Substance P augmentation of CSF-1-stimulated in vitro myelopoiesis. A two-signal progenitor restricted, tuftsin-like effect

The inflammatory neuropeptide substance P acted as a costimulant for macrophage CSF-1-induced clonal proliferation of murine marrow-derived two signal-dependent mononuclear phagocyte progenitors. Substance P had no effect on clonal proliferation by progenitors responding solely to CSF-1. Substance P fragment 2-11 had no costimulatory activity; however, SP fragment 1-4 retained the full activity of the parent undecapeptide. Fragment 1-4 (ARG-PRO-LYS-PRO), a peptide containing a PRO residue between two positive charges, is a tuftsin-like (THR-LYS-PRO-ARG) tetrapeptide, and tuftsin exerted an identical costimulatory effect. Substance P, SP:1-4, and tuftsin were optimally effective as costimulants at 10(-7) to 10(-6) M. (ALA1)-tuftsin, an inhibitory analog of tuftsin, was a potent negative regulator of two signal-dependent colony formation. (ALA1)-tuftsin at concentrations less than or equal to 10(-9) M exerted dose-dependent inhibition of the positive effects of optimal concentrations of all of the co-stimulants tested, including bacterial LPS. The inhibitory tetrapeptide was equivalent in activity to ferritin, an established inhibitor of two signal-dependent colony formation. The results indicated that SP may influence myelopoiesis in addition to its other inflammatory and immunopotentiating properties. In addition, a potentially valuable modulator of SP and LPS responses in this system, (ALA1)-tuftsin, was identified.     

Modification of morphine withdrawal: effect of tuftsin, [Lys4]-tuftsinyltuftsin, tetrapeptide fragment (1-4) of substance P and its amide

Withdrawal behavior in morphine-dependent rats precipitated by naloxone was attenuated after pretreatment with the tetrapeptide tuftsin and to some extent by its synthetic derivative [Lys4]-tuftsinyltuftsin. The tetrapeptide fragment (1-4) of Substance P was ineffective in suppressing morphine-withdrawal behavior, whereas its C-amide exerted only weak action. Possible involvement of an immunological mechanism is discussed.     

Tuftsin,Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg

Summary Tuftsin, a natural occurring tetrapeptide, has been found to exhibit several biological activities connected with immune system function. Although little is known about tuftsin's biogenesis, much information has been gleaned about its structure-function relationships, which have shown that several features of the molecule are essential for expression of full biological activity. Furthermore, specific receptor sites for tuftsin have been found to exist exclusively on phagocytic cells. Research indicates that tuftsin binding to target cells effect intracellular calcium and cyclic nucleotide levels. Implication of these facts on tuftsin's mode of action are discussed.Basic peptidic segments resembling tuftsin are found in a variety of regulatory peptides. Questions are, therefore, raised as to the biospecificity and cross-reactivity of these sequences. Substance P, one such peptide, which binds with and activates tuftsin receptors, is described.In light of tuftsin's therapeutic potential, assays for its determination have been introduced. When applied to analyze human blood serum of normal as well as of various pathological origins, direct correlation was found between tuftsin levels and susceptibility to bacterial infections.     

Biological activity and enzymic degradation of substance P analogs: implications for studies of the substance P receptor.

Partial sequences of Substance P, either free or blocked at their amino terminal, have been examined for their stability towards inactivation by homogenate or particulate fractions of rat brain and for their relative potencies as smooth muscle contractors. The C-terminal hexapeptide in both the free and blocked forms displays activity comparable to that of the longer C-terminal peptides as well as to that of the native undecapeptide. The blocked peptides, however, are much more stable than their corresponding free peptides. Among the free peptides Substance P is degraded slower than the free hexa- and hepta-peptides, suggesting that the N-terminal tetrapeptide part may play a role in stabilizing the molecule. Blocked hepta- and octapeptide analogs, carrying probe properties, may be useful for studies of the Substance P receptor.     

Binding affinities to rat brain synaptosomes--synthesis of biotinylated analogues of Substance P

The synthesis of four biotinylated analogues of Substance P is described. The affinities of these analogues and of their complexes with avidin for the 125I-Bolton Hunter Substance P binding sites on rat brain synaptosomes were determined. While these biotinylated peptides complexed to avidin retain a good biological activity on the guinea-pig ileum bioassay, we observe a net decrease in their binding affinities in the central nervous system. The present study confirms that in the central nervous system the higher affinity is related to the N-terminal tetrapeptide and establishes that the free amino group (N-alpha-Arg and N-epsilon-Lys) are not essential in the binding.     

