bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions on the response of fibroblasts to epidermal growth factor in vitro. Expression of collagen type I, collagenase, stromelysin and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases
Authors: Colige A C , Lambert C A , Nusgens B V , Lapière C M
Published: August 2015

Investigations of the effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the expression of four genes involved in the turnover of the extracellular matrix, collagen type I, collagenase, stromelysin and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) were performed on four strains of skin fibroblasts in vitro. Addition of EGF to subconfluent cultures for increasing periods of time up to 5 days induced an inhibition of procollagen alpha 1(I) mRNA and a strong stimulation of collagenase (100-fold) and stromelysin (1000-fold) mRNAs, whereas the mRNA of TIMP was increased to a lesser extent (5-fold). After a 40 h pulse with EGF, these effects persisted for 24-48 h after withdrawal of the growth factor and slowly diminished thereafter to attain control values after several days. By culturing fibroblasts for increasing periods of time, different levels of confluence were obtained allowing for the deposition of an extracellular biomatrix. The steady-state level of collagenase and stromelysin mRNAs were profoundly depressed in confluent as against non-confluent cultures, whereas no major change for TIMP and procollagen alpha 1(I) mRNAs was observed. Upon treatment of these cultures with EGF for 48h, the steady-state level of collagenase, stromelysin and TIMP increased, whereas procollagen alpha 1(I) mRNA was slightly reduced. These modifications were, at least in part, dependent upon a regulation of the transcription rate, as suggested from run-off experiments. Similar states of confluence were obtained by seeding cells at increasing densities in short-term cultures in which cell-cell contact predominated. In such culture conditions, the collagenase and stromelysin mRNAs were enhanced in high as compared to low density cultures. The response to EGF was progressively decreased for collagenase, stromelysin and, to a lesser extent, TIMP mRNAs at most densities and a complete lack of response to EGF at the highest cell density was observed. Under all culture conditions the modulation of collagenase mRNA was paralleled by similar modifications of enzyme activity. These results emphasize the importance of the cell-cell contacts and cell-matrix interactions in the expression of the genes coding for metalloproteinases or their inhibitor and their modulation by growth factors.
Epidermal growth factor increases sn-1,2-diacylglycerol levels and activates phospholipase D-catalysed phosphatidylcholine breakdown in Swiss 3T3 cells in the absence of inositol-lipid hydrolysis
Authors: Cook S J , Wakelam M J O
Published: August 2015

Addition of epidermal growth factor (EGF) to quiescent Swiss 3T3 cells resulted in a sustained increase in cellular diacylglycerol (DG) content in the absence of inositol-lipid hydrolysis. In the presence of non-cytotoxic concentrations of butan-1-ol, EGF stimulated the formation of phosphatidylbutanol, indicating that the EGF receptor was able to couple to the activation of phospholipase D (PLD). EGF-stimulated release of choline from Swiss 3T3 cells suggested that the major substrate for this PLD was phosphatidylcholine. Unlike bombesin-stimulated PLD activity, the response to EGF was not inhibited by a selective protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor (Ro-31-8220), suggesting that it was not dependent on PKC activation. Pre-treatment of Swiss 3T3 cells with the EGF-receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor AG18 selectively inhibited EGF-stimulated PLD activity; bombesin-stimulated PLD activity was unaffected. Butan-1-ol inhibited phorbol ester- and bombesin-stimulated DG formation suggesting a role for a coupled PLD/phosphatidate phosphohydrolase pathway; in contrast, EGF-stimulated DG formation was unaffected.
Effects of insulin-like growth factor I on the rates of glucose transport and utilization in rat skeletal muscle in vitro
Authors: Dimitriadis G , Parry-Billings M , Bevan S , Dunger D , Piva T , Krause U , Wegener G , Newsholme E A
Published: August 2015

1. The effects of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) on the rates of glucose transport and utilization and its interaction with insulin were investigated in rat soleus muscle in vitro. IGF-I increased the rates of glucose transport, lactate formation, glycogen synthesis and the flux of glucose to hexose monophosphate, but it had no effect on the rate of glucose oxidation or glycogenolysis. 2. In the absence of insulin, low levels of IGF-I (0-30 ng/ml) increased the rate of glycolysis and the content of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, but the content of glucose 6-phosphate remained unaltered; at higher levels of IGF-I (300-3000 ng/ml) the rate of glycolysis and the content of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate showed a further modest increase, but the content of glucose 6-phosphate doubled. Similar changes were seen when the level of insulin was increased from basal (0-0.4 ng/ml) to maximal (40 ng/ml). 3. Neither IGF-I nor insulin affected the contents of ATP, ADP, AMP, phosphocreatine or citrate. 4. Maximal concentrations of IGF-I increased the rate of lactate formation to a greater extent than did maximal concentrations of insulin. 5. In the presence of IGF-I, the rate of glucose utilization was less responsive to insulin. 6. The results suggest that, in rat skeletal muscle: (a) IGF-I increases the rates of glucose transport and utilization independently of insulin, and has a preferential effect on the rate of lactate formation; (b) the effects of IGF-I and insulin are not additive; (c) in addition to its effects on glucose transport, IGF-I increases the rate of glycogen synthesis and may stimulate glycolysis at the level of 6-phosphofructokinase; (d) changes in the content of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate may be part of the mechanism to regulate glycolytic flux in skeletal muscle in response to either IGF-I or insulin.
Separation and characterization of the two Asn-linked glycosylation sites of chicken serum riboflavin-binding protein. Glycosylation differences despite similarity of primary structure
Authors: Rohrer J S , White H B
Published: August 2015

