Cellular response induced by a galactose-specific adhesin of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli in INT-407 cells.

In the present study, the role of a fimbrial galactose-specific adhesin of the T7 strain of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC-T7) in the signal transduction pathways in human small intestinal epithelial cells (INT-407) was explored. The adhesin was purified by anion exchange chromatography using a Mono Q HR5/5 column in the AKTA purifier system. The characteristic stacked brick pattern of aggregative adherence of EAEC-T7 to INT-407 cells was found to be inhibited in the presence of immunoglobulin G against the purified adhesin as well as d-galactose.

Serum soluble Fas levels and prediction of response to platinum-based chemotherapy in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is treated mainly by platinum-based combination chemotherapy. Chemotherapy induces apoptosis in which the Fas/Fas ligand pathway is important. Serum soluble Fas (sFas) is a biomarker of this pathway and functionally inhibits Fas-/FasL-mediated apoptosis.

A potential epidemic factor from the bacteria, Vibrio cholerae WO7.

Certain species of Vibrio cholerae have evolved mechanisms to become pathogenic to humans, with the potential to cause a severe life-threatening diarrheal disease, cholera. Cholera can emerge as explosive outbreaks in the human population. V.

Apoptosis induction by Maackia amurensis agglutinin in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemic cells.

Malignant transformation is known to be associated with changes in cell surface carbohydrate-architecture, which can be detected by lectins. In the present study, Maackia amurensis agglutinin (MAA), specific for NeuNAcalpha(2-->3)Gal/GalNAc showed strong binding with lymphoblasts of children having acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) as compared to cells from children with non-hematological disorders ("Controls"). MAA recognized a 66 kDa sialoglycoprotein present in membrane fraction of ALL cells.

Telomerase activity in sputum and telomerase and its components in biopsies of advanced lung cancer.

Purpose: In this study, we explored the diagnostic utility of sputum telomerase activity as a non-invasive biomarker of lung cancer. In biopsies of lung cancer, the relationship of telomerase activity to telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and telomerase RNA component (hTERC) and to c-Myc expression was also evaluated.

Methods: Paired biopsy and sputum samples were evaluated for telomerase activity by the telomerase repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay in 34 cases of lung cancer and in 30 control subjects without any evidence of lung cancer.

Galactose-specific fimbrial adhesin of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli: a possible aggregative factor.

A galactose-specific adhesin was isolated from the fimbriae of an enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) strain. The adhesin was found to be a high molecular weight aggregate of the 18-kDa monomer. The dimeric (36 kDa) and tetrameric (76 kDa) forms appeared in sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis when a higher concentration of the adhesin was used.

The role of a heat shock protein from V. cholerae 0139 in the gut immune response.

An immunodominant heat shock protein (Hsp 24) was purified from Vibrio cholerae O139 at 42 degrees C and used as an immunomodulator for studying the gut immune response. T cell clone and T cell line specific for the Hsp 24 were generated from the lymphocytes of lamina propria and intra-epithelial lymphocytes of mice orally infected with V. cholerae O139, respectively.

Characterization of adhesin variants in Indian isolates of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli.

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) are causative agents of diarrhea, being characterized by aggregative adherence to cultured epithelial cells. In this study, phenotypic properties of EAEC were analyzed with respect to AA, hemagglutination, clump and biofilm formation, all of which are mediated by aggregative adherence fimbriae (AAF). The strains were also screened for AAF types, AAF adhesin variants and Dr adhesin by PCR.

Loss of fragile histidine triad gene expression in advanced lung cancer is consequent to allelic loss at 3p14 locus and promoter methylation.

The fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene located at the 3p14.2 locus plays an important role in the pathogenesis of lung cancer. The objective of this study was to analyze loss of heterozygosity and FHIT gene methylation status and correlate them to fhit expression.

Evaluation of renal functions in asphyxiated newborns.

Renal injury due to perinatal asphyxia has not been systematically evaluated. The available studies have used variable definitions, incomplete investigations and none had a control group. The aim of this study was to evaluate systematically the renal functions in severely asphyxiated newborns and to find if abnormal renal function tests can predict adverse outcome (death or neurologic abnormality at discharge).

Alterations of tumor suppressor gene p16INK4a in pancreatic ductal carcinoma.

Background: Cell cycle inhibitor and tumor suppressor gene p16/MTS-1 has been reported to be altered in a variety of human tumors. The purpose of the study was to evaluate primary pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas for potentially inactivating p16 alterations.

