PubMed HealthSearch

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Association”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Self-association mode of a flavoenzyme D-amino acid oxidase from hog kidney. II. Stoichiometry of holoenzyme association and energetics of subunit association.

The self-association pattern of D-amino acid oxidase holoenzyme in 0.1 M sodium pyrophosphate, pH 8.3, at 25 degrees C was examined by the low-angle laser light-scattering method. As to the results of nonlinear least-squares analysis of the apparent weight-average molecular weight (Mwapp) versus protein concentration (c) data, the following three models fitted equally well the data over the concentration range of 0.03-11.4 mg/ml: 1) the model of isodesmic indefinite self-association of the monomer where the dimerization constant differs from the isodesmic association constant, 2) the model which involves the dimerization of the monomer and isodesmic indefinite self-association of the dimer, and 3) the model which involves the trimerization of the monomer and isodesmic indefinite self-association of the trimer. In a more limited concentration range (0.3-11.4 mg/ml), a model of isodesmic indefinite self-association of the stable dimer where the dimer does not dissociate into the monomers cannot be excluded from the above three models. Measurements with the concentration range lowered to 0.03 mg/ml enabled us to exclude unequivocally the model involving such a stable dimer and to extrapolate the Mwapp data to the Mr of the monomer at infinite dilution as in the case of the apoenzyme. The observed sedimentation boundary profiles were qualitatively consistent with the idealized boundary profiles calculated with the model which involves the dimerization of the monomer and isodesmic indefinite self-association of the dimer, so this model is the most probable of the models examined. These results provide the first evidence that the association mode of the holoenzyme is different from that of the apoenzyme, i.e. isodesmic indefinite self-association of the monomer (Tojo, H., Horiike, K., Shiga, K., Nishina, Y., Watari, H., and Yamano, T. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 12607-12614). The overall linkage scheme, between binding of coenzyme FAD and subunit association, was considered, and the overall free energy change in each process in the scheme was calculated. The total stabilization energies of the intersubunit interaction in the holoenzyme relative to the apoenzyme were found to be -2.2 kcal/mol at the dimerization step and -0.5 kcal/mol at the step of the addition of the dimer to any 2i-mer (i = 1,2, ...).

Animals

Association of Escherichia coli with the small intestinal epithelium. II. Variations in association index and the relationship between association index and enterosorption in pigs.

The association between small intestinal epithelium and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EEC) was studied in ligated intestinal loops of pigs and rabbits. The association indexes (degree of association) for each of two porcine EEC strains varied widely among pigs and independently of each other. Significant litter-to-litter variations in association indexes among colostrum-deprived newborn pigs were interpreted to be the result of congenital resistance to association with specific EEC in some pigs. Since enterosorption occurred in loops with low association indexes, it was not necessary for EEC to establish a high association index for them to cause enterosorption in ligated intestinal loops. Two strains of EEC which are enteropathogenic for humans caused enterosorption in ligated loops in pigs 3 weeks old or less but not in 6-week-old pigs.

Adsorption

Diagnosis and management of very rare primary arrhythmia syndromes in children and adults: a Clinical Consensus Statement of the European Heart Rhythm Association of the ESC and the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing & Allied Professions of the ESC, endorsed by the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology.

Very rare and ultra-rare primary inherited arrhythmia syndromes (IAS) represent a heterogeneous group of disorders associated with a significant risk of sudden cardiac death, often manifesting from foetal life to early adulthood. Current guidelines primarily address more common IAS and provide limited, non-specific recommendations for these rare entities, particularly in paediatric populations. This European Heart Rhythm Association Clinical Consensus Statement, developed in collaboration with the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions and endorsed by the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology, integrates available evidence with expert opinion. Recommendations were formulated through structured discussion and voting, following ESC consensus methodology, with a focus on clinically actionable gene-disease associations. The document provides a comprehensive framework for the diagnosis and management of very rare IAS, including calmodulinopathies, Andersen-Tawil syndrome, Timothy syndrome, TRDN-related disease, calcium release deficiency syndrome, and other atypical channelopathies. It highlights age-specific clinical presentations, the importance of genetic testing, and tailored therapeutic strategies, including pharmacological treatments, left cardiac sympathetic denervation, and selective use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. Special attention is given to paediatric considerations, foetal diagnosis, and the role of multidisciplinary care. The document also addresses arrhythmic risk in metabolic and cardiomyopathic conditions, as well as the importance of molecular autopsy and family screening in sudden unexplained death. This consensus document fills a critical gap by providing expert-driven, pragmatic guidance for the management of very rare IAS across the lifespan. It underscores the need for specialized care, international collaboration, and prospective registries to improve evidence generation, risk stratification, and patient outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Humans

