Characterisation of myosin heavy chain gene variants in the fast and slow muscle fibres of gammarid amphipods

Recent molecular work has revealed a large diversity of myosin heavy chain (MyHC) gene variants in the abdominal musculature of gammarid amphipods. An unusual truncated MyHC transcript from the loop 1 region (Variant A(3)) was consistently observed in multiple species and populations. The current study aimed to determine whether this MyHC variant is specific to a particular muscle fibre type, as a change in net charge to the loop 1 region of Variant A(3) could be functionally significant. The localisation of different fibre types within the abdominal musculature of several gammarid species revealed that the deep flexor and extensor muscles are fast-twitch muscle fibres. The dorsal superficial muscles were identified as slow fibres and the muscles extrinsic to the pleopods were identified as intermediate fibres. Amplification of loop 1 region mRNA from isolated superficial extensor and deep flexor muscles, and subsequent liquid chromatography and sequence analysis revealed that Variant A(3) was the primary MyHC variant in slow muscles, and the conserved A(1) sequence was the primary variant in fast muscles. The specific role of Variant A(3) in the slow muscles remains to be investigated.

Self-perpetuating mechanisms of immunoglobulin G aggregation in rheumatoid inflammation

When human IgG is exposed to free radical generating systems such as ultraviolet irradiation, peroxidizing lipids, or activated human neutrophils, characteristic auto-fluorescent monomeric and polymeric IgG is formed (excitation [Ex], 360 nm, emission [Em], 454 nm). 1 h ultraviolet irradiation of IgG results in the following reductions in constituent amino acids; cysteine (37.0%), tryptophan (17.0%), tyrosine (10.5%), and lysine (3.6%). The fluorescent IgG complexes, when produced in vitro, can stimulate the release of superoxide from normal human neutrophils. In the presence of excess unaltered IgG, further fluorescent damage to IgG occurs. Measurement and isolation of fluorescent monomeric and polymeric IgG by high performance liquid chromatography, from in vitro systems and from fresh rheumatoid sera and synovial fluid, indicates that identical complexes are present in vivo; all these fluorescent complexes share the property of enhancing free radical production from neutrophils. The results described in this study support the hypothesis that fluorescent monomeric and aggregated IgG may be formed in vivo by oxygen-centered free radicals derived from neutrophils, and that in rheumatoid inflammation this reaction may be self-perpetuating within the inflamed joint.