Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.1.21.1 (DNase)
7,655 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Hyaluronic acid (HA), an abundant non-sulfated glycosaminoglycan component of the extracellular matrix, has applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering and as an ingredient in cosmetics. HA preparations containing high-molecular-weight polymers are also used in the treatment of inflammatory disorders such as arthritis and interstitial cystitis. Low-molecular-weight fragments derived from HA have been reported to induce pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-12 and TNF-alpha, and could therefore potentially exacerbate existing inflammation. We therefore examined the pro-inflammatory activity of HA preparations, since inflammatory reactions are known to occur following administration of HA. We tested low-molecular-weight fragments obtained from seven different HA preparations, either by sonication (approximately equals 3 x 10(5) Da) or by hyaluronidase digestion (approximately equals 1 x 10(4) Da), for the ability to induce the synthesis of IL-12 and TNF-alpha by human monocytic cells. We found that two of the seven HA preparations tested stimulated the synthesis of IL-12 and TNF-alpha by human monocytic cells. We unexpectedly found that the induction of IL-12 and TNF-alpha by these HA preparations was not due to their degradation to low-molecular-weight fragments, since their native high-molecular-weight forms possessed the same ability to stimulate IL-12 and TNF-alpha synthesis, but was due to the presence of contaminating DNA. Treatment of these two HA preparations with deoxyribonuclease I abrogated or reduced the induction of IL-12 and TNF-alpha. It is clear from this study that HA preparations can induce the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines by monocytes. The ability of HA to act as a pro-inflammatory mediator may not, however, be related to the presence of low-molecular-weight HA fragments, but to the presence of DNA. The presence of pro-inflammatory DNA in HA preparations should be evaluated before its use, not only for the treatment of patients with inflammatory disorders, but also before many other applications.
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PMID:Pro-inflammatory activity of contaminating DNA in hyaluronic acid preparations. 1134 74

It is hoped that amniotic epithelial cells can be useful in cell-mediated gene therapy. We report here an experimental cell transplantation model of amniotic cells in rats. There is an anatomical difference between human and rodent embryos. We established a method to isolate amniotic cells that are equivalent to human amniotic epithelial cells. An amniotic membrane distinct from the yolk sac was carefully collected and teased in saline containing deoxyribonuclease and hyaluronidase, followed by collagenase digestion. The cell yield was approximately 10(6) cells per pregnant female (10(5) cells per fetus), roughly in proportion to the age of fetus used, and 60% of the isolated cells were attached to the dish under culture conditions. Telomerase activity was higher in the cells isolated from fetuses in the middle stage (day 13.5 to 15.5) than in the late stage (day 17.5 to 21.5). Adherent cells exhibited two to three times more cell division, resulting in a ninefold increase in the number of cells. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that approximately half of the adherent cells were albumin positive and formed clusters. The senescent cells survived for 2 months without apparent morphological changes. The adherent cells were able to be stored in liquid nitrogen and had a viability of 70% when thawed. Gene transduction with adenovirus vector was highly effective for rat amniotic cells. Transplantation of lacZ transfected amniotic cells into syngeneic rat liver resulted in the integration of the transplanted cells in the liver structure and the cells survived for at least 30 days.
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PMID:Cytological examination of rat amniotic epithelial cells and cell transplantation to the liver. 1154 66

