Solid-state modifications of poly(γ-ethyl-L-glutamate)

Several modification of the arrangements of α-helical molecules were found in the solid films of poly (γ-ethyl-L -glutamate), depending on the casting solvent and the temperature. The helical conformation is somewhat looser than the normal 18-residue, 5-turn α-helix. Using x-ray diffraction, the types of molecular arrangements were classified into tetragonal, pseudohexagonal, and hexagonal ones. Tetragonal packing was observed in the filmm (form T) prepared by casting the solution in trifluorethanol or dichlorethane. The sample obtained from chloroform solution is a well-ordered, pseudohexagonal modification (form I). Forms I and T change into a poorly crystalline form III by annealing at temperatures above 130° C. It is particularly noteworthy that the less-ordered form III exhibits a thermoreversible transition around 110°C into a well-ordered form H with the hexagonal molecular packing.     

Prostaglandin D2 in cultured capillary and microvascular endothelium of human brain.

Production of prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) was investigated in cultured endothelial cells derived from capillaries and microvessels (small and large) of human brain using radioimmunoassays. Peptides, catecholamines, thrombin, protein kinase C-activating phorbol ester and calcium ionophore greatly stimulated the secretion of endothelial PGD2. Secretion of PGD2 induced by vasoconstricting peptides, angiotensin II and arginine-vasopressin, was almost completely abolished by their respective specific receptor antagonists [Sar1, Ala8]-Ang II and [1-6(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-cyclopentamethylene propionic acid) 2-O-methyltyrosine]. Thus, the augmented production of PGD2 by angiotensin II and arginine-vasopressin is a receptor-mediated event. It also indicates that the EC have specific angiotensin II and arginine-vasopressin (V1) receptors. This study represents the first demonstration of vasoactive agents modulating PGD2 production in capillary and microvascular endothelium of human brain.     

Stimulatory effect of basic fibroblast growth factor on induction of heat shock protein 27 in osteoblasts: role of protein kinase C

In a previous study we showed that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) stimulates activation of protein kinase C through phosphoinositide hydrolysis by phospholipase C and phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis by phospholipase D in osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells. In the present study, we investigated whether bFGF stimulates the induction of heat shock protein (HSP) 27, a low-molecular-weight HSP, and HSP70, a high-molecular-weight HSP, in MC3T3-E1 cells and the mechanism behind the induction. bFGF increased the level of HSP27 while having little effect on HSP70 level. bFGF stimulated the accumulation of HSP27 dose-dependently in the range between 1 and 30 ng/ml. bFGF induced an increase in the level of the mRNA for HSP27. The bFGF-stimulated accumulation of HSP27 was reduced by inhibitors of protein kinase C. The bFGF-induced HSP27 accumulation was reduced in protein kinase C-downregulated MC3T3-E1 cells. U-73122, an inhibitor of phospholipase C, and propranolol, a phosphatidic acid phosphohydrolase inhibitor, suppressed the bFGF-stimulated HSP27 accumulation. These results strongly suggest that bFGF stimulates HSP27 induction through protein kinase C activation in osteoblasts.     

A novel strategy to design highly specific PCR primers based on the stability and uniqueness of 3'-end subsequences

MOTIVATION: In contrast with conventional PCR using a pair of specific primers, some applications utilize a single unique primer in combination with a common primer, thereby relying solely on the former for specificity. These applications include rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE), adaptor-tagged competitive PCR (ATAC-PCR), PCR-mediated genome walking and so forth. Since the primers designed by conventional methods often fail to work in these applications, an improved strategy is required, particularly, for a large-scale analysis. RESULTS: Based on the structure of 'off-target' products in the ATAC-PCR, we reasoned that the practical determinant of the specificity of primers may not be the uniqueness of entire sequence but that of the shortest 3'-end subsequence that exceeds a threshold of duplex stability. We termed such a subsequence as a 'specificity-determining subsequence' (SDSS) and developed a simple algorithm to predict the performance of the primer: the algorithm identifies the SDSS of each primer and examines its uniqueness in the target genome. The primers designed using this algorithm worked much better than those designed using a conventional method in both ATAC-PCR and 5'-RACE experiments. Thus, the algorithm will be generally useful for improving various PCR-based applications.     

