Human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist is expressed in liver

AbstractUsing PCR and Northern blot analysis, an IL-1 receptor antagonist specific transcript was amplified from HepG2- and liver mRNA, cDNA clones coding for IL-1 receptor antagonist were isolated from a liver cDNA library and sequence comparison revealed complete identity with the secreted, monocytic form of IL-1 receptor antagonist

CLONING OF THE 1.4-kb mRNA SPECIES OF HUMAN COMPLEMENT FACTOR H REVEALS A NOVEL MEMBER OF THE SHORT CONSENSUS REPEAT FAMILY RELATED TO THE CARBOXY TERMINAL OF THE CLASSICAL 150-kDa MOLECULE

Three factor H mRNA species of 4.3 kb, 1.8 kb, and 1.4 kb are constitutively expressed in human liver. Having previously characterized full-length cDNA clones derived from the 4.3-kb and 1.8-kb factor mRNA, we report here the isolation and eucaryotic expression of full-length cDNA clones coding for the 1.4-kbm RNA species. The 1266-bp cDNA codes for a polypeptide of 330 amino acids and contains two polyadenylation signals and a short poly(A)+tailT. he protein is composed of a leader peptide followed by five short consensus repeat domains. It shows a hybrid structure with the last three domains being almost identical to the carboxy- terminal of thcel assical 1 BO-kDa factor H molecule and the two first domains representing unique short consensus repeat structures. Eucaryotic expression in COS7 cells revealed two polypeptides derived from one cDNA clone that area lso found in human serum. Differences between the cDcNloAn es within the last three domains indicate two distinct, possibly allelic sequences that, in addition, differ from the authentic 150-kDa factor H sequence. Southern blot results support the notion that the 4.3-kb factor H and the 1.4-kb factor H-related mRNA are transcribed from two separate but highly homologous genes. Factor H, a glycoprotein of 150,00

Sequence of a putative human housekeeping gene (HK33) localized on chromosome 1

A gene (X33) localized on human chromosome 1 has been detected by crossreaction of its fusion protein with a monospecific antiserum directed against human vitamin-D-binding protein (hDBP; group-specific component). Its cDNA sequence analysis showed no evident homologies neither to the sequence encoding hDBP nor to any other sequence. The largest cDNA clone of 3.2 kb includes a 897-bp coding region and a large 3’ untranslated region with at least four polyadenylation sites. Further cDNA amplification using PCR demonstrated a total cDNA length of approx. 3.7 kb. Northern blot analysis revealed signals at about 2.2-2.5 kb and 4.0 kb, the shorter transcripts representing mRNAs using one of the two polyadenylation sites at about 2.0 kb. Synthesis of the 299-amino-acid polypeptide (33 kDa) in the bacterial host, with subsequent Western blot analysis, verified the sequence-specific recognition by the hDBPspecific antiserum. The search of protein databanks revealed no homology of HK33 to any known sequence. Since the gene is transcribed in all cells and tissues tested so far, it is a strong candidate for another housekeeping gene

Overview of Battery Impedance Modeling Including Detailed State-of-the-Art Cylindrical 18650 Lithium-Ion Battery Cell Comparisons

Electrical models of battery cells are used in simulations to represent batteries\u27 behavior in various fields of research and development involving battery cells and systems. Electrical equivalent circuit models, either linear or nonlinear, are commonly used for this purpose and are presented in this article. Various commercially available cylindrical, state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery cells, both protected and unprotected, are considered. Their impedance properties, according to four different equivalent circuit models, are measured using electrochemical impedance spectroscopies. Furthermore, the pricing, impedance, specific energy, and C-rate of the chosen battery cells are compared. For example, it is shown that the energy density of modern 18650 cells can vary from a typical value of 200 to about 260 Wh kg(-1), whereas the cell price can deviate by a factor of about 3 to 5. Therefore, as a result, this study presents a concise but comprehensive battery parameter library that should aid battery system designers or power electronic engineers in conducting battery simulations and in selecting appropriate battery cells based on application-specific requirements. In addition, the accuracies and computational efforts of the four equivalent circuit models are compared

