cDNA cloning of p40, a regulatory subunit of the human 26S proteasome, and a homolog of the Mov-34 gene product

The nucleotide sequence of a cDNA that encodes a new regulatory subunit, named p40, of the 26S proteasome of human hepatoblastoma HepG2 cells has been determined. The polypeptide predicted from the open reading frame consists of 324 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 37020 and isoelectric point of 6.03. A KEKE motif, consisting of a very hydrophilic domain rich in 'alternating' lysine (positive) and glutamate (negative) residues, is present in the C-terminus of p40. The overall structure of p40 is homologous to that of the mouse Mov-34 gene product, whose gene disruption by proviral integration results in a recessive embryonic lethality. Thus the p40/Mov-34 protein is a novel essential regulatory subunit of the human 26S proteasome.

Molecular cloning of two glutamate transporter subtypes from mouse brain

The physiological action of glutamate is terminated by diffusional processes with its subsequent removal by high-affinity transport systems localized to glial and/or neuronal elements. Several cDNAs encoding glutamate transporters have been isolated from mammalian tissues. Here, we screened a cDNA library derived from mouse cerebellum and isolated the two glutamate transporters, termed MGLT1 and MEAAC1. The MGLT1 and MEAAC1 cDNAs encode proteins of 572 and 523 amino acids, respectively. MGLT1 has 93.9% amino acid sequence identity with the rat GLT1 and MEAAC1 has 89.3% identity with the rabbit EAAC1. MEAAC1 mRNA was expressed in brain, lung, kidney and skeletal muscle, whereas expression of MGLT1 was restricted to brain.

The genomic organization of the gene encoding a nitrate-inducible ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase from rice roots

A genomic clone of the gene encoding a nitrate-inducible ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase (FNR) from rice (Oryza sativa L.) roots has been isolated and its nucleotide sequence determined. The clone contains 3897 nucleotides of the gene which consists of six exons interrupted by five introns. The transcription start site was determined by primer extension analysis which locates 64 bp upstream of the ATG translation initiation codon. The 5'-flanking region contains canonical TATA- and CAAT-boxes, and a potential Sp1-binding site. Four ATCAA(A/C) and two inverted TTTGAT sequences are localized in the promoter region and a TGTAA motif occurs three times in the 3'-untranslated region. No significant similarity was found when the 5' flanking region was compared with that of the photosynthetic FNR gene.

Diuretic and antidiuretic effects of mesotocin as compared with the antidiuretic effect of arginine vasotocin in the hen

Mesotocin and arginine vasotocin were injected intravenously once at various dosage levels (.0025 to 25 micrograms/kg body weight) immediately after an intravenous injection of 15 mL/kg body weight saline solution into hens in which an artificial anus had been surgically created, and the volume of urine excreted during a 5-h period, following the injection, was measured. Arginine vasotocin caused a monophasic, dose-dependent decrease in urine volume. By contrast, mesotocin was biphasic: at .025 and .25 micrograms/kg body weight it decreased urine volume with the same efficacy as arginine vasotocin, whereas it dramatically increased urine volume at the higher doses (2.5 and 25 micrograms/kg body weight).

[Clinical evaluation of safety, pharmacokinetics and dosimetry of the somatostatin analog 111In-DTPA-D-Phe-octreotide--report of the phase 1 study]

The safety, pharmacokinetics and dosimetry of the somatostatin analog 111In-DTPA-D-Phe-octreotide (111In-octreotide) were investigated in four young normal volunteers as phase 1 study in Japan. Neither adverse reactions nor significant changes of vital signs and clinical laboratory data were observed after intravenous injection of 111 MBq of 111In octreotide. The plasma clearance curve consisted of fast and slow exponential components with mean half life of 9.2 minutes and 2.2 hours, respectively. Seventy three percent of the injected dose were excreted in the urine by 24 hours after the injection of 111In-octreotide. With respect to the radiation dose to normal tissue, the most important organs were the urinary bladder, the kidney, the spleen and the liver. The effective dose equivalent was calculated as 3.26 +/- 0.43 mSv/37 MBq (mean +/- s.d.). This phase 1 study demonstrated the safety of scintigraphy with 111In-octreotide.

