Depression, APOE genotype and subjective memory impairment: a cross-sectional study in an African-Caribbean population

BACKGROUND: Subjective memory impairment (SMI) is common in older populations but its aetiology and clinical significance is uncertain. Depression has been reported to be strongly associated with SMI. Associations with objective cognitive impairment are less clear cut. Other factors suggested to be associated with SMI include poor physical health and the apolipoprotein E (APOE) epsilon4 allele. Studies of SMI have been predominantly confined to white Caucasian populations. METHOD: A community study was carried out in a UK African-Caribbean population aged 55-75, sampled from primary care lists. Twenty-three per cent were classified with SMI. Depression was defined using the 10-item Geriatric Depression Scale. Other aetiological factors investigated were education, objective cognitive function, APOE genotype, disablement and vascular disease/risk. The principal analysis was restricted to 243 participants scoring > 20 on the Mini-Mental State Examination (85%). A second analysis included all 290 participants. RESULTS: Depression, self-reported physical impairment and APOE epsilon4 were associated with SMI. The association between SMI and physical impairment was not explained by depression, vascular disease/risk, or disability/handicap. The association between epsilon4 and SMI increased as MMSE scores decreased and was particularly strong in those with depression. The epsilon4 allele was present in 69% (95% CI 41-89%) of those with depression and SMI compared with 28% (20-36%) of those with neither. CONCLUSIONS: Depression may not be a sufficient explanation for subjective memory complaints. Memory complaints in the presence of depression are associated with high prevalence of epsilon4 and therefore, presumably, a raised risk of subsequent dementia.     

Autoimmunity and inflammation due to a gain-of-function mutation in phospholipase C gamma 2 that specifically increases external Ca2+ entry

The identification of specific genetic loci that contribute to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases has proved difficult due to the contribution of multiple interacting genes, the inherent genetic heterogeneity present in human populations, and a lack of new mouse mutants. By using N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis to discover new immune regulators, we identified a point mutation in the murine phospholipase Cg2 (Plcg2) gene that leads to severe spontaneous inflammation and autoimmunity. The disease is composed of an autoimmune component mediated by autoantibody immune complexes and B and T cell independent inflammation. The underlying mechanism is a gain-of-function mutation in Plcg2, which leads to hyperreactive external calcium entry in B cells and expansion of innate inflammatory cells. This mutant identifies Plcg2 as a key regulator in an autoimmune and inflammatory disease mediated by B cells and non-B, non-T haematopoietic cells and emphasizes that by distinct genetic modulation, a single point mutation can lead to a complex immunological phenotype.     

Antibody responses to the herpes simplex virus type 2 glycoprotein G in sera of human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients in Slovakia.

Thirty sera of human immunodeficiency virus-positive (HIV+) and 37 sera of HIV-negative (HIV-) individuals in Slovakia were tested for the presence of antibodies to herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) glycoprotein G (gG). A notable difference between the prevalence of HSV-2-specific antibodies in HIV+ and that in HIV- individuals was found (37% vs. 11%) confirming and extending previous reports that HSV-2 infection is an important risk factor for HIV transmission. Efforts toward the detection of HSV-2 infection and its therapy by anti-HSV drugs should be considered an important factor in decreasing the risk of contracting and spreading of HIV in Slovakia.     

The interaction of 1-alkyl-4, 4-diphenylpiperidines with the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine receptor binding site

Summary 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is a selective neurotoxin which produces degeneration of the nigrostriatal bundles in the central nervous system of man and animals. In these areas of the brain are concentrated the receptor binding sites for [³H]MPTP. 1-Alkyl-4, 4-diphenylpiperidines displace [³H]MPTP from these binding sites with K₁ values in the micromolar range. The t-butyl analogue in this class of substances, budipine, is a novel therapeutic agent for Parkinsonism whose mechanism has not yet been fully clarified. The affinity of budipine for the MPTP receptor binding site was determined as a K₁ value of 2.2M. Other 4, 4-diphenylpiperidine derivatives such as 1-methyl-4, 4-diphenylpiperidine and 1-i-propyl-4, 4-diphenylpiperidine have substantially lower affinities. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors such as deprenyl, pargyline and harmaline have affinities to the MPTP receptors which parallel their affinity for the B type of monoamine oxidase (MAO B). This supports the theory that the MPTP receptor binding sites is identical with membrane bound MAO B.     

Inhaled environmental combustion particles cause myocardial injury in the Wistar Kyoto rat.

