A sensitive peroxidase staining immunoblotting method for measuring total protein S in human plasma

In plasma, protein S is found in its free form and as a complex with C4b-binding protein. After 125I-protein S was added to normal human plasma and applied to SDS-8% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the autoradiogram of the gel showed only one single band at free protein S position. Applying this evidence, we have developed a peroxidase staining Western Blotting method to quantitate total protein S in human plasma which consists of sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by blotting to nitrocellulose membrane and a sensitive avidin-biotinylated peroxidase staining method (ABC technique). The measurement of protein S by the immunoblotting was reproducible and the coefficient of variation was 7%. As little as 1 ng of protein S could be detected. C4b-binding protein did not affect the measurement of protein S. Compared to other immunoassays, this peroxidase staining immunoblotting method has the advantage of directly estimating the apparent molecular weight of protein of interest, eliminating nonspecific stain and having high sensitivity without using radioisotope.

Biosynthesis of curdlan from culture media containing 13C-labeled glucose as the carbon source

13C-Labeled curdlans were biosynthesized by Agrobacterium sp. (ATCC 31749) from culture media containing D-(1-13C)glucose, D-(6-13C)glucose, or D-(2-13C)glucose as the carbon source, and their structures were analyzed by 13C NMR spectroscopy. The labeling was mainly found in the original position, that is, C-1, C-6, or C-2, indicating direct polymerization of introduced glucose. In addition, C-3 in curdlan obtained from D-(1-13C)glucose, C-1 in curdlan obtained from D-(6-13C)glucose, and C-1 and C-3 in curdlan obtained from D-(2-13)glucose were labeled. From analysis of this labeling, the biosynthesis of curdlan was interpreted as involving five routes: (1) direct synthesis from glucose; (2) rearrangement (1-13C-->3-13C); and (3) isomerization (6-13C-->1-13C) of cleaved trioses by the Embden-Meyerhof pathway, followed by neogenesis of glucose and formation of curdlan; (4) from fructose 6-phosphate formed in the pentose cycle (2-13C-->1-13C, 3-13C); and (5) neogenesis of glucose from fragments produced in various pathways of glycolysis. The 13C-labeling at C-6 and C-2 in the starting glucoses is well preserved in the C-6 carbon and the C-1 to C-3 carbons, respectively, in the curdlan produced.

A new synthetic hypoglycaemic polysaccharide

The synthetic (1-->6)-alpha-D-glucopyranan with branching and without branching were tested as a new hypoglycaemic drug. (1-->6)-alpha-D-glucopyranan having an alpha-D-glucopyranosyl branch at the C-3 position (1) showed a remarkable hypoglycaemic activity on i.p. injection to mice. The polysaccharide having both alpha- and beta-glucopyranosyl branches (2) also lowered the blood sugar (glucose) level in mice. On the other hand, the synthetic linear (1-->6)-alpha-D-glucopyranan (3) and alpha-D-glucopyranosyl branched polysaccharide (4) did not have a hypoglycaemic function, indicating that the branching glucose units are essential for the biological activity.

The effect of low-density lipoprotein apheresis on plasma thrombomodulating factors

The authors have investigated the effects of double-membrane filtration with hollow fiber membranes made of different artificial materials and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-adsorbent dextran sulfate cellulose (DS) columns on coagulation-related proteins and complement components to evaluate their hemocompatibility. All membrane filters showed similar sieving effects, which depended upon the molecular weights of the proteins. In the double-membrane filtration system, free protein S, protein C, antithrombin III, and alpha 1-antitrypsin were returned to the intracorporeal circulation, whereas alpha 2-macroglobulin and fibrinogen were almost completely removed from the circulation; C4b-binding protein (C4BP)-protein S complexes were also trapped by the second membrane, and in some instances were even blocked by the first membrane, if it was made of material that activated the classic pathway of the complement system. The DS column adsorbed C4BP-protein S complex, but free protein S was almost completely recovered in the eluate.

