Effect of Concentration on the Interfacial and Bulk Structure of Ionic Liquids in Aqueous Solution.

Bio and aqueous applications of ionic liquids (IL) such as catalysis in micelles formed in aqueous IL solutions or extraction of chemicals from biologic materials rely on surface-active and self-assembly properties of ILs. Here, we discuss qualitative relations of the interfacial and bulk structuring of a water-soluble surface-active IL ([C8MIm][Cl]) on chemically controlled surfaces over a wide range of water concentrations using both force probe and X-ray scattering experiments. Our data indicate that IL structuring evolves from surfactant-like surface adsorption at low IL concentrations, to micellar bulk structure adsorption above the critical micelle concentration, to planar bilayer formation in ILs with <1 wt % of water and at high charging of the surface. Interfacial structuring is controlled by mesoscopic bulk structuring at high water concentrations. Surface chemistry and surface charges decisively steer interfacial ordering of ions if the water concentration is low and/or the surface charge is high. We also demonstrate that controlling the interfacial forces by using self-assembled monolayer chemistry allows tuning of interfacial structures. Both the ratio of the head group size to the hydrophobic tail volume as well as the surface charging trigger the bulk structure and offer a tool for predicting interfacial structures. Based on the applied techniques and analyses, a qualitative prediction of molecular layering of ILs in aqueous systems is possible.

Investigation of promoter variations in dendritic cell-specific ICAM3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) (CD209) and their relevance for human cytomegalovirus reactivation and disease after allogeneic stem-cell transplantation.

Promoter variations in Toll-like receptor genes (n = 7) and genes encoding pathogen recognition and virus entry receptors (n = 7) were screened to detect any association with human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) reactivation and disease in patients following allogeneic stem-cell transplantation. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs735240, G>A; rs2287886, C>T) in the promoter region of the dendritic cell-specific ICAM3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) showed a significant association with an increased risk of development of hCMV reactivation and disease. Furthermore, these genetic markers influenced the expression levels of DC-SIGN on immature dendritic cells, as well as the infection efficiency of immature dendritic cells by hCMV, as determined by hCMV immediate-early antigen staining. Screening of patients following allogeneic stem-cell transplantation for the presence of these defined genetic polymorphisms might help to predict the individual risk of hCMV reactivation and disease.

Platelets and vascular inflammation of the brain.

UNLABELLED: There is emerging evidence that platelets have an important role in inflammation beyond their involvement in hemostasis. Platelets can contribute to inflammatory reactions via crosstalk both with immune cells and endothelial cells. Inflamed vessels are characterized by the presence of activated endothelial cells. These activated endothelial cells upregulate receptors necessary for leukocyte recruitment, but also for the adhesion of platelets. Subsequently, immune cells can bind to platelets through adhesion receptors presented on the platelet surface, thus supporting leukocyte recruitment to the vessel wall. There are several neurological diseases associated with vascular inflammation including multiple sclerosis (MS) and stroke. Increased markers of platelet activation could be demonstrated in patients suffering from MS compared to healthy individuals. Reports from murine models indicate that platelets may be of importance for disease progression and severity by mediating leukocyte recruitment as one potential underlying mechanism. Blocking platelet function disease severity was considerably ameliorated. Moreover, processes of tissue remodelling may be influenced by platelet derived mediators. Whether a role of platelets for vascular inflammation can be extrapolated to further neurological diseases will have to be investigated in further in depth experimental and clinical trials. CONCLUSION: Platelets and platelet associated mechanisms may offer novel starting points to understand neurovascular diseases from a different point of view and to develop novel approaches to access the disease.

Effect of decreased glucuronidation and sulfation on covalent binding of naphthalene in isolated rat hepatocytes.

Isolated hepatocytes metabolize naphthalene to water soluble compounds. During metabolism, reactive intermediates are formed which bind irreversibly to cellular macromolecules. When naphthalene concentrations in the incubation were raised from 400 to 1200 microM the formation of water soluble metabolites of the aromatic hydrocarbon increased about twice from 16 to 37 nmol/mg cellular protein X h, whereas covalent binding increased up to 10 times. This suggests a qualitative shift in the metabolic pattern of naphthalene probably due to the exhaustion of inactivating pathways. Inhibition of glucuronidation and sulfation -- 2 reactions involved in the metabolism of naphthalene -- did not change the amount of water soluble metabolites but dramatically increased binding.

Activation of [14C] chlorobiphenyls to protein-binding metabolites by rat liver microsomes.

