Role of plasma extracellular vesicles in prediction of cardiovascular risk and alterations in response to statin therapy in hypertensive patients

BACKGROUND

Rapid and accurate new biomarkers to predict risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are essential. The utility of extracellular vesicles in predicting the CVD risk is postulated, yet it remains unknown whether their expression is altered in response to statin therapy.

METHODS

We performed in-vitro studies with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and vascular smooth muscle cells (hVSMC), and conducted a nested case-control study (nCCS) in hypertensive patients ( n  = 40) randomized to either atorvastatin or placebo in the ASCOT-LLA. Cases had a major adverse cardiovascular event or death (MACE) during 3.5 years of follow-up (median) from the time of extracellular vesicle characterization while controls, matched for age and duration of treatment, remained event-free. Conditional logistic regression models determined the risk of MACE. Additionally, the relationship of extracellular vesicle levels with statin therapy was assessed.

RESULTS

Added to HUVEC, extracellular vesicles increased neutrophil recruitment, and to hVSMC, aggravated calcification and proliferation. In the nCCS, compared with controls, cases (i.e. with MACE) had preceding higher levels of CD14+ and CD14+/CD41+ extracellular vesicles ( P  = 0.009 and P  = 0.012, respectively) and a significant reduction in the median size of the vesicles ( P  = 0.037). On matched analysis, higher CD14+ extracellular vesicles were associated with a 3.7-fold increased risk of MACE ( P  = 0.032). Patients treated with atorvastatin (vs. placebo) had both reduced size of extracellular vesicles and the proportion of CD146+ extracellular vesicles ( P  = 0.034 and P  = 0.020, respectively).

CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE

These pilot analyses suggest a mechanistic role for extracellular vesicles in the development of CVD, with significant and differential changes in extracellular vesicles amongst those at risk of MACE, and those on atorvastatin therapy.

Gill histopathological and oxidative stress evaluation in native fish captured in Portuguese northwestern rivers

The Northwestern Portuguese region is densely populated and highly industrialized, suffering from high anthropogenic pressure. To assess the biological effect of the several pollutants that are constantly released to the water, a biomarker-based biomonitoring is a promising approach that may provide early-warning signals of pollutants exposure. Fish gill is the first target of pollutants action, thus histopathological and biochemical changes may constitute potential biomarkers. To evaluate this hypothesis, three native fish species (barbel-Luciobarbus bocagei, chub-Squalius carolitertii and nase-Pseudochondrostoma sp.) were sampled in Northwestern Portuguese rivers, the gill histopathological changes were qualitative and quantitatively analyzed and the lipid peroxidation and glutathione-S-transferase activity were determined. A multivariate statistical analysis was performed to establish correlations between these biological responses, environmental variables and ecological status. The quantitative evaluation of the main histopathological changes and oxidative stress responses emphasize the differences, among species, in the responses to the presence of contaminants in water. Discriminant canonical analysis showed that filament epithelium proliferation, necrosis and GST activity were the main contributors to discriminate the ecological status classification. In addition, the results showed that a wide range of environmental factors are influencing fish physiology. In conclusion, the gill biological responses, although not reflecting specific contaminants, can be used as biomarkers of ecosystems perturbation.

Management of nasal trauma--widespread misuse of radiographs

OBJECTIVE

To assess the reasons behind the widespread use of X-ray in the management of nasal trauma despite the fact that it has no useful purpose, comparing the responses of doctors in Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments between the District General Hospitals (DGH) and the Teaching Hospitals.

METHOD

A multiple-choice questionnaire was sent to all doctors in Accidents and Emergency departments in the North-West Region of England.

RESULT

212 questionnaires were sent out and 159 were returned. Amongst the 92 (57.9 per cent) doctors who use nasal radiographs, the overall most common reason is medico-legal in 48 (52.1 per cent). A high proportion of DGH doctors use radiographs for diagnostic purposes and 35 (28.9 per cent) will refer patients based on X-ray demonstration of nasal bone fracture. Other stated reasons included detection of unsuspected facial fracture, diagnosis of compound nasal fracture and foreign body detection.

CONCLUSION

Doctors need to be better informed that nasal radiography has no useful value. A clear clinical guideline should be set up nationwide to protect patients from unnecessary exposure to radiation. This will also save the time of the doctors, radiographers and patients. It will prevent inappropriate referrals. Money and other resources will therefore be better utilized.

