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Dinucleotide
Kinds of Dinucleotide Terms modified by Dinucleotide Selected AbstractsElectrocatalysis and Amperometric Detection of the Reduced Form of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide at Toluidine Blue/Zinc Oxide Coated ElectrodesELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 18 2007Ashok Kumar Abstract Thin toluidine blue (TBO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) hybrid films have been grown on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and indium tin oxide coated (SnO2) glass electrodes by using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed spherical and beads-like shape of highly oriented TBO/ZnO hybrid films. Energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) results declared that the films composed mainly of Zn and O. Moreover, TBO/ZnO hybrid films modified electrode is electrochemically active, dye molecules were not easily leached out from the ZnO matrix and the hybrid films can be considered for potential applications as sensor for amperometric determination of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) at 0.0,V. A linear correlation between electrocatalytic current and NADH concentration was found to be in the range between 25,,M and 100,,M in phosphate buffer. In addition, we observed that dopamine, ascorbic acid and uric acid are not interference in amperometric detection of NADH in this proposed method. In addition, TBO/ZnO hybrid film modified electrode was highly stable and its response to the NADH also remained relentless. [source] Synthesis of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD) Analogues with a Sugar Modified Nicotinamide MoietyHELVETICA CHIMICA ACTA, Issue 7 2007Natasha Goulioukina Abstract The synthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) analogues in which the ribose unit of the nicotinamide moiety is replaced by a hexitol, altritol, and cyclohexenyl sugar mimic is described. [source] Electroactivity of Polyaniline Multilayer Films in Neutral Solution and Their Electrocatalyzed Oxidation of ,-Nicotinamide Adenine DinucleotideADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 6 2003S. Tian Abstract In this paper, we report an alternative simple method to shift the electroactivity of polyaniline (PANI) films to neutral pH conditions by forming multilayer assemblies with poly(anions) using the layer-by-layer (LBL) deposition method. A series of self-assembled PANI multilayer films with poly(anions), such as sulfonated polyaniline (SPANI), poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), poly(vinyl sulfonate) (PVS), and poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS), were prepared by the LBL method. Their electrochemical behavior and catalytic ability for the oxidation of ,-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) in neutral solution were investigated by electrochemistry (EC) combined with surface plasmon spectroscopy (SPS) and the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique. Results indicated that all the films showed very good stability, reversibility, and electroactivity in neutral solution. All the multilayer films can electrocatalyze the oxidation of NADH, with the catalytic ability of PANI/SPANI being higher than that of the other assemblies under the same conditions. The catalytic abilities of the films with the same thickness prepared by the copolymerization method and the LBL method were also compared. [source] Mononucleotide repeats represent an important source of polymorphic microsatellite markers in Aspergillus nidulansMOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES, Issue 2 2009JULIAN K. CHRISTIANS Abstract In fungi, microsatellites occur less frequently throughout the genome and tend to be less polymorphic compared with other organisms. Most studies that develop microsatellites for fungi focus on dinucleotide and trinucleotide repeats, and thus mononucleotide repeats, which are much more abundant in fungal genomes, may represent an overlooked resource. This study examined the relative probabilities of polymorphism in mononucleotide, dinucleotide and trinucleotide repeats in Aspergillus nidulans. As previously found, the probability of polymorphism increased with increasing number of repeating units. Dinucleotide and trinucleotide repeats had higher probabilities of polymorphism than mononucleotide repeats, but this was offset by the presence of numerous long mononucleotide repeats within the genome. Mononucleotide microsatellites with 20 or more repeating units have a probability of polymorphism similar to dinucleotide and trinucleotide microsatellites, and therefore, consideration of mononucleotide repeats will substantially increase the number of potential markers available. [source] Interaction of Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide (FAD) with a Glassy Carbon Electrode SurfaceCHEMISTRY & BIODIVERSITY, Issue 8 2008Haizhen Wei Abstract The interaction of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) with a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface was investigated in terms of the FAD adsorption thermodynamics and kinetics, the subsequent electroreduction mechanism, and the corresponding electron-transfer rate. The kinetics of FAD electroreduction at the GCE was found to be an adsorption-controlled process. A set of electroreduction