Antibodies to synthetic platelet-activating factor (1-O-alkyl-2-O-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) analogues with substituents at the sn-2 position

We obtained rabbit antibodies by injecting immunogenic conjugates which were prepared by combining covalently 1-O-(15'-carboxypentadecyl)-2-O-acetyl-sn-glycero-3- phosphocholine(acetyl-CPGPC), 1-O-(15'-carboxypentadecyl)-2-O-N,N-dimethylcarbamoyl-sn-glycero-3 - phosphocholine (dimethylcarbamoyl-CPGPC), or 1-O-(15'-carboxypentadecyl)-2-O-N-butyl-carbamoyl-sn-glycero-3-pho sphocholine (butylcarbamoyl-CPGPC) with protein (BSA or KLH), respectively, and examined the specificity of the resulting antibodies by comparison with inhibition of the binding of iodolabeled CPGPC derivatives to the antibodies by corresponding or related phospholipids. Acetyl-CPGPC and dimethylcarbamoyl-CPGPC possessed haptenic activity causing production of antibodies reactive with PAF. Changes of the substituents at sn-2 in the antigens affected the specificity of the resulting antibodies. The affinity of the substituents to the antibodies decreased in the following order: acetyl much greater than dimethylcarbamoyl and butylcarbamoyl for antibodies to acetyl-CPGPC-KLH; dimethylcarbamoyl greater than acetyl much greater than butylcarbamoyl for antibodies to dimethylcarbamoyl-CPGPC-BSA; and butylcarbamoyl greater than dimethylcarbamoyl greater than acetyl for antibodies to butylcarbamoyl-CPGPC-BSA. Naturally occurring phospholipids, including lysoPAF, phosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylcholine, and sphingomyelin, revealed no cross-reactivities with these antibodies. Anti-dimethylcarbamoyl-CPGPC-BSA IgG and anti-acetyl-CPGPC-KLH IgG inhibited a PAF-induced aggregation of washed rabbit platelets in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, anti-butylcarbamoyl-CPGPC-BSA IgG did not affect a PAF-induced platelet aggregation, nor did preimmune IgG.

Lysophospholipase L1 from Escherichia coli K-12 overproducer

After screening 900 E. coli strains of the Clarke and Carbon collection for by lysophospholipase L1 activities, we isolated a clone bearing the plasmid pLC6-34, which showed an increased level of lysophospholipase L1 activity. Strains bearing the plasmid pC124, a subclone of pLC6-34 in plasmid vector pUC8, showed approximately 11.4 times higher lysophospholipase L1 activity than that of the parental strain. Starting from those overproducing strains, the lysophospholipase L1 was purified to near homogeneity by sequential use of ammonium sulfate fractionation, Sephacryl S-300, DEAE-cellulose, hydroxyapatite and Sephacryl S-200 column chromatographies. The apparent molecular weight of the purified lysophospholipase L1 was estimated to be 20,500-22,000 both by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by gel permeation chromatography. The specific activity of the homogeneous lysophospholipase L1 was 10,400 nmol/min/mg protein when 1-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine was used as the substrate. The amino acid sequence of the amino-terminal portion of purified lysophospholipase L1 was determined and was different from that of lysophospholipase L2, which had previously been purified from the envelope fraction of E. coli strains bearing its cloned structural gene, pldB [Karasawa, K., Kudo, I., Kobayashi, T., Sa-eki, T., Inoue, K., & Nojima, S. (1985) J. Biochem, 98, 1117-1125]. The gene responsible for overproduction of lysophospholipase L1 activity was designated as pldC (phospholipid degradation C). Its restriction enzyme map was also different from that of cloned pldB. These results further confirmed that, in E. coli, there are two lysophospholipases with distinct characteristics.

[Effects of video games on visual function in children]

Health effects of video games were examined with a questionnaire survey and an experimental study. In the survey, age, sex, playing time with video games in a day, viewing distance between the eyes and the television screen, subjective symptoms of eye strain, and changes of visual acuity were investigated in 2,034 male and 2,321 female primary school children. In the experimental study, the visual loads of a one-hour word processing task and a video game were compared with various indices, such as critical flicker fusion, near point distance, blinking counts, eyeball movement, pupillary reflex and subjective fatigue symptoms in ten healthy male college students. The results of this study were as follows: 1) The viewing distance between the eyes and the TV screen was shorter for video games than for watching TV programs. 2) The rate of complaints related to eye strain in children who played video games over 120 min per day was significantly higher than that of other children. 3) The eye movements during video games were more rapid and frequent than those during conventional VDT work. 4) A decrease in CFF value and an extension of near point distance and an increase in subjective fatigue symptoms were demonstrated for both the word processing task and the video game. No significant differences were observed between the above two experimental conditions. This suggests that the visual loads for video games are similar to those for VDT work. These findings suggest that regulating the playing times to 60 minutes or less per day is necessary to prevent negative health effects in children.

