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Sample records for plasma ptx3 protein

  1. Human pentraxin 3 (PTX3 as a novel biomarker for the diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

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    Yuichi Tamura

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Although inflammation is an important feature of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, the usefulness of local inflammatory markers as biomarkers for PAH is unknown. In this study, we tested whether plasma concentrations of human pentraxin 3 (PTX3, a local inflammatory marker, would be a useful biomarker for detecting PAH. METHODS: Plasma PTX3 concentrations were evaluated in 50 PAH patients (27 with idiopathic PAH, 17 with PAH associated with connective tissue disease (CTD-PAH, and six with congenital heart disease, 100 age and sex-matched healthy controls, and 34 disease-matched CTD patients without PAH. Plasma concentrations of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP and C-reactive protein (CRP were also determined. RESULTS: Mean PTX3 levels were significantly higher in all PAH patients than in the healthy controls (4.40±0.37 vs. 1.94±0.09 ng/mL, respectively; P<0.001. Using a threshold level of 2.84 ng/mL, PTX3 yielded a sensitivity of 74.0% and a specificity of 84.0% for the detection of PAH. In CTD-PAH patients, mean PTX3 concentrations were significantly higher than in CTD patients without PAH (5.02±0.69 vs. 2.40±0.14 ng/mL, respectively; P<0.001. There was no significant correlation between plasma levels of PTX3 and BNP or CRP. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC curves for screening PAH in patients with CTD revealed that PTX3 (area under the ROC curve 0.866 is superior to BNP. Using a PTX3 threshold of 2.85 ng/mL maximized true-positive and false-negative results (sensitivity 94.1%, specificity 73.5%. CONCLUSION: Plasma concentrations of PTX3 may be a better biomarker of PAH than BNP, especially in patients with CTD.

  2. Relationship between Sustained Reductions in Plasma Lipid and Lipoprotein Concentrations with Apheresis and Plasma Levels and mRNA Expression of PTX3 and Plasma Levels of hsCRP in Patients with HyperLp(alipoproteinemia

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    Claudia Stefanutti

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The effect of lipoprotein apheresis (Direct Adsorption of Lipids, DALI (LA on plasma levels of pentraxin 3 (PTX3, an inflammatory marker that reflects coronary plaque vulnerability, and expression of PTX3 mRNA was evaluated in patients with hyperLp(alipoproteinemia and angiographically defined atherosclerosis/coronary artery disease. Eleven patients, aged 55±9.3 years (mean ± SD, were enrolled in the study. PTX3 soluble protein levels in plasma were unchanged by 2 sessions of LA; however, a downregulation of mRNA expression for PTX3 was observed, starting with the first session of LA (p<0.001. The observed reduction was progressively increased in the interval between the first and second LA sessions to achieve a maximum decrease by the end of the second session. A statistically significantly greater treatment-effect correlation was observed in patients undergoing weekly treatments, compared with those undergoing treatment every 15 days. A progressive reduction in plasma levels of C-reactive protein was also seen from the first session of LA, with a statistically significant linear correlation for treatment-effect in the change in plasma levels of this established inflammatory marker (R2=0.99; p<0.001. Our findings suggest that LA has anti-inflammatory and endothelium protective effects beyond its well-established efficacy in lowering apoB100-containing lipoproteins.

  3. Relationship between Sustained Reductions in Plasma Lipid and Lipoprotein Concentrations with Apheresis and Plasma Levels and mRNA Expression of PTX3 and Plasma Levels of hsCRP in Patients with HyperLp(a)lipoproteinemia

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    Stefanutti, Claudia; Mazza, Fabio; Steiner, Michael; Watts, Gerald F.; De Nève, Joel; Pasqualetti, Daniela; Paal, Juergen

    2016-01-01

    The effect of lipoprotein apheresis (Direct Adsorption of Lipids, DALI) (LA) on plasma levels of pentraxin 3 (PTX3), an inflammatory marker that reflects coronary plaque vulnerability, and expression of PTX3 mRNA was evaluated in patients with hyperLp(a)lipoproteinemia and angiographically defined atherosclerosis/coronary artery disease. Eleven patients, aged 55 ± 9.3 years (mean ± SD), were enrolled in the study. PTX3 soluble protein levels in plasma were unchanged by 2 sessions of LA; however, a downregulation of mRNA expression for PTX3 was observed, starting with the first session of LA (p < 0.001). The observed reduction was progressively increased in the interval between the first and second LA sessions to achieve a maximum decrease by the end of the second session. A statistically significantly greater treatment-effect correlation was observed in patients undergoing weekly treatments, compared with those undergoing treatment every 15 days. A progressive reduction in plasma levels of C-reactive protein was also seen from the first session of LA, with a statistically significant linear correlation for treatment-effect in the change in plasma levels of this established inflammatory marker (R 2 = 0.99; p < 0.001). Our findings suggest that LA has anti-inflammatory and endothelium protective effects beyond its well-established efficacy in lowering apoB100-containing lipoproteins. PMID:26903710

  4. PTX3: A Potential Biomarker in Thyroid Associated Ophthalmopathy

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    Pei Mou

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Thyroid associated ophthalmopathy (TAO is an autoimmune disease, which involves inflammation and tissue remodeling. Pentraxin-3 (PTX3 is a component of innate immune system and recently implicated in autoimmunity. This observation may indicate that PTX3 participates in the inflammatory process of TAO. Methods. All studies were performed on TAO patients and healthy controls (45: 28 in total. RNA-seq was used to detect differential gene expression of orbital adipose-connective tissue. Quantitative PCR was performed to verify the results. PTX3 protein in orbital adipose-connective tissues was visualized by immunohistochemistry (IHC. PTX3 concentration in serum was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. Results. RNA-seq showed 1.86-log⁡2FC higher PTX3 expression in the orbital adipose-connective tissues from TAO group than controls (FDR = 0.0059. qPCR confirmed the difference (5.59-fold increase, p=0.0012. The presence of PTX3 protein was demonstrated. Orbital adipose tissue from healthy controls showed weak staining for PTX3 while tissue from TAO group was strongly positive. Serum PTX3 concentration was significantly elevated in patients when compared to the control group (1.9-fold increase; p<0.0001. Conclusions. Patients with TAO showed increased presence of PTX3 in orbital tissue and serum, which may suggest a potential relationship of PTX3 and TAO.

  5. PTX3: A Potential Biomarker in Thyroid Associated Ophthalmopathy

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    Chen, Ziyu

    2018-01-01

    Background Thyroid associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is an autoimmune disease, which involves inflammation and tissue remodeling. Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) is a component of innate immune system and recently implicated in autoimmunity. This observation may indicate that PTX3 participates in the inflammatory process of TAO. Methods All studies were performed on TAO patients and healthy controls (45: 28 in total). RNA-seq was used to detect differential gene expression of orbital adipose-connective tissue. Quantitative PCR was performed to verify the results. PTX3 protein in orbital adipose-connective tissues was visualized by immunohistochemistry (IHC). PTX3 concentration in serum was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results RNA-seq showed 1.86-log⁡2FC higher PTX3 expression in the orbital adipose-connective tissues from TAO group than controls (FDR = 0.0059). qPCR confirmed the difference (5.59-fold increase, p = 0.0012). The presence of PTX3 protein was demonstrated. Orbital adipose tissue from healthy controls showed weak staining for PTX3 while tissue from TAO group was strongly positive. Serum PTX3 concentration was significantly elevated in patients when compared to the control group (1.9-fold increase; p < 0.0001). Conclusions Patients with TAO showed increased presence of PTX3 in orbital tissue and serum, which may suggest a potential relationship of PTX3 and TAO. PMID:29675428

  6. The role of the acute phase protein PTX3 in the ventilator-induced lung injury

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    JM Real

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available The pentraxin 3 (PTX3 is an acute phase proinflammatory protein produced by fibroblasts and alveolar epithelial cells. We have previously demonstrated that PTX3 is a key modulator of inflammation. Mechanical ventilation (MV is a life saving therapeutic approach for patients with acute lung injury that, nevertheless could lead to an inflammatory response and tissue injury (ventilator-induced lung injury: VILI, representing a major cause of iatrogenic lung damage in intensive units. Our objective was to investigate the role of PTX3 in VILI. PTX3 transgenic, knockout and Wt control mice (n = 12/group were ventilated (45ml·kg–1 until respiratory system Elastance increased 50% (Ers150%, an indicator of VILI. Histological analysis demonstrated that using a Ers150% was appropriate for our analysis since identical degrees of inflammation were observed in Tg, KO and Wt mice as assessed by leukocyte infiltration, oedema, alveolar collapse and number of breaks in alveolar septa. However, Tg mice reached Ers150% faster than Wt controls (p = 0.0225. We also showed that the lack of PTX3 does not abolish the occurrence of VILI in KOs. Gene expression profile of PTX3, IL-1beta, IL-6, KC, IFNgamma, TGFbeta and PCIII were investigated by QPCR. MV drastically up modulated PTX3 as well as IL-1beta, IL-6, IFNgamma and KC. Alternatively, mice were ventilated for 20, 40 and 60 min. The faster kinetics of Tg mice to reach Ers150% was accompanied by an earlier augmentation of IL-1b and PTX3 expression. The kinetics of local PTX3 expression in the lungs of ventilated mice strongly suggests the involvement of this pentraxin in the pathogenesis of VILI.

  7. Interactions of the humoral pattern recognition molecule PTX3 with the complement system

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    Doni, Andrea; Garlanda, Cecilia; Bottazzi, Barbara

    2012-01-01

    The innate immune system comprises a cellular and a humoral arm. The long pentraxin PTX3 is a fluid phase pattern recognition molecule, which acts as an essential component of the humoral arm of innate immunity. PTX3 has antibody-like properties including interactions with complement components....... PTX3 interacts with C1q, ficolin-1 and ficolin-2 as well as mannose-binding lectin, recognition molecules in the classical and lectin complement pathways. The formation of these heterocomplexes results in cooperative pathogen recognition and complement activation. Interactions with C4b binding protein...

  8. Structural characterization of PTX3 disulfide bond network and its multimeric status in cumulus matrix organization.

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    Inforzato, Antonio; Rivieccio, Vincenzo; Morreale, Antonio P; Bastone, Antonio; Salustri, Antonietta; Scarchilli, Laura; Verdoliva, Antonio; Vincenti, Silvia; Gallo, Grazia; Chiapparino, Caterina; Pacello, Lucrezia; Nucera, Eleonora; Serlupi-Crescenzi, Ottaviano; Day, Anthony J; Bottazzi, Barbara; Mantovani, Alberto; De Santis, Rita; Salvatori, Giovanni

    2008-04-11

    PTX3 is an acute phase glycoprotein that plays key roles in resistance to certain pathogens and in female fertility. PTX3 exerts its functions by interacting with a number of structurally unrelated molecules, a capacity that is likely to rely on its complex multimeric structure stabilized by interchain disulfide bonds. In this study, PAGE analyses performed under both native and denaturing conditions indicated that human recombinant PTX3 is mainly composed of covalently linked octamers. The network of disulfide bonds supporting this octameric assembly was resolved by mass spectrometry and Cys to Ser site-directed mutagenesis. Here we report that cysteine residues at positions 47, 49, and 103 in the N-terminal domain form three symmetric interchain disulfide bonds stabilizing four protein subunits in a tetrameric arrangement. Additional interchain disulfide bonds formed by the C-terminal domain cysteines Cys(317) and Cys(318) are responsible for linking the PTX3 tetramers into octamers. We also identified three intrachain disulfide bonds within the C-terminal domain that we used as structural constraints to build a new three-dimensional model for this domain. Previously it has been shown that PTX3 is a key component of the cumulus oophorus extracellular matrix, which forms around the oocyte prior to ovulation, because cumuli from PTX3(-/-) mice show defective matrix organization. Recombinant PTX3 is able to restore the normal phenotype ex vivo in cumuli from PTX3(-/-) mice. Here we demonstrate that PTX3 Cys to Ser mutants, mainly assembled into tetramers, exhibited wild type rescue activity, whereas a mutant, predominantly composed of dimers, had impaired functionality. These findings indicate that protein oligomerization is essential for PTX3 activity within the cumulus matrix and implicate PTX3 tetramers as the functional molecular units required for cumulus matrix organization and stabilization.

  9. Implication of the oligomeric state of the N-terminal PTX3 domain in cumulus matrix assembly.

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    Ievoli, Elena; Lindstedt, Ragnar; Inforzato, Antonio; Camaioni, Antonella; Palone, Francesca; Day, Anthony J; Mantovani, Alberto; Salvatori, Giovanni; Salustri, Antonietta

    2011-06-01

    Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) plays a key role in the formation of the hyaluronan-rich matrix of the cumulus oophorus surrounding ovulated eggs that is required for successful fertilization and female fertility. PTX3 is a multimeric protein consisting of eight identical protomers held together by a combination of non-covalent interactions and disulfide bonds. Recent findings suggest that the oligomeric status of PTX3 is important for stabilizing the cumulus matrix. Because the role of PTX3 in the cumulus resides in the unique N-terminal sequence of the protomer, we investigated further this issue by testing the ability of distinct Cys/Ser mutants of recombinant N-terminal region of PTX3 (N(_)PTX3) with different oligomeric arrangement to promote in vitro normal expansion in cumuli from Ptx3-null mice. Here we report that the dimer of the N(_)PTX3 is unable to rescue cumulus matrix organization, and that the tetrameric assembly of the protein is the minimal oligomeric state required for accomplishing this function. We have previously demonstrated that PTX3 binds to HCs of IαI and TSG-6, which are essential for cumulus matrix formation and able to interact with hyaluronan. Interestingly, here we show by solid-phase binding experiments that the dimer of the N(_)PTX3 retains the ability to bind to both IαI and TSG-6, suggesting that the octameric structure of PTX3 provides multiple binding sites for each of these ligands. These findings support the hypothesis that PTX3 contributes to cumulus matrix organization by cross-linking HA polymers through interactions with multiple HCs of IαI and/or TSG-6. The N-terminal PTX3 tetrameric oligomerization was recently reported to be also required for recognition and inhibition of FGF2. Given that this growth factor has been detected in the mammalian preovulatory follicle, we wondered whether FGF2 negatively influences cumulus expansion and PTX3 may also serve in vivo to antagonize its activity. We found that a molar excess of FGF2, above

  10. Levels of pentraxin-3 in gingival crevicular fluid and plasma in periodontal health and disease.

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    Pradeep, A R; Kathariya, Rahul; Raghavendra, N M; Sharma, Anuj

    2011-05-01

    Pentraxins are classic mediators of inflammation and markers of acute-phase reactions. Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) is the first-identified long pentraxin and is believed to be a true independent indicator of disease activity. Although a classic pentraxin, C-reactive protein, and its association with various systemic diseases is well documented in the periodontal literature, there is no data on PTX3 to our knowledge. Forty participants (20 males and 20 females; age range: 23 to 50 years) were involved in the study. Participants were divided into three groups based on gingival index, probing depth, and clinical attachment level: the healthy group (group 1; n = 10), gingivitis group (group 2; n = 15), and periodontitis group (group 3; n = 15). Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and plasma samples collected from each subject were quantified for PTX3 levels using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In tandem with the disease progression from healthy to gingivitis to periodontitis, the mean PTX3 concentrations increased in GCF and plasma. However, GCF values were higher than plasma values. It was found that PTX3 concentration was highest in group 3 and lowest in group 1. PTX3 concentrations also correlated positively with periodontal parameters. GCF and plasma PTX3 concentrations correlated positively in all groups. However, within the limits of the present study, the differences in plasma PTX3 levels were not found to be statistically significant. Hence, GCF PTX3 values were considered a marker of inflammatory activity in periodontal disease. However, PTX3 deserves further consideration as a therapeutic target. Additional large-scale studies should be carried out to confirm positive correlations.

  11. The inflammatory protein Pentraxin 3 in cardiovascular disease.

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    Fornai, Francesco; Carrizzo, Albino; Forte, Maurizio; Ambrosio, Mariateresa; Damato, Antonio; Ferrucci, Michela; Biagioni, Francesca; Busceti, Carla; Puca, Annibale A; Vecchione, Carmine

    2016-01-01

    The acute phase protein Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) plays a non-redundant role as a soluble pattern recognition receptor for selected pathogens and it represents a rapid biomarker for primary local activation of innate immunity and inflammation. Recent evidence indicates that PTX3 exerts an important role in modulating the cardiovascular system in humans and experimental models. In particular, there are conflicting points concerning the effects of PTX3 in cardiovascular diseases (CVD) since several observations indicate a cardiovascular protective effect of PTX3 while others speculate that the increased plasma levels of PTX3 in subjects with CVD correlate with disease severity and with poor prognosis in elderly patients. In the present review, we discuss the multifaceted effects of PTX3 on the cardiovascular system focusing on its involvement in atherosclerosis, endothelial function, hypertension, myocardial infarction and angiogenesis. This may help to explain how the specific modulation of PTX3 such as the use of different dosing, time, and target organs could help to contain different vascular diseases. These opposite actions of PTX3 will be emphasized concerning the modulation of cardiovascular system where potential therapeutic implications of PTX3 in humans are discussed.

  12. The sweet side of a long pentraxin: how glycosylation affects PTX3 functions in innate immunity and inflammation

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    Antonio eInforzato

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Innate immunity represents the first line of defence against pathogens and plays key roles in activation and orientation of the adaptive immune response. The innate immune system comprises both a cellular and a humoral arm. Components of the humoral arm include soluble pattern recognition molecules (PRMs that recognise pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs and initiate the immune response in coordination with the cellular arm, therefore acting as functional ancestors of antibodies. The long pentraxin PTX3 is a prototypic soluble PRM that is produced at sites of infection and inflammation by both somatic and immune cells. Gene targeting of this evolutionarily conserved protein has revealed a non-redundant role in resistance to selected pathogens. Moreover, PTX3 exerts important functions at the crossroad between innate immunity, inflammation and female fertility. The human PTX3 protein contains a single N-glycosylation site that is fully occupied by complex type oligosaccharides, mainly fucosylated and sialylated biantennary glycans. Glycosylation has been implicated in a number of PTX3 activities, including neutralization of influenza viruses, modulation of the complement system, and attenuation of leukocyte recruitment. Therefore, this post translational modification might act as a fine tuner of PTX3 functions in native immunity and inflammation.Here we review the studies on PTX3, with emphasis on the glycan-dependent mechanisms underlying pathogen recognition and crosstalk with other components of the innate immune system.

  13. Heterocomplexes of mannose-binding lectin and the pentraxins PTX3 or SAP trigger cross-activation of the complement system

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    Ma, Ying Jie; Doni, Andrea; Skjødt, Mikkel-Ole

    2011-01-01

    The long pentraxin 3 (PTX3), serum amyloid P component (SAP) and C-reactive protein (CRP) belong to the pentraxin family of pattern recognition molecules involved in tissue homeostasis and innate immunity. They interact with C1q from the classical complement pathway. Whether this also occurs via...... the analogous mannose-binding lectin (MBL) from the lectin complement pathway is unknown. Thus, we investigated the possible interaction between MBL and the pentraxins. We report that MBL bound PTX3 and SAP partly via its collagen-like domain, but not CRP. MBL:PTX3 complex formation resulted in recruitment of C......1q, but this was not seen for the MBL:SAP complex. However, both MBL:PTX3 and MBL:SAP complexes enhanced C4 and C3 deposition and opsonophagocytosis of Candida albicans by polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Interaction between MBL and PTX3 lead to communication between the lectin and classical complement...

  14. Prognostic Value of Plasma Pentraxin-3 Levels in Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease after Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation

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    Liu Haibo

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Pentraxin-3 (PTX3 is an inflammatory marker thought to be more specific to cardiovascular inflammation than C-reactive protein (CRP. Our aim was to assess the prognostic value of PTX3 in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD after drug eluting stent (DES implantation. Plasma PTX3 levels were measured before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI and at 24 h post-PCI in 596 consecutive patients with stable CAD. Patients were followed up for a median of 3 years (range 1–5 for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs. We found that the post-PCI plasma PTX3 levels were significantly higher at 24 h after PCI than pre-PCI, patients with MACEs had higher post-PCI PTX3 levels compared with MACEs-free patients, patients with higher post-PCI PTX3 levels (median > 4.384 ng/mL had a higher risk for MACEs than those with PTX3 < 4.384 ng/mL, and post-PCI PTX3, cTnI, multiple stents, and age but not high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP were independently associated with the prevalence of MACEs after DES implantation. The present study shows that post-PCI PTX3 may be a more reliable inflammatory predictor of long-term MACEs in patients with stable CAD undergoing DES implantation than CRP. Measurement of post-PCI PTX3 levels could provide a rationale for risk stratification of patients with stable CAD after DES implantation.

  15. Elevated plasma level of pentraxin-3 predicts in-hospital and 30-day clinical outcomes in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention.

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    Guo, Rong; Li, Yuanmin; Wen, Jing; Li, Weiming; Xu, Yawei

    2014-01-01

    This investigation explored the short-term prognostic value of pentraxin-3 (PTX3) levels in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We measured plasma levels of PTX3 and other biomarkers in 525 PCI-treated NSTEMI patients (mean age, 57.7 years; 328 males). The associations of PTX3 levels with cardiac events and cardiac deaths occurring within 30 days of discharge were evaluated with multivariable Cox proportional hazard models. Renal function, diabetes prevalence, systolic blood pressure, heart rate and ejection fraction differed significantly in the high PTX3 (≥3.0 ng/ml, n = 107) and low PTX3 (<3.0 ng/ml, n = 418) groups (all p < 0.05). Plasma PTX3 levels were correlated with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, troponin T and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide in NSTEMI patients (all p < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed in-hospital and 30-day cardiac events and deaths were higher in the high PTX3 group (both p < 0.01). Elevated PTX3 was an independent predictor of 30-day cardiac events (95% CI 1.09-1.68; p = 0.006) and mortality (95% CI 1.18-2.15; p = 0.002). An elevated plasma level of PTX3 predicts 30-day cardiac events and mortality in PCI-treated NSTEMI patients. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  16. An acidic microenvironment sets the humoral pattern recognition molecule PTX3 in a tissue repair mode

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    Doni, Andrea; Musso, Tiziana; Morone, Diego; Bastone, Antonio; Zambelli, Vanessa; Sironi, Marina; Castagnoli, Carlotta; Cambieri, Irene; Stravalaci, Matteo; Pasqualini, Fabio; Laface, Ilaria; Valentino, Sonia; Tartari, Silvia; Ponzetta, Andrea; Maina, Virginia; Barbieri, Silvia S.; Tremoli, Elena; Catapano, Alberico L.; Norata, Giuseppe D.; Bottazzi, Barbara; Garlanda, Cecilia

    2015-01-01

    Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is a fluid-phase pattern recognition molecule and a key component of the humoral arm of innate immunity. In four different models of tissue damage in mice, PTX3 deficiency was associated with increased fibrin deposition and persistence, and thicker clots, followed by increased collagen deposition, when compared with controls. Ptx3-deficient macrophages showed defective pericellular fibrinolysis in vitro. PTX3-bound fibrinogen/fibrin and plasminogen at acidic pH and increased plasmin-mediated fibrinolysis. The second exon-encoded N-terminal domain of PTX3 recapitulated the activity of the intact molecule. Thus, a prototypic component of humoral innate immunity, PTX3, plays a nonredundant role in the orchestration of tissue repair and remodeling. Tissue acidification resulting from metabolic adaptation during tissue repair sets PTX3 in a tissue remodeling and repair mode, suggesting that matrix and microbial recognition are common, ancestral features of the humoral arm of innate immunity. PMID:25964372

  17. PTX3 predicts severe disease in febrile patients at the emergency department

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    de Kruif, Martijn D.; Limper, Maarten; Sierhuis, Karlien; Wagenaar, Jiri F. P.; Spek, C. Arnold; Garlanda, Cecilia; Cotena, Alessia; Mantovani, Alberto; ten Cate, Hugo; Reitsma, Pieter H.; van Gorp, Eric C. M.

    2010-01-01

    Objectives: The long pentraxin PTX3 is a promising marker of disease severity in severely ill patients. In order to identify patients warranting critical care as quickly as possible, we investigated the value of PTX3 as a biomarker for disease severity in patients presenting with fever at the

  18. PTX3, a Humoral Pattern Recognition Molecule, in Innate Immunity, Tissue Repair, and Cancer.

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    Garlanda, Cecilia; Bottazzi, Barbara; Magrini, Elena; Inforzato, Antonio; Mantovani, Alberto

    2018-04-01

    Innate immunity includes a cellular and a humoral arm. PTX3 is a fluid-phase pattern recognition molecule conserved in evolution which acts as a key component of humoral innate immunity in infections of fungal, bacterial, and viral origin. PTX3 binds conserved microbial structures and self-components under conditions of inflammation and activates effector functions (complement, phagocytosis). Moreover, it has a complex regulatory role in inflammation, such as ischemia/reperfusion injury and cancer-related inflammation, as well as in extracellular matrix organization and remodeling, with profound implications in physiology and pathology. Finally, PTX3 acts as an extrinsic oncosuppressor gene by taming tumor-promoting inflammation in murine and selected human tumors. Thus evidence suggests that PTX3 is a key homeostatic component at the crossroad of innate immunity, inflammation, tissue repair, and cancer. Dissecting the complexity of PTX3 pathophysiology and human genetics paves the way to diagnostic and therapeutic exploitation.

  19. Cardiorespiratory fitness does not alter plasma pentraxin 3 and cortisol reactivity to acute psychological stress and exercise.

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    Huang, Chun-Jung; Webb, Heather E; Beasley, Kathleen N; McAlpine, David A; Tangsilsat, Supatchara E; Acevedo, Edmund O

    2014-03-01

    Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) has been recently identified as a biomarker of vascular inflammation in predicting cardiovascular events. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of cardiorespiratory fitness on plasma PTX3 and cortisol responses to stress, utilizing a dual-stress model. Fourteen male subjects were classified into high-fit (HF) and low-fit (LF) groups and completed 2 counterbalanced experimental conditions. The exercise-alone condition (EAC) consisted of cycling at 60% maximal oxygen uptake for 37 min, while the dual-stress condition (DSC) included 20 min of a mental stress while cycling for 37 min. Plasma PTX3 revealed significant increases over time with a significant elevation at 37 min in both HF and LF groups in response to EAC and DSC. No difference in plasma PTX3 levels was observed between EAC and DSC. In addition, plasma cortisol revealed a significant condition by time interaction with greater levels during DSC at 37 min, whereas cardiorespiratory fitness level did not reveal different plasma cortisol responses in either the EAC or DSC. Aerobic exercise induces plasma PTX3 release, while additional acute mental stress, in a dual-stress condition, does not exacerbate or further modulate the PTX3 response. Furthermore, cardiorespiratory fitness may not affect the stress reactivity of plasma PTX3 to physical and combined physical and psychological stressors. Finally, the exacerbated cortisol responses to combined stress may provide the potential link to biological pathways that explain changes in physiological homeostasis that may be associated with an increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease.

  20. Genes for carbon metabolism and the ToxA virulence factor in Pseudomonas aeruginosa are regulated through molecular interactions of PtxR and PtxS.

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    Abdelali Daddaoua

    Full Text Available Homologs of the transcriptional regulator PtxS are omnipresent in Pseudomonas, whereas PtxR homologues are exclusively found in human pathogenic Pseudomonas species. In all Pseudomonas sp., PtxS with 2-ketogluconate is the regulator of the gluconate degradation pathway and controls expression from its own promoter and also from the P(gad and P(kgu for the catabolic operons. There is evidence that PtxS and PtxR play a central role in the regulation of exotoxin A expression, a relevant primary virulence factor of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We show using DNaseI-footprint analysis that in P. aeruginosa PtxR binds to the -35 region of the P(toxA promoter in front of the exotoxin A gene, whereas PtxS does not bind to this promoter. Bioinformatic and DNaseI-footprint analysis identified a PtxR binding site in the P(kgu and P(gad promoters that overlaps the -35 region, while the PtxS operator site is located 50 bp downstream from the PtxR site. In vitro, PtxS recognises PtxR with nanomolar affinity, but this interaction does not occur in the presence of 2-ketogluconate, the specific effector of PtxS. DNAaseI footprint assays of P(kgu and P(gad promoters with PtxS and PtxR showed a strong region of hyper-reactivity between both regulator binding sites, indicative of DNA distortion when both proteins are bound; however in the presence of 2-ketogluconate no protection was observed. We conclude that PtxS modulates PtxR activity in response to 2-ketogluconate by complex formation in solution in the case of the P(toxA promoter, or via the formation of a DNA loop as in the regulation of gluconate catabolic genes. Data suggest two different mechanisms of control exerted by the same regulator.

  1. High Efficacy but Low Potency of δ-Opioid Receptor-G Protein Coupling in Brij-58-Treated, Low-Density Plasma Membrane Fragments.

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    Roubalova, Lenka; Vosahlikova, Miroslava; Brejchova, Jana; Sykora, Jan; Rudajev, Vladimir; Svoboda, Petr

    2015-01-01

    HEK293 cells stably expressing PTX-insensitive δ-opioid receptor-Gi1α (C351I) fusion protein were homogenized, treated with low concentrations of non-ionic detergent Brij-58 at 0°C and fractionated by flotation in sucrose density gradient. In optimum range of detergent concentrations (0.025-0.05% w/v), Brij-58-treated, low-density membranes exhibited 2-3-fold higher efficacy of DADLE-stimulated, high-affinity [32P]GTPase and [35S]GTPγS binding than membranes of the same density prepared in the absence of detergent. The potency of agonist DADLE response was significantly decreased. At high detergent concentrations (>0.1%), the functional coupling between δ-opioid receptors and G proteins was completely diminished. The same detergent effects were measured in plasma membranes isolated from PTX-treated cells. Therefore, the effect of Brij-58 on δ-opioid receptor-G protein coupling was not restricted to the covalently bound Gi1α within δ-opioid receptor-Gi1α fusion protein, but it was also valid for PTX-sensitive G proteins of Gi/Go family endogenously expressed in HEK293 cells. Characterization of the direct effect of Brij-58 on the hydrophobic interior of isolated plasma membranes by steady-state anisotropy of diphenylhexatriene (DPH) fluorescence indicated a marked increase of membrane fluidity. The time-resolved analysis of decay of DPH fluorescence by the "wobble in cone" model of DPH motion in the membrane indicated that the exposure to the increasing concentrations of Brij-58 led to a decreased order and higher motional freedom of the dye. Limited perturbation of plasma membrane integrity by low concentrations of non-ionic detergent Brij-58 results in alteration of δ-OR-G protein coupling. Maximum G protein-response to agonist stimulation (efficacy) is increased; affinity of response (potency) is decreased. The total degradation plasma membrane structure at high detergent concentrations results in diminution of functional coupling between

  2. Ficolin-1-PTX3 complex formation promotes clearance of altered self-cells and modulates IL-8 production

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ma, Ying Jie; Doni, Andrea; Romani, Luigina

    2013-01-01

    for enhancement of phagocytosis by human monocyte-derived macrophages and downregulation of IL-8 production during phagocytosis. On A. fumigatus, PTX3 exposed the C-terminal portion of the molecule, probably resulting in steric hindrance of ficolin-1 interaction with PTX3. These results demonstrate that ficolin-1...

  3. Antitumor efficacy of a novel CLA-PTX microemulsion against brain tumors: in vitro and in vivo findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Dan; Yang, Ke; Li, Jie-Si; Ke, Xi-Yu; Duan, Yu; Du, Ruo; Song, Ping; Yu, Ke-Fu; Ren, Wei; Huang, Dan; Li, Xing-Huo; Hu, Xin; Zhang, Xuan; Zhang, Qiang

    2012-01-01

    Considering the observations that linoleic acid conjugated with paclitaxel (CLA-PTX) possesses antitumor activity against brain tumors, is able to cross the blood-brain barrier, but has poor water solubility, the purpose of this study was to prepare a novel CLA-PTX microemulsion and evaluate its activity against brain tumors in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro cytotoxicity of a CLA-PTX microemulsion was investigated in C6 glioma cells. The in vivo antitumor activity of the CLA-PTX microemulsion was evaluated in tumor-bearing nude mice and rats. The pharmacokinetics of the CLA-PTX microemulsion were investigated in rats, and its safety was also evaluated in mice. The average droplet size of the CLA-PTX microemulsion was approximately 176.3 ± 0.8 nm and the polydispersity index was 0.294 ± 0.024. In vitro cytotoxicity results showed that the IC(50) of the CLA-PTX microemulsion was 1.61 ± 0.83 μM for a C6 glioma cell line, which was similar to that of free paclitaxel and CLA-PTX solution (P > 0.05). The antitumor activity of the CLA-PTX microemulsion against brain tumors was confirmed in our in vivo C6 glioma tumor-bearing nude mice as well as in a rat model. In contrast, Taxol(®) had almost no significant antitumor effect in C6 glioma tumor-bearing rats, but could markedly inhibit growth of C6 tumors in C6 glioma tumor-bearing nude mice. The pharmacokinetic results indicated that CLA-PTX in solution has a much longer circulation time and produces higher drug plasma concentrations compared with the CLA-PTX microemulsion. The results of the acute toxicity study showed that the LD(50) of CLA-PTX solution was 103.9 mg/kg. In contrast, the CLA-PTX microemulsion was well tolerated in mice when administered at doses up to 200 mg/kg. CLA-PTX microemulsion is a novel formulation with significant antitumor efficacy in the treatment of brain tumors, and is safer than CLA-PTX solution.

  4. PTX3 is up-regulated in epithelial mammary cells during S. aureus intramammary infection in goat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joel Fernando Soares Filipe

    2015-07-01

    PTX3 was up-regulated in epithelial mammary cells and in milk cells after S. aureus infection, demonstrating that it represents a first line of immune defense in goat udder. No modulation was observed in macrophages, in the secretum and in the ductal epithelial cells. Further experiments are needed to elucidate the role of PTX3 in the pathogenesis of S. aureus infection.

  5. Diagnostic value of Pentraxin-3 in patients with sepsis and septic shock in accordance with latest sepsis-3 definitions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamed, Sonja; Behnes, Michael; Pauly, Dominic; Lepiorz, Dominic; Barre, Max; Becher, Tobias; Lang, Siegfried; Akin, Ibrahim; Borggrefe, Martin; Bertsch, Thomas; Hoffmann, Ursula

    2017-08-09

    Pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) is an acute-phase protein involved in inflammatory and infectious processes. This study assesses its diagnostic and prognostic value in patients with sepsis or septic shock in a medical intensive care unit (ICU). The study includes 213 ICU patients with clinical criteria of sepsis and septic shock. 77 donors served as controls. Plasma levels of PTX-3, procalcitonin (PCT) and interleukin-6 were measured on day 1, 3 and 8. PTX-3 correlated with higher lactate levels as well as with APACHE II and SOFA scores (p = 0.0001). PTX-3 levels of patients with sepsis or septic shock were consistently significantly higher than in the control group (p ≤ 0.001). Plasma levels were able to discriminate sepsis and septic shock significantly on day 1, 3 and 8 (range of AUC 0.73-0.92, p = 0.0001). Uniform cut-off levels were defined at ≥5 ng/ml for at least sepsis, ≥9 ng/ml for septic shock (p = 0.0001). PTX-3 reveals diagnostic value for sepsis and septic shock during the first week of intensive care treatment, comparable to interleukin-6 according to latest Sepsis-3 definitions. NCT01535534 . Registered 14.02.2012.

  6. Human pentraxin 3 binds to the complement regulator c4b-binding protein.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anne Braunschweig

    Full Text Available The long pentraxin 3 (PTX3 is a soluble recognition molecule with multiple functions including innate immune defense against certain microbes and the clearance of apoptotic cells. PTX3 interacts with recognition molecules of the classical and lectin complement pathways and thus initiates complement activation. In addition, binding of PTX3 to the alternative complement pathway regulator factor H was shown. Here, we show that PTX3 binds to the classical and lectin pathway regulator C4b-binding protein (C4BP. A PTX3-binding site was identified within short consensus repeats 1-3 of the C4BP α-chain. PTX3 did not interfere with the cofactor activity of C4BP in the fluid phase and C4BP maintained its complement regulatory activity when bound to PTX3 on surfaces. While C4BP and factor H did not compete for PTX3 binding, the interaction of C4BP with PTX3 was inhibited by C1q and by L-ficolin. PTX3 bound to human fibroblast- and endothelial cell-derived extracellular matrices and recruited functionally active C4BP to these surfaces. Whereas PTX3 enhanced the activation of the classical/lectin pathway and caused enhanced C3 deposition on extracellular matrix, deposition of terminal pathway components and the generation of the inflammatory mediator C5a were not increased. Furthermore, PTX3 enhanced the binding of C4BP to late apoptotic cells, which resulted in an increased rate of inactivation of cell surface bound C4b and a reduction in the deposition of C5b-9. Thus, in addition to complement activators, PTX3 interacts with complement inhibitors including C4BP. This balanced interaction on extracellular matrix and on apoptotic cells may prevent excessive local complement activation that would otherwise lead to inflammation and host tissue damage.

  7. In situ X-ray data collection from highly sensitive crystals of Pseudomonas putida PtxS in complex with DNA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pineda-Molina, E.; Daddaoua, A.; Krell, T.; Ramos, J. L.; García-Ruiz, J. M.; Gavira, J. A.

    2012-01-01

    The crystallization of both native P. putida transcriptional regulator PtxS and its complex with its DNA recognition sequence using the counter-diffusion method are reported. Pseudomonas putida PtxS is a member of the LacI protein family of transcriptional regulators involved in glucose metabolism. All genes involved in this pathway are clustered into two operons, kgu and gad. PtxS controls the expression of the kgu and gad operons as well as its own transcription. The PtxS operator is a perfect palindrome, 5′-TGAAACCGGTTTCA-3′, which is present in all three promoters. Crystallization of native PtxS failed, and PtxS–DNA crystals were finally produced by the counter-diffusion technique. A portion of the capillary used for crystal growth was attached to the end of a SPINE standard cap and directly flash-cooled in liquid nitrogen for diffraction tests. A full data set was collected with a beam size of 10 × 10 µm. The crystal belonged to the trigonal space group P3, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 213.71, c = 71.57 Å. Only unhandled crystals grown in capillaries of 0.1 mm inner diameter diffracted X-rays to 1.92 Å resolution

  8. Driver mutations (JAK2V617F, MPLW515L/K or CALR), pentraxin-3 and C-reactive protein in essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lussana, Federico; Carobbio, Alessandra; Salmoiraghi, Silvia; Guglielmelli, Paola; Vannucchi, Alessandro Maria; Bottazzi, Barbara; Leone, Roberto; Mantovani, Alberto; Barbui, Tiziano; Rambaldi, Alessandro

    2017-02-22

    The driver mutations JAK2V617F, MPLW515L/K and CALR influence disease phenotype of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and might sustain a condition of chronic inflammation. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) are inflammatory biomarkers potentially useful for refining prognostic classification of MPNs. We evaluated 305 with essential thrombocythemia (ET) and 172 polycythemia vera (PV) patients diagnosed according to the 2016 WHO criteria and with full molecular characterization for driver mutations. PTX3 levels were significantly increased in carriers of homozygous JAK2V617F mutation compared to all the other genotypes and triple negative ET patients, while hs-CRP levels were independent of the mutational profile. The risk of haematological evolution and death from any cause was about 2- and 1.5-fold increased in individuals with high PTX-3 levels, while the thrombosis rate tended to be lower. High hs-CRP levels were associated with risk of haematological evolution, death and also major thrombosis. After sequential adjustment for potential confounders (age, gender, diagnosis and treatments) and the presence of JAK2V617F homozygous status, high hs-CRP levels remained significant for all outcomes, while JAK2V617F homozygous status as well as treatments were the factors independently accounting for adverse outcomes among patients with high PTX3 levels. These results provide evidence that JAK2V617F mutation influences MPN-associated inflammation with a strong correlation between allele burden and PTX3 levels. Plasma levels of hs-CRP and PTX3 might be of prognostic value for patients with ET and PV, but their validation in future prospective studies is needed.

  9. The impact of obesity on pentraxin 3 and inflammatory milieu to acute aerobic exercise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slusher, Aaron L; Mock, J Thomas; Whitehurst, Michael; Maharaj, Arun; Huang, Chun-Jung

    2015-02-01

    Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) has recently been linked to obesity-associated inflammation, serving as a cardioprotective modulator against cardiovascular disease (CVD). Aerobic exercise has been shown to enhance plasma PTX3 levels; however, the impact of obesity on PTX3 response to exercise remains unknown. Therefore, this study sought to examine whether obese subjects would have an attenuated plasma PTX3 response compared to normal-weight subjects following acute aerobic exercise. The relationship of plasma PTX3 with pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) was also examined. Twenty healthy subjects (10 obese [4 males and 6 females] and 10 normal-weight [4 males, 6 females]) performed 30min of continuous submaximal aerobic exercise. At baseline, obese subjects exhibited approximately 40% lower plasma PTX3 and a 7-fold greater IL-6 concentration compared to normal-weight subjects. In response to exercise, no difference was observed in PTX3 or IL-6 as indicated by area-under-the-curve "with respect to increase" (AUCi) analyses. Furthermore, PTX3 AUCi was positively correlated with cardiorespiratory fitness levels (VO(2max)) (r=0.594, p=0.006), even after controlling for body mass index. These findings suggest that in addition to obesity-associated complications, low cardiorespiratory fitness levels could impact exercise-induced PTX3 elevations, thereby potentially diminishing PTX3's effects of anti-inflammation and/or cardioprotection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Driver mutations (JAK2V617F, MPLW515L/K or CALR, pentraxin-3 and C-reactive protein in essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Federico Lussana

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The driver mutations JAK2V617F, MPLW515L/K and CALR influence disease phenotype of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs and might sustain a condition of chronic inflammation. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP are inflammatory biomarkers potentially useful for refining prognostic classification of MPNs. Methods We evaluated 305 with essential thrombocythemia (ET and 172 polycythemia vera (PV patients diagnosed according to the 2016 WHO criteria and with full molecular characterization for driver mutations. Results PTX3 levels were significantly increased in carriers of homozygous JAK2V617F mutation compared to all the other genotypes and triple negative ET patients, while hs-CRP levels were independent of the mutational profile. The risk of haematological evolution and death from any cause was about 2- and 1.5-fold increased in individuals with high PTX-3 levels, while the thrombosis rate tended to be lower. High hs-CRP levels were associated with risk of haematological evolution, death and also major thrombosis. After sequential adjustment for potential confounders (age, gender, diagnosis and treatments and the presence of JAK2V617F homozygous status, high hs-CRP levels remained significant for all outcomes, while JAK2V617F homozygous status as well as treatments were the factors independently accounting for adverse outcomes among patients with high PTX3 levels. Conclusions These results provide evidence that JAK2V617F mutation influences MPN-associated inflammation with a strong correlation between allele burden and PTX3 levels. Plasma levels of hs-CRP and PTX3 might be of prognostic value for patients with ET and PV, but their validation in future prospective studies is needed.

  11. [Combination Chemotherapy Including Intraperitoneal(IP)Administration of Paclitaxel(PTX)followed by PTX, CDDP and S-1Triplet Chemotherapy for CY1P0 Gastric Cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shinkai, Masayuki; Imano, Motohiro; Hiraki, Yoko; Kato, Hiroaki; Iwama, Mitsuru; Shiraishi, Osamu; Yasuda, Atsushi; Kimura, Yutaka; Imamoto, Haruhiko; Furukawa, Hiroshi; Yasuda, Takushi

    2017-11-01

    We evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of combination chemotherapy including single intraperitoneal( IP)administration of paclitaxel(PTX), followed by triplet chemotherapy(PTX, cisplatin[CDDP]and S-1: PCS)for CY1P0 gastric cancer. First of all, we performed staging laparoscopy and confirmed CY1P0, and secondary, administrated PTX intraperitoneally. Thirdly, patients received PCS chemotherapy for 2 courses. After antitumor effect had been confirmed, we performed second look laparoscopy. In the case of CY0P0, we performed gastrectomy with D2 lymph nodes dissection. Total 4 patients were enrolled. Grade 3 leukopenia and neutropenia were observed in one patient while intraperitoneal and systemic-chemotherapy. One patients showed PR and 3 patients showed SD. All patients underwent second look laparoscopy. CY0P0 was observed in all patients and gastrectomy with D2 dissection was performed for all patients. Postoperative complications were observed in 2 patients. Two patients were still alive without recurrence, while the remaining 2 had died of liver metastasis and #16 LN metastasis. Combination chemotherapy including single IP PTX followed by PCS systemic-chemotherapy for CY1P0 gastric cancer is feasible and efficient.

  12. Solubilization of rat kidney plasma membrane proteins associated with 3H-aldosterone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ozegovic, B.; Dobrovic-Jenik, D.; Milkovic, S.

    1988-01-01

    The treatment of rat kidney plasma membranes with sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) did not essentially affect the ability of the membranes for 3 H-aldosterone binding as compared with the intact plasma membranes (Ozegovic et al., 1977). A gel filtration of 3 H-aldosterone - kidney plasma membranes complex on Sepharose 6B yielded 2 protein and 2 3 H-aldosterone peaks. The proteins which were eluted in the first peak were associated with the first 3 H-aldosterone peak while the second 3 H-aldosterone peak was eluted with Ve corresponding to Ve of free 3 H-aldosterone. Spironolactone, a competitive antagonist of aldosterone, prevented the binding of 3 H-aldosterone to the membrane proteins. The results demonstrated a high affinity of the kidney plasma membranes solubilized with SDS and a specificity of aldosterone binding to the plasma membrane proteins of higher molecular mass. (author)

  13. Role of interleukin-6 and pentraxin 3 as an early marker in Peyronie’s disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arda Atar

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Inflammation is mechanistically involved in the development of Peyronie’s disease (PD. The aim of this study is to assess the relevance of serum pentraxin 3 (PTX3 and interleukin-6 (IL-6 concentrations in PD. The study enrolled 40 patients with PD in the acute phase and 40 healthy controls. Plasma PTX3 and IL-6 concentrations were evaluated in 40 patients in the acute phase of PD and 40 healthy controls by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum concentrations of both PTX3 and IL-6 were significantly higher in the PD patients than in the control group (p=0.001 and p=0.001, respectively. There was a significant correlation between concentration of PTX3 and painful erections. IL-6 concentrations were significantly higher in patients with erectile dysfunction. IL-6 and PTX3 levels showed no correlation with age, serum C-reactive protein, degree of curvature, and disease duration. IL-6 trans-signaling and PTX3 amplification at the site of inflammation could have a role in pathophysiological mechanisms of PD. Biological drugs may be used for treatment during the acute phase of the disease based on this mechanism.

  14. Inhibition of platelet [3H]- imipramine binding by human plasma protein fractions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strijewski, A.; Chudzik, J.; Tang, S.W.

    1988-01-01

    Inhibition of high-affinity [ 3 H]-imipramine binding to platelet membranes by human plasma fractions and isolated plasma proteins was investigated. Several plasma proteins were found to contribute to the observed apparent inhibition and this contribution was assessed in terms of inhibitor units. Alpha 1 acid glycoprotein, high density and low density lipoprotein, IgG and α 1 -antitrypsin were identified as effective non-specific inhibitors. Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein was confirmed to be the most potent plasma protein inhibitor. Cohn fractions were evaluated for the presence of the postulated endocoid of [ 3 H]-imipramine binding site

  15. The 14-3-3 protein interacts directly with the C-terminal region of the plant plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jahn, T.; Fuglsang, A.T.; Olsson, A.

    1997-01-01

    Accumulating evidence suggests that 14-3-3 proteins are involved in the regulation of plant plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase activity. However, it is not known whether the 14-3-3 protein interacts directly or indirectly with the H(+)-ATPase. In this study, detergent-solubilized plasma membrane H...... plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase. We propose that the 14-3-3 protein is a natural ligand of the plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase, regulating proton pumping by displacing the C-terminal autoinhibitory domain of the H(+)-ATPase....

  16. Aqueous humor pentraxin-3 levels in patients with diabetes mellitus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mutlu, M; Yuksel, N; Takmaz, T; Dincel, A S; Bilgihan, A; Altınkaynak, H

    2017-10-01

    PurposeTo evaluate aqueous humor (AH) pentraxin-3 (PTX3) levels in diabetic patients with and without diabetic retinopathy (DR).MethodsIn this prospective study, patients undergoing cataract surgery were enrolled. The study group was composed of 26 type-2 diabetic patients without DR (group 1), 32 diabetic patients with DR (group 2) and 29 age-matched subjects without any systemic disease (group 3). Fifteen proliferative DR (PDR) and 17 non-proliferative DR (NPDR) patients were enrolled in Group 2. HbA1c levels and duration of diabetes were noted. AH samples were obtained from anterior chamber at the beginning of cataract surgery and PTX3 levels were analyzed with Elisa kit.ResultsBaseline demographic characteristics were similar between groups. The mean duration of diabetes was 11.9±7.9 years in group 1 and 15.8±7.8 years in group 2 (P=0.11). The mean plasma HbA1c levels in group 1 was 9.1±2.6 and 8.2±2.4 in group 2 (P=0.36). PTX3 levels were 5.75±0.41 in group 1, 6.11±1.47 in group 2 and 4.93±0.84 ng/ml in group 3 (P=0.01). PTX3 levels in group 2 were higher than in group 1 and 3 (P=0.06 and P=0.01, respectively). There was no correlation between HbA1c and PTX3 levels (P=0.06 r=0.57, P=0.19 r=0.3, respectively). The mean PTX3 was 6.6±0.3 in PDR group and 5.6±0.5 ng/ml in NPDR group (P=0.04).ConclusionsPTX3 is an important marker especially for vascular endothelial damage. Since diabetic vascular changes are dependent on endothelial cell damage, high levels of AH PTX3 of DR patients may indicate the importance of PTX3 protein in the pathogenesis of DR.

  17. The enhanced activity of mass-selected PtxGd nanoparticles for oxygen electroreduction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Velazquez-Palenzuela, Amado Andres; Masini, Federico; Pedersen, Anders Filsøe

    2015-01-01

    Mass-selected platinum–gadolinium alloy nanoparticles (PtxGd NPs) are synthesized for the first time as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts using the gas aggregation technique, under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions. The morphology of the PtxGd catalysts is characterized, and their ......Mass-selected platinum–gadolinium alloy nanoparticles (PtxGd NPs) are synthesized for the first time as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts using the gas aggregation technique, under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions. The morphology of the PtxGd catalysts is characterized...

  18. Antitumor effect of iRGD-modified liposomes containing conjugated linoleic acid–paclitaxel (CLA-PTX on B16-F10 melanoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Du R

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Ruo Du,1 Ting Zhong,1 Wei-Qiang Zhang,1 Ping Song,1 Wen-Ding Song,1 Yang Zhao,1 Chao-Wang,1 Yi-Qun Tang,3 Xuan Zhang,1,2 Qiang Zhang1,2 1Department of Pharmaceutics, 2State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 3Department of Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China Abstract: In the present study, we prepared a novel delivery system of iRGD (CRGDK/RGPD/EC-modified sterically stabilized liposomes (SSLs containing conjugated linoleic acid–paclitaxel (CLA-PTX. The anti-tumor effect of iRGD-SSL-CLA-PTX was investigated on B16-F10 melanoma in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro targeting effect of iRGD-modified SSLs was investigated in a real-time confocal microscopic analysis experiment. An endocytosis-inhibition assay was used to evaluate the endocytosis pathways of the iRGD-modified SSLs. In addition, the in vitro cellular uptake and in vitro cytotoxicity of iRGD-SSL-CLA-PTX were evaluated in B16-F10 melanoma cells. In vivo biodistribution and in vivo antitumor effects of iRGD-SSL-CLA-PTX were investigated in B16-F10 tumor-bearing mice. The induction of apoptosis by iRGD-SSL-CLA-PTX was evaluated in tumor-tissue sections. Real-time confocal microscopic analysis results indicated that the iRGD-modified SSLs internalized into B16-F10 cells faster than SSLs. The identified endocytosis pathway of iRGD-modified SSLs indicated that energy- and lipid raft-mediated endocytosis played a key role in the liposomes’ cellular uptake. The results of the cellular uptake experiment indicated that the increased cellular uptake of CLA-PTX in the iRGD-SSL-CLA-PTX-treated group was 1.9-, 2.4-, or 2.1-fold compared with that in the CLA-PTX group after a 2-, 4-, or 6-hour incubation, respectively. In the biodistribution test, the CLA-PTX level in tumor tissues from iRGD-SSL-CLA-PTX-treated mice at 1 hour (1.84±0.17 µg/g and 4 hours (1.17±0

  19. Diagnostic Value of Plasma Pentraxin-3 in Acute Appendicitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aygun, Ali; Katipoglu, Burak; Ïmamoglu, Melih; Demir, Selim; Yadigaroglu, Metin; Tatli, Ozgur; Yurtsever, Selim; Usta, Arif; Mentese, Ahmet; Turkmen, Suha

    2017-10-11

    To measure serum PTX3 levels in patients admitted with right lower quadrant pain to emergency department and to investigate whether this parameter will be helpful for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. This study was conducted with a group of 89 patients over 17 years of age who were admitted with the complaint of right lower quadrant pain to ED and had a preliminary diagnosis of acute appendicitis clinically and the control group of 31 healthy volunteers in a tertiary university hospital for 3 months. Median PTX3 levels were 3.28 (1.08-30.24) ng/mL in the acute appendicitis groups and 0.97 (0.34-2.62) ng/mL in the control group. A significant difference was observed between acute appendicitis groups and the control group (p < 0.05). PTX3 was found to be significantly higher in patient with acute appendicitis compared to the control group and the patients with non-specific abdominal pain. PTX3 can be used as an aid in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

  20. Systemic and Ocular Long Pentraxin 3 in Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Juel, Helene Bæk; Faber, Carsten; Fog, Lea Munthe

    2015-01-01

    in supernatants and PTX3 gene expression in tissue lysates were quantified. Plasma levels of PTX3 were generally low and did not significantly differ between patients and controls (P=0.307). No statistically significant difference was observed between dry and exudative AMD nor was there any correlation with hs......-alpha or activated T cells (Peye cannot be detected systemically and systemic PTX3 may have little or no impact on disease progression, but our findings do not exclude that locally produced PTX3 produced in the posterior segment of the eye may be part...

  1. Long Pentraxin 3: Experimental and Clinical Relevance in Cardiovascular Diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabrizia Bonacina

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Pentraxin 3 (PTX3 is an essential component of the humoral arm of innate immunity and belongs, together with the C-reactive protein (CRP and other acute phase proteins, to the pentraxins' superfamily: soluble, multifunctional, pattern recognition proteins. Pentraxins share a common C-terminal pentraxin domain, which in the case of PTX3 is coupled to an unrelated long N-terminal domain. PTX3 in humans, like CRP, correlates with surrogate markers of atherosclerosis and is independently associated with the risk of developing vascular events. Studies addressing the potential physiopathological role of CRP in the cardiovascular system were so far inconclusive and have been limited by the fact that the sequence and regulation have not been conserved during evolution between mouse and man. On the contrary, the conservation of sequence, gene organization, and regulation of PTX3 supports the translation of animal model findings in humans. While PTX3 deficiency is associated with increased inflammation, cardiac damage, and atherosclerosis, the overexpression limits carotid restenosis after angioplasty. These observations point to a cardiovascular protective effect of PTX3 potentially associated with the ability of tuning inflammation and favor the hypothesis that the increased levels of PTX3 in subjects with cardiovascular diseases may reflect a protective physiological mechanism, which correlates with the immunoinflammatory response observed in several cardiovascular disorders.

  2. Pentraxin 3, long expression in mononuclear cells of patients with acute coronary syndrome: Correlation with C-reactive protein and matrix metalloproteinase-9 levels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Ruilian; Zhang, Wei; Wang, Tiansong; He, Ximin; Huang, Zichong; Zhu, Jinguo; Yao, Zhen

    2014-06-01

    To investigate expression of pentraxin 3, long (PTX3) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and its correlation with matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Patients with ACS were randomly assigned to the ACS group (subdivided into unstable angina pectoris [UAP] and acute myocardial infarction [AMI]). Healthy participants and patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP) were enrolled as controls. Mononuclear cell PTX3 expression, and serum MMP-9 and CRP levels, were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The ACS group comprised 200 patients (80 in the UAP subgroup; 120 in the AMI subgroup). The control group comprised 130 participants (80 healthy volunteers and 50 patients with SAP). PTX3 expression was significantly higher in the ACS group compared with controls (3.64 ± 0.49 versus 1.85 ± 0.65 ng/ml), and significantly higher in the AMI compared with the UAP subgroup (5.44 ± 0.47 versus 3.39 ± 0.59 ng/ml). Serum MMP-9 and CRP levels were significantly higher in the ACS group compared with controls (48.55 ± 14.22 versus 23.14 ± 0.62 ng/ml; 4.88 ± 1.76 versus 1.26 ± 0.19 ng/ml, respectively), and significantly higher in the AMI compared with the UAP subgroup (58.13 ± 7.24 versus 31.77 ± 3.61 ng/ml; 5.80 ± 1.46 versus 3.27 ± 0.83 ng/ml, respectively). PTX3 expression, and MMP-9 and CRP levels in the SAP subgroup, were not significantly different from the healthy participants. PTX3 expression positively correlated with MMP-9 and CRP levels. In patients with ACS, peripheral blood mononuclear cell PTX3 expression, and serum MMP-9 and CRP levels, were significantly enhanced compared with controls; in addition, PTX3 expression positively correlated with MMP-9 and CRP levels. PTX3 may be involved in ACS pathogenesis. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  3. QDP-JIT/PTX: A QDP++ Implementation for CUDA-Enabled GPUs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Winter, Frank T. [JLAB; Edwards, Robert G. [JLAB

    2014-11-01

    These proceedings describe briefly the QDP-JIT/PTX framework for lattice field theory calcula- tions on the CUDA architecture. The framework generates compute kernels in the PTX assembler language which can be compiled to efficient GPU machine code by the NVIDIA JIT compiler. A comprehensive memory management was added to the framework so that applications, e.g. Chroma, can run unaltered on GPU clusters and supercomputers.

  4. Do 14-3-3 proteins and plasma membrane H+-ATPases interact in the barley epidermis in response to the barley powdery mildew fungus?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Finnie, C.; Andersen, C.H.; Borch, J.

    2002-01-01

    14-3-3 proteins form a family of highly conserved proteins with central roles in many eukaryotic signalling networks. In plants, they bind to and activate the plasma membrane H+-ATPase, creating a binding site for the phytotoxin fusicoccin. Barley 14-3-3 transcripts accumulate in the epidermis upon...... inoculation with the powdery mildew fungus. We have isolated a cDNA encoding a plasma membrane H+-ATPase (HvHA1), which is also induced by powdery mildew attack. The C-terminal domain of this H+-ATPase interacts with 14-3-3 proteins in the yeast two-hybrid system. Inoculation with the powdery mildew fungus......, or treatment with fusicoccin, results in an increase in fusicoccin binding ability of barley leaf membranes. Overlay assays show a fungus-induced increase in binding of digoxygenin-labelled 14-3-3 protein to several proteins including a 100 kDa membrane protein, probably the plasma membrane H...

  5. Permanent electric dipole moments of PtX (X = H, F, Cl, Br, and I) by the composite approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Dan; Lian, Yongqin; Zou, Wenli

    2017-11-01

    Using the FPD composite approach of Peterson et. al. we calculate the permanent electric dipole moments of PtX (X = H, F, Cl, Br, and I) at the equilibrium geometries of their ground states. The dipole moment of PtF is estimated to be 3.421 Debye, being very close to the experimental value of 3.42(6) Debye. This research also suggests the ordering of dipole moments of PtX being proportional to the electronegativity of X.

  6. Construction of Lactococcus lactis expressing secreted and anchored Eimeria tenella 3-1E protein and comparison of protective immunity against homologous challenge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Chunli; Zhang, Lili; Gao, Mingyang; Ma, Dexing

    2017-07-01

    Two novel plasmids pTX8048-SP-Δ3-1E and pTX8048-SP-NAΔ3-1E-CWA were constructed. The plasmids were respectively electrotransformed into L. lactis NZ9000 to generate strain of L. lactis/pTX8048-SP-Δ3-1E in which 3-1E protein was expressed in secretion, and L. lactis/pTX8048-SP-NAΔ3-1E-CWA on which 3-1E protein was covalently anchored to the surface of bacteria cells. The expression of target proteins were examined by Western blot. The live lactococci expressing secreted 3-1E protein, anchored 3-1E protein, and cytoplasmic 3-1E protein was administered orally to chickens respectively, and the protective immunity and efficacy were compared by animal experiment. The results showed oral immunization to chickens with recombinant lactococci expressing anchored 3-1E protein elicited high 3-1E-specific serum IgG, increased high proportion of CD4 + and CD8α + cells in spleen, alleviated average lesion score in cecum, decreased the oocyst output per chicken compared to lactococci expressing cytoplasmic or secreted 3-1E protein. Taken together, these findings indicated the surface anchored Eimeria protein displayed by L. lacits can induce protective immunity and partial protection against homologous infection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. NEU3 Sialidase Protein Interactors in the Plasma Membrane and in the Endosomes*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cirillo, Federica; Ghiroldi, Andrea; Fania, Chiara; Piccoli, Marco; Torretta, Enrica; Tettamanti, Guido; Gelfi, Cecilia; Anastasia, Luigi

    2016-01-01

    NEU3 sialidase has been shown to be a key player in many physio- and pathological processes, including cell differentiation, cellular response to hypoxic stress, and carcinogenesis. The enzyme, peculiarly localized on the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane, has been shown to be able to remove sialic acid residues from the gangliosides present on adjacent cells, thus creating cell to cell interactions. Nonetheless, herein we report that the enzyme localization is dynamically regulated between the plasma membrane and the endosomes, where a substantial amount of NEU3 is stored with low enzymatic activity. However, under opportune stimuli, NEU3 is shifted from the endosomes to the plasma membrane, where it greatly increases the sialidase activity. Finally, we found that NEU3 possesses also the ability to interact with specific proteins, many of which are different in each cell compartment. They were identified by mass spectrometry, and some selected ones were also confirmed by cross-immunoprecipitation with the enzyme, supporting NEU3 involvement in the cell stress response, protein folding, and intracellular trafficking. PMID:26987901

  8. Pentraxin 3 concentrations of the mothers with preterm premature rupture of membranes and their neonates, and early neonatal outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akin, Mustafa Ali; Gunes, Tamer; Coban, Dilek; Ozgun, Mahmut Tuncay; Akgun, Hulya; Kurtoglu, Selim

    2015-07-01

    Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an acute phase reactant which has been used to detect intra-amniotic infections (IAI) in pregnancy, but the prognostic value of PTX3 concentrations on neonates has not been studied. We aimed to investigate the relationship between maternal PTX3-neonatal PTX3 concentrations and early neonatal outcome. The mothers diagnosed with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) (n = 28) and their preterm infants (n = 28) were included in the study. PTX3 concentrations were studied in plasma in the maternal peripheral blood and umbilical/peripheral vein in the neonates. The relationship between the mPTX3-nPTX3 concentrations and neonatal outcome were investigated using non-parametric tests and binary logistic regression analysis. The mean mPTX3 concentration was 10.35 ± 7.82 μg/L. Ten (35.7%) of all mothers were within the normal range and 18 (64.3%) in high percentile (≥ 97.5 percentile). There was no relation between mPTX3 concentrations and clinical or histologic chorioamnionitis, latency of PPROM, and early neonatal outcome. Mean nPTX3 concentrations was 9.18 ± 7.83 μg/L and high nPTX3 concentrations were detected in five (17.8%) neonates. nPTX3 concentrations were inversely correlated with gestational age and correlated with rate of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and mortality. Neonates with high nPTX3 concentrations also have lowered APGAR scores, increased rate of respiratory distress syndrome, clinical sepsis, IVH, necrotizing enterocolitis and prolonged NICU stay. High PTX3 concentrations of the newborns are associated with some worsened early neonatal outcome including lower gestational age at delivery, increased rate of IVH and mortality. Maternal PTX3 concentrations are not an adequate marker in defining clinical or histologic chorioamnionitis and early neonatal outcome.

  9. Plasma Membrane CRPK1-Mediated Phosphorylation of 14-3-3 Proteins Induces Their Nuclear Import to Fine-Tune CBF Signaling during Cold Response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ziyan; Jia, Yuxin; Ding, Yanglin; Shi, Yiting; Li, Zhen; Guo, Yan; Gong, Zhizhong; Yang, Shuhua

    2017-04-06

    In plant cells, changes in fluidity of the plasma membrane may serve as the primary sensor of cold stress; however, the precise mechanism and how the cell transduces and fine-tunes cold signals remain elusive. Here we show that the cold-activated plasma membrane protein cold-responsive protein kinase 1 (CRPK1) phosphorylates 14-3-3 proteins. The phosphorylated 14-3-3 proteins shuttle from the cytosol to the nucleus, where they interact with and destabilize the key cold-responsive C-repeat-binding factor (CBF) proteins. Consistent with this, the crpk1 and 14-3-3κλ mutants show enhanced freezing tolerance, and transgenic plants overexpressing 14-3-3λ show reduced freezing tolerance. Further study shows that CRPK1 is essential for the nuclear translocation of 14-3-3 proteins and for 14-3-3 function in freezing tolerance. Thus, our study reveals that the CRPK1-14-3-3 module transduces the cold signal from the plasma membrane to the nucleus to modulate CBF stability, which ensures a faithfully adjusted response to cold stress of plants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Pentraxin 3 Activates JNK Signaling and Regulates the Epithelial-To-Mesenchymal Transition in Renal Fibrosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tung-Wei Hung

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Tubulointerstitial fibrosis can lead to end-stage renal disease. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3 is an acute phase protein produced by resident and innate immunity cells. We investigated the effect of PTX3 on cultured human proximal tubular epithelial (HK-2 cells and a rat unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO model of renal fibrosis. Methods: Gain-of-function experiments were used to examine the effect of recombinant human PTX3 (Rh-PTX3 on HK-2 cells. Cell proliferation (MTT assay and in vitro cell migration were measured. The levels of PTX3, p-JNK, and EMT markers were measured using immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR, and western blotting in UUO rats and HK-2 cells. Results: HK-2 cells treated with Rh PTX3 did not affect cell viability, but significantly increased cell migration. Moreover, Rh-PTX3 increased the expression of snail, slug, N-cadherin, and vimentin, decreased the expression of E-cadherin, and increased the phosphorylation of JNK. SP600126 (a specific JNK inhibitor enhanced the effects of Rh-PTX3. Rats with UUO exhibited time-dependent increased levels of PTX3, p-JNK, and vimentin, and decreased expression of E-cadherin. Conclusions: Our results suggest that PTX3 induces cell migration via upregulation of EMT in a JNK-dependent mechanism, and highlight the role of PTX3 in the pathogenesis renal fibrosis.

  11. Human Albumin Fragments Nanoparticles as PTX Carrier for Improved Anti-cancer Efficacy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liang Ge

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available For enhanced anti-cancer performance, human serum albumin fragments (HSAFs nanoparticles (NPs were developed as paclitaxel (PTX carrier in this paper. Human albumins were broken into fragments via degradation and crosslinked by genipin to form HSAF NPs for better biocompatibility, improved PTX drug loading and sustained drug release. Compared with crosslinked human serum albumin NPs, the HSAF-NPs showed relative smaller particle size, higher drug loading, and improved sustained release. Cellular and animal results both indicated that the PTX encapsulated HSAF-NPs have shown good anti-cancer performance. And the anticancer results confirmed that NPs with fast cellular internalization showed better tumor inhibition. These findings will not only provide a safe and robust drug delivery NP platform for cancer therapy, but also offer fundamental information for the optimal design of albumin based NPs.

  12. The Potential Role of Aerobic Exercise-Induced Pentraxin 3 on Obesity-Related Inflammation and Metabolic Dysregulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slusher, Aaron L; Huang, Chun-Jung; Acevedo, Edmund O

    2017-01-01

    Obesity is defined as the excess accumulation of intra-abdominal body fat, resulting in a state of chronic, low-grade proinflammation that can directly contribute to the development of insulin resistance. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an acute-phase protein that is expressed by a variety of tissue and cell sources and provides an anti-inflammatory property to downregulate the production of proinflammatory cytokines, in particular interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha. Although PTX3 may therapeutically aid in altering the proinflammatory milieu in obese individuals, and despite elevated expression of PTX3 mRNA observed in adipose tissue, the circulating level of PTX3 is reduced with obesity. Interestingly, aerobic activity has been demonstrated to elevate PTX3 levels. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to discuss the therapeutic potential of PTX3 to positively regulate obesity-related inflammation and discuss the proposition for utilizing aerobic exercise as a nonpharmacological anti-inflammatory treatment strategy to enhance circulating PTX3 concentrations in obese individuals.

  13. [Determination of plasma protein binding rate of arctiin and arctigenin with ultrafiltration].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Xue-Ying; Wang, Wei; Tan, Ri-Qiu; Dou, De-Qiang

    2013-02-01

    To determine the plasma protein binding rate of arctiin and arctigenin. The ultrafiltration combined with HPLC was employed to determine the plasma protein binding rate of arctiin and arctigenin as well as rat plasma and healthy human plasma proteins. The plasma protein binding rate of arctiin with rat plasma at the concentrations of 64. 29, 32.14, 16.07 mg x L(-1) were (71.2 +/- 2.0)%, (73.4 +/- 0.61)%, (78.2 +/- 1.9)%, respectively; while the plasma protein binding rate of arctiin with healthy human plasma at the above concentrations were (64.8 +/- 3.1)%, (64.5 +/- 2.5)%, (77.5 +/- 1.7)%, respectively. The plasma protein binding rate of arctigenin with rat plasma at the concentrations of 77.42, 38.71, 19.36 mg x L(-1) were (96.7 +/- 0.41)%, (96.8 +/- 1.6)%, (97.3 +/- 0.46)%, respectively; while the plasma protein binding rate of arctigenin with normal human plasma at the above concentrations were (94.7 +/- 3.1)%, (96.8 +/- 1.6)%, (97.9 +/- 1.3)%, respectively. The binding rate of arctiin with rat plasma protein was moderate, which is slightly higher than the binding rate of arctiin with healthy human plasma protein. The plasma protein binding rates of arctigenin with both rat plasma and healthy human plasma are very high.

  14. Serum pentraxin-3 and tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK predict severity of infections in acute decompensated cirrhotic patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wen-Chien Fan

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Pentraxin-3 (PTX3 and soluble tumor necrosis factor (TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK are new candidate prognostic markers for comorbidities and mortality in various inflammatory diseases. Acute decompensation of cirrhosis is characterized by acute exacerbation of chronic systemic inflammation. Recently, increased circulating PTX3 levels have been reported in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis patients and positively correlated with disease severity. This study aims to explore serum PTX3/sTWEAK levels and their relationship with clinical outcomes in cirrhotic patients with acute decompensation. Methods: We analyzed serum PTX3/sTWEAK levels in relation to inhospital and 3-month new clinical events and survivals in cirrhotic patients with acute decompensation. Results: During admission, serum PTX3/sTWEAK levels were significantly higher in acute decompensated cirrhotic patients than controls and positively correlated with protein-energy wasting (PEW, new infections, long hospital stays, high medical costs, and high mortality. During a 3-month follow-up, acute decompensated cirrhotic patients with high serum PTX3/sTWEAK levels had more episodes of unplanned readmission and high 3-month mortality. On multivariate analysis, high PTX3/sTWEAK levels and PEW were independent risk factors for high mortality. Conclusion: High serum PTX3/sTWEAK levels and PEW are common in cirrhotic patients with acute decompensation. As compared with low serum PTX3 and sTWEAK cases, cirrhotic patients with high serum PTX3/sTWEAK levels a have higher probability of new severe infections, severe sepsis, septic shock, type 1 hepatorenal syndrome, in-hospital, and 3-month follow-up mortalities. Therefore, high serum PTX3/sTWEAK levels on hospital admission predict disease severity and case fatality in cirrhotic patients with acute decompensation. Keywords: pentraxin-3, protein-energy wasting, soluble TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis

  15. The Plasmoid Thruster Experiment (PTX)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eskridge, Richard; Martin, Adam; Koelfgen, Syri; Lee, Mike; Smith, James W.

    2003-01-01

    A plasmoid is a compact plasma structure with an integral magnetic field. They have been studied extensively in controlled fusion research and are categorized according to the relative strength of the poloidal and toroidal magnetic field (B(phi), and B(tau), respectively). An object with B(phi)/B(tau) >> 1 is classified as a Field Reverse Configuration (FRC); if B(phi) = B(tau), it is called a Spheromak. There are a number of possible advantages to using accelerated plasmoids for in-space propulsion. A thruster based on this concept would operate by repetitively producing plasmoids and ejecting them from the device at high velocity. The plasmoid is formed inside of a single turn conical theta-pinch coil; as this process is inductive, there are no life-limiting electrodes. Similar experiments have yielded plasmoid velocities of at least 50 km/s (l), and calculations indicate that velocities in excess of 100 km/s are possible. A thruster based on this concept would be capable of producing an I(sp) in the range of 5,000 - 10,OOO s, with thrust densities of order 10(exp 5) N/m(exp 2). The current experiment is designed to produce jet powers in the range of 5-10 kW, although the concept should be scalable to higher power. The purpose of this experiment is to determine the feasibility of this plasma propulsion concept. To accomplish this, it will be necessary to determine: a.) specific impulse and thrust, b.) efficiency and mass utilization, c.) which type of plasmoid (FRC-like or Spheromak-like) gives the best performance, and d.) the characteristics required of actual thruster components (i.e., switch and capacitor technology). The plasmoid mass and velocity will be measured with a variety of diagnostics, including internal and external B-dot probes, flux loops, Langmuir probes, high-speed cameras, and an interferometer. Simulations of the plasmoid thruster using MOQUI, a time dependent MHD code, will be carried out concurrently with experimental testing. The PTX

  16. Pentraxin 3 Is a Predictor for Fibrosis and Arterial Stiffness in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kadir Ozturk

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether pentraxin 3 (PTX3 can be a new noninvasive marker for prediction of liver fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. We also aimed to evaluate the relationship between PTX3 and atherosclerosis in patients with NAFLD. Method. Fifty-four male patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 20 apparently healthy male volunteers were included. PTX3 levels were determined, using an ELISA method (R&D Sysytems, Quantikine ELISA, USA. To detect the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in NAFLD, measurements of CIMT, FMD, and cf-PWV levels were performed. Results. PTX3 levels in NAFLD patients with fibrosis were higher than both NAFLD patients without fibrosis and controls (P=0.032 and P=0.028, respectively, but there was no difference between controls and NAFLD patients without fibrosis in terms of PTX3 levels (P=0.903. PTX3 levels were strongly correlated with cf-PWV (r=0.359, P=0.003, whereas no significant correlation was found with other atherosclerosis markers, CIMT and FMD. Conclusion. Elevated plasma PTX3 levels are associated with the presence of fibrosis in patients with NAFLD, independently of metabolic syndrome components. This study demonstrated that for the first time there is a close association between elevated PTX3 levels and increased arterial stiffness in patients with NAFLD.

  17. Preoperative methylprednisolone increases plasma Pentraxin 3 early after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindberg-Larsen, V.; Kehlet, H.; Pilely, K.

    2018-01-01

    (ficolin‐1, −2 and −3), complement components (C4 and C3), terminal complement complex (TCC) and C‐reactive protein (CRP) concentrations. Blood samples were analysed at baseline and 2, 6, 24 and 48 h after surgery with complete sampling from 63 patients for analyses. MP resulted in an increase...... in circulating PTX3 compared to saline from baseline to 24 h postoperatively (P TCC concentrations did not differ between...

  18. Assessment of ptxD gene as an alternative selectable marker for Agrobacterium-mediated maize transformation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nahampun, Hartinio N; López-Arredondo, Damar; Xu, Xing; Herrera-Estrella, Luis; Wang, Kan

    2016-05-01

    Bacterial phosphite oxidoreductase gene and chemical phosphite can be used as a selection system for Agrobacterium -mediated maize transformation. Application of phosphite (Phi) on plants can interfere the plant metabolic system leading to stunted growth and lethality. On the other hand, ectopic expression of the ptxD gene in tobacco and Arabidopsis allowed plants to grow in media with Phi as the sole phosphorous source. The phosphite oxidoreductase (PTXD) enzyme catalyzes the conversion of Phi into phosphate (Pi) that can then be metabolized by plants and utilized as their essential phosphorous source. Here we assess an alternative selectable marker based on a bacterial ptxD gene for Agrobacterium-mediated maize transformation. We compared the transformation frequencies of maize using either the ptxD/Phi selection system or a standard herbicide bar/bialaphos selection system. Two maize genotypes, a transformation amenable hybrid Hi II and an inbred B104, were tested. Transgene presence, insertion copy numbers, and ptxD transcript levels were analyzed and compared. This work demonstrates that the ptxD/Phi selection system can be used for Agrobacterium-mediated maize transformation of both type I and type II callus culture and achieve a comparable frequency as that of the herbicide bar/bialaphos selection system.

  19. The Potential Role of Aerobic Exercise-Induced Pentraxin 3 on Obesity-Related Inflammation and Metabolic Dysregulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aaron L. Slusher

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Obesity is defined as the excess accumulation of intra-abdominal body fat, resulting in a state of chronic, low-grade proinflammation that can directly contribute to the development of insulin resistance. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3 is an acute-phase protein that is expressed by a variety of tissue and cell sources and provides an anti-inflammatory property to downregulate the production of proinflammatory cytokines, in particular interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha. Although PTX3 may therapeutically aid in altering the proinflammatory milieu in obese individuals, and despite elevated expression of PTX3 mRNA observed in adipose tissue, the circulating level of PTX3 is reduced with obesity. Interestingly, aerobic activity has been demonstrated to elevate PTX3 levels. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to discuss the therapeutic potential of PTX3 to positively regulate obesity-related inflammation and discuss the proposition for utilizing aerobic exercise as a nonpharmacological anti-inflammatory treatment strategy to enhance circulating PTX3 concentrations in obese individuals.

