Enhancement of recombinant hemoglobin production in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) containing the Plesiomonas shigelloides heme transport system.

To produce recombinant hemoglobin in Escherichia coli, sufficient intracellular heme must be present, or the protein folds improperly and is degraded. In this study, coexpression of human hemoglobin genes and Plesiomonas shigelloides heme transport genes enhanced recombinant hemoglobin production in E. coli BL21(DE3) grown in medium containing heme.

Rate of reaction with nitric oxide determines the hypertensive effect of cell-free hemoglobin.

Administration of extracellular hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers often induces mild increases in blood pressure. In order to test whether nitric oxide (NO) scavenging is responsible for the hypertensive effect, we constructed and tested a set of recombinant hemoglobins that vary in rates of reaction with NO. The results suggest that the rapid reactions of oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin with nitric oxide are the fundamental cause of the hypertension. The magnitude of the blood-pressure effect correlates directly with the in vitro rate of NO oxidation. Hemoglobins with decreased NO-scavenging activity may be more suitable for certain therapeutic applications than those that cause depletion of nitric oxide.

Crystal structure of a nonsymbiotic plant hemoglobin.

BACKGROUND: Nonsymbiotic hemoglobins (nsHbs) form a new class of plant proteins that is distinct genetically and structurally from leghemoglobins. They are found ubiquitously in plants and are expressed in low concentrations in a variety of tissues including roots and leaves. Their function involves a biochemical response to growth under limited O(2) conditions. RESULTS: The first X-ray crystal structure of a member of this class of proteins, riceHb1, has been determined to 2.4 A resolution using a combination of phasing techniques. The active site of ferric riceHb1 differs significantly from those of traditional hemoglobins and myoglobins. The proximal and distal histidine sidechains coordinate directly to the heme iron, forming a hemichrome with spectral properties similar to those of cytochrome b(5). The crystal structure also shows that riceHb1 is a dimer with a novel interface formed by close contacts between the G helix and the region between the B and C helices of the partner subunit. CONCLUSIONS: The bis-histidyl heme coordination found in riceHb1 is unusual for a protein that binds O(2) reversibly. However, the distal His73 is rapidly displaced by ferrous ligands, and the overall O(2) affinity is ultra-high (K(D) approximately 1 nM). Our crystallographic model suggests that ligand binding occurs by an upward and outward movement of the E helix, concomitant dissociation of the distal histidine, possible repacking of the CD corner and folding of the D helix. Although the functional relevance of quaternary structure in nsHbs is unclear, the role of two conserved residues in stabilizing the dimer interface has been identified.

The effect of ligand size and stereochemistry on the reactivity of the alpha and beta chains within hemoglobin.

The reactions of human hemoglobin A with methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, sec-butyl, and tert-butyl isocyanide were examined in the presence and absence of inositol hexaphosphate. As the size and bulk of the aliphatic side-chain increases, the relative association rates and affinities of the beta-chains for isonitriles increase compared to those of the alpha chains. This result indicates that the beta heme pocket within hemoglobin is more open and accessible to ligand molecules than the alpha heme pocket.

Identification of the iron-carbonyl stretch in distal histidine mutants of carbonmonoxymyoglobin.

Soret-excitation resonance Raman (RR) spectra are reported for six distal histidine mutants of carbonmonoxymyoglobin including H64A, H64V, H64L, H64I, H64W, and H64W/L29F. Based on 13CO isotope shifts, the iron-carbonyl stretching vibrations are unambiguously identified. The correct assignment of these modes eliminates the differences in the conformational substate occupations predicted by the RR versus IR data.

A mutant lactose repressor with altered inducer and operator binding parameters.

The lactose repressor protein from the mutant Escherichia coli BG185 contains valine at position 81 instead of alanine. Spectroscopic, chemical and direct binding measurements demonstrate that the BG185 protein exhibits properties similar to the wild-type repressor-inducer complex. Kinetic measurements of inducer binding to BG185 repressor yielded rate constants that were more than two orders of magnitude smaller than those observed for wild-type repressor; these results suggest that the structural transitions required for inducer binding are markedly impaired by the mutation. The fluorescence spectral shift in response to inducer binding was identical for mutant and wild-type proteins. This identity indicates direct effects of inducer binding on the tryptophan(s) near the sugar binding site rather than environmental changes consequent to conformational shifts. Analogy to the bacterial sugar binding proteins suggest that the Ala to Val change at position 81 in BG185 repressor yields a molecule that is fixed in a closed, sugar-binding conformation.

