The interactions between Helicobacter pylori spiral and coccoid forms, extracellular matrix (ECM) and plasma proteins were studied in an 125I-labelled protein assay. The range of binding of collagen V, plasminogen, human lactoferrin (HLf) and vitronectin to coccoid forms of H. pylori NCTC 11637 was 26-48%. In contrast, binding of radiolabelled fibronectin and collagen types I and III was low (3-8%). The coccoid forms of 14 strains of H. pylori showed significant HLf binding (median 26%). With plasminogen, no significant difference was found between binding to the coccoid (median = 13%) and spiral (median = 12%) forms, of 13 of the 14 strains of H. pylori tested; the exception was strain NCTC 11637. 125I-plasminogen showed a dose-dependent binding to both the coccoid and spiral forms. Plasminogen binding to both forms was specific; the binding was inhibited by non-labelled plasminogen, plasmin, lysine, EACA (epsilon-aminocaproic acid) but not by fetuin or various carbohydrates. Similarly, HLf binding was found to be specific and was inhibited by non-labelled HLf and BLf. The coccoid forms showed either similar or enhanced ECM binding capabilities compared with the spiral forms. As the binding of ECM proteins may be an important mechanism of tissue adhesion for various pathogenic bacteria, the coccoid differentiated form of H. pylori can be considered as an infective form in the pathogenesis of helicobacter infection and type B gastritis.
Age has a major effect on brain volume. However, the normative studies available are constrained by small sample sizes, restricted age coverage and significant methodological variability. These limitations introduce inconsistencies and may obscure or distort the lifespan trajectories of brain morphometry. In response, we capitalised on the resources of the Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium to examine the age-related morphometric trajectories of the ventricles, the basal ganglia (caudate, putamen, pallidum, and nucleus accumbens), the thalamus, hippocampus and amygdala using magnetic resonance imaging data obtained from 18,605 individuals aged 3-90 years. All subcortical structure volumes were at their maximum early in life; the volume of the basal ganglia showed a gradual monotonic decline thereafter while the volumes of the thalamus, amygdala and the hippocampus remained largely stable (with some degree of decline in thalamus) until the sixth decade of life followed by a steep decline thereafter. The lateral ventricles showed a trajectory of continuous enlargement throughout the lifespan.Significant age-related increase in inter-individual variability was found for the hippocampus and amygdala and the lateral ventricles. These results were robust to potential confounders and could be used to derive risk predictions for the early identification of diverse clinical phenotypes.
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