Characterization of histopathology and gene-expression profiles of synovitis in early rheumatoid arthritis using targeted biopsy specimens

The disease category of early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been limited with respect to clinical criteria. Pathological manifestations of synovitis in patients whose disease is clinically classified as early RA seem to be heterogeneous, with regular variations. To clarify the relation between the molecular and histopathological features of the synovitis, we analyzed gene-expression profiles in the synovial lining tissues to correlate them with histopathological features. Synovial tissues were obtained from knee joints of 12 patients with early RA by targeted biopsy under arthroscopy. Surgical specimens of long-standing RA (from four patients) were examined as positive controls. Each histopathological parameter characteristic of rheumatoid synovitis in synovial tissues was scored under light microscopy. Total RNAs from synovial lining tissues were obtained from the specimens selected by laser capture microdissection and the mRNAs were amplified by bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase. Their cDNAs were analyzed in a cDNA microarray with 23,040 cDNAs, and the levels of gene expression in multilayered lining tissues, compared with those of normal-like lining tissues in specimens from the same person, were determined to estimate gene-expression profiles characteristic of the synovial proliferative lesions in each case. Based on cluster analysis of all cases, gene-expression profiles in the lesions in early RA fell into two groups. The groups had different expression levels of genes critical for proliferative inflammation, including those encoding cytokines, adhesion molecules, and extracellular matrices. One group resembled synovitis in long-standing RA and had high scores for some histopathological features – involving accumulations of lymphocytes and plasma cells – but not for other features. Possible differences in the histopathogenesis and prognosis of synovitis between the two groups are discussed in relation to the candidate genes and histopathology.     

Absence of a detectable intermediate in the compound I formation of horseradish peroxidase at ambient temperature

A microsecond-resolved absorption spectrometer was developed to investigate the elementary steps in hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) activation reaction of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) at ambient temperature. The kinetic absorption spectra of HRP upon the mixing with various concentrations of H(2)O(2) (0.5-3 mm) were monitored in the time range from 50 to 300 mus. The time-resolved spectra in the Soret region possessed isosbestic points that were close to those between the resting state and compound I. The kinetic changes in the Soret absorbance could be well fitted by a single exponential function. Accordingly, no distinct spectrum of the putative intermediate between the resting state and compound I was identified. These results were consistent with the proposal that the O-O bond activation in heme peroxidases is promoted by the imidazolium form of the distal histidine that exists only transiently. It was estimated that the rate constant for the breakage of the O-O bond in H(2)O(2) by HRP is significantly faster than 1 x 10(4) s(-1).     

Intracellular cAMP controls a physical association of V-1 with CapZ in cultured mammalian endocrine cells

V-1, an ankyrin repeat protein with the activity to control tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) gene expression and transmitter release in PC12D cells, associates with CapZ, an actin capping protein, and thereby regulates actin polymerization in vitro. In this study, immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis showed that V-1 was physically associated with CapZ-beta in PC12D transfectants overexpressing V-1. These proteins were co-localized in the soma of Purkinje cells of rat cerebellum as assayed by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, in the V-1 transfectants, the amount of CapZ which physically associated with V-1 was steeply reduced at 2h after treatment with forskolin, but was thereafter increased to reach its initial level at 12h after forskolin-treatment. These results suggest that the association of V-1 with CapZ is controlled by a cAMP-dependent signalling pathway probably to play a functional role in the regulatory mechanism of actin dynamics in the endocrine system and the central nervous system.     

Dynamic function of the alkyl spacer of acetogenins in their inhibitory action with mitochondrial complex I (NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase)

Studies on the inhibitory mechanism of acetogenins, the most potent inhibitors of mitochondrial complex I (NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase), are useful for elucidating the structural and functional features of the terminal electron transfer step of this enzyme. Previous studies of the structure-activity relationship revealed that except for the alkyl spacer linking the two toxophores (i.e., the hydroxylated THF and the gamma-lactone rings), none of the multiple functional groups of these inhibitors is essential for potent inhibition. To elucidate the function of the alkyl spacer, two sets of systematically selected analogues were synthesized. First, the length of the spacer was varied widely. Second, the local flexibility of the spacer was specifically reduced by introducing multiple bond(s) into different regions of the spacer. The optimal length of the spacer for inhibition was approximately 13 carbon atoms. The decrease in the strength of the inhibitory effect caused by elongating the spacer from 13 carbons was much more drastic than that caused by shortening. Local flexibility in a specific region of the spacer was not important for the inhibition. These observations indicate that the active conformation of the spacer is not an extended form, and is not necessarily restricted to a certain rigid shape. Moreover, an analogue in which a spacer covering 10 carbon atoms was hardened into a rodlike shape still maintained a potent inhibitory effect. Our results strongly suggest that the spacer portion is free from steric congestion arising from the putative binding site probably because there is no cavity-like binding site for the spacer portion. The manner of acetogenin binding to the enzyme may not be explained by a simple "key and keyhole" analogy.     

