which have been purified using EBA.     

Biomoleculs purification by the method of the expanded bed adsorption chromatography. II. Design of the experiment

This review introduces the principles of the Expanded Bed Adsorption (EBA) and serves as a practical guide to the use of STREAMLINE adsorbent and columns available on the market. Critical operating parameters will be discussed as well as principles for the method design and optimization which will ensure maximum exploitation of this unique operation stage. The review is illustrated with examples of different types of biological molecules which have been purified using Expanded Bed Adsorption.