Cell wall stabilization and calcium absorption on mango fruit treated with a quarantine hot water treatment combined with calcium salts and stored at chilling temperature.

Hot water treatment (HT) induces chilling injury (CI) tolerance in mango, but prolonged exposure to HT causes softening. In this sense, calcium salts stabilize the cell wall. Nevertheless, there is little information on the effect of HT combined with calcium salts (HT-Ca) on calcium absorption and cell wall stability during storage of mango at CI temperature. We evaluated the effect of quarantine HT in combination with calcium chloride (CaCl2 ), calcium citrate (CaCit), or calcium lactate (CaLac) on calcium absorption, CI tolerance, and cell wall stabilization. HT and HT-CaCl2 had the lowest CI development. HT increased firmness loss and electrolyte leakage, and HT-Ca counteracted this effect. Overall, HT-Ca treatments had a similar effect on the cell wall degrading enzymes. HT-CaCl2 was the best treatment and did not present alterations on the epicuticular wax as observed on HT. HT-CaCl2 is a useful technology to stabilize cell wall and preserve mango during chilling storage. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The addition of calcium salts in an established hot water quarantine procedure for mango exportation represents a viable alternative to counteract the negative effects of this thermal treatment upon cell microstructure, maintaining its positive effect of tolerance to chilling injury. In this sense, mango producers and packers can use a HT-CaCl2 treatment to reduce the presence of chilling injury and extent the fruit shelf life and improve its commercialization. Furthermore, technical and infrastructure changes are not necessary for the packaging chain.

Inhibition of proteasome by bortezomib causes intracellular aggregation of hepatic serpins and increases the latent circulating form of antithrombin.

Conformational diseases include heterogeneous disorders sharing a similar pathological mechanism, leading to intracellular aggregation of proteins with toxic effects. Serpins are commonly involved in these diseases. These are structurally sensitive molecules that modify their folding under even minor genetic or environmental variations. Indeed, under normal conditions, the rate of misfolding of serpins is high and unfolded serpins must be degraded by the proteasome system. Our aim was to study the effects of bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor, on conformationally sensitive serpins. The effects of bortezomib were analysed in patients with multiple myeloma, HepG2 cells, and Swiss mice, as well as in vitro. Levels, anti-FXa activity, heparin affinity, and conformational features of antithrombin, a relevant anticoagulant serpin, were analysed. Histological, ultrastructural features and immunohistological distribution of antithrombin and alpha1-antitrypsin (another hepatic serpin) were evaluated. We also studied the intracellular accumulation of conformationally sensitive (fibrinogen) or non-sensitive (prothrombin) hepatic proteins. The inhibition of the proteasome caused intracellular accumulation and aggregation of serpins within the endoplasmic reticulum that was associated with confronting cisternae and Mallory body formation. These effects were accompanied by a heat stress response. Bortezomib also increased the levels of intracellular fibrinogen, but has no significant effect on prothrombin. Finally, bortezomib had only minor effects on the mature circulating antithrombin, with increased amounts of latent antithrombin in plasma. These results suggest that the impairment of proteasomal activities leads to an intracellular accumulation of conformationally sensitive proteins and might facilitate the release of misfolded serpins into circulation where they adopt more stable conformations.

Características de la enfermedad de paget en una amplia serie de pacientes de ámbito hospitalario / Characteristics of Paget disease in a wide series of patients of a hospital environment

Fundamento: Se dispone de escasa información clínica sobre la enfermedad de Paget obtenida de forma sistemática a partir de fuentes originales. La hipótesis que indica que se están produciendo cambios seculares en ciertas características refuerza la necesidad de actualizar este tipo de información. Objetivo: Definir las características generales, la topografía y las manifestaciones clínicas de la enfermedad en un grupo de pacientes seguidos en una consulta monográfica. Pacientes y métodos: Cohorte constituida por 233 pacientes revisados de forma sistemática desde 1992, según un protocolo clinicoepidemiológico. Una vez codificadas, las variables se registraban en una base de datos ad hoc creada a partir del programa EPI-6. Se calculó la extensión de las lesiones (índice de Coutris) mediante las radiografías de los huesos que mostraban un depósito anómalo del trazador en la gammagrafía ósea. Se determinó la concentración de calcio, fósforo y fosfatasa alcalina total en suero (autoanalizador Hitachi 747) y de calcio y fósforo e hidroxiprolina (cromatografía líquida de alta densidad) en orina. Resultados: El 55 por ciento fueron varones; la media de edad (ñ DE) fue de 67,5 ñ 10,3 años (límites: 29-89); el 40 por ciento monostóticos. Las localizaciones más frecuentes fueron ilíaco, fémur, cráneo, vértebras lumbares y sacro. El promedio de focos fue de 3,01 ñ 3,08; extensión: 8,4 ñ 7,1. El 76 por ciento fueron sintomáticos (dolor óseo: 65 por ciento). La complicación más frecuente fue la coxopatía pagética (a menudo protrusiva). El síndrome craneal más frecuente fue la hipoacusia (49 por ciento), 34 fracturas en 30 pacientes (13 por ciento), y un caso de degeneración sarcomatosa. Fosfatasa alcalina: 905,9 ñ 800,6 U/l; hidroxiprolina: 77,2 ñ 66,5 mg/24 h. Conclusiones: La similitud entre las distintas series en cuanto a las características clínicas y topográficas de la enfermedad confieren una gran consistencia a estos datos a pesar de la diversidad de métodos empleados (AU)