Identification and functional characterization of novel calcium-sensing receptor mutations in familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia and autosomal dominant hypocalcemia

Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (FHH), neonatal severe hyperparathyroidism (NSHPT), and autosomal dominant hypocalcemia (ADH), in which calcium homeostasis is disordered, are associated with mutations in the calcium-sensing receptor (CASR). Six unrelated kindreds with FHH and/or NSHPT and two unrelated kindreds with ADH were studied. Direct sequence analysis of the exons of the CASR gene identified heterozygous mutations in six of the kindreds with FHH and in one of those with ADH. We performed functional analyses on the novel missense and insertion/frameshift mutants by transiently transfecting wild-type and mutant CASRs tagged with a c-Myc epitope in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells. All mutant receptors were expressed at a similar level to that of the wild type; however, whereas mutants R220W and A835T (the ADH mutant) were fully glycosylated and were visualized on the cell surface, glycosylation of mutants G549R and C850-851 ins/fs was impaired, resulting in reduced cell surface staining. In fura-2-loaded HEK293 cells expressing the wild-type or mutant receptors, the inactivating R220W mutant produced a significant shift to the right relative to the wild-type CASR in the cytosolic calcium response to increasing extracellular calcium concentrations and the G549R and C850-851 ins/fs mutants were without detectable activity. The activating A835T mutation resulted in a shift to the left in the cytosolic calcium response to extracellular calcium concentrations relative to the wild type. Our studies have identified novel CASR mutations that alter the function of the CASR in several different ways.     

GABA receptors on horizontal cells in the goldfish retina

We investigated the localization of GABA(A) and GABA(C) receptors in horizontal cells (HCs) and HC axon terminals (ATs) dissociated from goldfish retina, using whole-cell patch-clamping recordings. Applications of GABA on HCs induced two groups with inward currents at the holding potential of -50 mV: One was a sustained inward current in the H1 cell, with one type of HCAT (AT1), and the other was a transient inward current in other HC soma and HCAT (AT2). Co-application of GABA with bicuculline or SR95531, GABA(A) receptor antagonists, showed a non-blocking effect in the sustained current, but a blocking effect in the transient current. The sustained current was evoked by cis-4-aminocrotonic acid (CACA), a GABA(C) receptor agonist, while the transient current was not induced by CACA, but mimicked by muscimol, a GABA(A) receptor agonist. Both the sustained and transient currents were completely blocked by picrotoxin and not mimicked by baclofen, a GABA(B) receptor agonist. Thus H1 cell and AT1 have GABA(C) receptors, while H2, H3 cells and AT2 have GABA(A) receptors.     

经巩膜外路至视网膜下腔移植视网膜细胞的实验研究

探讨视网膜光感受器细胞的移植方法及临床意义。方法将16只昆明鼠随机分为A组和B组,每组均8只鼠。于手术显微镜下,用特殊显微注射器穿过巩膜、脉络膜,在A组昆明鼠的视网膜下腔注入视网膜混合细胞,在B组昆明鼠的视网膜下腔注入纯光感受器细胞。于移植术后30、90及180 d摘除实验眼,于光镜下观察移植细胞在视网膜下腔生长的情况。结果大多数标本(13／15)HE染色显示视网膜细胞准确移植在受体眼的视网膜下腔,未见炎性细胞浸润和受体视网膜破坏;且移植到受体视网膜下腔的细胞在术后180 d仍存活。仅少数(2／15)标本可见受体视网膜结构破坏。移植的视网膜混合细胞均形成“玫瑰花”样结构,而移植的纯视网膜光感受器细胞则在视网膜下腔形成整齐的细胞层。结论经巩膜外路至视网膜下腔的显微注射法是较为理想的视网膜下腔注射给药和视网膜细胞移植方式。纯视网膜光感受器细胞移植后的生长状况和功能接近正常生理状态的视网膜组织结构,为临床治疗视网膜变性疾病提供了新途径。     

Diazonamide A and a synthetic structural analog: disruptive effects on mitosis and cellular microtubules and analysis of their interactions with tubulin

