Structure and sequence variation of the canine perforin gene

Lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity is essential to control viral infections, limit lymphocyte expansion and activation, and survey for malignant cells. Humans with defects in lymphocyte cytotoxicity have reduced perforin function resulting in uncontrolled lymphocyte expansion, leading to excessive histiocyte activation and a hemophagocytic disorder. Dog breeds such as Bernese mountain dogs (BMD) have a high incidence of reactive and malignant diseases affecting histiocytes. This study addressed the hypothesis that changes in the perforin gene contribute to the development of hemophagocytic histiocytic sarcoma (HHS) in BMD. Canine perforin DNA was amplified and sequenced through multiple PCR assays from healthy and diseased dogs, and the gene structure determined by rapid amplification of cDNA ends. The coding component of the gene consists of 1679bp, with two exons of 536bp and 1143bp separated by an intron of 865bp. Gene configuration and location differ from that in other species although the coding sequence is highly conserved. Three silent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were identified. Analysis of their distribution indicated a consistent genotype among 6 middle-aged to older BMD without histiocytic diseases. Among samples from 10 dogs with HHS and 10 without histiocytic diseases SNP occurred with variable frequency. It was concluded that changes in the amino acid sequence of perforin were not associated with HHS but that a constellation of SNP may characterize BMD without histiocytic disease. Investigation of more dogs is required to confirm a specific genotype. Future studies should focus on the potential contribution of reduced perforin expression and/or function to HHS in dogs.

Intracellular oxidative stress and cadmium ions release induce cytotoxicity of unmodified cadmium sulfide quantum dots

OBJECTIVE

To fully understand the cytotoxicity of after-degradation QDs, we synthesized CdS QDs and investigated its toxicity mechanism.

METHODS

Biomimetic method was proposed to synthesize cadmium sulfide (CdS) QDs. Thereafter MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay was conducted to evaluate their cytotoxicity. To investigate the toxicity mechanism, we subsequently conducted intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) measurement with DCFH-DA, glutathione (GSH) measurement with DTNB, and cellular cadmium assay using atomic absorption spectrometer. Microsized CdS were simultaneously tested as a comparison.

RESULTS

MTT assay results indicated that CdS QDs are more toxic than microsized CdS especially at concentrations below 40 microg/ml. While microsized CdS did not trigger ROS elevation, CdS QDs increase ROS by 20-30% over control levels. However, they both deplete cellular GSH significantly at the medium concentration of 20 microg/ml. In the presence of NAC, cells are partially protected from CdS QDs, but not from microsized particles. Additionally, nearly 20% of cadmium was released from CdS nanoparticles within 24h, which also accounts for QDs' toxicity.

CONCLUSION

Intracellular ROS production, GSH depletion, and cadmium ions (Cd(2+)) release are possible mechanisms for CdS QDs' cytotoxicity. We also suggested that with QD concentration increasing, the principal toxicity mechanism changes from intracellular oxidative stress to Cd(2+) release.

Prophylactic total gastrectomy (PTG) for hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC): the Newfoundland experience with 23 patients

BACKGROUND

Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC) results from truncating mutations of the CDH1 (E-cadherin) gene. It is an autosomal dominant cancer susceptibility syndrome with a lifetime risk of diffuse gastric cancer (DGC) of 60-80%, with a mean age of onset of 37 years. There exists no adequate screening test for DGC. Early intramucosal diffuse/signet-ring cell carcinomas have been found in prophylactic total gastrectomy (PTG) specimens following normal preoperative endoscopy. Total gastrectomy has been advocated on a prophylactic basis. The aim of this study was to report our experience with PTG in 23 patients from the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. This is the largest series worldwide.

METHODS

A retrospective study of consecutive patients undergoing PTG for HDGC was performed. All patients were confirmed to have a truncating mutation of the CDH1 gene.

