bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Platelet-derived-growth-factor-stimulated heterogeneous polyphosphoinositide metabolism and phosphate uptake in C3H fibroblasts
Authors: Holmsen H , Male R , Rongved S , Langeland N , Lillehaug J
Published: August 2015

Pig platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) increased the rate of [32P]Pi uptake by murine fibroblasts, resulting in a 3-9-fold elevation of the specific radioactivity of ATP, PtdInsP, PtdInsP2, PtdIns and phosphatidic acid. The specific radioactivity was 10-60-fold higher in ATP than in the four phospholipids. These substances are therefore not in metabolic equilibrium, which complicates determination of inositol phospholipid turnover.
Purification and characterization of human liver dehydroepiandrosterone sulphotransferase
Authors: Falany C N , Vazquez M E , Kalb J M
Published: August 2015

A form of sulphotransferase capable of sulphating dehydroepiandrosterone and other steroids was purified from cytosol prepared from human liver. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphotransferase was purified 621-fold when compared with the activity in cytosol using DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B and adenosine 3′,5′-bisphosphate-agarose affinity chromatography. During affinity chromatography, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphation activity could be resolved from p-nitrophenol sulphation activity catalysed by phenol sulphotransferase by using a gradient of adenosine 3′-phosphate 5′-phosphosulphate. The purified enzyme was most active towards dehydroepiandrosterone but was capable of conjugating a number of other steroids, including pregnenolone, androsterone and beta-oestradiol. No activity towards p-nitrophenol or dopamine, substrates for the phenol sulphotransferase, was observed with the pure enzyme. A single band with a subunit molecular mass of 35 kDa was observed by Coomassie Blue staining following SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis of the purified enzyme. A molecular mass of 68-70 kDa was calculated for the active form of the enzyme by chromatography on Sephacryl S-200, suggesting that the active form of the enzyme is a dimer.
The interleukin-1 receptor in Raji human B-lymphoma cells. Molecular characterization and evidence for receptor-mediated activation of gene expression
Authors: Horuk R , McCubrey J A
Published: August 2015

In a previous paper [Horuk, Huang, Covington & Newton (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 16275-16278] we reported that there were fundamental differences in the biochemical properties of the interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor between Raji and EL4 cell lines. In the present study we have investigated the basis for these differences. Kinetic studies measuring the on and off rates of IL-1 receptor binding revealed that the low-affinity IL-1-binding sites observed in Raji cells, compared with EL4 cells, result from a combination of a lower association rate and a higher dissociation rate in the Raji cells. The turnover of the Raji IL-1 receptor, measured by inhibiting protein synthesis with cycloheximide, was much faster than that of the EL4 IL-1 receptor, with a half-time of 2 h as against 5 h. Treatment of 125I-IL-1-labelled IL-1 receptors in Raji and EL4 cells with neuraminidase decreased their molecular mass by approx. 2-5 kDa as assessed by SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The covalently labelled IL-1 receptors in both cell types were sensitive to treatment with endoglycosidase F, which decreased their molecular mass on SDS/PAGE by 12-13 kDa. Incubation of Raji cells with maximally stimulating doses of IL-1 resulted in an increase in the nascent RNA levels of several genes, including the IL-2 receptor and the proto-oncogenes c-Ha-ras and c-myc.
Influence of bacterial toxins and forskolin upon vasopressin-induced inositol phosphate accumulation in WRK 1 cells
Authors: Guillon G , Balestre M N , Lombard C , Rassendren F , Kirk C J
Published: August 2015

The accumulation of inositol phosphates in WRK 1 cells, stimulated with a range of vasopressin concentrations, was diminished by prior exposure to cholera toxin or forskolin, whilst that observed in the presence of maximal concentrations of the hormone was enhanced in pertussis-toxin-treated cells. In the presence of [32P]NAD+, both cholera toxin and pertussis toxin provoked the labelling of peptides with approximate Mrs of 45,000 and 41,000 respectively in the membranes of WRK 1 cells. Exposure to cholera toxin or forskolin for 15-18 h enhanced cyclic AMP accumulation in these cells. The concentrations of these agents which provoked half-maximal cyclic AMP accumulation were similar to those required to diminish receptor-mediated inositol phosphate accumulation by 50%. In contrast, half-maximal ADP-ribosylation of the 45,000Mr peptide needed 100-fold greater concentrations of the toxin than were effective in provoking half-maximal inhibition of inositol phosphate accumulation. Cholera toxin or forskolin also reduced the maximal specific binding, to intact WRK 1 cells, of both [3H][Arg8]vasopressin and the V1a antagonist [3H][beta-mercapto-beta,beta-cyclopentamethylenepropionic acid,O-methyl-Tyr2, Arg8]vasopressin. The kinetics for the loss of this binding capacity following cholera-toxin treatment were very similar to those describing the diminution of vasopressin-stimulated inositol phosphate accumulation in the same cells.
Co-ordinate regulation of low-density-lipoprotein receptor and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase and synthase gene expression in HepG2 cells
Authors: Molowa D T , Cimis G M
Published: August 2015

