Hair abnormality diagnostic service.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R Sinclair.
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Native lactoperoxidase, compound III, and the reduced forms (at pH 6 and 9) were studied using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Native lactoperoxidase has four pyrrole nitrogen ligands at an average distance of 2.04 +/- 0.01 A, a proximal ligand at 1.91 +/- 0.02 A, and a sixth (distal) ligand at 2.16 +/- 0.03 A. Lactoperoxidase native enzyme has a first coordination shell structure that is similar to that of native lignin peroxidase [Sinclair, R., Yamazaki, I., Bumpus, J., Brock, B., Chang, C.-S., Albo, A., & Powers, L. (1992) Biochemistry 31, 4892-4900] and different from that of horseradish peroxidase [Chance, B., Powers, L., Ching, Y., Poulos, T., Schonbaum, G., Yamazaki, I., & Paul, K. (1984) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 235, 596-611]. Similarly, lactoperoxidase compound III resembles lignin peroxidase compound III. The five-coordinated ferrous form was stable at pH 9, but at pH 6 it was rapidly converted to the six-coordinated form with a distal ligand at 2.18 +/- 0.03 A. No evidence typical of changes in spin state was obtained at the different pH values.
Using X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we investigated the active site of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) compound II at two different pH values. The results indicate that the bond length of the sixth coordinated ligand of the active site was 1.90 +/- 0.02 A at pH 7, decreasing to 1.72 +/- 0.02 A at pH 10. The average iron-to-pyrrole nitrogen and the proximal ligand bond lengths showed no significant changes. The position of higher coordination shells around the iron center changed, implying that some movement or deformation of nearby amino acid residues and/or of the heme occurred. Results of this study suggest that the decrease of the Fe-O bond length of HRP compound II at the higher pH might be attributed to the loss of a hydrogen bond which is present between the oxygen ligand and an amino acid residue in the heme pocket at pH 7.
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Six monoclonal antibodies directed against EHV-1 glycoprotein 13 were characterized. Five antibodies neutralized EHV-1 and were directed against a single antigenic site which comprised type-specific and type cross-reactive epitopes. Inhibition of monoclonal antibody binding to this site by post-infection equine sera suggests that it is a target of host antibody during natural infection with either EHV-1 or EHV-4.
A 79-year-old virgo intacta presented with a 20-year-history of intertrigo, and a 3-month history of superimposed warty masses beneath both breasts and in the groin and perianal areas. There was no evidence of immunosuppression. Histology of the warty lesions showed squamous papillomata, with evidence of wart virus infection. Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 6 was identified by in situ DNA hybridization, in the submammary lesions. This is an unusual manifestation of both intertrigo and wart virus infection. HPV-6 is classically found in anogenital warts. We assume that these warts were acquired by a non-venereal route and/or by congenital infection some 78 years ago. We suggest that it is the warm, moist environment, rather than the specific site, which encourages HPV-6 to flourish.
The anti-inflammatory effects of the amide local anaesthetics lidocaine and bupivacaine were evaluated in vitro by examination of the metabolic activation and secretory responses of human polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMNGs) and mononuclear cells. Pretreatment with lidocaine or bupivacaine had a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on PMNG luminol-amplified chemiluminescence stimulated by bovine serum albumin (BSA)/anti-BSA immune complexes (IC) or by serum-opsonized zymosan (SOZ) particles. Both lidocaine and bupivacaine inhibited the release of the inflammatory mediators leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) evaluated by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Pretreatment of suspended PMNGs and monocytes with the anaesthetics caused a marked inhibition of LTB4 release when the cells were stimulated with SOZ. In short-term (24 h) cultures of mononuclear cells the addition of lidocaine or bupivacaine reduced, in a dose-dependent manner, the level of IL-1 detected after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In all three assays (chemiluminescence, LTB4 and IL-1 RIA) bupivacaine was found to be more potent than lidocaine. The present results show that amide local anaesthetics have marked suppressive effects on the metabolic activation and secretory functions of leukocytes stimulated by different agonists. Although the detailed mechanisms for these effects are not known, they may explain part of the potent anti-inflammatory actions of local anaesthetics previously described in vivo.
The N-terminal fragment comprising residues +1 to +50 (gB1-50) of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) glycoprotein B was expressed as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein in Escherichia coli. Recombinant gB1-50 (rgB1-50) was recognized in immunoblots by sera from rabbits immunized with EHV-1 and by convalescent-phase sera from horses with natural EHV-1 infections. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for monitoring antibody levels against EHV-1 was developed by using rgB1-50, and its specificity was assessed with a panel of reference antisera against other equine viruses. A specific cross-reaction was detected with EHV-4, which was confirmed by inhibition ELISA. Convalescent-phase sera from horses with natural EHV-1 or EHV-4 infections possessed antibody titers against rgB1-50 ranging from 1:2,000 to 1:64,000, indicating the presence of an immunodominant antigenic site. The study demonstrated the potential application of rgB1-50 as a diagnostic antigen and highlights the glutathione S-transferase fusion system as a simple and effective method of producing purified milligram quantities of antigen.
