bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modification of human placental alkaline phosphatase by periodate-oxidized 1,N6-ethenoadenosine monophosphate
Authors: Chang G G , Shiao M S , Lee K R , Wu J J
Published: August 2015

Oxidation of 1,N6-ethenoadenosine monophosphate (epsilon AMP) with periodate cleaved the cis-diol of the ribose ring and resulted in the formation of a dialdehyde derivative (epsilon AMP-dial). At room temperature epsilon AMP-dial was unstable and underwent beta-elimination to give 4′,5′-anhydro-1,N6-ethenoadenosine dialdehyde acetal (A epsilon Ado-dial). These nucleotide analogues were found to inactivate human placental alkaline phosphatase in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. epsilon AMP-dial was shown to be an affinity label for the enzyme on the basis of the following criteria. (a) Kinetics of the enzyme activity loss over a wide range of epsilon AMP-dial concentration showed a saturating phenomenon. Removal of the phosphate group made the reagent (A epsilon Ado-dial) become a general chemical modifying reagent. (b) The artificial substrate p-nitrophenyl phosphate gave substantial protection of the enzyme against inactivation. (c) epsilon AMP-dial was a substrate and a partial mixed-type inhibitor for the enzyme. Results of the inhibition and protection studies indicated that the reagent and substrate could combine with the enzyme simultaneously. Besides the phosphate-binding domain, an induced hydrophobic region is proposed for the substrate-binding site for human placental alkaline phosphatase.
Stimulation of the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and phosphatidylcholine by endothelin, a complete mitogen for Rat-1 fibroblasts
Authors: MacNulty E E , Plevin R , Wakelam M J O
Published: August 2015

The mitogenic activity of endothelin and its ability to stimulate PtdIns(4,5)P2 and phosphatidylcholine turnover in Rat-1 fibroblasts was studied. Stimulated incorporation of [3H]thymidine occurred in the absence of any other added growth factors. The endothelins stimulated rapid generation of both Ins(1,4,5)P3 and choline. Endothelin-1 and endothelin-2 were equipotent in stimulating both responses, but endothelin-3 was less potent. Endothelin-1-stimulated Ins(1,4,5)P3 generation reached a maximum at 5 s and then declined; however, the response was long-lived, with a 4.5-fold elevation over basal still observed after 15 min. Endothelin-stimulated choline generation was observed with no increase in choline phosphate; indeed, the apparent level of this metabolite fell after 30 min of stimulation, presumably due to the observed stimulation of phosphatidylcholine synthesis. The endothelin-stimulated increase in choline generation was abolished in cells where protein kinase C was down-regulated. However, endothelin-stimulated choline generation was greater than that observed in response to a protein kinase C-activating phorbol ester, raising the possibility that the peptide activates phospholipase D by both protein kinase C-dependent and -independent mechanisms.
CMP activates reversal of phosphatidylinositol synthase and base exchange by distinct mechanisms in rat pituitary GH3 cells
Authors: Cubitt A B , Gershengorn M C
Published: August 2015

CMP is known to activate phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns)/inositol (Ins) base exchange and has been reported to activate reversal of PtdIns synthase also. Because it is possible that PtdIns synthase acting in the reverse direction, followed by re-incorporation of ambient Ins, could be responsible for base-exchange activity, we characterized these processes in rat pituitary GH3 cells. In permeabilized GH3 cells prelabelled with [3H]Ins and incubated in buffer with LiCl but without added Ins, CMP stimulated rapid accumulation of [3H]Ins and decreases in [3H]PtdIns; the Km for CMP was 1.7 mM. CDP and CTP were less effective, whereas 2′-CMP, 3′-CMP, other nucleoside monophosphates and cytidine did not influence this process. In permeabilized cells prelabelled to isotopic equilibrium with [3H]Ins and [32P]Pi, CMP stimulated decreases in both the 32P and 3H labelling of PtdIns, but did not increase that of [32P]phosphatidic acid. These findings demonstrate that in the absence of added Ins the effect of CMP is not via activation of base exchange nor via a phospholipase D, but by reversal of PtdIns synthase. In permeabilized cells prelabelled with [3H]Ins and [32P]Pi, unlabelled Ins inhibited loss of 32P labelling of PtdIns caused by CMP while markedly stimulating loss of 3H labelling of PtdIns and release of [3H]Ins. These data demonstrate that Ins inhibits reversal of PtdIns synthase, but stimulates base exchange. We conclude that in GH3 cells reversal of PtdIns synthase and PtdIns/Ins base exchange are both stimulated by CMP, but are distinct processes.
The mechanism of sunlight-mediated inactivation of Bacillus thuringiensis crystals
Authors: Pusztai M , Fast P , Gringorten L , Kaplan H , Lessard T , Carey P R
Published: August 2015

