Participation of thromboxane A(2) in the cough response in guinea-pigs: antitussive effect of ozagrel.
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1. The purpose of this study was to investigate the involvement of thromboxane A(2) (TXA(2)) in the cough response in a guinea-pig cough model. Here, we describe results obtained using a selective TXA(2) synthetase inhibitor, ozagrel, and a selective TXA(2) agonist, U-46619. 2. Guinea-pigs were anaesthetized and exposed to an aerosol of capsaicin (100 microM) to elicit coughing. The number of coughs was 20.0+/-5.8 during capsaicin provocation (5 min), but only 2. 8+/-0.4 during a 5-min inhalation of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (P:<0.05). 3. TXB(2) levels in BAL were 101.4+/-8.0 and 58.4+/-8.7 pg ml(-1) following capsaicin and PBS inhalation, respectively (P:<0. 01), but there was no intergroup difference in the cell populations in BAL. 4. Inhalation of U-46619 did not induce a cough response by itself at concentrations of 100 ng ml(-1) to 10 microg ml(-1). However, it caused a 2 fold increase in the number of capsaicin-induced coughs. 5. To explore the source of the TXA(2), BAL cells were stimulated with capsaicin and the supernatants collected for analysis. The TXB(2) concentration in BAL was increased dose-dependently, indicating that TXA(2) is released from BAL cells in response to capsaicin. 6. Ozagrel was administered orally 1 h before a 5 min capsaicin provocation and the number of coughs was counted during the capsaicin inhalation. Ozagrel decreased the number of coughs dose-dependently (ED(50) value, 26.3 mg kg(-1)). 7. These results show that TXA(2) modulates the capsaicin-induced cough response by increasing capsaicin-sensitivity. (+info)
Mitochondrial electron transfer in the wheat pathogenic fungus Septoria tritici: on the role of alternative respiratory enzymes in fungicide resistance.
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Certain phytopathogenic fungi are able to express alternative NADH- and quinol-oxidising enzymes that are insensitive to inhibitors of the mitochondrial respiratory Complexes I and III. To assess the extent to which such enzymes confer tolerance to respiration-targeted fungicides, an understanding of mitochondrial electron transfer in these species is required. An isolation procedure has been developed which results in intact, active and coupled mitochondria from the wheat pathogen Septoria tritici, as evidenced by morphological and kinetic data. Exogenous NADH, succinate and malate/glutamate are readily oxidised, the latter activity being only partly (approx. 70%) sensitive to rotenone. Of particular importance was the finding that azoxystrobin (a strobilurin fungicide) potently inhibits fungal respiration at the level of Complex III. In some S. tritici strains investigated, a small but significant part of the respiratory activity (approx. 10%) is insensitive to antimycin A and azoxystrobin. Such resistant activity is sensitive to octyl gallate, a specific inhibitor of the plant alternative oxidase. This enzyme, however, could not be detected immunologically. On the basis of the above findings, a conceptual mitochondrial electron transfer chain is presented. Data are discussed in terms of developmental and environmental regulation of the composition of this chain. (+info)
Proton-coupled electron transfer at the Q(o) site: what type of mechanism can account for the high activation barrier?
(51/1129)
In Rhodobacter sphaeroides, transfer of the first electron in quinol oxidation by the bc(1) complex shows kinetic features (a slow rate (approx. 1.5 x 10(3)/s), high activation energy (approx. 65 kJ/mol) and reorganization energy, lambda (2.5 V)) that are unexpected from Marcus theory and the distances shown by the structures. Reduction of the oxidized iron-sulfur protein occurs after formation of the enzyme-substrate complex, and involves a H-transfer in which the electron transfer occurs through the approx. 7 A of a bridging histidine forming a H-bond with quinol and a ligand to 2Fe-2S. The anomalous kinetic features can be explained by a mechanism in which the electron transfer is constrained by coupled transfer of the proton. We discuss this in the context of mutant strains with modified E(m,7) and pK for the iron-sulfur protein, and Marcus theory for proton-coupled electron transfer. We suggest that transfer of the second proton and electron involve movement of semiquinone in the Q(o) site, and rotation of the Glu of the conserved -PEWY- sequence. Mutational studies show a key role for the domain proximal to heme b(L). The effects of mutation at Tyr-302 (Tyr-279 in bovine sequence) point to a possible linkage between conformational changes in the proximal domain, and changes leading to closure of the iron-sulfur protein access channel at the distal domain. (+info)
Biocompatibility of resin-modified filling materials.
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Increasing numbers of resin-based dental restorations have been placed over the past decade. During this same period, the public interest in the local and especially systemic adverse effects caused by dental materials has increased significantly. It has been found that each resin-based material releases several components into the oral environment. In particular, the comonomer, triethyleneglycol di-methacrylate (TEGDMA), and the 'hydrophilic' monomer, 2-hydroxy-ethyl-methacrylate (HEMA), are leached out from various composite resins and 'adhesive' materials (e.g., resin-modified glass-ionomer cements [GICs] and dentin adhesives) in considerable amounts during the first 24 hours after polymerization. Numerous unbound resin components may leach into saliva during the initial phase after polymerization, and later, due to degradation or erosion of the resinous restoration. Those substances may be systemically distributed and could potentially cause adverse systemic effects in patients. In addition, absorption of organic substances from unpolymerized material, through unprotected skin, due to manual contact may pose a special risk for dental personnel. This is borne out by the increasing numbers of dental nurses, technicians, and dentists who present with allergic reactions to one or more resin components, like HEMA, glutaraldehyde, ethyleneglycol di-methacrylate (EGDMA), and dibenzoyl peroxide (DPO). However, it must be emphasized that, except for conventional composite resins, data reported on the release of substances from resin-based materials are scarce. There is very little reliable information with respect to the biological interactions between resin components and various tissues. Those interactions may be either protective, like absorption to dentin, or detrimental, e.g., inflammatory reactions of soft tissues. Microbial effects have also been observed which may contribute indirectly to caries and irritation of the pulp. Therefore, it is critical, both for our patients and for the profession, that the biological effects of resin-based filling materials be clarified in the near future. (+info)
Splinting teeth--a review of methodology and clinical case reports.
