Arabinogalactan-Proteins from Primary and Mature Roots of Radish (Raphanus sativus L.)

Organ-specific variations in blood group H-like activity were observed in developing radish plants. A temporary increase in serological activity was found to occur in the roots at the earlier stages of development. Arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs) were isolated from primary and mature roots, and investigated for changes in their physicochemical properties, structure, and serological activities. These root AGPs were composed mainly of l-arabinose and d-galactose but were distinguishable from each other in their contents of l-fucose as well as of protein and hydroxyproline. The structures of the carbohydrate moieties of the root AGPs were essentially similar to those of AGPs isolated from seeds and mature leaves in that they consisted of consecutive (1→3)-linked β-d-galactosyl backbone chains having side chains of (1→6)-linked β-d-galactosyl residues, to which α-l-arabinofuranosyl residues were attached in the outer regions. One prominent feature of the primary root AGPs was that they contained appreciable amounts of l-fucose, which was presumably responsible for expression of the serological activity. In their immunological reactions with rabbit anti-radish leaf AGP antibody, the root AGPs were shown to share common antigenic determinant(s) with those of seed and leaf AGPs.     

Characterization of spinach leaf α-l-arabinofuranosidases and β-galactosidases and their synergistic action on an endogenous arabinogalactan-protein

Two β-galaclosidases (β-Galase-I and -II, EC 3.2.1.23) and two α-l -arabinofuranosidases (α-l -Arafase-I and -II. EC 3.2.1.55). were purified from mesophyll tissues of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), using chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, lactose-conjugated Sepharose CL-4B, and Sephadex G-100, or on hydroxylapatite and Sephadex G-150. The apparent molecular mass (M_r) of β-Galase-I and -II, respectively, were estimated to be 38 000 and 58 000 on SDS-PAGE and 64 000 and 60 000 on gel-permeation chromatography, indicating that the former was a dimeric protein. The isoelectric points of β-Galase-I and -II were 6.9 and 5.2, respectively. Both enzymes hydrolyzed maximally p-nitrophenyl (PNP) β-galactoside at pH 4.3, and were activated about 2-fold in the presence of BSA (100 μg ml^?1). The activity of both enzymes was inhibited strongly by heavy metal ions and p-chloromercuriberszoate (p-CMB). d -Galactono-(1→4)-lactone and d -galactal served as potent competitive inhibitors for the enzymes. β-Galase-I and -II could be distinguished from each other in their relative rates and kinetic properties in the hydrolysis of aryl β-galactosides as well as of lactose and galacto-oligosaccharides. In particular. β-Galase-I exhibited a preferential exowise cleavage of β-1,6-galactotriose and β-1.3-galactan. α-l -Arafase-l (M_r 118000) and -II (M, 68 000) were optimally active on PNP α-l -arabinofuranoside at pH 4.8 and gave K_m values of 1.2 and 2.2 mM. respectively. l -Arabino-(1 → 4)-lactone. Ag⁺, and SDS acted as inhibitors for the isozymes. α-l Arafase-I was characterized by its activity to hydrolyze PNP β-d -xylopyranoside besides PNP α-l -arabinofuranoside. inhibition by d -xylose and d -glucono-(1 → 5)-lactone. and less sensitivity to Hg²⁺. Cu²⁺, and p-CMB. Sugar beet arabinan was hydrolyzed rapidly by α-l Arafase-II at one-half the rate for PNP α-l arabinofuranoside, while the polysaccharide was less susceptible to α-l Arafase-I. A spinach leaf arabinogalactan-protein was practically resistant to the action of β-Galases, but its susceptibility to the enzymes increased remarkably after prior hydrolysis with α-l Arafase-Il.     

Arylsulfatases of human-lung tumors transplanted into athymic mice. Cancer-associated modification of arylsulfatase B variant

The activities and properties of arylsulfatase A and B from human lung carcinoma transplanted into athymic mice were demonstrated. The activities of arylsulfatase A and B from transplanted carcinomas with four histological types were more than twofold higher as compared to those from surgical tumors, except for arylsulfatase A activity in blastoma. Arylsulfatase B in transplanted tumors was almost completely replaced, except for blastoma, by an anionic B variant (B1) which was a minor component of arylsulfatase B in surgical lung tumor and absent in normal human lung. The properties of arylsulfatases A and B from transplanted tumors were essentially identical, respectively, with those from normal lung or surgical tumors in respect of molecular weight, heat stability, pH optimum, isoelectric point (pI), Km, time course profile and substrate specificity. Arylsulfatase B1 showed the properties similar to B enzyme except for net charge. The cause of the negative charge of tumor B1 enzyme was investigated. By the action of phosphatase, which was added exogenously or had been persistently included in the partially purified enzyme preparation, B1 enzyme (pI 7.5) shifted to about pI 8.2. Treatment of B1 enzyme with neuraminidase, concomitant with the endogenous phosphatase, resulted in marked increase (pI 9.5) of the isoelectric point, identical to that of arylsulfatase B. Thus, it is most probable that tumor B1 enzyme is modified by additional sialic acid and phosphate bound to arylsulfate B.     

