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At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Identification of individual tumor necrosis factor/cachectin-producing cells after lipopolysaccharide induction.

A method to detect single tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha)-producing cells, based on immunofluorescence staining, is presented. We have developed a rapid and simple procedure to permeabilize blood leukocytes for antibodies without causing cell aggregation. Using monoclonal as well as polyclonal TNF alpha-specific antibodies cytoplasmic TNF alpha could be detected in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated monocytes in identical ways. In addition, one out of 15 tested fresh blood samples from healthy blood donors contained occasional TNF alpha-producing cells. We found a well-defined staining of the intracellular TNF alpha with a local, polar accumulation in a juxtanuclear position of the cell. This finding most probably indicated the presence of the monokine in the Golgi organelle because the sequential staining for TNF alpha and the Golgi zone by specific antibodies coincided. Thus, we believe the TNF alpha accumulation at this site reflects the production rather than cellular uptake of the cytokine, since the incubation of blood leukocytes with recombinant TNF alpha did not lead to any detectable staining. By performing two-color staining of cell surface antigens and cytoplasmic TNF alpha of LPS-stimulated blood leukocytes we could demonstrate that monocytes exclusively contributed to the TNF alpha synthesis. At the peak of the response, which occurred 2-3 h after LPS exposure, 50-60% of the blood monocytes produced TNF alpha. We noted a rapid decline in the number of TNF alpha-producing cells already 6 h after initiation of these cultures.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Identification of individual genes altered in squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva.

Chromosome rearrangements in squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva (SCV) have indicated common consistent regions of loss and gain. The overall aim of our research was to define and characterize individual genes that underlie the pathogenesis of SCV. Thirteen cell lines from 12 SCV patients were evaluated for loss and gain of 122 genes distributed throughout the genome. Individual genes were analyzed for genetic alterations using a novel genomewide strategy, the multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification assay. Our candidate gene approach identified several altered loci. Most frequent was the loss of 1 copy of TMSB10, observed in 11 of 12 SCV patients, followed by loss of CTNNB1 and BCL2, which occurred in 7 of 12 patients. Frequent gains/amplifications included CCND1, observed in 8 of 12 patients, and IL12A, in 7 of the 12 patients. Loss and gain of specific genes observed in our study were generally concordant with the results of previous studies of cytogenetics and CGH utilizing the same SCV cell lines. Genetic alterations are hallmarks of tumorigenesis, and there is wide agreement that recurrent altered genomic loci contain genes important for tumor development and progression. Understanding the interplay of cancer genes and the pathways they utilize can lead to the detection of novel molecular targets in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of SCV.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

Identification of individual microaneurysms: a comparison between fluorescein angiograms and red-free and colour photographs.

PURPOSE: To evaluate how often a microaneurysm (MA) seen in a fluorescein angiogram (FAG) is visualized in colour or red-free photographs, and conversely how often a red dot seen in a colour photograph or a red-free photograph is found in an FAG as an MA. METHOD: Sixty-degree FAGs, colour photographs and red free fundus photographs of 24 patients with mild background retinopathy were analysed using a computer-assisted fundus lesion localization system. Only lesions identified similarly in two separate sessions were processed further. The presence of lesions identified by their position was compared in FAGs and colour and red-free photographs. RESULTS: In the whole material 394 MAs were detected in FAGs, 95 in red-free and 62 in colour photographs. Of the MAs in FAGs 26 (6.6%) were seen as a red dot in a colour photograph and 52 (13%) were found in red-free photographs. Of the 95 MAs found in red-free images 52 (55%) were detected in FAGs. Of the 62 MAs in colour photographs, 26 (42%) were seen as a MA in a FAG. A significant correlation existed between MA counts in FAGs and red dot counts in colour or red-free photographs of individual patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although MAs in FAG and red spots in colour or red-free photographs all reflect the degree of retinopathy, about half of the red dots in photographs do not represent open MAs in FAGs.

Adult↗

Identification of individual protein-ligand NOEs in the limit of intermediate exchange.

