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Small intestinal transit, absorption, and permeability in patients with AIDS with and without diarrhoea.

BACKGROUND: Diarrhoea in AIDS is associated with anorexia and weight loss. The importance of gastrointestinal transit in such symptoms has not been addressed. AIMS: To assess jejunal to caecal transit times in subjects with AIDS related diarrhoea and weight loss and correlate these with measures of absorptive capacity and intestinal permeability. METHODS: Jejunal to caecal transit times were assessed in 20 seronegative controls and 60 HIV seropositive subjects from serum analysis of 3-O-methyl-D-glucose and sulphapyridine after ingestion of the monosaccharide and sulphasalazine in aqueous solution. The method also allows an estimation of gastric emptying times for liquids. Intestinal absorptive capacity and permeability were assessed by a combined test using 3-O-methyl-D-glucose, D-xylose, L-rhamnose, and lactulose. RESULTS: Gastric emptying was significantly delayed in all groups of patients with AIDS. Mean jejunal to caecal transit times were not significantly different between controls (246 (62) minutes) and patients without diarrhoea (AIDS, well: 278 (103) minutes; AIDS, wasting: 236 (68) minutes), cytomegalovirus colitis (289 (83) minutes), pathogen negative diarrhoea (192 (100) minutes), or microsporidiosis (190 (113) minutes), although 30% of patients had values below the control range. Patients with cryptosporidiosis differed significantly from controls (135 (35) minutes, p<0.0001), seven of 10 having rapid transit times. Absorptive capacity was reduced and intestinal permeability significantly increased in AIDS, but did not correlate significantly with transit times. CONCLUSION: Small bowel transit is accelerated in many patients with AIDS, particularily in protozoal diarrhoea, but is not the sole explanation for malabsorption of monosaccharides.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Magnetic resonance studies of concanavalin A:CONFORMATIONAL CHANGES INDUCED BY Ca2+ and alpha-methyl-D-mannopyranoside.

Three independent solution spectroscopic techniques (solvent proton relaxation enhancement, circular dichroism, and high resolution 220 MHz proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy) have been utilized to demonstrate mental ion- and monosaccharide inhibitor-induced structural perturbations for the dimeric form of the plant lectin concanavalin A (Con A). The results indicate that (i) the occupation of the transition metal ion site S1 by Mn-2+ or Zn-2+ does not detectably perturn the demetallized protein conformation, (ii) the binding of Ca=2+ to the Con A-Mn-2+ or Con A-Zn-2+ complexes perturbs the protein structure in the vicinity of the S1 site as well as at points remote from the S1-S2 double ion site, and (iii) the binding of the monosaccharide inhibitor alpha-methyl-D-mannopyranoside to the fully metallized Con A complex also significantly perturbs the structural features of the protein. A detailed radio frequency dependence analysis of the Ca-2+ effect on the solvent proton relaxation enhancement properties of the Con A-Mn-2+ complex indicates that the considerable reduction in the observed enhancement upon Ca-2+ binding principally results from an approximate 120-fold decrease in the single Mn-2+ water of hydratio- exchange rate; The 220 MHz proton magnetic resonance spectra for Con A indicate that this form of spectroscopy is the most useful of those utilized in detailing the solution structural features of this lectin, and a tentative assignment for the C-2-H proton of histidine residue 24 (the S1 site ligand) has been proposed.

Binding Sites↗

Circadian rhythmicity in several small intestinal functions is independent of use of the intestine.

Fifty milliliters of a liquid diet were administered daily to rats in three different ways: 1) orally, beginning at 0000 h; 2) by continuous intravenous infusion; and 3) by discontinuous intravenous infusion from 0000 to 1400 h. Animals were killed every 6 h over a 24-h period. Activity profiles as a function of time of day were determined for the following small intestinal parameters; monosaccharide transport; five disaccharidases; alkaline phosphatase; gamma-glutamyltransferase; leucylnaphthylamide hydrolyzing activity; villus height and width; and number of columnar cells lining a villus section. Circadian rhythmicity as previously reported was observed for all parameters in rats fed orally for 7 days but was not observed in any parameters in rats fed by continuous infusion for 9 days. Rats fed by discontinuous infusion for 10 days maintained circadian rhythmicity in the following functions: monosaccharide transport; disaccharidase activities; and columnar cell number. Thus, rhythmicity in these functions can exist without nutrient delivery to the alimentary tract and presumably arises from involvement of a neuro-endocrine component. The other activities tested appear to require the alimentary tract for the existence of circadian rhythmicity.