kinetic parameters was calculated: the true number of electrons involved in the FAD reduction, n=1.76, the apparent transfer coefficient, ,app=0.41, and the apparent heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constant, kapp=1.4,s,1. The deviation of the number of exchanged electrons from the theoretical value for the complete reduction of FAD to FADH2 (n=2) indicates that a small portion of FAD goes to a semiquinone state during the redox process. The FAD adsorption was well described by the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The large negative apparent Gibbs energy of adsorption (,Gads=,39.7 ±0.4,kJmol,1) indicated a highly spontaneous and strong adsorption of FAD on the GCE. The energetics of the adsorption process was found to be independent of the electrode surface charge in the electrochemical double-layer region. The kinetics of FAD adsorption was modeled using a pseudo -first-order kinetic model. [source] Effect of Enzyme and Cofactor Immobilization on the Response of Ethanol Oxidation in Zirconium Phosphate Modified BiosensorsELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 10 2010Mitk'El Abstract Two different self-contained ethanol amperometric biosensors incorporating layered [Ru(phend)2bpy]2+ -intercalated zirconium phosphate (ZrP) as the mediator as well as yeast -alcohol dehydrogenase (y- ADH) and its cofactor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) were constructed to improve upon a design previously reported where only this mediator was immobilized in the surface of a modified electrode. In the first biosensor, a [Ru(phend)2bpy]2+ -intercalated ZrP modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) was improved by immobilizing in its surface both y- ADH and NAD+ using quaternized Nafion membrane. In the second biosensor, a glassy carbon electrode was modified with [Ru(phend)2bpy]2+ -intercalated ZrP, y- ADH, and NAD+ using Nafion as the holding matrix. Calibration plots for ethanol sensing were constructed in the presence and absence of ZrP. In the absence of ZrP in the surface of the modified glassy carbon electrode, leaching of ADH was observed as detected by UV-vis spectrophotometry. Ethanol sensing was also tested in the presence and absence of ascorbate to measure the selectivity of the sensor for ethanol. These two ethanol biosensors were compared to a previously reported one where the y -ADH and the NAD+ were in solution, not immobilized. [source] Synthesis of Carbon Nanofibers for Mediatorless Sensitive Detection of NADHELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 15 2008Yang Liu Abstract Highly sensitive amperometric detection of dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) by using novel synthesized carbon nanofibers (CNFs) without addition of any mediator has been proposed. The CNFs were prepared by combination of electrospinning technique with thermal treatment method and were applied without any oxidation pretreatment to construct the electrochemical sensor. In amperometric detection of NADH, a linear range up to 11.45,,M with a low detection limit of 20,nM was obtained with the CNF-modified carbon paste electrode (CNF-CPE). Good selectivity was exhibited for the simultaneous detection of NADH and its common interferent of ascorbic acid (AA) by differential pulse voltammogram. The attractive electrochemical performance and the versatile preparation process of the CNF-CPE made it a promising candidate for designing effective NADH sensor. [source] Electrocatalysis and Amperometric Detection of the Reduced Form of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide at Toluidine Blue/Zinc Oxide Coated ElectrodesELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 18 2007Ashok Kumar Abstract Thin toluidine blue (TBO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) hybrid films have been grown on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and indium tin oxide coated (SnO2) glass electrodes by using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed spherical and beads-like shape of highly oriented TBO/ZnO hybrid films. Energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) results declared that the films composed mainly of Zn and O. Moreover, TBO/ZnO hybrid films modified electrode is electrochemically active, dye molecules were not easily leached out from the ZnO matrix and the hybrid films can be considered for potential applications as sensor for amperometric determination of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) at 0.0,V. A linear correlation between electrocatalytic current and NADH concentration was found to be in the range between 25,,M and 100,,M in phosphate buffer. In addition, we observed that dopamine, ascorbic acid and uric acid are not interference in amperometric detection of NADH in this proposed method. In addition, TBO/ZnO hybrid film modified electrode was highly stable and its response to the NADH also remained relentless. [source] Electrochemical Preparation of Poly(acriflavine) Film-Modified Electrode and Its Electrolcatalytic Properties Towards NADH, Nitrite and Sulfur OxoanionsELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 9 2007Shen-Ming Chen Abstract Electrochemical polymerization of acriflavine (AF) was carried out onto glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) from the aqueous buffer solution containing 1.5×10,3,M AF monomer (pH,3.5) which