Utilization of alpha-ketoglutarate as a precursor for transmitter glutamate in cultured cerebellar granule cells

Alpha-ketoglutarate together with an amino group donor (alanine) was shown to be able to serve as a precursor for the glutamate pool which is released by potassium-induced depolarization (i.e., transmitter glutamate) in cerebellar granule cells. However, these compounds could not be utilized as precursors for intracellular glutamate or for release of transmitter aspartate. The formation of transmitter glutamate was inhibited by the transamination inhibitor aminooxyacetic acid but not by phenylsuccinate, an inhibitor of the dicarboxylate carrier in the mitochondrial membrane. Both of these inhibitors have previously been found to inhibit synthesis of transmitter glutamate from glutamine. The results support the hypothesis that alpha-ketoglutarate and alanine undergo transamination in the cytosol to form pyruvate and glutamate, and that this glutamate pool is available for transmitter release of glutamate but does not constitute the major intracellular pool of glutamate.     

T3 reverses the changes in met-enkephalin and beta-endorphin contents in the anterior lobe, but not the neuro-intermediate lobe of the pituitary of rats rendered hypothyroid by PTU-treatment

The changes in met-enkephalin and beta-endorphin contents in the pituitary in PTU-induced hypothyroidism were studied in the rat. After 2 weeks of PTU-treatment, both IR-met-enkephalin and IR-beta-endorphin contents in the pituitary were significantly reduced. Gel filtration chromatography followed by radioimmunoassay showed that the immunoactivities in the peaks of precursors, met-enkephalin, beta-lipotropin and beta-endorphin were all lower in the pituitaries from the PTU-treated rats. In another experiment, some of the PTU-treated rats were injected daily with 500 micrograms T3/kg b.w. In the hypothyroid rats, IR-met-enkephalin and IR-beta-endorphin contents were decreased in both the anterior and neurointermediate lobes. Only the changes in the anterior lobe were reversed by T3 treatment. In conclusion, while the effects on the anterior lobe are probably due to a deficiency in thyroid hormones, the mechanism for the decrease of opioid peptide contents in the neurointermediate lobe is still unclear.     

Computer aided analysis for biosensing and screening

Biosensors with animal and microbial cells immobilized close to the tip of a membrane electrode have been developed for chemical and drug testing. Our experimental results show that biosensors can be used for drug screening and to provide useful information about various cell-chemical interactions. A computer aided analysis (CAA) software package is being developed here using the biosensor for various screening purposes. This software package enables us to use a computer to analyze the biosensor dynamic responses. Computer simulation and parameter estimation techniques are used to select the best model and to describe the biochemical and pharmacologic effects of various chemicals and drugs on different cell lines.     

To early distinguish neonatal transient leukemoid proliferation from congenital leukemia by in vitro cell growth

To differentiate neonatal transient leukemoid proliferation from congenital leukemia at an early stage is often difficult. Bone marrow culture is found to be helpful in this aspect. A normal in vitro growth pattern suggests transient leukemoid proliferation, while an abnormal growth pattern indicates congenital leukemia. A neonate who manifested with pictures mimicking acute myeloblastic leukemia (M1), had a karyotype of 46, XY/46, XY, i(21 q). However, the in vitro growth pattern was normal and so only supportive treatment was given. All the leukemoid manifestations disappeared several months later and he is now a healthy 2 year old boy remaining in complete remission. A second neonate who also displayed features of acute myeloblastic leukemia (M2), had a karyotype of 46, XY/47, XY, + 21 and abnormal in vitro growth pattern. This neonate died at 18 days of age.     

