Summary of the 9th meeting of the European Forum on Antiphospholipid Antibodies.

The 9th meeting of the European Forum on Antiphospholipid Antibodies (Euro aPL Forum) was held in Krakow, Poland, on 16-18 May 2013. This was an excellent occasion for the exchange of information on current research in the area of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), as well as a starting point for many new research projects. About 120 physicians and researchers from various medical specialities representing 15 European countries, USA, Argentina and Israel attended the event. This report summarizes the major studies and new research projects presented during the Forum.

Anti-inflammatory effects of simvastatin in subjects with hypercholesterolemia.

AIMS: Beneficial effects of statins in preventing cardiovascular events may depend, at least in part, on their anti-inflammatory action. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of simvastatin and aspirin on serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in hypercholesterolemic subjects. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 33 asymptomatic men with total cholesterol (TC) >6.5 mmol l(-1) and in 25 men with coronary heart disease and borderline-high cholesterol levels (between 5.2 and 6.5 mmol l(-1)) chronically treated with low-dose aspirin (75 mg/d), serum levels of CRP, TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-8 were determined before and after a 3-month simvastatin therapy (20-40 mg daily). In the former group, these markers of inflammation were also measured before and after a 2-week treatment with aspirin (300 mg/d), implemented prior to and in combination with simvastatin. A distinct reduction of CRP and TNF-alpha was found in both groups; IL-6 levels were decreased only in subjects with marked hypercholesterolemia. Aspirin had no effect on the anti-inflammatory action of simvastatin. CONCLUSIONS: In men with hypercholesterolemia simvastatin treatment lowers serum levels of CRP and proinflammatory cytokines. Low-dose aspirin does not add to the anti-inflammatory action of simvastatin.

Structural and biologic characterization of pegylated recombinant IFN-alpha2b.

The type I interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) family is a family of natural small proteins that have clinically important anti-infective and antitumor activity. We have developed a semisynthetic protein-polymer conjugate of IFN-alpha2b (Intron A) by attaching a 12,000-Da monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (PEG-12000) polymer to the protein. PEG conjugation is thought to increase the serum half-life and thereby prolong patient exposure to IFN-alpha2b without altering the biologic potency to the protein. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS), high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC), circular dichroism (CD) analysis and tryptic digestion peptide analysis of PEG Intron demonstrated that the IFN-alpha2b protein was approximately 95% monopegylated and that the primary, the secondary, and the tertiary structures were unaltered. Pegylation did not affect the epitope recognition of antibodies used for Intron A quantitation. An extensive analysis of the pegylated positional isomers revealed that approximately 50% of PEG Intron was monopegylated on the His(34) residue of the IFN-alpha2b protein. The highest antiviral activity of the pegylated positional isomers for PEG Intron was associated with the His(34) pegylated isomer. The specific activity for PEG Intron in an antiviral cytopathic protection assay was 28%, relative to Intron A. However, the potency of PEG Intron, defined as bioactivity independent of protein concentration, was comparable to Intron A at both the molecular and cellular levels in a battery of in vitro assays. Equivalent units of PEG Intron and Intron A were indistinguishable for the induction of several key IFN-induced genes, including 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (2',5'-OAS) and protein kinase R (PKR), in Molt 4 cells. The antiviral dose-response curves revealed that there were no significant differences between PEG Intron and Intron A. This demonstrated that the introduction of more IFN-alpha2b protein associated with equivalent unit dosing of PEG Intron did not create any antagonism or agonism in the antiviral assay. In assays for the immune response, PEG Intron and Intron A displayed comparable potency for both natural-killer (NK) and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell cytolytic activity and for the induction of class I major histocompatibility protein. These results demonstrate that PEG Intron maintains an in vitro biologic potency profile for both antiviral and immunotherapeutic activity that is highly comparable to that of Intron A.

[Spontaneous pneumomediastinum with subcutaneous emphysema and pneumothorax as the initial manifestation of bronchial asthma. Case report]. / Samoistna odma sródpiersia, tkanki podskórnej i oplucnej pierwszym przejawem astmy oskrzelowej. Opis przypadku.

