Oxidation of Neurospora crassa NADP-specific glutamate dehydrogenase by activated oxygen species.

The glutamine synthetase and the NADP-specific glutamate dehydrogenase activities of Neurospora crassa were lost in a culture without carbon source only when in the presence of air. Glutamine synthetase was previously reported to be liable to in vitro and in vivo inactivation by activated oxygen species. Here we report that NADP-specific glutamate dehydrogenase was remarkably stable in the presence of activated oxygen species but was rendered susceptible to oxidative inactivation when chelated iron was bound to the enzyme and either ascorbate or H2O2 reacted on the bound iron. This reaction gave rise to further modifications of the enzyme monomers by activated oxygen species, to partial dissociation of the oligomeric structure, and to precipitation and fragmentation of the enzyme. The in vitro oxidation reaction was affected by pH, temperature, and binding to the enzyme of NADPH. Heterogeneity in total charge was observed in the purified and immunoprecipitated enzymes, and the relative amounts of enzyme monomers with different isoelectric points changes with time of the oxidizing reaction.     

Distribution of neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactive fibers in the cat thalamus

Neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity was studied in the thalamus of the cat using an indirect immunoperoxidase method. The densest network of immunoreactive fibers was observed in the nucleus (n.) paraventricularis anterior. In the anterior, intralaminar and midline thalamic nuclei, as well as in the n. geniculatum medialis, n. geniculatum lateralis, n. habenularis lateralis, n. medialis dorsalis, n. lateralis posterior and n. pulvinar a low density of neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactive fibers was observed. Neuropeptide Y-like fibers were totally absent in the n. ventralis lateralis, n. ventralis medialis, n. ventralis postero-medialis and n. ventralis postero-lateralis. In addition, neuropeptide Y-like perikarya were found in the n. parafascicularis, n. suprageniculatus, n. geniculatum lateralis ventralis, n. medialis dorsalis and n. lateralis posterior.     

Interferon selectively inhibits the expression of mitochondrial genes: a novel pathway for interferon-mediated responses.

As an approach to identifying genes involved in physiological actions of interferons we used differential probes to screen a cDNA library from mouse L-929 cells treated with interferon alpha/beta. We identified two negatively regulated mRNA species which have been examined by analysis of the corresponding mRNAs and by DNA sequencing. Comparison with the GenBank database showed that these cDNA clones corresponded to mitochondrially encoded genes for cytochrome b and subunit I of cytochrome c oxidase. A further cDNA encompassing three mitochondrial genes was used as a probe to show that a third mRNA, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5, was also down-regulated by interferon while a fourth, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 6, was unaffected. Expression of cytochrome b was also inhibited in mouse NIH 3T3 cells treated with interferon alpha/beta and in human Daudi lymphoblastoid cells treated with interferon alpha. The ability of interferon to reduce mitochondrial mRNA levels could be blocked by cycloheximide suggesting that these effects are mediated by an interferon-responsive nuclear gene which encodes a product capable of regulating mitochondrial gene expression. Analysis of proteins synthesized in the presence of emetine, a specific inhibitor of cytoplasmic translation, showed that the synthesis of several mitochondrial translation products, including cytochrome b, was reduced after treatment with interferon. Our results reveal a novel effect of interferon on cellular physiology which could have important consequences for understanding the effects of interferons as well as suggesting new mechanisms for the regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis and function.     

Effects of brain ischemia on intermediate filaments of rat hippocampus

Neurofilaments subunits (NF-H, NF-M, NF-L) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were investigated in the hippocampus of rats after distinct periods of reperfusion (1 to 15 days) following 20 min of transient global forebrain ischemia in the rat. In vitro [¹⁴Ca]leucine incorporation was not altered until 48 h after the ischemic insult, however concentration of intermediate filament subunits significantly decreased in this period. Three days after the insult, leucine incorporation significantly increased while the concentration NF-H, NF-M, and NF-L were still diminished after 15 days of reperfusion. In vitro incorporation of³²P into NF-M and NF-L suffered immediately after ischemia, but returned to control values after two days of reperfusion. GFAP levels decreased immediately after ischemia but quickly recovered and significantly peaked from 7 to 10 days after the insult. These results suggest that transient ischemia followed by reperfusion causes proteolysis of intermediate filaments in the hippocampus, and that proteolysis could be facilitated by diminished phosphorylation levels of NF-M and NF-L.     

