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Biomedical subjects

D Lyn

Publications and source records attributed to D Lyn.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Trypanosoma brucei infection induces apoptosis and up-regulates neuroleukin expression in the cerebellum.

Human infection with Trypanosoma brucei may result in meningo-encephalitis, neuronal demyelination, blood-brain-barrier dysfunction, peri-vascular infiltration, astrocytosis and neuronal apoptosis. Prevention of the short- or long-term, parasite-induced, neuronal assault requires a better understanding of the host's responses to the infection at the molecular level. Northern analysis, cDNA micro-arrays, reverse-transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR), SDS-PAGE and immunohistology were therefore used to investigate global gene and protein expression in the brains of mice infected with T. brucei. Temporal and spatial expression of neuroleukin (NLK), a predominant neurotrophin which is associated with neuronal protection and regeneration during neuronal assault in the brain, was then assessed. Expression of 20 of the 588 genes investigated (representing pro- and anti-inflammatory immuno-modulators, growth factors, neurotransmitters, and pro- and anti-apoptosis factors) was significantly altered (P < 0.05). TUNEL analysis revealed extensive apoptosis at peak parasitaemia, mainly in the cerebellum. RT-PCR analysis of two regulators of apoptosis, Bcl-x(L) (anti-apoptotic) and Bax (pro-apoptotic), revealed equivalent increases in levels of expression. NLK expression was up-regulated in punctated fashion in brain and was mainly localized to abnormal (stellate) catecholamine neurons (CN) in the locus coeruleus (LC) of infected [and, to a lesser degree, the normal (polygonal) cells of uninfected] brainstem. Expression of NLK receptor (NLK-R) was inversely correlated with that of NLK. At peak parasitaemia, trypanosome infection apparently induces cerebellar apoptosis and a corresponding increase in NLK expression. NLK may be modulating inflammation and is probably involved in protecting CN and the cerebellum against apoptosis.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Characterization of prohibitin in a newly established rat ovarian granulosa cell line.

Prohibitin is an evolutionary conserved protein that is associated with cellular differentiation, atresia, and luteolysis in the rat ovary. However, the specific cellular location and function of prohibitin in ovarian cells has not been clearly elucidated. To characterize the expression of prohibitin during cell proliferation, differentiation, and cell death, we have successfully established a temperature-sensitive granulosa cell line, designated RGA-1. At a permissive temperature of 33 C, RGA-1 cells proliferate, but revert to a differentiated phenotype at a nonpermissive temperature of 39 C. Significant inductions of prohibitin mRNA and protein expression were observed in the differentiated phenotype when compared with proliferating cells. Differentiated RGA-1 cells were found to express inhibin alpha- and beta-transcripts, as well as steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor proteins in a manner reminiscent of steroidogenic functional responses observed in primary differentiated granulosa cells. Prohibitin expression correlated well with the expression of these steroidogenic proteins. At 39 C, RGA-1 cells also displayed increases in p53 protein levels, indicative of growth arrest in the nonproliferating cells. Confocal and electron microscopic examinations revealed increased prohibitin localization to the mitochondria at 39 C, along with changes in mitochondrial size and shape. These changes were accompanied by marked reductions in cytochrome c oxidase subunit II levels and in unit mitochondrial transmembrane potential. In addition, cell fractionation studies demonstrated that the prohibitin protein was mainly localized to the mitochondrial membrane. Collectively, these findings suggest a role for prohibitin in mitochondrial structure and function during growth and differentiation in ovarian granulosa cells. Prohibitin expression may also be indicative of mitochondrial destabilization during apoptosis-related events.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Sequence analysis of HIV-1 insertion sites in peripheral blood lymphocytes.

An essential component of the HIV-1 life cycle involves insertion in the genome of an infected cell. The site of HIV-1 integration has the potential to disrupt a gene and perturb a normal cellular function. To begin to address whether disease pathogenesis may correlate with the site of insertion, flanking cellular sequences at these HIV integrated regions were directly amplified from peripheral blood mononuclear cells DNA from a broad range of infected individuals using an inverse polymerase chain reaction strategy. Amplified flanking regions were sequenced and examined for similarity to the nucleic acid database. In this group of analyzed samples, the HIV-1 provirus was inserted within non-coding regions throughout the genome of the infected host, in which 7/14 sites were positioned in close proximity to different Alu repetitive elements while 2/14 sites were located within intron sequences. Insertions were also detected at sites without a specific gene designation but not within short tandem repetitive sequences, telomeres or centromeric repeat regions. Altogether, it is expected that this approach will yield new information on sites of integration by HIV-1 that may be associated with the pathogenic manifestations of disease progression.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2001

TSG101 expression in gynecological tumors: relationship to cyclin D1, cyclin E, p53 and p16 proteins.