[Clinical evaluation of treatment for prosthetic valve endocarditis and analysis of factors affecting outcome of surgical therapy]

We analyzed the outcome for 18 patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) treated between 1965 and 1990, 17 of whom had undergone valve replacement with mechanical prosthetic valves and one of whom had a bioprosthesis. Two patients developed infection within 60 days after surgery, and 16 thereafter. Fifteen patients received combined medical and surgical therapy and three medical therapy. In 14 patients, surgery had been performed during active infection. Mortality rate of those who had received combined medical and surgical therapy was 27%, and that of those who had received medical therapy was 67%. At operation, para-annular abscess was around the mitral prosthesis was found in three patients and around the aortic prosthesis in eight. Seven patients required reoperation for postoperative paravalvular leakage, in six, para-annular abscess had been found at the operation for PVE, and in one para-annular abscess had been noted. One patient who had undergone reoperation had developed reinfection after the first surgery and died due to multiple organ failure after the second operation (Danielson's translocation technique). In one patient who had complete loss of supporting tissue because of severe para-annular abscess, we had performed aortic valve replacement by implanting the aortic valve prosthesis into the left ventricle with Dacron felt-supported sutures placed in the mitral annulus and the muscles of the left ventricular outflow tract. This patient showed no postoperative infection or no paravalvular leakage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Surgical repair of ischemic mitral regurgitation]

We studied surgical results of 14 cases of ischemic mitral regurgitation. There was no surgical death in 10 cases with left ventricular aneurysm, and their clinical symptoms improved except 3 with the combined operation of left ventricular aneurysmectomy, mitral annuloplasty and bypass grafting. The range of the abnormal contracting segment significantly decreased after surgery except in 3 cases in whom clinical status was not improved. Three of 4 cases which underwent bypass grafting and mitral annulo-valvuloplasty survived, but one of them died of graft-versus-host disease. In the three survived cases, severe mitral regurgitation disappeared. We have concluded as follows: In cases of left ventricular aneurysm, a sufficient aneurysmal resection is very important to control the mitral regurgitation, and the additional procedures of mitral annuloplasty and bypass grafting are essential. The mitral valve replacement is recommended in case of the complete disruption of the papillary muscle. Mitral valvuloplasty combined with annuloplasty is suitable to control the regurgitation in the regional mitral prolapse due to the torn chordae.

A strong inhibition of HIV-induced cytopathic effects by synthetic (1----6)-alpha-D-mannopyranan sulfate

The anti-HIV effects of mannopyranan sulfate (1) were investigated by using MT-4 cells, namely, an HTLV-I-carrying CD-4 positive cell-line, in vitro. Stereoregular (1----6)-alpha-D-mannopyranan, which had been synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of a 1,6-anhydromannose derivative, was sulfated with piperidine-N-sulfonic acid to provide 1. N.m.r. analysis of 1 indicated that the reactivity of hydroxyl groups was in the order, 3-OH greater than 2-OH much greater than 4-OH. Mannopyranan sulfate having degree of substitution (d.s.) of 1.19-1.83 effectively inhibited HIV-induced cytopathic effects at a concentration of greater than 3.3 micrograms/mL. The anticoagulant activity and the adsorption on concanavalin A of 1 indicated the possibility of selective binding of 1 having d.s. of 1.19-1.83 to HIV-protein.

