School readiness and preschoolers\u27 attachment representations: possible connections

The current study examined the possible relationship between preschooler\u27s school readiness and their attachment representations. More specifically, the study examined preschooler\u27s performances on standardized tests and their perceptions of close relationships. The possible connection between school readiness and attachment representations was through children\u27s experiences of stress during standardized testing situations (Fleege, Charlesworth, Burts, & Hart, 1992) and children\u27s stress invoking the use of their internal working models (Bowlby, 1969/1982). The children were administered the Brigance CIBS-R (Glascoe, 1999), a standardized test that was most often used in the local schools to assess school readiness. The children were also videotaped while participating in the Narrative Story Stem Technique (NSST, Bretherton, Ridgeway, & Cassidy, 1990) to observe the children\u27s perceptions of close relationships through story completions. The results showed that the children who demonstrated a higher number of attachment representations in comparison to the other children also obtained the higher scores on the subscale of the Brigance CIBS-R. The children who demonstrated a lower number of attachment representations in comparison to the other children also obtained the lowest scores on the subscale of the Brigance CIBS-R. Using a Spearman\u27s rank correlation coefficient within a particular group of the children, it was discovered that an identifiable relationship existed between the rank order of the children\u27s performances on a subscale of the Brigance CIBS-R and the rank order of the number of their attachment representations. The results indicate that children who seem to have impoverished attachment representations may also experience more stress in a standardized testing situation and may consequently perform lower on standardized tests that are used to assess school readiness

One-step immunopurification and lectinochemical characterization of the Duffy atypical chemokine receptor from human erythrocytes

Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokines (DARC) is a glycosylated seven-transmembrane protein acting as a blood group antigen, a chemokine binding protein and a receptor for Plasmodium vivax malaria parasite. It is present on erythrocytes and endothelial cells of postcapillary venules. The N-terminal extracellular domain of the Duffy glycoprotein carries Fya/Fyb blood group antigens and Fy6 linear epitope recognized by monoclonal antibodies. Previously, we have shown that recombinant Duffy protein expressed in K562 cells has three N-linked oligosaccharide chains, which are mainly of complex-type. Here we report a one-step purification method of Duffy protein from human erythrocytes. DARC was extracted from erythrocyte membranes in the presence of 1% n-dodecyl-β-D-maltoside (DDM) and 0.05% cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CHS) and purified by affinity chromatography using immobilized anti-Fy6 2C3 mouse monoclonal antibody. Duffy glycoprotein was eluted from the column with synthetic DFEDVWN peptide containing epitope for 2C3 monoclonal antibody. In this single-step immunoaffinity purification method we obtained highly purified DARC, which migrates in SDS-polyacrylamide gel as a major diffuse band corresponding to a molecular mass of 40–47 kDa. In ELISA purified Duffy glycoprotein binds anti-Duffy antibodies recognizing epitopes located on distinct regions of the molecule. Results of circular dichroism measurement indicate that purified DARC has a high content of α-helical secondary structure typical for chemokine receptors. Analysis of DARC glycans performed by means of lectin blotting and glycosidase digestion suggests that native Duffy N-glycans are mostly triantennary complex-type, terminated with α2-3- and α2-6-linked sialic acid residues with bisecting GlcNAc and α1-6-linked fucose at the core

Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines mediates chemokine endocytosis through a macropinocytosis-like process in endothelial cells

Background: The Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC) shows high affinity binding to multiple inflammatory CC and CXC chemokines and is expressed by erythrocytes and endothelial cells. Recent evidence suggests that endothelial DARC facilitates chemokine transcytosis to promote neutrophil recruitment. However, the mechanism of chemokine endocytosis by DARC remains unclear. Methodology/Principal Findings: We investigated the role of several endocytic pathways in DARC-mediated ligand internalization. Here we report that, although DARC co-localizes with caveolin-1 in endothelial cells, caveolin-1 is dispensable for DARC-mediated 125I-CXCL1 endocytosis as knockdown of caveolin-1 failed to inhibit ligand internalization. 125I-CXCL1 endocytosis by DARC was also independent of clathrin and flotillin-1 but required cholesterol and was, in part, inhibited by silencing Dynamin II expression. 125I-CXCL1 endocytosis was inhibited by amiloride, cytochalasin D, and the PKC inhibitor Gö6976 whereas Platelet Derived Growth Factor (PDGF) enhanced ligand internalization through DARC. The majority of DARC-ligand interactions occurred on the endothelial surface, with DARC identified along plasma membrane extensions with the appearance of ruffles, supporting the concept that DARC provides a high affinity scaffolding function for surface retention of chemokines on endothelial cells. Conclusions/Significance: These results show DARC-mediated chemokine endocytosis occurs through a macropinocytosis-like process in endothelial cells and caveolin-1 is dispensable for CXCL1 internalization. © 2011 Zhao et al

Duffy blood group gene polymorphisms among malaria vivax patients in four areas of the Brazilian Amazon region

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Duffy blood group polymorphisms are important in areas where <it>Plasmodium vivax </it>predominates, because this molecule acts as a receptor for this protozoan. In the present study, Duffy blood group genotyping in <it>P. vivax </it>malaria patients from four different Brazilian endemic areas is reported, exploring significant associations between blood group variants and susceptibility or resistance to malaria.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The <it>P. vivax </it>identification was determined by non-genotypic and genotypic screening tests. The Duffy blood group was genotyped by PCR/RFLP in 330 blood donors and 312 malaria patients from four Brazilian Amazon areas. In order to assess the variables significance and to obtain independence among the proportions, the Fisher's exact test was used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The data show a high frequency of the <it>FYA/FYB </it>genotype, followed by <it>FYB/FYB, FYA/FYA</it>, <it>FYA/FYB-33 </it>and <it>FYB/FYB-33</it>. Low frequencies were detected for the <it>FYA/FY</it>^<it>X</it>, <it>FYB/FY</it>^<it>X</it>, <it>FYX/FY</it>^{<it>X </it>}and <it>FYB-33/FYB-33 </it>genotypes. Negative Duffy genotype (<it>FYB-33/FYB-33</it>) was found in both groups: individuals infected and non-infected (blood donors). No individual carried the <it>FY</it>^<it>X</it><it>/FYB-33 </it>genotype. Some of the Duffy genotypes frequencies showed significant differences between donors and malaria patients.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The obtained data suggest that individuals with the <it>FYA/FYB </it>genotype have higher susceptibility to malaria. The presence of the <it>FYB-33 </it>allele may be a selective advantage in the population, reducing the rate of infection by <it>P. vivax </it>in this region. Additional efforts may contribute to better elucidate the physiopathologic differences in this parasite/host relationship in regions endemic for <it>P. vivax </it>malaria, in particular the Brazilian Amazon region.</p

Differential DARC/ACKR1 expression distinguishes venular from non-venular endothelial cells in murine tissues

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant AI112521 and the John and Virginia Kaneb Fellowship