Purification of endogenous inhibitors of [3H]flunitrazepam binding from bovine brain

Endogenous substances which inhibited the binding of [³H]flunitrazepam ([³H]FNZ) to bovine synaptosomal membranes have been purified from the hot acetic acid extracts of the bovine brain. Three peaks of inhibitory activity were obtained by Sephadex G-10 gel chromatography. Two of the peaks (Peak 2, and Peak 3) which had lower molecular weights that that of peak 1 were identified as inosine and hypoxanthine by TLC methods. Another peak (Peak 1) was further purified to homogeneity using both cation and anion ion-exchange chromatography and the following two-step reversed-phase HPLC. The purified substance inhibited the [³H]FNZ binding dose-dependently and competitively but did not have an effect on the binding of the peripheral-type BZ ligand [³H]Ro 5-4864. It was also shown that the substance was heat-stable and resistant to proteolytic degradation (trypsin, -chymotrypsin, pronase). However, a significant loss of inhibitory activity to [³H]FNZ binding was observed after acid hydrolysis. Molecular weight estimates based on gel filtration methods were less than 500 dalton, and the maximal ultraviolet absorption peak was at 314 nm. These results suggest that this substance is a new endogenous ligand for the central BZ receptor and may play an important role in regulating the GABAergic tone in the central nervous system.     

Endogenous peptide(s) inhibiting [3H]cocaine binding in mouse brain

The supernatant fraction of centrifuged homogenate of brain tissue contains material that inhibits the saturable binding of [³H]cocaine to crude mouse brain membranes. This material was subjected to heat treatment to remove protein; further purification was achieved by filtering through an Amicon UM-10 membrane ultrafilter and gel filtration of the ultrafiltrate on Sephadex G-25. Sensitivity to acid hydrolysis and peptidase action indicates that the inhibitory activity resides in peptide material with a low molecular weight. The partially purified inhibitor has similar effects to that of cocaine on the specific binding of various ligands to opiate and nonopiate receptors in mouse brain membranes.     

[3H] Diazepam Displacing Activity in Human Cerebrospinal Fluid

Pooled human cerebrospinal fluid was separated by Sephadex G-50 chromatography. The presence of three peaks, A, B and C, was demonstrated by monitoring absorbance at 254 and 280 nm. All peaks showed [3H]diazepam displacing activity in the membrane receptor test. Peak B was further separated on Bio-Gel P-4. At least two major fractions free of salt and GABA in the molecular weight range of approximately 700--3600 were shown to displace [3H]diazepam in the receptor test. This activity was enhanced by a factor of 3 in the presence of 10 microM-GABA.     

Endogenous ‘ouabain like’ activity in rat brain

The presence of an endogenous ‘ouabain like’ compound in rat brain is demonstrated based on the ability of acid acetone extracts of brain to inhibit [³H] ouabain binding and Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase activity. Partial purification of the inhibitory activity was achieved by methanol and trichloroacetic acid fractionations followed by Sephadex G-25 chromatography. The results are discussed with relation to the possible role of the endogenous ‘ouabain like’ compound in the regulation of the Na⁺,K⁺ pump activity.     

Distribution of opiate-like substances in rat tissues

Rat tissues were tested for their ability to inhibit the binding of [³H]dihydromorphine or [³H]naloxone to membrane-bound opiate receptors. By this criterion, morphine-like substances were found in lung, heart, liver, and kidney as well as in brain. The relative activity of the extracts, based on initial tissue weight, differed with the radioactive ligand employed. With dihydromorphine, the order was as above. With naloxone, lung was most active, followed by heart, brain, liver, and kidney. The ability of all tissue extracts to inhibit opiate binding was reduced by 100 mM NaCl and slightly reduced by 1 mM MnCl₂. Gel filtration using Sephadex G-25 indicated that the inhibitory Substances were heterogeneous in molecular weight. Only with brain and kidney extracts was there significant activity at the elution volume where enkephalins would be expected. Fraction tion using Amberlite XAD-2, a resin which selectively absorbs hydrophobic materials, again indicated that the major portion of activit in all tissue extracts was due to substances other than enkephalins.     

