Abortive Infection of L Cells by Influenza B Virus: Defect in Bud Formation

Host-dependent restriction of influenza B virus replication in L cells was analysed in comparison with productive infection in MDCK or 1–5C-4 cells. The synthesis and intracellular distribution of virus-specific proteins and the production of cytoplasmic ribonucleoproteins in nonpermissive L cells were similar to those in permissive MDCK cells. However, an electron microscopic study of infected L cells showed neither extracellular virions nor budding virus particles on the cell surface, in contrast to MDCK cells which produced numerous virus particles. PAGE analysis of the plasma membrane isolated from the cells demonstrated no significant difference in the composition of viral polypeptides between permissive 1-5C-4 and nonpermissive L cells. It was noted that the abortiveness of influenza B virus infection in L cells may be due to a defect in host cell function involved in the initiation of virus budding.     

Characterization by [3H]Dihydroergocryptine Binding of Alpha-Adrenergic Receptors in Neuroblastoma × Glioma Hybrid Cells

[3H]Dihydroergocryptine ([3H]DHE) was shown to bind to sites in membranes from neuroblastoma X glioma hybrid cells (NG 108-15) that had the characteristics expected of alpha-adrenergic receptors. The binding was saturable with 0.3 pmol [3H]DHE bound per mg of protein and of high affinity, with an apparent dissociation constant (KD) of 1.8 nM. The specificity of the binding site for various ligands was more similar to that of alpha 2 receptors than to that of alpha 1. No specific binding of [3H]WB-4101 was found in the membranes derived from NG 108 cells. This finding also indicated that the [3H]DHE binding site in the cell is the alpha 2 receptor. GTP lowered the affinity of agonists for the [3H]DHE binding site, although the nucleotide hardly affected the affinity of antagonists including [3H]DHE.     

Gap Junctions Mediate Glucose Transport Between GLUT1-Positive and -Negative Cells in the Spiral Limbus of the Rat Cochlea

To elucidate the role of the spiral limbus in glucose transport in the cochlea, we analyzed the expression and localization of GLUT1, connexin26, connexin30, and occludin in the spiral limbus of the rat cochlea. GLUT1 and occludin were detected in blood vessels. GLUT1, connexin26, connexin30, and occludin were also expressed in fibrocytes just basal to the supralimbal lining cells. Connexin26 and connexin30 were present among not only these GLUT1-positive fibrocytes but also GLUT1-negative fibrocytes. In vivo glucose imaging using 6-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino]-6-deoxyglucose (6-NBDG, MW 342) together with Evans Blue Albumin (EBA, MW 68,000) showed that 6-NBDG was rapidly distributed throughout the spiral limbus, whereas EBA was localized only in the vessels. Moreover, the gap junctional uncoupler heptanol inhibited the distribution of 6-NBDG. These findings suggest that gap junctions play an important role in glucose transport in the spiral limbus, i.e., that gap junctions mediate glucose transport from GLUT1-positive fibrocytes to GLUT1-negative fibrocytes in the spiral limbus.     

Immunolocalization of β-1-4-galactan and its relationship with lignin distribution in developing compression wood of Cryptomeria japonica

Compression wood (CW) contains higher quantities of β-1-4-galactan than does normal wood (NW). However, the physiological roles and ultrastructural distribution of β-1-4-galactan during CW formation are still not well understood. The present work investigated deposition of β-1-4-galactan in differentiating tracheids of Cryptomeria japonica during CW formation using an immunological probe (LM5) combined with immunomicroscopy. Our immunolabeling studies clearly showed that differences in the distribution of β-1-4-galactan between NW (and opposite wood, OW) and CW are initiated during the formation of the S₁ layer. At this stage, CW was strongly labeled in the S₁ layer, whereas no label was observed in the S₁ layer of NW and OW. Immunogold labeling showed that β-1-4-galactan in the S₁ layer of CW tracheids significantly decreased during the formation of the S₂ layer. Most β-1-4-galactan labeling was present in the outer S₂ region in mature CW tracheids, and was absent in the inner S₂ layer that contained helical cavities in the cell wall. In addition, delignified CW tracheids showed significantly more labeling of β-1-4-galactan in the secondary cell wall, suggesting that lignin is likely to mask β-1-4-galactan epitopes. The study clearly showed that β-1-4-galactan in CW was mainly deposited in the outer portion of the secondary cell wall, indicating that its distribution may be spatially consistent with lignin distribution in CW tracheids of Cryptomeria japonica.     

