Growth modulation by epidermal growth factor (EGF) in human colonic carcinoma cells: constitutive expression of the human EGF gene

The functional role of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in epithelium-derived human colonic carcinoma cells was investigated by transfection with plasmid pUCDS3, which contained synthetic human EGF encoding sequences, into two human colonic carcinoma cell types with dissimilar phenotypic properties: the moderately differentiated and growth factor-responsive Moser and the highly metastatic KM12SM cells. The Moser cells exhibited a proliferative response to treatment with exogenous EGF, while the KM12SM cells did not. The constitutive expression of the human EGF gene in these colonic carcinoma cell types resulted in elevated expression of EGF mRNA, with concurrent production and secretion of a large amount of EGF, and downmodulation of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) secretion. Growth stimulation and down-modulation of both high and low affinity EGF receptors were observed in the EGF-transfected Moser clones. Results of experiments using anti-EGF and anti-EGF-receptor antibody to block the proliferation of EGF-transfected Moser clones suggested that autocrine stimulatory mechanisms involving both EGF and TGF-alpha were operative in these cells. By comparison, a growth-inhibitory effect, with no apparent EGF receptor modulation, was observed in the EGF-transfected KM12SM clones. Both the parental and EGF-transfected KM12SM clones possessed fewer EGF receptors than the Moser cells, and anti-EGF or anti-EGF-receptor antibody did not affect the cells' growth properties. These results suggested that the mechanisms of growth inhibition in the EGF-transfected KM12SM clones were non-autocrine or intracellular in nature. Thus, constitutive expression of the human EGF gene in two phenotypically different, epithelium-derived human colonic carcinoma cells resulted in divergent altered growth characteristics.     

Delineation of type-specific regions on the envelope glycoproteins of human T cell leukemia viruses.

Two different approaches were used to map the type-specific regions on human T cell leukemia virus (HTLV) envelope glycoproteins. 1) Antibody reactivities of polymerase chain reaction-confirmed HTLV-I or HTLV-II carriers' sera were analyzed by Western blot assay with seven recombinant proteins containing different regions of HTLV-I or HTLV-II envelope proteins. 2) Rabbit antibodies elicited by nine HTLV-I Env synthetic peptides were used to react with the native HTLV envelope glycoproteins in an antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) assay. The results of the Western blot analysis showed that RP-B2, which contains amino acid residues 166 to 213 from HTLV-II exterior glycoprotein, was specifically reactive with 90.6% (48 of 53) of the HTLV-II carriers' sera but not with any of the HTLV-I carriers' serum (0 of 71). In contrast, RP-B, which contains amino acid residues 166 to 229 from HTLV-I exterior glycoprotein, was reactive with 85.1% (114 of 134) of the HTLV-I carriers' sera but not with any HTLV-II carrier serum (0 of 62). Furthermore, anti-HTLV-I Env synthetic peptide antibody-mediated ADCC identified several distinguishing HTLV-I ADCC epitopes in the middle region (amino acid residues 177 to 257) of the HTLV-I exterior glycoprotein. Therefore, HTLV type-specific epitopes reside mainly in a 69-amino acid sequence bounded by two cysteine residues (amino acids 157 and 225 for HTLV-I and 153 and 221 for HTLV-II), in the middle region of the exterior envelope glycoproteins.     

Exogenous C1q reconstitutes a secondary deficiency of C5-deficient AKR mouse macrophages for FcR-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and phagocytosis

Studies originally designed to assess the putative role of endogenous C5 in macrophage activation for antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) yielded unanticipated results. Resident and inflammatory peritoneal macrophages from C5-deficient AKR mice were found to have significantly lower capacity for FcR-dependent ADCC activation and phagocytosis of IgG-opsonized SRBC targets than did C5-competent C3HeB/FeJ (C3H) mice. Reconstitution of the ADCC response of AKR macrophages was accomplished initially with C5-sufficient C3H mouse serum, which suggested that endogenous C5 may be required for ADCC activation. However, further investigation largely eliminated C5 involvement in that a heat-labile component of C5-deficient AKR serum was shown to be active in the reconstitution of ADCC activation of AKR macrophages. Macrophages from AKR mice were found to have significantly lower levels of C1q mRNA synthesis, endogenous C1q levels, and C1q secretion than did C3H mouse macrophages as determined by Northern blot, Western blot, and presynthetic radiolabeling analysis, respectively. The addition of purified exogenous C1q to IgG-opsonized SRBC targets fully reconstituted ADCC activation for AKR inflammatory peritoneal macrophages to levels of normally FcR-responsive C3H macrophages. Similarly, exogenous C1q augmented FcR-dependent phagocytosis of AKR macrophages but had no effect on macrophages from responsive C3H mice. Our results indicate that AKR mice have a deficiency for FcR-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and phagocytosis that is related to their low potential for C1q synthesis and secretion rather than to their established genetic deficiency for C5 synthesis. We tentatively conclude that endogenous C1q is required as an accessory molecule for macrophage FcR-dependent effector functions and that C5 is not a prerequisite for ADCC activation.     

