An Enlarged Profile of Uremic Solutes

Better knowledge of the uremic solutes that accumulate when the kidneys fail could lead to improved renal replacement therapy. This study employed the largest widely available metabolomic platform to identify such solutes. Plasma and plasma ultrafiltrate from 6 maintenance hemodialysis (HD) patients and 6 normal controls were first compared using a platform combining gas and liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. Further studies compared plasma from 6 HD patients who had undergone total colectomy and 9 with intact colons. We identified 120 solutes as uremic including 48 that had not been previously reported to accumulate in renal failure. Combination of the 48 newly identified solutes with those identified in previous reports yielded an extended list of more than 270 uremic solutes. Among the solutes identified as uremic in the current study, 9 were shown to be colon-derived, including 6 not previously identified as such. Literature search revealed that many uremic phenyl and indole solutes, including most of those shown to be colon-derived, come from plant foods. Some of these compounds can be absorbed directly from plant foods and others are produced by colon microbial metabolism of plant polyphenols that escape digestion in the small intestine. A limitation of the metabolomic method was that it underestimated the elevation in concentration of uremic solutes which were measured using more quantitative assays.     

Ultrastructure of Chrysopetalid Paleal Chaetae (Annelida,Polychaeta)

Paleal notochaetae belonging to a number of Chrysopetalum species (Chrysopetalidae) were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Paleae are composed of broad medullary channels stacked with a regular series of horizontal fibrous diaphragms. The medullary part of the palea is surrounded by irregular rows of narrow tubular channels within the chaetal cortex. The origin and function of camerate chaetae is discussed.     

Aspiration biopsy cytology of malignant schwannoma metastatic to the lung

The aspiration biopsy cytologic features of a malignant schwannoma metastatic to the lung in a 39-year-old black female with von Recklinghausen's disease are reported. Cytologic features of malignant sarcomas having a spindle-cell pattern are described along with a discussion of the cytologic differential diagnosis. This is believed to be the first reported case of a malignant schwannoma involving the lung diagnosed by aspiration cytology and demonstrates the usefulness of the technique in evaluating patients with metastatic sarcomas.     

Glycosylation and secretion of surfactant-associated glycoprotein A

Synthesis of glycoprotein A, the major surfactant-associated protein, was demonstrated in Type II epithelial cells isolated from rat lung. Predominant, secreted forms migrated as glycoproteins with asparagine-linked, complex-type oligosaccharides (32,000-36,000 daltons, pI 4.2-4.8). Primary in vitro translation products of the glycoprotein migrated as five distinct proteins of approximately 26,000 daltons which were processed by pancreatic microsomal membranes in vitro to 30,000-34,000-dalton, endoglycosidase F-sensitive forms. These in vitro processed forms of glycoprotein A co-migrated with intracellular forms immunoprecipitated from [35S]methionine-labeled, Type II cells. Pulse-chase experiments with [35S]methionine-labeled cells demonstrated rapid synthesis of endoglycosidase H-sensitive precursors of 34,000 daltons, pI 4.7-4.8, which were neither secreted from Type II cells nor detected in surfactant from alveolar lavage. These high-mannose forms were slowly processed to more acidic, endoglycosidase H-resistant, neuraminidase-sensitive forms. At between 10 and 180 min, fully sialylated or other endoglycosidase H-resistant forms were a minor fraction of intracellular glycoprotein A. After 16 h, intracellular glycoproteins A were primarily present as endoglycosidase H-resistant forms. Secretion of mature, sialylated, glycoprotein A was first detected 1 h after labeling, and was also readily detected after 16-24 h chase period. Tunicamycin, which blocks N-linked protein glycosylation, resulted in synthesis of three major 26,000-dalton proteins which co-migrated with the nonglycosylated, surfactant-associated proteins A1 present in surfactant from alveolar lavage and with the major in vitro translation products of rat lung poly(A+) mRNA. Tunicamycin inhibited secretion of glycoprotein A. Swainsonine, which inhibits Golgi alpha-mannosidase II, completely inhibited synthesis of the fully sialylated molecule. Swainsonine produced forms of glycoprotein A which were both neuraminidase- and endoglycosidase H-sensitive and were readily secreted. Monensin, an ionophore that alters protein transport, markedly inhibited intracellular sialylation and secretion. These studies demonstrate that pulmonary Type II cells rapidly synthesize and process surfactant-associated glycoprotein A precursors to endoglycosidase H-sensitive forms, which are slowly sialylated prior to secretion.     

