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Biomedical subjects

R Kishore

Publications and source records attributed to R Kishore.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Characterization of beta-turn and Asx-turns mimicry in a model peptide: stabilization via C--H . . . O interaction.

The chemical synthesis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of a model peptide, Boc-Thr-Thr-NH2 (1) comprised of proteinogenic residues bearing an amphiphilic Cbeta -stereogenic center, has been described. Interestingly, the analysis of its molecular structure revealed the existence of a distinct conformation that mimics a typical beta-turn and Asx-turns, i.e., the two Thr residues occupy the left- and right-corner positions. The main-chain torsion angles of the N- and C-terminal residues i.e., semiextended: phi = -68.9 degrees , psi = 128.6 degrees ; semifolded: phi = -138.1 degrees , psi = 2.5 degrees conformations, respectively, in conjunction with a gauche- disposition of the obligatory C-terminus Thr CgammaH3 group, characterize the occurrence of the newly described beta-turn- and Asx-turns-like topology. The preferred molecular structure is suggested to be stabilized by an effective nonconventional main-chain to side-chain Ci=O . . . H--Cgamma(i+2)-type intraturn hydrogen bond. Noteworthy, the observed topology of the resulting 10-membered hydrogen-bonded ring is essentially similar to the one perceived for a classical beta-turn and the Asx-turns, stabilized by a conventional intraturn hydrogen bond. Considering the signs as well as magnitudes of the backbone torsion angles and the orientation of the central peptide bond, the overall mimicked topology resembles the type II beta-turn or type II Asx-turns. An analysis of Xaa-Thr sequences in high-resolution X-ray elucidated protein structures revealed the novel topology prevalence in functional proteins (unpublished). In view of indubitable structural as well as functional importance of nonconventional interactions in bioorganic and biomacromolecules, we intend to highlight the participation of Thr CgammaH in the creation of a short-range C=O . . . H--Cgamma -type interaction in peptides and proteins.

Carbon↗

Isolated acetabular osteoporosis in TOH in pregnancy: a case report.

Transient osteoporosis of the hip (TOH) is a rare, self-limiting syndrome characterized by hip pain in the 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Conventional radiography shows demineralization of the femoral head. Diagnosis is confirmed by MRI scan. Over the course of a few months, the radiological abnormalities and the pain disappear spontaneously with complete resolution. We report the case of a patient with isolated acetabular involvement during pregnancy, confirmed by MRI scan, who obtained spontaneous remission of her symptoms.

Acetabulum↗

The Gene Ontology (GO) database and informatics resource.

The Gene Ontology (GO) project (http://www. geneontology.org/) provides structured, controlled vocabularies and classifications that cover several domains of molecular and cellular biology and are freely available for community use in the annotation of genes, gene products and sequences. Many model organism databases and genome annotation groups use the GO and contribute their annotation sets to the GO resource. The GO database integrates the vocabularies and contributed annotations and provides full access to this information in several formats. Members of the GO Consortium continually work collectively, involving outside experts as needed, to expand and update the GO vocabularies. The GO Web resource also provides access to extensive documentation about the GO project and links to applications that use GO data for functional analyses.

Animals↗

Unusual complication of parotid abscess.

Temporal lobe abscess as a complication of parotid abscess is not described in the English literature. In this case report a 66-year-old gentleman is described who presented with a left-sided parotid abscess, which extended to other deep neck spaces, and advanced to develop a temporal lobe abscess and subdural parietal empyema. Treatment included intravenous antibiotics, incision and drainage of parotid abscess, and burr hole aspiration of the temporal lobe abscess. The importance of imaging to evaluate the extent of deep neck abscess and brain abscess is highlighted in this report.

Abscess↗

Folded conformation of an immunostimulating tetrapeptide rigin: high temperature molecular dynamics simulation study.

