Association of mitochondria with intermediate filaments and of polyribosomes with cytoplasmic actin

Summary Anti-mitochondrial autoantibody and fluorescent derivatives of insulin stain phase-dense mitochondria in acetone-fixed monolayers of fibroblasts. Double fluorochrome studies show mitochondria in close topographic association with intermediate filaments. In cells treated with vinblastine or colchicine, mitochondria are relocated in sites closely associated with coils of perinuclear intermediate filaments. In contrast, autoantibody to polyribosomes stains granules aligned in the long axis of well spread embryonic cells, in the direction of actin-containing fibrils, an arrangement that is lost in cells pretreated with the actin filament disrupting drug cytochalasin B. In more mature fibroblasts, antiribosomal antibody reacts with phase-dense rough endoplasmic reticulum and this staining pattern is not affected by cytochalasin B. The observations suggest that mitochondria are associated with intermediate filaments and that free polyribosomes, but not polyribosomes attached to rough endoplasmic reticulum, are associated with cytoplasmic actin.Supported by a grant from the Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria. We thank Mrs. I. Burns for technical assistance and Dr. H.A. Ward and staff for preparation of fluorescent conjugates     

The interaction of cadmium with calcium and cisplatin with chloride

Changes in the locomotor rate of the ciliateTetrahymena pyriformis were used to quantitatively evaluate chemical interactions produced by: cadmium in combination with varying amounts of calcium, andcis-dichlorodiammineplatinum (II) (cisplatin) with varying amounts of sodium chloride. Cadmium (as CdCl₂) produces a measurable decline in the locomotor rate of the cells. Cadmium's detrimental effect can be reduced by the addition of calcium (as CaCl₂) in combination with cadmium. At a ratio of 30∶1 (calcium: cadmium), cadmium's negative effect upon motility is essentially nullified. It is suggested that the “protective” action afforded by calcium stems from the chemical similarity of the two cations and their involvement/competition for molecular sites responsible for the energy release and/or delivery of ciliary activity. Cisplatin will also effect a reduction in ciliary activity. However, the interaction between cisplatin, sodium chloride, and the cell appears more complex than that found with cadmium-calcium. At the lower range of chloride (as NaCl) used in this study, increased chloride concentration produces an increase in cisplatin's action against ciliary activity. At the higher levels, the chloride reduced cisplatin's negative effects. It is suggested that the increases in cisplatin's effects are caused by mass chemical action of increased chloride, which increases the concentration of the nonpolar cisplatin. The reduced effects found with the higher concentrations of sodium chloride may be because of the presence and action of elevated NaCl in/on the cell. This study clearly demonstrates differences in biologically relevant chemical interactions occurring with the two sets: cadmium-calcium and cisplatin-chloride.     

Crosslinking of Chitosan with Dialdehyde Derivatives of Nucleosides and Nucleotides. Mechanism and Comparison with Glutaraldehyde

In medical and pharmaceutical applications, chitosan is used as a component of hydrogels–macromolecular networks swollen in water. Chemical hydrogels are formed by covalent links between the crosslinking reagents and amino functionalities of chitosan. To date, the most commonly used chitosan crosslinkers are dialdehydes, such as glutaraldehyde (GA). We have developed novel GA like crosslinkers with additional functional groups–dialdehyde derivatives of uridine (oUrd) and nucleotides (oUMP and oAMP)–leading to chitosan-based biomaterials with new properties. The process of chitosan crosslinking was investigated in details and compared to crosslinking with GA. The rates of crosslinking with oUMP, oAMP, and GA were essentially the same, though much higher than in the case of oUrd. The remarkable difference in the crosslinking properties of nucleoside and nucleotide dialdehydes can be clearly attributed to the presence of the phosphate group in nucleotides that participates in the gelation process through ionic interactions with the amino groups of chitosan. Using NMR spectroscopy, we have not observed the formation of aldimine bonds. It can be concluded that the real number of crosslinks needed to cause gelation of chitosan chains may be less than 1%.     

Interactions of retinol with binding proteins: studies with retinol-binding protein and with transthyretin.

