Participation of mitochondrial proliferation in morphological differentiation of murine mastocytoma cells

Proliferation of a cold-sensitive cell-cycle mutant isolated from an undifferentiated murine mastocytoma line is reversibly arrested at the nonpermissive temperature of 33 degrees C, and the arrested cells undergo morphological differentiation as expressed by the formation of metachromatic granules. Following transfer of these mutant cells from the permissive temperature of 39.5 to 33 degrees C, a transient increase in both cytochrome c oxidase and DNA polymerase gamma was observed, the ratio of total mitochondrial volume to cell volume nearly doubled within 6 days, and numbers of mitochondrial cross-sections per cellular cross-section as determined in electron micrographs underwent a threefold increase. Addition of chloramphenicol (100 micrograms/ml) to the mutant cell cultures 6 days prior to transfer from 39.5 to 33 degrees C prevented the increase in the ratio of total mitochondrial to cell volume. Furthermore, chloramphenicol markedly inhibited the increase in granule number per cell that normally is observed after transfer of cultures to 33 degrees C or during treatment with 1 mM butyrate, suggesting that mitochondrial proliferation may be an obligatory step in the process of morphological differentiation of these mastocytoma cells.     

Cytochromec oxidase fromParacoccus denitrificans in Triton X-100: Aggregation state and kinetics

Cytochromec oxidase fromParacoccus denitrificans was homogenously dispersed in Triton X-100. Using gel exclusion chromatography and sucrose gradient centrifugation analysis a molecular weight of the detergent-protein complex of 155,000 was determined. After subtraction of the bound detergent (111 mol/mol hemeaa ₃) a molecular weight of 85,000 resulted, which agreed well with the model of a monomer containing two subunits. This monomer showed high cytochromec oxidase activity when measured spectrophotometrically in the presence of Triton X-100 (V _max=85 s^–1). The molecular activity, plotted according to Eadie-Hofstee, was monophasic as a function of the cytochromec concentration. AK _m of 3.6×10^–6 M was evaluated, similar to theK _m observed in the presence of dodecyl maltoside [Naeczet al. (1985).Biochim. Biophys. Acta 808, 259–272].     

Effect of metabolic control on urinary excretion and plasma levels of catecholamines in diabetics.

Urinary excretion and plasma levels of catecholamines were determined in 20 normal and 39 diabetic subjects to evaluate the sympathetic activity. Diabetic patients were divided into 4 groups according to the metabolic control. Sympathetic activity showed no differences between normal and subjects with chemical diabetes (group I, n = 5). In insulin-treated diabetics in good metabolic control (group II, n = 11) only urinary excretion of free norepinephrine was significantly higher than normals (p less than .05). In insulin-treated diabetics in poor metabolic control (group III, n = 16) urinary excretion and plasma levels of norepinephrine showed a marked increase over groups I and II (p less than .001). In insulin-treated diabetics with ketosis (group IV, n = 7) urinary excretion and plasma levels of both norepinephrine and epinephrine showed the highest values (p less than .001 and less than .1). Finally, in groups III and IV, after achieving improved metabolic control, a significant decrease of urinary excretion and plasma levels of catecholamines was observed. The results confirm that there is an increased rate of catecholamine release in poorly controlled diabeties and suggest a close correlation between sympathetic activity and metabolic derangement in diabetes.     

Therapeutical application of artificial beta-cell in surgery and obstetrics.

An artificial beta-cell (Biostator) was used to control blood glucose concentration in six insulin-dependent diabetics who underwent surgical procedures and in five diabetic women during both vaginal childbirth and Caesarian section. In all cases, an optimal glycometabolic control was achieved before, during, and after surgery and delivery.     