Structure of myoglobin-ethyl isocyanide. Histidine as a swinging door for ligand entry.

The structure of myoglobin(Fe II)-ethyl isocyanide has been solved at 1.68 A resolution by X-ray crystallography. The isocyano group of the ligand is distorted from the linear conformation observed in solution and in model compounds. Local changes in the protein conformation are also seen. The side-chain of Arg-CD3 moves out into the solvent, and the side-chain of His-E7 swings up and away from the ligand. Both of these side-chains show disorder indicative of dynamic behavior. These outward movements of His-E7 and Arg-CD3 side-chains clear a path from the solvent to the heme iron, suggesting a mechanism for ligand entry.

High-resolution crystal structures of distal histidine mutants of sperm whale myoglobin.

The highly conserved distal histidine residue (His64) of sperm whale myoglobin modulates the affinity of ligands. In an effort to fully characterize the effects of mutating residue 64, we have determined the high-resolution crystal structures of the Gly64, Val64, Leu64, Thr64 and Gln64 mutants in several liganded forms. Metmyoglobins with hydrophobic substitutions at residue 64 (Val64 and Leu64) lack a water molecule at the sixth coordination position, while those with polar amino acid residues at this position (wild-type and Gln64) retain a covalently bound water molecule. In the Thr64 mutant, the bound water position is only partially occupied. In contrast, mutating the distal histidine residue to glycine does not cause loss of the coordinated water molecule, because the hydrogen bond from the imidazole side-chain is replaced by one from a well-ordered solvent water molecule. Differences in water structure around the distal pocket are apparent also in the structures of deoxymyoglobin mutants. The water molecule that is hydrogen-bonded to the N epsilon atom of histidine 64 in wild-type deoxymyoglobin is not found in any of the position 64 mutant structures that were determined. Comparison of the carbonmonoxy structures of wild-type, Gly64, Leu64 and Gln64 myoglobins in the P6 crystal form shows that the conformation of the Fe-C-O complex is nearly linear and is independent of the identity of the amino acid residue at position 64. However, the effect of CO binding on the conformation of residue 64 is striking. Superposition of deoxy and carbonmonoxy structures reveals significant displacements of the residue 64 side-chain in the wild-type and Gln64 myoglobins, but no displacement in the Leu64 mutant. These detailed structural studies provide key insights into the mechanisms of ligand binding and discrimination in myoglobin.

Structural and functional effects of apolar mutations of the distal valine in myoglobin.

High-resolution structures of the aquomet, deoxy, and CO forms of Ala68, Ile68, Leu68, and Phe68 sperm whale myoglobins have been determined by X-ray crystallography. These 12 new structures, plus those of wild-type myoglobin, have been used to interpret the effects of mutations at position 68 and the effects of cobalt substitution on the kinetics of O2, CO, and NO binding. Molecular dynamics simulations based on crystal structures have provided information about the time-dependent behavior of photolyzed ligands for comparison with picosecond geminate recombination studies. The Val68-->Ala mutation has little effect on the structure and function of myoglobin. In Ala68 deoxymyoglobin, as in the wild-type protein, a water molecule hydrogen-bonded to the N epsilon atom of the distal histidine restricts ligand binding and appears to be more important in regulating the function of myoglobin than direct steric interactions between the ligand and the C gamma atoms of the native valine side-chain. This distal pocket water molecule is displaced by the larger side-chains at position 68 in the crystal structures of Leu68 and Ile68 deoxymyoglobins. The Leu68 side-chain can rotate about its C alpha-C beta and C beta-C gamma bonds to better accommodate bound ligands, resulting in net increases in overall association rate constants and affinities due to the absence of the distal pocket water molecule. However, the flexibility of Leu68 makes simulation of picosecond NO recombination difficult since multiple starting conformations are possible. In the case of Ile68, rotation of the substituted side-chain is restricted due to branching at the beta carbon, and as a result, the delta methyl group is located close to the iron atom in both the deoxy and liganded structures. The favorable effect of displacing the distal pocket water molecule is offset by direct steric hindrance between the bound ligand and the terminal carbon atom of the isoleucine side-chain, resulting in net decreases in affinity for all three ligands and inhibition of geminate recombination which is reproduced in the molecular dynamics simulations. In Phe68 myoglobin, the benzyl side-chain is pointed away from the ligand binding site, occupying a region in the back of the distal pocket. As in wild-type and Ala68 myoglobins, a well-defined water molecule is found hydrogen bonded to the distal histidine in Phe68 deoxymyoglobin. This water molecule, in combination with the large size of the benzyl side-chain, markedly reduces the speed and extent of ligand movement into the distal pocket. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Characterization of recombinant soybean leghemoglobin a and apolar distal histidine mutants.

