Identification of functional platelet-activating factor receptors in Raji lymphoblasts

The binding and metabolism of platelet-activating factor (PAF) were characterized in Raji, a human Burkitt's lymphoma-derived cell line. Raji lymphoblasts readily metabolized PAF by deacetylation-reacylation at 37 degrees C, but not at 4 degrees C. Binding studies conducted at 4 degrees C demonstrated specific binding that reached saturation within 80 min. This binding was only partially reversible. Scatchard analysis of PAF binding data revealed a single class of PAF binding sites (17,800 +/- 3,600/cell) with a K of 2.3 +/- 0.3 nM. These high-affinity PAF binding sites were shown to be functional receptors, as 100 pM to 1 microM PAF increased free intracellular calcium in a dose-dependent manner. The dose of PAF necessary to achieve half maximal calcium mobilization response was 6.3 nM, which was in the range of the K for the receptor calculated from the binding studies. The structurally dissimilar PAF receptor antagonists CV-3988 and BN52021 inhibited the PAF-induced calcium changes at doses that competed with PAF binding. These studies provide the first evidence for a functional PAF receptor expressed on a lymphocyte cell line.

Hyperthyroid adult rat cardiomyocytes. II. Single cell electrophysiology and free calcium transients

The effects of hyperthyroidism on electrophysiological properties and intracellular free calcium transients in single adult rat cardiomyocytes were studied using conventional microelectrodes and time-resolved single cell fura-2 fluorescence microscopy. Under control conditions, resting membrane potentials and triggered action potentials were not different in euthyroid and hyperthyroid myocytes. Calcium transients produced by electrical stimulation, however, were markedly abbreviated in hyperthyroid myocytes. During a train of stimuli, the duration of the calcium transients at half peak amplitude (half time) was 124 +/- 14 ms at the fifth beat in hyperthyroid cells vs. 287 +/- 35 ms in euthyroid cells. Isoproterenol (1 microM) prolonged time to 50% repolarization (APD50) of the action potentials and increased the peak calcium transients in both euthyroid and hyperthyroid myocytes. It also shortened the half time of the calcium transients in euthyroid myocytes but had little effect on the half time in hyperthyroid cells. These data are consistent with the electrophysiology and mechanical performance in intact euthyroid and hyperthyroid cardiac tissues, and the intrinsic changes in hyperthyroid tissues can therefore be illustrated in single ventricular myocytes. Furthermore, the results suggest that alterations in intracellular calcium handling by sarcoplasmic reticulum may account for contractile changes of the heart induced by hyperthyroidism.

Lateral diffusion in the plasma membrane of maize protoplasts with implications for cell culture

Plasma-membrane dynamics in live protoplasts from maize (Zea mays L.) roots were characterized and examined for relationships as to the ability of the protoplasts to synthesize new cell walls and develop to cells capable of division. The lateral diffusion-coefficients and mobile fractions of fluorescence-labeled plasma-membrane proteins and lipids were measured by fluorescence photobleaching recovery. Small but significant effects on the diffusion of membrane proteins were observed after treatments with oryzalin or amiprophosmethyl, microtubule-disrupting drugs that increased the mobile fraction, and after treatments with cytochalasins B or D, microfilament-disrupting drugs that decreased the diffusion coefficient. A number of parameters were tested for correlative effects on membrane dynamics and protoplast performance in culture. Protoplasts isolated with a cellulase preparation from Trichoderma viride showed faster membrane-protein diffusion and a lower frequency of development to cells capable of division than did protoplasts isolated with a cellulase preparation from T. reesei. Membrane proteins in maize A632, a line less capable of plant regeneration from callus, diffused with a smaller diffusion coefficient but a greater mobile fraction than did membrane proteins in maize A634, a line with greater regeneration capacity. The plasma membranes of A632 and A634 protoplasts also differed with regard to lateral-diffusion characteristics of phospholipid and sterol probes, although the presence of both rapidly and slowly diffusing lipid components indicated the apparent existence of lipid domains in both A632 and A634. The protoplasts of the two lines did not differ significantly, however, in either wall regeneration or frequency of development to cells capable of division.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) may reduce the removal rate of cytosolic Ca2+ after transient elevations in clonal rat lactotrophs