Recent studies have shown that in vitro steady-state expression of the tumor susceptibility gene TSG101 is important for maintenance of genomic stability and cell cycle regulation. To determine the contribution of TSG101 expression in neoplastic formation, expression of TSG101 protein levels were evaluated in primary ovarian and endometrial adenocarcinoma tumors. Expression of TSG101 was also examined in various tumor cell lines (PA-1, AN3CA, HeLa, HS578T, HCT116). Full-length TSG101 protein was detected in these tumors and cell lines indicating that intragenic deletions were not characteristic of TSG101. In addition, TSG101 protein levels were compared with aberrations of prominent cell cycle regulatory molecules such as cyclin D1, cyclin E, p16 and p53. Reduced TSG101 protein was observed in 36% (8/22) of ovarian and 17% (1/6) of endometrial adenocarcinoma. Aberrant levels of p53, p16, cyclin D or E were comparable to published studies indicating that the clinicopathological distribution of these cases did not favor advanced stage tumors. Altogether, these findings suggest that a down-regulation of TSG101 is associated with tumorigenesis in a subgroup of gynecological tumors.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2000

Gene expression profile in mouse myocardium after ischemia.

This study was designed to elaborate a molecular profile of expressed genes during ischemic injury to the mouse heart after surgical constriction of the left coronary artery without reperfusion. A mouse cDNA array containing 588 known genes was used to compare gene expression in heart RNA after 24-h ischemia with control tissue. Alterations in gene expression on the array were supported by relative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis after timed periods of ischemia. Decreased levels of the cell cycle regulator p18ink4 and the oxidative responsive gene glutathione S-transferase were accompanied by an upregulation of the genes associated with cardiac muscle development, alpha-myosin heavy chain and fetal myosin alkali light chain. Other stress responses elicited by cardiac injury included an induction of Egr-1 and Egr-3 transcription factors, as well as the apoptotic regulator Bax. Altogether, these findings indicate that expression of genes associated with a fetal transcription program may be involved with the post ischemic remodeling process in heart ventricles.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Suppression of endogenous IL-10 gene expression in dendritic cells enhances antigen presentation for specific Th1 induction: potential for cellular vaccine development.

A new paradigm for designing vaccines against certain microbial pathogens, including Chlamydia trachomatis, is based on the induction of local mucosal Th1 response. IL-10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine that exerts negative immunoregulatory influence on Th1 response. This study investigated whether biochemical modulation of endogenous IL-10 expression at the level of APCs is a practical strategy for enhancing the specific Th1 response against pathogens controlled by Th1 immunity. The results revealed that the high resistance of genetically engineered IL-10-/- (IL-10KO) mice to genital chlamydial infection is a function of the predilection of their APCs to rapidly and preferentially activate a high Th1 response. Thus, in microbiological analysis, IL-10KO mice suffered a shorter duration of infection, less microbial burden, and limited ascending infection than immunocompetent wild-type mice. Also, IL-10KO were resistant to reinfection after 8 wk of the primary infection. Cellular and molecular immunologic evaluation indicated that IL-10KO mice induced greater frequency of chlamydial-specific Th1 response following C. trachomatis infection. Moreover, IL-10KO APCs or antisense IL-10 oligonucleotide-treated wild-type APCs were potent activators of Th1 response from naive or immune T cells. Furthermore, both Ag-pulsed dendritic cells from IL-10KO mice and IL-10 antisense-treated dendritic cells from wild-type mice were efficient cellular vaccines in adoptive immunotherapeutic vaccination against genital chlamydial infection. These findings may furnish a novel immunotherapeutic strategy for boosting the Th1 response against T cell-controlled pathogens and tumors, using IL-10-deficient APCs as vaccine delivery agents.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1999

The intercellular adhesion molecule type-1 is required for rapid activation of T helper type 1 lymphocytes that control early acute phase of genital chlamydial infection in mice.

