Additive stimulation of hepatic putrescine production by glucagon and insulin after partial hepatectomy in rats

When rats received glucagon or insulin every 2 h after partial hepatectomy (Hx), hepatic putrescine content was increased above control levels at 6 and 12 h, respectively. When the two hormones were combined, the increased levels were additive. Hepatic ornithine decarboxylase activity was above control levels at 12 h after insulin treatment. Hepatic spermidine N1-acetyltransferase activity was enhanced at 6 h only when glucagon was dosed. Putrescine administration from 0 to 4 h or from 6 to 10 h increased hepatic DNA synthesis to similar levels 22 h after Hx. These results suggest that glucagon and insulin additively stimulate hepatic putrescine production after Hx. This may explain the cooperative stimulation of liver regeneration by both hormones.     

Comparative studies of the vascular system of node-leaf continuum in woody ranales

The vascularization of the node-leaf continuum in the first to eighth foliage leaves of the first-year plant ofMagnolia virginiana is investigated. The cotyledonary node is a 4-trace, 3-lacunar type. Vascularization in the cotyledonary node is fundamentally different from that in the folair node of the same plant. As a result, the cotyledonary vascularization is only described but not compared to that in the foliar node-leaf continuum. Considerable diversity occurs in the node-leaf vascularization of the first-year plants. A 5-trace, 4-lacunar vascular system is constant in the lower folair nodes; this is considered to be the fundamental vascular pattern in the node-leaf continuum of the species. In contrast, the nodal anatomy and petiolar vascularization fluctuate widely in the third to eighth leaves of the first-year plants. Variation is found not only between different nodes of a single plant but even in the corresponding nodes of different individuals. The evidence clearly indicates that variation always correlates with certain members of the leaf-trace complement; thus, either the ventral and/or marginal lateral bundles undergo phylogenetical reduction or amplification.     

A growth-promoting factor existing on the body surface of rats

Effects of water-soluble matter adhering to rat hairs on fibroblasts were examined. The dialysate of the wash water of rat hairs significantly enhanced the cell proliferation of both diploid human dermal fibroblasts (DHDF) and diploid rat fibroblasts (DRDF). The cell growth-promoting activity was partially purified by a gel filtration column chromatography. The activity permeates through a ultrafiltration membrane (M.W. cut off: 500). Analyses of its chemical nature show that it is soluble in water, dimethyl sulfoxide or acetonitrile, insoluble in other organic solvents examined, stable to heat or pH shock, and resistant to a bacterial protease.     

Effect of calcium and F-actin on the rate of SH2 modification in skeletal myosin

The rate constant of modification of a specific thiol group, SH₂, with N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) has been used to estimate the conformational change in the local area containing SH₂ (SH₂ region) of skeletal myosin as a structural probe. The rate of Mg²⁺-ATP-induced SH₂ modification of subfragment-1 (S-l) isozymes was regulated by Ca²⁺ in the pCa range below 6.4 and was not regulated in the pCa range above 6.4. No substantial difference between S-1 containing alkali light chain, A1, (S-1(A1)) and S-1 containing alkali light chain, A2, (S-1(A2)) was observed in the Ca²⁺-dependent rate of SH₂ modification. Due to the presence of this Ca²⁺ regulation in myosin (absence in S-1 isozymes) in the pCa range above 6.4, absence of 5,5-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) light chain in S-1 isozymes, and high affinity of Ca²⁺ for DTNB light chain, this Ca²⁺ regulation in the pCa range above 6.4 is possibly related to the Ca²⁺ binding to DTNB light chain. F-Actin, which is entirely free from tropomyosin and troponin, enhanced the rate of Mg²⁺-ATP-induced SH₂ modification of S-1 isozymes equally and of myosin, and reduced the Ca²⁺ sensitivity with an increase in F-actin concentration.     

Thymic stroma-derived T cell growth factor (TSTGF). I. Functional distinction of TSTGF from interleukins 2 and 4 and its preferential growth-promoting effect on helper T cell clones

A recently established thymic stroma-derived cell line (TSCL) supported the growth of the interleukin (IL) 2-dependent, antigen-specific helper T cell (Th) clone, 9-16, without requirement for IL-2 and antigen, and such growth was substituted by a factor produced into cultures by this established TSCL. This substance, thymic stroma-derived T cell-growth factor (TSTGF), was capable of inducing the proliferation of various Th clones including 9-16 Th clone, but not of cytotoxic T cell clones. TSTGF-induced growth promotion was obtained in a dose-dependent fashion and in maintaining antigen specificity of Th clones. The culture supernatant from the TSCL did not contain detectable level of IL-1, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, or interferon activity. The proliferation of 9-16 Th clone was stimulated by recombinant IL-2 and IL-4 as well as TSTGF, but not by IL-1, IL-3, or interferons. However, the proliferation of this Th clone by IL-2 or IL-4 was almost completely inhibited by anti-IL-2 receptor or anti-IL-4 monoclonal antibody, respectively, whereas TSTGF-induced growth of 9-16 Th clones was not affected by either type of antibody, demonstrating that TSTGF is functionally distinct from IL-2 and IL-4. In addition, TSTGF activity was also obtained from the culture supernatant of the primary thymic explant, which was freshly prepared. These results indicate that the primary thymic explant as well as an established TSCL produce factors capable of promoting the growth of helper but not cytotoxic type of T cells in the absence of T cell growth factors thus far defined.     

