Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an essential morphogenetic process during embryonic development. It can be induced in vitro by hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF), or by FGF-1 in our NBT-II cell model for EMT. We tested for a central role in EMT of a zinc-finger protein called Slug. Slug mRNA and protein levels were increased transiently in FGF-1–treated NBT-II cells. Transient or stable transfection of Slug cDNA in NBT-II cells resulted in a striking disappearance of the desmosomal markers desmoplakin and desmoglein from cell–cell contact areas, mimicking the initial steps of FGF-1 or HGF/SF- induced EMT. Stable transfectant cells expressed Slug protein and were less epithelial, with increased cell spreading and cell–cell separation in subconfluent cultures. Interestingly, NBT-II cells transfected with antisense Slug cDNA were able to resist EMT induction by FGF-1 or even HGF/SF. This antisense effect was suppressed by retransfection with Slug sense cDNA. Our results indicate that Slug induces the first phase of growth factor–induced EMT, including desmosome dissociation, cell spreading, and initiation of cell separation. Moreover, the antisense inhibition experiments suggest that Slug is also necessary for EMT.

/pdf/the-zinc-finger-protein-slug-causes-desmosome-dissociation-323djthu4o.pdf

The Zinc-Finger Protein Slug Causes Desmosome Dissociation, an Initial and Necessary Step for Growth Factor–induced Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition

Neurofilaments (NFs) are the most abundant structural components in large-diameter myelinated axons Assembled as obligate heteropolymers requiring NF-L and substoichiometric amounts of NF-M and/or NF-H, NF investment into axons is essential for establishment of axonal caliber, itself a key determinant of conduction velocity Use of transgenic mice to increase axonal accumulation of NFs or to express mutant NFs subunits has proven that aberrant organization or assembly of NFs is sufficient to cause disease arising from selective dysfunction and degeneration of motor neurons Because aberrant accumulation of NFs is a common pathology in a series of motor neuron diseases-including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-NF misaccumulation, and the resultant disruption in axonal transport, is probably a key intermediate in the pathogenesis of these diseases

http://cmm.ucsd.edu/cleveland/DWC%20Journal%20PDF%20files/1996/Lee%20and%20Cleveland%20(1996)%20Ann.%20Rev.%20Neuro.%2019,%20187-217.pdf

Neuronal Intermediate Filaments

A six-step biochemical key is presented for the identification of all recognized Enterococcus spp. The key consists of 12 tests, but no more than 6 are needed for the most complicated identification. The reliability of the key has been evaluated with collection type strains and clinical and environmental isolates. This key has fewer tests than those reported in previous studies. There is no commercial kit that includes the whole set of tests. However, some of the tests are included in enzyme activity-based kits that could be used with the proposed key. The key is designed for use in routine applications, especially in environmental and clinical studies with a high number of isolates.

Identification of Enterococcus spp. with a Biochemical Key

The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate whether the increased intraabdominal pressure due to gas insufflation creates intestinal ischemia leading to oxygen free radical production and bacterial translocation. A group of 88 rats were studied, 40 of which were subjected to a 15 mmHg pressure pneumoperitoneum for 60 minutes, with the following parameters being studied: mean arterial pressure after carotid catheterization; intestinal microcirculation by means of the laser-Doppler technique; gut metabolic activity (O2 extraction) by blood sampling from portal vein and carotid artery; intestinal, hepatic, splenic, and lung free radical production (malondialdehyde); and bacterial translocation toward the mesenteric lymph nodes, liver, and spleen at 3 and 18 hours after pneumoperitoneum deflation. The mean arterial pressure exhibited no alterations, whereas the jejunal mucosa microcirculation was significantly decreased (p = 0.0001), as was the gut metabolic activity (p = 0.025). Malondialdehyde was increased in gut mucosa (p = 0.0002), liver (p = 0.02), spleen (p = 0.03), and lung (p = 0.017). Bacterial translocation toward the mesenteric lymph nodes (p = 0.002), spleen (p = 0.002), and liver (p = 0.05) was increased in the 3-hour group; in the 18-hour group bacteria were not found in mesenteric lymph nodes but were in liver (p = 0.008) and spleen (p = 0.035). It is concluded that elevated intraabdominal pressure in the rat leads to intestinal ischemia, oxygen free radical production, and bacterial translocation. These results must be reproduced in humans and their clinical significance clarified.

Gut Ischemia, Oxidative Stress, and Bacterial Translocation in Elevated Abdominal Pressure in Rats

We report the isolation of nitrogen fixing, phytohormone producing bacteria from sugarcane and their beneficial effects on the growth of micropropagated sugarcane plantlets. Detection of the nitrogen fixing bacteria by ARA-based MPN (acetylene reduction assay-based most probable number) method indicated the presence of up to 106 bacteria per gram dry weight of stem and 107 bacteria per gram dry weight of root of field-grown sugarcane. Two nitrogen fixing bacterial isolates were obtained from stem (SC11, SC20) and two from the roots (SR12, SR13) of field-grown plants. These isolates were identified as Enterobacter sp. strains on the basis of their morphological characteristics and biochemical tests. The isolate SC20 was further characterized by 16S rRNA sequence analysis, which showed high sequence similarity to the sequence of Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella oxytoca. All the isolates produced the phytohormone indoleacetic acid (IAA) in pure culture and this IAA production was enhanced in growth medium containing tryptophan. The bacterial isolates were used to inoculate micro-propagated sugarcane in vitro where maximum increase in the root and shoot weight over control was observed in the plantlets inoculated with strain SC20. By using the15N isotope dilution technique, maximum nitrogen fixation contribution (28% of total plant nitrogen) was detected in plantlets inoculated with isolate SC20.

Isolation, partial characterization, and the effect of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) on micro-propagated sugarcane in vitro

http://academic.oup.com/milmed/article-pdf/146/1/60/24125826/milmed-146-1-60.pdf

Biochemical Tests for Identification of Medical Bacteria

http://academic.oup.com/milmed/article-pdf/140/3/203/24165927/milmed-140-3-203.pdf

General Pathology, 4th Ed

https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article-pdf/143/4/262/24131884/milmed-143-4-262a.pdf

Textbook of Physiology and Biochemistry

http://academic.oup.com/milmed/article-pdf/146/3/173/24126185/milmed-146-3-173.pdf

Color Atlas of Pathology of the Nervous System

http://academic.oup.com/milmed/article-pdf/149/2/81/24011686/milmed-149-2-81.pdf

Paul C. Legolvan

Papers

Biochemical Tests for Identification of Medical Bacteria

General Pathology, 4th Ed

Textbook of Physiology and Biochemistry

Color Atlas of Pathology of the Nervous System

Cell Structure—An Introduction to Biomedical Electron Microscopy