The cDNA for soybean leghemoglobin a (Lba) was cloned from a root nodule cDNA library and expressed in Escherichia coli. The crystal structure of the ferric acetate complex of recombinant wild-type Lba was determined at a resolution of 2.2 A. Rate constants for O2, CO and NO binding to recombinant Lba are identical with those of native soybean Lba. Rate constants for hemin dissociation and auto-oxidation of wild-type Lba were compared with those of sperm whale myoglobin. At 37 degrees C and pH 7, soybean Lba is much less stable than sperm whale myoglobin due both to a fourfold higher rate of auto-oxidation and to a approximately 600-fold lower affinity for hemin. The role of His61(E7) in regulating oxygen binding was examined by site-directed mutagenesis. Replacement of His(E7) with Ala, Val or Leu causes little change in the equilibrium constant for O2 binding to soybean Lba, whereas the same mutations in sperm whale myoglobin cause 50 to 100-fold decreases in K(O2). These results show that, at neutral pH, hydrogen bonding with His(E7) is much less important in regulating O2 binding to the soybean protein. The His(E7) to Phe mutation does cause a significant decrease in K(O2) for Lba, apparently due to steric hindrance of the bound ligand. The rate constants for O2 dissociation from wild-type and native Lba decrease significantly with decreasing pH. In contrast, the O2 dissociation rate constants for mutants with apolar E7 residues are independent of pH, suggesting that hydrogen bonding to the distal histidine residue in the native protein is enhanced under acid conditions. All of these results support the hypothesis that the high affinity of Lba for oxygen and other ligands is determined primarily by enhanced accessibility and reactivity of the heme group.

Fixed target matrix for femtosecond time-resolved and in situ serial micro-crystallography.

We present a crystallography chip enabling in situ room temperature crystallography at microfocus synchrotron beamlines and X-ray free-electron laser (X-FEL) sources. Compared to other in situ approaches, we observe extremely low background and high diffraction data quality. The chip design is robust and allows fast and efficient loading of thousands of small crystals. The ability to load a large number of protein crystals, at room temperature and with high efficiency, into prescribed positions enables high throughput automated serial crystallography with microfocus synchrotron beamlines. In addition, we demonstrate the application of this chip for femtosecond time-resolved serial crystallography at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS, Menlo Park, California, USA). The chip concept enables multiple images to be acquired from each crystal, allowing differential detection of changes in diffraction intensities in order to obtain high signal-to-noise and fully exploit the time resolution capabilities of XFELs.

Improvement in quality-of-life measures and stimulation of weight gain after treatment with megestrol acetate oral suspension in geriatric cachexia: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Weight loss among older patients is a severe problem, associated with an increased incidence of infections, decubiti, and death. Megestrol acetate (MA) causes weight gain in cachectic cancer and AIDS patients, but its effects in older cachectic patients are unknown. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of MA oral suspension (O.S.), 800 mg/day, versus placebo on weight in geriatric nursing home patients with weight loss or low body weight. DESIGN: Twelve-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with a 13-week follow-up period. SETTING: Veterans Administration Medical Center (VMAC) nursing home. PATIENTS: Nursing home patients with weight loss of > or =5% of usual body weight over the past 3 months, or body weight 20% below their ideal body weight. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomly assigned to receive placebo or MA 800 mg/day for 12 weeks and were then followed for 13 weeks off treatment. MEASUREMENTS: Primary outcome was measured by weight and appetite change. Secondary outcome measures included sense of well-being, enjoyment of life, change in depression scale, laboratory nutrition parameters, energy intake counts, body composition, and adverse events. RESULTS: At 12 weeks there were no significant differences in weight gain between treatment groups, whereas MA-treated patients reported significantly greater improvement in appetite, enjoyment of life, and well-being. Body composition was not statistically different between the two groups. At Week 25 (3 months after treatment), 61.9% of MA-treated patients had gained > or =1.82 kg (4 lbs) compared to 21.7% of placebo patients. CONCLUSIONS: In geriatric patients with weight loss or low body weight MA improves appetite and well-being after 12 weeks of treatment. During the 3 months of MA treatment, there was no statistically significant weight gain (> or =4 lbs). Three months after treatment, weight gain (> or =4 lbs) was significantly increased in MA-treated patients.

