We evaluated 10/10 HLA antigen-matched unrelated hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) after nonmyeloablative conditioning with fludarabine 3 x 30 mg/m2 and 2 Gy of total body irradiation as treatment for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia who were ineligible for conventional HCT. Data from 21 consecutive patients in first chronic phase (CP1; n = 12), accelerated phase (AP; n = 5), second CP (CP2; n = 3), and blast crisis (n = 1) were analyzed. Stem cell sources were bone marrow (n = 4) or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-mobilized peripheral blood mononuclear cells (G-PBMCs; n = 17). The patient who underwent transplantation in blast crisis died on day 21 (too early to be evaluated for engraftment) from progressive disease. Sustained engraftment was achieved in 5 of 12 patients who underwent transplantation in CP1, 4 of 5 patients who underwent transplantation in AP, and 2 of 3 patients who underwent transplantation in CP2, whereas 9 patients rejected their grafts between 28 and 400 days after HCT. Specifically, 1 of 4 marrow recipients and 10 of 17 G-PBMC recipients achieved sustained engraftment. Graft rejections were nonfatal in all cases and were followed by autologous reconstitution with persistence or recurrence of chronic myeloid leukemia. Seven of 11 patients with sustained engraftment--including all 5 patients in CP1, 2 of 4 patients in AP, and neither of the 2 patients in CP2--were alive in complete cytogenetic remissions 118 to 1205 days (median, 867 days) after HCT. Two of the remaining 4 patients died of nonrelapse causes in complete (n = 1) or major (n = 1) cytogenetic remissions, and 2 died of progressive disease. Further efforts are directed at reducing the risk of graft rejection by exclusive use of G-PBMC and increasing the degree of pretransplantation immunosuppression.

A culture isolate (CP2) of the fungal plant pathogen Ceratocystis paradoxa produces at least five extra-cellular hemicellulases when grown on a medium containing a commercial hemicellulose as inducer. One of the five enzymes, hemicellulase I (HC-I), was purified by ammonium sulphate preceipitation, ion-exchange chromatography (DEAE-Sephadex and then Cellex-CM), and iso-electric focusing at pH 3-10 and 8-10. HC-I behaves as a single protein on a electrophoresis at pH 6.0 and 8.4. The enzyme degrades hemicellulose B (an arabino-4-O-methylglucurono-xylan) and arabinoxylanto arabinose, xylose, xylobiose (Xyl2; beta-D-Xylp-(1 leads to 4)-D-Xyl), and a mixture of arabinose-xylose and xylose oligosaccharides (AraXyln and Xyln, where n=3, 4, or 5). The enzyme is deduced to be an endo-enzyme. Xylotetraose (Xyl4) was the lowest homologue of the xylose oligosaccharides attacked, yielding xylobiose and xylotriose (Xyl3) only. A mechanism is postulated for this reaction. AraXyl5 were slowly hydrolysed to arabinose and the respective xylose saccharide (Xyl2-Xyl5), and thence to Xyl2 and Xyl3. Hydrolysis of the arabinofuranosyl linkage probably does not occur at the same active site as for the xylose oligosaccharides. Hemicellulose B fractions from different sources appeared to be degraded by HC-I. The enzyme showed optimum activity at pH 5.5 and 40 degrees, and Km was 4.24 mg of hemicellulose/ml.

The validity of the CP2 gene of Cryptosporidium parvum as a viability marker was evaluated using absolute quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays. Total ribonucleic acid (RNA) was isolated from live and heat-killed C. parvum oocysts, and complementary deoxyribonucleic acid was synthesized and used as a template. The most accurate number of viable C. parvum oocysts was predicted when the CP2 gene was used as a target gene. The lower detection limit of the CP2 gene was ten oocysts, which was the most sensitive among examined target genes. With heat shock induction, only hsp70 messenger RNA (mRNA) was induced, and the predicted viable oocyst number was increased by heat shock for this marker. The CP2, hsp70, Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein, and beta-tubulin mRNAs were not detected in heat-killed oocysts, but the 18S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) showed heat stability until 48 h after heat killing. Although the 18S rRNA demonstrated the fastest response in crossing point (CP) value among the examined primer sets in qPCR, overestimation of viable oocysts was noted in the analysis with this gene. In conclusion, the CP2 gene was identified as the most sensitive, reliable, and accurate candidate of a viability marker of C. parvum by qPCR evaluation.

