Determination of lamotrigine in biologic materials by a simple and rapid liquid chromatographic method

Lamotrigine (LTG), a newly introduced antiepileptic drug, appears to have potential therapeutic advantages for the treatment of patients with partial-onset seizures. Increasing clinical application and research of LTG demand a simpler and more rapid analytical procedure to determine LTG concentration in body fluids and tissues. The authors have developed an effective one-step procedure for sample preparation followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to quantitate LTG in plasma, urine, and brain tissues. Body fluids and brain homogenates were treated with cold acetonitrile to precipitate protein. The samples were fractionated on a 250 x 4.6 mm C18 reversed-phase column with an isocratic mobile system consisting of potassium phosphate buffer, acetonitrile, and methanol (70:16:14). The method had a LTG detection limit of 0.02 microg/ml in plasma and 0.03 microg/ml in urine. The coefficients of variation were <2.7% for intraday and 4.2% for interday analyses. The recovery of LTG added to plasma, urine, and brain homogenate ranged from 98% to 100%. The method was applied to a clinical study to determine plasma and urine concentrations of LTG in subjects receiving a single oral dose of LTG. The calculated pharmacokinetic parameters were comparable to those previously reported. The method proved to be simple, fast, reproducible, and useful in clinical investigation and monitoring of LTG concentrations.

Clinical observation on vertical transmission of human papillomavirus

OBJECTIVE

To observe the possibility of maternal-fetal vertical transmission of human papillomavirus (HPV) via amniotic fluid.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Specimens of cervical secretions from 30 pregnant women were obtained during the third trimester before rupture of membrane, and specimens of pharyngeal secretions of their neonates were obtained 12-48 h after birth. Amniotic fluids were collected in 13 pregnant women during cesarean section. The presence of HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 38 deoxyribonucleic acid were detected by consensus polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

HPV deoxyribonucleic acid was found in 16 cervical secretions, 14 pharyngeal secretions and in 3 amniotic fluids, the positive rate was 53.3%, 46.7%, 23.1% respectively. The pharyngeal secretion was also HPV positive in one of the three neonates from the amniotic fluid positive mothers.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that HPV can be transmitted in utero through amniotic fluid and cesarean section can not protect the neonates against vertical transmission completely.

Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitors: quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis

PURPOSE

The main purpose of this study is to analyze the quantitative structure-activity relationship of two series of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitors (leflunomide and quinoline carboxylic acid analogues), and to determine the structural requirements for optimum activity of these analogues.

METHODS

A new CQSAR program was used in deriving regression equations and calculating the octanol/water partition coefficient and the molar refractivity values. The molecular modeling was performed using the HyperChem program.

RESULTS

Statistically significant correlations were obtained using a combination of 3-4 parameters. The structural requirements for optimum activity and critical regions for the inhibitory activity of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

The quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis demonstrated that two series of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitors may bind to different binding sites on the enzyme. These results provide a better understanding of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitor-enzyme interactions, and may be useful for further modification and improvement of inhibitors of this important enzyme.

Development of HIV protease inhibitors: a survey

In the treatment of infections caused by rapidly mutating viruses like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), combination therapy with multiple drugs acting by different mechanisms offers several advantages over monotherapy. It may provide: synergistic effect, possible reduction of dosages and side-effects, and reduction of the chance of drug resistance. In the past few years, hundreds of HIV protease inhibitors have been synthesized and tested in order to overcome the limitations of reverse transcriptase inhibitors like zidovudine and others. In this review, emphasis is placed on the development of HIV protease inhibitors as antiviral agents against HIV, and structure-activity relationship analysis of saquinavir and related compounds. Limitations of some protease inhibitors and ways to overcome the shortcomings are presented. Among these many protease inhibitors four have been marketed during 1995-1997. They are saquinavir, ritonavir, indinavir and nelfinavir. Their different structural features, important physicochemical, pharmacokinetic and clinical profiles are presented in a table form for easy comparison. It is hoped that in the future new drugs based on additional mechanisms can be developed for the treatment of AIDS.

