A red cell band 3 variant with altered stilbene disulphonate binding is associated with the Diego (Dia) blood group antigen. 1. We have shown that the Dia antigen of the Diego blood group system is associated with the presence of red cell band 3 Memphis, but not all band 3 Memphis samples carry the Dia antigen. 2. The band 3 Memphis associated with the Dia antigen was covalently labelled by 4,4'-di-isothiocyanato-1,2-diphenylethane-2,2'-disulphonic acid (H2DIDS) more readily than was normal band 3 or band 3 Memphis not associated with the Dia antigen. This altered reactivity with H2DIDS has previously been noted for a band 3 Memphis sub-type designated variant 2. 3. This is the first example of a band 3 polymorphism associated with an antigenic change in the extracellular region of the band 3 polypeptide and with altered H2DIDS binding.


Modulation of aggrecan and link-protein synthesis in articular cartilage. The addition of serum or insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) to the medium of explant cultures of bovine articular cartilage is known to stimulate the synthesis of aggrecan in a dose-dependent manner. The half-life of the pool of proteoglycan core protein was measured in adult articular cartilage cultured for 6 days in the presence and absence of 20 ng of IGF-I/ml and shown to be 24 min under both sets of conditions. The half-life of the mRNA pool coding for aggrecan was also determined and shown to be approx. 4 h in cartilage maintained in culture with or without IGF-I. The pool size of mRNA coding for aggrecan core protein increased 5-6-fold in cartilage explants maintained in culture in medium containing 20% (v/v) fetal-calf serum; however, in tissue maintained with medium containing IGF-I there was no increase in the cellular levels of this mRNA. This suggests that aggrecan synthesis is stimulated by IGF-I at the level of translation of mRNA coding for the core protein of this proteoglycan and that other growth factors are present in serum that stimulate aggrecan synthesis at the level of transcription of the core-protein gene. Inclusion of serum or IGF-I in the medium of cartilage explant cultures induced increases in the amounts of mRNA coding for type II collagen and link protein, whereas only serum enhanced the amount of mRNA for the core protein of decorin.


The control of cellular shape and motility. Mg2+ and tropomyosin regulate the formation and the dissociation of microfilament bundles. At pH 7.14 and 37 degrees C, in 7.2% (w/v) poly(ethylene glycol) 6000, tropomyosin-regulated actin filaments are converted into filament bundles by increasing the free Mg2+ concentration to 1.7-2.0 mM. When free Mg2+ concentration is decreased below 1.7 mM, bundles dissociate back into tropomyosin-regulated actin filaments. Pure actin filaments are insensitive to this mechanism of control and are found as filament bundles in all the range of free Mg2+ concentrations tested (1.37-2.2 mM). The mechanism of regulation described above is likely to operate in the cell, where the concentration of free Mg2+ is linked to the energy charge of the adenine nucleotide system.


A comparison of the effects of calponin on smooth and skeletal muscle actomyosin systems in the presence and absence of caldesmon. Thiosphosphorylated smooth muscle myosin and skeletal muscle myosin, both of which express Ca(2+)-independent actin-activated MgATPase activity, were used to examine the functional effects of calponin and caldesmon separately and together. Separately, calponin and caldesmon inhibited the actin-activated MgATPase activities of thiophosphorylated smooth muscle myosin and skeletal muscle myosin, calponin being significantly more potent in both systems. Calponin-mediated inhibition resulted from the interaction of calponin with actin since it could be reversed by increasing the actin concentration. Caldesmon had no significant influence on the calponin-induced inhibition of the smooth muscle actomyosin ATPase, nor did calponin have a significant effect on caldesmon-induced inhibition. In the skeletal muscle system, however, caldesmon was found to override the inhibitory effect of calponin. This difference probably reflects the lower affinity of skeletal muscle actin for calponin compared with that of smooth muscle actin. Calponin inhibition of skeletal muscle actin-activated myosin MgATPase was not significantly affected by troponin/tropomyosin, suggesting that the thin filament can readily accommodate calponin in addition to the troponin complex, or that calponin may be able to displace troponin. Calponin also inhibited acto-phosphorylated smooth muscle heavy meromyosin and acto-skeletal muscle heavy meromyosin MgATPases. The most appropriate protein preparations for analysis of the regulatory effects of calponin in the actomyosin system therefore would be smooth muscle actin, tropomyosin and thiophosphorylated myosin, and for analysis of the kinetic effects of calponin on the actomyosin ATPase cycle they would be smooth muscle actin, tropomyosin and phosphorylated heavy meromyosin, due to the latter's solubility.


Intracellular Ca2+ rise in human platelets induced by polymorphonuclear-leucocyte-derived cathepsin G. Cathepsin G, a serine protease released by polymorphonuclear-leucocyte azurophilic granules upon stimulation, activates human platelets, inducing an increase in intra-platelet Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in a concentration-dependent manner (50-200 nM). The [Ca2+]i rises elicited by low (50-80 nM) cathepsin G concentrations in fura-2-loaded platelets showed a biphasic mode, with a first small peak followed by a greater and more prolonged Ca2+ transient. Higher (100-200 nM) cathepsin G concentrations induced a monophasic increase in intracellular Ca2+. Acetylsalicylic acid, nordihydroguaiaretic acid and ketanserin did not affect platelet activation by cathepsin G, whereas the ADP-scavenger system phosphocreatine/creatine kinase significantly decreased Ca2+ mobilization, platelet aggregation and 5-hydroxytryptamine secretion by cathepsin G. Preventing cathepsin G-induced platelet aggregation with the synthetic peptide RGDSP (Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser-Pro) did not significantly affect cathepsin G-induced Ca2+ transients. Ni2+ (4 mM), a bivalent-cation-channel inhibitor, decreased the cathepsin G-induced fluorescence rise by more than 90%. This effect was reversed by either decreasing Ni2+ or increasing cathepsin G concentration. Preventing Ca2+ influx across the plasma membrane with 4 mM-EGTA totally abolished Ca2+ transients. However, EGTA also strongly decreased catalytic activity of cathepsin G, which is essential for platelet activation. Evidence of a rapid and sustained bivalent-cation channel opening in the platelet membrane was obtained by adding Mn2+ to the platelet suspension 30 s or 3 min after cathepsin G. No accumulation of InsP3 could be detected when platelets were stimulated with cathepsin G. All these data indicate that cathepsin G induces a [Ca2+]i increase mainly through an influx across the plasma membrane. This massive Ca2+ entry is probably due to opening of receptor-operated channels and is amplified by endogenous ADP release.


Alteration in proportions of histone H1 variants during the differentiation of murine erythroleukaemic cells. We have investigated the changes in the relative amounts of histone H1 zero and all five H1 variants during the differentiation in vitro of Friend erythroleukaemic cells. Three different agents were used as inducers of differentiation: dimethyl sulphoxide, hexamethylenebisacetamide and sodium butyrate. By applying a combination of reverse-phase h.p.l.c. and one-dimensional gel electrophoresis we observed that, during differentiation in vitro, (1) the relative amount of each subtype changes upon induction and that (2) dimethyl sulphoxide and hexamethylenebisacetamide produce a similar histone H1 pattern with a strong increase in histones H1 zero and H1c, a modest increase in histone H1e and a decrease in the relative amounts of histone H1a, H1b and H1d, whereas butyrate induces a different pattern, particularly with respect to both histones H1c and H1e: H1c increased slightly, and H1e strongly, during differentiation. These results are compared with changes in the histone H1 pattern during differentiation in vivo in the mouse [Lennox & Cohen (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 262-268] and in the rat [Pina, Martinez & Suau (1987) Eur. J. Biochem. 164, 71-76], and similarities and deviations are discussed.


Identification of amino acid changes affecting yeast uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase activity by sequence analysis of hem12 mutant alleles. The molecular basis of the uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase defect in eleven yeast 'uroporphyric' mutants was investigated. Uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase, an enzyme of the haem-biosynthetic pathway, catalyses the decarboxylation of uroporphyrinogen to coproporphyrinogen and is encoded by the HEM12 gene in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The mutations were identified by sequencing the mutant hem12 alleles amplified in vitro from genomic DNA extracted from the mutant strains. Four mutations leading to the absence of enzyme protein were found: one mutation caused the substitution of the translation initiator Met to Ile, a two-base deletion created a frameshift at codon 247 and two nonsense mutations were found at codons 50 and 263. Four different point mutations were identified in seven 'leaky' mutants with residual modified uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase activity; each of three mutations was found in two independently isolated mutants. The nucleotide transitions resulted in the amino acid substitutions Ser-59 to Phe, Thr-62 to Ile, Leu-107 to Ser, or Ser-215 to Asn, all located in or near highly conserved regions. The results suggest that there is a single active centre in uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase, the geometry of which is affected in the mutant enzymes.


Comparative behaviour of calpain and cathepsin B toward peptidyl acyloxymethyl ketones, sulphonium methyl ketones and other potential inhibitors of cysteine proteinases. Peptidyl acyloxymethyl ketones, previously established as potent inactivators of the lysosomal cysteine proteinase cathepsin B, were evaluated against smooth-muscle calpain, a member of the family of Ca(2+)-dependent cysteine proteinases. Only modest rates of time-dependent inhibition could be achieved, even with peptidyl affinity groups optimized for calpain and linked to a carboxylate leaving group of very low pKa [2,6-(CF3)2PhCOO-, pKa 0.58]. Selective inactivation of cathespin B versus calpain was consistently observed with this type of inhibitor. Examination of other potential inhibitors revealed a rank order of potency against calpain to be: peptidyl sulphonium methyl ketones > fluoromethyl ketones, diazomethyl ketones >> acyloxymethyl ketones, an order which differs sharply from that found for cathespin B.


The activities of acyl-CoA:1-acyl-lysophospholipid acyltransferase(s) in human platelets. The activities of acyl-CoA:1-acyl-lysophospholipid acyltransferases (EC 2.3.1.23) have been studied in human platelet lysates by using endogenously formed [14C]acyl-CoA from [14C]fatty acid, ATP and CoA in the presence of 1-acyl-lysophosphatidyl-choline (lysoPC), -ethanolamine (lysoPE), -serine (lysoPS) or -inositol (lysoPI). Linoleic acid as fatty acid substrate had the highest affinity to acyl-CoA:1-acyl-lysophospholipid acyltransferase with lysoPC as variable substrate, followed by eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and arachidonic acid (AA). The activity at optimal conditions was 7.4, 7.3 and 7.2 nmol/min per 10(9) platelets with lysoPC as substrate, with linoleic acid, AA and EPA respectively. EPA and AA were incorporated into all lyso-forms. Linoleic acid was also incorporated into lysoPE at a high rate, but less into lysoPS and lysoPI. DHA was incorporated into lysoPC and lysoPE, but only slightly into lysoPI and lysoPS. Whereas incorporation of all fatty acids tested was maximal for lysoPC and lysoPI at 200 and 80 microM respectively, maximal incorporation needed over 500 microM for lysoPE and lysoPS. The optimal concentration for [14C]fatty acid substrates was in the range 15-150 microM for all lysophospholipids. Competition experiments with equimolar concentrations of either lysoPC and lysoPI or lysoPE resulted in formation of [14C]PC almost as if lysoPI or lysoPE were not added to the assay medium.


