Biomedical subjects

Alexander Vaglenov

Publications and source records attributed to Alexander Vaglenov.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Rapid high-yield mRNA extraction for reverse-transcription PCR.

Reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) is the gold standard for mRNA quantification. Efficient, rapid, and high-throughput mRNA extraction is a prerequisite to ensure PCR sensitivity and precision, particularly for quantification of low-abundance mRNAs, and for large numbers of samples. Many mRNA extraction methods entail meticulous handling of individual samples, and are not well suited for large sample numbers. To achieve simple separation of mRNA binding matrix and the medium from which mRNA is to be isolated, oligo (dT)(20)-coated silica beads were used. Simple centrifugation and decanting steps can be used throughout the extraction procedure to separate supernatant fluids from the silica beads. DNase treatment reduced clumping of sedimented beads, thus facilitating bead resuspension and avoiding repeated agitation. DNase treatment also significantly reduced contaminating DNA, increased mRNA purity, and enhanced mRNA PCR readout by approximately 5-fold. The number of target transcripts per sample aliquot was higher in DNase-treated mRNA than in non-treated mRNA or in total nucleic acids. Thus, use of DNase-treated mRNA increased sensitivity of detection and quantification of low-copy transcripts. In conclusion, we describe here a simple, rapid, and cost-effective method that facilitates convenient extraction of high-quality mRNA by minimizing cumbersome mechanical disruption and pipetting steps.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Mouse model of respiratory Chlamydia pneumoniae infection for a genomic screen of subunit vaccine candidates.

An inbred A/J mouse respiratory challenge model was validated for vaccine testing against Chlamydia (C.) pneumoniae and used to screen the C. pneumoniae genome for vaccine candidates by expression library immunization (ELI). Biolistic delivery of genetic vaccine constructs elicited Th2-like immunity that was associated with inefficient elimination of C. pneumoniae. Delivery by injection elicited protective Th1-like responses. Since biolistic delivery of pools of ORFs was used in first round screening, the screen presumably selected against potent immunogens. Nevertheless, it was sufficiently accurate to identify three weakly protective antigens among all putative C. pneumoniae ORFs. The results suggest ELI discovery of highly protective C. pneumoniae vaccine candidates requires tight control of the Th1 immunity elicited by the genetically delivered library of test antigens.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

High-yield culture and purification of Chlamydiaceae bacteria.

Research on intracellular bacteria of the family Chlamydiaceae, and the diseases they cause, requires large amounts of infectious elementary bodies (EB). We describe an approach that maximizes the generation of Chlamydia pneumoniae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydia abortus, or Chlamydia pecorum EBs in several replication cycles over approximately 10 days or more in a saturated equilibrium monolayer cell culture system. Buffalo Green Monkey Kidney (BGMK) cells, Human Epidermoid Carcinoma-2 (HEp-2) cells, or mouse McCoy cells were tested. BGMK cells best supported C. pneumoniae replication when cultivated in Iscove's Modified Dulbecco's Medium. From day 1 to day 9 after inoculation, C. pneumoniae genomes per ml culture medium increased from 10(5.1) to 10(8.6) in BGMK, from 10(5.6) to 10(8.1) in HEp-2, and remained at 10(5.2) in McCoy cell cultures. Three-month pre-inoculation maintenance of BGMK cells in different culture media did not influence C. pneumoniae yields. Inoculation at multiplicities of infection (MOI) of 10 or higher and supplementation of the cell culture medium on day 7 after inoculation with 0.1% glucose enhanced C. pneumoniae EB yields in harvested cell culture medium. For purification, EBs in medium were concentrated by sedimentation, followed by low-speed centrifugation for removal of host cell nuclei, and by step-gradient centrifugation of the supernatant in a 30% RenoCal-76-50% sucrose step-gradient. Extensive sonication increased yield and infectivity of chlamydial EB. The combined method typically produced from 1000 ml infected BGMK culture medium 10 ml homogeneous, single-cell, highly infectious EB stock containing approximately 5x10(11) C. pneumoniae genomes equivalent to 4-5x10(11) inclusion forming units.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

One-step real-time duplex reverse transcription PCRs simultaneously quantify analyte and housekeeping gene mRNAs.

We developed a one-step real-time duplex reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) method using the LightCycler platform. This method allows simultaneous reverse transcription and real-time PCR amplification of two mRNAs of specific genes of interest (analyte genes) and mRNA of constantly transcribed genes (housekeeping genes) in a single-tube reaction. Specimen total nucleic acids were used because eukaryotic cDNA is discriminated from genomic DNA using exon-spanning primers and/or fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) probes. Transcripts of murine arginase I and hypoxanthine-phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT; housekeeping gene) or murine arginase II analyte and porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD; housekeeping gene) were quantified in such duplex RT-PCRs. Twenty-minute reverse transcription reactions at 55 degrees C followed by 18 high-stringency step-down thermal cycles and 25 relaxed-stringency fluorescence acquisition cycles produced sensitive and accurate RT-PCR results. Fluorescent signal spillover between channels was fully compensated. A matrix of duplex PCRs at variable ratios of target standards yielded equations for factors that correct PCR-specific target ratio-dependent deviations in quantification. The one-step real-time duplex RT-PCRs reliably and accurately determined 10-10,000 copies of each target over a 100,000-fold range of target copy ratios (analyte to housekeeping mRNA = 10(-2.5)-10(2.5)) in a single assay.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Sister chromatid exchanges and micronuclei in peripheral lymphocytes of shoe factory workers exposed to solvents.

We examined sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and micronuclei (MN; cytokinesis-block method) in cultured peripheral lymphocytes from 52 female workers of two shoe factories and from 36 unexposed age- and sex-matched referents. The factory workers showed an elevated level of urinary hippuric acid, a biomarker of toluene exposure, and workplace air contained high concentrations of various organic solvents such as toluene, gasoline, acetone, and (in one of the plants only) ethylacetate and methylenediphenyl diisocyanate. The shoe factory workers showed a statistically significant higher frequency of micronucleated binucleate lymphocytes in comparison with the referents. This finding agreed with three preliminary MN determinations (each comprising 27-32 shoe workers and 16-20 controls) performed in one of the plants 2-5 years earlier. The shoe factory workers also had a lower average level of blood hemoglobin than the referents. In contrast, no difference was found between the groups in SCE analysis. Smokers showed significantly higher mean frequencies of SCEs per cell and high frequency cells (HFC) than nonsmokers. Aging was associated with increased MN rates and reduced cell proliferation. Polymorphism of the glutathione S-transferase M1 gene (GSTM1) did not affect the individual level of SCEs; but in smoking shoe workers an effect of the occupational exposure on the frequency of micronucleated cells could be seen only in GSTM1 null subjects. The low prevalence of the glutathione S-transferase T1 (GSTT1) null genotype precluded the evaluation of the influence of GSTT1 polymorphism. Our results show that the shoe factory workers have experienced genotoxic exposure, which is manifest as an increase in the frequency of MN, but not of SCEs, in peripheral lymphocytes. The exposures responsible for the MN induction could not be identified with certainty, but exposure to benzene in gasoline and methylenediphenyl diisocyanate may explain some of the findings.

Adult↗