Maintenance of cell proliferation and steroidogenesis in cultured human fetal adrenal cells chronically exposed to adrenocorticotropic hormone: rationalization of in vitro and in vivo findings

Previous studies indicated that acute exposure of adrenal cells to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) markedly stimulates steroidogenic capacity in vitro but also inhibits cell proliferation. However, in vivo, ACTH is known to stimulate adrenal cell growth. To address this discrepancy, we determined the effect of long-term (9-11 days) continuous or intermittent exposure to ACTH on human fetal adrenal cell proliferation and steroidogenesis. Adrenal glands from fetuses 18-22 wk gestation were studied. Fetal zone cells were plated either on plastic or on an extracellular matrix (ECM) in the presence and absence of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) (0.5 ng/ml) and 1 or 10 nM ACTH. As determined by cell counting, bFGF stimulated cell proliferation during 9 days in culture. In the presence of bFGF, the average doubling time decreased from 44 to 30 h on plastic and from 37 to 26 h on ECM. Under these conditions, ACTH did not inhibit cell proliferation. Proliferation of fetal adrenal corticosteroid-producing cells in the ACTH-treated cultures also was assessed by histochemical staining for 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 beta HSD). The number of positive cells increased more than 4-fold between Days 5 and 9 in culture. Continuous treatment with 1 nM ACTH increased dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHAS) production 5- to 10-fold during the first 5 days in culture. Thereafter, the stimulated hormone production decreased over time, although there was still a difference of almost 100-fold between the control and ACTH-treated cultures at the end of 9 days.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

In vitro phosphorylation of human complement factor C3 by protein kinase A and protein kinase C. Effects on the classical and alternative pathways

Complement factor C3, recently found to contain covalently bound phosphate, was phosphorylated in vitro by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase A) and Ca2(+)-activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C). Both protein kinases phosphorylated the same serine residue(s) located in the C3a portion of the alpha-chain. In addition, protein kinase C phosphorylated the beta-chain to a lesser extent. Protein kinase A gave a maximal incorporation of 1 mol of phosphate/mol of C3 while that value with protein kinase C was 1.5 mol of phosphate/mol of C3. The velocity in pmol of [32P]phosphate/(min x unit kinase) was 20 times higher for protein kinase C than for protein kinase A although a 10 times lower ratio of protein kinase to C3 was used in the former case. The apparent Km for C3 was 2.6 microM when protein kinase C was used. The phosphorylated C3 was found to be more resistant to partial degradation by trypsin than unphosphorylated C3. It was also found that phosphorylation of C3 in the C3a portion of the alpha-chain inhibited both the classical and alternative complement activation pathways on an approximately stoichiometric basis.     

Heterogeneity of cell surface endothelin receptors

Two distinct cell surface endothelin receptors were identified, namely a 73-kDa protein referred to as ET-R1 and a 60-kDa protein named ET-R2. ET-R1 was expressed as the sole endothelin receptor on rat A10 vascular smooth muscle cells and C6 glial cells. Binding of 125I-ET-1 to these cells was inhibited by 50-200 pM endothelin-1 and -2, whereas endothelin-3 did not compete for this receptor subtype. Binding of 125I-ET-1 to intact A10 and C6 cells was reversible, indicating that ET-R1 is located on the cell surface. Affinity labelling of a single 73-kDa band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels by 125I-ET-1 in A10 and C6 cells was inhibited by endothelin-1 but not by endothelin-3. In A10 cells, endothelin-1 but not endothelin-3 elicited a concentration-dependent increase in intracellular inositol trisphosphate levels. ET-R1 was also expressed in cultured rat glomerular mesangial cells based on findings of a subset of receptors with an apparent molecular mass of 73 kDa that bound 125I-ET-1 displacable by endothelin-1 and endothelin-2 but not by endothelin-3. These cells also expressed the ET-R2 receptor subtype, based on findings of a 60-kDa binding site that could be labeled by both 125I-ET-1 and 125I-ET-3. Labeling of ET-R2 by the radioactive endothelins-1 and -3 was inhibited competitively by endothelins-1, -2, and -3. Furthermore, ET-R2 was shown to be a functional receptor, as endothelin-3 caused inositol trisphosphate levels to rise in mesangial cells. An endothelin binding site with high affinity for endothelin-3 was also identified on rat PC12 pheochromocytoma cells, although the apparent molecular mass of this receptor could not be verified by cross-linking studies. Since endothelin-1 or -3 failed to augment inositol trisphosphate levels in these cells, this binding site could represent a third endothelin receptor subtype. Thus, two distinct functional receptors for endothelins were identified on rat cells, namely the 73-kDa ET-R1 which has an exceedingly low affinity for endothelin-3 and the 60-kDa ET-R2 which binds endothelin-3 with high affinity. Whether an additional endothelin receptor subtype exists in PC12 cells remains to be shown with certainty.     

