Role of cysteine in jaundice hemorrhages

1935 ◽  
Vol 31 (8-9) ◽  
pp. 1114-1114

The role of calcium, platelets, and other factors that were associated with bleeding was not confirmed in jaundice. Carr and Toote found that the amino acid cysteine was the main factor impeding blood clotting. In obstructive jaundice, this amino acid accumulates in the blood and in in vitro experiments and, when administered to animals, causes a deterioration in blood clotting.

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1092
Author(s):  
János András Mótyán ◽  
Márió Miczi ◽  
Stephen Oroszlan ◽  
József Tőzsér

To explore the sequence context-dependent nature of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease’s specificity and to provide a rationale for viral mutagenesis to study the potential role of the nucleocapsid (NC) processing in HIV-1 replication, synthetic oligopeptide substrates representing the wild-type and modified versions of the proximal cleavage site of HIV-1 NC were assayed as substrates of the HIV-1 protease (PR). The S1′ substrate binding site of HIV-1 PR was studied by an in vitro assay using KIVKCF↓NCGK decapeptides having amino acid substitutions of N17 residue of the cleavage site of the first zinc-finger domain, and in silico calculations were also performed to investigate amino acid preferences of S1′ site. Second site substitutions have also been designed to produce “revertant” substrates and convert a non-hydrolysable sequence (having glycine in place of N17) to a substrate. The specificity constants obtained for peptides containing non-charged P1′ substitutions correlated well with the residue volume, while the correlation with the calculated interaction energies showed the importance of hydrophobicity: interaction energies with polar residues were related to substantially lower specificity constants. Cleavable “revertants” showed one residue shift of cleavage position due to an alternative productive binding mode, and surprisingly, a double cleavage of a substrate was also observed. The results revealed the importance of alternative binding possibilities of substrates into the HIV-1 PR. The introduction of the “revertant” mutations into infectious virus clones may provide further insights into the potential role of NC processing in the early phase of the viral life-cycle.


2017 ◽  
Vol 117 (07) ◽  
pp. 1402-1411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Beth Mann Dosier ◽  
Vikram J. Premkumar ◽  
Hongmei Zhu ◽  
Izzet Akosman ◽  
Michael F. Wempe ◽  
...  

SummaryThe system L neutral amino acid transporter (LAT; LAT1, LAT2, LAT3, or LAT4) has multiple functions in human biology, including the cellular import of S-nitrosothiols (SNOs), biologically active derivatives of nitric oxide (NO). SNO formation by haemoglobin within red blood cells (RBC) has been studied, but the conduit whereby a SNO leaves the RBC remains unidentified. Here we hypothesised that SNO export by RBCs may also depend on LAT activity, and investigated the role of RBC LAT in modulating SNO-sensitive RBC-endothelial cell (EC) adhesion. We used multiple pharmacologic inhibitors of LAT in vitro and in vivo to test the role of LAT in SNO export from RBCs and in thereby modulating RBC-EC adhesion. Inhibition of human RBC LAT by type-1-specific or nonspecific LAT antagonists increased RBC-endothelial adhesivity in vitro, and LAT inhibitors tended to increase post-transfusion RBC sequestration in the lung and decreased oxygenation in vivo. A LAT1-specific inhibitor attenuated SNO export from RBCs, and we demonstrated LAT1 in RBC membranes and LAT1 mRNA in reticulocytes. The proadhesive effects of inhibiting LAT1 could be overcome by supplemental L-CSNO (S-nitroso-L-cysteine), but not D-CSNO or L-Cys, and suggest a basal anti-adhesive role for stereospecific intercellular SNO transport. This study reveals for the first time a novel role of LAT1 in the export of SNOs from RBCs to prevent their adhesion to ECs. The findings have implications for the mechanisms of intercellular SNO signalling, and for thrombosis, sickle cell disease, and post-storage RBC transfusion, when RBC adhesivity is increased.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 2549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asghar Ali ◽  
Mark Stenglein ◽  
Thomas Spencer ◽  
Gerrit Bouma ◽  
Russell Anthony ◽  
...  

