Virulence of Streptococcus mutans: comparison of the effects of a coupling sugar and sucrose on certain metabolic activities and cariogenicity.

A coupling sugar preparation (sucrose-free [CSSF]), which contains a mixture of sugars, oligosaccharides, and oligosaccharides terminated at the reducing end by sucrose, served as a substrate for growth and acid production by Streptococcus mutans 6715. However, CSSF was a poor substrate for cellular aggregation, glucosyltransferase activity, plaque formation, and adherence of cells to glass surfaces. In the presence of sucrose, CSSF inhibited glucosyltransfer activity and adherence of cells. The substitution of CSSF for sucrose in a rat diet significantly reduced caries score. Furthermore, rats fed diets containing sucrose and CSSF had significantly fewer carious lesions than did rats fed a sucrose diet.     

Cats are protected against feline immunodeficiency virus infection following vaccination with a homologous AP-1 binding site-deleted mutant

Summary.  Following establishment, via the vaginal route, of infection with an AP-1 binding-site deleted mutant (ΔAP-1) of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), cats were challenged with a homologous intact strain (TM2) of FIV. The cats were observed for 23 weeks to evaluate the efficacy of the ΔAP-1 against the homologous TM2 strain challenge. These two viruses were differentiated by Southern blotting after amplification of proviral DNA by semi-nested polymerase chain reaction in DNAs of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and tissues. A TM2-specific band was detected in one cat exposed to but not infected with ΔAP-1, but not in two ΔAP-1-infected. These results indicate that ΔAP-1 could protect against subsequent challenge with homologous FIV TM2 strain. Received December 23, 1998 Accepted March 31, 1998     

Heterotopic transplantation of the failing rat heart as a model of left ventricular mechanical unloading toward recovery

The left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is usually used in patients with end-stage heart failure as a bridge to transplantation. Recently, some studies have reported functional recovery with the use of an LVAD, although the mechanisms responsible for recovery are not fully understood. We investigated the functional recovery of the infarcted, failing rat heart in response to mechanical unloading after heterotopic transplantation. Heart failure was induced in Lewis rats by ligating the left anterior descending artery. After 4 weeks, the infarcted hearts were harvested and heterotopically transplanted. The transplanted infarcted heart was removed after 2 weeks of unloading and examined for hypertrophy and fibrosis, as well as for mRNA levels encoding for brain natriuretic peptide, sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase2a (SERCA2a), and beta1- and beta2-adrenergic receptors. Normal and infarcted rats without transplantation served as control animals. The infarcted heart was hypertrophied as evidenced by an increase in heart weight and myocyte diameter. After unloading the infarcted heart for 2 weeks, there was a decrease in heart weight and myocyte diameter. However, the percentage of myocardial fibrosis increased after unloading. The mRNA expression of brain natriuretic peptide and the beta2-adrenergic receptor significantly improved after mechanical unloading. The levels of SERCA2a mRNA tended to increase after unloading. In conclusion, unloading the failing, infarcted heart can help normalize left ventricular hypertrophy and cardiac gene expression. This unloading model appears to partially mimic the conditions of hemodynamic support with an LVAD in heart failure patients and potentially offers insights into the mechanisms of functional recovery.     

A pedigree analysis with minimised ascertainment bias shows anticipation in Met30-transthyretin related familial amyloid polyneuropathy.

In type I familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) caused by a variant Met30-transthyretin (TTR), genetic anticipation has been reported. To determine whether anticipation of the disease is a true biological phenomenon or the result of ascertainment bias, we compared age at onset of the affected child with that of the affected parent in 68 parent-child pairs (including data on assumed age at onset and on asymptomatic obligate heterozygotes and parents at obligate 50% risk) in 15 families. Excluding the parent-child pairs involving the proband and "bilineal pairs", onset occurred earlier in the child than in the transmitting parent in 60 out of 68 "unilineal pairs". After correction for ascertainment bias resulting from incomplete penetrance and reduced biological fitness in early onset patients, the number of anticipation pairs (60 pairs) was still significantly larger than that of non-anticipation pairs (29.7 pairs) (p < 0.05). When the children were sons, the difference in age at onset was significantly greater in the mother-son pairs than in the father-son pairs (p = 0.023). Although not all ascertainment biases could be eliminated, these data show strong evidence that anticipation in the transmission of Met30-TTR FAP is a true biological phenomenon.     

Expression of lysosome-associated membrane proteins in human colorectal neoplasms and inflammatory diseases

The lysosome-associated membrane proteins (LAMPs)-1 and -2 are major constituents of the lysosomal membrane. These molecules are known to be among the most glycosylated proteins of several types of cells and cancer cells, and their expression in cancer cells is marked by a distinct difference in the structures of the oligosaccharides as compared to nonmalignant cells. We analyzed by immunohistochemistry the intensity and distribution of LAMP-1 and LAMP-2 in 9 human colorectal cancer cases and in 16 control cases, including inflammatory diseases (diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease). LAMP proteins were expressed more intensely in the epithelium of colorectal neoplasms than in normal mucosa (P < 0.05), and no significant differences were found between adenoma and cancer cells (P > 0.05) in the same tissue section. Further, in sites of inactive inflammatory diseases and nonneoplastic areas in cancer specimens, no significant increases in epithelial LAMP proteins were observed, even in the proliferative zone of the lower crypt epithelium. Northern blot analysis showed increased expression of LAMP-1 and LAMP-2A in two of three colorectal cancers examined and increased LAMP-2B in all three cancers. Our findings suggest that LAMPs are related to neoplastic progression, but there is no direct association between the expression of LAMP molecules and cell proliferation.     

