Treatment of dye wastewater containing acid orange II using a cell with three-phase three-dimensional electrode

The removal of color and chemical oxygen demand (COD) from simulated dye wastewater containing Acid Orange II was experimentally investigated using coagulation-electrooxidation. Two kinds of coagulation methods, ferrous-mediated coagulation and electrocoagulation were tested as pretreatment. The electrooxidation was carried out in a cell with a three-phase three-dimensional electrode using granular activated carbon as particle electrodes. Particular attention was paid to probe the effect of cell voltage, airflow rate, solution conductivity and treatment time on the electrochemical treatment efficiency. The experimental results showed that the coagulation-electrooxidation process could efficiently remove the color and the COD from the simulated dye wastewater. The overall COD and color removal efficiencies reached as high as 99% and 87%, respectively, by ferrous coagulation (molar rate of Fe(II)/ dye: 0.5) and 30-min electrolysis (cell voltage: 20.0 V and airflow: 0.1 m3 h(-1)).

An ER retention signal explains differences in surface expression of NMDA and AMPA receptor subunits

The molecular mechanisms that control the surface expression of NMDA receptors (NMDARs) and AMPA receptors (AMPARs) are unknown. To determine the role of the intracellular C-terminal tails of glutamate receptor subunits in the synaptic targeting of AMPARs and NMDARs, we fused the tails of the AMPAR subunits, GluR1 and GluR2, and the NMDAR subunit, NR1, to the human T lymphocyte membrane protein CD8 and expressed these constructs in HEK293 cells and cultured hippocampal neurons. The GluR1 and GluR2 fusion proteins exhibited robust surface expression in the plasma membrane of neurons at synapses as did CD8 alone. In contrast, the NR1 fusion protein was retained intracellularly in both HEK293 cells and neurons because of the presence of an ER retention signal in the C1 cassette. This ER retention signal was overridden either by the addition of a PDZ domain-binding motif or by mimicking phosphorylation at a site adjacent to the retention signal. These results provide further evidence that the intracellular trafficking of AMPAR and NMDAR subunits are regulated independently at least in part because of differences in the protein-protein interactions of their intracellular C-terminal tails.

A study of factors related to the incidence of cataract in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

PURPOSE

To investigate the factors related to the development of cataract in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus(NIDDM).

METHODS

792 NIDDM patients received ophthalmologic examinations including visual acuity, external status of the eyes, slit lamp microscopy and ophthalmoscopy. Glucose, urea nitrogen(BUN), creatinine(Cr), urine acid(UA), N-acetyl-beta 2-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), beta 2-microglobulin(beta 2-MG) and serum albumin in blood were quantitatively tested. Glucose, pH value, protein, cells, cast and ketobodies in urine were assayed. Diagnosis of cataract was based on lens opacities classification system II. Any patient meeting "NII", "CII" or "PII" level was diagnosed as cataract.

RESULTS

The incidence of cataract in this group of NIDDM was 62.37% (494/792), which significantly related to the duration of the disease course, but not to the sex of the patient. The occurrence rate of cataract in patients suffering from NIDDM of less than five years duration, from five to ten years, and more than ten years was 49.67% (228/459), 71.84% (125/174), and 88.68% (141/159), respectively. The occurrence of cataract in patients diagnosed of the disease from five to ten years and more than ten years was much higher than that of those with the course of the disease less than five years(P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively). Rising concentrations of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, glycosylated hemoglobin HbA1c(G-HbA1c), N-acetyl-beta 2-D-glucosaminidase(NAG) and beta 2-microglobulin(beta 2-MG) indicated malfunction of the kidneys, and the rate of cataract occurrence in these patients was higher.

CONCLUSION

This study indicates that prolongation of the duration of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, renal dysfunction, as well as poor blood glucose control, may accelerate the development of cataract.

Nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) mutation in Dahl/Rapp rats decreases enzyme stability

The pathogenesis of salt-sensitive hypertension remains poorly defined, but a role for nitric oxide (NO) has been suggested. The Dahl/Rapp salt-sensitive rat possesses a defect in NO synthesis that is overcome by supplementation with L-arginine, which increases NO and cGMP production and prevents salt-sensitive hypertension. An S714P mutation of inducible NO synthase (NOS2) was subsequently identified. The current report examined the functional significance of an S714P mutation in NOS2. COS-7 cells were transiently transfected with cDNA of wild-type NOS2 and S714P and S714A mutants of NOS2, and enzyme function was determined. Whereas steady-state mRNA levels did not differ, immunoblot analysis demonstrated decreased levels of NOS2 protein. Metabolic labeling experiments confirmed a reduced half-life of the S714P mutation. Nitrite production, which was dependent on the concentration of L-arginine in the medium, was diminished in cells transfected with the S714P mutant, compared with the wild type and the S714A mutant. These data provide a biochemical explanation of the physiological abnormalities of NOS2 in the Dahl/Rapp salt-sensitive rat and suggest that a posttranslational mechanism involving the proteasome may be responsible for the diminished NO production observed in response to increased dietary salt intake in these animals.

Fibrinogen biosynthesis. Assembly, intracellular degradation, and association with lipid synthesis and secretion

Plasma fibrinogen is synthesized primarily in hepatocytes and assembly of the three component chains (A alpha, B beta, and gamma) into its final form as a six-chain dimer (A alpha, B beta, gamma)2 occurs rapidly in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Assembly takes place in a stepwise manner with single chains interacting with each other to form A alpha-gamma and B beta-gamma complexes. The two-chain complexes then acquire another chain to form half-molecules (A alpha, B beta, gamma)1, which in a final step are linked to form the six-chain (A alpha, B beta, gamma)2 complex. As with other secreted glycoproteins, N-linked glycosylation of B beta and gamma chains commences in the ER and is completed in Golgi organelles. Sulfation and phosphorylation occur at post-ER stages of the secretory process. Since some ER chaperones coisolate with nascent fibrinogen chains they have been implicated in assisting chain assembly. Studies with recombinant systems, using deletion and substitution mutants, indicate that initial chain assembly depends on hydrophobic interactions present in the C-terminal half of the coil-coil domains and that inter- and intra-disulfide bonds that stabilize fibrinogen are needed to complete chain assembly. Not all the chains that are synthesized are assembled into fibrinogen and the unassembled chains are not secreted. HepG2 cells contain surplus A alpha and gamma chains that accumulate as free gamma chains and as an A alpha-gamma complex. A alpha-gamma is degraded by lysosomes whereas the gamma chain is degraded by the proteasome-ubiquitin system. Studies with expression of single chains by COS cells confirm that gamma and B beta are hydrolyzed by proteasomes and indicate that A alpha is degraded partially both by lysosomes and proteasomes. The role of surplus chains in regulating fibrinogen assembly is not understood but overexpression of any one chain, elicited by transfection of HepG2 cells, results in the upregulation of the other two genes, increased fibrinogen synthesis and secretion, and maintenance of surplus intracellular A alpha and gamma chains. HepG2 cells, programmed in this manner to increase basal fibrinogen expression, have higher HMG-CoA reductase mRNA levels, enhanced cholesterol and cholesterol ester synthesis, and increased secretion of apolipoprotein B (apoB). Overexpression of basal levels of fibrinogen does not affect synthesis of other acute phase proteins. Enhanced secretion of apoB is due to diminished degradation of nascent apoB by proteasomes and not to increased expression. Increased secretion of apoB is associated with increased basal expression of fibrinogen and is not affected when fibrinogen expression is stimulated by interleukin-6. In HepG2 cells, a feedback mechanism exists and extracellular sterols specifically downregulate expression of the three fibrinogen genes. These studies link, at the cellular level, basal fibrinogen expression with lipid metabolism.

The HIV Tat protein transduction domain improves the biodistribution of beta-glucuronidase expressed from recombinant viral vectors

Treatment of inherited genetic diseases of the brain remains an intractable problem. Methods to improve the distribution of enzymes that are injected or expressed from transduced cells will be required for many human brain therapies. Recent studies showed that a peptide, the protein transduction domain (PTD) from HIV Tat, could improve the distribution of cytoplasmic reporter proteins when administered systemically as fusion proteins or cross-linked chimeras. The utility of this motif for noncytoplasmic proteins has not been determined. Here, we tested how the Tat motif affected uptake and biodistribution of the lysosomal enzyme beta-glucuronidase, the protein deficient in the disease mucopolysaccharidosis VII, when expressed from viral vectors. The Tat motif allowed for mannose-6-phosphate (M6P) independent uptake in vitro and significantly increased the distribution of beta-glucuronidase secreted from transduced cells after intravenous or direct brain injection in mice of recombinant vectors. Thus, enzymes modified to contain protein transduction motifs may represent a general strategy for improving the distribution of secreted proteins following in vivo gene transfer.

