Modulation of the Ca2+,Mg(2+)-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum by the hypothalamic hypophyseal inhibitory factor

We have studied the effect of the endogenous inhibitor of the Na+ and Ca2+ pumps, HHIF, on sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles. The effect of HHIF on the SR Ca2+,Mg(2+)-ATPase activity shows a biphasic pattern. Low HHIF concentrations activate the Ca2+,Mg(2+)-ATPase by dissipation of Ca2+ gradient across the SR membrane. Higher concentrations irreversibly inhibit this activity following a slow kinetic process both in intact SR membranes and in purified Ca2+,Mg(2+)-ATPase. Differential scanning calorimetry shows that the Ca2+,Mg(2+)-ATPase is denatured after incubation with HHIF concentrations which produced full inhibition of its activity. Micromolar Ca2+ and millimolar Mg2+ ADP protect against the irreversible inhibition of the Ca2+,Mg(2+)-ATPase by HHIF. The concentration of HHIF which produces 50% inhibition depends upon SR membrane concentration and upon the lipid:protein ratio in purified Ca2+,Mg(2+)-ATPase. From this we have obtained a partition coefficient for binding of HHIF to SR membranes of 0.6 (microgram SR protein/ml)-1.

Effect of hypothalamic-hypophysary inhibitory factor on mesangial cell activation

We examined the effect of a sodium pump inhibitor isolated from bovine hypothalamus and pituitary tissues on contraction, proliferation, and calcium mobilization in primary cultures of rat mesangial cells. Hypothalamic-hypophysary inhibitory factor (HHIF) inhibited rubidium uptake in a concentration-dependent manner (0.2 U/mL: 56.8 +/- 6.3% inhibition). It also induced a concentration- and time-dependent decrease in planar cell surface area. Maximal contraction (25 +/- 5% reduction in cell size) was reached at 60 minutes with a concentration of 0.2 U/mL. This effect was inhibited by both verapamil and TMB-8 (10(-5) mol/L). HHIF was also observed to increase DNA synthesis (0.2 U/mL: 4361 +/- 168 versus 2129 +/- 162 cpm per well under control conditions) and cell proliferation (0.2 U/mL: 52,290 +/- 1931 versus 10,512 +/- 121 cells per well under control conditions). Both effects were also inhibited by verapamil and TMB-8. Moreover, HHIF induced the expression of immediate early genes c-fos and c-jun mRNA. HHIF-induced effects were accompanied by an increase in cytosolic free calcium (203 +/- 58 versus 101 +/- 2 nmol/L under control conditions), which was inhibited by verapamil and TMB-8. In summary, HHIF induces mesangial cell contraction and proliferation; these effects seem to be mediated by an increase in cytosolic free calcium levels.

Characterization of immature thymocyte lines derived from T-cell receptor or recombination activating gene 1 and p53 double mutant mice

The T-cell receptor (TCR) beta chain is instrumental in the progression of thymocyte differentiation from the CD4-CD8- to the CD4+CD8+ stage. This differentiation step may involve cell surface expression of novel CD3-TCR complexes. To facilitate biochemical characterization of these complexes, we established cell lines from thymic lymphomas originating from mice carrying a mutation in the p53 gene on the one hand and a mutation in TCR-alpha, TCR-beta, or the recombination activating gene 1 (RAG-1) on the other hand. The cell lines were CD4+CD8+ and appeared to be monoclonal. A cell line derived from a RAG-1 x p53 double mutant thymic lymphoma expressed low levels of CD3-epsilon, -gamma, and -delta on the surface. TCR-alpha x p53 double mutant cell lines were found to express complexes consisting of TCR-beta chains associated with CD3-epsilon, -gamma, and -delta chains and CD3-zeta zeta dimers. These lines will be useful tools to study the molecular structure and signal transducing properties of partial CD3-TCR complexes expressed on the surface of immature thymocytes.