Detailed photostability studies were carried out using purified delta-endotoxin crystals from Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies HD-1 and HD-73. The mechanism and time course of sunlight inactivation was investigated by: (a) monitoring the tryptophan damage in the intact crystals by Raman spectroscopy, (b) amino acid analysis and (c) biological assays using insects. The results demonstrate that, for purified HD-1 or HD-73 crystals, the 300-380 nm range of the solar spectrum is largely responsible for bringing about crystal damage and consequent loss of toxicity. Purified Bacillus thuringiensis crystals that were exposed to fermentation liquor after cell lysis were more quickly degraded by sunlight than were crystals from cells that were lysed in water. This effect is attributed to adsorption of chromophores by crystals exposed to the fermenter liquor and the subsequent ability of these chromophores to act as photosensitizers. The importance of a photosensitization mechanism in crystal degradation was further emphasized by irradiating Bacillus thuringiensis crystals in vacuo. The latter crystals were found to be less damaged (20% tryptophan loss after 24 h irradiation by the solar spectrum) compared with crystals from the same sample irradiated in air (60% (60% tryptophan loss). Other methods of decreasing exposure of the crystals to oxygen, e.g. by using glycerol as a humectant, were also found to be successful in controlling photodamage. The results concerning photodegradation support a photosensitization mechanism involving the presence of exogenous (and possibly endogenous) chromophores which create singlet oxygen species upon irradiation by light.
Synthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine and ethanolamine plasmalogen by the CDP-ethanolamine and decarboxylase pathways in rat heart, kidney and liver
Authors: Arthur G , Page L
Published: August 2015

Studies with mammalian cell lines have led to suggestions that mammalian tissues may derive all of their phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) from the decarboxylation of phosphatidylserine (PS), and also that the physiological significance of the CDP-ethanolamine pathway was the synthesis of ethanolamine plasmalogen. We have therefore investigated the biosynthesis of PE and ethanolamine plasmalogen via the CDP-ethanolamine and decarboxylation pathways in vivo in three rat tissues (heart, kidney and liver), which differ in ethanolamine plasmalogen content. In all three tissues [14C]ethanolamine was incorporated into both PE and ethanolamine plasmalogen, whereas [3H]serine was incorporated into only PS and PE fractions. When [14C]ethanolamine was introduced into the animals, the specific radioactivity of ethanolamine plasmalogen in the kidney was always greater than that of the PE fraction; in the heart the specific radioactivity of the ethanolamine plasmalogen fraction was similar to that of the PE fraction, whereas in the liver the specific radioactivity of the PE fraction was always greater than that of the ethanolamine plasmalogen fraction. The results obtained in this study indicate that: (1) the CDP-ethanolamine pathway is utilized for the synthesis of both PE and ethanolamine plasmalogen in all three tissues; (2) the decarboxylation pathway is utilized solely for the synthesis of PE; (3) serine plasmalogens are not formed by base-exchange reactions; (4) the relative utilization of the CDP-ethanolamine pathway for the synthesis of PE and ethanolamine plasmalogen varies among tissues. Our studies also revealed that the hypolipidaemic drug MDL 29350 is a potent inhibitor of PE N-methyltransferase activity in vitro and in vivo.
Specificity of two genetically related cell-envelope proteinases of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris towards αs1-casein-(1–23)-fragment
Authors: Exterkate F A , Alting A C , Slangen C J
Published: August 2015

The specificity of two genetically related cell-envelope serine proteinases (PI-type and PIII-type) of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris towards the alpha s1-casein-(1-23)-fragment, an important intermediate product of primary chymosin-directed proteolysis in cheese, has been established. Both enzymes showed, at pH 6.5 and under relatively low-ionic-strength conditions, a characteristic, mutually different, cleavage pattern that seems, in the first instance, to be determined by the charge N-terminal to the cleaved bond. With Pi, three cleavage sites were found in the N-terminal positively charged part of the peptide and, with PIII, three sites were found in the C-terminal negatively charged part. Comparison of the specific cleavage sites in this peptide and those in β-casein revealed similarities with respect to the different residues which can occur N-terminally to the cleaved bond. The properties of these substrate residues match with the structural and various interactive features of the respective binding regions of the enzymes predicted on the basis of a close sequence similarity of the lactococcal proteinases with the subtilisin family. A hydrophobic interaction and/or hydrogen-bridge formation seems to govern the binding of the first amino acid residue N-terminal to the scissile bond. The more distantly N-terminally positioned sequence of residues apparently is attracted electrostatically by a negative charge in the binding region of PI and by a positive charge in that of PIII, provided that the opposite charge is is present at the appropriate position in this sequence. Hence a specific electrostatic binding may occur; additionally, hydrophobic interaction and/or hydrogen-bond formation is important.
Purification of rat liver plasma membranes by wheat-germ-agglutinin affinity partitioning
Authors: Persson A , Johansson B , Olsson H , Jergil B
Published: August 2015

Rat liver plasma membranes were separated from other cellular membranes by affinity partitioning in an aqueous polymer two-phase system by using the lectin wheat-germ agglutinin covalently bound to dextran as the affinity ligand. In borate buffer the bulk of membranes partitioned in the poly(ethylene glycol)-rich top phase, whereas plasma membranes were pulled selectively into the dextran-rich bottom phase in the presence of ligand. The purity and yield of plasma membranes prepared by lectin affinity partitioning and by conventional sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation was similar, as judged from marker-enzyme activities. The affinity procedure, not dependent on lengthy centrifugations, is fast and gentle and will be advantageous when studying labile components.
Biosynthesis and processing of mitochondrial glutaminase in HTC hepatoma cells
Authors: Perera S Y , Voith D M , Curthoys N P
Published: August 2015

