Hexyltrimethylammonium ion enhances potential copper-chelating properties of ammonium thiomolybdate in an in vivo zebrafish model.

Ammonium and hexyltrimethylammonium thiomolybdates (ATM and ATM-C6) and thiotungstates (ATT and ATT-C6) were synthesized. Their toxicity was evaluated using both in vitro and in vivo approaches via the zebrafish embryo acute toxicity assay (ZFET), while the copper-thiometallate interaction was studied using cyclic voltammetry, as well as in an in vivo assay. Cyclic voltammetry suggests that all thiometallates form complexes with copper in a 2:1 Cu:thiometallate ratio. Both in vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated low toxicity in BALB/3T3 cells and in zebrafish embryos, with high IC50 and LC50 values. Furthermore, the hexyltrimethylammonium ion played a crucial role in enhancing viability and reducing toxicity during prolonged treatments for ATM and ATT. In particular, the ZEFT assay uncovered the accumulation of ATM in zebrafish yolk, averted by the incorporation of the hexyltrimethylammonium ion. Notably, the copper-thiometallate interaction assay highlighted the improved viability of embryos when cultured in CuCl2 and ATM-C6, even at high CuCl2 concentrations. The hatching assay further confirmed that copper-ATM-C6 interaction mitigates inhibitory effects induced by thiomolybdates and CuCl2 when administered individually. These results suggest that the incorporation of the hexyltrimethylammonium ion in ATM increase its ability to interact with copper and its potential application as a copper chelator.

Cost-benefit of serum pepsinogen screening for gastric adenocarcinoma in the Mexican population.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is known to be capable of causing chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa that slowly progresses through the premalignant stages, reaching localized gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC). Its outcome is closely related to the stage at which diagnosis is made. The aim of the present study was to determine cost-benefit by comparing esophagogastroduodenoscopy, serum pepsinogen detection, and no screening at all. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Utilizing Markov chains and Monte Carlo simulation, the costs and effects of various detection modalities were simulated to analyze the cost-benefit of each strategy. For our population, we used the published data of patients with gastric cancer, applicable to the Mexican population. RESULTS: The results were reported as incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. The best strategy was serum pepsinogen determination, followed by the strategy of endoscopic examination with continued monitoring every 3 years. CONCLUSIONS: The performance of serum pepsinogen serology and directed endoscopic examination (and continued monitoring, if necessary) for GAC screening could be a cost-effective intervention in Mexico, despite the low-to-moderate general prevalence of the disease.

Cost-benefit of serum pepsinogen screening for gastric adenocarcinoma in the Mexican population. / Costo-beneficio de cribado de adenocarcinoma gástrico por pepsinógeno sérico en la población mexicana.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is known to be capable of causing chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa that slowly progresses through the premalignant stages, reaching localized gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC). Its outcome is closely related to the stage at which diagnosis is made. The aim of the present study was to determine cost-benefit by comparing esophagogastroduodenoscopy, serum pepsinogen detection, and no screening at all. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Utilizing Markov chains and Monte Carlo simulation, the costs and effects of various detection modalities were simulated to analyze the cost-benefit of each strategy. For our population, we used the published data of patients with gastric cancer, applicable to the Mexican population. RESULTS: The results were reported as incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. The best strategy was serum pepsinogen determination, followed by the strategy of endoscopic examination with continued monitoring every 3 years. CONCLUSIONS: The performance of serum pepsinogen serology and directed endoscopic examination (and continued monitoring, if necessary) for GAC screening could be a cost-effective intervention in Mexico, despite the low-to-moderate general prevalence of the disease.

Spatial distribution and seasonality of ichthyoplankton and anthropogenic debris in a river delta in the Caribbean Sea.

