Angiotensin converting-enzyme inhibition restores glomerular glycosaminoglycans in rat puromycin nephrosis.

Background: Aberrant glomerular polyanionic charge of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and sialic acid expression has been observed in proteinuric human and experimental glomerular diseases. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) lower proteinuria and amend renal function deterioration via hemodynamic mechanisms. We tested the hypothesis that ACEI modulate proteinuria additionally by modifying glomerular GAGs.

Localization of anionic constituents in mast cell granules of brachymorphic (bm/bm) mice by using avidin-conjugated colloidal gold.

We used the egg avidin gold complex as a polycationic probe for the localization of negatively charged sites in the secretory granules of mouse mast cells. We compared the binding of this reagent to mast cell granules in wild-type mice and in congenic brachymorphic mice in which mast cell secretory granules contained undersulfated proteoglycans. We localized anionic sites by post-embedding labeling of thin sections of mouse skin and tongue tissues fixed in Karnovsky's fixative and OsO(4) and embedded in Araldite.

Designing ageing conditions in tumour microenvironment-a new possible modality for cancer treatment.

While tumour incidence is known to augment with age, paradoxically tumour growth and metastasis were often found to proceed at a slower rate at late ages. This age-related biological behaviour of tumours actually imposes a differential therapeutic approach to the old cancer patient. Several mechanisms of the age-related reduced tumour progression have been demonstrated: decreased tumour cell proliferation, increased apoptotic cell death, decreased angiogenesis and anti-tumoural immune response changes.

Decreased DNA ploidy may constitute a mechanism of the reduced malignant behavior of B16 melanoma in aged mice.

Numerous data demonstrate a lower aggressiveness of tumors in aged as compared to young patients. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon have not yet been completely elucidated. Several mechanisms have been shown, such as reduced tumor cell proliferation, increased apoptosis, immune response modifications and reduced angiogenesis in aged organism tumors.

Glycoconjugate expression in perennial allergic rhinitis: a lectin histopathological study.

Conclusions: The data show that differences in the concentrations of glycoconjugates of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR) and normal controls are modest, thus indicating that the composition of the mucus in allergic patients largely resembles that of healthy individuals. The findings may point to the need for volume reduction methods controlling mucus production in patients with PAR.

Objectives: We aimed to study the composition and concentration of inferior turbinate glycoconjugates of patients with PAR.

Human oocyte cryopreservation and the fate of cortical granules.

Objective: To examine the effect of the commonly used oocyte cryopreservation protocol on the cortical granules (CGs) of human immature germinal vesicle (GV) and mature metaphase II (MII) oocytes.

Design: Laboratory study.

Setting: IVF unit.

Evaluation of the pro-angiogenic effect of factor XIII in heterotopic mouse heart allografts and FXIII-deficient mice.

Thrombin-activated Factor XIII (FXIIIa), a plasma transglutaminase, stabilizes fibrin clots by crosslinking fibrin chains. FXIIIa was previously shown by us to exhibit proangiogenic activity associated with downregulation of thrombospondin-1, phosphorylation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2), and upregulation of c-Jun. In the current study, we evaluated the proangiogenic effect of FXIIIa in two murine models: a neonatal heterotopic cardiac allograft model in normal mice, and a Matrigel plug model in FXIII-deficient mice.

Efficacy of anti-angiogenic treatment of tumors in old versus young mice.

Cancer treatment in the older population, the most afflicted by the disease, is as yet, inefficient. A reduced aggressiveness of tumors is often observed in the elderly, implying the necessity for therapeutic modalities adjusted to age. A rational design of age-related cancer therapy could be based on the mechanisms of this phenomenon.

Cell-replacement therapy for diabetes: Generating functional insulin-producing tissue from adult human liver cells.

Shortage in tissue availability from cadaver donors and the need for life-long immunosuppression severely restrict the large-scale application of cell-replacement therapy for diabetic patients. This study suggests the potential use of adult human liver as alternate tissue for autologous beta-cell-replacement therapy. By using pancreatic and duodenal homeobox gene 1 (PDX-1) and soluble factors, we induced a comprehensive developmental shift of adult human liver cells into functional insulin-producing cells.

Glycoconjugate expression in normal human inferior turbinate mucosa: a lectin histochemical study.

Background: Further study on the composition and concentration of normal nasal mucosal glycoconjugates is needed.

Methods: A battery of ten lectins was used to stain six carbohydrates residing in the inferior turbinate mucosa of 21 healthy individuals.

Results: The concentrations of glycoconjugates of the glycocalyx exceeded that of epithelial goblet, ciliated, and basal cells, and also of mucous, serous, and mixed submucosal glands.

Ontogenesis of peripheral electromagnetic receptors in hornets.

This article traces the ontogenesis of peripheral electromagnetic receptors (PER) in the cuticle of the Oriental hornet (Vespa orientalis). In the abdominal cuticle of adult hornets, the PERs are densely distributed throughout, but there are even more than 30 at the margins of the segments. These organelles develop as a network in the hornet cuticle immediately upon its completion.

Age-dependent differences in the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy in C57BL and AKR mouse strains.

While tumor incidence increases with age, tumor growth and metastasis often proceed at a slower rate in aged organisms. The mechanisms underlying this age-related reduced tumor development may suggest therapeutic modalities appropriate for the aged. Decreased tumor aggressiveness in the old was shown to be related to altered immune response.

