Detection of Intimins α, β, γ, and δ, Four Intimin Derivatives Expressed by Attaching and Effacing Microbial Pathogens

Intimins are outer membrane proteins expressed by enteric bacterial pathogens capable of inducing intestinal attachment-and-effacement lesions. A eukaryotic cell-binding domain is located within a 280-amino-acid (Int280) carboxy terminus of intimin polypeptides. Polyclonal antiserum was raised against Int280 from enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) serotypes O127:H6 and O114:H2 (anti-Int280-H6 and anti-Int280-H2, respectively), and Western blot analysis was used to explore the immunological relationship between the intimin polypeptides expressed by different clinical EPEC and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) isolates, a rabbit diarrheagenic E. coli strain (RDEC-1), and Citrobacter rodentium. Anti-Int280-H6 serum reacted strongly with some EPEC serotypes, whereas anti-Int280-H2 serum reacted strongly with strains belonging to different EPEC and EHEC serotypes, RDEC-1, and C. rodentium. These observations were confirmed by using purified Int280 in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and by immunogold and immunofluorescence labelling of whole bacterial cells. Some bacterial strains were recognized poorly by either antiserum (e.g., EPEC O86:H34 and EHEC O157:H7). By using PCR primers designed on the basis of the intimin-encoding eae gene sequences of serotype O127:H6, O114:H2, and O86:H34 EPEC and serotype O157:H7 EHEC, we could distinguish between different eae gene derivatives. Accordingly, the different intimin types were designated α, β, δ, and γ, respectively.     

Is Irregular Regression of Corpora Lutea in Climacteric Women Caused by Age-Induced Alterations in the “Tissue Control System”?

PROBLEM: We have recently observed that the regression of corpora lutea (CL) in women during the reproductive period of life is accompanied by a diminution of Thy-1 differentiation protein release from vascular pericytes and an accumulation of T lymphocytes and activated macrophages among both degenerating granulosa lutein cells (GLC) and theca lutein cells. These data suggest that the immune system and other stromal factors, representing components of the “tissue control system,” may play a role in regression of the CL. We investigated degenerating CL from climacteric women to address the possibility that the decline of immune functions with advancing age may result in incomplete regression of luteal tissue. This could contribute to the altered hormonal profiles and abnormal uterine bleeding that frequently occur during the climacteric. METHOD: Immunoperoxidase staining and image analysis were used to localize Thy-1 differentiation protein of vascular pericytes, cytokeratin staining of GLC, neural cell adhesion molecule expression by theca lutein cells, CD15 of neutrophils, CD4, CD14, CD68, and leukocyte common antigens of macrophages, and CD3 and CD8 determinants of T lymphocytes. We also investigated the expression of luteinizing hormone receptor (LH receptor) and mitogen activated protein kinases (MAP kinases) in luteal cells. Samples of regressing luteal tissue were obtained during the follicular phase from perimenopausal women (age 45–50) who exhibited prolonged or irregular cycles. For comparison, luteal tissues from women with regular cycles (age 29–45) and CL of pregnancy were also investigated. RESULTS: Corpora lutea of the climacteric women exhibited irregular regression of luteal tissue characterized by a lack of cytoplasmic vacuolization and nuclear pyknosis in GLC, and by a persistence of theca lutein cells exhibiting hyperplasia and adjacent theca externa layers. This was accompanied by a continuing release of Thy-1 differentiation protein from vascular pericytes. Persisting GLC lacked surface expression of macrophage markers (CD4, CD14, CD68 and leukocyte common antigen) as well as nuclear granules exhibiting CD15 of neutrophils, detected in regularly regressing GLC. In addition, such persisting GLC showed weak or no LH receptor expression, and retained the expression of cytokeratin. They also exhibited enhanced staining for MAP kinases. Strong cytoplasmic MAP kinase expression with occasional nuclear translocation was also detected in persisting theca lutein cells, indicating high metabolic activity of these cells. T lymphocytes, although occasionally present in luteal stroma within luteal convolutions, did not invade among persisting GLC and were virtually absent from layers of theca externa and theca lutein cells. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that the regressing CL in climacteric women may exhibit persistence of luteal cells, perhaps because of age-induced alterations of the immune system and other local stromal homeostatic mechanisms involved in the elimination of luteal cells. Persisting GLC and/or theca lutein cells may exhibit abnormal hormonal secretion that contributes to the alteration of target tissues, such as the endometrium, resulting in abnormal uterine bleeding, hyperplasia, and neoplasia.     