Atypical polypoid adenomyoma of the uterus associated with Turner's syndrome. A report of three cases, including a review of "estrogen-associated" endometrial neoplasms and neoplasms associated with Turner's syndrome.

The clinical and pathological features of three atypical polypoid adenomyomas of the uterus that were associated with Turner's syndrome are described. The patients, at least two of whom had been on long-term exogenous estrogens, were in their third decade and presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding. In two cases an exophytic mass protruded through the external os and clinically suggested a malignant tumor. The histological (and in one case, the ultrastructural) findings were similar to those of previously described cases of atypical polypoid adenomyoma. The clinical findings in these cases suggest that some atypical polypoid adenomyomas may be a complication of prolonged estrogenic stimulation. The association between Turner's syndrome and other gynecological neoplasms is reviewed.

Adult

Mitogen-activated-protein-kinase-catalyzed phosphorylation of microtubule-associated proteins, microtubule-associated protein 2 and microtubule-associated protein 4, induces an alteration in their function.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), a serine/threonine-specific protein kinase which is generally activated by stimulation with various growth factors and phorbol esters, utilizes microtubule-associated protein (MAP) 2 as a good substrate in vitro. We have found that MAPK-catalyzed phosphorylation of MAP2 resulted in a significant loss in its ability to induce tubulin polymerization. The chymotryptic fragments, containing a microtubule-binding domain of MAP2, were phosphorylated by MAPK and the ability of the fragments to induce tubulin polymerization was also greatly decreased by the phosphorylation, suggesting that phosphorylation of the microtubule-binding domain is important for functional alteration of MAP2. In addition to MAP2, a 190-kDa heat-stable MAP (MAP4) found in various tissues and cells, was a good substrate for MAPK in vitro. Phosphorylation of MAP4 inactivated tubulin polymerization. We examined the effect of phosphorylation of MAP2 and MAP4 on the dynamics of microtubules nucleated by purified centrosomes in vitro. The data showed that MAPK-catalyzed phosphorylation of MAP2 and MAP4 reduced their ability to increase the apparent elongation rate and the number of microtubules nucleated by the centrosome. Thus, MAPK is capable of phosphorylating MAPs and negatively regulating their microtubule-stabilizing function.

Animals

Low expression of lymphocyte function-associated antigen (LFA)-1 and LFA-3 adhesion molecules is a common trait in Burkitt's lymphoma associated with and not associated with Epstein-Barr virus.

Lymphocyte function-associated antigens 1 and 3 (LFA-1, LFA-3) and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) are cell surface adhesion molecules necessary for immune processes requiring intercellular contact. It was recently proposed that malignant Burkitt's lymphoma cells (BL) may escape from immunosurveillance through the downregulation of LFA-1 (CD11a/CD18) or LFA-3 (CD58) and ICAM-1 (CD54) molecules. Expression of these three adhesion antigens was investigated in 19 BL lines. LFA-1 or LFA-3 expression was found to be absent or low in 8 of 11 Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome positive BL, but strongly expressed on all nonmalignant EBV genome positive lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL). Negative or weak expression of LFA-1 and LFA-3 was also observed in 7 of 8 EBV genome negative BL. ICAM-1 was found to be expressed on the cell surface of the majority of BL lines. BL lines growing as individual cells did not express LFA-1, whereas clump-forming BL lines expressed this marker involved in B-cell homotypic aggregation. Expression of LFA-1 and LFA-3 was induced on in vitro infection of EBV-negative BL cells with the immortalizing EBV strain B95-8, and weakly with the nonimmortalizing EBV strain P3HR1. EBNA2 and LMP, two EBV encoded proteins expressed in LCL and in BL infected with B95-8 (BL/B95-8), are not expressed in P3HR1 infected BL cells (BL/P3HR1). Stable expression of EBNA2 after gene transfer in a BL/P3HR1 cell line did not restore the level of LFA-1 and LFA-3 found on BL/B95-8 cells. In EBV-positive BL cells expressing LFA-1 and LFA-3, LMP was found coexpressed, supporting the recent finding of the role of LMP in B-cell adhesion receptor activation. Consequently, diminished LFA-1 and LFA-3 expression appears to be a common characteristic of numerous EBV-positive BL as well as EBV-negative BL. These findings are discussed in the framework of BL pathogenesis.