Serum riboflavin-binding protein, a phosphoglycoprotein from the blood of laying hens, contains two Asn-Xaa-(Thr)Ser sequons in very similar but well-separated regions of amino acid sequence. In order to evaluate the effect of local amino acid sequence on the structure of the attached oligosaccharides, serum riboflavin-binding protein was purified to homogeneity, reduced and alkylated, digested with trypsin, and the two glycopeptides were separated by reversed-phase chromatography. After digestion with peptide-N-glycosidase F the released oligosaccharides were separated by high-pH anion-exchange chromatography and the oligosaccharide profiles of the two glycopeptides were compared. Although the two asparagine residues that are glycosylated are contained in pentapeptide segments in which four out of five amino acids are identical, the array of oligosaccharides present at each site show differences in both type and distribution. This suggests that local secondary or tertiary structure, or the order of glycosylation, influences the oligosaccharide structure more than does the primary structure flanking the attachment site.
Kinetic studies of the polygalacturonase enzyme from Colletotrichum lindemuthianum
Authors: Waksman G , Turner G , Walmsley A R
Published: August 2015

The intrinsic protein fluorescence of the polygalacturonase from Colletotrichium lindemuthianum was exploited in stopped-flow experiments aimed at elucidating the kinetic mechanism for this enzyme. Binding of the polymeric substrate polygalacturonic acid (PGA) essentially produced a triphasic fluorescence profile. There was an initial rapid quench in fluorescence, consistent with the rapid formation of the enzyme-substrate complex, with an equilibrium constant of about 8 x 10(-4)% (w/v) PGA (about 0.27 microM). There then followed a near-constant fluorescence phase, attributable to turnover of the enzyme-substrate complex as a steady-state intermediate. As the concentration of the steady-state intermediate became depleted, towards the end of the reaction, there was a partial return of the fluorescence intensity. This phase is attributed to a final, single turnover of the enzyme at the end of the reaction. The fluorescence intensity does not return to its original level due to product remaining bound at the end of the reaction.
Effects of detergent on the sulphation of chondroitin by cell-free preparations from chick-embryo epiphyseal cartilage
Authors: Sugumaran G , Silbert J E
Published: August 2015

The effects of the non-ionic detergent Triton X-100 on 6-sulphation of two species of endogenous nascent proteochondroitin by a chick-embryo cartilage microsomal system was examined. Sulphation of the larger (Type I) species with adenosine 3′-phosphate 5′-phosphosulphate was slightly diminished when Triton X-100 was present, whereas sulphation of the smaller (Type II) species was slightly enhanced. An ordered rather than random pattern of sulphation was obtained for the smaller proteoglycan, but with a considerably lower degree of sulphation than that of the larger proteochondroitin. These differences were consistent with other differences between these two species as described previously. Sulphation of exogenous [14C]chondroitin and exogenous proteo[3H]chondroitin by the microsomal system with Triton X-100 present produced ordered rather than random sulphation patterns. When a 100,000 g supernatant fraction was utilized for sulphation of [14C]chondroitin or proteo[3H]chondroitin, Triton X-100 was not needed, and ordered sulphation was still obtained. When hexasaccharide was used, sulphation of multiple N-acetylgalactosamine residues of the individual hexasaccharides resulted. This was relatively independent of Triton X-100 or the concentration of the hexasaccharide acceptors. With soluble enzyme, sulphation of multiple N-acetylgalactosamine residues on the individual hexasaccharide molecules was even greater, so that tri-sulphated products were found. This suggests that ordered rather than random sulphation of chondroitin with these enzyme preparations is due to enzyme-substrate interaction rather than to membrane organization.
Yeast transcription factor IID participates in cell-free transcription of a mammalian ribosomal protein TATA-less promoter
Authors: Yoganathan T , Horikoshi M , Hasegawa S , Roeder R G , Sells B H
Published: August 2015

We analysed transcription of the gene for the ribosomal protein (rp) L32 of the mouse, which is transcribed in mouse L1210 nuclear extracts in vitro. The rpL32 gene lacks a canonical TATA box. Hence it has been suggested that this gene has an alternative transcription pathway not requiring transcription factor IID (TFIID). Selective inactivation of TFIID in nuclear extract completely abolished the transcription of rpL32 in vitro. Selective inactivation was restored by the addition of cloned and purified yeast TFIID (yTFIID), indicating that this TATA-less rpL32 promoter utilizes TFIID for its transcription initiation. Furthermore, addition of an oligonucleotide-containing TATA sequence interfered with the rpL32 transcription and this was overcome by the addition of yTFIID. To further examine the stage of involvement of TFIID in rpL32 transcription, TATA oligonucleotide was added to nuclear extract before and after the formation of the transcription complex. The results reveal that TFIID associates with the pre-initiation complex and that this complex is largely resistant to added TATA oligonucleotide. Our results show, for the first time, that the TATA-less rpL32 gene utilizes TFIID for transcription initiation.
Evidence for carbohydrate-independent endocytosis of tissue-type plasminogen activator by liver cells
Authors: Stang E , Roos N , Schlüter M , Berg T , Krause J
Published: August 2015