Cellular processes responsible for maintaining cholesterol homoeostasis are highly regulated. To determine whether two of these processes, cholesterol biosynthesis and receptor-mediated uptake of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), are co-ordinately regulated in human liver, we employed a human hepatoma cell line (HepG2) and measured the accumulation of mRNA for LDL receptor, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase and HMG-CoA synthase under a variety of conditions. Genomic Southern-blot analysis demonstrated that the integrity of these genes is maintained in the transformed cell. Treatment of HepG2 cells with mevalonate, 25-hydroxycholesterol, LDL, lovastatin or miconazole resulted in a similar effect on the accumulation of all three mRNAs at the concentrations tested. The onset of the response to drug, whether repression or induction of mRNA accumulation, occurred after approximately the same period of exposure for each mRNA. We conclude that the expression of the LDL receptor, HMG-CoA reductase and HMG-CoA synthase is co-ordinately regulated in HepG2 cells.
Study of the flux and transition time control coefficient profiles in a metabolic system in vitro and the effect of an external stimulator
Authors: Torres N V , Souto R , Meléndez-Hevia E
Published: August 2015

Control of flux and transition time was investigated with a reconstructed rabbit muscle glycolytic system in vitro as an experimental model. The results show agreement with the summation property for the Flux Control Coefficients [Kacser & Burns (1973) Symp. Soc. Exp. Biol. 27, 65-104; Heinrich & Rapoport (1974) Eur. J. Biochem. 42, 89-95]. Control of flux is almost exclusively located at the hexokinase- and phosphofructokinase-catalysed steps, whereas control of transition time is distributed more evenly between the enzymes of the system. The summation value of the Transition Time Control Coefficients is near to -1, suggesting the existence of another Summation Theorem besides that already stated for Flux Control Coefficients. Finally, we study the effect of an external stimulator of the system (fructose 2,6-bisphosphate) on the Control Coefficient profiles. The effect appears to be greater on the Transition Time Control Coefficient distribution than on the Flux Control Coefficients.
Uptake and degradation in vivo and in vitro of laminin and nidogen by rat liver cells
Authors: Smedsrød B , Paulsson M , Johansson S
Published: August 2015

Laminin antigens are known to be present in the blood of normal individuals. In the present study we have investigated the fate of laminin-related molecules in the circulation. After intravenous injection in rats, the native laminin-nidogen complex, as well as the separated proteins, were rapidly eliminated from the blood (half-lives 2-10 min) by the liver. The large laminin fragments E1 and E8 (Mr 400,000 and 280,000 respectively), which contain the major cell-adhesion-promoting activities of laminin, were also cleared from the blood mainly by the liver, but the rate of uptake was an order of magnitude lower for these fragments than for laminin. This indicates that the uptake of laminin did not occur via cell-adhesion receptors. The endothelial cells of liver were the most important cell type in the uptake of laminin-nidogen complex, nidogen, laminin and fragment E1, whereas the parenchymal cells were responsible for more than 50% of the uptake of E8 in the liver. Studies in vitro with cultured liver endothelial cells and parenchymal cells demonstrated that the ligands were endocytosed and degraded independently of plasma factors. The results reveal that the level of laminin antigens in blood is a very complex parameter. It is not only dependent on the turnover of basement membranes, but also on the degree of degradation of the material released into the blood and on the functional state of the liver, particularly the liver endothelial cells.
Insulin controls key steps of carbohydrate metabolism in cultured HT29 colon cancer cells
Authors: Babia T , Denis-Pouxviel C , Murat J C , Gomez-Foix A M , Trocheris V , Guinovart J J , Bosch F
Published: August 2015

Effects of insulin on key steps of carbohydrate metabolism were investigated in cultured HT29 colon cancer cells by two different approaches, i.e. incubation of the cells either in the absence or in the presence of glucose in the medium. In glucose-deprived cells, insulin decreased glycogen breakdown, but did not affect polysaccharide levels when glucose was present. Glycogen synthase became activated after insulin treatment in both conditions, even though the activation was more evident when glucose was omitted. No effect on glycogen phosphorylase activity was evident under our experimental conditions. In cells incubated with glucose, the hormone stimulated in a dose-dependent manner the rates of glucose uptake and lactate release. Concomitantly with the increase in glycolytic rate, insulin caused a strong increase in fructose 2,6-bisphosphate. This effect was not observed in the absence of glucose. It is concluded that the carbohydrate metabolism of cultured HT29 cells responds to insulin, making this biological model suitable for investigations in vitro on the mechanism of insulin action.
Reaction between sheep liver mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase and various thiol-modifying reagents
Authors: Loomes K M , Kitson T M
Published: August 2015

Sheep liver mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase reacts with 2,2′-dithiodipyridine and 4,4′-dithiodipyridine in a two-step process: an initial rapid labelling reaction is followed by slow displacement of the thiopyridone moiety. With the 4,4′-isomer the first step results in an activated form of the enzyme, which then loses activity simultaneously with loss of the label (as has been shown to occur with the cytoplasmic enzyme). With 2,2′-dithiodipyridine, however, neither of the two steps of the reaction has any effect on the enzymic activity, showing that the mitochondrial enzyme possesses two cysteine residues that must be more accessible or reactive (to this reagent at least) than the postulated catalytically essential residue. The symmetrical reagent 5,5′-dithiobis-(1-methyltetrazole) activates mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase approximately 4-fold, whereas the smaller related compound methyl l-methyltetrazol-5-yl disulphide is a potent inactivator. These results support the involvement of mixed methyl disulphides in causing unpleasant physiological responses to ethanol after the ingestion of certain antibiotics.
Spontaneous excretion of d-alanine in urine in mutant mice lacking d-amino-acid oxidase
Authors: Konno R , Nagata Y , Niwa A , Yasumura Y
Published: August 2015

