Monoclonal antibodies to chromaffin cells can distinguish proteins specific to or specifically excluded from chromaffin granules

Selective Perturbation of the Intravesicular Heme Center of Cytochrome b561 by Cysteinyl Modification with 4,4′-Dithiodipyridine

Cytochrome b(561) from bovine adrenal chromaffin vesicles contains two hemes b with EPR signals at g(z) = 3.69 and 3.14 and participates in transmembrane electron transport from extravesicular ascorbate to an intravesicular monooxygenase, dopamine beta-hydroxylase. Treatment of purified cytochrome b(561) in an oxidized state with a sulfhydryl reagent, 4,4'-dithiodipyridine, caused the introduction of only one 4-thiopyridine group per b(561) molecule at either Cys57 or Cys125. About half of the heme centers of the modified cytochrome were reduced rapidly with ascorbate as found for the untreated sample, but the final reduction level decreased to approximately 65%. EPR spectra of the modified cytochrome showed that a part of the g(z) = 3.14 low-spin EPR species was converted to a new low-spin species with g(z) = 2.94, although a considerable part of the heme center was concomitantly converted to a high-spin g = 6 species. Addition of ascorbate to the modified cytochrome caused the disappearance or significant reduction of the EPR signals at g(z) = 3.69 and 3.14 of low-spin species and at g = 6.0 of the high-spin species, but not for the g(z) approximately 2.94 species. These results suggested that the bound 4-thiopyridone at either Cys57 or Cys125 affected the intravesicular heme center and converted it partially to a non-ascorbate-reducible form. The present observations suggested the importance of the two well-conserved Cys residues near the intravesicular heme center and implied their physiological roles during the electron donation to the monodehydroascorbate radical.

Decreased 5-HT1A receptor gene expression and 5-HT1A receptor protein in the cerebral cortex and brain stem during pancreatic regeneration in rats

The present study was to investigate the role of central 5-HT and 5-HT(1A) receptor binding and gene expression in a rat model of pancreatic regeneration using 60% pancreatectomy. The pancreatic regeneration was evaluated by 5-HT content and 5-HT(1A) receptor gene expression in the cerebral cortex (CC) and brain stem (BS) of sham operated, 72 h and 7 days pancreatectomised rats. 5-HT content significantly increased in the CC (P < 0.01) and BS (P < 0.05) of 72 h pancreatectomised rats. Sympathetic activity was decreased as indicated by the significantly decreased norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EPI) level (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05) in the plasma of 72 h pancreatectomised rats. 5-HT(1A) receptor density and affinity was decreased in the CC (P < 0.01) and BS (P < 0.01). These changes correlated with a diminished 5-HT(1A) receptor mRNA expression in the brain regions studied. Our results suggest that the brain 5-HT through 5-HT(1A) receptor has a functional role in the pancreatic regeneration through the sympathetic regulation.

Synaptophysin and chromogranins/secretogranins--widespread constituents of distinct types of neuroendocrine vesicles and new tools in tumor diagnosis

Normal and neoplastic neuroendocrine (NE) cells have been identified for many years by morphological criteria only. With the advent of immunocytochemistry, antibodies against NE-specific polypeptides have been used to identify NE cells that had been missed by conventional techniques, thus improving the diagnosis of NE cells. In this review article we discuss (i) the biochemical, cell biological and molecular biological data obtained so far for two major types of NE markers, synaptophysin, which is characteristic of the small "transparent-looking" neurosecretory vesicles, and the chromogranins/secretogranins, which are widespread constituents of the larger "dense-cored" secretory granules; (ii) the immunohistochemical data obtained for these marker proteins in normal and neoplastic human NE cells and tissues; and (iii) future possible developments involving these as well as other proteins that are associated with these two distinct secretory organelles of NE cells and may serve as potential markers in NE cell diagnosis.

Cytochrome b561 can be detected in many neuroendocrine tissues using a specific monoclonal antibody

CG7 is a monoclonal antibody that recognizes cytochrome b561, a major protein component of adrenal medullary chromaffin granules. Immunocytochemical studies using this antibody have demonstrated that cytochrome b561 is present in many neural and endocrine tissues and that its distribution is correlated with the presence of either catecholamines or amidated peptides in the tissue. These tissues include neuronal cell bodies and/or fibers in the gut, blood vessels, retina, and posterior pituitary, endocrine cells of the gut, anterior and intermediate lobes of the pituitary, heart muscle, and all adrenal medullary chromaffin cells. The discovery of cytochrome b561 in many neuropeptide-containing tissues regardless of the presence of catecholamines is consistent with a general role for cytochrome b561 as a secretory granule membrane electron carrier. Its expression may be linked to an ascorbic acid requirement by both catecholamine and neuropeptide biosynthetic enzymes.