The prolactin-producing rat anterior pituitary GH4C1 cells possess Ca2+-activated K channels which are activated by physiological elevations of the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration even at membrane potentials more negative than the normal level of about -50 mV. Whole-cell current recordings showed a marked outward tail current following depolarizing voltage steps to 0 mV from a holding potential close to the normal membrane potential. The half-time of this tail current was about 1.3 s after a 4-s depolarization step. The GH4C1 cells also possess voltage-activated Ca channels, and we conclude that this tail current is a Ca2+-activated K+ current for the following reasons: (1) The reversal potential for the tail current was close to the K+ equilibrium potential for a range of transmembrane K+ gradients. (2) The tail current was blocked by a Ca2+ antagonist, and the voltage dependence of this current closely mirrored the voltage dependence of the isolated Ca2+ current. The time-course of the decline of the tail current thus reflects the removal rate of the Ca2+ entering the cytosol through voltage-dependent Ca channels during the depolarizing voltage step. VIP stimulates prolactin secretion from GH4C1 cells, and this peptide prolonged the half-time of the tail current by about 47% in 63% of the cells. This indicates that VIP may prolong the transient cytosolic Ca2+ elevations following the action potentials in these cells. Such a mechanism might be an important factor for the control of the cytosolic Ca2+ level, and hence hormone secretion.

Energy depletion-repletion and calcium transients in single cardiomyocytes

Rapid fluctuations of intracellular free calcium in single adult rat heart myocytes were monitored by time-resolved fura-2 fluorescence microscopy. Under controlled aerobic conditions (35 degrees C, pH 7.3), electrical stimulation at 0.5 Hz produced a concave negative staircase of calcium transients. When the myocytes were challenged with 3 mM amobarbital (Amytal) and 2 microM carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) to deplete ATP, the cells became unresponsive to electrical stimulation within 1 min but responded to 10 mM caffeine with a large increase in free calcium. After the development of rigor contracture, the cellular response to caffeine was blunted. Free calcium increased at a variable rate in individual cells, reaching values of 300-1,000 nM after 15 min. When the inhibitors were removed, calcium declined toward control values, and spontaneous contractile activity and calcium transients were invariably observed. During subsequent electrical stimulation, there was a decrease in the half-widths of the calcium transients and an attenuation of the negative staircase. Parallel experiments with cells in suspension indicated that Amytal and CCCP caused ATP to fall from 27.6 +/- 1.6 to 0.7 +/- 0.2 nmol/mg protein, and the percent rod-shaped cells to fall from 70 to 0% in 5 min. Removal of the inhibitors after 15 min caused a rebound in ATP to 5.3 +/- 1.5 nmol/mg within 2 min and 6.6 +/- 1.3 nmol/mg after 10 min.

[Protective effects of berberine on spontaneous ventricular fibrillation in dogs after myocardial infarction]

The effects of berberine (Ber 5 mg/kg iv) on ventricular tachyarrhythmias and electrophysiologic consequences in both normal and ischemic myocardium were studied in the open-chest dogs subjected to programmed electrical stimulation (PES) and intimal surface anodal direct current stimulation of the circumflex coronary artery on 5-8 d after acute myocardial infarction. Its effects were compared with procainamide (PA). Both drugs distinctly lengthened the QTc interval and the effective refractory period (ERP) of normal and infarct myocardium in both ventricles and decreased the dispersion of ERP in infarct myocardium (IDR) as well as the dispersion of ERP in left ventricle (VDR). The PES-induced ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF) was prevented in 4 out of 6 Ber treated and 5 out of 6 PA treated dogs. Ber prevented spontaneous VF in 4 dogs (n = 5). PA prevented spontaneous VF in 3 dogs (n = 5). Normal saline (NS) did not prevent PES-induced VT/VF and spontaneous VF. The results suggest that Ber may be effective in preventing the onset of reentrant ventricular tachyarrhythmias and sudden coronary death after myocardial ischemic damage.

