Hepatoma-associated non-histone proteins are phosphoproteins preferentially localized in nuclear matrix

1. High molecular weight non-histone proteins (NHP) were isolated from Morris hepatoma 7777 by Sephadex G-100, S-200 chromatography. 2. Specific polyclonal antibodies were raised against these NHP in rabbits. These antibodies recognized specific NHP components present in Morris hepatoma 7777 and 8994, but not in normal rat liver. Hepatoma-associated antigens are phosphoproteins. 3. Immunologically specific NHP of Morris hepatoma are intensively concentrated in nuclear matrix fraction.     

Cloning of the human glucocorticoid receptor cDNA.

We show that the human glucocorticoid receptor (GR), isolated from the breast cancer cell line MCF-7, has an apparent molecular weight identical to that of rat liver GR (94 kDa) and reacts with antibodies raised against the latter. These antibodies were used to clone cDNA sequences corresponding to the human GR from a lambda gt11 expression library constructed using MCF-7 poly(A)+ RNA. Three non-homologous cDNA clones with inserts of 125, 220 and 350 bp, which express epitopes recognised by the rat liver GR antibodies, were isolated. Rat liver GR antibodies, immunopurified using the immobilised purified beta-galactosidase fusion proteins, detect partially purified rat liver and human GRs on Western blots. In addition, these antibodies immuno-adsorb rat liver and human GRs affinity-labelled with [3H] triamcinolone acetonide. Northern blot analysis, using all three cDNA probes, reveals the presence of a major MCF-7 poly(A)+ RNA species of approximately 7 kb.     

Rat liver carboxylesterase: cDNA cloning, sequencing, and evidence for a multigene family

A cDNA clone was isolated from a rat liver lambda gt11 expression library by screening with polyclonal antibodies raised against a rat liver microsomal carboxylesterase. This clone of 1.8 kb contained an open reading frame encoding a mature protein of 531 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 58,084. The 5' portion of the clone coded for 9 amino acids of a putative signal peptide. The 3' end of the clone included an untranslated region and a poly (A) tail. Carboxylesterase active site regions, five potential N-linked glycosylation sites, and 2 postulated cystine disulfide bridges were found in the cDNA-deduced amino acid sequence. Sequences obtained from tryptic peptides and the NH2-terminus of the purified native carboxylesterase were aligned with the deduced amino acid sequence, and the overall identity was 84%. Southern blot analysis suggested the presence of multiple genes. Thus it is concluded that we have cloned a rat liver carboxylesterase, and that this enzyme is a member of a multigene family.     

Hepatoma-associated nuclear matrix nonhistone antigens

Polyclonal antibodies generated against a group of high molecular weight nonhistone proteins from Morris hepatoma 7777 were used in immunological studies of hepatoma-associated nonhistone proteins in rat and hamster. We revealed the presence of cross-reactive antigens in rat Morris hepatomas 7777 and 8994, and in hamster Kirkman-Robbins hepatoma, but not in normal rat or hamster livers. These specific nonhistone proteins were found to be preferentially localized in the nuclear matrix of rat Morris hepatoma 7777 as well as hamster Kirkman-Robbins hepatoma.     

Isolation, expression and characterization of a human apolipoprotein B 100-specific cDNA clone

The isolation and characterization of a human apolipoprotein B 100-specific cDNA clone (lambda gt-B1) containing a 1321 base pairs (bp) spanning insert is described. It encodes the 3'-nontranslated 281 bp long region up to the polyadenylation site and 1040 bp of the C-terminal coding region of 345 amino-acid residues of human apo B 100 and the stop codon. The lambda gt-B1 cDNA clone has been isolated from a human hepatoma cDNA expression library by immunoscreening using affinity-purified polyclonal anti apo B 100 antibodies. The nucleotide sequence of the apo B 100 insert has been determined. A part of the polypeptide sequence derived from this nucleotide sequence was identical with the amino-acid sequence obtained by protein sequencing of a purified cyanogen bromide fragment of apo B 100. The fusion protein consisting of beta-galactosidase and the 345 amino-acid residue long C-terminus of apo B 100 had an apparent molecular mass of 148 kDa in NaDodSO4 polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In Northern blot hybridization analysis the insert of the apo B 100-cDNA clone hybridized to a 20 to 22 kb mRNA from adult human liver.     

