alpha(1)-Acid glycoprotein modulates apoptosis in bovine monocytes   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Ceciliani F  Pocacqua V  Miranda-Ribera A  Bronzo V  Lecchi C  Sartorelli P 《Veterinary immunology and immunopathology》2007,116(3-4):145-152

alpha(1)-Acid glycoprotein (AGP, orosomucoid) is a normal constituent of bovine blood. AGP is an immunocalin, a binding protein that can also exert several immunomodulatory functions. In this paper we investigated the effect of bovine alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (boAGP) on spontaneous and staurosporine-induced apoptosis of blood derived monocytes purified using magnetic cell sorting techniques. Bovine AGP was purified from blood following a chromatographic protocol. The homogeneous protein was used to stimulate the cells as well to raise a polyclonal antibody, that was used throughout all the experiments. When monocytes were incubated with high concentrations of boAGP (0.9 mg/ml), similar to those found in bovine plasma during systemic reaction to inflammation, their spontaneous apoptosis rate was suppressed, as determined by caspase-3/7 enzymatic activity assay. Similar results were obtained when apoptosis was induced by adding staurosporine, a potent protein kinase inhibitor. The apoptosis-modulating activity of boAGP was dependent on its concentration, since physiological concentrations of boAGP (0.3 mg/ml) did not exhibit a statistically significative anti-apoptotic activity. We also investigated whether this apoptosis-modulating activity was dependent on the terminal sialic acid residues exposed on the surface of the protein. Enzymatic treatment with neuraminidase, that cleaves terminal sialic acid residues, completely abolished boAGP's anti-apoptotic activity. These results suggest that the protective effect of AGP is likely mediated by its sialic acid terminal groups.  相似文献   

Immunopathology of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dirofilaria immitis</Emphasis> Infection     

Simón F  Kramer LH  Román A  Blasini W  Morchón R  Marcos-Atxutegi C  Grandi G  Genchi C 《Veterinary research communications》2007,31(2):161-171

Heartworm disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis affects canine and feline hosts, with infections occasionally being reported in humans. Studies have shown that both dirofilarial antigens and those derived from its bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia, interact with the host organism during canine, feline and human infections and participate in the development of the pathology and in the regulation of the host’s immune response. Both innate and acquired immune responses are observed and the development of the acquired response may depend on the host and, or on its parasitological status. This review aims at illustrating current research on the role of both D. immitis and Wolbachia, in the immunology and immunopathology of dirofilariosis.  相似文献   

Soluble sugars and carboxylic acids in ripe apricot fruit as parameters for distinguishing different cultivars     

Fabrizio Gurrieri  Jean-Marc Audergon  Guy Albagnac  Maryse Reich 《Euphytica》2001,117(3):183-189

Major sugar and carboxylic acid components in apricot flesh fruits were detected and quantified. Fifty-one genotypes including clones growing in France, Spain, Italy, Greece and USA, belonging to the INRA germ plasm collection has been evaluated. Principal component analysis (PCA) has been performed to study correlation among fruit quality measurements and to interpret relationships between genotypes as a tool for germ plasm characterization. A marked variation in malic and citric acid content has been observed and PCA revealed clusters of apricot genotypes for the malic/citric ratio content. A good correlation between sugar component and refractometer index (r = 0.83) has been detected. The wide range of diversity in malic and citric acid content in apricot germ plasm makes it possible to breed and select genotypes with improved flavour on the basis of superior phenotypes. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.  相似文献   

Jet and accretion-disk emission untangled in 3C 273     

Grandi P  Palumbo GG 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2004,306(5698):998-1002

A long-term spectral variability study of 3C 273 on data obtained by BeppoSAX allows us to decouple the beamed nonthermal (jet) and unbeamed thermal (accretion flow) radiation produced in the inner region of a radio-loud active galactic nucleus. Jet power, when compared with unbeamed radiation, increases with energy. The thermal component is generally overwhelmed by the nonthermal radiation, by a factor of 1.2 to 3 in the 2- to 10-keV range and up to a factor of 7 above 20 keV. In only one case, the accretion flow overcomes the jet, allowing the K(alpha) iron line to emerge clearly over the continuum.  相似文献   

Strongly correlated superconductivity     

Capone M  Fabrizio M  Castellani C  Tosatti E 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2002,296(5577):2364-2366

High-temperature superconductivity in doped Mott insulators such as the cuprates contradicts the conventional wisdom that electron repulsion is detrimental to superconductivity. Because doped fullerene conductors are also strongly correlated, the recent discovery of high-critical-temperature, presumably s-wave, superconductivity in C60 field effect devices is even more puzzling. We examine a dynamical mean-field solution of a model for electron-doped fullerenes that shows how strong correlations can indeed enhance superconductivity close to the Mott transition. We argue that the mechanism responsible for this enhancement could be common to a wider class of strongly correlated models, including those for cuprate superconductors.  相似文献   

Two domains of yeast U6 small nuclear RNA required for both steps of nuclear precursor messenger RNA splicing   总被引：31，自引：0，他引：31  

P Fabrizio  J Abelson 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》1990,250(4979):404-409

