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PubMed1982

[Review of present knowledge on the evaluation of the nutritional status of mineral elements. I. Major elements].

For a long time, the human diet was supposed to provide mineral elements in adequate quantities. Nevertheless, in recent years knowledge of marginal or severe deficiencies has contributed to clarify the biological functions of some of them. For this reason, more and more attention is being given to the evaluation of mineral nutritional status, field which has progressed very rapidly. This summary, which covers the major elements, also applies to the following article, where trace elements are discussed. The purpose of both articles is to summarize actual knowledge on available biochemical methodology for a better understanding of mineral nutritional status.

Calcium↗
PubMed1998

The activity of a highly promiscuous AP-1 element can be confined to neurons by a tissue-selective repressive element.

Tissue-specific gene transcription can be determined by the use of either positive-acting or negative-acting DNA regulatory elements. We have analyzed a promoter from the growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43) gene and found that it uses both of these mechanisms to achieve its high degree of neuron-specific activity. Two novel transcription factor binding sites, designated Cx1 and Cx2, drive promoter activity in neurons from developing cerebral cortex but not in several other cell types. The promoter also contains an activator protein 1 (AP-1) site that contributes to activity in neurons. The AP-1 site can drive promoter activity in a wide range of non-neuronal cells that express little or no endogenous GAP-43, but only in the absence of a tissue-specific repressive element located downstream of the GAP-43 TATA box. These findings suggest that the GAP-43 repressive element plays an important role in allowing AP-1 signaling pathways to modulate activity of the GAP-43 gene in neurons, without also causing inappropriate activation by AP-1 transcription factors in other cell types.

Amphibians↗
PubMed2001

Transcriptional activation of the cyclin D1 gene is mediated by multiple cis-elements, including SP1 sites and a cAMP-responsive element in vascular endothelial cells.

In an attempt to examine the mechanisms by which transcriptional activity of the cyclin D1 promoter is regulated in vascular endothelial cells (EC), we examined the cis-elements in the human cyclin D1 promoter, which are required for transcriptional activation of the gene. The results of luciferase assays showed that transcriptional activity of the cyclin D1 promoter was largely mediated by SP1 sites and a cAMP-responsive element (CRE). DNA binding activity at the SP1 sites, which was analyzed by electrophoretic mobility shift assays, was significantly increased in the early to mid G(1) phase, whereas DNA binding activity at CRE did not change significantly. Furthermore, Induction of the cyclin D1 promoter activity in the early to mid G(1) phase depended largely on the promoter fragment containing the SP1 sites, whereas the proximal fragment containing CRE but not the SP1 sites was constitutively active. Finally, the increase in DNA binding and promoter activities via the SP1 sites was mediated by the Ras-dependent pathway. The results suggested that the activation of the cyclin D1 gene in vascular ECs was regulated by a dual system; one was inducible in the G(1) phase, and the other was constitutively active.

Activating Transcription Factor 1↗
PubMed1994

Differential regulation of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) response element-binding protein and cAMP response element modulator messenger ribonucleic acid transcripts by follicle-stimulating hormone and androgen in the adult rat testis.

Hormonal regulation of the expression of mRNA transcripts for cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and cAMP response element modulator (CREM) during spermatogenesis was studied in the adult rat testis. Northern analysis of CREB and CREM identified two mRNA transcripts for CREM (2.4 and 1.6 kb) and one transcript for CREB (2.0 kb). Analysis of mRNAs from isolated testicular cells by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) showed that CREM mRNAs were expressed by the germ cells but not the Sertoli or interstitial cells, whereas CREB mRNA was located in germ cells, Sertoli cells, and interstitial cells. RNA was isolated and analyzed from the testes of 1) rats treated for 24 h with FSH, 2) rats in which androgen withdrawal had been induced by ethane dimethane sulphonate (EDS) treatment 6 days earlier (EDS-treated), 3) EDS-treated rats supplemented with testosterone (EDS + T), or 4) intratesticular administration or dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) in the preceding 24 h. CREM mRNA transcript expression was found to be decreased after all of these treatments in samples from intact testis and from isolated cells. Expression of the CREB transcript was also decreased by EDS-induced androgen withdrawal, but not by FSH or EDS + T. In situ hybridization of paraffin-embedded testis sections probed with digoxigenin-labeled riboprobes confirmed the localization of CREB and CREM mRNA to the same cell types as found with RT/PCR. No stage-dependent expression of CREM mRNA transcripts could be observed. Hybridization of the CREB probe was highest around the base of stage VII-VIII tubules, and this was shown to be androgen-dependent. The data presented suggest that regulation of the expression of CRE-binding protein mRNAs in Sertoli and germ cells during spermatogenesis is dependent on both androgen and FSH. However, the effects of androgen or FSH on the regulation of CRE-binding protein mRNAs are different.

