Physical effects of negative air ions in a wet sauna

 The physical effects of negative air ions on humans were determined in an experimental sauna room equipped with an ionizer. Thirteen healthy persons took a wet sauna bath (dry bulb temperature 42° C, relative humidity 100%, 10 min exposure) with or without negative air ions. The subjects were not told when they were being exposed to negative air ions. There were no differences in the moods of these persons or changes in their blood pressures between the two saunas. The surface temperatures of the foreheads, hands, and legs in the sauna with negative ions were significantly higher than those in the sauna without ions. The pulse rates and sweat produced in the sauna with ions were singificantly higher than those in the sauna without ions. The results suggest that negative ions may amplify the effects on humans of the sauna. Received: 31 March 1995 / Revised: 25 July 1995 / Accepted: 26 July 1996     

The periodic loss of metabolically unstable DNA during replication of chromosomal DNA of CHO cells

The fate of ³H-thymidine incorporated into newly synthesized DNA of CHO cells was analyzed by either the estimation of the incorporated radioactivity per cell or sedimentation in alkaline sucrose gradient. Under conditions in which DNA synthesis proceeded continuously, of incorporated radioactivity was periodically lost and regained during a 90 min chase, corresponding to a cyclic change in the sedimentation profiles. When DNA synthesis was inhibited by hydroxyurea no cyclic change of the incorporated radioactivity was observed. The cyclic changes were regarded as the result of an actual metabolic change in³H-labelled DNA probaly joining to one of the newly formed sister strands of DNA and the loss of radioactivity seems to require active continued DNA synthesis.     

Studies on transfer ribonucleic acids and related compounds. XL. Synthesis of an eicosaribonucleotide corresponding to residues 35-54 of tRNAfMet from E. coli.

An E. coli tRNAfMet fragment [C-A-U-A-A-C-C-C-G-A-A-G-G-U-C-G-U-C-G-G (bases 35-f54)] containing the anticodon triplet has been synthesized by the phosphotriester method involving protected oligonucleotide blocks. Di- or tri-nucleotide blocks were prepared by condensation of 2'-O-(o-nitrobenzyl) nucleotide derivatives and used for the synthesis of pentanucleotide blocks. The 5'-hydroxy, heterocyclic amino and internucleotide linkage were protected with monomethoxytrityl, acyl and p-chlorophenyl groups, respectively. The 3'-phosphates of the pentanucleotides, except for the GUCGG block where 2'-O-benzoyl 3'-O-(o-nitrobenzyl) N-isobutyrylguanosine was used, were protected with p-chlorophenyl and anilido groups. The anilido groups were removed by treatment with isoamyl nitrite and the 3'-phosphodiesters of resulting pentamers were activated with mesitylenesulfonyl nitrotriazolide to give protected decanucleotides in yields of 61-89%. The two decanucleotides were condensed similarly to yield the protected eicosanucleotide in a yield of 59%. The product was deblocked and purified by ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A-25 and characterized by enzymatic hydrolysis after labelling the 5'-end by phosphorylation using polynucleotide kinase and [gamma-32P]ATP.     

Stimulation of Ca efflux by N-formyl chemotactic peptides in guinea-pig peritoneal macrophages

Effects of N-formyl chemotactic peptides on the Ca²⁺ influx and efflux were investigated in guinea-pig peritoneal macrophages using an isotope tracer. fMet-Leu-Phe did not enhance the influx of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ into macrophages, whereas it stimulated the efflux of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ from macrophages at concentrations ranging from 10⁻¹⁰ M to 10⁻⁷ M. fMet-Met-Met and fMet-Leu also stimulated the ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ efflux, albeit at much higher concentrations, while there was no stimulation with fMet. The mitochondrial inhibitors, oligomycin and NaN₃, did not modify the ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ efflux induced by the chemoattractants, yet they did induce the release of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ from the mitochondria. On the other hand, higher concentrations of the calmodulin antagonists, chlorpromazine and trifluoperazine, induced the release of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ from the NaN₃-insensitive Ca²⁺ store site and mimicked the enhancement of the ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ efflux by N-formyl chemotactic peptides. Thus, N-formyl chemotactic peptides appear to increase the levels of intracellular free Ca²⁺ in guinea-pig peritoneal macrophages, probably by inducing the release of Ca²⁺ from the NaN₃-insensitive Ca²⁺ store site.     

