Redox regulation of large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels in smooth muscle cells

The effects of sulfhydryl reduction/oxidation on the gating of large-conductance, Ca(2+)-activated K+ (maxi-K) channels were examined in excised patches from tracheal myocytes. Channel activity was modified by sulfhydryl redox agents applied to the cytosolic surface, but not the extracellular surface, of membrane patches. Sulfhydryl reducing agents dithiothreitol, beta-mercaptoethanol, and GSH augmented, whereas sulfhydryl oxidizing agents diamide, thimerosal, and 2,2'-dithiodipyridine inhibited, channel activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Channel stimulation by reduction and inhibition by oxidation persisted following washout of the compounds, but the effects of reduction were reversed by subsequent oxidation, and vice versa. The thiol-specific reagents N-ethylmaleimide and (2-aminoethyl)methanethiosulfonate inhibited channel activity and prevented the effect of subsequent sulfhydryl oxidation. Measurements of macroscopic currents in inside-out patches indicate that reduction only shifted the voltage/nP0 relationship without an effect on the maximum conductance of the patch, suggesting that the increase in nP0 following reduction did not result from recruitment of more functional channels but rather from changes of channel gating. We conclude that redox modulation of cysteine thiol groups, which probably involves thiol/disulfide exchange, alters maxi-K channel gating, and that this modulation likely affects channel activity under physiological conditions.

Infrared studies of interaction between metal ions and Ca(2+)-binding proteins. Marker bands for identifying the types of coordination of the side-chain COO- groups to metal ions in pike parvalbumin (pI = 4.10)

Metal-ligand interactions in the Ca(2+)-binding sites of pike parvalbumin (pI = 4.10) have been examined by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The region of the COO- antisymmetric stretch provides useful information on the types of coordination of the COO- groups to the metal ions in the Mg(2+)-, Mn(2+)-, and Ca(2+)-bound forms. In the spectrum of the Ca(2+)-bound form, two bands are observed at 1,582 and 1,553 cm-1, whereas, in the spectra of the Mg(2+)- and Mn(2+)-bound forms, bands are observed only in the region around 1,582 cm-1 and no band is found in the region around 1,553 cm-1. The 1,553-cm-1 band of the Ca(2+)-bound form reflects the bidentate coordination of the COO- groups of both Glu-62 in the CD site and Glu-101 in the EF site to the Ca2+ ions, which has been made clear by X-ray analysis as a feature of the Ca(2+)-bound form. Absence of such a band in the spectrum of the Mn(2+)-bound form is consistent with the X-ray structure of this form where both of the two COO- groups are unidentate. These unidentate COO- groups of Glu-62 and Glu-101 in the Mn(2+)-bound form seem to give rise to a band at 1,577-1,574 cm-1. The spectrum of the Mg(2+)-bound form is also consistent with the 'pseudo-bridging' coordination of the COO- group of Glu-101 reported in the X-ray structure of a form where the Mg2+ ion occupies only the EF site, and the same spectrum is further indicative of the 'pseudo-bridging' coordination of the COO- group of Glu-62.

Effect of diet and lifestyle on bone mass in Asian young women

The relationship between bone mineral content (BMC) divided by bone width (BW) and diet and lifestyle in early adulthood were investigated from the view point of preventing osteoporosis at a young age in Asian women. BMC/BW of 161 healthy Asian women aged 19-25 y were measured by single-photon absorptiometry. Current and past dietary habits and physical activity were also studied. BMC/BW varied from 0.21 to 0.48 g/cm2. Bone density correlated well with dietary habit from infancy to the present especially with calcium and past physical activity. These two factors showed additive effects on BMC/BW. In multiple-regression analysis, liking sports, body mass index, no milk intake in childhood, protein intake, frequency of dieting, and skipping meals were contributors to bone density and predictive of 23% of the variability in BMC/BW in the total group. The multiple-regression coefficient was 0.518. Smoking, drinking, and duration of sunbathing might have no effect on BMC/BW in early adulthood.

