An anticomplementary agent, K-76 monocarboxylic acid: its site and mechanism of inhibition of the complement activation cascade.

A monocarboxylic acid derivative (K-76 COOH) of K-76, purified from the culture filtrate of Stachybotrys complement I nov. sp. K-76, inhibits complement (C) activity. Its inhibitory action is mainly on C5 step. It strongly inhibits the generation of EAC1,4b,2a,3b,5b from C5 and EAC1,4b,2a,3b, and accelerates the decay of EAC1,4b,2a,3b,5b. It also causes some inhibition of the reactions of the reactions of C2,C3,C6,C7 and C9 with their respective preceding intermediate cells. It has no effect on the generation of EAC1,4b from C4 and EAC1, or of EAC-8 from C8 and EAC-7, and apparently increases the generation of EAC1,4b from C1 and EAC4b probably by inhibiting transfer or turnover of C1. It does not affect the rate of decay of EAC1,4b,2a or the T max of generation of EAC1,4b,2a, and it inhibits immune adherence only at high concentration. K-76 COOH also strongly inhibits hemolysis through the alternative pathway of C activation by cobra venom factor, but it does not seem to inhibit the early steps of the alternative pathway, because it has little affect on the consumption of C3 or the conversion of beta 1C to beta 1A on treatment of C serum with zymosan. K-76 COOH probably combines with C5 molecules, forming the inactive complexes, or it causes the structural alteration of C5.     

Localisation régionale des gènes humains IDHS,MDHS, PGK, α-GAL,G6PD par l'hybridation cellulaire interspécifique

Summary 22 independent man-hamster (HGPRT^–) hybrids using male human cells with balanced reciprocal translocation t(X;2)(p22;q32) were analysed for human genes localized on chromosome 2 (IDH_S, MDH_S), on chromosome X (PGK, GAL, G6PD) and for the different chromosomes in relation with the balanced reciprocal translocation (chr.2, chr.2q^–, chr.Xp⁺).The following results were obtained:The chromosomes 2 and 2q^– are absent in the 22 hybrids.In 9 hybrids, the absence of MDH_S in spite of the presence of the chromosome Xp⁺ indicates that the gene for MDH_S is not localized on this chromosome (or that the gene for MDH_S is not on the segment 2q32-2qter translocated on X).In 14 hybrids, the three markers of X (PGK, GAL, G6PD) and IDH_S are expressed in the presence of the chromosome Xp⁺. This result indicates that the genes for these markers are on Xp⁺ or that the genes PGK, GAL, G6PD are on X without the Xp22-Xter segment, translocated on the chr.2, and that the gene for IDH_S is on the 2q32-2qter segment translocated on X.In 8 hybrids, in the absence of the intact chromosome Xp⁺, the higher percentage of the presence of G6PD (7 hybrids) and the lower percentage of the presence of IDH_S (3 hybrids) are explained by the fact that these hybrids selected in HAT medium had to retain a segment of Xp⁺ bearing the human gene HGPRT. G6PD appeared very close to HGPRT and IDH_S very distant from HGPRT.The study of the different correlations between the presence and the absence of these four markers on Xp⁺ in the different hybrids indicates the following order on the chromosome Xp⁺ from p to q: IDH_s — PGK — GAL — G6PD.

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Groupe INSERM: Directeur J. Frézal

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Groupe CNRS, ER, 149: Directeur J. de Grouchy     

Evaluation of the role of conserved His and Met residues among lipoxygenases by site-directed mutagenesis of recombinant human 5-lipoxygenase

The 5-, 12-, and 15-lipoxygenases contain a highly conserved sequence of the form His-(X)4-His-(X)4-His-(X)17-His-(X)8-His which represents a potential binding site for non heme iron to the protein. The importance of selected amino acids within this His cluster for the activity of human 5-lipoxygenase was investigated by site-directed mutagenesis using bacteria and insect cells expression systems. After single mutation of each of the 5 His residues at positions 363, 368, 373, 391, and 400 by Ser, Cys, or Lys, measurable levels of 5-lipoxygenase activity could be recovered in Escherichia coli only for the Ser363 and Cys363 mutants, with most amino acid substitutions causing a decrease in the levels of expression of the soluble protein. In contrast, 25-80% of soluble 5-lipoxygenase activity was recovered after the replacement of several of the hydrophobic amino acids in this region: Tyr384 by Ser or Phe; Phe394 by Trp and Val375 by Ala. Met436 could be replaced by Leu with little effect on 5-lipoxygenase activity or turnover inactivation half-time. High levels of mutant 5-lipoxygenases containing a Ser residue instead of His at each of the five positions were also expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells infected with recombinant baculovirus. The specific activity (58-75% of control) and the reaction time course of the Ser363, Ser391, and Ser400 mutants were comparable with that of native 5-lipoxygenase whereas inactive proteins were obtained for the Ser368 and Ser373 mutants. These results show that His368 and His373 residues are important for 5-lipoxygenase activity and that the other conserved His363, His391, His400, and Met436 residues are not crucial for the catalytic cycle or for the mechanism of self-inactivation of 5-lipoxygenase.     