In the liver, tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) is endocytosed by hepatic parenchymal (PC), endothelial (EC) and Kupffer (KC) cells. Although the endocytosis is receptor-mediated, it remains a matter of discussion which receptors are involved in this catabolic process. To evaluate the role of a protein-specific receptor, as well as the possible involvement of the galactose receptor on PC and the mannose receptor on EC, we have employed different glycosylation variants of t-PA in biochemical and immunocytochemical studies. Partial or total removal of carbohydrate side-chains by endoglycosidases did not prevent clearance and hepatic endocytosis of t-PA by either of the liver cell types. Blockade of the galactose and mannose receptors by co-application of a large excess of the glycoprotein ovalbumin remained without effect on the binding and uptake of t-PA by hepatic cells. However, the contribution of different liver cell types to the hepatic clearance of t-PA was to a certain extent dependent on the type of oligosaccharide chains removed. The mannose receptor on EC is partially responsible for the clearance of t-PA by this cell type, whereas the galactose receptor does not seem to be involved in this process. The results obtained in this study further demonstrate that the major portion of the hepatic catabolism of t-PA is independent of its carbohydrate side-chains.
Characterization of a tyrosine kinase activity associated with the high-affinity interleukin 2 receptor complex
Authors: Garcia G G , Evans G A , Michiel D F , Farrar W L
Published: August 2015

The IL-2 receptor complex is minimally composed of two genetically unrelated subunits of relative molecular masses 55 and 75 kDa respectively. Structural information deduced from the cDNA sequences of either subunit have not revealed significant information as to the basis of the mechanisms of IL-2 receptor signal transduction. Nevertheless, IL-2 stimulates the activation of one or more tyrosine kinases requiring the functional participation of the p75 member of the receptor complex. Here we have developed the methods to isolate the receptor complex with an associated tyrosine protein kinase. Extracts of membrane glycoproteins from activated normal human T lymphocytes and cell lines demonstrated catalytic activation of tyrosine kinase activity when stimulated with IL-2. Purification of the receptor complex with biotinylated IL-2 revealed the presence of two dominant phosphotyrosyl-proteins of approximate molecular masses 58 and 97 kDa. Denaturation gel electrophoresis followed by renaturation of proteins associated with the IL-2 receptor complex demonstrated that the 97 kDa protein had catalytic autophosphorylation activity. The results indicate that the 58 and 97 kDa phosphotyrosyl-proteins can be found to co-precipitate with the IL-2 receptor complex and that the 97 kDa protein was demonstrated to have protein kinase activity. The association of such kinases with receptors devoid of catalytic structure may represent a unique paradigm of growth-factor receptor mechanisms.
Importance of various antioxidant enzymes for cell stability. Confrontation between theoretical and experimental data
Authors: Remacle J , Lambert D , Raes M , Pigeolet E , Michiels C , Toussaint O
Published: August 2015

A theoretical model was developed taking into account the production and destruction of oxygen-derived free radicals. The steady state of the system was derived by using the rate equations of these reactions, and the stability of the system was tested. In the simplified model, only one stable steady state was found. However, we know that glutathione peroxidase can be inhibited by hydroperoxides, and, when incorporated into the model, this effect led to a complex situation with the presence of some stable and some unstable domains according to the concentration of either the enzyme or the hydroperoxide. This qualitative description of the system was compared with experimental data on the protection given by three antioxidant enzymes, and concordance of data was found which allows some quantification of the system. A general view of the efficiency of the three antioxidant enzymes and of the stability of the system according to their concentrations could be produced.
Further characterization of hormonal regulation of glutathione transferase in rat liver and adrenal glands. Sex differences and demonstration that growth hormone regulates the hepatic levels
Authors: Staffas L , Mankowitz L , Söderström M , Blanck A , Porsch-Hällström I , Sundberg C , Mannervik B , Olin B , Rydström J , DePierre J W
Published: August 2015

Immunoblot experiments and reverse-phase h.p.l.c. were used to study the levels of glutathione transferase subunits 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 in the liver and adrenal of intact and hypophysectomized male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. A sexual dimorphism in the levels of several of these isoenzymes and in their responses to hypophysectomy was demonstrated. In the liver of sham-operated females and males there are differences in glutathione transferase activities and isoenzyme pattern. H.p.l.c. analysis showed higher levels of subunits 1, 3 and 4 in male rats compared with females. In contrast with the pronounced sex differences in sham-operated rats, the isoenzyme patterns of hypophysectomized males and females were very similar. In the adrenal glands, however, a sexual dimorphism became apparent only after hypophysectomy, when the level of subunit 4 was increased 14-fold in the female, whereas the corresponding increase in the male rat was only 2.7-fold. The hepatic pattern of glutathione transferase subunits could be altered by continuous infusion of growth hormone to both sham-operated and hypophysectomized rats of both sexes. This treatment feminized the isoenzyme pattern in sham-operated males and a similar effect was obtained upon treating hypophysectomized rats with thyroxine, cortisone acetate and a continuous infusion of growth hormone.
Reconstitution and characterization of a Na+/Pi co-transporter protein from rabbit kidney brush-border membranes
Authors: Debiec H , Lorenc R , Ronco P M
Published: August 2015