produced a thin electrochemically active film. This is noted as poly(AF) film modified electrodes (PAF/GCE). This modified electrode was shown a stable reversible redox couple centered at +0.22,V in pH,3.5 buffer solutions. PAF/GCE was found to be more stable in acidic solutions and its formal potential was found to be pH dependent with a slope close to ,60,mV/pH. The electrochemical deposition kinetics of poly(AF) onto gold coated quartz crystal was studied by using electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) combined with cyclic voltammetry (CV). PAF/GCE was found be good mediator for electrochemical oxidation of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) in pH,5 buffer solutions. The electrocatalytic oxidation of SO and electrocatalytic reduction of NO, SO and S2O were carried out at PAF/GCE electrode in acidic aqueous solutions. The electrocatalytic oxidation of NADH was also investigated by using amperometric method. [source] Low Potential Detection of NADH at Titanium-Containing MCM-41,Modified Glassy Carbon ElectrodeELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 5 2007Zhihui Dai Abstract Titanium-containing MCM-41 (Ti-MCM-41) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) can exhibit an excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of ,-Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). A dramatic decrease in the over-voltage of NADH oxidation reaction is observed at 0.28,V (vs. SCE). The modified electrode is found to be stable and reproducible. The electrode shows a linear response for a wide range of 10,1200,,M NADH and the detection limit is 8.0,,M. Ti-MCM-41 mesoporous molecular sieves provide an efficient matrix for development of NADH biosensors and the prepared electrode not only can be used to detect the concentration of NADH in biochemical reaction, but also as the potential matrix of the construction of dehydrogenases biosensor. [source] New Strategy for Dehydrogenase Amperometric Biosensors Using Surfactant to Enhance the Sensitivity of Diaphorase/Ferrocene Modified Carbon Paste Electrodes for Electrocatalytic Oxidation of NADHELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 13 2003César Ramírez-Molina Abstract A carbon paste electrode (CPE) modified with diaphorase (DAP) and ferrocene (FcH) has been developed for determination of NADH at low working potential. The sensitivity and operational stability, towards the detection of the reduced form of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) in flow injection analysis (FIA), were greatly improved (5 times) upon adding Tween 20 into the electrode matrix. The magnitude of the amperometric signal was dependent on DAP, FcH and surfactant loading, into the modified carbon paste electrode. A rapid and repeatable response was observed to the variation of NADH concentration in the vicinity of the electrode surface. Such advantages of the DAP/FcH/Tween 20 modified carbon paste were successfully used in the construction of L -lactate dehydrogenase modified electrodes. The use of this new approach can be generalized to other dehydrogenases and represents a decisive step for a versatile preparation method of amperometric biosensors. [source] Compound heterozygosity of two missense mutations in the NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase gene of a Polish patient with type I recessive congenital methaemoglobinaemiaEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2003Dorota Grabowska Abstract: A case of type I methaemoglobinaemia observed in a Polish subject with compound heterozygosity for two mutations in the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) cytochrome b5 reductase (b5R) gene is described. One is a novel mutation 647T,C which leads to substitution of isoleucine by threonine at position 215 (I215T). This maternal mutation was found in several family members. A previously known mutation, 757G,A, leads to the replacement of valine by methionine at position 252 (V252M). The latter mutation was found also in the father and one of the two brothers. The effects of these mutations were analysed on a model of the human b5R protein obtained by homology modelling. Although both amino acid substitutions are located in the NADH-binding domain, the whole protein structure, especially the region between the flavin adenine dinucleotide and NADH-binding domains, is disturbed. The structural changes in the I215T mutant are less prominent than those in the V252M mutant. We presume that the 647T,C mutation is a type I mutation, however, it has not been observed in the homozygous state. [source] Independent receptors for diadenosine pentaphosphate and ATP in rat midbrain single synaptic terminalsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 6 2001M. Díaz-Hernández Abstract Diadenosine pentaphosphate (Ap5A) and adenosine 5,-triphosphate (ATP) stimulate a intrasynaptosomal calcium concentration [Ca2+]i increase via specific purinergic receptors in rat midbrain synaptosomes, although nothing is known about their distribution in presynaptic terminals. A microfluorimetric technique to measure [Ca2+]i increase using the dye FURA-2AM, has permitted study of the presence of dinucleotide and P2X receptors in independent isolated synaptic terminals. Our results demonstrate the existence of three populations of synaptosomes: one with dinucleotide receptors (12%), another with P2X receptors (20%) and a third with both (14%). It has been possible to demonstrate that the activation of these receptors occurs only in the presence of extracellular Ca2+ and that it is also coupled with voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. Finally 54% of the synaptosomes that responded to K+ did not present any calcium increase mediated by the nucleotides used. In summary, ATP and dinucleotides exhibit specific ionotropic receptors that can coexist or not on the same synaptic terminal. [source] Nitric oxide and thyroid gland: modulation of cardiovascular function in autonomic-blocked anaesthetized ratsEXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 3 2004Andrea Lorena Fellet We have previously reported that acute administration of NG -nitro- l -arginine methyl ester (l -NAME) increases the mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) in autonomic-blocked (CAB) anaesthetized rats. In the present study we examined whether thyroid and adrenal glands are involved in these pressor and chronotropic responses. Sprague-Dawley rats were studied after bilateral vagotomy and ganglionic blockade with hexamethonium (10 mg kg,1), and stabilization of MAP with infusion of phenylephrine (PE) (6 ,g kg,1 min,1). The rats were divided into groups: L, CAB; PE, CAB + PE bolus (6 ,g kg,1); L-TX, thyroidectomy + CAB; L-AX, adrenalectomy + CAB; TX, only thyroidectomy; C, CAB. L, L-AX and L-TX groups received a bolus of l -NAME (7.5 mg kg,1). Triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxin (T4) and thyrotropin (TSH) levels were measured in L and L-TX rats before and after l -NAME administration. Reduced nicotamide adenine dinucleotide (NADPH) diaphorase activity was determined in heart and aorta of the TX group. The pressor response induced by l -NAME was similar in all groups. l -NAME-induced-tachycardia was associated with this rise in MAP. Adrenalectomy did not modify this chronotropic response, but it was attenuated by thyroidectomy. Thyroidectomy by itself decreased the circulating levels of T3 but it had no effect on the plasma levels of T4 and TSH. L and L-TX groups showed similar levels of circulating T4 and TSH, meanwhile the plasma level of T3 decreased in the L group. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in atria as well as in aorta was greater in the TX group compared with C. When autonomic influences are removed, the thyroid gland modulates intrinsic heart rate via a mechanism that involves, at least in part, the nitric oxide pathway. [source] Site-directed mutagenesis of selected residues at the active site of aryl-alcohol oxidase, an H2O2 -producing ligninolytic enzymeFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 21 2006Patricia Ferreira Aryl-alcohol oxidase provides H2O2 for lignin biodegradation, a key process for carbon recycling in land ecosystems that is also of great biotechnological interest. However, little is known of the structural determinants of the catalytic activity of this fungal flavoenzyme, which oxidizes a variety of polyunsaturated alcohols. Different alcohol substrates were docked on the aryl-alcohol oxidase molecular structure, and six amino acid residues surrounding the putative substrate-binding site were chosen for site-directed mutagenesis modification. Several Pleurotus eryngii aryl-alcohol oxidase variants were purified to homogeneity after heterologous expression in Emericella nidulans, and characterized in terms of their steady-state kinetic properties. Two histidine residues (His502 and His546) are strictly required for aryl-alcohol oxidase catalysis, as shown by the lack of activity of different variants. This fact, together with their location near the isoalloxazine ring of FAD, suggested a contribution to catalysis by alcohol activation, enabling its oxidation by flavin-adenine dinucleotide (FAD). The presence of two aromatic residues (at positions 92 and 501) is also required, as shown by the conserved activity of the Y92F and F501Y enzyme variants and the strongly impaired activity of Y92A and F501A. By contrast, a third aromatic residue (Tyr78) does not seem to be involved in catalysis. The kinetic and spectral properties of the Phe501 variants suggested that this residue could affect the FAD environment, modulating the catalytic rate of the enzyme. Finaly, L315 affects the enzyme kcat, although it is not located in the near vicinity of the cofactor. The present study provides the first evidence for the role of aryl-alcohol oxidase active site residues. [source] Crystal structure of the Pyrococcus horikoshii DNA primase-UTP complex: implications for the mechanism of primer synthesisGENES TO CELLS, Issue 12 2003Nobutoshi Ito Background:,, In chromosomal DNA replication, DNA primase initiates the synthesis of a dinucleotide on a single-stranded template DNA, and elongates it to form a primer RNA for the replicative DNA polymerase. Although the apo-structure of an archaeal primase has been reported, the mechanism of primer synthesis by the eukaryotic-type primase still remains to be elucidated. Results:,, In this study, we present the crystal structure of the eukaryotic-type DNA primase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon (Pyrococcus horikoshii) with the uridine 5,-triphosphate (UTP). In the present primase-UTP complex, the primase binds the triphosphate moiety of the UTP at the active site, which includes Asp95, Asp97, and