The genome of the highly pathogenic M1 serotype Streptococcus pyogenes isolate SF370 contains eight prophage elements. Only prophage SF370.1 could be induced by mitomycin C treatment. Prophage SF370.3 showed a 33.5-kb-long genome that closely resembled the genome organization of the cos-site temperate Siphovirus r1t infecting the dairy bacterium Lactococcus lactis. The two-phage genomes shared between 60 and 70% nucleotide sequence identity over the DNA packaging, head and tail genes. Analysis of the SF370.3 genome revealed mutations in the replisome organizer gene that may prevent the induction of the prophage. The mutated phage replication gene was closely related to a virulence marker identified in recently emerged M3 serotype S. pyogenes strains in Japan. This observation suggests that prophage genes confer selective advantage to the lysogenic host. SF370.3 encodes a hyaluronidase and a DNase that may facilitate the spreading of S. pyogenes through tissue planes of its human host. Prophage SF370.2 showed a 43-kb-long genome that closely resembled the genome organization of pac-site temperate Siphoviridae infecting the dairy bacteria S. thermophilus and L. lactis. Over part of the structural genes, the similarity between SF370.2 and S. thermophilus phage O1205 extended to the nucleotide sequence level. SF370.2 showed two probable inactivating mutations: one in the replisome organizer gene and another in the gene encoding the portal protein. Prophage SF370.2 also encodes a hyaluronidase and in addition two very likely virulence factors: prophage-encoded toxins acting as superantigens that may contribute to the immune deregulation observed during invasive streptococcal infections. The superantigens are encoded between the phage lysin and the right attachment site of the prophage genome. The genes were nearly sequence identical with a DNA segment in S. equi, suggesting horizontal gene transfer. The trend for prophage genome inactivation was even more evident for the remaining five prophage sequences that showed massive losses of prophage DNA. In these prophage remnants only 13-0.3 kb of putative prophage DNA was detected. We discuss the genomics data from S. pyogenes strain SF370 within the framework of Darwinian coevolution of prophages and lysogenic bacteria and suggest elements of genetic cooperation and elements of an arms race in this host-parasite relationship.
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PMID:Comparative genomics reveals close genetic relationships between phages from dairy bacteria and pathogenic Streptococci: evolutionary implications for prophage-host interactions. 1160 4

Serological tests are commonly employed to aid the diagnosis of Streptococcus pyogenes infections, particularly when non-suppurative sequelae are suspected. Conventional laboratory practice is to measure antibody levels to various combinations of the extracellular group A Streptococcus (GAS) antigens streptolysin O (SLO), DNase B, streptokinase and hyaluronidase. Antibody to the extracellular cysteine proteinase streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin B (SPE B) and its precursor zymogen is also produced in response to GAS infections. An indirect hemagglutination test for antibody to zymogen/SPE B was established and evaluated in serum samples from 168 patients with proven (n = 27) or suspected GAS (n = 141) infections, which were also screened for antibodies using the 4 conventional tests. For comparison, sera from 56 patients infected with a variety of other pathogens, as well as sera from 16 patients infected with either S. agalactiae or S. pneumoniae and 34 sera from healthy subjects, were tested. Statistical analysis confirmed that antibody to zymogen/SPE B is a serological marker that can discriminate GAS infections. It can be ranked with the anti-SLO titer, currently the most widely used test, as a marker of an antecedent GAS infection.
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PMID:Antibody to streptococcal cysteine proteinase as a seromarker of group A Streptococcal (Streptococcus pyogenes) infections. 1216 Jan 65

The occurrence of several virulence traits (cytolysin, adhesins and hydrolytic enzymes) was investigated in a collection of 164 enterococci, including food and clinical isolates (from human and veterinary origin), as well as type and reference strains from 20 enterococcal species. Up to fifteen different cyl genotypes were found, as well as silent cyl genes. The occurrence of the cyl operon and haemolytic potential seems to be widespread in the genus. A significant association of this virulent trait with clinical isolates was found (p < 0.05). High levels of incidence were also observed for genes encoding surface adhesins (esp, efaA(fs), efaA(fm)), agg and gelE, irrespectively of species allocation and origin of strains. Although gelE behaves as silent in the majority of the strains, gelatinase activity predominates in clinical isolates, whereas lipase and DNase were mainly detected in food isolates pointing to their minor role as virulence determinants. No hyaluronidase activity was detected for all strains. Numerical hierarchic data analysis grouped the strains in three main clusters, two of them including a total of 50 strains with low number of virulence determinants (from 2 to 7) and the other with 114 strains with a high virulence potential (up to 12 determinants). No statistical association was found between virulence clusters and species allocation (p > 0.10), strongly suggesting that virulence determinants are a common trait in the genus Enterococcus. Clinical strains seem to be significantly associated with high virulence potential, whereas food, commensal and environmental strains harbour fewer virulence determinants (p < 0.01). A high level of relative diversity in virulence patterns was observed (Shannon's index varies from 0.95 to 1.0 among clusters), reinforcing the strain-specific nature of the association of virulence factors. Although a low risk seems to be associated with the use of enterococci in long-established artisanal cheeses, screening of virulence traits and their cross-synergies must be performed, particularly for commercial starters, probiotic strains and products to be used by high risk population groups.
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PMID:Virulence factors in food, clinical and reference Enterococci: A common trait in the genus? 1274 5