Purification and characterization of (H+ + K+)-ATPase from hog gastric mucosa

A (H+ + K+)-ATPase-enriched membrane fraction derived from the fundic portion of hog gastric mucosa was obtained by a combination of differential and repeated 7% Ficoll gradient centrifugation. The microsomal membrane fraction isolated by repeated 7% Ficoll gradient centrifugation was free of ouabain-sensitive (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, 5'-nucleotidase and succinate dehydrogenase; and it was highly enriched in (H+ + K+)-ATPase and K(+)-stimulated p-nitrophenylphosphatase (p-NPPase). The (H+ + K+)-ATPase had a pH optimum of 7.4 and was stimulated by Tl+, K+, Rb+ and NH4+ with Ka values of 0.0667, 0.526, 0.667 and 3.03 mM, respectively, at this pH. On the other hand, monovalent cations such as Na+, Li+ and (CH3)4N+ as well as divalent cations such as Cu2+, Ca2+, Ba2+, Sr2+ and Cd2+ inhibited this enzyme activity concentration-dependently. Ouabain and oligomycin had no effect, whereas omeprazole, a specific (H+ + K+)-ATPase inhibitor, inhibited this enzyme activity in a pH-dependent manner. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a major band (greater than or equal to 90% of protein) at 97,400 daltons, which was phosphorylated in the presence of Mg2+ and [gamma-32P]-ATP and dephosphorylated in the presence of K+. The present method was very simple, and the (H+ + K+)-ATPase activity of the microsomal fraction obtained by this method was much higher compared with those obtained by other methods such as free-flow electrophoresis.

ESR study on synthetic glyceroglycolipid liposomal membranes

We previously reported that glyceroglycolipid liposomes without cholesterol activated mouse peritoneal macrophages in vivo and in vitro, whereas glyceroglycolipid liposomes containing equimolar cholesterol did not. In order to characterize the properties of the glyceroglycolipid membranes, ESR spectroscopic studies were carried out with an acyl spin-labeled galactosyl ceramide (SL-GC) or a headgroup spin-labeled phospholipid (SL-6-DPPA) in 1,2-dipalmitoyl[beta-cellobiosyl-(1'---3)]glycerol (Cel-DAG) liposomal membranes. The ESR spectrum of the SL-GC in the Cel-DAG liposomes at 37 degrees C was a single broad line, indicating that the SL-GC molecules were excluded almost completely from Cel-DAG domains and formed clusters in the membranes. The spectrum of SL-6-DPPA in the Cel-DAG liposomes at 37 degrees C showed broad resonance lines with the central peak being the highest, while that at 60 degrees gave narrow lines with the low-field peak being the highest. This observation and rotational correlation time analysis showed that the molecular motions of spin-label moiety of the SL-6-DPPA were extremely restricted at 37 degrees C but not above Tc. These results suggest that below Tc the Cel-DAG molecules are packed tightly and restricted in motion in the membrane. Incorporation of cholesterol into the Cel-DAG liposomal membranes gave (1) the spectra of the SL-GC triplet, and (2) the spectra of the SL-6-DPPA narrow resonance with the low-field peak being the highest. These results suggest that cholesterol disturbs the rigid-packed structure of the Cel-DAG membrane and increases the molecular motions of the Cel-DAG. The DSC analysis of Cel-DAG with and without cholesterol agreed well to the results of the ESR technique. Thus we assume that peritoneal macrophages recognize the rigid-packed carbohydrate residues which are restricted in motion on the Cel-DAG membranes.

Alternative usage of different poly(A) addition signals for two major species of mRNA encoding human aromatase P-450

Two cDNA clones for human placental aromatase P-450 (P-450AROM) have been isolated and sequenced. The insert of one clone (2894 bp) contains an open reading frame encoding a protein consisting of 503 amino acid residues together with a 49 bp 5'-untranslated stretch and a 1336 bp 3'-noncoding region to which a poly(A) tract is attached. Three potential poly(A) addition signals are detected in this 3'-noncoding region. The other clone contains a shorter cDNA insert, the nucleotide sequence of which overlaps with most of the sequence of the longer cDNA insert (nucleotides 36-2355) except for one nucleotide substitution. The 3'-noncoding region of this shorter cDNA is only 846 bp in length but a poly(A) tract is also attached to its 3'-terminus. Northern blot analysis of human placental RNA reveals the presence of two major mRNA species of 3.4 and 2.9 kb when probes excised from the overlapping region of these two cDNAs are employed. The 2.9 kb mRNA is not detected, however, when a fragment of the non-overlapping region of the longer cDNA is used as a probe. It is therefore concluded that the two major species of P-450AROM mRNA are formed as a consequence of alternative processing of precursor mRNA(s).