Asp280, the essential residues for the nucleotidyl transfer reaction. Conclusion:,, The nucleotide binding geometry in this complex explains the previous biochemical analyses of the eukaryotic primase. Based on the complex structure, we constructed a model between the DNA primase and a primer/template DNA for the primer synthesis. This model facilitates the comprehension of the reported features of DNA primase. [source] Restorable Type Conversion of Carbon Nanotube Transistor Using Pyrolytically Controlled Antioxidizing Photosynthesis CoenzymeADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 16 2009Bo Ram Kang Abstract Here, a pyrolytically controlled antioxidizing photosynthesis coenzyme, , -Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, reduced dipotassium salt (NADH) for a stable n-type dopant for carbon nanotube (CNT) transistors is proposed. A strong electron transfer from NADH, mainly nicotinamide, to CNTs takes place during pyrolysis so that not only the type conversion from p-type to n-type is realized with 100% of reproducibility but also the on/off ratio of the transistor is significantly improved by increasing on-current and/or decreasing off-current. The device was stable up to a few months with negligible current changes under ambient conditions. The n-type characteristics were completely recovered to an initial doping level after reheat treatment of the device. [source] A large Norwegian family with inherited malignant melanoma, multiple atypical nevi, and CDK4 mutationGENES, CHROMOSOMES AND CANCER, Issue 1 2005Anders Molven Mutations in two loci encoding cell-cycle-regulatory proteins have been shown to cause familial malignant melanoma. About 20% of melanoma-prone families bear a mutation in the CDKN2A locus, which encodes two unrelated proteins, p16INK4A and p14ARF. Mutations in the other locus, CDK4, are much rarer and have been linked to the disease in only three families worldwide. In the 1960s, a large Norwegian pedigree with multiple atypical nevi and malignant melanomas was identified. Subsequently, six generations and more than 100 family members were traced and 20 cases of melanoma verified. In this article, we report that CDK4 codon 24 is mutated from CGT to CAT (Arg24His) in this unusually large melanoma kindred. Intriguingly, one of the family members had ocular melanoma, but the CDK4 mutation could not be detected in archival tissue samples from this subject. Thus, the case of ocular melanoma in this family was sporadic, suggesting an etiology different from that of the skin tumors. The CDK4 mutation in the Norwegian family was identical to that in melanoma families in France, Australia, and England. Haplotype analysis using microsatellite markers flanking the CDK4 gene and single-nucleotide polymorphisms within the gene did not support the possibility that there was a common founder, but rather indicated at least two independent mutational events. All CDK4 melanoma families known to date have a substitution of amino acid 24. In addition to resulting from selection pressure, this observation may be explained by the CG dinucleotide of codon 24 representing a mutational hot spot in the CDK4 gene. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Is Helicobacter pylori a True Microaerophile?HELICOBACTER, Issue 4 2006Stephanie Bury-Moné Abstract Background:, There is no general consensus about the specific oxygen and carbon dioxide requirements of the human pathogen Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium is considered a microaerophile and consequently, it is grown under atmospheres at oxygen tensions 5,19% and carbon dioxide tensions 5,10%, both for clinical and basic and applied research purposes. The current study compared the growth of H. pylori in vitro, under various gas atmospheres, and determined some specific changes in the physiology of bacteria grown under different oxygen partial pressures. Methods:, Measurements of bacterial growth under various conditions were carried out employing classical solid and liquid culture techniques. Enzymatic activities were measured using spectrophotometric assays. Results:,H. pylori and all the other Helicobacter spp. tested had an absolute requirement for elevated carbon dioxide concentrations in the growth atmosphere. In contrast with other Helicobacter spp., H. pylori can tolerate elevated oxygen tensions when grown at high bacterial concentrations. Under 5% CO2, the bacterium showed similar growth in liquid cultures under oxygen tensions from microaerobic (< 5%) to fully aerobic (21%) at cell densities higher than 5 × 105 cfu/ml for media supplemented with horse serum and 5 × 107 cfu/ml for media supplemented with ,-cyclodextrin. Evidence that changes occurred in the physiology of H. pylori was obtained by comparing the activities of ferredoxin:NADH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) oxidoreductases of bacteria grown under microaerobic and aerobic atmospheres. Conclusions:,H. pylori is a capnophile able to grow equally well in vitro under microaerobic or aerobic conditions at high bacterial concentrations, and behaved like oxygen-sensitive microaerophiles at low cell densities. Some characteristics of H. pylori cells grown in vitro under microaerobic conditions appeared to mimic better the physiology of organisms grown in their natural niche in the human stomach. [source] Synthesis