Flow cytometry and biochemical analysis of DNA degradation characteristic of two types of cell death

Interactions of tuftsin (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) were analysed by fluorescence spectroscopy and circular dichroism. The data show that tuftsin interacts weakly with BSA, but this interaction is considerably enhanced by introducing an apolar substituent at the C-terminus of the tetrapeptide. It is suggested that strong binding of tuftsin to albumin in blood may enhance its macrophage-stimulating activity in vivo.     

Sequential hydrolysis of proline-containing peptides with immobilized aminopeptidases

Proline-containing polypeptides are shown to be sequentially degraded by two aminopeptidases. Clostridial aminopeptidase (EC 3.4.11-) cleaves off any N-terminal amino acid residue including proline from polypeptide chains, but does not cleave the N-terminal secondary peptide bonds involving a prolyl nitrogen. Aminopeptidase P (EC 3.4.11.9) cleaves exclusively such secondary bonds. The two enzymes were immobilized by coupling them covalently to porous amino glass beads. Highly stable preparations were obtained with unchanged pH optimum and thermal stability. The applicability of clostridial aminopeptidase to sequence determination was demonstrated by the time-dependent hydrolysis of enkephalin and Substance P octapeptide. Sequential hydrolysis with the two immobilized enzymes was demonstrated with the proline-containing (Pro-Gly-Pro)10, [Asn1, Val5]angiotensin II, bradykinin, Substance P and tuftsin. Absence of endopeptidase activities was demonstrated by resistance of cytochrome c to hydrolysis and by the ordered release of amino acids during the sequential degradation by immobilized clostridial aminopeptidase and aminopeptidase P.     

An NMR study of the conformations of N-terminal substance P fragments and antagonists

Three N-terminal fragments of the neurotransmitter Substance P as well as two antagonist heptapeptides containing D-amino-acid residues were studied using different 1D and 2D NMR techniques. Total nonexchangeable 1H-NMR assignments were carried out in D2O and the NH protons were assigned in H2O by means of COSY experiments. The spectral data indicates that there are no preferred conformations for the backbone. The N-terminal tetrapeptide SP1-4-OH exists as a mixture of cis/trans isomers and this effect was studied as a function of pH.     

Effect of tuftsin on the leucyl aminopeptidase activity of the subcellular components in cerebral cortical formations

The administration of a tetrapeptide tuftsin in a dose of 300 mkg/kg body weight for 15, 75 minutes leads to the change in specific activity of leucyl-arylamidase in subcellular component and their membrane which has been isolated from the rabbit sensomotor cortex and visual cortex. Reaction of a tetrapeptide depends on time. It is strongly pronounced in sensomotor cortex and has an advantage in synaptosomes and their membrane. Possibility of tuftsin in protein exchange of cellular and subcellular component is discussed.     

Bactericidal activity of tuftsin

Summary The biological activities of the phagocytosis stimulating tetrapeptide, Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg are discussed. A brief account on the stimulation by tuftsin of phagocytosis of various particles, including bacteria was reported. Stimulation of bactericidal activity by this tetrapeptide was investigated in vitro as well as in vivo. The potency of tuftsin to enhance blood clearing of Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli and Serratia marcescens by mouse peritoneal macrophages was demonstrated.Bactericidal activity and effects of tuftsin on this phenomenon were studied in liver and spleen of mice. Tuftsin stimulates these activities. Same experiments were performed in infected leukemic mice by Serratia marcescens or Escherichia coli. Results on blood clearing and bactericidal activities in liver and spleen were reported and compared to those of healthy and leukemic untreated animals. Tuftsin was found to present interesting stimulatory effects on the bactericidal activity of phagocytes.     

Conversion of substance P to C-terminal fragments in human plasma

Substance P is rapidly converted by enzyme(s) in human plasma to des-[Arg1Pro2]-substance P (fragment 3-11) and to des-[Arg1Pro2Lys3Pro4]-substance P (fragment 5-11). These metabolites were isolated by HPLC and partially sequenced. No evidence was obtained for deamidation of substance P in plasma or for the formation of the N-terminal tetrapeptide [Arg-Pro-Lys-Pro]. The data suggest that substance P is metabolized in human plasma by an enzyme with the specificity of dipeptidyl-aminopeptidase IV. Consistent with this hypothesis, the rate of degradation of substance P measured with an antibody directed against the N-terminal region is 2-3-fold greater than measured with a C-terminally directed antibody. The degrading activity of plasma was purified 522-fold and was eluted from a gel filtration column in the molecular weight zone 150 000-170 000 and from a chromatofocusing column in the pH range 4.5 to 5.5.     

