Biochemical evidence for the presence of a single CD3delta and CD3gamma chain in the surface T cell receptor/CD3 complex

The T cell antigen receptor (TCR) consists of an alphabeta heterodimer and associated invariant CD3gamma, delta, epsilon, and zeta chains (TCR/CD3 complex). The general stoichiometry of the receptor complex, which is believed to be one molecule each of TCRalpha, TCRbeta, CD3gamma, and CD3delta and two molecules each of CD3epsilon and CD3zeta, is not clearly understood. Although it has been shown that there are two chains of CD3epsilon and CD3zeta, the stoichiometry of CD3gamma or CD3delta chains in the surface antigen receptor complex has not been determined. In the present study, transgenic mice expressing an altered form of mouse CD3delta and CD3gamma were employed to show that the surface TCR complexes contain one molecule each of CD3delta and CD3gamma. Thymocytes from wild type and CD3 chain transgenic mice on the appropriate knockout background were surface-biotinylated and immunoprecipitated using a specific antibody. The immunoprecipitates were resolved in two dimensions under nonreducing/reducing conditions to determine the stoichiometry of CD3delta and CD3gamma in the surface antigen receptor complex. Our data clearly show the presence of one molecule each of CD3delta and CD3gamma in the surface TCR/CD3 complex.     

An amperometric glucose biosensor based on poly(o-aminophenol) and Prussian blue films at platinum electrode

Prussian blue (PB), as a good catalyst for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide, has been combined with nonconducting poly(o-aminophenol) (POAP) film to assemble glucose biosensor. Compared with PB-modified enzymatic biosensor, the biosensor based on glucose oxidase immobilized in POAP film at PB-modified electrode shows much improved stability (78% remains after 30 days) in neutral medium. Additionally, the biosensor, at an applied potential of 0.0 V, exhibits other good characteristics, such as relative low detection limit (0.01 mM), short response time (within 5s), large current density (0.28 mA/cm2), high sensitivity (24 mAM(-1)cm(-2)), and good antiinterferent ability. The apparent activation energy of enzyme-catalyzed reaction and apparent Michaelis-Menten constant are 34.2 KJmol(-1) and 10.5 mM, respectively. In addition, effects of temperature, applied potential used in the determination, pH value of the detection solution, and electroactive interferents on the amperometric response of the sensor were investigated and are discussed.     

Endogenous hydrogen sulfide regulation of myocardial injury induced by isoproterenol

Previous work has shown that the endogenous cystathionine γ-synthase (CSE)/hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) pathway participates in the regulation of cardiac contraction. We hypothesized that the pathway might participate in the pathophysiological regulation of ischemic heart disease. Isoproterenol injection of rat hearts induced a myocardial ischemic injury model, with reduced myocardial and plasma H₂S levels, decreased CSE activity, and upregulated CSE gene expression. Exogenous administration of the H₂S donor NaHS reduced the mortality rate; increased left-ventricular pressure development and left-ventricular-end systolic pressure; and decreased left-ventricular-end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and subendocardial necrosis, capillary dilatation, leukocytic infiltration, fibroblast swelling, and fibroblastic hyperplasia. As well, production of lipid peroxidation, including myocardial malondialdehyde (MDA), and plasma MDA and conjugated diene, was reduced. Oxidative stress injury is an important mechanism of isoproterenol-induced myocardial injury. In vitro experiments revealed that NaHS might antagonize myocyte MDA production by oxygen-free radicals and that NaHS directly scavenged hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anions. Our results suggest that the endogenous CSE/H₂S pathway contributes to the pathogenesis of isoproterenol-induced myocardial injury. Administration of exogenous H₂S effectively protects myocytes and contractile activity, at least by its direct scavenging of oxygen-free radicals and reducing the accumulation of lipid peroxidations.     

ARPC1/Arc40 mediates the interaction of the actin-related protein 2 and 3 complex with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein family activators

The actin-related protein 2 and 3 (Arp2/3) complex is a seven-subunit protein complex that nucleates actin filaments at the cell cortex. Despite extensive cross-linking, crystallography, genetic and biochemical studies, the contribution of each subunit to the activity of the complex remains largely unclear. In this study we characterized the function of the 40-kDa subunit, ARPC1/Arc40, of the yeast Arp2/3 complex. We showed that this subunit is indeed a stable component of the Arp2/3 complex, but its highly unusual electrophoretic mobility eluded detection in previous studies. Recombinant Arc40 bound the VCA domain of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein family activators at a K(d) of 0.45 mum, close to that of the full complex with VCA (0.30 microm), and this interaction was dependent on the conserved tryptophan at the COOH terminus of VCA. Using a newly constructed Delta arc40 yeast strain, we showed that loss of Arc40 severely reduced the binding affinity of the Arp2/3 complex with VCA as well as the nucleation activity of the complex, suggesting that Arc40 contains an important contact site of the Arp2/3 complex with VCA. The Delta arc40 cells exhibited reduced growth rate, loss of actin patches, and accumulation of cables like actin aggregates, phenotypes typical of other subunit nulls, suggesting that Arc40 functions exclusively within the Arp2/3 complex.     