Administration, Oral↗

Relation between dietary-induced increase of intestinal lactase activity and lactose digestion and absorption in adult rats.

To study the relation between dietary-induced increase of intestinal lactase activity and lactose absorption, 11-wk-old rats were fed either a high-starch (70 cal%), low-fat (7 cal%) diet or a low-starch (5 cal%), high-fat (73 cal%) diet for 7 days. Food intake and body weight changes were similar in the two dietary groups. In the first experiment, lactose absorption was studied in vivo after oral administration of 600 mg lactose (10% solution in water with added [3H]PEG) to rats fasted for 16 h. Groups of rats were killed at time 0 and at 1-h intervals for the next 3 h. Lactase activity and lactose absorption were significantly higher (P less than 0.01) in the high-starch group than in the low-starch group. In the subsequent experiment, 9-wk-old rats were fed the two isocaloric diets for 3 days. By use of the everted sac technique, we have demonstrated a significantly higher absorption of monosaccharides from lactose in the high-starch diet group; also, glucose transport was higher in the high-starch diet-fed animals. When Tris, an inhibitor of lactase, was added into the mucosal fluid, absorption of lactose was abolished and no effect was seen on glucose absorption (in vivo and in vitro). In both experiments, significant linear regression was established between lactase activity and lactose absorption. Our results thus show that the increase in lactase activity, induced by feeding a high-starch diet to adult rats, is accompanied by an increased capacity to hydrolyze lactose and absorb the constituent monosaccharides.

Absorption↗

Pulmonary pressor responses in sheep to chemically defined precursors of E. coli endotoxin.

The toxicity of various monosaccharide and disaccharide endotoxin precursors has now been studied in sheep. We measured the early pulmonary arterial pressure responses after injections of the monosaccharides lipid X (2,3-diacylglucosamine 1-phosphate) and MAGP (2-monoacylglucosamine 1-phosphate), of the tetraacyl disaccharide diphosphate precursor of lipid A, IV-A (Federation Proc. 43: 1567, 1984), and of Escherichia coli bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide). We also measured the response of lipid X after prior administration of indomethacin and MAGP. Lipid X, at a total cumulative dose of 40 micrograms/kg, produced an immediate, but transient dose-dependent pulmonary arterial vasoconstrictive response. MAGP, at a total dose of 40 micrograms/kg, had no pulmonary pressure activity but did increase extravascular lung water and produce some histological changes in the lung. Disaccharide precursor IV-A, at a total dose of 40 micrograms/kg, produced an immediate dose-dependent pulmonary arterial vasoconstrictive response that was prolonged for greater than 2 h. E. coli endotoxin caused a delayed (15-min) increase in the pulmonary arterial pressure but one that also persisted for greater than 2 h. Prior administration of indomethacin blocked the pulmonary pressor activity of lipid X, whereas prior administration of MAGP increased both the magnitude and the duration of the pulmonary pressure response of lipid X. We conclude that the initial pulmonary hypertension seen after lipid X injection may involve cyclooxygenase-dependent formation of prostaglandins and that the genesis of this pulmonary pressor activity is at least in part dependent on the ester-linked hydroxymyristoyl moiety at position 3 of the lipid X molecule.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Intestinal carbohydrate absorption and permeability at high altitude (5,730 m).