Differential degradation of the three fibrinogen chains by proteasomes: involvement of Sec61p and cytosolic Hsp70

HepG2 cells, which synthesize and secrete fibrinogen, accumulate surplus Aalpha and gamma chains. The nonsecreted fibrinogen chains are degraded both by proteasomes and lysosomes, with unassembled chains primarily degraded by proteasomes and an Aalpha-gamma complex by lysosomes. To further determine the mechanisms by which unassembled fibrinogen chains are degraded, and to explain the pools of Aalpha and gamma chains that occur in HepG2 cells, the association of fibrinogen chains with Sec61beta, a component of the translocon, and with a cytosol chaperone, Hsp70, was studied in both HepG2 cells and COS cells expressing single fibrinogen chains. Retrotranslocation from the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum was shown by treatment with MG132, a proteasome inhibitor. MG132 caused glycosylated Bbeta to accumulate on Sec61beta in COS cells expressing Bbeta and acted similarly with all three fibrinogen chains in HepG2 cells. In HepG2 cells, Bbeta was associated with Sec61beta ahead of Aalpha and gamma chains, suggesting that pools of Aalpha and gamma chains may be caused by unequal rates of retrotranslocation. In COS cells, retrotranslocation into the cytoplasm was demonstrated by the ATP-sensitive association of ubiquitinylated Aalpha, Bbeta, and gamma chains bound to Hsp70. More Aalpha and gamma than Bbeta accumulated on Hsp70 of HepG2 cells, consistent with more rapid degradation of Bbeta. Overexpression of Hsp70 in HepG2 cells resulted in decreased secretion, but not synthesis, of fibrinogen. Decreased secretion may be due to enhanced degradation of unassembled fibrinogen chains, indicating that proteolysis by proteasomes might regulate both the intracellular pools of fibrinogen chains and fibrinogen secretion.

Actions of the soy phytoestrogen genistein in models of human chronic disease: potential involvement of transforming growth factor beta

The structural similarity, but non-identity, between 17beta-oestradiol and the soy phytoestrogen genistein suggests that the two compounds will have actions that may be identical in some target biological systems, but different in others. Epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated proliferation of human mammary epithelial cells (that do not express the oestrogen receptor) was significantly suppressed at genistein concentrations (5-10 microM) that are attainable physiologically. Others have shown previously that transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) has similar growth-inhibitory effects on human cells. Analysis of the conditioned medium of human mammary epithelial cells exposed to genistein plus EGF showed increased levels of TGFbeta relative to those in the medium of cells exposed to EGF or genistein alone. Related experiments in a primate model of menopause demonstrated that ingestion of soy containing isoflavones was correlated with the suppression of neurodegeneration-relevant phosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein tau, while intake of Premarin (a hormone replacement therapy that is commonly prescribed for women) was not correlated. The results discussed here indicate that genistein, and probably other related phytoestrogens, have pleiotropic actions, some of which may involve TGFbeta activity.

[Clinical and pathological characteristics of head and neck malignant melanoma]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics of head and neck malignant melanoma.

METHODS

Sixty-eight cases of head and neck malignant melanoma were reviewed. There were 33 patients with melanoma in the nasal cavity and oral cavity, 35 patients with melanoma in the skin. The age fastigium of the patients was from 41 to 60 years. Surgical specimens in 52 cases and biopsy specimens in 16 cases were studied pathologically. S-100, HMB45 and NSE were examined immunohistochemically.

RESULTS

Histopathology studies showed that the cell morphology was pleomorphic as well as polymorphic both in shape and size of the cells. Immunohistochemical studies helped diagnosis as all of the 42 melanoma specimens were posture for S-100 and 90.5% positive for HMB45. In 52 of the 68 cases, the tumor was excised surgically, with additional radiotherapy in 13 cases or chemotherapy in 21 cases. Ten cases were treated with radiotherapy alone. In 56 patients followed-up, 12 survived for 5 years, including 9 cases of skin melanoma and 3 cases of nasal and oral melanoma.

CONCLUSION

The histo-pathological features of malignant melanoma vary significantly. Immunohistochemical staining helps diagnosis and differential diagnosis. The prognosis of malignant melanoma in nasal cavity and oral cavity is poor as compared to that in the skin of head and neck region.

