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PubMed1993

Antimicrobial activity of lipoprotein particles containing apolipoprotein Al.

Human plasma in vitro inhibits the growth of coagulase negative staphylococci, S. epidermidis, which may be pathogenic in the immunocompromised host. To determine the antimicrobial components, serum was fractionated by column chromatography, which revealed that elution areas where lipoproteins can be yielded had high antimicrobial activity against S. epidermidis. Therefore, lipoprotein fractions, including very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL), were separated by ultracentrifugation and incubated with S. epidermidis. All 3 lipoprotein fractions suppressed bacterial growth within the first 3 h but VLDL enhanced bacterial growth after 9 h of incubation compared with the control. HDL, however, inhibited bacterial growth throughout 21 h of incubation. To confirm these results, serum from healthy volunteers was separated by ion exchange column chromatography and again by HPLC to purify the antimicrobial fraction. In the protein analysis with gradient polyacrylamide-SDS gel, apolipoprotein Al (apo Al), which is a major apolipoprotein of HDL, was detected in the antimicrobial fraction. Therefore, this fraction was loaded onto an immunoaffinity column coupled with the anti-apo Al monoclonal antibody (Mab). Unbound fraction had no antimicrobial activity, but anti-S. epidermidis activity was recovered from the bound fraction which consisted mainly of apo Al, All and apo C in protein composition. These results indicated that the antimicrobial activity was associated with the apo Al-containing lipoprotein particles (HDL). This property of HDL may directly affect bacterial growth and promote the self-defense mechanisms of normal and immunocompromised individuals.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1988

The influence of prebiotic-type organic molecules on the crystallization of Al and Mg hydroxides.

It is now well accepted that clays could have concentrated prebiotic organic molecules, protected them from UV radiation and served as templates and catalysts in their prebiotic evolution. A complementary question is: How did prebiotic organics in the oceans, in ground water, or in hydrothermal solutions affect the formation and inorganic evolution of oxides, hydroxides, and clay minerals? In this study predominantly amorphous Al oxyhydroxides (Al gels) and crystalline Mg hydroxyoxides were synthesized, and then crystallized and recrystallized respectively, to Al and Mg hydroxides via wet and dry (w/d) cycling using both water and organic solutions. The products that resulted were examined using IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). XRD scans of the products formed by w/d cycling of the Al gels with either water or 0.1 M aqueous solutions of methanol or formaldehyde showed that bayerite (alpha Al2O3) was the major phase formed. The acetonitrile treated sample exhibited the most defined XRD peaks, and no crystalline phase could be observed by XRD of the 0.1 M formamide solution treated sample. Cycling the Mg hydroxyoxide with water, or 0.1 M solutions of methanol, formamide, formaldehyde, or acetonitrile resulted in the formation of brucite (Mg(OH)2) (in varying amounts) and of three unidentified phases. One unidentified phase, 'phase II', was observed in the formaldehyde cycled sample (and tentatively identified in the methanol and formamide cycled samples), 'phase III' in the formamide and formaldehyde cycled sample, and 'phase IV' in only the formaldehyde. XRD peaks with a spacing of approximately 11.5 Angstrom (assigned to phase III) suggest intercalation of formamide and formaldehyde into the interlayer spaces of the brucite. Phosphate treatment, prior to w/d cycling with water, and also with the above mentioned organics, while totally preventing subsequent formation of any crystalline Al hydroxide, enhanced the formation of Mg phases, shown by XRD data. Formation of brucite was impeded only by w/d cycling using concentrated methanol solution, but even these effects were reversible. The XRD scans of the products resulting from the aqueous and organic solution cycling treatments of the Mg starting materials showed peaks due to brucite and three unidentified phases. Only the brucite is evident in oriented sample XRD scans of the Mg starting material when treated with methanol, formamide, and acetonitrile. In random powder sample XRD scans of the Mg starting material treated with: 1) methanol--the unidentified phase 11 is evident, 2) formamide--phase II and III are seen, and 3) formaldehyde--phases II, III, and IV are evident.