of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD) Analogues with a Sugar Modified Nicotinamide MoietyHELVETICA CHIMICA ACTA, Issue 7 2007Natasha Goulioukina Abstract The synthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) analogues in which the ribose unit of the nicotinamide moiety is replaced by a hexitol, altritol, and cyclohexenyl sugar mimic is described. [source] Electroactivity of Polyaniline Multilayer Films in Neutral Solution and Their Electrocatalyzed Oxidation of ,-Nicotinamide Adenine DinucleotideADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 6 2003S. Tian Abstract In this paper, we report an alternative simple method to shift the electroactivity of polyaniline (PANI) films to neutral pH conditions by forming multilayer assemblies with poly(anions) using the layer-by-layer (LBL) deposition method. A series of self-assembled PANI multilayer films with poly(anions), such as sulfonated polyaniline (SPANI), poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), poly(vinyl sulfonate) (PVS), and poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS), were prepared by the LBL method. Their electrochemical behavior and catalytic ability for the oxidation of ,-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) in neutral solution were investigated by electrochemistry (EC) combined with surface plasmon spectroscopy (SPS) and the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique. Results indicated that all the films showed very good stability, reversibility, and electroactivity in neutral solution. All the multilayer films can electrocatalyze the oxidation of NADH, with the catalytic ability of PANI/SPANI being higher than that of the other assemblies under the same conditions. The catalytic abilities of the films with the same thickness prepared by the copolymerization method and the LBL method were also compared. [source] Erratum: A novel splice site mutation (3157+1G>T) in the dystrophin gene causing total exon skipping and DMD phenotype ,,HUMAN MUTATION, Issue 6 2001M. Sironi Abstract Erratum: An error was printed in the original version of this article in the Comments section, paragraph 2, relating to the size of exon 22 and the RT-PCR product size described as resulting from the mutation 3157+1G>T. The paragraph should read: "We report a case of a 5 year old DMD patient with a novel splice site mutation affecting the GT dinucleotide splice donor of exon 22. The RT-PCR analysis with primer sets spanning dystrophin exons 17-25 amplified no normal size fragment (1251 bp), but a product shorter by 146 bp (the length of exon 22). Direct sequencing of the faster migrating fragment revealed total skipping of exon 22." [source] Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase in T-cell tolerance and tumoral immune escapeIMMUNOLOGICAL REVIEWS, Issue 1 2008Jessica B. Katz Summary: Indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) degrades the essential amino acid tryptophan in mammals, catalyzing the initial and rate-limiting step in the de novo biosynthesis nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). Broad evidence implicates IDO and the tryptophan catabolic pathway in generation of immune tolerance to foreign antigens in tissue microenvironments. In particular, recent findings have established that IDO is overexpressed in both tumor cells and antigen-presenting cells in tumor-draining lymph nodes, where it promotes the establishment of peripheral immune tolerance to tumor antigens. In the normal physiologic state, IDO is important in creating an environment that limits damage to tissues due to an overactive immune system. However, by fostering immune suppression, IDO can facilitate the survival and growth of tumor cells expressing unique antigens that would be recognized normally as foreign. In preclinical studies, small-molecule inhibitors of IDO can reverse this mechanism of immunosuppression, complementing classical cytotoxic cancer chemotherapeutic agents' ability to trigger regression of treatment-resistant tumors. These results have encouraged the clinical translation of IDO inhibitors, the first of which entered phase I clinical trials in the fall of 2007. In this article, we survey the work defining IDO as an important mediator of peripheral tolerance, review evidence of IDO dysregulation in cancer cells, and provide an overview of the development of IDO inhibitors as a new immunoregulatory treatment modality for clinical trials. [source] Nicotinamide , biologic actions of an emerging cosmetic ingredientINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 5 2005N. Otte Synopsis Nicotinamide, the water-soluble amide of nicotinic acid, is a component of the two most important coenzymes , nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate. Thus nicotinamide is involved in numerous oxidation,reduction reactions in mammalian biological systems. Nicotinamide essentially acts as an antioxidant. Most effects are exerted via poly-adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase inhibition. Thus nicotinamide increasingly gains interest in the prevention and treatment of several skin diseases. It is well established in the systemic therapy of pellagra, a deficiency disease linked to nicotinic acid, but with respect to topical use there is still a need for further evidence with respect to its manifold potential uses. Currently, its local use is established in the care of acne-prone