Reconstitution of beta-adrenergic modulation of large conductance, calcium-activated potassium (maxi-K) channels in Xenopus oocytes. Identification of the camp-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation site

The human large conductance, calcium-activated potassium (maxi-K) channel (alpha and beta subunits) and beta2-adrenergic receptor genes were coexpressed in Xenopus oocytes in order to study the mechanism of beta-adrenergic modulation of channel function. Isoproterenol and forskolin increased maxi-K potassium channel currents in voltage-clamped oocytes expressing the receptor and both channel subunits by 33 +/- 5% and 35 +/- 8%, respectively, without affecting current activation or inactivation. The percentage of stimulation by isoproterenol and forskolin was not different in oocytes coexpressing the alpha and beta subunits versus those expressing the only the alpha subunit, suggesting that the alpha subunit is the target for regulation. The stimulatory effect of isoproterenol was almost completely blocked by intracellular injection of the cyclic AMP dependent protein kinase (cAMP-PK) regulatory subunit, whereas injection of a cyclic GMP dependent protein kinase inhibitory peptide had little effect, indicating that cellular coupling of beta2-adrenergic receptors to maxi-K channels involves endogenous cAMP-PK. Mutation of one of several potential consensus cAMP-PK phosphorylation sites (serine 869) on the alpha subunit almost completely inhibited beta-adrenergic receptor/channel stimulatory coupling, whereas forskolin still stimulated currents moderately (16 +/- 4%). These data demonstrate that physiological coupling between beta2 receptors and maxi-K channels occurs by the cAMP-PK mediated phosphorylation of serine 869 on the alpha subunit on the channel.

Moderate-intensity regular exercise decreases serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha and HbA1c levels in healthy women

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects of moderate-intensity regular exercise on serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and glucose and lipid metabolism parameters.

DESIGN

Longitudinal intervention study of a 5 month exercise training program (30-45 min/day, 4-5 days/week).

SUBJECTS

Forty-one healthy Japanese women aged 41-69 y at baseline; 27 participants in the exercise program.

MEASUREMENTS

Body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), percentage body fat, and fasting levels for serum TNF-alpha, serum soluble TNF receptor p55 (TNF-RI) and TNF receptor p75 (TNF-RII), serum lipids, HbA1c, and serum insulin before and after exercise.

RESULTS

In overweight to obese subjects, serum levels of TNF-alpha, TNF-RI and TNF-RII were significantly higher than those in lean subjects. There were significant correlations between log serum TNF-alpha and BMI, percentage body fat, WHR, HbA1c and log insulin. TNF-RI was significantly correlated with BMI, percentage body fat, WHR and HbA1c. TNF-RII was also associated with BMI, percentage body fat and WHR. However, the correlation between TNF-RII and HbA1c did not reach statistical significance. Neither TNF-RI nor TNF-RII was correlated with log insulin. In contrast, TNF-alpha, TNF-RI and TNF-RII were negatively correlated with HDL cholesterol. Regular exercise decreased BMI, percentage body fat, HbA1c, serum TNF-alpha, TNF-RI and TNF-RII and increased HDL cholesterol levels. In addition, exercise-induced change in serum TNF-alpha was independently correlated with changes in HbA1c and serum insulin, after being adjusted for the change in fat-free mass.

CONCLUSION

Changes in serum TNF-alpha that occur with exercise may play an important role in improving glucose metabolism parameters.

FT-IR study of the Ca2+-binding to bovine alpha-lactalbumin. Relationships between the type of coordination and characteristics of the bands due to the Asp COO- groups in the Ca2+-binding site

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was applied to examine relationships between the type of coordination and the COO- antisymmetric and symmetric stretches of the COO- groups in the Ca2+-binding site of bovine alpha-lactalbumin. The peaks at 1593, 1578, 1425, and 1403 cm(-1) were assigned to the COO- groups of Asp-82, 87, and 88 coordinating to Ca2+ in the pseudo bridging mode, according to the results of X-ray crystallography. The bands due to the COO- groups were quite similar to each other between alpha-lactalbumin and EDTA which is the model compound for the pseudo bridging state.

