The influence of alkyl pyridinium sponge toxins on membrane properties, cytotoxicity, transfection and protein expression in mammalian cells

The ability of two alkyl pyridinium sponge toxin preparations (poly-APS and halitoxin) to form transient pores/lesions in cell membranes and allow transfection of plasmid cDNA have been investigated using HEK 293 cells. Poly-APS and halitoxin preparations caused a collapse in membrane potential, reductions in input resistance and increased Ca²⁺ permeability. At least partial recovery was observed after poly-APS application but recovery was more rarely seen with halitoxin. The transfection with plasmid cDNAs for an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and human tumour necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) was assessed for both toxin preparations and compared with lipofectamine. Stable transfection was achieved with poly-APS although it was less efficient than lipofectamine. These results show that viable cells transfected with alien cDNA can be obtained using novel transient pore-forming alkyl pyridinium sponge toxins and a simple pre-incubation protocol. This provides the first proof of principle that pore-forming alkyl pyridinium compounds can be used to deliver cDNA to the intracellular environment without permanently compromising the plasma membrane.     

In vivo protein synthesis from 14C-substrates in porcine tissues during the transition to postnatal development

[2-14C] leucine, [1-14C] alanine, [1-14C] glucose, [1-14C] lactate and [1-14C] pyruvate utilization in the protein synthesis has been studied in vivo at early stages of postnatal development of piglets. It has been established, that during the first 24 hours after birth the protein synthesis intensity, judging by [2-14C] leucine incorporation, in liver, skeletal muscle, duodenal wall and subcutaneous tissue of piglets increases 5, 7, 6.5 and 2.1 times respectively. At the age of 1-2 h the radioactive carbon incorporation from [1-14C] glucose into the brain proteins is more pronounced than into the proteins of liver and skeletal muscle. During the first days of life the intensity of the label incorporation from [1-14C] glucose into liver and skeletal muscle proteins of piglets is enhanced, whereas in brain it remains at the same level. The degree of 14C carbon incorporation from [1-14C]-alanine, [1-14C] pyruvate and [1-14C] lactate into the liver and skeletal muscle proteins of 5-days-old piglets is approximately the same, 14C substrates of protein synthesis in brain and subcutaneous adipose tissue having some peculiarities.     

Effect of some antidiuretic agents on the polyuria-polydipsia provoked by alcohol]

The authors have studied in the dog--normal or diabetic insipidus after hypothalamic lesion--submitted to oral ingestion of ethanol the effects of a few antidiuretic drug: chlorpropamid, atromid-S, carbamazepin and carisoprodol. The carisoprodol only can reduce the diuresis and the drinking provoked by ethanol.     

Synergism among lysophosphatidic acid, beta1A integrins, and epidermal growth factor or platelet-derived growth factor in mediation of cell migration.

GD25 cells lacking the beta1 integrin subunit or expressing beta1A with certain cytoplasmic mutations have poor directed cell migration to platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) or epidermal growth factor (EGF), ligands of receptor tyrosine kinases, or to lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a ligand of G-protein-coupled receptors (Sakai, T., Zhang, Q., F?ssler, R., and Mosher, D. F. (1998) J. Cell Biol. 141, 527-538 and Sakai, T., Peyruchaud, O., F?ssler, R., and Mosher, D. F. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 19378-19382). We demonstrate here that LPA synergizes with signals induced by beta1A integrins and ligated EGF or PDGF receptors to modulate migration. When LPA was mixed with EGF or PDGF, migration was greater than with EGF or PDGF alone. The enhancement was greater for beta1A-expressing cells than for beta1-null cells. Cells expressing beta1A with mutations of prolines or tyrosines in conserved cytoplasmic NPXY motifs had blunted migratory responses to mixtures of LPA and EGF or PDGF. The major effects on beta1A-expressing cells of LPA when combined with EGF or PDGF were to sensitize cells so that maximal responses were obtained with >10-fold lower concentrations of growth factor and increase the chemokinetic component of migration. Sensitization by LPA was lost when cells were preincubated with pertussis toxin or C3 exotransferase. There was no evidence for transactivation or sensitization of receptors for EGF or PDGF by LPA. EGF or PDGF and LPA caused activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase by pertussis toxin-insensitive and -sensitive pathways respectively, but activation was not additive. These findings indicate that signaling pathways initiated by the cytoplasmic domains of ligated beta1A integrins and tyrosine kinase receptors interact with signaling pathways initiated by LPA to facilitate directed cell migration.     

Optimized linker sequences for the expression of monomeric and dimeric bispecific single-chain diabodies.

Bispecific single-chain diabodies (scDb) consist of the variable heavy and light chain domains of two antibodies connected by three linkers. The structure of an scDb in the V(H)-V(L) orientation is V(H)A-linkerA-V(L)B-linkerM-V(H)B-linkerB-V(L)A, with linkers A and B routinely chosen to be 5-6 residues and linker M 15-20 residues. Here, we applied display of scDb on filamentous phage to analyse the composition of optimal linker sequences. The three linkers were randomized in length and sequence using degenerated triplets coding for only six hydrophilic or aliphatic amino acids (Thr, Ser, Asp, Asn, Gly, Ala). Antigen-binding clones were then isolated by one to two rounds of selection on the two different antigens recognized by the bispecific scDb. Using an scDb directed against carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and beta-galactosidase (Gal), we found that monomeric scDb had a preferred length of 15 or more amino acid residues for the middle linker M and of 3-6 residues for the linkers A and B. No obvious bias towards a preferred linker sequence was observed. Reduction of the middle linker below 13 residues led to the formation of dimeric scDb, which most likely results from interchain pairing between all the V(H) and V(L) domains. Dimeric scDb were also formed by fragments possessing a long linker M and linkers A and B of 0 or 1 residue. We assume that these dimeric scDb are formed by intrachain pairing of the central variable domains and interchain pairing of the flanking variable domains. Thus, the latter molecules represent a novel format of bispecific and tetravalent molecules. The described strategy allows for the isolation of both optimized and minimal linker sequences for the assembly of monomeric or dimeric single-chain diabodies.     

Fate of biomedical research protocols and publication bias in France: retrospective cohort study

Objectives To describe the fate of protocols approved by the French research ethics committees, a national system created by the French 1988 Huriet-Sérusclat Act; to assess publication bias at a national level.Design Retrospective cohort study.Setting Representative sample of 25/48 French research ethics committees in 1994.Protocols 649 research protocols approved by committees, with follow-up information.Main outcome measures Protocols'' initial characteristics (design, study size, investigator) abstracted from committees'' archives; follow-up information (rates of initiation, completion, and publication) obtained from mailed questionnaire to principal investigators.Results Completed questionnaires were available for 649/976 (69%) protocols. Of these, 581 (90%) studies were initiated, 501/581 (86%) were completed, and 190/501 (38%) were published. Studies with confirmatory results were more likely to be published as scientific papers than were studies with inconclusive results (adjusted odds ratio 4.59, 95% confidence interval 2.21 to 9.54). Moreover, studies with confirmatory results were published more quickly than studies with inconclusive results (hazard ratio 2.48, 1.36 to 4.55).Conclusion At a national level, too many research studies are not completed, and among those completed too many are not published. We suggest capitalising on research ethics committees to register and follow all authorised research on human participants on a systematic and prospective basis.