Lipoteichoic acid synergizes with glycosphingolipids to potently stimulate secretion of interleukin-6 from human blood cells.

In the present study, we found that lipoteichoic acid (LTA) synergizes with glycosphingolipids to stimulate human blood cells to secrete cytokines. We employed globoside, kerasin, and lactosylceramide as representative neutral glycosphingolipids and mixed gangliosides GM(2) and GM(3) as representative acidic glycosphingolipids. LTA and the glycosphingolipids enhanced cytokine secretion by human whole blood, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and purified monocytes in a dose-dependent manner.

Neopeptide antibiotics that function as opsonins and membrane-permeabilizing agents for gram-negative bacteria.

We suggest a novel approach to enhancing antimicrobial drug action by utilizing engineered peptide conjugates. Our most potent conjugates, [fMLF]PMBN and [fMLF]PMEN, are nonapeptides derived from polymyxin B's (PMB's) cyclic moiety (Thr-Dab-cyclo[Dab-Dab-d-Phe-Leu-Dab-Dab-Thr], where Dab is 2,4-diaminobutyric acid) and polymyxin E's (PME's) cyclic moiety (Thr-Dab-cyclo[Dab-Dab-d-Leu-Leu-Dab-Dab-Thr]), respectively, attached to a linear tail comprised of formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLF). The cyclic part binds to gram-negative lipopolysaccharides, rendering the bacterial outer membrane permeable to hydrophobic antibiotics.

Rapid proliferation of prostatic epithelial cells in spontaneously hypertensive rats: a model of spontaneous hypertension and prostate hyperplasia.

Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), a commonly used model of genetic hypertension, exhibit features of glandular hyperplasia of the ventral prostate, including the narrowing of acini with epithelial protrusions into the lumen and the piling up of epithelial cells. These rats also have frequent urinary voiding. In order to define the fundamental processes that lead to prostatic hyperplasia in SHRs, we compared the proliferation rate of their prostatic epithelial cells (PECs) in primary culture and in vivo to that of Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKYs), their normotensive controls.