Electron-microscopic and immunocytochemical analyses of Weibel-Palade bodies in the human umbilical vein during pregnancy

Summary The present study was done to elucidate the biological significance of the Weibel-Palade body of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Quantitative determinations of these endothelial-specific granules throughout pregnancy revealed that their numbers and size per cell profile were maintained at low levels from 12 to 19 weeks of gestation; then both rapidly increased from 33 weeks to full term. This increase coincided with the development of the rough endoplasmic reticulum and an increase in the number of endothelial cell pinocytotic vesicles. Light-microscopic peroxidase anti-peroxidase and electron-microscopic protein A-gold techniques provided evidence that factor VIII-related antigen was localized in the Weibel-Palade bodies. Furthermore, in vitro treatment of incubated umbilical vein tissue with compound 48/80, a histamine releaser, induced degranulation of Weibel-Palade bodies from the endothelium. The present study indicates that Weibel-Palade bodies are storage sites of both histamine and factor VIII-related antigen and have an important role in the obliteration of this vessel.     

Rabbit autoantibodies to actin induced by immunization with modified homologous actins

Actin is a major antigen involved in the reaction of smooth muscle antibody positive sera from patients with chronic active hepatitis. In the present study, actin extracted from rabbit skeletal muscle was denatured by sodium dodecyl sulfate and was immunized into the rabbit, a homologous animal for actin. The rabbits, thus immunized, produced antibodies reactive with actins of homologous and heterologous animals. In addition, the antibodies showed reactivity with autologous actin. It indicates that the denatured homologous actin is capable of terminating immunological tolerance to actin and induces formation of autoantibody to rabbit actin. This phenomenon may be implicated in the occurrence of anti-actin antibody in sera from patients with chronic liver disease and several other diseases.     

In vitro mutated beta subunits from the F1-ATPase of the thermophilic bacterium, PS3, containing glutamine in place of glutamic acid in positions 190 or 201 assembles with the alpha and gamma subunits to produce inactive complexes

Using site-directed mutagenesis, Glu-190 or Glu-201 of the beta subunit of the F1-ATPase from the thermophilic bacterium PS3 were replaced with glutamine. It was possible to reconstitute complexes of the mutated beta subunits with alpha and gamma subunits, but the complexes did not have ATPase activity. It is concluded that carboxylic acid side chains of Glu-190 and Glu-201 of the beta subunit are essential for catalytic activity of F1-ATPase.     

Purification and Characterization of Sucrose Synthase from Peach (Prunus persica) Fruit

Sucrose synthase (EC 2.4.1.13 [EC] ) was purified from peach fruit(Prunus persica) to a single band of protein on SDS-PAGE byammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-cellulose (DE-52) chromatography,Sepharose CL-6B gel filtration, PBA-60 affinity chromatographyand Sephadex G-200 gel filtration. The molecular weight wasestimated to be 360,000 by gel filtration. The enzyme was foundto be a tetramer of identical 87-kDa subunits. The maximum activityfor the synthesis and cleavage of sucrose was observed at pH8.5 and pH 7.0, respectively. The enzymatic reaction followedtypical Michaelis-Menten kinetics in both directions, with thefollowing parameters: K_m(fructose), 4.8 mmM; K_m(UDPglucose),0.033 mM; K_m(sucrose), 62.5 mM; K_m(UDP), 0.080 mM. Other properties,such as substrate specificity and the effects of divalent cations,were also investigated. The relationship between the enzymeand the accumulation of sucrose in peach fruit is discussed. Present address: Laboratory of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture,Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya 464, Japan. (Received May 2, 1988; Accepted September 14, 1988)     

Alkaline Bismuth Solution as an En Bloc Stain for Formaldehyde-Glutaraldehyde Potassium Permanganate Fixed Fungal Spores

An alkaline solution of bismuth subnitrate reacted well with the cell membranes and cell walls of formaldehyde-glutaraldehyde potassium permanganate fixed Alternaria spores, demonstrating them with greater contrast than in sections stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate. Optimal fine structure of fungal spores was obtained by en bloc staining with alkaline bismuth solution after aldehyde and permanganate fixation. The contrast of the cell organelles and cell walls was high enough in sections cut after the alkaline bismuth en bloc stain for direct ultrastructural observation. Our results indicate that the alkaline bismuth stain is useful either as an en bloc or section stain for aldehyde and permanganate fixed fungal spores.     