Intracellular and oligomeric forms of surfactant-associated apolipoproteins(s) A in the rat

Sulfhydryl-dependent oligomeric forms of the surfactant-associated apolipoprotein(s) A, obtained from particulate preparations of adult rat lung lavage, were characterized by immunoblot analysis and by silver staining of proteins separated by one- and two-dimensional SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Under non-reducing conditions, these proteins migrated as oligomers, Mr approx. 50-70, 115, 160 kDa and greater. The large oligomers were reduced to the apolipoprotein(s) A subunits by treatment with beta-mercaptoethanol; Mr 38 (A3), 32 (A2) and 26 kDa (A1), pI 4.2-4.8. Mr 50 kDa protein was composed of sulfhydryl-dependent homo-dimers of protein(s) A1 (Mr 26 kDa). 55 kDa protein was a hetero-dimer composed primarily of A1 and A2 (Mr 26 and 32 kDa). 62 kDa protein was composed of hetero-dimers of A3 and apolipoprotein A2 (Mr 38 and 32 kDa). 70 kDa protein was a homodimer composed of apolipoprotein A3 A3 (38 kDa). Larger molecular forms were composed primarily of 38 and 32 kDa and lesser amounts of 26 kDa. Treatment with endoglycosidase F reduced A2 and A3 to 26 kDa. Apolipoprotein A1 co-migrated with a protein of Mr 26 kDa immunoprecipitated from [35S]methionine-labelled Type II epithelial cells. Chymotryptic-tryptic peptide maps of apolipoproteins A1, A2 and A3 were identical, suggesting that apolipoproteins A3 and A2 arise through extensive glycosylation of apolipoprotein A1.     

Identification of a T cell subset using a rabbit antibody raised against a T suppressor molecule

Rabbit antiserum to a unique component of an Ag-binding Ts-factor was generated by repeated immunization with purified 30-kDa protein isolated from Fd11 Ts factor (11). This antiserum (anti-p30) was shown to recognize cell surface determinants expressed on the Ts hybridomas Fd11 and A10 but not the fusion partner BW5147. Furthermore, this antiserum was shown to bind to approximately 4% of thymocytes and 10% of nylon wool-purified splenic T cells from all strains of mice tested. Sorting nylon wool-purified T cells from DBA/2 mice for the CD4+ and CD8+ subsets revealed both populations contained cells that bound anti-p30. In addition, when CD4-8- thymocytes were examined for anti-p30 labeling, it was found that about 30% of this enriched population also expressed p30 molecules. In a functional study, anti-p30 was able to neutralize the suppressive effects of Fd11 on a specific assay for in vitro antibody synthesis against ferredoxin.     

CD4 changes conformation upon ligand binding.

Aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) has been shown to block the binding site for both HIV gp120 and mAb anti-Leu 3a on CD4. We have unexpectedly found that brief treatment with > or = 1 micrograms/ml ATA rapidly disengages another mAb, OKT4E, after it has been bound to CD4 on human PBL. OKT4E is specific for a discontinuous epitope overlapping the MHC class II-binding region in the N-terminal CD4 domain. Interestingly, among 10 other mAb tested, only anti-Leu 8, specific for a leukocyte homing receptor is also quickly released from the cells by ATA treatment. Disengagement of the OKT4E mAb is also seen on a CD4-positive cell line (HPB-ALL) and with recombinant soluble CD4 (sCD4) bound to immobilized OKT4E. In all of these cases, disengagement is prevented if OKT4E is cross-linked, or the Leu 3a site is blocked by the mAb, but not by gp120. Photobleaching fluorescence resonance energy transfer (pFRET) measurements suggest that OKT4E is released as an indirect consequence of ATA-evoked conformational changes of CD4. Similar changes were detected as a result of gp120 binding to PBL. These data raise the possibility of a novel type of immunomodulation: induced disengagement of a bound ligand from its Ag.