Identification of nuclear type II [(3)H]estradiol binding sites as histone H4

[3H]Luteolin binds covalently to uterine nuclear type II sites [B. Markaverich, K. Shoulars, M.A. Alejandro, T. Brown, Steroids 66 (2001) 707] and was used to identify this protein(s). SDS-PAGE analyses of [3H]luteolin-labeled type II site preparations revealed specific binding to 11- and 35-kDa proteins. The 11-kDa protein was identified as histone H4 by amino acid sequencing. Western blotting confirmed that the 11- and 35-kDa proteins were acetylated forms of histone H4. Anti-histone H4 antibodies (but not H2A, H2B, or H3 antibodies) quantitatively immunoadsorbed type II binding sites from nuclear extracts. Binding analyses by [3H]estradiol exchange, using luteolin as a competitor, detected specific type II binding activity to histone H4 (but not histones H2A, H2B, or H3) generated in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate translation system and confirmed that histone H4 is the type II site.     

Antithrombotic Activities of Luteolin In Vitro and In Vivo

The objectives of present study were to investigate whether luteolin affects procoagulant proteinase activity and fibrin clot formation and influences thrombosis and coagulation in Sprague–Dawle rats. Luteolin significantly inhibited the enzymatic activity of thrombin and FXa activity by 29.1% and 16.2%. Luteolin also inhibited fibrin polymer formation in turbidity and microscopic analysis using fluorescent conjugate. Coagulation assay of luteolin was found to prolong activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time. Moreover, luteolin protected the development of oxidative stress induced thrombosis in the FeCl₃‐induced carotid arterial thrombus model. This study demonstrated that luteolin may be useful by reducing or preventing thrombotic challenge and can help us better understand the antithrombotic action of luteolin.     

Inhibition by quercetin of activation of polymorphonuclear leucocyte functions Stimulus-specific effects

The effect of some bioflavonoids on the activation of polymorphonuclear leucocyte respiration and exocytosis was examined. At 10^?5–10^?4 M concentration, quercetin, but not morin and rutin, was found to inhibit the concanavalin A-induced enhancement of oxygen consumption markedly, without impairing leucocyte viability and concanavalin A binding. The inhibition could be reversed by either washing the leucocytes or adding a 10-fold molar excess of 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulphonate. Concanavalin A-dependent cell secretion of lysozyme was also totally inhibited by 30 μM quercetin.The effect of quercetin on the activation of leucocyte respiration appeared to be stimulus specific. In fact, at a concentration of the flavonoid (75 μM) which provided a 95% inhibition of the concanavalin A-induced stimulation, the respiratory activation produced by phospholipase C was inhibited by about 50% and that caused by myristic acid and by the antibiotic Br-X537A by less than 25%.These data suggest that quercetin exerts its activity at specific sites of the plasma membrane of the leucocytes, and that this compound might be used to identify the membrane domain whereon different stimuli act to originate the initial stimulatory signal.