Employing high temperature quenched molecular dynamics (QMD) stimulations the conformational energy space of an immunostimulating tetrapeptide rigin: H-Gly341-Gln-Pro-Arg344-OH, is explored. Using distance dependent dielectric (epsilon =r(ij)) 31 different low energy starting structures with identical sequence were computed for their conformational preferences. According to the hypothesis of O'Connors et al. [J. Med. Chem. 35 (1992), 2870], 83 low-energy conformers resulted from unrestrained molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, could be classified into two energy minimized families: A and B, comprised of 64 (Pro C(gamma)-endo orientation) and 19 (Pro C(gamma)-exo orientation) structures, respectively. An examination of these families revealed the existence of a remarkably similar folded backbone conformation: torsion angles being phi(i+1) approximately -65 degrees, psi(i+1) approximately -65 degrees, phi(i+2) approximately -65 degrees, psi(i+2) approximately -60 degrees, characterizing a distorted type III beta-turn structure across the central Gln-Pro segment. The folded conformation of rigin is devoid of a classical 1 <-- 4 intra-molecular hydrogen bond nevertheless, the conformation is stabilized by an effective 'salt-bridge', i.e., Gly H(3)N(+)...C(alpha)OO(-) Arg interaction. Surprisingly, in both the families the unusual folded side-chain dispositions of the Gln residue favor the formation of a unique intra-residue 'main-chain to side-chain' H-bond, i.e., N(alpha)-H...N(epsilon) interaction, encompassing a seven-membered ring motif. The conformational attributes may be valuable in de novo construction of structure-based drug candidates having sufficient stimulating activity.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Stabilization of tumor necrosis factor alpha mRNA by chronic ethanol: role of A + U-rich elements and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway.

Increased expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) in response to chronic ethanol has been implicated in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease. However, the molecular mechanisms by which ethanol increases the levels of TNFalpha are not well characterized. Utilizing Kupffer cells isolated from rats fed an ethanol containing diet and a murine macrophage cell line, RAW264.7, exposed to ethanol in culture, we have demonstrated that exposure to chronic ethanol results in an enhanced expression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced TNFalpha. While chronic ethanol had no effect on the rate of LPS-induced TNFalpha transcription as measured by nuclear run-on experiments, TNFalpha mRNA half-life was increased by chronic ethanol. Chronic ethanol also potentiated the activation of LPS-induced p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in Kupffer cells, as well as in RAW264.7 cells. Specific inhibition of p38 MAP kinase activation by SB203580 in Kupffer cells or by overexpression of dominant negative p38 MAP kinase in RAW264.7 cells blocked ethanol-mediated TNFalpha mRNA stabilization. Furthermore, using chimeric reporter constructs, we have shown that A + U-rich elements in the 3'-untranslated region of TNFalpha mRNA are not sufficient to impart ethanol-mediated stabilization on TNFalpha mRNA.

3' Untranslated Regions↗

Influence of hydrophobic interactions on the conformational adaptability of the beta-Ala residue.

The chemical synthesis and X-ray crystal structure analysis of a model peptide incorporating a conformationally flexible beta-Ala residue: Boc-beta-Ala-Pda, 1 (C23H46N2O3: molecular weight = 398.62) have been described. The peptide crystallized in the crystal system triclinic with space group P21: a = 5.116(3) A, b = 5.6770(10) A, c = 21.744(5) A; alpha = 87.45 degrees, beta = 86.87 degrees, gamma = 90.0 degrees; Z = 1. An attractive feature of the crystal molecular structure of 1 is the induction of a reasonably extended backbone conformation of the beta-Ala moiety, i.e. the torsion angles phi approximately -115 degrees, mu approximately 173 degrees and psi approximately 122 degrees, correspond to skew-, trans and skew+ conformation, respectively, by an unbranched hydrophobic alkyl chain, Pda, which prefers an all-anti orientation (theta1 approximately -153 degrees, theta2 approximately ellipsis theta14 approximately +/-178 degrees ). The observation is remarkable because, systematic conformational investigations of short linear beta-Ala peptides of the type Boc-beta-Ala-Xaa-OCH3 (Xaa = Aib or Acc6) have shown that the chemical and stereochemical characters of the neighboring moieties may be critical in dictating the overall folded and/or unfolded conformational features of the beta-Ala residue. The overall conformation of 1 is typical of a 'bar'. It appears convincing that, in addition to a number of hydrophobic contacts between the parallel arranged molecules, an array of conventional N-HellipsisO=C intermolecular H-bonding interactions stabilize the crystal molecular structure. Moreover, the resulting 14-membered pseudo-ring motif, generated by the amide-amide interactions between the adjacent molecules, is completely devoid of nonconventional C-HellipsisO interaction. The potentials of the conformational adaptation of the beta-Ala residue, to influence and stabilize different structural characteristics have been highlighted.

