Gene dosage effects in human diploid and tetraploid fibroblasts

The effects of cell ploidy on the biochemical characteristics of cultured cells were compared using human diploid vs tetraploid fibroblasts isolated with a non-selective method. Their DNA replication was compared by thymidine incorporation, and DNA content by Feulgen staining and quantitative analysis. Their RNA and protein content, cell sizes and the specific activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-PGD) were assayed quantitatively. With the exception of RNA content, all other parameters demonstrated a 2-fold increase reflecting the increase in cell ploidy. These direct gene dosage effects on the genetic material and functional expression of the human genome were in contrast to previous observations in other species and validate the use of human intraspecific euploid hybrids for biochemical and genetic studies.

Biochemical variability of arylsulphatases -A, -B and -C in cultured fibroblasts from patients with multiple sulphatase deficiency

Multiple sulphatase deficiency (MSD) in man is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait and associated with deficient activities of various sulphohydrolases. Cultured fibroblasts from seven different patients were assayed for arylsulphatases-A, -B and -C activities. On the basis of the results, they may be classified into three groups: I, deficient in all three arylsulphatases; II, deficient only in arylsulphatases-A and -C with half or near-normal arylsulphatase-B; electrophoretically, arylsulphatase-A activity bands are undetectable as in metachromatic leukodystrophy; III, same as in II except electrophoretically, the residual arylsulphatase-A is detectable as faint activity bands similar to those in pseudo arylsulphatase-A deficiency. In addition to the variability among different strains, within the same strain of MSD or normal cells, each enzyme activity increased several fold with increasing time in culture. These sources of biochemical variability among and within different cell strains have not been recognized before in the study of this apparently monogenic trait with multiple enzyme deficiencies. They may account for some of the discrepancies reported in the literature on arylsulphatase activities among cultured cells from different multiple sulphatase deficient patients.

Somatic cell hybridization studies on the genetic regulation and allelic mutations in metachromatic leukodystrophy

Metachromatic leukodystrophy is a hereditary neurodegenerative disease associated with deficient arylsulfatase A activity. Clinical variants differ in onset times and severity of the disease but each breeds true within families. Somatic cell hybridization techniques were used to clarify the genetic relationship among these mutants. Hybrid clones isolated with a nonselective method from fusing fibroblasts of an infantile and a juvenile variant did not show complementation of arylsulfatase A activity. Hence, these clinical variants are allelic mutants. Previous somatic cell hybridization studies suggested that "arylsulfatase A-deficiency" is a dominant phenotype, in contrast to its apparent recessive mode of inheritance. To resolve this discrepancy, hybrid clones from fusing normal and arylsulfatase A-deficient fibroblasts were isolated nonselectively. They continued to express arylsulfatase A activity. Hence, even in vitro, "arylsulfatase A-deficiency" remains as a recessive phenotype.

Complementation of arylsulfatase A in somatic hybrids of metachromatic leukodystrophy and multiple sulfatase deficiency disorder fibroblasts

Metachromatic leukodystrophy and multiple sulfatase deficiency disorder are severe neurodegenerative diseases inherited as separate autosomal recessive traits. Arylsulfatase A (aryl-sulfate sulfohydrolase, EC 3.1.6.1) activity is deficient in both diseases but in multiple sulfatase deficiency disorder, activities of arylsulfatases B and C and other sulfatases are also reported to be reduced. Somatic hybrid cell clones produced by fusing cultured fibroblasts from patients with these diseases were isolated by a nonselective technique based on unit-gravity sedimentation. Arylsulfatase A activity was restored in these hybrids. The complemented enzyme resembled the normal arylsulfatase A in heat stability, pH optimum, Km, electrophoretic mobility, and immunologic reactivity. Because a structurally normal enzyme can be restored in a hybrid only though intergenic complementation, these results indicate that the mutations responsible for the deficiency of arylsulfatase A activity in metachromatic leukodystrophy and multiple sulfatase deficiency disorder are nonallelic and that at least two genetic loci control the expression of arylsulfatase A activity in the human genome. Furthermore, arylsulfatase C activity was also restored to normal in the hybrids, indicating that a common sulfatase inhibitor is not the cause of the multiple sulfatse deficiency.

Incorporation in vivo of [32P]orthophosphate and [Me-3H]choline into rough microsomal, Golgi, and plasma membranes of rat liver

