Optical coherence tomography

A technique called optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been developed for noninvasive cross-sectional imaging in biological systems. OCT uses low-coherence interferometry to produce a two-dimensional image of optical scattering from internal tissue microstructures in a way that is analogous to ultrasonic pulse-echo imaging. OCT has longitudinal and lateral spatial resolutions of a few micrometers and can detect reflected signals as small as approximately 10(-10) of the incident optical power. Tomographic imaging is demonstrated in vitro in the peripapillary area of the retina and in the coronary artery, two clinically relevant examples that are representative of transparent and turbid media, respectively.

Cloning of a gene bearing missense mutations in early-onset familial Alzheimer's disease

Some cases of Alzheimer's disease are inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. Genetic linkage studies have mapped a locus (AD3) associated with susceptibility to a very aggressive form of Alzheimer's disease to chromosome 14q24.3. We have defined a minimal cosegregating region containing the AD3 gene, and isolated at least 19 different transcripts encoded within this region. One of these transcripts (S182) corresponds to a novel gene whose product is predicted to contain multiple transmembrane domains and resembles an integral membrane protein. Five different missense mutations have been found that cosegregate with early-onset familial Alzheimer's disease. Because these changes occurred in conserved domains of this gene, and are not present in normal controls, they are likely to be causative of AD3.

Familial Alzheimer's disease in kindreds with missense mutations in a gene on chromosome 1 related to the Alzheimer's disease type 3 gene

We report the cloning of a novel gene (E5-1) encoded on chromosome 1 which has substantial nucleotide and amino-acid sequence similarity to the S182 gene on chromosome 14q24.3. Mutations, including three new missense mutations in the S182 gene, are associated with the AD3 subtype of early-onset familial Alzheimer's disease (AD). Both the E5-1 and the S182 proteins are predicted to be integral membrane proteins with seven membrane-spanning domains, and a large exposed loop between the sixth and seventh transmembrane domains. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the open reading frame (ORF) of the E5-1 gene led to the discovery of two missense substitutions at conserved amino-acid residues in affected members of pedigrees with a form of familial AD that has a later age of onset than the AD3 subtype (50-70 years versus 30-60 years for AD3). These observations imply that the E5-1 gene on chromosome 1 and the S182 gene on chromosome 14q24.3 are members of a family of genes (presenilins) with related functions, and indicates that mutations in conserved residues of E5-1 could also play a role in the genesis of AD. Our results also indicate that still other AD susceptibility genes exist.

Optical coherence tomography of the human retina

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate optical coherence tomography for high-resolution, noninvasive imaging of the human retina. Optical coherence tomography is a new imaging technique analogous to ultrasound B scan that can provide cross-sectional images of the retina with micrometer-scale resolution.

DESIGN

Survey optical coherence tomographic examination of the retina, including the macula and optic nerve head in normal human subjects.

SETTING

Research laboratory.

PARTICIPANTS

Convenience sample of normal human subjects.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Correlation of optical coherence retinal tomographs with known normal retinal anatomy.

RESULTS

Optical coherence tomographs can discriminate the cross-sectional morphologic features of the fovea and optic disc, the layered structure of the retina, and normal anatomic variations in retinal and retinal nerve fiber layer thicknesses with 10-microns depth resolution.

CONCLUSION

Optical coherence tomography is a potentially useful technique for high depth resolution, cross-sectional examination of the fundus.

Imaging of macular diseases with optical coherence tomography

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

To assess the potential of a new diagnostic technique called optical coherence tomography for imaging macular disease. Optical coherence tomography is a novel noninvasive, noncontact imaging modality which produces high depth resolution (10 microns) cross-sectional tomographs of ocular tissue. It is analogous to ultrasound, except that optical rather than acoustic reflectivity is measured.

METHODS

Optical coherence tomography images of the macula were obtained in 51 eyes of 44 patients with selected macular diseases. Imaging is performed in a manner compatible with slit-lamp indirect biomicroscopy so that high-resolution optical tomography may be accomplished simultaneously with normal ophthalmic examination. The time-of-flight delay of light backscattered from different layers in the retina is determined using low-coherence interferometry. Cross-sectional tomographs of the retina profiling optical reflectivity versus distance into the tissue are obtained in 2.5 seconds and with a longitudinal resolution of 10 microns.