  20. Estimation of pentraxin-3 levels in the gingival tissues of chronic and aggressive periodontitis participants: an in vivo study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lakshmanan, Reema; Jayakumar, N D; Sankari, Malaiappan; Padmalatha, Ogoti; Varghese, Sheeja

    2014-02-01

    Pentraxins are acute-phase proteins that belong to a family of evolutionarily conserved proteins, and they are considered markers of inflammation. Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) is a prototype of the long pentraxin group. It is suggested to play an important role in innate resistance against pathogens, regulation of inflammation, and clearance of apoptotic cells. The aim of this study is to estimate the level of PTX3 in gingival tissues of individuals with chronic (CP) and aggressive (AgP) periodontitis and control participants and further correlate the level of PTX3 with clinical parameters. The study population consisted of 50 participants ranging in age from 20 to 55 years and attending the outpatient section of Department of Periodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, India. The study groups included the following: 1) group A, patients with generalized CP (n = 20); 2) group B (n = 20), patients with generalized AgP (GAgP); and 3) group C (n = 10), healthy controls. Tissue samples from participants were assayed for PTX3 levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Gingival tissues from patients with GAgP (8.349 ± 5.076 ng/mL) had a higher mean concentration of PTX3 than tissues from patients with generalized CP (5.068 ± 3.274 ng/mL) and controls (0.251 ± 0.277). The PTX3 levels in the gingival tissues correlated positively with clinical parameters in all the groups. Among the parameters, probing depth was the most significant predictor variable associated with PTX3 in cases with periodontitis. PTX3 concentration in gingival tissues of patients with GAgP was higher than in tissues from patients with CP, and the levels correlated positively with clinical parameters. Hence, tissue PTX3 level can be considered a marker of inflammation in periodontal disease.

  1. Plasma Protein Profiles Differ Between Women Diagnosed with Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN 1 and 3

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edward E. Partridge

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Early detection of precancerous cells in the cervix and their clinical management is the main purpose of cervical cancer prevention and treatment programs. Cytological findings or testing for high risk (HR-human papillomavirus (HPV are inadequately sensitive for use in triage of women at high risk for cervical cancer. The current study is an exploratory study to identify candidate surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization (SELDI time of flight (TOF mass spectrometry (MS protein profiles in plasma that may distinguish cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 3 from CIN 1 among women infected with HR-HPV. We evaluated the SELDI-TOF-MS plasma protein profiles of HR-HPV positive 32 women with CIN 3 (cases and 28 women with CIN1 (controls. Case-control status was kept blinded and triplicates of each sample and quality control plasma samples were randomized and after robotic sample preparations were run on WCX2 chips. After alignment of mass/charge (m-z values, an iterative method was used to develop a classifier on a training data set that had 28 cases and 22 controls. The classifier developed was used to classify the subjects in a test data set that has six cases and six controls. The classifier separated the cases from controls in the test set with 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity suggesting the possibility of using plasma SELDI protein profiles to identify women who are likely to have CIN 3 lesions.

  2. Long-Term Effectiveness of the Zilver PTX Drug-Eluting Stent for Femoropopliteal Peripheral Artery Disease in Patients with No Patent Tibial Runoff Vessels-Results from the Zilver PTX Japan Post-Market Surveillance Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cipollari, Stefano; Yokoi, Hiroyoshi; Ohki, Takao; Kichikawa, Kimihiko; Nakamura, Masato; Komori, Kimihiro; Nanto, Shinsuke; O'Leary, Erin E; Lottes, Aaron E; Saunders, Alan T; Dake, Michael D

    2018-01-01

    To evaluate 2-year results of the Zilver PTX (Cook Medical, Bloomington, Indiana) drug-eluting stent (DES) for femoropopliteal peripheral artery disease (PAD) in patients with no continuous patent infrapopliteal runoff arteries compared with patients with ≥ 1 continuous patent runoff vessels. A retrospective analysis of patients with femoropopliteal PAD enrolled in the Zilver PTX Post-Market Surveillance Study in Japan was performed. There were no exclusion criteria. Outcomes, including freedom from target lesion revascularization (TLR), patency, and clinical benefit, for the no-runoff group (n = 54) were compared with the runoff group (n = 846). The 2 groups were similar in terms of demographics, lesion characteristics, and comorbidities (P > .05). There was a higher incidence of critical limb ischemia in the no-runoff group compared with the runoff group (44.8% vs 19.7%; P < .01). There were 3 amputations (5.6%) in the no-runoff group versus 7 amputations (0.8%) in the runoff group (P = .02). At 2 years, freedom from TLR rates were 81.3% versus 83.8% (P = .87), patency rates were 68.4% versus 70.7% (P = .95), and clinical benefit rates were 73.7% versus 80.0% (P = .16) in the no-runoff versus runoff group, respectively. Results in patients with no continuous patent tibial runoff were favorable through 2 years and similar to results for patients with ≥ 1 continuous patent runoff vessels, indicating that the Zilver PTX DES may be a valid treatment option for patients with these difficult-to-treat lesions. Copyright © 2017 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Simultaneous estimation of lisofylline and pentoxifylline in rat plasma by high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector and its application to pharmacokinetics in rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Italiya, Kishan S; Sharma, Saurabh; Kothari, Ishit; Chitkara, Deepak; Mittal, Anupama

    2017-09-01

    Lisofylline (LSF) is an anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agent with proven activity in serious infections associated with cancer chemotherapy, hyperoxia-induced acute lung injury, autoimmune disorders including type-1 diabetes (T1DM) and islet rejection after islet transplantation. It is also an active metabolite of another anti-inflammatory agent, Pentoxifylline (PTX). LSF bears immense therapeutic potential in multiple pharmacological activities and hence appropriate and accurate quantification of LSF is very important. Although a number of analytical methods for quantification of LSF and PTX have been reported for pharmacokinetics and metabolic studies, each of these have certain limitations in terms of large sample volume required, complex extraction procedure and/or use of highly sophisticated instruments like LC-MS/MS. The aim of current study is to develop a simple reversed-phase HPLC method in rat plasma for simultaneous determination of LSF and PTX with the major objective of ensuring minimum sample volume, ease of extraction, economy of analysis, selectivity and avoiding use of instruments like LC-MS/MS to ensure a widespread application of the method. A simple liquid-liquid extraction method using methylene chloride as extracting solvent was used for extracting LSF and PTX from rat plasma (200μL). Samples were then evaporated, reconstituted with mobile phase and injected into HPLC coupled with photo-diode detector (PDA). LSF, PTX and 3-isobutyl 1-methyl xanthine (IBMX, internal standard) were separated on Inertsil® ODS (C18) column (250×4.6mm, 5μm) with mobile phase consisting of A-methanol B-water (50:50v/v) run in isocratic mode at flow rate of 1mL/min for 15min and detection at 273nm. The method showed linearity in the concentration range of 50-5000ng/mL with LOD of 10ng/mL and LLOQ of 50ng/mL for both LSF and PTX. Weighted linear regression analysis was also performed on the calibration data. The mean absolute recoveries were found to be 80

  4. Pentraxin 3: An Immuno-regulator in the Lungs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jyoti eBalhara

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Pentraxin-3 (PTX3, is a soluble pattern recognition receptor (PRR and constitutes humoral component of the innate immune system. It interacts with pathogenic moieties, infected and dying host cells and facilitates their removal through activation of appropriate innate and adaptive mechanisms. PTX3 is secreted by a diverse variety of cells, ranging from immune cells to structural cells, in response to toll like receptor (TLR engagement, inflammatory stimuli, physical and chemical stress. Further, PTX3 plays an essential role in female fertility as it facilitates the organization of extracellular matrix in cumulus oophorus. Such activity is also implicated in post-inflammation tissue repair. Altogether, PTX3 is a multifunctional protein and plays a non-redundant role in providing immunity against potential immunological dangers. Hence, it would be noteworthy to assess its role in lung immunity, as lungs are at a constant risk of infections and tissue damage attributable to perpetual exposure to foreign agents in air.

  5. The 82-plex plasma protein signature that predicts increasing inflammation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tepel, Martin; Beck, Hans C; Tan, Qihua

    2015-01-01

    The objective of the study was to define the specific plasma protein signature that predicts the increase of the inflammation marker C-reactive protein from index day to next-day using proteome analysis and novel bioinformatics tools. We performed a prospective study of 91 incident kidney....... The prediction model selected and validated 82 plasma proteins which determined increased next-day C-reactive protein (area under receiver-operator-characteristics curve, 0.772; 95% confidence interval, 0.669 to 0.876; P signature (P ....001) was associated with observed increased next-day C-reactive protein. The 82-plex protein signature outperformed routine clinical procedures. The category-free net reclassification index improved with 82-plex plasma protein signature (total net reclassification index, 88.3%). Using the 82-plex plasma protein...

  6. Age-related differences in plasma proteins: how plasma proteins change from neonates to adults.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vera Ignjatovic

    Full Text Available The incidence of major diseases such as cardiovascular disease, thrombosis and cancer increases with age and is the major cause of mortality world-wide, with neonates and children somehow protected from such diseases of ageing. We hypothesized that there are major developmental differences in plasma proteins and that these contribute to age-related changes in the incidence of major diseases. We evaluated the human plasma proteome in healthy neonates, children and adults using the 2D-DIGE approach. We demonstrate significant changes in number and abundance of up to 100 protein spots that have marked differences in during the transition of the plasma proteome from neonate and child through to adult. These proteins are known to be involved in numerous physiological processes such as iron transport and homeostasis, immune response, haemostasis and apoptosis, amongst others. Importantly, we determined that the proteins that are differentially expressed with age are not the same proteins that are differentially expressed with gender and that the degree of phosphorylation of plasma proteins also changes with age. Given the multi-functionality of these proteins in human physiology, understanding the differences in the plasma proteome in neonates and children compared to adults will make a major contribution to our understanding of developmental biology in humans.

  7. The Influence of Dietary Habits and Meat Consumption on Plasma 3‐Methylhistidine—A Potential Marker for Muscle Protein Turnover

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kochlik, Bastian; Gerbracht, Christiana; Grune, Tilman

    2018-01-01

    Scope 3‐Methylhistidine (3‐MH) as a potential biomarker for muscle protein turnover is influenced by meat intake but data on the impact of meat on plasma 3‐MH are scarce. We determined the association of plasma 3‐MH, 1‐methylhistidine (1‐MH), and creatinine with dietary habits and assessed the impact of a single white meat intervention during a meat‐free period. Methods and results Plasma 3‐MH, 1‐MH, and creatinine concentrations of healthy young omnivores (n = 19) and vegetarians (n = 16) were analyzed together with data on anthropometry, body composition, grip strength, and nutrition. After baseline measurements omnivores adhered to a meat‐free diet for 6 days and received a defined administration of chicken breast on day four. At baseline, omnivores had higher plasma 3‐MH and 1‐MH concentrations than vegetarians. White meat administration led to a slight increase in plasma 3‐MH in omnivores. The elevated 3‐MH concentrations significantly declined within 24 h after white meat intake. Conclusion 1‐MH concentrations in plasma seem to be suitable to display (white) meat consumption and its influence on 3‐MH plasma concentration. 3‐MH in plasma may be used as a biomarker for muscle protein turnover if subjects have not consumed meat in the previous 24 h. PMID:29573154

  8. High-pressure synthesis and structural, physical properties of CaIr1-xPtxO3 and CaIr1-xRhxO3

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirai, S.; Bromiley, G. D.; Klemme, S.; Irifune, T.; Ohfuji, H.; Attfield, P.; Nishiyama, N.

    2010-12-01

    in terms of materials science applications. To our knowledge, this will be the first report on structural, magnetic and charge-transport properties of B-site substituted solid solutions of post-perovskite oxides with 4d/5d transition metals. High-quality polycrystalline samples of CaIr1-xPtxO3 and CaIr1-xRhxO3 have been obtained at high pressures, and structural, magnetic and charge-transport properties of the compounds will be reported. ODF analysis reveals that solutions of CaIrO3, CaPtO3 and CaRhO3 exhibit similar grain growth features to the mother compound, although growth in [0 1 0] plays a more dominant role than the growth in [0 0 1] for the solid solutions. CaIrO3 is a characteristic hard magnet suitable for applications such as magnetic recording, with TN = 108K. A new phase of CaIr1-xPtxO3 synthesized at a high P/T condition has Raman modes which resemble those of CaIrO3 perovskite, suggesting this phase has a perovskite structure.The instability of the perovskite phase of CaIr1-xPtxO3 reveals why the post-perovskite to peovskite phase transition has not been observed for CaPtO3 unlike the case for CaIrO3, CaRhO3 and CaRuO3.

  9. Study on Association of Pentraxin 3 and Diabetic Nephropathy in a Rat Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xuehai Chen

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Diabetic nephropathy (DN is a serious microvascular complication of diabetes. Compared with other therapies for diabetic patients, islet transplantation can effectively prevent and reverse diabetes-induced microvascular disease, such as diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy. PTX3 is the only long pentraxin that can be detected in renal tissue. In this study, we investigated the expression of PTX3 when early DN was reversed after islet transplantation. Methods. Diabetes was induced in rats by injecting streptozotocin (STZ. Twelve weeks later, the diabetic rats were divided into 2 groups: the islet transplantation group (IT and the diabetic nephropathy group (DN. Renal injury, renal function, and the expression of PTX3 in the plasma and the kidneys were assessed with urinalysis, immunohistochemical staining, and Western blot, respectively. Results. The expression of PTX3 in the kidney was significantly decreased in the DN group but increased in the IT group because of the reversal of DN. Conclusions. Our data showed that the level of PTX3 in renal tissue is closely related to renal injury in DN. This may be used to quantify the extent of renal injury in DN, provide a potential early indicator of renal tubular injury in early DN patients, and assess DN clinical progression.

  10. Association of pentraxin and high-sensitive C-reactive protein as inflammatory biomarkers in patients with chronic periodontitis and peripheral arterial disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyapati, Ramanarayana; Chinthalapani, Srikanth; Ramisetti, Arpita; Salavadhi, Shyam Sunder; Ramachandran, Radhika

    2018-01-01

    Inflammation is a common feature of both peripheral artery disease (PAD) and periodontal disease. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between PAD and periodontal disease by examining the levels of inflammatory cytokines, pentraxin-3 (PTX-3), and high-sensitive C-reactive protein from serum. A total of 50 patients were included in this cross-sectional study. Patients were divided into two groups: those with PAD (test group) and those with the non-PAD group (control group) based on ankle-brachial index values. Periodontal examinations and biochemical analysis for PTX-3 and high-sensitive C-reactive protein were performed to compare the two groups. All the obtained data were sent for statistical analyses using SPSS version 18. In the clinical parameters, there is statistically significant difference present between plaque index, clinical attachment loss, and periodontal inflammatory surface area with higher mean values in patients with PAD having periodontitis. There is statistical significant ( P C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and PTX-3. PTX-3 and acute-phase cytokine such as hs-CRP can be regarded as one of the best indicators to show the association between the PAD and periodontitis followed by hs-CRP, TC, very LDL (VLDL), and LDL. However, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is a poor indicator for its association with chronic periodontitis and PAD.

  11. ptxD gene in combination with phosphite serves as a highly effective selection system to generate transgenic cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandeya, Devendra; Campbell, LeAnne M; Nunes, Eugenia; Lopez-Arredondo, Damar L; Janga, Madhusudhana R; Herrera-Estrella, Luis; Rathore, Keerti S

    2017-12-01

    This report demonstrates the usefulness of ptxD/phosphite as a selection system that not only provides a highly efficient and simple means to generate transgenic cotton plants, but also helps address many of the concerns related to the use of antibiotic and herbicide resistance genes in the production of transgenic crops. Two of the most popular dominant selectable marker systems for plant transformation are based on either antibiotic or herbicide resistance genes. Due to concerns regarding their safety and in order to stack multiple traits in a single plant, there is a need for alternative selectable marker genes. The ptxD gene, derived from Pseudomonas stutzeri WM88, that confers to cells the ability to convert phosphite (Phi) into orthophosphate (Pi) offers an alternative selectable marker gene as demonstrated for tobacco and maize. Here, we show that the ptxD gene in combination with a protocol based on selection medium containing Phi, as the sole source of phosphorus (P), can serve as an effective and efficient system to select for transformed cells and generate transgenic cotton plants. Fluorescence microscopy examination of the cultures under selection and molecular analyses on the regenerated plants demonstrate the efficacy of the system in recovering cotton transformants following Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Under the ptxD/Phi selection, an average of 3.43 transgenic events per 100 infected explants were recovered as opposed to only 0.41% recovery when bar/phosphinothricin (PPT) selection was used. The event recovery rates for nptII/kanamycin and hpt/hygromycin systems were 2.88 and 2.47%, respectively. Molecular analysis on regenerated events showed a selection efficiency of ~ 97% under the ptxD/Phi system. Thus, ptxD/Phi has proven to be a very efficient, positive selection system for the generation of transgenic cotton plants with equal or higher transformation efficiencies compared to the commonly used, negative selection systems.

  12. Targeting of OSBP-related protein 3 (ORP3) to endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane is controlled by multiple determinants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lehto, Markku; Hynynen, Riikka; Karjalainen, Katja; Kuismanen, Esa; Hyvaerinen, Kati; Olkkonen, Vesa M.

    2005-01-01

    The intracellular targeting determinants of oxysterol binding protein (OSBP)-related protein 3 (ORP3) were studied using a series of truncated and point mutated constructs. The pleckstrin homology (PH) domain of ORP3 binds the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) products, PI(3,4)P 2 and PI(3,4,5)P 3 . A functional PH domain and flanking sequences are crucial for the plasma membrane (PM) targeting of ORP3. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) targeting of ORP3 is regulated the by a FFAT motif (EFFDAxE), which mediates interaction with VAMP-associated protein (VAP)-A. The targeting function of the FFAT motif dominates over that of the PH domain. In addition, the exon 10/11 region modulates interaction of ORP3 with the ER and the nuclear membrane. Analysis of a chimeric ORP3:OSBP protein suggests that ligand binding by the C-terminal domain of OSBP induces allosteric changes that activate the N-terminal targeting modules of ORP3. Notably, over-expression of ORP3 together with VAP-A induces stacked ER membrane structures also known as organized smooth ER (OSER). Moreover, lipid starvation promotes formation of dilated peripheral ER (DPER) structures dependent on the ORP3 protein. Based on the present data, we introduce a model for the inter-relationships of the functional domains of ORP3 in the membrane targeting of the protein

  13. Rupturing Giant Plasma Membrane Vesicles to Form Micron-sized Supported Cell Plasma Membranes with Native Transmembrane Proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiang, Po-Chieh; Tanady, Kevin; Huang, Ling-Ting; Chao, Ling

    2017-11-09

    Being able to directly obtain micron-sized cell blebs, giant plasma membrane vesicles (GPMVs), with native membrane proteins and deposit them on a planar support to form supported plasma membranes could allow the membrane proteins to be studied by various surface analytical tools in native-like bilayer environments. However, GPMVs do not easily rupture on conventional supports because of their high protein and cholesterol contents. Here, we demonstrate the possibility of using compression generated by the air-water interface to efficiently rupture GPMVs to form micron-sized supported membranes with native plasma membrane proteins. We demonstrated that not only lipid but also a native transmembrane protein in HeLa cells, Aquaporin 3 (AQP3), is mobile in the supported membrane platform. This convenient method for generating micron-sized supported membrane patches with mobile native transmembrane proteins could not only facilitate the study of membrane proteins by surface analytical tools, but could also enable us to use native membrane proteins for bio-sensing applications.

  14. Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching Analysis of the Diffusional Mobility of Plasma Membrane Proteins: HER3 Mobility in Breast Cancer Cell Membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarkar, Mitul; Koland, John G

    2016-01-01

    The fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) method is a straightforward means of assessing the diffusional mobility of membrane-associated proteins that is readily performed with current confocal microscopy instrumentation. We describe here the specific application of the FRAP method in characterizing the lateral diffusion of genetically encoded green fluorescence protein (GFP)-tagged plasma membrane receptor proteins. The method is exemplified in an examination of whether the previously observed segregation of the mammalian HER3 receptor protein in discrete plasma membrane microdomains results from its physical interaction with cellular entities that restrict its mobility. Our FRAP measurements of the diffusional mobility of GFP-tagged HER3 reporters expressed in MCF7 cultured breast cancer cells showed that despite the observed segregation of HER3 receptors within plasma membrane microdomains their diffusion on the macroscopic scale is not spatially restricted. Thus, in FRAP analyses of various HER3 reporters a near-complete recovery of fluorescence after photobleaching was observed, indicating that HER3 receptors are not immobilized by long-lived physical interactions with intracellular species. An examination of HER3 proteins with varying intracellular domain sequence truncations also indicated that a proposed formation of oligomeric HER3 networks, mediated by physical interactions involving specific HER3 intracellular domain sequences, either does not occur or does not significantly reduce HER3 mobility on the macroscopic scale.

  15. Pentraxin 3 plasma levels at graft-versus-host disease onset predict disease severity and response to therapy in children given haematopoietic stem cell transplantation

    OpenAIRE

    Dander, Erica; De Lorenzo, Paola; Bottazzi, Barbara; Quarello, Paola; Vinci, Paola; Balduzzi, Adriana; Masciocchi, Francesca; Bonanomi, Sonia; Cappuzzello, Claudia; Prunotto, Giulia; Pavan, Fabio; Pasqualini, Fabio; Sironi, Marina; Cuccovillo, Ivan; Leone, Roberto

    2016-01-01

    Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD) remains a major complication of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, with a significant proportion of patients failing to respond to first-line systemic corticosteroids. Reliable biomarkers predicting disease severity and response to treatment are warranted to improve its management. Thus, we sought to determine whether pentraxin 3 (PTX3), an acute-phase protein produced locally at the site of inflammation, could represent a novel acute G...

  16. Plasma Membrane Protein Profiling in Beta-Amyloid-Treated Microglia Cell Line.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Correani, Virginia; Di Francesco, Laura; Mignogna, Giuseppina; Fabrizi, Cinzia; Leone, Stefano; Giorgi, Alessandra; Passeri, Alessia; Casata, Roberto; Fumagalli, Lorenzo; Maras, Bruno; Schininà, M Eugenia

    2017-09-01

    In the responsiveness of microglia to toxic stimuli, plasma membrane proteins play a key role. In this study we treated with a synthetic beta amyloid peptide murine microglial cells metabolically differently labelled with stable isotope amino acids (SILAC). The plasma membrane was selectively enriched by a multi-stage aqueous two-phase partition system. We were able to identify by 1D-LC-MS/MS analyses 1577 proteins, most of them are plasma membrane proteins according to the Gene Ontology annotation. An unchanged level of amyloid receptors in this data set suggests that microglia preserve their responsiveness capability to the environment even after 24-h challenge with amyloid peptides. On the other hand, 14 proteins were observed to change their plasma membrane abundance to a statistically significant extent. Among these, we proposed as reliable biomarkers of the inflammatory microglia phenotype in AD damaged tissues MAP/microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 3 (MARK3), Interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3), Annexins A5 and A7 (ANXA5, ANXA7) and Neuropilin-1 (NRP1), all proteins known to be involved in the inflammation processes and in microtubule network assembly rate. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor BEZ235 as a promising therapeutic strategy against paclitaxel-resistant gastric cancer via targeting PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Dongshao; Lin, Xiaoting; Zhang, Cheng; Liu, Zhentao; Chen, Zuhua; Li, Zhongwu; Wang, Jingyuan; Li, Beifang; Hu, Yanting; Dong, Bin; Shen, Lin; Ji, Jiafu; Gao, Jing; Zhang, Xiaotian

    2018-01-26

    Paclitaxel (PTX) is widely used in the front-line chemotherapy for gastric cancer (GC), but resistance limits its use. Due to the lack of proper models, mechanisms underlying PTX resistance in GC were not well studied. Using established PTX-resistant GC cell sublines HGC-27R, we for the first time integrated biological traits and molecular mechanisms of PTX resistance in GC. Data revealed that PTX-resistant GC cells were characterized by microtubular disorders, an EMT phenotype, reduced responses to antimitotic drugs, and resistance to apoptosis (marked by upregulated β-tubulin III, vimentin, attenuated changes in G 2 /M molecules or pro-apoptotic factors in response to antimitotic drugs or apoptotic inducers, respectively). Activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase, the serine/threonine kinase Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways were also observed, which might be the reason for above phenotypic alternations. In vitro data suggested that targeting these pathways were sufficient to elicit antitumor responses in PTX-resistant GC, in which the dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor BEZ235 displayed higher therapeutic efficiency than the mTOR inhibitor everolimus or the MEK inhibitor AZD6244. Antitumor effects of BEZ235 were also confirmed in mice bearing HGC-27R tumors. Thus, these data suggest that PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK pathway inhibition, especially PI3K/mTOR dual blockade, might be a promising therapeutic strategy against PTX-resistant GC.

  18. Anti-EGFR-iRGD recombinant protein conjugated silk fibroin nanoparticles for enhanced tumor targeting and antitumor efficiency

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bian X

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Xinyu Bian,* Puyuan Wu,* Huizi Sha, Hanqing Qian, Qing Wang, Lei Cheng, Yang Yang, Mi Yang, Baorui LiuComprehensive Cancer Center of Drum-Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: In this study, we report a novel kind of targeting with paclitaxel (PTX-loaded silk fibroin nanoparticles conjugated with iRGD–EGFR nanobody recombinant protein (anti-EGFR-iRGD. The new nanoparticles (called A-PTX-SF-NPs were prepared using the carbodiimide-mediated coupling procedure and their characteristics were evaluated. The cellular cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of A-PTX-SF-NPs were also investigated. The results in vivo suggested that NPs conjugated with the recombinant protein exhibited more targeting and anti-neoplastic property in cells with high EGFR expression. In the in vivo antitumor efficacy assay, the A-PTX-SF-NPs group showed slower tumor growth and smaller tumor volumes than PTX-SF-NPs in a HeLa xenograft mouse model. A real-time near-infrared fluorescence imaging study showed that A-PTX-SF-NPs could target the tumor more effectively. These results suggest that the anticancer activity and tumor targeting of A-PTX-SF-NPs were superior to those of PTX-SF-NPs and may have the potential to be used for targeted delivery for tumor therapies. Keywords: EGFR, nanobody, iRGD, recombinant protein, targeting drug carriers, antitumor efficiency

  19. Deglycosylation of serum vitamin D3-binding protein by alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase detected in the plasma of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamamoto, N; Naraparaju, V R; Moore, M; Brent, L H

    1997-03-01

    A serum glycoprotein, Gc protein (vitamin D3-binding protein), can be converted by beta-galactosidase of B cells and sialidase of T cells to a potent macrophage-activating factor (MAF), a protein with N-acetylgalactosamine as the remaining sugar moiety. Thus, Gc protein is the precursor for MAF. Treatment of Gc protein with immobilized beta-galactosidase and sialidase generates a remarkably high titered macrophage-activating factor (GcMAF). When peripheral blood monocytes/ macrophages (designated macrophages) of 33 systemic lupus erythematosus patients were incubated with GcMAF (100 pg/ml), the macrophages of all patients were activated as determined by superoxide generation. However, the precursor activity of patient plasma Gc protein was lost or reduced in these patients. Loss of the precursor activity was the result of deglycosylation of plasma Gc protein by alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase activity found in the patient plasma. Levels of plasma alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase activity in individual patients had an inverse correlation with the MAF precursor activity of their plasma Gc protein. Deglycosylated Gc protein cannot be converted to macro-phage-activating factor. The resulting defect in macro-phage activation may lead to an inability to clear pathogenic immune complexes. Thus, elevated plasma alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase activity resulting in the loss of MAF precursor activity and reduced macro-phage activity may play a role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus.

  20. Effect of pertussis toxin pretreated centrally on blood glucose level induced by stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suh, Hong-Won; Sim, Yun-Beom; Park, Soo-Hyun; Sharma, Naveen; Im, Hyun-Ju; Hong, Jae-Seung

    2016-09-01

    In the present study, we examined the effect of pertussis toxin (PTX) administered centrally in a variety of stress-induced blood glucose level. Mice were exposed to stress after the pretreatment of PTX (0.05 or 0.1 µg) i.c.v. or i.t. once for 6 days. Blood glucose level was measured at 0, 30, 60 and 120 min after stress stimulation. The blood glucose level was increased in all stress groups. The blood glucose level reached at maximum level after 30 min of stress stimulation and returned to a normal level after 2 h of stress stimulation in restraint stress, physical, and emotional stress groups. The blood glucose level induced by cold-water swimming stress was gradually increased up to 1 h and returned to the normal level. The intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) or intrathecal (i.t.) pretreatment with PTX, a Gi inhibitor, alone produced a hypoglycemia and almost abolished the elevation of the blood level induced by stress stimulation. The central pretreatment with PTX caused a reduction of plasma insulin level, whereas plasma corticosterone level was further up-regulated in all stress models. Our results suggest that the hyperglycemia produced by physical stress, emotional stress, restraint stress, and the cold-water swimming stress appear to be mediated by activation of centrally located PTX-sensitive G proteins. The reduction of blood glucose level by PTX appears to due to the reduction of plasma insulin level. The reduction of blood glucose level by PTX was accompanied by the reduction of plasma insulin level. Plasma corticosterone level up-regulation by PTX in stress models may be due to a blood glucose homeostatic mechanism.

  1. Dynamic changes in Id3 and E-protein activity orchestrate germinal center and plasma cell development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gloury, Renee; Zotos, Dimitra; Zuidscherwoude, Malou; Masson, Frederick; Liao, Yang; Hasbold, Jhaguaral; Corcoran, Lynn M.; Hodgkin, Phil D.; Belz, Gabrielle T.; Shi, Wei; Nutt, Stephen L.; Tarlinton, David M.

    2016-01-01

    The generation of high-affinity antibodies requires germinal center (GC) development and differentiation of long-lived plasma cells in a multilayered process that is tightly controlled by the activity of multiple transcription factors. Here, we reveal a new layer of complexity by demonstrating that dynamic changes in Id3 and E-protein activity govern both GC and plasma cell differentiation. We show that down-regulation of Id3 in B cells is essential for releasing E2A and E2-2, which in a redundant manner are required for antigen-induced B cell differentiation. We demonstrate that this pathway controls the expression of multiple key factors, including Blimp1, Xbp1, and CXCR4, and is therefore critical for establishing the transcriptional network that controls GC B cell and plasma cell differentiation. PMID:27217539

  2. Novel approach for a PTX/VEGF dual drug delivery system in cardiovascular applications-an innovative bulk and surface drug immobilization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wulf, Katharina; Teske, Michael; Matschegewski, Claudia; Arbeiter, Daniela; Bajer, Dalibor; Eickner, Thomas; Schmitz, Klaus-Peter; Grabow, Niels

    2018-06-01

    The successive incorporation of several drugs into the polymeric bulk of implants mostly results in loss of considerable quantity of one drug, and/or the loss in quality of the coating and also in changes of drug release time points. A dual drug delivery system (DDDS) based on poly-L-lactide (PLLA) copolymers combining the effective inhibition of smooth muscle cell proliferation while simultaneously promoting re-endothelialization was successfully developed. To overcome possible antagonistic drug interactions and the limitation of the polymeric bulk material as release system for dual drugs, a novel concept which combines the bulk and surface drug immobilization for a DDDS was investigated. The advantage of this DDDS is that the bulk incorporation of fluorescein diacetate (FDAc) (model drug for paclitaxel (PTX)) via spray coating enhanced the subsequent cleavable surface coupling of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) via the crosslinker bissulfosuccinimidyl suberate (BS 3 ). In the presence of the embedded FDAc, the VEGF loading and release are about twice times higher than in absence. Furthermore, the DDDS combines the diffusion drug delivery (FDAc or PTX) and the chemical controlled drug release, VEGF via hydrolysable ester bonds, without loss in quantity and quality of the drug release curves. Additionally, the performed in vitro biocompatibility study showed the bimodal influences of PTX and VEGF on human endothelial EA.hy926 cells. In conclusion, it was possible to show the feasibility to develop a novel DDDS which has a high potential for the medical application due to the possible easy and short modification of a polymer-based PTX delivery system.

  3. Hypochlorite-induced oxidation of proteins in plasma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hawkins, C L; Davies, Michael Jonathan

    1999-01-01

    Activated phagocyte cells generate hypochlorite (HOCl) via the release of H2O2 and the enzyme myeloperoxidase. Plasma proteins are major targets for HOCl, although little information is available about the mechanism(s) of oxidation. In this study the reaction of HOCl (at least 50 microM) with dil......Activated phagocyte cells generate hypochlorite (HOCl) via the release of H2O2 and the enzyme myeloperoxidase. Plasma proteins are major targets for HOCl, although little information is available about the mechanism(s) of oxidation. In this study the reaction of HOCl (at least 50 micro......M) with diluted fresh human plasma has been shown to generate material that oxidizes 5-thio-2-nitrobenzoic acid; these oxidants are believed to be chloramines formed from the reaction of HOCl with protein amine groups. Chloramines have also been detected with isolated plasma proteins treated with HOCl. In both...... more efficient. The reaction of fresh diluted plasma with HOCl also gives rise to protein-derived nitrogen-centred radicals in a time- and HOCl-concentration-dependent manner; these have been detected by EPR spin trapping. Identical radicals have been detected with isolated HOCl-treated plasma proteins...

  4. PLASMA PROTEIN AND HEMOGLOBIN PRODUCTION

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robscheit-Robbins, F. S.; Miller, L. L.; Whipple, G. H.

    1947-01-01

    Given healthy dogs fed abundant iron and protein-free or low protein diets with sustained anemia and hypoproteinemia, we can study the capacity of these animals to produce simultaneously new hemoglobin and plasma protein. Reserve stores of blood protein-building materials are measurably depleted and levels of 6 to 8 gm. per cent for hemoglobin and 4 to 5 gm. per cent for plasma protein can be maintained for weeks or months depending upon the intake of food proteins or amino acid mixtures. These dogs are very susceptible to infection and various poisons. Dogs tire of these diets and loss of appetite terminates many experiments. Under these conditions (double depletion) standard growth mixtures of essential amino acids are tested to show the response in blood protein output and urinary nitrogen balance. As a part of each tabulated experiment one of the essential amino acids is deleted from the complete growth mixture to compare such response with that of the whole mixture. Methionine, threonine, phenylalanine, and tryptophane when singly eliminated from the complete amino acid mixture do effect a sharp rise in urinary nitrogen. This loss of urinary nitrogen is corrected when the individual amino acid is replaced in the mixture. Histidine, lysine, and valine have a moderate influence upon urinary nitrogen balance toward nitrogen conservation. Leucine, isoleucine, and arginine have minimal or no effect upon urinary nitrogen balance when these individual amino acids are deleted from the complete growth mixture of amino acids during 3 to 4 week periods. Tryptophane and to a less extent phenylalanine and threonine when returned to the amino acid mixture are associated with a conspicuous preponderance of plasma protein output over the hemoglobin output (Table 4). Arginine, lysine, and histidine when returned to the amino acid mixture are associated with a large preponderance of hemoglobin output. Various amino acid mixtures under these conditions may give a positive

  5. Arabidopsis protein kinase PKS5 inhibits the plasma membrane H+ -ATPase by preventing interaction with 14-3-3 protein

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fuglsang, Anja Thoe; Guo, Yan; Cuin, Tracey A.

    2007-01-01

    Regulation of the trans-plasma membrane pH gradient is an important part of plant responses to several hormonal and environmental cues, including auxin, blue light, and fungal elicitors. However, little is known about the signaling components that mediate this regulation. Here, we report...... that an Arabidopsis thaliana Ser/Thr protein kinase, PKS5, is a negative regulator of the plasma membrane proton pump (PM Hþ-ATPase). Loss-of-function pks5 mutant plants are more tolerant of high external pH due to extrusion of protons to the extracellular space. PKS5 phosphorylates the PM Hþ-ATPase AHA2 at a novel...

  6. Athoropometric measurements and plasma proteins in protein ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Athoropometric measurements and plasma proteins in protein energy malnutrition. MH Etukudo, EO Agbedana, OO Akinyinka, BOA Osifo. Abstract. No Abstract. Global Journal of Medical Sciences Vol. 5(1) 2006: 7-11. Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD ...

  7. Exploring the phase space of time of flight mass selected PtxY nanoparticles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Masini, Federico; Hernandez-Fernandez, Patricia; Deiana, Davide

    2014-01-01

    the importance of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ion scattering spectroscopy (ISS) for verifying the morphology, size distribution and chemical composition of the nanoparticles. Furthermore, we correlate the morphology and the composition of the Ptx...

  8. Mapping of 79 loci for 83 plasma protein biomarkers in cardiovascular disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Folkersen, Lasse Westergaard; Fauman, Eric; Sabater-Lleal, Maria

    2017-01-01

    Recent advances in highly multiplexed immunoassays have allowed systematic large-scale measurement of hundreds of plasma proteins in large cohort studies. In combination with genotyping, such studies offer the prospect to 1) identify mechanisms involved with regulation of protein expression...... in plasma, and 2) determine whether the plasma proteins are likely to be causally implicated in disease. We report here the results of genome-wide association (GWA) studies of 83 proteins considered relevant to cardiovascular disease (CVD), measured in 3,394 individuals with multiple CVD risk factors. We...... on coronary artery disease, and highlight several potentially causal associations. Overall, a majority of the plasma proteins studied showed evidence of regulation at the genetic level. Our results enable future studies of the causal architecture of human disease, which in turn should aid discovery of new...

  9. Driver mutations (JAK2V617F, MPLW515L/K or CALR), pentraxin-3 and C-reactive protein in essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera

    OpenAIRE

    Lussana, Federico; Carobbio, Alessandra; Salmoiraghi, Silvia; Guglielmelli, Paola; Vannucchi, Alessandro Maria; Bottazzi, Barbara; Leone, Roberto; Mantovani, Alberto; Barbui, Tiziano; Rambaldi, Alessandro

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Background The driver mutations JAK2V617F, MPLW515L/K and CALR influence disease phenotype of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and might sustain a condition of chronic inflammation. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) are inflammatory biomarkers potentially useful for refining prognostic classification of MPNs. Methods We evaluated 305 with essential thrombocythemia (ET) and 172 polycythemia vera (PV) patients diagnosed according to the 2016 WHO cri...

  10. Targeting property and toxicity of a novel ultrasound contrast agent microbubble carrying the targeting and drug-loaded complex FA-CNTs-PTX on MCF7 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jie; Zhang, Yu; Liu, Junxi; Li, Guozhong; Wen, Zhaohui; Zhao, Yue; Zhang, Xiangyu; Liu, Fenghua

    2017-10-01

    The application of ultrasound contrast agents not only is confined to the enhancement of ultrasound imaging but also has started to be used as a drug system for diagnosis and treatment. In this paper, Span60 and PEG1500 were used as membrane materials, and a new targeting and drug-loading multifunctional ultrasound contrast agent microbubble enveloping the FA-CNTs-PTX complex was successfully prepared by acoustic cavitation. With the breast cancer cell line MCF7 as the research target, the effects of the microbubble with FA-CNTs-PTX on the proliferation and toxicity of MCF7 cells were studied using a CCK-8 and AO/EB double-staining method. The influences of the microbubbles with FA-CNTs-PTX on the cellular morphology and apoptosis period of the MCF7 cells were detected using an inverted fluorescence microscope. The apoptosis of MCF7 cells induced by the microbubbles with FA-CNTs-PTX was investigated with flow cytometry and an annexin and PI double staining fluorescence quantitative analysis. The results indicated that the ultrasound contrast agent microbubble with FA-CNTs-PTX remarkably inhibited the proliferation of MCF7 cells, which was mainly controlled by the drug loading rate and the nanometer size of the microbubbles. Moreover, the proliferative inhibition rate of the microbubbles with FA-CNTs-PTX was related to the cell apoptosis period of MCF7 cells. Its inhibition degree on the proliferation of MCF7 cells was higher than that of the hepatoma HepG2 cells. The apoptosis rate of MCF7 cells induced by the microbubbles with FA-CNTs-PTX was higher than that of normal human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and the microbubbles with FA-CNTs-PTX could target the MCF7 cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Plasma proteins and proteinuria in gestational malaria

    OpenAIRE

    Fisayo, Asaolu Modupe

    2007-01-01

    The plasma concentrations of total protein, albumin, immunoglobulins IgG, IgA and IgM and urinary protein were assayed in 250 pregnant Nigerian women with malaria and compared with 250 healthy pregnant women which served as controls. The mean values of plasma total proteins, albumin, IgG and IgA were significantly lowered (P

  12. Clinical relevance of drug binding to plasma proteins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ascenzi, Paolo; Fanali, Gabriella; Fasano, Mauro; Pallottini, Valentina; Trezza, Viviana

    2014-12-01

    Binding to plasma proteins highly influences drug efficacy, distribution, and disposition. Serum albumin, the most abundant protein in plasma, is a monomeric multi-domain macromolecule that displays an extraordinary ligand binding capacity, providing a depot and carrier for many endogenous and exogenous compounds, such as fatty acids and most acidic drugs. α-1-Acid glycoprotein, the second main plasma protein, is a glycoprotein physiologically involved in the acute phase reaction and is the main carrier for basic and neutral drugs. High- and low-density lipoproteins play a limited role in drug binding and are natural drug delivery system only for few lipophilic drugs or lipid-based formulations. Several factors influence drug binding to plasma proteins, such as pathological conditions, concurrent administration of drugs, sex, and age. Any of these factors, in turn, influences drug efficacy and toxicity. Here, biochemical, biomedical, and biotechnological aspects of drug binding to plasma proteins are reviewed.

  13. Isolation and characterization of gelatin-binding proteins from goat seminal plasma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lazure Claude

    2003-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract A family of proteins designated BSP-A1, BSP-A2, BSP-A3 and BSP-30 kDa (collectively called BSP proteins for Bovine Seminal Plasma proteins constitute the major protein fraction in the bull seminal plasma. These proteins interact with choline phospholipids on the sperm surface and play a role in the membrane stabilization (decapacitation and destabilization (capacitation process. Homologous proteins have been isolated from boar and stallion seminal plasma. In the current study we report the isolation and preliminary characterization of homologous proteins from goat seminal plasma. Frozen semen (-80°C was thawed and centrifuged to remove sperm. The proteins in the supernatant were precipitated by the addition of cold ethanol. The precipitates were dissolved in ammonium bicarbonate and lyophilised. The lyophilised proteins were dissolved in phosphate buffer and loaded onto a gelatin-agarose column, which was previously equilibrated with the same buffer. The column was successively washed with phosphate buffer, with phosphate buffer saline and with 0.5 M urea in phosphate buffer saline to remove unadsorbed proteins, and the adsorbed proteins were eluted with 5 M urea in phosphate buffer saline. Analysis of pooled, dialysed and lyophilised gelatin-agarose adsorbed protein fraction by SDS-PAGE indicated the presence of four protein bands that were designated GSP-14 kDa, GSP-15 kDa, GSP-20 kDa and GSP-22 kDa (GSP, Goat Seminal Plasma proteins. Heparin-affinity chromatography was then used for the separation of GSP-20 and -22 kDa from GSP-14 and -15 kDa. Finally, HPLC separation permitted further isolation of each one from the other. Amino acid sequence analysis of these proteins indicated that they are homologous to BSP proteins. In addition, these BSP homologs bind to hen's egg-yolk low-density lipoproteins. These results together with our previous data indicate that BSP family proteins are ubiquitous in mammalian seminal plasma, exist in

  14. Irradiation of porcine plasma protein powder, 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayashi, Toru; Saito, Masayoshi; Todoroki, Setsuko; Tajima, Makoto; Biagio, R.

    1987-01-01

    Recently interest in the use of animal blood protein as a food ingradient has been increasing. A study was conducted on the decontamination effect of gamma rays and electrons beam on plasma protein powder prepared from slaughtered porcine blood. Non irradiated sample was mainly contaminated with heat-resistant becterial spores (B. subtilis) and the total mocrobial count was 9.6 x 10 3 per 1 g of dried powder. The D 10 values of total microbial count for gamma rays and electrons beam were 0.82 kGy and 1.06 kGy, respectively. For B. subtilis, the D 10 values obtained under aerobic condition were 1.40 kGy for gamma rays and 1.45 kGy for electrons beam, with the survival curve for electrons beam showing a shoulder until 0.1 kGy. From these results, both types of irradiation were effective for the decotamination of plasma proteins. (author)

  15. Goeckerman's therapy for psoriasis with special reference to serum pentraxin 3 level

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ctirad, A.; Lenka, B.; David, P.; Zdenek, F.; Kveta, H.; Karel, E.; Jan, K. [Charles University Prague, Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic). University Hospital

    2008-10-15

    Goeckerman's therapy (GT) of psoriasis is based on daily application of pharmacy grade coal tar on affected skin with subsequent exposure to UV light. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is a newly identified acute phase reactant with non redundant functions in innate immunity. PTX3 has been shown to be a reliable prognostic marker in patients with various inflammatory disorders including rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, and psoriasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of Goeckerman's therapy of psoriasis on levels of two pentraxins: long pentraxin PTX3 and C reactive protein in 49 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis. CRP was assessed by immunonephelometry on IMMAGE 800 (Beckman, USA). PTX3 was detected using sandwich ELISA detection set (Alexis Biochemicals, Switzerland). The serum levels of both parameters (expressed as average {+-} 1 SD) were significantly diminished after GT. The level of PTX3 dropped from 1.92 {+-} 0.72 ng/ml before GT to 1.66 {+-} 0.58 ng/ml after GT (P = 0.0396) and the level of CRP fell from 4.64 {+-} 3.93 mg/l to 1.66 {+-} 0.58 mg/l (P {lt} 0.0001). Comparing to healthy controls, the serum levels of both parameters before GT were significantly higher than those found in healthy blood donors and remained significantly increased after GT. Increased serum concentrations of pentraxin 3 and CRP are alleviated by GT in patients with psoriasis.

  16. Photoaffinity labeling of serum vitamin D binding protein by 3-deoxy-3-azido-25-hydroxyvitamin D3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Link, R.P.; Kutner, A.; Schnoes, H.K.; DeLuca, H.F.

    1987-01-01

    3-Deoxy-3-azido-25-hydroxyvitamin D3 was covalently incorporated in the 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 binding site of purified human plasma vitamin D binding protein. Competition experiments showed that 3-deoxy-3-azido-25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 bind at the same site on the protein. Tritiated 3-deoxy-3-azido-25-hydroxyvitamin D3 was synthesized from tritiated 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, retaining the high specific activity of the parent compound. The tritiated azido label bound reversibly to human vitamin D binding protein in the dark and covalently to human vitamin D binding protein after exposure to ultraviolet light. Reversible binding of tritiated 3-deoxy-3-azido-25-hydroxyvitamin D3 was compared to tritiated 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 binding to human vitamin D binding protein. Scatchard analysis of the data indicated equivalent maximum density binding sites with a KD,app of 0.21 nM for 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and a KD,app of 1.3 nM for the azido derivative. Covalent binding was observed only after exposure to ultraviolet irradiation, with an average of 3% of the reversibly bound label becoming covalently bound to vitamin D binding protein. The covalent binding was reduced 70-80% when 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 was present, indicating strong covalent binding at the vitamin D binding site of the protein. When tritiated 3-deoxy-3-azido-25-hydroxyvitamin D3 was incubated with human plasma in the absence and presence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, 12% of the azido derivative was reversibly bound to vitamin D binding protein. After ultraviolet irradiation, four plasma proteins covalently bound the azido label, but vitamin D binding protein was the only protein of the four that was unlabeled in the presence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3

  17. Differential plasma protein binding to metal oxide nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deng, Zhou J; Mortimer, Gysell; Minchin, Rodney F; Schiller, Tara; Musumeci, Anthony; Martin, Darren

    2009-01-01

    Nanoparticles rapidly interact with the proteins present in biological fluids, such as blood. The proteins that are adsorbed onto the surface potentially dictate the biokinetics of the nanomaterials and their fate in vivo. Using nanoparticles with different sizes and surface characteristics, studies have reported the effects of physicochemical properties on the composition of adsorbed plasma proteins. However, to date, few studies have been conducted focusing on the nanoparticles that are commonly exposed to the general public, such as the metal oxides. Using previously established ultracentrifugation approaches, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, the current study investigated the binding of human plasma proteins to commercially available titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles. We found that, despite these particles having similar surface charges in buffer, they bound different plasma proteins. For TiO 2 , the shape of the nanoparticles was also an important determinant of protein binding. Agglomeration in water was observed for all of the nanoparticles and both TiO 2 and ZnO further agglomerated in biological media. This led to an increase in the amount and number of different proteins bound to these nanoparticles. Proteins with important biological functions were identified, including immunoglobulins, lipoproteins, acute-phase proteins and proteins involved in complement pathways and coagulation. These results provide important insights into which human plasma proteins bind to particular metal oxide nanoparticles. Because protein absorption to nanoparticles may determine their interaction with cells and tissues in vivo, understanding how and why plasma proteins are adsorbed to these particles may be important for understanding their biological responses.

  18. Zeolite Nanoparticles for Selective Sorption of Plasma Proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahimi, M; Ng, E-P; Bakhtiari, K; Vinciguerra, M; Ali Ahmad, H; Awala, H; Mintova, S; Daghighi, M; Bakhshandeh Rostami, F; de Vries, M; Motazacker, M M; Peppelenbosch, M P; Mahmoudi, M; Rezaee, F

    2015-11-30

    The affinity of zeolite nanoparticles (diameter of 8-12 nm) possessing high surface area and high pore volume towards human plasma proteins has been investigated. The protein composition (corona) of zeolite nanoparticles has been shown to be more dependent on the plasma protein concentrations and the type of zeolites than zeolite nanoparticles concentration. The number of proteins present in the corona of zeolite nanoparticles at 100% plasma (in vivo state) is less than with 10% plasma exposure. This could be due to a competition between the proteins to occupy the corona of the zeolite nanoparticles. Moreover, a high selective adsorption for apolipoprotein C-III (APOC-III) and fibrinogen on the zeolite nanoparticles at high plasma concentration (100%) was observed. While the zeolite nanoparticles exposed to low plasma concentration (10%) exhibited a high selective adsorption for immunoglobulin gamma (i.e. IGHG1, IGHG2 and IGHG4) proteins. The zeolite nanoparticles can potentially be used for selectively capture of APOC-III in order to reduce the activation of lipoprotein lipase inhibition during hypertriglyceridemia treatment. The zeolite nanoparticles can be adapted to hemophilic patients (hemophilia A (F-VIII deficient) and hemophilia B (F-IX deficient)) with a risk of bleeding, and thus might be potentially used in combination with the existing therapy.

  19. A high confidence, manually validated human blood plasma protein reference set

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schenk, Susann; Schoenhals, Gary J; de Souza, Gustavo

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The immense diagnostic potential of human plasma has prompted great interest and effort in cataloging its contents, exemplified by the Human Proteome Organization (HUPO) Plasma Proteome Project (PPP) pilot project. Due to challenges in obtaining a reliable blood plasma protein list......-trap-Fourier transform (LTQ-FT) and a linear ion trap-Orbitrap (LTQ-Orbitrap) for mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. Both instruments allow the measurement of peptide masses in the low ppm range. Furthermore, we employed a statistical score that allows database peptide identification searching using the products of two...... consecutive stages of tandem mass spectrometry (MS3). The combination of MS3 with very high mass accuracy in the parent peptide allows peptide identification with orders of magnitude more confidence than that typically achieved. RESULTS: Herein we established a high confidence set of 697 blood plasma proteins...

  20. Humoral markers of active Epstein-Barr virus infection associate with anti-extractable nuclear antigen autoantibodies and plasma galectin-3 binding protein in systemic lupus erythematosus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rasmussen, N S; Nielsen, C T; Houen, G; Jacobsen, S

    2016-12-01

    We investigated if signs of active Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus infections associate with certain autoantibodies and a marker of type I interferon activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. IgM and IgG plasma levels against Epstein-Barr virus early antigen diffuse and cytomegalovirus pp52 were applied as humoral markers of ongoing/recently active Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus infections, respectively. Plasma galectin-3 binding protein served as a surrogate marker of type I interferon activity. The measurements were conducted in 57 systemic lupus erythematosus patients and 29 healthy controls using ELISAs. Regression analyses and univariate comparisons were performed for associative evaluation between virus serology, plasma galectin-3 binding protein and autoantibodies, along with other clinical and demographic parameters. Plasma galectin-3 binding protein concentrations were significantly higher in systemic lupus erythematosus patients (P = 0.009) and associated positively with Epstein-Barr virus early antigen diffuse-directed antibodies and the presence of autoantibodies against extractable nuclear antigens in adjusted linear regressions (B = 2.02 and 2.02, P = 0.02 and P = 0.002, respectively). Furthermore, systemic lupus erythematosus patients with anti-extractable nuclear antigens had significantly higher antibody levels against Epstein-Barr virus early antigen diffuse (P = 0.02). Our study supports a link between active Epstein-Barr virus infections, positivity for anti-extractable nuclear antigens and increased plasma galectin-3 binding protein concentrations/type I interferon activity in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. © The Author(s) 2016.

  1. Effects of experimentally increased protein supply to postpartum dairy cows on plasma protein synthesis, rumen tissue proliferation, and immune homeostasis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Mogens; Røntved, Christine Maria; Theil, Peter Kappel

    2017-01-01

    The effect of experimentally increasing the postpartum protein supply on plasma protein synthesis, rumen tissue proliferation, and immune homeostasis was studied using 8 periparturient Holstein cows in a complete randomized design. At calving, cows were assigned to abomasal infusion of water (CTRL......) or casein (CAS) in addition to a lactation diet. Casein infusion was gradually decreased from 696 ± 1 g/d at +2 d relative to calving (DRTC) to 212 ± 10 g/d at +29 DRTC to avoid excessive supply. Synthesis rate of plasma proteins was measured at –14, +4, +15, and +29 DRTC by measuring [13C]Phe isotopic...... enrichment in arterial plasma free Phe, total plasma proteins, and albumin after 3, 5, and 7 h of jugular ring[13C]Phe infusion. Plasma volume was determined at +4 and +29 DRTC by dilution of a [125I]BSA dose. Synthesis rate of tissue protein in biopsied rumen papillae was determined by measuring [13C...

  2. Plasma Protein Turnover Rates in Rats Using Stable Isotope Labeling, Global Proteomics, and Activity-Based Protein Profiling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, Jordan N.; Tyrrell, Kimberly J.; Hansen, Joshua R.; Thomas, Dennis G.; Murphree, Taylor A.; Shukla, Anil K.; Luders, Teresa; Madden, James M.; Li, Yunying; Wright, Aaron T.; Piehowski, Paul D.

    2017-12-06

    Protein turnover is important for general health on cellular and organism scales providing a strategy to replace old, damaged, or dysfunctional proteins. Protein turnover also informs of biomarker kinetics, as a better understanding of synthesis and degradation of proteins increases the clinical utility of biomarkers. Here, turnover rates of plasma proteins in rats were measured in vivo using a pulse-chase stable isotope labeling experiment. During the pulse, rats (n=5) were fed 13C6-labeled lysine (“heavy”) feed for 23 days to label proteins. During the chase, feed was changed to an unlabeled equivalent feed (“light”), and blood was repeatedly sampled from rats over 10 time points for 28 days. Plasma samples were digested with trypsin, and analyzed with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). MaxQuant was used to identify peptides and proteins, and quantify heavy:light lysine ratios. A system of ordinary differential equations was used to calculate protein turnover rates. Using this approach, 273 proteins were identified, and turnover rates were quantified for 157 plasma proteins with half-lives ranging 0.3-103 days. For the ~70 most abundant proteins, variability in turnover rates among rats was low (median coefficient of variation: 0.09). Activity-based protein profiling was applied to pooled plasma samples to enrich serine hydrolases using a fluorophosphonate (FP2) activity-based probe. This enrichment resulted in turnover rates for an additional 17 proteins. This study is the first to measure global plasma protein turnover rates in rats in vivo, measure variability of protein turnover rates in any animal model, and utilize activity-based protein profiling for enhancing measurements of targeted, low-abundant proteins, such as those commonly used as biomarkers. Measured protein turnover rates will be important for understanding of the role of protein turnover in cellular and organism health as well as increasing the utility of protein

  3. Transfer of plasma lipoprotein components and of plasma proteins into aortas of cholesterol-fed rabbits. Molecular size as a determinant of plasma lipoprotein influx

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stender, S.; Zilversmit, D.B.

    1981-01-01

    The arterial influx of esterified and free cholesterol from low density lipoproteins and very low density lipoproteins in 20 hypercholesterolemic rabbits was measured simultaneously by the use of lipoproteins labeled in vivo with [ 3 H]- and [ 14 C]-cholesterol. The simultaneous arterial influx of either [ 3 H]-leucine-labeled very low density lipoproteins, low density lipoproteins, high density lipoproteins, or plasma proteins was also measured in each rabbit. The arterial influx was calculated as intimal clearance, i.e., the influx of a given fraction divided by its plasma concentration. The intimal clearance of low density lipoprotein esterified cholesterol was equal to that for the apolipoproteins of that fraction, which is compatible with an arterial influx of intact low density lipoprotein molecules. The intimal clearance of very low density apolipoprotein or cholesteryl ester was less than that for low density lipoprotein, whereas high density lipoprotein and albumin clearances exceeded low density lipoprotein clearance by 1.5- to 3-fold. The intimal clearances of plasma proteins, high density, low density, and very low density lipoproteins decreased linearly with the logarithm of the macromolecular diameter. This indicates that the arterial influx of three plasma lipoprotein fractions and of plasma proteins proceeds by similar mechanisms. Apparently the relative intimal clearances of lipoproteins are more dependent on their size relative to pores or vesicular diameters at the plasma-artery interface than on specific interactions between lipoproteins and the arterial intimal surface

  4. Phospholipid-binding protein EhC2A mediates calcium-dependent translocation of transcription factor URE3-BP to the plasma membrane of Entamoeba histolytica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreno, Heriberto; Linford, Alicia S; Gilchrist, Carol A; Petri, William A

    2010-05-01

    The Entamoeba histolytica upstream regulatory element 3-binding protein (URE3-BP) is a transcription factor that binds DNA in a Ca(2+)-inhibitable manner. The protein is located in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm but has also been found to be enriched in the plasma membrane of amebic trophozoites. We investigated the reason for the unusual localization of URE3-BP at the amebic plasma membrane. Here we identify and characterize a 22-kDa Ca(2+)-dependent binding partner of URE3-BP, EhC2A, a novel member of the C2-domain superfamily. Immunoprecipitations of URE3-BP and EhC2A showed that the proteins interact and that such interaction was enhanced in the presence of Ca(2+). Recombinant and native EhC2A bound phospholipid liposomes in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner, with half-maximal binding occurring at 3.4 muM free Ca(2+). A direct interaction between EhC2A and URE3-BP was demonstrated by the ability of recombinant EhC2A to recruit recombinant URE3-BP to phospholipid liposomes in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. URE3-BP and EhC2A were observed to translocate to the amebic plasma membrane upon an increase in the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration of trophozoites, as revealed by subcellular fractionation and immunofluorescent staining. Short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of EhC2A protein expression significantly modulated the mRNA levels of URE3-BP-regulated transcripts. Based on these results, we propose a model for EhC2A-mediated regulation of the transcriptional activities of URE3-BP via Ca(2+)-dependent anchoring of the transcription factor to the amebic plasma membrane.

  5. Plasma Amino Acid Responses After Consumption of Beverages with Varying Protein Type

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-07-01

    saturated fat Protein Total earbohydT;ltes dietary fiber soluble fiber total sugar lactose sucrose other carbohydrates (maltodextrin. cocoa powder...provided by the manufacturer, 6 Plasma Amino Acids 7 coagulate for 30 min before being centrifuged for 10 min at 3,600 rpm. Resulting plasma and serum...Therefore, consumers should be aware that these products might not contain the specific protein sources being advertised. Acknowledgment The authors

  6. QSARs for Plasma Protein Binding: Source Data and Predictions

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The dataset has all of the information used to create and evaluate 3 independent QSAR models for the fraction of a chemical unbound by plasma protein (Fub) for...

  7. Synchrotron Based Structural Investigations of Mass-Selected PtxGd Nanoparticles and a Gd/Pt(111) Single Crystal for Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Anders Filsøe; Velazquez-Palenzuela, Amado Andres; Masini, Federico

    2015-01-01

    . 134, 16476–16479 (2012). 3. Velazquez-Palenzuela, A. et al. The enhanced activity of mass-selected PtxGd nanoparticles for oxygen electroreduction. J. Catal. [in press] (2015). doi:10.1016/j.jcat.2014.12.012 4. Perez-Alonso, F. J. et al. The Effect of Size on the Oxygen Electroreduction Activity...

  8. Plasma Signaling Proteins in Persons at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer Disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ringman, John M.; Elashoff, David; Geschwind, Daniel H.; Welsh, Brian T.; Gylys, Karen H.; Lee, Cathy; Cummings, Jeffrey L.; Cole, Greg M.

    2013-01-01

    Objective To study the effect of familial Alzheimer disease (FAD) mutations and APOE genotype on plasma signaling protein levels. Design Cross-sectional comparison of plasma levels of 77 proteins measured using multiplex immune assays. Setting A tertiary referral dementia research center. Participants Thirty-three persons from families harboring PSEN1 or APP mutations, aged 19 to 59 years. Main Outcome Measures Protein levels were compared between FAD mutation carriers (MCs) and non-carriers (NCs) and among APOE genotype groups, using multiple linear regression models. Results Twenty-one participants were FAD MCs and 12 were NCs. Six had the APOE ε2/3, 6 had the ε3/4, and 21 had the ε3/3 genotype. Levels of 17 proteins differed among APOE genotype groups, and there were significant interactions between age and APOE genotype for 12 proteins. Plasma levels of apolipoprotein E and superoxide dismutase 1 were highest in the ε2 carriers, lowest in ε4 carriers, and intermediate in the ε3 carriers. Levels of multiple interleukins showed the opposite pattern and, among the ε4 carriers, demonstrated significant negative correlations with age. Although there were no significant differences between FAD MCs and NCs, there were interactions between mutation status and APOE genotype for 13 proteins. Conclusions We found different patterns of inflammatory markers in young and middle-aged persons among APOE genotype groups. The APOE ε4 carriers had the lowest levels of apolipoprotein E. Young ε4 carriers have increased inflammatory markers that diminish with age. We demonstrated altered inflammatory responses in young and middle adulthood in ε4 carriers that may relate to AD risk later in life. PMID:22689192

  9. Bovine plasma protein fractionation by ion exchange chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moure, F; Rendueles, M; Díaz, M

    2004-12-01

    An ion exchange chromatography process was developed to separate the main protein fractions of bovine blood plasma using a composite material, Q-HyperD resin, and a gel material, DEAE-Sepharose. The experiments were carried out at semipreparative scale. It was necessary to establish analytical methods of electrophoresis and HPLC to identify the fractionated proteins. Results show that these materials are able to adequately fractionate different protein groups from the raw blood plasma. This method may be used to avoid chemical fractionation using agents such as ethanol or PEG and, thus, decrease protein denaturation of the different fractions to be used for research or pharmaceutical purposes. The Q-HyperD resin presents a better retention capacity for plasma protein than DEAE-Sepharose under the experimental conditions employed.

  10. The binding site for regulatory 14-3-3 protein in plant plasma membrane H+-ATPase: Involvement of a region promoting phosphorylation-independent interaction in addition to the phosphorylation-dependent C-terminal end

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fuglsang, Anja T; Borch, Jonas; Bych, Katrine

    2003-01-01

    14-3-3 proteins constitute a family of well conserved proteins interacting with a large number of phosphorylated binding partners in eukaryotic cells. The plant plasma membrane H+-ATPase is an unusual target in that a unique phosphothreonine motif (946YpTV, where pT represents phosphothreonine...... of the Arabidopsis plasma membrane H+-ATPase isoform 2 (AHA2). Following site-directed mutagenesis within the 45 C-terminal residues of AHA2, we conclude that, in addition to the 946YpTV motif, a number of residues located further upstream are required for phosphorylation-independent binding of 14-3-3. Among these...

  11. Physico-Pathologic Mechanisms Involved in Neurodegeneration: Misfolded Protein-Plasma Membrane Interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shrivastava, Amulya Nidhi; Aperia, Anita; Melki, Ronald; Triller, Antoine

    2017-07-05

    Several neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, are characterized by prominent loss of synapses and neurons associated with the presence of abnormally structured or misfolded protein assemblies. Cell-to-cell transfer of misfolded proteins has been proposed for the intra-cerebral propagation of these diseases. When released, misfolded proteins diffuse in the 3D extracellular space before binding to the plasma membrane of neighboring cells, where they diffuse on a 2D plane. This reduction in diffusion dimension and the cell surface molecular crowding promote deleterious interactions with native membrane proteins, favoring clustering and further aggregation of misfolded protein assemblies. These processes open up new avenues for therapeutics development targeting the initial interactions of deleterious proteins with the plasma membrane or the subsequent pathological signaling. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Paclitaxel conjugated Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@LaF{sub 3}:Ce{sup 3+},Tb{sup 3+} nanoparticles as bifunctional targeting carriers for Cancer theranostics application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mangaiyarkarasi, Rajendiran; Chinnathambi, Shanmugavel; Karthikeyan, Subramani; Aruna, Prakasarao; Ganesan, Singaravelu, E-mail: sganesan@annauniv.edu

    2016-02-01

    The bi-functional Chitosan functionalized magnetite doped luminescent rare earth nanoparticles (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@LaF{sub 3}: Ce{sup 3+},Tb{sup 3+}/chi NPs) as a carrier of paclitaxel (PTX) drug was designed using a co-precipitation and facile direct precipitation method. The synthesized nanoparticles are spherical in shape with a typical diameter of 19–37 nm respectively. They are water soluble, super paramagnetic and biocompatible, in which the amino groups on the nanoparticles surface are used for the conjugation with an anticancer drug, paclitaxel. The nature of PTX binding with Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@LaF{sub 3}: Ce{sup 3+},Tb{sup 3+}/chi nanoparticles were studied using X-ray diffraction, vibrating sample magnetometer and scanning electron micrograph. The nature of interactions between PTX and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@LaF{sub 3}: Ce{sup 3+},Tb{sup 3+}/chi NPs due to complex formation were conceded out by various spectroscopic methods viz., UV–visible, steady state and excited state fluorescence spectroscopy. The photo-physical characterization reveals that the adsorption and release of PTX from Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@LaF{sub 3}:Tb{sup 3+}/chi nanoparticles is quicker when compared with other nanoparticles and also confirms that this may be due to the hydrogen bond formation between the hydroxyl group of drug and amino group of nanoparticles respectively. The maximum loading capacity and entrapment efficiency of 83.69% and 80.51% were attained at a ratio of 5:8 of PTX and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@LaF{sub 3}: Ce{sup 3+},Tb{sup 3+}/chi NPs respectively. In addition with that, antitumoral activity study of PTX conjugated Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@LaF{sub 3}:Tb{sup 3+}/chi nanoparticles exhibits increased cytotoxic effects on A549 lung cancer cell lines than that of unconjugated PTX. - Highlights: • Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@LaF{sub 3}: Ce{sup 3+},Tb{sup 3+}/chi nanoparticles as a carrier of paclitaxel. • These particles are water soluble, super paramagnetic and biocompatible. • The maximum

  13. [A case of breast cancer with multiple hepatic metastasis successfully treated with S-1/PTX and S-1 chemotherapy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashimoto, Masakazu; Moriyuki, Toshio; Kuranishi, Fumito; Niitsu, Hiroaki; Fujikuni, Nobuaki; Iwako, Hiroshi; Kuroda, Yoshinori

    2010-06-01

    The case is a woman in her 50's. A total glandectomy was performed for her breast cancer on August 8, 1998, and subsequently chemotherapy(5'-DFUR, CMF, uracil.tegafur, CEF, and docetaxel)as well as radiation therapy and surgical resection have been performed for local recurrence. With multiple hepatic metastasis recognized in September, 2007, chemotherapy combined with S-1/paclitaxel(PTX)has been performed. In view of the side effects such as reduction in appetite and leukocyte, the dosage has been reduced as of the second course of treatment. With the disappearance of hepatic metastasis on CT, 6 courses of S-1monotherapy have been performed after completing 6 courses of chemotherapy combined with S-1/ PTX. As of March, 2009, the therapeutic effect shows that continuous CR and outpatient follow-up have been performed while maintaining QOL. Since any chemotherapy after thirdline treatment for recurrent breast cancer has not been established yet, chemotherapy combined with S-1/PTX is considered to be one of the regimens and therefore, the second and thirdphase clinical tests ahead are expected to bring better outcomes.

  14. Plasma levels of selenium-containing proteins in Inuit adults from Nunavik.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Achouba, Adel; Dumas, Pierre; Ouellet, Nathalie; Lemire, Mélanie; Ayotte, Pierre

    2016-11-01

    Selenium (Se) is highly abundant in marine foods traditionally consumed by Inuit of Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada) and accordingly, their Se intake is among the highest in the world. However, little is known regarding the biological implications of this high Se status in this Arctic indigenous population. We used a method combining affinity chromatography and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry with quantification by post-column isotope dilution to determine total Se levels and concentrations of Se-containing proteins in archived plasma samples of Inuit adults who participated to the 2004 Nunavik Inuit Health Survey (N = 852). Amounts of mercury (Hg) associated with Se-containing proteins were also quantified. Results show that glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPx3), selenoprotein P (SelP) and selenoalbumin (SeAlb) represented respectively 25%, 52% and 23% of total plasma Se concentrations. In addition, small amounts of Hg co-eluted with each Se-containing protein and up to 50% of plasma Hg was associated to SelP. Total plasma Se concentrations (median = 139 μg L− 1; interquartile range (IQR) = 22.7 μg L− 1) were markedly lower and less variable than whole blood Se concentration (median = 261 μg L− 1, IQR = 166 μg L− 1). A non linear relation was observed between whole blood Se and plasma Se levels, with plasma Se concentrations leveling off at approximately 200 μg L− 1, whereas 16% and 3% of individuals exhibited whole blood concentrations higher than 500 μg L− 1 and 1000 μg L− 1, respectively. In contrast, a linear relationship was previously reported in communities consuming Brazil nuts which are rich Se, mainly present as selenomethionine. This suggests that a different selenocompound, possibly selenoneine, is present in the Arctic marine food chain and accumulates in the blood cellular fraction of Inuit.

  15. Plasma protein haptoglobin modulates renal iron loading

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fagoonee, Sharmila; Gburek, Jakub; Hirsch, Emilio

    2005-01-01

    Haptoglobin is the plasma protein with the highest binding affinity for hemoglobin. The strength of hemoglobin binding and the existence of a specific receptor for the haptoglobin-hemoglobin complex in the monocyte/macrophage system clearly suggest that haptoglobin may have a crucial role in heme...... distribution of hemoglobin in haptoglobin-deficient mice resulted in abnormal iron deposits in proximal tubules during aging. Moreover, iron also accumulated in proximal tubules after renal ischemia-reperfusion injury or after an acute plasma heme-protein overload caused by muscle injury, without affecting...... morphological and functional parameters of renal damage. These data demonstrate that haptoglobin crucially prevents glomerular filtration of hemoglobin and, consequently, renal iron loading during aging and following acute plasma heme-protein overload....

  16. C-Reactive Protein Binds to Cholesterol Crystals and Co-Localizes with the Terminal Complement Complex in Human Atherosclerotic Plaques

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pilely, Katrine; Fumagalli, Stefano; Rosbjerg, Anne

    2017-01-01

    Inflammation is a part of the initial process leading to atherosclerosis and cholesterol crystals (CC), found in atherosclerotic plaques, which are known to induce complement activation. The pentraxins C-reactive protein (CRP), long pentraxin 3 (PTX3), and serum amyloid P component (SAP) are seru...

  17. Pentraxins and immunity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priya Nagar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Pentraxin-3 (PTX3 is a multifactorial protein involved in immunity and inflammation, which is rapidly produced and released by several cell types in response to inflammatory signals. It may be suggested that PTX3 is related to periodontal tissue inflammation. Its salivary concentrations may have a diagnostic potential. Pentraxin-3 (PTX3 is an ancient family of multifactorial proteins involved in immunity and inflammation. They are rapidly produced and released by various types of cells when there are indications of inflammation. PTX3 is related to inflammation in the periodontal tissue and it can be suggested that salivary concentrations may be used for diagnosing the same.

  18. Role of heterotrimeric G protein and calcium in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by IGF-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrasco, Loreto; Cea, Paola; Rocco, Paola; Peña-Oyarzún, Daniel; Rivera-Mejias, Pablo; Sotomayor-Flores, Cristian; Quiroga, Clara; Criollo, Alfredo; Ibarra, Cristian; Chiong, Mario; Lavandero, Sergio

    2014-04-01

    In the heart, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a peptide with pro-hypertrophic and anti-apoptotic actions. The pro-hypertrophic properties of IGF-1 have been attributed to the extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) pathway. Recently, we reported that IGF-1 also increases intracellular Ca(2+) levels through a pertussis toxin (PTX)-sensitive G protein. Here we investigate whether this Ca(2+) signal is involved in IGF-1-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Our results show that the IGF-1-induced increase in Ca(2+) level is abolished by the IGF-1 receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor AG538, PTX and the peptide inhibitor of Gβγ signaling, βARKct. Increases in the activities of Ca(2+) -dependent enzymes calcineurin, calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII), and protein kinase Cα (PKCα) were observed at 5 min after IGF-1 exposure. AG538, PTX, βARKct, and the dominant negative PKCα prevented the IGF-1-dependent phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Participation of calcineurin and CaMKII in ERK phosphorylation was discounted. IGF-1-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, determined by cell size and β-myosin heavy chain (β-MHC), was prevented by AG538, PTX, βARKct, dominant negative PKCα, and the MEK1/2 inhibitor PD98059. Inhibition of calcineurin with CAIN did not abolish IGF-1-induced cardiac hypertrophy. We conclude that IGF-1 induces hypertrophy in cultured cardiomyocytes by activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase activity/βγ-subunits of a PTX-sensitive G protein/Ca(2+) /PKCα/ERK pathway without the participation of calcineurin. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Regulation of IGF binding protein proteolysis by pregnancy-associated plasma protein-ARegulation of IGF binding protein proteolysis by pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gaidamauskas, Ervinas

    During his PhD studies, Ervinas Gaidamauskas researched the proteins pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and its homologue PAPP-A2 in vitro. As suggested by its name, PAPP-A plays an important role in pregnancy and fetal development. Additionally, recent studies indicate a newly...

  20. Radioimmunoassay of human plasma protein C

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Bocheng; Li Jinquan; Jing Jian; Zhang Manda

    1995-01-01

    A radioimmunoassay method for the measurement of human plasma protein C (PC) is established. PC was isolated and purified from human plasma. The antisera against PC was obtained by immunizing rabbits. Iodination of PC was carried out with chroramine-T. The sensitivity was 3.94% μg/L, and the assay covered 6.25∼1024 μg/L for PC. The intra-assay and inter-assay CV were 4.4% and 9.68% respectively, with a recovery rate of 104.28%. There was no cross reaction with factor II. The normal value was 3.84 +- 0.34 mg/L in 36 normal persons. Value of 1.03 +-0.41 mg/L was found in 16 patients with fulminating hepatitis complicated with coagulation disturbance. It is an effective approach for the diagnosis of hereditary or acquired PC deficiency and also for the study of thrombotic diseases

  1. Stimulated synthesis of plasma protein species in Q fever and endotoxemia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Picking, W.D.; Ershadi, M.; Hackstadt, T.; Paretsky, D.

    1987-05-01

    Q fever stimulates hepatic transcription and translation. Products of stimulated transcription have been identified, but not of translation. Protein (Pr) synthesis and rPr S6 phosphorylation correlated. The authors now report stimulated synthesis of plasma Pr species in early febrile responses to Q fever and Coxiella burnetii lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Guinea pigs received 400 g LPS intraperitoneally and 7 hr later 250 Ci L-(TVS)met, then sacrificed 3 hr later. Plasma Pr sp act (cpm/mg Pr) increased 2.3X over controls (N). Exptl plasma Pr PAGE autorads showed intensified Pr bands at M/sub r/ 55K. Guinea pigs infected with C. burnetii (Inf) received 400 Ci (TVS)met 84 hr p.i. and were sacrificed 3 hr later. Inf plasma Pr 1D-PAGE showed bands at 55K similar to that found with LPS, with lower albumin concn. Coomassie stain and autorads of 2-D PAGEs showed intensified or new acidic peptide species in Inf plasma. PAGE autorads in vitro translations using liver mRNA and ribosomes showed major species in Inf systems at 49K (4+) and 62K (2+) compared to N. The data indicate acute phase protein induction by LPS or rickettsial infection.

  2. Stimulated synthesis of plasma protein species in Q fever and endotoxemia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Picking, W.D.; Ershadi, M.; Hackstadt, T.; Paretsky, D.

    1987-01-01

    Q fever stimulates hepatic transcription and translation. Products of stimulated transcription have been identified, but not of translation. Protein (Pr) synthesis and rPr S6 phosphorylation correlated. The authors now report stimulated synthesis of plasma Pr species in early febrile responses to Q fever and Coxiella burnetii lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Guinea pigs received 400 μg LPS intraperitoneally and 7 hr later 250 μCi L-[ 35 S]met, then sacrificed 3 hr later. Plasma Pr sp act (cpm/mg Pr) increased 2.3X over controls (N). Exptl plasma Pr PAGE autorads showed intensified Pr bands at M/sub r/ 55K. Guinea pigs infected with C. burnetii (Inf) received 400 μCi [ 35 S]met 84 hr p.i. and were sacrificed 3 hr later. Inf plasma Pr 1D-PAGE showed bands at 55K similar to that found with LPS, with lower albumin concn. Coomassie stain and autorads of 2-D PAGEs showed intensified or new acidic peptide species in Inf plasma. PAGE autorads in vitro translations using liver mRNA and ribosomes showed major species in Inf systems at 49K (4+) and 62K (2+) compared to N. The data indicate acute phase protein induction by LPS or rickettsial infection

  3. Cold Atmospheric Plasma Manipulation of Proteins in Food Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tolouie, Haniye; Hashemi, Maryam; Mohammadifar, Mohammad Amin

    2017-01-01

    Plasma processing has been getting a lot of attention in recent applications as a novel, eco-friendly, and highly efficient approach. Cold plasma has mostly been used to reduce microbial counts in foodstuff and biological materials, as well as in different levels of packaging, particularly in cases...... of plasma on the conformation and function of proteins with food origin, especially enzymes and allergens, as well as protein-made packaging films. In enzyme manipulation with plasma, deactivation has been reported to be either partial or complete. In addition, an activity increase has been observed in some...... where there is thermal sensitivity. As it is a very recent application, the impact of cold plasma treatment has been studied on the protein structures of food and pharmaceutical systems, as well as in the packaging industry. Proteins, as a food constituent, play a remarkable role in the techno...

