Evidence that de novo protein synthesis participates in a time-dependent augmentation of the chemotactic peptide-induced respiratory burst in neutrophils: Effects of recombinant human colony stimulating factors and dihydrocytochalasin B

We examined the effects of the recombinant human colony stimulating factors GM-CSF and G-CSF, cycloheximide (a protein synthesis inhibitor) and dihydrocytochalasin B (a microfilament disrupting agent) upon FMLP (N-formyl-methionyl-leucylphenylalanine)-stimulated O₂ ⁻ production by neutrophils. We confirmed a time dependent augmentation of O₂ ⁻ production following preincubation of neutrophils either alone or with colony stimulating factors. Furthermore, we found that GM-CSF, but not G-CSF, increased O₂ ⁻ production at some concentrations of the stimulus. Preincubation of neutrophils with cycloheximide in the absence of CSF caused a marked fall in O₂⁻-production that was first evident at 2 hours. The fall in O₂⁻-forming capacity caused by cycloheximide was much less pronounced if dihydrocytochalasin B was also included in the preincubation buffer. These findings suggest a previously unrecognized role for de novo protein synthesis in maintaining the ability of neutrophils to manufacture O₂⁻, and support earlier studies indicating that the cycling of FMLP receptors between the cell membrane and an intracellular compartment is important in determining the magnitude of the respiratory burst in FMLP-stimulated neutrophils.     

Leaf ultrastructure of C4 species possessing different Kranz anatomical types in the cyperaceae

The leaf ultrastructure of NADP-malic enzyme type C₄ species possessing different anatomical features in the Cyperaceae was examined: types were the Rhynchosporoid type, a normal Kranz type in which mesophyll cells are adjacent to Kranz cells, and Fimbristyloid and Chlorocyperoid types, unusual Kranz types in which nonchlorophyllous mestome sheath intervenes between the two types of green cells. They show structural characteristics basically similar to the NADP-malic enzyme group of C₄ grasses, that is, centrifugally located chloroplasts with reduced grana and no increase of mitochondrial frequency in the Kranz cells. However, the Kranz cell chloroplasts of the Fimbristyloid and Chlorocyperoid types exhibit convoluted thylakoid systems and a trend of extensive development of peripheral reticulum, although those of the Rhynchosporoid type do not possess such particular membrane systems. The suberized lamella, probably a barrier for CO₂ diffusion, is present in the Kranz cell walls of the Rhynchosporoid type and in the mestome sheath cell walls of the other two types, and tightly surrounds the Kranz cells (sheaths) that are the sites of the decarboxylation of C₄ acids. These ultrastructural features are discussed in relation to C₄ photosynthetic function.     

猪肺血管紧张素转换酶的提纯

本文报道了猪肺血管紧张素转换酶(ACE)的提纯方法及其鉴定,并讨论了方法的改进。肺匀浆经1.6—2.6mol/L硫酸铵沉淀,Sephadex G-200凝胶过滤,DEAE-Sephaeel及羟基磷灰石柱层析步骤,从168克肺中获得4.5毫克酶蛋白纯品。活力回收45.2％,比活力15.6单位/毫克蛋白;和匀浆上清比较,提纯390倍。经聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(pH8.3)鉴定为一条带。按SDS聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)测得其分子量为132,000道尔顿。酶蛋白在-30℃貯存10月,比活力丢失30％。     

Purification of the Lewis blood-group gene associated α-3/4-fucosyltransferase from human milk: an enzyme transferring fucose primarily to Type 1 and lactose-based oligosaccharide chains

A soluble Lewis blood-group gene associated -3/4-L-fucosyltransferase has been purified from human milk by a series of steps involving hydrophobic chromatography on Phenyl Sepharose 4B, ion exchange chromatography on CM-Sephadex C-50, affinity chromatography on GDP-hexanolamine Sepharose 4B and gel filtration on Sephacryl S-200. The first step separated -3-L-fucosyltransferase activity directed towardsN-acetylglucosamine in Type 2 (Gal1-4GlcNAc-R) acceptors from an -3/4-fucosyltransferase fraction acting on both Type 1 (Gal1-3GlcNAc-R) and Type 2 acceptors. Further purification of this latter fraction on CM-Sephadex and GDP-hexanolamine Sepharose gave a single peak of fucosyltransferase activity that catalysed the addition of fucose toN-acetylglucosamine in both Type 1 and Type 2 acceptors and to theO-3 position of glucose in lactose-based oligosaccharides. The enzyme preparation at this stage resembled previously described -3/4-fucosyltransferase preparations purified from human milk. However, gel filtration of this preparation on Sephacryl S-200 or Sephadex G-150 separated further amounts of -3-fucosyltransferase activity acting solely on Type 2 acceptors and left a residual -3/4-fucosyltransferase that retained strong -4 activity with the Type 1 acceptor, lacto-N-biose 1, and -3 activity with 2-fucosyllactose, but had relatively little -3 activity withN-acetyllactosamine and virtually no capacity to transfer fucose to glycoproteins withN-linked oligosaccharide chains having unsubstituted terminal Type 2 structures.     