The correlation of cytokine levels with body weight after megestrol acetate treatment in geriatric patients.

BACKGROUND: Cachexia is associated with elevated levels of cytokines in cancer and human immunodeficiency virus patients. Studies in cancer and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients showed that treatment with megestrol acetate (MA) is associated with improvement in appetite and weight gain. Reduction in the levels of cytokines is associated with weight gain in laboratory animals with cancer. This study evaluates the correlation between changes in cytokine (or their receptor) levels and weight following MA treatment in geriatric weight-loss patients. METHODS: Veterans Administration Medical Center nursing home patients (N = 69) with a weight loss of > or =5% of usual body weight over the past 3 months or body weight 20% below their ideal body weight participated in a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, with an additional 13-week follow-up period. Patients were randomly assigned to receive a placebo or MA oral suspension of 800 mg/d for 12 weeks. Levels of the following cytokines (or their receptors) were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment: tumor necrosis factor soluble receptor (TNFR) subunits. TNFR-p55 and TNFR-p75: interleukin 6 (IL-6); and the soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R). The subjects' weight and body composition were measured at the start of the study. Weight and mortality were followed up for another 13 weeks after discontinuing the MA study drug. RESULTS: Elevated levels of IL-6 in almost all geriatric cachexic patients, compared with normal volunteers (mean, <4.6 pg/ml). were noted at baseline. At 12 weeks after the study drug treatment, there was a decrease in cytokine levels (or their receptors) in the MA group (mean change in IL-6, 3.63+/-6.62 pg/ml; TNFR-p55, -0.06+/-0.11 ng/ml; TNFR-p75. -0.01+/-0.29 ng/ml; and sIL-2R, 0.08+/-0.07 ng/ml) and the placebo group (mean change in IL-6, -2.08+/-3.92 pg/ml; TNFR-p55, -0.02+/-0.08 ng/ml; TNFR-p75, -0.20+/-0.18 ng/ml; and sIL-2R, 0.02+/-0.03 ng/ml). Although the change in cytokine levels was not statistically significant between the two groups, significant negative correlation (p < .05) was found. For example, increased weight correlated with decreased sIL-2R levels (r = .36) and TNFR-p75 (r = -.31; fat-free mass (FFM) gain and reduction of sIL-2R (r = -.39), TNFR-p75 (r = -.30). There was a significant correlation between weight gain and reduction of TNFR-p75 (r = .54), TNFR-p55 (r- = .47), and sIL-2R (r = -.53); FFM gain and reduction of sIL-2R (r = -.59), TNFR-p75 (r = -.41), TNFR-p55 (r = -.42); and fat gain and reduction of TNFR-p75 (r = -.41) in the MA group (p < .05), but not in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: Although there was no significant change in cytokine levels between the two groups, the reduction in cytokine levels after MA treatment correlated with improvement in weight, fat mass, and FFM at 12 weeks.

An in vitro capillary system for studies on microcirculatory O2 transport.

