Splicing accuracy varies across human introns, tissues and age.

Alternative splicing impacts most multi-exonic human genes. Inaccuracies during this process may have an important role in ageing and disease. Here, we investigated mis-splicing using RNA-sequencing data from ~14K control samples and 42 human body sites, focusing on split reads partially mapping to known transcripts in annotation. We show that mis-splicing occurs at different rates across introns and tissues and that these splicing inaccuracies are primarily affected by the abundance of core components of the spliceosome assembly and its regulators. Using publicly available data on short-hairpin RNA-knockdowns of numerous spliceosomal components and related regulators, we found support for the importance of RNA-binding proteins in mis-splicing. We also demonstrated that age is positively correlated with mis-splicing, and it affects genes implicated in neurodegenerative diseases. This in-depth characterisation of mis-splicing can have important implications for our understanding of the role of splicing inaccuracies in human disease and the interpretation of long-read RNA-sequencing data.

Potent blockers of the monocarboxylate transporter MCT1: novel immunomodulatory compounds.

A novel series of potent blockers of the monocarboxylate transporter, MCT1, is disclosed. From very potent but lipophilic lead compounds, systematic changes to all parts of the molecule, targeting reduction in log D, afforded compounds with significantly improved overall properties. These compounds show potent immunomodulatory activity.

Regional myocyte size in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Regional differences in cell size in the hearts of rats with and without cardiac hypertrophy were studied using isolated muscle cells. Isolated cardiac myocytes were prepared from left ventricular free wall inner and outer halves and the right ventricle of six male 12-week-old spontaneously hypertensive (SHR), Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Fischer-344 rats. In SHR, blood pressure was increased to 188 +/- 4 (SEM) mm Hg versus 143 +/- 2 and 133 +/- 10 for WKY and Fischer rats, respectively (p less than 0.001). Total heart weight was increased to 1103 +/- 29 mg in SHR compared to 824 +/- 21 in WKY and 951 +/- 23 in Fischer rats (p less than 0.001. Isolated cardiac myocytes were prepared by perfusion of isolated hearts with Ca++ free Hanks' solution containing EGTA followed by collagenase-containing media. Mean length, width and volume of 150 cells stained with hematoxylin and eosin from each site were measured with a sonic digitizer. Two nuclei were present in 85 to 87% of isolated cells from all strains and regions. There was no difference among strains in right ventricular cell length, width, or volume, nor between left ventricular inner and outer halves within each strain. Left ventricular cells were larger than right ventricular cells (p less than 0.05) in all strains. Left ventricular cells of SHR were larger than left ventricular cells of WKY of Fischer rats in proportion to the increase in total heart weight, indicating that cardiac enlargement in SHR is due to increased cell size rather than increased cell number.

Undergraduate preparation for family practice.

DR R H REYNOLDS DISCUSSES NORTH AMERICAN EFFORTS AT UNDERGRADUATE PREPARATION FOR FAMILY PRACTICE, AS ILLUSTRATED BY: student attachment schemes, teaching of behavioural sciences, family care programmes, departments of general practice and comprehensive medical clinics.Dr H J Wright reviews the dichotomy of hospital and general practitioner services and goes on to consider the advantages of integration and the methods by which this may be accomplished. In particular he stresses the importance of general practitioner hospital appointments and access to diagnostic facilities.Dr F H Staines describes health services in Israel, New Zealand and Australia and draws lessons from them which could be used to improve the NHS service in this country.