RESULTS

Correlation of fundus examination and fluorescein angiography with optical coherence tomography tomographs was demonstrated in 12 eyes with the following pathologies: full- and partial-thickness macular hole, epiretinal membrane, macular edema, intraretinal exudate, idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy, and detachments of the pigment epithelium and neurosensory retina.

CONCLUSION

Optical coherence tomography is potentially a powerful tool for detecting and monitoring a variety of macular diseases, including macular edema, macular holes, and detachments of the neurosensory retina and pigment epithelium.

Supramolecular arrays based on dimetal building units

Supramolecular chemistry is today a major thrust area, a significant part of which is based on the use of metal atoms or ions as key elements in promoting the assembly of and dictating the main structural features of the supramolecular products. Most of the work has been done with single metal atoms or ions in this role, but considerable success has already been achieved by employing M-M bonded dimetal entities instead. We review here the work done in our laboratory. Metal-metal bonded cationic complexes of the [M(2)(DAniF)(n)(MeCN)(8-2n)]((4-n)+) type, where M = Mo or Rh and DAniF is an N,N'-di-p-anisylformamidinate anion, have been used as subunit precursors and then linked by various equatorial and axial bridging groups such as polycarboxylate anions, polypyridyls, and polynitriles. Characterization of the products by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, CV, DPV, NMR, and other spectroscopic techniques has revealed the presence of discrete tetranuclear (pairs or loops), hexanuclear (triangles), octanuclear (squares), and dodecanuclear (cages) species and one-, two-, or three-dimensional molecular nanotubes. These compounds display a rich electrochemical behavior which is affected by the nature of the linkers.

Expression and identification of hepatitis C virus polyprotein cleavage products

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the major cause of transfusion-acquired non-A, non-B hepatitis. HCV is an enveloped positive-sense RNA virus which has been classified as a new genus in the flavivirus family. Like the other two genera in this family, the flaviviruses and the pestiviruses, HCV polypeptides appear to be produced by translation of a long open reading frame and subsequent proteolytic processing of this polyprotein. In this study, a cDNA clone encompassing the long open reading frame of the HCV H strain (3,011 amino acid residues) has been assembled and sequenced. This clone and various truncated derivatives were used in vaccinia virus transient-expression assays to map HCV-encoded polypeptides and to study HCV polyprotein processing. HCV polyproteins and cleavage products were identified by using convalescent human sera and a panel of region-specific polyclonal rabbit antisera. Similar results were obtained for several mammalian cell lines examined, including the human HepG2 hepatoma line. The data indicate that at least nine polypeptides are produced by cleavage of the HCV H strain polyprotein. Putative structural proteins, located in the N-terminal one-fourth of the polyprotein, include the capsid protein C (21 kDa) followed by two possible virion envelope proteins, E1 (31 kDa) and E2 (70 kDa), which are heavily modified by N-linked glycosylation. The remainder of the polyprotein probably encodes nonstructural proteins including NS2 (23 kDa), NS3 (70 kDa), NS4A (8 kDa), NS4B (27 kDa), NS5A (58 kDa), and NS5B (68 kDa). An 82- to 88-kDa glycoprotein which reacted with both E2 and NS2-specific HCV antisera was also identified (called E2-NS2). Preliminary results suggest that a fraction of E1 is associated with E2 and E2-NS2 via disulfide linkages.

Quantification of nerve fiber layer thickness in normal and glaucomatous eyes using optical coherence tomography

PURPOSE

Quantitative assessment of nerve fiber layer (NFL) thickness in normal and glaucomatous eyes, and correlation with conventional measurements of the optic nerve structure and function.

METHODS

We studied 59 eyes of 33 subjects by conventional ophthalmologic physical examination, Humphrey 24-2 visual fields, stereoscopic optic nerve head photography, and optical coherence tomography.

