[Recurrent atypical mycobacterial infections in the adult: think of autoantibodies against interferon-gamma !]. / Infections récurrentes à mycobactéries atypiques chez l'adulte : attention aux autoanticorps anti-interféron-gamma!

INTRODUCTION: Disseminated non-tuberculosis mycobacterial infections are associated with a defect of the cellular immune response. They have been mainly reported in AIDS patients. Cases related to the presence of anti-interferon-γ autoantibodies are rare. CASE REPORT: We report a non HIV-infected 45-year-old Thai woman, with a past medical history of Graves' disease. She presented with recurrent disseminated and severe non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections that were related to the production of anti-interferon-γ autoantibody. The diagnosis was suspected in the presence of a negative interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) including with the positive control, and evidenced by the identification of specific antibodies. CONCLUSION: Anti-interferon-γ autoantibody production is a rare cause of non tuberculous mycobacterial infection. Such a mechanism should be suspected in non HIV-infected patients and especially in those having an Asiatic ethnicity or an associated immune disorder. A negative IGRA (including with the positive control) is a reliable diagnostic tool and should be completed with the identification of specific autoantibodies.

Potential allelochemicals from Sambucus nigra.

Twenty-four aromatic metabolites belonging to cyanogenins, lignans, flavonoids, and phenolic glycosides were obtained from Sambucus nigra. Structures were determined on the basis of their spectroscopic features. Two compounds have been isolated and identified as (2S)-2-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid and benzyl 2-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2,6-dihydroxybenzoate. All the compounds have been assayed on dicotyledons Lactuca sativa (lettuce) and Raphanus sativus (radish) and monocotyledon Allium cepa (onion) to test their stimulatory or inhibitory effects on seed germination and radicle elongation. Cyanogenins have a mainly inhibiting effect while lignans stimulate the growth. Some compounds show different effects on dicotyledons and monocotyledons.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) flavonoids. 2. Tricin and chrysoeriol glycosides from aerial parts.

Ten flavone glycosides have been isolated and identified in aerial parts of alfalfa. These included six tricin, one 3'-O-methyltricetin, and three chrysoeriol glycosides. Most of these compounds were acylated with ferulic, coumaric, or sinapic acids, and acylation occurred on the terminal glucuronic acid. Eight of these compounds, including 7-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-3'-O-methyltricetin, 7-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-4'-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosidechrysoeriol, 7-O-[2'-O-feruloyl-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1-->2)-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside]chrysoeriol, 7-O-[2'-O-feruloyl-[beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1-->3)]-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1-->2)-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside]chrysoeriol, 7-O-[2'-O-sinapoyl-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1-->2)-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside]tricin, 7-O-[2'-O- feruloyl-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1-->2)-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside]tricin, 7-O-[2'-O-p-coumaroyl-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1-->2)-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside]tricin, and 7-O-[2'-O-feruloyl-[beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1-->3)]-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1-->2)-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside]tricin, have not been reported previously in the plant kingdom. Two previously identified alfalfa flavones, 7-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosidetricin and 7-O-[beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1-->2)-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside]tricin, were also isolated.

Acylated apigenin glycosides from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) var. Artal.

Three flavones, including 4'-O-[2'-O-E-feruloyl-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1-->2)-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside]apigenin, 7-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-4'-O-[2'-O-E-feruloyl-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1-->2)-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside]apigenin and 7-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-4'-O-[2'-O-p-E-coumaroyl-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1-->2)-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside]apigenin have been identified in alfalfa var. Artal. The known flavone 7-O-[2-O-E-feruloyl-[beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1-->3)]-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1-->2)-O-beta-D-glucurono-pyranoside] apigenin was also isolated. The structures of these compounds were deduced on the basis of their spectral data.

Bioactive carotanes from Trichoderma virens.

Four new metabolites with carotane skeletons, trichocaranes A (1), B (2), C (3), and D (4), were isolated from Trichoderma virens and their structures established by the interpretation of NMR and mass spectroscopic data. The trichocaranes significantly inhibited the growth of etiolated wheat coleoptiles: 40% at 10(-4) M with 1 and 2 and 86% at 10(-3) M with 3.

Natural and synthetic podolactones with potential use as natural herbicide models.

A collection of 11 natural and synthetic podolactones have been tested as allelochemicals in a range between 10(-4) and 10(-9) M, and their potential use as natural herbicide models is discussed. Their effects on the germination and growth of the dicots Lactuca sativa (cv. Nigra and cv. Roman), Lepidium sativum, and Lycopersicon esculentum and the monocots Allium cepa, Hordeum vulgare, and Triticum aestivum as standard target species have been studied. An important inhibitory effect on the germination and growth of all tested species (average = 90%) was produced by compounds 9-11 at 10(-4) M. The specific structural requirements related to their activities are studied. On the basis of these results, their use as potential natural herbicide models is proposed.

Novel bioactive breviane spiroditerpenoids from Penicillium brevicompactum Dierckx.

The structures of four new, naturally occurring bioactive spiroditerpenoids, (+)-breviones B, C, D, and E, potential allelopathic agents, have been determined from extracts of semisolid fermented Penicillium brevicompactum Dierckx. The structures display the novel breviane spiroditerpenoid skeleton. Structure elucidation was performed by chemical transformations and by homo- and heteronuclear 2D-NMR spectral data. On the basis of combined studies of the theoretical conformations and NOEDIFF data, their relative stereochemistry is proposed. A mixed biogenesis for this novel family of spiroditerpenoids is tendered. The levels of activity shown by breviones B, C, and E in the etiolated wheat coleoptiles bioassay, especially breviones E (100% inhibition) and C (80% inhibition) both at 10(-4) M, suggest them as lead compounds for new agrochemicals.

[Human familial autosomal reciprocal translocations]. / Les translocations réciproques autosomiques familiales humaines.

Reciprocal translocations are one of the most frequently observed structural chromosome abnormalities. They are defined by a segment exchange between two non-homologous chromosomes. A great number of different translocations exist since any chromosome can be involved in the translocation and the position of the breakpoint can vary. Though generally silent these translocations can be expressed in the form of reproduction failure or, more seriously, as offspring showing mental retardation/malformation syndromes. Since the risk of malformation varies from one translocation to the next, genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis strategies should be adopted to suit the particular malformation risks of each individual translocation. This is currently not the case. Different prediction methods (for the most probable mode of unbalance at birth, the risk of unbalance at term) are presented. A computer system, called Reci-Conseil brings these different functionalities together to create a new aid for genetic counselling. The data base on which it is founded (approx 2000 families) offers interesting perspectives for genomic mapping of partial trisomies and monosomies.