Glutathione-S-transferases from chloroquine-resistant and -sensitive strains of Plasmodium falciparum: what are their differences?

Glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs) from chloroquine-resistant (CQR, K1) and -sensitive (CQS, T9/94) strains of Plasmodiumfalciparum were studied. The enzymes from both strains exhibited the optimal pH for enzyme catalysis, at pH 7.5, and were stable at temperatures below 60 degrees C. They also showed the highest specific activities toward CDNB and moderate activities to ethacrynic acid (40% of the activity to CDNB) but little or no activity for other substrates. Km and Vmax values for CDNB and GSH, calculated by Lineweaver-Burk plot from both CQR- and CQS-GSTs, were not statistically different (p<0.05). However, the GSTs activity from CQR appeared to be significantly higher than that from CQS. Therefore, we proposed that GSTs from both malarial strains are identical in their functional domain but different in level of gene expression. Furthermore, protein sequence alignment between P. falciparum GST and GSTs from other organisms suggested that the malarial enzyme is closely similar to other GSTs in Sigma, Alpha, Mu and Pi subclasses, probably most to the Alpha group. Characterization of the purified malarial GST in detail would reveal more precise classification and better understanding of its role in malarial detoxification.

Expression of cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 and clinicopathologic features of colorectal cancer in northern Thailand.

Two isoforms of cyclooxygenase, COX-1 and COX-2, have been identified and shown to be involved in tumorigenesis. Although, overexpression of COX-2 in human cancers has been repeatedly reported, no data have hitherto been available for Thai patients. To cast light on the role(s) of COX enzymes in the development and progression of colorectal cancers and to determine the incidence of COX-2 overexpression, the expression levels of COX-1 and COX-2 proteins using Western blot analysis in tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues obtained from 44 Thai patients with colorectal cancer. Compared with paired normal tissues, COX-2 was overexpressed in 13 of 44 colorectal tumor tissues (29.5%). Overall, COX-2 levels in colorectal tumor specimens were significantly correlated with histological differentiation, in particular in the tumors with poor differentiation (p<0.05). In addition, overexpression of COX-2 was found more frequently in colorectal tumors with lymphatic invasion, regional lymph node metastasis and larger size, although without statistical significance. In contrast to the relatively consistent alteration in COX-2 expression, the level of COX-1 expression was quite varied in tumor tissues. Forty-eight percent of colorectal tumors exhibited a decreased level of COX-1 in comparison to normal tissues and overexpressed in 23%. Thus both isoforms may both play roles in promoting tumorigenesis. However, there was no significant relationship between the alteration of COX-1 protein levels and any pathological features of tumors.

Dexamethasone differentiates NG108-15 cells through cyclooxygenase1 induction

Cyclooxygenase (COX) is a key enzyme in the conversion of arachidonic acid into prostanoids which participate in various cellular functions including apoptosis, mitogenesis, inflammation, immune modulation and differentiation. Moreover, the synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone has immune modulating and anti-inflammatory effects in vivo. Recently, dexamethasone was found to enhance retinoic acid-induced neuronal differentiation. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of dexamethasone-mediated neuronal differentiation. Immunoblotting and morphological analysis demonstrated that dexamethasone induced neuronal differentiation through COX 1 induction. This phenomenon was inhibited by indomethacin, a COX inhibitor. In addition, the addition of exogenous prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a substance produced by the COX-mediated pathway, triggered neurite outgrowth of cells treated with COX inhibitor. Taken together, COX 1 appears to play an important role in dexamethasone-mediated neuronal differentiation.

NF-kappaB Binding Activity and Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in Persistent betaCCI(4)-Treated Rat Liver Injury

The involvement of NF-kappaB binding activity is known to be important in the mechanism of acute liver injury and in the induction of cyclooxygenase (COX-2). This study was performed to evaluate NF-kappaB binding activity and the expression of COX-2 in chronic liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (betaCCI(4)). Liver tissues from Sprague - Dawley rats were collected at 1, 3, 5, and 7th week after intraperitoneal injection of 0.1 mL of betaCCI(4)/100 g body weight twice a week. Reactive oxy-gen species (ROS) were measured in the postmitochondrial fraction by dichlorofluorescein formation with a fluorescent probe. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay was performed for NF-kappaB binding activity. Western blot was performed to measure the level of COX-1, COX-2, p65, p50, and I B proteins. ROS and NF-kappaB activity increased during the CCl4-induced chronic liver injury. The expression of nuclear p65 protein and p50 protein increased compared with that of the control, while the cytoplasmic I B protein decreased as the inflammation persisted. The expression of COX-2 in betaCCI(4)-treated rat liver increased compared with that of the control. It could be suggested that ROS produced by betaCCI(4) treatment increased NF-kappaB binding activity and thereby COX-2 expression, and these might be implicated in the progress of chronic liver damage.

Expression of cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 in rheumatoid arthritis synovium

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and localization of cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 (COX-1 and COX-2) in synovial tissues from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Synovial tissues from 9 patients with RA and 5 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) were examined for COX-1 and COX-2 expressions by immunohistochemical staining using 2 polydonal COX-1 and COX-2 antibodies. In RA synovia, synovial lining cells showed intense immunostaining for COX-1, whereas slight to moderate staining was observed in inflammatory cells, stromal fibroblast-like cells and vascular endothelial cells. There was no significant difference in COX-1 expression between RA and OA synovia. The localization of COX-2 expression dearly differed from that of COX-1 expression, being most intense in inflammatory cells. However, there was no difference in COX-1 and COX-2 expressions between RA and OA synovial tissues. Our observations support that inflammatory mechanisms modulated by COX-1 and COX-2 in chronic RA synovium might be similar to those in chronic OA synovium.

