Specificity of the heat-stable protein inhibitor of the branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase phosphatase

A potent, heat-stable protein inhibitor of branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) phosphatase has been identified and purified to near homogeneity from bovine kidney mitochondria (Damuni, Z., Humphreys, J. S., and Reed, L. J., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., in press). This protein is a noncompetitive inhibitor of BCKDH phosphatase, with a Ki about 0.13 nM. By contrast, this protein inhibitor did not affect the activity of the cytosolic protein phosphatase-1 and phosphatase-2A or the mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) phosphatase at concentrations up to 10 nM. The cytosolic protein phosphatase inhibitor-1 and inhibitor-2 had no effect on the activity of BCKDH phosphatase or PDH phosphatase at concentrations up to 50 and 300 nM respectively. These results, together with previous evidence, demonstrate that BCKDH phosphatase and its inhibitor protein are distinct from the cytosolic protein phosphatase-1 and phosphatase-2A and from protein phosphatase inhibitor-1 and inhibitor-2, respectively.     

Specific immunohistochemical localization of osteonectin and collagen types I and III in fetal and adult porcine dental tissues

Affinity-purified antibodies have been used in combination with the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique to study the distribution of osteonectin and collagen types I and III in porcine dental tissues. Tissue sections (2 mm thick), including unerupted (fetal) or erupted (adult) teeth, were fixed in periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde, demineralized in 12% w/v ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and after embedding, 6 micron sections were prepared for immunolocalization. Strong staining for osteonectin was observed in dentine of unerupted teeth and in the associated alveolar bone. Light to moderate staining was observed in the dental pulp, stratum intermedium, stellate reticulum, and the reticular elements in the endosteal spaces. In erupted teeth, osteonectin staining in dentine was concentrated around dentinal tubules and the associated alveolar bone stained with variable intensity. Cementum was poorly stained. However, the periodontal ligament and reticular material in the endosteal spaces showed moderate to strong staining. Weaker staining was apparent in the pulp and lamina propria of the gingiva. In comparison, type I collagen showed a similar distribution to osteonectin in both fetal and adult tissues, whereas type III collagen was generally restricted to the periodontal ligament, reticular elements of the endosteal spaces, and Sharpey's fibers in bone and cementum. Both odontoblast and ameloblast layers in fetal tissues stained for osteonectin and type III collagen.     

Synaptosomal Calcium Metabolism During Hypoxia and 3,4-Diaminopyridine Treatment

A decline in the calcium-dependent release of neurotransmitters appears to underlie the decreased neuronal function that accompanies reduced oxygen tensions (hypoxia). To determine if alterations in calcium uptake are primary to these changes, synaptosomal calcium uptake was measured in the presence of 100%, 2.5%, or 0% oxygen. Calcium uptake declined 60.2 +/- 0.1 and 82.4 +/- 2.5% with 2.5% and 0% when compared with 100% oxygen, respectively. 3,4-Diaminopyridine stimulated calcium uptake by synaptosomes when they were incubated in low-potassium media. It also diminished the hypoxic-induced decline in calcium uptake to 30.6 +/- 3.1 and 33.5 +/- 3.1% with 2.5% and 0% oxygen, respectively. External binding to the synaptosomal plasma membrane declined to 29.2 +/- 0.3 or 11.8 +/- 0.9% when the oxygen tension was reduced to 2.5% or 0% oxygen. 3,4-Diaminopyridine increased this superficial binding from 111.7 +/- 0.3 to 86.5 +/- 0.9 or 23.4 +/- 0.9% with 100%, 2.5%, or 0% oxygen when compared with 100% oxygen without 3,4-diaminopyridine, respectively. Thus, the decline in neuronal processing that accompanies acute hypoxia may be due to altered calcium homeostasis, which diminishes neurotransmitter release.     

~3H-TdR转化细胞蛋白质酪氨酸残基的特异磷酸化

 <正> 1980年,Hunter首次发现Rous肉瘤病毒转化的细胞,其蛋白质分子上的酪氨酸残基磷酸化水平明显升高。现已知道,其它的肿瘤病毒诱导的转化细胞以及某些恶性肿瘤细胞的酪氨酸残基磷酸化作用亦有不同程度的增强。但迄今物理的致癌因素如放射性同位素引起的细胞转化是否伴随着酪氨酸特异的磷酸化的增强,尚未见报道。因此,本实验对C_3H10     

Influence of very low doses of ionizing radiation on Synechococcus lividus metabolism during the initial growth phase

Previous results from this laboratory have shown that very low chronic doses of gamma radiation can stimulate proliferation of the Cyanobacterium Synechococcus lividus. This modification of cell proliferation occurred during the first doubling. In this paper, we have compared the metabolism of cells cultivated in a normal environment or under chronic irradiation. Incubation of the cells in a new medium induced a high superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1, SOD) activity at the 18th hour and a degradation of phycocyanin, thus demonstrating that cells were submitted to a photooxidative stress. This increase in superoxide dismutase activity was followed by concomittant peaks of glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2, GR) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49, G6P-DH) at the 24th hour. Irradiated cultures at a dose of 53.5 mGray/year show an earlier and higher peak of SOD, GR, and G6P-DH. In a second stage, cultures showed an earlier onset of photosynthesis under irradiation, as evidenced by an increase in pigment content and an enhancement of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.13, GAP-DH). These results show that the radiostimulation is related to the activation of enzymes protecting against peroxides that were induced under oxidative circumstances and to the activation of a glucose catabolism via the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway.Abbreviations mGy milli-Gray - SOD superoxide dismutase - G6P-DH glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase - GAP-DH glycer-aldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase - GSSG oxidized glutathione