Retarded nuclear migration in Drosophila embryos with aberrant F-actin reorganization caused by maternal mutations and by cytochalasin treatment

Three X-linked mutations of Drosophila melanogaster, gs(1)N26, gs(1)N441 and paralog, had a common maternal-effect phenotype. Mutant embryos show reduced egg contraction that normally occurs at an early cleavage stage in wild-type embryos. In addition, the mutants exhibited retarded nuclear migration while synchronous nuclear divisions were unaffected. The retarded migration causes nuclei to remain in the anterior part of the embryo retaining their spherical distribution even in a late cleavage stage. This consequently results in an extreme delay in nuclear arrival in the posterior periplasm. A mutant phenocopy was induced in wild-type embryos that were treated with cytochalasin B or D at a very early cleavage stage. Remarkable differences were noticed in the organization of cortical F-actin between the mutants and the wild type throughout the cleavage stage: obvious F-actin aggregates were dispersed in the cortex of mutant embryos, in contrast to the wild type where the cortical F-actin layer was smooth and underlying F-actin aggregates were smaller than those in the mutants; the transition of the distribution pattern of F-actin in the yolk mass, from the centralized to the fragmented type, occurred later in the mutants than in wild type. The results suggest that these mutations affect the mechanism underlying establishment and transition of F-actin organization required for normal egg contraction and nuclear migration in the cleavage embryos.

Synthesis of a new inhibitor of the UDP-GalNAc:polypeptide galactosaminyl transferase

Reaction of UDP-glucose with 1-hexadecanesulfonyl chloride (C16H33SO2Cl) in pyridine gave a new inhibitor of O-glycosylation. This reaction product was purified by TLC and shown by 1H-NMR and by chemical analysis of phosphorus to be uridine 5'-phosphoric (1-hexadecanesulfonic) anhydride. This compound was tested against the GalNAc transferase. The UMP-hexadecanesulfonic-anhydride did inhibit this enzyme with 50% inhibition requiring 160 microM. The inhibition with respect to UDP-GalNAc concentration was of the competitive type. We also synthesized the UMP-1-octanesulfonic anhydride (C8) and the UMP-butanesulfonic anhydride (C4) to see way effect fatty acid had on activity. The inhibition was in the order C16:C8:C4.

[A case of nephrotic syndrome with abnormally high level of protein C induced by prednisolone]

Adrenocortical hormones have been used for nephrotic syndrome from 1950. But effects of these drugs in coagulation and fibrinolysis are unknown in detail. We studied the effect of prednisolone in a patient with nephrotic syndrome. Protein C increased remarkably after administration of prednisolone 40 mg/day and then decreased in parallel with the dose of prednisolone. Factor X increased more slowly than Protein C. On the other hand, we couldn't find increase of Protein S. Our results indicate that prednisolone have anticoagulant effect by promotion of production of Protein C.

Purification to homogeneity and properties of glucosidase II from mung bean seedlings and suspension-cultured soybean cells

Glucosidase II was purified approximately 1700-fold to homogeneity from Triton X-100 extracts of mung bean microsomes. A single band with a molecular mass of 110 kDa was seen on sodium dodecyl sulfate gels. This band was susceptible to digestion by endoglucosaminidase H or peptide glycosidase F, and the change in mobility of the treated protein indicated the loss of one or two oligosaccharide chains. By gel filtration, the native enzyme was estimated to have a molecular mass of about 220 kDa, suggesting it was composed of two identical subunits. Glucosidase II showed a broad pH optima between 6.8 and 7.5 with reasonable activity even at 8.5, but there was almost no activity below pH 6.0. The purified enzyme could use p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside as a substrate but was also active with a number of glucose-containing high-mannose oligosaccharides. Glc2Man9GlcNAc was the best substrate while activity was significantly reduced when several mannose residues were removed, i.e. Glc2Man7-GlcNAc. The rate of activity was lowest with Glc1Man9GlcNAc, demonstrating that the innermost glucose is released the slowest. Evidence that the enzyme is specific for alpha 1,3-glucosidic linkages is shown by the fact that its activity on Glc2Man9GlcNAc was inhibited by nigerose, an alpha 1,3-linked glucose disaccharide, but not by alpha 1,2 (kojibiose)-, alpha 1,4(maltose)-, or alpha 1,6 (isomaltose)-linked glucose disaccharides. Glucosidase II was strongly inhibited by the glucosidase processing inhibitors deoxynojirimycin and 2,6-dideoxy-2,6-imino-7-O-(beta-D- glucopyranosyl)-D-glycero-L-guloheptitol, but less strongly by castanospermine and not at all by australine. Polyclonal antibodies prepared against the mung bean glucosidase II reacted with a 95-kDa protein from suspension-cultured soybean cells that also showed glucosidase II activity. Soybean cells were labeled with either [2-3H]mannose or [6-3H]galactose, and the glucosidase II was isolated by immunoprecipitation. Essentially all of the radioactive mannose was released from the protein by treatment with endoglucosaminidase H. The labeled oligosaccharide(s) released by endoglucosaminidase H was isolated and characterized by gel filtration and by treatment with various enzymes. The major oligosaccharide chain on the soybean glucosidase II appeared to be a Man9(GlcNAc)2 with small amounts of Glc1Man9(GlcNAc)2.

