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Neuropathological studies on strains of senescence-accelerated mice (SAM) with age-related deficits in learning and memory.

In a series of inbred Senescence-Accelerated mice (SAM) strains, accelerated-senescence prone SAMP substrains show early onset and rapid advancement of senescence. SAMP8 and SAMP10, in particular, exhibit a significant age-related deterioration in memory and learning for passive and active avoidance tasks with, respectively, a low and high incidence of systemic senile amyloidosis. In the brains of both SAMP8 and SAMP10 strains, we have found numerous morphological alterations. Here we review the changes seen in both neuronal or glial components in SAMP8/P10 brains. They may serve as markers of the neuronal degeneration leading to the deficits in learning and memory.

Aging↗

Immune abnormality in relation to nonimmune diseases in SAM mice.

A series of related strains of senescence-accelerated mouse (SAM) shows strain-unique age-related diseases, such as amyloidosis, deficit in learning and memory, osteoporosis, and brain atrophy, while many of these disease-prone mouse (SAMP) strains have impaired immune activity as young adults, and have a short life span, probably not due directly to the diseases. Because the mean life span was prolonged and the time of the disease onset was delayed by a low-calorie dietary condition or a specific pathogen-free environment, both of which ameliorate the impaired immune activity, the enhancement of immune activity may help decrease the deteriorative process of aging, to that seen in ordinary strains of mice. Studies using the SAMP model may help elucidate the role of immunity in the aging process. Herein, we review the cellular and genetic basis of the immune abnormality in SAMP mice, then discuss the relationship between immune abnormality and development of the age-related disease, senile amyloidosis, findings obtained on SAMP hybrid mice and congenic mice for disease-related genes. Activation of the gene(s) for senile amyloid per se shortened the life span, and the early development of the immune dysfunction primarily seems to be both genetically and physiologically independent of amyloidosis, although the disease may be indirectly modified in the aged with depressed immune activity.

Aging↗

SERS detection of the vibrational Stark effect from nitrile-terminated SAMs to probe electric fields in the diffuse double-layer.

The vibrational Stark effect is observed in the surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectra of self-assembled monolayers functionalized with pendant nitrile groups. Stark tuning of the nitrile-stretching frequency serves as a localized probe of the electric field in the diffuse double layer of a SAM-modified electrochemical interface. Stark-tuning rates at low ionic strength correspond to reasonable values of the local electric (E) field in the double layer. The nitrile-stretching frequency converges on its isotropic value at applied potentials approaching the PZC, which indicates that Stark-tuning of the frequency is a direct probe of the E field at the interface. Loss of the local electric field at high ionic strengths shows that the probe responds to changes in the Debye length of the double layer. The results demonstrate the applicability of this electric-field probe for characterizing the diffuse double-layer region.

Journal Article↗

Unusually high performance photovoltaic cell based on a [60]fullerene metal cluster-porphyrin dyad SAM on an ITO electrode.

A self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of a C60-triosmium cluster complex Os3(CO)7(CNR)(CNR')(mu3-eta2:eta2:eta2-C60) (ZnP-C60; R = (CH2)3Si(OEt)3, R' = ZnP) on an ITO surface exhibits ideal electrochemical responses as well as remarkable enhancement of the photocurrent generation. The diazabicyclooctane (DABCO) binding (ZnP)-C60/ITO/AsA/Pt cell shows the highest photocurrent generation quantum yield (19.5%) ever reported for the molecular photovoltaic cells based on the covalently linked donor-acceptor dyad structures. The high efficiency in photocurrent generation is ascribed to an efficient electron transfer from photoexcited porphyrin to fullerene, revealed by fluorescence lifetime measurements and transient absorption decay profiles. These results provide valuable information on the new strategy for the construction of molecular photonic devices and artificial photosynthetic systems on ITO electrodes.

Journal Article↗

Length-dependent transport in molecular junctions based on SAMs of alkanethiols and alkanedithiols: effect of metal work function and applied bias on tunneling efficiency and contact resistance.

