Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy on a (5-nanometer)3 sample volume

Application of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to nanoscale samples has remained an elusive goal, achieved only with great experimental effort at subkelvin temperatures. We demonstrated detection of NMR signals from a (5-nanometer)(3) voxel of various fluid and solid organic samples under ambient conditions. We used an atomic-size magnetic field sensor, a single nitrogen-vacancy defect center, embedded ~7 nanometers under the surface of a bulk diamond to record NMR spectra of various samples placed on the diamond surface. Its detection volume consisted of only 10(4) nuclear spins with a net magnetization of only 10(2) statistically polarized spins.

Gene delivery by cationic lipids: in and out of an endosome

Cationic lipids are exploited as vectors ('lipoplexes') for delivering nucleic acids, including genes, into cells for both therapeutic and cell biological purposes. However, to meet therapeutic requirements, their efficacy needs major improvement, and better defining the mechanism of entry in relation to eventual transfection efficiency could be part of such a strategy. Endocytosis is the major pathway of entry, but the relative contribution of distinct endocytic pathways, including clathrin- and caveolae-mediated endocytosis and/or macropinocytosis is as yet poorly defined. Escape of DNA/RNA from endosomal compartments is thought to represent a major obstacle. Evidence is accumulating that non-lamellar phase changes of the lipoplexes, facilitated by intracellular lipids, which allow DNA to dissociate from the vector and destabilize endosomal membranes, are instrumental in plasmid translocation into the cytosol, a prerequisite for nuclear delivery. To further clarify molecular mechanisms and to appreciate and overcome intracellular hurdles in lipoplex-mediated gene delivery, quantification of distinct steps in overall transfection and proper model systems are required.

Risk factors for diabetes mellitus by age and sex: results of the National Population Health Survey

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

We aimed to assess the risk factors for diabetes mellitus, by age and sex in Canada and to recommend prevention and control strategies.

METHODS

This study was based on the Canadian 1996-1997 National Population Health Survey which comprised 69 494 participants aged 12 years and over. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus was analysed in relation to age, sex, body mass index, overweight status, energy expenditure, physical activity, smoking, drinking, income, marital status, education and rural or urban residence.

RESULTS

The prevalence of diabetes increased with age and body mass index and increased inversely with energy expenditure in both males and females. Current and former smokers were associated with a higher prevalence of diabetes. No effect was observed in regular or former drinkers. Prevalence of diabetes increased inversely with income, especially among women. Women who were single and 35 to 64 years old had a higher prevalence of diabetes than women of the same age who were married. The prevalence of diabetes was not found to be related to the level of education. Urban or rural residence was not found to have an effect on the prevalence of diabetes.

CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION

Women and men of all ages should avoid becoming overweight, by maintaining their body mass index below 25 kg/m(2) and 27 kg/m(2), respectively. They should maintain a moderate level of physical activity. Patients with diabetes should give up smoking completely. Diabetes prevention and control strategies should be targeted for women in low income groups.

Hippocampal shape analysis of Alzheimer disease based on machine learning methods

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive dementia. The hippocampus is particularly vulnerable to damage at the very earliest stages of AD. This article seeks to evaluate critical AD-associated regional changes in the hippocampus using machine learning methods.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

High-resolution MR images were acquired from 19 patients with AD and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. Regional changes of bilateral hippocampi were characterized using computational anatomic mapping methods. A feature selection method for support vector machine and leave-1-out cross-validation was introduced to determine regional shape differences that minimized the error rate in the datasets.

RESULTS

Patients with AD showed significant deformations in the CA1 region of bilateral hippocampi, as well as the subiculum of the left hippocampus. There were also some changes in the CA2-4 subregions of the left hippocampus among patients with AD. Moreover, the left hippocampal surface showed greater variations than the right compared with those in healthy control subjects. The accuracies of leave-1-out cross-validation and 3-fold cross-validation experiments for assessing the reliability of these subregions were more than 80% in bilateral hippocampi.