  4. 3D Plasma Nanotextured® Polymeric Surfaces for Protein or Antibody Arrays, and Biomolecule and Cell Patterning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsougeni, Katerina; Ellinas, Kosmas; Koukouvinos, George; Petrou, Panagiota S; Tserepi, Angeliki; Kakabakos, Sotirios E; Gogolides, Evangelos

    2018-01-01

    Plasma micro-nanotexturing is a generic technology for topographical and chemical modification of surfaces and their implementation in microfluidics and microarrays. Nanotextured surfaces with desirable chemical functionality (and wetting behavior) have shown excellent biomolecule immobilization and cell adhesion. Specifically, nanotextured hydrophilic areas show (a) strong binding of biomolecules and (b) strong adhesion of cells, while nanotextured superhydrophobic areas show null adsorption of (a) proteins and (b) cells. Here we describe the protocols for (a) biomolecule adsorption control on nanotextured surfaces for microarray fabrication and (b) cell adhesion on such surfaces. 3D plasma nanotextured® substrates are commercialized through Nanoplasmas private company, a spin-off of the National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos.

  5. Profiling of kidney vascular endothelial cell plasma membrane proteins by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zan; Xu, Bo; Nameta, Masaaki; Zhang, Ying; Magdeldin, Sameh; Yoshida, Yutaka; Yamamoto, Keiko; Fujinaka, Hidehiko; Yaoita, Eishin; Tasaki, Masayuki; Nakagawa, Yuki; Saito, Kazuhide; Takahashi, Kota; Yamamoto, Tadashi

    2013-06-01

    Vascular endothelial cells (VECs) play crucial roles in physiological and pathologic conditions in tissues and organs. Most of these roles are related to VEC plasma membrane proteins. In the kidney, VECs are closely associated with structures and functions; however, plasma membrane proteins in kidney VECs remain to be fully elucidated. Rat kidneys were perfused with cationic colloidal silica nanoparticles (CCSN) to label the VEC plasma membrane. The CCSN-labeled plasma membrane fraction was collected by gradient ultracentrifugation. The VEC plasma membrane or whole-kidney lysate proteins were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and digested with trypsin in gels for liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Enrichment analysis was then performed. The VEC plasma membrane proteins were purified by the CCSN method with high yield (approximately 20 μg from 1 g of rat kidney). By Mascot search, 582 proteins were identified in the VEC plasma membrane fraction, and 1,205 proteins were identified in the kidney lysate. In addition to 16 VEC marker proteins such as integrin beta-1 and intercellular adhesion molecule-2 (ICAM-2), 8 novel proteins such as Deltex 3-like protein and phosphatidylinositol binding clathrin assembly protein (PICALM) were identified. As expected, many key functions of plasma membranes in general and of endothelial cells in particular (i.e., leukocyte adhesion) were significantly overrepresented in the proteome of CCSN-labeled kidney VEC fraction. The CCSN method is a reliable technique for isolation of VEC plasma membrane from the kidney, and proteomic analysis followed by bioinformatics revealed the characteristics of in vivo VECs in the kidney.

  6. The dynamics of plant plasma membrane proteins: PINs and beyond.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luschnig, Christian; Vert, Grégory

    2014-08-01

    Plants are permanently situated in a fixed location and thus are well adapted to sense and respond to environmental stimuli and developmental cues. At the cellular level, several of these responses require delicate adjustments that affect the activity and steady-state levels of plasma membrane proteins. These adjustments involve both vesicular transport to the plasma membrane and protein internalization via endocytic sorting. A substantial part of our current knowledge of plant plasma membrane protein sorting is based on studies of PIN-FORMED (PIN) auxin transport proteins, which are found at distinct plasma membrane domains and have been implicated in directional efflux of the plant hormone auxin. Here, we discuss the mechanisms involved in establishing such polar protein distributions, focusing on PINs and other key plant plasma membrane proteins, and we highlight the pathways that allow for dynamic adjustments in protein distribution and turnover, which together constitute a versatile framework that underlies the remarkable capabilities of plants to adjust growth and development in their ever-changing environment. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  7. Plant plasma membrane 14-3-3 proteins differ in solubility and form fusicoccin-dependent complexes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Korthout, H.A.A.J.; de Boer, A.H.

    1998-01-01

    The binding protein for the phytotoxin fusicoccin belongs to the class of highly conserved 14-3-3 proteins. A general principle for the mode of action of 14-3-3 proteins is that they serve as docking clamps in order to facilitate protein interactions. This implies that 14-3-3 proteins may behave

  8. Effect of dietary proteins on the incorporation of amino acids in plasma proteins of ruminants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mehra, Usha R.; Singh, U.B.; Kumar, S.

    1979-01-01

    Experiments were conducted on nine male calves (Hariana x Holstein) of about one and a half years of age and fed different amounts of crude protein. 14 C-DL-leucine was injected into the blood of the animals and specific radioactivity of plasma protein measured. There was linear correlation between nitrogen ingested, digested and retained by the animals and the specific radioactivity of total plasma proteins. The experiments suggest the possible use of the incorporation of amino acids into plasma proteins as an index of nutritional status of the animals. (auth.)

  9. Plasma proteins of Barbus holubi and Clarias gariepinus

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The plasma proteins of the teleosts, Barbus holubl and ClariDs gariepllUl3 were investigated by means of cel1u1ose-acetate and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Characteristic patterns were obtained with both methods for each species. It was found that the application of human nomenclature to the patterns obtained in ...

  10. One-step isolation of plasma membrane proteins using magnetic beads with immobilized concanavalin A

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lee, Yu-Chen; Block, Gregory; Chen, Huiwen

    2008-01-01

    We have developed a simple method for isolating and purifying plasma membrane proteins from various cell types. This one-step affinity-chromatography method uses the property of the lectin concanavalin A (ConA) and the technique of magnetic bead separation to obtain highly purified plasma membrane...... proteins from crude membrane preparations or cell lines. ConA is immobilized onto magnetic beads by binding biotinylated ConA to streptavidin magnetic beads. When these ConA magnetic beads were used to enrich plasma membranes from a crude membrane preparation, this procedure resulted in 3.7-fold enrichment...... of plasma membrane marker 5'-nucleotidase activity with 70% recovery of the activity in the crude membrane fraction of rat liver. In agreement with the results of 5'-nucleotidase activity, immunoblotting with antibodies specific for a rat liver plasma membrane protein, CEACAM1, indicated that CEACAM1...

  11. Identification of frog photoreceptor plasma and disk membrane proteins by radioiodination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Witt, P.L.; Bownds, M.D.

    1987-01-01

    Several functions have been identified for the plasma membrane of the rod outer segment, including control of light-dependent changes in sodium conductance and a sodium-calcium exchange mechanism. However, little is known about its constituent proteins. Intact rod outer segments substantially free of contaminants were prepared in the dark and purified on a density gradient of Percoll. Surface proteins were then labeled by lactoperoxidase-catalyzed radioiodination, and intact rod outer segments were reisolated. Membrane proteins were identified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. The surface proteins labeled included rhodopsin, the major membrane protein, and 12 other proteins. To compare the protein composition of plasma membrane with that of the internal disk membrane, purified rod outer segments were lysed by hypotonic disruption or freeze-thawing, and plasma plus disk membranes were radioiodinated. In these membrane preparations, rhodopsin was the major iodinated constituent, with 12 other proteins also labeled. Autoradiographic evidence indicated some differences in protein composition between disk and plasma membranes. A quantitative comparison of the two samples showed that labeling of two proteins, 24 kilodaltons (kDa) and 13 kDa, was enriched in the plasma membrane, while labeling of a 220-kDa protein was enriched in the disk membrane. These plasma membrane proteins may be associated with important functions such as the light-sensitive conductance and the sodium-calcium exchanger

  12. Anti-pentraxin 3 auto-antibodies might be protective in lupus nephritis: a large cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Mo; Tan, Ying; Pang, Yun; Li, Yong-Zhe; Song, Yan; Yu, Feng; Zhao, Ming-Hui

    2017-11-01

    Anti-pentraxin 3 (PTX3) auto-antibodies were found to be associated with the absence of renal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study is to investigate the prevalence of anti-PTX3 auto-antibodies and their clinical significance based on a large Chinese lupus nephritis cohort. One hundred and ninety-six active lupus nephritis patients, 150 SLE patients without clinical renal involvement, and 100 healthy controls were enrolled. Serum anti-PTX3 auto-antibodies and PTX3 levels were screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The associations between anti-PTX3 auto-antibodies and clinicopathological parameters in lupus nephritis were further analyzed. Anti-PTX3 auto-antibodies were less prevalent in active lupus nephritis patients compared with SLE without renal involvement (19.4% (38/196) versus 40.7% (61/150), p auto-antibodies were negatively correlated with proteinuria in lupus nephritis (r = -.143, p = .047). The levels of proteinuria, serum creatinine, and the prevalence of thrombotic microangiopathy were significantly higher in patients with higher PTX3 levels (≥3.207 ng/ml) and without anti-PTX3 auto-antibodies compared with patients with lower PTX3 levels (auto-antibodies (4.79 (3.39-8.28) versus 3.95 (1.78-7.0), p = .03; 168.84 ± 153.63 versus 101.44 ± 47.36, p = .01; 34.1% (14/41) versus 0% (0/9), p = .04; respectively). Anti-PTX3 auto-antibodies were less prevalent in active lupus nephritis patients compared with SLE without renal involvement and associated with less severe renal damage, especially with the combined evaluation of serum PTX3 levels.

  13. Plasma levels of galectin-3-binding protein reflect type I interferon activity and are increased in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Christoffer T; Lood, Christian; Østergaard, Ole

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Simple measures of type I interferon (IFN) activity constitute highly attractive biomarkers in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We explore galectin-3-binding protein (G3BP) as a novel measure of type I IFN activity and serum/plasma biomarker in large independent cohorts of patients...... parameters including disease activity in the four SLE cohorts was performed. RESULTS: G3BP concentrations correlated significantly with the IFN-α reporter gene assay (r=0.56, p=0.0005) and with IFN-α gene expression scores (r=0.54, p=0.0002). Plasma concentrations were significantly increased in the SLE......BP levels in the consecutive SLE-samples and was significantly associated with changes in disease activity (r=0.44, p=0.014). CONCLUSIONS: G3BP plasma levels reflect type I IFN activity and are increased in SLE. Associations with disease activity or clinical manifestations are uncertain. This study...

  14. Exercise-intensity dependent alterations in plasma redox status do not reflect skeletal muscle redox-sensitive protein signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Lewan; Trewin, Adam; Levinger, Itamar; Shaw, Christopher S; Stepto, Nigel K

    2018-04-01

    Redox homeostasis and redox-sensitive protein signaling play a role in exercise-induced adaptation. The effects of sprint-interval exercise (SIE), high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) and continuous moderate-intensity exercise (CMIE), on post-exercise plasma redox status are unclear. Furthermore, whether post-exercise plasma redox status reflects skeletal muscle redox-sensitive protein signaling is unknown. In a randomized crossover design, eight healthy adults performed a cycling session of HIIE (5×4min at 75% W max ), SIE (4×30s Wingate's), and CMIE work-matched to HIIE (30min at 50% of W max ). Plasma hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and catalase activity were measured immediately post, 1h, 2h and 3h post-exercise. Plasma redox status biomarkers were correlated with phosphorylation of skeletal muscle p38-MAPK, JNK, NF-κB, and IκBα protein content immediately and 3h post-exercise. Plasma catalase activity was greater with SIE (56.6±3.8Uml -1 ) compared to CMIE (42.7±3.2, pexercise plasma TBARS and SOD activity significantly (pexercise protocol. A significant positive correlation was detected between plasma catalase activity and skeletal muscle p38-MAPK phosphorylation 3h post-exercise (r=0.40, p=0.04). No other correlations were detected (all p>0.05). Low-volume SIE elicited greater post-exercise plasma catalase activity compared to HIIE and CMIE, and greater H 2 O 2 compared to CMIE. Plasma redox status did not, however, adequately reflect skeletal muscle redox-sensitive protein signaling. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Evidence for radical-oxidation of plasma proteins in humans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, D.; Davies, M.; Dean, R.; Fu, S.; Taurins, A.; Sullivans, D.

    1998-01-01

    Oxidation of proteins by radicals has been implicated in many pathological processes. The hydroxyl radical is known to generate protein-bound hydroxylated derivatives of amino acids, for example hydroxyvaline (from Val), hydroxyleucine (from Leu), o-tyrosine (from Phe), and DOPA (from Tyr). In this study, we have investigated the occurrence of these oxidised amino acids in human plasma proteins from both normal subjects and dialysis patients. By employing previously established HPLC methods [Fu et al. Biochemical Journal, 330, 233-239, 1998], we have found that oxidised amino acids exist in normal human plasma proteins (n=32). The level of these oxidised amino acids is not correlated to age. Similar levels of oxidised amino acids are found in the plasma proteins of the dialysis patients (n=6), but a more detailed survey is underway. The relative abundance of the oxidised amino acids is similar to that resulting from oxidation of BSA by hydroxy radicals or Fenton systems [Fu et al. Biochemical Journal, 333, 519-525, 1998]. The results suggest that metal-ion catalysed oxyl-radical chemistry may be a key contributor to the oxidative damage in plasma proteins in vivo in humans

  16. Palmitoylation of POTE family proteins for plasma membrane targeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Das, Sudipto; Ise, Tomoko; Nagata, Satoshi; Maeda, Hiroshi; Bera, Tapan K.; Pastan, Ira

    2007-01-01

    The POTE gene family is composed of 13 paralogs and likely evolved by duplications and remodeling of the human genome. One common property of POTE proteins is their localization on the inner aspect of the plasma membrane. To determine the structural elements required for membrane localization, we expressed mutants of different POTEs in 293T cells as EGFP fusion proteins. We also tested their palmitoylation by a biotin-switch assay. Our data indicate that the membrane localizations of different POTEs are mediated by similar 3-4 short cysteine rich repeats (CRRs) near the amino-terminuses and that palmitoylation on paired cysteine residues in each CRR motif is responsible for the localization. Multiple palmitoylation in the small CRRs can result in the strong association of whole POTEs with plasma membrane

  17. 14-3-3 Proteins Buffer Intracellular Calcium Sensing Receptors to Constrain Signaling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael P Grant

    Full Text Available Calcium sensing receptors (CaSR interact with 14-3-3 binding proteins at a carboxyl terminal arginine-rich motif. Mutations identified in patients with familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia, autosomal dominant hypocalcemia, pancreatitis or idiopathic epilepsy support the functional importance of this motif. We combined total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and biochemical approaches to determine the mechanism of 14-3-3 protein regulation of CaSR signaling. Loss of 14-3-3 binding caused increased basal CaSR signaling and plasma membrane levels, and a significantly larger signaling-evoked increase in plasma membrane receptors. Block of core glycosylation with tunicamycin demonstrated that changes in plasma membrane CaSR levels were due to differences in exocytic rate. Western blotting to quantify time-dependent changes in maturation of expressed wt CaSR and a 14-3-3 protein binding-defective mutant demonstrated that signaling increases synthesis to maintain constant levels of the immaturely and maturely glycosylated forms. CaSR thus operates by a feed-forward mechanism, whereby signaling not only induces anterograde trafficking of nascent receptors but also increases biosynthesis to maintain steady state levels of net cellular CaSR. Overall, these studies suggest that 14-3-3 binding at the carboxyl terminus provides an important buffering mechanism to increase the intracellular pool of CaSR available for signaling-evoked trafficking, but attenuates trafficking to control the dynamic range of responses to extracellular calcium.

  18. Protein diffusion in plant cell plasma membranes: the cell-wall corral.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinière, Alexandre; Runions, John

    2013-01-01

    Studying protein diffusion informs us about how proteins interact with their environment. Work on protein diffusion over the last several decades has illustrated the complex nature of biological lipid bilayers. The plasma membrane contains an array of membrane-spanning proteins or proteins with peripheral membrane associations. Maintenance of plasma membrane microstructure can be via physical features that provide intrinsic ordering such as lipid microdomains, or from membrane-associated structures such as the cytoskeleton. Recent evidence indicates, that in the case of plant cells, the cell wall seems to be a major player in maintaining plasma membrane microstructure. This interconnection / interaction between cell-wall and plasma membrane proteins most likely plays an important role in signal transduction, cell growth, and cell physiological responses to the environment.

  19. Phactr3/scapinin, a member of protein phosphatase 1 and actin regulator (phactr family, interacts with the plasma membrane via basic and hydrophobic residues in the N-terminus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akihiro Itoh

    Full Text Available Proteins that belong to the protein phosphatase 1 and actin regulator (phactr family are involved in cell motility and morphogenesis. However, the mechanisms that regulate the actin cytoskeleton are poorly understood. We have previously shown that phactr3, also known as scapinin, localizes to the plasma membrane, including lamellipodia and membrane ruffles. In the present study, experiments using deletion and point mutants showed that the basic and hydrophobic residues in the N-terminus play crucial roles in the localization to the plasma membrane. A BH analysis (http://helixweb.nih.gov/bhsearch is a program developed to identify membrane-binding domains that comprise basic and hydrophobic residues in membrane proteins. We applied this program to phactr3. The results of the BH plot analysis agreed with the experimentally determined region that is responsible for the localization of phactr3 to the plasma membrane. In vitro experiments showed that the N-terminal itself binds to liposomes and acidic phospholipids. In addition, we showed that the interaction with the plasma membrane via the N-terminal membrane-binding sequence is required for phactr3-induced morphological changes in Cos7 cells. The membrane-binding sequence in the N-terminus is highly conserved in all members of the phactr family. Our findings may provide a molecular basis for understanding the mechanisms that allow phactr proteins to regulate cell morphogenesis.

  20. Concentration of Proteins and Protein Fractions in Blood Plasma of Chickens Hatched from Eggs Irradiated with Low Level Gamma Rays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kraljevic, P.; Vilic, M.; Simpraga, M.; Matisic, D.; Miljanic, S.

    2011-01-01

    In literature there are many results which have shown that low dose radiation can stimulate many physiological processes of living organism. In our earlier paper it was shown that low dose of gamma radiation has a stimulative effect upon metabolic process in chickens hatched from eggs irradiated before incubation. This was proved by increase of body weight gain and body weight, as well as by increase of two enzymes activities in blood plasma (aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase) which play an important role in protein metabolism. Therefore, an attempt was made to determine the effect of eggs irradiation by low dose gamma rays upon concentration of total proteins and protein fractions in the blood plasma of chickens hatched from irradiated eggs. The eggs of heavy breed chickens were irradiated with a dose of 0.15 Gy gamma radiation (60Co) before incubation. Along with the chickens which were hatched from irradiated eggs, there was a control group of chickens hatched from nonirradiated eggs. All other conditions were the same for both groups of chickens. Blood samples were taken from the right jugular vein on the 1 s t and 3 r d day, or from the wing vein on days 5 and 7 after hatching. The total proteins concentration in the blood plasma was determined by the biuret method using Boehringer Mannheim GmbH optimized kits. The protein fractions (albumin, α 1 -globulin, α 2 -globulin, β- and γ-globulins) were estimated electrophoretically on Cellogel strips. The total proteins concentration was significantly decreased in blood plasma of chickens hatched from irradiated eggs on days 3 (P t h day (P 2 -globulin was decreased on days 1 (P t h day of life. Obtained results indicate that low dose of gamma radiation has mostly inhibitory effect upon concentration of total proteins and protein fractions in the blood plasma of chickens hatched from irradiated eggs before incubation. (author)

  1. Simulating the influence of plasma protein on measured receptor affinity in biochemical assays reveals the utility of Schild analysis for estimating compound affinity for plasma proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blakeley, D; Sykes, D A; Ensor, P; Bertran, E; Aston, P J; Charlton, S J

    2015-11-01

    Plasma protein binding (PPB) influences the free fraction of drug available to bind to its target and is therefore an important consideration in drug discovery. While traditional methods for assessing PPB (e.g. rapid equilibrium dialysis) are suitable for comparing compounds with relatively weak PPB, they are not able to accurately discriminate between highly bound compounds (typically >99.5%). The aim of the present work was to use mathematical modelling to explore the potential utility of receptor binding and cellular functional assays to estimate the affinity of compounds for plasma proteins. Plasma proteins are routinely added to in vitro assays, so a secondary goal was to investigate the effect of plasma proteins on observed ligand-receptor interactions. Using the principle of conservation of mass and the law of mass action, a cubic equation was derived describing the ligand-receptor complex [LR] in the presence of plasma protein at equilibrium. The model demonstrates the profound influence of PPB on in vitro assays and identifies the utility of Schild analysis, which is usually applied to determine receptor-antagonist affinities, for calculating affinity at plasma proteins (termed KP ). We have also extended this analysis to functional effects using operational modelling and demonstrate that these approaches can also be applied to cell-based assay systems. These mathematical models can potentially be used in conjunction with experimental data to estimate drug-plasma protein affinities in the earliest phases of drug discovery programmes. © 2015 The British Pharmacological Society.

  2. Influence of ionizing radiation on the plasma membrane proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dreval', V.I.

    1992-01-01

    The effect of ionizing radiation on the meat cattle thymocytes plasma membranes was studied. Using fluorescence quenching technique the effect of irradiation of proteins conformation was investigated. The influence of ionizing radiation on the plasma membranes was shown to be followed by changes of the protein structure-dynamic organization

  3. TC > 0.05 as a Pharmacokinetic Parameter of Paclitaxel for Therapeutic Efficacy and Toxicity in Cancer Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xin, D S; Zhou, L; Li, C Z; Zhang, S Q; Huang, H Q; Qiu, G D; Lin, L F; She, Y Q; Zheng, J T; Chen, C; Fang, L; Chen, Zhe-Sheng; Zhang, S Y

    2018-03-05

    Paclitaxel (PTX) has remarkable anti-tumor activity, but it causes severe toxicities. There is an urgent need to seek an appropriate pharmacokinetic parameter of PTX to improve treatment efficacy and reduce adverse effects. To evaluate the association of pharmacokinetic parameter TC>0.05 of paclitaxel (PTX) and its therapeutic efficacy and toxicity in patients with solid tumors. A total of 295 patients with ovarian cancer, esophageal cancer, breast cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), who were admitted to the Tumor Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, China, were recruited for this study. Patients received 3 weeks of PTX chemotherapy. The plasma concentrations of PTX were examined using the MyPaclitaxelTM kit. The patients' PTX TC>0.05 (the time during which PTX plasma concentration exceed 0.05 μmol/L) were calculated based on pharmacokinetic analysis. The results showed that: (1) the concentrations of PTX in these 295 patients ranged from 0.0358-0.127 μmol/L; (2) the PTX TC> 0.05 ranged from 14 to 38 h with a median time of 27 h; (3) among all treatment cycles, there was a statistically significant difference in the PTX TC>0.05 between CR+PR and SD+PD; (4) with the increasing value of TC>0.05, level of leukopenia and leukopenic fever increased; (5) high PTX TC>0.05 led to the occurrence of neutropenia, neutropenic fever, severe anemia, and severe peripheral neurotoxicity. Taken together, our results indicated that the pharmacokinetic parameter PTX TC>0.05 was an effective measure of treatment efficacy and toxicity in patients with solid tumors. Maintaining PTX TC>0.05 at 26 to 30 h could improve its efficacy and reduce the incidence of leukopenia, neutropenia, anemia, and peripheral neurotoxicity in these patients. PTX TC>0.05 is a key pharmacokinetic parameter of PTX which should be monitored to optimize individual treatment in patients with solid tumors. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  4. Protein diffusion in plant cell plasma membranes: The cell-wall corral

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandre eMartinière

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Studying protein diffusion informs us about how proteins interact with their environment. Work on protein diffusion over the last several decades has illustrated the complex nature of biological lipid bilayers. The plasma membrane contains an array of membrane-spanning proteins or proteins with peripheral membrane associations. Maintenance of plasma membrane microstructure can be via physical features that provide intrinsic ordering such as lipid microdomains, or from membrane-associated structures such as the cytoskeleton. Recent evidence indicates, that in the case of plant cells, the cell wall seems to be a major player in maintaining plasma membrane microstructure. This interconnection / interaction between cell-wall and plasma membrane proteins most likely plays an important role in signal transduction, cell growth, and cell physiological responses to the environment.

  5. Inflammatory and apoptotic alterations in serum and injured tissue after experimental polytrauma in mice: distinct early response compared with single trauma or "double-hit" injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weckbach, Sebastian; Hohmann, Christoph; Braumueller, Sonja; Denk, Stephanie; Klohs, Bettina; Stahel, Philip F; Gebhard, Florian; Huber-Lang, Markus S; Perl, Mario

    2013-02-01

    The exact alterations of the immune system after polytrauma leading to sepsis and multiple-organ failure are poorly understood. Thus, the early local and systemic inflammatory and apoptotic response was characterized in a new polytrauma model and compared with the alterations seen after single or combined injuries. Anesthetized C57BL/6 mice were subjected to either blunt bilateral chest trauma (Tx), closed head injury, right femur fracture including contralateral soft tissue injury, or a combination of injuries (PTx). After 2 hours or 6 hours, animals were sacrificed, and the systemic as well as the local pulmonary immune response (bronchoalveolar lavage [BAL]/plasma cytokines, lung myeloperoxidase [MPO] activity, and alveolocapillary barrier dysfunction) were evaluated along with lung/brain apoptosis (lung caspase 3 Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes [PMN] Annexin V). Hemoglobin, PO2 saturation, and pH did not differ between the experimental groups. Local BAL cytokines/chemokines were significantly increased in almost all groups, which included Tx. There was no further enhancement of this local inflammatory response in the lungs in case of PTx. At 2 hours, all groups except sham and closed head injury alone revealed an increased activity of lung MPO. However, 6 hours after injury, lung MPO remained increased only in the PTx group. Increased BAL protein levels were found, reflecting enhanced lung leakage in all groups with Tx 6 hours after trauma. Only after PTx was neutrophil apoptosis significantly decreased, whereas lung caspase 3 and plasma interleukin 6/keratinocyte chemoattractant (KC) were substantially increased. The combination of different injuries leads to an earlier systemic inflammatory response when compared with the single insults. Interestingly, only after PTx but not after single or double hits was lung apoptosis increased, and PMN apoptosis was decreased along with a prolonged presence of neutrophils in the

  6. Interaction between La(III) and proteins on the plasma membrane of horseradish

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Guang-Mei; Chu, Yun-Xia; Lv, Xiao-Fen; Zhou, Qing; Huang, Xiao-Hua

    2012-06-01

    Lanthanum (La) is an important rare earth element in the ecological environment of plant. The proteins on the plasma membrane control the transport of molecules into and out of cell. It is very important to investigate the effect of La(III) on the proteins on the plasma membrane in the plant cell. In the present work, the interaction between La(III) and proteins on the plasma membrane of horseradish was investigated using optimization of the fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. It is found that the fluorescence of the complex system of protoplasts and 1-aniline Kenai-8-sulfonic acid in horseradish treated with the low concentration of La(III) is increased compared with that of the control horseradish. The opposite effect is observed in horseradish treated with the high concentration of La(III). These results indicated that the low concentration of La(III) can interact with the proteins on the plasma membrane of horseradish, causing the improvement in the structure of proteins on the plasma membrane. The high concentration of La(III) can also interact with the proteins on the plasma membrane of horseradish, leading to the destruction of the structure of proteins on the plasma membrane. We demonstrate that the proteins on the plasma membrane are the targets of La(III) action on plant cell.

  7. Role of pentraxin 3 in shaping arthritogenic alphaviral disease: from enhanced viral replication to immunomodulation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suan-Sin Foo

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available The rising prevalence of arthritogenic alphavirus infections, including chikungunya virus (CHIKV and Ross River virus (RRV, and the lack of antiviral treatments highlight the potential threat of a global alphavirus pandemic. The immune responses underlying alphavirus virulence remain enigmatic. We found that pentraxin 3 (PTX3 was highly expressed in CHIKV and RRV patients during acute disease. Overt expression of PTX3 in CHIKV patients was associated with increased viral load and disease severity. PTX3-deficient (PTX3(-/- mice acutely infected with RRV exhibited delayed disease progression and rapid recovery through diminished inflammatory responses and viral replication. Furthermore, binding of the N-terminal domain of PTX3 to RRV facilitated viral entry and replication. Thus, our study demonstrates the pivotal role of PTX3 in shaping alphavirus-triggered immunity and disease and provides new insights into alphavirus pathogenesis.

  8. Synergy between ficolin-2 and pentraxin 3 boosts innate immune recognition and complement deposition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ma, Ying Jie; Doni, Andrea; Hummelshøj, Tina

    2009-01-01

    The long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is a multifunctional soluble pattern recognition molecule that is crucial in innate immune protection against opportunistic fungal pathogens such as Aspergillus fumigatus. The mechanisms that mediate downstream effects of PTX3 are largely unknown. However, PTX3 interac...

  9. Zilver PTX Post-Market Surveillance Study of Paclitaxel-Eluting Stents for Treating Femoropopliteal Artery Disease in Japan: 12-Month Results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yokoi, Hiroyoshi; Ohki, Takao; Kichikawa, Kimihiko; Nakamura, Masato; Komori, Kimihiro; Nanto, Shinsuke; O'Leary, Erin E; Lottes, Aaron E; Snyder, Scott A; Dake, Michael D

    2016-02-08

    This multicenter, prospective, post-market surveillance study in Japan evaluates the paclitaxel-coated Zilver PTX stent in real-world patients with complex lesions. The Zilver PTX stent is the first drug-eluting stent (DES) approved for the superficial femoral artery. Previously, results from a large randomized study and a complementary, large single-arm study supported the safety and effectiveness of the DES. There were no exclusion criteria, and consecutive patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) treated with the DES were enrolled in the study. Clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR) was defined as reintervention performed for ≥50% diameter stenosis after recurrent clinical symptoms of PAD. Clinical benefit was defined as freedom from persistent or worsening symptoms of ischemia. Patency was evaluated by duplex ultrasound where physicians considered this standard of care. In this study, 907 patients were enrolled at 95 institutions in Japan. There were numerous comorbidities including high incidences of diabetes (58.8%), chronic kidney disease (43.8%), and critical limb ischemia (21.5%). Lesions were also complex, with an average length of 14.7 cm, 41.6% total occlusions, and 18.6% in-stent restenosis. In total, 1,861 DES were placed in 1,075 lesions. Twelve-month follow-up was obtained for >95% of eligible patients. Freedom from TLR was 91.0%, and clinical benefit was 87.7% through 12 months. The 12-month primary patency rate was 86.4%. Despite more challenging lesions, results from the current study are similar to outcomes from the previous Zilver PTX studies, confirming the benefit of the Zilver PTX DES in a real-world patient population. (Zilver PTX Post-Market Study in Japan; NCT02254837). Copyright © 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Shuttling of G protein subunits between the plasma membrane and intracellular membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chisari, Mariangela; Saini, Deepak Kumar; Kalyanaraman, Vani; Gautam, Narasimhan

    2007-08-17

    Heterotrimeric G proteins (alphabetagamma) mediate the majority of signaling pathways in mammalian cells. It is long held that G protein function is localized to the plasma membrane. Here we examined the spatiotemporal dynamics of G protein localization using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, fluorescence loss in photobleaching, and a photoswitchable fluorescent protein, Dronpa. Unexpectedly, G protein subunits shuttle rapidly (t1/2 plasma membrane and intracellular membranes. We show that consistent with such shuttling, G proteins constitutively reside in endomembranes. Furthermore, we show that shuttling is inhibited by 2-bromopalmitate. Thus, contrary to present thought, G proteins do not reside permanently on the plasma membrane but are constantly testing the cytoplasmic surfaces of the plasma membrane and endomembranes to maintain G protein pools in intracellular membranes to establish direct communication between receptors and endomembranes.

  11. ER-to-plasma membrane tethering proteins regulate cell signaling and ER morphology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manford, Andrew G; Stefan, Christopher J; Yuan, Helen L; Macgurn, Jason A; Emr, Scott D

    2012-12-11

    Endoplasmic reticulum-plasma membrane (ER-PM) junctions are conserved structures defined as regions of the ER that tightly associate with the plasma membrane. However, little is known about the mechanisms that tether these organelles together and why such connections are maintained. Using a quantitative proteomic approach, we identified three families of ER-PM tethering proteins in yeast: Ist2 (related to mammalian TMEM16 ion channels), the tricalbins (Tcb1/2/3, orthologs of the extended synaptotagmins), and Scs2 and Scs22 (vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated proteins). Loss of all six tethering proteins results in the separation of the ER from the PM and the accumulation of cytoplasmic ER. Importantly, we find that phosphoinositide signaling is misregulated at the PM, and the unfolded protein response is constitutively activated in the ER in cells lacking ER-PM tether proteins. These results reveal critical roles for ER-PM contacts in cell signaling, organelle morphology, and ER function. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Membrane fusion by VAMP3 and plasma membrane t-SNAREs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu Chuan; Hardee, Deborah; Minnear, Fred

    2007-01-01

    Pairing of SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) proteins on vesicles (v-SNAREs) and SNARE proteins on target membranes (t-SNAREs) mediates intracellular membrane fusion. VAMP3/cellubrevin is a v-SNARE that resides in recycling endosomes and endosome-derived transport vesicles. VAMP3 has been implicated in recycling of transferrin receptors, secretion of α-granules in platelets, and membrane trafficking during cell migration. Using a cell fusion assay, we examined membrane fusion capacity of the ternary complexes formed by VAMP3 and plasma membrane t-SNAREs syntaxin1, syntaxin4, SNAP-23 and SNAP-25. VAMP3 forms fusogenic pairing with t-SNARE complexes syntaxin1/SNAP-25, syntaxin1/SNAP-23 and syntaxin4/SNAP-25, but not with syntaxin4/SNAP-23. Deletion of the N-terminal domain of syntaxin4 enhanced membrane fusion more than two fold, indicating that the N-terminal domain negatively regulates membrane fusion. Differential membrane fusion capacities of the ternary v-/t-SNARE complexes suggest that transport vesicles containing VAMP3 have distinct membrane fusion kinetics with domains of the plasma membrane that present different t-SNARE proteins

  13. Effects of ethanol on plasma protein shedding in the human stomach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brassinne, A.

    1979-01-01

    Plasma protein shedding in the stomach was measured in 23 normal individuals before and after intragastric administration of a 30% solution of ethyl alcohol. Two different methods were used to assess plasma protein shedding. The first technique utilizes [ 131 I] albumin and requires neutralization of the gastric juice. It was used in 12 subjects and failed to demonstrate any increase of plasma protein shedding under the influence of ethanol. The second technique which utilizes [ 51 Cr] chloride was used in 11 subjects. It demonstrated a significant increase of the gastric clearance of plasma protein which reached 2.5 times the control values. The [ 51 Cr] chloride technique does not require prior neutralization of gastric acidity. It is concluded that, in normal man, ethanol administration increases plasma protein shedding in the stomach when it is given in the presence of an acid gastric juice. The effect is not observed when the gastric acidity is neutralized

  14. Function of plasma membrane microdomain-associated proteins during legume nodulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiao, Zhenzhen; Libault, Marc

    2017-10-03

    Plasma membrane microdomains are plasma membrane sub-compartments enriched in sphingolipids and sterols, and composed by a specific set of proteins. They are involved in recognizing signal molecules, transducing these signals, and controlling endocytosis and exocytosis processes. In a recent study, applying biochemical and microscopic methods, we characterized the soybean GmFWL1 protein, a major regulator of soybean nodulation, as a new membrane microdomain-associated protein. Interestingly, upon rhizobia inoculation of the soybean root system, GmFWL1 and one of its interacting partners, GmFLOT2/4, both translocate to the root hair cell tip, the primary site of interaction and infection between soybean and Rhizobium. The role of GmFWL1 as a plasma membrane microdomain-associated protein is also supported by immunoprecipitation assays performed on soybean nodules, which revealed 178 GmFWL1 protein partners including a large number of microdomain-associated proteins such as GmFLOT2/4. In this addendum, we provide additional information about the identity of the soybean proteins repetitively identified as GmFWL1 protein partners. Their function is discussed especially in regard to plant-microbe interactions and microbial symbiosis. This addendum will provide new insights in the role of plasma membrane microdomains in regulating legume nodulation.

  15. Haptoglobin-related protein is a high-affinity hemoglobin-binding plasma protein

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Marianne Jensby; Petersen, Steen Vang; Jacobsen, Christian

    2006-01-01

    Haptoglobin-related protein (Hpr) is a primate-specific plasma protein associated with apolipoprotein L-I (apoL-I)-containing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles shown to be a part of the innate immune defense. Despite the assumption hitherto that Hpr does not bind to hemoglobin, the present...

  16. Reticulomics: Protein-Protein Interaction Studies with Two Plasmodesmata-Localized Reticulon Family Proteins Identify Binding Partners Enriched at Plasmodesmata, Endoplasmic Reticulum, and the Plasma Membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kriechbaumer, Verena; Botchway, Stanley W; Slade, Susan E; Knox, Kirsten; Frigerio, Lorenzo; Oparka, Karl; Hawes, Chris

    2015-11-01

    The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a ubiquitous organelle that plays roles in secretory protein production, folding, quality control, and lipid biosynthesis. The cortical ER in plants is pleomorphic and structured as a tubular network capable of morphing into flat cisternae, mainly at three-way junctions, and back to tubules. Plant reticulon family proteins (RTNLB) tubulate the ER by dimerization and oligomerization, creating localized ER membrane tensions that result in membrane curvature. Some RTNLB ER-shaping proteins are present in the plasmodesmata (PD) proteome and may contribute to the formation of the desmotubule, the axial ER-derived structure that traverses primary PD. Here, we investigate the binding partners of two PD-resident reticulon proteins, RTNLB3 and RTNLB6, that are located in primary PD at cytokinesis in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). Coimmunoprecipitation of green fluorescent protein-tagged RTNLB3 and RTNLB6 followed by mass spectrometry detected a high percentage of known PD-localized proteins as well as plasma membrane proteins with putative membrane-anchoring roles. Förster resonance energy transfer by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy assays revealed a highly significant interaction of the detected PD proteins with the bait RTNLB proteins. Our data suggest that RTNLB proteins, in addition to a role in ER modeling, may play important roles in linking the cortical ER to the plasma membrane. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  17. Reduced protein oxidation in Wistar rats supplemented with marine ω3 PUFAs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Méndez, Lucía; Pazos, Manuel; Gallardo, José M; Torres, Josep L; Pérez-Jiménez, Jara; Nogués, Rosa; Romeu, Marta; Medina, Isabel

    2013-02-01

    The potential effects of various dietary eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6) ratios (1:1, 2:1, and 1:2, respectively) on protein redox states from plasma, kidney, skeletal muscle, and liver were investigated in Wistar rats. Dietary fish oil groups were compared with animals fed soybean and linseed oils, vegetable oils enriched in ω6 linoleic acid (LA; 18:2) and ω3 α-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3), respectively. Fish oil treatments were effective at reducing the level of total fatty acids in plasma and enriching the plasmatic free fatty acid fraction and erythrocyte membranes in EPA and DHA. A proteomic approach consisting of fluorescein 5-thiosemicarbazide (FTSC) labeling of protein carbonyls, FTSC intensity visualization on 1-DE or 2-DE gels, and protein identification by MS/MS was used for the protein oxidation assessment. Albumin was found to be the most carbonylated protein in plasma for all dietary groups, and its oxidation level was significantly modulated by dietary interventions. Supplementation with an equal EPA:DHA ratio (1:1) showed the lowest oxidation score for plasma albumin, followed in increasing order of carbonylation by 1:2 proteins and cytosolic proteins from kidney and liver also indicated a protective effect on proteins for the fish oil treatments, the 1:1 ratio exhibiting the lowest protein oxidation scores. The effect of fish oil treatments at reducing carbonylation on specific proteins from plasma (albumin), skeletal muscle (actin), and liver (albumin, argininosuccinate synthetase, 3-α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) was remarkable. This investigation highlights the efficiency of dietary fish oil at reducing in vivo oxidative damage of proteins compared to oils enriched in the 18-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids ω3 ALA and ω6 LA, and such antioxidant activity may differ among different fish oil sources because of variations in EPA/DHA content. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. ESCRT-dependent degradation of ubiquitylated plasma membrane proteins in plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isono, Erika; Kalinowska, Kamila

    2017-12-01

    To control the abundance of plasma membrane receptors and transporters is crucial for proper perception and response to extracellular signals from surrounding cells and the environment. Posttranslational modification of plasma membrane proteins, especially ubiquitin conjugation or ubiquitylation, is key for the determination of stability for many transmembrane proteins localized on the cell surface. The targeted degradation is ensured by a complex network of proteins among which the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) plays a central role. This review focuses on progresses made in recent years on the understanding of the function of the ESCRT machinery in the degradation of ubiquitylated plasma membrane proteins in plants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Isoelectrofocusing analysis of plasma proteins in dogs irradiated with γ-rays in different doses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Jinping; Ma Liren

    1986-01-01

    The plasma proteins in dogs irradiated with 2.65, 3.75, 5 and 10 Gy of γ-rays were analysed by isoelectrofocusing. Two groups of proteins, which the author named acute phase reactive proteins (A 1 pI = 4.3, A 2 pI = 4.8), were increased during the acute phase of disease. The levels of these proteins were found to be relative to the ultimate fate of the dogs. The causes of the changes of these proteins are discussed

  20. HIP2: An online database of human plasma proteins from healthy individuals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shen Changyu

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background With the introduction of increasingly powerful mass spectrometry (MS techniques for clinical research, several recent large-scale MS proteomics studies have sought to characterize the entire human plasma proteome with a general objective for identifying thousands of proteins leaked from tissues in the circulating blood. Understanding the basic constituents, diversity, and variability of the human plasma proteome is essential to the development of sensitive molecular diagnosis and treatment monitoring solutions for future biomedical applications. Biomedical researchers today, however, do not have an integrated online resource in which they can search for plasma proteins collected from different mass spectrometry platforms, experimental protocols, and search software for healthy individuals. The lack of such a resource for comparisons has made it difficult to interpret proteomics profile changes in patients' plasma and to design protein biomarker discovery experiments. Description To aid future protein biomarker studies of disease and health from human plasma, we developed an online database, HIP2 (Healthy Human Individual's Integrated Plasma Proteome. The current version contains 12,787 protein entries linked to 86,831 peptide entries identified using different MS platforms. Conclusion This web-based database will be useful to biomedical researchers involved in biomarker discovery research. This database has been developed to be the comprehensive collection of healthy human plasma proteins, and has protein data captured in a relational database schema built to contain mappings of supporting peptide evidence from several high-quality and high-throughput mass-spectrometry (MS experimental data sets. Users can search for plasma protein/peptide annotations, peptide/protein alignments, and experimental/sample conditions with options for filter-based retrieval to achieve greater analytical power for discovery and validation.

  1. Pentoxifylline Regulates Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 Expression and Protein Kinase A Phosphorylation in Radiation-Induced Lung Fibrosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jong-Geol Lee

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. Radiation-induced lung fibrosis (RILF is a serious late complication of radiotherapy. In vitro studies have demonstrated that pentoxifylline (PTX has suppressing effects in extracellular matrix production in fibroblasts, while the antifibrotic action of PTX alone using clinical dose is yet unexplored. Materials and Methods. We used micro-computed tomography (micro-CT and histopathological analysis to evaluate the antifibrotic effects of PTX in a rat model of RILF. Results. Micro-CT findings showed that lung density, volume loss, and mediastinal shift are significantly increased at 16 weeks after irradiation. Simultaneously, histological analysis demonstrated thickening of alveolar walls, destruction of alveolar structures, and excessive collagen deposition in the irradiated lung. PTX treatment effectively attenuated the fibrotic changes based on both micro-CT and histopathological analyses. Western analysis also revealed increased levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor- (PAI- 1 and fibronectin (FN and PTX treatment reduced expression of PAI-1 and FN by restoring protein kinase A (PKA phosphorylation but not TGF-β/Smad in both irradiated lung tissues and epithelial cells. Conclusions. Our results demonstrate the antifibrotic effect of PTX on radiation-induced lung fibrosis and its effect on modulation of PKA and PAI-1 expression as possible antifibrotic mechanisms.

  2. Paclitaxel-loaded KMnF3 nanoparticles for cancer imaging and therapy in vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Xiao-xia; Wan, Hong-ping; Zhang, Jin-sheng; Tang, Qun

    2014-11-01

    Biocompatible nanoparticles (NPs) responding to the light, thermal, or magnetic excitation are attracting more attention for diagnosis and therapy of cancer. Design of an effective multifunctional complex based on those NPs is a key issue to be addressed, for example, integration of anti-tumor agents with nanoprobes has been considered as one of the successful strategies for combined cancer diagnosis and therapy. In this paper, we develop paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded PEGylation KMnF3 NP, with the size ranged from 18 to 23 nm, as MRI contrast agents for cancer imaging and drug delivery for chemotherapy. Preliminary cell tests demonstrated that PTX@PEG-KMnF3 NP is highly biocompatible. The NP has high loading capacity of PTX (0.7 mg PTX/mg Mn ions), enhanced solubility of PTX (0.16 mg PTX/ml vs 0.02 mg PTX/ml), and high releasing ratio (90 %) in the weak acid solution. As it was applied for in vivo imaging and therapy, the NP enhanced contrast of tumor's MR images and PTX's anti-tumor effect profoundly. The signal noise ratio of the cancer image increased 170 % as comparison to pre-injection with the injection dose of 1.15 mg Mn/kg. The drug delivery's efficacy was also substantially improved, as the tumor growth inhibition effects reached 50 %, meanwhile only 30 % for pristine PTX. Our studies suggest that PTX-loaded KMnF3 NP might be useful as MR image-guided drug delivery for tumor treatment.

  3. Serum Copper and Plasma Protein Status in Normal Pregnancy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nushrat Noor, Nasim Jahan, Nayma Sultana

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available AbstractBackground: Gradual alteration of serum copper and some plasma protein levels may occur with advancement of pregnancy, which is associated with increased maternal and infant morbidity and mortality.Objective: To observe serum copper and plasma protein levels in normal pregnant women of different trimesters in order to find out their nutritional status.Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out in the Department of Physiology, Sir Salimullah Medical College (SSMC, Dhaka, between 1st January 2010 and December 2010. Ninety normal pregnant women of different trimesters with age 20-30 years were included in the study group. They were selected from Out Patient Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, SSMC. Age matched 30 non-pregnant women were taken as control. Serum copper level was measured by Spectrophotometric method, serum total protein and albumin levels were estimated by standard method. Statistical analysis was done by one way ANOVA, Bonferroni and Pearson’s correlation coefficient test as applicable.Results: Serum Cu levels were significantly higher in all trimesters of pregnant women compared to control. Again, this value was significantly higher in 3rd trimester than that of in 1st and 2nd trimester and also in 2nd trimester than that of in 1st trimester. In addition, mean serum total protein level was significantly lower in 3rd trimester than control but no statistically significant difference was observed among different trimesters. Again, mean serum albumin level was significantly lower in 2nd and 3rd trimester than 1st trimester and control. In addition, serum Cu concentration showed significant positive correlation with different trimesters of gestation.Conclusion: This study reveals that hypercupremia along with hypoproteinemia occur in pregnant women from 1st to 3rd trimester of gestation. This gradual alteration of micro and macronutrients become more profound with advancement of pregnancy.

  4. Plasma cholesteryl ester transfer protein mass and phospholipid transfer protein activity are associated with leptin in type 2 diabetes mellitus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dullaart, R. P. F.; de Vries, R.; Dallinga-Thie, G. M.; van Tol, A.; Sluiter, W. J.

    Adipose tissue contributes to plasma levels of lipid transfer proteins and is also the major source of plasma adipokines. We hypothesized that plasma cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) mass, phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) activity and cholesteryl ester transfer (CET, a measure of CETP

  5. MAMP (microbe-associated molecular pattern)-induced changes in plasma membrane-associated proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uhlíková, Hana; Solanský, Martin; Hrdinová, Vendula; Šedo, Ondrej; Kašparovský, Tomáš; Hejátko, Jan; Lochman, Jan

    2017-03-01

    Plant plasma membrane associated proteins play significant roles in Microbe-Associated Molecular Pattern (MAMP) mediated defence responses including signal transduction, membrane transport or energetic metabolism. To elucidate the dynamics of proteins associated with plasma membrane in response to cryptogein, a well-known MAMP of defence reaction secreted by the oomycete Phytophthora cryptogea, 2D-Blue Native/SDS gel electrophoresis of plasma membrane fractions was employed. This approach revealed 21 up- or down-regulated protein spots of which 15 were successfully identified as proteins related to transport through plasma membrane, vesicle trafficking, and metabolic enzymes including cytosolic NADP-malic enzyme and glutamine synthetase. Observed changes in proteins were also confirmed on transcriptional level by qRT-PCR analysis. In addition, a significantly decreased accumulation of transcripts observed after employment of a mutant variant of cryptogein Leu41Phe, exhibiting a conspicuous defect in induction of resistance, sustains the contribution of identified proteins in cryptogein-triggered cellular responses. Our data provide further evidence for dynamic MAMP-induced changes in plasma membrane associated proteins. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  6. Proteomic analysis of plasma membrane proteins in wheat roots exposed to phenanthrene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Yu; Du, Jiangxue; Yue, Le; Zhan, Xinhua

    2016-06-01

    Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are potentially carcinogenic and toxic to humans through ingestion of contaminated food crops. PAHs can enter crop roots through proton/PAH symporters; however, to date, the symporter remains unclear. Here we reveal, for the first time, the plasma membrane proteome of Triticum aestivum seedling roots in response to phenanthrene (a model PAH) exposure. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) coupled with MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS and protein database search engines were employed to analyze and identify phenanthrene-responsive proteins. Over 192 protein spots are reproducibly detected in each gel, while 8 spots are differentially expressed under phenanthrene treatment. Phenanthrene induces five up-regulated proteins distinguished as 5-methyltetrahydropteroyltriglutamate-homocysteine methyltransferase 2, enolase, heat shock protein 80-2, probable mediator of RNA polymerase II transcription subunit 37e (heat shock 70-kDa protein 1), and lactoylglutathione lyase. Three proteins identified as adenosine kinase 2, 4-hydroxy-7-methoxy-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-2-yl glucoside beta-D-glucosidase 1c, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 3 are down-regulated under exposure to phenanthrene. The up-regulated proteins are related to plant defense response, antioxidant system, and glycolysis. The down-regulated proteins involve the metabolism of high-energy compounds and plant growth. Magnesium, which is able to bind to enolase, can enhance the transport of phenanthrene into wheat roots. Therefore, it is concluded that phenanthrene can induce differential expression of proteins in relation to carbohydrate metabolism, self-defense, and plant growth on wheat root plasma membrane. This study not only provides novel insights into PAH uptake by plant roots and PAH stress responses, but is also a good starting point for further determination and analyses of their functions using genetic and other approaches.

  7. Echocardiography, spirometry, and systemic acute-phase inflammatory proteins in smokers with COPD or CHF: an observational study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bianca Beghé

    Full Text Available Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD and chronic heart failure (CHF may coexist in elderly patients with a history of smoking. Low-grade systemic inflammation induced by smoking may represent the link between these 2 conditions. In this study, we investigated left ventricular dysfunction in patients primarily diagnosed with COPD, and nonreversible airflow limitation in patients primarily diagnosed with CHF. The levels of circulating high-sensitive C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP, pentraxin 3 (PTX3, interleukin-1β (IL-1 β, and soluble type II receptor of IL-1 (sIL-1RII were also measured as markers of systemic inflammation in these 2 cohorts. Patients aged ≥ 50 years and with ≥ 10 pack years of cigarette smoking who presented with a diagnosis of stable COPD (n=70 or stable CHF (n=124 were recruited. All patients underwent echocardiography, N-terminal pro-hormone of brain natriuretic peptide measurements, and post-bronchodilator spirometry. Plasma levels of Hs-CRP, PTX3, IL-1 β, and sIL-1RII were determined by using a sandwich enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay in all patients and in 24 healthy smokers (control subjects. Although we were unable to find a single COPD patient with left ventricular dysfunction, we found nonreversible airflow limitation in 34% of patients with CHF. On the other hand, COPD patients had higher plasma levels of Hs-CRP, IL1 β, and sIL-1RII compared with CHF patients and control subjects (p < 0.05. None of the inflammatory biomarkers was different between CHF patients and control subjects. In conclusion, although the COPD patients had no evidence of CHF, up to one third of patients with CHF had airflow limitation, suggesting that routine spirometry is warranted in patients with CHF, whereas echocardiography is not required in well characterized patients with COPD. Only smokers with COPD seem to have evidence of systemic inflammation.

  8. Blood plasma proteins and protein fractions in roe deer Capreolus capreolus L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dorota CYGAN-SZCZEGIELNIAK

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the research was to investigate some selected biochemical blood parameters in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.. The experiment covered 15 from 2 to 3-year-old bucks from Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. The animals were shot by individual hunters on the shooting grounds during the hunting season of 2008/2009 (in the accordance with the Journal of Laws No 48. The material for the research was blood plasma obtained after centrifuging full, nonhemolyzed blood. The blood was collected from the zygomatic vein directly to the test tubes with EDTA and transported in cooling conditions to the laboratory. After transporting the samples of blood to a certified analytical laboratory, the following elements of the obtained blood plasma were examined: ceruloplasmin . using turbidimetric method; transferrin . using immunoturbimetric method; troponin- using a third generation assay on an Elecsys; total protein, albumin, globulin . using spectrophotometric method and total iron . using colorimetric method. The results were statistically analyzed, i.e. the correlation between the parameters was measured by means of Pearsonfs correlation coefficient. The analysis of the results revealed a number of statistically significant relations between the parameters under the investigation, especially among the compounds directly responsible for metabolism of iron and copper. A statistically important positive correlation was observed between ceruloplasmin and ferritin (r = 0.563; P.0.05 and a negative one between transferrin and troponin (r = -0.609; P.0.05. Moreover, the content of transferrin . an iron-binding protein . was 0.17 g/l, while the concentration of iron was 58 ƒĘmol/l. The content of ceruloplasmin . a protein responsible for metabolism of copper . was very low (0.036 g/l. The level of proteins in the blood plasma of the animals under the research was approximately 72 g/l, with the share of albumins about 46%. The albumin-globulin ratio was 0.86.

  9. Effect of experimentally increased protein supply to postpartum dairy cows on plasma protein synthesis, rumen tissue proliferation, and immune homeostasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larsen, M; Røntved, C M; Theil, P K; Khatun, M; Lauridsen, C; Kristensen, N B

    2017-05-01

    The effect of experimentally increasing the postpartum protein supply on plasma protein synthesis, rumen tissue proliferation, and immune homeostasis was studied using 8 periparturient Holstein cows in a complete randomized design. At calving, cows were assigned to abomasal infusion of water (CTRL) or casein (CAS) in addition to a lactation diet. Casein infusion was gradually decreased from 696 ± 1 g/d at +2 d relative to calving (DRTC) to 212 ± 10 g/d at +29 DRTC to avoid excessive supply. Synthesis rate of plasma proteins was measured at -14, +4, +15, and +29 DRTC by measuring [C]Phe isotopic enrichment in arterial plasma free Phe, total plasma proteins, and albumin after 3, 5, and 7 h of jugular ring[C]Phe infusion. Plasma volume was determined at +4 and +29 DRTC by dilution of a [I]BSA dose. Synthesis rate of tissue protein in biopsied rumen papillae was determined by measuring [C]Phe isotopic enrichment, and mRNA expression of selected genes was measured by real-time qPCR. Total and differential leukocyte counts were performed and immune responsiveness of monocytes was evaluated by tumor necrosis factor ɑ (TNFɑ) concentration on ex vivo whole blood stimulation with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and responsiveness of T-lymphocytes by interferon γ (IFNγ) concentration on stimulation with Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin β (SEB). Further, ELISA plasma concentrations of IgM, IgA, and IgG were determined. The DRTC affected the majority of investigated parameters as expected. The CAS treatment increased milk protein yield (P = 0.04), and tended to lower TNFɑ (P = 0.06), and lowered IFNγ (P = 0.03) responsiveness per monocyte and lymphocyte, respectively, compared with CTRL. Further, fractional synthesis rate of albumin was greater at +4 DRTC for CAS compared with CTRL but did not differ by +29 DRTC (interaction: P = 0.01). In rumen papillae, synthesis rate of tissue protein was greater for CAS compared with CTRL (P protein supply seem to

  10. Establishment of reference intervals for plasma protein electrophoresis in Indo-Pacific green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flint, Mark; Matthews, Beren J; Limpus, Colin J; Mills, Paul C

    2015-01-01

    Biochemical and haematological parameters are increasingly used to diagnose disease in green sea turtles. Specific clinical pathology tools, such as plasma protein electrophoresis analysis, are now being used more frequently to improve our ability to diagnose disease in the live animal. Plasma protein reference intervals were calculated from 55 clinically healthy green sea turtles using pulsed field electrophoresis to determine pre-albumin, albumin, α-, β- and γ-globulin concentrations. The estimated reference intervals were then compared with data profiles from clinically unhealthy turtles admitted to a local wildlife hospital to assess the validity of the derived intervals and identify the clinically useful plasma protein fractions. Eighty-six per cent {19 of 22 [95% confidence interval (CI) 65-97]} of clinically unhealthy turtles had values outside the derived reference intervals, including the following: total protein [six of 22 turtles or 27% (95% CI 11-50%)], pre-albumin [two of five, 40% (95% CI 5-85%)], albumin [13 of 22, 59% (95% CI 36-79%)], total albumin [13 of 22, 59% (95% CI 36-79%)], α- [10 of 22, 45% (95% CI 24-68%)], β- [two of 10, 20% (95% CI 3-56%)], γ- [one of 10, 10% (95% CI 0.3-45%)] and β-γ-globulin [one of 12, 8% (95% CI 0.2-38%)] and total globulin [five of 22, 23% (8-45%)]. Plasma protein electrophoresis shows promise as an accurate adjunct tool to identify a disease state in marine turtles. This study presents the first reference interval for plasma protein electrophoresis in the Indo-Pacific green sea turtle.

  11. Preliminary study on plasma proteins in pregnant and non-pregnant female dogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szczubiał, Marek; Wawrzykowski, Jacek; Dąbrowski, Roman; Krawczyk, Magdalena; Kankofer, Marta

    2017-07-15

    In this study, we used a combined approach based on 2-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE), difference in gel electrophoresis (DIGE), and mass spectrometry (MS) to identify the plasma protein composition in pregnant female dogs and compared it with non-pregnant female dogs. We used the plasma samples obtained from four female dogs during I, II, and III thirds of pregnancy, three days after parturition, as well as from four non-pregnant female dogs in diestrus phase. Analysis of 2-DE gel image exhibited of 249 protein spots. The intensity of staining of 35 spots differed significantly (P dogs. We used matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS) to identify 47 spots corresponding to 52 different proteins. Five identified protein spots, including zinc finger BED domain-containing protein 5, hemoglobin subunit beta-2, integrator complex subunit 7, apolipoprotein A-I, and glutamyl aminopeptidase were differentially presented in the plasma of pregnant and non-pregnant female dogs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the plasma protein profile of pregnant and non-pregnant female dogs. In this study, we identified proteins that have not been previously identified in dogs. Our findings showed that numerous protein spots were differentially presented in the plasma of female dogs during normal pregnancy. Although we identified only a limited number of differentially presented proteins, our study demonstrated that the plasma protein profile changed during pregnancy in female dogs, which suggests its importance in maintaining pregnancy. Further studies are necessary to define complete plasma protein profile of pregnant female dogs and to identify all proteins that are differentially presented in the pregnant animals compared with the non-pregnant ones. In addition, studies are warranted to explain the role of those proteins in maintaining the pregnancy and their usefulness in detection of early pregnancy

  12. Association of plasma protein C levels and coronary artery disease ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Several studies have shown the risk factor causes of coronary heart disease. In this study we tested the hypothesis that plasma protein C level might be used as a biomarker for coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction. The study included 60 men that were classified into 3 groups according to clinical examination; ...

  13. Hunting for low abundant redox proteins in plant plasma membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lüthje, Sabine; Hopff, David; Schmitt, Anna; Meisrimler, Claudia-Nicole; Menckhoff, Ljiljana

    2009-04-13

    Nowadays electron transport (redox) systems in plasma membranes appear well established. Members of the flavocytochrome b family have been identified by their nucleotide acid sequences and characterized on the transcriptional level. For their gene products functions have been demonstrated in iron uptake and oxidative stress including biotic interactions, abiotic stress factors and plant development. In addition, NAD(P)H-dependent oxidoreductases and b-type cytochromes have been purified and characterized from plasma membranes. Several of these proteins seem to belong to the group of hypothetical or unknown proteins. Low abundance and the lack of amino acid sequence data for these proteins still hamper their functional analysis. Consequently, little is known about the physiological function and regulation of these enzymes. In recent years evidence has been presented for the existence of microdomains (so-called lipid rafts) in plasma membranes and their interaction with specific membrane proteins. The identification of redox systems in detergent insoluble membranes supports the idea that redox systems may have important functions in signal transduction, stress responses, cell wall metabolism, and transport processes. This review summarizes our present knowledge on plasma membrane redox proteins and discusses alternative strategies to investigate the function and regulation of these enzymes.

  14. Shotgun proteomics of plant plasma membrane and microdomain proteins using nano-LC-MS/MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Daisuke; Li, Bin; Nakayama, Takato; Kawamura, Yukio; Uemura, Matsuo

    2014-01-01

    Shotgun proteomics allows the comprehensive analysis of proteins extracted from plant cells, subcellular organelles, and membranes. Previously, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis-based proteomics was used for mass spectrometric analysis of plasma membrane proteins. In order to get comprehensive proteome profiles of the plasma membrane including highly hydrophobic proteins with a number of transmembrane domains, a mass spectrometry-based shotgun proteomics method using nano-LC-MS/MS for proteins from the plasma membrane proteins and plasma membrane microdomain fraction is described. The results obtained are easily applicable to label-free protein semiquantification.

  15. [Removal of high-abundance proteins in plasma of the obese by improved TCA/acetone precipitation method].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jun; Feng, Liru; Yu, Wei; Xu, Jian; Yang, Hui; Liu, Xiaoli

    2013-09-01

    To develop an improved trichloroacetic acid (TCA)/acetone precipitation method for removal of high-abundance proteins in plasma of the obese. Volumes of TCA/acetone solution (1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 20 times of the sample) and concentrations of TCA (10%, 30%, 50%, 60%, 70% TCA/acetone solution) have been investigated to optimize the conditions of sample preparation. SDS-PAGE were used to separate and tested proteins in the supernatant and sediment. The best concentration of the TCA/acetone solution was first determined by SDS-PAGE. The protein in precipitation from 10% TCA/acetone solution processing and the new determined concentration TCA/acetone solution processing were verified by 2-D-SDS-PAGE. And then the digested products of the protein in precipitation and supernatant by trypsin were analyzed by nano HPLC-Chip-MS/MS to verify which is the best concentration to process the plasma. The best volume of TCA/acetone is four times to sample, which less or more TCA/acetone would reduce the removal efficiency of high-abundance proteins. The concentration of TCA in acetone solution should be 60%, which may remove more high-abundance proteins in plasma than 10%, 30%, 50% TCA in acetone solution. If the TCA concentration is more than 60%, the reproducibility will be much poorer due to fast precipitation of proteins. The results of mass identification showed that human plasma prepared with 60% TCA/acetone (4 times sample volume) could be verified more low-abundance proteins than 10%. The most desirable conditions for removal of high-abundance proteins in plasma is 60% TCA/acetone (4 times sample volume), especially for the plasma of obesity.

  16. Effects of ranavirus infection of red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) on plasma proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, A Russell; Allender, Matthew C; MacNeill, Amy L

    2014-06-01

    Ranavirus is an emerging disease that infects fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Ranavirus induces an inflammatory response leading to death in many susceptible species. Red-eared sliders (RES; Trachemys scripta elegans) are vulnerable to ranavirus infection and are economically significant chelonians kept in the pet trade and utilized in research. Early identification of RES with inflammatory diseases would allow for isolation of affected individuals and subsequent disease investigation, including molecular testing for ranavirus. Validation of an inexpensive, clinically relevant, and reproducible diagnostic test that detects inflammation in turtles is needed. Although commonly used, plasma protein electrophoresis to detect an inflammatory acute-phase protein response has not been evaluated in a controlled environment in turtles with experimentally induced inflammatory disease. The objective of this study was to measure plasma protein fractions by electrophoresis to determine if an acute-phase protein response occurs in RES during infection with a frog virus 3-like ranavirus (FV3-like virus) isolated from a chelonian. A Bradford assay and agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) were performed using plasma collected during a study of the effect of temperature on the pathogenesis of ranavirus in RES. In RES at the time of viremia, total albumin (ALB(mg/ml)) and albumin to globulin ratio were significantly lower and beta-globulin percentage was significantly higher in RES exposed to ranavirus (n = 4) as compared to matched, uninfected RES (n = 8). In the last sample collected prior to death, total protein (TP(mg/ml)), ALB(mg/ml), alpha-globulin percentage, and total alpha-globulin (alpha(mg/ml)) were significantly lower in RES exposed to ranavirus (n = 4) than control individuals (n = 8). In summary, FV3-like virus induces a decrease in plasma albumin concentration at the onset ofviremia and decreases in TP(mg/ml, ALB(mg/ml), and alpha(mg/ml) concentrations prior to death in

  17. Evolutionary plasticity of plasma membrane interaction in DREPP family proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vosolsobě, Stanislav; Petrášek, Jan; Schwarzerová, Kateřina

    2017-05-01

    The plant-specific DREPP protein family comprises proteins that were shown to regulate the actin and microtubular cytoskeleton in a calcium-dependent manner. Our phylogenetic analysis showed that DREPPs first appeared in ferns and that DREPPs have a rapid and plastic evolutionary history in plants. Arabidopsis DREPP paralogues called AtMDP25/PCaP1 and AtMAP18/PCaP2 are N-myristoylated, which has been reported as a key factor in plasma membrane localization. Here we show that N-myristoylation is neither conserved nor ancestral for the DREPP family. Instead, by using confocal microscopy and a new method for quantitative evaluation of protein membrane localization, we show that DREPPs rely on two mechanisms ensuring their plasma membrane localization. These include N-myristoylation and electrostatic interaction of a polybasic amino acid cluster. We propose that various plasma membrane association mechanisms resulting from the evolutionary plasticity of DREPPs are important for refining plasma membrane interaction of these signalling proteins under various conditions and in various cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Band 3 tyrosine kinase in avian erythrocyte plasma membrane is immunologically related to pp60c-src

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hillsgrove, D.; Shores, C.G.; Parker, J.C.; Maness, P.F.

    1987-01-01

    The authors have identified in the plasma membrane of the chicken erythrocyte a 60-kDa tyrosine-specific protein kinase immunologically related to the transforming protein pp60 v-src of Rous sarcoma virus. The erythrocyte protein kinase phosphorylated heavy chains of tumor-bearing rabbit (TBR) antibodies reactive with pp60 c-src at tyrosine in immune complex protein kinase assays. The kinase was identified as a 60-kDa protein by [ 35 S]methionine labeling of erythrocytes and by autophosphorylation in immune complexes. The kinase migrated on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis with an apparent pI and molecular mass similar to pp60 c-src . A plasma membrane-enriched fraction isolated from chicken red cells contained the majority of the kinase activity. Incubation of the plasma membrane fraction with [ 32 P]ATP resulted in tyrosine phosphorylation of the anion transport protein band 3. Band 3 phosphorylation was blocked by TBR antibodies, indicting that the kinase recognized by pp60 c-src antibodies was responsible for band 3 phosphorylation. These results demonstrate that the avian erythrocyte plasma membrane contains a tightly bound tyrosine-specific protein kinase identical or closely related to pp60 c-src and that this kinase is responsible for band 3 phosphorylation in vitro

  19. [Screening differentially expressed plasma proteins in cold stress rats based on iTRAQ combined with mass spectrometry technology].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yan-zhi; Guo, Jing-ru; Peng, Meng-ling; Ma, Li; Zhen, Li; Ji, Hong; Yang, Huan-min

    2015-09-01

    Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) combined with mass spectrometry were used to screen differentially expressed plasma proteins in cold stress rats. Thirty health SPF Wistar rats were randomly divided into cold stress group A and control group B, then A and B were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 5): A1, A2, A3 and B1, B2, B3. The temperature of room raising was (24.0 +/- 0.1) degrees C, and the cold stress temperature was (4.0 +/- 0.1) degrees C. The rats were treated with different temperatures until 12 h. The abdominal aortic blood was collected with heparin anticoagulation suction tube. Then, the plasma was separated for protein extraction, quantitative, enzymolysis, iTHAQ labeling, scx fractionation and mass spectrometry analysis. Totally, 1085 proteins were identified in the test, 39 differentially expressed proteins were screened, including 29 up-regulated proteins and 10 down-regulated proteins. Three important differentially expressed proteins related to cold stress were screened by bioinfonnatics analysis (Minor histocompatihility protein HA-1, Has-related protein Rap-1b, Integrin beta-1). In the experiment, the differentially expressed plasma proteins were successfully screened in cold stress rats. iTRAQ technology provided a good platform to screen protein diaguostic markers on cold stress rats, and laid a good foundation for further. study on animal cold stress mechanism.

  20. The effect of polycarboxylate shell of magnetite nanoparticles on protein corona formation in blood plasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Szekeres, Márta, E-mail: szekeres@chem.u-szeged.hu [Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Sciences, University of Szeged, Hungary, 1 Aradi vt, 6720 Szeged (Hungary); Tóth, Ildikó Y. [Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Sciences, University of Szeged, Hungary, 1 Aradi vt, 6720 Szeged (Hungary); Turcu, R. [National Institute R& D for Isotopic and Molecular Technology, Cluj-Napoca 400293 (Romania); Tombácz, Etelka [Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Sciences, University of Szeged, Hungary, 1 Aradi vt, 6720 Szeged (Hungary)

    2017-04-01

    The development of protein corona around nanoparticles upon administration to the human body is responsible in a large part for their biodistribution, cell-internalization and toxicity or biocompatibility. We studied the influence of the chemical composition of polyelectrolyte shells (citric acid (CA) and poly(acrylic-co-maleic acid) (PAM)) of core-shell magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) on the evolution of protein corona in human plasma (HP). The aggregation state and zeta potential of the particles were measured in the range of HP concentration between 1 and 80 (v/v)% 3 min and 20 h after dispersing the particles in HP diluted with Tris buffered saline. Naked MNPs aggregated in HP solution, but the carboxylated MNPs became stabilized colloidally at higher plasma concentrations. Significant differences were observed at low plasma concentration. CA@MNPs aggregated instantly while the hydrodynamic diameter of PAM@MNP increased only slightly at 1–3 v/v % HP concentrations. The observed differences in protein corona formation can be explained by the differences in the steric effects of the polycarboxylate shells. It is interesting that relatively small but systematic changes in zeta potential alter the aggregation state significantly. - Highlights: • Human plasma protein corona cannot stabilize naked and citrate-coated magnetite nanoparticles. • Polycarboxylic acid (PAM) coated MNPs are well stabilized with HP protein corona. • Stability pattern of naked, CA and PAM-coated MNPs is not predicted by zeta potential.

  1. Modulating Protein Adsorption on Oxygen Plasma Modified Polysiloxane Surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marletta, G.

    2006-01-01

    In the present paper we report the study on the adsorption behaviour of three model globular proteins, Human Serum Albumin, Lactoferrin and Egg Chicken Lysozyme onto both unmodified surfaces of a silicon-based polymer and the corresponding plasma treated surfaces. In particular, thin films of hydrophobic polysiloxane (about 90 degree of static water contact angle, WCA) were converted by oxygen plasma treatment at reduced pressure into very hydrophilic phases of SiOx (WCA less than 5 degree). The kinetics of protein adsorption processes were investigated by QCM-D technique, while the chemical structure and topography of the protein adlayer have been studied by Angular resolved-XPS and AFM respectively. It turned out that Albumin and Lysozyme exhibited the opposite preferential adsorption respectively onto the hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces, while Lactoferrin did not exhibit significant differences. The observed protein behaviour are discussed both in terms of surface-dependent parameters, including surface free energy and chemical structure, and in terms of protein-dependent parameters, including charge as well as the average molecular orientation in the adlayers. Finally, some examples of differential adsorption behaviour of the investigated proteins are reported onto nanopatterned polysiloxane surfaces consisting of hydrophobic nanopores surrounded by hydrophilic (plasma-treated) matrix and the reverse

  2. Plasma protein loss associated with gastrointestinal parasitism in grazing sheep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yakoob, A Y; Holmes, P H; Parkins, J J; Armour, J

    1983-01-01

    Some pathophysiological effects of parasitic gastroenteritis in two groups of lambs grazing paddocks either heavily or lightly contaminated with trichostrongyle larvae were investigated between July and October 1980. The leak of plasma protein was measured on three occasions at pasture using 51chromic chloride. Total faecal output was measured indirectly using chromic oxide. Losses of 51chromic chloride-labelled plasma protein into the gastrointestinal tract were significantly higher in the lambs grazing the heavily contaminated pasture than in those grazing lightly infected ground in both July and August. The increased plasma losses were associated with high faecal egg counts, hypoalbuminaemia and elevated levels of plasma pepsinogen.

  3. [Purification of arsenic-binding proteins in hamster plasma after oral administration of arsenite].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wenwen; Zhang, Min; Li, Chunhui; Qin, Yingjie; Hua, Naranmandura

    2013-01-01

    To purify the arsenic-binding proteins (As-BP) in hamster plasma after a single oral administration of arsenite (iAs(III)). Arsenite was given to hamsters in a single dose. Three types of HPLC columns, size exclusion, gel filtration and anion exchange columns, combined with an inductively coupled argon plasma mass spectrometer (ICP MS) were used to purify the As-BP in hamster plasma. SDS-PAGE was used to confirm the arsenic-binding proteins at each purification step. The three-step purification process successfully separated As-BP from other proteins (ie, arsenic unbound proteins) in hamster plasma. The molecular mass of purified As-BP in plasma was approximately 40-50 kD on SDS-PAGE. The three-step purification method is a simple and fast approach to purify the As-BP in plasma samples.

  4. Plasma signaling proteins in persons at genetic risk for Alzheimer disease: influence of APOE genotype.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ringman, John M; Elashoff, David; Geschwind, Daniel H; Welsh, Brian T; Gylys, Karen H; Lee, Cathy; Cummings, Jeffrey L; Cole, Greg M

    2012-06-01

    To study the effect of familial Alzheimer disease (FAD) mutations and APOE genotype on plasma signaling protein levels. Cross-sectional comparison of plasma levels of 77 proteins measured using multiplex immune assays. A tertiary referral dementia research center. Thirty-three persons from families harboring PSEN1 or APP mutations, aged 19 to 59 years. Protein levels were compared between FAD mutation carriers (MCs) and noncarriers (NCs) and among APOE genotype groups, using multiple linear regression models. Twenty-one participants were FAD MCs and 12 were NCs. Six had the APOE ε2/3, 6 had the ε3/4, and 21 had the ε3/3 genotype. Levels of 17 proteins differed among APOE genotype groups, and there were significant interactions between age and APOE genotype for 12 proteins. Plasma levels of apolipoprotein E and superoxide dismutase 1 were highest in the ε2 carriers, lowest in ε4 carriers, and intermediate in the ε3 carriers. Levels of multiple interleukins showed the opposite pattern and, among the ε4 carriers, demonstrated significant negative correlations with age. Although there were no significant differences between FAD MCs and NCs, there were interactions between mutation status and APOE genotype for 13 proteins. We found different patterns of inflammatory markers in young and middle-aged persons among APOE genotype groups. The APOE ε4 carriers had the lowest levels of apolipoprotein E. Young ε4 carriers have increased inflammatory markers that diminish with age. We demonstrated altered inflammatory responses in young and middle adulthood in ε4 carriers that may relate to AD risk later in life.

  5. Variations in riboflavin binding by human plasma: identification of immunoglobulins as the major proteins responsible

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Innis, W.S.; McCormick, D.B.; Merrill, A.H. Jr.

    1985-01-01

    Riboflavin binding by plasma proteins from healthy human subjects was examined by equilibrium dialysis using a physiological concentration of [2-14C]riboflavin (0.04 microM). Binding ranged from 0.080 to 0.917 pmole of riboflavin/mg of protein (with a mean +/- SD of 0.274 +/- 0.206), which corresponded to 4.14 to 49.4 pmole/ml of plasma (15.5 +/- 11.0) (N = 34). Males and females yielded similar results. Upon fractionation of plasma by gel filtration, the major riboflavin-binding components eluted with albumin and gamma-globulins. Albumin was purified and found to bind riboflavin only very weakly (Kd = 3.8 to 10.4 mM), although FMN and photochemical degradation products (e.g., lumiflavine and lumichrome) were more tightly bound. Binding in the gamma-globulin fraction was attributed to IgG and IGA because the binding protein(s) and immunoglobulins copurified using various methods were removed by treatment of plasma with protein A-agarose, and were coincident upon immunoelectrophoresis followed by autoradiography to detect [2-14C]riboflavin. Differences among the plasma samples correlated with the binding recovered with the immunoglobulins. Binding was not directly related to the total IgG or IgA levels of subjects. Hence, it appears that the binding is due to a subfraction of these proteins. These findings suggest that riboflavin-binding immunoglobulins are a major cause of variations in riboflavin binding in human circulation, and may therefore affect the utilization of this micronutrient

  6. Characterization of the 3,3',5-triiodo-L-thyronine-binding site on plasma membranes from human placenta

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alderson, R.; Pastan, I.; Cheng, S.

