Ail Proteins of Yersinia pestis and Y. pseudotuberculosis Have Different Cell Binding and Invasion Activities

The Yersinia pestis adhesin Ail mediates host cell binding and facilitates delivery of cytotoxic Yop proteins. Ail from Y. pestis and Y. pseudotuberculosis is identical except for one or two amino acids at positions 43 and 126 depending on the Y. pseudotuberculosis strain. Ail from Y. pseudotuberculosis strain YPIII has been reported to lack host cell binding ability, thus we sought to determine which amino acid difference(s) are responsible for the difference in cell adhesion. Y. pseudotuberculosis YPIII Ail expressed in Escherichia coli bound host cells, albeit at ∼50% the capacity of Y. pestis Ail. Y. pestis Ail single mutants, Ail-E43D and Ail-F126V, both have decreased adhesion and invasion in E. coli when compared to wild-type Y. pestis Ail. Y. pseudotuberculosis YPIII Ail also had decreased binding to the Ail substrate fibronectin, relative to Y. pestis Ail in E. coli. When expressed in Y. pestis, there was a 30–50% decrease in adhesion and invasion depending on the substitution. Ail-mediated Yop delivery by both Y. pestis Ail and Y. pseudotuberculosis Ail were similar when expressed in Y. pestis, with only Ail-F126V giving a statistically significant reduction in Yop delivery of 25%. In contrast to results in E. coli and Y. pestis, expression of Ail in Y. pseudotuberculosis led to no measurable adhesion or invasion, suggesting the longer LPS of Y. pseudotuberculosis interferes with Ail cell-binding activity. Thus, host context affects the binding activities of Ail and both Y. pestis and Y. pseudotuberculosis Ail can mediate cell binding, cell invasion and facilitate Yop delivery.     

Effect of neurotensin on pancreatic function in man

The effect of neurotensin on submaximally-stimulated hepatobiliary and pancreatic secretion was studied in 6 healthy subjects. An intravenous infusion of neurotensin 1.4 ± 0.3 pmol/kg/min, designed to reproduce plasma neurotensin immunoreactivity levels within the physiological range, produced a significant increase in pancreatic bicarbonate output. Plasma concentrations of pancreatic polypeptide rose by 83 ± 16 pmol/l and were associated with a small reduction in trypsin, but no significant change in bilirubin outputs.     

Biodiversity of 52 chicken populations assessed by microsatellite typing of DNA pools

In a project on the biodiversity of chickens funded by the European Commission (EC), eight laboratories collaborated to assess the genetic variation within and between 52 populations from a wide range of chicken types. Twenty-two di-nucleotide microsatellite markers were used to genotype DNA pools of 50 birds from each population. The polymorphism measures for the average, the least polymorphic population (inbred C line) and the most polymorphic population (Gallus gallus spadiceus) were, respectively, as follows: number of alleles per locus, per population: 3.5, 1.3 and 5.2; average gene diversity across markers: 0.47, 0.05 and 0.64; and proportion of polymorphic markers: 0.91, 0.25 and 1.0. These were in good agreement with the breeding history of the populations. For instance, unselected populations were found to be more polymorphic than selected breeds such as layers. Thus DNA pools are effective in the preliminary assessment of genetic variation of populations and markers. Mean genetic distance indicates the extent to which a given population shares its genetic diversity with that of the whole tested gene pool and is a useful criterion for conservation of diversity. The distribution of population-specific (private) alleles and the amount of genetic variation shared among populations supports the hypothesis that the red jungle fowl is the main progenitor of the domesticated chicken.     

Caffeoylquinic Acids,Cytotoxic, Antioxidant,Acetylcholinesterase and Tyrosinase Enzyme Inhibitory Activities of Six Inula Species from Bulgaria

Chlorogenic (5‐CQA), 1,5‐, 3,5‐, 4,5‐ and 3,4‐dicaffeoylquinic (DCQA) acids were identified and quantified in the methanol extracts of Inula oculus‐christi L., I. bifrons L., I. aschersoniana Janka var. aschersoniana, I. ensifolia L., I. conyza (Griess .) DC. and I. germanica L. by HPLC analysis. The amount of 5‐CQA varied from 5.48 to 28.44 mg/g DE and the highest content was detected in I. ensifolia. 1,5‐DCQA (4.05–55.25 mg/g DE) was the most abundant dicaffeoyl ester of quinic acid followed by 3,5‐DCQA, 4,5‐DCQA and 3,4‐DCQA. The extract of I. ensifolia showed the highest total phenolic content (119.92±0.95 mg GAE/g DE) and exhibited the strongest DPPH radical scavenging activity (69.41±0.55 %). I. bifrons extract was found to be the most active sample against ABTS^.+ (TEAC 0.257±0.012 mg/mL) and the best tyrosinase inhibitor. The studied extracts demonstrated a low inhibitory effect towards acetylcholinesterase and possessed low cytotoxicity in concentration range from 10 to 300 μg/mL toward non‐cancer (MDCK II) and cancer (A 549) cells.     