Expression of active octameric chicken cardiac mitochondrial creatine kinase in Escherichia coli. Sarcomeric mitochondrial creatine kinase (Mib-CK) of chicken was expressed in Escherichia coli as a soluble enzyme by using an inducible phage-T7 promoter. Up to one third of the protein in E. coli extracts consisted of soluble recombinant Mib-CK in an enzymically active form. Approx. 20 mg of nearly-homogenous Mib-CK was isolated in a two-step isolation procedure starting with 1 litre of isopropyl beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside-induced E. coli culture, whereas previous attempts to express other CK genes in E. coli have resulted in 20-fold lower yields and inclusion-body formation. Selection of the Mib-CK expression plasmid on media containing kanamycin rather than ampicillin extended the time period of maximal Mib-CK expression. Recombinant Mib-CK displayed an identical N-terminal amino acid sequence, identical Km for phosphocreatine and Vmax. values, the same electrophoretic behaviour and the same immunological cross-reactivity as the native enzyme isolated from chicken heart mitochondria. The recombinant Mib-CK had the same molecular mass as native chicken Mib-CK in m.s. analysis, indicating that post-translational modification of the enzyme in chicken tissue does not occur. As judged by gel-permeation chromatography and electron microscopy, recombinant enzyme formed predominantly octameric oligomers with the same overall structure as the chicken heart enzyme. Furthermore, the enzymes isolated from both sources formed protein crystals of space group P42(1)2, when grown in the absence of ATP, with one Mi-CK octamer per asymmetric unit. The indistinguishable X-ray-diffraction patterns indicate identical structures for the native and recombinant proteins.


Agonist-induced inhibition of phosphatidylserine synthesis is secondary to the emptying of intracellular Ca2+ stores in Jurkat T-cells. The biosynthesis of phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) by the serine base-exchange enzyme system, in Jurkat T-lymphocytes, was inhibited in intact cells maintained in low-Ca(2+)-containing buffer (< 10 microM-Ca2+) by using Ca2+ ionophores (A23187 or ionomycin). The rise in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration under these experimental conditions was only due to the release of Ca2+ from intracellular compartments, suggesting that the inhibition of PtdSer synthesis was correlated with the emptying of intracellular Ca2+ pools. This was further studied in saponin-permeabilized cells, in which PtdSer synthesis was found to be inhibited by EGTA, Ca2+ ionophores (A23187 or ionomycin) and Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitors [thapsigargin or 2,5-di-(t-butyl)-benzohydroquinone]. Since Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitors impaired refilling of the Ca2+ stores with Ca2+, and since in CD3-activated Jurkat T-cells the Ca2+ stores remained empty after 1 h of treatment with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibodies, we suggest that PtdSer synthesis is mainly regulated by the level of Ca2+ in the intracellular compartments and that the Ca(2+)-dependent serine base-exchange system responsible for PtdSer synthesis is probably located within or close to a Ca(2+)-storage organelle.


Modulation of the low-density-lipoprotein-receptor-related protein and its relevance to chylomicron-remnant metabolism. Hepatic levels of the low-density-lipoprotein (LDL)-receptor-related protein (LRP) and the LDL receptor were measured in rats subjected to treatments known to affect the expression of the LDL receptor. Propylthiouracil decreased both hepatic LRP and LDL receptor expression by 30-40%. Thyroxine treatment increased LDL receptor levels by 3-fold without altering LRP levels. In contrast, 17 alpha-ethinyloestradiol decreased LRP by 50%, whereas the LDL receptor was increased 5-fold. Plasma chylomicrons and their remnants were decreased to insignificant levels with this treatment. In rats fed with cholesterol there was a significant increase in these particles in plasma (1.21 +/- 0.4 versus 5.71 +/- 0.4 mg/dl), whereas the expression of LRP was unaltered. In Watanabe heritable hyperlipidaemic and cholesterol-fed rabbits, in which the LDL receptor expression is absent or decreased, the expression of LRP was not significantly different from that in normal rabbits. These results suggest that the expression of hepatic LRP can be modulated by changes in the hormonal status of the rat and that this modulation is not tightly co-ordinated with that of the LDL receptor. Moreover, LRP does not appear to have a significant role in chylomicron-remnant clearance, whereas the LDL receptor is actively involved in this process.


Glutamine is a good substrate for glycogen synthesis in isolated hepatocytes from 72 h-starved rats, but not from 24 h- or 48 h-starved rats. In isolated hepatocytes from 24 h-starved rats, no glycogen synthesis was observed in the presence of glutamine. By contrast, glutamine was the best gluconeogenic substrate to induce glycogen synthesis in isolated hepatocytes from 72 h-starved rats. The effect of glutamine on glycogen synthesis was not accompanied by parallel changes in glucose or lactate production. Glutamine activated glycogen synthase independently of the starvation period; however, the extent of synthase activation was 2-fold higher in isolated hepatocytes from 72 h-starved rats than in hepatocytes from 24 h-starved rats. This increase in synthase activation was associated with increased cell swelling. The rate of glutamine transport was not significantly different in hepatocytes from 24 h- and 72 h-starved rats. By contrast, the intracellular glutamate concentration was 1.5-fold higher after 3 days of starvation in hepatocytes incubated with 5 mM-glutamine. We propose that glutamine may play a key role in the glycogen synthesis observed in vivo after 3 days of starvation.


Partial purification of Golgi-bound arabinosyltransferase and two isoforms of xylosyltransferase from French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The purification of glycosyltransferases involved in wall matrix polysaccharide synthesis has been attempted. A number of activities readily demonstrated in isolated Golgi membranes are lost following detergent solubilization. However, solubilization releases pyrophosphorylases and phosphatases that hydrolyse the substrate in enzyme assays, whether UDP-glucose, -arabinose or -xylose is used. This hydrolysis, which cannot be completely inhibited, appears to be the major factor in the apparent loss of activity. Separation of this hydrolytic activity during further purification by ion-exchange and gel exclusion leads to recovery of glycosyltransferase activity. Thus two xylosyltransferases and one arabinosyltransferase could be partially purified. These appeared to be differentially expressed. The arabinosyltransferase of apparent M(r) 70,000 on size-exclusion chromatography was isolated from cells undergoing rapid growth and division. A xylosyltransferase of apparent M(r) 38,000 on size-exclusion chromatography was associated with cell expansion and primary wall synthesis. A second xylosyltransferase, which was purified to near homogeneity with M(r) 40,000, showed a peak of activity during the period of maximum secondary wall synthesis.


Purification, characterization and function of dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase from the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain P.C.C. 7119. A dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (dihydrolipoamide: NAD+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.8.1.4) (DLD) has been found in the soluble fraction of cells of both unicellular (Synechococcus sp. strain P.C.C. 6301) and filamentous (Calothrix sp. strain P.C.C. 7601 and Anabaena sp. strain P.C.C. 7119) cyanobacteria. DLD from Anabaena sp. was purified 3000-fold to electrophoretic homogeneity. The purified enzyme exhibited a specific activity of 190 units/mg and was characterized as a dimeric FAD-containing protein with a native molecular mass of 104 kDa, a Stokes' radius of 4.28 nm and a very acidic pI value of about 3.7. As is the case with the same enzyme from other sources, cyanobacterial DLD showed specificity for NADH and lipoamide, or lipoic acid, as substrates. Nevertheless, the strong acidic character of the Anabaena DLD is a distinctive feature with respect to the same enzyme from other organisms. The presence of essential thiol groups was suggested by the inactivation produced by thiol-group-reactive reagents and heavy-metal ions, with lipoamide, but not NAD+, behaving as a protective agent. The function and physiological significance of Anabaena DLD are discussed in relation to the fact that 2-oxoacid dehydrogenase complexes have not been detected so far in filamentous cyanobacteria. Glycine decarboxylase activity, which might be involved in photorespiratory metabolism, has been found, however, in cell extracts of Anabaena sp. strain P.C.C. 7119 as the present study demonstrates.


Butyric acid-induced differentiation of HL-60 cells increases the expression of a single lysophospholipase. Treatment of HL-60 cells with 0.5 mM-butyric acid resulted in morphological changes, including the formation of cytoplasmic granules, nuclear condensation and segmentation. These differentiated cells had an elevated phospholipase A2 activity and an increased capacity to synthesize a variety of eicosanoids, including both lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase products. Phospholipase A2-mediated release of arachidonic acid is accompanied by an equimolar production of potentially cytotoxic lysophospholipid. In association with the differentiation process, there was a 2-3-fold increase in lysophospholipase activity. Subsequent studies were undertaken to identify and characterize the lysophospholipases in this cell system, with 1-[1-14C]palmitoyl-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine as substrate. Hydrophobic chromatography of both undifferentiated and differentiated cell extracts revealed three peaks of enzyme activity. Extracts of differentiated cells contained a dramatic increase in activity contained in peak 2. The increase in enzymic activity of peak 2 appeared to account for the increase in total lysophospholipase activity found in the differentiated cell homogenates. The lysophospholipases contained in peaks 2 and 3 were purified to homogeneity and were 20 and 22 kDa respectively, as determined by denaturing polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. Peaks 2 and 3 were similar on the basis of amino acid composition, but had distinctive C-terminal peptide amino acid sequences. Enzymic characterization of these proteins demonstrated that there was no detectable level of non-specific esterase, acyltransferase or transacylase activity associated with these proteins. We concluded that peak 2 lysophospholipase is regulated by differentiation in HL-60 cells and may play an important role in protecting these cells from the cytolytic effects of the lysophospholipids produced by the activation of phospholipase A2.


Purification and properties of 6-methylsalicylic acid synthase from Penicillium patulum. 6-Methylsalicylic acid synthase has been isolated in homogeneous form from Penicillium patulum grown in liquid culture from a spore inoculum. The enzyme is highly susceptible to proteolytic degradation in vivo and in vitro, but may be stabilized during purification by incorporating proteinase inhibitors in the buffers. The enzyme exists as a homotetramer of M(r) 750,000, with a subunit M(r) of 180,000. 6-Methylsalicyclic acid synthase also accepts acetoacetyl-CoA as an alternative starter molecule to acetyl-CoA. The enzyme also catalyses the formation of small amounts of triacetic acid lactone as an oligatory by-product of the reaction. In the absence of NADPH, triacetic acid lactone is the exclusive enzymic product, being formed at 10% of the rate of 6-methylsalicylic acid. The enzyme is inactivated by 1,3-dibromopropan-2-one, leading to the formation of cross-linked dimers similar to that observed with type I fatty acid synthases. Acetyl-CoA protects the enzyme against the inactivation and inhibits dimer formation. An adaptation of the purification method for 6-methylsalicylic acid synthase may be used for the isolation of fatty acid sythase from Penicillium patulum.