Capacitor Voltage Balancing of a Grid-Tied, Cascaded Multilevel Converter with Binary Asymmetric Voltage Levels Using an Optimal One-Step-Ahead Switching-State Combination Approach†

This paper presents a novel capacitor voltage balancing control approach for cascaded multilevel inverters with an arbitrary number of series-connected H-Bridge modules (floating capacitor modules) with asymmetric voltages, tiered by a factor of two (binary asymmetric). Using a nearest-level reference waveform, the balancing approach uses a one-step-ahead approach to find the optimal switching-state combination among all redundant switching-state combinations to balance the capacitor voltages as quickly as possible. Moreover, using a Lyapunov function candidate and considering LaSalle\u27s invariance principle, it is shown that an offline calculated trajectory of optimal switching-state combinations for each discrete output voltage level can be used to operate (asymptotically stable) the inverter without measuring any of the capacitor voltages, achieving a novel sensorless control as well. To verify the stability of the one-step-ahead balancing approach and its sensorless variant, a demonstrator inverter with 33 levels is operated in grid-tied mode. For the chosen 33-level converter, the NPC main-stage and the individual H-bridge modules are operated with an individual switching frequency of about 1 kHz and 2 kHz, respectively. The sensorless approach slightly reduced the dynamic system response and, furthermore, the current THD for the chosen operating point was increased from 3.28% to 4.58% in comparison with that of using the capacitor voltage feedback

Advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of glomerular thrombotic microangiopathy

Glomerular thrombotic microangiopathy is a hallmark feature of haemolytic uraemic syndrome, the leading cause of acute renal failure in childhood. This paper is a review of the different mechanistic pathways that lead to this histological picture in the kidney. It will focus on atypical HUS and complement dysregulation, but will also highlight some other recent advances in our understanding of this condition, including the potential role of the molecule vascular endothelial growth factor- A (VEGF-A)

Complement Factor H-Related Proteins CFHR2 and CFHR5 Represent Novel Ligands for the Infection-Associated CRASP Proteins of Borrelia burgdorferi

Background: One virulence property of Borrelia burgdorferi is its resistance to innate immunity, in particular to complement-mediated killing. Serum-resistant B. burgdorferi express up to five distinct complement regulator-acquiring surface proteins (CRASP) which interact with complement regulator factor H (CFH) and factor H-like protein 1 (FHL1) or factor H-related protein 1 (CFHR1). In the present study we elucidate the role of the infection-associated CRASP-3 and CRASP-5 protein to serve as ligands for additional complement regulatory proteins as well as for complement resistance of B. burgdorferi. Methodology/Principal Findings: To elucidate whether CRASP-5 and CRASP-3 interact with various human proteins, both borrelial proteins were immobilized on magnetic beads. Following incubation with human serum, bound proteins were eluted and separated by Glycine-SDS-PAGE. In addition to CFH and CFHR1, complement regulators CFHR2 and CFHR5 were identified as novel ligands for both borrelial proteins by employing MALDI-TOF. To further assess the contributions of CRASP-3 and CRASP-5 to complement resistance, a serum-sensitive B. garinii strain G1 which lacks all CFH-binding proteins was used as a valuable model for functional analyses. Both CRASPs expressed on the B. garinii outer surface bound CFH as well as CFHR1 and CFHR2 in ELISA. In contrast, live B. garinii bound CFHR1, CFHR2, and CFHR5 and only miniscute amounts of CFH as demonstrated by serum adsorption assays and FACS analyses. Further functional analysis revealed that upon NHS incubation, CRASP-3 or CRASP-5 expressing borreliae were killed by complement. Conclusions/Significance: In the absence of CFH and the presence of CFHR1, CFHR2 and CFHR5, assembly and integration of the membrane attack complex was not efficiently inhibited indicating that CFH in co-operation with CFHR1, CFHR2 and CFHR5 supports complement evasion of B. burgdorferi