Cancer Cell Analyses at the Single Cell-Level Using Electroactive Microwell Array Device

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), shed from primary tumors and disseminated into peripheral blood, are playing a major role in metastasis. Even after isolation of CTCs from blood, the target cells are mixed with a population of other cell types. Here, we propose a new method for analyses of cell mixture at the single-cell level using a microfluidic device that contains arrayed electroactive microwells. Dielectrophoretic (DEP) force, induced by the electrodes patterned on the bottom surface of the microwells, allows efficient trapping and stable positioning of single cells for high-throughput biochemical analyses. We demonstrated that various on-chip analyses including immunostaining, viability/apoptosis assay and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) at the single-cell level could be conducted just by applying specific reagents for each assay. Our simple method should greatly help discrimination and analysis of rare cancer cells among a population of blood cells.     

Mechanisms involved in the cellular uptake of hematoporphyrin by rat hepatoma cells

To clarify the mechanisms involved in the specific uptake of hematoporphyrin by cancer cells, we investigated the interaction of the heme- and/or hematoporphyrin-hemopexin complexes with rat hepatoma dRLh-84 cells. Hemopexin bound to the cells in a saturable, time- and temperature-dependent manner. The cells exhibited 0.55 nmol of binding sites/mg of protein for the heme-hemopexin complex and 0.38 nmol for the hematoporphyrin-hemopexin complex. The dissociation constants (Kd) for the heme-hemopexin and hematoporphyrin-hemopexin complexes were 0.57 and 0.54 microM, respectively. Specific binding of the labeled hemopexin was inhibited by the unlabeled heme- and hematoporphyrin-hemopexin complexes but was unaffected by albumin or neoglycoprotein. Hematoporphyrin bound to hemopexin was incorporated into the cells at 37 degrees C, but not at 4 degrees C. These results indicate that hematoporphyrin bound hemopexin was taken up by dRLh-84 cells, via the hemopexin receptors. When the hematoporphyrin-albumin complex was incubated with the cells, the hematoporphyrin-[125I]albumin complex bound to the cells in a time and temperature-dependent manner. Here the binding was not saturated up to 100 micrograms/ml of albumin. The binding of hematoporphyrin-[125I]albumin was partially inhibited by unlabeled albumin and hemopexin. Hematoporphyrin bound to albumin was taken up by the cells at 37 degrees C. Thus, the albumin-dependent uptake of hematoporphyrin by rat hepatoma dRL-84 cells could be differentiated from the hemopexin-mediated uptake of hematoporphyrin.     

DNA sequencing of the Escherichia coli ribonuclease III gene and its mutations

Summary A 0.7 kb DNA fragment of the Escherichia coli K12 chromosome was shown to contain the structural gene for RNAse III (rnc). The DNA sequence of the gene was determined and its alteration in an RNAse III defective mutant, AB301-105, was identified. DNA sequence analysis also showed that a secondary-site suppressor of a temperature-sensitive mutation in the E. coli ribosomal protein gene, rpsL, occurred within the rnc gene, providing genetic evidence for the interaction of ribosomal proteins with RNAse III, which in turn acts on the nascent ribosomal RNA during assembly of ribosomes in E. coli.     

Suppressors of temperature-sensitive mutations in a ribosomal protein gene, rpsL (S12), of Escherichia coli K12

Summary Temperature-sensitive (ts) mutations were isolated within a ribosomal protein gene (rpsL) of Escherichia coli K12. Mutations were mapped by complementation using various transducing phages and plasmids carrying the rpsL gene, having either a normal or a defective promoter for the rpsL operon. One of these mutations, ts118, resulted in a mutant S12 protein which behaved differently from the wild-type S12 on CM-cellulose column chromatography. Suppressors of these ts mutations were isolated and characterized; one was found to be a mutation of a nonribosomal protein gene which was closely linked to the RNAase III gene on the E. coli chromosome. This suppressor, which was recessive to its wild-type allele, was cloned into a transducing phage and mapped finely. A series of cold-sensitive mutations, affecting the assembly of ribosomes at 20°C, was isolated within the purL to nadB region of the E. coli chromosome and one group, named rbaA, mapped at the same locus as the suppressor mutation, showing close linkage to the RNAase III gene.     

Expression and phosphorylation of transferrin receptors in mitogen-activated peripheral blood lymphocytes

Expression of transferrin receptors of cultured human lymphocytes has been investigated by using monoclonal antibody (5E9) specific for human transferrin receptors. When isolated lymphocytes were cultured in a medium containing fetal calf serum, the biosynthesis of transferrin receptor was barely detectable. The addition of concanavalin A or human serum to the medium caused a slight stimulation of the biosynthesis. The addition of concanavalin A and human serum in combination caused the highest biosynthetic activity. Appearance of the receptor on the cell surface increased in parallel with the degree of the synthesis. Treatment of concanavalin A- and human serum-treated cells with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) resulted in a marked stimulation of the phosphorylation of the receptor. Enhancement of phosphorylation occurred within 20 min after the addition of TPA. The density of the receptor on the cell surface slightly increased upon TPA treatment of cells, and the treatment was without effect on iron incorporation from transferrin into the cells. The density of newly synthesized receptor in TPA-treated cells was similar to that in non-treated cells. These results indicated that TPA treatment of mitogen-activated human lymphocytes stimulated the phosphorylation of transferrin receptors, but TPA had no effect on the expression of the receptors thereafter.     

In vitro establishment of human fibroblasts of lysosomal diseases,GM1-gangliosidosis and Sandhoff disease,by transformation with origin-minus SV40 DNA

The permanent human cell lines preserving defects of lysosomal enzymes, G_M1-1019-SV and SA-1077-SV, were established from the respective fibroblasts from patients with G_Ml-gangliosidosis and Sandhoff disease by transfection with replication origin-minus simian virus 40 DNA. These ceils grow rapidly without entering senescence during more than 120 population doublings. The activity of -galactosidase in G_M1-1019-SV and of B-N-acetylhexosaminidase in SA-1077-SV was respectively 40- and 180-fold lower than that of normal fibroblasts.     

Assignment of the gene locus for the sixth component (C6) of complement in mice to chromosome 15

A structural locus (C-6) for the sixth component of complement in mice is assigned to chromosome 15. Three-point linkage analysis indicated that the order of loci is C-6, Gpt-1, Gdc-1, and that the map distances are 25.9±4.9 between C-6 and Gpt-1, and 36.4±5.5 between C-6 and Gdc-1. Since Gdc-1 is more distal than Gpt-1, and C-6 is 26 cM away from Gpt-1, it is estimated that the C-6 is proximal to the centromere. In addition, a new C6 form found in AKR mice is described. We propose the designation C6B for it and C-6 ^b for the allele encoding C6B.Abbreviations used in this paper IEF isoelectric focusing - GPT glutamic-pyruvic transaminase - GDC L-glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase - cM centimorgan     

Possible physiological role of epidermal growth factor in the development of the mouse mammary gland during pregnancy

Epidermal growth factor stimulated cell proliferation in a primary mammary epithelial cell culture derived from mice at different stages of pregnancy. Moreover, the peptide hormone inhibited casein production induced by the synergistic actions of insulin, cortisol and prolactin. The inhibitory effect of epidermal growth factor was influenced by the gestational stages of the mammary gland. These effects of epidermal growth factor were exerted at physiological concentrations. The dual actions of epidermal growth factor on mammary cells implicate its participation in regulation of the growth and differentiation of the mammary gland during pregnancy.