A comparative study of [Leu1]Tuftsin and tuftsin, a natural phagocytosis-stimulating peptide

1. [Leu1]tuftsin was reported to have greater phagocytosis-stimulating activity than tuftsin (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg). 2. However, a study on inactivation of tuftsin by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) demonstrated that leucine aminopeptidase, an ecto-enzyme, located on PMN surface was responsible for this mechanism. 3. Since leucine aminopeptidase is known to cleave Leu more easily than Thr at the N-terminal position of peptides, this suggested to us that [Leu1]tuftsin might then be inactivated by PMNs more easily than tuftsin, and thus this analog might be less active than tuftsin. 4. In addition, many tuftsin preparations used in earlier studies were not fully active, as high-performance liquid chromatography was not available to separate out many contaminating diastereomers. 5. In view of this, we have synthesized and purified [Leu1]tuftsin and compared its phagocytosis-stimulating activity with tuftsin. 6. Our results indicate that [Leu1]tuftsin is not as active as tuftsin in stimulating phagocytosis.     

Distinct classes of substance P receptors revealed by a comparison of the activities of substance P and some of its segments

The contracting potency of Substance P and of its C-terminal fragments was studied using four isolated preparations of smooth muscle. The Substance P receptors in the four muscles studied can be differentiated on the basis of their interactions with Substance P and its C-terminal fragments. On the guinea pig ileum, the potency of Substance P is equal to that of the C-terminal octa- and heptapeptide segments and in the rat ileum the potency of Substance P is equal to that of the C-terminal octapeptide and even higher than that of the heptapeptide. In contrast, on the cow pupillary sphincter and guinea pig urinary bladder, Substance P is markedly less potent that the C-terminal octa-, hepta- and hexapeptides. These results suggest the existence of different classes of Substance P receptors and indicate that the N-terminal sequence may be important in regulating Substance P activity.     

Non-histone chromatin proteins during various stages of activity of immunocompetent cells

Summary Some of the properties of the tetrapeptide tuftsin, Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg, are discussed. We describe three phases of tuftsin activation of the macrophage. Tuftsinyltuftsin, the octapeptide Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Thr-LysPro-Arg, was synthesized with a view of minimizing the formation of Lys-Pro-Arg, from tuftsin by tissue aminopeptidases. The tripeptide is a tuftsin inhibitor. The octapeptide proved to be quite effective in prolonging the life of syngeneic mice injected with L1210 leukemia cells. Its effect in our laboratory, was considerably better than we could obtain with tuftsin. A simple method for purifying tuftsin by high performance liquid chromatography is described using 0.75% trifluoroacetic acid in water.The tuftsin sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg is present in P 12 protein of Rausher murine leukemia virus. A close analog Thr-Arg-Pro-Lys appears in yet another virus protein the haemagglutinin of influenza virus. A second close analog Thr-Arg-Pro-Arg forms the penultimate carboxyterminal of a pancreatic polypeptide found in human and several animals.     

Effect of tuftsin and its analog on learning, memory and exploratory behavior in rats

On Wistar male rats the influence of tetrapeptide tuftsin and its analogue TP-1 (300 mkg/kg, i/p) on animals behaviour was studied. It is shown that administration of peptides increases the rat's exploratory activity. Activating influence of TP-1 was continued for 6 h. Daily multiple administration of tuftsin or TP-1, 15 min prior to the beginning of experiments facilitates the learning and stability of conditioned reaction with food reinforcement. Experimental animals react significantly weaker than the control ones to emotionally negative influence, produced by a sharp reduction of the amount of alimentary reinforcement control.     

An NMR Study of the Conformations of N-terminal Substance P Fragments and Antagonists

Abstract

Three N-terminal fragments of the neurotransmitter Substance P as well as two antagonist heptapeptides containing D-amino-acid residues were studied using different ID and 2D NMR techniques. Total nonexchangeable ¹H-NMR assignments were carried out in D₂O and the NH protons were assigned in H₂O by means of COSY experiments. The spectral data indicates that there are no preferred conformations for the backbone. The N-terminal tetrapeptide SP_1–4-OH exists as a mixture of cis/trans isomers and this effect was studied as a function of pH.     

An extracellular 5'-nucleotidase with both monoesterase and diesterase activity from Micrococcus sodonensis.

Bovine γ-globulin was separated into four fractions by chromatography on cellulose phosphate. The chromatographic distribution was similar to that reported for human and dog γ-globulin. More than 80% of a nonspecific phagocytosis stimulating factor (leucokinin) present in the serum was isolated in γ-globulin fraction IV. Bocine red blood cells and polymorphonuclear leukocytes bind γ-globulin without appreciable selectivity for any of the four chromatographic fractions, but they do selectively bind the phagocytosis stimulating factor. Splenectomy caused no observable change in either the chromatographic distribution or phagocytosis stimulating activity of bovine serum γ-globulin. The tetrapeptide tuftsin stimulates phagocytosis by bovine neutrophiles, but on a molar basis the activity of tuftsin was only 10% that of the phagocytosis stimulating factor. If the factor exerts its effect, as has been proposed, by having a phagocytosis stimulating peptide cleaved from it by an enzyme on the leukocyte membrane, that peptide must differ in structure from tuftsin. This conclusion is supported by the inability of trypsin to liberate an active peptide from bovine serum.     

Tuftsin: a naturally occurring immunopotentiating factor. I. In vitro enhancement of murine natural cell-mediated cytotoxicity

Tuftsin is a physiologic tetrapeptide, which has recently been shown to possess immunoadjuvant properties including the stimulation of macrophage and granulocyte phagocytosis, migration, bactericidal, and tumoricidal activities. Tuftsin has also been reported to possess in vivo immunologically mediated anti-tumor potential. To determine the potential role of tuftsin as an antineoplastic immunoadjuvant, the in vitro effects of tuftsin on murine natural cell-mediated cytotoxicity were studied. We observed that in vitro treatment of mouse splenic effector cells with synthetic tuftsin induced a pronounced enhancement of natural killer cell (NKC) cytotoxicity against the T cell lymphoma Yac-1. The magnitude of NKC enhancement was directly dependent upon the concentration of tuftsin employed, with maximum NKC stimulation observed at tuftsin concentrations of 50 to 100 microgram/ml. The tuftsin induced enhancement of NKC activity was not strain specific, since equivalent stimulation was seen in CBA/J, C56BL/10, and DBA/2 mice. Elimination of macrophages, monocytes, T cells, and immunoglobulin-bearing cells had no effect on the dose-dependent tuftsin stimulation of natural cell-mediated cytotoxicity; thus the characteristics of the effector cells activated by tuftsin were consistent with those reported for NKC. We also observed that treatment of splenic effector cells with tuftsin prolonged the cytotoxic capabilities of these cells beyond 18 hr.     

Effect ot tuftsin on cerebral monoamine oxidase and acetylcholinesterase activity

The administration of a tetrapeptide tuftsin at a dose of 300 mkg/kg body weight for 30, 75 min or 3 days leads to the changes in specific activity of monoamine oxidase, forms A and B, and acetylcholinesterase in synaptosomal and cellular mitochondrial subfractions from the rabbit sensorimotor cortex and nucleus caudatus. The reciprocity of neuro-transmitter systems and specific peptide effects on the brain structures have been demonstrated. The results suggest that tuftsin has an activating effect on dopamine metabolism.     

Tuftsin and some analogs: synthesis and interaction with human polymorphonuclear leukocytes

The phagocytosis-stimulating tetrapeptide tuftsin, L-threonyl-L-lysyl-L-prolyl-L-arginine, was synthesized by both conventional and polymeric-reagent approaches. Using a combination of the two methods several analogs were prepared, including: [Ala1]tuftsin, [Lys1]tuftsin, [Ser1]tuftsin, [Val1]tuftsin, acetyl-tuftsin, p-aminophenylacetyl-tuftsin and tyrosyl-tuftsin. [Des-Thr1]tuftsin and [omega-NO2(4)]tuftsin were synthesized using a conventional procedure. The effects of synthetic peptides on the phagocytosis of heat-killed yeasts and on the reduction of the dye nitroblue tetrazolium by normal human polymorphonuclear leukocytes were investigated. Tuftsin and to a lesser extent [Lys1]tuftsin and [Ser1]tuftsin were found to stimulate phagocytosis, whereas the other analogs synthesized as well as [Ser1]tuftsin exhibited inhibitory effects to tuftsin's action. Tuftsin alone has stimulated nitroblue tetrazolium reduction; [Des-Thr1]tuftsin and [Ala1]tuftsin repressed this stimulation, while the other peptides showed no effect.