To study membrane biogenesis and to test the validity of the endomembrane flow hypothesis, incorporation of 32P and [Me-3H]choline in vivo into membranes of the rat liver was followed. Rough microsomal, Golgi-rich, and plasma membrane fractions were monitored with marker enzyme assays and shown with morphometric analysis to contain 82% rough microsomes, at least 70% Golgi complexes, and 88% plasma membranes, respectively. Membrane subfractions from the rough microsomal and Golgi-rich fractions were prepared by sonic disruption.At 5 to 30 min after 32P injection, the specific radioactivity of phosphatidylcholine was higher in the rough microsomal membranes than in the Golgi membranes. From 1 to 3 h, the specific activity of phosphatidylcholine in Golgi membranes became higher and reached the maximum at about 3 h. Although the plasma membrane had the lowest specific radioactivity throughout 0.25–3 h, it increased rapidly thereafter to attain the highest specific activity at 5 h. Both rough microsomal and plasma membranes reached their maxima at 5 h.The specific radioactivity of [32P]phosphatidylethanolamine in the three membrane fractions was similar to that of [32P]phosphatidylcholine except from 5 to 30 min, when the specific radioactivity of phosphatidylethanolamine in the Golgi membranes was similar to the rough microsomal membranes.At 15 min to 5 h after [Me-3H]choline injection, more than 90% of the radioactivity in all the membranes was acid-precipitable. The specific radioactivities of the acid-precipitated membranes, expressed as dpm per milligram protein, reached the maximum at 3 h. After [Me-3H]choline injection, the specific radioactivity of phosphatidylcholine separated from the lipid extract of the acid-precipitated membranes (dpm per micromole phosphorus) did not differ significantly in the three membrane fractions. The results indicated rapid incorporation of choline into membrane phosphatidylcholine by the rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, and plasma membranes simultaneously.The data with both 32P and [Me-3H]choline precursors did not support the endomembrane flow hypothesis. The Golgi complexes apparently synthesized phosphatidylethanolamine and incorporated choline into phosphatidylcholine as well as the endoplasmic reticulum. The results are discussed with relevance to current hypotheses on the biogenesis and transfer of membrane phospholipids.

Effect of preganglionic sympathectomy on the cholinesterase activity in the superior cervical ganglia of rats and hamsters

By employing biochemical assay and histochemical enzyme techniques the effect of preganglionic sympathectomy on the cholinesterase (ChE) activity in the superior cervical ganglia of rats and hamsters was investigated. Biochemical assays indicate that the ChE activity in the superior cervical ganglia of adult rats and hamsters is 57.19 and 28.63 respectively (expressed in micron moles acetylcholine hydrolyzed per min per g of tissue); two weeks after preganglionic denervation, about 50% and 60% of ChE activity are lost respectively. Histochemical enzyme examination reveals that in the rat superior cervical ganglion, the majority of the neurons are adrenergic with weak to moderate acetylcholinesterase (ACHhE) reaction and the minority of the neurons are cholinergic with strong AChE activity, while only one type of adrenergic neurons exhibits a weak AChE activity in the hamster superior cervical ganglion. The AChE activity is localized in the perinuclear area, in the cisternae of the rough surfaced endoplasmic reticulum, in the Golgi complex and on the plasma membrane of the hamster's neurons; it is mainly locolized in the cisternae of the rough surfaced endoplasmic reticulum of the rat's neurons. AChE reaction product is also detected on the aeolemmal membranes of the preganglionic nerve fibers in the sympathetic ganglia of rats and hamsters. After preganglionic sympathectomy, the AChE activity in the adrenergic neurons and in the preganglionic unmyelinated nerve fibers is markedly reduced, whereas the cholinergic neurons and preganglionic myelinated nerve fibers remain unchanged. On the basis of these results two conclusions have been reached: (1) The fact that strong AChE activity localized in the cholinergic neurons and preganglionic myelinated fibers is not influenced by denervation, suggests that these structures are able to produce AChE. (2) The reduction of AChE activity in the rat and hamster superior cervical ganglia two weeks after preganglionic denervation, observed by histochemical examination, can be correlated with a concomitant measurable reduction determined by biochemical assays.

An ultrastructural study of sympathetic ganglion satellite cells in the rat. 2. Effect of preganglionic sympathectomy

The ultrastructure of satellite cells of the rat superior cervical ganglion was studied following preganglionic sympathectomy.Several distinct morphological alterations were observed: (a) enlargement of the intercellular space between the ganglion cells and the satellite cells, (b) dilation of the granular endoplasmic reticulum and loss of attached ribosomes, and (c) swelling of the mitochondria with disorganization of the cristae mitochondriales. The presence of degenerating nerve fibers and synaptic boutons was also noted.

Histochemical localization of trehalase activity in dorsal flight muscle of the flesh fly Sarcophaga bullata with light and electron microscopy

Trehalase activity in flight muscle of the flesh fly Sacrophaga bullata is detected histochemically at light- and electron-microscopic levels by using diaminobenzidine, glucose oxidase and peroxidase in the incubation medium. The association of trehalase activity with the inner mitochondrial membrane is confirmed. Biochemical assay shows that about 50% of the initial total trehalase activity is lost from the tissue during the histochemical processing and about 50% remains for histochemical detection.

The effect of thiols on immunologic release of slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis. I. Human lung

Preincubation of human lung fragments with cysteine for 2.5 to 5.0 min resulted in dose-dependent, selective enhancement of the antigen-induced or anti-IgE-induced formation and release of slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A). Comparable effects were observed with sodium sulfide and thioglycolate but not with other more potent reducing agents or metabolites of cysteine. Sulfhydryl alkylated derivatives of cysteine were ineffective. The effects observed with the active thiols were easily reversed and could not be attributed to an action in the bioassay or on SRS-A itself. The physicochemical characteristics of the contractile activity were identical to those described for SRS-A.