The general consensus in the field is that limiting amounts of the transcription factor Dorsal establish dorsal boundaries of genes expressed along the dorsal-ventral (DV) axis of early Drosophila embryos, while repressors establish ventral boundaries. Yet recent studies have provided evidence that repressors act to specify the dorsal boundary of intermediate neuroblasts defective (ind), a gene expressed in a stripe along the DV axis in lateral regions of the embryo. Here we show that a short 12 base pair sequence ("the A-box") present twice within the ind CRM is both necessary and sufficient to support transcriptional repression in dorsal regions of embryos. To identify binding factors, we conducted affinity chromatography using the A-box element and found a number of DNA-binding proteins and chromatin-associated factors using mass spectroscopy. Only Grainyhead (Grh), a CP2 transcription factor with a unique DNA-binding domain, was found to bind the A-box sequence. Our results suggest that Grh acts as an activator to support expression of ind, which was surprising as we identified this factor using an element that mediates dorsally-localized repression. Grh and Dorsal both contribute to ind transcriptional activation. However, another recent study found that the repressor Capicua (Cic) also binds to the A-box sequence. While Cic was not identified through our A-box affinity chromatography, utilization of the same site, the A-box, by both factors Grh (activator) and Cic (repressor) may also support a "switch-like" response that helps to sharpen the ind dorsal boundary. Furthermore, our results also demonstrate that TGF-β signaling acts to refine ind CRM expression in an A-box independent manner in dorsal-most regions, suggesting that tiers of repression act in dorsal regions of the embryo.

BACKGROUND

Two studies evaluating the efficacy of an imidacloprid/flumethrin collar (Seresto®, Bayer Animal Health, IVP), a deltamethrin collar (Scalibor®, MSD, CP1), a fipronil/(s)-methoprene spot-on (Frontline Combo®, Merial, CP2), a dinotefuran/pyriproxyfen/permethrin spot-on (Vectra 3D®, Ceva, CP3) and an amitraz/fipronil/(s)-methoprene spot-on (Certifect®, Merial, CP4/CP5) against repeated infestations with Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Ctenocephalides felis felis on dogs were conducted over periods of 226 days and 71 days respectively.

METHODS

The first study comprised 4 groups of treated dogs and one untreated control group, and the second 3 groups of treated dogs and one control group. Each group consisted of 8 dogs. All dogs were infested with ticks and fleas at regular intervals. Ticks were counted 6 h, 18 h or 48 h after infestations and fleas 24 h after infestations. Efficacies of the treatments were calculated by comparison with the untreated control groups using standard descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

The protective 48 h tick efficacy was 97.8% to 100% for the IVP (226 days), 69.3% to 97.4% for CP1 (170 days), 99.6% to 43.4% for CP2 (35 days) and 98% to 61.4% for CP3 (35 days).The protective 18 h tick efficacy was 98% to 99.6% for the IVP (71 days), 100% to 86.5% for CP4 (29 days), 100% to 72.8% for CP4 after re-treatment (35 days) and 98.8% to 54.3% for CP5 (35 days).The protective 6 h tick efficacy was 85.6% at Day 7 and 90.1% to 97.1% from Day 14 onwards for the IVP (70 days), 92.3% to 70.7% for CP4 (35 days), 97.5% to 65.2% for CP4 after re-treatment (35 days) and 95.1% to 51.8% for CP5 (35 days).The protective 24 h flea efficacy was 99.5/90.9% to 100% for the IVP (71/226 days), 66.7% to 83% for CP1 (170 days), 100% to 88.5% for CP2 (35 days), 100% to 73.3% for CP3 (35 days), 100% to 98.7% for CP4 (35 days), 100% to 87.5% for CP4 after re-treatment (35 days) and 100% to 79.5% for CP5 (35 days).

