Spontaneous neutrophil apoptosis involves caspase 3-mediated activation of protein kinase C-delta

Neutrophils are short-lived leukocytes that die by apoptosis. Whereas stress-induced apoptosis is mediated by the p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway (Frasch, S. C., Nick, J. A., Fadok, V. A., Bratton, D. L., Worthen, G. S., and Henson, P. M. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 8389-8397), signals regulating spontaneous neutrophil apoptosis have not been fully determined. In this study we found increased activation of protein kinase C (PKC)-beta and -delta in neutrophils undergoing spontaneous apoptosis, but we show that only activation of PKC-delta was directly involved in the induction of apoptosis. PKC-delta can be proteolytically activated by caspase 3. We detected the 40-kDa caspase-generated fragment of PKC-delta in apoptotic neutrophils and showed that the caspase 3 inhibitor Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-fluoromethylketone prevented generation of the 40-kDa PKC-delta fragment and delayed neutrophil apoptosis. In a cell-free system, removal of PKC-delta by immunoprecipitation reduced DNA fragmentation, whereas loss of PKC-alpha, -beta, or -zeta had no significant effect. Rottlerin and LY379196 inhibit PKC-delta and PKC-beta, respectively. Only Rottlerin was able to delay neutrophil apoptosis. Inhibitors of MAP-ERK kinase 1 (PD98059) or p38 MAP kinase (SB202190) had no effect on neutrophil apoptosis, and activation of p42/44 and p38 MAP kinase did not increase in apoptotic neutrophils. We conclude that spontaneous neutrophil apoptosis involves activation of PKC-delta but is MAP kinase-independent.     

Modifying the properties of platinum (IV) complexes in order to increase biological effectiveness

The preparation of a series of novel Pt(IV) complexes containing the anionic polyfluoroaryl ligands, 2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl (p-HC6F4), 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-methoxyphenyl (p-MeOC6F4) and pentafluorophenyl (C6F5) are described. The crystal structure of a representative complex, [Pt(p-MeOC6F4)2(O2CEt)2(en)] (en = ethane-1,2-diamine) was determined and confirms the trans arrangement of the carboxylato ligands. Reduction potentials of the series of complexes reveal that replacement of equatorial chloro ligands by polyfluoroaryl ligands makes reduction substantially more difficult. They also confirm previously reported trends in that complexes having axial carboxylato ligands are more readily reduced than those having axial hydroxo ligands. Reduction potentials and in vitro activities showed no obvious correlations. Moderate to high activity was observed for many complexes in the series, including some of those that were very difficult to reduce.     

Differential regional metabolism of glucagon in anesthetized pigs

Glucagon metabolism under basal (endogenous) conditions and during intravenous glucagon infusion was studied in anesthetized pigs by use of midregion (M), COOH-terminal (C), and NH2-terminal (N)-RIAs. Arteriovenous concentration differences revealed a negative extraction of endogenous glucagon immunoreactivity across the portal bed (-35.4 +/- 11.0, -40.3 +/- 9.6, -35.6 +/- 16.9%, M-, C-, N-RIA, respectively), reflecting net secretion of pancreatic glucagon and intestinal glicentin and oxyntomodulin, but under exogenous conditions, a net extraction occurred (11.6 +/- 3.6 and 18.6 +/- 5.7%, C- and N-RIA, respectively). Hindlimb extraction of endogenous (17.4 +/- 3.7%, C-RIA) and exogenous (29.1 +/- 4.8 and 19.8 +/- 5.1%, C- and M-RIA) glucagon was detected, indicating M and C cleavage of the molecule. Renal extraction of glucagon was detected by all assays under endogenous (19.4 +/- 6.7, 33.9 +/- 7.1, 29.5 +/- 6.7%, M-, C-, N-RIA) and exogenous conditions (46.9 +/- 4.8, 46.4 +/- 6.0, 47.0 +/- 7.7%; M-, C-, N-RIA), indicating substantial elimination of the peptide. Hepatic glucagon extraction was undetectable under basal conditions and detected only by M-RIA (10.0 +/- 3.8%) during glucagon infusion, indicating limited midregional cleavage of the molecule. The plasma half-life determined by C- and N-RIAs (2.7 +/- 0.2 and 2.3 +/- 0.2 min) were similar, but both were shorter than when determined by M-RIA (3.2 +/- 0.2 min, P < 0.02). Metabolic clearance rates were similar regardless of assay (14.4 +/- 1.1, 13.6 +/- 1.7, 17.0 +/- 1.7 ml x kg-1 x min-1, M-, C-, N-RIA). Porcine plasma degraded glucagon, but this was not significantly affected by the dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) inhibitor valine-pyrrolidide, and in anesthetized pigs, glucagon's metabolic stability was unchanged by DPP IV inhibition. We conclude that tissue-specific metabolism of glucagon occurs, with the kidney being the main site of removal and the liver playing little, if any, role. Furthermore, valine-pyrrolidide has no effect on glucagon stability, suggesting that DPP IV is unimportant in glucagon metabolism in vivo, in contrast to its significant role in the metabolism of the other proglucagon-derived peptides and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide.     

