Induction of a 60-kDa heat shock protein in rat pancreas by water-immersion stress

• 1.1. In this study, expression of a 60-kDa heat shock protein in rat pancreas was investigated before and after water-immersion stress, which has been known as an exacerbation factor of caerulein-induced pancreatitis in rats, by Western blot.
• 2.2. A 60-kDa heat shock protein increased after water-immersion stress in both soluble and insoluble fractions of the pancreas.
• 3.3. Serum amylase level and pancreas weight did not increase after water-immersion.
• 4.4. No pathologic alteration was observed in the pancreas after water-immersion.

     

Specificity of the permissive effect of d-Glucose on insulin release in chicken pancreas

• 1.1. As previously shown, 14 mM d-glucose, a non-insulinotropic concentration in isolated chicken pancreas, permits an insulin release in response to d-glyceraldehyde, (d-GA; a glycolytic fuel) and l-leucine or α-ketoisocaproic acid (α-KIC) (non-glycolytic fuels), which alone are not initiators of insulin release in this species.
• 2.2. The “permissive” effect of d-glucose was also observed in the presence of d-mannose (which, as shown herein, is not insulinotropic alone).
• 3.3. The specificity of glucose for this “permissive” effect was, therefore, subsequently questioned in the presence of 10mM α-KIC by substituting various glycolytic and non-glycolytic fuels to glucose.
• 4.4. d-GA (at 5 and 15mM), d-mannose (30 and 50 mM), or the association of l-glutamine + l-asparagine permitted an insulin release in response to α-KIC.
• 5.5. The response was, however, delayed with d-GA, only occasionally with 50 mM d-mannose, and required high concentrations and was delayed in the presence of l-glutamine + l-asparagine as compared to that obtained with 14mM d-glucose + α-KIC.
• 6.6. In conclusion, the threshold of fuel-induced insulin release is much higher in the chicken than in mammals and this threshold is most efficiently lowered by glucose.

     

Amino acid composition and the protein form of procarboxypeptidase a purified from the pancreas of the sei whale Balaenoptera bolealis

• 1.1. Procarboxypeptidase (W-PCPA) was purified from the pancreas of the sei whale Balaenoptera bolealis.
• 2.2. W-PCPA was obtained as a homogeneous protein in polyacylamide gel disc electrophoresis.
• 3.3. W-PCPA has a molecular weight of 75,000.
• 4.4. Amino acid composition of W-PCPA was compared with that of bovine procarboxypeptidase as A S5 (PCPA-S5).
• 5.5. W-PCPA may be two subunits, and the aggregate form may resemble PCPA-S5.

     

Purification by preparative electrophoresis and characterization of histne H2B from ox pancreas

• 1.1. Highly purified histone H2B from ox pancreas has been isolated by preparative electrophoresis in polyacrylamide slab gel, at pH 2.7 using the fraction F2b as starting material.
• 2.2. This histone was characterized by amino acid analysis, end groups determination and the tryptic peptide maps.
• 3.3. Comparative studies of histone H2B from ox pancreas and homologous calf thymus histone show similarity of the amino acid compositions, amino terminal groups as well as the tryptic peptide maps.

     

Protein tyrosine phosphorylation in normal rat tissues

• 1.1. Exogenous and endogenous tyrosine protein phosphorylation activities were examined in soluble and partieulate fractions from various normal tissues by using poly-[Glu-⁸⁰Na, Tyr²⁰] and a monoclonal antibody specific for phosphotyrosine.
• 2.2. Phosphorylation of the exogenous substrate by the partieulate forms of TPKs was 2- to 10-fold higher than by soluble forms. The activities of partieulate and soluble enzymes decreased in the following order: spleen > (thymus = kidney) > testes ⩾ (pancreas = liver = brain) > heart.
• 3.3. The level of endogenous phosphorylation in the tissues decreased respectively in the following order: thymus > brain ⩾ (pancreas = liver) > spleen > testes > kidney > heart for the partieulate fractions, and spleen > thymus > brain > pancreas ⩾ liver > testes > kidney > heart for the soluble fractions.
• 4.4. A large number of phosphotyrosine-containing proteins were detected. In addition, several phosphotyrosine-containing proteins of similar molecular weight were found in different tissues and fractions.

     

A comparative study of the basic nuclear proteins from sperm of bivalve molluscs

• 1.1. Basic nuclear proteins from spermatozoa of the three mollusc species belonging to the class Bivalvia have been analyzed using one- and two-dimensional electrophoresis.
• 2.2. Four nuclear basic proteins have been purified and their amino acid compositions determined.
• 3.3. In these spermatozoa histone-type proteins coexist with protamine-like proteins.
• 4.4. The protamine-like proteins that have been studied show different electrophoretic behavior but in general are similar, with a high content of lysine, arginine, alanine and serine.
• 5.5. Interspecific variability has been found for the H1-like histone.