CONCLUSION

Subtle and spatially complex deformation patterns of hippocampus between patients with AD and healthy control subjects can be detected by machine learning methods.

Phylogeography of a northeast Asian spruce, Picea jezoensis, inferred from genetic variation observed in organelle DNA markers

Range-wide genetic variation of the widespread cold-temperate spruce Picea jezoensis was studied throughout northeast Asia using maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA and paternally inherited chloroplast DNA markers. This study assessed 33 natural populations including three varieties of the species in Japan, Russia, China, and South Korea. We depicted sharp suture zones in straits around Japan in the geographical distribution pattern of mitochondrial haplotypes (GST=0.901; NST=0.934). In contrast, we detected possible extensive pollen flow without seed flow across the straits around Japan during the past population history in the distribution pattern of chloroplast haplotypes (GST=0.233; NST=0.333). The analysis of isolation by distance of the species implied that by acting as a barrier for the movement of seeds and pollen, the sharp suture zones contributed considerably to the level of genetic differentiation between populations. Constructed networks of mitochondrial haplotypes allowed inference of the phylogeographical history of the species. We deduced that the disjunction with Kamchatka populations reflects range expansion and contraction to the north of the current distribution. Within Japan, we detected phylogeographically different types of P. jezoensis between Hokkaido and Honshu islands; P. jezoensis in Honshu Island may have colonized this region from the Asian continent via the Korean peninsula and the species in Hokkaido Island is likely to have spread from the Asian continent via Sakhalin through land bridges. Japanese endemism of mitochondrial haplotypes in Hokkaido and Honshu islands might have been promoted by separation of these islands from each other and from the Asian continent by the straits during the late Quaternary.

Adeno-associated virus site-specifically integrates into a muscle-specific DNA region

The nonpathogenic human virus adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV) has evolved the potentially unique strategy to establish latency by site-specifically integrating its genome into human chromosome 19 (19q13.3-qter) at a locus designated AAVS1. This nonhomologous, site-specific recombination of viral DNA with the human genome provides a basis for developing targeted gene therapy vectors. To assess whether the region surrounding AAVS1 might have contributed to the selection of the specific integration site, we have investigated this locus. Here, we show that AAVS1 is closely linked to the slow skeletal troponin T gene, TNNT1, which has been mapped previously to 19q13.4. In support of this idea, we demonstrate that site-specific AAV DNA integration can result in the formation of TNNT1-AAV junctions. The question now arises whether muscle represents a natural target tissue for latent AAV infection. This possibility is of additional interest in view of recent observations that muscle tissue is particularly well suited for AAV-mediated gene transfer. The question also occurs whether latent infection by AAV can lead to phenotypic changes of the multinucleated muscle fiber cells.

Synergistic inhibition of tumor growth in a murine mammary adenocarcinoma model by combinational gene therapy using IL-12, pro-IL-18, and IL-1beta converting enzyme cDNA

We report here that a cancer gene therapy protocol using a combination of IL-12, pro-IL-18, and IL-1beta converting enzyme (ICE) cDNA expression vectors simultaneously delivered via gene gun can significantly augment antitumor effects, evidently by generating increased levels of bioactive IL-18 and consequently IFN-gamma. First, we compared the levels of IFN-gamma secreted by mouse splenocytes stimulated with tumor cells transfected with various test genes, including IL-12 alone; pro-IL-18 alone; pro-IL-18 and ICE; IL-12 and pro-IL-18; and IL-12, pro-IL-18, and ICE. Among these treatments, the combination of IL-12, pro-IL-18, and ICE cDNA resulted in the highest level of IFN-gamma production from splenocytes in vitro, and similar results were obtained when these same treatments were delivered to the skin of a mouse by gene gun and IFN-gamma levels were measured at the skin transfection site in vivo. Furthermore, the triple gene combinatorial gene therapy protocol was the most effective among all tested groups at suppressing the growth of TS/A (murine mammary adenocarcinoma) tumors previously implanted intradermally at the skin site receiving DNA transfer by gene gun on days 6, 8, 10, and 12 after tumor implantation. Fifty percent of mice treated with the combined three-gene protocol underwent complete tumor regression. In vivo depletion experiments showed that this antitumor effect was CD8(+) T cell-mediated and partially IFN-gamma-dependent. These results suggest that a combinatorial gene therapy protocol using a mixture of IL-12, pro-IL-18, and ICE cDNAs can confer potent antitumor activities against established TS/A tumors via cytotoxic CD8(+) T cells and IFN-gamma-dependent pathways.