Acetonitriles↗
PubMed2001

[Survival with artificial respiration at home. An open, prospective study on home ventilation for neuromuscular diseases, in particular, the situation of ALS patients].

A growing number of patients with neuromuscular disease have been treated with home mechanical ventilation during the past 15 years. We prospectively examined the long-term effects and complications of this method, particularly with regard to noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV). Thirty-one patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, n = 20) or other slowly progressive neuromuscular diseases (NMD, n = 11) were observed for 17,517 home ventilation days (almost 48 ventilation years). The mean observed ventilation time was 565 days (min/max: 30/2930). Twenty-five patients were ventilated noninvasively with different masks. The calculated mean survival with NPPV ventilation (criteria: death, tracheostomy, or patient deciding to break off) was 2052 (SE: +/- 317.8) days in the NMD group, 248 days (+/- 35.7) for ALS patients without bulbar symptoms, and 82 days (+/- 27.4) with bulbar paralysis. Complications with the need for intervention were observed six times more frequently with ALS than with NMD. NPPV is effective for years in patients with slowly progressing NMD. Those ALS patients without bulbar symptoms can profit for up to a year from NPPV, while those with bulbar paralysis can have some symptom relief. Complications of every kind are much more frequent in ALS patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Linkage of Patr-AL to Patr-A and- B in the major histocompatibility complex of the common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes).

Patr-AL is a recently described gene found only in the common chimpanzee, but closely related in structure to the highly polymorphic Patr-A and HLA-A genes of the chimpanzee and human MHCs, respectively. Unlike Patr-A and HLA-A, the Patr-AL gene has little polymorphism and is not fixed in the chimpanzee genome. To determine whether Patr-AL is located in the MHC or elsewhere, we compared segregation of the Patr-AL gene with segregation of Patr-A and - B alleles in chimpanzee families. The results demonstrate that Patr-AL is an MHC class I gene present on different MHC haplotypes as defined by their combination of Patr-A and B alleles.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Adaptation of Pseudomonas fluorescens to Al-citrate: involvement of tricarboxylic acid and glyoxylate cycle enzymes and the influence of phosphate.

The degradation of Aluminum-citrate by Pseudomonas fluorescens necessitated a major restructuring of the various enzymatic activities involved in the TCA and glyoxylate cycles. While a six-fold increase in fumarase (FUM EC 4.2.1.2) activity was observed in cells subjected to Al-citrate compared to control cells, citrate synthase (CS EC 4.1.3.7) activity experienced a two-fold increase. On the other hand, in the Al-stressed cells malate synthase (MS EC 4.1.3.2) activity underwent a five-fold decrease in activity. This modulation of enzymatic activities appeared to be evoked by Al stress, as the incubation of Al-stressed cells in control media led to the complete reversal of these enzymatic profiles. These observations were further confirmed by 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopy. No significant variations were observed in the activities of other glyoxylate and TCA cycle enzymes, like isocitrate lyase (ICL EC 4.1.3.1), malate dehydrogenase (MDH EC 1.1.1.37), and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH EC 1.3.99.1). This reconfiguration of the metabolic pathway appears to favour the production of a citrate-rich aluminophore that is involved in the sequestration of Al.

Adaptation, Biological↗
PubMed1998

Candida albicans ALS3 and insights into the nature of the ALS gene family.