Characterization of bep1 and bep4 antigens involved in cell interactions during Paracentrotus lividus development

We have identified and partially characterised two antigens, extracted with 3% butanol, from Paracentrotus lividus embryos dissociated at the blastula stage, and encoded by the cDNA clones previously described as bep1 and bep4 (bep-butanol extracted proteins). The cDNA fragments containing the specific central portions of bep1 and bep4 were expressed as MS2 polymerase fusion proteins in Escherichia coli. These two fusion proteins, called 1C1 (bep1) and 4A1 (bep4), were injected subcutaneously into rabbits and the corresponding polyclonal antibodies generated. Western blot analysis of proteins, extracted with 3% butanol, from sea urchin embryos at the blastula stage (b.e.p.), established that both antibodies recognize two 33 KDa proteins. Reducing and non-reducing electrophoretic conditions show that both antibodies against bep1 and bep4 related proteins react also with a protein band of a molecular weight 66 KDa, indicating that these two antigens probably exist as dimers. Immunolocalization with anti 1C1 and 4A1 antibodies shows the presence of the related antigens also on the cell surface. Fab fragments of the polyclonal antibodies against 1C1 and 4A1 inhibited reaggregation of sea urchin embryonic cells, dissociated from blastula stage embryos. This prevention of reaggregation indicates that these proteins probably play a role in cell interaction during sea urchin embryonic development.     

Cloning and expression of a cDNA coding for a rat liver plasma membrane ecto-ATPase. The primary structure of the ecto-ATPase is similar to that of the human biliary glycoprotein I

The amino acid sequence of the ecto-ATPase from rat liver was deduced from analysis of cDNA clones and a genomic clone. Immunoblots with antibodies raised against a peptide sequence deduced from the cDNA sequence indicated that the determined amino acid sequence is that of the ecto-ATPase. The deduced sequence predicts a 519-amino acid protein with a calculated molecular mass of 57,388 daltons. There are 16 potential asparagine-linked glycosylation sites in the protein. Hydropathy analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence indicates that the protein has two hydrophobic stretches. One is located at the N-terminal and the other is near the C-terminal end. A full-length clone encoding the ecto-ATPase was expressed transiently in mouse L cells and human HeLa cells. The cell lysate from the transfected cells contained immunoreactive ecto-ATPase and Ca2+-stimulated ATPase activities. The expressed protein is glycosylated and has an apparent molecular weight (100,000) similar to that of the rat liver plasma membrane ecto-ATPase.     

Rapid and efficient isolation of highly specific antibodies from an antiserum against a pool of proteins.

Antibodies with desired specificity to proteins of interest provide important and versatile tools for detecting and localizing specific proteins in organisms. With the rapidly increasing number of genes cloned, the demand for antibodies to the gene products is increasing greatly. We developed a procedure to isolate highly specific antibodies to an insect intestinal mucin (IIM) from a polyclonal antiserum, which served as a "library of antibodies," by using an E. coli lysate of the IIM cDNA clone. This procedure allows rapid and efficient isolation of target protein specific antibodies from a polyclonal antiserum made against a pool of antigens.     

The amino acid sequence of the 24-kDa subunit, an iron-sulfur protein, of rat liver mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase deduced from cDNA sequence

Antiserum directed against bovine heart mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase has been used to screen a rat liver cDNA expression library in lambda gt11. The insert cDNA of a positive clone was found to represent the 24-kDa subunit of NADH dehydrogenase by epitope selection using nitrocellulose filter containing the expressed proteins. The amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the cloned cDNA indicated that the 24-kDa subunit is produced as a precursor with an amino-terminal extension, and that its mature form consists of 217 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 23,933.     

Rapid and efficient isolation of highly specific antibodies from an antiserum against a pool of proteins

Antibodies with desired specificity to proteins of interest provide important and versatile tools for detecting and localizing specific proteins in organisms. With the rapidly increasing number of genes cloned, the demand for antibodies to the gene products is increasing greatly. We developed a procedure to isolate highly specific antibodies to an insect intestinal mucin (IIM) from a polyclonal antiserum, which served as a “library of antibodies,” by using an E. coli lysate of the IIM cDNA clone. This procedure allows rapid and efficient isolation of target protein specific antibodies from a polyclonal antiserum made against a pool of antigens.     

Rapid and efficient isolation of highly specific antibodies from an antiserum against a pool of proteins

Antibodies with desired specificity to proteins of interest provide important and versatile tools for detecting and localizing specific proteins in organisms. With the rapidly increasing number of genes cloned, the demand for antibodies to the gene products is increasing greatly. We developed a procedure to isolate highly specific antibodies to an insect intestinal mucin (IIM) from a polyclonal antiserum, which served as a “library of antibodies,” by using an E. coli lysate of the IIM cDNA clone. This procedure allows rapid and efficient isolation of target protein specific antibodies from a polyclonal antiserum made against a pool of antigens.     

Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of cDNA for the catalytic subunit 1 alpha of rat kidney type 1 protein phosphatase, and detection of the gene expression at high levels in hepatoma cells and regenerating livers as compared to rat livers.

