Isolation, characterization and amino acid sequence of echicetin beta subunit, a specific inhibitor of von Willebrand factor and thrombin interaction with glycoprotein Ib

Echicetin is a dimeric protein isolated from the venom of Echis carinatus that is a potent inhibitor of von Willebrand Factor and thrombin binding to glycoprotein Ib. Here, we report isolation and amino acid sequence of the beta subunit of echicetin that contains 123 amino acids, including 7 cysteines, and shows similarity with amino acid sequences of botrocetin and Factor IXa/Xa binding protein. We provide evidence that biological activity of echicetin which resides in this beta subunit is relatively resistant to reduction of the molecule.

Structural diversity of triadin in skeletal muscle and evidence of its existence in heart

Triadin has been characterized as an abundant protein co-localized with the calcium release channel on the terminal cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum of the skeletal muscle. Its localization to terminal cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and functional studies suggest that it has an important role in excitation-contraction coupling. In this study we identify three triadin isoforms in rabbit skeletal muscle and by Northern blot analysis demonstrate that triadin also exists in the heart.

Human blood contains two subsets of dendritic cells, one immunologically mature and the other immature

Two subsets of dendritic cells, differing in T-cell stimulatory function, have been purified directly from human blood. Both subsets are positive for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II expression and negative for lineage-specific antigens (e.g. CD3, CD14, CD16, CD19 negative), but are separated by exploiting differences in expression of the beta 2-integrin, CD11c. The CD11c-negative subset is functionally immature, requiring monocyte-derived cytokines to develop into typical dendritic cells. The CD11c-positive subset has potent T-cell stimulating activity and expresses the activation antigen CD45RO, unlike its immature counterpart. However, these mature cells only develop typical dendritic morphology and high levels of MHC proteins and adhesins after a period of culture independent of exogenous cytokines. Although the freshly isolated mature dendritic cells resemble monocytes in cytospin preparations, the former lack CD14 and have a much stronger primary T-cell stimulatory capacity. We hypothesize that the CD11c-negative immature cells are marrow-derived precursors to tissue dendritic cells, such as epidermal Langerhans' cells, while the CD11c-positive cells are derived from tissues where they have been activated by antigen, and are en route to the spleen or lymph nodes to stimulate T-cell responses there.

Multicentric evaluation of a new PT reagent based on recombinant human tissue factor and synthetic phospholipids

A new PT reagent based on recombinant human tissue factor and synthetic phospholipids (phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl serine) with defined fatty acid side chains was calibrated against BCT/253 and CRM 149R. A small but consistent bias in the International Sensitivity Index (ISI) value was obtained using either the human or rabbit brain reference material. ISI values were around 1.0 or slightly lower depending on the respective instrument. Mixing studies with factor deficient plasmas showed a high factor sensitivity especially for factor VII as compared to commercial rabbit brain or human placenta thromboplastin. In an international field trial the reagent was tested using fully or semi automated Electra coagulometers in 4 different laboratories. Results with normal samples were in excellent agreement among the different laboratories. Mean values were 10.9, 10.9, 11.0, 11.2 s with a range of 9.5 to 12.5 s. Results of males and females were not different. In patients with liver disease very similar PT activities were found as compared to sensitive rabbit brain or human placental thromboplastins. In normals and patients with oral anticoagulation INR values correlated very well against BCT (r = 0.98, regression line y = -0.07 + 0.9 x). The distribution of samples was linear over the whole range. In the comparison against sensitive rabbit brain thromboplastin or human placental thromboplastin similar correlations were found. In a few cases higher INR values were observed for the recombinant reagent especially in patients with intensive treatment. Factor assays in those patients showed at least the strong reduction of one vitamin K-dependent coagulation factor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Pathology of muscle contracture caused by injection and activity of phosphochesterase and insulin receptor]

The animal model of muscle contracture caused by injection was set up in the experiment. We used the model for excessive healing studies and researched the changes in its pathology, and activity of phosphochesterase and insulin receptor in this model. The experimental results revealed that the pathologic changes belonged to excessive proliferation of connective tissue (excessive healing). When occurred muscle degeneration, infiltration of inflammatory cells, proliferation of fibroblasts and descending of collagen fibers, the activity level phosphochesterase and insulin receptor became higher. The excessive healing occurrence may have something to do with the changes of phosphochesterase and insulin receptor.