[A comparison between a submerged membrane bioreactor and a conventional activated sludge process]

A comparison between a submerged membrane bioreactor (MBR) and a conventional activated sludge process (CAS) was carried out under similar operational conditions. MBR demonstrated a more stable and excellent effluent quality than CAS. Its effluent COD concentration was 55.5 mg/L on average, much lower than that of CAS (79.7 mg/L). Soluble microbial products accumulated in the MBR during the first 120 days in operation due to membrane interception of macromolecules, but these accumulated substances were degraded at last with microbial acclimation. No similar phenomenon was observed in the CAS system. Compositions of the CAS effluent, MBR supernatant and membrane permeate were found quite different. In the CAS effluent and MBR supernatant, both macromolecules with MW > 60,000 and small molecules with MW < 3,000 were dominant and macromolecules had a much larger occupation in the MBR supernatant. In the membrane permeate, however, small molecules with MW < 3,000 were the major component. The relatively small floc size in the MBR was proved favorable to improve oxygen transfer rate.

AsMamDB: an alternative splice database of mammals

The objective of database AsMamDB is to facilitate the systematic study of alternatively spliced genes of mammals. Version 1.0 of AsMamDB contains 1563 alternatively spliced genes of human, mouse and rat, each associated with a cluster of nucleotide sequences. The main information provided by AsMamDB includes gene alternative splicing patterns, gene structures, locations in chromosomes, products of genes and tissues where they express. Alternative splicing patterns are represented by multiple alignments of various gene transcripts and by graphs of their topological structures. Gene structures are illustrated by exon, intron and various regulatory elements distributions. There are 4204 DNAs, 3977 mRNAs, 8989 CDSs and 126 931 ESTs in the current database. More than 130 000 GenBank entries are covered and 4443 MEDLINE records are linked. DNA, mRNA, exon, intron and relevant regulatory element sequences are provided in FASTA format. More information can be obtained by using the web-based multiple alignment tool Asalign and various category lists. AsMamDB can be accessed at http://166.111.30.65/ASMAMDB.html.

Recombinant human adenovirus: targeting to the human transferrin receptor improves gene transfer to brain microcapillary endothelium

Some inborn errors of metabolism due to deficiencies of soluble lysosomal enzymes cause global neurodegenerative disease. Representative examples include the infantile and late infantile forms of the ceroid lipofuscinoses (CLN1 or CLN2 deficiency, respectively) and mucopolysaccharidoses type VII (MPS VII), a deficiency of beta-glucuronidase. Treatment of the central nervous system component of these disorders will require widespread protein or enzyme replacement, either through dissemination of the protein or through dissemination of a gene encoding it. We hypothesize that transduction of brain microcapillary endothelium (BME) with recombinant viral vectors, with secretion of enzyme product basolaterally, could allow for widespread enzyme dissemination. To achieve this, viruses should be modified to target the BME. This requires (i) identification of a BME-resident target receptor, (ii) identification of motifs targeted to that molecule, (iii) the construction of modified viruses to allow for binding to the target receptor, and (iv) demonstrated transduction of receptor-expressing cells. In proof of principal experiments, we chose the human transferrin receptor (hTfR), a molecule found at high density on human BME. A nonamer phage display library was panned for motifs which could bind hTfR. Forty-three clones were sequenced, most of which contained an AKxxK/R, KxKxPK/R, or KxK motif. Ten peptides representative of the three motifs were cloned into the HI loop of adenovirus type 5 fiber. All motifs tested retained their ability to trimerize and bind transferrin receptor, and seven allowed for recombinant adenovirus production. Importantly, the fiber-modified viruses facilitated increased gene transfer (2- to 34-fold) to hTfR expressing cell lines and human brain microcapillary endothelia expressing high levels of endogenous receptor. Our data indicate that adenoviruses can be modified in the HI loop for expanded tropism to the hTfR.

[The relationship between Epstein-Barr-virus infection and expression of p53, Bcl-2 and C-myc gene in lung cancer]

BACKGROUND

To investigate the infection rate of EBV and the expression of p53, Bcl-2 and C-myc gene in lung cancer, to explore the relation between EBV and oncogenesis of lung cancer , and the relation between EBV and expression of p53, Bcl-2 and C-myc.

METHODS

Forty-eight cases of excised specimen of lung cancer, 2 of lungmetastatic leiomyosar coma, 1 of tuberculoma, 18 of paraneoplastic bronchial mucosa tissue, and 14 of normal lung tissue were analyzed. EBV DNA of the fresh tissue was detected with PCR, and indirect in situ PCR was used to observe the reaction site of EBV DNA, and immunohistochemistry (SABC) was used to detect the expression of p53, Bcl-2, and C-myc gene.

