Selective inactivation of the Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS) binding site in von Willebrand factor by site-directed mutagenesis.

In order to assess the requirement for the Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS) consensus adhesion sequence in von Willebrand factor (vWF) for vWF binding to platelets and endothelial cells, point mutations were introduced into this sequence by site-directed mutagenesis. A glycine to alanine substitution yielded RADS-vWF, while an aspartate to glutamate substitution resulted in RGES-vWF. Recombinant RADS-vWF and RGES-vWF, purified from transformed Chinese hamster ovary cells, were compared with recombinant wild type vWF (WT-vWF) in functional assays with platelets and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HU-VECs). High molecular weight RADS-vWF and RGES-vWF multimers inhibited binding of 125I-vWF to a mixture of insolubilized native type I and III collagen and competed effectively with 125I-vWF for binding to formalin-fixed platelets in the presence of ristocetin, indicating functional collagen and platelet glycoprotein Ib binding. However, RADS-vWF and RGES-vWF were unable to displace the binding of 125I-vWF to thrombin or ADP-activated platelets. The attachment of HUVECs to either RADS-vWF or RGES-vWF coated surfaces was reduced and spreading was almost completely inhibited, compared with WT-vWF. We conclude that point mutations of the RGDS sequence in vWF selectively impair binding to platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa and the HUVEC vitronectin receptor.     

Children’s exposure to sustainability practices during the transition from preschool into school and their learning and socioemotional development

Evidence that the learning gains of preschool fade as children transition into elementary school has led to increased efforts to sustain preschool advantages during this key transitional period. This study explores whether the observed benefits of sustainability practices for a range of child outcomes are explained and/or moderated by family and school mechanisms selecting children into experiencing these practices. Analyses of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort revealed that both family and school factors predicted children’s exposure to several PK-3 sustainability practices. PK-3 sustainability practices were associated with reading (but not math) gains and better interpersonal skills (but not fewer externalizing behaviors) following the transition into kindergarten. These links were not conditioned by the selection mechanisms. The findings highlight who is more likely to seek out (at the family level) or offer (at the school level) sustainability practices and how relevant they are to fighting preschool fadeout.     

Long-term enhancement of pulmonary gas exchange after high-altitude residence during maturation.

In a previous study, our laboratory showed that young dogs born at sea level (SL) and raised from 2.5 mo of age to beyond somatic maturity at a high altitude (HA) of 3,100 m show enhanced resting lung function (Johnson RL Jr, Cassidy SS, Grover RF, Schutte JE, and Epstein RH. J Appl Physiol 59: 1773-1782, 1985). To examine whether HA-induced adaptation improves pulmonary gas exchange during exercise and whether adaptation is reversible when animals return to SL before somatic maturity, we raised 2.5-mo-old foxhounds at HA (3,800 m) for 5 mo (to age 7.5 mo) before returning them to SL. Lung function was measured under anesthesia 1 mo and 2 yr after return to SL and during exercise approximately 1 yr after return. In animals exposed to HA relative to simultaneous litter-matched SL controls, resting circulating blood and erythrocyte volumes, lung volumes, septal volume estimated by a rebreathing technique, and lung tissue volume estimated by high-resolution computed tomography scan were persistently higher. Lung diffusing capacity, membrane diffusing capacity, and pulmonary capillary blood volume estimated at a given cardiac output were significantly higher in animals exposed to HA, whereas maximal oxygen uptake and hematocrit were similar between groups. We conclude that relatively short exposure to HA during somatic maturation improves long-term lung function into adulthood.     