    1985-01-01

    The binding of [ 125 I]T3 to sites on human placenta plasma membranes was characterized, and the binding site was solubilized after affinity labeling with N-bromoacetyl-[ 125 I]T3 (BrAc[ 125 I]T3). Two classes of T3-binding sites were detected. One class has a high affinity (K /sub d/ = 2.0nM) and a low capacity (approximately 320 fmol/mg protein); the other has a low affinity (K /sub k/ = 18.5 microM) and a high capacity (approximately 2.2 pmol/mg protein). The binding sites were found to be specific for T3 in that other thyroid hormone analogs (D-T3, rT3, D-T4, and L-T4) were less effective or ineffective in displacing the bound [ 125 I]T3. The affinity labeling ligand BrAc[ 125 I]T3 was found to specifically label a protein with an apparent mol wt of 65,000, as determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The BrAc[ 125 I]T3-labeled protein was solubilized with 2 mM 3-[( 3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]1-propane sulfonate. The apparent mol wt of the labeled protein was between 140,000 and 150,000 by Sephadex-G-200 gel filtration. These data demonstrate that a high affinity binding site specific for T3 is present on plasma membranes from human placenta and that the binding site is a protein, most likely a dimer, with a native mol wt between 140,000 and 150,000

  7. Mass spectrometric identification of diagnostic markers for chronic prostatitis in seminal plasma by analysis of seminal plasma protein clinical samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rokka, A; Mehik, A; Tonttila, P; Vaarala, M

    2017-08-15

    There are few specific diagnostic markers for chronic prostatitis. Therefore, we used mass spectrometry to evaluate differences in seminal plasma protein expression among patients with prostatitis and young and middle-aged healthy controls. We analysed pooled seminal plasma protein samples from four prostatitis patients (two pools), three young controls (one pool), and three middle-aged controls (one pool). The samples were analysed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Of the 349 proteins identified, 16 were differentially expressed between the two control pools. Five proteins were up- or down-regulated in both of the prostatitis pools compared to middle-aged controls but not between young and middle-aged pools. Progestagen-associated endometrial protein (PAEP) was over-expressed in prostatitis samples compared to young and middle-aged controls. Our findings and those of previous studies indicate that PAEP is a potential seminal plasma marker for chronic prostatitis. In conclusion, we found age-related changes in seminal plasma protein expression. PAEP expression in seminal plasma should be investigated further to evaluate its potential as a diagnostic marker for chronic prostatitis.

  8. Co-delivery of paclitaxel and cetuximab by nanodiamond enhances mitotic catastrophe and tumor inhibition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Yu-Wei; Raj, Emmanuel Naveen; Liao, Wei-Siang; Lin, Johnson; Liu, Kuang-Kai; Chen, Ting-Hua; Cheng, Hsiao-Chun; Wang, Chi-Ching; Li, Lily Yi; Chen, Chinpiao; Chao, Jui-I

    2017-08-29

    The poor intracellular uptake and non-specific binding of anticancer drugs into cancer cells are the bottlenecks in cancer therapy. Nanocarrier platforms provide the opportunities to improve the drug efficacy. Here we show a carbon-based nanomaterial nanodiamond (ND) that carried paclitaxel (PTX), a microtubule inhibitor, and cetuximab (Cet), a specific monoclonal antibody against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), inducing mitotic catastrophe and tumor inhibition in human colorectal cancer (CRC). ND-PTX blocked the mitotic progression, chromosomal separation, and induced apoptosis in the CRC cells; however, NDs did not induce these effects. Conjugation of ND-PTX with Cet (ND-PTX-Cet) was specifically binding to the EGFR-positive CRC cells and enhanced the mitotic catastrophe and apoptosis induction. Besides, ND-PTX-Cet markedly decreased tumor size in the xenograft EGFR-expressed human CRC tumors of nude mice. Moreover, ND-PTX-Cet induced the mitotic marker protein phospho-histone 3 (Ser10) and apoptotic protein active-caspase 3 for mitotic catastrophe and apoptosis. Taken together, this study demonstrated that the co-delivery of PTX and Cet by ND enhanced the effects of mitotic catastrophe and apoptosis in vitro and in vivo, which may be applied in the human CRC therapy.

  9. Neutrophil glycoprotein Mo1 is an integral membrane protein of plasma membranes and specific granules

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stevenson, K.B.; Nauseef, W.M.; Clark, R.A.

    1987-01-01

    The glucoprotein Mo1 has previously been demonstrated to be on the cell surface and in the specific granule fraction of neutrophils and to be translocated to the cell surface during degranulation. It is not known, however, whether Mo1 is an integral membrane protein or a soluble, intragranular constituent loosely associated with the specific granule membrane. Purified neutrophils were disrupted by nitrogen cavitation and separated on Percoll density gradients into four fractions enriched for azurophilic granules, specific granules, plasma membrane, and cytosol, respectively. The glycoproteins in these fractions were labeled with 3 H-borohydride reduction, extracted with Triton X-114, and immunoprecipitated with 60.3, an anti-Mo1 monoclonal antibody. Mo1 was detected only in the specific granule and plasma membrane fractions and partitioned exclusively into the detergent-rich fraction consistent with Mo1 being an integral membrane protein. In addition, treatment of specific granule membranes with a high salt, high urea buffer to remove adsorbed or peripheral proteins failed to dissociate Mo1. These data support the hypothesis that Mo1 is an integral membrane protein of plasma and specific granule membranes in human neutrophils

  10. Deficiency in plasma protein synthesis caused by x-ray-induced lethal albino alleles in mouse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garland, R.C.; Satrustegui, J.; Gluecksohn-Waelsch, S.; Cori, C.F.

    1976-01-01

    Plasma protein synthesis was studied in mice bearing x-ray induced lethal mutations at the albino locus. Newborn albino mutants showed a decrease in each of the three principal plasma proteins, albumin, α-fetoprotein, and transferrin, when compared with colored littermate controls. Incorporation of [ 14 C] leucine into plasma proteins of the newborn albinos 30 min after injection was only 1 / 5 that of the controls, but incorporation into total liver protein was only slightly diminished. Incorporation of [ 14 C] leucine into an albumin fraction obtained by immunoprecipitation from livers incubated in vitro in an amino acid mixture was also strongly diminished. Thus, the liver of 18-day-old albino fetuses incorporated into this fraction 1 / 3 and that of newborn albinos 1 / 8 as much as the controls, but in both cases the incorporation into total liver protein was only 25 percent less than in the respective controls. These results indicate that the rather severe structural abnormalities observed in the mutants in the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus are not associated with a general deficiency of hepatic protein synthesis. Instead the data from this and previous work show that the progressive deficiency from fetal life to birth involves certain specific proteins represented by several perinatally developing enzymes and by plasma proteins. It is suggested that the mutational effects observed in these mice are due to deletions involving regulatory rather than structural genes at or near the albino locus

  11. HK2 Proximal Tubule Epithelial Cells Synthesize and Secrete Plasma Proteins Predominantly Through the Apical Surface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Ke-Wei; Murray, Elsa J Brochmann; Murray, Samuel S

    2017-04-01

    Renal proximal tubule epithelial cells (PTECs) are known to reabsorb salts and small plasma proteins filtered through Bowman's capsule. Following acute kidney injury, PTECs assume some characteristics of hepatocytes in producing various plasma proteins. We now demonstrate that even at a resting state, a PTEC cell line, HK2 expresses mRNAs for and synthesizes and secretes plasma proteins in a complex with complement C3, an α 2 -macroglobulin family chaperone, including albumin, transferrin, α 1 -antitrypsin, α 1 -antichymotrypsin, α 2 -HS-glycoprotein, ceruloplasmin, haptoglobin, C1-inhibitor, secreted phosphoprotein-24, and insulin-like growth factor-1. When grown on transwell inserts, HK2 cells predominantly secrete (∼90%) plasma proteins into the apical side and a smaller fraction into the basolateral side as determined by ELISA assays. When cultured in the presence of exogenous cytokines such as IL1β, IL6, TNFα, BMP2, or TGFβ1, HK2 cell mRNA expressions for plasma proteins were variably affected whereas basolateral secretions were elevated to or in excess of those of the apical level. In addition, HK2 cells produce proTGFβ1 with its intact N-terminal latency associated peptide and latent-TGF-β-binding proteins. The complex cannot be dissociated under conditions of SDS, heating, and electrophoresis. Moreover, HK2 cells maintain their ability to quickly uptake exogenously added serum proteins from the culture medium, as if they are recognized differently by the endocytic receptors. These results provide new insight into the hepatization of PTECs. In addition to their unique uptake of plasma proteins and salts from the filtrate, they are a source of urinary proteins under normal conditions as wells as in chronic and acute kidney diseases. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 924-933, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Plasma membrane fatty acid-binding protein and mitochondrial glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase of rat liver are related

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berk, P.D.; Potter, B.J.; Sorrentino, D.; Zhou, S.L.; Isola, L.M.; Stump, D.; Kiang, C.L.; Thung, S.; Wada, H.; Horio, Y.

    1990-01-01

    The hepatic plasma membrane fatty acid-binding protein (h-FABP PM ) and the mitochondrial isoenzyme of glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (mGOT) of rat liver have similar amino acid compositions and identical amino acid sequences for residues 3-24. Both proteins migrate with an apparent molecular mass of 43 kDa on SDS/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, have a similar pattern of basic charge isomers on isoelectric focusing, are eluted similarly from four different high-performance liquid chromatographic columns, have absorption maxima at 435 nm under acid conditions and 354 nm at pH 8.3, and bind oleate. Sinusoidally enriched liver plasma membranes and purified h-FABP PM have GOT enzymatic activity. Monospecific rabbit antiserum against h-FABP PM reacts on Western blotting with mGOT, and vice versa. Antisera against both proteins produce plasma membrane immunofluorescence in rat hepatocytes and selectively inhibit the hepatocellular uptake of [ 3 H]oleate but not that of [ 35 S]sulfobromophthalein or [ 14 C]taurocholate. The inhibition of oleate uptake produced by anti-h-FABP PM can be eliminated by preincubation of the antiserum with mGOT; similarly, the plasma membrane immunofluorescence produced by either antiserum can be eliminated by preincubation with the other antigen. These data suggest that h-FABP PM and mGOT are closely related

  13. Effects of previous protein intake on rectal temperature, blood glucose, plasma thyroid hormone and minerals by laying hens during a forced molt

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodrigues, G.A.; Moraes, V.M.B.; Cherici, I; Furlan, R.L.; Macari, M.

    1991-01-01

    The effects of forced molting on blood glucose, rectal temperature, plasma T4, T3 and minerals were studied in hens previously fed rations with different protein contents (14, 17 and 20% crude protein). Blood samples were obtained from brachial veins for blood glucose, T4 and T3 were measured by radioimmunoassay, and plasma minerals were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Blood glucose and rectal temperature were reduced during fasting regardless of previous protein intake. Pre molting T4 plasma level was higher in laying hens fed higher protein ration, but feed deprivation reduced T 4 and T 3 concentrations irrespective of protein intake, except T 4 level for 14% crude protein fed birds that increased during fasting. The data obtained in this experiment suggest that previous protein intake does not interfere with the metabolic changes during forced molt. (author). 19 refs, 1 fig, 4 tabs

  14. Effects of previous protein intake on rectal temperature, blood glucose, plasma thyroid hormone and minerals by laying hens during a forced molt

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodrigues, G A; Moraes, V M.B.; Cherici, I; Furlan, R L; Macari, M [UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Ciencias Agrarias e Veterinarias

    1991-12-01

    The effects of forced molting on blood glucose, rectal temperature, plasma T4, T3 and minerals were studied in hens previously fed rations with different protein contents (14, 17 and 20% crude protein). Blood samples were obtained from brachial veins for blood glucose, T4 and T3 were measured by radioimmunoassay, and plasma minerals were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Blood glucose and rectal temperature were reduced during fasting regardless of previous protein intake. Pre molting T4 plasma level was higher in laying hens fed higher protein ration, but feed deprivation reduced T{sub 4} and T{sub 3} concentrations irrespective of protein intake, except T{sub 4} level for 14% crude protein fed birds that increased during fasting. The data obtained in this experiment suggest that previous protein intake does not interfere with the metabolic changes during forced molt. (author). 19 refs, 1 fig, 4 tabs.

  15. Plasma proteins production and excretion in diabetic nephropathy in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Dr Olaleye Samuel

    macroalbuminuric type II diabetes subjects compared with type II diabetes patients with microalbuminuria and healthy subjects , showing an upregulation of hepatic secretory proteins ... order to reduce the effect of diet on plasma proteins.

  16. Effect of Addition of Concentrated Proteins and Seminal Plasma Low Molecular Weight Proteins in Freezing and Thawing of Equine Semen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fagundes, B.

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Difficulties in obtaining equine frozen semen with potential fertility are recognized. This study was designed to investigate the effect of seminal plasma on frozen/thawing of eight stallion semen from different breed using the following treatments: Seminal plasma with ten-fold concentrated proteins with molecular weight above 10 kDa on frozen extender; Part of seminal plasma with proteins under 10 kDa on frozen extender; Conventional freezing, using whole seminal plasma on frozen extender. Using the parameter of 30% of seminal motility post-thawing as index of good freezability, it was verified an increased percentage of stallions that presented good freezability when semen was frozen with seminal plasma containing ten-fold concentrated proteins with molecular weight above 10 kDa on frozen extender. These results, suggested the use of seminal plasma concentrated proteins from own stallion to freezing/thawing semen.

  17. Dextrose-mediated aggregation of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies in human plasma: Implication of isoelectric precipitation of complement proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Shen; Zhang, Baolin

    2015-01-01

    Many therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are clinically administered through intravenous infusion after mixing with a diluent, e.g., saline, 5% dextrose. Such a clinical setting increases the likelihood of interactions among mAb molecules, diluent, and plasma components, which may adversely affect product safety and efficacy. Avastin® (bevacizumab) and Herceptin® (trastuzumab), but not Remicade® (infliximab), were shown to undergo rapid aggregation upon dilution into 5% dextrose when mixed with human plasma in vitro; however, the biochemical pathways leading to the aggregation were not clearly defined. Here, we show that dextrose-mediated aggregation of Avastin or Herceptin in plasma involves isoelectric precipitation of complement proteins. Using mass spectrometry, we found that dextrose-induced insoluble aggregates were composed of mAb itself and multiple abundant plasma proteins, namely complement proteins C3, C4, factor H, fibronectin, and apolipoprotein. These plasma proteins, which are characterized by an isoelectronic point of 5.5-6.7, lost solubility at the resulting pH in the mixture with formulated Avastin (pH 6.2) and Herceptin (pH 6.0). Notably, switching formulation buffers for Avastin (pH 6.2) and Remicade (pH 7.2) reversed their aggregation profiles. Avastin formed little, if any, insoluble aggregates in dextrose-plasma upon raising the buffer pH to 7.2 or above. Furthermore, dextrose induced pH-dependent precipitation of plasma proteins, with massive insoluble aggregates being detected at pH 6.5-6.8. These data show that isoelectric precipitation of complement proteins is a prerequisite of dextrose-induced aggregation of mAb in human plasma. This finding highlights the importance of assessing the compatibility of a therapeutic mAb with diluent and human plasma during product development.

  18. Pentraxin-3 levels are associated with vasculitis and disease activity in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahin, S; Adrovic, A; Barut, K; Durmus, S; Gelisgen, R; Uzun, H; Kasapcopur, O

    2017-09-01

    Objectives Childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) is a multisystemic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory organ damage by means of vasculitis. Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) is expressed locally at the sites of inflammatory processes, predominantly from endothelial cells. In adult studies, PTX3 has shown to be an indicator of active vasculitis both in large-vessel and small-vessel vasculitides, as well as in SLE. Moreover, in SLE it has found to be correlated with disease activity, and with some of the clinical manifestations and laboratory parameters. We aimed to ascertain if PTX3 might be a significant mediator in cSLE and if it might indicate active vasculitis during the course of the disease. Methods Serum PTX3 levels were measured in 76 patients with cSLE and 41 healthy subjects. We have investigated its relation with disease activity, damage, clinical features, laboratory parameters and medications. Results Serum levels of PTX3 were found to be increased in cSLE compared to healthy controls (mean ± SD; 10.6 ± 8.2 ng/mL vs 2.7 ± 1.3 ng/mL, p Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index), ESR, CRP, procalcitonin levels, anti-ds DNA antibody, anticardiolipin antibodies was not detected. Conclusions Patients with cSLE have increased levels of serum PTX3 compared to healthy controls. Thus, serum PTX-3 level might be a significant mediator in cSLE. Apart from these, the results support that PTX3 reflects active cutaneous vasculitis in cSLE and correlates with disease activity.

  19. Proteomics of plasma membranes from poplar trees reveals tissue distribution of transporters, receptors, and proteins in cell wall formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nilsson, Robert; Bernfur, Katja; Gustavsson, Niklas; Bygdell, Joakim; Wingsle, Gunnar; Larsson, Christer

    2010-02-01

    By exploiting the abundant tissues available from Populus trees, 3-4 m high, we have been able to isolate plasma membranes of high purity from leaves, xylem, and cambium/phloem at a time (4 weeks after bud break) when photosynthesis in the leaves and wood formation in the xylem should have reached a steady state. More than 40% of the 956 proteins identified were found in the plasma membranes of all three tissues and may be classified as "housekeeping" proteins, a typical example being P-type H(+)-ATPases. Among the 213 proteins predicted to be integral membrane proteins, transporters constitute the largest class (41%) followed by receptors (14%) and proteins involved in cell wall and carbohydrate metabolism (8%) and membrane trafficking (8%). ATP-binding cassette transporters (all members of subfamilies B, C, and G) and receptor-like kinases (four subfamilies) were two of the largest protein families found, and the members of these two families showed pronounced tissue distribution. Leaf plasma membranes were characterized by a very high proportion of transporters, constituting almost half of the integral proteins. Proteins involved in cell wall synthesis (such as cellulose and sucrose synthases) and membrane trafficking were most abundant in xylem plasma membranes in agreement with the role of the xylem in wood formation. Twenty-five integral proteins and 83 soluble proteins were exclusively found in xylem plasma membranes, which identifies new candidates associated with cell wall synthesis and wood formation. Among the proteins uniquely found in xylem plasma membranes were most of the enzymes involved in lignin biosynthesis, which suggests that they may exist as a complex linked to the plasma membrane.

  20. [Blood plasma protein adsorption capacity of perfluorocarbon emulsion stabilized by proxanol 268 (in vitro and in vivo studies)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sklifas, A N; Zhalimov, V K; Temnov, A A; Kukushkin, N I

    2012-01-01

    The adsorption abilities of the perfluorocarbon emulsion stabilized by Proxanol 268 were investigated in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, the saturation point for the blood plasma proteins was nearly reached after five minutes of incubation of the emulsion with human/rabbit blood plasma and was stable for all incubation periods studied. The decrease in volume ratio (emulsion/plasma) was accompanied by the increase in the adsorptive capacity of the emulsion with maximal values at 1/10 (3.2 and 1.5 mg of proteins per 1 ml of the emulsion, for human and rabbit blood plasma, respectively) that was unchanged at lower ratios. In vivo, in rabbits, intravenously injected with the emulsion, the proteins with molecular masses of 12, 25, 32, 44, 55, 70, and 200 kDa were adsorbed by the emulsion (as in vitro) if it was used 6 hours or less before testing. More delayed testing (6 h) revealed elimination of proteins with molecular masses of 25 and 44 kDa and an additional pool of adsorpted new ones of 27, 50, and 150 kDa. Specific adsorptive capacity of the emulsion enhanced gradually after emulsion injection and reached its maximum (3.5-5 mg of proteins per 1 ml of the emulsion) after 24 hours.

  1. Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A and the vulnerable plaque

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jespersen, Camilla H B; Vestergaard, Kirstine R; Schou, Morten

    2014-01-01

    For more than a decade, pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) has been examined for its relation to acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and the vulnerable plaque. This review summarizes the current knowledge of plasma PAPP-A in relation to nonpregnant individuals focusing on patients with ACS...

  2. Use of refractometry for determination of psittacine plasma protein concentration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cray, Carolyn; Rodriguez, Marilyn; Arheart, Kristopher L

    2008-12-01

    Previous studies have demonstrated both poor and good correlation of total protein concentrations in various avian species using refractometry and biuret methodologies. The purpose of the current study was to compare these 2 techniques of total protein determination using plasma samples from several psittacine species and to determine the effect of cholesterol and other solutes on refractometry results. Total protein concentration in heparinized plasma samples without visible lipemia was analyzed by refractometry and an automated biuret method on a dry reagent analyzer (Ortho 250). Cholesterol, glucose, and uric acid concentrations were measured using the same analyzer. Results were compared using Deming regression analysis, Bland-Altman bias plots, and Spearman's rank correlation. Correlation coefficients (r) for total protein results by refractometry and biuret methods were 0.49 in African grey parrots (n=28), 0.77 in Amazon parrots (20), 0.57 in cockatiels (20), 0.73 in cockatoos (36), 0.86 in conures (20), and 0.93 in macaws (38) (Prefractometry in Amazon parrots, conures, and macaws (n=25 each, PRefractometry can be used to accurately measure total protein concentration in nonlipemic plasma samples from some psittacine species. Method and species-specific reference intervals should be used in the interpretation of total protein values.

  3. Plasma membrane fatty acid-binding protein and mitochondrial glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase of rat liver are related

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berk, P.D.; Potter, B.J.; Sorrentino, D.; Zhou, S.L.; Isola, L.M.; Stump, D.; Kiang, C.L.; Thung, S. (Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY (USA)); Wada, H.; Horio, Y. (Univ. of Osaka (Japan))

    1990-05-01

    The hepatic plasma membrane fatty acid-binding protein (h-FABP{sub PM}) and the mitochondrial isoenzyme of glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (mGOT) of rat liver have similar amino acid compositions and identical amino acid sequences for residues 3-24. Both proteins migrate with an apparent molecular mass of 43 kDa on SDS/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, have a similar pattern of basic charge isomers on isoelectric focusing, are eluted similarly from four different high-performance liquid chromatographic columns, have absorption maxima at 435 nm under acid conditions and 354 nm at pH 8.3, and bind oleate. Sinusoidally enriched liver plasma membranes and purified h-FABP{sub PM} have GOT enzymatic activity. Monospecific rabbit antiserum against h-FABP{sub PM} reacts on Western blotting with mGOT, and vice versa. Antisera against both proteins produce plasma membrane immunofluorescence in rat hepatocytes and selectively inhibit the hepatocellular uptake of ({sup 3}H)oleate but not that of ({sup 35}S)sulfobromophthalein or ({sup 14}C)taurocholate. The inhibition of oleate uptake produced by anti-h-FABP{sub PM} can be eliminated by preincubation of the antiserum with mGOT; similarly, the plasma membrane immunofluorescence produced by either antiserum can be eliminated by preincubation with the other antigen. These data suggest that h-FABP{sub PM} and mGOT are closely related.

  4. Majority of cellular fatty acid acylated proteins are localized to the cytoplasmic surface of the plasma membrane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilcox, C.A.; Olson, E.N.

    1987-01-01

    The BC 2 Hl muscle cell line was previously reported to contain a broad array of fatty acid acylated proteins. Palmitate was shown to be attached to membrane proteins posttranslationally through thiol ester linkages, whereas myristate was attached cotranslationally, or within seconds thereafter, to soluble and membrane-bound proteins through amide linkages. The temporal and subcellular differences between palmitate and myristate acylation suggested that these two classes of acyl proteins might follow different intracellular pathways to distinct subcellular membrane systems or organelles. In this study, the authors examined the subcellular localization of the major fatty acylated proteins in BC 4 Hl cells. Palmitate-containing proteins were localized to the plasma membrane, but only a subset of myristate-containing proteins was localized to this membrane fraction. The majority of acyl proteins were nonglycosylated and resistant to digestion with extracellular proteases, suggesting that they were not exposed to the external surface of the plasma membrane. Many proteins were, however, digested during incubation of isolated membranes with proteases, which indicates that these proteins were, however, digested during incubation of isolated membranes with proteases, which indicates that these proteins face the cytoplasm. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of proteins labeled with [ 3 H]palmitate and [ 3 H]myristate revealed that individual proteins were modified by only one of the two fatty acids and did not undergo both N-linked myristylation and ester-linked palmitylation. Together, these results suggest that the majority of cellular acyl proteins are routed to the cytoplasmic surface of the plasma membrane, and they raise the possibility that fatty acid acylation may play a role in intracellular sorting of nontransmembranous, nonglycosylated membrane proteins

  5. Arabidopsis SH3P2 is an ubiquitin-binding protein that functions together with ESCRT-I and the deubiquitylating enzyme AMSH3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagel, Marie-Kristin; Kalinowska, Kamila; Vogel, Karin; Reynolds, Gregory D; Wu, Zhixiang; Anzenberger, Franziska; Ichikawa, Mie; Tsutsumi, Chie; Sato, Masa H; Kuster, Bernhard; Bednarek, Sebastian Y; Isono, Erika

    2017-08-22

    Clathrin-mediated endocytosis of plasma membrane proteins is an essential regulatory process that controls plasma membrane protein abundance and is therefore important for many signaling pathways, such as hormone signaling and biotic and abiotic stress responses. On endosomal sorting, plasma membrane proteins maybe recycled or targeted for vacuolar degradation, which is dependent on ubiquitin modification of the cargos and is driven by the endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRTs). Components of the ESCRT machinery are highly conserved among eukaryotes, but homologs of ESCRT-0 that are responsible for recognition and concentration of ubiquitylated proteins are absent in plants. Recently several ubiquitin-binding proteins have been identified that serve in place of ESCRT-0; however, their function in ubiquitin recognition and endosomal trafficking is not well understood yet. In this study, we identified Src homology-3 (SH3) domain-containing protein 2 (SH3P2) as a ubiquitin- and ESCRT-I-binding protein that functions in intracellular trafficking. SH3P2 colocalized with clathrin light chain-labeled punctate structures and interacted with clathrin heavy chain in planta , indicating a role for SH3P2 in clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Furthermore, SH3P2 cofractionates with clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs), suggesting that it associates with CCVs in planta Mutants of SH3P2 and VPS23 genetically interact, suggesting that they could function in the same pathway. Based on these results, we suggest a role of SH3P2 as an ubiquitin-binding protein that binds and transfers ubiquitylated proteins to the ESCRT machinery.

  6. Lipoprotein(a) and dietary proteins: casein lowers lipoprotein(a) concentrations as compared with soy protein1-3

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nilausen, Karin Johanne; Meinertz, H.

    1999-01-01

    Lipoprotein(a), plasma lipoproteins, dietary proteins, soy protein, casein, liquid-formula, coronary artery disease, men, Denmark......Lipoprotein(a), plasma lipoproteins, dietary proteins, soy protein, casein, liquid-formula, coronary artery disease, men, Denmark...

  7. Meal composition and plasma amino acid ratios: Effect of various proteins or carbohydrates, and of various protein concentrations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yokogoshi, Hidehiko; Wurtman, Richard J.

    1986-01-01

    The effects of meals containing various proteins and carbohydrates, and of those containing various proportions of protein (0 percent to 20 percent of a meal, by weight) or of carbohydrate (0 percent to 75 percent), on plasma levels of certain large neutral amino acids (LNAA) in rats previously fasted for 19 hours were examined. Also the plasma tryptophan ratios (the ratio of the plasma trytophan concentration to the summed concentrations of the other large neutral amino acids) and other plasma amino acid ratios were calculated. (The plasma tryptophan ratio has been shown to determine brain tryptophan levels and, thereby, to affect the synthesis and release of the neurotransmitter serotonin). A meal containing 70 percent to 75 percent of an insulin-secreting carbohydrate (dextrose or dextrin) increased plasma insulin levels and the tryptophan ratio; those containing 0 percent or 25 percent carbohydrate failed to do so. Addition of as little as 5 percent casein to a 70 percent carbohydrate meal fully blocked the increase in the plasma tryptophan ratio without affecting the secretion of insulin - probably by contributing much larger quantities of the other LNAA than of tryptophan to the blood. Dietary proteins differed in their ability to suppress the carbohydrate-induced rise in the plasma tryptophan ratio. Addition of 10 percent casein, peanut meal, or gelatin fully blocked this increase, but lactalbumin failed to do so, and egg white did so only partially. (Consumption of the 10 percent gelatin meal also produced a major reduction in the plasma tyrosine ratio, and may thereby have affected brain tyrosine levels and catecholamine synthesis.) These observations suggest that serotonin-releasing neurons in brains of fasted rats are capable of distinguishing (by their metabolic effects) between meals poor in protein but rich in carbohydrates that elicit insulin secretion, and all other meals. The changes in brain serotonin caused by carbohydrate-rich, protein

  8. Radioimmunoassay for pregnancy-associated plasma protein A

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sinosich, M.J.; Teisner, B.; Folkerson, J.; Saunders, D.M.; Grudzinskas, J.G.

    1982-01-01

    A specific and highly sensitive radioimmunoassay for determination of pregnancy-associated plasma protein A in human serum is described. The minimum detection limit for this protein was 2.9 μg/L. The within- and between-assay coefficients of variation were 4.0 and 4.5%, respectively. The circulating protein was detected within 32 days of conception in eight normal pregnancies and within 21 days in a twin pregnancy. Circulating concentrations in the mother at term were consistently higher (10-fold) than in matched amniotic fluid; none was detected in the umbilical circulation. This protein was also detected in the circulation of patients with hydatidiform mole. This assay will permit investigations into the clinical evaluation of measurements of the protein during early pregnancy and trophoblastic disease

  9. Direct Capture of Functional Proteins from Mammalian Plasma Membranes into Nanodiscs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roy, Jahnabi; Pondenis, Holly; Fan, Timothy M; Das, Aditi

    2015-10-20

    Mammalian plasma membrane proteins make up the largest class of drug targets yet are difficult to study in a cell free system because of their intransigent nature. Herein, we perform direct encapsulation of plasma membrane proteins derived from mammalian cells into a functional nanodisc library. Peptide fingerprinting was used to analyze the proteome of the incorporated proteins in nanodiscs and to further demonstrate that the lipid composition of the nanodiscs directly affects the class of protein that is incorporated. Furthermore, the functionality of the incorporated membrane proteome was evaluated by measuring the activity of membrane proteins: Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase and receptor tyrosine kinases. This work is the first report of the successful establishment and characterization of a cell free functional library of mammalian membrane proteins into nanodiscs.

  10. Krill protein hydrolysate reduces plasma triacylglycerol level with concurrent increase in plasma bile acid level and hepatic fatty acid catabolism in high-fat fed mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marie S. Ramsvik

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Krill powder, consisting of both lipids and proteins, has been reported to modulate hepatic lipid catabolism in animals. Fish protein hydrolysate diets have also been reported to affect lipid metabolism and to elevate bile acid (BA level in plasma. BA interacts with a number of nuclear receptors and thus affects a variety of signaling pathways, including very low density lipoprotein (VLDL secretion. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether a krill protein hydrolysate (KPH could affect lipid and BA metabolism in mice. Method: C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-fat (21%, w/w diet containing 20% crude protein (w/w as casein (control group or KPH for 6 weeks. Lipids and fatty acid composition were measured from plasma, enzyme activity and gene expression were analyzed from liver samples, and BA was measured from plasma. Results: The effect of dietary treatment with KPH resulted in reduced levels of plasma triacylglycerols (TAG and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs. The KPH treated mice had also a marked increased plasma BA concentration. The increased plasma BA level was associated with induction of genes related to membrane canalicular exporter proteins (Abcc2, Abcb4 and to BA exporters to blood (Abcc3 and Abcc4. Of note, we observed a 2-fold increased nuclear farnesoid X receptor (Fxr mRNA levels in the liver of mice fed KPH. We also observed increased activity of the nuclear peroxiosme proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα target gene carnitine plamitoyltransferase 2 (CPT-2. Conclusion: The KPH diet showed to influence lipid and BA metabolism in high-fat fed mice. Moreover, increased mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and elevation of BA concentration may regulate the plasma level of TAGs and NEFAs.

  11. Effects of electroacupuncture on leukocytes and plasma protein in the X-irradiated rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hau, D.M.

    1984-01-01

    The effects of electroacupuncture on leukocytes and plasma protein on the X ray-irradiated rats were investigated in the present study. The results showed that X-irradiation had an evident inhibitory effect on the counts of total leukocytes, lymphocytes and neutrocytes, and the concentration of the total plasma protein, plasma albumin, globulin and alpha- and beta-globulin in X-irradiated rats. The electroacupuncture was able to help the X-irradiated rats to recover the counts of the total leukocyte, lymphocyte and neutrocyte. The electroacupuncture had a helpful tendency to recover the concentration of the total plasma protein, albumin, globulin, and alpha- and beta-globulin in the irradiated rats

  12. Effects of electroacupuncture on leukocytes and plasma protein in the X-irradiated rats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hau, D.M.

    The effects of electroacupuncture on leukocytes and plasma protein on the X ray-irradiated rats were investigated in the present study. The results showed that X-irradiation had an evident inhibitory effect on the counts of total leukocytes, lymphocytes and neutrocytes, and the concentration of the total plasma protein, plasma albumin, globulin and alpha- and beta-globulin in X-irradiated rats. The electroacupuncture was able to help the X-irradiated rats to recover the counts of the total leukocyte, lymphocyte and neutrocyte. The electroacupuncture had a helpful tendency to recover the concentration of the total plasma protein, albumin, globulin, and alpha- and beta-globulin in the irradiated rats.

  13. Radioimmunoassay of inactive creatine kinase B protein in human plasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Burnam, M H; Shell, W E [California Univ., Los Angeles (USA). School of Medicine

    1981-08-27

    The authors describe a rapid, sensitive radioimmunoassay for enzymatically inactive creatine kinase B protein (CK-Bi) in plasma. /sup 125/I-CK-Bi of high specific activity and good stability was prepared by oxidant-based iodination. A 12-minute first antibody incubation was used. Bound and free antigen were separated by a second antibody system. Large excesses of purified CK-MM from human skeletal muscle did not react in the assay. Cross reactivity to CK-MB purified from the plasma of patients with acute myocardial infarction was negligible. The 95th percentile of plasma CK-Bi in 150 adults was 145 ..mu..g equivalents/ml. Within-assay and between-assay precision ranged from 5% to 9% and 6% to 10%, respectively. Evidence is presented indicating that the assay measures inactive creatine kinase B protein, a protein not measured by current assay systems dependent on biological activity.

  14. Radioimmunoassay of inactive creatine kinase B protein in human plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burnam, M.H.; Shell, W.E.

    1981-01-01

    The authors describe a rapid, sensitive radioimmunoassay for enzymatically inactive creatine kinase B protein (CK-Bi) in plasma. 125 I-CK-Bi of high specific activity and good stability was prepared by oxidant-based iodination. A 12-minute first antibody incubation was used. Bound and free antigen were separated by a second antibody system. Large excesses of purified CK-MM from human skeletal muscle did not react in the assay. Cross reactivity to CK-MB purified from the plasma of patients with acute myocardial infarction was negligible. The 95th percentile of plasma CK-Bi in 150 adults was 145 μg equivalents/ml. Within-assay and between-assay precision ranged from 5% to 9% and 6% to 10%, respectively. Evidence is presented indicating that the assay measures inactive creatine kinase B protein, a protein not measured by current assay systems dependent on biological activity. (Auth.)

  15. Plasma proteins predict conversion to dementia from prodromal disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hye, Abdul; Riddoch-Contreras, Joanna; Baird, Alison L; Ashton, Nicholas J; Bazenet, Chantal; Leung, Rufina; Westman, Eric; Simmons, Andrew; Dobson, Richard; Sattlecker, Martina; Lupton, Michelle; Lunnon, Katie; Keohane, Aoife; Ward, Malcolm; Pike, Ian; Zucht, Hans Dieter; Pepin, Danielle; Zheng, Wei; Tunnicliffe, Alan; Richardson, Jill; Gauthier, Serge; Soininen, Hilkka; Kłoszewska, Iwona; Mecocci, Patrizia; Tsolaki, Magda; Vellas, Bruno; Lovestone, Simon

    2014-11-01

    The study aimed to validate previously discovered plasma biomarkers associated with AD, using a design based on imaging measures as surrogate for disease severity and assess their prognostic value in predicting conversion to dementia. Three multicenter cohorts of cognitively healthy elderly, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and AD participants with standardized clinical assessments and structural neuroimaging measures were used. Twenty-six candidate proteins were quantified in 1148 subjects using multiplex (xMAP) assays. Sixteen proteins correlated with disease severity and cognitive decline. Strongest associations were in the MCI group with a panel of 10 proteins predicting progression to AD (accuracy 87%, sensitivity 85%, and specificity 88%). We have identified 10 plasma proteins strongly associated with disease severity and disease progression. Such markers may be useful for patient selection for clinical trials and assessment of patients with predisease subjective memory complaints. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Spectrophotometric and Refractometric Determination of Total Protein in Avian Plasma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodica Căpriță

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to compare the total protein values obtained in heparin plasma of chickens by a spectrophotometric technique (biuret method, and the values obtained on the same day in the same samples by refractometry. The results obtained by refractometry (average value 2.638±0.153g% were higher than those obtained by the spectrophotometric method (average value 2.441±0.181g%. There was a low correlation (r = 0.6709 between the total protein values, determined with both methods. Protein is the major determinant of plasma refractive index, but glucose contributes too. The refractometric method is not recommended in chickens for the determination of total protein, because avian blood glucose concentration averages about twice than in mammalian blood.

  17. Plasma protein electrophoresis of Trachemys scripta and Iguana iguana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giménez, Mercè; Saco, Yolanda; Pato, Raquel; Busquets, Alex; Martorell, Jaime M; Bassols, Anna

    2010-06-01

    Protein electrophoresis is widely applied in veterinary medicine, but is not used often in reptiles, in part because of lack of reference values. The goals of this study were to compare plasma protein profiles obtained by cellulose acetate electrophoresis (CAE) and agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE), measure precision and examine interference by sample hemolysis, and establish preliminary reference intervals for 2 reptile species. Heparinized plasma samples from healthy and diseased adult female Iguana iguana (n=40) and Trachemys scripta (n=60) were analyzed by CAE and AGE. Total protein concentration was measured by the biuret method. Electrophoresis results were compared using Bland-Altman plots and Passing-Bablok regression analysis. Precision and the effects of sample hemolysis were determined. Results from clinically healthy animals were used to determine reference intervals. Five protein fractions were identified in both species, with bisalbuminemia observed in 23/40 iguanas. High correlation was observed between the 2 methods for all fractions, with few proportional and systematic errors. Coefficients of variation were lower using AGE vs CAE and for I. iguana vs T. scripta. Two additional bands were observed in hemolyzed samples from T. scripta; 1 additional band was observed for I. iguana. Minimum and maximum values were reported for healthy I. iguana (n=14) and T. scripta (n=22). Although both methods are acceptable, the performance of AGE was slightly better than that of CAE for analysis of plasma from reptiles. Furthermore, reptile electrophoretic patterns should be interpreted based on the method used, the species analyzed, and the quality of the plasma sample.

  18. An attempt to understand kidney's protein handling function by comparing plasma and urine proteomes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lulu Jia

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: With the help of proteomics technology, the human plasma and urine proteomes, which closely represent the protein compositions of the input and output of the kidney, respectively, have been profiled in much greater detail by different research teams. Many datasets have been accumulated to form "reference profiles" of the plasma and urine proteomes. Comparing these two proteomes may help us understand the protein handling aspect of kidney function in a way, however, which has been unavailable until the recent advances in proteomics technology. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: After removing secreted proteins downstream of the kidney, 2611 proteins in plasma and 1522 in urine were identified with high confidence and compared based on available proteomic data to generate three subproteomes, the plasma-only subproteome, the plasma-and-urine subproteome, and the urine-only subproteome, and they correspond to three groups of proteins that are handled in three different ways by the kidney. The available experimental molecular weights of the proteins in the three subproteomes were collected and analyzed. Since the functions of the overrepresented proteins in the plasma-and-urine subproteome are probably the major functions that can be routinely regulated by excretion from the kidney in physiological conditions, Gene Ontology term enrichment in the plasma-and-urine subproteome versus the whole plasma proteome was analyzed. Protease activity, calcium and growth factor binding proteins, and coagulation and immune response-related proteins were found to be enriched. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The comparison method described in this paper provides an illustration of a new approach for studying organ functions with a proteomics methodology. Because of its distinctive input (plasma and output (urine, it is reasonable to predict that the kidney will be the first organ whose functions are further elucidated by proteomic methods in the near future. It

  19. Multiplexed LC-MS/MS analysis of horse plasma proteins to study doping in sport.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barton, Chris; Beck, Paul; Kay, Richard; Teale, Phil; Roberts, Jane

    2009-06-01

    The development of protein biomarkers for the indirect detection of doping in horse is a potential solution to doping threats such as gene and protein doping. A method for biomarker candidate discovery in horse plasma is presented using targeted analysis of proteotypic peptides from horse proteins. These peptides were first identified in a novel list of the abundant proteins in horse plasma. To monitor these peptides, an LC-MS/MS method using multiple reaction monitoring was developed to study the quantity of 49 proteins in horse plasma in a single run. The method was optimised and validated, and then applied to a population of race-horses to study protein variance within a population. The method was finally applied to longitudinal time courses of horse plasma collected after administration of an anabolic steroid to demonstrate utility for hypothesis-driven discovery of doping biomarker candidates.

  20. Structural modification of serum vitamin D3-binding protein and immunosuppression in AIDS patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamamoto, N; Naraparaju, V R; Srinivasula, S M

    1995-11-01

    A serum glycoprotein, vitamin D3-binding protein (Gc protein), can be converted by beta-galactosidase of stimulated B lymphocytes and sialidase of T lymphocytes to a potent macrophage-activating factor (MAF), a protein with N-acetylgalactosamine as the remaining sugar moiety. Thus, Gc protein is a precursor for MAF. Treatment of purified Gc protein with immobilized beta-galactosidase and sialidase generates an extremely high-titered MAF (GcMAF). When peripheral blood monocytes/macrophages of 46 HIV-infected patients were treated with GcMAF (100 pg/ml), the monocytes/macrophages of all patients were efficiently activated. However, the MAF precursor activity of plasma Gc protein was low in 16 (35%) of of these patients. Loss of the MAF precursor activity appeared to be due to deglycosylation of plasma Gc protein by alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase found in the patient blood stream. Levels of plasma alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase activity in individual patients had an inverse correlation with the MAF precursor activity of their plasma Gc protein. Thus, precursor activity of Gc protein and alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase activity in patient blood can serve as diagnostic and prognostic indices.

  1. The Time Profile of Pentraxin 3 in Patients with Acute ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction and Stable Angina Pectoris Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ragnhild Helseth

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. High levels of Pentraxin 3 (PTX3 are reported in acute myocardial infarction (AMI. Aim. To investigate circulating levels and gene expression of PTX3 in patients with AMI and stable angina pectoris (AP undergoing PCI. Methods. Ten patients with AP and 20 patients with AMI were included. Blood samples were drawn before PCI in the AP group and after 3 and 12 hours and days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 14 in both groups. Results. Circulating PTX3 levels were higher in AMI compared to AP at 3 and 12 hours (P<0.001 and P=0.003. Within the AMI group, reduction from 3 hours to all later time points was observed (all P≤0.001. Within the AP group, increase from baseline to 3 hours (P=0.022, followed by reductions thereafter (all P<0.05, was observed. PTX3 mRNA increased in the AMI group from 3 hours to days 7 and 14 in a relative manner of 62% and 73%, while a relative reduction from baseline to 3 and 12 hours of 29% and 37% was seen in the AP group. Conclusion. High circulating PTX3 levels shortly after PCI in AMI indicate that AMI itself influences PTX3 levels. PTX3 mRNA might be in response to fluctuations in circulating levels.

  2. Nifedipine effect on the labelling of blood cells and plasma proteins with Tc-99m

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gutfilen, B.; Boasquevisque, E.M.; Bernardo Filho, M.

    1988-01-01

    The labeling of red blood cells (RBC) with Tc-99m depends on the presence of stannous ion (Sn) that helps this radionuclide's fixation on the hemoglobin molecule. Nifedipine is an agent capable to block a specific way where calcius (Ca) ion acrosses the cellular membrane and to bind itself on plasma proteins. The effect of nifedipine in the labeling of RBC and plasma proteins with Tc-99m was studied because of similarities between Ca and Sn ions. Blood with anticoagulant was treated with nifedipine concentration of 10 -6 M for 15 min at 37 0 C. The labeling of RBC with Tc-99m was done incubating with Sn ion solution (3 uM) for different times. The % of radioactivity in RBC was determined. Samples of plasma were precipited with trichloroacetic acid and the % of radiocctivity in insoluble fraction was calculated. The same procedure was done using different nifedipine concentrations and the blood was incubated for 60 min with Sn ion. The determination of the % of Tc-99m labeled in RBC and plasma proteins showed that this drug does not have the capability to alter this incorporation because the results are similar to control. It is suggested that the Sn ions passage across RBC is not altered by nifedipine although this drug could bind to plasma protein, it does not modify the Tc-99m fixation on it. (author) [pt

  3. Overexpression of BAX INHIBITOR-1 Links Plasma Membrane Microdomain Proteins to Stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishikawa, Toshiki; Aki, Toshihiko; Yanagisawa, Shuichi; Uchimiya, Hirofumi; Kawai-Yamada, Maki

    2015-10-01

    BAX INHIBITOR-1 (BI-1) is a cell death suppressor widely conserved in plants and animals. Overexpression of BI-1 enhances tolerance to stress-induced cell death in plant cells, although the molecular mechanism behind this enhancement is unclear. We recently found that Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) BI-1 is involved in the metabolism of sphingolipids, such as the synthesis of 2-hydroxy fatty acids, suggesting the involvement of sphingolipids in the cell death regulatory mechanism downstream of BI-1. Here, we show that BI-1 affects cell death-associated components localized in sphingolipid-enriched microdomains of the plasma membrane in rice (Oryza sativa) cells. The amount of 2-hydroxy fatty acid-containing glucosylceramide increased in the detergent-resistant membrane (DRM; a biochemical counterpart of plasma membrane microdomains) fraction obtained from BI-1-overexpressing rice cells. Comparative proteomics analysis showed quantitative changes of DRM proteins in BI-1-overexpressing cells. In particular, the protein abundance of FLOTILLIN HOMOLOG (FLOT) and HYPERSENSITIVE-INDUCED REACTION PROTEIN3 (HIR3) markedly decreased in DRM of BI-1-overexpressing cells. Loss-of-function analysis demonstrated that FLOT and HIR3 are required for cell death by oxidative stress and salicylic acid, suggesting that the decreased levels of these proteins directly contribute to the stress-tolerant phenotypes in BI-1-overexpressing rice cells. These findings provide a novel biological implication of plant membrane microdomains in stress-induced cell death, which is negatively modulated by BI-1 overexpression via decreasing the abundance of a set of key proteins involved in cell death. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  4. Seldi-tof MS Profiling of Plasma Proteins in Ovarian Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shao-Pai Wu

    2006-03-01

    Conclusion: This study clearly demonstrates that the combined technology of SELDI-TOF MS and artificial intelligence is effective in distinguishing protein expression between normal and ovarian cancer plasma. The identified protein peaks may be candidate proteins for early detection of ovarian cancer or evaluation of therapeutic response.

  5. NO Metabolites Levels in Human Red Blood Cells are Affected by Palytoxin, an Inhibitor of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase Pump.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carelli-Alinovi, Cristiana; Tellone, Ester; Russo, Anna Maria; Ficarra, Silvana; Pirolli, Davide; Galtieri, Antonio; Giardina, Bruno; Misiti, Francesco

    2014-01-01

    Palytoxin (PTX), a marine toxin, represents an increasing hazard for human health. Despite its high toxicity for biological systems, the mechanisms triggered by PTX, are not well understood. The high affinity of PTX for erythrocyte Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase pump is largely known, and it indicates PTX as a sensitive tool to characterize the signal transducer role for Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase pump. Previously, it has been reported that in red blood cells (RBC), probably via a signal transduction generated by the formation of a PTX-Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase complex, PTX alters band 3 functions and glucose metabolism. The present study addresses the question of which other signaling pathways are regulated by Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase in RBC. Here it has been evidenced that PTX following its interaction with Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase pump, alters RBC morphology and this event is correlated to decreases by 30% in nitrites and nitrates levels, known as markers of plasma membrane eNOS activity. Orthovanadate (OV), an antagonist of PTX binding to Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase pump, was able to reverse the effects elicited by PTX. Finally, current investigation firstly suggests that Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase pump, following its interaction with PTX, triggers a signal transduction involved in NO metabolism regulation.

  6. Effects of Acute Endurance Exercise on Plasma Protein Profiles of Endurance-Trained and Untrained Individuals over Time

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marius Schild

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Acute physical exercise and repeated exercise stimuli affect whole-body metabolic and immunologic homeostasis. The aim of this study was to determine plasma protein profiles of trained (EET, n=19 and untrained (SED, n=17 individuals at rest and in response to an acute bout of endurance exercise. Participants completed a bicycle exercise test at an intensity corresponding to 80% of their VO2max. Plasma samples were taken before, directly after, and three hours after exercise and analyzed using multiplex immunoassays. Seventy-eight plasma variables were included in the final analysis. Twenty-nine variables displayed significant acute exercise effects in both groups. Seven proteins differed between groups, without being affected by acute exercise. Among these A2Macro and IL-5 were higher in EET individuals while leptin showed elevated levels in SED individuals. Fifteen variables revealed group and time differences with elevated levels for IL-3, IL-7, IL-10, and TNFR2 in EET individuals. An interaction effect could be observed for nine variables including IL-6, MMP-2, MMP-3, and muscle damage markers. The proteins that differ between groups indicate a long-term exercise effect on plasma protein concentrations. These findings might be of importance in the development of exercise-based strategies in the prevention and therapy of chronic metabolic and inflammatory diseases and for training monitoring.

  7. Plasma urea nitrogen and progesterone concentrations and follicular dynamics in ewes fed proteins of different degradability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gustavo Bianchi Lazarin

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available The effects of overfeeding with protein of different degradability on body condition, plasma urea nitrogen and progesterone concentrations, ovulation number and follicular dynamics were assessed in Santa Ines ewes. Twelve ewes were assigned to a randomized block design according to body weight and received overfeeding with soybean meal or with corn gluten meal or maintenance diet for 28 days before ovulation and during the next estrous cycle. Blood samples were taken on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 after the beginning of treatments for analysis of plasma urea nitrogen and on days 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 into the estrous cycle for analysis of plasma urea nitrogen and progesterone. Follicular dynamics was monitored daily by ultrasound during one estrous cycle. Dry matter and crude protein intake, weight gain, plasma urea nitrogen concentration before ovulation, number of ovulations, diameter of the largest follicle of the 1st and of the 2nd waves and the growth rate of the largest follicle of the 1st wave were higher in the ewes that received overfeeding. The growth rate of the largest follicle of the 3rd wave was higher in the ewes fed maintenance diet. The back fat thickness, plasma urea nitrogen before ovulation and progesterone concentrations, diameter of the largest follicle of the 2nd wave and growth rate of the largest follicle of the 3rd wave were higher in ewes that received overfeeding with soybean meal. The growth rate of the largest follicle of the 1st wave was higher in ewes that received overfeeding with corn gluten meal. Overfeeding with protein-rich feeds may increase the ovulation number and with soybean meal, it may be effective in increasing plasma progesterone concentration in ewes.

  8. Dendritic polyglycerol sulfate as a novel platform for paclitaxel delivery: pitfalls of ester linkage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sousa-Herves, Ana; Würfel, Patrick; Wegner, Nicole; Khandare, Jayant; Licha, Kai; Haag, Rainer; Welker, Pia; Calderón, Marcelo

    2015-02-01

    observations suggest a fast ester hydrolysis and premature drug release, as confirmed by HPLC measurements in the presence of plasma enzymes. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: 1H NMR spectra of the conjugates, HPLC chromatograms, internalization images of dPGS-PTX-ICC (5), elimination kinetics of dPGS-PTX-ICC (5) and dPGS-ICC (7), comparison of IC50 values of PTX and dPGS-PTX (3) in A431 and A549 cell lines and cell viability of dPGS amine (1). See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr04428b

  9. Feasibility and evaluation of dual-source transmit 3D imaging of the orbits: Comparison to high-resolution conventional MRI at 3T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seeger, Achim, E-mail: achim.seeger@gmx.de [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Eberhard-Karls-University, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 3, Tübingen 72076 (Germany); Schulze, Maximilian, E-mail: maximilian.schulze@med.uni-tuebingen.de [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Eberhard-Karls-University, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 3, Tübingen 72076 (Germany); Schuettauf, Frank, E-mail: fschuettauf@uni-tuebingen.de [University Eye Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Eberhard-Karls-University, Schleichstrasse 12, Tübingen 72076 (Germany); Klose, Uwe, E-mail: uwe.klose@med.uni-tuebingen.de [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Eberhard-Karls-University, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 3, Tübingen 72076 (Germany); Ernemann, Ulrike, E-mail: ulrike.ernemann@med.uni-tuebingen.de [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Eberhard-Karls-University, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 3, Tübingen 72076 (Germany); Hauser, Till-Karsten, E-mail: till-karsten.hauser@med.uni-tuebingen.de [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Eberhard-Karls-University, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 3, Tübingen 72076 (Germany)

    2015-06-15

    Highlights: • Reduced FOV imaging enables a 3D approach for a very fast assessment of the orbits. • Conventional MRI exhibited higher eSNR values and consecutively higher scores for overall image quality in the subjective readers’ analysis. • All pathologies could be detected compared to high-resolution conventional MRI making 3D pTX SPACE to a potential alternative and fast imaging technique. - Abstract: Purpose: To prospectively compare the image quality and diagnostic performance of orbital MR images obtained by using a dual-source parallel transmission (pTX) 3D sequence (Sampling Perfection with Application optimized Contrasts using different flip angle Evolution, SPACE) with the image quality of conventional high-resolution standard protocol for clinical use in patients at 3T. Materials and methods: After obtaining institutional review board approval and patient consent, 32 patients with clinical indication for orbital MRI were examined using a high-resolution conventional sequences and 3D pTX SPACE sequences. Quantitative measurements, image quality of the healthy orbit, incidence of artifacts, and the subjective diagnostic performance to establish diagnosis was rated. Statistical significance was calculated by using a Student's t-test and nonparametric Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: Length measurements were comparable in the two techniques, 3D pTX SPACE resulted in significant faster image acquisition with higher spatial resolution and less motion artifacts as well as better delineation of the optic nerve sheath. However, estimated contrast-to-noise and signal-to-noise and overall image quality as well as subjective scores of the conventional TSE imaging were rated significantly higher. The conventional MR sequences were the preferred techniques by the readers. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the feasibility of 3D pTX SPACE of the orbit resulting in a rapid acquisition of isotropic high-resolution images. Although no pathology was

  10. Multi-protein assemblies underlie the mesoscale organization of the plasma membrane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saka, Sinem K.; Honigmann, Alf; Eggeling, Christian; Hell, Stefan W.; Lang, Thorsten; Rizzoli, Silvio O.

    2014-01-01

    Most proteins have uneven distributions in the plasma membrane. Broadly speaking, this may be caused by mechanisms specific to each protein, or may be a consequence of a general pattern that affects the distribution of all membrane proteins. The latter hypothesis has been difficult to test in the past. Here, we introduce several approaches based on click chemistry, through which we study the distribution of membrane proteins in living cells, as well as in membrane sheets. We found that the plasma membrane proteins form multi-protein assemblies that are long lived (minutes), and in which protein diffusion is restricted. The formation of the assemblies is dependent on cholesterol. They are separated and anchored by the actin cytoskeleton. Specific proteins are preferentially located in different regions of the assemblies, from their cores to their edges. We conclude that the assemblies constitute a basic mesoscale feature of the membrane, which affects the patterning of most membrane proteins, and possibly also their activity. PMID:25060237

  11. Ionic protein-lipid interaction at the plasma membrane: what can the charge do?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Lunyi; Shi, Xiaoshan; Guo, Xingdong; Li, Hua; Xu, Chenqi

    2014-03-01

    Phospholipids are the major components of cell membranes, but they have functional roles beyond forming lipid bilayers. In particular, acidic phospholipids form microdomains in the plasma membrane and can ionically interact with proteins via polybasic sequences, which can have functional consequences for the protein. The list of proteins regulated by ionic protein-lipid interaction has been quickly expanding, and now includes membrane proteins, cytoplasmic soluble proteins, and viral proteins. Here we review how acidic phospholipids in the plasma membrane regulate protein structure and function via ionic interactions, and how Ca(2+) regulates ionic protein-lipid interactions via direct and indirect mechanisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Protein precipitation: an expedient procedure for the routine analysis of the plasma metabolites of [123I]IBZM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zea-Ponce, Yolanda; Laruelle, Marc

    1999-01-01

    Plasma metabolite analysis of the single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) D 2 /D 3 receptor radiotracer (S)(-)-N-[(1-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)methyl]-2-hydroxy-3-[ 123 I] iodo-6-methoxyb enzamide ([ 123 I]IBZM) is needed for the equilibrium analysis of the SPECT data, in brain imaging studies involving bolus plus constant infusion paradigm. The purpose of these experiments was to find an appropriate procedure to expedite this analysis during routine determinations. The procedure was applied to the plasma analysis of 22 human subjects. Each plasma sample was subjected to acetonitrile protein precipitation. After separation of the pellet, the acetonitrile fraction contained 91%±2% (n=88) of the mixture of labeled metabolites and parent compound. The recovery coefficient of unmetabolized [ 123 I]IBZM determined with an standard plasma sample was 95%±2% (n=22). The percent parent compound present in the extracted fraction, measured by high performance liquid chromatography, was 16%±9% (n=85) and the percent metabolites was 84%±9% (n=85). Free fraction determination (f 1 , fraction of radiotracer unbound to protein), was 4%±0.8% (n=22). Free fraction of parent was 15%±8% (n=85). The results indicate that acetonitrile protein precipitation is an adequate method for the analysis of the [ 123 I]IBZM plasma metabolites

  13. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with differential effects on plasma cholesteryl ester transfer protein and phospholipid transfer protein activities and concentrations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dullaart, RPF; De Vries, R; Scheek, L; Borggreve, SE; Van Gent, T; Dallinga-Thie, GM; Ito, M; Nagano, M; Sluiter, WJ; Hattori, H; Van Tol, A

    Background: Human plasma contains two lipid transfer proteins, cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) and phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP), which are crucial in reverse cholesterol transport. Methods: Plasma CETP and PLTP activity levels and concentrations in 16 type 2 diabetic patients and

  14. The cell-based L-glutathione protection assays to study endocytosis and recycling of plasma membrane proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cihil, Kristine M; Swiatecka-Urban, Agnieszka

    2013-12-13

    Membrane trafficking involves transport of proteins from the plasma membrane to the cell interior (i.e. endocytosis) followed by trafficking to lysosomes for degradation or to the plasma membrane for recycling. The cell based L-glutathione protection assays can be used to study endocytosis and recycling of protein receptors, channels, transporters, and adhesion molecules localized at the cell surface. The endocytic assay requires labeling of cell surface proteins with a cell membrane impermeable biotin containing a disulfide bond and the N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) ester at 4 ºC - a temperature at which membrane trafficking does not occur. Endocytosis of biotinylated plasma membrane proteins is induced by incubation at 37 ºC. Next, the temperature is decreased again to 4 ºC to stop endocytic trafficking and the disulfide bond in biotin covalently attached to proteins that have remained at the plasma membrane is reduced with L-glutathione. At this point, only proteins that were endocytosed remain protected from L-glutathione and thus remain biotinylated. After cell lysis, biotinylated proteins are isolated with streptavidin agarose, eluted from agarose, and the biotinylated protein of interest is detected by western blotting. During the recycling assay, after biotinylation cells are incubated at 37 °C to load endocytic vesicles with biotinylated proteins and the disulfide bond in biotin covalently attached to proteins remaining at the plasma membrane is reduced with L-glutathione at 4 ºC as in the endocytic assay. Next, cells are incubated again at 37 °C to allow biotinylated proteins from endocytic vesicles to recycle to the plasma membrane. Cells are then incubated at 4 ºC, and the disulfide bond in biotin attached to proteins that recycled to the plasma membranes is reduced with L-glutathione. The biotinylated proteins protected from L-glutathione are those that did not recycle to the plasma membrane.

  15. High-throughput fractionation of human plasma for fast enrichment of low- and high-abundance proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breen, Lucas; Cao, Lulu; Eom, Kirsten; Srajer Gajdosik, Martina; Camara, Lila; Giacometti, Jasminka; Dupuy, Damian E; Josic, Djuro

    2012-05-01

    Fast, cost-effective and reproducible isolation of IgM from plasma is invaluable to the study of IgM and subsequent understanding of the human immune system. Additionally, vast amounts of information regarding human physiology and disease can be derived from analysis of the low abundance proteome of the plasma. In this study, methods were optimized for both the high-throughput isolation of IgM from human plasma, and the high-throughput isolation and fractionation of low abundance plasma proteins. To optimize the chromatographic isolation of IgM from human plasma, many variables were examined including chromatography resin, mobile phases, and order of chromatographic separations. Purification of IgM was achieved most successfully through isolation of immunoglobulin from human plasma using Protein A chromatography with a specific resin followed by subsequent fractionation using QA strong anion exchange chromatography. Through these optimization experiments, an additional method was established to prepare plasma for analysis of low abundance proteins. This method involved chromatographic depletion of high-abundance plasma proteins and reduction of plasma proteome complexity through further chromatographic fractionation. Purification of IgM was achieved with high purity as confirmed by SDS-PAGE and IgM-specific immunoblot. Isolation and fractionation of low abundance protein was also performed successfully, as confirmed by SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry analysis followed by label-free quantitative spectral analysis. The level of purity of the isolated IgM allows for further IgM-specific analysis of plasma samples. The developed fractionation scheme can be used for high throughput screening of human plasma in order to identify low and high abundance proteins as potential prognostic and diagnostic disease biomarkers.

  16. Proteomic profiling of human plasma exosomes identifies PPARγ as an exosome-associated protein

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Looze, Christopher; Yui, David; Leung, Lester; Ingham, Matthew; Kaler, Maryann; Yao, Xianglan; Wu, Wells W.; Shen Rongfong; Daniels, Mathew P.; Levine, Stewart J.

    2009-01-01

    Exosomes are nanovesicles that are released from cells as a mechanism of cell-free intercellular communication. Only a limited number of proteins have been identified from the plasma exosome proteome. Here, we developed a multi-step fractionation scheme incorporating gel exclusion chromatography, rate zonal centrifugation through continuous sucrose gradients, and high-speed centrifugation to purify exosomes from human plasma. Exosome-associated proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE and 66 proteins were identified by LC-MS/MS, which included both cellular and extracellular proteins. Furthermore, we identified and characterized peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), a nuclear receptor that regulates adipocyte differentiation and proliferation, as well as immune and inflammatory cell functions, as a novel component of plasma-derived exosomes. Given the important role of exosomes as intercellular messengers, the discovery of PPARγ as a component of human plasma exosomes identifies a potential new pathway for the paracrine transfer of nuclear receptors.

  17. Uncoupling Protein 3 Content Is Decreased in Skeletal Muscle of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Keizer; E.E. Blaak; P. Schrauwen; G. Schaart; dr. Lars B. Borghouts; Saris; M.K.C. Hesselink

    2001-01-01

    Recently, a role for uncoupling protein-3 (UCP3) in carbohydrate metabolism and in type 2 diabetes has been suggested. Mice overexpressing UCP3 in skeletal muscle showed reduced fasting plasma glucose levels, improved glucose tolerance after an oral glucose load, and reduced fasting plasma insulin

  18. Thioredoxin h regulates calcium dependent protein kinases in plasma membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ueoka-Nakanishi, Hanayo; Sazuka, Takashi; Nakanishi, Yoichi; Maeshima, Masayoshi; Mori, Hitoshi; Hisabori, Toru

    2013-07-01

    Thioredoxin (Trx) is a key player in redox homeostasis in various cells, modulating the functions of target proteins by catalyzing a thiol-disulfide exchange reaction. Target proteins of cytosolic Trx-h of higher plants were studied, particularly in the plasma membrane, because plant plasma membranes include various functionally important protein molecules such as transporters and signal receptors. Plasma membrane proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana cell cultures were screened using a resin Trx-h1 mutant-immobilized, and a total of 48 candidate proteins obtained. These included two calcium-sensing proteins: a phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase 2 (AtPLC2) and a calcium-dependent protein kinase 21 (AtCPK21). A redox-dependent change in AtCPK21 kinase activity was demonstrated in vitro. Oxidation of AtCPK21 resulted in a decrease in kinase activity to 19% of that of untreated AtCPK21, but Trx-h1 effectively restored the activity to 90%. An intramolecular disulfide bond (Cys97-Cys108) that is responsible for this redox modulation was then identified. In addition, endogenous AtCPK21 was shown to be oxidized in vivo when the culture cells were treated with H2 O2 . These results suggest that redox regulation of AtCPK21 by Trx-h in response to external stimuli is important for appropriate cellular responses. The relationship between the redox regulation system and Ca(2+) signaling pathways is discussed. © 2013 The Authors. FEBS Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of FEBS.

  19. On the variability of the salting-out curves of proteins of normal human plasma and serum

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Steyn-Parvé, Elizabeth P.; Hout, A.J. van den

    1953-01-01

    Salting-out curves of proteins of normal human plasma reflect the influence of a number of other factors besides the protein composition: the manner of obtaining the blood, the nature of the anti-coagulant used, the non-protein components of the plasma. Diagrams of serum and plasma obtained from

  20. Trace Elements (Zn & Cu) And Plasma Proteins Status In Mauritian ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A commercially available kit was used for the direct determination of zinc while copper assay was performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Total plasma proteins, albumin and globulin levels were also measured by colorimetric method using commercially available kits. Plasma zinc and copper levels in pregnant ...

  1. Role of plasma adiponectin /C-reactive protein ratio in obesity and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    African Health Sciences ... Objective(s): We examined relations between fasting plasma adiponectin (ADIP), C-reactive protein (CRP) ... Methods: Fasting plasma ADIP, CRP, Insulin (IN), HOMA-IR, lipid profiles, body fat percent (%BF), waist ...

  2. Concentration of total proteins in blood plasma of chickens hatched from irradiated eggs with low dose gamma radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vilic, M.; Kraljevic, P.; Miljanic, S.; Simpraga, M.

    2005-01-01

    It is known that low-dose ionising radiation may have stimulating effects on chickens. Low doses may also cause changes in the concentration of blood plasma total proteins, glucose and cholesterol in chickens. This study investigates the effects of low dose gamma-radiation on the concentration of total proteins in the blood plasma of chickens hatched from eggs irradiated with a dose of 0.15 Gy on incubation days 7 and 19. Results were compared with the control group (chickens hatched from non-irradiated eggs). After hatching, all other conditions were the same for both groups. Blood samples were drawn from the heart, and later from the wing vein on days 1, 3, 5, 7,10, 20, 30 and 42. The concentration of total proteins was determined spectrophotometrically using Boehringer Mannheim GmbH optimised kits. The concentration of total proteins in blood plasma in chickens hatched from eggs irradiated with 0.15 Gy on incubation day 7 showed a statistically significant decrease on the sampling day 3 (P less than 0.05) and 7 (P less than 0.01). The concentration of total proteins in blood plasma in chickens hatched from eggs irradiated with 0.15 Gy on incubation day 19 showed a statistically significant increase only on sampling day 1 (P less than 0.05). These results suggest that exposure of eggs to 0.15 Gy of gamma-radiation on the 7th and 19th day of incubation could produce different effects on the protein metabolism in chickens.(author)

  3. Relationships of elevated systemic pentraxin-3 levels with high-risk coronary plaque components and impaired myocardial perfusion after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimura, Shigeki; Inagaki, Hiroshi; Haraguchi, Go; Sugiyama, Tomoyo; Miyazaki, Toru; Hatano, Yu; Yoshikawa, Shunji; Ashikaga, Takashi; Isobe, Mitsuaki

    2014-01-01

    We aimed to assess the relationships of pentraxin-3 (PTX3) with coronary plaque components and myocardial perfusion after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in order to clarify the mechanisms underlying the prognostic function of PTX3 in ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. We enrolled 75 STEMI patients who underwent pre-PCI virtual histology (VH)-intravascular ultrasound. Relationships of the systemic pre-PCI PTX3 level with coronary plaque components and post-PCI myocardial blush grade (MBG) were evaluated. Lesions with elevated pre-PCI PTX3 (median ≥3.79ng/ml) had higher frequencies of VH-derived thin-cap fibroatheroma (65.8% vs. 24.3%, P2 on admission (hazard ratio, 5.356; 95% CI, 1.409-20.359; P=0.014) as independent predictors of adverse cardiac events during follow-up. Systemic pre-PCI PTX3 was associated with high-risk plaque components and impaired post-PCI myocardial perfusion. Thus, PTX3 may be a reliable predictor of outcome in STEMI patients.

  4. A Phospholipid-Protein Complex from Krill with Antioxidative and Immunomodulating Properties Reduced Plasma Triacylglycerol and Hepatic Lipogenesis in Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marie S. Ramsvik

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Dietary intake of marine omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs can change the plasma profile from atherogenic to cardioprotective. In addition, there is growing evidence that proteins of marine origin may have health benefits. We investigated a phospholipid-protein complex (PPC from krill that is hypothesized to influence lipid metabolism, inflammation, and redox status. Male Wistar rats were fed a control diet (2% soy oil, 8% lard, 20% casein, or diets where corresponding amounts of casein and lard were replaced with PPC at 3%, 6%, or 11% (wt %, for four weeks. Dietary supplementation with PPC resulted in significantly lower levels of plasma triacylglycerols in the 11% PPC-fed group, probably due to reduced hepatic lipogenesis. Plasma cholesterol levels were also reduced at the highest dose of PPC. In addition, the plasma and liver content of n-3 PUFAs increased while n-6 PUFAs decreased. This was associated with increased total antioxidant capacity in plasma and increased liver gene expression of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (Sod2. Finally, a reduced plasma level of the inflammatory mediator interleukin-2 (IL-2 was detected in the PPC-fed animals. The present data show that PPC has lipid-lowering effects in rats, and may modulate risk factors related to cardiovascular disease progression.

  5. Plasma membrane associated membranes (PAM) from Jurkat cells contain STIM1 protein is PAM involved in the capacitative calcium entry?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kozieł, Katarzyna; Lebiedzinska, Magdalena; Szabadkai, Gyorgy; Onopiuk, Marta; Brutkowski, Wojciech; Wierzbicka, Katarzyna; Wilczyński, Grzegorz; Pinton, Paolo; Duszyński, Jerzy; Zabłocki, Krzysztof; Wieckowski, Mariusz R

    2009-12-01

    A proper cooperation between the plasma membrane, the endoplasmic reticulum and the mitochondria seems to be essential for numerous cellular processes involved in Ca(2+) signalling and maintenance of Ca(2+) homeostasis. A presence of microsomal and mitochondrial proteins together with those characteristic for the plasma membrane in the fraction of the plasma membrane associated membranes (PAM) indicates a formation of stabile interactions between these three structures. We isolated the plasma membrane associated membranes from Jurkat cells and found its significant enrichment in the plasma membrane markers including plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase, Na(+), K(+)-ATPase and CD3 as well as sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase as a marker of the endoplasmic reticulum membranes. In addition, two proteins involved in the store-operated Ca(2+) entry, Orai1 located in the plasma membrane and an endoplasmic reticulum protein STIM1 were found in this fraction. Furthermore, we observed a rearrangement of STIM1-containing protein complexes isolated from Jurkat cells undergoing stimulation by thapsigargin. We suggest that the inter-membrane compartment composed of the plasma membrane and the endoplasmic reticulum, and isolated as a stabile plasma membrane associated membranes fraction, might be involved in the store-operated Ca(2+) entry, and their formation and rebuilding have an important regulatory role in cellular Ca(2+) homeostasis.

  6. Mannan-binding proteins from boar seminal plasma

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Jelínková-Slavíčková, Petra; Liberda, J.; Maňásková, Pavla; Ryšlavá, H.; Jonáková, Věra; Tichá, M.

    2004-01-01

    Roč. 62, 1-2 (2004), s. 167-182 ISSN 0165-0378. [Congress of the European Society for Reproductive & Developmental Immunology /4./. Rhodes, 04.06.2003-06.06.2003] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA303/02/0433; GA ČR GP303/02/P069; GA MŠk VS96141; GA MZd NJ7463 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5052915 Keywords : boar seminal plasma proteins * mannan-binding proteins * oviductal epithelium Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 2.726, year: 2004

  7. The role of plasma proteins in formation of obstructive protamine complexes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Paulis, R.; Mohammad, S.F.; Chiariello, L.; Morea, M.; Olsen, D.B.

    1991-01-01

    Formation of complexes between heparin and protamine (in saline), or heparin, plasma proteins, and protamine (in plasma) was assessed by measurements of light transmission through different test solutions. To examine the formation of these complexes, 125I-labeled protamine was used. Addition of 125I-protamine to plasma or blood resulted in the sedimentation of 125I-protamine in the form of insoluble complexes. This complex formation was not affected by the presence of heparin, suggesting that protamine-plasma protein interaction may be primarily responsible for precipitation of 125I-protamine. To assess the capability of these complexes to obstruct the pulmonary circulation, an in vitro experimental model was developed. Citrated serum, plasma, blood, or saline were allowed to flow through a glass bead column with the help of a peristaltic pump. A pressure transducer positioned before the column allowed pressure measurements at a constant flow rate during the experiment. Mixing of protamine with plasma or blood prior to their passage through the glass bead column resulted in a significant increase in pressure suggesting that the column was being clogged with insoluble complexes. The increase in pressure occurred both in the presence and absence of heparin in plasma or blood. Under identical experimental conditions, the increase in pressure was insignificant when protamine was added to saline or serum regardless of whether heparin was present or absent. This was further confirmed by the use of 125I-protamine. These observations suggest that protamine forms insoluble complexes with certain plasma proteins. Based on these observations, it is hypothesized that following intravenous administration, protamine immediately forms complexes in circulating blood

  8. [3H]cholesteryl ester labeling and transfer among human and honhuman primate plasma lipoproteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomas, M.S.; Rudel, L.L.

    1983-01-01

    Aliquots of human and nonhuman primate plasma containing 5,5'-dithiobis (2-nitrobenzoic acid) were incubated at 37 0 C in tubes previously coated with trace amounts of tritium-labeled cholesteryl oleate ([ 3 H]CO). Initially, cholesteryl esters were transferred at a rapid rate into plasma after which the rate slowed. During 24 h of incubation, an average of 55% of the [ 3 H]CO transferred from the side of the tube into African green monkey plasma, 44% into human plasma and 21% into rat plasma. Greater than 98% of the radioactive ester transferred into plasma was found to be associated with plasma lipoproteins that were then rapidly separated using vertical rotor density gradient ultracentrifugation. In very low density lipoprotein (VLDL)-poor plasma after 30 min incubations, high density lipoproteins (HDL) contained most of the [ 3 H]CO while 5- to 24-h incubations resulted in increased labeling of low density proteins (LDL). In VLDL-rich plasma, it was found that in addition to the labeling of HDL, VLDL contained about 25% of the labeled cholesteryl esters after 30-min incubations and, as above, the proportion in LDL subsequently increased. Compositional analyses showed that intermediate-sized LDL (ILDL) were accumulating cholesteryl ester mass while transfer occurred. LDL labeled using this method were injected intravenously into monkeys and their removal from plasma was found to be similar to that found for LDL labeled in vivo. It was concluded that this method of plasma lipoprotein cholesteryl ester labeling, presumably a result of cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity, was efficient, resulted in lipoproteins labeled only in the cholesteryl ester moiety, and induced minimal modification of lipoprotein particles that did not alter their biological activity

  9. Identification of clam plasma proteins that bind its pathogen Quahog Parasite Unknown.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartman, Rachel; Pales Espinosa, Emmanuelle; Allam, Bassem

    2018-06-01

    The hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria) is among the most economically-important marine species along the east coast of the United States, representing the first marine resource in several Northeastern states. The species is rather resilient to infections and the only important disease of hard clams results from an infection caused by Quahog Parasite Unknown (QPX), a protistan parasite that can lead to significant mortality events in wild and aquacultured clam stocks. Though the presence of QPX disease has been documented since the 1960s, little information is available on cellular and molecular interactions between the parasite and the host. This study examined the interactions between the clam immune system and QPX cells. First, the effect of clam plasma on the binding of hemocytes to parasite cells was evaluated. Second, clam plasma proteins that bind QPX cells were identified through proteomic (LC-MS/MS) analyses. Finally, the effect of prior clam exposure to QPX on the abundance of QPX-reactive proteins in the plasma was evaluated. Results showed that plasma factors enhance the attachment of hemocytes to QPX. Among the proteins that specifically bind to QPX cells, several lectins were identified, as well as complement component proteins and proteolytic enzymes. Furthermore, results showed that some of these lectins and complement-related proteins are inducible as their abundance significantly increased following QPX challenge. These results shed light on plasma proteins involved in the recognition and binding of parasite cells and provide molecular targets for future investigations of factors involved in clam resistance to the disease, and ultimately for the selection of resistant clam stocks. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Radiation induced changes in plasma total protein nitrogen and urinary total nitrogen in desert rodent and albino rats subjected to dietary protein deficiency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roushdy, H.; El-Husseini, M.; Saleh, F.

    1986-01-01

    The effect of gamma-irradiation on plasma total protein nitrogen and urinary total nitrogen was studied in the desert rodent, psammomy obesus obesus and albino rats subjected to dietary protein deficiency. In albino rats kept on high protein diet, the radiation syndrome resulted in urine retention, while in those kept on non-protein diet, such phenomenon was recorded only with the high radiation level of 1170r. Radiation exposure to 780 and 1170r caused remarkable diuresis in psammomys obesus obesus whereas they induced significant urine retention in albino rats. The levels of plasma total protein nitrogen and urinary total nitrogen were higher in albino rats maintained on high protein diet than in those kept on non-protein diet. Radiation exposure caused an initial drop in plasma total protein nitrogen concentration, concomitant with an initial rise in total urinary nitrogen, radiation exposure of psammomys obesus obesus caused significant increase in the levels of plasma protein nitrogen and urinary total nitrogen. Psammomys obesus obesus seemed to be more affected by radiation exposure than did the albino rats

  11. Gonadal cell surface receptor for plasma retinol-binding protein

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krishna Bhat, M.; Cama, H.R.

