Nitric oxide synthesis in the CNS endothelium and macrophages differs in its sensitivity to inhibition by arginine analogues.

Inhibition of nitric oxide production by arginine analogues was examined in three cell systems; macrophages, CNS tissue and endothelial cells. Nitric oxide production was assessed indirectly using in vitro assays measuring nitrite production (macrophages), cGMP elevation (CNS) and acetylcholine-induced relaxation of aortic ring segments (endothelium). NG-monomethyl-L-arginine and NG-amino-L-arginine possessed similar inhibitory activity in all three assays, while NG-nitro-L-arginine displayed a striking selectivity for inhibition of brain and endothelial cell nitric oxide synthesis, with IC50 values of 0.05 microM in the CNS versus 200 microM in macrophages. These results suggest that distinct enzymes are responsible for nitric oxide synthesis in different cell types, and indicate that it may be possible to selectively modulate nitric oxide production in vivo.     

Evidence that the G1-S and G2-M transitions are controlled by different cdc2 proteins in higher eukaryotes.

Xenopus eggs contain two distinct cdc2 homologs of 34 and 32 kd. We show that the 32 kd cdc2 protein, like the 34 kd protein, is a kinase. However, unlike the 34 kd homolog, the 32 kd cdc2 kinase activity does not decrease dramatically at the end of mitosis. The 32 kd protein does not associate with mitotic cyclins B1 and B2 but does associate with cyclin A and a novel doublet of proteins of 54 kd that may regulate its activity. We also show that depletion of the 32 kd cdc2 homolog from a Xenopus extract blocks DNA replication, but does not inhibit entry into mitosis. By contrast, depletion of the 34 kd cdc2 homolog or absence of mitotic cyclins from an extract does not inhibit replication, but does block entry into mitosis. Our results indicate that in higher eukaryotes, DNA replication (G1-S) and mitosis (G2-M) may be controlled by distinctly different cdc2 proteins.     

Intracellular protein trafficking defects in human disease

Secretory proteins and integral membrane proteins travel through the secretory pathway to a variety of destinations. Their targets are often specified by signals in the amino acid sequence or signals added post-translationally. The KDEL sequence that retains soluble proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum and the mannose 6-phosphate group of lysosomal enzymes are well-characterized examples of targeting signals; other signals are less well understood. Given the complexity and importance of the intracellular trafficking pathways, it is perhaps not surprising that mutations that affect the trafficking of proteins are associated with some human genetic diseases.     

Thyroid hormone down-regulates p55, a thyroid hormone-binding protein that is homologous to protein disulfide isomerase and the beta-subunit of prolyl-4-hydroxylase

We have previously characterized a cellular thyroid hormone-binding protein (p55) that is found concentrated on the lumenal face of the endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear envelope (Cheng, S.-y., Hasumura, S., Willingham, M.C., and Pastan, I. (1986) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 947-951). To understand the role p55 plays in thyroid hormone action, we examined the regulation of p55 by 3,3',5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3). Rat pituitary tumor GH3 cells cultured in regular medium, thyroid hormone-depleted medium (Td medium), or Td medium supplemented with 50 nM T3 (Td + T3 medium) were metabolically labeled with [35S]methionine and immunoprecipitated with antibodies against p55. Treatment with T3 caused a fall in p55 levels. Poly(A+) RNA from cells cultured in regular, Td, or Td + T3 medium was hybridized to a cDNA from p55. T3 withdrawal or addition had no effect on p55 mRNA levels. Furthermore, the initial rates of synthesis of p55 from cells cultured in regular, Td, and Td + T3 were found to be similar. However, analysis of the decay curves from cells in which p55 was pulse-labeled with [35S]methionine indicated that p55 is 2-fold less stable in T3 containing medium. These results indicated that down-regulation of p55 by T3 occurs at the post-translational level. Since DNA sequence analysis indicates that p55 is identical to protein disulfide isomerase and the beta-subunit of prolyl-4-hydroxylase, T3 may mediate its effects on the synthesis, secretion, and/or transport of proteins via p55.     

Characterization and chemical properties of phosphoribosylamine, an unstable intermediate in the de novo purine biosynthetic pathway

Incubation of [1-13C]-5-phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate ([1-13C]PRPP) and glutamine with PRPP amidotransferase results in rapid production and disappearance of two new resonances at 89.3 and 85.9 ppm. These resonances coincide with two of the products produced upon incubation of [1-13C]ribose 5-phosphate with NH3. Extensive NMR studies (15N and 1H-13C chemical shift correlation spectra) have allowed assignment of these resonances to beta- and alpha-phosphoribosylamine. These studies represent the first spectral observations of this chemically reactive intermediate. The rate of interconversion of alpha- to beta-phosphoribosylamine as a function of pH has been determined by saturation and inversion-transfer NMR methods. The rate of formation of 5-phosphoribosylamine (PRA) from ribose 5-phosphate and NH3 and its rate of decomposition as a function of pH have been determined with a glycinamide ribonucleotide synthetase trapping system fashioned after earlier studies of Nierlich and Magasanik [Nierlich, D. P., & Magasanik, B. (1965) J. Biol. Chem. 240, 366]. Phosphoribosylamine has a t1/2 = 38 s at 37 degrees C and pH 7.5. The pH-independent equilibrium constant for ribose 5-phosphate and NH3 with phosphoribosylamine has been established, 2.5 M-1, by use of these rate constants as well as by NMR methods. This equilibrium constant and the rates of nonenzymatic interconversion of alpha- and beta-PRA provide essential background for studying the mechanism of glycinamide ribonucleotide synthetase and investigating the possibility of channeling phosphoribosylamine between this enzyme and the first enzyme in the purine pathway.     