Methods: We investigated the status of p16 gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), nonradioisotopic single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), DNA sequencing and hypermethylation analysis in 25 primary resected ductal adenocarcinomas.

Nitric oxide metabolites in induced sputum: a noninvasive marker of airway inflammation in asthma.

Objective: This study was designed to examine for nitric oxide (NO) metabolites in induced sputum as a marker of airway inflammation in asthmatic children. DESIGN. Prospective interventional

Setting: Pediatric Allergy and Asthma Clinic of a tertiary care referral hospital in Northern India.

Bcl-XL protein levels determine apoptotic index in pancreatic carcinoma.

Objectives: The present study was designed to analyze the expression of the major antiapoptotic molecules Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and the proapoptotic Bax in pancreatic ductal carcinoma and their correlation to the extent of apoptosis.

Methods: Tissue samples were obtained from patients (age, 27-78 years) having surgery for pancreatic cancer. Normal pancreatic tissue away from the main tumor mass was also analyzed.

Expression of p53 protein and the apoptotic regulatory molecules Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, and Bax in locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.

Objective: Bcl-2 family of proteins plays a critical role in the regulation of apoptosis. This pathway may be dysregulated leading to an altered ratio of pro- and anti-apoptotic molecules, hence rendering cells resistant to chemotherapy. The objective of this study was to understand the role of Bcl-2 family members in mediation of apoptosis in squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.

Effect of W07-toxin on gut physiological response in mice.

A number of unknown secretogenic factor(s) from Vibrio cholerae have been implicated to play a role in inducing cholera-like symptoms observed in patients. The present study has been carried out on the novel W07-toxin (pI 5.2) from V.

Effect of phenobarbital on free radicals in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy--a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Phenobarbital is one of the oldest, cheapest and easily available cerebroprotective drugs for the hypoxic brain. However, its potential and various actions have not been fully explored.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of Phenobarbital on levels of oxidants and anti-oxidants in term and near term neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy.

UDPgalactose 4-epimerase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A bifunctional enzyme with aldose 1-epimerase activity.

UDPgalactose 4-epimerase (epimerase) catalyzes the reversible conversion between UDPgalactose and UDPglucose and is an important enzyme of the galactose metabolic pathway. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae epimerase encoded by the GAL10 gene is about twice the size of either the bacterial or human protein. Sequence analysis indicates that the yeast epimerase has an N-terminal domain (residues 1-377) that shows significant similarity with Escherichia coli and human UDPgalactose 4-epimerase, and a C-terminal domain (residues 378-699), which shows extensive identity to either the bacterial or human aldose 1-epimerase (mutarotase).

Role of the W07-toxin on Vibrio cholerae-induced diarrhoea.

Vibrio cholerae W07 strain isolated from a cholera epidemic in South India, lacked the ctx gene but could still secrete a novel toxin, the W07-toxin that could cause fluid accumulation in ligated rabbit ileal loop. The important intracellular messengers implicated in this study were Ca(2+), cyclic AMP, inositol triphosphate and protein kinase C (PKC). A number of inhibitors/channel blockers have further shown the major role of [Ca(2+)](i) in modulation of the toxin-induced cellular response.

A potentially important excretory-secretory product of Giardia lamblia.

In this study we have reported the detailed characterization of a 58 kDa excretory-secretory product (ESP) of Giardia lamblia. The method of purification has been simplified which has improved the purification fold as well as the yield of the ESP. The binding efficacy of disialoganglioside (GD2) to the purified ESP was found to be maximum among all other gangliosides used.

A possible role of HSP70 in mediating cardioprotection in patients undergoing CABG.

Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) has been reported to be involved in myocardial self-preservation system. This study shows direct evidence of the effect of HSP70 on lymphocytes during ischemia and reperfusion in CABG (coronary artery bypass graft) surgery. Lymphocytes were separated from the blood obtained from 10 patients undergoing CABG at different time intervals.

Release of pro-inflammatory mediators during myocardial ischemia/reperfusion in coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Inflammation has been reported to play an important role in cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass due to systemic endotoxemia. In order to develop strategies against this injury in future we studied the combined effect of a number of inflammatory mediators in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion. Coronary sinus blood samples of ten patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) were obtained at three time intervals (1) before onset of bypass (2) 30 min after cross clamp, and (3) 10 min after removal of cross clamp.