A protein with Na+/Pi co-transporter activity has been extracted from rabbit brush-border membranes with chloroform/methanol and purified by hydroxyapatite chromatography. The protein has been incorporated by the dilution method into liposomes formed from different types and ratios of lipids. The greatest reconstitution has been achieved into liposomes prepared from cholesterol (20%), phosphatidylcholine (20%), phosphatidylethanolamine (30%) and phosphatidylserine (30%) (CH/PC/PE/PS). Pi uptake by these proteoliposomes had the following characteristics: (i) the initial rate was markedly greater in the presence of an inwardly directed Na+ gradient (600 pmol/10 s per mg) than with a K+ gradient (65 pmol/10 s per mg); (ii) maximal uptake was increased 8-fold above the equilibrium value (‘overshoot’) when a Na+ gradient was applied; (iii) Pi was not merely bound to proteoliposomes but was transported intravesicularly; and (iv) Na(+)-dependent Pi uptake was sensitive to the known phosphate transport inhibitors. This first successful attempt of reconstitution of Na+/Pi transport activity into proteoliposomes led us to isolate and characterize physico-chemically the protein responsible. Its isoelectric point was about 5.8, and urea/SDS gel electrophoresis revealed a broad band of molecular mass ranging from 63 to 66 kDa under both reducing and non-reducing conditions. In the native form, the molecular mass analysed by gel filtration was estimated to be 170 +/- 10 kDa, suggesting that the protein is a polymer, probably stabilized by hydrophobic bonds. Endoglycosidase F treatment decreased the molecular mass to approx. 50 kDa. It is postulated that this acidic glycoprotein might represent a subunit of the intact Na+/Pi co-transporter from rabbit kidney brush-border membranes.
Characterization by rapid-kinetic and equilibrium methods of the interaction between N-terminally truncated forms of chicken cystatin and the cysteine proteinases papain and actinidin
Authors: Lindahl P , Nycander M , Ylinenjärvi K , Pol E , Björk I
Published: August 2015

The interaction between five N-terminally truncated forms of chicken cystatin (starting at Leu-7, Leu-8, Gly-9, Ala-10 and Asp-15) and the cysteine proteinases papain and actinidin was studied by spectroscopic, kinetic and equilibrium methods. The u.v. absorption, near-u.v. c.d. and fluorescence emission difference spectra for the interactions with papain were all similar to the corresponding spectra for intact cystatin. The second-order association rate constants at 25 degrees C, pH 7.4, I 0.15, for the binding of the truncated forms to papain varied about 2-fold, from 6 x 10(6) to 1.5 x 10(7) M-1.s-1, and were comparable to the value of 9.9 x 10(6) M-1.s-1 for intact cystatin. In contrast, the rate constants for the dissociation of the complexes with papain increased markedly with increasing extent of truncation, from 7.5 x 10(-6)s-1 for Leu7 cystatin (a truncated form of cystatin having Leu-7 as its N-terminal amino acid) to 1.6s-1 for Ala10-cystatin, whereas the dissociation rate constants for the latter form and Asp15-cystatin were similar. Consequently, the binding affinities between the truncated cystatins and papain decreased in an analogous manner, as was also shown for the interaction with actinidin by equilibrium measurements. Studies of the binding of the truncated cystatins to inactivated papains indicated that small substituents on the active-site cysteine of the enzyme can be accommodated in the complex without any loss of affinity when the N-terminal segment of the inhibitor is removed. Taken together, the results suggest that in the N-terminal region of chicken cystatin only residues preceding Ala-10 participate in the interaction with proteinases. Of these residues, Leu-7 and Leu-8 together account for about two-thirds of the unitary free energy of binding contributed by the N-terminal region, the relative importance of the two residues being dependent on the target proteinase. Both Gly-9 and residues N-terminal of Leu-7 further stabilize the interaction but contribute substantially smaller binding energies than do the two leucine residues.
A sub-population of keratan sulphates derived from bovine articular cartilage is capped with α(2–6)-linked N-acetylneuraminic acid residues. Affinity chromatography using immobilized Sambucus nigra lectin and characterization using 1H n.m.r. spectroscopy
Authors: Tai G H , Morris H G , Brown G M , Huckerby T N , Nieduszynski I A
Published: August 2015

Alkaline borohydride-reduced keratan sulphate (KS) chains derived from bovine femoral head cartilage were fractionated by lectin affinity chromatography with Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA) into binding and non-binding populations. Analysis of the SNA-binding and non-binding KS chains using 600 MHz 1H n.m.r. spectroscopy showed that the former population contained alpha(2-6)-N-acetylneuraminic acid residues and the latter contained primarily alpha(2-3)-N-acetylneuraminic acid residues as chain terminators. Both populations contained a similar proportion of alpha(2-3)-N-acetylneuraminic acid residues within their protein-linkage regions, and similar sulphation and fucosylation levels. Analysis of these two fractions by gel-permeation chromatography (g.p.c.) on a TSK-30 XL column showed them to have the same size distributions. It was concluded from the n.m.r. spectra and g.p.c. data that the populations differed primarily in the mode of linkage of the chain-terminating sialic acids.
Key morphological features of apoptosis may occur in the absence of internucleosomal DNA fragmentation
Authors: Cohen G M , Sun X M , Snowden R T , Dinsdale D , Skilleter D N
Published: August 2015

Apoptosis, a major form of cell death, is characterized by chromatin condensation, a reduction in cell volume and endonuclease cleavage of DNA into oligonucleosomal length fragments. The detection of these fragments by gel electrophoresis, as a DNA ladder, is currently used as the major biochemical index of apoptosis. Here we report that key morphological changes of apoptosis can be dissociated experimentally from the DNA fragmentation produced by endonuclease activity. Internucleosomal cleavage of DNA is thus likely to be a later event in the apoptotic process.
Activation of neutrophil reactive-oxidant production by synovial fluid from patients with inflammatory joint disease. Soluble and insoluble immunoglobulin aggregates activate different pathways in primed and unprimed cells
Authors: Robinson J , Watson F , Bucknall R C , Edwards S W
Published: August 2015