Procoagulant activity of erythrocytes and platelets through phosphatidylserine exposure and microparticles release in patients with nephrotic syndrome

Recent studies showed that an imbalance of prothrombotic and antithrombotic factors and impaired thrombolytic activity contribute to the thrombophilia of the nephrotic syndrome (NS). However, it is not clear whether blood cell injury and/or activation is involved in hypercoagulability in NS patients. Our objectives were to study the increase in microparticle (MP) release and phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure on the outer membrane of MP-origin cells in NS patients, and to evaluate their procoagulant activity (PCA). The subjects were patients with membranous nephropathy (MN), minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) and healthy controls. Analyses of MPs and PS exposure were performed using a flow cytometer. PCA was determined by clotting time and purified coagulation complex assays. We found that lactadherin+ MPs, which derived from red blood cells (RBC), platelet and endothelial cell, increased in NS patients. Moreover, PS exposure on RBCs and platelets in each NS group, especially in MN, are higher than that in controls. MP shedding and PS exposure of RBCs/platelets were highly procoagulant in NS patients. However, blockade of PS with lactadherin inhibited over 90% of PCA while an anti-tissue factor antibody had no significant inhibition effect. Our results demonstrate that the thrombophilic susceptibility of NS may be partly ascribed to MP release and PS exposure of RBCs, platelets and endothelial cells. Lactadherin is a sensitive probe for PS that has high anticoagulant activity.

Production and testing of Schistosoma japonicum candidate vaccine antigens in the natural ovine host

The objectives of this work were to clone and express Chinese strain Schistosoma japonicum antigens and evaluate their immunogenicity and protective efficacy in the natural ovine host in China. Recombinant antigens selected for testing were: isoforms of glutathione S-transferase Sj28GST and Sj26GST; the large hydrophilic domain of Sj23, the homologue of the protective S. mansoni membrane antigen Sm23; and a 3' fragment of S. japonicum paramyosin. In addition, Chinese strain S. japonicum native paramyosin and GST were purified and used for vaccination. Antigens were co-administered with Freund's adjuvants or BCG. We also examined the effects of co-administration of native unfractionated GSTs with keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH), which shares a cross-reactive protective epitope with schistosomes. These are the first side-by-side comparisons of candidate defined-antigen schistosomiasis vaccines in a natural host. Significant partial protection was obtained with each of the antigens tested. Less protection was obtained with a recombinant fragment of S. japonicum paramyosin compared with native paramyosin. Co-administration of native GST and KLH was no more effective than vaccination with either antigen alone. Although encouraging levels of protection against S. japonicum were demonstrated using each of these antigens, further work is needed to optimise vaccine delivery and vaccination schedules.

