Inactivation of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase with novel 5'-thioadenosine derivatives. Antiviral effects

Synthesis of 5'-S-vinyl-5'-thioadenosine 5, 5'-S-ethynyl-5'-thioadenosine 7 and 5'-S-cyano-5'-thioadenosine 9 is described. Incubation of AdoHcy hydrolase with 5, 7 and 9 resulted in time- and concentration-dependent inactivation of the enzyme and partial depletion of its NAD(+) content. From these results and characterisation of metabolites released during the inactivation process, hypothetical mechanisms are suggested. The antiviral activity of 5, 7 and 9 was examined. Significant activities were noted with 5 against Vaccinia, Junin and Taccaribe viruses.     

Assessing the role of the T cell receptor beta gene enhancer in regulating coding joint formation during V(D)J recombination

To assess the role of the T cell receptor (TCR) beta gene enhancer (Ebeta) in regulating the processing of VDJ recombinase-generated coding ends, we assayed TCRbeta rearrangement of Ebeta-deleted (DeltaEbeta) thymocytes in which cell death is inhibited via expression of a Bcl-2 transgene. Compared with DeltaEbeta, DeltaEbeta Bcl-2 thymocytes show a small accumulation of TCRbeta standard recombination products, including coding ends, that involves the proximal Dbeta-Jbeta and Vbeta14 loci but not the distal 5' Vbeta genes. These effects are detectable in double negative pro-T cells, predominate in double positive pre-T cells, and correlate with regional changes in chromosomal structure during double negative-to-double positive differentiation. We propose that Ebeta, by driving long range nucleoprotein interactions and the control of locus expression and chromatin structure, indirectly contributes to the stabilization of coding ends within the recombination processing complexes. The results also illustrate Ebeta-dependent and -independent changes in chromosomal structure, suggesting distinct modes of regulation of TCRbeta allelic exclusion depending on the position within the locus.     

The N-terminal domain of hepatocyte growth factor inhibits the angiogenic behavior of endothelial cells independently from binding to the c-met receptor

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a pleiotropic factor that plays an important role in complex biological processes such as embryogenesis, tissue regeneration, cancerogenesis, and angiogenesis. HGF promotes cell proliferation, survival, motility, and morphogenesis through binding to its receptor, a transmembrane tyrosine kinase encoded by the MET proto-oncogene (c-met). Structurally speaking, HGF is a polypeptide related to the enzymes of the blood coagulation cascade. Thus, it comprises kringle domains that in some other proteins have been shown to be responsible for the anti-angiogenic activity. To check whether the isolated kringles of HGF were able to inhibit angiogenesis, we produced them as recombinant proteins and compared their biological activity with that of the recombinant HGF N-terminal domain (N). We showed that (i) none of the isolated HGF kringle exhibits an anti-angiogenic activity; (ii) N is a new anti-angiogenic polypeptide; (iii) the inhibitory action of N is not specific toward HGF, because it antagonized the angiogenic activity of other growth factors, such as fibroblast growth factor-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor; and (iv) in contrast with full-length HGF, N does not bind to the c-met receptor in vitro, but fully retains its heparin-binding capacity. Our results suggest that N inhibits angiogenesis not by disrupting the HGF/c-met interaction but rather by interfering with the endothelial glycosaminoglycans, which are the secondary binding sites of HGF.     

Satellite cells attract monocytes and use macrophages as a support to escape apoptosis and enhance muscle growth

Once escaped from the quiescence niche, precursor cells interact with stromal components that support their survival, proliferation, and differentiation. We examined interplays between human myogenic precursor cells (mpc) and monocyte/macrophages (MP), the main stromal cell type observed at site of muscle regeneration. mpc selectively and specifically attracted monocytes in vitro after their release from quiescence, chemotaxis declining with differentiation. A DNA macroarray-based strategy identified five chemotactic factors accounting for 77% of chemotaxis: MP-derived chemokine, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, fractalkine, VEGF, and the urokinase system. MP showed lower constitutive chemotactic activity than mpc, but attracted monocytes much strongly than mpc upon cross-stimulation, suggesting mpc-induced and predominantly MP-supported amplification of monocyte recruitment. Determination of [3H]thymidine incorporation, oligosomal DNA levels and annexin-V binding showed that MP stimulate mpc proliferation by soluble factors, and rescue mpc from apoptosis by direct contacts. We conclude that once activated, mpc, which are located close by capillaries, initiate monocyte recruitment and interplay with MP to amplify chemotaxis and enhance muscle growth.     