An in vitro artificial capillary system has been developed for use in examining the O2 transport properties of free hemoglobin and erythrocytes. The artificial capillary was constructed by casting a thin film of transparent silicone rubber around a strand of tungsten wire that was 24 micron in diameter. After the rubber had polymerized, the wire was removed. Typical dimensions of the silicone rubber film were 170 micron thick, 1 cm wide, 5 mm long in the direction of flow, and a 27-micron lumen diameter. The artificial capillary bed was mounted on a microscope and perfused by either hemoglobin solutions or cell suspensions. Fractional saturation was measured as a function of axial position by a dual-wave-length microspectrophotometer, and the flow rate was regulated precisely by a syringe pump. O2 release experiments were carried out by suffusing the gas space surrounding the artificial capillary film with 100% N2 and perfusing with an oxygenated sample. O2 uptake experiments were carried out by suffusing the gas space with O2-N2 mixtures and perfusing with deoxygenated samples. The axial velocities were varied from 3 to 15 mm/s. The residence time (the time a particular red cell or hemoglobin molecule has spent in the capillary) for 50% oxygenation of a 4 mM (heme) deoxyhemoglobin solution was approximately 0.05 s at 37 degrees C when the gas space surrounding the capillary contained air. The corresponding time for 50% oxygenation of an equivalent red cell suspension was approximately 0.25 s.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Physiological factors affecting O2 transport by hemoglobin in an in vitro capillary system.

O2 transport was examined by measuring the fractional saturation of concentrated hemoglobin solutions flowing through an artificial capillary that was approximately 27 micron in diameter and embedded in a silicone rubber film approximately 170 micron thick. The effects of pH, hemoglobin concentration, O2 tension, temperature, and organic phosphate were measured and analyzed quantitatively by a rigorous mathematical model that included the geometry of the capillary in the silicone film, parabolic flow velocity distributions inside the lumen, and cooperative O2 binding by hemoglobin. The rates of both oxygenation and deoxygenation were limited by diffusion and governed by the magnitude of the O2 gradient between the intracapillary fluid phase and the external gas space. In uptake experiments, O2 flux is determined primarily by the external O2 tension (16-160 mmHg in our experiments) because the internal O2 pressure is kept small due to chemical combination with hemoglobin. In release experiments, the external O2 tension is maintained at zero, and the transport rate is determined by the intracapillary partial pressure of O2 that is proportional to the O2 half-saturation pressure of hemoglobin value of the hemoglobin sample. As a result, factors that change the affinity of hemoglobin for O2, such as pH, temperature, and organic phosphate concentration, influence strongly the rate of O2 release but have little effect on the rate of O2 uptake. These properties are physiologically advantageous, since a decrease in pH or an increase in temperature during exercise increases both the rate and extent of deoxygenation while not altering the kinetics of oxygenation.

Quality of life and stimulation of weight gain after treatment with megestrol acetate: correlation between cytokine levels and nutritional status, appetite in geriatric patients with wasting syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The geriatric wasting syndrome (GWS) has been associated with proinflammatory cytokines, depression and progressive decline in quality of life (QOL). The objective of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the changes in cytokine levels and appetite, nutritional markers, and QOL in geriatric patients with GWS following a randomized clinical trial of megestrol acetate (MA) versus placebo. METHODS: This was a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. We evaluated 69 predominantly male (3 females) nursing home residents with weight loss of > or =5% of their usual body weight over the past three months or body weight 20% below their ideal body weight. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or megestrol acetate (MA) oral suspension (O.S.) 800 mg/day for 12 weeks and were then followed for 13 weeks off treatment. Data on appetite, weight, nutritional status, QOL and cytokine levels were collected at baseline and week 12. The correlation between appetite, weight, nutritional status, sense of well being and cytokine level changes in response to MA treatment was examined at week 12. RESULTS: Appetite, sense of well being, and QOL assessed by an "enjoyment list" significantly improved in the MA arm. Rising prealbumin showed a negative correlation with decreasing IL-6 (r = -0.51), TNFR-p 55 (r = -0.49) and sIL-2R (r = -0.38). There was also an improvement in prealbumin and a decrease in IL-6 and TNFR-p55 in the MA-arm (p < 0.01). A correlation between a decrease in the IL-6 levels and improvement in depression (r = 0.50) was seen in the MA arm as well. Improvement in appetite positively correlated with increased enjoyment of life (r = -0.41), less depression (r = -0.34), improved sense of well being (r = 0.36), prealbumin gain (r = 0.30), and weight gain (r = 0.38) by 12 weeks. Also, improvement in appetite positively correlated with improvement in nutritional parameters such as prealbumin, albumin, fat free mass and weight in the MA arm. CONCLUSIONS: In a geriatric nursing home population with weight loss, reduction in cytokine levels after MA treatment correlates with improvement in appetite, prealbumin, albumin, and improvement in quality of life.