A novel bioaction of PAF: induction of microbicidal activity in guinea pig bone marrow cells

When guinea pig bone marrow cells were incubated in the presence of 10(-8) to 10(-6) M platelet activating factor (PAF) for 24 to 72 hr, microbicidal activity against Candida parapsilosis of cells was augmented. This augmentation was inhibited by PAF-specific antagonists, CV6209 or FR900452. PAF-specific binding sites with a high affinity were found on guinea pig bone marrow cells. Carrageenan or 2-chloroadenosine, reagents known to be preferentially cytotoxic to macrophages, abolished the microbicidal activity of PAF-treated bone marrow cells. Macrophages prepared from the peritoneal cavity, however, acquired no appreciable microbicidal action by treatment with PAF. These observations suggest that PAF may affect a class of guinea pig bone marrow cells through binding to receptors specific to PAF, resulting in activation and/or induction of differentiation of monocyte-macrophage lineage cells.

The primary structure of rat platelet phospholipase A2

In our previous report (Hayakawa, M., Kudo, I., Tomita, M., & Inoue, K. (1988) J. Biochem. 103, 263-266), we have shown that phospholipases A2 purified from rat platelet membrane fractions and an extracellular medium of thrombin-stimulated rat platelets were essentially identical to each other. Both purified enzymes were digested with proteases, and the resulting peptides were subjected to primary sequence determination. The sequence analysis of the HPLC-separated peptides and the alignment of the sequences showed a tentative primary structure of rat platelet phospholipase A2, which was composed of 125 amino acid residues. It showed 47% homology with snake venom Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii phospholipase A2.

Hydrolysis of platelet activating factor and its methylated analogs by acetylhydrolases

We examined the substrate specificity of PAF-degrading enzymes from various sources using platelet activating factor (PAF) and its synthetic analogs. The results were as follows: 1) Tissue-originated acetylhydrolases, such as rat kidney soluble enzyme, deacetylated 1S-methyl-1-O-hexadecyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (1S-Me-PAF) slightly more rapidly than PAF, whereas plasma acetylhydrolase hydrolyzed PAF more effectively than 1S-Me-PAF. 2) Rat polymorphonuclear leukocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes homogenates showed an appreciable acetylhydrolase activity, the substrate specificity of which resembled that of the plasma enzyme. 3) Pleural exudates in an experimental pleurisy induced in rats by carrageenan contained an acetylhydrolase activity, the properties of which were similar to those of the plasma enzyme. 4) An extracellular phospholipase A2 activity, which was also observed in the pleural exudate and required Ca2+ ion for maximum activity, seemed not to participate in the deacetylation of PAF, since addition of EDTA did not affect the PAF deacetylation catalyzed by the pleural exudate. These findings indicate that the inactivation reaction of PAF present in the extracellular space is mainly catalyzed by plasma acetylhydrolase, which yields lysoPAF.

Lack of protein-mediated alpha-tocopherol transfer between membranes in the cytoplasm of ascites hepatomas

Transfer-stimulating activity for alpha-tocopherol and the concentration of alpha-tocopherol and peroxidized lipids in rat ascites hepatoma cells were compared with those from normal and regenerating liver. The ability of supernatants from ascites hepatomas (AH-13, AH-60C, AH-109A) to enhance the transfer of alpha-tocopherol was much lower than that from normal livers. The alpha-tocopherol per mg protein of supernatant from ascites hepatomas was lower than that from normal liver. Regenerating liver showed almost the same values as normal liver in activity to stimulate the transfer of alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocopherol content of the supernatant. By gel filtration, about 60% of alpha-tocopherol in the supernatant of normal liver was detected in the fractions containing the 30 K protein, which stimulates transfer of alpha-tocopherol between membranes, whereas no significant amount of alpha-tocopherol was detected in 30 K protein fractions of AH-60C supernatant. Little stimulating activity for alpha-tocopherol transfer was detected in AH-60C, AH-109A and AH-13. All ascites hepatomas tested contained less arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid than normal and regenerating liver. An absorption peak with maximum intensity at 233 nm, which is due to conjugated dienes, was observed in UV-absorption spectra of ascites hepatoma total lipids, indicating that peroxidized lipids accumulate in these cells. With normal and regenerating liver, no significant peak due to conjugated dienes was detected.