Temporal changes in larval fish species composition and abundance compared with other components of the seston are described in four estuarine habitats in the Atrato Delta, Colombia. In comparison with zooplankton, fish larvae and egg density and anthropogenic debris abundance were low in the South Atrato Delta. Transparency, water temperature and chlorophyll a were the major factors influencing the spatiotemporal distribution of ichthyoplankton in the delta. The most abundant fish larvae were Astyanax sp. 1, Anchovia clupeoides, Cetengraulis edentulus, Anchoa sp., Bathygbius curacao, Dormitator maculatus, Hyporhamphus sp., Atherinella blackburni, Gobiosoma sp. 1 and Menticirrhus americanus (92·8% of total abundance). Spatial temporal analysis shows that in this delta, shrub (arracachal) and grass (eneal) habitats are important for freshwater and estuarine species, whilst mudflat and mangrove are important for estuarine species and estuarine-marine species, since most flexion and post-flexion stages of these species were found there. Anthropogenic debris density never surpassed the total ichthyoplankton density, but was ubiquitous. Shrub and mangrove habitats had higher densities of anthropogenic debris, since these are flood-stem habitats that trap solids.

Lung transplantation for patients older than 65 years: is it a feasible option?

BACKGROUND: Advanced age has been a relative contraindication to lung transplantation. However, the exact age limit for this procedure has not yet been established. The aim of this work is to present our experience with this particular group. METHODS: This retrospective review included medical charts of patients who underwent lung transplantation at our institution from January 2004 to February 2009: namely, 112 cadaveric lung transplants with 12 patients (10.7%) >65 years old. RESULTS: There were 9 male patients and the overall mean age was 68 years (range 66-72). The indications were pulmonary fibrosis in 8 and emphysema in 4 cases. Four patients had mild coronary artery disease and 4 systemic hypertension. All of the procedures were unilateral and only 2 required extracorporeal circulation. Only 5 patients received blood product transfusions intraoperatively; the mean ischemic time was 222 minutes. Four patients developed primary graft dysfunction, the mean requirement for mechanical ventilation was 30 hours, and the mean intensive care unit stay, 11 days. Postoperative complications were respiratory infections (n = 8), catheter-related infection (n = 1), atrial fibrillation (n = 2). The mean hospital stay was 28 days and the 1-year survival was 75%. CONCLUSION: Lung transplantation is a feasible option for well-selected patients with end-stage pulmonary disease who are >65 years old. Our study reinforces the modern trend for unilateral procedures in this situation.

Unique phylogenetic relationships of glucokinase and glucosephosphate isomerase of the amitochondriate eukaryotes Giardia intestinalis, Spironucleus barkhanus and Trichomonas vaginalis.

Glucokinase (GK) and glucosephosphate isomerase (GPI), the first two enzymes of the glycolytic pathway of the diplomonads Giardia intestinalis and Spironucleus barkhanus, Type I amitochondriate eukaryotes, were sequenced. GPI of the parabasalid Trichomonas vaginalis was also sequenced. The diplomonad GKs belong to a family of specific GKs present in cyanobacteria, in some proteobacteria and also in T. vaginalis, a Type II amitochondriate protist. These enzymes are not part of the hexokinase family, which is broadly distributed among eukaryotes, including the Type I amitochondriate parasite Entamoeba histolytica. G. intestinalis GK expressed in Escherichia coli was specific for glucose and glucosamine, as are its eubacterial homologs. The sequence of diplomonad and trichomonad GPIs formed a monophyletic group more closely related to cyanobacterial and chloroplast sequences than to cytosolic GPIs of other eukaryotes and prokaryotes. The findings show that certain enzymes of the energy metabolism of these amitochondriate protists originated from sources different than those of other eukaryotes. The observation that the two diplomonads and T. vaginalis share the same unusual GK and GPI is consistent with gene trees that suggest a close relationship between diplomonads and parabasalids. The intriguing relationships of these enzymes to cyanobacterial (and chloroplast) enzymes might reflect horizontal gene transfer between the common ancestor of the diplomonad and parabasalid lineages and the ancestor of cyanobacteria.

