Growth modulation by epidermal growth factor (EGF) in human colonic carcinoma cells: constitutive expression of the human EGF gene

The functional role of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in epithelium-derived human colonic carcinoma cells was investigated by transfection with plasmid pUCDS3, which contained synthetic human EGF encoding sequences, into two human colonic carcinoma cell types with dissimilar phenotypic properties: the moderately differentiated and growth factor-responsive Moser and the highly metastatic KM12SM cells. The Moser cells exhibited a proliferative response to treatment with exogenous EGF, while the KM12SM cells did not. The constitutive expression of the human EGF gene in these colonic carcinoma cell types resulted in elevated expression of EGF mRNA, with concurrent production and secretion of a large amount of EGF, and downmodulation of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) secretion. Growth stimulation and down-modulation of both high and low affinity EGF receptors were observed in the EGF-transfected Moser clones. Results of experiments using anti-EGF and anti-EGF-receptor antibody to block the proliferation of EGF-transfected Moser clones suggested that autocrine stimulatory mechanisms involving both EGF and TGF-alpha were operative in these cells. By comparison, a growth-inhibitory effect, with no apparent EGF receptor modulation, was observed in the EGF-transfected KM12SM clones. Both the parental and EGF-transfected KM12SM clones possessed fewer EGF receptors than the Moser cells, and anti-EGF or anti-EGF-receptor antibody did not affect the cells' growth properties. These results suggested that the mechanisms of growth inhibition in the EGF-transfected KM12SM clones were non-autocrine or intracellular in nature. Thus, constitutive expression of the human EGF gene in two phenotypically different, epithelium-derived human colonic carcinoma cells resulted in divergent altered growth characteristics.     

Alkylation of nucleic acids by DNA-targeted 4-anilinoquinolinium aniline mustards: kinetic studies

The rate of constant for hydrolysis of a series of 4-substituted aniline mustards Ar-X-pC6H4-N(CH2CH2Cl)2, where Ar is 4-anilinoquinolinium and X = O, CH2, CONH and CO, have been measured in water and 0.02 M imidazole buffer at 37 degrees C and in 50% aqueous acetone at 66 degrees C. The equilibrium binding constants of the compounds and their hydrolysis products to nucleic acids of differing base composition have been determined at varying ionic strengths, and the results are consistent with the compounds binding as expected in the DNA minor groove. The alkylating reactivity of the mustards towards these nucleic acids has been measured in water at 37 degrees C and in 0.01 M HEPES buffer over a range of temperatures from 25 degrees C to 60 degrees C. Evaluation of the thermodynamic parameters for these kinetic and equilibrium studies suggests that the interaction with nucleic acids is via an internal SN2 mechanism involving an aziridinium ion.     

The biogeography of Lessoniaceae,with special reference to Macrocystis C. Agardh (Phaeophyta: Laminariales)

The bipolar distributions of Lessoniaceae and Macrocystis have been explained by migration out of a ‘centre of origin’ and across the tropics by means of dispersal, but controversy centres on the issue: which sector is the true centre of origin? We provide biological, palaeo-oceanographic and geological evidence that leads us to reject the centre of origin/migration theory and methodology in explaining ‘bipolarity’. As an alternative, a process of vicariant differentiation out of a Pacific Ocean/Southern Ocean ancestral complex is proposed. Moreover the biogeographic relationship between the southwest and northeast Pacific is shown to be a general phenomenon and not restricted to marine algae.     

Characterization of the Bacillus subtilis sporulation gene spoVK.

The sporulation gene spoVK of Bacillus subtilis was cloned by use of the insertional mutation spoVK::Tn917 omega HU8. The spoVK gene was shown to be the site of an incorrectly mapped mutation called spoVJ517. Thus, a separate spoVJ gene as defined by the 517 mutation does not exist and is instead identical with spoVK.     

Expression of dihydropyridine-sensitive brain calcium channels in the rat central nervous system.

We have localized dihydropyridine (DHP-sensitive calcium channels in rat brain by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. The mRNA for the dihydropyridine-sensitive calcium channel alpha 1 subunit (DHPR-B) is prominently localized in neuronal cells in the olfactory bulb, dentate gyrus, hippocampus, arcuate nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, ventromedial nucleus, cerebral cortex, superior colliculus and the cerebellar Purkinje cell layer. Strong expression of DHPR-B mRNA was also found in the pituitary and pineal glands. DHP-sensitive calcium channel alpha 1 subunit distribution has also been examined immunohistochemically with polyclonal antibodies raised against synthetic peptides specific for the DHPR-B alpha 1 subunit protein. The results from immunohistochemistry were in good agreement with those from in situ hybridization. Thus, regional distribution and localization of DHPR-B mRNA and alpha 1 subunit protein in rat brain suggest that this type of DHP-sensitive brain calcium channel may play an important role in excitation-secretion coupling functions in the neuroendocrine system.     