4-Fluoro-3-nitrophenyl azide binding sites on purified beef liver monoamine oxidase B

Previous work from this laboratory has shown that 4-fluoro-3-nitrophenyl azide (FNPA) is an effective photoaffinity labeling probe for MAO-B (Chen et al., Biochem. Pharmac.34, 781–785, 1985). The FNPA binding sites have been further studied by using [³H]FNPA. When [³H]FNPA was photolyzed with purified beef liver MAO, then subjected to tryptic and chymotryptic digestion, three radioactive peaks were observed after Sephadex G-25 column chromatography procedure. The extent of [³H]FNPA incorporation varied directly with [³H]FNPA concentration. They could be protected by the presence of the substrate (phenylethylamine) or inhibitors (pargyline and trans-phenylcyclopropylamine) of MAO-B during photolysis. These protections were concentration dependent. Furthermore, the decrease in [³H]FNPA labeling in the presence of inhibitors paralleled the decrease in MAO catalytic activity. These results suggest that the FNPA binding sites were related to the active site of MAO-B. Under the same conditions, the separation profiles of [³H]FNPA labeled and [³H]pargyline labeled tryptic-chymotryptic peptides after Sephadex G-25 column chromatography are distinctly different. This result suggests that FNPA labeling sites may be different from the pargyline binding site. Since pargyline binds to the prosthetic group(-FAD) of MAO, [³H]FNPA may label different domains of the active site. This probe may be useful for the characterization of the active site of MAO-B.     

Endogenous modulator of dopamine receptor(s)

An endogenous modulator(s) of the dopamine receptor(s) in bovine and rat brain striatum was detected by demonstrating that water extracts of the striatum inhibited [³H]apomorphine binding. This modulator(s) was partially purified by methanol extraction and then successive ion exchange chromatographies on SP-Sephadex C-25 and QAE-Sephadex A-25, and gel chromatography on Sephadex G-25. The partially purified (about 1,500-fold) modulator was a fluorescamine-positive substance, Mr = 500 1000, which was heat-stable (95°C, 10 min), and was destroyed by acid- and alkali-treatment, but not by treatments with various peptidases. The modulator inhibited binding of the dopamine agonist, [³H]apomorphine non-competitively, but did not inhibit binding of the dopamine antagonist, [³H]spiroperidol. Direct injection of the modulator into rat brain striatum depressed apomorphine-induced locomotor activity. Moreover the modulator inhibited dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity. These findings indicate that the modulator acts at a site(s) other than the ligand binding site of the dopamine receptor(s) and modulates the activities of dopamine agonists.     

In Vitro Gibberellin A(1) Binding in Zea mays L

The first and second leaf sheaths of Zea mays L. cv Golden Jubilee were extracted and the extract centrifuged at 100,000g to yield a supernatant or cytosol fraction. Binding of [³H]gibberellin A₁ (GA₁) to a soluble macromolecular component present in the cytosol was demonstrated at 4°C by Sephadex G-200 chromatography. The binding component was of high molecular weight (HMW) and greater than 500 kilodaltons. The HMW component was shown to be a protein and the ³H-activity bound to this protein was largely [³H]GA₁ and not a metabolite. Binding was pH sensitive but only a small percentage (20%) appeared to be exchangeable on addition of unlabeled GA₁. Both biologically active and inactive GAs and non-GAs were able to inhibit GA₁ binding. [³H]GA₁ binding to an intermediate molecular weight (IMW) fraction (40-100 kilodaltons) was also detected, provided cytosol was first desalted using Sephadex G-200 chromatography. Gel filtration studies suggest that the HMW binding component is an aggregate derived from the IMW fraction. The HMW binding fraction can be separated into two components using anion exchange chromatography.     

Isolation of inhibin like peptides from human placenta

Two moieties of inhibin could be obtained by chromatography of partially purified preparations of inhibin from human placenta on Sephadex G-100, G-25 and ion exchange chromatography on diethylaminoethyl Sephadex A-50. The higher molecular weight moiety (14,000) designated as HPI-H appears to be similar to inhibin from human seminal plasma. While the lower molecular weight moiety (1500) designated as HPI-L appears to be similar to that of sheep testicular inhibin. The preparations from both human term placenta and human seminal plasma inhibited the binding of [¹²⁵I] human follicle stimulating hormone to rat testicular receptors. This effect of inhibins could be neutralized by antisera raised against corresponding polypeptide. Further these antibodies could neutralize endogenous inhibin resulting in 2 to 3 fold increase in serum follicle stimulating harmone levels, which could then be reversed by exogenous administration of the isolated inhibin preparations.     

