Two pathogenic Escherichia coli, Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), adhere to the outside of host cells and induce cytoskeletal rearrangements leading to the formation of membrane-encased pedestals comprised of actin filaments and other associated proteins beneath the bacteria. The structure of the pedestals induced by the two pathogens appears similar, althou...

In human hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and hypertension associated ventricular hypertrophy, chronic use of calcium channel blockers results in a significant regression of hypertrophy. The main objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that modulation of calcium influx through the voltage-sensitive L-type Ca2+ channel directly affects myocardial hypertrophy. Agents that modified calcium i...

Leukocyte recruitment is a key step in the inflammatory reaction. Several changes in the cell morphology take place during lymphocyte activation and migration: spheric-shaped resting T cells become polarized during activation, developing a well defined cytoplasmic projection designated as cellular uropod. We found that the chemotactic and proinflammatory chemokines RANTES, MCP-1, and, to a lowe...

This study examined whether cardiocyte load increases eIF-4F complex formation. To increase load in vitro, adult feline cardiocytes were electrically stimulated to contract (1 Hz, 5-ms pulses). eIF-4F complex formation, measured by eIF-4G association with eIF-4E, increased 57 ± 16% after 4 h of contraction compared with controls. eIF-4F complex formation did not increase on electrical stimulati...

In identified B6 neurons of Aplysia buccal ganglia under voltage-clamp, application of quisqualic acid (QA) induces a unique slow K(+)-current response independent of G-protein. The response was augmented by raising the temperature in a similar fashion to the Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH(2)-induced K(+)-current response mediated by Gi/o. The QA-induced K(+)-current response markedly increased during the ...

The mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) is implicated in cardiac reperfusion/reoxygenation injury. In isolated ventricular myocytes, the sulfhydryl (SH) group modifier and MPT inducer phenylarsine oxide (PAO) caused MPT, severe hypercontracture, and irreversible membrane injury associated with increased cytoplasmic free [Ca(2+)]. Removal of extracellular Ca(2+) or depletion of nonmitoch...

Dystrophin is an integral membrane protein involved in the stabilization of the sarcolemmal membrane in cardiac muscle. We hypothesized that the loss of membrane dystrophin during ischemia and reperfusion is responsible for contractile force-induced myocardial injury and that cardioprotection afforded by ischemic preconditioning (IPC) is related to the preservation of membrane dystrophin. Isola...

CD43 is a cell surface-associated mucin that is abundantly expressed by most leukocytes, and that appears to function as a negative regulator of cell surface interactions, providing a repulsive barrier around cells. We have analyzed herein the ability of anti-CD43 monoclonal antibody (MoAb) to upregulate both beta 1 and beta 2 integrin-mediated cell adhesion and to promote redistribution of the...

Methods: Hearts were excised from normal mice and from a genetically modified mouse model developed to study cardiac hypertrophy [3]. Animals were humanely killed by cervical dislocation, the aorta cannulated and retrogradely perfused at constant flow (~ 3ml/min) using a Langendorff perfusion system. A first solution containing 0.75mM CaCl2 was perfused to allow the hearts to contract and clear...

N UMEROUS STUDIES have been reported in the literature on the photometric determination of urea in biological fluids with diacetyl monoxime as the color-developing agent. The reaction is photosensitive, does not follow Beer’s law, and requires special precautions for reproducible results. In many proposed procedures, oxidants were added in the reaction mixture to destroy hydroxylamine which mig...