Urine from mutant mice lacking D-amino-acid oxidase contained a large amount of alanine compared with that from normal mice. Urinary alanine of the mutant mice was sensitive to D-amino-acid oxidase. H.p.l.c. showed that about 94% of the urinary alanine had the D-configuration. These results suggest that D-amino-acid oxidase functions to decompose D-amino acid(s) in normal mice.
Insulin stimulates proteolysis of the α-subunit, but not the β-subunit, of its receptor at the cell surface in rat liver
Authors: Lipson K E , Kolhatkar A A , Donner D B
Published: August 2015

Insulin receptors in rat liver plasma membranes contain two alpha- and two beta-subunits held together by interchain disulphide bonds ([alpha beta]2 receptors). Affinity-labelled receptors were digested with chymotrypsin or elastase and then exposed to dithiothreitol before solubilization from membranes and SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. This resulted in partial reduction and isolation of Mr-225,000 alpha beta, Mr-200,000 alpha 1 beta, Mr-165,000 alpha beta 1 and Mr-145,000 alpha 1 beta 1 receptor halves containing intact (alpha, beta) or degraded (alpha 1, beta 1) subunits. The ability to identify half-receptor complexes containing intact or degraded subunits made it possible to assay each subunit simultaneously for insulin-induced proteolysis in isolated plasma membranes or during perfusion of rat liver in situ with insulin. In liver membranes, insulin binding increased the fraction of receptors containing degraded alpha-subunits to about one-third of the total population during 2 h of incubation at 23 degrees C. beta-Subunit proteolysis increased only minimally during this time. Plasma membranes isolated from livers perfused with insulin at 37 degrees C contained degraded alpha-subunits but only intact beta-subunits, showing that insulin induced cell-surface proteolysis of the binding, but not the kinase, domain of its receptor. Since previous observations [Lipson, Kolhatkar & Donner (1988) J. Biol. Chem 263, 10495-10501] have shown that receptors containing degraded alpha-subunits are internalized but do not recycle, it is possible that cell-surface degradation may play a role in the regulation of insulin-receptor number in hepatic tissue. Proteolysis of the beta-subunit is not a likely mechanism by which receptor-kinase activity may be attenuated under physiological conditions.
Modulation of testicular galactolipid sulphotransferase activity by phosphorylation. Stimulation of enzyme activity in vitro by an endogenous kinase
Authors: Sakac D , Lingwood C A
Published: August 2015

Evidence is presented for a testicular protein kinase activity capable of stimulating the activity in vitro of a partially purified preparation of the testicular galactolipid sulphotransferase. This enzyme is responsible for the synthesis of the major mammalian testicular glycolipid, sulphogalactosylglycerol, and is an early marker of differentiation during spermatogenesis. This stimulatory activity has been separated by affinity chromatography, using 3′,5′-ADP-agarose, from both the detergent-solubilized microsomes (microsomal fractions) and the soluble fraction of the testicular homogenate. The stimulator was eluted from the affinity matrix by either a salt, or, more selectively, a cyclic AMP gradient. Thus this matrix can function as an analogue of 3′,5′-cyclic AMP. The activity of the sulphotransferase stimulator was ATP-dependent and coincident with protein kinase activity. Sulphotransferase activity was also stimulated in the presence of commercial preparations of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and stimulation was prevented in the presence of kinase inhibitors. Our results suggest that sulphogalactolipid biosynthesis is regulated by a phosphorylation process during spermatogenesis. In addition, our results suggest that affinity chromatography on 3′,5′-ADP-agarose may provide a general method for the purification of cyclic AMP-dependent kinases.
A study of the mechanism by which some amphiphilic drugs affect human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase activity
Authors: Spinedi A , Pacini L , Luly P
Published: August 2015

The effects of the local anaesthetics procaine, tetracaine and lidocaine and of the antidepressant imipramine on human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase were investigated. All four amphiphilic drugs inhibited enzymic activity, the IC50 (the concentration causing 50% inhibition) being about 0.40 mM for procaine, 0.05 mM for tetracaine, 0.70 mM for imipramine and 7.0 mM for lidocaine. Procaine and tetracaine inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity competitively at concentrations at which they did not perturb the physical state of the membrane lipid environment, as assessed by steady-state fluorescence polarization, whereas lidocaine and imipramine displayed mixed inhibition kinetics at concentrations at which they induced an enhancement of membrane fluidity. The question was addressed as to whether membrane integrity is a prerequisite for imipramine and lidocaine action. Membrane solubilization by 1% Triton X-100 and a decrease, by dilution, in the detergent concentration to 0.05% [which is above the Triton X-100 critical micelle concentration (c.m.c.)] did not substantially affect the inhibitory potency of the two amphiphilic drugs at their IC50; in the presence of increasing detergent concentrations the inhibitory potency of imipramine was gradually decreased, but not abolished, whereas the inhibitory effect of lidocaine was only slightly diminished, even at 1% Triton X-100. It is suggested that neither competitive nor mixed inhibition kinetics arise from conformational changes of the protein driven by a modification of the physical state of the lipid environment, but from a direct interaction of the amphiphilic drugs with acetylcholinesterase. In particular, the partial loss of the inhibitory potency of imipramine and lidocaine that is observed upon increasing Triton X-100 concentration well above its c.m.c. could be explained in terms of amphiphile partition in detergent micelles and, in turn, of a decreased effective concentration of the two inhibitors in the aqueous phase.
The putative ‘link’ glycopeptide associated with mucus glycoproteins. Composition and properties of preparations from the gastrointestinal tracts of several mammals
Authors: Roberton A M , Mantle M , Fahim R E F , Specian R D , Bennick A , Kawagishi S , Sherman P , Forstner J F
Published: August 2015

