Liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric determination of haloperidol and its metabolites in human plasma and urine

Haloperidol and its two metabolites, reduced haloperidol and 4-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-hydroxypiperidine (CPHP) in human plasma and urine were analyzed by HPLC-MS using a new polymer column (MSpak GF-310), which enabled direct injection of crude biological samples without pretreatment. Recoveries of haloperidol and reduced haloperidol spiked into plasma were 64.4-76.1% and 46.8-50.2%, respectively; those for urine were 87.3-99.4% and 94.2-98.5%, respectively; those of CPHP for both samples were not less than 92.7%. The regression equations for haloperidol, reduced haloperidol and CPHP showed good linearity in the ranges of 10-800, 15-800 and 400-800 ng/ml, respectively, for both plasma and urine. Their detection limits were 5, 10 and 300 ng/ml, respectively, for both samples. Thus, the present method was sensitive enough for detection and determination of high therapeutic and toxic levels for haloperidol and its metabolites present in biological samples.     

Complete deoxygenation from a hemoglobin solution by an electrochemical method and heat treatment for virus inactivation

Hemoglobin (Hb) has been widely studied as a raw material for various types of oxygen carriers. In the purification of Hb from red blood cells including virus inactivation and denaturation of other proteins and the long-term storage of Hb vesicles (HbV), a deoxygenation process is one of the important processes because of the high stability of deoxygenated Hb to heating and metHb formation. Though an oxygenated Hb solution can be deoxygenated with an artificial lung, it is difficult to reduce the oxygen partial pressure of the Hb solution to less than 10 Torr. We developed an electrochemical system for complete deoxygenation of the Hb solution at the cathode compartment using hydrogen containing nitrogen gas at the anode compartment. Oxygen in the Hb solution was reduced to OH(-) at the cathode compartment within several minutes at a potential value of -1.67 V and was finally converted to water by neutralization with H(+) from the anode in the whole system. The resulting completely deoxygenated Hb could tolerate heat treatment at 62 degrees C for 10 h with no denaturation of deoxygenated Hb. The metHb formation rate of reoxygenated Hb at 37 degrees C was not changed after heat treatment. Furthermore, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) could be inactivated at an inactivation degree of more than 5.96 log by heat treatment.     

Isolation and characteristics of trypsin from pyloric ceca of the starfish Asterina pectinifera

Trypsin was purified from pyloric ceca of the starfish Asterina Pectinifera by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration, and cation-exchange chromatography. Final enzyme preparation was nearly homogeneous in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and its molecular weight was estimated as approximately 28000. Optimum pH and temperature of A. pectinifera trypsin for hydrolysis of N(alpha)-p-Tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride were approximately pH 8.0 and 55 degrees C, respectively. A. pectinifera trypsin was unstable at above 50 degrees C and below pH 5.0, and was not activated by adding Ca(2+). The N-terminal amino acid sequence of A. pectinifera trypsin, IVGGHEF, was found.     

Isolation and characteristics of carboxypeptidase B from the pyloric ceca of the starfish Asterias amurensis

Carboxypeptidase B was purified from the pyloric ceca of the starfish Asterias amurensis. The final enzyme preparation was nearly homogeneous in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and its molecular weight was estimated as approximately 34,000. The optimum pH and temperature of the enzyme for hydrolysis of benzoyl-glycyl-L-arginine were at approximately pH 7.5 and 55 degrees C, respectively. The enzyme was unstable at above 50 degrees C and at below pH 5.0. The enzyme was activated by Co(2+), but was inhibited by EDTA and Hg(2+). The N-terminal amino acid sequence of A. amurensis carboxypeptidase B was ASFDYNVYHSYQEIMNWITN.     