Cardioprotection involves activation of NF-kappa B via PKC-dependent tyrosine and serine phosphorylation of I kappa B-alpha

Previous studies indicated that activation of PKC and Src tyrosine kinases by ischemic preconditioning (PC) may participate in the activation of NF-kappa B. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying activation of NF-kappa B during ischemic PC remain unknown. In the hearts of conscious rabbits, it was found that ischemic PC (6 cycles of 4-min coronary occlusion and 4-min reperfusion) significantly induced both tyrosine (+226.9 +/- 42%) and serine (+137.0 +/- 36%) phosphorylation of the NF-kappa B inhibitory protein I kappa B-alpha, concomitant with increased activation of the I kappa B-alpha kinases IKK alpha (+255.0 +/- 46%) and IKK beta (+173.1 +/- 35%). Furthermore, both tyrosine and serine phosphorylation of I kappa B-alpha were blocked by pretreatment with either the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor lavendustin-A (LD-A) or the PKC inhibitor chelerythrine (Che) (both given at doses previously shown to block ischemic PC). Interestingly, Che completely abolished PC-induced activation of IKK alpha/beta, whereas LD-A had no effect. In addition, I kappa B-alpha protein level did not change during ischemic PC. Together, these data indicate that ischemic PC-induced activation of NF-kappa B occurs through both tyrosine and serine phosphorylation of I kappa B-alpha and is regulated by nonreceptor tyrosine kinases and PKC.     

Safety of Intracoronary Infusion of 20 Million C-Kit Positive Human Cardiac Stem Cells in Pigs

Background

There is mounting interest in using c-kit positive human cardiac stem cells (c-kit^pos hCSCs) to repair infarcted myocardium in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. A recent phase I clinical trial (SCIPIO) has shown that intracoronary infusion of 1 million hCSCs is safe. Higher doses of CSCs may provide superior reparative ability; however, it is unknown if doses >1 million cells are safe. To address this issue, we examined the effects of 20 million hCSCs in pigs.

Methods

Right atrial appendage samples were obtained from patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The tissue was processed by an established protocol with eventual immunomagnetic sorting to obtain in vitro expanded hCSCs. A cumulative dose of 20 million cells was given intracoronarily to pigs without stop flow. Safety was assessed by measurement of serial biomarkers (cardiac: troponin I and CK-MB, renal: creatinine and BUN, and hepatic: AST, ALT, and alkaline phosphatase) and echocardiography pre- and post-infusion. hCSC retention 30 days after infusion was quantified by PCR for human genomic DNA. All personnel were blinded as to group assignment.

Results

Compared with vehicle-treated controls (n=5), pigs that received 20 million hCSCs (n=9) showed no significant change in cardiac function or end organ damage (assessed by organ specific biomarkers) that could be attributed to hCSCs (P>0.05 in all cases). No hCSCs could be detected in left ventricular samples 30 days after infusion.

Conclusions

Intracoronary infusion of 20 million c-kit positive hCSCs in pigs (equivalent to ~40 million hCSCs in humans) does not cause acute cardiac injury, impairment of cardiac function, or liver and renal injury. These results have immediate translational value and lay the groundwork for using doses of CSCs >1 million in future clinical trials. Further studies are needed to ascertain whether administration of >1 million hCSCs is associated with greater efficacy in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.     

The cardioprotection of the late phase of ischemic preconditioning is enhanced by postconditioning via a COX-2-mediated mechanism in conscious rats

The present study sought to determine whether the combination of late preconditioning (PC) with postconditioning enhances the reduction in infarct size. Chronically instrumented rats were assigned to a 45-min (subset 1) or 60-min (subset 2) coronary occlusion followed by 24 h of reperfusion. In each subset, rats received no further intervention (control) or were preconditioned 24 h before occlusion (PC), postconditioned at the onset of reperfusion following occlusion, or preconditioned and postconditioned without (PC + postconditioning) or with the COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (3 mg/kg ip; PC + postconditioning + celecoxib) 10 min before postconditioning. Myocardial cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression and COX-2 activity (assessed as myocardial levels of PGE(2)) were measured 6 min after reperfusion in an additional five groups (control, PC, postconditioning, PC + postconditioning, and PC + postconditioning + celecoxib) subjected to a 45-min occlusion. PC alone reduced infarct size after a 45-min occlusion but not after a 60-min occlusion. Postconditioning alone did not reduce infarct size in either setting. However, the combination of late PC and postconditioning resulted in a robust infarct-sparing effect in both settings, suggesting additive cardioprotection. Celecoxib completely abrogated the infarct-sparing effect of the combined interventions in both settings. Late PC increased COX-2 protein expression and PGE(2) content. PGE(2) content (but not COX-2 protein) was further increased by the combination of both interventions, suggesting that postconditioning increases the activity of COX-2 induced by late PC. In conclusion, the combination of late PC and postconditioning produces additive protection, likely due to a postconditioning-induced enhancement of COX-2 activity.     