Increased levels of multiple forms of dihydrofolate reductase in peripheral blood leucocytes of cancer patients receiving haematopoietic colony-stimulating factors: interim analysis

The precise mechanism whereby granulocytes proliferate when haematopoietic colony stimulating factors (CSFs) are used in neutropenic cancer patients is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether these cytokines bring about leucocyte proliferation by increasing the levels of multiple forms of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). Blood samples were collected from 36 cancer patients (25 males and 11 females) with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. One sample of blood from each patient was obtained before therapy either with CSF, such as granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or with placebo, and another one at the time of resolution of neutropenia. Peripheral blood leucocytes in these blood samples were counted, separated and lysed. From lysates, cytoplasmic samples were prepared and analyzed for active DHFR by a methotrexate-binding assay and for total immunoreactive DHFR by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The increase in total leucocyte count (TLC) was most prominent (P < 0.005) in the CSF group and less so (P < 0.05) in the placebo group. The mean +/- SD concentration values of active DHFR before and after stimulation with GM-CSF found were to be 0.34 +/- 0.4 ng/mg protein and 0.99 +/- 0.82 ng/mg protein, respectively, and in the group treated with G-CSF, 0.24 +/- 0.32 ng/mg protein and 1.18 +/- 2.4 ng/mg protein, respectively. This increase in active DHFR after stimulation with CSF was statistically significant (P <0.05). Similarly, concentration values of immunoreactive but nonfunctional form of DHFR (IRE) were 110 +/- 97 ng/mg protein and 605 +/- 475 ng/mg protein before and after stimulation with GM-CSF, and 115 +/- 165 ng/mg protein and 1,054 +/- 1,095 ng/ mg protein before and after stimulation with G-CSF. This increase in concentration of IRE after stimulation with GM-CSF or G-CSF was statistically significant (P < 0.005). In the control group, there was an increase in the concentration of both active DHFR and IRE after treatment with placebo. However, this was not statistically significant. Resolution of neutropenia was quicker in the groups treated with CSF compared to the control group. Results of this study indicate that colony stimulating factors (G-CSF and GM-CSF) induce white cell proliferation by increasing the levels of multiple forms of DHFR.

Immunohistochemical expression of phospholipase C in global and focal ischemic encephalopathy in gerbil: relationship with morphological changes

Phospholipase C (PLC) and related enzymes in signal transduction system are closely linked to cellular damage in ischemic encephalopathy. This study was undertaken to elucidate the time sequential changes of PLC isoenzymes (beta and gamma) in vulnerable areas of hippocampus in global ischemia and infarcted area in focal infarction. Mongolian gerbils were used because of their susceptibility to ischemic encephalopathy and divided into the following groups: the bilateral ischemia with various reperfusion periods group, unilateral progressive ischemia group, and focal ischemia group induced by infusion of iron particles through the femoral artery. The changes of PLC isoenzymes were observed immunohistochemically and matched with morphological changes. In the global ischemia with reperfusion group, the changes were most significant in hippocampus. Sequential changes of neurons such as red neurons at an early stage progressed to pknotic neurons at a later stage were noted with typical delayed neuronal damage in the corns ammonis (CA) 1 subfield of hippocampus. Red neurons and pyknotic neurons as well as intracytoplasmic inclusion in 3 to 24 hours of reperfusion showed loss of PLC isoenzymes as well as tubulin. The changes of PLC expression were corresponding to the degeneration of neurons with no discernible time sequential changes in remaining neurons. In the unilateral hemispheric progressive ischemia group, ischemic damage was far more marked and extensive with no selective injury pattern according to time and location. At 1 day, there was diffuse vacuolization and necrosis of neuropil with a loss of neuron. Admixed surviving neurons and vacuolated neuropil showed increased reaction to anti-PLC antibodies, which could be either an evidence of protein synthesis responding to ischemic insult or an artifactual change. Focal ischemia group showed time sequential changes of blood vessels and white blood cells with necrosis of surrounding tissue. Degenerating hippocampal neurons in infarction also showed a strong positive reaction to anti-PLC antibody, which was most likely due to condensation of cytoplasm rather than increased synthesis. This study showed different changes of PLC expression in global ischemic encephalopathy with reperfusion, progressive ischemia, and focal infarction, which suggested different pathophysiologic mechanism between these conditions.

Co-localization of c-fos protein and protein kinase C gamma in the rat brain following anodal polarization.

The expression of protein kinase c gamma (PKC gamma) and c-fos protein was examined by means of double labeling in the rat brain in relation to the molecular mechanism of central plastic changes associated with anodal polarization. Under normal, non-polarized condition, approximately 75% of all fos positive neurons in the neocortex were immunopositive for PKC gamma. Conversely, nearly all PKC gamma positive neurons were fos immunopositive. Although both pyramidal and non-pyramidal neurons express both types of protein, the pyramidal cell type represents the vast majority. An anodal direct current of 3.0 microA for 30 min to the surface of the left sensorimotor cortex resulted in a pronounced increase in the intensity of immunoreactivity for both PKC gamma and c-fos protein ipsilateral to the polarization. Approximately, 91% of fos positive neurons in the polarized neocortex was also intensely immunoreactive for PKY gamma. The high degree of codistribution of both transduction proteins in specific neurons following anodal polarization suggests the functional connection between PKY gamma activation and c-fos expression in polarization phenomenon.