Enhanced ability of skeletal muscle containing cyclocreatine phosphate to sustain ATP levels during ischemia following beta-adrenergic stimulation

Breast muscle of young chicks fed chow diets containing the creatine analog 1-carboxymethyl-2-iminoimidazolidine (cyclocreatine) accumulated up to 40 mumol/g wet weight of the synthetic phosphagen 1-carboxymethyl-2-imino-3-phosphonoimidazolidine (cyclocreatine-P2-). ATP levels were sustained at high values substantially longer in breast muscle of cyclocreatine-fed chicks, compared to control-fed chicks, during total ischemia initiated 2 h after injection of both groups with the beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (5 mg/kg subcutaneous). For example, in chicks fed 0.5% cyclocreatine for 10-19 days ATP levels in isoproterenol-stimulated breast muscles after 1 h of ischemia at 37 degrees C were 6.1 mumol/g, compared to 1.9 mumol/g for the control-fed group, and after 2 h of ischemia were 3.5 mumol/g compared to 0.6 mumol/g for controls. Creatine-P reserves in isoproterenol-stimulated breast muscles of all dietary groups were essentially exhausted within the first hour of ischemia. In contrast, breast muscle of chicks fed either 1 or 0.5% cyclocreatine still contained 28 and 19 mumol/g of cyclocreatine-P, respectively, after 1 h of ischemia; after 2 h of ischemia, the respective cyclocreatine-P values were 20 and 13 mumol/g. Isoproterenol-stimulated chick breast muscle provides the first skeletal muscle model system for studying the molecular mechanisms by which dietary cyclocreatine helps sustain ATP levels during ischemia. Although adaptive factors are also involved, it is suggested that a significant portion of the ATP-sustaining activity of dietary cyclocreatine in ischemic breast muscle can be attributed to the unique thermodynamic properties of the accumulated cyclocreatine-P. These properties enable cyclocreatine-P to continue to thermodynamically buffer the adenylate system and transport high energy phosphate throughout the long muscle fibers at cytosolic pH values and phosphorylation potentials well below the range where the creatine-P system can function effectively. Synergism between glycolysis and this long-acting synthetic phosphagen might well help delay depletion of ATP levels in skeletal muscles during ischemia. Cyclocreatine feeding provides a unique experimental tool for quantitative evaluation of the proposed protective role of ATP against irreversible cellular damage in skeletal and cardiac muscles during ischemic episodes.     

Active papain renatured and processed from insoluble recombinant propapain expressed in Escherichia coli.

For the first time the pro-form of a recombinant cysteine proteinase has been expressed at a high level in Escherichia coli. This inactive precursor can subsequently be processed to yield active enzyme. Sufficient protein can be produced using this system for X-ray crystallographic structure studies of engineered proteinases. A cDNA clone encoding propapain, a precursor of the papaya proteinase, papain, was expressed in E. coli using a T7 polymerase expression system. Insoluble recombinant protein was solubilized in 6 M guanidine hydrochloride and 10 mM dithiothreitol, at pH 8.6. A protein-glutathione mixed disulphide was formed by dilution into oxidized glutathione and 6 M GuHCl, also at pH 8.6. Final refolding and disulphide bond formation was induced by dilution into 3 mM cysteine at pH 8.6. Renatured propapain was processed to active papain at pH 4.0 in the presence of excess cysteine. Final processing could be inhibited by the specific cysteine proteinase inhibitors E64 and leupeptin, but not by pepstatin, PMSF or EDTA. This indicates that final processing was due to a cysteine proteinase and suggests that an autocatalytic event is required for papain maturation.     

Lipid composition of thylakoid membranes of cadmium treated wheat seedlings.

Cadmium (200 ppm) applied through the rooting medium to 30-day-old wheat plants decreased chlorophyll content, net CO2 exchanges and PSII activity by 34, 54 and 43% respectively. Thylakoid total lipids, total glycolipids, total phospholipids and total neutral lipids decreased by 22, 23, 12 and 25%, respectively, under cadmium treatment. Thylakoid membrane glycolipids had three major constituents, viz. monogalactosyl diacylglycerol, digalactosyl diacylglycerol and sulphoquinovosyl diacylglycerol. Monogalactosyl diacylglycerol and digalactosyl diacylglycerol contents decreased by 32 and 27%, respectively, under cadmium. Cadmium application also decreased the concentration of phosphatidyl glycerol and phosphatidyl choline to the extent of about 57 and 31%, respectively. On the other hand, phosphatidic acid and free fatty acids content showed an increase. These compositional changes in thylakoid membranes might be responsible for reduced PSII activity and rate of photosynthesis as observed under cadmium treatment.