An Escherichia coli mutant unable to support site-specific recombination of bacteriophage lambda

We report the isolation of mutations in, and the characterization of, an Escherichia coli gene, hip, that is required for site-specific recombination of phage lambda. hip mutants are recessive and are located near minute 20 on the linkage map. The gene product is not vital to bacterial growth, since deletion mutants are viable. The absence of hip product reduces lambda integration to barely detectable levels and also reduces prophage excision, but less drastically. Certain mutations in the lambda int gene partially restore integration and excision in hip- hosts. Homologous recombination promoted by recA does not require hip function. In addition to their defect in site-specific recombination, hip mutants are unable to support lytic growth of phage Mu or of certain lambda mutants. Their pleiotropic phenotype closely resembles that of himA mutants, but complementation, mapping and DNA sequencing show that hip and himA are different genes.     

Lectin-induced modulation of the antibody response to type III pneumococcal polysaccharide

Several lectins were tested for their capacity to alter the antibody response to type III pneumococcal polysaccharide (SSS-III). The antibody response was enhanced by concanavalin A (Con A), phytohemagglutinin (PHA), as well as lectins from Phytolacca americana (Pa-2), Pisum sativum (PSA), and Lens culinaris (LCH), when these lectins were given 2 days after immunization with SSS-III; however, suppression was obtained when Con A and Pa-2 were given at the time of immunization. By contrast the lectins from Vicia villosa (VVL) and Bauhinia purpurea (BPA) did not alter the antibody response. Since the lectins PSA and LCH bind to the same monosaccharide as Con A, whereas the other lectins bind to different monosaccharides, these findings indicate that there is no relationship between nominal monosaccharide specificity and the capacity to modulate the antibody response. Substantial increases in the magnitude of the IgG₁ antibody response was noted after the administration of Con A whereas profound enhancement of IgG_2a antibody response was noted after PHA was given.     

Induction of 7-ethoxycoumarin o-deethylase activity in cultured human epithelial cells by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD): evidence for TCDD receptor

The responsiveness of 5 human squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) lines derived from tumors of the epidermis and tongue to 2,3,7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) was assessed by measuring the induction of the cytochrome P1-450-mediated monooxygenase activity, 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (ECOD). In 4 of the SCC lines the EC50 for this response was approximately 10(-9)M, whereas in one line the EC50 was 10(-10)M. In each of the less sensitive lines a concentration of 10(-10)M TCDD elicited less than 5% of the maximal enzyme activity. Specific binding of radiolabeled TCDD was detected in the cytosol fraction from all the SCC lines. The relative amount of receptor measured in each line correlated with maximally-induced ECOD activity. The data indicate that human cell lines derived from a target tissue for TCDD toxicity contain the TCDD receptor and show differential sensitivity to TCDD analogous to the murine strain differences in sensitivity regulated by the Ah locus.     

Comparative effectiveness of lymphotoxin anticarcinogenic and tumor cell growth-inhibitory activities

Prevention of ultraviolet radiation- or chemical carcinogen-induced morphologic transformation and inhibition of tumor-producing transformed cell growth by lymphotoxin and by normal spleen leukocytes were quantitatively compared to define the antineoplastic activity spectra of these natural immune mediators. When Syrian golden hamster embryo cells seeded for colony formation in culture dishes were treated simultaneously with carcinogen and lymphotoxin, the number of morphologically transformed cell colonies was irreversibly reduced by 50% in the presence of 6 units of lymphotoxin/ml. Lymphotoxin inhibition of tumor cell growth, however, was reversible and 50% reduction in tumor cell growth in three transformed lines required 124, 330, and 477 units/ml. Thus, the anticarcinogenic activity of lymphotoxin can be 20-fold or more greater than its tumor growth-inhibitory activity. Similarly spleen leukocytes also were more effective as an anticarcinogen than as an inhibitor of tumor cell growth, consistent with previous observations that naturally occurring spleen leukocyte antineoplastic activity may result from lymphotoxin secretion.     

Galectin-3 mRNA level depends on transformation phenotype in ras-transformed NIH 3T3 cells

Summary— The increase in galectin-3 lectin content observed in tumours or in in vitro transformed cells suggests that this lectin is important in the transformation process. In the present study, we investigated the mRNA expression level of the galectin-3, galectin-I and macrophage mannose receptor in normal and ras-transformed NIH 3T3 cells in relation to their transformation state. The galectin3 mRNA content in ras-transformed cells is increased in fully transformed cells, with a maximum in ras-transformed cells that have lost their growth anchorage-dependence. Under the same conditions, the galectin-1 mRNA level which was high in normal cells, increased slightly in transformed cells. The mRNA for the macrophage mannose receptor was not detected in 3T3 cells or in their ras-transformed counterparts.     