Cytochrome P-450 enzyme-specific control of the regio- and enantiofacial selectivity of the microsomal arachidonic acid epoxygenase

Chiral analysis of the rat liver microsomal arachidonic acid epoxygenase metabolites shows enantioselective formation of 8,9-, 11,12-, and 14,15-cis-epoxyeicosatrienoic acids in an approximately 2:1, 4:1, and 2:1 ratio of antipodes, respectively. Animal treatment with the cytochrome P-450 inducer phenobarbital increased the overall enantiofacial selectivity of the microsomal epoxygenase and caused a concomitant inversion in the absolute configurations of its metabolites. These effects of phenobarbital were time-dependent and temporally linked to increases in the concentration of microsomal cytochrome P-450 enzymes. Reconstitution of the epoxygenase reaction utilizing several purified cytochrome P-450 demonstrated that the asymmetry of epoxidation is under cytochrome P-450 enzyme control. These results established that the chirality of the hepatic arachidonic acid epoxygenase is under regulatory control and confirm cytochromes P-450 IIB1 and IIB2 as two of the endogenous epoxygenases induced in vivo by phenobarbital.     

Recurrent Hodgkin's disease in the breast. Diagnosis of a case by fine needle aspiration and immunocytochemistry

Recurrent Hodgkin's disease involving the breast in a 17-year-old girl was diagnosed by fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of a solitary mass that developed one year after "curative" radiation. Benign breast disease and breast carcinoma were ruled out upon cytologic examination of the FNA smears, which contained diagnostic Reed-Sternberg cells and the characteristic polymorphic background elements. Follow-up immunoperoxidase staining for Leu-M1 on destained smears confirmed the diagnosis. Definitive therapeutic measures were initiated after the FNA diagnosis.     

Assignment of the Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy type 1 (CMT 1a) gene to 17p11.2-p12.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1a (CMT 1a) is an autosomal dominant peripheral neuropathy linked to the DNA markers D17S58 and D17S71, located in the pericentromeric region of the chromosome 17p arm. We analyzed an extended 5-generation Belgian family, multiply affected with CMT 1a, for linkage with eight chromosome 17 markers. The results indicated that the CMT 1a mutation is localized in the chromosomal region 17p11.2-p12 between the marker D17S71 and the gene for myosin heavy polypeptide 2 of adult skeletal muscle.     

In vitro binding of retinoids to the nuclear retinoic acid receptor alpha

We describe a rapid method for measuring in vitro binding properties of new synthetic retinoids to the recently identified nuclear receptor RAR alpha. Transfection of cos-7 cells with the expression vector RAR alpha O produces a 100-fold increase in intracellular RAR alpha concentration which allows us to perform accurate determination of binding parameters of various retinoids. Cytosol and nuclear extracts obtained after freeze drying of the transfected cells are incubated with a new stable tritiated analog of retinoic acid, [3H]CD367. Complete separation between RAR alpha and endogenous cellular retinoic acid binding protein is achieved by high-performance size-exclusion chromatography. These improved techniques provide a useful method for determining binding affinities of analogs to RAR alpha.     

