Establishment of a human small-cell lung-cancer subline resistant to okadaic acid

Okadaic acid (OA), a specific protein phosphatase inhibitor, has various biological functions. To elucidate the mechanism of OA resistance, we have established a small-cell lung-cancer subline (H69/OA100) resistant to the growth-inhibitory effect of OA; this was done by using the parental cell line (H69) and increasing the concentration of OA. H69/OA100 was about 8 times more resistant to OA than H69. Intracellular retention of the fluorescent OA derivative in H69/OA100 was the same as that in H69. The catalytic activity of protein phosphatase from H69/OA100 was significantly reduced compared with that from H69. The protein phosphatase from H69/OA100 was 3.6 times more resistant to OA than that from H69. We examined the effect of OA on the activity of the immunoprecipitated protein phosphatase type I (PPI) and type 2A (PP2A) from the 2 cell lines. The PPI and PP2A from H69/OA100 showed more resistance to OA than those from H69. We next examined the effect of OA on the cell cycle of H69 and H69/OA100. In H69, G2/M block was observed at an OA concentration of 30 ng/ml whereas in H69/OA100, no G2/M block was observed at concentrations up to 100 ng/ml OA. We finally evaluated the amount of p34cdc2 kinase expression and the phosphorylation status of p34cdc2. There was no difference in p34cdc2 expression between H69 and H69/OA100 at several concentrations of OA. However, dephosphorylation of p34cdc2 was observed at 30 ng/ml OA in H69, but not in H69/OA100 up to 100 ng/ml OA. These data suggest that the resistance to OA and the resistance of the cell-cycle block to OA in H69/OA100 might be due to alteration of protein phosphatase activity.

Effect of aging on urinary excretion of 18-hydroxycortisol

The secretion of aldosterone declines with age. We reported that sodium depletion increased urinary excretion of 18-hydroxycortisol (18-OH-F). To elucidate the effect of aging on urinary excretion of 18-OH-F, we measured urinary 18-OH-F in 30 normotensive subjects aged 20-70 yr. There were significant negative correlations between age and urinary excretion of 18-OH-F or of aldosterone (r = -0.49, r = -0.58, P < 0.05, respectively) but not of urinary free cortisol. These results suggest that angiotensin may contribute to chronic regulation of 18-OH-F.

Angiotensin II up-regulates the expression of type A endothelin receptor in human vascular smooth muscle cells

Using vascular smooth muscle cells, the effect of angiotensin II on endothelin receptor regulation was examined. Vascular smooth muscle cells cultivated from human pulmonary artery exhibited high affinity receptors for endothelin-1. When the cells were exposed to angiotensin II, the number of receptors was found to be increased without any change in their affinity. The ligand binding was effectively displaced by BQ123, a selective antagonist for type A endothelin receptor, but not by S6c, a selective ligand for type B receptor, in both control and angiotensin II-treated cells. The level of mRNA coding for the type A receptor was elevated in the latter. These results indicate that angiotensin II up-regulates type A endothelin receptors in human vascular smooth muscle cells through an increase in their corresponding mRNA, suggesting a link between the renin-angiotensin and the endothelin systems.

DNA-dependent protein kinase (Ku protein-p350 complex) assembles on double-stranded DNA

The Ku protein is an autoantigen that consists of 70- and 80-kDa polypeptides. It associates with double-stranded DNA at free ends. In the present study, we examined the ability of anti-Ku antibodies to immunoprecipitate various structures from extracts of HeLa cells prepared at different salt concentrations. Under physiological conditions, these antibodies identified a complex containing the Ku protein and the 350-kDa component (p350) of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), which appeared to be closely associated on the DNA strand. In reconstitution experiments with cell extracts and biochemically purified components, the Ku protein-p350 complex formed only in the presence of double-stranded DNA. The reconstituted complex was catalytically active. Together with previous studies, these results indicate that the Ku protein interacts with DNA to create a binding site for p350 as the DNA-PK holoenzyme assembles.