LIN28 inhibits let-7 miRNA maturation which prevents cell differentiation and promotes proliferation. We hypothesized that the LIN28-let-7 axis regulates proliferation-associated genes in sheep trophectoderm in vivo. Day 9-hatched sheep blastocysts were incubated with lentiviral particles to deliver shRNA targeting LIN28 specifically to trophectoderm cells. At day 16, conceptus elongation was significantly reduced in LIN28A and LIN28B knockdowns. Let-7 miRNAs were significantly increased and IGF2BP1-3, HMGA1, ARID3B, and c-MYC were decreased in trophectoderm from knockdown conceptuses. Ovine trophoblast (OTR) cells derived from day 16 trophectoderm are a useful tool for in vitro experiments. Surprisingly, LIN28 was significantly reduced and let-7 miRNAs increased after only a few passages of OTR cells, suggesting these passaged cells represent a more differentiated phenotype. To create an OTR cell line more similar to day 16 trophectoderm we overexpressed LIN28A and LIN28B, which significantly decreased let-7 miRNAs and increased IGF2BP1-3, HMGA1, ARID3B, and c-MYC compared to control. This is the first study showing the role of the LIN28-let-7 axis in trophoblast proliferation and conceptus elongation in vivo. These results suggest that reduced LIN28 during early placental development can lead to reduced trophoblast proliferation and sheep conceptus elongation at a critical period for successful establishment of pregnancy.


2004 ◽  
Vol 377 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphanie MOUHAT ◽  
Amor MOSBAH ◽  
Violeta VISAN ◽  
Heike WULFF ◽  
Muriel DELEPIERRE ◽  
...  

Pi1 is a 35-residue scorpion toxin cross-linked by four disulphide bridges that acts potently on both small-conductance Ca2+-activated (SK) and voltage-gated (Kv) K+ channel subtypes. Two approaches were used to investigate the relative contribution of the Pi1 functional dyad (Tyr-33 and Lys-24) to the toxin action: (i) the chemical synthesis of a [A24,A33]-Pi1 analogue, lacking the functional dyad, and (ii) the production of a Pi1 analogue that is phosphorylated on Tyr-33 (P-Pi1). According to molecular modelling, this phosphorylation is expected to selectively impact the two amino acid residues belonging to the functional dyad without altering the nature and three-dimensional positioning of other residues. P-Pi1 was directly produced by peptide synthesis to rule out any possibility of trace contamination by the unphosphorylated product. Both Pi1 analogues were compared with synthetic Pi1 for bioactivity. In vivo, [A24,A33]-Pi1 and P-Pi1 are lethal by intracerebroventricular injection in mice (LD50 values of 100 and 40 µg/mouse, respectively). In vitro, [A24,A33]-Pi1 and P-Pi1 compete with 125I-apamin for binding to SK channels of rat brain synaptosomes (IC50 values of 30 and 10 nM, respectively) and block rat voltage-gated Kv1.2 channels expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes (IC50 values of 22 µM and 75 nM, respectively), whereas they are inactive on Kv1.1 or Kv1.3 channels at micromolar concentrations. Therefore, although both analogues are less active than Pi1 both in vivo and in vitro, the integrity of the Pi1 functional dyad does not appear to be a prerequisite for the recognition and binding of the toxin to the Kv1.2 channels, thereby highlighting the crucial role of other toxin residues with regard to Pi1 action on these channels. The computed simulations detailing the docking of Pi1 peptides on to the Kv1.2 channels support an unexpected key role of specific basic amino acid residues, which form a basic ring (Arg-5, Arg-12, Arg-28 and Lys-31 residues), in toxin binding.


Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (11) ◽  
pp. 3938-3938
Author(s):  
Eli I. Lev ◽  
Jing-fei Dong ◽  
Marcin Bujak ◽  
Khatira Aboulfatova ◽  
Neal S. Kleiman ◽  
...  