Androgens↗
PubMed2007

Development of a three-dimensional finite element model of a human mandible containing endosseous dental implants. II. Variables affecting the predictive behavior of a finite element model of a human mandible.

The purpose of this study was to propose a systematic approach to validate a finite element model (FEM) of the human mandible and to investigate the effects of changing the geometry and orthotropic material properties on the FEM predictions. Thirty-eight variables affecting the material properties, boundary conditions, and the geometry of a FEM of a human mandible, including two dental implants, were systematically changed, creating a number of FEMs of the mandible. The effects of the variations were quantified as differences in the principal strain magnitudes modeled by the original FEM (gold standard), prior to the sensitivity analyses, and those generated by the changed FEMs. The material properties that had the biggest impact on the predicted cortical principal strain were the shear moduli (up to 31% in difference from the unchanged state), and the absence of cancellous bone (up to 34%). Alterations to the geometry of the mandibular cross section, such as an increase in corpus dimensions, had the greatest effect on principal strain magnitudes (up to 16%). Changes in the cortical thickness in relation to the width of the corpus section modified strain more than alterations to the corpus depth (14% and 5%, respectively). The relatively small difference (up to 13.5%) between the predicted and measured interimplant distances indicates the accuracy of the FEM. Changes in geometry and orthotropic material properties could induce significant changes in strain patterns. These values must therefore be chosen with care when using finite element techniques for predicting stresses, strains, and displacements.

Dental Implantation, Endosseous↗
PubMed1999

Calmodulin functions as an activator of Pur alpha binding to single-stranded purine-rich DNA elements (PUR elements).

Pur alpha is a single stranded DNA-binding protein and binds to a consensus sequence (GGN)n. We have reported that the DNA-binding activity of a single stranded cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (ssCRE-BP) is suppressed in cerebellum treated chronically with morphine, ssCRE-BP is identical to Pur alpha and the DNA binding activity of Pur alpha is markedly enhanced by a heat stable activator in the nuclear extract. In this report, we purified this activator. The amino acid composition and partial amino acid sequence were determined to be identical to those of calmodulin (CaM), which enhanced the binding of GST-Pur alpha to various PUR elements in the 5' non-coding regions of the neuropeptide Y, myelin basic protein and nicotinic Ach receptor beta 4 subunit genes. The data suggest a novel gene expression pathway mediated by Ca/CaM-Pur alpha which may regulate a variety of genes in addition to those regulated through the CREB pathway.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

IS1139 from Streptococcus salivarius: identification and characterization of an insertion sequence-like element related to mobile DNA elements from gram-negative bacteria.

An insertion sequence-like element, IS1139, was cloned and sequenced from Streptococcus salivarius ATCC 25975 chromosome. This insertion sequence-like element is 1168 bp long and is delimited by inverted repeats of 29 bp and by a duplicated sequence of 6 bp. This IS possesses an open reading frame that codes for a putative transposase of 339 amino acids which has, respectively, 94, 35, 33, and 30% amino-acid identity with the transposases of IS1161 from S. salivarius ATCC 25975, IS4351 from Bacteroides fragilis, IS30 from Escherichia coli, and IS1086 from Alcaligenes eutrophus. Sequence analysis revealed that these transposases may have evolved from a common ancestral gene. Southern hybridization of restriction endonuclease-digested genomic DNA from 21 strains of oral streptococci, using a probe specific to the transposase-encoding gene (tnpA), revealed that IS1139 is found in two strains of S. salivarius, ATCC 25975 and ATCC 13419, in eight and two copies, respectively.

