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Fine Mapping the Spatial Distribution and Concentration of Unlabeled Drugs within Tissue Micro-Compartments Using Imaging Mass Spectrometry

Readouts that define the physiological distributions of drugs in tissues are an unmet challenge and at best imprecise, but are needed in order to understand both the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties associated with efficacy. Here we demonstrate that it is feasible to follow the in vivo transport of unlabeled drugs within specific organ and tissue compartments on a platform that applies MALDI imaging mass spectrometry to tissue sections characterized with high definition histology. We have tracked and quantified the distribution of an inhaled reference compound, tiotropium, within the lungs of dosed rats, using systematic point by point MS and MS/MS sampling at 200 µm intervals. By comparing drug ion distribution patterns in adjacent tissue sections, we observed that within 15 min following exposure, tiotropium parent MS ions (mass-to-charge; m/z 392.1) and fragmented daughter MS/MS ions (m/z 170.1 and 152.1) were dispersed in a concentration gradient (80 fmol-5 pmol) away from the central airways into the lung parenchyma and pleura. These drug levels agreed well with amounts detected in lung compartments by chemical extraction. Moreover, the simultaneous global definition of molecular ion signatures localized within 2-D tissue space provides accurate assignment of ion identities within histological landmarks, providing context to dynamic biological processes occurring at sites of drug presence. Our results highlight an important emerging technology allowing specific high resolution identification of unlabeled drugs at sites of in vivo uptake and retention.     

Large Alterations in Ganglioside and Neutral Glycosphingolipid Patterns in Brains from Cases with Infantile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis/Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Lipidosis

Lipid composition was studied on cerebral tissue from nine children who had died of a progressive encephalopathy called the infantile form of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (INCL) or polyunsaturated fatty acid lipidosis (PFAL). In the terminal stage of the disease, the concentrations of all lipid classes were found to be significantly reduced in the cerebral and cerebellar cortex and white matter. The concentration of gangliosides of the cerebral cortex was 15% and that of cerebrosides (galactosylceramide) in white matter 0.2-5% of the normal values for the children's ages. The reduction of gangliosides mainly affected those of the gangliotetraose series, particularly GD1a. The fatty acids of the linolenic acid series were strongly reduced in ethanolamine and serine phosphoglycerides. A very large increase up to 100-fold of oligoglycosphingolipids of the globo series and two fucose-containing lipids of the neolacto series was found in the forebrain of the three advanced cases examined. The brain tissue also contained very high concentrations of mono-, di-, and trisialogangliosides of the lacto and neolacto series, gangliosides with type 1 chain dominating. The structures of the gangliosides were tentatively identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and monoclonal antibodies with carefully determined epitope specificity. The gangliosides and neutral glycosphingolipids had very similar fatty acid composition, consisting of about 40% stearic acid and 40% C24-acids.     

Expression of C gamma 4 T cell receptors and lack of isotype exclusion by dendritic epidermal T cell lines

Although four murine C gamma gene segments (C gamma 1, 2, 3, and 4) are known to exist, the large majority of expressed gamma-chains have been shown to be of the C gamma 1 isotype and no evidence exists for the expression of more than one receptor by gamma delta TCR-bearing cells. We investigated the nature of the TCR expressed on a number of murine dendritic epidermal T cell-derived cell lines by using both Northern blot and immunoprecipitation analyses. One of these CD3+ cell lines (T195) expresses C gamma 4, V gamma 1, and delta mRNA, and its CD3-associated TCR complex can be precipitated by both anti-C gamma 4 and anti-delta sera, indicating that this receptor is a C gamma 4/delta heterodimer. Furthermore, we show that two cell lines (Y245, Y93) express two distinct TCR gamma-chains, one derived from the C gamma 4 locus, whereas the second gamma-chain is probably derived from the C gamma 2 locus. Together with the previous demonstration of C gamma 1/delta TCR on a number of dendritic epidermal T cell lines (DETC), these results indicate that such DETC are capable of expressing a variety of gamma delta TCR and that, in some DETC, isotype exclusion of gamma-chain expression does not occur.     

Characterization of a cell surface-expressed disulfide-linked dimer involved in murine T cell activation

We have produced a hamster mAb, H1.2F3, which was derived by immunization with a murine TCR-gamma delta + epidermal T cell line. H1.2F3 immunoprecipitates a cell surface-expressed disulfide-linked dimer that has a m.w. of 85,000 under non-reducing conditions and consists of subunits of 35,000 to 39,000 m.w. This dimer is distinct from the CD3-associated TCR-gamma delta complex (CD3/TCR), inasmuch as H1.2F3 does not co-precipitate or co-modulate with the CD3/TCR complex and recognizes an Ag with a single-peptide backbone of 22,000 m.w. after N-Glycanase treatment. H1.2F3 is weakly reactive with a small percentage of cells from unfractionated thymus, spleen, or lymph node, but reactivity with both T and B lymphocytes is markedly enhanced by a brief period of stimulation with Con A or PMA in vitro. This enhancement requires de novo protein synthesis. Enhanced expression of the H1.2F3 Ag can also be induced in vivo by injection of Con A or anti-CD3. H1.2F3 is a potent stimulator of T, but not B, cell proliferation in the presence of PMA and FcR-bearing accessory cells. These functional and biochemical studies strongly suggest that the Ag recognized by H1.2F3 is the murine homologue of the human CD28 Ag recognized by mAb 9.3.     