RESULTS

Twenty-three patients underwent PTG between February 2006 and November 2008. Major complications were found in 4/23 patients (17%), with no mortality. Two of 23 patients (9%) had positive mucosal biopsies on preoperative EGD. Twenty-two of 23 patients (96%) had evidence of diffuse/signet-ring carcinoma on final standardized pathological evaluation. Therefore, 21/23 (91%) were not picked up by preoperative EGD screening.

CONCLUSIONS

PTG can be performed in patients with HDGC with a low rate of serious complications. Methods of reconstruction incorporating a pouch reservoir and preservation of the postgastric branches of the vagus nerves need to be explored. More refined penetrance estimates, effective screening protocols, and long-term psychological and functional outcomes following PTG require organized multicenter collaborative efforts.

Clara cell secretory protein is reduced in equine recurrent airway obstruction

Horses are prone to recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), an inflammatory lung disease induced by repeated exposure to environmental mold, dust, and bacterial components. Active disease manifests with mucus hyperproduction, neutrophilic inflammation, bronchoconstriction, and coughing. Chronically affected animals have lung remodeling characterized by smooth muscle hyperplasia, collagen deposition, lymphoid hyperplasia, and impaired aerobic performance. Clara cell secretory protein (CCSP) counters inflammation in the lung, hence we hypothesized that CCSP depletion is a key feature of RAO in horses. Recombinant equine CCSP and specific antiserum were produced, and percutaneous lung biopsies were obtained from 3 healthy horses and from 3 RAO-affected horses before and after induction of RAO. CCSP relative gene expression in tissue, as well as protein concentration in lung lavage fluid, was determined. Immunocytochemical analysis, using both light and immunogold ultrastructural methods, demonstrated reduced CCSP staining in lung tissue of animals with RAO. Immunogold label in Clara cell granules was less in animals with chronic RAO than in normal animals, and absent in animals that had active disease. Median lung lavage CCSP concentration was 132 and 129 ng/ml in healthy horses, and 62 and 24 ng/ml in RAO horses before and after challenge, respectively. CCSP lung gene expression was significantly higher in healthy animals than in animals with chronic RAO. Together, these preliminary findings suggest that reduced production of CCSP and subcellular changes in Clara cells are features of chronic environmentally induced lung inflammation in horses.

hCG beta expression by cervical squamous carcinoma--in vivo histological association with tumour invasion and apoptosis

AIMS

To investigate the correlation of beta-subunit of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG beta) expression by cervical carcinomas with measures of tumour apoptosis.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Eighty-nine cervical carcinoma patients' samples were subject to hCG beta immunohistochemistry and scored with respect to intensity of immunopositivity and percentage of positive cells. Apoptosis was evaluated by three independent parameters: morphological characteristics [haematoxylin and eosin (H&E)], terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) immunopositivity. Of the 12 adenocarcinomas, only one (8%) was hCG beta+. However, 87% (61/70) of the squamous cell and 100% (7/7) of adenosquamous cell carcinomas were hCG beta+. hCG beta reactivity and intensity was predominantly confined to peripheral tumour cells at the stromal-epithelial interface. Correlation analysis showed that H&E and PARP apoptotic immunopositivity negatively correlated with hCG beta expression (P < 0.001 and P = 0.028 respectively), whereas TUNEL did not (P = 0.12). However, immunopositivity for apoptotic cells by TUNEL was significantly less in tumours where hCG beta expression was greater (scoring >or= 6) and vice versa. hCG beta immunopositivity was also observed in newly formed blood vessels, as well as tumour cells within lymphatic vessels. When tumour vascularization was taken into account, samples with noted vascularization positively correlated with hCG beta scoring.

CONCLUSIONS

hCG beta expression correlates with reduced tumour cell apoptosis and may be involved in tumour vascularization and dissemination.

Suppression of the internal electric field effects in ZnO/Zn(0.7)Mg(0.3)O quantum wells by ion-implantation induced intermixing

Strong suppression of the effects caused by the internal electric field in ZnO/ZnMgO quantum wells following ion-implantation and rapid thermal annealing, is revealed by photoluminescence, time-resolved photoluminescence, and band structure calculations. The implantation and annealing induces Zn/Mg intermixing, resulting in graded quantum well interfaces. This reduces the quantum-confined Stark shift and increases electron-hole wavefunction overlap, which significantly reduces the exciton lifetime and increases the oscillator strength.