Age-adjusted antitumoral therapy based on the demonstration of increased apoptosis as a mechanism underlying the reduced malignancy of tumors in the aged.

In view of the constant increase in the aged population, age-adjusted cancer therapy becomes an urgent target. Although cancer incidence rises with age, paradoxically, growth rate and metastasis often proceed at a slower rate in the aged. Determining the mechanism(s) underlying this reduced tumor progression in the old might have implications for a rational design of age-adjusted therapy.

The neuroprotective peptide NAP inhibits the aggregation of the beta-amyloid peptide.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by brain plaques containing the beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta). One approach for treating AD is by blocking Abeta aggregation. Activity-dependent neuroprotective protein contains a peptide, NAP that protects neurons in culture against Abeta toxicity.

Ageing-apoptosis relation in murine spleen.

Relatively few studies have been published with regard to modification of apoptosis in normal tissues as a function of ageing. The majority of these studies demonstrated an increase in programmed cell death (PCD) with age. However, opposite results, namely loss of apoptotic control with age, have also been reported.

Ceramide mediates growth inhibition of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite.

In mammalian cells, ceramide mediates death by chemotherapeutic drugs. We analysed, for the first time, the role of ceramide in inhibiting growth of the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Added exogenously, ceramide significantly decreased the number of parasites, and this effect was abolished by sphingosine-1-phosphate, a biological antagonist of ceramide action.

Changes in the distribution of anionic constituents in secretory granules of mouse pancreatic acinar cells after pilocarpine-induced degranulation.

We used cationized colloidal gold (CCG) to investigate the distribution of anionic sites in different secretory granules of mouse pancreatic acinar cell regranulation. Localization of anionic sites with CCG was carried out on ultrathin sections of a mouse pancreas, fixed in Karnovsky's fixative and OsO4 and embedded in Araldite. After pilocarpine-stimulated degranulation, there was a marked diminution in the anionic charge density of immature and mature granules of the 4-hr group (approximately 43.

Changes in xylosyltransferase activity and in proteoglycan deposition in bleomycin-induced lung injury in rat.

Several lines of evidence support the hypothesis of the involvement of altered proteoglycan deposition in the development of lung diseases. UDP-D-xylose: core protein beta-D-xylosyltransferase (UDP-xylosyltransferase; EC 2.4.

S-nitrosoderivative of a recombinant fragment of von Willebrand factor (S-nitroso-AR545C) inhibits thrombus formation in guinea pig carotid artery thrombosis model.

Antiplatelet drugs are the mainstays of therapy for acute and chronic cardiovascular diseases. S-nitroso-AR545C - an S-nitrosoderivative of a recombinant von Willebrand factor fragment AR545C spanning Ala 444 to Asp 730 and containing an Arg 545 Cys mutation, was previously found to inhibit ristocetin- and ADP-induced platelet aggregation and the interaction of platelets with extracellular matrix (ECM). In the current study we tested the antithrombotic properties of S-nitroso-AR545C on guinea pig platelets and in a platelet-rich thrombosis model in the guinea pig.

Glomerular basement membrane polyanion distribution and nitric oxide in spontaneous hypertensive rats: effects of salt loading and antihypertensive therapy with propranolol.

Cationic colloidal gold (CCG), a polycationic histochemical probe, was used to analyze the distribution of glomerular basement membrane (GBM) polyanions, mainly heparan sulfate proteoglycan in spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR) with or without salt loading and antihypertensive treatment with propranolol. The changes of mean GBM width and anionic sites distribution were assessed by electron microscopy. Plasma and urinary nitrates (NO(x)) were measured by nitrite (NO2) + nitrate (NO3), stable metabolites of NO.

Sensitivity to macrophages decreases with tumor progression in the AKR lymphoma.

Resistance to immune reactions, innate or acquired, may be one of the mechanisms responsible for the progression of tumors. We have, indeed shown higher numbers of macrophages surrounding low- as compared to high-malignancy cells. In the present study we examined the level of cell surface molecules known to determine sensitivity to macrophages, namely galactose (GAL) and sialic acid (SA) residues.

Macrophage-recognized molecules of apoptotic cells are expressed at higher levels in AKR lymphoma of aged as compared to young mice.

While a direct relation between aging and tumorigenesis is well established, a slower tumor progression rate was reported in old as compared to young cancer patients. The mechanisms responsible for the less aggressive behavior of tumors in the aged, are largely unknown. We have recently shown an increase in apoptotic cell death in tumors derived from aged as compared to young animals in the AKR lymphoma.

Glomerular basement membrane anionic sites in adriamycin nephropathy: effect of saline loading and nitric oxide modulation.

Background: In previous studies we found that experimental Adriamycin (ADR) nephropathy is associated with the loss of glomerular basement membrane (GBM) anionic sites provided by heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Chronic saline loading in normal rats resulted in a similar effect on the GBM anionic sites. The L-arginine-nitric oxide synthase-nitric oxide system is involved in the pathogenesis of experimental chronic renal failure.

Inability of encapsulated Klebsiella pneumoniae to assemble functional type 1 fimbriae on their surface.

We screened phase variants of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates for the expression of capsule and type 1 fimbriae and found that all of the 22 blood isolates were encapsulated and did not express type 1 fimbriae while 10 of 11 urinary tract isolates expressed type 1 fimbriae but were unencapsulated. Phase variants from selected isolates were found to be either unencapsulated and fimbriated or lacked both structures. Variants expressing both structures were not detected.