A comparative study of carbohydrate component of hen and human glycophorins

Sialoglycoproteins (SGPs) from plasma membranes of hen red blood cells were isolated by preparative SDS-PAGE and their carbohydrate composition and some immunochemical properties were investigated and compared with that of human glycophorin A. It was shown, that two principal SGPs with molecular weights of 28 kDa and 55 kDa are monomeric and dimeric forms of the same molecule and are immunochemically closely related. The amount of carbohydrate component consists about 33 % of molecular mass (in human glycophorin A it is 52.3 %). The analysis of monosaccharide composition of hen SGPs indicates, that they possess O-linked and N-linked oligocaccharide chains. In comparison with human glycophorin A hen SGPs have a higher amount of N-glycosidic chains and lower amount of O-glycosidic chains, the last are tentatively of more branched structure.Одержано сіалоглікопротеїни (СГП) плазматичних мембран еритроцитів курей за допомогою препаративного електрофорезу в поліакриламідному гелі в присутності DS-Na. Досліджено їх вуглеводний склад у порівнянні з глікофорином А людини, а також деякі імунологічні властивості. Показано, що головні СГП з молекулярною масою 28 і 55 кДа є мономерною і димерною формами однієї молекули, які імунологічно близькоспоріднені. Вуглеводний компонент складає біля 33 % молекулярної маси цього глікопротеїну (у глікофорині А людини – 52,3 %). Аналіз моносахаридного складу СГП курей свідчить, що вони містять як О-, так і N-зв'язані олігосахаридні ланцюги. У порівнянні з глікофорином А людини СГП курей вміщують більшу кількість N-глікозидних і меншу кількість О-глікозидних ланцюгів, при цьому останні є більш розгалуженої будови.Получены сиалогликопротеины (СГП) плазматических мембран эритроцитов кур с помощью препаративного электрофореза в полиакриламидном геле в присутствии DS-Na Исследован их углеводный состав в сравнении с гликофорином А человека, а также некоторые иммунологические свойства. Показано, что главные СГП с молекулярной массой 28 и 55 к Да являются мономерной и димерной формами одной и той же молекулы и иммунологически близкородственны. Углеводный компонент составляет около 33 % молекулярной массы этого гликопротеина (в гликофорине А человека – 52,3 %). Анализ моносахаридного состава СГП курицы свидетельствует о том, что они содержат как О-, так и N-связанные олигосахаридные цепи. По сравнению с гликофорином А человека СГП кур содержат большее количество N-гликозидных и меньшее количество О-гликозидных цепей, при этом последние имеют более разветвленную структуру

Neck circumference is associated with adipose tissue content in thigh skeletal muscle in overweight and obese premenopausal women

Neck circumference (NC) has been proposed as a simple and practical tool, independently associated with cardiometabolic risk factors. However, the association of NC with inter-muscular adipose tissue (IMAT) is still to be determined. We aimed to examine the association of NC with thigh IMAT, and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) measured with computed tomography (CT) in overweight/obese women. 142 premenopausal overweight and obese Caucasian women participated in this crosssectional study. NC was measured with an inextensible metallic tape above the thyroid cartilage according to International Society for Advancement of Kinanthropometry protocol. Thigh IMAT and VAT volumes were measured with a single cross-sectional CT. Regarding the covariates, fat mass (FM) was assessed with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and physical activity was objectively measured with accelerometry. NC was positively associated with thigh IMAT and VAT volumes (standardized β coefcient: β=0.45, P-value= ≤0.001, β=0.60, P=≤0.001; respectively), which persisted after adjusting for age, height, overall FM or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Our fndings show that NC is associated with thigh IMAT volume in overweight and obese premenopausal Caucasian women, regardless of the amount of lower-body fatness. These results suggest underscoring the relevance of NC as a marker of adipose tissue content in thigh skeletal muscle.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology Sapiens 358007/99Oeiras City CouncilBecel PortugalRoche Pharmaceuticals PortugalCompal PortugalUniversity of Granada Plan Propio de Investigacion 2016 -Excellence actions: Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES)Junta de AndaluciaEuropean Union (EU) SOMM17/6107/UGRFundacion Carolina C.201657496

Adipose Tissue Serves as a Reservoir for Recrudescent Rickettsia prowazekii Infection in a Mouse Model

Brill-Zinsser disease, the relapsing form of epidemic typhus, typically occurs in a susceptible host years or decades after the primary infection; however, the mechanisms of reactivation and the cellular reservoir during latency are poorly understood. Herein we describe a murine model for Brill-Zinsser disease, and use PCR and cell culture to show transient rickettsemia in mice treated with dexamethasone >3 months after clinical recovery from the primary infection. Treatment of similarly infected mice with cyclosporine failed to produce recrudescent bacteremia. Therapy with doxycycline for the primary infection prevented recrudescent bacteremia in most of these mice following treatment with dexamethasone. Rickettsia prowazekii (the etiologic agent of epidemic typhus) was detected by PCR, cell culture, and immunostaining methods in murine adipose tissue, but not in liver, spleen, lung, or central nervous system tissues of mice 4 months after recovery from the primary infection. The lungs of dexamethasone-treated mice showed impaired expression of β-defensin transcripts that may be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary lesions. In vitro, R. prowazekii rickettsiae infected and replicated in the murine adipocyte cell line 3T3-L1. Collectively these data suggest a role for adipose tissue as a potential reservoir for dormant infections with R. prowazekii