    1979-01-01

    A specific membrane receptor for plasma retinol-binding protein has been demonstrated in testicular cells. Prealbumin-2 did not show any specific binding to the membrane. The affinity of retinol-binding protein for receptor drastically decreases upon delivery of retinol and the retinol-binding protein does not enter the cell. The mechanism of delivery of retinol to the target cell by plasma retinol-binding protein has been investigated. The process involves two steps; direct binding of retinol-binding protein to the receptor and uptake of retinol by the target cell with a concomitant drastic reduction in the affinity of the retinol-binding protein to the receptor. Probably the second step of the process needs a cytosolic factor, possibly the cellular retinol-binding protein or an enzyme. The binding of retinol-binding protein to the receptor is saturable and reversible. The interaction shows a Ksub(d) value of 2.1x10 -10 . The specific binding of a retinol-binding protein with great affinity has been employed in the development of a method for radioassay of the receptor. The receptor level of the gonadal cell has been found to vary with the stage of differentiation. The receptor concentrations in 11-week-old birds and adult birds are comparable. Testosterone treatment of 11-week-old birds produced a substantial increase in the receptor concentration over control, while the protein content increased marginally, indicating that, probably, synthesis of the receptor is specifcally induced by testosterone during spermatogenesis, and the concentration of receptor is relatively higher before the formation of the acrosome. (Auth.)

  12. O-(4-diazo-3,5-di[125I]iodobenzoyl)sucrose, a novel radioactive label for determining organ sites of catabolism of plasma proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jong, A.S.H. de; Bouma, J.M.W.; Gruber, M.

    1981-01-01

    A method is described for radiolabelling proteins with O-(4-diazo-3,5-di[ 125 I]iodobenzoyl)sucrose (DD 125 IBS). When proteins so labelled were degraded within lysosomes, the radioactive fragments were largely retained within the organelle. High specific radioactivities were obtained without changing the properties of the protein. The validity of the method was demonstrated in vivo in rats using the short-lived protein lactate dehydrogenase, isoenzyme M 4 , and the long-lived protein bovine serum albumin. Derivatization with DD 125 IBS did not alter the clearance of either protein. Uptake of DD 125 IBS-labelled lactate dehydrogenase, isoenzyme M 4 , by liver and spleen of rats was determined. Radioactivity in these tissues increased up to about 2 h after injection (at this time the protein has been almost completely cleared from the blood) and subsequently declined with a half-life of approx. 20h. After differential fractionation of liver, radioactivity was largely found in the mitochondrial and lysosomal fraction. The results of these studies establish that DD 125 IBS covalently coupled to plasma proteins should be a useful radioactive tracer for identifying the tissue and cellular sites of catabolism of relatively long-lived circulating proteins. (author)

  13. IDENTIFIKASI WASTE PADA WHOLE STREAM PERUSAHAAN ROKOK DI PT.X16

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rakhmawati Rakhmawati

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Identify to be done by using method of lean manufacturing. This research aimed at identify waste and formulate effort reduction of waste production process smoke in PT.X. The data were collected from manufacturer records, study to determine processing time, as well as interview and quisioners which were distributed to workers in each department. Big picture mapping and value stream mapping tools (VALSAT were then utilised to process the data.Result of from research got that during once production process can reduce from 152.59 minute become 149.59 time and minute every order 26 day become 19 day. From result of waste workshop known that type extravagance of cause the happening of production process time depth ( 3 highest is defect, waiting time and excessive transportation, so that appliance (tool matching with the extravagance type is mapping filter quality with successive wight 96,6 : 55,86 : and 23,32.According to the result found also cause of extravagance for example, to the number of time used for the activity of inspection between aktifitas so that cause production process time become Ilama, existence of distance which among tobacco warehouse with process of perajangan resulting the happening of movement of bolak return worker so that add production process time become llama. One of the ways to improve it is by applying pull system (Kanban.

  14. Protein-centric N-glycoproteomics analysis of membrane and plasma membrane proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Bingyun; Hood, Leroy

    2014-06-06

    The advent of proteomics technology has transformed our understanding of biological membranes. The challenges for studying membrane proteins have inspired the development of many analytical and bioanalytical tools, and the techniques of glycoproteomics have emerged as an effective means to enrich and characterize membrane and plasma-membrane proteomes. This Review summarizes the development of various glycoproteomics techniques to overcome the hurdles formed by the unique structures and behaviors of membrane proteins with a focus on N-glycoproteomics. Example contributions of N-glycoproteomics to the understanding of membrane biology are provided, and the areas that require future technical breakthroughs are discussed.

  15. Relative Abundance of Proteins in Blood Plasma Samples from Patients with Chronic Cerebral Ischemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaysheva, Anna L; Kopylov, Artur T; Ponomarenko, Elena A; Kiseleva, Olga I; Teryaeva, Nadezhda B; Potapov, Alexander A; Izotov, Alexander А; Morozov, Sergei G; Kudryavtseva, Valeria Yu; Archakov, Alexander I

    2018-03-01

    A comparative protein profile analysis of 17 blood plasma samples from patients with ischemia and 20 samples from healthy volunteers was carried out using ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry. The analysis of measurements was performed using the proteomics search engine OMSSA. Normalized spectrum abundance factor (NSAF) in the biological samples was assessed using SearchGUI. The findings of mass spectrometry analysis of the protein composition of blood plasma samples demonstrate that the depleted samples are quite similar in protein composition and relative abundance of proteins. By comparing them with the control samples, we have found a small group of 44 proteins characteristic of the blood plasma samples from patients with chronic cerebral ischemia. These proteins contribute to the processes of homeostasis maintenance, including innate immune response unfolding, the response of a body to stress, and contribution to the blood clotting cascade.

  16. Morphological changes of plasma membrane and protein assembly during clathrin-mediated endocytosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshida, Aiko; Sakai, Nobuaki; Uekusa, Yoshitsugu; Imaoka, Yuka; Itagaki, Yoshitsuna; Suzuki, Yuki

    2018-01-01

    Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) proceeds through a series of morphological changes of the plasma membrane induced by a number of protein components. Although the spatiotemporal assembly of these proteins has been elucidated by fluorescence-based techniques, the protein-induced morphological changes of the plasma membrane have not been fully clarified in living cells. Here, we visualize membrane morphology together with protein localizations during CME by utilizing high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) combined with a confocal laser scanning unit. The plasma membrane starts to invaginate approximately 30 s after clathrin starts to assemble, and the aperture diameter increases as clathrin accumulates. Actin rapidly accumulates around the pit and induces a small membrane swelling, which, within 30 s, rapidly covers the pit irreversibly. Inhibition of actin turnover abolishes the swelling and induces a reversible open–close motion of the pit, indicating that actin dynamics are necessary for efficient and irreversible pit closure at the end of CME. PMID:29723197

  17. Lateral Organization of Influenza Virus Proteins in the Budozone Region of the Plasma Membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leser, George P; Lamb, Robert A

    2017-05-01

    Influenza virus assembles and buds at the plasma membrane of virus-infected cells. The viral proteins assemble at the same site on the plasma membrane for budding to occur. This involves a complex web of interactions among viral proteins. Some proteins, like hemagglutinin (HA), NA, and M2, are integral membrane proteins. M1 is peripherally membrane associated, whereas NP associates with viral RNA to form an RNP complex that associates with the cytoplasmic face of the plasma membrane. Furthermore, HA and NP have been shown to be concentrated in cholesterol-rich membrane raft domains, whereas M2, although containing a cholesterol binding motif, is not raft associated. Here we identify viral proteins in planar sheets of plasma membrane using immunogold staining. The distribution of these proteins was examined individually and pairwise by using the Ripley K function, a type of nearest-neighbor analysis. Individually, HA, NA, M1, M2, and NP were shown to self-associate in or on the plasma membrane. HA and M2 are strongly coclustered in the plasma membrane; however, in the case of NA and M2, clustering depends upon the expression system used. Despite both proteins being raft resident, HA and NA occupy distinct but adjacent membrane domains. M2 and M1 strongly cocluster, but the association of M1 with HA or NA is dependent upon the means of expression. The presence of HA and NP at the site of budding depends upon the coexpression of other viral proteins. Similarly, M2 and NP occupy separate compartments, but an association can be bridged by the coexpression of M1. IMPORTANCE The complement of influenza virus proteins necessary for the budding of progeny virions needs to accumulate at budozones. This is complicated by HA and NA residing in lipid raft-like domains, whereas M2, although an integral membrane protein, is not raft associated. Other necessary protein components such as M1 and NP are peripherally associated with the membrane. Our data define spatial relationships

  18. Comparative proteome analysis of cryopreserved flagella and head plasma membrane proteins from sea bream spermatozoa: effect of antifreeze proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zilli, Loredana; Beirão, José; Schiavone, Roberta; Herraez, Maria Paz; Gnoni, Antonio; Vilella, Sebastiano

    2014-01-01

    Cryopreservation induces injuries to fish spermatozoa that in turn affect sperm quality in terms of fertilization ability, motility, DNA and protein integrity and larval survival. To reduce the loss of sperm quality due to freezing-thawing, it is necessary to improve these procedures. In the present study we investigated the ability of two antifreeze proteins (AFPI and AFPIII) to reduce the loss of quality of sea bream spermatozoa due to cryopreservation. To do so, we compared viability, motility, straight-line velocity and curvilinear velocity of fresh and (AFPs)-cryopreserved spermatozoa. AFPIII addition to cryopreservation medium improved viability, motility and straight-line velocity with respect to DMSO or DMSO plus AFPI. To clarify the molecular mechanism(s) underlying these findings, the protein profile of two different cryopreserved sperm domains, flagella and head plasma membranes, was analysed. The protein profiles differed between fresh and frozen-thawed semen and results of the image analysis demonstrated that, after cryopreservation, out of 270 proteins 12 were decreased and 7 were increased in isolated flagella, and out of 150 proteins 6 showed a significant decrease and 4 showed a significant increase in head membranes. Mass spectrometry analysis identified 6 proteins (4 from isolated flagella and 2 present both in flagella and head plasma membranes) within the protein spots affected by the freezing-thawing procedure. 3 out of 4 proteins from isolated flagella were involved in the sperm bioenergetic system. Our results indicate that the ability of AFPIII to protect sea bream sperm quality can be, at least in part, ascribed to reducing changes in the sperm protein profile occurring during the freezing-thawing procedure. Our results clearly demonstrated that AFPIII addition to cryopreservation medium improved the protection against freezing respect to DMSO or DMSO plus AFPI. In addition we propose specific proteins of spermatozoa as markers related to

  19. Identification of altered plasma proteins by proteomic study in valvular heart diseases and the potential clinical significance.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ge Gao

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Little is known about genetic basis and proteomics in valvular heart disease (VHD including rheumatic (RVD and degenerative (DVD valvular disease. The present proteomic study examined the hypothesis that certain proteins may be associated with the pathological changes in the plasma of VHD patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Differential protein analysis in the plasma identified 18 differentially expressed protein spots and 14 corresponding proteins or polypeptides by two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry in 120 subjects. Two up-regulated (complement C4A and carbonic anhydrase 1 and three down-regulated proteins (serotransferrin, alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, and vitronectin were validated by ELISA in enlarging samples. The plasma levels (n = 40 for each of complement C4A in RVD (715.8±35.6 vs. 594.7±28.2 ng/ml, P = 0.009 and carbonic anhydrase 1 (237.70±15.7 vs. 184.7±10.8 U/L, P = 0.007 in DVD patients were significantly higher and that of serotransferrin (2.36±0.20 vs. 2.93±0.16 mg/ml, P = 0.025 and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin (370.0±13.7 vs. 413.0±11.6 µg/ml, P = 0.019 in RVD patients were significantly lower than those in controls. The plasma vitronectin level in both RVD (281.3±11.0 vs. 323.2±10.0 µg/ml, P = 0.006 and DVD (283.6±11.4 vs. 323.2±10.0 µg/ml, P = 0.011 was significantly lower than those in normal controls. CONCLUSIONS: We have for the first time identified alterations of 14 differential proteins or polypeptides in the plasma of patients with various VHD. The elevation of plasma complement C4A in RVD and carbonic anhydrase 1 in DVD and the decrease of serotransferrin and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin in RVD patients may be useful biomarkers for these valvular diseases. The decreased plasma level of vitronectin - a protein related to the formation of valvular structure - in both RVD and DVD patients might indicate the possible genetic deficiency in these patients.

  20. Effects of Soy-Germ Protein on Catalase Activity of Plasma and Erythocyte of Metabolic Syndrome Women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    HERY WINARSI

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Oxidative stress always accompany patients with metabolic syndrome (MS. Several researchers reported that soy-protein is able to decrease oxidative stress level. However, there is no report so far about soy-germ protein in relation to its potential to the decrease oxidative stress level of MS patients. The aim of this study was to explore the potential of soy-germ protein on activity of catalase enzyme in blood's plasma as well as erythrocytes of MS patients. Double-blind randomized clinical trial was used as an experimental study. Thirty respondents were included in this study with MS, normal level blood sugar, low-HDL cholesterol but high in triglyceride, 40-65 years old, Body Mass Index > 25 kg/m2, live in Purwokerto and agreed to sign the informed consent. They were randomly grouped into 3 different groups, 10 each: Group I, was given special milk that contains soy-germ protein and Zn; Group II, soy-germ protein, while Group III was placebo; for two consecutive months. Data were taken from blood samples in 3 different periods i.e. 0, 1, and 2 months after treatment. Two months after treatment, there was an increase from 5.36 to 20.17 IU/mg (P = 0.028 in activity of catalase enzyme in blood's plasma respondents who consumed milk containing soy-germ protein with or without Zn. A similar trend of catalase activity, but at a lower level, was also noticed in erythrocyte; which increased from 88.31 to 201.11 IU/mg (P = 0.013. The increase in activity of catalase enzyme in blood's plasma was 2.2 times higher than that in erythrocytes.

  1. Preparation of synaptic plasma membrane and postsynaptic density proteins using a discontinuous sucrose gradient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bermejo, Marie Kristel; Milenkovic, Marija; Salahpour, Ali; Ramsey, Amy J

    2014-09-03

    Neuronal subcellular fractionation techniques allow the quantification of proteins that are trafficked to and from the synapse. As originally described in the late 1960's, proteins associated with the synaptic plasma membrane can be isolated by ultracentrifugation on a sucrose density gradient. Once synaptic membranes are isolated, the macromolecular complex known as the post-synaptic density can be subsequently isolated due to its detergent insolubility. The techniques used to isolate synaptic plasma membranes and post-synaptic density proteins remain essentially the same after 40 years, and are widely used in current neuroscience research. This article details the fractionation of proteins associated with the synaptic plasma membrane and post-synaptic density using a discontinuous sucrose gradient. Resulting protein preparations are suitable for western blotting or 2D DIGE analysis.

  2. Variations of plasma protein electrophoresis in healthy captive Green Iguanas (Iguana iguana).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musilová, Anna; Knotková, Zora; Pinterová, Kateřina; Knotek, Zdeněk

    2015-06-01

    Serum or plasma protein electrophoresis is used as a routine test for health assessment in veterinary medicine, but there are only a limited number of studies regarding clinical use of electrophoresis in reptile species. The goals of this study were to establish reference intervals for plasma protein electrophoresis in the Green Iguana (Iguana iguana), compare values between males and females, and to identify season-related changes. Plasma samples were obtained from 21 healthy captive male and female Green Iguanas. Agarose gel electrophoresis was performed using an automated Hydrasys system. Four main protein fractions were observed: albumin, α globulins, β globulins, and γ globulins. Bisalbuminemia was observed in 4 of 21 healthy iguanas. Minimum and maximum values were reported for healthy Green Iguanas in March, June, September, and December. Seasonal changes in albumin were determined between March and December, and in γ globulins between June and September. Differences between males and females were seen in albumin concentration in September. Reference intervals of the plasma protein fractions according to electrophoresis in the Green Iguana can be affected by seasonal changes and sex of animals. It should be taken into account when clinical evaluation is performed. © 2015 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

  3. Interspecies In Vitro Evaluation of Stereoselective Protein Binding for 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wan Raihana Wan Aasim

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Abuse of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA is becoming more common worldwide. To date, there is no information available on stereoselectivity of MDMA protein binding in humans, rats, and mice. Since stereoselectivity plays an important role in MDMA’s pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, in this study we investigated its stereoselectivity in protein binding. The stereoselective protein binding of rac-MDMA was investigated using two different concentrations (20 and 200 ng/mL in human plasma and mouse and rat sera using an ultrafiltration technique. No significant stereoselectivity in protein binding was observed in both human plasma and rat serum; however, a significant stereoselective binding (p<0.05 was observed in mouse serum. Since the protein binding of MDMA in mouse serum is considerably lower than in humans and rats, caution should be exercised when using mice for in vitro studies involving MDMA.

  4. Plasma NOV/CCN3 Levels Are Closely Associated with Obesity in Patients with Metabolic Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pakradouni, Jihane; Le Goff, Wilfried; Calmel, Claire; Antoine, Bénédicte; Villard, Elise; Frisdal, Eric; Abifadel, Marianne; Tordjman, Joan; Poitou, Christine; Bonnefont-Rousselot, Dominique; Bittar, Randa; Bruckert, Eric; Clément, Karine; Fève, Bruno; Martinerie, Cécile; Guérin, Maryse

    2013-01-01

    Objective Evidence points to a founder of the multifunctional CCN family, NOV/CCN3, as a circulating molecule involved in cardiac development, vascular homeostasis and inflammation. No data are available on the relationship between plasma NOV/CCN3 levels and cardiovascular risk factors in humans. This study investigated the possible relationship between plasma NOV levels and cardiovascular risk factors in humans. Methods NOV levels were measured in the plasma from 594 adults with a hyperlipidemia history and/or with lipid-lowering therapy and/or a body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2. Correlations were measured between NOV plasma levels and various parameters, including BMI, fat mass, and plasma triglycerides, cholesterol, glucose, and C-reactive protein. NOV expression was also evaluated in adipose tissue from obese patients and rodents and in primary cultures of adipocytes and macrophages. Results After full multivariate adjustment, we detected a strong positive correlation between plasma NOV and BMI (r = 0.36 p<0.0001) and fat mass (r = 0.33 p<0.0005). According to quintiles, this relationship appeared to be linear. NOV levels were also positively correlated with C-reactive protein but not with total cholesterol, LDL-C or blood glucose. In patients with drastic weight loss induced by Roux-en-Y bariatric surgery, circulating NOV levels decreased by 28% (p<0.02) and 48% (p<0.0001) after 3 and 6 months, respectively, following surgery. In adipose tissue from obese patients, and in human primary cultures NOV protein was detected in adipocytes and macrophages. In mice fed a high fat diet NOV plasma levels and its expression in adipose tissue were also significantly increased compared to controls fed a standard diet. Conclusion Our results strongly suggest that in obese humans and mice plasma NOV levels positively correlated with NOV expression in adipose tissue, and support a possible contribution of NOV to obesity-related inflammation. PMID:23785511

  5. Depletion of abundant plasma proteins by poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-acrylic acid) hydrogel particles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Such-Sanmartín, Gerard; Ventura-Espejo, Estela; Jensen, Ole N

    2014-01-01

    the application of pH-sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-acrylic acid) hydrogel particles for removal of abundant plasma proteins, prior to proteome analysis by MS. Protein depletion occurs by two separate mechanisms: (1) hydrogel particles incubated with low concentrations of plasma capture abundant proteins...... proteins are released and recovered in the eluate. We developed a series of distinct depletion protocols that proved useful for sample depletion and fractionation and facilitated targeted analysis of putative biomarkers such as IGF1-2, IBP2-7, ALS, KLK6-7, ISK5, and PLF4 by selected reaction monitoring...

  6. A rapid method for selecting suitable animal species for studying pathogen interactions with plasma protein ligands in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naudin, Clément; Schumski, Ariane; Salo-Ahen, Outi M H; Herwald, Heiko; Smeds, Emanuel

    2017-05-01

    Species tropism constitutes a serious problem for developing relevant animal models of infection. Human pathogens can express virulence factors that show specific selectivity to human proteins, while their affinity for orthologs from other species can vary significantly. Suitable animal species must be used to analyse whether virulence factors are potential targets for drug development. We developed an assay that rapidly predicts applicable animal species for studying virulence factors binding plasma proteins. We used two well-characterized Staphylococcus aureus proteins, SSL7 and Efb, to develop an ELISA-based inhibition assay using plasma from different animal species. The interaction between SSL7 and human C5 and the binding of Efb to human fibrinogen and human C3 was studied. Affinity experiments and Western blot analyses were used to validate the assay. Human, monkey and cat plasma interfered with binding of SSL7 to human C5. Binding of Efb to human fibrinogen was blocked in human, monkey, gerbil and pig plasma, while human, monkey, gerbil, rabbit, cat and guinea pig plasma inhibited the binding of Efb to human C3. These results emphasize the importance of choosing correct animal models, and thus, our approach is a rapid and cost-effective method that can be used to prevent unnecessary animal experiments. © 2017 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

  7. Aluminium fluoride and magnesium, activators of heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins, affect high-affinity binding of the fungal toxin fusicoccin to the fusicoccin-binding protein in oat root plasma membranes.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Boer, A.H.; Van der Molen, G.W.; Prins, H.B.A.; Korthout, H.A.A.J.; van der Hoeven, P.C.J.

    1994-01-01

    The fusicoccin-binding protein was solubilised from purified oat root plasma membranes. The solubilised protein retained full binding activity, provided that protease inhibitors were included. Sodium fluoride reduced the high-affinity [H-3]fusicoccin binding to almost zero in a

  8. Triton X-114 cloud point extraction to subfractionate blood plasma proteins for two-dimensional gel electrophoresis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jessen, Flemming; Wulff, Tune

    2015-01-01

    -sterol acyltransferase, serum amyloid A, and serum paraoxonase/arylesterase 1, which are proteins of a hydrophobic nature, as in plasma they relate to lipoprotein particles. Thus, Triton X-114-based CPE is a simple plasma prefractionation tool, attractive for detailed 2DE studies of hydrophobic plasma proteins...

  9. Effect of whole body gamma-irradiation and/or dietary protein deficiency on the levels of plasma non-protein nitrogen and amino acids; plasma and urinary ammonia and urea in desert rodent and albino rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roushdy, H.M.; El-Husseini, M.; Saleh, F.

    1984-01-01

    The effect of gamma-irradiation exposure on the levels of non-protein nitrogen (N.P.N.) and amino acids in plasma; ammonia and urea in plasma and urine was studied in the desert rodent, Psammomys obesus obesus and albino rats subjected to dietary protein deficiency, N.P.N. and amino acids in plasma were shown to increase by irradiation exposure. The effect of radiation on blood ammonia was less marked, but it caused a significant increase in ammonia excretion in urine. Radiation exposure in albino rats caused a marked increase in urea concentration in plasma of animals fed the high protein diet and irradiated at 780 r. In urine, the tested radiation levels caused an initial increase in urea concentration followed by a subsequent decrease. In psammomys, radiation exposure exerted a little effect on the plasma urea level, whereas significant increase in the daily urea excretion was recorded. It seems that urea level in plasma is more stabilized in psammomys than in albino rats

  10. Effect of pertussis and cholera toxins administered supraspinally on CA3 hippocampal neuronal cell death and the blood glucose level induced by kainic acid in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Chea-Ha; Park, Soo-Hyun; Sim, Yun-Beom; Sharma, Naveen; Kim, Sung-Su; Lim, Su-Min; Jung, Jun-Sub; Suh, Hong-Won

    2014-12-01

    The effect of cholera toxin (CTX) or pertussis toxin (PTX) administered supraspinally on hippocampal neuronal cell death in CA3 region induced by kainic acid (KA) was examined in mice. After the pretreatment with either PTX or CTX intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.), mice were administered i.c.v. with KA. The i.c.v. treatment with KA caused a neuronal cell death in CA3 region and PTX, but not CTX, attenuated the KA-induced neuronal cell death. In addition, i.c.v. treatment with KA caused an elevation of the blood glucose level. The i.c.v. PTX pretreatment alone caused a hypoglycemia and inhibited KA-induced hyperglycemic effect. However, i.c.v. pretreatment with CTX did not affect the basal blood glucose level and KA-induced hyperglycemic effect. Moreover, KA administered i.c.v. caused an elevation of corticosterone level and reduction of the blood insulin level. Whereas, i.c.v. pretreatment with PTX further enhanced KA-induced up-regulation of corticosterone level. Furthermore, i.c.v. administration of PTX alone increased the insulin level and KA-induced hypoinsulinemic effect was reversed. In addition, PTX pretreatment reduces the KA-induced seizure activity. Our results suggest that supraspinally administered PTX, exerts neuroprotective effect against KA-induced neuronal cells death in CA3 region and neuroprotective effect of PTX is mediated by the reduction of KA-induced blood glucose level. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and the Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.

  11. A Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model to Predict the Pharmacokinetics of Highly Protein-Bound Drugs and Impact of Errors in Plasma Protein Binding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, Min; Nagar, Swati; Korzekwa, Ken

    2015-01-01

    Predicting the pharmacokinetics of highly protein-bound drugs is difficult. Also, since historical plasma protein binding data was often collected using unbuffered plasma, the resulting inaccurate binding data could contribute to incorrect predictions. This study uses a generic physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model to predict human plasma concentration-time profiles for 22 highly protein-bound drugs. Tissue distribution was estimated from in vitro drug lipophilicity data, plasma protein binding, and blood: plasma ratio. Clearance was predicted with a well-stirred liver model. Underestimated hepatic clearance for acidic and neutral compounds was corrected by an empirical scaling factor. Predicted values (pharmacokinetic parameters, plasma concentration-time profile) were compared with observed data to evaluate model accuracy. Of the 22 drugs, less than a 2-fold error was obtained for terminal elimination half-life (t1/2, 100% of drugs), peak plasma concentration (Cmax, 100%), area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC0–t, 95.4%), clearance (CLh, 95.4%), mean retention time (MRT, 95.4%), and steady state volume (Vss, 90.9%). The impact of fup errors on CLh and Vss prediction was evaluated. Errors in fup resulted in proportional errors in clearance prediction for low-clearance compounds, and in Vss prediction for high-volume neutral drugs. For high-volume basic drugs, errors in fup did not propagate to errors in Vss prediction. This is due to the cancellation of errors in the calculations for tissue partitioning of basic drugs. Overall, plasma profiles were well simulated with the present PBPK model. PMID:26531057

  12. Molecular tweezers modulate 14-3-3 protein-protein interactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bier, David; Rose, Rolf; Bravo-Rodriguez, Kenny; Bartel, Maria; Ramirez-Anguita, Juan Manuel; Dutt, Som; Wilch, Constanze; Klärner, Frank-Gerrit; Sanchez-Garcia, Elsa; Schrader, Thomas; Ottmann, Christian

    2013-03-01

    Supramolecular chemistry has recently emerged as a promising way to modulate protein functions, but devising molecules that will interact with a protein in the desired manner is difficult as many competing interactions exist in a biological environment (with solvents, salts or different sites for the target biomolecule). We now show that lysine-specific molecular tweezers bind to a 14-3-3 adapter protein and modulate its interaction with partner proteins. The tweezers inhibit binding between the 14-3-3 protein and two partner proteins—a phosphorylated (C-Raf) protein and an unphosphorylated one (ExoS)—in a concentration-dependent manner. Protein crystallography shows that this effect arises from the binding of the tweezers to a single surface-exposed lysine (Lys214) of the 14-3-3 protein in the proximity of its central channel, which normally binds the partner proteins. A combination of structural analysis and computer simulations provides rules for the tweezers' binding preferences, thus allowing us to predict their influence on this type of protein-protein interactions.

  13. Viral protein Nef is detected in plasma of half of HIV-infected adults with undetectable plasma HIV RNA.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jana Ferdin

    Full Text Available To address the role of translationally active HIV reservoir in chronic inflammation and non-AIDS related disorders, we first need a simple and accurate assay to evaluate viral protein expression in virally suppressed subjects.We optimized an HIV Nef enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA and used it to quantify plasma Nef levels as an indicator of the leaky HIV reservoir in an HIV-infected cohort.This study accessed 134 plasma samples from a well-characterized cohort study of HIV-infected and uninfected adults in San Francisco (the SCOPE cohort. We optimized an ELISA for detection of plasma Nef in HIV-negative subjects and HIV-infected non-controllers, and evaluated its utility to quantify plasma Nef levels in a cross-sectional study of ART-suppressed and elite controller HIV-infected subjects.Here, we describe the performance of an optimized HIV Nef ELISA. When we applied this assay to the study cohort we found that plasma Nef levels were correlated with plasma HIV RNA levels in untreated disease. However, we were able to detect Nef in plasma of approximately half of subjects on ART or with elite control, despite the lack of detectable plasma HIV RNA levels using standard assays. Plasma Nef levels were not consistently associated with CD4+ T-cell count, CD8+ T-cell count, self-reported nadir CD4+ T-cell count or the CD4+/CD8+ T-cell ratio in HIV-infected subjects.Since plasma HIV RNA levels are undetectable in virally suppressed subjects, it is reasonable to assume that viral protein expression in leaky reservoir, and not plasma virions, is the source of Nef accumulating in plasma. To examine this further, improvements of the assay sensitivity, by lowering the background through improvements in the quality of Nef antibodies, and detailed characterization of the HIV reservoirs are needed.

  14. Inhibition of the plasma SCUBE1, a novel platelet adhesive protein, protects mice against thrombosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Meng-Ying; Lin, Yuh-Charn; Liao, Wei-Ju; Tu, Cheng-Fen; Chen, Ming-Huei; Roffler, Steve R; Yang, Ruey-Bing

    2014-07-01

    Signal peptide-CUB-EGF domain-containing protein 1 (SCUBE1), a secreted and surface-exposed glycoprotein on activated platelets, promotes platelet-platelet interaction and supports platelet-matrix adhesion. Its plasma level is a biomarker of platelet activation in acute thrombotic diseases. However, the exact roles of plasma SCUBE1 in vivo remain undefined. We generated new mutant (Δ) mice lacking the soluble but retaining the membrane-bound form of SCUBE1. Plasma SCUBE1-depleted Δ/Δ mice showed normal hematologic and coagulant features and expression of major platelet receptors, but Δ/Δ platelet-rich plasma showed impaired platelet aggregation in response to ADP and collagen treatment. The addition of purified recombinant SCUBE1 protein restored the aggregation of platelets in Δ/Δ platelet-rich plasma and further enhanced platelet aggregation in +/+ platelet-rich plasma. Plasma deficiency of SCUBE1 diminished arterial thrombosis in mice and protected against lethal thromboembolism induced by collagen-epinephrine treatment. Last, antibodies directed against the epidermal growth factor-like repeats of SCUBE1, which are involved in trans-homophilic protein-protein interactions, protected mice against fatal thromboembolism without causing bleeding in vivo. We conclude that plasma SCUBE1 participates in platelet aggregation by bridging adjacent activated platelets in thrombosis. Blockade of soluble SCUBE1 might represent a novel antithrombotic strategy. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

  15. Experimental determination of net protein charge, [A]tot, and Ka of nonvolatile buffers in bird plasma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stämpfli, Henry; Taylor, Michael; McNicoll, Carl; Gancz, Ady Y; Constable, Peter D

    2006-06-01

    The quantitative mechanistic acid-base approach to clinical assessment of acid-base status requires species-specific values for [A]tot (the total concentration of nonvolatile buffers in plasma) and Ka (the effective dissociation constant for weak acids in plasma). The aim of this study was to determine [A]tot and Ka values for plasma in domestic pigeons. Plasma from 12 healthy commercial domestic pigeons was tonometered with 20% CO2 at 37 degrees C. Plasma pH, Pco2, and plasma concentrations of strong cations (Na, K, Ca), strong anions (Cl, L-lactate), and nonvolatile buffer ions (total protein, albumin, phosphate) were measured over a pH range of 6.8-7.7. Strong ion difference (SID) (SID5=Na+K+Ca-Cl-lactate) was used to calculate [A]tot and Ka from the measured pH and Pco2 and SID5. Mean (+/-SD) values for bird plasma were as follows: [A]tot=7.76+/-2.15 mmol/l (equivalent to 0.32 mmol/g of total protein, 0.51 mmol/g of albumin, 0.23 mmol/g of total solids); Ka=2.15+/-1.15x10(-7); and pKa=6.67. The net protein charge at normal pH (7.43) was estimated to be 6 meq/l; this value indicates that pigeon plasma has a much lower anion gap value than mammals after adjusting for high mean L-lactate concentrations induced by restraint during blood sampling. This finding indicates that plasma proteins in pigeons have a much lower net anion charge than mammalian plasma protein. An incidental finding was that total protein concentration measured by a multianalyzer system was consistently lower than the value for total solids measured by refractometer.

  16. Plasma membrane lipid–protein interactions affect signaling processes in sterol-biosynthesis mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zauber, Henrik; Burgos, Asdrubal; Garapati, Prashanth; Schulze, Waltraud X.

    2014-01-01

    The plasma membrane is an important organelle providing structure, signaling and transport as major biological functions. Being composed of lipids and proteins with different physicochemical properties, the biological functions of membranes depend on specific protein–protein and protein–lipid interactions. Interactions of proteins with their specific sterol and lipid environment were shown to be important factors for protein recruitment into sub-compartmental structures of the plasma membrane. System-wide implications of altered endogenous sterol levels for membrane functions in living cells were not studied in higher plant cells. In particular, little is known how alterations in membrane sterol composition affect protein and lipid organization and interaction within membranes. Here, we conducted a comparative analysis of the plasma membrane protein and lipid composition in Arabidopsis sterol-biosynthesis mutants smt1 and ugt80A2;B1. smt1 shows general alterations in sterol composition while ugt80A2;B1 is significantly impaired in sterol glycosylation. By systematically analyzing different cellular fractions and combining proteomic with lipidomic data we were able to reveal contrasting alterations in lipid–protein interactions in both mutants, with resulting differential changes in plasma membrane signaling status. PMID:24672530

  17. Relationship of Inflammatory Biomarkers with Severity of Peripheral Arterial Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kimihiro Igari

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. The pentraxin family, including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP, serum amyloid P (SAP, and pentraxin 3 (PTX3, has been identified as playing a key role in inflammatory reactions such as in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. In this study, we examined the relationship between peripheral arterial disease (PAD and serum levels of pentraxins. Methods. This study was undertaken via a retrospective review of PAD patients with surgical intervention for lesions of the common femoral artery. We evaluated the preoperative patient conditions, hemodynamic status, such as ankle brachial index (ABI, and clinical ischemic conditions according to Rutherford classification. Preoperatively, we collected blood samples for determining the serum levels of hs-CRP, SAP, and PTX3. Results. Twelve PAD patients with common femoral arterial lesions were treated and examined. The hemodynamic severity of PAD was not negatively correlated with hs-CRP, SAP, or PTX3. The clinical severity evaluated by Rutherford classification was significantly positively correlated with the serum level of PTX3 (p=0.019. Conclusion. We demonstrated that PTX3 might be a better marker of PAD than hs-CRP and SAP. Furthermore, PTX3 might be a prognostic marker to evaluate the severity of PAD.

  18. Plasma-treated polystyrene film that enhances binding efficiency for sensitive and label-free protein biosensing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guo, Bihong [National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190 (China); Li, Shaopeng [National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190 (China); Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Song, Lusheng [National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190 (China); Yang, Mo; Zhou, Wenfei; Tyagi, Deependra [National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Rd., 19(A), Beijing 100049 (China); Zhu, Jinsong, E-mail: jizhu88@gmail.com [National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190 (China)

    2015-08-01

    Highlights: • A simple and robust plasma-treated ultrathin polystyrene film surface was developed for protein biosensing. • The surface was optimized by evaluating up to 120 types of fabrication parameters with high-throughput analytical methods. • The optimized surface showed a 620% improvement of the protein detection signal and 210% protein binding per immobilized protein ligand compared with a self-assembled monolayer surface. - Abstract: A plasma-treated ultrathin polystyrene (PS) film surface was explored as a simple, robust, and low-cost surface chemistry solution for protein biosensing applications. This surface could dramatically improve the binding efficiency of the protein–protein interactions, which is defined as the binding signal per immobilized ligand. The PS-modified protein biosensor was readily fabricated by spin coating and plasma treatment. Various parameters for fabrication, including the concentration of the PS solution, rate of spin coating, and duration of plasma treatment, were systematically optimized based on the improvement of fluorescence signal yielded by the microfluidic network-aided fluorescence immunoassay. The performance of the label-free protein detection on the optimized surfaces was further evaluated by surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi). PS surfaces with optimal fabrication parameters exhibited up to an 620% enhancement of the protein binding response and approximately 210% of the protein binding per immobilized protein ligand compared with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) surface of 11-mercapto undecanoic acid (MUA). The relationship between the fabrication parameters used and changes to the surface chemistry and the morphological properties were characterized with atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). It was revealed that the morphological changes observed in the plasma-treated PS film were the dominant factor for the

  19. Longitudinal changes in C-reactive protein, proform of eosinophil major basic protein, and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A during weight changes in obese children

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lausten-Thomsen, Ulrik; Gamborg, Michael; Bøjsøe, Christine

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is associated with several complications, including cardiovascular comorbidity. Several biomarkers, such as high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), proform of eosinophil major basic protein (Pro-MBP) and pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), have equally...

  20. Do plasma proteins distinguish between liposomes of varying charge density?

    KAUST Repository

    Capriotti, Anna Laura

    2012-03-01

    Cationic liposomes (CLs) are one of the most employed nonviral nanovector systems in gene therapy. However, their transfection efficiency is strongly affected by interactions with plasma components, that lead to the formation of a "protein corona" onto CL surface. The interactions between nanoparticles entering the body and biomolecules have an essential role for their biodistribution. Because the knowledge of proteins adsorbed onto vector surface could be useful in the screening of new, more efficient and more biocompatible liposomal formulations, the behavior of three CLs with different membrane charge densities was investigated. The proteins of the three coronas were identified by nano-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and quantified with label-free spectral counting strategy. Fibrinogen displayed higher association with CLs with high membrane charge density, while apolipoproteins and C4b-binding protein with CLs with low membrane charge density. These results are discussed in terms of the different lipid compositions of CLs and may have a deep biological impact for in vivo applications. Surface charge of nanoparticles is emerging as a relevant factor determining the corona composition after interaction with plasma proteins. Remarkably, it is also shown that the charge of the protein corona formed around CLs is strongly related to their membrane charge density. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

  1. Differential dissociation micromethod for the investigation of binding of metandrostenolone (Nerobol) to plasma proteins

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bojadzsieva, M.; Kocsar, L. (Orszagos Frederic Joliot-Curie Sugarbiologiai es Sugaregeszseguegyi Kutato Intezet, Budapest (Hungary)); Kremmer, T. (Orszagos Onkologiai Intezet, Budapest (Hungary))

    1985-01-01

    A micromethod was developed to determine the binding of anabolic steroids to plasma proteins. The new procedure combines precipitation with ammonium sulphate and differential dissociation. The binding parameters (association constant, specific binding capacity) are calculated on the basis of dissociation curves of sup(3)H-metandrostenolone from the precipitated sexual binding globuline.

  2. A fluorogenic probe for SNAP-tagged plasma membrane proteins based on the solvatochromic molecule Nile Red.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prifti, Efthymia; Reymond, Luc; Umebayashi, Miwa; Hovius, Ruud; Riezman, Howard; Johnsson, Kai

    2014-03-21

    A fluorogenic probe for plasma membrane proteins based on the dye Nile Red and SNAP-tag is introduced. It takes advantage of Nile Red, a solvatochromic molecule highly fluorescent in an apolar environment, such as cellular membranes, but almost dark in a polar aqueous environment. The probe possesses a tuned affinity for membranes allowing its Nile Red moiety to insert into the lipid bilayer of the plasma membrane, becoming fluorescent, only after its conjugation to a SNAP-tagged plasma membrane protein. The fluorogenic character of the probe was demonstrated for different SNAP-tag fusion proteins, including the human insulin receptor. This work introduces a new approach for generating a powerful turn-on probe for "no-wash" labeling of plasma membrane proteins with numerous applications in bioimaging.

  3. Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein-A in Type 2 Diabetic Patient with Peripheral Neuropathy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nosseir, N.M.

    2011-01-01

    Metabolic changes induced by hyperglycemia lead to dysregulation of cytokines control, subclinical inflammation together with oxidative stress associated with diabetes. The aim of this study is to correlate the role of type 2 diabetic neuropathy on serum pregnancy associated plasma protein-A,interleukin-6 and c-reactive protein .The results denoted that both pregnancy associated plasma protein-A and interleukin-6 were significantly increased in those patients with diabetic neuropathy compared with those without neuropathy but while c-reactive proteins showed significant differences between the three groups, the results lead to the conclusion that PAPP-A,IL-6 are useful tests in monitoring the neuropathic complications associated with type 2 diabetes

  4. A cell-free assay to determine the stoichiometry of plasma membrane proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trigo, Cesar; Vivar, Juan P; Gonzalez, Carlos B; Brauchi, Sebastian

    2013-04-01

    Plasma membrane receptors, transporters, and ion channel molecules are often found as oligomeric structures that participate in signaling cascades essential for cell survival. Different states of protein oligomerization may play a role in functional control and allosteric regulation. Stochastic GFP-photobleaching (SGP) has emerged as an affordable and simple method to determine the stoichiometry of proteins at the plasma membrane. This non-invasive optical approach can be useful for total internal reflection of fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM), where signal-to-noise ratio is very high at the plasma membrane. Here, we report an alternative methodology implemented on a standard laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM). The simplicity of our method will allow for its implementation in any epifluorescence microscope of choice.

  5. Interaction between a plasma membrane-localized ankyrin-repeat protein ITN1 and a nuclear protein RTV1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sakamoto, Hikaru [Department of Bioproduction, Faculty of Bioindustry, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 196 Yasaka, Abashiri-shi, Hokkaido 093-2422 (Japan); Sakata, Keiko; Kusumi, Kensuke [Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan); Kojima, Mikiko; Sakakibara, Hitoshi [RIKEN Plant Science Center, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045 (Japan); Iba, Koh, E-mail: koibascb@kyushu-u.org [Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan)

    2012-06-29

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer ITN1, a plasma membrane ankyrin protein, interacts with a nuclear DNA-binding protein RTV1. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The nuclear transport of RTV1 is partially inhibited by interaction with ITN1. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer RTV1 can promote the nuclear localization of ITN1. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Both overexpression of RTV1 and the lack of ITN1 increase salicylic acids sensitivity in plants. -- Abstract: The increased tolerance to NaCl 1 (ITN1) protein is a plasma membrane (PM)-localized protein involved in responses to NaCl stress in Arabidopsis. The predicted structure of ITN1 is composed of multiple transmembrane regions and an ankyrin-repeat domain that is known to mediate protein-protein interactions. To elucidate the molecular functions of ITN1, we searched for interacting partners using a yeast two-hybrid assay, and a nuclear-localized DNA-binding protein, RTV1, was identified as a candidate. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation analysis revealed that RTV1 interacted with ITN1 at the PM and nuclei in vivo. RTV1 tagged with red fluorescent protein localized to nuclei and ITN1 tagged with green fluorescent protein localized to PM; however, both proteins localized to both nuclei and the PM when co-expressed. These findings suggest that RTV1 and ITN1 regulate the subcellular localization of each other.

  6. Organization and Dynamics of Receptor Proteins in a Plasma Membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koldsø, Heidi; Sansom, Mark S P

    2015-11-25

    The interactions of membrane proteins are influenced by their lipid environment, with key lipid species able to regulate membrane protein function. Advances in high-resolution microscopy can reveal the organization and dynamics of proteins and lipids within living cells at resolutions membranes of in vivo-like complexity. We explore the dynamics of proteins and lipids in crowded and complex plasma membrane models, thereby closing the gap in length and complexity between computations and experiments. Our simulations provide insights into the mutual interplay between lipids and proteins in determining mesoscale (20-100 nm) fluctuations of the bilayer, and in enabling oligomerization and clustering of membrane proteins.

  7. Pentoxifylline Attenuates Methionine- and Choline-Deficient-Diet-Induced Steatohepatitis by Suppressing TNF-α Expression and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min Kyung Chae

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Pentoxifylline (PTX anti-TNF properties are known to exert hepatoprotective effects in various liver injury models. The aim of this study was to investigate whether PTX has beneficial roles in the development of methionine- and choline-deficient-(MCD- diet-induced NAFLD SD rats in vivo and TNF-α-induced Hep3B cells in vitro. Methods. SD Rats were classified according to diet (chow or MCD diet and treatment (normal saline or PTX injection over a period of 4 weeks: group I (chow + saline, n=4, group II (chow + PTX, group III (MCD + saline, and group IV (MCD + PTX. Hep3B cells were treated with 100 ng/ml TNF-α (24 h in the absence or presence of PTX (1 mM. Results. PTX attenuated MCD-diet-induced serum ALT levels and hepatic steatosis. In real-time PCR and western blotting analysis, PTX decreased MCD-diet-induced TNF-alpha mRNA expression and proapoptotic unfolded protein response by ER stress (GRP78, p-eIF2, ATF4, IRE1α, CHOP, and p-JNK activation in vivo. PTX (1 mM reduced TNF-α-induced activation of GRP78, p-eIF2, ATF4, IRE1α, and CHOP in vitro. Conclusion. PTX has beneficial roles in the development of MCD-diet-induced steatohepatitis through partial suppression of TNF-α and ER stress.

  8. Differential dissociation micromethod for the investigation of binding of metandrostenolone (Nerobol) to plasma proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bojadzsieva, Milka; Kocsar, Laszlo; Kremmer, Tibor

    1985-01-01

    A micromethod was developed to determine the binding of anabolic streoids to plasma proteins. The new procedure combines precipitation with ammonium sulphate and differential dissociation. The binding parameters (association constant, specific binding capacity) are calculated on the basis of dissociation curves of sup(3)H-metandrostenolone from the precipitated sexual binding globuline. (L.E.)

  9. Estradiol-mediated internalisation of the non-activated estrogen receptor from the goat uterine plasma membrane: identification of the proteins involved.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sreeja, S; Thampan, Raghava Varman

    2004-04-01

    An indirect approach has been made to study the molecular details associated with the estradiol-induced internalisation of the non-activated estrogen receptor (naER) from the goat uterine plasma membrane. The internalisation of naER appears to be an energy dependent process. Exposure of the plasma membrane to estradiol results in the activation of a Mg2+ dependent ATPase associated with the membrane fraction. Presence of quercetin in the medium prevented the activation of the Mg2+ ATPase as well as the dissociation of naER from the plasma membrane. Using isolated plasma membrane preparations it has been possible to identify the proteins which interact with naER during various stages of its internalisation. The main proteins identified are: (1) a 58 kDa protein, p58, which apparently recognizes the nuclear localization signals on the naER and transports it to the nucleus: (2) hsp70: (3) hsp90, the functional roles of which remain unknown at this stage; (4) a 50 kDa protein associated with the clathrin coated vesicles, presumed to be involved in recognizing the tyrosine based internalisation signals on the naER; (5) actin which mediates the plasma membrane-to-nucleus movement of the naER-p58 complex.

  10. Anti-cancer, pharmacokinetic and biodistribution studies of cremophor el free alternative paclitaxel formulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Subheet K; Utreja, Puneet; Tiwary, Ashok K; Mahajan, Mohit; Kumar, Nikhil; Roy, Partha

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the present investigation is to determine the in vivo potential of previously developed and optimized Cremophor EL free paclitaxel (CF-PTX) formulation consisting of soya phosphatidylcholine and biosurfactant sodium deoxycholate. CF-PTX was found to have drug loading of 6 mg/ml similar to Cremophor EL based marketed paclitaxel formulation. In the present study, intracellular uptake, repeated dose 28 days sub-acute toxicity, anti-cancer activity, biodistribution and pharmacokinetic studies were conducted to determine in vivo performance of CF-PTX formulation in comparison to marketed paclitaxel formulation. Intracellular uptake of CF-PTX was studied using A549 cells by fluorescence activated cell sorting assay (FACS) and fluorescence microscopy. In vivo anti-cancer activity of CF-PTX was evaluated using Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) model in mice followed by biodistribution and pharmacokinetic studies. FACS investigation showed that fluorescence marker acridine orange (AO) solution showed only 19.8±1.1% intracellular uptake where as significantly higher uptake was observed in the case of AO loaded CF-PTX formulation (85.4±2.3%). The percentage reduction in tumor volume for CF-PTX (72.5±2.3%) in EAC bearing mice was found to be significantly (p<0.05) higher than marketed formulation (58.6±2.8%) on 14th day of treatment. Pharmacokinetic and biodistribution studies showed sustained plasma concentration of paclitaxel depicted by higher mean residence time (MRT; 18.2±1.8 h) and elimination half life (12.8±0.6 h) with CF-PTX formulation as compared to marketed formulation which showed 4.4±0.2 h MRT and 3.6±0.4 h half life. The results of the present study demonstrated better in vivo performance of CF-PTX and this formulation appears to be a promising carrier for sustained and targeted delivery of paclitaxel.

  11. LDL receptor-related protein 1 regulates the abundance of diverse cell-signaling proteins in the plasma membrane proteome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaultier, Alban; Simon, Gabriel; Niessen, Sherry; Dix, Melissa; Takimoto, Shinako; Cravatt, Benjamin F; Gonias, Steven L

    2010-12-03

    LDL receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) is an endocytic receptor, reported to regulate the abundance of other receptors in the plasma membrane, including uPAR and tissue factor. The goal of this study was to identify novel plasma membrane proteins, involved in cell-signaling, that are regulated by LRP1. Membrane protein ectodomains were prepared from RAW 264.7 cells in which LRP1 was silenced and control cells using protease K. Peptides were identified by LC-MS/MS. By analysis of spectral counts, 31 transmembrane and secreted proteins were regulated in abundance at least 2-fold when LRP1 was silenced. Validation studies confirmed that semaphorin4D (Sema4D), plexin domain-containing protein-1 (Plxdc1), and neuropilin-1 were more abundant in the membranes of LRP1 gene-silenced cells. Regulation of Plxdc1 by LRP1 was confirmed in CHO cells, as a second model system. Plxdc1 coimmunoprecipitated with LRP1 from extracts of RAW 264.7 cells and mouse liver. Although Sema4D did not coimmunoprecipitate with LRP1, the cell-surface level of Sema4D was increased by RAP, which binds to LRP1 and inhibits binding of other ligands. These studies identify Plxdc1, Sema4D, and neuropilin-1 as novel LRP1-regulated cell-signaling proteins. Overall, LRP1 emerges as a generalized regulator of the plasma membrane proteome.

  12. Circulating serum interleukin-6, serum chitinase-3-like protein-1, and plasma vascular endothelial growth factor are not predictive for remission and radiographic progression in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brahe, C H; Dehlendorff, C; Østergaard, M

    2018-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To investigate serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), serum chitinase-3-like protein-1 (YKL-40), and plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as measures of disease activity and predictors of clinical remission and radiographic progression in two early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) randomized...

  13. Characterization of plasma protein binding dissociation with online SPE-HPLC

    OpenAIRE

    Li, Ping; Fan, Yiran; Wang, Yunlong; Lu, Yaxin; Yin, Zheng

    2015-01-01

    A novel parameter of relative recovery (Rre) was defined and determined by online SPE-HPLC to characterize plasma protein binding (PPB) kinetics of highly plasma binding drugs. The proportional relationship of Rre with koff of PPB has been established with a new SPE model. A rapid, easy to use method could potentially be used to categorize PK properties of the drug candidates in the decision process of drug discovery and development.

  14. An early nodulin-like protein accumulates in the sieve element plasma membrane of Arabidopsis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Khan, Junaid A.; Wang, Qi; Sjölund, Richard D.

    2007-01-01

    Membrane proteins within the sieve element-companion cell complex have essential roles in the physiological functioning of the phloem. The monoclonal antibody line RS6, selected from hybridomas raised against sieve elements isolated from California shield leaf (Streptanthus tortuosus; Brassicaceae...... was revealed by reverse transcription-PCR of Arabidopsis leaf RNA using degenerate primers to be an early nodulin (ENOD)-like protein that is encoded by the expressed gene At3g20570. Arabidopsis ENOD-like proteins are encoded by a multigene family composed of several types of structurally related phytocyanins...... from the precursor protein, resulting in a mature peptide of approximately 15 kD that is attached to the sieve element plasma membrane via a carboxy-terminal glycosylphosphatidylinositol membrane anchor. Many of the Arabidopsis ENOD-like proteins accumulate in gametophytic tissues, whereas in both...

  15. Optical conductivity of Ni1 − xPtx alloys (0

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lina S. Abdallah

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Using spectroscopic ellipsometry and Drude-Lorentz oscillator fitting, we determined the dielectric function and optical conductivity versus photon energy from 0.76 to 6.6 eV of 10 nm thick Ni1 − xPtx alloy (03d electrons in Ni is smaller than that of the 5d bands in Pt. Our experimental observation is consistent with ab initio calculations of the density of states for Ni, Pt, and the Ni3Pt compound. Annealing the metals at 500°C for 30 s increases the optical conductivity.

  16. Experimental determination of net protein charge and A(tot) and K(a) of nonvolatile buffers in human plasma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Staempfli, Henry R; Constable, Peter D

    2003-08-01

    The mechanism for an acid-base disturbance can be determined by using the strong ion approach, which requires species-specific values for the total concentration of plasma nonvolatile buffers (Atot) and the effective dissociation constant for plasma weak acids (Ka). The aim of this study was to experimentally determine Atot and Ka values for human plasma by using in vitro CO2 tonometry. Plasma Pco2 was systematically varied from 25 to 145 Torr at 37 degrees C, thereby altering plasma pH over the physiological range of 6.90-7.55, and plasma pH, Pco2, and concentrations of quantitatively important strong ions (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, lactate) and buffer ions (total protein, albumin, phosphate) were measured. Strong ion difference was estimated, and nonlinear regression was used to calculate Atot and Ka from the measured pH and Pco2 and estimated strong ion difference; the Atot and Ka values were then validated by using a published data set (Figge J, Rossing TH, and Fencl V, J Lab Clin Med 117: 453-467, 1991). The values (mean +/- SD) were as follows: Atot = 17.2 +/- 3.5 mmol/l (equivalent to 0.224 mmol/g of protein or 0.378 mmol/g of albumin); Ka = 0.80 +/- 0.60 x 10-7; negative log of Ka = 7.10. Mean estimates were obtained for strong ion difference (37 meq/l) and net protein charge (13+.0 meq/l). The experimentally determined values for Atot, Ka, and net protein charge should facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of acid-base disturbances in critically ill humans.

  17. A Protein Extract from Chicken Reduces Plasma Homocysteine in Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vegard Lysne

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The present study aimed to evaluate effects of a water-soluble protein fraction of chicken (CP, with a low methionine/glycine ratio, on plasma homocysteine and metabolites related to homocysteine metabolism. Male Wistar rats were fed either a control diet with 20% w/w casein as the protein source, or an experimental diet where 6, 14 or 20% w/w of the casein was replaced with the same amount of CP for four weeks. Rats fed CP had reduced plasma total homocysteine level and markedly increased levels of the choline pathway metabolites betaine, dimethylglycine, sarcosine, glycine and serine, as well as the transsulfuration pathway metabolites cystathionine and cysteine. Hepatic mRNA level of enzymes involved in homocysteine remethylation, methionine synthase and betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase, were unchanged, whereas cystathionine gamma-lyase of the transsulfuration pathway was increased in the CP treated rats. Plasma concentrations of vitamin B2, folate, cobalamin, and the B-6 catabolite pyridoxic acid were increased in the 20% CP-treated rats. In conclusion, the CP diet was associated with lower plasma homocysteine concentration and higher levels of serine, choline oxidation and transsulfuration metabolites compared to a casein diet. The status of related B-vitamins was also affected by CP.

  18. Nicotinic Acid Increases Adiponectin Secretion from Differentiated Bovine Preadipocytes through G-Protein Coupled Receptor Signaling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christina Kopp

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available The transition period in dairy cows (3 weeks prepartum until 3 weeks postpartum is associated with substantial mobilization of energy stores, which is often associated with metabolic diseases. Nicotinic acid (NA is an antilipolytic and lipid-lowering compound used to treat dyslipidaemia in humans, and it also reduces non-esterified fatty acids in cattle. In mice the G-protein coupled receptor 109A (GPR109A ligand NA positively affects the secretion of adiponectin, an important modulator of glucose and fat metabolism. In cattle, the corresponding data linking NA to adiponectin are missing. Our objective was to examine the effects of NA on adiponectin and AMPK protein abundance and the expression of mRNAs of related genes such as chemerin, an adipokine that enhances adiponectin secretion in vitro. Differentiated bovine adipocytes were incubated with pertussis toxin (PTX to verify the involvement of GPR signaling, and treated with 10 or 15 µM NA for 12 or 24 h. NA increased adiponectin concentrations (p ≤ 0.001 and the mRNA abundances of GPR109A (p ≤ 0.05 and chemerin (p ≤ 0.01. Pre-incubation with PTX reduced the adiponectin response to NA (p ≤ 0.001. The NA-stimulated secretion of adiponectin and the mRNA expression of chemerin in the bovine adipocytes were suggestive of GPR signaling-dependent improved insulin sensitivity and/or adipocyte metabolism in dairy cows.

  19. Thermolysin damages animal life through degradation of plasma proteins enhanced by rapid cleavage of serpins and activation of proteases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kong, Lulu; Lu, Anrui; Guan, Jingmin; Yang, Bing; Li, Muwang; Hillyer, Julián F; Ramarao, Nalini; Söderhäll, Kenneth; Liu, Chaoliang; Ling, Erjun

    2015-01-01

    Thermolysin, a metallopeptidase secreted by pathogenic microbes, is concluded as an important virulence factor due to cleaving purified host proteins in vitro. Using the silkworm Bombyx mori as a model system, we found that thermolysin injection into larvae induces the destruction of the coagulation response and the activation of hemolymph melanization, which results in larval death. Thermolysin triggers the rapid degradation of insect and mammalian plasma proteins at a level that is considerably greater than expected in vitro and/or in vivo. To more specifically explore the mechanism, thermolysin-induced changes to key proteins belonging to the insect melanization pathway were assessed as a window for observing plasma protein cleavage. The application of thermolysin induced the rapid cleavage of the melanization negative regulator serpin-3, but did not directly activate the melanization rate-limiting enzyme prophenoloxidase (PPO) or the terminal serine proteases responsible for PPO activation. Terminal serine proteases of melanization are activated indirectly after thermolysin exposure. We hypothesize that thermolysin induces the rapid degradation of serpins and the activation of proteases directly or indirectly, boosting uncontrolled plasma protein degradation in insects and mammalians. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 mediates trafficking of α5β1 integrin to the plasma membrane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hasan, Nazarul; Hu, Chuan

    2010-01-01

    Integrins are major receptors for cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix (ECM). As transmembrane proteins, the levels of integrins at the plasma membrane or the cell surface are ultimately determined by the balance between two vesicle trafficking events: endocytosis of integrins at the plasma membrane and exocytosis of the vesicles that transport integrins. Here, we report that vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2), a SNARE protein that mediates vesicle fusion with the plasma membrane, is involved in the trafficking of α5β1 integrin. VAMP2 was present on vesicles containing endocytosed β1 integrin. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) silencing of VAMP2 markedly reduced cell surface α5β1 and inhibited cell adhesion and chemotactic migration to fibronectin, the ECM ligand of α5β1, without altering cell surface expression of α2β1 integrin or α3β1 integrin. By contrast, silencing of VAMP8, another SNARE protein, had no effect on cell surface expression of the integrins or cell adhesion to fibronectin. In addition, VAMP2-mediated trafficking is involved in cell adhesion to collagen but not to laminin. Consistent with disruption of integrin functions in cell proliferation and survival, VAMP2 silencing diminished proliferation and triggered apoptosis. Collectively, these data indicate that VAMP2 mediates the trafficking of α5β1 integrin to the plasma membrane and VAMP2-dependent integrin trafficking is critical in cell adhesion, migration and survival.

  1. TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT PHASE BEHAVIOR AND PROTEIN PARTITIONING IN GIANT PLASMA MEMBRANE VESICLES

    OpenAIRE

    Johnson, SA; Stinson, BM; Go, M; Carmona, LM; Reminick, JI; Fang, X; Baumgart, T

    2010-01-01

    Liquid-ordered (Lo) and liquid-disordered (Ld) phase coexistence has been suggested to partition the plasma membrane of biological cells into lateral compartments, allowing for enrichment or depletion of functionally relevant molecules. This dynamic partitioning might be involved in fine-tuning cellular signaling fidelity through coupling to the plasma membrane protein and lipid composition. In earlier work, giant plasma membrane vesicles, obtained by chemically induced blebbing from cultured...

  2. Flow induced dispersion analysis rapidly quantifies proteins in human plasma samples

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Nicklas N; Andersen, Nina Z; Østergaard, Jesper

    2015-01-01

    Rapid and sensitive quantification of protein based biomarkers and drugs is a substantial challenge in diagnostics and biopharmaceutical drug development. Current technologies, such as ELISA, are characterized by being slow (hours), requiring relatively large amounts of sample and being subject...... to cumbersome and expensive assay development. In this work a new approach for quantification based on changes in diffusivity is presented. The apparent diffusivity of an indicator molecule interacting with the protein of interest is determined by Taylor Dispersion Analysis (TDA) in a hydrodynamic flow system...... in a blood plasma matrix), fully automated, and being subject to a simple assay development. FIDA is demonstrated for quantification of the protein Human Serum Albumin (HSA) in human plasma as well as for quantification of an antibody against HSA. The sensitivity of the FIDA assay depends on the indicator...

  3. Scavenger receptor-mediated recognition of maleyl bovine plasma albumin and the demaleylated protein in human monocyte macrophages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haberland, M.E.; Fogelman, A.M.

    1985-01-01

    Maleyl bovine plasma albumin competed on an equimolar basis with malondialdehyde low density lipoprotein (LDL) in suppressing the lysosomal hydrolysis of 125 I-labeled malondialdehyde LDL mediated by the scavenger receptor of human monocyte macrophages. Maleyl bovine plasma albumin, in which 94% of the amino groups were modified, exhibited an anodic mobility in agarose electrophoresis 1.7 times that of the native protein. Incubation of maleyl bovine plasma albumin at pH 3.5 regenerated the free amino groups and restored the protein to the same electrophoretic mobility as native albumin. Although ligands recognized by the scavenger receptor typically are anionic, the authors propose that addition of new negative charge achieved by maleylation, rather than directly forming the receptor binding site(s), induces conformational changes in albumin as a prerequisite to expression of the recognition domain(s). They conclude that the primary sequence of albumin, rather than addition of new negative charge, provides the recognition determinant(s) essential for interaction of maleyl bovine plasma albumin with the scavenger receptor

  4. A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model to predict the pharmacokinetics of highly protein-bound drugs and the impact of errors in plasma protein binding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, Min; Nagar, Swati; Korzekwa, Ken

    2016-04-01

    Predicting the pharmacokinetics of highly protein-bound drugs is difficult. Also, since historical plasma protein binding data were often collected using unbuffered plasma, the resulting inaccurate binding data could contribute to incorrect predictions. This study uses a generic physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model to predict human plasma concentration-time profiles for 22 highly protein-bound drugs. Tissue distribution was estimated from in vitro drug lipophilicity data, plasma protein binding and the blood: plasma ratio. Clearance was predicted with a well-stirred liver model. Underestimated hepatic clearance for acidic and neutral compounds was corrected by an empirical scaling factor. Predicted values (pharmacokinetic parameters, plasma concentration-time profile) were compared with observed data to evaluate the model accuracy. Of the 22 drugs, less than a 2-fold error was obtained for the terminal elimination half-life (t1/2 , 100% of drugs), peak plasma concentration (Cmax , 100%), area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC0-t , 95.4%), clearance (CLh , 95.4%), mean residence time (MRT, 95.4%) and steady state volume (Vss , 90.9%). The impact of fup errors on CLh and Vss prediction was evaluated. Errors in fup resulted in proportional errors in clearance prediction for low-clearance compounds, and in Vss prediction for high-volume neutral drugs. For high-volume basic drugs, errors in fup did not propagate to errors in Vss prediction. This is due to the cancellation of errors in the calculations for tissue partitioning of basic drugs. Overall, plasma profiles were well simulated with the present PBPK model. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. Interactions of Ras proteins with the plasma membrane and their roles in signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eisenberg, Sharon; Henis, Yoav I

    2008-01-01

    The complex dynamic structure of the plasma membrane plays critical roles in cellular signaling; interactions with the membrane lipid milieu, spatial segregation within and between cellular membranes and/or targeting to specific membrane-associated scaffolds are intimately involved in many signal transduction pathways. In this review, we focus on the membrane interactions of Ras proteins. These small GTPases play central roles in the regulation of cell growth and proliferation, and their excessive activation is commonly encountered in human tumors. Ras proteins associate with the membrane continuously via C-terminal lipidation and additional interactions in both their inactive and active forms; this association, as well as the targeting of specific Ras isoforms to plasma membrane microdomains and to intracellular organelles, have recently been implicated in Ras signaling and oncogenic potential. We discuss biochemical and biophysical evidence for the roles of specific domains of Ras proteins in mediating their association with the plasma membrane, and consider the potential effects of lateral segregation and interactions with membrane-associated protein assemblies on the signaling outcomes.

  6. Steric exclusion and protein conformation determine the localization of plasma membrane transporters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bianchi, Frans; Syga, Łukasz; Moiset, Gemma; Spakman, Dian; Schavemaker, Paul E; Punter, Christiaan M; Seinen, Anne-Bart; van Oijen, Antoine M; Robinson, Andrew; Poolman, Bert

    2018-02-05

    The plasma membrane (PM) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains membrane compartments, MCC/eisosomes and MCPs, named after the protein residents Can1 and Pma1, respectively. Using high-resolution fluorescence microscopy techniques we show that Can1 and the homologous transporter Lyp1 are able to diffuse into the MCC/eisosomes, where a limited number of proteins are conditionally trapped at the (outer) edge of the compartment. Upon addition of substrate, the immobilized proteins diffuse away from the MCC/eisosomes, presumably after taking a different conformation in the substrate-bound state. Our data indicate that the mobile fraction of all integral plasma membrane proteins tested shows extremely slow Brownian diffusion through most of the PM. We also show that proteins with large cytoplasmic domains, such as Pma1 and synthetic chimera of Can1 and Lyp1, are excluded from the MCC/eisosomes. We hypothesize that the distinct localization patterns found for these integral membrane proteins in S. cerevisiae arises from a combination of slow lateral diffusion, steric exclusion, and conditional trapping in membrane compartments.

  7. Plasma and liver acetaminophen-protein adduct levels in mice after acetaminophen treatment: Dose–response, mechanisms, and clinical implications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McGill, Mitchell R.; Lebofsky, Margitta; Norris, Hye-Ryun K.; Slawson, Matthew H.; Bajt, Mary Lynn; Xie, Yuchao; Williams, C. David; Wilkins, Diana G.; Rollins, Douglas E.; Jaeschke, Hartmut

    2013-01-01

    At therapeutic doses, acetaminophen (APAP) is a safe and effective analgesic. However, overdose of APAP is the principal cause of acute liver failure in the West. Binding of the reactive metabolite of APAP (NAPQI) to proteins is thought to be the initiating event in the mechanism of hepatotoxicity. Early work suggested that APAP-protein binding could not occur without glutathione (GSH) depletion, and likely only at toxic doses. Moreover, it was found that protein-derived APAP-cysteine could only be detected in serum after the onset of liver injury. On this basis, it was recently proposed that serum APAP-cysteine could be used as diagnostic marker of APAP overdose. However, comprehensive dose–response and time course studies have not yet been done. Furthermore, the effects of co-morbidities on this parameter have not been investigated. We treated groups of mice with APAP at multiple doses and measured liver GSH and both liver and plasma APAP-protein adducts at various timepoints. Our results show that protein binding can occur without much loss of GSH. Importantly, the data confirm earlier work that showed that protein-derived APAP-cysteine can appear in plasma without liver injury. Experiments performed in vitro suggest that this may involve multiple mechanisms, including secretion of adducted proteins and diffusion of NAPQI directly into plasma. Induction of liver necrosis through ischemia–reperfusion significantly increased the plasma concentration of protein-derived APAP-cysteine after a subtoxic dose of APAP. While our data generally support the measurement of serum APAP-protein adducts in the clinic, caution is suggested in the interpretation of this parameter. - Highlights: • Extensive GSH depletion is not required for APAP-protein binding in the liver. • APAP-protein adducts appear in plasma at subtoxic doses. • Proteins are adducted in the cell and secreted out. • Coincidental liver injury increases plasma APAP-protein adducts at subtoxic doses

  8. Extracellular acidification synergizes with PDGF to stimulate migration of mouse embryo fibroblasts through activation of p38MAPK with a PTX-sensitive manner

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    An, Caiyan; Sato, Koichi; Wu, Taoya; Bao, Muqiri; Bao, Liang; Tobo, Masayuki; Damirin, Alatangaole

    2015-01-01

    The elucidation of the functional mechanisms of extracellular acidification stimulating intracellular signaling pathway is of great importance for developing new targets of treatment for solid tumors, and inflammatory disorders characterized by extracellular acidification. In the present study, we focus on the regulation of extracellular acidification on intracellular signaling pathways in mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs). We found extracellular acidification was at least partly involved in stimulating p38MAPK pathway through PTX-sensitive behavior to enhance cell migration in the presence or absence of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). Statistical analysis showed that the actions of extracellular acidic pH and PDGF on inducing enhancement of cell migration were not an additive effect. However, we also found extracellular acidic pH did inhibit the viability and proliferation of MEFs, suggesting that extracellular acidification stimulates cell migration probably through proton-sensing mechanisms within MEFs. Using OGR1-, GPR4-, and TDAG8-gene knock out technology, and real-time qPCR, we found known proton-sensing G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1), and acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) were unlikely to be involved in the regulation of acidification on cell migration. In conclusion, our present study validates that extracellular acidification stimulates chemotactic migration of MEFs through activation of p38MAPK with a PTX-sensitive mechanism either by itself, or synergistically with PDGF, which was not regulated by the known proton-sensing GPCRs, TRPV1, or ASICs. Our results suggested that others proton-sensing GPCRs or ion channels might exist in MEFs, which mediates cell migration induced by extracellular acidification in the presence or absence of PDGF. - Highlights: • Acidic pH and PDGF synergize to stimulate MEFs migration via Gi/p38MAPK pathway. • Extracellular acidification inhibits the

  9. Extracellular acidification synergizes with PDGF to stimulate migration of mouse embryo fibroblasts through activation of p38MAPK with a PTX-sensitive manner

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    An, Caiyan [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia (China); Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi (Japan); Clinical Medicine Research Center of the Affiliated Hospital, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia (China); Sato, Koichi [Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi (Japan); Wu, Taoya; Bao, Muqiri; Bao, Liang [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia (China); Tobo, Masayuki [Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi (Japan); Damirin, Alatangaole, E-mail: bigaole@imu.edu.cn [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia (China)

    2015-05-01

    The elucidation of the functional mechanisms of extracellular acidification stimulating intracellular signaling pathway is of great importance for developing new targets of treatment for solid tumors, and inflammatory disorders characterized by extracellular acidification. In the present study, we focus on the regulation of extracellular acidification on intracellular signaling pathways in mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs). We found extracellular acidification was at least partly involved in stimulating p38MAPK pathway through PTX-sensitive behavior to enhance cell migration in the presence or absence of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). Statistical analysis showed that the actions of extracellular acidic pH and PDGF on inducing enhancement of cell migration were not an additive effect. However, we also found extracellular acidic pH did inhibit the viability and proliferation of MEFs, suggesting that extracellular acidification stimulates cell migration probably through proton-sensing mechanisms within MEFs. Using OGR1-, GPR4-, and TDAG8-gene knock out technology, and real-time qPCR, we found known proton-sensing G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1), and acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) were unlikely to be involved in the regulation of acidification on cell migration. In conclusion, our present study validates that extracellular acidification stimulates chemotactic migration of MEFs through activation of p38MAPK with a PTX-sensitive mechanism either by itself, or synergistically with PDGF, which was not regulated by the known proton-sensing GPCRs, TRPV1, or ASICs. Our results suggested that others proton-sensing GPCRs or ion channels might exist in MEFs, which mediates cell migration induced by extracellular acidification in the presence or absence of PDGF. - Highlights: • Acidic pH and PDGF synergize to stimulate MEFs migration via Gi/p38MAPK pathway. • Extracellular acidification inhibits the

  10. Comparative proteomic analysis of plasma membrane proteins between human osteosarcoma and normal osteoblastic cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Zhiyu; Ma, Fang; Cai, Zhengdong; Zhang, Lijun; Hua, Yingqi; Jia, Xiaofang; Li, Jian; Hu, Shuo; Peng, Xia; Yang, Pengyuan; Sun, Mengxiong

    2010-01-01

    Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant tumor of bone in children and adolescents. However, the knowledge in diagnostic modalities has progressed less. To identify new biomarkers for the early diagnosis of OS as well as for potential novel therapeutic candidates, we performed a sub-cellular comparative proteomic research. An osteosarcoma cell line (MG-63) and human osteoblastic cells (hFOB1.19) were used as our comparative model. Plasma membrane (PM) was obtained by aqueous two-phase partition. Proteins were analyzed through iTRAQ-based quantitative differential LC/MS/MS. The location and function of differential proteins were analyzed through GO database. Protein-protein interaction was examined through String software. One of differentially expressed proteins was verified by immunohistochemistry. 342 non-redundant proteins were identified, 68 of which were differentially expressed with 1.5-fold difference, with 25 up-regulated and 43 down-regulated. Among those differential proteins, 69% ware plasma membrane, which are related to the biological processes of binding, cell structure, signal transduction, cell adhesion, etc., and interaction with each other. One protein--CD151 located in net nodes was verified to be over-expressed in osteosarcoma tissue by immunohistochemistry. It is the first time to use plasma membrane proteomics for studying the OS membrane proteins according to our knowledge. We generated preliminary but comprehensive data about membrane protein of osteosarcoma. Among these, CD151 was further validated in patient samples, and this small molecule membrane might be a new target for OS research. The plasma membrane proteins identified in this study may provide new insight into osteosarcoma biology and potential diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers

  11. Study on the interaction between active components from traditional Chinese medicine and plasma proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiao, Qishu; Wang, Rufeng; Jiang, Yanyan; Liu, Bin

    2018-05-04

    Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), as a unique form of natural medicine, has been used in Chinese traditional therapeutic systems over two thousand years. Active components in Chinese herbal medicine are the material basis for the prevention and treatment of diseases. Research on drug-protein binding is one of the important contents in the study of early stage clinical pharmacokinetics of drugs. Plasma protein binding study has far-reaching influence on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs and helps to understand the basic rule of drug effects. It is important to study the binding characteristics of the active components in Chinese herbal medicine with plasma proteins for the medical science and modernization of TCM. This review summarizes the common analytical methods which are used to study the active herbal components-protein binding and gives the examples to illustrate their application. Rules and influence factors of the binding between different types of active herbal components and plasma proteins are summarized in the end. Finally, a suggestion on choosing the suitable technique for different types of active herbal components is provided, and the prospect of the drug-protein binding used in the area of TCM research is also discussed.

  12. Deglycosylation of serum vitamin D3-binding protein leads to immunosuppression in cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamamoto, N; Naraparaju, V R; Asbell, S O

    1996-06-15

    Serum vitamin D3-binding protein (Gc protein) can be converted by beta-galactosidase of B cells and sialidase of T cells to a potent macrophage activating factor, a protein with N-acetylgalactosamine as the remaining sugar moiety. Thus, Gc protein is the precursor of the macrophage activating factor (MAF). Treatment of Gc protein with immobilized beta-galactosidase and sialidase generates an extremely high titered MAF, Gc-MAF. When peripheral blood monocytes/macrophages of 52 patients bearing various types of cancer were incubated with 100 pg/ml of GcMAF, the monocytes/macrophages of all patients were efficiently activated. However, the MAF precursor activity of patient plasma Gc protein was found to be severely reduced in about 25% of this patient population. About 45% of the patients had moderately reduced MAF precursor activities. Loss of the precursor activity was found to be due to deglycosylation of plasma Gc protein by alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase detected in the patient's bloodstream. The source of the enzyme appeared to be cancerous cells. Radiation therapy decreased plasma alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase activity with concomitant increase of precursor activity. This implies that radiation therapy decreases the number of cancerous cells capable of secreting alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase. Both alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase activity and MAF precursor activity of Gc protein in patient bloodstream can serve as diagnostic and prognostic indices.

  13. Systematic study of plasma and serum proteins in the pig

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Daburon, F.; Nizza, P.; Hatchikian, C.; Schmidt, J.-P.

    1966-01-01

    This work has been carried out in the framework of the determination of the physiological constants of a normal pig. The aim was to study the serum and plasma proteins of this animal species, the ultimate object being to discover whether the qualitative and quantitative changes in these proteins can make a significant contribution to the establishment of a biological dosimetry for irradiated pigs. The serum and plasma from a normal pig were analyzed first by various simple electrophoretic methods and then by immuno-electrophoresis. As a result of the particular characteristics of pig serum we have gradually been led to make numerous modifications to the techniques used for human serums or for those of small laboratory animals. Much careful work and patience were required in order to obtain reproducible results. (authors) [fr

  14. Systematization of the Mechanism by Which Plasma Irradiation Causes Cell Growth and Tumor Cell Death

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimizu, Nobuyuki

    2015-09-01

    New methods and technologies have improved minimally invasive surgical treatment and saved numerous patients. Recently, plasma irradiation has been demonstrated that might be useful in medical field and the plasma irradiation device is expected to become practically applicable. Mild plasma coagulator showed some advantages such as hemostasis and adhesion reduction in experimental animal model, but the mechanism of plasma irradiation remains unclear. Our study group aim to clarify the mechanism of plasma irradiation effects, mainly focusing on oxidative stress using cultured cell lines and small animal model. First, a study using cultured cell lines showed that the culture medium that was activated by plasma irradiation (we called this kind of medium as ``PAM'' -plasma activated medium-) induced tumor cell death. Although this effect was mainly found to be due to hydrogen peroxide, the remaining portion was considered as the specific effect of the plasma irradiation and we are now studying focusing on this effect. Second, we established a mouse intra-peritoneal adhesion model and checked biological reaction that occurred in the adhesion part. Histopathological study showed inflammatory cells infiltration into adhesion part and the expression of PTX3 that might involve tissue repair around adhesion part. We also confirmed that cytokines IL-6 and IL-10 might be useful as a marker of adhesion formation in this model. Applying ``PAM'' or mild plasma irradiation in this model, we examine the effects of plasma on inflamed cells. The samples in these experiments would be applied to targeted proteomics analysis, and we aim to demonstrate the systematization of the cell's reaction by plasma irradiation.