RESULTS

Nerve fiber layer thickness as measured by optical coherence tomography demonstrated a high degree of correlation with functional status of the optic nerve, as measured by visual field examination (P = .0001). Neither cupping of the optic nerve nor neuroretinal rim area were as strongly associated with visual field loss as was NFL thickness (P = .17 and P = .21, respectively). Cupping correlated with NFL thickness only when the cup was small (cup-to-diameter ratio, 0.1 to 0.3) or large (cup-to-diameter ratio, 0.8 to 1.0) (P = .006); there was no correlation between cupping and NFL thickness otherwise. Nerve fiber layer, especially in the inferior quadrant, was significantly thinner in glaucomatous eyes than in normal eyes (P = .04). Finally, we found a decrease in NFL thickness with aging, even when controlling for factors associated with the diagnosis of glaucoma (P = .03).

CONCLUSIONS

Nerve fiber layer thickness can be measured using optical coherence tomography. These measurements provide good structural and functional correlation with known parameters.

Micrometer-scale resolution imaging of the anterior eye in vivo with optical coherence tomography

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate a new diagnostic technique, optical coherence tomography, for high-resolution cross-sectional imaging of structures in the anterior segment of the human eye in vivo. Optical coherence tomography is a new, noninvasive, noncontact optical imaging modality that has spatial resolution superior to that of conventional clinical ultrasonography (< 20 microns) and high sensitivity (dynamic range, > 90 dB).

DESIGN

Survey of intraocular structure and dimension measurements.

SETTING

Laboratory.

PATIENTS

Convenience sample.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Correlation with range of accepted normal intraocular structure profiles and dimensions.

RESULTS

Direct in vivo measurements with micrometer-scale resolution were performed of corneal thickness and surface profile (including visualization of the corneal epithelium), anterior chamber depth and angle, and iris thickness and surface profile. Dense nuclear cataracts were successfully imaged through their full thickness in a cold cataract model in calf eyes in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

Optical coherence tomography has potential as a diagnostic tool for applications in noncontact biometry, anterior chamber angle assessment, identification and monitoring of intraocular masses and tumors, and elucidation of abnormalities of the cornea, iris, and crystalline lens.

Regulation of flowering time by Arabidopsis photoreceptors

The shift in plants from vegetative growth to floral development is regulated by red-far-red light receptors (phytochromes) and blue-ultraviolet A light receptors (cryptochromes). A mutation in the Arabidopsis thaliana CRY2 gene encoding a blue-light receptor apoprotein (CRY2) is allelic to the late-flowering mutant, fha. Flowering in cry2/fha mutant plants is only incompletely responsive to photoperiod. Cryptochrome 2 (cry2) is a positive regulator of the flowering-time gene CO, the expression of which is regulated by photoperiod. Analysis of flowering in cry2 and phyB mutants in response to different wavelengths of light indicated that flowering is regulated by the antagonistic actions of phyB and cry2.

Crystal structure of the hepatitis C virus NS3 protease domain complexed with a synthetic NS4A cofactor peptide

An estimated 1% of the global human population is infected by hepatitis C viruses (HCVs), and there are no broadly effective treatments for the debilitating progression of chronic hepatitis C. A serine protease located within the HCV NS3 protein processes the viral polyprotein at four specific sites and is considered essential for replication. Thus, it emerges as an attractive target for drug design. We report here the 2.5 angstrom resolution X-ray crystal structure of the NS3 protease domain complexed with a synthetic NS4A activator peptide. The protease has a chymotrypsin-like fold and features a tetrahedrally coordinated metal ion distal to the active site. The NS4A peptide intercalates within a beta sheet of the enzyme core.

Hepatitis C virus NS3 RNA helicase domain with a bound oligonucleotide: the crystal structure provides insights into the mode of unwinding

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) represents a major health concern as it is responsible for a significant number of hepatitis cases worldwide. Much research has focused on the replicative enzymes of HCV as possible targets for more effective therapeutic agents. HCV NS3 helicase may provide one such suitable target. Helicases are enzymes which can unwind double-stranded regions of DNA or RNA in an ATP-dependent reaction. The structures of several helicases have been published but the structural details as to how ATP binding and hydrolysis are coupled to RNA unwinding are unknown.

