Purification, characterization, and crystallization of single molecular species of beta-conglycinin from soybean seeds

Four major molecular species of beta-conglycinin, alpha 3, alpha 2 beta, alpha beta 2, and beta 3, were isolated and purified from seeds of an alpha' subunit-deficient strain of soybeans (Glycine max). All components were found to be homogeneous by high pressure liquid chromatography, SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and amino acid and amino terminal sequence analyses. The amino acid compositions of the alpha 3 and beta 3 components agreed fairly well with the compositions deduced from the cDNA sequences, and all of the components were highly glycosylated. The alpha 3 and beta 3 components were compared regarding their secondary structures. The secondary structure of the alpha 3 component deduced from CD measurements showed a higher alpha-helix content than that of the beta 3 component. The beta 3 component was crystallized by decreasing the ionic strength from 0.5 to 0.14 in phosphate buffer, pH 7.3, and the crystals grew to a size (1.0 mm x 0.2 mm x 0.2 mm) suitable for X-ray crystallographic analysis. A preliminary X-ray analysis showed that the crystal belonged to an orthorhombic crystal system having the space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) and unit cell dimensions of a = 185.1 A, b = 107.9 A, and c = 97.6 A.

Suppression of cytokine-induced neutrophil accumulation in rat mesenteric venules in vivo by general anesthesia

Most studies of neutrophil-endothelial interactions in vivo necessarily require the use of general anesthetic agents which are well known to be immunosuppressive. By using whole-mount preparations of the rat mesoappendix, we were able to study tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) induced neutrophil adhesion to the mesenteric venular endothelium in vivo without necessarily using general anesthesia. TNF-alpha significantly increased venular-neutrophil accumulation in a dose-dependent manner, accumulation was markedly increased at 1, 2, and 4 h, but returned to baseline after 24 h. After these preliminary dose-response and time-course studies, we evaluated the influence of standard clinically effective doses of several commonly used anesthetic agents (thiopental, pentobarbital, ketamine, alpha-chloralose, methoxyflurane, and halothane) on the extent of neutrophil-venular accumulation induced 2 h after intraperitoneal injection of 0.4 mg/kg TNF-alpha, compared to unanesthetized rats. All general anesthetics tested, with the exception of methoxyflurane, significantly suppressed this response. In most cases this suppression was striking (from 60 to 85%) such that a statistically significant proinflammatory response was obscured. Although methoxyflurane also tended to suppress this response to TNF-alpha, it was the only agent that allowed the response to be clearly seen. Because anesthesia markedly suppresses cytokine-induced neutrophil-venular adhesion, this model should provide an important complementary technique to the classical in vivo microcirculatory approaches which do necessarily require general anesthesia.

Effects of liposome size on penetration of dl-tocopherol acetate into skin

Liposomes were prepared from hydrogenated lecithin (H-PC) by sonication (S) or injection (I) of H-PC dissolved in ethanol containing dl-tocopherol acetate (VEA). The effects of liposomes on the dermal absorption of VEA were studied. The particle diameter of S-liposomes was smaller than that of I-liposomes. The penetration of liposomal H-PC into the skin was much higher for S-liposomes than for I-liposomes 30 min after application to the arms of healthy human volunteers and also to hairless rat back skin. The penetration of 14C-VEA into hairless rat back skin was higher from the liposomes than from free VEA, and the 14C-VEA penetration was higher from S-liposomes than from I-liposomes. 3H-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine and 14C-VEA, which had been entrapped in liposomes, were not detected in plasma. H-PC inhibited the peroxidation of skin lipids. H-PC enhanced the penetration of VEA into the skin, but the degree of enhancement depended on the size of the liposomes, indicating that this liposomal characteristic was an important factor in dermal absorption and/or penetration.

