Measurement of the cosmic-ray antiproton-to-proton abundance ratio between 4 and 50 GeV

We present a new measurement of the antiproton-to-proton abundance ratio, pbar/p, in the cosmic radiation. The HEAT-pbar instrument, a balloon borne magnet spectrometer with precise rigidity and multiple energy loss measurement capability, was flown successfully in Spring 2000, at an average atmospheric depth of 7.2 g/cm(2). A total of 71 antiprotons were identified above the vertical geomagnetic cutoff rigidity of 4.2 GV. The highest measured proton energy was 81 GeV. We find that the pbar/p abundance ratio agrees with that expected from a purely secondary origin of antiprotons produced by primary protons with a standard soft energy spectrum.

Reduction in animal numbers by long-term implantation of intravenous and intra-arterial catheters in thyroparathyroidectomized rats

The thyroparathyroidectomized (TPTx) rat has been extensively used to study parathyroid hormone (PTH)-mediated bone resorption by measuring systemic Ca2+ concentrations. Animals have been traditionally used acutely; that is, they are often infused immediately after surgery and are sacrificed after a single use. To perform multiple experiments using a single group of animals we developed a system of long-term implanted intravenous/arterial catheters. Using calcitonin (CT) as a positive control, we successfully completed 12 separate controlled subexperiments documenting significant reductions in PTH-induced hypercalcemia in rats of the CT group. We then successfully completed two separate TPTx subexperiments, using a 3 x 3 Latin square experimental design. In both subexperiments, CT significantly inhibited the increase of blood Ca2+ concentration resulting from continuous PTH infusion. Our results indicate that, by combining the long-term use of catheters with the Latin square design, we can successfully reduce the number of animals used, increase the number of compounds screened, and improve the quality of the data. Although results of this study confirmed the acceptability of multiple infusions in anti-resorptive studies, investigations into the applicability of this set up to other areas of study requiring infusions and frequent blood sample collections seem appropriate.

Neurotrophins use the Erk5 pathway to mediate a retrograde survival response

Growth factors synthesized and released by target tissues promote survival and differentiation of innervating neurons. This retrograde signal begins when growth factors bind receptors at nerve terminals. Activated receptors are then endocytosed and transported through the axon to the cell body. Here we show that the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways used by neurotrophins during retrograde signaling differ from those used following direct stimulation of the cell soma. During retrograde signaling, endocytosed neurotrophin receptors (Trks) activate the extracellular signal-related protein kinase 5 (Erk5) pathway, leading to nuclear translocation of Erk5, phosphorylation of CREB, and enhanced neuronal survival. In contrast, Erk1/2, which mediates nuclear responses following direct cell body stimulation, does not transmit a retrograde signal. Thus, the Erk5 pathway has a unique function in retrograde signaling. Differential activation of distinct MAPK pathways may enable an individual growth factor to relay information that specifies the location and the nature of stimulation.

Potent and selective inhibition of human cathepsin K leads to inhibition of bone resorption in vivo in a nonhuman primate

Cathepsin K is a cysteine protease that plays an essential role in osteoclast-mediated degradation of the organic matrix of bone. Knockout of the enzyme in mice, as well as lack of functional enzyme in the human condition pycnodysostosis, results in osteopetrosis. These results suggests that inhibition of the human enzyme may provide protection from bone loss in states of elevated bone turnover, such as postmenopausal osteoporosis. To test this theory, we have produced a small molecule inhibitor of human cathepsin K, SB-357114, that potently and selectively inhibits this enzyme (Ki = 0.16 nM). This compound potently inhibited cathepsin activity in situ, in human osteoclasts (inhibitor concentration [IC]50 = 70 nM) as well as bone resorption mediated by human osteoclasts in vitro (IC50 = 29 nM). Using SB-357114, we evaluated the effect of inhibition of cathepsin K on bone resorption in vivo using a nonhuman primate model of postmenopausal bone loss in which the active form of cathepsin K is identical to the human orthologue. A gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) was used to render cynomolgus monkeys estrogen deficient, which led to an increase in bone turnover. Treatment with SB-357114 (12 mg/kg subcutaneously) resulted in a significant reduction in serum markers of bone resorption relative to untreated controls. The effect was observed 1.5 h after the first dose and was maintained for 24 h. After 5 days of dosing, the reductions in N-terminal telopeptides (NTx) and C-terminal telopeptides (CTx) of type I collagen were 61% and 67%, respectively. A decrease in serum osteocalcin of 22% was also observed. These data show that inhibition of cathepsin K results in a significant reduction of bone resorption in vivo and provide further evidence that this may be a viable approach to the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

