Lectin-binding capacity of glycoconjugates in Escherichia coli 09:K103:NM, 987P+ST+-infected porcine lower small intestines

Composition of glycoconjugates were investigated in Escherichia coli 09:K103:NM, 987P+ST+-infected lower small intestines of 1-week-old pigs by the use of twenty one biotinylated-labelled lectins with avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method. Piglets with experimental group were inoculated by feeding 5 ml of culture inoculum (5 x 10(9) colony-forming units/ml) with 15 ml of milk replacer. At the onset of diarrhea, experimental piglets and time-matched control piglets were euthanatized using electrocution, necropsied, and tested by lectin histochemistry. As compared with control, staining intensity of seven lectins altered in ileal villus brush border and goblet cells of pigs inoculated with the pathogen.     

Gonadotropins in the Manchurian trout, Brachymystax lenok tsinlingensis

cDNA clones encoding gonadotropin (GTH) α, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) β and luteinzing hormone (LH) β were isolated from the pituitaries of maturing Manchurian trout (Brachymystax lenok tsinlingensis) and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequences of GTH subunits showed high identities to masu salmon, Oncorhynchus masou: GTHα1 (95%), FSHβ (92%) and LHβ (97%), respectively. We are also attempting to produce recombinant FSH and LH using a eukaryotic expression system. In a pilot experiment, LH was secreted to the culture medium at 48 and 60 hrs after transfection. The results will be helpful to develop controlled reproduction of exterminating Manchurian trout.     

Activin stimulates goldfish FSH biosynthesis by enhancing FSHβ promoter activity

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) play critical roles in controlling vertebrate gonadal development and function. Activin, a dimeric growth factor initially identified in the gonads, is important in the differential regulation of the two gonadotropins in mammals. Using goldfish as a model, we have demonstrated that activin stimulates FSHβ but suppresses LHβ expression. The present study demonstrated that the 5′-flanking region of goldfish FSHβ gene is functional in the mouse gonadotrope cell line, LβT2 cells. Similar to its effect on the cultured pituitary cells, activin stimulated FSHβ promoter activity in the LβT2 cells and the effect could be blocked by its binding protein follistatin. Follistatin also significantly suppressed the basal FSHβ promoter activity, suggesting secretion of endogenous activin by the LβT2 cells. Further characterization of the cis-regulatory elements responsible for activin stimulation is now under way in our laboratory.     

Gewinnung von Saatgut

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Epitheliotropic cutaneous lymphoma (mycosis fungoides) in a dog

A seven-year-old castrated male Yorkshire terrier dog was presented for a recurrent skin disease. Erythematous skin during the first visit progressed from multiple plaques to patch lesions and exudative erosion in the oral mucosa membrane. Biopsy samples were taken from erythematous skin and were diagnosed with epitheliotropic T cell cutaneous lymphoma by histopathology and immunochemical stain. In serum chemistry, the dog had a hypercalcemia (15.7 mg/dl) and mild increased alkaline phosphatase (417 U/l). Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTH-rP) in epitheliotropic cutaneous lymphoma tissues but the neoplastic cells were not labeled with anti-PTH-rP antibodies. The patient was treated with prednisolone and isotretinoin. However, the dog died unexpectedly.     

PTP1B Inhibitory and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Secondary Metabolites Isolated from the Marine-Derived Fungus Penicillium sp. JF-55