Change of arthropod abundance in burned forests: Different patterns according to functional guilds

Forest fires are one of the most frequent and important causes of forest disturbances, the occurrence of which is globally increasing due to the effects of climate change. This study aimed to determine the impacts of fire and human activity on arthropod communities in affected forests. Twelve study sites in three burned areas were selected for this study. Intensities of disturbance in the study sites were characterized as follows: Disturbance Degree (DD) 0 (no fire), DD 1 (surface fire), DD 2 (crown fire), and DD 3 (crown fire followed by reforestation). Arthropods were collected using pitfall traps. Fourteen arthropod taxa (families, orders or classes), which are relatively homogeneous in their feeding habits and abundant, were analyzed. Depth of litter layer was selected as an environmental indicator for disturbance intensity, as it decreases linearly as the degree of disturbance increased. Changes of arthropod abundance in response to disturbance differed among functional guilds. As disturbance intensity increased, the abundance of detritivores decreased, but the abundance of herbivores increased. However, the abundance of predators varied between taxa. Formicidae and Araneae increased in disturbed sites, whereas Carabidae and Staphylinidae did not change. The abundance of Thysanura and Diptera was highly correlated with disturbance intensity, and may be suitable as a bioindicator for forest disturbance. Arthropod communities were more heterogeneous in forests of intermediate disturbance.     

An Arabinogalactan-protein from Rape Leaves

A l-fucose-containing arabinogalactan-protein that strongly inhibited hemagglutination by eel anti-H agglutinin of human O erythrocytes was purified from hot phosphate-buffered saline extracts of mature leaves of rape, Brassica campestris. The purified glycoconjugate consisted of 90% of the polysaccharide moiety comprising l-fucose, l-arabinose, d-galactose, 4-O-methyl-d-glucuronic acid, and d-glucuronic acid, and 4% of the hydroxyproline-rich protein portion. Upon methylation, periodate oxidation, and enzymatic degradation, we found that consecutive β-(→3)-linked d-galactopyranosyl residues constituted a backbone chain of the polysaccharide moiety, to which the side chains of β-(→6)-linked d-galactopyranosyl residues were attached through O-6. Most of l-arabinofuranosyl residues were linked as single units through 0-3 to the side chains while a small quantity of the sugar was present as (1→2)-, (1→3)-, or (1→5)-linked inter-chain residues. Single residues of α-l-fucopyranose, apparently attached to (1→2)-linked l-arabinofuranosyl residues, reacted with eel anti-H precipitin and Aleuria aurantia l-fucose-specific lectin, and were assumed to be crucial in the expression of the H-like activity. The uronosyl residues were also located at the non-reducing terminal ends. Reductive alkaline degradation of the arabinogalactan-protein provided indications that the polysaccharide chains were mainly conjugated through serine-O-glycosidic linkages to the polypeptide core. In an immunoprecipitation test, the rape leaf arabinogalactan-protein cross-reacted with antisera raised against radish leaf arabinogalactan-protein, indicating that these cruciferous arabinogalactan-proteins share common immunodeterminant(s) in their molecules.     

Effect of Cigarette Smoking and Passive Smoking on Hearing Impairment: Data from a Population–Based Study

Objectives

In the present study, we aimed to determine the effect of both active and passive smoking on the prevalence of the hearing impairment and the hearing thresholds in different age groups through the analysis of data collected from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES).

Study Design

Cross-sectional epidemiological study.

Methods

The KNHANES is an ongoing population study that started in 1998. We included a total of 12,935 participants aged ≥19 years in the KNHANES, from 2010 to 2012, in the present study. Pure-tone audiometric (PTA) testing was conducted and the frequencies tested were 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 kHz. Smoking status was categorized into three groups; current smoking group, passive smoking group and non-smoking group.

Results

In the current smoking group, the prevalence of speech-frequency bilateral hearing impairment was increased in ages of 40−69, and the rate of high frequency bilateral hearing impairment was elevated in ages of 30−79. When we investigated the impact of smoking on hearing thresholds, we found that the current smoking group had significantly increased hearing thresholds compared to the passive smoking group and non-smoking groups, across all ages in both speech-relevant and high frequencies. The passive smoking group did not have an elevated prevalence of either speech-frequency bilateral hearing impairment or high frequency bilateral hearing impairment, except in ages of 40s. However, the passive smoking group had higher hearing thresholds than the non-smoking group in the 30s and 40s age groups.

Conclusion

Current smoking was associated with hearing impairment in both speech-relevant frequency and high frequency across all ages. However, except in the ages of 40s, passive smoking was not related to hearing impairment in either speech-relevant or high frequencies.     

Positron emission tomography: measurement of the activity of second messenger systems

Phosphoinositide turnover is closely connected to modulation of synaptic function and is part of an important second messenger-producing system. New radioligands for imaging second messenger systems by positron emission tomography have been developed: carbon-11-labeled 1,2-diacylglycerols. The theoretical background of second messenger imaging is described in detail and the relation between the biologically active compounds and potential tracers for imaging second messenger systems is discussed. We report informative findings on postsynaptic biological responses in the living human brain of healthy normal subjects and with various diseases.     

Selective excretion of anti-inflammatory cytokine Interleukin-10 in a superantigen-inducing neonatal infectious disease

Neonatal toxic shock syndrome (TSS)-like exanthematous disease (NTED) is an emerging neonatal infectious disease caused by TSS toxin-1 (TSST-1). Although NTED and TSS are caused by the same superantigenic exotoxin, NTED is less severe than TSS. The mechanism of this reduced severity in NTED has not been elucidated. Thirteen patients with NTED were enrolled in the study. We investigated serum cytokine profile using a cytometric bead array system with a cytokine panel. Expression of Vβ2 and CD45RO in CD4⁺ T cells was investigated in mononuclear cells by using flowcytometry. Ten patients with other bacterial infections and eight patients without any infections were also enrolled as control groups. The mean serum level of IL-10 was 1209.9 pg/mL in patients with NTED at the time of admission into the study. The other inhibitory cytokine, IL-4, exhibited a minimum level. The high level of IL-10 rapidly decreased within 3–9 days of the onset of NTED. The cytokine profile of NTED, with its high IL-10 level, was clearly different from that of the other bacterial infections. The increased level of IL-10 seems to be related to the reduced severity of NTED. Th2 shift is not thought to be the cause of this IL-10 excretion.