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that the long-term efficacy provided by a medicated collar that is effective, is a means to overcome the fluctuating efficacy of spot-on treatments resulting from a lack of pet owner re-treatment compliance, and consequently protect animals successfully against ectoparasites and probably vector-borne diseases.

Ig heavy chain class switch recombination (CSR) determines the expression of Ig isotypes. The molecular mechanism of CSR and the factors regulating this process have remained elusive. Recombination occurs primarily within switch (S) regions, located upstream of each heavy chain gene (except Cdelta). These repetitive sequences contain consensus DNA-binding sites for the DNA-binding protein late SV40 factor (LSF) (CP2/leader-binding protein-1c). In this study, we demonstrate by EMSA that purified rLSF, as well as LSF within B cell extracts, directly binds both Smu and Salpha sequences. To determine whether LSF is involved in regulating CSR, two different LSF dominant negative variants were stably expressed in the mouse B cell line I.29 mu, which can be induced to switch from IgM to IgA. Overexpression of these dominant negative LSF proteins results in decreased levels of endogenous LSF DNA-binding activity and an increase in cells undergoing CSR. Thus, LSF represses class switching to IgA. In agreement, LSF DNA-binding activity was found to decrease in whole cell extracts from splenic B cells induced to undergo class switching. To elucidate the mechanism of CSR regulation by LSF, the interactions of LSF with proteins involved in chromatin modification were tested in vitro. LSF interacts with both histone deacetylases and the corepressor Sin3A. We propose that LSF represses CSR by histone deacetylation of chromatin within S regions, thereby limiting accessibility to the switch recombination machinery.

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) represent a type of protein that universally inactivates the ribosome thus inhibiting protein biosynthesis. Curcin-L was a type I RIP found in Jatropha curcas L.. Its expression could be activated in leaves by treatments with abscisic acid, salicylic acid, polyethylene glycol, temperature 4, 45 degrees C and ultraviolet light. A 654 bp fragment of a 5' flanking region preceding the curcin-L gene, designated CP2, was cloned from the J. curcas genome and its expression pattern was studied via the expression of the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene in transgenic tobacco. Analysis of GUS activities showed that the CP2 was leaf specific, and was able to drive the expression of the reporter gene under stress-induction conditions. Analysis of a series of 5'-deletions of the CP2 suggested that several promoter motifs were necessary to respond to environmental stresses.

Although Yes-associated protein (YAP) is very important to liver cancer, its nuclear localisation prevents consideration as a promising therapeutic target and a diagnostic biomarker. Recently, we reported that the protumourigenic roles of YAP in liver cancer are indispensable for transcription factor CP2 (TFCP2) in a Hippo-independent manner; however, proteins that act upstream to simultaneously control YAP and TFCP2 remain unclear. The aim of this study was to uncover such proteins and evaluate whether they are potential YAP-associated therapeutic targets and diagnostic biomarkers. Mass spectrometry revealed that chaperonin containing TCP1 subunit 3 (CCT3) co-interact with YAP and TFCP2, and notably, CCT3 is a non-nuclear protein. CCT3 was elevated in liver cancer, and its higher expression was associated with poorer overall survival. Inhibiting CCT3 resulted in a suppressed transformative phenotype in liver cancer cells, suggesting that CCT3 might be a potential therapeutic target. CCT3 prolonged half-life of YAP and TFCP2 by blocking their ubiquitination caused by poly(rC) binding protein 2 (PCBP2) in a beta-transducin repeat containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase (βTrCP)-independent manner. Interestingly, PCBP2 directly interacted with YAP via a WB motif-WW domain interaction, whereas indirectly interacted with TFCP2 via the aid of YAP. Furthermore, CCT3 was capable of separating PCBP2-YAP interactions, thereby preventing YAP and TFCP2 from PCBP2-induced ubiquitination. Moreover, YAP and TFCP2 were downstream of CCT3 to positively control tumourigenesis, yet such effects were inhibited by PCBP2. Clinically, CCT3 was positively correlated with YAP and TFCP2, and elevated levels of the CCT3-YAP-TFCP2 axis might be critical for liver malignancy. In addition, seral-CCT3 was proven to be a potential biomarker, and its diagnostic capacity was better than that of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) to a certain extent. Together, CCT3 acts as a trigger of YAP and TFCP2 to affect tumourigenesis and serves as a potential therapeutic target and biomarker in liver cancer.

