Orthovanadate decreases the leptin content in isolated mouse fat pads via proteasome activation

In a physiological milieu platelets continue to be exposed to agonists long after clot formation. We studied the regulation of postaggregation events consequent on protease-activated receptor (PAR) 1 ligation with either thrombin or the thrombin receptor-activating peptide (TRAP). Stimulation with TRAP (20 microM) but not with thrombin (1 U/ml) for 15 min evoked platelet disaggregation by about 30% and downregulation of high-affinity fibrinogen binding sites on integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) to nearly prestimulation levels. Concurrently, only TRAP disorganized the actin-based cytoskeleton, with decrease in the cytoskeletal content of focal contact-associated proteins like integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3), Src, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK). While protein tyrosine kinases were activated during the initial period of platelet aggregation with either agonist, stimulation of protein tyrosine phosphatases determined the successive phase of reduced phosphotyrosine content. SHP-1, an abundant protein tyrosine phosphatase in the platelets, was tyrosine phosphorylated on challenge of PAR-1 and coprecipitated with two unidentified tyrosine phosphorylated proteins of 140 and 60 kDa; in addition, SHP-1 tyrosine phosphorylation (which is associated with enhanced phosphatase activity) was sustained until 15 min. Activity of calpain was upregulated following incubation with thrombin and not with TRAP. Collectively, these data suggest that signaling pathways elicited by PAR-1 agonists thrombin and TRAP are markedly different, which could have important implications on late platelet responses.     

Sustained activation of MEK1-ERK1/2 pathway in membrane skeleton occurs dependently on cell adhesion in megakaryocytic differentiation

A human megakaryoblastic cell line, CMK, was treated with 12-o-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) for differentiation-induction. We examined TPA-induced activation of the MEK1-ERK1/2 pathway in the 100,000g Triton X-insoluble fraction of CMK cells as the membrane skeleton and researched the relation of the MEK1-ERK1/2 activation with integrin expression. We found that this activation was divided into two phases: the first activation occurred transiently in the membrane skeleton fraction of the suspended cell status and diminished after 1h; and the second sustained activation was maintained by cell adhesion. TPA-treated CMK cells revealed increased expression of integrins alphaIIb and beta3 only when the cell adhesion persisted, regardless of the difference of culture substratum. Sustained activation of the MEK1-ERK1/2 pathway is generated in the membrane skeleton by continuous cell adhesion and seems to be essential to TPA-induced megakaryocytic differentiation of CMK cells.     

Characterization of transgenic rats constitutively expressing vitamin D-24-hydroxylase gene

Vitamin D-24-hydroxylase (CYP24) is one of the enzymes responsible for vitamin D metabolism. CYP24 catalyzes the conversion of 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) [25(OH)D(3)] to 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) [24,25(OH)(2)D(3)] in the kidney. CYP24 is also involved in the breakdown of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) [1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)], the active form of vitamin D(3). In this study, we generated transgenic (Tg) rats constitutively expressing CYP24 gene to investigate the biological role of CYP24 in vivo. Surprisingly, the Tg rats showed a significantly low level of plasma 24,25(OH)(2)D(3). Furthermore, the Tg rats developed albuminuria and hyperlipidemia shortly after weaning. The plasma lipid profile revealed that all lipoprotein fractions were elevated in the Tg rats. Also, the Tg rats showed atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta, which greatly progressed with high-fat and high-cholesterol feeding. These unexpected results suggest that CYP24 is involved in functions other than the regulation of vitamin D metabolism.     

Effect of (1-->3)- and (1-->4)-linkages of fully sulfated polysaccharides on their anticoagulant activity

Chemically fully sulfated polysaccharides including xylan (-->4Xylbeta-(1-->4)Xylbeta1-->), amylose (-->4Glcalpha-(1-->4)Glcalpha1-->), cellulose (-->4Glcbeta-(1-->4)Glcbeta1-->), curdlan (-->3Glcbeta-(1-->3)Glcbeta1-->) and galactan (-->3Galbeta-(1-->3)Galbeta1-->), which have been isolated from Korean clam, were prepared, and their anticoagulant activity was investigated. The results strongly suggest that the activity might not be depending on anomeric configuration (alpha or beta) or monosaccharide species but on the glycosidic linkage, either (1-->3) or (1-->4). 1H NMR studies of these modified polysaccharides show that the neighboring sulfate groups at the C-2 and C-3 positions might have caused the conformational changes of each monosaccharide from 4C(1) to 1C(4). Furthermore, the effect of 6-sulfate residues on the anticoagulant activity was investigated using a specific desulfated reaction for the chemically fully sulfated polysaccharides. The 6-sulfate group is very important in determining anticoagulant activity of (1-->3)-linked polysaccharides, whereas the activity is not affected by presence or absence of the 6-sulfate group in (1-->4)-linked polysaccharides.     

