Tissue and serum TPA in subjects at risk for bladder cancer

We tested the presence of tumour polypeptide antigen (TPA) in lower urinary tract cells from 59 workers exposed to known bladder carcinogens and from 30 control subjects. We then correlated immunocytological expression and serum TPA levels. Lower urinary tract cells from 31 subjects gave either moderately or strongly positive immunocytological stains. Five also had high serum TPA. The detection of TPA by cytology and in serum differed significantly in workers exposed to cancer agents and the control group.     

Occurrence of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate inAzospirillum sp.

Azospirillum strains isolated from the roots and rhizosphere of some plants growing in West Bengal were subjected to qualitative and quantitative evaluation for poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) production. Out of the total 49 isolates, 13 (26%) were confirmed as PHB producers according to staining and chemical assay methods. The majority of these strains belonged toAzospirillum brasilense butA. amazonense andA. lipoferum were also present. When grown in the presence of NH₄Cl in the medium, the PHB content of the strains ranged from 1 to 14% of cell dry mass. The identity of the PHB extracted fromAzospirillum strain 24P-N-72 was confirmed by the characteristic UV and IR absorption peaks at 235 nm and 1730 cm⁻¹, respectively.     

Functional assignment to JEV proteins using SVM

Identification of different protein functions facilitates a mechanistic understanding of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection and opens novel means for drug development. Support vector machines (SVM), useful for predicting the functional class of distantly related proteins, is employed to ascribe a possible functional class to Japanese encephalitis virus protein. Our study from SVMProt and available JE virus sequences suggests that structural and nonstructural proteins of JEV genome possibly belong to diverse protein functions, are expected to occur in the life cycle of JE virus. Protein functions common to both structural and non-structural proteins are iron-binding, metal-binding, lipid-binding, copper-binding, transmembrane, outer membrane, channels/Pores - Pore-forming toxins (proteins and peptides) group of proteins. Non-structural proteins perform functions like actin binding, zinc-binding, calcium-binding, hydrolases, Carbon-Oxygen Lyases, P-type ATPase, proteins belonging to major facilitator family (MFS), secreting main terminal branch (MTB) family, phosphotransfer-driven group translocators and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) family group of proteins. Whereas structural proteins besides belonging to same structural group of proteins (capsid, structural, envelope), they also perform functions like nuclear receptor, antibiotic resistance, RNA-binding, DNA-binding, magnesium-binding, isomerase (intra-molecular), oxidoreductase and participate in type II (general) secretory pathway (IISP).     

Metabolic Syndrome Is Associated with Increased Oxo-Nitrative Stress and Asthma-Like Changes in Lungs

Epidemiological studies have shown an increased obesity-related risk of asthma. In support, obese mice develop airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). However, it remains unclear whether the increased risk is a consequence of obesity, adipogenic diet, or the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Altered L-arginine and nitric oxide (NO) metabolism is a common feature between asthma and metabolic syndrome that appears independent of body mass. Increased asthma risk resulting from such metabolic changes would have important consequences in global health. Since high-sugar diets can induce MetS, without necessarily causing obesity, studies of their effect on arginine/NO metabolism and airway function could clarify this aspect. We investigated whether normal-weight mice with MetS, due to high-fructose diet, had dysfunctional arginine/NO metabolism and features of asthma. Mice were fed chow-diet, high-fat-diet, or high-fructose-diet for 18 weeks. Only the high-fat-diet group developed obesity or adiposity. Hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycaemia, and hyperlipidaemia were common to both high-fat-diet and high-fructose-diet groups and the high-fructose-diet group additionally developed hypertension. At 18 weeks, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) could be seen in obese high-fat-diet mice as well as non-obese high-fructose-diet mice, when compared to standard chow-diet mice. No inflammatory cell infiltrate or goblet cell metaplasia was seen in either high-fat-diet or high-fructose-diet mice. Exhaled NO was reduced in both these groups. This reduction in exhaled NO correlated with reduced arginine bioavailability in lungs. In summary, mice with normal weight but metabolic obesity show reduced arginine bioavailability, reduced NO production, and asthma-like features. Reduced NO related bronchodilation and increased oxo-nitrosative stress may contribute to the pathogenesis.     

Presence and role of jasmonate in apple embryos

(-)Jasmonic acid (JA) was identified in extracts front embryos of apple (Mulus domestica) by combined gas chromatography-mass spectromelry. Quantification of JA in embryos isolated from seeds at different perexts of stratification by gas chromalography combined with mass spectrometry/selective ion monitoring indicated a sharp peak at day 30. At the same time the maximal ratio of conjugated to free JA was found by enzyme-linked imrnunosorbent assay (ELISA). Germination of embryo.s was stimulated by added JA and inhibited by salieylhydroxamic acid (SHAM, an inhibitor of lipoKygenase). Both stimulation and inhibition disappeared in embryos stratified for more than 30 days. Methyl jasmonate was more effective in stimulation of embryo germination than free JA. while JA-isoleucine inhibited germination. The possible mechanism responsible for changes in JA level as wel! as the role of JA and its conjugates in removal of dormancy in apple seeds are discussed.     

Determination of the size of the Azotobacter vinelandii chromosome

The chromosome of Azotobacter vinelandii UW was digested separately with the rape cutter restriction endonucleases Swal (5-ATTTAAAT), PmeI (5GTTTAAAC) and Pacl (5-TTAATTAA) and the products were separated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The size of the chromosome was determined to be approximately 4.5 megabase pairs (Mb) based on the sum of the sizes of the restriction fragments. This is almost the same as the size of the chromosome of Escherichia coli. The inability of the undigested DNA to enter the gel has led us to infer that the chromosome is circular.     

Arachidonic acid epoxidation: epoxyeicosatrienoic acids are endogenous constituents of rat liver

Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids have been isolated and purified from the livers of male rats. They were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometric techniques. These results expand the list of in vivo-produced eicosanoids. Their documented in vitro biological activities suggest a role for them in cell and tissue homeostasis.