Epidemiologists have associated particulate matter (PM) air pollution with cardiovascular morbidity and premature mortality worldwide. However, experimental evidence demonstrating causality and pathogenesis of particulate matter (PM)-induced cardiovascular damage has been insufficient. We hypothesized that protracted, repeated inhalation by rats of oil combustion-derived, fugitive emission PM (EPM), similar in metal composition to selected sources of urban air PM, causes exposure duration- and dose-dependent myocardial injury in susceptible rat strains. Zinc was the only primary water-leachable/bioavailable element of this EPM. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD), Wistar Kyoto (WKY), and spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rats were exposed nose-only to EPM (2, 5, or 10 mg/m(3), 6 h/day for 4 consecutive days or 10 mg/m(3), 6 h/day, 1 day/week for 4 or 16 consecutive weeks). Two days following the last EPM exposure, cardiac and pulmonary tissues were examined histologically. The results showed that particle-laden alveolar macrophages were the only pulmonary lesions observed in all three rat strains. However, WKY rats exposed to EPM (10 mg/m(3) 6 h/day, 1 day/week for 16 weeks) demonstrated cardiac lesions with inflammation and degeneration. To further characterize the nature of EPM-associated lesions, more rigorous histopathological and histochemical techniques were employed for WKY and SD rats. We examined the hearts for myocardial degeneration, inflammation, fibrosis, calcium deposits, apoptosis, and the presence of mast cells. Decreased numbers of granulated mast cells, and multifocal myocardial degeneration, chronic-active inflammation, and fibrosis were present in 5 of 6 WKY rats exposed to EPM for 16 weeks. None of these lesions were present in WKY exposed to clean air. EPM-related cardiac lesions were indistinguishable from air-exposed controls in SD and SH rats. This study demonstrates that long-term inhalation exposures to environmentally relevant PM containing bioavailable zinc can cause myocardial injury in sensitive rats. These findings provide supportive evidence for the epidemiological associations of cardiovascular morbidity and ambient PM.     

Molecular weights of poly(butyl cyanoacrylate) nanoparticles determined by mass spectrometry and size exclusion chromatography

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) were employed to elucidate the chemical composition, mean number average molecular weight (M_n), mean weight average molecular weight (M_w), and polydispersity (PD) of poly(butyl cyanoacrylate) (PBCA) manufactured by emulsion polymerisation. Both methods gave similar results for M_n, but substantial differences were observed for M_w and PD, with MALDI producing consistently lower values which could not be improved by off-line coupling of SEC and MALDI. MALDI gave a more detailed view on the chemical composition of the cyanoacrylate and revealed the presence of two additional polymer series with different end groups besides the expected PBCA series, which showed different retention in SEC. Their formation is explained by the secession/addition of formaldehyde from/to the regular polymer via (reverse) Knoevenagel reaction. In additional experiments, the influence of different pH on PBCA-NP during polymerisation was examined by comparison of polymerisation yield and particle diameter to their chemical composition as revealed by the MALDI spectra. The most uniform nanoparticles, with the highest polymerisation yield, narrowest particle size, and mass distribution were produced at pH 1.     

Blocking “don't eat me” signal of CD47-SIRPα in hematological malignancies,an in-depth review

Hematological malignancies express high levels of CD47 as a mechanism of immune evasion. CD47-SIRPα triggers a cascade of events that inhibit phagocytosis. Preclinical research supports several models of antibody-mediated blockade of CD47-SIRPα resulting in cell death signaling, phagocytosis of cells bearing stress signals, and priming of tumor-specific T cell responses. Four different antibody molecules designed to target the CD47-SIRPα interaction in malignancy are currently being studied in clinical trials: Hu5F9-G4, CC-90002, TTI-621, and ALX-148. Hu5F9-G4, a humanized anti-CD47 blocking antibody is currently being studied in four different Phase I trials. These studies may lay the groundwork for therapeutic bispecific antibodies. Bispecific antibody (CD20-CD47SL) fusion of anti-CD20 (Rituximab) and anti-CD47 also demonstrated a synergistic effect against lymphoma in preclinical models. This review summarizes the large body of preclinical evidence and emerging clinical data supporting the use of antibodies designed to target the CD47-SIRPα interaction in leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma.     

Association of deferring a quit attempt with smoking cessation success: A secondary analysis

Several smoking cessation treatments ask smokers to wait to quit to obtain treatment. We report a secondary analysis of whether a later quit attempt is associated with less success. In a placebo-controlled trial of varenicline that allowed smokers to set their quit date within 5 weeks after starting medication, 24% had their first quit attempt during week 1, and 27%, 19%, 18% and 12% in subsequent weeks. Continuous abstinence between 9 and 24 weeks declined over time; that is, from 36% to 37%, 35%, 29%, and 18% across the 5 weeks (p < 0.001). The only statistically significant difference was between the last week and prior weeks. Whether a later quit attempt actually causes less success or is a marker for other variables (e.g., low motivation) is unclear.