The irreversible binding of [14C] 2,2'-di- and [14C] 2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl ([14C] DCB and [14C] HCB) to protein was studied in the presence of rat liver microsomes and a NADPH-generating system. Protein-bound radioactivity was found with [14C] DCB but not with [14C] HCB. The binding of 14C-metabolites was increased by pretreatment of the rats with phenobarbital or polychlorinated biphenyls. Protein binding was linear for 80 min. In contrast, monohydroxy-metabolites of DCB were formed and degraded within 40 min. Inhibition of secondary oxidation of DCB by scavenging superoxide anions or by glucuronidation of the monophenols markedly decreased the protein binding. Addition of trichloropropene oxide or styrene oxide, both inhibitors of epoxide hydrase, did not significantly stimulate the binding. The results suggest that the majority of reactive metabolites of DCB arise from secondary metabolism, i.e., the subsequent oxidation of the phenolic metabolites. Arene oxides, the primary products, appear to play a minor role in the protein binding of DCB.

Radiation-induced premelting of ice at silica interfaces.

The existence of surface and interfacial melting of ice below 0 degrees C has been confirmed by many different experimental techniques. Here we present a high-energy x-ray reflectivity study of the interfacial melting of ice as a function of both temperature and x-ray irradiation dose. We found a clear increase of the thickness of the quasiliquid layer with the irradiation dose. By a systematic x-ray study, we have been able to unambiguously disentangle thermal and radiation-induced premelting phenomena. We also confirm the previously announced very high water density (1.25 g/cm(3)) within the emerging quasiliquid layer.

Involvement of phenolic metabolites in the irreversible protein-binding of 14C-bromobenzene catalysed by rat liver microsomes.

During microsomal metabolism of 14C-bromobenzene, radioactive material was irreversibly bound to microsomal protein. Although primary monooxygenation of aromatic hydrocarbons leads to the formation of reactive epoxides which may bind to protein, our results indicate that reactive intermediates formed via oxidation of the phenolic metabolites substantially contribute to the overall binding. This conclusion is supported by the following observations: 1) The binding of radioactivity continued to increase even though the primary metabolism was terminated; 2) Addition of UDP-glucuronic acid largely reduced the amount of the free phenols in the incubation mixture and simultaneously decreased the binding; and 3) Inhibition of the epoxide hydratase by 1,1,1-trichloro-2-propene oxide (TCPO) completely prevented the formation of the dihydrodiols, but did not significantly affect the binding. Thus, the results are in agreement with our previous observations on the binding of 14C-naphthalene and 14C-dichlorobiphenyl, and suggest that phenols generated from these aromatic hydrocarbons are further metabolized to protein-binding species.

The capacity of rat hepatoma cell lines for O6-methylguanine-DNA repair correlates with their status of differentiation.

O6-Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase activity, i.e., the capacity of cells to transfer the methyl group from O6-methylguanine in DNA to protein, was determined in 10 hepatoma cell lines, all derived from Reuber H35 hepatoma but differing in their status of differentiation. Methyltransferase activity of the six differentiated lines tested was at least 4-5 times higher than that of two dedifferentiated lines. The activity of the two poorly differentiated lines examined was low to intermediate. Some of the differentiated lines possessed methyltransferase activities comparable to those in hepatocytes freshly isolated from adult rat. The results suggest that certain differentiated hepatoma lines are capable of mimicking liver in the capacity for repair of O6-methylguanine lesions and in this respect may be useful as model systems for studying liver-specific effects of monofunctional alkylating agents.

Isolation and partial characterization of insulin of the honeybee (Apis mellifica).

In the honeybee (Apis mellifica), insulin-like material was partially purified with acid ethanol extractions by a classic method for recovering insulin and following gel filtration on a Sephadex G-50 column. The preparations were characterized by their ability to cross-react with porcine insulin antibodies. Insulin-like biological activity was demonstrated using the insulin bioassay. Stimulation of glucose oxidation or lipogenesis was measured by isolated rat adipocytes. Insulin seems to be more widespread in invertebrates than was previously assumed.

Chromogranin A in uremia: progressive retention of immunoreactive fragments.