Suppressed pi(0) production at large transverse momentum in central Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV

Transverse momentum spectra of neutral pions in the range 1<p(T)<10 GeV/c have been measured at midrapidity by the PHENIX experiment at BNL RHIC in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV. The pi(0) multiplicity in central reactions is significantly below the yields measured at the same sqrt[s(NN)] in peripheral Au+Au and p+p reactions scaled by the number of nucleon-nucleon collisions. For the most central bin, the suppression factor is approximately 2.5 at p(T)=2 GeV/c and increases to approximately 4-5 at p(T) approximately 4 GeV/c. At larger p(T), the suppression remains constant within errors. The deficit is already apparent in semiperipheral reactions and increases smoothly with centrality.

Dysregulation of BMI1 and microRNA-16 collaborate to enhance an anti-apoptotic potential in the side population of refractory mantle cell lymphoma

The proto-oncogene BMI1 and its product, Bmi1, is overexpressed in various types of tumors, particularly in aggressive tumors and tumors resistant to conventional chemotherapy. BMI1/Bmi1 is also crucially involved in cancer-initiating cell maintenance, and is recurrently upregulated in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), especially aggressive variants. Recently, side population (SP) cells were shown to exhibit tumor-initiating characteristics in various types of tumors. In this study, we show that recurrent MCL cases significantly exhibit upregulation of BMI1/Bmi1. We further demonstrate that clonogenic MCL SP shows such tumor-initiating characteristics as high tumorigenicity and self-renewal capability, and that BMI1 was upregulated in the SP from recurrent MCL cases and MCL cell lines. On screening for upstream regulators of BMI1, we found that expression of microRNA-16 (miR-16) was downregulated in MCL SP cells by regulating Bmi1 in the SPs, leading to reductions in tumor size following lymphoma xenografts. Moreover, to investigate downstream targets of BMI1 in MCL, we performed cross-linking/chromatin immunoprecipitation assay against MCL cell lines and demonstrated that Bmi1 directly regulated pro-apoptotic genes such as BCL2L11/Bim and PMAIP1/Noxa, leading to enhance anti-apoptotic potential of MCL. Finally, we found that a proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, which has been recently used for relapsed MCL, effectively induced apoptosis among MCL cells while reducing expression of Bmi1 and increasing miR-16 in MCL SP. These results suggest that upregulation of BMI1 and downregulation of miR-16 in MCL SP has a key role in the disease's progression by reducing MCL cell apoptosis. Our results provide important new insight into the pathogenesis of MCL and strongly suggest that targeting BMI1/Bmi1 might be an effective approach to treating MCL, particularly refractory and recurrent cases.

How can Ca2+ selectively activate recoverin in the presence of Mg2+? Surface plasmon resonance and FT-IR spectroscopic studies

We investigated the relationship between metal ion selective conformational changes of recoverin and its metal-bound coordination structures. Recoverin is a 23 kDa heterogeneously myristoylated Ca(2+)-binding protein that inhibits rhodopsin kinase. Upon accommodating two Ca(2+) ions, recoverin extrudes a myristoyl group and associates with the lipid bilayer membrane, which was monitored by the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique. Large changes in SPR signals were observed for Sr(2+), Ba(2+), Cd(2+), and Mn(2+) as well as Ca(2+), indicating that upon binding to these ions, recoverin underwent a large conformational change to extrude the myristoyl group, and thereby interacted with lipid membranes. In contrast, no SPR signal was induced by Mg(2+), confirming that even though it accommodates two Mg(2+) ions, recoverin does not induce the large conformational change. To investigate the coordination structures of metal-bound Ca(2+) binding sites, FT-IR studies were performed. The EF-hands, Ca(2+)-binding regions each comprising 12 residues, arrange to coordinate Ca(2+) with seven oxygen ligands, two of which are provided by a conserved bidentate Glu at the 12th relative position in the EF-hand. FT-IR analysis confirmed that Sr(2+), Ba(2+), Cd(2+), and Mn(2+) were coordinated to COO(-) of Glu by a bidentate state as well as Ca(2+), while coordination of COO(-) with Mg(2+) was a pseudobridging state with six-coordinate geometry. These SPR and FT-IR results taken together reveal that metal ions with seven-coordinate geometry in the EF-hands induce a large conformational change in recoverin so that it extrudes the myristoyl group, while metal ions with six-coordinate geometry in the EF-hands such as Mg(2+) remain the myristoyl group sequestered in recoverin.