Rat HTC hepatoma cells were used to characterize the biosynthesis and processing of the renal isoenzyme of the mitochondrial glutaminase. Immunoblot analysis indicated that mitochondria isolated from HTC cells contained two prominent glutaminase peptides of 68 and 65 kDa and two minor peptides of 61 and 58 kDa. When the cells were labelled with [35S]methionine, the glutaminase-specific antibodies precipitated the same four polypeptides. However, when labelled in the presence of 5 microM-carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation, only a 72 kDa cytoplasmic precursor of the mitochondrial glutaminase was immunoprecipitated. A comparison of the peptides generated by partial proteolysis of the precursor and the fully processed peptides indicates significant structural similarity. A 71 kDa form of the glutaminase was also observed when HTC cells were pulse-labelled for 2-6 min with [35S]methionine. Pulse-chase experiments indicate that the cytoplasmic precursor is quantitatively converted into the mature forms of the glutaminase. In addition, the observed kinetics established that the 71 kDa peptide is a true intermediate in the import of the mitochondrial glutaminase.
Biochemical characterization of the native tissue form of type X collagen from embryonic chick sternal cartilage and identification of a chymotrypsin-sensitive site within its triple-helical domain
Authors: Reginato A M , Jimenez S A
Published: August 2015

We isolated and characterized the intact native tissue form of type X collagen from the presumptive calcification region of lathyritic chick-embryo sterna and from organ cultures incubated in the presence of beta-aminopropionitrile (beta APN). The administration of beta-APN in vivo greatly increased the solubility of type X collagen and allowed the extraction of quantitative amounts of these molecules under non-denaturing non-proteolytic conditions. Biosynthetic studies in vitro showed that the addition of beta APN during labelling resulted in a 4-fold increase in the extractability of the newly synthesized type X collagen. Biochemical characterization of the intact type X collagen extracted from the tissues or biosynthesized in the organ cultures showed that type X collagen is composed of 59,000-Mr chains that do not undergo conversion into shorter polypeptides. Despite the marked solubilization of type X collagen upon administration of beta APN, a substantial proportion remained tissue-bound and could only be extracted by employing proteolytic digestion followed by disulphide bond reduction. These findings indicate that type X collagen in the tissues is stabilized by at least two different mechanisms, one involving beta APN-sensitive cross-links and the second through interactions with disulphide-bonded proteins. Limited proteolytic digestion with chymotrypsin of tissues containing 1.0 M-NaCl-insoluble type X collagen resulted in its complete solubilization. The majority of type X collagen molecules extracted with chymotrypsin were approx. 10% shorter than those obtained after limited pepsin digestion (Mr 40,000 versus Mr 45,000) and showed the selective loss of a single CNBr-cleavage peptide. These findings indicate the existence of chymotrypsin-sensitive sites within the triple-helical domain of the molecules.
1-C-6 epitope in cartilage proteoglycan G2 domain is masked by keratan sulphate
Authors: Fosang A J , Hardingham T E
Published: August 2015

The presence of the protein epitope recognized by monoclonal antibody 1-C-6 was investigated on the globular G1 and G2 domains of pig cartilage proteoglycan core protein. After reduction of disulphide bonds and removal of keratan sulphate chains with keratanase, both G1 and G2 domains were shown to contain the epitope. However, without keratanase digestion the epitope on the G2 domain was poorly detected. The results suggest that a keratan sulphate chain substituted close to the epitope sequence in the G2 domain prevents antibody access to the epitope and thus masks its detection. This shows the 1-C-6 epitope to be a conserved protein sequence in the G2 domain of proteoglycans from different species, but its detection may be masked by glycosylation.
Effects of hypothyroidism on the metabolism of lipid emulsion models of triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins in rats
Authors: Redgrave T G , Elsegood C L , Mamo J C L , Callow M J
Published: August 2015

Methimazole-treated hypothyroid rats were injected intravenously with triacylglycerol/cholesteryl oleate/cholesterol/phospholipid emulsions designed to model the composition of chylomicrons. Compared with controls, hypothyroidism decreased the clearance rates of emulsion cholesteryl oleate. Clearance of emulsion triolein was affected much less and could be accounted for by residual triolein in remnants, suggesting that triacylglycerol lipolysis by lipoprotein lipase was unaffected by hypothyroidism but that clearance of remnants from plasma was decreased. Assays in vitro showed increased activities of lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase in hypothyroid rats. Emulsions were incubated with post-heparin plasma lipoprotein lipase to prepare remnants in vitro. The clearance from plasma of pre-formed remnants was slower after injection into hypothyroid rats than in control rats. Uptake of remnant cholesteryl oleate by the liver was significantly decreased in the hypothyroid rats. Treatment of hypothyroid rats for 7 days with 3,3′,5′-tri-iodo-L-thyronine (T3) reversed the inhibition of hepatic remnant uptake and normalized plasma cholesterol. A thyroid hormone analogue with decreased hypermetabolic side-effects, L-94901, attenuated plasma cholesterol and improved but did not normalize remnant clearance. Emulsions incubated with plasma from hypothyroid rats had a decreased ratio of apolipoprotein E/apolipoprotein C compared with control rats or hypothyroid rats treated with T3. The change in the apolipoprotein E/apolipoprotein C ratio probably accounts for the defect in remnant clearance in hypothyroidism.
Partial purification and substrate specificity of a ubiquitin hydrolase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Agell N , Ryan C , Schlesinger M J
Published: August 2015

