Evaluation of measurement sites for noninvasive blood glucose sensing with near-infrared transmission spectroscopy.

Six putative measurement sites were evaluated for noninvasive sensing of blood glucose by first-overtone near-infrared spectroscopy. The cheek, lower lip, upper lip, nasal septum, tongue, and webbing tissue between the thumb and forefinger were examined. These sites were evaluated on the basis of their chemical and physical properties as they pertain to the noninvasive measurement of glucose. Critical features included the effective optical pathlength of aqueous material within the tissue and the percentage of body fat within the optical path. Aqueous optical paths of 5 mm are required to measure clinically relevant concentrations of glucose in the first-overtone region. All of the tested sites met this requirement. The percentage of body fat affects the signal-to-noise ratio of the measurement and must be minimized for reliable glucose sensing. The webbing tissue contains a considerable amount of fat tissue and is clearly the worse measurement site. All other sites possess substantially less fat, with the least amount of fat in tongue tissue. For this reason, the tongue provides spectra with the highest signal-to-noise ratio and is, therefore, the site of choice on the basis of spectral quality.     

IgG rheumatoid factors and staphylococcal protein A bind to a common molecular site on IgG

The antigenic determinant on the Fc region of human IgG for two IgG rheumatoid factors (IgG-RF) from patients with rheumatoid arthritis were investigated in detail. The RF did not interact with IgG fragments that contained the C gamma 2 or C gamma 3 region alone, but required the presence of both regions for binding. The RF binding to solid-phase IgG were poorly inhibited by the IgG3 subclass and strongly inhibited by staphylococcal protein A (SPA) (42 kD), and fragment D of SPA (7 kD), indicating that the binding site is most likely the same as the Ga antigenic determinant described for IgM-RF, and is in the same location as the site on IgG that binds SPA. pH titration studies of the RF binding to IgG indicated the involvement of histidine and lysine or tyrosine side chains. Chemical modification studies showed the histidines were involved on the Fc side of the interactions, and tyrosines were involved on both the antigenic and antibody sides of the interactions. Lysines were not involved. The above information, and the knowledge of the number and position in space of the amino acid residues involved in the C gamma 2-C gamma 3 interface region of IgG, the binding site for SPA, and the amino acid substitutions in IgG3 that account for its inability to bind protein A, allowed the identification of the site on IgG that bind IgG-RF. This binding site involves some of the same amino acid side chains, His 435, Tyr 436, and one or both His 433 and 310, and is in the same location as the site that binds SPA. The same site is likely to be a common antigenic determinant for other RF. Furthermore, the described molecular mimicry suggests a biological relationship between bacterial Fc-binding proteins and the production of RF in rheumatoid arthritis.     

Characterization of a vitellogenin gene reveals two phase regulation of vitellogenesis by engorgement and mating in the soft tick Ornithodoros moubata (Acari: Argasidae)

Synthesis of the precursor yolk protein vitellogenin (Vg) occurs after engorgement in haematophagous arthropods. We identified the Vg cDNA of the soft tick Ornithodoros moubata (OmVg) and compared its expression in mated and virgin females. Both mated and virgin females showed increases in OmVg expression after engorgement but expression was higher in mated females than virgin females particularly as time advanced. Delayed mating in virgin females induced an increase in OmVg expression. OmVg expression was observed in the midgut and fat body by whole mount in situ hybridization, but enlarged fat body with high expression occurred in only mated females during the late phase of vitellogenesis. Therefore, engorgement initially induces OmVg expression but mating is necessary for continued Vg expression to produce mature eggs.     

小儿卵黄囊瘤的超声检查

小儿卵黄囊系胚源性恶性肿瘤,好发于生殖腺、骶尾部及体后壁中线附近。本院超声诊断卵黄囊瘤30例,超声图像显示了肿瘤的部位及大小,为选择手术方案及评估化疗效果提供了图像依据。     

Properties of thyrotropin (TSH) binding to plasma membranes prepared from rat fat tissues

Rat fat membranes were prepared from male Sprague-Dawley rats. At 37 degrees C, TSH binding to rat fat membranes was rapid and unstable, although the binding reached a steady state after 2 hr and unchanged up to 24 hr at 4 degrees C. The binding to rat fat membranes was significantly inhibited by 50 mM NaCl and almost completely inhibited by 150 mM NaCl. TSH binding to rat fat membranes was not affected by 10 mM dithiothreitol (DTT) or 1 mM diamide although the binding to human thyroid membranes was inhibited by 10 mM DTT significantly. Conventional Scatchard analysis revealed a single class of binding site which had lower Ka value (2.6 X 10(8) M-1) than that of high affinity binding site of human thyroid membranes (9.3 X 10(8) M-1). Immunoglobulin G (IgG) from patients with Graves' disease inhibited the binding of TSH to rat fat membranes. A significant correlation was observed between the inhibiting activity of Graves' IgG measured with rat fat and human thyroid membranes (r = 0.82, p less than 0.01). In conclusion, TSH receptors on rat fat membranes were not identical to those on human thyroid membranes, but TSH receptor antibodies crossreacted with TSH receptors in rat fat tissue.     