A cDNA clone containing the full coding sequence of a type 1 protein phosphatase catalytic subunit 1 alpha has been isolated from a rat kidney lambda gt 10 library. The protein sequence deduced from the cDNA contains 330 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 38 kDa. The cDNA clone from rat kidney was 89% identical at the nucleotide level in the coding region to type 1 protein phosphatase 1 alpha from rabbit skeletal muscle. However, the two protein sequences were completely identical. The type 1 alpha protein phosphatase from rat kidney shows 49% homology of amino acid sequence to the rat type 2A alpha protein phosphatase. Thus, the protein sequence of type 1 alpha protein phosphatase was completely conserved between rat and rabbit. The mRNA levels of type 1 protein phosphatase were determined in rat liver, AH13, a strain of rat hepatoma, and regenerating rat liver by Northern blot analysis using the cDNA fragment as a probe, under which conditions a single mRNA of 1.5 kb was detected. The mRNA levels of AH13 were remarkably increased when compared to those of normal ivers, whereas the mRNA levels of regenerating livers were slightly but significantly increased. These results demonstrate a marked increase in gene expression of type 1 protein phosphatase in hepatoma cells, suggesting an important role of the type 1 protein phosphatase in hepatocarcinogenesis.     

Expression cloning of Pneumocystis carinii antigens.

We undertook expression cloning of Pneumocystis carinii antigens to overcome the difficulties encountered in purification of these antigens. Using monoclonal antibodies to the P. carinii gp120 antigen and polyclonal rabbit antiserum to rat-derived P. carinii, we have isolated cDNA clones encoding immunoreactive moieties. A cDNA clone encoding the 3' portion of a 45-55 kDa antigen of rat-derived P. carinii, was the most abundant clone isolated. The peptide encoded by this cDNA has a novel sequence with a repeated motif rich in glutamic acid residues. Affinity-purified antibodies to this peptide reacted with the 45-55 kDa band of rat-derived P. carinii. The fusion protein was recognized by serum antibodies from rats with natural exposure to P. carinii. The production of this recombinant protein should allow more detailed studies of the host-parasite relationship of this important opportunistic infection.     

Rat natural killer cells synthesize fibronectin. Possible involvement in the cytotoxic function

The ability of NK cells to synthesize and secrete fibronectin (FN), an extracellular matrix glycoprotein which plays a key role in many biologic processes including cellular adhesion, morphology, cytoskeletal organization, cell migration, and invasiveness, was studied. By using affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies directed against human cellular or plasma FN, the presence of FN was evidentiated on Percoll-purified rat large granular lymphocyte or on a large granular lymphocyte tumor cell line (CRC) by flow cytometry and immunoelectron microscopy. Its expression increased after NK cell activation by poly I:C administration. Biochemical analysis by immunoprecipitation and SDS-PAGE indicated that FN was associated to cell surface and secreted in the supernatant in a molecular form similar to that of FN from L929 fibroblasts. In an attempt to understand the role of FN in the NK cell function, we found that an antibody against human plasma FN and its F(ab')2 fragment inhibited NK cytotoxicity against YAC-1 target at the effector cell level. Inhibition occurred at the postbinding level, because F(ab')2 anti-FN inhibited induction of phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis by YAC-1 target cells, whereas binding to target cells was not affected. The possible role of FN in the NK cytotoxic function is suggested.     

Isolation and sequence of a cDNA clone which contains the complete coding region of rat phenylalanine hydroxylase. Structural homology with tyrosine hydroxylase, glucocorticoid regulation, and use of alternate polyadenylation sites

Screening of a rat liver cDNA expression library constructed in the vector lambda gt11 with an affinity purified antiserum to rat phenylalanine hydroxylase has resulted in the isolation of two clones which contain the complete coding region (1362 base pairs) of phenylalanine hydroxylase and the entire 3'-untranslated region (562 base pairs). From the nucleotide sequence we deduced the amino acid sequence of the enzyme. The molecular weight is 51,632 (452 amino acids). The rat enzyme is highly homologous to human phenylalanine hydroxylase. The two proteins differ in only 36 amino acids (92% homology), many of which are conservative changes. A dot matrix computer program was used to analyze regions of homology with the amino acid sequence of rat tyrosine hydroxylase. Considerable homology was detected from amino acid 140 in the rat enzyme to the C terminus, but little or no homology was apparent in the N-terminal region. The cDNA clone was used to determine the levels of phenylalanine hydroxylase mRNA in rat tissues using RNA blot hybridization. Two mRNA species were detected, with approximate lengths of 2,000 and 2,400 nucleotides, which appear to derive from use of alternate polyadenylation signals. No difference in mRNA size was found in rats which have different phenylalanine hydroxylase alleles. The kidney was found to contain about 10% of the mRNA found in the liver, and no phenylalanine hydroxylase mRNA was detected in rat brain. Reuber H4 hepatoma cells were also analyzed for phenylalanine hydroxylase mRNA. The parental cells contained mRNA species of the same sizes as in rat liver. Incubation in 10(-6) M hydrocortisone for 24 h resulted in an 18-fold increase in the mRNA level. Mutant hepatoma cells which express very little phenylalanine hydroxylase contained less than 5% of the parental mRNA, but the gene still responded to hydrocortisone.     