Dendritic cells freshly isolated from human blood express CD4 and mature into typical immunostimulatory dendritic cells after culture in monocyte-conditioned medium

A procedure has been developed to isolate dendritic cells to a high degree of purity from fresh blood. Prior enrichment methods have relied upon an initial 1-2-d culture period. Purified fresh isolates lack the characteristic morphology, phenotype, and immunostimulatory function of dendritic cells. The purified cells have the appearance of medium sized lymphocytes and express substantial levels of CD4, but lack the T cell molecules CD3, CD8, and T cell receptor. When placed in culture, the cells mature in a manner resembling the previously described, cytokine-dependent maturation of epidermal dendritic cells (Langerhans cells). The cells enlarge and exhibit many cell processes, express much higher levels of major histocompatibility complex class II and a panel of accessory molecules for T cell activation, and become potent stimulators of the mixed leukocyte reaction. Among the many changes during this maturation process are a fall in CD4 and the appearance of high levels of B7/BB1, the costimulator for enhanced interleukin 2 production in T cells. These changes are not associated with cell proliferation, but are dependent upon the addition of monocyte-conditioned medium. We suggest that the freshly isolated CD4-positive blood dendritic cells are recent migrants from the bone marrow, and that subsequent maturation of the lineage occurs in tissues in situ upon appropriate exposure to cytokines.

A nucleotide sequence involved in replicative transformation of a filamentous fungus

Replicative plasmids generated through in-vivo recombination have been identified among transformants of the fungus Pleurotus ostreatus. In addition to sequences from a standard selection vector (pAN7-1), these recombinant plasmids contain recombined sequences of chromosomal origin conferring replicative potential upon the vector. One such recombined sequence, an 1148-bp insert into plasmid pP01, has been characterized. This sequence has been analyzed for secondary structural features as well as for consensus sites affiliated with origins of replication (ori) in other eukaryotic systems. The 1148-bp insert lacks an ORF and does not contain an acceptable match to the commonly identified 11-bp ars consensus sequence (A/TTTTATA/GTTTA/T) for autonomous replication in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The analysis, however, revealed a cluster of three hairpin-loop-forming subsequences with individual delta G25 degrees C free energy values of -7.6, -6.4 and -5.2 kcal mol-1. Also found were two 7-bp analogues to centromere-affiliated sequences recognized in other fungi, as well as several putative gyrase recognition sites comparable to the 9-bp S. cerevisiae/E. coli gyrase-binding consensus sequence. Sequences comparable to the ori of the yeast 2-microns plasmid or to various sequences associated with ori of yeast/fungal mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNA) were not present in the 1148-bp insert. Replication of pP01 appears rather to involve a replication of chromosomal derivation devoid of an ars-type consensus.

Echicetin: a snake venom protein that inhibits binding of von Willebrand factor and alboaggregins to platelet glycoprotein Ib