The GAIN (Geriatric Anorexia Nutrition) registry: the impact of appetite and weight on mortality in a long-term care population.

PURPOSE: To investigate nursing home residents at high nutritional risk to determine: 1) which baseline nutrition or health status indicators correlated with subsequent weight gain or appetite improvement; and, 2) whether a continued weight loss correlated with higher mortality. METHODS: At study entry, nutritional, health status, and demographic data were extracted from the nursing home chart or the MDS. Each subject was tracked for 6 months with survival, weight gain of 5%, and appetite improvement the primary outcome measures. RESULTS: During the 6-month study, younger age was the strongest correlate of appetite improvement. The odds of gaining weight were negatively correlated with BMI, age, and feeding dependency. Subjects who were receiving appetite stimulants (orexigenics) at study entry had a 70% greater probability of gaining weight than those who were not. A weight loss during the 6-month period was associated with a nearly two-fold increase in the likelihood of dying (adjusted RR: 1.95, 95% CI 1.43 to 2.66). CONCLUSION: The course of nutritional problems within nursing homes is highly variable. Continued weight loss, however, appears to have ominous implications for mortality. Younger residents who are not dependent on others for feeding assistance, and who receive orexigenics tend to experience weight gain.

HIV infection among secondary school students in Djibouti, horn of Africa: knowledge, exposure and prevalence.

A study of HIV infection among secondary school students was conducted in Djibouti in February 1990 during a national hepatitis survey. Serology was negative for HIV and syphilis among 294 students (ages 14 to 20 years) in spite of a dramatic increase of HIV seropositivity (as high as 41%), and a high level of syphilis positive serology (up to 46%) among adult high-risk groups such as street prostitutes. Results of a face-to-face interview of these pupils indicated that 64% had a basic knowledge of AIDS. As expected, a much better knowledge of AIDS was found among those who recently received AIDS education. However, 80% of secondary school teenagers did not consider themselves at risk for acquiring HIV. Transmission of HIV among school-children would be possible through sexual activity (22% stated to be sexually active) or parenteral therapy (75% had received at least one intramuscular injection), and not likely through blood transfusion or intravenous drug abuse. Results, close to those of a similar study in Zimbabwe, suggest that AIDS education programme should be given to all secondary school pupils and include public health lectures on syphilis, tuberculosis, and HIV infection.

PIP: In February 1990 in Djibouti, a study of 147 male and 147 female students (data obtained from a national hepatitis survey) aimed to determine knowledge about AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, and sexual experience; exposure to HIV infection; the potential weight of sexual and parenteral routes of HIV infection; and the significance of their exposure to HIV infection. Students represented all the secondary schools in the capital city. None of the students tested seropositive for HIV or syphilis, even though as many as 41% and 46% of high risk adults (e.g., prostitutes) tested positive for HIV and syphilis, respectively. 21.2%, 5.6%, 2.7% and 0.68%, and 0.5% tested positive for anti-hepatitis B (HB) s antibody, HBs antigen, anti-HBe antibody, HBe antigen, and delta hepatitis respectively. Anti-HBs seropositivity rose linearly with age (p .01). About 64% had basic knowledge about AIDS. Almost 100% had at least heard of it. Special lectures on AIDS during a recent national campaign likely contributed to the higher knowledge level among the 18-year-old students. 88.1% of all students wanted more information about AIDS. Boys were more likely to want to learn more about AIDS than girls (91.8% vs. 84.3%; p = .047). About 40% of the students knew about tuberculosis (TB). 78.6% wanted more information about TB. Boys were more likely to be sexually active than were girls (40.8% vs. 2.7%; p .01). Sexual activity increased with age among boys (p .01). 51.6% of sexually active students never used condoms. Just 24.2% always used them. 80% of students did not consider themselves to be at risk for HIV infection. Almost all students had previously been exposed to the risk of parenteral infection, especially vaccines (99%) and intramuscular injections (75.2%). No one had used intravenous drugs. These findings suggested the need for AIDS education for secondary school students which covers HIV prevalence in Djibouti, TB, syphilis, and HIV transmission via sexual and parenteral routes.