Norepinephrine Metabolism in Man Using Deuterium Labeling: Turnover of 4-Hydroxy-3-Methoxymandelic Acid

Abstract: 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic acid (HMMA; VMA) labeled with three deuterium atoms was used to study the turnover and fate of HMMA following intravenous injection. Five healthy men were given a pulse dose of 5.0 μmol of labeled HMMA. Plasma and urinary levels of both endogenous and labeled HMMA were subsequently followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using selected ion detection. The kinetic parameters were determined both with and without compensation for the pool expansion caused by the injection of labeled HMMA. The urinary recovery of labeled HMMA was 85 × 10% (mean ± SD). No conversion of HMMA t o 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl glycol (HMPG) occurred. The biological half-life of HMMA was 0.54 ± 0.22 h. The apparent volume of distribution was 0.36 ± 0.11 L/kg. The production rate or body turnover was 1.27 ± 0.51 μmol HMM/h and urinary excretion rate was 0.82 ± 0.22 μmol/h. These results show that HMMA is turning over rapidly in a relatively small volume of distribution and that, unlike HMPG, it is an end metabolite of norepinephrine in man.     

In vitro maintenance of differentiation marker synthesis by subpopulations of mouse thymocytes

Mouse thymocyte populations enriched in functionally incompetent, “immature” cells on the one hand, or in competent “mature” cells on the other hand, express different steady-state levels of certain surface antigens and marker enzymes. In the cases of the glycoproteins H-2 (K and D), Qa, and TL, and the DNA polymerase terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT), these levels reflect different rates of de novo synthesis in the two populations. Thus each population appears to manifest a characteristic pattern of synthetic rates for the various products relative to total protein synthesis. To investigate the maintenance of these patterns, enriched pools of “immature” and “mature” thymocytes were incubated in vitro for 24 h, and the rates of product synthesis before and after culture were compared. H-2 synthesis, initially most rapid in the mature cells, continued to be made at the highest rate in this population. TdT synthesis, a characteristic activity of the immature cells, was not induced in the mature cells, but proceeded at an increased relative rate in the immature population. Therefore, the differences between the rates of H-2 and TdT synthesis were stable properties of the two thymocyte populations. Another marker of immature cells, TL, did not continue to be produced in parallel with TdT. Rather, its synthesis was selectively curtailed in relation to the continuing protein synthesis in the immature cultures. This non-coordinate regulation of TL and TdT production in immature thymocytes may be due to several mechanisms. These are discussed with regard to their implications for pathways of thymocyte maturation.     

Visualization of thrombin receptors on mouse embryo fibroblasts using fluorescein-amine conjugated human α-thrombin

The localization of thrombin receptors on mouse embryo (ME) cells has been examined by direct fluorescence microscopy using a fluorescein aminelabeled thrombin. Two fluorescein amines, 4-(N-6-aminoethyl thioureal)-fluorescein and 4-(N-6-aminohexyl thioureal)-fluorescein, were synthesized and attached to the carbohydrate moiety of highly purified human α-thrombin by periodate oxidation of the carbohydrate and selective reduction of the Schiff's base using sodium cyanoborohydride. Preparations of fluorescent thrombin with from 1 to 4 fluoresceins per molecule of thrombin retained their ability to proteolytically cleave fibrinogin to form fibrin clots, to bind to thrombin receptors on ME cells, and to initiate cell division. After incubating mitogenic concentrations of the fluorescein amine labeled thrombin with ME cells at 4°C, a diffuse fluorescent pattern was observed over the surface of the ME cells. This diffuse pattern was specific: it was not observed on cells from parallel cultures incubated with fluorescent thrombin plus a 20-fold excess of unlabeled thrombin. Thus, thrombin receptors appear to be distributed randomly over the surface of ME cells prior to interaction with thrombin. Increasing the temperature to 37°C following binding at 4° C resulted in a rapid dissociation of the fluorescent pattern from the cells leaving only the autofluorescent vesicles. This result may reflect the unique ability of thrombin to proteolytically cleave its own receptor.     

