Programmed cell death in procyclic form Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense --identification of differentially expressed genes during con A induced death.

Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense can be induced to undergo apoptosis after stimulation with Con A. As cell death in these parasites is associated with de novo gene expression we have applied a differential display technique, Randomly Amplified Differential Expressed Sequence-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RADES-PCR) to the study of gene expression during Con A induced cell death in these organisms. Twenty-two differentially displayed products have been cloned and sequenced. These represent the first endogenous genes to be identified as implicated in cellular death in trypanosomatids (the most primitive eukaryote in which apoptosis has been described). Evidence for an ancestral death machinery, 'proto-apoptosis' in single celled organisms is discussed.

Zinc, vitamin B-6, and other nutrients in pregnant women attending prenatal clinics in Mexico.

Biochemical measurements and 24-h dietary recalls were conducted early (18.9 +/- 5.9 wk) and late (35.1 +/- 2.0 wk) in pregnancy in women attending clinics in Montemorelos, Mexico. Mean weight gain per week (0.4 +/- 0.2 kg) and birth weight (3381 +/- 456 g) were normal. Intakes tended to decline during pregnancy and declined significantly for zinc (p less than 0.05) and vitamin B-6 (p less than 0.03). Mean Zn intake late in pregnancy was low (7.8 +/- 3.3 mg/d). Various supplements were taken but none contained Zn. During pregnancy mean plasma Zn levels fell (p less than 0.001) and late in pregnancy 57% of the women had values suggestive of poor Zn status (less than or equal to 8.1 mumol/L). These data indicate that Zn intakes of approximately 8 mg/d will not maintain plasma Zn levels in late pregnancy. Erythrocyte glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (EGPT) index and the index of diamine oxidase (DAO), a vitamin B-6-requiring enzyme of placental origin, were correlated suggesting that DAO index may be useful in evaluating vitamin B-6 status in pregnancy.

PIP: Biochemical measurements and 24 hour dietary recalls were conducted early (18.9 +0- 5.9 weeks) and late (35.1 +or- 2.0 weeks) in pregnancy in women attending clinics in Montemorelos, Mexico. Mean weight gain per week (0.4 +or- 0.2 kg) and birth weight (3381 +or- 456 grams) were normal. Intakes tended to decline during pregnancy and declined significantly for zinc (p 0.05) and vitamin B-6 (p 0.03). Mean zinc intake late in pregnancy was low (7.8 +or- 3.3 mg/d). Various supplements were taken but none contained zinc. During pregnancy mean plasma zinc levels fell (p 0.001) and late in pregnancy 57% of the women had values suggestive of poor zinc status (or= 8.1 micromoles/liter). These data indicate that zinc intakes of approximately 8 mg/d will not maintain plasma zinc levels in late pregnancy. Erythrocyte glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (EGPT) index and the index of diamine oxidase (DAO), a vitamin B-6-requiring enzyme of placental origin, were correlated suggesting that DAO index may be useful in evaluating vitamin B-6 status in pregnancy.

Zinc supplementation during pregnancy in low-income teenagers of Mexican descent: effects on selected blood constituents and on progress and outcome of pregnancy.

As a follow-up of our study of pregnant women, we report effects of zinc supplementation during pregnancy in another population of 138 Hispanic teenagers in Los Angeles. Teenagers were randomized (double-blind) to a control or zinc-supplemented group and received similar daily vitamin and mineral supplements except for 20 mg zinc added to the zinc-supplemented group's capsules. Initially, mean dietary zinc intakes of both groups were about 50% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance and their mean serum zinc levels did not differ significantly (69.8 +/- 11.2 micrograms/dl in control and 69.0 +/- 11.4 micrograms/dl in zinc-supplemented group). Zinc supplementation did not maintain mean serum zinc levels during pregnancy but, as in our earlier study, it reduced (p = 0.018) the number of low serum zinc values (less than or equal to 53 micrograms/dl) in late pregnancy. Zinc supplementation did not affect outcome of pregnancy but serum zinc levels were lower (p = 0.038) in teenagers with pregnancy-induced hypertension than in normotensives.

Zinc supplementation during pregnancy: effects on selected blood constituents and on progress and outcome of pregnancy in low-income women of Mexican descent.