Human tryptase fibrinogenolysis is optimal at acidic pH and generates anticoagulant fragments in the presence of the anti-tryptase monoclonal antibody B12

Human tryptase is uniquely regulated by its association with heparin and resists inhibition by biological protease inhibitors. The effects of pH and B12, an IgG anti-tryptase mAb, on cleavage of the synthetic substrate tosyl-Gly-Pro-Lys-p-nitroanilide and of the biological substrate fibrinogen by tryptase were examined. Tosyl-Gly-Pro-Lys-pnitroanilide cleavage was optimal at neutral pH and was inhibited by the B12 mAb at acidic and neutral pH values. At pH 7.5, inhibition was reversible and noncompetitive. In contrast, the optimal pH for tryptase to cleave fibrinogen was acidic. B12 dramatically enhanced the rate and extent that tryptase cleaved all three fibrinogen subunits at pH 6.0 to 6.5, but inhibited these activities at neutral pH. Major fibrinogen cleavage fragments generated at acidic pH by the B12:tryptase complex were identical with those made by plasmin. Thus, at acid pH, tryptase alone destroyed the ability of fibrinogen to clot, while the B12:tryptase complex increased the rate of fibrinogenolysis and also generated the anticoagulant, fragment D. The acidic pH optimum for tryptase fibrinogenolysis may direct this activity to tissue sites of inflammation. A putative biological equivalent to B12 would limit tryptase fibrinogenolytic activity at sites of neutral pH, such as blood, but would augment activity at acidic sites.

[Simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of three-component mixture by two partial least squares methods]

Two partial least squares methods, classical partial least squares (PLS) and partial least squares based on a kernel algorithm (KPLS), were studied for simultaneous determination of a three-component mixture. Three programs called SPGRAFA, SPGRPLS and SPGRKPLS were designed to perform the calculations. Eight error functions were calculated for deducing the number of factors. Because the size of the kernal matrix was much smaller than the original data matrix, the KPLS applied to calculating the matrix with many wavelengths and fewer number of samples. Experimental results showed both methods to be successful even there was overlap of spectra and agreed well.

Mast cell activation in arthritis: detection of alpha- and beta-tryptase, histamine and eosinophil cationic protein in synovial fluid

1. Although mast cell hyperplasia is a feature of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, the extent and nature of mast cell activation in joint disease have not been clearly established. 2. We have investigated the levels of mast cell tryptase and histamine and also of eosinophil cationic protein in synovial fluid collected from 31 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 14 with seronegative spondyloarthritis and nine with osteoarthritis. Two RIAs for tryptase were employed: one with monoclonal antibody AA5, which was found to bind equally well to both alpha and beta isoforms on Western blots of the recombinant enzyme, and the other with antibody G5, which recognizes predominantly beta-tryptase. 3. alpha-Tryptase, which is likely to be released constitutively from mast cells, appeared to be the major form in synovial fluid, as the assay with antibody AA5 detected appreciably more tryptase than that with antibody G5. beta-Tryptase, which is released on anaphylactic activation of mast cells, was detected in 14 out of 45 synovial fluid samples studied, with concentrations of up to 12 micrograms/l measured by the G5 assay. The apparent levels of beta-tryptase, but not of alpha-tryptase, were closely correlated with those of histamine in the synovial fluid. Patients with osteoarthritis appeared to have a greater proportion of beta-tryptase in the synovial fluid than those with rheumatoid arthritis, as well as higher concentrations of histamine. Eosinophil cationic protein was present at high levels in the synovial fluid, although eosinophil numbers were low, and its concentrations were not correlated with the concentrations of the mast cell products. 4. These data suggest that anaphylactic degranulation of mast cells may have occurred to a greater extent in osteoarthritis than in rheumatoid arthritis, despite the relative lack of synovial inflammation in osteoarthritis. Although the eosinophil cationic protein detected may not reflect eosinophilic inflammation in the joint, the presence in synovial fluid of tryptase of both major forms, and of histamine, appears to indicate that mast cell products are secreted constitutively, as well as by processes of anaphylactic degranulation in rheumatoid arthritis, seronegative spondyloarthritis and osteoarthritis.