A ubiquitin hydrolase that removes ubiquitin from a multi-ubiquitinated protein has been purified 600-fold from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Four different ubiquitin-protein conjugates were assayed as substrates during the purification procedure. Enzymic activities that removed ubiquitin from ubiquitinated histone H2A, a ubiquitin-ubiquitin dimer and a ubiquitin-ribosomal fusion protein were separated during the purification from an activity that removed a single ubiquitin molecule linked by an isopeptide bond to a ubiquitinated protein. The size of the native enzyme was 160 kDa, based on its sedimentation in a sucrose gradient, and the subunit molecular mass was estimated to be 160 kDa, based on a profile of proteins eluted in different fractions by thiol-affinity chromatography. The partially purified hydrolase was not inhibited by a variety of protease inhibitors, except for thiol-blocking reagents. The natural substrate for this enzyme may be the polyubiquitin chain containing ubiquitin molecules bound to each other in isopeptide bonds, with one of them linked to a lysine residue of a protein targeted for intracellular proteolysis.
Low-Mr heparin is as potent as conventional heparin in releasing lipoprotein lipase, but is less effective in preventing hepatic clearance of the enzyme
Authors: Liu G Q , Bengtsson-Olivecrona G , Ostergaard P , Olivecrona T
Published: August 2015

This study compares a low-Mr heparin preparation with conventional heparin with respect to its interaction with lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in vitro and its effects on the enzyme in vivo. Both heparin preparations were polydisperse in binding to LPL, but on average the low-Mr preparation showed lower affinity. Thus both conventional and low-Mr heparin bound quantitatively to immobilized LPL, and were eluted as broad peaks when a salt gradient was applied, but the peak for low-Mr heparin was shifted towards lower salt concentrations. To displace LPL from immobilized heparin a higher concentration of low-Mr than of conventional heparin was needed. Injection of the low-Mr heparin into intact rats resulted in lower plasma LPL activity than did injection of an equal mass of conventional heparin, but when the liver was excluded from the circulation both heparin preparations resulted in similar plasma LPL activities. In perfused rat hearts, low-Mr heparin had at least the same effect on the release of LPL activity as did conventional heparin. In perfused livers, on the other hand, low-Mr heparin was less effective than conventional heparin in preventing the rapid uptake of exogenous labelled LPL. Hence the apparently lower average affinity of low-Mr heparin for LPL does not result in a demonstrably lower potency to release the enzyme from endothelial binding sites in peripheral tissues, but does result in a substantially decreased effect on the hepatic clearance of the enzyme.
Further studies on the topography of human platelet glycoprotein IIb. Localization of monoclonal antibody epitopes and the putative glycoprotein IIIa- and fibrinogen-binding regions
Authors: Calvete J J , Arias J , Alvarez M V , Lopez M M , Henschen A , Gonzalez-Rodriguez J
Published: August 2015

Glycoprotein IIb (GPIIb) is a major glycoprotein of the human platelet plasma membrane, which together with glycoprotein IIIa (GPIIIa) forms a Ca2(+)-dependent heterodimer, GPIIb/IIIa, which serves as the major fibrinogen receptor in activated platelets. The precise localization of the epitopes for six anti-GPIIb monoclonal antibodies (M1-M6) has been determined by a combination of enzymic and chemical cleavage procedures, peptide isolation, N-terminal sequence analysis, peptide synthesis and enzyme immunoassay. The following localizations were found: M1, beta 1-16-36, beta 2-4-24; M2, alpha 747-755; M alpha 2, alpha 837-843; M3, alpha 849-857; M4, alpha 143-151; M5, alpha 550-558; M6, alpha 657-665. Besides considerations of the degree of exposure of these epitopes, several remarkable features are readily apparent. The earliest and main chymotryptic cleavage site of GPIIb in whole platelets is between alpha cysteine-545 and alpha phenylalanine-551. The epitope for M3 was located within the same sequence (alpha 842-857) as is the epitope for PMI-1 [Loftus, Plow, Frelinger, D'Souza, Dixon, Lacy, Sorge & Ginsberg (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 7114-7118] in spite of the fact that the exposure of the latter in whole platelets is EDTA-dependent whereas that in the former is not. The epitope for M5 shares full homology with the 540-548 peptide stretch of the alpha-subunit of the vitronectin receptor, and this antibody cross-reacts with endothelial cells. The M6 epitope is located in the 25 kDa membrane-bound fragment of GPIIb, which is most epitope is destroyed at an early stage of chymotrypic digestion. This suggests that this region of GPIIb, somewhere between the epitope for M5 (alpha 550-558) and the epitope for M2 (alpha 747-755), may carry the surface of interaction of GPIIb with GPIIIa in the GPIIb/IIIa heterodimer. Finally, the sequence where the epitope for M6 has been located (alpha 657-667) was the only one found to be hydropathically complementary to the gamma 402-411 peptide of fibrinogen within the amino acid sequence of both GPIIb and GPIIIa. This complementariness, the EDTA- or thrombin-dependence of the exposure of the alpha 657-665 stretch in whole platelets to M6 and the ability of this antibody to inhibit platelet aggregation led us to postulate that this peptide stretch is a putative binding site for fibrinogen in the platelet receptor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Regulation of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase with copper. Caeruloplasmin maintains levels of functional enzyme activity during differentiation of K562 cells
Authors: Percival S S , Harris E D
Published: August 2015

