The Finland-United States investigation of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus genetics (FUSION) study. I. An autosomal genome scan for genes that predispose to type 2 diabetes

We performed a genome scan at an average resolution of 8 cM in 719 Finnish sib pairs with type 2 diabetes. Our strongest results are for chromosome 20, where we observe a weighted maximum LOD score (MLS) of 2.15 at map position 69.5 cM from pter and secondary weighted LOD-score peaks of 2.04 at 56.5 cM and 1.99 at 17.5 cM. Our next largest MLS is for chromosome 11 (MLS = 1.75 at 84.0 cM), followed by chromosomes 2 (MLS = 0.87 at 5.5 cM), 10 (MLS = 0.77 at 75.0 cM), and 6 (MLS = 0.61 at 112.5 cM), all under an additive model. When we condition on chromosome 2 at 8.5 cM, the MLS for chromosome 20 increases to 5.50 at 69.0 cM (P=.0014). An ordered-subsets analysis based on families with high or low diabetes-related quantitative traits yielded results that support the possible existence of disease-predisposing genes on chromosomes 6 and 10. Genomewide linkage-disequilibrium analysis using microsatellite marker data revealed strong evidence of association for D22S423 (P=.00007). Further analyses are being carried out to confirm and to refine the location of these putative diabetes-predisposing genes.     

Enzymatic synthesis of 1,3,6,8-tetrahydroxynaphthalene solely from malonyl coenzyme A by a fungal iterative type I polyketide synthase PKS1

The Colletotrichum lagenarium PKS1 gene encoding iterative type I polyketide synthase of 1,3,6,8-tetrahydroxynaphthalene (T4HN) was overexpressed in Aspergillus oryzae. SDS-PAGE analysis of the cell-free extract prepared from the transformant showed an intense band of 230000 which corresponded to the molecular weight of the deduced PKS1 protein. By using this cell-free extract, in vitro synthesis of T4HN was successfully confirmed as the first example of the fungal multi-aromatic ring polyketide synthase activity ever detected. To identify the starter unit for T4HN synthesis, (14)C-labeled acetyl CoA and/or (14)C-labeled malonyl CoA were used as substrates for T4HN synthase reaction. Observed was the incorporation of (14)C label into T4HN solely from malonyl CoA even in the absence of acetyl CoA and not from acetyl CoA. This in vitro result unambiguously identified that malonyl CoA serves as the starter as well as extender units in the formation of T4HN by fungal polyketide synthase PKS1.     

Bovine lactoperoxidase and its recombinant: comparison of structure and some biochemical properties

Biochemical properties of bovine lactoperoxidase isolated from milk and recombinant bovine lactoperoxidase expressed by Chinese hamster ovary cells were compared. The natural and recombinant lactoperoxidases showed the same conformational features as determined by circular dichroism (CD) measurements. The alpha-helix, beta-structure, and unordered structure contents were found to be 17. 8, 54.2, and 28.0% for the natural lactoperoxidase and 18.6, 50.1, and 31.3% for the recombinant lactoperoxidase, respectively. The microenvironments of aromatic amino acid residues in both lactoperoxidases seemed to be the same, although the CD spectral band due to the Soret band differed slightly. A difference in the pH-dependent spectral changes of absorbance at 413 nm was observed. From a pepsin hydrolysate of lactoperoxidase, a heme-binding peptide was isolated by reverse-phase HPLC and its amino acid sequence was examined.     

Interaction with heparin and matrix metalloproteinase 2 cleavage expose a cryptic anti-adhesive site of fibronectin

We recently found that fibronectin (FN) had a functional site [YTIYVIAL sequence in the heparin-binding domain 2 (Hep 2)] that was capable of suppressing the integrin-mediated cell adhesion to extracellular matrix. However, our results also indicated that this anti-adhesive site seemed to be usually buried within the Hep 2 domain structure because of its hydrophobic nature, raising a question as to the physiological significance of the cryptic anti-adhesive activity of FN. The present study demonstrates that the cryptic anti-adhesive activity can be exposed through the physiological processes. A 30-kDa chymotryptic FN fragment derived from Hep 2 domain (Hep 2 fragment), which had no effect on adhesion of MSV-transformed nonproducer 3T3 cell line (KN(7)8) to FN, expressed the anti-adhesive activity after treatment with 6 M urea. Light scattering and circular dichroism measurements showed that the urea treatment induced the conformational change of the Hep 2 fragment from a more compact form to an unfolded one. Incubation of the Hep 2 fragment with heparin also induced similar conformational changes and expression of anti-adhesive activity. Additionally, both the urea and heparin treatments made the Hep 2 fragment and intact FN much more accessible to the polyclonal antibody (alphaIII14A), with a recognition site near the anti-adhesive site of FN. Specific cleavage of either the Hep 2 fragment or intact FN by matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) released a 10-kDa fragment with the anti-adhesive activity, which was shown to have the exposed anti-adhesive site on the amino-terminal region. Thus, the cryptic anti-adhesive activity of FN can be expressed upon conformational change and proteolytic cleavage of Hep 2 domain.     

