Isolation and renaturation of alpha 2-macroglobulin receptor from diploid human fibroblasts

alpha 2-Macroglobulin receptor was extracted from human diploid fibroblasts and purified by affinity chromatography in a single step. The receptor had mol.wt. 125 000 after sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS)/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The isolated receptor was separated by SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, transferred on to nitrocellulose sheets and subsequently renatured, as shown by a specific binding test, by incubation with Nonidet P40.

Reversal of changes in lipoprotein A and lipoprotein B cholesterol during and for a year after a detoxication treatment program in chronic alcoholism

We studied the individual and occasional changes in lipid metabolism induced by chronic alcohol abuse. In addition, the influence of a detoxication treatment program on the evolutionary changes in some serum lipidic components was studied for a one-year period. Before this program, total cholesterol was above normal, with high values for LP-A cholesterol, whereas for some patients LP-B cholesterol was increased. After the program, there was an increase in total cholesterol, LP-B cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B, with a decrease in LP-A cholesterol. These evolutionary changes continued during the one-year period after the end of the inpatient program.

Reversal of changes in lipoprotein A and lipoprotein B cholesterol during and for a year after a detoxication treatment program in chronic alcoholism

We studied the individual and occasional changes in lipid metabolism induced by chronic alcohol abuse. In addition, the influence of a detoxication treatment program on the evolutionary changes in some serum lipidic components was studied for a one-year period. Before this program, total cholesterol was above normal, with high values for LP-A cholesterol, whereas for some patients LP-B cholesterol was increased. After the program, there was an increase in total cholesterol, LP-B cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B, with a decrease in LP-A cholesterol. These evolutionary changes continued during the one-year period after the end of the inpatient program.

Replication control mutations of plasmid R6-5 and their effects on interactions of the RNA-I control element with its target

Nine high copy number mutations of plasmid R6-5, representing five phenotypically distinct groups, have been identified by DNA sequencing. In each mutant plasmid examined, a single nucleotide change was found. The effects of the mutations on possible gene products, and DNA-RNA secondary structure, were analyzed and compared with the observed phenotypes. The results of this study exclude the possibility that the primary plasmid replication control element, the product of the copA gene, is a polypeptide, and they are consistent with a model of plasmid replication control by the copA product which has the following features: (i) RNA-I, a short untranslated RNA molecule, is the product of the copA gene and regulates the frequency of initiation of plasmid replication, (ii) the hexanucleotide single-strand loop of the major hairpin of RNA-I is its active site, (iii) this active site functions by base pair interactions with its "target," its DNA template strand, or its complementary sequence on RNA-II, a transcript of opposite polarity that is the message of the repA gene, and (iv) the sequence and size of the loop, and the stability of the stem of the hairpin, are all critical factors that govern the functioning of RNA-I.

Geophysical variables and behavior: X. Detecting lunar periodicities: something old, new, borrowed, and true

This methodological note corrects errors in classic and recent studies on phases of the moon and abnormal behavior. It also describes more appropriate (time series analyses) procedures for detecting lunar periodicities in behavior.

In-vitro responses to ascorbate and manganese in fibroblasts from a patient with prolidase deficiency and iminodipeptiduria: cell growth, prolidase activity and collagen metabolism

After successful ascorbate and manganese treatment of a female patient with prolidase deficiency and iminodipeptiduria, we attempted to explain the mechanism of action of these drugs in vitro, using them preferentially on skin fibroblasts. Since in vivo, ascorbate and manganese seemed to be responsible for both biochemical and clinical improvement, they were also expected to activate prolidase activity in vitro. Cell growth and prolidase activity were accordingly observed in fibroblast cultures supplemented with these compounds. It seemed that only ascorbate accounted for the successful in vivo response. To understand the mechanism involved, we studied collagen metabolism and found a decreased proline pool, a massive increase of rapidly degraded collagen and moderate enhancement of type III collagen and type I trimer in the patient's fibroblasts. We believe that ascorbate allowed the prolidase-deficient cells to maintain a normal collagen pool by increasing collagen synthesis. Both the massive increase in cell growth in response to ascorbate and the bad response as regards the quality of the collagen produced confirm the secondary nature of this mechanism. However, the relationship between accelerated collagen catabolism and prolidase deficiency remains unclear.