Regulation of phospholipase D by sphingosine involves both protein kinase C-dependent and -independent mechanisms in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. Previously, the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor sphingosine was found to stimulate phospholipase D (PLD)-mediated hydrolysis of both phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn) and phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts [Kiss & Anderson (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 7345-7350]. Here we examined the possible relationship between the opposite effects of sphingosine on PKC-mediated protein phosphorylation and PLD activation. After treatments for 3-5 min, sphingosine (25 microM) and the PKC activators phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) (100 nM), bryostatin (100 nM) or platelet-derived growth factor (50 ng/ml) synergistically stimulated the hydrolysis of both PtdEtn and PtdCho in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts prelabelled with [14C]ethanolamine or [14C]choline. Inhibition of PMA-induced phospholipid hydrolysis could also be elicited by sphingosine, but this process required prolonged (60 min) treatments of fibroblasts with 40-60 microM-sphingosine. Similarly to sphingosine, the protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid also had either potentiating or inhibitory effects on PMA-stimulated PLD activity, depending on the length of incubation time and the concentration of PMA. Consistent with the presence of an inhibitory component in the overall action of PKC, the PKC inhibitor staurosporine and down-regulation of PKC activity by prolonged (24 h) treatment with PMA similarly enhanced PLD activity. Data suggest that (a) sphingosine may enhance PMA-mediated phospholipid hydrolysis by neutralizing the action of an inhibitory PKC isoform, and that (b) the stimulatory PKC isoform is less sensitive to the inhibitory action of sphingosine.


Isolation and kinetic properties of acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase from spinach (Spinacia oleracea) chloroplasts overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase catalyses a two-step reaction, an alkyl migration and a NADPH-dependent reduction, in the assembly of the carbon skeletons of branched-chain amino acids. Detailed investigations of acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase aimed at elucidating the biosynthetic pathway of branched-chain amino acids and at designing new inhibitors of the enzyme having herbicidal potency have so far been conducted with the enzymes isolated from bacteria. To gain more information on a plant system, the gene encoding the mature acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase from spinach (Spinacia oleracea) leaf chloroplasts has been used to transform Escherichia coli cells and to overexpress the enzyme. A rapid protocol is described that allows the preparation of large quantities of pure spinach chloroplast acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase. Kinetic and structural properties of the plant enzyme expressed in Escherichia coli are compared with those reported in our previous studies on the native enzymes purified from spinach chloroplasts and with those reported for the corresponding enzymes isolated from Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. Both the plant and the bacterial enzymes obey an ordered mechanism in which NADPH binds first, followed by substrate (either 2-acetolactate or 2-aceto-2-hydroxybutyrate). Inhibition studies employing an inactive substrate analogue, 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-3-oxopentanoate, showed, however, that the binding of 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-3-oxopentanoate and NADPH occurs randomly, suggestive of some flexibility of the plant enzyme active site. The observed preference of the enzyme for 2-aceto-2-hydroxybutyrate over 2-acetolactate is discussed with regard to the contribution of acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase activity in the partitioning between isoleucine and valine biosyntheses. Moreover, the kinetic properties of the chloroplast enzyme support the notion that biosynthesis of branched-chain amino acids in plants is controlled by light. As judged by analytical-ultracentrifugation and gel-filtration analyses the overexpressed plant enzyme is a dimer of identical subunits.


Effect of tumour-promoting phorbol ester, thrombin and vasopressin on translocation of three distinct protein kinase C isoforms in human platelets and regulation by calcium. Protein kinase C (PKC) acts in synergy with Ca2+ mobilization for the activation of platelets. Three different PKC subtypes that specifically react with antibodies to alpha- beta- and zeta-PKC have been detected in human platelets. We have compared the subcellular redistribution of these isoforms in platelets after exposure to the tumour-promoting phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and to two physiological agonists, thrombin and vasopressin. In the presence of PMA, beta-PKC is most rapidly translocated to membranes, followed by zeta-PKC and alpha-PKC [membrane contents of 39 +/- 6, 31 +/- 4 and 24 +/- 4% (means +/- S.E.M.) respectively after 2 min incubation]. In contrast, both thrombin and vasopressin induced a biphasic translocation of PKC isoforms. For both agonists, the first phase of translocation occurred within 1 min and was identical for the three isoforms. However, during the second phase, the translocation of zeta-PKC by thrombin and vasopressin differed [membrane contents (mean +/- S.E.M.) of 24 +/- 3 and 46 +/- 4% respectively after 10 min]. These results suggest a differential activation of zeta-PKC by vasopressin and thrombin. PMA-induced translocation of alpha-PKC was decreased from 278 +/- 27 to 198 +/- 24 (mean +/- S.E.M., P = 0.02; percentage increase over control value) in the presence of 1 mM-EDTA, whereas chelation of intracellular Ca2+ by Quin2-AM does not influence this response. These results suggest that the PMA-induced translocation of alpha-PKC depends on the presence of 1 mM concentration of extracellular Ca2+. In addition, the chelation of either extracellular or intracellular Ca2+ inhibited both vasopressin- and thrombin-induced translocation of all three isoforms, suggesting that Ca2+ is an important requirement for the translocation of alpha-, beta- and zeta-PKC by physiological agonists. In conclusion, the translocation of PKC varies between different isoforms and between different agonists.


Characterization of the cytotoxic effect of extracellular ATP in J774 mouse macrophages. Extracellular ATP (ATPo) is known to be cytotoxic to many cell types through a mechanism which is largely unknown. Very recently this nucleotide has been shown to cause cell death by apoptosis, probably by interacting with specific cell-surface receptors. In the present study we have investigated the mechanism of ATPo-dependent cytotoxicity in the macrophage-like mouse cell line J774. It has been previously reported that in this cell type ATPo activates trans-membrane Ca2+ and Na+ fluxes and a drastic increase in the plasma-membrane permeability to hydrophilic solutes smaller than 900 Da. These changes are followed by cell swelling and lysis. We show in the present study that, although this nucleotide triggers a rise in the cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration, neither cell swelling nor lysis is Ca(2+)-dependent. Furthermore, cell lysis is not dependent on Na+ influx, as it is not prevented by iso-osmotic replacement of extracellular Na+ with choline or N-methylglucamine. On the contrary, ATPo-dependent cytotoxicity, but not the ATPo-dependent increase in plasma-membrane permeability, is completely abrogated in sucrose medium. Under our experimental conditions ATPo does not cause DNA fragmentation in J774 cells. We conclude from these findings that ATPo does not cause apoptosis of J774 macrophages and promotes a Ca(2+)- and Na(+)-independent colloido-osmotic lysis.


Cloning and functional expression of the canine anaphylatoxin C5a receptor. Evidence for high interspecies variability. A cDNA clone, DTJP03, encoding an orphan receptor, was isolated from a canine thyroid library, and found to exhibit 68.6% amino-acid identity with the recently described human C5a receptor. This relatively low similarity first suggested that DTJP03 encoded either a C5a receptor subtype, or the presumably related C3a receptor. Binding studies performed on membranes from COS-7 cells expressing the recombinant receptor demonstrated that DTJP03 encoded a high-affinity C5a receptor, with a Kd of 1.2 nM. C3a was unable to compete for C5a binding. Intracellular free calcium concentrations were measured by Quin-2 fluorescence assays in Chinese hamster ovary cells stably transfected with the canine C5a receptor. C5a addition elicited an increase in the intracellular calcium concentration. Extracellular EGTA partially prevented this response, suggesting that activation of the C5a receptor promotes both the release of calcium from intracellular stores, and the influx of extracellular calcium. Genes encoding C5a-receptor subtypes were subsequently searched for by PCR in genomic DNA from human, canine, rat and bovine sources. The result was the amplification of a single gene fragment from each species, with about 70% identity between any two of them. The canine C5a receptor has therefore to be considered as orthologous to the human C5a receptor described previously. The low similarity between C5a receptors from different mammalian species is quite unusual for a G-protein-coupled receptor.


Cytosolic calcium as a second messenger for collagen-induced platelet responses. We showed previously that direct platelet activation by collagen involves an increase in the platelet cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) but that this increase is not required for the adhesion of platelets to collagen. We now report that collagen-induced arachidonic acid liberation, myosin phosphorylation and 5-hydroxytryptamine secretion are dependent on increases in [Ca2+]i, as they were markedly inhibited in platelets loaded with the acetoxymethyl ester of the Ca2+ chelator BAPTA but not in cells loaded with the acetoxymethyl ester of the non-chelating diazo-3. BAPTA also partially inhibited the rate of collagen-induced phosphatidic acid (PtdA) formation but had little effect on increases in phosphorylation of pleckstrin (47 kDa protein; P47). From these results we infer that collagen-induced increases in [Ca2+]i are required for dense granule secretion and arachidonic acid liberation, but are not necessary for stimulation of the protein kinase C pathway.


Amino-acid sequence and predicted three-dimensional structure of pea seed (Pisum sativum) ferritin. The iron storage protein, ferritin, is widely distributed in the living kingdom. Here the complete cDNA and derived amino-acid sequence of pea seed ferritin are described, together with its predicted secondary structure, namely a four-helix-bundle fold similar to those of mammalian ferritins, with a fifth short helix at the C-terminus. An N-terminal extension of 71 residues contains a transit peptide (first 47 residues) responsible for plastid targetting as in other plant ferritins, and this is cleaved before assembly. The second part of the extension (24 residues) belongs to the mature subunit; it is cleaved during germination. The amino-acid sequence of pea seed ferritin is aligned with those of other ferritins (49% amino-acid identity with H-chains and 40% with L-chains of human liver ferritin in the aligned region). A three-dimensional model has been constructed by fitting the aligned sequence to the coordinates of human H-chains, with appropriate modifications. A folded conformation with an 11-residue helix is predicted for the N-terminal extension. As in mammalian ferritins, 24 subunits assemble into a hollow shell. In pea seed ferritin, its N-terminal extension is exposed on the outside surface of the shell. Within each pea subunit is a ferroxidase centre resembling those of human ferritin H-chains except for a replacement of Glu-62 by His. The channel at the 4-fold-symmetry axes defined by E-helices, is predicted to be hydrophilic in plant ferritins, whereas it is hydrophobic in mammalian ferritins.


Calf chymosin as a catalyst of peptide synthesis. Calf chymosin was shown to catalyse peptide synthesis optimally over the range pH 4-5, giving satisfactory yields of methyl esters or p-nitroanilides of benzyloxycarbonyl tetra- to hexa-peptides, provided that hydrophobic amino-acid residues form the new peptide bonds. The effectiveness of the enzyme depends also on the nature of adjacent amino-acid residues. As an aspartate-proteinase with a characteristic specificity pattern chymosin would be useful for the synthesis of middle-length peptides.