Effects of cyclic AMP and butyrate on cell cycle,DNA, RNA,and purine synthesis of cultured astrocytes

Dibutyryl cyclic monophosphate (dBcAMP) has been shown to inhibit growth, and alter the morphology of astrocytes. However, the potential contribution of its hydrolytic product, butyrate, in inducing some of the changes that have been attributed to dBcAMP, is not clear. DNA, RNA, and purine synthesis were therefore studied in primary astrocyte cultures after 24 hours of exposure to varying concentrations of butyrate, dBcAMP, and agents that increase intracellular cAMP levels. Progression of cells through cell cycle was also studied by flow cytometry. Dibutyryl cAMP partially arrested cells in Go/G1 phase of cell cycle while sodium butyrate increased the percentage population of cells in G2/M phase. DNA synthesis and de novo purine synthesis were inhibited after treatment with dBcAMP, sodium butyrate, and various drugs that increase intracellular cAMP levels. RNA synthesis was increased with cAMP but was not affected by sodium butyrate. Our study shows that at millimolar concentrations, butyrate is capable of altering the cell cycle and inhibiting DNA synthesis in primary astrocyte cultures, in a manner that is similar although not identical to the effects of dBcAMP.     

The effect of age on the response of the detrusor to intracellular mechanical stimulus: DNA replication and the cell actin matrix.

Benign prostatic hypertrophy and posterior urethral valves present at both extremes of the age spectrum. Both disease processes can obstruct the urinary stream and ultimately have pathophysiological effects on detrusor structure and function. The mechanisms regulating the structural reorganization of the detrusor to a mechanical outflow obstruction are not known. In an attempt to identify maturational differences in myocyte ultrastructure and consequent effects these might have in modifying the response of the detrusor to mechanical stimulus, we studied differences in dynamic nuclear-cytoskeletal interactions in detrusor tissue in an animal model. Using a drug which specifically severs actin, cytochalasin D (CD), as an intracellular mechanical stimulus, we measured changes in nuclear area and the rate of DNA synthesis in detrusor myocytes from young (2-3 week) and old (8-12 mon) guinea pigs. We found that there were age specific differences to intracellular mechanical stimuli in detrusor muscle. Nuclei of myocytes from young animals showed elastic recoil on severing the cell actin matrix and the tissue from young animals increased replicative DNA synthesis with an intracellular stimulus. In contrast, nuclear shape changes in myocytes from old animals suggested less elasticity, and there was no increase in DNA synthesis with disruption of the cell actin matrix. Anti-alpha-smooth muscle actin antibody and rhodamine phalloidin staining of actin in cytochalasin D treated primary explants of detrusor myocytes showed dose dependent disruption of the actin component of the cytoskeleton. These results suggest that there are fundamental modifications in detrusor myocyte ultrastructure with age. These maturational changes might result in differences in the pathophysiological and structural reorganization of the detrusor in response to outflow obstruction in infancy and adulthood. Furthermore, they suggest that 1) a tensile equilibrium exists between the myocyte nucleus and cytoskeleton; 2) there appears to be a decrease in myocyte nuclear elasticity with ageing; 3) release of nuclear template restrictions increases activity of DNA polymerase alpha in young, but not old, detrusor myocytes; and 4) mechanico-chemical signal transduction in detrusor myocytes may be mediated via the cytoskeleton. In addition, based on previous reports of actin within the nucleus, the results suggest that 1) nuclear actin may have a homeostatic structural role, maintaining the tensile equilibrium between nucleus and cytoskeleton, and 2) integrity of nuclear actin may function to maintain the spatial template restriction on DNA polymerase alpha activity.     

Collagen increases the synthesis of membrane-associated proteoglycans produced by Sertoli cells.