Antigens, CD

Source- and Solubility-specific Choline, Gut Microbiota, and Dyslipidemia Risk: Trimethylamine N-oxide-associated and Non-trimethylamine N-oxide-Associated Patterns in a Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Dietary choline, a major precursor of the gut microbial metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), is implicated in dyslipidemia risk; however, source- and form-specific associations and interactions with gut microbiota remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine longitudinal associations of source- and form-specific dietary choline with plasma TMAO and dyslipidemia and to identify gut microbiota interactions. METHODS: Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (2018-2023), dietary intake was assessed via 3 consecutive 24-h recalls in this prospective cohort study. Two-level generalized linear mixed-effects models were applied in 4828 adults (mean age: 55.9 ± 12.6 y, 56.6% females) to assess choline-dyslipidemia associations. Choline-TMAO and TMAO-dyslipidemia analyses were conducted in 1091 participants free of dyslipidemia at baseline. Among 7169 adults with gut microbiome data, Least Absolute Selection and Shrinkage Operator and logistic regression identified lipid-associated gut genera; TMAO relationships were examined in a subset of 693 participants. RESULTS: Higher intakes of total [Q4 compared with Q1: odds ratio (OR) = 1.261; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.007, 1.580], red meat-derived (OR: 1.753; 95% CI: 1.196, 2.568), and lipid-soluble choline (OR: 1.304; 95% CI: 1.047, 1.624) were associated with higher risk of elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL cholesterol), whereas vegetable-derived choline was inversely associated. Egg-derived and lipid-soluble choline were positively associated with plasma TMAO, which was prospectively associated with 5-y incident dyslipidemia (Q4 compared with Q1-OR: 1.620; 95% CI: 1.047, 2.509), elevated LDL cholesterol (Q3 compared with Q1-OR: 2.478; 95% CI: 1.187, 5.174), and hypertriglyceridemia (Q4 compared with Q1-OR: 1.829; 95% CI: 1.028, 3.225). Three TMAO-associated genera were identified: Lachnospiraceae and Phascolarctobacterium as pro-risk taxa and Turicibacter as protective. The adverse LDLcholesterol association of egg-derived choline was observed exclusively in Phascolarctobacterium-enriched individuals. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary choline source and solubility differentially associated with dyslipidemia risk through TMAO-associated and non-TMAO-associated patterns, with gut microbiota as key modulators.

Humans

Association of ribosomal subunits. IV. Polyamines as active components of the association factor from Bacillus stearothermophilus.

The association of ribosomal subparticles induced by several associating agents has been studied under different conditions. The following observations were made: 1. Spermidine was able to produce the association of subunits, and the concentration and temperature curves of this reaction were similar to those obtained with association factor. The product formed in the latter case was more stable. 2. The association at low Mg2+ concentration was higher with association factor than with polyamines. 3. The temperature-dependent binding of spermidine to 30-S subunits formed an active complex, which was converted into the 30S-50S couples by the addition of 50-S subparticles at low temperature. A similar behaviour has been previously shown for the complete association factor and its low molecular weight fraction. 4. The same unstable form of 30S-50S couples has been obtained either with spermidine or with the low molecular weight component (AFII) of the association factor. In both cases the protein fraction AFI was able to complete the reaction by stabilizing the subunit couple. 5. After glutaraldehyde fixation the products of the reactions with spermidine or association factor behaved in a similar way when they were submitted to long sucrose-gradient centrifugations. 6. The analysis of association factor preparations has shown that they contain spermidine as well as spermine. The polyamine levels in association factor could account for part of the total associating activity.