Neurosteroid metabolism. 7 alpha-Hydroxylation of dehydroepiandrosterone and pregnenolone by rat brain microsomes. Two 'neurosteroids', dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and pregnenolone (PREG), are converted by rat brain microsomes into polar metabolites, identified as the respective 7 alpha-hydroxylated (7 alpha-OH) derivatives by the 'twin ion' technique of g.l.c.-m.s. with deuterated substrates. The enzymic reaction requires NADPH and is stimulated 2-4-fold by EDTA. Under optimal conditions (pH 7.4, 0.5 mM-NADPH, 1 mM-EDTA), the Km values for DHEA and PREG are 13.8 and 4.4 microM respectively, and the Vmax. values are 322 and 38.8 pmol/min per mg of microsomal protein respectively. Trace amounts of putative 7 beta-OH derivatives of DHEA and PREG are detected. Oestradiol, at a pharmacological concentration of 5 microM, inhibits DHEA and PREG 7 alpha-hydroxylation. Formation of 7 alpha-hydroxylated metabolites is low in prepubertal rats and increases 5-fold in adults. Derivatives of PREG and DHEA, such as PREG sulphate, DHEA sulphate, progesterone and 3 alpha-hydroxy-5 alpha-pregnan-20-one, are known to be neuroactive. Therefore the quantitatively important metabolism to 7 alpha-OH compounds may contribute to the control of neurosteroid activity in brain.


Evidence for the regulation of guinea-pig heart microsomal phosphatidylcholine-hydrolysing phospholipase A1 by guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate. We have recently characterized lysophospholipase A2 activities in guinea-pig heart microsomes and postulated that these enzymes act sequentially with phospholipases A1 to release fatty acids selectively from phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine, thus providing an alternative route to the phospholipase A2 mode of release. In a further investigation of the postulated pathway, we have characterized the PC-hydrolysing phospholipase A1 in guinea-pig heart microsomes. Our results show that the enzyme may have a preference for substrates with C16:0 over C18:0 at the sn-1 position. In addition, although the enzyme cleaves the sn-1 fatty acid, the rate of hydrolysis of PC substrates with C16:0 at the sn-1 position was influenced by the nature of the fatty acid at the sn-2 position. The order of decreasing preference was C18:2 > C20:4 = C18:1 > C16:0. The hydrolyses of the molecular species were differentially affected by heating at 60 degrees C. An investigation into the effect of nucleotides on the activity of the enzyme showed that guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP[S]) inhibited the hydrolysis of PC by phospholipase A1 activity, whereas GTP, guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate (GDP[S]), GDP, ATP and adenosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (ATP[S]) did not affect the activity. The inhibitory effect of GTP[S] on phospholipase A1 activity was blocked by preincubation with GDP[S]. A differential effect of GTP[S] on the hydrolysis of different molecular species was also observed. Taken together, the results of this study suggest the presence of more than one phospholipase A1 in the microsomes with different substrate specificities, which act sequentially with lysophospholipase A2 to release linoleic or arachidonic acid selectively from PC under resting conditions. Upon stimulation and activation of the G-protein, the release of fatty acids would be inhibited.


Temperature- and acceptor-specificity of cell-free vesicular transfer from transitional endoplasmic reticulum to the cis Golgi apparatus. The temperature dependence and specificity of transfer of membrane constituents from donor transitional endoplasmic reticulum to the cis Golgi apparatus were investigated using a cell-free system from rat liver. The radiolabelled transitional endoplasmic reticulum donors were prepared from slices of rat liver prelabelled with [14C]leucine. The acceptor Golgi apparatus elements were unlabelled and immobilized on nitrocellulose. When Golgi apparatus stacks were separated by preparative free-flow electrophoresis into subfractions enriched in cisternae derived from the cis, medial and trans portions of the stack respectively, efficient specific transfer was observed only to cis elements. Trans elements were devoid of specific acceptor capacity. Similarly, when transfer was determined as a function of temperature, a transition was observed in transfer activity between 12 degrees C and 18 degrees C similar to that seen in vivo for formation of the so-called 16 degrees C cis Golgi-located membrane compartment. Transfer at temperatures below 16 degrees C and transfer to trans Golgi apparatus compartments at temperatures either above or below 16 degrees C was similar and unspecific. The unspecific transfer at low temperature was pH independent, whereas specific transfer was greatest at the physiological pH of 7, and was reduced to 10% and 18% of that occurring at pH 8 and pH 5.5 respectively. These findings show that the cell-free system derived from rat liver exhibits a high degree of fidelity to transfer in vivo, an efficiency approaching that observed in vivo, and a nearly absolute acceptor specificity for cis Golgi apparatus. The acceptor-, temperature- and pH-specificity of the cell-free transfer, as well as the saturation kinetics exhibited with respect to acceptor Golgi apparatus, support the concept of transition-vesicle-specific docking sites of finite number associated with cis Golgi apparatus cisternae.


Glutathione S-transferase pi in an arsenic-resistant Chinese hamster ovary cell line. A glutathione S-transferase (GST) was purified from an arsenic-resistant Chinese hamster ovary cell line, SA7. The SA7 GST was shown to catalyse the conjugation of glutathione and ethacrynic acid, a specific substrate for Pi class GST. Its N-terminal amino-acid sequence has 80% identical residues to that of rat GST P and human GST pi. Thus, the GST purified from SA7 cells belongs to the Pi family. Treatment with Cibacron Blue or ethacrynic acid, which are GST inhibitors, significantly decreased the resistance of SA7 cells to sodium arsenite. On the other hand, pretreatment of SA7N cells, a partial revertant of SA7 cells, with sublethal doses of sodium arsenite, cadmium acetate or zinc sulphate resulted in re-elevation of GST activities and the cells regained the arsenic resistance. The regained arsenic resistance was well correlated with the levels of GST pi which were induced dose-dependently by zinc sulphate. Heat-shock treatment (45 degrees C for 10 min) did not increase GST pi expression or arsenic resistance of SA7N cells. The results indicate that GST pi is possibly involved in the mechanism of arsenic detoxification.


Expression of high levels of nitrobenzylthioinosine-sensitive nucleoside transport in cultured human choriocarcinoma (BeWo) cells. We have examined binding of [3H]nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBMPR) and influx of [3H]thymidine in adherent cultures of human choriocarcinoma (BeWo) cells and, for comparison, cervical-carcinoma (HeLa) cells. Specific association of NBMPR with BeWo cells at 22 degrees C required 1.5 h to reach an equilibrium between free and bound ligand, whereas association with HeLa cells required 20-30 min. Scatchard analysis of NBMPR binding to low-density cultures of BeWo cells revealed a total of 27 x 10(6) sites per cell, consisting of two distinct populations that differed in their affinities for NBMPR. One population bound NBMPR with 'high' affinity (Bmax.1 15.0 pmol/10(6) cells; Kd1 0.6 nM) and the other, larger, population bound NBMPR with 'low' affinity (Bmax.2 29.0 pmol/10(6) cells; Kd2 14.5 nM). By contrast, HeLa cells possessed only 4.1 x 10(5) sites per cell, and these sites all bound NBMPR with the same affinity (Bmax. 0.7 pmol/10(6) cells; Kd 0.5 nM). Interaction of NBMPR with both populations of sites in BeWo cells could be blocked by nitrobenzylthioguanosine (NBTGR), dilazep or dipyridamole. Concentration-effect relationships for dilazep inhibition of binding of 1 nM- and 25 nM-NBMPR to BeWo cells were monophasic, with virtually complete inhibition achieved at 0.1 microM and 1 microM respectively. Plasma-membrane preparations from BeWo cells also had high numbers of NBMPR-binding sites, and u.v. irradiation of site-bound [3H]NBMPR in such preparations labelled polypeptides that migrated in electrophoretograms as a broad band with a peak M(r) of 60,000. The concentration-effect relationship for NBMPR inhibition of thymidine transport by BeWo cells was biphasic, with an IC50 for inhibition of the 'NBMPR-sensitive' component of 1.6 nM and a substantial (15-20%) component of flux that was not inhibited by 10 microM-NBMPR and was thus 'NBMPR-insensitive'. Vmax. values for thymidine transport by BeWo cells were 20-30-fold larger than the corresponding values for transport by HeLa cells. Elimination of the Na+ gradient had no effect on initial rates of thymidine fluxes measured in either the presence or the absence of NBMPR. Our results demonstrate that BeWo cells have an unusually large capacity for NBMPR-sensitive nucleoside transport, apparently resulting from high levels of expression of 'erythrocyte-like' transport elements, identified by their high-affinity interaction with NBMPR. The relationship of the low-affinity binding sites to NBMPR-sensitive transporter elements is uncertain.


A unique aromatase (P-450AROM) mRNA formed by alternative use of tissue-specific exons 1 in human skin fibroblasts. Aromatase mRNA in human skin fibroblasts was greatly increased in the presence of dexamethasone. Aromatase cDNA was prepared depending on mRNA of dexamethasone-treated fibroblasts by the PCR method including the rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) protocol. The isolated cDNA had the same sequence as placental aromatase cDNA in the region encoded by exons 2-10. However, all 5'-fragments obtained from fibroblast aromatase cDNA contained a unique sequence in the region encoded by exon 1. A unique sequence was also deduced for the region between exons 1 and 2 of the placental aromatase gene from its cDNA, indicating that this region is used as an exon 1 by alternative splicing in skin fibroblasts. Tissue-specific use of multiple exons 1 in the splicing of aromatase transcripts was demonstrated by the mRNAs obtained from various tissues.


Targeting aequorin to the endoplasmic reticulum of living cells. The photoprotein aequorin has been engineered with an ER targeting sequence at the N-terminus, with and without KDEL at the C-terminus, so that it locates in the ER-secretory pathway. For the first time the free Ca2+ has been quantified inside the ER and shown to be 5-20 times that in the cytosol. In COS cells free Ca2+ in the ER ranged from 1-5mM at 37 degrees C, decreasing 2-5-fold within 1 min of exposure to the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin in the absence of external Ca2+.


Induction of leukotriene C4 synthase activity in differentiating human erythroleukemia cells. Leukotriene (LT)C4 synthase is a membrane-bound, specific glutathione transferase which catalyzes the transformation of LTA4 to LTC4. It was originally shown to be present in rodent mastocytoma and basophilic leukemia cells as well as in macrophages. Recently, expression of human LTC4 synthase was demonstrated in platelets (Söderström, M., et al. (1992) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 294, 70-74). The present report describes the induction of LTC4 synthase activity during differentiation of human erythroleukemia (HEL) cells by the protein kinase C stimulator 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA), ligands of the steroid-thyroid hormone receptor superfamily: all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) and 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 and in addition dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). TPA was the most powerful inducer of enzyme activity followed by 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 and DMSO. RA did not induce LTC4 synthase activity.