Guanylyl cyclase stimulatory coupling to K(Ca) channels

We coexpressed the human large-conductance, calcium-activated K (K(Ca)) channel (alpha- and beta-subunits) and rat atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) receptor genes in Xenopus oocytes to examine the mechanism of guanylyl cyclase stimulatory coupling to the channel. Exposure of oocytes to ANP stimulated whole cell K(Ca) currents by 21 +/- 3% (at 60 mV), without altering current kinetics. Similarly, spermine NONOate, a nitric oxide donor, increased K(Ca) currents (20 +/- 4% at 60 mV) in oocytes expressing the channel subunits alone. Stimulation of K(Ca) currents by ANP was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by a peptide inhibitor of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). Receptor/channel stimulatory coupling was not completely abolished by mutating the cAMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation site on the alpha-subunit (S869; Nars M, Dhulipals PD, Wang YX, and Kotlikoff MI. J Biol Chem 273: 14920-14924, 1998) or by mutating a neighboring consensus PKG site (S855), but mutation of both residues virtually abolished coupling. Spermine NONOate also failed to stimulate channels expressed from the double mutant cRNAs. These data indicate that nitric oxide donors stimulate K(Ca) channels through cGMP-dependent phosphorylation and that two serine residues (855 and 869) underlie this stimulatory coupling.

Two types of movement-related cortical potentials preceding wrist extension in humans

We compared the occurrence patterns of movement-related cortical potentials (MRCPs) preceding wrist extension in athletes (kendoists and gymnasts) and non-athletes. The MRCPs of the non-athletes started approximately 1.5 s before the EMG onset of wrist extension. In the athletes, the duration of the MRCPs was shorter and the amplitudes of early component (Bereitschaftspotential) were smaller than in the non-athletes. The MRCPs in the athletes started approximately 400 ms before the onset of wrist extension and increased rapidly. In topographical maps, MRCPs of the athletes were localized markedly on the contralateral motor area (C3) compared with the non-athletes. In the present study, the duration of MRCPs was classified into two types.

Quinine inhibits production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha from human alveolar macrophages

Although tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) produced by alveolar macrophages plays a key role in acute and chronic inflammatory states of the lung, the regulation of TNF-alpha synthesis remains to be elucidated. Recently, a K channel blocker, quinine, has been reported to inhibit cell proliferation and protein synthesis in lymphocytes, implicating physiologic roles for K channels in lymphocytes. The effect of quinine on protein synthesis in human alveolar macrophages, however, has not been determined, although alveolar macrophages have been reported to have two types of K channels. Therefore, we investigated the effect of quinine on TNF-alpha production from human alveolar macrophages. The production of TNF-alpha was induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. We obtained the following results. First, LPS induced time-dependent activation of both types of K channels. Second, quinine inhibited TNF-alpha release in a dose-dependent fashion at concentrations of 50 to 200 microM, concentrations capable of blocking both types of K channels, with no appreciable reduction of phagocytosis of latex beads. Third, the compound remarkably inhibited the expression of TNF-alpha mRNA without any appreciable effect on the expression of beta-actin mRNA. These results indicate that both types of K channels are activated by stimulation with LPS and that quinine, at concentrations required to inhibit K channels, specifically blocks TNF-alpha production of human alveolar macrophages at the level of gene transcription.

Enhanced erythrocyte aggregability in occlusive cerebrovascular disease

We measured the rate of erythrocyte aggregation using our whole-blood aggregometer in 80 patients with occlusive cerebrovascular disease during the acute and chronic phases. We compared the data with values for 38 age-matched healthy controls. Mean +/- SD erythrocyte aggregability of the patients during both the acute phase (0.145 +/- 0.21/sec, n = 35) and the chronic phase (0.139 +/- 0.21/sec, n = 45) was higher than that in the controls (0.123 +/- 0.21/sec, n = 38; p less than 0.01). Erythrocyte aggregability was positively correlated with the plasma concentration of globulin and fibrinogen and inversely correlated with the albumin:globulin ratio. However, these correlations did not necessarily exclude the possibility that some unknown substance(s) released from ischemic tissue might enhance erythrocyte aggregability.