Fibronectin associated with the glial component of embryonic brain cell cultures

In a basic approach to investigations of neuronal–glial interactions during both normal brain development and its pathogenesis, embryonic brain cell populations were fractionated into purified neuronal and glial components. Using separation procedures based on differential adhesion and cytotoxicity, the isolated neuronal and glial phenotypes could be identified by distinct morphological and biochemical characteristics, including the visualization of glial fibrillary acid protein (GFA) within glial cells in immunohistochemical assays with monospecific anti-GFA serum. When unfractionated cerebrum cells dissociated from 10-day chick or 14-day mouse embryos were plated as monolayers and cultured for 1-14 days, monospecific antiserum against fibronectin (LETS glycoprotein) was found to react with many, but not all, of the cells as revealed by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy. The isolated neuronal and glial components of these populations were used to determine whether the appearance of membrane-associated fibronectin was characteristic of one cell type or the other, or both, and if neuronal–glial cell interaction was required for its expression. It was found that the surfaces of glial cells, completely isolated from neurons, showed an intense fluorescent reaction to the anti-fibronectin serum. In contrast, the purified neuronal cultures showed no fluorescence with either the anti-GFA or anti-fibronectin sera. These results demonstrate fibronectin as a cell surface protein associated primarily with glial cells and independent of neuronal–glial cell interaction for its expression. Furthermore, the results indicate that the fibronectin observed on glial cell surfaces in these cultures is produced endogenously and is not due to the preferential binding of fibronectin present in the culture medium. The role of fibronectin as an adhesive molecule in neuronal–glial interactions is discussed.     

Ferritin as an exogenous yolk protein in snails

Summary A main yolk component in the oocytes of the pulmonate snailPlanorbarius corneus L. has been isolated and identified as the iron storage protein ferritin by its ultrastructure, iron content, immuunological properties and behaviour in disc electrophoresis. As judged from acrylamide electrophoresis data and ultrastructural observations, yolk ferritin is an exogenous protein which is synthesised in the hepatopancreas and taken up by the oocytes by endocytosis.     

13C脉冲标记法：不同生育期水稻光合碳在植物-土壤系统中的分配

定量生育期内植物光合碳在植物组织-土壤的分配规律,对于理解全球碳循环有着重要意义。采用~(13)C-CO_2脉冲标记结合室内培养,通过元素分析仪-稳定同位素联用(Flash HT-IRMS)分析植物各部分及土壤δ~(13)C值,比较了不同生育期下水稻光合碳在不同组织间的分配规律,并量化了水稻光合碳向土壤碳库的转移。结果表明:(1)水稻地上部和根系干物质量随水稻生育期的增加而呈现递增趋势,不同的生育期表现为:分蘖期拔节期抽穗期扬花期成熟期。而整个生育期的根冠比为0.2—0.4,分蘖期的根冠比最高,随着水稻生育期的增加而递减,到抽穗期以后根冠比稳定在0.2左右。(2)脉冲标记6h后,水稻地上部和地下部(根系)的δ~(13)C值在-25.52‰—-28.33‰,不同器官的δ~(13)C值存在明显分馏效应,且趋势基本一致,即茎杆(籽粒)叶片(根系);这种由于水稻生育期特性导致的各器官碳同位素分馏的现象,可用于指示不同生育期下水稻光合碳的分配和去向。(3)不同生育期~(13)C-光合碳在植物-土壤系统的分配规律不同,生长前期光合碳向根系及土壤中分配的比例高,具有较强的碳汇能力,而随生育期光合碳在根系及土壤中的分配比例呈下降趋势,但积累量不断增加。(4)不同生育期~(13)C光合碳在水稻-土壤系统中的分配比例差异明显。水稻分蘖期有近30%光合碳用于根系建成并部分通过根系分泌物进入土壤有机碳库(10%),而到成熟期则向籽粒中分配较多,而且光合碳在土壤中的分配比例也随生育期呈下降趋势。研究结果对稻田土壤有机碳循环过程和调控机制的揭示具有重要的理论意义。     