The importance of arginine 102 for the substrate specificity of Escherichia coli malate dehydrogenase. The malate dehydrogenase from Escherichia coli has been specifically altered at a single amino acid residue by using site-directed mutagenesis. The conserved Arg residue at amino acid position 102 in the putative substrate binding site was replaced with a Gln residue. The result was the loss of the high degree of specificity for oxaloacetate. The difference in relative binding energy for oxaloacetate amounted to about 7 kcal/mol and a difference in specificity between oxaloacetate and pyruvate of 8 orders of magnitude between the wild-type and mutant enzymes. These differences may be explained by the large hydration potential of Arg and the formation of a salt bridge with a carboxylate group of oxaloacetate.


Lengths of truncated forms of apolipoprotein B (apoB) determine their intestinal production. Most truncations of apoB associated with hypobetalipoproteinemia (HBL) result from frame shift mutations of the apoB gene that give rise to premature stop codons and truncations of C-terminal sequences. The "natural" truncation, apoB-48, arises from a stop codon by cotranscriptional editing of intestinal apoB-100 mRNA. We hypothesized that mutant apoB mRNA would be normally edited and that only those apoB truncations shorter than apoB-48 would be expressed in enterocytes, because translation of mRNAs giving rise to longer truncations would be interrupted by the apoB-48 stop codon. Duodenal mucosal biopsies from HBL and normolipidemic subjects were incubated with [35S]methionine, apoB was immunoprecipitated and bands were visualized by autoradiography. Biopsies of three subjects heterozygous for apoB-54.8 or apoB-89 synthesized virtually only apoB-48. By contrast, the biopsy of a subject heterozygous for apoB-40 synthesized both apoB-48 and apoB-40. Thus, enterocytes in HBL edit the mutant mRNAs similarly to the apoB mRNA of normal enterocytes and the small intestine of heterozygotes with truncations longer than apoB-48 produce only apoB-48, as the apoB-48 stop codon terminates translation proximal to the mutant stop codon. By contrast, intestines of heterozygotes with truncations shorter than apoB-48 produce the truncated apoB because the mutant stop codon stops translation before the apoB-48 stop codon. In conclusion, only the liver secretes apoB truncations larger than apoB-48, whereas shorter truncations are secreted by both liver and intestine.


Depression of catalase gene expression in the liver of tumor bearing nude mice. Based on the classical observation that catalase activity is reduced in the liver of a tumor bearing host, we studied this phenomenon from the aspect of gene expression. Northern blot analysis on the livers of mice with a rat tumor showed that the catalase gene expression is lowered in a tumor size-dependent fashion. Decreased gene expression was also seen irrespective of tissue or species origin of tumors transplanted. Removal of the implanted tumor resulted in restoration of the reduced gene message to the normal level. The tumor effect on the catalase gene expression was shown to be controlled at the transcriptional level. These results strongly suggest that the reduction of liver catalase activity in the tumor bearer may be due to down regulation of the catalase gene induced in the liver by a certain humoral factor(s) from the transplanted tumor.


The amyloid beta-protein of Alzheimer's disease is chemotactic for mononuclear phagocytes. The cellular pathology of Alzheimer's disease includes an accumulation of microglia surrounding the amyloid plaques. We report that human amyloid beta-protein is chemotactic for murine resident peritoneal macrophages and rat microglia, which may account for the increased density of microglia in plaques. A maximal chemotactic response was observed at 1-10nM, with a 2.5 fold increase in activity over controls for both classes of mononuclear phagocytes. The neurotoxic peptide fragment (25-35) of amyloid beta-protein is similarly chemotactic, while a control scrambled version and the precursor protein are not chemotactic. These results indicate that beta-protein may influence plaque formation via the recruitment of phagocytes, with consequent implications for the future development of treatments for Alzheimer's disease.


argJ mutations are highly inducible by ethidium bromide in proB strains of Streptomyces lividans: implication of pathway interactions. Spontaneous Arg- mutants arose at high frequencies in Streptomyces lividans. Exposure to ethidium bromide increased the frequency of arg instability. In Pro+ strains the induced arg mutants were mainly argG, but in the proB mutants, a new mutation, argJ, prevailed which lacked ornithine acetyltransferase activity and required ornithine for growth. Introduction of the cloned proB gene of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) into the proB argJ mutants not only complemented the proB mutation but also suppressed the argJ mutation. The proB mutation was also suppressed by adding ornithine to the medium. These results indicated crossfeeding(s) between the arginine and proline pathways in S. lividans, which presumably circumvented the detection of argJ mutations in Pro+ strains.


Isolation and amino acid sequence of the TRH-potentiating peptide from bovine hypothalamus. A neuropeptide termed TRH-potentiating peptide, which potentiates TRH-evoked thyrotropin secretion by antehypophysis in vitro, was isolated from an acetonic powder of bovine hypothalamus. The peptide was purified to homogeneity by a 3-step protocol involving molecular sieve filtration, ion-exchange chromatography and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. The complete amino acid sequence of the decapeptide was determined as Ser-Phe-Pro-Trp-Met-Glu-Ser-Asp-Val-Thr by automated Edman degradation with a solid-phase sequencer. Bovine TRH-potentiating peptide is structurally identical to Ps4, a decapeptide which was deduced from the cDNA encoding the rat TRH precursor. This study provides for the first time a direct chemical evidence for the existence of non-TRH peptides originating from posttranslational processing of the TRH precursor in vivo.


Combinatorial crosstalk of transacting factors binding to the L-type pyruvate kinase promoter elements analysed in vitro. Five Dnase 1 footprints, termed boxes L1 to L5, have been characterized in the 280 bp upstream from the cap site of the L-type pyruvate kinase (L-PK) gene. They bind from 3' to 5', the factors HNF1, HNF4, MLTF, and a non-identified protein referred to as L5 binding factor (L5-BF). These elements, individually or variably combined, were tested by cell-free transcription. The L1 box stimulates both L-PK and TK promoters, but in the context of L-PK promoter, it cooperates with the L3 element to reach a high level of transcriptional activation. The L3 and L4 elements exhibit weaker influences, increased by homologous or heterologous interactions. The L5 box behaves as a promoter-dependent negative regulatory element.


Inactivation and oxidative modification of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase by stimulated neutrophils: the appearance of new catalytically active structures. Bovine superoxide dismutase (SOD) was inactivated during incubation with phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated neutrophils. In addition, stimulated neutrophils were able to disrupt the SOD structure. Inactivation and structural damage were dependent on the action of hypochlorous acid, an oxidant generated by the myeloperoxidase-hydrogen peroxide-chloride system of neutrophils. Incubation of SOD with stimulated neutrophils lead to long-wavelength fluorescence (ex, 350 nm; em, 450 nm) and the appearance of new structural forms with other isoelectric points. These additional forms possess catalytic activity. Generation of catalytically active new forms of SOD demonstrates the inaccessibility of the active centre of SOD to hypochlorite and may be a reason for the successful application of SOD during anti-inflammatory therapy.


Synthetic peptide of the sequence 632-642 on myosin subfragment 1 inhibits actomyosin ATPase activity. A synthetic peptide corresponding to a sequence 632-642 (S632-642) on the myosin subfragment 1 (S-1) heavy chain and spanning the 50/20 kDa junction of S-1 binds to actin in the presence and absence of S-1. The binding of 1.0 mole of peptide per actin causes almost complete inhibition of actomyosin ATPase activity and only partial inhibition of S-1 binding to actin. The binding of S632-642 to the N-terminal segment of actin is supported by competitive carbodiimide cross-linking of S-1 and S632-642 to actin and the catalytic properties of cross-linked acto-S-1 and actin-peptide complexes. These results show that the sequence 632-642 on S-1 is an autonomous binding site for actin and confirm the catalytic importance of its interactions with the N-terminal segment of actin.


Dissociation of complexes between 70 kDa stress proteins and presecretory proteins is facilitated by a cytosolic factor. Members of the 70 kDa stress protein family were shown previously to facilitate the posttranslational translocation of presecretory proteins into the endoplasmic reticulum and protein precursors into mitochondria. To identify proteins that interact with 70 kDa stress proteins during the early steps of posttranslational translocation, polyclonal antibodies were raised against purified yeast cytosolic stress proteins. They were used to immunoprecipitate complexes between 70 kDa stress proteins and a radiolabeled presecretory protein, prepro-alpha-factor, that was translated in vitro. Complexes between prepro-alpha-factor and 70 kDa stress proteins were stable, but could be dissociated in the presence of ATP and crude cytosolic extracts from yeast. These results are consistent with the idea that 70 kDa stress proteins act as molecular chaperones in translocation by binding to precursor proteins before or during their passage across membranes.


Post-translational processing of gastrin in neoplastic human colonic tissues. Gastrin has been postulated to stimulate proliferation in colorectal neoplasms. Although gastrin mRNA has been demonstrated to be present in colon cancer cell lines, the intact peptide had not been recovered from human colorectal neoplasms. We demonstrate that gastrin and its precursors are present in both colorectal neoplasia and adjacent normal-appearing colonic mucosa. In colonic tissue, the glycine-extended precursor form of the peptide is over 10-fold more abundant than the amidated gastrin, and progastrin is more than 700-fold more abundant. In contrast, amidated gastrin in the human antrum is the predominant form of gastrin by a factor of 10. Furthermore, the ratio of gastrin precursors to gastrin is significantly increased in neoplastic colonic mucosa when compared with normal colonic tissue. These data suggest that the processing of gastrin is unique in the human colon and that further differences in processing occur in neoplastic colonic tissue.


Molecular genetic analysis of the catalytic site of Streptococcus mutans glucosyltransferases. In the present communication molecular genetic approaches have been utilized to confirm the nature of the catalytic site of Streptococcus mutans glucosyltransferases (GTF)s. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to convert the putative sucrose binding Asp-451 of the GTF-I enzyme from S. mutans GS5 to Glu, Asn, and Thr. All three of the resulting mutated enzymes displayed no detectable sucrase or GTF activities. By contrast, mutation of nearby Asp residues did not markedly reduce enzymatic activity. The inactive enzymes also appear to bind acceptor dextrans as well as the parental enzyme. These results confirm the essential role of Asp-451 of the GTF-I from strain GS5 and analogous Asp residues in other related GTFs in enzymatic activity.


Contraction-induced translocation of the glucose transporter Glut4 in isolated ventricular cardiomyocytes. Field stimulation of isolated adult ventricular cardiomyocytes was used to study the effect of contractile activity on 3-O-methylglucose transport and the subcellular distribution of Glut4. Cells contracting at a frequency of 1 Hz for 30 min exhibited unaltered basal and insulin-stimulated rates of glucose transport when compared to resting cells. However, at 5 Hz 3-O-methylglucose transport increased to 224% of control after 5 min. Under these conditions insulin was unable to produce a significant additional stimulation of glucose transport. Immunoblotting with an anti-Glut4 polyclonal antibody showed that both insulin and contraction (5 Hz) increased the amount of Glut4 in a plasma membrane fraction by about 8-fold with a parallel decrease in an intracellular membrane fraction by 60-65%. These data suggest the existence of an identical insulin- and contraction-recruitable Glut4 transporter pool in cardiomyocytes.


