Review: Cromer and DAF: role in health and disease

The antigens of the Cromer blood group system are located on the protein decay-accelerating factor (DAF). This system consists of ten high-prevalence and three low-prevalence antigens; the molecular basis for all of these antigens is a single nucleotide polymorphism in the DAF gene. DAF is a 70,000-Da plasma membrane protein that is widely distributed on all blood cells and on endothelial and epithelial tissues. The physiological role of DAF is to inhibit the complement cascade at the level of the critical C3 convertase step. By this mechanism,DAF acts to protect autologous cells and tissues from complement-mediated damage and hence can play a role in preventing or modulating autoimmune disease and inflammation. The use of recombinant DAF as a therapeutic agent in autoimmunity and inflammation, and of DAF transgenic animals in xenotransplantation, is being actively investigated. Additionally, DAF serves as a receptor for certain strains of Escherichia coli and certain types of enteroviruses. The DAF protein that contains the Cromer antigens serves important roles in health and disease.     

水通道及其生理与病理意义

水通道蛋白（ａｑｕａｐｏｒｉｎ,ＡＱＰ）是近年来新分离出的一族跨膜蛋白质,主要介导自由水被动跨生物膜转运,对保持细胞内外环境的稳态平衡起重要作用,也参与完成一些机体重要的生理功能。水通道的基因突变已被证实是临床某些遗传疾病的原因,而其表达异常也与机体...     

Symposium: Cognitive processes and sleep disturbances: Sleep, dreams and memory: an overview

SUMMARY  Investigations into the role played by sleep in information processing have consistently shown that the retention of information is better when the memory storage is followed by a period of sleep than of waking. Less definitive evidence, however, is available as to whether the better performance is mainly due to (a) reduction of interference during sleep, (b) slowing down of decay, or (c) consolidation processes at work during sleep. Important insights as to whether consolidation takes place during sleep have recently been provided by the thematic continuity of dreams elaborated in the same night and by the repeated incorporation of pre-sleep stimuli into dream contents. The analysis of such aspects of dreaming indicates that the items of information which are repeatedly accessed during sleep and elaborated for insertion into the ongoing dream experience are better retained at delayed recall. Finally, it is suggested that the use of the strategies applied in studying the information processing in normals may also be extended to sleep-disturbed individuals, in order to establish how memory functioning during sleep is influenced by sleep disturbances.     

Multivariate analyses of cellular fatty acids and carbohydrates of 1:2:1 and 2:4:2 spirochetes

Delimitation of small-sized spirochetes of the oral cavity can be difficult. The endoflagella pattern has long served as the main criterion for taxonomic distinction. For approved species, e.g. Treponema denticola, several endoflagella patterns are observed, which indicates that this criterion is inadequate. The present study with GC and GC-MS used fatty acids and carbohydrates of whole-cell methanolysates to distinguish 1:2:1 and 2:4:2 subgingival spirochetes. Thirteen fatty acids: C12:0, C13:0, C14:0, Ciso-14:0, C2-OH-14:0, C15:0, Cante-15:0, C16:0, Ciso-16:0, C16:1, C18:0, C18:1, and C18:2, and three carbohydrates: rhamnose, glucose, and glucosamine, were detected. The carbohydrate contents did not differ between the two groups. While 1:2:1 spirochetes contained Ciso-14:0 and Cante-15:0 acid, 2:4:2 spirochetes did not. Also multivariate analyses of quantitative fatty acid data distinguished between these groups.     

Allergy and autoimmunity: parallels and dissimilarity: the yin and yang of immunopathology

The etiopathogenesis of allergy and autoimmune diseases is caused by genetic and acquired (environmental) factors, which might be common to both immunopathologies. Genetic factors play an important role in the development and process of immunopathological diseases. Several studies suggest a close relation between gene polymorphism of HLA and cytokines and development of autoimmunity and allergy. Certain gene polymorphisms act as risk or as protective factors. The infection also plays an important role in the induction of allergy and autoimmunity--as a trigger or as a protective factor. Moreover, similar clinical manifestations of both immunopathologies could result in diagnostic problems. This review summarizes the linkage of mechanisms of etiopathogenesis, clinical manifestations and therapeutic strategy between allergic and autoimmune diseases.