血友病患者血清中淋巴腺病病毒/人T细胞Ⅲ型病毒抗体检测

对浙江省1982～1984年注射了美国产浓缩Ⅶ因子制剂的18例血友病患者,用酶联免疫吸附法(ELTSA)检测了血清中淋巴腺病病毒/人T细胞Ⅲ型病毒(LAV/HTLV-Ⅲ)抗体,发现4例阳性,并经免疫荧光试验和Western印迹法证实。2例应用了国产浓缩Ⅷ因子者抗体阴性。一例从美国来华旅游死于艾滋病者,LAV/HTLV-Ⅲ抗体阳性。本研究证明,LAV/HTLVⅢ病毒巳通过美国生产的Ⅷ因子制剂传入中国。     

Isolation of pituitary fibroblast growth factor by fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC): partial chemical and biological characterization

Bovine pituitary fibroblast growth factor has been purified 222,000-fold to homogeneity by a combination of differential salt extraction, gel filtration, and ion exchange chromatography on Mono S column. Pituitary FGF is a single-chain polypeptide with an apparent molecular mass of 15,800 and an isoelectric point of 9.6. It is highly active in triggering the proliferation of bovine and human vascular endothelial cell [half-maximal stimulation at 23-40 pg/ml (1.5-2.6 pM) and saturation between 140 and 280 pg/ml (9.3-18.6 pM)]. It displays a similar activity on bovine vascular smooth muscle cells, corneal endothelial cells, granulosa and adrenal cortex cells, and rabbit costal chondrocytes.     

中国人ε珠蛋白基因5′侧序列中多态性Hinc Ⅱ位点的进一步研究

本文进一步研究了我国不同民族的正常个体以及β地中海贫血患者θ珠蛋白基因5′侧序列中的多态性HincⅡ位点及其遗传性质。在广西壮族正常个体和β地中海贫血纯合子中,该多态性位点的发生频率均为75％,与正常汉族人测得值相近。家系分析资料表明,该多态性位点完全按照孟德尔规律进行遗传。     

The rabbit C family of short, interspersed repeats. Nucleotide sequence determination and transcriptional analysis

When the entire adeno-associated virus (AAV) genome is inserted into a bacterial plasmid, infectious AAV genomes can be rescued and replicated when the recombinant AAV-plasmid DNA is transfected into human 293 cells together with helper adenovirus particles. We have taken advantage of this experimental system to analyze the effects of several classes of mutations on replication of AAV DNA. We obtained AAV mutants by molecular cloning in bacterial plasmids of naturally occurring AAV variant or defective-interfering genomes. Each of these mutants contains a single internal deletion of AAV coding sequences. Also, some of these mutant-AAV plasmids have additional deletions of one or both AAV terminal palindromes introduced during constructions in vitro. We show here that AAV mutants containing internal deletions were defective for replicative form DNA replication (rep-) but could be complemented by intact wild-type AAV. This indicates that an AAV replication function, Rep, is required for normal AAV replication. Mutants in which both terminal palindromes were deleted (ori-) were also replication defective but were not complementable by wild-type AAV. The cis-dominance of the ori- mutation shows that the replication origin is comprised in part of the terminal palindrome. Deletion of only one terminal palindrome was phenotypically wild-type and allowed rescue and replication of AAV genomes in which the deleted region was regenerated apparently by an intramolecular correction mechanism. One model for this correction mechanism is proposed. An AAV ori- mutant also complemented replication of AAV rep- mutants as efficiently as did wild-type AAV. These studies also revealed an unexpected additional property of the deletion mutants in that monomeric single-stranded single-stranded DNA accumulated very inefficiently even though monomeric single-stranded DNA from the complementing wild-type AAV did accumulate.     

在甜椒花药培养中马来酰胼对小孢子发育的抑制作用

选用甜椒的小孢子单核期花药,用100、300、500、2000ppm的马来酰肼溶液浸泡处理,并设对照,进行无激素MS固体培养基培养。分别取样用各种组化方法对花药内部多糖、蛋白质、核酸及ATP酶进行组化反应和形态学上的观察。与对照组相比,处理组花药外部形态和内部结构出现许多变异。小孢子内多糖,蛋白质含量减少;绒毡层无明显变化;两组中,核酸的含量均无明显变化;ATP酶的活性低于对照组。可能,马来酰肼对于花药中ATP酶等产生抑制作用,致使花药败育。