The ALS1 (agglutinin-like sequence) gene of Candida albicans encodes a protein similar to alpha-agglutinin, a cell-surface adhesion glycoprotein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Hoyer et al. 1995). A central domain of a tandemly repeated 108-bp sequence is found in the ALS1 coding region. This tandem-repeat motif hybridizes to multiple C. albicans genomic DNA fragments, indicating the possibility of other ALS1-like genes in C. albicans (Hoyer et al. 1995). To determine if these fragments constitute a gene family, tandem-repeat-hybridizing genomic fragments were isolated from a fosmid library by PCR screening using primers based on the consensus tandem-repeat sequence of ALS1 (Hoyer et al. 1995). One group of fosmids, designated ALS3, encodes a gene with 81% identity to ALS1. The sequences of ALS1 and ALS3 are most conserved in the tandem-repeat domain and in the region 5' of the tandem repeats. Northern-blot analysis using unique probes from the 3' end of each gene demonstrated that ALS1 expression varies, depending on which C. albicans strain is examined, and that ALS3 is hyphal-specific. Both genes are found in a variety of C. albicans and C. stellatoidea strains examined. The predicted Als1p and Als3p exhibit features suggesting that both are cell-surface glycoproteins. Southern blots probed with conserved sequences from the region 5' of the tandem repeats suggest that other ALS-like sequences are present in the C. albicans genome and that the ALS family may be larger than originally estimated.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Polymorphisms in the glutamate transporter gene EAAT2 in European ALS patients.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurological disorder characterised by degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons. Whilst the primary pathogenic trigger is unknown in most cases, evidence is mounting to implicate a role for glutamate-mediated neurotoxicity in the disorder. Recent studies have shown reduced levels of the mainly astroglial glutamate transporter EAAT2 in ALS motor cortex and spinal cord and multiple abnormal EAAT2 mRNA species in ALS brain tissue. One cause of the low EAAT2 levels may be that point mutations in the EAAT2 gene, EAAT2, result in an abnormal unstable protein. To test this hypothesis we analysed EAAT2 in 128 sporadic and 23 familial European ALS cases. No variants within the coding sequence of EAAT2 to affect the protein sequence nor in the consensus splice sites of the flanking intronic sequences were found in any cases, similar to findings in other reports. Frequent polymorphisms within the flanking intronic sequences of both exons 2 and 4 were seen but at similar frequencies in controls. Mechanisms other than mutations within the coding region of EAAT2 must therefore be responsible for the low levels of EAAT2 seen in most cases of ALS.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis↗
PubMed2005

On the existence of MH(n) species with M = Al, Ga and n = 4, 5, 6. Computational study of structures, stabilities and bonding.

Based on second-order perturbation theory (MP2) predictions with large 6-311 + + G(3df, 3pd) basis set we have reviewed the possible structures and stabilities of a series of neutral MH(n)(M = Al, Ga; n = 4, 5, 6) species. For AlH4 and AlH5, our results confirm the previous theoretical findings, which indicate the dihydrogen C(s) complexes (2A') AlH2(H2) and (1A') AlH3(H2), respectively, as the lowest energy isomers. We found, similarly, C(s) (2A') GaH2(H2) and (1A') GaH3(H2) van der Waals complexes as the most stable species of the gallium analogues GaH4 and GaH5. The calculated H2 dissociation energies (D(e)) for AlH2(H2) and AlH3(H2) are of the order 1.8-2.5 kcalmol(-1), whereas this range of values for GaH2(H2) and GaH3(H2) is 1.4-1.8 kcalmol(-1) . Symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) was used to analyze the interaction energies of these dihydrogen complexes (for n = 5) to determine why the Ga species show a smaller binding energy than the Al species. The SAPT partitioning of the interaction energy showed significant differences between AlH3(H2) and GaH3(H2), resulting from the much stronger "hydride" character of the aluminum species. The experimental observation of AlH2(H2) and AlH3(H2), and likely GaH3(H2), via low-temperature matrix isolation has been reported recently by Pullumbi et al. and Andrews et al., supporting the theoretical predictions. For n = 6, we found the degenerate C2(2A) and C(s)(2A') MH2(H2)2 "double H2" type van der Waals complexes as the lowest energy species for both M = Al and Ga.

Aluminum↗
PubMed2002

ALS-plus: 5 cases of concomitant amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and parkinsonism.