A small GTP-binding protein, Rho, associates with the platelet-derived growth factor type-beta receptor upon ligand binding

Ligand binding to the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor initiates a complex and diverging cascade of signaling pathways. GTP-binding proteins with intrinsic GTPase activity (G-proteins) frequently link cell surface receptors to intracellular signaling pathways, but no close associations of the PDGF receptor and any small G-proteins, nor any such associations activated by ligand binding to the receptor have been previously reported. We demonstrate that a small GTP-binding protein binds specifically to the murine and human PDGF type-beta receptor. In response to PDGF-BB stimulation, there is an increase in the amount of labeled small G-protein associated with the PDGF type-beta receptor. The GTP-binding protein did not undergo ligand-induced association with a mutant receptor protein that was unable to bind ATP. Proteolytic cleavage analysis, together with two-dimensional separation techniques, identified the small G-protein specifically associating with the PDGF type-beta receptor after ligand binding as a member of the Rho family. This was confirmed by demonstration that the small G-protein coimmunoprecipitated by the anti-PDGF receptor antibody was a substrate for the ADP-ribosyltransferase C3 exoenzyme. Thus, the PDGF type-beta receptor may form a complex with one or more small G-proteins upon binding PDGF-BB, and the Rho small G-protein is likely to be an important component of the proteins making up the multimeric signaling complex of the PDGF type-beta receptor.

[Intake patterns of analgesics in patients with headache who came to the neurologist]

We have analysed the pattern of analgesic use in a group of patients that came for the first time to the neurologist. We have examined the first intention analgesic use in patients with headache, before the therapeutic intervention of the neurologist. During a month, we have followed a group of 40 patients. 20 of them were admitted as ambulatory patients at a Headache Unit at a Hospital and the other 20 were attended as outpatients by a general neurologist. 'Over-the-counter' analgesics were the most commonly used (paracetamol, acetylsalicylic acid and combinations of them with other products such as caffeine). More than a half of the patients had consumed a combination of analgesics. At the time of the investigation, the mean of analgesic use were greater in the group attended at the Headache Unit than in the one attended by the general neurologist. This could depend on the fact that chronic daily headache was more frequent in the first group and that they were older than the other group. These findings could be in relation with a larger evolution of their headache.

Modulation of the Ca2+ pump by the hypothalamic-hypophysary inhibitory factor

We previously purified to homogeneity an endogenous sodium pump inhibitor from bovine hypothalamus and hypophysis that is different from digoxin or ouabain and studied the effects of this factor on the total Ca2+,Mg(2+)-ATPase activity of plasma membrane of synaptosomes. This factor inhibits the calcium pump and the total Mg(2+)-ATPase activity of these membranes with approximately the same K0.5 values of inhibition. The potency of this factor as an inhibitor depends on the membrane concentration in the assay medium. The inhibition of the magnesium-dependent ATPase activities of these membranes was of a noncompetitive type with respect to the substrate Mg(2+)-ATP and did not significantly shift the calcium dependence of the Ca2+,Mg(2+)-ATPase activity. We suggest that the calcium pump of the synaptosomal plasma membrane is inhibited by this factor through disruption of the lipid annulus; this inhibition could play a role in the control of calcium homeostasis by increasing the cytosolic free calcium concentration.

Over-expression of CD3 epsilon transgenes blocks T lymphocyte development

We have reported previously that mice carrying > 30 copies of the human CD3 epsilon transgene completely lose their T lymphocytes and NK cells (36). Here we demonstrate by immunohistology that in the most severely immunodeficient mouse, tg epsilon 26, the thymus is very small, has sizeable vacuoles and does not contain recognizable T lymphocytes except for a small percentage of Thy-1+ cells and B cells. Cell surface phenotyping and TCR alpha and -beta rearrangement studies confirm that the arrest in T lymphocyte development precedes the arrest in rag-1null, rag-2null and TCR beta nuli mice. Since the T cell progenitors in which the arrest occurred were absent in the transgenic mice, indirect approaches were taken to examine the causes of the block in T cell development. Analyses of 12 independently established mutant mouse lines, generated with five different transgenic constructs, revealed that the severity of the abrogation in T cell development was dependent on the number of copies of transgenes. Since the number of transgene copies generally correlated with the levels of expression of the transgenic CD3 epsilon proteins, we concluded that over-expression of the CD3 epsilon protein was the likely cause of the block in T lymphocyte development. The T cell immunodeficiency was caused by either the human or the murine CD3 epsilon protein. Since transgene coded mRNAs were found in significantly higher quantities than endogenous CD3 epsilon mRNAs in fetal thymi on days 13 and 14 of gestation, over-expression took place very early in development, probably prematurely. Over-expression of the CD3 epsilon transgene in thymocyte precursors may therefore affect T lymphocyte development in the absence of TCR and possibly in the absence of the other CD3 proteins. More importantly, over-expression of the CD3 epsilon protein in thymocytes of mice with a low copy number of transgenes had a significant effect on late thymic development. Over-expression of the CD3 epsilon protein in immature thymocytes mimicked the effects caused by exposure of CD4- CD8- thymocytes to anti-CD3 epsilon treatment: apoptosis and lack of TCR beta expression. We therefore speculate that in the homozygous tg epsilon 26 animals the arrest in T cell development was caused by excessive signal transduction events rather than by a toxic effect of the transgenic protein.