We have previously reported that the reduced level of CP2 suppresses the mouse alpha- and beta-globin gene expression and hemoglobin synthesis during terminal differentiation of mouse erythroleukemia (MEL) cells in vitro [Chae et al. (1999)]. As an extension of this study, we demonstrated that human alpha-, epsilon-, and gamma- globin genes were also suppressed by the reduced expression of CP2 in K562 cells. To address how much CP2 contributes in the regulation of globin gene expression, we measured transcriptional activities of the wild type alpha-globin promoter and its various factor-binding sites mutants in erythroid and nonerythroid cells. Interestingly, CP2 site dependent transcriptional activation occurred in an erythroid-cell specific manner, even though CP2 is ubiquitously expressed. In addition, CP2 site mutation within the alpha-promoter severely suppressed promoter activity in differentiated, but not in undifferentiated MEL cells, suggesting that the CP2 binding site is needed for the enhanced transcription of globin genes during erythroid differentiation. When the human beta-globin locus control region was linked to the alpha-promoter, suppression was more severe in the CP2 site mutant in differentiated MEL cells. Overall data indicate that CP2 is a major factor in the regulation of globin expression in human and mouse erythroid cells, and CP2 binding to the globin gene promoter is essential for the enhanced transcription of globin genes in erythroid differentiation.

OBJECTIVE

The only locus unequivocally associated with late onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk is APOE. However, this locus accounts for less than half the genetic variance. A recent study suggested that the A allele of the 3'UTR biallelic polymorphism in the LBP-1c/CP2/LSF gene was associated with reduced AD risk. Samples were diagnosed predominantly by clinical rather than pathological criteria. We have sought to replicate this finding in a series of necropsy confirmed, late onset AD cases and non-demented controls.

METHODS

The 3'UTR polymorphism in the LBP-1c/CP2/LSF gene was typed in 216 necropsy confirmed AD cases and 301 non-demented controls aged >73 years.

RESULTS

We found different LBP-1c/CP2/LSF allele distributions in our AD cases and controls (p=0.048); the A allele was associated with reduced AD risk. The allele and genotype frequencies observed in our cases and controls were similar to those previously reported. No significant effects emerged when the data were adjusted for age, sex, or apoE epsilon4 carrier status.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data support LBP-1c/CP2/LSF as a candidate gene/risk factor for AD and provide justification for future studies to investigate the role of this gene in Alzheimer's disease.

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II Ea promoter is dependent on the presence of conserved upstream X and Y boxes and of initiator (Inr) sequences. In vitro transcription analysis of the Inr region with linker-scanning mutants pinpoints a functionally essential element that shows homology to the terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase (TdT) Inr; contrary to the TdT Inr and other Inrs identified so far, the key sequence, between positions +5 and +12, is located within a transcribed area. Swapping the TdT sequence into the corresponding Ea position leads to a fivefold increase in transcription rate, without altering start site selection. Inr-binding proteins LBP-1/CP2 and TIP--a TdT Inr-binding protein unrelated to YY1--recognize the Ea Inr; they interact with overlapping yet distinct sequences around the Cap site, but their binding does not coincide with Ea Inr activity. A good correlation is, rather, found with binding of immunopurified holo-TFIID to this element. TFIID interacts both with Ea TATA-like and Inr sequences, but only the latter is functionally relevant. Unlike TBP, TFIID binds in the absence of TFIIA, indicating a stabilizing role for TBP-associated factors in Ea promoter recognition. Sequence comparison with other mouse and human MHC class II promoters suggests a common mechanism of start site(s) selection for the MHC class II gene family.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the stimulatory effect of bacille Calmette-Gu rin (BCG) cell wall components on human beta-defensin-1 (hBD-1) gene expression and analyze the response element in the 5'-flanking region of the gene.