cDNA structure of murine C4b-binding protein, a regulatory component of the serum complement system

A cDNA library representing total poly(A+) RNA from the livers of male B10.WR mice was screened with a 1097 base pair (bp) probe obtained from a partial human C4b-binding protein (C4BP) cDNA clone. Two cDNA clones were isolated, the largest of which was sequenced and found to be 1889 bp in length exclusive of the poly(A) tail. The predicted mouse C4BP polypeptide chain encoded by 1239 bp is 413 amino acid residues in length and has a calculated molecular weight of 45,281. The 370-nucleotide sequence upstream from the codon for the predicted amino terminus contains two possible in-phase translational start signals which yield leader sequences of 56 and 13 amino acid residues, respectively. The 3'-untranslated region is 277 bp long, and there are two potential overlapping poly(A) recognition signals, AATTAA and ATTAAAA, located 26 and 25 bp, respectively, upstream from the poly(A) tail; these are preceded by five other potential polyadenylation signals. Beginning at the amino terminus and continuing through to residue 358, there are six contiguous regions of internal homology, each about 60 amino acids in length. The carboxy-terminal 55 amino acid sequence shares no homology with the repeating units. Extensive homology was found with human C4BP at the amino acid level (61%) as well as at the nucleotide level for both the coding and 3'-untranslated regions. Significant differences, however, were observed between mouse and human C4BP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Theory of electric dissipative structure in Characean internode

A band-type alternating pattern of acidic and alkaline regions formed along the Characean cell wall is discussed theoretically. The model system is constructed from linear diffusion equations for the concentration of H+ outside the internode and in the protoplasm. The plasmalemma is taken as a boundary transporting H+ under energy supply by light. The sizes of the protoplasm and extracellular water phase are taken into account explicitly in the present model system to reproduce qualitatively the characteristics observed in various types of experiments. Theoretical analysis shows that the band pattern belongs to dissipative structures emerging far from equilibrium, and is stabilized through the electric current loops produced by locally activated electrogenic H+ pumps and spatially separated passive H+ influx (or OH- efflux) across the membrane. Both the numerical calculation and the theoretical analysis using a generalized time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equation reveal the following points: (i) the intemodal cell with a larger vacuole in a smaller size of the extracellular water phase tends to exhibit a clearer band pattern; (ii) the increase in viscosity of the external aqueous medium makes the bands appear more easily and, furthermore, distinctly; (iii) the change in size of the extracellular water phase significantly affects the kinetics of the pattern- formation process. These results are interpreted reasonably by taking account of the electric current circulating between the acidic and alkaline regions.     

Amino acid sequence and function of rebredoxin from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki

Rubredoxin was purified from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki. It was sequenced and some of its properties determined. Rubredoxin is composed of 52 amino acids. It is highly homologous to that from D. vulgaris Hildenborough. Its N-methionyl residue is partially formalated. The millimolar absorption coefficients of the rubredoxin at 489 nm and 280 are 8.1 and 18.5, respectively, and the standard redox potential is +5 mB, which is slightly higher than those of other rubredoxins. Rubredoxin, as well as cytochrome c-553, was reduced with lactate by the action of lactate dehydrogenase of this organism, and the rection was stimulated with 2-methyl-1, 4-naphthoquinone. It is suggested that rubredoxin, in collaboration with membraous quinone, functions as natural electron carrier for cytoplasmic lactate dehydrogenase of this organism, whereas cytochrome c-553 plays the same role for periplasmic lactate dehydrogenase.     

Stability of immobilized maltotetraose-forming amylase from Pseudomonas stutzeri

The stability of immobilized maltotetraose (G(4))-forming amylase (1,4-alpha-D-glucan maltoteraohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.60) from Pseudomonas stutzeri was investigated in both batch and continous processes. The inactivation process of the immobilized enzyme seemed to obey first-order kinetics, and the immobilized enzyme became more stable when coexisting with 20-30 wt % substrate and calcium ions. From intensive studies on the operational stability in the continuous process, the apparent half-life of G(4) productivity in a constant-flow system was mainly affected by the reaction temperature, substrate concentration, and initial immobilized enzyme activity. A new factor, immobilized enzyme stability factor f(s), was proposed to evaluate the half-life of the immobilized enzyme system.