Anti-Legionella dumoffii activity of Galleria mellonella defensin and apolipophorin III

The gram-negative bacterium Legionella dumoffii is, beside Legionella pneumophila, an etiological agent of Legionnaires’ disease, an atypical form of pneumonia. The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial activity of Galleria mellonella defense polypeptides against L. dumoffii. The extract of immune hemolymph, containing a mixture of defense peptides and proteins, exhibited a dose-dependent bactericidal effect on L. dumoffii. The bacterium appeared sensitive to a main component of the hemolymph extract, apolipophorin III, as well as to a defense peptide, Galleria defensin, used at the concentrations 0.4 mg/mL and 40 μg/mL, respectively. L. dumoffii cells cultured in the presence of choline were more susceptible to both defense factors analyzed. A transmission electron microscopy study of bacterial cells demonstrated that Galleria defensin and apolipophorin III induced irreversible cell wall damage and strong intracellular alterations, i.e., increased vacuolization, cytoplasm condensation and the appearance of electron-white spaces in electron micrographs. Our findings suggest that insects, such as G. mellonella, with their great diversity of antimicrobial factors, can serve as a rich source of compounds for the testing of Legionella susceptibility to defense-related peptides and proteins

Chlamydial plasmids and bacteriophages

Chlamydia are absolute pathogens of humans and animals; despite being rather well recognised, they are still open for discovery. One such discovery is the occurrence of extrachromosomal carriers of genetic information. In prokaryotes, such carriers include plasmids and bacteriophages, which are present only among some Chlamydia species. Plasmids were found exclusively in Chlamydia (C.) trachomatis, C. psittaci, C. pneumoniae, C. suis, C. felis, C. muridarum and C. caviae. In prokaryotic organisms, plasmids usually code for genes that facilitate survival of the bacteria in the environment (although they are not essential). In chlamydia, their role has not been definitely recognised, apart from the fact that they participate in the synthesis of glycogen and encode proteins responsible for their virulence. Furthermore, in C. suis it was evidenced that the plasmid is integrated in a genomic island and contains the tetracycline-resistance gene. Bacteriophages specific for chlamydia (chlamydiaphages) were detected only in six species: C. psittaci, C. abortus, C. felis, C. caviae C. pecorum and C. pneumoniae. These chlamydiaphages cause inhibition of the developmental cycle, and delay transformation of reticulate bodies (RBs) into elementary bodies (EBs), thus reducing the possibility of infecting other cells in time. Plasmids and bacteriophages can be used in the diagnostics of chlamydioses; although especially in the case of plasmids, they are already used for detection of chlamydial infections. In addition, bacteriophages could be used as therapeutic agents to replace antibiotics, potentially addressing the problem of increasing antibiotic-resistance among chlamydia

Tłumaczenia tytułów filmów z Jamesem Bondem na język francuski, niemiecki i polski

The following article aims at the comparative analysis of the linguistic aspects of the movie title. The authors of the article analyzed 24 James Bond movie titles. The analysis includes the analysis of the relation between the original English titles and their counterparts in French, German and Polish. The research showed that the translators worked according to three patterns that are shown in the article. The authors also came to the conclusion that the translators of the analyzed titles mostly aimed at the functionality of translation

mRNA Regulatory elements and bacterial virulence

Pathogenic bacteria cause many diseases, some of which are fatal. For researchers, it is a challenge to understand bacterial mechanisms of pathogenicity, including their virulence pathways regulated by RNA. This work presents data on the mechanisms of regulation and expression of several virulence factors coded by RNA, namely 5' UTR fragments, riboswitches and small non-coding RNA (sRNA)

Dual Effect of the Extract from the Fungus Coriolus Versicolor on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Cytokine Production in RAW 264.7 Macrophages Depending on the Lipopolysaccharide Concentration