Cloning and characterization of a human cDNA encoding a novel putative cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine-phosphatase. We have cloned and characterized a human cDNA encoding a new member of the family of cytosolic type protein-tyrosine-phosphatase (PTP), designated as PTPG1, from an adult colon tissue cDNA library by using the PCR product as probe. We obtained 5 cDNA clones, which cover the predicted open reading frame encoding a 88-kDa protein composed of 780 amino acids, and it had no apparent signal or transmembrane sequences, suggesting that it is a cytosolic protein. The N-terminal region had a PTP catalytic domain that is 30-40% identical to previously reported human PTPs. This revealed that the enzyme composes an additional family of human PTPs. PTPG1 was characterized by a long non-enzymatic domain located at the C-terminus, including PEST sequences which are characteristic for short half-life proteins in eukaryotes. Northern blot analysis of PTPG1 mRNA showed a 4.6-kb transcript that was detected in a wide variety of cell lines to suggest its extensive expression.


The effect of active vitamin D3 analogs and dexamethasone on the expression of osteocalcin gene in rat tibiae in vivo. We tested the effects of 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3), 2 beta-(3-hydroxypropoxy)-1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (ED-71) and dexamethasone on osteocalcin mRNA levels in rat tibiae in vivo. Northern blot analysis showed that both 1,25-(OH)2D3 and ED-71 caused an increase in osteocalcin mRNA levels in bone: 1,25-(OH)2D3 induced a transient increase in the mRNA levels followed by a decrease in the control level by 12 h post administration. In contrast, ED-71 caused a persistent increase in osteocalcin mRNA level for seven days post administration. Serum osteocalcin levels paralleled the osteocalcin mRNA level in bone in both groups. Dexamethasone caused a marked reduction in both osteocalcin mRNA and serum osteocalcin levels. Suppressive effect of dexamethasone on osteocalcin expression was persistent for seven days at higher dose. Our results represent the first demonstration of the effect of active vitamin D and corticosteroid on the expression of osteocalcin mRNA in bone in vivo.


Triflavin, an RGD-containing antiplatelet peptide, binds to GpIIIa of ADP-stimulated platelets. Triflavin, an Arg-Gly-Asp-containing snake venom peptide, inhibits platelet aggregation through the blockade of fibrinogen binding to the activated platelets. It binds to fibrinogen receptors associated with the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa complex with a Kd value of 7 x 10(-8) M. In this report, a chemical cross-linking approach was used to further characterize the binding components of triflavin on platelet membrane. 125I-triflavin binding was performed with the aid of a chemical cross-linking reagent, DTSSP. Analysis of the cross-linked products by SDS-PAGE (7.5% gel) and subsequent autoradiogram revealed that 125I-triflavin was cross-linked specifically to a protein with an apparent molecular weight of 1.1 x 10(5), and this reaction was inhibited by GRGDS and excess of non-labeled triflavin. This 110 KDa component was identified to be GpIIIa, recognized by AP3, a mAb against GpIIIa, by immunoblotting technique. These results indicate that the triflavin-binding sites on platelets reside at a site in close proximity to GpIIIa.


Circular dichroic evidence for regulation of enzymatic activity by nonsubstrate hydrophobic ligand on glutathione S-transferase P. 1-Anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid (ANS) noncompetitively inhibited enzyme activity of glutathione S-transferase P for both glutathione and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (Ki = 30 microM). Dissociation constant for ANS.GST-P complex calculated from the binding study was 15 microM. From the similar values of the inhibition constant and the dissociation constant, it was concluded that specific ANS binding caused the loss of enzyme activity. In the protein structural analysis by circular dichroism, the secondary structures remarkably changed by ANS binding in accordance with the decrease of enzymatic activities. The conformational change of the protein and the decrease in enzymatic activity were reversed by dissociation of ANS. This fact strongly suggested that the enzymatic activity was regulated by a nonsubstrate hydrophobic ligand.


Generation of specificity-variant antibodies by alteration of carbohydrate in light chain of human monoclonal antibodies. A hybridoma line, C5TN, produced human monoclonal antibody of which light chain had N-linked carbohydrate chain within the variable region. Some molecular-weight variants of light chain of the antibody were produced by C5TN variants resistant to cytotoxic effect of concanavalin A. The variant antibodies significantly altered the original cross-reactivity with antigens or lost the ability of antigen binding. The variants variously trimmed their carbohydrate chains by glycosidases, showed the changed reactivity or acquired the ability to bind for antigens. The carbohydrate-deficient antibodies from tunicamycin-treated C5TN and the variant clones behaved in a similar manner on antigen-binding reactivity. Furthermore, comparison of antibodies of which light chains have carbohydrate chains sensitive and resistant to some glycosidases showed that carbohydrate chain in variable region of light chain can influence their reactivity with antigen.


Comparison of three forms of antigens in the demonstration of cell-mediated immune response in murine toxoplasmosis. Mice were chronically infected with cysts of ME49 strain of Toxoplasma gondii. At different periods post-infection, their spleens were removed and single cell suspensions were made. Lymphocyte transformation experiments were performed on the lymphocyte suspensions using three different kinds of antigens of ME49 strain of T. gondii, namely soluble, excretory/secretory and cystic forms. The results showed that the pattern of lymphocyte responsiveness was dependent on the kind of antigen employed for induction of the blastogenesis. Using soluble and cystic forms of the antigen, different periods of lymphocyte suppression and lymphocyte proliferation were demonstrated. However, with the use of excretory/secretory antigen, no significant suppression of lymphocyte stimulation was noted throughout the course of infection. Thus excretory/secretory antigen may be the best form of antigen for stimulation of the cell-mediated immune response and hence it appears to be a good candidate for vaccine in toxoplasmosis.


Elevation of hepatic levels of metallothionein and zinc in mice bearing experimental tumors. A tumor growth-dependent elevation in the hepatic levels of Zn and metallothionein (MT), without a change in the level of Cu, was found in mice and rats bearing solid tumors in the inguinal region. The levels of Zn and MT thus elevated gave a significant correlation (r = 0.95) between them. Nevertheless, when tumor-bearing mice and rats were fed a Zn-deficient diet, the hepatic levels of Zn and MT did not increase. In mice in which inflammation was induced at the same region, on the other hand, hepatic levels of Zn and MT increased transiently after the injection of turpentine or carrageenan even when they were fed the Zn-deficient diet. These results suggest that the elevation of MT and Zn levels can be a helpful marker for detecting malignancy.


Identification of a disulfide bridge connecting the alpha-subunits of the extracellular domain of the insulin receptor. The alpha 2 beta 2 structure of the insulin receptor has previously been shown to involve one disulfide bridge between the alpha-subunits in the region containing Cys435, Cys468 and Cys524. We have digested the soluble extracellular domain of the insulin receptor with succinylated trypsin, partially separated the resulting peptides, and sequenced a number of fractions. The peptides containing Cys435 and Cys468 appeared in the same fraction, indicating that these two form a disulfide bond, and in another fraction we found the sequence of the peptide containing Cys524. Since it has been shown that the extracellular domain of the insulin receptor has no free thiols and since no other sequences containing cysteine were found in these fractions, we conclude that Cys524 forms a disulfide bond to the Cys524 in the other alpha-subunit.


Surfactant-producing rabbit pulmonary alveolar type II cells synthesize and secrete an antiinflammatory protein, uteroglobin. Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) caused by surfactant deficiency is a common disorder in premature infants. Exogenous surfactant therapy improves survival in infants with RDS. However, the phospholipid component of the surfactant has been suggested to be inactivated by a phospholipid hydrolyzing enzyme, phospholipase A2 (PLA2). Although alveolar type II cells produce the surfactant, it is not known whether these cells have any mechanism to protect surfactant from PLA2 hydrolysis. Since alveolar Clara cells express uteroglobin (UG), a PLA2 inhibitory and antiinflammatory protein, and since it has been suggested that alveolar type II cells are derived from Clara cells, we sought to elucidate whether type II cells are also capable of expressing UG gene. By using radioimmunoassay, immunoprecipitation and Western blotting techniques we demonstrate for the first time that type II cells, isolated from mature rabbit lungs, synthesize and secrete UG. The transcription of the UG gene was detected by in situ hybridization using rabbit UG cDNA probe. These results imply that UG, synthesized by type II cells, may protect both endogenous and exogenous surfactant from PLA2 hydrolysis. Moreover, the antiinflammatory properties of UG may prevent the development of chronic inflammatory lung disease, a frequent complication of RDS.


Ginsenosides protect pulmonary vascular endothelium against free radical-induced injury. We studied the actions of saponin (ginsenosides) from Panax ginseng on free radical-induced pulmonary endothelial injury which is manifest as reversal of the normal vasodilator response to acetylcholine in perfused, vasoconstricted lungs. 50 or 200 micrograms/ml ginsenosides prevented this injury response and also reduced the pulmonary edema which follows free radical injury but did not alter the normal ACh-induced vasodilation in intact lungs. In control perfused lungs preconstricted with U46619, the ginsenoside mixture or purified ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1 caused vasodilatation. This effect was eliminated by 100 microM nitro-L-arginine, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase. In cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells, ginsenosides (10 micrograms/ml) stimulated the conversion of [14C]-L-arginine to [14C]-L-citrulline. These data indicate that GS may cause vasorelaxation and prevent manifestations of oxygen free radical injury by promoting release of nitric oxide.


Domains for G-protein coupling in angiotensin II receptor type I: studies by site-directed mutagenesis. To delineate domains essential for G-protein coupling in angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1), we mutated the receptor cDNA in the putative cytosolic regions and determined consequent changes in the effect of GTP analogs on angiotensin II (Ang II) binding and in inositol trisphosphate production in response to Ang II. Polar residues in targeted areas were replaced by small neutral residues. Mutations in the second cytosolic loop, carboxy terminal region of the third cytosolic loop or deletional mutation in the carboxyl terminal tail simultaneously abolished both the GTP-induced shift to the low affinity form and Ang II-induced stimulation of inositol trisphosphate production. These results suggest that polar residues in the second cytosolic loop, the carboxy terminal region of the third cytosolic loop, and the carboxy terminal cytosolic tail are important for G-protein coupling of AT1 receptor.


Isolation and identification of C-type natriuretic peptide in human monocytic cell line, THP-1. In a survey for unknown bioactive peptides in mammalian cell lines, we isolated peptides exhibiting a strong relaxant effect on chick rectum from a phorbol ester-supplemented culture medium of the human monocytic cell line, THP-1. The peptide was deduced to be a C-terminal 29-residue peptide derived from a human C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) precursor. CNP mRNA was also detected in the THP-1 cells, and expression of CNP gene and CNP concentration in the culture medium was found to be highly augmented by the stimulation of phorbol ester. Production of CNP in THP-1 cells suggests that CNP also functions as a local regulator in the blood cell-vascular system, although CNP has previously been recognized as a neuropeptide functioning in the central nervous system.