[Screening of strains producing extracellular catechol 1,2-dioxygenase and fermentation conditions]

Two strains of Pseudomonus sp. having the extracellular catechol 1, 2-dioxygenase activity were selected from 112 bacterial strains. The conditions for enzyme production of the strains were examined. The optimal temperature and pH for enzyme formation were 30 degrees C and pH 6.8-7.0 respectively. Enzyme formation was enhanced by sodium benzoate, and was markedly inhibited by glucose, maltose and glycerol. Ammoniacal nitrogen sources were essential for cell growth and enzyme production. Sodium succinate was an effective inducer for enzyme formation. When the organism was grown in 0.15% sodium benzoate medium (pH 6.8-7.0) at 30 degrees C for 72 hours, about 10 units of catechol 1,2 dioxygenase per ml was obtained.

Fluorescence and Delayed Light Emission from Mesophyll and Bundle Sheath Cells in Leaves of Normal and Salt-Treated Panicum miliaceum

A modified fluorescence microscope system was used to measure chlorophyll fluorescence and delayed light emission from mesophyll and bundle sheath cells in situ in fresh-cut sections from leaves of Panicum miliaceum L. The fluorescence rise in 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1, 1-dimethylurea (DCMU)-treated leaves and the slow fluorescence kinetics in untreated leaves show that mesophyll chloroplasts have larger photosystem II unit sizes than do bundle sheath chloroplasts. The larger photosystem II units imply more efficient noncyclic electron transport in mesophyll chloroplasts. Quenching of slow fluorescence also differs between the cell types with mesophyll chloroplasts showing complex kinetics and bundle sheath chloroplasts showing a relatively simple decline. Properties of the photosynthetic system were also investigated in leaves from plants grown in soil containing elevated NaCl levels. As judged by changes in both fluorescence kinetics in DCMU-treated leaves and delayed light emission in leaves not exposed to DCMU, salinity altered photosystem II in bundle sheath cells but not in mesophyll cells. This result may indicate different ionic distributions in the two cell types or, alternatively, different responses of the two chloroplast types to environmental change.

Studies of beta-thalassemia mutations in families living in three provinces in southern China

beta-Thalassemia is a common disease in Southern China and 10 different mutations or frameshifts are responsible for most types of beta-thalassemia in this area. We studied 126 chromosomes of 80 beta-thalassemia patients from the Guangxi, Guangdong, and Sichuan Provinces using the polymerase chain reaction followed by dot-blot hybridization with specific oligonucleotide probes. The most common mutation in the three provinces is the frameshift at codons 41-42, followed by the A----T mutation at codon 17. The A----G mutation at nt -29 of the promoter is common in Sichuan but not in the other two provinces. Three mutations (T----C at nt -30; G----T at IVS-I-1, and G----C at IVS-I-5) were not observed. These data were used to initiate a prenatal diagnosis program using the same techniques for identification. Eleven fetuses at risk for beta-thalassemia have been diagnosed.

Cisapride in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: effects on oesophageal motility and intra-oesophageal pH

Since gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is due to disturbances of oesophageal motility, motor and pH measurements are an important means to test a new anti-reflux drug, cisapride. In oesophageal manometry cisapride increased the pressure of the lower oesophageal sphincter in healthy volunteers and patients, and in the majority of studies it also strengthened the amplitude of oesophageal contractions. Cisapride lowered the total duration of acid exposure in the lower oesophagus in both volunteers and reflux patients. Thus cisapride may be useful in the treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

[Immunohistochemical study of alpha-1-antichymotrypsin and GFAP in glioma]

GFAP is a specific antigen of glial element, but Alpha-1-antichymotrypsin has not been reported in the literature Alpha-1-antichymotrypsin was guided by GFAP using PAP method to the astrocytes of 137 gliomas. 120 (87%) gliomas were positive for Alpha-1-antichymotrypsin. Of these 120 gliomas, 86 (72%) gave diffuse distribution, 17 (14%) gave focal distribution, and 17 (14%) gave scattered distributions. Alpha-1-antichymotrypsin in glioma tissue may be an important tumor marker for diagnosis.