Purpose: Extract from the fungus Coriolus versicolor (CV) is classified as an immunological response modifier. Previously, we have shown that this extract induces interleukin 6 (IL-6)-related extension of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced fever. This study investigated the effect of CV extract on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the expression of components of signal transduction pathways leading to the secretion of cytokines from RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with different doses of LPS. Methods: RAW 264.7 cells were stimulated with CV extract alone or co-treated with CV extract and LPS. The level of IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in the culture media was measured using ELISA. Protein expression of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4, phosphorylated IκB (p-IκB), CD14 glycoprotein and phospho-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (p-PI3K) was evaluated using Western blot. The effects of TLR4, nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and p-PI3K on cytokine secretion were estimated using inhibitors: TAK-242, JSH-23 and Y294002. Results: CV extract itself stimulates the secretion of IL-6 and TNF-α and increases the expression of TLR4, p-IκB and p-PI3K. The presence of CV extract during the treatment of cells with lower concentrations of LPS (10 and 100 ng/mL) increases the cytokine production. Co-stimulation of cells with CV extract and LPS at a higher dose (500 ng/mL) decreases the secretion of cytokines. This effect is related to the changes in the expression of TLR4, CD14 glycoprotein, p-IκB and p-PI3K. Conclusion: This is the first report showing that the CV extract-induced production of cytokines is mediated by the PI3K signalling pathway. This extract acts antagonistically or additively with LPS on the production of IL-6 and TNF-α, depending on the LPS concentration. Our results are helpful for illustrating the mechanisms for the immunostimulatory effect of CV extract in inflammatory processes

Physiological importance of fever and endogenous antipyresis. Soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitiors as potential therapeutic drugs for the treatment of fever

Gorączka towarzyszy ludzkości od początku istnienia naszego gatunku. Będąc jednym z najjaskrawszych przejawów infekcji i choroby, odbierana była dawniej jako zaburzenie, z którym za wszelką cenę należy walczyć. Współcześnie potrafimy jednak w sposób właściwy interpretować ten proces jako korzystną dla organizmu, ściśle regulowaną reakcję obronną. Zagrożenie dla zdrowia stanowią natomiast zaburzenia mechanizmów regulacji temperatury skutkujące zbyt wysoką lub przedłużającą się gorączką. Praktyka kliniczna pokazuje, że w takich przypadkach standardowe metody leczenia z wykorzystaniem aspirynopodobnych (niesteroidowych) środków przeciwzapalnych pozostają zwykle bezskuteczne. Fakt ten dowodzi niezbicie konieczności prowadzenia ciągłych poszukiwań skutecznych metod leczenia. W obszar tych badań wpisują się doświadczenia nad wykorzystaniem inhibitorów rozpuszczalnej hydrolazy epoksydowej (sEH). Rosnąca ilość wyników badań dowodzi, iż mogą stanowić bezpieczną i skuteczną alternatywę dla współcześnie stosowanych leków.Fever has accompanied humanity throughout the whole history of our species. Being one of the cardinal signs of infection and disease, for decades it has been treated as a disorder, which at all costs had to be cured. Nowadays, however, fever is recognized as an important, beneficial and tightly regulated immune response. A real threat to health became the episodes of especially high or prolonged fever resulting from failure of thermoregulation mechanisms. Clinical experience shows, that in such cases standard treatment with aspirin-like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs usually remains inefficient. This fact clearly proves the need for constant search for novel therapeutic agents. Pharmacological inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) activity is a part of such studies. The growing number of evidence indicates, that sEH inhibitors might be used as a safe and effective alternative to currently used drugs

Chlamydial plasmids and bacteriophages

Chlamydia are absolute pathogens of humans and animals; despite being rather well recognised, they are still open for discovery. One such discovery is the occurrence of extrachromosomal carriers of genetic information. In prokaryotes, such carriers include plasmids and bacteriophages, which are present only among some Chlamydia species. Plasmids were found exclusively in Chlamydia (C.) trachomatis, C. psittaci, C. pneumoniae, C. suis, C. felis, C. muridarum and C. caviae. In prokaryotic organisms, plasmids usually code for genes that facilitate survival of the bacteria in the environment (although they are not essential). In chlamydia, their role has not been definitely recognised, apart from the fact that they participate in the synthesis of glycogen and encode proteins responsible for their virulence. Furthermore, in C. suis it was evidenced that the plasmid is integrated in a genomic island and contains the tetracycline-resistance gene. Bacteriophages specific for chlamydia (chlamydiaphages) were detected only in six species: C. psittaci, C. abortus, C. felis, C. caviae C. pecorum and C. pneumoniae. These chlamydiaphages cause inhibition of the developmental cycle, and delay transformation of reticulate bodies (RBs) into elementary bodies (EBs), thus reducing the possibility of infecting other cells in time. Plasmids and bacteriophages can be used in the diagnostics of chlamydioses; although especially in the case of plasmids, they are already used for detection of chlamydial infections. In addition, bacteriophages could be used as therapeutic agents to replace antibiotics, potentially addressing the problem of increasing antibiotic-resistance among chlamydia