Crop photosynthesis for the twenty-first century

Photosynthesis Research -     

Protective effects of taxifolin on pazopanib-induced liver toxicity: an experimental rat model

Pazopanib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is generally used for the treatment of metastatic renal cell cancer and advanced soft tissue sarcoma. It can cause various degrees of hepatotoxicity. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of taxifolin on pazopanib-induced liver toxicity. A total of 18 rats were divided into three groups: the pazopanib (PP), pazopanib plus taxifolin (TPP), and control (C) group. Taxifolin was administered to the TPP (n=6) group with a dose of 50 mg/kg. Distilled water was orally admnistered to the C (n=6) and PP (n=6) groups as a solvent. Subsequently, pazopanib 200 mg/kg was administered to the TPP and PP groups via the stomach. This procedure was repeated once a day for four weeks. Then, all rats were sacrificed, and their livers were removed. Malondialdehyde (MDA), total glutathione (tGSH), total oxidant status (TOS), and total antioxidant status (TAS) levels were evaluated. MDA and TOS levels were higher in the PP group compared with the levels of the other parameters (P<0.001). tGSH and TAS levels were lower in the PP group than in the TPP and C groups (P<0.001), and the aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were higher. Furthermore, liver tissue damage, including hemorrhage, hydropic degeneration, and necrosis was observed in the PP group. Administration of taxifolin before pazopanib significantly improved degenerative changes. Our study demonstrated that the administration of taxifolin is significantly effective in preventing pazopanib-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.     

Effect of Metalaxyl on the incidence and severity of Pearl millet downy mildew disease in Northern Nigeria

Pearl millet downy mildew (DM) incidence, severity and yield losses of two pearl millet varieties (local and improved) due to the disease were determined in the field. Significant differences in the disease incidence and severity were recorded in the plots sown with metalaxyl-treated seeds and those sown with non-treated seeds, indicating the efficacy of the fungicide on the fungus. Yield losses due to non-treatment of seeds with metalaxyl was 40.88 and 45.39% in a local variety and 43.00 and 18.60% in an improved variety in the 2000 and 2001 cropping seasons respectively. Significant differences between plots sown with metalaxyl-treated and those sown with non-treated seeds were obtained for other yield components such as 1000-grains weight, panicle length and weight.     

N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine inhibits bleomycin induced apoptosis in malignant testicular germ cell tumors

Antioxidants may prevent apoptosis of cancer cells via inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, to date no study has been carried out to elucidate the effects of strong antioxidant N‐acetylcysteine (NAC) on Bleomycin induced apoptosis in human testicular cancer (NTERA‐2, NT2) cells. For this reason, we studied the effects of Bleomycin and NAC alone and in combination on apoptotic signaling pathways in NT2 cell line. We determined the cytotoxic effect of bleomycin on NT2 cells and measured apoptosis markers such as Caspase‐3, ‐8, ‐9 activities and Bcl‐2, Bax, Cyt‐c, Annexin V‐FTIC and PI levels in NT2 cells incubated with different agents for 24 h. Early apoptosis was determined using FACS assay. We found half of the lethal dose (LD₅₀) of Bleomycin on NT2 cell viability as 400, 100, and 20 µg/ml after incubations for 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. Incubation with bleomycin (LD₅₀) and H₂O₂ for 24 h increased Caspase‐3, ‐8, ‐9 activities, Cyt‐c and Bax levels and decreased Bcl‐2 levels. The concurrent incubation of NT2 cells with bleomycin/H₂O₂ and NAC (5 mM) for 24 h abolished bleomycin/H₂O₂‐dependent increases in Caspase‐3, ‐8, ‐9 activities, Bax and Cyt‐c levels and bleomycin/H₂O₂‐dependent decrease in Bcl‐2 level. Our results indicate that bleomycin/H₂O₂ induce apoptosis in NT2 cells by activating mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis, while NAC diminishes bleomycin/H₂O₂ induced apoptosis. We conclude that NAC has antagonistic effects on Bleomycin‐induced apoptosis in NT2 cells and causes resistance to apoptosis which is not a desired effect in eliminating cancer cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 114: 1685–1694, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.