Prolactin increases the density of striatal dopamine receptors in normal and hypophysectomized male rats

Administration of prolactin to adult male rats, by s.c. injection, significantly increases the density of the striatal dopamine (DA) receptors, without altering the apparent affinity of the receptors for [³H]spiroperidol. Larger doses of prolactin are required to increase the density of the striatal DA receptors in hypophysectomized rates compared to normal rats. These results suggest that prolactin might be the common mediator of the increase in striatal DA receptor density produced by either estrogen or haloperidol administration. Monitoring and/or altering prolactin levels might be informative in neurologic or psychiatric disorders involving striatal DA neurotransmission.     

beta-Adrenergic receptor induction in HeLa cells: synergistic effect of 5-azacytidine and butyrate

³H-Labeled leukotriene C₃ was efficiently taken up by the isolated, perfused rat liver and excreted into the bile. The isolated, perfused kidney eliminated leukotriene C₃ from the perfusate slower and excreted only a fraction of the radioactivity into the urine. Isolated hepatic, intestinal and renal cells also took up leukotriene C₃, the renal cells being the most effective in accumulating the label. Anthglutin, an inhibitor of γ-glutamyl transferase, decreased the uptake by kidney cells but had no effect on the uptake by the other cell types. In liver cells, the uptake rate was sensitive to temperature and to cellular ATP content. Chromatographic analyses indicated that renal cells metabolized leukotriene C₃ more rapidly than hepatic and intestinal cells. Leukotriene D₃ and E₃ were formed during the incubations with kidney cells, whereas intestinal cells produced mainly more polar metabolites.     

Desensitization of the D-2 dopamine receptor and the β2-adrenoceptor in the intermediate lobe of the rat pituitary gland

A D-2 dopamine receptor and a β₂-adrenoceptor occur in the intermediate lobe of the rat pituitary gland (IL). Exposure of intact IL tissue to a D-2 agonist diminished the ability of dopaminergic agonists [but not 5′-guanylyl imidodiphosphate (Gpp(NH)p)] to inhibit adenylate cyclase activity. Conversely, exposure of intact IL tissue to a β-adrenergic agonist diminished the ability of a β-adrenergic agonist (but not forskolin) to stimulate adenylate cyclase activity. Treatment of ovariectomized rats with 17β-estradiol desensitizes the β₂-adrenoceptor but not the D-2 receptor. Desensitization of the IL catecholamine receptors is discussed within the framework of a previously published “working model” of these receptors.     

cAMP-dependent protein kinases, their subunits, and cAMP-binding protein from four sources: a comparison of physical characteristics determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

The physical characteristics of cAMP-dependent protein kinases and their, regulatory subunits from calf uterus, human uterus, human mammary tumor, and rat pituitary and of cAMP-binding protein from calf uterus were determined by quantitative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in buffers containing the detergent, Triton X-100. In the four tissues, protein kinases of either type A¹, with molecular weight (M_r) = 200,000, or type B, of M_r = 80,000, or both, previously described were found. Trivial charge isomerism, or size isomerism, exists within each of the two classes, Protein Kinase A and B. The protein kinase recombined from the regulatory and catalytic subunits is not significantly different from the crude or isolated protein kinase. Protein Kinases A and B exist each in either one of the isozyme forms I and II but these are not reflected in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 10.2. Protein Kinase B appears to be a product of the partial proteolysis of Protein Kinase A. The regulatory subunits of Protein Kinases A from the four tissues are distinct from those of Protein Kinases B. No physical distinction exists between regulatory subunits derived from isozyme forms I and II. cAMP-Binding Proteins A and B are physically indistinguishable, by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 10.2, from the regulatory subunits of Protein Kinases A and B, respectively.     

Naltrexone partially inhibits the estrogen-induced increase in prolactin secretion and anterior pituitary weight

The effects of naltrexone, a specific opiate antagonist, on stimulation by estradiol benzoate (EB) of prolactin (PRL) release and anterior pituitary (AP) weight, were studied in gonadectomized female and male Sprague-Dawley rats. One week after castration, rats were injected for 10 days once daily with 2 μg EB alone, or together with twice daily injections of 2 mg naltrexone/kg body weight (BW). Blood was collected for radioimmunoassay of PRL by orbital sinus puncture on days 0 and 6, and by decapitation on day 11, at which time the AP was quickly removed, weighed and assayed for PRL.Serum PRL concentrations and AP weights were significantly increased by EB administration. These effects of EB were partially but significantly inhibited by naltrexone. These results suggest that endegenous opiates may be involved in the estrogen-induced rise in serum PRL and increase in pituatary weight.