Immunogenic proteins of nuclease-sensitive regions of chromatin of the normal rat liver and N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced hepatoma]

The localization of immunogenic proteins of chromatin in the nuclease-hypersensitive regions was investigated by means of polyclonal antibodies against the total chromatin from cells N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced hepatoma of rats and from hepatocytes. The fractions released after digestion by Ca-dependent endonuclease and by exogenous DNasa-1 were considerably enriched with immunogenic determinants. The enrichment of nuclease-hypersensitive sites of chromatin with tumour-associated antigens was observed in experiments with antihepatoma antibodies preincubated with chromatin from the normal liver cells. Higher immunoreactivity was typical of fractions obtained during Ca-dependent endonuclease segregation of the hepatoma chromatin, while products of digestion by exogenous DNasa-1 possessed higher tumour specificity.     

Human apolipoprotein B: identification of cDNA clones and characterization of mRNA.

Apolipoprotein B (apoB) is a major protein component of low density and very low density lipoproteins. Because of its large size and heterogeneity, molecular studies of apoB have been difficult, and its structure and regulation remain poorly understood. We now report the identification of human apoB cDNA clones by antibody screening of hepatoma libraries in the expression vector lambda gt11. Both oligo(dT) primed and random primed libraries were constructed and screened with polyclonal antibodies to intact apoB, as well as with antibodies raised against a synthetic peptide based on the limited amino acid sequence available for apoB. The identity of the clones was unambiguously established by comparisons of the cloned cDNA sequences with apoB amino acid sequences. The clones hybridize to an exceptionally large 20 kb mRNA that is present in liver and intestine but not other tissues examined, consistent with the distribution expected from protein biosynthetic studies. The properties of the mRNA have implications for the biogenesis of the multiple apoB molecular weight forms secreted by liver and intestine.     

Identification of rat cell lines that preferentially express insulin-like growth factor binding proteins rlGFBP-1, 2, or 3.

The bioavailability and action of the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are determined by specific IGF-binding proteins (IGFBP) to which they are complexed. Complementary DNA clones have been isolated that encode three related IGFBPs: human IGFBP-1 (hIGFBP-1), human IGFBP-3 (hIGFBP-3), and rat IGFBP-2 (rIGFBP-2). IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 are regulated differently in human plasma, suggesting that they have different functions. In order to study the molecular basis of the regulation of the different IGFBPs, we have identified a panel of rat cell lines that express a single predominant binding protein and developed an assay strategy to distinguish the different binding proteins. Proteins in conditioned medium were examined by ligand blotting, and by immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting using antibodies to rIGFBP-2 and hIGFBP-1; RNAs were hybridized to cDNA probes for rIGFBP-2 and hIGFBP-1. 1) C6 glial cells and B104 neuroblastoma cells express an approximately 40 kilodalton (kDa) glycosylated binding protein that most likely represents rIGFBP-3, the binding subunit of the 150 kDa IGF: binding protein complex in adult rat serum. The C6 and B104 binding proteins do not react with antibodies to rIGFBP-2, and RNAs from C6 and B104 cells do not hybridize to cDNA probes for rIGFBP-2 or hIGFBP-1. 2) BRL-3A, Clone 9, and TRL 12-15 cell lines derived from normal rat liver express rIGFBP-2, a 30 kDa nonglycosylated IGF-binding protein that is recognized by antibodies to rIGFBP-2 but not by antibodies to hIGFBP-1. RNAs from these cells hybridize to a rIGFBP-2 cDNA probe, but not to a hIGFBP-1 probe. 3) H35 rat hepatoma cells express a 30 kDa nonglycosylated IGFBP that is presumptively identified as rIGFBP-1. It does not react with antibodies to rIGFBP-2, but is recognized by polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to hIGFBP-1. RNA from H35 cells hybridizes to a hIGFBP-1 cDNA probe, but not to a rIGFBP-2 probe. Expression of rIGFBP-1 by the H35 cell line has enabled us to establish and validate specific assays for this protein that allow us to study its regulation in intact rats. Identification of a panel of rat cell lines expressing specific IGFBPs should be useful in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of IGFBP regulation.