Molecular Cloning, Expression, and Pharmacological Characterization of humEAA1, a Human Kainate Receptor Subunit

Abstract: Kainate is a potent neuroexcitatory agent; its neurotoxicity is thought to be mediated by an ionotropic receptor with a nanomolar affinity for kainate. In this report, we describe the cloning of a cDNA encoding a human glutamate ionotropic receptor subunit protein from a human hippocampal library. This cDNA, termed humEAA1, is most closely related to rat and human cDNAs for kainate receptor proteins and, when expressed in COS or Chinese hamster ovary cells, is associated with high-affinity kainate receptor binding. We have successfully established cell lines stably expressing humEAA1. This is the first report of establishment of stable cell lines expressing a glutamate receptor subunit. The relative potency of compounds for displacing [³H] kainate binding of humEAA1 receptors expressed in these stable cell lines was kainate > quisqualate > domoate > L-glutamate > ( RS )-α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid > dihydro-kainate > 6, 7-dinitroquinoxaline-2, 3-dione > 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2, 3-dione. Homooligomeric expression of humEAA1 does not appear to elicit ligand-gated ion channel activity. Nevertheless, the molecular structure and pharmacological characterization of high-affinity kainate binding of the humEAA1 expressed in the stable cell line (ppEAA1–16) suggest that the humEAA1 is a subunit protein of a human kainate receptor complex.     

Direct and indirect effects of recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor on in vitro colony formation of human bladder cancer cells

Although the present experimental use of recombinant human granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (rG-CSF) has been proven to alleviate the myelosuppression induced by antitumor chemotherapy, it is also believed to stimulate growth of some nonhematopoietic tumor cells. We investigated both the direct and indirect effects of rG-CSF on in vitro colony formation of human bladder cancer cell lines using a modified human tumor clonogenic assay. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were used as feeder cells (a mixture of 5×10⁴ monocytes/dish and 5×10⁵ lymphocytes/dish obtained from healthy donors). Human bladder cancer cell lines KK-47, TCCSUP and T24, all derived from human transitional-cell carcinomas, were incubated continuously with various concentrations of rG-CSF ranging from 0.01 ng/ml to 10 ng/ml both with and without PBMC for 7–21 days. The concentrations of rG-CSF used were chosen as being in the range of achievable serum concentrations in patients treated with rG-CSF. At the end of incubation, colonies were counted under an inverted phase-contrast microscope, and an increase in the number of colonies in comparison with the control was used to evaluate the effects of rG-CSF. Results were expressed as a percentage of controls. rG-CSF in the upper layer at concentrations ranging from 0.1 ng/ml to 10 ng/ml stimulated the colony formation of all the cancer cell lines tested in the absence of PBMC in the feeder layer, whereas cells with PBMC in the feeder layer were significantly stimulated more than those without PBMC in the feeder layer (P<0.05) up to a certain concentration, which varied from cell line to cell line. At higher concentrations of rG-CSF, no further stimulation but, on the contrary, a decrease in colony formation was observed in cells with PBMC in the feeder layer in all the cell lines tested. Colony formation in KK-47 and T24 cell lines was significantly inhibited at 5 ng/ml and/or 10 ng/ml rG-CSF compared with cells without PBMC in the feeder layer. Our results suggest that rG-CSF may have both direct and indirect stimulatory effects on the growth of human bladder cancer cell lines in vitro. The results obtained also raise the possibility of adverse effects of rG-CSF in bladder cancer patients whose malignant cells may be directly and indirectly stimulated by this factor while it is being used clinically to alleviate the myelosuppression induced by antitumor chemotherapy.     

