Purification of a soluble tetrodotoxin-sensitive protein from the cytoplasmic fraction of bovine brain tissue

Highly purified protein inducing tetrodotoxin-dependent Na fluxes in liposomal membrane was obtained from the cytoplasmic fraction of the bovine brain. The protein was purified by anion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Servacell and wheat germ agglutinin sepharose (WGA) followed by gel filtration on sepharose 4B. It is a high-molecular weight acidic glycoprotein; during denaturation under reducing conditions it forms 55 kD subunits. It is suggested that the tetrodotoxin-sensitive protein could be a soluble intracellular precursor of the voltage-dependent sodium channels.     

Morphological and histochemical changes in the thyroid gland after a single exposure to 2,4-DA herbicide

Pathomorphological and quantitative histochemical studies revealed injury and changes in the membrane transport and synthetic processes in the thyroid gland of rats after acute exposure to herbicide 2,4-DA (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid amine salt). Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 124, No. 12, pp. 676–677, December, 1997     

Caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK potentiates heat shock-induced apoptosis and HSP70 synthesis in macrophages

Caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK potentiated heat shock-induced apoptosis in macrophages. Z-VAD-FMK did not activate HSP70 synthesis, but significantly increased the intensity of this process during heat shock. It cannot be excluded that caspases abolish HSP70 accumulation under these conditions. The HSP70 synthesis inhibitor quercetin potentiated DNA fragmentation in macrophages cocultured with Z-VAD-FMK after heat shock. HSP70 play an important role in the protection of macrophages from caspase-independent apoptosis.Translated from Byulleten Eksperimentalnoi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 138, No. 9, pp. 261–263, September, 2004     

Functionalization of Polycaprolactone Electrospun Osteoplastic Scaffolds with Fluorapatite and Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles: Biocompatibility Comparison of Human Versus Mouse Mesenchymal Stem Cells

A capability for effective tissue reparation is a living requirement for all multicellular organisms. Bone exits as a precisely orchestrated balance of bioactivities of bone forming osteoblasts and bone resorbing osteoclasts. The main feature of osteoblasts is their capability to produce massive extracellular matrix enriched with calcium phosphate minerals. Hydroxyapatite and its composites represent the most common form of bone mineral providing mechanical strength and significant osteoinductive properties. Herein, hydroxyapatite and fluorapatite functionalized composite scaffolds based on electrospun polycaprolactone have been successfully fabricated. Physicochemical properties, biocompatibility and osteoinductivity of generated matrices have been validated. Both the hydroxyapatite and fluorapatite containing polycaprolactone composite scaffolds demonstrated good biocompatibility towards mesenchymal stem cells. Moreover, the presence of both hydroxyapatite and fluorapatite nanoparticles increased scaffolds’ wettability. Furthermore, incorporation of fluorapatite nanoparticles enhanced the ability of the composite scaffolds to interact and support the mesenchymal stem cells attachment to their surfaces as compared to hydroxyapatite enriched composite scaffolds. The study of osteoinductive properties showed the capacity of fluorapatite and hydroxyapatite containing composite scaffolds to potentiate the stimulation of early stages of mesenchymal stem cells’ osteoblast differentiation. Therefore, polycaprolactone based composite scaffolds functionalized with fluorapatite nanoparticles generates a promising platform for future bone tissue engineering applications.     

Aspirin in primary prevention of ischemic heart disease

High efficacy of aspirin in secondary prevention after myocardial infarction and stroke is well established. However the place of aspirin in primary prevention of coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases remains questionable. Analysis of results of large controlled studies of efficacy and safety of aspirin in high risk subjects shows that low doses of aspirin should be used in men with high risk of coronary heart disease but without main risk factors of stroke.