The immunosuppressive and protective ability of glucose-regulated protein 78 for improvement of alloimmunity in beta cell transplantation

An insulinoma cell line, NIT-1, transfected with glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) was established, namely NIT-GRP78, and used to study the immunosuppressive and protective ability of GRP78. In extended cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) killing assay, NIT-1-primed lymphocytes were more cytotoxic in killing beta cells than NIT-GRP78-primed lymphocytes. Severe necrosis was observed only when the NIT-1-primed lymphocytes were cultured with NIT-1 beta cells, but not with NIT-GRP78 cells. In addition, an increase of interleukin (IL)-4 secretion from beta cell-primed splenocytes when GRP78 presence was observed in cytokine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Diabetic mice reached normoglycaemia promptly and gained weight after transplantation of either NIT-1 or NIT-GRP78 cells. However, the recipient mice transplanted with NIT-GRP78 cells lived much longer than those recipients transplanted with NIT-1 cells, which was due apparently to prolonged insulin production by the transplanted NIT-GRP78 cells. In fact, we observed a significant increase of insulin concentration after glucose stimulation of diabetic mice received NIT-GRP78 cells at day 7 post-transplantation. From the results we propose that GRP78 could have a dual function in both protecting NIT-1 cells from CTL-mediated lysis and stimulating a population of T helper 2 cells to down-regulate the immune response to the transplanted beta cells.

Cellular uptake of amelogenin, and its localization to CD63, and Lamp1-positive vesicles

Proteins of the developing enamel matrix include amelogenin, ameloblastin and enamelin. Of these three proteins amelogenin predominates. Protein-protein interactions are likely to occur at the ameloblast Tomes' processes between membrane-bound proteins and secreted enamel matrix proteins. Such protein-protein interactions could be associated with cell signaling or endocytosis. CD63 and Lamp1 are ubiquitously expressed, are lysosomal integral membrane proteins, and localize to the plasma membrane. CD63 and Lamp1 interact with amelogenin in vitro. In this study our objective was to study the molecular events of intercellular trafficking of an exogenous source of amelogenin, and related this movement to the spatiotemporal expression of CD63 and Lamp1 using various cell lineages. Exogenously added amelogenin moves rapidly into the cell into established Lamp1-positive vesicles that subsequently localize to the perinuclear region. These data indicate a possible mechanism by which amelogenin, or degraded amelogenin peptides, are removed from the extracellular matrix during enamel formation and maturation.

Methylation protects dietary flavonoids from rapid hepatic metabolism

The metabolic stability of two potential cancer chemopreventive flavones, i.e. 5,7-dimethoxyflavone (5,7-DMF) and 3',4'-dimethoxyflavone (3',4'-DMF), compared with the non-methylated flavone galangin (3,5,7-trihydroxyflavone), was investigated in human hepatic preparations. Galangin, as expected, was extensively metabolized mainly by glucuronidation in human liver S9 fractions in the presence of appropriate co-factors. In contrast, 5,7-DMF and 3',4'-DMF were metabolically highly stable with only a small fraction of 3',4'-DMF undergoing oxidation. Consistent with the S9 fraction results, galangin was almost completely depleted after 2-h incubations in freshly plated hepatocytes. The hepatocytes also showed some metabolism of 3',4'-DMF, but virtually none of 5,7-DMF. In human liver microsomes, 5,7-DMF was more metabolically stable than 3',4'-DMF. The observations present a new strategy for examining the metabolic stability of dietary flavonoids and suggest that methylated flavonoids may have a high oral bioavailability compared with their non-methylated forms, which will make them more likely to be useful as cancer chemoprotectants.