U6 is one of the five small nuclear RNA's (snRNA's) that are required for splicing of nuclear precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA). The size and sequence of U6 RNA are conserved among organisms as diverse as yeast and man, and so it has been proposed that U6 RNA functions as a catalytic element in splicing. A procedure for in vitro reconstitution of functional yeast U6 small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNP's) with synthetic U6 RNA was applied in an attempt to elucidate the function of yeast U6 RNA. Two domains in U6 RNA were identified, each of which is required for in vitro splicing. Single nucleotide substitutions in these two domains block splicing either at the first or the second step. Invariably, U6 RNA mutants that block the first step of splicing do not enter the spliceosome. On the other hand, those that block the second step of splicing form a spliceosome but block cleavage at the 3' splice site of the intron. In both domains, the positions of base changes that block the second step of splicing correspond exactly to the site of insertion of pre-mRNA-type introns into the U6 gene of two yeast species, providing a possible explanation for the mechanism of how these introns originated and adding further evidence for the proposed catalytic role of U6 RNA.  相似文献   

Identification of a DNA nonhomologous end-joining complex in bacteria     

Weller GR  Kysela B  Roy R  Tonkin LM  Scanlan E  Della M  Devine SK  Day JP  Wilkinson A  d'Adda di Fagagna F  Devine KM  Bowater RP  Jeggo PA  Jackson SP  Doherty AJ 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2002,297(5587):1686-1689

In eukaryotic cells, double-strand breaks (DSBs) in DNA are generally repaired by the pathway of homologous recombination or by DNA nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). Both pathways have been highly conserved throughout eukaryotic evolution, but no equivalent NHEJ system has been identified in prokaryotes. The NHEJ pathway requires a DNA end-binding component called Ku. We have identified bacterial Ku homologs and show that these proteins retain the biochemical characteristics of the eukaryotic Ku heterodimer. Furthermore, we show that bacterial Ku specifically recruits DNA ligase to DNA ends and stimulates DNA ligation. Loss of these proteins leads to hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation in Bacillus subtilis. These data provide evidence that many bacteria possess a DNA DSB repair apparatus that shares many features with the NHEJ system of eukarya and suggest that this DNA repair pathway arose before the prokaryotic and eukaryotic lineages diverged.  相似文献   

Adaptive selection of foraging and nesting habitat by black kites (Milvus migrans) and its implications for conservation: a multi-scale approach     

Fabrizio Sergio  Paolo Pedrini 《Biological conservation》2003,112(3):351-362

Black kites (Milvus migrans) are vulnerable and in decline within Europe. Here, we investigate selection of foraging and breeding habitat in a high-priority population in the Italian pre-Alps. Compared to a random distribution, kites foraged preferentially near water, over extensively managed grassland and within 1 km of nest-sites. Urban areas were positively selected near lakes but otherwise avoided. Foraging performance was higher over water than over terrestrial habitats. Kites nested on cliffs and trees and preferentially near water, far from paths and villages and in rugged and steep micro-sites. Tree-nests were located in the most mature tree in the stand. Productivity was positively related to the availability of water bodies. Therefore, food availability and human disturbance/persecution limited foraging and breeding performance. Guidelines to maintain or enhance current population levels include: (1) setting up reserves covering 10% of the areas within 1 km of large lakes; (2) converting current derelict coppice-woodland to high forest; and (3) enhancing subsidies for extensively managed grassland. Our results highlight the importance of cross-scale models integrating selection of foraging and breeding habitat and reinforce the importance of the spatial configuration of key resources for more realistic conservation management in mosaic landscapes.  相似文献   

Left basilar systolic murmur in retired racing greyhounds     

Fabrizio F  Baumwart R  Iazbik MC  Meurs KM  Couto CG 《Journal of veterinary internal medicine / American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine》2006,20(1):78-82

Nineteen of 28 (67%) Greyhounds enrolled in the Blood Donor Program at The Veterinary Teaching Hospital, The Ohio State University (Columbus, OH), had a left basilar systolic murmur. Ten Greyhounds with murmurs and 9 without murmurs were evaluated to gain knowledge about the pathogenesis of this murmur. Echocardiograms were performed without sedation by means of a GE Vivid 7 Echocardiographic System with a continuous ECG; systolic arterial blood pressure (SABP) was measured with an Ultrasonic Doppler Flow detector model 811-B. The mean peak aortic velocity in the Greyhounds with murmurs (2.15 m/s; range, 1.8-2.2 m/s) was significantly higher than in the Greyhounds without murmurs (1.89 m/s; range, 1.6-2.0 m/s) (P < .001); there were no significant differences between groups for aortic valve or annulus diameter, fractional shortening, pulmonic velocity, SABP, hematocrit, serum protein concentration, or red blood cell counts. In this study, Greyhounds with soft, left basilar systolic murmurs had mildly (but significantly) higher mean peak aortic velocities than similar dogs without murmurs. In the dogs with murmurs (and higher velocities), we could not identify structural abnormalities, such as valvular lesions or other congenital defects. There was no inverse correlation between the systolic murmur and the higher hematocrit and red blood cell counts observed in this breed. This 1-2/6 basilar systolic murmur is common in Greyhounds, and it does not appear to be of any clinical consequence.  相似文献   

Use of the agarose cell block technique in veterinary diagnostic cytopathology: an "old and forgotten" method     

Zanoni DS  Grandi F  Rocha NS 《Veterinary clinical pathology / American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology》2012,41(3):307-308

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