Overexpression of ZWF1 and POS5 improves carotenoid biosynthesis in recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing exogenous carotenogenic genes can synthesize carotenoids. NADPH is a key cofactor for carotenoid biosynthesis, while glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (Zwf1) and an NADH kinase (Pos5) are the two main NADPH-supplying sources in S. cerevisiae. Here, the effect of ZWF1 and POS5 overexpression on carotenoid yield in recombinant S. cerevisiae was explored. The initial carotenogenic strain Sc-EYBIH+I which expressed crtE, crtYB, crtI, cHMG1 and another copy of crtI could synthesize 1·35 ± 0·13 mg l(-1) of lycopene and 0·32 ± 0·02 mg l(-1) of β-carotene. When ZWF1 was overexpressed (Sc-EYBIZH+I), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity increased by 103-fold, the transcription level of crtE and crtI increased significantly, the lycopene and β-carotene yield increased to 2·29 ± 0·06 and 0·38 ± 0·02 mg l(-1) respectively. When POS5 was overexpressed (Sc-EYBIPH+I), NAD kinase activity increased by 5·5-fold, the transcription level of crtE, crtYB and crtI increased obviously, the lycopene and β-carotene yield increased to 2·50 ± 0·11 and 0·53 ± 0·03 mg l(-1) respectively. Therefore, improvement of NADPH supply contributed to carotenoids biosynthesis in S. cerevisiae and overexpression of POS5 was more effective than overexpression of ZWF1. This study provides a new strategy for enhancing carotenoid biosynthesis.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

NADPH is a key cofactor for carotenoid biosynthesis. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (Zwf1) and an NADH kinase (Pos5) are effective NADPH-supplying sources in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. When ZWF1 and POS5 were overexpressed in a carotenoid-producing S. cerevisiae strain individually, the total yield of lycopene and β-carotene increased by 59·9% and 81·4%, respectively, and the final product β-carotene yield increased by 18·8% and 65·6% respectively. This suggests the improvement of NADPH supply as a useful strategy for carotenoids biosynthesis.

Post-translational modifications as key regulators of TNF-induced necroptosis

Necroptosis is a novel form of programmed cell death that is independent of caspase activity. Different stimuli can trigger necroptosis. At present, the most informative studies about necroptosis derive from the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-triggered system. The initiation of TNF-induced necroptosis requires the kinase activity of receptor-interacting protein 1 and 3 (RIP1 and RIP3). Evidence now reveals that the ability of RIP1 and RIP3 to modulate this key cellular event is tightly controlled by post-translational modifications, including ubiquitination, phosphorylation, caspase 8-mediated cleavage and GlcNAcylation. These regulatory events coordinately determine whether a cell will survive or die by apoptosis or necroptosis. In this review, we highlight recent advances in the study of post-translational modifications during TNF-induced necroptosis and discuss how these modifications regulate the complex and delicate control of programmed necrosis.

Relationship between FoxO1 protein levels and follicular development, atresia, and luteinization in the rat ovary

FoxO1 is a transcription factor implicated in a growing number of physiological processes, including apoptosis, cell cycle progression, and insulin signaling. Recent findings indicate that FSH and growth factors influence ovarian functions in part through regulation of FoxO1. The present study utilized immunohistochemical analysis to determine the ovarian localization and regulation of FoxO1 protein levels in neonatal rats, immature rats during gonadotropin-induced follicular development, ovulation, and luteinization, and in spontaneously developing ovarian cysts of aging rats. In postnatal rats, FoxO1 immunoreactivity was very faint in ovaries of 5- and 10-day-old females. In contrast, strong immunoreactivity was observed in granulosa cells of larger developing follicles at 25 days of age. To stimulate follicle development, immature female rats received equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) followed 52 h later by an ovulatory dose of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Prior to gonadotropin treatment, moderate FoxO1 immunoreactivity was observed in granulosa cells of small follicles. Subsequently, treatment with eCG markedly decreased FoxO1 protein levels in granulosa cells of healthy antral and preovulatory follicles. Interestingly, FoxO1 staining was observed in cumulus and antral, but not mural granulosa cells of preovulatory follicles. Induction of ovulation and luteinization with hCG further decreased ovarian FoxO1 levels, with no staining evident in corpora lutea. At all time points, the most intensive FoxO1 staining was observed in granulosa cells of atretic follicles, with predominantly nuclear localization. Similarly, while FoxO1 levels were low in granulosa cells of preovulatory follicles in proestrous rats, FoxO1 staining was intense in granulosa cells of spontaneously developing cystic follicles in aged, acyclic females. Together, these findings indicate that FoxO1 is expressed in a regulated, cell-specific manner during ovarian follicular development, atresia and luteinization, suggesting roles in these physiological processes.