Using the death of mice due to the growth of tumor homografts as an end point, the distribution and properties of a tumor homograft-promoting substance(s), the "enhancing substance," were studied. Activity was most largely present in tumor and spleen tissues while that in the liver, kidney, and stomach was relatively slight. Activity was widely distributed in fractions prepared from tumor. Although DNAP and crude RNAP fractions were active, activity could not be associated with either RNA or DNA. The fraction possessing the highest concentration of activity was a residue fraction which was insoluble in water or in dilute or strong saline solutions. Extraction of lyophilized tumor with acetone or 3:1 alcohol:ether reduced, but did not eliminate, activity in the insoluble fraction. However, activity was completely lost after extraction with 80 per cent alcohol at room temperature. Enhancing activity of a tumor fraction was irreversibly lost after exposure for 1 hour to a solution more acid than pH 5 or more alkaline than pH 9. Activity was completely lost after exposure to 50 per cent urea or 90 per cent phenol. Activity was not altered by incubation with trypsin, hyaluronidase, DNAase or the receptor-destroying enzyme of V. cholerae, but it was decreased when trypsin or hyaluronidase was injected with the incubated tumor fraction. Activity was rapidly destroyed by treatment with dilute solutions of sodium periodate at pH 7. Under similar conditions, treatment with KMnO(4) resulted in less extensive destruction of activity while H(2)O(2), K(2)Cr(2)O(7), and NaIO(4) previously inactivated by reaction with glucose had no apparent effect on activity. These results are interpreted as indicating the presence of both carbohydrate and protein in the structure of the activity substance.
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PMID:Studies on a substance that promotes tumor homograft survival (the enhancing substance); its distribution and some properties. 1340 73

Beining, Paul R. (The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.) and E. R. Kennedy. Characteristics of a strain of Staphylococcus aureus grown in vivo and in vitro. J. Bacteriol. 85:732-741. 1963.-A comparative survey was conducted on the characteristics of a strain of Staphylococcus aureus after it had been grown in vitro (VSB) and after it had been collected from the peritoneal exudate of an infected guinea pig (GSB). Both VSB and GSB strains gave the same results when studied in an extensive series of tests, including bound and soluble coagulases, bacteriophage type, antibiotic-sensitivity pattern, the usual fermentation reactions, deoxyribonucleic acid base composition, and qualitative tests for hemolysins, deoxyribonuclease, ribonuclease, staphylokinase, staphyloprotease, lipase, and phosphatase. The in vivo strain differed significantly from the in vitro strain in respiratory rate, agar gel diffusion studies, agglutinability in tube tests, virulence tests in rabbits and mice, growth on tellurite-glycine agar, susceptibility to human gamma-globulin in agar, and in the quantitative production of deoxyribonuclease, alpha-hemolysin, leucocidin, and hyaluronidase.
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PMID:CHARACTERISTICS OF A STRAIN OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS GROWN IN VIVO AND IN VITRO. 1404 37