skin. Résumé Le nicotinamide, l,amide hydrosoluble de l'acide nicotinique est un composant des deux plus importants co-enzymes NAD et NADP. Le nicotinamide est impliqué dans de nombreuses réactions d'oxydo-réduction dans les systèmes biologiques des mammifères. Le nicotinamide agit essentiellement en tant qu'anti-oxydant. La plupart des effets sont exercés via l'inhibition de la poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Ainsi, l'intérêt du nicotinamide croît dans la prévention et le traitement de nombreuses maladies cutanées. Son rôle est bien établi dans la thérapie systémique de la pellagre, une maladie déficiente liée à l'acide nicotinique, mais en ce qui concerne son utilisation topique, du fait de ses multiples applications potentielles, il est encore nécessaire d'accumuler davantage de preuves. Son utilisation locale est couramment admise dans le traitement des peaux sujettes à l'acné. [source] Coimmobilization of malic enzyme and alanine dehydrogenase on organic,inorganic hybrid gel fibers and the production of L -alanine from malic acid using the fibers with coenzyme regenerationJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 5 2010Koji Nakane Abstract Malic enzyme (EC 1.1.1.39) and alanine dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.1) were entrap-immobilized on hybrid gel fibers of cellulose acetate (CA) and zirconium (Zr) alkoxide by air-gap wet spinning. The production of L -alanine from malic acid with coenzyme regeneration was examined with the enzymes immobilized on the fibers. The productivity of L -alanine of the immobilized enzymes decreased to approximately one-fifth of that of free enzymes, but the CA,Zr-fiber-immobilized enzymes retained a high level of productivity after repeated use. Reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) recycling also occurred effectively for the enzymes immobilized on the fiber. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010 [source] Enhancement of poly-adenosine diphosphate-ribosylation in human hepatocellular carcinomaJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 5 2000Fumio Nomura Abstract Background: Poly-adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribosylation, catalysed by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), is a post-translational modification of nuclear proteins and is involved in a wide range of biological processes including DNA repair, cell proliferation and malignant transformation. Alteration of this reaction in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is of interest, but has not yet been explored. The aim of this study was to evaluate poly-ADP-ribosylation and to compare the expression of PARP in HCC and adjacent non-tumour tissues. Methods: Tumorous and adjacent non-tumorous tissues were obtained from five consecutive patients with HCC during surgery for tumour resection. Tissue homogenates were subjected to ADP-ribosylation with [32P]-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. The ADP-ribosylated proteins were separated by sodium dodecylsulfate,polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, followed by autoradiography. Expression of PARP was also evaluated by western blotting. Results: Several proteins were ADP-ribosylated in human HCC tissues. Notably, the radiolabelling of a 116-kDa protein was remarkably greater than that in adjacent non-tumorous tissues (86.5 ± 35.2 arbitrary units by densitometry vs 12.2 ± 9.9, mean± SD, n = 5, P < 0.02). The radiolabelling of the 116-kDa protein was decreased in the presence of PARP inhibitors in a concentration-dependent manner. Immunoblot analyses revealed that the radiolabelled protein was PARP and that its expression was significantly greater in HCC than in adjacent non-tumorous tissues (333 ± 204% of non-tumorous tissue, P < 0.05). Conclusions: We found that poly-ADP-ribosylation and PARP expression were significantly increased in human HCC compared with those in adjacent non-tumorous tissues in surgically obtained specimens. [source] DNA methylation: an epigenetic pathway to cancer and a promising target for anticancer therapyJOURNAL OF ORAL PATHOLOGY & MEDICINE, Issue 8 2002Jesper Worm Abstract The unique properties of a cancer cell are acquired through a stepwise accumulation of heritable changes in the information content of proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. While gain, loss, and mutation of genetic information have long been known to contribute to tumorigenesis, it has been increasingly recognized over the past 5 years that ,epigenetic' mechanisms may play an equally important role. The main epigenetic modification of the human genome is methylation of cytosine residues within the context of the CpG dinucleotide. De novo methylation of ,CpG islands' in the promoter regions of tumor suppressor genes may lead to transcriptional silencing through a complex process involving histone deacetylation and chromatin condensation, and thus represents a tumorigenic event that is functionally equivalent to genetic changes like mutation and deletion. DNA methylation is interesting from a diagnostic viewpoint because it may be easily detected in DNA released from neoplastic and preneoplastic lesions into serum, urine or sputum, and from a therapeutic viewpoint because epigenetically silenced genes may be reactivated by inhibitors of DNA methylation and/or histone deacetylase. A better