Aneuploidy in mammalian somatic cells in vivo

Aneuploidy is an important potential source of human disease and of reproductive failure. Nevertheless, the ability of chemical agents to induce aneuploidy has been investigated only sporadically in intact (whole-animal) mammalian systems. A search of the available literature from the EMCT Aneuploidy File (for years 1970-1983) provided 112 papers that dealt with aneuploidy in mammalian somatic cells in vivo. 59 of these papers did not meet minimal criteria for analysis and were rejected from subsequent review. Of the remaining 53 papers that dealt with aneuploidy induction by chemical agents in mammalian somatic cells in vivo, only 3 (6%) contained data that were considered to be supported conclusively by adequate study designs, execution, and reporting. These 3 papers dealt with 2 chemicals, one of which, mercury, was negative for aneuploidy induction in humans, and the other, pyrimethamine, was positive in an experimental rodent study. The majority of papers (94%) were considered inconclusive for a variety of reasons. The most common reasons for calling a study inconclusive were (a) combining data on hyperploidy with those on hypoploidy and/or polyploidy, (b) an inadequate or unspecified number of animals and/or cells per animal scored per treatment group, and (c) poor data presentation such that animal-to-animal variability could not be assessed. Suggestions for protocol development are made, and the future directions of research into aneuploidy induction are discussed.     

Studies of structure-activity relationships of human interleukin-2

Human interleukin-2 (IL-2) has 3 cysteine residues; cysteines 58 and 105 form an intramolecular disulfide bridge, whereas cysteine 125 has a free sulfhydryl group. In this study, site-specific mutagenesis has been used to modify the cysteine residues of recombinant Escherichia coli-derived IL-2 (rIL-2) to evaluate the functional structure of IL-2. Substitution or deletion of cysteine 105 disrupted the disulfide bridge and yielded a mutant protein which was 8-10 times less active than wild type rIL-2. A similar modification at position 58, however, reduced the activity of rIL-2 by more than 250-fold. Although substitution of serine for cysteine 125 did not affect IL-2 activity, deletion of cysteine 125 or deletion of amino acids in the vicinity of this cysteine yielded mutant proteins with little, if any, activity. These results indicate that the protein structure in the vicinity of both positions 58 and 125 is more critical than that close to position 105. These findings may provide a clue to the understanding of the functional structure of human IL-2.     

广东楝科植物分类的初步研究

本文是对广东楝科植物种类的初步整理、研究,记载了16属33种7交种,包括本省产的13属27种7变种和外来引种的3属6种。其中有1个新变种(封开地黄连Munronia hainanensis How et T. Chen var. microphyllina X. M. Chen),3个新组合(曾椤Amoora tsangii (Merr.) X. M. Chen, 雷楝Reinwardtiodendron dubium (Merr.) X. M. Chen, 毛香椿Toona sinensis (A. Juss.) M. J. Roem. var. schensiana (C. DC.) X. M. Chen), 3个分布新记录[雷楝属Reinwardtiodendron (我国新记录),鹧鸪花Trichilia connaroides (W. et A.) Bentv. var. connaroides(广东新记录),海南(木坚)木Dysoxylvm hainanense Merr. var. hainanense(广东大陆新记录)].     

大熊猫乳酸脱氢酶同工酶M_4的纯化与某些性质的研究

利用8-(6-氨已基)-氨基-5’-AMP Sepharose亲和层析和DEAE-Sephadex A50离子交换层析纯化了大熊猫LDH-M_4。纯化的大熊猫LDH-M_4呈针状晶体,比活为412单位/毫克。聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳鉴定为一条区带。SDS凝胶电泳测得其亚基分子量为35,900;等电聚焦电泳测得其等电点为8.05。经氨基酸组成分析,得出每个大熊猫LDH-M亚基含有5个Cys,26个Lys和10个Arg。其N-末端氨基酸残基可能为封闭的,C末端氨基酸残基经测定为Phe。大熊猫LDH-M_4的TPCK-胰蛋白酶水解物在纤维素膜指纹图谱上呈现35个肽斑,与已知序列的猪LDH-M_4的指纹图谱相比较,多数肽斑位置相同,约有10个肽斑在两者指纹图谱上有差异。