The marine ascidian Diazona angulata was the source organism for the complex cytotoxic peptide diazonamide A. The molecular structure of this peptide was recently revised after synthesis of a biologically active analog of diazonamide A in which a single nitrogen atom was replaced by an oxygen atom. Diazonamide A causes cells to arrest in mitosis, and, after exposure to the drug, treated cells lose both interphase and spindle microtubules. Both diazonamide A and the oxygen analog are potent inhibitors of microtubule assembly, equivalent in activity to dolastatin 10 and therefore far more potent than dolastatin 15. This inhibition of microtubule assembly is accompanied by potent inhibition of tubulin-dependent GTP hydrolysis, also comparable with the effects observed with dolastatin 10. However, the remaining biochemical properties of diazonamide A and its analog differ markedly from those of dolastatin 10 and closely resemble the properties of dolastatin 15. Neither diazonamide A nor the analog inhibited the binding of [3H]vinblastine, [3H]dolastatin 10, or [8-14C]GTP to tubulin. Nor were they able to stabilize the colchicine binding activity of tubulin. These observations indicate either that diazonamide A and the analog have a unique binding site on tubulin differing from the vinca alkaloid and dolastatin 10 binding sites, or that diazonamide A and the analog bind weakly to unpolymerized tubulin but strongly to microtubule ends. If the latter is correct, diazonamide A and its oxygen analog should have uniquely potent inhibitory effects on the dynamic properties of microtubules.     

人精子膜的离子通道和男性抗生育中草药的避孕机制(英文)

利用离子通道-脂双层重组技术,即将分离的人精子通道蛋白重组于人工脂双层膜,利用膜片箝技术记录、分析通道性质的方法,已鉴定了人精子膜数种通透Ca~(2+)、K~+、Na~+和Cl~-通道的生物物理和药理学性质,提供了成熟精子离子通道的基本电生理资料。利用小鼠生精细胞和膜片箝技术分析棉酚及由避孕中药雷公藤分离的多种单体对Ca~(2+)通道的作用,发现它们均在抑制精子顶体反应的浓度水平上抑制T型Ca~(2+)通道,表明对Ca~(2+)通道的抑制与它们的避孕效应密切相关;观察药物对小鼠生精细胞Ca~(2+)通道的作用,是筛选抗生育化合物特别是局部急用避孕药的一个有效方法。     

抗多药耐药基因肽核酸与反义寡脱氧核苷酸增强K562／ADM细胞的敏感性和促进凋亡

AIM: To investigate the reversal effect and apoptosis enhancement of peptide nucleic acid (PNA) and antisenseoligodeoxyribonucleotide (ASODN) targeted to multidrug resistance gene (mdrl) on human multidrug resistantleukemia K562/ADM cells. METHODS: A 15-mer PNA and the same sequence of ASODN, complementary to the5' end of the AUG initiator codon-containing region of mdrl messenger RNA (MDR1-PNA, MDR1-ASODN), weredesigned and synthesized. Proliferation and sensitivity to adriamycin of K562/ADM cells treated with MDRI-PNAand MDR1-ASODN were analyzed with a MTT colorimetric assay. Apoptotic morphologies, P-glycoprotein (P-gp)expression, intracellular adriamycin accumulation, and cell cycle were measured. RESULTS: MDRI-PNA 1 to 10μmol/L and MDR1-ASODN 2 to 20 μmol/L alone had no inhibitory effects on the proliferation of K562/ADM cells,but significantly inhibited the growth of K562/ADM cells cultured in adriamycin-containing medium. After treatment with MDRI-PNA and MDRI-ASODN, intracellular adriamycin accumulation in K562/ADM cells increasedgreatly and P-gp synthesis was strikingly reduced. The resistance to adriamycin of the drug-resistant cells waspartly reversed and the cells were induced to apoptosis by adriamycin. The reversal efficacy of MDR1-PNA was3.1-fold higher than that of the same sequence of MDR-ASODN, but neither MDRI-PNA nor MDRI-ASODNcould completely block the mdrllP-gp expression. CONCLUSION: Sequence-special PNA targeted to mdr1 genemore effectively than the same sequence of MDR1-ASODN inhibited the expression of P-glycoprotein to overcomethe drug-resistance.     