K562 cells, a human erythroleukaemic cell line blocked for differentiation, commit towards erythrocytes when exposed to haemin (20 microM). The cells synthesize fetal haemoglobins and show site-specific binding of caeruloplasmin, a plasma copper protein. These events are set into motion by haemin. On the assumption that the binding of caeruloplasmin could reflect a greater need for copper, we sought to determine whether the transfer of 67Cu from caeruloplasmin was accelerated in haemin-induced compared with non-induced K562 cells. Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) was the recipient. Haemin induction caused the K562 cells to lose CuZnSOD activity. By 96 h, the level of SOD activity was less than 60% of that of non-induced cells. The loss was confined entirely to the CuZn form, MnSOD activity staying essentially unchanged. Although CuZnSOD activity declined with the haemin induction, the incorporation of [4,5-3H]lysine into immunoprecipitable CuZnSOD protein was unaffected. There was also no change in CuZnSOD mRNA concentration in haemin-induced cells. Thus a loss of enzyme did not correlate with a decline in the synthesis de novo of CuZnSOD protein. When 48 h-induced cells were transferred to a medium supplemented with 0.2 microM-caeruloplasmin, CuZnSOD activity was restored to control levels in 24 h. Caeruloplasmin also stimulated the incorporation of [3H]lysine into immunoprecipitable CuZnSOD protein. Caeruloplasmin addition may have affected a post-translational regulatory site for CuZnSOD biosynthesis, possibly by providing copper for the newly synthesized enzyme.
Changes in insulin-receptor tyrosine, serine and threonine phosphorylation as a result of substitution of tyrosine-1162 with phenylalanine
Authors: Tavaré J M , Dickens M
Published: August 2015

Previous studies, by ourselves and others, have shown that tyrosine residues 1158, 1162 and 1163 are very rapidly autophosphorylated on the human insulin receptor after insulin binding and that this is followed by the autophosphorylation of tyrosine residues 1328 and 1334. The autophosphorylation of these tyrosine residues, and their role in transmembrane signalling, were examined by using Chinese-hamster ovary cells transfected with either normal intact insulin receptors or receptors in which tyrosine residues 1162 or 1162/1163 were substituted with phenylalanine. These studies show the following. (1) Tyrosine-1158 could still be autophosphorylated when tyrosine-1162 and -1163 were substituted with phenylalanine. (2) Insulin-stimulated insulin-receptor tyrosine phosphorylation in intact cells was complete within 30 s and was accompanied, after a lag of 2-5 min, by a rise in serine and threonine phosphorylation the beta-subunit. (3) Replacement of tyrosine-1162 with phenylalanine blocked insulin-stimulated threonine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor in intact cells. (4) Insulin-stimulated serine phosphorylation of the beta-subunit was found in both intact cells and partially purified receptor preparations incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP and was still apparent after the replacement of tyrosine-1162 with phenylalanine. (5) Our data strongly suggest that insulin-stimulated insulin-receptor serine and threonine phosphorylations are initiated through two distinct pathways, with only the latter showing a strict dependence on autophosphorylation of tyrosine-1162.
Physiological glucocorticoid levels regulate glutamine and insulin-mediated glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle of the rat. Studies with RU 486 (mifepristone)
Authors: Leighton B , Parry-Billings M , Dimitriadis G , Bond J , Newsholme E A , DaCosta C , Foot E A
Published: August 2015

This study examined the effects of antagonism of the peak level of glucocorticoids in vivo, which occurs as rats enter the feeding/activity (dark) period on glucose and glutamine metabolism in incubated isolated rat soleus muscle preparations. Thus the rats were treated with the potent glucocorticoid antagonist RU 486 2 h before and 1 and 2 h into the dark period. Both the content of glutamine in skeletal muscle in vivo and plasma glucose and glutamine concentrations were elevated midway through the dark period, compared with the beginning of the period. RU 486 prevented the increases in plasma glucose and glutamine and caused a significant decrease in both the rate of release of glutamine in soleus muscle in vitro and the content of glutamine in gastrocnemius muscle. The sensitivity of soleus muscle to insulin in vitro is markedly decreased when isolated midway through the dark period (i.e. at 03:00 h) [Leighton, Kowalchuk, Challiss & Newsholme (1988) Am. J. Physiol. 255, E41-E45]. We now show that the concentrations of insulin required to stimulate lactate formation and glycogen synthesis half-maximally were 95 and 250 muunits/ml respectively, and treatment of rats with RU 486 decreased these values to 55 and 90 muunits of insulin/ml respectively. Thus antagonism of the action of the normal circadian rise in the level of glucocorticoids in rats reverses insulin insensitivity in soleus muscles in vitro.
Mitochondrial gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Proteolysis of nascent chains in isolated yeast mitochondria optimized for protein synthesis
Authors: Black-Schaefer C L , McCourt J D , Poyton R O , McKee E E
Published: August 2015

