In a previous study we demonstrated that antiviral response against the coliphage MS-2 can be elicited by immunization with a synthetic antigen consisting of a conjugate (P2-A -- L) of a synthetic fragment (P2) of the virus coat protein attached to a synthetic polymeric carrier. The antiviral response was induced when the antigen was administered in complete Freund's adjuvant or when it was adm...

The immunogenicity and efficacy of an inactivated whole SIVmac (32H) preparation adjuvanted with muramyl dipeptide (SIV-MDP) and a gp120-enriched SIVmac (32H) ISCOM preparation (SIV-ISCOM), were compared by immunizing four rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) four times with SIV-MDP and four others in the same way with SIV-ISCOM. Two monkeys immunized with whole inactivated measles virus (MV) adjuv...

N-methacryloyloxy-5-aminosalicylic acid (MASA) has recently been used as an adhesive primer in restorative resin systems. To monitor the biological activity of MASA, we studied changes in NMR-chemical shifts (delta H) and the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) phase transition temperature (Tm) of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC)/MASA liposomes with or without the presence of albumin a...

The NOD-like receptor NLRP1 (NLR family, pyrin domain containing 1) senses the presence of the bacterial cell wall component l-muramyl dipeptide (MDP) inside the cell. We determined the crystal structure of the LRR domain of human NLRP1 in the absence of MDP to a resolution of 1.65Å. The fold of the structure can be assigned to the ribonuclease inhibitor-like class of LRR proteins. We compared ...

A very sensitive and specific method for the random amplification of whole DNA molecules and genomes ranging from 400 base pairs (bp) to 40 Megabase (Mb) is described. This simple, two step PCR (1-3) strategy utilizes tagged random primers that consist of a pool of all possible 3' sequences for binding to the target DNA and a constant 5' region for the detection of incorporated primers. As litt...

DNA misalignment occurs in homopolymer tracts during replication and can lead to frameshift mutations. Polymerase (pol) recognition of primer-templates containing bulge structures and the transmission of a bulge through a polymerase binding site or replication complex are important components of frameshift mutagenesis. In this report, we describe the interaction of the catalytic core of pol wit...

A 57 years old man was diagnosed by histology of left axillary node as having diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Laboratory investigations revealed hypercalcemia with serum calcium level of 2.9mol/L (normal range: 2.08-2.60). Other blood examinations including complete blood count, coagulation markers, serum parathyroid hormone (PTH), liver and renal function and electrolytes other than calcium wer...

The radioprotective capacity of a rationally-designed Mn2+-decapeptide complex (MDP), based on Mn antioxidants in the bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans, was investigated in a mouse model of radiation injury. MDP was previously reported to be extraordinarily radioprotective of proteins in the setting of vaccine development. The peptide-component (DEHGTAVMLK) of MDP applied here was selected from...

It is well established that muramyl dipeptide (MDP) can induce fever and enhance slow-wave sleep. Recently, crude or purified supernatants of activated macrophages containing endogenous pyrogen (EP) were also shown to enhance slow-wave sleep. These similarities and the recent finding that a mammalian factor that enhances slow-wave sleep is a muramyl peptide triggered us to study the possibility...