Dual functions of the AML1/Evi-1 chimeric protein in the mechanism of leukemogenesis in t(3;21) leukemias

The chromosomal translocation t(3;21)(q26;q22), which is found in blastic crisis in chronic myelogenous leukemias and myelodysplastic syndrome-derived leukemias, produces AML1/Evi-1 chimeric transcription factor and is thought to play important roles in acute leukemic transformation of hemopoietic stem cells. We report here the functional analyses of AML1/Evi-1. It was revealed that AML1/Evi-1 itself does not alter the transactivation level through mouse polyomavirus enhancer-binding protein 2 (PEBP2; PEA2) sites (binding site of AML1) but dominantly suppresses the transactivation by intact AML1, which is assumed to be a stimulator of myeloid cell differentiation. DNA-binding competition is a putative mechanism of such dominant negative effects of AML1/Evi-1 because it binds to PEBP2 sites with higher affinity than AML1 does. Furthermore, AML1/Evi-1 stimulated c-fos promoter transactivation and increased AP-1 activity, as Evi-1 (which is not normally expressed in hemopoietic cells) did. Experiments using deletion mutants of AML1/Evi-1 showed that these two functions are mutually independent because the dominant negative effects on intact AML1 and the stimulation of AP-1 activity are dependent on the runt domain (DNA-binding domain of AML1) and the zinc finger domain near the C terminus, respectively. Furthermore, we showed that AML1/Evi-1 blocks granulocytic differentiation, otherwise induced by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, of 32Dcl3 myeloid cells. It was also suggested that both AML1-derived and Evi-1-derived portions of the fusion protein play crucial roles in this differentiation block. We conclude that the leukemic cell transformation in t(3;21) leukemias is probably caused by these dual functions of AML1/Evi-1 chimeric protein.

Insulin and glucagon levels in living related liver transplantation: their interaction with the recovery of graft liver function

Insulin and glucagon have opposite effects on various hepatic functions, including energy metabolism, which is essential for hepatic viability. To evaluate the effects of insulin and glucagon on the recovery of graft liver function, changes in these levels were investigated in relation to arterial ketone body ration (AKBR) during a 30-h period after graft liver reperfusion in 29 recipients of living related liver transplants. Insulin levels did not change significantly throughout this study, while glucagon levels decreased immediately after reperfusion, indicating a rapid degradation of glucagon by the graft liver. The insulin/glucagon (I/G) ratio increased after reperfusion concomitantly with AKBR. In addition, the I/G ratio was significantly correlated with AKBR after reperfusion. It is concluded that the increase in the I/G ratio was closely related to the recovery of graft liver function as reflected by the AKBR in living related liver transplantation.

Cytokine stimulation during Salmonella typhimurium sepsis in Itys mice

Cytokine production was measured in mice during Salmonella typhimurium sepsis and intoxication. In mice given live S. typhimurium (10 cfu/mouse), by intra-peritoneal injection, serum levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin-6 increased steadily from day 1 until day 4. Interferon-gamma levels showed a transient peak on day 3. Interleukin-1-alpha levels were very low. There were high bacterial counts in the livers at day 3 and deaths occurred from day 4 onwards. Intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide or heat-killed bacteria also induced all of the cytokines, but their time of appearance and levels varied greatly. Cytokine induction by heat-killed bacteria was more marked. Endotoxaemia decreased with time during intoxication and increased during sepsis. Bioactive TNF, as measured by a cytotoxicity assay, was found only in mice given heat-killed bacteria.

Changes of proteasomes and cathepsins activities and their expression during differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts

C2C12 myoblasts fuse to form multinucleated myotubes and express muscle specific proteins during differentiation. To elucidate developmental regulation of intracellular proteolytic systems, enzymatic activities, protein and mRNA levels of proteasomes (20S and 26S) and lysosomal cathepsins (B, L, and H) were examined. Myoblasts were differentiated fully to myotubes 6 days after starting differentiation. In this developmental process, the 26S proteasome activity decreased, while the 20S proteasome activity increased. Expression of proteasome subunits of 20S (RC2, RC8) and regulatory components of 26S (S4, S7) was down-regulated, though total protein levels of proteasomes showed no remarkable changes. On the other hand, enzymatic activities of cathepsins B and B + L increased in association with an increase of their transcriptional and translational levels. Expression of their specific endogenous inhibitor, cystatin beta, also increased. Maturation of the lysosomal proteolytic system was tightly linked to the differentiation process. These results suggested that signals for differentiation of myoblasts mediate a change of intracellular proteolytic systems, involving up-regulation of lysosomal cathepsins and down-regulation of proteasomes.