According to El Escorial criteria, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), combined with other neurologic disorders, such as dementia and parkinsonism, is defined as ALS-plus. These overlaping syndromes are extremely rare. Here we report 5 cases (3 men, 2 women) of ALS-plus; mean age at the onset of symptoms was 67 years (range, 65-72). In 3 patients, motoneuronal signs preceded the onset of parkinsonian syndrome. In 4 cases, the clinical picture was characterized by the prevalence of motoneuronal signs. Parkinsonism was poorly responsive to L-dopa treatment in all patients. The clinical course did not differ from that expected in patients with only ALS. Our clinical observations and neuropathological reports of nigral neuronal loss in ALS patients suggest a common pathogenic mechanism underlying these disorders.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Avid AL, a synthetic ligand affinity gel mimicking immobilized bacterial antibody receptor for purification of immunoglobulin G.

Avid AL is an affinity gel designed for the purification of immunoglobulin G (IgG). The gel was prepared by first reacting Sepharose with 3,5-dichloro-2,4,6-trifluoropyridine and 4-dimethylaminopyridine and then with 2-mercaptoethanol. The IgG purified by Avid AL is about 95% pure. The binding parameters of Avid AL for the whole IgG, Fab and Fc fragment and the stability of gel were investigated. The IgG bound to Avid AL can be eluted with an acidic buffer or with a novel neutral buffer containing electron donors. The development of such a mild neutral elution buffer is described. Application of Avid AL in a rapid gram-scale IgG purification was demonstrated. The possible mechanism of IgG binding is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Cytotoxic activity in the plasma of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients against normal erythrocytes. Quantitative determinations.

Erythrocytes from healthy controls were incubated during 5.5 h under physiological conditions in own plasma, and plasma from blood type-matched ALS patients and diseased controls. Free haemoglobin (Hb) was repeatedly measured spectrophotometrically as a measure of haemolysis. Using a standardized procedure, the interexperimental variation in Hb release during incubation in own control plasma was kept very low in a large series of incubations (n = 77). This indicated that the condition of the erythrocytes had been constant. Parallel incubations in plasma from ALS patients (n = 20) rendered a clear-cut increase in Hb release, which in all cases exceeded the confidence interval of the controls. There was no correlation between Hb release in the ALS group and age, sex, type of disease or duration of symptoms. The cytotoxic effect of ALS plasma was abolished by heating to 56 degrees C. In a material of incubations in plasma of diseased controls (traumatic spinal cord disease, Guillain-Barré syndrome), the haemolysis was slightly larger than in control plasma, but in all cases smaller than in ALS plasma.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Cytoplasmic, lysosomal and matrix protease activities in spinal cord tissue from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and control patients.

The histological identification of ubiquitin-conjugated protein deposits in spinal motor neurones of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has suggested that an underlying abnormality of intracellular protein metabolism may be responsible for the pathogenesis of the disease. In an attempt to identify such an abnormality at the biochemical level, we have undertaken a systematic investigation of a representative range of proteolytic enzyme types comprising the two major pathways (cytoplasmic and lysosomal) of intracellular protein degradation, in spinal cord tissue from ALS and control cases. No evidence of a generalised alteration in protein catabolizing proteolytic enzymes in spinal cord tissue from ALS cases was found. Only proline endopeptidase and pyroglutamyl aminopeptidase (both cytoplasmic proteases) showed significantly altered activity (increased by 76% and 119%, respectively) in ALS cases compared to normal controls. In addition to their generalised role in intracellular protein degradation, these two enzymes are involved in the processing of thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) in CNS tissues. The selective increase in activity of proline endopeptidase and pyroglutamyl aminopeptidase in ALS may represent an adaptation to maintain excitatory drive to surviving motor neurons by increased processing of TRH to its active metabolite.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Site-specific adhesion of Staphylococcus epidermidis (RP12) in Ti-Al-V metal systems.