We demonstrate here that mitochondrial translation products synthesized by isolated yeast mitochondria are subject to rapid proteolysis. The loss of label from mitochondrial peptides synthesized in vitro comes from two distinct pools of peptides: one that is rapidly degraded (t1/2 of minutes) and one that is much more resistant to proteolysis (t1/2 of hours). As the length of the incubation period increases, the percentage of labelled peptides in the rapidly-turning-over pool decreases and cannot be detected after 60 min of incubation. This proteolysis is inhibited by chloramphenicol and is dependent on the presence of ATP. The loss of label during the chase occurs from fully completed translation products. The proteolysis observed here markedly affects measurements of rates of mitochondrial protein synthesis in isolated yeast mitochondria. In earlier work, in which proteolysis was not considered, mitochondrial translation was thought to stop after 20-30 min of incubation. In the present study, by taking proteolysis into account, we demonstrate that the rate of translation in isolated mitochondria is actually constant for nearly 60 min and then decreases to near zero by 80 min of incorporation. These findings have allowed us to devise a procedure for measuring the ‘true’ rate of translation in isolated mitochondria. In addition, they suggest that mitochondrial translation products which normally assemble with nuclear-encoded gene products into multimeric enzyme complexes are unstable without their nuclear-encoded counterparts.
The major proteoglycan of adult rabbit skeletal muscle. Relationship to small proteoglycans of other tissues
Authors: Parthasarathy N , Chandrasekaran L , Tanzer M L
Published: August 2015

We have been interested in examining the putative biological role(s) of the major proteoglycan of adult skeletal muscle. The small proteoglycans of adult rabbit skeletal muscle and tendon were extracted and purified by sequential density-gradient ultracentrifugation, ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. They appeared to be homogeneous by the criterion of gel electrophoresis in SDS and to yield one major product, the core protein, after digestion with chondroitin ABC lyase, also observed after gel electrophoresis. Two major products were obtained when the intact proteoglycans were cleaved by CNBr, and those peptides were separated by SDS/PAGE and by ion-exchange chromatography. Sequencing of the N-terminal amino acids of either the intact proteoglycans or the CNBr-cleaved products allowed for comparison of the muscle and tendon proteoglycan with derived amino acid sequences previously reported for bovine bone proteoglycan. The bone and tendon proteoglycan sequences were remarkably similar, whereas those of the muscle proteoglycan differed from the other two molecules. The major site of glycosaminoglycan substitution was on a peptide fragment distant from the N-terminus, and a presumptive serine residue at position 4 from the N-terminus also appeared to be substituted, perhaps with a small glycosaminoglycan chain. These results provide some insight into the diversity of small proteoglycans of the PG-II class and provide a basis for exploring their mode of genetic expression.
Cell density modulates the decrease of cytosolic free Ca2+ induced by atrial natriuretic hormone, S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine and 8-bromo cyclic GMP in cultured rat mesangial cells
Authors: Lermioglu F , Goyal J , Hassid A
Published: August 2015

Cyclic GMP-elevating agents, including atrial natriuretic hormone and NO-generating vasodilators, decrease cytosolic free Ca2+ levels in mesangial cells. We have investigated the role of cell density as a modulator of the decrease in cytosolic free Ca2+ induced by the cyclic GMP (cGMP)-elevating vasodilators atrial natriuretic peptide (99-126) [ANP (99-126); ‘atriopeptin 28′] and the NO-generating vasodilator S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP), in cultured rat mesangial cells. Increasing cell density was significantly correlated with the decrease in cytosolic free Ca2+ induced by ANP (99-126) or SNAP. Moreover, this effect was independent of the cells' proliferative status. ANP (99-126) and SNAP induced greater fold stimulation of cGMP accumulation in high-density cells, but the levels of cGMP elicited by high concentrations of ANP (99-126) or SNAP were similar in high- and low-density cells. 8-Bromo cGMP was more effective in decreasing cytosolic free Ca2+ in high- than in low-density cells, suggesting that the greater effectiveness of ANP (99-126) and SNAP was, in part, due to greater effectiveness of endogenous cGMP in high-density cells. The results document that cell density, but not proliferative status, plays an important role in the modulation of intracellular Ca2+ dynamics in rat mesangial cells by atriopeptins, NO-generating vasodilators and cGMP.
Hepatic protein tyrosine phosphatases in the rat
Authors: Gruppuso P A , Boylan J M , Smiley B L , Fallon R J , Brautigan D L
Published: August 2015

Regulation of cell growth and metabolism by protein tyrosine phosphorylation involves dephosphorylation via the action of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases). We have characterized the membrane PTPases in rat liver, monitoring their activity by measuring the dephosphorylation of P-Tyr-reduced, carboxyamidomethylated and maleylated lysozyme (P-Tyr-RCML) and P-Tyr-myelin basic protein (P-Tyr-MBP). Separation of membrane PTPases by poly (L-lysine) chromatography yielded three peaks of PTPase, termed I, II and III. PTPases I and II were most active with P-Tyr-RCML, whereas PTPase III showed greater activity with P-Tyr-MBP than with P-Tyr-RCML (ratio of activities 4:1). Separation of membrane proteins by gel-filtration chromatography yielded two peaks of activity. Based on substrate specificity, sensitivity to inhibitors and requirement for thiol-containing compounds, the activity peak with an Mr of approximately 400,000 corresponded to PTPase III, whereas that with an Mr of approx. 40,000 contained PTPases I and II. All three PTPases dephosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptors and insulin receptors, but only PTPases I and II were active with P-Tyr-asialoglycoprotein receptors. Although none of the above characteristics distinguished between PTPases I and II, only PTPase I reacted in a Western immunoblotting procedure with anti-peptide antibodies directed towards human placental PTPase. We conclude that the membrane fraction from rat liver contains at least three distinct PTPases.
Relative rates of biosynthesis of collagen type I, type V and type VI in calf cornea
Authors: Kern P , Menasche M , Robert L
Published: August 2015