Characterization of the GTP/GDP binding site in the murine CD3-zeta polypeptide chain

Using a newly developed in situ affinity-labeling method of nucleotide-binding proteins (NTPoxi technique) we discovered that the human T-cell receptor-associated CD3-zeta protein might bind GTP/GDP. To further characterize GTP/GDP binding to CD3-zeta, murine T-cell lines expressing zeta zeta homodimers or CD3-zeta/Fc epsilon R1 gamma heterodimers were used. Specific GTPoxi labeling of CD3-zeta was found in all murine T cells in which a complete CD3-zeta polypeptide chain was expressed, including cells in which CD3-zeta was disulfide bridged to the Fc epsilon R1 gamma chain. In murine T cells the kinetics of labeling of CD3-zeta was similar to that of small G-proteins. Upon activation of murine T cells a slight but significant increase in GTPoxi labeling of CD3-zeta was detected. Whether all 3 so-called 'Reth motifs' (zeta A, zeta B and/or zeta C) were necessary for the binding of GTP/GDP was addressed by using cells expressing truncated CD3-zeta molecules. Whereas truncated CD3-zeta, in which zeta A and part of zeta B were deleted, was still able to bind GTP, upon deletion of all 3 Reth motifs cross-linking by the GTPoxi method became impossible. Regardless of whether this implies a direct or indirect binding of GTP/GDP to CD3-zeta, these nucleotides and their hydrolysis must play an important role in T-cell activation through the TCR/CD3 complex.

Association of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase with a specific sequence of the T cell receptor zeta chain is dependent on T cell activation

The T cell antigen receptor (TCR).CD3 complex contains several distinct but related signal transduction modules termed "Reth motifs": one each in the cytoplasmic domains of CD3-gamma, -delta, and -epsilon chains and three in the CD3-zeta polypeptide (zeta A, zeta B, and zeta C). Cross-linking of individual motifs expressed in chimeric molecules leads to early and late T cell activation events. Although the activated T cell receptor associates with nonreceptor tyrosine kinases, the sites of interaction with kinases and other potential effector molecules have not been fully mapped. Here we show that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) preferentially associated with the zeta chain membrane proximal motif zeta A. Maximal PI 3-kinase/zeta A association occurred following TCR.CD3 activation and was dependent upon phosphorylation of both tyrosine residues in zeta A. The association of PI 3-kinase was specific for zeta A and could be ranked zeta A >> zeta C > zeta B. Phosphorylation of the zeta A motif on tyrosine residues occurred in response to TCR.CD3 cross-linking in vivo. These results indicate that T cell activation leads to assembly of an intracellular signaling complex: recruitment of a tyrosine kinase, phosphorylation of zeta A, and association of PI 3-kinase. These data also support a model in which different Reth motifs of the TCR.CD3 complex recruit distinct signal transduction molecules. Thus, the subdomains of the T cell antigen receptor zeta chain may serve different roles during T cell maturation and antigen-driven activation.

Folding of barnase in parts

Stretches of residual structure in the unfolded states of proteins could possibly constitute crucial regions that initiate protein folding. We are searching for such regions in barnase by dividing it into fragments. By this means, we can search for regions that just form within local sequences. We are also employing methods that can detect low levels of residual structure. In this study, we examine the fragment 1-22 and a large fragment (23-110) that contains all of the catalytic residues. Fragment 1-22 contains the first alpha-helix, and fragment 23-110 contains the second alpha-helix and beta-sheet structure-forming residues of native barnase. These fragments bind together rapidly and tightly upon association to form a fully native-like complex. Studies by circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy indicate that each fragment is mainly disordered. However, we find by a procedure of titration with trifluoroethanol that about 3% of fragment 1-22 is helical in water at 25 degrees C. Importantly, we have detected residual catalytic activity in fragment 23-110 toward GpUp and RNA and the ability to bind the polypeptide inhibitor of barnase, barstar, suggesting that this fragment can form a native-like conformation in water. The catalytic activity does not result from a small amount of contaminating impurity of parent enzyme or other ribonuclease, since the activity requires a 1:1 mole ratio of fragment to barstar for complete inhibition, and the activity is lost in much lower concentrations of urea than are required to denature the parent enzyme. There is a very weak signal in the near-UV CD spectrum of the large fragment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abnormal T cell development in CD3-zeta-/- mutant mice and identification of a novel T cell population in the intestine