Plant glucosidase II catalyzes a transglucosylation reaction in addition to the hydrolytic reaction

When the purified plant glucosidase II was incubated with [3H]Glc2Man9GlcNAc in the presence of glycerol and the products were analyzed by gel filtration, a large peak of radioactivity emerged just before the glucose standard. The formation of this peak was dependent on both the presence of Glc2Man9GlcNAc and the presence of glycerol, and the amount of this product increased with time of incubation and amount of glucosidase II in the incubation. When the incubation was performed with [3H]Glc2Man9GlcNAc plus [14C]glycerol, the product contained both 14C and 3H. Strong acid hydrolysis of the purified product gave rise to [14C]glycerol and [3H]glucose. Various other chemical treatments and chromatographic techniques showed that the product was glucosyl----glycerol. Since the glucose was released by alpha-glucosidase, the product must be glucosyl-alpha-glycerol. This study demonstrates that the processing glucosidase II catalyzes a trans-glycosylation reaction in the presence of acceptors like glycerol. Since this transglycosylation reaction may give rise to unexpected products, investigators should be aware of its possible occurrence.

Synthesis of an inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus infection

Anti-HIV effects of lentinan sulfate were investigated by using an HTLV-I-carrying cell line, MT-4, in vitro. Lentinan, a fungal branched (1----3)-beta-D-glucan, was sulfated to various degrees by means of two kinds of procedures using piperidine N-sulfonic acid in dimethyl sulfoxide or chlorosulfonic acid in pyridine. Lentinan sulfate with a sulfur content of more than 13.9% effectively prevented HIV-induced cytopathic effects (CPE) at concentrations of more than 3.3 micrograms/ml. However, low-substituted lentinan sulfate did not prevent HIV-induced CPE at any concentration tested. When the countercation was 50% Na+ and 50% pyridinium ion, the inhibitory capacity was low. Anticoagulant activity of the lentinan sulfate was also assessed.

Autopsy findings in two patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. Special references to apolipoprotein B localization and internalization defect of low density lipoprotein

We have experienced two autopsy cases of familial hypercholesterolemia of type IIa homozygote, one was a 21-year-old female with a defect in the internalization of low density lipoprotein which is thought to be the first autopsy report in the world, and the other was a 31-year-old male with a receptor negative for low density lipoprotein. Autopsy findings, in addition to marked skin xanthomatosis, disclosed reversed distribution of the aortic atherosclerosis, diffuse atherosclerotic narrowing of coronary arteries which led to myocardial necrosis, xanthomatous aortic and mitral valve, and much less severity of cerebral arteries rather than that of aorto-coronary atherosclerosis. We have examined the apolipoprotein B accumulation on these aortas, coronary arteries, and cardiac valves, which showed better correlation between apolipoprotein B deposit areas and preferential accumulation of Alcian blue positive areas suggested to contain sulfate glycosaminoglycan, and documented very rare localization of renal and osseous xanthomas in a patient with internalization defect of low density lipoprotein.