[Changes in the level of endothelin-1 with aging]

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent and long-lasting vasoconstrictor peptide. In order to clarify the changes in the level of ET-1 with aging, we measured the ET-1 level in plasma by radioimmunoassay and used 74 healthy subjects including 61 males and 13 females, aged from 30 to 69, who were admitted in the health check center of Ashikaga Red Cross Hospital. None of them had risk factors related to hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus or cardiovascular disease. In the male group, the relationship between the level of ET-1 (Y) and age (X) was obtained as follows: Y = 0.08857 X +0.06363. The correlation between them was significant (gamma = 0.65894, p < 0.05). In the female group also, the increased level of ET-1 (Y) with age (X) showed an excellent linear relationship (Y = 0.163091 X -4.23, gamma = 0.762, p < 0.002). These studies demonstrated that the level of ET-1 increased in relation to aging and the increased ET-1 production with aging may be consistent with deterioration of endothelial function.

Elliptic flow of identified hadrons in Au+Au collisions at sqrt sNN =200 GeV

The anisotropy parameter (v(2)), the second harmonic of the azimuthal particle distribution, has been measured with the PHENIX detector in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV for identified and inclusive charged particle production at central rapidities (|eta|<0.35) with respect to the reaction plane defined at high rapidities (|eta|=3-4 ). We observe that the v(2) of mesons falls below that of (anti)baryons for p(T)>2 GeV/c, in marked contrast to the predictions of a hydrodynamical model. A quark-coalescence model is also investigated.

Coordination structures of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in Akazara scallop troponin C in solution. FTIR spectroscopy of side-chain COO- groups

FTIR spectroscopy has been applied to study the coordination structures of Mg2+ and Ca2+ ions bound in Akazara scallop troponin C (TnC), which contains only a single Ca2+ binding site. The region of the COO- antisymmetric stretch provides information about the coordination modes of COO- groups to the metal ions: bidentate, unidentate, or pseudo-bridging. Two bands were observed at 1584 and 1567 cm-1 in the apo state, whereas additional bands were observed at 1543 and 1601 cm-1 in the Ca2+-bound and Mg2+-bound states, respectively. The intensity of the band at 1567 cm-1 in the Mg2+-bound state was identical to that in the apo state. Therefore, the side-chain COO- group of Glu142 at the 12th position in the Ca2+-binding site coordinates to Ca2+ in the bidentate mode but does not interact with Mg2+ directly. A slight upshift of COO- antisymmetric stretch due to Asp side-chains was also observed upon Mg2+ and Ca2+ binding. This indicates that the COO- groups of Asp131 and Asp133 interact with both Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the pseudo-bridging mode. Therefore, the present study directly demonstrated that the coordination structure of Mg2+ was different from that of Ca2+ in the Ca2+-binding site. In contrast to vertebrate TnC, most of the secondary structures remained unchanged among apo, Mg2+-bound and Ca2+-bound states of Akazara scallop TnC, as spectral changes upon either Ca2+ or Mg2+ binding were very small in the infrared amide-I' region as well as in the CD spectra. Fluorescence spectroscopy indicated that the spectral changes upon Ca2+ binding were larger than that upon Mg2+ binding. Moreover, gel-filtration experiments indicated that the molecular sizes of TnC had the order apo TnC > Mg2+-bound TnC > Ca2+-bound TnC. These results suggest that the tertiary structures are different in the Ca2+- and Mg2+-bound states. The present study may provide direct evidence that the side-chain COO- groups in the Ca2+-binding site are directly involved in the functional on/off mechanism of the activation of Akazara scallop TnC.

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage caused by lung metastasis of ovarian angiosarcoma

A case of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage due to lung metastasis of ovarian angiosarcoma is described. A 33-year-old woman developed persistent cough and recurrent hemoptyses with resultant anemia. Chest radiograph and computerized tomography (CT) showed diffuse and patchy shadows in both lungs with nodules in the central area of the shadows. In spite of intensive care and administration of large amounts of glucocorticoids, she died of respiratory failure 5 months after the onset of her symptoms. Histological examination by both thoracoscopic biopsy and autopsy revealed diffuse tumor emboli of disseminated angiosarcoma which originated from the right ovary and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage which appeared to be caused by the tumor emboli with resultant invasion and destruction to vascular walls. This is the first description of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage probably caused by tumor emboli of metastatic angiosarcoma.

