Peroxynitrite-Induced Cytotoxicity in PC12 Cells: Evidence for an Apoptotic Mechanism Differentially Modulated by Neurotrophic Factors

Abstract: Peroxynitrite is a powerful oxidant formed by the near-diffusion-limited reaction of nitric oxide with superoxide. Large doses of peroxynitrite (>2 m M ) resulted in rapid cell swelling and necrosis of undifferentiated PC12 cells. However, brief exposure to lower concentrations of peroxynitrite (EC₅₀ = 850 µ M ) initially (3–4 h) caused minimal damage to low-density cultures. By 8 h, cytoplasmic shrinkage with nuclear condensation and fragmentation became increasingly evident. After 24 h, 36% of peroxynitrite-treated cells demonstrated these features associated with apoptosis. In addition, 46% of peroxynitrite-treated cells demonstrated DNA fragmentation (by terminal-deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end-labeling) after 7 h, which was inhibited by posttreatment with the endonuclease inhibitor aurintricarboxylic acid. Serum starvation also resulted in apoptosis in control cells (23%), the percentage of which was not altered significantly by peroxynitrite treatment. Although peroxynitrite is known to be toxic to cells, the present study provides a first indication that peroxynitrite induces apoptosis. Furthermore, pretreatment of cells with nerve growth factor or insulin, but not epidermal growth factor, was protective against peroxynitrite-induced apoptosis. However, both acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors greatly increased peroxynitrite-initiated apoptosis, to 63 and 70%, respectively. Thus, specific trophic factors demonstrate differential regulation of peroxynitrite-induced apoptosis in vitro.     

Initiation of Cyclin B Degradation by the 26S Proteasome upon Egg Activation

Immediately before the transition from metaphase to anaphase, the protein kinase activity of maturation or M-phase promoting factor (MPF) is inactivated by a mechanism that involves the degradation of its regulatory subunit, cyclin B. The availability of biologically active goldfish cyclin B produced in Escherichia coli and purified goldfish proteasomes (a nonlysosomal large protease) has allowed the role of proteasomes in the regulation of cyclin degradation to be examined for the first time. The 26S, but not the 20S proteasome, digested recombinant 49-kD cyclin B at lysine 57 (K57), producing a 42-kD truncated form. The 42-kD cyclin was also produced by the digestion of native cyclin B forming a complex with cdc2, a catalytic subunit of MPF, and a fragment transiently appeared during cyclin degradation when eggs were released from metaphase II arrest by egg activation. Mutant cyclin at K57 was resistant to both digestion by the 26S proteasome and degradation at metaphase/anaphase transition in Xenopus egg extracts. The results of this study indicate that the destruction of cyclin B is initiated by the ATP-dependent and ubiquitin-independent proteolytic activity of 26S proteasome through the first cutting in the NH₂ terminus of cyclin (at K57 in the case of goldfish cyclin B). We also surmise that this cut allows the cyclin to be ubiquitinated for further destruction by ubiquitin-dependent activity of the 26S proteasome that leads to MPF inactivation.     

Regulation of L-Type Calcium Channels in GH4 Cells via A1 Adenosine Receptors

Abstract: Identification of A₁ adenosine receptors (A₁Rs) in a tumor cell line derived from rat pituitary (GH₄ cells) was performed by ligand binding and immunological experiments. Subsequently, the involvement of A₁Rs in the regulation of calcium conductance was studied in these cells. The agonist N ⁶-( R )-(2-phenylisopropyl)adenosine ( R -PIA) did not modify the intracellular calcium basal levels, whereas it inhibited the increase produced by 15 m M KCl depolarization. The antagonist 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine led to the opening of voltage-dependent cell surface calcium channels in the absence of exogenous KCl. The channels were of the L type because the effect was abolished by calciseptine and by verapamil. These results suggest that endogenous adenosine exerts a tonic inhibitory effect on calcium transport. This was confirmed by the high adenosine concentration found in cell supernatants (up to 1 µ M ) and by the calcium mobilization produced by exogenously added adenosine deaminase. In depolarizing conditions, the calcium peak in the presence of adenosine deaminase was reduced when cells were preincubated with R -PIA, thus suggesting that A₁R activation regulates the intensity of depolarization. These results demonstrate that adenosine is an important regulator of the physiological state of pituitary tumor cells by modulating, in an autocrine manner, the activity of L-type voltage-dependent calcium channels.     