A small protein-protein interaction domain common to KlcB and global regulators KorA and TrbA of promiscuous IncP plasmids

The kor regulon of broad host-range, incompatibility group P (IncP) plasmids uses the KorA, KorB, and KorC repressors to regulate expression of genes for replication, conjugation, segregation, and host range. One operon, kilC, encodes the KorC repressor and two genes of unknown function (klcA and klcB). The predicted sequences of the 51.1 kDa KlcB protein, the 11.3 kDa KorA repressor, and another small (13.5 kDa) regulatory protein, TrbA, show a highly related 35 amino acid residue segment (V-L-P domain). We found that induction of the klcB gene is toxic to Escherichia coli host cells harboring an IncP plasmid. We confirmed a model in which the V-L-P domain of KlcB interacts directly with the V-L-P domain of KorA to derepress KorA-regulated operons, thereby allowing expression of toxic genes. First, a lacZ reporter fused to the kleA promoter, which is regulated by KorA and KorC, revealed that klcB induction specifically releases KorA-repression but has no effect on KorC repression. Second, induced expression of the V-L-P domains from KorA or KlcB is sufficient to release KorA-repression at the kleA promoter. Third, purified GST-KlcB fusion protein interacts specifically with His-tagged KorA. Fourth, fusion of the V-L-P domains of KorA and TrbA and full-length KlcB polypeptide to the DNA-binding domain of bacteriophage lambda repressor leads to the formation of functional, dimeric repressors, and mutations that alter conserved residues of the V-L-P domain adversely affect dimerization. Fifth, crosslinking experiments demonstrated that the V-L-P domain of KorA is able to dimerize in solution and form heterodimers in mixtures with full-length KorA polypeptide. These findings show that the V-L-P domain is a protein-protein interaction module that is likely to be responsible for dimerization of KorA and TrbA, and important for KlcB dimerization. We speculate on the possible significance of KlcB-KorA heterodimers in IncP plasmid maintenance.

Renal blood flow changes induced with endothelin-1 and fenoldopam mesylate at quantitative Doppler US: initial results in a canine study

PURPOSE

To evaluate quantitative Doppler ultrasonography (US) for assessing renal blood flow changes induced with endothelin-1 (ET-1) and fenoldopam mesylate in conscious dogs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A blood flow probe was surgically implanted around the renal artery in eight adult dogs. Color and power Doppler US images were acquired in conscious restrained dogs during intravenous infusion of ET-1 and fenoldopam mesylate. Simultaneous with imaging, blood flow through the renal artery was measured with the implanted probe. The color level of the images within the region representing the kidney was analyzed to derive flow indices. These indices were compared with direct-flow measurements.

RESULTS

The flow indices, color-weighted flow area (CWFA), and percentage of area of color, derived from color and power Doppler US images, correlated linearly with direct flow. The mean color level of color and power Doppler US images correlated weakly with direct flow. Pre- versus postinfusion CWFA decreased with all ET-1 infusions (P < or =.032). Infusion of fenoldopam mesylate increased CWFA in all cases (P < or =.032).

CONCLUSION

Quantitative Doppler US enabled successful measurement of the flow changes induced with ET-1 and fenoldopam mesylate. Quantitative Doppler US is potentially useful as a noninvasive surrogate endpoint in evaluating the action of various therapeutic agents.