Mitochondrial type iron-sulfur cluster assembly in the amitochondriate eukaryotes Trichomonas vaginalis and Giardia intestinalis, as indicated by the phylogeny of IscS.

Pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-dependent cysteine desulfurase (IscS) is an essential enzyme in the assembly of FeS clusters in bacteria as well as in the mitochondria of eukaryotes. Although FeS proteins are particularly important for the energy metabolism of amitochondrial anaerobic eukaryotes, there is no information about FeS cluster formation in these organisms. We identified and sequenced two IscS homologs of Trichomonas vaginalis (TviscS-1 and TviscS-2) and one of Giardia intestinalis (GiiscS). TviscS-1, TviscS-2, and GiiscS possess the typical conserved regions implicated in cysteine desulfurase activity. N-termini of TviscS-1 and TviscS-2 possess eight amino acid extensions, which resemble the N-terminal presequences that target proteins to hydrogenosomes in trichomonads. No presequence was evident in GiiscS from Giardia, an organism that apparently lacks hydrogenosmes or mitochondria. Phylogenetic analysis showed a close relationship among all eukaryotic IscS genes including those of amitochondriates. IscS of proteobacteria formed a sister group to the eukaryotic clade, suggesting that isc-related genes were present in the proteobacterial endosymbiotic ancestor of mitochondria and hydrogenosomes. NifS genes of nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which are IscS homologs required for specific formation of FeS clusters in nitrogenase, formed a more distant group. The phylogeny indicates the presence of a common mechanism for FeS cluster formation in mitochondriates as well as in amitochondriate eukaryotes. Furthermore, the analyses support a common origin of Trichomonas hydrogenosomes and mitochondria, as well as secondary loss of mitochondrion/hydrogenosome-like organelles in Giardia.

Archaebacterial relationships of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase gene reveal mosaicism of Giardia intestinalis core metabolism.

A gene encoding a putative GTP-specific phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase has been cloned and sequenced from the type I amitochondriate protist Giardia intestinalis. The deduced amino acid sequence is related most closely to homologs from hyperthermophilic archaebacteria and only more distantly to homologs from Eubacteria and Metazoa. Most enzymes of Giardia core metabolism, however, are related more closely to eubacterial and metazoan homologs. An archaebacterial relationship has been noted previously for the unusual acetyl-CoA synthetase (ADP-forming) of this organism. The results suggest that phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and acetyl-CoA synthetase have been acquired from different sources than most enzymes of Giardia core metabolism.

Purification and specificity of two alpha-glucosidase isoforms of the parasitic protist Trichomonas vaginalis.

Two isoforms of alpha-glucosidase were purified from the parasitic protist Trichomonas vaginalis. Both consisted of 103 kDa subunits, but differed in pH optimum and substrate specificity. Isoform 1 had a pH optimum around 4.5 and negligible activity on glucose oligomers other than maltose, while isoform 2 with a pH optimum of 5.5 hydrolyzed also such substrates at considerable rates. Neither had activity on glycogen or starch. Isoform 1 had a specific activity for hydrolysis of maltose of 30 U/mg protein and isoform 2 101 U/mg protein. The Km values were 0.4 mM and 2.0 mM, respectively. Isoform 2 probably corresponds to the activity detected on the cell surface.

Acetyl-CoA synthetase from the amitochondriate eukaryote Giardia lamblia belongs to the newly recognized superfamily of acyl-CoA synthetases (Nucleoside diphosphate-forming).