Stimulation of the Uptake of Sorbitol into Vacuoles from Apple Fruit Flesh by Abscisic Add and into Protoplasts by Indoleacetic Acid

The uptake of sorbitol into vacuoles from immature flesh ofapple fruit (Maluspumila Mill, var domestica Schneid.) was facilitatedby 10^–6 M ABA, while such uptake into protoplasts wasnot stimulated. By contrast, the application of 10^–5 MIAA facilitated uptake of sorbitol into protoplasts but didnot significantly into vacuoles. (Received July 17, 1990; Accepted December 25, 1990)     

A potential approach for gene therapy targeting hepatoma using a liver-specific promoter on a retroviral vector.

Recent technological advances made in molecular biology and in vitro culture of human and other mammalian cells have led to broad medical and scientific acceptance of the feasibility of gene therapy for genetic diseases. Cancer might practically be one of the attractive targets for such therapy. For the treatment of cancer, it is important to manipulate the gene of interest such that it is expressed solely in cancer cells. We have developed a tissue-specific gene expression system, based on a tissue-specific promoter on a retroviral vector. A murine ecotropic retroviral vector was constructed in which the Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase gene served as a reporter; it was expressed under control of the albumin enhancer element and promoter. The tissue specificity of this vector was first assessed in vitro, and beta-galactosidase activity was detected exclusively in hepatoma cell lines. This recombinant retrovirus was injected directly into a subcutaneous tumor composed of transplantable murine MH-134 hepatoma cells, and expression of the gene was observed in vivo. Then this recombinant retrovirus was injected via the spleen or directly into the liver, resulting in the gene expression in dividing hepatocytes in partially hepatectomized mice, but not in nondividing hepatocytes in normal mice. Gene transfer specific to dividing hepatocytes and expression by means of retroviral vectors should possess high potential for selective elimination of hepatoma cells surrounded by nondividing normal hepatocytes.     

Sequence and over-expression of subunits of adenosine triphosphate synthase in thermophilic bacterium PS3

The primary structures of all the subunits of thermophilic ATP synthase were determined, and its alpha, beta and gamma subunits could be over-expressed in Escherichia coli, because these subunits were stable and reconstitutable. DNA of 7500 base pairs in length was found to contain a cluster of nine genes for subunits of ATP synthase. The order of their reading frames (size in base pairs) was: I(381): a(630): c(216): b(489): delta(537): alpha(1507): gamma(858): beta(1419): epsilon(396), I being a gene for a small hydrophobic, basic protein expressed in vitro. All the termini of TF0F1 subunits were confirmed by peptide sequencing. Large quantities of the overexpressed thermophilic alpha, beta and gamma subunits were prepared from the extract of E. coli, by a few purification steps.     

Solubilization and reconstitution of voltage-dependent calcium channel from bovine cardiac muscle. Ca2+ influx assay using the fluorescent dye Quin2

Highly purified sarcolemmal membranes, prepared from fresh bovine heart left ventricle, were solubilized by n-octyl beta-D-glucopyranoside and reconstituted into proteoliposomes with soybean phospholipids by the detergent-dialysis method. Ca2+ flux into the proteoliposomes was determined using the fluorescent probe Quin2. A membrane potential (negative in the proteoliposome interior) that was created by K+ diffusion mediated by valinomycin accelerated the Ca2+ influx. The voltage-dependent Ca2+ influx was dependent on pretreatment of the sarcolemmal membranes with Bay K 8644 and was inhibited by various calcium antagonists including nicardipine (K0.5 = 4.5.10(-7) M), verapamil (K0.5 = 9.2.10(-9) M), diltiazem (K0.5 = 26.10(-8) M) and omega-conotoxin (K0.5 = 9.5.10(-9) M).