Alcaligenes↗
PubMed1990

Excision of a Ds-like maize transposable element (Ac delta) in a transient assay in Petunia is enhanced by a truncated coding region of the transposable element Ac.

The excision of a Ds-like transposable element (Ac delta) is mediated in trans by the transposable element Ac or its derivatives in Petunia protoplasts cotransfected with two plasmid DNAs. Excision restores the activity of the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene that is otherwise shut off by the presence of Ac delta in its leader sequence. A transient expression assay (histochemical test) is used to detect the beta-glucuronidase activity at the protoplast to detect the beta-glucuronidase activity at the protoplast level. The number of blue-stained protoplasts is a measure of the excision frequency. With Ac delta alone a near-zero background of GUS activity is detected, which is weakly enhanced by the presence, in trans, of either the wild-type Ac or the coding region (ORFa) transcribed from the 2' promoter of Agrobacterium tumefaciens TR-DNA. A strong enhancement is observed when a truncated Ac coding region, also under the control of the 2' promoter, is supplied in trans. The truncated version has ATG10 at codon 103 in frame with ORFa and is preceded by 7 out-of-frame ATGs. The assay is quick and well suited for detection of excision frequencies above the value obtained with the wild-type Ac. The presence of empty donor sites following excision can be demonstrated by PCR amplification and direct sequencing of the appropriate DNA fragment.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1985

Trace elements in chemical evolution. II: Synthesis of amino acids under simulated primitive earth conditions in the presence of trace elements.

Electric discharge experiments have been performed in a plausible primitive earth atmosphere consisting of methane, nitrogen, and water over an aqueous phase of an ammonia-ammonium buffer solution. In some experiments, ions of metal elements, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron and molybdenum were introduced. Gas phase products and amino acids in the liquid phase were analyzed by gas chromatography. With trace metal ions, less organic compounds in the gas phase and larger amounts of amino acids were obtained than without them. The results have shown the possible importance of trace elements in chemical evolution and the origin of life on the earth.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed2000

Collaborative study for the quality control of trace element determinations in paint coatings. Part 2. Certification of alkyd resin paint reference materials for the migratable contents of trace elements (CRMs 620 and 623).

This paper describes the preparation, homogeneity studies and certification of a series of two paint reference materials (mild steel coated with alkyd resin paint, CRM620, and comminuted paint from alkyd resin paint, CRM623) which have been produced in support of the EU Toy Safety Directive (88/378/EEC). The reference materials have been certified for levels of toxic element migration using the method specified in European Standard EN71-3:1994 published by the European Committee for Standardization. As such, the certified values, indicative values and range data quoted for the reference materials in this paper are method specific and relate only to European Standard EN71-3:1994. The paper summarizes the analytical work carried out and gives a description of the analytical methods used to measure As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, Sb and Se, the 8 toxic elements specified in European Standard EN71-3:1994, in the sample extracts. Descriptions of the reference materials, certified values, indicative values together with their associated uncertainties or range of laboratory means as appropriate are given. The preparation of a (not certified) reference material (beechwood coated with nitrocellulose paint, RM621) is also described and assigned values for As, Ba, Cd and Se are given. The Hg content could not be certified in any of the reference materials, owing to a high dispersion of results.

Certification↗
PubMed2001

Development of a procedure for the multi-element determination of trace elements in wine by ICP-MS.