Echicetin, a new protein isolated from Echis carinatus venom by reverse phase and ion exchange chromatography specifically inhibited agglutination of fixed platelets induced by several platelet glycoprotein Ib (GPIb) agonists, such as bovine von Willebrand factor (vWF), alboaggregins, and human vWF in the presence of botrocetin. Unlike alboaggregins, echicetin bound to GPIb but did not induce agglutination of washed or fixed platelets. In contrast to disintegrins, it did not block adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation in the presence of fibrinogen. The apparent molecular weight of echicetin measured on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel electrophoresis was 26 Kd under nonreducing conditions. On reduction, echicetin showed 16 and 14-Kd subunits suggesting that the molecule is a dimer. Reduced echicetin retained its binding activity and its inhibitory effect on the agglutination of fixed platelets induced by bovine vWF. 125I-echicetin bound to fixed platelets with high affinity (kd = 30 +/- 1.8 nmol/L) at 45,000 +/- 2,400 binding sites per platelet. The binding was selectively inhibited by a monoclonal antibody to the 45-Kd N-terminal domain of platelet GPIb, but not by monoclonal antibodies to other regions on GPIb. Binding of 125I-bovine vWF to fixed platelets was strongly inhibited by echicetin. In contrast, bovine vWF showed a much weaker inhibitory activity on binding of 125I-echicetin to platelets. The half life of echicetin in blood was approximately 170 minutes with no detectable degradation. Echicetin significantly prolonged the bleeding time of mice, suggesting that it may inhibit vWF binding to GPIb in vivo as well as in vitro.

Transient expression of the Epstein-Barr virus LMP1 gene in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells, T cells, and hematopoietic cell lines: cell-type-independent-induction of CD23, CD21, and ICAM-1

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome has recently been detected in various non-B cell neoplasms, including various T-cell leukemias and in Reed-Sternberg cells of Hodgkin's disease, but the contribution of EBV genes to the transformed phenotype remains unclear. We have investigated the possible effect which the EBV genes LMP1 and EBNA2, of which the expression has been reported in non-B cell neoplasms, may have on a variety of cell types. The LMP1 and EBNA2 genes were transiently expressed from heterologous promoters in two human T-cell lines (HPB-ALL and Jurkat), two human cell lines of the myeloid lineage (K562 and U937), one type I Burkitt's lymphoma cell line (Rael) and in human primary T cells and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells. The cell surface expression of CD23, CD21, ICAM-1 and LFA-1 was monitored on transfected cells. In the cell lines, except U937, the surface antigens CD21 and ICAM-1 were upregulated in a dose-dependent and transient manner by the transient expression of LMP1, and EBNA2 slightly enhanced the effects of LMP1 on CD23 and CD21 upregulation. LMP1 also induced increased CD21, ICAM-1 and LFA-1 surface expression on transfected primary T-cells, and CD21 and ICAM-1 in four of five B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemias tested. Finally, LMP1 transient expression caused increased cell size of the primary T cells and responding B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells. Our results strongly suggest that LMP1 can trigger specific responses in a variety of white cell types and thus is probably contributing to the phenotype of EBV-positive tumor cells not only in the B-cell lineage.

Transient expression of the Epstein-Barr virus LMP1 gene in human primary B cells induces cellular activation and DNA synthesis

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) and Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2) are expressed in EBV-immortalized human B cells. It has previously been shown that transfection of the LMP1 and EBNA2 genes into Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines results in the up-regulation of CD23, CD21, ICAM-1 and LFA-1 cell-surface proteins. In the present study, the effects of transient expression of the LMP1 and EBNA2 genes were studied in normal primary human B cells pretreated with UV-inactivated EBV particles. To identify and purify cells which express the transfected DNA we used a gene encoding a surface molecule, CD2, as a co-transfection marker. We show that transient expression of the LMP1 gene, from heterologous promoters, is sufficient to induce cellular enlargement and up-regulation of surface expression of the activation markers CD23, CD21, ICAM-1 and LFA-1 in primary B cells. Most importantly, we show that transient expression of the LMP1 gene is sufficient to induce DNA synthesis in human primary B cells. Transient EBNA2 expression enhanced the effect of transient LMP1 expression on CD21 and CD23 cell-surface expression but, under our experimental conditions, inhibited the induction of DNA synthesis by LMP1. We conclude that activation of primary B cells with inactivated EBV particles, followed by transient expression of only two viral genes, EBNA2 and LMP1, is sufficient to reconstitute some of the early events of B-cell immortalization by EBV.