  15. The molecular mechanisms of plant plasma membrane intrinsic proteins trafficking and stress response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xing; Zhang, Ji-long; Feng, Xiu-xiu; Li, Hong-jie; Zhang, Gen-fa

    2017-04-20

    Plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) are plant channel proteins located on the plasma membrane. PIPs transfer water, CO 2 and small uncharged solutes through the plasma membrane. PIPs have high selectivity to substrates, suggestive of a central role in maintaining cellular water balance. The expression, activity and localization of PIPs are regulated at the transcriptional and post-translational levels, and also affected by environmental factors. Numerous studies indicate that the expression patterns and localizations of PIPs can change in response to abiotic stresses. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms of PIP trafficking, transcriptional and post-translational regulations, and abiotic stress responses. Moreover, we also discuss the current research trends and future directions on PIPs.

  16. Characterization of membrane protein interactions in plasma membrane derived vesicles with quantitative imaging Förster resonance energy transfer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarabipour, Sarvenaz; Del Piccolo, Nuala; Hristova, Kalina

    2015-08-18

    Here we describe an experimental tool, termed quantitative imaging Förster resonance energy transfer (QI-FRET), that enables the quantitative characterization of membrane protein interactions. The QI-FRET methodology allows us to acquire binding curves and calculate association constants for complex membrane proteins in the native plasma membrane environment. The method utilizes FRET detection, and thus requires that the proteins of interest are labeled with florescent proteins, either FRET donors or FRET acceptors. Since plasma membranes of cells have complex topologies precluding the acquisition of two-dimensional binding curves, the FRET measurements are performed in plasma membrane derived vesicles that bud off cells as a result of chemical or osmotic stress. The results overviewed here are acquired in vesicles produced with an osmotic vesiculation buffer developed in our laboratory, which does not utilize harsh chemicals. The concentrations of the donor-labeled and the acceptor-labeled proteins are determined, along with the FRET efficiencies, in each vesicle. The experiments utilize transient transfection, such that a wide variety of concentrations is sampled. Then, data from hundreds of vesicles are combined to yield dimerization curves. Here we discuss recent findings about the dimerization of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), membrane proteins that control cell growth and differentiation via lateral dimerization in the plasma membrane. We focus on the dimerization of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3), a RTK that plays a critically important role in skeletal development. We study the role of different FGFR3 domains in FGFR3 dimerization in the absence of ligand, and we show that FGFR3 extracellular domains inhibit unliganded dimerization, while contacts between the juxtamembrane domains, which connect the transmembrane domains to the kinase domains, stabilize the unliganded FGFR3 dimers. Since FGFR3 has been documented to harbor many pathogenic

  17. Easy measurement of diffusion coefficients of EGFP-tagged plasma membrane proteins using k-space Image Correlation Spectroscopy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Eva Arnspang; Koffman, Jennifer Skaarup; Marlar, Saw

    2014-01-01

    Lateral diffusion and compartmentalization of plasma membrane proteins are tightly regulated in cells and thus, studying these processes will reveal new insights to plasma membrane protein function and regulation. Recently, k-Space Image Correlation Spectroscopy (kICS)1 was developed to enable...... routine measurements of diffusion coefficients directly from images of fluorescently tagged plasma membrane proteins, that avoided systematic biases introduced by probe photophysics. Although the theoretical basis for the analysis is complex, the method can be implemented by nonexperts using a freely...... to the correlation function yields the diffusion coefficient. This paper provides a step-by-step guide to the image analysis and measurement of diffusion coefficients via kICS. First, a high frame rate image sequence of a fluorescently labeled plasma membrane protein is acquired using a fluorescence microscope Then...

  18. Affinity proteomics reveals elevated muscle proteins in plasma of children with cerebral malaria.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julie Bachmann

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Systemic inflammation and sequestration of parasitized erythrocytes are central processes in the pathophysiology of severe Plasmodium falciparum childhood malaria. However, it is still not understood why some children are more at risks to develop malaria complications than others. To identify human proteins in plasma related to childhood malaria syndromes, multiplex antibody suspension bead arrays were employed. Out of the 1,015 proteins analyzed in plasma from more than 700 children, 41 differed between malaria infected children and community controls, whereas 13 discriminated uncomplicated malaria from severe malaria syndromes. Markers of oxidative stress were found related to severe malaria anemia while markers of endothelial activation, platelet adhesion and muscular damage were identified in relation to children with cerebral malaria. These findings suggest the presence of generalized vascular inflammation, vascular wall modulations, activation of endothelium and unbalanced glucose metabolism in severe malaria. The increased levels of specific muscle proteins in plasma implicate potential muscle damage and microvasculature lesions during the course of cerebral malaria.

  19. Early Diagnosis of Intestinal Ischemia Using Urinary and Plasma Fatty Acid Binding Proteins

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Thuijls, Geertje; van Wijck, Kim; Grootjans, Joep; Derikx, Joep P. M.; van Bijnen, Annemarie A.; Heineman, Erik; Dejong, Cornelis H. C.; Buurman, Wim A.; Poeze, Martijn

    Objective: This study aims at improving diagnosis of intestinal ischemia, by measuring plasma and urinary fatty acid binding protein (FABP) levels. Methods: Fifty consecutive patients suspected of intestinal ischemia were included and blood and urine were sampled at time of suspicion. Plasma and

  20. Identification of the hemoglobin scavenger receptor/CD163 as a natural soluble protein in plasma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Holger Jon; Peterslund, Niels Anker; Graversen, Jonas Heilskov

    2002-01-01

    enabled identification of a soluble plasma form of HbSR (sHbSR) having an electrophoretic mobility equal to that of recombinant HbSR consisting of the extracellular domain (scavenger receptor cysteine-rich 1-9). A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was established and used to measure the s...... a level of sHbSR above the range of healthy persons. Patients with myelomonocytic leukemias and pneumonia/sepsis exhibited the highest levels (up to 67.3 mg/L). In conclusion, sHbSR is an abundant plasma protein potentially valuable in monitoring patients with infections and myelomonocytic leukemia....

  1. RNAi-mediated downregulation of poplar plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) changes plasma membrane proteome composition and affects leaf physiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bi, Zhen; Merl-Pham, Juliane; Uehlein, Norbert; Zimmer, Ina; Mühlhans, Stefanie; Aichler, Michaela; Walch, Axel Karl; Kaldenhoff, Ralf; Palme, Klaus; Schnitzler, Jörg-Peter; Block, Katja

    2015-10-14

    Plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) are one subfamily of aquaporins that mediate the transmembrane transport of water. To reveal their function in poplar, we generated transgenic poplar plants in which the translation of PIP genes was downregulated by RNA interference investigated these plants with a comprehensive leaf plasma membrane proteome and physiome analysis. First, inhibition of PIP synthesis strongly altered the leaf plasma membrane protein composition. Strikingly, several signaling components and transporters involved in the regulation of stomatal movement were differentially regulated in transgenic poplars. Furthermore, hormonal crosstalk related to abscisic acid, auxin and brassinosteroids was altered, in addition to cell wall biosynthesis/cutinization, the organization of cellular structures and membrane trafficking. A physiological analysis confirmed the proteomic results. The leaves had wider opened stomata and higher net CO2 assimilation and transpiration rates as well as greater mesophyll conductance for CO2 (gm) and leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf). Based on these results, we conclude that PIP proteins not only play essential roles in whole leaf water and CO2 flux but have important roles in the regulation of stomatal movement. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. PARTIAL PURIFICATION AND IMMUNO-BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISATION OF FERTILITY ASSOCIATED PROTEIN OF KARAN FRIES BULL SEMINAL PLASMA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brajesh Raman

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the present study was detection, isolation, partial purification and immunobiochemical characterization of fertility associated protein in the seminal plasma of high prolific Karan fries bull. Seminal plasma of Karan Fries bull was partially purified by gel filtration chromatography and analyzed by 10% SDS-PAGE for their polypeptide profile. PAGE analysis revealed major band of 55 kDa, and 26 kDa. Hyperimmune serum was raised in rabbit against crude seminal plasma protein. Single precipitin line was observed in DID test when each of the partially purified 26 kDa and 55 kDa proteins were reacted with hyperimmune serum. These proteins were also found to be immunoreactive against hyperimmune serum in Western blot technique.

  3. Characterization of auxin-binding proteins from zucchini plasma membrane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hicks, G. R.; Rice, M. S.; Lomax, T. L.

    1993-01-01

    We have previously identified two auxin-binding polypeptides in plasma membrane (PM) preparations from zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) (Hicks et al. 1989, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86, 4948-4952). These polypeptides have molecular weights of 40 kDa and 42 kDa and label specifically with the photoaffinity auxin analog 5-N3-7-3H-IAA (azido-IAA). Azido-IAA permits both the covalent and radioactive tagging of auxin-binding proteins and has allowed us to characterize further the 40-kDa and 42-kDa polypeptides, including the nature of their attachment to the PM, their relationship to each other, and their potential function. The azido-IAA-labeled polypeptides remain in the pelleted membrane fraction following high-salt and detergent washes, which indicates a tight and possibly integral association with the PM. Two-dimensional electrophoresis of partially purified azido-IAA-labeled protein demonstrates that, in addition to the major isoforms of the 40-kDa and 42-kDa polypeptides, which possess isoelectric points (pIs) of 8.2 and 7.2, respectively, several less abundant isoforms that display unique pIs are apparent at both molecular masses. Tryptic and chymotryptic digestion of the auxin-binding proteins indicates that the 40-kDa and 42-kDa polypeptides are closely related or are modifications of the same polypeptide. Phase extraction with the nonionic detergent Triton X-114 results in partitioning of the azido-IAA-labeled polypeptides into the aqueous (hydrophilic) phase. This apparently paradoxical behavior is also exhibited by certain integral membrane proteins that aggregate to form channels. The results of gel filtration indicate that the auxin-binding proteins do indeed aggregate strongly and that the polypeptides associate to form a dimer or multimeric complex in vivo. These characteristics are consistent with the hypothesis that the 40-kDa and 42-kDa polypeptides are subunits of a multimeric integral membrane protein which has an auxin-binding site, and which may

  4. Humoral markers of active Epstein-Barr virus infection associate with anti-extractable nuclear antigen autoantibodies and plasma galectin-3 binding protein in systemic lupus erythematosus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, N S; Nielsen, C T; Houen, G

    2016-01-01

    We investigated if signs of active Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus infections associate with certain autoantibodies and a marker of type I interferon activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. IgM and IgG plasma levels against Epstein-Barr virus early antigen diffuse...... and cytomegalovirus pp52 were applied as humoral markers of ongoing/recently active Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus infections, respectively. Plasma galectin-3 binding protein served as a surrogate marker of type I interferon activity. The measurements were conducted in 57 systemic lupus erythematosus patients...... concentrations were significantly higher in systemic lupus erythematosus patients (P = 0.009) and associated positively with Epstein-Barr virus early antigen diffuse-directed antibodies and the presence of autoantibodies against extractable nuclear antigens in adjusted linear regressions (B = 2.02 and 2.02, P...

  5. Praziquantel synergistically enhances paclitaxel efficacy to inhibit cancer cell growth.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhen Hua Wu

    Full Text Available The major challenges we are facing in cancer therapy with paclitaxel (PTX are the drug resistance and severe side effects. Massive efforts have been made to overcome these clinical challenges by combining PTX with other drugs. In this study, we reported the first preclinical data that praziquantel (PZQ, an anti-parasite agent, could greatly enhance the anticancer efficacy of PTX in various cancer cell lines, including PTX-resistant cell lines. Based on the combination index value, we demonstrated that PZQ synergistically enhanced PTX-induced cell growth inhibition. The co-treatment of PZQ and PTX also induced significant mitotic arrest and activated the apoptotic cascade. Moreover, PZQ combined with PTX resulted in a more pronounced inhibition of tumor growth compared with either drug alone in a mouse xenograft model. We tried to investigate the possible mechanisms of this synergistic efficacy induced by PZQ and PTX, and we found that the co-treatment of the two drugs could markedly decrease expression of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP, an anti-apoptotic protein. Our data further demonstrated that down-regulation of XIAP was required for the synergistic interaction between PZQ and PTX. Together, this study suggested that the combination of PZQ and PTX may represent a novel and effective anticancer strategy for optimizing PTX therapy.

  6. Resolving mixed mechanisms of protein subdiffusion at the T cell plasma membrane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golan, Yonatan; Sherman, Eilon

    2017-06-01

    The plasma membrane is a complex medium where transmembrane proteins diffuse and interact to facilitate cell function. Membrane protein mobility is affected by multiple mechanisms, including crowding, trapping, medium elasticity and structure, thus limiting our ability to distinguish them in intact cells. Here we characterize the mobility and organization of a short transmembrane protein at the plasma membrane of live T cells, using single particle tracking and photoactivated-localization microscopy. Protein mobility is highly heterogeneous, subdiffusive and ergodic-like. Using mobility characteristics, we segment individual trajectories into subpopulations with distinct Gaussian step-size distributions. Particles of low-to-medium mobility consist of clusters, diffusing in a viscoelastic and fractal-like medium and are enriched at the centre of the cell footprint. Particles of high mobility undergo weak confinement and are more evenly distributed. This study presents a methodological approach to resolve simultaneous mixed subdiffusion mechanisms acting on polydispersed samples and complex media such as cell membranes.

  7. Novel platelet-agglutinating protein from a thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura plasma.

    OpenAIRE

    Siddiqui, F A; Lian, E C

    1985-01-01

    A novel platelet-agglutinating protein (PAP) was purified approximately 2,000-fold from the plasma of a patient with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) by ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-Sephacel and concanavalin A-Sepharose chromatographies. On sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, with and without reduction, this preparation revealed a major protein band with a molecular weight of 37,000, and a minor band with a molecular weight of 32,000-34,000. After eluti...

  8. Semen quality and concentration of soluble proteins in the seminal plasma of Alpine bucks Semen quality and concentration of soluble proteins in the seminal plasma of Alpine bucks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simone Eliza Facione Guimarães

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available It was aimed to study the in vitro seminal quality analyzed by complementary tests and to compare them with physical, morphological and biochemical aspects of male goat semen of the Alpine breed. This experiment took place at the Federal University of Viçosa, situated at 20º45’ S latitude and 42º51’ W longitude, Southwest of Brazil. It was done during the summer months of January and February, and three adult male goats of the Alpine breed were used in intensive conditions. The semen was collected by artificial vagina method. In all semen samples (45 ejaculates, after the physical and morphological analysis, the hiposmotic test was done. In 24 ejaculates, it were done thermo-resistance test, and in 21 ejaculates it were determined the concentration of total soluble proteins in seminal plasma. The male goats presented difference in the semen physical and morphological aspects, in the hiposmotic test and thermo-resistance test, but they did not presented difference in total soluble proteins concentration in seminal plasma. Results of the slow thermo-resistance test and hiposmotic test were positively correlated (r = 0.60. It was concluded, according to our results, that the concentration of total soluble proteins in seminal plasma can not be used as a parameter to predict the seminal quality of Alpine bucks.It was aimed to study the in vitro seminal quality analyzed by complementary tests and to compare them with physical, morphological and biochemical aspects of male goat semen of the Alpine breed. This experiment took place at the Federal University of Viçosa, situated at 20º45’ S latitude and 42º51’ W longitude, Southwest of Brazil. It was done during the summer months of January and February, and three adult male goats of the Alpine breed were used in intensive conditions. The semen was collected by artificial vagina method. In all semen samples (45 ejaculates, after the physical and morphological analysis, the hiposmotic test

  9. Association between pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A levels in the first trimester and gestational diabetes mellitus in Chinese women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheuk, Q Ky; Lo, T K; Wong, S F; Lee, C P

    2016-02-01

    Several studies have shown that women with pre-existing diabetes mellitus have significantly lower pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A levels than those without. This study aimed to evaluate whether first-trimester pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A multiple of median is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus in Chinese pregnant women. This prospectively collected case series was conducted in a regional hospital in Hong Kong. All consecutive Chinese women with a singleton pregnancy who attended the hospital for their first antenatal visit (before 14 weeks' gestation) from April to July 2014 were included. Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A multiple of median was compared between the gestational diabetic (especially for early-onset gestational diabetes) and non-diabetic groups. The correlation between pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A level and glycosylated haemoglobin level in women with gestational diabetes was also examined. Of the 520 women recruited, gestational diabetes was diagnosed in 169 (32.5%). Among them, 43 (25.4%) had an early diagnosis, and 167 (98.8%) with the disease were managed by diet alone. The gestational diabetic group did not differ significantly to the non-diabetic group in pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (0.97 vs 0.99, P=0.40) or free β-human chorionic gonadotrophin multiple of median (1.05 vs 1.02, P=0.29). Compared with the non-gestational diabetic group, women with early diagnosis of gestational diabetes had a non-significant reduction in pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A multiple of median (median, interquartile range: 0.86, 0.57-1.23 vs 0.99, 0.67-1.44; P=0.11). Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A and glycosylated haemoglobin levels were not correlated in women with gestational diabetes (r=0.027; P=0.74). Chinese women with non-insulin-dependent gestational diabetes did not exhibit significant changes to pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A multiple of median nor a correlation between pregnancy

  10. Impact of an ionic liquid on protein thermodynamics in the presence of cold atmospheric plasma and gamma rays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Attri, Pankaj; Kim, Minsup; Choi, Eun Ha; Cho, Art E; Koga, Kazunori; Shiratani, Masaharu

    2017-09-27

    Cold atmospheric plasma and gamma rays are known to have anticancer properties, even though their specific mechanisms and roles as co-solvents during their action are still not clearly understood. Despite the use of gamma rays in cancer therapy, they have oncogenic potential, whereas this has not been observed for plasma treatment (to date). To gain a better understanding, we studied the action of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma and gamma rays on the myoglobin protein. We analyzed the secondary structure and thermodynamic properties of myoglobin after both treatments. In addition, in the last few years, ammonium ionic liquids (ILs) have revealed their important role in protein folding as co-solvents. In this work, we treated the protein with ammonium ILs such as triethylammonium methanesulfonate (TEMS) and tetrabutylammonium methanesulfonate (TBMS) and later treated this IL-protein solution with DBD plasma and gamma rays. In this study, we show the chemical and thermal denaturation of the protein after plasma and gamma treatments in the presence and absence of ILs using circular dichroism (CD) and UV-vis spectroscopy. Furthermore, we also show the influence of plasma and gamma rays on the secondary structure of myoglobin in the absence and presence of ILs or ILs + urea using CD. Finally, molecular dynamic simulations were conducted to gain deeper insight into how the ILs behave to protect the protein against the hydrogen peroxide generated by the DBD plasma and gamma rays.

  11. Application of epifluorescence scanning for monitoring the efficacy of protein removal by RF gas-plasma decontamination

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baxter, Helen C; Richardson, Patricia R; Campbell, Gaynor A; Jones, Anita C; Baxter, Robert L [School of Chemistry, Joseph Black Chemistry Building, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JJ (United Kingdom); Kovalev, Valeri I; Maier, Robert; Barton, James S [School of Engineering and Physical Science, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS (United Kingdom); DeLarge, Greg [Plasma Etch Inc, 3522 Arrowhead Drive, Carson City, NV 89706 (United States); Casey, Mark [Sterile Services Department, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4AS (United Kingdom)], E-mail: r.baxter@ed.ac.uk

    2009-11-15

    The development of methods for measuring the efficiency of gas-plasma decontamination has lagged far behind application. An approach to measuring the efficiency of protein removal from solid surfaces using fluorescein-labelled bovine serum albumin and epifluorescence scanning (EFSCAN) is described. A method for fluorescently labelling proteins, which are adsorbed and denatured on metal surfaces, has been developed. Both approaches have been used to evaluate the efficiency of radio frequency (RF) gas-plasma decontamination protocols. Examples with 'real' surgical instruments demonstrate that an argon-oxygen RF gas-plasma treatment can routinely reduce the protein load by about three orders of magnitude beyond that achieved by current decontamination methods.

  12. Application of epifluorescence scanning for monitoring the efficacy of protein removal by RF gas-plasma decontamination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baxter, Helen C; Richardson, Patricia R; Campbell, Gaynor A; Jones, Anita C; Baxter, Robert L; Kovalev, Valeri I; Maier, Robert; Barton, James S; DeLarge, Greg; Casey, Mark

    2009-01-01

    The development of methods for measuring the efficiency of gas-plasma decontamination has lagged far behind application. An approach to measuring the efficiency of protein removal from solid surfaces using fluorescein-labelled bovine serum albumin and epifluorescence scanning (EFSCAN) is described. A method for fluorescently labelling proteins, which are adsorbed and denatured on metal surfaces, has been developed. Both approaches have been used to evaluate the efficiency of radio frequency (RF) gas-plasma decontamination protocols. Examples with 'real' surgical instruments demonstrate that an argon-oxygen RF gas-plasma treatment can routinely reduce the protein load by about three orders of magnitude beyond that achieved by current decontamination methods.

  13. Evaluation of metabolism, plasma protein binding and other biological parameters after administration of (−)-[18 F]Flubatine in humans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patt, Marianne; Becker, Georg A.; Grossmann, Udo; Habermann, Bernd; Schildan, Andreas; Wilke, Stephan; Deuther-Conrad, Winnie; Graef, Susanne; Fischer, Steffen; Smits, René; Hoepping, Alexander; Wagenknecht, Gudrun; Steinbach, Jörg; Gertz, Hermann-Josef; Hesse, Swen; Schönknecht, Peter

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: (−)-[ 18 F]Flubatine is a PET tracer with high affinity and selectivity for the nicotinic acetylcholine α 4 β 2 receptor subtype. A clinical trial assessing the availability of this subtype of nAChRs was performed. From a total participant number of 21 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients and 20 healthy controls (HCs), the following parameters were determined: plasma protein binding, metabolism and activity distribution between plasma and whole blood. Methods: Plasma protein binding and fraction of unchanged parent compound were assessed by ultracentrifugation and HPLC, respectively. The distribution of radioactivity (parent compound + metabolites) between plasma and whole blood was determined ex vivo at different time-points after injection by gamma counting after separation of whole blood by centrifugation into the cellular and non-cellular components. In additional experiments in vitro, tracer distribution between these blood components was assessed for up to 90 min. Results: A fraction of 15% ± 2% of (−)-[ 18 F]Flubatine was found to be bound to plasma proteins. Metabolic degradation of (−)-[ 18 F]Flubatine was very low, resulting in almost 90% unchanged parent compound at 90 min p.i. with no significant difference between AD and HC. The radioactivity distribution between plasma and whole blood changed in vivo only slightly over time from 0.82 ± 0.03 at 3 min p.i. to 0.87 ± 0.03 at 270 min p.i. indicating the contribution of only a small amount of metabolites. In vitro studies revealed that (−)-[ 18 F]Flubatine was instantaneously distributed between cellular and non-cellular blood parts. Discussion: (−)-[ 18 F]Flubatine exhibits very favourable characteristics for a PET radiotracer such as slow metabolic degradation and moderate plasma protein binding. Equilibrium of radioactivity distribution between plasma and whole blood is reached instantaneously and remains almost constant over time allowing both convenient sample handling and

  14. Aggregated forms of bull seminal plasma proteins and their heparin-binding activity

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Jelínková, Petra; Ryšlavá, H.; Liberda, J.; Jonáková, Věra; Tichá, M.

    2004-01-01

    Roč. 69, - (2004), s. 616-630 ISSN 0010-0765 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA303/02/0433; GA ČR GP303/02/P069; GA MZd NJ7463 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5052915; CEZ:MSM 113100001 Keywords : bull seminal plasma proteins * heparin-binding proteins * aggregated forms of proteins Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 1.062, year: 2004

  15. Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A, a marker for outcome in patients suspected for acute coronary syndrome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Iversen, Kasper K; Dalsgaard, Morten; Teisner, Ane S

    2010-01-01

    To examine if pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) in patients with chest pain, could identify patients at risk for death or myocardial infarction.......To examine if pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) in patients with chest pain, could identify patients at risk for death or myocardial infarction....

  16. Plant glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchored proteins at the plasma membrane-cell wall nexus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeats, Trevor H; Bacic, Antony; Johnson, Kim L

    2018-04-18

    Approximately 1% of plant proteins are predicted to be post-translationally modified with a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor that tethers the polypeptide to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. While the synthesis and structure of GPI anchors is largely conserved across eukaryotes, the repertoire of functional domains present in the GPI-anchored proteome has diverged substantially. In plants, this includes a large fraction of the GPI-anchored proteome being further modified with plant-specific arabinogalactan (AG) O-glycans. The importance of the GPI-anchored proteome to plant development is underscored by the fact that GPI biosynthetic null mutants exhibit embryo lethality. Mutations in genes encoding specific GPI-anchored proteins (GAPs) further supports their contribution to diverse biological processes occurring at the interface of the plasma membrane and cell wall, including signaling, cell wall metabolism, cell wall polymer cross-linking, and plasmodesmatal transport. Here, we review the literature concerning plant GPI-anchored proteins in the context of their potential to act as molecular hubs that mediate interactions between the plasma membrane and the cell wall and their potential to transduce the signal into the protoplast and thereby activate signal transduction pathways. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  17. Plasma levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in patients with brain tumor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Bin; Wu Yiwei; Li Xiangdong

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To determinate the plasma levels of Insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and Insulin like Growth Factor Binding Protein-3 (IGFBP-3) in patients with glioma and meningioma. Methods: IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 Immunoradiometric assay on coated tubes kits (BIOCODE-HYCEL Belgium) were used to determinate the plasma levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in 41 cases of glioma (12 cases age 40), 14 cases of meningioma(age>40), and 22 cases of healthy subjects (10 cases age 40). All the diagnosis of patients was confirmed by pathology. Cap-Ria 16 Gamma Counter (CAPINTEC, INC U.S.A) was used to count the radioactivity. Results: Plasma levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in patients with glioma were 322.20±80.89 ng/mL, 1524.63±373.18 ng/mL (age 40), respectively. Plasma levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in patients with meningioma were 211.06±75.11 ng/mL, 1403.08±350.78 ng/mL (age >40); control groups were 272.46±49.67 ng/mL, 1453.38±378.73 ng/mL (age 40), respectively. Plasma levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in patients with glioma(age>40) were significantly higher than in controls (P 0.05). Conclusion: IGF-1 is a risk factor for glioma and play important role in the pathophysiological process of glioma. Endogenous regulation of the balance between IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 may be a model of regulation of cellular growth in tumor cells. (authors)

  18. Development and validation of a high-performance liquid chromatography method for the quantification of talazoparib in rat plasma: Application to plasma protein binding studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hidau, Mahendra Kumar; Kolluru, Srikanth; Palakurthi, Srinath

    2018-02-01

    A sensitive and selective RP-HPLC method has been developed and validated for the quantification of a highly potent poly ADP ribose polymerase inhibitor talazoparib (TZP) in rat plasma. Chromatographic separation was performed with isocratic elution method. Absorbance for TZP was measured with a UV detector (SPD-20A UV-vis) at a λ max of 227 nm. Protein precipitation was used to extract the drug from plasma samples using methanol-acetonitrile (65:35) as the precipitating solvent. The method proved to be sensitive and reproducible over a 100-2000 ng/mL linearity range with a lower limit of quantification (LLQC) of 100 ng/mL. TZP recovery was found to be >85%. Following analytical method development and validation, it was successfully employed to determine the plasma protein binding of TZP. TZP has a high level of protein binding in rat plasma (95.76 ± 0.38%) as determined by dialysis method. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. ER-plasma membrane contact sites contribute to autophagosome biogenesis by regulation of local PI3P synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nascimbeni, Anna Chiara; Giordano, Francesca; Dupont, Nicolas; Grasso, Daniel; Vaccaro, Maria I; Codogno, Patrice; Morel, Etienne

    2017-07-14

    The double-membrane-bound autophagosome is formed by the closure of a structure called the phagophore, origin of which is still unclear. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is clearly implicated in autophagosome biogenesis due to the presence of the omegasome subdomain positive for DFCP1, a phosphatidyl-inositol-3-phosphate (PI3P) binding protein. Contribution of other membrane sources, like the plasma membrane (PM), is still difficult to integrate in a global picture. Here we show that ER-plasma membrane contact sites are mobilized for autophagosome biogenesis, by direct implication of the tethering extended synaptotagmins (E-Syts) proteins. Imaging data revealed that early autophagic markers are recruited to E-Syt-containing domains during autophagy and that inhibition of E-Syts expression leads to a reduction in autophagosome biogenesis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that E-Syts are essential for autophagy-associated PI3P synthesis at the cortical ER membrane via the recruitment of VMP1, the stabilizing ER partner of the PI3KC3 complex. These results highlight the contribution of ER-plasma membrane tethers to autophagosome biogenesis regulation and support the importance of membrane contact sites in autophagy. © 2017 The Authors.

  20. Experimental determination of net protein charge and A(tot) and K(a) of nonvolatile buffers in canine plasma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Constable, Peter D; Stämpfli, Henry R

    2005-01-01

    Acid-base abnormalities frequently are present in sick dogs. The mechanism for an acid-base disturbance can be determined with the simplified strong ion approach, which requires accurate values for the total concentration of plasma nonvolatile buffers (A(tot)) and the effective dissociation constant for plasma weak acids (K(a)). The aims of this study were to experimentally determine A(tot) and K(a) values for canine plasma. Plasma was harvested from 10 healthy dogs; the concentrations of quantitatively important strong ions (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, L-lactate) and nonvolatile buffer ions (total protein, albumin, phosphate) were determined; and the plasma was tonometered with CO2 at 37 degrees C. Strong ion difference (SID) was calculated from the measured strong ion concentrations, and nonlinear regression was used to estimate values for A(tot) and K(a), which were validated with data from an in vitro and in vivo study. Mean (+/- SD) values for canine plasma were A(tot) = (17.4 +/- 8.6) mM (equivalent to 0.273 mmol/g of total protein or 0.469 mmol/g of albumin); K(a) = (0.17 +/- 0.11) x 10(-7); pK(a) = 7.77. The calculated SID for normal canine plasma (pH = 7.40; P(CO2) = 37 mm Hg; [total protein] = 64 g/L) was 27 mEq/L. The net protein charge for normal canine plasma was 0.25 mEq/g of total protein or 0.42 mEq/g of albumin. Application of the experimentally determined values for A(tot), K(a), and net protein charge should improve understanding of the mechanism for complex acid-base disturbances in dogs.

  1. Effect of Maillard browning reaction on protein utilization and plasma amino acid response by rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plakas, S M; Lee, T C; Wolke, R E; Meade, T L

    1985-12-01

    The effect of the Maillard browning reaction in the diet of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) on growth and amino acid availability was investigated. Chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis methods were applied for the detection of the losses of amino acids in a model protein browning system. Arginine and lysine exhibited the greatest losses in the mixture of fish protein isolate and glucose stored for 40 d at 37 degrees C. The apparent digestibility and absorption of individual amino acids, particularly lysine, was lower in trout fed browned protein than in those fed the control protein. Plasma lysine levels were significantly depressed, while the plasma levels of glucose and most other amino acids were elevated in relation to the loss in nutritive value of dietary protein after browning. The early Maillard reaction derivative of lysine, epsilon-deoxy-fructosyl-lysine, was recovered from browned protein (by using the in vitro enzymatic hydrolysis procedure) and from the plasma of trout fed browned protein. Analysis of plasma free amino acids provided an indication of lysine bioavailability and identified lysine as the first-limiting amino acid in the diets containing browned protein.

  2. Effect of electric charge on the transperitoneal transport of plasma proteins during CAPD

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Buis, B.; Koomen, G. C.; Imholz, A. L.; Struijk, D. G.; Reddingius, R. E.; Arisz, L.; Krediet, R. T.

    1996-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Controversy exists as to whether electric charges of plasma proteins influence their transport across the peritoneal membrane during CAPD. Fixed negative charges in the peritoneal membrane are diminished during peritonitis in rats. METHODS: Peritoneal clearances of 10 proteins and their

  3. Ovulation-inducing factor: a protein component of llama seminal plasma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huanca Wilfredo

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Previously, we documented the presence of ovulation-inducing factor (OIF in the seminal plasma of llamas and alpacas. The purpose of the study was to define the biochemical characteristics of the molecule(s in seminal plasma responsible for inducing ovulation. Methods In Experiment 1, llama seminal plasma was centrifuged using filtration devices with nominal molecular mass cut-offs of 30, 10 and 5 kDa. Female llamas (n = 9 per group were treated i.m. with whole seminal plasma (positive control, phosphate-buffered saline (negative control, or the fraction of seminal plasma equal or higher than 30 kDa, 10 to 30 kDa, 5 to 10 kDa, or Results In Experiment 1, all llamas in the equal or higher than 30 kDa and positive control groups ovulated (9/9 in each, but none ovulated in the other groups (P Conclusions We conclude that ovulation-inducing factor (OIF in llama seminal plasma is a protein molecule that is resistant to heat and enzymatic digestion with proteinase K, and has a molecular mass of approximately equal or higher than 30 kDa.

  4. Fish protein hydrolysate elevates plasma bile acids and reduces visceral adipose tissue mass in rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liaset, Bjørn; Madsen, Lise; Hao, Qin

    2009-01-01

    levels relative to rats fed soy protein or casein. Concomitantly, the saithe FPH fed rats had reduced liver lipids and fasting plasma TAG levels. Furthermore, visceral adipose tissue mass was reduced and expression of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation and energy expenditure was induced in perirenal....../retroperitoneal adipose tissues of rats fed saithe FPH. Our results provide the first evidence that dietary protein sources with different amino acid compositions can modulate the level of plasma bile acids and our data suggest potential novel mechanisms by which dietary protein sources can affect energy metabolism....

  5. Latent viral reactivation is associated with changes in plasma antimicrobial protein concentrations during long-duration spaceflight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spielmann, G.; Laughlin, M. S.; Kunz, H.; Crucian, B. E.; Quiriarte, H. D.; Mehta, S. K.; Pierson, D. L.; Simpson, R. J.

    2018-05-01

    Long duration spaceflights are associated with profound dysregulation of the immune system and latent viral reactivations. However, little is known on the impact of long duration spaceflight on innate immunity which raises concerns on crewmembers' ability to fight infections during a mission. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of spaceflight on plasma antimicrobial proteins (AMPs) and how these changes impact latent herpesvirus reactivations. Plasma, saliva and urine samples were obtained from 23 crewmembers before, during and after a 6-month mission on the International Space Station (ISS). Plasma AMP concentrations were determined by ELISA, and saliva Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and varicella zoster virus (VZV) and urine cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA levels were quantified by Real-Time PCR. There was a non-significant increase in plasma HNP1-3 and LL-37 during the early and middle stages of the missions, which was significantly associated with changes in viral DNA during and after spaceflight. Plasma HNP1-3 and Lysozyme increased at the late mission stages in astronauts who had exhibited EBV and VZV reactivations during the early flight stages. Following return to Earth and during recovery, HNP1-3 and lysozyme concentrations were associated with EBV and VZV viral DNA levels, reducing the magnitude of viral reactivation. Reductions in plasma LL-37 upon return were associated with greater CMV reactivation. This study shows that biomarkers of innate immunity appeared to be partially restored after 6-months in space and suggests that following adaptation to the space environment, plasma HNP1-3 and lysozyme facilitate the control of EBV and VZV reactivation rate and magnitude in space and upon return on earth. However, the landing-associated decline in plasma LL-37 may enhance the rate of CMV reactivation in astronauts following spaceflight, potentially compromising crewmember health after landing.

  6. D-fructose-binding proteins in bull seminal plasma: Isolation and characterization

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Liberda, J.; Kraus, Marek; Ryšlavá, H.; Vlasáková, M.; Jonáková, Věra; Tichá, M.

    2001-01-01

    Roč. 47, č. 4 (2001), s. 113-119 ISSN 0015-5500 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA303/99/0357; GA ČR GV524/96/K162 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5052915 Keywords : bull seminal plasma * non-heparin-binding and heparin-binding proteins * D-fructose-binding proteins Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 0.519, year: 2001

  7. Modulation of the Plasma Kallikrein-Kinin System Proteins Performed by Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans

    OpenAIRE

    Motta, Guacyara; Tersariol, Ivarne L. S.

    2017-01-01

    Human plasma kallikrein-kinin system proteins are related to inflammation through bradykinin. In the proximity of its target cells, high molecular weight kininogen (H-kininogen) is the substrate of plasma kallikrein, which releases bradykinin from H-kininogen. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) play a critical role in either recruiting kinin precursors from the plasma, or in the assembly of kallikrein-kinin system components on the cell surface. Furthermore, HSPGs mediate the endocytosis a...

  8. Structure of a 14-3-3 coordinated hexamer of the plant plasma membrane H+-ATPase by combining X-ray crystallography and electron cryomicroscopy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ottmann, C.; Marco, S.; Jaspert, N.; Marcon, C.; Schauer, N.; Weyand, M.; Vandermeeren, C.; Duby, G.; Boutry, M.; Wittinghofer, A.; Rigaud, J.-L.; Oecking, C.

    2007-01-01

    Regulatory 14-3-3 proteins activate the plant plasma membrane H+-ATPase by binding to its C-terminal autoinhibitory domain. This interaction requires phosphorylation of a C-terminal, mode III, recognition motif as well as an adjacent span of approximately 50 amino acids. Here we report the X-ray

  9. Monitoring the native phosphorylation state of plasma membrane proteins from a single mouse cerebellum

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schindler, J.; Ye, J. Y.; Jensen, Ole Nørregaard

    2013-01-01

    Neuronal processing in the cerebellum involves the phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of various plasma membrane proteins such as AMPA or NMDA receptors. Despite the importance of changes in phosphorylation pattern, no global phospho-proteome analysis has yet been performed. As plasma membrane...

  10. Affinity proteomic profiling of plasma for proteins associated to area-based mammographic breast density.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byström, Sanna; Eklund, Martin; Hong, Mun-Gwan; Fredolini, Claudia; Eriksson, Mikael; Czene, Kamila; Hall, Per; Schwenk, Jochen M; Gabrielson, Marike

    2018-02-14

    Mammographic breast density is one of the strongest risk factors for breast cancer, but molecular understanding of how breast density relates to cancer risk is less complete. Studies of proteins in blood plasma, possibly associated with mammographic density, are well-suited as these allow large-scale analyses and might shed light on the association between breast cancer and breast density. Plasma samples from 1329 women in the Swedish KARMA project, without prior history of breast cancer, were profiled with antibody suspension bead array (SBA) assays. Two sample sets comprising 729 and 600 women were screened by two different SBAs targeting a total number of 357 proteins. Protein targets were selected through searching the literature, for either being related to breast cancer or for being linked to the extracellular matrix. Association between proteins and absolute area-based breast density (AD) was assessed by quantile regression, adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI). Plasma profiling revealed linear association between 20 proteins and AD, concordant in the two sets of samples (p density and processes of tissue homeostasis, DNA repair, cancer development and/or progression in breast cancer. Further validation and follow-up studies of the shortlisted protein candidates in independent cohorts will be needed to infer their role in breast density and its progression in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

  11. Pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) is not a marker of the vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Iversen, Kasper; Teisner, Ane; Dalager, Soren

    2011-01-01

    To investigate if pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) was present in the vulnerable plaque, and if not, to find alternative hypothesis for the release of PAPP-A.......To investigate if pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) was present in the vulnerable plaque, and if not, to find alternative hypothesis for the release of PAPP-A....

  12. Validation of cold plasma treatment for protein inactivation: a surface plasmon resonance-based biosensor study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bernard, C; Leduc, A; Barbeau, J; Saoudi, B; Yahia, L'H; Crescenzo, G De

    2006-01-01

    Gas plasma is being proposed as an interesting and promising tool to achieve sterilization. The efficacy of gas plasma to destroy bacterial spores (the most resistant living microorganisms) has been demonstrated and documented over the last ten years. In addition to causing damage to deoxyribonucleic acid by UV radiation emitted by excited species originating from the plasma, gas plasma has been shown to promote erosion of the microorganism in addition to possible oxidation reactions within the microorganism. In this work, we used lysozyme as a protein model to assess the effect of gas plasma on protein inactivation. Lysozyme samples have been subjected to the flowing afterglow of a gas discharge achieved in a nitrogen-oxygen mixture. The efficiency of this plasma treatment on lysozyme has been tested by two different assays. These are an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based biosensor assay. The two methods showed that exposure to gas plasma can abrogate lysozyme interactions with lysozyme-specific antibodies, more likely by destroying the epitopes responsible for the interaction. More specifically, two SPR-based assays were developed since our ELISA approach did not allow us to discriminate between background and low, but still intact, quantities of lysozyme epitope after plasma treatment. Our SPR results clearly demonstrated that significant protein destruction or desorption was achieved when amounts of lysozyme less than 12.5 ng had been deposited in polystyrene 96-well ELISA plates. At higher lysozyme amounts, traces of available lysozyme epitopes were detected by SPR through indirect measurements. Finally, we demonstrated that a direct SPR approach in which biosensor-immobilized lysozyme activity is directly measured prior and after plasma treatment is more sensitive, and thus, more appropriate to define plasma treatment efficacy with more certainty

  13. Validation of cold plasma treatment for protein inactivation: a surface plasmon resonance-based biosensor study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernard, C.; Leduc, A.; Barbeau, J.; Saoudi, B.; Yahia, L'H.; DeCrescenzo, G.

    2006-08-01

    Gas plasma is being proposed as an interesting and promising tool to achieve sterilization. The efficacy of gas plasma to destroy bacterial spores (the most resistant living microorganisms) has been demonstrated and documented over the last ten years. In addition to causing damage to deoxyribonucleic acid by UV radiation emitted by excited species originating from the plasma, gas plasma has been shown to promote erosion of the microorganism in addition to possible oxidation reactions within the microorganism. In this work, we used lysozyme as a protein model to assess the effect of gas plasma on protein inactivation. Lysozyme samples have been subjected to the flowing afterglow of a gas discharge achieved in a nitrogen-oxygen mixture. The efficiency of this plasma treatment on lysozyme has been tested by two different assays. These are an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based biosensor assay. The two methods showed that exposure to gas plasma can abrogate lysozyme interactions with lysozyme-specific antibodies, more likely by destroying the epitopes responsible for the interaction. More specifically, two SPR-based assays were developed since our ELISA approach did not allow us to discriminate between background and low, but still intact, quantities of lysozyme epitope after plasma treatment. Our SPR results clearly demonstrated that significant protein destruction or desorption was achieved when amounts of lysozyme less than 12.5 ng had been deposited in polystyrene 96-well ELISA plates. At higher lysozyme amounts, traces of available lysozyme epitopes were detected by SPR through indirect measurements. Finally, we demonstrated that a direct SPR approach in which biosensor-immobilized lysozyme activity is directly measured prior and after plasma treatment is more sensitive, and thus, more appropriate to define plasma treatment efficacy with more certainty.

  14. Plasma levels of C-Reactive Protein and Fibrinogen in Pulmonary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In this study, we determined the changes in plasma C- reactive protein (C-RP) and Fibrinogen levels in Drug sensitive Tuberculosis (DSTB) patients at diagnosis, Multi drug resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB) patients at diagnosis and during chemotherapy. Twenty-four (24) patients MDRTB patients and 24 newly diagnosed ...

  15. Plasma membrane of a marine T cell lymphoma: surface labelling, membrane isolation, separation of membrane proteins and distribution of surface label amongst these proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crumpton, M.J.; Marchalonis, J.J.; Haustein, D.; Atwell, J.L.; Harris, A.W.

    1976-01-01

    Two established techniques for analysis of plasma membranes, namely, lactoperoxidase catalyzed surface radioiodination of intact cells and bulk membrane isolation following disruption of cells by shear forces, were applied in studies of membrane proteins of continuously cultured cells of the monoclonal T lymphoma line WEHI-22. It was found that macromolecular 125 I-iodide incorporated into plasma membrane proteins of intact cells was at least as good a marker for the plasma as was the commonly used enzyme 5'-nucleotidase, T lymphoma plasma membrane proteins were complex when analysed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecylsulphate-containing buffers and more than thirty distinct components were resolved. More than fifteen of the components observed on a mass basis were also labelled with 125 I-iodide. Certain bands, however, exhibited a degree of label disproportionate to their staining properties with Coomassie Blue. This was interpreted in terms of their accessibility to the solvent in the intact cells. (author)

  16. Transgenic overexpression of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A in murine arterial smooth muscle accelerates atherosclerotic lesion development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Conover, Cheryl A.; Mason, Megan A.; Bale, Laurie K.

    2010-01-01

    Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) increases local IGF-I bioavailability through cleavage of inhibitory IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-4 in a variety of systems, including the cardiovascular system. To test the hypothesis that expression of PAPP-A promotes the development of atherosclero......Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) increases local IGF-I bioavailability through cleavage of inhibitory IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-4 in a variety of systems, including the cardiovascular system. To test the hypothesis that expression of PAPP-A promotes the development...

  17. Impact of Chronic Renal Failure on Safety and Effectiveness of Paclitaxel-Eluting Stents for Femoropopliteal Artery Disease: Subgroup Analysis from Zilver PTX Post-Market Surveillance Study in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogawa, Yukihisa; Yokoi, Hiroyoshi; Ohki, Takao; Kichikawa, Kimihiko; Nakamura, Masato; Komori, Kimihiro; Nanto, Shinsuke; O'Leary, Erin E; Lottes, Aaron E; Saunders, Alan T; Dake, Michael D

    2017-11-01

    Favorable long-term outcomes of the Zilver PTX drug-eluting stent (DES) in femoropopliteal lesions have been demonstrated. Chronic renal failure (CRF) has been shown to be a risk factor for restenosis and decreased limb salvage. The results of the DES in patients with CRF have not previously been reported. This study compares the results with the DES in patients with CRF and those without CRF. This retrospective analysis from the Zilver PTX Japan Post-Market Surveillance Study included 321 patients with CRF and 584 patients without CRF. Outcomes included freedom from target lesion revascularization (TLR) and patency. Of the patients included in this subgroup analysis, 2-year data were available for 209 patients in the CRF group and 453 patients in the non-CRF group. The two groups were similar in terms of lesion length and the frequency of in-stent restenosis. Critical limb ischemia, severe calcification, and diabetes were more common in patients with CRF, whereas total occlusion was more common in patients without CRF. Freedom from TLR rates were 81.4 versus 84.9% (p = 0.24), and patency rates were 70.7 versus 70.3% (p = 0.95) in patients with and without CRF at 2 years, respectively. This is the first comparative study of the DES in femoropopliteal artery lesions in patients with and without CRF. These results indicate that the DES placed in femoropopliteal artery lesions of CRF patients is safe and effective with similar patency and TLR rates to patients without CRF. Level 3, Post-Market Surveillance Study.

  18. SH2 and SH3 domains: elements that control interactions of cytoplasmic signaling proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koch, C A; Anderson, D; Moran, M F; Ellis, C; Pawson, T

    1991-05-03

    Src homology (SH) regions 2 and 3 are noncatalytic domains that are conserved among a series of cytoplasmic signaling proteins regulated by receptor protein-tyrosine kinases, including phospholipase C-gamma, Ras GTPase (guanosine triphosphatase)-activating protein, and Src-like tyrosine kinases. The SH2 domains of these signaling proteins bind tyrosine phosphorylated polypeptides, implicated in normal signaling and cellular transformation. Tyrosine phosphorylation acts as a switch to induce the binding of SH2 domains, thereby mediating the formation of heteromeric protein complexes at or near the plasma membrane. The formation of these complexes is likely to control the activation of signal transduction pathways by tyrosine kinases. The SH3 domain is a distinct motif that, together with SH2, may modulate interactions with the cytoskeleton and membrane. Some signaling and transforming proteins contain SH2 and SH3 domains unattached to any known catalytic element. These noncatalytic proteins may serve as adaptors to link tyrosine kinases to specific target proteins. These observations suggest that SH2 and SH3 domains participate in the control of intracellular responses to growth factor stimulation.

  19. Influence of hemodilution of plasma proteins on erythrocyte aggregability : An in vivo study in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gu, YJ; Graaff, R; de Hoog, E; Veeger, NJGM; Panday, G; Boonstra, PW; van Oeveren, W

    2005-01-01

    Erythrocyte aggregation is known to be affected by a number of factors including the concentration of various plasma proteins. This study was performed to examine the in vivo effect of hemodilution of plasma proteins on erythrocyte aggregation in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB)

  20. Analysis of circulating angiopoietin-like protein 3 and genetic variants in lipid metabolism and liver health

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hess, Anne Lundby; Carayol, Jérôme; Blædel, Trine

    2018-01-01

    Background: Angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3), a liver-derived protein, plays an important role in the lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Using data available from the DiOGenes study, we assessed the link with clinical improvements (weight, plasma lipid, and insulin levels) and changes in liver...... markers, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), adiponectin, fetuin A and B, and cytokeratin 18 (CK-18), upon low-calorie diet (LCD) intervention. We also examined the role of genetic variation in determining the level of circulating ANGPTL3 and the relation between the identified...... genetic markers and markers of hepatic steatosis. Methods: DiOGenes is a multicenter, controlled dietary intervention where obese participants followed an 8-week LCD (800 kcal/day, using a meal replacement product). Plasma ANGPTL3 and liver markers were measured using the SomaLogic (Boulder, CO) platform...

  1. Free radical-mediated stimulation of tyrosine-specific protein kinase in rat liver plasma membrane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chan, T.M.; Tatoyan, A.; Cheng, E.; Shargill, N.S.; Pleta, M.

    1986-01-01

    Incorporation of 32 P from (γ- 32 P)-ATP into endogenous proteins of plasma membranes isolated from rat liver was significantly increased by several naphthoquinones including menadione. This apparent stimulation of membrane-associated protein kinase activity by these compounds was most striking (up to 6-7 fold) when the synthetic copolymers containing glutamate and tyrosine residues (4:1) was used as substrate. Since tyrosine residues are the only possible phosphate acceptor in the copolymers, the quinone-stimulated liver membrane protein kinase is most likely tyrosine specific. Although not required for protein kinase activity, dithiothreitol (DTT) was necessary for its stimulation by these quinonoid compounds. Hydrolysis of ATP was not significantly affected by quinones under the experimental conditions. Both menadione and vitamin k 5 increased phosphorylation of plasma membrane proteins of molecular weight 45 and 60 kd. The stimulatory effect of menadione on protein phosphorylation was prevented by the addition of superoxide dismutase. Dihydroxyfumerate, which spontaneously produces various radical species, and H 2 O 2 , also stimulated tyrosine-specific protein phosphorylation. DTT was also required for their full effect. It, therefore, appears that quinonone stimulation of tyrosine-specific protein phosphorylation is mediated by oxygen radicals

  2. Proteomic analysis of plasma proteins in diabetic retinopathy patients by two dimensional electrophoresis and MALDI-Tof-MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gopalakrishnan, Vidhya; Purushothaman, Parthiban; Bhaskar, Anusha

    2015-01-01

    Diabetic retinopathy is a highly specific vascular complication of diabetes mellitus and progresses from mild non-proliferative abnormalities characterized by increased vascular permeability to moderate and severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy characterized by the growth of blood vessels on the retina. The aim of the study was to identify the differentially expressed proteins in diabetic retinopathy using two-dimensional electrophoresis. Blood sample was drawn from subjects with diabetes mellitus (without retinopathy) who served as controls and patients with diabetic retinopathy in tubes containing EDTA as anticoagulant. Albumin and immunoglobulin IgG collectively removed to enrich proteins of lower abundance. 2de was carried out to see if there are any differentially expressed proteins. Approximately 48 and 61 spots were identified in control and diabetic retinopathy respectively, of which three protein spots RBP1 (retinol-binding protein 1), NUD10 (Diphosphoinositol polyphosphohydrolase 3 alpha), NGB (neuroglobin) were down regulated and HBG2 (hemoglobin) and BY55 (CD 160 antigen) were upregulated in diabetic retinopathy. These five protein spots were excised and were subjected to in-gel tryptic digestion, and their identities were determined by ultraflex MALDI-TOF-MS. We report a comprehensive patient-based plasma proteomic approach to the identification of potential biomarkers for diabetic retinopathy screening and detection. We identified 5 different proteins that were differentially expressed in the plasma of control diabetic patients (without retinopathy). Among these five proteins the expression of neuroglobin (NGB) protein varied significantly and may be a potential biomarker in diabetic retinopathy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Bioavailability Enhancement of Paclitaxel via a Novel Oral Drug Delivery System: Paclitaxel-Loaded Glycyrrhizic Acid Micelles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fu-Heng Yang

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Paclitaxel (PTX, taxol, a classical antitumor drug against a wide range of tumors, shows poor oral bioavailability. In order to improve the oral bioavailability of PTX, glycyrrhizic acid (GA was used as the carrier in this study. This was the first report on the preparation, characterization and the pharmacokinetic study in rats of PTX-loaded GA micelles The PTX-loaded micelles, prepared with ultrasonic dispersion method, displayed small particle sizes and spherical shapes. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC thermograms indicated that PTX was entrapped in the GA micelles and existed as an amorphous state. The encapsulation efficiency was about 90%, and the drug loading rate could reach up to 7.90%. PTX-loaded GA micelles displayed a delayed drug release compared to Taxol in the in vitro release experiment. In pharmacokinetic study via oral administration, the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC0→24 h of PTX-loaded GA micelles was about six times higher than that of Taxol (p < 0.05. The significant oral absorption enhancement of PTX from PTX-loaded GA micelles could be largely due to the increased absorption in jejunum and colon intestine. All these results suggested that GA would be a promising carrier for the oral delivery of PTX.

  4. Accelerated differentiation of osteoblast cells on polycaprolactone scaffolds driven by a combined effect of protein coating and plasma modification

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yildirim, Eda D; Gueceri, Selcuk; Sun, Wei [Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Besunder, Robyn; Allen, Fred [Drexel University, School of Biomedical Engineering Science and Health System, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Pappas, Daphne, E-mail: edy22@drexel.ed [Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005 (United States)

    2010-03-15

    A combined effect of protein coating and plasma modification on the quality of the osteoblast-scaffold interaction was investigated. Three-dimensional polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds were manufactured by the precision extrusion deposition (PED) system. The structural, physical, chemical and biological cues were introduced to the surface through providing 3D structure, coating with adhesive protein fibronectin and modifying the surface with oxygen-based plasma. The changes in the surface properties of PCL after those modifications were examined by contact angle goniometry, surface energy calculation, surface chemistry analysis (XPS) and surface topography measurements (AFM). The effects of modification techniques on osteoblast short-term and long-term functions were examined by cell adhesion, proliferation assays and differentiation markers, namely alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) and osteocalcin secretion. The results suggested that the physical and chemical cues introduced by plasma modification might be sufficient for improved cell adhesion, but for accelerated osteoblast differentiation the synergetic effects of structural, physical, chemical and biological cues should be introduced to the PCL surface.

  5. The Enzymology of Protein Translocation across the Escherichia coli Plasma Membrane

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wickner, William; Driessen, Arnold J.M.; Hartl, Franz-Ulrich

    1991-01-01

    Converging physiological, genetic, and biochemical studies have established the salient features of preprotein translocation across the plasma membrane of Escherichia coli. Translocation is catalyzed by two proteins, a soluble chaperone and a membrane-bound translocase. SecB, the major chaperone for

  6. Plasma treatment of paper for protein immobilization on paper-based chemiluminescence immunodevice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Mei; Li, Huifang; Liu, Wei; Guo, Yumei; Chu, Weiru

    2016-05-15

    A novel protein immobilization method based on plasma treatment of paper on the low-cost paper-based immunodevice was established in this work. By using a benchtop plasma cleaner, the paper microzone was treated by oxygen plasma treatment for 4 min and then the antibody can be directly immobilized on the paper surface. Aldehyde group was produced after the plasma treatment, which can be verified from the fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectra and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra. By linked to aldehyde group, the antibody can be immobilized on the paper surface without any other pretreatment. A paper-based immunodevice was introduced here through this antibody immobilization method. With sandwich chemiluminescence (CL) immunoassay method, the paper-based immunodevice was successfully performed for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) detection in human serum with a linear range of 0.1-80.0 ng/mL. The detection limit was 0.03 ng/mL, which was 30 times lower than the clinical CEA level. Comparing to the other protein immobilization methods on paper-based device, this strategy was faster and simpler and had potential applications in point-of-care testing, public health and environmental monitoring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Efek N-Asetil-L- Sistein (NAC terhadap Kadar Adma Plasma dan Ekspresi Protein Vcam-l pada Disfungsi Endotel Tikus Diabetes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irma Santi

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Endothelial dysfunction is an early state of symptoms in a cardiovascular disease. An elevated oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis of macrovascular diabetic complication. The present study was design to evaluate the effect of NAC on plasma ADMA level and the expression of VCAM-1 protein on endothelial dysfunction in diabetic rats. Thirty male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups i.e. normal rats, diabetic rats, treatment with NAC 30 mg/kgBW, NAC 56 mg/ kgBW and NAC 100 mg/kgBW. Diabetic rats model was induced by intraperitonial administration of alloxan monohydrate at dose of 150 mg/kgBW, diabetes occurred on 3nd day after alloxan injection and then started treatment of N-acetyl-L-cystein for 28 days. ADMA plasma level was analyzed with Elisa Reader and the expression of VCAM-1 protein was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Conclusion of this research is that treatment with NAC 30 mg/kgBW, NAC 56 mg/kgBW and NAC 100 mg/kgBW for 28 days may prevent oxidative stress indicated by the decreasing of plasma ADMA level by 45.8%: 55.75% and 65.92%, respectively and the decreasing of the expression of VCAM-1 protein on endothelial dysfunction in diabetic rat by 24%: 31.75% and 58.92%, respectively. Key words : (NAC, Endothelial dysfunction, ADMA, VCAM-1AbstrakDisfungsi endotel merupakan tahap awal pada penyakit kardiovaskular. Peningkatan stres oksidatif berperan penting dalam patogenesis komplikasi makrovaskular pada penyakit diabetes. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi efek N-asetil sistein (NAC dalam menurunkan kadar ADMA plasma dan ekspresi protein VCAM-1 pada disfungsi endotel tikus diabetes. 30 tikus jantan strain sprague- Dawley dibagi menjadi 5 kelompok yaitu kelompok normal, kelompok diabetes, kelompok perlakuan NAC pada dosis 30, 56 dan 100 mg/kgBB. Model tikus diabetes diperoleh dengan diinduksi aloksan monohidrat 150 mg/kgBB secara intraperitonial, kondisi diabetes terjadi pada hari ke-3 setelah

  8. Modulation of the Plasma Kallikrein-Kinin System Proteins Performed by Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guacyara Motta

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Human plasma kallikrein-kinin system proteins are related to inflammation through bradykinin. In the proximity of its target cells, high molecular weight kininogen (H-kininogen is the substrate of plasma kallikrein, which releases bradykinin from H-kininogen. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs play a critical role in either recruiting kinin precursors from the plasma, or in the assembly of kallikrein-kinin system components on the cell surface. Furthermore, HSPGs mediate the endocytosis and activation of H-kininogen and plasma prekallikrein. In the presence of HSPGs (Chinese hamster ovary cell, CHO-K1, wild type cells both heparin and heparan sulfate strongly inhibit the H-kininogen interaction with the cell membrane. H-kininogen is internalized in endosomal acidic vesicles in CHO-K1 but not in CHO-745 cells (mutant cells deficient in glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis. The endocytosis process is lipid raft-mediated and is dependent on caveolae. Both types of CHO cells do not internalize bradykinin-free H-kininogen. At pH 7.35, bradykinin is released from H-kininogen on the surface of CHO-745 cells only by serine proteases; however, in CHO-K1 cells either serine or cysteine proteases are found to be involved. The CHO-K1 cell lysate contains different kininogenases. Plasma prekallikrein endocytosis in CHO-K1 cells is independent of H-kininogen, and also prekallikrein is not internalized by CHO-745 cells. Plasma prekallikrein cleavage/activation is independent of glycosaminoglycans but plasma kallikrein formation is more specific on H-kininogen assembled on the cell surface through glycosaminoglycans. In this mini-review, the importance of HSPGs in the regulation of plasma kallikrein-kinin system proteins is shown.

  9. Investigating CFTR and KCa3.1 Protein/Protein Interactions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hélène Klein

    Full Text Available In epithelia, Cl- channels play a prominent role in fluid and electrolyte transport. Of particular importance is the cAMP-dependent cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator Cl- channel (CFTR with mutations of the CFTR encoding gene causing cystic fibrosis. The bulk transepithelial transport of Cl- ions and electrolytes needs however to be coupled to an increase in K+ conductance in order to recycle K+ and maintain an electrical driving force for anion exit across the apical membrane. In several epithelia, this K+ efflux is ensured by K+ channels, including KCa3.1, which is expressed at both the apical and basolateral membranes. We show here for the first time that CFTR and KCa3.1 can physically interact. We first performed a two-hybrid screen to identify which KCa3.1 cytosolic domains might mediate an interaction with CFTR. Our results showed that both the N-terminal fragment M1-M40 of KCa3.1 and part of the KCa3.1 calmodulin binding domain (residues L345-A400 interact with the NBD2 segment (G1237-Y1420 and C- region of CFTR (residues T1387-L1480, respectively. An association of CFTR and F508del-CFTR with KCa3.1 was further confirmed in co-immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrating the formation of immunoprecipitable CFTR/KCa3.1 complexes in CFBE cells. Co-expression of KCa3.1 and CFTR in HEK cells did not impact CFTR expression at the cell surface, and KCa3.1 trafficking appeared independent of CFTR stimulation. Finally, evidence is presented through cross-correlation spectroscopy measurements that KCa3.1 and CFTR colocalize at the plasma membrane and that KCa3.1 channels tend to aggregate consequent to an enhanced interaction with CFTR channels at the plasma membrane following an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Altogether, these results suggest 1 that the physical interaction KCa3.1/CFTR can occur early during the biogenesis of both proteins and 2 that KCa3.1 and CFTR form a dynamic complex, the formation of which

  10. Pectenotoxin-2 from Marine Sponges: A Potential Anti-Cancer Agent—A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wun-Jae Kim

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Pectenotoxin-2 (PTX-2, which was first identified as a cytotoxic entity in marine sponges, has been reported to display significant cytotoxicity to human cancer cells where it inhibits mitotic separation and cytokinesis through the depolymerization of actin filaments. In the late stage of endoreduplication, the effects of PTX-2 on different cancer cells involves: (i down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 members and IAP family proteins; (ii up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax protein and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL-receptor 1/receptor 2 (DR4/DR5; and (iii mitochondrial dysfunction. In addition, PTX-2 induces apoptotic effects through suppression of the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB signaling pathway in several cancer cells. Analysis of cell cycle regulatory proteins showed that PTX-2 increases phosphorylation of Cdc25c and decreases protein levels of Cdc2 and cyclin B1. Cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk inhibitor p21 and Cdk2, which are associated with the induction of endoreduplication, were upregulated. Furthermore, it was found that PTX-2 suppressed telomerase activity through the transcriptional and post-translational suppression of hTERT. The purpose of this review was to provide an update regarding the anti-cancer mechanism of PTX-2, with a special focus on its effects on different cellular signaling cascades.

  11. Chemoresistance in prostate cancer cells is regulated by miRNAs and Hedgehog pathway.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saurabh Singh

    Full Text Available Many prostate cancers relapse due to the generation of chemoresistance rendering first-line treatment drugs like paclitaxel (PTX ineffective. The present study aims to determine the role of miRNAs and Hedgehog (Hh pathway in chemoresistant prostate cancer and to evaluate the combination therapy using Hh inhibitor cyclopamine (CYA. Studies were conducted on PTX resistant DU145-TXR and PC3-TXR cell lines and clinical prostate tissues. Drug sensitivity and apoptosis assays showed significantly improved cytotoxicity with combination of PTX and CYA. To distinguish the presence of cancer stem cell like side populations (SP, Hoechst 33342 flow cytometry method was used. PTX resistant DU145 and PC3 cells, as well as human prostate cancer tissue possess a distinct SP fraction. Nearly 75% of the SP cells are in the G0/G1 phase compared to 62% for non-SP cells and have higher expression of stem cell markers as well. SP cell fraction was increased following PTX monotherapy and treatment with CYA or CYA plus PTX effectively reduced their numbers suggesting the effectiveness of combination therapy. SP fraction cells were allowed to differentiate and reanalyzed by Hoechst staining and gene expression analysis. Post differentiation, SP cells constitute 15.8% of total viable cells which decreases to 0.6% on treatment with CYA. The expression levels of P-gp efflux protein were also significantly decreased on treatment with PTX and CYA combination. MicroRNA profiling of DU145-TXR and PC3-TXR cells and prostate cancer tissue from the patients showed decreased expression of tumor suppressor miRNAs such as miR34a and miR200c. Treatment with PTX and CYA combination restored the expression of miR200c and 34a, confirming their role in modulating chemoresistance. We have shown that supplementing mitotic stabilizer drugs such as PTX with Hh-inhibitor CYA can reverse PTX chemoresistance and eliminate SP fraction in androgen independent, metastatic prostate cancer cell

  12. Pentraxin 3, ficolin-2 and lectin pathway associated serine protease MASP-3 as early predictors of myocardial infarction - the HUNT2 study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vengen, Inga Thorsen; Enger, Tone Bull; Videm, Vibeke

    2017-01-01

    The lectin complement pathway is suggested to play a role in atherogenesis. Pentraxin-3 (PTX3), ficolin-1, ficolin-2, ficolin-3, MBL/ficolin/collectin-associated serine protease-3 (MASP-3) and MBL/ficolin/collectin-associated protein-1 (MAP-1) are molecules related to activation of the lectin...... complement pathway. We hypothesized that serum levels of these molecules may be associated with the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI). In a Norwegian population-based cohort (HUNT2) where young to middle-aged relatively healthy Caucasians were followed up for a first-time MI from 1995-1997 through 2008...... compared to the traditional Framingham risk score alone (AUC increased from 0.64 to 0.68, p = 0.006). These results support the role of complement-dependent inflammation in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease....

  13. Uptake of oleate by isolated rat adipocytes is mediated by a 40-kDa plasma membrane fatty acid binding protein closely related to that in liver and gut

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schwieterman, W.; Sorrentino, D.; Potter, B.J.; Rand, J.; Kiang, C.L.; Stump, D.; Berk, P.D.

    1988-01-01

    A portion of the hepatocellular uptake of nonesterified long-chain fatty acids is mediated by a specific 40-kDa plasma membrane fatty acid binding protein, which has also been isolated from the gut. To investigate whether a similar transport process exists in other tissues with high transmembrane fatty acid fluxes, initial rates (V/sub O/) of [ 3 H]-oleate uptake into isolated rat adipocytes were studied as a function of the concentration of unbound [ 3 H]oleate in the medium. V/sub O/ reached a maximum as the concentration of unbound oleate was increased and was significantly inhibited both by phloretin and by prior incubation of the cells with Pronase. A rabbit antibody to the rat liver plasma membrane fatty acid binding protein inhibited adipocyte fatty acid uptake by up to 63% in dose-dependent fashion. Inhibition was noncompetitive; at an immunoglobulin concentration of 250 μg/ml V/sub max/ was reduced from 2480 /plus minus/ 160 to 1870 /plus minus/ 80 pmol/min per 5 /times/ 10 4 adipocytes, with no change in K/sub m/. A basic kDa adipocyte plasma membrane fatty acid binding protein, isolated from crude adipocyte plasma membrane fractions, reacted strongly in both agar gel diffusion and electrophoretic blots with the antibody raised against the corresponding hepatic plasma membrane protein. These data indicate that the uptake of oleate by rat adipocytes is mediated by a 40-kDa plasma membrane fatty acid binding protein closely related to that in liver and gut

  14. Cysteine-rich secretory protein 3 is a ligand of alpha1B-glycoprotein in human plasma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Udby, Lene; Sørensen, Ole E; Pass, Jesper

    2004-01-01

    Human cysteine-rich secretory protein 3 (CRISP-3; also known as SGP28) belongs to a family of closely related proteins found in mammals and reptiles. Some mammalian CRISPs are known to be involved in the process of reproduction, whereas some of the CRISPs from reptiles are neurotoxin...

  15. Inflammatory Long Pentraxin 3 is Associated with Leukocyte Telomere Length in Night-Shift Workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavanello, Sofia; Stendardo, Mariarita; Mastrangelo, Giuseppe; Bonci, Melissa; Bottazzi, Barbara; Campisi, Manuela; Nardini, Marco; Leone, Roberto; Mantovani, Alberto; Boschetto, Piera

    2017-01-01

    Aging is an emerging worldwide threat to public health, even in the workplace, as it links with risk of illness and death. Bewildered inflammatory responses and stressful conditions associate with age-related disorders. Additionally, circadian rhythm disruption, a critical health issue in night-shift workers, correlates with premature aging. We investigated the hypothesis of a link between altered inflammatory response, detected by plasmatic long pentraxin 3 (PTX3), and biological aging, measured by leukocyte telomere length (LTL), attrition, and possibly induced by night-shift work. Within the framework of a cross-sectional study, such possible relationships were appraised by simultaneous equation model (SEM) technique among day and night-shift hospital workers. PTX3 levels, modulated by several aging conditions [i.e., body mass index (BMI) (beta = -0.22; p  = 0.022), C-reactive protein (CRP) (beta = -0.07; p  = 0.000), and cardiovascular diseases with hypertension included (CVD) (beta = -0.12; p  = 0.000)], positively associate with LTL (coefficient = 0.15; p  = 0.033). LTL, in turn is reduced by CVD (beta = -0.15; p  = 0.000), binge drinking (beta = -0.10; p  = 0.004), and CRP (beta = -0.05; p  = 0.026). On the other hand, night-shift work, found to be remarkably free from aging risk factors [i.e., age (beta = -0.13; p  = 0.017), BMI (beta = -0.17; p  = 0.030), CVD (beta = -0.14; p  = 0.000), and binge drinking (beta = -0.13; p  = 0.000)], does associate almost significantly with reversed PTX3 (coefficient = -0.09; p  = 0.089) and even with CRP (beta = 0.17; p  = 0.000). In conclusion, the SEM analysis indicates that PTX3 is positively linked to LTL. The finding suggests a possible new role of this long pentraxin that, by orchestrating an efficient governance of inflammatory processes, may protect telomere from attrition, ensuring therefore the genetic

  16. Analysis of the plasma proteome in COPD: Novel low abundance proteins reflect the severity of lung remodeling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merali, Salim; Barrero, Carlos A; Bowler, Russell P; Chen, Diane Er; Criner, Gerard; Braverman, Alan; Litwin, Samuel; Yeung, Anthony; Kelsen, Steven G

    2014-04-01

    The search for COPD biomarkers has largely employed a targeted approach that focuses on plasma proteins involved in the systemic inflammatory response and in lung injury and repair. This proof of concept study was designed to test the idea that an open, unbiased, in-depth proteomics approach could identify novel, low abundance plasma proteins i.e., ng/mL concentration, which could serve as potential biomarkers. Differentially expressed proteins were identified in a discovery group with severe COPD (FEV1 <45% predicted; n = 10). Subjects with normal lung function matched for age, sex, ethnicity and smoking history served as controls (n = 10). Pooled plasma from each group was exhaustively immunodepleted of abundant proteins, d separated by 1-D gel electrophoresis and extensively fractionated prior to LC-tandem mass spectroscopy (GeLC-MS). Thirty one differentially expressed proteins were identified in the discovery group including markers of lung defense against oxidant stress, alveolar macrophage activation, and lung tissue injury and repair. Four of the 31 proteins (i.e., GRP78, soluble CD163, IL1AP and MSPT9) were measured in a separate verification group of 80 subjects with varying COPD severity by immunoassay. All 4 were significantly altered in COPD and 2 (GRP78 and soluble CD163) correlated with both FEV1 and the extent of emphysema. In-depth, plasma proteomic analysis identified a group of novel, differentially expressed, low abundance proteins that reflect known pathogenic mechanisms and the severity of lung remodeling in COPD. These proteins may also prove useful as COPD biomarkers.

  17. The preparation, characterization, and pharmacokinetic studies of chitosan nanoparticles loaded with paclitaxel/dimethyl-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ye YJ

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Ya-Jing Ye,1 Yun Wang,1 Kai-Yan Lou,1 Yan-Zuo Chen,1 Rongjun Chen,2 Feng Gao1,3,4 1Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; 3Shanghai Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Chemistry, 4Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China Abstract: A novel biocompatible and biodegradable drug-delivery nanoparticle (NP has been developed to minimize the severe side effects of the poorly water-soluble anticancer drug paclitaxel (PTX for clinical use. PTX was loaded into the hydrophobic cavity of a hydrophilic cyclodextrin derivative, heptakis (2,6-di-O-methyl-β-cyclodextrin (DM-β-CD, using an aqueous solution-stirring method followed by lyophilization. The resulting PTX/DM-β-CD inclusion complex dramatically enhanced the solubility of PTX in water and was directly incorporated into chitosan (CS to form NPs (with a size of 323.9–407.8 nm in diameter using an ionic gelation method. The formed NPs had a zeta potential of +15.9–23.3 mV and showed high colloidal stability. With the same weight ratio of PTX to CS of 0.7, the loading efficiency of the PTX/DM-β-CD inclusion complex-loaded CS NPs was 30.3-fold higher than that of the PTX-loaded CS NPs. Moreover, it is notable that PTX was released from the DM-β-CD/CS NPs in a sustained-release manner. The pharmacokinetic studies revealed that, compared with reference formulation (Taxol®, the PTX/DM-β-CD inclusion complex-loaded CS NPs exhibited a significant increase in AUC0→24h (the area under the plasma drug concentration–time curve over the period of 24 hours and mean residence time by 2.7-fold and 1.4-fold, respectively. Therefore, the novel drug/DM-β-CD inclusion complex-loaded CS NPs have promising applications for the

  18. High-fat diet-induced plasma protein and liver changes in obese rats can be attenuated by melatonin supplementation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wongchitrat, Prapimpun; Klosen, Paul; Pannengpetch, Supitcha; Kitidee, Kuntida; Govitrapong, Piyarat; Isarankura-Na-Ayudhya, Chartchalerm

    2017-06-01

    Obesity triggers changes in protein expression in various organs that might participate in the pathogenesis of obesity. Melatonin has been reported to prevent or attenuate such pathological protein changes in several chronic diseases. However, such melatonin effects on plasma proteins have not yet been studied in an obesity model. Using a proteomic approach, we investigated the effect of melatonin on plasma protein profiles after rats were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) to induce obesity. We hypothesized that melatonin would attenuate abnormal protein expression in obese rats. After 10weeks of the HFD, animals displayed increased body weight and fat accumulation as well as increased glucose levels, indicating an obesity-induced prediabetes mellitus-like state. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry revealed 12 proteins whose expression was altered in response to the HFD and the melatonin treatment. The altered proteins are related to the development of liver pathology, such as cirrhosis (α1-antiproteinase), thrombosis (fibrinogen, plasminogen), and inflammation (mannose-binding protein A, complement C4, complement factor B), contributing to liver steatosis or hepatic cell death. Melatonin treatment most probably reduced the severity of the HFD-induced obesity by reducing the amplitude of HFD-induced plasma protein changes. In conclusion, we identified several potential biomarkers associated with the progression of obesity and its complications, such as liver damage. Furthermore, our findings reveal melatonin's beneficial effect of attenuating plasma protein changes and liver pathogenesis in obese rats. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. A biotin enrichment strategy identifies novel carbonylated amino acids in proteins from human plasma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Havelund, Jesper F; Wojdyla, Katarzyna; Davies, Michael J

    2017-01-01

    Protein carbonylation is an irreversible protein oxidation correlated with oxidative stress, various diseases and ageing. Here we describe a peptide-centric approach for identification and characterisation of up to 14 different types of carbonylated amino acids in proteins. The modified residues...... in vitro metal ion-catalysed oxidation. Furthermore, we assigned 133 carbonylated sites in 36 proteins in native human plasma protein samples. The optimised workflow enabled detection of 10 hitherto undetected types of carbonylated amino acids in proteins: aldehyde and ketone modifications of leucine...