Threshold effect of urinary glycosaminoglycans and the walk test as indicators of disease progression in a survey of subjects with Mucopolysaccharidosis VI (Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome)

A cross-sectional survey in individuals affected with the lysosomal storage disease Mucopolysaccharidosis VI (MPS VI) was conducted to establish demographics, urinary glycosaminoglycan (GAG) levels, and clinical progression of the disease. The survey evaluated 121 bona fide MPS VI-affected individuals over the age of 4 years from 15 countries across the Americas, Europe, and Australasia representing greater than 10% of the estimated world prevalence of the disease. A medical history, complete physical exam, urinary GAG determination, and assessment of several clinical measures related to physical endurance, pulmonary function, joint range of motion, strength, and quality of life were completed for each participant. Although a wide variation in clinical presentation was observed, several general findings were obtained reflecting progression of the disease. Impaired physical endurance, as measured by the distance achieved in a 6-min walk, could be demonstrated across all age groups of MPS VI-affected individuals. High urinary GAG values (>200 mug/mg creatinine) were associated with an accelerated clinical course comprised of age-adjusted short stature and low body weight, impaired endurance, compromised pulmonary function, and reduced joint range of motion. An unexpected result was the predominance of urinary GAG values <100 mug/mg creatinine for those participants over the age of 20 years. Pending the collection of longitudinal data, these results suggest that urinary GAG levels predict clinical morbidity, and longer-term survival is associated with urinary GAG levels below a threshold of 100 mug/mg creatinine.     

Neutrophil cytochemistry in bacterial infection.

A new cytochemical technique, sensitive to altered lysosomal membrane permeability of blood neutrophils, has been evaluated as a screening test for bacterial infection. This technique, for the lysosomal enzymes acid phosphatase and chloroacetate esterase, was compared with the neutrophil alkaline phosphatase and nitroblue tetrazolium tests. The mean score for each method was significantly higher in infected patients than in normal controls. There was, however, considerable overlap of individual scores between infected patients and ill, but uninfected, patients. This overlap limits the diagnostic value of existing cytochemical screening methods.     

Clonal analysis of Escherichia coli O2:K1 isolated from diseased humans and animals.

Forty-six Escherichia coli isolates of serotype O2:K1 from human urinary tract infections, chicken sepsis, and bovine mastitis were obtained from laboratories in England, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. The bacteria were compared for outer membrane protein (OMP) pattern, lipopolysaccharide pattern, electrophoretic mobilities of enzymes, and flagellar serotype and were tested for fimbriation, biotype, hydroxamate production, hemolysin production, antibiotic resistance, plasmid content, colicin production, and virulence in neonatal rats. Isolates from humans were assigned to two clonal groups; poultry isolates belonged to one of these clonal groups, whereas bovine isolates belonged to the other. Poultry and human isolates of the same clonal group could be distinguished only by their plasmid content. Strains within this group were heterogeneous with respect to biotype, fimbriation, virulence, and flagellar serotype. Human and bovine isolates of the second clonal group were distinguished by a minor change in OMP pattern and by their plasmid content. It is concluded that meaningful clonal groupings are best recognized by the combination of OMP and electrophoretic enzyme patterns. The O:K serotype can aid in the recognition of important subclones, whereas the other microbiological properties tested can vary widely within clonal groupings. Furthermore, we conclude that certain O:K serotypes can contain very different clonal groupings having little genetic relatedness.     

Analysis of human papillomavirus types in exophytic condylomata acuminata by hybrid capture and Southern blot techniques.

