RESUMEN
Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) is an ectopeptidase with many roles, and a target of therapies for different pathologies. Zinc and calcium produce mixed inhibition of porcine DPP-IV activity. To investigate whether these results may be generalized to mammalian DPP-IV orthologues, we purified the intact membrane-bound form from rat kidney. Rat DPP-IV hydrolysed Gly-Pro-p-nitroanilide with an average Vmax of 0.86±0.01 μmol min–1mL–1 and KM of 76±6 μM. The enzyme was inhibited by the DPP-IV family inhibitor L-threo-Ile-thiazolidide (Ki=64.0±0.53 nM), competitively inhibited by bacitracin (Ki=0.16±0.01 mM) and bestatin (Ki=0.23±0.02 mM), and irreversibly inhibited by TLCK (IC50 value of 1.20±0.11 mM). The enzyme was also inhibited by divalent ions like Zn2+ and Ca2+, for which a mixed inhibition mechanism was observed (Ki values of the competitive component: 0.15±0.01 mM and 50.0±1.05 mM, respectively). According to bioinformatic tools, Ca2+ ions preferentially bound to the β-propeller domain of the rat and human enzymes, while Zn2+ ions to the α-β hydrolase domain; the binding sites were essentially the same that were previously reported for the porcine DPP-IV. These data suggest that the cationic susceptibility of mammalian DPP-IV orthologues involves conserved mechanisms.
RESUMEN
Pseudomonas aeruginosa recognized as opportunistic pathogen causes severe infections for hospitalized patients, survive in and resist many antimicrobial agents like antibiotics and disinfectants. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of EDTA in improving the sensitivity of resistant P. aeruginosa strains to disinfectants and Na-citrate. The strains used in this study were selected in house from Tanta University hospital, Egypt and tested for the synergistic effect of EDTA with Na-citrate or disinfectant (s). The results showed a significant effect ofEDTA in improving P. aeruginosa sensitivity. In conclusion, we proposed that using EDTA in combination with different sanitization compounds and antimicrobial agentsespecially in hospitals aiming to control the spreading of infections.
RESUMEN
Electrical rhythmicity in the gastrointestinal (GI) muscles is generated by pacemaker cells, known as interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC). In the present study, we investigated the effect of external divalent cations on pacemaking activity in cultured ICC from murine small intestine by using whole-cell patch clamp techniques. ICC generated pacemaker currents under a voltage clamp or electrical pacemaker potentials under a current clamp, and showed a mean amplitude of -500+/-50 pA or 30+/-1 mV and the frequency of 18+/-2 cycles/min. Treatments of the cells with external 0 mM Ca2+ stopped pacemaking activity of ICC. In the presence of 2 mM Ca2+, 0 mM external Mg2+ depolarized the resting membrane potential, and there was no change in the frequency of pacemaking activity. However, 10 mM external Mg2+ decreased the frequency of pacemaking activity (6.75+/-1 cycles/min, n=5). We replaced external 2 mM Ca2+ with equimolar Ba2+, Mn2+ and Sr2+, and they all developed inward current in the sequence of Ba2+> Mn2+> Sr2+. Also the frequency of the pacemaking activity was stopped or irregulated. We investigated the effect of 10 mM Ba2+, Mn2+ and Sr2+ on pacemaking activity of ICC in the presence of external 0 mM Mg2+, and found that 10 mM Ba2+ and Mn2+ induced large inward current and stopped the pacemaking activity of ICC (n=5). Interestingly, 10 mM Sr2+ induced small inward current and potentiated the amplitude of pacemaking activity of ICC (n=5). These results indicate that extracellular Ca2+ and Mg2+ are requisite for the pacemaking activity of ICC.