EAAT and Xc⁻ Exchanger Inhibition Depletes Glutathione in the Transformed Human Lens Epithelial Cell Line SRA 01/04.

Purpose: Maintaining the high glutathione (GSH; tripeptide of glutamate, cysteine and glycine) levels in the lens cortex promotes lens health. The role of glutamate/aspartate (Glu/Asp) transporters and the cystine (Cys)/Glu exchanger (Xc(-) exchanger) in maintaining GSH in transformed human lens epithelial cells (SRA 01/04) was investigated.

Methods: Detection and differentiation of excitatory amino acid transporters (EAAT1-5) and the Xc(-) exchanger was performed by the uptake of radiolabeled l-Glu, d-Asp and l-Cys in the presence and absence of Na(+), substrate-specific inhibition studies and Western-blot analysis.

Age-related decrease in human corneal γ-glutamyltranspeptidase activity.

Purpose: To investigate age-related effects on human corneal γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) (ectoenzyme important to maintaining corneal hydration and antioxidant potential via glutathione recapture).

Methods: Age-related differences between total, endothelial, and epithelial GGT activity and endothelial cell density were determined for corneas from 29 donors (mean age, 53 ± 17 years; age range, 13-83 years). GGT activity was determined using a standard colorimetric assay based on the transpeptidation reaction.

Orbital sporadic Burkitt lymphoma in an adult diabetic African American female and a review of adult orbital cases.

A case of sporadic Burkitt lymphoma (sBL) presenting with jaw and lid involvement in a diabetic adult African American female and a review of adult orbital Burkitt lymphoma cases are presented. Lid edema, visual loss, ophthalmoparesis, proptosis, and sinusitis progressed over 4 weeks despite antibiotic and steroid treatment. Upper lid biopsy histopathological evaluation and immunophenotyping revealed a homogenous mass of atypical CD10 and CD20-negative B-cells and tingible body macrophages yielding a "starry sky" appearance.

Multiple caspases mediate acute renal cell apoptosis induced by bacterial cell wall components.

The stimulus for caspase-mediated renal cell apoptosis in septic acute renal failure (ARF) is unclear. To demonstrate the nephrotoxic effects of bacterial cell wall components, the anti-cellular activity of bacterial muropeptides (muramyl dipeptides), peptidoglycans, and lipopolysaccharides was investigated in rabbit kidney cells. Changes in the cell membrane (APOPercentage™ dye uptake), caspase activities, and DNA degradation were quantified colorimetrically and using densitometric assays and their inhibition by caspase-specific and pan-caspase inhibitors was determined.

Intracameral toxicity of bacterial components muramyl dipeptide and staurosporine: ciliary cyst formation, epithelial cell apoptosis and necrosis.

The uveitogenic bacterial cell wall component muramyl dipeptide (MDP) is apoptogenic in rabbit kidney cells. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the cytotoxic activity of MDP and staurosporine (STSP; induces cultured corneal and lens cells apoptosis) in rabbit ciliary body tissue. Anterior uveitis was determined by clinical symptoms and increased aqueous humor (AH) protein.

Caspase-3 and -7 mediate apoptosis of human Chang's conjunctival cells induced by enterovirus 70.

Enterovirus 70 (EV70) is the major etiological agent of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC). EV70 m.o.

Immunogenicity of enterovirus 70 capsid protein VP1 and its non-overlapping N- and C-terminal fragments.

Currently no practical treatment method or effective virus vaccine is available for acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) caused by enterovirus 70 (EV70). Antibodies to UV-inactivated EV70 (J670/71 epidemic isolate) and to the inclusion bodies of recombinant proteins of full-length EV70 VP1 (GST-VP1m), its non-overlapping terminal fragments N138 (1-138 aa) and C170 (141-310 aa) (or GST-N138m and GST-C170) were developed in rabbits. The anti-EV70 neutralizing activities of the rabbit sera were determined by standard neutralization assays.

Surface calreticulin mediates muramyl dipeptide-induced apoptosis in RK13 cells.

Calreticulin (CRT) is a binding protein for apoptotic N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (L,D-MDP) or peptidoglycan in RK(13) cells. CRT on RK(13) cell surface (srCRT) forms complex(es) with tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) and TNFR-associated death domain (TRADD) protein of the cell membrane. CRT polyclonal or monoclonal antibody binding to RK(13) srCRT dose-dependently inhibited L,D-MDP-induced apoptosis.

Calreticulin is a binding protein for muramyl dipeptide and peptidoglycan in RK13 cells.

Calreticulin (CRT) was isolated and identified as a protein in rabbit kidney RK(13) cells that binds the apoptogenic bacterial cell wall (BCW) components, muramyl dipeptide (MDP) and peptidoglycan (PG). Mannan-agarose purified RK(13) cell CRT (rCRT) selectively bound sepharose-immobilized L,D-MDP and PG, but not L,L-MDP or D,D-MDP. Purified rCRT and bovine CRT (bCRT) also bound free PG and L,D-MDP demonstrated in bioassays of RK(13) cell apoptosis.

Expression of enterovirus 70 capsid protein VP1 in Escherichia coli.

The VP1 gene of enterovirus 70 (EV70) possesses a large number of Escherichia coli low-usage codons (11.0%) and a bacterial ribosome binding site complementary sequence (RBSCS) 5'-UGUCUCCUUUUC-3' flanking the codon 139. Plasmids containing EV70 cDNA encoding the full-length VP1 failed to express in E.