Disappearance of terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase in human malignant T-lymphoblasts treated with a human alpha interferon preparation

Human T-lymphoblastoid cell lines RPMI 8402, MOLT-3, and CCRF-CEM were treated with interferon (IFN) to determine if the treatment would result in the disappearance of cellular terminaldeoxynucleotidyltransferase (TdT), a possible differentiation marker for T-lymphocytes. Incubation of RPMI 8402 cells in the presence of IFN preparation caused a decrease in the number of TdT-positive cells and in TdT activity of the cell extract. The inhibition of cell multiplication was dose dependent. The anticellular effect of IFN preparation was cytostatic, not cytocidal. The IFN preparation modified neither the TdT content nor proliferation of MOLT-3 and CCRF-CEM cell lines. The effects of IFN preparation thus varied with the cell line.     

Multiple forms of calpastatin in pig brain

Pig brain was found to contain two calpain-specific, heat-stable inhibitory fractions which could be separated by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. CS-0.1, which was eluted from the column at 0.1 M NaCl, was identified as an ordinary, well-known calpastatin. CS-0.2, eluted at 0.2 M NaCl, was different from CS-0.1 in that it inhibited calpain 1 more strongly than calpain II and that it did not cross-react with anti-calpastatin antibodies. Partial purification indicated that CS-0.2 contained inhibitor proteins smaller than ordinary calpastatin, but whether they are the products derived from CS-0.1 or entirely different genetic products has not yet been determined.     

The direct activation of human multidrug resistance gene (MDR1) by anticancer agents

Enhanced expression of a multidrug-resistance gene (MDR1) is observed in some cancer patient, but any regulatory mechanisms of MDR1 gene expression in this phenomenon is not yet known. In this study, the regulation of MDR1 gene was analysed by transient expression assays in the presence of anticancer agents. We found that MDR1 promoter could be activated directly on the addition of anticancer agents including vincristine, daunomycin, adriamycin and colchicine. The results suggest that the level of MDR1 mRNA expression is associated with previous chemotherapy, including drugs that select the multidrug resistance phenotype.     

Functions of the COOH-terminal region of cyclodextrin glucanotransferase of alkalophilic Bacillus sp. #1011: relation to catalyzing activity and pH stability

Cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (beta-CGTase) of alkalophilic Bacillus sp. #1011 degrades starch to mainly beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD). This enzyme is considered to contain an extra-polypeptide in its COOH-terminal region in addition to its NH2-terminal domain which exhibits the starch-degrading activity. To analyze the functions of this extra-polypeptide in the beta-CGTase, two mutated enzymes, in which DNA regions encoding 10 or 13 amino acids from the COOH-terminus were deleted, were obtained. The mutated enzymes degraded starch to glucose, maltooligosaccharides and alpha-CD, in addition to beta-CD. Furthermore, the pH stability of the mutated enzymes in the alkaline pH range (pH 9-11) was reduced.     

Ischemic flow threshold for striatal dopamine release in rats

To determine the level of cerebral blood flow reduction which causes striatal dopamine release, extracellular dopamine and cerebral blood flow was simultaneously determined using in vivo brain dialysis and a hydrogen clearance method, respectively, in the striatum of spontaneously hypertensive rats, before and during experimental cerebral ischemia. The ischemic flow threshold for neurotransmitter dopamine release was found to be 20% of the resting value or 8–10 ml/100g/min of cerebral blood flow, being similar to those for energy and membrane failures.     