Characterization of a trp RNA-binding attenuation protein (TRAP) mutant with tryptophan independent RNA binding activity

TRAP (trp RNA-binding attenuation protein) is an 11 subunit RNA-binding protein that regulates expression of genes involved in tryptophan metabolism (trp) in Bacillus subtilis in response to changes in intracellular tryptophan concentration. When activated by binding up to 11 tryptophan residues, TRAP binds to the mRNAs of several trp genes and down-regulates their expression. Recently, a TRAP mutant was found that binds RNA in the absence of tryptophan. In this mutant protein, Thr30, which is part of the tryptophan-binding site, is replaced with Val (T30V). We have compared the RNA-binding properties of T30V and wild-type (WT) TRAP, as well as of a series of hetero-11-mers containing mixtures of WT and T30V TRAP subunits. The most significant difference between the interaction of T30V and WT TRAP with RNA is that the affinity of T30V TRAP is more dependent on ionic strength. Analysis of the hetero-11-mers allowed us to examine how subunits interact within an 11-mer with regard to binding to tryptophan or RNA. Our data suggest that individual subunits retain properties similar to those observed when they are in homo-11-mers and that individual G/UAG triplets within the RNA can bind to TRAP differently.     

Epitope scanning reveals gain and loss of strain specific antibody binding epitopes associated with the conversion of normal cellular prion to scrapie prion

We used anti-prion (PrP) monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) in different combinations to scan changes in the availability of antibody binding epitopes--using an epitope scanning assay--in brain homogenates from normal mice, and from mice infected with either ME7 or 139 A strains of infectious scrapie prion (PrPSc). In ME7-infected brains, the epitope detected by the Mab pair 8B4/8H4 is reduced, while the epitope detected by the Mab pair 8F9/11G5 is increased. Mab 8F9/11G5 detect a conformational epitope on PrPSc because the rise in Mab 8F9/11G5 binding is sensitive to a denaturing agent but resistant to proteinase K (PK). While the increase in Mab 8F9/11G5 binding correlates with the presence of PK-resistant PrP and clinical signs of infection, the reduction in Mab 8B4/8H4 binding is detected earlier. Fractionation of the ME7-infected brain homogenate in sucrose gradient revealed that the PrPSc species detected by the epitope scanning assay are heterogeneous in size, with a molecular mass of approximately > or = 2000-kDa. We also investigated whether these findings were applicable to two other strains of PrPSc, namely 87 V and 22 L. We found that the decrease in Mab 8B4/8H4 binding detected in ME7-infected brains was also detected in 87 V-infected brains but not in 22 L-infected brains. In contrast, the increase in Mab 8F9/11G5 binding detected in ME7- and 139 A-infected brains was also detected in 22 L-infected brains but not in 87 V-infected brains. Therefore, each prion strain has its unique conformation, and we can monitor the conversion of normal cellular prion (PrPC) to PrPSc based on the changes in the antibody binding patterns. The epitope can be decreased or increased, linear or conformational, detected late or early during infection, in a strain specific manner.     

Neuregulin-1-beta1 enters brain and spinal cord by receptor-mediated transport

Proteins of the neuregulin (NRG) family play important regulatory roles in neuronal survival and synaptic activity. NRG-1-beta1 has particular potential as a therapeutic agent because it enhances myelination of neurites in spinal cord explants. In this study, we determined the permeation of NRG-1-beta1 across the blood-brain and blood-spinal cord barriers (BBB and BSCB respectively). Intact radioactively labeled NRG-1-beta1 had a saturable and relatively rapid influx rate from blood to the CNS in mice. Capillary depletion studies showed that NRG-1-beta1 entered the parenchyma of the brain and spinal cord rather than being trapped in the capillaries that compose the BBB. The possible mechanism of receptor-mediated transport was shown by the ability of antibodies to erbB3 and erbB4 receptors to inhibit the influx. Lipophilicity, less important for such saturable transport mechanisms, was measured by the octanol : buffer partition coefficient and found to be low. The results indicate that NRG-1-beta1 enters spinal cord and brain by a saturable receptor-mediated mechanism, which provides the opportunity for possible therapeutic manipulation at the BBB level.     

Sexual dimorphism in the induction of LTP: critical role of tetanizing stimulation

Numerous studies have suggested that sexual dimorphism may exist in learning and memory, particularly in types involving the hippocampus. In the present study, we examined the effects of two different tetani on the induction of long-term potentiation in the CA1 region of hippocampal slices from adult female and male rats to determine the sexual differences in their responses to tetanizing stimulation. We found that the induction of LTP is sex-dependent, and that there were clear sexual differences in the responses to different tetanus patterns, but not impulse number or stimulation frequency. Multiple trains of tetani were more effective in the indution of LTP in male rats than in female ones. These findings suggest that male rats can react to a broader range of tetanizing stimulation compared with female rats. Based on our results and the findings of other studies, we propose that the interaction of gonadal hormones with Ca2+/NMDAR and the subsequent regulation of the ERK/MAP kinase pathway are critical mechanisms for sexual dimorphism in the induction of LTP.