Spectral and sequence similarity between vasoactive intestinal peptide and the second conserved region of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 envelope glycoprotein (gp120): possible consequences on prevention and therapy of AIDS. Recently, in sera of HIV infected individuals, antibodies recognizing nonimmunogenic C-terminal domain of the second conserved region of HIV-1 gp120 were identified (1). These antibodies are significantly more prevalent in asymptomatic carriers than in AIDS patients (1). Here we reported striking spectral and sequence homologies between human vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and the conserved peptide derived from HIV-1 gp120 which binds these antibodies. The possible consequences of these findings on therapy and prevention of AIDS are discussed.


NG-hydroxy-L-arginine and hydroxyguanidine potentiate the biological activity of endothelium-derived relaxing factor released from the rabbit aorta. We investigated the effects of NG-hydroxy-L-arginine (L-HOArg) and hydroxyguanidine (HOG) on the synthesis and vasorelaxant activity of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (NO) released from the rabbit aortic endothelium. Both L-HOArg (10 microM) and HOG (10 microM) equally potentiated the vasorelaxant activity of NO released by Ach (0.1 or 0.3 microM) from the luminally perfused rabbit aorta and bioassayed using the superfused strips of the endothelium-denuded rabbit aorta. This potentiation was caused by the generation of a more stable vasodilator during the chemical reaction of L-HOArg or HOG with NO and it was abolished by NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NO2Arg, 10 microM). In contrast, in organ baths, L-HOArg (10 microM) or HOG (10 microM) did not affect the relaxations of intact rabbit aortic rings induced by Ach (0.01-1 microM). At concentrations higher than 10 microM, both L-HOArg and HOG were endothelium-independent vasorelaxants. However, L-HOArg (100 microM) prevented the inhibition by L-NO2Arg (10 microM) of Ach-induced relaxations of bathed aortic rings which indicates that L-HOArg is still a substrate for the NO synthase in the endothelium of the rabbit aorta.


Partial purification of a GTPase-activating protein for rap2b from bovine brain membranes. Rap2b is a ras-related GTP-binding protein isolated from a human platelet cDNA library. It shares 90% similarity to the previously described rap2a and is closely related to rap1a (Krev-1, smgp21), which has been shown to possess reversion of transformation activity in Kirsten ras transformed 3T3 cells. In this study we have partially purified a protein from bovine brain membranes which stimulates the GTPase activity of rap2b. This rap2b GTPase-activating protein (GAP) activity is not immunoreactive with antibodies specific for rap1 GAP or ras GAP, yet displays limited GTPase stimulatory activity toward rap1. This result differs from the previously described rap1 GAP which is highly specific for rap1. When the rap2 GAP activity is analyzed by coomassie staining, an enrichment of a approximately 55 kDa protein is observed providing further evidence of a distinct rap2 GAP.


Effect of phosphate ion on the activity of bovine plasma amine oxidase. The system bovine plasma amine oxidase-polyamine-phosphate ion was investigated by activity measurements and 31P NMR spectroscopy. Lineweaver-Burk plots showed that phosphate ion, under physiological conditions, is an apparent competitive inhibitor of bovine plasma amine oxidase. While NMR measurements of the T1 of 31P do not suggest the binding of phosphate to/or near the paramagnetic Cu(II) sites of bovine plasma amine oxidase, the chemical shift dependence of 31P on spermidine concentration indicates the formation of a spermidine-phosphate complex. The value of the dissociation constant of this complex was found 18.5 +/- 1.4 mM, at pH 7.2, by NMR, in good agreement with the value 17.0 +/- 0.8 mM calculated from activity measurements, assuming the enzyme activity is proportional to the free amine concentration, under second order conditions. Our data suggest that the decrease of the free spermidine, due to the binding of phosphate ion, is responsible of the observed inhibition of bovine plasma amine oxidase.


A novel membrane associated carbonyl reducing enzyme is present in smooth endoplasmic reticulum of mouse liver. Evidence supporting the existence of two distinct carbonyl (metyrapone) reducing enzymes which differ in subcellular localization and immunological homology has been provided. A soluble enzyme, designated as carbonyl reductase (EC 1.1.1.184) is located in the cytosol. The distribution of the second, membrane associated, MPON-reductase shows an excellent linear correlation to NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and, on the other hand, is reciprocal to the RNA/protein ratio of submicrosomal preparations. This indicates that the membrane associated MPON-reductase is exclusively located in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Using antibodies against the purified membrane associated enzyme the extent of immunological crossreaction corresponds well to the specific activities of MPON-reductase in the granular fractions, thus further confirming the localization of this enzyme within this organelle. The absence of antigenic crossreaction to cytosolic MPON-reductase indicates differences also in terms of the immunological relationship between the two enzymes.


Cleavage of hepatitis B virus RNA by three ribozymes transcribed from a single DNA template. Hepatitis B virus is a DNA virus which replicates asymmetrically through reverse transcription of an RNA intermediate (pregenomic RNA). As a first step toward an antiviral strategy, a single synthetic oligodeoxynucleotide coding for 3 ribozyme motifs directed against three adjacent sites within the pregenomic RNA was synthesized, cloned and transcribed in vitro. Experiments utilizing 5' and 3' end labeling of RNA demonstrated that the three ribozymes accurately cleaved hepatitis B virus substrate RNA. Cleavage efficiency was similar to that of single ribozyme constructs. These results demonstrate that hepatitis B virus RNA is susceptible to ribozyme induced cleavage and illustrate that three ribozymes were simultaneously active when transcribed from a single DNA template. The expression of multiple ribozyme motifs may offer an advantage if there is high viral target sequence variability.


Metabolism of 22-oxacalcitriol by a vitamin D-inducible pathway in cultured parathyroid cells. Catabolism of 22-oxacalcitriol (OCT) in parathyroid cells was compared to that of the parent hormone, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3]. Catabolism of both compounds was greatly accelerated by pretreatment of the cells with 1,25-(OH)2D3 or OCT. The rate of degradation of OCT was slightly greater than that of 1,25-(OH)2D3. Excess unlabeled OCT or 1,25-(OH)2D3 inhibited metabolism of both tritiated substrates. Ketoconazole, a cytochrome P450 inhibitor, blocked catabolism of both compounds. The major OCT metabolite appeared to be 1,20-dihydroxy-22,23,24,25,26,27-hexanor-vitamin D3 which was not active in suppressing PTH secretion. We conclude that OCT appears to be metabolized by the same vitamin D-inducible side chain oxidation pathway that catabolizes other vitamin D compounds and that its higher than expected suppression of PTH secretion is not due to slower cellular metabolism.


The role of transferrin in heme transport. Porphyrin accumulation by proliferating cells, e.g., those associated with cancers or wounds, tends to correlate with increased transferrin receptor density. To determine whether transferrin might be implicated in porphyrin transport, fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy were used to study the interaction of porphyrins with transferrin. A single high-affinity binding site for heme and other porphyrins (Kd approximately 20-25 nM) was detected by fluorescence spectroscopy. Difference spectroscopy revealed three additional heme-binding sites. These sites were distinct from the iron-binding sites: 1) Apotransferrin and diferric transferrin bound porphyrins with equal affinity; 2) 59Fe was not displaced from transferrin by porphyrins. Murine erythroleukemia cells incubated with [59Fe]hemin-[125I]transferrin internalized both labels concomitantly. Accumulation of [59Fe]hemin could be blocked by a 100-fold excess of diferric transferrin but not by apotransferrin. These results indicate that cells can internalize exogenous heme, and possibly porphyrins, bound to transferrin via its receptor.


Free haemoglobin interferes with detection of endothelin peptides. High levels of endothelin-like immunoreactivity were detected in red blood cells from rat, pig and man. When characterized on HPLC the immunoreactivity coeluted with haemoglobin, however. Thus, the high levels of endothelin-like immunoreactivity did not reflect occurrence of endothelin peptides but rather the interference of haemoglobin in the RIA. Free haemoglobin > 0.8 g/l (which may occur in haemolytic samples) increased measured plasma "endothelin-like immunoreactivity". SepPak extraction of plasma samples markedly reduced this interference, although some effect still remained at high haemoglobin concentrations. The influence of microperoxidase in the RIA suggests that the interference is related to the haeme portion of haemoglobin and thus may be extended to other haeme-containing proteins, e.g. cytochrome c or guanylate cyclase. The present findings emphasize the importance of characterizing endothelin-like immunoreactivity with HPLC, especially in haemolytic samples.


Isolation of a DNA endonuclease complex in XPD cells which is defective in ability to incise nucleosomal DNA containing pyrimidine dimers. A DNA endonuclease complex which recognizes predominantly pyrimidine dimers in UVC irradiated DNA has been isolated from the chromatin of normal human and xeroderma pigmentosum, complementation group D (XPD) lymphoblastoid cells. The activity of the normal complex on UVC irradiated DNA was increased approximately 2.5 and 1.5 fold over activity on damaged naked DNA, when core (histones H2A, H2B, H3, H4) and total (core+histone H1) nucleosomal DNA, respectively, was used. In contrast, the XPD complex showed no increase in activity on UVC irradiated total and only a 1.4 fold increase on UVC irradiated core nucleosomal DNA, indicating that the XPD complex is defective in its ability to incise UVC irradiated nucleosomal DNA. The normal complex was able to correct this defect in the XPD complex at the nucleosomal level.


Insect immunity: two proteinase inhibitors from hemolymph of Locusta migratoria. Two protease inhibitors were isolated from the plasma of Locusta migratoria and sequenced. They were 35 and 36 amino acids long and revealed very little similitude for the protease inhibitors isolated from other arthropods. They inhibit the proPhenoloxidase Phenoloxidase proteolytic activation cascade in hemocyte extracts of the same insect. This inhibiting activity resulted in a lower production of PO, a key enzyme for the defence mechanism in arthropods. Both peptides however showed a strong in vitro inhibiting activity toward alpha-chymotrypsin and elastase, LMCI I inhibits the human leukocyte enzyme while LMCI II mostly the pancreatic one, a difference explainable on the basis of the active site sequence changes.


Vitamin E inhibits protein oxidation in skeletal muscle of resting and exercised rats. It is well known that exercise induces lipid peroxidation in skeletal muscle and that vitamin E prevents exercise-induced lipid damage. In this study we show for the first time, an increase in protein oxidation in skeletal muscle after a single bout of exercise, related to an exercise-induced decrease in lipophilic antioxidants, and substantial protection against both resting and exercise-induced protein oxidation by supplementation with various isomers (alpha-tocopherol, alpha-tocotrienol) of vitamin E.


Zinc binding by retroviral integrase.

Zinc binding by retroviral integrase. Zinc binding by integrase from Moloney murine leukaemia virus and a protein A fusion protein containing integrase from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 was demonstrated by a zinc blotting technique using 65ZnCl2. Autoradiography revealed a clear band that was absent from the appropriate controls. This band co-migrated with the major band in Coomassie-stained gels and in immunoblots. This binding activity was retained in the presence of competing divalent cations and was sensitive to oxidation. This is the first demonstration of zinc binding by intact retroviral integrase.