Bacterial Proteins

Patterns of association in the human metaphase complement: ring analysis and estimation of associativity of specific chromosome regions.

The pattern of metaphase chromosome association in the human complement was studied by two methods of statistical analysis of interchromosomal distances. Those methods included ring analysis in which a characteristic position of the centromere of each chromosome relative to the center of a two dimensional representation of a metaphase complement was defined, and estimation of the capacity for associativity of each of three regions of each chromosome: the centromere (c) and the ends of each arm (p, q). The following information was obtained: 1. In general, the distance from the center is directly related to chromosome size. 2. The most notable deviation from that size-related progression is displayed by the X chromosomes. The markedly peripheral position of the X is characteristic of both X's of the female and the single X of the male. 3. The relative associativity of each chromosome of the complement is, in general, inversely related to size with an additional preferential capacity of associativity displayed by the acrocentric chromosomes. Analyses of the different inter-regional classes established that the supplementary associativity factor of the acrocentric chromosomes was inherent in their pericentromeric and p-arm regions and excluded the ends of the q arms from participation in that factor. 4. Those analyses demonstrated that the specific morphology or 'geometry' of the acrocentric chromosomes contributes little to their high relative associativity. In addition to the tendency for the c/p regions of the acrocentric chromosomes to associate with each other, presumably because of their common function in nucleolar organization, those regions also displayed a propensity to associate with the distal regions of the arms of other chromosomes. A molecular basis for that propensity other than that of ribosomal DNA is postulated to be that of other fractions of highly reiterated DNA sequences. 5. Analysis of the relative associativities of each of the three regions of the Y chromosome revealed that the Yq displays a much stronger capacity to associate with the c's of other chromosomes than does the Yc or Yp.

Adult

Differential impacts of exon 1-associated and exon 11-associated variants of the rat mu opioid receptor gene, Oprm1, on buprenorphine- and morphine-induced analgesia and respiratory depression in male rats.

Buprenorphine has long been recognized as a mu opioid agonist with a distinctive and intricate pharmacological profile. It is a partial agonist at the mu opioid receptor, an antagonist at the kappa and delta opioid receptors, and an agonist at the nociception opioid receptor. Similar to other mu agonists such as morphine and fentanyl, buprenorphine can produce side effects, including tolerance, physical dependence, respiratory depression, and addiction. The mu opioid receptor gene, OPRM1, undergoes extensive alternative splicing, generating an array of splice variants or isoforms, which are conserved from rodents to humans. These splice variants can be categorized into 2 main types, exon 1 (E1)-associated variants and exon 11 (E11)-associated variants. E1-associated variants primarily consist of full-length, 7-transmembrane C-terminal variants, whereas E11-associated variants are typically truncated 6-transmembrane variants. Previous studies established that buprenorphine analgesia in mice is dependent on both E1- and E11-associated variants. However, the role of these variants in buprenorphine analgesia and respiratory depression in rats remains unclear. In this study, we used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to develop 2 rat Oprm1 gene-targeting models in which E1- and E11-associated variants were selectively disrupted, aiming to investigate their roles in buprenorphine and morphine's actions. The results showed that both E1- and E11-associated variants are essential for buprenorphine's analgesic and respiratory depressional effects in rats, whereas morphine's effects are solely attributed to the E1-associated variants. These findings provide new and important insights into the distinct contributions of the E1- and E11-associated variants to the pharmacological actions of buprenorphine and morphine. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Differential dependences of buprenorphine and morphine analgesia and respiratory depression on Oprm1 exon 1- and exon 11-associated variants revealed in rat gene-targeting models provide new and important insights into unique contributions of these variants to buprenorphine and morphine actions.

Animals

Follicle associated epithelium of the gut associated lymphoid tissue of cattle.