Seaweed intake and blood pressure levels in healthy pre-school Japanese children

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Few studies have examined whether dietary factors might affect blood pressure in children. We purposed to investigate whether seaweed intake is associated with blood pressure level among Japanese preschool children.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The design of the study was cross-sectional and it was conducted in autumn 2006. Subjects were healthy preschoolers aged 3-6 years in Aichi, Japan. Blood pressure and pulse were measured once by an automated sphygmomanometer, which uses oscillometric methods. Dietary data, including seaweed intake, were assessed using 3-day dietary records covering 2 consecutive weekdays and 1 weekend day. Of a total of 533 children, 459 (86.1 percent) agreed to be enrolled in our study. Finally, blood pressure measurement, complete dietary records and parent-reported height and weight were obtained for 223 boys and 194 girls.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>When we examined Spearman's correlation coefficients, seaweed intake was significantly negatively related to systolic blood pressure in girls (<it>P </it>= 0.008). In the one-way analysis of covariance for blood pressure and pulse after adjustments for age and BMI, the boys with the lowest, middle and highest tertiles of seaweed intake had diastolic blood pressure readings of 62.8, 59.3 and 59.6 mmHg, respectively (<it>P </it>= 0.11, trend <it>P </it>= 0.038). Girls with higher seaweed intake had significantly lower systolic blood pressure readings (102.4, 99.2 and 96.9 mmHg for girls with the lowest, middle and highest tertiles of seaweed intake, respectively; <it>P </it>= 0.037, trend <it>P </it>= 0.030).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our study showed that seaweed intake was negatively related to diastolic blood pressure in boys and to systolic blood pressure in girls. This suggests that seaweed might have beneficial effects on blood pressure among children.</p

Thrombin inhibitory activity of some polyphenolic compounds

Thrombin, also known as an active plasma coagulation factor II, belongs to the family of serine proteases and plays a crucial role in blood coagulation process. The process of thrombin generation is the central event of the hemostatic process and regulates blood coagulant activity. For this reason, thrombin inhibition is key to successful novel antithrombotic pharmacotherapy. The aim of our present study was to examine the effects of the well-known polyphenolic compounds on the activity of thrombin, by characterization of its interaction with selected polyphenols using different biochemical methods and biosensor BIAcore analyses. Only six compounds, cyanidin, quercetin, silybin, cyanin, (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin, of all examined in this study polyphenols caused the inhibition of thrombin amidolytic activity. But only three of the six compounds (cyanidin, quercetin and silybin) changed thrombin proteolytic activity. BIAcore analyses demonstrated that cyanidin and quercetin caused a strong response in the interaction with immobilized thrombin, while cyanin and (−)-epicatechin induced a low response. Lineweaver–Burk curves show that used polyphenol aglycones act as competitive thrombin inhibitors. Our results suggest that polyphenolic compounds might be potential structural bases and source to find and project nature-based, safe, orally bioavailable direct thrombin inhibitors.This work was supported by Grant 545/485 and Grant 506/810 from the University of Lodz

A comparative study of carbohydrate component of hen and human glycophorins

Sialoglycoproteins (SGPs) from plasma membranes of hen red blood cells were isolated by preparative SDS-PAGE and their carbohydrate composition and some immunochemical properties were investigated and compared with that of human glycophorin A. It was shown, that two principal SGPs with molecular weights of 28 kDa and 55 kDa are monomeric and dimeric forms of the same molecule and are immunochemically closely related. The amount of carbohydrate component consists about 33 % of molecular mass (in human glycophorin A it is 52.3 %). The analysis of monosaccharide composition of hen SGPs indicates, that they possess O-linked and N-linked oligocaccharide chains. In comparison with human glycophorin A hen SGPs have a higher amount of N-glycosidic chains and lower amount of O-glycosidic chains, the last are tentatively of more branched structure.Одержано сіалоглікопротеїни (СГП) плазматичних мембран еритроцитів курей за допомогою препаративного електрофорезу в поліакриламідному гелі в присутності DS-Na. Досліджено їх вуглеводний склад у порівнянні з глікофорином А людини, а також деякі імунологічні властивості. Показано, що головні СГП з молекулярною масою 28 і 55 кДа є мономерною і димерною формами однієї молекули, які імунологічно близькоспоріднені. Вуглеводний компонент складає біля 33 % молекулярної маси цього глікопротеїну (у глікофорині А людини – 52,3 %). Аналіз моносахаридного складу СГП курей свідчить, що вони містять як О-, так і N-зв'язані олігосахаридні ланцюги. У порівнянні з глікофорином А людини СГП курей вміщують більшу кількість N-глікозидних і меншу кількість О-глікозидних ланцюгів, при цьому останні є більш розгалуженої будови.Получены сиалогликопротеины (СГП) плазматических мембран эритроцитов кур с помощью препаративного электрофореза в полиакриламидном геле в присутствии DS-Na Исследован их углеводный состав в сравнении с гликофорином А человека, а также некоторые иммунологические свойства. Показано, что главные СГП с молекулярной массой 28 и 55 к Да являются мономерной и димерной формами одной и той же молекулы и иммунологически близкородственны. Углеводный компонент составляет около 33 % молекулярной массы этого гликопротеина (в гликофорине А человека – 52,3 %). Анализ моносахаридного состава СГП курицы свидетельствует о том, что они содержат как О-, так и N-связанные олигосахаридные цепи. По сравнению с гликофорином А человека СГП кур содержат большее количество N-гликозидных и меньшее количество О-гликозидных цепей, при этом последние имеют более разветвленную структуру