Enhancement of the positive inotropic effect mediated by alpha 1-adrenoceptors in pertussis toxin-treated rabbit papillary muscles

1. In rabbit papillary muscles, pretreatment with pertussis toxin (PTX) significantly increased the positive inotropic response to isoprenaline and abolished the inhibitory action of carbachol on the isoprenaline response. 2. Phenylephrine in the presence of propranolol produced a positive inotropic effect and prolonged action potential duration through activation of alpha 1-adrenoceptors. Both of the effects of phenylephrine were significantly enhanced by PTX pretreatment. 3. Accumulation of [3H]inositol monophosphate (IP1) in papillary muscles prelabeled with myo-[3H]inositol was increased by phenylephrine in a concentration-dependent manner, which was antagonized by prazosin. Although PTX pretreatment significantly elevated the basal level of [3H]IP1 formation, the phenylephrine-induced increase in [3H]IP1 formation was unaffected. 4. It is concluded that the cardiac responses to alpha 1-adrenoceptor stimulation studied in these experiments are not transduced by a PTX sensitive G protein (Gi). However, the positive inotropic effect and prolongation of action potential duration mediated by alpha 1-adrenoceptor may be negatively regulated by Gi.

Specific detection of a verotoxin 2 variant, VT2vp1, by a bead-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

A bead-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to specifically detect a Verotoxin 2 variant, VT2vp1, was developed. The sensitivity of the bead-ELISA was 200 pg/ml of the purified VT2vp1 and it did not react with 20 ng/ml of the purified VT2. The specificity of the bead-ELISA was examined with 107 strains of Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli that include VT1-, VT2-, VT2vha-, VT2vhb- and VT2vp1-producing E. coli, and only VT2vp1-producing E. coli that were confirmed by VT2vp1-specific polymerase chain reaction gave positive results. It was noted that all 58 VT2vp1-producing E. coli strains were from pigs, but not from cows and humans.

Analysis of glycosaminoglycans by high-performance liquid chromatography

Glycosaminoglycan chains were liberated from proteoglycan by successive digestion with protease and endo-beta-xylosidase. The glycosaminoglycan chains were then labeled with a fluorescent reagent, 2-aminopyridine, by reductive amination. The resulting pyridylamino-glycosaminoglycans, including hyaluronic acid, heparan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate and heparin, were separated by ion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography using a TSK gel SAX analytical column with a limit of sensitivity in the picomol range. With the combined use of a dermatan sulfate-degrading enzyme, chondroitinase B, chondroitin sulfate and dermatan sulfate were identified and quantified, separately. About 50 mg of wet animal tissue was enough for analysis of each glycosaminoglycan with satisfactory results. This method facilitates rapid separation and microanalysis of glycosaminoglycans.

Lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of some racemic 1-acetoxy-2-arylpropanes

Racemic 1-acetoxy-2-phenylpropane (12) and 1-acetoxy-2-(2-naphthyl)propane (33) were hydrolyzed with lipase at 35-36 degrees C for 2 and 24 h to give predominantly (S)-2-phenyl-1-propanol (11) and (S)-2-(2-naphthyl)-1-propanol (32), respectively. However, racemic 1-acetoxy-2-(1-naphthyl)propane (25) was recovered intact even when the reaction was carried out for 240 h. On the other hand, the enantioselectivities towards racemic 2-phenyl (16), 2-(p-tolyl) (20), 2-(1-naphthyl) (28), and 2-(2-naphthyl) (36) derivatives of 1-acetoxy-2-propanol were very low.

[S antigen in retinas of royal college of surgeons rats: time course and retinal pigment epithelium transplant study]

Retinas of Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats were investigated immunocytochemically for the distribution of S antigen prior to and during the retinal disease process. RCS retinas onto which retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) had been transplanted were also immunostained with antibody for S antigen. At P2, weak immunostaining for S antigen was seen in neuroepithelium. At P22, the staining pattern outlined the entire photoreceptor layer. At P30, at the beginning of retinal degeneration, immunostaining for S antigen was considerably reduced in the degenerating photoreceptor outer segment. In the RCS retina at P90, immunostaining for S antigen was completely lost. However, retinas with transplanted RPE showed preserved immunocytochemical staining for S antigen at this late stage. These results suggest a loss of production of S antigen in degenerated retinal tissue, and that RPE transplantation helps to preserve S antigen in the RCS rat retina.

Construction of mutant genes for a non-toxic verotoxin 2 variant (VT2vp1) of Escherichia coli and characterization of purified mutant toxins

The gene encoding a Verotoxin 2 variant, VTvp1, was mutated by oligonucleotide-directed site-specific mutagenesis. Among 6 mutant toxins encoded by the mutated genes, E167Q-R170L (glutamic acid at position 167 and arginine at position 170 from N-terminus of the A subunit were replaced by glutamine and leucine, respectively) was found to have markedly decreased activities; inhibition of protein synthesis, Vero cell cytotoxicity and mouse lethality of the purified E167Q-R170L were 1/1,900, 1/125,000 and 1/2,000, respectively, of those of the purified wild-type VT2vp1. Since the antigenic property of the E167Q-R170L was demonstrated to be similar to that of the wild-type VT2vp1 by Ouchterlony double gel diffusion test and by neutralization test of Vero cell cytotoxicity of the VT2vp1, a possibility to use the mutant VT2vp1, E167Q-R170L, as a toxoid is discussed.