The interactions within the molecular complex in which retinol circulates in blood were studied. To monitor binding between retinol-binding protein (RBP) and transthyretin (TTR), TTR was labeled with a long-lived fluorescence probe (pyrene). Changes in the rotational volume of TTR following its association with RBP were monitored by fluorescence anisotropy of the probe. Titration of TTR with holo-RBP revealed the presence of 1.5 binding sites characterized by a dissociation constant Kd = 0.07 microM. At 0.15 M NaCl, binding of RBP to TTR showed an absolute requirement for the native ligand, retinol. At higher ionic strength (0.5 M NaCl), RBP complexed with retinal also bound to TTR with high affinity (Kd = 0.134 microM). RBP containing retinoic acid did not bind to TTR even at the high salt concentration. The data suggest that the TTR binding site on RBP is in close proximity to the retinoid binding site and that the head group of retinoic acid, when bound to RBP, presents steric hindrance for the interactions with TTR. The implications of the data for selectivity in retinoid transport in the circulation are discussed. The kinetics of the steps leading to complete dissociation of the retinol-RBP-TTR complex was also studied. The first step of this process was dissociation of retinol, which had a rate constant of 0.06/min. Following loss of retinol, the two proteins dissociate. The rate of dissociation is slow (k = 0.055/h), however, indicating that the complex apo-RBP-TTR will be an important factor in regulating serum levels of retinol.     

Interaction of trichorzianines A and B with model membranes and with the amoeba Dictyostelium

Trichorzianines A (TA) and B (TB) are microheterogeneous mixtures of antibiotic nonadecapeptides of the peptaibol class which interact with lipidic membranes and modify their permeability properties. The TB differ from the TA by replacement of the Gln-18 by a Glu, giving rise to a C-terminal negative charge at neutral pH. The role of this charge on the trichorzianine-lipid interaction was investigated with model membranes by fluorescence spectroscopy and the results were correlated with the biological activity toward the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. The interaction of the acidic trichorzianine TB IIIc (Glu-18) with phospholipid bilayers and the subsequent induced permeability were weaker than that exhibited by the uncharged TA IIIc (Gln-18) and MeTB IIIc (TB IIIc monomethyl ester). The unfavourable effect of the negative charge in TB IIIc was strongly enhanced by incorporation of cholesterol in the bilayer. Similarly, TA IIIc as well as MeTB IIIc induced growth inhibition and lysis of the amoeba Dictyostelium at four times lower concentrations than TB IIIc. The results suggested that the interaction of trichorzianines with the phospholipid bilayer and the subsequent modifications of permeability were involved in the inhibitory properties and cell lysis induced by trichorzianines toward Dictyostelium.     

Radioimmunologic tests in children with pruritus and with a combination of pruritus and allergic respiratory disease

Radioimmunological tests were carried out in 180 children with pruritus and 167 children with pruritus and allergic respiratory diseases. Difference between these groups was statistically insignificant in case of food allergy. Results of RAST were more often positive in case of respiratory allergy in the patients with pruritus and coexisting allergic respiratory diseases than in patients with skin involvement only. Reaction was more intense and allergy polyvalence measured with RAST was higher. All differences were statistically significant (p less than 0.001 or 0.01). Mean IgE levels was higher in children of all age groups in case of pruritus coexisting with allergic respiratory diseases.     

Interaction of calmodulin with the red cell and its membrane skeleton and with spectrin