Influence of thyroid hormones on the human ATP synthase β-subunit gene promoter

The action of thyroid hormones on the expression of the mitochondrial ATP synthase -subunit gene (ATPsyn) is controversial. We detected a binding site for the thyroid hormone receptor between-366 and-380 in the human ATPsyn gene by DNase I footprint analysis and band-shift assays. However, expression vectors in which the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) reporter gene is driven by the 5 upstream region of ATPsyn gene were unresponsive to T₃ when transiently transfected to HepG2 or GH4C1 cells. CAT constructs driven by the rat phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) or the growth hormone (GH) promoters were stimulated several fold by T₃ in parallel experiments. It is proposed that the biological effects of thyroid hormones on the ATPsyn expression occur through indirect mechanisms.     

Nystatin affects zinc uptake in human fibroblasts

The mechanism(s) by which zinc is transported into cells has not been identified. Since zinc uptake is inhibited by reducing the temperature, zinc uptake may depend on the movement of plasma membrane micoenvironments, such as endocytosis or potocytosis. We investigated the potential role of potocytosis in cellular zinc uptake by incubating normal and acrodermatitis enteropathica fibroblasts with nystatin, a sterol-binding drug previously shown to inhibit potocytosis. Zinc uptake was determined during initial rates of uptake (10 min) following incubation of the fibroblasts in 50 μg nystatin/mL or 0.1% dimethyl-sulfoxide for 10 min at 37°C. The cells were then incubated with 1 to 30 μM ⁶⁵zinc. Michaelis-Menten kinetics were observed for zinc uptake. Nystatin inhibited zinc uptake in both the normal and AE fibroblasts. Reduced cellular uptake of zinc was associated with its internalization, not its external binding. In normal fibroblasts, nystatin significantly reduced theK _m 56% and theV _max 69%. In the AE fibroblasts, nystatin treatment significantly reduced theV _max 59%, but did not significantly affect theK _m. The AE mutation alone affected theV _max for cellular zinc uptake. The control AE fibroblasts exhibited a 40% reduction inV _max compared to control normal fibroblasts. We conclude that nystatin exerts its effect on zinc uptake by reducing the velocity at which zinc traverses the cell membrane, possibly through potocytosis. Furthermore, the AE mutation also effects zinc transport by reducing zinc transport.     

Candida biotypes in patients with oral leukoplakia and lichen planus

Prevalence of yeasts in 35 leukoplakia and 34 oral lichen planus patients was compared with that observed in persons without oral diseases. Serotype and morphotype were determined on Candida albicans isolates. Yeasts were isolated from the oral cavity specimens of 43.7% of the patients. C. albicans (serotype A) was the predominant species (76% in leukoplakia, 88.2% in lichen planus and 60.8% in healthy persons). Sixteen morphotypes were encountered on malt extract agar, being 732, 733, 734, 753 and 754 the most frequently found. Morphotypes SP1N and SP1Y were the most common on Sabouraud-trypheniltetrazolium agar (68.4% of the isolates from leukoplakia and 73.3% from lichen planus, but only 46.6% of the isolates from healthy oral mucosa showed SP1N morphotype). Presence of oral lesions was associated with a marked reduction in the yeast species and C. albicans biotypes, suggesting that C. albicans and particularly some of its biotypes, show a high potential of adaptation to the changes associated with the development of oral leukoplakia and lichen planus.     

Studies on Stenostomum grande Child, 1902 (Platyhelminthes,Catenulida): fine structure of the digestive tract and the endocytotic activity of the gastrodermis

Abstract The digestive tract and its endocytotic activity in the catenulid Stenostomum grande were studied by electron microscopy. The pharynx was typical of the simplex type. At the mouth, between the integumental epithelium and the pharyngeal epithelium proper, was a transition zone. Among the epithelial cells of this transition were monociliated sensory cells and the necks of bucco-pharyngeal secretory cells of two types. The pharyngeal epithelium proper was densely ciliated, with long ciliary rootlets and mitochondria. It was surrounded by two layers of muscles. The gastrodermis consisted of phagocytes and typical secretory Minotian cells. It was underlain by a delicate basal lamina and muscle fibers. Distinctive of the phagocytes was the presence of differentiated cilia, cup-shaped mitochondria, and vacuoles with dense inclusions. Morphological differences between pharyngeal and gastrodermal cilia suggest functional differences. Experiments using latex beads as tracers and the identification of acid phosphatase in cytoplasmic vacuoles pointed to a high level of endocytotic and digestive activity in the phagocytes. Our data demonstrate that the basic structure of the digestive tract in S. grande conforms well to that of other free-living platyhelminths, but it does have ultrastructural peculiarities.