Cell-free synovial fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis stimulated the NADPH oxidase activity in human neutrophils, which reached a peak 15-20 min after addition. Insoluble immunoglobulin aggregates isolated from these fluids activated a similar pattern of oxidase activity. However, when synovial fluid was added to neutrophil suspensions which had been previously exposed to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, the stimulated oxidase activity was biphasic, in that an additional transient activity was observed which reached a peak within 5 min of addition. The additional neutrophil-stimulating activity could not be sedimented by centrifugation at 330,000 g-min, and only activated oxidase activity in neutrophils which had previously been primed. The neutrophil-stimulating activity in this soluble fraction was removed by Protein A affinity chromatography, and activity was recovered in eluates from this column. Thus activity in this soluble fraction from synovial fluid is attributed to the presence of soluble immunoglobulin aggregates. Whereas oxidase activity stimulated by the isoluble immunoglobulin aggregates was inhibited by staurosporine (and hence largely dependent on the activity of protein kinase C), the activity stimulated by the soluble immunoglobulin aggregates was staurosporine-insensitive. The soluble immunoglobulin aggregates were present at significantly higher levels in synovial fluids from patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared with those from other joint arthropathies. Thus rheumatoid synovial fluids possess heterogeneous immunoglobulin aggregates which activate neutrophils via distinct molecular pathways. As neutrophils within rheumatoid joints are primed, the soluble immunoglobulin aggregates are likely to be of importance in disease pathology.
Thiol oxidation coupled to DT-diaphorase-catalysed reduction of diaziquone. Reductive and oxidative pathways of diaziquone semiquinone modulated by glutathione and superoxide dismutase
Authors: Ordoñez I D , Cadenas E
Published: August 2015

DT-diaphorase [NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase; EC 1.6.99.2] catalysed the two-electron reduction of the anti-tumour quinone 2,5-bis-(1-aziridinyl)-3,6-bis(ethoxycarbonylamino)-1,4-benzoquino ne (AZQ) to the hydroquinone form (AZQH2). Although DT-diaphorase catalysis of AZQ was not significantly affected by pH, the hydroquinone product was effectively stabilized by protonation at pH values below 7, whereas, above that pH, hyroquinone autoxidation, evaluated in terms of H2O2 production, increased exponentially. The autoxidation of AZQH2 entailed the formation of diverse radicals, such as O2-.,HO., and the semiquinone form of AZQ (AZQ-.), which contributed to different extents to the e.p.r. spectrum. Superoxide dismutase enhanced the autoxidation of AZQH2 and suppressed the e.p.r. signal ascribed to AZQ-., in agreement with a displacement of the equilibrium of the semiquinone autoxidation reaction (AZQ-.+O2 in equilibrium with AZQ+O2-.) upon enzymic withdrawal of O2-.. GSH increased the steady-state concentration of AZQH2 formed during DT-diaphorase catalysis and inhibited temporarily its autoxidation. This effect was accompanied by oxidation of the thiol to the disulphide within a process involving glutathionyl radical (GS.) formation, the relative contribution of which to the e.p.r. spectrum was enhanced by increasing GSH concentrations. GS. formation in this experimental model can be rationalized as originating from the reaction of GSH with AZQ-., rather than with O2-. or HO., for thiol oxidation was not affected significantly by superoxide dismutase, and GS. formation was insensitive to catalase. In addition, GSH suppressed the e.p.r. signal attributed to AZQ-.. No glutathionyl-quinone conjugate was detected during the DT-diaphorase-catalysed reduction of AZQ; although the chemical requirements for alkylation were partly fulfilled (quinone ring aromatization and acid-assisted aziridinyl ring opening), the negligible dissociation of GSH (GS(-)+H+ in equilibrium with GSH) at low pH prevented any nucleophilic addition to occur. Therefore the redox transitions of AZQ during DT-diaphorase catalysis seemed to be centred on the semiquinone species, the fate of which was inversely affected by catalytic amounts of superoxide dismutase and large amounts of GSH: the former enhanced AZQ-. autoxidation and the latter favoured AZQ-. reduction. Accordingly, superoxide dismutase and GSH suppressed the semiquinone e.p.r. signal. These results are discussed in terms of three interdependent redox transitions (comprising one-electron transfer reactions involving the quinone, oxygen and the thiol) and the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of the reactions involved.
Granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor affects myo-inositol metabolism in a novel manner. Implications for its priming action on human neutrophils
Authors: MacPhee C H
Published: August 2015

