Gut function, microflora and development of obesity
The effect of postnatal nutritional experiences on physiology of the small intestine in Sprague-Dawley rats was investigated in pups nursed in different large nests (overnutrition was imposed by reducing the number of pups to 4 /nest) and in suckling pups of mothers exposed during lactation to standard or high-fat/energy diet (HF). The results suggested on permanently altered function of the small intestine i.e. increased alkaline phosphatase and maltase activity, higher /Lactobacillus/Enterococcus/ and lower numbers of /Bacteroides/Prevotella/ microbial groups in obese as compared to control animals. These acquired differences in association with changes of food digestion could be a component of regulatory mechanisms involved in development of obesity and their maintenance in later life. Contact: mozes(at)saske.sk
Characterisation of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from hospitalised patients in Slovakia
During year 2008 75 strains methicillin resistant S.aureus were isolated from soft tissue abscesses and chirurgical wounds obtained from hospitalised patients, in cooperation with Slovak clinical microbiology labs. PVL (Panton-Valentin Leukocidin) gene, mecA gene and SCCmec types were determined by PCR. All 75 phenotypically determined MRSA strains possesed mecA gene and PVL+ strains represented 14,6 % (11/75). 18 strains MRSA possessed SCC type II (24%) and were resistant to erythromycin, clindamicin, ciprofloxacin and in one strain to chloramphenicol also. All 75 MRSA strains were sensitive to linesolid. The results were presented on invited lecture for human infectologists on XLIII days of clinical microbiology „Molecular biology in clinical microbiology“ in November 2008, in Bobrovecka dolina. The results were honored by „Pfizer Research Award 2008“. Contact: kmetv(at)saske.sk
CDC25A induce resumption of meiosis and Aurora-A controls its progression
We have found that CDC25A phosphatase play key role in signalling pathway which is responsible for resumption of meiosis. Degradation of CDC25A phosphatase is essential for correct meiotic spindle assembly followed by the reduction of DNA content. The degradation of this phosphatase occurs much earlier and more extensive in oocyte compared with somatic cells. At the stage of meiosis resumption, Aurora-A kinase is accumulated and activated on MTOCs structures (centrosome-like structure) where Aurora-A kinase controls spindle activities. Our experiments showed that overexpression of Aurora-A induce MTOCs multiplication followed by disturbances of spindle assembly. Downregulation of Aurora-A significantly blocks resumption as well as ending of meiosis. It was shown on somatic cells that inhibition of Aurora-A initiate premature start of cell cleavage in spite of DNA damage. Thus Aurora-A as somatic cell oncogene represents important kinase entity controlling meiosis train. Contact: baran(at)saske.sk