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S Z Schade

Publications and source records attributed to S Z Schade.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Measurement of proteases in human subgingival dental plaque by fluorescence polarization.

Fluorescence polarization (FP) was examined as a rapid quantitative method to assay the proteases in subgingival plaque. Protease activity was measured by a decrease in FP at 0.5-min intervals over 5 min, using BODIPY-alpha-casein, a protein substrate. To quantitate activity, the least absolute deviation (LAD) slope for each assay was determined. Protease activity increased with the quantity of plaque (r=0.416, P<0.001). Of the 208 subgingival plaque samples, 87 contained detectable protease activity, with a mean of about 4 microg trypsin equivalents above a general background of 1 microg per site. The mean plaque protease activity of 89 paired samples from 15 individuals had decreased by 1.1 microg trypsin equivalents per site when measured at 8 months after tooth scaling and root planing (P<0.01). Most isolates of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, Prevotella nigrescens, and Prevotella intermedia implicated in the pathogenesis of adult periodontitis exhibited high activity in the FP assay. The assay is rapid, quantitative and requires only one-tenth of the plaque sampled using a single pass with a Gracey curette at a single tooth site.

Adult↗

Mitogenic activity of the outer membrane of Treponema denticola.

The outer membrane (OM) was isolated by detergent extraction from Treponema denticola ATCC 35405, ATCC 33521 and ATCC 35404, representing serovars a, b and c, respectively, as well as from two fresh isolates of T. denticola. Strict precautions were undertaken against the introduction of contaminant lipopolysaccharide when the OM was isolated. The OM was active in mitogenic stimulation of C3H/HeOuJ mouse spleen cultures, but to a somewhat lesser extent than purified lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Escherichia coli 055:B5. Polymyxin B only partially inhibited the response. Unheated OM abrogated mitogenic activity of E. coli LPS, but heated preparations enhanced the mitogenic activity of E. coli LPS, suggesting the presence of a heat-labile cytolytic factor associated with T. denticola OM in addition to a putative lipopolysaccharide and/or heat-stable lipoprotein.

Animals↗

Reducing medium for the cultivation of Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a micro-organism frequently associated with human periodontal diseases, is commonly cultured under a reducing atmosphere in enclosed cabinets or glove boxes. This paper reports a modified Wilkins-Chalgren (MWC) medium for the culture of P. gingivalis under atmospheric conditions at 37 degrees C. On the basis of preliminary tests, WC broth was supplemented as follows: 500 mg/l cysteine hydrochloride; 250 mg/l sodium thioglycolate; and 1,000 mg/l sodium bicarbonate. Three P. gingivalis isolates (JKG-I, 33277 and A7436) showed very similar growth over 24 and 48 h periods when cultured both in WC medium in an anaerobic chamber and in the MWC medium. Culture of these isolates both in the anaerobic chamber and in the MWC medium yielded very similar data with respect to trypsin-like activity, total protease activity, and reactivity to monoclonal antibodies specific for P. gingivalis. Growth in the MWC medium varied over a 3- to 4-fold range for seven additional isolates (JKG-7, D86B6, D13B11, D84D2, JKG9, D67D9, D82F5) over 24 and 48 h periods.

Culture Media↗

BODIPY-alpha-casein, a pH-independent protein substrate for protease assays using fluorescence polarization.

BODIPY-alpha-casein is a new fluorescent protein substrate designed for fluorescence polarization studies to measure proteolytic activity at any pH over the range from pH 2 to 11. Kinetic protease assays in real-time were performed in 1 to 5 min using an FPM-1 fluorescence polarization instrument. A purified enzyme or bacterial culture was mixed with the BODIPY-alpha-casein in a buffer of an appropriate pH and the decrease in fluorescence polarization was automatically recorded at 0.5-min intervals. The initial decrease in fluorescence polarization with time was dependent on protease concentration. In 3-min assays at 37 degrees C, the sensitivity of detection was 8 mU for pepsin at pH 2.0, 1 mU for papain at pH 6.0, 0.6 mU for proteinase K at pH 7.4, and 2 mU for Streptomyces griseus alkaline protease at pH 11. Only 1-10 microliters of a growing culture was necessary to assay the protease activity of Porphyromonas gingivalis or Treponema denticola, oral bacteria that possess certain proteases on their surfaces. These assays have clinical applications, since certain pathogens use proteolytic activity as a virulence mechanism and differ from their nonpathogenic counterparts in this characteristic. Fluorescence polarization assays are simple, rapid, and reproducible.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Detection of HIV-1 provirus in bronchoalveolar lavage cells by polymerase chain reaction.

