The relationship between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and Helicobacter pylori-induced gastric mucosal injury is still under debate. VacA toxin is an important H. pylori virulence factor that causes cytoplasmic vacuolation in cultured cells. Whether and how NSAIDs affect VacA-induced cytotoxicity is unclear. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of NSAIDs on H. pylori V...

The natural polyamines spermine and spermidine, the biosynthetic precursor putrescine and their analogues cadaverine and tyramine stimulate the GTPase activity of purified GTP-binding proteins (Go/Gi) from calf brain reconstituted into phospholipid vesicles. The order of potency was spermine greater than spermidine greater than putrescine = cadaverine greater than tyramine. The physiological re...

Cadmium is a dangerous occupational and environmental toxin. It accumulates in the human organism mainly in liver and kidneys. Cadmium half-life is about 10 years, so the symptoms of cadmium intoxication may occur several years after the exposure. Until now in treating intoxication with this metal chelating compounds have been used, burdened with numerous undesirable symptoms. In our investigat...

Virulence of the intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) requires escape from the phagosome into the host cytosol, where the bacteria replicate. Phagosomal escape is a multistep process characterized by perforation, which is dependent on the pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO), followed by rupture. The contribution of host factors to Listeria phagosomal escape is incomplet...

Ichthyocrinotoxic fishes are those which produce their own toxins through glandular secretions without any venom apparatus. Sixty species of fishes under eighteen families fall in this category among which the family Ostracidae is one. Ostracidae is a family of squared, box shaped fishes very much related to the puffers and filefishes under the order Tetraodontiformes. Skin mucous secretions of...

Adenylyl cyclases (ACs) catalyze the conversion of ATP into the second messenger cAMP. Membranous AC1 (AC1) is involved in processes of memory and learning and in muscle pain. The AC toxin edema factor (EF) of Bacillus anthracis is involved in the development of anthrax. Both ACs are stimulated by the eukaryotic Ca(2+)-sensor calmodulin (CaM). The CaM-AC interaction could constitute a potential...

The liver's role in vinyl chloride toxicity and carcinogenicity is providing a better understanding of the chemical carcinogenesis mechanism. A variety of both malignant and benign hepatic tumors has been demonstrated with prolonged exposure to vinyl chloride. The multi-system involvment of this carcinogen and toxin has provided a model for the study of chemical carcinogenesis common to both ma...

Xxomnuoehemical Studies on the Tryptophan-modified 'ýobrotoxin The two-dimensional structure of cobrotoxin has recently been established and permits a study of structure-activi~ty i-elatioziships. Preceding studies on the chemical modification of c:Dbrotoxin nuggested that either the intact Tyr-25, Lys-47, or* G'>1-2*: is essential for full activity of the toxin. The importance -,f the sin~le T...

Almonds and peppercorns have been implicated in outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. The objective this study was to evaluate the efficacy gaseous chlorine dioxide (ClO2) for pilot-scale decontamination Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Listeria monocytogenes on almonds black peppercorns. Pathogens-inoculated were exposed ClO2 gas generated by mixing sodium chlorite (NaClO...

Clostridium difficile is recognized as the major cause of antibiotic-associated colitis. C. difficile produces two toxins, A (enterotoxin) and B (cytotoxin), that are implicated in the pathogenesis of the colitis. We examined the dose responses, time course, and synergism of these two toxins in ligated rabbit intestinal loops and in tissue culture. In rabbit small intestinal loops, toxin A caus...