The biosynthesis of type I, type V and type VI collagens was studied by incubation of calf corneas in vitro with [3H]proline as a marker. Pepsin-solubilized collagen types were isolated by salt fractionation and quantified by SDS/PAGE. Expressed as proportions of the total hydroxyproline solubilized, corneal stroma comprised 75% type I, 8% type V and 17% type VI collagen. The rates of [3H]proline incorporation, linear up to 24 h for each collagen type, were highest for type VI collagen and lowest for type I collagen. From pulse-chase experiments, the calculated apparent half-lives for types I, V and VI collagens were 36 h, 10 h and 6 h respectively.
Redox analysis of the cytochrome o-type quinol oxidase complex of Escherichia coli reveals three redox components
Authors: Bolgiano B , Salmon I , Ingledew W J , Poole R K
Published: August 2015

Potentiometric analyses of the cytochrome o-type oxidase of Escherichia coli, using membranes from a strain containing amplified levels of the cytochrome bo complex, were conducted to resolve the redox centres of the oxidase. The cytochrome o-type oxidase of E. coli, a quinol oxidase, contains 2 mol of b-type haem per mol of complex and copper. Detailed analysis of potentiometric titrations, based on the absorbance of the Soret band, suggests that there are three contributions with midpoint potentials (Em,7) around +55 mV, +211 mV and +408 mV, all with maxima at 426-430 nm in the reduced state. In the alpha region of the spectra, a component with Em,6.85 = +58 mV has a maximal peak at 557 nm, and twin peaks at 556 and 564 nm nitrate with Em,6.85 = +227 mV. A feature corresponding to the highest potential Soret contribution was not observed. These data can be explained either by a model incorporating haem-haem interaction or by attributing the shorter-wavelength band (557 nm) to haem b and a split alpha-band (556, 564 nm) to the haem o (oxygen-binding haem b). Absolute spectra of oxidized membranes show continuous absorbance from 460 to 530 nm and suggest the presence of a high-spin haem component in the membranes. Monitoring absorbance at 635 minus 672 nm, contributions with midpoints (Em,7) around +52 mV, +234 mV and +371 mV are observed. This latter contribution is possibly the highest-potential component which titrates with Em greater than +400 mV in the Soret region and may represent copper-haem coupling in the cytochrome o complex.
Thyromimetic effect of peroxisomal proliferators in rat liver
Authors: Hertz R , Aurbach R , Hashimoto T , Bar-Tana J
Published: August 2015

Amphipathic carboxylates, of varying hydrophobic backbones, which act as peroxisomal proliferators (aryloxyalkanoic acids, methyl-substituted dicarboxylic acid) induce in euthyroid or thyroidectomized rats, as well as in rat hepatocytes cultured in 3,5,3′-tri-iodo-L-thyronine (T3)-free media, liver enzyme activities that are classically considered to be thyroid-hormone-dependent (malic enzyme, mitochondrial alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and S14). The dose required in vivo for the thyromimetic effect of peroxisomal proliferators was 10(3)-fold higher than the dose of T3 required. Similarly, peroxisomal proliferators were active in culture in the range 1-100 microM compared with 1 nM for T3. Their maximal inductive capacities were, however, similar to or greater than that of T3. The thyromimetic effect of peroxisomal proliferators was only partially correlated with their capacities as inducers of liver peroxisomal enzymes. The thyromimetic effect with respect to liver malate dehydrogenase and S14 resulted from an increase in their mRNA contents. The increase in liver S14 mRNA was accounted for by transcriptional activation of the S14 gene. T3 binding to isolated liver nuclei or nuclear extract was competitively displaced by some but not all of the non-thyroidal inducers of the above liver activities. In contrast with the thyromimetic effect induced in liver cells, no increase in growth hormone mRNA was observed in cultured GH1 pituitary cells incubated in the presence of non-thyroidal amphipathic carboxylates. The characteristics of the thyromimetic effect of amphipathic carboxylic peroxisomal proliferators indicate that these agents may act as transcriptional activators of thyroid-hormone-dependent genes in the rat liver.
Regulation of cell-surface receptors for human interferon-γ on the human histiocytic lymphoma cell line U937
Authors: Finbloom D S
Published: August 2015

Interferon-gamma (IFN gamma) binds to high-affinity receptors on monocytes and is rapidly internalized. This study investigates the ability of the human monocyte-like cell line, U937, to regulate the cell-surface expression of the IFN gamma receptor (IFN gamma R) during endocytosis of ligand. Recombinant IFN gamma was radiolabelled to high specific radioactivity with Bolton-Hunter reagent and used to enumerate IFN gamma R on treated U937 cells. Cells which had internalized IFN gamma for up to 3 h displayed maximal levels of IFN gamma R at all time points tested after all unlabelled IFN gamma had been acid-stripped from the cell at pH 2.78. Therefore there was no evidence of down-modulation of the receptor. After trypsin treatment of the IFN gamma R, the cells were able to synthesize and insert into the cell membrane up to 1000 IFN gamma R molecules/h after a 60 min lag. Since biosynthesis played a minor role during the first 30 min of endocytosis, I examined other possibilities to explain the lack of down-modulation of the receptor. A solubilized-receptor assay revealed the presence of an intracellular pool of receptors equal to about 25% of the number of cell surface receptors. Using trypsin to differentiate between intracellular and surface receptors, I observed that 43% of those receptors that were internalized after a 30 min exposure to IFN gamma (580 molecules) could be recycled back to the plasma membrane. In addition, equal rates of receptor decay (t1/2 = 5 h) were observed in the presence of cycloheximide with or without IFN gamma. All the data taken together suggest that during the first 30 min of endocytosis both the expression of an intracellular source of receptor and recycling of internalized receptors contribute to maintain optimal receptor expression.
The short-neurotoxin-binding regions on the α-chain of human and Torpedo californica acetylcholine receptors
Authors: Ruan K H , Stiles B G , Atassi M Z
Published: August 2015