Involvement of the Golgi region in the intracellular trafficking of cholera toxin

The intracellular pathway following receptor-mediated endocytosis of cholera toxin was studied using brefeldin A (BFA), which inhibited protein secretion and induced dramatic morphological changes in the Golgi region. In both mouse Y1 adrenal cells and CHO cells, BFA at 1 μg/ml caused a 80–90% inhibition of the cholera toxin (CT)-elevation of intracellular cAMP. The inhibition of the cytotoxicity of CT by BFA was also observed in a rounding assay of Y1 adrenal cells. The inhibition of CT cytotoxicity by BFA was dose dependent, with the ID₅₀ value similar to the LD₅₀ of BFA in Y1 adrenal cells. Binding and internalization of [¹²⁵I]-cholera toxin in Y1 adrenal cells was not affected by BFA. Unlike the BFA-sensitive cell lines such as Y1 adrenal and CHO cells, BFA at 1 μg/ml did not inhibit the cytotoxicity of CT in PtK₁ cells, of which the Golgi structure was BFA-resistant. These results strongly suggest that a BFA-sensitive Golgi is required for the protection of CT cytotoxicity by BFA. In contrast, elevation of the intracellular cAMP by forskolin, which acts directly on the plasma membrane adenylate cyclase, was not affected by BFA. These observations indicate that the intoxication of target cells by CT requires an intact Golgi region for its intracellular trafficking and/or processing. In this respect, CT shares a common intracellular pathway with ricin, Pseudomonas toxin, and modeccin, even though their structures and modes of action are very different. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Nonlethal G0-ts mutant tsJT60 becomes lethal at the nonpermissive temperature after transformation: a hint for new cancer chemotherapeutics

tsJT60 is a nonlethal temperature-sensitive (ts) mutant of a Fischer rat cell line (3Y1) classified as a G0 mutant; i.e., the ts defect is not expressed within the cell growth cycle but is expressed only between the G0 and S phase. tsJT60 clones transformed with oncogenes such as adenovirus E1A, polyoma large T, polyoma middle T, v-Ki-ras, and LTR activated c-myc, or with a chemical carcinogen N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, grew well at 34 degrees C. However, most of these clones grew slowly at 40 degrees C, producing many floating dead cells, and some clones were killed at 40 degrees C. When they were cultured under conditions inadequate for growth of untransformed cells, such as high cell density or serum restriction, they were killed at 40 degrees C. These and previous results from SV40- and adenovirus-transformed tsJT60 clones favour the idea that transformed tsJT60 cells occasionally enter the G0 phase and are metabolically imbalanced at 40 degrees C during self-stimulation from the G0 to S phase. We propose that a drug which exclusively block, G0-G1 transition would be cytocidal to transformed cells but cytostatic to normal cells.     

Immune response to Toxoplasma gondii--analysis of suppressor T cells in a patient with symptomatic acute toxoplasmosis

Unresponsiveness of antigen-dependent (Toxoplasma-specific and purified protein derivative of tuberculin [PPD]-specific) T-cell proliferative responses of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) was observed in a patient with symptomatic acute toxoplasmosis. The immunosuppression of T-cell responses was mediated by Leu 1+, Leu 2a+, and Leu 3a- suppressor T cells that were induced by Toxoplasma gondii antigen and suppressed both Toxoplasma-specific and PPD-specific PBL T-cell responses from a patient with chronic toxoplasmosis when PBL of these patients were mixed and cocultured in vitro. Participation of class II molecules of HLA in Toxoplasma-specific proliferative T-cell responses and activation of suppressor T cells was examined by using monoclonal antibodies specific for HLA-DR and HLA-DQ molecules. Anti-HLA-DQ monoclonal antibody released the suppressive activity, while anti-HLA-DR monoclonal antibody inhibited Toxoplasma-specific T-cell responses. Thus, the suppressive effect of PBL from a patient with acute toxoplasmosis on antigen-dependent PBL T-cell responses from a patient with chronic toxoplasmosis was mediated by HLA-DQ molecules. By contrast, Toxoplasma-specific T-cell responses were activated by HLA-DR molecules (presumably present on antigen-presenting cells).     