Biosynthetic pathway of 19-noraldosterone in isolated rat glomerulosa cells

The biosynthetic pathway of 19-noraldosterone (19-noraldo) in isolated rat glomerulosa cells (GC) and fasciculata-reticular cells (FC) was studied by analyzing [14C]pregnenolone metabolism using HPLC and quantification by specific RIA. In GCs, 18,19-dihydroxycorticosterone was detected after 15 min incubation with [14C]pregnenolone, 18-hydroxy-19-norcorticosterone was detected after 30 min and 19-noraldo was detected after 45 min before the appearance of an aldosterone peak. These three mineralocorticoids were not detected in FCs. The results demonstrate that 19-noraldo is synthesized in GCs and then undergoes further metabolism.

Production and cross-reactivity patterns of a panel of high affinity monoclonal antibodies to Vibrio cholerae O139 Bengal

A series of monoclonal antibodies of different isotypes specific for Vibrio cholerae O139, the new pandemic strain of cholera, was produced. These mAbs reacted only with the reference strain (MO45) representing serovar O139 but did not react with any of the other reference strains representing serovars O1 to O140. Significantly, the mAbs did not agglutinate the R-cultures of V. cholerae (CA385, 20-93) which demonstrated the exceptional specificity of these mAbs and indicated that the mAbs recognized antigenic determinants unique for the O139 serovar. There was heterogeneity in the intensity of reactivity of the mAbs with strains of V. cholerae O139 isolated from diverse sources. Apart from 4H6, the other mAbs agglutinated all the O139 strains examined. 2D12 and 2F8 were the best mAbs based on the intensity of agglutination with all the O139 strains. Evaluation of 3A10 in comparison with a polyclonal anti-O139 antibody raised in rabbit using the slide agglutination format revealed that 3A10 fared as well as the polyclonal antibody for the laboratory identification of the O139 serovar. The acquisition of these mAbs provide reagents which would be very useful in the development of simple immunodiagnostic assays for the diagnosis of V. cholerae O139 infections.

Gene expression of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in the mesenteric arteries of genetically hypertensive rats

11 beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11 beta-HSD) modulates the access of corticosteroids to their receptors and plays an important role in controlling blood pressure. We determined 11 beta-HSD activity and mRNA levels in the mesenteric arteries of genetically hypertensive rats, the Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rat, and compared them with Dahl salt-resistant and Sprague-Dawley rats. 11 beta-HSD activity was expressed as the percent conversion of [3H]corticosterone to [3H]11-dehydrocorticosterone. 11 beta-HSD activity was significantly decreased in the mesenteric arteries of 8-week-old Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats (11.4 +/- 1.4%) compared with Dahl salt-resistant rats (17.4 +/- 1.4%) or Sprague-Dawley rats (18.0 +/- 1.5%) of the same age (P < .05). There were no significant differences in 11 beta-HSD activity between 4-week-old Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive and Dahl salt-resistant rats of the same age (15.3 +/- 1.3% and 15.1 +/- 1.9%, respectively). The concentration of 11 beta-HSD mRNA in the mesenteric arteries of 8-week-old Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats was significantly lower than in Dahl salt-resistant or Sprague-Dawley rats of the same age (P < .05). There were no significant differences in the concentration of 11 beta-HSD mRNA in the mesenteric arteries of 4-week-old Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats, Dahl salt-resistant rats, and Sprague-Dawley rats. These results indicate that 11 beta-HSD in the vascular wall may play a role in the pathogenesis of hypertension in this rat model.

Bending of DNA in solution caused by a protein from Arabidopsis that binds to a TATA element

The TFIID complex, which is a general transcription factor, helps to activate and regulate the transcription associated with eukaryotic promoters. A TATA element-binding protein (TBP), a central subunit of the TFIID complex, binds to TATA elements. Circular permutation analysis showed that purified recombinant TBP-1 from Arabidopsis (aTBP-1) introduced a bend in DNA around a TATA element in DNA fragments in solution. The bending was a slow process. A bend in DNA caused by a TBP-1 was seen under an electron microscope, as was an aTBP-DNA complex after immunochemical staining.

