The chiA gene of Vibrio cholerae encodes a polypeptide which degrades chitin, a homopolymer of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) found in cell walls of fungi and in the integuments of insects and crustaceans. chiA has a coding capacity corresponding to a polypeptide of 846 amino acids having a predicted molecular mass of 88.7 kDa. A 52-bp region with promoter activity was found immediately upstream ...

The aim of the present study was to explore whether nitric oxide (NO) interferes with the attachment of human melanocytes to the extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Consequently, the effects have been investigated of the NO-releasing compounds 3-morpholino-sydnonimine (SIN-1) and S-nitroso-glutathione (GSNO) on the in vitro adhesion of human melanocytic cells to fibronectin. The NO donors in...

Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of gonorrhea, is a natural infection only in humans. The resistance of N. gonorrhoeae to normal human serum killing correlates with porin (Por)-mediated binding to the complement inhibitor, C4b-binding protein (C4BP). The entire binding site for both porin molecules resides within complement control protein domain 1 (CCP1) of C4BP. Only human and chimp...

BACKGROUND Broadly cross-reactive, neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies, including 2F5, 2G12, 4E10 and IgG1 b12, can inhibit HIV-1 infection in vitro at very low concentrations. We examined the ability of these antibodies to inhibit cell-cell fusion between Clone69TRevEnv cells induced to express the viral envelope proteins, gp120/gp41 (Env), and highly CD4-positive SupT1 cells. The cells w...

A human B-lymphoblastoid cell clone, L55-81, that produces human monoclonal antibody (MAb) to ganglioside G@ was established from peripheral blood B lymphocytes of a melanoma patient. L55-81 secretes IgMK light chain antibody in a serum-free medium. GM2 specificity of the antibody was tested by immune adherence assay, TLC immunostaining, and ELISA. Anti-GM2antibody was shown to have the ability...

Because both Rhodamine 123 (R123) and hyperthermia have been shown to be cytotoxic, we examined their effect, independently and in combination, on five different human malignant cell lines in vitro and on cultured melanoma cells grown intradermally in nude mice. The cell lines examined include two human melanomas, UCLA-SO-M14 and UCLA-SO-M21, the colon cancer cell line HT29, the human lung canc...

Culture of human peripheral blood lymphocytes with gram-negative bacteria associated with periodontal disease caused a rapid increase in the cytotoxic potential of natural killer (NK) cells. The NK cells were activated to kill NK-resistant targets, the peak cytotoxicity occurring on day 1 of culture. The addition of anti-Tac, anti-CD3, or anti-OKT-11 antibodies to block activation via the inter...

Melanoma is a tumor produced by skin melanocytes, which has a high metastatic rate and poor prognosis. So far, plenty of work has been done on melanoma, but mechanisms underlying melanoma development have not been fully elucidated. Here we identified regulator of G protein signaling 4(RGS4) as novel therapeutic target for malignant melanoma and its regulating effect on melanoma. We found that e...

Investments in socially responsible investments (SRI) are still a small, but growing segment of international capital markets. This study analyses whether a SRI screening process applied to equities results in a different performance outcome compared to relevant conventional benchmark indexes. In contrast to other studies, the analysis concentrates on SRI indexes and not on investment funds. Th...

BACKGROUND Quality control results for serum MUC-1/CA 15-3 assays have always shown large discrepancies. METHODS This multicentre study of 15 methods (labelled M1-M15) measured coded sera from 35 patients with breast cancer without recurrence (group 1), 46 patients at 1st metastasis (group 2), and 39 patients with advanced metastases (group 3). Results were compared using parametric statistic...