Unusually high reactivity of apolipoprotein B-100 among proteins to radical reactions induced in human plasma

Relative reactivities of proteins to radical reactions caused in human plasma were studied for the first time utilizing an immunoblotting assay. When radical reactions were caused by Cu(2+), apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB) underwent extensive fragmentation concurrently with the decrease in alpha-tocopherol, while human serum albumin (HSA) and transferrin (TF) were not decreased at all. When radical reactions were initiated by Cu(2+) with hydrogen peroxide or 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane)dihydrochloride (AAPH), alpha-tocopherol and apoB were also decreased steadily but HSA and TF were not decreased. These observations indicate that apoB is extremely reactive, even comparable to alpha-tocopherol, towards radical reactions. These results also suggest that the radical reaction of apoB is a possible process in vivo and it is involved in atherogenesis along with low density lipoprotein lipid peroxidation, which has been studied extensively.     

p97 ATPase, an ATPase involved in membrane fusion, interacts with DNA unwinding factor (DUF) that functions in DNA replication

DNA unwinding factor (DUF) unwinds duplex DNA and is supposed to function in DNA replication in Xenopus egg extracts. Here we report the isolation and analysis of a DUF-interacting factor. By immunoprecipitation, we found that p97 ATPase (p97) interacts with DUF in Xenopus egg extracts. This interaction was confirmed by the in vitro binding of purified p97 with DUF. When sperm chromatin was added to Xenopus egg extracts to construct nuclei active in DNA replication, p97 was incorporated into the nuclei. These data suggest that the complex of DUF and p97 may function in DNA replication.     

A highly sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography-- fluorometric method for the assay of peptidylarginine deiminase activity

The activity of peptidylarginine deiminase (PAD) has generally been assayed by a colorimetric method using N-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester (BAEE) and N-benzoyl-L-arginine (Bz-L-Arg) as the substrates. The widespread occurrence of citrulline and urea in tissues makes use of this method difficult, especially for small samples. We developed a highly sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography method with N-dansyl-glycyl-L-arginine as the substrate. This method was sensitive enough to determine previously undetectable activity of PAD in HL-60 cells. Two types of PAD (HL-60 cell and brain PAD) could be distinguished by differential competition, using either BAEE or Bz-L-Arg as a preferential substrate in the assay. These data indicate that the present method is applicable to many tissues.     

Effects of dietary protein type on oxidized cholesterol-induced alteration in age-related modulation of lipid metabolism and indices of immune function in rats

Exogenous oxidized cholesterol disturbs both lipid metabolism and immune functions. Therefore, it may perturb these modulations with ageing. Effects of the dietary protein type on oxidized cholesterol-induced modulations of age-related changes in lipid metabolism and immune function was examined using differently aged (4 weeks versus 8 months) male Sprague-Dawley rats when casein, soybean protein or milk whey protein isolate (WPI) was the dietary protein source, respectively. The rats were given one of the three proteins in diet containing 0.2% oxidized cholesterols mixture. Soybean protein, as compared with the other two proteins, significantly lowered both the serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances value and cholesterol, whereas it elevated the ratio of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol/cholesterol in young rats, but not in adult. Moreover, soybean protein, but not casein and WPI, suppressed the elevation of Delta6 desaturation indices of phospholipids in both liver and spleen, particularly in young. On the other hand, WPI, compared to the other two proteins, inhibited the leukotriene B4 production of spleen, irrespective of age. Soybean protein reduced the ratio of CD4(+)/CD8(+) T-cells in splenic lymphocytes. Therefore, the levels of immunoglobulin (Ig)A, IgE and IgG in serum were lowered in rats given soybean protein in both age groups except for IgA in adult, although these observations were not shown in rats given other proteins. Thus, various perturbations of lipid metabolism and immune function caused by oxidized cholesterol were modified depending on the type of dietary protein. The moderation by soybean protein on the change of lipid metabolism seems to be susceptible in young rats whose homeostatic ability is immature. These observations may be exerted through both the promotion of oxidized cholesterol excretion to feces and the change of hormonal release, while WPI may suppress the disturbance of immune function by oxidized cholesterol in both ages. This alleviation may be associated with a large amount of lactoglobulin in WPI. These results thus showed a possibility that oxidized cholesterol-induced perturbations of age-related changes of lipid metabolism and immune function can be moderated by both the selection and combination of dietary protein.     