The gene coding for the acetyl-CoA synthetase (ADP-forming) from the amitochondriate eukaryote Giardia lamblia has been expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant enzyme exhibited the same substrate specificity as the native enzyme, utilizing acetyl-CoA and adenine nucleotides as preferred substrates and less efficiently, propionyl- and succinyl-CoA. N- and C-terminal parts of the G. lamblia acetyl-CoA synthetase sequence were found to be homologous to the alpha- and beta-subunits, respectively, of succinyl-CoA synthetase. Sequence analysis of homologous enzymes from various bacteria, archaea, and the eukaryote, Plasmodium falciparum, identified conserved features in their organization, which allowed us to delineate a new superfamily of acyl-CoA synthetases (nucleoside diphosphate-forming) and its signature motifs. The representatives of this new superfamily of thiokinases vary in their domain arrangement, some consisting of separate alpha- and beta-subunits and others comprising fusion proteins in alpha-beta or beta-alpha orientation. The presence of homologs of acetyl-CoA synthetase (ADP-forming) in such human pathogens as G. lamblia, Yersinia pestis, Bordetella pertussis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella typhi, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and the malaria agent P. falciparum suggests that they might be used as potential drug targets.

Characterization of the gene encoding serine acetyltransferase, a regulated enzyme of cysteine biosynthesis from the protist parasites Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar. Regulation and possible function of the cysteine biosynthetic pathway in Entamoeba.

The enteric protist parasites Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar possess a cysteine biosynthetic pathway, unlike their mammalian host, and are capable of de novo production of L-cysteine. We cloned and characterized cDNAs that encode the regulated enzyme serine acetyltransferase (SAT) in this pathway from these amoebae by genetic complementation of a cysteine-auxotrophic Escherichia coli strain with the amoebic cDNA libraries. The deduced amino acid sequences of the amoebic SATs exhibited, within the most conserved region, 36-52% identities with the bacterial and plant SATs. The amoebic SATs contain a unique insertion of eight amino acids, also found in the corresponding region of a plasmid-encoded SAT from Synechococcus sp., which showed the highest overall identities to the amoebic SATs. Phylogenetic reconstruction also revealed a close kinship of the amoebic SATs with cyanobacterial SATs. Biochemical characterization of the recombinant E. histolytica SAT revealed several enzymatic features that distinguished the amoebic enzyme from the bacterial and plant enzymes: 1) inhibition by L-cysteine in a competitive manner with L-serine; 2) inhibition by L-cystine; and 3) no association with cysteine synthase. Genetically engineered amoeba strains that overproduced cysteine synthase and SAT were created. The cysteine synthase-overproducing amoebae had a higher level of cysteine synthase activity and total thiol content and revealed increased resistance to hydrogen peroxide. These results indicate that the cysteine biosynthetic pathway plays an important role in antioxidative defense of these enteric parasites.

Cloning and sequencing of an acetyl-CoA synthetase (ADP-forming) gene from the amitochondriate protist, Giardia lamblia.

A Giardia lamblia gene, Glacs, was cloned, sequenced and expressed in Escheria Coli. This gene codes for a 726 residue long acetyl-CoA synthetase (ADP-forming). This enzyme is responsible for the formation of acetate, a metabolic endproduct of G. lamblia. It is known from only two Type I amitochondriate eukaryotes, G. lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica and from the archaebacterium, Pyrococcus furiosus. With Glacs as query, homologous unidentified open reading frames were detected in the complete genomes of only a few archaebacteria and eubacteria. These form a new protein family present in all three domains of life, which probably plays a central role in the acyl-CoA metabolism but is of restricted taxonomic distribution.

Secondary absence of mitochondria in Giardia lamblia and Trichomonas vaginalis revealed by valyl-tRNA synthetase phylogeny.

Nuclear-coded valyl-tRNA synthetase (ValRS) of eukaryotes is regarded of mitochondrial origin. Complete ValRS sequences obtained by us from two amitochondriate protists, the diplomonad, Giardia lamblia and the parabasalid, Trichomonas vaginalis were of the eukaryotic type, strongly suggesting an identical history of ValRS in all eukaryotes studied so far. The findings indicate that diplomonads are secondarily amitochondriate and give further evidence for such conclusion reached recently concerning parabasalids. Together with similar findings on other amitochondriate groups (microsporidia and entamoebids), this work provides critical support for the emerging notion that no representatives of the premitochondrial stage of eukaryotic phylogenesis exist among the species living today.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase (CoA-acetylating) and the mechanism of ethanol formation in the amitochondriate protist, Giardia lamblia.