METHODS

BCG cell wall proteins were fractionated by Sephadex G-150 chromatography. Using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Northern hybridization analysis, hBD-1 mRNA expression was detected in a human pulmonary gland epithelial cell line SPC-A-1 cells. Progressive deletions of 5'-flanking region of hBD-1 gene were produced by PCR and ligated into promoterless chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) expression plasmid to construct pCAT reporter plasmids. Reporter gene expression was determined by ELISA.

RESULTS

There was an obvious enhancement of hBD-1 mRNA expression after stimulation with heat-inactivated BCG whole cells (50 mg/L), or the cell wall components with a molecular weight of 18-30 kDa (3 mg/L) for 8 h. The upstream sequence between -314 bp and +54 bp had the inducible activity by BCG, which contained CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-beta (C/EBP beta), activator protein-1 (AP-1), and CP2 cis element.

CONCLUSIONS

BCG cell wall components (18-30 kDa) can stimulate hBD-1 mRNA expression in pulmonary gland epithelial cells. The sequence (-314/+54) containing C/EBP beta, AP-1, and CP2 binding sites in the upstream of hBD-1 is involved in this induction.

We performed a retrospective observational study of 253 children vertically infected with human immunodeficiency virus (1994-2001) to assess the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapies (ARTs) on survival and surrogate markers at the population level. Children were divided into 3 groups according to the ART protocols used during the follow-up period: calendar period (CP) 1 (1994-1996) received combined therapy with 2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs); CP2 (1997-1998) received implementation of highly active ART (HAART) with 3 drugs (NRTIs, protease inhibitors, and non-NRTIs); and CP3 (1999-2001) received extensive HAART. The children in the CP3 group had statistically significant longer survival periods, lower virus load (VL), highest undetectable VL proportion, and highest CD4+ T cell counts. HAART is effective at the population level at decreasing VL, increasing CD4+ T cells, and increasing the survival in a higher percentage of HIV-infected children.

Trichomonas vaginalis is an understudied parasitic organism whose mechanisms of pathogenesis remain unclear. The adherence to host cells, the induction of host cell cytotoxicity and protease activity are all, however, thought to be contributing factors towards the development of the disease. T. vaginalis CP30 is an extracellular fraction containing four cysteine proteases, CP2, CP3, CP4 and CPT that induce apoptosis in primary human vaginal epithelial cells (HVECs) [Sommer U, Costello CE, Hayes GR, Beach DH, Gilbert RO, Lucas JJ, Singh BN. Identification of Trichomonas vaginalis cysteine proteases that induce apoptosis in human vaginal epithelial cells. J Biol Chem 2005; 280: 23853-60]. We now show that CP30, and the induction of HVEC apoptosis are modulated by iron availability in the parasite growth medium. Growth of parasites under high iron conditions results in a decrease in levels of CP30 found in an extracellular soluble fraction (SF), a concomitant decline in protease activity, and a decreased ability of SF to induce host cell death. Conversely, iron restriction leads to an increase in CP30 levels, an increase in CP30 protease activity, and an increased ability to induce HVEC cell death. Iron-loaded lactoferrin, but not transferrin is an effective iron source for parasites. We hypothesize that CP30 induction of host cell apoptosis is crucial for the development of a persistent infection, and that iron plays a determining role in parasite pathogenesis.

The enteric protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica uniquely possesses two isotypes of ICPs, a novel class of inhibitors for cysteine proteases. These two EhICPs showed a remarkable difference in the ability to inhibit cysteine protease (CP) 5, a well-established virulence determinant, whereas they equally inhibited CP1 and CP2. Immunofluorescence imaging and cellular fractionation showed that EhICP1 and EhICP2 are localized to distinct compartments. While EhICP1 is localized to the soluble cytosolic fraction, EhICP2 is targeted from lysosomes to phagosomes upon erythrocyte engulfment. Overexpression of either EhICP1 or EhICP2 caused reduction of intracellular CP activity, but not the amount of CP, and decrease in the secretion of all major CPs, suggesting that both EhICPs are involved in the trafficking and/or interference with the major CP activity. These data indicate that the two EhICPs, present in distinct subcellular compartments, negatively regulate CP secretion, and, thus, the virulence of this parasite.