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Seven hybrid cell lines of mouse myeloma cell line NSO and spleen cells of BALB/c mice producing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against equine influenza A/Equi-2/Ludhiana/87 (H3N8) virus were developed. These MAbs were purified, isotyped and characterised by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), fluorescent antibody test (FAT), haemagglutination inhibition (HI) and virus neutralization (VN) tests. The titres of ascitic fluids induced by hybridomas as estimated by ELISA ranged from 1:25,600 to 1:51,200. Monoclonality of these clones was confirmed using a panel of 5 viral antigens, each belonging to a single isotype. MAbs (5) belonged to IgM and one each to IgG1 and IgG2a. Two epitopes appeared to be closely resembling by HI and VN tests but other two epitopes appeared to be different.
Monochlorodimedone (MCD), commonly used as a halogen acceptor for haloperoxidase assays, was oxidized by hydrogen peroxide in the presence of lignin peroxidase isoenzymes H2 and H8. When oxidized, it produced a weak absorption band with an intensity that varied with pH. This absorbance was used as a simple method for the product analysis because it disappeared when MCD was brominated or chlorinated. We assessed the activity of the lignin peroxidases for oxidation of bromide by measuring the bromination of MCD, the formation of tribromide, the bromide-mediated oxidation of glutathione, and the bromide-mediated catalase-like activity. We analyzed the reaction products of MCD and the halide-mediated oxidation of glutathione when bromide was replaced by chloride. These enzymes demonstrated no significant activity for oxidation of chloride. Unlike other peroxidases, the lignin peroxidases exhibited similar pH-activity curves for the iodide and bromide oxidations. The optimum pH for activity was about 2.5. Surprisingly, this pH dependence of lignin peroxidase activity for the halides was nearly the same in the reactions with hydrogen donors, such as hydroquinone and guaiacol. The results suggested that protonation of the enzymes with pKa approximately 3.2 is necessary for the catalytic function of lignin peroxidases, irrespective of whether the substrates are electron or hydrogen donors. These unique reaction profiles of lignin peroxidases are compared to those of other peroxidases, such as lactoperoxidase, bromoperoxidase, chloroperoxidase, and horseradish peroxidase. Isozyme H2 was more active than isozyme H8, but isozyme H8 was more stable at very acidic pH.
The wood-degrading fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium secretes a number of extracellular enzymes called lignin peroxidases which are involved in the degradation of both lignin and a number of persistent environmental pollutants. Lignin peroxidase isozyme H2, a glycosylated protein of approximately 40 kDa, contains a single heme. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) has been used to probe the local environment of the iron in the active site of resting enzyme, reduced enzyme, and compound III. For the native and reduced forms, respectively, the average Fe-pyrrole nitrogen distances are 2.055 and 2.02 A (+/- 0.015 A); the Fe-proximal nitrogen distance is 1.93 and 1.91 A (+/- 0.02 A) while the Fe-distal ligand distance is 2.17 and 2.10 A (+/- 0.03 A). Although the results are not as well-defined, the active-site structure of compound III is largely 2.02 +/- 0.015 A for the average Fe-pyrrole nitrogen distance, 1.90 +/- 0.02 for the Fe-proximal nitrogen, and 1.74 +/- 0.03 A for the Fe-distal ligand distance. The heme iron-pyrrole nitrogen distance is more expanded in ligninase H2 than in other peroxidases. The possible significance of this is discussed in relation to other heme proteins.
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An antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection of equine herpesvirus type-1 (EHV-1) antigens in nasal swab specimens. The test was designed as a solid phase, amplified sandwich assay in which an EHV-1 specific monoclonal antibody was used to capture virus antigen and polyclonal antisera used to detect antigen bound to the test plates. Eight monoclonal antibodies were tested for their ability to capture virus antigen and one was selected for routine use. The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA was compared with that of virus isolation using swabs from ponies which were experimentally infected with EHV-1. Of 72 nasal swabs collected, 32 were found to be positive by both virus isolation (VI) and ELISA, a further 15 samples were positive by VI alone, but none of the samples were positive by ELISA and negative by VI. This yielded an overall assay sensitivity of 68% and specificity of 100%. The assay proved useful for diagnosis since virus antigen was detected during the first four days post-infection which corresponded to the acute phase of disease when some clinical symptoms were apparent. In addition, the assay could be completed within one day when antibody coated plates were available.
The inflammatory response of the wound is mediated to a large extent by leukocytes, which play an important role in the wound healing process. Local anesthetics, which are routinely administered before minor skin surgery and for postoperative pain relief, have been shown to have diverse effects on wound healing. Local anesthetics have also been reported to induce potent inhibition of leukocytes in vitro, although their effects on leukocyte activity in the surgical wound have not been elucidated. The present study investigated the in vivo effects of lidocaine on leukocyte function in the surgical wound of rats by sampling leukocytes from hollow titanium implants. The surgical wound was treated with lidocaine or placebo after implantation of the titanium chamber and before skin closure. Leukocyte metabolic activity was measured by chemiluminescence. Cell count was analyzed in a Bürker chamber. Results showed progressive increase in leukocyte counts in the wounds of control animals and significantly lower cell counts in the wounds of lidocaine-treated animals 48 h (P less than 0.05) and 72 h (P less than 0.05) after surgery. A pronounced inhibition of the metabolic response to serum-opsonized zymosan was seen after 8 h in the lidocaine-treated animals versus controls (P less than 0.05). After 24 h, leukocyte metabolic activity decreased dramatically in the control group and remained at a low level until 72 h after surgery. In the lidocaine-treated group, the leukocyte response to zymosan remained constantly low throughout the study. The effects of lidocaine were not a result of impaired leukocyte viability.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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