OBJECTIVES/GOALS: The dominant complication of Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is clinically severe and commonly fatal pulmonary fibrosis (PF). We sought to determine the downstream regulatory role of the basic Helix-Loop-Helix protein 40 (bHLHe40), in response to Insulin-like Growth Factor II (IGF-II) on Pro-Lysyl Oxidase cleavage products. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We examined the response of primary pulmonary fibroblasts cultured from the lungs of control donors and SSc lung explants to IGF-II as well as human recombinant Lysyl Oxidase Propeptide (LOX-PP). In addition, we utilized an experimentally-induced model of lung fibrosis with intratracheal bleomycin administration. We used qPCR and immunoblotting to quantify mRNA and protein levels, respectively. We used sequence-specific small-interfering RNA to silence targeted genes. Immunoblots were quantified in ImageJ (NIH) and statistical analyses were performed in GraphPad Prism. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: IGF-II regulates levels of Pro-LOX, active LOX, and LOX-PP, as well as isoforms of proteases Bone Morphogenetic Protein 1 (BMP1) and Tolloid-like 1 (TLL1). The transcription factorbHLHe40 localizes to the nucleus in response to IGF-II. bHLHe40 silencing downregulated TLL1, abrogating the enzymatic cleavage of Pro-LOX. SSc lungs have higher baseline levels of the total (N-glycosylated/unglycosylated) LOX-PP than normal lung tissues, and baseline levels of LOX-PP correlated with TLL1 Isoform 2 in SSc lungs. LOX-PP contributes to the development and progression of SSc-PF by mediating changes consistent with the extracellular matrix deregulation implicated in SSc-PF: elevated levels of Collagen 3A1 (COL3A1), Fibronectin-1 (FN1), and Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI1). DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings indicate that bHLHe40, TLL1, and LOX-PP may serve as targets of therapeutic intervention to stop the progression of SSc-PF. Since activation of common fibrotic pathways are involved in different diseases characterized by lung fibrosis such as IPF, our findings may have wider implications for lung fibrosis associated with other diseases.

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Interleukin (IL)-6 is produced in excess in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). Likewise, microarray analysis of Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF)-II-treated NL fibroblasts revealed increased expression of the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, BHLHB2. Our goal is to delineate the role of BHLHB2 in the fibrotic response to IGF-II and IL-6. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Primary lung fibroblasts were cultured from human lung tissues at 37oC and 5% CO2. Cell cultures were stimulated with IL-6. Gene expression was measured using quantitative PCR (qPCR). IGF-II mRNA expression levels after IL-6 stimulation were compared with those of the housekeeping gene PPIB (Peptidylprolyl Isomerase B). Western blot was performed on nuclear and chromatin-bound subcellular fractions from treated lung fibroblasts. BHLHB2 protein levels were assayed in response to IGF-II in comparison to PBS as vehicle control. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Results: Our results show that IL-6 increases IGF-II levels in fibroblasts. In turn, IGF-II increases BHLHB2 nuclear localization. We further show that IL-6 increases BHLHB2 levels and its nuclear localization in lung fibroblasts. Our findings are novel since the role of the transcription factor BHLHB2 in the IL-6 induced/ IGF-II-mediated fibrotic response in SSc lung disease remains unexplored. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings may provide a rationale for combination therapy to block IL-6 and IGF-II function concomitantly and thus halt the progression of SSc pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Our findings may have wide implications for lung fibrosis associated with various diseases, since SSc-PF, is characterized by the activation of common fibrotic pathways.

Nigeria's current mental health legislation stems from a lunacy ordinance enacted in 1916 that assumed the status of a law in 1958. The most recent attempt to reform the law was with an unsuccessful Mental Health Bill in 2003. Currently, though, efforts are being made to represent it as an executive Bill sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Health. The present paper reviews this Bill, in particular in light of the World Health Organization's recommendations on mental health legislation.