Ethnicity, insulin resistance, and inflammatory adipokines in women at high and low risk for vascular disease

OBJECTIVE: We sought to compare the relationship between body composition, insulin resistance, and inflammatory adipokines in Aboriginal Canadian women, who are at high risk of vascular disease, with white women. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A subgroup of the First Nations Bone Health Study population, consisting of 131 Aboriginal women and 132 matched white women, was utilized. Body composition was determined by whole-body dual X-ray absorptiometry, and blood analytes were measured after an overnight fast. RESULTS: After excluding individuals with diabetes, A1C, BMI, percent trunk fat, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were greater in First Nation women compared with white women, whereas adiponectin, retinol binding protein (RBP)4, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) were lower. First Nation women had more trunk fat for any given level of total fat than white women. There were no differences in resistin, leptin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, or C-reactive protein (CRP) levels between First Nation and white women. Insulin resistance correlated with leptin and inversely with adiponectin levels in both First Nation and white women. There were weak correlations between insulin resistance and TNF-alpha, interleukin-6, and CRP, but these were not significant after correction for body fat. No correlation was found between RBP4 and insulin resistance. ANCOVA revealed a higher HOMA-IR adjusted for total body fat in First Nation women than in white women (P = 0.015) but not HOMA-IR adjusted for trunk fat (P > 0.2). CONCLUSIONS: First Nation women are more insulin resistant than white women, and this is explained by trunk fat but not total fat. Despite the increased insulin resistance, inflammatory adipokines are not significantly increased in First Nation women compared with white women.     

Oxazolidinone antibiotics target the P site on Escherichia coli ribosomes

The oxazolidinones are a novel class of antimicrobial agents that target protein synthesis in a wide spectrum of gram-positive and anaerobic bacteria. The oxazolidinone PNU-100766 (linezolid) inhibits the binding of fMet-tRNA to 70S ribosomes. Mutations to oxazolidinone resistance in Halobacterium halobium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli map at or near domain V of the 23S rRNA, suggesting that the oxazolidinones may target the peptidyl transferase region responsible for binding fMet-tRNA. This study demonstrates that the potency of oxazolidinones corresponds to increased inhibition of fMet-tRNA binding. The inhibition of fMet-tRNA binding is competitive with respect to the fMet-tRNA concentration, suggesting that the P site is affected. The fMet-tRNA reacts with puromycin to form peptide bonds in the presence of elongation factor P (EF-P), which is needed for optimum specificity and efficiency of peptide bond synthesis. Oxazolidinone inhibition of the P site was evaluated by first binding fMet-tRNA to the A site, followed by translocation to the P site with EF-G. All three of the oxazolidinones used in this study inhibited translocation of fMet-tRNA. We propose that the oxazolidinones target the ribosomal P site and pleiotropically affect fMet-tRNA binding, EF-P stimulated synthesis of peptide bonds, and, most markedly, EF-G-mediated translocation of fMet-tRNA into the P site.     

腹部和大腿皮下脂肪组织抵抗素蛋白的表达

背景:抵抗素是脂肪细胞分泌的一种多肽激素。而中心性肥胖时可引起胰岛素抵抗和导致2型糖尿病。目的:比较正常人腹部和大腿皮下脂肪组织抵抗素蛋白表达的情况,探讨抵抗素在中心性肥胖引起胰岛素抵抗中的作用。设计:对照观察实验。单位:华中科技大学同济医学院附属同济医院内分泌科。对象:选择2003-01/04华中科技大学同济医学院附属同济医院外科住院患者20例,根据留取脂肪组织的部位分腹部皮下脂肪组织组12例和大腿皮下脂肪组织组8例。方法:①所有患者测量血压、身高、体质量,计算体质量指数,体内脂肪百分比(按白种人数据推导的公式):男性=1.2×体质量(kg) 身高-2(m-2) 0.23×年龄-16.2;女性=1.2×体质量(kg) 身高-2(m-2) 0.23×年龄-5.4。②葡萄糖氧化酶法测定空腹血糖。③留取的脂肪组织标本用单去污裂解液提取脂肪组织中的蛋白质,考马斯亮蓝法测定蛋白质浓度,Western-blot测量脂肪组织抵抗素蛋白的表达水平。主要观察指标:两组患者的血压、体质量指数,体内脂肪百分比,空腹血糖,抵抗素蛋白的表达水平。结果:纳入患者20例,均进入结果分析。①两组的空腹血糖、收缩压、舒张压、体质量指数、体内脂肪百分比差异无显著性(P>0.05)。②腹部皮下脂肪组织抵抗素蛋白表达(A)为14942±6076,明显高于大腿皮下脂肪组织组39421±6087,二者比较差异显著(P<0.01)。结论:抵抗素蛋白在腹部皮下脂肪组织的表达高于腿部皮下脂肪组织,此结果对中心性肥胖并引起胰岛素抵抗和2型糖尿病的发生具有参考价值。     

Therapeutic targeting of insulin-regulated aminopeptidase: heads and tails?