RESULTS

The structure of the HCV NS3 RNA helicase domain complexed with a single-stranded DNA oligonucleotide has been solved to 2.2 A resolution. The protein consists of three structural domains with the oligonucleotide lying in a groove between the first two domains and the third. The first two domains have an adenylate kinase like fold, including a phosphate-binding loop in the first domain.

CONCLUSIONS

HCV NS3 helicase is a member of a superfamily of helicases, termed superfamily II. Residues of NS3 helicase which are conserved among superfamily II helicases line an interdomain cleft between the first two domains. The oligonucleotide binds in an orthogonal binding site and contacts relatively few conserved residues. There are no strong sequence-specific interactions with the oligonucleotide bases.

TGF-beta1 promotes microglial amyloid-beta clearance and reduces plaque burden in transgenic mice

Abnormal accumulation of the amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) in the brain appears crucial to pathogenesis in all forms of Alzheimer disease (AD), but the underlying mechanisms in the sporadic forms of AD remain unknown. Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1), a key regulator of the brain's responses to injury and inflammation, has been implicated in Abeta deposition in vivo. Here we demonstrate that a modest increase in astroglial TGF-beta1 production in aged transgenic mice expressing the human beta-amyloid precursor protein (hAPP) results in a three-fold reduction in the number of parenchymal amyloid plaques, a 50% reduction in the overall Abeta load in the hippocampus and neocortex, and a decrease in the number of dystrophic neurites. In mice expressing hAPP and TGF-beta1, Abeta accumulated substantially in cerebral blood vessels, but not in parenchymal plaques. In human cases of AD, Abeta immunoreactivity associated with parenchymal plaques was inversely correlated with Abeta in blood vessels and cortical TGF-beta1 mRNA levels. The reduction of parenchymal plaques in hAPP/TGF-beta1 mice was associated with a strong activation of microglia and an increase in inflammatory mediators. Recombinant TGF-beta1 stimulated Abeta clearance in microglial cell cultures. These results demonstrate that TGF-beta1 is an important modifier of amyloid deposition in vivo and indicate that TGF-beta1 might promote microglial processes that inhibit the accumulation of Abeta in the brain parenchyma.

In vivo retinal imaging by optical coherence tomography

We describe what are to our knowledge the first in vivo measurements of human retinal structure with optical coherence tomography. These images represent the highest depth resolution in vivo retinal images to date. The tomographic system, image-processing techniques, and examples of high-resolution tomographs and their clinical relevance are discussed.

Efficacy and safety of abatacept or infliximab vs placebo in ATTEST: a phase III, multi-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and an inadequate response to methotrexate

OBJECTIVES

This double-blind trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of abatacept or infliximab vs placebo. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the mean change from baseline in Disease Activity Score (based on erythrocyte sedimentation rates; DAS28 (ESR)) for the abatacept vs placebo groups at day 197.

METHODS

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and an inadequate response to methotrexate (MTX) were randomised 3:3:2 to abatacept ( approximately 10 mg/kg every 4 weeks, n = 156), infliximab (3 mg/kg every 8 weeks, n = 165), or placebo (every 4 weeks, n = 110) and background MTX. Safety and efficacy were assessed throughout the study.