Little is known about the signal transduction processes involved in the priming action of granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on neutrophils. This study has used myo-[3H]inositol-labelled human neutrophils to determine whether preincubation with GM-CSF influences myo-inositol (Ins) metabolism in control cells, or in cells stimulated with the bacterial chemoattractant N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMetLeuPhe). GM-CSF pretreatment did not influence the total cellular 3H radioactivity content, demonstrating that the cytokine had no effect on Ins uptake. However, neutrophils pretreated with GM-CSF showed a dramatic 25-40% fall in the free [3H]Ins content of the cell, which was almost quantitatively recovered in a 2-4-fold increase in radioactivity within PtdIns. The remainder of the 3H radioactivity was found proportionately distributed throughout all other [3H]Ins-containing metabolites. Interestingly, in comparison with controls, the GM-CSF-stimulated increases in [3H]polyphosphoinositide (including 3-phosphorylated lipids) and [3H]Ins polyphosphate contents were consistently higher than that observed with PtdIns. This observation suggests that GM-CSF influences the hormone-sensitive pool of PtdIns, possibly through the activation of a PtdIns synthase which is rate-limiting to subsequent metabolic pathways. This is the first report of an action of GM-CSF on Ins metabolism, and highlights the conversion of Ins to PtdIns as a key regulatory metabolic step.
pH-induced kinetic co-operativity of a thylakoid-bound polyphenol oxidase
Authors: Valero E , García-Carmona F
Published: August 2015

A study of the catecholase activity of a latent plant polyphenol oxidase, extracted and purified from the chloroplast membranes of grapes (Vitis vinifera cv. Airen), revealed for the first time a lag phase above pH 5.0, whereas a steady-state rate was reached immediately when pH values were lower, thus suggesting the hysteretic nature of the enzyme. During steady state, the enzyme showed negative co-operativity concomitant with the presence of the lag period, and followed classical Michaelis-Menten kinetics under more acid pH conditions. Statistical analysis of these data showed a minimal value for the extreme Hill coefficient of 0.54 at pH 6.0. This kinetic behaviour of polyphenol oxidase has been interpreted in terms of the pH-induced ‘slow’ transition mechanism reported by Ricard, Noat & Nari [(1984) Eur. J. Biochem. 145, 311-317] in which the conformational change does not affect the active site of the enzyme.
Hyaluronan-binding region of aggrecan from pig laryngeal cartilage. Amino acid sequence, analysis of N-linked oligosaccharides and location of the keratan sulphate
Authors: Barry F P , Gaw J U , Young C N , Neame P J
Published: August 2015

The hyaluronan-binding region (HABR) was prepared from pig laryngeal cartilage aggrecan and the amino acid sequence was determined. The HABR had two N-termini: one N-terminal sequence was Val-Glu-Val-Ser-Glu-Pro (367 amino acids in total), and a second N-terminal sequence (Ala-Ile-Ser-Val-Glu-Val; 370 amino acids in total) was found to arise due to alternate cleavage by the signal peptidase. The N-linked oligosaccharides were analysed by examining their reactivity with a series of lectins. It was found that the N-linked oligosaccharide on loop A was of the mannose type, while that on loop B was of the complex type. No reactivity was detected between the N-linked oligosaccharide on loop B' and any of the lectins. The location of keratan sulphate (KS) in the HABR was determined by Edman degradation of the immobilized KS-containing peptide. The released amino acid derivatives were collected and tested for the presence of epitope to antibody 5-D-4. On the basis of 5-D-4 reactivity and sequencing yields, the KS chains are attached to threonine residues 352 and 357. There is no KS at threonine-355. This site is not in fact in G1, but about 16 amino acid residues into the interglobular domain. Comparison of the structure of the KS chain from the HABR and from the KS domain of pig laryngeal cartilage aggrecan was made by separation on polyacrylamide gels of the oligosaccharides arising from digestion with keratanase. Comparison of the oligosaccharide maps suggests that the KS chains from both parts of the aggrecan molecule have the same structure.
Interaction between protein kinase C and Exo1 (14–3–3 protein) and its relevance to exocytosis in permeabilized adrenal chromaffin cells
Authors: Morgan A , Burgoyne R D
Published: August 2015

The roles of protein kinase C (PKC) and Exo1 in exocytosis from digitonin-permeabilized adrenal chromaffin cells were explored by using exogenous purified proteins in a run-down/reconstitution system. The stimulatory action of Exo1 on exocytosis from run-down cells was found to be completely dependent on the continuous presence of exogenous MgATP, suggesting that it acts on the slow phase of exocytosis [Holz, Bittner, Peppers, Senter & Eberhard (1989), J. Biol. Chem. 264, 5412-5419]. Partially purified rat brain PKC was found to be able to stimulate Ca(2+)-dependent exocytosis from run-down cells in a dose-dependent manner. This effect was indeed due to PKC and not a contaminant in the PKC fraction, since the PKC activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), under conditions in which control secretion was not affected, potentiated the effect of the exogenous PKC in stimulating secretion. Furthermore, although either PKC or Exo1 alone could stimulate exocytosis from run-down cells, the effect of combining the fractions was synergistic, as had previously been observed using PMA treatment combined with Exo1 incubation [Morgan & Burgoyne (1992) Nature (London) 355, 833-836]. The observed synergy between PKC and Exo1 was not due to PKC-mediated phosphorylation of Exo1, and Exo1 was found not to affect PKC activity in enzyme assays. We conclude that PKC and Exo1 act synergistically in the slow phase of Ca(2+)-dependent exocytosis from adrenal chromaffin cells. Furthermore, PKC does not directly affect Exo1, but rather enhances the activity of Exo1 by a putative phosphorylation of another, unidentified, component of the exocytotic machinery which facilitates the action of Exo1 in exocytosis.
Permeability of rat liver microsomal membrane to glucose 6-phosphate
Authors: Fulceri R , Bellomo G , Gamberucci A , Scott H M , Burchell A , Benedetti A
Published: August 2015