Hydrogen↗

The lighthouse strategy: Improving the functional status of patients with unilateral neglect after stroke and brain injury using a visual imagery intervention.

This study extends the work of J. Niemeier (1998) by using visual imagery for amelioration of the devastating impact of visual inattention or neglect on recovery from stroke or other brain injuries. Ten individuals with unilateral visual neglect who were undergoing acute physical rehabilitation after brain injury were cued by their interdisciplinary treatment team members to "be like" horizon-illuminating lighthouses and turn their heads left and right during functional and therapy training tasks. These treatment group patients, in comparison with waiting list controls, performed significantly better and more safely on route finding (p <.001), walking or wheelchair (p <.05), and problem solving (p <.05) tasks. The use of visual imagery techniques in rehabilitation of brain injuries is discussed.

Journal Article↗

Collateral existence of folded and extended conformations of the beta-Ala moiety in a model peptide.

The single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of a nonchiral beta-Ala-containing model peptide, Boc-beta-Ala-Aib-OCH(3) 1 (beta-Ala, 3-aminopropionic acid; Aib, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid), establishes the coexistence of distinctly different backbone conformations in two crystallographically independent molecules, A and B, in the asymmetric unit. Interestingly, the central mu torsion angle around the -C(beta)-C(alpha)- bond of the conformationally flexible beta-Ala residue appears to be critical in dictating the overall distinct structural features, i.e., in molecule A it adopts a folded gauche conformation: mu = -71.0 degrees, whereas it favors an extended trans conformation, mu = 161.2 degrees, in molecule B. As expected, the stereochemically constrained Aib residue preferred an energetically favorable folded backbone conformation, the torsion angles being phi = 46.2 degrees and psi = 48.3 degrees for molecule A and phi = -43.6 degrees and psi = -45.5 degrees for molecule B, lying in the left-handed and right-handed helical regions of the Ramachandran map, respectively. Considering the signs as well as the magnitudes of the backbone torsional angles, molecule A typically folds into a pseudo type III' beta-turn-like structure while molecule B prefers an overall extended conformation. Entrapping the two dramatically distinct conformational characteristics in the crystalline state clearly suggests that the gauche and the trans effects of the beta-Ala moieties are indeed energetically accessible to a short linear peptide and receive strong experimental support. The analyses permitted us to emphasize that in addition to conformational constraints of the neighboring residue, the chemical nature of the side-chain acyclic substituents and the "local environments" collectively seem to influence the stabilization of the folding-unfolding behavior of the two methylene units (-CONH-CH(2)-CH(2)-CONH-) in 1.

Crystallography, X-Ray↗

Ring formation drives invagination of the vulva in Caenorhabditis elegans: Ras, cell fusion, and cell migration determine structural fates.

