Detection of inhibition of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribotide transformylase by thioinosinic acid and azathioprine by a new colorimetric assay.

The role of insulin in modulating phosphoinositide breakdown and accumulation of inositol phosphates was investigated in isolated rat pancreatic islets by using GPAIS (guinea-pig anti-insulin antiserum) that neutralizes effects of insulin in the medium. At either 3.0 mM- or 16.7 mM-glucose or 3.0 mM-glucose plus 10 microM-arecaidine propargyl ester (muscarinic receptor agonist), GPAIS (but not control serum) was able to increase InsP2 and InsP3, but not InsP, in myo-[3H] inositol-prelabelled islets. The effect of GPAIS on 3H incorporation into InsP3 was dose-dependent, with a half-maximal effect at a concentration able to bind 4004 +/- 163 microunits of insulin. A specific mass assay of the biologically relevant isomer Ins (1,4,5)P3 revealed a huge increase (greater than 3-folf). Formation of PtdIns, PtdInsP and PtdInsP2 was not affected by GPAIS. This is indirect evidence for an effect of insulin on inositide metabolism, and therefore endogenously released insulin may have led to an underestimation in earlier studies of effects of insulinotropic substances on inositol phosphate accumulation.     

Effect of interleukin 1 on the expression of interleukin 2 receptor (Tac antigen) on human natural killer cells and natural killer-like cell line (YT cells)

The effect of interleukin 1 (IL 1) on the expression of interleukin 2 receptor (IL 2R/Tac antigen) on human natural killer (NK) cells and the NK-like cell line, YT was studied with the use of a fluoresceinated anti-IL 2R monoclonal antibody and a Spectrum III flow cytofluorometer. IL 2R was expressed on approximately 10% of NK cells. The expression of IL 2R on NK cells was increased to approximately 25% by the in vitro culture with monocytes or IL 1 and to a less extent by the culture with IL 2 or interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). IL 2R was expressed on approximately 50% of YT cells without any stimulations. The expression of IL 2R on YT cells was increased up to almost 100% by the culture with IL 1 or monocytes, but not with IL 2, IFN-alpha, IFN-beta, IFN-gamma, or lectins such as concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin-P. IL 1 absorbed with YT cells or murine thymocytes lost both IL 1 activity detected by the stimulation of murine thymocyte proliferative response and enhancing activity of IL 2R expression on YT cells, suggesting that IL 1 has both activities. However, the assay system of the expression of IL 2R on YT cells is much more sensitive than the stimulation of murine thymocyte proliferative response. By the kinetic study, the enhancement of IL 2R expression was induced by only a 2-hr incubation of YT cells with IL 1. This enhancement did not proceed at 4 degrees C or by the treatment of YT cells with actinomycin D or cycloheximide, suggesting that this enhancement is energy dependent and requires the synthesis of RNA and protein but not DNA. Thus IL 1 plays an important role for the regulation of the expression of IL 2R on NK cells, and IL 1-dependent IL 2R expression on YT cells may give us a good model for the study of the molecular mechanism of the regulation of IL 2R expression.     

Developmental changes of cholesterol ester hydrolases localized in myelin and microsomes of rat brain

We Previously demonstrated two distinct cholesterol ester hydrolases in rat brain (Eto and Suzuki , 1971). One of the two hydrolases had a pH optimum of 6·6 and showed a bimodal subcellular distribution, in microsomes and myelin. A substantial activity of this enzyme was present in newborn rat brain. The activity remained relatively unchanged during the first 12 days and then increased sharply, concomitant with the period of active myelination (Eto and Suzuki , 1972a). The more recent investigation, however, clearly demonstrated that this pH 6·6 cholesterol ester hydrolase actually consists of two distinct cholesterol ester hydrolases, one primarily localized in microsomes and the other almost exclusively localized in the myelin sheath (Eto and Suzuki , 1972b, 1973). The microsomal hydrolase had a pH optimum of 6·0 and was activated by sodium taurocholate and Triton X-100, particularly by the latter. The myelin enzyme had a pH optimum of 7·2. It was activated by sodium taurocholate but slightly inhibited by Triton X-100. These new findings suggested that the previously reported developmental curve of the pH 6·6 cholesterol ester hydrolase was probably a composite of developmental changes of these two distinct cholesterol ester hydrolases. We report here the findings which confirm the above prediction and update the information regarding the developmental changes of the enzymes involved in cholesterol ester metabolism in rat brain.     

