[Effects of cernitin pollen-extract (Cernilton) on inflammatory cytokines in sex-hormone-induced nonbacterial prostatitis rats].

Cernitin pollen-extract (Cernilton, CN) is a preparation made from eight kinds of pollen and has been used for various prostatic diseases in Japan and Europe. We reported previously that CN possessed a recovery action on the sex-hormone-induced nonbacterial prostatitis in rats. To clarify the possible mechanism of action of CN, we investigated the effects of CN on inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha) in the same model. Aged Wistar rats were castrated and injected 17 beta-estradiol (0.25 mg/kg/day, s.c.) for 30 days. CN (630 and 1,260 mg/kg, p.o.) or testosterone (2.5 mg/kg, s.c.) was administered for the last 14 days of the treatment of 17 beta-estradiol. In control rats, prostatic IL-6 and TNF-alpha contents were increased approximately 2-3 fold, and acinar glandular inflammation and stromal proliferation were found histopathologically, as compared with those of intact rats. On the other hand, CN decreased the increased contents of cytokines in a dose-dependent manner. The histopathological changes mentioned above were restored in rats treated with 1,260 mg/kg. Testosterone also ameliorated them significantly. These results indicate that CN has an anti-inflammatory action, and that the inhibitory effect of CN on the prostatic inflammatory cytokine is an important factor in its action.

1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase induced by ACC synthesized and accumulated in Penicillium citrinum intracellular spaces.

We have already described how 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), which is a precursor of the plant hormone ethylene, is synthesized in Penicillium citrinum through the same reaction by the catalysis of ACC synthase [EC 4.4.1.14] as in higher plants. In addition, ACC deaminase [EC 4.1.99.4], which degrades ACC to 2-oxobutyrate and ammonia, was also purified from this strain. To study control of induction of ACC deaminase in this organism, we have isolated and analyzed the cDNA of P. citrinum ACC deaminase and studied the expression of ACC deaminase mRNA in P. citrinum cells. By the analysis of peptides from the digests of the purified and modified ACC deaminase with lysylendopeptidase, 70 % of its amino acid sequences were obtained. These amino acid sequences were used to identify a cDNA, consisting of 1,233 bp with an open reading frame of 1,080 bp encoding ACC deaminase with 360 amino acids. The deduced amino acids from the cDNA are identical by 52% and 45% to those of enzymes of Pseudomonas sp. ACP and Hansenula saturnus. Through Northern blot analysis, we found that the mRNA of ACC deaminase was expressed in P. citrinum cells grown in a medium containing 0.05% L-methionine. These findings suggest that ACC synthesized by ACC synthase and accumulated in P. citrinum intracellular spaces can induce the ACC deaminase that degrades the ACC.

Macrophomate synthase: characterization, sequence, and expression in Escherichia coli of the novel enzyme catalyzing unusual multistep transformation of 2-pyrones to benzoates.

Macrophoma commelinae isolated from spots on leaves of Commelina communis has the ability to transform 5-acetyl-4-methoxy-6-methyl-2-pyrone (1) to 4-acetyl-3-methoxy-5-methylbenzoic acid (macrophomic acid, 2). This biotransformation includes the condensation of the 2-pyrone ring with a C3-unit precursor to form a substituted benzoic acid. We optimized conditions for induction of enzyme activity in M. commelinae, identified oxalacetate as a C3-unit precursor with cell extract, and purified the novel enzyme, macrophomate synthase. Oxalacetate inhibited the enzyme activity at a concentration higher than 5 mM, and magnesium chloride stimulated the enzyme activity. Kinetic analyses gave K(m) of 1.7 mM for 1 at 5 mM oxalacetate, K(m) of 1.2 mM for oxalacetate at 5 mM 1, and k(cat) of 0.46 s(-1) per subunit. Pyruvate was a weak substrate, with K(m) of 35.2 mM and k(cat) of 0.027 s(-1) at 5 mM 1. We cloned and sequenced a cDNA encoding the macrophomate synthase. The cDNA of 1,225 bp contained an open reading frame that encoded a polypeptide of 339 amino acid residues and 36,244 Da, the sequence of which showed no significant similarity with known proteins in a homology search with BLAST programs. Transformed E. coli cells carrying the cDNA encoding the mature protein of macrophomate synthase overproduced macrophomate synthase under the control of the T7 phage promoter induced by IPTG. The purified enzyme showed the same values of K(m) and optimum pH as the native macrophomate synthase.