     

The major dog pancreas protein recognized by an antiserum to dog prostate kallikrein is the anionic trypsin

• 1.1. On the basis of its immunoreactivity with a polyclonal antiserum to dog prostate kallikrein in Western blot experiments, a 30 kDa protein was purified from the pancreas of the dog using ion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography.
• 2.2. That protein was identified as the anionic trypsin by its NH₂-terminal amino acid sequence.
• 3.3. The immunoreaction occurred despite an overall amino acid homology which was limited to 39% between the prostate kallikrein and anionic trypsin.
• 4.4. Otherwise, the anti-prostatic kallikrein antiserum was rather specific since it did not react with dog cationic trypsin, dog renal kallikrein and human prostate specific antigen.

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Study of the soluble lens proteins from fifteen sparidae species

• 1.1. Soluble eye lens proteins of fifteen different Sparidae species were analysed.
• 2.2. Species-specific electrophoretic and isoelectric focusing patterns were found.
• 3.3. Significant differences in the distribution of β and γ-crystallin protein components were noted for all species.
• 4.4. These data suggest that the Sparidae family may be a heterogenenous taxonomic group encompassing considerable genetic diferences and with different evolutionary histories.

     

Purification of two lipases with high phospholipase A1 activity from guinea-pig pancreas

• 1.1. Two cationic lipases (Ia and Ib) were purified from homogenates of fresh guinea-pig pancreas by ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose and CM-Sepharose (twice for the latter) followed by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100.
• 2.2. Both enzymes were homogeneous upon polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Their molecular weights are 37000 and 42000 for lipases Ia and Ib, respectively, as determined by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. Very close values for isoelectric points were found in the pH range 9.3–9.4.
• 3.3. The cationic lipases are characterized by a high phospholipase A activity (500 IU/mg protein using a potentiometric assay with egg yolk lecithin as substrate), resulting in an unusual phospholipase/lipase activity ratio of 1.
• 4.4. Using doubly labelled phosphatidylcholine, a specificity, A₁, was described for the two enzymes, which are unaffected by N-ethylmaleimide, diisopropylfluorophosphate and p-bromophenacylbromide. The enzymes are insensitive to EDTA and slightly inhibited by CaCl₂and MgCl₂, whereas sodium deoxycholate is required for maximal activity.

     

Immobilization stress-induced antioxidant defense changes in rat plasma: Effect of treatment with reduced glutathione

• 1.1. We examined immobilization stress-induced antioxidant defense changes in rat plasma and observed the antioxidant effect of reduced glutathione (GSH) administration on these changes.
• 2.2. Immobilization stress induced severe bleeding in the stomach and a significant increase in plasma levels of thiobarbituric acid receives substances (TBARS).
• 3.3. Immobilization stress induced a significant decrease in plasma iron-binding, ironoxidizing protections and radical scavenging activity.
• 4.4. Plasma levels of ascorbic acid, ascorbyl radical and superoxide dismutase activity remained unchanged following immobilization stress.
• 5.5. Treatment with GSH showed a significant protective effect on stomach bleeding, on the increase in plasma TEARS, and on the decrease of iron-binding, iron-oxidizing protection and radical scavenging activity in plasma.
• 6.6. These results suggest that immobilization stress induces generation of reactive oxygen species and decreases the endogenous antioxidant defenses, which can be attenuated by extracellular administration of antioxidant GSH.

     

Possibilities of biochemical taxonomy of bats using hemoglobin,lactate dehydrogenase,esterases and other proteins

• 1.1. Bat hemoglobin resembles other mammalian Hb's in its physiological properties, and Hb differences among bat species are minor.
• 2.2. One polymorphism of the H chain of lactate dehydrogenase occurs in Myotis lucifugus and M. keenii, and another occurs in Eptesicus fuscus. Bat heart and muscle have identical LDH isozyme profiles.
• 3.3. Esterases and major low ionic strength extractabe proteins show a number of differences at the generic level, as well as some polymorphisms which cross species lines.
• 4.4. The protein studies indicate that bats have great individual variation, often of a type comparable to known genetically based protein polymorphisms in other species, but apparently have not had time to accumulate extensive divergent species specificity.

     

A comparative study of vertebrate eye lens crystallins using isoelectric focusing and densitometry

• 1.1. The crystallin proteins of numerous species belonging to different classes of vertebrates have been studied.
• 2.2. Species-specific crystallin patterns are revealed which unequivocally characterize the different species.
• 3.3. A marked variability in the number and percentage of alpha-, beta- and gamma-crystallins were found in the various species.
• 4.4. The gamma-crystallin family, with a meagre number of common bands, has proved to be most representative of the species. The beta-crystallins, with their greater number of common bands, have been best preserved throughout vertebrate evolution.
• 5.5. From the similarity coefficient matrix a dendrogram is drawn up, a visual phylogenetic summary of the interrelationships between the vertebrates considered.
• 6.6. In the Discussion, other aspects are considered, such as lens morphology, functionality, animal age, post-synthetic modifications and genetic factors.