Exophytic condylomata acuminata of the external genitalia of 40 patients were analyzed for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA by the Southern blot and hybrid capture methods. All lesions were initially analyzed by the Southern blot method by using a mixture of HPV type 6, 11, 16, and 18 whole genomic probes. Southern blots demonstrated characteristic PstI restriction patterns of HPV type 6, 11, or 16 in all but one lesion. HPV 6 subtypes accounted for 28 of 39 HPV-positive lesions. Twenty-seven of these 28 lesions contained HPV type 6a, and 1 lesion contained HPV type 6c. Eight lesions contained HPV type 11 and three contained HPV type 16. Two of the three condylomata acuminata containing HPV type 16 were obtained from solid-organ transplant recipients receiving immunosuppressive medications. The third lesion containing HPV type 16 was a typical exophytic condyloma acuminatum from a woman with previously resected vulvar carcinoma. The hybrid capture assay detected HPV DNAs in all lesions except the Southern blot-negative lesion. Twenty-five lesions were positive for the A probe only (HPV types 6 and 11 and related types). All of these lesions were found to contain HPV type 6 or 11 sequences in the Southern blot assay. The remaining 14 lesions were positive for both the A probe and the B probe (HPV types 16 and 18 and related types). The strongest signal in these 14 lesions by the hybrid capture assay was consistent with the result of the Southern blot assay in all but one case. We conclude that (i) HPV type 6a is the most common type found in these lesions, (ii) HPV type 16 may be present more often in exophytic condylomata acuminata from immunosuppressed individuals, (iii) hybrid capture is a useful tool for documenting the presence of HPV sequences in DNAs from exophytic condylomata acuminata, and (iv) in samples containing multiple HPV types, hybrid capture allows detection of minority HPV types.     

Leiomyosarcoma of the breast: a pathologic and comparative genomic hybridization study of two cases

Leiomyosarcoma is an extremely rare form of primary breast sarcoma. We present the pathologic and genetic findings of two cases of leiomyosarcoma of the breast. The patients were 44 and 52 years of age and they presented with circumscribed masses of 3.0 and 4.5 cm, (greatest dimension) respectively. Microscopically, the two tumors showed diffuse proliferation of spindle cells with oval and blunt-ended nuclei arranged in short fascicles or bundles. There was moderate cytologic atypia in both cases, and 6 and 12 mitotic figures per 10 high power fields, respectively. No epithelial component was identified. The tumor cells were strongly immunoreactive for markers of smooth-muscle differentiation, including desmin, muscle-specific actin, and smooth-muscle actin. Comparative genomic hybridization analysis showed losses of 10q (two of two cases), 13q (two of two cases), 17p (one of two cases), and gains of 1q (one of two cases) and 17p (one of two cases). The patterns of chromosomal imbalances identified in leiomyosarcoma of the breast are similar to those reported in leiomyosarcoma of soft tissue and uterus and are different from those reported for leiomyoma, indicating that these alterations may be important for development of malignant smooth-muscle tumors regardless of site or organ of origin.     

C. elegans ORFeome Version 3.1: Increasing the Coverage of ORFeome Resources With Improved Gene Predictions

The first version of the Caenorhabditis elegans ORFeome cloning project, based on release WS9 of Wormbase (August 1999), provided experimental verifications for ~55% of predicted protein-encoding open reading frames (ORFs). The remaining 45% of predicted ORFs could not be cloned, possibly as a result of mispredicted gene boundaries. Since the release of WS9, gene predictions have improved continuously. To test the accuracy of evolving predictions, we attempted to PCR-amplify from a highly representative worm cDNA library and Gateway-clone ~4200 ORFs missed earlier and for which new predictions are available in WS100 (May 2003). In this set we successfully cloned 63% of ORFs with supporting experimental data (“touched” ORFs), and 42% of ORFs with no supporting experimental evidence (“untouched” ORFs). Approximately 2000 full-length ORFs were cloned in-frame, 13% of which were corrected in their exon/intron structure relative to WS100 predictions. In total, ~12,500 C. elegans ORFs are now available as Gateway Entry clones for various reverse proteomics (ORFeome v3.1). This work illustrates why the cloning of a complete C. elegans ORFeome, and likely the ORFeomes of other multicellular organisms, needs to be an iterative process that requires multiple rounds of experimental validation together with gradually improving gene predictions.