Isolation of Cytopathic Small Round Virus (Aichi Virus) from Pakistani Children and Japanese Travelers from Southeast Asia

Aichi virus was isolated in Vero cells from 5 (2.3%) of 222 Pakistani children with gastroenteritis but none was found in 91 healthy children. Aichi virus was also isolated from 5 (0.7%) of 722 Japanese travelers returned from tours to Southeast Asian countries and complained of gastrointestinal symptoms at the quarantine station of Nagoya International Airport in Japan. Of 5 Japanese travelers, 3 were returning from Indonesia, and 2 from Thailand or Malaysia. These results indicate that Aichi virus or a similar agent is endemic in Southeast Asian countries and is a cause of gastrointestinal symptoms in children in these areas or in Japanese travelers who visit there.     

Morphogenesis and cell wall changes in maize shoots under simulated microgravity conditions.

Various plant organs show a spontaneous curvature on a three-dimensional clinostat. Changes in the cell wall metabolism underlying the curvature were examined in maize shoots. In coleoptile nodes, no differences were detected in either the level or the composition of cell wall polysaccharides between the convex and the concave halves. However, the convex side showed a higher activity of (1 --> 3),(l --> 4)-beta-glucan breakdown, which appears to be associated with the curvature. In the elongating region of coleoptiles, the accumulation of wall polysaccharides occurred in the convex side. There was no significant difference in the glucanase activity between both sides. Thus, the spontaneous curvature in different regions of maize shoots may be brought about through different mechanisms under simulated microgravity conditions.     

A new monoclonal antibody (3D3) generated with human respiratory mucins and directed against Lewis determinants

We have prepared a monoclonal antibody (MAb), 3D3, raised againstpurified human respiratory mucins. This antibody recognizedmucins and proteolytically derived glycopeptides. The epitoperecognized by the antibody was destroyed by -L-fucosidase, indicatingthat it was present on the carbohydrate moieties. Structuralspecificity was determined by adsorption on a variety of synthetic,insolubilized oligosaccharides. Several lines of evidence indicatethat the 3D3 MAb reacted strongly with the Lewis (Le^b) antigen,but also recognized Le^a and Le^y determinants. This antibodymight be useful to study mucin secretion. human bronchial mucins Lewis b     

Studies on subfractions of hemoglobin A1b and hemoglobin A1c in diabetic subjects

Hemoglobin (Hb) obtained from the hemolysate of normal subjects and diabetic patients was separated into HbA1a1, HbA1a2, HbA1b, HbA1c and HbA0 (major Hb) by Bio-Rex 70 cation exchange column chromatography. The glycosylated Hbs were further separated reproductively by cation exchange high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), using 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer pH 5.80 with 0-0.2 M NaCl linear gradient system. HbA1b and HbA1c were separated into two subfractions (HbA1b1 and HbA1b2) and three subfractions (HbA1c1, HbA1c2, HbA1c3), respectively. The percentages of each subfraction except HbA1c1 in diabetic patients were significantly higher than those in normal subjects. Furthermore, HbA1c1, HbA1c2 and HbA1c3 correlated well with fasting blood glucose levels in the prior 5 month period, while subfractions in HbA1b revealed no significant correlation with blood glucose levels. The percentages of each subfraction of HbA1c in patients either with diabetic cataracts or with diabetic neuropathy were almost the same as those in the patients without complications. However, the percentages of each of the three groups were markedly higher than those of the normal subjects. These results suggest that glycosylation of hemoglobin in diabetic patients may be increased in various sites of the molecule in parallel with the blood glucose levels during the preceding 4-5 months.     

Inhibitory effects of active vitamin D preparations on PTH secretion in rats

To study the effects of various vitamin D preparations on PTH secretion, serum calcium and urinary excretion of cAMP were monitored in conscious perfused rats, and the influences of a bolus iv injection of the preparations on these parameters were examined. Three hours after the administration of 0.25 microgram/kg (0.6 nmol/kg) of 1 alpha, 24(R)-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1 alpha, 24(OH)2D3], the urinary excretion of cAMP decreased to a level compatible with that of parathyroidectomized (PTX) rats (50% of initial value; p less than 0.05) with no change in the concentration of serum calcium (total and ionized). In PTX rats supplemented with bovine PTH (1 U/h), the vitamin D preparation showed no significant effects either on the urinary excretion of cAMP or on serum calcium. These effects were rather specific for active vitamin D preparations, i.e. 1 alpha, 25(OH)2D3 (0.25 micrograms/kg) and 1 alpha OHD3 (1.25-6.25 micrograms/kg). However, 24,25(OH)2D3 (up to 25 micrograms/kg) had no significant effect on these parameters. These results suggest that, in rats, active vitamin D preparations specifically inhibit PTH secretion without causing a significant increase in the serum calcium concentration, reflecting a direct feedback mechanism between active vitamin D metabolite and the parathyroid glands.