     

Cloning and characterization of rabbit pancreatic colipase

• 1.1. Among the digestive enzymes synthesized by pancreas, lipase is the principle lipolytic enzyme which hydrolyses dietary glycerides.
• 2.2. For its action it requires a coenzyme, colipase.
• 3.3. The molecular mechanisms of the interaction of these two are not fully understood.
• 4.4. Further, molecular events that regulate and influence lipid absorption are ill denned.
• 5.5. The rabbit is the conventional animal model for the study of lipid absorption. We have undertaken the molecular cloning, and characterization of rabbit pancreatic colipase, the coenzyme for pancreatic lipase.
• 6.6. Colipase has been cloned from a gt 11 library of an adult rabbit pancreatic cDNA by probing with an oligonucleotide derived from human colipase sequence.
• 7.7. The total reading frame consists of 321 nucleotides coding for 90 amino acids of the functional protein and 17 nucleotides of the leader peptide.
• 8.8. Northern blot analysis revealed a distinct band around 0.5kb. Comparison with other species revealed an over all homology of 75% at the nucleotide level.
• 9.9. At the amino acid level highest conservation is observed at the lipase-binding region (AA 53–73).
• 10.10. Rabbit enzyme also retained the N-terminal pentapeptide of it preform.
• 11.11. The regions of homology and conservation may aid to define the sites of interaction of colipase with lipase.

     

Effect of dietary coconut oil on lipoprotein composition of young chick (Gallus domesticus)

• 1.1. The composition of HDL, the major lipoprotein fraction from chick serum, drastically changed after 2 weeks of coconut oil feeding. Total cholesterol and triacylglycerols significantly increased following dietary 10 or 20% coconut oil supplementation.
• 2.2. Changes in LDL composition were less profound, cholesterol being the only component that increased by coconut oil supplementation (10 or 20%).
• 3.3. IDL proteins were the only components that increased following the same dietary treatment (20%).
• 4.4. VLDL cholesterol and proteins also increased after 1–2 weeks of 20% coconut oil supplementation to the diet.
• 5.5. Of total lipoproteins, the cholesterol content strongly increased after dietary treatment, while triacylglycerols did not change significantly.

     

Proteomics Analysis of Extracellular Matrix Remodeling During Zebrafish Heart Regeneration

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Highlights

• •We have developed a decellularization protocol for ECM protein enrichment.
• •We have characterized the proteome of adult zebrafish heart ECM.
• •We describe dynamic changes in heart ECM proteome during regeneration.
• •We describe changes in heart ECM stiffness during regeneration.

     

Comparative ocular blood flow

• 1.1. Blood flow values for the mammalian anterior uvea were not significantly different among species but was higher than that of the avian anterior uvea.
• 2.2. Blood flow to the primate choroid was significantly higher than that of other species.
• 3.3. The blood flow ratio which reflects the distribution of total ocular flow was significantly higher in primates than in sheep or geese.
• 4.4. The anterior ciliary artery circulation is of major importance to anterior segment blood flow in primates but not in other mammals.
• 5.5. Therefore primates are the only suitable models for ischemia following strabismus surgery.

     

Comparative biochemical studies of milks—III. Immunoelectrophoretic comparisons of milk proteins of the artiodactyla

• 1.1. Milk proteins from nineteen species of artiodactyls and from five other species have been examined immunoelectrophoretically versus rabbit antisera for milk proteins from Bos taurus.
• 2.2. Milks of ruminants gave positive reactions to anti-cow β-lactoglobulin and anti-cow α-lactalbumin sera. Milks from non-ruminant artiodactyls and from perissodactyls, rodents, lagomorphs and primates did not react with these antisera.
• 3.3. Milk proteins from both ruminant and non-ruminant species reacted with anti-cow serum albumin and anti-cow casein sera.

     

Identification of the major annexins in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

• 1.1. Three calcium-binding proteins have been purified from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells.
• 2.2. They were identified by amino acid sequence analysis on selected fragments obtained by tryptic digestion.
• 3.3. The proteins belong to the annexin family and were identified as annexins II, III and V.
• 4.4. Antibodies raised against the proteins were used to examine for their presence in a number of murine tissues.
• 5.5. The occurrence was found to be in reasonable accordance with earlier reports.

     

Dynamics of Hlo content in rat liver after partial hepatectomy

• 1.1. The changes in the lysine-rich histone subfraction hl₀ have been quantitatively studied in rat liver during the regeneration period after partial hepatectomy.
• 2.2. A gradual decrease in this protein was found early after operation with a minimal value around the time of maximal mitotic activity.
• 3.3. The reduction in the hl₀ content paralleled well the increasing number 0f cells in the cell cycle.

     

Influence of experimental hypothermia on exocrine pancreatic secretion in anaesthetized rabbits

• 1.1. The effects which experimental hypothermia induces on rabbit pancreatic exocrine secretion have been investigated.
• 2.2. The flow of juice and the output of total protein and amylase were lowered during hypothermia.
• 3.3. After rewarming, flow recovered but amylase output remained low.
• 4.4. During hypothermia the sensitivity of the pancreas to secretin and PZ-CCK diminished.