Insulin lispro and regular insulin in pregnancy

We assessed the safety of insulin lispro in gestational, type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, analysing 635 pregnancies over a period of 7 years. We also evaluated patient satisfaction, sending an internationally-accepted anonymous diabetes treatment satisfaction questionnaire to 22 patients (three type 1, 19 gestational diabetes) who received regular and lispro insulin in successive pregnancies. The success rate of pregnancies in women with gestational diabetes managed with diet alone (n=325) was 99.3%. All 213 pregnancies in women with gestational diabetes requiring insulin were successful. There was no difference in maternal or fetal outcomes whether patients used regular insulin (n=138) or insulin lispro (n=75), but pre-delivery HbA1c was lower with insulin lispro (p<0.05). Pregnancy loss in patients with pre-gestational diabetes (89 pregnancies in type 1 and eight in type 2 diabetes) was 18.6% for insulin and 3.7% for insulin lispro (p=0.10). The incidences of congenital anomalies with regular insulin were 7.9% and 15.8% in gestational and pre-gestational diabetes, respectively; the figures for insulin lispro were 6.6% (p=0.79) and 3.8% ( p=0.16), respectively. Nineteen of the 22 surveyed patients completed the questionnaire. Satisfaction was higher with insulin lispro (26.3+/-2.3 vs. 18+/-8.9, p=0.0005). We found no increase in adverse outcome using lispro insulin in diabetic pregnancies, in either gestational or pre-gestational diabetes. Patient satisfaction favoured insulin lispro. Several patients with type 1 diabetes who used regular insulin during pregnancy, chose lispro after delivery, but all who used lispro in pregnancy preferred to continue.

Toxico-kinetics, recovery, and metabolism of napropamide in goats following a single high-dose oral administration

Toxicokinetic behavior, recovery and metabolism of napropamide (a pre-emergent herbicide) and its effect on Cytochrome P(450) of liver microsomal pellet were studied following a single high-dose oral administration of 2.5 g kg(-1) and continuous (7 days) oral administration of 500 mg kg(-1) in black Bengal goat. Napropamide was detected in blood at 15 min and the maximum quantity was recovered at 3 h after administration. The absorption rate constant (Ka) value was low indicating poor absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. High elimination half-life (t(1/2) beta) and low body clearance (Cl(B)) values coupled with higher transfer of compound from tissue to central compartment (K(21)) suggest that napropamide persisted in the blood for a long time, i.e., after 72 h of oral administration. The recovery percentage of napropamide, including metabolites, from goats varied from 75.94 to 80.08 and excretion of the parent compound through feces varied from 18.86 to 21.59%, indicating that a major portion of the orally administered napropamide was absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract of goat. Napropamide significantly increased the Cytochrome P(450) content of liver microsomal pellet. The recovery of metabolites from feces, urine, and tissues ranged from 4.2--6.2, 40.81--49.42, and 2.7--11.6%, respectively, during a 4--7 day period. The material balance of napropamide (including metabolites) following a single high-dose oral administration at 2.5 g kg(-1) during 4--7 days after dosing was found to be in the range of 75--80%.

Toxico-kinetics, recovery efficiency and microsomal changes following administration of deltamethrin to black Bengal goats

A study of the toxico-kinetics, recovery percentage from different substrates, cytotoxicity and role of cytochrome P450 and b5 of liver microsome in the metabolism of deltamethrin were carried out in female black Bengal goat. The ALD50 value of deltamethrin in goat by intravenous route lies between 0.2 and 0.6 mg kg-1. Intravenous disposition kinetics using a dose of 0.2 mg kg-1 showed that the maximum blood concentration of deltamethrin was recorded at 0.5 min, followed by rapid decline, and a minimum concentration was detected at 6 min after administration. The following values were obtained: Vdarea 0.148 (+/- 0.02) litre kg-1; t1/2 (alpha) 0.22 (+/- 0.02) min; t1/2 (beta) 2.17 (+/- 0.37) min; Kel 1.05 (+/- 0.24) min-1; AUC 4.30 (+/- 0.45) micrograms min ml-1; ClB 0.05 (+/- 0.006) litre kg-1 min-1; T-B 1.93 (+/- 0.58); fc 0.40 (+/- 0.05). After 10 min, liver retained the maximum residue, and heart, adrenal gland, kidney, spleen, fat and brain also held the insecticide; liver, fat, heart and spleen retained residue after 30 min, and bone, liver and fat retained residue after 60 min of intravenous administration. Oral absorption of deltamethrin was poor and inconsistent, and approximately 65% of administered dose was recovered from faeces and gastrointestinal contents. The excretion of deltamethrin through urine was meagre, and only 0.01 and 0.013% of the administered dose was recovered after 3 and 5 days of oral administration respectively. All the tissues retained the residue after 3 days; while fat, rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum, large and small intestine and bone retained the residue after 5 days of oral administration; and the percentage recoveries were 1.73 and 0.027 respectively. Deltamethrin reduced the level of cytochrome P450 content of liver microsomal pellet of goat after 5 days of oral administration. Histopathological examination of liver, kidney, heart, spleen brain and lung sections of treated goats did not reveal any pathological changes.