Secretion of incretin hormones (GIP and GLP-1) and incretin effect after oral glucose in first-degree relatives of patients with type 2 diabetes

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Since insulin secretion in response to exogenous gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) is diminished not only in patients with type 2 diabetes, but also in their normal glucose-tolerant first-degree relatives, it was the aim to investigate the integrity of the entero-insular axis in such subjects. METHODS: Sixteen first-degree relatives of patients with type 2 diabetes (4 male, 12 female, age 50+/-12 years, BMI 26.1+/-3.8 kg/m(2)) and 10 matched healthy controls (negative family history, 6 male, 4 female, 45+/-13 years, 26.1+/-4.2 kg/m(2)) were examined with an oral glucose load (75 g) and an "isoglycaemic" intravenous glucose infusion. Blood was drawn over 240 min for plasma glucose (glucose oxidase), insulin, C-peptide, GIP and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1; specific immunoassays). RESULTS: The pattern of glucose concentrations could precisely be copied by the intravenous glucose infusion (p=0.99). Insulin secretion was stimulated significantly more by oral as compared to intravenous glucose in both groups (p<0.0001). The percent contribution of the incretin effect was similar in both groups (C-peptide: 61.9+/-5.4 vs. 64.4+/-5.8%; p=0.77; insulin: 74.2+/-3.3 vs. 75.8+/-4.9; p=0.97; in first-degree relatives and controls, respectively). The individual responses of GIP and GLP-1 secretion were significantly correlated with each other (p=0.0003). The individual secretion of both GIP and GLP-1 was identified as a strong predictor of the integrated incremental insulin secretory responses as well as of the incretin effect. CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION: Despite a lower insulin secretory response to exogenous GIP, incretin effects are similar in first-degree relatives of patients with type 2 diabetes and control subjects. This may be the result of a B cell secretory defect that affects stimulation by oral and intravenous glucose to a similar degree. Nevertheless, endogenous secretion of GIP and GLP-1 is a major determinant of insulin secretion after oral glucose.     

Dynactin is required for bidirectional organelle transport

Kinesin II is a heterotrimeric plus end-directed microtubule motor responsible for the anterograde movement of organelles in various cell types. Despite substantial literature concerning the types of organelles that kinesin II transports, the question of how this motor associates with cargo organelles remains unanswered. To address this question, we have used Xenopus laevis melanophores as a model system. Through analysis of kinesin II-mediated melanosome motility, we have determined that the dynactin complex, known as an anchor for cytoplasmic dynein, also links kinesin II to organelles. Biochemical data demonstrates that the putative cargo-binding subunit of Xenopus kinesin II, Xenopus kinesin II-associated protein (XKAP), binds directly to the p150Glued subunit of dynactin. This interaction occurs through aa 530-793 of XKAP and aa 600-811 of p150Glued. These results reveal that dynactin is required for transport activity of microtubule motors of opposite polarity, cytoplasmic dynein and kinesin II, and may provide a new mechanism to coordinate their activities.     

Preparation and cell growth inhibitory activity of [PtR(2)L(2)] (R=polyfluorophenyl,L(2)=diene,cyclohexane-1,2-diamine (chxn) or cis-(dimethyl sulfoxide)(2)) and the X-ray crystal structure of [Pt(C(6)F(5))(2)(cis-chxn)

A range of [PtR(2)(chxn)] (R=C(6)F(5), o-HC(6)F(4), p-HC(6)F(4), p-MeOC(6)F(4) or 3,5-H(2)C(6)F(3); chxn=cyclohexane-1,2-diamine) and cis-[PtR(2)(dmso)(2)] (R=C(6)F(5), p-HC(6)F(4) or p-MeOC(6)F(4); dmso=dimethyl sulfoxide) complexes have been prepared from the corresponding [PtR(2)(diene)] (diene=cis,cis-cycloocta-1,5-diene (cod), hexa-1,5-diene (hex), norbornadiene (nbd) or dicyclopentadiene (dcy)) derivatives and have been spectroscopically characterized. A representative crystal structure of [Pt(C(6)F(5))(2)(cis-chxn)] was determined and shows a slightly distorted square planar geometry for platinum with chxn virtually perpendicular to the coordination plane. The biological activity against L1210 and L1210/DDP cell lines of these compounds together with the behaviour of other organoplatinum complexes, [PtR(2)L(2)] (L(2)=ethane-1,2-diamine (en) or cis-(NH(3))(2)) have been determined. Despite the use of relatively inert fluorocarbon anions as leaving groups, moderate-high cell growth inhibitory activity is observed. None of the fluorocarbon complexes displayed any cross resistance with cisplatin.