Changes in brain microvessel endothelial cell monolayer permeability induced by adrenergic drugs

Brain microvessel endothelial cell monolayers have been shown to be a suitable blood-brain barrier in vitro system to study adrenergic regulation of permeability. We tested adrenergic drugs on bovine brain microvessel endothelial cell monolayer permeability to a biomembrane impermeant molecule, sodium fluorescein. Endogenous catecholamines noradrenaline and adrenaline were tested as well as the alpha-adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine, the beta-adrenoceptor agonist clenbuterol and the alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin. Results showed an alpha-adrenoceptor mediated increase and a beta-adrenoceptor mediated decrease in monolayer permeability. Both alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor mediated changes in permeability were abolished by inhibiting fluid-phase pinocytosis, either by vincristine or by avoiding bovine brain microvessel endothelial cell's energy utilization. The reverse transport (i.e., from brain to blood side) was also influenced by adrenergic drugs; alpha- or beta-adrenoceptor stimulation induced a permeability-reducing effect. We conclude that alpha-adrenoceptor stimulation increases bovine brain microvessel endothelial cell monolayer permeability and that beta-adrenoceptor stimulation has the opposite effect. Reverse transport results obtained with beta-adrenoceptor stimulation seem controversial and deserve further study. These results also support in vivo findings that demonstrated adrenergic influences on blood brain barrier permeability.

In vitro and in vivo enhancement of canine pulmonary alveolar macrophage cytotoxic activity against canine osteosarcoma cells

The combination of chemotherapy with immunotherapy may offer an advantage over either therapy alone and provide a greater potential for total tumor eradication. Monocyte/macrophage-mediated tumor cell killing is a major mechanism of the host's defense against primary and/or metastatic neoplasia. We evaluated the tumoricidal activity against canine osteosarcoma cells of canine pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAM) exposed in vitro to two recombinant canine (rc) cytokines (rcTNF alpha and rcIFN gamma). We also evaluated the in vivo tumoricidal activity of PAM from dogs treated with the macrophage activator, liposome-encapsulated muramyl tripeptide-phosphatidyl-ethanolamine (L-MTP-PE) alone or in combination with doxorubicin (DOX). This study demonstrated that rcTNF alpha and rcIFN gamma significantly enhance in vitro canine PAM cytotoxicity against canine osteosarcoma cells, and that PAM from dogs treated with DOX + L-MTP-PE have enhanced cytotoxic activity against osteosarcoma cells when compared to dogs treated with DOX or L-MTP-PE alone. These findings support the rationale for combining a chemotherapy agent with an immunotherapy agent for the treatment of metastatic disease, and suggest a role for TNF alpha and IFN gamma as agents for stimulating the antitumor activity of macrophages.

Laboratory and field evaluation of Schistosoma japonicum DNA vaccines in sheep and water buffalo in China

Vaccines are needed to control zoonotic Schistosoma japonicum infection and several vaccine candidates have now been identified. Two of these (Sj28GST and Sj23) have shown particular promise in sheep when injected with Freund's adjuvants. The objective of the present work was to find a vaccine formulation which may have potential for widespread use in the field. DNA vaccine formulations of these antigens were produced and tested first in sheep under laboratory conditions and then in both the laboratory and the field in water buffalo. In both host species partial protection as evidenced by a reduction in parasite counts in vaccinated compared with control animals was induced by both vaccines, and in water buffalo the vaccines were shown to be partially protective in the field as well as in the laboratory. These results suggest that the two DNA vaccines tested here may have potential for large-scale field use.

3D Pseudocontinuous Arterial Spin-Labeling MR Imaging in the Preoperative Evaluation of Gliomas

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Previous studies showed conflicting results concerning the value of CBF maps obtained from arterial spin-labeling MR imaging in grading gliomas. This study was performed to investigate the effectiveness of CBF maps derived from 3D pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling in preoperatively assessing the grade, cellular proliferation, and prognosis of gliomas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fifty-eight patients with pathologically confirmed gliomas underwent preoperative 3D pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling. The receiver operating characteristic curves for parameters to distinguish high-grade gliomas from low-grade gliomas were generated. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation among parameters. Survival analysis was conducted with Cox regression.

RESULTS

Both maximum CBF and maximum relative CBF were significantly higher in high-grade gliomas than in low-grade gliomas (P < .001). The areas under the curve for maximum CBF and maximum relative CBF in distinguishing high-grade gliomas from low-grade gliomas were 0.828 and 0.863, respectively. Both maximum CBF and maximum relative CBF had no correlation with the Ki-67 index in all subjects and had a moderate negative correlation with the Ki-67 index in glioblastomas (r = -0.475, -0.534, respectively). After adjustment for age, a higher maximum CBF (P = .008) and higher maximum relative CBF (P = .005) were associated with worse progression-free survival in gliomas, while a higher maximum relative CBF (P = .033) was associated with better overall survival in glioblastomas.

CONCLUSIONS

3D pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling-derived CBF maps are effective in preoperative evaluation of gliomas. Although gliomas with a higher blood flow are more malignant, glioblastomas with a lower blood flow are likely to be more aggressive.

Genetic induction of chromosomal rearrangements in barley chromosome 7H added to common wheat

Chromosome 2C of Aegilops cylindrica induces chromosomal rearrangements in alien chromosome addition lines, as well as in euploid lines, of common wheat. To induce chromosomal rearrangements in barley chromosome 7H, reciprocal crosses were made between a mutation-inducing common wheat line that carries a pair of 7H chromosomes and one 2C chromosome and a 7H disomic addition line of common wheat. Many shrivelled seeds were included in the progeny, which was an indication of the occurrence of chromosome mutations. The chromosomal constitution of the viable progeny was examined by FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) using the barley subterminal repeat HvT01 as a probe. Structural changes of chromosome 7H were found in about 15% of the progeny of the reciprocal crosses. The aberrant 7H chromosomes were characterized by a combination of N-banding, FISH and genomic in situ hybridization. Mosaicism for aberrant 7H chromosomes was observed in seven plants. In total, 89 aberrant 7H chromosomes were identified in 82 plants, seven of which had double aberrations. More than half of the plants carried a simple deletion: four short-arm telosomes, one long-arm telosome, and 45 terminal deletions (23 in the short arm, 21 in the long arm, and one involving both arms). About 40% of the aberrations represented translocations between 7H and wheat chromosomes. Twenty of the translocations had wheat centromeres, 12 the 7H centromere, with translocation points in the 7HS (five) and in the 7HL (seven), and the remaining four were of Robertsonian type, three involving 7HS and one with 7HL. In addition, one translocation had a barley segment in an intercalary position of a wheat chromosome, and two were dicentric. The breakpoints of these aberrations were distributed along the entire length of chromosome 7H.

Piperine, a functional food alkaloid, exhibits inhibitory potential against TNBS-induced colitis via the inhibition of IκB-α/NF-κB and induces tight junction protein (claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1) signaling pathway in experimental mice

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic immunoinflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Piperine, an alkaloid, has been reported to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and antiulcer potential.

AIM

To elucidate the plausible mechanisms of action of piperine on experimental trinitrobenzenesufonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis by assessing various biochemical, molecular, histological, and ultrastructural modifications.

METHODS

Colitis was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats via intrarectal instillation of TNBS. Then, the rats were treated with piperine (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg, p.o.) for 14 days.

