Moraxella catarrhalis is a common human respiratory tract pathogen. Its virulence factors associated with whole bacteria or outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) aid infection, colonization and may induce specific antibodies. To investigate pathogen-host interactions, we applied integrated bioinformatic and immunoproteomic (2D-electrophoresis, immunoblotting, LC-MS/MS) approaches. We showed that OMV proteins engaged exclusively in complement evasion and colonization strategies, but not those involved in iron transport and metabolism, are major targets for cross-reacting antibodies produced against phylogenetically divergent M. catarrhalis strains. The analysis of 31 complete genomes of M. catarrhalis and other Moraxella revealed that OMV protein-coding genes belong to 64 orthologous groups, five of which are restricted to M. catarrhalis. This species showed a two-fold increase in the number of OMV protein-coding genes relative to its ancestors and animal-pathogenic Moraxella. The appearance of specific OMV factors and the increase in OMV-associated virulence proteins during M. catarrhalis evolution is an interesting example of pathogen adaptation to optimize colonization. This precisely targeted cross-reactive immunity against M. catarrhalis may be an important strategy of host defences to counteract this phenomenon. We demonstrate that cross-reactivity is closely associated with the anti-virulent antibody repertoire which we have linked with adaptation of this pathogen to the host.
New Findings What is the central question of this research?Does increased ventilation contribute to the increase in heart rate during transient exposure to hypoxia in humans? What is the main finding and its importance?Voluntary suppression of the ventilatory response to transient hypoxia does not affect the magnitude of the heart rate response to the stimulus. This indicates that hypoxic tachycardia is not secondary to hyperpnoea in humans. Better understanding of the physiology underlying the cardiovascular response to hypoxia might help in identification of new markers of elevated chemoreceptor activity, which has been proposed as a target in treatment of sympathetically mediated diseases. Abstract Animal data suggest that hypoxic tachycardia is secondary to hyperpnoea, and for years this observation has been extrapolated to humans, despite a lack of experimental evidence. We addressed this issue in 17 volunteers aged 29 ± 7 (SD) years. A transient hypoxia test, comprising several nitrogen‐breathing episodes, was performed twice in each subject. In the first test, the subject breathed spontaneously (spontaneous breathing). In the second test, the subject was repeatedly asked to adjust his or her depth and rate of breathing according to visual (real‐time inspiratory flow) and auditory (metronome sound) cues, respectively (controlled breathing), to maintain respiration at the resting level during nitrogen‐breathing episodes. Hypoxic responsiveness, including minute ventilation [Hyp‐VI; in liters per minute per percentage of blood oxygen saturation (SnormalpO2)], tidal volume [Hyp‐VT; in litres per SnormalpO2], heart rate [Hyp‐HR; in beats per minute per SnormalpO2], systolic [Hyp‐SBP; in millimetres of mercury per SnormalpO2] and mean blood pressure [Hyp‐MAP; in millimetres of mercury per SnormalpO2] and systemic vascular resistance [Hyp‐SVR; in dynes seconds (centimetres)−5 per SnormalpO2] was calculated as the slope of the regression line relating the variable to SnormalpO2, including pre‐ and post‐hypoxic values. The Hyp‐VI and Hyp‐VT were reduced by 69 ± 25 and 75 ± 10%, respectively, in controlled versus spontaneous breathing (Hyp‐VI, −0.30 ± 0.15 versus −0.11 ± 0.09; Hyp‐VT, −0.030 ± 0.024 versus −0.007 ± 0.004; both P < 0.001). However, the cardiovascular responses did not differ between spontaneous and controlled breathing (Hyp‐HR, −0.62 ± 0.24 versus −0.71 ± 0.33; Hyp‐MAP, −0.43 ± 0.19 versus −0.47 ± 0.21; Hyp‐SVR, 9.15 ± 5.22 versus 9.53 ± 5.57; all P ≥ 0.22), indicating that hypoxic tachycardia is not secondary to hyperpnoea. Hyp‐HR was correlated with Hyp‐SVR (r = −074 and −0.80 for spontaneous and controlled breathing, respectively; both P < 0.05) and resting barosensitivity assessed with the sequence technique (r = −0.60 for spontaneous breathing; P < 0.05). This might suggest that the baroreflex mechanism is involved.