Genomic organization, sequence and polymorphism of the human chromosome 4-specific a-satellite DNA

Two -satellite fragments specific for human chromosome 4 have been cloned and characterized. Under stringent annealing conditions, they hybridized in situ only to the pericentromeric region of chromosome 4, but under nonstringent conditions they hybridized to all chromosomes containing the sequences of -satellite suprachromosomal family 2 (viz., chromosomes 2, 4, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 18, 20, 21 and 22). Southern blot analysis reveals the 3.2-kb higher-order repeated unit which exists in two forms: as a single MspI fragment or a combination of the 2.6-kb and 0.6-kb MspI fragments. The two chromosome-4-specific cloned sequences appear to be different parts of this repeated unit. Taken together they constitute about 60% of its length. The primary structure of the higher-order repeated unit is characterized by a dimeric periodicity of the D1-D2 type which is usual to suprachromosomal family 2. At least in one site this regularity is disrupted by monomer deletion leading to the D2-D2 monomeric order. The most likely mechanism of this monomer excision is homologous unequal crossing-over. These sequences may serve as both cytogenetic and restriction-fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers for the pericentromeric region of chromosome 4.     

Gene technology-based antimetabolite design: the use of an in vitro protein expression system to facilitate antimetabolite design for virally-induced human diseases and malignant conditions

A precondition for the chemotherapeutic treatment of a variety of virally-induced human diseases and malignant conditions is a highly selective interaction of the drug molecule to be used with it's biological target. To ensure the development of novel, effective drugs, it is essential that the biological target is well characterised with regard to it's structure and activity. Such characterisation relies upon adequate amounts of pure target being available. One of the most important enzymatic importers for antimetabolites is the enzyme thymidine kinase. In this article an in vitro protein expression system is described which facilitates the production of milligram amounts of pure and biologically active thymidine kinase, from a number of important biological sources. Results have shown that the in vitro produced enzyme has the exact biochemical propeties of the in vivo enzyme. Thus the in vitro protein expression system is an ideal vechicle to facilitate an in depth investigation of the enzyme's biological properties.     

Enhanced expression of group II phospholipase A2 in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Enzyme activity, protein contents, and mRNA contents of group II phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surgically obtained from 8 patients were compared with those in either its neighboring liver tissues or control liver tissues. The PLA₂ specific activity towards the mixed micelles of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylglycerol and cholate was significantly greater in the tumor tissues (6.62 ± 1.46 nmol/min/mg) than those in the surrounding liver tissues (1.33 ± 0.22 nmol/min/mg) and controls (0.43 ± 0.04 nmol/min/mg). The results of immunoblot analysis using a specific anti-human group II PLA₂ antibody and of Northern blot analysis using a human group II PLA₂ cDNA as a probe demonstrated that group II PLA₂ was responsible for the increased enzyme activity. The contents of immunoreactive group II PLA₂ in the tumor tissues (8.81 ± 1.24 ng/mg) were significantly higher than those in the surrounding liver tissues (1.77 ± 0.27 ng/mg); those in the control tissues were below the analytical range of the method used. The group II PLA₂ mRNA was also significantly increased in the tumor tissues, compared with that in the surrounding liver tissues, whereas it was not detectable in th controls. This indicates that group II PLA₂ in HCC is induced at the pretranslational level.     

旅游生态学—生态学应用的一个新领域

旅游生态学──生态学应用的一个新领域刘鸿雁（北京大学城市与环境学系,１００８７１）ＲｅｃｒｅａｔｉｏｎＥｃｏｌｏｇｙ─—ＡＮｅｗＡｒｅａｏｆＡｐｐｌｉｅｄＥｃｏｌｏｇｙ．￥ＬｉｕＨｏｎｇｙａｎ（ＤｅｐａｒｔｍｅｎｔｏｆＵｒｂａｎａｎｄＥｎｖｉｒｏｎｍ...     