[reaction: see text] Dirhodium caprolactamate [Rh2(cap)4] is an effective catalyst for benzylic oxidation with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) under mild conditions. Sodium bicarbonate is the optimal base additive for substrate conversion. Benzylic carbonyl compounds are readily obtained, and a formal synthesis of palmarumycin CP2 using this methodology is described.

The parasitic protists in the genus Tritrichomonas cause significant disease in domestic cattle and cats. To assess the genetic diversity of feline and bovine isolates of Tritrichomonas foetus (Riedmüller, 1928) Wenrich and Emmerson, 1933, we used 10 different genetic regions, namely the protein coding genes of cysteine proteases 1, 2 and 4-9 (CP1, 2, 4-9) involved in the pathogenesis of the disease caused by the parasite. The cytosolic malate dehydrogenase 1 (MDH1) and internal transcribed spacer region 2 of the rDNA unit (ITS2) were included as additional markers. The gene sequences were compared with those of Tritrichomonas suis (Davaine, 1875) Morgan and Hawkins, 1948 and Tritrichomonas mobilensisCulberson et al., 1986. The study revealed 100% identity for all 10 genes among all feline isolates (=T. foetus cat genotype), 100% identity among all bovine isolates (=T. foetus cattle genotype) and a genetic distinctness of 1% between the cat and cattle genotypes of T. foetus. The cattle genotype of T. foetus was 100% identical to T. suis at nine loci (CP1, 2, 4-8, ITS2, MDH1). At CP9, three out of four T. suis isolates were identical to the T. foetus cattle genotype, while the T. suis isolate SUI-H3B sequence contained a single unique nucleotide substitution. Tritrichomonas mobilensis was 0.4% and 0.7% distinct from the cat and cattle genotypes of T. foetus, respectively. The genetic differences resulted in amino acid changes in the CP genes, most pronouncedly in CP2, potentially providing a platform for elucidation of genotype-specific host-pathogen interactions of T. foetus. On the basis of this data we judge T. suis and T. foetus to be subjective synonyms. For the first time, on objective nomenclatural grounds, the authority of T. suis is given to Davaine, 1875, rather than the commonly cited Gruby and Delafond, 1843. To maintain prevailing usage of T. foetus, we are suppressing the senior synomym T. suisDavaine, 1875 according to Article 23.9, because it has never been used as a valid name after 1899 and T. foetus is widely discussed as the cause of bovine trichomonosis. Thus bovine, feline and porcine isolates should all be given the name T. foetus. This promotes the stability of T. foetus for the veterinary and economically significant venereal parasite causing bovine trichomonosis.

Cysteine proteases (CPs) with N-succinyl-Leu-Tyr-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide (Suc-LY-MCA) cleavage activity were investigated in green and senescent leaves of spinach. The enzyme activity was separated into two major and several faint minor peaks by hydrophobic chromatography. These peaks were conventionally designated as CP1, CP2 and CP3, according to their order of elution. From the analyses of molecular mass, subunit structure, amino acid sequences and cDNA cloning, CP2 was a monomer complex (SoCP-CPI) (51 kDa) composed of a 41-kDa core protein, SoCP (Spinacia oleracea cysteine protease), and 14-kDa cystatin, a cysteine protease inhibitor (CPI), while CP3 was a trimer complex (SoCP-CPI)(3) (151 kDa) of the same subunits as SoCP-CPI and showed a wider range of specificity toward natural substrates than SoCP-CPI. Trimer (SoCP-CPI)(3) was irreversibly formed from monomers through association. The results of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) revealed that mRNAs of CPI and SoCP are hardly expressed in green leaves, but they are coordinately expressed in senescent leaves, suggesting that these proteases involve in senescence. Purified recombinant CPI had strong inhibitory activity against trimer SoCP, (SoCP)(3) , which had a cystatin deleted with K(i) value of 1.33 × 10(-9) M. After treatment of the enzyme with a succinate buffer (pH 5) at the most active pH of the enzyme, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and activity analyses showed that cystatin was released from both monomer SoCP-CPI and trimer (SoCP-CPI)(3) complexes with a concomitant activation. Thus, the removal of a cystatin is necessary to activate the enzyme activity.