Nanoscopic tunnel junctions were formed by contacting Au-, Pt-, or Ag-coated atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips to self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiol or alkanedithiol molecules on polycrystalline Au, Pt, or Ag substrates. Current-voltage traces exhibited sigmoidal behavior and an exponential attenuation with molecular length, characteristic of nonresonant tunneling. The length-dependent decay parameter, beta, was found to be approximately 1.1 per carbon atom (C(-1)) or 0.88 A(-)(1) and was independent of applied bias (over a voltage range of +/-1.5 V) and electrode work function. In contrast, the contact resistance, R(0), extrapolated from resistance versus molecular length plots showed a notable decrease with both applied bias and increasing electrode work function. The doubly bound alkanedithiol junctions were observed to have a contact resistance approximately 1 to 2 orders of magnitude lower than the singly bound alkanethiol junctions. However, both alkanethiol and dithiol junctions exhibited the same length dependence (beta value). The resistance versus length data were also used to calculate transmission values for each type of contact (e.g., Au-S-C, Au/CH(3), etc.) and the transmission per C-C bond (T(C)(-)()(C)).

Journal Article↗

Selective reductive desorption of a SAM-coated gold electrode revealed using fluorescence microscopy.

The reductive desorption of a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of a fluorescent thiol molecule (BodipyC10SH) from Au was characterized using electrochemistry and epi-fluorescence microscopy. Molecular luminescence is quenched near a metal surface, so fluorescence was only observed for molecules reductively desorbed and then separated from the electrode surface. Fluorescence imaging showed that reductive desorption was selective, with desorption occurring from different regions of the Au electrode depending on the extent of the negative potential excursion. When desorbed, the molecules were sufficiently mobile, diffusing away from the electrode surface, thereby preventing oxidative readsorption. At sufficiently negative desorption potentials, all of the thiol was desorbed from the electrode surface, resulting in fluorescence at the air/solution interface. The selective removal of the thiol monolayer from distinct regions was correlated to features on the electrode surface and was explained through potential-dependent interfacial energies. This in situ electrofluorescence microscopy technique may be useful in sensor development.

Journal Article↗

Ion permeability of SAMs on nanoparticle surfaces.

This article reports on the ion permeability of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) formed on the surface of charged alkanethiol-protected gold nanoparticles, so-called monolayer-protected clusters (MPCs). The capacitance and thus the charging energy required to add/remove an electron from the metal core are extremely sensitive to ions entering the monolayer, and the extent of ion penetration can be tuned by the charge and size of the ions and the permittivity of the solvent. Experimentally, this effect is comparable to ion association with conventional redox molecules, indicating that MPCs despite their large size and the fundamentally differing nature of the electron transfer process can be treated analogously to redox molecules.

Journal Article↗

A novel and simplified procedure for patterning hydrophobic and hydrophilic SAMs for microfluidic devices by using UV photolithography.

This work describes how selective patterning of hydrophobic and hydrophilic areas inside microchannels of microfluidic devices can be achieved by combining well-known chemical protocols and standard photolithography equipment (365 nm). Two techniques have been performed and compared. The first technique is based on the preparation of self-assembled monolayers of photocleavable organosilane and the second one on photoassisted grafting (365 nm) of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on a silicon or glass substrate. In the first case, we begin with monolayers carrying an o-nitrobenzyl function (hydrophobic area) that is photochemically cleaved, revealing a carboxylic acid group (hydrophilic area). The problem is that the energy necessary to cleave this monolayer is too high and the reaction time is more than 1 h with 50 mW/cm(2) irradiation flux. To overcome this practical disadvantage, we propose another approach that is based on the thiol-ene reaction with benzophenone as photoinitiator. In this approach, a monolayer of mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTS) is prepared first. Subsequently, a hydrocarbon chain is photografted locally onto the thiol layer, forming a hydrophobic surface while the reminding unmodified thiol surface is oxidized into sulfonic acid (hydrophilic area). We demonstrated the feasibility of this approach and synthesized high-quality self-assembled monolayers by UV grafting with an irradiation time of 30 s at 365 nm (50 mW/cm(2)). The modified surfaces have been characterized by contact angle measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), AFM, and multiple internal reflection infrared spectroscopy (MIR-FTIR). The difference in the contact angles on the hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces reached a remarkable 77 degrees. We have also demonstrated that this method is compatible with selective surface grafting inside microfluidic channels.

Journal Article↗

Olefin cross-metathesis of a vinyl-terminated self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on Au(111): electrochemical study using a ferrocenyl redox center.