Isolation of a tripeptide (Ala-Gly-Ser) exhibiting weak acetylthiocholine hydrolyzing activity from a high-salt soluble form of monkey diaphragm acetylcholinesterase

A high-salt soluble form of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was purified from monkey (Macaca radiata) whole diaphragm by a two step affinity chromatographic procedure using m-aminophenyl trimethylammoniumchloride hydrochloride-Sepharose and procainamide-Sepharose columns. The purified enzyme showed three major protein bands at 80 kDa, 78 kDa and 60 kDa on SDS-gel electrophoresis. [³H]Diisopropyl fluorophosphate ([³H]DFP) labeled enzyme also gave three radioactive peaks corresponding to these three bands. The purified enzyme pretreated with dithiothreitol and subjected to limited trypsin digestion gave a peptide fragment of molecular weight 300 Da showing weak acetylthiocholine hydrolyzing activity as identified by Sephadex G-25 gel filtration. Sequence analysis showed that the active peptide fragment was a tripeptide with the sequence Ala-Gly-Ser. When the purified AChE was labeled with [³H]DFP, digested with trypsin and subjected to Sephadex G-25 chromatography, a radioactive peak that would correspond to the tripeptide fragment was seen. The kinetics, inhibition characteristics and binding characteristics to lectins of the active peptide fragment was compared with the parent enzyme.A synthetic peptide of sequence Ala-Gly-Ser was also found to exhibit acetylthiocholine hydrolyzing activity. The kinetics and inhibition characteristics of the synthetic peptide was similar to those of the peptide derived from the purified enzyme, except that the synthetic peptide was more specific towards acetylthiocholine than butyrylthiocholine. The specific activity (units/mg) of the synthetic peptide was about 29480 times less than that of the purified AChE.Abbreviations AChE Acetylcholinesterase - BW284C51 1,5-bis(4-allyl dimethylammonium phenyl) pentan 3-one-dibromide - DFP Diisobropyl fluorophosphate - TIPP Tetra isopropyl pyrophosphoramide - TPCK N-Tosyl-L-phenylalanylchloromethyl ketone - MAP m-Aminophenyl trimethylammonium chloride - RCA₁ Ricinus communis agglutinin 120 - TEAB Tetraethylammonium bromide - DTT Dithiothreitol     

Partial purification and characterization of platelet factors stimulating the multiplication of normal human glial cells

Multiplication-stimulating activity for human glial cells was purified from human outdated platelets. By ion exchange chromatography anionic activity was separated from cationic activity. The former could be further separated by Sephadex G-200 gel chromatography into two peaks, whose molecular weights were 40 000 and < 10 000. The cationic activity was partially purified by concanavalin A (ConA) Sepharose chromatography, hydroxylapatite chromatography and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The cationic activity was heterogeneous as demonstrated by isoelectric focusing (Ip 9.5–10.4), gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-150 and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (mol. wt 26 000–33 000). Less than 50 ng/ml was required of the factor to give a glial cell stimulation corresponding to that afforded by 1 % of human serum. A thymidine-degrading enzyme, present in human platelets and to a low degree also in human serum, was found to interfere with the assay for multiplication-stimulating activity. The enzyme (probably a thymidine phosphorylase) converted [³H]thymidine to [³H]thymine, causing a reduced incorporation of ³H into cellular DNA. This difficulty was circumvented by use of an autoradiographic estimation (per cent labelled nuclei) of the multiplication-stimulating activity.     

Identification of inosine and hypoxanthine as endogenous inhibitors of [3H] diazepam binding in the central nervous system

Endogenous inhibitors of [³H] diazepam binding have recently been isolated from bovine brain (1). These factors which competitively inhibit [³H] diazepam binding to synaptosomal membrane preparations have been characterized as dialyzable, heat stable, and resistant to degradation by proteolytic enzymes. Further purification by gel filtration, ion-exchange chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, ultraviolet spectroscopy and high pressure liquid chromatography demonstrate that these compounds are inosine and hypoxanthine.     