An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (ICP-MS) procedure has been developed for the determination of trace elements in wine. The procedure consists in simple 1+1 dilution of the wine and semi-quantitative analysis (without external calibration) using In as internal standard. Thirty-one elements at concentrations ranging from 0.1 mg mL(-1) to 0.5 ng mL(-1) can be determined by ICP-MS analysis with and without digestion. It was investigated whether a matrix effect observed for EtOH in the wine matrix can be overcome by application of a micro-concentric nebulizer with a membrane desolvator (MCN 6000). The results obtained for the MCN 6000 are compared with those obtained by use of a conventional Meinhard nebulizer. It is shown that the observed matrix effect can only be compensated by use of an internal standard for the Meinhard nebulizer, but not for the MCN 6000. Results for ICP-MS are compared with those obtained by total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (TXRF).

Ethanol↗
PubMed1999

The Sinorhizobium meliloti insertion sequence (IS) element ISRm14 is related to a previously unrecognized IS element located adjacent to the Escherichia coli locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) pathogenicity island.

ISRm14 is 2695 basepairs (bp) in size and bordered by 22 bp imperfect inverted repeats (IRs). A 9-bp target sequence is duplicated upon ISRm14 transposition. The DNA strand that putatively encodes the transposase enzyme carries three open reading frames (ORFs) designated ORFs1 to 3, which specify putative proteins of 15. 9 kDa, 13.1 kDa, and 61.1 kDa, respectively. According to its structural characteristics, ISRm14 belongs to the recently proposed IS66 family of IS elements. The ORFs1 to 3 encoded putative proteins displayed significant similarities to ORFs of the previously unrecognized IS element ISEc8, which is inserted adjacent to the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) pathogenicity island of Escherichia coli EDL933. Analyses of the distribution of ISRm14 in a natural S. meliloti population showed its widespread occurrence in 66% of the strains tested with a copy number ranging from 1 to 6.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Transcriptional activation by TGF beta 1 mediated by the dyad symmetry element (DSE) and the TPA responsive element (TRE).

Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) is a multifunctional regulator of growth and differentiation. However, both cytoplasmatic and nuclear signal transduction mechanisms leading to the biological effects of TGF beta 1 are largely unknown. In this report we show, that TGF beta 1 induces the expression of the immediate early genes c-jun and jun B, that encode trans-acting factors regulating transcription of a variety of genes in response to growth factors and phorbol esters. The jun genes are induced by TGF beta 1 in a protein synthesis independent fashion both in quiescent mouse 3T3 fibroblasts, which are growth stimulated by TGF beta 1, as well as in mink lung CCL64 (ML-CCL64) epithelial cells, which are growth inhibited by TGF beta 1. The PDGF inducible JE gene was induced by TGF beta 1 in 3T3, but not in ML-CCL64 cells. Furthermore, we show that chimaeric reporter-CAT constructs containing the TPA responsive element (TRE) or the dyad symmetry element (DSE) are activated by TGF beta 1 in transient transfection assays in both growth inhibited and growth stimulated cells. These results show that the early genomic responses to TGF beta 1 resemble changes in gene expression induced by serum, growth factors and phorbol esters, suggesting common mechanisms of transcriptional activation.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

The variation of trace element concentration in human hair: the trace element profile in human long hair by sectional analysis using neutron activation analysis.

Neutron activation analysis was used to determine the distribution of trace elements in human hair. Hair samples were obtained from five infants (two to seven years of age) with hair length ranging from 15 to 40 cm. The hairs were divided into segments, each of 2.5 cm, starting from the scalp end and trace elements were analysed in each segment. Concentrations of I, Mg, Ca and Cu increased from the scalp end to the tip. Concentrations of Cl and Br decreased inversely. Different profiles of the concentrations of Hg, Se, Ca and Mn were seen in each sample. These results were discussed with reference to the indication of environmental pollution.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Trace elements intake in the Faroe Islands. III. Element concentrations in human organs in populations from Bergen (Norway) and the Faroe Islands.