Staphylococcus epidermidis (RP12) adhesion patterns were studied on the following titanium (Ti)-aluminium (Al)-vanadium (V) metal systems: (i) microfabricated samples consisting of Ti, Al and V islands deposited onto Ti or V substrata, (ii) pure Ti, Al and V metals, and (iii) medical grade Ti6Al4-V alloy. All of these surfaces were covered with their respective oxides formed upon exposure of the metals to air. Quantitative analysis of the number of cells bound per unit area indicates that S. epidermidis (RP12) exhibits greatest adhesion to pure V surfaces. When exposed to surfaces having controlled spatial variations in chemical composition on the 10 microns scale (microfabricated samples), the bacteria preferentially populate V islands versus Ti or Al substrata. In the case of the biphasic Ti6Al4V alloy, the bacteria tend to adhere to V-rich, mixed phase regions and phase boundaries. These findings demonstrate that enhanced and preferential adhesion of S. epidermidis (RP12) occurs on V surfaces in Ti-Al-V metal systems and suggest that bacterial interactions are influenced by surface oxide composition.

Alloys↗
PubMed1988

Open study of AL-721 treatment of HIV-infected subjects with generalized lymphadenopathy syndrome: an eight week open trial and follow-up.

AL-721 is a lipid compound composed of neutral lipids, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine in a 7:2:1 ratio. The objective of this open study was to evaluate the effects of AL-721 in vivo in an 8-week open trial in which 10 g twice daily was administered on a low fat diet to eight HIV-infected subjects with lymphadenopathy syndrome (LAS). Serial lymphocyte cocultivation studies in 7 patients with initial culture positivity appeared to demonstrate reduction of reverse transcriptase peak counts in 5 with the trough noted in 4 at 8 weeks and in one at 4 weeks following termination of therapy. The mean values for all 7 patients revealed a baseline value of 73,419 with decrease to a low of 27418 at 8 weeks. Mean levels of total lymphocytes, T-4, T-8 and T-11 cells were not altered but lymphoproliferative responses to concanavalin A and pokeweed mitogens appeared to be augmented in 4 of the 8 subjects in association with AL-721 treatment. No side effects were noted. In a subsequent follow-up study using a normal diet in the same subjects lymphocyte cocultivation and mitogen-induced responses were less consistently affected when 15 g twice daily AL-721 was readministered. In addition, serum HIV p24 antigen and CD4 levels were not altered during both the 8-week open and subsequent AL-721 readministration. Four of the 8 patients have progressed to AIDS over the subsequent 14 months.

AIDS-Related Complex↗
PubMed1996

Distribution and levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I and IGF-II) and insulin receptor binding sites in the spinal cords of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients.

The structurally related peptides, insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I and IGF-II), have neurotrophic properties and potentially could be of therapeutic value in human neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, we compared the anatomical distribution of [125I]IGF-I, [125I]IGF-II and [125I]insulin binding sites in thoracic spinal cords from patients who died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and normal controls. For these three ligands, the greatest amounts of specific binding were located in the deeper layers of the dorsal horn > intermediate zone > lamina X > ventral horn > superficial layers of the dorsal horn > white matter of the spinal cord. Highly significant (P < 0.001) increases in the density of [125I]IGF-I and [125I]IGF-II binding were apparent in various laminae of the cord of ALS patients with increased binding being particularly evident in the ventral horn and the intermediate zone. Significant (P < 0.05) increases were also seen in lamina X and in the dorsal horn. In contrast, no significant differences in [125I]insulin binding were observed between ALS and control spinal cords. Taken together, these data reveal significant increases in both [125I]IGF-I and [125I]IGF-II binding levels in the spinal cords of ALS patients albeit to different extents. These findings may be of relevance for future therapeutic strategies aimed at slowing the progression of this chronic neurodegenerative disease, as recently suggested by the beneficial therapeutic effects of an IGF-I treatment in ALS patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Cloning of AL-1, a ligand for an Eph-related tyrosine kinase receptor involved in axon bundle formation.