The existence of a discrete ‘link’ peptide in epithelial mucins has been debated for many years. There is evidence that at least some mucins contain a specific ‘link’ peptide (or glycopeptide) that enhances mucin polymerization by forming disulphide bridges to large mucin glycoprotein subunits. A major difficulty has been to know whether the reported differences in putative ‘link’ components represent artifacts generated by inter-laboratory differences in technical procedures used in mucin purification. The present paper outlines the results of a collaborative study involving five laboratories and 53 samples of purified gastrointestinal mucins (including salivary, gastric, small-intestinal and colonic mucins) prepared by five techniques from four different animal species. An early step in mucin purification in all cases was the addition of proteinase inhibitors. Representative mucins were analysed for their composition, electrophoretic mobility in SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis before and after disulphide-bond reduction, and for their reactivity with monospecific antibodies developed against the 118 kDa putative ‘link’ glycopeptide isolated from either rat or human small-intestinal mucins. Our results indicate that, despite differences in laboratory techniques, preparative procedures, organs and species, each of the purified mucins contained a ‘link’ component that was released by disulphide-bond reduction and produced a band on SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis at a position of approx. 118 kDa. After electroelution and analyses, the 118 kDa bands from the different mucins were found to have similar amino acid profiles and to contain carbohydrate. It would appear therefore that a ‘link’ glycopeptide of molecular mass approx. 118 kDa is common to all of the gastrointestinal mucins studied.
5′-Nucleotidases of chicken gizzard and human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells are anchored to the plasma membrane via a phosphatidylinositol–glycan
Authors: Stochaj U , Flocke K , Mathes W , Mannherz H G
Published: August 2015

We have analysed the membrane anchorage of plasma-membrane 5′-nucleotidase, an ectoenzyme which can mediate binding to components of the extracellular matrix. We demonstrated that the purified enzyme obtained from chicken gizzard and a human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line were both completely transformed into a hydrophilic form by treatment with phospholipases C and D, cleaving glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI). These data indicate the presence of a glycolipid linker employed for membrane anchoring of the 5′-nucleotidase obtained from both sources. Incubation of plasma membranes under identical conditions revealed that about half of the AMPase activity was resistant to GPI-hydrolysing phospholipases. Investigation of the enzymic properties of purified chicken gizzard 5′-nucleotidase revealed only minor changes after removal of the phosphatidylinositol linker. However, cleavage of the membrane anchor resulted in an increased sensitivity towards inhibition by concanavalin A. After tissue fractionation, chicken gizzard 5′-nucleotidase could be obtained as either a membrane-bound or a soluble protein; the latter is suspected to be released from the plasma membrane by endogenous phospholipases. Higher-molecular-mass proteins immuno-cross-reactive with the purified chicken gizzard 5′-nucleotidase were detected as both soluble and membrane-bound forms.
Temporal aspects of O-glycosylation of glycoprotein C from herpes simplex virus type-1
Authors: Serafini-Cessi F , Dall'Olio F , Malagolini N , Campadelli-Fiume G
Published: August 2015

Herpes simplex virus type-1 glycoprotein C (gC1) contains several O-linked oligosaccharides clustered near N-linked chains, and Pronase digestion produces glycopeptides carrying both oligosaccharide types. We have taken advantage of this fact to investigate the temporal relationship between the initiation of O-linked chains and the processing of N-linked oligosaccharides. gC1 was isolated from herpes-simplex-virus-infected BHK (baby-hamster kidney) cells after short labelling periods with [3H]glucosamine, and the labelled Pronase-cleaved glycopeptides fractionated on concanavalin A-Sepharose. N-[3H]Acetylgalactosamine, mostly convertible into free N-[3H]acetylgalactosaminitol on mild alkaline-borohydride treatment, was found in glycopeptides with an affinity to concanavalin A-Sepharose corresponding to that of glycopeptides carrying Man8GlcNAc2 or larger N-linked chains. Since there is evidence that the processing of N-linked chains up to Man8GlcNAc2 involves enzymes located in the rough endoplasmic reticulum, current results strongly suggest that gC1 acquires O-linked N-acetylgalactosamine before the glycoprotein routing to the Golgi apparatus. The addition of the second sugar to the nascent O-linked chain appeared to occur after a relatively long lag time.
Prokaryotic triterpenoids. A novel hopanoid from the ethanol-producing bacterium Zymomonas mobilis
Authors: Flesch G , Rohmer M
Published: August 2015

Among the triterpenoids of the bacterium Zymomonas mobilis a novel hopanoid, 32-oxobacteriohopane-33,34,35-triol beta-linked via its primary hydroxy group to glucosamine, has been isolated as a minor compound.
Characterization of phospholipids accumulated in pulmonary-surfactant compartments of rats intratracheally exposed to silica
Authors: Adachi H , Hayashi H , Sato H , Dempo K , Akino T
Published: August 2015