Light-scattering measurements of osmotically induced changes in the size of rat liver microsomal vesicles pre-equilibrated in a low-osmolality buffer revealed the following. (1) The increase in extravesicular osmolality by addition of glucose 6-phosphate or mannose 6-phosphate (25 mM each) caused a rapid shrinking of microsomal vesicles. After shrinkage, a rapid swelling phase (t1/2 approx. 22 s) was present with glucose 6-phosphate but absent with mannose 6-phosphate, indicating that the former had entered microsomal vesicles, but the latter had not. (2) Almost identical results were obtained in the absence of any glucose 6-phosphate hydrolysis, i.e. with microsomes pre-treated with 100 microM-vanadate. (3) The anion-channel blocker 4,4′-di-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2′-disulphonic acid (DIDS) suppressed the glucose 6-phosphate-induced swelling phase. (4) The swelling phase was more prolonged as the glucose 6-phosphate concentration increased (t1/2 = 16 +/- 3, 22 +/- 3 and 35 +/- 4 s with 25 mM, 37.5 mM- and 50 mM-glucose 6-phosphate respectively). The behaviour of glucose-6-phosphatase activity of intact and disrupted microsomes measured in the presence of high concentrations (less than 30 mM) of substrate also indicated the saturation of the glucose 6-phosphate permeation system by extravesicular concentrations of glucose 6-phosphate higher than 20-30 mM. Additional experiments showed that vanadate-treated microsomes pre-equilibrated with 0.1 mM- and 1.0 mM-glucose 6-phosphate (and [1-14C]glucose 6-phosphate as a tracer) rapidly (t1/2 less than 20 s) released [1-14C]glucose 6-phosphate when diluted in a glucose 6-phosphate-free medium. The efflux of [1-14C]glucose 6-phosphate was largely prevented by DIDS, allowing an evaluation of the intravesicular space of glucose 6-phosphate of approx. 1.0 microliter/mg of microsomal protein.
Release of cell surface proteoglycans from differentiating colon cells proceeds by cleavage of lipophilic anchor peptides
Authors: McBain J A , Mueller G C
Published: August 2015

Heparan sulphate proteoglycans are rapidly released from VACO 10MS colon cancer cells that are triggered with phorbol esters to undergo terminal differentiation. This lag-free temperature-sensitive process is correlated with a conversion of the lipophilic proteoglycans of the cell surface into non-lipophilic proteoglycans that accumulate in the culture medium. The released proteoglycans are very similar to their lipophilic precursors in size, buoyant density and glycosaminoglycan characteristics; however, they exhibit slightly smaller core proteins after chemical and enzymic deglycosylation. The lipophilicity of the larger-sized core proteins of the cell-associated proteoglycans is also correlated with the presence of an easily iodinatable domain; this domain is missing in the released proteoglycans. Exogenous proteases (i.e. chymotrypsin, V8, trypsin and proteinase K) readily cleave this segment from the larger protease-resistant region of the proteoglycan structure. It is also released intact by treatment of the isolated proteoglycans with methanolic HCl. This component appears to be peptide in character, in that proteases readily degrade it and release iodotyrosines when the precursor has been iodinated. No evidence for the presence of covalently attached fatty acids in the cell-associated proteoglycans was found. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the altered proteoglycan metabolism that is associated with the phorbol-ester-induced terminal differentiation of certain human colon cancer cells ensues upon the activation of a membrane-localized protease that cleaves a lipophilic anchor segment from the cell surface proteoglycans.
A positive regulator of the ribosomal protein gene, β factor, belongs to the ETS oncoprotein family
Authors: Yoganathan T , Bhat N K , Sells B H
Published: August 2015

The beta factor, which interacts with the rpL32 promoter, binds to the sequence 5′-GAGCCGGAAGTG and trans-activates this gene. Comparison of the DNA sequences bound by the beta factor with those bound by other known DNA-binding proteins revealed that the ETS proteins interact with similar DNA sequences. Consequently we have examined the relationship of the beta factor to the several ETS proteins so far reported. Antibody and oligonucleotide competition experiments, performed by using electrophoretic shift analysis, revealed that the beta factor contains ETS epitopes and that it is immunologically related to both of the GA-binding proteins (GABPs), implying that the beta factor may consist of two separate protein subunits.
A Raman study of the binding of Fe(III) to ATP and AMP
Authors: Zhelyaskov V , Yue K T
Published: August 2015

ATP-Fe and AMP-Fe complexes in water (H2O and 2H2O) at pH 7.5 were studied using Raman spectroscopy. Parallel and perpendicular polarization spectra were recorded in the spectral range 200-1650 cm-1, and the depolarization ratios for most of the bands were calculated. The changes in the frequencies, intensities and depolarization ratios of the ATP and AMP bands after the addition of FeCl3 showed that the adenine moiety, in addition to the phosphate(s), was involved in the binding of Fe to both ATP and AMP. Direct interactions of Fe(III) with the phosphate chain and the N-7 nitrogen and indirect interaction (via water molecules) with the amide group were proposed for the ATP-Fe complex. In contrast, direct interaction with the phosphate group and indirect interaction with the amide group were observed for the AMP-Fe complex. The different interactions of the two complexes suggest an ‘anti’ conformation for the ATP-Fe complex and a ‘syn’ conformation for the AMP-Fe complex. The strong binding of Fe to ATP compared with AMP and the difference in the conformation of the ATP-Fe and the AMP-Fe complexes may be significant in the pathway of Fe release in mitochondria.
Mechanisms of thermoinactivation of endoglucanase I from Trichoderma reesei QM 9414
Authors: Dominguez J M , Acebal C , Jimenez J , de la Mata I , Macarron R , Castillon M P
Published: August 2015