Self-assembled thiol monolayers bound to single-crystal Au(111) surfaces containing a terminal olefin have been prepared and used to monitor electrochemically the cross-metathesis (CM) between the surface and an olefin-terminated ferrocenyl (Fc) derivative from solution over time. Mixed SAM surfaces were prepared by first adsorbing a diluent for 2 days followed by the olefinic alkanethiol for known adsorption time intervals; three diluents of varying length were used. The oxidation peak areas from the voltammetry show the CM reaction yields a maximum amount of product at 100-150 min. Beyond this time, thiol desorption is apparent and the Fc oxidation peaks diminished. A kinetic simulation of the interfacial reactions involving CM and desorption reactions are described and aided in the interpretation of the voltammetric responses. The length of the diluent and the coverage of surface olefins were important factors in limiting undesirable self-CM reactions on the surface, and a model of the relationship between the diluent and surface concentration of olefin is described. This study shows that attention to monolayer formation and reaction conditions are important parameters when maximizing CM yields on surfaces.

Journal Article↗

RNA recognition by the Vts1p SAM domain.

The putative yeast post-transcriptional regulator Vts1p and its related protein Smaug, from Drosophila melanogaster, each use a sterile alpha motif (SAM) domain to bind an RNA hairpin termed the Smaug recognition element (SRE). Here, we present the NMR structures of the Vts1p-SRE complex and the free SRE. Structural highlights include the direct recognition of a guanine base and the formation or stabilization of a base pair in the SRE loop.

Base Pairing↗

Binding of the C-terminal sterile alpha motif (SAM) domain of human p73 to lipid membranes.

The alpha splice variant of p73 (p73alpha), a homologue of the tumor suppressor p53, has close to its C terminus a sterile alpha motif (SAM), SAMp73, that is thought to be involved in protein-protein interactions. Here, we report the lipid binding properties of this domain. Binding was assayed against zwitterionic (phosphatidylcholine) and anionic (phosphatidic acid) lipids and was studied by different biophysical techniques, namely, circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopies and differential scanning calorimetry. These techniques unambiguously indicate that SAMp73 binds to lipids. The binding involves protein surface attachment and partial membrane penetration, accompanied by changes in SAMp73 structure.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

Early onset of age-related impairment of aversive and appetitive learning in the SAM-P/8 mouse.

SAM-P/8 (P/8if) mice, trained on aversive and appetitive training tasks, showed age-related impairment of learning on more difficult tasks. Using aversive training tasks, acquisition of step-down passive avoidance did not differ between 4- and 12-month-old mice. T-maze footshock avoidance acquisition detected impairment from 9 to 12 months of age. On the appetitive tasks, 12-month-old mice required significantly more trails than 4-month-old mice to learn to press a lever for milk reinforcement or to learn a specific sequence of 10 black-white, left-right discriminations. However, learning a simple black-white discrimination in the same 10-unit maze did not discriminate between the performance of 4- and 12-month-old mice. A lack of age-related changes in food, water, and milk consumption suggests that changes in motivation do not account for the decline in learning in older P/8if mice. The results suggest an early onset of impaired learning relative to the 17.2-month median life span of the P/8if mice.

Aging↗

Hay-Wells syndrome is caused by heterozygous missense mutations in the SAM domain of p63.

Hay-Wells syndrome, also known as ankyloblepharon-ectodermal dysplasia-clefting (AEC) syndrome (OMIM 106260), is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by congenital ectodermal dysplasia, including alopecia, scalp infections, dystrophic nails, hypodontia, ankyloblepharon and cleft lip and/or cleft palate. This constellation of clinical signs is unique, but some overlap can be recognized with other ectodermal dysplasia syndromes, for example ectrodactyly--ectodermal dysplasia--cleft lip/palate (EEC; OMIM 604292), limb--mammary syndrome (LMS; OMIM 603543), acro-dermato-ungual-lacrimal-tooth syndrome (ADULT; OMIM 103285) and recessive cleft lip/palate--ectodermal dysplasia (CLPED1; OMIM 225060). We have recently demonstrated that heterozygous mutations in the p63 gene are the major cause of EEC syndrome. Linkage studies suggest that the related LMS and ADULT syndromes are also caused by mutations in the p63 gene. Thus, it appears that p63 gene mutations have highly pleiotropic effects. We have analysed p63 in AEC syndrome patients and identified missense mutations in eight families. All mutations give rise to amino acid substitutions in the sterile alpha motif (SAM) domain, and are predicted to affect protein--protein interactions. In contrast, the vast majority of the mutations found in EEC syndrome are amino acid substitutions in the DNA-binding domain. Thus, a clear genotype--phenotype correlation can be recognized for EEC and AEC syndromes.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Effects of dietary restriction on age-related immune dysfunction in the senescence accelerated mouse (SAM).