Novel antitumor sesquiterpenoids in Achillea millefolium

Three new antitumor sesquiterpenoids, achimillic acids A, B and C, were isolated as methyl esters from Achillea millefolium and their structures were determined spectroscopically. The compounds were found to be active against mouse P-388 leukemia cells in vivo.

Fungal metabolites. XV. Primary structures of antibiotic peptides, hypelcins B-I, B-II, B-III, B-IV and B-V, from Hypocrea peltata. Application of electrospray mass spectrometry and electrospray mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry

Hypelcin B is a mixture of antibiotic peptides produced by Hypocrea peltata. Hypelcins B-I, B-II, B-III, B-IV and B-V are components of this mixture purified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The amino acid sequences of these peptides were determined by electrospray mass spectrometry and electrospray mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. The molecular weights of these peptides were all ca. 2000 and the structures were very similar.

Spread of Vibrio cholerae O139 Bengal in India

Vibrio cholerae serogroup O139 Bengal, a novel strain with epidemic potential, completely displaced V. cholerae serogroup 01 in Calcutta in January 1993, which was followed by an epidemic caused by V. cholerae O139 in March-May 1993. From November 1992 to July 1993, 95.6% of 916 V. cholerae isolates submitted to the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases from 28 locations in India were confirmed as serogroup O139. As of July 1993, V. cholerae O139 had been isolated from 13 Indian states and a union territory, and large outbreaks of cholera caused by the O139 serogroup had occurred in several cities. The extent of spread of V. cholerae O139 Bengal in India and its ability to swiftly disseminate leaves little doubt that this is the beginning of the eighth pandemic of cholera.

The significance of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli in the etiology of hospitalized diarrhoea in Calcutta, India and the demonstration of a new honey-combed pattern of aggregative adherence

Previous studies have identified enteroadherent Escherichia coli that exhibit localized adherence, diffuse adherence and atypical diffuse adherence as diarrhoeagenic agents associated with infantile diarrhoea in Calcutta, India. In this study, a DNA probe specific for enteroaggregative adherence was used to determine the etiological significance of enteroaggregative E. coli in the causation of diarrhoea. From a total of 330 strains of E. coli recovered from 159 cases of acute secretory diarrhoea and 174 cases of invasive diarrhoea, 20 strains hybridized with the probe, whereas of the 25 E. coli strains recovered from 25 healthy controls only 1 strain hybridized with the probe. Of the 21 probe positive strains, 19 adhered to HeLa cells in the typical stacked-brick pattern while 2 strains recovered from 2 cases of secretory diarrhoea adhered to the glass surface in a hitherto undescribed formation which we have termed, based on the appearance, as the honey-comb pattern. The enteroaggregative E. coli strains identified in this study did not produce any conventional enterotoxins and were significantly associated with patients with secretory diarrhoea (10.7%) than with invasive diarrhoea (1.7%). The results of this study indicate that enteroaggregative E. coli play a causal role in acute secretory diarrhoea in this part of the world which lends credence to the involvement of a potent toxin in the pathogenesis of EAggEC mediated infections.

Reversal of multidrug resistance by tyrosine-kinase inhibitors in a non-P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug-resistant cell line

We have already established a human leukemia sub-line resistant to the growth-inhibitory effect of TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate) (K562/TPA) derived from K562. K562/TPA was found to be a non-P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug-resistant cell line, in which intracellular drug accumulation was not reduced. In K562/TPA, adriamycin (ADM) was distributed mainly in the cytoplasm and was scarcely observed in the nucleus. We determined the relative levels of multidrug-resistance-associated protein (MRP), which was recently identified as the novel transporter. The relative levels of MRP in K562/TPA were the same as in K562. Although the catalytic activity of K562/TPA topoisomerase II was about half that of the parental cells, resistance to other drugs could not be explained by topoisomerase-II activity. To elucidate the mechanism of drug resistance in K562/TPA, we tried to find chemicals that would reverse the drug resistance. Tyrosine-kinase inhibitors enhanced the cytotoxicity of anti-neoplastic drugs against K562/TPA. Therefore we examined the modification of nuclear ADM accumulation in K562/TPA by one of these tyrosine-kinase inhibitors, genistein. Although the amount of ADM was decreased in the nuclei of K562/TPA cells, it was significantly increased after incubation in the presence of genistein. The formation of DNA single-strand breaks by ADM, etoposide, and ACNU was significantly lower in K562/TPA than in K562, but was significantly increased in the presence of genistein. These results suggest that genistein could overcome drug resistance by enhancing the accumulation of drug into the nuclear fraction of K562/TPA.