Daily rhythm of serum melatonin in patients with dementia of the degenerate type

The daily rhythm in serum melatonin levels was measured in patients with dementia of the degenerate type (Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type) by radioimmunoassay. Thirteen patients (age: 69.0 +/- 8.0 years, mean +/- S.D.) were studied. All patients were hospitalized at the time of the study and had a history of sleep-wake disturbances, nocturnal wandering and/or delirium. We also studied 13 age-matched healthy control subjects (control group 1), ten young adults (control group 2), and nine hospitalized patients without dementia (control group 3). Two subjects in the control groups showed no measurable changes in melatonin level throughout the day, while the other 30 control subjects exhibited a clear daily rhythm with the peak concentration occurring during the night. On the other hand, four out of the 13 patients with dementia did not show any melatonin rhythm. Two of the demented patients who did not exhibit melatonin rhythm displayed clinical symptoms of rhythm disorders. One out of the nine patients with melatonin rhythm presented with clinical symptoms, such as delirium and sleep-wake disturbance. Our results suggest that the probability of absent melatonin rhythm is higher in demented patients compared with subjects without dementia. However, a lack of melatonin rhythm is not always associated with symptomatic rhythm disorders. Since the melatonin rhythm reflects that of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, it follows that the SCN function of the patients having a history of rhythm disorders was not always severely damaged.

Diffusion of water in rat sciatic nerve measured by 1H pulsed field gradient NMR: compartmentation and anisotropy

Diffusion of water was measured in rat sciatic nerve at 22.5 +/- 0.5 degrees C using the spinecho pulsed-field gradient sequence. Three effective diffusion coefficients (ca. 1.1, 0.23, and 0.02 x 10(-9) m2/s) were obtained at a diffusion time of 10 ms in fresh nerve and they showed minimal orientation dependency. The extracellular water signal was quenched by 10 mM MnCl2, and 10% of the water signal remained. Two diffusion coefficients of water were now observed at a diffusion time of 10 ms. The faster coefficient (65% of the remaining signal) was 0.8 x 10(9) m2/s when the axis of the nerve fiber was set parallel to the gradient (D0), and was 0.3 x 10(9) m2/s when the axis of the nerve fiber was set perpendicular to the gradient (D90). The values of D90 and D0 decreased when the diffusion time was increased from 3 ms to 50 ms. A cylinder diameter of 5.4 microns was obtained on the assumption of restricted diffusion in a cylindrical geometry. This agrees with the average inner diameter of axons in the rat sciatic nerve. The slower diffusion component (0.02 x 10(-9) m2/s, 35% of the remaining signal) did not show orientation or diffusion time dependency, and may be attributed to the intracellular water of the Schwann cell body.

Partial purification and characterization of a novel soybean protease which is inhibited by Kunitz and Bowman-Birk trypsin inhibitors

A novel serine protease has been partially purified from dry seeds of the soybean (Glycine max) cultivar Keburi by cryoprecipitation at pH 6.4, fractional precipitation with ammonium sulfate, and a series of column chromatographic procedures on DEAE-Sepharose, SP-Sepharose, and Arginine-Sepharose 4B. Some properties of the purified enzyme were studied. The protease hydrolyzed the native storage globulins of soybean seeds, such as the alpha subunit of beta-conglycinin, at a pair of arginine residues, Arg126-Arg127. The proteolysis of the alpha subunit in the purified alpha 2 beta molecule of beta-conglycinin apparently followed first order kinetics. The enzyme was inhibited by both soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor and Bowman-Birk proteinase inhibitor in a competitive manner. Moreover, the enzyme could catalyze the specific proteolysis of the A3 polypeptide of the purified G5 glycinin at the Arg99-Gly100 linkage, or the carboxyl side of the Arg98-Arg99 paired basic residues.

Effect of ambient temperature on power spectral density of arterial pressure during sleep in the rat

Power spectral density (PSD) of arterial pressure (AP) during sleep was observed at various ambient temperatures (Ta: 16, 22 and 28 degrees C). Average AP and heart rate (HR) during sleep increased with lowering of Ta. PSD of AP during slow wave sleep (SWS) decreased over the entire range of frequency with increasing of Ta. Low frequency component (approximately 0.1 Hz) in PSD of AP during paradoxical sleep (PS) increased, while higher frequency component (0.1 Hz approximately) decreased with increasing of Ta. This study suggests that Ta affects the PSD of AP during sleep, and that vasomotor sympathetic tone during PS might increase with increasing of Ta.

Visual evoked potentials to a faint light: signal propagation analyzed with peak latency and topographic mapping

Accurate localization for the process of recognition of a light stimulus is yet to be determined. We studied 19-channel VEP from nine healthy volunteers, evoked by physiologically faint light less than 200 Cd/m2, using a light emitting diode (5 mm phi, 0.3 degrees, energized for 5 msec). VEP was bandpass filtered from 0.16 to 120 Hz, and analyzed from 20 msec pre-stimulus to 184.2 msec post-stimulus. The grand average VEP suggested an initial positive peak at 115.8 msec at the frontal poles and at 136 msec over the occipital areas. An initial negative peak was noted at 156 msec at the frontal poles and at 179.2 msec over the occipital areas. This might suggest that the potentials evoked had propagated from the frontal poles to the occipital areas, taking about 20 msec. However, the topographic maps contained little evidence for such a propagation, but rather indicated the waxing and waning of positive or negative extremes.

Effect of ambient temperature on arterial pressure variability during sleep in the rat

Changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) during sleep were recorded at three ambient temperatures (Ta: 16, 22 and 28 degrees C). MAP and HR during sleep increased with lowering of Ta. The increase in MAP during the transition from NREM to REM sleep was decreased by lowering the Ta. At 28 degrees C, the average HR increased in going from NREM to REM sleep, while, at 16 degrees C, it decreased. The coefficient of variation (CV%) of the MAP during REM sleep decreased as the Ta was lowered, while that seen during NREM sleep was unchanged. This study suggests that Ta has a greater effect than sleep stage on the MAP and HR, and that MAP variability during REM sleep is greater at higher Ta.

Airway basophil and mast cell density in patients with bronchial asthma: relationship to bronchial hyperresponsiveness

We investigated the role of basophils and mast cells in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. Eight asthmatics (6 atopic, 2 nonatopic) and 6 control subjects were enrolled in this study. Bronchial responsiveness to acetylcholine (PC20ACh) was measured in asthmatics and endobronchial biopsy from right upper lobe bronchus was performed on the same day. Basophils and mast cells in the airways were identified by immunohistochemistry using a monoclonal antibody against tryptase and anti-IgE. The number of basophils of asthmatics was 52.2 +/- 12.5/mm(2). In contrast, no basophils were found in the airways of control subjects. There was a significant increase of number of mast cells in the asthma group compared to the control group (168.6 +/- 32.6 vs. 22.3 +/- 6.1, p<0.01). There was an inverse correlation between airway basophil and mast cell numbers and PC20ACh (r=-0.82, r=0.72, p<0.05). These findings suggest a possible role for basophils and mast cells in the pathophysiology of asthma.

A reference value for delta-aminolevulinic acid in plasma in the population occupationally unexposed to lead

To obtain a reference value for delta-aminolevulinic acid in plasma (ALA-P), we determined ALA-P levels in 141 subjects (105 males and 36 females) without occupational exposure to lead. The distribution of ALA-P levels in males can be regarded to follow log-normal distribution and the geometric mean was 8.7 micrograms/l with 95% confidence interval of 6.0-12.5 micrograms/l. These data would be useful as a baseline for evaluating the relationship between ALA and its biological effects.

[Clinical and electroencephalographic studies in children with hemimegalencephaly]

Clinical and electroencephalographic (EEG) studies were performed in two children with hemimegalencephaly. The ages of seizure onset were 44 hours after birth in one infant and 33 days of postnatal life in the other patient. In both children, infantile spasms (IS) associated with hemihypsarrhythmia, developed at 1.5 months and 4 months, respectively. The subsequent clinical courses in these children were notable for frequent, intractable seizures. The seizures consisted of either generalized or partial seizures which originated from not only the hemimegalic hemisphere but also the contralateral one. Later, the clinical and EEG findings in one child indicated the development of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS). These findings suggested that the lesions of epileptogenesis in patients with hemimegalencephaly involved not only the pathological hemisphere, but also the contralateral hemisphere and subcortical structures. A detailed neurophysiological investigation in hemimegalencephaly could help the elucidation of the pathophysiology of intractable epilepsies, such as IS or LGS.

delta-Aminolevulinic acid in plasma or whole blood as a sensitive indicator of lead effects, and its relation to the other heme-related parameters

To evaluate the subclinical effect of lead exposure, we determined delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) levels in plasma (ALA-P), blood (ALA-B), and urine (ALA-U) and the activity of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) in lead workers. Almost all of the ALA molecules in blood were present in plasma and not in blood cells, irrespective of the blood lead concentration (Pb-B). ALA-P or ALA-B levels increased slowly at Pb-B levels below 40 micrograms/dl (slow phase) and rapidly at levels above 40 micrograms/dl (rapid phase). In both phases, ALA-P and ALA-B were well correlated with Pb-B and ALAD activity. The threshold value (no-effect level) of Pb-B for elevation of the ALA-P or ALA-B level was coincident with that for ALAD inhibition; the value was around 5 micrograms/dl. In the rapid phase, ALA-P increased continuously up to 100 micrograms/dl of Pb-B, while ALAD activity reached a plateau. Receiver operative characteristic (ROC) plot analyses indicated that ALA-P and ALAD activity [ALAD(u)] had a similar diagnostic value at Pb-B levels between 10 and 40 micrograms/dl, although ALAD(%), the remaining ALAD activity as a percentage of the whole activity restored by zinc and dithiothreitol, had the most powerful diagnostic efficiency at these Pb-B levels. By contrast, ALA-U and zinc protoporphyrin were less effective for the diagnosis of lead exposure than ALAD and ALA-P. These findings indicate that ALA-P is the best discriminators of lead exposure form baseline to high levels of exposure.

Statistical analysis of short-latency flash visual evoked cortical potentials with noncephalic reference

Most of the reports on visual evoked cortical potentials have dealt with peak latency or amplitude. An early negative deflection at about 20 ms, however, was reported to coincide with the initial signal to the monkey cortex. We studied the initial signal to the human cortex in nine volunteers by taking into account prestimulus fluctuation. Visual evoked cortical potentials were recorded for an interval 10 ms before and 92.4 ms, after a flash stimulus, by means of a neck reference. The amplitudes of the response before the flash stimulus and at each succeeding 5-ms interval after the stimulus were tested with a t-test. The grand average of the visual evoked cortical potentials showed an initial negative peak at 22.3 ms over the frontal poles, a second negative peak at 52.4 ms over the central area, and a third negative peak at 74.7 ms over the occipital areas. The topographic maps corresponding to the peaks of the visual evoked cortical potentials were the same as those of the dynamic t-values. The visual evoked cortical potential and t-values with the bipolar and source derivations showed a marked response beginning around 40 ms over the posterior head. This statistical analysis is an easy method to standardize evoked potentials and to identify deflections.

Reactive oxidants mediate TNF-alpha-induced leukocyte adhesion to rat mesenteric venular endothelium

We investigated the role of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) as potential mediators of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-stimulated neutrophil adhesion to rat mesenteric venules in vivo, using intravital microscopy and fixed whole mount preparations of mesentery. Intraperitoneal injection of TNF-alpha significantly increased leukocyte rolling, adhesion, and emigration in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Leukocyte adhesion and emigration, but not rolling, were significantly attenuated by prior intravenous administration of monoclonal anti-intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Rolling leukocyte flux was significantly attenuated by intravenous preadministration of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, or both. Only catalase or SOD plus catalase significantly inhibited leukocyte adhesion. Catalase alone inhibited emigration. Moreover, postadhesive treatment with catalase but not SOD, 4 h after TNF-alpha administration reduced the flux of rolling (but not adherent) leukocytes that had previously increased in response to TNF-alpha. Intragastric allopurinol (50 mg/kg at 3 and 18 h before TNF-alpha administration) or 3 wk of a tungsten-enriched diet substantially inhibited xanthine oxidase activity but had no significant effects on the above parameters of neutrophil dynamics. In parallel experiments using fixed whole mount preparations of the mesoappendix stained specifically for neutrophil esterase, neutrophil adhesion 2 h after TNF-alpha administration was also inhibited by continuous intravenous administration of catalase but not by SOD, intragastric allopurinol, or tungsten diet. These findings suggest that ROMs, apparently not from xanthine oxidase, are important mediators of TNF-alpha-induced upregulation of neutrophil adhesion in rat mesenteric venules.

Nuclear transition of heat shock protein in guinea pig cochlea after hyperthermia

The main reaction of heat shock protein (hsp) 70 family to heat shock is 2-fold, one is an increased synthesis in the cytoplasm and the other is a transition from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Although the former has been already reported in the cochlea by several authors, there has been no description as to the latter. The present study was designed to determine whether this nuclear transition of hsp70 family is also present in the cochlea as in the other organs. Albino guinea pigs subjected to hyperthermia treatment (42 degrees C, 10 min) were killed at 0, 6, 18 or 24 h after the cessation of hyperthermia treatment. Immunohistochemical studies in the cochlea of the untreated animals revealed anti-hsp70 family immunoreactivity mainly in the cytoplasm of the various cells in the cochlea, including the interdental cells, the spiral ganglion cells or the outer hair cells. However, immunoreactivity remarkably increased in the nucleus immediately after the cessation of hyperthermia treatment and this increased immunoreactivity disappeared at 6 h or later. It is concluded that the nuclear transition of hsp70 family also takes place under hyperthermal stress in the cells of the cochlea as in other organs.

The role of SH and S-S groups in Bacillus cereus beta-amylase

The properties of sulfhydryl (SH) and disulfide (S-S) groups in Bacillus cereus BQ10-S1 Spo III beta-amylase have been investigated to clarify their roles in the enzyme action. Two out of three cysteine residues in B. cereus beta-amylase were found to form an S-S bond, which was found to be located between Cys91 and Cys99 by the analysis of an S-S containing peptide. The replacement of the soybean beta-amylase model around L3 loop 1 revealed that the S-S bond is located at the root of this flexible loop that moves between open and closed forms during catalysis. The analysis of fluorescence labeled peptides revealed that the remaining free SH group was Cys331. Modification of Cys331 with N-ethylmaleimide or p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (PCMB) caused inactivation of the enzyme. The rate constants for the reactions were consistent with those of Cys343 in soybean enzyme. The binding affinity of the PCMB-modified enzyme to maltose was also decreased. These results indicate that the modification of Cys331, which exists as a free SH group in B. cereus beta-amylase caused inactivation by a similar mechanism to that in the case of Cys343 in soybean beta-amylase as assumed from the sequence homology. This cysteine residue has a common role in beta-amylases irrespective their origin.

[Classification of bronchial asthma based on immunological mechanisms]

A classification of bronchial asthma based on immunological mechanisms is proposed. For this classification, asthma was divided into antigen-dependent and antigen-independent types. Antigen-dependent asthma was classified into antibody-dependent and antibody-independent sub-types. Antibody-dependent asthma was further subdivided into IgE-mediated, IgG-mediated, immune complex-mediated, and complement-mediated sub-types. Diisocyanate asthma was considered to be an example of antibody-independent asthma. Exercise-induced asthma and drug-induced asthma, such as aspirin-induced asthma, were included in the sub-type of antigen-independent asthma.