Antitumor activity of synthetic alkylphospholipids with or without PAF activity

1-O-Octadecyl-2-O-methyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (ET-18-OMe) has been reported to possess definite antitumor activity in vivo. Twenty-two alkyl lysophospholipid analogs were chemically synthesized, and their antitumor activity against mouse experimental tumors (Sarcoma 180, MM46, P388) was examined. Among them, 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-acetoacetyl-rac-glycero-3-phosphocholine was found to show antitumor activity similar to ET-18-OMe with less acute toxicity. Intravenous injection of the ET-18-OMe with sn-3 configuration retarded the subcutaneous growth of Sarcoma 180 cells effectively, while the growth inhibition by the sn-1 isomer was much less effective. This stereospecificity was similar to that observed in their activities as platelet-activating factor (PAF) agonists. The acetoacetyl compound, another PAF agonist, showed similar stereospecific antitumor action in vivo. These findings suggest that some alkyl lysophospholipids may activate host cells to a cytostatic stage against tumor cells in vivo through binding to a PAF receptor. Our preliminary results indicated that the responsible cells under these conditions might be primarily immature macrophages present in the bone marrow. No appreciable or even adverse stereospecificity was observed in the different sets of experiments where the activity of ET-18-OMe against MM46 tumor cells in vivo or the direct cytotoxicity against human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells in vitro was examined. Under some conditions, the antitumor activity of ET-18-OMe in vivo may be revealed through direct cytotoxicity and/or modulation of the host defense system by "nonspecific" mechanisms. Some alkylphospholipids without PAF activity may also show antitumor activity through similar "nonspecific" mechanisms.

Cloning and amplified expression in Streptomyces lividans of the gene encoding the extracellular beta-lactamase from Streptomyces cacaoi

A 19 kb SphI DNA fragment containing the gene for the extracellular active-site serine beta-lactamase of Streptomyces cacaoi KCC-SO352 was cloned in Streptomyces lividans TK24 using the high-copy-number plasmid pIJ702 as vector. A 30-fold higher yield of beta-lactamase was obtained from S. lividans strain ML1, carrying the recombinant plasmid pDML51, than from S. cacaoi grown under optimal production conditions. In all respects (molecular mass, isoelectric point, kinetics of inhibition by beta-iodopenicillanate) the overproduced S. lividans ML1 beta-lactamase was identical to the original S. cacaoi enzyme. A considerable reduction of beta-lactamase production was caused by elimination of a 12.8 kb portion of the 19 kb DNA fragment by cleavage at an internal SphI site located more than 3 kb upstream of the beta-lactamase structural gene. The beta-lactamase gene was located within a 1.8 NcoI-BclI fragment but when this fragment was cloned in S. lividans pIJ702, the resulting strain produced hardly any more beta-lactamase than the original S. cacaoi.

Antibody to platelet activating factor (1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine; PAF)

Specific antibodies to platelet activating factor (PAF) were prepared by immunizing rabbits with a hapten-bovine serum albumin (BSA) conjugate. As the hapten we used the synthetic PAF derivative which is resistant against enzymatic inactivation by plasma or tissues and which can bind to BSA through covalent bonding. Antibody activity was determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Anti-PAF IgG reacted strongly with PAF. By means of the ELISA inhibition assay, we found that the antibody did not cross-react with phosphocholine, glycerophosphocholine, dilaurylglycerophosphocholine or PAF analogues which have ethanolamine-type polar head groups instead of choline group.

Metabolism of extracellular phospholipids in Tetrahymena pyriformis

We studied the metabolism of phospholipids exogenously added to cultures of the protozoan, Tetrahymena pyriformis. Tetrahymena cells were found to metabolize the extracellular phospholipids and the fatty acyl chains of the latter were accumulated predominantly as a form of triacylglycerol in the cells. This metabolism was considered to be initiated via endocytosis of phospholipid vesicles, as judged from the following facts: Cytochalasin B, an inhibitor of endocytosis, suppressed the metabolism almost completely. Phospholipid vesicles were incorporated into a phagosome-like structure in Tetrahymena cells, as observed under an electron microscope. When phospholipids doubly labeled with 14C and 3H at the glycerol moiety and fatty acyl chain, respectively, were incubated with Tetrahymena cells, the glycerol moiety and fatty acyl chain at the sn-2-position of the exogenous phospholipids were incorporated into the cellular triacylglycerol fraction in a 1 to 1 ratio. Monoacylglycerol acyltransferase activity was detected in the microsomal fraction of Tetrahymena cells. From these results, together with those of our previous study on lysosomal phospholipid hydrolysis in Tetrahymena (J. Biochem. 99, 125-133 (1986)), it is suggested that the extracellular phospholipids which were taken up by the cells via endocytosis were hydrolyzed through the action of lysosomal phospholipases A1 and C, and also that one of the products, sn-2-monoacylglycerol, served as an acyl acceptor for the synthesis of triacylglycerol via the microsomal "monoacylglycerol pathway."