Interactions of proteins with small molecules or other macromolecules play key roles in many biological processes and in drug action, and NMR is an excellent tool for their structural characterization. Frequently, however, line broadening due to intermediate exchange completely eliminates the signals needed for measuring specific intermolecular NOEs. This limits the use of NMR for detailed structural studies in such kinetic situations. Here we show that an optimally chosen excess of ligand over protein can reduce the extent of line broadening for both the ligand and the protein. This makes observation of ligand resonances possible but reduces the size of the measurable NOEs due to the residual line broadening and the non-stoichiometric concentrations. Because the solubility of small molecule drug leads are often limited to high micromolar concentrations, protein concentrations are restricted to even lower values in the low micromolar range. At these non-stoichiometric concentrations and in the presence of significant residual line broadening, conventional NOESY experiments very often are not sensitive enough to observe intermolecular NOEs since the signals inverted by the NOESY preparation pulse sequence relax prior to significant NOE build up. Thus, we employ methods related to driven NOE spectroscopy to investigate protein-ligand interactions in the intermediate exchange regime. In this approach, individual protein resonances are selectively irradiated for up to five seconds to build up measurable NOEs at the ligand resonances. To enable saturation of individual protein resonances we prepare deuterated protein samples selectively protonated at a few sites so that the 1D (1)H spectrum of the protein is resolved well enough to permit irradiation of individual protein signals, which do not overlap with the ligand spectrum. This approach is suitable for measuring a sufficiently large number of protein-ligand NOEs that allow calculation of initial complex structures, suitable for structure-based optimization of primary drug leads obtained from high-throughput screening. The method was applied to measure individual intermolecular NOEs between the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-xL at 25 microM and a "first generation" small-molecule ligand, for which the spectrum is entirely broadened at stoichiometric concentrations. This approach is general and can also be used to characterize protein-protein or protein-nucleic-acid complexes.

Amino Acids, Aromatic↗

Identification of individual amino acids in platelet-derived growth factor that contribute to the specificity towards the beta-type receptor.

Platelet-derived growth factor constitutes a family of three isoforms (PDGF-AA, -AB, and -BB) composed of two homologous polypeptide chains (A and B). These isoforms interact with two types of receptors termed alpha or beta. Whereas PDGF-AA binds only to the alpha-receptor, PDGF-BB binds and activates both receptors with high affinity. To map regions that are specific for the beta-receptor, we introduced mutations into PDGF-AA located in previously identified epitopes [1991, Biochemistry 30, 3303-3309]. A single amino acid exchange in domain II of PDGF-AA (Ala67----Arg) was sufficient to bring about a reduced but significant activation of the beta-receptor. In domain I the exchange of residues Pro26----Arg together with Ser28----Asn switched the specificity towards the beta-receptor. These data indicate that parts of the exposed domains are indeed involved in receptor binding. Since these single mutations lead to mutant proteins which are about 100-fold less active than PDGF-BB, it is suggested that other amino acid residues also participate in the binding to the receptors.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identification of individuals at high risk for myocardial infarction.

The incidence of atherosclerotic coronary heart disease (CHD) was assessed in 4559 male participants of the Prospective Cardiovascular Münster (PROCAM) study, aged 40-64 years, over a 6 year follow-up period. In this time, 186 study participants developed atherosclerotic CHD (134 definite nonfatal myocardial infarctions and 52 definite atherosclerotic CAD deaths including 21 sudden cardiac deaths and 31 fatal myocardial infarctions). In multiple logistic function (MLF) analyses, age, cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and the binary (yes/no) criteria of cigarette smoking, angina pectoris, diabetes mellitus or hyperglycaemia, and family history of myocardial infarction showed a significant association with the incidence of atherosclerotic CHD after adjustment for the other risk factors. In the subgroup of individuals, in whom clotting factors were measured, fibrinogen was found to be an independent additional risk indicator for CHD by multiple logistic function analysis (P < 0.05). The relationship between a variable and total mortality or some of its components was described by dividing the patient series into quintiles of the studied variable and then calculating the age-standardized death rate for each quintile. Lowest risk of total mortality occurs in men with lowest risk of CHD, though relationships between total mortality and levels of single risk factors are 'J'-shaped or even 'U'-shaped.

Adolescent↗

Precise identification of individual promoters for transcription of each strand of human mitochondrial DNA.

The major site of in vivo transcriptional initiation for both heavy and light strands of human mitochondrial DNA is the displacement-loop region. Transcripts synthesized in vitro by human mitochondrial RNA polymerase were mapped to the nucleotide level and have identical 5' end map positions to those reported for in vivo primary transcripts. An ordered series of deletion clones, whose template sequences were truncated at either the 5' or 3' end, was used to identify the precise mitochondrial DNA sequence required for initiation of transcription. The data provide a definitive assignment of the promoter for heavy-strand transcription occurring within -16 to +7 of the transcriptional start site 16 nucleotides upstream of the 5' end of the gene for tRNAPhe and of the promoter for light-strand transcription occurring within -28 to +16 of the transcriptional start site at the 5' end of "7S RNA." Within each control sequence is a candidate promoter whose consensus sequence is 5'-CANACC(G)CC(A)AAAGAPyA-3' and in both cases transcriptional initiation occurs within six to eight nucleotides of the 3' end of this sequence. The transcriptional start site is an integral part of each promoter and each promoter can function in the absence of the other.

Chromosome Deletion↗

The establishment of genomic DNA libraries for the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and identification of individual clones by hybridisation.