[General pharmacology of T-3761, a new oral quinolone antibacterial agent (1). Effect on the central nervous system]

General pharmacological effects of T-3761, a new oral quinolone antibacterial agent, on the central nervous system were investigated in laboratory animals. The results obtained are summarized as follows. 1. T-3761 exerted no significant effects on spontaneous motor activity, motor coordination, pentobarbital-induced hypnosis, electroshock-, pentetrazole- or strychnine-induced convulsion, acetic acid-induced writhing responses, reserpine-induced hypothermia and ptosis in mice at oral doses of 100, 300 and 1,000 mg/kg. The same oral doses of T-3761 exerted no significant effects on body temperature and passive avoidance response in rats. 2. T-3761 had no effects on EEG in cats and spinal reflex in rats at intravenous doses of 10, 30 and 100 mg/kg. 3. Convulsions were not observed in mice after any oral combinations of T-3761 at a dose of 200 or 1,000 mg/kg with 14 different nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including fenbufen. 4. An oral combination of T-3761 even at a higher doses of 3,000 mg/kg with 4-biphenylacetic acid (BPAA) which is a principally active metabolite of fenbufen also did not induce convulsions in mice. 5. T-3761 did not inhibit GABA receptor binding in rat brain synaptic membranes at 10(-4) M in either the absence or presence of BPAA. These results suggest that T-3761 is an antibacterial agent which would be unlikely to produce any side effects on the central nervous system and to produce convulsion when combined with NSAIDs in clinical use.

[Effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on porphyrin metabolism--experimental porphyria induced by large single doses of PCBs]

The effects of large single doses of PCBs and iron overload on porphyrin metabolism were investigated in male C57BL/6 mice. A single intraperitoneal dose of Kanechlor-500 (10 mg/mouse) caused urinary uroporphyrin to increase three days after injection. This increase was transient without porphyrin accumulation in the liver. Iron overload (12.5 mg/mouse) showed a tendency to prolong the action of PCBs.

Prolonged disease-free period in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer after adoptive transfer of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes

Thirteen patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, who did not show any detectable lesion after cisplatin-containing chemotherapy following primary operation, were treated with adoptive transfer of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL group). Eleven patients with almost equivalent conditions of disease, who were treated with only chemotherapy following primary operation, served as a control group. The median time of follow-up was 36 (range, 23-44) months in the TIL group and 33 (range, 14-48) months in the control group. The estimated 3-year overall survival rate of disease-free patients in the TIL group and in the control group was 100% and 67.5%, respectively. A significant difference was noticed between the overall survival rate of the TIL group and the control group (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the estimated 3-year disease-free survival rate of the patients in the TIL group and in the control group was 82.1% and 54.5%, respectively. The disease-free survival rate of patients in the TIL group and in the control group was significantly different (P < 0.05). These results suggest that the adoptive transfer of TILs after all chemotherapy has been finished might be one promising method to achieve complete cure of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

[Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated quaterphenyls (PCQs) concentrations in skin surface lipids and blood of patients with Yusho]

The relationship between Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), and Polychlorinated Quaterphenyls (PCQs) concentrations in the skin surface lipids and blood was investigated in twenty two patients with PCB poisoning (Yusho) and 9 control subjects were analyzed. The collection of skin surface lipids was performed by the method of cotton pad with 70% ethyl alcohol. The alkaline decomposition method described as "the official standard analytical methods for the isolation of PCBs and PCQs fractions" was used. In the blood of control group, the mean value of PCBs concentration was 1.8 ng/g, and that of PCQs concentration was very low and undetectable by our analytical method. On the other hand, the PCBs concentration in the Yusho group was three times higher than those in the control group. The mean value of PCQs concentration was 1.90 ng/g in Yusho group, while it was not detectable in the control group. In the skin surface lipids of patients with Yusho, the mean value of PCBs concentration was 668.6 ng/g, but was 256.7 ng/g in the control group. The mean value of PCQs concentration in the skin surface lipids of Yusho patients was 35.4 ng/g, although it was not detected in the control group. These values of the skin surface lipids in 1993 were decreased as compared with those in 1992. PCBs and PCQs levels in the skin surface lipids were higher than those in the blood. These findings suggests that cutaneous sebaceous system is one of the excretory systems of polyhalogenated chemicals, such as PCBs or PCQs, when these chemicals are precipitated in human or mammalian.