To investigate the effects of high altitude on intestinal function, the absorption and permeation of nonmetabolizable carbohydrates were measured in 14 volunteers (median age 21 yr, range 19-37 yr) at sea level in Oxford, UK; at 1,050 m in Nepal; at 5,570 m after 5 days at > 5,500 m; and at 5,730 m after 11 days at > 5,500 m. Body weight decreased 5.7 +/- 1.19 kg from sea level to 5,570 m (P < 0.001 by paired t test) despite 72-h dietary records showing no change in energy intake. Absorption of carbohydrates by mediated transport was measured by urinary xylose and 3-O-methyl-D-glucose excretion. Xylose excretion (%oral dose) decreased from 31.4 +/- 4.5% to 20.7 +/- 4.5% (P < 0.001) and 3-O-methyl-D-glucose excretion decreased from 39.7 +/- 6.1 to 33.7 +/- 7.0% (P = 0.003) from sea level to 5,730 m. Monosaccharide permeation measured by L-rhamnose excretion decreased from 11.3 +/- 2.5 to 6.2 +/- 2.0% (P = 0.001). Intestinal permeability, a measure of barrier function (ratio of lactulose to L-rhamnose), increased from 0.036 +/- 0.014 at sea level to 0.084 +/- 0.042 at 1,050 m (P = 0.006), possibly due to infective enteropathy after arrival in Nepal, but reverted to normal (0.045 +/- 0.013; P = 0.062) at 5,730 m. Absorption of all carbohydrates returned to normal after return to the UK. This study showed that a decrease in mediated (D-xylose or 3-O-methyl-D-glucose) and diffusional (L-rhamnose) monosaccharide absorption occurs at high altitude but that intestinal permeability at 5,730 m is unchanged.

3-O-Methylglucose↗

Detection of inflammation- and neoplasia-associated alterations in human large intestine using plant/invertebrate lectins, galectin-1 and neoglycoproteins.

Commonly, plant and invertebrate lectins are accepted glycohistochemical tools for the analysis of normal and altered structures of glycans in histology and pathology. Mammalian lectins and neoglycoproteins are recent additions to this panel for the detection of lectin-reactive carbohydrate epitopes and glycoligand-binding sites. The binding profiles of these three types of probes were comparatively analyzed in normal, inflamed and neoplastic large intestine. In normal colonic mucosa the intracellular distribution of glycoconjugates and carbohydrate ligand-binding sites in enterocytes reveals a differential binding of lectins with different specificity and of neoglycoproteins to the Golgi apparatus, the rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum and the apical cell surface. The accessible glycoligand-binding sites and the lectin-reactive carbohydrate epitopes detected by galectin-1 show the same pattern of intracellular location excluding the apical cell surface. Lectin-reactive carbohydrate epitopes detected by plant lectins of identical monosaccharide specificity as the endogenous lectin [Ricinus communis agglutinin-I (RCA-I), Viscum album agglutinin (VAA)], however, clearly differ with respect to their intracellular distribution. Maturation-associated differences and heterogeneity in glycohistochemical properties of epithelial cells and non-epithelial cells (macrophages, dendritic cells, lymphocytes) are found. Dissimilarities in the fine structural ligand recognition of lectins with nominal specificity to the same monosaccharide have been demonstrated for the galactoside-specific lectins RCA-I, VAA and galectin-1 as well as the N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-specific lectins Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA), soybean agglutinin (SBA) and Helix pomatia agglutinin in normal mucosa and in acute appendicitis. Acute inflammation of the intestinal mucosa found in acute phlegmonous appendicitis is associated with selective changes of glycosylation of mucin in goblet cells mainly of lower and middle crypt segments resulting in an increase of DBA- and SBA-binding sites in the goblet cell population. Appendicitis causes no detectable alteration of neoglycoprotein binding. In contrast, tumorigenesis of colonic adenoma is characterized by increases in lectin-reactive galactose (Gal; Gal-beta1, 3-GalNAc), fucose and N-acetylglucosamine moieties and by enhanced presentation of respective carbohydrate ligand-binding capacity. This work reveals that endogenous lectins and neoglycoproteins are valuable glycohistochemical tools supplementing the well-known analytic capacities of plant lectins in the fields of gastrointestinal anatomy and gastroenteropathology.

Adenoma↗

Antithrombotic properties in rabbits of heparin and heparin fragments covalently coupled to human antithrombin III.