Heterotrophic plate counts (HPCs) are commonly used to assess the general microbiological quality of drinking water. Drinking water quality specifications worldwide recommend HPC limits from 100 to 500 cfu ml(-1). A number of recent studies revealed evidence that these bacteria may not be as harmless as generally accepted. It appears that immuno-compromised individuals are particularly at risk. This would include the very young and very old patients with diseases such as AIDS and patients on therapy for purposes such as organ transplantation and cancer treatment. In this study, 339 bacterial colonies were isolated at random from selected treated and untreated drinking water in South Africa using routine heterotrophic plate count tests. In a first step to screen for potentially pathogenic properties, 188 (55.5%) of the isolates showed alpha- or beta-haemolysis on human- and horse-blood agar media. Subsequent analysis of the haemolytic isolates for enzymatic properties associated with pathogenicity revealed the presence of chondroitinase in 5.3% of the isolates, coagulase in 16.0%, DNase in 60.6%, elastase in 33.0%, fibrinolysin in 53.7%, gelatinase in 62.2%, hyaluronidase in 21.3%, lecithinase in 47.9%, lipase in 54.8% and proteinase in 64.4%. Fluorescein and pyocyanin were not produced by any of the isolates. Among the haemolytic isolates, 77.7% were resistant to oxacillin 1 microg, 59.6% to penicillin G 2 units, 47.3% to penicillin G 10 units, 54.3% to ampicillin 10 microg and 43.1% to ampicillin 25 microg. Cell culture studies revealed that 96% of haemolytic isolates were cytotoxic to HEp-2 cells, and 98.9% of the 181 cytotoxic isolates adhered to HEp-2 or Caco-2 cells. HEp-2 cells were invaded by 43.6%, and Caco-2 cells by 49.7%, of the 181 cytotoxic isolates. The invasion index on HEp-2 cells ranged from 1.9 x 10(-1) to 8.9 x 10(-6), whereas the invasion index on Caco-2 cells varied between 7.7 x 10(-2) and 8.3 x 10(-6). The most commonly isolated genera with these potentially pathogenic features were Aeromonas, Acinetobacter, Aureobacterium, Bacillus, Chryseobacterium, Corynebacterium, Klebsiella, Moraxella, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Tsukamurella and Vibrio. The results obtained in this study support earlier findings on potentially pathogenic features of bacteria detected by routine HPCs on drinking water. These findings are in agreement with some epidemiological studies, which indicated an association between HPCs in drinking water and the incidence of gastroenteritis in consumers. However, the extent of the health risk concerned needs to be defined in more detail for meaningful revision of quality guidelines for HPCs in drinking water.
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PMID:Potentially pathogenic features of heterotrophic plate count bacteria isolated from treated and untreated drinking water. 1514 86

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of rendering oocytes and embryos free of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). Groups of cumulus oocytes complexes, cumulus free oocytes, and embryos 3 to 5 d post breeding were exposed to PCV2 (10(5) TCID50/mL) prior to disinfection by washing and different combinations of enzymatic treatments. The study suggests that under the in vitro conditions used, standard washing procedures with, or without, trypsin or incorporating pronase or hyaluronidase and DNase/RNase in the treatment was not effective in rendering oocytes and embryos free from PCV2 nucleic acid. Since the virus is noncytopathic in cell culture and for embryonic cells, it appears that there is a possibility of introducing viral contamination through oocytes collected from infected pigs into the in vitro fertilization system with subsequent potential of producing in vitro fertilized embryos associated with PCV2.
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PMID:An attempt to render oocytes and embryos free from the porcine circovirus type 2 after experimental in vitro exposure. 1535 49

The pellets from a culture of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) that were submerged shaken were disintegrated into numerous hyphal fragments by DNase treatment. The pellets were increasingly dispersed by hyaluronidase treatment, and mycelial fragments were easily detached from the pellets. The submerged mycelium grew by forming complexes with calcium phosphate precipitates or kaolin, a soil particle. Therefore, the pellet formation of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) can be considered a biofilm formation, including the participation of adhesive extracellular polymers and the insoluble substrates.
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PMID:Formation and dispersion of mycelial pellets of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). 1535 96


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