Polymerase chain reaction--amplification of the coding sequence of the type X collagen gene from genomic DNA and identification of a polymorphism that changes Gly to Arg at position 545 by single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis

Type X collagen is a specific product of hypertrophic growth plate chondrocytes and it has been suggested that mutations in the corresponding gene (COL1OA1) may be responsible for certain heritable disorders affecting growth plate cartilage such as the epiphyseal dysplasias. We have amplified the coding region of COL1OA1 employing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of genomic DNA. Single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of PCR products followed by direct sequencing identified a G to C transition that results in a Gly to Arg substitution at position 545 of the polypeptide chain. The sequence variation was confirmed by restriction enzyme analysis with BsaJ 1. Analysis of a family with multiple epiphyseal dysplasia ruled out this sequence change as a cause of the disease. This is the first report showing application of SSCP for detection of a sequence variant in COL1OA1.

Recovery of recombinant plasmids from Pleurotus ostreatus transformants

A transformation system employing selectable resistance to hygromycin B has been developed for the mushroom-forming fungus, Pleurotus ostreatus. Vector pAN7-1, a commonly used non-replicative vector for integrative transformation in fungi, yielded 5-46 resistant colonies per micrograms of DNA per 10(7) viable protoplasts. Southern blot analysis of certain transformants revealed unexpected replicative plasmids containing pAN7-1 sequences, but modified for size, methylation and restriction enzyme pattern when compared to the initial transforming vector. Two such replicative derivatives of pAN7-1 have been rescued from P. ostreatus by cloning into Escherichia coli. Rescued plasmids have been used to probe DNA from untransformed P. ostreatus in an effort to identify fungal sequences that recombined in vivo with pAN7-1 to form replicative plasmids. Such replicative sequences have been localized in high molecular weight (chromosomal) DNA of wild-type P. ostreatus. Transformation has been obtained for P. ostreatus using a rescued plasmid, thereby confirming the role of this recombinant plasmid as a shuttle vector.

Characterization of three alboaggregins purified from Trimeresurus albolabris venom

Alboaggregins (AL-A, AL-B, AL-C) isolated from Trimeresurus albolabris snake venom represent a new family of proteins which bind to platelet glycoprotein Ib (GPIb). These alboaggregins were purified to homogeneity with ion exchange HPLC (Mono-Q column) and hydrophobic HPLC (TSK Phenyl-5PW column). On SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, apparent molecular weights of AL-A, AL-B and AL-C were 52 kDa, 26 kDa, and 121 kDa respectively, under nonreducing conditions. Upon reduction, each alboaggregin showed two types of chains with apparent molecular weights in the range of 15-20 kDa. All three alboaggregins agglutinated formalin-fixed platelets. Agglutination activities and binding of labeled alboaggregins to GPIb were specifically inhibited by the monoclonal antibody AK2 which is directed against the 45 kDa N-terminal region on GPIb, but not by monoclonal antibodies against other epitopes on GPIb. 125I-alboaggregin binding to platelets was not altered by the presence of thrombin. Alboaggregins did not bind to GPIIb/IIIa. Alboaggregins were competitive inhibitors for 125I-bovine vWF binding to platelets. Mutual competition studies between AL-A, AL-B and AL-C for the binding of labeled bovine vWF and AL-B to platelets demonstrated that AL-B and AL-C had a significantly higher affinity than AL-A.