Brucella melitensis infection stimulates an immune response leading to Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease

A 43-year-old Greek cattler with a history of brucellosis three months previously for which he was treated with sulfonamides for three weeks, was admitted to the hospital complaining of fever, arthralgias, night sweats, painful cervical and axillary lymph nodes as well as a weight loss of 8 kg in the previous four months. Since microbiological and serological studies did not give a specific diagnosis, an open cervical lymph node biopsy was performed. The histological examination revealed Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease. The etiology of the disease is unknown but viral, bacterial, protozoal and neoplastic as well as physicochemical agents may stimulate a particular immune response leading to Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease. Hereby, we present a case in which Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease followed brucella melitensis infection. This association permits us to hypothesize that the initial brucella melitensis infection three months previously triggered an immune response leading to Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease. The association of the disease with brucellosis is very important since these two entities share some similar characteristics, with brucellosis being relatively common in Europe. To our best knowledge, in the English language bibliography, this is the first reported case worldwide, though another similar case was described in the Spanish literature ten years ago.     

A promoter genotype and oxidative stress potentially link resistin to human insulin resistance

Insulin resistance is a component of type 2 diabetes and often precedes pancreatic beta-cell failure. Contributing factors include obesity and a central pattern of fat accumulation with a strong genetic component. The adipocyte secreted hormone resistin has been proposed as a link between the adipocyte and insulin resistance by inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and/or blocking adipocyte differentiation. Here we report that the G/G genotype of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter of the human resistin gene, -180C>G, had significantly increased basal promoter activity in adipocytes. These data were recapitulated in vivo, where G/G homozygotes had significantly higher resistin mRNA levels in human abdominal subcutaneous fat. A significant interaction was also found between the -180C>G SNP, a marker of oxidative stress (NAD[P]H quinone oxidoreductase mRNA) and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. In addition, resistin mRNA was positively and independently correlated with insulin resistance and hepatic fat as measured by liver X-ray attenuation. These data implicate resistin in the pathophysiology of the human insulin resistance syndrome, an effect mediated by the -180C>G promoter SNP and potentially cellular oxidative stress.     

Prognostic significance of the deleted in colorectal cancer gene protein expression in high-risk resected gastric carcinoma

The deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) gene is a candidate tumor suppressor gene that may be associated with differentiation and proliferation of normal cells. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of 18q, where the gene is located, and absence of DCC protein expression have been associated with worse prognosis in certain subgroups of patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma. We studied the prognostic significance of loss-of-protein expression in 66 patients with resected gastric cancer with a high probability of relapse (T3, T4, N+). The DCC protein was detected with immunohistochemistry using an anti-DCC monoclonal antibody on paraffin-embedded sections. The DCC protein expression was present in 51 cases (77.3%) and absent in 15 cases (22.7%). Poorly differentiated and signet ring carcinomas had significantly lower expression than more differentiated tumors (p < 0.05) as did diffuse-type tumors compared to intestinal and mixed (p < 0.01). There was no correlation with proliferation rate, estimated immunohistochemically using an anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) monoclonal antibody. Absence of DCC protein was an independent favorable prognostic factor (median survival 57 months vs. 18 months, p = 0.0176). The DCC protein expression was correlated with relapse site: all patients with distant metastases were positive for DCC staining, while one-third of patients with local/peritoneal relapse were negative (p < 0.01). In conclusion, DCC protein expression seems to be a significant prognostic factor in high-risk resected gastric cancer. Our results support previous data associating the DCC gene with differentiation and indicate that this gene may play a role in the metastatic potential of these tumors. These findings need to be confirmed by future larger studies.     

Successful treatment of human immunodeficiency virus-related Castleman's disease: a case report and literature review

Multicentric Castleman's disease is increasingly recognized as an aggressive illness with a rapidly fatal outcome in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. In the absence of optimal therapy, various therapeutic interventions have been tested with disappointing results; only five reports with a successful outcome have been described. Presented herein is a 66-year-old HIV-infected man with multicentric Castleman's disease. Early administration of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone resulted in prolonged clinical recovery. The relevant literature is also reviewed.