Structure of serum transferrin in carbohydrate-deficient glycoprotein syndrome. The structure of the defective transferrin in carbohydrate-deficient glycoprotein syndrome was characterized. Structurally abnormal sugar chains were not found in reversed phase chromatograms of pyridylaminated derivatives from the transferrin of two patients in different families. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of the whole transferrin molecules revealed an abnormal species that was smaller than normal tetrasialotransferrin by 2,200 daltons, just the size of the disialylated biantennary sugar chain. These data indicated that the disialotransferrin specifically found in this syndrome is missing either of two N-linked sugar chains, suggesting a metabolic error in the early steps of protein glycosylation.


In vitro interactions of the histone-like protein IHF with the algD promoter, a critical site for control of mucoidy in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The ability of the histone-like element Integration Host Factor (IHF) to interact with the algD promoter was investigated. IHF from Escherichia coli was found to bind to the algD promoter and to form multiple protein-DNA complexes in gel mobility shift DNA binding assay. The highest affinity binding site for IHF was mapped by DNaseI footprinting analysis. This site spanned nucleotides -50 to -85 relative to the algD mRNA start site and overlapped a sequence matching the IHF consensus sequence WATCAANNNNTTR in 12 out of 13 base pairs. Previous studies have shown that deletion of sequences including a portion of this site adversely affects algD promoter activity. IHF binding to the algD promoter induced DNA bending. Western blot analysis with antibodies against E. coli IHF detected a cross-reactive protein of a similar molecular mass in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, suggesting the presence of an analogous factor in this organism.


A novel anti-HIV synthetic peptide, T-22 ([Tyr5,12,Lys7]-polyphemusin II). Tachyplesin and polyphemusin are antimicrobial peptides recently isolated from the hemocytes of horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus tridentatus and Limulus polyphemus). We synthesized them and their analogs and examined their antiviral activity against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 in vitro. The infection of human T cells with the virus was markedly inhibited by some of them at low concentrations. In this structure-activity study, we found that [Tyr5,12, Lys7]-polyphemusin II, which was designated as T22, had extremely high anti-HIV activity. Its 50% inhibitory concentration (EC50) was 0.008 micrograms/ml, while its 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) was 54 micrograms/ml and these values were comparable to those of AZT. This result indicates that T22 would be a potential candidate for the therapy of HIV infection.


Mutations in the Pit-1 gene in children with combined pituitary hormone deficiency. Pit-1 is a pituitary-specific transcription factor that binds to and transactivates promoters of growth hormone and prolactin genes. In three unrelated Japanese children with combined pituitary hormone deficiency, we identified three point mutations in the Pit-1 gene, Pro24Leu, Arg143Gln, and Arg271Trp, located on the major transactivation region, POU-specific domain, and POU-homeodomain, respectively.


Escherichia coli tRNA(Asp) recognition mechanism differing from that of the yeast system. Various tRNA transcripts were constructed to study the identity elements of Escherichia coli tRNA(Asp). Base substitutions from G34 to U34 at the first position of the anticodon, and from U35 to A35 at the second, severely impaired the aspartate charging activity. The activity was also decreased, but in a more moderate fashion, by base changes at G2-C71, C36 and C38. Identity nucleotides of tRNA(Asp) are distributed in a different fashion between E. coli and yeast, which occur at the second base pair of the acceptor stem, G10-U25 base pair in the D-stem and 3' half of the anticodon loop.


Expression of transcripts of complement components and their receptors during differentiation of embryonal carcinoma cell lines. Based on our previous finding that TNF-alpha and TNF-beta can be expressed constitutively during early embryonal development [1], we extended our work to identify factors which are generally known to take part in inducing inflammation in adults. They can be regarded as candidate molecules involved in ontogenic inflammation during embryonal development. In this study, we chose the factors which are constituents of either a classical or an alternative pathway of a complement system and found that mRNAs corresponding to those of C2, C3, C4, C5 and to those of receptors CR1 and CR2 were expressed. Among them, mRNA expression of C3, C4, and CR1 was especially constitutive. Contrary to these observations, expression of two kinds of scavenger receptors (SR-I, SR-II) proved to be negative. In this report, the framework of ontogenic inflammation as a regulatory mechanism in embryonal development at the molecular level is discussed.


The chimeric gene linked to glucocorticoid-suppressible hyperaldosteronism encodes a fused P-450 protein possessing aldosterone synthase activity. Glucocorticoid-suppressible hyperaldosteronism (GSH) is one variety of primary aldosteronism with hypertension and is inherited in an autosomal dominant mode. A recent report has indicated that GSH is caused by a gene duplication arising from unequal crossing over between the two genes, CYP11B1 and CYP11B2, encoding P-450(11 beta) and P-450C18, respectively (Lifton et al. Nature (1992) 355, 262-265). The nucleotide sequence analysis in the present study has demonstrated that unequal crossing over in the chimeric gene formed by the gene duplication occurs within the region from the 3'-portion of exon 4 through the 5'-portion of intron 4 in Australian GSH patients. Namely, the chimeric gene encodes a fused P-450 protein consisting of the amino-terminal side of P-450(11 beta) (encoded by exons 1-4 of CYP11B1) and the carboxyl-terminal side of P-450C18 (encoded by exons 5-9 of CYP11B2). When a cDNA corresponding to the chimeric gene is transfected into COS-7 cells, the fused P-450 protein expressed in the mitochondria exhibits steroid 18-hydroxylase or aldosterone synthase activity. These results provide the molecular genetic basis for the characteristic biochemical phenotype of GSH patients.


Clonal dental pulp cells (RDP4-1, RPC-C2A) synthesize and secrete osteopontin (SPP1, 2ar). Dental pulp cells play an important role in maintaining dental mineralized tissue throughout life. Supplementary mineralization such as reparative dentin and pulp stone frequently occurs after primary dentin formation. Dental pulp cells are thought to be closely associated with such mineralization. We found that clonal rat dental pulp cells, RDP4-1 and RPC-C2A, produce and secrete osteopontin, but do not synthesize phosphophoryn which is a major noncollagenous protein found in dentin. The dental pulp osteopontin was highly phosphorylated and identified by thrombin susceptibility and immunoprecipitation with osteopontin/2ar antibody. Osteopontin synthesis markedly increased by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) as observed in many osteoblastic cells. This study indicates that these cells can produce osteopontin as a major phosphoprotein and suggests that the synthesis of osteopontin could be used as a characteristic marker of dental pulp cells.


Hepatic microsomes from beer fed rats contain a cytochrome P-450 metabolic intermediate complex. Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) 2E1 (CYP2E1) is induced by pure ethanol following its chronic administration, and commercial alcoholic beverages, whose major constituent is ethanol, are generally assumed to have a similar effect on this isoform of CYP450. Recently, we serendipitously discovered that beer administered to rats for six weeks had only a minimal inductive effect on hepatic microsomal CYP2E1 activity, while rats on 10% ethanol had CYP2E1 levels five-fold greater than controls. The daily ethanol intake levels for the beer fed and 10% ethanol fed rats were equivalent. In addition, CYP450 spectral features of microsomes from beer fed and ethanol fed rats were markedly different. Spectral examination of microsomes from beer fed rats revealed that about 40% of the total CYP450 content existed in the form of a metabolic intermediate (MI) complex, while no evidence was found for MI complex formation in microsomes of ethanol fed rats. We conclude that beer contains an unidentified component(s) that apparently blocks the typical ethanol induction of CYP2E1 and form an MI complex with CYP450.


The carboxy terminal 110 amino acid portion of the insulin receptor is important for insulin signalling to pyruvate dehydrogenase. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) had no detectable effect on pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) in NIH 3T3 cells that stably overexpressed normal human IGF-1 receptors. Insulin stimulated PDH activity 3-4--fold in cells that overexpressed normal human insulin receptors, but not in cells expressing TMI receptors, composed of the ligand binding domain of the insulin receptor coupled to the transmembrane and intracellular components of the IGF-1 receptor, or CEX receptors, in which the carboxy terminal 110 amino acid portion of the insulin receptor was exchanged for the corresponding portion of the IGF-1 receptor. In contrast, insulin stimulated glucose uptake in the control cell line and in each of the chimeric receptor-expressing lines with similar dose-response characteristics. These findings suggest the carboxy terminal portion of the IR may play a role in mediating the stimulation of PDH activity.


Apparent noncompetitive antagonism of muscarinic receptor mediated Ca2+ mobilization by some muscarinic antagonists. Ca2+ mobilizations in SH-SY5Y and IMR-32 human neuroblastoma cell lines were measured using the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator fura-2. A variety of antagonists (atropine, pirenzepine, 4-DAMP and N-methyl-scopolamine) inhibited carbamyl choline-induced transient Ca2+ mobilization both in a competitive and a noncompetitive manner. The apparent noncompetitive inhibition constants were lower in IMR-32 than in SH-SY5Y cells even when the competitive inhibition constants were similar. This may relate to the previously reported differential expression of muscarinic receptor subtypes in these cell lines.


Vanadate and insulin stimulate gene 33 expression. Vanadate and insulin stimulated gene 33 expression in rat H4 hepatoma cells. Vanadate (10(-3) M) maximally increased gene 33 transcription 4-fold at 15 min. The maximal insulin induction (3-4-fold) was observed using 5 x 10(-9) M insulin for 30 min. Both vanadate and insulin increased cytoplasmic mRNA levels in a dose-dependent manner, with maximal effects observed by 60 min. These effects on gene 33 mRNA accumulation were greater than those on transcription. Vanadate (10(-3) M) maximally stimulated gene 33 mRNA levels 10-12-fold. The vanadate and insulin effects were not synergistic. Thus, high concentrations of vanadate regulate gene 33 expression in an insulin-like manner and, like insulin, vanadate probably controls transcriptional as well as post-transcriptional events.


The parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) gene preferentially utilizes a GC-rich promoter and the PTHrP 1-139 coding pathway in normal human amnion. Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) is an oncofetal protein that is widely expressed in mammalian tissues. The PTHrP gene is a complex with three transcriptional start-sites, two TATA boxes and a GC-rich region, and three predicted polypeptide products, PTHrP 1-141, PTHrP 1-139, and PTHrP 1-173. The originally discovered form of PTHrP, PTHrP 1-141, and the classical TATA box promoters are generally assumed to be the major pathways of PTHrP gene expression. We have used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to study PTHrP gene expression in the human amnion. Our studies demonstrate that the GC-rich promoter is preferentially used and that PTHrP 1-139 is the major PTHrP mRNA expressed in human amnion. PTHrP 1-139 lacks the carboxy-terminal arginine and histidine residues of PTHrP 1-141; these two basic amino acids could have significant effects on the biological activity of PTHrP. These preferential pathways for PTHrP gene expression are shared by malignant and normal human tissues.