Molecular cloning and characterization of the aklavinone 11-hydroxylase gene of Streptomyces peucetius subsp. caesius ATCC 27952

The gene encoding aklavinone 11-hydroxylase of Streptomyces peucetius subsp. caesius ATCC 27952 was cloned and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence of the gene contains at least two common motifs of well-conserved amino acid sequences of several flavin-type bacterial hydroxylases. The hydroxylase gene is apparently transcribed from a single transcriptional start point. The phenotype of a dnrF mutant generated by gene disruption supports the idea that the dnrF gene encodes aklavinone 11-hydroxylase.

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte functions enhanced by chemotaxis

Human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) migrate into tissues in response to chemoattractants, yet it is not known whether this process alters the functional capabilities of the PMN. Using recombinant human interleukin-8 (rHIL-8, 100 ng/ml) as a stimulus, we compared a population of PMN that migrated through a polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated polycarbonate filter containing 8.0 microns diameter pores with PMN stimulated in suspension. PMN were analyzed by flow cytometry according to functional and phenotypic criteria. CD11b/CD16 expression was unaltered by chemotaxis. In contrast, chemotaxis enhanced phagocytosis of E. coli, independent of opsonization with IgG. Similarly, chemotaxis increased baseline hydrogen peroxide production. We conclude that the chemotactic motion of PMN "primes" the cell for increased oxidative burst activity and augments the ability of PMN to ingest bacteria. This increased functional capability is distinct from rHIL-8 stimulation and appears to be independent of complement-and Fc-receptor expression.

Effects of buthionine sulfoximine treatment on cellular glutathione levels and cytotoxicities of cisplatin, carboplatin and radiation in human stomach and ovarian cancer cell lines

Chemotherapy failure remains a significant medical problem in the treatment of neoplastic disease and is thought to be due to many different factors including membrane transport, p-glycoprotein in multidrug resistance, glutathione and its related enzymes, topoisomerase II and DNA repair. Glutathione is a major constituent of non-protein thiol and participates in detoxification of chemotherapy and radiation. Thus, glutathione concentration is correlated with sensitivity to alkylating agents and radiation, and increased in resistant cell lines. Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) is an inhibitor of glutathione biosynthesis and may increase cytotoxicities of alkylating agents, including melphalan and cisplatin, and radiation in sensitive and resistant cell lines. We studied effects on cellular glutathione levels and cytotoxicities of cisplatin, carboplatin and radiation by BSO treatment in human stomach cancer cell line (SNU-1) and ovarian cancer cell line (OVCAR-3). The results were as follow: 1) After BSO treatment of 1 mM and 2 mM for 2 days, the intracellular thiol concentration was depleted to 75.7% and 76.2% in SNU-1, and 74.1% and 63.0% in OVCAR-3, respectively. 2) The intracellular thiol concentration in SNU-1 was depleted to 33.4% after BSO 2 mM for only 2 hours incubation and 71.5% after small amount of BSO (0.02 mM) for 2 days. 3) The recovery of intracellular thiol concentration required more than 3 days after BSO removal. 4) BSO inhibited partially the growth of SNU-1 and OVCAR-3. 5) The cytotoxicities of cisplatin and carboplatin were markedly enhanced both in SNU-1 and OVCAR-3 by BSO treatment. 6) The cytotoxicities of radiation was increased in OVCAR-3 and SNU-1 by BSO treatment. Therefore, it is concluded that BSO can deplete effectively the intracellular thiol concentration and enhance the cytotoxicities of cisplatin, carboplatin and radiation.

[Clinical study of yi shen ning for treatment of kidney-yang deficiency after hormone withdrawal of primary nephrotic syndrome--clinical analysis of 100 cases]

This paper reports that Yi Shen Ning (YSN) which acts as warming and tonifying Kidney-Yang was administrated on 100 cases of primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) while adrenocortical hormone (ACTH) was diminished to half dosage. The results showed that to apply the integrated TCM and WM according to the different stage of PNS was quite effective to treat deficient syndrome of Kidney-Yang appeared after withdrawal of ACTH. This recipe not only could improve the symptoms, but also pick plasma cortisol up earlier than expected, which was inhibited by exogenous hormone. The total remission rate of YSN group was 68.75%, higher than that of ACTH group (P < 0.05), especially for the cases dependent on exogenous hormone, the re-acquired remission rate reached to 58.3%.

