Copyright (C) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.”
“The entry of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) into biologically relevant epithelial and endothelial cells involves endocytosis GSK1838705A purchase followed by low-pH-dependent fusion. This entry pathway is facilitated by the HCMV UL128, UL130, and UL131 proteins, which form one or more complexes with the virion envelope glycoprotein gH/gL. gH/gL/UL128-131 complexes appear to be distinct from the gH/gL/gO complex, which likely facilitates entry into fibroblasts. In order to better understand the assembly and protein-protein interactions of

gH/gL/UL128-131 complexes, we generated HCW mutants lacking UL128-131 proteins and nonreplicating adenovirus vectors expressing gH, gL, UL128, UL130, and UL131. Our results demonstrate that UL128, UL130, and UL131 can each independently assemble onto gH/gL scaffolds. However, the binding of individual UL128-131 proteins onto gH/gL can significantly affect the binding of other proteins; for example, UL128 increased the binding of both UL130 and UL131 to gH/gL. Direct interactions between gH/UL130, UL130/UL131, gL/UL128, and UL128/UL130 were also observed. The export of gH/gL complexes from the endoplasmic

reticulum (ER) to the Golgi apparatus and cell surface was dramatically increased when all of UL128, UL130, and UL131 were coexpressed with gH/gL (with or without gO expression). Incorporation of gH/gL complexes into the virion envelope requires transport beyond the ER. Thus, we concluded that UL128, UL130, and UL131 must CCI-779 purchase all bind simultaneously onto gH/gL for the production of complexes that can function in entry into epithelial and endothelial cells.”
“The pathogenesis of anorexia nervosa (AN) is still poorly understood. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edition) classification differentiates 2 AN types: the restricting type (AN-R) and the binge eating/purging type (AN-BP). We investigated 4 young women suffering from AN (2 with AN-R and 2 with AN-BP). Four women, age matched, with other psychiatric disorders (paranoid

schizophrenia, adjustment disorder, mental retardation) served as the reference group. The oligonucleotide microarray method (HG-U133A, Affymetrix) was used to determine the expression profile of 13 genes connected with the orexigenic G protein-coupled receptor kinase and anorexigenic system: leptin, leptin receptor-coding gene, hypocretin (orexin) receptor-coding gene, hypocretin (orexin) neuropeptide precursor-coding gene and growth hormone secretagogue receptor. A hierarchical analysis of the results showed that AN-BP and AN-R patients were grouped into different clusters. Also, expression levels of leptin receptor-coding gene showed significant differences between AN-BP and AN-R patients and between AN-R and control subjects. This preliminary study suggests that the microarray technique may contribute to elucidating molecular genetics of the pathogenesis of both types of AN. Copyright (C) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.