Effects of Xenopus laevis mitochondrial single-stranded DNA-binding protein on primer-template binding and 3'-->5' exonuclease activity of DNA polymerase gamma

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is replicated by DNA polymerase gamma by a strand displacement mechanism involving mitochondrial single-stranded DNA-binding protein (mtSSB). mtSSB stimulates the overall rate of DNA synthesis on singly-primed M13 DNA mainly by stimulating the processivity of DNA synthesis rather than by stimulating primer recognition. We used electrophoretic mobility shift methods to study the effects of mtSSB on primer-template recognition by DNA pol gamma. Preliminary experiments showed that single mtSSB tetramers bind tightly to oligo(dT) single strands containing 32 to 48 residues. An oligonucleotide primer-template was designed with an 18-mer primer annealed to the 3'-portion of a 71-mer template containing 40 dT residues at its 5'-end as a binding site for mtSSB. DNA pol gamma bound to this primer-template either in the absence or presence of mtSSB in complexes that remained intact and enzymatically active following native gel electrophoresis. Association of mtSSB with the 5'-dT40-tail in the 18:71-mer primer-template reduced the binding of DNA polymerase gamma and the efficiency of primer extension. Binding of mtSSB to single-stranded DNA was also observed to block the action of the 3'-->5' exonuclease of DNA polymerase gamma. The size of fragments protected from 3'-->5' exonuclease trimming increases with increasing ionic strength in a manner consistent with the known salt dependence of the binding site size of Escherichia coli SSB.     

N2- and C8-substituted oligodeoxynucleotides with enhanced thrombin inhibitory activity in vitro and in vivo

2'-Deoxyguanosine (G) analogues carrying various hydrophobic substituents in the N2 and C8 positions were synthesized and introduced through solid-phase synthesis into 15-mer oligodeoxynucleotide, GGTTGGTGTGGTTGG, which forms a chairlike structure consisting of two G-tetrads and is a potent thrombin inhibitor. The effects of the substitutions at N2 and C8 of the G-tetrad-forming G residues on the thrombin inhibitory activity are relatively small, suggesting that these substitutions cause relatively small perturbations on the chairlike structure formed by the oligodeoxynucleotide. Introduction of a benzyl group into N2 of G6 and G11 and naphthylmethyl groups into N2 of G6 increased the thrombin inhibitory activity, whereas other substituents in these positions had almost no effect or decreased the activity. Particularly, the oligodeoxynucleotide carrying a 1-naphthylmethyl group in the N2 position of G6 showed an increase in activity by about 60% both in vitro and in vivo. Substitutions on the N2 position of other G residues had little effect or decreased the activity. Introduction of a relatively small group, such as methyl and propynyl, into the C8 positions of G1, G5, G10, and G14 increased the activity, presumably due to the stabilization of a chairlike structure, whereas introduction of a large substituent group, phenylethynyl, decreased the activity, probably due to the steric hindrance.     

Oral health of children undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

BACKGROUND: Mixed bone marrow chimerism reliably produces donor-specific transplantation tolerance for a variety of solid organ and cellular grafts. We used a rat heterotopic tracheal transplant model for chronic rejection to investigate whether mixed chimerism could successfully prevent obstructive airway disease. METHODS: Mixed allogeneic chimeras were prepared by reconstituting lethally irradiated Wistar-Furth (WF) recipients with a mixture of 5 x 10(6) T-cell-depleted syngeneic (WF) and 100 x 10(6) T-cell-depleted allogeneic (ACI) bone marrow cells (ACI + WF --> WF). Mixed chimerism was present in all animals 28 days after bone marrow transplantation. Donor-specific, syngeneic, or major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-disparate allogeneic tracheas were implanted in recipient's omentum and removed for histologic analysis 30 to 150 days after transplantation. RESULTS: At 30 days after implantation, median luminal obstruction grades (0=none, 4=complete) of syngeneic and allogeneic tracheas were 0 and 4, respectively. Donor-specific (ACI) tracheas implanted in chimeric (ACI + WF --> WF) recipients were remarkably free of obstruction (median luminal obstruction grade=0 at 150 days) and had excellent preservation of respiratory epithelium. Third-party F344 tracheas implanted in chimeric recipients developed progressive luminal obstruction (grade 2 at 30 days, grade 3 at 90 days). CONCLUSIONS: Mixed allogeneic chimerism induces donor-specific tolerance and prevents development of the characteristic fibroproliferative obstructive lesion of bronchiolitis obliterans in a rat heterotopic tracheal transplant model. Excellent preservation of tracheal structure and morphology was achieved across major and minor histocompatibility barriers.     