Stimulation of Ca2+ efflux by N-formyl chemotactic peptides in guinea-pig peritoneal macrophages

Effects of N-formyl chemotactic peptides on the Ca²⁺ influx and efflux were investigated in guinea-pig peritoneal macrophages using an isotope tracer. fMet-Leu-Phe did not enhance the influx of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ into macrophages, whereas it stimulated the efflux of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ from macrophages at concentrations ranging from 10^?10 M to 10^?7 M. fMet-Met-Met and fMet-Leu also stimulated the ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ efflux, albeit at much higher concentrations, while there was no stimulation with fMet. The mitochondrial inhibitors, oligomycin and NaN₃, did not modify the ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ efflux induced by the chemoattractants, yet they did induce the release of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ from the mitochondria. On the other hand, higher concentrations of the calmodulin antagonists, chlorpromazine and trifluoperazine, induced the release of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ from the NaN₃-insensitive Ca²⁺ store site and mimicked the enhancement of the ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ efflux by N-formyl chemotactic peptides. Thus, N-formyl chemotactic peptides appear to increase the levels of intracellular free Ca²⁺ in guinea-pig peritoneal macrophages, probably by inducing the release of Ca²⁺ from the NaN₃-insensitive Ca²⁺ store site.     

Non-cognizable ribonucleotide, 2''AMP, binds to a mutant ribonuclease T1 (Y45W) at a new base-binding site but not at the guanine-recognition site.

Complex of a mutant ribonuclease T₁ (Y4SW) with a non-cognizable ribonucleotide, 2′AMP, has been determined and refined by X-ray diffraction at 1.7 Å resolution. The 2′AMP molecule locates at a new base-binding site which is remote from the guanine-recognition site, where 2′GMP was found to be bound. The nucleotide adopts the anti conformation of the glycosidic bond and C3′-exo sugar pucker. There exists a single hydrogen bond between the adenine base and the enzyme, and, therefore, the site found is apparently a non-specific binding site. The results indicate that the binding of 2′AMP to the guanine-recognition site is weaker than that to the new binding site.     

Differential effects of body weight, hyperinsulinemia and oral glucose load on serum C-peptide/insulin molar ratio.

Serum C-peptide immunoreactivity (CPR)/immunoreactive insulin (IRI) molar ratio was determined in 136 subjects without renal, hepatic and thyroid disorders, at fasting, and during the initial period of 75 g-oral glucose tolerance test. The subjects were divided into 4 groups based on their body weight and age; Group A, young (< 55 years) and normal body weight (body mass index [BMI, kg/m2] < or = 25) subjects; Group B, young and overweight (BMI > 25) subjects; Group C, aged (> or = 55 years) and normal body weight (BMI < or = 25) subjects; Group D, aged and overweight subjects. Fasting CPR/IRI ratio and absolute CPR level negatively correlated in Groups B and D but not in A and C. After oral glucose load with elevation of insulin, CPR/IRI ratio invariably declined in all groups and significant negative correlation between CPR/IRI and CPR was found in Groups A, B and D but not in C. Slope of the regression lines obtained for correlation between CPR/IRI ratio and CPR were significantly steeper at fasting compared to the post-stimulation phase. CPR/IRI ratio is affected by hyperinsulinemia and oral glucose load but not by obesity alone. Assuming that CPR/IRI ratio reflects hepatic extraction of insulin, the insulin clearance at fasting is progressively reduced with increasing insulin secretion in overweight subjects: failure to detect such phenomenon in normal body weight subjects may be due to a narrower CPR range in this population. Insulin metabolism at fasting and during glucose stimulation is likely to be regulated by distinct factors.     

An endonuclease activity in human polymorphonuclear neutrophils that removes 8-hydroxyguanine residues from DNA+

An endonuclease that specifically removes 8-hydroxyguanine (oh8Gua) from DNA has been isolated from Escherichia coli. As the amount of oh8Gua produced in DNA of X-ray-irradiated mice is known to decrease with time after irradiation, an attempt was made to find a similar activity in human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) using a synthetic dsDNA containing oh8Gua as a substrate. The PMN enzyme was isolated free of other DNases, and found to cleave the substrate DNA simultaneously at 2 sites, the phosphodiester bonds 5' and 3' to oh8Gua, producing free hydroxyl and phosphate groups, respectively. The enzyme showed almost no activity on DNAs containing other kinds of modified base tested or mismatched DNA. Thus human cells also contain an endonuclease that specifically removes oh8Gua residues from DNA.