Mutations in the gene encoding the 3'-5' DNA exonuclease TREX1 cause Aicardi-Goutières syndrome at the AGS1 locus

Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS) presents as a severe neurological brain disease and is a genetic mimic of the sequelae of transplacentally acquired viral infection. Evidence exists for a perturbation of innate immunity as a primary pathogenic event in the disease phenotype. Here, we show that TREX1, encoding the major mammalian 3' --> 5' DNA exonuclease, is the AGS1 gene, and AGS-causing mutations result in abrogation of TREX1 enzyme activity. Similar loss of function in the Trex1(-/-) mouse leads to an inflammatory phenotype. Our findings suggest an unanticipated role for TREX1 in processing or clearing anomalous DNA structures, failure of which results in the triggering of an abnormal innate immune response.     

The mitigating effect of dietary antioxidants on chemically-induced carcinogenesis

The effect of a dietary antioxidant mixture on 3-methylcholanthrene mediated carcinogenesis in hairless mice was investigated. The antioxidant mixture significantly reduced the frequency of premalignant lesions and their subsequent development into tumors. The similarities in response of chemical and UV light-carcinogenesis to these antioxidants suggest some congruity in the mechanisms of the carcinogenic process.     

Lipid polarity and sorting in epithelial cells

Lipid polarity and sorting in epithelial cells     

Shortened duration of drug-induced behavioral excitation in rats with septal lesions

Resumen En las ratas, la reacción elevada de la respuesta evasiva, después de darles iproniazida y tetrabenazina aparentemente está relacionada con el suelto acrecentado de acetylcholina en al parte frontal del cerebro. Cuando las ratas con lesiones septales recibieron estas dos drogas, sus periódos resultantes de excitacion de conducta eran significantamente mas cortos que los de los controles. Como las lesiones septales producen disminución en los niveles de la acetylcholina en el cerebro, estos datos implicaron más el sistema cholinergica en la excitación producida por la iproniziada-tetrabenazina.