Acute adrenocortical crisis: three different presentations

The adrenal cortex normally produces three principal steroid hormones: the glucocorticoid cortisol, the mineralocorticoid aldosterone, and a small quantity of sex steroids. In primary adrenocortical insufficiency, there is a deficiency of both cortisol and aldosterone with characteristic clinical and laboratory findings. In contrast, with a pituitary disorder there is isolated hypocortisolism, because its production is dependent on pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), whereas aldosterone production is controlled by extracellular fluid volume, renin and serum potassium. Acute adrenocortical crisis is an absolute medical emergency and its presentation is not always typical. We describe three recent cases of acute adrenocortical crisis in our hospital who presented in three different ways in three different wards.

Lipoarabinomannan from Mycobacterium tuberculosis promotes macrophage survival by phosphorylating Bad through a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway

Efforts in prevention and control of tuberculosis suffer from the lack of detailed knowledge of the mechanisms used by pathogenic mycobacteria for survival within host cell macrophages. The exploitation of host cell signaling pathways to the benefit of the pathogen is a phenomenon that deserves to be looked into in detail. We have tested the hypothesis that lipoarabinomannan (LAM) from the virulent species of Mycobacterium tuberculosis possesses the ability to modulate signaling pathways linked to cell survival. The Bcl-2 family member Bad is a proapoptotic protein. Phosphorylation of Bad promotes cell survival in many cell types. We demonstrate that man-LAM stimulates Bad phosphorylation in a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3K)-dependent pathway in THP-1 cells. Man-LAM activated PI-3K. LAM-stimulated phosphorylation of Bad was abrogated in cells transfected with a dominant-negative mutant of PI-3K (Delta p85), indicating that activation of PI-3K is sufficient to trigger phosphorylation of Bad by LAM. Since phosphorylation of Bad occurred at serine 136, the target of the serine/threonine kinase Akt, the effect of LAM on Akt kinase activity was tested. Man-LAM could activate Akt as evidenced from phosphorylation of Akt at Thr(308) and by the phosphorylation of the exogenous substrate histone 2B. Akt activation was abrogated in cells transfected with Deltap85. The phosphorylation of Bad by man-LAM was abrogated in cells transfected with a kinase-dead mutant of Akt. These results establish that LAM-mediated Bad phosphorylation occurs in a PI-3K/Akt-dependent manner. It is therefore the first demonstration of the ability of a mycobacterial virulence factor to up-regulate a signaling pathway involved in cell survival. This is likely to be one of a number of virulence-associated mechanisms by which bacilli control host cell apoptosis.

Dynamics of compact denatured states of glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase probed by bis-ANS binding kinetics

Bis-ANS binds to native glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (GlnRS) with a fast and a slow phase. The rate constant of the slow phase is independent of bis-ANS concentration suggesting a slow conformational change in the pathway of bis-ANS binding. Aging of GlnRS causes a large decrease of the slow phase amplitude with concomitant increase of the fast phase amplitude. Several other large, multi-domain proteins show similar patterns upon aging. The near UV-CD spectra of the native and the aged GlnRS remain similar. Significant changes in far UV-CD, acrylamide quenching and sulfhydryl reactivity, are seen upon aging, suggesting disruptions in native interactions. Refolding of GlnRS from the urea-denatured state rapidly produces a state that is very similar to the equilibrium molten globule state. Bis-ANS binds to the molten globule state with kinetics similar to that of the aged state and unlike that of the native state. This suggests that the slow binding phase of bis-ANS, seen in native proteins, originate from relatively high energy barriers between the native and the more open states. Thus bis-ANS can be used as a powerful probe for large amplitude, low-frequency motions of proteins.

Meniscal ossification in spontaneous osteoarthritis in the guinea-pig

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ossification state of the meniscus in the guinea-pig stifle joint using micro-computerized tomography.

DESIGN

Hind limbs from six (N=12) and 24 (N=11) month-old male Hartley guinea-pigs were removed and the joints were imaged using high resolution micro-computerized tomography. The ossified volume of the medial and lateral menisci from both groups of animals was quantified.