understanding of epigenetic mechanisms leading to tumor formation and chemoresistance may eventually improve current cancer treatment regimens and be instructive for a more rational use of anticancer agents. [source] De novo mutation in the mitochondrial tRNALeu(UUR) gene (A3243G) with rapid segregation resulting in MELAS in the offspringJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 1 2001CH Ko Abstract: A 14-year-old Chinese boy with a normal perinatal and early developmental history presented at 5 years of age with migraine, intractable epilepsy, ataxia, supraventricular tachycardia, paralytic ileus and progressive mental deterioration. Computerized tomography revealed multiple cerebral infarcts in the parieto-occipital region without basal ganglial calcification. Magnetic resonance imaging showed increased signal intensity in T2 weighted images in the same regions. A cerebral digital subtraction angiogram was normal. Venous lactate, pyruvate, lactate to pyruvate ratio and cerebrospinal fluid lactate were elevated. Muscle biopsy did not reveal any ragged red fibres; dinucleotide,tetrazolium reductase activity was normal. Mitochondrial DNA analysis detected an adenine to guanine mutation at nucleotide position 3243 of tRNALeu(UUR). All four tissues analysed demonstrated heteroplasmy: leucocyte 56%, hair follicle 70%; buccal cell 64%; muscle 54%. The mother and brother of the proband, both asymptomatic, were also found to have a heteroplasmic A3243G mutation in the leucocytes, hair follicle and buccal cells. Other members of the maternal lineage, including the maternal grandmother, did not have the mutation. This report describes a patient with mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, stroke-like episodes, who presented with multisystem involvement. The absence of ragged red fibres in muscle biopsy did not preclude the diagnosis. Mutational analysis of mitochodrial DNA conveniently confirmed the diagnosis of the disorder. A de novo mutaton is demonstrated in this family. [source] Cellular activation by plasmid DNA in various macrophages in primary cultureJOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 10 2008Hiroyuki Yoshida Abstract Macrophages are an important group of cells responsible for the inflammatory response to unmethylated CpG dinucleotide (CpG motif) in plasmid DNA (pDNA) via Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). This finding is primarily based on in vitro studies. Previous in vivo studies also have suggested that tissue macrophages are involved in inflammatory cytokine release in the circulation following intravenous administration of pDNA to mice. However, the relationship between the in vitro and in vivo studies has not been sufficiently clarified. To gain insight into which types of cells are responsible for the production of cytokines upon interaction with pDNA, peritoneal macrophages, splenic macrophages, hepatic nonparenchymal cells (NPCs) including Kupffer cells and mesangial cells were isolated from mice. All types of primary cultured cells, except for mesangial cells, express TLR9 at varying levels. Splenic macrophages and hepatic NPCs were activated to produce tumor necrosis factor-, (TNF-,) by naked pDNA, whereas peritoneal macrophages and mesangial cells were not. pDNA complexed with N -[1-(2,3-dioleyloxy)propyl]- N,N,N -trimethyl-ammonium chloride/cholesterol liposome induced TNF-, in the splenic macrophages but not in the other cell types. These results indicate that splenic macrophages and hepatic NPCs are closely involved in TNF-, production in response to pDNA. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 97:4575,4585, 2008 [source] Sirtuins, melatonin and circadian rhythms: building a bridge between aging and cancerJOURNAL OF PINEAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2010Brittney Jung-Hynes Abstract:, Histone deacetylases (HDAC) have been under intense scientific investigation for a number of years. However, only recently the unique class III HDAC, sirtuins, have gained increasing investigational momentum. Originally linked to longevity in yeast, sirtuins and more specifically, SIRT1 have been implicated in numerous biological processes having both protective and/or detrimental effects. SIRT1 appears to play a critical role in the process of carcinogenesis, especially in age-related neoplasms. Similarly, alterations in circadian rhythms as well as production of the pineal hormone melatonin have been linked to aging and cancer risk. Melatonin has been found act as a differentiating agent in some cancer cells and to lower their invasive and metastatic status. In addition, melatonin synthesis and release occurs in a circadian rhythm fashion and it has been linked to the core circadian machinery genes (Clock, Bmal1, Periods, and Cryptochromes). Melatonin has also been associated with chronotherapy, the timely administration of chemotherapy agents to optimize trends in biological cycles. Interestingly, a recent set of studies have linked SIRT1 to the circadian rhythm machinery through direct deacetylation activity as well as through the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) salvage pathway. In this review, we provide evidence for a possible connection between sirtuins, melatonin, and the circadian rhythm circuitry and their implications in aging, chronomodulation, and cancer. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||