RESULTS

Similar patient demographics and clinical characteristics were present at baseline between groups, with mean scores of approximately 1.7 for HAQ-DI and 6.8 for DAS28 (ESR). At 6 months, mean changes in DAS28 (ESR) were significantly greater for abatacept vs placebo (-2.53 vs -1.48, p<0.001) and infliximab vs placebo (-2.25 vs -1.48, p<0.001). For abatacept vs infliximab treatment at day 365, reductions in the DAS28 (ESR) were -2.88 vs -2.25. At day 365, the following response rates were observed for abatacept and infliximab, respectively: American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20, 72.4 and 55.8%; ACR 50, 45.5 and 36.4%; ACR 70, 26.3 and 20.6%; low disease activity score (LDAS), 35.3 and 22.4%; DAS28-defined remission, 18.7 and 12.2%; good European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) responses, 32.0 and 18.5%; and Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI), 57.7 and 52.7%. Mean changes in physical component summary (PCS) were 9.5 and 7.6, and mental component summary (MCS) were 6.0 and 4.0, for abatacept and infliximab, respectively. Over 1 year, adverse events (AEs) (89.1 vs 93.3%), serious AEs (SAEs) (9.6 vs 18.2%), serious infections (1.9 vs 8.5%) and discontinuations due to AEs (3.2 vs 7.3%) and SAEs (2.6 vs 3.6%) were lower with abatacept than infliximab.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, abatacept and infliximab (3 mg/kg every 8 weeks) demonstrated similar efficacy. Overall, abatacept had a relatively more acceptable safety and tolerability profile, with fewer SAEs, serious infections, acute infusional events and discontinuations due to AEs than the infliximab group.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT00095147.

Enhancement of blue-light sensitivity of Arabidopsis seedlings by a blue light receptor cryptochrome 2

Cryptochrome is a group of flavin-type blue light receptors that regulate plant growth and development. The function of Arabidopsis cryptochrome 2 in the early photomorphogenesis of seedlings was studied by using transgenic plants overexpressing CRY2 protein, and cry2 mutant plants accumulating no CRY2 protein. It is found that cryptochrome 2 mediates blue light-dependent inhibition of hypocotyl elongation and stimulation of cotyledon opening under low intensities of blue light. In contrast to CRY1, the expression of CRY2 is rapidly down-regulated by blue light in a light-intensity dependent manner, which provides a molecular mechanism to explain at least in part that cryptochrome 2 functions primarily under low light during the early development of seedlings.

Leptin directly regulates bone cell function in vitro and reduces bone fragility in vivo

Fat mass is an important determinant of bone density, but the mechanism of this relationship is uncertain. Leptin, as a circulating peptide of adipocyte origin, is a potential contributor to this relationship. Recently it was shown that intracerebroventricular administration of leptin is associated with bone loss, suggesting that obesity should be associated with low bone mass, the opposite of what is actually found. Since leptin originates in the periphery, an examination of its direct effects on bone is necessary to address this major discrepancy. Leptin (>10(-11) m) increased proliferation of isolated fetal rat osteoblasts comparably with IGF-I, and these cells expressed the signalling form of the leptin receptor. In mouse bone marrow cultures, leptin (>or=10(-11) m) inhibited osteoclastogenesis, but it had no effect on bone resorption in two assays of mature osteoclasts. Systemic administration of leptin to adult male mice (20 injections of 43 micro g/day over 4 weeks) reduced bone fragility (increased work to fracture by 27% and displacement to fracture by 21%, P<0.001). Changes in tibial histomorphometry were not statistically significant apart from an increase in growth plate thickness in animals receiving leptin. Leptin stimulated proliferation of isolated chondrocytes, and these cells also expressed the signalling form of the leptin receptor. It is concluded that the direct bone effects of leptin tend to reduce bone fragility and could contribute to the high bone mass and low fracture rates of obesity. When administered systemically, the direct actions of leptin outweigh its centrally mediated effects on bone, the latter possibly being mediated by leptin's regulation of insulin sensitivity.

Amyloidogenic role of cytokine TGF-beta1 in transgenic mice and in Alzheimer's disease

Deposition of amyoid-beta peptide in the central nervous system is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and a possible cause of neurodegeneration. The factors that initiate or promote deposition of amyloid-beta peptide are not known. The transforming growth factor TGF-beta1 plays a central role in the response of the brain to injury, and increased TGF-beta1 has been found in the central nervous system of patients with Alzheimer's disease. Here we report that TGF-beta1 induces amyloid-beta deposition in cerebral blood vessels and meninges of aged transgenic mice overexpressing this cytokine from astrocytes. Co-expression of TGF-beta1 in transgenic mice overexpressing amyloid-precursor protein, which develop Alzheimer's like pathology, accelerated the deposition of amyloid-beta peptide. More TGF-beta1 messenger RNA was present in post-mortem brain tissue of Alzheimer's patients than in controls, the levels correlating strongly with amyloid-beta deposition in the damaged cerebral blood vessels of patients with cerebral amyloid angiopathy. These results indicate that overexpression of TGF-beta1 may initiate or promote amyloidogenesis in Alzheimer's disease and in experimental models and so may be a risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease.