Lipid composition of rat brain myelin in triethyl tin-induced edema

Chronic triethyl tin intoxication was induced in young adult rats by oral feeding of triethyl tin sulfate. Progressively severe brain edema developed during the 3-month experimental period. The yield of myelin from the brains of the experimental animals decreased to almost half normal per brain, but the isolated myelin appeared morphologically normal. The analysis of whole brain showed corresponding decreases in proteolipid protein and total lipid, particularly galactolipids. The proportions of the major constituents of isolated myelin (chloroform-methanol-insoluble residue, proteolipid protein, and total lipid) were unchanged despite the low yield. However, the proportion of cholesterol increased from 16 to 21% dry weight, and that of total galactolipid decreased from 21 to 15%, as the yield of myelin decreased. This decrease of total galactolipid was mainly due to the decrease in cerebroside. Total phospholipid remained constant initially but showed a slight decrease toward the end of the experiment, due mostly to decreased ethanolamine phospholipid. There was no preferential loss or preservation of phosphatidalethanolamine. The fatty acid composition of sulfatide showed statistically significant shifts to less long-chain fatty acids and less monoenoic acids, but cerebroside and sphingomyelin did not show significant changes in the fatty acid composition. There was no increase in esterified cholesterol. These findings generally support our hypothesis of nonspecific chemical abnormalities of the myelin sheath undergoing secondary degeneration. In an acute experiment, a single intraperitoneal injection of triethyl tin sulfate produced acute and transient brain edema. There were slight decreases in the yield of myelin, but no detectable changes in the chemical composition.     

Fatty acid composition of cholesterol esters in brains of patients with Schilder's disease, G M1 -gangliosidosis and Tay-Sachs disease, and its possible relationship to the -position fatty acids of lecithin

Abstract— Cholesterol esters were isolated from cerebral cortex and white matter of patients with Schilder's disease, G_M1-gangliosidosis and Tay-Sachs disease, and the fatty acid composition was determined by gas-liquid chromatography. The fatty acid composition was similar among the three pathological conditions, but it was entirely different from that reported for cholesterol esters of normal brain. Lecithin and ethanolamine phospholipids were isolated from the same brain specimens, treated with snake venom phospholipase A, and the fatty acids at the a’and β-positions of the glycerol moiety were determined separately. The fatty acid composition of cholesterol esters was similar to that of the β-position fatty acids of lecithin of white matter in all samples, and was quite different from those of the a'-position of lecithin, or of the a’or β-position of ethanolamine phospholipids. The results indicate that the source of fatty acids for cholesterol esterification in nonspecific sudanophilic demyelination is different from that in normal brain, and that the most likely source is the β-linked fatty acids of lecithin. There are two possible enzymic mechanisms; activation of phospholipase A and subsequent esterification of the liberated β-position fatty acids to cholesterol, or direct transacylation by lecithin-cholesterol acyl transferase.     

Succinate-dependent lipid peroxidation and its prevention by reduced ubiquinone in beef heart submitochondrial particles.

When succinate and ADP-Fe3+ chelate were added to beef heart submitochondrial particles pretreated with 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone, an inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, the formation of malondialdehyde was observed. No formation was observed without the pretreatment. Oxaloacetate competitively inhibited the malondialdehyde formation with an apparent Ki of 3.4 microM. The malondialdehyde formation seemed to be initiated at the location between the p-hydroxymercuribenzoate-sensitive site and the 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone-sensitive site of the succinate dehydrogenase because it was inhibited by the mercurial. Ubiquinone-10 was rapidly destroyed during the malondialdehyde-forming reaction when it was in the oxidized form, while the ubiquinone was not destroyed and the malondialdehyde formation was abolished when about 50% of the ubiquinone in the particles was in the reduced state. These observations suggest that the succinate-dependent peroxidation is strongly controlled by the redox state of ubiquinone.     

Clinical effect of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) on various types of neutropenia including cyclic neutropenia

Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) was investigated for its clinical efficacy in the treatment of various types of neutropenia (3 cases with idiopathic neutropenia of suspected drug induction, 5 cases with idiopathic neutropenia of other origin, and 2 cases with cyclic neutropenia). Treatment with glycosylated rhG-CSF produced in the Chinese Hamster Ovary cells at dose levels of 2–5g/kg/day caused rapid increases of neutrophil counts associated with an improvement of the infection. In cyclic neutropenia patients, marked reduction in the duration of the neutropenic period was observed with rhG-CSF administration started before the period. Intercurrent stomatitis, which occurred in 1 patient, was markedly milder as compared to a previous episode which occurred during an untreated neutropenic period.The treatment of rhG-CSF was well tolerated and no adverse events were observed, nor was there any detectable anti-rhG-CSF antibody in any patients studied; hence the clinical use of rhG-CSF is considered to be safe.These results suggest beneficial effects of rhG-CSF on the recovery of neutrophil counts in cyclic and other types of idiopathic neutropenias, as well as for the treatment of neutropenia-associated infection.     

Discovery of a human erythroid differentiation factor (EDF) and its large-scale production

A novel human protein exhibiting erythroid differentiation activity was discovered in the culture fluids of phorbol ester-stimulated human cells. The differentiation assay system involving Friend virus-derived mouse leukemia cells was used. THP-1 cells of myelomonocytic origin were typical producers. 4beta-Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) was essential for inducible excretion of the erythroid differentiation factor (EDF). The factor was stable toward heat and pH (acidic or alkaline) but lost its activity on pronase treatment, which suggested its proteinous nature. After an optimization of the condition, production of EDF was performed on a 200-L scale for purification of the protein.