The T cell antigen receptor (TCR)-associated invariable membrane proteins (CD3-gamma, -delta, -epsilon and -zeta) are critical to the assembly and cell surface expression of the TCR/CD3 complex and to signal transduction upon engagement of TCR with antigen. Disruption of the CD3-zeta gene by homologous recombination resulted in a structurally abnormal thymus which primarily contained CD4- CD8- and TCR/CD3very lowCD4+CD8+ cells. Spleen and lymph nodes of CD3-zeta-/- mutant mice contained a normal number and ratio of CD4+ and CD8+ single positive cells that were TCR/CD3very low. These splenocytes did not respond to antibody cross-linking or mitogenic triggering. The V beta genes of CD4-CD8- and CD4+CD8+ thymocytes and splenic T cells were productively rearranged. These data demonstrated that (i) in the absence of the CD3-zeta chain, the CD4- CD8- thymocytes could differentiate to CD4+CD8+ TCR/CD3very low thymocytes, (ii) that thymic selection might have occurred, (iii) but that the transition to CD4+CD8- and CD4-CD8+ cells took place at a very low rate. Most strikingly, intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) isolated from the small intestine or the colon expressed normal levels of TCR/CD3 complexes on their surface which contained Fc epsilon RI gamma homodimers. In contrast to CD3-zeta containing IELs, these cells failed to proliferate after triggering with antibody cross-linking or mitogen. In comparison to thymus-derived peripheral T cells in the spleen and lymph nodes, the preferential expression of normal levels of TCR/CD3 in intestinal IELs suggested they mature via an independent extrathymic pathway.

T cells of patients with the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome have a restricted defect in proliferative responses

The Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a disease of profound thrombocytopenia and severe immune defects caused by an unidentified defective X chromosome gene. In this study, T lymphocyte function is examined using a panel of allospecific WAS patient T cell lines, previously found to express the abnormal disease gene and the cytoarchitectural defect characteristic of the disease. Although T cell lines from normal individuals proliferate vigorously in response to immobilized anti-CD3 mAb OKT3 and SPV-T3b, five of seven WAS patient T cell lines failed to proliferate and two lines showed significantly decreased proliferation when challenged with the immobilized anti-CD3 mAb. The deficient responsiveness of the WAS T cell lines to immobilized anti-CD3 mAb is a restricted defect, because the cells proliferate normally when challenged with allospecific Ag, PHA, or PMA plus ionomycin. Addition of anti-CD28 mAb did not correct the deficient proliferation of the WAS cells challenged with immobilized anti-CD3. Deficient response of the WAS T cell lines to immobilized anti-CD3 was detected also when earlier events of the proliferation process, IL-2 production and up-regulation of activation Ag CD69 and CD28, were measured. On the other hand, WAS cell lines did not differ from normal cell lines in binding of anti-CD3 mAb, mobilization of Ca2+ in response to soluble OKT3, and tyrosine phosphorylation and GTP binding of the CD3 zeta-chain in response to OKT3. Cumulatively, these findings demonstrate a striking restricted defect in the proliferative response of WAS T cells, which because it is found in cell lines free of secondary changes that occur in the patient circulation must be a reflection of the inherited defective disease gene product.

