A novel effect of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the facilitation of angiogenesis

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the adhesion of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) to endothelial cells and/or reactive oxygen species (ROS) released from PMNs are responsible for inducing angiogenesis. Angiogenesis was assessed by tube formation using endothelial cells obtained from bovine thoracic aorta (BAECs) grown on a layer of collagen type I. Addition of PMNs to BAECs weakly induced angiogenesis. The angiogenesis induced by PMNs alone was further enhanced by treatment of the PMNs with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP), a selective activator of PMN. The involvement of PMN adhesion to BAECs via adhesion molecules in angiogenesis was investigated by using monoclonal antibodies against E-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). These antibodies blocked both the PMN adhesion to BAECs and the enhancement of angiogenesis induced by FMLP-treated PMNs. Furthermore, the enhancement of angiogenesis by FMLP-treated PMNs was blocked by catalase, a scavenging enzyme of H2O2, but not by superoxide dismutase (SOD). These results suggest that PMNs induce angiogenesis in vitro, and that the mechanism of stimulation of angiogenesis by PMNs may involve the adherence of PMNs to endothelial cells via E-selectin and ICAM-1, and H2O2, but not superoxide. Thus, activated PMNs in pathological states may not only induce tissue injury, but may also function as regulators of angiogenesis.     

Role of PKC and TGF-beta receptor in glucose-induced proliferation of smooth muscle cells

The role of protein kinase C (PKC) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta in the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) under a high glucose condition was investigated. [3H]-thymidine incorporation under 20 mM glucose was significantly accelerated compared with that under 5.5 mM glucose, and this increase was inhibited by an anti-TGF-beta antibody or a PKC-beta specific inhibitor, LY333531. The amount of active and total TGF-beta1 in the conditioned media did not differ between 5.5 and 20 mM glucose. However, the expression of TGF-beta receptor type II under 20 mM glucose was significantly increased, but that of the TGF-beta receptor type I was not. This increased expression of the TGF-beta receptor type II was prevented by LY333531. These observations suggest that the increased expression of the TGF-beta receptor type II via PKC-beta plays an important role in the accelerated proliferation of SMCs under a high glucose condition, leading to the development of diabetic macroangiopathy.     

Identity of a tumor cytotoxic factor from human fibroblasts and hepatocyte growth factor

Human embryonic lung diploid fibroblast, IMR-90 cells secreted a tumor cytotoxic factor. The fibroblast-derived tumor cytotoxic factor (F-TCF) has a cytotoxic activity to Sarcoma 180 and a cytostatic and degenerative activities to KB cells. F-TCF has been purified about 540,000-fold with 23.3% recovery from 75 liters of the conditioned medium containing 5% newborn calf serum. The purified F-TCF is a basic glycoprotein with isoelectric point values of 7.4 to 8.6. It was stable in the pH range from 6.0 to 9.0 and was stable at the heating temperature of 60 degrees C for 10 min, but completely inactivated by reducing it with 2-mercaptoethanol. F-TCF has molecular weight of 76 to 80 kD on SDS-PAGE under non-reducing conditions and is a heterodimer consisting of a large alpha subunit with 52 to 56 kD and a small beta subunit with 30 to 34 kD. F-TCF was identified as one of human hepatocyte growth factors by the physicochemical properties including N terminal and a few internal amino acid sequences. We have confirmed that F-TCF has an ability to dramatically stimulate DNA synthesis in adult rat hepatocytes in the low dose range of 1 to 10 ng/ml.     

The nucleotide sequence of a complete chicken delta-crystallin cDNA

The nucleotide sequence of a full length cDNA of delta-crystallin mRNA from chicken lens has been determined using a delta-crystallin cDNA clone (pB delta 11), which represents the mRNA sequence of 1530 nucleotides from the poly(A) junction but does not contain the 5'-terminal sequence of 44 nucleotides of the mRNA. The 5'-terminal sequence of the mRNA, absent in the cDNA clone, has been determined with a stretch of cDNA sequence by the primer extension procedure. The amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence is consistent with the amino acid sequences of several tryptic peptides, the total amino acid composition, and the mol. wt. of delta-crystallin estimated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The computer-assisted analysis predicts high alpha-helical content throughout the polypeptide. Sequence analyses have revealed that gene 1 encodes the mRNA from which the cDNA clone was derived.     

Microtubule destabilization by cdc2/H1 histone kinase: phosphorylation of a "pro-rich region" in the microtubule-binding domain of MAP-4.

Microtubule-associated protein-4 (MAP-4), a major MAP in proliferating cells, consists of a microtubule-binding domain and a projection domain protruding from the microtubule wall. The former contains a Pro-rich region and an assembly-promoting (AP) sequence region which is common to the neuron-specific MAPs, MAP-2 and tau1. In this paper, we describe the phosphorylation of the Pro-rich region of MAP-4 and the suppression of its assembly-promoting activity by cdc2/H1 histone kinase. This inactivation of MAP-4 may cause disassembly of the interphase microtubular network at the end of the G2 phase of the cell cycle.     

