Specific receptors for thromboxane A2 in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells of rat aorta

The specific binding site for thromboxane A2 (TXA2) was studied in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) of the rat aorta. [3H]SQ29,548, a potent and selective TXA2 receptor antagonist, displayed high-affinity and specificity, as well as saturable and displaceable binding to rat VSMC in culture. Scatchard analysis of equilibrium binding at 24 degrees C revealed a single class of binding sites with a Kd of 1.7 nM and a Bmax of 8.0 fmol/10(6) cells. A series of TXA2 receptor antagonists completely suppressed [3H]SQ29,548 binding to rat VSMC, and the rank order of their inhibitory potencies (Ki) correlated well with the potencies for suppression of the U46619-induced contraction of rat thoracic aorta. These results suggest that specific binding sites for [3H]SQ29,548 represent the TXA2 receptor in rat VSMC.     

Optimum conditions for electric pulse-mediated gene transfer to mammalian cells in suspension

A pulse-generating machine which delivers exponentially decaying pulses over broad range of pulse lengths was used to determine the optimum pulse conditions for gene transfer to FM3A cells. In the transformation of tk- cells with pTK1, a single pulse of 100-2000 microseconds gave a high transformation frequency at 1.5-6 kV/cm and room temperature, the highest transformation frequency obtained being 3 X 10(-3). As the suspension buffer for cells exposed to the pulse, Saline G was better than PBS(-) for obtaining a large number of transformants because it ensured high cell viability.     

8-Hydroxyguanine levels and repair capacity during mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation

To evaluate the defence capacities of embryonic stem (ES) cells against gene impairment, this study measured the levels of 8-hydroxyguanine (8-OH-Gua), a well-known marker of oxidative stress in DNA, and its repair capacity during differentiation. Undifferentiated ES cells (EB3) were cultured without leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) for 0, 4 and 7 days and are referred to as ES-D0, ES-D4 and ES-D7, respectively. These three cell lines were treated with 300 μM hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) for 48 and 72 h. After treatment, the amounts of 8-OH-Gua in the cells were determined by the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-electrochemical detector (ECD) method. The levels of 8-OH-Gua in ES-D7 treated with H(2)O(2) were higher than those in ES-D0 and ES-D4, suggesting that the DNA in the undifferentiated cells was protected against gene impairment, as compared to that in the differentiated cells. To examine the repair capacity for 8-OH-Gua, this study analysed the expression of 8-OH-Gua repair-associated genes, 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1), MutY homolog (MUTYH) and Mut T homolog 1 (MTH1), in ES-D0, ES-D4 and ES-D7. The mRNA levels of MUTYH and MTH1 showed no significant change, whereas OGG1 mRNA was significantly decreased in ES-D7 treated with H(2)O(2). Moreover, it was observed that ES-D7 treated with H(2)O(2) readily underwent apoptosis, in comparison to its undifferentiated counterparts, ES-D0 and ES-D4. Taken together, ES cells are more resistant to DNA oxidative stresses than differentiated cells.     

Formation of cholesterol ozonolysis products in vitro and in vivo through a myeloperoxidase-dependent pathway

3β-Hydroxy-5-oxo-5,6-secocholestan-6-al (secosterol-A) and its aldolization product 3β-hydroxy-5β-hydroxy-B-norcholestane-6β-carboxaldehyde (secosterol-B) were recently detected in human atherosclerotic tissues and brain specimens, and they may play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and neurodegenerative diseases. However, as their origin remains unidentified, we examined the formation mechanism, the stability, and the fate of secosterols in vitro and in vivo. About 40% of secosterol-A remained unchanged after 3 h incubation in the FBS-free medium, whereas 20% and 40% were converted to its aldehyde-oxidation product, 3β-hydroxy-5-oxo-secocholestan-6-oic acid, and secosterol-B, respectively. In the presence of FBS, almost all secosterol-A was converted immediately to these compounds. Secosterol-B in the medium, with and without FBS, was relatively stable, but ～30% was converted to its aldehyde-oxidation product, 3β-hydroxy-5β-hydroxy-B-norcholestane-6-oic acid (secoB-COOH). When neutrophil-like differentiated human leukemia HL-60 (nHL-60) cells activated with PMA were cultured in the FBS-free medium containing cholesterol, significantly increased levels of secosterol-A and its aldehyde-oxidation product, but not secosterol-B, were formed. This secosterol-A formation was decreased in the culture of PMA-activated nHL-60 cells containing several reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibitors and scavengers or in the culture of PMA-activated neutrophils isolated from myeloperoxidase (MPO)-deficient mice. Our results demonstrate that secoterol-A is formed by an ozone-like oxidant generated with PMA-activated neutrophils through the MPO-dependent mechanism.     

Comparative study on circadian rhythms of body temperature, heart rate, and locomotor activity in three species hamsters.

Circadian rhythms of body temperature, heart rate, and locomotor activity were observed in the unanesthetized and unrestrained Syrian hamsters, Djungarian hamsters and Chinese hamsters, and the differences in these biological characters among the three species of hamster were investigated. In each species, body temperature, heart rate, and locomotor activity in the dark period were higher than those in the light period. Heart rate of Chinese hamsters was higher than that of the others in both the light and dark periods. In addition, it was found that the body temperature of Djungarian hamsters decreased rapidly one time a day. These results show species differences in body temperature, heart rate and locomotor activity of Syrian, Djungarian and Chinese hamsters.     