Catalase, superoxide dismutase, and hemolysin activities and heat susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes after growth in media containing sodium chloride.

The activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and a thiol-activated hemolysin produced by four strains of Listeria monocytogenes propagated in media containing various concentrations of sodium chloride were examined. L. monocytogenes 7644 showed an increase in catalase, superoxide dismutase, and thiol-activated hemolysin activities when grown in a medium containing 2.5% (wt/vol) NaCl followed by a decrease in activities when propagated in media containing salt concentrations higher than 2.5%. L. monocytogenes LCDC 81-861 demonstrated enhanced catalase activity when grown in media containing NaCl ranging from 1.5 to 4.6% and increased superoxide dismutase activity when propagated in media containing 1.5 to 3.5% NaCl. L. monocytogenes LCDC 81-861 did not exhibit any detectable hemolysin activity under the conditions tested. After growth in various NaCl-containing media, both strains were subjected to sublethal heat injury for 30 min at 55 degrees C. L. monocytogenes LCDC 81-861 showed increased sensitivity to the heat treatment when grown in media containing 4.6 and 6.5% NaCl, whereas L. monocytogenes 7644 did not exhibit enhanced heat lability.     

Xylose uptake by the ruminal bacterium Selenomonas ruminantium.

Selenomonas ruminantium HD4 does not use the phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase system to transport xylose (S. A. Martin and J. B. Russell, J. Gen. Microbiol. 134:819-827, 1988). Xylose uptake by whole cells of S. ruminantium HD4 was inducible. Uptake was unaffected by monensin or lasalocid, while oxygen, o-phenanthroline, and HgCl2 were potent inhibitors. Menadione, antimycin A, and KCN had little effect on uptake, and acriflavine inhibited uptake by 23%. Sodium fluoride decreased xylose uptake by 10%, while N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide decreased uptake by 31%. Sodium arsenate was a strong inhibitor (83%), and these results suggest the involvement of a high-energy phosphate compound and possibly a binding protein in xylose uptake. The protonophores carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, 2,4-dinitrophenol, and SF6847 inhibited xylose uptake by 88, 82, and 43%, respectively. The cations Na+ and K+ did not stimulate xylose uptake. The kinetics of xylose uptake were nonlinear, and it appeared that more than one uptake mechanism may be involved or that two proteins (i.e., a binding protein and permease protein) with different affinities for xylose were present. Excess (10 mM) glucose, sucrose, or maltose decreased xylose uptake less than 40%. Uptake was unaffected at extracellular pH values between 6.0 and 8.0, while pH values of 5.0 and 4.0 decreased uptake 28 and 24%, respectively. The phenolic monomers p-coumaric acid and vanillin inhibited growth on xylose and xylose uptake more than ferulic acid did. The predominant end products resulting from the fermentation of xylose were lactate (7.5 mM), acetate (4.4 mM), and propionate (5.1 nM), and the Yxylose was 24.1 g/mol.     

Synaptology of three peptidergic neuron types in the central nucleus of the rat amygdala

The synaptology of neurotensin (NT)-, somatostatin (SS)- and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-immunoreactive neurons was studied in the central nucleus of the rat amygdala (CNA). Three types of axon terminals formed synaptic contacts with peptide-immunoreactive neurons in the CNA: Type A terminals containing many round or oval vesicles; Type B terminals containing many pleomorphic vesicles; and Type C terminals containing fewer, pleomorphic vesicles. Peptide-immunoreactive terminals were type A. All three types of terminals formed symmetrical axosomatic and asymmetrical axodendritic contacts. However, type B and peptide-immunoreactive terminals frequently formed symmetrical axodendritic synaptic contacts. VIP-immunoreactive terminals also formed asymmetrical axodendritic contacts. SS- and NT-immunoreactive terminals commonly formed symmetrical contacts on SS- and NT-immunoreactive cell bodies, respectively. VIP-immunoreactive axon terminals were postsynaptic to nonreactive terminals. Type B terminals appeared more frequently on VIP neurons than on NT or SS neurons.