生防放线菌Ahn75的荧光标记及其在水稻中的定殖

【背景】目前gfp标记基因已成为研究靶标微生物与宿主之间互作的一种重要工具。利用gfp基因标记生防菌株,可以对生防菌株的生存及定殖能力进行有效追踪。【目的】对生防放线菌Ahn75进行荧光标记,探讨其在水稻中的定殖规律,为研究Ahn75的稻瘟病防治机制奠定基础。【方法】首先通过电激转化将含绿色荧光标记基因(gfp)的质粒pIJ8655导入大肠杆菌ET12567中,然后采用接合转移的方法将gfp整合到Ahn75基因组上;通过平板对峙试验检验Ahn75-GFP在标记绿色荧光后对稻瘟病病原菌的抑菌活性;采用喷施孢子液的方式将带荧光标记的Ahn75-GFP定殖水稻,并利用荧光显微镜观察生防菌在水稻中的定殖情况;对定殖水稻中的内生菌进行重分离,探究菌株在水稻组织中的分布规律。【结果】PCR扩增和荧光观察表明,绿色荧光标记基因成功整合到生防放线菌Ahn75中。通过平板对峙试验,发现Ahn75-GFP对稻瘟病病原菌抑菌活性与原始菌株没有显著差别。在荧光显微镜下,可以观察到Ahn75-GFP能稳定定殖于水稻的根、茎、叶等组织中,而水稻内生菌重分离试验表明该菌株在茎中的定殖力最强。【结论】获得一株绿色荧光标记生防菌株Ahn75-GFP,结果显示该菌株定殖水稻效果良好,这对于研究Ahn75的稻瘟病防治具有重要意义。     

Battling for Ribosomes: Translational Control at the Forefront of the Antiviral Response

In the early stages of infection, gaining control of the cellular protein synthesis machinery including its ribosomes is the ultimate combat objective for a virus. To successfully replicate, viruses unequivocally need to usurp and redeploy this machinery for translation of their own mRNA. In response, the host triggers global shutdown of translation while paradoxically allowing swift synthesis of antiviral proteins as a strategy to limit collateral damage. This fundamental conflict at the level of translational control defines the outcome of infection. As part of this special issue on molecular mechanisms of early virus–host cell interactions, we review the current state of knowledge regarding translational control during viral infection with specific emphasis on protein kinase RNA-activated and mammalian target of rapamycin-mediated mechanisms. We also describe recent technological advances that will allow unprecedented insight into how viruses and host cells battle for ribosomes.     

综述与专论: 铁蛋白：纳米酶开发的重要工具

纳米酶因其在靶向癌症治疗、诊断医学、生物传感和环境毒理学等方面所具有巨大的应用潜力和价值而受到越来越多的关注。铁蛋白作为具有独特空间结构、表面性质和高生物相容性等特点的天然生物大分子,已成为纳米酶开发的重要工具。 为了展示和凸显铁蛋白在纳米酶开发中的扮演的角色和取得的成就,并为后续研究提供参考,本综述着重介绍铁蛋白作为纳米酶合成的模板、纳米酶催化反应的反应器和纳米酶呈递的载体等。同时,文中也指出了基于铁蛋白的纳米酶研发中所面临的挑战和其未来发展方向。     

Real‐time Raman and SRS imaging of living human macrophages reveals cell‐to‐cell heterogeneity and dynamics of lipid uptake

Monitoring living cells in real‐time is important in order to unravel complex dynamic processes in life sciences. In particular the dynamics of initiation and progression of degenerative diseases is intensely studied. In atherosclerosis the thickening of arterial walls is related to high lipid levels in the blood stream, which trigger the lipid uptake and formation of droplets as neutral lipid reservoirs in macrophages in the arterial wall. Unregulated lipid uptake finally results in foam cell formation, which is a hallmark of atherosclerosis. In previous studies, the uptake and storage of different fatty acids was monitored by measuring fixed cells. Commonly employed fluorescence staining protocols are often error prone because of cytotoxicity and unspecific fluorescence backgrounds. By following living cells with Raman spectroscopic imaging, lipid uptake of macrophages was studied with real‐time data acquisition. Isotopic labeling using deuterated palmitic acid has been combined with spontaneous and stimulated Raman imaging to investigate the dynamic process of fatty acid storage in human macrophages for incubation times from 45 min to 37 h. Striking heterogeneity in the uptake rate and the total concentration of deuterated palmitic acid covering two orders of magnitude is detected in single as well as ensembles of cultured human macrophages.

SRS signal of deuterated palmitic acid measured at the CD vibration band after incorporation into living macrophages.