Some substrates and inhibitors of cytosolic epoxide hydrolase induce sister-chromatid exchanges in mammalian cells, but do not induce gene mutations in Salmonella typhimurium and V79 cells

Trans-stilbene oxide, trans-β-methylstyrene, 7,8-oxide, trans-β-ethylstyrene, 7,8-oxide, trans-β-propylstyrene 7,8-oxide and 4-fluorochalcone oxide were investigated for genotoxic activity in bacterial and mammalian cells, in the absence of external xenobiotic-metabolising systems. All compounds strongly enhanced the frequency of sister-chromatid exchanges (SCE) in cultured human lymphocytes. None of them was mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium (reversion of the his⁻ strains TA98, TA100 and TA104). The limit of detection was 1/20,000 to 1/10⁶ of the activity of the positive control, benzo[a]pyrene 4,5-oxide, depending on the compound and the bacterial strain. Trans-β-methylstyrene 7,8-oxide and 4-fluorochalcone oxide were additionally tested for induction of SCE and gene mutations in the same target cells, namely Chinese hamster V79 cells. Their influence on the level of SCE was similar to that observed in human lymphocytes, whilst gene mutations (at the hprt locus) were not induced. The four investigated styrene oxide derivatives are known to be excellent substrates for a mammalian enzyme, cytosolic epoxide hydrolase (cEH). 4-Fluorochalcone oxide is a potent selective inhibitor of this enzyme and is structurally similar to the investigated styrene oxide derivatives. These properties of the test compounds however cannot explain the observed discrepancies in the results, since the genetic end point (SCE versus gene mutations) was decisive, and SCE were induced in cEH-proficient human lymphocytes as well as in cEH-deficient V79 cells.     

High-affinity folate binding in human prostate

Binding of³H-folate in Triton X-100 solubilized human prostate homogenate was of a high-affinity type and displayed apparent positive cooperativity typical of specific folate binding. Radioligand dissociation was slow at pH 7.4, but rapid at pH 3.5. Gel chromatography reveled two major folate binding proteins (M_r100 and 25kDa), but only one single band (M_r65–70 kDa) was detectable on SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting with rabbit-anti human milk folate binding protein. Concentration of folate binding protein in prostate homogenate expressed as maximum³H-folate binding was 1.10 nmol/g protein, and the cross-reactivity with rabbit-anti human milk folate binding protein serum was 15% as determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (median values; n=6).     

Contrasting effects of PACAP and carbachol on [Ca]i and inositol phosphates in human neuroblastoma NB-OK-1 cells

The effects of PACAPs on [Ca²⁺]_i were compared to those of carbachol in human neuroblastoma NB-OK-1 cells. PACAP(1–27) and PACAP(1–38) increased [Ca²⁺]_i in a biphasic manner: a transient rise and a secondary plateau. The transient phase reflected the mobilization of [Ca²⁺]_i pool(s) via the inositol phosphate pathway. The modest sustained plateau required extracellular Ca²⁺. Carbachol also increased [Ca²⁺]_i in a biphasic manner, but it mobilized intracellular Ca²⁺ pool(s) with a higher efficacy than PACAPs, then greatly increased Ca²⁺ entry, this being accompanied by a more marked and prolonged elevation of IP₃ and IP₄ than with PACAPs. It is likely that cAMP-mediated phosphorylations due to PACAPs facilitated desensitization at the PACAP receptor-phospholipase C level, so that there was less Ca²⁺ handling through PACAP receptors than with muscarinic M₁ receptors.     

Existence and Functions of Neurotens in Human Early Placental Villi

ＥｘｉｓｔｅｎｃｅａｎｄＦｕｎｃｔｉｏｎｓｏｆＮｅｕｒｏｔｅｎｓｉｎＨｕｍａｎＥａｒｌｙＰｌａｃｅｎｔａｌＶｉｌｌｉＺＨＡＮＧＣｈｏｎｇ－ｌｉ（张崇理）;ＣＨＥＮＧＬｉ－ｒｅｎ（程丽仁）,ＳＨＥＮＷｅｉ－ｂｉｎ（沈卫斌）;ＹＩＮＨｏｎｇ（殷红）;ＨＵ...