Sertoli cells in culture produce two isoforms of proteoglycans which are found in the culture medium and associated with the cell membrane. The amount of both types of proteoglycans increased when Sertoli cells were plated on type I collagen-coated dishes as compared to uncoated dishes. The effect is due to an increase in the synthesis of proteoglycans rather than a diminished rate of degradation of these molecules. The collagen substrate also affects the distribution of these macromolecules; an increase in the amount of membrane-associated proteoglycans occurs at the expense of the proteoglycans released to the culture medium.     

Regulation of fat body glycogen phosphorylase in larval tobacco hornworm,Manduca sexta

Activation and inactivation of fat body glycogen phosphorylase was investigated in ligated abdomens of larval Manduca sexta and in vitro. After maximal activation through Manduca adipokinetic hormone (AKH) or chilling, inactivation of glycogen phosphorylase commenced as soon as the stimulus for the activation was removed indicating that the enzyme system in the fat body is fine-tuned to low phosphorylase activities which is necessary to allow glycogen synthesis. In intact ligated abdomens phosphorylase can be activated repeatedly by either stimulus showing that the fat body system does not lose its responsiveness. It was impossible to achieve complete conversion of the inactive form of phosphorylase into the active form even after administration of AKH and simultaneous chilling. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Activity of crystalline turkey egg white lysozyme.

Hexagonal crystals of turkey egg white lysozyme have been examined for activity in order to evaluate their potential for use in time-resolved X-ray crystallographic experiments. Substrates used in this study were hexa-N-acetylglucosamine (hexa-GlcNAc) and a modified analogue of hexa-GlcNAc where the terminal sugar ring was opened by reduction with tritiated sodium borohydride. This gave a labeled beta-N-acetylglucosaminitol unit at the sixth position of the sugar chain and allowed easy quantitation of enzymatic cleavage on TLC plates. Using these substrates, it has been shown that turkey egg white lysozyme is enzymatically active in the crystal. Enzyme dispersed in the buffer surrounding the crystal does not show detectable activity under conditions relevant to an X-ray experiment. Unmodified hexa-GlcNAc is hydrolyzed into di-, tri-, and tetrasaccharides in the crystal. This cleavage pattern is different from that obtained with hen egg white lysozyme in solution and likely causes of the differences are discussed. The reduced radiolabeled oligosaccharide has a unique cleavage pattern with trisaccharides as the products. The specific activity of the enzyme with the radiolabelled analogue was 9.8 (+/- 1.0) x 10(-7) mmol/min/mg protein at 22 degrees C in the crystal.     

Effects of the stereochemical orientation of phenethylamines and imidazolines on alpha-adrenergic receptor-mediated DNA synthesis in primary cultured rat hepatocytes.

The hepatic alpha 1-adrenergic receptor mediates a variety of hepatic functions including respiration, glycogenolysis, gluconeogenesis, and growth. We have utilized a rat primary hepatocyte culture system to show that the alpha 1-adrenergic receptor can be activated in a stereoselective manner by a series of phenethylamines and catecholimidazolines resulting in the stimulation of DNA synthesis as determined by [3H]thymidine incorporation. The phenethylamines adhered to the Easson-Stedman hypothesis with a rank order of potency of (-)-(R)-norepinephrine (NE) greater than (+)-(S)-NE greater than the desoxy analog dopamine (DA) for the stimulation of DNA synthesis. However, the 2-substituted catecholimidazolines did not follow this trend and demonstrated an order of potency of the desoxy analog 3,4-dihydroxybenzyl imidazoline (DHT) greater than or equal to (-)-(R)-2-(3,4,alpha-trihydroxybenzyl)imidazoline (TBI) greater than (+)-(S)-TBI. 4-Substituted catecholimidazolines were less potent as inducers of DNA synthesis than the corresponding 2-substituted analogs with an order of potency of (+)-(R)-4-(3,4-dihydroxybenzyl)imidazoline (DBI) greater than (+,-)-(R,S)-DBI greater than (-)-(S)-DBI. When the beta-hydroxyl moiety of NE is replaced with an amino group as in 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylenediamine, the isomers are less active than the beta-hydroxylated analogs and also demonstrate no stereoselectivity for the stimulation of DNA synthesis. These results demonstrate that the hepatic alpha 1-adrenergic receptor can recognize various isomeric forms of these compounds and that hepatocellular growth can be modulated in a stereoselective manner by phenethylamines and imidazolines.