Bul1, a new protein that binds to the Rsp5 ubiquitin ligase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

We characterized a temperature-sensitive mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in which a mini-chromosome was unstable at a high temperature and cloned a new gene which encodes a basic and hydrophilic protein (110 kDa). The disruption of this gene caused the same temperature-sensitive growth as the original mutation. By using the two-hybrid system, we further isolated RSP5 (reverses Spt- phenotype), which encodes a hect (homologous to E6-AP C terminus) domain, as a gene encoding a ubiquitin ligase. Thus, we named our gene BUL1 (for a protein that binds to the ubiquitin ligase). BUL1 seems to be involved in the ubiquitination pathway, since a high dose of UBI1, encoding a ubiquitin, partially suppressed the temperature sensitivity of the bul1 disruptant as well as that of a rsp5 mutant. Coexpression of RSP5 and BUL1 on a multicopy plasmid was toxic for mitotic growth of the wild-type cells. Pulse-chase experiments revealed that Bul1 in the wild-type cells remained stable, while the bands of Bul1 in the rsp5 cells were hardly detected. Since the steady-state levels of the protein were the same in the two strains as determined by immunoblotting analysis, Bul1 might be easily degraded during immunoprecipitation in the absence of intact Rsp5. Furthermore, both Bul1 and Rsp5 appeared to be associated with large complexes which were separated through a sucrose gradient centrifugation, and Rsp5 was coimmunoprecipitated with Bul1. We discuss the possibility that Bul1 functions together with Rsp5 in protein ubiquitination.     

Regional and Ontogenic Expression of the NMDA Receptor Subunit NR2D Protein in Rat Brain Using a Subunit-Specific Antibody

Abstract: A polyclonal antibody for the NMDA receptor subunit NR2D has been developed that identifies an ∼160-kDa band on immunoblots from NR2D transfected cells and CNS tissues. No cross-reactivity is seen with other NMDA receptor subunits. The NR2D receptor subunit is N -glycosylated in both brain and transfected cells. Transfected cells expressing NR2D are immunofluorescently labeled, whereas untransfected cells or cells transfected with other NMDA receptor subunit cDNAs are not. Similarly, the NR2D subunit is selectively and quantitatively immunoprecipitated, whereas the NR1, NR2A, or NR2B subunit is not. The relative densities of the NR2D subunit in nine areas of postnatal day 7 and adult rat brains have been determined by quantitative immunoblotting. NR2D was expressed at highest levels in the thalamus, midbrain, medulla, and spinal cord, whereas intermediate levels of this subunit were found in the cortex and hippocampus. Low or undetectable levels were seen in the olfactory bulb, striatum, and cerebellum. Following a peak after the first week of birth, NR2D protein levels decreased by about twofold in adulthood in all rat brain regions examined. More complete ontogenic profiles were determined for the diencephalon, telencephalon, and spinal cord where similar ontogenic patterns were seen. NR2D protein is present at high levels at embryonic stages of development, rises to a peak at postnatal day 7, and decreases but remains measurable during late postnatal life. This study demonstrates the generation and characterization of an antibody selective for the NR2D NMDA receptor subunit as well as a determination of the distribution and ontogenic profile of this subunit in rat brain. The results suggest that native NMDA receptors containing the NR2D subunit may have functional roles not only in the young brain but also in adult brain.     

Rifampicin resistance and mutation of the rpoB gene in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Abstract The bradyzoite and tachyzoite forms of Toxoplasma gondii , purified from infected animals, were analysed for their activities of phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, NAD⁺- and NADH-linked isocitrate dehydrogenases, and succinic dehydrogenase. Both developmental stages contained high activities of phosphofructokinase (specific for pyrophosphate rather than ATP), pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, suggesting that energy metabolism in both forms may centre around a high glycolytic flux linked to lactate production. The markedly higher activity of the latter two enzymes in bradyzoites suggests that lactate production is particularly important in this developmental form. NAD⁺-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase was not detectable in either stage of the parasite (and proved useful as a measure of the purity of the bradyzoite preparation), whereas both parasite forms contained low activities of NADP⁺-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase. The results are consistent with the bradyzoites lacking a functional TCA cycle and respiratory chain and are suggestive of a lack of susceptibility of this developmental stage to atovaquone.     

Stabilization factors affecting duplex formation of peptide nucleic acid with DNA.

Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) is an oligonucleotide analogue in which the sugar-phosphate backbone is replaced by an N-(2-aminoethyl)glycine unit to which the nucleobases are attached. We investigated the thermodynamic behavior of PNA/DNA hybrid duplexes with identical nearest neighbors but with different sequences and chain lengths (5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, and 16 mers) to reveal whether the nearest-neighbor model is valid for the PNA/DNA duplex stability. CD spectra of 6, 7, and 8 mer PNA/DNA duplexes showed similar signal, while 10, 12, and 16 mer duplexes did not. The average difference in Delta G degrees (37) for short PNA/DNA duplexes with identical nearest-neighbor pairs was only 3.5%, whereas that of longer duplexes (10, 12, and 16 mers) was 16.4%. Therefore, the nearest-neighbor model seems to be useful at least for the short PNA/DNA duplexes. Thermodynamics of PNA/DNA duplexes containing 1--3 bulge residues were also studied. While the stability of the 12 mer DNA/DNA duplex decreased as the number of bulge bases increases, the number of bulge bases in PNA/DNA unchanged the duplex stability. Thus, the influence of bulge insertion in the PNA/DNA duplexes is different from that of a DNA/DNA duplex. This might be due to the different base geometry in a helix which may potentially make hydrogen bonds in a base pair and stacking interaction unfavorable compared with DNA/DNA duplexes.