Role of factor VIII C2 domain in factor VIII binding to factor Xa.

Factor VIII (FVIII) is activated by proteolytic cleavages with thrombin and factor Xa (FXa) in the intrinsic blood coagulation pathway. The anti-C2 monoclonal antibody ESH8, which recognizes residues 2248-2285 and does not inhibit FVIII binding to von Willebrand factor or phospholipid, inhibited FVIII activation by FXa in a clotting assay. Furthermore, analysis by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that ESH8 inhibited FXa cleavage in the presence or absence of phospholipid. The light chain (LCh) fragments (both 80 and 72 kDa) and the recombinant C2 domain dose-dependently bound to immobilized anhydro-FXa, a catalytically inactive derivative of FXa in which dehydroalanine replaces the active-site serine. The affinity (K(d)) values for the 80- and 72-kDa LCh fragments and the C2 domain were 55, 51, and 560 nM, respectively. The heavy chain of FVIII did not bind to anhydro-FXa. Similarly, competitive assays using overlapping synthetic peptides corresponding to ESH8 epitopes (residues 2248-2285) demonstrated that a peptide designated EP-2 (residues 2253-2270; TSMYVKEFLISSSQDGHQ) inhibited the binding of the C2 domain or the 72-kDa LCh to anhydro-FXa by more than 95 and 84%, respectively. Our results provide the first evidence for a direct role of the C2 domain in the association between FVIII and FXa.     

COMPARISON OF TWO SIMPLE METHODS FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF DETECTION THRESHOLDS FOR BASIC, UMAMI AND METALLIC TASTES

Two simple methods were followed to determine detection thresholds for the taste of substances in aqueous solution. The methods applied were: a modification of the ascending method of limits and a method based on the use of scales. Detection thresholds were calculated for the four basic tastes (sweet, salty, acid, and bitterness), umami and metallic. Reference substances for each taste were sucrose, sodium chloride, citric acid, caffeine, monosodium glutamate and iron (II) sulfate heptahydrate and the results of the two methods were compared. We found that the threshold values calculated by method ASTM-679 was within the range of concentrations identified with the scales method.     

Characteristics of ceruloplasmin interaction with a specific receptor of human erythrocytes

The equilibrium binding of ([125I]ceruloplasmin) ([125I]CP) to a specific receptor of human erythrocytes was investigated. It was shown that reaching the binding equilibrium is a slow process. A strong dependence of binding on Ca2+ concentration (from 0.1 to 1 mM) was revealed; the optimal values were achieved at millimolar concentrations of Ca2+.Mg2+ do not affect the binding of [125I]CP. Under conditions of optimal binding (0.01 M Tris-HCl buffer pH 7.4 containing 158 mM NaCl and 1 mM Ca2+, 4 degrees C), the values of constants for [125I]CP binding to intact erythrocytes (Kd = 1.0 nm) and to membrane fragments (Kd = 0.8 nM) as well as the number of binding sites (16.3 X 10(-15) mol per 40,000,000 erythrocytes) were determined. No ceruloplasmin transport across the erythrocyte membrane was observed. This finding and the similarity of Kd values for ceruloplasmin binding to membrane fragments and to intact erythrocytes indicate that the effect of ceruloplasmin on human erythrocytes is due to the protein molecule interaction with membrane receptors.     

Immunochemical determination of DNA damage induced by high doses of ionizing radiation

It was shown by the immunochemical method that DNA of X-irradiated E. coli cells of a radiosensitive mutant ABA88uvr A6 can react with the antiserum to thymine dimers which, in all appearance, are induced by ionizing radiation in bacterial DNA. The number of thymine dimers in DNA of E. coli AB1886uvr A6 increased with the dose increase. No dimers were detected in radioresistant cells of M. radioproteolyticus probably due to the effective excision thereof.     