The reaction center of photosystem 2 has been highly purified from digitonin-solubilized thylakoid membranes of the thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. by means of sucrose density gradient centrifugation and electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels containing digitonin. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of isolated reaction center complex yielded four chlorophyll a proteins named CP2-a, CP2-b, CP2-c, and CP2-d. When reelectrophoresed, CP2-a was transformed to CP2-d, and CP2-b was converted to CP2-a and CP2-d. The reaction center complex consisted of two major polypeptides of 47,000 and 40,000 Da and several minor polypeptides. CP2-b contained a 47,000-Da polypeptide together with 66,000- and 31,000-Da polypeptides, while CP2-a and CP2-d had only a 47,000-Da polypeptide. The apoprotein of CP2-c was a 40,000-Da polypeptide. Absorption spectra of CP2-a, -b, and -d were similar to each other but distinctly different from those of CP2-c at liquid nitrogen temperature. The reaction center complex showed two fluorescence emission bands at 686 and 694 nm at 77 degrees K. CP2-a, -b, and -d emitted the band at 694 nm, whereas the fluorescence peak at 686 nm was associated with CP2-c. It is concluded that the photosystem 2 reaction center complex contains two chlorophyll-binding subunits, CP2-d (or CP2-a) which may be the site of the primary photochemistry of photosystem 2 and CP2-c which may function as the antenna of the reaction center of photosystem 2.

OBJECTIVE

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has dramatically changed the natural history of HIV infection in children, but there are few studies in the literature about the incidence of clinical manifestations after HAART in this population, compared with adults. The aim of this study was to describe the influence of the widespread use of HAART on the development of opportunistic infections and organ-specific diseases in HIV-infected children.

METHODS

An observational study of a cohort of 366 vertically HIV-infected children followed from 1990 to 2006 was carried out. According to the main antiretroviral protocol used, three calendar periods (CPs) were defined and compared: CP1 (1990-1996: no patients on HAART), CP2 (1997-1999: <60% on HAART) and CP3 (2000-2006: >60% on HAART).

RESULTS

Children experienced a progressive increase in CD4 T cell count (P<0.05) and a decrease in HIV viral load from 1996 onwards (P<0.05). Similarly, rates of death, AIDS, opportunistic infections (bacteraemia, candidosis, cryptosporidiosis and bacterial pneumonia) and organ-specific diseases (wasting syndrome, thrombocytopenia, cardiomyopathy, lymphoid interstitial pneumonia and HIV-associated encephalopathy) were lower in CP2 and CP3 than in CP1.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides evidence of improved clinical outcomes in HIV-infected children over time and shows that mortality, AIDS, opportunistic infections and organ-specific diseases declined as HAART was progressively instituted in this population.

Conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CP NPs) are emerging candidates of "all-in-one" theranostic nanoplatforms with dual photoacoustic imaging (PA) and photothermal therapy (PTT) functions. So far, very limited molecular design guidelines have been developed for achieving CPs with highly efficient PA and PTT performance. Herein, by designing CP1, CP2, and CP3 using different electron acceptors (A) and a planar electron donor (D), we demonstrate how the D-A strength affects their absorption, emission, extinction coefficient, and ultimately PA and PTT performance. The resultant CP NPs have strong PA signals with high photothermal conversion efficiencies and excellent biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo. The CP3 NPs show a high PA signal to background ratio of 47 in U87 tumor-bearing mice, which is superior to other reported PA/PTT theranostic agents. A very small IC50 value of 0.88 μg/mL (CP3 NPs) was obtained for U87 glioma cell ablation under laser irradiation (808 nm, 0.8 W/cm2, 5 min). This study shows that CP NP based theranostic platforms are promising for future personalized nanomedicine.

