Upregulation of uncoupling proteins by oral administration of capsiate, a nonpungent capsaicin analog.

Capsiate is a nonpungent capsaicin analog, a recently identified principle of the nonpungent red pepper cultivar CH-19 Sweet. In the present study, we report that 2-wk treatment of capsiate increased metabolic rate and promoted fat oxidation at rest, suggesting that capsiate may prevent obesity. To explain these effects, at least in part, we examined uncoupling proteins (UCPs) and thyroid hormones. UCPs and thyroid hormones play important roles in energy expenditure, the maintenance of body weight, and thermoregulation. Two-week treatment of capsiate increased the levels of UCP1 protein and mRNA in brown adipose tissue and UCP2 mRNA in white adipose tissue. This dose of capsiate did not change serum triiodothyronine or thyroxine levels. A single dose of capsiate temporarily raised both UCP1 mRNA in brown adipose tissue and UCP3 mRNA in skeletal muscle. These results suggest that UCP1 and UCP2 may contribute to the promotion of energy metabolism by capsiate, but that thyroid hormones do not.     

Structure, Function and Regulation of the Nitrate Transport System of the Cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC7942

The active nitrate transport system of the cyanobacterium Synechococcussp. PCC7942 is encoded by the four genes nrtA, nrtB, nrtC andnrtD. It is essential for the growth of the cyanobacterium atphysiological concentrations of nitrate and has been shown tobe involved in the active transport of nitrite as well. Thededuced amino acid sequences of the NrtB, NrtC and NrtD proteinsindicate that the transporter is a member of the ABC (ATP-bindingcassette) superfamily of active transporters. Among the prokaryoticABC transporters, the cyanobacterial nitrate/nitrite transporteris unique in having a membrane-bound protein NrtA and an NrtA-likeextra domain linked to one of the ATP-binding subunits (C-terminaldomain of NrtC). Molecular biological, biochemical and physiologicalstudies suggest that NrtA is the substrate-binding protein requiredfor the transport of nitrate/nitrite and that the C-terminaldomain of NrtC has a regulatory role. Comparison of the structuresof nitrate transporters from eukaryotic and prokaryotic, photosyntheticand non-photosynthetic organisms indicate that the nrt nitrate/nitritetransporter represents a prokaryotic nitrate transporter distinctfrom the nitrate transporters of eukaryotes. ¹Recipient of the JSPP Young Investigator Award, 1994.     

Seasonal body weight, lipid content, and impact of starvation and water stress on adult survivorship and longevity ofNezara viridula andEuschistus heros

Fresh and dry body weights (FW, DW) were greater for adult southern green stink bug,Nezara viridula (L.) than for the brown stink bug,Euschistus heros F. throughout the year in southern Brazil. FemalesN. viridula significantly increased FW and DW in late summer-early autumn, and during mid-spring; femaleE. heros did not show the same rates of increase in FW and DW. FemaleN. viridula were heavier than males, particularly during summer; however, female and maleE. heros were generally similar in weight.E. heros contained significantly greater amounts of lipid thanN. viridula, during mid-autumn to early-spring (April–September). Survivorship (%) and total longevity ofE. heros adults provided water only was greater (34.6–24.6 days, for females and males) than that forN. viridula (14.8–13.0 days); without water and food, longevity was drastically reduced (<7 days) for both species.     

A novel monoantennary complex-type sugar chain found in octopus rhodopsin: occurrence of the Gal{beta}1->4Fuc group linked to the proximal N-acetylglucosaniine residue of the trimannosyl core

The N-linked sugar chains were liberated as oligosaccha-ridesfrom octopus rhodopsin by hydrazinolysis. Most of the oligosaccharideswere neutral, and separated into two major components by columnchromatography using immobilized lectins and Bio-Gel P-4. Structuralanalysis of the one major component by sequential exoglycosidasedigestion, chemical fragmentation in combination with meth-ylationanalysis revealed that it is a nonasaccharide; Man16(Gaiβ13GlcNAcβ12Man13)Manβ14GlcNAcβ14(Galβ14Fuc16)GlcNAcThis structure is quite unique in that a novel galactosylatedfucose residue is attached to the reducing terminal N-acetyl-glucosamineresidue. galactosylated Fuc N-linked sugar chain novel structure octopus rhodopsin     

Involvement of L-Type-Like Amino Acid Transporters in S-Nitrosocysteine-Stimulated Noradrenaline Release in the Rat Hippocampus