Regulation of the desaturation of fatty acids and its role in tolerance to cold and salt stress

The expression of cold-inducible genes is regulated by a two-component system in Synechocystis and Bacillus subtilis. The cold sensors are membrane-bound histidine kinases and it seems likely that they sense and transduce changes in the fluidity of membranes. Desaturation of fatty acids in membrane lipids has been implicated in tolerance to cold and salt stress.     

Chemomechanical coupling of the forward and backward steps of single kinesin molecules

The molecular motor kinesin travels processively along a microtubule in a stepwise manner. Here we have studied the chemomechanical coupling of the hydrolysis of ATP to the mechanical work of kinesin by analysing the individual stepwise movements according to the directionality of the movements. Kinesin molecules move primarily in the forward direction and only occasionally in the backward direction. The hydrolysis of a single ATP molecule is coupled to either the forward or the backward movement. This bidirectional movement is well described by a model of Brownian motion assuming an asymmetric potential of activation energy. Thus, the stepwise movement along the microtubule is most probably due to Brownian motion that is biased towards the forward direction by chemical energy stored in ATP molecules.     

Intergranular bridges in the anterior pituitary cell and their possible involvement in Ca2+-induced granule-granule fusion

Quick-freeze deep-etch electron microscopy showed the presence of bridge-like structures between adjacent secretory granules in rat anterior pituitary secretory cells. These intergranular bridges were variable in length and thickness. The finest bridges were 7–8 nm in length, while the longest ones were as long as 80 nm. Annexin II, one of the Ca²⁺-dependent phospholipid-binding proteins, is known to interlink between two membranes and induce aggregation of liposomes and chromaffin granules under the presence of Ca²⁺. In anterior pituitary cells, annexin II was detected by immunoelectron microscopy at the contact sites of secretory granules with other granules. The anterior pituitary cells treated under the presence of extracellular Ca²⁺ with Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin which induces Ca²⁺ influx showed multigranular exocytosis, i.e., multiple fusions of secretory granules with each other and with the plasma membrane. The granule-granule fusion in progress could be captured by the quick-freeze deep-etch technique. The membranes of adjacent secretory granules were partially fused at their contact sites where intergranular strands were no longer seen, while there existed intergranular strands between unfused portions of the granule membranes. From these results, we consider that the intergranular bridges, some of which may be composed of annexin II, are involved in Ca²⁺-induced granule-granule fusion in anterior pituitary cells.     

Genomic organization and mutational analysis of KVLQT1, a gene responsible for familial long QT syndrome

To elucidate the role of the KVLQT1 gene in the pathogenesis of long QT syndrome (LQTS), we have established a screening system for detecting KVLQT1 mutations by the polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism technique (PCR-SSCP). We first determined exon/intron boundaries and flanking intronic sequences, and found that the KVLQT1 gene consists of 17 coding exons. Subsequently, we synthesized oligonucleotide primers to cover the coding region and the flanking intronic sequences, and searched for mutations in 31 Japanese LQTS families. When genomic DNA from each proband was examined by PCR-SSCP followed by direct DNA sequencing, mutations were detected in five families; two independent families carried the same mutation and three of the four were novel. Each mutation was present in affected relatives of the respective proband. This work will enable us to search more thoroughly for LQTS mutations associated with KVLQT1, and eventually will help us in finding genotype/phenotype relationships. Received: 20 March 1998 / Accepted: 30 April 1998     

Central-Cis isomers of lutein found in the major light-harvesting complex of Photosystem II (LHC IIb) of higher plants

Lutein (,-carotene-3,3-diol) is the major carotenoid of the light-harvesting systems of higher plants. Lutein was isolated at 4°C and in complete darkness from the bulk light-harvesting complex of Photosystem II of spinach (LHC IIb) and from BBY particles. Separation using normal-phase HPLC (with 2D detection) in comparison to the authentic isomers (prepared by iodine-sensitised isomerization) showed the presence of a number of geometrical isomers of this xanthophyll in PS II, namely all-trans (the major component); 13-cis, 13-cis and 15-cis-lutein. Iodine-sensitised photo-isomerization of all-trans lutein produced six geometrical isomers of lutein as determined by HPLC. The configuration of five of these isomers was determined by ¹H-NMR to be all-trans, 9-cis, 9-cis, 13-cis and 13-cis. In addition, small amounts of another isomer have been tentatively identified to be 15-cis lutein on the basis of its electronic absorption spectrum. The possible functional significance of the presence of cis-isomers of this carotenoid in LHC IIb is discussed.