Within influenza viral particles, the intricate balance between host cell binding and sialic acid receptor destruction is carefully maintained by the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) glycoproteins, respectively. A major outstanding question in influenza biology is the function of a secondary sialic acid binding site on the NA enzyme. Through a series of Brownian dynamics (BD) simulatio...

BACKGROUND Leptin, a hormone produced primarily by adipose tissue, is known to be present in serum as both monomeric (free) and higher molecular mass (bound) forms, but little is known about the nature of the bound forms or physiological variation in binding capacity. METHODS A new method to quantify the free and bound forms was developed, based on HPLC separation and RIA quantification in ch...

The effect of sugars on ‘*“I-thyroid-stimulating hormone binding to beef thyroid membranes was studied to determine their role in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) binding. At 0.1 M concentration, N-acetylneuraminic acid produced a 3to 7-fold increase in TSH binding, was the only sugar to enhance TSH binding, and did so whether binding was determined in the cyclase medium or under conditions of...

The effect of sugars on 125I-thyroid-stimulating hormone binding to beef thyroid membranes was studied to determine their role in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) binding. At 0.1 M concentration, N-acetylneuraminic acid produced a 3- to 7-fold increase in TSH binding, was the only sugar to enhance TSH binding, and did so whether binding was determined in the cyclase medium or under conditions ...

Understanding intermolecular interactions between drugs and proteins is very important in drug delivery studies. Here, we studied different binding interactions between salicylic acid and bovine serum albumin (BSA) using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Salicylic acid was labeled with a stable radical (spin label) in order to monitor its mobilized (free) or immobilized (bound...

Generally, plasma proteins owe their binding capacity to the presence of aminoacid units which enter into intra- and intermolecular hydrophobic bonding with a diverse range of endo- and exogenous chemical substances. The intermolecular interactions between the hydrophobic areas of drug molecules and those of plasma proteins play an important role in drug-macromolecular complex formation and...

Development of potent new anti-Shigella agents for rapid and specific detection and treatment is of great importance. Aptamers, nucleic acid oligomers capable of specific binding to a wide range of non-nucleic acid targets, may be of value for this purpose. In the present study, we used a Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment (SELEX) process to select DNA aptamers that b...

Bile acid binding capacity has been related to the cholesterol-lowering potential of foods and food fractions. Lowered recirculation of bile acids results in utilization of cholesterol to synthesize bile acid and reduced fat absorption. Secondary bile acids have been associated with increased risk of cancer. Bile acid binding potential has been related to lowering the risk of heart disease and ...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Exercise-induced iron deficiency is a common finding in endurance athletes. It has been suggested recently that hepcidin may be an important mediator in this process. OBJECTIVE To determine hepcidin levels and markers of iron status during long-term exercise training in female runners with depleted and normal iron stores. METHODS Fourteen runners were divided into two gr...

In a previous study of secondary lead smelter workers (males), a significant prevalence of low hemoglobin levels (less than 14 g/100 ml) was found; a statistically significant negative correlation between hemoglobin and zinc protoporphyrin was also detected. In the present study serum iron (Fe) levels and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) were included in the investigation of 111 secondary lea...