Recent studies in animal models of genital chlamydial disease revealed that early recruitment of dendritic cells and specific T helper type-1 (Th1) cells into the genital mucosae is crucial for reducing the severity of the acute phase of a cervico-vaginal infection and arresting ascending disease. These immune effectors are therefore important for preventing major complications of genital chlamydial infection. Other in vitro studies showed that intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) plays a role in the antichlamydial action of specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. In the present study, we investigated the clinicopathological consequences of ICAM-1 deficiency during chlamydial genital infection in ICAM-1 knockout (ICAM-1KO) mice, and analysed the cellular and molecular immunological bases for any observed pathology or complication. Following a primary genital infection of female ICAM-l-/- and ICAM-1+/+ mice, the intensity of the disease during the first 3 weeks (as assessed by shedding of chlamydiae in the genital tract) was significantly greater in ICAM-1KO mice than in ICAM-1+/+ mice (P < 0.0001), although both ICAM-l-/- and ICAM-1+/+ mice subsequently cleared the primary infection. There was greater ascending disease during the initial stage of the infection, and a higher incidence of tubal disease (hydrosalpinx formation) after multiple infections in ICAM-l-/- mice. Analysis of the cellular and molecular bases for the increased acute and ascending disease in ICAM-l-/- mice revealed that the high affinity of ICAM-1 for leucocyte function antigen type-1 is a property that promotes rapid activation of specific Th1 cells, as well as their early recruitment into the genital mucosa. Moreover, ICAM-1 was more important for naive T-cell activation than primed Th1 cells, although its absence delayed or suppressed immune T-cell activation by at least 50%. Taken together, these results indicated that ICAM-1 is crucial for rapid T-cell activation, early recruitment and control of genitally acquired Chlamydia trachomatis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1998

Immune control of Chlamydial growth in the human epithelial cell line RT4 involves multiple mechanisms that include nitric oxide induction, tryptophan catabolism and iron deprivation.

The antimicrobial activity of T cell-derived cytokines, especially interferon (IFN)-gamma, against intracellular pathogens, such as Chlamydia trachomatis, involves the induction of 3 major biochemical processes: tryptophan catabolism, nitric oxide (NO) induction and intracellular iron (Fe) deprivation. Since the epithelial cell is the natural target of chlamydial infection, the presence of these antimicrobial systems in the cell would suggest that they may be involved in T cell control of intracellular multiplication of Chlamydia. However, the controversy over whether these 3 antimicrobial processes are present in both mice and humans has precluded the assessment of the relative contribution of each of the 3 mechanisms to chlamydial inhibition in the same epithelial cell from either mice or humans. In the present study, we identified a Chlamydia-susceptible human epithelial cell line, RT4, that possesses the 3 antimicrobial systems, and we examined the role of nitric oxide (NO) induction, and deprivation of tryptophan or Fe in cytokine-induced inhibition of chlamydiae. It was found that the 3 antimicrobial systems contributed to cytokine-mediated inhibition of the intracellular growth of Chlamydia. NO induction accounted for approximately 20% of the growth inhibition; tryptophan catabolism contributed approximately 30%; iron deprivation was least effective; but the combination of the 3 systems accounted for greater than 60% of the inhibition observed. These results indicate that immune control of chlamydial growth in human epithelial cells may involve multiple mechanisms that include NO induction, tryptophan catabolism and Fe deprivation.

Cell Communication↗
PubMed1995

Conservation of sequences between human and gorilla lineages: ADP-ribosyltransferase (NAD+) pseudogene 1 and neighboring retroposons.

The evolution of ADP-ribosyltransferase (NAD+) pseudogene 1 (ADPRTP1) was studied among higher primates. When the human pseudogene was used to probe genomic DNA from chimpanzee, gorilla, macaque, howler monkey and lemur, a fragment from gorilla produced the most intense hybridization signal. The resultant hybridization pattern indicated a modified pseudogene structure in these primates relative to the human and gorilla loci. Sequence comparison of this new DNA locus (ADPRTP1 and surrounding retroposons) showed a nucleotide (nt) identity of 98.13% (over 5.8 kb) between the genomic regions of human and gorilla. A unique duplicated region of 30 base pairs (bp) was found in gorilla ADPRTP1, separate from the duplicated region (193 bp) responsible for the restriction-fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) previously reported in humans, and which appeared to represent a marker for a predisposition to cancer. An endogenous pol (gene encoding polymerase) related element that flanked the human pseudogene was used as a probe to identify a fragment from this retroviral family in New World monkeys. Altogether, analysis of these retroposons will provide an opportunity for future studies on the molecular phylogenetic relationship of higher primates.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

The polymorphic ADP-ribosyltransferase (NAD+) pseudogene 1 in humans interrupts an endogenous pol-like element on 13q34.