Human tryptase fibrinogenolysis is optimal at acidic pH and generates anticoagulant fragments in the presence of the anti-tryptase monoclonal antibody B12

Human tryptase is uniquely regulated by its association with heparin and resists inhibition by biological protease inhibitors. The effects of pH and B12, an IgG anti-tryptase mAb, on cleavage of the synthetic substrate tosyl-Gly-Pro-Lys-p-nitroanilide and of the biological substrate fibrinogen by tryptase were examined. Tosyl-Gly-Pro-Lys-pnitroanilide cleavage was optimal at neutral pH and was inhibited by the B12 mAb at acidic and neutral pH values. At pH 7.5, inhibition was reversible and noncompetitive. In contrast, the optimal pH for tryptase to cleave fibrinogen was acidic. B12 dramatically enhanced the rate and extent that tryptase cleaved all three fibrinogen subunits at pH 6.0 to 6.5, but inhibited these activities at neutral pH. Major fibrinogen cleavage fragments generated at acidic pH by the B12:tryptase complex were identical with those made by plasmin. Thus, at acid pH, tryptase alone destroyed the ability of fibrinogen to clot, while the B12:tryptase complex increased the rate of fibrinogenolysis and also generated the anticoagulant, fragment D. The acidic pH optimum for tryptase fibrinogenolysis may direct this activity to tissue sites of inflammation. A putative biological equivalent to B12 would limit tryptase fibrinogenolytic activity at sites of neutral pH, such as blood, but would augment activity at acidic sites.

Oxidation of cyclophosphamide to 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide and deschloroethylcyclophosphamide in human liver microsomes

We have investigated the formation of 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide (HCY) and deschloroethylcyclophosphamide (DCCY) from cyclophosphamide (CY) in human liver microsomes. For HCY, the estimated values (mean +/- SD; n = 3) of Km1 and Km2 were 0.095 +/- 0.072 and 5.09 +/- 4.30 mM, and the estimated values of Vmax1 and Vmax2 were 0.138 +/- 0.070 and 1.55 +/- 0.50 nmol/min/mg protein. For DCCY, Km1 and Km2 were 0.046 +/- 0.017 and 8.58 +/- 5.84 mM, and Vmax1 and Vmax2 were 0.006 +/- 0.003 and 0.274 +/- 0.214 nmol/min/mg protein. At CY concentrations of 0.1, 0.7, and 5 mM, HCY respectively accounted for 95.7 +/- 1.3, 95.1 +/- 2.4, and 90.7 +/- 2.7% of the total products of CY (HCY + DCCY; n = 6). In a separate experiment, 98.7 +/- 11.9% (n = 3) of CY loss could be accounted for by the formation of HCY at 0.1 mM CY. On the basis of cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoform-specific chemical inhibitor and cDNA-expressed human P450 isozyme studies, CYP2C9 and CYP3A4/5 seemed to be the major P450 isoforms responsible for HCY formation at low (0.1 mM) and high (0.7 and 5 mM) concentrations of CY, respectively. Although orphenadrine inhibition was observed in human liver microsomes (which has been taken to indicate CYP2B6 catalysis), orphenadrine inhibited cDNA-expressed CYP3A4 formation of HCY to the same extent observed in human liver microsomes, and the addition of orphenadrine to incubations containing sulfaphenazole (a specific inhibitor of CYP2C9) or troleandomycin (a specific CYP3A inhibitor) did not increase inhibition beyond that observed with sulfaphenazole or troleandomycin alone. Similar studies indicated that CYP3A4/5 was the major P450 isoform responsible for DCCY formation at high (0.7 and 5 mM) concentrations of CY. The P450 isoform responsible for DCCY formation at 0.1 mM CY could not be identified due to its very low formation rate.