RESULTS

TNBS induced significant (p < 0.05) colonic damage, which was assessed by disease activity index, macroscopic score, and stool consistency. The administration of piperine (20 and 40 mg/kg) significantly inhibited (p < 0.05) these damages. Treatments with piperine (20 and 40 mg/kg) notably inhibited (p < 0.05) the TNBS-induced elevation of oxido-nitrosative stress (superoxide dismutase, glutathione, malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide), 5-hydroxytryptamine, and hydroxyproline content in the colon. Furthermore, colonic inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOs), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, interferon-gamma, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions were upregulated after TNBS instillation and piperine (20 and 40 mg/kg) significantly attenuated (p < 0.05) these elevated mRNA expressions. TNBS decreased the expressions of tight junction (TJ) protein (claudin-1, occludin, and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1)) and increased the expressions of proapoptotic (caspase-1) protein. These expressions were markedly inhibited (p < 0.05) by piperine treatment. Histological and ultrastructural studies of transmission electron microscopy suggested that piperine significantly ameliorated (p < 0.05) TNBS-induced colonic aberrations.

CONCLUSION

Piperine ameliorated the progression of TNBS-induced colitis by modulating the nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor-alpha/nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway, thus inhibiting the overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL's), COX-2, iNOs, oxido-nitrosative stress, and proapoptotic proteins (caspase-1) that may improve the expression of TJ protein (claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1).

Secretion of ovarian inhibin and its physiologic roles in the regulation of follicle-stimulating hormone secretion during the estrous cycle of the female guinea pig

To characterize inhibin secretion during the estrous cycle in guinea pigs, the concentrations of plasma inhibin, estradiol, progesterone, and FSH were determined. A significant positive correlation was observed between inhibin and estradiol throughout the estrous cycle. Plasma inhibin and estradiol started to increase a few days before ovulation (Day 0 = day of estimated ovulation), and decreased after ovulation. These two hormones remained low during the luteal phase. The immunoreactivity of inhibin alpha, betaA, and betaB subunits was colocalized in the granulosa cells of one or two healthy large follicles in the ovary before ovulation. There was no positive reaction of inhibin alpha and beta subunits in the corpora lutea or other follicles. Ovariectomy resulted in an abrupt decrease in plasma inhibin and a significant increase in plasma FSH. Injection of anti-inhibin serum into adult female guinea pigs induced an elevation in plasma FSH in a dose-dependent manner. This report presents the first description of sequential changes in plasma inhibin and estradiol during the estrous cycle of guinea pigs. Results suggest that inhibin is secreted mainly by granulosa cells of a few healthy large follicles in the ovary and that it plays an important role in the regulation of FSH secretion during the estrous cycle in guinea pigs.

Corticotropin-releasing factor receptor types 1 and 2 are differentially expressed in pre- and post-synaptic elements in the post-natal developing rat cerebellum

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-like proteins act via two G-protein-coupled receptors (CRF-R1 and CRF-R2) playing important neuromodulatory roles in stress responses and synaptic plasticity. The cerebellar expression of corticotropin-releasing factor-like ligands has been well documented, but their receptor localization has not. This is the first combination of a light microscopic and ultrastructural study to localize corticotropin-releasing factor receptors immunohistologically in the developing rat cerebellum. Both CRF-R1 and CRF-R2 were expressed in climbing fibres from early stages (post-natal day 3) to the adult, but CRF-R2 immunoreactivity was only prominent throughout the molecular layer in the posterior cerebellar lobules. CRF-R1 immunoreactivity was concentrated in apical regions of Purkinje cell somata and later in primary dendrites exhibiting a diffuse cytoplasmic appearance. In Purkinje cells, CRF-R1 immunoreactivity was never membrane bound post-synaptically in dendritic spines while CRF-R2 immunoreactivity was found on plasmic membranes of Purkinje cells from post-natal day 15 onwards. We conclude that the localization of these receptors in cerebellar afferents implies their pre-synaptic control of the release of corticotropin-releasing factor-like ligands, impacting on the sensory information being transmitted from afferents. Furthermore, the fact that CRF-R2 is membrane bound at synapses, while CRF-R1 is not, suggests that ligands couple to CRF-R2 via synaptic transmission and to CRF-R1 via volume transmission. Finally, the distinct expression profiles of receptors along structural domains of Purkinje cells suggest that the role for these receptors is to modulate afferent inputs.