Incongruent evolution of chromosomal size in rice

To investigate genome size evolution, it is usually informative to compare closely related species that vary dramatically in genome size. A whole genome duplication (polyploidy) that occurred in rice (Oryza sativa) about 70 million years ago has been well documented based on current genome sequencing. The presence of three distinct duplicate blocks from the polyploidy, of which one duplicated segment in a block is intact (no sequencing gap) and less than half the length of its syntenic duplicate segment, provided an excellent opportunity for elucidating the causes of their size variation during the post-polyploid time. The results indicated that incongruent patterns (shrunken, balanced and inflated) of chromosomal size evolution occurred in the three duplicate blocks, spanning over 30 Mb among chromosomes 2, 3, 6, 7, and 10, with an average of 20.3% for each. DNA sequences of chromosomes 2 and 3 appeared to had become as short as about half of their initial sequence lengths, chromosomes 6 and 7 had remained basically balanced, and chromosome 10 had become dramatically enlarged (approximately 70%). The size difference between duplicate segments of rice was mainly caused by variations in non-repetitive DNA loss. Amplification of long terminal repeat retrotransposons also played an important role. Moreover, a relationship seems to exist between the chromosomal size differences and the nonhomologous combination in corresponding regions in the rice genome. These findings help shed light on the evolutionary mechanism of genomic sequence variation after polyploidy and genome size evolution.

Viscoelasticity Modeling of the Prostate Region Using Vibro-elastography

We present an ultrasound vibro-elastography system designed to acquire viscoelastic properties of the prostate and peri-prostatic tissue. An excitation stage imparts low-frequency (<20 Hz), limited amplitude (< +/- 2 mm), broadband vibratory motion to an endorectal transducer, along a radial/transversal direction. The induced tissue motion is estimated from ultrasound radio-frequency data and is used to estimate the mechanical frequency response of tissue to the excitation at different spatial locations. This can be used to determine the spatial distribution of various mechanical parameters of tissue, such as stiffness and viscosity. Phantom and in-vivo images are presented. The results obtained demonstrate high phantom and tissue linearity and high signal-to-noise ratio.

Human cystic echinococcosis in two Mongolian communities in Hobukesar (China) and Bulgan (Mongolia)

In order to investigate the prevalence of human cystic echinococcosis (CE) in traditional Mongolian communities in western Mongolia and Xinjiang (northwest China), studies were carried out between 1995 and 2000, on two ethnically identical populations in Hobukesar (China) and Bulgan (Mongolia). The prevalence of human hepatic CE in the two communities was significantly different. In Hobukesar, human CE prevalence by ultrasound was 2.7% (49/1844), while in Bulgan it was 0.2% (4/1609) (P<0.001). Dog surveys showed that coproantigen-positive rates or dog necropsy positives were similar in both communities (35.0% in Hobukesar and 35.7% in Bulgan). Comparing possible risk factors, there appeared to be some significant differences between the two communities, which might contribute to the observed difference in CE prevalence. These included: the proportion of herdsman or farmers recorded; the proportions of dog ownership and livestock ownership; and the proportion of families practising home slaughter. The presence of a Russian dog-dosing programme up to the mid-1980s may explain the lower prevalence of human CE in the Bulgan population; no similar programme operated in the China-administered Hobukesar community.

Structural organization and cellular localization of tuftelin-interacting protein 11 (TFIP11)

Tuftelin-interacting protein (TFIP11) was first identified in a yeast two-hybrid screening as a protein interacting with tuftelin. The ubiquitous expression of TFIP11 suggested that it might have other functions in non-dental tissues. TFIP11 contains a G-patch, a protein domain believed to be involved in RNA binding. Using a green fluorescence protein tag, TFIP11 was found to locate in a novel subnuclear structure that we refer to as the TFIP body. An in vivo splicing assay demonstrated that TFIP11 is a novel splicing factor. TFIP11 diffuses from the TFIP body following RNase A treatment, suggesting that the retention of TFIP11 is RNA dependent. RNA polymerase II inhibitor (-amanitin and actinomycin D) treatment causes enlargement in size and decrease in number of TFIP bodies, suggesting that TFIP bodies perform a storage function rather than an active splicing function. The TFIP body may therefore represent a new subnuclear storage compartment for splicing components.