[The prospective study of the influence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection of pregnant women to fetus]

Screening of CMV infection in 450 pregnant women in Shenyang was carried on by ELISA and PCR methods, and CMV infection was detected in 100 of their infants prospectively. The results were 97.11% of pregnant women with past infection, 0.89% with primary infection, 11.11% with recurrent infection, only 2% were susceptible. From 450 pregnant women, there were 3 infants with congenital defects and 3 abortions in active infective group, who were positive for IgM antibody, CMV DNA were positive in heparin peripheral blood, cervical secretion, placenta or amnionic fluid. The fetal infection rate and congenital defect rate in infective group were higher than that in inactive control group. Within 100 maternal-infant pair group, congenitally infected infants were 1.43 times higher in infective group than that in control group (RR = 1.43). Two infants with mental retardations (MDI<70) were born in infective group, but none in control group. In our study, primary infection of early pregnancy was most harmful to fetus, the intrauterine transmission rate was 33.3%. Among nine infected infants born from the infective group, two infants were with CID, and seven were symptomless. CMV screening is important for pregnant women in view of eugenic. When active CMV infection is found in early pregnancy, termination of pregnancy is better considered while CMV detection of amniotic fluid is also positive.

Human mast cells stimulate vascular tube formation. Tryptase is a novel, potent angiogenic factor

The presence of mast cells near capillary sprouting sites suggests an association between mast cells and angiogenesis. However, the role of mast cells in blood vessel development remains to be defined. In an attempt to elucidate this relationship, we investigated the effect of human mast cells (HMC-1) and their products on human dermal microvascular endothelial cell (HDMEC) tube formation. Coculture of HMC-1 with HDMEC led to a dose-response increase in the network area of vascular tube growth. Moreover, the extent of neovascularization was enhanced greatly when HMC-1 were degranulated in the presence of HDMEC. Further examination using antagonists to various mast cell products revealed a blunted response (73-88% decrease) in the area of vascular tube formation if specific inhibitors of tryptase were present. Tryptase (3 microg/ml) directly added to HDMEC caused a significant augmentation of capillary growth, which was suppressed by specific tryptase inhibitors. Tryptase also directly induced cell proliferation of HDMEC in a dose-dependent fashion (2 pM-2 nM). Our results suggest that mast cells act at sites of new vessel formation by secreting tryptase, which then functions as a potent and previously unrecognized angiogenic factor.

Human mast cells activate fibroblasts: tryptase is a fibrogenic factor stimulating collagen messenger ribonucleic acid synthesis and fibroblast chemotaxis

The effect of human mast cells on fibroblast activity was studied using an organotypic skin-equivalent culture system. Human mast cell-1 (HMC-1) cells were embedded in a collagen gel with neonatal dermal fibroblasts at a ratio of 1:4; keratinocytes then were allowed to stratify above this composite culture. Analysis of type a1(I) procollagen mRNA synthesis by in situ hybridization revealed a substantial increase in mRNA levels in the presence of mast cells and especially following degranulation, induced by calcium ionophore A23187. Tryptase, a major product of human mast cells, could substitute for mast cells in this culture system, up-regulating procollagen mRNA synthesis. Tryptase pretreated with the specific protease inhibitor bis(5-amidino-2-benzimidazo-lyl)methane (BABIM) markedly attenuated the collagen mRNA up-regulation. Further studies revealed HMC-1 cell sonicates stimulated fibroblast chemotaxis and procollagen mRNA synthesis. Inhibition of HMC-1 sonicates with either BABIM or a neutralizing mAb against tryptase resulted in significant reduction of fibroblast chemotaxis and procollagen mRNA, implying that tryptase accounted for the majority of HMC-1 sonicate activity. Tryptase directly stimulated fibroblast chemotaxis with optimal concentrations between 10 pM and 1 nM. The maximal response of optimal concentrations of tryptase was comparable with the known fibrogenic factor, TGF-beta. Inhibition of tryptase with BABIM resulted in approximately 50% reduction in chemotactic activity. Additional studies revealed that tryptase (0.3-3 nM) stimulated procollagen mRNA synthesis in confluent monolayers of dermal fibroblasts.

