Effect of 1alphaOH-vitamin D3 in a case of pseudohypoparathyroidism.

A 37-year-old woman with typical features of pseudohypoparathyroidism (chronic tetany, paresthesia, persistent hypocalcemia, round face, short stature, short metacarpals and metatarsals, cucutaneous calcification and lack of response to exogenous and endogenous parathyroid hormone as regards urinary phosphate and cyclic AMP excretion) was treated with oral administration of 2 microgram/day of 1alphaOH-vitamin D3. Serum calcium started to rise within 3 days returning to the normal level with disappearance of symptoms referrable to hypocalcemia. Such a favorable effect of a small dose of 1alphaOH-vitamin D3 in a patient with typical hypoparathyroidism suggests an important role of disturbance of 1alpha-hydroxylation of vitamin D3 by the kidney in the pathogenesis of calcium and phosphorus abnormality in this disease. Forty-four cases of pseudohypoparathyroidism in the Japanese literature were briefly reviewed.     

Increase of superoxide dismutase activity in various human leukemia cells.

(1) Superoxide dismutase activity in polymorphonuclear cells from human blood is considerably lower than that in lymphocytes. Macrophages from ascites show the middle level between the other two cells. (2) In myelocytic, monocytic, and lymphocytic leukemia cells, the enzyme activities are increased compared to those in the corresponding normal cells. (3) Gel electrophoresis patterns of all normal cells reveal bands corresponding to the cytosol and mitochondrial bands reported in previous studies. However, the mitochondrial Mn-containing superoxide dismutase activities are diminished or absent in leukemia cells. CN-insensitive superoxide dismutase activity in leukemia cells is not detected under the conditions.     

The asparagine-linked sugar chains of the glycoproteins in rat erythrocyte plasma membrane—Fractionation of oligosaccharides liberated by hydrazinolysis and structural studies of the neutral oligosaccharides

The asparagine-linked sugar chains of the plasma membrane glycoproteins of rat erythrocytes were released as oligosaccharides by hydrazinolysis and labeled by NaB³H₄ reduction. The radioactive oligosaccharides were separated into a neutral and at least four acidic fractions by paper electrophoresis. The neutral oligosaccharide fraction was separated into at least 11 peaks upon Bio-Gel P-4 column chromatography. Structural studies of them by sequential exoglycosidase digestion in combination with methylation analysis revealed that they were a mixture of three high mannose-type oligosaccharides and at least 11 complex type oligosaccharides with Manα1 → 6(Manα1 → 3)Manβ1 → 4GlcNAcβ1 → 4(±Fucα1 → 6)GlcNAc as their cores and Galβ1 → 4GlcNAc, Galβ1 → 3Galβ1 → 4GlcNAc, and various lengths of Galβ1 → 4GlcNAc repeating chains in their outer chain moieties. Most of the complex-type Oligosaccharides were biantennary, and the tri- and tetraantennary Oligosaccharides contain only the Galβ1 → 3Galβ1 → 4GlcNAc group in their outer chain moieties.     

Prostaglandin D2, a potential antineoplastic agent

Cytotoxic actions of various prostaglandins were examined on L1210 mouse leukemia and several human leukemia cell lines, and prostaglandin D₂ (PGD₂) was found most active. PGD₂ exerted a dose dependent inhibition of L1210 cell growth over 3.6 μ$\text{M}$. At 14.3 μ$\text{M}$ growth was completely inhibited, and the number of viable cells remarkably decreased during culture. Microscopically the remaining cells showed degenerative changes with many vacuoles in their cytoplasm. The IC₅₀ value of PGD₂ on L1210 cell growth was calculated to be 6.9 μ$\text{M}$ (2.4 μg/ml), and at this concentration the DNA synthesis in 24 hr cultured cells was also decreased to a half of the level in the control cells. Such growth inhibition by PGD₂ was also found at similar concentrations with several human leukemia cell lines such as NALL-1, RPMI-8226, RPMI-8402, and Sk-Ly-16. Among other prostaglandins tested, PGA₂ showed a comparable, and PGE₂ a less but significant growth inhibitory activity, while PGB₂, PGF_2α and PGI₂ had no such effects on cell proliferation at 14.3 μ$\text{M}$ concentration. These results suggest a potential antineoplastic activity of PGD₂.     