Interleukin 2 receptors on cultured murine epidermal Langerhans cells

Rat monoclonal antibodies 3C7 and 7D4 detect two distinct functional regions of the murine interleukin 2 (IL 2) receptor. When studying the emergence kinetics of IL 2 receptors in mixed epidermal cell (EC)-lymphocyte cultures by using 3C7 and 7D4 in an indirect immunofluorescence assay, we regularly encountered a distinctive membrane fluorescence not only on lymphocytes, but also on a subpopulation of cells exhibiting a dendritic morphology. Reasoning that these 3C7/7D4-reactive dendritic cells might represent a subpopulation of epidermal dendritic cells, we studied mouse EC for the presence of 3C7/7D4- reactive cells. Although 3C7/7D4 reactivity was never detected on freshly isolated EC or on epidermal sheets, a small number of 3C7/7D4+ cells was encountered after 24 to 48 hr of culture. These cells exhibited a dendritic shape, expressed Ia antigens, lacked Thy-1 antigens, and displayed the ultrastructural features of Langerhans cells (LC) with the notable exception of Birbeck granules. Although after 24 hr, only 20% of Ia+ EC were 3C7/7D4+, the vast majority of LC displayed 3C7/7D4 binding sites after 4 to 5 days of culture. Preincubation of cultured LC-enriched EC with recombinant human IL 2 prevented subsequent 3C7-but not 7D4-binding to these cells. Western blot analysis of 7D4-reactive material of detergent extracts from LC-enriched EC revealed three bands in the same m.w. range as reported for CTLL cells. These results demonstrate that cultured LC express IL 2 receptors and may bear important implications for a better understanding of growth regulation, differentiation, and immunologic functions of LC.     

Exceptionally high copy numbers of a staphylococcal plasmid in Bacillus subtilis revealed by a sandwich hybridization technique

Abstract The copy number of a pUB110 derivative, pKTH10, containing the α-amylase gene from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens , was determined, using an assay based on a sandwich hybridization technique. In this method, a known gene on the plasmid is hybridized between two non-overlapping fragments of that same gene, cloned into separate vectors. One fragment is used as a radiolabelled probe and the other bound to a filter, forming a three-component, 'sandwich' hybrid when the relevant gene is present in the sample. Since the hybridization can only take place in the presence of the relevant gene, the amount of radioactivity binding to the filters will be proportional to the concentration of this gene in the sample. We utilized the α-amylase gene on the plasmid to form the sandwich hybrid. The copy number was of a totally different magnitude from what has previously been reported, and ranged from 2500 copies/viable cell in early logrithimic growth phase to about 500 in late stationary phase.     

Effects of oxygen and chloramphenicol on Frankia nitrogenase activity

The kinetics of asymbiotic nitrogenase activity in three strains of the actinomycete Frankia were studied. Decay rates for enzyme activity were determined by adding chloramphenicol to active acetylene-reducing cells and measuring the time required for all activity to cease. Synthesis rates were measured by bubbling oxygen through actively-reducing cells (which totally destroyed all activity) and then measuring the time required for activity to return to normal. Decay rates (t _1/2) for these three strains were approximately 30 to 40 min. Synthesis rates were slower and initial nitrogenase activities were recorded about 110 min (DDB 011610) or 210 min (DDB 020210 and WgCc1.17) after return to air-equilibrated cultures. Frankia strain WgCc1.17 showed a greater sensitivity to oxygen and nitrogenase activity was totally lost when cells were bubbled only with atmospheric concentrations of oxygen. The results presented here indicate that nitrogenase activity turnover time is relatively rapid, on the order of minutes rather than hours or days. However, regulation of nitrogenase activity will differ from one strain to another and asmmbiotic characterization will be useful for understanding nitrogenase regulation in the bacterial-plant symbiosis.Contribution no. 879 from the Battelle-Kettering Laboratory     

Studies on Microbial Ribonucleic Acid VI. Appearance of Methyl-deficient Transfer Ribonucleic Acid During Logarithmic Growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) that is deficient in methyl groups may be detected in logarithmically growing Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The amount of methyl-deficient tRNA is not constant throughout the logarithmic phase, but is maximal about one generation before the onset of the late growth phase. During this latter phase, the tRNA is fully methylated. The methyl-deficient tRNA is present during a period of high metabolic activity of the cell, characterized by increased RNA and protein content.