ApoB gene nonsense and splicing mutations in a compound heterozygote for familial hypobetalipoproteinemia.

Two novel apoB gene mutations were identified in a patient (CM) with phenotypic homozygous hypobetalipoproteinemia. Haplotype analysis of the apoB alleles from this patient and his family members revealed him to be a genetic compound for the disease. In contrast to previous studies of other hypobetalipoproteinemic patients, no clues existed as to where in the apoB gene the molecular defects resided. Therefore, it was necessary to characterize the apoB genes of the patient by sequence analysis. The apoB gene contains 29 exons and is 43 kb in length. The gene encodes a 14.1 kb mRNA and a 4563 amino acid protein. Both apoB alleles from the patient were cloned via 26 sets of polymerase chain reactions (PCR). These clones contained a total of approximately 24 kb of apoB gene sequence, including regions 5' and 3' to the coding region, 29 exons, and the intron/exon junctions. Complete DNA sequence analysis of these clones showed that each apoB allele had a mutation. In the paternal apoB allele, there was a splicing mutation. The first base of the dinucleotide consensus sequence (GT) in the 5' splice donor site in intron 5 was replaced by a T. It is likely that this base substitution interferes with proper splicing and results in the observed absence of plasma apoB. In the maternal apoB allele, there was a nonsense mutation. The first base of the Arg codon (CGA) at residue 412 in exon 10 was replaced by a T, resulting in a termination codon (TGA). The nonsense mutation is likely to terminate translation after residue 411 resulting in a severely truncated protein only 9% of the length of B-100.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Modulation of Ca2+ channels by atrial natriuretic peptide in the bovine adrenal glomerulosa cell.

In the bovine adrenal glomerulosa cell, calcium influx through voltage-dependent calcium channels is critical to maintaining an aldosterone secretory response. In patch clamp, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) inhibits T-type calcium channel current yet stimulates L-type calcium channel current. In the present study the channel effects of ANP observed in the patch-clamp configuration were extended and related to populations of cells. We observed the following. (i) The effect of ANP on T-channel current resulted in the reduction in the open state probability. ANP decreased the mean open state duration from 14.2 to 1.8 ms/sweep. (ii) In the weakly depolarized cell stimulated by 8 mM K+, ANP reduced the level of aequorin luminescence (a measure of cytosolic calcium) and completely inhibited the stimulated rate of aldosterone secretion, returning it to prestimulation values. These effects are consistent with a decrease in net calcium channel influx and the reported inhibition of T-channel current. In contrast, the calcium channel blocker, nitrendipine, which at low dose selectively blocks L-type calcium channel flux, only slightly reduced luminescence, and partially inhibited the sustained secretory response. (iii) In the strongly depolarized cell, stimulated by 60 mM K+, ANP increased the level of aequorin luminescence consistent with an increase in net calcium channel influx and the reported stimulation of L-channel current. These results indicate that under physiological conditions the inhibition of T-type calcium channels may be involved in the inhibition of the aldosterone secretion induced by ANP.     

Unimpaired induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes in hepatocytes isolated from rats with micronodular cirrhosis

