Epitope mapping of antibodies to alpha-synuclein in LRRK2 mutation carriers, idiopathic Parkinson disease patients, and healthy controls

Alpha-synuclein (Snca) plays a major role in Parkinson disease (PD). Circulating anti-Snca antibodies has been described in PD patients and healthy controls, but they have been poorly characterized. This study was designed to assess the prevalence of anti-Snca reactivity in human subjects carrying the LRRK2 mutation, idiopathic PD (iPD) patients, and healthy controls and to map the epitopes of the anti-Snca antibodies. Antibodies to Snca were detected by ELISA and immunoblotting using purified recombinant Snca in plasma from individuals carrying LRRK2 mutations (104), iPD patients (59), and healthy controls (83). Epitopes of antibodies were mapped using recombinant protein constructs comprising different regions of Snca. Clear positive anti-Snca reactivity showed no correlation with age, sex, years of evolution, or the disability scores for PD patients and anti-Snca reactivity was not prevalent in human patients with other neurological or autoimmune diseases. Thirteen of the positive individuals were carriers of LRRK2 mutations either non-manifesting (8 out 49 screened) or manifesting (5 positive out 55), three positive (out of 59) were iPD patients, and five positive (out of 83) were healthy controls. Epitope mapping showed that antibodies against the N-terminal (a.a. 1-60) or C-terminal (a.a. 109-140) regions of Snca predominate in LRRK2 mutation carriers and iPD patients, being N122 a critical amino acid for recognition by the anti-C-terminal directed antibodies. Anti-Snca circulating antibodies seem to cluster within families carrying the LRRK2 mutation indicating possible genetic or common environmental factors in the generation of anti-Snca antibodies. These results suggest that case-controls' studies are insufficient and further studies in family cohorts of patients and healthy controls should be undertaken, to progress in the understanding of the possible relationship of anti-Snca antibodies and PD patholog

Résumé des connaissances actuelles sur la biologie et la pêche des thons tropicaux en Atlantique

This work summarizes the present knowledge on biology and fisheries of Atlantic tuna such as yellowfin (Thunnus albacares), skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) and to a lesser extent, bigeye (Thunnus obesus) and albacore (Thunnus alalunga). Current appraisal of these stocks

Biologie de Penaeus duorarum (Burkenroad) en Côte d'Ivoire: croissance

The Petersen method was used to make growth assessments from experimental data collected during 1966-67 and 1969-70. The parameters K and L ∞ were calculated from the Von Bertalanffy growth curve. There was very little difference between the two years although growth in 1969 appeared slightly greater. A comparison of our results in Côte d'Ivoire with those from Senegal and Gulf of Mexico showed that the greatest growth occured on the west African coast and especially off the Côte d'Ivoire.

Biologie et dynamique d'un Sciaenidae ouest-africain Pseudotolithus senegalensis (V.)

In relation to the hydroclimate prevailing off Congo (B) and Côte d'Ivoire, synchronic variations are described in abundance and distribution of Pseudotolithus senegalensis V., economically the most important species in the West African trawl fishery. Although this fish prefers the warm surface layer, it is relatively indifferent to hydrological conditions, since it may also occur in the thermocline down to the higher levels of 'Central South Atlantic Water'. The oxygen concentration appears to have an important effect upon their distribution, especially the low concentrations occurring with the upwelling. The main biological functions, such as spawning and recruitment times, condition factor, diet and ring appearance on otoliths, also follow cycles, which are parallel with the hydroclimate one. Therefore, the ring-shaped structures revealed by burning previously ground otoliths could be easily interpreted. Thus, an accurate method for ageing tropical fish is now available. From the age determinations for the Congolese stock, it appears that growth is fast and total mortality rate high. An influence of fishing effort, which increased 3 times during the exploited phase of sampled specimens, appears both in growth and in total mortality. From there an estimate for the fishing mortality could be given. The estimates of dynamic parameters for the Congolese stock are then used in the Beverton-Holt model. A valuable increase of the yield could be expected, if mesh size is widened and effort restricted.

Étude du crabe rouge profond Geryon quinquedens en Côte d'Ivoire. 2 - Éléments de biologie et d'écologie avec références aux résultats obtenus au Congo

Geryon quinquedens is present along the West African continental slope at depths from 300 to 1000 m, on silt-clay sediments. Geryon is a cold and rather poorly oxygenated water loving species. It is easily caught by traps as it is a scavenger and predatory crustacea. In a given area its distribution does not appear to be homogeneous: for example, densities of red crabs are higher in the eastern and western region of Côte d'Ivoire than in the central zone. Similar observations can be made off Congo, Angola and United States. It can be assumed that there is a relation between the abundance of Geryon and the productivity level of the area. Geographical variations of sex ratio are suspected to be correlated with the density distribution. Males and females have not the same bathymetric distribution: females are only common in the shallower waters (300-500 m) whereas males are present in the whole biotope. Seasonal migrations occur down and up the slope in both the sexes and are certainly related to the reproductive biology. Knowledge of the reproductive biology is also necessary to understand fishing-trap catch rate: egg maturation extends over several months and ovigerous females are exceptionally caught by traps; males also are less available during the same period (March to August) when migrations are less important; in this period, mean size increases and probably this happens at the end of a moult. From September to February the catch-rates increase. Growth is slow compared with other littoral Guinean Crustacea (Peneides). Females become sexually mature at a size of 80 mm (carapace width): modification in the allometric relations of abdomen and carapace are then conspicuous.