Insulin-regulated aminopeptidase, IRAP, is an abundant protein that was initially cloned from a rat epididymal fat pad cDNA library as a marker protein for specialized vesicles containing the insulin-responsive glucose transporter GLUT4, wherein it is thought to participate in the tethering and trafficking of GLUT4 vesicles. The same protein was independently cloned from human placental cDNA library as oxytocinase and is proposed to have a primary role in the regulation of circulating oxytocin (OXY) during the later stages of pregnancy. More recently, IRAP was identified as the specific binding site for angiotensin IV, and we propose that it mediates the memory-enhancing effects of the peptide. This protein appears to have multiple physiological roles that are tissue- and domain-specific; thus the protein can be specifically targeted for treating different clinical conditions.     

Rad51 overexpression contributes to chemoresistance in human soft tissue sarcoma cells: a role for p53/activator protein 2 transcriptional regulation

We investigated whether Rad51 overexpression plays a role in soft tissue sarcoma (STS) chemoresistance as well as the regulatory mechanisms underlying its expression. The studies reported here show that Rad51 protein is overexpressed in a large panel of human STS specimens. Human STS cell lines showed increased Rad51 protein expression, as was also observed in nude rat STS xenografts. STS cells treated with doxorubicin exhibited up-regulation of Rad51 protein while arrested in the S-G(2) phase of the cell cycle. Treatment with anti-Rad51 small interfering RNA decreased Rad51 protein expression and increased chemosensitivity to doxorubicin. Because we previously showed that reintroduction of wild-type p53 (wtp53) into STS cells harboring a p53 mutation led to increased doxorubicin chemosensitivity, we hypothesized that p53 participates in regulating Rad51 expression in STS. Reintroduction of wtp53 into STS cell lines resulted in decreased Rad51 protein and mRNA expression. Using luciferase reporter assays, we showed that reconstitution of wtp53 function decreased Rad51 promoter activity. Deletion constructs identified a specific Rad51 promoter region containing a p53-responsive element but no p53 consensus binding site. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays verified activator protein 2 (AP2) binding to this region and increased AP2 binding to the promoter in the presence of wtp53. Mutating this AP2 binding site eliminated the wtp53 repressive effect. Furthermore, AP2 knockdown resulted in increased Rad51 expression. In light of the importance of Rad51 in modulating STS chemoresistance, these findings point to a potential novel strategy for molecular-based treatments that may be of relevance to patients burdened by STS.     

A new, highly selective CCK-B receptor radioligand ([3H][N-methyl-Nle28,31]CCK26-33): evidence for CCK-B receptor heterogeneity

[N-methyl-Nle28,31]CCK26-33 (SNF 8702) is a nonsulfated cholecystokinin octapeptide analog that is highly selective for cholecystokinin-B (CCK-B) receptors. Inhibition studies using [125I] Bolton-Hunter-labeled CCK-8 show that SNF 8702 has over 4,000-fold greater affinity for CCK receptors in guinea pig cortex relative to those in guinea pig pancreas. SNF 8702 was tritium-labeled to a specific activity of 23.7 Ci/mmol and its binding properties characterized for guinea pig brain membrane preparations. [3H]SNF 8702 binds to a single site with high affinity (Kd = 0.69-0.90 nM) in guinea pig cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus and pons-medulla. Of these four tissues, the highest receptor density was measured in the cortex (86 fmol/mg of protein) and the lowest in the pons-medulla (22 fmol/mg of protein). In contrast to findings of single-site binding in some brain regions, evidence for CCK-B receptor heterogeneity is observed under other conditions. [3H]SNF 8702 binding to membranes prepared from whole guinea pig brain shows biphasic association kinetics at a concentration of 2.0 nM consistent with the presence of binding site heterogeneity. Binding site heterogeneity is consistently observed for [3H]SNF 8702 binding to guinea pig whole brain membranes in saturation studies where a high-affinity site (Kd = 0.31 nM) is distinguished from a low-affinity site (Kd = 3.3 nM). Binding site heterogeneity is also observed for the midbrain-thalamic region. CCK-B receptor heterogeneity is suggested by the effect of the guanyl nucleotide analogue, guanylyl-imidodiphosphate (Gpp(NH)p), on [3H]SNF 8702 binding to CCK-B receptors in the cerebellum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)