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) analyses were used to characterize the genetic composition of anther-derived plants of a diploid potato clone, CP2 (Solanum chacoense 80-1 x S. phureja 1-3). The ploidy of anther-derived plants was first determined by flow cytometry. A total of 44 decamer primers was screened for RAPD polymorphism. The loci that segregated were selected and scored. The monoploids had less than half as many loci carrying RAPD markers compared with the anther donor. Among 14 anther-derived diploids, 5 were identified as homozygous by marker frequency similar to monoploids and 9 as heterozygous. Five of seven SSRs obtained from published potato sequences were polymorphic in CP2. CP2 was found to be heterozygous with two alleles at four SSR loci (TC/TA, AAG, AGA, CTT) and three alleles at a ACTC locus. Primer pairs flanking each of the five polymorphic SSRs revealed that monoploids had only the allele contributed by S. chacoense 80-1. Homozygous diploids had only one band per SSR locus, whereas heterozygous diploids displayed more than one allele for at least one SSR locus. Results of the SSR analysis supported the findings based on RAPD markers; the same five diploid clones were characterized as homozygous by both SSR and RAPD markers.

Chemical investigation of the mycelium of Edenia gomezpompae, a newly discovered endophytic fungus isolated from the leaves of Callicarpa acuminata (Verbenaceae) collected from the ecological reserve El Eden, Quintana Roo, Mexico, resulted in the isolation of four naphthoquinone spiroketals, including three new compounds and palmarumycin CP2 (4). We elucidated the structures of the metabolites by extensive NMR spectroscopy studies, including DEPT, COSY, NOESY, HSQC, HMBC, and chiroptical methods. The trivial names proposed for these compounds are preussomerin EG1 (1), preussomerin EG2 (2) and preussomerin EG3 (3). In addition, the X-ray data for 4 were obtained. The bioactivity of the mycelial organic extracts and the pure compounds was tested against three endophytic fungi (Colletotrichum sp., Phomopsis sp., and Guignardia manguifera) isolated from the same plant species (C. acuminata, Verbenaceae) and against four economically important phytopathogenic microorganisms (two fungoid oomycetes, Phythophtora capsici and Phythophtora parasitica, and the fungi Fusarium oxysporum and Alternaria solani). Spiroketals 1-3 displayed significant growth inhibition against all the phytopathogens. IC50 values for the four phytopathogens were from 20 to 170 microg/ml. Palmarumycin CP2 (4) was not bioactive against any of the fungi tested. Compound 1 showed the strongest bioactivity. The acetylated derivatives of preussomerin EG1 (1), 1a and 1b, were obtained and their biological activity was tested on endophytes and phytopathogens. Preussomerin EG1 1, 1a and 1b exhibited significant bioactivity against all microorganisms tested with the exception of Alternaria solani. This is the first report of allelochemicals with antifungal activity from the newly discovered endophytic fungus E. gomezpompae.

OBJECTIVE

Several studies suggested chromosome 12 harbours an Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk factor gene. Significant association of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the 3' UTR of transcription factor CP2 (LBP-1c/CP2/LSF or TFCP2) at 12q13 was reported in three independent case-control studies, but no family based analyses have been performed to date.

METHODS

Genotypes for three SNPs were generated in two independent AD family samples. A meta-analysis on all published case-control studies was also performed.

RESULTS

The A allele of the 3' UTR SNP was associated with increased risk for AD in one sample (odds ratio (OR) 2.1, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.1 to 4.3), but not in the other, possibly due to low power. Haplotype analyses showed that this allele is part of a putative risk-haplotype overtransmitted to affected individuals in one sample and in both samples combined. Meta-analysis of the previously associated 3' UTR SNP showed a trend towards a protective effect of the A allele in AD (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.5 to 1.1).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to examine LBP-1c/CP2/LSF in AD families, and the fifth to independently show significant association. While our results support a role of this gene in AD pathogenesis, the direction of the effect remains uncertain, possibly indicating linkage disequilibrium with another variant nearby.