Role of the pleckstrin homology domain in intersectin-L Dbl homology domain activation of Cdc42 and signaling

Intersectin-long (ITSN-L) contains the invariant Dbl homology (DH) and pleckstrin homology (PH) domain structure characteristic of the majority of Dbl family proteins. This strict domain topography suggests that the PH domain serves an essential, conserved function in the regulation of the intrinsic guanine nucleotide exchange activity of the DH domain. We evaluated the role of the PH domain in regulating the DH domain function of ITSN-L. Surprisingly, we found that the PH domain was dispensable for guanine nucleotide exchange activity on Cdc42 in vitro, yet the PH domain enhanced the ability of the DH domain to activate Cdc42 signaling in vivo. PH domains can interact with phosphoinositide substrates and products of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). However, PI3K activation did not modulate ITSN-L DH domain function in vivo.     

Solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy studies of xylans in the cell wall of Palmaria palmata (L. Kuntze,Rhodophyta)

The chemical structure and interactions of the cell wall polysaccharides from the red edible seaweed Palmaria palmata were studied by liquid-like magic-angle-spinning (MAS) and cross-polarization MAS (CPMAS) solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy. The liquid-like MAS and CPMAS 13C NMR spectra of the rehydrated algal powder revealed the presence of beta-(1-->4)/beta-(1-->3)-linked D-xylan with chemical shifts close to those observed in the solution 13C NMR spectrum of the polysaccharide. Observation of mix-linked xylan in the liquid-like MAS 13C NMR spectrum indicated that part of this cell wall polysaccharide is loosely held in the alga. The CPMAS NMR spectrum of the dry algal powder alcohol insoluble residue (AIR) showed broad peaks most of which corresponded to the mix-linked xylan. Hydration of AIR induced a marked increase in the signal resolution also in the CPMAS NMR spectra together with a shift of the C-3 and C-4 signals of the (1-->3)- and (1-->4)-linked xylose, respectively. Such modifications were present in the spectrum of hydrated (1-->3)-linked xylan from the green seaweed Caulerpa taxifolia and absent in that of (1-->4)-linked xylan from P. palmata. This result emphasizes the important role of (1-->3) linkages on the mix-linked xylan hydration-induced conformational rearrangement. The mix-linked xylan signals were observed in the CPMAS NMR spectrum of hydrated residues obtained after extensive extractions by NaOH or strong chaotropic solutions indicating strong hydrogen bonds or covalent linkages. T(1 rho) relaxations were measured close or above 10 ms for the mix-linked xylan in the dry and hydrated state in AIR and indicated that the overall xylan chains likely remain rigid. Rehydration of the mix-linked xylan lead to a decrease in the motion of protons bounded to the C-1 and C-4 carbons of the (1-->4)-linked xylose supporting the re-organization of the xylan chains under hydration involving junction-zones held by hydrogen bonds between adjacent (1-->4)-linked xylose blocks. The CPMAS NMR spectrum of both dry and rehydrated residues obtained after NaOH and HCl extractions demonstrated the presence of cellulose and (1-->4)-linked xylans. The structures of the different polysaccharides are discussed in relation to their interactions and putative functions on the cell wall mechanical properties in P. palmata.     

Evidence for glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) on human granulocytes

MIST (mast cell immunoreceptor signal transducer; also termed Clnk) is an adaptor protein structurally related to SLP-76-family hematopoietic cell-specific adaptor proteins. We demonstrate here that two major MIST-associated phosphoproteins expressed in mast cell lines are SLAP-130 and SKAP55, adaptors known to interact with the Src-homology (SH) 2 domain of Src-family protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs). MIST directly associated with SLAP-130 via its SH2 domain, and collaboration of SLAP-130 with SKAP55 was required for the recruitment of MIST to Lyn. Furthermore, MIST was preferentially recruited to Fyn rather than Lyn, which is regulated by higher affinity binding of SLAP-130 and SKAP55 with the Fyn-SH2 domain than the Lyn-SH2 domain. Our results suggest that the MIST–SLAP-130–SKAP55 adaptor complex functions downstream of high-affinity IgE receptor-associated Src-PTKs in mast cells.     

Phospholipid chlorohydrins cause ATP depletion and toxicity in human myeloid cells

Chlorohydrins of stearoyl-oleoyl phosphatidylcholine (SOPC), stearoyl-linoleoyl phosphatidylcholine, and stearoyl-arachidonyl phosphatidylcholine were incubated with cultured myeloid cells (HL60) for 24 h, and the cellular ATP level was measured using a bioluminescent assay. The chlorohydrins caused significant depletion of cellular ATP in the range 10–100 μM. The ATP depletion by the phospholipid chlorohydrins was slightly less than that of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, but greater than that of hexanal, trans-2-nonenal, and autoxidised palmitoyl-arachidonoyl phosphatidylcholine. SOPC chlorohydrin was also found to cause loss of viability in U937 cells, and thus phospholipid chlorohydrins could contribute to the formation of a necrotic core in advanced atherosclerotic lesions.