A WT1 protein‐derived,naturally processed 16‐mer peptide,WT1332, is a promiscuous helper peptide for induction of WT1‐specific Th1‐type CD4+ T cells

The Wilms' tumor gene WT1 is overexpressed in various tumors, and the WT1 protein has been demonstrated to be an attractive target antigen for cancer immunotherapy. A WT1 protein‐derived 16‐mer peptide, WT1₃₃₂ (KRYFKLSHLQMHSRKH), which was naturally generated through processing in cells and could elicit Th1‐type CD4⁺ helper T cell responses with an HLA‐DRB1*0405‐restriction has previously been identified by us. In the present study, it has been demonstrated that WT1₃₃₂ can induce WT1₃₃₂‐specific CD4⁺ T cell responses with the restriction of not only HLA‐DRB1*0405 but also HLA‐DRB1*1501, ‐DRB1*1502, or ‐DPB1*0901. These HLA class II‐restricted WT1₃₃₂‐specific CD4⁺ T cell lines produced IFN‐γ but neither IL‐4 nor IL‐10 with WT1₃₃₂ stimulation, thus showing a Th1‐type cytokine profile. Furthermore, HLA‐DRB1*1501 or ‐DRB1*1502‐restricted WT1₃₃₂‐specific CD4⁺ T cell lines responded to WT1‐expressing transformed cells in an HLA‐DRB1‐restricted manner, which is consistent with our previous finding that WT1₃₃₂ is a naturally processed peptide. These results indicate that the natural peptide, WT1₃₃₂, is a promiscuous WT1‐specific helper epitope. WT1₃₃₂ is expected to apply to cancer patients with various types of HLA class II as a WT1‐specific helper peptide in combination with HLA class I‐restricted WT1 peptides.     

Regulation of MTK1/MEKK4 kinase activity by its N-terminal autoinhibitory domain and GADD45 binding

A variety of cellular stresses activate the stress-responsive mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases p38 and JNK. In this study, we studied the activation mechanism of a human MAP kinase kinase kinase, MTK1 (also known as MEKK4), which mediates activation of both p38 and JNK. MTK1 has an extensive N-terminal noncatalytic domain composed of approximately 1,300 amino acids. Full-length or near full-length MTK1 is catalytically inactive when expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, as it is in mammalian cells. Deletion of a segment including positions 253 to 553 activates kinase, indicating that this segment contains the autoinhibitory domain. In the autoinhibited conformation, the MTK1 kinase domain cannot interact with its substrate, MKK6. By a functional complementation screening with yeast cells, GADD45 proteins (GADD45alpha, beta, and gamma) were identified as MTK1 activators. GADD45 proteins bind a site in MTK1 near the inhibitory domain and relieve autoinhibition. Mutants of full-length MTK1 were isolated that can interact with MKK6 in the absence of the activator GADD45 proteins. These MTK1 mutants are constitutively active, in both yeast and mammalian cells. A model of MTK1 autoinhibition by the N-terminal inhibitory domain and activation by GADD45 binding is presented.     

Reduction of 8-hydroxyguanine in human leukocyte DNA by physical exercise

We investigated the effect of physical exercise on the level of 8-hydroxyguanine (8-OH-Gua), a form of oxidative DNA damage, and its repair activity in human peripheral leukocytes. Whole blood samples were collected by venipuncture from 21 healthy male volunteers (10 trained athletes and 13 untrained men), aged 19-50 years, both before and after physical exercise. Trained athletes showed a lower level of 8-OH-Gua (2.4 ± 0.5/10⁶ Gua, p = 0.0032) before exercise when compared to that of untrained men (6.2 ± 3.5). The mean levels of 8-OH-Gua of untrained subjects decreased significantly (p = 0.0057) from 6.2 ± 3.5/10⁶ Gua (mean ± SD/10⁶ Gua) to 3.3 ± 1.4/10⁶ Gua after physical exercise. On the other hand, the mean levels of repair activity of untrained subjects significantly increased after exercise (p = 0.0093) from 0.037 ± 0.024 (mean DNA cleavage ratio ± SD) to 0.056 ± 0.036. In the trained athletes 8-OH-Gua level and its repair activity were not changed before and after the exercise. We also observed inter-individual differences in 8-OH-Gua levels and its repair activities. These results suggest that physical exercise causes both rapid and long-range reduction of oxidative DNA damage in human leukocytes, with individually different efficiencies.     

A Ca2+- and Voltage-Dependent Cl- -Sensitive Anion Channel in the Chara Plasmalemma: A Patch-Clamp Study

The inside-out patch-clamp technique was applied to the plasmolyzedplasmalemma of inter-nodes of Chara corallina without enzymatictreatment. We found two different types of channel activitythat were CP^–-sensitive. Both types of channel were Ca²⁺-dependent.However, the one that exhibited greater dependence on Ca²⁺ ionswas the focus of our studies, and we named it the Ca²⁺-dependentCP^–-sensitive anion channel. When the concentration ofCa²⁺ ions on the cyto-plasmic side was 1.0 µM, the Ca²⁺-dependentCP^–-sensitive channel opened most frequently between approximately–80 and –100 mV. At 10 µM Ca²⁺, it openedless frequently, and at 0.1 µM Ca²⁺ it scarcely openedat all. These observations indicate that the anion channel ofinterest is voltage-dependent over a restricted range of concentrationsof Ca²⁺ ions. The dependence on Ca²⁺ and voltage of the channelcan explain the behavior of the excitable Ca²⁺-activated Cl^–channel in the Chara plasmalemma. The channel activity was blockedby several antagonists of calmodulin. ⁴ Present Address: Department of Biology, College of GeneralEducation, Osaka University, Toyonaka, 560 Osaka, Japan (Received October 8, 1990; Accepted April 4, 1991)