RESULTS

Twenty-five cases of the 48 lung cancer had positive staining of EBV DNA and 75% of squamous cell carcinoma showed positive staining of EBV DNA. The positive staining of EBV DNA was closely related to histological classfication of lung cancer ( P < 0. 01) . The positive rate of EBV DNA in paraneoplastic bronchial mucosa tissues and normal pulmonary tissues was 61. 11%( 11/ 18) and 28. 5%( 4/ 14) respectively ( P < 0. 01) . The positive rate of p53, Bcl-2 and C-myc expression in lung cancer tissues was 54. 17%, 37. 5% and 75% respectively. The expression of p53 and Bcl-2 was closely related to histological classification ( P < 0. 05) . The positive rate of p53, Bcl-2 and C-myc expression in patients with positive EBV DNA was significantly higher than that in patients with negative EBV DNA (P < 0. 05) .

CONCLUSIONS

Lung cancer has high EBV infection. EBV infection may play an important role in the oncogenesis of lung cancer, which might bring about through activating some oncogenes.

Enhanced secretion of ApoB by transfected HepG2 cells overexpressing fibrinogen

HepG2 cells stably transfected with cDNA-encoding single fibrinogen chains overexpress fibrinogen and have increased (4-fold) secretion of apolipoprotein B. Overexpression of fibrinogen does not affect the secretion of three representative acute-phase proteins but causes a small increase in albumin secretion. Enhanced apolipoprotein B secretion is due to less intracellular degradation and not to increased expression. The increased secretion of apolipoprotein B is independent of the acute-phase response, since stimulation of fibrinogen gene expression by interleukin 6 did not affect secretion. HepG2 cells overexpressing fibrinogen chains had increased 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase mRNA levels, enhanced cholesterol production but normal levels of triglyceride and phospholipid synthesis and of sterol response binding proteins. These results, that associate overexpression of fibrinogen with enhance apolipoprotein B secretion, may be significant since epidemiological studies indicate that elevated levels of fibrinogen and lipids are independent risk factors in coronary artery disease.

A simple method for the rapid generation of recombinant adenovirus vectors

Recombinant adenoviruses are useful vectors for basic research. When the vectors are used for delineating protein function, several viruses, each containing a mutated version of the transgene are compared at the same time. However, methods to generate multiple vectors simultaneously within a short time period are cumbersome. In this report, we show that a novel backbone plasmid, when cotransfected with routinely used shuttle vectors into HEK293 cells allowed for production of recombinant viruses in an average of 14 days. The recombinant viruses had no detectable wild-type virus contamination by A549 plaque assay and only three to 300 E1a copies per 109 adenovirus genomes by a sensitive PCR-based assay. Further culturing or serial amplification did not result in wild-type revertants nor did cultures show increased levels of E1a copy number by quantitative PCR. Thus, recombinant adenovirus vectors can be produced very simply, rapidly and with little to no contaminating wild-type particles. This system should facilitate the generation of multiple genetic variants by eliminating the need for time-consuming plaque purification and the need to manipulate and screen very large plasmids. We call this the RAPAd.I system.

Potentiation of benzo[a]pyrene-induced pulmonary and forestomach tumorigenesis in mice by D,L-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine-mediated tissue glutathione depletion

In vitro studies have suggested that the glutathione (GSH) S-transferase (GST)-catalyzed GSH conjugation is an important mechanism for the detoxification of (+)-anti-7,8-dihydroxy-9, 10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene [(+)-anti-BPDE], which is the activated form of the widespread environmental pollutant benzo[a]pyrene (BP). However, in vivo experimental evidence for the importance of GSH/GST system in defense against carcinogenic effects of BP is lacking. We hypothesized that if GSH/GST were to play an important role in the detoxification of (+)-anti-BPDE, the tumorigenic activity of BP would be increased by depleting the levels of GSH, which is the required nucleophilic substrate for GST-catalyzed conjugation reactions. In the present study, we have tested the above hypothesis by determining the effect of D, L-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine (BSO)-mediated tissue GSH depletion on BP-induced tumorigenesis of the lung and forestomach in female A/J mice. Treatment of mice with three i.p. injections of 2.5 mmol BSO/kg (12 h apart) plus 20 mM BSO in drinking water, resulted in a statistically significant reduction in hepatic, pulmonary and forestomach GSH levels. At the same time, BSO-administration caused a statistically significant increase in BP-induced pulmonary and forestomach tumor multiplicity. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first report that provides in vivo experimental evidence for the importance of GSH/GST system in cellular protection against carcinogenic effects of BP.