Survivin protein expression positively correlated with proliferative activity of cancer cells in bladder cancer

CONTEXT

Survivin is an inhibitor of apoptosis that is selectively over-expressed in common human cancers, but not in normal tissues, and that correlates with aggressive disease and unfavorable outcomes.

AIMS

To identify the role of survivin in bladder carcinogenesis and the correlation between survivin protein expression and the occurrence of spontaneous apoptosis, proliferative activity of cancer cells.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN

Retrospective analysis.

METHODS AND MATERIAL

Bladder transitional cell cancer (BTCC) tissue samples for 128 patients were investigated, with normal bladder tissues serving as controls. From these tumor samples, 42 (32.8%) were grade I, 59 (46.1%) were grade II, and 27 (21.1%) were grade III; 72 (56.2%) were superficial, 56 (43.8%) were invasive. The survivin protein level was quantified by Western blot analysis. The apoptotic index (AI) using in situ labeling apoptotic DNA fragment kit and the Ki-67 labeling index (Ki-67LI) with an anti-Ki-67 monoclonal antibody were analyzed in these tumors, respectively.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED

Differences in the S/beta ratio between tumor grade and stage were evaluated by using unpaired t-test and F-test. The relationships between the S/beta ratios and AIs, Ki-67LIs of tumors were evaluated by Pearson correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

High survivin levels were detected by Western blot analysis in tumor tissue extracts. None of the expression of survivin protein was found in normal bladder tissues. Survivin levels were significantly different from different clinical stages and pathological grades of the tumors (P > 0.05, respectively). Spearman rank correlation test revealed a positively correlation between survivin protein level and the proliferative activity (P < 0.001) and failed to find significant correlation between AI and survivin protein level (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Survivin protein expression played an important role in the malignant progression of BTCC.

Function of dynamic membrane in self-forming dynamic membrane coupled bioreactor

The Self-Forming Dynamic Membrane Coupled Bioreactor (SFDMBR), which uses coarse pore-sized material to separate solid and liquid in bioreactors, has some advantages compared with MBR using micro-/ultra-filtration membranes, for example, low module cost and high flux. The cake layer and gel layer formed on the surface and in the pores of the material during filtration played an important role, called self-forming dynamic membrane (DM), which mainly consisted of activated sludge. In this study, the function of DM in pollutant removal was investigated. It was found that DM could remove some organic matter (12.6 mg L(-1) on average) and total nitrogen (3.01 mg L(-1) on average) in the supernatant. Colloids and organic nitrogen were partly removed by DM while DOC, ammonia nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen removal by DM varied from negative to positive, which resulted from the combination of various biological activities, e.g. nitrification, biological utilization and so on. DO concentration in DM decreased with the depth and reached zero at about 1.5-2.5 mm depth. The organic degradation activity and nitrification activity of the biomass suspended in the bioreactor were higher than those of the biomass in the cake layer, which might be caused by the low DO concentration and low organic pollutant content in DM.

The variability of serological and molecular diagnosis of feline immunodeficiency virus infection

Diagnosis of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has recently become available, but little is known about the performance of this assay. The purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of PCR diagnosis of FIV infection. Replicate aliquots of blood samples from cats identified as FIV positive or negative by 2 previous enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results, and from clinically healthy dogs, were submitted to different laboratories for FIV serologic diagnosis and PCR. The PCR products obtained in 1 laboratory were sequenced to determine the FIV subtype. The PCR assays correctly identified 100%, 80%, and 50% of the FIV-positive samples, and 100%, 90%, and 70% of FIV-negative samples. Each dog sample was reported as FIV PCR positive at least once, and FIV subtypes A, B, and C were identified. It was concluded that PCR tests currently available for FIV infection are unreliable, with highly variable sensitivity and specificity.