The morphology of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue of the small and large intestine in three gnotobiotic calves was examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and the distribution of specialized membranous cells present in the follicle associated epithelium was defined. Isolated follicles remaining in the ileum of a cow after involution of the continuous Peyer's patch were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The presence of membrane-bound particles, reported to be exclusively associated with the continuous Peyer's patch, was investigated in other gut-associated tissue of the small and large intestine of the calf. The presence of two types of follicle associated epithelium in the small intestine of the calf was confirmed, and the follicle associated epithelium of the large intestine proved to be a homogeneous population of specialized membranous cells, similar to that of the continuous Peyer's patch of the small intestine. In the discrete Peyer's patches, some specialized membranous cells were completely hidden by adjacent enterocytes and could only be identified by cytoplasmic extensions into the intestinal lumen. In the proximal part of the continuous Peyer's patch, a transitional zone was detected where the follicle associated epithelium of some doomed villi was composed of a homogeneous population of specialized membranous cells, while the epithelium covering other doomed villi consisted of a mixture of absorptive and specialized membranous cells, usually only found in the discrete Peyer's patches. Membrane-bound particles were observed associated with gut-associated lymphoid tissue in the small and large intestine.

Animals

Expression of myeloid-associated and lymphoid-associated cell-surface antigens in acute myeloid leukemia of childhood: a Pediatric Oncology Group study.

PURPOSE: Although the expression of both myeloid- and lymphoid-associated cell-surface antigens in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has been described, the clinical significance of such antigen expression remains unknown in the pediatric population. We sought to define an antibody panel for optimal diagnostic antigenic analysis and to test associations among antigen expression and a number of clinical features at presentation and prognosis in pediatric AML. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed the extensive immunophenotypic analysis performed at the time of diagnosis on 132 assessable patients registered on a single Pediatric Oncology Group AML protocol between 1984 and 1988. RESULTS: Eighty-eight percent of patients were identified by testing for expression of CD33 and CD13. Overall, 61% of patients expressed at least one lymphoid-associated antigen, most commonly CD4, CD7, or CD19. Expression of CD5, CD10, CD20, or CD22, commonly detected in T- or B-lineage pediatric acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL), was uncommon; coexpression of multiple lymphoid-associated antigens was also uncommon. Expression of the monocyte-associated antigen CD14 correlated with French-American-British (FAB) M4 or M5 morphology. Otherwise, no correlation between antigen expression and FAB classification was noted. None of the myeloid, lymphoid, natural-killer (NK), or progenitor-associated antigens were associated with significant differences in the likelihood of remission induction or event-free survival when expressor versus nonexpressor groups were compared. CONCLUSIONS: The distribution of cell-surface antigen expression in pediatric acute leukemia usually permitted the discrimination of AML from ALL by using a limited panel of antibodies. Although the expression of lymphoid-associated antigens was common, such expression did not seem to be associated with an adverse prognosis in pediatric AML.

Acute Disease

Self-association of the plasma membrane-associated clathrin assembly protein AP-2.

A self-association reaction involving the plasma membrane-associated clathrin assembly protein AP-2 has been detected by incubating AP-2 alone under solution conditions that would favor the assembly of complete coat structures if clathrin were present. Self-association was rapid, unaffected by nonionic detergents, readily reversible, and gave rise to sedimentable aggregates. Only the AP subtype AP-2 exhibited self-association: the structurally or functionally related assembly proteins AP-1 and AP-3 and unrelated proteins neither self-associated nor were incorporated into the AP-2 aggregate. AP-2 interactions responsible for self-association were of high affinity, with an apparent Kd of approximately 10(-8)M. By proteolytic dissection, the self-association domain was localized to the core of the molecule containing the intact 50- and 16-kDa polypeptides in association with the truncated 60-66-kDa moieties of the parent alpha/beta polypeptides. Self-association of the intact AP-2 molecule was pH-dependent, exhibiting an apparent pKa approximately 7.4. While it is unlikely that the large AP-2 aggregates formed in solution are themselves biologically relevant structures, the AP-2 interactions involved in their formation have properties consistent with their occurrence in intact cells and thus may be important in cellular functions of the plasma membrane-localized assembly protein.

Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport

Exome-wide association study reveals 7 functional variants associated with ex-vivo drug response in acute myeloid leukemia patients.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive blood cancer characterized by poor survival outcomes. Further, due to the extreme molecular heterogeneity of the disease, drug treatment response varies from patient to patient. The variability of drug response can cause unnecessary treatment in more than half of the patients with no or partial therapy responses leading to severe side effects, monetary as well as time loss. Understanding the genetic risk factors underlying the drug response in AML can help with improved prediction of treatment responses and identification of biomarkers in addition to mechanistic insights to monitor treatment response. Here, we report the results of the first Exome-Wide Association Study (EWAS) of ex-vivo drug response performed to date with 175 AML cases and 47 drugs. We used information from 55,423 germline exonic SNPs to perform the analysis. We identified exome-wide significant (p&#x2009;<&#x2009;9.02&#x2009;&#xd7;&#x2009;10-&#x2009;7) associations for rs113985677 in CCIN with tamoxifen response, rs115400838 in TRMT5 with idelalisib response, rs11878277 in HDGFL2 with entinostat, and rs2229092 in LTA associated with vorinostat response. Further, using multivariate genome-wide association analysis, we identified the association of rs11556165 in ATRAID, and rs11236938 in TSKU with the combined response of all 47 drugs and 29 nonchemotherapy drugs at the genome-wide significance level (p&#x2009;<&#x2009;5&#x2009;&#xd7;&#x2009;10-&#x2009;8). Additionally, a significant association of rs35704242 in NIBAN1 was associated with the combined response for nonchemotherapy medicines (p&#x2009;=&#x2009;2.51&#x2009;&#xd7;&#x2009;10-&#x2009;8), and BI.2536, gefitinib, and belinostat were identified as the central traits. Our study represents the first EWAS to date on ex-vivo drug response in AML and reports 7 new associated loci that help to understand the anticancer drug response in AML patients.

Humans

High-Density Genome-Wide Association Mapping Identifies Candidate Loci Associated with Maize Stalk Cell Wall Composition.

Maize (Zea mays L.) stalk cell wall composition is a key determinant of forage digestibility, lodging resistance, and biomass utilization efficiency. Although previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified loci associated with lignin (LIG), cellulose (CEL), and hemicellulose (HC), advances in genomic resources provide an opportunity to revisit existing phenotypic datasets at substantially higher resolution. Here, we re-analyzed a maize association panel consisting of 341 diverse inbred lines using an expanded genotype dataset containing 10.77 million SNPs, two derived compositional indices (CEL/HC and [LIG/(CEL + HC)], and six complementary GWAS models. Across all traits and models, we identified 855 unique significant SNPs associated with 579 candidate genes. Among the traits examined, LIG/(CEL + HC) yielded the greatest number of associations, suggesting that indices representing the relative balance among cell wall components may better capture the genetic architecture of cell wall composition than individual component measurements alone. Integration of multiple GWAS models with functional enrichment, haplotype, and selective sweep analyses prioritized three biologically relevant candidate genes encoding a MYB58 transcription factor, the glycosyltransferase Xt9, and a putative xyloglucan 6-xylosyltransferase. Haplotype analysis revealed significant effects of Xt9 and the xyloglucan 6-xylosyltransferase on cell wall composition, while selective sweep analysis identified Xt9 as a target of repeated selection during maize domestication, ecological adaptation, and modern breeding. Although these candidate genes provide promising targets for future investigation, the associations identified here are based on a single association panel and require functional and independent population validation. Collectively, our results demonstrate how high-density genotyping combined with complementary GWAS models can refine candidate associations and generate testable hypotheses from existing phenotypic datasets.

cell wall composition

FMT alleviates multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica-induced diarrhea and is associated with loss of IncHI2A-associated resistance determinants in mice.