Influence of thyroid hormones and transforming growth factor-β1 on cystatin C concentrations

Serum cystatin C concentrations are reported to increase in the hyperthyroid state. Serum concentrations of cystatin C and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were measured in patients with thyroid dysfunction, and the effects of 3,5,3'-tri-iodothyronine (T(3)) and TGF-β1 on cystatin C production in human hepatoblastoma (Hep G2) cells were studied. Serum concentrations of cystatin C and TGF-β1 were significantly higher in patients with Graves' disease compared with control subjects. Significantly positive correlations were observed between thyroid hormones and cystatin C, thyroid hormones and TGF-β1, and TGF-β1 and cystatin C in patients with thyroid dysfunction. Serum concentrations of cystatin C and TGF-β1 decreased after treatment for hyperthyroidism. Cystatin C mRNA levels and cystatin C secretion were increased by T(3) and TGF-β1 in cultured Hep G2 cells. These results suggest that serum cystatin C concentrations increase in patients with hyperthyroidism. The mechanisms for this may involve elevation of serum TGF-β1 levels and the stimulatory effects of T(3) and TGF-β1 on cystatin C production.

Running exercise increases tumor necrosis factor-alpha secreting from mesenteric fat in insulin-resistant rats

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is an important mediator of insulin resistance in obese subjects, through its overexpression in fat tissue. However, how exercise can modify the expression of TNF-alpha is controversial. We examined TNF-alpha in adipose tissue using an animal model of insulin resistance that was produced by feeding rats a diet high in sucrose. The rats were allocated to one of three groups: those receiving a starch-based diet (control group): those fed a high-sucrose diet (sucrose-fed group): and those fed a high-sucrose diet and given wheel exercise (exercised group). The animals were allowed to eat and drink ad lib for 4 or 12 weeks (4 wk: control n=7, sucrose-fed n=7, exercised n=10; 12 wk: control n=5, sucrose-fed n=5, exercised n=9). The voluntary wheel exercise was initiated with the feeding of the high-sucrose diet. The rats in the exercise groups ran 15 +/- 3 km/week. We showed that 12-week voluntary running exercise significantly (P<0.05) increased both TNF-alpha protein (5-fold) and mRNA (1.4 fold) in the mesenteric fat of insulin-resistant rats compared to non-exercised sucrose-fed mice. Accordingly, in exercised group, plasma glucose (124 +/- 9 mEq/L vs 141 +/- 11 mEq/L). and free fatty acid (0.98 +/- 0.07 mEq/L vs 1.4 +/- 0.05 mEq/L) concentrating in portal vein blood were reduced compared to sucrose-fed group. The amounts of fatty tissue both in mesenteric and subcutaneous tissues were significantly (P<0.05) decreased through running exercise. We consider that up-regulation of TNF-alpha in mesenteric fat may be a compensatory mechanism for the reduction of fatty acid in adipose tissues and this change could control metabolic homeostasis during exercise to modulate a hyperinsulinemic state.

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopic studies on the coordination of the side-chain COO- groups to Ca2+ in equine lysozyme

Interactions between Ca2+ and the Asp side chains in the Ca2+-binding site of equine lysozyme were investigated by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. In the spectrum of equine lysozyme, the intensities of the bands at about 1595 cm-1 and 1578 cm-1 in the region of the COO antisymmetric stretches increased upon Ca2+ binding. In the region of the COO- symmetric stretches, the loss of intensity at about 1388 cm-1 and gains of intensities at about 1423 cm-1 and 1403 cm-1 were observed due to Ca2+ binding to equine lysozyme. The spectral changes for equine lysozyme indicate that the COO- groups of Asp85, Asp90 and Asp91 in the Ca2+-binding site coordinate to Ca2+ in the pseudo-bridging mode, where divalent metal cation is bound to one of the two oxygens in the COO- group and a water molecule is hydrogen bonded to the other oxygen. The results presented here provide further evidence for a high degree of similarity between Ca2+-binding lysozyme and alpha-lactalbumin. The effects of Ca2+ binding on the main-chain conformation of equine lysozyme were compared with those of bovine alpha-lactalbumin and hen egg-white lysozyme.