Abstract: Nitrogen oxides, such as nitric oxide, have been shown to regulate neuronal functions, including neurotransmitter release. We investigated the effect of S-nitroso-l -cysteine (SNC) on noradrenaline (NA) release in the rat hippocampus in vivo and in vitro. SNC stimulated [³H]NA release from prelabeled hippocampal slices in a dose-dependent manner. SNC stimulated endogenous NA release within 30 min to almost five times the basal level in vivo (microdialysis in freely moving rats). In a Na⁺-containing Tyrode's buffer, SNC-stimulated [³H]NA release was inhibited 30% by the coaddition of l -leucine. In the Na⁺-free, choline-containing buffer, SNC-stimulated [³H]NA release, which was similar to that in the Na⁺-containing buffer, was inhibited markedly by l -leucine, l -alanine, l -methionine, l -phenylalanine, and l -tyrosine. The effects of the other amino acids examined were smaller or very limited. The effect of l -leucine was stronger than that of d -leucine. A specific inhibitor of the L-type amino acid transporter, 2-aminobicyclo[2.2.1]-heptane-2-carboxylate (BCH), inhibited the effects of SNC on [³H]NA release in the Na⁺-free buffer. Uptake of l -[³H]leucine into the slices in the Na⁺-free buffer was inhibited by SNC, BCH, and l -phenylalanine, but not by l -lysine. The effect of SNC on cyclic GMP accumulation was not inhibited by l -leucine, although SNC stimulated cyclic GMP accumulation at concentrations up to 25 µM, much less than the concentration that stimulates NA release. These findings suggest that SNC is incorporated into rat hippocampus via the L-type-like amino acid transporter, at least in Na⁺-free conditions, and that SNC stimulates NA release in vivo and in vitro in a cyclic GMP-independent manner.     

Analysis of the Relationship between Cellular Thymidine Kinase Activity and Virulence of Thymidine Kinase-Negative Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2

The virulence of thymidine kinase-negative herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1; VRTK^? strain) and type 2 (HSV-2; UWTK^? strain) was studied in comparison with that of their parental strains (VR-3 and UW-268, respectively) in an encephalitis model of adult (4-week-old) and newborn (3-day-old) mice. Viral thymidine kinase (TK) activity was essential for the maximum expression of virulence of HSV-1, because the 50% lethal dose (LD₅₀) of VRTK^? was 60 times higher than that of VR-3 in the brains of newborn mice expressing high levels of cellular TK activity. However, the UWTK^? strain showed the same virulence as the parental strain in newborn mice, despite the lack virulence in adults, suggesting that replication of the UWTK^? strain was completely supported by cellular TK activity. This difference in the role of viral and cellular TKs for virus growth between HSV-1 and HSV-2 was confirmed with the one-step growth of virus strains in L-M and L-M(TK^?) cells.     

Emergence of tetracycline resistance due to a multiple drug resistance plasmid in Vibrio cholerae O139

Abstract Of the 173 clinical strains of Vibrio cholerae O139 isolated from India, Bangladesh, and Thailand tested, six strains from India were resistant to tetracycline, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, and gentamicin. These six strains harbored a self-transmissible plasmid that mediated resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, gentamicin, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and O/129. The multiple drug resistance plasmids were 200 kb in size and belonged to the incompatibility group C. Although a majority of the O139 strains (94.8%) were highly resistant to streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and O/129, the tetracycline-susceptible strains so far tested were plasmid-negative. The data suggest the existence of two distinct multiple antimicrobial agent resistance (MAR) patterns in V. cholerae O139.     

Plasma growth hormone responses to repetitive administrations of growth hormone releasing factor in patients with pituitary dwarfism

Plasma growth hormone (GH) responses to the repetitive administrations of synthetic human pancreatic growth hormone releasing factor (hpGRF-44) were studied in 15 patients with GH deficiency (11 diagnosed as idiopathic and 4 diagnosed as secondary to hypothalamo-pituitary tumor). hpGRF-44 was administered by single iv bolus (2 micrograms/kg), repetitive im (100 micrograms, twice a day), and/or repetitive iv infusion (2.5 micrograms/min for 90 min, once a day) for three to six consecutive days. Three of the eleven idiopathic GH deficient patients had plasma GH responses to both single iv bolus injection and repetitive administrations by im, or iv infusion of hpGRF. In four of the remaining eight, who had not had peak plasma GH levels above 5 ng/ml to a single iv bolus of the peptide, repetitive administrations of hpGRF-44 by im injection and/or iv infusion induced GH responses to the peptide. In the four patients with secondary GH deficiency, three had plasma GH response to hpGRF administration but one patient, who had indications of pituitary disorder, did not show any plasma GH response to either single iv injection or repetitive administrations of hpGRF-44. These data show that repetitive administrations of hpGRF-44 can induce plasma GH responses in some GH deficient patients who do not respond to a single iv bolus of the peptide.     

The Lipid Phase of Thylakoid and Cytoplasmic Membranes from the Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria), Anacystis nidulans and Anabaena variabilis

The lipid phases of the thylakoid and cytoplasmic membranesfrom the blue-green alga, Anacystis nidulans, were studied bya spin-probe method using 2-(14-carboxytetradecyl)-2-ethyl-4,4-dimethyl-3-oxazolidinyloxyl.The thylakoid and cytoplasmic membranes of this alga were bothin the liquid crystalline state at growth temperature, and inthe phase separation state at about 0?C. The thylakoid membranesentered the phase separation state at a temperature higher thanthe cytoplasmic membranes. The lipid phase of the thylakoidmembranes from Anabaena variabilis was studied in a similarway, and these membranes were found also to undergo the phasetransition. The temperature for the onset of the phase separationand the fluidity of the membrane lipids of both algae dependedon the growth temperature of the culture. (Received April 9, 1984; Accepted June 1, 1984)