A Waldenstr?m's macroglobulin with anti-G3m(b1) antibody activity.

A human monoclonal macroglobulin (IgM, K) from a patient (KI) with Waldenstr?m's macroglobulinemia was shown to have antibody activity against a human IgG (Gm) allotype. In hemagglutination tests, only one anti-D serum with G3m(b0b1) reacted with macroglobulin KI. Antiglobulin specificity of macroglobulin KI was determined to be an anti-G3m(b1) antibody by hemagglutination inhibition tests. Fab fragments from macroglobulin KI could react with human IgG3 protein possessing G3m(b1), but Fc fragments could not react. Gm phenotype in IgG isolated from serum KI was determined to be Gm(a,z,g,b0,s,t,u). This is the first report of a Waldenstr?m's macroglobulin with antiglobulin specificity against a Gm allotype.     

Molecular structure of the Japanese hepatitis C viral genome

The amino acid sequence of the polyprotein deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the Japanese hepatitis C virus genome (N. Kato et. al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87, 9524–9528)indicated that this virus is a member of a new class of positive-stranded RNA viruses. Several domains of this polyprotein also showed weak homology with those of flaviviruses and pestiviruses including the chymotrypsin-like serine proteinase. NTPase and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase     

Two Possibly Distinct Prostaglandin E1 Receptors in N1E-115 Clone: One Mediating Inositol Trisphosphate Formation, Cyclic GMP Formation, and Intracellular Calcium Mobilization and the Other Mediating Cyclic AMP Formation

Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1)-mediated transmembrane signal control systems were investigated in intact murine neuroblastoma cells (clone N1E-115). PGE1 increased intracellular levels of total inositol phosphates (IP), cyclic GMP, cyclic AMP, and calcium ([Ca2+]i). PGE1 transiently increased inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate formation, peaking at 20 s. There was more than a 10-fold difference between the ED50 for PGE1 at cyclic AMP formation (70 nM) and its ED50 values at IP accumulation (1 microM), cyclic GMP formation (2 microM), and [Ca2+]i increase (5 microM). PGE1-mediated IP accumulation, cyclic GMP formation, and [Ca2+]i increase depended on both the concentration of PGE1 and extracellular calcium ions. PGE1 had more potent intrinsic activity in cyclic AMP formation, IP accumulation, and cyclic GMP formation than did PGE2, PGF2 alpha, or PGD2. A protein kinase C activator, 4 beta-phorbol 12 beta-myristate 13 alpha-acetate, had opposite effects on PGE1-mediated IP release and cyclic GMP formation (inhibitory) and cyclic AMP formation (stimulatory). These data suggest that there may be subtypes of the PGE1 receptor in this clone: a high-affinity receptor mediating cyclic AMP formation, and a low-affinity receptor mediating IP accumulation, cyclic GMP formation, and intracellular calcium mobilization.     

Isolated Bovine Spinal Motoneurons Have Specific Ganglioside Antigens Recognized by Sera from Patients with Motor Neuron Disease and Motor Neuropathy

The gangliosides GM1 and GD1b have recently been reported to be potential target antigens in human motor neuron disease (MND) or motor neuropathy. The mechanism for selective motoneuron and motor nerve impairment by the antibodies directed against these gangliosides, however, is not fully understood. We recently investigated the ganglioside composition of isolated bovine spinal motoneurons and found that the ganglioside pattern of the isolated motoneurons was extremely complex. GM1, GD1a, GD1b, and GT1b, which are major ganglioside components of CNS tissues, were only minor species in motoneurons. Among the various ganglioside species in motoneurons, several were immunoreactive to sera from patients with MND and motor neuropathy. One of these gangliosides was purified from bovine spinal cord and characterized as N-glycolylneuraminic acid-containing GM1 [GM1(NeuGc)] by compositional analysis, fast atom bombardment mass spectra, and the use of specific antibodies. Among seven sera with anti-GM1 antibody activities, five sera reacted with GM1(NeuGc) and two did not. Two other gangliosides, which were recognized by another patient's serum, appeared to be specific for motoneurons. We conclude that motoneurons contained, in addition to the known ganglioside antigens GM1 and GD1b, other specific ganglioside antigens that could be recognized by sera from patients with MND and motor neuropathy.