Measurement of transverse single-spin asymmetries for midrapidity production of neutral pions and charged hadrons in polarized p + p collisions at square root(s) = 200 GeV

Transverse single-spin asymmetries to probe the transverse-spin structure of the proton have been measured for neutral pions and nonidentified charged hadrons from polarized proton-proton collisions at midrapidity and square root(s) = 200 GeV. The data cover a transverse momentum (pT) range 1.0-5.0 GeV/c for neutral pions and 0.5-5.0 GeV/c for charged hadrons, at a Feynman-x value of approximately zero. The asymmetries seen in this previously unexplored kinematic region are consistent with zero within errors of a few percent. In addition, the inclusive charged hadron cross section at midrapidity from 0.5 < pT < 7.0 GeV/c is presented and compared to next-to-leading order perturbative QCD (pQCD) calculations. Successful description of the unpolarized cross section above approximately 2 GeV/c suggests that pQCD is applicable in the interpretation of the asymmetry results in the relevant kinematic range.

Significance of elevated procollagen-III-peptide and transforming growth factor-beta levels of bronchoalveolar lavage fluids from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients

Although both procollagen III aminopeptide (P-III-P) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) are reported to be present in lung tissue and/or elevated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients, we have little knowledge concerning the clinical significance of elevated P-III-P and TGF-beta levels in BALF. Using a radioimmunoassay, we measured P-III-P and TGF-beta in BALF from 48 IPF patients (16F and 32M, 59 +/- 2 years, mean +/- S.E.) who received BAL in our clinic over the past 13 years before glucocorticosteroid treatment. Among them, we could detect a significant amount of P-III-P (2.2 +/- 1.0 U/ml; range 0.03 to 16.5 U/ml) in BALF in 18 of the patients (5F and 13M, 58 +/- 3 years) (group B). but not (0.03 U/ml or less) in the other 30 patients (11F and 19M, 59 +/- 2 years) (group A). Lymphocyte (%) and basophil (%) in BALF from group B was much larger than that from group A (33% vs. 8%, p < 0.01). Group B showed a longer duration of onset to BAL (36 months vs. 23 months, p < 0.05). TGF-beta levels were obtained using an ELISA system kit from the same BALF samples. TGF-beta was not detected in 10 patients (100 pg/ml or less) (3F and 7M, 59 +/- 4 years) (group I), while the remaining 38 patients showed a significant amount of TGF-beta (329 +/- 44 pg/ml, range 100 to 1,360 pg/ml). The latter patients were further divided into two groups; group II 100 to 300 pg/ml (10F and 14M, 56 +/- 3 years) and group III 350 or more (3F and 11M, 63 +/- 2 years). Group III showed significantly better values in PaO2, Aa-DO2, %VC and %DLco, and smaller percentage of basophils in BALF than did groups I and/or II, whereas survival after BAL in group III was significantly shorter than in group I (31 vs. 19 months, p < 0.05). There was no significant relationship between P-III-P and TGF-beta levels in BALF. These findings suggest that elevated P-III-P level is accompanied by an increase in lymphocyte population in BALF from IPF patients, resulting in a longer duration of the disease, while elevated TGF-beta level reflects alveolar inflammation at an earlier stage of the disease which induces a progression of the disease, resulting in a shorter survival in IPF patients.

Midrapidity neutral-pion production in proton-proton collisions at square root s = 200 GeV

The invariant differential cross section for inclusive neutral-pion production in p+p collisions at sqrt[s]=200 GeV has been measured at midrapidity (|eta|<0.35) over the range 1<p(T) less, similar 14 GeV/c by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. Predictions of next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations are consistent with these measurements. The precision of our result is sufficient to differentiate between prevailing gluon-to-pion fragmentation functions.