Modulation of the endotoxin receptor (CD14) in septic patients

The monocyte is a pivotal cell in septic patients that responds to endotoxin with release of inflammatory cytokines. Monocytes display on their surface a receptor (CD14) for complexes formed by endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) and a plasma LPS-binding protein (LBP). We compared monocytes obtained from normal controls with those obtained from septic patients for expression of CD14 by flow cytometric analysis of immunofluorescent-stained cells. In normal individuals and patients, 75%-95% of monocytes are CD14 positive (CD14+). Mean fluorescence exhibited by the CD14+ population was measured after maintaining cells at 37 degrees C for 15 minutes and compared with baseline cells held at 4 degrees C (mean fluorescence ratio). All cells increased their CD14 mean fluorescence ratio with warming; however, the level achieved by monocytes obtained from septic patients was on average 78% +/- 8% of control levels (p = 0.014). To further clarify CD14 expression, we examined the effect of Escherichia coli LPS on normal monocytes by comparing monocytes treated in serum-free buffer (no LBP) with monocytes treated in whole blood (containing LBP). The LPS (1.0 ng/mL) incubated with whole blood for 120 minutes generated an increase in CD14+ mean fluorescence compared with buffer. In contrast, phorbol myristate acetate lowered CD14+ mean fluorescence levels. These data indicate that normal monocytes incubated in the presence of ligand (LBP-LPS complexes) increase their expression of CD14, whereas CD14 expression in septic patients is diminished. We conclude that monocytes from septic patients were responsive to other stimuli aside from LPS and that decreased expression of CD14 may indicate a poor prognosis.

Alteration of homeobox gene expression by N-ras transformation of PA-1 human teratocarcinoma cells

We used a series of cell clones from a human teratocarcinoma cell line, PA-1, to study the effect of transformation by an activated N-ras oncogene on the expression of genes involved in retinoic acid (RA)-induced differentiation and growth regulation. Recently, it has been shown that expression of human HOX 2 genes is sequentially activated by RA beginning from Hox 2.9 at the 3' end of the HOX 2 cluster (A. Simeone, D. Acampora, L. Arcioni, P. W. Andrews, E. Boncinelli, and F. Mavilio, Nature [London] 346:763-766, 1990). We now report that six different genes of the cluster HOX 1 are sequentially induced by RA in a similar temporal pattern, beginning with genes at the 3' end of the cluster. However, in N-ras-transformed cell clones, RA-induced expression of these homeobox genes is delayed. Hox 1.4 and Hox 1.3, genes abundantly induced in nontransformed clones after 3 days of RA treatment, are expressed in N-ras-transformed cells only after 10 days of RA treatment. At this time, the cells' growth is arrested at very high density, and no differentiated morphologic characteristics are observed. Constitutive expression of a transfected Hox 1.4 gene under the control of a simian virus 40 promotor leads to differentiated cell morphology similar to that of the RA-induced phenotype and restores the growth-inhibitory effects of RA in N-ras-transformed cells. These observations provide evidence that enhanced proliferation in N-ras-transformed cells compromises teratocarcinoma cell differentiation by a mechanism that transiently suppresses homeobox gene induction and implies a central role for homeobox genes in RA-induced cell differentiation. We conclude that stimulation of a putative growth factor signal pathway, associated with ras-induced proliferation, transiently suppresses the induction of transcription factors functionally involved in cell growth and differentiation.

Structure of the human thyroid peroxidase gene: comparison and relationship to the human myeloperoxidase gene

All exons of the human thyroid peroxidase gene were cloned from phage and cosmid libraries and sequenced, including 2599 base pairs of upstream DNA. The gene contains 17 exons and covers at least 150 kilobase pairs of chromosome 2. The transcription start site was identified by both S1 mapping and primer extension; a typical TATA box was found 25 bases upstream of the putative start site. A comparison of the gene structures of thyroid peroxidase and a granulocyte protein, myeloperoxidase, revealed that the positions of the 3rd through 11th exon-intron junctions in thyroid peroxidase coincide exactly with those of the 2nd through 11th exon-intron junctions in myeloperoxidase except the 7th myeloperoxidase junction, that does not have any counterpart in thyroid peroxidase. The amino acid codon separation pattern in each junction is well conserved between both enzymes. Four exons, unique to thyroid peroxidase, are located at the 3' end of the gene (exons 13-16), each of which encompasses a different protein module. Three of these modules, representing exons 13, 14, and 15, bear significant similarities to C4b-beta 2 glycoprotein, the EGF-LDL receptor, and a typical transmembrane domain, respectively. The genes coding for these modules were probably fused to an ancestral peroxidase gene to generate the present thyroid peroxidase gene. The data suggest that intron loss, and/or insertion, and exon shuffling have played important roles in the evolution of the thyroid peroxidase gene.