Transformation by viral and cellular oncogenes of a mouse BALB/3T3 cell mutant resistant to transformation by chemical carcinogens.

The mouse cell line MO-5 is resistant to transformation by various chemical carcinogens and also by UV irradiation (C. Yasutake, Y. Kuratomi, M. Ono, S. Masumi, and M. Kuwano, Cancer Res. 47:4894-4899, 1987). Northern (RNA) blot analysis showed active expression of ras and myc genes in MO-5 and BALB/3T3 cells. The effect of transfection of various oncogenes on transformation was compared in MO-5 cells and parental BALB/3T3 cells. Activated c-H-ras, c-N-ras, and v-mos gene induced transformation foci of MO-5 and BALB/3T3. Introduction of the polyomavirus middle T-antigen (mTag) or the Rous sarcoma virus-related oncogene v-src, however, efficiently transformed BALB/3T3 but not MO-5 cells. Expression and phosphorylation of mTag and the associated c-src proteins were observed in mTag-transfected clones of MO-5 as in BALB/3T3 and phosphorylation of the src protein was observed in v-src-transfected BALB/3T3 and MO-5 clones. Hybrids between mTag- or v-src-induced transformants of BALB/3T3 and untransformed MO-5 maintained the transformation phenotype, suggesting that no dominant suppressor of transformation exists in MO-5. A hybrid clone between BALB/3T3 and MO-5 induced efficient transformation foci after transfection with the mTag gene, suggesting that the deficient transformation phenotype of MO-5 was recessive. Instead, some other alteration of MO-5, plausibly membrane function, might lead to abortive transformation by chemical carcinogens and also by mTag and the v-src gene product.     

A Comparative Study of the Structures of {alpha}-Glucans from Suspension-Cultured Nonglutinous and Glutinous Rice Cells

-Glucans (average mol wt, 1.3 ? 10⁴) extracted with perchloricacid from 8-day-old suspension-cultured nonglutinous (var. Sasanishiki)and glutinous rice (var. Miyakogane) cells were compared. Theresults of hydrolysis by alpha;-, ß- and iso-amylasesand methylation analysis of the -glucans suggested that theirbasic structures are almost the same. These -glucans are highly-branchedpolysaccharides with an average chain length of about 9–10,with exterior and interior chain lengths of about 6–7and 2–3, respectively. ¹Current address: Laboratory of Food Science, Faculty of Education,Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, Aomori 036, Japan. (Received April 27, 1987; Accepted March 2, 1988)     

Computer simulation of the folding-unfolding transition of island-model proteins--folding pathway, transition process, and fluctuations

Monte Carlo computer simulations were performed to elucidate the dynamic aspects of the folding and unfolding transitions of island-model protein. Five different types of model proteins were designed, according to characteristics of backbone structure. The computer simulations clearly show that the unfolding and folding transitions are all-or-none processes between the N-and U-states. They are typical Poisson processes. From the Arrhenius plots of rate constants, the activation enthalpies of folding and unfolding were determined. In addition, the folding pathways were determined along the reaction coordinate. Formations of several local structures along a polypeptide chain are almost simultaneous, but the most probable time sequence of events exists at the moment of transition. That is the most probable folding pathway. The unfolding pathway was found to be just the reverse process of the most probable folding pathway. The relationship between the fluctuations in each equilibrium state and the transition process was considered. In contrast to the theory of absolute reaction rate, the transient states are widely distributed along the reaction coordinate. From analysis of the “transient process,” we tried to determine the critical states from which the transient process starts. As a result, we found that the unfolding transition occurs at the stage near the N-state. During the U-state, large joined blocks rarely appear, but they appear in the transient process towards the N-state. However, the “branch point” between the N- and U-states lies near the N-state, and joined blocks tend to unfold prior to passing over the branch point. We concluded that the stability of later folding intermediates is important for selection of the folding pathway, while preferential selection of an early folding intermediate is important in acceleration of the folding rate. The effects of intrachain cross-linking and peptide fragment binding on the rate constants were examined by using computer simulations of model proteins. In general, a small-sized loop formed by cross-linking accelerates the folding rate and a large-sized loop contributes much to the stabilization of the native conformation. We also found that peptide fragment binding contributes little to the acceleration of the folding rate of the residual protein.