Characterization of the cytosolic epoxide hydrolase-catalyzed hydration products from 9,10:12,13-diepoxy stearic esters.

In a previous report we hypothesized that diepoxy fatty methylesters are metabolized to tetraols and/or tetrahydrofurandiols through an epoxydiol intermediate. In this study, p-nitrophenyldiepoxystearate was incubated with affinity-purified liver cytosolic epoxide hydrolase and product formation was monitored by reverse phase HPLC. The diepoxystearate was converted to the corresponding 9,10,12,13-tetraol using a concentrated enzyme (greater than or equal to 100 micrograms/ml). When lower concentration of the enzyme was used, simultaneous elevation of 9,10-epoxy-12,13-dihydroxy and 12,13-epoxy-9,10-dihydroxystearate along with disappearance of tetraol was observed. The epoxydiols were intermediates which could be isolated and cyclized quantitatively to form two chromatographically distinct tetrahydrofurandiols (A with a low Rf value and B with a high Rf value on TLC). Gas chromatographic analysis on a cyclodex-beta capillary column revealed that each compound was composed of two different isomers. The structure of these isomers was 9(12)-oxy-10,13-dihydroxystearate and 10(13)-oxy-9,12-dihydroxystearate using mass spectrometry. Stereochemistry of the aliphatic chain across the tetrahydrofuran moiety was determined by nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy. Chemically and enzymatically generated tetrahydrofurandiols had similar retention time on GC and HPLC, and identical mass spectra using the electron impact mode.     

Differential role of TLR- and RLR-signaling in the immune responses to influenza A virus infection and vaccination

The innate immune system recognizes influenza A virus via TLR 7 or retinoic acid-inducible gene I in a cell-type specific manner in vitro, however, physiological function(s) of the MyD88- or interferon-beta promoter stimulator 1 (IPS-1)-dependent signaling pathways in antiviral responses in vivo remain unclear. In this study, we show that although either MyD88- or IPS-1-signaling pathway was sufficient to control initial antiviral responses to intranasal influenza A virus infection, mice lacking both pathways failed to show antiviral responses, resulting in increased viral load in the lung. By contrast, induction of B cells or CD4 T cells specific to the dominant hemagglutinin or nuclear protein Ags respectively, was strictly dependent on MyD88 signaling, but not IPS-1 signaling, whereas induction of nuclear protein Ag-specific CD8 T cells was not impaired in the absence of either MyD88 or IPS-1. Moreover, vaccination of TLR7- and MyD88-deficient mice with inactivated virus failed to confer protection against a lethal live virus challenge. These results strongly suggest that either the MyD88 or IPS-1 signaling pathway is sufficient for initial antiviral responses, whereas the protective adaptive immune responses to influenza A virus are governed by the TLR7-MyD88 pathway.     

p38 MAP kinase is involved in the signalling of sphingosine in osteoblasts: sphingosine inhibits prostaglandin F(2alpha)-induced phosphoinositide hydrolysis

We previously showed that sphingosine inhibits prostaglandin F(2alpha) (PGF(2alpha))-stimulated interleukin-6 synthesis in osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells. In the present study, we investigated the effect of sphingosine on phospholipase C-catalyzing phosphoinositide hydrolysis induced by PGF(2alpha) in these cells. Sphingosine inhibited the inositol phosphates formation by PGF(2alpha) or NaF, a GTP-binding protein activator. Sphingosine induced the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase but did not affect the phosphorylation of p42/p44 MAP kinase. SB203580 and PD169316, inhibitors of p38 MAP kinase, rescued the inhibitory effect of sphingosine on the formation of inositol phosphates by PGF(2alpha) or NaF. These results indicate that sphingosine inhibits PGF(2alpha)-induced phosphoinositide hydrolysis by phospholipase C via p38 MAP kinase in osteoblasts.