Flameless as well as flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry were used for the analysis of six elements (calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, cadmium and mercury) in human organs (liver, kidney cortex and medulla, heart, pancreas and spleen) from 13 bodies from Bergen and 10 from the Faroe Islands. Samples were taken at autopsy and the organs selected were without pathological signs. All patients were born between 1899 and 1923. Element concentrations in the organs studied were comparable to previous studies, except for high mercury and selenium values in the liver, the kidney cortex and medulla of subjects from the Faroe Islands. The high mercury and selenium values may be explained by the high consumption of pilot whales by the Faroe Islands population.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Transcription factor NF2d9 (LBP-1a) interacts with the positive regulatory element for the xenobiotic responsive element.

PREX is a positive regulatory element for xenobiotic responsive element (XRE)-mediated gene expression that is located upstream of the XRE in the CYP2A8 gene. Using gel mobility shift assays, we demonstrated that NF2d9 (LBP-1a), a transcription factor related to CP2 (LBP-1c/LSF), bound directly to PREX and also interacts indirectly with XRE. Luciferase-reporter gene assays showed that the overexpression of NF2d9 enhanced PREX and XRE-driven CYP2A8 gene transcriptional induction. These findings suggest that the interaction of NF2d9 with PREX and XRE enhances XRE-driven CYP2A8 gene transcriptional induction.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Carbohydrate responsive element binding protein (ChREBP) and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c): two key regulators of glucose metabolism and lipid synthesis in liver.

In mammals, the regulation of hepatic metabolism plays a key role in whole body energy balance, since the liver is the major site of carbohydrate metabolism (glycolysis and glycogen synthesis) and triglyceride synthesis (lipogenesis). Lipogenesis is regulated through the acute control of key enzyme activities by means of allosteric and covalent modifications. Moreover, the synthesis of most glycolytic and lipogenic enzymes is regulated in response to dietary status, in which glucose, in particular, is a crucial energy nutrient. This latter response occurs in large part through transcriptional regulation of genes encoding glycolytic and lipogenic enzymes. In the past few years, recent advances have been made in understanding the transcriptional regulation of hepatic glycolytic and lipogenic genes by insulin and glucose. Although insulin is a major regulator of hepatic lipogenesis, there is increasing evidence that glucose also contributes to the coordinated regulation of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in liver. Here, we review the respective roles of the transcription factor sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) in mediating the effect of insulin on hepatic gene expression, and the role of carbohydrate responsive element binding protein (ChREBP) in regulating gene transcription by glucose.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Human placenta as a 'dual' biomarker for monitoring fetal and maternal environment with special reference to potentially toxic trace elements. Part 1: physiology, function and sampling of placenta for elemental characterisation.

Choice of specimen from human subjects for monitoring pollutants proven to be detrimental to human health depends on the criteria chosen, namely real-time monitoring (RTM) or long-term monitoring (LTM). Specimens such as whole blood, urine, saliva and breast milk are commonly used from living subjects for RTM of toxic metals. However, sampling blood requires an invasive procedure. On the other hand, hair (with some limitations), bone (especially for the assessment of bone seeking elements), adipose tissue (mainly for organic pollutants) and liver (for both organic and inorganic toxicants) are used as specimens for LTM. With the exception of hair, generally these specimens are obtained at post-mortem. In context of health-related biomonitoring, placenta as a specimen has not received as much attention as it deserves. It is a unique sample requiring no invasive procedure, and offers possibilities for RTM, in particular as a dual purpose specimen for evaluating the pollutant burden exerted on the mother as well as on the fetus. Obtaining representative samples of placenta for elemental composition studies is a difficult task, because of heterogeneous mix of placental cells and decidual matter tainted with maternal and fetal blood. Therefore, the present sampling practices for placental tissue, and guidelines to safeguard the validity of the sampled material have been reviewed in part 1 with the following conclusions: medico-legal and ethical matters should be properly addressed before collecting the placenta; it is advisable to collect the entire placenta even if it includes the umbilical cord; further preparatory work is to be carried out in a clean laboratory and depends upon the purpose of the investigation; homogenising the entire sample may prove to be technically challenging but this step is crucial to obtain representative samples, handling the entire sample may be unavoidable; and an alternative method of procuring representative samples would require random samples from multiple sites, pooled, homogenised and assayed to confirm homogeneity.

Adult↗