Abstract We and others have found that platelets play an important role in the recruitment of endothelial progenitor cells to sights of vascular injury. However, it is not clear whether the EPCs mature and differentiate to endothelial cells following recruitment to the vascular injury sites. In addition, there is limited in vivo data to support the role of EPCs in re-endothlialization following vascular injury. We conducted in vitro experiments to investigate the maturation of EPCs on platelet based-media and in vivo experiments to evaluate the recruitment of EPCs following vascular injury. In in vitro experiments human EPCs were isolated from donated buffy coats by magnetic microbeads and flow cytometry cell sorting using CD133 and VEGFR-2, respectively, as cell markers. Isolated viable EPCs (CD133+, VEGFR-2+ cells) were plated on human fibronectin or a monolayer of washed human platelets. Cell colonies were counted 7 days after plating and stained for the endothelial cell markers CD31 (PECAM-1) and CD144 (VE-cadherin). The mean number of colony-forming cells was 35±2.6 colonies/106 cells on platelets, which was significantly higher than 18±4.2 colonies/106 cells on fibronectin (n = 4, P<0.01). Apart from the difference in colony numbers, the EPC colonies grew faster on the platelet substrate, were larger, and had more spindle-shaped cells (Figure 1 - staining of EPC colonies for CD31 and CD144). In the in vivo experiments a model of transluminal injury to mouse femoral arteries was used. Femoral artery denudation was performed by 0.25-mm-diameter angioplasty guidewire. Injured femoral arteries were compared to the contra-lateral controls (uninjured), and were harvested 1.5 hours following the injury and immunostaining performed with an anti-VEGFR-2 antibody. Four experiments showed a markedly higher number of VEGFR-2+ cells in the artery that has undergone denudation. These experiments indicate that a media composed of platelets promotes the maturation and differentiation of EPCs. Furthermore, in vivo, EPCs are recruited early following vascular injury. Thus, homing, maturation, and differentiation of EPCs are mediated by platelets.


Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 1166-1166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenrui Li ◽  
Keiyo Takubo ◽  
Pengxu Qian ◽  
Toshio Suda ◽  
Linheng Li

Abstract Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) maintenance is required to preserve stem cell pool and compensate the dynamic loss of blood cells. Previous studies of HSCs maintenance mainly focus on the quiescent versus active state of HSCs and accumulated evidence indicates that metabolism plays a critical role in coordinating divergent stem cell states. While recent reports largely emphasized the role of catabolic glycolysis on long-term (LT) HSC maintenance, we found that free amino acids are enriched in primitive stem cell by ~1.5 fold. Given that amino acid metabolism in HSCs is largely unknown, we first cultured bone marrow (BM) cells with individual amino acid deprived medium to study the function of individual amino acids on HSCs in vitro. Surprisingly, we found that specific amino acids, including valine, methionine and threonine (VMT), are essential for maintaining primitive HSCs, as removing them (VMT) individually from media dramatically reduced primitive HSC number by over 95%. Thus, we hypothesize that specific amino acids are critical for preserving the stem cell pool and maintaining their function. To test it, we transplanted equal number of cells cultured with complete or individual VMT deprived media into lethally irradiated recipient mice and found VMT deprivation in vitro impaired stem cell repopulation ability. We also identified the amino acid transporter X (AATX) that is specifically expressed in HSCs and maintain VMT levels within the cell. Furthermore, inhibition of AATX reduced LT-HSC (LSK CD34- Flk2-) number in vivo. BM transplantation indicated that AATX inhibition impaired stem cell long-term reconstitution ability by over 2 fold. Our studies uncovered a role of amino acid metabolism in HSC maintenance and discovered the underlying molecular mechanism related to the amino acid transport. This finding may impact clinical treatment of blood disorders including leukemia. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piero Ruscitti ◽  
Paola Cipriani ◽  
Francesco Carubbi ◽  
Vasiliki Liakouli ◽  
Francesca Zazzeroni ◽  
...  

Several inflammatory diseases have been associated with increased bone resorption and fracture rates and different studies supported the relation between inflammatory cytokines and osteoclast activity. The main factor required for osteoclast activation is the stimulation by receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) expressed on osteoblasts. In this context, interleukin- (IL-) 1β, one of the most powerful proinflammatory cytokines, is a strong stimulator of in vitro and in vivo bone resorption via upregulation of RANKL that stimulates the osteoclastogenesis. The resulting effects lead to an imbalance in bone metabolism favouring bone resorption and osteoporosis. In this paper, we review the available literature on the role of IL-1βin the pathogenesis of bone loss. Furthermore, we analysed the role of IL-1βin bone resorption during rheumatic diseases and, when available, we reported the efficacy of anti-IL-1βtherapy in this field.


