Receptor-mediated delivery of hepatitis B virus DNA and antisense oligodeoxynucleotides to avian liver cells.

A highly efficient receptor-mediated delivery system for DNA and oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) to avian liver cells has been established, using complexes of nonmodified human adenovirus particles and a protein conjugate consisting of N-acetyl-glucosamine-modified bovine serum albumin, streptavidin, and Poly-L-lysine. The newly developed method of protein-conjugate preparation and purification yielded highly stable complexes with high DNA delivery efficiency for constructs expressing the lacZ gene, hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, and ODNs. Using this delivery system, an antisense ODN targeted to the encapsidation site of the HBV pregenome causes strong inhibition of HBV replication in vitro.

Bronchiolitis obliterans in a patient with localized scleroderma treated with D-penicillamine.

D-penicillamine-associated bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) is a rare but well-known pulmonary complication in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or progressive systemic sclerosis. It has been assumed that in most, if not all cases, BO is a complication of the underlying disease rather than a side-effect of treatment. We report the case of a 46 year old man with scleroderma localized to his lower legs (morphea), who received a daily dose of 750 mg D-penicillamine.

Biotransformation of caffeine by cDNA-expressed human cytochromes P-450.

Objectives: The biotransformation of caffeine has been studied in vitro using human cytochrome P-450 isoenzymes (CYPs) expressed in human B-lymphoblastoid cell lines, namely CYP1A1, 1A2, 2A6, 2B6, 2D6-Val, 2E1 and 3A4, and microsomal epoxide hydroxylase (EH). In addition, CYP2D6-Met was also studied, in which a valine in the wild type (CYP2D6-Val) has been replaced by a methionine due to a G to A mutation in position 112.

Results: At caffeine 3 mmol center dot l-1, five CYPs (1A1, 1A2, 2D6-Met, 2E1 and 3A4) catalysed the biotransformation of caffeine.

Rapid eye movement generation in the primate. Physiology, pathophysiology, and clinical implications.

The trajectories of rapid eye movements are usually described in a Cartesian coordinate frame with a horizontal, vertical and torsional component. The sensory to motor coordinate transformations for horizontal components of rapid eye movements can be localized to neurons of the paramedian pontine reticular formation (PPRF), where long-lead and short-lead burst neurons are found. The equivalent area for recoding of vertical and torsional movement components is situated in the rostral interstitial nucleus of the MLF (rostral iMLF).