Evolutionary changes in acute-phase proteins in alcoholic hepatocellular diseases

We studied the pattern of acute-phase proteins (orosomucoid, C-reactive protein, and haptoglobin) in hepatocellular deficiency due to chronic alcohol consumption, characterized by a decrease in serum transferrin concentration. We found that their patterns could vary independently of hepatocellular deficiency, but depend on the progression of hepatic disease. The most useful protein for discriminating the stage of inflammatory reaction is orosomucoid. In moderate hepatocellular deficiency, acute-phase proteins are increased independently of the decrease in transferrin, whereas in severe hepatocellular deficiency the acute-phase proteins are also decreased. Thus, it is possible to distinguish the two stages of hepatocellular deficiency by following changes in the concentration of orosomucoid.

Evolutionary changes in acute-phase proteins in alcoholic hepatocellular diseases

We studied the pattern of acute-phase proteins (orosomucoid, C-reactive protein, and haptoglobin) in hepatocellular deficiency due to chronic alcohol consumption, characterized by a decrease in serum transferrin concentration. We found that their patterns could vary independently of hepatocellular deficiency, but depend on the progression of hepatic disease. The most useful protein for discriminating the stage of inflammatory reaction is orosomucoid. In moderate hepatocellular deficiency, acute-phase proteins are increased independently of the decrease in transferrin, whereas in severe hepatocellular deficiency the acute-phase proteins are also decreased. Thus, it is possible to distinguish the two stages of hepatocellular deficiency by following changes in the concentration of orosomucoid.

Patterns of diffusion through skin capillaries in patients with long-term diabetes

We used intravital fluorescence videomicroscopy to study the pattern of transcapillary and interstitial diffusion in the nail folds of 13 patients with long-term diabetes and of 12 healthy controls. In both groups intravenously injected sodium fluorescein left the intravascular compartment. Its distribution in the pericapillary space and in the remote parts of the interstitial space was measured on single frames of the television tape by videodensitometers that are sensitive to intensities of fluorescent light. In the diabetics the dye passed both physiologic diffusion barriers--the capillary wall and the pericapillary space--in significantly increased amounts (P less than 0.01). The enhanced penetration of the tracer into the remote area caused an early homogeneous, milky blurring of the capillary image, whereas in the controls the pericapillary space remained clearly delineated for as long as 40 to 50 minutes after the appearance of the dye. The altered pattern of diffusion could be explained by increased permeability of the diffusion barriers, or, alternatively, by either changes of the mobility of the dye due to binding of the dye by intravascular or interstitial proteins or abnormal hemodynamics in the microvascular circulation. This technique provides a quantitative, noninvasive method of studying the natural history of diabetic microangiopathy.

Specific-purpose plasmid cloning vectors. II. Broad host range, high copy number, RSF1010-derived vectors, and a host-vector system for gene cloning in Pseudomonas

Host-vector systems have been developed for gene cloning in the metabolically versatile bacterial genus Pseudomonas. They comprise restriction-negative host strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and P. putida and new cloning vectors derived from the high-copy-number, broad-host-range plasmid RSF1010, which are stably maintained in a wide range of Gram-negative bacteria. These plasmids contain EcoRI, SstI, HindIII, XmaI, XhoI, SalI, BamHI, and ClaI insertion sites. All cloning sites, except for BamHI and ClaI, are located within antibiotic-resistance genes' insertional inactivation of these genes during hybrid plasmid formation provides a readily scored phenotypic change for the rapid identification of bacterial clones carrying such hybrids. One of the new vector plasmids is a cosmid that may be used for the selective cloning of large DNA fragments by in vitro lambda packaging. An analogous series of vectors that are defective in their plasmid-mobilization function, and that exhibit a degree of biological containment comparable to that of current Escherichia coli vector plasmids, are also described.