REK7 is an Eph-related tyrosine kinase receptor expressed exclusively in the nervous system, predominantly in hippocampus and cortex. A soluble REK7-IgG fusion protein, produced to analyze the biological role of REK7, prevents axon bundling in cocultures of cortical neurons with astrocytes, a model of late stage nervous system development and differentiation. Using REK7-IgG as an affinity reagent, we purified and cloned a novel REK7 ligand called AL-1, a GPI-linked protein homologous to other members of an emerging ligand family. Membrane attachment of AL-1 appears necessary for receptor activation, since REK7 on cortical neurons is efficiently activated by transfected cells expressing GPI-linked AL-1, but not by soluble AL-1. Consistent with this, soluble AL-1 blocks axon bundling. Our findings, together with the observation that both molecules are expressed in the brain, suggest a role in the formation of neuronal pathways, a crucial feature of nervous system development and regeneration.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Corrosion behavior of Cu and the Cu-Zn-Al shape memory alloy in simulated uterine fluid.

Chemical immersion tests, electrochemical methods and atomic absorption spectrometry were employed to investigate the corrosion behavior of Cu and the Cu-Zn-Al shape memory alloy (SMA) in simulated uterine fluid. The effect of pH on corrosion rate and corrosion potential was also investigated. The results indicated that in the static state in simulated uterine fluid, dealuminumification of the Cu-Zn-Al alloy occurred with Cl- combining with aluminum ions to form hydroxyl aluminum chloride. The hydroxyl aluminum chloride hydrolyzed readily and facilitated further dealuminumification corrosion. The corrosion process of Cu and Cu-Zn-Al SMA in simulated uterine fluid was controlled by cathodic reduction of oxygen. Because the tendency for surface ionization is greater for aluminum than for zinc, a compact protective aluminum layer was formed, which inhibited the cathodic reduction of oxygen. Hence, the corrosion rate of Cu-Zn-Al SMA was smaller than that of Cu in simulated uterine fluid. With increasing pH, the corrosion rate of Cu and Cu-Zn-Al SMA in simulated uterine fluid decreased and the open-circuit potential moved in a positive direction.

Alloys↗
PubMed2005

Bimetallic isopropoxides M[Al(OC(3)H(i)(7))(4)](3) (M = Pr, Nd)--catalyzed reduction of 2-octanone and benzophenone.

Bimetallic alkoxides of praseodymium and neodymium with aluminum, viz., M[Al(OC(3)H(i)(7))(4)](3), where M = Pr(III)/Nd(III), have been used as catalysts in Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV) reduction of 2-octanone and benzophenone in isopropanol to give their corresponding secondary alcohols. The reduction of ketones is investigated by following the absorption spectra involving 4f-4f transitions. During the MPV reduction the oscillator strengths (P) and the Judd-Ofelt intensity (T(lambda), lambda = 2,4,6) parameters corresponding to each 4f-4f band (H43-->D21, H43-->P03, H43-->P13, and H43-->P23 in praseodymium, and I9/24-->F3/24, I9/24-->F5/24, I9/24-->F7/24, I9/24-->G5/24, and I9/24-->G7/24 in neodymium alkoxides) at different time intervals have also been calculated and used in the determination of rates. Rates were calculated in terms of complexation of ketone and isopropanol with M[Al(OC(3)H(i)(7))(4)](3) during the MPV reaction, from the changes in both absorbance and oscillator strength with time, and were found to be comparable, verifying the Judd-Ofelt theory. The stronger oxyphilicity of Pr(III) and Nd(III) in M[Al(OC(3)H(i)(7))(4)](3) than of their analogue Al(III) in Al(OC(3)H(i)(7))(3) made the bimetallic alkoxides better catalyst in MPV reduction of ketones.

Journal Article↗