Phospholipids in the lung fractions, i.e. alveolar free cells, extracellular pulmonary surfactant, intracellular pulmonary surfactant (lamellar bodies) and microsomal fractions, of rats were examined 28 days after intratracheal injection of silica (40 mg/kg). Significant accumulations of phospholipids were observed in the extracellular- and intracellular-surfactant fractions of rats exposed to silica. The prominent phospholipid accumulated was phosphatidylcholine (PC), consisting mainly of the dipalmitoyl species. However, a compositional change in acidic phospholipids of surfactant fractions was produced by the silica treatment. The percentage of phosphatidylglycerol (PG) was significantly decreased; in contrast, that of phosphatidylinositol (PI) was increased. Thus the ratio PG/PI in the surfactant fractions was markedly decreased in response to silica. This compositional change in both acidic phospholipids occurred even in the early stages, i.e. before appreciable accumulations of alveolar phospholipids were noticed. The molecular-species profiles of both acidic phospholipids in the surfactant fractions were distinctly different from each other. The dipalmitoyl species accounted for more than 30% of PG and less than 6% of PI, respectively. These species patterns of PG and PI were similar in control and silica-treated rats. These findings suggest two possibilities that (1) PG and PI destined for pulmonary surfactant are synthesized from each specific CDP-diacylglycerol (DG) pool having different molecular species in the lung, or (2) individual enzymes responsible for synthesis of surfactant PG and PI have substrate specificities for molecular species of CDP-DG, thereby producing PG and PI having different molecular species in surfactant compartments.
Studies on the status of lysine residues in phospholipase A2 from Naja naja atra (Taiwan cobra) snake venom
Authors: Yang C C , Chang L S
Published: August 2015

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) from Naja naja atra (Taiwan cobra) snake venom was subjected to lysine modification with trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS), and two major trinitrophenylated (TNP) derivatives, TNP-1 and TNP-2, were separated by h.p.l.c. TNP-1 contained only one TNP group on Lys-6 and showed a marked decrease in enzymic activity, but still retained 45% of the lethal toxicity. Both Lys-6 and Lys-65 were modified in TNP-2, and modification of Lys-65 caused a further reduction of the lethal toxicity to 12.6%. However, the antigenicity of both TNP-1 and TNP-2 remained unchanged. The reactivity of Lys-6 and Lys-65 toward TNBS was greatly enhanced by Ca2+ and dihexanoyl-lecithin, suggesting that the two Lys residues are not directly involved in the binding of Ca2+ and substrate. The modified derivatives retained their affinity for Ca2+, indicating that Lys-6 and Lys-65 did not participate in the Ca2+ binding. The TNP derivatives could be regenerated with hydrazine hydrochloride. The biological activities of the regenerated PLA2 are almost the same as those of native PLA2. These results indicate that Lys-6 and Lys-65 are important for the biological activities of PLA2, and incorporation of a bulky TNP group on Lys-6 and Lys-65 might give rise to a distortion of the active conformation of PLA2.
Parallel induction of tetrahydrobiopterin biosynthesis and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase activity in human cells and cell lines by interferon-γ
Authors: Werner E R , Werner-Felmayer G , Fuchs D , Hausen A , Reibnegger G , Wachter H
Published: August 2015

In all of eight tested human cells and cell lines with inducible indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (EC 1.13.11.17) tetrahydrobiopterin biosynthesis was activated by interferon-gamma. This was demonstrated by GTP cyclohydrolase I (EC 3.5.4.16) activities and intracellular neopterin and biopterin concentrations. Pteridine synthesis was influenced by extracellular tryptophan. In T 24-cell extracts, submillimolar concentrations of tetrahydrobiopterin stimulated the indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase reaction.
Identification of a human non-interferon lymphokine activating monocyte complement biosynthesis
Authors: Drouet C , Reboul A , Colomb M
Published: August 2015

A monocyte-stimulating activity produced by mitogen-induced mononuclear cells has been defined by its ability to enhance the synthesis in vitro of complement C1 subcomponents, C2 and C3. A lymphokine responsible for this activity was purified from culture supernatants of peripheral blood mononuclear cells activated by staphylococcal enterotoxin A. From 0.5 litre of supernatant the purification procedure [(NH4)2SO4 precipitation, phenyl-Sepharose chromatography and preparative electrofocusing] yielded about 100 pmol of purified lymphokine. Its pI is 7.9 and its Mr, estimated by SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, is 14,600, 27,000 and 56,000, the high-Mr species representing oligomeric forms of the Mr-14,600 molecule. Its amino acid analysis reveals a high percentage of hydrophobic amino acids (34%); the absence of histidine residues suggests that it is a novel monocyte-activating lymphokine. It enhances C1r and C1s biosynthesis at a pretranslational level. From its structure and activity this lymphokine appears different from gamma-interferon.
Expression of a cDNA for the catalytic subunit of skeletal-muscle phosphorylase kinase in transfected 3T3 cells
Authors: Cawley K C , Akita C G , Walsh D A
Published: August 2015

Phosphorylase kinase is a multimeric enzyme of composition (alpha, beta, gamma, delta)4 whose catalytic activity resides in the gamma-subunit. As an approach to understand further its regulation, a cDNA for the gamma-subunit of phosphorylase kinase (gamma PhK) has been cloned into a mammalian expression vector behind the mouse metallothionein-1 promoter. NIH 3T3 cells were co-transfected with this construct (pEV gamma PhK) and pSV2neo, G418-resistant clones were selected, and several were found to have stably incorporated the gamma-subunit cDNA into their genomic DNA. Phosphorylase kinase activity was clearly present in extracts from cultures of pEV gamma PhK-transformed cells and increased several-fold after 24 h of incubation with Zn2+, whereas it was undetectable in the parent 3T3 cells. A significant, but variable, proportion (15-70%) of the activity was Ca2+-dependent. We conclude that the phosphorylase kinase activity expressed by the cells transformed with pEV gamma PhK is due to free gamma-subunit and gamma-subunit associated with cellular calmodulin, which replaces the delta-subunit normally associated with the gamma-subunit in the holoenzyme.
Biliary lipid composition and gallstone formation in rabbits fed on soy protein, cholesterol, casein and modified casein
Authors: Ozben T
Published: August 2015