The continuous regions for short-neurotoxin binding on the alpha-chains of Torpedo californica (electric ray) and human acetylcholine receptors (AChR) were localized by reaction of 125I-labelled cobrotoxin (Cot) and erabutoxin b (Eb) with synthetic overlapping peptides spanning the entire extracellular part of the respective alpha-chains. On Torpedo AChR, five Cot-binding regions were found to reside within peptides alpha 1-16, alpha 23-38/alpha 34-49 overlap, alpha 100-115, alpha 122-138 and alpha 194-210. The Eb-binding regions were localized within peptides alpha 23-38/alpha 34-49/alpha 45-60 overlap, alpha 100-115 and alpha 122-138. The main binding activity for both toxins resided within region alpha 122-138. In previous studies we had shown that the binding of long alpha-neurotoxins [alpha-bungarotoxin (Bgt) and cobratoxin (Cbt)] involved the same regions on Torpedo AChR as well as an additional region within residues alpha 182-198. Thus region alpha 182-198, which is the strongest binding region for long neurotoxins on Torpedo AChR, was not a binding region for short neurotoxins. On human AChR, peptide alpha 122-138 possessed the highest activity with both toxins, and lower activity was found in the overlap alpha 23-38/alpha 34-49/alpha 45-60 and in peptide alpha 194-210. In addition, peptides alpha 100-115 and alpha 56-71 showed strong and medium binding activities to Eb, but low activity to Cot, whereas peptide alpha 1-16 exhibited low binding to Cot and no binding to Eb. Comparison with previous studies indicated that, for human AChR, the binding regions of short and long neurotoxins were essentially the same. The finding that the region within residues alpha 122-138 of both human and Torpedo AChR possessed the highest binding activity with short neurotoxins indicated that this region constitutes a universal binding site for long and short neurotoxins on AChR from various species.
Physiological changes in glutathione metabolism in foetal and newborn rat liver
Authors: Pallardo F V , Sastre J , Asensi M , Rodrigo F , Estrela J M , Viña J
Published: August 2015

Glutathione metabolism was studied in isolated hepatocytes from foetal, newborn and adult rats. The GSH/GSSG ratio decreased 15-20-fold through the foetal-neonatal-adult transition. This was mainly due to an increase in GSSG. All enzyme activities involved in the glutathione redox cycle tend to increase during that transition, but the relative increases in glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase were 3-5 times those of glutathione reductase or glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. GSH synthesis from methionine as a sulphur source was 6 times lower in foetal than in adult hepatocytes. However, when N-acetylcysteine was used as a sulphur donor to by-pass the cystathionine pathway, the rates of GSH synthesis were similar in foetal and adult cells. This is due to the fact that cystathionase activity in foetal cells is very low. This low activity is reflected in the blood amino acid pattern, where the concentration of cysteine rises from 8 to 52 microM from foetuses to adult rats. This supports the idea that cysteine may be an essential amino acid for the premature animal.
The human asialoglycoprotein receptor is a possible binding site for low-density lipoproteins and chylomicron remnants
Authors: Windler E , Greeve J , Levkau B , Kolb-Bachofen V , Daerr W , Greten H
Published: August 2015

Binding and internalization of chylomicron remnants from rat mesenteric lymph by HepG2 cells was inhibited by both excess remnants and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to the same extent. Ligand blots revealed binding of remnants and LDL to the LDL receptor. Measures regulating LDL receptor activity greatly influenced the binding of remnants: ethinyloestradiol, the hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitor pravastatin and the absence of LDL all increased binding, whereas high cell density or the presence of LDL decreased binding. Also, asialofetuin, asialomucin, the neoglycoprotein galactosyl-albumin and an antibody against the asialoglycoprotein receptor all decreased substantially the binding of remnants. At high cell density, binding internalization and degradation of chylomicron remnants was inhibited by up to 70-80%, yet binding of LDL was inhibited by no more than 20-30%. In cross-competition studies, the binding of 125I-asialofetuin was efficiently competed for by asialofetuin itself or by the antibody, and also by LDL and remnants, yet remnants displayed an approx. 100-fold higher affinity than LDL. Likewise, remnants of human triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins and asialofetuin interfered with each others' binding to HepG2 cells or human liver membranes. It is concluded that the LDL receptor mediates the internalization of chylomicron remnants into hepatocytes depending on its activity, according to demand for cholesterol. Additionally, the asialoglycoprotein receptor may contribute to the endocytosis of LDL, but predominantly of chylomicron remnants.