[Expression of telomerase activity in human lung cancer.]

BACKGROUND

To investigate the expression of telomerase activity in lung cancer tissue and the correlation with the oncogenesis , progression and metastasis of lung cancer.

METHODS

Telomerase activity in specimens obtained by fiberbrochoscopy from 29 patients with suspected lung cancer was detected by polymerase chain reaction-ELISA.

RESULTS

The telomerase activity was positive in 18 cases of primary lung cancer and the positive rate was 81. 81 %(18/ 22) . Two of other seven specimens were positive for telomerase activity. Twelve lung cancer cases with lymph node metastasis showed positive expression , whereas only 6 of 10 cases without lymph node metastasis showed positive expression.

CONCLUSIONS

Telomerase activity may be useful both as a diagnostic marker to detect the existence of lung cancer and as a potential of high risk for lymph node metastasis.

Isolation of cDNAs encoding gibbon and monkey platelet and T cell activation antigen 1 (PTA1)

Human platelet and T cell activation antigen 1 (PTA1) is a 67kDa type I transmembrane glycoprotein mainly expressed on the surface of activated T cells and platelets, and is involved in the development of human cytotoxic T cell (CTL) as well as platelet activation and aggregation. We have cloned and sequenced gibbon PTA1 (gPTA1) and monkey PTA1 (mPTA1) cDNAs by RT-PCR from gibbon leukemic cell line MLA 144 and PHA-induced Rhesus monkey PBMC respectively. The mature proteins of gPTA1, mPTA1 and human PTA1 (hPTA1) share 93-95% amino acid similarity with the highest similarity in domain 1 of extracellular region. All the important features of PTA1 molecule are conserved among these Primates: (1) the ORF encoding 336 amino acid residues including signal sequence (18aa), extracellular region (232aa), transmembrane sequence (25aa) and cytoplasmic region (61aa); (2) two conserved pairs of Cys (Cys19 to Cys90 and Cys134 to Cys204) forming disulfide bonds stabilizing the two immunoglobulin superfamily V-like domains; (3) eight putative N-linked glycosylation sites (except gPTA1 with nine sites) and three O-linked glycosylation sites in extracellular region; and (4) predicated protein kinase C phosphorylation sites (Thr275 and Ser311), casein kinase II sites (Ser295 and The299) and the potential tyrosine phosphorylation site (Tyr304). These data indicate that PTA1 molecule is highly conserved among the Primates and may play important roles in immune response.

Biochemical mechanism of cross-resistance to paclitaxel in a mitomycin c-resistant human bladder cancer cell line

9-fold more resistant to mitomycin C (MMC) than parental cells (J82/WT). The IC(50) values for paclitaxel in J82/WT and J82/MMC-2 cell lines were 0.7+/-0.03 and 2.8+/-0.7 microM, respectively (P<0. 05). Thus, the J82/MMC-2 cell line exhibited 4-fold cross-resistance to paclitaxel compared with J82/WT. Intracellular accumulation of [(3)H]paclitaxel was comparable in J82/WT and J82/MMC-2 cell lines. There were no qualitative or quantitative differences between the J82/WT and J82/MMC-2 cell lines in terms of their alpha-tubulin and beta-tubulin contents. Paclitaxel-induced apoptosis could not be detected in either cell line over a wide range of drug concentrations. These results indicate that cross-resistance to paclitaxel in the J82/MMC-2 cell line is not linked to reduced drug accumulation, increased drug efflux, alterations in tubulin content or reduced paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. Paclitaxel-induced DNA strand breakage, however, determined by alkaline elution, was markedly lower in the J82/MMC-2 cell line than in J82/WT. These results suggest that paclitaxel cross-resistance in J82/MMC-2 may be attributed to reduced paclitaxel-induced DNA strand breakage. The precise mechanism of reduced paclitaxel-induced DNA strand breakage in J82/MMC-2 cell line relative to J82/WT cells, however, remains to be elucidated.