The binding of calmodulin to red cell membrane cytoskeletons and to purified spectrin from red cells and bovine brain spectrin (fodrin) has been examined. Under physiological solvent conditions binding can be measured by ultracentrifugal pelleting assays. The membrane cytoskeletons contained a single class of binding sites, with a concentration similar to that of spectrin dimers and an association constant of 1.5 X 10(5) M-1. Binding is calcium dependent and is suppressed by the calmodulin inhibitor trifluoperazine. The binding showed a marked dependence on ionic strength, with a maximum at 0.05 M, and a steep dependence on pH, with a maximum at pH 6.5. It was unaffected by 5 mM magnesium. An azidocalmodulin derivative, under the conditions of our experiments, did not label the spectrin-containing complex, although it could be used to demonstrate binding to fodrin. Binding of calmodulin to spectrin tetramers and fodrin in solution could be demonstrated by a pelleting assay after addition of F-actin. Calculations (which are necessarily rough) suggest that at the free calcium concentration prevailing in a normal red cell about 1 in 20 of the calmodulin binding sites in spectrin will be occupied; this proportion will rise rapidly with increasing intracellular calcium. To determine whether inhibition of calmodulin binding to red cell proteins disturbs the control of cell shape, as has been suggested, calcium ions were removed from the cell by addition of an ionophore and of ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid to the external medium. This did not affect the discoid shape. Trifluoperazine still induced stomatocytosis, exactly as in untreated cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Interaction of tetrahydrocortisol-apolipoprotein A-I complex with eukaryotic DNA and with single-stranded oligonucleotides

The complex formed by tetrahydrocortisol (THC) and apolipoprotein A-I (ApoAI) specifically interacts with eukaryotic DNA from rat liver. Taken together, physical and chemical data and the results of small-angle X-ray scattering analysis show that interaction of the THC-ApoAI complex with eukaryotic DNA results in deformation of the DNA double helix. Single-stranded fragments were demonstrated to cause deformation of the double helix. In this state DNA forms complexes with DNA-dependent RNA polymerase. This interaction is cooperative and of saturating type; up to six enzyme molecules bind with one DNA molecule. The putative site of complex binding with DNA is the sequence CC(GCC)n found in many genes including the human ApoAI gene. An oligonucleotide of this type was synthesized. Its association constant (Ka) was 1.66 x 10(6) M-1. Substitution of THC with cortysol considerably decreases the Ka. We suggest that THC interacting with GC pairs of the binding site forms hydrogen bonds with cytosine, inducing rupture of the bonds within the complementary nucleic base pair.     

copGFP和PuroR双标记基因慢病毒融合表达载体的构建及应用*

目的: 构建具有绿色荧光蛋白(copGFP)和嘌呤霉素抗性基因(PuroR)融合表达双筛选标记的慢病毒过表达载体,检测其嘌呤霉素抗性和绿色荧光蛋白表达的特性。方法: 从pCDH-CMV-MCS-copGFP载体中扩增copGFP编码区DNA序列,从pLKO.1载体中扩增Puro^R编码区DNA序列,运用重组PCR方法,扩增copGFP与Puro^R基因融合编码序列并克隆至经BamH Ⅰ+Sal Ⅰ双酶切的pCDH-CMV-MCS-copGFP载体片段中,构建含copGFP和Puro^R融合表达双筛选标记的慢病毒过表达载体;载体的融合标签序列进行测序确证;将该载体用辅助包装质粒PLP1、PLP2、VSVG在293T细胞中包装成慢病毒后感染肝癌细胞MHCC97H,检测感染细胞对嘌呤霉素的抵抗作用以及绿色荧光蛋白的表达情况;为验证该载体表达外源目的基因的有效性,将Sp1编码区DNA序列插入该载体中包装成慢病毒,用对照及表达Sp1的慢病毒感染肝癌细胞MHCC97H,感染细胞经1 mg/ml嘌呤霉素筛选7 d后获得稳定感染细胞株,提取稳定感染细胞的总RNA及总蛋白,分别运用RT-qPCR和Western blot方法检测Sp1在对照及表达Sp1的慢病毒感染的肝癌MHCC97H细胞中的mRNA和蛋白表达水平的差异。结果: 成功构建含copGFP和Puro^R融合表达双筛选标记的慢病毒过表达载体;该载体与辅助质粒包装出的慢病毒感染肝癌细胞后,感染细胞同时具有嘌呤霉素抗性和表达绿色荧光蛋白特性;将Sp1编码序列插入该载体,包装慢病毒并肝癌细胞,Sp1 的mRNA水平对照细胞相比分别升高3.3倍,蛋白水平升高2.2倍(P＜0.01)。 结论: 成功构建含copGFP和Puro^R融合表达双筛选标记的慢病毒过表达载体,该载体编码的融合双标记基因具有嘌呤霉素抗性和绿色荧光蛋白表达的特性,可高水平表达长片段的目的基因。     

