Characterization of non-transferrin-bound iron clearance by rat liver

Recent evidence suggests that the hepatic iron-loading characteristic of hemochromatosis may result in part from efficient hepatic clearance of non-transferrin-bound iron, which is increased in this disorder. However, this hypothesis assumes that hepatic clearance remains highly efficient despite excess iron stores. We therefore studied hepatic uptake of non-transferrin-bound iron in the single-pass perfused rat liver under varying conditions. Animals were iron loaded or depleted by dietary manipulation, but no changes in the efficiency of ferrous iron uptake or the kinetic parameters were seen (single-pass extraction, 59-74%; Km, 16-19 microM; Vmax, 30-32 nmol X min-1 X g liver-1). Added divalent zinc, cobalt, and manganese ions reversibly inhibited ferrous iron uptake and the inhibition by zinc was shown to be competitive. Uptake required calcium, was markedly temperature-sensitive (delta E = 14.3 Kcal/mol), and was relatively insensitive to inhibition of cellular energy metabolism. Particles consistent with ferritin cores were seen in lysosomes of hepatic parenchymal cells within 30 min of perfusion with ferrous iron. These results suggest that ferrous iron is cleared from plasma by a passive, saturable transport process that is not regulated by the iron content of the liver and that may be shared with other transition metal ions. Because clearance is highly efficient, increased levels of non-transferrin-bound iron in plasma may present the liver with an obligatory iron load resulting in progressive accumulation and toxicity.     

Effect of human serum and some of its components on neutrophil adherence and migration across an epithelium

The effect of human serum and some of its components on the process of transepithelial migration of human neutrophils was investigated in an in vitro system. 10% autologous serum caused an increase in neutrophil adherence to and migration across canine kidney epithelial cells. This increase in neutrophil binding also occurred if the epithelium but not the neutrophils had been preincubated with serum. The binding was lost if the serum was either preabsorbed over the kidney epithelium before use or heat inactivated. Indirect immunofluorescence studies indicated that IgG, IgM, and a component of C3 bound to the epithelial surface, whereas IgA, IgE, or C5a were not detectable. The majority of epithelial cells were immunofluorescent, however epithelial cells with varying degrees of reactivity were also apparent and approximately 5% of the epithelial cells did not bind IgG, IgM, and C3. When epithelia were simultaneously tested for the presence of either IgG, IgM, or C3, and bound neutrophils the few epithelial cells which did not bind IgG or IgM also did not bind C3 or neutrophils. Studies with monoclonal antibodies against Fc and C3 receptors indicate that neutrophil adherence to the epithelial surface was mediated predominately by the receptors for C3b and C3bi. In response to a chemotactic gradient, bound neutrophils were able to detach and migrate across the epithelium. A separate heat-stable factor(s) in serum was able to increase neutrophil migration across the epithelial monolayer. This factor acted independently of the factors which caused the increase in neutrophil binding as the increase in neutrophil migration also occurred under conditions (preabsorption over the kidney epithelium or heat inactivation) that prevented the increase in neutrophil binding. The increase in neutrophil migration may be caused by the permeability-increasing properties of this factor as both serum and heat-inactivated serum lowered the transepithelial electrical resistance an average of 38 and 35%, respectively, in 40 min. Upon removal of serum or heat-inactivated serum, the resistance returned 100 and 81%, respectively, in 5 h.     

The effect of starvation on RNA: DNA ratios and growth of larval striped bass, Morone saxatalis