Inhibition by hirulog-1 of generation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 from vascular smooth-muscle cells induced by thrombin

Hirulog-1 effectively prevents thrombosis in coronary artery disease and is associated with a low incidence of bleeding complications. Our study characterized the effect of Hirulog-1 on thrombin-induced production of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in cultured baboon aortic smooth-muscle cells (BASMCs). Thrombin increased the steady-state levels of PAI-1 messenger RNA (mRNA) and the release of PAI-1 antigen from BASMCs. Treatments with 10-20 mg/L of Hirulog-1 inhibited >80% of thrombin-induced PAI-1 generation from BASMCs. Hirulog-1 alone did not significantly alter PAI-1 production in the absence of thrombin. Significant reduction of thrombin-induced PAI-1 release was observed in cultures treated with Hirulog-1 for 1 h. The maximal effect of Hirulog-1 on thrombin-induced PAI-1 release was achieved in cultures treated with thrombin plus Hirulog-1 for 3 to 6 h, associated with the normalization of PAI-1 mRNA levels induced by thrombin treatment. Strong inhibition by Hirulog-1 on thrombin-induced PAI-1 release remained in cultures with 8 h of the treatment, but the effect was attenuated 16 h after a single addition of the inhibitor. Our study demonstrates that Hirulog-1 effectively inhibited thrombin-induced PAI-1 production in cultured vascular SMCs at mRNA and protein levels. Vascular SMCs may be exposed to high concentrations of thrombin when endothelium is injured. The information generated from this study suggests that Hirulog-1 potentially prevents intravascular thrombogenesis through inhibiting thrombin-induced PAI-1 production in vascular SMCs, especially when hypercoagulation and endothelial injury occurs.

G proteins and phospholipase C mediate thrombin-induced generation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 from vascular smooth muscle cells

The present study investigated transcellular signalling mechanism involved in thrombin-induced production of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in cultured vascular baboon aortic smooth muscle cells (BASMC). Treatments with thrombin dose-dependently increased the steady state levels of PAI-1 mRNA and the generation of PAI-1 antigen from BASMC. Thrombin receptor-activating peptide mimicked the effect of thrombin on the generation of PAI-1. Sodium fluoride (1 mM) stimulated PAI-1 generation from BASMC. Pertussis toxin dose-dependently suppressed thrombin-induced increase of PAI-1 generation. Treatment with 5 mM neomycin, 10 microM U73122 or 1 microM calphostin C blocked thrombin-induced PAI-1 generation. Phorbol myristate acetate at 10 nM for 3 h strongly stimulated the generation of PAI-1 from BASMC. Forskolin (100 microM) or 8-bromo-cAMP (100 microM) suppressed thrombin-induced PAI-1 generation. The responses of quiescent BASMC to thrombin or the inhibitors on PAI-1 generation were comparable to that of growing cells. The results of the present study suggest that pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins and a phospholipase C are involved in thrombin-induced generation of PAI-1 in BASMC, which may transmit signals from occupied thrombin receptor to protein kinase C and thereby increase the generation of PAI-1. Elevated levels of intracellular cAMP may negatively regulate the generation of PAI-1 from vascular SMC.

Human mast cells activate fibroblasts: tryptase is a fibrogenic factor stimulating collagen messenger ribonucleic acid synthesis and fibroblast chemotaxis

