Chapter 12. Small Molecular Protease Inhibitors and Their Biological Effects

Tellurium is a rare element which has been regarded as a toxic, non-essential trace element and its biological role is not clearly established to date. Besides of that, the biological effects of elemental tellurium and some of its inorganic and organic derivatives have been studied, leading to a set of interesting and promising applications. As an example, it can be highlighted the uses of alkali-metal tellurites and tellurates in microbiology, the antioxidant effects of organotellurides and diorganoditellurides and the immunomodulatory effects of the non-toxic inorganic tellurane, named AS-101, and the plethora of its uses. Inasmuch, the nascent applications of organic telluranes (organotelluranes) as protease inhibitors and its applications in disease models are the most recent contribution to the scenario of the biological effects and applications of tellurium and its compounds discussed in this manuscript.

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SEM of non-coated hepatocellular cytoskeleton of perfused livers

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100111641 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 42 ◽

pp. 306-307

Author(s):

S.W. French ◽

N.C. Benson ◽

C. Davis-Scibienski

Keyword(s):

Ambient Temperature ◽

Critical Point ◽

Protease Inhibitors ◽

Metal Deposition ◽

Heat Damage ◽

Detergent Extraction ◽

Cytoskeletal Elements ◽

Triton X ◽

Excised Tissue

Previous SEM studies of liver cytoskeletal elements have encountered technical difficulties such as variable metal coating and heat damage which occurs during metal deposition. The majority of studies involving evaluation of the cell cytoskeleton have been limited to cells which could be isolated, maintained in culture as a monolayer and thus easily extracted. Detergent extraction of excised tissue by immersion has often been unsatisfactory beyond the depth of several cells. These disadvantages have been avoided in the present study. Whole C3H mouse livers were perfused in situ with 0.5% Triton X-100 in a modified Jahn's buffer including protease inhibitors. Perfusion was continued for 1 to 2 hours at ambient temperature. The liver was then perfused with a 2% buffered gluteraldehyde solution. Liver samples including spontaneous tumors were then maintained in buffered gluteraldehyde for 2 hours. Samples were processed for SEM and TEM using the modified thicarbohydrazide procedure of Malich and Wilson, cryofractured, and critical point dried (CPD). Some samples were mechanically fractured after CPD.

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Ultrastructural Changes in Three Different Mammalian Cells Following Ultraviolet Laser Irradiation

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100095017 ◽

1972 ◽

Vol 30 ◽

pp. 350-351

Author(s):

K. Shankar Narayan ◽

Kailash C. Gupta ◽

Tohru Okigaki

Keyword(s):

Ultraviolet Light ◽

Mammalian Cells ◽

Biological Effects ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Chinese Hamster ◽

Cell Types ◽

Differential Sensitivity ◽

Ultrastructural Changes ◽

Ultraviolet Laser

The biological effects of short-wave ultraviolet light has generally been described in terms of changes in cell growth or survival rates and production of chromosomal aberrations. Ultrastructural changes following exposure of cells to ultraviolet light, particularly at 265 nm, have not been reported.We have developed a means of irradiating populations of cells grown in vitro to a monochromatic ultraviolet laser beam at a wavelength of 265 nm based on the method of Johnson. The cell types studies were: i) WI-38, a human diploid fibroblast; ii) CMP, a human adenocarcinoma cell line; and iii) Don C-II, a Chinese hamster fibroblast cell strain. The cells were exposed either in situ or in suspension to the ultraviolet laser (UVL) beam. Irradiated cell populations were studied either "immediately" or following growth for 1-8 days after irradiation.Differential sensitivity, as measured by survival rates were observed in the three cell types studied. Pattern of ultrastructural changes were also different in the three cell types.

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Genomic analysis of C-type lectins

Biochemical Society Symposium ◽

10.1042/bss0690059 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 69 ◽

pp. 59-72 ◽

Cited By ~ 85

Author(s):

Kurt Drickamer ◽

Andrew J. Fadden

Keyword(s):

Biological Effects ◽

Cell Signalling ◽

Genomic Analysis ◽

Binding Activity ◽

Immunoglobulin Superfamily ◽

Carbohydrate Binding ◽

Carbohydrate Recognition ◽

Calcium Dependent ◽

Binding Domains ◽

Carbohydrate Recognition Domains

Many biological effects of complex carbohydrates are mediated by lectins that contain discrete carbohydrate-recognition domains. At least seven structurally distinct families of carbohydrate-recognition domains are found in lectins that are involved in intracellular trafficking, cell adhesion, cell–cell signalling, glycoprotein turnover and innate immunity. Genome-wide analysis of potential carbohydrate-binding domains is now possible. Two classes of intracellular lectins involved in glycoprotein trafficking are present in yeast, model invertebrates and vertebrates, and two other classes are present in vertebrates only. At the cell surface, calcium-dependent (C-type) lectins and galectins are found in model invertebrates and vertebrates, but not in yeast; immunoglobulin superfamily (I-type) lectins are only found in vertebrates. The evolutionary appearance of different classes of sugar-binding protein modules parallels a development towards more complex oligosaccharides that provide increased opportunities for specific recognition phenomena. An overall picture of the lectins present in humans can now be proposed. Based on our knowledge of the structures of several of the C-type carbohydrate-recognition domains, it is possible to suggest ligand-binding activity that may be associated with novel C-type lectin-like domains identified in a systematic screen of the human genome. Further analysis of the sequences of proteins containing these domains can be used as a basis for proposing potential biological functions.

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