Proteolízis az idegrendszerben: a humán agyi tripszin szerkezetének és funkciójának vizsgálata = Proteolysis in central nervous system: investigations of the structure and function of human brain trypsin

Klónoztunk a humán tripszinogén 4 teljes kódoló szekvenciáját. Bakterális expressziós rendszerben kifejeztük a két alternatív iniciációval keletkező izoformáját. Expresszáltuk és enzimatikusan karakterizáltuk az a tripszin 4-et. Meghatároztuk az aktív enzim benzamidin komplexének térszerkezetét. Feltérképeztük a mRNS és a fehérje eloszlását a humán agy 17 különböző régiójában. Vizsgáltuk az agyban előforduló potenciális szubsztrátjait. Megállapítottuk, hogy számos, a citoszkeletális váz felépítésében és regulálásában szereplő fehérje és a mielin bázikus fehérje szubsztrátja lehet a tripszin 4-nek. Izoláltuk a tripszinogén 4-et emberi agyszövetből és meghatároztuk amino terminális szekvenciáját. Tranziens szövettenyészetben megfelelően tervezett expressziós vektorok segítségével megállapítottuk, hogy az amino terminális leucin beépülését nem-konvencionális CTG iniciátor kodon irányítja. Meghatároztuk a tripszin - metilubellireril guanidinobenzoáttal történő reakciójának elemi sebességi állandóit. Vizsgáltuk számos természetes és szintetikus inhibitor gátló képességét, és valószínű magyarázatot adtunk arra, miért lehetetlen kanonikus mechanizmus alapján gátolni a tripszin 4-et. | We have isolated the complete coding sequence of human trypsinogen 4. In bacterial expression system we expressed and purified the two putative isoforms of the enzyme. We isolated the active enzyme as well, and characterized its enzymatic properties. We determined the X-ray structure of the trypsin 4 ? benzamidine complex. By quantitative real time PCR and sandwich ELISA we determined the determined the distribution of the mRNA and protein in 17 different regions of the human brain. By sequencing the zymogen isolated from human brain we concluded that predominant form in the human brain possesses leucine amino terminus. Using human tissue cultures transiently transfected with appropriately designed expression vectors we proved that the incorporation of the amino terminal leucine is directed by a non-conventional CTG initiation codon. We determined the elementary kinetic constants of the trypsin 4 - methylumbelliferyl guanidine benzoate reaction. We studied the inhibitory potential of several natural and synthetic polypeptides, and we reasoned why is it impossible to inhibit trypsin 4 by a canonical inhibitor

Aortic arch and common carotid artery plaques with soft components pose a substantial risk of cerebral embolization during carotid stenting

OBJECTIVES: A higher rate of embolization is considered a disadvantage of carotid stenting (CAS), when compared with carotid endarterectomy. Plaques in the aortic arch (AA) and the common carotid artery (CCA) may be additional sources of embolization to stented internal carotid plaques during CAS. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between these plaques and intracerebral embolization. METHODS: We analyzed the occurrence and composition of plaques in the AA and CCA by computed tomography angiography (CTA) in 101 consecutive cases of CAS. Cases of peri-procedural embolization were detected on diffusion-weighted imaging as lesions demonstrating diffusion restriction. We applied the chi(2) and Fisher's exact tests, as well as logistic regression models. RESULTS: The occurrence of plaques in the AA and CCA was significantly related to the appearance of new diffusion-weighted imaging lesions (p = 0.013 and p = 0.004, respectively). Patients with soft plaques in the AA or CCA had a significantly higher risk of embolization than those without plaques (p = 0.012 and p = 0.006, respectively). In contrast, homogeneously calcified plaques did not pose significantly higher risks. CONCLUSIONS: Soft plaques in the AA and CCA result in a substantial risk of embolization during CAS. Use of a CTA examination of the AA and the CCA in patients with carotid stenosis may help to select lower-risk patients for CAS

Uridine modulates neuronal activity and inhibits spike-wave discharges of absence epileptic Long Evans and Wistar Albino Glaxo/Rijswijk rats

Pharmacological and functional data suggest the existence of uridine (Urd) receptors in the central nervous system (CNS). In the present study, simultaneous extracellular single unit recording and microiontophoretic injection of the pyrimidine nucleoside Urd was used to provide evidence for the presence of Urd-sensitive neurons in the thalamus and the cerebral cortex of Long Evans rats. Twenty-two neurons in the thalamus (24% of recorded neurons) and 17 neurons in the cortex (55%) responded to the direct iontophoresis of Urd. The majority of Urd-sensitive neurons in the thalamus and cortex (82% and 59%, respectively) increased their firing rate in response to Urd. In contrary, adenosine (Ado) and uridine 5'-triphosphate (UTP) decreased the firing rate of all responding neurons in the thalamus, and the majority of responding neurons in the cortex (83% and 87%, respectively). Functional relevance of Urd-sensitive neurons was investigated in spontaneously epileptic freely moving Long Evans and Wistar Albino Glaxo/Rijswijk (WAG/Rij) rats. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 500mg/kg Urd decreased epileptic activity (210-270min after injection) in both rat strains. Intraperitoneal administration of 1000mg/kg Urd decreased the number of spike-wave discharges (SWDs) between 150-270min and 90-270min in Long Evans and WAG/Rij rats, respectively. The effect of Urd was long-lasting in both rat strains as the higher dose significantly decreased the number of SWDs even 24h after Urd injection. The present results suggest that Urd-sensitive neurons in the thalamus and the cerebral cortex may play a role in the antiepileptic action of Urd possibly via modulation of thalamocortical neuronal circuits

Investigation of MSH receptor expression using Ga-68- and Sc-44-labeled molecules

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The Fungal Iron Chelator Desferricoprogen Inhibits Atherosclerotic Plaque Formation

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The Fungal Iron Chelator Desferricoprogen Inhibits Atherosclerotic Plaque Formation

Hemoglobin, heme and iron are implicated in the progression of atherosclerosis. Therefore, we investigated whether the hydrophobic fungal iron chelator siderophore, desferricoprogen (DFC) inhibits atherosclerosis. DFC reduced atherosclerotic plaque formation in ApoE-/- mice on an atherogenic diet. It lowered the plasma level of oxidized LDL (oxLDL) and inhibited lipid peroxidation in aortic roots. The elevated collagen/elastin content and enhanced expression of adhesion molecule VCAM-1 were decreased. DFC diminished oxidation of Low-density Lipoprotein (LDL) and plaque lipids catalyzed by heme or hemoglobin. Formation of foam cells, uptake of oxLDL by macrophages, upregulation of CD36 and increased expression of TNF-α were reduced by DFC in macrophages. TNF-triggered endothelial cell activation (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecules (ICAMs), E-selectin) and increased adhesion of monocytes to endothelium were attenuated. The increased endothelial permeability and intracellular gap formation provoked by TNF-α was also prevented by DFC. DFC acted as a cytoprotectant in endothelial cells and macrophages challenged with a lethal dose of oxLDL and lowered the expression of stress-responsive heme oxygenase-1 as sublethal dose was employed. Saturation of desferrisiderophore with iron led to the loss of the beneficial effects. We demonstrated that DFC accumulated within the atheromas of the aorta in ApoE-/- mice. DFC represents a novel therapeutic approach to control the progression of atherosclerosis.L