Purpose Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) hasbeen considered for the treatment of sympathetically mediated disorders. However, the optimal mode of stimulation is unknown. This study aimed to compare the cardiovascular effects of respiratory-gated taVNS in healthy subjects. Methods The examination included expiratory-gated, inspiratory-gated, and non-respiratory-gated taVNS trials. Subjects were examined twice (the order of expiratory-and inspiratory-gated taVNS was changed). taVNS trials started with controlled breathing without stimulation (pre-stimulatory recording) followed by controlled breathing with taVNS (stimulatory recording). Synchronizing taVNS with the respiratory phase was computer-controlled. Heart rate (HR) was calculated from ECG. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) were recorded continuously and noninvasively. Baroreflex sensitivity based on rising (BRS-UP) or falling SBP sequences (BRS-DOWN) or all sequences (BRS-ALL) and heart rate variability (HRV) were analyzed. Results Seventy-two taVNS trials were obtained from 12 subjects (age 23 ± 3 years). Pre-stimulatory HR correlated with change in HR (r = − 0.25) and SVR (r = 0.24, both p < 0.05). There were no differences between three stimulatory conditions in (1) the changes of hemodynamic parameters, (2) BRS-UP and BRS-ALL, or (3) HRV indices (all p > 0.20). However, in the group of high pre-stimulatory HR trials, HR change differed between inspiratory-gated (0.11 ± 0.53%) and both expiratorygated (− 1.30 ± 0.58%, p = 0.06) and non-respiratory-gated taVNS (− 1.69 ± 0.65, p = 0.02). BRS-DOWN was higher in inspiratory-vs. non-respiratory-gated taVNS (15.4 ± 1.3 vs. 14.1 ± 0.9 ms/mmHg, p = 0.03). Conclusions Expiratory-gated and non-respiratory-gated taVNS exert clear cardioinhibitory effects in healthy subjects with high pre-stimulatory HR, whereas inspiratory-gated taVNS does not affect HR. Cardiac and vascular effects of taVNS depend on pre-stimulatory HR.
IntroductionLactose malabsorption arises from lactase deficiency and may lead to lactose intolerance – gastrointestinal symptoms after lactose ingestion. Occurrence and severity of the symptoms are influenced by many factors, including the dose of lactose and the intensity of its colonic fermentation to short chain fatty acids and gases.Material and methodsThe hydrogen breath test (HBT) after 30 g or 50 g of lactose was performed in 387 children. Further analysis included children who had a positive HBT result. The HBT parameters were net hydrogen concentration in each breath and total net hydrogen concentration during the HBT. The time of the first hydrogen rise was also calculated. HBT parameters were analyzed according to symptoms occurrence (lack or present), symptoms severity (lack, moderate or severe) and the dose of lactose (30 g or 50 g).ResultsOne hundred and six children (12.1 years, 46 boys) had a positive HBT result. Symptoms occurrence was positively related to net hydrogen concentration at 30 min, 60 min and 90 min (p < 0.001 at each time point), as well as to the total net hydrogen concentration (p < 0.001). There were no differences in hydrogen excretion between subjects with moderate and severe symptoms after lactose ingestion. Symptoms were more frequent in subjects given 50 g of lactose than in those given 30 g of lactose (79% vs. 47%, p = 0.003). In both dose groups symptoms occurrence was related to hydrogen excretion.ConclusionsSymptoms occurrence is closely related to hydrogen excretion and to the dose of ingested lactose.
Cysteine proteases are one of the major classes of proteolytic enzymes involved in a number of physiological and pathological processes in plants, animals and microorganisms. When their synthesis, activity and localization in mammalian cells are altered, they may contribute to the development of many diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and cancer. Therefore, cysteine proteases have become promising drug targets for the medical treatment of these disorders. Inhibitors of cysteine proteases are also produced by almost every group of living organisms, being responsible for the control of intracellular proteolytic activity. Microorganisms synthesize cysteine protease inhibitors not only to regulate the activity of endogenous, often virulent enzymes, but also to hinder the host's proteolytic defense system and evade its immune responses against infections. Present work describes known to date microbial inhibitors of cysteine proteases in terms of their structure, enzyme binding mechanism, specificity and pathophysiological roles. The overview of both proteinaceous and small-molecule inhibitors produced by all groups of microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists) and viruses is provided. Subsequently, possible applications of microbial inhibitors in science, medicine and biotechnology are also highlighted.
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