Cellular basis of the role of diesel exhaust particles in inducing Th2-dominant response

There is growing evidence that diesel exhaust particles (DEP) can induce allergic diseases with increased IgE production and preferential activation of Th2 cells. To clarify the cellular basis of the role of DEP in the induction of Th2-dominant responses, we examined the effects of DEP on the cytokine production by T cells stimulated with anti-CD3/CD28 Ab and on that by monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MoDCs) stimulated with CD40L and/or IFN-gamma. We examined IFN-gamma, IL-4, IL-5, IL-8, and IL-10 produced by T cells and TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-10, and IL-12 produced by MoDCs using real-time PCR analysis or by ELISA. To highlight the effects of DEP, we compared the effects of DEP with those of dexamethasone (DEX) and cyclosporin A (CyA). DEP significantly suppressed IFN-gamma mRNA expression and protein production, while it did not affect IL-4 or IL-5 mRNA expression or protein production. The suppressive effect on IFN-gamma mRNA expression was more potent than that of DEX and comparable at 30 mug/ml with 10(-7) M CyA. The suppressive effect on IFN-gamma production was also more potent than that of either DEX or CyA. DEP suppressed IL-12p40 and IL-12p35 mRNA expression and IL-12p40 and IL-12p70 production by MoDCs, while it augmented IL-1beta mRNA expression. Finally, by using a thiol antioxidant, N-acetyl cysteine, we found that the suppression of IFN-gamma production by DEP-treated T cells was mediated by oxidative stress. These data revealed a unique characteristic of DEP, namely that they induce a Th2 cytokine milieu in both T cells and dendritic cells.     

In vitro growth and development of bovine oocyte-granulosa cell complexes on the flat substratum: effects of high polyvinylpyrrolidone concentration in culture medium

The aim of this study was to establish a culture system to support the growth of bovine oocytes as enclosed in granulosa cell complexes that extend on a flat substratum. Such systems have been established for mouse oocytes but are not applicable to larger animals because it is difficult to maintain an appropriate association between the oocyte and companion somatic cells. Growing bovine oocytes with a mean diameter of 95 microm were isolated from early antral follicles: the growing stage corresponds to that of oocytes in preantral follicles of 12-day-old mice. Oocyte-granulosa cell complexes were cultured for 14 days in modified TCM199 medium supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum, 4 mM hypoxanthine, and 0.1 microg/ml estradiol. The novel modification made for this medium was a high concentration, 4% (w/v), of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP; molecular weight of 360000). The flat substratum used was either an insert membrane fit in the culture plate or the bottom surface of the wells of 96-well culture plates. PVP influenced the organization of complexes, resulting in a firm association between the oocyte and the innermost layer of surrounding cells. More oocytes enclosed by a complete cell layer were recovered from the medium supplemented with 4% PVP than from the control medium. Similarly, of the oocytes initially introduced into the growth culture, a significantly larger proportion developed to the blastocyst stage from medium containing 4% PVP than from medium without PVP. When PVP medium was used, the overall yield of blastocysts was similar between the system with the insert membranes (12%) and that with the 96-well culture plates (9%). A calf was produced from one of four embryos derived from oocytes grown in 96-well culture plates, matured, and fertilized in vitro and then transferred to a recipient cow.     

Molecular design of functional peptides by utilizing unnatural amino acids: toward artificial and photofunctional protein

Unnatural amino acids are effective as building blocks to design functional peptides from the following two points: (1) utilization of rigid unnatural amino acids for the incorporated peptides to control the conformation to appear the function, and (2) incorporation of functional and unnatural amino acids into peptides resulting in appearance of the inherent functions. As a combined strategy, molecular design of artificial metalloproteins utilizing 5'-amino-2,2'-bipyridine-5-carboxilic acid (H-5Bpy-OH) as an unnatural amino acid is proposed. The peptide containing three residues of the unnatural amino acid would fold through coordination to a metal ion. In particular, ruthenium(II) ion would yield a ruthenium tris(bipyridine) derivative as the core complex of the artificial protein, which would appear the similar photochemical functions as that of ruthenium(II) tris(bipyridine) complex. The central complex could form two isomers, fac and mer. For selective synthesis of the mer complex, which is expected as the core complex in the artificial protein, dicyclohexylamide as a bulky group is introduced at the C-terminal of the unnatural amino acid to destabilize the fac complex due to steric hindrance. Furthermore, in order to know the photochemical properties and function of the protein mimics, ruthenium(II) tris(2,2'-bipyridine) complexes bearing amide groups at 5,5' positions have been synthesized as the model complexes. As a result, the direction of amide groups (RNHCO-or RCONH-) in ruthenium complexes is found to significantly affect the emission efficiency: the former reduces the quantum yield and the latter enhances it, respectively. The ruthenium(II) tris(5,5'-diamide-2,2'-bipyridine) complexes are also found to strongly bind with various anions [e.g., halogen ions (Cl-, Br-) and acetate anion] in acetonitrile and to detect these anions through the emission spectral changes under air. The molecular design of artificial protein is expected to develop new fields among peptide, organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry.     

DNA condensation monitoring after interaction with hoechst 33258 by atomic force microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy

DNA condensation was only observed after the addition of Hoechst 33258 (H33258) among various types of DNA binding molecules. The morphological structural change of DNA was found to depend on the H33258 concentration. On comparison of fluorescence spectrum measurements with AFM observation, it was found that fluorescence quenching of DNA-H33258 complexes occurred after DNA condensation. Additionally, we showed that DNA condensation by H33258 was independent of sequence selectivity or binding style using two types of polynucleotides, i.e. poly(dA-dT).poly(dA-dT) and poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC). Moreover, it was concluded that the condensation was caused by a strong hydrophobic interaction, because the dissolution of condensed DNA into its native form on dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) treatment was observed. This study is the first report, which defines the DNA condensation mechanism of H33258, showing the correlation between the single molecule scale morphology seen on AFM observation and the bulky scale morphology observed on fluorescence spectroscopy.