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Item Toxic Metals in Aquatic Ecosystems:A Microbiological Perspective(Environmental health perspectives, 1995-02) Ford, Timothy; Ryan, DavidMicrobe-metal interactions in aquatic environments and their exact role in transport and transformations of toxic metals are poorly understood. This paper will briefly review our understanding of these interactions. Ongoing research in Lake Chapala, Mexico, the major water source for the City of Guadalajara, provides an opportunity to study the microbiological aspects of metal-cycling in the water column. Constant resuspension of sediments provides a microbiologically rich aggregate-based system. Data indicate that toxic metals are concentrated on aggregate material and bioaccumulate in the food chain. A provisional model is presented for involvement of microbial aggregates in metal-cycling in Lake Chapala.Item Improved detection of the MUC1 cancer antigen CA 15-3 by ALYGNSA fluorimmunoassay(Health, 2011-08-11) Chourb, Sinang; Mackness, Brian C.; Farris, Leslie R.; McDonald, Melisenda J.Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide; a prime cancer biomarker to aid in the diagnosis, directed treatment, clinical management, and reoccurrence of this cancer is a MUC1 peptide fragment: cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3). Herein, an immuno-fluorescence assay for CA 15-3 was developed; this ALYGNSA system consists of a protein biolinker (Protein G’) adsorbed onto Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The unique interaction of Protein G’ with PMMA, a thermo- plastic polymer has been demonstrated to im- prove human IgG capture antibody alignment/ orientation and result in greater assay sensi- tivity. Indeed a previous report (HEALTH 1 325 - 329, 2009) on the shed extracellular domain of HER-2/neu revealed a 10-fold increase in sensi- tivity of the ALYGSNA assay over a control ELISA assay. Results from this ALYGNSA assay study revealed that a 16-fold increase in dete- ction (?0.94 U/mL) of CA 15-3 was found in comparison to a commercial control ELISA kit (?15 U/mL). In conclusion, this enhanced sen- sitivity of the ALYGNSA assay for CA 15-3, may provide insights into the role/function of this biomarker in normal, as well as, breast cancer and other epithelial cancers.Item Enhanced immuno-detection of shed extracellular domain of HER-2/neu(Health, 2009-12-31) Chourb, Sinang; Mackness, Brian C.; Farris, Leslie R.; McDonald, Melisenda J.HER-2/neu oncogene is over-expressed and amplified in patients associated with metastatic breast cancer. An increased level (>15 ng/mL) in the shed extracellular domain (sECD-HER 2/neu) is indicative of the potential presence and as-sociated progression of this disease. A fluo-rescent ELISA incorporating the newly devel-oped ALYGNSA antibody-orientation system revealed a 10-fold increase in sensitivity (?0.63 ng/mL) of sECD-HER 2/neu when compared to a control standard ELISA kit (?7.5 ng/mL). This enhanced mode of detection has the potential to not only address breast and other cancers per se but also permit an in depth evaluation of “shed extracellular domains”, in general, and the role of these “proteolytic derived factors” in physiological signalling at normal levels.