Characterization of H. parasuis periplasmic nucleotide pyrophosphatase as a potential target enzyme for inhibition of growth

The periplasmic nucleotide pyrophosphatase from Haemophilus parasuis was purified 750-fold to electrophoretic homogeneity through salt fractionation and ion-exchange and affinity chromatography. The purified enzyme was monomeric with an apparent M(r) of 70,000 and catalyzed the hydrolysis of the pyrophosphate bond of NAD to yield NMN and AMP as products. The enzyme exhibited negative cooperativity in the hydrolysis of a number of pyridine dinucleotides and structurally-related pyrophosphate compounds as indicated by biphasic double-reciprocal plots and Hill coefficients of 0.5. The kinetic parameters, K(m) and Vm, determined titrimetrically and analyzed through computer programs, were used to compare the relative effectiveness of dinucleotides containing nitrogen bases other than nicotinamide or adenine to that of NAD. Effective substrate-competitive inhibition of the pyrophosphatase was observed with purine and pyrimidine nucleoside diphosphates in the low micromolar concentration range. Although less effective, N1-alkylnicotinamide chlorides also inhibited competitively with respect to the substrate, NAD. In addition to being an effective inhibitor of the purified enzyme, adenosine diphosphate also inhibited growth of H. parasuis at a low micromolar concentration. This inhibition of growth correlates well with inhibition of the periplasmic pyrophosphatase which is supported by the fact that adenosine diphosphate does not effectively inhibit growth when the pyrophosphatase is by-passed by growth on nicotinamide mononucleotide. These observations are all consistent with the periplasmic nucleotide pyrophosphatase being essential for the growth of the organism on NAD and therefore, a very important enzyme with respect to the pathogenesis of the organism. 3-Aminopyridine mononucleotide, which also inhibited growth of H. parasuis at a low micromolar concentration, did not effectively inhibit the purified pyrophosphatase and a different target enzyme needs to be considered to explain growth inhibition by this derivative.     

Expression of the brain creatine kinase gene in rat RT4 peripheral neurotumor cell lines and its modulation by cell confluence

Creatine kinases (CK) catalyze the reversible transfer of a high energy phosphate group between creatine phosphate and ADP to regenerate ATP in cell types where the requirements for ATP are extensive and/or sudden. Previously, we have shown in primary rat brain cell cultures that brain CK (CKB) mRNA levels are highest in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes and much lower in neuronal cells. However, little is known of the factors which regulate CKB expression in the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. To begin to investigate these factors, we asked in this report (1) if this pattern of CKB expression was also characteristic of some established glial and neuronal cell lines derived from the PNS; (2) whether CKB expression could be rapidly modulated by culture conditions, and (3) if CKB is expressed in cells with characteristics of glial cell progenitors. In subconfluent cells, CKB mRNA and enzyme activity were found to be high in both the rat RT4 peripheral neurotumor stem cell RT4-AC36A and its glial cell derivative RT4-D6. Conversely, CKB mRNA and activity were 5- and 8-fold lower, respectively, in the neuronal derivative RT4-E5 and, more dramatically, CKB was undetectable in neuronal RT4-B8 cells. Maintaining RT4-D6 glial cells at confluence rapidly increased CKB enzyme activity by 7-fold, such that D6 cells contained about 25% of the CKB level in lysates prepared from either whole adult rat brain or primary cultures of rat brain astrocytes. The levels of CKB mRNA and immunoreactive protein were also correspondingly increased in confluent D6 cells. These confluence-mediated increases in CKB appeared to be due to cell-cell contact and not the depletion of serum growth factors or an increase in intracellular cAMP. This study indicates that CKB expression is highest in cells displaying glial properties and can be rapidly modulated by appropriate culture conditions. The results are discussed in relation to the factors which may regulate CKB expression in vivo.     

Synthesis of indolylalkoxyiminoalkylcarboxylates as leukotriene biosynthesis inhibitors

A series of substituted indolylalkoxyiminoalkylcarboxylates were found to be potent leukotriene biosynthesis inhibitors. The structure-activity relationships were investigated. Representative potent inhibitors identified were the quinolyl 3a (A-86885) and pyridyl 3b (A-86886) congeners with in vitro IC50s of 21 and 9 nM and in vivo leukotriene inhibition in the rat with oral ED50s of 0.9 and 1.7 mg/kg, respectively.     