Carbohydrate specificity of the receptor sites of mistletoe toxic lectin-I.

The carbohydrate specificity of mistletoe toxic lectin-I (ML-I) was studied by haemagglutination-inhibition assay. The results indicated that ML-I has a broad range of affinity for Gal alpha,beta linked sequences. The galabiose (E, Gal alpha 1----4Gal) sequence, a receptor of the uropathogenic E. coli ligand, was one of the best disaccharide inhibitors tested. The lectin also exhibits affinity for Lac(Gal beta 1----4Glc), T(Gal beta 1----3GalNAc), I/II(Gal beta 1----3/4GlcNAc) and B(Gal alpha 1----3Gal) sequences. Gal alpha 1----4Gal and Gal beta 1----4Glc are frequently occurring sequences of many glycosphingolipids located at the mammalian cell membranes, such as intestinal and red blood cell membranes, for ligand binding and toxin attachment. This finding provides important information concerning the possible mechanism of intoxication of cells by the mistletoe preparation.     

Up-regulation of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) receptors in murine peritoneal exudate macrophages by both GM-CSF and IL-3.

Murine peritoneal exudate macrophages (PEM) display multiple CSF receptors. In this study, the expression of granulocyte-macrophage (GM)-CSF receptors in PEM was studied. PEM displayed over 5000 single type, high affinity GM-CSF receptors/cell with a Kd = 38 to 42 pM and an apparent molecular mass of 86,000 Da. Treatment of PEM with low, but not high, concentrations of recombinant murine (rMu) GM-CSF continuously for 24 h resulted in a marked up-regulation of GM-CSF receptors in PEM. A similar up-regulation of GM-CSF receptors also was detected in PEM cultures treated with rMuIL-3 (1-100 ng/ml) for 24 h or longer, regardless the doses of rMuIL-3 added in this case. Scatchard analysis of equilibrium binding showed that the enhanced binding activities in both cases were due to an increase in total number of GM-CSF receptors rather than changes in receptor affinity. Contrariwise, treatment with recombinant human macrophage-CSF (greater than 100-1000 ng/ml) partially inhibited the expression of GM-CSF receptors in PEM. Removal of rMuGM-CSF from culture medium 24 h after treatment led to a further up-regulation of GM-CSF receptors over a 4 to 24-h period, depending on the doses of initial treatment. On the other hand, removal of rMuIL-3 from culture medium after prolonged treatment did not result in further increase in GM-CSF receptors. The protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide abrogated GM-CSF receptor up-regulation induced by both rMuIL-3 and rMuGM-CSF, whereas actinomycin D inhibited only the second (8-24 h) phase of GM-CSF receptor up-regulation induced by exposure to high concentrations rMuGM-CSF (10 ng/ml). These findings suggest that rMuGM-CSF and rMuIL-3 up-regulate GM-CSF receptors in PEM in part through similar or identical metabolic pathways and provide further evidence of a close linkage between IL-3 and GM-CSF receptors.     

Immunologic memory to phosphocholine keyhole limpet hemocyanin. Recurrent mutations in the lambda 1 light chain increase affinity for antigen.

Anti-phosphocholine (PC)-keyhole limpet hemacyanin hybridomas representative of a memory response that express the lambda 1 L chain isotype have a high reactivity to PC-protein. A common feature of these hybridomas possessing high affinity for PC-protein is the occurrence of somatic mutations resulting in replacement changes in three CDR2 positions of the lambda 1 L chain. The influence of each of these three positions on the Ag binding properties of these antibodies was examined by site-specific mutagenesis and expression of recombinant antibody molecules by transfected cells. Affinity measurements and fine specificity profile determinations demonstrated the importance of the three lambda 1 CDR2 positions in Ag binding. Compared to antibodies expressing germline lambda 1, including one with an additional junctional serine that is not encoded by V or J, those antibodies possessing critical changes in CDR2 would have a strong selective advantage based on affinity differences for Ag. Sequence analysis of a group of clonally related hybridomas expressing mutated lambda 1 genes allowed construction of a hypothetical genealogic tree that suggests selection based on changes in CDR2 of lambda 1 in the absence of H chain mutations. The results are consistent with stepwise acquisition of mutations and selection based on affinity constraints.