The role of lysolecithin in the relaxation of vascular smooth muscle

The effect of lysolecithin (lysophosphatidylcholine) on the relaxation of rabbit aortic strip closely resembled that produced by acetylcholine (ACh) which releases the endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF). Relaxation induced by lysolecithin depended on the presence of endothelium and was inhibited by hemoglobin and methylene blue. It appeared to be mediated by the second messenger, c-GMP. Lysolecithin induced relaxation was slower but more persistent than that resulting from the endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) produced by acetylcholine (ACh). Like lysolecithin, Triton X-100, a non-ionic detergent, also preferentially relaxed aortic strips with intact endothelium. The results demonstrate the importance of phospholipids derived from cell membranes in vascular smooth muscle relaxation. Endothelium-derived relaxing factors appear as a group of heterogeneous substances.     

Assembly properties of two CNBr fragments of avian desmin that correspond to the headpiece domain and helix 1B

To study how different domains of the muscle-specific intermediate filament protein, desmin, contribute to its polymerization, two of its CNBr fragments were examined as to their oligomeric structure under assembly conditions. One of these, D88, covers residues 1-88 and represents almost the entire headpiece; the other, D109, covers residues 145-254, and includes the entire Helix 1B and part of linker L12 of the intact molecule. Chemical cross-linking followed by SDS-PAGE, and analytical gel filtration, revealed that in 10 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.5, conditions that favor tetramerization of intact desmin D88 formed only dimers. D109, on the other hand, formed primarily a dimeric species but low levels of trimeric and tetrameric species were also detectable. These data are consistent with the proposal that, during assembly of intact protein molecules into IF, the headpiece and Helix 1 contribute to dimerization of two polypeptides into a parallel, in-register coiled-coil. However, additional interactions, including headpiece-to-rod binding and hydrophobic interaction along the entire rod domain, are required to stabilize the tetramers and full-size IF.     

Rat liver lowMr phosphotyrosine protein phosphatase isoenzymes: Purification and amino acid sequences

Two lowM _r phosphotyrosine protein phosphatases have been isolated from rat liver. The enzymes were previously known as lowM _r acid phosphatases, but several recent studies have demonstrated that this family of enzymes possesses specific phosphotyrosine protein phosphatase activity. We determined the complete amino acid sequences of the two isoenzymes and named them AcP1 and AcP2. Both consist of 157 amino acid residues, are acetylated at the NH₂-terminus, and have His as the COOH-terminus. The molecular weights calculated from the sequences are 18,062 for AcP1 and 17,848 for AcP2. They are homologous except in the 40–73 zone, where about 50% of residues are different. This fact suggests that the two isoenzymes are produced by an alternative splicing mechanism. There is no homology between these two isoenzymes and the receptor-like phosphotyrosine protein phosphatases LAR, CD45, human placenta PTPase 1B, and rat brain PTPase-1. AcP1 and AcP2 are also distinct from rat liver PTPase-1 and PTPase-2, since these last enzymes have higher molecular weights. AcP1 differs from AcP2 with respect to (1) substrate affinity and (2) its sensitivity to activators and inhibitors, thus suggesting a their different physiological function.     

Endogenous stimulant of prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase activity in human amniotic fluid

In this study we describe the discovery and characterization of a substance in human amniotic fluid that stimulates prostaglandin biosynthesis by a microsome-enriched preparation of bovine seminal vesicles. The stimulatory activity is not retained substantially upon anisotropic ultrafiltration through a filter with a molecular weight exclusion limit of 500. Stimulation of prostaglandin biosynthesis by this substance is time- and concentration-dependent; maximal stimulation of approx. 200% being observed within 20 min of commencing incubation with 1 ml-equivalent of stimulant fraction. Stimulatory activity is demonstrable both in the presence of reduced glutathione (1.3 mM) and L-tryptophan (20 mM), either separately or combined, and in the presence of exogenous arachidonic acid (5-120 microM). In the absence of added cofactors, the stimulatory substance increases the rates of biosynthesis of prostaglandin E2 and prostaglandin F2 alpha to equal extents. The amount of stimulatory substance added to incubations is correlated positively with increased oxygen consumption during incubations. The stimulatory substance is stable to heating at 100 degrees C for 10 min but is inactivated substantially (to less than 20% of original activity) by treatment with pronase. It is concluded that human amniotic fluid contains a substance of relatively low molecular weight, which is proteinaceous in character, that stimulates prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase activity.     

Preparative purification of Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin

Heat-stable enterotoxin (STa) isolated from bovine Escherichia coli strains was purified to homogeneity by growing the bacterial strains in a chemically defined medium, desalting, and concentrating the culture filtrate by batch adsorption chromatography on Amberlite XAD-2 resin, batch adsorption chromatography on reversed-phase silica, and preparative reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. This rapid preparative purification scheme gave high recovery yields of pure STa which exhibited biochemical homology to STa purified by more complicated procedures.     

Synthesis of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-3-O-methyl-d-glucopyranose (N-acetyl-3-O-methyllactosamine) and its benzyl α-glycoside

Benzyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-methyl-α-d-glucopyranoside (3) was obtained by deacetalation of its 4,6-O-benzylidene derivative (2). Compound 2 was prepared by methylation of benzyl 2-acetamido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-α-d-glucopyranoside with methyl iodide-silver oxide in N,N-dimethylformamide. Diol 3 was selectively benzoylated and p-toluenesulfonylated, to give the 6-benzoic and 6-p-toluenesulfonic esters (4 and 5, respectively). Displacement of the sulfonyl group of 5 with sodium benzoxide in benzyl alcohol afforded the 6-O-benzyl derivative (6). Glycosylation of 4 with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-d-galactopyranosyl bromide (7) in dichloromethane, in the presence of 1,1,3,3-tetramethylurea, furnished the disaccharide derivative 8. Similar glycosylation of compound 6 with bromide 7 gave the disaccharide derivative 10. O-Deacetylation of 8 and 10 afforded disaccharides 9 and 11. The structure of compound 9 was established by ¹³C-n.m.r. spectroscopy. Hydrogenolysis of the benzyl groups of 11 furnished the disaccharide 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-3-O-methyl-d-glucopyranose (N-acetyl-3-O-methyllactosamine).