Human deoxycytidine kinase. Sequence of cDNA clones and analysis of expression in cell lines with and without enzyme activity

Deoxycytidine kinase (dC kinase) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the anabolism of important anticancer and retroviral nucleoside derivatives. Its activity is often decreased in resistance to these drugs. To analyze the structure, function, and control of this clinically important enzyme we isolated 15 cDNA clones for human deoxycytidine kinase from lambda gt11 thymus and Molt 4 libraries. Four clones were sequenced. The largest clone is 2.9 kilobases and codes for a 626-amino acid open reading frame. The DNA and deduced amino acid sequence of the human dC kinase clones are homologous with a previously unidentified murine cDNA clone p3.4J (EMBL:MM34j) reported to be related to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Deoxycytidine kinase also has cysteine-rich regions that are homologous with thioredoxin, the beta subunit of prolyl 4-hydroxylase, phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C, thyroid hormone-binding protein, and protein disulfide isomerase. No differences were seen in the amount and size of deoxycytidine kinase protein and mRNA between CCRF/CEM and L1210 leukemic cell lines that express and do not express enzyme activity. Genomic restriction fragments were similar between the active and inactive CCRF/CEM cell lines. These data suggest that the cells deficient in dC kinase activity have a small defect in the structural gene.

Creatine kinase is modified by 2-chloromercuri-4-nitrophenol at the active site thiols with complete inactivation

Creatine kinase modified by mercurials has been reported to be fully reactive as the native enzyme. This was ascribed to the modification of a second class of thiol groups instead of the reactive thiols at the active site (Laue, M.C. and Quiocho, F.A. (1977) Biochemistry 16, 3838-3845). It has now been shown by spectrophotometric titration and fluorescence studies that 2-chloromercuri-4-nitrophenol (MNP) reacts preferentially with the active-site thiol. Moreover, if the activity of the modified enzyme is determined in the absence of added bovine serum albumin or other enzymes, as usually employed in coupled activity assay systems for creatine kinase, the modified enzyme is completely inactive. Addition of an excess of bovine serum albumin or rabbit muscle glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase restores the activity of the enzyme to over 80% of its original level. It appears that the active thiol groups at the active site of creatine kinase are after all modified by MNP with complete inactivation.

[Imaging and biodistribution of 111In-labeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen monoclonal antibodies in nude mice bearing human colon cancer xenografts]

Anti-CEA monoclonal antibody was labeled with 111In using DTPA cyclic anhydride. The radiochemical purity of the product was more than 99% and specific binding was 38%. Imaging and biodistribution of this radiopharmaceutical in nude mice bearing human colon cancer xenografts were investigated. The results showed that a clear image of tumor was obtained by gamma camera between 24 to 120 hrs, best in 72 hrs, after injection. A high uptake of 111In-labeled monoclonal antibodies in tumor tissue was also observed, although the radioactivity in liver was considerable.

Guanine nucleotides inhibit agonist-stimulated arachidonic acid release in both intact and saponin-permeabilized human platelets

The effects of guanine nucleotides on arachidonic acid (AA) release were studied in intact and saponin-permeabilized human platelets. While GTP[S] itself caused a stimulation of AA release in permeabilized cells, GTP[S], GDP[S], GTP, ATP and other nucleotides inhibited AA release in response to thrombin and other agonists in intact, as well as permeabilized platelets. Inhibition of agonist-stimulated AA release by nucleotides was partially attenuated by addition of ADP, and was abolished by prior stimulation of platelets to discharge the ADP-containing dense granules. These results suggest: (i) that released ADP plays an important contributory role in agonist-stimulated platelet AA release, and (ii) that guanine nucleotides can modulate platelet activation through an extracellular action which is distinct from their effects on G-proteins.

Purealin, a novel activator of skeletal muscle actomyosin ATPase and myosin EDTA-ATPase that enhanced the superprecipitation of actomyosin

1. Purealin, a novel bioactive principle of a sea sponge Psammaplysilla purea, activated the superprecipitation of myosin B (natural actomyosin) from rabbit skeletal muscle. The maximum change in the turbidity increased with increasing purealin concentrations and was three times the control value in the presence of 50 microM purealin. 2. The ATPase activity of myosin B was also elevated to 160% of the control value by 10 microM purealin. On the other hand, purealin inhibited the myosin ATPase in the presence of 10 mM CaCl2 and 0.5 M KCl (Ca2+-ATPase), and the concentration for the half inhibition was 4 microM. 3. On the other hand, purealin activated the myosin ATPase in the presence of 5 mM EDTA and 0.5 M KCl (EDTA-ATPase). The maximum activation by 10 microM purealin was 160% of the control value. 4. Furthermore, similar results concerning the modification of ATPase activities by purealin were obtained in myosin subfragment-1 instead of myosin. 5. These results suggest that purealin activates the superprecipitation of myosin B by affecting the myosin heads directly. It is also an interesting observation that there is a correlation between the activities of the myosin EDTA-ATPase and actomyosin ATPase of myosin B.

[Radioimmunodetection of human lung cancer xenografts by isotope labeling monoclonal antibody ALT-04 in nude mice]

Three nude mouse models bearing the human lung cancer were established from two fresh surgical specimens and one cell line. Tumor histological structure and cell morphology were similar before and after transplantation. The monoclonal antibody ALT-04 (McAb ALT-04) against human lung cancer was labeled by 125I, 131I and 201Tl. Radioimmunodetection study showed that all the three kinds of xenografts in nude mice were specifically located by McAb ALT-04. Imaging examination confirmed the ability of isotope labeling McAb ALT-04 to detect the presence of transplanted human lung cancer tissues without the aid of background subtraction manipulations. It is suggested that McAb ALT-04 have the possibility of locating in the tumor diagnosis and guiding in the treatment.

[Reactivity of monoclonal antibodies ALT-01 and ALT-04 and identification of lung cancer-associated antigens]

Two IgG1 type monoclonal antibodies ALT-01 and ALT-04 were prepared by two different immunization schedules. ALT-01 was generated by fusing murine myeloma NS-1 cells with splenocytes from a BALB/c mouse immunized by human lung squamous carcinoma cells, which were coated by antisera to mixed human lymphocytes. For preparation of ALT-04, human lung squamous carcinoma xenograft-bearing nude mice were injected I. P. with the spleen cells of normal BALB/c mice in order to acquire immunofunction. The spleen cells from these tumor-bearing nude mice were fused with NS-1 cells. Then, these hybridomas were screened and cloned for 3 times. Two antibodies were shown to recognize the surface antigen on human lung carcinoma cells and several kinds of tumor cell lines but not those on normal cell lines. ALT-01 reacted to neither human lung carcinoma tissue nor its xenograft. ALT-04 reacted to human lung carcinoma tissue, of which, reaction to adenocarcinoma was the strongest but not to various normal tissues. Immunoprecipitation followed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography was used to detect the associated antigen in 35S-labeled human lung carcinoma cells. Antigens, reacting to ALT-01, show one band of Mr 38,000 but those to ALT-04 reveal two bands of Mr 48,000 and 36,000.