CRYAB and HSPB2 deficiency alters cardiac metabolism and paradoxically confers protection against myocardial ischemia in aging mice

The abundantly expressed small molecular weight proteins, CRYAB and HSPB2, have been implicated in cardioprotection ex vivo. However, the biological roles of CRYAB/HSPB2 coexpression for either ischemic preconditioning and/or protection in situ remain poorly defined. Wild-type (WT) and age-matched ( approximately 5-9 mo) CRYAB/HSPB2 double knockout (DKO) mice were subjected either to 30 min of coronary occlusion and 24 h of reperfusion in situ or preconditioned with a 4-min coronary occlusion/4-min reperfusion x 6, before similar ischemic challenge (ischemic preconditioning). Additionally, WT and DKO mice were subjected to 30 min of global ischemia in isolated hearts ex vivo. All experimental groups were assessed for area at risk and infarct size. Mitochondrial respiration was analyzed in isolated permeabilized cardiac skinned fibers. As a result, DKO mice modestly altered heat shock protein expression. Surprisingly, infarct size in situ was reduced by 35% in hearts of DKO compared with WT mice (38.8 +/- 17.9 vs. 59.8 +/- 10.6% area at risk, P < 0.05). In DKO mice, ischemic preconditioning was additive to its infarct-sparing phenotype. Similarly, infarct size after ischemia and reperfusion ex vivo was decreased and the production of superoxide and creatine kinase release was decreased in DKO compared with WT mice (P < 0.05). In permeabilized fibers, ADP-stimulated respiration rates were modestly reduced and calcium-dependent ATP synthesis was abrogated in DKO compared with WT mice. In conclusion, contrary to expectation, our findings demonstrate that CRYAB and HSPB2 deficiency induces profound adaptations that are related to 1) a reduction in calcium-dependent metabolism/respiration, including ATP production, and 2) decreased superoxide production during reperfusion. We discuss the implications of these disparate results in the context of phenotypic responses reported for CRYAB/HSPB2-deficient mice to different ischemic challenges.     

Ibuprofen binding to secondary sites allosterically modulates the spectroscopic and catalytic properties of human serum heme-albumin

The ibuprofen primary binding site FA3-FA4 is located in domain III of human serum albumin (HSA), the secondary clefts FA2 and FA6 being sited in domains I and II. Here, the thermodynamics of ibuprofen binding to recombinant Asp1-Glu382 truncated HSA (tHSA)-heme-Fe(III) and nitrosylated tHSA-heme-Fe(II), encompassing domains I and II only, is reported. Moreover, the allosteric effect of ibuprofen on the kinetics of tHSA-heme-Fe(III)-mediated peroxynitrite isomerization and nitrosylated tHSA-heme-Fe(II) denitrosylation has been investigated. The present data indicate, for the first time, that the allosteric modulation of tHSA-heme and HSA-heme reactivity by ibuprofen depends mainly on drug binding to the FA2 and FA6 secondary sites rather than drug association with the FA3-FA4 primary cleft. Thus, tHSA is a valuable model with which to investigate the allosteric linkage between the heme cleft FA1 and the ligand-binding pockets FA2 and FA6, all located in domains I and II of (t)HSA.