Neural crest-derived defects in experimental esophageal atresia

Esophageal atresia (EA) is often associated with cardiovascular and other malformations that are likely neural crest derived. The present study tests the hypothesis that the heart and great vessels and the thymus and parathyroids may be abnormal in the rat model of EA as a result of disturbed neural crest development. Time-mated pregnant rats received intraperitoneally on d 8 and 9 of gestation either 2 mg/kg adriamycin or vehicle. Esophageal, heart, and thymic malformations were sought under the microscope in term fetuses. The parathyroids were histologically investigated. Control fetuses had no malformations, whereas 69 of 109 fetuses exposed to adriamycin had EA and 45 of 69 had 15 right aortic arches, nine aberrant right subclavia, eight ventricular septal defects, six narrow pulmonary outflow tracts, five tetralogies of Fallot, three double outflow right ventricles, three double aortic arches, three atrial septal defects, three right ductus arteriosus, and two truncus. The thymus was absent in 19, hypoplastic in 12, and ectopic in five out of 36 fetuses with EA in which it was studied, whereas the parathyroid glands were absent in 16, single in four, and ectopic in one of the 23 fetuses with EA in which they were studied. In conclusion, the nature of the cardiovascular, thymic, and parathyroid malformations associated with EA in rats is consistent with the hypothesis of neural crest participation in their pathogenesis. Mechanisms simultaneously disturbing foregut septation, somitic segmentation, and neural crest development should be sought to explain the combined occurrence of malformations in EA.

Reporter gene imaging: effects of ganciclovir treatment on nucleoside uptake, hypoxia and perfusion in a murine gene therapy tumour model that expresses herpes simplex type-1 thymidine kinase

Perfusion, hypoxia and nucleoside uptake during ganciclovir therapy were determined in a murine HSV-1 TK-expressing tumour model (KBALB-STK). HSV-1 TK mRNA transcription in this cell line was confirmed by RT-PCR. BALB/c mice bearing KBALB-STK tumours accumulated (E)-5-(2-[125I]iodovinyl)-2'-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine ([125I]IVFRU) (2.54% injected dose.g-1) and could be readily detected with planar imaging following administration of [131I]IVFRU. However, a single dose of ganciclovir (100 mg.kg-1 intraperitoneally) decreased tumour uptake of [125I]IVFRU to 0.33% injected dose.g-1. Subsequent single daily doses of ganciclovir over 3 consecutive days had a negligible effect on [125I]IVFRU uptake, which remained low. Tumour perfusion during 3 days of ganciclovir treatment was monitored with intravenous [99Tcm]HMPAO. Tumour perfusion increased from day 0 (no ganciclovir treatment) with 1.83% injected dose.g-1 tumour, to a maximum at day 2 (3.77% injected dose.g-1). In the same animals, accumulation of [3H]misonidazole decreased from 0.70% injected dose.g-1 at day 0 to a minimum at day 3 (0.24% injected dose.g-1), indicating that tumour tissue had become less hypoxic over the ganciclovir regimen. The uptake of [125I]IVFRU into the acid insoluble fraction of KBALB-STK cells in vitro in the presence of ganciclovir (2.0 microM) was completely inhibited, leading to a 57% decrease in total cellular accumulation of radioactivity. However, cytosolic entrapment of [125I]IVFRU was not affected by the presence of ganciclovir. These results indicate that the mechanisms leading to IVFRU exclusion during ganciclovir treatment of HSV-1 TK-expressing tumours can be attributed, at least partially, to inhibition of [125I]IVFRU-nucleotide incorporation into DNA.

Attenuation of neurodegeneration-relevant modifications of brain proteins by dietary soy

Epidemiological studies show that postmenopausal women who undertake estrogen-replacement therapy have significantly lower risk for the onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD) than women who do not. Animal behavior studies have shown that ovariectomy results in the development of cognitive dysfunction that is prevented by estrogen-replacement, suggesting that normal mammalian cognitive function is impaired by estrogen reduction. Soy isoflavones in particular genistein have been demonstrated to have weak and selective estrogenic actions in various models of human chronic diseases. A hallmark of several human dementias including AD and fronto temporal dementia with Parkinsonism on chromosome 17 (FTDP-17) is the hyperphosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Preliminary experiments are discussed here which show that isoflavones delivered in a soy protein matrix attenuated selected AD-relevant tau phosphorylations in a primate model of menopause. The rationale is discussed for the use of soy-based foods for protection against postmenopausal neurodegeneration.