Structure of the horseradish peroxidase isozyme C genes

We have isolated, cloned and characterized three cDNAs and two genomic DNAs corresponding to the mRNAs and genes for the horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) peroxidase isoenzyme C (HPR C). The amino acid sequence of HRP C1, deduced from the nucleotide sequence of one of the cDNA clone, pSK1, contained the same primary sequence as that of the purified enzyme established by Welinder [FEBS Lett. 72, 19-23 (1976)] with additional sequences at the N and C terminal. All three inserts in the cDNA clones, pSK1, pSK2 and pSK3, coded the same size of peptide (308 amino acid residues) if these are processed in the same way, and the amino acid sequence were homologous to each other by 91-94%. Functional amino acids, including His40, His170, Tyr185 and Arg183 and S-S-bond-forming Cys, were conserved in the three isozymes, but a few N-glycosylation sites were not the same. Two HRP C isoenzyme genomic genes, prxC1 and prxC2, were tandem on the chromosomal DNA and each gene consisted of four exons and three introns. The positions in the exons interrupted by introns were the same in two genes. We observed a putative promoter sequence 5' upstream and a poly(A) signal 3' downstream in both genes. The gene product of prxC1 might be processed with a signal sequence of 30 amino acid residues at the N terminus and a peptide consisting of 15 amino acid residues at the C terminus.     

Clostridium absonum from gas gangrene

A Clostridium perfringens-like strain was isolated from a case of gas gangrene. The morphological properties and the lecithinase reaction of the isolate were very similar to those of C. perfringens; however, the lecithinase reaction was only slightly suppressed by C. perfringens alpha-antitoxin serum and the organism was identified as Clostridium absonum from its biochemical properties.     

A note on a theoretical study of erythrocyte sedimentation in inclined tubes

The expression for the sedimentation rate in inclined tubes given by Nakamura et al (Nakamura, H. and Kuroda, K. Keijo J. Med. 8, 256-296, 1937) is improved to be applicable to the problem that the falling velocity of a particle from the top wall of the tube v' differs from the one from the interface between the particle free layer and the suspended layer v. The effects of the shape at the bottom of the tube and the increase in height of the layer closely packed with particles are taken into account.     

Effect of esterastin, an acid lipase inhibitor, on the free and esterified cholesterol contents of cultured aortic smooth muscle cells treated with LDL and cholesterol ester liquid crystals

The effects of esterastin, an acid lipase inhibitor, on the free and esterified cholesterol contents of cultured smooth muscle cells from pig aorta were examined. The post-nuclear supernatant fraction of the cell homogenate showed maximum acid cholesterol esterase activity at pH 4.5, and 50% of this activity was inhibited by 0.31 microM esterastin. During a 48 h incubation with esterastin, the esterified cholesterol content of the cells increased to about 13 times that of control cells in the presence of low density lipoprotein and to 7 times that of control cells in the presence of cholesterol oleate liquid crystals. The ratio of esterified to free cholesterol also increased to about 5 times the control value in both conditions.     

Proton translocating ATPase in lysosomal membrane ghosts. Evidence that alkaline Mg2+-ATPase acts as a proton pump

Membrane ghosts were prepared from purified lysosomes (tritosomes) of rat liver by hypo-osmotic treatment. Mg2+-ATP-driven acidification was observed in the membrane ghosts using acridine orange as a fluorescent probe of the transmembrane pH gradient (delta pH). Its properties were the same as those of intact lysosomes reported previously (Ohkuma, S., Moriyama, Y., & Takano, T. (1982) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S. 79, 2758-2762; Moriyama, Y., Takano, T., & Ohkuma, S. (1982) J. Biochem. 92, 1333-1336). The H+-pump was found to be electrogenic with use of bis(3-phenyl-5-oxoisoxasol-4-yl)pentamethine oxonol as a fluorescent membrane potential probe. Alkaline Mg2+-ATPase activity was also identified on the membranes. It showed a pH maximum of pH 8.0-8.5, a Km value for ATP of 0.36 mM and a Vmax of 0.41 units/mg protein at 30 degrees C. Its activity was inhibited by dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, tri-n-butyltin, azide and ADP, but not by ouabain or vanadate. It differed from mitochondrial F1F0-ATPase in sensitivities to N-ethylmaleimide, 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole, quercetin, and oligomycin. Since this alkaline Mg2+-ATPase activity is very similar to the H+-pump activity in its requirement for divalent cations, substrate specificity and sensitivities to various chemicals, it may act as a proton translocase (H+-pump). Possible mechanisms of action of some chemicals, such as 4-acetamide-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid, that inhibited the H+-pump but not the alkaline Mg2+-ATPase, are discussed.