Overexpression of Hsp70 confers cytoprotection during gliadin exposure in Caco-2 cells.

BACKGROUND: In Celiac disease (CD), cytoskeletal integrity of intestinal cells is disrupted by gliadin exposure. This study investigates the role of heat shock protein (Hsp)70 during cytoskeletal recovery in CD by assessing its induction and effects on junctional proteins. METHODS: Using an in-vitro model of CD, cytoskeletal injury and recovery was assessed in gliadin-exposed Caco-2 cells by measuring cellular distribution of ezrin, E-cadherin, and Hsp70 by differential centrifugation. Effects of Hsp70 were tested by an in-vitro repair assay, based on the incubation of injured or recovered cytoskeletal cellular fractions in noncytoskeletal supernatants containing low or high levels of Hsp70, or by transient transfection of Caco-2 cells with Hsp70. RESULTS: Cytoskeletal disruption of ezrin and E-cadherin was demonstrated in gliadin-exposed Caco-2 cells by their significant shift from the cytoskeletal pellet into the noncytoskeletal supernatant fraction. Recovery from gliadin exposure was associated with induction and cytoskeletal redistribution of Hsp70. The in-vitro repair assay delineated direct evidence for HSP-mediated repair by stabilization of junctional proteins by Hsp70. Overexpression of Hsp70 resulted in significantly increased cytoskeletal integrity. CONCLUSION: Our results establish an essential role of HSP-mediated cytoskeletal repair in Caco-2 cells during recovery from in-vitro gliadin exposure.

Blepharophimosis, ptosis, epicanthus inversus syndrome with translocation and deletion at chromosome 3q23 in a black African female.

Blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder whose main features are the abnormal shape, position and alignment of the eyelids. Type I refers to BPES with female infertility from premature ovarian failure while type II is limited to the ocular features. A causative gene, FOXL2, has been localized to 3q23. We report a black female who carried a de novo chromosomal translocation and 3.13 Mb deletion at 3q23, 1.2 Mb 5' to FOXL2. This suggests the presence of distant cis regulatory elements at the extended FOXL2 locus. In spite of 21 protein coding genes in the 3.13 Mb deleted segment, the patient had no other malformation and a strictly normal psychomotor development at age 2.5 years. Our observation confirms panethnicity of BPES and adds to the knowledge of the complex cis regulation of human FOXL2 gene expression.

Multi-channel EMG of the M. triceps brachii in rats during treadmill locomotion.

OBJECTIVES: The study aims at a precise characterisation of intramuscularly varying recruitment patterns within the triceps brachii muscle (long and lateral head; proximal, medial, distal regions) in the time course of averaged step cycles during locomotion. METHODS: The triceps brachii muscle of 15 Hannover rats was investigated with a supramuscular 16-electrodes grid during treadmill locomotion. Multi-channel electromyogram (EMG) was recorded simultaneously with high-speed videography. The rectified and smoothed EMG was time-normalised. EMG profiles and dynamic EMG-map series were calculated. Differences between EMG distribution patterns were tested by multivariate analysis of variance. RESULTS: In the pre-stance phase EMG activity increased especially in the proximal long head. It most likely propagated from lower muscle layers of the long head. During stance phase the EMG activity of the lateral head rose steeply and exceeded those of the long head in short time. The fastest steps show the highest EMG amplitudes. CONCLUSIONS: EMG registrations with grid electrodes help in the identification of intramuscular co-ordination processes during locomotion. While the EMG profiles characterise the time course, the topographical distribution is better represented in dynamic EMG interference maps. The dynamic changing activation patterns of triceps brachii depend on the phase of the step cycle. This clearly indicates the different functions of the muscle heads.

High-dose hydroxyurea plus G-CSF mobilize BCR-ABL-negative progenitor cells (CFC, LTC-IC) into the blood of newly diagnosed CML patients at any time of hematopoietic regeneration.

The objective of this study was to analyze the mobilization kinetics of normal (BCR-ABL(neg)) and malignant (BCR-ABL(pos)) progenitor cells using a new, low toxic, out-patient-based mobilization regimen for Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph(pos)) chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients. High doses of hydroxyurea (HD-HU, 3.5 g/m(2) per day, orally for 7 days) followed by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) (10 microg/kg subcutaneously) were administered to 11 newly diagnosed CML patients. Each apheresis product (n = 30) was individually analyzed for the number and genotype of mature colony-forming cells (CFC) and primitive long-term culture initiating cells (LTC-IC), respectively, by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of individual colonies. Sufficient numbers of CD34(+) cells/kg bodyweight (BW) could easily be obtained in all patients (median, 15 x 10(6)/kg BW per patient) with a median number of three aphereses performed per patient (range 2-4). Almost each apheresis itself (25/30) contained > or =2 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells/kg BW. All patients with low and intermediate Sokal risk indices (9/11) mobilized primarily BCR-ABL(neg) LTC-IC (median 92%, range 47-100) and CFC (median 89%, range 57-100). Moreover, the mean percentage of BCR-ABL(neg) CFC and LTC-IC in the various apheresis products in these patients did not change throughout the entire time of hematopoietic regeneration. The toxicity of the mobilization procedure was low. Side effects were mild erythema in 8/11 and oral mucositis in 3/11 patients. Overall, the low toxicity of this regimen, together with the fact that sufficient BCR-ABL(neg) progenitors can be collected throughout the entire period of hematopoietic regeneration, renders this mobilization regimen particularly attractive for the collection of BCR-ABL(neg) progenitors in early chronic phase of Ph(pos) CML.