A prominent feature of the conversion of P-450 to P-420 of cytochrome P-450B1 among the cytochrome P-450 isozymes

Conversion of cytochrome P-450 to P-420 was observed with the use of three isozymes of P-450, P-450PB, P-450MC and P-450B1. The last one, which was isolated and characterized in our laboratories, is the cytochrome P-450 with high affinity for cytochrome b5. Of these isozymes, cytochrome P-450B1 is predominantly fast in the rate of conversion from P-450 to P-420 in the reduced state under carbon monoxide. p-Nitroanisole, which is the substrate of P-450B1 for demethylation, accelerated the conversion, whereas the effects of the compound on the rate of conversion of the other P-450S were small. The effect of cholate on the conversion was distinct and rapid but not very selective among the isozymes. Stabilization with glycerol for prevention of the conversion was found to be effective, for any of these isozymes. No remarkable difference was observed in the stability of the oxidized state among these isozymes when detected in the CO-reduced form. The rates of the reaction from the oxidized to the CO-reduced form were measured with these isozymes. The rate of P-450B1 was the highest in both the medium with glycerol and that without glycerol. Circular dichroism was measured with respect to conversion of P-450 to P-420. The absorption at 450 nm was related to the significant circular dichroism, while the increased absorption at 420 nm due to the conversion was not accompanied by distinct circular dichroism. These data support the concept that the heme vicinity of cytochrome P-450B1 is more labile in the structure of the reduced form under carbon monoxide than those of the other isozymes.

Light reversal of carbon monoxide inhibition of 2-acetylaminofluorene N- and ring-hydroxylations by liver microsomes from 3-methylcholanthrene pretreated hamsters

Light reversal of carbon monoxide inhibition of 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) N- and ring-hydroxylations is examined with liver microsomes from 3-methylcholanthrene (MC) pretreated hamsters. Photochemical action spectra indicate that carbon monoxide inhibition of ring-hydroxylation is readily reversed by light of 440 nm while that of N-hydroxylation is not reversed. These data suggest that these mixed function oxidations are catalyzed by CO combining enzymes with different properties.

Microsomal N- and C-oxidations of carcinogenic aromatic amines and amides

Date on N-oxidation (activation step) and C-oxidation (inactivation step) of various carcinogenic aromatic amines and amides by liver microsomes from several species are reviewed. Cytochrome P450 involvement in both N-and ring-hydroxylation of N-2-fluorenylacetamide (2-FAA) is discussed. Data on reconstitution studies with rat and hamster liver microsomes indicated that all 3 components, cytochrome P450, NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase, and a lipid are required for N-and ring-hydroxylation of 2-FAA. Specificity in these oxidations is in the cytochrome P450 fraction.

Effect of various chemicals on macromolecular binding during oxidative dealkylation of dimethylnitrosamine by hamster liver microsomes

Differential inhibitory effects of various chemicals on both formaldehyde formation and total macromolecular binding have been examined during oxidative demethylation of [14C]dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) by hamster liver microsomes. One group of chemicals such as diethyldithiocarbamate (DEDTC), aminoacetonitrile (AAN), 2-[(2,4-dichloro-6-phenyl) phenoxy]-ethylamine (DPEA), azide and ethanol inhibits both HCHO formation and total macromolecular binding. A second group of chemicals such as reduced glutathione, semicarbazide and N-(1-naphthyl)thiourea (NTU) inhibits macromolecular binding without appreciably affecting HCHO formation. Possible mechanisms of these differential inhibitory effects by these chemicals are discussed.

Effect of dimethylnitrosamine concentration on its demethylation by liver microsomes from control and 3-methylcholanthrene pretreated rats, hamsters and guinea pigs

The effect of dimethylnitrosamine concentration on its demethylation by liver microsomes from control and 3-methylcholanthrene pretreated (100 mg/kg body wt. 24 h before sacrifice) rats, hamsters and guinea pigs was investigated. At low substrate concentration (2 mM), liver microsomes from pretreated rats and hamsters showed 30-50% lower demethylation activity than their respective controls. No such difference was found in the guinea pig. At high substrate concentration (100 mM), all 3 pretreated species showed 50-100% higher enzyme activity than their respective controls. Enzyme activities among the 3 species showed the following order of activity: hamster greater than guinea pig greater than rat.