  20. Protein profiles of CCL5, HPGDS, and NPSR1 in plasma reveal association with childhood asthma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamsten, C; Häggmark, A; Grundström, J; Mikus, M; Lindskog, C; Konradsen, J R; Eklund, A; Pershagen, G; Wickman, M; Grunewald, J; Melén, E; Hedlin, G; Nilsson, P; van Hage, M

    2016-09-01

    Asthma is a common chronic childhood disease with many different phenotypes that need to be identified. We analyzed a broad range of plasma proteins in children with well-characterized asthma phenotypes to identify potential markers of childhood asthma. Using an affinity proteomics approach, plasma levels of 362 proteins covered by antibodies from the Human Protein Atlas were investigated in a total of 154 children with persistent or intermittent asthma and controls. After screening, chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) hematopoietic prostaglandin D synthase (HPGDS) and neuropeptide S receptor 1 (NPSR1) were selected for further investigation. Significantly lower levels of both CCL5 and HPGDS were found in children with persistent asthma, while NPSR1 was found at higher levels in children with mild intermittent asthma compared to healthy controls. In addition, the protein levels were investigated in another respiratory disease, sarcoidosis, showing significantly higher NPSR1 levels in sera from sarcoidosis patients compared to healthy controls. Immunohistochemical staining of healthy tissues revealed high cytoplasmic expression of HPGDS in mast cells, present in stroma of both airway epithelia, lung as well as in other organs. High expression of NPSR1 was observed in neuroendocrine tissues, while no expression was observed in airway epithelia or lung. In conclusion, we have utilized a broad-scaled affinity proteomics approach to identify three proteins with altered plasma levels in asthmatic children, representing one of the first evaluations of HPGDS and NPSR1 protein levels in plasma. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Systematic study of plasma and serum proteins in the pig; Etude systematique des proteines plasmatiques et seriques du porc

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Daburon, F; Nizza, P; Hatchikian, C; Schmidt, J -P [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique (France)

    1966-07-01

    This work has been carried out in the framework of the determination of the physiological constants of a normal pig. The aim was to study the serum and plasma proteins of this animal species, the ultimate object being to discover whether the qualitative and quantitative changes in these proteins can make a significant contribution to the establishment of a biological dosimetry for irradiated pigs. The serum and plasma from a normal pig were analyzed first by various simple electrophoretic methods and then by immuno-electrophoresis. As a result of the particular characteristics of pig serum we have gradually been led to make numerous modifications to the techniques used for human serums or for those of small laboratory animals. Much careful work and patience were required in order to obtain reproducible results. (authors) [French] Ce travail se situe dans le cadre de la determination des constantes physiologiques du porc normal. il s'agissait de proceder a l'etude des proteines seriques et plasmatiques de cette espece animale, le but ulterieur etant de savoir si les modifications qualitatives et quantitatives de ces proteines pourront representer une contribution valable a l'etablissement d'une dosimetrie biologique chez le porc irradie. Le serum et le plasma du porc normal ont ete analyses d'abord par diverses methodes electrophoretiques simples puis par immunoelectrophorese. Les caracteristiques particulieres du serum de porc nous ont conduits a apporter progressivement de nombreuses modifications aux techniques utilisees pour des serums humains ou de petits animaux de laboratoire. L'obtention de resultats reproductible a exige beaucoup de patience et de minutie. (auteurs)

  2. The effect of glycosylation on cytotoxicity of Ibaraki virus nonstructural protein NS3

    Science.gov (United States)

    URATA, Maho; WATANABE, Rie; IWATA, Hiroyuki

    2015-01-01

    The cytotoxicity of Ibaraki virus nonstructural protein NS3 was confirmed, and the contribution of glycosylation to this activity was examined by using glycosylation mutants of NS3 generated by site-directed mutagenesis. The expression of NS3 resulted in leakage of lactate dehydrogenase to the culture supernatant, suggesting the cytotoxicity of this protein. The lack of glycosylation impaired the transport of NS3 to the plasma membrane and resulted in reduced cytotoxicity. Combined with the previous observation that NS3 glycosylation was specifically observed in mammalian cells (Urata et al., Virus Research 2014), it was suggested that the alteration of NS3 cytotoxicity through modulating glycosylation is one of the strategies to achieve host specific pathogenisity of Ibaraki virus between mammals and vector arthropods. PMID:26178820

  3. Metastasis-related plasma membrane proteins of human breast cancer cells identified by comparative quantitative mass spectrometry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Leth-Larsen, Rikke; Lund, Rikke; Hansen, Helle V

    2009-01-01

    The spread of cancer cells from a primary tumor to form metastasis at distant sites is a complex multi-step process. The cancer cell proteins, and plasma membrane proteins in particular, involved in this process are poorly defined and a study of the very early events of the metastatic process using...... clinical samples or in vitro assays is not feasible. We have used a unique model system consisting of two isogenic human breast cancer cell lines that are equally tumorigenic in mice, but while one gives rise to metastasis, the other disseminates single cells that remain dormant at distant organs. Membrane...... purification and comparative quantitative LC-MS/MS proteomic analysis identified 13 membrane proteins that were expressed at higher levels and 3 that were under-expressed in the metastatic compared to the non-metastatic cell line from a total of 1919 identified protein entries. Among the proteins were ecto-5...

  4. Blood-brain barrier disruption in CCL2 transgenic mice during pertussis toxin-induced brain inflammation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schellenberg, Angela E; Buist, Richard; Del Bigio, Marc R

    2012-01-01

    infiltrate into the brain parenchyma following the administration of pertussis toxin (PTx). METHODS: This study uses contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to quantify the extent of blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption in this model pre- and post-PTx administration compared to wild type mice....... Contrast-enhanced MR images were obtained before and 1, 3, and 5 days after PTx injection in each animal. After the final imaging session fluorescent dextran tracers were administered intravenously to each mouse and brains were examined histologically for cellular infiltrates, BBB leakage and tight...... junction protein. RESULTS: BBB breakdown, defined as a disruption of both the endothelium and glia limitans, was found only in CCL2 transgenic mice following PTx administration seen on MR images as focal areas of contrast enhancement and histologically as dextrans leaking from blood vessels. No evidence...

  5. Adsorption of proteins from plasma to a series of hydrophilic-hydrophobic copolymers. I. Analysis with the in situ radioiodination technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Horbett, T.A.; Weathersby, P.K.

    1981-01-01

    The adsorption of proteins affects cellular interactions with foreign surfaces and thus plays an important role in determining the biocompatibility of implants. Previous studies have indicated differences in the affinity of various proteins for a given polymer, and differences in the affinity of fibrinogen for a series of polymers varying in hydrophilicity. These studies suggest that differences in the composition of the protein layer adsorbed to polymers from plasma might exist. To examine this hypothesis, the proteins adsorbed from plasma to a series of polymers varying in hydrophilicity were analyzed with the iodogram technique. Copolymers of hydroxyethyl methacrylate and ethyl methacrylate made by the radiation grafting technique were exposed to plasma for 0.5 or 150 min. The adsorbed proteins were iodinated, eluted with SDS, and separated with polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Fibrinogen, immunoglobulin G, hemoglobin, and a peak tentatively ascribed to prothrombin were the major proteins detected. Very little iodine was incorporated into adsorbed albumin, even though it was shown to be present by a separate experiment using dye binding. The fraction of total radioactivity associated with each of nine proteins was found to vary markedly and systematically among the surfaces. The distribution of radioactivity into the proteins was very different on 0.5 and 150-min plasma exposed polymers. The results reflect both compositional differences in the adsorbed protein layer on the polymers and differences in the accessibility of proteins to the labeling reagent in the adsorbed state. Differences in the organization of the adsorbed protein layer may play a key role in determining whether cell surface receptors can come in contact with the specific plasma protein able to further stimulate the cell

  6. Probing plasma membrane microdomains in cowpea protoplasts using lipidated GFP-fusion proteins and multimode FRET microscopy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vermeer, J.E.M.; van Munster, E.B.; Vischer, N.O.; Gadella, T.

    2004-01-01

    Multimode fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy was applied to study the plasma membrane organization using different lipidated green fluorescent protein (GFP)-fusion proteins co-expressed in cowpea protoplasts. Cyan fluorescent protein (CFP) was fused to the hyper variable region

  7. Effects of the Sequence of Isocaloric Meals with Different Protein Contents on Plasma Biochemical Indexes in Pigs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chunyan Xie

    Full Text Available Nutrient composition and pattern of food intake may play a significant role in weight gain. The aim of this study was to document the effects of a daily 3-meal pattern with isocaloric diets containing different dietary protein contents on growth performance and different plasma biochemical indexes including amino acid plasma concentration in castrated male pigs. Then, 21 DLY (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire pigs aged 60 days were assigned randomly into 3 groups: a control group (crude protein, CP 18.1%, a group receiving high then basal and then low CP meals (High-Low group and a group receiving low then basal and then high CP meal (Low-High group for 40 days with pigs being feed-restricted. On day 40, after 12 h fasting, blood samples were obtained for analysis. The results showed that the insulin/glucagon ratio was lower in the High-Low group (P<0.05 when compared with the control group. Compared with the control group, the average daily gain of pigs from the High-Low group increased by 14.10% (P = 0.046. Compared with the control group, serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT decreased significantly (P<0.05 in both the High-Low and Low-High groups. Plasma concentrations of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA: valine, isoleucine and leucine increased in the Low-High group (P<0.05 when compared with the control group; and plasma methionine and serine decreased in both the two experimental groups (P<0.05. Compared with the High-Low group, all the BCAA increased significantly (P<0.05 in the Low-High group. These findings suggest that the sequence and quantity of alimentary protein intake affect the insulin/glucagon ratio, as well as amino acid concentrations including BCAA, methionine and serine. It is proposed that meal pattern with pigs receiving high then basal and then low CP meals daily may help to improve the weight gain of pigs.

  8. Standardized 15N tracer methods for the evaluation of the plasma protein turnover in clinical practice. 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bornhak, H.

    1984-01-01

    Methods for quantitative isolation of plasma proteins or groups of proteins (total plasma or serum proteins, fibrin, total globulines, α, β, γ-globolines, albumin) are described based on combination of chromatography with precipitation and extraction techniques. These methods are adapted to the special requirements of 15 N analysis. They can be performed in clinic-chemical standard laboratories without special apparatuses or devices. The described procedures are the biochemico-analytical basis for the quantitative evaluation of tracer kinetics data by means of mathematic modelling. (author)

  9. The Plasma Membrane Sialidase NEU3 Regulates the Malignancy of Renal Carcinoma Cells by Controlling β1 Integrin Internalization and Recycling*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tringali, Cristina; Lupo, Barbara; Silvestri, Ilaria; Papini, Nadia; Anastasia, Luigi; Tettamanti, Guido; Venerando, Bruno

    2012-01-01

    The human plasma membrane sialidase NEU3 is a key enzyme in the catabolism of membrane gangliosides, is crucial in the regulation of cell surface processes, and has been demonstrated to be significantly up-regulated in renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). In this report, we show that NEU3 regulates β1 integrin trafficking in RCC cells by controlling β1 integrin recycling to the plasma membrane and controlling activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling. NEU3 silencing in RCC cells increased the membrane ganglioside content, in particular the GD1a content, and changed the expression of key regulators of the integrin recycling pathway. In addition, NEU3 silencing up-regulated the Ras-related protein RAB25, which directs internalized integrins to lysosomes, and down-regulated the chloride intracellular channel protein 3 (CLIC3), which induces the recycling of internalized integrins to the plasma membrane. In this manner, NEU3 silencing enhanced the caveolar endocytosis of β1 integrin, blocked its recycling and reduced its levels at the plasma membrane, and, consequently, inhibited EGFR and FAK/AKT. These events had the following effects on the behavior of RCC cells: they (a) decreased drug resistance mediated by the block of autophagy and the induction of apoptosis; (b) decreased metastatic potential mediated by down-regulation of the metalloproteinases MMP1 and MMP7; and (c) decreased adhesion to collagen and fibronectin. Therefore, our data identify NEU3 as a key regulator of the β1 integrin-recycling pathway and FAK/AKT signaling and demonstrate its crucial role in RCC malignancy. PMID:23139422

  10. Detection of lung cancer using plasma protein profiling by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shevchenko, Valeriy E; Arnotskaya, Natalia E; Zaridze, David G

    2010-01-01

    There are no satisfactory plasma biomarkers which are available for the early detection and monitoring of lung cancer, one of the most frequent cancers worldwide. The aim of this study is to explore the application of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF MS) to plasma proteomic patterns to distinguish lung cancer patients from healthy individuals. The EDTA plasma samples have been pre-fractionated using magnetic bead kits functionalized with weak cation exchange coatings. We compiled MS protein profiles for 90 patients with squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and compared them with profiles from 187 healthy controls. The MALDI-ToF spectra were analyzed statistically using ClinProTools bioinformatics software. Depending on the sample used, up to 441 peaks/spectrum could be detected in a mass range of 1000-20,000 Da; 33 of these proteins had statistically differential expression levels between SCC and control plasma (P 90%) in external validation test. These results suggest that plasma MALDI-ToF MS protein profiling can distinguish patients with SCC and also from healthy individuals with relatively high sensitivity and specificity and that MALDI- ToF MS is a potential tool for the screening of lung cancer.

  11. Plasma protein corona modulates the vascular wall interaction of drug carriers in a material and donor specific manner.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel J Sobczynski

    Full Text Available The nanoscale plasma protein interaction with intravenously injected particulate carrier systems is known to modulate their organ distribution and clearance from the bloodstream. However, the role of this plasma protein interaction in prescribing the adhesion of carriers to the vascular wall remains relatively unknown. Here, we show that the adhesion of vascular-targeted poly(lactide-co-glycolic-acid (PLGA spheres to endothelial cells is significantly inhibited in human blood flow, with up to 90% reduction in adhesion observed relative to adhesion in simple buffer flow, depending on the particle size and the magnitude and pattern of blood flow. This reduced PLGA adhesion in blood flow is linked to the adsorption of certain high molecular weight plasma proteins on PLGA and is donor specific, where large reductions in particle adhesion in blood flow (>80% relative to buffer is seen with ∼60% of unique donor bloods while others exhibit moderate to no reductions. The depletion of high molecular weight immunoglobulins from plasma is shown to successfully restore PLGA vascular wall adhesion. The observed plasma protein effect on PLGA is likely due to material characteristics since the effect is not replicated with polystyrene or silica spheres. These particles effectively adhere to the endothelium at a higher level in blood over buffer flow. Overall, understanding how distinct plasma proteins modulate the vascular wall interaction of vascular-targeted carriers of different material characteristics would allow for the design of highly functional delivery vehicles for the treatment of many serious human diseases.

  12. Synthesis and physicochemical properties of the furan dicarboxylic acid, 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropanoic acid, an inhibitor of plasma protein binding in uraemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costigan, M G; Gilchrist, T L; Lindup, W E

    1996-06-01

    The furan dicarboxylic acid, 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropanoic acid (5-propyl FPA) accumulates in the plasma of patients with chronic renal failure and is a major contributor to the drug binding defect of uraemic plasma. This acid has also been implicated in several other aspects of the uraemic syndrome: anaemia, irregularities of thyroid function, neurological symptoms and inhibition of active tubular secretion. The acid is not commercially available and its synthesis, starting with Meldrum's acid and methyl succinyl chloride, is described. The pKa values were measured by titration and values of 3.2 and 3.6 respectively were assigned to the carboxylic acid groups attached directly to the ring at position 3 and at position 2 (on the side-chain). The partition coefficient (log P) between hydrochloric acid and octanol was 1.2 and the distribution coefficient (log D; octanol-phosphate buffer pH 7.4) was -0.59. The pKa values and the degree of hydrophobic character of 5-propyl FPA are consistent with those of other protein-bound acids which undergo active tubular secretion by the kidney and this substance may serve as an endogenous marker for the effects of drugs and disease on this process.

  13. Absorption of dietary manganese by dairy cows and the role of plasma proteins and the liver in its homeostasis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sansom, B.F.; Gibbons, R.A.; Dixon, S.N.; Russell, A.M.; Symonds, H.W.

    1976-01-01

    The concentration of manganese in the systemic blood plasma of cattle is maintained close to 5 μg/1 whether their diet contains 50 or 1000 ppm manganese. The gut absorbs approximately 1% of this dietary manganese irrespective of its dietary concentration. The homeostasis of plasma manganese concentration must therefore be achieved by an excretory method. In vitro experiments have shown that manganese in plasma became bound to two proteins - to α 2 -macroglobulin, in its divalent Mn 2+ state, and to transferrin, in its trivalent Mn 3+ state. The proportions of 54 Mn bound to these two proteins depended strongly on the temperature of incubation of 54 Mn with plasma, and the temperature and pH at which electrophoresis was subsequently performed. 54 Mn 2+ was bound to transferrin only in the presence of an oxidizing agent such as molecular oxygen, ceruloplasmin or permanganate, and α 2 -macroglobulin was not involved in this process. In vivo experiments using cows with permanently indwelling mesenteric, portal and hepatic venous cannulae have shown that the liver cleared the portal blood quantitatively of free Mn 2+ ions, removed approximately 75% of Mn 2+ bound to α 2 -macroglobulin, but removed practically none of the Mn 3+ transferrin complex. These results suggest that manganese may be absorbed through the gut as Mn 2+ ions; some of these become bound to α 2 -macroblobulin while any excess free ions are extracted by the liver and excreted. Some of those bound to α 2 -macroglobulin enter the systemic circulation and are oxidized, either in the plasma or in tissue, to the Mn 3+ state and become bound to transferring, the form in which manganese is circulated for metabolic purposes. (author)

  14. Filtration as the main transport mechanism of protein exchange between plasma and the peritoneal cavity in hepatic cirrhosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henriksen, J H; Lassen, N A; Parving, H H

    1980-01-01

    Fractional peritoneal reabsorption rates (FPRR) were determined from the plasma activity after simultaneous intraperitoneal injection of 131I-labelled serum albumin (a) and 125I-labelled immunoglobulin G-IgG (g) in eight patients with cirrhosis (+ ascites 6, -ascites 2) and in one patient...... with carcinomatous ascites. Trans-vascular escape rates of albumin (TERa) and IgG (TERg) were determined in the cirrhotic patients from the disappearance of simultaneously intravenously injected 131I-labelled serum albumin and 124I-labelled IgG. Peritoneal space to plasma appearance times ranged 0.1-3.3 h......, and the appearance times of albumin and IgG were almost identical. In patients with cirrhosis FPRRa and FPRRg were on average 1.27 and 1.21% of intraperitoneal protein masses returning to plasma per hour, respectively. Mean FPRRg/FPRRa ratio was 0.95 and this value was not significantly different from unity...

  15. Adsorption of plasma proteins : adsorption behaviour on apolar surfaces and effect on colloid stability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Scheer, Albert

    1978-01-01

    In this thesis the adsorption of some plasma proteins (human albumin (HSA) and fibrinogen (HFb)) on non polar surfaces is studied, together with the influence of these proteins on the stability of polystyrene latices. The aim of these investigations is a better understanding of the processes

  16. Milk proteins interact with goat Binder of SPerm (BSP) proteins and decrease their binding to sperm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Menezes, Erika Bezerra; van Tilburg, Mauricio; Plante, Geneviève; de Oliveira, Rodrigo V; Moura, Arlindo A; Manjunath, Puttaswamy

    2016-11-01

    Seminal plasma Binder of SPerm (BSP) proteins bind to sperm at ejaculation and promote capacitation. When in excess, however, BSP proteins damage the sperm membrane. It has been suggested that milk components of semen extenders associate with BSP proteins, potentially protecting sperm. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate if milk proteins interact with BSP proteins and reduce BSP binding to goat sperm. Using gel filtration chromatography, milk was incubated with goat seminal plasma proteins and loaded onto columns with and without calcium. Milk was also fractionated into parts containing mostly whey proteins or mostly caseins, incubated with seminal plasma proteins and subjected to gel filtration. Eluted fractions were evaluated by immunoblot using anti-goat BSP antibodies, confirming milk protein-BSP protein interactions. As determined by ELISA, milk proteins coated on polystyrene wells bound to increasing of goat BSP proteins. Far-western dot blots confirmed that BSP proteins bound to caseins and β-lactoglobulin in a concentration-dependent manner. Then, cauda epididymal sperm from five goats was incubated with seminal plasma; seminal plasma followed by milk; and milk followed by seminal plasma. Sperm membrane proteins were extracted and evaluated by immunoblotting. The pattern of BSP binding to sperm membrane proteins was reduced by 59.3 % when epididymal sperm were incubated with seminal plasma and then with skimmed milk (p  0.05). In conclusion, goat BSP proteins have an affinity for caseins and whey proteins. Milk reduces BSP binding to goat sperm, depending whether or not sperm had been previously exposed to seminal plasma. Such events may explain the protective effect of milk during goat sperm preservation.

  17. Age- and gender-related alteration in plasma advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) concentrations in physiological ageing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Komosinska-Vassev, Katarzyna; Olczyk, Pawel; Winsz-Szczotka, Katarzyna; Kuznik-Trocha, Kornelia; Klimek, Katarzyna; Olczyk, Krystyna

    2012-02-13

    The authors studied the role of increased oxidative stress in the development of oxidative protein damage and extracellular matrix (ECM) components in ageing. The age- and gender-associated disturbances in connective tissue metabolism were evaluated by the plasma chondroitin sulphated glycosaminoglycans (CS-GAG) and non-sulphated GAG-hyaluronan (HA) measurements. Plasma concentration of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) was analysed in order to assess oxidative protein damage and evaluate the possible deleterious role of oxidative phenomenon on tissue proteoglycans' metabolism during the physiological ageing process. Sulphated and non-sulphated GAGs as well as AOPP were quantified in plasma samples from 177 healthy volunteers. A linear age-related decline of plasma CS-GAG level was found in this study (r=-0.46; page (r=0.44; page-dependent relationship has been shown in regard to AOPP. AOPP levels significantly increased with age (r=0.63; pphysiological ageing. A significant correlation was found between the concentrations of AOPP and both CS-GAG (r=-0.31; page changes in the ECM are reflected by CS-GAG and HA plasma levels. Strong correlations between AOPP and ECM components indicate that oxidative stress targets protein and non-protein components of the connective tissue matrix during human ageing.

  18. Insulin sensitivity is independent of lipid binding protein trafficking at the plasma membrane in human skeletal muscle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jordy, Andreas Børsting; Serup, Annette Karen; Karstoft, Kristian

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate lipid-induced regulation of lipid binding proteins in human skeletal muscle and the impact hereof on insulin sensitivity. Eleven healthy male subjects underwent a 3-day hyper-caloric and high-fat diet regime. Muscle biopsies were taken before......-regulated by increased fatty acid availability. This suggests a time dependency in the up-regulation of FAT/CD36 and FABPpm protein during high availability of plasma fatty acids. Furthermore, we did not detect FATP1 and FATP4 protein in giant sarcolemmal vesicles obtained from human skeletal muscle. In conclusion......, this study shows that a short-term lipid-load increases mRNA content of key lipid handling proteins in human muscle. However, decreased insulin sensitivity after high-fat diet is not accompanied with relocation of FAT/CD36 or FABPpm protein to the sarcolemma. Finally, FATP1 and FATP4 protein could...

  19. Annexin A2 Mediates the Localization of Measles Virus Matrix Protein at the Plasma Membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koga, Ritsuko; Kubota, Marie; Hashiguchi, Takao; Yanagi, Yusuke; Ohno, Shinji

    2018-02-28

    Annexins are a family of structurally related proteins that bind negatively charged membrane phospholipids in a Ca 2+ -dependent manner. Annexin A2 (AnxA2), a member of the family, has been implicated in a variety of cellular functions including the organization of membrane domains, vesicular trafficking and cell-cell adhesion. AnxA2 generally forms the heterotetrameric complex with a small Ca 2+ -binding protein S100A10. Measles virus (MV), a member of the family Paramyxoviridae , is an enveloped virus with a nonsegmented negative strand RNA genome. Knockdown of AnxA2 greatly reduced MV growth in cells, without affecting its entry and viral RNA production. In MV-infected, AnxA2-knockdown cells, the expression level of the matrix (M) protein, but not other viral proteins, was reduced compared with that in control cells, and the distribution of the M protein at the plasma membrane was decreased. The M protein lines the inner surface of the envelope and plays an important role in virus assembly by connecting the nucleocapsid to the envelope proteins. The M protein bound to AnxA2 independently of AnxA2's phosphorylation or its association with S100A10, and was co-localized with AnxA2 within cells. Truncation of the N-terminal 10 amino acid residues, but not the N-terminal 5 residues, compromised the ability of the M protein to interact with AnxA2 and localize at the plasma membrane. These results indicate that AnxA2 mediates the localization of the MV M protein at the plasma membrane by interacting with its N-terminal region (especially residues at positions 6-10), thereby aiding in MV assembly. IMPORTANCE Measles virus (MV) is an important human pathogen, still claiming ∼ 100,000 lives per year despite the presence of effective vaccines, and causes occasional outbreaks even in developed countries. Replication of viruses largely relies on the functions of host cells. Our study revealed that the reduction of the host protein annexin A2 compromises the replication of

  20. Numerical calculation on a two-step subdiffusion behavior of lateral protein movement in plasma membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sumi, Tomonari; Okumoto, Atsushi; Goto, Hitoshi; Sekino, Hideo

    2017-10-01

    A two-step subdiffusion behavior of lateral movement of transmembrane proteins in plasma membranes has been observed by using single-molecule experiments. A nested double-compartment model where large compartments are divided into several smaller ones has been proposed in order to explain this observation. These compartments are considered to be delimited by membrane-skeleton "fences" and membrane-protein "pickets" bound to the fences. We perform numerical simulations of a master equation using a simple two-dimensional lattice model to investigate the heterogeneous diffusion dynamics behavior of transmembrane proteins within plasma membranes. We show that the experimentally observed two-step subdiffusion process can be described using fence and picket models combined with decreased local diffusivity of transmembrane proteins in the vicinity of the pickets. This allows us to explain the two-step subdiffusion behavior without explicitly introducing nested double compartments.

  1. A 39-kD plasma membrane protein (IP39) is an anchor for the unusual membrane skeleton of Euglena gracilis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosiere, T.K.; Marrs, J.A.; Bouck, G.B.

    1990-01-01

    The major integral plasma membrane protein (IP39) of Euglena gracilis was radiolabeled, peptide mapped, and dissected with proteases to identify cytoplasmic domains that bind and anchor proteins of the cell surface. When plasma membranes were radioiodinated and extracted with octyl glucoside, 98% of the extracted label was found in IP39 or the 68- and 110-kD oligomers of IP39. The octyl glucoside extracts were incubated with unlabeled cell surface proteins immobilized on nitrocellulose (overlays). Radiolabel from the membrane extract bound one (80 kD) of the two (80 and 86 kD) major membrane skeletal protein bands. Resolubilization of the bound label yielded a radiolabeled polypeptide identical in Mr to IP39. Intact plasma membranes were also digested with papain before or after radioiodination, thereby producing a cytoplasmically truncated IP39. The octyl glucoside extract of truncated IP39 no longer bound to the 80-kD membrane skeletal protein in the nitrocellulose overlays. EM of intact or trypsin digested plasma membranes incubated with membrane skeletal proteins under stringent conditions similar to those used in the nitrocellulose overlays revealed a partially reformed membrane skeletal layer. Little evidence of a membrane skeletal layer was found, however, when plasma membranes were predigested with papain before reassociation. A candidate 80-kD binding domain of IP39 has been tentatively identified as a peptide fragment that was present after trypsin digestion of plasma membranes, but was absent after papain digestion in two-dimensional peptide maps of IP39. Together, these data suggest that the unique peripheral membrane skeleton of Euglena binds to the plasma membrane through noncovalent interactions between the major 80-kD membrane skeletal protein and a small, papain sensitive cytoplasmic domain of IP39

  2. The association of 83 plasma proteins with CHD mortality, BMI, HDL-, and total-cholesterol in men: applying multivariate statistics to identify proteins with prognostic value and biological relevance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heidema, A Geert; Thissen, Uwe; Boer, Jolanda M A; Bouwman, Freek G; Feskens, Edith J M; Mariman, Edwin C M

    2009-06-01

    In this study, we applied the multivariate statistical tool Partial Least Squares (PLS) to analyze the relative importance of 83 plasma proteins in relation to coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality and the intermediate end points body mass index, HDL-cholesterol and total cholesterol. From a Dutch monitoring project for cardiovascular disease risk factors, men who died of CHD between initial participation (1987-1991) and end of follow-up (January 1, 2000) (N = 44) and matched controls (N = 44) were selected. Baseline plasma concentrations of proteins were measured by a multiplex immunoassay. With the use of PLS, we identified 15 proteins with prognostic value for CHD mortality and sets of proteins associated with the intermediate end points. Subsequently, sets of proteins and intermediate end points were analyzed together by Principal Components Analysis, indicating that proteins involved in inflammation explained most of the variance, followed by proteins involved in metabolism and proteins associated with total-C. This study is one of the first in which the association of a large number of plasma proteins with CHD mortality and intermediate end points is investigated by applying multivariate statistics, providing insight in the relationships among proteins, intermediate end points and CHD mortality, and a set of proteins with prognostic value.

  3. Pathogen inactivation in fresh frozen plasma using riboflavin and ultraviolet light: Effects on plasma proteins and coagulation factor VIII

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stanojković Zoran

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aim. Riboflavin (vitamin B2 activated by ultraviolet (UV light, produces active oxygen which damages cell membrane and prevents replication of the carrier of diseases (viruses, bacteria, protozoa in all blood products. The aim of this study was to establish the influence of the process of photo inactivation in pathogens using riboflavin and UV rays on the concentration of coagulation factor VIII:C (FVIII:C and proteins in plasma that were treated before freezing. Methods. The examination included 20 units of plasma, separated from whole blood donated by voluntary blood donors around 6 hours from the moment of collection. The units were pooled and separated in to two groups: one consisted of 10 control units and the other of 10 experimental units. Experimental units of the plasma were treated by riboflavin (35 mL and UV rays (6.24 J/mL, 265-370 nm on Mirasol aparature (Caridian BCT Biotechnologies, USA in approximate duration of 6 minutes. Furthermore, 35 mL of saline solution was added to the control plasma. One sample for examining was taken from the control plasma (KG and two residual were taken from experimental plasma after the addition of riboflavin either before (EG1 or post illumination (EG2. Results. Comparing the mean values of FVIII:C (% we noticed statistically significantly higher level in the EG1 group than in the EG2 group (65.00 ± 4.52 vs 63.20 ± 4.73; t = 4.323, p = 0.002, while between the KG and experimental groups (EG1 and EG2 there was no statistically significant difference in the concentration of FVIII:C. There was a statistically significant decrease of albumin concentration (g/L in the EG2 group comparing to the KG (33.35 ± 0.94 vs 31.94 ± 0.84; t = 3.534, p = 0.002, but there was no mentioned difference in albumin concentration between the KG and the EG1, so as between the EG1 and the EG2. Conclusion. Plasma inactivated by riboflavin and UV rays (Mirasol PRT sistem, Caridian BCT, USA keeps all the

  4. N-(4-Hydroxyphenyl) retinamide potentiated paclitaxel for cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in glioblastoma C6 and RG2 cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janardhanan, Rajiv; Butler, Jonathan T.; Banik, Naren L.; Ray, Swapan K.

    2009-01-01

    Glioblastoma grows aggressively due to its ability to maintain abnormally high potentials for cell proliferation. The present study examines the synergistic actions of N-(4-hdroxyphenyl) retinamide (4-HPR) and paclitaxel (PTX) to control the growth of rat glioblastoma C6 and RG2 cell lines. 4-HPR induced astrocytic differentiation was accompanied by increased expression of the tight junction protein e-cadherin and sustained down regulation of Id2 (member of inhibitor of differentiation family), catalytic subunit of rat telomerase reverse transcriptase (rTERT), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Flow cytometric analysis showed that the microtubule stabilizer PTX caused cell cycle deregulation due to G2/M arrest. This in turn could alter the fate of kinetochore-spindletube dynamics thereby halting cell cycle progression. An interesting observation was induction of G1/S arrest by combination of 4-HPR and PTX, altering the G2/M arrest induced by PTX alone. This was further ratified by the upregulation of tumor suppressor protein retinoblastoma, which repressed the expression of the key signaling moieties to induce G1/S arrest. Collectively, combination of 4-HPR and PTX diminished the survival factors (e.g., rTERT, PCNA, and Bcl-2) to make glioblastoma cells highly prone to apoptosis with activation of cysteine proteases (e.g., calpain, cathepsins, caspase-8, caspase-3) in two glioblastoma cell lines. Hence, combination 4-HPR and PTX can be considered as an effective therapeutic strategy for controlling the growth of heterogeneous glioblastoma cell populations. PMID:19285047

  5. Removal of model proteins by means of low-pressure inductively coupled plasma discharge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kylian, O; Rauscher, H; Gilliland, D; Bretagnol, F; Rossi, F

    2008-01-01

    Surgical instruments are intended to come into direct contact with the patients' tissues and thus interact with their first immune defence system. Therefore they have to be cleaned, sterilized and decontaminated, in order to prevent any kind of infections and inflammations or to exclude the possibility of transmission of diseases. From this perspective, the removal of protein residues from their surfaces constitutes new challenges, since certain proteins exhibit high resistance to commonly used sterilization and decontamination techniques and hence are difficult to remove without inducing major damages to the object treated. Therefore new approaches must be developed for that purpose and the application of non-equilibrium plasma discharges represents an interesting option. The possibility to effectively remove model proteins (bovine serum albumin, lysozyme and ubiquitin) from surfaces of different materials (Si wafer, glass, polystyrene and gold) by means of inductively coupled plasma discharges sustained in different argon containing mixtures is demonstrated and discussed in this paper

  6. Removal of model proteins by means of low-pressure inductively coupled plasma discharge

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kylian, O; Rauscher, H; Gilliland, D; Bretagnol, F; Rossi, F [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, Via E Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra (Italy)], E-mail: francois.rossi@jrc.it

    2008-05-07

    Surgical instruments are intended to come into direct contact with the patients' tissues and thus interact with their first immune defence system. Therefore they have to be cleaned, sterilized and decontaminated, in order to prevent any kind of infections and inflammations or to exclude the possibility of transmission of diseases. From this perspective, the removal of protein residues from their surfaces constitutes new challenges, since certain proteins exhibit high resistance to commonly used sterilization and decontamination techniques and hence are difficult to remove without inducing major damages to the object treated. Therefore new approaches must be developed for that purpose and the application of non-equilibrium plasma discharges represents an interesting option. The possibility to effectively remove model proteins (bovine serum albumin, lysozyme and ubiquitin) from surfaces of different materials (Si wafer, glass, polystyrene and gold) by means of inductively coupled plasma discharges sustained in different argon containing mixtures is demonstrated and discussed in this paper.

  7. Effect of whey protein on plasma amino acids in diabetic mice

    OpenAIRE

    HAN, TING; CAI, DONGLIAN; GENG, SHANSHAN; WANG, YING; ZHEN, HUI; WU, PEIYING

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of whey protein on plasma amino acid levels in a mouse model of type II diabetes, using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The composition and content of amino acids in the whey proteins were analyzed using HPLC. Type I and type II diabetic mouse models were prepared using streptozotocin (STZ) and normal mice were used as a control. The ICR mice in each group were then randomly divided into four subgroups, to which 0, 10, 20 and ...

  8. Induction of hepatic protein synthesis by a peptide in blood plasma of patients with sepsis and trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loda, M; Clowes, G H; Dinarello, C A; George, B C; Lane, B; Richardson, W

    1984-08-01

    Accelerated release of amino acids from muscle and their uptake for protein synthesis by liver and other visceral tissues are characteristic of trauma or sepsis. Experimentally, this response is induced by interleukin-1 (IL-1) generated by activated macrophages in vitro. However, IL-1 has not been demonstrated in human blood. A small 4000-dalton peptide recently isolated from plasma of patients with sepsis and trauma induces muscle proteolysis and is called "proteolysis-inducing factor" (PIF). To test whether this agent has the ability also to induce hepatic protein synthesis, a series of animal experiments and clinical observations were undertaken. The structural and secretory (acute-phase reactants) in vitro protein synthesis in livers of normal rats injected intraperitoneally with IL-1 or PIF was significantly greater than that of normal rats or those injected with Ringer's lactate (p less than 0.01). In patients with sepsis and trauma the central plasma clearance rate of amino acids, a measure of visceral (principally hepatic) amino acid uptake, was elevated and correlated with the rates of protein synthesis in incubated liver slices obtained by biopsy at operation from the same patients (p less than 0.05). Both in vivo measured central plasma clearance rate of amino acids and in vitro measured hepatic protein synthesis correlated with plasma levels of PIF in the same patients (p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.05, respectively). We conclude that since PIF, and not IL-1, is present in human plasma and both are produced by activated macrophages, PIF seems to be the stable circulating cleavage product of IL-1, which induces not only muscle proteolysis but also hepatic protein synthesis, principally in the form of acute-phase reactants during infection and other states in which inflammation is present.

  9. A combined blood based gene expression and plasma protein abundance signature for diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer - a study of the OVCAD consortium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pils, Dietmar; Sehouli, Jalid; Braicu, Ioana; Vergote, Ignace; Van Gorp, Toon; Mahner, Sven; Concin, Nicole; Speiser, Paul; Zeillinger, Robert; Tong, Dan; Hager, Gudrun; Obermayr, Eva; Aust, Stefanie; Heinze, Georg; Kohl, Maria; Schuster, Eva; Wolf, Andrea

    2013-01-01

    The immune system is a key player in fighting cancer. Thus, we sought to identify a molecular ‘immune response signature’ indicating the presence of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and to combine this with a serum protein biomarker panel to increase the specificity and sensitivity for earlier detection of EOC. Comparing the expression of 32,000 genes in a leukocytes fraction from 44 EOC patients and 19 controls, three uncorrelated shrunken centroid models were selected, comprised of 7, 14, and 6 genes. A second selection step using RT-qPCR data and significance analysis of microarrays yielded 13 genes (AP2A1, B4GALT1, C1orf63, CCR2, CFP, DIS3, NEAT1, NOXA1, OSM, PAPOLG, PRIC285, ZNF419, and BC037918) which were finally used in 343 samples (90 healthy, six cystadenoma, eight low malignant potential tumor, 19 FIGO I/II, and 220 FIGO III/IV EOC patients). Using new 65 controls and 224 EOC patients (thereof 14 FIGO I/II) the abundances of six plasma proteins (MIF, prolactin, CA125, leptin, osteopondin, and IGF2) was determined and used in combination with the expression values from the 13 genes for diagnosis of EOC. Combined diagnostic models using either each five gene expression and plasma protein abundance values or 13 gene expression and six plasma protein abundance values can discriminate controls from patients with EOC with Receiver Operator Characteristics Area Under the Curve values of 0.998 and bootstrap .632+ validated classification errors of 3.1% and 2.8%, respectively. The sensitivities were 97.8% and 95.6%, respectively, at a set specificity of 99.6%. The combination of gene expression and plasma protein based blood derived biomarkers in one diagnostic model increases the sensitivity and the specificity significantly. Such a diagnostic test may allow earlier diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer

  10. Systematic study of plasma and serum proteins in the pig; Etude systematique des proteines plasmatiques et seriques du porc

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Daburon, F.; Nizza, P.; Hatchikian, C.; Schmidt, J.-P. [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique (France)

    1966-07-01

    This work has been carried out in the framework of the determination of the physiological constants of a normal pig. The aim was to study the serum and plasma proteins of this animal species, the ultimate object being to discover whether the qualitative and quantitative changes in these proteins can make a significant contribution to the establishment of a biological dosimetry for irradiated pigs. The serum and plasma from a normal pig were analyzed first by various simple electrophoretic methods and then by immuno-electrophoresis. As a result of the particular characteristics of pig serum we have gradually been led to make numerous modifications to the techniques used for human serums or for those of small laboratory animals. Much careful work and patience were required in order to obtain reproducible results. (authors) [French] Ce travail se situe dans le cadre de la determination des constantes physiologiques du porc normal. il s'agissait de proceder a l'etude des proteines seriques et plasmatiques de cette espece animale, le but ulterieur etant de savoir si les modifications qualitatives et quantitatives de ces proteines pourront representer une contribution valable a l'etablissement d'une dosimetrie biologique chez le porc irradie. Le serum et le plasma du porc normal ont ete analyses d'abord par diverses methodes electrophoretiques simples puis par immunoelectrophorese. Les caracteristiques particulieres du serum de porc nous ont conduits a apporter progressivement de nombreuses modifications aux techniques utilisees pour des serums humains ou de petits animaux de laboratoire. L'obtention de resultats reproductible a exige beaucoup de patience et de minutie. (auteurs)

  11. Elevated pre-treatment levels of plasma C-reactive protein are associated with poor prognosis after breast cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Allin, Kristine H; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Flyger, Henrik

    2011-01-01

    We examined whether plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) levels at the time of diagnosis of breast cancer are associated with overall survival, disease-free survival, death from breast cancer, and recurrence of breast cancer.......We examined whether plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) levels at the time of diagnosis of breast cancer are associated with overall survival, disease-free survival, death from breast cancer, and recurrence of breast cancer....

  12. Knowns and unknowns of plasma membrane protein degradation in plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chuanliang; Shen, Wenjin; Yang, Chao; Zeng, Lizhang; Gao, Caiji

    2018-07-01

    Plasma membrane (PM) not only creates a physical barrier to enclose the intracellular compartments but also mediates the direct communication between plants and the ever-changing environment. A tight control of PM protein homeostasis by selective degradation is thus crucial for proper plant development and plant-environment interactions. Accumulated evidences have shown that a number of plant PM proteins undergo clathrin-dependent or membrane microdomain-associated endocytic routes to vacuole for degradation in a cargo-ubiquitination dependent or independent manner. Besides, several trans-acting determinants involved in the regulation of endocytosis, recycling and multivesicular body-mediated vacuolar sorting have been identified in plants. More interestingly, recent findings have uncovered the participation of selective autophagy in PM protein turnover in plants. Although great progresses have been made to identify the PM proteins that undergo dynamic changes in subcellular localizations and to explore the factors that control the membrane protein trafficking, several questions remain to be answered regarding the molecular mechanisms of PM protein degradation in plants. In this short review article, we briefly summarize recent progress in our understanding of the internalization, sorting and degradation of plant PM proteins. More specifically, we focus on discussing the elusive aspects underlying the pathways of PM protein degradation in plants. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Ectopic expression of the erythrocyte band 3 anion exchange protein, using a new avian retrovirus vector

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fuerstenberg, S; Beug, H; Introna, M

    1990-01-01

    into protein. Using the Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase gene cloned into the vector as a test construct, expression of enzyme activity could be detected in 90 to 95% of transfected target cells and in 80 to 85% of subsequently infected cells. In addition, a cDNA encoding the avian erythrocyte band 3 anion...... exchange protein has been expressed from the vector in both chicken embryo fibroblasts and QT6 cells and appears to function as an active, plasma membrane-based anion transporter. The ectopic expression of band 3 protein provides a visual marker for vector function in these cells....

  14. The Candida albicans stress response gene Stomatin-Like Protein 3 is implicated in ROS-induced apoptotic-like death of yeast phase cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karen A Conrad

    Full Text Available The ubiquitous presence of SPFH (Stomatin, Prohibitin, Flotillin, HflK/HflC proteins in all domains of life suggests that their function would be conserved. However, SPFH functions are diverse with organism-specific attributes. SPFH proteins play critical roles in physiological processes such as mechanosensation and respiration. Here, we characterize the stomatin ORF19.7296/SLP3 in the opportunistic human pathogen Candida albicans. Consistent with the localization of stomatin proteins, a Slp3p-Yfp fusion protein formed visible puncta along the plasma membrane. We also visualized Slp3p within the vacuolar lumen. Slp3p primary sequence analyses identified four putative S-palmitoylation sites, which may facilitate membrane localization and are conserved features of stomatins. Plasma membrane insertion sequences are present in mammalian and nematode SPFH proteins, but are absent in Slp3p. Strikingly, Slp3p was present in yeast cells, but was absent in hyphal cells, thus categorizing it as a yeast-phase specific protein. Slp3p membrane fluorescence significantly increased in response to cellular stress caused by plasma membrane, cell wall, oxidative, or osmotic perturbants, implicating SLP3 as a general stress-response gene. A slp3Δ/Δ homozygous null mutant had no detected phenotype when slp3Δ/Δ mutants were grown in the presence of a variety of stress agents. Also, we did not observe a defect in ion accumulation, filamentation, endocytosis, vacuolar structure and function, cell wall structure, or cytoskeletal structure. However, SLP3 over-expression triggered apoptotic-like death following prolonged exposure to oxidative stress or when cells were induced to form hyphae. Our findings reveal the cellular localization of Slp3p, and for the first time associate Slp3p function with the oxidative stress response.

  15. Highly efficient enrichment of low-abundance intact proteins by core-shell structured Fe3O4-chitosan@graphene composites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Peng; Fang, Xiaoni; Yan, Guoquan; Gao, Mingxia; Zhang, Xiangmin

    2017-11-01

    In proteomics research, the screening and monitoring of disease biomarkers is still a major challenge, mainly due to their low concentration in biological samples. However, the universal enrichment of intact proteins has not been further studied. In this work, we developed a Fe 3 O 4 -chitosan@graphene (Fe 3 O 4 -CS@G) core-shell composite to enrich low-abundance proteins from biological samples. Fe 3 O 4 -CS@G composite holds chitosan layer decorated Fe 3 O 4 core, which improves the hydrophilicity of materials greatly. Meanwhile, the graphene nanosheets shell formed via electrostatic assembly endows the composite with huge surface area (178m 2 /g). The good water dispersibility ensures the sufficient contact opportunities between graphene composites and proteins, and the large surface area provides enough adsorption sites for the enrichment of proteins. Using Fe 3 O 4 -CS@G, four standard proteins Cyt-c, BSA, Myo and OVA were enriched with better adsorption capacity and recovery rate, compared with previously reported magnetic graphene composites. Additionally, the mechanism of compared to" is corrected into "compared with". proteins adsorption on Fe 3 O 4 -CS@G was further studied, which indicates that hydrophobic and electrostatic interaction work together to facilitate the universal and efficient enrichment of proteins. Human plasma sample was employed to further evaluate the enrichment performance of Fe 3 O 4 -CS@G. Eventually, 123 proteins were identified from one of SAX fractions of human plasma, which is much better than commercial Sep-pak C18 enrichment column (39 proteins). All these outstanding performances suggest that Fe 3 O 4 -CS@G is an ideal platform for the enrichment of low-abundance intact proteins and thus holds great potential to facilitate the identification of biomarkers from biological samples in proteomics research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Highly active carbon supported ternary PdSnPtx (x=0.1-0.7) catalysts for ethanol electro-oxidation in alkaline and acid media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaoguang; Zhu, Fuchun; He, Yongwei; Wang, Mei; Zhang, Zhonghua; Ma, Zizai; Li, Ruixue

    2016-04-15

    A series of trimetallic PdSnPtx (x=0.1-0.7)/C catalysts with varied Pt content have been synthesized by co-reduction method using NaBH4 as a reducing agent. These catalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA). The electrochemical results show that, after adding a minor amount of Pt dopant, the resultant PdSnPtx/C demonstrated more superior catalytic performance toward ethanol oxidation as compared with that of mono-/bi-metallic Pd/C or PdSn/C in alkaline solution and the PdSnPt0.2/C with optimal molar ratio reached the best. In acid solution, the PdSnPt0.2/C also depicted a superior catalytic activity relative to the commercial Pt/C catalyst. The possible enhanced synergistic effect between Pd, Sn/Sn(O) and Pt in an alloyed state should be responsible for the as-revealed superior ethanol electro-oxidation performance based upon the beneficial electronic effect and bi-functional mechanism. It implies the trimetallic PdSnPt0.2/C with a low Pt content has a promising prospect as anodic electrocatalyst in fields of alkali- and acid-type direct ethanol fuel cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Analysis of plasma protein adsorption onto DC-Chol-DOPE cationic liposomes by HPLC-CHIP coupled to a Q-TOF mass spectrometer

    KAUST Repository

    Capriotti, Anna Laura; Caracciolo, Giulio; Caruso, Giuseppe; Cavaliere, Chiara; Pozzi, Daniela; Samperi, Roberto; Laganà , Aldo

    2010-01-01

    Plasma protein adsorption is regarded as a key factor in the in vivo organ distribution of intravenously administered drug carriers, and strongly depends on vector surface characteristics. The present study aimed to characterize the "protein corona" absorbed onto DC-Chol-DOPE cationic liposomes. This system was chosen because it is one of the most efficient and widely used non-viral formulations in vitro and a potential candidate for in vivo transfection of genetic material. After incubation of human plasma with cationic liposomes, nanoparticle-protein complex was separated from plasma by centrifugation. An integrated approach based on protein separation by one-dimensional 12% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by the automated HPLC-Chip technology coupled to a high-resolution mass spectrometer was employed for protein corona characterization. Thirty gel lanes, approximately 2 mm, were cut, digested and analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS. Fifty-eight human plasma proteins adsorbed onto DC-Chol-DOPE cationic liposomes were identified. The knowledge of the interactions of proteins with liposomes can be exploited for future controlled design of colloidal drug carriers and possibly in the controlled creation of biocompatible surfaces of other devices that come into contact with proteins in body fluids. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.

  18. Analysis of plasma protein adsorption onto DC-Chol-DOPE cationic liposomes by HPLC-CHIP coupled to a Q-TOF mass spectrometer

    KAUST Repository

    Capriotti, Anna Laura

    2010-09-22

    Plasma protein adsorption is regarded as a key factor in the in vivo organ distribution of intravenously administered drug carriers, and strongly depends on vector surface characteristics. The present study aimed to characterize the "protein corona" absorbed onto DC-Chol-DOPE cationic liposomes. This system was chosen because it is one of the most efficient and widely used non-viral formulations in vitro and a potential candidate for in vivo transfection of genetic material. After incubation of human plasma with cationic liposomes, nanoparticle-protein complex was separated from plasma by centrifugation. An integrated approach based on protein separation by one-dimensional 12% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by the automated HPLC-Chip technology coupled to a high-resolution mass spectrometer was employed for protein corona characterization. Thirty gel lanes, approximately 2 mm, were cut, digested and analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS. Fifty-eight human plasma proteins adsorbed onto DC-Chol-DOPE cationic liposomes were identified. The knowledge of the interactions of proteins with liposomes can be exploited for future controlled design of colloidal drug carriers and possibly in the controlled creation of biocompatible surfaces of other devices that come into contact with proteins in body fluids. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.

  19. The Sur7 protein regulates plasma membrane organization and prevents intracellular cell wall growth in Candida albicans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarez, Francisco J; Douglas, Lois M; Rosebrock, Adam; Konopka, James B

    2008-12-01

    The Candida albicans plasma membrane plays important roles in cell growth and as a target for antifungal drugs. Analysis of Ca-Sur7 showed that this four transmembrane domain protein localized to stable punctate patches, similar to the plasma membrane subdomains known as eisosomes or MCC that were discovered in S. cerevisiae. The localization of Ca-Sur7 depended on sphingolipid synthesis. In contrast to S. cerevisiae, a C. albicans sur7Delta mutant displayed defects in endocytosis and morphogenesis. Septins and actin were mislocalized, and cell wall synthesis was very abnormal, including long projections of cell wall into the cytoplasm. Several phenotypes of the sur7Delta mutant are similar to the effects of inhibiting beta-glucan synthase, suggesting that the abnormal cell wall synthesis is related to activation of chitin synthase activity seen under stress conditions. These results expand the roles of eisosomes by demonstrating that Sur7 is needed for proper plasma membrane organization and cell wall synthesis. A conserved Cys motif in the first extracellular loop of fungal Sur7 proteins is similar to a characteristic motif of the claudin proteins that form tight junctions in animal cells, suggesting a common role for these tetraspanning membrane proteins in forming specialized plasma membrane domains.

  20. LeCPK1, a Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase from Tomato. Plasma Membrane Targeting and Biochemical Characterization1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rutschmann, Frank; Stalder, Urs; Piotrowski, Markus; Oecking, Claudia; Schaller, Andreas

    2002-01-01

    The cDNA of LeCPK1, a calcium-dependent protein kinase, was cloned from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). LeCPK1 was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified from bacterial extracts. The recombinant protein was shown to be a functional protein kinase using a synthetic peptide as the substrate (syntide-2, Km = 85 μm). Autophosphorylation of LeCPK1 was observed on threonine and serine residues, one of which was identified as serine-439. Kinase activity was shown to be Ca2+ dependent and required the C-terminal, calmodulin-like domain of LeCPK1. Two classes of high- and low-affinity Ca2+-binding sites were observed, exhibiting dissociation constants of 0.6 and 55 μm, respectively. LeCPK1 was found to phosphorylate the regulatory C-terminal domain of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase in vitro. A potential role in the regulation of proton pump activity is corroborated by the apparent colocalization of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase and LeCPK1 in vivo. Upon transient expression in suspension-cultured cells, a C-terminal fusion of LeCPK1 with the green fluorescent protein was targeted to the plasma membrane. Myristoylation of the LeCPK1 N terminus was found to be required for plasma membrane targeting. PMID:12011347

  1. The Sur7 Protein Regulates Plasma Membrane Organization and Prevents Intracellular Cell Wall Growth in Candida albicans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarez, Francisco J.; Douglas, Lois M.; Rosebrock, Adam

    2008-01-01

    The Candida albicans plasma membrane plays important roles in cell growth and as a target for antifungal drugs. Analysis of Ca-Sur7 showed that this four transmembrane domain protein localized to stable punctate patches, similar to the plasma membrane subdomains known as eisosomes or MCC that were discovered in S. cerevisiae. The localization of Ca-Sur7 depended on sphingolipid synthesis. In contrast to S. cerevisiae, a C. albicans sur7Δ mutant displayed defects in endocytosis and morphogenesis. Septins and actin were mislocalized, and cell wall synthesis was very abnormal, including long projections of cell wall into the cytoplasm. Several phenotypes of the sur7Δ mutant are similar to the effects of inhibiting β-glucan synthase, suggesting that the abnormal cell wall synthesis is related to activation of chitin synthase activity seen under stress conditions. These results expand the roles of eisosomes by demonstrating that Sur7 is needed for proper plasma membrane organization and cell wall synthesis. A conserved Cys motif in the first extracellular loop of fungal Sur7 proteins is similar to a characteristic motif of the claudin proteins that form tight junctions in animal cells, suggesting a common role for these tetraspanning membrane proteins in forming specialized plasma membrane domains. PMID:18799621

  2. Effects of 3D Magnetic Perturbations on Toroidal Plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Callen, J.D.

    2010-01-01

    Full text: To lowest order tokamaks are two-dimensional (2D) axisymmetric magnetic systems. But small 3D magnetic perturbations (both externally applied and from plasma instabilities) have many interesting and useful effects on tokamak (and quasi-symmetric stellarator) plasmas. Plasma transport equations that include these effects, especially on diamagnetic-level toroidal plasma rotation, have recently been developed. The 3D magnetic perturbations and their plasma effects can be classified according to their toroidal mode number n: low n (1 to 5) resonant (q = m/n in plasma) and non-resonant fields, medium n (due to toroidal field ripple), and high n (due to microturbulence). This paper concentrates on low and medium n perturbations. Low n non-resonant magnetic fields induce a neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) that damps toroidal plasma rotation throughout the plasma toward an offset flow in the counter-I p direction; recent tokamak experiments have confirmed and exploited these predictions by applying external low n non-resonant magnetic perturbations. Medium n perturbations have similar effects plus possible ripple trapping and resultant edge ion losses. A low n resonant magnetic field induces a toroidal plasma torque in the vicinity of the rational surface; when large enough it can stop plasma rotation there and lead to a locked mode, which often causes a plasma disruption. Externally applied 3D magnetic perturbations usually have many components; in the plasma their lowest n components are amplified by plasma responses, particularly at high beta. Low n plasma instabilities (e.g., NTMs, RWMs) cause additional 3D magnetic perturbations in tokamak plasmas; tearing modes can bifurcate the topology and form magnetic islands. Finally, multiple resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) can cause local magnetic stochasticity and influence H-mode edge pedestal transport. These various effects of 3D magnetic perturbations can be used to control the toroidal plasma

  3. Convective transport of highly plasma protein bound drugs facilitates direct penetration into deep tissues after topical application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dancik, Yuri; Anissimov, Yuri G; Jepps, Owen G; Roberts, Michael S

    2012-01-01

    AIMS To relate the varying dermal, subcutaneous and muscle microdialysate concentrations found in man after topical application to the nature of the drug applied and to the underlying physiology. METHODS We developed a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model in which transport to deeper tissues was determined by tissue diffusion, blood, lymphatic and intersitial flow transport and drug properties. The model was applied to interpret published human microdialysis data, estimated in vitro dermal diffusion and protein binding affinity of drugs that have been previously applied topically in vivo and measured in deep cutaneous tissues over time. RESULTS Deeper tissue microdialysis concentrations for various drugs in vivo vary widely. Here, we show that carriage by the blood to the deeper tissues below topical application sites facilitates the transport of highly plasma protein bound drugs that penetrate the skin, leading to rapid and significant concentrations in those tissues. Hence, the fractional concentration for the highly plasma protein bound diclofenac in deeper tissues is 0.79 times that in a probe 4.5 mm below a superficial probe whereas the corresponding fractional concentration for the poorly protein bound nicotine is 0.02. Their corresponding estimated in vivo lag times for appearance of the drugs in the deeper probes were 1.1 min for diclofenac and 30 min for nicotine. CONCLUSIONS Poorly plasma protein bound drugs are mainly transported to deeper tissues after topical application by tissue diffusion whereas the transport of highly plasma protein bound drugs is additionally facilitated by convective blood, lymphatic and interstitial transport to deep tissues. PMID:21999217

  4. Robustness of solvent/detergent treatment of plasma derivatives: a data collection from Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association member companies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dichtelmüller, Herbert O; Biesert, Lothar; Fabbrizzi, Fabrizio; Gajardo, Rodrigo; Gröner, Albrecht; von Hoegen, Ilka; Jorquera, Juan I; Kempf, Christoph; Kreil, Thomas R; Pifat, Dominique; Osheroff, Wendy; Poelsler, Gerhard

    2009-09-01

    Solvent/detergent (S/D) treatment is an established virus inactivation technology that has been applied in the manufacture of medicinal products derived from human plasma for more than 20 years. Data on the inactivation of enveloped viruses by S/D treatment collected from seven Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association member companies demonstrate the robustness, reliability, and efficacy of this virus inactivation method. The results from 308 studies reflecting production conditions as well as technical variables significantly beyond the product release specification were evaluated for virus inactivation, comprising different combinations of solvent and detergent (tri(n-butyl) phosphate [TNBP]/Tween 80, TNBP/Triton X-100, TNBP/Na-cholate) and different products (Factor [F]VIII, F IX, and intravenous and intramuscular immunoglobulins). Neither product class, process temperature, protein concentration, nor pH value has a significant impact on virus inactivation. A variable that did appear to be critical was the concentration of solvent and detergent. The data presented here demonstrate the robustness of virus inactivation by S/D treatment for a broad spectrum of enveloped test viruses and process variables. Our data substantiate the fact that no transmission of viruses such as human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, or of other enveloped viruses was reported for licensed plasma derivatives since the introduction of S/D treatment.

  5. PTX-loaded three-layer PLGA/CS/ALG nanoparticle based on layer-by-layer method for cancer therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Fang; Yuan, Jian; Zhang, Qian; Yang, Siqian; Jiang, Shaohua; Huang, Chaobo

    2018-05-17

    Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles are an ideal paclitaxel (PTX)-carrying system due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability. But it possessed disadvantage of drug burst release. In this research, a layer-by-layer deposition of chitosan (CS) and sodium alginate (ALG) was applied to modify the PLGA nanoparticles. The surface charges and morphology of the PLGA, PLGA/CS and PLGA/CS/ALG particles was measured by capillary electrophoresis and SEM and TEM, respectively. The drug encapsulation and loading efficiency were confirmed by ultraviolet spectrophotometer. The nanoparticles were stable and exhibited controlled drug release performance, with good cytotoxicity to human lung carcinoma cells (HepG 2). Cumulatively, our research suggests that this kind of three-layer nanoparticle with LbL-coated shield has great properties to act as a novel drug-loaded system.

  6. Effects of 3D magnetic perturbations on toroidal plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Callen, J.D.

    2011-01-01

    Small three-dimensional (3D) magnetic field perturbations have many interesting and possibly useful effects on tokamak and quasi-symmetric stellarator plasmas. Plasma transport equations that include these effects, most notably on diamagnetic-level toroidal plasma flows, have recently been developed. The 3D field perturbations and their plasma effects can be classified according to their toroidal mode number n: low n (say 1-5) resonant (with field line pitch, q = m/n) and non-resonant fields, medium n (∼20, due to toroidal field ripple) and high n (due to microturbulence). Low n non-resonant fields induce a neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) that damps toroidal rotation throughout the plasma towards an offset rotation in the counter-current direction. Recent tokamak experiments have generally confirmed and exploited these predictions by applying external low n non-resonant magnetic perturbations. Medium n toroidal field ripple produces similar effects plus possible ripple-trapping NTV effects and ion direct losses in the edge. A low n (e.g. n = 1) resonant field is mostly shielded by the toroidally rotating plasma at and inside the resonant (rational) surface. If it is large enough it can stop plasma rotation at the rational surface, facilitate magnetic reconnection there and lead to a growing stationary magnetic island (locked mode), which often causes a plasma disruption. Externally applied 3D magnetic perturbations usually have many components. In the plasma their lowest n (e.g. n = 1) externally resonant components can be amplified by kink-type plasma responses, particularly at high β. Low n plasma instabilities (e.g. resistive wall modes, neoclassical tearing modes) cause additional 3D magnetic perturbations in tokamak plasmas. Tearing modes in their nonlinear (Rutherford) regime bifurcate the topology and form magnetic islands. Finally, multiple resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) can, if not shielded by plasma rotation effects, cause local magnetic

  7. A role for CSLD3 during cell-wall synthesis in apical plasma membranes of tip-growing root-hair cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Sungjin; Szumlanski, Amy L; Gu, Fangwei; Guo, Feng; Nielsen, Erik

    2011-07-17

    In plants, cell shape is defined by the cell wall, and changes in cell shape and size are dictated by modification of existing cell walls and deposition of newly synthesized cell-wall material. In root hairs, expansion occurs by a process called tip growth, which is shared by root hairs, pollen tubes and fungal hyphae. We show that cellulose-like polysaccharides are present in root-hair tips, and de novo synthesis of these polysaccharides is required for tip growth. We also find that eYFP-CSLD3 proteins, but not CESA cellulose synthases, localize to a polarized plasma-membrane domain in root hairs. Using biochemical methods and genetic complementation of a csld3 mutant with a chimaeric CSLD3 protein containing a CESA6 catalytic domain, we provide evidence that CSLD3 represents a distinct (1→4)-β-glucan synthase activity in apical plasma membranes during tip growth in root-hair cells.

  8. Clinical value of indicators of cationic proteins, leukocytes myeloperoxidase and fibronectin blood plasma in viral meningitis in children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. G. Kimirilova

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: was to establish clinical and diagnostic value of cytochemical indices of peripheral blood leukocytes (cationic protein and myeloperoxidase, fibronectin blood plasma to assess the severity, predict the course and outcome of viral meningitis in children.Subjects and methods. In 450 patients with viral meningitis (enterovirus, arbovirus, parotitic, herpesviral, adenovirus etiology at the age of 14 years, the parameters of the microbicidal system of leukocytes (cation proteins, myeloperoxidase and fibronectin blood plasma were determined. Etiological diagnosis of meningitis was confirmed by release of viral RNA from blood and cerebrospinal fluid by the polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA.The results and conclusion. Found that severe, prolonged duration, lethal outcome of viral meningitis in children are accompanied by sugnificant suppression of cationic proteins, myeloperoxidase, fibronectin blood plasma, maximally expressed in lethal outcomes, compared with the severe form, but with a favorable outcome and control. Settings imbalance cationic proteins, myeloperoxidase, fibronectin blood plasma are objective criteria of the adaptation syndrome that reflects the state of the phagocytosis system in viral meningitis in children and can be considered as additional criteria for predicting the course and outcome of disease.

  9. A method for studies on interactions between a gold-based drug and plasma proteins based on capillary electrophoresis with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry detection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nguyen, Tam T T N; Østergaard, Jesper; Gammelgaard, Bente

    2015-01-01

    An analytical method based on capillary electrophoresis (CE) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection was developed for studies on the interaction of gold-containing drugs and plasma proteins using auranofin as example. A detection limit of 18 ng/mL of auranofin corresp...

  10. An HPLC method for the quantitation of 3-pentylbenzo[c]thiophen-1(3H)-one in dog plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ting-Ting; Hua, Kai; Sheng, Xiao; Liu, Ling; Tan, Jia-Ni; Wang, Lin-Na; Wei, Bo; Ji, Hui; Zhang, Yi-Hua

    2014-12-01

    A simple, sensitive and reproducible high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay method was developed for the estimation of 3-pentylbenzo[c]thiophen-1(3H)-one (S5 ), a potential anti-ischemic stroke agent, in dog plasma. The analytical procedure involves protein precipitation of S5 and nobiletin (internal standard) from dog plasma with acetonitrile. Chromatographic separation was achieved on Sapphire C18 analytical column with methanol-water (80:20, v/v) as mobile phase. The eluate was monitored using a UV detector set at 260 nm. The calibration curves were linear over the range of 0.2-20 µg/mL. Absolute recoveries of S5 were 79.2-86.1% from dog plasma. The intra- and inter-day relative standard deviation precisions were dogs. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. G-protein activity in Percoll-purified plasma membranes, bulk plasma membranes, and low-density plasma membranes isolated from rat cerebral cortex

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Bouřová, Lenka; Stöhr, Jiří; Lisý, Václav; Rudajev, Vladimír; Novotný, Jiří; Svoboda, Petr

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 15, č. 4 (2009), BR111-BR122 ISSN 1234-1010 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LC554; GA MŠk(CZ) LC06063; GA ČR(CZ) GA309/06/0121; GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA500110606 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50110509 Keywords : rat cerebral cortex * plasma membrane * G-protein activity Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 1.543, year: 2009

  12. Intake of Mung Bean Protein Isolate Reduces Plasma Triglyceride Level in Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nobuhiko Tachibana

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACTBackground: Mung bean is well known as a starch source, but the physiological effects of mung bean protein have received little attention. In this study, we isolated mung bean protein from de-starched mung bean solutions, and investigated its influence on lipid metabolism. Objective: The aim of this study is to clarify the influence of the lipid metabolism by consumption of mung bean protein isolate (MPIMethods: Diets containing either mung bean protein isolate (MPI or casein were fed to normal rats for 28 days.Results: Both groups ate the same amount of food, but the plasma triglyceride level, relative liver weight and liver lipid contents (cholesterol and triglyceride pool in the MPI group were significantly lower than in the casein group. In the MPI group, the expression of sterol regulatory-element binding factor 1 (SREBF1 mRNA in the liver was significantly different when compared with the casein group. The significantly lower levels of insulin and free fatty acids in the MPI-fed rats may be due to the regulation of genes related to lipid metabolism in the liver.Conclusions: These results suggest that MPI may improve the plasma lipid profile by normalizing insulin sensitivity.Keywords: mung bean, Vigna radiata L., 8S globulin, triglyceride, β-conglycinin, 7S globulin, insulin sensitivity, SREBF1

  13. Steric exclusion and protein conformation determine the localization of plasma membrane transporters

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bianchi, Frans; Syga, Łukasz; Moiset, Gemma; Spakman, Dian; Schavemaker, Paul E; Punter, Christiaan M; Seinen, Anne-Bart; van Oijen, Antoine M; Robinson, Andrew; Poolman, Bert

    2018-01-01

    The plasma membrane (PM) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains membrane compartments, MCC/eisosomes and MCPs, named after the protein residents Can1 and Pma1, respectively. Using high-resolution fluorescence microscopy techniques we show that Can1 and the homologous transporter Lyp1 are able to

  14. Plasma phospholipid transfer protein activity is related to insulin resistance : impaired acute lowering by insulin in obese Type II diabetic patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Riemens, SC; van Tol, A; Sluiter, WJ; Dullaart, RPF

    Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) and phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) have important functions in high density lipoprotein (HDL) metabolism. We determined the association of plasma CETP and PLTP activities (measured with exogenous' substrate assays) with insulin resistance, plasma

  15. Differential distribution of proteins and lipids in detergent-resistant and detergent-soluble domains in rod outer segment plasma membranes and disks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliott, Michael H; Nash, Zack A; Takemori, Nobuaki; Fliesler, Steven J; McClellan, Mark E; Naash, Muna I

    2008-01-01

    Membrane heterogeneity plays a significant role in regulating signal transduction and other cellular activities. We examined the protein and lipid components associated with the detergent-resistant membrane (DRM) fractions from retinal rod outer segment (ROS) disk and plasma membrane-enriched preparations. Proteomics and correlative western blot analysis revealed the presence of alpha and beta subunits of the rod cGMP-gated ion channel and glucose transporter type 1, among other proteins. The glucose transporter was present exclusively in ROS plasma membrane (not disks) and was highly enriched in DRMs, as was the cGMP-gated channel beta-subunit. In contrast, the majority of rod opsin and ATP-binding cassette transporter A4 was localized to detergent-soluble domains in disks. As expected, the cholesterol : fatty acid mole ratio was higher in DRMs than in the corresponding parent membranes (disk and plasma membranes, respectively) and was also higher in disks compared to plasma membranes. Furthermore, the ratio of saturated : polyunsaturated fatty acids was also higher in DRMs compared to their respective parent membranes (disk and plasma membranes). These results confirm that DRMs prepared from both disks and plasma membranes are enriched in cholesterol and in saturated fatty acids compared to their parent membranes. The dominant fatty acids in DRMs were 16 : 0 and 18 : 0; 22 : 6n3 and 18 : 1 levels were threefold higher and twofold lower, respectively, in disk-derived DRMs compared to plasma membrane-derived DRMs. We estimate, based on fatty acid recovery that DRMs account for only approximately 8% of disks and approximately 12% of ROS plasma membrane.

  16. Changes in Brain 14-3-3 Proteins in Response to Insulin Resistance Induced by a High Palatable Diet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bock, Hugo; Zimmer, Aline Rigon; Zimmer, Eduardo Rigon; de Souza, Diogo Onofre Gomes; Portela, Luis Valmor Cruz; Saraiva-Pereira, Maria Luiza

    2015-08-01

    The 14-3-3 protein family takes part in a wide range of cellular processes and is expressed in all eukaryotic organisms. In mammals, seven isoforms (β, ε, η, γ, τ, ζ, and σ) have been identified. 14-3-3 proteins are suggested to modulate the insulin-signaling cascade in the brain. The aim of this study was to investigate whether insulin resistance state induced by high palatable diet modulates expression of the 14-3-3 proteins in brain. Wistar male rats (n = 8) were divided into two experimental groups: insulin resistant (IR), induced by high palatable diet, and control (CO) group. Biochemical parameters (glucose tolerance test and plasma lipid profile) were evaluated after 130 days. Brain structures (cortex and hippocampus) were dissected for evaluation of messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels of different 14-3-3 proteins. Statistical analyses included Student t test and Pearson correlation. Significant decrease was observed in Ywhah and in Ywahq mRNA levels in the cortex of IR group, while no changes were observed in the hippocampus. Significant increase of θ isoform was observed in hippocampus IR group by immunodetection, while no differences were detected in the remaining isoforms. Inverse correlation was observed between blood glucose levels in cortex IR group and both Ywhah and Ywhaq mRNA levels. Protein levels of Creb and phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) showed to be increased in the hippocampus. These alterations may be due to a compensatory effect of impaired insulin signaling. We demonstrated differential expression of 14-3-3 isoforms throughout brain regions of rats with IR. As a whole, our results indicate that brain 14-3-3 levels are influenced by different diets.

  17. Study on the interaction of plasma protein binding rate between edaravone and taurine in human plasma based on HPLC analysis coupled with ultrafiltration technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Dao-quan; Li, Yin-jie; Li, Zheng; Bian, Ting-ting; Chen, Kai; Zheng, Xiao-xiao; Yu, Yan-yan; Jiang, Shui-shi

    2015-08-01

    In this work, two high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assays were developed and validated for the independent determination of edaravone and taurine using 3-methyl-1-p-tolyl-5-pyrazolone and L-glutamine as internal standards. In in vitro experiments, human plasma was separately spiked with a mixture of edaravone and taurine, edaravone or taurine alone. Plasma was precipitated with acetonitrile containing 0.1% formic acid. Ultrafiltration was employed to obtain the unbound ingredients of the two drugs. The factors that might influence the ultrafiltration effiency were elaborately optimized. Plasma supernatant and ultrafiltrate containing taurine were derivated with o-phthalaldehyde and ethanethiol in the presence of 40 mmol/L sodium borate buffer (pH 10.2) at room temperature within 1 min. Chromatographic separations were achieved on an InertSustain C18 column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm). Isocratic 50 mmol/L ammonium acetate-acetonitrile and gradient 50 mmol/L sodium acetate (pH 5.3)-methanol were respectively selected as the mobile phase for the determination of edaravone and taurine. All of the validation data including linearity, extraction recovery, precision, accuracy and stability conformed to the requirements. Results showed that there were no significant alterations in the plasma protein binding rate of taurine and edaravone, implying that the proposed combination therapy was pharmacologically feasible. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Apelin-13 upregulates Egr-1 expression in rat vascular smooth muscle cells through the PI3K/Akt and PKC signaling pathways

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Qi-Feng [Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou 121001 (China); Yu, Hong-Wei [Department of Cardiology, Jinzhou Central Hospital, Jinzhou 121001 (China); Sun, Li-Li [Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou 121001 (China); You, Lu; Tao, Gui-Zhou [Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou 121001 (China); Qu, Bao-Ze, E-mail: qubaoze1971@hotmail.com [Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou 121001 (China)

    2015-12-25

    Previous studies have shown that Apelin-13 upregulates early growth response factor-1 (Egr-1) via the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) signaling pathway. Apelin-13 induces proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) as well as the upregulation of osteopontin (OPN) via the upregulation of Egr-1. This study was designed to further explore the activity of Apelin-13 in VSMCs by investigating members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family, in particular Jun kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (P38). We also examined whether the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) and protein kinase C (PKC) signaling pathways were involved in the regulation of Egr-1 by Apelin-13. We treated rat aortic VSMCs with Apelin-13 and examined the expression of JNK, p-JNK, P38, and p-P38 to investigate whether Apelin-13-mediated increases in Egr-1 occurred through the JNK and P38 signaling pathways. We then pretreated VSMCs with the Gi protein inhibitor pertussis toxin (PTX) and the Gq inhibitor YM254890, added Apelin-13 and looked for changes in Egr-1 expression. Finally, we pretreated with the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 and the PKC inhibitor GF109203X, and treated with Apelin-13. Our results showed that JNK and P38 did not participate in Apelin-13-mediated increase in Egr-1. Instead, Apelin-13 upregulation of Egr-1 was mediated by a PTX-sensitive Gi protein. Apelin-13 did increase ERK phosphorylation through the PI3K/Akt and PKC signaling pathways, resulting in changes in Egr-1 expression. These data provide important targets for future studies to modulate vascular remodeling. - Highlights: • Apelin-13 mediates Egr-1 upregulation in vascular smooth muscle cells via ERK1/2. • The underlying mechanisms are unknown, but exclude Jnk or p38 pathway activation. • Apelin-13 binds to Gi, activating the PI3K/Akt and PKC signaling cascades. • Consequent ERK phosphorylation results in increased Egr-1

  19. Apelin-13 upregulates Egr-1 expression in rat vascular smooth muscle cells through the PI3K/Akt and PKC signaling pathways

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Qi-Feng; Yu, Hong-Wei; Sun, Li-Li; You, Lu; Tao, Gui-Zhou; Qu, Bao-Ze

    2015-01-01

    Previous studies have shown that Apelin-13 upregulates early growth response factor-1 (Egr-1) via the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) signaling pathway. Apelin-13 induces proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) as well as the upregulation of osteopontin (OPN) via the upregulation of Egr-1. This study was designed to further explore the activity of Apelin-13 in VSMCs by investigating members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family, in particular Jun kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (P38). We also examined whether the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) and protein kinase C (PKC) signaling pathways were involved in the regulation of Egr-1 by Apelin-13. We treated rat aortic VSMCs with Apelin-13 and examined the expression of JNK, p-JNK, P38, and p-P38 to investigate whether Apelin-13-mediated increases in Egr-1 occurred through the JNK and P38 signaling pathways. We then pretreated VSMCs with the Gi protein inhibitor pertussis toxin (PTX) and the Gq inhibitor YM254890, added Apelin-13 and looked for changes in Egr-1 expression. Finally, we pretreated with the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 and the PKC inhibitor GF109203X, and treated with Apelin-13. Our results showed that JNK and P38 did not participate in Apelin-13-mediated increase in Egr-1. Instead, Apelin-13 upregulation of Egr-1 was mediated by a PTX-sensitive Gi protein. Apelin-13 did increase ERK phosphorylation through the PI3K/Akt and PKC signaling pathways, resulting in changes in Egr-1 expression. These data provide important targets for future studies to modulate vascular remodeling. - Highlights: • Apelin-13 mediates Egr-1 upregulation in vascular smooth muscle cells via ERK1/2. • The underlying mechanisms are unknown, but exclude Jnk or p38 pathway activation. • Apelin-13 binds to Gi, activating the PI3K/Akt and PKC signaling cascades. • Consequent ERK phosphorylation results in increased Egr-1

  20. Body Position Modulates Gastric Emptying and Affects the Post-Prandial Rise in Plasma Amino Acid Concentrations Following Protein Ingestion in Humans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew M. Holwerda

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Dietary protein digestion and amino acid absorption kinetics determine the post-prandial muscle protein synthetic response. Body position may affect gastrointestinal function and modulate the post-prandial rise in plasma amino acid availability. We aimed to assess the impact of body position on gastric emptying rate and the post-prandial rise in plasma amino acid concentrations following ingestion of a single, meal-like amount of protein. In a randomized, cross-over design, eight healthy males (25 ± 2 years, 23.9 ± 0.8 kg·m−2 ingested 22 g protein and 1.5 g paracetamol (acetaminophen in an upright seated position (control and in a −20° head-down tilted position (inversion. Blood samples were collected during a 240-min post-prandial period and analyzed for paracetamol and plasma amino acid concentrations to assess gastric emptying rate and post-prandial amino acid availability, respectively. Peak plasma leucine concentrations were lower in the inversion compared with the control treatment (177 ± 15 vs. 236 ± 15 mmol·L−1, p < 0.05, which was accompanied by a lower plasma essential amino acid (EAA response over 240 min (31,956 ± 6441 vs. 50,351 ± 4015 AU; p < 0.05. Peak plasma paracetamol concentrations were lower in the inversion vs. control treatment (5.8 ± 1.1 vs. 10.0 ± 0.6 mg·L−1, p < 0.05. Gastric emptying rate and post-prandial plasma amino acid availability are significantly decreased after protein ingestion in a head-down tilted position. Therefore, upright body positioning should be considered when aiming to augment post-prandial muscle protein accretion in both health and disease.

  1. Correlation between Inflammatory Markers of Atherosclerosis and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Matteo Ciccone

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA is a sleep-related breathing disorder associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis. Systemic inflammation plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular complications in OSA patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT and inflammatory markers plasma levels in OSA patients. We enrolled 80 OSA patients and 40 controls matched for age and body mass index (BMI. The presence and severity of sleep apnea was determined by in-laboratory portable monitoring (PM. Demographic data, blood pressure, heart rate, and cIMT were measured. High-sensitive C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP, interleukin (IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α and pentraxin (PTX-3 serum concentrations were detected. cIMT was higher in OSA patients than controls (0.89 ± 0.13 mm vs. 0.65 ± 0.1 mm, p < 0.01. Moderate-severe OSA patients (0.95 ± 0.09 mm had significantly increased cIMT than mild OSA (0.76 ± 0.1 mm; p < 0.01 and control (0.65 ± 0.1 mm; p < 0.01. hsCRP, IL-6, TNF-α, and PTX-3 in patients with OSA (1.67 ± 0.66 mg/L, 2.86 ± 1.39 pg/mL, 20.09 ± 5.39 pg/mL, 2.1 ± 0.59 ng/mL, respectively were significantly higher than in controls (1.08 ± 0.53 mg/L, p < 0.01; 1.5 ± 0.67 pg/mL, p < 0.01; 12.53 ± 3.48 pg/mL, p < 0.01; 1.45 ± 0.41 ng/mL, p < 0.01, respectively. Carotid IMT was significantly correlated to CRP (r = 0.44; p < 0.01, IL-6 (r = 0.42; p < 0.01, TNF-α (r = 0.53; p < 0.01, and PTX-3 (r = 0.49; p < 0.01. OSA patients showed increased cIMT, CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, and PTX-3 levels. Inflammatory markers levels are correlated to cIMT in OSA patients.