Biologie de la phase lagunaire de Penaeus duorarum en Côte d'Ivoire. Écologie et dynamique

Ecology and dynamics of juvenile pink shrimp Penaeus duorarum were studied from weekly sampling in the Abidjan lagoon system. After a brief description of biogeography and principal features of climate, hydrology of Ebrié lagoon and Adiopodoumé bay were considered. Shrimp distribution were connected with the main environmental factors. Precise work was done in Adiopodoumé bay, especially concerning the succession of age classes, their growth on the nursery grounds, seasonal variation in abundance, size and distribution, in relation to environmental factors. These results, and former knowledges, allowed us to propose a general pattern for pink shrimp life history in Côte d'Ivoire.

Biologie de l'Ethmalose, Ethmalosa fimbriata (Bowdich), en Côte d'Ivoire. 1 - Description de la reproduction et des premiers stades larvaires

Descriptions of spawning and larval development of Ethmalosa, up to the vitelline vesicle resorption stage, are made from plankton samplings in the Ebrié coastal lagoon and from artificially fertilized eggs. Spawning takes place from November to June in waters with salinities of 18 to 26 parts per thousand, and temperatures of 22.8 to 30.2 degrees, for 13-14 cm long fishes.

Biologie de Ethmalosa Fimbriata (Bowdich) en Côte d'Ivoire. 3 - Étude des Migrations en Lagune Ebrié

Spawning of bonga (Ethmalosa fimbriata Bowdich) takes place in polyhalin waters (Sppt. > 5ppt.). Migrations of young fish were studied by the mean of length data observed in different points of the lagoon from the artisanal fishery. Bonga remain 4 months in the hatchery (6 cm), before they expand in the whole lagoon until the age of 9/10 months. After this expansion phase, the fishes come back to the spawning fields (spawning length: 14/15 cm). Postspawning fishes leave the lagoon. Between birth and spawning, bonga are not affected by salinity changes, but reproduction occurs only in waters where salinity is higher than 5ppt.

Biologie de Penaeus duorarum notialis en Côte d'Ivoire. 5 - Nouvelle étude de la croissance

Von Bertalanffy's growth curve parameters K, L∞ and t'o have been estimated for female Penaeus duorarum by modal progression analysis, using the "successive maximums method" of Gheno and Le Guen (1968) for the polymodal size frequency curves analysis and the Tomlinson and Abrahamson's least squares method for parameters computations. For the male the authors used an original method to get an age/length key. The parameters were calculated by Gulland's graphical method (1969).

Biologie de Penaeus duorarum notialis en Côte d'Ivoire. 4 - Rélations entre la répartition et les conditions du milieu. Étude des variations du sex-ratio

The analysis of the geographic and bathymetric distribution of Penaeus duorarum and, particularly P. d. notialis off Côte d'Ivoire and in its whole distribution area leads to the definition of the adult ecological requirements (temperature, salinity, grain size and sediment composition, organic matter) and the importance of the thermocline in the bathmetric distribution. The population structure study shows: (1) variations of size with depth, (2) variations of sex ratio, with size, depth and seasons.

Biologie de Penaeus duorarum en Côte d'Ivoire. 3. Étude des variations quotidiennes des rendements et leur relations avec l'hydroclimat. Essai de généralisation au Golfe de Guinée

Hydroclimatic conditions in the Gulf of Guinea between Senegal and Nigeria are briefly described emphasizing the seasonal variations of transparency. Analysis of the Abidjan based shrimp fleet allowed to the description of the seasonal variations of activity rhythms for Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria. These rhythms are different between seasons, between fishing grounds, and sometimes even between depths on a given ground. These variations follow the turbidity ones. Diurnal activity is observed in very turbid waters, nocturnal and transition activity in clearer ones. The authors assume that the basic behaviour is a nocturnal one, but that the shrimp-trawlers catches reflect some apparently different ones resulting from diel variations in the stock availability. To explain the apparently diurnal behaviour observed most of the year over the whole Gulf of Guinea it is suggested that these generally benthic shrimps become nectonic at night when turbidity is very high. The results obtained in Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria are compared to those from Senegal where hydroclimatic conditions are different. The similarities are emphasized. The differences in observed behaviour are supposedly caused by the cold season water temps which are sufficiently low to disturb the nor mal activity rhythm.

Biologie de la phase lagunaire de Penaeus duorarum en Côte d'Ivoire: biométrie et croissance.

Principal biometric relations have been calculated for juvenile pink shrimp Penaeus duorarum, of Côte d'Ivoire lagoons. Growth has been studied from weekly sampling using Petersen's method and Von Bertalanffy's equation. Results are very similar to those obtained by the authors working in the same environmental conditions, especially concerning temperature.

Biologie de Ethmalosa fimbriata (Bowdich) en Côte d'Ivoire. 2 - Étude de la croissance en lagune par la méthode de Petersen

Ethmalosa growth curves (calculated by the least squares method) were determined from weekly samplings in Ebrié Lagoon. In order to obtain more accurate results than with a modal decomposition, the author used directly the modal values of the samples. One-year-old ethmalosa is about 15 cm long (fork length). For older fish, growth data seem to be disturbed by migrations: fish measuring >25 cm do not appear in the lagoon. Ethmalosa would spend the first year of its life in the lagoon, where it hatches and reproduces, and would migrate to the sea during its second year.