No abstract

Milk oligosaccharides have been shown to interfere with adhesion of many pathogens to host mucosal surfaces. Characterization of the adhesion mechanisms of the bacteria to host cell surface is needed to develop novel functional food, infant formulas, and anti-infective drugs. Adhesion of Neisseria meningitidis, a human specific pathogen causing meningitis and septicemia, is not completely understood but is mediated by type IV pili. Here, we developed a microtiter well pili binding assay to investigate the binding activities of N. meningitidis isolated type IV pili to different glycoproteins. Pili binding activities to bovine thyroglobulin and human salivary agglutinin but not to chicken ovalbumin were present. Inhibition of these binding activities was demonstrated by fractionated human or bovine milk oligosaccharides. The binding of neisserial pili to bovine thyroglobulin was most effective and was clearly inhibited by human milk neutral or bovine milk acidic oligosaccharides.

SUMMARYBetula pendula Roth, and a number of other species of the genus are known to excrete resinous chemicals on juvenile shoots and twigs as deterrents against herbivores. The present studies show that the resin is produced by specific multicellular glands that are of the same ontogenetic origin as the glands covering developing tissues in buds during winter dormancy. It was possible to deduce from observations over a season that the resin production may be regulated at two levels. Density of the glands on the shoot surface is determined at the time of tissue differentiation in the beginning of primary growth, and the excretory activity is related at least in part to gland size. Towards the end of the growth period the cores of glands were gradually filled with bark cells and the interior of the columnar excretory cells of their epidermis appeared pale and hollow instead of the dense blue in younger glands, when stained with haematoxylin. The excretion of resin by B. pendula appears to be a primary defence mechanism that is active during that part of the season, when apical growth of a juvenile shoot takes place.

Bisphosphonates have inhibitory action on cytokine secretion by macrophages. The non-cytotoxic cytokine inhibition by liposome encapsulated clodronate could be beneficial in local inflammatory diseases, where the inflammation is sustained by the excessive amounts of inflammatory cytokines produced by activated macrophages.

Blocking bacterial adhesion to host surfaces provides novel potential to control infections. The present study was directed to binding and inhibitory activity of different fresh berries and berry and fruit juices against Neisseria meningitidis . Berries and juices were fractionated according to their molecular size into three fractions. A microtiter well assay for binding of N. meningitidis pili to berry and juice fractions was constructed. In addition, adhesion inhibition to human epithelial cells (HEC-1B) was tested. The active fractions were then subfractionated by employing solid-phase extraction. Subfractions were characterized by RP-HPLC-DAD, and the pili binding was evaluated by using microtiter well binding assay. Binding and inhibitory activity were detected to bilberry, cranberry, lingonberry, and crowberry fractions, which contained anthocyanins or a mixture of proanthocyanidins and flavonols. Thus, the findings identify several previously unknown binding and inhibitory activities and may suggest Vaccinium berries and crowberry as promising sources against meningococcal adherence.