In four experimental groups, rabbits were fed on diets containing soy beans, soy beans plus cholesterol (1%, w/w), casein and modified casein for 8 weeks. Biliary lipid levels, lithogenic-index values and the rate of gallstone formation were determined. The highest mean relative concentrations (mol%) of cholesterol and phospholipid were found in the soy bean + cholesterol group, and the highest mean relative bile acid concentration was in the soy bean group. The lowest mean relative cholesterol and phospholipid values were found in the soy bean and modified casein groups respectively. The lowest mean relative bile acid level was in the soy bean + cholesterol group. The highest lithogenic index and rate of gallstone formation were in the soy bean + cholesterol group, and the lowest values were in the soy bean group. The modification of casein used was effective in decreasing the lithogenic effect of casein on gallstone formation.
The purification and characterization of 4-ethylphenol methylenehydroxylase, a flavocytochrome from Pseudomonas putida JD1
Authors: Reeve C D , Carver M A , Hopper D J
Published: August 2015

The enzyme 4-ethylphenol methylenehydroxylase was purified from Pseudomonas putida JD1 grown on 4-ethylphenol. It is a flavocytochrome c for which the Mr was found to be 120,000 by ultracentrifuging and 126,000 by gel filtration. The enzyme consists of two flavoprotein subunits each of Mr 50,000 and two cytochrome c subunits each of Mr 10,000. The redox potential of the cytochrome is 240 mV. Hydroxylation proceeds by dehydrogenation and hydration to give 1-(4′-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol, which is also dehydrogenated by the same enzyme to 4-hydroxyacetophenone. The enzyme will hydroxylate p-cresol but is more active with alkylphenols with longer-chain alkyl groups. It is located in the periplasm of the bacterium.
Effects of inducers of drug metabolism on basic hepatic forms of mouse glutathione transferase
Authors: Di Simplicio P , Jensson H , Mannervik B
Published: August 2015

The cytosolic glutathione transferases (GSTs) with basic pI values have been studied in mouse liver after treatment with 2,3-t-butylhydroxyanisole (BHA), cafestol palmitate (CAF), phenobarbital (PB), 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) and trans-stilbene oxide (t-SBO). The cytosolic GST activity was induced by all compounds except for 3-MC. Three forms of GST were isolated by means of affinity chromatography and f.p.l.c. The examination of protein profiles and enzymic activities with specific substrates showed that the three GSTs correspond to those found in control animals, i.e. GSTs MI, MII and MIII. The class Mu GST MIII accounted for the major effect of induction, whereas the class Alpha GST MI and the class Pi GST MII were unchanged or somewhat down-regulated. The greatest induction was obtained with BHA, PB and CAF. The activities of other glutathione-dependent enzymes were also studied. An increase in glutathione reductase and thioltransferase activities was observed after BHA, PB or CAF treatment; glyoxalase I and Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase were depressed in comparison with the control group in all cases studied.
The interaction of cations with lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli C as shown by measurement of binding constants and aggregation reactions
Authors: Field A M , Rowatt E , Williams R J P
Published: August 2015

Lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli C interacts with polyvalent cations at low ionic strength at more than one site. The first site has high affinity with a KD value of 10(-8) M for Ca2+ and even stronger binding for [(NH3)5CoNH2Co(NH3)5]5+ and La3+. The high-affinity site for the latter cations is beyond the sensitivity of the assay method. The second, low-affinity, site for bivalent cations has a Km of 10(-3) M, whereas, for tervalent and quinquevalent metal cations and spermine and hexacyclen (1,4,7,10,13,16-hexa-azacyclo-octadecane), this constant has a value of 10(-5) M. Binding of cations to the high-affinity site does not alter the aggregation state of the lipopolysaccharide, but combination with the low-affinity site gives particles twice the size of those of the sodium salt. Very high Ca2+ concentrations (30 mM) give particles eight times the size of those of the sodium salt.
Adaptative decrease in expression of the mRNA for uncoupling protein and subunit II of cytochrome c oxidase in rat brown adipose tissue during pregnancy and lactation
Authors: Martin I , Giralt M , Viñas O , Iglesias R , Mampel T , Villarroya F
Published: August 2015

Uncoupling-protein (UCP) mRNA expression is decreased to 15% of virgin control levels between days 10 and 15 of pregnancy, and remains at these low values during late pregnancy and lactation. Abrupt weaning of mid-lactating rats causes a slight but significant increase in UCP mRNA. Expression of mRNA for subunit II of cytochrome c oxidase (COII) decreased to half that of virgin control in late pregnancy and during lactation. Whereas COII mRNA expression is in step with the known modifications of brown-fat mitochondria content during the breeding cycle of the rat, UCP mRNA expression appears to be diminished much earlier than the mitochondrial proton-conductance-pathway activity. On the other hand, the reactivity of brown fat to increase expression of UCP and COII mRNAs in response to acute cold or noradrenaline treatment is not impaired during lactation.
Comparison of the kinetics of cycling of the transferrin receptor in the presence or absence of bound diferric transferrin
Authors: Gironès N , Davis R J
Published: August 2015