The effects of age and dietary restriction on immune response were investigated using an animal model of accelerated senescence (senescence accelerated mouse, SAM). The experimental groups consisted of control (ad libitum fed) and restricted groups (fed 60% of energy intake of the controls). Spleen weight and total number of splenic cells were significantly lower in the food-restricted group at 8 mo of age. Percentages of T (Thy-1.1+) and B (surface Ig+) cells in the splenic cells were not significantly different between the two groups. The number of direct hemolytic plaque-forming cells per 10(6) spleen cells 4 d following immunization with sheep red blood cells and dinitrophenyl-Ficoll was significantly greater in the 8-mo-old mice in the food-restricted group than in the control group. In the latter group, antibody responses Progressively decreased with age. Mitogen responses to concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide were maintained in the food-restricted group but were depressed in the control group at 8 mo. In addition, though autoantibody to single-stranded DNA increased in the control group with advancing age, there was a steady decrease in the food-restricted group until 8 mo. Serum immunoglobulin (IgA and IgM) concentrations were significantly lower in the food-restricted group than in controls at 8 mo of age. Therefore, our results suggest that when senescence accelerated mice are subjected to food restriction, there may be a modulatory effect on the immune dysfunction associated with advancing age.

Aging↗

A KSR/CNK complex mediated by HYP, a novel SAM domain-containing protein, regulates RAS-dependent RAF activation in Drosophila.

RAF is a critical effector of the small GTPase RAS in normal and malignant cells. Despite intense scrutiny, the mechanism regulating RAF activation remains partially understood. Here, we show that the scaffold KSR (kinase suppressor of RAS), a RAF homolog known to assemble RAF/MEK/ERK complexes, induces RAF activation in Drosophila by a mechanism mediated by its kinase-like domain, but which is independent of its scaffolding property or putative kinase activity. Interestingly, we found that KSR is recruited to RAF prior to signal activation by the RAF-binding protein CNK (connector enhancer of KSR) in association with a novel SAM (sterile alpha motif) domain-containing protein, named Hyphen (HYP). Moreover, our data suggest that the interaction of KSR to CNK/HYP stimulates the RAS-dependent RAF-activating property of KSR. Together, these findings identify a novel protein complex that controls RAF activation and suggest that KSR does not only act as a scaffold for the MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) module, but may also function as a RAF activator. By analogy to catalytically impaired, but conformationally active B-RAF oncogenic mutants, we discuss the possibility that KSR represents a natural allosteric inducer of RAF catalytic function.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

The novel SAM domain protein Aveugle is required for Raf activation in the Drosophila EGF receptor signaling pathway.

Activation of the Raf kinase by GTP-bound Ras is a poorly understood step in receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathways. One such pathway, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway, is critical for cell differentiation, survival, and cell cycle regulation in many systems, including the Drosophila eye. We have identified a mutation in a novel gene, aveugle, based on its requirement for normal photoreceptor differentiation. The phenotypes of aveugle mutant cells in the eye and wing imaginal discs resemble those caused by reduction of EGFR pathway function. We show that aveugle is required between ras and raf for EGFR signaling in the eye and for mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation in cell culture. aveugle encodes a small protein with a sterile alpha motif (SAM) domain that can physically interact with the scaffold protein connector enhancer of Ksr (Cnk). We propose that Aveugle acts together with Cnk to promote Raf activation, perhaps by recruiting an activating kinase.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

The reliability of the CIDI-SAM: a comprehensive substance abuse interview.

The CIDI-SAM is a fully-structured interview that ascertains DSM-III, DSM-III-R, Feighner, RDC and ICD-10 diagnoses for alcohol, tobacco and nine classes of psychoactive drugs. It was designed at the request of the WHO/ADAMHA Task Force on Psychiatric Assessment instruments to expand the substance abuse sections of the CIDI. Using a test-retest design, the diagnostic and item reliabilities of this instrument were tested in a sample of 39 patients in substance abuse treatment at three St. Louis treatment facilities. Kappa values and their 95% confidence intervals, and Yule's Y values are reported. The average kappa for DSM-III substance disorders was 0.84, for DSM-III-R it was 0.82. We report, on the average, excellent kappa values for individual alcohol and drug symptoms. We also ascertained from the respondent's themselves the reasons why answers to specific questions might have been discordant. The findings from this unique 'discrepancy interview' are reported.

Adult↗