Percutaneous dilational tracheostomy. Malposition leading to delayed weaning

We report a patient in whom delayed weaning from ventilatory support was caused by the malposition of a percutaneous dilational tracheostomy tube. A fold of mucosa, identified at tracheoscopy, was found to be the limiting factor, and the situation was resolved by removal of the tracheostomy and reintubation. We believe that the case supports the routine use of a bronchoscope to check the position of the tracheostomy tube.     

Immunohistochemistry of lymphocytes and macrophages in human celloidin-embedded temporal bone sections with acute otitis media

Immunohistochemical analyses were used to investigate the distribution of lymphocytes and macrophages in routine human temporal bone sections obtained from a subject with acute suppurative otitis media. Primary antibodies specific for human CD3 and CD43 (T-lymphocytes), CD20 (B-lymphocytes), CD45 (leukocyte common antigen), and CD68 (macrophages) were used. As a pretreatment, the sections were soaked in antigen retrieval solution (saturated sodium hydroxide-methanol solution in methanol at a ratio of 1:3). A second antigen retrieval procedure (microwave treatment in 1% zinc sulfate) was also employed for identifying CD3-positive cells. Then the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique was performed. Positive reactions to all antibodies but anti-CD68 were observed in the mucosa of the eustachian tube, tympanic cavity, and mastoid air cells. Particularly, cells positive to anti-CD3 or anti-CD43 were making a diffuse invasion upon the lamina propria. CD68-positive cells were scattered only in the effusion of mastoid air cells. These results suggest that the retrospective immunohistochemical study of archival temporal bone sections is a promising approach to investigate the pathogenesis of otitis media.     

Metabolic responses of postmenopausal women to supplemental dietary boron and aluminum during usual and low magnesium intake: boron, calcium, and magnesium absorption and retention and blood mineral concentrations

The regulation by neuropeptide Y of alpha2-adrenoceptors in the nucleus tractus solitarii was evaluated in the adult normotensive Wistar Kyoto rat and the adult spontaneously hypertensive rat. The microinjection of a submaximal dose of l-noradrenaline (800 pmol in 50 nl) alone into the nucleus tractus solitarii produced a significant reduction in the mean arterial blood pressure in either strain. The threshold dose (1 pmol in 50 nl) of neuropeptide Y(1-36) for the vasodepressor response in the Wistar Kyoto rat was five times higher than that (0.2 pmol in 50 nl) in the spontaneously hypertensive rat. Furthermore, neuropeptide Y(1-36) at 0.2 pmol in 50 nl could significantly counteract the vasodepressor response to l-noradrenaline (800 pmol in 50 nl) in the spontaneously hypertensive rat, but not in the Wistar Kyoto rat, in which 1 pmol in 50 nl of neuropeptide Y(1-36) must be employed to counteract the vasodepressor response to l-noradrenaline (800 pmol in 50 nl), although the vasodepressor responses are of a similar magnitude. The in situ hybridization and quantitative receptor autoradiographical experiments showed that the alpha2A-adrenoceptor messenger RNA levels and the B(max) value of the alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist [3H]p-aminoclonidine binding sites measured in the nucleus tractus solitarii of the spontaneously hypertensive rat were substantially lower than those in the Wistar Kyoto rat. The quantitative receptor autoradiographical results were consistent with the cardiovascular results and showed that in the spontaneously hypertensive rat, neuropeptide Y(1-36) at 1 nM led to a significant increase in the K(d) value of [3H]p-aminoclonidine binding sites. In the Wistar Kyoto rat, neuropeptide Y(1-36) produced this effect only at 10 nM. The present study provides evidence for an increase of the potency of neuropeptide Y(1-36) to antagonistically modulate alpha2-adrenoceptors in the nucleus tractus solitarii of the spontaneously hypertensive rat. This enhanced antagonistic action may partly be related to a reduction in the number of alpha2A-adrenoceptors in the nucleus tractus solitarii of the spontaneously hypertensive rat, since a decrease has been observed in the alpha2A-adrenoceptor messenger RNA levels and the alpha2-adrenoceptor binding sites in the spontaneously hypertensive rat. This increased potency of neuropeptide Y(1-36) to antagonize alpha2-adrenoceptor function in the nucleus tractus solitarii of the spontaneously hypertensive rat may contribute to the development of high blood pressure in this hypertensive strain.