Sperm mitochondria of patients with normal sperm motility and with asthenozoospermia: morphological and functional study

Studies were performed on ejaculated human spermatozoa (32 subjects with normal sperm motility and 25 subjects with low sperm motility). Morphology of sperm midpiece was evaluated in light, fluorescent and transmission or scanning electron microscope. Changes in mitochondrial membrane potential (delta(psi)m) and mass of mitochondria were analysed by flow cytometry using mitochondrial specific probes JC-1 and Mito Tracker Green FM. Moreover, oxidoreductive capability of sperm mitochondria was assessed using cytochemical reaction for NADH-dependent dehydrogenases. In flow cytometry analysis of JC-1-stained spermatozoa, two asthenozoospermic subpopulations were distinguished: patients with a high percentage (76 +/- 11%, 13 subjects) and patients with a low percentage (29 +/- 14%,12 subjects) of spermatozoa with functional-polarized mitochondria with high delta(psi)m. Our microscopic investigations of spermatozoa of seven asthenozoospermic patients reveal that the deformed and unusually thickened sperm midpieces (50-70% of cells), occasionally with persistent cytoplasmic droplet, contain supernumerary mitochondria with normal substructure, full oxidoreductive capability and high delta(psi)m. The midpiece deformations cause nonprogressive movement or immotility. They can also appear in smaller number of spermatozoa (5-35% of cells) in patients with normal sperm motility. Moreover, in three cases of asthenozoospermia midpiece malformations were accompanied by abnormal morphology of outer dense fibers and axoneme. The cytochemical, fluorescence and SEM studies showed the absence of midpieces in many (60-80%) spermatozoa in some other cases of asthenozoospermia. The morphological observations corresponded with flow cytometry analysis of Mito Tracker Green FM-stained spermatozoa. Our results suggest that in some cases of asthenozoospermia the sperm mitochondria can be functionally active and display high delta(psi)m in large number of cells. The results may suggest that asthenozoospermia does not necessarily result from energetic disturbances of sperm mitochondria. The low sperm motility may be associated with deformations of the mitochondrial sheath containing functional mitochondria. The combination of fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry with electron microscopic investigations is a sensitive, precise and comprehensive examination which helps discover sperm abnormalities responsible for asthenozoospermia.     

Treatment of Hypertension with Hydrochlorothiazide and Spironolactone

A comparison was made of the antihypertensive effect of a daily dose of 150 mg. of hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) with one of 150 mg. of spironolactone (SL) in 48 patients with essential hypertension.The blood pressure values after six weeks of therapy with HCT were not significantly different from those after SL. Treatment of 25 of these patients with the two agents combined did not reduce the blood pressure further. Blood urea nitrogen concentrations increased with both HCT and SL treatment.With combined treatment there was a further increase in blood urea nitrogen concentration and a decrease in serum sodium concentrations without weight loss beyond that achieved with either HCT or SL alone.     

Solubilization of low-density lipoprotein with sodium deoxycholate and recombination of apoprotein B with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine

Apoprotein B (apoB) of human plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (d 1.025-1.050 g/mL) has been solubilized with solid sodium deoxycholate (NaDC) above its critical micellar concentration. ApoB is isolated by gel-filtration chromatography as a mixed micellar complex of protein and detergent in high yield in a lipid-free form. A soluble apoB-dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) complex has been prepared by incubation of aqueous solutions of apoB-NaDC and DMPC-NaDC (2/1 w/w) at room temperature with detergent removal by extensive dialysis. A combination of gel chromatographic and density gradient fractionation of DMPC-apoB incubation mixtures demonstrates that a reasonably well-defined complex of DMPC and apoB is formed with a 4:1 w/w lipid:protein ratio. Negative-stain electron microscopy shows these particles to be single-bilayer phospholipid vesicles with a diameter of 210 +/- 20 A into which the apoB is incorporated. Circular dichroic spectra of NaDC-solubilized apoB show apoB to have similar conformation to that seen in the native LDL particle. However, apoB that has been complexed with DMPC exhibits more alpha-helix. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis shows a single band (apparent Mr 366000) for apoB after solubilization, purification, and interaction with phospholipid. The behavior of apoB during its reassociation with phospholipid and the structural features of the DMPC-apoB particle are similar to those observed in the interaction of solubilized membrane proteins with lipid rather than that of other apo-lipoproteins.     