Chromogranin A is a soluble protein that is stored and released with catecholamines from their secretory vesicles. Its measurement is a probe of exocytotic sympathoadrenal activity, and in plasma it may also be a useful tool in the diagnosis of peptide producing endocrine neoplasms. Because we have found that chromogranin A is elevated in secondary (uremic) hyperparathyroidism, we systematically investigated the influence of renal dysfunction and its attendant hyperparathyroidism on chromogranin A in several subject groups: normal controls (serum creatinine less than or equal to 1.2 mg/dl), nonazotemic renal transplant recipients, nonazotemic subjects with glomerular disease (serum creatinine between 1.2 and 2 mg/dl), mid-range renal disease subjects (serum creatinine between 2 and 7.5 mg/dl), and end-stage renal disease subjects (serum creatinine greater than 7.5 mg/dl). Plasma chromogranin A rose with deterioration of renal function, and the rise was independent of etiologic diagnosis, blood pressure, or indices of sympathoadrenal activity or hyperparathyroidism. Size fractionation of uremic plasma by gel filtration, and immunoextraction by region-specific anti-chromogranin A (anti-N-terminal, anti-C-terminal, and anti-mid-molecule) antibodies suggested that chromogranin A immunoreactivity circulates in uremia as lower molecular weight fragments of the parent chromogranin A molecule, with mid-molecule fragments the major constituent. This immunoreactivity is only minimally removed by peritoneal dialysis and is not at all hemodialyzable. The uremia-dose-dependent accumulation of chromogranin A immunoreactive fragments in renal failure suggests that the kidney is a major site of disposition or removal of the immunoreactivity. Furthermore, lack of detectable chromogranin A immunoreactivity in normal subjects' urine suggests that the immunoreactivity is destroyed as it is removed by the kidney. We conclude that plasma chromogranin A increases in proportion to degree of renal insufficiency and that renal function must therefore be controlled when using plasma chromogranin A in the investigation of amine or peptide hormone storage and release.

Glutathione conjugation protects some, but not all, cell lines against DNA binding of benzo[alpha]pyrene metabolites.

Three major types of cell lines were distinguished according to their capacity for glutathione (GSH) conjugation of extracellularly generated benzo[alpha]pyrene (BaP) metabolites, and the level of DNA binding of such metabolites. (i) Cells, e.g. HepG2, which conjugate BaP metabolites only very poorly with GSH and are highly susceptible to DNA binding. The number of DNA adducts in these cells (approximately 10 pmol/mg DNA) is taken to be the maximum DNA binding in 'unprotected' cells. (ii) Cells, e.g. V79 and NCI-H322, which efficiently conjugate BaP metabolites with GSH but, like HepG2 cells, are 'unprotected' as indicted by maximum DNA binding. (iii) Cells, e.g. 2sFou and H4IIEC3/G-, which are positive for GSH conjugation and exhibit only very little DNA binding. When GSH conjugation in these apparently 'protected' cells is suppressed by depletion of GSH, the level of DNA binding increases to that found in 'unprotected' lines. GSH depletion does not substantially affect DNA binding in 'unprotected' cells. The results show that, although GSH conjugation is capable of suppressing DNA binding of reactive BaP metabolites in some cell types, it fails to protect against DNA binding in others. It is possible that the reactive species are compartmentalized and certain cell types are protected, because they are able to specifically trap those BaP metabolites which bind to DNA.

Glutathione depletion suppresses conjugation of benzo[a]pyrene metabolites and (+/-)-trans-7,8-dihydroxy-7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene metabolites with glutathione but does not affect their binding to DNA in C3H/10T1/2 mouse fibroblasts.

The study was aimed at determining the role of glutathione (GSH) conjugation in the binding of reactive benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) species to DNA of C3H/10T1/2 cells. In order to suppress GSH conjugation cells were depleted of GSH by treatment with buthionine sulfoximine for 18 h and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene for 1 h prior to incubation with radiolabelled substrates. Under these conditions GSH levels decreased to less than 1% of the control value. C3H/10T1/2 cells produced GSH conjugates with 7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-oxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (BaPDE) comprising 6% of the total metabolites formed from BaP or (+/-)-trans-7,8-dihydroxy-7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene (BaP-7,8-diol). In GSH-depleted cells formation of GSH conjugates with metabolic products of BaP or BaP-7,8-diol was suppressed to 1% of total metabolites during an 8-h incubation period. Metabolic activation of BaP and BaP-7,8-diol by C3H/10T1/2 cells resulted in the formation of DNA adducts which largely consisted of BaPDE:deoxyguanosine. Depletion of GSH altered neither the degree of DNA binding nor the pattern of DNA adducts to any significant extent. When C3H/10T1/2 cells were co-incubated with microsomes from liver of 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats for 1 h in order to activate BaP or BaP-7,8-diol extracellularly, the same pattern of GSH conjugates and DNA adducts was generated as by intracellular metabolism of the polycyclic hydrocarbons. No GSH conjugates were detected following co-incubation of microsomes with GSH-depleted C3H/10T1/2 cells. The formation of DNA adducts again remained unaffected by the suppression of conjugation. C3H/10T1/2 cells are apparently capable of conjugating BaPDE with GSH but are not capable of trapping by GSH conjugation those BaPDE moieties which bind to DNA. The results are compatible with the notion that BaPDE is partially contained in a cellular compartment--presumably the lipid environment of membranes--where it is inaccessible to GSH transferases of C3H/10T1/2 cells.