A recently constructed chromosome 13-enriched library was used to isolate the entire human ADP-ribosyltransferase (NAD+) pseudogene 1 gene (ADPRTP1) on 13q34. Recently, ADPRTP1 was shown to detect a restriction fragment length polymorphism that was associated with a predisposition to cancer. The complete sequence of the ADPRTP1 (3808 bases) was determined and found to resemble an intronless cDNA, including 137 bases of the 5' untranslated region and a short poly(A) tail. A previously uncharacterized, endogenous pol-like element (1.53 kb) in which the DNA sequences were interrupted by the polymorphic ADPRTP1 was identified. The solitary pol-related retroviral element may represent a multimember family of viral-like DNA sequences dispersed throughout the human genome. Altogether a 9.25-kb genomic region that also encompassed two Alu elements and the long-terminal repeat-like element of the "O"-LTR family was characterized.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

A duplicated region is responsible for the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase polymorphism, on chromosome 13, associated with a predisposition to cancer.

The poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PADPRP) gene (13q33-qter) depicts a two-allele (A/B) polymorphism. In the noncancer population, the frequency of the B allele is higher among blacks than among whites. Since the incidence of multiple myeloma and prostate and lung cancer is higher in the U.S. black population, we have analyzed the B-allele frequency in germ-line DNA to determine whether the PADPRP gene correlates with a polymorphic susceptibility to these diseases. For multiple myeloma and prostate cancer, an increased frequency of the B allele appeared to be striking only in black patients. In contrast, the distribution of the B allele in germ-line DNA did not differ among white patients with these diseases, when compared with the control group. An elevated B-allele frequency was also found in germ-line DNA in blacks with colon cancer. These observations suggest that the PADPRP polymorphism may provide a valid marker for a predisposition to these cancers in black individuals. To determine the genomic structure of the polymorphic PADPRP sequences, a 2.68-kb HindIII clone was isolated and sequenced from a chromosome 13-enriched library. Sequence analysis of this clone (A allele) revealed a close sequence similarity (91.8%) to PADPRP cDNA (1q42) and an absence of introns, suggesting that the gene on 13q exists as a processed pseudogene. A 193-bp conserved duplicated region within the A allele was identified as the source of the polymorphism. The nucleotide differences between the PADPRP gene on chromosome 13 and related PADPRP genes were exploited to develop oligonucleotides that can detect the difference between the A/B genotypes in a PCR. This PCR assay offers the opportunity for analyzing additional black cancer patients, to determine how the PADPRP processed pseudogene or an unidentified gene that cosegregates with the PADPRP gene might be involved with the development of malignancy.

Alleles↗
PubMed1992

Comparison of IgA versus IgG monoclonal antibodies for passive immunization of the murine respiratory tract.

The protective efficacy of anti-Sendai virus IgA was compared to that of IgG after topical application of monoclonal antibodies (MAb) to the respiratory tract of mice. BALB/c mice were passively intranasally immunized with 50 microliters ascites containing equivalent ELISA titers of MAb 1 h before and 4 and 24 h after intranasal challenge with Sendai virus. Lung viral titers were determined by plaque assay 3 days following challenge. In most instances IgA MAb afforded equivalent protection to IgG MAb in that there was no significant difference in virus recovery from the lungs of animals treated with either IgA or IgG MAb, including subclasses of IgG. When IgA MAb was fractionated into monomers and oligomers, there was no inherent advantage to the oligomeric form with respect to passive protection against viral challenge. The data indicate that IgA and IgG antibodies are equally efficacious in protecting the airways from viral infection. The experiments suggest that the advantage of IgA for protecting mucosal surfaces, such as the respiratory tract, relates to the presence of a specialized mechanism for transporting oligomeric IgA across epithelial surfaces. The results also support the rationale for active mucosal immunization protocols designed to generate an IgA response.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Location of amino acid residues important for the structure and biological function of the haemagglutinin-neuraminidase glycoprotein of Sendai virus by analysis of escape mutants.

To locate sites important for the structure and function of the haemagglutinin-neuraminidase glycoprotein (HN) of Sendai virus, the biological characteristics of antibody-selected escape mutants were correlated with mutations in the primary HN amino acid sequence. An escape mutant virus deficient only in neuraminidase function but with an HN content equal to that of the wild-type virus had an amino acid change at residue 184, implying that this position may be important for maintaining a functionally active enzymic site. In contrast, other escape mutant viruses with reductions in haemagglutination (eightfold) and neuraminidase activities (70 to 80%) had a sharply diminished HN content and substitutions either at residue 375, or double mutations at residues 279 and 461. The loss of biological activity with the concomitant loss of HN content suggests that these sites may be important for the processing and transport of HN, or in maintaining a structure resistant to proteolytic degradation; residue 451 was shown to have an undefined role in fusion activity. The monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) used to isolate the mutant viruses included those of the IgA and IgG classes and were divided into four operational groups based on their haemagglutination-inhibition pattern against the selected mutants. MAbs of the IgA class recognized epitopes overlapping with (group A) as well as epitopes distinct from (groups C and D) those recognized by the IgG class; group B included only IgG antibodies. The epitopes recognized by IgA antibodies may identify residues important for the secretory immune response to the HN molecule.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

The nucleoproteins of human parainfluenza virus type 1 and Sendai virus share amino acid sequences and antigenic and structural determinants.