The kinetics of cycling of the transferrin receptor in A431 human epidermoid-carcinoma cells was examined in the presence or absence of bound diferric transferrin. In order to investigate the properties of the receptor in the absence of transferrin, the cells were maintained in defined medium without transferrin. It was demonstrated that Fab fragments of a monoclonal anti-(transferrin receptor) antibody (OKT9) did not alter the binding of diferric 125I-transferrin to the receptor or change the accumulation of [59Fe]diferric transferrin by cells. OKT9 125I-Fab fragments were prepared and used as a probe for the function of the receptor. The first-order rate constants for endocytosis (0.16 +/- 0.02 min-1) and exocytosis (0.056 +/- 0.003 min-1) were found to be significantly lower for control cells than the corresponding rate constants for endocytosis (0.22 +/- 0.02 min-1) and exocytosis (0.065 +/- 0.004 min-1) measured for cells incubated with 1 microM-diferric transferrin (mean +/- S.D., n = 3). The cycling of the transferrin receptor is therefore regulated by diferric transferrin via an increase in both the rate of endocytosis and exocytosis. Examination of the accumulation of OKT9 125I-Fab fragments indicated that diferric transferrin caused a marked decrease in the amount of internalized 125I-Fab fragments associated with the cells after 60 min of incubation at 37 degrees C. Diferric transferrin therefore increases the efficiency of the release of internalized 125I-Fab fragments compared with cells incubated without diferric transferrin. These data indicate that transferrin regulates the sorting of the transferrin receptor at the cell surface and within endosomal membrane compartments.
The Ca2+-binding sequence in bovine brain S100b protein β-subunit. A spectroscopic study
Authors: Baudier J , Cole R D
Published: August 2015

Conformational changes in the beta-subunit of the bovine brain Ca2+-binding protein S100b (S100-beta) accompanying Ca2+ binding were investigated by analysis of the spectroscopic properties of the single tyrosine residue (Tyr17 beta) and flow-dialysis binding experiments. S100-beta binds Ca2+ sequentially at two sites to change the conformation of the protein. The first Ca2+ ion binds to site II beta, a typical Ca2+-binding site in the C-terminal region, and it does not significantly perturb the proximal environment of Tyr17 beta. After the first site is occupied, another Ca2+ ion binds to the N-terminal Ca2+-binding site, I beta, and strengthens a hydrogen bond between Tyr17 beta and a neighbouring carboxylate acceptor group, which results in a large increase in the Tyr17 beta fluorescence spectrum half-width and a positive absorption and c.d. signal between 290 and 275 nm. Ca2+ binding to the S100b.Zn2+6 complex, studied by flow-dialysis and fluorescence measurements showed that, although Zn2+ ions increase the affinity of S100b protein for Ca2+, the Ca2+-binding sequence was not changed. Tb3+ (terbium ion) binding studies on the S100b.Zn2+6 complex proved that Tb3+ antagonizes only Ca2+ binding site II beta and confirmed the sequential occupation of Ca2+-binding sites on the S100b.Zn2+6 complex.
Superoxide generation is inhibited by phospholipase A2 inhibitors. Role for phospholipase A2 in the activation of the NADPH oxidase
Authors: Henderson L M , Chappell J B , Jones O T G
Published: August 2015

The stimulation of O2.- generation by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) in human neutrophil-derived cytoplasts was inhibited by a variety of phospholipase A2 inhibitors in a concentration-dependent manner. Inhibition was found to be independent of the order of addition of the inhibitor and PMA. The most potent inhibitor, RO 31-4639, inhibited O2.- generation with an IC50 value (concentration causing 50% inhibition) of 1.5 microM. The addition of either arachidonic acid or SDS, in the presence of the inhibitors, was able to restore O2.- generation. The results suggest that arachidonic acid, released by phospholipase A2, is necessary for both the activation and the maintenance of O2.- generation by the NADPH oxidase.
Modification of myo-inositol monophosphatase by the arginine-specific reagent phenylglyoxal
Authors: Jackson R G , Gee N S , Ragan C I
Published: August 2015

myo-Inositol monophosphatase is inhibited by the arginine-specific reagent phenylglyoxal. The rate of inactivation is decreased in the presence of Pi, a competitive inhibitor of the enzyme. The effect of Pi is dependent on the presence of Mg2+, but is unaffected by Li+, an uncompetitive inhibitor. In the absence of Mg2+, the substrate, Ins(1)P, binds to the enzyme but is not converted into products, and affords only a small degree of protection against inactivation by phenylglyoxal. Li+ had no further effect under these conditions, but in the presence of Mg2+ caused a marked potentiation of the protective effect of substrate alone. In the absence of substrate, Li+ had no effect on activation by phenylglyoxal. Incorporation of 14C-labelled phenylglyoxal showed that inactivation was associated with modification of a single arginine residue per monomer in the dimeric enzyme. These findings support a mechanism in which Li+ inhibits monophosphatase by trapping a phosphorylated enzyme intermediate and preventing its hydrolysis.
Preparation and properties of human red-cell ankyrin
Authors: Pinder J C , Smith K S , Pekrun A , Gratzer W B
Published: August 2015