The effect of human mast cells on fibroblast activity was studied using an organotypic skin-equivalent culture system. Human mast cell-1 (HMC-1) cells were embedded in a collagen gel with neonatal dermal fibroblasts at a ratio of 1:4; keratinocytes then were allowed to stratify above this composite culture. Analysis of type a1(I) procollagen mRNA synthesis by in situ hybridization revealed a substantial increase in mRNA levels in the presence of mast cells and especially following degranulation, induced by calcium ionophore A23187. Tryptase, a major product of human mast cells, could substitute for mast cells in this culture system, up-regulating procollagen mRNA synthesis. Tryptase pretreated with the specific protease inhibitor bis(5-amidino-2-benzimidazo-lyl)methane (BABIM) markedly attenuated the collagen mRNA up-regulation. Further studies revealed HMC-1 cell sonicates stimulated fibroblast chemotaxis and procollagen mRNA synthesis. Inhibition of HMC-1 sonicates with either BABIM or a neutralizing mAb against tryptase resulted in significant reduction of fibroblast chemotaxis and procollagen mRNA, implying that tryptase accounted for the majority of HMC-1 sonicate activity. Tryptase directly stimulated fibroblast chemotaxis with optimal concentrations between 10 pM and 1 nM. The maximal response of optimal concentrations of tryptase was comparable with the known fibrogenic factor, TGF-beta. Inhibition of tryptase with BABIM resulted in approximately 50% reduction in chemotactic activity. Additional studies revealed that tryptase (0.3-3 nM) stimulated procollagen mRNA synthesis in confluent monolayers of dermal fibroblasts.

Oxidative modification enhances lipoprotein(a)-induced overproduction of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in cultured vascular endothelial cells

Elevated levels of plasma lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] have been considered as a strong risk factor for premature cardiovascular diseases. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is the major physiological inhibitor of plasminogen activators (PA). Increases in PAI-1 levels with or without a reduction in PA levels have been frequently found in coronary artery disease patients. The present paper examined the effects of oxidized Lp(a) on the production of PAI-1 in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Lp(a) and Lp(a)-free, low density lipoprotein (LDL) were prepared using lysine-Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography. Incubations with 10(-8) M levels of native Lp(a) moderately increased the levels of biologically active PAI-1 in post-culture medium of HUVEC compared to that with equimolar concentrations of native Lp(a)-free LDL. The release of PAI-1 induced by Lp(a) was enhanced by oxidative modification with copper ion. The stimulation of oxidized Lp(a) on PAI-1 production reached plateau in EC treated with 10-20 nM oxidized Lp(a) modified by microM CuSO4. Treatment with 0.2 micrograms/ml of actinomycin D significantly reduced native and oxidized Lp(a)-induced PAI-1 overproduction in EC. Increases in the steady state levels of PAI-1 mRNA were detected in native or oxidized Lp(a)-treated EC. The effect of Lp(a)-free oxidized LDL on PAI-1 production was significantly weaker than the equimolar amount of oxidized Lp(a) but stronger than that of native LDL. Treatments with oxidized Lp(a) increased cell-associated PAI-1 to a similar extent as that in native Lp(a)-treated EC. The results of the present paper demonstrate that oxidative modification enhances Lp(a)-induced PAI-1 production in vascular endothelial cells at RNA transcription level, which suggests that oxidization potentially amplifies the anti-fibrinolytic and thrombotic effect of Lp(a).

Physicochemical basis of the universal genetic codes--quantitative analysis

Quantitative mathematic models have been developed to correlate the fragment hydrophobicity contribution constants (faa) of 20 amino acids with the physicochemical properties (mu, Hb, and square root of MW) of the four bases (U, A, C, G) of the codons, or those of the anticodons. Using the general equation faa = a mu 1 + b mu 2 + c mu 3 + d square root of MW1 + e square root of MW2 + f square root of MW3 + g Hb1 + h Hb2 + i Hb3 + j, where 1, 2, 3 refer to the first, the second and the third base respectively, correlation coefficient of about 0.82 can be obtained for all 20 amino acids coded by 61 different triplet codes. These correlations are statistically highly significant, even though they do not take into account the involvement of various factors and peptidyl transferases. Furthermore, the reasons for the three stop codons are revealed. The graphic presentation of the codons and the amino acids coded separates the acidic and the basic, the aromatic and the heterocyclic amino acids into different quadrants of an octagon. This is in agreement with the ancient Chinese Ying-Yang theory embedded in the classical I-Ching.

Natural products and their derivatives as cancer chemopreventive agents

This review summarizes currently available data on the chemopreventive efficacies, proposed mechanisms of action and relationships between activities and structures of natural products like vitamin D, calcium, dehydroepidandrosterone, coenzyme Q10, celery seed oil, parsley leaf oil, sulforaphane, isoflavonoids, lignans, protease inhibitors, tea polyphenols, curcumin, and polysaccharides from Acanthopanax genus.

Expression of rat liver tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase in Escherichia coli: structural and functional characterization of the purified enzyme

The hepatic hemoprotein tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) is the key regulatory enzyme that, through irreversible degradation, controls the flux of tryptophan through physiologically relevant pathways. This enzyme is composed of four identical subunits and in its fully assembled tetrameric form requires 2 mol of heme (Fe(+2)-protoporphyrin IX)/mol of protein for functional competence. Using a full-length cDNA for the rat liver TDO subunit (pUC119/TDO) as the template, TDO cDNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and incorporated into the expression vector pTrc99A after introduction of convenient restriction sites as well as modification of the second codon AGT to GCT to optimize its bacterial expression. DH5 alpha F' strain Escherichia coli cells transfected with this pTrc99A/TDO construct expressed soluble, functionally active, tetrameric TDO protein in high yields. The enzyme was isolated from 30,000g supernatant of cell lysates, purified by ion-exchange chromatography, and its spectral and catalytic properties were assessed in terms of its substrate and prosthetic moiety specificities. In almost all aspects, the bacterially expressed enzyme was found to be identical to that of the rat liver. Heterologous expression of the fully functional enzyme, we trust, will enable future elucidation of its structure-function relationships.

[The study of clinical pathology on bronchial hyperresponsiveness]

OBJECTIVE

To study mechanism of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and the relationship between asymptomatic BHR and asthma.

METHODS

Bronchial biopsies were taken through fiberoptic bronchoscope from 17 cases of asymptomatic BHR, 12 cases of chronic asthma with remission and 10 normal control subjects. Bronchial mucosas were investigated by light microscopy and transmission electron microscope. Analysed by morphometric technique for the granules in both eosinophils (EOS) and mast cells (MC).

RESULTS

Airway allergic inflammation (AAI) existed in 9 cases (53%) with asymptomatic BHR. It was similar in bronchial mucosal pathologic changes to chronic asthma with remission. Inflammation existed in the other 8 cases (47%), but unlike AAI, there were no infiltration of EOS and MC in bronchial mucosa.

CONCLUSIONS

The pathological changes of asthma in bronchial mucosa were existed in a part of patients with asymptomatic BHR.

Production of genetically stable high-titer retroviral vectors that carry a human gamma-globin gene under the control of the alpha-globin locus control region

The ability to generate stable high-titer vectors that give rise to high levels of expression of transduced globin genes in erythroid cells is a prerequisite for effective retroviral-mediated globin gene therapy. The human beta-globin gene with its immediate flanking sequences does not contain all the regulatory elements necessary for regulated high-level and position-independent expression in erythroid cells. The regulatory element known as the beta-globin locus control region (BetaLCR) can provide a linked Beta-globin gene with these properties. However, addition of BetaLCR sequences to a retrovirus carrying a beta-globin gene increases its genetic instability. We have developed a new generation of retroviral vectors in which a human gamma-globin gene is placed under the control of the alphaLCR, the major regulatory element of the alpha-globin gene cluster. We demonstrate that these retroviruses are genetically stable in producer cell lines and can be produced at high titers that exceed 5 x 10(6) colony-forming units (CFU)/mL. In addition, we show that the transduced gamma-globin gene can be expressed in the adult erythroid environment of mouse erythroleukemia (MEL) cells at a level comparable to that of a single endogenous Betamaj-globin gene. These retroviruses can also transduce primary murine bone marrow progenitor cells as efficiently as retroviruses that carry the neomycin resistance (neor) gene. This new generation of globin retroviral vectors may prove useful for gene therapy of human beta-globin gene disorders such as sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia.