Parathyroid cell variants may be provoked during immersion fixation

Summary Parathyroid glands of cattle, dogs, cats, mice and rats were immersed in glutaraldehyde or mixtures consisting of glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde and acrolein in either Na-phosphate, Na/K-phosphate or Na-cacodylate buffer, and postfixed with OsO₄ in the same buffers or, alternatively, in s-collidine.Excellent preservation of bovine, feline and murine parathyroid glands was achieved with fixation mixtures containing 1% glutaraldehyde, 1.5–2% formaldehyde and 2.5–5% acrolein in 0.1 M Na-cacodylate with or without Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, Na-phosphate or Na/K-phosphate at 4°C followed by postfixation with 1% OsO₄ in the same buffers or in s-collidine containing sucrose, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺. This procedure largely abolished the occurence of parathyroid cell variants. Bovine parathyroid glands were also satisfactorily preserved with 1% glutaraldehyde and 2% formaldehyde whereas 1% glutaraldehyde and 2.5 or 5% acrolein, lower or higher buffer osmolarity, or immersion at room temperature led to vacuolization of RER and to breakdown of membranes. In contrast, all fixation protocols led to the formation of dark and light cell variants and to multinucleated syncytial cells in dog and rat parathyroids. The results thus show that parathyroid cell variants arise during immersion fixation and that aldehydes, buffers and temperature are important factors for provoking parathyroid cell variants.     

Structural gene isolation and prepeptide sequence of gallidermin, a new lanthionine containing antibiotic

Peptide antibiotics containing lanthionine and 3-methyllanthionine bridges, named lantibiotics are of increasing interest. A new lantibiotic, gallidermin, has been isolated from Staphyloccus gallinarum. Here we report the isolation of its structural gene which we name gdmA. In all lantibiotics so far studied genetically, three peptides can be formally distinguished: (i) the primary translation product, which we call the prepeptide; (ii) the propeptide lacking the leader sequence and (iii) the mature lantibiotic. Unlike the plasmid-coded epidermin, gdmA is located on the chromosome. The gdmA locus codes for a 52 amino acid residue prepeptide, consisting of an alpha-helical leader sequence of hydrophilic character, which is separated from the C-terminus (propeptide) by a characteristic proteolytic processing site (Pro-2 Arg-1 Ile1). Although pro-gallidermin differs from pro-epidermin (a recently isolated lantibiotic) only by a single amino acid residue exchange. Leu instead of Ile, the N-terminus of the prepeptide differs by an additional two exchanges.     

VIP36, a novel component of glycolipid rafts and exocytic carrier vesicles in epithelial cells.

In simple epithelial cells, apical and basolateral proteins and lipids in transit to the cell surface are sorted in the trans-Golgi network. We have recently isolated detergent-insoluble complexes from Madin-Darby canine kidney cells that are enriched in glycosphingolipids, apical cargo and a subset of the proteins of the exocytic carrier vesicles. The vesicular proteins are thought to be involved in protein sorting and include VIP21-caveolin. The vesicular protein VIP36 (36 kDa vesicular integral membrane protein) has been purified from a CHAPS-insoluble residue and a cDNA encoding VIP36 has been isolated. The N-terminal 31 kDa luminal/exoplasmic domain of the encoded protein shows homology to leguminous plant lectins. The transiently expressed protein is localized to the Golgi apparatus, endosomal and vesicular structures and the plasma membrane, as predicted for a protein involved in transport between the Golgi and the cell surface. It is diffusely localized on the plasma membrane but can be redistributed by antibody modulation into caveolae and clathrin-coated pits. We speculate that VIP36 binds to sugar residues of glycosphingolipids and/or glycosylphosphatidyl-inositol anchors and might provide a link between the extracellular/luminal face of glycolipid rafts and the cytoplasmic protein segregation machinery.     

Detection of renal cell carcinoma-associated markers via proteome- and other 'ome'-based analyses.

Proteome analysis has rapidly developed in the post-genome era and is now widely accepted as the complementary technology for genetic profiling. It has been shown to be a powerful tool for studying human diseases and for identifying novel prognostic, diagnostic and therapeutic markers. This review focuses on the identification of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for renal cell carcinoma using different 'ome'-based technologies.     