Interaction of immunoglobulins with charged biopolymers: significance in the regulation of humoral immunity

When subjected to ion exchange chromatography on QAE-Sephadex A-50 or gel filtration of Sephadex G-200 under conditions that cause the dissociation of immune complexes at pH 4.05, immunoglobulins both from serum and its immunoglobulin fraction increase their interaction with charged antigens as native DNA and cardiolipin. Ion exchange chromatography also leads to the deaggregation of complexes. It was demonstrated that immunoglobulins bind DNA molecule through its F(ab)2 fragments. Based on data obtained, the suggestion was made that interaction between immunoglobulins and charged serum biopolymers is an important factor in humoral immunity regulation. Namely, high specificity of immunological reactions may be supported by elimination of non-specific binding provided electrostatic interactions from all the potential spectrum of antigen-antibody reactions.     

The role of phosphoric acid residues in the formation of antigenic determinants of the structural components of DNA

The inhibitory activity of thymidine, thymidine triphosphate and thymidyl oligonucleotides was studied in thymidine-antithymidine antibodies reaction. Thymidine was shown to have the greatest inhibitory effect, with thymidine triphosphate and thymidyl oligonucleotide inhibitory activity less expressed and reducing with the increase in oligonucleotide length. The effect of thymidine, thymidine triphosphate and thymidyl oligonucleotides on the interaction of antisera and SLE patients' sera with denatured DNA was studied. It was shown that thymidine triphosphate and particularly thymidyl oligonucleotides are characterized by greater inhibitory capacity, as compared to thymidine. It was found that only thymine dimers bound by phosphate groups can inhibit the interaction of UV-irradiated DNA with antiserum specific for UV-modified DNA. The data obtained suggest that the charge determined by phosphoric acid residues plays an essential role in the interaction of antibodies induced to charged structural DNA components.     

Protective effect of various forms of human ceruloplasmin in copper-induced erythrocyte lysis]

It is known that human ceruloplasmin (CP) is made up of several isoforms which differ by the structure of their carbohydrate fragment. One of these isoforms, CP1, which makes up to approximately 40% of the native CP molecule and which contains a carbohydrate fragment, [formula: see text] is specifically bound to human erythrocyte (ER) receptors. This isoform was isolated by using lectin affinity chromatography. It was found that CP1 produces a much stronger protective effect on ER during Cu(2+)-induced lysis as compared with CP. A kinetic analysis of Cu2+ accumulation and reduced glutathione (GSH) decline in ER revealed that the lack of correlation between these two processes. It was found that in the presence of CP and CP1 the GSH concentration is not critical for the hemolytic resistance of ER. In the presence of CP1 ER hemolysis occurs at a slower rate whereas the GSH decline at a much faster rate than in the presence of CP.     

Protective effect of ceruloplasmin during human erythrocyte lysis induced by Fe2+ ions

In order to elucidate the nature of linkage between the oxidase activity and protective effect of ceruloplasmin during the Fe2(+)-induced lysis of erythrocytes, the both factors were identified in ceruloplasmin samples prepared from blood sera of healthy donors and patients with hepatocerebral dystrophy (HCD). It was found that the oxidase activity of healthy donor ceruloplasmin markedly exceeds that of HCD patients, whereas the protective effect of the HCD protein, contrariwise, markedly exceeds that of normal ceruloplasmin. The data obtained suggest that the protective effect of ceruloplasmin during Fe2(+)-induced erythrocyte lysis is not correlated with its oxidase (ferroxidase, in particular) activity.     

New approach to statistical description of fluctuating particle fluxes

The probability density functions (PDFs) of the increments of fluctuating particle fluxes are investigated. It is found that the PDFs have heavy power-law tails decreasing as x ^{?α ? 1} at x → ∞. This makes it possible to describe these PDFs in terms of fractionally stable distributions (FSDs) q(x; α, β, θ, λ). The parameters α, β, γ, and λ were estimated statistically using as an example the time samples of fluctuating particle fluxes measured in the edge plasma of the L-2M stellarator. Two series of fluctuating fluxes measured before and after boronization of the vacuum chamber were processed. It is shown that the increments of fluctuating fluxes are well described by DSDs. The effect of boronization on the parameters of FSDs is analyzed. An algorithm for statistically estimating the FSD parameters and a procedure for processing experimental data are described.