The mechanism of irreversible thermoinactivation of endoglucanase I from Trichoderma reesei has been determined at 70 degrees C at the pH of maximum enzyme activity. The time-course of thermoinactivation did not follow first-order kinetics and kinetic constants of the process were dependent on enzyme concentration, suggesting that aggregation was the main process leading to irreversible inactivation. The enzyme was extremely resistant to urea, which in fact seemed to stabilize it against temperature. Disulphide exchange, deamidation and hydrolysis of peptide bonds were also responsible for the loss of enzyme activity at 70 degrees C.
Subcellular localization and release of human neutrophil gelatinase, confirming the existence of separate gelatinase-containing granules
Authors: Kjeldsen L , Bjerrum O W , Askaa J , Borregaard N
Published: August 2015

An e.l.i.s.a. was developed using specific polyclonal rabbit antibodies against human neutrophil gelatinase. This assay, in contrast to the functional assay, is independent of activation of gelatinase, and is specific for the detection of gelatinase in both its reduced and unreduced forms. Using this assay, we were able to demonstrate a difference between the subcellular localization of gelatinase on the one hand, and the subcellular localization of vitamin B-12-binding protein, lactoferrin and cytochrome b558 on the other hand. The latter three co-localized in fractions of slightly higher density than gelatinase on a two-layer Percoll density gradient. Furthermore, the release of gelatinase exceeded the release of vitamin B-12-binding protein as well as lactoferrin by a factor of 3-6 following stimulation with formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, leukotriene B4 and other soluble stimuli. Thus, although gelatinase has previously been found to co-localize with lactoferrin on immuno-electron microscopy, we confirm the existence of gelatinase-rich and lactoferrin- and vitamin B-12-binding-protein-poor granules, that are lighter and mobilized more easily than specific granules. These gelatinase-containing granules are not the store of cytochrome b558.
Crystal structure of papain-E64-c complex. Binding diversity of E64-c to papain S2 and S3 subsites
Authors: Kim M J , Yamamoto D , Matsumoto K , Inoue M , Ishida T , Mizuno H , Sumiya S , Kitamura K
Published: August 2015

In order to investigate the binding mode of E64-c (a synthetic cysteine proteinase inhibitor) to papain at the atomic level, the crystal structure of the complex was analysed by X-ray diffraction at 1.9 A (1 A is expressed in SI units as 0.1 nm) resolution. The crystal has a space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with a = 43.37, b = 102.34 and c = 49.95 A. A total of 21,135 observed reflections were collected from the same crystal, and 14811 unique reflections of up to 1.9 A resolution [Fo > 3 sigma(Fo)] were used for the structure solution and refinement. The papain structure was determined by means of the molecular replacement method, and then the inhibitor was observed on a (2 magnitude of Fo-magnitude of Fc) difference Fourier map. The complex structure was finally refined to R = 19.4% including 207 solvent molecules. Although this complex crystal (Form II) was polymorphous as compared with the previously analysed one (Form I), the binding modes of leucine and isoamylamide moieties of E64-c were significantly different from each other. By the calculation of accessible surface area for each complex atom, these two different binding modes were both shown to be tight enough to prevent the access of solvent molecules to the papain active site. With respect to the E64-c-papain binding mode, molecular-dynamics simulations proposed two kinds of stationary states which were derived from the crystal structures of Forms I and II. One of these, which corresponds to the binding mode simulated from Form I, was essentially the same as that observed in the crystal structure, and the other was somewhat different from the crystal structure of Form II, especially with respect to the binding of the isoamylamide moiety with the papain S subsites. The substrate specificity for the papain active site is discussed on the basis of the present results.
Characterization and isolation of a high-density-lipoprotein-binding protein from bovine corpus luteum plasma membrane
Authors: Ferreri K , Menon K M J
Published: August 2015

The ovary uses the cholesterol from high-density lipoproteins (HDL) as a substrate source for steroid hormone production. It is not clear, however, how ovarian cells acquire the lipoprotein cholesterol. This study describes the characterization and isolation of a high-affinity-binding protein for apolipoprotein E-free HDL from the plasma-membrane fraction of bovine corpora lutea. Plasma membranes were prepared by differential centrifugation with 5-6-fold enrichment of 5′-nucleotidase activity. The binding of 125I-HDL to the plasma membranes was time-dependent, and there appeared to be a single high-affinity site with a Kd of 6.7 micrograms of HDL/ml of assay buffer. The binding was not affected by high concentrations of low-density lipoproteins or the Ca2+ chelator EDTA, nor by changes in pH in the range 6.5-9.0. The binding was affected by the salt concentration in the buffer, with a dose-dependent increase that reached a maximum at 150-250 mM-NaCl. Binding was increased in the presence of high concentrations of KCl and KBr, and most significantly increased by high concentrations of bivalent metal ions. Ligand-blot analysis under reducing conditions revealed that the binding protein was a single polypeptide of about 108 kDa that was associated with the plasma-membrane fraction. This HDL-binding protein was purified to homogeneity by solubilization with Triton X-100, poly(ethylene glycol) precipitation, DEAE-Sephadex chromatography, and preparative SDS/PAGE. The purified binding protein is a single polypeptide of 108 kDa that retains high affinity and specificity for HDL as assayed by ligand blotting.