The effects of zinc supplementation on levels of various blood constituents and the outcome of pregnancy in 213 Hispanic women attending a prenatal clinic in Los Angeles was assessed in this double-blind study. The women were randomized into either a control (C) or a zinc-supplemented (Z) group and received similar vitamin and mineral supplements except that 20 mg zinc was added to the Z group's capsules. At the final interview, women (C + Z) with low serum Zn levels (less than or equal to 53 micrograms/dl) had higher (p less than 0.01) mean ribonuclease activity and lower (p less than 0.01) mean delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity than women with acceptable serum zinc levels. The incidence of pregnancy-induced hypertension was higher (p less than 0.003) in the C than in the Z group, but pregnancy-induced hypertension was not associated with low serum zinc levels at either the initial or final interview. The expected increase in serum copper levels was greater (less than 0.001) in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension (C + Z) than in normotensives. Except for pregnancy-induced hypertension, there was a higher incidence of abnormal outcomes of pregnancy in the noncompliers than in the compliers (C + Z).

Zinc supplementation during pregnancy: zinc concentration of serum and hair from low-income women of Mexican descent.

The effect of zinc supplementation on concentrations of zinc in hair and serum of 213 pregnant Hispanic women attending a clinic in Los Angeles was assessed using a random, double-blind experiment. Both the treatment (T) and control (C) groups received similar vitamin and mineral supplements except that 20 mg zinc was added to the supplements for the treatment group. Nutrient intakes were calculated from 24-h recalls. The initial mean dietary zinc intake of both groups was about 50% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (9 +/- 5 mg). Initially there were no significant differences between the two groups in mean zinc levels in serum (66 +/- 11 micrograms/dl, C, and 65 +/- 12 micrograms/dl, T) or in hair (184 +/- 41 micrograms/g, C, and 175 +/- 38 micrograms/g, T). Zinc supplementation did not alter mean zinc levels in serum or hair but significantly (p less than 0.05) reduced the number of low serum zinc values (less than or equal to 53.3 micrograms/dl) toward the end of pregnancy. Although serum zinc levels do decline in pregnancy, our results suggest that severely depressed levels (less than or equal to 50 to 55 micrograms/dl) indicate inadequate zinc status.

Effect of maternal nutritional status on immunological substances in human colostrum and milk.

Substances in colostrum and breast milk confer significant disease resistance to the breast-fed infant. The influence of maternal nutritional status on both immunological and nonimmunological milk factors was studied in a group of 23 Colombian women during the first 2 months of lactation. Maternal malnutrition was characterized by significantly lower weight/height ratio, creatinine/height index, total serum proteins, serum albumin, and serum IgG and IgA. The colostrum of malnourished mothers contained only one-third the normal concentration of immunoglobulin G and less than half the normal level of albumin. Significant reductions in colostrum levels of IgA and the fourth component of complement (C4) were also observed in the malnourished group. No differences were observed in colostral concentrations of lysozyme, C3 complement, or IgM. Titers of antibody in milk directed against respiratory syncytial virus were not influenced by maternal nutritional status. The differences noted above tended to disappear in mature milk, concomitant with improvement in the nutritional status of malnourished mothers during the first several weeks postpartum. We conclude that the protective qualities of colostrum and milk may be significantly influenced by maternal nutritional status.

Dietary zinc intake of low-income pregnant women of Mexican descent.

Zinc intakes of low-income pregnant women of Mexican descent were estimated by the use of 24-hr dietary recalls. Recalls were obtained during the first two trimesters for 344 women and again during the third trimester of pregnancy for 279 of the same women. The daily mean zinc intake was calculated as 9.4 +/- 3.8 mg during the first two trimesters and as 10.0 +/- 4.3 mg during the third trimester. For about 85% of the women, the reported intakes were below two-thirds of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for zinc. In a subsample of the women, no significant correlation was shown between low dietary zinc intakes and low serum zinc levels during either early or late pregnancy. Zinc and protein intakes were highly correlated in both early and late pregnancy (r = 0.83 and 0.89, respectively). Diets that provided 90 to 100 g of protein (about 125% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance) provided a mean of 13.6 g of zinc (67% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance).