Potassium iodide and acrylamide fluorescence quenching studies on gamma-crystallins of human lenses in development and aging

gamma 1-, gamma 2- and gamma 3-crystallin (corresponding to gamma s-, gamma C- and gamma D-crystallin respectively) of human fetal, 2 year and 20+ year old lenses are separated by Sephadex gel chromatography. Iodide and acrylamide are used to quench the tryptophane fluorescence of sub-gamma-crystalline fractions and Ksv and fa values are calculated. The results show that iodide has no clear quenching effects on all gamma-crystallins, the quenching effects of acrylamide on the tryptophan fluorescences of gamma 1-, gamma 2- and gamma 3-crystallin from lenses of the same age have little differences, and the quenching rates of tryptophane fluorescences of gamma 1-crystallin decreases and that of gamma 2- and gamma 3-crystallin increase with age. These results indicate that all tryptophan residues in these three gamma-crystallins lie in hydrophobic environments of molecule and their exposure degree is in the order gamma 2 < gamma 3 < gamma 1. The tryptophan exposure of gamma 2 and gamma 3 increase (gamma 2 > gamma 3) and of gamma 1 decrease with age. The age related change of gamma 1 may be related to the changing of structure or containing of new constituents. Although the tryptophan exposure in gamma 3 is higher than that in gamma 2, the change of structure with age in gamma 2 is more prominent than in gamma 3.

Palladium-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization of vinyl and aryl triflates. Associated regioselectivity of the beta-hydride elimination step

The Pd(0)-catalyzed intramolecular olefination of vinyl and aryl triflates has been studied with a view to gaining insight into the question of kinetically preferred reductive elimination when at least two options are available. In either series, a non-activated alkene participant was found to be converted most readily into the non-conjugated cyclization product. This trend is seen despite the more forcing conditions necessary to engage the less reactive aryl triflates in ring closure. On the other hand, when the pendant chain is terminated by an alpha-methyl acrylate unit, the conjugated diene is kinetically preferred. The two reactions appear to be closely balanced energetically since product distributions are not greatly disparate. Nevertheless, their complementarity could be utilized to advantage in the synthesis of polycyclic molecules possessing multiple sterogenic centers.

[Studies on human gamma-crystallins. I. Quantitative changes with age and cataract formation]

Water soluble protein from human lenses at various ages are separated by Sephadex gel chromatography. The results show that there are major three gamma-crystallins (gamma 1, gamma 2, gamma 3) in human lenses. In normal lenses the total contents of the three gamma-crystallins in water soluble fraction of lens proteins keep stable as age increases. However, among the three gamma-crystallins, gamma 1 increase and gamma 2 decrease markedly, and very little change with gamma 3 are found as age increases. In nuclear cataractous lenses, all three gamma-crystallins decrease as compared with the normal lenses of the same age. The variety of synthesis of each gamma-crystallin is mainly responsible for the changes of their quantities. It is postulated that the total low molecular weight crystallin contents in water soluble proteins of the human lens is related to the transparency of lens. The structural characterization of gamma 3-crystallin is responsible for the relative constant as age increases.

Acupuncture at otoacupoint heart for treatment of vascular hypertension

The immediate, short-term and long-term depressor effects, the immediate effects on cardiac functions in grade II and grade III vascular hypertension, and the effects on angiotensin II in grade III vascular hypertension by acupuncture at otoacupoint Heart were studied in 30 cases of vascular hypertensive patients. The immediate depressor effect of acupuncture at otoacupoint Stomach was also recorded for comparison. It was found that acupuncture at otoacupoint Heart produced marked immediate depressor effect, and the short-term effective rate was 100%, the long-term effective rate was 63.3%, as well as evident immediate effects on cardiac functional activities in grade II and grade III hypertension and marked effects on angiotensin II in grade III hypertension. Acupuncture at otoacupoint Stomach produced no depressor effect on vascular hypertension.

Neuronal migration on laminin in vitro

Chick sympathetic (E-9) or telencephalic (E-7) neurons were cultured at low density on poly-DL-ornithine (PORN), poly-L-lysine (POLS), laminin or laminin-covered PORN or POLS and monitored with time-lapse videomicroscopy. Neurons migrated on laminin, or laminin-covered PORN or POLS, but not on PORN or POLS alone. Neuronal migration did not involve interactions with other cells indicating that neurons are capable of independent migration when exposed to a laminin substrate.

rna12+, a gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae involved in pre-rRNA maturation. Characterization of a temperature-sensitive mutant, cloning and sequencing of the gene

RNA12-1 is a dominant temperature-sensitive (Ts) yeast mutant which has previously been reported to exhibit a defect in RNA accumulation at 37 degrees C. We further characterized this mutant through analyses of rRNA transcription rates and maturation. The results show that pre-rRNA is normally synthesized but that subsequent maturation is severely affected by a temperature upshift: the nascent rRNAs are under-methylated and little mature rRNA can be observed at 37 degrees C. Likewise, the accumulation of some mRNAs for ribosomal proteins is also prevented at 37 degrees C. The RNA12-1 mutation is recessive at 32 degrees C, which made it possible to clone the wild-type rna12+ gene by complementation of the Ts phenotype with plasmids from a multicopy yeast genomic library. The predicted gene product is a protein of 96,630 Da with no significant sequence similarity to any known proteins. Gene disruption is not lethal at either the permissive or the restrictive temperature. The gene is located on chromosome XIII, downstream of the ADH2 gene and 10 cM from the ADE4 gene. Furthermore, the mutant allele RNA12-1 was cloned and sequenced. A point mutation found in this allele leads to dominant thermosensitivity at 37 degrees C when the mutant gene is introduced into a wild-type strain. Taken together, these data suggest that the rna12+ gene product plays a dispensable role in early maturation of pre-rRNA but that its mutant gene product can interfere with the normal function of other proteins required for pre-rRNA maturation.

Purification of bovine interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein and its uveitogenicity in Lewis rats

Interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein, IRBP, not only functioning as a shuttle to carry the retinoid between photoreceptor cells and pigment epithelium, but also inducing experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU), was purified by ConA Sepharose affinity chromatography from the fractions containing IRBP obtained in the course of ion-exchange chromatography by which the bovine retinal S-antigen was purified. This much simplified method allows more rapid purification of the two kinds of protein. EAU was successfully induced with injecting 50 micrograms of IRBP emulsified with Freund's complete adjuvant into the right hind footpads of Lewis rats. It was characterized by panophthalmia or endophthalmia with the severest damage in the posterior retina. Lymphocytes, mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells were found to be the inflammatory cells of infiltration, with lymphocytes being predominant.

The nondeletional types of Hb H disease in Guangxi

Three primers were designed, one specific for alpha 1-globin DNA, a second for alpha 2-globin DNA, and a third that is common for both alpha 1- and alpha 2-globin DNA. These three primers can be applied for selective amplification of the two globin DNA fragments, which is useful for identification of nondeletional types of Hb H disease. Fifty-nine DNA samples of Hb H patients from Guangxi were studied by selective amplification, and 27 cases (45.8%) were confirmed as nondeletional types. Of these, 22 (81.5%) had the Hb Constant Spring (CS) mutation and one had the Hb Quong Sze (QS) mutation; both were identified by hybridization with synthesized oligonucleotide probes. Nondeletional Hb H disease in Guangxi seems to be more severe than the deletional types. The average hemoglobin level of the nondeletional Hb H/CS (--/alpha alpha) is 6.8 g/dl, which is lower than that of the deletional types (7.9 g/dl), while the levels of Hb H and Hb Bart's were much higher in the patients with Hb H/CS than in those with the deletional types.

[Consecutive observation of the plasma MDA, XO and UA levels and erythrocyte SOD in 10 cases of cardiopulmonary bypass]

The plasma malonaldehyde (MDA), xanthine oxidase (XO) and uric acid (UA) levels and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured in 10 cases during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) operation. These examinations were taken at pre-aortic clamping, 15 min after aortic clamping, 30, 60, 120 and 180 min after reperfusion respectively. The results showed that MDA, XO and UA rise but SOD decreases after reperfusion. We believe that a lot of oxygen free radicals (OFR) release during peri-operative period and the XO may be an important pathway of OFR release.

[Longitudinal changes of serum specific antibodies in Lewis rats immunized with IRBP]

The serum antibodies specific to either interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) or retinal S-antigen were longitudinally determined in Lewis rats immunized with 50 x 10(-6)g of IRBP emulsified with complete Freund's adjuvant. To our knowledge, it is the first time to purify IRBP and to address the experiment with IRBP in China. It was shown that the antibody specific to IRBP appeared on the 7th day, followed by a gradual increase, and reached its peak on the 26th day after immunization. No antibody specific to S-antigen was found. The relation between anti-IRBP antibody and experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) which occurred in the increasing phase of the antibody suggests that the humoral immunity may be implicated in the pathogenesis of EAU.

Inhibition of rat lens aldose reductase by quercetagetin and patuletin

In this paper the results of inhibition of the Aldose reductase (AR) activity on Wistar rat lens by Quercetagetin extracted from Tagetes erects Linn and by Patuletin extracted from Tagetes patula Linn are reported. Quercetagetin inhibited AR of the rat lens by 93.9% at 10(-4) M, 76.0% at 10(-5) M and 13.3% at 10(-6) M. Patuletin inhibited AR of the rat lens by 100% at 10(-1) M, 80% at 10(-5) M and 22.7% at 10(-6) M respectively. The results show that these two flavones are lens AR Inhibitors, but further study should be done for the possibility of clinical application.

Hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphatase dehydrogenase and aldose reductase in human fetal lenses

The lens HK, G6PD, AR activity and its relationship with fetal age was determined. There is a positive correlation between the age of fetus and the activity (IU/mg pro.) of HK and G6PD (r = 0.8069, 0.8204, P < 0.01) and a negative correlation between the age of fetus and activity of AR (r = -0.810 1, 0.05 > P > 0.01).

Detection of the Hb Quong Sze mutation in a Chinese family by selective amplification of the alpha 2-globin gene and restriction map analysis with Msp I

The polymerase chain reaction technique combined with restriction map analysis with Msp I and hybridization with synthetic oligonucleotide probes has been used to identify Hb Quong Sze [alpha 125(H8)Leu----Pro] in a Chinese family in Guangxi (Quong Sze), P. R. China. Our data and those described in an earlier publication (1) indicate that the Hb Quong Sze carriers originate from the same province of the People's Republic of China, namely Guangxi.

Hb Westmead: an alpha 2-globin gene mutation detected by polymerase chain reaction and Stu I cleavage

Hb Westmead or alpha 2 122(H5)His----Gln beta 2 is one of the most common hemoglobin variants in Guangxi, a province in Southern China. The alpha 2-globin DNA sequence of a carrier for this variant was selectively amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and analyzed with the restriction enzyme Stu I. We found that this mutant globin was encoded at the alpha 2 locus and that the CAC----CAG mutation at codon 122 created a new Stu I restriction site. It is easy to detect this mutation by these methods.

[The clinical use of sodium hyaluronate eyedrops as a substitute for tears]

The present paper reports on the curative effect of the 0.1% Sodium hyaluronate (Na-HA) eyedrops jointly manufactured by Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital and Guangzhou Institute of Medical & Pharmaceutical Industry. 70 cases were studied. There were kerato-conjunctivitis sicca, lagophthalmos corneal fluorescein diffuse punctate epithelial lesion caused by contact lens, and keratitis punctata superficialis. The results showed effective treatment which occupied 95.7%. In the discussion, the authors point out that Na-HA has the same stagnatisity and elasticity as biotears because of its adhesion to the corneal epithelium. Moreover, it has the water-retaining microsponge action similar to that of mucopolysaccharide. Hence, Na-HA has protective effects on corneal epithelium. Finally, the authors conclude that Na-HA eyedrop is so far the most ideal substitute for tears and superior to other artificial tears.

[Determination of the contents of chlorogenic acid in qingre jiedu injection by three wavelength spectrophotometry]

The content of chlorogenic acid in Qingre Jiedu injection was determined by three wavelength spectrophotometry (315, 325 and 340.6nm), without any preliminary separation. The results showed the advantages of the method in simplicity, rapidity, accuracy, stability and better recovery (100.5%), and so on.