The initiation of chromosome replication in a dnaAts46 and a dnaA+ strain at various temperatures

The regulation of chromosome replication initiation was studied at various temperatures with an E. coli dnaA46 strain and its dnaA+ parent. We find that, in both strains, the "initiation mass" varies depending upon growth temperature while the replication time remains constant relative to the cell doubling time. In the permissive temperature range, the initiation mass of the dnaA46 mutant strain is larger by a constant factor than that for a dnaA+ strain. We conclude that, even at temperatures permissive for growth of the dnaA46 strain, the activity of the dnaA46 product is lower than that of the wild-type protein. The dnaA gene product, therefore, plays an important role in regulating initiation.

Relationship between hemoglobin A1c and insulin C-peptide in anomalies of carbohydrate metabolism

In this paper, we have compared the results obtained for hemoglobin A1c and C-peptide concentrations, was not convenient for the diagnosis of anomalies in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism in obesity or in latent diabetes. Nevertheless, hemoglobin A1c allowed us to check carbohydrate metabolism and to discriminate diabetes treated by oral therapy from insulin dependent diabetes; in these latter cases, hemoglobin A1c concentration varied inversely as C-peptide concentration as it was shown by the method of factor analysis in particular "principal components analysis". In the control of insulin dependent diabetes in a remission, hemoglobin A1c allowed assessment of the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism after suppression of insulin therapy. Thus, hemoglobin A1c is an index of the adaptation of insulin secretion in anomalies of carbohydrate metabolism.

Demyelinating radiculopathy in the Kearns-Sayre syndrome: a clinicopathological study

In the few previously autopsied patients with the Kearns-Sayre form of progressive ophthalmoplegia, the most prominent abnormalities have been in muscle, with less conspicuous changes in the central nervous system, primarily in the brainstem. Similar findings were present in the case reported here, but in addition there was severe demyelination in the initial few millimeters of the cranial and spinal motor roots distal to the glial-Schwann cell junction. Milder demyelination was observed in the dorsal spinal and afferent cranial nerve roots, including the eighth nerve, but deafness was due to virtually total destruction of the organ of Corti. Our observations suggest that a radiculopathy may be a feature in some cases of Kearns-Sayre syndrome.

[Under-hydroxylation of collagen synthesized by cultured fibroblasts]

The collagen secreted by dermal fibroblast cell cultures, previously labelled with 3H-proline, was extracted and purified by carboxymethyl cellulose. The ratio of hydroxyproline to proline showed that the collagen produced by cell cultures may be under-hydroxylated in comparison to the ratio observed in the types of collagen extracted from human skin. Then, it is concluded that it is not sufficient to determine only the hydroxyproline content for a collagen biosynthesis study in cell cultures. This low hydroxyproline content may explain the rapid catabolism of a part os newly synthetized collagen in vitro.

Employment of gas-liquid chromatography for the analysis of collagen amino acids in biopsy tissue

In this paper, gas-liquid chromatography, adapted for the determination of collagen amino acids, is described. This technique was attractive for its sensitivity in that only a small amount of protein such as in 0.5 mg of tissue, especially as obtained from biopsy tissue, was needed for the separation and determination of proline (Pro), 4-hydroxyproline (4-Hyp), 3-hydroxyproline (3-Hyp), lysine (Lys), hydroxylysine (Hyl) and epsilon-hydroxy-norleucine (epsilon-PH-Norleu), the characteristic amino acids of collagen. Thus, without purification of collagen, by determining the ratio Hyl/4-Hyp and 4-Hyp/Pro it was possible to determine some anomalies in the collagen content of biopsy tissue (skin or liver). The ratio Hyl/4-Hyp allows an estimation of the lack of hydroxylation of polypeptidic lysine as in the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type VI; and the ratio 4-Hyp/Pro allows measurement of variations in collagen content in relation to protein, especially in the liver, as in alcoholic cirrhosis.

Case oriented group discussions for family physicians

Curriculum in family medicine and primary care includes various areas of concern for educators in the behavioral sciences. Most of this concerns the physician-patient relationship as the focus for teaching and learning. This paper outlines the work of a longitudinal, case oriented group of family physicians as it reflects the correlation between the actualities of practice and the curriculum in behavioral science for family practice residents. Also discussed is the issue of potential "typologies" as elaborated in the family physicians' reasons for case presentations. Such groups assist faculty and practitioners in their own awareness of educational and patient care issues in the physician-patient relationship as well as serve as a foundation for building a relevant behavioral science curriculum for residents and students.

[Simultaneous characterizations of 3-prolylhydroxylase and 4-prolylhydroxylase activities by ion exchange chromatography]

3-prolyl hydroxylase activity measurements have already been described by Kivirikko and al, using specific methods. The aim of the present work was to show that the specific and rapid method used for 4-prolyl hydroxylase activity measurement, involving protocollagen [3H-4] proline (measuring of tritiated water enzymatically obtained), could be used for 3-prolyl hydroxylase activity estimation on the same sample: tritiated water enzymatically produced by 4-prolyl hydroxylase was collected by distillation, and the amino acids enzymatically modified were analysed after HCl 6 N hydrolysis of dried incubation medium, by cation exchange chromatography. The characterization of enzymatically obtained 3-hydroxyproline was performed using three means. The elution peaks reported were in the same position as the elution peak of pure 3-hydroxyproline and 4-hydroxyproline. Moreover, tritiated 3-hydroxyproline and 4-hydroxyproline were obtained only after incubation of labelled substrate with crude preparation of prolyl hydroxylases from chick embryos. Some possible artefacts such as dicetopiperazines and pyrrol-2-carboxylic acid have been shown to be distinguished chromatographically from 3-hydroxyproline and 4-hydroxyproline. The high ratio of measured (Formula: see text) activities, near 5.5 p. cent, is discussed.

Identification of a collagen-like antigen different from C1Q component of complement in serum

The problem of the proportions of hydroxyproline proteins in serum linked to collagen and to the C1Q component of complement was examined. The C1Q component from human and bovine serum, and acid soluble calf skin collagen were purified. Antibodies to soluble collagen were prepared. With these antibodies we found by immunoelectrophoresis that in serum two distinct antigens exist: one reacts with antiserum to C1Q and the other reacts with antiserum to collagen. The collagen-like antigen may be precipitated by sodium chloride 4.3 mol/1.

[Determination of free intracellular proline pool in fibroblast cultures]

By using a direct, rapid, sensitive colorimetric method, free intracellular proline pool from human adult skin fibroblasts in monolayer was determined. Thus under identical experimental conditions, free intracellular proline pool was about 20 pmol proline/micrograms cellular proteins, whatever the cell lines from human adult skin fibroblasts, the passage and the time of subculture. Besides, there was a poor correlation between collagen biosynthesis in fibroblast cultures and free intracellular proline pool.

The effects of an Escherichia coli dnaAts mutation on the replication of the plasmids colE1 pSC101, R100.1 and RTF-TC

The rate of replication of the plasmids colE1, pSC101, R100.1 and pAR132 (an RTF-TC derivative of the drug resistance factor R100.1) has been investigated directly by DNA:DNA hybridization. These rates have been compared, in a dnaAts strain, to that of various markers of the host chromosome at permissive and non-permissive temperatures. Chromosome initiation in the dnaAts strain stops rapidly after a shift to the non-permissive temperature, but plasmids R100.1 and pAR132 do not seem to be affected directly and continue replication for some time. The colE1 replication rate undergoes a large increase after the temperature shift, followed by a rapid decrease to a very low level 25 min after the shift. In contrast pSC101 replication stops immediately after the shift. ColE1 is able to replicate in an integratively suppressed dnaAts strain at 42 degrees C whereas pSC101 stops replication immediately under these conditions. We conclude that R100.1 and its derivative RTF-TC can replicate without a functional dnaA product; that colE1, while affected by a shift in temperature in a dnaAts strain, does not directly require dnaA; and that the plasmid pSC101 has an absolute requirement for dnaA. The absolute requirement of pSC101 for dnaA in the integratively suppressed Hfr strain provides a useful system for further investigation of the dnaA function.