The complete nucleotide sequence of the nucleoprotein (NP) gene of human parainfluenza virus type 1 (hPIV-1) was determined from a cDNA clone of mRNA. The mRNA is 1683 nucleotides long (excluding polyadenylic acid) and encodes a protein of 524 amino acids with a predicted Mr of 57,548. An amino acid identity of 83% was predicted between the NPs of the human pathogen hPIV-1 and the murine paramyxovirus, Sendai virus, compared to 72% similarity at the level of the nucleotide sequence. In contrast, the amino acid sequence identity between the NPs of hPIV-1 and hPIV-3 was 59%, suggesting a more distant evolutionary relationship. The NP amino acid sequences of hPIV-1 and Sendai virus were highly conserved in the amino-terminal half of the molecule, in which 395 of the first 420 amino acids were identical. Of 11 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) targeted against the Sendai virus NP, five cross-reacted with the hPIV-1 NP. The MAbs that cross-reacted recognize epitopes within regions of high amino acid similarity between the NPs of the two viruses. Also, five of the eight MAbs raised against hPIV-1 NP cross-reacted with Sendai virus NP. Taken together, our observations suggest that the essential amino acid sequence determinants of the NP structures of hPIV-1 and Sendai virus are conserved despite changes in their nucleotide sequences during evolution. This implies that there was a selective pressure to maintain the important functional domains of the protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

The regulation of granulosa cell proopiomelanocortin messenger ribonucleic acid by androgens and gonadotropins.

We have previously demonstrated the presence of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) messenger RNA (mRNA) in rat granulosa cells. This study examines the unique, tissue-specific regulation of granulosa cell POMC mRNA levels by hormones with established regulatory effects on these cells. Northern blot analysis of immature rat ovarian RNA revealed the presence of a single mRNA of approximately 900 base pairs in length. The levels of ovarian POMC mRNA increased approximately 6-fold 48 h after priming with PMSG when expressed per microgram of total RNA. Granulosa cells were isolated from immature PMSG-primed rats and cultured under serum-free conditions in the presence and absence of various hormones to determine their effect on POMC mRNA levels. Treatment of the cells for 48 h with LH (100 ng/ml), androstenedione (10(-7) M), or LH plus androstenedione elevated POMC mRNA levels. LH alone elicited a 5-fold increase in POMC mRNA, and androstenedione elicited a 10-fold increase; the combination treatment led to a 47-fold increase. The effects of the nonaromatizable androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were also evaluated. Treatment for 48 h with DHT (10(-7) M) elicited a 40-fold increase in POMC mRNA levels. In vivo experiments measuring ovarian POMC mRNA from immature female rats corroborated the in vitro results. Animals injected sc with DHT (500 micrograms) demonstrated 5-fold increases in ovarian POMC mRNA when expressed per microgram of total RNA. These studies provide both in vitro and in vivo evidence that granulosa cell POMC mRNA is under unique hormonal regulation by both androgens and gonadotropins.

Androgens↗
PubMed1985

Pyruvate inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase is a physiological variable.

Pyruvate inhibited pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase activity in mitochondria from adipose tissue, heart, brain and kidney of fed rats. Starvation for 24 h led to increased kinase activity in mitochondria from adipose tissue and heart but not from brain or kidney and to reduction of pyruvate inhibition of the enzyme from adipose tissue, heart and brain. Insulin injection into starved animals rapidly restored pyruvate inhibition without alteration of kinase activity in adipose tissue and heart mitochondria. Induction of streptozotocin diabetes resulted in loss of pyruvate inhibition of the kinase in heart mitochondria at 48 h but not at 24 h whereas a significant increase of kinase activity was seen at 24 h. It is concluded that the mechanisms which control fluctuations of pyruvate sensitivity of the kinase are different from the mechanisms which control fluctuations of the uninhibited kinase activity.

Adipose Tissue↗