Anatomy of the planarian Dugesia japonica I. The muscular system revealed by antisera against myosin heavy chains

The planarian Dugesia japonica has two genes encoding myosin heavy chain, DjMHC-A and B (Kobayashi et al., 1998). We produced antibodies specifically recognizing each myosin heavy chain protein using their carboxyl terminal regions expressed in E. coli as antigens. Immunohistochemical analyses of sections and whole-mount specimens revealed the detailed structure and distribution of each type of muscle fiber in the planarian. In general, the MHC-A muscle fibers were distributed beneath the epithelial layers, namely, they were observable in the pharynx, the mouth, the intestine, the eyes and the body wall. In the pharynx, only MHC-A muscle fibers were present. In contrast, the MHC-B muscle fibers were distributed in the mesenchyme as dorso-ventral and transverse muscles, and in the body wall. The body-wall muscles were composed of an outer layer of circular MHC-A muscles and inner longitudinal and intermediate diagonal MHC-B muscle layers. Thus, two types of muscle fibers were distinguished by their distribution in the planarian.     

Stabilization of FtsH-unfolded protein complex by binding of ATP and blocking of protease

Mutations in small heterodimer partner (SHP) and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha (HNF4alpha) are associated with mild obesity and diabetes mellitus, respectively. Both receptors work together to determine the normal pancreatic beta-cell function. We examined their subcellular localization and interaction in living cells by tagging them with yellow and cyan variants of green fluorescent protein (GFP) variants. Expressed SHP resided only in the cytoplasm in COS-7 cells which lacks HNF4alpha, but predominantly in the nucleus in insulinoma cells (MIN6). HNF4alpha was localized exclusively in the nuclei of both cells, coexpressed with HNF4alpha in COS-7 cells, redistributed in the nucleus, depending on the amount of HNF4alpha. We found fluorescence resonance energy transfer between GFP-tagged SHP and HNF4alpha, indicating a specific close association between them in the nucleus. The results strongly suggest that SHP exists primarily in the cytoplasm and is translocated into the nucleus on interacting with its nuclear receptor partner HNF4alpha.     

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of thrifty genes for energy metabolism: evolutionary origins and prospects for intervention to prevent obesity-related diseases

The "thrifty" genotype and phenotype that save energy are detrimental to the health of people living in affluent societies. Individual differences in energy metabolism are caused primarily by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), some of which promote the development of obesity/type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this review, four major questions are addressed: (1) Why did regional differences in energy metabolism develop during evolution? (2) How do genes respond to starvation and affluence? (3) Which SNPs correspond to the hypothetical "thrifty genes"? (4) How can we cope with disease susceptibility caused by the "thrifty" SNPs? We examined mtDNA and genes for energy metabolism in people who live in several parts of Asia and the Pacific islands. We included 14 genes, and the SNP frequencies of PPAR gamma 2, LEPR, and UCP3-p and some other genes differ significantly between Mongoloids and Caucasoids. These differences in SNPs may have been caused by natural selection depending on the types of agriculture practiced in different regions. Interventions to counteract the adverse effects of "thrifty" SNPs have been partially effective.     

Negative regulation of EphA2 receptor by Cbl

The c-Cbl proto-oncogene product Cbl has emerged as a negative regulator of receptor and non-receptor tyrosine kinases, a function dependent on its recently identified ubiquitin ligase activity. Here, we report that EphA2, a member of Eph receptor tyrosine kinases is negatively regulated by Cbl. The negative regulation of EphA2 mediated by Cbl is dependent on the activity of EphA2, as the kinase inactive mutant of EphA2 cannot be regulated by Cbl. Moreover, a point mutation (G306E-Cbl) in TKB region of Cbl that has been reported to abolish Cbl binding to RTKs and non-receptor tyrosine kinases impaired the binding to active EphA2. The dominant negative mutant 70Z-Cbl, which has a 17-amino acids deletion in the N-boundary of the RING finger domain, defuncted negative regulatory function of Cbl to EphA2. These results demonstrate that the TKB domain and RING finger domain of Cbl are essential for this negative regulation.