This study was undertaken to evaluate whether HIV-seropositive individuals harbor HIV provirus in cells obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). BAL cells were obtained from 14 HIV-positive patients undergoing bronchoscopy for evaluation of acute pulmonary symptoms. Cells were fractionated into macrophage-enriched and lymphocyte-enriched populations. The quantity of HIV-1 proviral DNA in the unfractionated BAL cells and in each population of fractionated cells was determined following polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. Detectable quantities (3-90 copies/100,000 cells) of HIV-1 proviral DNA were found in unfractionated BAL cells in 12 of 14 patients. In the other two patients, provirus was detected after a sevenfold enrichment of lymphocytes. Provirus was also detected in BAL macrophages from 8/14 patients although proviral content was significantly higher in the lymphocyte fraction (133 +/- 72 vs. 35 +/- 22 proviral copies, p = 0.03). No correlation was seen with the ability to detect provirus in lymphocyte- or macrophage-enriched fractions and clinical diagnosis (e.g., Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia). The data suggest that lymphocytes are the predominant cells that contain provirus found in the lungs, although macrophages may be infected in some patients.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Complement and antibody mediate enhancement of HIV infection by increasing virus binding and provirus formation.

Previous studies have shown that infection of complement receptor (CR2)-bearing cells with HIV pretreated with antibody (Ab) plus complement (C) resulted in increased virus expression. The current study was designed to determine whether C-mediated 'enhancement' of HIV-1 production was the result of increased virus infection of cells as assessed by provirus formation and virus binding. Virus was incubated with anti-HIV Ab and/or C and added to CR2-positive MT-2 cells. Increased virus expression by MT-2 cells correlated with increased numbers of HIV-immunofluorescent-positive cells at 24 and 48 h and higher levels of provirus detected 8-28 h after infection. MT-2 cells also bound threefold more Ab-plus-C-treated virus than untreated virus. Serial dilutions of C showed that high levels of C with Ab did not enhance but rather suppressed virus expression. Studies were also performed which showed that terminal C components C5 and C8 were not necessary for the enhancing effect. The increased binding of C-coated HIV to CR-positive cells has important implications for the fate of virus in vivo.

Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte↗

Sequence analysis of bovine lens aldose reductase.

The covalent structure of bovine lens aldose reductase (alditol-NADP+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.21) was determined by sequence analysis of peptides generated by specific and chemical cleavage of the homogeneous apoenzyme. Peptides, purified by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography were subjected to compositional analysis and sequencing by gas-phase automated Edman degradation. Aldose reductase was found to contain 315 amino acid residues. The enzyme is blocked at the amino terminus, and mass spectrometry was employed to identify the blocking acetyl group and to sequence the amino-terminal tryptic peptide. The aldose reductase was shown to contain no carbohydrate despite the fact that the enzyme contains the consensus sequence -Asn-Lys-Thr- for N-linked glycosylation. Comparative sequence analysis and application of algorithms for prediction of secondary structure and nucleotide binding domains are consistent with the view that aldose reductase is a double-domain protein with a beta-alpha-beta secondary structural organization. The NADPH binding site appears to be associated with the amino-terminal half of the enzyme. Modeling studies based on the tertiary structures of dihydrofolate and glutathione reductases indicate that the NADPH binding site begins at Lys-11 and continues with a beta-alpha-beta fold characteristic of nucleotide binding proteins.

Aldehyde Reductase↗

Aldose reductase, NADPH and NADP+ in normal, galactose-fed and diabetic rat lens.

NADPH and NADP+ levels were measured in rat lens from normal controls, from galactose-fed and diabetic rats during the first week of cataract formation. The level of NADPH in normal rat lens was determined to be 12.3 +/- 0.4 nmol/g wet weight, and that of NADP+ 4.6 +/- 0.2 nmol/g wet weight. In early cataract formation NADPH levels decreased rapidly during the first 2 days and then remained stable at 76% of control for galactose-fed and 84% for diabetic rats. NADP+ levels increased by 38% of control for galactose-fed and 54% for diabetic rats. Calculated NADPH/NADP+ ratios dropped from 3.36 +/- 0.21 to 1.86 +/- 0.16 in galactose fed rats, and from 2.81 +/- 0.15 to 1.61 +/- 0.16 in diabetic rats (P less than 0.001 for both experimental groups). These data are consistent with rapid NADPH oxidation during onset of lens cataracts. No significant changes in aldose reductase enzymatic activity levels were observed in either the galactosemic or the diabetic rats during the times measured.

Aldehyde Reductase↗

How bacteriophage chi attacks motile bacteria.

Bacteriophage chi attaches to the filament of a bacterial flagellum by means of a tail fiber, but the ultimate receptor site for the phage is located at the base of the bacterial flagellum. Here, the phage injects its deoxyribonucleic acid into the bacterium, leaving the empty phage attached at the base. It is suggested that chi slides along the filament of the flagellum to the base, owing to the movement of the flagellum. The role of motility would thus be to provide for rapid adsorption of the phage by guiding the phage to the adsorption sites at the bases of the flagella. Bacteria whose motility has been strongly inhibited by cold or anaerobic conditions still adsorb chi at the filaments and bases of flagella if a high multiplicity is used. This indicates that direct collisions with the bases may also be possible. Bacteria must be flagellated in order for chi to attach, but only a short flagellum, perhaps only the flagellar base, is necessary.

Adsorption↗