Properties of purified squalene-hopene cyclase from Bacillus acidocaldarius

The squalene-hopene cyclase from Bacillus acidocaldarius cytoplasmic membrane, was purified to homogeneity by solubilization with Triton X-100, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, phenyl Sepharose and two gel-filtration columns. The enzyme monomer had a molecular mass of 75 kDa. The sequence of the first 23 amino acids was determined by Edman degradation. The enzyme activity was efficiently inhibited by n-alkyldimethylammonium halides with alkyl chain lengths between 12 and 18 C atoms. Inhibition was also observed with (5-hydroxycarvacryl)trimethylammonium chloride 1-piperidine carboxylate, dodecyldimethylamine N-oxide, azasqualene and farnesol. Competitive inhibition with dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, (5-hydroxycarvacryl)trimethylammonium chloride 1-piperidine carboxylate and dodecyldimethylamine N-oxide was demonstrated by Lineweaver-Burk plots.     

Development of cell surface saccharides on embryonic pancreatic cells

Using a battery of seven lectin-ferritin conjugates as probes for cell surface glycoconjugates, we have studied the pattern of plasmalemmal differentiation of cells in the embryonic rat pancreas from day 15 in utero to the early postpartum stage. Our results indicate that differentiation of plasmalemmal glycoconjugates on acinar, endocrine, and centroacinar cells is temporally correlated with development and is unique for each cell type, as indicated by lectin-ferritin binding. Specifically, (a) expression of adult cell surface saccharide phenotype can be detected on presumptive acinar cells as early as 15 d in utero, as indicated by soybean agglutinin binding, and precedes development of intracellular organelles characteristic of mature acinar cells; (b) maturation of the plasmalemma of acinar cells is reached after intracellular cytodifferentiation is completed, as indicated by appearance of Con A and fucoselectin binding sites only at day 19 of development; conversely, maturation of the endocrine cell plasmalemma is accompanied by "loss" (masking) of ricinus communis II agglutinin receptors; and (c) binding sites for fucose lectins and for soybean agglutinin are absent on endocrine and centroacinar cells at all stages examined. We conclude that acinar, centroacinar, and endocrine cells develop from a common progenitor cell(s) whose plasmalemmal carbohydrate composition resembles most closely that of the adult centroacinar cell. Finally, appearance of acinar lumina beginning at approximately 17 d in utero is accompanied by differenetiation of apical and basolateral plasmalemmal domains of epithelial cells, as indicated by enhanced binding of several lectin-ferritin conjugates to the apical plasmalemmal, a pattern that persists from this stage through adult life.     

Fluorescent probes in model membranes. II. monolayer studies of 2,2′-(vinylenedi-p-phenylene)bisbenzoxazole, d-3-aminodesoxyequilenin and n-octadecylnaphthyl-2-amino-6-sulfonic acid with host-lipid tetradecanoic acid

Film studies at the air-water interface have been carried out for pure films of 2,2′-(vinylenedi-p-phenylene)bisbenzoxazole (VPBO), d-3-aminodesoxy-equlenin (EQ) and N-octadecylnapthyl-2-amino-6-sulfonic acid (ONS), and for mixed films with tetradecanoic acid for the first two fluorescent probes. Pure film isotherms indicate highly rigid non-monomolecular films for both VPBO and EQ, revealing the presence of strong intermolecular forces. In mixed films with tetradecanoic acid VPBO rapidly segregates with resultant film loss over a wide concentration range. EQ, however, can be stabilized by the host-lipid at low concentrations. This, coupled with an ability to only slightly affect the host-lipid liquid-condensed/liquid-expanded phase change, suggests that EQ can be regarded as “non-perturbing” and should be retained in condensed lipid phases.ONS, because of its unusual polar headgroup, resembled hexadecanoic acid more than octadecanoic acid. While difficulties in spreading ONS precluded the study of mixed films, the indications are that it would be a satisfactory expanded lipid state probe if mixing can be brought about.     

Age-Specific Mortality During the 1918 Influenza Pandemic: Unravelling the Mystery of High Young Adult Mortality

The worldwide spread of a novel influenza A (H1N1) virus in 2009 showed that influenza remains a significant health threat, even for individuals in the prime of life. This paper focuses on the unusually high young adult mortality observed during the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918. Using historical records from Canada and the U.S., we report a peak of mortality at the exact age of 28 during the pandemic and argue that this increased mortality resulted from an early life exposure to influenza during the previous Russian flu pandemic of 1889–90. We posit that in specific instances, development of immunological memory to an influenza virus strain in early life may lead to a dysregulated immune response to antigenically novel strains encountered in later life, thereby increasing the risk of death. Exposure during critical periods of development could also create holes in the T cell repertoire and impair fetal maturation in general, thereby increasing mortality from infectious diseases later in life. Knowledge of the age-pattern of susceptibility to mortality from influenza could improve crisis management during future influenza pandemics.

“The war is over – and I must go” Egon Schiele, 1890–1918.