Presence of somatostatin-28 like immunoreactivity in the human pancreas

Specific antisera against somatostatin-28 were prepared by absorption of somatostatin-28 antisera with sepharose 4B-somatostatin-14. Indirect immunofluorescence techniques using somatostatin-14 antisera and specific antisera against somatostatin-28 were carried out to elucidate the time of occurrence of somatostatin-28 in the fetal pancreatic islets and to ascertain whether somatostatin-28 was present in the adult pancreatic islets or not, and further to examine whether cells reacting with specific antisera against somatostatin-28 are identical to those reacting with somatostatin-14 antisera or not. Somatostatin-28 like immunoreactivity occurred in the fetal pancreatic islets at 11th week's gestation and was found in all fetal pancreatic islets examined in the present study. It was also found in the adult pancreatic islets. Furthermore, cells reacting with specific antisera against somatostatin-28 in the fetal and adult pancreatic islets were identical to those reacting with somatostatin-14 antisera. Thus, the present study elucidated the presence of somatostatin-28 like immunoreactivity in the human pancreas. However, it could not be decided whether cells reacting with somatostatin-28 antisera contain either only somatostatin-28 or both somatostatin-28 and somatostatin-14; in other words, whether somatostatin-14 is produced from somatostatin-28 or not, since somatostatin-14 antisera had a cross-reactivity to both somatostatin-14 and somatostatin-28.     

Isolation and identification of 25-hydroxy-24-oxocholecalciferol: A metabolite of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol

A metabolite of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol has been isolated in pure form from chicken kidney homogenates. It has been identified as 25-hydroxy-24-oxocholecalciferol by means of ultraviolet absorption spectrophotometry, mass spectrometry, infrared spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, and specific chemical reactions.     

Isolation of an actin-binding fragment of fibronectin.

We have identified a specific actin-binding site in the adhesive glycoprotein fibronectin, isolated from chicken fibroblasts. Affinity chromatography of fragments, released from fibronectin by limited proteolysis with trypsin, chymotrypsin and subtilisin, on actin-Sepharose and other protein-Sepharose columns was used to locate the binding site. A 27 000-mol.wt. subtilisin-digest fragment bound efficiently to actin. The results suggest that the actin-binding site is close to, but not identical with, the reported collagen-binding site.     

Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy during experimental pneumococcal sepsis: studies in normal and asplenic rhesus monkeys.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) was induced in both normal and asplenic rhesus monkeys by intravenous challenge with Streptococcus pneumoniae. Our observations in the infected monkeys have led us to conclude that (1) pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide (PCP), immune complexes and complement may not have primary roles in the initiation of DIC; (2) intact pneumococci may be catalysts for the development of DIC; (3) the initial event in DIC may be activation of Hageman factor; and (4) evidence of activation of Hageman factor-dependent systems is present regardless of severity of infection.     

Mechanism of the decrease in the major cell surface protein of chick embryo fibroblasts after transformation.

The major cell surface glycoprotein of cultured chick embryo fibroblasts (CSP, a LETS protein) is substantially decreased after neoplastic transformation. We investigated the regulation of this glycoprotein by determining the kinetics of CSP biosynthesis, transit to the cell surface, and degradation before and after transformation by Rous sarcoma virus. CSP synthesis, as measured by immunoprecipitation after pulse-labeling with ¹⁴C-leucine, is decreased 3–6 fold after transformation by the Bryan high titer, Schmidt-Ruppin and temperature-sensitive ts68 and T5 strains of Rous sarcoma virus. Steady state quantities of CSP in intracellular pools are also decreased 4–5 fold after transformation. However, the rate at which newly synthesized CSP is processed and exported to the cell surface is similar before and after transformation.Degradation and release of CSP from cells were measured after labeling for 24 hr. The half-life of CSP on normal cells is 36 hr and is decreased to 16–26 hr after transformation. The absolute amount of intact CSP released into the culture medium is decreased 3 fold after transformation; these amounts, however, represent losses of approximately 20 and 40% of the total CSP synthesized by normal and transformed cells, respectively. These results indicate that the major mechanism for the decrease in CSP after transformation is reduction in its biosynthesis, although increased degradation and loss from the cell surface also contribute significantly. These changes can account for the observed 5–6 fold decreases in cell-associated CSP after transformation of chick embryo fibroblasts.     

Isolation and immunological characterization of a glucose-regulated fibroblast cell surface glycoprotein and its nonglycosylated precursor.

We have isolated and immunochemically characterized a major membrane glycoprotein of mouse 3T3 cells. This GRP (glucose/glycosylation-regulated protein) is labeled by lactoperoxidase-mediated iodination and by ¹⁴C-glucosamine, binds concanavalin A and has an apparent molecular weight in SDS-polyacrylamide gels of 92,000 daltons (or 97,000 daltons in a discontinuous gel system). Glycosylated GRP was isolated from plasma membranes using Triton X-100 extraction, affinity chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose and preparative SDS gel electrophoresis.Antibody against this glycosylated GRP stains the external surfaces of mouse cells and induces patches and caps. Immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation studies indicate that this glycoprotein can exist in the membrane in two molecular forms, either as a glycosylated or as a nonglycosylated protein. The nonglycosylated form is induced under conditions of limited glycosylation or glucose deprivation. This nonglycosylated GRP remains accessible to antibodies on the exterior of cells, but becomes inaccessible to lactoperoxidase.The immunoprecipitation of the 92K GRP with its specific antibody is always associated with the precipitation of a small fraction of the other major GRP of molecular weight 75,000 daltons. We suggest that both GRP (92K and 75K) may function in close association in the membrane.     

Effect of food-deprivation on rat pancreatic islet cells

Somatostatin, insulin and glucagon concentrations in rat pancreas were measured following various intervals of food-deprivation. Tissue concentrations, as measured by radioimmunoassay, were correlated with A-, B-, and D-cell number and size using a scanning integrating image analyzer (Quantimet 720). Alterations in total islet hormone content were not correlated to changes in size or distribution of cells. This implies that changes in tissue content reflect changes in turnover of peptides rather than changes in cell size or number.     

Gastrin-amidating enzyme in the porcine pituitary and antrum. Characterization of molecular forms and substrate specificity

As is the case with many other peptide hormones of the brain and intestine, the formation of biologically active gastrin from a glycine-extended processing intermediate occurs via the action of a peptidylglycyl alpha-amidating monooxygenase (PAM). The observation that gastrin exists primarily as unamidated precursors in the pituitary but as amidated gastrin in the antrum prompted this study to examine whether the amidating enzymes in the two organs were different in their characteristics. Amidating activity was quantified by measuring the conversion of glycine-extended tridecagastrin (G13-Gly) to amidated tridecagastrin and glycine-extended hexapancreatic polypeptide (PP6-Gly) to amidated hexapancreatic polypeptide by radio-immunoassay. Two molecular forms of amidating activity were identified in both the porcine antrum and pituitary. The first, PAM-A, had an apparent Mr of 51,000 and a net negative charge at pH 7.0, whereas PAM-B was smaller (Mr approximately 30,000) and had a net positive charge at pH 7.0. Both molecular forms were similar in their cofactor requirements (copper, ascorbic acid, and catalase) and pH optima in the antrum and pituitary. The Km was significantly lower and the Vmax higher for PP6-Gly than for G13-Gly in the pituitary and antrum. These data suggest that although there is no difference between antral and pituitary PAM, the selective affinity of PAM for certain substrates may provide a mechanism for the differential amidation of different hormones within a given tissue or cell.