Spontaneous emphysema is not only the rate complication of bronchial asthma but may also be the first, atypical manifestation of the disease. We have presented here the case report of a young man in whom the occurrence of spontaneous pneumomediastinum with subcutaneous emphysema and pneumothorax led to the diagnosis of bronchial asthma.

Isolation and characterization of a monomethioninesulfoxide variant of interferon alpha-2b.

PURPOSE: To isolate and characterize a monomethioninesulfoxide variant of the commercially available therapeutic protein interferon alpha-2b. METHODS: The methionine (Met)-oxidized variant was isolated by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography and characterized by SDS-PAGE, peptide mapping and mass spectrometric analysis of the trypsin/V8-generated peptide fragments. The biological and immunological activities of the isolated variant were also evaluated. RESULTS: The rHuIFN alpha-2b variant was found to contain a Met sulfoxide residue at position 111 of the rHuIFN alpha-2b molecule. The far-UV CD spectra showed a slight loss of alpha-helical content and an increase in the beta-sheet contribution. The CD spectra indicate that both chromatographic conditions and Met oxidation contribute to the observed secondary structure changes. Both interferon alpha-2b main component and its methionine-oxidized variant showed different reactivity to monoclonal antibodies employed in immunoassays for the protein. CONCLUSIONS: A monomethioninesulfoxide rHuIFN alpha-2b variant was found to be present in the rHuIFN alpha-2b bulk drug substance in solution. The Met(111) residue was identified as Met sulfoxide by comparative tryptic/V8 mapping and mass spectrometric analysis. Nevertheless, the oxidation of the Met(111) residue did not seem to have a detectable effect on the biological activity of the molecule.

Amino acid sequence of a unique neuronal protein: rat olfactory marker protein.

A neuron-specific protein, the olfactory marker protein (OMP), has been sequenced. This was achieved by gas phase sequencing of peptides isolated by HPLC following chemical and enzymatic cleavages of the intact rat protein. The amino terminus of the intact protein is acetylated. This has been determined by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry of the amino terminal dodecapeptide isolated following BrCN cleavage of the OMP. Comparison of the sequence reported here with over 3000 protein sequences stored in the NBRF protein data base indicates no significant homology with any previously sequenced protein. This, coupled with the occurrence of OMP only in mature olfactory neurons of many vertebrate species, suggests that this protein has a olfactory neurons of many vertebrate species, suggests that this protein has a unique function in the metabolism of these neurons.

Olfactory neuron-specific protein is translated from a large poly(A)+ mRNA.

Poly(A)+ mRNA was isolated from rat olfactory mucosa and translated in a rabbit reticulocyte cell-free protein synthesizing system. Olfactory marker protein (OMP) of Mr 18,500 was faithfully produced by this system upon addition of mucosal mRNA. The protein was identified by radioimmunoprecipitation with specific anti-OMP serum and by competitive displacement of the radioactive product with authentic OMP. In addition, the immunoprecipitated product comigrated with OMP on NaDodSO4/polyacrylamide gels and on HPLC. In vitro synthesized OMP represented 0.5% of the total translational products. Total olfactory mucosal poly(A)+ mRNA is approximately 1.5-21 kilobases in size, as determined by denaturing agarose gels. Translational assays of gel-fractionated poly(A)+ mRNA demonstrated that OMP mRNA occurs in the 2.5- to 3.4-kilobase range. An mRNA of this size could code for a protein significantly larger than OMP. Since the in vitro synthesized OMP is indistinguishable in size from OMP isolated from tissue, our data indicate that OMP is synthesized directly without the intermediate formation of a larger polypeptide precursor. Thus, OMP mRNA contains untranslated regions that are four to five times larger than the coding region.

Effects of butylated hydroxyanisole on the metabolism of benzo(a)pyrene by mouse lung microsomes.

