Ecto-nucleotide triphosphatase activity of human lymphocytes: studies of normal and CLL lymphocytes

We have studied the apparent kinetic parameters of the ecto-nucleotide triphosphatase from CLL B lymphocytes and compared them to blood and tonsillar B and T cells. The Vmax of the ecto-ATPase activity in CLL B lymphocytes, was 65 +/- 10 fmol Pi/cell per 30 min compared to 37 +/- 2.1 in blood B lymphocytes, and 8.5 +/- 1.7 in blood T lymphocytes. The ATPase of membranes prepared from CLL, tonsillar B and T, and blood T lymphocytes had a relationship among the cell types similar to that seen in intact cells. However, no difference in the km for ATP, .17 mM, or the km for magnesium, .15 mM was found in the ecto-ATPase of CLL lymphocytes as compared to blood or tonsillar B cells. The ectoenzyme of CLL cells hydrolyzed GTP, ITP, CTP, and UTP as well as ATP. Further, ATP added to an enzyme assay containing an alternative nucleotide did not result in increased phosphate release. Nucleotide acceptance of blood B and T lymphocytes was very similar to that of CLL B cells. ATP inhibited phosphate release when present in excess of magnesium in both CLL and blood B lymphocytes. These data indicate that there is greater ectonucleotide triphosphatase activity in tonsillar and blood B lymphocytes, including CLL, as compared either to blood or tonsillar T lymphocytes. However, CLL cells showed no qualitative difference from blood or tonsillar B cells in ectonucleotidase activity. Thus, the higher activity in CLL cells is "B cell-like" and might reflect, also, their maturation stage or monoclonal origin.     

A multicomponent analysis of amino acid transport systems in human lymphocytes. 1. Kinetic parameters of the A and L systems and pathways of uptake of naturally occurring amino acids in blood lymphocytes

We have determined the kinetic parameters of natural and system-specific synthetic amino acid transport by human blood lymphocytes, using a multi-component computer analysis that separates carrier-mediated uptake from diffusion. These studies were initiated in order to provide the basis for studies of human blood T and B lymphocytes and malignant lymphocytes. Methylaminoisobutyric acid (methyl-AIB) and 2-amino-2-carboxy-bicyclo (2,2,1) heptane (BCH) uptakes into lymphocytes were measured as prototypes of A- and L-system amino acid transport. The Michaelis constant for methyl-AIB uptake was 540 microM; the maximal velocity of uptake was 28 mumol/L cell water/min, and the diffusion coefficient was .004 min-1. In contrast, the Michaelis constant for BCH uptake was 63 microM; the maximal velocity was 969 mumol/L cell water/min, and the diffusion coefficient was .141 min-1. The transport of the naturally occurring amino acids, alanine, proline, and leucine was defined by studies of: (1) competitive inhibition with the system-specific synthetic amino acids, methyl-AIB and BCH, (2) the effect of the transcellular sodium gradient on transport, and (3) evaluation of the time-dependent increase of transport in amino acid-deficient medium (adaptation). Alanine was transported principally (approximately 70%) by the ASC-system, and leucine was transported principally (70%) by the L-system in lymphocytes. The analysis of proline transport was more complex because of a large component of uptake by diffusion even at low amino acid concentrations. Taken together, the kinetics of sodium-sensitive uptake and the results of competitive inhibition studies indicated that proline was transported by the A-system (30%), the ASC system (30%), and also by the L-system (15%).     

Cell-specific localization of insulin-like growth factor binding protein mRNAs in rat liver

The liver is a major source of circulating insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), and it also synthesizes several classes of IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs). Synthesis of IGF-I and IGFBPs is regulated by hormones, growth factors, and cytokines. They are nutritionally regulated and expressed in developmentally specific patterns. To gain insight into cellular regulatory mechanisms that determine hepatic synthesis of IGF-I and IGFBPs and to identify potential target cells for IGF-I within the liver, we studied the cellular sites of synthesis of IGF-I, IGF receptor, growth hormone (GH) receptor, and IGFBPs in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes, endothelial cells, and Kupffer cells. We also localized cellular sites of IGFBP synthesis by in situ hybridization histochemistry. Western ligand and immunoblot analyses were used to determine IGFBP secretion by isolated cells. Two IGF-I mRNA subtypes with different 5' ends (class 1 and class 2) were detected in all isolated liver cell preparations. Type 1 IGF receptor mRNA was detected in endothelial cells, indicating that these cells are a local target for IGF actions in liver. GH receptor was expressed in all cell preparations, consistent with GH regulation of IGF-I and IGFBP synthesis in multiple liver cell types. The IGFBPs expressed striking cell-specific expression. IGFBP-1 was synthesized only in hepatocytes, and IGFBP-3 was expressed in Kupffer and endothelial cells. IGFBP-4 was expressed at high levels in hepatocytes and at low levels in Kupffer and endothelial cells. Cell-specific expression of distinct IGFBPs in the liver provides the potential for cell-specific regulation of hepatic and endocrine actions of IGF-I.     