Directed cell rearrangements occur during gastrulation, neurulation, and organ formation. Despite the identification of developmental processes in which invagination is a critical component of pattern formation, little is known regarding the underlying cellular and molecular details. Caenorhabditis elegans vulval epithelial cells undergo morphological changes that generate an invagination through the formation of seven stacked rings. Here, we study the dynamics of ring formation during multivulva morphogenesis of a let-60/ras gain-of-function mutant as a model system to explore the cellular mechanisms that drive invagination. The behavior of individual cells was analyzed in a let-60/ras mutant by three-dimensional confocal microscopy. We showed that stereotyped cell fusion events occur within the rings that form functional and nonfunctional vulvae in a let-60/ras mutant. Expression of let-60/ras gain-of-function results in abnormal cell migration, ectopic cell fusion, and structural fate transformation. Within each developing vulva the anterior and posterior halves develop autonomously. Contrary to prevailing hypotheses which proposed three cell fates (1 degrees, 2 degrees, and 3 degrees), we found that each of the seven rings is a product of a discrete structural pathway that is derived from arrays of seven distinct cell fates (A, B, C, D, E, F, and H). We have also shown how autonomous ring formation is the morphogenetic force that drives invagination of the vulva.

Animals↗

Interleukin-1-mediated stabilization of mouse KC mRNA depends on sequences in both 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions.

mRNA transcribed from the mouse KC chemokine gene accumulated to significantly higher levels in multiple cell types after treatment with interleukin 1alpha (IL-1alpha) as compared with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha). Although TNFalpha and IL-1alpha both signaled the activation of nuclear factor kappaB and enhanced transcription of the KC gene with equal potency, only IL-1alpha treatment resulted in stabilization of KC mRNA. Nucleotide sequences that confer sensitivity for IL-1alpha-mediated mRNA stabilization were identified within the 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions (UTRs) of KC mRNA using transient transfection of chimeric plasmids containing specific portions of KC mRNA linked to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene. When plasmids containing either the 3'- or 5'-UTR of KC mRNA were used, the half-life of CAT mRNA was unaltered either in untreated or IL-1alpha-stimulated cells. In contrast, CAT mRNA transcribed from plasmids that contained both the 5'- and 3'-UTRs of the KC mRNA decayed more rapidly than control CAT mRNA, and this enhanced decay was prevented in cells treated with IL-1alpha. A cluster of four overlapping AUUUA motifs within the 3'-UTR was required, whereas the 5'-UTR region exhibited orientation dependence. These findings indicate that cooperative function of the two nucleotide sequences involves a distinct signaling pathway used by IL-1alpha but not TNFalpha.

3' Untranslated Regions↗

Stabilization of a novel beta-turn-like motif by nonconventional intramolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions in a model peptide incorporating beta-alanine.

The chemical synthesis and x-ray crystal structure analysis of a model peptide incorporating a conformationally adaptable unsubstituted beta-Ala residue: Boc-beta-Ala-Acc6-OCH3 (C16H28N2O5, molecular weight = 328.41; 1) has been described. The peptide crystallized in the space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) a = 8.537 (3), b = 8.872 (10), c = 25.327 (8), alpha = beta = gamma = 90.0 degrees, Z = 4. An attractive feature of the crystal structure analysis of 1 is an accommodation of a significantly folded beta-Ala residue in a short linear peptide. The overall peptide conformation is typically folded into a beta-turn-like motif. The stabilization of the peptide backbone conformation by nonconventional C-H...O weak intramolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions, involving the ester terminal carbon atom and the ethereal oxygen of the Boc group, has been evoked. The conformational constraint that seems most apparent is the phi, psi value of the highly constrained hydrophobic Acc6 ring that may play a key role in inducing or sustaining the observed pseudo type III or III' beta-turn structure. The resulting 12-membered hydrogen bonding ring motif in 1 is distinctly different from the one found in classical beta-turn structures, stabilized by a conventional strong C=O...H-N intramolecular hydrogen bond, comprised of alpha-amino acids. The potential of the conformationally adaptable beta-Ala residue to occupy i + 1 position (left corner) of the folded beta-turn-like structure and to design and construct novel secondary structural features have been emphasized.