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Splinting teeth to each other allows weakened teeth to be supported by neighbouring teeth, although the procedure can make oral hygiene procedures difficult. Several methods for splinting teeth, both extracoronal and intracoronal, as well as the materials commonly used for splinting, are described and illustrated. Two case reports are used to demonstrate the situations in which splinting might be appropriate. (+info)
Processes contributing to metabolic depression in hepatopancreas cells from the snail Helix aspersa.
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Cells isolated from the hepatopancreas of the land snail Helix aspersa strongly depress respiration both immediately in response to lowered P(O2) (oxygen conformation) and, in the longer term, during aestivation. These phenomena were analysed by dividing cellular respiration into non-mitochondrial and mitochondrial respiration using the mitochondrial poisons myxothiazol, antimycin and azide. Non-mitochondrial respiration accounted for a surprisingly large proportion, 65+/-5 %, of cellular respiration in control cells at 70 % air saturation. Non-mitochondrial respiration decreased substantially as oxygen tension was lowered, but mitochondrial respiration did not, and the oxygen-conforming behaviour of the cells was due entirely to the oxygen-dependence of non-mitochondrial oxygen consumption. Non-mitochondrial respiration was still responsible for 45+/-2 % of cellular respiration at physiological oxygen tension. Mitochondrial respiration was further subdivided into respiration used to drive ATP turnover and respiration used to drive futile proton cycling across the mitochondrial inner membrane using the ATP synthase inhibitor oligomycin. At physiological oxygen tensions, 34+/-5 % of cellular respiration was used to drive ATP turnover and 22+/-4 % was used to drive proton cycling, echoing the metabolic inefficiency previously observed in liver cells from mammals, reptiles and amphibians. The respiration rate of hepatopancreas cells from aestivating snails was only 37 % of the control value. This was caused by proportional decreases in non-mitochondrial and mitochondrial respiration and in respiration to drive ATP turnover and to drive proton cycling. Thus, the fraction of cellular respiration devoted to different processes remained constant and the cellular energy balance was preserved in the hypometabolic state. (+info)
Transepithelial resistance can be regulated by the intestinal brush-border Na(+)/H(+) exchanger NHE3.
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Initiation of intestinal Na(+)-glucose cotransport results in transient cell swelling and sustained increases in tight junction permeability. Since Na(+)/H(+) exchange has been implicated in volume regulation after physiological cell swelling, we hypothesized that Na(+)/H(+) exchange might also be required for Na(+)-glucose cotransport-dependent tight junction regulation. In Caco-2 monolayers with active Na(+)-glucose cotransport, inhibition of Na(+)/H(+) exchange with 200 microM 5-(N,N-dimethyl)- amiloride induced 36 +/- 2% increases in transepithelial resistance (TER). Evaluation using multiple Na(+)/H(+) exchange inhibitors showed that inhibition of the Na(+)/H(+) exchanger 3 (NHE3) isoform was most closely related to TER increases. TER increases due to NHE3 inhibition were related to cytoplasmic acidification because cytoplasmic alkalinization with 5 mM NH(4)Cl prevented both cytoplasmic acidification and TER increases. However, NHE3 inhibition did not affect TER when Na(+)-glucose cotransport was inhibited. Myosin II regulatory light chain (MLC) phosphorylation decreased up to 43 +/- 5% after inhibition of Na(+)/H(+) exchange, similar to previous studies that associate decreased MLC phosphorylation with increased TER after inhibition of Na(+)-glucose cotransport. However, NHE3 inhibitors did not diminish Na(+)-glucose cotransport. These data demonstrate that inhibition of NHE3 results in decreased MLC phosphorylation and increased TER and suggest that NHE3 may participate in the signaling pathway of Na(+)-glucose cotransport-dependent tight junction regulation. (+info)
Co-localization of multiple antigens and specific DNA. A novel method using methyl methacrylate-embedded semithin serial sections and catalyzed reporter deposition.
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Co-localization of proteins and nucleic acid sequences by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry is frequently difficult as the process necessary to detect the target structure of one technique may negatively affect the target of the other. Morphological impairment may also limit the application of the two techniques on sensitive tissue. To overcome these problems we developed a method to perform in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry on semithin sections of methyl methacrylate-embedded tissue. Microwave-stimulated antigen retrieval, signal amplification by catalyzed reporter deposition, and fluorescent dyes were used for both techniques, yielding high sensitivity and excellent morphological preservation compared to conventional paraffin sections. Co-localization of in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry signals with high morphological resolution was achieved on single sections as well as on adjacent multiple serial sections, using computerized image processing. The latter allowed for the co-localization of multiple antigens and a specific DNA sequence at the same tissue level. The method was successfully applied to radiation bone marrow chimeric rats created by transplanting wild-type Lewis rat bone marrow into TK-tsa transgenic Lewis rats, in an attempt to trace and characterize TK-tsa transgenic cells. It also proved useful in the co-localization of multiple antigens in peripheral nerve biopsies. (+info)