[Recurrent episodes of fever of unknown origin as temporal lobe epilepsy].

A 67-year-old woman was admitted to our department for the recurrent fever of unknown origin that occurred once approximately every 1 month for the last 3 years. No clinical and laboratory abnormality were found, except an interictal EEG showing fronto-temporal spike discharges. During hospitalization a characteristic febrile episode was accompanied by automatism, thereby, it became clear that the undetermined periodic febrile episodes were due to temporal lobe epilepsy. In this case, the thermoregulatory center of the hypothalamus might be symptomatic zone of temporal lobe epilepsy.

Rhizobium meliloti nodD genes mediate host-specific activation of nodABC.

To differentiate among the roles of the three nodD genes of Rhizobium meliloti 1021, we studied the activation of a nodC-lacZ fusion by each of the three nodD genes in response to root exudates from several R. meliloti host plants and in response to the flavone luteolin. We found (i) that the nodD1 and nodD2 products (NodD1 and NodD2) responded differently to root exudates from a variety of hosts, (ii) that NodD1 but not NodD2 responded to luteolin, (iii) that NodD2 functioned synergistically with NodD1 or NodD3, (iv) that NodD2 interfered with NodD1-mediated activation of nodC-lacZ in response to luteolin, and (v) that a region adjacent to and upstream of nodD2 was required for NodD2-mediated activation of nodC-lacZ. We also studied the ability of each of the three R. meliloti nodD genes to complement nodD mutations in R. trifolii and Rhizobium sp. strain NGR234. We found (i) that nodD1 complemented an R. trifolii nodD mutation but not a Rhizobium sp. strain NGR234 nodD1 mutation and (ii) that R. meliloti nodD2 or nodD3 plus R. meliloti syrM complemented the nodD mutations in both R. trifolii and Rhizobium sp. strain NGR234. Finally, we determined the nucleotide sequence of the R. meliloti nodD2 gene and found that R. meliloti NodD1 and NodD2 are highly homologous except in the C-terminal region. Our results support the hypothesis that R. meliloti utilizes the three copies of nodD to optimize the interaction with each of its legume hosts.

Rhizobium meliloti has three functional copies of the nodD symbiotic regulatory gene.

We have identified two Rhizobium meliloti genes (nodD2 and nodD3) that are highly homologous and closely linked to the regulatory gene nodD (nodD1). R. meliloti strains containing mutations in the three nodD genes in all possible combinations were constructed and their nodulation phenotypes were assayed on Medicago sativa (alfalfa) and Melilotus alba (sweet clover). A triple nodD1-nodD2-nodD3 mutant exhibited a Nod- phenotype on alfalfa and sweet clover, indicating that nodD is an essential nodulation gene in R. meliloti. A nodD2 mutant exhibited no discernable defect in nodulation and nodD3 mutants exhibited a delayed nodulation phenotype of 2-3 days when inoculated onto either host. Alfalfa nodules elicited by a nodD1 mutant appeared 5-6 days after wild-type nodules, and sweet clover nodules elicited by a nodD1 mutant appeared 2-3 days after wild-type nodules. nodD1-nodD2 double mutants formed nodules with the same delay as single nodD1 mutants on both hosts. nodD2-nodD3 double mutants elicited sweet clover nodules at the same rate as single nodD3 mutants, but this same double mutant was slightly more delayed in alfalfa nodule formation than the nodD3 mutant. The nodD1-nodD3 mutant exhibited an extremely delayed nodulation phenotype on alfalfa and elicited no nodules on sweet clover. These experiments indicate that nodD1 and nodD3 have equivalent roles in nodulating sweet clover but that nodD1 plays a more important role than nodD3 in eliciting nodules on alfalfa. The nodD2 gene appears to have some effect on alfalfa nodulation and none on sweet clover. Our results indicate that R. meliloti has three functional nodD genes that modulate the nodulation process in a host-specific manner.