Lipase production by Penicillium restrictum using solid waste of industrial babassu oil production as substrate

Lipase, protease, and amylase production by Penicillium restrictum in solid-state fermentation was investigated. The basal medium was an industrial waste of babassu oil (Orbignya oleifera) production. It was enriched with peptone, olive oil, and Tween-80. The supplementation positively influenced both enzyme production and fungal growth. Media enriched with Tween-80 provided the highest protease activity (8.6 U/g), whereas those enriched with peptone and olive oil led to the highest lipase (27.8 U/g) and amylase (31.8 U/g) activities, respectively.

[Prevalence study of biotinidase deficiency in newborns]

INTRODUCTION

Biotinidase deficiency is an inheritable disorder of biotin metabolism. This disorder fulfills major criteria for consideration for newborn screening: the affected children do no show clinical signs in the newborn period; the disease is highly disabling; treatment is effective in preventing neurological sequelae if undertaken promptly.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Screening of 125,000 infants born in Paraná State was carried out to establish the prevalence of biotinidase deficiency. A simple colorimetric procedure was used to detect two infants with biotinidase deficiency (1:62,500), one of them with profound deficiency (1:125,000) and the other with partial deficiency (1:125,000) of the enzyme.

RESULTS

There were no known false-negative test results and 0.12% were false-positive, defined by further blood samples which were negative upon repeated testing. Sensitivity was 100% and specificity was 99.88%. Repeat blood samples could not be obtained in 63 (30%) suspected cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Newborn screening for biotinidase is useful in identifying affected children, is inexpensive and allows early intervention, which may prevent irreversible neurological damage.

Construction of a catalytically active iron superoxide dismutase by rational protein design

The rational protein design algorithm DEZYMER was used to introduce the active site of nonheme iron superoxide dismutase (SOD) into the hydrophobic interior of the host protein, Escherichia coli thioredoxin (Trx), a protein that does not naturally contain a transition metal-binding site. Reconstitution of the designed protein, Trx-SOD, showed the incorporation of one high-affinity metal-binding site. The electronic spectra of the holoprotein and its N3- and F- adducts are analogous to those previously reported for native {Fe3+}SOD. Activity assays showed that {Fe3+}Trx-SOD is capable of catalyzing the dismutation of the superoxide anion; comparative studies with the unrelated wild-type E. coli iron SOD indicated that {Fe3+}Trx-SOD catalyzes the dismutation reaction at a rate on the order of 10(5) M-1s -1. The ability to design catalytically competent metalloenzymes allows for the systematic investigation of fundamental mechanistic questions concerning catalysis at transition metal centers.

The mammalian analogue of the yeast PRP8 splicing protein is present in the U4/5/6 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle and the spliceosome

HeLa cell nuclear extracts contain a protein reactive with antibodies against PRP8, a polypeptide essential for pre-mRNA splicing in yeast and a specific component of the yeast U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) [Lossky, M., Anderson, G. J., Jackson, S. P. & Beggs, J. (1987) Cell 51, 1019-1026]. The mammalian protein appears as a doublet at approximately 200 kDa, smaller than the 260-kDa yeast protein, and possesses an Sm epitope as determined by immunoblotting. Its association with a snRNP of the Sm class other than U1 or U2 is indicated by its immunoprecipitation by anti-Sm and anti-trimethylguanosine antibodies but not by anti-(U1) or anti-(U2) RNP sera. Gradient fractionation of splicing extracts demonstrates that the 200-kDa protein is a component of the U4/5/6 snRNP complex and of U5 snRNPs. It is also present in affinity-purified spliceosomes.

U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein: RNA structure analysis and ATP-dependent interaction with U4/U6

To understand how the U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) interacts with other spliceosome components, its structure and binding to the U4/U6 snRNP were analyzed. The interaction of the U5 snRNP with the U4/U6 snRNP was studied by separating the snRNPs in HeLa cell nuclear extracts on glycerol gradients. A complex running at 25S and containing U4, U5, and U6 but not U1 or U2 snRNAs was identified. In contrast to results with native gel electrophoresis to separate snRNPs, this U4/U5/U6 snRNP complex requires ATP to assemble from the individual snRNPs. The structure of the U5 RNA within the U5 snRNP and the U4/5/6 snRNP complexes was then compared. Oligonucleotide-targeted RNase H digestion identified one RNA sequence in the U5 snRNP capable of base pairing to other nucleic acid sequences. Chemical modification experiments identified this sequence as well as two other U5 RNA sequences as accessible to modification within the U5 RNP. One of these regions is a large loop in the U5 RNA secondary structure whose sequence is conserved from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to humans. Interestingly, no differences in modification of free U5 snRNP as compared to U5 in the U4/U5/U6 snRNP complex were observed, suggesting that recognition of specific RNA sequences in the U5 snRNP is not required for U4/U5/U6 snRNP assembly.