We describe a procedure for the preparation of ankyrin from human red cells with a yield of 2-3 mg of protein from 30 ml of packed cells. This represents an improvement of an order of magnitude over the usual earlier procedure. Moreover, the product is, in our hands, much more stable against adsorption and proteolysis, and can in general be stored for at least 2 months at 4 degrees C without significant decrease in concentration and binding activity. The preparation depends on the release of the ankyrin-band-3 complex from the membrane cytoskeleton when intact cells are lysed in a medium containing concentrated Triton X-100. The complex is dissociated at high ionic strength, and the final purification is achieved by gel filtration in a medium containing 2 M-Tris or 0.6 M-NaBr. The ankyrin contains all the progression of components present in the intact membrane. All react with affinity-purified polyclonal anti-ankyrin antibodies, and all give widely similar patterns of peptides in partial proteolytic digests. The ankyrin is fully active, as judged by its capacity to bind to band-3-containing membrane vesicles and to Sepharose-coupled spectrin. All components bind to the membrane vesicles. Purified components 2.1 and 2.2, as well as the calmodulin-binding cytoskeletal constituent adducin, can be isolated in pure form by a single anion-exchange column step.
Stimulation of phosphatidylcholine breakdown and diacylglycerol production by growth factors in Swiss-3T3 cells
Authors: Price B D , Morris J D H , Hall A
Published: August 2015

The effect of a number of growth factors on phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) turnover in Swiss-3T3 cells was studied. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), bombesin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and vasopressin rapidly stimulated PtdCho hydrolysis, diacylglycerol (DAG) production, and PtdCho synthesis. Insulin and prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) stimulated PtdCho synthesis, but not its breakdown, whereas epidermal growth factor (EGF) and bradykinin were without effect. Stimulation of PtdCho hydrolysis by the above ligands resulted in increased production of phosphocholine and DAG (due to phospholipase C activity) and significant amounts of choline, suggesting activation of a phospholipase D as well. CDP-choline and glycerophosphocholine levels were unchanged. Down-regulation of protein kinase C with PMA (400 nM, 40 h) abolished the stimulation of PtdCho hydrolysis and PtdCho synthesis by PMA, bombesin, PDGF and vasopressin, but not the stimulation of PtdCho synthesis by insulin and PGF2 alpha. PtdCho hydrolysis therefore occurs predominantly by activation of protein kinase C (either by PMA or PtdIns hydrolysis) leading to elevation of DAG levels derived from non-PtdIns(4,5)P2 sources. PtdCho synthesis occurs by both a protein kinase C-dependent pathway (stimulated by PMA, PDGF, bombesin and vasopressin) and a protein kinase C-independent pathway (stimulated by insulin and PGF2 alpha). DAG production from PtdCho hydrolysis is not the primary signal to activate protein kinase C, but may contribute to long-term activation of this kinase.
Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis in human sperm stimulated with follicular fluid or progesterone is dependent upon Ca2+ influx
Authors: Thomas P , Meizel S
Published: August 2015

Hydrolysis of the phospholipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate is thought to be intimately involved in agonist-induced changes in intracellular Ca2+ levels. Recently we have shown that human preovulatory follicular fluid, which induces exocytosis in human sperm, can stimulate a rapid, transient increase in sperm cytosolic [Ca2+] [Thomas & Meizel (1988) Gamete Res. 20, 397-411]. We report here that both a Sephadex G-75 column fraction, derived from follicular fluid, and progesterone (a component of both the G-75 fraction and whole follicular fluid) stimulate rapid hydrolysis of PtdIns(4,5)P2 and PtdIns4P in human sperm. We also report that progesterone stimulates a rapid influx of Ca2+ in human sperm. Human spermatozoa were labelled for 24 h with myo-[3H]inositol and then treated with either the G-75 fraction or progesterone. A 30-65% loss of label was detected in PtdIns(4,5)P2 and PtdIns4P within 15 s of stimulus addition; no changes were observed in PtdIns during 2 min of treatment. The loss of label from both lipids was accompanied by an increase in water-soluble inositol phosphates. Production of both InsP3 and InsP2 was seen within 10 s; however, InsP3 was rapidly removed and had reached control levels by 1 min. Similarly, formation of InsP2 reached a peak by 30 s and then began a decline accompanied by a corresponding increase in InsP. No increases in InsP4 were seen in sperm treated in this fashion. Stimulated hydrolysis of the phosphoinositides and release of inositol phosphates were both blocked by the Ca2+ antagonist La3+. Likewise, the progesterone-induced increase in intracellular Ca2+ was inhibited by La3+, and phosphoinositide hydrolysis stimulated by this hormone was dependent upon the presence of extracellular Ca2+.
Electron microscopy of cervical-mucus glycoproteins and fragments therefrom. The use of colloidal gold to make visible ‘naked’ protein regions
Authors: Sheehan J K , Carlstedt I
Published: August 2015

Subunits of human cervical-mucus glycoproteins obtained by reductive cleavage of whole mucins and high-Mr glycopeptides (T-domains) obtained after their trypsin digestion were studied with electron microscopy after spreading the macromolecules in a monolayer of benzyldimethylalkylammonium chloride. Subunits were observed as linear and apparently flexible particles, with number- and weight-average lengths of 390 nm and 460 nm respectively. T-domains randomly distributed on the grid have number- and weight-average lengths of 90 nm and 103 nm respectively, whereas when aligned (possibly stretched by flow) they were longer, with number-average and weight-average lengths of 150 nm and 170 nm respectively. Subunits complexed with gold appeared as segmented structures, with a distribution of inter-gold distances similar to the length distribution for the relaxed T-domains. The whole mucins had few binding sites for gold, suggesting that reduction exposes hydrophobic protein-rich regions with high affinity for gold. Most T-domains had a binding site at one end, indicating the presence of a residual protruding naked peptide region. We conclude that mucins are assembled from subunits joined end-to-end, and that each subunit consists of alternating oligosaccharide ‘clusters’ (approx. 100 nm) and naked peptide regions which have (after reduction) a high affinity for colloidal gold.