Interaction of short peptides with FITC-labeled wheat histones and their complexes with deoxyribooligonucleotides

Judging from fluorescence modulation (quenching), short peptides (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, Glu-Asp-Arg, Ala-Glu-Asp-Leu, Lys-Glu-Asp-Gly, Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg, and Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp) bind with FITC-labeled wheat histones H1, H2в, H3, and H4. This results from the interaction of the peptides with the N-terminal histone regions that contain respective and seemingly homologous peptide-binding motifs. Because homologous amino acid sequences in wheat core histones were not found, the peptides seem to bind with some core histone regions having specific conformational structure. Peptide binding with histones and histone-deoxyribooligonucleotide complexes depends on the nature of the histone and the primary structures of the peptides and oligonucleotides; thus, it is site specific. Histones H1 bind preferentially with single-stranded oligonucleotides by homologous sites in the C-terminal region of the protein. Unlike histone H1, the core histones bind pre-dominantly with double-stranded methylated oligonucleotides and methylated DNA. Stern-Volmer constants of interaction of histone H1 and core histones with double-stranded hemimethylated oligonucleotides are higher compared with that of binding with unmethylated ones. DNA or deoxyribooligonucleotides in a complex with histones can enhance or inhibit peptide binding. It is suggested that site-specific interactions of short biologically active peptides with histone tails can serve in chromatin as control epigenetic mechanisms of regulation of gene activity and cellular differentiation.     

Identification and Characterization of Gangliosides Reacting with IgM Paraproteins in Three Patients with Neuropathy Associated with Biclonal Gammopathy

IgM monoclonal antibodies from three patients with polyneuropathy associated with biclonal gammopathy reacted with monosialoganglioside GM1 on thin-layer chromatograms. An IgM paraprotein in one of the patients with a predominantly motor neuropathy also reacted strongly with the ganglioside GD1b and asialo-GM1. All three of these antigenic lipids have a Gal(beta 1-3)GalNAc moiety in common which would appear to be the antigenic determinant. However, this IgM also cross-reacted weakly with paragloboside which has an N-acetyllactosaminyl [Gal(beta 1-4)GlcNAc] terminal structure. The specificity of the other paraprotein in this patient is not known. The IgM paraproteins reacting with GM1 in both of the other patients exhibited different specificity because they did not react with GD1b and asialo-GM1, but reacted strongly with GM2 ganglioside. The data suggest that the epitope for both of these IgMs is in the GalNAc(beta 1-4)(NeuAc alpha 2-3)Gal(beta 1-4)Glc region of the gangliosides that is common to both GM2 and GM1. The second IgM paraproteins in both of these latter patients react with the myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) and two 3-sulfoglucuronyl glycolipids that share antigenic determinants with MAG.     

Capping of CdSe-ZnS quantum dots with DHLA and subsequent conjugation with proteins

We provide a detailed protocol for designing water-soluble CdSe-ZnS quantum dots (QDs) based on cap exchange of the native hydrophobic shell with dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) ligands, and the preparation of functional QD bioconjugates for use in immunoassays. Our conjugation strategy is based on non-covalent self-assembly between DHLA-capped QDs and protein appended with either an electrostatic attachment domain (namely, the basic leucine zipper) or a polyhistidine tag. These bioconjugates combine the properties of the QD and attached biomolecule to create structures with desirable luminescent and biologically specific properties. This method also allows the preparation of mixed surface conjugates, which results in the conjugates gaining multiple biological activities. Conjugation of DHLA-capped QDs to maltose binding protein (MBP), the immunoglobulin-G-binding beta2 domain of streptococcal protein G (PG) and avidin will be described. MBP and PG were modified by genetic fusion with either a charged leucine zipper or a polyhistidine interaction domain.     