Characterization of human glucocerebrosidase from different mutant alleles.

Human cDNA was mutagenized to duplicate six naturally occurring mutations in the gene for glucocere-brosidase. The mutant genes were expressed in NIH 3T3 cells. The abnormal human enzymes were purified by immunoaffinity chromatography and characterized. The Asn370----Ser mutant protein differed from normal enzyme in its inhibition by both conduritol B epoxide and glucosphingosine demonstrating that the 370 mutant enzyme has an abnormal catalytic site. In addition, the 370 mutant enzyme is less activated by saposin C, but more stimulated by phosphatidylserine than the wild type enzyme. The Arg463----Cys mutant protein was normal with respect to conduritol B epoxide and glucosphingosine inhibition, but was less activated by both saposin C and phosphatidylserine. The Arg120----Gln mutant protein was catalytically inactive. The Leu444----Pro, the pseudopattern, and the Pro415----Arg mutants appear to have reduced amounts of enzyme protein in cells. The studies demonstrated that mutations in the gene for glucocerebrosidase have different effects on the catalytic activity and stability of the enzyme.     

The transmembrane domain of N-glucosaminyltransferase I contains a Golgi retention signal.

The enzyme N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I (NT, EC 2.4.1.101) is a resident type II transmembrane protein of the Golgi apparatus. To delineate the portion of its primary sequence that is responsible for the Golgi retention of this protein, we constructed chimeras containing different N-terminal portions of NT joined to a reporter sequence, the ectodomain of a type II surface membrane protein. These chimeric proteins were found to be retained in the Golgi apparatus as assessed by cell surface biotinylation and immunofluorescence. We found that the transmembrane domain of NT is sufficient to confer Golgi retention of the fusion proteins and propose that it contains the Golgi retention signal of the parent molecule.     

Leukemia inhibitory factor/differentiation-stimulating factor (LIF/D-factor): regulation of its production and possible roles in bone metabolism.

Leukemia inhibitory factor/differentiation-stimulating factor (LIF/D-factor), expression of its mRNA, and possible roles in bone metabolism were studied in murine primary and clonal osteoblast-like cells. Local bone-resorbing factors such as IL-1, TNF alpha, and LPS strongly induced expression of LIF/D-factor mRNA in both clonal MC3T3-E1 cells and primary osteoblast-like cells. Neither parathyroid hormone nor 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 stimulated expression of LIF/D-factor mRNA. LIF/D-factor per se did not stimulate expression of its own mRNA. Appreciable amounts of LIF/D-factor were detected in synovial fluids from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients but not in those with osteoarthritis (OA). Simultaneous treatment with LIF/D-factor, IL-1, and IL-6 at the concentrations found in synovial fluids from RA patients greatly enhanced bone resorption, though these cytokines did not stimulate bone resorption when separately applied. This suggests that LIF/D-factor produced by osteoblasts is in concert with other bone-resorbing cytokines such as IL-1 and IL-6 involved in the bone resorption seen in the joints of RA patients. LIF/D-factor specifically bound to MC3T3-E1 cells with an apparent dissociation constant of 161 pM and 1,100 binding sites/cell. LIF/D-factor dose-dependently suppressed incorporation of [3H]thymidine into MC3T3-E1 cells. In addition, it potentiated the alkaline phosphatase activity induced by retinoic acid, though LIF/D-factor alone had no effect on enzyme activity. These results suggest that LIF/D-factor is involved in not only osteoclastic bone resorption but also osteoblast differentiation in conjugation with other osteotropic factors.     

Immunoelectron microscopy of carbonic anhydrase isozyme VI in rat submandibular gland: comparison with isozymes I and II.

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) was purified from the saliva of pilocarpine-treated rats by inhibitor-affinity chromatography, and its localization in the rat submandibular gland was studied by the indirect immunoperoxidase technique using a monoclonal antibody (MAb) raised against the enzyme. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the CA VI gave three bands of 33, 39, and 42 KD. Enzyme digestion experiment showed that the 42 KD molecule was degraded into the 39 KD molecule and the 39 KD molecule into the 33 KD molecule. The cleavage of the 42 KD molecule was independent and that of the 39 KD molecule was dependent on endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase F. The 42 KD molecule was detected in the CA purified from the pilocarpine-treated but not the untreated salivary gland. The MAb recognized all the three components of the enzyme. Immunostaining for CA VI was seen in the cytosol and secretory granules of serous acinar cells and in the duct luminal contents. Staining specific for erythrocyte CA (CA I and CA II) was observed in the cytosol of the epithelial cells of granular, striated, and excretory ducts. Among these duct cells, the agranular varieties in the granular and excretory ducts were essentially devoid of the immunoreactivity.