Successful expression in pollen of various plant species of in vitro synthesized mRNA introduced by particle bombardment

Gold particles coated with beta-glucuronidase (GUS) mRNA with a 5' cap structure that had been synthesized in vitro were introduced, by use of a pneumatic particle gun, into pollen grains of lily (Lilium longiflorum), freesia (Freesia refracta) and tulip (Tulipa gesneriana). A fluorometric assay for the GUS activity indicated that in vitro synthesized GUS mRNA introduced into these pollen cells by particle bombardment was successfully expressed. GUS activity in extracts of the bombarded lily pollen became detectable fluorometrically within 30 min after bombardment, peaked at 6 h, then gradually decreased. This activity changed as a function of the developmental stage of the pollen cell of lily.

[Clinical analysis on 40 cases of primary aldosteronism--long-term follow-up of blood pressure]

Forty cases of primary aldosteronism after adrenalectomy were observed from 1975 to 1993 at Yokohama City University hospital. All of them had adrenocortical adenoma producing aldosterone. These cases are evaluated retrospectively on localization, surgical approach and long term follow up blood pressure. These patients were from 26 to 65 years old (average 46.6), and consisted of 11 males and 29 females. Fourteen adenomas were located on the right adrenal gland, 25 on left, and one case had adenomas on bilateral adrenal glands. On localization study, 39 cases had been correctly diagnosed by combined diagnostic method of selective adrenal venous sampling, selective adrenal venography, adrenal scintigraphy, X-ray CT, and MRI, with each diagnostic values being 65.8%, 69.0%, 72.5%, 96.9%, 100% respectively. This analysis suggests that, in almost cases, it is enough to diagnose the laterality by adrenal scintigraphy, X-ray CT and MRI. Selective venous catheterization is not always necessary to know the laterality of the tumor. For surgical approach to the adrenal gland, 16 adenomas were removed through anterior subcostal incision (transabdominal approach) from 1975 to 1988, and 24 cases through lumbar oblique incision or dorsal incision (extra peritoneal approach) from 1986 to 1993. This analysis reveals that lumbar oblique and dorsal incision provided us superior surgical approach to the adrenal gland. Thirty-eight cases had been followed after adrenalectomy for more than one year (average 57.6 months). Blood pressure had been normalized in 28 cases, but 10 cases had remained hypertensive.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Functional distinction among structural subsections in the specific priming signal for DNA replication of the broad host-range plasmid RSF1010

To analyze the functional contribution to the ssiA function of subsections of the ssiA-determinant sequence based on their dimensions, we constructed ssiA mutants carrying insertions and deletions. Results of the examination of the ssiA mutants told us that, in addition to the base sequence, the dimensions were crucial factors for the functional contribution of the subsections of ssiA.

Inhibition by folded isomers of L-2-(carboxycyclopropyl)glycine of glutamate uptake via the human glutamate transporter hGluT-1

The effects of isomers of 2-(carboxycyclopropyl)glycine (CCG) on uptake of L-glutamate were investigated in COS-7 cells that expressed a cloned human glutamate transporter (hGluT-1). The (2S, 3S, 4R)-isomer (L-CCG-III) and the (2S, 3R, 4S)-isomer (L-CCG-IV) markedly inhibited glutamate uptake with a 50% inhibitory concentration of 290 nM and 1.1 microM, respectively. The (2S, 3S, 4S)-isomer (L-CCG-I) and the (2S, 3R, 4R)-isomer (L-CCG-II) did not inhibit glutamate uptake at concentrations of < or = 10 microM. Thus, hGluT-1 showed a markedly higher affinity for L-CCG-III and L-CCG-IV with a folded conformation of the glutamate skeleton, than for L-CCG-I or L-CCG-II with an extended conformation.