Clinical grade heparin is a very heterogeneous mucopolysaccharide, containing molecules with Mr ranging from 6,000 to 30,000 that have either a high affinity or a low affinity for antithrombin III (AT). In this study, the antithrombotic properties of intact high-affinity heparin (Mr = 15,000) and of two heparin fragments (h16, a 16-monosaccharide fragment, with Mr = 4,300, and h12, a 12-monosaccharide fragment, with Mr = 3,200) and of their functional covalent stoichiometric complexes with human AT were compared in a venous thrombosis stasis model in rabbits. Thrombosis was induced by injection of glass-activated human plasma and measured in a segment of the jugular vein that was isolated between two vascular clamps for 10 min. Injections of 55 micrograms/kg resulted in a clear antithrombotic effect for intact heparin, but not for the two fragments. Equivalent amounts (carbohydrate moiety) of covalent complexes of heparin or of both heparin fragments with human AT resulted in an antithrombotic effect lasting for 45-60 min. Injection of 110 micrograms/kg of heparin and of the heparin fragments yielded an antithrombotic effect, lasting 45-60 min; the corresponding amounts of covalent complexes caused an anti-thrombotic effect for 60-120 min. The free and conjugated fragments produced equal antithrombotic effects at equal plasma levels of anti-Factor Xa activity, but the specific antithrombotic activities of free and complexed intact heparin, on a molar basis, were 10-20-fold greater than those of the free and complexed heparin fragments. The plasma half-life of the covalent complexes of the heparin fragments with AT is, however, 10 times longer than that of the complex between intact heparin and AT and 30 times longer than that of free intact heparin. Covalent complexes between AT and heparin fragments could, therefore, be useful to maintain more stable levels of antithrombotic activity in plasma.

Animals↗

Carbohydrate malabsorption. Its measurement and its contribution to diarrhea.

The major purpose of this research was to gain insight into the effect of carbohydrate malabsorption on fecal water output. To do this we measured daily fecal output of total carbohydrate, reducing sugars, and organic acids (a product of bacterial fermentation). Normal subjects were studied in their native state and when diarrhea was induced by mechanisms that did and did not involve carbohydrate malabsorption. Patients with malabsorption syndrome were also studied. We concluded that: (a) Excretion of carbohydrate and its breakdown products can be expressed as a single number by converting organic acids to their monosaccharide equivalents. (b) Diarrhea per se causes only a trivial increase in fecal carbohydrate excretion. (c) The molar output of osmotic moieties in feces due to unabsorbed carbohydrate can be determined by adding fecal reducing sugars to organic acids and their obligated cations. This expression parallels almost exactly the effect of increasing doses of lactulose (a nonabsorbable sugar) on fecal water output; one excreted millimole obligates 3.5 g of stool water. This relationship can be used to predict the effect of carbohydrate malabsorption on stool water output in patients with diarrhea. (d) 12 of 19 patients with malabsorption syndrome due to various diseases had excessive fecal excretion of carbohydrate and its breakdown products; of the diseases that cause malabsorption syndrome, combined small and large bowel resection is most likely to result in excessive fecal excretion of carbohydrate and monosaccharide equivalents. In 6 of these 19 patients carbohydrate malabsorption appeared to be the major cause of diarrhea.

Carbohydrate Metabolism↗

Ultrastructural localization of lectin receptors on the surface of the rat retinal pigment epithelium. Decreased sensitivity of the avidin-biotin method due to cell surface charge.

Monosaccharides on the apical processes of the retinal pigment epithelium were examined using lectin-affinity cytochemical methods. Lectin receptor sugars were localized with lectin-horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and lectin-ferritin conjugates as well as with biotinylated lectins, avidin, and biotinylated HRP. In contrast, only wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) receptors were identified with biotinylated WGA followed by avidin-ferritin or free avidin and biotinylated ferritin. Labeling with avidin-ferritin subsequent to biotinylated lectin treatment was dependent upon the source and lot of the reagent. These findings are similar to those reported for the endothelium of bone marrow sinusoids (Pino RM: Am J Anat, 169:259, 1984). Since both the retinal pigment epithelial and bone marrow sinusoidal surfaces are highly anionic (negative), we investigated the possibility that the charge of the lectin reagents and cell surfaces might affect the localization of monosaccharides on cell surfaces. Analytical isoelectric focusing revealed that biotinylated ferritin and some avidin-ferritins are highly anionic, while the other lectin reagents have more cationic (positive) components. Based on this information, a less charged biotinylated ferritin marker was made that made it possible to localize biotinylated lectins bound to the cell surface.