To test further the competence of the cirrhotic liver to metabolize xenobiotics, hepatocytes were isolated from control and CCl4-induced cirrhotic male or female rats. Histologically micronodular cirrhosis was present in all CCl4-treated rats, while control rats had normal livers. Portal perfusion pressure and intrahepatic collagen content were also significantly increased by CCl4 administration. In male rats, no significant differences in levels of circulating transaminases nor in alkaline phosphatase was observed between cirrhotic and control rats, while CCl4-treated females had slightly higher than normal serum transaminase levels at the time of the studies. Hepatocytic cytochrome P-450 and basal xenobiotic biotransformation were unaffected by micronodular cirrhosis in both genders; calculation of the aminopyrine and 7-ethoxycoumarin intrinsic clearances (Cli) revealed, however, a slightly decreased transformation potential in hepatocytes obtained from cirrhotic females, a phenomenon not observed in cirrhotic male rats. It is speculated that the observed reduction in Cli may have been independent of cirrhosis per se, owing to the perduring cytotoxic effect of CCl4 as evidenced by the higher than normal level of transaminases in female rats. Finally, male rats were subjected to in vivo administration of phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene; both compounds led to significant induction of the mixed-function oxidase system, which was similar in magnitude and in selectivity in control and cirrhotic rats as illustrated by calculation of the Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters for aniline p-hydroxylation, aminopyrine-N-demethylation, 7-ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylation, and p-nitrophenol UDP-glucuronyl transferase. We conclude that in well-established but compensated and hepatolysis-free micronodular cirrhosis, hepatocytes are fully able to transform xenobiotics and to respond normally and selectively to inducers of drug metabolism.     

Crystallographic analysis of the neurophysin-oxytocin complex. A preliminary report

Single crystals of a bovine neurophysin II-oxytocin complex have been obtained using (NH4)2SO4 as the precipitating agent. The crystals diffract to at least 2.7 A resolution, belong to Laue group 4/mmm and exhibit systematic absences consistent with either space group P4(1)2(1)2 or P4(3)2(1)2. The cell dimensions are a = b = 69.07 A and c = 113.26 A. The crystals contain one neurophysin-oxytocin dimer per asymmetric unit. Based on a Vm of 2.9 A3/Da, the solvent content is calculated to be 58%. Chromatographic analysis of the dissolved crystals suggests the presence of three oxytocin molecules per neurophysin dimer.     

Morphology and electrical properties of Schwann cells around the giant axon of the squids Loligo forbesi and Loligo vulgaris.

The first successful dye-fills of Schwann cells around the split giant axon of Loligo show them to be spindle-shaped cells ca. 600 microns long and 20 microns wide lying parallel to the axonal axis. There are some 50,000 Schwann cells per cm2 of axonal membrane. Only a small part (ca. 6% of each Schwann cell membrane) is in contact with the periaxonal space, the remainder is overlain by adjacent Schwann cells, or applied to the basal lamina. The mean membrane potential of the Schwann cells in artificial seawater (ASW) varies from around -40 mV in fresh split-axon preparations to around -60 to -70 mV after 1-2 h; this hyperpolarization is not seen in preparations dissected and maintained in Ca2(+)-free ASW. Electrical- and dye-coupling (abolished by prior octanol treatment) is present between Schwann cells, but is weaker in cells with lower (less negative) membrane potentials. The implications for potassium homeostasis around the axon are briefly discussed.     

Corticostatic peptides.

In the last four years corticostatic (anti-ACTH) peptides have been isolated from human, rabbit, guinea pig and rat tissues. These peptides do not act via the cAMP cell signalling system but rather via the inhibition of the binding of ACTH to its receptor most probably through direct competition with the 14-18 sequence of ACTH for receptor binding. ACTH has specific high affinity receptors on adrenal cells but rabbit corticostatin I (CSI) has high capacity, low affinity receptors which are competed for by unlabelled excess CSI but not by excess ACTH. This indicates the presence of specific CSI adrenal cell receptors. The rabbit pituitary, hypothalamus, thalamus, adrenals, lungs and placenta contain sizeable amounts of immunoassayable CSI. Immunochemical localization of CSI indicates that it is present in the large macrophages and in neutrophils in rabbit lung, in macrophages and "supporting" endothelial cells in the spleen and in the adrenals in the cells of the zona reticularis. We have also isolated and identified new peptides which contain 12 cysteines from immune cells of humans, rats and a teleost, the carp. The functions of these peptides are now being determined. This large family of peptides may have many other, yet unidentified functions but at present we can only describe a small number of these.     

溶液流动对等电溶菌酶晶体生长的影响

本文对等温自由生长和强制性溶液生长的等电溶菌酶的晶体形态进行了研究,发现这些形态变化与溶液相的流动密切相关,指出生物晶体生长停止是由于生长晶体周围的溶质贫乏造成的;通过某些手段减薄或消除这一溶质贫乏区,就可以保证晶体的持续生长。本文的研究对改善大尺寸晶体的生长提供了一条途径。