Survey of major genotypes and subtypes of hepatitis C virus using RFLP of sequences amplified from the 5' non-coding region

A method is described for identifying different genotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) by restriction endonuclease cleavage of sequences amplified by PCR from the 5' non-coding region. Using the enzymes HaeIII-RsaI and HinfI-MvaI, followed by cleavage with BstU1 or ScrFI, it was possible to identify and distinguish HCV genotypes 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5 and 6. The method was used to investigate the prevalence of these genotypes in 723 blood donors in 15 countries, the largest survey to date, and one which covered a wide range of geographical regions (Europe, America, Africa and Asia). These results, combined with a review of the existing literature, indicate the existence of several distinct regional patterns of HCV genotype distribution, and provide the framework for future detailed epidemiological investigations of HCV transmission.

Association of flavin adenine dinucleotide with the Arabidopsis blue light receptor CRY1

The arabidopsis thaliana HY4 gene encodes CRY1, a 75-kilodalton flavoprotein mediating blue light-dependent regulation of seedling development. CRY1 is demonstrated here to noncovalently bind stoichiometric amounts of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). The redox properties of FAD bound by CRY1 include an unexpected stability of the neutral radical flavosemiquinone (FADH.). The absorption properties of this flavosemiquinone provide a likely explanation for the additional sensitivity exhibited by CRY1-mediated responses in the green region of the visible spectrum. Despite the sequence homology to microbial DNA photolyases, CRY1 was found to have no detectable photolyase activity.

Processing in the hepatitis C virus E2-NS2 region: identification of p7 and two distinct E2-specific products with different C termini

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) H strain polyprotein is cleaved to produce at least nine distinct products: NH2-C-E1-E2-NS2-NS3-NS4A-NS4B-NS5A-NS5B-CO OH. In this report, a series of C-terminal truncations and fusion with a human c-myc epitope tag allowed identification of a tenth HCV-encoded cleavage product, p7, which is located between the E2 and NS2 proteins. As determined by N-terminal sequence analysis, p7 begins with position 747 of the HCV H strain polyprotein. p7 is preceded by a hydrophobic sequence at the C terminus of E2 which may direct its translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum, allowing cleavage at the E2/p7 site by host signal peptidase. This hypothesis is supported by the observation that cleavage at the E2/p7 and p7/NS2 sites in cell-free translation studies was dependent upon the addition of microsomal membranes. However, unlike typical cotranslational signal peptidase cleavages, pulse-chase experiments indicate that cleavage at the E2/p7 site is incomplete, leading to the production of two E2-specific species, E2 and E2-p7. Possible roles of p7 and E2-p7 in the HCV life cycle are discussed.

Constitutive expression of the cold-regulated Arabidopsis thaliana COR15a gene affects both chloroplast and protoplast freezing tolerance

Cold acclimation in plants is associated with the expression of COR (cold-regulated) genes that encode polypeptides of unknown function. It has been widely speculated that products of these genes might have roles in freezing tolerance. Here we provide direct evidence in support of this hypothesis. We show that constitutive expression of COR15a, a cold-regulated gene of Arabidopsis thaliana that encodes a chloroplast-targeted polypeptide, enhances the in vivo freezing tolerance of chloroplasts in nonacclimated plants by almost 2 degrees C, nearly one-third of the increase that occurs upon cold acclimation of wild-type plants. Significantly, constitutive expression of COR15a also affects the in vitro freezing tolerance of protoplasts. At temperatures between -5 and -8 degrees C, the survival of protoplasts isolated from leaves of nonacclimated transgenic plants expressing COR15a was greater than that of protoplasts isolated from leaves of nonacclimated wild-type plants. At temperatures between -2 and -4 degrees C, constitutive expression of COR15a had a slight negative effect on survival. The implications of these data regarding possible modes of COR15a action are discussed.