T cells of patients with the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome have a restricted defect in proliferative responses

The Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a disease of profound thrombocytopenia and severe immune defects caused by an unidentified defective X chromosome gene. In this study, T lymphocyte function is examined using a panel of allospecific WAS patient T cell lines, previously found to express the abnormal disease gene and the cytoarchitectural defect characteristic of the disease. Although T cell lines from normal individuals proliferate vigorously in response to immobilized anti-CD3 mAb OKT3 and SPV-T3b, five of seven WAS patient T cell lines failed to proliferate and two lines showed significantly decreased proliferation when challenged with the immobilized anti-CD3 mAb. The deficient responsiveness of the WAS T cell lines to immobilized anti-CD3 mAb is a restricted defect, because the cells proliferate normally when challenged with allospecific Ag, PHA, or PMA plus ionomycin. Addition of anti-CD28 mAb did not correct the deficient proliferation of the WAS cells challenged with immobilized anti-CD3. Deficient response of the WAS T cell lines to immobilized anti-CD3 was detected also when earlier events of the proliferation process, IL-2 production and up-regulation of activation Ag CD69 and CD28, were measured. On the other hand, WAS cell lines did not differ from normal cell lines in binding of anti-CD3 mAb, mobilization of Ca2+ in response to soluble OKT3, and tyrosine phosphorylation and GTP binding of the CD3 zeta-chain in response to OKT3. Cumulatively, these findings demonstrate a striking restricted defect in the proliferative response of WAS T cells, which because it is found in cell lines free of secondary changes that occur in the patient circulation must be a reflection of the inherited defective disease gene product.

Circular dichroism studies of barnase and its mutants: characterization of the contribution of aromatic side chains

The circular dichroism spectrum of barnase has been analyzed by examining the spectra of a series of mutants in which every single aromatic residue has been replaced. The spectrum of wild-type barnase is quite atypical for a protein of the alpha + beta class, with very low intensities and a minimum in the far-UV at 231 nm. The minimum at 231 nm is associated with the presence of Trp-94. Many other mutations involving aromatic residues have an effect on the spectral features in the far-UV. The major features in the near-UV spectra arise from essentially additive contributions of the three tryptophan residues Trp-35, Trp-71, and Trp-94. Tyrosine contributions are less prominent, with Tyr-78 and Tyr-97 contributing the most to the CD spectrum. The close charge-aromatic interaction between Trp-94 and His-18, which is important for the fluorescence properties of the protein, contributes little to the CD spectrum, as does the close aromatic-aromatic interaction between Tyr-13 and Tyr-17. However, the observed near-UV spectrum of wild-type barnase could not be simulated by the sum of the contributions of aromatic residues defined by difference spectra of protein variants carrying aromatic residues. Aromatic residues play an important role in determining the circular dichroism spectrum of proteins not only in the near-UV but also in the far-UV region.

Reconstitution of T cell receptor zeta-mediated calcium mobilization in nonlymphoid cells

T cell antigen receptor (TCR) activation involves interactions between receptor subunits and nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs). Early steps in signaling through the zeta chain of the TCR were examined in transfected COS-1 cells. Coexpression of the PTK p59fynT, but not p56lck, with zeta or with a homodimeric TCR beta-zeta fusion protein produced tyrosine phosphorylation of both zeta and phospholipase C (PLC)-gamma 1, as well as calcium ion mobilization in response to receptor cross-linking. CD45 coexpression enhanced these effects. No requirement for the PTKZAP-70 was observed. Thus, p59fynT may link zeta directly to the PLC-gamma 1 activation pathway.

Long-range surface charge-charge interactions in proteins. Comparison of experimental results with calculations from a theoretical method

Long-range coulombic interaction energies between surface-charges in barnase and subtilisin have been determined to provide data for calibrating theoretical methods. The pKa of His18 in barnase can be measured accurately by titrating the fluorescence of Trp94 that is significantly quenched on protonation of His18. The pKa of His64, the active site base of subtilisin, has previously been shown to be measured accurately from the pH dependence of kcat/Km for the hydrolysis of substrates. The titration curves of both histidine residues fit the theoretical equations for the ionization of single groups with great precision; the Hill constants for wild-type and mutant enzymes are all close to 1.0. The coulombic interaction energies of distant charged side-chains with the protonated form of His18 and His64 have been measured from changes in pKa of these residues on mutation of those charged side-chains. The interaction energies between single charges on the surfaces of the proteins at low ionic strength are small, some 0.3-0.5 kcal mol-1 at a distance of 12 A, and fall gradually with distance to 0.05-0.3 kcal mol-1 at 20 A. Multiple mutations are frequently additive. Effects are larger in subtilisin than in barnase, possibly related to the degree of solvent exposure of the charge. These data have been used to benchmark the finite-difference method of calculating electrostatic interactions as implemented in the program DelPhi. There is reasonable agreement between the calculated and measured results as a function of both position and ionic strength.