Calcium and catecholamine interactions with adrenal chromogranins. Comparison of driving forces in binding and aggregation.

The soluble core of catecholamine storage vesicles in the adrenal medulla contains high concentrations of the cations calcium (20 mM) and catecholamine (600 mM). Do these cations interact with the abundant vesicle core anionic proteins, the chromogranins? We investigated the binding of calcium and norepinephrine (NE) to bovine adrenal chromogranins by equilibrium dialysis. Both calcium and NE were bound saturably by chromogranins, with low affinity (Kd values of 1.3 x 10(-4) M and 2.1 x 10(-3) M), but high capacity (17 and 32 mol of ligand/mol of chromogranin A). Both ligands bound maximally at a pH greater than 5.5 and were displaced by competing cations in a pattern (trivalent greater than divalent greater than monovalent) consistent with electrostatic components to the interactions. Binding of calcium and NE was not impaired by prior heat denaturation of the chromogranins, and chromogranin A was involved in both binding reactions. Calcium but not NE binding was enhanced by nonpolar solvents. Temperature dependence studies indicated that calcium binding to chromogranins was largely entropy-driven, while NE binding was driven by a significantly negative (favorable) change in enthalpy (5760 cal/mol), even in the face of an unfavorable entropy. Exposure of chromogranins to calcium or NE resulted in precipitation (aggregation) as analyzed by centrifugation and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. NE was a more effective chromogranin precipitant than calcium, and in combination, the NE effect was antagonized by calcium. Precipitation of chromogranins by both calcium and NE was inhibited by NaCl at ionic strengths comparable with those of the ligands. These data suggest that chromogranins bind and are precipitated by calcium and NE at affinities compatible with their in situ concentrations, but that the interactions exhibit different thermodynamic driving forces. Furthermore, NE may trigger an enthalpy-driven conformational change in chromogranins, resulting in aggregation.

Beta-adrenergic blood pressure regulation in Shy-Drager syndrome and pheochromocytoma.

Both Shy-Drager syndrome and pheochromocytoma are characterized by an abnormal catecholamine secretion, e.g. a reduced secretion in Shy-Drager syndrome, and an excessive stimulation in pheochromocytoma resulting in adrenergic dysfunction and in adrenergic hyperactivity, respectively. The relationship between extreme variations in circulating catecholamines and beta-adrenergic receptor activity was studied in two patients with severe orthostatic hypotension (Shy-Drager syndrome) and in a patient with pheochromocytoma with excessive spontaneous catecholamine increases using the lymphocyte beta 2-adrenoceptor assay. In both patients with Shy-Drager syndrome, basal plasma concentrations of epinephrine and dopamine were low under resting conditions and could not be stimulated in the upright position. Norepinephrine was low in the first patient, and could not be stimulated; whereas the second patient had a normal basal concentration of norepinephrine, which could be moderately stimulated. There was no beta-adrenoceptor abnormality in the first patient: however, in the second patient, there were no measurable beta-adrenoceptors on membrane fractions, whereas a population of receptors only in the low affinity state could be identified on intact cells. Alpha-adrenoceptor density on thrombocyte membranes was slightly increased in both patients with Shy-Drager syndrome and showed no substantial change during upright posture. Catecholamine increases in the pheochromocytoma patient were accompanied by a rise in blood pressure, bradycardia, and an acute up-regulation of beta-adrenoceptors. Plasma concentrations of cAMP paralleled the increase in receptor density and blood pressure. The findings in pheochromocytoma add support to the theory that an acute catecholamine stimulation gives rise to an acute beta-adrenergic sensitization leading to blood pressure elevation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Fluctuations of carbohydrates in haemolymph of honeybee (Apis mellifica) after fasting, feeding and stress.

The haemolymph of honeybee contains trehalose, a non-reducing disaccharide, glucose and fructose. The aim of this work was to describe changes of haemolymph sugar induced by different physiological situations. Gas chromatography for the determination of carbohydrate concentrations in the haemolymph was introduced. The individual bee was anesthetized by CO2 and punctured at tergum III in order to gain 1 microliter haemolymph using a glass capilette. The main sugars in the haemolymph were determined as silylated derivatives by gas chromatography. Bees living under exactly standardized conditions in an artificial bee-house were observed after feeding and fasting. In addition saccharides were determined after "run-stress" along different distances.