Pit-1-dependent expression of the receptor for growth hormone releasing factor mediates pituitary cell growth

In Snell (dw) and Jackson (dwJ) dwarf mice, mutations in the gene encoding Pit-1, a tissue-specific POU-domain transcription factor, lead to the absence of somatotroph, lactotroph and thyrotroph cells. Pre-somatotroph proliferation is stimulated by increased intracellular levels of cyclic AMP, normally induced by growth hormone releasing factor (GRF; refs 7-17). Here we report the cloning of mouse and rat complementary DNAs encoding a new member of the seven-transmembrane-helix, G-protein-coupled receptor family restricted to the pituitary gland, which mediates increases in intracellular cAMP and cAMP-dependent gene transcription in response to GRF. The receptor is expressed in a spatial and temporal pattern corresponding precisely to growth hormone gene expression, and neither is expressed in dw/dw mice. The pituitary hypoplasia in these mice thus appears to be due, at least in part, to the absence of GRF receptor, which is in turn due to the absence of functional Pit-1.

Antagonistic actions of Arabidopsis cryptochromes and phytochrome B in the regulation of floral induction

The Arabidopsis photoreceptors cry1, cry2 and phyB are known to play roles in the regulation of flowering time, for which the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. We have previously hypothesized that phyB mediates a red-light inhibition of floral initiation and cry2 mediates a blue-light inhibition of the phyB function. Studies of the cry2/phyB double mutant provide direct evidence in support of this hypothesis. The function of cryptochromes in floral induction was further investigated using the cry2/cry1 double mutants. The cry2/cry1 double mutants showed delayed flowering in monochromatic blue light, whereas neither monogenic cry1 nor cry2 mutant exhibited late flowering in blue light. This result suggests that, in addition to the phyB-dependent function, cry2 also acts redundantly with cry1 to promote floral initiation in a phyB-independent manner. To understand how photoreceptors regulate the transition from vegetative growth to reproductive development, we examined the effect of sequential illumination by blue light and red light on the flowering time of plants. We found that there was a light-quality-sensitive phase of plant development, during which the quality of light exerts a profound influence on flowering time. After this developmental stage, which is between approximately day-1 to day-7 post germination, plants are committed to floral initiation and the quality of light has little effect on the flowering time. Mutations in either the PHYB gene or both the CRY1 and CRY2 genes resulted in the loss of the light-quality-sensitive phase manifested during floral development. The commitment time of floral transition, defined by a plant's sensitivity to light quality, coincides with the commitment time of inflorescence development revealed previously by a plant's sensitivity to light quantity - the photoperiod. Therefore, the developmental mechanism resulting in the commitment to flowering appears to be the direct target of the antagonistic actions of the photoreceptors.

Muscle volume, MRI relaxation times (T2), and body composition after spaceflight

Postflight changes in muscle volume, calf muscle transverse relaxation time, and total body composition were measured in 4 crewmembers after a 17-day mission and in 14-16 crewmembers in multiple shuttle/Mir missions of 16- to 28-wk duration. During the 17-day mission, all muscle regions except the hamstrings significantly decreased 3-10% compared with baseline. During the shuttle/Mir missions, there were significant decreases in muscle volume (5-17%) in all muscle groups except the neck. These changes, which reached a new steady state by 4 mo of flight or less, were reversed within 30-60 days after landing. Postflight swelling and elevation of calf muscle transverse relaxation time persisted for several weeks after flight, which suggests possible muscle damage. In contrast to the 17-day flight, in which loss in fat, but not lean body mass, was found (25), losses in bone mineral content and lean body mass, but not fat, were seen after the longer shuttle/Mir missions. The percent losses in total body lean body mass and bone mineral content were similar at approximately 3.4-3.5%, whereas the pelvis demonstrated the largest regional bone loss at 13%.