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) plays a major role in the negative regulation of insulin signaling, and is thus considered as an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of diabetes. Bioassay-guided investigation of the methylethylketone extract of marine-derived fungus Penicillium sp. JF-55 cultures afforded a new PTP1B inhibitory styrylpyrone-type metabolite named penstyrylpyrone (1), and two known metabolites, anhydrofulvic acid (2) and citromycetin (3). Compounds 1 and 2 inhibited PTP1B activity in a dose-dependent manner, and kinetic analyses of PTP1B inhibition suggested that these compounds inhibited PTP1B activity in a competitive manner. In an effort to gain more biological potential of the isolated compounds, the anti-inflammatory effects of compounds 1–3 were also evaluated. Among the tested compounds, only compound 1 inhibited the production of NO and PGE₂, due to the inhibition of the expression of iNOS and COX-2. Penstyrylpyrone (1) also reduced TNF-α and IL-1β production, and these anti-inflammatory effects were shown to be correlated with the suppression of the phosphorylation and degradation of IκB-α, NF-κB nuclear translocation, and NF-κB DNA binding activity. In addition, using inhibitor tin protoporphyrin (SnPP), an inhibitor of HO-1, it was verified that the inhibitory effects of penstyrylpyrone (1) on the pro-inflammatory mediators and NF-κB DNA binding activity were associated with the HO-1 expression. Therefore, these results suggest that penstyrylpyrone (1) suppresses PTP1B activity, as well as the production of pro-inflammatory mediators via NF-κB pathway, through expression of anti-inflammatory HO-1.     

Antifungal and Larvicidal Activities of Phlorotannins from Brown Seaweeds

Phlorotannins are secondary metabolites produced by brown seaweeds with antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and larvicidal activities. Phlorotannins’ structures are formed by dibenzodioxin, ether and phenyl, ether, or phenyl linkages. The polymerization of phlorotannins is used to classify and characterize. The structural diversity of phlorotannins grows as polymerization increases. They have been characterized extensively with respect to chemical properties and functionality. However, review papers of the biological activities of phlorotannins have focused on their antibacterial and antiviral effects, and reviews of their broad antifungal and larvicidal effects are lacking. Accordingly, evidence for the effectiveness of phlorotannins as antifungal and larvicidal agents is discussed in this review. Online databases (ScienceDirect, PubMed, MEDLINE, and Web of Science) were used to identify relevant articles. In total, 11 articles were retrieved after duplicates were removed and exclusion criteria were applied. Phlorotannins from brown seaweeds show antifungal activity against dermal and plant fungi, and larvicidal activity against mosquitos and marine invertebrate larvae. However, further studies of the biological activity of phlorotannins against fungal and parasitic infections in aquaculture fish, livestock, and companion animals are needed for systematic analyses of their effectiveness. The research described in this review emphasizes the potential applications of phlorotannins as pharmaceutical, functional food, pesticide, and antifouling agents.     

Shedding of sCD14 by bovine neutrophils following activation with bacterial lipopolysaccharide results in down-regulation of IL-8

CD14, the leukocyte co-receptor for lipopolysaccharide (LPS), is important in the response of bovine polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes (PMN) to Gram-negative bacteria. In other species, the expression of CD14 on the surface of PMN was shown to increase after exposure to inflammatory stimuli. These newly expressed molecules may originate from either an intracellular pool or through new gene expression. We sought to characterize bovine PMN cell surface expression and shedding of CD14 molecules, and CD14's effect on secretion of the chemoattractants IL-8 and IL-1beta by PMN. Bovine PMN were incubated in RPMI for 20 h at 37 degrees C with LPS (1, 10, 100 microg/mL). IL-8 release increased with treatment of 1 microg/mL LPS, but decreased 41.5 and 95% at the 10 and 100 microg/mL concentrations of LPS, respectively. In contrast, shedding of CD14 from the surface of PMN only increased at the highest concentration of LPS (100 microg/mL). Secretion of IL-1beta was similar regardless of the LPS concentration used to stimulate PMN. The effect of PMN concentration (1 x 10(7), 2.5 x 10(7), 5 x 10(7), and 10 x 10(7)/mL) on CD14 cell surface expression and shedding of IL-8 and IL-1beta were also determined. Shedding of CD14 by PMN increased with increasing concentration of PMN after exposure to 0.1 and 10 microg/mL of LPS, while secretion of IL-8 decreased. IL-1beta increased at the highest concentration of PMN. The use of real time polymerase chain reaction showed that CD14 mRNA expression was not different between control and LPS-stimulated cells, indicating that the sCD14 came from either membrane bound CD14 or a preformed pool. Our results demonstrate that release of CD14 from PMN suppresses secretion of IL-8, and may be an important regulatory mechanism for controlling excessive migration of PMN into the bovine mammary gland.