INTRODUCTION: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella enterica (S. enterica) poses a serious threat to animal and public health because of increasingly limited treatment options. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a potential microbiota-based intervention; however, its effects on MDR Salmonella infection and pathogen-associated antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) dynamics remain unclear. METHODS: A murine diarrhea model was established using the clinical MDR S. enterica isolate P174, and infected mice were treated with FMT. Clinical symptoms, intestinal pathology, transcriptional inflammatory responses, gut microbiota composition, and ARG profiles of recovered Salmonella isolates were evaluated. Whole-genome sequencing was used to characterize resistance determinants, and the stability of ARGs and IncHI2A backbone markers was further assessed during 19 in vitro passages. RESULTS: FMT reduced diarrhea, promoted body weight recovery, and alleviated intestinal tissue injury and inflammatory cell infiltration. Colonic expression of Tnf, Il1b, and Il6 decreased, whereas Il10 expression increased. FMT was also associated with partial recovery of gut microbial diversity, increased relative abundances of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and other commensal anaerobic taxa, and reduced Salmonella abundance. Whole-genome sequencing showed that bla OXA-1, floR, oqxA, and oqxB were co-localized on an IncHI2A-associated plasmid sequence. Loss of these resistance determinants increased over time in isolates recovered from FMT-treated mice, whereas no loss of the four ARGs or the IncHI2A backbone markers repB and parB was detected during 19 in vitro passages. Among isolates showing simultaneous loss of all four ARGs, nearly all also lacked detectable repB and parB, whereas isolates with partial ARG loss retained both markers. These patterns were consistent with both backbone-associated loss and resistance-region deletion or rearrangement. Most ARG-loss isolates showed reduced antimicrobial resistance. DISCUSSION: FMT alleviated MDR S. enterica-induced intestinal disease and was associated with partial recovery of gut microbiota characteristics and increased instability and loss of IncHI2A-associated resistance determinants in vivo. These findings suggest a potential association between intestinal microbial ecological changes and altered maintenance patterns of resistance-associated genetic elements in MDR S. enterica.

Salmonella enterica

Cytoskeletal architecture and immunocytochemical localization of microtubule-associated proteins in regions of axons associated with rapid axonal transport: the beta,beta'-iminodipropionitrile-intoxicated axon as a model system.

Axons from rats treated with the neurotoxic agent beta,beta'-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) were examined by quick-freeze, deep-etch electron microscopy. Microtubules formed bundles in the central region of the axons, whereas neurofilaments were segregated to the periphery. Most membrane-bounded organelles, presumably including those involved in rapid axonal transport, were associated with the microtubule domain. The high resolution provided by quick-freeze, deep-etch electron microscopy revealed that the microtubules were coated with an extensive network of fine strands that served both to cross-link the microtubules and to interconnect them with the membrane-bounded organelles. The strands were decorated with granular materials and were irregular in dimension. They appeared either singly or as an extensive anastomosing network in fresh axons. The microtubule-associated strands were observed in fresh, saponin-extracted, or aldehyde-fixed tissue. To explore further the identity of the microtubule-associated strands, microtubules purified from brain tissue and containing the high molecular weight microtubule-associated proteins MAP 1 and MAP 2 were examined by quick-freeze, deep-etch electron microscopy. The purified microtubules were connected by a network of strands quite similar in appearance to those observed in the IDPN axons. Control microtubule preparations consisting only of tubulin and lacking the MAPs were devoid of associated strands. To learn which of the MAPs were present in the microtubule bundles in the axon, sections of axons from IDPN-treated rats were examined by immunofluorescence microscopy using antibodies to MAP 1A, MAP 1B, MAP 2, and tubulin. Anti-MAP 2 staining was only marginally detectable in the IDPN-treated axons, consistent with earlier observations. Anti-MAP 1A and anti-MAP 1B brightly stained the IDPN-treated axons, with the staining exclusively limited to the microtubule domains. Furthermore, thin section-immunoelectron microscopy using colloidal gold-labeled second antibodies revealed that both anti-MAP 1A and anti-MAP 1B stained fuzzy filamentous structures between microtubules. In view of earlier work indicating that rapid transport is associated with the microtubule domain in the IDPN-treated axon, it now appears that MAP 1A and MAP 1B may play a role in this process. We believe that MAP 1A and MAP 1B are major components of the microtubule-associated fibrillar matrix in the axon.

Animals