Hydrogen↗

Entrapping unusual folding characteristics of the beta-Ala residues in a model peptide: Boc-beta-Ala-Aib-beta-Ala-NHCH3.

Crystal structure analysis of a model peptide: Boc-beta-Ala-Aib-beta-Ala-NHCH3 (beta-Ala: 3-amino propionic acid; Aib: alpha-aminoisobutyric acid) revealed distinct conformational preferences for folded [phi approximately 136 degrees, mu approximately -62 degrees, psi approximately 100 degrees] and semifolded [phi approximately 83 degrees, mu approximately -177 degrees, psi approximately -117 degrees] structures of the N-and C-terminus beta-Ala residues, respectively. The overall folded conformation is stabilized by unusual Ni...H-Ni+1 and nonconventional C-H...O intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions.

Hydrogen Bonding↗

Characterization of a novel type VII beta-turn conformation for a bio-active tetrapeptide rigin A synergy between theoretical and experimental results.

The conformational analysis of an immunomodulating tetrapeptide rigin (H-Gly-Gln-Pro-Arg-OH), shown to possess diverse immunological activity, has been investigated both theoretically and experimentally for its conformational preferences. Unrestrained molecular dynamics simulation studies in implicit dimethylsulfoxide provide strong support for the existence of a significant population of ordered reverse turn structures for the major trans isomer. Of the three different energy minimized families, generated from computer molecular modelling, only one could be complemented by most of the 1D and 2D 1H NMR parameters obtained in dimethylsulfoxide-d6. A variable temperature NMR experiment in dimethylsulfoxide-d6 revealed that the preferred conformation is not stabilized by an intramolecular hydrogen bonding interaction. An analysis of the 2D ROESY experiment provides evidence in favour of an uncommonly observed, rather ill-defined type VII beta-turn structure. A survey of the observed specific inter-and intra-residue NOE connectivities and their comparison with one of the predicted low-energy conformations, demonstrates synergy between the theoretical molecular modelling and experimentally determined NMR spectral data. The primary structure, rather than long-range interactions, appears to be critical in determining the folding behaviour of the bio-active rigin. The present structural attributes may be valuable in peptide drug design and development of the rigin analogs having more effective stimulating activity.

Hydrogen Bonding↗

Infective endocarditis as a cause of fever in hemodialysis patients.

Vascular access infections are common in maintenance hemodialysis patients especially with dual lumen cuffed catheter. Persistent infections may lead to valvular seeding and the development of infective endocarditis. Though antibiotic therapy may often suffice, many patients may require surgical correction which carries a high risk of mortality. However appropriate preoperative therapy may considerably reduce the risk of surgery in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Adult↗

Cutting edge: clustered AU-rich elements are the target of IL-10-mediated mRNA destabilization in mouse macrophages.

In the present study we show that IL-10-mediated inhibition of inflammatory gene expression can be mediated by an AU-rich element (ARE) cluster present in the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of sensitive genes. A series of chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) reporter gene constructs were prepared in which different fragments from the IL-10-sensitive KC mRNA 3'UTR were placed downstream of the coding region of the reporter gene CAT. CAT mRNA containing the KC 3'UTR was markedly destabilized as compared with the control CAT mRNA, and the decay rate was further increased in cells stimulated with IL-10. The KC 3'UTR contains an ARE cluster and three isolated ARE motifs. The ARE cluster spanning nucleotides 378-399 appeared to be both necessary and sufficient to mediate sensitivity to IL-10 because a 116-nucleotide fragment that contains the cluster conferred sensitivity, while mutation of the sequence between positions 378 and 399 eliminated sensitivity. The destabilizing effect of IL-10 was relatively selective, as the stability of chimeric CAT mRNAs was not modulated in cells treated with IFN-gamma or IL-4.

3' Untranslated Regions↗