2014 ◽  
Vol 307 (9) ◽  
pp. E800-E812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronika Leiss ◽  
Katarina Flockerzie ◽  
Ana Novakovic ◽  
Michaela Rath ◽  
Annika Schönsiegel ◽  
...  

Bordetella pertussis toxin (PTx), also known as islet-activating protein, induces insulin secretion by ADP-ribosylation of inhibitory G proteins. PTx-induced insulin secretion may result either from inactivation of Gαo proteins or from combined inactivation of Gαo, Gαi1, Gαi2, and Gαi3 isoforms. However, the specific role of Gαi2 in pancreatic β-cells still remains unknown. In global (Gαi2−/−) and β-cell-specific (Gαi2βcko) gene-targeted Gαi2 mouse models, we studied glucose homeostasis and islet functions. Insulin secretion experiments and intracellular Ca2+ measurements were used to characterize Gαi2 function in vitro. Gαi2−/− and Gαi2βcko mice showed an unexpected metabolic phenotype, i.e., significantly lower plasma insulin levels upon intraperitoneal glucose challenge in Gαi2−/− and Gαi2βcko mice, whereas plasma glucose concentrations were unchanged in Gαi2−/− but significantly increased in Gαi2βcko mice. These findings indicate a novel albeit unexpected role for Gαi2 in the expression, turnover, and/or release of insulin from islets. Detection of insulin secretion in isolated islets did not show differences in response to high (16 mM) glucose concentrations between control and β-cell-specific Gαi2-deficient mice. In contrast, the two- to threefold increase in insulin secretion evoked by l-arginine or l-ornithine (in the presence of 16 mM glucose) was significantly reduced in islets lacking Gαi2. In accord with a reduced level of insulin secretion, intracellular calcium concentrations induced by the agonistic amino acid l-arginine did not reach control levels in β-cells. The presented analysis of gene-targeted mice provides novel insights in the role of β-cell Gαi2 showing that amino acid-induced insulin-release depends on Gαi2.


2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (9) ◽  
pp. 4463-4469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christophe Isnard ◽  
Brigitte Malbruny ◽  
Roland Leclercq ◽  
Vincent Cattoir

ABSTRACTAs opposed toEnterococcus faecalis, which is intrinsically resistant to lincosamides, streptogramins A, and pleuromutilins (LSAP phenotype) by production of the ABC protein Lsa(A),Enterococcus faeciumis naturally susceptible. Since this phenotype may be selected forin vivoby quinupristin-dalfopristin (Q-D), the aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanism of acquired LSAP resistance inE. faecium. Six LSAP-resistantin vitromutants ofE. faeciumHM1070 as well as three different pairs of clinical isolates (pre- and postexposure to Q-D) were studied. The full genome sequence of anin vitromutant (E. faeciumUCN90B) was determined by using 454 sequencing technology and was compared with that of the parental strain. Single-nucleotide replacement was carried out to confirm the role of this mutation. By comparative genomic analysis, a point mutation was found within a 1,503-bp gene coding for an ABC homologue showing 66% amino acid identity with Lsa(A). This mutation (C1349T) led to an amino acid substitution (Thr450Ile). An identical mutation was identified in allin vitroandin vivoresistant strains but was not present in susceptible strains. The wild-type allele was namedeat(A) (forEnterococcusABCtransporter), and its mutated allelic variant was namedeat(A)v. The introduction ofeat(A)vfrom UCN90B into HM1070 conferred the LSAP phenotype, whereas that ofeat(A) from HM1070 into UCN90B restored susceptibility entirely. This is the first description of the molecular mechanism of acquired LSAP resistance inE. faecium. Characterization of the biochemical mechanism of resistance and the physiological role of this ABC protein need further investigations.


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