肝硬化合并严重肝损伤并发感染的临床特点及危险因素分析

目的 了解肝硬化合并严重肝损伤患者的继发感染发生率、感染特征、危险因素以及病死率。方法 从浙江大学附属第一医院感染科2014年5月—2015年4月住院治疗的1 264例肝硬化病例中筛选出150例合并严重肝损伤的病例进行回顾性分析。分析上述人群发生感染的情况,包括感染率、感染发生部位、细菌培养结果及预后。同时行多因素Logistic回归分析及Cox比例风险模型分析,探讨肝硬化合并严重肝损伤患者合并感染及90天病死的危险因素。结果 （1）本研究150例患者中,52例患者发生58次感染,感染率34.67%,6例患者发生二次感染。其中社区获得性感染36次,院内感染22次;感染常见部位依次为肺、腹腔（自发性腹膜炎）、泌尿道、血流、皮肤软组织;感染伴肝外器官衰竭23人,占44.23%;病原菌培养阳性感染发生17次,占总感染次数的29.31%,大肠埃希菌、肺炎克雷伯杆菌感染7次,排在前两位,其中产ESBLs菌株占57.14%（4/7）。（2）感染和未感染组比较,谷丙转氨酶、国际标准化比值、白细胞总数、MELD评分、28天病死率、90天病死率差异具有统计学意义（Ps<0.05）。（3）入院90天内病死人群与存活人群比较,年龄、血清总胆红素、国际标准化比值、白细胞数、肌酐、肝性脑病、MELD评分等指标差异具有统计学意义（Ps<0.05）。（4）采用多因素Logistic回归分析发现,血钠水平下降是肝硬化合并严重肝损伤患者并发院内感染独立危险因素（OR＝1.112,P＝0.047）;Cox比例风险模型分析发现年龄（HR＝1.039,P＝0.001）、性别（HR＝2.010,P＝0.043）、白蛋白（HR＝1.073,P＝0.030）、白细胞（HR＝1.081,P＝0.010）、MELD评分（HR＝1.308,P＜0.001）及院内感染（HR＝2.136,P＝0.021）是90天病死率的高危因素。结论 肝硬化患者在发生严重肝损伤后易继发感染最常见的部位为肺及腹腔,病原体以革兰阴性菌为主;血钠水平下降与院内感染相关。感染增加了肝硬化合并严重肝损伤患者的病死率。     

产漆酶菌株筛选及一株产酶菌株的优化与鉴定

【目的】从26株真菌菌株中筛选高产漆酶菌株。【方法】采用愈创木酚法进行产漆酶菌株的筛选,通过正交实验对筛选出的高产菌株进行优化,并通过形态学和分子系统学对菌株进行鉴定。【结果】26株真菌菌株中有4株可产生漆酶,其中菌株H52.1为产漆酶最好菌株;菌株H52.1产漆酶优化培养基碳源为可溶性淀粉,氮源为硝酸铵,pH为8,金属离子为Ca2+;经鉴定,该菌株为大孢戴氏霉。【结论】大孢戴氏霉在产漆酶方面值得进一步研究开发。     

Electron Microscopy of the Combination of Antibodies with Flagellar Antigen and with a Pyocine

Micrographs are presented of antibodies in combination with flagella of Salmonella typhi and with a phage-bound pyocine Rmc, which is supposed to be the tail of a defective bacteriophage from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The pyocine preparation seems to offer advantages for the study of antibody-antigen complexes. Under the conditions of our experiments, the surfaces of the antigenic structures are saturated with antibody layers approximately 95 A in thickness, i.e., slightly less than half the accepted lengths of 7S antibody molecules. Our interpretation is that the antibody is attached by combining sites at the ends of the molecules to form loops along the surface of the antigenic structures.