Synthesis of new heparinoids with high anticoagulant activity

New heparinoids were synthesized by the chemical method starting from ring-opening polymerization of anhydro sugar derivatives. Sulfation of synthetic (1----6)-alpha-linked 3-amino-3-deoxy-D-glucopyranan and its copolymers gave dextran-type heparinoids having a sulfamide group on the C-3 carbon of the sugar unit. Heparinoids with different sulfamide contents indicated that the anticoagulant activity (35.3-41.3 units/mg) is independent of the sulfamide content, while an increase in sulfamide content lowered the toxicity. Sulfation of (1----5)-alpha-D-xylofuranan and -ribofuranan provided furanan-type heparinoids the anticoagulant activities of which were higher than those of the corresponding sulfated pyranan-type polysaccharides (1----4)-beta-D-xylopyranan and -ribopyranan. The highest activity (69.1 units/mg) was shown by sulfated (1----5)-alpha-D-xylofuranan. The dextran-type heparinoid having a sulfamide group showed a high anticoagulant activity also in vivo and high lipemia-clearing activity.

Ischemic heart disease in the WHHL rabbit: a model for myocardial injury in genetically hyperlipidemic animals

Myocardial lesions were frequently found in homozygous Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbits. The lesions were of two types. One consisted of a dissolution of muscle cells with inflammatory cell infiltrate. The other consisted of replacement fibrosis. The more the lumens of at least one of the three main coronary arteries were narrowed by atherosclerosis, the more the myocardial lesions occurred. The greater the number of vessels that were occluded, the more the incidence of myocardial lesions increased. From the age distribution of rabbits which died of natural causes, the average life span was estimated to be markedly shorter in homozygous WHHL rabbits than in normal rabbits. These findings suggest that WHHL rabbits suffered from ischemic heart disease, including acute myocardial infarction. Thus, this study shows that WHHL rabbits may be useful not only as a model of familial hypercholesterolemia but also for investigating the mechanisms of various clinical forms of ischemic heart disease.

Synthesis of water-soluble, branched polysaccharides having D-mannopyranose, D-arabinofuranose, or oligo-D-arabinofuranose side-chains and their antitumor activity

Branched polysaccharides having D-mannopyranose, D-arabinofuranose, or oligo-D-arabinofuranose side-chains were synthesized by the reaction of 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-(1,2-O-ethylorthoacetyl)-beta-D-mannopyranose, 3,5-di-O-benzoyl-(1,2-O-ethylorthobenzoyl)-beta-D-arabinofuranose, or 3-O-benzoyl-(1,2,5-O-orthobenzoyl)-beta-D-arabinofuranose with cellulose acetate or curdlan acetate, followed by desterification. The structure and antitumor activity of the water-soluble portion of the polysaccharides thus obtained were investigated. Polysaccharides synthesized from (1----3)-beta-D-glucan as the main chain with oligo-D-arabinofuranose side-chains exhibited high antitumor activity.

Hyperlipidemia in mast cell-deficient W/WV mice

Approximately 70% of the W/WV mice lacking mast cells due to a genetic defect showed hypertriglyceridemia combined with hypercholesterolemia. Increases of various magnitudes in chylomicrons, very-low-density lipoprotein, and intermediate-density lipoprotein were observed in the plasma of W/WV mice compared to those in the plasma of congenic normal mice. The increase in these lipoproteins was seen even in normolipidemic W/WV mice. Activities of both lipoprotein lipase and hepatic triacylglycerol lipase in the plasma after heparin injection were markedly lower in the W/WV mice than in the congenic normal mice, although activities of both lipoprotein lipase in the heart and adipose tissue and hepatic triacylglycerol lipase in the liver were not decreased. These results suggest that the W/WV mice have genetic defects in one or more of the following: secretion of both lipases from their synthesising cells, transport to the endothelium, and anchoring to the endothelial surface. Heparin deficiency in these mice may be responsible for the impairment and, thereby, may partially contribute to the hyperlipidemia.