Isolation of a tripeptide showing weak acetylthiocholine hydrolysing activity from a soluble form of monkey basal ganglia acetylcholinesterase by limited trypsin digestion

Acetylcholinesterase was purified from the soluble supernatant of monkey (Macaca radiata) brain basal ganglia by a three-step affinity purification procedure. The purified enzyme showed two major protein bands corresponding to molecular weights of approximately 65 kDa and approximately 58 kDa which could be labelled by [3H]diisopropylfluorophosphate. When the purified enzyme was subjected to limited trypsin digestion followed by gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 or Sephadex G-25 column, a peptide fragment of molecular weight approximately 300 Da having a weak acetylthiocholine hydrolysing activity was isolated. The amino acid sequence analysis of this peptide showed a sequence of Gly-Pro-Ser. When the [3H]DFP labelled enzyme was subjected to limited trypsin digestion and Sephadex G-75 column chromatography, a labelled peptide corresponding to approximately 430 Da was isolated. The kinetics, inhibition characteristics and binding characteristics to lectins of this peptide were compared with the parent enzyme. A synthetic peptide of sequence Gly-Pro-Ser was also found to exhibit acetylthiocholine hydrolysing activity. The kinetics and inhibition characteristics of the synthetic peptide were similar to those of the peptide derived from the purified acetylcholinesterase, except that the synthetic peptide was more specific towards acetylthiocholine than butyrylthiocholine. The specific activity (units/mg) of the synthetic peptide was about 123700 times less than that of the purified AChE.     

A platelet factor that stimulates the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells

The effects of platelet factors on the growth of cultured porcine aortic endothelial cells were studied. Human platelet lysate stimulated the incorporation of [3H] thymidine into DNA. Gel chromatography on Sephadex G-75 revealed at least two peaks of activity on endothelial cells, the major peak being at an apparent molecular weight of 20,000. This activity was heat-labile and trypsin-sensitive, and did not stimulate the growth of fibro-blasts.     

Characterization of the Influence of Unsaturated Free Fatty Acids on Brain GABA/Benzodiazepine Receptor Binding In Vitro

Abstract: We have investigated the effect of unsaturated free fatty acids (FFAs) on the brain GABA/benzodiazepine receptor chloride channel complex from mammalian, avian, amphibian, and fish species in vitro. Unsaturated FFAs with a carbon chain length between 16 and 22 carbon atoms enhanced [³H]diazepam binding in rat brain membrane preparations, whereas the saturated analogues had no effect. The enhancement of [³H]diazepam binding by oleic acid was independent of the incubation temperature (0-30°C) of the binding assay and not additive to the enhancement by high concentrations of C1. In rat brain preparations, the stimulation of [³H]diazepam binding by oleic acid (10^?4M) was independent of the ontogenetic development. Phylogenetically, large differences were found in the effect of unsaturated FFAs on [³H]diazepam and [³H]muscimol binding: In mammals and amphibians, unsaturated FFAs enhanced both [³H]-muscimol and [³H]diazepam binding to 150-250% of control binding. In 17 fish species studied, oleic acid (10^?4M) stimulation of [³H]diazepam binding was weak (11 species), absent (four species), or reversed to inhibition (two species), whereas stimulation of [³H]muscimol binding was of the same magnitude as in mammals and amphibians. In 10 bird species studied, only weak enhancement of [³H]muscimol binding (110–130% of control) by oleic acid (10^?4M) was found, whereas [³H]diazepam binding enhancement was similar to values in mammal species. Radiation inactivation of the receptor complex in situ from frozen rat cortex showed that the functional target size for oleic acid to stimulate [³H]flunitrazepam binding has a molecular mass of ～200,000 daltons. Our data show that unsaturated FFAs have distinct effects on membranebound GABA/benzodiazepine receptors in vitro.     

Endogenous low molecular weight inhibitors of cholinergic binding sites

Endogenous low molecular weight compounds which inhibit ligand binding to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of neuronal membranes have been isolated from insect nervous tissue. Two distinct heat-stable, cationic inhibitory compounds with molecular weights of about 700-500 Da and below 500 Da have been identified. The active material was found to competitively inhibit [¹²⁵I]α-bungarotoxin and [³H]acetylcholine binding in a reversible, dose dependent manner. Comparative binding studies revealed that the active material also inhibits [¹²⁵I]α-bungarotoxin and [³H]acetylcholine binding in vertebrate brain, but not in the electric tissue of Torpedo. These results suggest that the endogenous inhibitors may function as modulators specific for neuronal acetylcholine receptors.     