RESULTS

Ossification of both the medial and lateral menisci of the both the 6- and 24-month-old animals was observed. In both age groups, the ossified region of the medial meniscus was significantly larger than the lateral meniscus. In addition, there is a significant increase in ossified volume of the medial meniscus between 6 and 24 months of age.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a significant amount of ossification of the menisci in the male Hartley guinea-pig, with the medial compartment showing more bone than the lateral. In addition, as the animals age, there is an increase in ossification within the medial compartment. Bone remodeling and cartilage degeneration is evident in the medial compartment within these animals as they age. It is possible that the increased ossification of the medial meniscus could alter the joint biomechanics and, in part, stimulate this medial compartment joint destruction.

The breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA1 is required for subnuclear assembly of Rad51 and survival following treatment with the DNA cross-linking agent cisplatin

Mutations in breast cancer tumor susceptibility genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, predispose women to early onset breast cancer and other malignancies. The Brca genes are involved in multiple cellular processes in response to DNA damage including checkpoint activation, gene transcription, and DNA repair. Biochemical interaction with the recombinational repair protein Rad51 (Scully, R., Chen, J., Ochs, R. L., Keegan, K., Hoekstra, M., Feunteun, J., and Livingston, D. M. (1997) Cell 90, 425-435), as well as genetic evidence (Moynahan, M. E., Chiu, J. W., Koller, B. H., and Jasin, M. (1999) Mol. Cell 4, 511-518 and Snouwaert, J. N., Gowen, L. C., Latour, A. M., Mohn, A. R., Xiao, A., DiBiase, L., and Koller, B. H. (1999) Oncogene 18, 7900-7907), demonstrates that Brca1 is involved in recombinational repair of DNA double strand breaks. Using isogenic Brca1(+/+) and brca1(-/-) mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell lines, we investigated the role of Brca1 in the cellular response to two different categories of DNA damage: x-ray induced damage and cross-linking damage caused by the chemotherapeutic agent, cisplatinum. Immunoflourescence studies with normal and brca1(-/-) mutant mouse ES cell lines indicate that Brca1 promotes assembly of subnuclear Rad51 foci following both types of DNA damage. These foci are likely to be oligomeric complexes of Rad51 engaged in repair of DNA lesions or in processes that allow cells to tolerate such lesions during DNA replication. Clonogenic assays show that brca1(-/-) mutants are 5-fold more sensitive to cisplatinum compared with wild-type cells. Our studies suggest that Brca1 contributes to damage repair and/or tolerance by promoting assembly of Rad51. This function appears to be shared with Brca2.

Cell surface Trk receptors mediate NGF-induced survival while internalized receptors regulate NGF-induced differentiation

Internalization and transport of a ligand-receptor complex are required to initiate cell body responses to target-derived neurotrophin. However, it is not known whether internalized receptors and cell surface receptors initiate the same signaling pathways and biological responses. Here we use a temperature-sensitive mutant of dynamin (G273D) to control the subcellular localization of activated NGF receptors (Trks). We show that dynamin function is required for ligand-dependent endocytosis of Trk receptors. In PC12 cells, nerve growth factor (NGF) stimulation promotes both survival and neuronal differentiation. These distinct biological responses to NGF are controlled by receptors signaling from different locations within the cell. Neuronal differentiation is promoted by catalytically active Trks within endosomes in the cell interior. In contrast, survival responses are initiated by activated receptors at the cell surface where they orchestrate prolonged activation of the kinase Akt. Thus, interactions between Trk receptor tyrosine kinases and intracellular signaling molecules are dictated both by phosphotyrosine motifs within the receptors and by the intracellular location of phosphorylated receptors.

Ruptured ectopic pregnancy presenting with hyperglycaemia

A ruptured ectopic pregnancy is always an emergency. The key to successful treatment is early diagnosis, which is not always easy, mainly because typical presenting features may be absent. We report a case of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy that presented with a gastroenteritis illness together with hyperglycaemia, leading to an initial diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. The patient was treated successfully, however, once the correct diagnosis had been made. We conclude that a urine pregnancy test should be a routine procedure in all abdominal emergencies involving female patients of childbearing age, to avoid misdiagnosis or a delay in diagnosis.