Semi-quantitative evaluation of genotoxic activity of chemical substances and evidence for a biological threshold of genotoxic activity

Oxidative DNA damage caused by a cysteine metal-catalyzed oxidation system (Cys-MCO) comprised of Fe(3+), O(2), and a cysteine as an electron donor was enhanced by copper, zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) in a concentration-dependent manner, as reflected by the formation of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) and strand breaks. Unlike CuZnSOD, manganese SOD (MnSOD) as well as iron SOD (FeSOD) did not enhance DNA damage. The capacity of CuZnSOD to enhance damage to DNA was inhibited by a spin-trapping agent, 5, 5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) and a metal chelator, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DETAPAC). The deoxyribose assay showed that hydroxyl free radicals were generated in the reaction of CuZnSOD with Cys-MCO. We found that the Cys-MCO system caused the release of free copper from CuZnSOD. CuZnSOD also caused the two-fold enhancement of a mutation in the pUC18 lacZ' gene in the presence of Cys-MCO when measured as a loss of alpha-complementation. Based on these results, we interpret the effects of CuZnSOD on Cys-MCO-induced DNA damage and mutation as due to reactive oxygen species, probably hydroxyl free radicals, formed by the reaction of free Cu(2+), released from oxidatively damaged CuZnSOD, and H(2)O(2) produced by the Cys-MCO system.     

Adaptive response in embryogenesis. III. Relationship to radiation-induced apoptosis and Trp53 gene status

We reported previously that a radiation-induced adaptive response existed in the late period of embryogenesis, and that radiation-induced apoptosis in the predigital regions was responsible for digital defects in embryonic ICR mice. To investigate the possible involvement of the Trp53 gene and radiation-induced apoptosis in radiation-induced adaptive responses in embryogenesis, the present study was conducted using Trp53 wild-type (Trp53(+/+)) and Trp53 heterozygous (Trp53(+/-)) embryonic mice of the C57BL/6 strain. The existence of a radioadaptive response in the Trp53(+/+) embryonic mice was demonstrated by irradiating the embryos with 5 or 30 cGy on embryonic day 11 prior to a challenging irradiation at 3 Gy on embryonic day 12. The two conditioning doses at 5 and 30 cGy significantly suppressed the induction of apoptosis by the challenging dose in the predigital regions of limb buds in the Trp53(+/+) embryonic mice, while no such effect was found in the Trp53(+/-) embryonic mice. These findings indicate that induction of a radioadaptive response in embryogenesis is related to Trp53 gene status and the occurrence of radiation-induced apoptosis.     

Prenatal radiation-induced limb defects mediated by Trp53-dependent apoptosis in mice

We reported previously that in utero radiation-induced apoptosis in the predigital regions of embryonic limb buds was responsible for digital defects in mice. To investigate the possible involvement of the Trp53 gene, the present study was conducted using embryonic C57BL/6J mice with different Trp53 status. Susceptibility to radiation-induced apoptosis in the predigital regions and digital defects depended on both Trp53 status and the radiation dose; i.e., Trp53 wild-type (Trp53(+/+)) mice appeared to be the most sensitive, Trp53 heterozygous (Trp53(+/-)) mice were intermediate, and Trp53 knockout (Trp53(-/-)) mice were the most resistant. These results indicate that induction of apoptosis and digital defects by prenatal irradiation in the later period of organogenesis are mediated by the Trp53 gene. These findings suggest that the wild-type Trp53 gene may be an intrinsic genetic susceptibility factor that is responsible for certain congenital defects induced by prenatal irradiation.     

Inhibition of food intake by central injection of anti-orexin antibody in fasted rats

It has been shown that intracerebroventricular injection of synthetic orexins stimulated food intake in rats. This pharmacological evidence suggests that orexins may have a role for the central regulation of feeding. In the present study, we investigated the hypothesis of whether endogenous orexins indeed play a vital role in feeding behavior. An anti-orexin polyclonal antibody was used throughout the study. First, we examined the specificity of the antibody to orexin by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Next, the effects of central injection of the orexin antibody on food intake in 24-h-fasted rats were evaluated. Western blot analysis revealed that the orexin antibody detected synthetic orexin-A. Immunohistochemical study showed that orexin-positive neurons were identified only in the lateral hypothalamic area, in agreement with previous reports. Neither control antibody nor the orexin antibody preabsorbed with excess amount of orexin-A detected neurons, indicating that the orexin antibody is specific. Intracisternal but not intraperitoneal injection of the orexin antibody dose-dependently suppressed feeding. All these results suggest that immunoneutralization of endogenous orexins in the brain reduced food intake. In other words, we suggest that endogenous brain orexin may have a physiologically relevant action on feeding behavior.     

Functional analysis of five endothelin-B receptor mutations found in human Hirschsprung disease patients

Several missense mutations of the endothelin-B receptor (EDNRB) associated with Hirschsprung disease have recently been identified. Five mutated EDNRB (A183G, W276C, R319W, M374I and P383L) cDNAs were transiently expressed in several cell lines to examine the effects of these mutations. Ligand-receptor binding experiments demonstrated that all mutants examined here accept endothelins with a high affinity. Especially, the affinity of endothelins to P383L was increased. However, the number of binding sites of A183G, W276C and P383L was markedly decreased. The subcellular localization of these mutant receptors was the same as that of wild-type EDNRB, whereas the amount of protein of each mutant receptor was decreased. All mutant receptors were impaired in intracellular Ca(2+) mobilization. These findings indicate that these missense mutations result in loss of function of EDNRB, and may provide the molecular pathological basis of Hirschsprung disease in some individuals.