The N-terminal lipopeptide of a 44-kDa membrane-bound lipoprotein of Mycoplasma salivarium is responsible for the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 on the cell surface of normal human gingival fibroblasts

The activities to induce TNF-alpha production by a monocytic cell line, THP-1, and ICAM-1 expression and IL-6 production by human gingival fibroblasts were detected in plural membrane lipoproteins of Mycoplasma salivarium. Although SDS-PAGE of the lipoproteins digested by proteinase K did not reveal any protein bands with molecular masses higher than approximately10 kDa, these activities were detected in the front of the gel. A lipoprotein with a molecular mass of 44 kDa (Lp44) was purified. Proteinase K did not affect the ICAM-1 expression-inducing activity of Lp44, but lipoprotein lipase abrogated the activity. These results suggested that the proteinase K-resistant and low molecular mass entity, possibly the N-terminal lipid moiety, played a key role in the expression of the activity. The N-terminal lipid moiety of Lp44 was purified from Lp44 digested with proteinase K by HPLC. Judging from the structure of microbial lipopeptides as well as the amino acid sequence and infrared spectrum of Lp44, the structure of the N-terminal lipid moiety of Lp44 was speculated to be S-(2, 3-bisacyloxypropyl)-cysteine-GDPKHPKSFTEWV-. Its analogue, S-(2, 3-bispalmitoyloxypropyl)-cysteine-GDPKHPKSF, was synthesized. The lipopeptide was similar to the N-terminal lipid moiety of Lp44 in the infrared spectrum and the ICAM-1 expression-inducing activity. Thus, this study suggested that the active entity of Lp44 was its N-terminal lipopeptide moiety, the structure of which was very similar to S-(2, 3-bispalmitoyloxypropyl)-cysteine-GDPKHPKSF.     

Endogenous AP-1 levels necessary for oncogenic activity are higher than those sufficient to support normal growth

We investigated the role of endogenous AP-1 in human tumor cell lines by introducing SupJunD-1, a dominant-negative mutant of AP-1, using vesicular stomatitis virus G protein (VSV-G)-pseudotyped retrovirus vectors. Single inoculation of six human tumor cell lines, originating from osteosarcomas, non-small cell lung carcinomas or cervical carcinomas, with recombinant SupJunD-1 virus at a high multiplicity of infection readily inhibited colony formation in soft agar. We detected no significant changes in expression levels of AP-1 components c-Jun or Fra-1, adhesion molecules CD44 or E-cadherin, or cell cycle regulator p53, which are encoded by genes previously reported to be under the control of AP-1 in some mouse or human cell lines. By varying the dosage of VSV-G-pseudotyped retrovirus, we were able to change the proviral copy number of supjunD-1 from 1 to approximately 10 and monitor suppression of endogenous AP-1 function as assessed by growth characteristics of the tumor cell lines, we found a SupJunD-1 dosage which significantly suppressed anchorage-independent growth without affecting the cellular growth in monolayer cultures at all. We conclude that endogenous AP-1 levels necessary for oncogenic activity are much higher than those sufficient to support normal growth.     

Adenine-induced selective apoptosis toward HIV chronically infected cells in vitro

A novel strategy for anti-HIV therapy is the clearance of the residual infected cells from the body. Here, we show that 6-aminopurine, adenine, induced selective apoptosis toward HIV-1 producing chronically infected MOLT4 cells (MOLT4/HIV) without augmentation of virus production, whereas the growth of uninfected MOLT4 was stimulated. This selective apoptosis did not occur with other adenine nucleotides or with other bases. The purine ring and the amino residue of adenine were responsible for the apoptosis induction and selectivity, respectively. In addition, adenine slightly but consistently reduced viable cell numbers and the production of virus in a fraction of HIV-1 chronically infected human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs/HIV) at day 7. On the other hand, blastogenic response of normal PBMCs to PHA, PWM and Candida albicans were potentiated in the presence of adenine. These results indicated that the effect of adenine may be attributable to activation-induced selective apoptosis toward virus-infected cells.     

Antioxidant Peptides from the Protease Digest of Prawn (Penaeus japonicus) Muscle

The muscle of the prawn Penaeus japonicus was hydrolyzed by various proteases, and antioxidant activity of the hydrolysates was examined. Among the digests, pepsin digest showed the most potent antioxidant activity. Three antioxidant peptides have been isolated from the active peptidic fraction by ion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration, and ODS high-performance liquid chromatography. Their structures were identified as Ile-Lys-Lys, Phe-Lys-Lys, and Phe-Ile-Lys-Lys. Received October 16, 1998; Accepted January 8, 1999.     

Molecular epidemiological investigation of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli isolates in Japan

We have established several measures for control and prevention of EHEC infection including designation of the disease as notifiable since there was the sudden increase in the incidence of infection with EHEC O157:H7 in Japan in 1996, involving multiple outbreaks. Improvements in methodologies for isolation of these organisms and enhanced laboratory screening have revealed a variety of sources in food and animals. Although there seems to be a bovine reservoir for O157 EHEC in Japan as well as North America and UK, different foods have been linked to EHEC infection including salads, radish sprouts and salmon roe. There is clear evidence that divergent clones of EHEC O157:H7 are prevalent throughout Japan based on laboratory surveillance, however, we still need to better define the role of EHEC serogroups other than Escherichia coli O157 as important causes of human infection.