The T cell receptor associated CD3-epsilon protein is phosphorylated upon T cell activation in the two tyrosine residues of a conserved signal transduction motif

Signal transduction through the T cell receptor for antigen, the TcR/CD3 complex, involves phosphorylation of tyrosine residues in the CD3-zeta chain. Since both CD3-epsilon and the zeta chain contain a tyrosine-based signaling motif, we examine phosphorylation of CD3-epsilon in human T cells. Engagement of the TcR/CD3 complex induced tyrosine phosphorylation of CD3-epsilon in vivo. Induction of CD3-epsilon phosphorylation followed similar kinetics to that of the zeta chain phosphorylation. In contrast to zeta, CD3-epsilon phosphorylation was strictly dependent upon cell surface expression of this member of the TcR/CD3 complex. Chemical and proteolytic cleavage combined with peptide-specific Western blotting established that CD3-epsilon phosphorylation occurred in the two tyrosine residues located in the signal transduction motif in the C-terminal portion of the molecule. Taken together, these data indicated that phosphorylation of CD3-epsilon by tyrosine protein kinases may serve to couple the TcR/CD3 complex to other effector molecules in the signaling cascade.

Coupling of GTP-binding to the T cell receptor (TCR) zeta-chain with TCR-mediated signal transduction

The zeta-subunit of the TCR binds GTP and is a well characterized substrate for a TCR-activated tyrosine kinase. To examine the possible coupling of GTP-binding to zeta with TCR-mediated signal transduction, a mutant (termed J32-3.2) of the T cell line Jurkat (J32) was used. Anti-TCR/CD3 stimulation of the TCR/CD3+ J32-3.2 cells resulted in a weak stimulation of both the phosphatidyl inositol and tyrosine kinase signal transduction pathways, as measured by changes in the level of free intracellular calcium, tyrosine phosphorylation of TCR-zeta, CD3-epsilon and ZAP-70, p56lck, or p59fyn tyrosine kinase activity and IL-2 gene activation. The impaired responsiveness of J32-3.2 cells to anti-TCR/CD3 mAb correlated with a low basal level of GTP-binding to zeta. Furthermore, in J32-3.2 cells TCR activation by antibody ligation caused a weaker increase in GTP-binding to the zeta-chain, as compared with that of wild-type J32 cells, which indicates for the first time that GTP-binding to zeta can be modulated by extracellular signals and suggest that the role of GTP-binding to zeta is to couple the TCR to intracellular signal transduction mechanisms.

Coupling of GTP-binding to the T cell receptor (TCR) zeta-chain with TCR-mediated signal transduction

The zeta-subunit of the TCR binds GTP and is a well characterized substrate for a TCR-activated tyrosine kinase. To examine the possible coupling of GTP-binding to zeta with TCR-mediated signal transduction, a mutant (termed J32-3.2) of the T cell line Jurkat (J32) was used. Anti-TCR/CD3 stimulation of the TCR/CD3+ J32-3.2 cells resulted in a weak stimulation of both the phosphatidyl inositol and tyrosine kinase signal transduction pathways, as measured by changes in the level of free intracellular calcium, tyrosine phosphorylation of TCR-zeta, CD3-epsilon and ZAP-70, p56lck, or p59fyn tyrosine kinase activity and IL-2 gene activation. The impaired responsiveness of J32-3.2 cells to anti-TCR/CD3 mAb correlated with a low basal level of GTP-binding to zeta. Furthermore, in J32-3.2 cells TCR activation by antibody ligation caused a weaker increase in GTP-binding to the zeta-chain, as compared with that of wild-type J32 cells, which indicates for the first time that GTP-binding to zeta can be modulated by extracellular signals and suggest that the role of GTP-binding to zeta is to couple the TCR to intracellular signal transduction mechanisms.

[Cardiac tamponade: a fatal complication of parenteral nutrition]

Several complications are associated with the use of central venous catheters for total parenteral nutrition; cardiac tamponade is one of the most severe. The recent use of flexible materials made of silastic polymeric silicone has great decreased the incidence of this complication, but has not eliminated wholly. We report the case of a patient with fatal cardiac tamponade, while receiving parenteral hyperalimentation trough a silicone central venous catheter placed in the right jugular internal vein, secondary to superior vena cava perforation. The physiopathological mechanisms, precautionary measures and treatment are discussed.