Purification and partial characterization of a cellular retinol-binding protein from human liver

A protein with binding specificity for retinol was purified from human liver. [³H]Retinol was added to liver extracts and the [³H]retinol-binding protein isolated by conventional chromatographic techniques including ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose, gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 and G-50 and preparative isoelectric focusing. The yield was 10–15% in different preparations and the degree of purification was about 3000-fold. The purified protein had a molecular weight of about 15 000 as estimated from both gel filtration and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulphate and was homogeneous in several electrophoretic systems. Isoelectric focusing of the purified protein gave a doublet band. Only one fluorescent band at pH 4.70 was seen if the protein solution was incubated with excess retinol prior to isoelectric focusing. The isolated protein did not react with antiserum to the retinol-binding protein of plasma. The amino acid composition and the amino terminal amino acid sequence for the first sixteen amino acids of the purified protein differed significantly from that of the plasma retinol-binding protein.     

Preliminary characterization of an endogenous inhibitor of [3H]estradiol binding in rat uterine nuclei

The rat uterus contains two classes of specific nuclear estrogen-binding sites which may be involved in estrogen action. Type I sites represent the classical estrogen receptor (Kd = 1 nM) and type II sites (Kd = 10-20 nM) are stimulated in the nucleus by estrogen under conditions which cause uterine hyperplasia. Dilution of uterine nuclear fractions from estrogen treated rats prior to quantitation of estrogen binding sites by [3H]estradiol exchange results in an increase (3- to 4-fold) in the measurable quantities of the type II site. Estimates of type I sites are not affected by dilution. These increases in type II sites following nuclear dilution occur independently of protein concentration and result from the dilution of a specific endogeneous inhibitor of [3H]estradiol binding to these sites. The inhibitor activity is present in cytosol preparations from rat uterus, spleen, diaphragm, skeletal muscle, and serum. Preliminary characterization of the inhibitor activity by Sephadex G-25 chromatography shows two distinct peaks which are similar in molecular weight (300). These components (alpha and beta) can be separated on LH-20 chromatography since the beta-peak component is preferentially retained on this lipophilic resin. Partial purification of the LH-20 beta inhibitor component by high performance liquid chromatography and gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis suggests the putative inhibitor activity is not steroidal in nature and consists of two very similar phenanthrene-like molecules (molecular weights 302 and 304). Analysis of cytosol preparations on LH-20 chromatography shows that non-neoplastic tissues (uterus, liver, lactating mammary gland) contain both and inhibitor components whereas estrogen-induced rat mammary tumors contain very low to nonmeasurable quantities of the beta-peak inhibitor activity.     

Purinergic inhibition of diazepam binding to rat brain (in vitro).

Our recent report that the endogenous purines inosine and hypoxanthine competitively inhibit [³H] diazepam binding to rat brain synaptosomal membranes (1,2) has now been confirmed (3). We now report that a wide spectrum of purines are able to inhibit specific [³H] diazepam binding while pyrimidines are inactive. Preliminary structure activity relationships indicate that the 2′-deoxypurines are more potent in diazepam binding inhibition as are the l-methyl compounds, whereas the 7-methyl purines are inactive. Data are also presented which show that the xanthine stimulants caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine as well as the central nervous system convulsant pentylenetetrazol all competitively inhibit [³H] diazepam binding.     

Endogenous effector of the benzodiazepine binding site: purification and characterization

A protein has been isolated from the small intestine and bile duct which inhibits the binding of [3H]diazepam to specific benzodiazepine binding sites on synaptosomal membranes. When ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration chromatography are used, this protein has been purified to apparent homogeneity. "Nepenthin" has been chosen as a name for this protein, which has an approximate molecular weight of 16 000, as determined by both sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gel filtration chromatography. Purified nepenthin is a competitive inhibitor of [3H]diazepam binding with a Ki = 4.6 X 10(-8) M. It does not inhibit the binding of specific ligands to the enkephalin, beta-adrenergic, gamma-aminobutyrate, or dopamine binding sites in the CNS. Neither gamma-aminobutyric acid nor glycine alters the inhibition of [3H]diazepam binding by this protein. Nepenthin can be extensively treated with proteases (trypsin, chymotrypsin, and Pronase), and inhibition of diazepam binding remains stable, indicating that a lower molecular weight fragment retains activity. Antibodies raised against this purified effector have been used in in situ double antibody labeling studies with rat brain slices. These studies indicate that cells containing an immunologically similar material are present in the deep cortical region of the forebrain.