Self-Mutilation in Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation

Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) is the term applied to a heterogeneous group of disorders resulting in iron deposition in the basal ganglia. Well-known phenotypic features are progressive regression with extra pyramidal involvement and a variable course. A 10-year-old child born to consanguineous parents presented with progressive generalized opisthotonic dystonia, retrocollis, oromandibular dyskinesias, apraxia for swallowing, optic atrophy and severe self-mutilation of lips. MR imaging showed brain iron accumulation. Other causes of self-mutilation were excluded. Early infantile onset, ophisthotonic dystonia with oromandibular dyskinesias and characteristic MR images are suggestive of NBIA. There is only one case reported in the literature of self-mutilation in this condition.     

Fetal antigen retained by mature neurons and ependyma studied with a monoclonal antibody (6B9)

A mouse monoclonal antibody (MAb 6B9, isotype IgM) was raised against autopsy tissue samples from the central nervous system (CNS) of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. By immunofluorescence microscopy, MAb 6B9 intensely stains most or all cells in fetal rats. However, MAb 6B9 differentially stains various cell types in adult rats. Neurons, ependymal cells, and adrenal chromaffin cells are stained intensely, whereas astrocytes and oligodendrocytes are not stained. The 6B9-reactive antigen (6B9 antigen) is sensitive to periodic acid, but insensitive to treatment with protease, RNase, or hyaluronidase. Results from immunofluorescence microscopy on semithin sections and cultured neuroblastoma cells indicate that 6B9 antigen is intracellular. This is supported by immunoelectron microscopy, where labeling for 6B9 antigen appears in the cytoplasm distinct from any identifiable organelle. Further studies on 6B9 antigen should reveal its chemical nature as well as the significance of developmental changes in its distribution.     

Genetic immunization with GPI-anchored anthrax protective antigen raises combined CD1d- and MHC II-restricted antibody responses by natural killer T cell-mediated help

Studies have demonstrated that lipid rafts ultimately regulate the endocytosis of anthrax toxin via clathrin dependent pathway. Interestingly, GPI-anchored protein rich rafts have also been shown to be transported down to the endocytic pathway to reducing late endosomes. Taking advantage of this parallelism, we tried translating the anthrax toxin natural intoxication mechanism by administering a DNA chimera that encoded protective antigen attached to a mammalian GPI-anchor sequence at its C-terminus (pGPI-PA63). We also designed a chimera that had an additional N-terminal TPA leader sequence (pTPA.GPI-PA63) with an aim to target GPI-PA63 to ER where new CD1 molecules are synthesized. Analysis of antibody titers demonstrated successful priming and potential IgG titers after the first boost. In vitro cell proliferation studies in the presence of GPI-attached PA63 peptides revealed that there was a clonal expansion of CD4⁺ NK1.1⁺ helper T cell population which rapidly produced IL-4 in response to T cell receptor ligation. These cells provided direct B cell help that aided IgG formation. Effector responses generated by NKT cells were found to be MHC II-independent and CD1d-restricted. In addition, the group pTPA.GPI-PA63 also displayed low magnitude MHC-II restricted (CD1d-independent) NKT cell and CD4⁺ T cell helper responses in response to non-GPI attached PA63 peptides which overall resulted in the heightened responses seen for this group. Importantly, DNA vaccination mediated the generation of high avidity neutralizing antibodies that mediated protection against lethal toxin challenge.     

Melatonin rhythms and pineal structure in a tropical bat, Anoura geoffroyi, that does not use photoperiod to regulate seasonal reproduction

Abstract: It has been hypothesized that pineal structure and function might differ between temperate zone and tropical species of mammals because of lower amplitudes of seasonal change in photoperiod and, in some areas, less seasonal climatic variation. Anoura geoffroyi produce a single offspring in November or December of each year on the Caribbean island of Trinidad, at 10°N latitude in the deep tropics. Previous work has shown that this population lacks reproductive responses to photoperiod, and must be enforcing seasonal breeding using a non-photoperiodic cue. Anoura geoffroyi have a minute, thin, and rod-like pineal gland. Throughout much of its length, the pineal courses irregularly within the ventrolateral wall of the great cerebral vein. This intimate relationship may have functional implications. Despite having a very small pineal gland, this species produced a nocturnal rise in serum melatonin. Serum melatonin levels in most individuals were below or near undetectable levels during the light period and rose to a peak averaging 100 pg/ml in the last third of the dark period. Our results indicate that, although the pineal gland of A. geoffroyi is extremely small, serum melatonin levels are comparable to those of other mammals.     

Inhibition kinetics of human kidney aldose and aldehyde reductases by aldose reductase inhibitors

Kinetic patterns of inhibition of homogenous human kidney aldose reductase (AR, EC 1.1.1.21) and aldehyde reductase II (AR II, EC 1.1.1.19) by statil, ICI 105552 [1-(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)-3-methyl-1,2-dihydro-2-oxoquinol-4-yl acetic acid], tolrestat, alrestatin, chromone carboxylic acid (CCA), quercetin, phenobarbital and sorbinil were studied. On the basis of the kinetic nature of inhibition, the inhibitors were classified into four distinct categories. For aldose reductase, sorbinil and phenobarbital were noncompetitive (NC; category I) and CCA and alrestatin were uncompetitive (UC; category II) to both the aldehyde substrate and NADPH. Quercetin and ICI 105552 were NC to the aldehyde and UC to NADPH (category III) and tolrestat and statil were UC to the aldehyde and NC to NADPH (category IV). For AR II, sorbinil and alrestatin were category I inhibitors, ICI 105552 and statil belong to category II, phenobarbital, tolrestat and CCA to category III, and quercetin to category IV. To determine the specificity of inhibition, the ratios of the inhibition constants (Kii) for AR and AR II were calculated. A lower ratio indicates greater specificity. With aldehyde as the varied substrate the specificity ratios were: statil less than ICI 105552 less than alrestatin less than tolrestat less than quercetin less than CCA less than sorbinil less than phenobarbital, and with NADPH as the varied substrate, ICI 105552 less than statil less than alrestatin less than tolrestat less than quercetin less than CCA less than sorbinil less than phenobarbital. For AR, double-inhibition plots generated for one inhibitor from each kinetic category versus sorbinil showed that AR inhibitors of categories I-III bind to the same site on the protein molecule as sorbinil. However, tolrestat seemed to bind to a site different from the sorbinil binding site. For AR II, inhibitors from all the four categories appeared to bind to the same inhibitor binding site.