Animals↗

Altered fucosylation of membrane glycoproteins from cystic fibrosis fibroblasts.

Peripheral membrane glycopeptides isolated from skin fibroblasts of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) had an altered fucosylation when compared to age, race, and sex-matched controls. Glycopeptides obtained by trypsin treatment of cultured cells, metabolically labeled with L-[3H]fucose, were purified on a Sephadex G-50 column. The neutral monosaccharide composition of the glycopeptides was determined by gas-liquid chromatography of the alditol acetate derivatives. The fucose content of the CF membrane glycopeptides and the molar ratio of fucose to the other monosaccharides were increased when compared with those of controls. The mean fucose content was 2.3 +/- 1.7 (SD) and 0.3 +/- 0.05 (SD) nmol per 10(6) cells for CF control glycopeptides, respectively. Moreover, the specific activity of incorporated L-[3H]fucose was markedly decreased in the CF glycopeptides, 355 +/- 183 (SD) and 2707 +/- 839 (SD) cpm per nmol of fucose for the CF and controls, respectively. The membrane glycopeptides were further purified and characterized by affinity chromatography on immobilized lectins. The decreased specific activity of incorporated fucose was present in CF glycopeptides which bound to immobilized lentil lectin before and after Pronase degradation. Moreover, the CF glycopeptides bound more tightly to lentil lectin. Several classes of glycopeptides bind to lentil lectin and all contain Fuc alpha 1----6GlcNAc at the core. The binding characteristics of the Pronase-digested membrane glycopeptides for immobilized concanavalin A, lentil leukoagglutinating phytohemagglutinin, erythroagglutinating phytohemagglutinin, and serotonin provided information on the structure of the altered CF glycopeptides. Most of these radioactive glycopeptides were of the biantennary type containing at least one sialic acid residue and all containing fucosyl residues at the asparagine core.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Carbohydrate Conformation↗

Vacuum foam drying for preservation of LaSota virus: effect of additives.

The purpose of this research was to apply vacuum foam drying (VFD) for processing of LaSota virus and to screen formulation additives for its stability. The aqueous dispersion of harvest containing sucrose or trehalose in combination with additive (monosaccharides, polymers, N-Z-amine) was prepared. The diluted dispersions in vials were vacuum concentrated, foamed to form a continuous structure, and vacuum dried. The products were evaluated for foam characteristics, residual moisture, virus titer, x-ray diffraction pattern, and stability profile. The foamability increased with solid content in solutions. The foamability of sucrose was enhanced with incorporation of N-Z-amine (10% and 15% wt/vol) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP K30, 3% wt/vol). The fructose- or galactose-containing mixtures were deposited irregularly on the vial surface. The virus titer increased with disaccharides in the formulation. Sucrose provided better protection than trehalose. Unlike lyophilization, N-Z-amine with sucrose protected the virus from Millard's Browning. Amino acids do not have a catalytic effect on hydrolysis of sucrose during VFD. Monosaccharides were ineffective. A synergistic effect of PVP K30 or polyethylene glycol 6000 (3% wt/vol) with N-Z-amine provided the maximum virus titer (6.97 and 7.15, respectively). This formulation retained the desired virus potency at 5 degrees , 25 degrees , and 40 degrees C. The diffraction pattern revealed that a threshold concentration of N-Z-amine was required for inhibiting crystallization of sucrose during VFD. VFD was successfully applied to produce a solid LaSota formulation. The products were amorphous and did not devitrify on storage.