Shared resistance to aging and ALS in neuromuscular junctions of specific muscles

Normal aging and neurodegenerative diseases both lead to structural and functional alterations in synapses. Comparison of synapses that are generally similar but respond differently to insults could provide the basis for discovering mechanisms that underlie susceptibility or resistance to damage. Here, we analyzed skeletal neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) in 16 mouse muscles to seek such differences. We find that muscles respond in one of three ways to aging. In some, including most limb and trunk muscles, age-related alterations to NMJs are progressive and extensive during the second postnatal year. NMJs in other muscles, such as extraocular muscles, are strikingly resistant to change. A third set of muscles, including several muscles of facial expression and the external anal sphinter, succumb to aging but not until the third postnatal year. We asked whether susceptible and resistant muscles differed in rostrocaudal or proximodistal position, source of innervation, motor unit size, or fiber type composition. Of these factors, muscle innervation by brainstem motor neurons correlated best with resistance to age-related decline. Finally, we compared synaptic alterations in normally aging muscles to those in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Patterns of resistance and susceptibility were strikingly correlated in the two conditions. Moreover, damage to NMJs in aged muscles correlated with altered expression and distribution of CRMP4a and TDP-43, which are both altered in motor neurons affected by ALS. Together, these results reveal novel structural, regional and molecular parallels between aging and ALS.     

Novel bioactive metabolites of dipyrone (metamizol)

Dipyrone is a common antipyretic drug and the most popular non-opioid analgesic in many countries. In spite of its long and widespread use, molecular details of its fate in the body are not fully known. We administered dipyrone orally to mice. Two unknown metabolites were found, viz. the arachidonoyl amides of the known major dipyrone metabolites, 4-methylaminoantipyrine (2) and 4-aminoantipyrine (3). They were identified by ESI-LC-MS/MS after extraction from the CNS, and comparison with reference substances prepared synthetically. The arachidonoyl amides were positively tested for cannabis receptor binding (CB(1) and CB(2)) and cyclooxygenase inhibition (COX-1 and COX-2 in tissues and as isolated enzymes), suggesting that the endogenous cannabinoid system may play a role in the effects of dipyrone against pain.     

The effects of ouabain on the cell mitotic cycle of mouse lymphoblasts

The inhibition of cell proliferation by ouabain has been analyzed with respect to the cell cycle. Three lines of evidence indicate that growth rate is modified by altering to different degrees the rate of progress through stages of the cell cycle: (1) a three hour lag occurs between the time of ouabain addition and the inhibition of proliferation; (2) ouabain must be present at least two to four hours prior to the mitotic burst of synchronized cells for inhibition of mitosis to occur; (3) parasynchrony is observed when cells are resuspended in ouabain-free medium after 12 hours of exposure to ouabain. Analysis of the distribution of cells in each of the stages of the cell cycle at various times during ouabain treatment reveals a progressive increase in the fraction of cells in S with a concomitant decrease in the percent of cells in each of the other stages. These results indicate that the prolongation of the cell cycle time in the presence of ouabain is due primarily to an S stage block.     

Seeing circuits assemble

Developmental neurobiology has been greatly invigorated by a recent string of breakthroughs in molecular biology and optical physics that permit direct in vivo observation of neural circuit assembly. The imaging done thus far suggests that as brains are built, a significant amount of unbuilding is also occurring. We offer the view that this tumult is the result of the intersecting behaviors of the many single-celled creatures (i.e., neurons, glia, and progenitors) that inhabit brains. New tools will certainly be needed if we wish to monitor the myriad cooperative and competitive interactions at play in the cellular society that builds brains.     

Semi-Automated Reconstruction of Neural Processes from Large Numbers of Fluorescence Images

We introduce a method for large scale reconstruction of complex bundles of neural processes from fluorescent image stacks. We imaged yellow fluorescent protein labeled axons that innervated a whole muscle, as well as dendrites in cerebral cortex, in transgenic mice, at the diffraction limit with a confocal microscope. Each image stack was digitally re-sampled along an orientation such that the majority of axons appeared in cross-section. A region growing algorithm was implemented in the open-source Reconstruct software and applied to the semi-automatic tracing of individual axons in three dimensions. The progression of region growing is constrained by user-specified criteria based on pixel values and object sizes, and the user has full control over the segmentation process. A full montage of reconstructed axons was assembled from the ∼200 individually reconstructed stacks. Average reconstruction speed is ∼0.5 mm per hour. We found an error rate in the automatic tracing mode of ∼1 error per 250 um of axonal length. We demonstrated the capacity of the program by reconstructing the connectome of motor axons in a small mouse muscle.