Hatchery reared larval striped bass, Morone saxatilis , 8-days-post-hatching were subjected to various feeding/starvation regimes over a period of 14 days.
Batches of larvae from each treatment were sampled over the 14-day period and subdivided for determination of notochord length and RNA:DNA ratio. The best growth was found in fully fed F1000 larvae (exposed to 1000 Artermia nauplii l⁻¹), which reached 8.2 mm after 11 days and 9.6 mm after 14 days. Starved animals after 11 days had notochord lengths of 4.9 mm. Growth curves from feeding-delayed larvae indicated that animals fed after up to 5 days starvation were capable of complete recovery. F100 larvae (exposed to 100 Anemia nauplii 1^−l) had a slower growth rate than F1000 larvae, reaching a notochord length of 7.3 mm after 14 days. RNA:DNA ratios over time closely followed notochord growth curves, with clear differences between starved, F100 and F1000 larvae being established after only 2 days. Equilibrium RNA:DNA ratios of 3.0 and 2.25 were established in F1000 and F100 larvae, respectively, 6.8 days after the beginning of the experiment. The average lag time between a change from the starved to the fed condition and a change in RNA:DNA ratio as determined by the divergence of the nucleic acid curve from the starved condition was 0.66 days.
In treatments where starvation followed various periods of feeding, larvae regressed in notochord length such that the final length at 14 days reflected the degree of feeding. RNA:DNA ratios in these animals again closely followed growth curves with a lag time of 0.81 days.
It was concluded that RNA:DNA ratios provided very accurate indices of growth in striped bass larvae which were highly sensitive to feeding status.     

Novel silylated steroids as aromatase inhibitors

Androst-4-en-3-one analogs incorporating a trimethylsilyl or a trimethylsilylmethyl group at C-1, C-2 or C-19 were prepared and evaluated as inhibitors of aromatase. Only 10-[1-hydroxy-2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl]estr-4-ene-3,17-dione inhibited human placental aromatase. Enzyme kinetic analysis revealed competitive inhibition [apparent dissociation constant (Ki) of 562 +/- 12 nM] associated with marginal time-dependent inhibition.     

DNase I sensitivity of nuclear DNA measured by flow cytometry

The DNase I digestion kinetics of DNA in isolated nuclei (from HeLa or murine mammary carcinoma, 67 cells) were assayed flow cytometrically by measuring the changes in ethidium bromide (EtBr) fluorescence following various digestion time intervals. The DNase I digestion curve was characterized by an initial 25-30% increase in fluorescence upon addition of the enzyme, a rapid reduction in fluorescence to approximately 50-55% in 30 minutes, and a limit digest of 45-50% beyond 45 minutes. Throughout digestion, the DNA histogram retained its characteristic bimodal shape, showing that histogram rearrangement was not responsible for the changes in EtBr fluorescence. Irradiation with 5 X 10(6) rads (137Cs-gamma-rays) or exposure to 50 mM EDTA caused an increase in EtBr fluorescence similar to that caused by DNase I, suggesting that DNA nicking and/or chromatin loosening were responsible for this increase. Residual DNA assayed by the solubilization of 14C-TdR (thymidine)-labeled DNA indicated a similar kinetic pattern without the initial increase. However, at the limit digest, the fraction of DNA remaining trichloroacetic acid (TCA) insoluble (10%) was smaller than that measured by loss of EtBr fluorescence (50% of initial, 40% of maximum). Part of this difference was due to the presence of TCA soluble DNA trapped within the nuclear matrix (15-20%). This trapped DNA was released when the digested nuclei were exposed to 0.5-1.0 M NaCl just prior to EtBr staining. Exposure of HeLa cells to three agents that are believed to cause changes in chromatin structure resulted in alterations in the DNase I digestion kinetics measured flow cytometrically.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of Haemopoietic Stem-Cell Proliferation Regulators On Early and Late Spleen Colony-Forming Cells

An inhibitor and stimulator of CFU-s proliferation can be obtained from haemopoietic tissue containing, respectively, relatively quiescent CFU-s (e.g. normal bone marrow) and proliferating CFU-s (e.g. regenerating bone marrow). Their effects on the proliferative behaviour of steady-state and regenerating marrow CFU-s, which produce colonies 7, 10 and 12 days post-transplantation have been investigated. The results demonstrate changing sensitivities of CFU-s to inhibitor and stimulator as they progress through a developmental age structure. ‘Older’ CFU-s (producing early spleen colonies) are more sensitive to stimulator, ‘Younger’ CFU-s (producing late spleen colonies) are more sensitive to inhibitor.     

The sequence GGCmCGG is resistant to MspI cleavage.

MspI essentially fails to cut the sequence GGCmCGG at enzyme concentrations which give total digestion of CCGG, CmCGG and GGCCGG sites. This result explains why certain sites in mammalian DNA are resistant to both MspI and HpaII and shows that this results from an idiosynchracy of MspI rather than a novel form of DNA methylation at this site in mammalian cells.