Here, a novel model of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), termed multiple inner primers-LAMP (MIP-LAMP), was devised and successfully applied to detect Listeria monocytogenes. A set of 10 specific MIP-LAMP primers, which recognized 14 different regions of target gene, was designed to target a sequence in the hlyA gene. The MIP-LAMP assay efficiently amplified the target element with...

The ascomycete Ascobolus immersus has been extensively used as a model system for the genetic study of meiotic recombination. More recently, an epigenetic process, known as methylation induced premeiotically (MIP), that acts on duplicated sequences has been discovered in A. immersus and has raised a new interest in this fungus. To try and extend these studies, we have now cloned the A. immersus...

Human intestinal epithelial cells secrete an array of chemokines known to signal the trafficking of neutrophils and monocytes important in innate mucosal immunity. We hypothesized that intestinal epithelium may also have the capacity to play a role in signaling host adaptive immunity. The CC chemokine macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-3alpha/CCL20 is chemotactic for immature dendritic cells...

Natural killer (NK) cells mediate defense against early murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infections in liver. The chemokine, macrophage inflammatory protein 1alpha (MIP-1alpha), can promote inflammatory responses. Our studies evaluated contributions of NK cells to early MCMV-induced liver inflammation and MIP-1alpha requirements for inflammation and delivery of antiviral defenses. NK cells were sh...

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potent endogenous mediator of bowel inflammation. It activates neutrophils that are needed to initiate the inflammatory response. Macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2), a critical C-X-C chemokine secreted by macrophages and epithelial cells, is a potent chemoattractant for neutrophils. Whereas MIP-2 has been previously shown to mediate the injury in var...

Water homeostasis and the structural integrity of the vertebrate lens is partially mediated by AQP0 channels. Emerging evidence indicates that external pH may be involved in channel gating. Here we show that a tetraploid teleost, the Atlantic salmon, retains 4 aqp0 genes (aqp0a1, -0a2, -0b1, and -0b2), which are highly, but not exclusively, expressed in the lens. Functional characterization rev...

Lens major intrinsic protein (MIP), also known as Aquaporin 0, is the most abundant protein of the ocular lens fiber membrane. It belongs to an ancient family of membrane channel proteins [1-3]. Mutations in the MIP gene have been linked to genetic cataracts in mice and humans, suggesting an important role for MIP in maintaining lens transparency [49]. MIP may play a role in reducing the interf...

Turnover of the extracellular matrix (ECM), activation of macrophages, and accumulation of chemokines/cytokines are all hallmarks of chronic inflammation. Extracellular matrix components, such as hyaluronan (HA), have recently been shown to influence macrophage effector functions, such as the release of inflammatory chemokines and cytokines. Although low m.w. fragments of the glycosaminoglycan ...

TNFR-associated factor (TRAF) 3 is an important adaptor that transmits upstream activation signals to protein kinases that phosphorylate transcription factors to induce the production of type I IFNs, the important effectors in innate antiviral immune response. MIP-T3 interacts specifically with TRAF3, but its function in innate IFN response remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated a nega...

Macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1alpha, a CC chemokine, enhances proliferation of mature subsets of myeloid progenitor cells (MPCs), suppresses proliferation of immature MPCs, and mobilizes mature and immature MPCs to the blood. MIP-1alpha binds at least three chemokine receptors. To determine if CCR1 was dominantly mediating the above activities of MIP-1alpha, CCR1-deficient (-/-) mice, ...