			Home About us Contact

Synthase Protein (synthase + protein)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	50%
Life Sciences	50%

Selected Abstracts

Protective effects of baicalin on ligature-induced periodontitis in rats

JOURNAL OF PERIODONTAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2008
X. Cai
Background and Objective:, Baicalin is a flavonoid compound purified from the medicinal plant, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, and has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The purpose of this study was to test the ability of baicalin to influence the progression of experimental periodontitis in rats, as well as the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase. Material and Methods:, Adult male Sprague,Dawley rats were subjected to placement of a nylon thread around the bilateral lower first molars and killed after 7 d. Baicalin (50, 100 or 200 mg/kg) was supplied to the animals by oral gavage, starting 1 d before the induction of periodontitis. The ligature group consisted of rats subjected to periodontitis and receiving vehicle (0.5% carboxymethylcellulose) alone. The alveolar bone loss and the area fraction occupied by collagen fibers were assessed. The expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase protein in the gingiva were detected by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Results:, Baicalin-treated groups presented with lower alveolar bone loss than that of the ligature group, reaching statistical significance at the dose of 200 mg/kg (p = 0.009). The area fraction of collagen fibers was significantly higher in the baicalin (200 mg/kg)-treated group than in the ligature group (p = 0.047). Baicalin treatment significantly down-regulated the protein expression for cyclooxygenase-2 (p = 0.000) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (p = 0.003), compared with the ligature group. Conclusion:, Baicalin protects against tissue damage in ligature-induced periodontitis in rats, which might be mediated, in part, by its inhibitory effect on the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase. These activities could support the continued investigation of baicalin as a potential therapeutic agent in periodontal disease. [source]

Anti-inflammatory responses and oxidative stress in Nippostrongylus brasiliensis -induced pulmonary inflammation

PARASITE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 1 2002
Kathryn S. McNeil
summary Migration of L3 larvae of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis through the lungs of the rat, during primary infection, was studied at 24 h, 72 h and 8 days. At 24 h p.i., there was evidence of damage to lung epithelial cells and microvasculature, with increased protein and ,-glutamyl transpeptidase in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. However, there was little evidence of inflammatory cell recruitment. At 24 h p.i., there was a significant reduction in the inflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor ,. Superoxide (O2,·) production was also reduced, accompanied by an increase in superoxide dismutase activity. Lipid peroxidation was reduced at 24 h p.i. and L3 larvae were shown to possess high levels of glutathione compared to host lung tissue. Nitric oxide, detected as nitrite, was produced in BAL fluid, and inducible nitric oxide synthase protein was increased by 72 h p.i. There was evidence of peroxynitrite production throughout the infection period with specific protein bands nitrosylated at 75, 30 and 25 kDa. It appears that despite early evidence of lung damage, the inflammation was reduced in response to L3 larvae of N. brasiliensis. [source]

PDX1 is essential for vitamin B6 biosynthesis, development and stress tolerance in Arabidopsis

THE PLANT JOURNAL, Issue 6 2006
Olca Titiz
Summary Vitamin B6 is an essential coenzyme for numerous metabolic enzymes and is a potent antioxidant. In plants, very little is known about its contribution to viability, growth and development. The de novo pathway of vitamin B6 biosynthesis has only been described recently and involves the protein PDX1 (pyridoxal phosphate synthase protein). Arabidopsis thaliana has three homologs of PDX1, two of which, PDX1.1 and PDX1.3, have been demonstrated as functional in vitamin B6 biosynthesis in vitro and by yeast complementation. In this study, we show that the spatial and temporal expression patterns of PDX1.1 and PDX1.3, investigated at the transcript and protein level, largely overlap, but PDX1.3 is more abundant than PDX1.1. Development of single pdx1.1 and pdx1.3 mutants is partially affected, whereas disruption of both genes causes embryo lethality at the globular stage. Detailed examination of the single mutants, in addition to those that only have a single functional copy of either gene, indicates that although these genes are partially redundant in vitamin B6 synthesis, PDX1.3 is more requisite than PDX1.1. Developmental distinctions correlate with the vitamin B6 content. Furthermore, we provide evidence that in addition to being essential for plant growth and development, vitamin B6 also plays a role in stress tolerance and photoprotection of plants. [source]

Allelic variants of granule-bound starch synthase proteins in European bread wheat varieties

PLANT BREEDING, Issue 4 2000
C. Marcoz-Ragot
Abstract The composition of 324 European wheat cultivars were analysed at the three granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS I) loci. Protein separation was first made by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE. A specific two-dimensional (2D) electrophoresis (immobilized pH gradient × SDS-PAGE) using an Immobiline dry strip in the first dimension was developed to resolve the GBSS I proteins more clearly and to confirm some results. Very low polymorphism was found. Among the 324 cultivars analysed, only one carried a Wx-A1 null allele (Wx-A1b) and none was found to have the Wx-2D null allele. As described in the literature the Wx-B1 locus was more polymorphic and the null allele was encountered in 11 cultivars. The use of 2D electrophoresis allowed us to find another type of variant which presented as having thicker band with same mobility as the Wx-D1 protein in SDS-PAGE. Twelve per cent of the cultivars analysed presented this band and could have been previously mistaken for cultivars carrying the Wx-B1 null allele. Indeed this band probably corresponded to the Wx-B1, or Wx-B1e allele overlapping with the Wx-D1a allele in SDS-PAGE. [source]