The so far unelucidated pathway of formation of ethanol, one of the major end products of the fermentative metabolism of the amitochondriate protist, Giardia lamblia, was examined. Two NAD-dependent enzymatic activities, an acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (CoA-acetylating) (EC 1.2.1.10) and an alcohol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.1) were detected. These are assumed to catalyze the formation of ethanol from acetyl-CoA via acetaldehyde. The first activity, present on a 95-kDa protein, was purified. It catalyzed the reversible interconversion of acetyl-CoA to acetaldehyde and CoA-SH with NAD but not NADP as cofactor. In the direction of aldehyde formation acetyl-CoA was the preferred substrate. Propionyl-CoA and isobutyryl-CoA were reduced with lower efficiency while succinyl-CoA and benzoyl-CoA were not. In the direction of acyl-CoA formation, acetaldehyde was the preferred substrate. Propionaldehyde and isobutyraldehyde were utilized at a lower efficiency while formaldehyde, benzaldehyde, and acetone were not. The second activity, a primary alcohol dehydrogenase, was also NAD-specific and used preferentially ethanol as substrate. Sequencing data of peptides from the purified protein and Northern and Southern analysis indicated that the same polypeptide, which belongs to the bifunctional aldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme family, carried both activities. These activities define the pathway to ethanol in G. lamblia as a two step-processes: (i) acetyl-CoA + NADH<-->acetaldehyde + CoA-SH + NAD+ and (ii) acetaldehyde + NADH<-->ethanol + NAD+. In contrast to most eukaryotes in which ethanol formation proceeds from pyruvate via acetaldehyde, the G. lamblia pathway departs from acetyl-CoA, a more distal product of extended glycolysis.

Cloning and heterologous expression of Entamoeba histolytica adenylate kinase and uridylate/cytidylate kinase.

We have isolated two cDNA clones encoding Entamoeba histolytica nucleotide kinases, EhAK and EhUK, expressed them in E. coli and performed functional studies of the recombinant enzymes. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that EhAK and EhUK genes exhibited the features characteristic of E. histolytica genes, such as transcripts with relatively short 5' and 3' untranslated flanking regions containing the conserved E. histolytica transcription promoter elements located 5' to the initiation codon and a polyadenylation signal in the 3' UTR, a distinctive codon usage bias for A or T in the third position and an AT bias greater than 75% in the flanking regions of the transcripts. At the protein level, both enzymes belong to the short variant nucleoside monophosphate (NMP) kinases, which lack a 29amino acid LID region present in the long variant isoenzymes. EhAK was 30-38% identical to the members of the adenylate kinase (AK) family while EhUK was more similar (48-49% identity) to UMP/CMP kinases. Both enzymes used ATP as preferred phosphate-group donor but each one exhibited strict specificity for the acceptor NMP, EhAK for AMP and EhUK for the pyrimidine nucleoside monophosphates UMP and CMP. Biochemical characterization of the enzymes and phylogenetic reconstruction showed that EhUK is an authentic and well conserved member of the UMP/CMP kinase group while EhAK is the most divergent member known of the AK1 isoenzymes.

Sequence of a malic enzyme gene of Giardia lamblia.

The nucleotide sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of malate dehydrogenase (decarboxylating) or malic enzyme (EC 1.1.1.40) of the amitochondriate protist Giardia lamblia were determined. The overall amino acid identity with malic enzyme sequences from other eukaryotes was between 34 and 39%. Functional domains previously defined in other malic enzymes, the malate-, the ADP- and the NAD(P)-binding domains, were present also in the G. lamblia sequence. In phylogenetic reconstructions, the G. lamblia sequence is part of the eukaryotic clade, but its relative position versus the other early branches of the eukaryotic tree (Trichomonas vaginalis hydrogenosome and plant mitochondria) cannot be firmly established. The results indicate, however, a long, independent evolutionary past of this enzyme.