Alboaggregin-B: a new platelet agonist that binds to platelet membrane glycoprotein Ib

A new protein, called alboaggregin-B (AL-B), has been isolated from Trimeresurus albolabris venom by ion-exchange chromatography. It agglutinated platelets without the need for Ca2+ or any other cofactor. The purified protein showed an apparent molecular mass on SDS-PAGE and gel filtration of about 23 kDa under nonreducing conditions. Ristocetin did not alter the binding of AL-B to platelets or affect AL-B-induced platelet agglutination. Agglutinating activity was not dependent on either proteolytic or lectin-like activity in AL-B. Binding analysis showed that AL-B bound to platelets with high affinity (Kd = 13.6 +/- 9.3 nM) at approximately 30,800 +/- 14,300 binding sites per platelet. AL-B inhibited the binding of labeled bovine von Willebrand factor (vWF) to platelets. Monoclonal antibodies against the 45-kDa N-terminal domain of platelet glycoprotein Ib inhibited the binding both of AL-B and of bovine vWF to platelets, and also inhibited platelet agglutination induced by AL-B and bovine vWF. Specific removal of the N-terminal domain of GPIb by treatment of the platelets with elastase or Serratia marcescens protease reduced the binding of labeled AL-B and bovine vWF to platelets and blocked platelet agglutination caused by both agonists. Monoclonal antibodies to glycoprotein IIb/IIIa, to bovine vWF, and to bovine serum albumin did not show any effect on the binding of AL-B to platelets. Our results indicate that the binding domain for AL-B on platelet GPIb is close to or identical with the one for vWF. This new protein may be a very useful tool for studying the interaction between platelets and vWF.

Identification of cysteine residues in lamb kidney (Na,K)-ATPase essential for ouabain binding

N-(1-Pyrene)maleimide is a hydrophobic, sulfhydryl-directed, chemical modification probe which, at a low concentration, inhibits the capacity of lamb kidney sodium- and potassium-activated adenosine triphosphatase [Na,K)-ATPase; EC 3.6.1.3) to bind ouabain. This inhibition is partially blocked by preincubation of the enzyme with ouabagenin, an aglycone derivative which can be used as a reversible protecting ligand for the ouabain binding site. The kinetics of inhibition are not first order, suggesting that there may be more than one site of labeling which is responsible for the inhibition of ouabain binding. Although earlier work (Kirley, T. L., Lane, L. K., and Wallick, E. T. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 4525-4528) indicates that the inhibition is accompanied by a loss in the number of binding sites rather than a decrease in affinity of the sites for the ligand, other data (Scheiner-Bobis, G., Zimmerman, M., Kirch, V., and Schoner, W. (1987) Eur. J. Biochem. 165, 653-656) indicates that there is no cysteine residue located extracellularly in the ouabain binding site. By sequence analysis of alpha subunit peptides labeled by N-(1-pyrene)maleimide in the absence but not in the presence of protecting ligand, it is demonstrated in this work that there are two major sites of labeling protected by the binding of ouabagenin, Cys-367 and Cys-656. Both of these sites are located in the large cytoplasmic domain of the alpha subunit, one close to the phosphorylation site (Asp-369), and the other implicated in the binding of ATP (Cys-656). Therefore, it appears from this data that the inhibition of ouabain binding by N-(1-pyrene)maleimide is not due to modification of a site in the binding pocket for cardiac glycosides, but rather to an allosteric effect, since cardiac glycoside binding is known to be dependent on the phosphorylation state of the enzyme. The dependence of inhibition on the presence of sodium, potassium, and ATP also is consistent with this interpretation. The work reported here thus explains the apparent paradox posed by the earlier data.

Environmental factors and Parkinson's disease: a case-control study in China

We studied the role of environment in the development of Parkinson's disease (PD) in China, where industrialization is relatively recent and the population geographically stable. Using a case-control method, we investigated the relationship between PD and exposure to the following factors before disease onset: place of residence, source of drinking water, environmental and occupational exposure to various agricultural and industrial processes. Occupational or residential exposure to industrial chemicals, printing plants, or quarries was associated with an increased risk of developing PD. In contrast, living in villages and exposure to the common accompaniments of village life, wheat growing and pig raising, were associated with a decreased risk for PD. PD cases and controls did not differ with respect to other factors investigated. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that environmental exposure to certain industrial chemicals may be related to the development of PD.