Chemical and biological studies of the major DNA adduct of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II), cis-[Pt(NH3)2(d(GpG]], built into a specific site in a viral genome

A duplex Escherichia coli bacteriophage M13 genome was constructed containing a single cis-[Pt(NH3)2(d(GpG]] intrastrand cross-link, the major DNA adduct of the anticancer drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II). The duplex dodecamer d(AGAAGGCCTAGA).d(TCTAGGCCTTCT) was ligated into the HincII site of M13mp18 to produce an insertion mutant containing a unique StuI restriction enzyme cleavage site. A genome with a 12-base gap in the minus strand was created by hybridizing HincII-linearized M13mp18 duplex DNA with the single-stranded circular DNA of the 12-base insertion mutant. The dodecamer d(TCTAGGCCTTCT) was synthesized by the solid-phase phosphotriester method and platinated by reaction with cis-[Pt(NH3)2(H2O)2]2+ (yield 39%). Characterization by pH-dependent 1H NMR spectroscopy established that platinum binds to the N7 positions of the adjacent guanosines. The platinated oligonucleotide was phosphorylated in the presence of [gamma-32P]ATP with bacteriophage T4 polynucleotide kinase and incorporated into the 12-base gap of the heteroduplex, thus situating the adduct specifically within the StuI site in the minus strand of the genome. Approximately 80% of the gapped duplexes incorporated a dodecanucleotide in the ligation reaction. Of these, approximately half did so with the dodecanucleotide covalently joined to the genome at both 5' and 3' termini. The site of incorporation of the dodecamer was mapped to the expected 36-base region delimited by the recognition sites of XbaI and HindIII. The cis-[Pt(NH3)2(d(GpG]] cross-link completely inhibited StuI cleavage, which was fully restored following incubation of the platinated genome with cyanide to remove platinum as [Pt(CN)4]2-. Gradient denaturing gel electrophoresis of a 289-base-pair fragment encompassing the site of adduction revealed that the presence of the cis-[Pt(NH3)2(d(GpG]] cross-link induces localized weakening of the DNA double helix. In addition, double- and single-stranded genomes, in which the cis-[Pt(NH3)2(d(GpG]] cross-link resides specifically in the plus strand, were constructed. Comparative studies revealed no difference in survival between platinated and unmodified double-stranded genomes. In contrast, survival of the single-stranded platinated genome was only 10-12% that of the corresponding unmodified single-stranded genome, indicating that the solitary cis-[Pt(NH3)2(d(GpG]] cross-link is lethal to the single-stranded bacteriophage.

The major adduct of the antitumor drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) with DNA bends the duplex by approximately equal to 40 degrees toward the major groove

We used gel electrophoresis methods to show that reaction of DNA with cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) results in a substantial (approximately equal to 40 degrees) bend in the double helix at the intrastrand crosslink between the N7 atoms of adjacent guanosine nucleosides, which bond to the platinum(II) complex with loss of two chloride ions. Multimers of a 22-base-pair (bp) oligonucleotide platinated at a single site show strong anomalies in their electrophoretic mobilities as a consequence of coherent addition of in-phase platinum-induced bends. Increase of the sequence repeat of the platinated site to 27 bp yields multimers of nearly normal mobility because the bends are out of phase. The direction of Pt-induced bends relative to adenosine-tract bends was determined from the electrophoretic mobility of multimers in which repeated platination sites are interdigitated at various phasings relative to repeated adenosine tracts. Optimum bending occurs when 1.5 helical turns separate the cis-[Pt(NH3)2[d(pGpG)]](N7,N7) adducts from the center of the adenosine tracts. This phasing produces coherent addition of adenosine tract bends toward the minor groove at their centers and Pt-induced bends toward the major groove, where the platinum is located.

Sequence-dependent termination of in vitro DNA synthesis by cis- and trans-diamminedichloroplatinum (II)

Inhibition of DNA replication by the antitumor drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (cis-DDP) has been proposed to be responsible for its cytotoxicity. Treatment of primed phage M13 mp8 viral DNA templates with the drug followed by second-strand synthesis using large fragment DNA polymerase I reveals that cis-DDP forms an adduct with DNA that inhibits DNA synthesis in vitro. This inhibition occurs at all (dG)n (n greater than or equal to 2) sequences in the template strand, confirming that these regions are the major cis-DDP binding sites on DNA. trans-Diamminedichloroplatinum (II), which is inactive as a drug, also forms adducts that inhibit DNA synthesis. Although considerably lower specificity is observed with the trans isomer, there appears to be a preference for d(GpNpG) sequences, where N is any intervening nucleotide. The monofunctional adduct formed between chlorodiethylenetriamineplatinum(II) chloride and DNA does not inhibit DNA synthesis in this system.