Endothelin inhibits presynaptic adrenergic neurotransmission in rat mesenteric artery

The effect of endothelin(ET) on adrenergic neurotransmission was examined in isolated perfused rat mesenteric arteries. Porcine ET(10(-12) to 10(-10)M) attenuated the pressor response to sympathetic nerve stimulation (NS). It also stimulated the release of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), but its inhibition of the pressor response to NS was not affected by indomethacin treatment. ET also caused dose-dependent inhibition of [3H]norepinephrine release during NS. Higher doses of ET rather enhanced the pressor response to NS. These results suggest that ET inhibits presynaptic adrenergic neurotransmission without mediation of PGE2, while it potentiates the responsiveness of the postsynaptic alpha-adrenergic receptor. Thus ET appears to act directly on the neuroeffector junction as well as on the peripheral vasculature.     

Effect of captopril on renal vascular resistance, renin, prostaglandins and kinin in the isolated perfused kidney

Vasodilatory and natriuretic effects of captopril were studied in the isolated hog kidney perfused with modified Krebs-Ringer solution. Renal arterial infusion of captopril caused increases in releases of renin, prostaglandins (PGE2, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and PGF2 alpha) and kinin, and was accompanied by a decrease in the renal vascular resistance and an increase in urinary sodium excretion. Indomethacin administered with captopril diminished the saluretic effect of captopril and evoked an increase in kinin, but was associated with a marked decrease in prostaglandin and renin releases, while renal vascular resistance remained decreased. Indomethacin alone did not alter vascular resistance and kinin; however, renin and prostaglandin releases were decreased. Aprotinin administered with captopril showed a decrease in releases of prostaglandins, renin and kinin without any change in vascular resistance. These results suggest that increased release of kinin induced by captopril contributes to a reduction in renal vascular resistance. Increased prostaglandin release after captopril administration may be caused by an increase in kinin without direct involvement of captopril in prostaglandin synthesis. Renal prostaglandins may enhance sodium excretion and mediate renin secretion in captopril perfusion.     

Endothelin activates the vascular renin-angiotensin system in rat mesenteric arteries

The effects of endothelin on the vascular renin-angiotensin system were examined in isolated perfused rat mesenteric arteries by measuring vascular renin activity and angiotensin II released into the perfusate. Infusion of endothelin (10(-9)M and 10(-11)M) increased the vascular renin activity and angiotensin II release. Pretreatment with nicardipine (10(-6)M), a calcium channel blocker, significantly suppressed these effects of endothelin. These results suggest that endothelin activates the vascular renin-angiotensin system via intracellular calcium metabolism. Vascular angiotensin II produced by endothelin may modulate the local effect of endothelin on the resistance vessels.     

Integrated tandem affinity protein purification using the polyhistidine plus extra 4 amino acids (HiP4) tag system

Peptide tag systems are a robust biophysical and biochemical method that is widely used for protein detection and purification. Here, we developed a novel tag system termed “HiP4” (histidine plus four amino acids) whose epitope sequence comprises only seven amino acids (HHHDYDI) that partially overlap with the conventional 6x histidine tag (6xHis-tag). We produced a monoclonal antibody against the HiP4 tag that can be used in multiple immunoassays with high specificity and affinity. Using this system, we developed a tandem affinity purification (TAP) and mass spectrometry (TAP-MS) system for comprehensive protein interactome analysis. The integrated use of nickel bead purification followed by HiP4 tag immunoprecipitation made it possible to reduce nonspecific binding and improve selectivity, leading to the recovery of previously unrecognized proteins that interact with hepatitis B virus X (HBx) protein or TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TARDBP or TDP-43). Our results indicate that this system may be viable as a simple and powerful tool for TAP-MS that can achieve low background and high selectivity in comprehensive protein–protein interaction analyses.     

Specific association of bromocresol purple anions with a magnesium complex of a phosphorylated intermediate during steady-state hydrolysis of ATP by the Mg2+ + Ca2+-dependent ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum

The mechanism of dimeric binding of bromocresol purple (BCP) anions to Mg2+ + Ca2+-ATPase of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and the resulting partial inhibition of the ATPase activity were studied. BCP anions in three states, free monomer, bound monomer, and bound dimer, were spectrophotometrically calculated by solving simultaneous equations, delta A lambda 1-lambda 2 = sigma delta ai (epsilon i lambda 1-epsilon i lambda 2), and concentration changes of these states were analyzed. The addition of ATP caused an increase in the bound dimer and a decrease in the free monomer, but the change of the bound monomer was slight. The decrease in delta A (decrease phase) on the addition of ATP on dual-wavelength spectrophotometry at 585-610 nm was related to an increase in the amount of dimer bound to the SR membranes. The magnitude of the decrease phase increased with an increase in Mg2+ concentration and decreased with an increase in the concentration of Ca2+. BCP anions at the probe concentration partially inhibited the ATPase activity, and brought about a decrease in the ADP-sensitive E-P (E1P) and an increase in the ADP-insensitive E-P (E2P), though BCP anions did not affect the amount of total E-P. On elimination of Mg2+ at the steady-state E-P level both E2P and E2P . (BCP)2 were decomposed, suggesting that the enzyme form binding the BCP dimer was Mg . E-P. An increase in Mg2+ concentration increased E2P but an increase in Ca2+ concentration decreased E2P. Decomposition of E2P to P1 was inhibited by BCP anions. The following simple scheme was suggested to explain the partial inhibition of the ATPase activity, (Formula: see text). Application of BCP anions was discussed for use as a probe for Mg . E-P in the steady-state ATP hydrolysis.     

Determination of the intravesicular pH of fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum with 5,5-dimethyl-2,4-oxazolidinedione.

The intravesicular pH (pHi) of fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of the skeletal muscle was determined from the distribution of 5,5-dimethyl-2,4-oxazolidinedione (DMO), a weak organic acid, between the intra- and extravesicular spaces. The pHi's thus obtained were found to be slightly lower (0.02-0.17 pH unit) than the pH's of the external medium (pHe) at pH 6.5-8.5 in the presence of 105 mM KCl and 40 mM Tris-maleate buffer. The higher the pHe, the greater the pH gradient. When pHe was changed, pHi attained equilibrium within about 20 min, the time necessary for the separation of the SR by centrifugation. When 0.25 M sucrose and 5 mM Tris-maleate buffer were used instead of 105 mM KCl and 40 mM buffer, the pH gradient increased to 0.56. It was also demonstrated by direct measurements of pHe with a glass-electrode pH meter that K+ ions added to the external medium exchanged the intravesicular H+ ions. From these results it appears that the pH gradient across the SR membrane was at the Donnan equilibrium. In this state, the Donnan potentials corresponding to pH gradients of 0.17 and 0.56 were -9.3 and -30.6 mV, respectively.     

Comparison of Barium and Arsenic Concentrations in Well Drinking Water and in Human Body Samples and a Novel Remediation System for These Elements in Well Drinking Water

Health risk for well drinking water is a worldwide problem. Our recent studies showed increased toxicity by exposure to barium alone (≤700 µg/L) and coexposure to barium (137 µg/L) and arsenic (225 µg/L). The present edition of WHO health-based guidelines for drinking water revised in 2011 has maintained the values of arsenic (10 µg/L) and barium (700 µg/L), but not elements such as manganese, iron and zinc. Nevertheless, there have been very few studies on barium in drinking water and human samples. This study showed significant correlations between levels of arsenic and barium, but not its homologous elements (magnesium, calcium and strontium), in urine, toenail and hair samples obtained from residents of Jessore, Bangladesh. Significant correlation between levels of arsenic and barium in well drinking water and levels in human urine, toenail and hair samples were also observed. Based on these results, a high-performance and low-cost adsorbent composed of a hydrotalcite-like compound for barium and arsenic was developed. The adsorbent reduced levels of barium and arsenic from well water in Bangladesh and Vietnam to <7 µg/L within 1 min. Thus, we have showed levels of arsenic and barium in humans and propose a novel remediation system.     

Effects of Sphingomyelin Headgroup Size on Interactions with Ceramide

Sphingomyelins (SMs) and ceramides are known to interact favorably in bilayer membranes. Because ceramide lacks a headgroup that could shield its hydrophobic body from unfavorable interactions with water, accommodation of ceramide under the larger phosphocholine headgroup of SM could contribute to their favorable interactions. To elucidate the role of SM headgroup for SM/ceramide interactions, we explored the effects of reducing the size of the phosphocholine headgroup (removing one, two, or three methyls on the choline moiety, or the choline moiety itself). Using differential scanning calorimetry and fluorescence spectroscopy, we found that the size of the SM headgroup had no marked effect on the thermal stability of ordered domains formed by SM analog/palmitoyl ceramide (PCer) interactions. In more complex bilayers composed of a fluid glycerophospholipid, SM analog, and PCer, the thermal stability and molecular order of the laterally segregated gel domains were roughly identical despite variation in SM headgroup size. We suggest that that the association between PCer and SM analogs was stabilized by ceramide’s aversion for disordered phospholipids, by interfacial hydrogen bonding between PCer and the SM analogs, and by attractive van der Waals’ forces between saturated chains of PCer and SM analogs.