Amino acid composition and NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of rat platelet secretory phospholipase A2

The amino acid composition and partial NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of the phospholipase A2 secreted by stimulated rat platelets were determined. The most predominant amino acid in the phospholipase A2 was cysteine followed by lysine, suggesting that it is a basic one. This finding is consistent with its high affinity to a cation exchange column. The NH2-terminal 24 amino acids were found to be as follows: X-Leu-Leu-Glu-Phe-Gly-Gln-Met-Ile-Leu-Phe-Lys-Thr-Gly-Lys-Arg-Ala-Asp- Val-Ser-Tyr-Gly-Phe-Tyr-Gly- The enzymes contains 5Phe, 8Met, 9Ile, 24Tyr, and 25Gly residues, all of which are conserved in the sequenced pancreatic phospholipase A2. This is the first report of the tentative characterization of a eukaryotic phospholipase A2, the cellular source of which is known, i.e., it does not originate from a venom or the pancreas.

Characteristics of phospholipid transacylase of Escherichia coli

We have previously demonstrated the activity(ies) of phospholipid transacylase in Escherichia coli extract (Homma & Nojima (1982) J. Biochem. 91, 1093-1101), which catalyzed a new type of reaction of acyl transfer from diacylphospholipids to lysophospholipids. In this communication we report the specificities and characteristics of this enzyme activity. The activity catalyzed a reversible transfer of an acyl group between diacylphospholipids and lysophospholipids. The acyl group in the 1-position of the glycerol backbone was selectively transferred, and palmitic acid was the only fatty acid species transferred. Presumably, neutral lipids do not serve as substrates. The transacylase was firmly associated with the envelope fraction of E. coli. Neither potassium chloride nor urea was effective in solubilization of the activity and only about half of the activity was solubilized with Triton X-100. This observation was consistent with the equal distribution of the activity between the outer membrane and the inner membrane of E. coli. Functional aspects of this phospholipid transacylase are also discussed.

Purification and characterization of phospholipase A2 released from rat platelets

It was found that phospholipase A2 and lysophospholipase, both of which were released from thrombin-stimulated rat platelets, had high affinity to insolubilized heparin. Phospholipase A2 released from rat platelets was purified by the sequential use of column chromatography on heparin-Sepharose and TSK gel G2000SW (high-performance liquid chromatography, HPLC). The enzyme was near homogeneous on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and HPLC, and its Mr was estimated to be 13,500. The purified enzyme was labile and lost its activity within 1 h when incubated at 37 degrees C. Phospholipids or detergent in the solution protected the enzyme against inactivation. Phospholipase activity was inhibited by p-bromophenacylbromide, but not by diisopropylfluorophosphate or iodoacetamide. Lysophospholipase, which was also released from rat platelets, was separated from phospholipase A2 by chromatography on heparin-Sepharose.

Activation of mouse peritoneal macrophages by synthetic glyceroglycolipid liposomes

Liposomes composed of chemically synthesized glyceroglycolipids, such as 1,2-dipalmityl-[beta-cellobiosyl-(1'----3)]- glycerol (Cel-DAG), 1,2-dipalmityl-[beta-lactosyl-(1'----3)]-glycerol, or 1,2-dipalmityl-[beta-maltosyl-(1'----3)]-glycerol, were found to enhance protective immunity against transplantable tumor cells (sarcoma 180) in ICR mice. Peritoneal exudate cells prepared from mice treated in vivo with Cel-DAG showed cytostatic activity in vitro against the mouse leukemia cell line, EL-4. Adherent cells separated from this preparation showed similar activity. Peritoneal cells from polypeptone-injected mice acquired appreciable cytostatic activity when incubated in vitro in the presence of glyceroglycolipid liposomes. The adherent cell fraction alone showed rather weak cytostatic activity when pretreated with the glyceroglycolipids, and full activity was restored by supplementing with the nonadherent cell fraction. The ability of glycolipids to induce tumoricidal effects was affected by cholesterol content: with increasing cholesterol content, the activities decreased. Cholesterol-free glycolipid liposomes were taken more efficiently by macrophages than cholesterol-containing liposomes. Cholesterol modifies the surface property of glyceroglycolipid liposomes. Activation of macrophages is responsible for enhancement of protective immunity against tumor cells by injection of these glycolipids in vivo.