Desiccation↗

Carbohydrate composition of beta-core.

beta-Core is a major component of the hCG-related molecules found in pregnancy urine. We previously have purified the beta-core molecule and have deduced portions of its carbohydrate structure based on lectin binding data. In the present study we used recently developed technology to determine the carbohydrate composition of beta-core and hCG beta (CR119). For direct compositional analysis, parallel samples were hydrolyzed in trifluoroacetic acid and analyzed for sialic acid and neutral sugars without prior derivatization. Separation of the monosaccharides was achieved by HPLC on a Dionex CarboPac column eluted at high pH, and the resolved monosaccharides were quantified by pulsed amperometric detection. The amounts of sugar that were found relative to peptide indicated the presence of two N-linked oligosaccharides per molecule on both beta-core and hCG beta. hCG beta contained additional sugars consistent with the presence of four O-linked oligosaccharides. Compared to hCG beta, beta-core contained negligible sialic acid, galactose, or N-acetylgalactosamine. The compositional data suggest that beta-core does not contain N-acetylglucosamine at the nonreducing end of the molecule, whereas the trimannosyl-chitobiose core is apparently intact at both glycosylation sites, consistent with the ability of the molecule to bind to Concanavalin-A. Comparable fucose contents and abilities of beta-core and hCG beta to bind to Lens culinaris indicate a similar extent of fucosylation on the internal N-acetylglucosamine in both molecules. We propose that the N-linked oligosaccharides on beta-core closely resemble the underlying N-linked structures of hCG beta with the antennary sialic acid, galactose, and N-acetylglucosamine removed.

Carbohydrate Conformation↗

Carbohydrate composition of the alpha-subunit of human choriogonadotropin (hCG alpha) and the free alpha molecules produced in pregnancy: most free alpha and some combined hCG alpha molecules are fucosylated.

The carbohydrate compositions of pregnancy-derived hCG alpha (dissociated from intact hCG) and free alpha-subunit were analyzed using a combination of chemical analysis, lectin affinity chromatography, and glycosidase sensitivity. For direct compositional analysis, parallel samples were hydrolyzed in trifluoroacetic acid and analyzed for sialic acid and neutral sugars without prior derivatization. Separation of the monosaccharides was achieved by HPLC on a Dionex CarboPac column eluted at high pH, and the resolved monosaccharides were quantified by pulsed amperometric detection. The amounts of sugar that were found relative to peptide indicated the presence of two N-linked oligosaccharides per molecule on both hCG alpha and free alpha. Free alpha contained 2.5-fold higher amounts of sialic acid and galactose as well as a higher amount of N-acetylglucosamine than did hCG alpha. Free alpha also contained a 6-fold higher amount of fucose than did hCG alpha (1.2 vs. 0.2 residues of fucose/molecule). Serial fractionation of intact hCG alpha and free alpha molecules by lectin affinity chromatography indicated that virtually all of the hCG alpha-subunits contained at least one Concanavalin-A (Con-A)-binding site, whereas as many as 32% of the free alpha molecules could not bind to Con-A. Chromatography on Lens culinaris (Lch) resulted in 12% binding of hCG alpha and approximately 72% binding of free alpha (80-85% of the Con-A-bound free alpha and 47-48% of the Con-A-nonbound free alpha bound to Lch). Endoglycosidase-H (endo-H) treatment of hCG alpha released a portion of the oligosaccharides. The endo-H-released material appeared to be a monoantennary hybrid based on DEAE-binding properties and carbohydrate composition. In contrast to hCG alpha, free alpha was completely resistant to endo-H treatment. Incubation of endo-H-resistant hCG alpha with glycopeptidase-A resulted in the release of two components, which could be separated into monoantennary and biantennary fractions on the basis of size and charge. The collective data suggest that hCG alpha contains primarily monoantennary hybrid oligosaccharide structures and relatively little fucose. In contrast, free alpha contains primarily multiantennary oligosaccharide structures, and most of the free alpha molecules contain at least one oligosaccharide with fucose attached to the asparagine-linked N-acetylglucosamine residue.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗

Spirohydantoins from D-ribose as new potent enzymatic inhibitors.

Anomeric spirohydantoin derivatives from monosaccharides are known for various biological properties. We describe herein the synthesis of the 3-spirohydantoin derivatives of D-allose and D-ribose. The key step is the stereoselective glyco-alpha-aminonitrile formation from ulose derivatives of D-glucose and D-xylose using titanium tetra-isopropoxide as a mild and efficient catalyst. Target compounds were synthesized from these intermediates. The glucidic moiety was partially or totally deprotected under acidic conditions. These new heterocyclic monosaccharidic derivatives are potent glycogen phosphorylase inhibitors.

Enzyme Inhibitors↗

Honeydew sugars and osmoregulation in the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum

Pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum, containing their symbiotic bacteria (untreated aphids) and experimentally deprived of their bacteria by treatment with the antibiotic rifampicin (antibiotic-treated aphids) were reared on the plant Vicia faba. The sugars in the honeydew produced by untreated aphids comprised predominantly the monosaccharides glucose and fructose, while the honeydew of antibiotic-treated aphids contained considerable amounts of oligosaccharides of up to 16 hexose units. The honeydew and haemolymph of the aphids were iso-osmotic, and their osmotic pressure was significantly lower in untreated aphids (0.91&shy;0.95 MPa) than in antibiotic-treated aphids (1.01&shy;1.05 MPa) (P<0.05). For insects reared on chemically defined diets containing 0.15&shy;1.0 mol l-1 sucrose (osmotic pressure 1.1&shy;4.0 MPa), the osmotic pressure of the aphid haemolymph did not vary with dietary osmotic pressure, but was regulated to approximately 1.0 MPa in untreated and 1.3 MPa in antibiotic-treated aphids. The sugars in the aphid honeydew varied with dietary sucrose concentration; with monosaccharides dominant at low concentrations and oligosaccharides dominant at high concentrations of dietary sucrose. The lowest dietary sucrose concentration at which honeydew oligosaccharides were detected was 0.2 mol l-1 for the antibiotic-treated aphids and 0.3 mol l-1 for untreated aphids. These data indicate that the aphid, and not its associated microbiota, mediates the synthesis of oligosaccharides when the osmotic pressure of the ingesta is high.

Journal Article↗

Low mitogenic activity of synthetic lipid A analog, 2,3-acyloxyacylgalactosamine-4-phosphate, in cultured murine splenocytes.

The mitogenicity of chemically synthesized lipid A analogs, 2,3-acyloxyacylglucosamine-4-phosphate (A-103) and 2,3-acyloxyacylgalactosamine-4-phosphate (A-113), was compared. Synthetic lipid A analogs of the disaccharide-type (506), the monosaccharide-type (A-103) suspended in RPMI-1640 medium supplemented with triethylamine, and Salmonella typhimurium LT-2 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were capable of increasing the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into splenocytes of C57BL/6 mice at various doses ranging from 1.0 to 100 micrograms/ml. However, the mitogenic activity of A-113 at these doses was markedly weaker than the activity of the above materials. When the A-103 and A-113 were suspended in RPMI-1640 medium supplemented with ethanol, the mitogenic activity of A-113 also showed lower activity than that of A-103 in the splenocytes of C57BL/6 mice. These findings indicate that the mitogenic activity of synthetic lipid A of the monosaccharide-type is affected by a kind of composed sugar.

Animals↗

Biochemical properties of polysaccharides from black pepper.

The purified polysaccharides from Piper nigrum were prepared as follows: a hot water extract of pepper seeds was fractionated by ultrafiltration with a 5-kDa-membrane cartridge. A fraction with 5 kDa or bigger molecules was successively purified by open column chromatography on DEAE-Toyopearl 650C and Bio-gel P-60 with each active fraction, resulting in PN-Ib and PN-IIa, purified anti-complementary polysaccharides. None of the anti-complementary activity of any polysaccharide was changed by pronase digestion or polymyxin B treatment, but they were decreased by periodate oxidation. Analysis of component sugar and molecular mass determination of the anti-complementary polysaccharides indicated that PN-Ib with an average molecular mass of 21 kDa contained 88.5% glucose and other negligible minor monosaccharides, while PN-IIa showed a different monosaccharide composition, which contained a significant proportion of galactose, arabinose, galacturonic acid and rhamnose. The molar ratio of galactose and arabinose of PN-IIa (48 kDa) was 1.93:1. PN-1 did not react with beta-glucosyl Yariv reagent, however, PN-IIa did react, which indicated that PN-IIa might be an arabinogalactan. Based upon these results, the usefulness of purified anti-complementary polysaccharides from Piper nigrum is suggested as a supplement for immune enhancement.

Piper nigrum↗