Plasmid-cured Salmonella enteritidis AL1192 as a candidate for a live vaccine.

We report the immunizing capacity of Salmonella enteritidis AL1192, a strain that has been cured of a 36-megadalton plasmid, to protect ddY mice against subsequent challenge with virulent salmonellas. This strain, which was given subcutaneously at a dose of 10(6) organisms, provided significant protection against oral, subcutaneous, or intraperitoneal challenge by virulent wild-type strains of not only S. enteritidis, but also S. dublin, S. naestved, and S. typhimurium.     

Lissencephaly gene product. Localization in the central nervous system and loss of immunoreactivity in Miller-Dieker syndrome.

The Miller-Dieker syndrome, a disorder of neuronal migration, is caused by deletions of chromosome 17p13.3. Recently, a gene on 17p13.3, named LIS-1, was identified as the causative gene for this cerebral anomaly. Here we immunochemically and immunohistochemically localized the gene product, LIS-1 protein, among control normal subjects and patients with Miller-Dieker syndrome, using specific antibodies raised against synthetic peptide fragments of LIS-1 protein. Western blot analyses identified LIS-1 protein as a 45-kd, heparin-binding protein abundant in the cytosolic fraction. The protein was restricted to the central nervous system and detectable in brains of controls of all ages, from the early fetal to adult period. Immunostaining demonstrated the widespread distribution of LIS-1 protein in the brain and spinal cord of controls and a loss of immunoreactivity in individuals with Miller-Dieker syndrome. These results are consistent with the notion that a deficiency of LIS-1 protein is the direct cause of the brain malformation and that the protein plays a critical role in neuronal migration.     

Histochemical studies on glycosaminoglycans in Bruch's membrane of postnatal rat eyes

Localization of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) in Bruch's membrane of postnatal rat eyeballs was examined histochemically. Fixed eyeballs from postnatal rats (ages 5 days and 8 weeks) were routinely processed and embedded in paraffin wax or Quetol 651 resin. Paraffin-embedded tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin or sensitized high iron diamine procedure in combination with selective methods such as GAG-degrading enzyme digestions and/or a chemical modification, and examined by light microscopy. Quetol 651-embedded ultrathin sections were stained with heavy metals and examined by electron microscopy. In rats at postnatal day 5, Bruch's membrane contained mainly chondroitin sulfate (CS) and heparan sulfate (HS). In contrast, at 8 weeks after birth the membrane included a large amount of dermatan sulfate (DS) and HS. According to electron microscopic findings, Bruch's membrane on day 5 consisted of only 3 layers without a central elastic layer. However, at 8 weeks after birth the membrane was constructed of 5 layers. These findings suggested that the difference in GAG molecular species in the membranes at 5 days and at 8 weeks after birth could be correlated with the development and maturation of the collagenous layer in Bruch's membrane. Moreover, maturation of Bruch's membrane may contributes to the architectural stabilization of the outer portions of the photoreceptor cells.     

Absence of all components of the flagellar export and synthesis machinery differentially alters virulence of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium in models of typhoid fever, survival in macrophages, tissue culture invasiveness, and calf enterocolitis

In this study, we constructed an flhD (the master flagellar regulator gene) mutant of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and compared the virulence of the strain to that of the wild-type strain in a series of assays that included the mouse model of typhoid fever, the mouse macrophage survival assay, an intestinal epithelial cell adherence and invasion assay, and the calf model of enterocolitis. We found that the flhD mutant was more virulent than its parent in the mouse and displayed slightly faster net growth between 4 and 24 h of infection in mouse macrophages. Conversely, the flhD mutant exhibited diminished invasiveness for human and mouse intestinal epithelial cells, as well as a reduced capacity to induce fluid secretion and evoke a polymorphonuclear leukocyte response in the calf ligated-loop assay. These findings, taken with the results from virulence assessment assays done on an fljB fliC mutant of serovar Typhimurium that does not produce flagellin but does synthesize the flagellar secretory apparatus, indicate that neither the presence of flagella (as previously reported) nor the synthesis of the flagellar export machinery are necessary for pathogenicity of the organism in the mouse. Conversely, the presence of flagella is required for the full invasive potential of the bacterium in tissue culture and for the influx of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the calf intestine, while the flagellar secretory components are also necessary for the induction of maximum fluid secretion in that enterocolitis model. A corollary to this conclusion is that, as has previously been surmised but not demonstrated in a comparative investigation of the same mutant strains, the mouse systemic infection and macrophage assays measure aspects of virulence different from those of the tissue culture invasion assay, and the latter is more predictive of findings in the calf enterocolitis model.     

Virulence of Rhodococcus equi isolates from patients with and without AIDS.

Rhodococcus equi is an emerging opportunistic pathogen of human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients. Thirty-nine isolates of R. equi from immunocompromised patients with and without AIDS were analyzed for the presence of virulence plasmid DNA, expression of 15- to 17-kDa antigens, and their pathogenicities in mice. Of the human isolates, eight contained an 85-kb virulence plasmid, expressed 15- to 17-kDa antigens, and were virulent in mice. Nineteen isolates carried cryptic plasmids of various sizes, and the remaining 12 isolates did not contain any plasmids. These 31 isolates did not express virulence-associated antigens and were not virulent in mice. The results suggested that opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients could be caused by both virulent and avirulent R. equi strains and that the pathogenesis of R. equi infection in immunocompromised patients appears to be different from that which occurs in foals.