Processed agro-idustrial by-products are gradually becoming important as supplemental energy sources for poultry feeding in Nigeria. Agro by-products such as wheat bran (WB) and brewer’s dried grain (BDG), on treatment with polysaccharidase enzymes have their nutritional status improved (Oldale, 1996) hence they can be used as alternative energy sources for poultry. The objective of this study was to asses the performance of broilers maintained on WB- and BDG-based diets supplemented with Roxazyme G enzyme.

Tertiary structure in globular RNA folds can create local environments that lead to pKa perturbation of specific nucleotide functional groups. To assess the prevalence of functionally relevant adenosine-specific pKa perturbation in RNA structure, we have altered the nucleotide analog interference mapping (NAIM) approach to include a series of α phosphorothioate-tagged adenosine analogs with shifted N1 pKa values. We have used these analogs to analyze the hairpin ribozyme, a small self-cleaving/ligating RNA catalyst that is proposed to employ a general acid-base reaction mechanism. A single adenosine (A10) within the ribozyme active site displayed an interference pattern consistent with a functionally significant base ionization. The exocyclic amino group of a second adenosine (A38) contributes substantially to hairpin catalysis, but ionization of the nucleotide does not appear to be important for activity. Within the hairpin ribozyme crystal structure, A10 and A38 line opposite edges of a solvent-excluded cavity adjacent to the 5′-OH nucleophile. The results are inconsistent with the model of ribozyme chemistry in which A38 acts as a general acid–base catalyst, and suggest that the hairpin ribozyme uses an alternative mechanism to achieve catalytic rate enhancement that utilizes functional groups within a solvent-excluded cleft in the ribozyme active site.

Tertiary structure in globular RNA folds can create local environments that lead to pKa perturbation of specific nucleotide functional groups. To assess the prevalence of functionally relevant adenosine-specific pKa perturbation in RNA structure, we have altered the nucleotide analog interference mapping (NAIM) approach to include a series of α phosphorothioate-tagged adenosine analogs with shifted N1 pKa values. We have used these analogs to analyze the hairpin ribozyme, a small self-cleaving/ligating RNA catalyst that is proposed to employ a general acid-base reaction mechanism. A single adenosine (A10) within the ribozyme active site displayed an interference pattern consistent with a functionally significant base ionization. The exocyclic amino group of a second adenosine (A38) contributes substantially to hairpin catalysis, but ionization of the nucleotide does not appear to be important for activity. Within the hairpin ribozyme crystal structure, A10 and A38 line opposite edges of a solvent-excluded cavity adjacent to the 5′-OH nucleophile. The results are inconsistent with the model of ribozyme chemistry in which A38 acts as a general acid–base catalyst, and suggest that the hairpin ribozyme uses an alternative mechanism to achieve catalytic rate enhancement that utilizes functional groups within a solvent-excluded cleft in the ribozyme active site.

Tertiary structure in globular RNA folds can create local environments that lead to pKa perturbation of specific nucleotide functional groups. To assess the prevalence of functionally relevant adenosine-specific pKa perturbation in RNA structure, we have altered the nucleotide analog interference mapping (NAIM) approach to include a series of α phosphorothioate-tagged adenosine analogs with shifted N1 pKa values. We have used these analogs to analyze the hairpin ribozyme, a small self-cleaving/ligating RNA catalyst that is proposed to employ a general acid-base reaction mechanism. A single adenosine (A10) within the ribozyme active site displayed an interference pattern consistent with a functionally significant base ionization. The exocyclic amino group of a second adenosine (A38) contributes substantially to hairpin catalysis, but ionization of the nucleotide does not appear to be important for activity. Within the hairpin ribozyme crystal structure, A10 and A38 line opposite edges of a solvent-excluded cavity adjacent to the 5′-OH nucleophile. The results are inconsistent with the model of ribozyme chemistry in which A38 acts as a general acid–base catalyst, and suggest that the hairpin ribozyme uses an alternative mechanism to achieve catalytic rate enhancement that utilizes functional groups within a solvent-excluded cleft in the ribozyme active site.