Types of sesquiterpenes from Artemisia douglasiana

Artemisia douglasiana afforded, in addition to known compounds, two new C₁₄-acetylenes, five longipinene derivatives, three nerolidol derivatives, a lactone and a ketone with a new carbon skeleton and lavendulol-2-methylbutyrate. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and some chemical transformations. The configurations of several oxo longipinene-7, 9-di- and 7, 8, 9-triesters isolated previously were corrected. The biogenesis of the new lactones is discussed briefly.     

Effect of leptin on renal ischemia-reperfusion damage in rats

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) has been established as an important mediator in renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Leptin, a product of the ob gene, has been known to exhibit cytoprotective effects on renal tissue, but its effect on renal tissue TNF-alpha level after renal I/R injury in rats remains unknown. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of leptin on renal tissue TNF-alpha, malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyls (PCs) and total sulfydryl group (SH) levels, and plasma nitrite levels after renal I/R injury in rats. The animals were divided into three groups: control, I/R and I/R+leptin. Rats were subjected to renal ischemia by clamping the left pedicle for 45 min, and then reperfused for 1 h. The I/R+leptin group was pretreated intraperitoneally with leptin (10 microg/kg) 30 min before the induction of ischemia. Our results indicate that MDA, TNF-alpha levels, and PCs were significantly higher in the I/R group than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The administration of leptin decreased these parameters (p < 0.05) significantly. The SH level was observed to significantly decrease after I/R injury when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Leptin treatment significantly increased tissue SH and plasma nitrite levels when compared to the I/R group (p < 0.05). Plasma nitrite levels did not change significantly in I/R when compared to the control. These results suggest that leptin could exert a protective effect on I/R induced renal damage by decreasing TNF-alpha levels and increasing nitrite level.     

First isolation and molecular characterization of pseudorabies virus detected in Turkey

Background

Pigs are the main host species for the pseudorabies virus. It causes fatal encephalitis in many species, including humans. This article aims to report the first clinical case of pseudorabies as well as isolation and molecular characterization of the virus from a hunting dog in Bursa province, Turkey.

Methods and results

The dog shows clinical signs including pruritus and neurological signs such as stumbling and inability to stand up compatible with pseudorabies. The virus isolates were obtained from the supernatant of fresh tissue samples from the cerebellum, cornu ammonis, spleen, salivary gland, conjunctival swab, serum, and PBMC samples. The glycoprotein C region is targeted for viral DNA amplification. Pseudorabies virus genome detected both in fresh tissues and supernatants of third passage on Vero cells. The number of PCR positive samples was dramatically increased after cell culture inoculations. Genome sequencing of strain Bursa-10303, which was isolated from a non-endemic area, identified it to belong to clade A.

Conclusions

This study confirms the possible presence of pseudorabies infection in the wildlife reservoirs in Turkey. Future studies may clarify the importance of the infection in Turkey region, where there is no prevalent pig production.

     

Suppression of generalized seizures activity by intrathalamic 2-chloroadenosine application

In the present study, we investigated the effects of micro-injecting 2-chloroadenosine (2-CADO; an adenosine receptor agonist) into the thalamus alone and with theophylline (a nonspecific adenosine receptor antagonist) pretreatment on pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced tonic-clonic seizures in male Wistar albino rats. Following intrathalamic 2-CADO injection alone or theophylline pretreatment, 50 mg kg(-1) PTZ was given ip after 1 and 24 hrs. The duration of epileptic seizure activity was recorded by cortical electroencephalogram (EEG), and seizure severity was behaviorally scored. Intrathalamic 2-CADO administration induced significant decreases in both seizure duration and seizure severity scores at 1 and 24 hrs, but the effects were more abundant on the seizures induced after 24 hrs. On the other hand, pretreatment with theophylline prevented the inhibitor effect of 2-CADO on seizure activity and increased both seizure duration and seizure scores. Present results suggest that the activation of adenosine receptors in the thalamus may represent another anticonvulsant/modulatory site of adenosine action during the course of the PTZ-induced generalized tonic-clonic seizures and provide additional data for the involvement of the adenosinergic system in the generalized seizures model.     

Three prenylated flavanoids from Helichrysum athrixiifolium

Helichrysum athrixiifolium afforded in addition to known ones three new prenylated flavanoids, one chalcone and two flavanones.     

Effect of silicone oil on gibberellic acid production by Gibberella fujikuroi and Aspergillus niger

The effect of silicone oil on gibberellic acid production was investigated using Gibberella fujikuroi and Aspergillus niger fungi. Silicone oil was used as an oxygen vector in the gibberellic acid production process. When silicone oil was used, the concentration of gibberellic acid increased 4.6 and 6.7 times with respect to the control run having A. niger and G. fujikuroi microorganisms, respectively. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Takayasu's arteritis is associated with HLA-B*52, but not with HLA-B*51, in Turkey

Introduction

HLA-B*51 and HLA-B*52 are two close human leukocyte antigen (HLA) allele groups with minor amino acid differences. However, they are associated with two different vasculitides (HLA-B*51 in Behçet's disease and HLA-B*52 in Takayasu's arteritis (TAK)) and with major clinical and immunological differences. In this study, we aimed to screen a large cohort of TAK patients from Turkey for the presence of HLA-B*51 and HLA-B*52 as susceptibility and severity factors.

Methods

TAK patients (n = 330) followed at a total of 15 centers were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 37.8 years, and 86% were women. DNA samples from the patients and healthy controls (HC; n = 210) were isolated, and the presence of HLA-B*51 or HLA-B*52 was screened for by using PCR with sequence-specific primers.

Results

We found a significant association of HLA-B*52 with TAK (20.9% vs HC = 6.7%, P = 0.000, OR = 3.7, 95% CI = 2.02 to 6.77). The distribution of HLA-B*51 did not differ between TAK patients and HCs (22.7% vs 24.8%, OR = 0.9, 95% CI = 0.60 to 1.34). The presence of HLA-B*52 decreased in late-onset patients (> 40 years of age; 12.0%, P = 0.024, OR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.20 to 0.91). Patients with angiographic type I disease with limited aortic involvement also had a lower presence of HLA-B*52 compared to those with all other disease subtypes (13.1% vs 26%, P = 0.005, OR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.23 to 0.78).

Conclusions

In this study, the previously reported association of TAK with HLA-B*52 in other populations was confirmed in patients from Turkey. The functional relevance of HLA-B*52 in TAK pathogenesis needs to be explored further.     

New insights into the mycobacterial PE and PPE proteins provide a framework for future research

The PE and PPE proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis have been studied with great interest since their discovery. Named after the conserved proline (P) and glutamic acid (E) residues in their N-terminal domains, these proteins are postulated to perform wide-ranging roles in virulence and immune modulation. However, technical challenges in studying these proteins and their encoding genes have hampered the elucidation of molecular mechanisms and leave many open questions regarding the biological functions mediated by these proteins. Here, I review the shared and unique characteristics of PE and PPE proteins from a molecular perspective linking this information to their functions in mycobacterial virulence. I discuss how the different subgroups (PE_PGRS, PPE-PPW, PPE-SVP and PPE-MPTR) are defined and why this classification of paramount importance to understand the PE and PPE proteins as individuals and or groups. The goal of this MicroReview is to summarize and structure the existing information on this gene family into a simplified framework of thinking about PE and PPE proteins and genes. Thereby, I hope to provide helpful starting points in studying these genes and proteins for researchers with different backgrounds. This has particular implications for the design and monitoring of novel vaccine candidates and in understanding the evolution of the M. tuberculosis complex.