Ultrastructural localization of prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase (cyclooxygenase) to isolated, purified fractions of guinea pig peritoneal macrophage and line 10 hepatocarcinoma cell lipid bodies

The majority of equations used to predict values for basal metabolic rates (BMRs) are the result of indirect calorimetry measurements performed in the 1930s and 1950s. To assess the reliability of these equations in predicting the resting energy expenditure (REE) of the children in our community, indirect calorimetry was performed on 92 male and 107 female healthy children 2-3 h postprandial. Each individual was measured for a duration of 15-20 min. The data for analysis were obtained from 5-15 min steady-state periods. Subjects ranged in age from 5 to 16 years. The results were compared with BMRs calculated from the Harris-Benedict equation (Harris J, Benedict F. A biometric study of basal metabolism in man. Washington, DC: Carnegie Institute of Washington, publication no. 279, 1919.), the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization/United Nations University (FAO/WHO/UNU) equations, and the equations proposed by Schofield for use by the 1985 FAO/WHO/UNU Nutrition Committee. The values predicted by the FAO/WHO/UNU and Schofield equations were consistent with the measured resting values for all the children in the study population. Ninety-two children weighed between 90-110% of their ideal body weight. When the measured REE and estimated BMR were compared by gender and age in these children, the Schofield equations provided the best estimates. Ninety-four of the study subjects weighed > 110% of their ideal body weight. The predicted estimates by all equations were consistent with the measured values in this subgroup of the population. We conclude that the FAO/WHO/UNU and Schofield equations are reliable estimates of metabolic rate in healthy children when measurement of REE is not possible.     

Role of the strictly conserved tryptophan-25 residue in the stabilization of the structure and in the ligand binding properties of the kringle 2 domain of tissue-type plasminogen activator

The involvement of the strictly conserved tryptophan-25 (W25) residue in the structural stability and omega-amino acid ligand binding properties of the recombinant (r) kringle 2 (K2) domain of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) has been investigated. Two conservative mutants were constructed and expressed that contained W25-->F and W25-->Y substitutions. The binding (dissociation) constants (Kd) for three ligands, viz., 6-aminohexanoic acid (EACA), 7-aminoheptanoic acid (7-AHpA), and L-lysine (Lys), to these polypeptides were determined by intrinsic fluorescence titrations. In the case of r-[K2tPA/W25F], the Kd values for these ligands were found to be 37, 16, and 89 microM for EACA, 7-AHpA, and Lys, respectively. For r-[K2tPA/W25Y], the Kd values for these same ligands were 64, 9, and 115 microM, respectively. The wild-type (wt) kringle domain possessed Kd values of 43, 6, and 85 microM for EACA, 7-AHpA, and Lys, respectively. The effect of these mutations on the stability of the r-[K2tPA] domain has been examined by differential scanning colorimetry. The temperature of maximum heat capacity (Tm) of wt-r-[K2tPA] (75.6 degrees C) was dramatically reduced to 50.8 and 58.0 degrees C for r-[K2tPA/W25F] and r-[K2tPA/W25Y], respectively. In the presence of EACA, the Tm values were increased to 86.1, 61.7, and 68.7 degrees C, respectively, indicating that EACA does interact with the r-[K2tPA] mutants and stabilizes their native conformations, similar to the case with wt-r-[K2tPA].(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Correlation between pharmacokinetic parameters of rifampicin and its biologically active metabolite as related to estimation of the relative bioavailability of the antibiotic

In the bioavailability studies with drugs biotransformed to biologically active metabolities only the concentrations of the parent drug (PD) are usually taken into account even when the pharmacokinetic data on the metabolite(s) (M) are available. However, such data may be useful as an alternative source for the bioavailability determination. Moreover, the clinical outcomes often depend on both the PD and M concentrations. The aim of the study performed with two rifampicin formulations, tablets and dragee, was to correlate the pharmacokinetic parameters of the PD and 25-O-deacetylrifampicin, a microbiologically active M of rifampicin, and to examine whether the bioavailability parameters based on the PD and M concentrations were compatible. The serum concentrations of the PD and M were determined in 8 healthy volunteers by HPLC. Despite different patterns of the PD and M pharmacokinetic profiles the PD peak concentration (Cmax) and especially the AUC correlated with Cmax or the AUC of the M (r = 0.76 and 0.92 respectively). Moreover, the extent of the absorption expressed as the AUC ratio for the PD correlated with the AUC ratio for the M (r = 0.86). However, neither the time to reach the maximum (tmax), nor the Cmax/AUC ratio, a measure of the absorption rate, based on the PD pharmacokinetic data correlated with the respective parameters calculated with using the M concentrations. Thus, only the estimates of the extent of the absorption and not of the absorption rate based on the PD and M data may be considered as compatible.     

Sj?gren''s syndrome presenting with a minor salivary gland mass

To survey the frequency of Lyme borreliosis (LB) and to evaluate its clinical presentation in Europe, we performed a questionnaire interview of a sample of physicians involved in the care of patients with LB. Reference laboratories in 15 European countries agreed to participate by distributing questionnaires to those clinicians who most frequently requested LB serology for their patients. The mean number of cases of LB per physician per country showed a longitudinal geographical gradient, with a higher number of patients seen in Eastern and Central Europe than in Western Europe. Skin involvement was seen in 58.9% of the patients, neurological involvement in 34.3%, joint involvement in 15.4% and cardiac involvement in 2%. About 30% of the patients had multisystem involvement. The frequency of the different manifestations varied greatly between countries. The frequency of diagnosis of LB and the number of serological tests requested were inversely correlated.