Transcranial Doppler characteristics in persistent vegetative status, locked-in syndrome and brain death

AIM

Comparison of the transcranial Doppler (TCD) characteristics of cerebral circulation in persistent vegetative status (PVS), locked-in syndrome and brain death patients.

METHODS

Using TCD ultrasound to detect the flow velocity and waveform patterns of middle cerebral artery (MCA) and basilar artery (BA) in patients with PVS, locked-in syndrome and brain death.

RESULTS

The mean velocities of middle cerebral artery (Vmca) and basilar artery (Vba) were 30.0 cm/s and 24.3 cm/s in PVS patients respectively, which decreased 45.0% and 14.4% in comparing with normal value. For patients with locked-in syndrome, Vmca and Vba were 49.7 cm/s and 9.8 cm/s, which decreased 5.0% and 61.7% than the normal value respectively. These results showed that the decrease of anterior circulation was predominant in PVS, and the decrease of posterior circulation was predominant in locked-in syndrome. A unique diastolic reverse flow, short peak systolic wave or undetectable flow signal in middle cerebral artery were predominant in brain death patients, which was completely different from that of either PVS or locked-in syndrome.

CONCLUSION

TCD was a valuable tool in distinguishing PVS, locked-in syndrome and brain death patients according to the differences in velocities and patterns of anterior and posterior cerebral arteries.

Mortality risks of peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis

Studies of outcomes associated with dialysis therapies have yielded conflicting results. Bloembergen et al showed that prevalent patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) or continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis (CCPD) had a 19% higher mortality risk than hemodialysis patients, and Fenton et al, analyzing Canadian incident patients, found a 27% lower risk. Attempting to reconcile these differences, we evaluated incident Medicare patients (99,048 on hemodialysis, 18,110 on CAPD/CCPD) from 1994 through 1996, following up to June 30, 1997. Patients were followed to transplantation, death, loss to follow-up, 60 days after modality change, or end of the study period. For each 3-month survival period, we used an interval Poisson regression to compare death rates, adjusting for age, gender, race, and primary renal diagnosis. A Cox regression was used to evaluate cause-specific mortality, and proportionality was addressed in both regressions by separating diabetic and nondiabetic patients. The Poisson regressions showed CAPD/CCPD to have outcomes comparable with or significantly better than hemodialysis, although results varied over time. The Cox regression found a lower mortality risk in nondiabetic CAPD/CCPD patients (women younger than 55 years: risk ratio [RR] = 0. 61; Cl, 0.59 to 0.66; women age 55 years or older: RR = 0.87; Cl, 0. 84 to 0.91; men younger than 55 years: RR = 0.72; Cl, 0.67 to 0.77; men age 55 years or older: RR = 0.87; Cl, 0.83 to 0.92) and in diabetic CAPD/CCPD patients younger than 55 (women: RR = 0.88; Cl, 0. 82 to 0.94; men: RR = 0.86; Cl, 0.81 to 0.92). The risk of all-cause death for female diabetics 55 years of age and older, in contrast, was 1.21 (Cl, 1.17 to 1.24) for CAPD/CCPD, and in cause-specific analyses, these patients had a significantly higher risk of infectious death. We conclude that, overall, within the first 2 years of therapy, short-term CAPD/CCPD appears to be associated with superior outcomes compared with hemodialysis. It also appears that patients on the two therapies have different mortality patterns over time, a nonproportionality that makes survival analyses vulnerable to the length of follow-up. Further investigation is needed to evaluate both the potential explanations for these findings and the use of more advanced statistical methods in the analysis of mortality rates associated with these dialytic therapies.

Dynamin-dependent endocytosis of ionotropic glutamate receptors

Little is known about the mechanisms that regulate the number of ionotropic glutamate receptors present at excitatory synapses. Herein, we show that GluR1-containing alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors (AMPARs) are removed from the postsynaptic plasma membrane of cultured hippocampal neurons by rapid, ligand-induced endocytosis. Although endocytosis of AMPARs can be induced by high concentrations of AMPA without concomitant activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors (NMDARs), NMDAR activation is required for detectable endocytosis induced by synaptically released glutamate. Activated AMPARs colocalize with AP2, a marker of endocytic coated pits, and endocytosis of AMPARs is blocked by biochemical inhibition of clathrin-coated pit function or overexpression of a dominant-negative mutant form of dynamin. These results establish that ionotropic receptors are regulated by dynamin-dependent endocytosis and suggest an important role of endocytic membrane trafficking in the postsynaptic modulation of neurotransmission.