The DNA of Plasmodium falciparum has been purified and fragmented with the restriction endonucleases EcoRI and HindIII. The fragments have been incorporated in vitro into derivatives of bacteriophage lambda to make libraries in which most of the parasite DNA is represented. By Southern hybridisation we have been able to recover from these libraries specific clones containing (a) repetitive DNA sequences, (b) rRNA gene(s) and (c) sequences homologous to an actin gene probe. Parasite DNA from two independent sources differs markedly in the pattern of its repetitive DNA visualised by hybridisation to our repetitive clone. By contrast, the rRNA genes of the two isolates prove to be carried on identically sized fragments.

Bacteriophage lambda↗

Brazilian version of the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (B-PAID): validation and identification of individuals at high risk for emotional distress.

The purpose of this study was to validate the Brazilian version of the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (B-PAID) in a sample of outpatients with type 2 diabetes (DM2) and to identify the characteristics of individuals at high risk for emotional distress. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 146 patients randomly selected among those attending outpatient clinics at a University Hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Information was collected regarding age, gender, known duration of diabetes, type of treatment and level of schooling, and a blood sample was taken to measure HbA1c. B-PAID was compared with the already validated Brazilian versions of Satisfaction with Life (SWL) and WHO Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL) Scales. One-hundred forty-six DM2 patients (48% males, 59.7+/-9 years, BMI: 29.7+/-5.2kg/m(2), mean duration: 8.63+/-8 years, HbA(1c): 7.2+/-1.7%) were included. There were significant correlations between B-PAID and SWL (r(p)=0.55, p<0.001) and WHOQOL (r(p)=-0.33, p<0.05) Scales. In a multiple regression analysis the B-PAID Scale was associated with younger age (p=0.006) and lower education level (p=0.05). In conclusion, B-PAID is a reliable, valid outcome measure for Brazilian DM2 patients and identifies patients at increased risk for emotional distress who should be prioritized in psychosocial intervention.

Brazil↗

Schistosoma japonicum: interactions of successive infections in pigs and mice using polymerase chain reaction-based identification of individual worms.

The study reported here investigated acquired resistance of mice and pigs to challenge-infections with Schistosoma japonicum. Two morphologically indistinguishable isolates of the parasite (from the Anhui and Zhejiang provinces of China), which could be typed by polymerase chain reaction-linked restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (PCR-RFLP), were used for the infections. In two parallel infection studies, 60 female outbred NMRI mice and 29 Danish Landrace/Yorkshire/Duroc crossbred pigs were used. Two of the groups received a primary infection with either the Anhui or the Zhejiang isolate, respectively. The remaining groups received a primary infection with the Zhejiang isolate and challenge-infections with the Anhui isolate at either week 2, 3, 4 or 6 post primary infection. The results of the study indicated that both mice and pigs are partially resistant to challenge-infection from week 4 post primary infection. Resistance appeared to decrease in pigs 6 weeks after primary infection, while it remained effective in mice. These results suggest that the mechanism responsible for acquired resistance in mice and pigs may not be the same and support the theory that worm burdens in pigs receiving repeated infection are in a balance between acquisition and loss of worms.

Animals↗

PCR-based identification of individuals of Schistosoma japonicum representing different subpopulations using a genetic marker in mitochondrial DNA.

A mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase I gene fragment (NDI) was sequenced for three laboratory maintained isolates of Schistosoma japonicum. Comparison of sequences representing the isolates (originally obtained from the Anhui and Zhejiang provinces of the People's Republic of China, and from the Philippines) revealed inter-isolate sequence variations of 0.2-0.6% and no intra-isolate variation was found. The sequences also indicated that while the amplification products of the Zhejiang and Philippine isolates contained a recognition site for the endonuclease RsaI, there was no such site in the Anhui isolate. This was tested by digesting amplification products from a number of individual worms with RsaI. Then an infection experiment was designed to test the value of this genetic marker for studies of the population biology of S. japonicum in the final host. For this, the two Chinese isolates were used. Three groups of mice (A-C) were exposed firstly to a primary infection and then challenge-infected at weeks 4 and 7 of the experiment. In group A the first infection was done with the Anhui isolate, and the two others with the Zhejiang isolate, thereby providing a specific, detectable cohort. In groups B and C the Anhui isolate was used for the second and third infection. All mice were perfused 5 weeks after the last challenge infection, and the NDI was subsequently amplified from DNA of the perfused worms and digested with RsaI. The digestion revealed that while infection groups A and B contained mixed populations of the Anhui and Zhejiang isolates, only Zhejiang worms were present in group C. We concluded that the absence/presence of the RsaI site in the NDI provides a useful marker for the delineation of cohorts of S. japonicum.

Amino Acid Sequence↗