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is a commonly used food additive with demonstrated inhibitory action against chemical carcinogenesis in animals. In order to elucidate the mechanism of the anticarcinogenic action, the effects of BHA on benzo(a)pyrene (BP) metabolism were studied with lung microsomes from female mice. BHA treatment (0.5% in the diet for 7 days) inhibited BP metabolism and altered the ratios among different metabolites as analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The treatment reduced the metabolic formation of 9,10-dihydroxy-9,10-dihydrobenzo(a)pyrene, but not the production of 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene and trans-4,5-dihydroxy-4,5-dihydrobenzo(a)pyrene. Since the gross microsomal cytochrome P-450 content was not significantly affected by the treatment, the change of regioselectivity in BP metabolism was probably due to the alteration of cytochrome P-450 isozyme composition by dietary BHA. General and regioselective inhibition of BP metabolism was also observed when BHA was added to the lung microsomal incubation mixture. The formation of 9,10-dihydroxy-9,10-dihydrobenzo(a)pyrene and 9-hydroxybenzo-(a)pyrene was inhibited more severely than that of trans-4,5-dihydroxy-4,5-dihydrobenzo(a)pyrene and trans-7,8-dihydroxy-7,8-dihydrobenzo(a)pyrene, but the production of 3-hydroxy-benzo(a)pyrene was not inhibited. Dietary BHA treatment also decreased the microsomal metabolism of trans-7,8-dihydroxy-7,8-dihydrobenzo(a)pyrene to n-7,t-8-dihydroxy-t-9,10-oxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo(a)pyrene and r-7,t-8-dihydroxy-c-9,10-oxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo(a)pyrene. Considering that the former diol-epoxide is a suspected ultimate carcinogen, the observed inhibitions of BP metabolism in the formation of diol-epoxides may be closely related to the anticarcinogenic action of BHA.

Regioselective inhibition of benzo[a]pyrene metabolism by butylated hydroxyanisole.

The effects of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) on the metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene (BP) were investigated with mouse hepatic microsomes. Microsomes from BHA-fed mice showed a higher activity in catalyzing the formation of most metabolites from BP but a much lower activity in the formation of 9-hydroxy BP than control microsomes. Dietary BHA treatment enhanced the total metabolism of BP but decreased the microsomal metabolism of BP-7,8-diol, especially the formation of BP-trans-7,8-diol-anti-9,10-oxide. The altered metabolism of BP is believed to be due to the induction of new cytochrome P-450 species by dietary BHA. Consistent with this interpretation is the observation that the treatment also decreased the Km and increased the Vmax of ethoxycoumarin O-dealkylase. Short-term treatment (BHA administered p.o.) and in vitro added BHA were shown to inhibit BP metabolism. Thus, BHA can affect BP metabolism by exerting its inhibitory effect directly and by altering the composition of microsomal monooxygenase enzymes after a few days of exposure.

Metabolism of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene and 7-hydroxymethyl-12-methylbenz(a)anthracene by rat liver and microsomes.

The metabolism of 7,12-[14C]dimethylbenz(a)anthracene ([14C]DMBA) and 7-[7-CH2-3H]hydroxymethyl-12-methylbenz(a)anthracene ([7-CH2-3H]7-OHM-12-BMA) by rat liver nuclei and microsomes was studied by high-performance liquid chromatography. DMBA and 7-OHM-12-MBA are metabolized at methyl group(s) and at the aromatic ring carbons to form trans-dihyrodiols at positions 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10,11 and phenols at positions 2, 3, and 4 by both nuclear and microsomal enzymes. Both nuclear and microsomal monooxygenase enzyme activities were inducible by pretreatment of the animals with phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene. The rates of formation of all metabolites by microsomes were five- to 20-fold higher than those by nuclei in metabolizing DMBA or 7-OHM-12-MBA. The presence of a hydroxyl group at the 7-methyl position of DMBA markedly decreased the rate of metabolism. The rate of total metabolism of 7-OHM-12-MBA was only 20 to 70% of that of DMBA under identical in vitro incubation conditions. The 3-methylcholanthrene- and phenobarbital-induced enzymes showed a significantly different regioselectivity toward the metabolism of DMBA or 7-OHM-12-MBA and are attributed to different forms of cytochrome P-450 present in the enzyme preparations.