  2. Stereo 3D spatial phase diagrams

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kang, Jinwu, E-mail: kangjw@tsinghua.edu.cn; Liu, Baicheng, E-mail: liubc@tsinghua.edu.cn

    2016-07-15

    Phase diagrams serve as the fundamental guidance in materials science and engineering. Binary P-T-X (pressure–temperature–composition) and multi-component phase diagrams are of complex spatial geometry, which brings difficulty for understanding. The authors constructed 3D stereo binary P-T-X, typical ternary and some quaternary phase diagrams. A phase diagram construction algorithm based on the calculated phase reaction data in PandaT was developed. And the 3D stereo phase diagram of Al-Cu-Mg ternary system is presented. These phase diagrams can be illustrated by wireframe, surface, solid or their mixture, isotherms and isopleths can be generated. All of these can be displayed by the three typical display ways: electronic shutter, polarization and anaglyph (for example red-cyan glasses). Especially, they can be printed out with 3D stereo effect on paper, and watched by the aid of anaglyph glasses, which makes 3D stereo book of phase diagrams come to reality. Compared with the traditional illustration way, the front of phase diagrams protrude from the screen and the back stretches far behind of the screen under 3D stereo display, the spatial structure can be clearly and immediately perceived. These 3D stereo phase diagrams are useful in teaching and research. - Highlights: • Stereo 3D phase diagram database was constructed, including binary P-T-X, ternary, some quaternary and real ternary systems. • The phase diagrams can be watched by active shutter or polarized or anaglyph glasses. • The print phase diagrams retains 3D stereo effect which can be achieved by the aid of anaglyph glasses.

  3. Plasma myelin basic protein assay using Gilford enzyme immunoassay cuvettes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groome, N P

    1981-10-01

    The assay of myelin basic protein in body fluids has potential clinical importance as a routine indicator of demyelination. Preliminary details of a competitive enzyme immunoassay for this protein have previously been published by the author (Groome, N. P. (1980) J. Neurochem. 35, 1409-1417). The present paper now describes the adaptation of this assay for use on human plasma and various aspects of routine data processing. A commercially available cuvette system was found to have advantages over microtitre plates but required a permuted arrangement of sample replicates for consistent results. For dose interpolation, the standard curve could be fitted to a three parameter non-linear equation by regression analysis or linearised by the logit/log transformation.

  4. Filtration as the main transport mechanism of protein exchange between plasma and the peritoneal cavity in hepatic cirrhosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henriksen, Jens Henrik Sahl; Lassen, N A; Parving, H H

    1980-01-01

    , but significantly higher (P rate was on average 61 ml/h. TERa and TERg were on average 9.6 and 8.6% of intravascular protein masses per hour, mean TERg/TERa ratio was 0.95. Peritoneal space......Fractional peritoneal reabsorption rates (FPRR) were determined from the plasma activity after simultaneous intraperitoneal injection of 131I-labelled serum albumin (a) and 125I-labelled immunoglobulin G-IgG (g) in eight patients with cirrhosis (+ ascites 6, -ascites 2) and in one patient...... with carcinomatous ascites. Trans-vascular escape rates of albumin (TERa) and IgG (TERg) were determined in the cirrhotic patients from the disappearance of simultaneously intravenously injected 131I-labelled serum albumin and 124I-labelled IgG. Peritoneal space to plasma appearance times ranged 0.1-3.3 h...

  5. The caveolin proteins

    OpenAIRE

    Williams, Terence M; Lisanti, Michael P

    2004-01-01

    The caveolin gene family has three members in vertebrates: caveolin-1, caveolin-2, and caveolin-3. So far, most caveolin-related research has been conducted in mammals, but the proteins have also been found in other animals, including Xenopus laevis, Fugu rubripes, and Caenorhabditis elegans. Caveolins can serve as protein markers of caveolae ('little caves'), invaginations in the plasma membrane 50-100 nanometers in diameter. Caveolins are found predominantly at the plasma membrane but also ...

  6. Differential proteomics of human seminal plasma: A potential target for searching male infertility marker proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomar, Anil Kumar; Sooch, Balwinder Singh; Singh, Sarman; Yadav, Savita

    2012-04-01

    The clinical fertility tests, available in the market, fail to define the exact cause of male infertility in almost half of the cases and point toward a crucial need of developing better ways of infertility investigations. The protein biomarkers may help us toward better understanding of unknown cases of male infertility that, in turn, can guide us to find better therapeutic solutions. Many clinical attempts have been made to identify biomarkers of male infertility in sperm proteome but only few studies have targeted seminal plasma. Human seminal plasma is a rich source of proteins that are essentially required for development of sperm and successful fertilization. This viewpoint article highlights the importance of human seminal plasma proteome in reproductive physiology and suggests that differential proteomics integrated with functional analysis may help us in searching potential biomarkers of male infertility. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Plasma phospholipid transfer protein activity is independently determined by obesity and insulin resistance in non-diabetic subjects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Vries, Rindert; Kappelle, Paul J. W. H.; Dallinga-Thie, Geesje M.; Dullaart, Robin P. F.

    2011-01-01

    Phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) is an emerging cardio-metabolic risk factor which is intricately involved in lipoprotein metabolism. Elevated plasma PLTP activity levels are reported in obesity and diabetes mellitus, but the relative contributions of obesity and insulin resistance to plasma

  8. High-dose thiamine therapy counters dyslipidemia and advanced glycation of plasma protein in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karachalias, Nikolaos; Babaei-Jadidi, Roya; Kupich, Christian; Ahmed, Naila; Thornalley, Paul J

    2005-06-01

    The streptozotocin-induced (STZ) diabetic rat experimental model of diabetes on insulin maintenance therapy exhibits dyslipidemia, mild thiamine deficiency, and increased plasma protein advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The reversal of thiamine deficiency by high-dose thiamine and S-benzoylthiamine monophosphate (benfotiamine) prevented the development of incipient nephropathy. Recently, we reported that high-dose thiamine (but not benfotiamine) countered diabetic dyslipidemia. To understand further the differences between the effects of thiamine and benfotiamine therapy, we quantified the levels of the AGEs in plasma protein. We found hydroimidazolone AGE residues derived from glyoxal and methylglyoxal, G-H1 and MG-H1, were increased 115% and 68% in STZ diabetic rats, with respect to normal controls, and were normalized by both thiamine and benfotiamine; whereas N-carboxymethyl-lysine (CML) and N-carboxyethyl-lysine (CEL) residues were increased 74% and 118% in STZ diabetic rats and were normalized by thiamine only. The lack of effect of benfotiamine on plasma CML and CEL residue concentrations suggests there may be important precursors of plasma protein CML and CEL residues other than glyoxal and methylglyoxal. These are probably lipid-derived aldehydes.

  9. 14-3-3 proteins in plant physiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denison, Fiona C; Paul, Anna-Lisa; Zupanska, Agata K; Ferl, Robert J

    2011-09-01

    Plant 14-3-3 isoforms, like their highly conserved homologues in mammals, function by binding to phosphorylated client proteins to modulate their function. Through the regulation of a diverse range of proteins including kinases, transcription factors, structural proteins, ion channels and pathogen defense-related proteins, they are being implicated in an expanding catalogue of physiological functions in plants. 14-3-3s themselves are affected, both transcriptionally and functionally, by the extracellular and intracellular environment of the plant. They can modulate signaling pathways that transduce inputs from the environment and also the downstream proteins that elicit the physiological response. This review covers some of the key emerging roles for plant 14-3-3s including their role in the response to the plant extracellular environment, particularly environmental stress, pathogens and light conditions. We also address potential key roles in primary metabolism, hormone signaling, growth and cell division. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Dietary modulation of plasma angiopoietin-like protein 4 concentrations in healthy volunteers and in patients with type 2 diabetes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jonker, Jacqueline T.; Smit, Johannes W. A.; Hammer, Sebastiaan; Snel, Marieke; van der Meer, Rutger W.; Lamb, Hildo J.; Mattijssen, Frits; Mudde, Karin; Jazet, Ingrid M.; Dekkers, Olaf M.; de Roos, Albert; Romijn, Johannes A.; Kersten, Sander; Rensen, Patrick C. N.

    2013-01-01

    Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) has been identified as an inhibitor of lipoprotein lipase. Preliminary data suggest that plasma nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) raise plasma ANGPTL4 concentrations in humans. The objective was to assess plasma ANGPTL4 concentrations after various nutritional

  11. Dietary modulation of plasma angiopoietin-like protein 4 concentrations in healthy volunteers and in patients with type 2 diabetes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jonker, J.T.; Smit, J.W.A.; Hammer, S.; Snel, M.; Meer, R.W. van der; Lamb, H.J.; Mattijssen, F.; Mudde, K.; Jazet, I.M.; Dekkers, O.M.; Roos, A. de; Romijn, J.A.; Kersten, S.; Rensen, P.C.

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) has been identified as an inhibitor of lipoprotein lipase. Preliminary data suggest that plasma nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) raise plasma ANGPTL4 concentrations in humans. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to assess plasma ANGPTL4 concentrations

  12. Dietary modulation of plasma angiopoietin-like protein 4 concentrations in healthy volunteers and in patients with type 2 diabetes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jonker, J.T.; Smit, J.W.A.; Hammer, S.; Snel, M.; Meer, van der R.; Lamb, H.J.; Mattijssen, F.B.J.; Mudde, C.M.; Jazet, I.M.; Dekkers, O.M.; Roos, de A.; Romijn, J.A.; Kersten, A.H.; Rensen, P.C.N.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) has been identified as an inhibitor of lipoprotein lipase. Preliminary data suggest that plasma nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) raise plasma ANGPTL4 concentrations in humans. Objective: The objective was to assess plasma ANGPTL4 concentrations

  13. Organization of the gene coding for human protein C inhibitor (plasminogen activator inhibitor-3). Assignment of the gene to chromosome 14

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meijers, J. C.; Chung, D. W.

    1991-01-01

    Protein C inhibitor (plasminogen activator inhibitor-3) is a plasma glycoprotein and a member of the serine proteinase inhibitor superfamily. In the present study, the human gene for protein C inhibitor was isolated and characterized from three independent phage that contained overlapping inserts

  14. Increased protein damage in renal glomeruli, retina, nerve, plasma and urine and its prevention by thiamine and benfotiamine therapy in a rat model of diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karachalias, N; Babaei-Jadidi, R; Rabbani, N; Thornalley, P J

    2010-07-01

    The aim of this study was to quantify protein damage by glycation, oxidation and nitration in a rat model of diabetes at the sites of development of microvascular complications, including the effects of thiamine and benfotiamine therapy. Diabetes was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by 55 mg/kg streptozotocin and moderated by insulin (2 U twice daily). Diabetic and control rats were given thiamine or benfotiamine (7 or 70 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) over 24 weeks. Plasma, urine and tissues were collected and analysed for protein damage by stable isotopic dilution analysis MS. There were two- to fourfold increases in fructosyl-lysine and AGE content of glomerular, retinal, sciatic nerve and plasma protein in diabetes. Increases in AGEs were reversed by thiamine and benfotiamine therapy but increases in fructosyl-lysine were not. Methionine sulfoxide content of plasma protein and 3-nitrotyrosine content of sciatic nerve protein were increased in diabetes. Plasma glycation free adducts were increased up to twofold in diabetes; the increases were reversed by thiamine. Urinary excretion of glycation, oxidation and nitration free adducts was increased by seven- to 27-fold in diabetes. These increases were reversed by thiamine and benfotiamine therapy. AGEs, particularly arginine-derived hydroimidazolones, accumulate at sites of microvascular complication development and have markedly increased urinary excretion rates in experimental diabetes. Thiamine and benfotiamine supplementation prevented tissue accumulation and increased urinary excretion of protein glycation, oxidation and nitration adducts. Similar effects may contribute to the reversal of early-stage clinical diabetic nephropathy by thiamine.

  15. Key steps in type III secretion system (T3SS) towards translocon assembly with potential sensor at plant plasma membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Hongtao; Dong, Hansong

    2015-09-01

    Many plant- and animal-pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria employ the type III secretion system (T3SS) to translocate effector proteins from bacterial cells into the cytosol of eukaryotic host cells. The effector translocation occurs through an integral component of T3SS, the channel-like translocon, assembled by hydrophilic and hydrophobic proteinaceous translocators in a two-step process. In the first, hydrophilic translocators localize to the tip of a proteinaceous needle in animal pathogens, or a proteinaceous pilus in plant pathogens, and associate with hydrophobic translocators, which insert into host plasma membranes in the second step. However, the pilus needs to penetrate plant cell walls in advance. All hydrophilic translocators so far identified in plant pathogens are characteristic of harpins: T3SS accessory proteins containing a unitary hydrophilic domain or an additional enzymatic domain. Two-domain harpins carrying a pectate lyase domain potentially target plant cell walls and facilitate the penetration of the pectin-rich middle lamella by the bacterial pilus. One-domain harpins target plant plasma membranes and may play a crucial role in translocon assembly, which may also involve contrapuntal associations of hydrophobic translocators. In all cases, sensory components in the target plasma membrane are indispensable for the membrane recognition of translocators and the functionality of the translocon. The conjectural sensors point to membrane lipids and proteins, and a phosphatidic acid and an aquaporin are able to interact with selected harpin-type translocators. Interactions between translocators and their sensors at the target plasma membrane are assumed to be critical for translocon assembly. © 2014 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

  16. Role of G protein-regulated inducer of neurite outgrowth 3 (GRIN3) in β-arrestin 2-Akt signaling and dopaminergic behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mototani, Yasumasa; Okamura, Tadashi; Goto, Motohito; Shimizu, Yukiko; Yanobu-Takanashi, Rieko; Ito, Aiko; Kawamura, Naoya; Yagisawa, Yuka; Umeki, Daisuke; Nariyama, Megumi; Suita, Kenji; Ohnuki, Yoshiki; Shiozawa, Kouichi; Sahara, Yoshinori; Kozasa, Tohru; Saeki, Yasutake; Okumura, Satoshi

    2018-06-01

    The G protein-regulated inducer of neurite growth (GRIN) family has three isoforms (GRIN1-3), which bind to the Gαi/o subfamily of G protein that mediate signal processing via G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Here, we show that GRIN3 is involved in regulation of dopamine-dependent behaviors and is essential for activation of the dopamine receptors (DAR)-β-arrestin signaling cascade. Analysis of functional regions of GRIN3 showed that a di-cysteine motif (Cys751/752) is required for plasma membrane localization. GRIN3 was co-immunoprecipitated with GPCR kinases 2/6 and β-arrestins 1/2. Among GRINs, only GRIN3, which is highly expressed in striatum, strongly interacted with β-arrestin 2. We also generated GRIN3-knockout mice (GRIN3KO). GRIN3KO exhibited reduced locomotor activity and increased anxiety-like behavior in the elevated maze test, as well as a reduced locomoter response to dopamine stimulation. We also examined the phosphorylation of Akt at threonine 308 (phospho308-Akt), which is dephosphorylated via a β-arrestin 2-mediated pathway. Dephosphorylation of phospho308-Akt via the D2R-β-arrestin 2 signaling pathway was completely abolished in striatum of GRIN3KO. Our results suggest that GRIN3 has a role in recruitment and assembly of proteins involved in β-arrestin-dependent, G protein-independent signaling.

  17. Effects of plant proteins on postprandial, free plasma amino acid concentrations in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Bodil Katrine; Dalsgaard, Anne Johanne Tang; Pedersen, Per Bovbjerg

    2012-01-01

    proteins from wheat, peas, field beans, sunflower and soybean. Blood samples were obtained from the caudal vein of 7 fish in each dietary treatment group prior to feeding, as well as: 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after feeding (sampling 7 new fish at each time point), and plasma amino acid......Postprandial patterns in plasma free amino acid concentrations were investigated in juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fed either a fish meal based diet (FM) or a diet (VEG) where 59% of fish meal protein (corresponding to 46% of total dietary protein) was replaced by a matrix of plant...... the two dietary treatment groups correlated largely with the amino acid content of the two diets except for methionine, lysine and arginine, where the differences were more extreme than what would be expected from differences in dietary concentrations. The apparent protein digestibility coefficient...

  18. Pentoxifylline sensitizes human cervical tumor cells to cisplatin-induced apoptosis by suppressing NF-kappa B and decreased cell senescence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hernandez-Flores, Georgina; Bravo-Cuellar, Alejandro; Ortiz-Lazareno, Pablo C; Lerma-Diaz, Jose Manuel; Dominguez-Rodriguez, Jorge R; Jave-Suarez, Luis F; Aguilar-Lemarroy, Adriana del C; Celis-Carrillo, Ruth de; Toro-Arreola, Susana del; Castellanos-Esparza, Yessica C

    2011-01-01

    Worldwide, cervical cancer is the second most common causes of cancer in women and represents an important mortality rate. Cisplatin (CIS) is a very important antitumoral agent and can lead tumor cells toward two important cellular states: apoptosis and senescence. In some types of cancers pentoxifylline (PTX) sensitizes these cells to the toxic action of chemotherapeutics drugs such as adriamycin, inducing apoptosis. In the present work, we studied in vitro whether PTX alone or in combination with CIS induces apoptosis and/or senescence in cervix cancer HeLa and SiHa cell lines infected with HPV types 16 and 18, respectively, as well as in immortalized keratinocytyes HaCaT cells. HeLa (HPV 18+), SiHa (HPV 16+) cervix cancer cells and non-tumorigenic immortalized HaCaT cells (control) were treated with PTX, CIS or both. The cellular toxicity and survival fraction of PTX and CIS were determinate by WST-1 and clonogenic assays respectively. Apoptosis, caspase activation and phosphorylation of ERK1/2, p38, p65 (NF-κB), Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL anti-apoptotic proteins were determinated by flow cytometry. Senescence by microscopy. Phosphorylation of IκBα and IκB total were measured by ELISA. Pro-apoptotic, anti-apoptotic and senescence genes, as well as HPV-E6/7 mRNA expression, were detected by RT-PCR. Our results show that after 24 hours of incubation PTX per se is toxic for cancer cells affecting cell viability and inducing apoptosis. The toxicity in HaCaT cells was minimal. CIS induces apoptosis in HeLa and SiHa cells and its effect was significantly increases when the cells were treated with PTX + CIS. In all studies there was a direct correlation with levels of caspases (-3, -6, -7, -9 and -8) activity and apoptosis. CIS induces important levels of senescence and phosphorylation of ERK1/2, p38, p65/RELA, and IκBα, and decreased the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-XL. Surprisingly these levels were significantly reduced by PTX in tumor cells, and at the same

  19. Protein profile of seminal plasma and functionality of spermatozoa during the reproductive season in the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Shaliutina-Kolešová, A.; Kotas, P.; Štěrba, Ján; Rodina, M.; Dzyuba, B.; Cosson, J.; Linhart, O.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 83, č. 11 (2016), s. 968-982 ISSN 1040-452X R&D Projects: GA ČR GA15-03044S; GA MŠk(CZ) EE2.3.30.0032 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : reproductive season * spermatozoon motility * seminal plasma proteins * carp * rainbow trout * protein identification Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 2.316, year: 2016

  20. Assessment of plasma C-reactive protein as a biomarker of posttraumatic stress disorder risk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eraly, Satish A; Nievergelt, Caroline M; Maihofer, Adam X; Barkauskas, Donald A; Biswas, Nilima; Agorastos, Agorastos; O'Connor, Daniel T; Baker, Dewleen G

    2014-04-01

    Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated in cross-sectional studies with peripheral inflammation. It is not known whether this observed association is the result of PTSD predisposing to inflammation (as sometimes postulated) or to inflammation predisposing to PTSD. To determine whether plasma concentration of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) helps predict PTSD symptoms. The Marine Resiliency Study, a prospective study of approximately 2600 war zone-deployed Marines, evaluated PTSD symptoms and various physiological and psychological parameters before deployment and at approximately 3 and 6 months following a 7-month deployment. Participants were recruited from 4 all-male infantry battalions imminently deploying to a war zone. Participation was requested of 2978 individuals; 2610 people (87.6%) consented and 2555 (85.8%) were included in the present analysis. Postdeployment data on combat-related trauma were included for 2208 participants (86.4% of the 2555 included) and on PTSD symptoms at 3 and 6 months after deployment for 1861 (72.8%) and 1617 (63.3%) participants, respectively. Severity of PTSD symptoms 3 months after deployment assessed by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). We determined the effects of baseline plasma CRP concentration on postdeployment CAPS using zero-inflated negative binomial regression (ZINBR), a procedure designed for distributions, such as CAPS in this study, that have an excess of zeroes in addition to being positively skewed. Adjusting for the baseline CAPS score, trauma exposure, and other relevant covariates, we found baseline plasma CRP concentration to be a highly significant overall predictor of postdeployment CAPS scores (P = .002): each 10-fold increment in CRP concentration was associated with an odds ratio of nonzero outcome (presence vs absence of any PTSD symptoms) of 1.51 (95% CI, 1.15-1.97; P = .003) and a fold increase in outcome with a nonzero value (extent of symptoms

  1. Protein 3-nitrotyrosine formation during Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Naviliat

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Nitric oxide (·NO is a diffusible messenger implicated in Trypanosoma cruzi resistance. Excess production of ·NO and oxidants leads to the generation of nitrogen dioxide (·NO2, a strong nitrating agent. Tyrosine nitration is a post-translational modification resulting from the addition of a nitro (-NO2 group to the ortho-position of tyrosine residues. Detection of protein 3-nitrotyrosine is regarded as a marker of nitro-oxidative stress and is observed in inflammatory processes. The formation and role of nitrating species in the control and myocardiopathy of T. cruzi infection remain to be studied. We investigated the levels of ·NO and protein 3-nitrotyrosine in the plasma of C3H and BALB/c mice and pharmacologically modulated their production during the acute phase of T. cruzi infection. We also looked for protein 3-nitrotyrosine in the hearts of infected animals. Our results demonstrated that C3H animals produced higher amounts of ·NO than BALB/c mice, but their generation of peroxynitrite was not proportionally enhanced and they had higher parasitemias. While N G-nitro-arginine methyl ester treatment abolished ·NO production and drastically augmented the parasitism, mercaptoethylguanidine and guanido-ethyl disulfide, at doses that moderately reduced the ·NO and 3-nitrotyrosine levels, paradoxically diminished the parasitemia in both strains. Nitrated proteins were also demonstrated in myocardial cells of infected mice. These data suggest that the control of T. cruzi infection depends not only on the capacity to produce ·NO, but also on its metabolic fate, including the generation of nitrating species that may constitute an important element in parasite resistance and collateral myocardial damage.

  2. Determination of plasma albumin concentration in healthy and diseased turtles: a comparison of protein electrophoresis and the bromcresol green dye-binding method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller, Kerstin; Brunnberg, Leo

    2010-03-01

    In reptile medicine, plasma chemistry analysis is widely used for the evaluation of an individual's health status. The standard method for the determination of plasma albumin concentration is protein electrophoresis combined with the determination of total protein concentration, but the bromcresol green (BCG) dye-binding method is also used. The reliability of the BCG method for the measurement of albumin concentration in reptiles is unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the plasma albumin values of turtles obtained by protein electrophoresis and the BCG method. Between March 2008 and September 2008, heparinized plasma samples from 16 clinically healthy and 10 diseased turtles of different species were collected. Plasma albumin concentrations were measured by protein electrophoresis and by the BCG method. The results of the 2 methods were compared using Passing-Bablok regression and Bland-Altman plots. Albumin concentration measured by BCG was weakly correlated with the corresponding protein electrophoretic values in all turtles (r(s)=.610, Palbumin concentration measured with the 2 different methods differed significantly in all turtles (P=.009; Wilcoxon's test) and in healthy turtles (P=.005) but not in diseased animals (P=.241). In the Bland-Altman plot a systematic error was found between the 2 methods in diseased turtles. Measurement of albumin by the BCG dye-binding method may lead to inaccurate results for plasma albumin concentration, especially in ill turtles. Therefore, for health assessment in turtles, albumin should be measured by protein electrophoresis.

  3. Circulating growth hormone (GH)-binding protein complex: a major constituent of plasma GH in man

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baumann, G.; Amburn, K.; Shaw, M.A.

    1988-01-01

    The recent discovery of a specific binding protein for human GH (hGH) in human plasma suggests that hGH circulates in part as a complex in association with the binding protein(s). However, the magnitude of the complexed fraction prevailing under physiological conditions is unknown because of 1) dissociation of the complex during analysis and 2) potential differences in the binding characteristics of radiolabeled and native hGH. We conducted experiments designed to minimize dissociation during analysis (gel filtration in prelabeled columns, frontal analysis, and batch molecular sieving) with both native and radioiodinated hGH. All three methods yielded similar estimates for the complexed fraction. In normal plasma the bound fraction for 22 K hGH averaged 50.1% (range, 39-59%), that for 20 K hGH averaged 28.5% (range, 26-31%). Above a hGH level of about 20 ng/ml the bound fraction declines in concentration-dependent manner due to saturation of the binding protein. We conclude that a substantial part of circulating hGH is complexed with carrier proteins. This concept has important implications for the metabolism, distribution, and biological activity of hGH

  4. Plasma immune protein analysis in the orange-spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides: Evidence for altered expressions of immune factors associated with a choline-supplemented diet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shiu, Ya-Li; Chiu, Kuo-Hsun; Huynh, Truong-Giang; Liu, Ping-Chung; Liu, Chun-Hung

    2017-06-01

    This study aimed to unravel the regulatory roles of choline in activating immune responses and disease resistance of the orange-spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides. Fish were fed a choline-supplemented diet at 1 g kg -1 of feed for 30 days. Fish fed a fish meal basal diet without choline-supplement served as controls. At the end of the feeding trial, fish were challenged with Vibrio alginolyticus. Meanwhile, plasma proteomics of fish in each group were also evaluated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), and differentially expressed proteins were identified by tandem mass spectrophotometry (MS/MS), then a Western blot analysis or real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to confirm differential expressions of immune-enhancing proteins. Results showed that choline significantly increased survival of E. coioides 48 days after being injected with V. alginolyticus. From maps of plasma proteins, a comparative analysis between the control and choline groups revealed that 111 spots matched, with 26 altered expression spots in the choline group. Of these 26 spots, 16 were upregulated and 10 downregulated. After protein identification by reverse-phase nano-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization MS/MS analysis, eight of 26 proteins were found to be immune-related proteins, all of which were upregulated, including complement 3 (C3), alpha-2-macroglobulin-P-like isoform (A2M), fibrinogen beta chain precursor (FBG), and immunoglobulin heavy constant mu (Ighm) proteins. Expression of the A2M protein and A2M enzyme activity in plasma of fish fed choline significantly increased compared to the control group. Additionally, A2M messenger (m)RNA transcripts were also upregulated in the liver and kidneys. Significantly higher C3 expressions at both the mRNA and protein levels were detected in the liver of fish in the choline group. Moreover, FBG gene expressions in the liver and kidneys significantly increased, while Ighm increased in the

  5. Comparative characterization of thyroid hormone receptors and binding proteins in rat liver nucleus, plasma membrane, and cytosol by photoaffinity labeling with L-thyroxine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dozin, B.; Cahnmann, H.J.; Nikodem, V.M.

    1985-01-01

    Photoaffinity labeling with underivatized thyroxine (T4) was used to identify and compare the T4 binding proteins in rat liver cytosol, nuclear extract, and purified plasma membrane. When these subcellular fractions were incubated with a tracer concentration of [125I]T4, irradiated with light above 300 nm, and individually analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the radioactivity profiles revealed the presence of T4 binding proteins of molecular masses of 70, 52, 43, 37, 30, and 26 kilodaltons (kDa) in cytosol, of 96, 56, 45, and 35 kDa in nuclear extract, and of 70, 44, and 30 kDa in plasma membrane. Competition experiments performed in the presence of a 1000-fold excess of unlabeled T4 demonstrated that these binding proteins display different hormone binding activities. The similar electrophoretic mobilities of some binding proteins present in the different subcellular fractions, i.e., the 70-, 43-45-, and 30-kDa proteins, suggested that these proteins might be identical. However, double-labeling experiments in which plasma membrane, nuclear extract, and cytosol were photolabeled with either [125I] or [131I]T4 and mixed, two at a time, in all possible combinations showed that from one cellular fraction to another, the radioactivity peaks corresponding to the approximately 70-, 43-45-, and 30-kDa proteins were not superimposed. Their relative positions on the gel differed by one or two slices, which indicated differences in molecular mass of 1.9-3.6 kDa. Moreover, enzymatic digestion with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease of these three proteins, prepared from each subcellular fraction, yielded dissimilar peptide patterns

  6. Plasma PCSK9 concentrations during an oral fat load and after short term high-fat, high-fat high-protein and high-fructose diets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cariou Bertrand

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background PCSK9 (Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin Kexin type 9 is a circulating protein that promotes hypercholesterolemia by decreasing hepatic LDL receptor protein. Under non interventional conditions, its expression is driven by sterol response element binding protein 2 (SREBP2 and follows a diurnal rhythm synchronous with cholesterol synthesis. Plasma PCSK9 is associated to LDL-C and to a lesser extent plasma triglycerides and insulin resistance. We aimed to verify the effect on plasma PCSK9 concentrations of dietary interventions that affect these parameters. Methods We performed nutritional interventions in young healthy male volunteers and offspring of type 2 diabetic (OffT2D patients that are more prone to develop insulin resistance, including: i acute post-prandial hyperlipidemic challenge (n=10, ii 4 days of high-fat (HF or high-fat/high-protein (HFHP (n=10, iii 7 (HFruc1, n=16 or 6 (HFruc2, n=9 days of hypercaloric high-fructose diets. An acute oral fat load was also performed in two patients bearing the R104C-V114A loss-of-function (LOF PCSK9 mutation. Plasma PCSK9 concentrations were measured by ELISA. For the HFruc1 study, intrahepatocellular (IHCL and intramyocellular lipids were measured by 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Hepatic and whole-body insulin sensitivity was assessed with a two-step hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (0.3 and 1.0 mU.kg-1.min-1. Findings HF and HFHP short-term diets, as well as an acute hyperlipidemic oral load, did not significantly change PCSK9 concentrations. In addition, post-prandial plasma triglyceride excursion was not altered in two carriers of PCSK9 LOF mutation compared with non carriers. In contrast, hypercaloric 7-day HFruc1 diet increased plasma PCSK9 concentrations by 28% (p=0.05 in healthy volunteers and by 34% (p=0.001 in OffT2D patients. In another independent study, 6-day HFruc2 diet increased plasma PCSK9 levels by 93% (p Conclusions Plasma PCSK9 concentrations vary

  7. The cytotoxic activity of miltefosine against Leishmania and macrophages is associated with dynamic changes in plasma membrane proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandes, Kelly Souza; de Souza, Paulo Eduardo Narcizo; Dorta, Miriam Leandro; Alonso, Antonio

    2017-01-01

    In this study, we combined electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy with an analysis of biophysical cellular parameters to study the mechanisms underlying the in vitro anti-leishmanial activity of miltefosine (MT). A thiol-specific spin label attached to membrane-bound proteins of Leishmania amazonensis and peritoneal macrophages indicated that MT may bind to plasma membrane proteins in large quantities via a detergent-like action and cause structural changes associated with a marked increase in dynamics and exposure to an aqueous environment. EPR spectra of a spin-labeled stearic acid indicated strong interactions between the probe and membrane proteins and a marked increase in the membrane fluidity of MT-treated cells. The cytotoxicity of MT was found to depend on the cell concentration used in the assay. This dependence was described by an equation involving the 50% inhibitory concentrations of MT in the aqueous medium (c w50 ) and the cell membrane (c m50 ) and the membrane-aqueous medium partition coefficient of MT (K). With a c w50 of 8.7μM, macrophages were less sensitive to MT than amastigotes and promastigotes of Leishmania, which had c w50 values of 2.4-3.1μM. The estimated c m50 of MT for Leishmania was 1.8M, which appears sufficient to cause ruptures or formation of pores in the plasma membrane. Additionally, we demonstrated that the changes in the plasma membrane detected by EPR spectroscopy occurred at cytotoxic concentrations of MT, as assessed through in vitro assays. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Two dimensional gel electrophoresis using narrow pH 3-5.6 immobilised pH gradient strips identifies potential novel disease biomarkers in plasma or serum

    OpenAIRE

    sprotocols

    2015-01-01

    Authors: Bevin Gangadharan & Nicole Zitzmann ### Abstract Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) is a protein separation technique often used to separate plasma or serum proteins in an attempt to identify novel biomarkers. This protocol describes how to run 2-DE gels using narrow pH 3-5.6 immobilised pH gradient strips to separate 2 mg of serum proteins. pH 3-6 ampholytes are used to enhance the solubility of proteins in this pH range before the serum proteins are separated in the...

  9. A paclitaxel-loaded recombinant polypeptide nanoparticle outperforms Abraxane in multiple murine cancer models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharyya, Jayanta; Bellucci, Joseph J.; Weitzhandler, Isaac; McDaniel, Jonathan R.; Spasojevic, Ivan; Li, Xinghai; Lin, Chao-Chieh; Chi, Jen-Tsan Ashley; Chilkoti, Ashutosh

    2015-08-01

    Packaging clinically relevant hydrophobic drugs into a self-assembled nanoparticle can improve their aqueous solubility, plasma half-life, tumour-specific uptake and therapeutic potential. To this end, here we conjugated paclitaxel (PTX) to recombinant chimeric polypeptides (CPs) that spontaneously self-assemble into ~60 nm near-monodisperse nanoparticles that increased the systemic exposure of PTX by sevenfold compared with free drug and twofold compared with the Food and Drug Administration-approved taxane nanoformulation (Abraxane). The tumour uptake of the CP-PTX nanoparticle was fivefold greater than free drug and twofold greater than Abraxane. In a murine cancer model of human triple-negative breast cancer and prostate cancer, CP-PTX induced near-complete tumour regression after a single dose in both tumour models, whereas at the same dose, no mice treated with Abraxane survived for >80 days (breast) and 60 days (prostate), respectively. These results show that a molecularly engineered nanoparticle with precisely engineered design features outperforms Abraxane, the current gold standard for PTX delivery.

  10. An evaluation of multiplex bead-based analysis of cytokines and soluble proteins in archived lithium heparin plasma, EDTA plasma and serum samples

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brøndum, Line; Sørensen, Brita Singers; Eriksen, Jesper Grau

    2016-01-01

    -13, and VEGF, LH plasma levels vs. EDTA plasma: IL-2 and IL-4. CONCLUSION: Stored serum, LH plasma, and EDTA plasma from clinical trials can be used for analysis of circulating cytokines and proteins. Variations in measurements occur, but are within reasonable ranges. The optimal type of media...... in plasma and serum from 86 head and neck cancer patients and 33 controls were evaluated: EGFR, leptin, OPN, VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, IL-2, IL-13, PDGF-bb, TNF, PAI-1, SDF-1a, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, eotaxin, G-CSF, VEGF, GRO-a, and HGF. RESULTS: The correlation between measurements of the same samples analyzed...... on different dates was reasonable. However, samples run on different dates could exhibit different absolute values. The 75th percentile of the fold differences for samples run on different dates was 2.2. No significant difference was found between one and four freeze-thaw cycles (except for HGF...

  11. High Protein Intake Does Not Prevent Low Plasma Levels of Conditionally Essential Amino Acids in Very Preterm Infants Receiving Parenteral Nutrition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, Colin; Burgess, Laura

    2017-03-01

    We have shown that increasing protein intake using a standardized, concentrated, added macronutrients parenteral (SCAMP) nutrition regimen improves head growth in very preterm infants (VPIs) compared with a control parenteral nutrition (PN) regimen. VPIs are at risk of conditionally essential amino acid (CEAA) deficiencies because of current neonatal PN amino acid (AA) formulations. We hypothesized that the SCAMP regimen would prevent low plasma levels of CEAAs. To compare the plasma AA profiles at approximately day 9 of life in VPIs receiving SCAMP vs a control PN regimen. VPIs (parenteral and enteral protein, energy, and individual AA intake and the first plasma AA profile. Plasma profiles of the 20 individual protogenic AA levels were measured using ion exchange chromatography. Plasma AA profiles were obtained at median (interquartile range [IQR]) age of 9 (8-10) days in both SCAMP (n = 59) and control (n = 67) groups after randomizing 150 VPIs. Median (IQR) plasma levels of individual essential AAs were higher than the reference population mean (RPM) in both groups, especially for threonine. SCAMP infants had higher plasma levels of essential AAs than did the controls. Median (IQR) plasma levels of glutamine, arginine, and cysteine (CEAAs) were lower than the RPM in both groups. Plasma AA levels in PN-dependent VPIs indicate there is an imbalance in essential and CEAA provision in neonatal PN AA formulations that is not improved by increasing protein intake.

  12. Obesity and Low-Grade Inflammation Increase Plasma Follistatin-Like 3 in Humans

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brandt, Claus; Pedersen, Maria; Rinnov, Anders

    2014-01-01

    , plasma leptin, fasting insulin, and HOMA B and negatively with HOMA S. Furthermore plasma fstl3 correlated positively with plasma TNF-α and IL-6 levels. Infusion of LPS and TNF-α, but not IL-6 and insulin, increased plasma fstl3 in humans. CONCLUSION: Plasma fstl3 is increased in obese subjects......BACKGROUND: Rodent models suggest that follistatin-like 3 (fstl3) is associated with diabetes and obesity. In humans, plasma fstl3 is reduced with gestational diabetes. In vitro, TNF-α induces fstl3 secretion, which suggests a link to inflammation. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the association between...... plasma fstl3 and obesity, insulin resistance, and low-grade inflammation in humans. STUDY DESIGN: Plasma fstl3 levels were determined in a cross-sectional study including three groups: patients with type 2 diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, and healthy controls. In addition, lipopolysaccharide (LPS...

  13. Comparative study of the Ar and He atmospheric pressure plasmas on E-cadherin protein regulation for plasma-mediated transdermal drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hyun Young; Hae Choi, Jeong; Hong, Jin Woo; Kim, Gyoo Cheon; Lee, Hae June

    2018-05-01

    The effects of argon plasma (ArP) and helium plasma (HeP) jets on E-cadherin protein function have been tested in order to choose the working gas for a better plasma-mediated transdermal drug delivery. The plasma-mediated changes of the E-cadherin function and the skin penetration efficacies of epidermal growth factor (EGF) were monitored in vitro using HaCaT human keratinocytes and in vivo using hairless mice. The ArP showed higher efficacy for E-cadherin regulation and EGF absorption than HeP under the same applied voltage and the same gas flow rate. The ArP generates higher volume power density, higher discharge current peak, and more reactive species than HeP, especially for OH with the same operating parameters. Moreover, the effect of ArP on E-cadherin function was blocked by the use of a grounded metal mesh. Taken together, this study presents the possibility that the synergetic effect of negative charges with radicals plays an important role in plasma-mediated E-cadherin regulation, which leads to enhanced transdermal drug delivery.

  14. Protein: FBA3 [TP Atlas

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available FBA3 Ubiquitination CBLB RNF56 CBLB E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase CBL-B Casitas B-lineage lymphoma pr...oto-oncogene b, RING finger protein 56, SH3-binding protein CBL-B, Signal transduction prote

  15. Blimp-1 controls plasma cell function through regulation of immunoglobulin secretion and the unfolded protein response

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tellier, Julie; Shi, Wei; Minnich, Martina; Liao, Yang; Crawford, Simon; Smyth, Gordon K; Kallies, Axel; Busslinger, Meinrad; Nutt, Stephen L

    2015-01-01

    Plasma cell differentiation requires silencing of B cell transcription, while establishing antibody-secretory function and long-term survival. The transcription factors Blimp-1 and IRF4 are essential for plasma cell generation, however their function in mature plasma cells has remained elusive. We have found that while IRF4 was essential for plasma cell survival, Blimp-1 was dispensable. Blimp-1-deficient plasma cells retained their transcriptional identity, but lost the ability to secrete antibody. Blimp-1 regulated many components of the unfolded protein response (UPR), including XBP-1 and ATF6. The overlap of Blimp-1 and XBP-1 function was restricted to the UPR, with Blimp-1 uniquely regulating mTOR activity and plasma cell size. Thus, Blimp-1 is required for the unique physiological capacity of plasma cells that enables the secretion of protective antibody. PMID:26779600

  16. Study of factors that interfere in the labelling process of erythrocytes and plasma proteins with Technetium-99m

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gutfilen, Bianca

    1989-01-01

    The labelling of red blood cells (RBC) with technetium-99m (Tc-99m) depends on several factors, as the stannous ion (Sn++) concentration, time, temperature, the presence of plasma proteins (PP) and others. However the Sn++ concentration seems to be the most important factor; probably because the uptake of this reducing agent by RBC is limited. The excess of Sn++ in extracellular medium can determine the labelling of PP. the modifications of RBC at 50 deg C described in the literature, the possibility of labelling RBC with Tc-99m at this temperature and experimental results obtained made it possible to perform spleen selective scintigraphy through a simple technique with few manipulations. The effect of gentamicin, nifedipine and verapamil in the labelling of RBC and plasma proteins with Tc-99m was studied because of similarities between Ca++ and Sn++. The results show that, under some conditions, these drugs are capable to alter this Tc-99m incorporation. The modification of the ionic distribution determined by these drugs or the blockage of Sn++ and/or Tc-99m or the fact that they bind theirselves to plasma proteins, or the possibility of the labelling of these drugs, are factors that can interfere in the labelling process of red blood cells and plasma proteins with Tc-99m. (author)

  17. The expression of endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthase and apoptosis in intestinal ischemia and reperfusion injury under the action of ischemic preconditioning and pentoxifylline.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, Teresinha Regina Ribeiro de; Oliveira, Geraldo Ferreira de; Simões, Ricardo Santos; Feitosa, Suellen Maurim; Tikazawa, Eduardo Hiroshi; Monteiro, Hugo Pequeno; Fagundes, Djalma José; Taha, Murched Omar

    2017-11-01

    To investigate the expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and apoptosis associated with ischemic preconditioning (IPC) and pentoxifylline (PTX) in intestinal ischemia (I) and reperfusion (R) injury. Thirty male rats were assigned to 5 groups: (CG), no clamping of the superior mesenteric artery (90 minutes); (IR-SS) saline + ischemia (30 minutes) + reperfusion (60 minutes); (IR-PTX) PTX + ischemia (30 minutes) + reperfusion (60 minutes); (IPC-IR-SS) 5 minutes of ischemia + 5 minutes of reperfusion (IPC) + saline + I(30 minutes)+R(60 minutes); and (IPC-IR-PTX) IPC + PTX + I(30 minutes)+ R(60 minutes). The application of IPC and PTX showed a significantly lower immunohistochemistry reaction for active caspase-3 (P0.05). The NOS-2 expression (qRTPCR) in the IR-PTX group (P<0.05) was higher than the values for the IPC+IR-SS and IPC-IR-PTX groups. The NOS-3 expression was significantly upper in the IPC-IR-PTX group than in the CG (P<0.05), the IR-SS (P<0.05) and the IR-PTX (P<0.05) groups. The BCL-2 and active caspase-3 showed beneficial effects on PTX and IPC. The expression of NOS-2 and NOS-3 in the IPC and IPC-PTX groups showed no synergistic effect.

  18. Plasma proteomic study in patients with high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yong-jun LUO

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective  To investigate the differential expressions of protein in the plasma proteome in patients suffering from high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE and their implications. Methods  The plasmas of six HAPE patients and six healthy controls were studied. The high-abundant proteins in the plasma were removed. The low-abundant proteins in the plasma/serum were segregated by 2-DE. MALDI-TOF/MS was adopted to measure the peptide fingerprints after the differential protein spots were digested by enzymes. Comparison and analysis were made in the GenBank. Results  The immunoglobulin K1 light chain, serum transferrin protein precursor, and α-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain-related protein expressions were upregulated in HAPE patients compared with the control group. However the human fibrin glue coagulation protein 3 was down-regulated. Conclusion  The differential expression of the above four proteins in the plasma of HAPE patients may be related to the occurrence of HAPE and can be used as the target point for the prediction of HAPE.

  19. Potentiation of Anticancer Drugs: Effects of Pentoxifylline on Neoplastic Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miroslav Barancik

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The drug efflux activity of P-glycoprotein (P-gp, a product of the mdr1 gene, ABCB1 member of ABC transporter family represents a mechanism by which tumor cells escape death induced by chemotherapeutics. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms involved in the effects of pentoxifylline (PTX on P-gp-mediated multidrug resistance (MDR in mouse leukemia L1210/VCR cells. Parental sensitive mouse leukemia cells L1210, and multidrug-resistant cells, L1210/VCR, which are characterized by the overexpression of P-gp, were used as experimental models. The cells were exposed to 100 μmol/L PTX in the presence or absence of 1.2 μmol/L vincristine (VCR. Western blot analysis indicated a downregulation of P-gp protein expression when multidrug-resistant L1210/VCR cells were exposed to PTX. The effects of PTX on the sensitization of L1210/VCR cells to VCR correlate with the stimulation of apoptosis detected by Annexin V/propidium iodide apoptosis necrosis kit and proteolytic activation of both caspase-3 and caspase-9 monitored by Western blot analysis. Higher release of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs, especially MMP-2, which could be attenuated by PTX, was found in L1210/VCR than in L1210 cells by gelatin zymography in electrophoretic gel. Exposure of resistant cells to PTX increased the content of phosphorylated Akt kinase. In contrast, the presence of VCR eliminated the effects of PTX on Akt kinase phosphorylation. Taken together, we conclude that PTX induces the sensitization of multidrug-resistant cells to VCR via downregulation of P-gp, stimulation of apoptosis and reduction of MMPs released from drug-resistant L1210/VCR cells. These facts bring new insights into the mechanisms of PTX action on cancer cells.

  20. Informing the Human Plasma Protein Binding of ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    The free fraction of a xenobiotic in plasma (Fub) is an important determinant of chemical adsorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination, and toxicity, yet experimental plasma protein binding data is scarce for environmentally relevant chemicals. The presented work explores the merit of utilizing available pharmaceutical data to predict Fub for environmentally relevant chemicals via machine learning techniques. Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models were constructed with k nearest neighbors (kNN), support vector machines (SVM), and random forest (RF) machine learning algorithms from a training set of 1045 pharmaceuticals. The models were then evaluated with independent test sets of pharmaceuticals (200 compounds) and environmentally relevant ToxCast chemicals (406 total, in two groups of 238 and 168 compounds). The selection of a minimal feature set of 10-15 2D molecular descriptors allowed for both informative feature interpretation and practical applicability domain assessment via a bounded box of descriptor ranges and principal component analysis. The diverse pharmaceutical and environmental chemical sets exhibit similarities in terms of chemical space (99-82% overlap), as well as comparable bias and variance in constructed learning curves. All the models exhibit significant predictability with mean absolute errors (MAE) in the range of 0.10-0.18 Fub. The models performed best for highly bound chemicals (MAE 0.07-0.12), neutrals (MAE 0

  1. Comparison of radiofrequency body coils for MRI at 3 Tesla: a simulation study using parallel transmission on various anatomical targets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Xiaoping; Zhang, Xiaotong; Tian, Jinfeng; Schmitter, Sebastian; Hanna, Brian; Strupp, John; Pfeuffer, Josef; Hamm, Michael; Wang, Dingxin; Nistler, Juergen; He, Bin; Vaughan, J. Thomas; Ugurbil, Kamil; Van de Moortele, Pierre-Francois

    2015-01-01

    The performance of multichannel transmit coil layouts and parallel transmission (pTx) radiofrequency (RF) pulse design was evaluated with respect to transmit B1 (B1+) homogeneity and Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) at 3 Tesla for a whole body coil. Five specific coils were modeled and compared: a 32-rung birdcage body coil (driven either in a fixed quadrature mode or a two-channel transmit mode), two single-ring stripline arrays (with either 8 or 16 elements), and two multi-ring stripline arrays (with 2 or 3 identical rings, stacked in the z-axis and each comprising eight azimuthally distributed elements). Three anatomical targets were considered, each defined by a 3D volume representative of a meaningful region of interest (ROI) in routine clinical applications. For a given anatomical target, global or local SAR controlled pTx pulses were designed to homogenize RF excitation within the ROI. At the B1+ homogeneity achieved by the quadrature driven birdcage design, pTx pulses with multichannel transmit coils achieved up to ~8 fold reduction in local and global SAR. When used for imaging head and cervical spine or imaging thoracic spine, the double-ring array outperformed all coils including the single-ring arrays. While the advantage of the double-ring array became much less pronounced for pelvic imaging with a substantially larger ROI, the pTx approach still provided significant gains over the quadrature birdcage coil. For all design scenarios, using the 3-ring array did not necessarily improve the RF performance. Our results suggest that pTx pulses with multichannel transmit coils can reduce local and global SAR substantially for body coils while attaining improved B1+ homogeneity, particularly for a “z-stacked” double-ring design with coil elements arranged on two transaxial rings. PMID:26332290

  2. Interaction of monomeric Ebola VP40 protein with a plasma membrane: A coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) simulation study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamad Yusoff, Mohamad Ariff; Abdul Hamid, Azzmer Azzar; Mohammad Bunori, Noraslinda; Abd Halim, Khairul Bariyyah

    2018-06-01

    Ebola virus is a lipid-enveloped filamentous virus that affects human and non-human primates and consists of several types of protein: nucleoprotein, VP30, VP35, L protein, VP40, VP24, and transmembrane glycoprotein. Among the Ebola virus proteins, its matrix protein VP40 is abundantly expressed during infection and plays a number of critical roles in oligomerization, budding and egress from the host cell. VP40 exists predominantly as a monomer at the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane, and has been suggested to interact with negatively charged lipids such as phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP 2 ) and phosphatidylserine (PS) via its cationic patch. The hydrophobic loop at the C-terminal domain has also been shown to be important in the interaction between the VP40 and the membrane. However, details of the molecular mechanisms underpinning their interactions are not fully understood. This study aimed at investigating the effects of mutation in the cationic patch and hydrophobic loop on the interaction between the VP40 monomer and the plasma membrane using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation (CGMD). Our simulations revealed that the interaction between VP40 and the plasma membrane is mediated by the cationic patch residues. This led to the clustering of PIP 2 around the protein in the inner leaflet as a result of interactions between some cationic residues including R52, K127, K221, K224, K225, K256, K270, K274, K275 and K279 and PIP 2 lipids via electrostatic interactions. Mutation of the cationic patch or hydrophobic loop amino acids caused the protein to bind at the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane in a different orientation, where no significant clustering of PIP 2 was observed around the mutated protein. This study provides basic understanding of the interaction of the VP40 monomer and its mutants with the plasma membrane. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Determination of protein carbonyls in plasma, cell extracts, tissue homogenates, isolated proteins: Focus on sample preparation and derivatization conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, Daniela; Davies, Michael J; Grune, Tilman

    2015-08-01

    Protein oxidation is involved in regulatory physiological events as well as in damage to tissues and is thought to play a key role in the pathophysiology of diseases and in the aging process. Protein-bound carbonyls represent a marker of global protein oxidation, as they are generated by multiple different reactive oxygen species in blood, tissues and cells. Sample preparation and stabilization are key steps in the accurate quantification of oxidation-related products and examination of physiological/pathological processes. This review therefore focuses on the sample preparation processes used in the most relevant methods to detect protein carbonyls after derivatization with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine with an emphasis on measurement in plasma, cells, organ homogenates, isolated proteins and organelles. Sample preparation, derivatization conditions and protein handling are presented for the spectrophotometric and HPLC method as well as for immunoblotting and ELISA. An extensive overview covering these methods in previously published articles is given for researchers who plan to measure protein carbonyls in different samples. © 2015 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  4. Platelet adhesion and plasma protein adsorption control of collagen surfaces by He+ ion implantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurotobi, K.; Suzuki, Y.; Nakajima, H.; Suzuki, H.; Iwaki, M.

    2003-01-01

    He + ion implanted collagen-coated tubes with a fluence of 1 x 10 14 ions/cm 2 were exhibited antithrombogenicity. To investigate the mechanisms of antithrombogenicity of these samples, plasma protein adsorption assay and platelet adhesion experiments were performed. The adsorption of fibrinogen (Fg) and von Willebrand factor (vWf) was minimum on the He + ion implanted collagen with a fluence of 1 x 10 14 ions/cm 2 . Platelet adhesion (using platelet rich plasma) was inhibited on the He + ion implanted collagen with a fluence of 1 x 10 14 ions/cm 2 and was accelerated on the untreated collagen and ion implanted collagen with fluences of 1 x 10 13 , 1 x 10 15 and 1 x 10 16 ions/cm 2 . Platelet activation with washed platelets was observed on untreated collagen and He + ion implanted collagen with a fluence of 1 x 10 14 ions/cm 2 and was inhibited with fluences of 1 x 10 13 , 1 x 10 15 and 1 x 10 16 ions/cm 2 . Generally, platelets can react with a specific ligand inside the collagen (GFOGER sequence). The results of platelets adhesion experiments using washed platelets indicated that there were no ligands such as GFOGER on the He + ion implanted collagen over a fluence of 1 x 10 13 ions/cm 2 . On the 1 x 10 14 ions/cm 2 implanted collagen, no platelet activation was observed due to the influence of plasma proteins. >From the above, it is concluded that the decrease of adsorbed Fg and vWf caused the antithrombogenicity of He + ion implanted collagen with a fluence of 1 x 10 14 ions/cm 2 and that plasma protein adsorption took an important role repairing the graft surface

  5. Multi-site assessment of the precision and reproducibility of multiple reaction monitoring–based measurements of proteins in plasma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Addona, Terri A; Abbatiello, Susan E; Schilling, Birgit; Skates, Steven J; Mani, D R; Bunk, David M; Spiegelman, Clifford H; Zimmerman, Lisa J; Ham, Amy-Joan L; Keshishian, Hasmik; Hall, Steven C; Allen, Simon; Blackman, Ronald K; Borchers, Christoph H; Buck, Charles; Cardasis, Helene L; Cusack, Michael P; Dodder, Nathan G; Gibson, Bradford W; Held, Jason M; Hiltke, Tara; Jackson, Angela; Johansen, Eric B; Kinsinger, Christopher R; Li, Jing; Mesri, Mehdi; Neubert, Thomas A; Niles, Richard K; Pulsipher, Trenton C; Ransohoff, David; Rodriguez, Henry; Rudnick, Paul A; Smith, Derek; Tabb, David L; Tegeler, Tony J; Variyath, Asokan M; Vega-Montoto, Lorenzo J; Wahlander, Åsa; Waldemarson, Sofia; Wang, Mu; Whiteaker, Jeffrey R; Zhao, Lei; Anderson, N Leigh; Fisher, Susan J; Liebler, Daniel C; Paulovich, Amanda G; Regnier, Fred E; Tempst, Paul; Carr, Steven A

    2010-01-01

    Verification of candidate biomarkers relies upon specific, quantitative assays optimized for selective detection of target proteins, and is increasingly viewed as a critical step in the discovery pipeline that bridges unbiased biomarker discovery to preclinical validation. Although individual laboratories have demonstrated that multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) coupled with isotope dilution mass spectrometry can quantify candidate protein biomarkers in plasma, reproducibility and transferability of these assays between laboratories have not been demonstrated. We describe a multilaboratory study to assess reproducibility, recovery, linear dynamic range and limits of detection and quantification of multiplexed, MRM-based assays, conducted by NCI-CPTAC. Using common materials and standardized protocols, we demonstrate that these assays can be highly reproducible within and across laboratories and instrument platforms, and are sensitive to low µg/ml protein concentrations in unfractionated plasma. We provide data and benchmarks against which individual laboratories can compare their performance and evaluate new technologies for biomarker verification in plasma. PMID:19561596

  6. Purification of a sarcoplasmic reticulum protein that binds Ca2+ and plasma lipoproteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hofmann, S.L.; Brown, M.S.; Lee, E.; Pathak, R.K.; Anderson, R.G.; Goldstein, J.L.

    1989-01-01

    A protein in the sarcoplasmic reticulum of rabbit skeletal and cardiac muscle was identified because of its ability to bind 125I-labeled low density lipoprotein (LDL) with high affinity after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This protein, referred to as the 165-kDa protein, is restricted to striated muscle. It was not detected in 14 other tissues, including several that contain smooth muscle, but it appears in rat L6 myoblasts when they differentiate into myocytes. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopic studies revealed that the protein is present throughout the sarcoplasmic reticulum and the terminal cisternae. It binds 45Ca2+ on nitrocellulose blots and stains metachromatically with Stains-all, a cationic dye that stains Ca2+-binding proteins. It does not appear to be a glycoprotein, and it appears slightly larger than the 160-kDa glycoprotein previously described in sarcoplasmic reticulum. The 165-kDa protein binds LDL, beta-migrating very low density lipoprotein, and a cholesterol-induced high density lipoprotein particle that contains apoprotein E as its sole apoprotein with much higher affinity than it binds high density lipoprotein. The protein is stable to boiling and to treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate, but it becomes sensitive to these treatments when its cystine residues are reduced and alkylated. The protein was purified 1300-fold to apparent homogeneity from rabbit skeletal muscle membranes. It differs from the cell surface LDL receptor in that (1) its apparent molecular weight is not changed by reduction and alkylation; (2) it is present in Watanabe-heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits, which lack functional LDL receptors; (3) binding of lipoproteins is not inhibited by EDTA; and (4) it is located within the lumen of the sarcoplasmic reticulum where it has no access to plasma lipoproteins

  7. Involvement of activated leukocytes in the regulation of plasma levels of acute phase proteins in microgravity simulation experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larina, Olga; Bekker, Anna; Turin-Kuzmin, Alexey

    2016-07-01

    Earth-based studies of microgravity effects showed the induction of the mechanisms of acute phase reaction (APR). APR comprises the transition of stress-sensitive protein kinases of macrophages and other responsive cells into the active state and the phosphorylation of transcription factors which in turn stimulate the production of acute-phase reaction cytokines. Leukocyte activation is accompanied by the acceleration of the formation of oxygen radicals which can serve a functional indice of leukocyte cell state. The series of events at acute phase response result in selective changes in the synthesis of a number of secretory blood proteins (acute phase proteins, APPs) in liver cells thus contributing the recovery of homeostasis state in the organism. Earlier experiment with head-down tilt showed the increase in plasma concentrations of two cytokine mediators of acute phase response, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) being the outcome of the activation of producer cells, foremost, leukocytes. In experiment with 4-day dry immersion chemiluminescent (ChL) reply of the whole blood samples to a test stimulus were studied along with the measurements of plasma levels of APPs, namely, alpha1-antitrypsin (alpha1-AT), alpha1-acid glycoprotein (alpha1-AGP), alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2-M), ceruloplasmin (Cer), haptoglobin (Hp), C3-complement component (C3), C-reactive protein (CRP). Eight individuals aged 21.2 ± 3.2 years were the test subjects in the investigation. Protein studies showed a noticeable increase in the mean plasma levels of all APPs measured in experiment thus producing the evidence of the activation of acute phase response mechanisms while individual patterns revealed variability during the immersion period. The overall trends were similar to these in the previous immersion series. The augment in the strength of signal in stimulated light emission tests was higher after 1- and 2-day of immersion exposure than before the

  8. Synergistic Radioprotection by Gamma-Tocotrienol and Pentoxifylline: Role of cAMP Signaling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kulkarni, Shilpa; Chakraborty, Kushal; Kumar, K. Sree; Kao, Tzu-Cheg; Hauer-Jensen, Martin; Ghosh, Sanchita P.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose. This study was designed to determine the efficacy and mechanisms of radioprotection by the combination of gamma-tocotrienol (GT3) and pentoxifylline (PTX) against acute radiation injury. Materials and Methods. Post-irradiation survival was monitored to determine the most efficacious dose and time of administration of PTX. Dose reduction factor (DRF) was calculated to compare the radioprotective efficacy of the combination. To determine the mechanism of synergistic radioprotection by the combination, mevalonate or calmodulin were coadministered with the GT3-PTX combination. Mevalonate was used to reverse the inhibitory effect of GT3 on 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), and calmodulin was used to reverse the inhibition of phosphodiesterase (PDE) by PTX. Results. The combination was most effective when 200 mg/kg of PTX was administered 15 min before irradiation along with 200 mg/kg of GT3 (−24 h) and resulted in a DRF of 1.5. White blood cells and neutrophil counts showed accelerated recovery in GT3-PTX-treated groups compared to GT3. Mevalonate had no effect on the radioprotection of GT3-PTX; calmodulin abrogated the synergistic radioprotection by GT3-PTX. Conclusion. The mechanism of radioprotection by GT3-PTX may involve PDE inhibition

  9. Characterization of protein phosphatase 2A acting on phosphorylated plasma membrane aquaporin of tulip petals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azad, Abul Kalam; Sawa, Yoshihiro; Ishikawa, Takahiro; Shibata, Hitoshi

    2004-05-01

    A protein phosphatase holo-type enzyme (38, 65, and 75 kDa) preparation and a free catalytic subunit (38 kDa) purified from tulip petals were characterized as protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) by immunological and biochemical approaches. The plasma membrane containing the putative plasma membrane aquaporin (PM-AQP) was prepared from tulip petals, phosphorylated in vitro, and used as the substrate for both of the purified PP2A preparations. Although both preparations dephosphorylated the phosphorylated PM-AQP at 20 degrees C, only the holo-type enzyme preparation acted at 5 degrees C on the phosphorylated PM-AQP with higher substrate specificity, suggesting that regulatory subunits are required for low temperature-dependent dephosphorylation of PM-AQP in tulip petals.

  10. Binding of plasma proteins to titanium dioxide nanotubes with different diameters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kulkarni M

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Mukta Kulkarni,1,* Ajda Flašker,1,* Maruša Lokar,1 Katjuša Mrak-Poljšak,2 Anca Mazare,3 Andrej Artenjak,4 Saša Čučnik,2 Slavko Kralj,5 Aljaž Velikonja,1 Patrik Schmuki,3 Veronika Kralj-Iglič,6 Snezna Sodin-Semrl,2,7 Aleš Iglič11Laboratory of Biophysics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia; 2Department of Rheumatology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia; 3Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Erlangen Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany; 4Sandoz Biopharmaceuticals Mengeš, Lek Pharmaceuticals dd, Menges, Slovenia; 5Department for Materials Synthesis, Institute Jožef Stefan (IJS, Ljubljana, Slovenia; 6Faculty of Health Studies, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia; 7Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Science and Information Technology, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia *These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: Titanium and titanium alloys are considered to be one of the most applicable materials in medical devices because of their suitable properties, most importantly high corrosion resistance and the specific combination of strength with biocompatibility. In order to improve the biocompatibility of titanium surfaces, the current report initially focuses on specifying the topography of titanium dioxide (TiO2 nanotubes (NTs by electrochemical anodization. The zeta potential (ζ-potential of NTs showed a negative value and confirmed the agreement between the measured and theoretically predicted dependence of ζ-potential on salt concentration, whereby the absolute value of ζ-potential diminished with increasing salt concentrations. We investigated binding of various plasma proteins with different sizes and charges using the bicinchoninic acid assay and immunofluorescence microscopy. Results showed effective and comparatively higher protein binding to NTs with 100 nm diameters (compared to 50 or 15 nm. We also showed a dose

  11. Different Types of nsP3-Containing Protein Complexes in Sindbis Virus-Infected Cells▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorchakov, Rodion; Garmashova, Natalia; Frolova, Elena; Frolov, Ilya

    2008-01-01

    Alphaviruses represent a serious public health threat and cause a wide variety of diseases, ranging from severe encephalitis, which can result in death or neurological sequelae, to mild infection, characterized by fever, skin rashes, and arthritis. In the infected cells, alphaviruses express only four nonstructural proteins, which function in the synthesis of virus-specific RNAs and in modification of the intracellular environment. The results of our study suggest that Sindbis virus (SINV) infection in BHK-21 cells leads to the formation of at least two types of nsP3-containing complexes, one of which was found in association with the plasma membrane and endosome-like vesicles, while the second was coisolated with cell nuclei. The latter complexes could be solubilized only with the cytoskeleton-destabilizing detergent. Besides viral nsPs, in the mammalian cells, both complexes contained G3BP1 and G3BP2 (which were found in different ratios), YBX1, and HSC70. Rasputin, an insect cell-specific homolog of G3BP1, was found in the nsP3-containing complexes isolated from mosquito cells, which was suggestive of a high conservation of the complexes in the cells of both vertebrate and invertebrate origin. The endosome- and plasma membrane-associated complexes contained a high concentration of double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs), which is indicative of their function in viral-RNA synthesis. The dsRNA synthesis is likely to efficiently proceed on the plasma membrane, and at least some of the protein-RNA complexes would then be transported into the cytosol in association with the endosome-like vesicular organelles. These findings provide new insight into the mechanism of SINV replication and virus-host cell interactions. PMID:18684830

  12. Different types of nsP3-containing protein complexes in Sindbis virus-infected cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorchakov, Rodion; Garmashova, Natalia; Frolova, Elena; Frolov, Ilya

    2008-10-01

    Alphaviruses represent a serious public health threat and cause a wide variety of diseases, ranging from severe encephalitis, which can result in death or neurological sequelae, to mild infection, characterized by fever, skin rashes, and arthritis. In the infected cells, alphaviruses express only four nonstructural proteins, which function in the synthesis of virus-specific RNAs and in modification of the intracellular environment. The results of our study suggest that Sindbis virus (SINV) infection in BHK-21 cells leads to the formation of at least two types of nsP3-containing complexes, one of which was found in association with the plasma membrane and endosome-like vesicles, while the second was coisolated with cell nuclei. The latter complexes could be solubilized only with the cytoskeleton-destabilizing detergent. Besides viral nsPs, in the mammalian cells, both complexes contained G3BP1 and G3BP2 (which were found in different ratios), YBX1, and HSC70. Rasputin, an insect cell-specific homolog of G3BP1, was found in the nsP3-containing complexes isolated from mosquito cells, which was suggestive of a high conservation of the complexes in the cells of both vertebrate and invertebrate origin. The endosome- and plasma membrane-associated complexes contained a high concentration of double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs), which is indicative of their function in viral-RNA synthesis. The dsRNA synthesis is likely to efficiently proceed on the plasma membrane, and at least some of the protein-RNA complexes would then be transported into the cytosol in association with the endosome-like vesicular organelles. These findings provide new insight into the mechanism of SINV replication and virus-host cell interactions.

  13. Plasma pro-surfactant protein B and lung function decline in smokers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leung, Janice M; Mayo, John; Tan, Wan; Tammemagi, C Martin; Liu, Geoffrey; Peacock, Stuart; Shepherd, Frances A; Goffin, John; Goss, Glenwood; Nicholas, Garth; Tremblay, Alain; Johnston, Michael; Martel, Simon; Laberge, Francis; Bhatia, Rick; Roberts, Heidi; Burrowes, Paul; Manos, Daria; Stewart, Lori; Seely, Jean M; Gingras, Michel; Pasian, Sergio; Tsao, Ming-Sound; Lam, Stephen; Sin, Don D

    2015-04-01

    Plasma pro-surfactant protein B (pro-SFTPB) levels have recently been shown to predict the development of lung cancer in current and ex-smokers, but the ability of pro-SFTPB to predict measures of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) severity is unknown. We evaluated the performance characteristics of pro-SFTPB as a biomarker of lung function decline in a population of current and ex-smokers. Plasma pro-SFTPB levels were measured in 2503 current and ex-smokers enrolled in the Pan-Canadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer Study. Linear regression was performed to determine the relationship of pro-SFTPB levels to changes in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) over a 2-year period as well as to baseline FEV1 and the burden of emphysema observed in computed tomography (CT) scans. Plasma pro-SFTPB levels were inversely related to both FEV1 % predicted (p=0.024) and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) (p<0.001), and were positively related to the burden of emphysema on CT scans (p<0.001). Higher plasma pro-SFTPB levels were also associated with a more rapid decline in FEV1 at 1 year (p=0.024) and over 2 years of follow-up (p=0.004). Higher plasma pro-SFTPB levels are associated with increased severity of airflow limitation and accelerated decline in lung function. Pro-SFTPB is a promising biomarker for COPD severity and progression. Copyright ©ERS 2015.

  14. Evaluation of biodistribution and anti-tumor effect of a dimeric RGD peptide-paclitaxel conjugate in mice with breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao, Qizhen; Li, Zi-Bo; Chen, Kai; Wu, Zhanhong; He, Lina; Chen, Xiaoyuan; Neamati, Nouri

    2008-01-01

    Targeting drugs to receptors involved in tumor angiogenesis has been demonstrated as a novel and promising approach to improve cancer treatment. In this study, we evaluated the anti-tumor efficacy of a dimeric RGD peptide-paclitaxel conjugate (RGD2-PTX) in an orthotopic MDA-MB-435 breast cancer model. To assess the effect of conjugation and the presence of drug moiety on the MDA-MB-435 tumor and normal tissue uptake, the biodistribution of 3 H-RGD2-PTX was compared with that of 3 H-PTX. The treatment effect of RGD2-PTX and RGD2+PTX was measured by tumor size, 18 F-FDG/PET, 18 F-FLT/PET, and postmortem histopathology. By comparing the biodistribution of 3 H-RGD2-PTX and 3 H-PTX, we found that 3 H-RGD2-PTX had higher initial tumor exposure dose and prolonged tumor retention than 3 H-PTX. Metronomic low-dose treatment of breast cancer indicated that RGD2-PTX is significantly more effective than PTX+RGD2 combination and solvent control. Although in vivo 18 F-FLT/PET imaging and ex vivo Ki67 staining indicated little effect of the PTX-based drug on cell proliferation, 18 F-FDG/PET imaging showed significantly reduced tumor metabolism in the RGD2-PTX-treated mice versus those treated with RGD2+PTX and solvent control. Terminal uridine deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining also showed that RGD2-PTX treatment also had significantly higher cell apoptosis ratio than the other two groups. Moreover, the microvessel density was significantly reduced after RGD2-PTX treatment as determined by CD31 staining. Our results demonstrate that integrin-targeted delivery of paclitaxel allows preferential cytotoxicity to integrin-expressing tumor cells and tumor vasculature. The targeted delivery strategies developed in this study may also be applied to other chemotherapeutics for selective tumor killing. (orig.)

  15. Plasma Copper Status in Hypercholesterolemic Patients

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Dr Femi Olaleye

    149mg/dl). The mean values of Cu in groups 1, 2, 3 were 103.39±8.58 µg/dl, .... Plasma total protein level was determined by the Biuret method (Reinhold, ... Simple Correlation matrix between cholesterol, copper, total protein and Albumin.

  16. Identification of lipopolysaccharide-interacting plasma membrane-type proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vilakazi, Cornelius S; Dubery, Ian A; Piater, Lizelle A

    2017-02-01

    Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an amphiphatic bacterial glycoconjugate found on the external membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. This endotoxin is considered as a microbe-associated molecular pattern (MAMP) molecule and has been shown to elicit defense responses in plants. Here, LPS-interacting proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana plasma membrane (PM)-type fractions were captured and identified in order to investigate those involved in LPS perception and linked to triggering of innate immune responses. A novel proteomics-based affinity-capture strategy coupled to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was employed for the enrichment and identification of LPS-interacting proteins. As such, LPS isolated from Burkholderia cepacia (LPS B.cep. ) was immobilized on three independent and distinct affinity-based matrices to serve as bait for interacting proteins from A. thaliana leaf and callus tissue. These were resolved by 1D electrophoresis and identified by mass spectrometry. Proteins specifically bound to LPS B.cep. have been implicated in membrane structure (e.g. COBRA-like and tubulin proteins), membrane trafficking and/or transport (e.g. soluble NSF attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins, patellin, aquaporin, PM instrinsic proteins (PIP) and H + -ATPase), signal transduction (receptor-like kinases and calcium-dependent protein kinases) as well as defense/stress responses (e.g. hypersensitive-induced response (HIR) proteins, jacalin-like lectin domain-containing protein and myrosinase-binding proteins). The novel affinity-capture strategy for the enrichment of LPS-interacting proteins proved to be effective, especially in the binding of proteins involved in plant defense responses, and can thus be used to elucidate LPS-mediated molecular recognition and disease mechanism(s). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  17. The leukodystrophy protein FAM126A (hyccin) regulates PtdIns(4)P synthesis at the plasma membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baskin, Jeremy M; Wu, Xudong; Christiano, Romain; Oh, Michael S; Schauder, Curtis M; Gazzerro, Elisabetta; Messa, Mirko; Baldassari, Simona; Assereto, Stefania; Biancheri, Roberta; Zara, Federico; Minetti, Carlo; Raimondi, Andrea; Simons, Mikael; Walther, Tobias C; Reinisch, Karin M; De Camilli, Pietro

    2016-01-01

    Genetic defects in myelin formation and maintenance cause leukodystrophies, a group of white matter diseases whose mechanistic underpinnings are poorly understood. Hypomyelination and congenital cataract (HCC), one of these disorders, is caused by mutations in FAM126A, a gene of unknown function. We show that FAM126A, also known as hyccin, regulates the synthesis of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PtdIns(4)P), a determinant of plasma membrane identity. HCC patient fibroblasts exhibit reduced PtdIns(4)P levels. FAM126A is an intrinsic component of the plasma membrane phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase complex that comprises PI4KIIIα and its adaptors TTC7 and EFR3 (refs 5,7). A FAM126A-TTC7 co-crystal structure reveals an all-α-helical heterodimer with a large protein-protein interface and a conserved surface that may mediate binding to PI4KIIIα. Absence of FAM126A, the predominant FAM126 isoform in oligodendrocytes, destabilizes the PI4KIIIα complex in mouse brain and patient fibroblasts. We propose that HCC pathogenesis involves defects in PtdIns(4)P production in oligodendrocytes, whose specialized function requires massive plasma membrane expansion and thus generation of PtdIns(4)P and downstream phosphoinositides. Our results point to a role for FAM126A in supporting myelination, an important process in development and also following acute exacerbations in multiple sclerosis.

  18. Glucokinase regulatory protein genetic variant interacts with omega-3 PUFA to influence insulin resistance and inflammation in metabolic syndrome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pablo Perez-Martinez

    Full Text Available Glucokinase Regulatory Protein (GCKR plays a central role regulating both hepatic triglyceride and glucose metabolism. Fatty acids are key metabolic regulators, which interact with genetic factors and influence glucose metabolism and other metabolic traits. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA have been of considerable interest, due to their potential to reduce metabolic syndrome (MetS risk.To examine whether genetic variability at the GCKR gene locus was associated with the degree of insulin resistance, plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP and n-3 PUFA in MetS subjects.Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR, HOMA-B, plasma concentrations of C-peptide, CRP, fatty acid composition and the GCKR rs1260326-P446L polymorphism, were determined in a cross-sectional analysis of 379 subjects with MetS participating in the LIPGENE dietary cohort.Among subjects with n-3 PUFA levels below the population median, carriers of the common C/C genotype had higher plasma concentrations of fasting insulin (P = 0.019, C-peptide (P = 0.004, HOMA-IR (P = 0.008 and CRP (P = 0.032 as compared with subjects carrying the minor T-allele (Leu446. In contrast, homozygous C/C carriers with n-3 PUFA levels above the median showed lower plasma concentrations of fasting insulin, peptide C, HOMA-IR and CRP, as compared with individuals with the T-allele.We have demonstrated a significant interaction between the GCKR rs1260326-P446L polymorphism and plasma n-3 PUFA levels modulating insulin resistance and inflammatory markers in MetS subjects. Further studies are needed to confirm this gene-diet interaction in the general population and whether targeted dietary recommendations can prevent MetS in genetically susceptible individuals.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00429195.

  19. Acute and chronic effects of a 24-hour intravenous triglyceride emulsion challenge on plasma lecithin : cholesterol acyltransferase, phospholipid transfer protein, and cholesteryl ester transfer protein activities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Riemens, SC; Van Tol, A; Sluiter, WJ; Dullaart, RPF

    Lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP), and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) are key factors in remodeling of high density lipoproteins (HDL) and triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. We examined the effect of a large, 24 h intravenous fat load on plasma

  20. Seminal plasma and sperm proteome of ring-tailed coatis (Nasua nasua, Linnaeus, 1766).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Herlon Victor Rodrigues; Rodriguez-Villamil, Paula; Magalhães, Francisco Felipe de; Nunes, Thalles Gothardo Pereira; Freitas, Luana Azevedo de; Ribeiro, Leandro Rodrigues; Silva, Alexandre Rodrigues; Moura, Arlindo A; Silva, Lúcia Daniel Machado da

    2018-04-15

    Ring-tailed coati is listed as a species of least concern in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, however, there has been a sharp decline in their population. The present study was conducted to evaluate the major proteins of both seminal plasma and sperm in ring-tailed coatis. Semen sample was collected from three adult coatis and evaluated for their morphological characteristics. Further, the sample was centrifuged to separate spermatozoa from seminal plasma, and then stored in liquid nitrogen. The seminal plasma and sperm proteins were subjected to one-dimensional (1-D) sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and identified by mass spectrometry. Gene ontology and protein networks were analyzed using bioinformatics tools. Based on sperm concentration and average protein content of the semen, the concentration of protein/spermatozoon was found to be 104.69 ± 44.43 μg. The analysis of SDS-PAGE gels showed 20.3 ± 3.1 and 17 ± 2 protein bands/lane for seminal plasma and sperm, respectively. In-gel protein digestion and peptide analysis by mass spectrometry revealed 238 and 246 proteins in the seminal plasma and sperm, respectively. The gene ontology analysis revealed that the proteins of seminal plasma mainly participated in cellular (35%) and regulatory (21%) processes. According to their cellular localization, seminal plasma proteins were categorized as structural (18%), extracellular (17%), and nuclear (14%) proteins with molecular functions, such as catalytic activity (43%) and binding (43%). The sperm proteins were also involved in cellular (38%) and regulatory (23%) processes, and mainly categorized as extracellular (17%), nuclear (13%), and cytoplasmic (10%) proteins. The major molecular functions of the sperm proteins were catalytic activity (44%) and binding (42%). These results indicated that the seminal plasma of ring-tailed coati has an array of proteins that can potentially